Sowing Dandelion Seeds

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

2011-12-20T22:04:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson (1972) aloud to the kids. I read the book when I was young and remember being stunned by how horrible the Herdman kids were.

Reading it again to my own kids reminded me of how sweet the message is. This heart warming book is a quick read and opens the door to discussions about bullying, loving people who seem less than loveable and the true meaning of Christmas.

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

The Little Drummer Boy -- Canadian Style

2011-12-02T18:22:00.000-08:00

Check out this music video by Sean Quigley,

(a highschool student from Winnipeg, Canada)

who wanted to honour Jesus through this classic Christmas carol.

Here's the full story: Winnipeg teen drums up viral hit

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Winners -- "Theo" DVD Giveaway

2011-12-01T13:42:00.000-08:00

The two winners of the "Theo" DVD giveaway are Sarah Hufnagel and tmc480! I hope you and your children will be blessed by this movie.

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway. For those of you who didn't win, don't forget about the Buy 1 - Give 1 Campaign. If you purchase a DVD of "Theo: God's Love" you can decide where in the world you would like an additional copy to be sent to!

You can buy "Theo" online at Amazon or through local participating Christian retailers.

Here is your sequence:

20
35

Timestamp: 2011-12-01 21:21:50 UTC

Sarah Hufnagel said...

I would say loving obedience for my girls

November 30, 2011 10:01 AM

tmc480 said...

gfc follow
tmc480 at yahoo dot com

November 30, 2011 5:48 PM

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

"Theo" Giveaway

2011-11-13T20:31:00.000-08:00

"Theo" is an animated DVD that teaches the basics of the Christian faith. The series has a Grandfatherly narrator named Theo and two adorable mice named Luther and Belfry (who are reminiscent of Cinderella's little friends). The quality of animation is good and the show has a great balance between the funny antics of the two little mice and the Biblical messages.

At the start of each show Theo is singing a hymn. I love that these hymns are being incorporated into this series for young children because it is introducing them to beautiful songs they may not have heard before.

Biblical concepts such as sin, salvation and faith are taught through the series. The shows aren't very long (5-9 minutes each), but because the message is so powerful there is plenty to reflect on. This is a great way to springboard a discussion with your children.

My main wish for "Theo" is that when a Bible verse is quoted, the reference would be stated along with it -- ie: "The Bible says in Romans 3:23...". Having references reinforced in the dvd series would be helpful for memorization purposes and would also allow people to look up the Scriptures afterwards to read further.

Desiree (7) said that her favourite part is when the two mice, Luther and Belfry, try to reach the cookies with a hot air balloon.

Elijah (5) said his favourite part is when Theo sings.

The "Theo" website is full of resources. There is a Parent Guide that helps parents (or even Sunday School teachers) reinforce the concepts discussed in the episodes. These guides "will recap the Q & A, the Bible Verse, the Bible Story, and present lively ways you can reinforce Bible truths and review teachings at home." Colouring Pages are available online of Theo, Luther and Belfry. "Theo" Church Curriculum is also available to purchase.

The Buy 1 - Give 1 Campaign is an amazing program -- for every "Theo: God's Love" dvd purchased, Whitestone Media and Child Evangelism Fellowship will give a child in need their very own copy of "Theo". You can even select the region of the world where you would like the additional copy to be sent to! What a great way to share the gospel with your own children as well as with others!

Check Out the "Theo" webpage and the "Theo" Facebook page for more information. There is also a Free "Theo" App available for iPhone and iPad users.

Buy It: You can buy "Theo" online at Amazon or through local participating Christian retailers.

Win It: Two Sowing Dandelion Seeds readers will each win a dvd of "Theo" which includes the episodes "Saving Faith" and "The Good News".

Leave a separate comment for each entry. Please leave your e-mail in this format: sowingdandelionseeds(at)yahoo(dot)ca if it isn't public in your profile. All entries will be verified.

Mandatory entry:

Visit the "Theo" store and tell me which of the episodes of "Theo" you would most like to see (or most like to have your children see!)

Additional entries:

* follow my blog publicly

* post my button on your blog (leave the link)

* subscribe to Sowing Dandelion Seeds via e-mail

* leave a comment on 1 non-giveaway post (leave the post title)

* blog about this giveaway (leave the link)

* follow @SowDandelions on twitter and tweet this

(can be done daily -- leave the link to each tweet each day)

#Win a DVD of "Theo"-- an animated show that teaches the basics of the Christian faith (2 winners!) @SowDandelions http://tinyurl.com/buytba4

Open to Canada and the United States

Ends November 30, 2011

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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.
For Complete Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy Click Here

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

My Death-Defying Summer

2011-11-06T23:50:00.000-08:00

I had a horrible headache, but I had told the kids that we would go bowling with their friends and I wanted to keep my word. I bowled with a headache because sometimes that's a mother's love.

That night I developed a fever and chills. The next day I was delirious. On the third day I had a moment of clarity (which I thank God for). I asked my husband to bring me the thermometer and I also took my heart rate. Temperature: 104 Resting heart rate: 122 bpm. I told him I thought I should go to the Emergency.

There were chest x-rays and ecgs, blood tests and ivs. I found out I had pneumonia. Mid-summer, no cold or flu to trigger it - pneumonia. They wanted to admit me for a few days, but I refused since Ernie can't take care of the kids on his own (due to stroke symptoms). Instead I returned to the hospital every night for the next week to have iv antibiotic therapy.

The night that I came home from the hospital the kids had both said in the dark of the night "I hope you don't die, Mom". I reassured them by scoffing gently at their concern and saying "I'm not going to die".

I had a follow up visit with my family doctor a few days later and it was then that I was told I had "life threatening pneumonia". I didn't realize that... You'd think it would have been more obvious to me if my life was threatened.

I nearly died in my family room left for days to "recover" by my well-meaning husband and children... Then I reassured my kids of the very thing that was up in the air.

The conversation I had with my children after my follow-up appointment was significantly different. I reminded them that we all will die and not one of us knows when that day will be. I told them that the important thing was that I have asked Jesus to be my Saviour and to forgive me of my sins and so I will go to Heaven when I die.

Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." John 11:25 & 26

Now that's reassuring...

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Bending Rules and Breaking Hearts

2011-07-27T21:00:00.000-07:00

Desiree picked a daisy for me. I smiled largely, thanked her and carried it around while we looked at lemurs and jaguars and wallabies at the zoo.

At the squirrel monkey cage I was overcome with a temptation to hand over the daisy. The tiny palm of a squirrel monkey grasped the daisy and then he bounded off with it. Within moments the squirrel monkeys were fighting over the daisy and eating it.

Suddenly I realized that I had broken the rule written clearly on the cage: "Do not feed the animals". In my defense I hadn't known I was feeding them. I didn't realize they would eat a daisy... As the squirrel monkeys plucked the petals of the daisy out one by one in a "loves me, loves me not" way, I turned and saw the tears on my daughter's face.

I also didn't realize that I would hurt her feelings by re-gifting the daisy she had given me.

I cherish the flowers my kids give me, but I have to admit -- it's the love in their eyes as they give the flower to me that matters more to me than the flower itself. Yet, it was hurt I saw in her eyes now...

I hugged my daughter and told her I had made a mistake -- I shouldn't have given her gift away like that. I dried her tears and asked her forgiveness.

Desiree and Daddy went off to get me another daisy while I explained to my son how I had not meant to "break the law of the zoo" and feed the squirrel monkeys or hurt his sister's feelings.

And then, in an act of true forgiveness, Desiree presented the daisy to me again. This time I kept it -- cherishing the gift of love and the gift of a second chance...

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

View Blogs "Dynamically"

2011-07-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

Have you heard that you can view Blogger blogs "dynamically"?

Check out Blogger's dynamic viewing options. You can view a Blogger blog in five different styles: Flipcard, Mosaic, Sidebar, Snapshot or Timeslide.

Click here for an example of "Sowing Dandelion Seeds" snapshot style. In this format you see all the pictures from a blog with a summary of the written content when you hover over it. Timeslide is a great version if you want more written content revealed. When you click on a specific picture or title you see the full blog post.

The drop down menu on the right lets you switch from one style to another. The spot on the left that says "Sowing Dandelion Seeds" is where you can click to enter the url of another blog.

It's a new way to browse blogs -- what fun!

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Finding Balance -- Wordless Wednesday

2011-07-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

Desiree balancing on a soccer ball

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Summer Expedition -- Searching for Og Creatures

2011-07-03T10:06:00.000-07:00

Here's my kids back in the day... Elijah did look cute when his hair was swooped to the side, but this is MID-adventure -- the kind of summer adventure where you have no chance to swoop your hair handsomely to one side.

2009 -- Desiree (5 1/2) Elijah (3)

We were looking for Og creatures on this particular adventure since we had just finished reading The Secret World of Og. The novel is written by Canadian, Pierre Berton. It promotes positive sibling relationships and has themes such as: working together, discovering each person's strengths and not pre-judging others.

It's full of suspense with a dash of danger. I have to admit to editing it slightly since my kids are on the sensitive side. This summer I'm hoping to read it to them again... And then of course we will have to go on another summer expedition in search of Og creatures!

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

The Great Canadian Blog Bash 2011

2011-06-24T22:06:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog! I'm pleased to be participating in

The Great Canadian Blog Bash!

Elijah waiting for the Olympic Torch Feb 2010

Stompin' Tom Connors (of "The Hockey Song" fame) wrote this song "Name the Capital". The video is like a cross-country road trip of cities across Canada from west to east (although the three territories in the north aren't mentioned). Desiree got an excellent mark in Grade 2 Socials Studies because she used this song to learn all the capital cities.

The song was written in 1972, but one photograph in the video shows the start of game two of the 1992 World Series where the U.S. military honor guards displayed the Canadian flag upside down during the signing of the national anthems. We're Canadian so we forgive them.

In 1999 the Northwest Territories became two separate territories -- the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. It was news to me that there had been talk of re-naming the Northwest Territories and that the name "Bob" was at the top of the polls. We Canadians are nothing, if not funny...

2008

For those that are new to my blog... I'm Chelsey

-- an elementary teacher turned stay at home mom

who loves all things childish.

I love God and I'm proud to be a Canadian.

Ernie and I have been married for nearly 14 years. Ernie had a stroke 5 years ago that has left him permanently disabled due to cognitive symptoms so life for us is complicated and stressful much of the time. When times are good we love spending time together as a family -- having fun and making memories...

I enjoy learning and helping my kids learn in fun and creative ways.

We are often reading, singing, biking, watching movies, climbing trees and making crafts together.

Desiree (7) is a budding author -- she writes books and diary entries in bed at night when other children in our time zone are fast asleep.

Elijah (5) is an actor in the making -- he has lately taken to wearing his Superman pajama top in public and making a curl in the middle of his forehead.

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians!

And, of course, Happy Independence Day to my American friends too...

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

On Falling Down the Stairs and Other Things

2011-06-16T13:29:00.000-07:00

I fell down the stairs a week or so ago. In the dark, around midnight, with my hands full. This is the recipe for falling down the stairs.

I only fell down the last stair or two (thinking that I'd already reached the bottom). My knee was twisted at a horrible angle and I've spent a lot of my time lately on my back with my leg propped up in the air.

I purchased a Gal Pal Ice Pack years ago because it was cute and practical, but I hadn't had a reason to use it for myself until now (My kids use yogurt tubes as ice packs and then eat the yogurt tube afterwards -- it's a great system!)

I haven't been on the computer as much as normal since I'm "old fashioned" and have a desk computer, but I have found random things to mention (aside from my cute ice pack).

Have you heard of Kids Bowl Free? From June 10 -- September 10 kids who are signed up for the program can bowl 2 free games per day at participating bowling alleys. You just have to pay for shoe rentals. You can also sign up 4 teens/adults for the summer for an additional 25ish dollars. Of course you don't have to go every day, but you could if you wanted to...

I have to tell you about Pinterest. Back in the day I had very well organized bookmarks on my computer with things I wanted to make in the future, things that inspired me etc... This is like having well organized bookmarks, but with PICTURES! You can also see things that other people have "pinned" to their "bulletin boards" and re-pin them to your own boards. I now have all sorts of ideas organized on Pinterest for upcoming birthday parties and crafts that I hope to make in the future.

If you want an invitation you can e-mail me or leave your e-mail address in the comments. You have to see it to fully appreciate it!

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

FAITH in the midst of FIRE

2011-06-01T22:49:00.000-07:00

My husband is permanently disable due to a stroke he had nearly five years ago (at the age of 33). The resulting brain damage has caused problems with stress management, mood management, comprehension, impulsivity, sleep and memory. He also has balance issues at times that affect his ability to walk and has had seizures which are now under the control of medication. My husband's having had a stroke and the ongoing symptoms make life hellish for us.

Whenever someone asks me how my husband is doing I say: "He has good days and he has bad days." It's my standard pat answer where I'm trying to be honest without being negative -- trying not to reveal too much and scare the asker off.

I see the look of disappointment as the asker scrambles for something to say next. I know they were expecting me to say "He is 100% well!" and then they can reply "I knew he would be -- I've been praying for him."

I feel like somehow I have let them down. I feel like I should be apologetic for my husband not being healed. I ought to pat them on the back and reassure them that their prayers do matter and that their faith is valid.

But, "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are examples of FAITH in the midst of FIRE.

Image: xedos4 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Daniel 3 quotes Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as saying:

¹⁶“King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. ¹⁸ But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

I'd heard the story all my life, but hadn't noticed "But even if He does not" until I became an adult.

If Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego knew without a doubt that God would save them, it wouldn't be amazing for them to step into the fire. It's because their faith was strong whether or not God saved them that the Bible tells us of their testimony.

And so, I do my best to go through life having faith in God whether or not He heals my husband in this present world; whether or not He minimizes my family's stresses; whether or not He restores my family's peace...

I know God hears my prayers. But even if He does not deliver us from our current circumstances, I will not lose faith.

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Winner -- What's in the Bible? DVD 5 Giveaway

2011-05-25T09:48:00.000-07:00

The winner of the gift certificate for What's in the Bible DVD 5 -- Israel Gets a King is jadavis aka Jessica! Congratulations -- I hope the movie will become a favourite at your house just as it is at ours!

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway. For those of you who didn't win, check out Jelly Telly for What's in the Bible games and videos. It's so much fun there, you'll almost forget you didn't win this giveaway...

But if that doesn't cut it, remember you can order What's in the Bible DVD 5 -- Israel Gets a King online or at your local Christian bookstore.

Here is your sequence:

Timestamp: 2011-05-25 16:09:55 UTC

jadavis said...

I tweeted about this giveaway!
http://twitter.com/JessicaADavis/status/73200660480397312

May 24, 2011 6:36 PM

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

A Glimpse at My Heart

2011-05-20T01:02:00.000-07:00

I love crafting of all kinds, but seldom get the time to craft. When things get particularly stressful I have a strong desire to create something. It's like I need to make order out of something. (Unfortunately, I don't feel the same way about house cleaning.)

This Illusion Heart Wash Cloth seemed like it would be a lovely thing to make. It requires two contrasting colours of yarn and knitting and purling while following a pattern. When you look straight down at the wash cloth it is striped. When you look at more of an angle you can see the heart. It was there all along -- disguised by the stripes.

As I was knitting (and watching the heart start to appear), I realized something. There are times when I 'wear my heart on my sleeve', but most of the time my cheerful facade hides my heart -- protecting it from the prying eyes of onlookers and casual acquaintances who feign friendship.

Of course I can't be the only one with self-preservation techniques like smiling...

And so I was reminded to take the time to 'look more closely' at others. If I do, maybe I can get a glimpse at their hearts...

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

What's in the Bible? DVD 5 -- Israel Gets a King -- Giveaway

2011-05-10T00:49:00.000-07:00

"Do you know what's in the Bible? Is it true? Is it reliable?"

The theme song of What's in the Bible sums up the series perfectly -- the purpose is to walk kids and families through the entire Bible and show the validity of the Scriptures -- all while having fun, of course.

Desiree and Elijah were thrilled when we received What's in the Bible? Dvd 5 Israel Gets a King!

Combining puppets, animation and real people, Israel Gets a King focuses on 1 and 2 Samuel and the first chapter of 1 Kings. The two 25-minute episodes tell of God's rescue plan through Israel's first kings: King Saul, King David and King Solomon.

All three kings made poor choices, but they dealt with those mistakes in different ways. King Saul made excuses for his disobedience. King Solomon felt he was so important that he didn't have to pay attention to God. King David, on the other hand, was a man after God's own heart. When he sinned, King David confessed and asked God for forgiveness (Psalm 51).

I appreciate that What's in the Bible doesn't shy away from tough questions or subject matter, but tackles them head on. Israel Gets a King visually describes the Trinity in a section called "Big Questions". It also discusses things such as adultery and murder and explains the Davidic covenant.

Israel Gets a King emphasizes that sin has consequences and we need to repent and ask God for the strength to do better like King David did. The overall message is: You can be a child after God's own heart.

Here's Desiree(7) and Elijah(5) with their take on Israel Gets a King!

Who are your favourite characters?

Elijah: "My favourite characters are Captain Pete, Ian and Buck Denver because they're funny."

Desiree: "The Sunday School Lady and Ian are my favourite characters because one has a magic flannel graph and the other is crazy about ponies and unicorns.

What is your favourite part of Israel Gets a King?

Elijah: "My favourite parts are the songs Captain Pete sings and the part where he says "That can't be good".

Desiree: "My favourite part is when Captain Pete's submarine was sinking because it was funny watching the water go higher and higher."

(Desiree was wondering what happens to Captain Pete -- until we read a status update in the end credits! Watch for it...)

What did you learn from the movies?

Elijah: "I learned to be honest and always tell the truth -- from "The Boy Who Cried Melon Monkey". I also learned: "Do not bow down to idols." -- (I'm also saying that to give good advice)."

Desiree: "I learned that the kings sinned and only David asked God to forgive him."

Watching episodes of What's in the Bible? is like visiting with an old friend. That's because Phil Vischer, the creator of What's in the Bible is also the creator of Veggie Tales and Bob the Tomato, himself.

How can a DVD be silly, witty and spiritually educational all at the same time? I don't know -- but Phil Vischer clearly has the recipe for quality Christian entertainment for children. What's in the Bible? is a series that my kids and I both love -- and both learn from. Israel Gets a King is sure to be a favourite at our house (and likely your house too!)

Check Out: What's in the Bible? and Tyndale House for more information. Just for fun check out these WITB Colouring Pages!

Buy It: You can order Israel Gets a King online on its own or, for a discounted price, in a boxset. You can also purchase it through your local Christian bookstore.

Win It: One Sowing Dandelion Seeds reader will win a gift certificate for the dvd What's in the Bible? DVD 5 Israel Gets a King! The gift certificate can be redeemed at your local Christian bookstore or redeemed by mail through Tyndale directly. ($14.99 ARV)

Leave a separate comment for each entry. Please leave your e-mail in this format: sowingdandelionseeds(at)yahoo(dot)ca if it isn't public in your profile. All entries will be verified.

Mandatory entry:

Tell me which character from What's in the Bible? is your child's favourite (or your favourite!)

Additional entries:

* follow my blog publicly

* post my button on your blog (leave the link)

* subscribe to Sowing Dandelion Seeds via e-mail

* leave a comment on 1 non-giveaway post (leave the post title below)

* blog about this giveaway (leave the link)

* like Sowing Dandelion Seeds on Facebook

* like What's in the Bible? on Facebook

* follow @whatsinthebible on twitter

* follow @SowDandelions on twitter and tweet this

(can be done daily -- leave the link to each tweet each day)

#Win What's in the Bible? -- Israel Gets a King DVD 5 from @whatsinthebible and @SowDandelions http://tinyurl.com/5rmbdyb

Open to Canada and the United States

Ends May 24, 2011

Disclosure: As a member of the What's in the Bible Street Team, Tyndale provided me with a copy of WITB DVD 5 Israel Gets a King to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

For Complete Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy Click Here

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

I AM June Cleaver...

2011-05-06T22:36:00.000-07:00

June Cleaver is often considered the ideal mom that all other moms are compared to and found lacking. Moms sarcastically lament "I'm no June Cleaver". Well, put the sarcasm aside and take a look at things from a different point of view:

June Cleaver's house is immaculate and yet she always has time to bake cookies for the boys for after school snacks. But, did you know that the Cleavers have a maid? Having a maid would free up a lot of us moms to bake homemade cookies and would certainly improve the state of our homes (mine especially).

What about the pearl necklaces and the high heels? According to and article in The Washington Post, Barbara Billingsley had a "hollow" in her neck and wore the pearls to cover it up. As for the high heels, The Washington Post quotes Barbara Billingsley as saying: "Wally and the Beaver began to get taller. That's why they put me in heels. The producers wanted me to be as tall or taller than the kids."

What society has interpreted as "perfection" in the character of June Cleaver was actually insecurities and shortcomings (pun intended).

In the episode, "Brotherly Love" from Season 1, June even questions herself as a mother. June attempts to get the boys to stop fighting with one another, but after a short break they inevitably start fighting again. June and Ward hear the fight from downstairs.

***

June: "Oh Ward, I just failed as a parent."

Ward: "From the sound of things, I'd say they were succeeding as children."

***

Clearly, I AM June Cleaver. I have insecurities I try to cover up and moments where I feel like I've failed as a mom....

We moms need to stop comparing ourselves to the idea of "the perfect mom" -- whether that mom is a character on a tv show or a mom in real life. No mom is perfect. Feeling sub standard is not going to help us be better moms and pretending to be perfect will only make others (including our kids) feel they can't measure up to us.

So... kick off the high heels and set the pearls and the mop aside. This Mother's Day don't worry about how you 'measure up' as a mom -- just take time to enjoy your kids (and maybe some store-bought cookies).

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Loving Books -- Wordless Wednesday

2011-05-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

Elijah decided to set up a book store complete with cash register!

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Winner -- Rebecca St. James I Will Praise You Giveaway

2011-05-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

The winner of the Rebecca St. James I Will Praise You giveaway is Taam216! Congratulations!

Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway. Don't forget you can purchase your own copy of I Will Praise You online or at your local Christian bookstore.

Here is your sequence:

Timestamp: 2011-05-04 16:22:14 UTC

taam216 said...

I like Rebecca St. James on Facebook

May 3, 2011 2:15 PM

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Blissful Encounters with a Watermelon Beetle

2011-04-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

I love bugs (in the wild that is) -- especially unique and unusual bugs. I am the type of mom who encourages her kids to stop and smell the flowers and while we're at it -- to stop and notice bugs.

But, at summer camp in BC, Canada (I think it was 1994), I had a bug encounter that nearly turned me off of bugs forever. All of us counselors were hanging out the night before the kids arrived, relaxing and enjoying the cool summer air when I noticed a massive beetle type bug with a back patterned like a watermelon.

I picked the bug up and showed it to the other counselors. No one had ever seen a bug like it before.

And then, after sufficient ooohing and awwwing, I was ready to set the bug free...

But the bug would not leave my hand. I wiggled my hand ever so slightly in that "Go on now" gesture that all bugs are supposed to know and understand, but still it would not leave my hand.

We'd become good friends, watermelon beetle and I. Clearly he was not ready to move on. As I attempted to gently pick the bug up off my hand, he stabbed his feet into my hand. Stabbed!

"AAAAAAHHHH" I screamed in agony.

I could not remove the bug from my hand. A friend grabbed hold of the bug to take a try, but still the bug would not let go of his death grip on my hand and instead stabbed his razor like feet further into my hand.

I spent the next half hour laughing hysterically and crying and screaming randomly as my friend tried everything to remove this bug's death grip on my hand.

My friend would pry with a stick like a lever and the bug would stab me with his feet. They took turns alternating back and forth. Finally my friend and the stick launched the bug to who-knows-where and I was freed.

I had an awesome picture of me holding the bug with a huge smile on my face (pre-torture), but I can't find it... The picture proves that ignorance is bliss, but only momentarily blissful...

If you have a bug story of your own that you would like to share check out 5 Minutes for Mom and enter to win one of two $500 Walmart Gift Cards.

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Have a Blessed Easter!

2011-04-22T15:42:00.000-07:00

Wishing you all a Happy Easter weekend...

Jesus ministering to the multitudes

I hope you have fun with family and friends however you celebrate.

Easter to me is a time of thankfulness for Jesus' death and resurrection. I know that my sins are forgiven because of His act of love.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:

that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day

according to the Scriptures"

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Rebecca St. James' "I Will Praise You" Giveaway

2011-04-19T12:03:00.000-07:00

Rebecca St. James has released her first studio project since 2005. This cd is entitled "I Will Praise You" and is a collection of worship songs that she says is "her most personal recording to date."

This album contains 10 songs -- including five that were co-written by Rebecca as well as two cover songs that were influential in Rebecca's own spiritual walk. The cd insert shows that each song has a verse from the Bible that it references. The verses are found throughout the Old and New Testaments, in Psalms and even in the book of Revelations.

Rebecca says: "The overall theme of this album is trust and surrender and just focusing on God -- which I think is really the purpose of worship ... to set our eyes on Him and glorify Him." What a great reminder that "worship" is not a style of music, but a state of our hearts.

"Shine Your Glory Down" is one of my favourite songs. The tune is catchy and the lyrics are genuine:

With each breath, fill me

With each step, free me

When I love, Father love through me

Oh Majesty, I do not walk in darkness

I will not live in fear

I'll walk in Your light.

Check Out: Rebecca's Listening Party to preview I Will Praise You. You can also visit Rebecca's Website for more information.

Buy It: You can order I Will Praise You online or purchase it at your local Christian bookstore.

Win It: One Sowing Dandelion Seeds reader will win a copy of Rebecca St. James' I Will Praise You. ($10.97 ARV)
Leave a separate comment for each entry. Please leave your e-mail in this format: sowingdandelionseeds(at)yahoo(dot)ca if it isn't public in your profile. All entries will be verified.

Mandatory entry:

Tell me a favourite song that has been an inspiration in your life.

Additional entries:

* follow my blog publicly

* post my button on your blog (leave the link)

* subscribe to Sowing Dandelion Seeds via e-mail

* leave a comment on 1 non-giveaway post (leave the post title below)

* blog about this giveaway (leave the link)

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* like Rebecca St. James on Facebook

* follow @RebeccaStJames on twitter

* follow @SowDandelions on twitter and tweet this

(can be done daily -- leave the link to each tweet each day)

#Win Rebecca St. James' "I Will Praise You" from @RebeccaStJames and @SowDandelions http://tinyurl.com/3q3k2p3

Open to Canada and the United States

Ends May 3, 2011

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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.

For Complete Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy Click Here

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Winner -- Dreambox Learning K-3 Giveaway

2011-04-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

The winner of the Dreambox Learning 3 month family subscription is Jessica! Congratulations -- I hope you and your daughter will enjoy this program as much as we do!

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway. For those of you who didn't win, you can sign up your kids for a free two week trial at Dreambox Learning. (No credit card information is required)

You can also subscribe at Dreambox Learning monthly or, for a 23-36% savings, you can subscribe for a 6 month time span.

Here is your sequence
18
Timestamp: 2011-04-10 23:46:45 UTC

Jessica said... 18
like Dreambox Learning on Facebook
April 8, 2011 10:18 AM

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Joy in the Journey -- Ultimate Blog Party 2011!!!

2011-04-01T12:37:00.000-07:00

Hi! I'm Chelsey -- an elementary teacher turned stay at home mom who loves all things childish. I love playing and imagining -- and encouraging my kids to do the same. I dislike housework and would rather play a board game or watch an animated movie with my family than scrub my house spotless. Incidentally, I love incidental learning.

2008

Ernie and I, have been married for nearly 14 years. Ernie had a stroke for unexplained reasons five years ago. His stroke (and the resulting brain damage) is often overwhelming so I don't blog about it much.

We don't know why things in life happen as they do, but we trust and love God despite (or because?) of it all.

We look for the joy in the journey...

Desiree (7) & Elijah (5) love drawing, crafting, climbing trees and pretending.

Desiree is a budding author -- she writes books in bed at night when other children in our time zone are fast asleep.

Elijah is an actor in the making -- he answers to names such as Spiderman or Woody and likes to wear fedoras and superhero capes (but never at the same time).

I love taking pictures, but get stressed out when it comes to uploading them. We have more recent family pictures, but that one from 2008 was right there on my computer. See how the kids have grown? Yes, that was my goal all along...

I'm all about finding balance these days -- I don't want to waste time trying to make things "perfect". I want to spend time with my family -- having fun and making memories and maybe blogging a little about it along the way...

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Dreambox Learning K-3 Giveaway

2011-03-24T12:34:00.000-07:00

As a former elementary teacher who loves making learning fun, I am thrilled to post a review and giveaway for Dreambox Learning K-3.

Here are my Three stars and a Wish about Dreambox Learning, the online math program that makes serious learning seriously fun:

Individualized Instruction --
Dreambox Learning K-3 learns your child's strengths and weaknesses and creates an "adaptive learning environment" for your child using 500+ online lessons.

If your child gets stuck on a lesson they can click the "help" button to have the instructions repeated and even click a second time for more specific advice or to have the answer shown step by step. If your child understands a concept fully, those lessons are bypassed and extra instruction can then be given specifically where it's needed.

The program is continually assessing your child's comprehension based on the answers that are given, the time taken to answer and whether or not the "help" button is required to complete the lesson.

Lots of Fun! -- Dreambox Learning has four main adventure themes: Pirates, Pixies, Dinosaurs and Pets. While playing, your child is rewarded with coins to use in the carnival, character cards and achievement certificates based on the adventure they've chosen. The ongoing positive reinforcement contributes to a sense of accomplishment and adds to the fun.

My kids and I laugh and laugh at the 'more than / less than' game with Allie the alligator. We call out our guess of what silly phrase Allie will say next: "Delicious", "Scrumptious", "I want to face THIS way!"

Foundational Learning -- Dreambox Learning teaches the basics of math -- those foundational skills that are so necessary for later mathematics. Check out the Dreambox Learning Demo to play examples of games from various grade levels so you can see how the skills build on one another.

Hands on Learning is a great way to teach the why behind the answers. Through Dreambox Learning your child will use virtual "hands on learning" to show their work as they figure out addition, multiplication and even algebra (did I scare you by mentioning algebra?).

My wish for Dreambox Learning is that they would offer higher grade levels. (Grade four and grade five are currently in the works!)

I would also like the printables to be available in black and white. Kids could colour the pictures in themselves and parents could save money on the cost of ink for the printer.

Desiree (grade 2) and Elijah (4 years old) are thoroughly enjoying Dreambox Learning! Elijah is not yet in school (and the program technically starts at the kindergarten level) so at first I sat with him as he played. Now I just hover nearby and give small pointers if needed.

Both Desiree and Elijah have so much fun with math on Dreambox Learning that they can be on for 45 minutes or so without even noticing the time has passed.

Personally, I have played over 17 hours logged in as a grade three student and I found that I am learning. I am apparently set in my ways when it comes to adding and multiplying, so it was interesting for me to learn new ways of thinking that will help me support my children's learning.

As a parent, I love that Dreambox Learning is truly educational. This isn't "busy time" on the computer -- this is quality learning time. Progress updates are e-mailed to you so you can see what skills your child is currently working on and what lessons they have completed.

From a teacher's point of view, I can see amazing benefits. Years ago I taught a grade 7 student who had no understand of place value whatsoever. Because she had never understood this foundational skill, everything in math was a struggle for her. She and I worked one on one with popsicle sticks and elastic bands until it started to make sense to her. Dreambox Learning has a game that teaches place value in a similar way. As a teacher, I agree with Dreambox Learning that: "Kids who are proficient in early math are more successful in school later on." Dreambox Learning helps students build that necessary foundation for future math.

Try It: Sign up for your free two week trial at Dreambox Learning. No credit card information is required so it is risk-free.

Subscribe: Check out Dreambox Learning to subscribe. Subscriptions can be monthly or, for a 23-36% savings, they can be for a 6 month time span.

Win It: One Sowing Dandelion Seeds reader will win a 3 month family subscription for up to four kids to Dreambox Learning ($59.85 ARV).

Leave a separate comment for each entry. Please leave your e-mail in this format: sowingdandelionseeds(at)yahoo(dot)ca if it isn't public in your profile. All entries will be verified.

Mandatory entry:

Tell me what you'd like Dreambox Learning to help your child with ie: addition, multiplication, algebra etc. (or just an overall improvement of math skills).

Additional entries:

* follow my blog publicly

* post my button on your blog (leave the link)

* subscribe to Sowing Dandelion Seeds via e-mail

* leave a comment on 1 non-giveaway post (leave the post title below)

* blog about this giveaway (leave the link)
* like Sowing Dandelion Seeds on Facebook
* like Dreambox Learning on Facebook

* follow @DreamBox Learning on twitter

* follow @SowDandelions on twitter and tweet this

(can be done daily -- leave the link each day)

#Win a 3 month subscription from @DreamBox_Learn and @SowDandelions. Make learning math fun! http://tinyurl.com/63p28lr (April 9)

Open to Canada and the United States

Ends April 9, 2011

Disclosure: Dreambox Learning provided me with a free family subscription to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

For Complete Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy Click Here

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Daylight Savings, Old Nemesis of Mine

2011-03-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

Daylight Savings, old nemesis of mine,

You thought you could steal an hour from me...

Ha! With the help of handfuls of chocolate covered almonds and the consequential bout of insomnia, I stayed up till the wee hours of the night and kept careful watch so that you could not steal my precious hour from me.

I devoted the hours I gained through not sleeping to: serious coughing fits; surfing the internet; looking for lost items in the house; reading and declining to read; eating cheese to appease my growling stomach and contemplating the meaning of friendship.

Sure, I may have to crawl in to bed tonight at 9:00pm (daylight savings time) to compensate for this night of "productivity", but it's worth it knowing that I foiled your evil plan.

Unaffectionately,

Chelsey

Winner -- Paws and Tales: God Cares for You DVD

2011-03-10T13:59:00.000-08:00

The winner of the gift certificate for the Paws and Tales: God Cares for You dvd is SAHMwife Whitney! Congratulations Whitney -- I hope you and your son will enjoy this movie.

Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway. If you would like this dvd, visit Paws and Tales Products. Right now Paws and Tales: God Cares for You is on sale for $5!

Here is your sequence:

Timestamp: 2011-03-10 21:07:32 UTC

SAHMwife said...

I like you on FB as Whitney.

March 4, 2011 9:18 PM

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Paws & Tales: God Cares for You Giveaway

2011-02-22T23:15:00.000-08:00

Chuck Swindoll's Paws & Tales: God Cares for You is a 50 minute animated movie that takes the favourite characters from the radio program and brings them to "life" on the screen.

My children and I have listened to the Paws and Tales radio program before, but it was easy to forget that the characters were animals. Seeing the characters in cartoon form was an entirely different experience.

In the episode "The Good Shepherd", CJ and his beaver friend, Ned, take care of a shepherd's flock only to find that it isn't as easy as they thought it would be. This episode is a bit scary if you have kids who scare easily. Mine were both fine, but the threat of wolves wanting to attack the sheep could be too much for super sensitive little ones.

In "A Good Foundation" the kids set out to build a clubhouse, but they have different ideas about how that should be done. The kids divide into two groups and throw all wise counsel aside as each group attempts to build the best clubhouse.

At the end of each episode there is a song and music video that ties in with the theme of the episode. The song after "A Good Foundation" was very sweet and uplifting. The song after "The Good Shepherd" highlights CJ's bad attitude at first and includes the word "dumb", but after his attitude takes a turn for the better, so does the song.

The dvd contains bonus features such as activity sheets and teaching resources as well as a version of the movie with Spanish audio.

Here's Desiree(7) and Elijah(4) with their take on

Paws & Tales: God Cares for You:

What did you learn from the movies?

Elijah: "God is always with you. He will never, ever quit being your Shepherd"

Desiree: "I learned that in tree language "creeeeeek" means get away. I'm going to fall on you."

What part did you like best?

Elijah: "I liked the part where the lamb was running around. It was funny.

Desiree: "I liked when little, cute Oscar the lamb came"

Would you like to watch the rest of the movies in the series?

E: "Uh huh."

D: "Yah"

Who is your favourite character?

E: "C.J. the bear"

D: "I think Staci the girl bear"

This dvd teaches Biblical truths in a way that's easy for kids to understand while also being funny and memorable. A couple of days after watching it Elijah said "I know that the rock they were talking about isn't really about a rock -- it's about God." I love that he was able to grasp the deeper meaning and that he was still thinking about it days later.

Check Out: Paws and Tales Games for more fun and Tyndale House Publishers for more information.

Buy It: You can order Paws and Tales Products online or purchase them through your local Christian bookstore.

Win It: One Sowing Dandelion Seeds reader will win a gift certificate for the dvd Paws & Tales: God Cares for You. The gift certificate can be redeemed at your local Christian bookstore or redeemed by mail through Tyndale directly. ($12.99 ARV)

Leave a separate comment for each entry. Please leave your e-mail in this format: sowingdandelionseeds(at)yahoo(dot)ca if it isn't public in your profile. All entries will be verified.

Mandatory entry:

Tell me a favourite Bible story (or any story!) that your child/children love.

Additional entries:

* follow my blog publicly

* post my button on your blog (leave the link)

* subscribe to Sowing Dandelion Seeds via e-mail

* leave a comment on 1 non-giveaway post (leave the post title below)

* blog about this giveaway (leave the link)

* like Sowing Dandelion Seeds on Facebook

* like Paws and Tales on Facebook and comment on their wall that
Sowing Dandelion Seeds sent you

* follow @PawsandTalesDVD on twitter

* follow @SowDandelions on twitter and tweet this

(can be done daily -- leave the link to each tweet each day)

#Win a Paws& Tales: God Cares for You DVD from @PawsandTalesDVD and @SowDandelions http://tinyurl.com/4kseah7

Open to Canada and the United States

Ends March 9

Disclosure: Tyndale provided me with a copy of Paws & Tales: God Cares for You to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

For Complete Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy Click Here

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Leave it to Grandma

2011-02-19T18:03:00.000-08:00

My Grandma and I were talking on the phone the other day. A story about my Grandpa as a kid reminded me of an episode from "Leave it to Beaver" so I thought I'd tell her about it.

Me: "That story reminds me of "Leave it to Beaver"."

Grandma: "That cute kid with the hair?"

Me: "Uh, I guess so..."

Grandma: "What's his first name?"

Me: "Theodore."

Grandma: "No, that's not it..."

Me: "... His brother's name is Wally ..."

Grandma: "No, that's not it either..."

Me: "Umm...." (long pause)

Grandma: "He sings..."

Me: "Oh... ... Wait -- do you mean Justin Bieber?!?!"

Grandma: "Yeah, that's it -- Justin Bieber!"

Clearly the generation gap works in reverse too.

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Unto the Hills -- A Daily Devotional by Billy Graham

2011-02-15T22:47:00.000-08:00

Unto the Hills is a daily devotional by well-respected preacher, Billy Graham. Each day consists of a Bible verse, a devotion and a concluding prayer to help you read and reflect on the Bible.

The devotions deal with topics such as death, worry, suffering, salvation and peace. Some of the devotions are encouraging while others are thought-provoking.

The January 12th devotion was one that I could relate to. "Instead of turning to God as a first resource, we so often turn to Him as a last resort." I feel like I do as much as I can on my own, but I don't want to trouble God with my problems until I've exhausted all attempts. This day's devotion reminds us that instead of worrying about our problems, we need to take them to God.

The June 4th devotion states: "Suffering is endurable if we do not have to bear it alone; and the more compassionate the Presence, the less acute the pain." What a great reminder that God is with us and will help us through whatever we face.

The October 16th devotion is one that I did not agree with. It tells of a father who disciplined his children for disobeying him by having the children spank him. In my opinion this would be a traumatizing experience for the children.

While there are references to people such as C.S. Lewis and Corrie Ten Boom, many people referred to in the book are unfamiliar to me. Some people might not like references to people unknown to them, but I found that the wisdom of their words can still be relevant to my life.

The Bible verses are primarily from the King James Version and the prayers have a very reverent style. Each prayer begins with "Our Father and our God" which can feel poetic to some, but to others, specifically younger crowds, it may feel too formal. I have to admit that my prayers are more of the "Um, God..." style -- a mix of chatting and reverence.

I would recommend this devotional to people who like a formal way of addressing God.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksneeze.com in exchange for my honest review.

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Things They Say -- Volcano Edition

2011-02-09T21:00:00.000-08:00

Elijah, full of childlike honesty, said to me as I put the finishing touches on Desiree's fairy cake:

"I hope no one thinks it's a fairy coming out of a volcano!"

Yes, Elijah... I hope not...

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Desiree's Fairy Birthday

2011-02-05T19:43:00.001-08:00

For my daugther's 7th birthday in November we had a Fairy Party for her and 7 of her friends (5 girls, 1 boy and her brother). Here's a glimpse into the fun

Attire:

Elijah 4, Desiree newly 7

I took pictures of Desiree and each friend in their wings and the fairy crowns I knitted for the girls. The boys both wanted their picture take with wings and fairy crowns too so they had to borrow! Who knew?!?!

Food: mini everything -- you know, cause it was a fairy party...

mini burgers
mini crackers
mini cookies
mini ice cream cones

Cake:

No matter how hard I try to plan ahead, I typically end up stressed at the last minute decorating the cake... This cake did not turn out quite as I envisioned, but Desiree was pleased.

Games:
* an 'unwrap the present that's wrapped a dozen or so times' game. The kids sat in a circle and passed a dice around. Everytime someone rolled a 1 or a 6 they put on the big gloves and apron and unwrapped part of the present. In the end it was fancy felts and Tinkerbell and friend pictures for them all to colour. I had a back up plan for the boys, but surprisingly, it wasn't needed!

* Bingo using Tinkerbell stickers on the Bingo sheets. This made it fit the theme and as a big bonus, it keeps all those chips from slipping off and ruining the game! The kids loved it. Everyone won thanks to some sneaky number calling on my part and everyone received Tinkerbell (or other Disney themed) bookmarks -- the velvet ones you colour in.

Movie:
This was a "late-over". Like a sleep-over, but instead the kids stay late and go home pre-bedtime. We watched Tinkerbell and the Great Fairy Rescue -- a super cute movie about helping one another, believing in things you can't see and father/daughter relationships.

My 7 year old fairy!

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Overcoming Cabin Fever (Sesame Street Style)

2011-01-22T13:58:00.000-08:00

I always get a kick out of the Sesame Street versions of hit songs. My kids think "C drives me crazy" is great and they've never even heard the original song...

Here's "Outdoors" with Jason Mraz. I've heard the song before, but have to admit I don't know the artist -- I just love the catchy tune.

This choice of words is great:

"All day I've been inside -- I've got the feeling

I'm trapped between the walls and underneath the ceiling".

I can't wait to go outdoors either, but here it's cold and dark and rainy. I won't enjoy going outdoors fully till the weather warms up!

If you can't bear to go outdoors yet, check out other great Sesame Street clips and songs at Sesame Street Videos.

They have a bunch of my favourite characters: Ernie, the Tweedlebugs, Super Grover, Slimey the Worm and the Martians ("Yup yup yup").

Don't forget to share your favourite Sesame Street characters and sketches here!

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Silly Reindeers Celebrating Christmas -- Wordless Wednesday

2011-01-18T16:42:00.000-08:00

Eljah, mid-craft, notices his hand looks like a reindeer.

Desiree, mid-meal, notices her fries and meatball make her look like a reindeer.

Christmas Eve -- opening pajamas.

Desiree and her new cd player. She loves listening to Adventures in Odyssey or music at night.

Elijah is ecstatic about his Toy Story lego city and can't wait for Desiree to get the box opened for him.

The Gingerbread House pre-decorating and pre-gravity.

~❀~ Chelsey (and the kids) ~❀~

Change of Plans -- Family Movie Night

2011-01-06T10:16:00.000-08:00

I just found out about Walmart and P&G's Family Movie Night. Of course anything called 'Family Movie Night' gets my attention because our family has a movie night every week.

The goal of Family Movie Night is to provide appropriate and "meaningful entertainment for the entire family" (and that includes the commercials too!). It's happened far too often where my kids and I are watching an appropriate tv show only to be bombarded with a movie preview for an R rated movie. I holler "cover your eyes" while I lunge for the remote to quickly change the channel. So I'm looking forward to my kids and I watching something on tv that is stress free.

This Saturday, January 8th at 8/7c on Fox (please check your listings to verify) the movie Change of Plans will air. I haven't seen the movie and so can't recommend it, but it sounds great.

Brooke White (American Idol 7th season) and Phylicia Rashad (The Cosby Show) star in this movie about a couple who are faced with an instant family. The moral of the movie is how investing in the lives of others can be more fulfilling then what we'd originally planned for ourselves.

I'm looking forward to watching this movie and hope you and your family will 'join' me and mine!

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Book I've Read in 2011

2011-01-05T12:56:00.000-08:00

I love reading books meant for all ages. Any book with stars by it is one I'd consider reading again in the future (or would consider having my kids read in the future) so presumably you (or your kids) might like it too. If you've read (or wondered about) any of these books feel free to comment! I'd love to chat with you... Oh and if you love a book I don't (or vice versa), we can still be friends.

Still Alice, Lisa Genova
Alice is a brilliant, successful woman in her 50's who starts experiencing memory loss. The diagnosis -- early onset Alzheimers. Alice is forced to re-evaluate her relationships with her colleagues, her children and her husband as well as wrestle with her own identity, but through it all she is 'still Alice'. R rated for some language.

Millie -- Books 1-4,Troon Harrison
These books are from the "Our Canadian Girl" series and are set in the early 1900's. Millie's father goes off to war and Millie learns first hand about poverty, child labour, cultural differences and the power of friendship. (aimed at pre-teens)

Mandie and the Forbidden Attic,
Mandie and the Secret Tunnel, Lois Gladys Leppard
The Mandie books take place in the 1900s and tell the adventures of a pre-teen girl and her friends. The series deals with topics such as racism, loyalty, feelings of belonging. Christian (aimed at pre-teens)

Starry, Starry Night, Lurlene McDaniel
These three short stories deal with subject matter such as cancer, birth defects and premarital relations. This book would be a good springboard for tough discussions with a teen. (aimed at teens)

Margit Book 4 -- A Friend in Need, Kathy Kacer
In 1947 Canada, Margit's family takes in a Polish orphan. Margit tries to welcome Lilly to the family, but finds that it is a challenge since Lilly speaks no English and is tormented by memories of her past. (aimed at pre-teens)

The Star Houses, Stewart Ross
Based on the memoirs of a Holocaust survivor. This novel tells the story of a 14 year old Jewish boy and his family's experiences at the hands of the Nazi in Budapest, Hungary. (aimed at teens)

Those Who Save Us, Jenna Blum
This is a moving, yet haunting look at the Holocaust through the eyes of a mother (mistress of a Nazi officer) and her daughter. Subjects include survival, secrets and shame. Very R rated with disturbing scenes.

***Room, Emma Donoghue***
This is a compelling novel about a mother and child who are held hostage. It started off a bit slowly, but turned into a real 'page turner'. Told from the point of view of the child so it isn't too graphic.

The Edible Woman, Margaret Atwood
In this novel, Marian searches for her identity as a newly engaged woman. The writing style is metaphorical. R rated.

Clara's War, Kathy Kacer
This novel tells the story of a young Jewish girl, Clara, and her family who are sent to live in a concentration camp in Czechoslovakia. While there, Clara experiences both joy and pain. (aimed at teens).

***The Secret of Gabi's Dresser, Kathy Kacer***
Inspired by the true story of a Jewish girl in 1942 Czechoslovakia. This novel depicts the fear and confusion of the time without going into great detail about the horror. (aimed at pre-teens)

The Mercy, Beverly Lewis
This is the third book in the Rose trilogy. I found this novel dragged on a bit and I kept waiting for the resolution to the conflict from the previous books. Themes include forgiveness and not compromising your beliefs.

A Secret Kept, Tatiana De Rosnay
This is a novel about the relationship between an adult brother and sister and a family secret that has been kept for decades. I don't recommend it -- in part because it was R rated.

Girl with a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier
Griet is a 16 year old maid who comes to work in the home of the painter Vermeer. This is a fictional account of the story behind Vermeer's painting "Girl with a Pearl Earring".

***A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled Hosseini***
This novel is set in Afghanistan and chronicles the lives of two women, Mariam and Laila, over the course of thirty years. Themes include war, survival and learning to love.

Mudbound, Hillary Jordan
"Death may be inevitable, but love is not. Love, you have to choose." This is a post-WWII novel that tells the story of farmers in Mississippi from various points of view. Themes include racism, war and marriage. A bit discouraging. R rated.

Hiding Edith -- a true story -- Kathy Kacer
This is the story of Edith, a young Jewish girl, who is hiding from Nazis during the WWII invasion. Edith was separated from her family and had to travel from place to place in search of safety.

***A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller***
In an unconventional writing style, Donald tells how he learned the elements of living a good life "story". The book is an inspirational challenge to accept conflict, take risks and make a difference. "Every life is a story."

The Treasure Principle, Randy Alcorn
This is a small book that talks about joyful giving. It explains "Where your treasure is there your heart will be also" by referring to the stock exchange and how closely people watch it to see what their money is doing. If we give to God's work the same would be true.

Sarah's Key, Tatiana De Rosnay
This novel tells the story of Sarah who was taken along with her parents by the French police during the Vel' d'Hiv "roundup"in Occupied France, 1942. I found the chapters on Sarah to be gripping, but the present day storyline less so.

The Distant Hours, Kate Morton
This was a dark story -- compelling at first, but then slow moving. Three sisters in a castle are harboring long kept secrets from World War II. I much preferred The Forgotten Garden.

The Stone Angel, Margaret Laurence
Hagar is an elderly women who develops self-understanding in her old age. This novel tells of her childhood, her marriage and the lives of her children as well as the present day where her son and daughter-in-law are caring for her.

A Pocketful of Seeds, Marilyn Sachs
This is the story of a young Jewish girl and her family in Nazi-occupied France. I really liked the perspective of this book, but felt like the novel was incomplete. (aimed at pre-teens)

Still Life with Elephants, Judy Reene Singer
A horse trainer's marriage falls apart. She rediscovers herself through a trip to Africa and through a new challenge -- training elephants. R rated and a little too cynical for me.

***The Book of Negroes, Lawrence Hill***
"Do not trust large bodies of water, and do not cross them." Aminata tells the story of her capture as a child from her village in Africa and of her subsequent life as a slave. This is an amazing and moving novel inspired by a historical document called "The Book of Negroes". (R rated.)

The Forgotten Garden, Kate Morton
A young girl is found abandoned on a ship to Australia. This novel chronicles the lives of three different women from three different eras as Nell and her granddaughter journey to uncover family secrets and discover Nell's true identity.

***Half-Broke Horses, Jeanette Walls***
This is the "prequel" to Glass Castle where the author tells the story of her grandmother's life during the Depression. Lily shows resilience and courage as she survives natural disasters, poverty and heartbreaks. "Easier" thematically to read than Glass Castle.

Learning to Swim, Sara J Henry
A young woman on a ferry sees a boy fall into the water and makes a quick decision to rescue him. What follows is a journey full of suspense and self discovery.

Glass Castle, Jeanette Walls
A memoir of a young girl who grows up with poverty. Her father is an alcoholic who has grandiose plans and schemes and her mother is often unavailable to her and her siblings. I recommend it with reservation because of mature subject matter (R rated)

***Angel Sister, Ann H Gabhart***
This novel is set in the 1930's and tells the story of a family trying to cope despite post war stress, alcoholism and secrets from the past. An abandoned girl helps pull the family together. Themes include perseverance, forgiveness and unconditional love.

The Reading Promise, Alice Ozma
A fourth grader and her dad make a commitment to read aloud together every night. This book chronicles their relationship and Alice's journey from childhood to adulthood. I love that this book encourages reading aloud to children when they themselves can read.

The Christmas Candle, Max Lucado
This novella tells the story of a community who believes in miracles and a skeptical reverend who comes to town. Themes include faith, forgiveness and hope.

The Judgement, Beverly Lewis
This novel is the second in a series that depicts two Amish sisters and their difficult journeys to find love. Themes include faith and forgiveness.

Sundays at Tiffany's, James Patterson & Gabrielle Charbonnet
This is a story of Jane, a lonely, young girl, and her imaginary friend who can only stay till her 9th birthday. The book then catches up with Jane as an adult and finds that life hasn't changed much for her.

Little Bee, Chris Cleave
This novel tells the story of two women -- one from Nigeria and one from the United States and how their lives are intertwined forever. Themes include regret and the treatment of refugees. "Nkiruka loved music and now I saw that she was right because life is extremely short and you cannot dance to current affairs." (R rated)

A Heart for Home, Lauraine Snelling
This book had so many characters in it that I felt I didn't know any of them very well and it was hard to keep the secondary characters straight. In its defence, it was the third in a series and I didn't realize that till part way through the book. The novel is about a female Dr in the 1900s.

Letters for Emily, Camron Wright
A Grandpa with Alzheimer's leaves a legacy of wisdom through poems and letters he has written his granddaughter in lucid moments. Hidden clues and riddles in his writings lead the family on a treasure hunt.

Unlocked, Karen Kingsbury
This novel is loosely based on a real life story where a boy's symptoms of autism began lessening thanks to the power of music. Themes include bullying, forgiveness and accepting others despite their differences.

Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas, James Patterson

Katie's boyfriend leaves her without explanation -- leaving her a diary written from a mother to a son. Katie learns about the man she loves while reading the diary and in the process learns about herself.

The Thorn, Beverly Lewis
This Amish-themed novel tells the story of Rose -- focusing on her friendship with the bishop's rebellious foster son and her relationship with her sister. The themes of the novel are regret and consequences for choices.

You Invited Me In, Cheryl Moss Tyler
This novel tells the story of Alex and Annie: a homosexual who is fighting AIDS and his conservative, Christian sister. Themes include self-righteousness, forgiveness and showing God's unconditional love to others.

Let Them Eat Cake, Sandra Byrd
This novel tells the story of Lexi who is trying to find a job, an apartment and a boyfriend. Written in first person present tense -- I found it hard to get into it.

***Out Live Your Life, Max Lucado***
"You were made to make a difference". Stories and verses highlight our need for compassion, prayer and perseverance as we strive to make a difference in the world. The end of the book has a section with questions and "Ideas for Action" based on each chapter.

***The Littles and the Trash Tinies, John Peterson***
This is such a memorable book for me from my childhood. The Littles are tiny people with tails who live in the walls of house. In this book they go on an adventure to the local dump to bring back their ailing uncle's friends. (grade 3 reading level)

Plain Promise, Beth Wiseman
Sadie is a widowed Amish woman who rents out her guest cottage to an Englisch man and his autistic son. She quickly grows to love the young boy and finds herself torn between feelings for the Englisch man and feelings for her Amish penpal who she intends to marry.

Plain Pursuit, Beth Wiseman
Carley visits her friend, Lillian, who was recently baptised into the Amish faith as an adult. While there she meets Dr. Noah who is willing to do whatever he can to help Lillian's stepson who has suddenly become sick.

Bridge to Terabithia, Katherine Paterson
This novel tells the story of a 5th grade boy and girl who become best friends and create an imaginary world for themselves. Themes include bullying, fitting in, crushes and grief. Made into a movie in 2007. (aimed at pre-teens)

Plain Perfect, Beth Wiseman
Lillian decides to move in with her grandparents and search for peace within by adopting the Amish lifestyle. Themes include past choices affecting the present, faith in God, strained mother/daughter relationships and finding love.

An Amish Love, Wiseman, Fuller and Long
Three short stories tell of unusual courtships between a bitter young man and a young lady who is blind; a set of empty nesters; and a newlywed couple who didn't have the opportunity to court prior to marriage.

Airman, Eoin Colfer
Set in the 1890's, this novel tells the story of a young boy and his fascination with flight. Wrongly imprisoned and branded a traitor, Conor must fight for his life and fight to keep his dreams alive. Supposedly a Disney movie in the making which I look forward to seeing. (aimed at teens)

***Trapped in Hitler's Hell, Anita Dittman with Jan Markell***
Anita retells her experience as a child of a Jewish mother and a German father living in Nazi controlled Germany. Abandoned by her father and separated from her mother, Anita must fight for survival. Through it all she finds hope in God and the promise that He will never leave her.

Thumb and the Bad Guys, Ken Roberts
This book is a mystery of sorts where Thumb and Susan are looking for bad guys and come across a secret. As the mystery unravels, it turns out there are more secrets than they realized in their small town. (aimed at grade 3/4)

Savvy, Ingrid Law
Mibs comes from a unique family where she finds out her special power or 'know-how' on her 13th birthday. Mibs goes on a journey of self-discovery as she takes an impromptu road trip with two of her brothers and some new found friends. Not a 'magical spell' type of book, but with a sense of magic in it. (aimed at pre-teens)

Plain Paradise, Beth Wiseman
Linda is an Amish girl in her rumschpringe (the "running around" period when a teenager decides between the Amish faith and the non-Amish world). She discovers she was adopted when her birth mother comes to the Amish community looking for her. The novel deals with romantic love; the love between mother and child; hope and faith.

Life As We Knew It, Susan Beth Pfeffer
An asteroid hits the moon and knocks it closer to the earth causing worldwide tidal waves, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Miranda is a 16 year old who documents her family's experience as they struggle to survive in this new world. This book shows what really matters in life -- relationships. (aimed at teens)

***A Faraway Island, Annika Thor***
This novel tells the story of two Austrian Jewish sisters whose parents send them to live in Sweden during the war. This would be a good first book to read about the Nazis because the girls describe only a few mild instances that they recall. Deals with fitting in, prejudism and the threat of war. "Idiot" is said a number of times. (aimed at pre-teens)

Touch Blue, Cynthia Lord
11 year old Tess and her family take in a 13 year old foster child and try to help him feel at home. Set in Maine, this novel talks about lobster fishing and island living. It's full of superstition, but aside from that it's a good story about picturing things from another person's point of view and belonging. (aimed at pre-teens)

What I Saw and How I Lied, Judy Blundell
This is a coming of age story that deals with truth and lies, loyalty and betrayal, love and adultery. Set after World War II. (aimed at teens, but I felt it was too X-rated for me)

***The Other Wes Moore, Wes Moore***
Two boys -- each named Wes Moore -- grew up in similar neighbourhoods with similar childhoods, but their lives turn out very differently. This autobiography shows that "it's hard sometimes to distinguish between second chances and last chances." and reminds us that our everyday choices play a part in determining the outcome of our lives. Set in Baltimore and the Broncs.

Out of My Mind, Sharon M. Draper
Melody has never spoken a single word and she is almost 11 years old. She has cerebral palsy and is unable to walk or even feed herself. The first part of this book was thought provoking -- a super smart girl who is perceived as "retarded" (as stated in the book) finally gets the opportunity to show the real her. The second part of the book was too cynical for me. (aimed at pre-teens)

The London Eye Mystery, Siobhan Dowd
Ted, is a young boy with asperger syndrome. Along with his sister, Kat, he investigates the mystery of his missing cousin. Themes include: finding each person's strength, overcoming limitations, sibling relationships and making friends (aimed at pre-teens)

Revolution is Not a Dinner Party, Ying Chang Compestine
This is a semi-autobiographical book set during the 1970's. It tells the story of a young girl and her experience growing up in Communist China under the rule of Chairman Mao. This book was an easy read, but had difficult subject matter. (aimed at pre-teens/teens)

***The Lemonade War, Jacqueline Davies***
This novel tells the story of a brother and sister who get along well until one summer. The siblings enter into a competition to see who can earn the most money selling lemonade and along the way learn about: business strategies, math, bullying, making friends and keeping your word. (aimed at pre-teens)

My Rotten Life: Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie, David Lubar
I read this book because it was a Book of the Year nominee for my city. Lessons include: fitting in, making friends and making difficult choices. I can't recommend it though because it's about a zombie and that's just not my genre. (aimed at pre-teens)

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

The Cow, Mary and Baby Button Baby Jesus -- Wordless Wednesday

2010-12-29T10:10:00.000-08:00

Elijah (4) felt "Joy to the World" wasn't being sung joyfully enough and so he leaned in towards the mic and sang "Let every heart prepare him ROOM" ... and then they moved the mic away from him. Sufficient joyfulness had been reached.

Desiree (7) did great as Mary. She had been worried about memorizing lines, but I told her all she had to do was look lovingly at the baby.

And then ... her comedic timing alarm "rang". At the end of the pageant, Desiree stood to bow and made sure that ~~Baby Button~~ Baby Jesus took a few bows too.

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

An Amish Christmas Expanded Edition -- Review

2010-12-20T09:12:00.000-08:00

An Amish Christmas Expanded Edition is a compilation of four novellas by Kathleen Fuller, Beth Wiseman, Barbara Cameron and Kelly Long. Although each novella is written by a different author, the novellas are intertwined by a slight overlap of characters from one story to the next. The novellas focus on themes such as forgiveness, insecurities, faith and romantic love.

Reading An Amish Christmas made me long for time with family members (and for baking!). Seeing the way the Amish families help one another and celebrate together made me wish my family lived closer. Of course I could always bake something (using one of the Amish recipes in the book).

There was a glossary of 'Amish' words and definitions in the beginning of the book. This was helpful, but my preference would have been for each word to have had a definition at the bottom of the page that it was used on.

After finishing the first novella about Miriam and her childhood crush, Seth, I was sad the focus on those characters had come to an end. After reading the other novellas I found out that all the characters were endearing and I was drawn into each storyline just as I had been in the first novella. While the novellas are fairly predictable, they are also heartwarming.

The overall message was inspiring, though thankfully, not preachy. I would recommend this compilation to anyone who likes to read romances -- especially those readers interested in Amish culture.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksneeze.com in exchange for my honest review.

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Winner -- Pocket Disc Giveaway

2010-12-19T12:28:00.000-08:00

The winner of the Pocket Disc Giveaway is Abi! Congratulations Abi -- you're going to have so much fun with the Pocket Disc.

Thank you to everyone who entered my first giveaway. Don't forget that if you didn't win you can still purchase a Pocket Disc or two!

Here is your sequence:

Timestamp: 2010-12-19 19:31:01 UTC

Abi said...

The hurricane design catches my eye. Thanks for sharing. This really is a great product that supports a great cause.

December 5, 2010 10:54 AM

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Cutting Down Fake Christmas Trees and Other Traditions

2010-12-16T11:49:00.000-08:00

Traditions create memories and a sense of belonging in a family. Here are some of our Christmas traditions -- many I'm sure you've heard of before, but some are unique to our family.

~ The kids get pajamas each Christmas Eve and an ornament each Christmas.

~ On Christmas Day we read the story of Jesus's birth and re-enact it with our nativity set. We have the Little People nativity set by Fisher Price that the kids can play with (and there's no chance of it breaking!).

~ At some point during the Christmas season we drive around and look at Christmas lights in our community. Our newspaper has a list so we can spend a night driving around and looking at the most impressive ones. Last year we found one that was timed to music on a radio station!

~ We set our fake Christmas tree up in the backyard and then we go search for a Christmas tree to "cut down". This year we walked all over the neighbourhood admiring the Christmas lights before we found the perfect tree right there in our own backyard. Next year I might "plant" the tree somewhere else to add to the excitement.

Christmas 2008

~ We have a family sleepover on Christmas Eve where we all camp out in the family room after watching a Christmas movie. Some of our favourite Christmas movies are:

* How the Grinch Stole Christmas (animated!)

* The Toy that Saved Christmas (Veggie Tales)

* Small One (Disney short)

* Elf (Will Ferrell)

* It's a Wonderful Life (Jimmy Stewart)

* The Family Man (Nicholas Cage)

One thing we don't do is wake up early. My kids are both night owls (like me!) and would rather lay awake at night buzzing with excitement about what's to come than go to sleep early and wake up early. This could be in part because at our house no present is opened without Mom and Dad watching so waking up excessively early just means you have to wait longer...

~ I take the kids stocking stuffer shopping at the dollar store where they can each buy a couple presents for each family member's stocking. The kids are able to practice the art of giving by thinking of what each person would like (and because we're at the dollar store it doesn't cost too much of our money!).

Two years ago, Elijah (then 2 1/2 years old) bought me a red train for my stocking. Once Desiree bought Daddy a set of water paints so that he could paint with her and a pair of work gloves. It's so neat to see what they come up with.

I love that the kids have the opportunity to give. By having them do the choosing, wrapping and sneaking around, I hope they're learning that "It's more blessed to give than to receive". They sure have a lot of fun, that's for sure!

What Christmas traditions do you have in your family?

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Pocket Disc Giveaway

2010-12-01T22:36:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited to tell you about the Phd Pocket Disc and to host my first giveaway!

Here are my Three stars and a Wish about the Pocket Disc -- a remarkable, portable, cloth frisbee (and a perfect stocking stuffer!):

Origin -- The Pocket Disc was accidentally created by a grade 3 student! Savanna was crocheting a circular placemat for a school project. She didn't add enough stitches as the placemat grew so it caused a lip to form. More than a year and a half later a family friend threw the misfit "placemat" across the room and this lead to the creation of the Pocket Disc! What an amazing mistake!

Fair Trade -- The two families who founded the Phd Pocket Disc company decided to make a difference globally. Pocket Discs are now made by the Mayans of Guatemala who are known for creating bright textiles. “The money they make crocheting Pocket Discs and other handmade products enables over 200 Guatemalan weavers to support and send their children to school in a country where 75% of the people now live below the poverty line.”

I love that this company is making a difference in the world and in the lives of others. The fact that one small item could have such a profound impact on an impoverished country is incredible.

Lots of Fun! -- You have to check out the Pocket Disc video so you can see firsthand the fun that can be had both inside and outside! The website has a list of games that you can play such as bowling (super fun!), duck huntin' and juggle toss, but of course, the only limit is your imagination.

Desiree (7), Elijah (4) and I have had a blast playing with the Pocket Disc! You can see in the above picture (top right) that Desiree was shocked to find out that it didn't hurt when it hit her in the face. Not only that, but it's so much easier to catch than a frisbee or a ball -- you can even catch it in your arm pit! We took turns throwing it as high as we could and still catching it (like the game "solitare", but we played it outside so we could throw it even higher and we called it "pizza toss").

Elijah and I also took the Pocket Discs to Awana and had eighteen 3 and 4 year olds playing with them! The Pocket Discs were a hit and even held up to a few tug-a-wars when more than one kid felt they were entitled to the next throw.

The only wish I have for the Pocket Disc is that I wish these had been around when I was a kid! They are reminiscent of hacky sacks (those crocheted balls for kicking) in looks and portability, but with minimal skill required for fun.

As a parent, I love that the Pocket Disc is 100% cotton as well as lead-free and plastic-free. So many toys now-a-days are fun, but not as safe as I would like. Pocket Discs are made of safe ingredients and are also safe to play with. The Sport Disc is my preference because of the colour-fast aspect, but the Classic Disc may be better for younger kids because it is easier to catch.

From a teacher's point of view I can see the benefits in terms of physical education, but also within the classroom. Passing a Pocket Disc from student to student as they answer questions out loud would be a great way to keep learning fun. Who wouldn't want to learn their multiplication facts like that?

With my own children, Desiree and I challenged ourselves to see how many successful throws we could do in a row while Elijah counted for us. Elijah got some counting practice and Desiree and I managed to get a record of 33!

Buy It: Check out the online shop to order Pocket Discs (shipping is just $2.99 for Canada or the US for four or fewer Pocket Discs.). If you live in the United States you may be able to find a Pocket Disc retailer near you.

Win It: One Sowing Dandelion Seeds reader will win a Pocket Disc of their choice ($9.99-14.99 ARV)

Leave a separate comment for each entry. Please leave your e-mail in this format: sowingdandelionseeds(at)yahoo(dot)ca if it isn't public in your profile. All entries will be verified.

Mandatory entry:
Visit Pocket Disc and tell me which one you would love to win!

Additional entries:
* follow my blog publicly
* post my button on your blog (leave the link)
* subscribe to Sowing Dandelion Seeds via e-mail
* leave a comment on 1 non-giveaway post (leave the post title below)
* blog about this giveaway (leave the link)

* like Pocket Disc on Facebook and comment on their wall that
Sowing Dandelion Seeds sent you
* follow @PocketDisc on twitter
* follow @SowDandelions on twitter and tweet this
(can be done daily -- leave the link each day)

#Win a Cloth "Frisbee" and a lot of Fun from @PocketDisc and @SowDandelions http://tinyurl.com/2dnmvpv (Dec18)

Open to Canada and the United States

Ends December 18

Disclosure: Phd Pocket Disc provided me with a Sport Pocket Disc and a Classic Pocket Disc to review in
exchange for my honest opinion.
For Complete Giveaway Rules and Disclosure Policy Click Here

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Birthday Chaos -- Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-24T11:50:00.000-08:00

This is Ernie's XXXVIII Mario Birthday

(that's Mario coming out of a pipe).

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Things They Say -- King of the Castle Edition

2010-11-18T11:15:00.000-08:00

Elijah (4) to Desiree (6) during a fight:

"You think you're the best in the whole world.
Well -- you're not.
Mom and Dad ar..... God is.
God is the King of the Castle and you are the dirty rascal."

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Send a Child a Shoebox Full of Love

2010-11-15T11:46:00.000-08:00

Samaritan's Purse has a wonderful outreach called Operation Christmas Child where people can fill shoeboxes with gifts for a child who might other wise not receive anything. Samaritan's Purse ensures that children all over the world receive shoeboxes regardless of race, religion and gender.

Each fall my kids and I enjoy making lists and shopping for their "friends who live far away". I love how this experience teaches them about giving to others and showing love to others.

This year I found some adorable stuffed dogs and bought them for the shoeboxes, but my kids fell in love with the dogs and didn't want to part with them. I gave my kids the dogs with the agreement that they would use their own money to buy more dogs for the shoeboxes. Desiree(6) is thrilled that her friend who lives far away will now have the exact same dog that she has!

National Collection Week is November 15-21

If you like, you can visit the Canadian website to pack a shoebox online. Online shoeboxes will be sent to Haiti and are a minimum of $37 Canadian (which includes shipping). Anyone can donate via this website, but please keep in mind that if you want a valid tax receipt you must donate to the country you live in.

For Americans who would like to know where your shoebox ends up, you can donate the shipping fee for your box online at the American website and track your shoebox through a label that you attach to your shoebox.

You can fill a shoe box for a boy or girl in one of three age categories 2-4, 5-9 or 10-14. You can include items such as stuffed animals, toothbrushes, calculators, t-shirts, sunglasses, school supplies, hard candy, soap (in a plastic bag), socks, stickers, cars, balls, and hair items. You can even include a personal note and photos if you like.

Avoid toothpaste, liquids, glass items, soft candy or chocolate, food, playing cards, war items and used items.

Check out this Shoe Box Video for more pointers. Visit Samaritan's Purse Canada and Samaritan's Purse USA for more information (such as collection locations). Samaritan's Purse is also located in the UK, Australia, Germany, Spain and Hong Kong.

The Power of a Simple Gift is a video that will show the journey of shoeboxes and the impact that they have on the children who receive them.

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Future Song Leader -- Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-10T05:37:00.000-08:00

-at Awana

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

The Incredibly FREE Veggie Tales Christmas Album!

2010-11-03T13:13:00.001-07:00

American friends: Head on over to Amazon.com to get a FREE download of the Veggie Tales album: "The Incredible Singing Christmas Tree"!

Merry Christmas! (a little early, but you know how I am...)

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Daylight Savings Mind Games

2010-11-02T12:05:00.000-07:00

Do you know those people who show up an hour late or an hour early because they forgot all about Daylight Savings? I did not want to be one of those people.

No -- I am a whole different kind of person....

I heard when Daylight Savings was (from a reliable source I'm sure) and carefully marked it on my calendar so as not to forget. Then on the designated day, I reset all the clocks in the house and went on with life as normal -- pleased with myself that I had not forgotten.

If it weren't for the freak rain storm that prevented us from walking to church I would have figured it out on Sunday...

Monday was a day off of school so I didn't realized that it was NOT Daylight Savings weekend until I went to watch "Chuck" at 8:00 Monday night only to discover it was not on tv. And according to the tv listings -- the current time was a full hour later than I thought it was. How was that possible???

Had I really lived two whole days an hour behind everyone else?!?!?

I ran around the house crazily changing all the clocks one hour ahead to compensate for the hour I'd fallen back without public consent.

FYI: Daylight Savings (for those who participate) is November 7th. Of course I may be wrong. If so, please let me know...

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

The Nativity Collection by Robert J. Morgan -- Review

2010-10-28T21:34:00.000-07:00

I *love* Christmas -- so I was very excited when I was given the opportunity to review the book The Nativity Collection by Robert Morgan -- a gift book consisting of 6 short stories.

I know you're not supposed to judge a book by it's cover, but based on this book's beautiful cover picture, I had high expectations for the book. The pictures inside, however, were too frequent and at times only remotely relevant to the story. I found them to be a distraction and would have preferred a well selected picture or two per story.

The first story, "Ollie", was one that captured my interest and tugged at my heart strings. On Christmas Eve a family finds that their car, which was filled with their Christmas presents, has been stolen. The events that follow make the Christmas a memorable one for everyone involved and teach a valuable lesson about love.

If I were reviewing just the story"Ollie", I would recommend the book whole heartedly, however other stories in the collection could not compare to this one. Many of the stories I felt I could take or leave. In my opinion, the story "Over My Dead Body" felt more like a bad joke than a Christmas story.

Since I would only want to read two out of the six stories over again I can't give my full recommendation of this book. If "Ollie" ever becomes available as an illustrated children's book I would happily recommend it.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book through Booksneeze.com in exchange for my honest review.

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Wishing for Cake -- Wordless Wednesday

2010-10-27T18:38:00.000-07:00

-at our school's fall fair

My kiddos were so expectant and hopeful before the start of the cake walk. Unfortunately we did not win the cake and a valuable lesson about gambling was learned. We went on to play other games with guaranteed prizes. lol...

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Funducational Websites for Pre/Early Schoolers

2010-10-23T11:57:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of my favourite funducational websites for pre-schoolers and early schoolers:

Curious George

This website has games that are fun with an emphasis primarily on Math. There are games that promote skills such as counting, adding, map use, shapes, measurement and double digit number sequencing.

One of my favourite games is Banana 411 where the child memorizes a 3 digit 'phone' number to see a small videoclip. Elijah (4), who insisted it was his turn to play while I was writing this post, likes Present Time.

The underlying messages promoted on the Curious George website are: it's nice to give homemade things as gifts and it's good to help those less fortunate than yourself. Math with a message -- how great is that?

PBS Island

Here you'll Find Fun games Featuring a variety of Familiar characters from shows such as Sesame Street, Super Why and Between the Lions. These games promote Language Arts skills such as letter identification, rhyming, phonics and alliteration (see above for a lot of words that begin with "f" used together -- a total fluke, I promise).

This site allows you to create an account that will monitor the progress of your child (or of multiple children). The child advances to the next level by successfully completing all the games in the first level. Tickets are earned for playing each game and then the child can use those tickets to buy prizes for their very own virtual tree house. Elijah was very excited when he had enough tickets to buy a robot!

Check out these amazing websites with your young ones and let me know what you think of them. Feel free to add links to your own favourite educational websites too.

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Wedding Planning Already?!?! Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

~❀~ Chelsey ~❀~

Sowing Dandelion Seeds

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

The Little Drummer Boy -- Canadian Style

Winners -- "Theo" DVD Giveaway

"Theo" Giveaway

My Death-Defying Summer

Bending Rules and Breaking Hearts

View Blogs "Dynamically"

Finding Balance -- Wordless Wednesday

Summer Expedition -- Searching for Og Creatures

The Great Canadian Blog Bash 2011

On Falling Down the Stairs and Other Things

FAITH in the midst of FIRE

Winner -- What's in the Bible? DVD 5 Giveaway

A Glimpse at My Heart

What's in the Bible? DVD 5 -- Israel Gets a King -- Giveaway

I AM June Cleaver...

Loving Books -- Wordless Wednesday

Winner -- Rebecca St. James I Will Praise You Giveaway

Blissful Encounters with a Watermelon Beetle

Have a Blessed Easter!

Rebecca St. James' "I Will Praise You" Giveaway

Winner -- Dreambox Learning K-3 Giveaway

Joy in the Journey -- Ultimate Blog Party 2011!!!

Dreambox Learning K-3 Giveaway

Daylight Savings, Old Nemesis of Mine

Winner -- Paws and Tales: God Cares for You DVD

Paws & Tales: God Cares for You Giveaway

Leave it to Grandma

Unto the Hills -- A Daily Devotional by Billy Graham

Things They Say -- Volcano Edition

Desiree's Fairy Birthday

Overcoming Cabin Fever (Sesame Street Style)

Silly Reindeers Celebrating Christmas -- Wordless Wednesday

Change of Plans -- Family Movie Night

Book I've Read in 2011

The Cow, Mary and Baby Button Baby Jesus -- Wordless Wednesday

An Amish Christmas Expanded Edition -- Review

Winner -- Pocket Disc Giveaway

Cutting Down Fake Christmas Trees and Other Traditions

Pocket Disc Giveaway

Birthday Chaos -- Wordless Wednesday

Things They Say -- King of the Castle Edition

Send a Child a Shoebox Full of Love

Future Song Leader -- Wordless Wednesday

The Incredibly *FREE* Veggie Tales Christmas Album!

Daylight Savings Mind Games

The Nativity Collection by Robert J. Morgan -- Review

Wishing for Cake -- Wordless Wednesday

Funducational Websites for Pre/Early Schoolers

Wedding Planning Already?!?! Wordless Wednesday

The Incredibly FREE Veggie Tales Christmas Album!