Review and Giveaway in time for Advent!

Are you looking to spend some special time with your family this Advent focusing on what is truly important?

"Destination: Bethlehem A Family Advent Adventure," by Sharon Altman and Christine Winkelman is a wonderful, engaging adventure that in its 24 chapters, can be read every night in December leading up to Christmas.

On the back cover the book reads, "Two boys, Isaac and Jediah, experience adventure while traveling through ancient Palestine.  As their journey unfolds, the boys find themselves at the heart of the Nativity Story and gradually realize God's greatest promise, the birth of the Messiah is at hand."

I found that each chapter was short enough to be read in around 10-15 minutes.  I look forward to reading these chapters with my children this Advent.  I change our entire homeschool focus during the Advent season.  It is so important to give them (and me!)  the proper focus leading up to Christmas and I know this book will be a part of our daily Advent activities.

There is also an optional activity of a little package that you could give to your children each day that represents something from that chapter.  I like that many of the items are things that we probably already have in the house.  I can't wait to see the look in their eyes as they try to guess what each little package may contain.  I know that will open the avenue for much discussion and learning.

There are pages entitled "Travel Guide to the Past" after each chapter that give some historical information about what is going on in the chapter and ties it all in magnificently with the Bible.  For example, after chapter 18, we are told that "Jediah's family traveled on the same treacherous pathway that Jesus later spoke about in the parable of the Good Samaritan."  The boys' journey even takes them through Gethsemane before reaching the hills of Bethlehem.

Part I of the book begins with "Isaac's Journey," a year before Christ's birth.  The last chapter has the boys in the Cave at Bethlehem on Christmas Eve.  Such a beautiful and heartwarming journey!

The authors have graciously given me an autographed copy to be won by one of my lucky readers!  I want to be sure that the giveaway will take place for you to have the book in time for the beginning of Advent, which is only a little more than a month away!  Wow!  :-)



You can enter the giveaway 6 times.  Please leave a comment for each.  Be sure to include your email address.  :-)

1) Leave a comment.  Why would you like to win this book?
2) Follow my blog via GFC
3) Subscribe to my blog via email
4) Blog about the giveaway
5) Mention the giveaway on Facebook
6) Tweet about the giveaway

Kiddo #4 will draw the winner on Friday, November 9th.  Good luck!  I am SO excited about this giveaway!  :-)

**The authors provided me with a copy of their book in exchange for an honest review on my blog.**

Wordless Wednesday- October 24

Ok, not exactly wordless!  :-)  Just some random shots I took on Tuesday.  It was so awesome to see all 4 kiddos playing together outside this afternoon.  I should have taken some of them running laps around the house, lol!  :-)  I wish I would have taken some photos during their Italian lesson.  Have I mentioned that I just LOVE their teacher?  I get so engrossed in the lessons myself (last week she had us dancing the Tarantella!) that I don't even think about grabbing the camera until it's too late.  I did manage to get a photo of the work they did on musical instruments, though.

Below are just some of my favorite photos from the last week.  You may have seen some of them already :-) (and yes, that is one of the cats cuddling in Kiddo #4's Hershey Kiss costume that she and her Pop-Pop made last week  :-) )

Linking up with: Judy H-J's Thoughts, Mama to 4 Blessings, Create with Joy, NOBH, Musings from a Stay at Home Mom, Tina's Wordless Wednesday,Judy @ CoffeeJitters and Wordless Wednesday at Wordless 

Try a New Recipe Tuesday- October 23

It's Tuesday and that means it's time for another wonderful recipe share!

This week, I'm going to share my dad's meatloaf recipe.  It is delicious, let me tell you.  ;-)  We typically freeze them after making them and then pop them in the oven for about 2 hours (frozen) or about an hour and a half if defrosted or just made.  I usually keep it covered for at least the first hour or so.  Then, you can uncover it so it can brown a bit on the top if you prefer it like that.  :-) You could also put them in your crockpot.  It is convenient to have them in the freezer and ready to go.

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 1/2 cups bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup minced onion
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup

Hope you enjoy!  :-)

Here is the one we had tonight all sliced and ready to be served.  :-)

Linking up with the Gathering Spot, Kids in the Kitchen, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Domestically Divine Tuesday, Raising Mighty Arrows,Addicted to Recipes, Homemaking Wednesdays, Living Well Wednesday,NOBH, Judy H-J's Thoughts, Wisdom Wednesday , Favorite Things, Modest Mom, Full Plate Thursday and Melt in your Mouth Monday

Make Life Meaningful Monday- October 22

What has made my life meaningful this Monday?  The little things.

Baking some muffins with my kiddos on Saturday (ok, so doing the laundry wasn't so meaningful, lol!) and finishing the crocheting of an afghan for a family member for Christmas (can't say who since the person probably will be reading this!) and getting ready to start another (hope I can get that one done in time, as well!)

While I was baking, the kiddos were outside playing and enjoying this beautiful fall weather we are having.

We couldn't help but notice that the marigolds that Kiddo #3 started from seeds are still hanging in there!  :-)

On Sunday after church, hubby and I took the kiddos on various errands.  Kiddo #4 wants to make her brothers all a gift in her sewing class.  She picked out the perfect fabric (Philadelphia Eagles!) and pattern to make some lounge pants for Kiddo #2.  Kiddo #3 got to buy his Halloween costume and we had to order Kiddo #2's, since the sporting goods store doesn't carry the player's jersey that he wanted.

Another weekend for which I am grateful.

The Kiddos are looking forward to picking out and painting some pumpkins this week.  Come Friday, we will be attending our church's family retreat for the weekend.  It is always a wonderful, refreshing experience of prayer and fellowship.  Unfortunately, my husband has military duty and will not be able to join us.  I will, of course, be sad, and not feel like a complete family, but I know he will be with us in spirit, as he will be in our thoughts and prayers.  :-)

Linking up with On, in and around Mondays in addition to Wisdom Wednesday, Living Well Wednesday, Mom's Monday Mingle, Monday Mingle, Modest Mom and Crazy Mama

Homeschool Mother's Journal/Weekly Wrap-Up October 19

Another week's wrap up post.  Wow.  :-)  Time is just flying by, isn't it?

In my life/homeschool this week: Mondays are always crazy days here.  It starts with Kiddo #1's Chemistry class at 9, Kiddo #4's sewing class at 10:30 and then music lessons for 3 of the 4 in the early afternoon.  Kiddo #4 also has her IEW writing class in the afternoon and a Legion meeting at church in the evening.  Phew!  :-)  We did manage some schoolwork in between and the kiddos enjoyed some activities I created for them to review their Italian.

Kiddo #4 was proud to have finished her pillow pet in sewing class.

I posted more pics of both their Italian review and the pillow pet here in my Wordless Wednesday post.

I also posted on Monday about our weekend of costume and pizzelle making.  You can see it here.

On Tuesday, a regular work day, the kiddos worked on their Algebra, science, history, religion and Italian.

Italian lessons were postponed in the afternoon and we decided to bake some sugar cookies.  I was so grateful that we did.  You can read about a sad story from a local community here and how we should all hug our children and never forget to tell them how we really feel.  It is my Thankful Thursday post.

I also posted my weekly recipe linkup post.  This week I shared my recipe for Chocolate Chip Pound cake (yummy!)  Come over and visit here and see that recipe and all of the others that were shared.

On Wednesday morning, Kiddos #1 and 2 had their online class.  I am really pleased with the program.  

Kiddos #3 and 4 began working on an "everyday life" in Colonial America project.  We research a trade, they type up a description and then color a coloring page that goes along with it.  They both liked making up the covers for their binders and are having fun learning about different trades.  I am incorporating pictures from our trips to Williamsburg and Philadelphia, as well.  My grandfather was a printer and Kiddo #4 was amazed that, although obviously not in the colonial era, he had to put type into the presses by hand and backwards just as they did two centuries before.  It was awesome to hear my dad telling my daughter about his father's print shop.  Her first response was, "he lived during colonial times?"  :-)  I still remember the smell of the inks in my pop's shop and I loved when he would make me a little notepad or paper with my name on it.

We were planning to do some apple picking on Friday, but rain has put a damper on those plans.  We are anxious to make all of my apple recipes, but it will just have to wait for another day.  :-)

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.

What I'm reading: several books for book clubs I belong to as well as a Bible study.

What I'm praying for: our country, our military, the unemployed, those who are ill or suffering, the family I wrote about on Thursday who lost their daughter, my family....

A quote or photo to share:

“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and left untried.”--GK Chesterton

“To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it.”--GK Chesterton

Linking up today with:  Homeschool Mother's Journal, Weekly Wrap-Up, NOBH, Show-Off Friday, Learn and Link and It's a Wrap and Friendship Friday.

Thankful Thursday- October 18

I had an altogether different post in mind for this Thankful Thursday until my husband came home from work and told me of a tragedy in the neighborhood near the post office.  A girl of only 14 was killed while trying to run across an intersection to get to her bus stop this morning.  

I cannot even imagine what her parents are going through tonight; or even the driver of the car, who did immediately stop and try, with other witnesses, to help her.

Something like this hits every parent hard, even when they do not know any of the people involved.  I tear up every time I think about it and have prayed for all involved.  Parents should not have to bury their children.  It is just so unnatural.  I hugged my children a few extra times tonight and reminded them of how much I love them.  As the Lord told us, we do not know the day or the time and death will come like a robber in the night.  The young lady's grieving parents can very easily be any one of us.  And that makes me all the more grateful for each and every moment with my children.

Every day is truly a gift and we need to be thankful.  Instead of focusing on what we do not have, whatever that may be in life, we need to focus on what we do have-- our precious children-- and cherish every moment that we get to share with them.  I'm sure the young lady's parents would be willing to give up everything else in their lives tonight to have just another day with their daughter.

Lord, help me always to be grateful for the gifts you have bestowed upon me in my children and may the family and friends of the young girl feel Your presence in the love, support and care they will receive from those around them.  May it give them some iota of comfort and peace.
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Now I am all the more happy that I said "yes" to making cookies yesterday afternoon when the Italian teacher postponed our lesson.  I could have just come up with a substitute busy-work assignment, but now, all the more, I am so glad I didn't.

Linking up with Lisa at The Army Chap's Wife, NOBH , A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, Spilled Milkshake, Miscellany Monday

Wordless Wednesday- October 17

Here are some photos of ideas I came up with to help the kiddos study their Italian lessons.  I enjoy coming up with hands-on, fun ways to learn.  :-)  And, I just had to include Kiddo #4's newest masterpiece.  She finished her dolphin pillow pet in sewing class this week.  :-)

Linking up with: Judy H-J's Thoughts, Mama to 4 Blessings, Create with Joy, NOBH, Musings from a Stay at Home Mom, Tina's Wordless Wednesday,Judy @ CoffeeJitters and Wordless Wednesday at Wordless