Wedgits

With Christmas coming up, I definitely wanted to share some of my favorite ideas. My friend Tara gave us these cool "Wedgits" one year for a gift. My kids LOVE them. I am really hoping they get some more sets for Christmas this year (hint*hint). Click here to find their website.

Beginner's Bible IPAD Review

When I left our Kindle on a train in Turkey and it was stolen, JB and I decided to not get another Kindle and instead "upgrade" to an IPAD.

I had no idea what an IPAD was after living in Turkey for the last two years and living in nearly complete segregation from the upgrades occurring in our society, technologically speaking. But after a few months with the IPAD, I am getting the hang of it quite nicely I doeth thinketh.

I recently received an offer to view The Beginner's Bible App for my IPAD. My review had six free Bible stories (which included six free activities as well -- one for each story.) I loaded the App. (no small feat in and of itself for a novice like me) and sat down with my two little boys: three and four years old. I was sold in a matter of minutes, and by the end of the first day I had actually purchased the next six stories.

The boys .... loved it. Thought it was fantastic. And their mom -- equally happy. I think I speak for all parents when I say, we love things that are educating our children, especially their spirit, and entertaining them at the same time.

Here is the introduction page where you have a choice to read each story or just play the activities.

Here is the next screen. The boys can pick which story they want to read.

I love that the stories are read out loud while the word being read changes color. This way they can see and hear the words at the same time. In addition,t he characters in the pictures (at right) do fun things when you touch them.

I'm not a App.professional, but let me tell you that it isn't hard to judge success when you have two little boys begging to read the Bible again. I cannot recommend this enough. (And, buying the next 6 chapters was only $1.99 -- nothing that breaks the bank.)

Click here for more information about how you can add this to your App. library today.

P.S. If you haven’t downloaded it yet, you can do so now for free here.



The Beauty Book

I'm not sure why I signed up with Booksneeze (who provided me a free book in exchange for my honest review) to read: The Beauty Book (The Lily Series). I'm not a teenage girl (obviously), and I don't have a teenage girl. But

I am, now, all of a sudden, a mom of a little girl. During our years of infertility, I gave up on the idea of having any child. And once I was blessed with my two miracle boys, I really thought I'd never have a daughter.

But miracle of all miracles, I now have a little girl. And for that reason, I've recently become interested in raising a daughter who doesn't feel the need to keep up with anyone or anything. A little girl who is confident in and of herself.

In a society so focused on the idea that external beauty reigns supreme, it can be difficult for young girls to figure out what “true” beauty is all about.

And that's what this book is. It's an opportunity to learn with Lily and her friends just what it means to be beautiful in God’s eyes -- inside and out! Designed for girls ages 7-11, it offers solid instruction on how to think that you are beautiful while coupling it with real life advice on hair care, nail care, make-up, shaving, etc.

Author Nancy Rue starts by changing the way young girls think about themselves. She writes in the first chapter: "Here's a good way to start. From now until you finish reading this book, try to follow this rule: NO BADMOUTHING THE WAY YOU LOOK ... Pretend you are one of your friends. You would rather eat brussel sprouts than hurt a friend's feelings, right? So NO putting your friend -- you! -- down ... What would Jesus do when faced with the temptation to make himself feel like He was okay by playing the comparison game? ... God doesn't compare us. Jesus doesn't compare us. The world we live in compares us, but who are we supposed to follow?"

After working on the way girls think about themselves, she switches gears and helps provide ways to make the best of what you are given. She gives advice but somehow manages to give it without making you feel badly if your hair isn't the most beautiful or if you have a problem with acne. As an adult, I even found suggestions for my own beauty care.

I loved all the quizzzes. I loved the smace to write prayers to God. To take notes. To encourage yourself.

What a fantastic book! I truly cannot figure out one thing to complain about. I look forward to sharing this with Abigail as she grows. I really suggest parents read this first, whether you be a father or a mother. And then you share it with your young daughter -- either reading it together or letting her read it on her own.

A STRONG recommendation from me!

OK to Wake Owl!

I don't spend money. Barely ever. If I do, I buy things used or on major discount. I talk myself out of nearly every purchase I might make.



But I splurged on this owl (pictured above.) Not only did I buy it new, but I bought two of them. One for each boy.

You go Wendi! Fifty bucks in one spot. That's huge for me.

And I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I must strongly, completely, passionately recommend this product. I did a bunch of research before I bought this owl. It fit all my requirements for an "alarm clock" for my boys.

So how does it work

Ok to wake! owl's has two face colors: green and yellow. It is green if it is time to get up. It is yellow if it is not time to get up.

So, I (the parent), set the owl. I can put a night time setting and a nap time setting. Then I tell the boys, "You can't wake up until your owl turns green."

At any point during their nap or night time, they can press the owl's belly to find out if it is time yet. Owl has four phrases that he uses to instruct them as to whether it is time to get up, they should go back to sleep, or to wait "just a few more minutes" to get up. He then has different classical music he plays for a time that you set to comfort the child.

The owl will turn green automatically but not make any noise when it is time to get up. This way, he doesn't work like an alarm. I surely don't want them getting woken up any early then their body is telling them to. But I sure do like that if they get up earlier than I would like, the owl will tell them to go back to sleep or to wait until it is time.

Ok to wake! owl's life is run by 3 AA-type batteries (which are included.) He will run for approximately 3 months under normal use and conditions on those batteries. And there are setting for volume, brightness and auto-off duration.

My only complaint is that the belly button is a little hard to press. However, both my boys can do it and figured it out with a little practice. I do think though that this is designed for children who are at least two years old. They have to be able to press the button and understand the concept. My boys were over three when we started it.

LOVE this product. FANTASTIC! We know get to sleep until 7am every morning. And at nap time, I will set it for 90 minutes and know that I get at least that long to have a little "me" time. The boys feel more in control of their fate, knowing that eventually the owl will turn gree.

And, it is mighty cute when they come out of bed and say, "Mommy!!!! My owl turned greeeeennnn. It's time to wake up now!"

P.S. Isaac has also been using the owl to take him to the bathroom in the evening. His lit face helps provide a bit of a flashlight, and he isn't as afraid of the dark with owl by his side. Another bonus!

Gabby, God's Little Angel

Gabby, God's Little Angel
ISBN-13: 9781400317158
Publisher: Nelson, Thomas, Inc.
Publication date: 9/20/2011
Pages: 32
Age range: 3 – 7 Years

Meet Gabby, created by Sheila Walsh and illustrated by Marina Fedotova, an angel in "guardian angel training." Throughout this colorful twenty-one page book, Gabby goes from training to getting her first assignment: Sophie, a little girl who sure does need a lot of protection.

I received an ecopy of this book from Booksneeze.com in exchange for my fair and honest review. My honest opinion? I'm so sad that this was only an e-book. Even online, it contained so many beautiful illustrations. I could relate to the characters, and I found myself, a grown adult raised in a Christian home, struck by how simply it reminded me that there is a spiritual world, and that there are angels protecting me from harm. I can't wait to get to heaven and see all the "close calls" that never happened.

Of course, critics can debate the biblical validity of a tiny little girl angel. Aren't angels huge and strong? Are they male or female? But the basic premise is one that chidlren and adults alike can cling to. Psalm 91:9, 11 says, "The Lord is your protection ... He has put his angels in charge of you. They will watch over you wherever you go."

And as Gabby said in the pages of this delightful children's book, "I'll be doing all I can to show Sophie just how much God loves her!"

Amen.

All Fall Down

I originally wrote this post in August of 2009. My first little boy, Isaac, was 14 months old. And he was in love with reading books. So I decided to write down a few of his favorite books.

In addition, here is a link to a post I did on favorite books in January of 2011 when I had a two and two and a half year old. These were our favorite books then.

Can you add some of your favorites in the comments? Would love to hear about other favorite books!

Isaac is in LOVE with this book. It has four pages. It has like twenty-seven words in total. But we read it about 476 times a day. And often that is about a dozen times in a row. His other books, we read once, we put it down, and he gets another. But this one? Read it. Belly pat. Please. Okay. Read it again. And again. And again.

He still loves his dinosaur book, Oh My Oh My Oh Dinosaurs! (shown below). We definitely still read that one quite a few times a day. But is has been passed up by the four pages of All Fall Down.

I wonder how people figure out that kids will like a book so much. And I wonder what makes a kid like a book so much. Many books on our shelf, Isaac will not touch. Or he'll bring them to me, sit down, listen to a page, and get up immediately. And then others he comes back for time and time again.

Like Goodnight Moon. Have you ever read this book? I find it quite strange. And yet Isaac loves it. And it is like the most popular children's book of all time. Somehow, someone knew that kids would love this. Or did they?

Another one on Isaac's current top-10 list? Peek-a-Who? I have to admit that I like this book too. This
one is quite a popular pick in our house as well.


So spill everyone. Your kids' favorite books? Or your favorite book as a child. Share away!