Wordless Wednesday Happy New Year!

AtmosFX Digital Decorations Fireworks in my window.

Zari with her silly stash for the New Year 😁

Kid-Friendly New Year's Eve Ideas From Kidstir!

Look what we are doing for New Year's Eve! Kidstir has put together some fun things for families with kids to ring in the New Year and you can join in the fun. Teach your kids how to say cheers from countries around the globe with this downloadable print out for some around-the-world fun.

Kidstir also has a healthy drink recipe for your kids to toast the New Year called Grape Fizz! Yum! 

And don't forget to put on some Silly 'Staches & Smiles while you count down to midnight! You can even add them to your straw for fun while you drink.

Zari with her silly stash 😁

About Kidstir
Kidstir is a unique cooking kit subscription service for children that can be joined or given as a gift, or you can send one of the single kits, as well. Each month, Kidstir will send your child a box filled with three delicious, nutritious recipes, kid-size cooking tools, games and activities! This subscription focuses on nutrition and hands-on fun. Created by moms who know that through cooking, children will gain important life skills in the kitchen — and cook up some fun family memories through the process.

Monthly, 3 month, 6 month, and 12 month subscriptions are available with free shipping. Plus, Kidstir will debut a new surprise kit which will be revealed on the 21st of each month! All subscribers receive a 2 year magazine subscription to Real Simple, Parents or All Recipes magazines as a thank you bonus. A Cookbook Binder and Sibling cooking tools & creative materials can be added at checkout.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this information and images for this post. I wrote this blog post because I thought you might be interested in knowing this information and taking part of the fun. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I will be receiving samples later to try out and review.

AtmosFX Digital Decorating Kit Review

The AtmosFX Digital Decorating Kit is a all-in-one digital decorating system. It has a high-quality standard-definition (SD) projector that creates stunning displays for Halloween, Christmas, Easter, Valentine's, birthdays, Independence Days, and much, much more! The projector has been preloaded with 14 AtmosFX Digital Decorations: two Christmas themed scenes, eight Halloween themed scenes, and four other seasonal scenes that turn every occasion into a celebration. It also has an SD card slot and USB slots to increase your digital capability, making it easy to add additional AtmosFX scenes.

Includes:

• Projector
• Professional mounting tripod
• Remote control (2 AAA batteries not included)
• UL power adapter
• Projection material (4' x 6')
• Digital Decorations SD Card with 14 pre-loaded scenes

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:
I set the AtmosFX Digital Decorating Kit up for Christmas this year and since it came with a manual of instructions it was fairly easy to do. I got it out of the box and plugged it in to the UL power adapter and then found a great spot to project from and to. We have two houses on our property and the front one has larger windows and the front window closest to the driveway can be seen great from the road as you come up onto the house. So I opted to use that one for the projection. I screwed the projector onto the tripod and pointed the projector towards the window plugging it into the closest outlet. The tripod was very stable and you could position the projector on it up or down and straighten it out easily on it to get the perfect level.

AtmosFX Digital Projector set up.

I placed the SD card into the slot, turned the projector on, and went through the menu of scenes that were preloaded onto the machine using the up and down arrows. I placed batteries in the remote control thinking that this would be easier to flip through the menu and play the scene that I wanted from a distance, but the remote didn't work at all from a far off range. You had to be super close to the projector and pointing it at it for it to work. The buttons on the projector were a lot less finicky.

I looked at both the Christmas scenes, but ultimately, I picked All Through the House, Part 1 & 2, from Night Before Christmas. It was my favorite of the preloaded Christmas scenes. There were also two different formats to pick from, vertical and horizontal depending upon the configuration of your window. Our window was more horizontal so I picked that one. I placed the projection material over the window on the inside. The window was slightly longer than the material was tall, so I had to mess with it multiple times to get it placed correctly. Unfortunately, this used up more of the 3M double sided sticky squares that came with it than I would have and I ended up having only two to work with when I finally got it placed right. After a while it fell down on one side, so I ended up stapling it down instead.

AtmosFX All Through The House movie clips in my window

The scenes had to be focused with the dial and zoom lens so they wouldn't be all blurry at first. They came with sounds as well and I opted to mute those because they became a bit annoying after a while over and over again of silly belly chuckles from Santa. You can't really hear the sounds from outside the house where you would be seeing the projection anyway. The Santa they picked for the scene was a believable one with a real beard though which was cool. I also loved that the projection made my home look very festive...complete with a Christmas tree with lights and a roaring fireplace. I liked the look of the scene from the outside of my home even though it didn't quite fit my window because the projection was a bit wider still. The image quality was great. It looks best when all the lights are out in the house and it is dark outside as well though.

The other Christmas scene was Deck the Halls, from Santa's Workshop and it was very cheesy with silly looking elves in my honest opinion. I am glad the All Through the House one included because I really liked it a lot. I also loaded a photo I had done two years ago of my horses in Christmas hats eating candy-canes onto a USB thumb drive and plugged it into the projector. When I projected the picture though the words were backwards so I had to flip it with the menu so that it would read correctly to passersby through the window. Thankfully I could do this easily with the projector menu and so I didn't have to re-edit the photo.

My horses Christmas photo projected in my window.

I love this kit! It is wonderful for the holidays. I can't wait to use this for Halloween too! There are so many spooky/scary looking scenes to choose from in this kit.

BUY IT
Purchase the Digital Decorating Kit on the AtmosFX website along with other scenes to add to your collection. 

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this complimentary product to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Pajama Review and Christmas in July Giveaway!

You know how around Christmastime some people get dressed up in ugly Christmas sweaters and get pictures taken?? Well Ugly Christmas Sweater.com has taken that one step further with their ugly Christmas pajama line. They even have hoodie footed pajamas and pajama pants that are National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Elf, A Christmas Story, Home Alone, Grinch, Fortnite, and Star Wars, themed! These are perfect for boys and girls, men and women, children and adult.

I picked the Snowmen and Candy Canes Black Ugly Christmas Pajama Suit with Hood. I tried a small, but had to send it back to get the extra-small because it was huge on me. The extra-small fit better, but was still a bit long because I am fairly short. I found out that these tend to run big. They are also fairly roomy. They come in XS all the way up to 2XL!

Me snuggling my dog in my new pajamas.

The footie pajamas are so comfortable and very soft. I love how cozy and warm they are. These are perfect to lounge around the house in. Right now my home is air conditioned because it is July and hot outside. Since it gets a bit chilly sometimes inside right now this is just perfect. I love to snuggle with my large dog, Prince on my bed while reading in these hooded pajamas. This is so comfy to sleep in or watch movies in as well. I can definitely see myself wearing this year round. This will be absolutely perfect come fall and winter when the temperature is cold and nippy outside.

So cozy and warm to sleep in.

I love these footed pj's especially because of some great features it has! These have a wonderful hood with a drawstring so that your head also stays nice and warm. It also has deep pockets! On the front it has a zipper that zips both up and down, so it is very accommodating. On the backside there is a funny zippered trap door butt flap 😜. 

Ugly Christmas Pajama Suit features:

• Cozy, warm, and comfortable footed pajama
• Front of jumper zips both up and down
• 100% Polyester
• Has hood with drawstring closure 
• Has zippered trap door
• Has pockets to keep hands toasty
• Perfect for winter, Christmas holiday season, gag gifts, white elephant gifts, and Christmas in July!
• Unisex

I love wearing my new pajamas around the house. It even has a hood to keep me warmer.

I love the pattern of the snowmen, candy canes, snowflakes, and poinsettias that the Snowmen and Candy Canes Black Ugly Christmas Pajama Suit with Hood sleepwear has. It is very festive and not at all cheeky like some of the other designs on the website. I would not be embarrassed to wear this around the house in front of friends and family because it is super cute.

I love the Snowmen and Candy Canes pattern on the Pajamas. It is so festive.

I recommend Ugly Christmas Sweater.com for all your ugly Christmas sweater and pajama needs for the entire family. You can even all match or be unique...it is all up to you. They have so many different ones to choose from there is bound to be something that would be perfect for gifting. Perfect for Christmas in July celebrations too!

FOLLOW THEM

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UglyXmas
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/uglyxsweater
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3g3aN71m2t9aEGz8UTE7hg
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/uglyxsweater/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ugly.christmas/

WIN IT

Prize: A pair of lounge pants or pajamas/jumpsuit of your choice from Ugly Christmas Sweater.com
Who Can Enter: 18+, USA and Canada Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Wordless Wednesday Oh Christmas Tree

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays From The Abel Home to Yours!

Silverdale Press LLC White House Holidays Unit Studies Review

Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog. My family had the privilege of trying White House Holidays Unit Studies - ages 5-18 (there are two options in each study, one for elementary ages, one for jr/sr high) from Silverdale Press LLC for this review to use in conjunction with our own homeschool curriculum. This is a Homeschool Review Crew Review. All opinions expressed are my own or those of my family.

Silverdale Press LLC offers high quality curriculum for unit studies, history, social studies, and writing for homeschooling families. These are made by experts in these subjects. Most of these are for middle school and high school students.

Silverdale Press LLC was founded by Joshua and Jill Hummer. They are homeschooling parents of four children. For over a decade Jill has taught college classes in history and political science. She has also written a book, and various articles and journals. Joshua has been practicing law for over 11 years and was homeschooled as a child.

White House Holidays Unit Studies are digital downloaded curriculum and come in PDF format. These studies are designed with 3-5 lessons, with each lesson intended to be done in a day. All of these studies start out with an introduction about why studying holidays is important, how to use the curriculum, and a table of contents. Each lesson has an "Introduction & Overview for Teachers" which usually tells what the lesson's activity is, materials needed, learning outcomes, estimated time the lesson takes, lesson plan. This should be read before the lesson by the teacher to prepare the lesson. After this is the actual lesson and the lesson's activity in detail. There are activities geared for grades K-6 and activities geared for grades 7-12. The content for younger students is shorter and the activities are visual and hands-on. The content for the older students is more detailed and the activities call for more reading, writing, and thinking. Primary source documents are all included and materials needed for activities are mostly things that you would normally find around the home.

White House Holidays Unit Studies (six unit studies so far)

• Labor Day (plus the answer key) - 3 lessons
• Veterans Day (plus the answer key) - 3 lessons
• Thanksgiving (plus the answer key) - 5 lessons
• Christmas (plus the answer key) - 4 lessons with 6 activities per lesson
• Martin Luther King, Jr. (plus the answer key) - 5 lessons
• Valentine's Day (plus the answer key) - 5 lessons
• They will be adding more unit studies to this series in the future.

The Labor Day unit study consists of 53 pages of three lessons for grades K-6 and three separate lessons for grades 7-12. There is one activity per lesson. The lessons and activities geared for grades K-6 are in the front. The lessons and activities geared for grades 7-12 are in the back.

Labor Day Lessons for K-6th Grades and 7-12th Grades:

• Lesson 1: Eleanor Roosevelt and Child Labor/Labor Conditions and Eleanor Roosevelt
• Lesson 2: McGuire, Maguire, and the First Labor Day/The First Labor Day, Pullman Strike, and President Cleveland
• Lesson 3: President Cleveland and the Pullman Strike: A Holiday Declared/A Holiday Declared

The Veterans Day unit study consists of 49 pages of three lessons for grades K-6 and three separate lessons for grades 7-12. There is one activity per lesson. The lessons and activities geared for grades K-6 are in the front. The lessons and activities geared for grades 7-12 are in the back. For the third lesson, “Get Involved on Veterans Day,” the activities are the same for each age group. Each lesson has a text portion to read aloud. You can do all of the lessons on Veterans Day. Or you can do one lesson per day, or even one lesson per week, leading up to Veterans Day.

Veterans Day Lessons for K-6th Grades and 7-12th Grades:

• Lesson 1: President Woodrow Wilson and the Story of Armistice Day
• Lesson 2: President Wilson and Food Czar Hoover at War/Woodrow Wilson’s Fourteen Points
• Lesson 3: The Story of Dwight Eisenhower and How We Got Veterans Day

The Thanksgiving unit study consists of 78 pages of five lessons for both grades K-6 and grades 7-12. Each lesson has a text portion to read aloud. The lessons also have a follow-up activity or activities. There are also related activities set up a bit differently with parts (A, B, and sometimes C) designated for the different grades or all grades.

Thanksgiving Lessons for K-6th Grades and 7-12th Grades:

• Lesson 1: The First Thanksgiving: Freedom, Peace, and Provision
• Lesson 2: From Harvest Festivals to the Founders: The Roots of a National Holiday
• Lesson 3: Sarah Josepha Hale Persuades President Lincoln
• Lesson 4: From Franklin Roosevelt to the Presidential Turkey Pardon
• Lesson 5: Ike and Mamie Eisenhower and American Thanksgiving Traditions

The Christmas unit study consists of 78 pages of four lessons. There are a total of 24 activities for this unit study, 6 per lesson. This allows families to complete an activity during each December day, leading up to Christmas. These lessons should be worked on in order, but it is totally fine to skip or double up on activities if needed. These lessons cover a historical White House Christmas theme. Each lesson has a text portion to read aloud. These lessons and activities are geared towards both grades K-6 and grades 7-12 and can be worked on together. Your student will be learning a variety of subject areas in: history, government, art, literature, music, nature study, and more! There are also fun recipes and community service activities throughout.

Christmas Lessons for K-6th Grades and 7-12th Grades:

• Lesson 1: Jacqueline Kennedy, The Nutcracker Suite, and the White House Crèche
• Lesson 2: Betty Ford, Handmade Folk Art, and the Gingerbread House
• Lesson 3: Barbara Bush, a Story Book Christmas, and the White House Tree
• Lesson 4: Michelle Obama, Simple Gifts and Military Families, and Christmas Cards

The Martin Luther King, Jr. unit study consists of 64 pages of five lessons. Each lesson has a text portion to read aloud. These lessons are for all grade levels. Some of the exercises and activities are designed for kids of all ages to do together; others are tailored to the grade levels K-6 or 7-12. These lessons should be worked on in order. The first activity for each lesson includes a timeline, map points, key terms, and video links. The timeline at the end can be printed and used throughout the curriculum. The map at the end can be used to plot important places of MLK's life and work. The last lesson is recommended to be done on the actual holiday.

MLK Lessons for K-6th Grades and 7-12th Grades:

• Lesson 1: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Early Life
• Lesson 2: Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Eisenhower
• Lesson 3: Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Kennedy
• Lesson 4: Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Johnson
• Lesson 5: How Presidents Have Preserved King’s Memory

The Valentine's Day unit study consists of 64 pages of five lessons. Each lesson has a text portion to read aloud. These lessons are for all grade levels. Some of the activities are designed for kids of all ages to do together; others are tailored to the grade levels K-6 or 7-12. These lessons should be worked on in order. The last activity in each lesson includes Internet links to videos, articles, and other resources you can use for further study. It is suggested to complete one lesson per day leading up to Valentine’s Day, saving the last lesson to complete on the actual holiday. This unit study can be done at any time though. Your student will be learning a variety of subject areas in: history and government; literature, poetry, and writing; music and art; and even baking skills. This unit also has a breakdown of course credits that would count.

Valentine's Day Lessons for K-6th Grades and 7-12th Grades:

• Lesson 1: The Love Letters of John and Abigail Adams
• Lesson 2: The Love Letters of Ronald and Nancy Reagan
• Lesson 3: The White House Wedding of John Tyler and Julia Tyler
• Lesson 4: The White House Wedding of Grover Cleveland and Frances Folsom Cleveland
• Lesson 5: Valentine’s Day 1962 and Jacqueline Kennedy’s Television Tour of the White House

How We Used This and Our Thoughts:
I did the White House Holidays Unit Studies with my two daughters, Zari who is 7, and Teela who is 10. We have done a lesson a week focusing on Thanksgiving and have done lesson 1 of the Christmas one for the last week. We will be going more in depth into these studies closer to Thanksgiving/Christmas time.

These homeschool unit studies were very educational. I even learned a lot. They had a lot of information I didn't know. I think these are great for the whole family to study and do together.

The Thanksgiving White House Unit Study teaches a lot about the American holiday's history and traditions from the Pilgrims to the present-day presidential turkey pardon. Each lesson seemed to have questions to answer about things we read and vocabulary with definitions to learn as well.

In the first lesson we were taught about: freedom, peace, provision, William Bradford, King James I, Scrooby, Pilgrims, Leyden Holland, Mayflower, New World, Plymouth Massachusetts, Mayflower Compact, Chief Samoset, Algonquins, Chief Massasoit, Wampanoags, “general sickness”, Squanto, The First Thanksgiving, Edward Winslow. We read first hand eye-witness accounts from both William Bradford and Edward Winslow and my daughters answered questions that they had in the study guide. Then they made a poster of things for each category of freedom, peace, and provision.

In the second lesson lesson we learned about harvest traditions, festivals, and celebrations; when and how Thanksgiving was made a holiday, George Washington, Thanksgiving proclamations, Henry Alford, “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come” hymn. There were more vocabulary words, questions to answer, and a hymn to sing.

Pictures made from The New-England Boy’s Song about Thanksgiving Day” by Lydia Maria Child.

In the third lesson we learned about Sarah Josepha Hale. We also read “The New-England Boy’s Song about Thanksgiving Day” by Lydia Maria Child and learned about it, then my daughters made pictures of one stanza each from it. There were things to read and answer questions from as well.

In the forth lesson we learned about President Roosevelt, The Great Depression, Four Freedoms speech, Norman Rockwell, and the annual presidential turkey pardon. We read a document and looked at some art and answered questions about both. We will watch the Turkey Pardon this year when it happens later.

In the fifth lesson we learned about Ike and Mamie Eisenhower and their Thanksgiving. In this lesson there are recipes from Mamie herself. We didn't get to try these, but we are excited to test them out for next Thanksgiving!

The first lesson in the Christmas unit study was nice. We learned about Jacqueline Kennedy and her traditions in the White House, The White House Crèche, The White House Ornament, etc. We even made Hillary Clinton’s Chocolate Chip Cookies! Yum! We can't wait to get into this more later more during December.

We highly recommend these! They are very educational, super packed with information, and fun. These are great for homeschool unit studies and are great in addition to any studies about the Presidents, White House, Politics, Holidays, etc.

Follow Them on Social Media:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SilverdalePress/ Tag: @SilverdalePress
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/silverdalepress Tag: @SilverdalePress
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/silverdalepress/
• Hashtags: #hsreviews #HomeschoolWritingCurriculum #UnitStudies #Christmas #Thanksgiving #ValentinesDay #PresidentsDay #LaborDay #MLK

BUY IT
Purchase White House Holidays Unit Studies individually for about $20-$30 a piece.




Read other homeschool curriculum reviews for Silverdale Press LLC...

Wordless Wednesday Wishing You A Merry Christmas

Here is our 2017 Christmas Card :)

Made with the help of Shutterfly and PicMonkey

Wordless Wednesday Happy Holidays From Our Farm

Merry Christmas From Pony Feathers Farm

Wordless Wednesday O Christmas Tree

Our little Christmas Tree all decorated with ornaments for 2017.

One Christmas Bear Book & Giveaway

I received this book free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

One Christmas Bear is an adorable counting board book that features a sweet polar bear and his friends as they have winter fun during the Christmas holiday. The text is in a nice rhyming prose and counts up, from 1 to 10. These arctic animals are cute and beautifully illustrated by Anne Vittur Kennedy who is also the author. The cover is sparkly and shiny.

Zari enjoying One Christmas Bear.

What We Thought:
We loved this sweet book and its darling illustrations. The book is great to read to little ones at bedtime since the end winds down with the animals heading back to their homes and being sleepy. Since it is a board book it has nice durable pages and cover. The cover is also glittery around the bear and his scarf has shiny foil in it. The rhyming text that counts from 1 to 10 is great for younger children who need to learn to count. The setting is wonderful with snowy wintry scenes of making snow angels, decorating a Christmas tree, eating gingerbread cookies and candy canes, throwing snowballs, sledding, ice skating, etc. I love that the theme of this book is counting God's wonderful gifts. I highly recommend this book for little ones! It is the perfect gift for the Christmas season.

BUY IT
Purchase One Christmas Bear for $8.08 on Amazon at the time of this posting. You can also purchase from Thomas Nelson for $8.99.



WIN IT
Prize: One Christmas Bear
Host: Thomas Nelson and FrontGate Media.
Who Can Enter: Open to US Residents 18 years or older.
Selection Process: 5 winners will be selected on 12/01/2017 and notified by email.
Where to Enter: Go to this link https://www.blessedfreebies.com/one-christmas-bear.html and fill out the form to enter.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Canvas On Demand Offer

US Family Guide provided me with this promotional information and offer to share with my readers. I am getting something for free in return for posting this information.

Canvas On Demand has awesome gifts for everyone on your list! Based in Raleigh, NC, @canvasondemand has everything you need to get your shopping done early. They offer more than just canvas prints. From incredible photo-to-canvas art for parents, Coloring Canvas for kids, and customizable photo gifts, including ornaments & more, Canvas On Demand can help with your holiday haul.

PROMOTION: For a limited time, they're offering my readers a whopping 60% off your entire order at Canvas On Demand with code USFAM. Select from canvas prints and more! Valid until 12/12/17. #mycanvasondemand https://www.canvasondemand.com/?coupon=usfam

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Because I am posting about the Canvas On Demand Offer I am getting a FREE 16x20 Premium Gallery Wrap Canvas + 16x20 Coloring Canvas. Thanks to USFamilyGuide.com for providing me this promotion information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this promo.

Cricket Media #DoubletheGiving Magazine Subscription Campaign and Giveaway

Cricket's "Double the Giving" Campaign
It's not too late to give the gift of reading this holiday season with a subscription to one of Cricket Media's award-winning parenting magazines. Any gift-giver purchasing an annual print subscription to one of four different Cricket publications will also deliver the gift of reading to a child in an underserved community through two award-winning, charitable partners: Libraries Without Borders and Parent-Child Home Program, both 2016 Library of Congress Literacy Award Winners. Each subscription bundle to BABYBUG (ages 6 mos.-3), LADYBUG (ages 3-6), SPIDER (ages 6-9) or CRICKET (ages 9-14) is priced at $29.95 (regularly $33.95), and is guaranteed to spark a life-long love of reading! Gift-givers can select between two charitable organizations to receive another 9-issue annual print subscription. Go to DoubletheGiving.com to find out more!

Cricket Media has been around for 40 years and has some wonderful annual traditions. And a long-time favorite of Cricket fans has been FREE printable cards for the holidays! For the 2016 holiday season, Cricket Media has selected 10 of their favorite holiday illustrations and created beautiful cards for you to share and send to loved ones.

To print them out, visit FREE HOLIDAY CARDS and follow the instructions.

Social Corner
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cricketmedia
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cricketmediainc
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cricketmediainc/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/CricketMediaInc/

BUY IT
Each subscription bundle to BABYBUG (ages 6 mos.-3), LADYBUG (ages 3-6), SPIDER (ages 6-9) or CRICKET (ages 9-14) is priced at $29.95 (regularly $33.95). Gift-givers can select between two charitable organizations to receive another 9-issue annual print subscription. Go to DoubletheGiving.com to find out more!

WIN IT
Prize: Win an annual subscription to any of the “bug” magazines being offered in the campaign: BABYBUG (ages 6 mos.-3), LADYBUG (ages 3-6), SPIDER (ages 6-9) or CRICKET (ages 9-14) {US Only}.

I run giveaways with Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I wrote this post to let my readers know about this freebie and opportunity to give back. I will be getting a subscription and giving one away here for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else.

Oregon Zoo ZooLights 4 Tickets Giveaway #zoolightspdx

I have a fun giveaway for my local readers! The Oregon Zoo has provided me with 4 tickets for one of my local readers to visit the Oregon Zoo's annual winter festival, ZooLights, with their family!!

The ZooLights at the Oregon Zoo opens at 5:00 pm nightly from November 25th through January 1st (with the exception of Dec. 24th and 25th!), and runs until 8 or 9 pm, depending on the day. This year, ZooLights visitors will receive reduced admission on Mondays through Thursdays through December 15 (although these value nights end at 8pm instead of 9pm.

ZooLights at the Oregon Zoo. © Oregon Zoo / photo by Michael Durham.

This event is a lot of fun and features some really cool light displays for the holiday and winter season. The Zoo is transformed into a fantastic winter wonderland of over a million and a half twinkling lights. You can walk through about 95% of the ZooLights. Don't forget to bring your camera to capture this experience!

They also have a great train ride that goes through the park so you can see light displays that you would not be able to see otherwise. Trains begin running at 4:45 pm and tickets for the ride are $3.50 for members and $4 for all others per person.

Penguins in lights reflected in a fountain during ZooLights at the Oregon Zoo.

Besides your camera, don't forget to bundle up and dress warmly. I would recommend bringing: clothing with layers, warm coats/jackets, gloves/mittens, hats, scarves, thick insulated socks, and comfortable boots/shoes. I am going to be bringing my favorite reusable hand warmers and an umbrella in case it rains the next time I go with my family! You can purchase food, snacks, and drink while you are there and they have hot chocolate to warm you up as well!

ZooLights Admission

• Members: Free
• Adults (12–64): $14.95, $9.95 on value nights
• Seniors (65 and up): $12.95, $7.95 on value nights
• Children (3–11): $9.95, $4.95 on value nights
• 2 and under: Free

Train Admission

• Members: an additional $3.50 per person
• Others: an additional $4 per person

Schedule

• Monday through Thursday through Dec. 15th: gates open 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
• All other nights from Nov. 25th through Jan.1st: gates open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Grounds remain open an hour after gates close.
• Closed on December 24, and 25.

Please see my other posts on the Oregon Zoo.We loved going to the ZooLights in 2012 and hope to go again soon!

WIN IT
Prize: Win 4 Oregon Zoo ZooLights Tickets. (please don't enter unless you know you will be able to go)

Winner will be notified via Crystal of Eccentric Eclectic Woman. Upon confirmation, tickets will be placed in will call at the zoo under the winner’s name. Tickets are valid for one-time use from completion of contest through the last night of ZooLights (January 1, 2017). Value of four tickets is $59.80.

I run giveaways with Rafflecopter on my blog. Please click on this post link if you do not see the script for it below. Also, if there is anything that is wrong with it let me know by emailing me: finamoon AT gmail DOT com I will try my best at fixing it. Thanks for being awesome readers!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I have been given an opportunity to giveaway 4 free tickets to the Oregon Zoo ZooLights. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this post.

Thanksgiving: The Holiday At The Heart Of The American Experience Book Review

Thanksgiving: The Holiday At The Heart Of The American Experience by Melanie Kirkpatrick is a wonderful book to read and cherish for Thanksgiving. Simple, yet elegant, illustrations grace the pages of this informative book. It is a compilation of religion, history, hospitality, economics, philanthropy, culture, food, traditions, and politics that surround this beloved holiday. Within its passages it holds timeless tales of how Thanksgiving came to be: from the Puritans and Wampanoag Indians and their feast together to how Thanksgiving became the holiday as it is today. It delves into four centuries of history to paint a more complete picture of our nation's celebration of family, friends, food, fellowship, gratitude, and faith than that you may have learned from school. Besides the history, it also includes Readings For Thanksgiving Day, which are excerpts from famous people like: Mark Twain, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Ben Franklin, William Bradford, Edward Winslow, Abigail Adams, Louisa May Alcott, Laura Ingalls Wilder, etc. and yummy Thanksgiving Recipes and Bills of Fare from households, cookbooks, and media passed down through the ages.

The Thanksgiving holiday has always been a time of joy, celebration, and gratitude in my home. We thank God for the blessings and bounty He has bestowed on our family and friends. The greatness of the delicious food and drink on the table and multitude of family and friends that will surround us on this Thanksgiving Day are only a few things that I am thankful for. I am also so very grateful to live in a country where religious freedom is practiced and allowed and am glad that I am alive on this gorgeous planet.

Thanksgiving: The Holiday At The Heart Of The American Experience is a comprehensive resource for understanding and coming to know the Thanksgiving holiday better. I highly recommend it for gift giving around the holiday. It would also be wonderful to share with your host or hostess this Thanksgiving or next. It is a great companion for a homeschool study on the holiday too.

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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Where Jesus Slept Book Review and Giveaway #WhereJesusSlept #FlyBy

I received Where Jesus Slept free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Where Jesus Slept is written by Norma Lewis and illustrated by Katy Hudson. This jacketed hardcover book is filled with delightful watercolor pictures to accompany a story that starts with one line of words and builds from there. It starts out with the manger bed that Jesus slept in, then straw, a cow, and so on until the end where the Wise Men give their gifts to Jesus. Each spread adds a new element to the story. On the last page is a picture of swaddled baby Jesus sleeping peacefully and the scripture John 3:16 (NIV): "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.". The book is geared towards ages 3-7.

My daughter Zari enjoying the Where Jesus Slept book.

This sweet book of the Savior's birth reminded me of the song, 'The Green Grass Grows All Around' and the story, 'There Was An Old Lady That Swallowed A Fly' because of how the story builds upon itself. The repetition of the rhyme is great for young children. The gorgeous watercolor art shows the nativity in a lovely light. My daughter Teela loves reading this to Zari and Zari loves looking at the childlike illustrations. We love this Christmas treasure.

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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER:  (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for posting this blog review and giveaway.

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The Berenstain Bears' Holiday Cookbook: Cub-Friendly Cooking With an Adult Review

I received this book free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

The Berenstain Bears' Holiday Cookbook: Cub-Friendly Cooking With an Adult written by Mike Berenstain has 40 delicious recipes that cater to different American holidays around the year. Join Mama, Papa, Brother, Sister, and Honey Bear as they share 40 of their favorite Bear family holiday recipes. These include traditional favorites like Hot Apple Cinnamon Cider, Cozy Hot Chocolate, and Pumpkin Pie to fun and unique recipes like: Candy Corn Punch, Creepy Crawly Pasta Salad, and Gobbler Apple Muffins.

This hardcover cookbook is laid out well. At the beginning there is a contents page with a list of the recipes in each section and their page numbers. It has 6 sections for different holidays: Valentine's Day, Easter, Forth of July, Fall Festivities, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Each section has 6-8 recipes. Each section starts out with a scripture, a short story, and a poem. Each recipe has a title, what is needed, and directions along with a photograph of the finished food or beverage. At the end there is a page of Kitchen Measurements in both standard and metric.

A peek inside The Berenstain Bears' Holiday Cookbook.

I remember The Berenstain Bears' book series from my childhood. I love them and have ever since I was very young. These books teach children how God want them to live everyday. The Berenstain Bears' book series teach children good character traits and values. I love the simplicity of the illustrations and country town feel that the Bear family has.

I adore The Berenstain Bears' Holiday Cookbook! My kids love to help me cook and bake and this is a great cookbook just for that bonding experience. I can't wait 'til we can make the: Christmas Holiday Pinwheels, Valentine's Day Pizza, Krispie Easter Eggs, or Forth of July Freedom Trifle! There are so many other fun recipes as well. It has wonderful kid-friendly recipes that are perfect to make with your children or grandchildren for the holidays.

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You can also purchase The Berenstain Bears' Holiday Cookbook: Cub-Friendly Cooking With an Adult at Zondervan for $12.99.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

All Things Christmas And More Snowflake Icicle Lights and Assorted Candy Ornaments Review

I received these products free to facilitate this review.

All Things Christmas And More has been a family business for over 5 years now. They pride themselves on offering the best Christmas products around at an affordable price. They stock over 2,500 items year round and are expanding their catalog every year. This year they have added Halloween items and next year they are looking to expand and a carry a Spring and Summer Catalog.

I love snowflakes! Each one is so unique and beautiful. We don't get a lot of snow for Christmas in Rainier Oregon, where I live...just rain and lots of it! So, to deck the halls in and around my home I add the snow myself, so to speak. This year I ran across a very pretty Snowflake Icicle Light Set with Warm White Lights at All Things Christmas And More. I ordered these and they came in a box that said they were "Soft White" instead of "Warm White" lights. I really didn't mind except that these were not exactly what I ordered and All Things Christmas And More didn't seem to have any mention of the soft white ones on their website. Both of these have 70 M5 lights on the strand. They are also permanent L.E.D lamps so they: are cool to the touch, are long lasting (1 year limited warranty to the same store purchased from, 3 year guarantee from the creators: Holiday Creations, Inc.), and use up to 98% less electricity than incandescent lights. Each of these lights has a durable looking plastic snowflake shaped-cap that shouldn't fade, chip, or peel. The lights are waterproof, weather resistant and non-removable. If one bulb burns out the rest will remain lit because they are straight-line construction. They hang on a 22 gauge white wire strand that is approximately 7.5 feet long with vertical drops that alternate between 3, 5, and 6 bulbs per drop. Average power consumption is 0.071 watts/LED. It also has a fuse-protected stackable end-to-end connector that can be connected up to 210 watts per plug. UL approved. I can put these both indoors or outdoors and these are very pretty all lit up.

I had a little gift card money left over so I also got the Assorted Candy Ornaments. These come in a package of 6 ornaments. There are 2 round ones, 2 rectangular ones 2 oval ones. These are made of shatterproof plastic and are so adorable hanging with their silver string just about anywhere to make it more festive. They have sparkly glitter accents that make it look like they have been frosted with snow. I trimmed my little tree with these bright red beauties and they look so cheery. These are such a great price too at only $1.24 per pack.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received these products for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Trudeau Stocking Stuffers Review

I received these products free to facilitate this review.

The holiday season is upon us and Christmas isn't too far behind. Trudeau has innovative kitchen tools, gadgets and other houseware products that are perfect to take your holiday entertaining from kitchen to table in style. Their products are perfect to gift to those on our lists that love cooking, baking, and entertaining guests. The smaller of the products in their catalog fit very nicely in a stocking.

Trudeau Star Cookie Cutters and Gingerbread Cookies.

Set of Five Star Cookie Cutters: These festive star cookie cutters are great for dough, fondant, pastries, shortbread, Jello, fruit cutouts, etc. They come in a gift pack of 5 stars of varying sizes so they nest together conveniently for space-saving storage. Made of stainless steel with a nice coral colored finish, these are made to last. We love these and made star shaped gingerbread cookies easily with them. SRP $11.99

Sparkling Apple Cranberry Cider in festive glasses with the Trudeau International Wine Charms.

International Wine Charms: The International Wine Charms are great for adding class to your glass stemware and to make sure everyone knows who's beverage is who's. They are easily identifiable featuring 5 different fine wine regions of the globe that they represent including: Italy, France, Argentina, Australia and California with a sixth charm representing the world wines. Since my family doesn't drink alcohol we used them for our sparkling cider glasses. These charms are made of stainless steel and have a soft-touch backing to protect delicate glassware. SRP $11.99

Trudeau Flex Pot Clip working its magic!

Flex Pot Clip: The Flex Pot Clip is great for keeping messy cooking utensils off the counter and stovetop. It easily clips onto the side of a saucepan or stockpot to hold the utensil, eliminating the need for a spoon rest. Drips go right into the pot, not onto your counter or stovetop. This really is a great little gadget! I love that I don't have to clean a utensil AND a spoon rest now. It has heat-resistant silicone pads that protect your pot from getting scratched by the stainless steel underneath and the silicone that holds the utensil keeps it from slipping. Can withhold heat up to 428 degree Fahrenheit and is dishwasher safe. Comes in red, blue, or green. 5-year warranty. SRP $8.99

Trudeau Zest Grater zesting limes.

Zest Grater: This compact ultra fine Zest Grater is perfect for adding flavorful garnish to your meal or recipe. It is great for: citrus zest, hard cheese, garlic, nutmeg, and other spices. It features a built in protective sleeve handle that slides shut for safe and convenient storage. It slides open with a push of a button on the handle. Stainless steel blades are at the optimal cutting angle for zesting and grating. With a little pressure and back and forth movement of the fruit on the blades of the Zest Grater it was easy to grate the lime peels I had. It rests easily on a bowl for the zest to fall right into. It also has a nonskid rubber tip that keeps it from slipping and sliding off the surface where you are doing the grating. The lime zest was also really good sprinkled onto the potato wedges we made. It gave everything a little more zing. I love the bright green and yellow color that the Zest Grater come in. It goes so well with lemons and limes. Dishwasher-safe on top rack; washing by hand recommended to preserve blade sharpness. 5-year warranty. SRP $9.99

Olive Oil with the Trudeau Universal Dripless Spout for Garlic Herbed Potato Wedges.

Universal Dripless Spout: This Universal Dripless Spout is very handy for dispensing oil or vinegar without mess from virtually any bottle. I found a glass bottle that I had saved and the graduated silicone stopper fit perfectly into the neck. It is 100% dripless and pours the olive oil I put into the bottle neatly. Comes with a cap for storage and a integrated holder for the cap so you won't misplace it. I loved this for the Garlic Herbed Potato Wedges that I made. It made drizzling the oil over them so much easier. 5-year warranty. SRP $11.99

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You can purchase the Star Cookie Cutters and other items from Trudeau.  Or you can help me out this Christmas by purchasing on Amazon with my affiliate links. Thanks...


DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received these products for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.