Thirty-one Product Review

My sister, Leslie, recently started selling for Thirty-One, a great store that sells the best bags, purses and other accessories, as well as, sationary and such. So, I was excited that maybe this Christmas she would bestow upon me one of the fabulous items she sells.


And she did...one of my gifts was this:

I did not realized how much I would love this bag, but the past week I have been all over with it. 

IT.IS.AWESOME!

It doesn't close, which I thought was going to be a problem, but actually it is perfect because most of the time you are trying to close those darn bags anyway...with this one,  you can't!  It is sturdy and colorful (which by the way there are TONS of different patterns).  You can get it personalized.  The list goes on.  When you are shopping at the grocery store this is perfect because it can handle so much! 

I wasn't planning on writing a product review for this, but I have loved it so much I thought I would share it with others so they might be able to find the perfect bag for them.  If you would like to check out Thirty One gift click on the Logo below and it will take you right there.  The link below is to my sister's store (Leslie Macon) because it just makes sense and she is great!  If you decided not to purchase from her, that is okay (I guess, if you have to) but purchase some...this bag especially.  It will help you out!  So check it out! 

Happy Shopping!

**Please note my sister has no idea I am doing this**
http://www.mythirtyone.com/lesliemacon/

Life is like...

Life is like tangled hair...

if you don't deal with the little tangles of life then they get even bigger and A LOT harder to deal with!

Mom's Amazing Pumpkin Bread

Every Christmas my mom and us girls would make pumpkin bread for our neighbors.  The tradition was carried on, although I change what I make every Christmas for our neighbors I still make the delicious bread each holiday season.   

Many people have requested the recipe and so since it is loved by so many I would like to share it with you. I challenge you to share this with others too!

Mom's Amazing Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar                 2tsp baking soda

1 cup oil                       1 1/2 tsp salt

4 eggs                           1 tsp. cinnamon

3 cups flour                 1 tsp nutmeg

1 can of pumpkin       1/2 tsp ground cloves

2-3 large bread pans or 5-6 small bread pans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix oil and sugar.

Add eggs (1 at a time)

Add all other ingredients.

Pour into greased pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chicago Virtual Charter School

This year for homeschool we have done something a little bit different.  J was getting older and heading into fourth grade and the twins were now going into second and our youngest is finally in first grade.  So, God lead us to Chicago Virtual Charter School.  It is perfect for what I needed.  I did like lesson planning, I like to be able to see how much we have accomplished and how much more we need to do, I like to know where I should be for the year and also needed someone with more expertise to guide me with my kids writing skills (which I stink at!).  So, we signed up.  J was the first one to be accepted and slowly the other three were enrolled.  By the beginning of November we finally had all of them in the school and we are now caught up to where we should be and are excited to head back into it after Christmas Break. 

The curriculum is from K12.  It is a great curriculum and it is even offered as a private school and you can purchase it for your own homeschool.  Check it out!  Post a comment if you have any questions regarding the program.  Especially if you are looking into it.  I would love to help out! 

The kids have some great teachers they are assigned to and I am technically their Learning Coach.  They provide the computer needed to access the school and provide all the curriculum.  The teachers are amazing and help out in any way needed.  It has been helpful and taken a lot of stress off of me and has met the needs of me to keep homeschooling.  They kids get to attend award ceremonies and work towards a goal of completing their studies.  I am excited about this opportunity.  The kids were really hesitant, but enjoy it (most days). 

Jesus Saves- Children's Church lesson

In getting ready for the new year, I am trying to come up with lessons that go along with my husband's sermons.  So, to keep them in a special place I am attaching them here.  These lessons are made for groups that are between the ages of 3-3rd grade.  They are also geared toward smaller groups for up to 10 or 12. 

So the first one of the year: 01/01/12 is on John 3:16, focusing on Jesus Saves.

CHILDREN'S CHURCH LESSON:

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, He gave his one and only son that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.”

Main idea: Jesus saves us from Hell.

Materials needed:  Life preserver, Boat Maze, Life preserver coloring sheet, bed sheet

Opening: Main room; pretend saving each other onto a life saving raft (sheet) 

Focus on the feeling it is to be drowning and need someone to save you.  Read our bible passage, focusing on the fact that is what Jesus does for us.  We are swimming in sin and he saves us for the depths of hell.  Give a brief description of hell and how it is separation from God, from perfection. 

Give them the Boat Maze to do.  (http://www.printactivities.com/Mazes/Shape_Mazes/boat-maze.html)

  If need be, have them work in pairs. 

Then give them the coloring sheet to work on.  Have them color it with colors that show how they felt when they were being saved.  (I turned the coloring page into a jpeg file)

Then use the life preserver/life jacket to pass around as you work on the memory verse. 

For a snack you can have cherrios or fruit loops.