As I was sorting through the enormous amount of books we have in our ‘classroom’, I found a book I had forgotten I had.  Not sure how I acquired it but it is very interesting.  The book is called Curious Customsby Tad Tuleja.

This book contains stories behind 296 popular American rituals.  For example, have you ever wondered why we blow out candles on birthday cakes or throw rice at weddings?  This book will explain all the rituals we do without really knowing the meaning behind them.

Have you ever wondered why we cross our fingers to wish someone luck, to avoid bad luck or when we are saying something untrue and don’t want to held accountable for it?  We always say, ‘keep your fingers crossed’ or ‘that didn’t count, my fingers were crossed’.  Well it all started with Desmond Morris and his colleagues and it was called the ‘cryptic version’ of the cross.  This was a way for Christians to display their beliefs without attracting the attention of pagan eyes.  It was only after its origins were obscured by longstanding repetition did the crossing of the fingers, turn into a social gesture performed by Christians and non-Christians.

How about the term, ‘going dutch’?  This term to us means sharing in the expenses of a social engagement.  In the late 19th century, there were Dutch lunches and Dutch suppers that were more like our potlucks of today.  Everyone contributed to these meals bringing a covered dish of their liking to share.  But linking of the Dutch with things that shouldn’t be done and particularly cheapness and shams dates back to the 17th century.  At that time the Dutch and the English were mercantile and military rivals.  At that time a ‘Dutch bargain’ was an uneven or one-sided deal and ‘Dutch widow’ was the slang word for harlot.  So in essence to split expenses with a femal was to behave, according to the cavaliers of the mother country, like those suspicious folks from across the Channel.

This is a very interesting book and one we will use in our home schooling curriculum this year.  It contains facts that one would not normally think about when it comes to our customs.  Another great find amongst the enormous amount of books I have acquired through out the years.  If you are able to obtain a copy of this book, please do, you won’t be disappointed.

The Chronicles continue…..

My family and I had the pleasure of tasting Country Bob’s All Purpose Sauce.  They could not wait to get into the the box, when our postman dropped it off.

Our family loves to cook and experiment with sauces, so this was the perfect fit.  They dipped chips in the sauce and it was yummy!!  My girls dipped their chicken strips in it and loved it!!  Being a vegetarian myself, I had to try it with my tofu and it was delicious.

It is definitely an all purpose sauce!!

My hubby used it to marinade his steak before grilling and they loved it! I can’t say a bad thing about this sauce.  The ingredients are all natural and the taste is out of this world.  It has a tangy taste and then a nice little bite when it goes down your throat.  It is perfect!!

Be sure to visit Country Bob’s site and view his other products as well.  The brochure that came enclosed with the sauce had some fabulous recipes and there are more on the site.

There are fund raising opportunities, so it is perfect for your church group or kid’s school or group.

You can order easily online or view the different retail locations where you can purchase this delicious sauce.

You can also sign-up for their newsletter and receive a coupon for a FREE bottle of this wonderful sauce.

You won’t be disappointed!  We loved it and are definitely going to order more!

Organic cleaners seem to all be the same, so when I saw these cleaners I had to try them for myself. Having 5 children and 3 dogs, I am always looking for cleaners and air fresheners, but not just any cleaners, the kind I use are organic or I make my own.

Healthy Home Products BabyGanics Floor Concentrate - 16 oz did a fantastic job on my floors.  It is safe for any type floors including wood floors, like we have.  There was no need to scrub very hard because the cleaning solution was powerful, yet non-toxic.  This one definitely passed my test.

Healthy Home Products BabyGanics Tub & Tile Cleaner - 32 oz. Unscented cleaner was great; no toxic fumes and an excellent cleaner.  Too many times, I have felt dizzy and nausea from the toxic fumes of bathroom cleaners, but not this one.  This particular cleaner had a lavender scent and did the job well.

Healthy Home Products BabyGanics All Purpose Cleaner - 32 oz. Lavender this cleaner was my ultimate favorite.  I like using all purpose cleaners, especially in my kitchen.  It was safe to use on my tile counters, my glass stove top, my wooden cabinet doors and even my stainless steel refrigerator.  Definitely one that I will use more often in my home.

I was very pleased with these cleaners and have decided to keep them in my home and continue to have them available in my home.

The company Healthy Home, has made a commitment to ensure a bright future for our families, loved ones, pets and our environment. They are a member of the Organic Trade Association as well. Please try these products today, you will not be disappointed.

How exciting it was to receive this wonderful package in the mail.  My kids were waiting in anticipation for the arrival of Nana Star and Moonman.

These books are wonderfully written by two sisters named Ellizabeth Sills and Elena Patrices who also happen to be the publishers and all-around creative-junkie entrepreneurs.  The characters were created by their grandmother and brought to life by them with vibrant and colorful picture books and huggable character plushies.

Each book contains vintage-inspired illustrations and old fashioned values and also come with storytime CD with sing-along songs.  And my children truly enjoyed the sing-along songs.

These products were a pleasure to review.  Being a home school mom of 5, I am always looking for quality books that promote positive values and these books certainly do that.  The plushies and CD were added incentives that my little ones enjoyed and my little guy actually loves Moonman, his new little friend.

The books were very easy to read and the pictures were vibrant to catch your little one’s attention as well as the engaging story lines.   Nana Star’s journey is to return the lost baby star to his home in the heavens and will be introducing many new special friends in the near future.

The company called Laugh Friendly is actually holding a contest where they will give away to packages that include the book and a plushie, one to keep for yourself and one to donate to a children’s hospital, day care center, etc of your choice.  More details can be found at http://www.laughfriendly.com/blaph but hurry because the contest ends on July 7th.

These books were a pleasure to read and feel honored to have been able to preview them with my children.

To learn more about these wonderful products go to Nana Star.

The Chronicles continue…..

Today’s society is different from the one I was raised in. But, we can still teach our girls morals, values and God’s way.

With the amount of exposure that our girls have to Un-Godly ways ever increasing it is up to us to guide them in the right direction.

A great friend and Godly woman by the name of Alyssa Avant has developed a packet that will help with wonderful tips to encourage our girls to say, ‘No’. Alyssa Avant is a Christian author, blogger, podcaster, speaker and business owner who’s desire is to turn the hearts of girls toward God. It is evident from all her works that she is making a great impact on our youth.

To help in encouraging our girls to live up to God’s standards and feel good about the decisions they make in their lives, be sure to check out, ‘Seven Easy Tips: Encouraging Your Daughter to Say “No”

Be sure to click on the graphic above and learn more about the different ways we can teach our girls to make the correct decisions and help them to encourage their friends as well.

Thanks, Alyssa, for making a such a wonderful and valuable packet, that no mom should live without.

The Chronicles continue…

With a family of 7 like ours we are always on the run.  I am always concerned about the foods that they eat and try to make sure they are as healthy as possible.  It’s not easy to find healthy foods that are quick to make and that kids will enjoy eating.

On my quest to find easy to make healthy foods that kids would love, I found a great company called Full Tank Foods .  This company was developed by Dr. Whitney Anderson, a pediatrician and her husband.  Their goal was to develop quick, easy healthy foods that kids would actually enjoy eating.  More importantly parents would love them because they were made with organic products and vitamins.  The products also needed to taste good to attract little ones.  So, I decided to put them to the test with my children.

Today we received our Full Tank Food Products via DHL.  They are delivered frozen and in very colorful packages.  We received macaroni and cheese, pizza fondue, pasta & red sauce and cheesy mashed potatoes in a pocket sandwiches.  The products are microwavable for quick meals, so of course that passed my test.  The products are all made from organic products and are excellent sources of Vitamin A and C another positive on my side.  But of course the true judges were my children.

I am happy to report that they LOVED the products. Not only were they easy to prepare, but of course the products passed my picky-eaters test.  The best part was that they were eating healthy and didn’t know that the foods were filled with vitamins as well.  I am very pleased with these wonderful products and hope that you will give them a try as well.

Be sure to visit Full Tank Foods today and get your products delivered to your home or find a local health food store that may carry them too.  There is a list of shops on their website that carry these wonderful products and a list of stores that will soon be carrying them as well.

Thank you to Full Tank Foods, for allowing my family to test your wonderful and delicious products, we will certainly be purchasing these products and keeping a full stock in our freezer.

The Chronicles continue….

Now that school is out, what will you do? What will your children do?

I very dear friend, Aurelia Williams, a Real Life Mastermind has put together a wonderful package to help with your teens this summer.

This package contains a teleseminar with 4 experts giving you ideas on how to focuse on positive things with your teens this summer.

We all know how difficult it can be for teens and during the summer it is more difficult.

Learn positive ways to keep your teen active this summer.

Learn how to help your teen find a job or even start their own business.

Help your teen prepare for college, and help them advance in their education.

Learn ways to stay close with your teens in this incredible package.

Click on the button below for more information.

Enjoy!

The Chronicles continue….