NEW BUTTON!!!

I am so excited to finally have a new button! Here it is! What do you think?
If you have my old button, feel free to replace it for the new one! Thank you!

Swaddle Designs Winner.....................

Using Random Generator the winner is...........................

#18

jceko77 said...

SwaddleDesigns - Baby Lovie - Little Hearts with Fuchsia Satin is my fave
jceko77@yahoo.com

I would post the picture of the random generator but I can not figure it out! Anyone know how?

Winner I have emailed you! You have 48 hours to respond! Thank you everyone for entering!

Book Nook: Mom's Bible-God's Wisdom for MOTHERS Review

I own a lot of bibles- in every version, every style and every color! I can honestly say that I have not been an avid bible reader and it is something I have decided to change. I recently met the most amazing women in a local homeschool groups and their faith and knowledge has inspired me to pour into the bible. I want to have his words truly light my path. This review was meant to be, I have not put it down since I got it. I am armed and ready to go!

It is a new century version which is great for me to understand and great for family devotions. We try to sit every day as a family and read a few verses, and I found that I was struggling to put it into words my little ones could understand. I no longer have to do that.

I am not sure if I have shared this before, but my husband was not a believer when I met him. He has come a long way in the last 6 years and it is only through prayer that I can say he is NOW! He has alot of questions that I simply can not answer. We have used Google and other sorts to seek his answers, and not always found what we were looking for. This Moms Bible has a great section in the back with questions and answers for kids and in my case- husbands. We have read over them many times since receiving this bible, and it has opened up so many great opportunities to learn and come closer to God. This bible is also available in a Dad's version, which is something I am very excited about!

Other Great Features include:

• Our God is- Build your knowledge of who God really is.

• Walking in-Helps bring balance to your life as a mother
  

• Godly Character- To strengthen godly character and grow a Christ like heart

• Passing it on- Scriptural reference on principles you are teaching your children

• Moms in the bible- Learn life lessons from true biblical mothers

• Wonderful Counselor- Read spirit led advice from a Christian therapist

• Insights- Reflect on these daily to set a tone for the day

What I love most, is that it really connects me with the bible. I feel that the extra features help me to understand what I am reading and truly reflect on the passages. I feel encouraged in my daily adventures knowing that he is on my side, as a mother and a woman.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Week in Review: Noah's Ark

Noah's Ark

I taught the boys the story of Noah in three parts: Noah's obedient, the flood comes, and God's Agreement.

Part 1: Noah is Obedient. Fast eddy and I made an Ark and listed 5 ways he could be obedient to the Lord. He wrote:

1. No Killing
2. No lying
3. No adultery(no lving more than one wife, in his terms)
4. No coveting your neighbor
5. Tithe
   

Part 2: The Flood
We spent a longggg time reading this part and than the boys made their own ark and filled it with animals! I had a blast watching them organize their furry friends into chairs, telling them it would be a bumpy ride!

Part 3: God's Agreement

Fast Eddy used water colors to create a rainbow.
I love teaching them about the word of God, and look forward to that part of our week! Next week, we are reading about the tower of Babel and Abraham.

Week in Review: Dental Health

Week in Review: Dental Health Month
This is actually bits and pieces of 2 weeks. We have been super busy lately with our homeschool group, and doing alot of workbooks etc. Here are the few things we did for our teeth study.


We talked about our teeth being permeable, and that we should not eat or drink things that can stain our teeth. To illustrate this, I soaked a hard boiled egg in tea. I had Fast Eddy try to brush off the tea for 3 minutes. He realized that although some does come off, a lot stays behind.
We read the Colgate book My Bright Smile.




They had a blast painting with their extra toothbrushes.





The boys made brushing charts for the month, to record when they brush their teeth and when the floss. We hung them on the wall, and have been documenting daily.

They also made smile collages from magazine clippings!

Fast Eddy worked on teeth anatomy, and when he was done we looked at old teeth under our microscope. Yes, my mom IS WEIRD and kept my teeth. I was glad that Fast Eddy didnt ask about the tooth fairy.

Fast Eddy also enjoyed break dancing thins week. I promised him I would share his new trick with you all!

Come enter the giveaways!

Come enter our current giveaways! I also have tons of great giveaways coming up, so keep checking in! Have a great weekend!

Swaddle Designs Giveaway ends tommorrow at 11:59 PM.

Smart Mom Necklace ends 3/9/10

Recycled Boat- Jesus in Galilee

We just started participating in a program called Journey with Jesus. It follows the journey that Jesus took on his time here on Earth. I am loving this opportunity to teach my children about his great works.
This week we talked about Jesus in Galilee, and the boys got to sit in a little boat at the park while the moms rocked it along with the story. The timing of this lesson could not have been any better. Fast Eddy has been crying at night about being scared, and this lesson really touched him. The night after this, he came to me and we prayed that God would be with us and that we are not to be scared. He has not cried since.

The kids made recycled boats to bring to the lesson and this is what Daddy and Fast Eddy came up with. A bottle pontoon!
Unfortunately we were unable to float them in the water because at the waters edge was this little guy protecting it..............Okay maybe the water moccasin is not that little! We took our boat home and the boys had a blast destroying it in the tub! Carrot top wanted the shark to eat the boat.

Baby Raves: Smart Mom Jewelry and GIVEAWAY!!!!! CLOSED

CLOSED
When all the product recalls starting happening a few years ago, I was distressed to see that more than half was jewelry. Although it was only childrens jewelry in the news, that was only because women's costume jewelry was not tested. I like to ere on the side of caution, if you haven't noticed. Since I have always carried my children next to my heart, they were always tugging at my costume jewelry necklaces. I cringed at the idea that it could be laced with lead, so I didn't allow them to play with it and never put it in their mouths. I finally just forgoed wearing any at all. How depressing.

That is where Smart Mom Jewelry is a life saver (shaped like one and all!). Their jewelry is non toxic and free from any lead, BPA, phthalates, or PVC. It is made with federally approved silicone, and is perfect for little mouths. So chew away little babies! The second I put this necklace on Lil was drawn to it. She holds on to it for dear life anytime she is near. She has a very strong palmar grasp still and really feels safe holding on to something. She surprised me when she first brought it to her mouth- Big milestone for us! She is now chewing away on it, and I delight in knowing she is doing so safely. When she is done slobbering on it, I can throw it in the dishwasher! How great is that!


Smart Mom Jewelry offers sooooo many colors as well, no outfit will go without! Although they are made from silicone, you would never notice! My husband thought it was a real stone! I really love that it is stylish, and can be worn with anything. I have tried other mommy necklaces and they looked well.....mommyish. I find that I am wearing this even when my little one isn't with me! I truly love the design!

They offer awesome sets that come with bracelets and a pendant necklace too!


Check out Smart Mom jewelry today! Check them out in the future as well, they have many new shapes and colors coming soon! They are also working on a mans version- I am really looking forward to that! You can find them on Twitter and Facebook as well!

UPDATE: NOW A GIVEAWAY!!!

Smart Mom Jewelry is now offering up one PINK CAMO pendant teething necklace to one of my readers! This is a brand new color they just released!

WIN IT: Please post your email address with your post if it is not in your google profile. If the entry option gives more than one entry, you must post a separate comment for each entry. This giveaway will run until March 9th at 11:59 PM. Continental U.S only. Good luck! Here are your entry options!

1- MANDATORY: Visit Smart Mom Jewelry and let me know which color you like the best!

2- Become a follower of Home Grown Families! 1 entry

3- Follow Smart Mom on Twitter! 1 entry

4- Become a Smart Mom fan on Facebook. 1 entry

5- Follow Home Grown Families on Twitter. 1 entry Gain an additional entry a day for tweeting about it daily!

6- Add my button to your site! 3 entries

7- Blog about this giveaway and let me know where to find it! 3 entries

Thank you so much Smart Mom Jewelry for offering up this great giveaway!

DISCLAIMER: I was not paid for this post. I was given a product to review, and I have provided my own honest opinion. Thank you, Smart Mom Jewelry for allowing us to review your necklaces.You can view our PR policies here.

Muffin Tin Monday

Muffin Tin Mom hosts the wonderful carnival Muffin Tin Monday! This weeks theme is Orange!



We had carrots with ranch, I spy orange m & m's, macaroni and cheese, sweet orange bell peppers with a cream cheese dip, oranges, and orange marshmallows!

The boys loved the theme, and can't wait for blue week! HMMMM, I better starting getting creative!

Look at this child!

Does she know how to work it or what!

This was her when I put her down! She is going to have her Daddy so wrapped around her little finger!

Tot school- 26 months

Tot school
Carrot Top-26 months!

This week, we did a lot of running around and homeschool get togethers! We didnt spend much time at home, but when we were home he learned about circles!

He played with a shapes puzzle!


Worked on circle Tangrams.


I poured all of our recycled tops in the cheerio sensory bin, and had him scoop them out!



I made a chape tray and had him pick out all circle shaped items!

He loved playing with our travle connect four! This was great for his hand eye coordination! We also played with our floor checkers!

I gave him some poker chips and had him place on in each little hole. I grabbed these trays from a local hotel, they are the bottoms of muffin tins.

We spent a great night last night at a local festival! I just love this kid to pieces!

stArt- My Bright Smile

A Mommy's Adventure hosts this great carnival every Thursday- it is a story and art!

This week we are continuing our healthy month by learning about teeth. We have this wonderful big book My Bright Smile that was sent to us by Colgate last year. We have been working with this book all week, I have more activities that I will be posting tomorrow.



After we read the book, we made smile collages! I have to say I love the way children think. Fast Eddy thought the best smile was the toothless elderly woman. It really melted my heart. This is carrot top's collage- he liked the baby smile the best!



The boys finished off the story book with a smile snack!

I used an apple, peanut butter, and mini marshmellows~! They didn't want to eat it :( They just wanted to play with it.

Homeschool Hop #2

Homeschool Hop #2
Family

Our Worldwide Classroom is hosting an awesome Homeschool hop! All you have do is post about the theme, link up on Mclinky, post the Mclinky, and meet lots of other homeschool moms! You can view all the rules etc here.

Here is my family

This is our family the day we brought the baby home. It was a big day for us. After 12 weeks in the NICU, our family was complete(at least until the next little comes).

This is my hubby, my rock. We have been together for almost 6 years, and have been married for almost 4 years (April). We got married when Fast Eddy was 2 years old, and then we conceived Carrot top one month later. We had a traditional wedding, and it was everything I could have asked for and more. I wish we would have done it sooner but for financial reasons we had to wait. We met through a "mutual" friend, and I knew he was good for me the second I met him. I was going through a rough time, and he was my knight in shining armor. We have been pretty much inseparable since then.


He is an amazing father, and has qualities I pray every night that I had. He is patient, quiet, and not easily angered. He is also reserved, hates small talk, hates change, hates crowds, and loves the color black. I am everything opposite of him. We balance each other out, and without him I would just be a blabbering spaz. I thank God every day, that I found him.

This is Fast Eddy, my WILD 4 yr old. He will be five in April,and will be starting homeschool kindergarten in August. When we found out we were pregnant with him, we had not been together very long but we knew instantly that he was the plan for our relationship. He was everything I ever wanted from life. All I have ever wanted to be was a mother, and having him was and will always be my happiest moment in my life. He wants to be a break dancer, and LOVES hip hop. He will be getting dread locks in the summer, and he can not wait. My hubby hopes he will be a professional skateboarder, He is living vicariously through him!


This is my 2 yr old Carrot top, my quiet sweet one. He loves books, balls, candy, and Diego. He loves to be cuddled, and is the clingiest of all my babies. He nursed the longest, and will always be a mama's boy. He likes his own space though, and is the only child that does not want to sleep in our bed. He really loves his crib, and although he does join us in the wee hours he prefers his bed over ours. He loves music, and likes to dance really fast! I love the way his hair curls under, the way he sings Twinkle Twinkle to the baby when she cries, the way he swings his arms when he runs, and the way he kisses everyone. He has a heart of gold! His pregnancy took the most work, and was my 4th pregnancy. We lost 2 babies prior to him, and I needed him in more ways than one. The Lord gives and takes away, and I feel so blessed that I was given him.

Lil is the baby, my princess and the long awaited girl. I squealed so loud when they said it was a girl. I then delivered her only 6 weeks later, and her birth was the hardest mothering experience I have ever gone through. I prayed for hours on end that God would keep her here with me, I bargained my own life for the sake of hers. When she was 4 days old, she crashed and it was in those moments that I felt the closest to God. I watched through a small hole in the door, the Drs work her little 2 lb body as she struggled to hold on. I remember my mother telling me not to give up, that my little girl was fighter and would be okay. I prayed and prayed that the Dr was not coming to tell me he was sorry, but they had done all they could. My prayers were answered, when the dr came to say she was stable. After that day I was blessed to not have any more really traumatic moments in her NICU stay. She is thriving now and I truly feel like I won the lottery. I love watching her grow, and looking back at her rough start I still can not believe we made it through. But I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Here is her before and after pics!


Okay, now that I am sobbing feel free to link up!