movie monday OVERCOME

Here is another movie from the same makers of the Belle movie we saw last week.
This one was quite a bit better quality with a few continued poor acting areas but I think these guys are just small time of coarse. This movie is good for the cleaness and good message although the biblical message is NOT clear indeed! But if you want something to watch that is at least a 'good' message then it might be doable. There is a teenage drinking scene but if I remember right there is no 'beer bottles' visualized. Very short scene too. No real hope in Christ is given but God's name is mentioned and church and the parents do get down on there knees to pray for God to intervene for their child. The prayer is not really said outloud though. So from there, I will leave it to you. It could make a VERY GOOD conversation peace without seeing the worst gore and his efforts were noble in doing the 'right thing'.

Belle and the Beast: A Christian Romance

You know how I like to mention movies that I like that are clean and such...this one is a good one.
It is a cheaply made movie and the 'beast' is unbelievable while he's angry, but more so as he sweetens up. I couldn't help but like this movie anyway, it has a classic tale and held my attention. Very clean in all ways, even damsel could watch this one. Beast looses wife, not shown, turns to drink, now shown, turns mean, Belle tames his heart, beast turns nice, other guy tries to ruin said budding romance, guy wins girl. One final, tasteful kiss in the end.

the doll people

We finally finished this book that was part of our 'dollhouse' book adventures. It was very cute, showcasing the life of a very old doll house family and their adventures after meeting a 'new fangled' doll house family. We enjoyed it even after a small break where we put it down for awhile. There are several more in this series, but I couldn't find them in our library and I am determined to not buy another book until we can read some of the great literature we have right here in our own abode that seems to be gathering dust! You know what I mean!!
We just started reading understood betsy as our girly read, so we'll let you know how it goes.

third day 'born again'

Born Again by Third Day

Today I found myself
After searching all these years
And the man that I saw, he wasn't at all who I thought he'd be
I was lost when you found me here
And I was broken beyond repair
Then you came along and you sang your song over me

It feels like I'm born again
It feels like I'm living
For the very first time
For the very first time
In my life

Make a promise to me now
Reassure my heart somehow
That the love that I feel is so much more real than anything
I've a feeling in my soul
And I pray that I'm not wrong
That the life I have now, it is only the beginning

It feels like I'm born again
It feels like I'm living
For the very first time
For the very first time
It feels like I'm breathing
It feels like I'm moving
For the very first time
For the very first time

I wasn't looking for something that was more
Than what I had yesterday
Then you came to me and you gave to me
Life and a love that I've never known
That I've never felt before

It feels like I'm born again
It feels like I'm living
For the very first time
I'm living for the first time
It feels like I'm breathing
It feels like I'm moving
For the very first time
I'm living for the first time
In my life

I am loving this song right now. If you want to hear it just listen on my playlist or click on this youtube link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch#v=Aley9_d8vrE&feature=related

the ultimate gift

Ok, you all must see this movie!! It is full of laughs and tears and the whole family can enjoy it. I promise, that when I got this, that I had no idea whatsoever, that it involved cancer at all. It still isn't the main focus of the movie. There is a clear character building message in how a selfish, spoiled man was changed through the death of his grandfather.

Check your library, order this from Netflix if you have that like me.

Merry Christmas!!

the spy who came by sea

This was a quick history supplemental reading aloud adventure. It is fun picking some that I didn't get to read when Dylan was younger and we were in this time period. I think this is a newer one that came out though. (a little secret is that I love reading these too) :) This would make a fine book for the kids to read to themselves as well.
This book was not long and it was pretty good but nothing so great that you would be sorry if you left it out of your reading list. The kids are heroic in finding a spy and there is a decent ending about trust, stretching the truth and befriending even the 'weird' kid. Also there is some girl liking/attitudes that I felt didn't need to be there, although it wasn't graphic. Overall. it was a nice mystery adventure that was overall pleasing but not totally fulfilling.

animal, vegetable, miracle

This is my most recent audio book that I listened to in my kitchen while waiting for things to cook, bake or any other kitcheny task. I really enjoyed this book. It follows a family that is going to eat 'locally' for a year. It is well written and the narrator, which I believe is also the author, is quite pleasant to listen to. My heart has always longed for and attempted home growing, cooking and storing, so this book just really appealed to me. I loved how it went through the whole year as foods are available and how they cook, store, eat and purchase their items. Although a little worldly at times, it is a vision of God's plan for food in the seasons and Barbara has a descriptive gift with words. My only regret is that near the end as she goes on and on about the wonderfulness of all she has written about, you quite fully expect to hear God given all the credit for this amazing creation, but alas...it never comes. Her description of celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas left me wondering how it's True meaning could be so blatantly skimmed over. Even with this and occasional opinion disappointments, however, the book was well worth listening to for it's seasonal, harvesting and local eating accounts.

chocolate pilot

This is one of our read alouds for our WWII adventures. This story is based on a the real life of a young girl in Berlin after the war, while occupied by Stalin. (he really was a very greedy, communist man) We especially love plane stories since our grandma is a pilot! This was an endearing story about a very generous man that started a huge mission to bring some very sweet joy to these poor little kids. The illustrations are lovely. We even learn a little about what happened when the girl grew up. I won't give the whole story away, since you can read for yourself. This is a fairly quick read too, so make sure you add this one to your list.




mercedes and the chocolate pilot
by

margot theis raven

jane eyre

You may not believe this 'reader', but I have not yet read this classic book all my life until now! In this case I listened to the book on audio CD. Often the narrator can make or break a book, but this one juliet mills was very pleasing to the ear. It makes me start speaking with an English accent and I love the rich, deep words they used in this time period. I must say that I absolutely loved this book. It is so mulitlayered, deep, full of courage, values and yet so fully human with all our errors. It exults the idea to do right even if it's not how you feel... Mother's and daughters should read this together and discuss it.

Here is a quote from the book:

I can live alone if self respect and circumstances require me to do so. I need not sell my soul to buy bliss!

history

Here was such a cute little find I picked up at a library discard earlier this year. I knew when I found it that it would go well with our WWII study. It is based on a true story about a boy who has to ice skate some friends to safety right under the noses of the German Army. Our family really loves the ice skating Olympics in addition to our history of speed skating, so it caught my eye. I thought the illustrations were nice and it isn't often you can read a story set in the less known war events of the Netherlands. We learned all about their water way canals and many Dutch words. Our favorite that we later discovered the children repeating was ELFSTEDENTOCHT (elf-STAY-den-tocht). It is so much fun to say...try it! Say it with a strong fun distinct voice. Wasn't that fun? It refers to a special 11 town race held in the Netherlands to this day. That was such a blessed find to add to our study.

year in review

It's official...I LOVE BLOGGING!! How goofy is that? It's not that I am any good at it, but it is this easy way to let out some creativity on a near daily basis. Just think of all that would be forgotten by me without it? I love taking pictures and blogging has helped me remember to take pictures more often. Before it was "Wow, I really like that photo, look hun...yeah, cool.." close the book to gather dust and sit on the shelf because I will never have time to actually scrapbook them. (That makes my mind crazy) Now there is a way to showcase it, write about and it fluff it up a bit, not to mention the enjoyment of keeping up with friends/ families lives. I like to have the memories for myself, my family and maybe grandkids someday....you never know.


REVIEW
I think if I were to pick just one word for our last year it would be too hard, but 'survival' comes to mind. It was one of the hardest years of our families lives. "Dependence' is another as we had to really just keep leaning on the Lord for strength and peace and He really came through for us there. I don't know how people get through these major events without Him. "Thankful' for our son's life....our family and receiving so many blessings through it all.

NEW YEAR'S JOURNEY

What's next? I refuse to use just one word, at least for now. One word will have to be 'persevere'.

to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly

to bolster, sustain, or uphold

Romans 5:3-5 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Let us not forget magnanimous, it has been our friend of a word and we must keep at it.

Joyful, is another that calls out to me.

We are excitedly looking forward to this year's journey and all it's joys and bumps in the road. Here is a few of my personal goals:

• get with God and pray for my husband, kids and others daily, continued spiritual growth
  


• get the home super, mega organized



• recommit to eating healthy, life sustaining, cancer healing, weight losing foods



• work on and enjoy girly girl project with my damsel all year long and more



• drink green tea often



• get back to exersizing routinely like I used to (and better yet)
  
  
• eat these highly nutrient dense foods in our regular food rotation often (salmon~ almonds~blueberries~avacodos)

I didn't really want to get too detailed here. I am also going to start Wordless Weds just to have a fun, quiet way to showcase a favorite unique photo. I have a few other ideas/ plans but I am just going to have fun and PERSEVERE!! and maybe while I'm at it i won't be quite so behind on everything....:)