When we celebrate Christmas at our house, we don't simply celebrate the birth of Jesus. There is more to the story and to the eternal hope that we have through the death and resurrection of our Lord. For this reason, I was pleased to review Tiny Baby Jesus.
While reading Tiny Baby Jesus together this Christmas season, children and families can celebrate the gift of Jesus from head to tiny toes. As they turn the pages, they will discover the wonder of hands that develop into those of a carpenter and swaddled shoulders that grow to carry the weight of all mankind. Readers can share in the humble birth of tiny baby Jesus while remembering the life and teachings of the grown savior.
Tiny Baby Jesus is written by award-winning author Dandi Daley Mackall and illustrated by 
Julia Noonan. “I don’t think we can talk about Baby Jesus enough—to our children, to our neighbors, or to ourselves,” says Dandi Daley Mackall.”
Dandi Daley Mackall is the author of more than 400 books, including several titles for Zonderkidz such as The Legend of St. Nicholas, The Gift of the Christmas Cookie, the Ali Cat I CAN READ™ series, and the That’s Nat! early reader series. Dandi is the recipient of the 2009 Helen Keating Ott Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children's Literature from the Church and Synagogue Library Association (CSLA). Dandi and her husband, Joe, both write from rural Ohio, where they’re blessed with three children and a variety of horses, dogs, and cats. Visit http://www.dandibooks.com/ for more information.
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I am pleased to offer this beautifully illustrated book as a giveaway. We have FIVE copies to give to five winners. Be sure to leave a comment and contact information for each option you choose.
1) Leave a comment telling why you would like to win this book.
2) Tell about this giveaway through social networking such as Twitter or Facebook. Give it a thumbs up on Stumble Upon. You can leave a comment for each one you do. Be sure to leave a link or some way for me to track your entry.
3) Follow @thriftymommy on twitter.
Tiny Baby Jesus is a hardcover book and retails for $16.99. This contest ends Sunday, November 15, 2009 and is available to those with a U.S. shipping address. The winners will be contacted via email and will have 72 hours to respond.
Good luck everyone!
My kids brought treat bags home from church Wednesday. Inside was a die cut paper pumpkin with a pumpkin parable on it. I know it's last minute, but I thought some of you might want to make these for tonight's trick-or-treaters.
A Pumpkin Parable
Sometimes I feel like I'm a pumpkin. Please don't think it's odd.
I'm growing in a pumpkin patch that's planted there by God.
God picks me from the pumpkin patch and washes off the dirt;
Scoops out the seeds of sin and hate and anger, greed and hurt.
And then, to show how much I'm loved, God marks me with a sign
And opens up my eyes and mouth: all part of God's design.
Then filled with love God sets me out for everyone to see,
So all the pumpkins in the patch can see God's light through me.
You are the light of the world.
Matthew 5:14
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Cuddlebug brought this home from preschool today so I thought I'd share this for Halloween.
You'll need:
orange pumpkin with poem on 11x14 paper
two yellow stars for eyes
yellow cross for nose
yellow fish for mouth
glue
Here's the poem:
Christian Pumpkin Carvings
I am a Jack O Lantern
My light will shine so bright
For I am a Christian pumpkin
My symbols tell what's right
My nose is like the cross
On which the Savior died,
To set us free from sin
We need no longer hide.
My mouth is like a fish
The whole wide world to show,
That Christians live in this house
And love their Savior so!
The story starts at Christmas
My eyes are like the star,
That shone on Baby Jesus
And wise men saw from afar.
My color is orange
Just like the bright sun,
That rose on Easter Day
Along with God's own Son.
And so on Halloween
Let's set our pumpkins out,
And tell the trick or treaters
What God's love is all about!
~Author unknown
Charity has a new children's song to download. This month, it's Rockstar.
This month's song, Rockstar, is a rallying cry to dance your dance, sing your song, shine your light, stay grounded and keep loving all along the way. Grab your kids, pick up a hairbrush or your air guitar, and call upon the music within you. You Know What To Do: SING, DANCE, LOVE, ROCK, SHINE.
Cuddlebug's favorite Charity & the JAMband song is still Peanut Butter and Jam. You can listen on the main page of Charity's website.
Click here to download the song and lyrics for free. Charity also has nine other songs you can get for free! Enjoy! :)
We're celebrating Back to School with a fun giveaway from Avery. This giveaway includes great stuff like Hi-Liters, labels, GlueStics, binders, dividers, sheet protectors, Marks-a-Lot permanent markers, and t-shirt transfers. The gift basket has a retail value of over $50!
Avery recently partnered with Box Tops for Education. Now, when you purchase Avery school supplies for the new academic year you also receive Box Tops coupons to clip and return to your child’s school to be redeemed for cash. Each school then uses the cash at their discretion to purchase new supplies, fund programs, or buy much-needed equipment, computers, etc.
I know you’d like to win this great prize package from Avery. As usual, I have several ways for you to earn entries. Of course, the more times you enter, the higher your odds of winning. You are not required to do any or all of these, but you can earn an entry for each one completed. Here are your options:
1) Leave a comment with something other than “enter me”. Tell me about the school supplies you like or give a tip about saving money or having fun with kids.
2) Tweet about this giveaway on twitter. If possible, include @thriftymommy in your tweet. Be sure to leave your twitter name or status url in the comment box. You can earn 3 tweet entries per day.
3) Follow @thriftymommy on twitter.
4) Blog about this giveaway or mention it on some sort of forum. Leave a direct url so that I can easily find the info for your entry.
5) Give this post a thumbs up on Stumble Upon, Digg It, add a link on Facebook, or some other way of promoting the giveaway.
6) Add Little Fun; Little Learning to your blogroll.
You can earn entries for each of these things that you do. Please leave a separate comment for each one. It just makes it easier for tallying entries and choosing a winner. Please leave an email address on your Blogger profile or in the comments so that I can contact the winner.
This contest ends Sunday, October 11, 2009 and is open to those with a US mailing address. Winners will be contacted via email and will have 72 hours to respond.
Good luck everyone!
Sorry for the weird colored image. I tried to upload it several times. Not sure what happened.
When I was teaching preschool, I soon learned that some children have a hard time with the separation from their parents. Some kids act like they could care less. They wave and are ready to be on their own. For other children, it may take a few weeks for them to feel secure in their new environment. Here are some tips to help out with the transition.
You might also like some of the tips shared at Boston Mamas.
Do you have any tips to add to this list?
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