The Nativity Story App!

Posted on November 30, 2013 by Kristin

Since we are now really starting the Christmas season I wanted to share with you a fun new app available for kids to tell the nativity story!

I love finding new ways to teach the kids about the true meaning of Christmas. I downloaded this app onto my phone and one of the features that I loved was that it has a “Read to Me” and “Read by Myself” button. So the younger kids can just sit and listen to the story play if they don’t have someone to read it to them!

The story is filled with music and vintage pictures. It was made to feel like a pop-up-book and it really does a good job at that! There are spots in each scene that are interactive as well.

Karlena (who is almost 3) got a little button happy while she was watching it and so for a younger child to fully experience the story, an older child or adult should help with making the pages turn etc. But she loved that the screen changed and the music that played in the background.

One of her favorite parts was that she could touch the picture of the “horsey” – which was really the donkey and make it move and make sounds. 🙂

What a perfect app to have on the go to remind your younger children about the real meaning of Christmas!

About the app :: Aimed for kids ages 2-8, The Nativity Story app brings the Christmas story alive. Where will baby Jesus be born? At the market? At a restaurant? At the inn? Readers of this book app can follow Joseph and Mary on their search for a place to stay in Bethlehem. Along the way they encounter a variety of colourful local people and animals. This is a fun and engaging way to share the original story of Christmas with the young generation and remind them what Christmas is all about.

Download here :: The Nativity Story – Popup Deluxe Edition for the iPad ($3.99) or The Nativity Story – Popup Mini Edition for the iPhone ($1.99)

FlyBy Promotions offered me this app to download for free for my honest review of the product. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own!

O The Blood….

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Kristin

“O The Blood”

This song has been playing over and over in my car and at work….

Earlier this week our oldest son learned that a young man from the town we used to live in was killed in a tragic auto accident. One that was completely avoidable but because of the carelessness of the other driver, 2 families lives may forever be changed.

It is so sad and so senseless.

It is in times like these that I want to understand the “whys” – want to see something positive in the situation.

And often times there isn’t an answer right away.

Maybe this accident, this loss, will bring some teenagers from the community to Christ.

Maybe it will bring the driver who caused it to a relationship with Christ.

We just can’t know – I can hope because at least there is something positive…

It is at times like this that the best we can do I think is cling to the promises.

This life is NOT the end.

Because of the blood of Christ, shed for us, a young life lost isn’t lost forever.

There is hope and power and grace in the blood.

Can you even comprehend that even in our darkest moments of sin – Christ chose to sacrifice His life for us so that this would not be the end of the story.

Praise God for that.

Please pray for the family of Peter Auch – may God cover them in His peace today.

Just in case the video doesn’t embed like it is supposed to here is a link to the song I was talking about!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC59rgmcu34.

Impact Opportunity – Sponsor a Family!!

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Kristin

I know that I said I was only going to do 1 Impact Opportunity each month – but I have very good reason for doing this now! 🙂

Christmas is FAST approaching. With Thanksgiving next week stores have already begun posting their Black Friday sales, and their Black Friday Pre-sales and of course there is Small Business Saturday (which I love by the way) and Cyber Monday.

Plenty of opportunity to shop and get some great deals in the coming weeks.

I really like shopping for Christmas presents. I often help my mother-in-law pick out the gifts for our kids. She loves it because she doesn’t have to get out and try to pick something out and we both know the kids will love what they get! Win win.

But for some families this time of year is especially tough. All the ads on TV and in the paper can be a reminder of what they can’t do. Maybe it is a single mother doing her best to just work to pay the bills. Or a single income family with small children that struggle to keep food on the table, much less by the “extras” of Christmas.

There are so many families out there in need. Many of them in our own community.

And it can be easy to push that out of our minds. Yes maybe we buy a gift for the Angel Tree, or Toy for Tots…all great organizations and doing so much for others. Hear me on this – giving in that area IS important and so appreciated.

But this year I really had to ask myself if we were doing enough?

For the past several years we have sponsored a family in our local community. For us we just started by asking at our church if the staff knew of a family that was going to be struggling that Christmas.

I am guessing if you ask you will find there is a need.

Last year we set a budget, one that honestly was a little “safe”. I am not condemning that, just saying that this year it was put on my heart that maybe we needed to trust God and really give.

Dominic and I recently went to Virginia for a little vacation. A first for us really. We spent $700 on plane tickets at at least $300 on food etc….Just on us. It wasn’t a trip of necessity (although much appreciated), it was a splurge because we have been blessed this year.

On our flight home I got the email from our church secretary with the “wish list” for the family I had asked about this year. At the bottom of the list they wrote this...”This is our list but just know that you don’t have to get any of the items on here, we will be thankful to receive whatever God puts in your hearts. Our family is forever grateful for this blessing.”

That hit me like a ton of bricks.

We have so so much. It is embarrassing really. When I look around my house and see the used toys and thrown away food…..compared to so many we are rich and yet we always want more.

I shared the message with Dominic and he felt the same way. We started talking about what items we should get on the list and he said “Let’s just get them all!”

I get goosebumps even thinking about it! I was so excited!!

If we can spend $1000+ on a vacation, we needed to give and give big. This was our opportunity to pay forward all the blessings God has showered on us.

And added bonus, I got to do what I love and start shopping!!

The Fed Ex and UPS men must wonder what is going on with the stream of packages they have delivered this week. The kids have had fun seeing what is coming and asking who it is for. And we get to show them that we can be a blessing because of God’s provisions.

Please understand this – I don’t want us to take ANY of the credit here!! This is ALL GOD. He made it possible for us to give big this year and I am just getting the pleasure of enjoying this process myself. I am giddy over the packages that are coming as well. Knowing that these gifts may be appreciated more than the gifts our own kids will get, just makes me smile.

I know some of you may be struggling yourself this year. Maybe you are that family in need. If so, I encourage you to reach out to your local church. There just may be someone hoping to find a family to sponsor as well.

And if you are walking in the land of plenty right now I am going to challenge you too. Look at what makes you “comfortable” and pray about God helping you get a little uncomfortable. I guarantee it will be worth it and He gets the glory!!

And with all these amazing sales coming up next week – now is the time to get shopping!! 🙂

I’ve Created a Little Monster

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Kristin

Ok monster is a little harsh I know but I was having a hard time coming up with another title. 😉

She is so adorable isn’t she?

Karlena is a sweet and sassy almost 3 year old and she has been such a blessing to our family.

When she was a baby she slept really well early on. For some who don’t know, the first 6 months of her life Dominic and I lived in different states. He was here in MN for a new job and I was back at our old home with the kids until we sold out house.

I was nursing at the time and so during the week when Dominic wasn’t there I just let her co-sleep with me. She would wake to eat and we would both fall asleep right away. I can fall asleep FAST and so this worked really well for both of us.

When we all moved back together we transitioned her into a crib with little difficulty. She would even go in the crib awake and put herself to sleep. When it came time to give her a “big-girl” bed, that too went amazingly well.

Now fast forward to about 6-8 months ago. I don’t remember the exact date but I do know Karlena got really sick for a couple of days. She had a really high fever and I didn’t want her to be alone….besides she was waking up every 1/2 hour and crying…so I went and slept in her twin bed with her.

And so it began….

A couple of nights like this during her sickness and it became a routine for her. She, like all our boys at this age, like to have someone else in their room with them.

So now, sometime between midnight and 4am, she inevitabily wake up crying out “mama”…..

I have tried just going in her room and rubbing her back until she sleeps again….but fights it, she wants me to lie down, and if I do she and I can be back to sleep in like 28 seconds.

So in the interest of maximizing my already limited sleep, I don’t fight it and just sleep with her every night at some point. I know…I KNOW!

Please don’t judge….I probably get less than 6 hrs of sleep most nights so every moment is precious to me. But now I can’t break the cycle either.

I tried letting her cry one night and after 20 minutes I caved.

I figure that in a few years she won’t want to be around me much less have me in her room…..I know this is short term. But it isn’t ideal either.

So I am just curious if there are any other parents out there that have had this “problem” and what worked for you to change the pattern….or did you just ride it out??

And please be gentle….I know this isn’t one of my most proud parenting moments!! 🙂

Coming Home for Christmas – Review and Giveaway!!

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Kristin

UPDATE!! Congratulations Joyce you are the winner of your very own copy of Coming Home for Christmas! I will be contacting you for your address and Flyby Promotions will be sending you your copy! 🙂

I LOVE Christmas. It is my favorite holiday. It is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ and reflect on what a gift we have been given through God’s son. And then the decorating…oh how i LOVE the decorating!

But for some Christmas can be a difficult time – especially if there is a family strain in the mix. Christmas time wasn’t always a time of celebration for our family. When Dominic and I were struggling in our marriage we weren’t the most fun to be around. I know that there were times our extended family “tolerated” us because we were related – not because we radiated love and kindness. 🙂

Thankfully things are different these days and our families enjoy spending time together. Christmas has become a time when we do return home. My brother and sister and I all live in different states with our families, and Christmas is the one time of year that we know we can all be together again at our parent’s home. We have a traditional Christmas dinner and watch the kids tear through the presents. It is always a wonderful time and I am so grateful for all God did in our families to restore what once was broken relationships!

“Coming Home for Christmas” is a movie about two sisters, who have a strained relationship and haven’t spoken for 5 years, that come together to try and help save their parent’s struggling marriage. They seek the help of the new owner of their old family home so that they can surprise their parents with a old time family Christmas.

I don’t want to give all the twists and turns away in the movie but I will say that this is a clean and wholesome movie, and acceptable for the entire family. It can be hard to find quality movies available so I really appreciate that I was able to watch this with the kids present!

To see the official movie trailer – watch it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI5OSK0BAzw

If you want to purchase a copy for yourself they can be found at Walmart but I am also giving away 1 copy for one of my readers!! To enter just leave a comment sharing your favorite Christmas movie. Additional entries given for sharing this post on FB and Twitter. Just come back and leave a comment for each entry!

Please make sure you include your email address as well so I can contact you if you are the winner!

Giveaway ends Tuesday November 26th and is open to those in the US and Canada!

Disclosure: I received an email from Flyby Promotions with an offer to review a free copy of Coming Home for Christmas and one for giveaway in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own but I will only be sharing products here that I truly love and believe in!