Carnival of Pregnancy

The next Carnival of Pregnancy will be on December 15th. All entries will be due sometime on the 13th. Please go to BlogCarnival to submit your entry! Anything about pregnancy, be it humerous or informative, is desired!

Kids and Christmas Traditions

So my best friend and I decide to take all 5 of our(joint count of course) kids out this morning. We go out to a little outdor mall area(ish) called Fig Garden, do bagels and then look around. Well, I have been making an effort for the kids to learn about generousity and so I try to always have them put in change at Salvation Army buckets. Today when they put the money in, they were given little candy canes. So when we came home for lunch with NerdDad, the NerdBug was telling him all about it. NerdBug told NerdDad that they each got "Merry Christmas Sticks". Since he had also found a stick with a little pinecone on the end, it took me a minute to figure out that he was talking about the candy canes. Isn't he cute;).

We are still here!

For those of you wondering, we have not fallen off the face of the earth. Moving has been crazy and isn't completely done. It seems much harder than the last time we did it. But then again, we only had a 9 month old. Now we have the 5, 3 and 1 yr old and I am pregnant. That definately complicates things. We still have piles of junk at the old house but all the furnuture is moved over. Now if only we could sell the other house. A couple of facts people may want to know (especially the people I see in real life):
1. The phone number is the same.
2. The email is still the same. Right now we are having technical difficulties (new provider) so I am recieving mail but unable to send any out.
3. The snail mail forward is on!

We will be bloggin more soon.

The Long Delayed Pregnancy Carnival

Welcome to the November 21, 2006 edition of carnival of pregnancy. I admit that I am using a premade carnival template but at least it will be up! We have just moved into the new house and I am sitting among boxes. We also have had to overcome internet issues. But enough for the whinny and onto the carnival!

Kate Baggott presents Top Ten Postpartum Essentials posted at Babylune, saying, "Can you handle the truth? These are the things you really need to have ready for after the baby is born. While everyone else is focussed on the new person in your family, try to take care of you during the post partum weeks."

Lisa Mitchell presents Is Dad Feeling a Little Left Out? posted at Let's Talk Babies.

Caroline Latham presents Brain Coach Answers: Is “placenta brain” real? I can’t remember anything ever since I got pregnant! posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution, saying, "Hope you enjoy this article!"

Loni presents Are Kidney Stones Contagious? posted at Sarah Laughed . . . I Cried, saying, "21 weeks pregnant and a kidney stone are not much fun, as Loni, pregnant with her 12th baby shares."

Fun Facts Other

Cecilia Leibovitz presents Baby Wrapping posted at Cecilia Leibovitz.

Surfingmama presents An online baby shower? Yes!! posted at Surfingmama.

Surfingmama presents When your baby hates milk posted at Surfingmama.

Renata Vincoletto presents Things you can do and learn with your child posted at A geek Family.

Aleksandr Kavokin, MD, PhD presents Low-birth-weight Quiz posted at RDoctor Medical Portal, saying, "problems with low birth weight"

Julie Heath - More4kids Inc. presents Stages Of Pregnancy - An Amazing Journey posted at Julie Heath - More4kids Inc..

Christopher J. Brunner presents Mompreneurs: Balancing Work and Motherhood posted at The Small Business Buzz, saying, "Thank you for considering my post for inclusion into this week's edition of the CoP."

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Pregnancy Carnival Delay

There will be a delay in this edition of the Pregnancy Carnival. We are in the process of moving so life is nuts around here. It will be posted in the next day or 2.

WFMW- Feeding a Party

Works for Me Wednesday is Christmas themed this week so here is one of the things that keeps me sane in the Holiday season. We all like the idea of entertaining during the holidays but the work to make a meal can overwhelm anyone. We like to have a Christmas party and we always do appetizers and desserts. This way you are not making a full meal. Also you do not need to set a full table (or limit your self to the amount of people that can sit around the table). Make sure that everything is bit size and utensil free. Also, take help where you can. Get frozen meatballs (with toothpicks) and potstickers. Then invest your cooking time in dessert. Bake up cookies ahead of time and put them in the freezer. Then make mini-muffin sized brownies with peanut butter cups. Then everything is done and ready and you can enjoy yourself. Easy Peasy!

Hurray for Studio 60!

For those of you who read my previous post, Don't Kill Studio 60, I have great news. It has been picked up for a full season!

Is a Burrito a Sandwich?

Of course not! But apparently some people needed a lawsuit to decide for them. Panra wanted to block a Mexican resturant from coming to a mall and did it based on a competition issue. I understand that lawsuits happen over everything but really!

(HT: BoingBoing)

Coffin has a Panic Button

So for all of those who have seen one to many movie thrillers and have a fear of being buried alive...A Russian company has built a coffin with a panic button. Once buried, if you push the button it will alert the caretakers to dig you up.

(HT:Gizmondo)

Long Time Light Posting

I just want to apologize to all my readers out there for the sporadic posting. We are trying to sell our current house and are about to move. We should get the keys on Friday to the new house! While I am very excited, I am also very overwhelmed. I also have to say that the worse part of selling your house yourself is all the realtors who want to talk you into using them. Well, I will try to post more and Friday there will be a new edition of the Pregnancy Carnival. So send in those entries!

Book Review: Before I Wake

Before I officially begin this review I have a confession, I have never read a Dee Henderson book I didn't like. Before I Wake this trend going. This thriller kept me on the edge of my seat through the whole book. If you like CSI (or any forensic show), detailed plots with great twist or just books with people of faith and the real world issues they deal with this is a book you must read. A former FBI agent, Rae Gabriella, has her own issues and past to deal with. In an effort to move on she becomes a private investigator with an old flame in what seems to be a quiet town. She is not prepared for her first case in this new town.
This novel kept be very engaged through beginning to end. It was intelligently written, with great thought to plot detail. My only complaint is that it ended a bit abruptly but, hopefully that spells a series. This book seemed a little less relationship heavy than some of the O'Malley series, which in some ways is a definate plus. I think my husband will enjoy it even more. But, that does leave you wondering a little more about the resolutions of personal relationships. Though, once again that could just be due to a sequel on the horizon (I am hoping). I would give this a 4 out of 5. If I knew that there was going to be more books, I could easily give it a five. I am reviewing this book for Active Christian Media.

Book Review: Simplified Exclamations About God's Will

"So, if we are (1) giving God glory in all that we do, (2) obeying God's commandments, and (3) being a witness for Christ, we are indeed doing God's will." I would say that this is the main point of Jeffrey Gante's Simplified Exclamations about God's Will: A Helpful Guide to Discovering Purpose in Life. This book is a simply way to view the many aspects of God's will. For the most part I think that the book really has great insight into how to approach our lives and be in God's will. This book is a quick read at only 65 pages. There in is where lies the problem. Gante makes some broad statements that I think can't be taken at face value. An example is "...we are only accountable to God foe obeying His written will." If you put the book down you may not have the proper picture (according to what I believe but also the author). He goes on to expound with scripture that shows if you are drawing close to God it will be made clear what you are to do but he doesn't seem to allow for willfulness on our part. A scripture that Gante uses for this point is Jeremiah 20:9 where Jeremiah says tht God's word is burning in his heart. Gante uses this as proof that Jeremiah couldn't help his role as a preacher and prophet. But, couldn't Jeremiah have dug his heals in and not spread God's word? What would that mean in his relationship with God either in the short or the long term?

On the whole I think that this book is pretty solid, just don't stop reading before you get to the scriptural evidence backing up his point. I have to say that the scripture definately lays out the point more effectively. He definately uses his BS in Bible to pull applicable scriptures and put together a cohesive picture of God's will. I would give this a 4 out of 5 and would recommend this book. I am a homeschooling mom who is reviewing this for Active Christian Media.

Thanksgiving Unit Ideas

Now that the holidays are under way it is time to look at some ideas for Thanksgiving learning. EdHelper.com has a complete unit put together, including logic puzzles and math worksheets. Then SchoolExpress has a full workbook in pdf format. You could just print and go with it. You can get more in detail historical information at MayFlowerHistory.com. They have essays, diagrams of the ships and pieces on life at the time. They even have the passenger list from the Mayflower.

On the more arts and crafts side I found some interesting ideas. Kaboose has a leaf Bouquet of Thanks that is interactive for the whole family. You each fill out a leaf and then go through them as a family. Then abcteach has a cute turkey that you fill out a poem on. The letters of turkey start the first letter of each line. Last but not least is a great list of thank you in many languages.

So there are just a few of the free ideas out there on the internet for Thanksgiving!

Vote Yes on 85!

California has a very important proposition coming up on Tuesay's Ballot, Prop 85, the parental notification proposition. I am amazed by all the arguements that I have heard. One of the most common ones I hear is from soccer moms who give the abuse excuse. "What if it is the parents?" Well, that is taken into account in the language of the proposition.

(1) If the judge finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that the unemancipated minor is sufficiently mature and well-informed to decide whether to have an abortion, the judge shall authorize a waiver of notice of a parent or guardian.

(2) If the judge finds, by clear and convincing evidence, that notice to a parent or guardian is not in the best interests of the unemancipated minor, the judge shall authorize a waiver of notice. If the finding that notice to a parent or guardian is not in the best interests of the minor is based on evidence of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, the court shall ensure that such evidence is brought to the attention of the appropriate county child protective agency.

I personally don't like the idea that a girl can't take Tylenol at school without both a doctor's note and parent's note but the school can transport a girl to have an abortion because of her medical right to privacy. The same soccer moms who say "What if they are abused?" are shocked to find out that the school can take their daughters to have an abortion. And they say that homeschoolers are naive;).

So take this opportunity and vote yes on 85 on Tuesday!

KB Toys Military Discount Days

An announcement for all you military families out there. November 6th - 9th KB Toys will have a 15% military discount. Go print out the coupon. I think this is a great thing for KB Toys to do for all those families that sacrifice and have a family member in the Armed Services.

Related Tags: military family, KB Toys, discounts, coupons, military support

How do you Apologize?

Being able to apologize is a valuable skill. I really like this primer on how to apologize by Allan Bevere over at RedBlueChristian. Now it is aimed at politicians but I think we can all learn;).

Pregnancy Carnival

Welcome to this week's Pregnancy Carnival. We have some interesting entries so lets jump right in!

First, we start with A Long Day Comes to a Peaceful End by Loni at Joy in the Morning. She shares a long day of tests and ultrasounds for her little baby on the way. Then Janine at BaptistHomeschooling shares her story about Due in 5 Days!!

Then Birth Ecology Project has a heart warming article on the Circle of Midwives. Lisa at Let's Talk Babies has a necessary article on Packing for the Hospital. This is a must read.

Next we have a couple of articles that are must reads in preparation for bringing your little one home. APMFormulators has an article, Parents Who Study Pediatrics…Naturally, to help parents learn what is needed for the health of our kids. Then Wenchpoo offers her article What About the Babies? It is an interesting article on baby food.

This brings us to the end of this weeks carnival. Please read all the articles and let the authors know what you think. Then come back on Nov 17th for the next edition. Please go over to BlogCarnival and enter your article!

Don't Kill Studio 60

So the buzz is that NBC's Studio 60 will soon be cancelled. I am crushed. I actually love the show. Some of it is yes, because it is similar to West Wing. But it goes beyond that. The writing is witty and sophisticated. It assumes the audience is bright and keeps me engaged. I am afraid that it is doomed to go the way of Sports Night. What puzzles me is why I love Aaron Sorkin's writing so much. I think it is because even though we share different views of just about everything, we both look at the world with a critical eye (both our side and the other). I hope against hope that this show survives but we must wait and see.

The Value of High Price College

When people hear that I am homeschooling my kids I am often asked about their futures. "Will they be able to get into a good college?" What are we looking for in "good colleges"? Georgetown University was what I would have considered a "good college" when I was looking at schools. Well, now this college founded as a Christian school has kicked out all Evangelical Christian groups. The Jewish and Muslim student groups have been allowed to stay but the Christian groups are too evangelical.

The brush-off letter from the university starts: "Blessings and may God's peace be upon you!" but deteriorates shortly later to: "Protestant Ministry has decided to move in another direction."

As a result, Georgetown said, "Your ministries will no longer be allowed to hold any activity or presence (i.e. bible (sic) studies, retreats with Georgetown students, Mid-week (sic) worship services, fellowship events, move-in assistance, SAC Fair, etc.) on campus."

Further, the school told the ministry organizations, "All websites linking your ministries to a presence at Georgetown University will need to be modified to reflect the terminated relationship. Your ministries are not to publicize in any literature, media, advertisement, etc. that Georgetown University is or will be an active ministry site for your ministry/church/denomination."

Yes, so I need to spend all this money so my kids can go across the nation, be isolated and then have a group that tries to strip them fellowship with other believers? I don't think so. These east coast schools are going to show such extreme partiality against anything Christian or conservative that no one on the right will go to them. Unfotunately, this illness is spreading to universities around the nation. But, if my kids are in the same area at least you will know that they have a support structure to combat this craziness.

(HT: SpunkyHomeschool)

Carnival Roundup!

I just wanted to post about a few great carnivals that you should check out. Why Homeschool has done a great job with a Halloween Carnival of Homeschooling. Then you can go over to the Median Sib for the 91st Carnival of Education. The Evangelical Ecologist has an All Saints Day version of Christian Carnival CXLVI. So go read, enjoy!