Happy Homemaker Monday 01/18/2016

Good afternoon everyone! This is going up way late for me, but it has been a hectic day so far! I feel lucky to get this time to sit and write. Usually I get morning time to blog, but the kids woke up a bit earlier than usual this morning. They were excited to have the day off school so they ended up waking up earlier than their usual school time. LOL
Still it has been a good day so far, and I am so glad to be sitting here with you all! I have visited a couple blogs so far on the link up, and plan on commenting later plus visit the other blogs when I get more time. I can't wait! :)
Anyway time to get started!

Photo Credit: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

::The Weather::
COLD! Oh my is it cold. Luckily we didn't have to go anywhere today, but we still have to let out our pup. You can feel the chill right through your clothes. Right now it is only 10 degrees F, and cloudy. The sun peeks through every now and then giving the illusion of warmth. Here's what we are looking forward to this week:

::Right now I am::
Sitting in the living room on the couch while my kiddos play blocks on the floor in front of me. It's rare that they are all currently occupied, but my youngest who is almost one is very into trying to tear down the tower her older brothers are building. Thankfully they adore her so much they just laugh and rebuild it. It's become more of a game to see how high they can get it before she tears it down. Then they all laugh as it tumbles. :)


::Thinking::
About how much I love watching my kiddos play.
Also about how much there is to do this week. I have tons of things on my to do list!
One of my resolutions to myself, or goals rather, was to eliminate clutter. We have accumulated so much stuff over the years. Especially toys, and I can't wait to purge some of those and straighten up my boys room! It is long overdo. Their room is clean, but a bit cluttered in my opinion. They never want to get rid of anything. A long forgotten toy can suddenly turn into a favorite if they know you are getting rid of it. haha!
I also can't wait to get my hands on our entry hall closet. Thanks to Pinterest I have a lot of good organizing ideas.


::On my reading pile::
Just recently finished a wonderful Amish Novella. Whispering to Horses by Thomas Nye!

It took me awhile to get around to it due to the holidays, but I finally did. A review will be coming for that one sometime this week.

I just started The Pounamu Prophecy by Cindy Williams. I am only on Chapter 8 so far as I just started it last night, but I am really liking it so far. I can't wait to see where it all goes!

Also I have been perusing The Homestyle Amish Kitchen Cookbook. I picked this up at my library over the weekend, and there are so many great recipes I cannot wait to try them. I think my hubby and children will especially love the Strawberry Pie. Our family loves strawberries.

::On my TV::
Not much of anything. A lot of our shows don't come back on until the end of this month or next.
We picked up some DVD series at the library though we will be watching here and there.
Duck Dynasty Season 8
Whale Wars
The Middle
Survivor man


::Things that make me happy::
Being a stay at home mom. There are some that frown upon it, something I have never understood. I truly love being a stay at home mom. I feel very thankful I get to stay home with my children, take care of my family, the home, etc.


::On the menu for this week::
Monday- Beef Pasta, Baked Potatoes, Peas
Tuesday- Baked Chicken, macaroni and cheese, corn
Wednesday- Taco Salad
Thursday- Grocery Shopping
Friday- see above
Saturday- 
Sunday- 


::On my to do list::
Most of my stuff has already been done. I still have a load of laundry to fold and put away.
I need to wash up our lunch dishes, and get ready to make dinner here soon.


::What I am sewing, crocheting, knitting, or creating::
I am sewing what seems like tons of ripped clothes. Usually it's just mending hubby's work uniforms, but it seems like this has been a month for ripping clothes or tearing them. I have a blanket of my daughters to fix. The stitching came loose on it, and I want to get it fixed before it gets worse.
Both sons have buttons missing off their school uniform shirts so I need to sew some new ones on.
Hubby has two shirts and three pairs of pants that need mended.


::Looking around the house::
Kids toys in the living room will need picked up. They have been great about doing that though so no worries there.
Need to give the kitchen a sweep, and wash the lunch dishes before dinner.


::On my prayer list::
Friends and family


::Bible verse, devotional, favorite quote::

That's all for today! I hope to join you all again next Monday! If you would like to link up with your own Happy Homemaker post please head on over to Sandra's blog: Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

Read and Share 5 Minute Bible Stories

::About the book::

Five-minute Bible stories will help little ones understand God's love.

Selections from the successful Read and Share® Bible, part of the bestselling Read and Share® series, are now available in a new design and format! Parents will capture little ones' attention during storytime with these engaging retellings of classic Bible stories. Kids will enjoy the big and bright hardcover format and the colorful, vibrant illustrations as they learn about God's love and biblical characters-including Noah, Joseph, David, Paul, and Christ-in a way they can understand.

Every entry in Read and Share 5-Minute Bible Stories is just the right length to be read out loud in about five minutes. Parents will appreciate having readings that are easy-to-digest for kids and perfect for a short, snug storytime. Plus, each reading includes interactive components, encouraging Scripture memory and reinforcing comprehension with quick activities for parents and kids, so the shared fun and learning can continue beyond storytime.

::My Thoughts::

This is a really fantastic book! We greatly enjoy this book and I highly recommend it to those with little ones! The title tells you exactly what you are going to get with this book. It is most definitely a read and share book. I was actually quite surprised by the size of it! It is definitely big enough to hold and read with your kiddos. The pages are thick enough to where you don't have to worry about little hands ripping the pages as they help turn them. It is a hardcover book, but the cover is puffy and soft. It seems like a very durable book, and my children always look forward to reading it. 

I love reading to my children, and love to read to them each day. Sometimes it can get a little hectic, but this book is perfect for those days because the stories really are only about five minutes each. It takes no time to fit in a story here or there during the day. Each story is only a couple of pages long, and the illustrations go along perfectly with each story. 

The illustrations are very colorful and sure to grab your little ones attention. Plus the stories are interactive with follow up questions and verses for your little ones. It is very fun, and a great devotional type book for kids! My children love answering the questions, and I love hearing their answers. That not only shows me how they have paid attention to the story, but it gets their minds thinking and wondering. Then we get to move onto the next story where they find out the answer, or we can start a discussion. It is really a lot of fun! And one of the truly great things on the path to being a good reader. 

More often than not we will read this book before bed. Bedtime stories always help my kids settle in, relax, and just kind of unwind. This book is great for morning, afternoon, or bedtime. Just whenever you want to fit it in. It's another reason why I highly recommend this book to those with young ones.

Another good feature of this book is that it is so easy for children to understand. Bible stories are the best stories. Sometimes, however, for younger children bible stories are a tad hard to absorb and understand. This is a great choice to get kids started on a journey to learning about the Bible. This book makes it so simple for them. Because the stories are short you can easily break between stories, or even read on as long as you would like. So it fits well for beginner readers and the younger ones whose attention doesn't hold as long just yet.

I think this would be a great addition into any parents, grandparents, and even Sunday School library! There is so much children can learn from this book! It opens up questions and discussions about God and Jesus, and is just enjoyable for all those who read it! There are 90 stories so there is plenty to read without worry of running out. Then when you have finished the book you can read again from the beginning or just pick your favorites!

Check this book out today!

::Product Details::

• Age Range: 4 - 8 years
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (August 4, 2015)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0718036581
• ISBN-13: 978-0718036584

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review. However, all opinions expressed are solely my own.