Giveaway and Reviews: Books for Moms

Made to Crave – Satisfying your deepest desire with God, not food – Lysa Terkeurst

Trying to loose weight and find a deeper relationship with God. Lysa shares her personal journey through weight loss and how she managed to change her thinking and started on a deeper relationship with God. She got more than she ever imagined.

Break the cycle and feel good about yourself, stop agonizing over numbers on the scale, replace rationalizations that lead to failure with wisdom that leads to victory and reach your healthy goals.

Find more information at http://madetocrave.org/

Cravings - Desiring God in the midst of motherhood – Carey C. Bailey

A cute cupcake that holds 40 cards for moms to reach for daily. Each card has a scripture for the day and small devotion. Includes tips too.

Instead of reaching for a cupcake to eat, reach for a cupcake and feed your soul. Over a month’s worth devotions in ways to serve the spiritual needs of moms.

Find out more about Carey on her Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/CravingsOnline

Growing Great Kids - Partner with God to cultivate His purpose in your child’s life – Kate Battistelli

Written by the mother Francesca Battistelli the contemporary singer-songwriter.

Teach your children how to dream God’s big dream, value of humility and integrity, how to interpret God’s seasons in your child’s life and the power of a parent’s words.

The end of each chapter has questions and a prayer to help lead you.

For more information visit http://www.katebattistelli.com.

One Thousand Gifts – A dare to live fully right where you are - Ann Voskamp

A practical guide to living a life of joy. Discover ways to opening your eyes to gratitude, a way of living, and a way of becoming present to God’s presence that brings deep and lasting happiness.  This book will change the way you see your world and find ways to be thankful for the things that God has given you daily.

Find the life you always wanted by finding God’s gifts.  

Find more information and check out the FREE app at http://onethousandgifts.com/

Different Dream Parenting – A practical guide to raising a child with special needs – Jolene Philo

Find biblical insights and practical resources to strengthen you in your walk with God and equip you for the journey.

Provides tools wit help you work through situations. Ways to advocate for your child, dealing with hospital stays, insurance, juggling schedules and dealing with grief.

Each chapter has a prayer, resource list and questions. Plus current resources available like hospitals, government agencies, schools and prayer guides. 

More information can be found at http://www.differentdream.com/

Raising a Soul Surfer – One’s Family’s epic tale – Cheri Hamilton

A story about the Hamilton family long before the shark attack. This book will take you on a journey along with the Hamilton’s and see how God gave them a bigger purpose in life than they imagined.

Witness the shark attack form a parent’s perspective and be inspired by how they relied on God through the tragedy.  Find out how Cheri felt going back to the same area her daughter was attacked, the re-entry of Bethany’s surfing and the non-profit organization that helps shark-attack survivors.

Mother’s will learn how to make it through unexpected events that involve their children.

Read more about Bethany here. http://www.soulsurfer.com/connect.html?gclid=CL77h63i7q8CFaVdTAod_zcnrQ

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This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. The giveaway ends Tuesday, May 15 at 9am (CST). Winner will be randomly selected. Winner will be notified by email.

Only one entry per person. Creative Parenting is not responsible for lost or misplaced prizes.

Disclosure:  I received a copy of each book for review purposes. 

Keeping a Baby Book

I never realized how important it is to keep a baby book until I had to answer questions at a doctor’s office for my second child. When you think about baby books it’s usually just something you think is a simple gift for a new mommy however it is so much more. It’s a great place to store memories of you and your baby. A place to keep memorabilia and journal what your baby was doing each month.

My middle child has been down a rough road since he was about 3 1/2. I started to notice something different in the way he acted in comparison to other children his age. I spoke with many people to find out what I could do to help him. He is now almost 6 and after all those years the baby book helped me answer so many questions about him. If I hadn’t kept information together for him since birth I would’ve had a harder time helping him.

Each doctor I took him to would ask questions about his development and when he learned how to walk, talk and a thousand of other questions. Over all I think I’ve had to fill out 10 to 15 packet’s just about his development. If I hadn’t had the baby book I don’t know how I would’ve been able to do it.

It’s super important to keep a baby book for your child. It can be full of funny things they did and happy memories of walking, talking and crawling around. It’s also a great resource if you ever have to go through doctor visits for your child. I hope you never do but I know this is one thing that helped me so much and I hope that it will help someone else too.

Enjoy your baby and take pictures often of the wonderful memories they share each day. They grow so quickly and in a blink of an eye they are gone off to college. It’s hard to imagine now but I promise they will be big before you know it.

Recipe: Homemade Pizza

Homemade pizza is so easy to make, very cheap and super yummy. It only takes about 15 minutes to prepare and about another 15 to cook it.

My family loves homemade pizza and my 5 year old loves to help make it. We have so much fun putting the toppings on and rolling out the dough. It a great recipe to get the kids involved. 

Ingredients:

Pizza sauce

Pizza crust (envelopes)

Water

Flour

Cookie sheet

Toppings -  (your choice)

Cheese (cheddar, mozzarella or your favorites)

Pepperoni or Canadian bacon

Olives

Pineapple

Tomatoes

Peppers

Directions:

Make crust according to package. If dough is to sticky add flour. If it’s to dry add more water.

Spread crust out on cookie sheet using your hands. If a hole shows up spread around the dough a little to close it up. Poke holes with fork all over dough. 

Bake according to directions.

Take out of oven and add toppings. Pizza sauce, everything else and then top with cheese. 

Cook according to package or until lightly brown and cheese is melted.

Craft: Making your Own Constellations

This is one project that is sure to please any little person who loves to look at the stars and loves space.

Making constellations can be super fun. All you need is a push pin and paper and your on your way.

Here is my post on MetroFamily Magazine with all the instructions.

My son had so much fun making his. He did the one on the very top of this post.

12 Ways to Play with Baby

Peek-a-boo – Babies have fun playing peek-a-boo. It’s a great way to start showing them that you can be gone for a second or two but you show back up.

Patty Cake – Great for hand coordination. Teaches babies to clap and roll hands.

This Little Piggy – Fun for babies to get a good tickle and learn about their toes and feet. Helps them realize they have them.

Heads and Shoulders – This is one of those songs that helps them learn about the different parts of their bodies. Head, shoulders, knees and toes. Eyes and ears and mouth and nose.

Tickle – A good tickle is fun for both parents and baby. However when they start to get a little sad it’s a good time to stop.

Mirror Time – It’s fun to stand them up in front of a mirror so they can see themselves. A hand mirror is good too. When they realize it's someone it's so cute.

Vowel Time – Making vowel sounds slowly while your baby is watching your mouth is good for them to learn how to start talking and also shows them how the mouth moves.

Tummy Time – Teaches crawling and rolling. Put toys just a little out of reach for them to try to get. Help them roll over by positioning the arm so it won’t get caught and push them over just a little bit to help them learn to roll. Babies also get tummy time from being on top of your chest. Lay down on the floor or back in a chair and let your baby lay on you.

Grabbing Toys – Hang a toy just right over their head so they have to reach for it or if they are sitting put it right in front of them so they can grab it. Good to do for practice on balance when they are learning to sit up.

Reading – This one is so important. Babies can learn so much from books. Find books on the alphabet, numbers, animals, body parts and so many other wonderful things. Use  books they can chew on. Plastic bath books or board books work the best for little hands.

Where is Thumbkin – This is one of those songs you learn when your little and it’s fun for babies. They have to figure out where you're fingers go and when they are coming back.

Ball – Get different kinds of balls so that the baby can feel the different textures. There are so many balls on the market and they are great for sensory games.

Teaching Your Children Who They Are in Christ

As a parent I really get sad when my children feel worthless. I have spent quite a bit of my life feeling the same way until about 10 years ago when I started working at a Christian radio station and I started learning about whom I am and what I had to offer the world around me.

The other day my 12 year old son got upset and we talked about what made him sad. He shared that he felt, he was never good enough. My heart hurt when I heard him say this. I know that feeling all to well and I never want my kids to feel that way. I decided that day that I would start to teach my children who they are in Christ.

It is so important for everyone to know child or adult who God says you are to him. The world is full of mean and imperfect people. Almost everyday you are going to find someone who is going to do something to get you started on the roller coaster ride and make you feel worthless. It doesn’t take much to make you feel bad about yourself. One wrong word and you go on the ride.

I want my children to be armed with truth, so when those times come up they can think about the wonderful things about them.

I decided I would make some cards with the following verses on them for my sons when they feel overwhelmed with unworthiness and right special notes on the mirror for them to remember who they are to me and to God.

Here are some of the scriptures I used. 

I am the apple of his eye.

Zech. 2:8 – For this is what the LORD Almighty says: “After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye--

I am worth dying for.

John 3:16 – For God so loves the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  

I am written on his hands.

Isaiah 49:16 - See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

I am God’s workmanship.

Eph. 2:10 - For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

I am God’s child.

John 1:12 - Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

I am complete in Christ.

Col. 2:10 - and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

I am never forgotten.

Isaiah 49:15 - "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!

I am always with God.

Deut. 31:6 – Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you no forsake you.

I am blessed.

Eph. 1:3 - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.

I am important.

Luke 12:7 - Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

When it’s hard to figure out what is from God and what is not, here is a great way to measure it.

When the Good SHEPHERD speaks to His own, He never uses words of despair, hopelessness, frustration, defeat, discouragement, fear, confusion, or failure. Instead He gives His sheep words of HOPE, rest, VICTORY, peace, power, JOY, triumph, and LOVE. - Roy Lessin

Craft: Bird Nest Supplies

 

This craft is for the birds. This will supply them with things they need to make a nest. A craft that even the little ones can do.

Supplies:

Onion or orange bag

Scrapes of paper

Scrapes of fabric

Grass

Flowers

Little Sticks

Yarn

String 

  

Directions:

Put together a bag full of the different supplies and mix it up. Tie the bag shut and hang from a tree. The birds will come and take what they need to make a bird nest. 

  Happy National Bird Day!