Book Review: Rex by Cathleen Lewis

Book Summary: 


Rex is a story written by the mother of an 11yr old blind and autistic boy. His mother tells the story of his amazing musical ability and her journey along with him during the struggles, the joys, the happiness and all that the wonderful road of life brings them through. 

My Thoughts and Review:


I received this book thinking it was going to be a "just another memoir", but as I began reading the book, I knew it was much more then that. The author, Cathleen Lewis, draws you into the story about her son and all that they have both endured since he was born blind and soon after discovering he was autistic. The kind of struggles that Rex endured would and could and did, only be help up by a mom with a never ending love for her son, like Cathleen had. She never gave up and she kept going so that her son could have a fulfilling life, one that many thought would never be possible with his "inabilities". Rex is able to overlook the word "inabilities" and become a musical wonder. 


Rex is just not a book about a mother's love to help her son, it is about a mother's journey to discover the deep love of God. She draws closer to God through all the struggles. 


Rex is a must read for everyone. I really enjoyed the book. I think is a testimony to many that no matter the circumstances that God can give you in life, if you draw close to him he will be your guide and help you overcome. 


For more information on the book, the author, to read the first chapter of the book, read other reviews of this book and where you can purchase a copy of this book: Rex by Cathleen Lewis


Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of the BookSneeze  program. My opinions of the products are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation.

Book Review: Rex by Cathleen Lewis

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Book Review: Still House Pond

Book Summary from Publishers Website(Tyndale House):
Lilly Gray Corbett loves living on Troublesome Creek, but she would much rather play with her best friend than watch her little brother and the twins. Her mama, Copper, is often gone helping to birth babies, and Lilly has to stay home. When Aunt Alice sends a note inviting her to visit in the city, Lilly is excited to go, and Copper reluctantly agrees to let her. Later, when they hear the news that the train crashed, Copper and her husband, John, rush to find out if their daughter is injured . . . or even alive.


My Thoughts and Review: 
Still House Pond is book number 5 in the Troublesome Creek series by Jan Watson. The book is historical fiction and based in 1896. This was the first book in this series that I have read and Jan Watson was a "new to me author". 


I really enjoyed this book, even though at first is was difficult to follow along with the many cast of characters. Cooper, who is Lily's mother, was a very interesting character, who gets into many interesting situations while delivering babies all over town. The family's faith is tested time and again through many difficult situations of Cooper's. Also, during the time that they are all searching for Lily who is feared dead in the train wreckage.  During the time the family is searching for Lily, she is locked up in a old building on the property of Isa Still, who is the owner of the pond where Lily had taken a walk to instead of boarding the train. During this time of being locked up, Lily begins to discover things about herself. She was able to reflect and ponder and it helped her realize a few things that she didn't really know. I really enjoyed that aspect of the book, because it is during times of trials in my own life, that I tend to "discover" things about myself and begin to make changes for the better. 


I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the series from the beginning! Reading Still House Pond made me think of Anne of Green Gables and Little House on the Prairie. For me though, this book really hit the spot because I saw so much of me in Lily! 

Info about the author: 
Jan Watson is an award winning author whose first novel Troublesome Creek  won the 2004 Christian Writers Guild Operation First Novel contest. She has continued to win awards for her novels since then.  Jan was a registered nurse for 25 years at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. She incorporated her nursing experience in the hospital's mother/baby unit into her novels. Jan resides in Kentucky. 

For more information on the book, the author, to read the first chapter of the book and where you can purchase a copy of this book: Still House Pond 

Disclaimer: I was given a copy of this book from Tyndale House Publishers as part of the Tyndale Blog Network. My opinions of the products are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation.

Book Review: Still House Pond

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Chex Party Mix Pack Giveaway!!

I was provided a Chex Party Mix for myself  and one for one lucky reader of this blog. This giveaway is sponsored by General Mills via MyBlogSpark.


Most people associate Chex Party Mix as a holiday time or football game snack, but it really is an "anytime" snack! There are so different ways to make a "Chex Party Mix", making it can and should be an anytime of the year snack.  The recipes usually take 15 minutes or less to make, many ingredients are basic pantry ingredients. My boys and I made one of the recipes today from the back of the Rice Chex Mix box we received in the Gift Pack. Chex Muddy Buddies was our recipe of choice and not only was it easy and fun to make, it is also very tasty!

Here is a slideshow of pictures from our kitchen time today:

We now have our afternoon snack for today and for a couple of days! Ohh so yummy!

Would you like to win a Chex Party Mix Gift Pack like the one I received?? The tote bag is a zippered bag and will hold a lot of groceries or make a nice beach bag or "whatever" bag! The cereal box is 12.8oz.


Ways to Enter:
Mandatory Entry:  Check out all the great Chex Party Mix Recipes and come back and comment on which one is your favorite as an "anytime" snack. 


Additional Entries: 

1) Follow Me via Google Friends Connect or Networked Blogs. 

   Leave a comment below on how you follow. (1 Entry) 

2) Subscribe to my blog via email or RSS Feed. (1 Entry)

3) Blog about this giveaway and submit link in the 
    comment section.  (1 entry)
4) Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway.  
    Please use the hashtag #myblogspark.  
    Leave a link the in comment section 
    (1 entry per tweet/2 tweets per day)
5) Share on Facebook and copy link in comment section. 
    (1 entry per day)


This giveaway will end on Saturday January 22nd at 11:59PM CST. The winner will be randomly selected and will have 36hrs to reply to winner notification. 

This giveaway and review is sponsored by MyBlogSpark and General Mills. I have received no compensation except for the Prize Pack pictured above. My opinions of the products are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation.

Chex Party Mix Pack Giveaway!!

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Passing on the Joy of Reading and Libraries

I have always enjoyed reading since I was very little and now my 8yr old has been enjoying reading as much as I do for the last 3 yrs since he began reading. He is in the 3rd grade, but can read at a 7th grade level or above! 

The joy of reading really does get passed down from generation to generation and I am very glad! My mom is an avid reader, her mom was an avid reader, my mom's grandfather was an avid reader. I have quite a few aunts and cousins on my dad's side who are avid readers.  

One of my favorite memories as a child was meeting Peggy Parish, author of Amelia Bedelia books. I loved Peggy Parish as an author.I won a contest at our local library and was attended a "Meet the Author" event at the Chicago Cultural Center. My other favorite authors as a child were Beverly Clearly, Judy Blume. I had a couple of favorite series books that I liked. Girls of Canby Hall by Emily Chase was my very favorite series. I also liked Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascal. I also enjoyed Nancy Drew and Hardy Boy mystery books. 

My love for books hasn't changed over the years, but the genres and topics I like to read has. 

My Favorite Genres of books are:
Frugal Living, Christian Fiction, Christian Non-Fiction, Homeschooling, Family Living, Cookbooks, Auto Biographies

My Favorite Authors are:
Elizabeth George, Tracie Peterson, Jonni McCoy, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Tamera Alexendar, Devin Alexendar,(Biggest Loser Chef) Ellie Kay, Chip Ingram, Colleen Coble, Joy Bauer,(nutritionist author), Catherine Palmer, Hannah Keeley,(homeschooling mom of 10 with great tips on organizing a home), Sandra Lee(Food Network). 

There are course many more, but those are just few of my favorite. 

Reading books has really evolved over the last 5-6 years due to technology. Audio books on MP3 players, the surge of e-readers, e-reader apps for smartphones and computers or tablets. These are all "nice' but I myself continue to enjoy "old fashioned" hard or paperback books. Although, my boys just did get MP3 players for Christmas and my 7yr old son has vision issues that has prevented from learning how to read yet. I am going to be downloading some audio books for him in the near future. 

Weekly trips to the Berwyn Public Library are a family favorite activity for us! My boys all have a backpack that is their designated "library bag". I signed them each up for their first library card as soon as they turned 4yrs old. They are allowed to take 6 DVD's and 15 books out at a time on their cards, per the rules I set for them. They keep their backpacks in the coat closet when they are not reading books for there. I just purchased a Cubby Hole Bookcase that we will use for our library books, as soon as my hubby puts it together. Our local library is part of the Metropolitan Library System, which gives us access to over 80 libraries. We can use the SWAN Online Catalog to look for and reserve books from all over the system. I have taught my boys how to use the system to check for books of interest and how reserve them so they can be transferred to our local library. My 8yr old, Joshua, does this very often. I of course can go into his record and delete ones that I feel are not appropriate  or ones we don't want them reading. I have only had to do this to about 3 books of my sons. He is very good about adhering about selecting books that we approve of. I have also taught my boys the The Dewey Decimal System. Even though gone are the days of "card catalogs", I think it is still important for my boys to know how to use a library correctly. Our family really enjoys visiting libraries that are part of the Metropolitan Library System. We have about 20 or so within a 10 mile radius of our apartment. Our favorite branch outside of our local branch is the Oak Lawn Library. They have many, many books from my favorite genres of books. We usually visit the Oak Lawn Library about every 6 weeks. This is where I check out the majority of my books. I start working on my list a few days before hand by searching the online library to see if they carry the books I am interested in and then creating a list via the online "list maker" the SWAN system has. Once I create a list, I can print it our or email it to myself. The Oak Lawn library has a very nice Children's library section. They have about 4 computers with kids games on them. The boys and my hubby stay in that section while I take my list and go select the books that I am wanting to check out. We are usually there about an hour! The boys and I will visit many of the libraries in the system and just spend time at the library on days when it is gloomy or cold outside or nothing much else to do! The City of Chicago has an awesome main branch: Harold Washington Library. I spent a lot of time there when I was in college. It has 9 floors, with one entire floor dedicated to being a Children's Library. I have taken the boys there, but when they were really young. We are going to take a "field trip" there soon! Living in the Chicagoland area, libraries are all over the place. I love the fact that even though we live in a suburb of Chicago, we can have a Chicago Public Library card. Likewise, those who live in the city can have a suburban library card. 

My son Joshua reading: 

Joshua's Reading "area" when not on floor:

My "Reading Chair" in our front room:

The "board" on the chair is my DIY LapDesk. I still use this desk daily when reading because even with the surgery, my gripping motion isn't fully there and holding a book for too long becomes painful on the right wrist.  I have Sterlite tote on the far left with the books that are going to be read in the near future. Those are always rotating as I finish books. I have my phone charging next to me most of the time. I have a enlarged wooden "pencil holder" that I use a "cup holder" so I don't accidently bump my cup down and cause a spill. I am going to be getting a different but similar chair in a couple of months. My dad found me this chair and ottoman on Craigslist for FREE, but it is getting dirty and not so comfy. I will be going to Fort Pitt Furniture as soon as I save up about $75 and get me a new set there!

I like to end my days with a cup of tea or hot cocoa and reading a book. I can usually read a book within 2 days. My son Joshua has started doing the same by reading about 30 minutes before bed or just when he gets in bed.

I am so glad that the love of reading and libraries has been passed down through the generations from my family and I am very glad to be passing it down to my boys!!

Passing on the Joy of Reading and Libraries

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Simple Womans Daybook

 

 
Outside my window...  Gloomy and dark outside. Looks like a bit of Wintry Mix. 

I am thinking... about taking a small nap when my hubby gets home. I didn't sleep well last night and could use about a 30 minute recharge. 

I am thankful for... having an Aldi's across the street from my apartment. It was very convenient today when I needed something for dinner prep. The boys and I were able to walk across and get what I needed and not have to wait on hubby.

I am wearing... Grey Jogging pants and a T-shirt.  (house clothes)

I am remembering...  family and friends whom I haven't seen in a while.

I am creating... Nothing! I don't have any creative juices flowing right now. LOL

I am going... nowhere today. Staying in and staying warm.

I am reading.... lots of good books from the library. Check out my sidebar for my reading list.

I am hoping... for God's provision for our family! The rising prices of everything are hurting our budget.

On my mind... not much. Just want to reorganize some things in my life.

From the learning rooms... Doing our regular studies this week!

Noticing that... my wrist has been very very stiff as of lately.

Pondering these words... Proverbs 31:20  She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

From the kitchen...  Here is our Menu Plan for 1/16-1/22

Around the house... We are trying to get our house reorganized and decluttered. We have done most rooms, just have toy room and boy's bedroom to finish. 1 room a day is the best way for us.

One of my favorite things~    SugarSync.  GREAT site! I love it!

The great features of SugarSync include: 

1. Online Backup
2. Multi-Computer Sync
3. Remote Access
4. Mobile Phone Access
5. Music and Photos
6. Sharing
7. Data Security

Check out all the great features in full detail here: SugarSync Features 

A few plans for the rest of the week:  This week is a slow week. We have AWANA/Mid week activities Wednesday night at church. Thursday and Friday are going to be extremely cold days, so we will stay in and do some baking. Saturday my hubby is attending SoxFest in downtown Chicago!

A picture to share:

Are you a blogger? Go on over to the  Simple Woman's Daybook and join the blogging and read what others are doing!

Simple Womans Daybook

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Menu Plan Monday

I really enjoy menu planning and finding new recipes and Menu Plan Monday really helps in that area. Last week I mentioned how much menu planning is a must for my family. I wrote a post last week about My favorite Recipe Sites and Tools to further expand on that.


Here is our menu plan for this week. The words on the document in blue are clickable recipe links:

Weekly Menu Plan 1/16-1/22



For more great recipes and menu plans visit: Organizing Junkie

Menu Plan Monday

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Free Homeschool Resources

I love FREE things of all kinds,especially educational FREEBIES! I am going to share with you some of my favorite Homeschooling Resources that are FREE.

Full Curriculum FREEBIES: 

Lesson Pathways is a 100% FREE online lesson planner helper. It covers grades K-5.  

From their website:
We’ve found the very best online lessons, projects, games, and activities for K-5 students and we’ve assembled them into ready-to-teach, weekly topic units.  Sign up now to take advantage of everything Lesson Pathways has to offer:  over 900 FREE weekly topic units; pre-screened, high quality, online resources; and an easy-to-use Planner, allowing you to customize your child’s curriculum or supplement.

I have been using Lesson Pathways as a supplement to our curriculum since August of ’09, I love it and my boys love the plans we use from there also! 

Lesson Pathways can be used as an entire curriculum for your homeschool or it can be used to supplement your curriculum!! The best part is that it is FREE!


Ambleside Online is another FREE resource.I have known about this resource for a long while.  I have never used it, but have recently been looking at it to start using it fully or partially. 


From their website:

A free homeschool curriculum designed to be as close as possible to the curriculum that Charlotte Mason used in her own private and correspondence schools. Our goal is to be true to Charlotte Mason's high literary standards. Ambleside Online uses the highest quality books and costs no more than the cost of texts. The curriculum uses as many free online books as possible, and there is no cost to use this information or join the support group.

Old Fashioned Education is similar to Ambleside Online, although it is laid out by subject rather then grade. 


Head of the Class is a FREE online program for K-4th. They will be adding 5th grade in the next couple of weeks and then 6-8th during 2011. We have been using Head of the Class for "Fun Learning" and supplement learning here and there. The boys enjoy it so much, they don't even know they are learning sometimes. 

Letter of the Week is a great program for those ages 3-6. She has many levels and programs and has recently expanded her curriculum to include other programs for older kids. 


Hubbards Cupboard is a Christian based program for Pre-K and Kindergarten. She also has some things for kids up to 4th grade.


Individual Subjects and Worksheet Sites:

Spelling City is our favorite Spelling curriculum website. We have been using it for 2 yrs and it really works for us. Joshua, my 3rd grader, is doing 7th grade spelling words this year and excelling.

Progressive Phonics is a FREE reading program. I have used this site with Nathan, my 2nd grader for a couple of years. He is finally beginning to learn how to read. He has a vision issue that has prevented him from learning. He finally got bi-focals 4 months ago and has been progressing nicely.

Raising Refounders is a FREE American History course for grades 3-12. Lots of printables and unit studies. We are going to begin using this in the fall.

Starfall is a great online, audio based phonics program. It really helped a couple of my boys learn to read and it is a fun "Game" while learning.

School Express has lots of printables and Themed Unit Studies for all ages.

Learning Page has lots of unit studies and printables also.

Worksheet Works is my favorite Worksheet printable website!! It really has lots of great worksheets for all subjects.

Homeschool Launch  is a community based website. Community Members upload printables and worksheets that they have created. It is FREE to join and FREE to print. There are subject based printables as well as household printables and more!


FREE Downloads and Products:

Homeschool Freebie of the Day lists a different product or resource every day M-F. If you subscribe to their newsletter, you will get a "heads up" email on Sunday afternoon that lists all the resources for the upcoming week and a subscriber only link or product. Lots of awesome freebies here!

Currclick has a newsletter that is sent out on Mondays that includes a FREE product of the week.  Currclick also sends out additional emails every so often, has a special freebie events around holidays and more. There is also a Free Stuff section that has over 400 FREE products all the time!

Homeschooling does not have to be expensive, matter of fact, it can cost very little or be FREE if you have the right resources available!

Free Homeschool Resources

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