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Thursday, June 24, 2010

I win!!!!!

I won one of the giveaways from Raising Homemakers!!!  I'm SO very excited!!!  I won a bundle package, that includes the book So Much More, and the CD's Strength and Dignity for Daughters and What Our Father Taught Us About Boys, all by sisters Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin.  I'll tell you, I've gotten some other MP3's off of their family's site at Western Conservatory of Arts and Sciences, and I've truly enjoyed them.  (And the customer service there is wonderful, too!!  I want to thank David, especially, for helping me when I had bank issues with my card!!)  On a side note, Western Conservatory is having an awesome sale, make sure you get over there and check it out, if you get a chance!!!

I really hope everyone with daughters is checking out Raising Homemakers!!  Awesome site, and lovely ladies with TONS of wonderful tips and inspiration!!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Review of The Portable Patriot, edited by Joel J. Miller and Kristen Parrish

 


 

My latest book from Booksneeze.com is entitled The Portable Patriot: Documents, Speeches, and Sermons that Compose the American Soul, and is edited by Joel J. Miller and Kristen Parrish. It's a lovely little hardback book, filled with the wonderful writings of those who came before us, who encompass what it means to be an American. Probably my favorite quote from the editors (other than the absolute treasures that are the writings themselves) comes in the Afterword:

Patriotism means more than love for your country. It means love for what makes your country your country. For Americans, that's a long list. And many (certainly not all) of the things that make us Americans are captured in the foregoing passages.

 
The book is pretty simple in its layout. It brings you from the Beginnings, to the Pre-Revolution, through the Revolution, the Founding, and the Republic, with an Index as well. It includes such important documents as the Constitution, and selections from the Federalist Papers, and the Mayflower Compact.

 
This is an outstanding piece of work. A simple collection of the original writings, that I'm sure will be treasured by our family for many years, as we study American politics and history. It is truly invaluable.

 
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com  book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Sunday, June 13, 2010

FCH Lesson 1 Part 2...

Some friends of ours wanted to join us in our FCH lessons, so we decided to do a part 2, so they could get something of Lesson 1 in too.  ;)  Instead of French Toast and Scrambled Eggs, though, we decided to get adventurous!!  We made Chocolate Chip Meringue Nests with berries and chocolate syrup.  They were SOOO good (and so messy, which the kids loved)!!  (Note:  I linked the recipe above, but we didn't make the chocolate sauce to go with it, we just used regular old chocolate syrup. ;))  Here's pics of the kids having WAY too much fun, way too late at night...

The boys, learning how to make stiff peaks 


The girls, forming their nests


Filling and garnishing the nests after they were baked.



Danny enjoying his nest.  



The finished products!!!  (We need to work on the concept of drizzling chocolate syrup lightly, not dumping the whole bottle on top...)




The day before this, we also made Egg Salad sandwiches, and learned how to hard boil eggs and peel them properly, so we don't get tons of shells. ;)  These are their finished products for those, and they really enjoyed that part!!



Hope you're enjoying reading about this as much as we are enjoying going through it! 

Friday, June 11, 2010

Raising Homemakers Giveaway!

I so love this site...

Now, they're offering for this giveaway a copy of Anna Sofia and Elizabeth Botkin's book So Much More, along with two of their audio talk CDs, Strength and Dignity for Daughters, and What Our Father Taught Us About Boys.  Both seem very, very interesting!  Patrick and I have been praying over this issue, so I'd really like to hear what others, especially other women who have decided to stay home, think about it. 

Make sure you check out today's post on RaisingHomemakers.com, entitled Just Twiddling Our Thumbs, to enter the giveaway!!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Raising Homemakers Paper Doll Giveaway!

Raising Homemakers is having another giveaway!  This time, it's a book of paper dolls from Noble Rose Press  called Daughters of His Story.  The dolls are paper dolls from history, the 1600's, 1700's, and the Reformation periods.  I think my daughter would really love these, they look so sweet!  Make sure to check them out!

Monday, June 7, 2010

Future Christian Homemakers

I've been meaning to do this for quite a while, but yesterday... we actually got started!!  (That's half the battle, isn't it?? LOL)  I'm taking the kids through the Future Christian Homemakers lessons.  For those of you who don't know what FCH is, it's designed to be a group of young ladies, around 9-14, who get together a couple of times a month and do a lesson on homemaking.  It's designed to help young, Christian ladies prepare to become keepers at home.  You can buy the handbook for about $30, which isn't, honestly, a bad idea, or download it for free here.



Unfortunately, there's not enough like minded people around here to start a group.  At least, not ones that I know, and are of the right age.  SO...  We're doing it ourselves.  It's not designed for boys, but I'm taking Danny through it anyway.  I truly believe that our boys need basic homemaking skills just as our girls do.  God doesn't call everyone to marriage, and, at some point, he might need to know how to mend a shirt, sew a button, or cook a decent meal, not to mention laundry and cleaning.  To assume that we know God's plan for our children, well, that's just not wise, IMO.

Ok, moving on...

Yesterday, we started our first lesson.  The first lesson consists of basic kitchen safety and food prep (wear and apron, but keep the strings away, keep hair tied back, wash your hands, ect.), and over the incredible, edible egg!!  We made French toast and scrambled eggs (Mommy had bacon, too, but none of the kids wanted any), and we talked about safe egg handling, how to crack eggs and whisk them, menu planning with eggs, and how to store eggs in the fridge. Here are pictures of their final products:




 
I'll be taking them over some other recipes this week, as well.  For instance, we're having egg salad for lunch (learning how to hard boil eggs), and we'll make meringue cookies or nests at some point, learning how to separate eggs, and how to make meringue (it's an art form, I'll tell ya!  And one I haven't yet totally mastered... {{blush}}).  We'll keep you updated as to how we do!

RaisingHomemakers New Giveaway!

OK, this is QUICKLY becoming one of my favorite sites!


Now, RaisingHomemakers.com is giving away a copy of Return of the Daughters on DVD.  You can see a great trailer for the documentary here.    It looks wonderful, and it's something DH and I are definitely exploring for our own daughters.

I'm so excited and blessed that RaisingHomemakers.com is showing us these wonderful resources!!  I'd never thought about many of them on my own!


Another thing that's going on over at their site, is a weekly Polished Cornerstones  link up, starting June 30!  I'm SO  very excited about this, there's even a discount for RaisingHomemakers.com readers!  (Make sure you go check out the site to get it!)  I've got to pray over it, and ask DH, but as it stands now, I'm planning on joining the link up with this blog, so definitely stay tuned!! 

Friday, June 4, 2010

RaisingHomemakers.com giveaway...#4... I think...

Another great one! I truly hope you guys are checking out this AWESOME new site!!



This time, the ladies at RaisingHomemakers.com are offering the audio seminar Evenings with Victoria Botkin, from Western Conservatory.  I heard WONDERFUL things about this seminar when it first came out, and I never had a chance to listen at the time.  What a wonderful opportunity!!   

OK, gotta go take Sean to the dentist.  Fun, fun.  You guys have a good time over at RaisingHomemakers.com while I'm gone!  Have a blessed day!

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Another great giveaway from Raisinghomemakers.com!!

RaisingHomemakers.com is having another awesome giveaway!!  (They're really pulling out all of the stops for their first week!)  This time, it's a gift pack from Franklin Springs, their Homestead Blessings 10 Pack DVD Set.  Here's a trailer for you to enjoy, it looks like a LOT of fun!!



The set includes:

The Art of Quilting

The Art of Sewing

The Art of Dairy Delights

The Art of Canning

The Art of Gardening

The Art of Herbs

The Art of Cooking

The Art of Soapmaking

The Art of Candlemaking

The Art of Bread Making

I've gotta be honest... I SO hope I win this one!!!  Even if I don't, I may just go an buy it. ;)  It seems like a really good deal, especially for those of us who are lacking in the domestic arts!  Besides, my girls would just LOVE these, I know!!

Make sure you hop over to RaisingHomemakers.com and check out all of their giveaways this week!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

RaisingHomemakers.com



I just found a SWEET new site tonight!  I can't wait to explore it... anyone trying to raise little girls into godly women should definitely check it out, too!  It's called Raising Homemakers,  and it just looks like it's going to be lovely!  Right now, they're having a WONDERFUL giveaway, so make sure you go check it out!  They're giving away an amazing bundle:
Polished Cornerstones by Doorposts (I so want this...)





The Beautiful Girlhood Companion (Katie and I are going through these now)





Doesn't that just sound like an AWESOME giveaway for moms and daughters?  I really hope y'all go check them out!