The winner of the Barefoot Books giveaway is...
Comment #30 - DEBIJOT
Congratulations!!!
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Friday, November 19, 2010
HGG Event - HearthSong ~ Review
I've done several reviews of products from Plow & Hearth and did one about a month ago from Wind & Weather...well here is a review of a product from another of their family of companies called HearthSong!
HearthSong carries a wide variety of toys that any child is sure to love. They have everything from wooden toys to puzzles, to play tents and board games. I love the variety of products that they carry and since I have experienced great things from other companies in their family of companies, I knew I could trust to find great quality products from them as well.
I had the extreme pleasure of receiving their Classic Domino Race Special. With over 300 pieces they can set up, I know there will be hours spent creating new courses to knock down! I have 3 boys afterall, so this kind of thing fits perfectly in our family! It's not just something boys will love though either. I know that my niece is going to love playing with it whenever she is over and I definitely see it as becoming one of our household's favorite toys. Between using their imagination to set it up, using fine motor skills, feeling that excitement of watching it all come tumbling down...what more could a mom want out of a toy for her kids?!
HearthSong has so many great toys to offer and I think they are a definite place you should check out for Christmas gifts. Here are a few more of the cool products they offer...
So, what are you waiting for? Head over to HearthSong now and find something special for the little (and not so little) kids on your gift list!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
HGG Event - Mountain Hardwear ~ Review & Giveaway
Again, here is another company that I have come to love and it seemed like a no-brainer to add them and their great products to my Holiday Gift Guide Event!
Mountain Hardwear makes great quality apparel and gear for any outdoor need, as well as stylish wear for the times when you're out and about, but not hiking, climbing or whatever other outdoor activity it is that you like to do. I can say with the utmost confidence that you will not be disappointed in their products. I have received several of them over the past year and I have loved every single one of them. Well, now let me show you the latest items I received for review that I believe would make great gifts!
First, I was sent their new Draco Dome hat in Duffle. I thought it was the perfect mix of functionality and cool, without being over-the-top (no pun intended). My husband likes pretty simple things, so I was really happy to get this for him. The colors are perfect and let me just tell ya, he looks pretty darn good in it too. He thinks it's great and I was happy to have found a hat that I think he will actually wear. The material is nice and soft, as well as warm and toasty. Just a great hat!
The second item I reviewed is their Sable Vest in black. Oh, the things I have to say about this vest. First of all, the fit is AWESOME. The way it is cut makes it so flattering. The material is so soft and cozy and the design in it makes it extra cute. It's so nice and warm, yet doesn't make me sweat like crazy when I'm wearing it indoors while shopping and things like that. It's just awesome! See for yourself...
I am completely thrilled with both of these products. What guy or teenage boy wouldn't want a great hat like the Draco Dome? What woman wouldn't want the cozy luxury of the Sable Vest? Hmmm...NONE!
One of my readers will have the opportunity to win the Draco Dome in Duffle, just like I reviewed! Isn't that great?! Well, of course it is, so get your entries in now!
BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!
This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on November 29th. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winner. The winner will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose a new winner. This contest is open to U.S. residents.
LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com
MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Mountain Hardwear and tell me about another of their products that you think would make a great gift for someone on your list! (1 entry)
Extra Entries:
Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)
Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)
Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)
"Like" my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)
Place my Finally Finding Me button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)
Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)
That's 6 chances to win! Good luck!
Disclosure: I was provided with these products for free for review purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.
Monday, November 15, 2010
HGG Event - Plow & Hearth ~ Review & Giveaway
If you read my blog, you know I love Plow & Hearth, so naturally I thought of them when I thought of great gift options for this year. I decided to look for something that would be great to give to some of the adult women on my list and I knew that the Life is good® Women's Hot Cocoa Sleep & Lounge Set they had on there would be a perfect choice!
I chose this particular set because I love coffee, tea, and cocoa...so it was something that just appealed to me. I also really loved the colors. I'm known for saying "Life is good." a lot, so they just seemed perfect!
Let me just tell ya, not only are they even cuter in person, but they are so incredibly comfy. I tend to get overheated when I sleep, but I haven't been too hot in these any of the times I've worn them to bed. They are also great for lounging around the house. In fact my lovely friend, Kelly, got to see me in them yesterday when she dropped by! I just love them!
I think any woman can appreciate a comfy lounge set and with how cute the Life is good® sets are, you're sure to find one that would be a good match for someone on your Christmas list! Here are a couple more of their styles...
Well, those awesome people over at Plow & Hearth are continuing their great generosity and offering one of my readers a Life is good® Women's Hot Cocoa Sleep & Lounge Set in the winner's choice of size! Yup, you want 'em, so get your entries in!
BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!
This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on November 22nd. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winner. The winner will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose a new winner. This contest is open to U.S. residents.
LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com
MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Plow & Hearth and tell me about another of their products that you think would make a great gift for someone on your list! (1 entry)
Extra Entries:
Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)
Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)
Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)
"Like" my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)
Place my Finally Finding Me button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)
Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)
That's 6 chances to win! Good luck!
Disclosure: I was provided with these products for free for review purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.
Friday, November 12, 2010
HGG Event - Barefoot Books ~ Review & Giveaway
To kick off this year's Holiday Gift Guide Event, I would like to share with you about some great books I received for review from Barefoot Books!
You may remember that I reviewed some of their books before and was thrilled with them...well, this time is no different!
I was sent two of their gift books. The first is called The Barefoot Book of Dance Stories by Jane Yolen. It is a hardcover book with an accompanying CD. The illustrations are beautiful and it tells dance stories from eight different cultures around the world. My sister teaches dance and my niece is following right in her footsteps. I agree that this makes a great gift and I will be giving it to my sister and niece for Christmas. I know they will love it!
The second book is my favorite of the two and I will be keeping this one!!! It is called The Gift and is by Carol Ann Duffy. The illustrations are not dazzling colorful pictures, but are done in a way that just drew me in. The story itself is even better. It is a story of the circle of life, following a little girl into old age. I found this book to be a beautiful picture of life and am glad to have had the chance to read it and add it to our library.
Barefoot books has so many great books and I could go crazy picking out books that I would love to add to our library. Here are a few that caught my eye...
Ok, that's a little more than a few and I could have added even more, but I decided to stop myself.
*CHECK THIS OUT TOO!*
Barefoot Books Gives Back: Throughout the month of November, for every purchase made at www.barefootbooks.com/shop, Barefoot will donate one book to children in need through their philanthropic partner First Book. You can learn more and see a video showing how delighted children in need are when they receive a donation of new Barefoot Books here: http://www.barefootbooks.com/story/giving_back/. So this is a great time to stock up on your holiday gift books and feel good knowing you’ve helped make a child’s day who could really use a lift.
Basically, I could choose several books from Barefoot Books to give as gifts that I know would be great additions to family libraries and I think you could find several to give as gifts as well. What's really great is that you could win one of the two books that I reviewed to add to your library or to give as a gift!!! One of my readers will win their choice of either The Barefoot Book of Dance Stories or The Gift. See below for how to gain entries...
BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!
This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on November 19th. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winner. The winner will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose a new winner. This contest is open to U.S. residents.
LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com
MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Barefoot Books and tell me a title they offer that you would most like. (1 entry)
Extra Entries:
Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)
Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)
Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)
"Like" my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)
"Like" the Barefoot Books Facebook page and leave a comment on their page saying "Danielle from Finally Finding Me sent me!" (1 entry)
Place my Finally Finding Me button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)
Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)
That's 7 chances to win! Good luck!
Disclosure: I was provided with these products for free for review purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
HERE IT COMES....
My Holiday Gift Guide Event is about to begin, so keep your eyes peeled for some amazing gift ideas, product reviews and best of all...GIVEAWAYS! You DO NOT want to miss this!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Joy to the World: Advent Activities for your Family by Kathleen M. Basi
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
Today's Wild Card author is:
and the book:
Joy to the World: Advent Activities for your Family
Liguori Publications (July 1, 2010)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kathleen Basi is a stay-at-home mom, freelance writer, flute and voice teacher, composer, choir director, natural family planning teacher, scrapbooker, sometime-chef and budding disability rights activist. She puts her juggling skills on display on her website (see below).
Visit the author's website.
Product Details:
List Price: $5.99
Paperback: 80 pages
Publisher: Liguori Publications (July 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0764819372
ISBN-13: 978-0764819377
AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Introduction
Reclaiming
Advent
Call it December madness: On the day after Thanksgiving 2008, a seasonal worker was trampled to death by shoppers swarming a department store at opening time. In mid-America, two women got into a fist fight over a toy, and the store personnel had to pull them off each other.
At this time of year, it’s hardly possible to escape feeling rushed, harried, and overwhelmed. It seems like every year the Christmas decorations at the mall go up a little earlier, and all the news reports dwell on how much money retailers are (or aren’t) going to make. The ad inserts get fatter and the TV shouts: “No need to wait! Zero down! No interest for thirteen months! Hurry, hurry, hurry!”
Just about everyone gripes about it, but no one seems to know what to do about it. Some families throw out the whole secular celebration in an attempt to prevent materialism from overwhelming both Advent and Christmas. But most families feel—rightly so—that they shouldn’t have to choose one over the other. It’s supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year,” but often families feel stressed as the calendar fills up with recitals, shopping, parties, and housecleaning. In this atmosphere filled with distractions, the idea of Advent as a season in its own right has been overwhelmed. How can we wait for Christmas when we never have to wait for anything else?
Christmas is not about children, gifts, cookies, or trees. It’s about a love so powerful that God came to earth to dwell among us: human and divine intertwining—a holy union of wills that reaches its apex not in birth, but in crucifixion and resurrection. In salvation.
And we spend December fighting over Blu-ray discs and toys?
It’s time to reclaim Advent—that season of holy hush, of waiting, of light and anticipation—that season that helps make Christmas so special. We can’t withdraw from the world, but we can take the trappings of the season and infuse them with a deeper meaning. Joy to the World: Advent Activities for Your Family outlines a way to reconcile the secular with the sacred—to celebrate them side-by-side, to mold them into a single, month-long “liturgy,” and in so doing, to enrich both celebrations.
Chapter 1 presents a brief overview of Advent and why it is important. Chapter 2 introduces the three parts of the Advent Reclamation Project, which are explained more fully in Chapters 3 through 5. Chapter 6 offers suggestions for other traditions that families or parish communities might choose to adopt as their own, and in the appendices, you will find resources to flesh out the earlier chapters.
Early childhood is the ideal time to start developing family traditions, so this book is aimed at young families. Each chapter contains a short italicized section to be read directly to children, explaining some part of the celebration. As your family grows, you can adapt the traditions to fit your own circumstances. Many of the ideas will also translate to the classroom. Remember that Advent, like Sabbath, was not created for God’s sake, but for ours (see Mark 2:27). God doesn’t need it. We do.
Chapter
1
The Case
For Advent
Advent holds a unique place in the Christian calendar. For Catholics, it is the beginning of the liturgical year. It is a season in which the church is decked out in purple—a sign of penitence—yet the Scriptures also speak of joy, hope, and light.
The word “Advent” comes from a Latin word meaning arrival or coming. In the earliest days of the Church, all of life focused on the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. After all, the Apostles expected the Second Coming during their lifetimes.
At this time, the ancient pagan cultures structured their seasonal celebrations on nature. The celebration of the winter solstice was the biggest festival of the year in ancient times. It centered upon the shortest day of the year—the day when the “unconquered” sun began slowly to take back the days. Gift-giving, feasting, lights, and greenery all originated in these pagan celebrations. As Christianity expanded into these lands, the Church adopted many of these traditions, infusing them with Christian meaning in order to ease the transition for its new members. Thus, sometime in the fourth century ad, Christmas—and Advent—made their appearances.
Originally, Advent was a forty-day period of fasting and penitence—a parallel to Lent. In the early centuries, the Church focused on preparing for the Second Coming. Not until the middle ages did Advent begin to point toward the birth of Christ. Over the centuries, many traditions cropped up surrounding the season. The Advent wreath grew out of a Pagan tradition of lighting candles to signify the hope of spring. The Jesse tree probably originated in Northern Europe, where lineage and genealogy determined one’s place in society. The Jesse tree taught the faithful about Jesus’ royal lineage. Over time, these customs (and the meanings associated with them) have evolved. Some grew more important, others less so.
Nowadays, the secular culture and many Protestant denominations make no distinction between Advent and Christmas. The Sundays of December are filled with the story of the Christ Child, and the Christmas celebration is over and done around New Year’s. But in Catholic tradition, the season of Advent focuses on the two “comings” of Christ—the Incarnation, when God came to Earth as human child, and the glorious Second Coming at the end of time. In fact, the readings for the first two weeks of Advent speak of John the Baptist “preparing the way” for Jesus, the grown man who turned the world upside down. Only in the later part of Advent does our focus zero in on Bethlehem.
This duality is something we experience even with our senses. Catholic churches are hung with violet for these four weeks—the color traditionally associated with penitence. But the purple we use at this time of year is different from the purple of Lent; it is meant to be a richer, royal purple, reminding us also that Christ is King.
Advent gives us a chance to meditate on:
Hope—for deliverance;
Expectation—for the coming of one who will bring justice to an unjust world;
Preparation—so that we may prepare our hearts to receive Christ, who is
Light—the light of the world.
These are beautiful themes. Why should Advent be shoved into a corner, nothing more than four weeks of filler before Christmas? Advent can be a magical time, if we approach it the right way.
Advent does not need to become a “second Lent,” but the violet hangings and vestments remind us that penitence remains an important part of the season. Advent gives us the chance to examine our hearts and “defrag” our scattered souls. To reorder our thinking and our priorities. To point our lives, for four weeks, toward Christmas, so that when we reach the holiday, it has meaning and beauty that is distinct from the four preceding weeks.
Nor is Christmas the end of the journey. Without Holy Week and the resurrection, the manger in Bethlehem would be unremarkable: just one more baby born in poverty. For Christians, the destination is Easter. Glorious as it is, Christmas is a stop along the way.
For the children:
Even though all the advertisements on TV are about Christmas, right now we are actually in the season of Advent. During Advent, our job is to get ready for Jesus to come and live in our hearts. At Christmas, we will celebrate Jesus being born as a baby—but he has promised us that he will come back again someday, and we need to be ready. One way we do this is by remembering our sins and trying to do better. This is called penitence, and it is why the church is decorated in purple. But Advent is also about looking forward to Jesus coming. We are excited because Jesus is the light of the world, and when he comes, he will make the world fair for everyone.
Reclaiming
Advent
Call it December madness: On the day after Thanksgiving 2008, a seasonal worker was trampled to death by shoppers swarming a department store at opening time. In mid-America, two women got into a fist fight over a toy, and the store personnel had to pull them off each other.
At this time of year, it’s hardly possible to escape feeling rushed, harried, and overwhelmed. It seems like every year the Christmas decorations at the mall go up a little earlier, and all the news reports dwell on how much money retailers are (or aren’t) going to make. The ad inserts get fatter and the TV shouts: “No need to wait! Zero down! No interest for thirteen months! Hurry, hurry, hurry!”
Just about everyone gripes about it, but no one seems to know what to do about it. Some families throw out the whole secular celebration in an attempt to prevent materialism from overwhelming both Advent and Christmas. But most families feel—rightly so—that they shouldn’t have to choose one over the other. It’s supposed to be “the most wonderful time of the year,” but often families feel stressed as the calendar fills up with recitals, shopping, parties, and housecleaning. In this atmosphere filled with distractions, the idea of Advent as a season in its own right has been overwhelmed. How can we wait for Christmas when we never have to wait for anything else?
Christmas is not about children, gifts, cookies, or trees. It’s about a love so powerful that God came to earth to dwell among us: human and divine intertwining—a holy union of wills that reaches its apex not in birth, but in crucifixion and resurrection. In salvation.
And we spend December fighting over Blu-ray discs and toys?
It’s time to reclaim Advent—that season of holy hush, of waiting, of light and anticipation—that season that helps make Christmas so special. We can’t withdraw from the world, but we can take the trappings of the season and infuse them with a deeper meaning. Joy to the World: Advent Activities for Your Family outlines a way to reconcile the secular with the sacred—to celebrate them side-by-side, to mold them into a single, month-long “liturgy,” and in so doing, to enrich both celebrations.
Chapter 1 presents a brief overview of Advent and why it is important. Chapter 2 introduces the three parts of the Advent Reclamation Project, which are explained more fully in Chapters 3 through 5. Chapter 6 offers suggestions for other traditions that families or parish communities might choose to adopt as their own, and in the appendices, you will find resources to flesh out the earlier chapters.
Early childhood is the ideal time to start developing family traditions, so this book is aimed at young families. Each chapter contains a short italicized section to be read directly to children, explaining some part of the celebration. As your family grows, you can adapt the traditions to fit your own circumstances. Many of the ideas will also translate to the classroom. Remember that Advent, like Sabbath, was not created for God’s sake, but for ours (see Mark 2:27). God doesn’t need it. We do.
Chapter
1
The Case
For Advent
Advent holds a unique place in the Christian calendar. For Catholics, it is the beginning of the liturgical year. It is a season in which the church is decked out in purple—a sign of penitence—yet the Scriptures also speak of joy, hope, and light.
The word “Advent” comes from a Latin word meaning arrival or coming. In the earliest days of the Church, all of life focused on the passion, death, and resurrection of Christ. After all, the Apostles expected the Second Coming during their lifetimes.
At this time, the ancient pagan cultures structured their seasonal celebrations on nature. The celebration of the winter solstice was the biggest festival of the year in ancient times. It centered upon the shortest day of the year—the day when the “unconquered” sun began slowly to take back the days. Gift-giving, feasting, lights, and greenery all originated in these pagan celebrations. As Christianity expanded into these lands, the Church adopted many of these traditions, infusing them with Christian meaning in order to ease the transition for its new members. Thus, sometime in the fourth century ad, Christmas—and Advent—made their appearances.
Originally, Advent was a forty-day period of fasting and penitence—a parallel to Lent. In the early centuries, the Church focused on preparing for the Second Coming. Not until the middle ages did Advent begin to point toward the birth of Christ. Over the centuries, many traditions cropped up surrounding the season. The Advent wreath grew out of a Pagan tradition of lighting candles to signify the hope of spring. The Jesse tree probably originated in Northern Europe, where lineage and genealogy determined one’s place in society. The Jesse tree taught the faithful about Jesus’ royal lineage. Over time, these customs (and the meanings associated with them) have evolved. Some grew more important, others less so.
Nowadays, the secular culture and many Protestant denominations make no distinction between Advent and Christmas. The Sundays of December are filled with the story of the Christ Child, and the Christmas celebration is over and done around New Year’s. But in Catholic tradition, the season of Advent focuses on the two “comings” of Christ—the Incarnation, when God came to Earth as human child, and the glorious Second Coming at the end of time. In fact, the readings for the first two weeks of Advent speak of John the Baptist “preparing the way” for Jesus, the grown man who turned the world upside down. Only in the later part of Advent does our focus zero in on Bethlehem.
This duality is something we experience even with our senses. Catholic churches are hung with violet for these four weeks—the color traditionally associated with penitence. But the purple we use at this time of year is different from the purple of Lent; it is meant to be a richer, royal purple, reminding us also that Christ is King.
Advent gives us a chance to meditate on:
Hope—for deliverance;
Expectation—for the coming of one who will bring justice to an unjust world;
Preparation—so that we may prepare our hearts to receive Christ, who is
Light—the light of the world.
These are beautiful themes. Why should Advent be shoved into a corner, nothing more than four weeks of filler before Christmas? Advent can be a magical time, if we approach it the right way.
Advent does not need to become a “second Lent,” but the violet hangings and vestments remind us that penitence remains an important part of the season. Advent gives us the chance to examine our hearts and “defrag” our scattered souls. To reorder our thinking and our priorities. To point our lives, for four weeks, toward Christmas, so that when we reach the holiday, it has meaning and beauty that is distinct from the four preceding weeks.
Nor is Christmas the end of the journey. Without Holy Week and the resurrection, the manger in Bethlehem would be unremarkable: just one more baby born in poverty. For Christians, the destination is Easter. Glorious as it is, Christmas is a stop along the way.
For the children:
Even though all the advertisements on TV are about Christmas, right now we are actually in the season of Advent. During Advent, our job is to get ready for Jesus to come and live in our hearts. At Christmas, we will celebrate Jesus being born as a baby—but he has promised us that he will come back again someday, and we need to be ready. One way we do this is by remembering our sins and trying to do better. This is called penitence, and it is why the church is decorated in purple. But Advent is also about looking forward to Jesus coming. We are excited because Jesus is the light of the world, and when he comes, he will make the world fair for everyone.
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