My Birthday Gift

As most of you know I had a birthday a little over a week ago. Well, my wonderful Son gave me a great gift. He gave me a gift certificate for Amazon.com.  Boy, did I have a great time shopping and spending. And believe me I spent every penny of it on books and DVD's, not one red cent on shipping (I made sure every thing I ordered was available for free Super Saver shipping. I did end up paying $4.52 more, just because I couldn't get my order to the exact amount and didn't want to waste any of it:)
  So anyway here is what I was able to get with the awesome gift.  (Thank you, Christopher, very much. It is much appreciated.)  Now most of the books will be helpful once we get a farm in a dire emergency situation, but I wanted to get a head start. A couple are for personal growth and the DVD's were just for fun.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0800719964/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006OBPZY/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i10

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000056MMM/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i07

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1563637502/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i00

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/039592622X/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i08

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0395988144/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i09

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1885904177/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580178790/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i03

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580173039/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i04

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580172202/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i05

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933392592/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i02

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0452296226/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i06

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0891075860/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i01

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0615218997/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i11

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0931432820/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00

 

On-line Stores and Websites

If you haven't checked out my favorite on-line stores and websites, you should check it out. I just added a new one today (that my wonderful husband found for me), it is: Homesteadstore. It has a lot of things to offer, from clothing to kitchen gadgets, from laundry supplies to books and DVD's. They also have a blog that you might want to check out.

Favorite Books & DVD's for My Daughters

I have some friends who were asking what books I allow my daughters to read and what they enjoy reading. (not all of the books are for girls only) So I decided to put the list here as it is so extensive. I will also be adding some of their favorite DVD's. This will not be an exhaustive list by any means. We are a reading family.


EDUCATIONAL BOOKS
1. A Little Book of Manners by Emilie Barnes
2. God's Design for Sex Series by Stan and Brenna Jones (these can be for boys & girls)
-The Story of Me (ages 3-5)
-Before I Was Born (ages 5-8)
-What's The Big Deal (ages 8-11)
-Facing the Facts (ages 11-14)
3. Grandmother's Hope Chest Series by Rebekah Wilson
-The Running Rooster
-Lucie's Snowflakes
-Lucie's Birthday

Biblical education/holidays
1. Truth & Grace Memory Book Series, edited by Thomas K. Ascol (Founders Press)
2. Women of the Hebrew Bible by Miki Raver
3. Benjamin's Box by Melody Carlson (Easter)
4. Seeking the Christmas Lamb by Tamara J. Buchan (40 days of celebrating Christ's Sacrifice through the season)

Devotionals
1. Dear Princess by Mary M. Landis (Rod & Staff)
2. The Keepers at Home Series by Susan D. Zakula (Keepers of the Faith)
-The Joy of Womanhood
-The Joy of Obedience

Character Builders
1. The Kings Daughter and Other Stories for Girls by J.E. White (1910 edition)
2. The Exact Truth by Isabella Alden (Keepers of the Faith)
3. Princess in Calico (author unknown) Rod & Staff
4. Helen Lester by Isabella Alden (Keepers of the Faith)
5. Clean Hands & Circulating Decimals by Isabella Alden (Keepers of the Faith)
6. A Hedge Fence by Isabella Alden (Keepers of the Faith)
7. Aunt Jane's Hero by Elizabeth Prentiss (Calvary Press Publishing)
8. The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
9. Keepers of the Faith Character Builder Series (There are Many in this series)
-Cheerfulness
-Obedience
-Truthfulness

Biographies
1. Great Christian Hymn Writers by Jane Stuart Smith & Betty Carlson
2. Amy Carmichael by Janet & Geoff Benge
3. Childhood of Famous Americans (partial list)
-Laura Ingalls Wilder by Beatrice Gormley
-Betsy Ross by Ann Weil
-Martha Washington by Jean Brown Wagoner
-Abigail Adams by Jean Brown Wagoner
-Ronald Reagan
-Thomas A. Edison
4. Florence Nightingale by David R. Collins (The Sowers Series)
5. Hero's of the Faith Series
-D.L. Moody
-Ken Taylor
-Frederick Douglass
-Charles Spurgeon
-Fanny Crosby
-William & Catherine Booth
-Well With My Soul (Four dramatic stories of great hymn writers)
-Corrie Ten Boom
-Eric Liddell
-Gladys Aylward
-Sojourner Truth
6. Susanna Wesley by Sandy Dengler
7. George Washington The Christian by William J. Johnson (Christian Liberty Press)

Books About Christians or the Faith
1. David Robinson by Gregg & Deborah Shaw Lewis
2. The Life of J.E.B. Stuart by Mrs. M.L. Williamson (Christian Liberty Press)
3. The Life of Stonewall Jackson by Mrs. M.L. Williamson (Christian Liberty Press)
4. The Journal of John Wesley abridged by Christopher Idle
5. Anne Boleyn by Colin Hamer
6. The Tinker's Daughter by Wendy Lawton
7. Almost Home (based on the life of the Mayflowers Mary Chilton) by Wendy Lawton
8. The Dairyman's Daughter by Legh Richmond
9. Helen Keller (a dell young yearling) by Stewart and Polly Anne Graff
10. The Martyr of the Catacombs
11. Stepping Heavenward-One woman's journey to godliness by Mrs. E. Prentiss
12. Father to Nobody's Children (the life of Thomas J. Barnardo) by David E. Fessenden
13. Famous Women of the Reformed Church by James I. Good
14. The Letterbook of Eliza Lucas Pinckney(1739-1762)
15. Foxe Voices of the Martyrs 33 A.D. to Today

Books Especially for Young Ladies
1. Let Me Be a Woman by Elisabeth Elliot
2. Beautiful Girlhood by Mabel Hale
3. Preparing to be a Helpmeet by Sandi Queen
4. The Hope Chest: A Legacy of Love by Rebekah Wilson
5. What the Bible says about...Being a Girl from Pearables
6. So Much More by Anna Sofia Botkin & Elizabeth Botkin
7. Raising Maidens of Virtue by Stacy McDonald
8. How To Be a Lady by Harvey Newcomb
9. Young Lady's Guide to the Harmonious development of Christian Character by Harvey Newcomb
10. Handmaiden's of the Lord by Crystal Paine

Educational Books especially for Young Ladies
1. Keepers at Home A Handbook for Young Ladies (Keepers of the Faith)
2. Home Economics for Home Schoolers (ages 6 & up) From Pearables
3. Personal Help for Girls from Pearables
4. Training Our Daughters to be Keepers at Home by Mrs. Craig (Ann) Ward
5. Polished Cornerstones from Doorposts (the boys version is called Plants Grown Up)
Fiction
1. A Gathering of Days (a New England girl's journal, 1830-32)
2. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
3. The Quiet Little Woman A Christmas Story by Louisa May Alcott
4. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan
5. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
6. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
7. Anne of Green Gables 1-3
8. Heidi by Johanna Spyri
9. Little Women, Little Men, Jo's Boys by Louisa May Alcott
10. The Princess Adelina An ancient Christian tale of beauty and bravery by Julie Sutter
11. Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink
12. Pearl Maiden by H. Rider Haggard

DVD's
1. The Widow's Might
2. Pilgrim's Progress
3. Training Dominion Oriented Daughters
4. Still Standing The Stonewall Jackson Story
5. The Return of the Daughters
6. The Monstrous Regiment of Women (caution not for younger children, some graphic material)
7. A Journey Home
8. Inherit the Land
9. The Eden String Quartet

Book Reviews

I have three books I want to recommend. The first is called, The American Patriot's Almanac by William J. Bennett and John T.E. Cribb. It has daily readings on America. Each day of the year they tell what things have happened on that day over the years. They will highlight one event with a short article, then have a listing of days and more events at the bottom of the page. Such as, January 9, in 1776, Thomas Paine published Common Sense, it was a pamphlet that caused the colonies to long for independence. Other things that happened on that day: in 1788 Connecticut became the 5th state, in 1861 the Union merchant ship Star of the West is fired on in Charleston harbor as it attempts to resupply Fort Sumter, it was the first shots fired of the Civil War. My husband reads it to us at the beginning of our dinner meal. It is a lot of fun to see what has happened over the years each day.

Second, I want to recommend Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig Ph.D. I had heard it talked about for about 3 or 4 years and finally decided to pick it up when some friends of mine shared a recipe from it. I am so glad that I got it. It is so much more than a cook book. It tells you what your nutritional needs are and shows a lot of the misinformation that we are fed from nutritionists and the medical community as a whole. My eyes have been opened a lot. Did you know this about homogenization: "This is the process whereby the fat particles of cream are strained through tiny pores under great pressure. The resulting fat particles are so small that they stay in suspension rather than rise to the top of the milk. This makes the fat and choesterol more susceptible to rancidity and oxidation, and some research indicates that homogenized fats may contribute to heart disease."
The third book I am recommending, is brand new. It is called, For You They Signed by Marilyn Boyer. This is a book that tells the stories about all the signers of the Declaration of Independence. It can be used as a curriculum or just read through. How many of us even know who signed it, let alone their stories. Did you know that the day they signed the Declaration of Independence that they started that day with prayer and that they declared a fast for the whole continent? Did you know that the signers, started on the right hand side of the page and signed by state beginning with New Hampshire? These and a lot of other questions will be answered as you read this very important part of history. I look forward to reading this with my daughters.

A busy week

This has been a very busy week. I am just now getting around to uploading our photos. So we will have a montage here of our week.

Hannah and Alicia have been working on Election lapbooks all year and are just about finished with them. Most of the work left to do will come after the conventions and then finish up with the general election. They thoroughly enjoy learning this way.

Here is one of my favorite photos (it is almost two weeks old but I just had to put it on) Don't these young ladies have beautiful faces? God has truly blessed our family with these two young ladies.


Hannah and Alicia decided they wanted to start a book club with some friends, so here they are on Thursday going over the book and some questions they had regarding the first chapter.

Here is the first book they chose to talk through. It is an excellent book for young ladies.

Here are their friends Kylie and Stephanie (holding little Anna) as they are discussing their book.

The ladies were continuing with their dessert baking class this week. We were blessed with oatmeal/raisin cookies, Snickerdoodles and here Hannah is checking the temperature for the Almond Roca. When making candy the temperature must be just right or it won't set properly.

The temperature is almost right, but you must be patient! Hannah is doing a great job at being patient.

Alicia is reviewing the recipe to see what they need to do next. They have become quite proficient at reading and following recipes.

We had waaaaaaay toooooo much rain this week so we are not sure how our garden will fair. Most everything is turning yellow from too much rain. We keep praying that God will still bless our crops as we attempt to provide for the needs of our family.

We had a wonderful surprise on Tuesday with the appearance of our oldest daughter and her husband coming over for dinner. We had a great visit with them and look forward to many more visits.

We had a great week and look forward to tomorrow as we venture down to Yelm, Wa to visit my dad for Father's day.