Happy Independence Day--Wordless Wednesday

Two summers ago. I don't have any recent pics of him in uniform.

Thank you to everyone past and present who serves so that we can be free!

Happy Independence Day!

Hermie--God Listens When I Pray--Giveaway

Young readers often have trouble understanding what they are reading. They also have trouble understanding how God works in their lives. Max Lucado's, Hermie: God Listens When I Pray  is a great book to help them understand how God listens when we pray.

As the Mom of 4, I often forget that they all aren't on the same playing field in their walk with God. While we pray every morning on the way to school, and now during summer break at breakfast, they all pray for different things and people. Depending on which child is praying determines what and who they are praying for. 

Mollie who is 5 always prays for the dogs, ours and the neighbors, which then leads to the neighbors being prayed for too. Mattie usually prays for each of us and our day. Maggie typically prays for friends, classmates, family and other needs she has heard of. Michael always prays for safety, particularly when it's dark and rainy. Mikie and I pray for them as we put them to bed. 

No matter which child is praying, God is always listening. This book helps children learn more about praying. Encourage your children to read and pray with this book.

Want one of your own? Leave a comment below and tell me about your prayer routine. It's okay if you don't have a routine, we have really just started ours the last few months. 

Don't forget to leave your comment by midnight, Thursday, May 31st. I will use random.org to choose a winner. 

Disclaimer: Thomas Nelson sent me this book to review and allows me to give one away. 

BIble Bee 2012/Giveaway

Our family is participating in the 4th Annual Bible Bee this summer. We will receive our study pack the first week on June.

I had seen a link on another Mom blogger's site and clicked through. After looking over the info I believe this will be a great way for the kids to learn Bible skills they can use all their lives.

The program is 12 weeks long with you practicing at home and if you live close enough practice drills before the final contest on Saturday, August 25th.  Below is some info about the Bible Bee from their webpage.

"Our desire is to help your family move closer to God and closer to one another as you learn, live out, and celebrate His Word. Register your children ages 7-18 years for the 2012 Bible Bee and learn how we can equip and encourage a lifestyle of investing in and living out your relationship with Christ.

In return for the $30 Registration Fee, each contestant receives, on June 1st:
 

• 25 Bible Memory Cards. That works out to just over 2 cards per week during the summer, a "do-able" goal for your whole family!
   
• A Bible in one of five translations
   
• A "Sword Study" in-depth study on one book of the Bible leveled for three age groups, enabling the whole family to study the same book at the same pace. Sword Studies don't just teach the Bible, they teach a lifelong skill of how to study and apply the Bible, in just 20 minutes a day.
   
• An official participant Bible Bee T-shirt and button
   
• Gifts from our ministry partners that support the Sword Study learning
   
• A Parent Guidebook that gives a solid overview of the study and includes a Family Bonfire Guide, so that you can easily lead your family in fun times of learning and sharing what the Lord has taught you throughout the week."

Mattie is very excited about the Bible Bee, she hopes in will help her with the Bible Drill that she participates in at church during the school year. 

I am excited to be able to offer FREE registration to one lucky reader. Even if there isn't a Bible Bee Contest close to you register to win. We are going to participate this year and my host the contest next year. 

Leave a comment below and you will be registered to win a registration. 

Disclaimer: We received a family registration in exchange for blog post about our experience this summer with the Bible Bee.

Contest is open until midnight, Monday, May 21st. 

Gigi, God's Little Princess DVD Set Giveaway

Up for Giveaway today, is a set of Gigi--God's Little Princess DVD's, by Sheila Walsh, from Tommy Nelson Kids. 


The first, Real Princesses Treat Everyone Like Royalty, includes the four episodes listed below.

• The Royal Tea Party
• The Pink Ballerina
• The Royal Circus
• The Pink Surprise

Sometimes it's hard for Princesses to show love to others, even though they know God loves everyone and they are all royalty in God's Court.

The second DVD, God Made Princesses in All Shapes and Sizes, includes these four episodes:

• The Princess Hair Do
• A Trip to the Zoo
• Gigi and the Purple Ponies
• Gigi's Ginormous Sneeze

Every girl is a princesses and sometimes we worry so much about how we look that we forget that true beauty comes from within.

These are favorites at our house!  Each DVD is 90 minutes in length.

Each episode teaches girls they are special and beautiful and how to love people, themselves and God. 

Although they are about Gigi, Michael enjoys watching them too.So you don't have to worry about brothers fussing when sister puts it in to watch. 

If you would like to win a copy of these DVD's from Tommy Nelson leave a comment to the following question below.

How can your daughter learn to be God's Princess from the Gigi stories?

On twitter tweet the following:

My daughter can be #JustLikeGigi thanks to @mommyto4mjs & @TommyNelson mommyto4mjs.blogspot.com

Alright there you go easy peasy. You have until Sunday, March 4th to enter. Tell all your friends.

Disclaimer: As usually Tommy Nelson Kids allowed our family to have a copy of these DVDs. Opinions are mine and I wasn't paid!

Giveaway--Thomas Nelson Kids--"cliques, hicks and ugly sticks"

Drama, whose life isn't full of it? Just when I thought my blogspot problem was fixed something else would happen and I would lose my post for this book again. You would think after typing and losing it three separate times I would have gotten smart enough to forgo the drama involved and type it in Pages and then copy and paste. Oh no, not I. I hand wrote it at lunch one day and guess what? I can't find it.
I've always had drama in my life but I really think it's getting much worse. Maybe it has to do with working with middle schoolers everyday, cause I'm sure having four children of my own has nothing to do with it (insert big smile).

Well, now for what you came here for. "Cliques, hicks, and ugly sticks," is a wonderful middle school aged book about the drama that unfolds in the life of April Grace Reilly. This is the second book in the "Confessions of April Grace," series. As if junior high or middle school isn't bad enough throw in a selfish neighbor, a love triangle involving your grandma, "the snotties," and the news that your mom is pregnant and the drama that ensues is enough to keep you in stitches.

K.D. McCrite has hit right up the alley of most girls this age who can relate to April Grace and the drama that she is involved in. Finding out that at the age of 11 you're going to be a big sister is a huge surprise. Most small children don't take it well, but imagine what April Grace must be thinking. I won't tell you, you'll have to read to find out.

I see the drama that "the snotties" at my middle schools cause everyday and I remember those who could have been a "snottie" when I was that age. Oops, I hope none of them read this post. This is a must read for any tween girl or her mommy that grew up in the 80's. If the cover picture doesn't draw you in the story certainly will.

Click here to read the first chapter! Then come back and let me know what you think.

There are several ways to enter the contest to win your own copy of the book, "cliques, hicks and ugly sticks." Do the things below and come back here and leave a different comment for each. I will choose a winner on Valentine's Day night to win the book.

Good luck!

Here are your 5 ways to win:
1. Share an instance you or your child had that was difficult at the time, but now you can look back and laugh or learn from it.
2. Friend  April Grace Reilly on FaceBook and come back and comment below and let me know you did.
3. Like mommyto4mjs on FaceBook and let me know. If you already do let me know that too!
4. Follow mommyto4mjs on Twitter and come back and let me know.
5. Read the first chapter of the book and let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: As a Tommy Mommy I am able to review this book that was sent to me. The opinions are mine and I am not paid to write this post.