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Christmas 2013

Written by Joy
2 Comments
Christmas 2013

We woke up to a beautiful day, to celebrate Jesus’ birthday and our love for one another.

Christmas Morning

Christmas Morning

While we missed our extended family that lives on the east coast, we still enjoyed a wonderful day with just our children.  I am very thankful and blessed that the grandparents sent the kids gifts, even though we couldn’t be there with them.  Even though they weren’t with us in person, they were definitely with us in spirit.

Our tree this year, did not last long at all.  It was a fire hazard by the time Christmas day arrived.  The needles had already started turning brown.  In years part, we always left our tree up until mid-January, however, it came down the day after Christmas.   We still loved looking at the ornaments and talking about where they came from and who gave them to us.  The memories our tree could tell you.

Christmas Tree 2013

Christmas Tree 2013

I always enjoy watching our children open their gifts and this year was no different.  We always ask a few months in advance for the kids to make us a list of a few things they would like.  We have been blessed to be able to get the kids a couple of things that they wanted.  As you can see on their faces, they were surprised and very thankful.

Samuel opening Legos

Samuel opening Legos

Michael opening books

Michael opening books

Sisters looking at favorite gifts

Sisters looking at favorite gifts

Another thing I love about Christmas, is seeing what my children want to give and make for their siblings.  We have been blessed with children who love to give and do for others.  This year, my oldest daughter surprised her siblings with homemade light sabers.  Her creative mind is constantly moving and she always creates amazing things.  This year was no different.  I think the younger children enjoyed these gifts, as much as the store bought ones.

A loving sister making her siblings a gift, lightsabers out of paper tubes.

A loving sister making her siblings a gift, lightsabers out of paper tubes.

I also got a surprise this year.  My wonderful and amazing hubby surprised me with a Kindle. He knows I love to read and I have been having trouble reading ebooks from my phone.  The print is just too small and it gave me headaches to read from my phone.  He knew that and bought the Kindle, so that I could enlarge the print.  It was definitely a wonderful surprise and one that I won’t forget any time soon.

a surprise for me from my hubby

a surprise for me from my hubby

I am truly blessed with an amazing family.  I love their hearts and minds.  They know we celebrate Christmas because of the beautiful gift that God gave us, His son, Jesus.

So while Christmas has come and gone, we will still continue to celebrate Jesus and do our best to follow in his footsteps all year long.

How was your Christmas?  Do you have any special memories or special gifts from this year?  I would love for you to share them with me. 

 

 

 

 

 

2013, family, , , , ,

Putting on the Spirit: Ten-Minute Devotions for Busy Moms ~ review

Written by Joy
Putting on the Spirit: Ten-Minute Devotions for Busy Moms ~ review

As a mom, I know how busy you can be, how hard it can be to find quiet time with God.  Lately, I have found that I need to be making time with God, no matter what.  That is why I was so happy to see the devotional study, “Putting on the Spirit: Ten-Minute Devotions for Busy Moms” by Katie Hornor.  I think anyone can find 10 minutes in the day, whether it be during the morning, afternoon (nap time) or at night, right before you go to bed.

Putting on the Spirit: Ten-Minute Devotions for Busy Moms is a one month study that takes you through the Fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.

As moms, we look and compare ourselves with others.  We think the mom next door is a super mom and they do it all.  Well they don’t. They are just like you.  Katie does an amazing job with this study, by taking each fruit of the spirit and tells us, by using scripture how we can apply it to our lives.  We don’t have to try to be that Super Mom.  We be the person that God intended us to be. 

 

When I started this study, I was going through a challenging and difficult time.  By taking those extra 10 minutes and digging into Putting on the Spirit: Ten-Minute Devotions for Busy Moms, God showed me over and over, how I needed to let go of things and let Him take over.  I had to stop trying to keep up with others and just take care of what was important, my family and I.  Once I did that, everything else fell into place.  God showed me that everyone goes through their own trials and suffers through different things.

Putting on the Spirit bible study

I have thoroughly enjoyed Putting on the Spirit: Ten-Minute Devotions for Busy Moms.  Not only is it helping me to make time for God, it is helping me to dig just a little bit deeper into God’s word.  It is helping me to realize that I don’t have to be a super mom.

Now how can you get this bible study?  Just visit Katie’s blog, Paradise Praises or Amazon.  It is only $4.99 and is worth every penny. When you do buy the bible study, be sure to stop by Paradise Praises and pick up the FREE workbook that goes along with it.  Do you need the workbook?  No, but it does help when you want to write and answer the questions in the bible study book.

When you visit Paradise Praises, be sure to visit the others who reviewed Putting on the Spirit: Ten-Minute Devotions for Busy Moms.  There has even been talk of a few bloggers hosting a bible study using this wonderful bible study!  That is how great it is!

2013, review, , ,

my favorite Master Books titles from the year…

Written by Joy
my favorite Master Books titles from the year…

I have had a wonderful time being part of the Moms of Master Books team, this year.  I though I would share my favorite Master Books titles from the year with you.  Here they are in in no particular order.

1.  The first one I am sharing with you, is the book I am Ruth.  I loved the story of Ruth to begin with, but this book, just made me fall in love with the story even more.  The photography, combined with the scripture and story, really brought the story of Ruth to life.

2.  Children’s Atlas of God’s World is another favorite of ours.  This book takes you through all 7 continents and gives little information about different countries throughout the world. You will learn about the different cultures, animals and plants that God has created. My kids will sit and read this book for hours.  They love all the maps and pictures that are in it.

3.  Another book we have enjoyed is the Big Book of Earth and Sky.  This book shows and explains about the Earth and the Sky from the Outer Atmosphere all the way to the Inner Core of the Earth, from a creation point of view.

4.  Our family loves science and we enjoy any book on God’s creation.  That’s why my kids and I have really enjoyed Exploring The World of Astronomy.  Astronomy has always been a favorite subject of ours and any time we have a chance to read a book that talks about how God created the world, we love reading it.

5.  The last book I am sharing with you is N is for Noah: Trusting God and His Promises. While this book is geared towards younger kids, my 7 and 9 year old loved it.  They loved the way the the book was written using the letters of the alphabet, telling the story of Noah. They loved that it rhymed! It made the book fun for them to read.

I am very thankful to be a part of the Moms of Master Books group.  We have had the honor of reviewing wonderful Christian books.  I am looking forward to sharing more books from Master Books, next year!

Be sure to check out the link-up page at Master Books, to see what other’s are sharing as their favorite books of the year!

2013, homeschooling, review, , , , , ,

cold and snow in Colorado…

Written by Joy
2 Comments
cold and snow in Colorado…

We have been in Colorado a little over a year, now. We have already experienced one winter here and are working on the second one. While we have had some cold weather since it has been fall, this last week, I do believe fall has left and winter has arrived.  Last Tuesday, we had a cold front come through that brought not only snow, but some of the coldest weather that Colorado has seen in several years.  Our highs have been in the low teens and single digits.  The lows, we have been in the negative temps.

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On Wednesday morning, I had a medical appointment that we did not want to cancel.  I was so thankful that my husband drove.  The roads were awful as the snow fell, but watching the snow fall, it was just beautiful.   A 45 minute drive took us 1 3/4 hours.  During that time, not only was I praying, I was able to get some pictures of the snow.

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There is just something so peaceful about the snow.  I love to just sit and watch the snow fall softly from the sky.

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Isaiah 1:18

18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

2013, family, photography, , ,