Last Call!

We have just two more days before I announce the winner of the sweet little girl's beanie that I'm giving away. If you want a chance to win, please leave a comment HERE, letting me know where and how you are following me. Your name will be entered for each area that is detailed on the list of possible ways to enter, but ONLY if you leave a COMMENT HERE!I can't wait to see who wins, so hurry to THIS POSTto get your name in the drawing.

`Three Cups by Tony Townsley with Mark St. Germain

Three Cups is a beautiful story about turning money management into a unique adventure that children can quickly learn and enjoy. If instilling financial skills in your children is important to you, then this book is a wonderful place to start.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the 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.”

The Grace Effect By Larry Taunton

The Grace Effect How the Power of One Life Can Reverse the Corruption of Unbelief by Larry Taunton by Larry Taunton is an amazing story of the trials that the author and his family endured while trying to adopt an orphan in atheistic Russia.  Until reading this book, I had no idea that Russia was as spiritually corrupt and neglectful towards their people as they are, even to this day.  I feel truly blessed to have learned so much about the culture of Russia, their religious roots, and history that we aren't often taught in schools.  The story of this family and the adoption process is so powerful, that readers will rise and fall emotionally, as if enduring the process themselves.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

The Little Red Book of Wisdom by Mark DeMoss

The Little Red Book of Wisdom by Mark DeMoss, is a book about good common sense and wisdom in both the professional and personal areas of our lives. Mark DeMoss used his own life to set examples for us to follow for improving our relationships with our business partners, spouses, children, and especially with God. I feel very blessed for having had the opportunity to read this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the 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.”

Thanksgiving

A lot of my friends have been posting things for which they are thankful on their Facebook walls. I have a long list of things for which I am thankful, and I'll share a few items with my readers.

This year, I am thankful for:

1. The continued right to homeschool.
2. The sounds of my children talking, laughing, creating, reading, learning,and playing.
3. Celebrating so many milestones with Princess Melody, including her sweet 16, high school graduation, online college, first job, and driver's ed.
4. Getting to watch Princess Abbey play softball.....preceded by a few frightening years with asthma.
5. Getting to be a stay at home mom.
6. A new business adventure that we are going to be able to do as a family.
7. The new baby that is coming. We thought that having Princess Tarja was something we could never have, and God turned around and followed up with Princess Ivana. What a surprise!
8. Tarja's energy. I don't know where it will lead, but anybody that can move as fast as she can, has to be destined for greatness.
9. The king's new job. He lost his job last Summer, and after three terrible months, gained the best one that he's ever had.
10. Last, but not least, I am thankful for books. Books are all over my house, stacked up in my storage shed, placed in plastic for safe keeping, and probably will always make up the bulk of our possessions as a family. It's no wonder that we enjoy the lifestyle of learning as much as we do.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Laurel Santiago and the ThreeFour Princesses

By now, Princess Melody is hard at work, at her new job.

In addition to that new beginning, we found a way to maybe start a business that we've been wanting to start as a family, while helping other people at the same time. There will be more revealed about this as it comes to fruition. In the meantime, your prayers for clarity and open doors will be very helpful. The Three Princesses have expressed a desire to do something huge together, but something that helps others at the same time as it helps ourselves. Today, we may very well have found that special something.

Princess Ivana has already been blessed richly with beautiful clothes, baby furniture and other things that she will need to start her life in a safe, easy and fun way. Thank you so much to all who have been helping with this effort. Having a high risk pregnancy is overwhelmingly expensive, and everything that everybody has done or is doing for us is greatly appreciated. I feel so blessed right now as a mother, and hope that I have been or can be a blessing to other mothers and children as well.

I crocheted a really pretty angel last night, and plan on making a lot more. I know a lot of people that will like to have them, so that will be my next big project. I don't know whether to add my first one to my etsy page, keep it, or wrap it up for somebody for Christmas, but I'm sure that the right idea will come to me soon enough.

At breakfast, I gave the Princesses the option to have this week off from school for the Thanksgiving holiday, or to continue working as usual. Princess Abbey wanted a break. She is a great deal ahead in her work. However, Princess Melody opted to not have a break, because she is halfway through her English Composition course, and wants to keep moving forward. Incidentally, as much as Melody doesn't enjoy English or composition, she is currently carrying a hundred average in that course. I am still on cloud 9 after viewing her online grade book this morning. I am so proud of the Princesses, because every time that I start to wonder if we are doing the right things for them, as homeschoolers, they do something amazing to prove to me that nothing could replace this experience.

We decided to try our hand at paper mache clay, just to see what we can make. I have a table full of items that are drying as I write. Because we made them fairly thick, they might take a very long time to dry. After about 10 hours of drying time, they are just as wet and mushy as they were when we made them, this morning. We made hearts, teddy bears, and a few Christmas ornaments. I'm somewhat confused as to why they have not dried at all, but we'll see how they do tomorrow. If this is a success story, we plan on making jewelry and ornaments. If it is one of those projects that just won't work out, then at least no money was spent on the effort. We used newspaper that was lying around the house, and made a flour/water paste.

Princess Melody starts her new job at McDonalds tomorrow. She is very excited. In addition to that, we are about ready to have her test for her learner's permit so that she can start practicing her driving skills with the king. It's really exciting to have a teenager that is embarking on all of her "firsts".

I have been wrapping Christmas presents and am in the process of crocheting some more. There are more presents to wrap, but I have had a hard time finding a chance to smuggle them into the house without a curious princess finding them. Typically, what I do is wrap gifts as I put them away, so that if they are found, they are already wrapped. Also, I don't put them under the Christmas tree until all princesses are asleep on Christmas Eve.

Besides a new job, driver's ed, and Christmas, we joined a local art association, went to a little circus that blew through town, got some cute pictures of Princess Ivana's legs, bottom and feet, and have been playing many after dinner rounds of Words With Friends on Facebook.

If you want to win the beanie that I am giving away as detailed in a previous post, please leave me a comment. There are several ways to get your name entered in the drawing, and the winner will be announced on December 1st.