Praises of a Wife and Mommy

In this full-color picture book,  Let’s Go Explore     Egypt  , young readers travel to the holy land of Egypt. Complete with photographs, maps, vocabulary call-outs, fun facts, and more, this is the perfect resource for the young explorer. Read about the Biblical significance and history of Israel as well as current and curious information about foods, clothes, places of interest, and other pertinent facts of interest. In this full-color picture book,  Let’s Go Explore Galilee , young readers travel to the holy land of Galilee. Complete with photographs, maps, vocabulary call-outs, fun facts, and more, this is the perfect resource for the young explorer. Read about the Biblical significance and history of Israel as well as current and curious information about foods, clothes, places of interest, and other pertinent facts of interest In this full-color picture book,  Israel  (part of the Let’s Go Explore series), young readers travel to the holy land of Israel. Comp

Book Description: The Bible is God’s Word to his people, so it has some important things to say! But let’s be honest … it can also be sort of puzzling. Now you can get relief for your confused cranium. Here’s how: Pick up this book, based on the NIV translation. Look up your questions. Learn about heaven, earth, angels, sin, creation, and more. Understand what the creator of the universe---your creator---is saying to you! My Review: A big thank-you to Zondervan for sending me this book for free in exchange for an honest review.  I was no paid for this review and all opinions are 100% mine. I was excited to recieve this book because I thought it would be a fun addition to add to our Children's church service.    The first thing I did was check what the book said about the holy spirit.   I was a bit sad because it was very vague and as much as I understand each and every denominiation looks at the Holy Spirit a little bit different the answers for Holy Spirit were d

SUMMER MEANS ICE CREAM!!!  Summer of 2014 will be the summer of the ice cream tour!   We made Friday's our ice cream day and had our taste buds doing a happy dance every Friday... or was that the kids reminding us it was ice cream day?  :)  Click each link to read more about our tour!  This is the order of the tour not our favorites!   1.  Ju Jube   2.  Big Dave and Holly's  3.  Culver's  4.  Peachwave 5.  Briqs 6.  Nelson's  7.  Country Style 8.  Happy Joe's 9.  Dairy Queen   10.  Maggie Moo's  11.  Cold Stone 12.  Whitey's Have an ice cream place we should try?   Email me your suggestions with location: praisesofawifeandmommy@gmail.com

Moms are becoming much more aware of products they purchase for their kids and this trend is expected to increase dramatically. Parents looking for an alternative to sugary drinks finally have healthier options!  PURE HEALTH NATURALLY Fruit Juices!  With only 80 calories per serving, and using pure cane sugar and stevia leaf to sweeten the juice, these juices contain the quality you expect from Pure Health Naturally! Acai Blueberry :   Enjoy the Brazilian beauty berry!  Acai Blueberry blends the rich flavor of the exotic Amazonian acai berry with the bold, delicious taste of blueberries and a burst of sweetness from grapes and pineapple.  Pome Berries:    Savor the flavor of pomegranate superfruit!  Pome Berries blends the lush, hearty flavor of pomegranates with the tantalizing, delicious taste of mixed berries and a tasty, bright burst of grapes and pineapple.  Goji Cranberry:    Meet the happy berry!  Goji Cranberry blends the sweet tangy flavor of the Asian

I am going to say it right away, Whitey's was my favorite place so far in the 2014 Ice Cream Tour!  We actually ate here about a 2 weeks ago and all I can think about is going back and getting a "Boston!"   The kiddo's got ice cream cones in a dish- again my son got a chocolate ice cream while my daughter got a strawberry sherbet.  The real crowd pleaser is Whitey's "Boston" which is a shake with a sundae on top. You might scratch your head and think no way but when you combine the flavors we did your mouth will be watering to try it!    Our "Boston"  starts with a peanut butter shake (yes, still on the peanut butter kick) on the shake is a scoop of Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream and then on that is peanut butter drizzle!  (Please never ever tell me how many calories are in one... I would run for an hour to eat one though!  Yes, they are that good)     Yum, Yum, Yum- WE LOVE ICE CREAM!     Whitey'

Go big or go home!   Cold Stone brings back some dating memories for my husband and I.   We would buy the take home quart of the Strawberry Rendezvous which is strawberry ice cream with bananas, white chocolate chips, and graham crackers.   It is one flavor that we both agree on and love!  So we get a pretty good deal upgrading to the quart and on some occasions not many cause we are pigs with ice cream we could put it in the freezer and have more for later. Cold Stone has always been a crowd pleaser for me...even if I get the regular instead of trying something new.      This is our 11th ice cream place and we have had 2 happy kiddos at each place... would you expect anything else, it's ice cream!  Two things I have noticed about my children with this ice cream tour:  1. my son wants chocolate-anything chocolate!   2. My daughter is more adventurous and wants to try every flavor before making a decision.   Most cases she picks something fruity or bright color

My little girl is not so little any more!   This almost 7 year old is in first grade, she is reading, doing her homework on the bus, and about to loose her two front teeth!  She enjoys playing with her brother, pink, Frozen, singing, church, playing with hair, and playing outside.   She always shows JOY and she always knows when to pray for others.   I know she loves school and she loves getting older but I am having a hard time seeing her grow up and mature so quickly.   Yes, this will be one of those mushy gooshy mom posts.   I write these posts because I know one day she will enjoy reading about my thoughts and hearing me SAY I LOVE YOU SELAH!!   We walked into her school to meet her teacher and immediately I wanted to run away and say no summer can't be over yet.   I need more time with my daughter!  Yet, my fear and selfishness was put to the wayside when I saw her excitement to meet her teacher and to go back to school.  You see I only want to protect you from t

We had our town celebration a few weeks ago and our church offered free face painting, free water, and free bracelet making!   It was a easy and fun way to bless the people around us and meet some new people.  I am so proud of my church family for serving our community with LOVE!    We had a few people sitting and painting faces all day!!!   GOOD JOB TEAM!  I saw so many happy kids with amazing art work on their faces!

  Monster's are the theme in my room this year as it coincides with Class Dojo for behavior modification.   Class Dojo is fun so far with one full week of school done.    The "Be" wall was very important to me this year since I work with students with behavioral issues and self esteem problems.    This is a great way to encourage them that they can BE any of these qualities.   I hope to add even more throughout the year!  

School has started for me and my daughter!   I think many of you know I am a teacher so getting back into a routine can have it's challenges for this mamma.  I also just found out that I have low iron so I am trying to find many new ways to increase my iron but also my energy levels.   Chia seeds is a great way to help increase energy without icky junk in your body.    Healthy Back to School tips from Salba Chia: ·           Eat a nutritious breakfast every day.  Studies show that breakfast eaters tend to have higher school attendance, less tardiness, overall higher test scores and better concentration, according to EatRight.org. Try delicious breakfast ideas at  www.salbasmart.com . ·           Pack rainbow-colored lunches:  Cut up a mix of   red, green, yellow, orange and purple fruits and veggies to dip into hummus mixed with chia seeds for an extra boost of nutrients. ·           Power up with a healthy snack before after-school activities:  Make fiber-rich Sa

Summer is not over yet!   Keep using the grill and keep finding those fun recipes to use!   If you are still searching for a good recipe then look here   www.crosseandblackwell.com/ recipes .   Thanks Crosse & Blackwell for sending me the Major Grey's Chutney and the Shrimp Cocktail sauce.  I am a huge fan of learning how to cook something new and since I never ever eat or cook shrimp I thought this would open the door and opportunity for me to try it.   Sadly, I still have not tried it.   After going to the store several times I have some how managed to leave without shrimp.   It is not my normal routine to buy it and I somehow forgot all about the neat sauce I have at home with the great recipe book that you all can get in the link above!   So what is your favorite sauce to use in cooking?  Are you a shrimp lover?   What is the easiest way to cook them?   Beyond the shrimp sauce the Major Grey's Chutney is a great fruit spread.  Here is the ingredient li

I know it has been awhile since I posted a fun project that I have done with the kids.  SORRY!   We really have had some fun this summer but it has been difficult to post them because we have been so busy!   At Christmas my daughter got a little set for tie-dye and we made three different types of shirts!   They turned out great and the kids had fun spraying their shirts.   SUPER CUTE if you ask me!  :)   I want to do it again because it is simple and fun! 

Yes, you can sneak in daddy time even with random house chores.   Daddy had to take a break from mowing to get some gas so the kiddos took a little ride with daddy.   

It's Back to School Time! Germs will be all over so it's time to review hand washing and sneezing in our arms with the kiddos.  Make sure you also enter the giveaway at the bottom to win Anti Bacterial Wipes and Cold Putty from Microbes.   Common Cold Primordial Putty contains one collectible GIANTmicrobes ®  figure packaged in orange putty, and comes with a label with an image and information about the microbe it represents! The following characters are now available for GIANTmicrobes ®  Primordial Putty: Anthrax, Black Death, Ebola and Flesh Eating. Which are joined by our latest set: Amoeba, Chickenpox, Common Cold and Mad Cow. Collect them all! Keeping your hands clean is the best way to stay healthy! I enjoy using these wipes on my tables and chairs and light switches to erase the germs around.   My kids thought the cold putty was strange looking but it was a good item to pair with when talking germs and colds.  I am hoping to find some g

Maggie Moo's is a fun shop with bright colors and much to catch kids eyes and attention.   I had never heard of Maggie Moo's until moving to Iowa so it was a mystery as to what it truly was until going inside.   I would compare Maggie Moo's to Coldstone as they use a stone and mix in toppings like them.     The ice cream choices looked good but the colors looked much brighter.   I did not ask about artificial colors but I'm going to assume they are using some...or a lot!   I was not impressed with the flavors and overall.  I have visited Maggie Moo's two times but both times left unsatisfied.   

I grew up eating Dairy Queen.   My mom got me hooked on the Health blizzards as those were my mom's favorites!  The Dairy Queen we went to was in our Mall and it was National Ice Cream Day!  :) I actually changed it up and had a Peanut Butter Cup pie blizzard...keeping it peanut butter still!  :)   I enjoyed it but I kinda missed the Health!  I will always enjoy Dairy Queen because of my childhood memories.  

Product Description The Ozeri WeightMaster 400 lbs Digital Bath Scale with BMI and Weight Differential Detection was designed and engineered in the USA to provide a comprehensive yet simple weight management solution to measure and track your weight. Featuring BMI Measurement and Auto Recognition Technology, the Ozeri WeightMaster weighs up to 400 lbs and displays your BMI (Body Mass Index), a measure of your body fat based on your height and weight. Immediately after displaying your weight and BMI, the scale's Weight Differential Detection displays your "net weight change" from your last weigh-in (L1), the average of your last 3 weigh-ins (L3), and last 7 weigh-ins (L7). By measuring your weight once a day, the Ozeri WeightMaster empowers you to see how your current weight changes day to day, from the last 3 days, and over the previous week. For users who would rather just focus on their weight trend without worrying so much about the actual numbers, the Weigh

Ephesians 6:10-18  (NIV) The Armor of God 10  Finally, be strong in the Lord  and in his mighty power.   11  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.   12  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,  but against the rulers, against the authorities,  against the powers  of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13  Therefore put on the full armor of God,  so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.   14  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist,  with the breastplate of righteousness in place,   15  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.   16  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith,  with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.   17  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,  which is