Thursday, March 27, 2014

Love Quote and a Blog Hop

Welcome to my weekend blog hop -
Make My Saturday Sweet #75!

To make this hop successful, be sure to visit the last two
links before yours and leave a sweet comment. Also,
share this hop via Twitter, Facebook or Google+.

*********************

I wrote a post two years ago about a really interesting woman named Amy Carmichael who spent a big part of her life rescuing Indian girls from forced temple prostitution. The post is titled, Eye Color Conversation and it begins with a conversation about eye color between little Amanda and her big brother Jeremiah. (In the photo of the two of them, Jeremiah is wearing his blue school shirt, in case you were wondering about his fashion sense.)

Here is one of my favorite quotes from Amy Carmichael. I have a "Pin it" button in my right-hand sidebar if you would like to pin it to one of your Pinterest boards.


Linking with Friendship Friday

*********************

Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the two links before yours and leave them a comment to make their "Saturday Sweet"! It's really easy and a fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.

Now on to my blog hop...

Amanda’s Books and More

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.
All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to
link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Here are the easy rules:
  • Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
  • Link up your family friendly blog.
  • Please try to add my hop button on your linked post or on your side-bar.
  • Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
  • Visit at least the last two blogs before your link and leave a comment.
Blog Button Code:

Amanda’s Books and More

This is a blog hop!

Read More

Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Funny Cat Faces and More!

Welcome to my Picture Perfect
Party Linky #83!

You can link your family friendly
photo post below.


Here are pictures I took of our two
cats, Prince and Sheela. These
are those funnier moments.







***************************

I'm always taking photos and
that is why I started 1camera1mom.
Here's a peek at Part 2 of the drive
from Paarl to Worcester, South Africa.


***************************

Now on to my blog hop...

Amanda’s Books and More

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday
(with or without words) or any picture post
at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.
Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!


If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free
to link them on my Blog Hops page!


I would love for you to follow me on
and
Follow on Bloglovin

Here are the easy rules:
  • Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
  • Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
  • If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
  • Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

Amanda’s Books and More

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.



Read More

Friday, March 21, 2014

Maisy and the Missing Mice with Giveaway

About the Book

Maisy and the Missing Mice
The Maisy Files
Title: Maisy and the Missing Mice (The Maisy Files) | Author: Elizabeth Woodrum | Publication Date: September 24, 2013 | Publisher: Independent | Pages: 75 | Recommended Ages: 6 to 10


Summary: Maisy Sawyer is not your average fourth grade student. She is a detective with a special skill for solving mysteries. She loves black and white mystery movies, cherry lollipops, and her dog, Reesie. When a thief known as The Black Boot steals the school's mascots and her lollipops, Maisy sets out to solve the case. Can she help return the mice to their home in the science lab? Will she ever see her beloved lollipops again? Find out in the first book in The Maisy Files series.

Book Trailer




Purchase

Amazon | Createspace

* NOTE: Available for only 99 cents through Amazon. OR, you can receive 15% off the regular price of the print version of Maisy and the Missing Mice by visiting https://www.createspace.com/4368649 in the month of March and entering the code RXJN6DUZ upon checking out.


My Review




You might think this is an unusual photo for a book review, but there's a good reason why I have used it here. I've been reading Maisy and the Missing Mice to Amanda (who just turned 6 years old a couple of weeks ago). She is really enjoying the story, but sometimes she gets a bit fidgety. The last time I read to her, I decided to let her put her energy to use. I asked her to organize her activity drawer while I read to her. It worked out very well. I even asked her a question from the story just to check if she was following along and, sure enough, she was. I took this photo to show my readers.

Maisy and the Missing Mice is a fun story for kids who like mysteries. It's written in a lighter tone, so it won't give your child bad dreams. Even still, Amanda gets quite wound up, which is a sign that the story has enough suspense to keep one's attention. Some bits seem a bit over her head, but that's because she is at the youngest end of the recommended age group. The main character, Maisy, is a fourth grader. The author, Elizabeth Woodrum, also includes big words. I like that she isn't dumbing down the story and that there is a stretch for the kids to reach a little higher.

Elizabeth brings intelligence and humor to this fun story. I highly recommend Maisy and the Missing Mice to kids ages 6 to 11.


The Buzz

"Woodrum certainly knows her target audience and does a very nice job with the character development of Maisy. This is an incredibly kid-friendly story that makes a great introduction to the genre of mystery for newly independent readers. It's a quick page turning read that encourages kids to think outside of the box." ~ The Children's Book Review

"My name is Kat. I am 9 years old. I would rate this a five because I like everything about it, the mystery the most. It was fun to read. My favorite part was the mystery and the end. I love this book so much. I think other kids would love it too because it has mystery and most kids would like mystery books. Most mystery books have a good mystery. I would love to read the whole series." ~ 5 Star Review, Heather A., Amazon

"I knew I would love this book simply because I knew it would remind me of the mystery books I read in my childhood. I really love how much trust the teachers and community as a whole put in Maisy. She is well deserving of their admiration as the way she finds clues and finds the mascot for the school is well thought out. This is a story any child would love to read. I hope Maisy continues to solve mysteries..." ~ 5 Star Review, Josh, Amazon

About the Author:
Elizabeth Woodrum

Elizabeth Woodrum
Elizabeth Woodrum

Elizabeth Woodrum is an elementary teacher in Ohio. She came to love writing when she was in elementary school, but more recently began writing material for use in her classroom. From that writing, grew the desire to write books for the general population of children and adults alike. The Maisy Files, a children's series, is the first series that she has published. The series currently has one book, Maisy and the Missing Mice. Elizabeth plans to add more books to the series, and would also like to publish books for adults in the future.

As a reader, Elizabeth prefers the fantasy genre, but she enjoys realistic fiction as well. Some of her favorite authors include JK Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Rick Riordan, Veronica Roth, Suzanne Collins, and Nicholas Sparks. Originally from Indiana, Elizabeth currently resides near Dayton, Ohio with her two pets: a cat named Butterscotch and a dog named Reese Cup.

Book Website | Author Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest


* $25 Book Blast Giveaway *

Amazon 25 gift card

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)

Contest ends: April 18, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Elizabeth Woodrum and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.



MDBR Book Promotion Services

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this book for my honest review. All my opinions are my own and you can find them under My Review.
Read More

Thursday, March 20, 2014

I'm Done with School, But...

Welcome to my weekend blog hop -
Make My Saturday Sweet #74!

To make this hop successful, be sure to visit the last two
links before yours and leave them a sweet comment. Also,
share about this hop via Twitter, Facebook or Google+.

Today I'm combining two
Friday link party prompts.


Friendship Friday
Today's Theme:

Anything Goes

and

Finish the Sentence Friday
"I'm done with school, but..."

...I keep on learning. In fact, I think learning is more fun away from the typical sitting-at-a-desk-in-a-classroom environment. I learn better trying it for myself. And, the information can't be static, but must be relevant to my life now.

I'm a self-taught blogger, for example. I'm also a self-taught cook, baker, and no, I'm not a candle-stick maker, although I have made a few candles in the past. I've tried a lot of things. Some things I enjoy more than others. Some things I'm quite good at and some things are best left to others. I have traveled to over 40 countries and have lived on 3 continents. Stuff like that you have to experience for yourself.

It's interesting that this was the sentence to finish this week, because two weeks ago, I was talking to a class of 4th graders about the value of learning and how learning doesn't only happen in the classroom. I read to them a few stories and gave them a neat quote and a couple of Bible verses. (You are still allowed to talk about God, the Bible and Christianity in many of the schools in South Africa, thankfully. In fact, this was their religion or Bible period.) The Chinese Proverb was "Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere." I gave them a quick English lesson to remind them how to know when to use "its" and when to use "it's." Then I went on to ask them what their treasures were. I followed it up with these Bible verses: Matt. 6:21, Prov 7:1-4 and Is. 50:4&5.


Go ahead and grab my Chinese proverb above and pin it on your pinterest board. I know you want to. I even have a "Pin it" button in my sidebar to make it easier.


*********************

Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the two links before yours and leave them a comment to make their "Saturday Sweet"! It's really easy and a fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.


Now on to my blog hop...

Amanda’s Books and More

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.
All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to
link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Here are the easy rules:
  • Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
  • Link up your family friendly blog.
  • Please try to add my hop button on your linked post or on your side-bar.
  • Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
  • Visit at least the last two blogs before your link and leave a comment.
Blog Button Code:

Amanda’s Books and More

This is a blog hop!

Read More

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Cats, Concerts and More!

Welcome to my Picture Perfect
Party Linky #82!

You can link your family friendly
photo post below.


I'm going to try and keep my words to a minimum today,
but I can never really go "wordless."

Our Cats, Prince and Sheela





***************************

My Daughters, Samantha and Jessica

The girls were in a ballet concert on Friday night. The music and story was from Alice in Wonderland. Samantha was the cat and Jessica was the caterpillar.

Samantha is wearing the pink tutu.

Jessica is in the black, white and gold leotard.

***************************

I'm always taking photos and that is why I started 1camera1mom. I needed a place to share them! Today's series is called "On the Road" and it's the drive from Paarl to Worcester, South Africa.

You should pop on over and visit to see the stunning scenery of the region where we live. Here's a peek at my latest post.


***************************

Now on to my blog hop...

Amanda’s Books and More

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday
(with or without words) or any picture post
at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.
Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!


If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free
to link them on my Blog Hops page!


I would love for you to follow me on
and
Follow on Bloglovin

Here are the easy rules:
  • Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
  • Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
  • If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
  • Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

Amanda’s Books and More

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.


Read More

Friday, March 14, 2014

My Favorite Decade and More!

Welcome to my weekend blog hop -
Make My Saturday Sweet #73!

To make this hop successful, be sure to visit the last two
links before yours and leave them a sweet comment. Also,
share about this hop via Twitter, Facebook or Google+.

Today I'm combining two
Friday link party prompts.

I was a dork in the '80s

Friendship Friday
Today's Theme:

Anything Goes

and

Finish the Sentence Friday
"My favorite decade was..."

...the '80s. I know, a lot of people will probably say the same thing. The '80s had some great hits like "Tainted Love", "Uptown Girl", "99 Red Balloons" (I knew the original from Germany and heard it more times in German than in English), "Nine to Five" and more. The '80s had no fashion sense and neither did I. I was a dork in the '80s. Plus, I love lots of bold colors and the '80s had them!


*********************

Who loves reading clean fantasy novels? My friend Heidi Lyn Burke is giving her two eBooks away for free on the 15th and 16th of March. All she wants in return is for you to tell people about her books and / or give a review. I've done a review for the first book and I'm still going to do a review for the second one. You can read my neat review and awesome author interview here!



The Ordinary Knight and
The Invisible Princess
on Amazon



The Dragon's Curse
on Amazon



To find out more, visit Heidi's blog at Typative Mama Cat.



*********************

Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the two links before yours and leave them a comment to make their "Saturday Sweet"! It's really easy and a fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.


Now on to my blog hop...

Amanda’s Books and More

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.
All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to
link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Here are the easy rules:
  • Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
  • Link up your family friendly blog.
  • Please try to add my hop button on your linked post or on your side-bar.
  • Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
  • Visit at least the last two blogs before your link and leave a comment.
Blog Button Code:

Amanda’s Books and More

This is a blog hop!


Read More

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Amanda's Creative Activities and More!

Welcome to my Picture Perfect
Party Linky #81!

You can link your family friendly
photo post below.


Amanda has been very creative these past few days.

On Friday, she came home with her art from Kindergarten. I wanted to share one of the pictures, because she drew her Oma (my grandmother, her great-grandmother) as well as me with herself in the middle. She explained that the grumpy face that she gave herself was an attempt to try something different, instead of always drawing the same smiley faces on everyone. As you can see, I have an open mouth. What I thought was particularly sweet about the drawing is that her Oma has perfect curls framing her face and Amanda is reaching out her hands to both of us.


Click on the images
to view them larger.

Amanda's Art:
Oma, Amanda and Me

On the weekend she built her first tall tower of blocks (Planx). Her grandpa (my father-in-law) bought the Planx years ago for her older siblings who all had fun building tall structures and other things with them.

Amanda's Tall Tower

Yesterday Amanda played with the Geomag magnets that my step-dad gave the kids some years ago. She created a decoration for her head and a necklace. She had Fun Gym that day where she does introductory rhythmic gymnastics and hence the little outfit.

Amanda's Magnet Creations

Yesterday she also designed a necklace and matching bracelet with my beads. I gave her some advice, but I left her to it and she did most of the patterns and counting out the beads on her own. I added length to the bracelet and necklace, but otherwise left it as she had it.

I loved the colors that she chose. I was also impressed that she didn't mess up with the counting and that everything was evenly spaced. She doesn't normally have that long of an attention span. I did all the stringing for her as well as the more difficult beginning and ending bits with the crimps, jump rings, clasps and extension chains. We are selling our Alli Flair jewelry at our local farmer's / craft market, by word of mouth, and on Etsy.

Amanda's Matching Bracelet and Necklace

If you are interested in this set, you can send me an email at morleychristina (at) gmail (dot) com. Or else, leave me a comment with your email address below. It's perfect for a young lady (a pre-teen or teenager) or someone who is petite.

***************************

We went to Jason's Hill for Valentine's Day where we did some wine tasting. The wines are produced by one of South Africa's pioneer woman winemakers and she's winning awards for her wines! Here's a peek at my latest post.

Jason's Hill Private Cellar

***************************

Now on to my blog hop...

Amanda’s Books and More

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday
(with or without words) or any picture post
at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.
Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!


If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free
to link them on my Blog Hops page!


I would love for you to follow me on
and
Follow on Bloglovin

Here are the easy rules:
  • Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
  • Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
  • If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
  • Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

Amanda’s Books and More

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.


Read More

Monday, March 10, 2014

Good Night, Animal World with Giveaway!

Good Night Animal World Blog Tour - Button Final
Good Night, Animal World
Blog Tour: March 10 - 23

About the Book

Good Night Animal World by Giselle Shardlow
Good Night, Animal World
Title: Good Night, Animal World: A Kids Yoga Bedtime Story | Author: Giselle Shardlow | Illustrator: Emily Gedzyk | Publication Date: September 20, 2013 | Publisher: Company: Kids Yoga Stories LLC | Pages: 32 | Recommended Ages: 2.5 to 6 years

Summary: Say good night to the animals of the world! Calm your mind and body before bedtime by taking a journey around the world with this kids yoga storybook. Join six Kids Yoga Stories characters as you perch like a bald eagle, crouch like a tiger, and curl up like a sloth. The book includes a list of Kids Yoga Poses and a Parent Guide with tips on creating a successful bedtime experience. Learn something new, explore movement, and unwind together before bedtime!
AmazonGoodreads


My Review

My daughter, Amanda, and I enjoyed reading Good Night, Animal World together, because it was interactive and the pictures were bright and cheerful. Amanda liked following the simple exercises most of all. Her favorite ones were the Moon Salute with the Red Panda, the Child's Pose with the Short-Beaked Echidna, and the Cobbler's Pose with the Monarch Butterfly.

It's a great idea to have down time before bed time and this book really helps with that. This is one of those bed-time books that can be repeated over several nights a week and still be enjoyed. It's a good way to get your child to unwind and prepare for sleep.

I liked how the book begins by introducing children that are from around the world. And, I liked how the exercises were listed at the end of the story for easy reference. There is also a concise Parent Guide to assist parents in making the experience for their families as rewarding as possible. Since I'm a novice when it comes to Yoga, I wasn't sure how slowly I should have Amanda do the exercises. I think it would help to suggest that the child counts to 30 slowly while holding a pose, or something like that.

Overall, parents must not be in a rush to get through the bed-time routine. They are responsible for creating an environment that will help their children unwind or not. Even I have to remind myself to slow down. The tips in the Parent Guide help with this.


The Buzz

"This book has been so amazing for my 2.5 year old daughter! The illustrations are adorable! She is always so rambunctious at bedtime and this lets her get out some of that excess energy. She loves the book so much that this has been one we read every night. It helps my daughter fall asleep faster which means more time for mom in the evenings." ~ 5 Star Review, cwalt047, Amazon

"Another GREAT book!! I used this book for my kids yoga classes for ages 2-5 years old. After a very active yoga class, we read this book and did the yoga poses before the resting portion of the class. My little yogis loved the pictures and saying Good Night to all of the animals one by one. I played a calming song with some animal noises in the background and we were then able to quiet our minds and bodies for the pose of rest. I think this will become a regular pre-resting story for my classes with this age group. My 5 year old son loves to read this book again and again too! Keep the great books coming!" ~ 5 Star Review, Stacy Daniels - Kids Yoga Teacher, Amazon

"What a delightful book to get young children reading and moving in a wind-down, calming story about saying goodnight to the animals of the world. I am a k-12 Reading Certified teacher who blogs about parenting at The Educator's Spin On It. I am big fan of literacy activities that combine movement and geography in a loving parent / child interaction experience and Good night, Animal World does just that. This book would be a great addition to your book shelf." ~ 5 Star Review, Amanda at The Educators' Spin On It, Amazon

About the Author:
Giselle Shardlow

Giselle Shardlow from Kids Yoga Stories
Giselle Shardlow
Giselle Shardlow is the author of Kids Yoga Stories. Her yoga-inspired children’s books get children moving, learning, and having fun. Giselle draws from her experiences as a teacher, traveler, yogi, and mom to write the stories found at www.kidsyogastories.com or on Amazon (amazon.com/author/giselleshardlow) worldwide.

Book Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Google+


Note: Great news! There is a coupon code available that will provide a discount of 20% off the current sale prices on ALL of the Kids Yoga Stories books. Grab the code here!

To apply the coupon code, you simply enter "marchtour" before you checkout and you will receive 20% off the cart value. The coupon expires on 04/01/14. Note that the 20% off will be on top of the current sale prices.

Good Night, Animal World Blog Tour Schedule (2014)

March 10
March 11
March 12
March 13
March 14
March 15
March 16
March 17
March 18
March 19
March 20
March 21
March 22
March 23

* $25 Blog Tour Giveaway *

Amazon 25 gift card

Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)

Contest ends: April 8, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Giselle Shardlow and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.



MDBR Book Promotion Services

Disclaimer: I was given a free digital copy of this book for my honest review. The opinions are my own and you can find them under My Review.
Read More

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