Critter Number Two

We've been down this road before.

Last time, however, it didn't end very well.

"Mischievious" was the best hamster ever.  At least, we thought so.
He won his way into our hearts with his lovable ways.
Unfortunately, he was only with us for a few short months.

It all took a turn for the worse when we took him to
the vet to get his nails clipped.  What a mistake!

Within 24 hours, he was afflicted with wet-tail.  Stress induced.
He lingered on for eight days.  Eight long and excruciating days.

Then, he died as we fussed and cuddled him.  Tears were shed.

We buried him in the back yard under the trees,
all wrapped up in his little blanket with a daisy tucked in.
We had a little service and sang a hymn.

By all accounts, it was a painful experience.
It's taken three years to summon up the courage to begin again.

Emma has been asking to get another hamster and

would not give up on the idea as I had hoped she would.

I found myself softening to the prospect...slowly.

Last Saturday, Emma and I were out doing errands together.

And, she requested that we stop in at the pet store 

where we had purchased "Mischievious"...

...just to look.

I think it's obvious how that turned out.

So, we have welcomed critter number two into our home.

And, he's quickly winning his way into our affections.
Everyone...meet "Reepicheep" (Cheepers for short).

We hope his life will be happy and long.
And, just for the record, we have no intention of getting his nails clipped.  Ever.
All things considered, it seems to be the most sensible thing to do. :)

With Love,
Camille

Fabulous Resource!

F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S.

We *love* us some history around here!
Presented from a Biblical standpoint and
delivered in a wonderfully engaging way,
these history lessons are definitely NOT boring!

History is interesting.
As it should be.


Diana Waring's History Curriculum
is wonderful.
We listen in the van as we drive.
We will listen again and again and again.
There is SO MUCH to digest.
SO MUCH to learn.

It's a beautiful thing
to witness God's Hand throughout
the history of the world.
It's a beautiful thing to give
HIM glory for the intricacies of it all.

And we are in the midst of
HIS great plan.
HE is still at work.
HE is accomplishing all that
HE set out to do.

What a blessing it is
to belong to HIM!

Happy Studies!
Camille

Freddy the Pig

**Please see the "update" at the bottom of this post ~
I just wanted to be sure you all see it. :)

Wonderful.
Witty.
Imaginitive.

E.N.T.E.R.T.A.I.N.I.N.G

Freddy the Pig
is a favourite around here.

He talks.
He has adventures.
He tickles the funny bone.

The boys have all enjoyed these books ~
I'm sure Emma will appreciate them in the coming days as well.

This series of books was written over 75 years ago.
One of our adult friends read many of these as a child ~
She was so excited to learn that the boys had some to read for themselves!
She even borrowed one ~
rekindling the memories, I suppose. :)

Treasured books from our childhood always hold a
special place in our hearts, don't they?

I'm sure the young people in your life
would happily thank you for introducing them to Freddy.
He's a wonderful read-aloud as well!
I hope you enjoy Freddy as much as we have.

Want to find out where to purchse your own set?
Click Here

**UPDATE**
Something just was drawn to my attention about the
"Freddy Goes Camping" book ~
there is a character who dresses up ghostly to scare people
away from his property in this novel...mildly scary for little ones ~
if you wish to avoid such things, this would not be the one for you.

On the whole, these books tend to be full of "good, clean fun" ~
having said that, they do not appear to have been written by a Christian.
As with any recommendations that I make ~
Please consider what is best for your family and
draw upon the wisdom God promises to give.
I would still highly recommend them. :)

**I am not compensated in any way for this opinion**

With a Little Advance Planning...

Does the thought that Christmas Day is just a little more than
EIGHT weeks away cause despair to rise within you?

It shouldn't.

What is the Christmas season all about, anyway?
Perhaps, before we go any further, we should
refocus on what really matters.

And then ~
make a little plan.
And stick to it!

This post is all about the gifts.
Ideas for those on a budget ~
Aren't we ALL on a budget?

Hopefully there is something here for everyone.
Enjoy the journey.
It is a joy to give.
And it really IS the thought that counts...
not the $$$ spent!
Give a little love this Christmas.

And be ready to share the
REAL Gift of Love with others.


Everyone loves a
personalized Gift Basket.
Tailor it to suit the one you are
planning to give it to,
and be prepared for a joyful response.

Gift baskets can be put together in a small bowl,
large basket, and everything in between.
I have even had one of these given to
me in a laundry basket ~ when our girl was born.
Use your imagination and have fun!

What you see in the basket above are some homemade
goodies from my kitchen.
Caramel Corn
and jam are two of the items included.
Give what your recipient wouldn't
normally make for themselves.


Begin a Library of Quality books
for a young person in your life.


Faith-Building Audio Drama
for kids (and their parents)
is a wonderful idea for a family with children
from age six to twelve (and beyond).


Focus on the Family Radio Theatre
is WONDERFUL for any family ~ for all ages!
There are, of course, certain stories that
the very young would be frightened by,
but you are quite safe with
titles such as "Little Women",
"Anne of Green Gables" and "Silas Marner".
I cannot tell you how much we have enjoyed these ~
over and over and over again!


How about something sweet for neighbours,
family and friends?
Caramel Corn
is something not many can refuse.
And packaged up pretty,
it is a welcome hostess or teacher gift.


Another neighbour or teacher gift is the
"Gift in a Mug".
Pretty and economical...
as long as it is hand-assembled, of course!


For little people on your list ~
I cannot recommend
these sweet books
highly enough!


An "Answers" Magazine Subscription
would be a great blessing for any family on your list.
The material presented is from a Biblical Worldview
and is a wonderful tool to fortify every member
within that home.
We ALL *love* to find the next installment
in our mailbox.

If you have NO MONEY to spend on gifts...
take heart!

There are MANY ways to show love and give of
what you DO have to loved ones.
Some of your TIME.

What about a coupon booklet?
Handmade by you?
Custom designed and hand-written.

Make coupons for things such as these ~

"I will clean your car one Saturday...name the date!"
"I will take you to..."
"Date night IN...leave all the details to me!"
"I will bake your favourite...anytime you ask!"
"I will read your favourite book to you one afternoon"
"We will go to the park and swing on the swings..."
"Good for one day of housecleaning!"
"Free babysitting one night while you go out."

Etc...

The possibilities are ENDLESS!

Then...make sure YOU keep track of what you've
promised to do and keep the recipient of your coupons
accountable to take you up on it!

Remember to take time to enjoy
this time of year.
The LORD is not honoured by
our overdoing it ~
Who are we aiming to please anyway?

May this Christmas Season be full
of love and joy and peace ~
And may the Lord Jesus Christ
be at the center of it all!

Blessings to each of you!
In His Love,
Camille

Professor Noggin Games

Professor Noggin's Educational Card Games
are fun and educational at the same time.

The kids all enjoy playing from our oldest (15) to our youngest (8).
If you want to switch it up a bit for some creative learning,
why not add a couple of these to your educational supplies?
We keep them with other games for easy access...
the kids don't think of them as "school".

One word of caution ~
they are not "Christian" and therefore,
do not present the Biblical timeline for all things Scientific.

I have not found anything other than that to worry about,
but, keep in mind that we do not own all of the titles.
However, as with any resource, it is wise to review and
censor as you deem appropriate for your family.

And, of course, teach your children the reason why
we as Christians view the world the way we do!
How do we handle this?

We just honestly tell the children what is "wrong"
in how they may represent the "facts"
and direct them to the Truth found in the Word of God.

If one particular card is full of error,
I have no difficulty with throwing it away ~
it does not ruin the game to do so. :)


Have fun with your kids!  :)
Many Blessings, Camille

**Disclaimer ~ I am in no way compensated for this opinion.

Faith Building Audio Drama ~ For Kids

The Jonathan Park Audio Series has been a wonderful tool to help build our children's faith.

This engaging series features a boy and his friends and family as they discover some amazing things about God's Creation. They are biblically based and offer sound evidence for a Young Earth as opposed to the widely accepted (and promoted) Evolutionary thinking of the day.

As the stories unfold, the characters find themselves engaged in mystery and action adventures ~ they are exciting and keep the children asking for more. We used to travel 1 hour (each way) to church each Sunday and these were wonderful to listen to as we drove along. Even Emma entered into the fun and she was only four or five years old at the time. Those of us at the other end of the age spectrum enjoyed them too! :)

**Disclaimer ~ I am in no way compensated for this opinion.

Focus on the Family ~ Radio Theatre

Focus on the Family ~ Radio Theatre is the organization that produced all the stories you see in the picture above. They are very well done and actually make you feel as though you are living IN the story! Much better than a movie ~ they "play on the screen of your imagination" and are thoroughly captivating!

Many miles have been covered in our minivan and during some of our excursions we have enjoyed listening to these wonderful stories. They have timeless appeal ~ our family has enjoyed them over and over and over again. From the fictional world of "The Chronicles of Narnia", to true stories such as "The Hiding Place" ~ there is something for everyone. Our children range in ages from nearly 15 down to 8 and they each thoroughly enjoy these productions. On your next road trip consider taking one of these gems along ~ you won't be disappointed.

**One word of caution ~ These are very realistic and engaging...you really will feel as though you are there. Age recommendations are given on the back of each of the stories and you will find that some may not be appropriate for young children due to their intense and realistic content. Thankfully, there is no foul language to worry about, and they uphold decent living on the part of the characters.

**Disclaimer ~ The views held by the producers of these productions are not always reflective of our own. We have occasionally had to discuss important matters with the children as it pertains to spiritual things. Use discretion and seek the LORD for discernment while you listen. I would encourage you to listen along with your children to know what is being presented to them as truth.

Holocaust Movie ~ For Families

Normally you won't find me recommending movies. It isn't something I typically do. BUT, this movie did make a significant impression on us and on our boys. As with anything, you must use discretion as to what you will let your children watch and at what ages. My husband and I previewed it prior to letting our children see it. We felt that it was very appropriate for our 12 and 14 year old boys...I would highly recommend it for others in a similar age group (and for those that are older, of course).

"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" really is a *must see* for all those who wish to remember and never repeat some of the mistakes of the past. This movie portrays the holocaust in WWII Germany through the eyes of two eight year old boys. One is a German Commandant's son and the other is a Jewish boy within the confines of a concentration camp. It is an amazingly touching and realistic story which will move you and your family. Our 14 year old son told me that he has never been so affected by a story as he was by this one. It leaves a lasting impression.

It is a clean and family friendly movie (for those with children in the above twelve category)...there is not one swear word or misuse of God's name. Please do bear in mind that it deals honestly with the horrors of the end result of the extermination camps of Hitler's regime. I hope it will be something you can use to educate your older children on this disturbing event in history. May we never forget.