Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Catching Up!

Whew!  Did I get lost or what?  The winner of the last book was, Laura!!!  This is obviously super exciting to me knowing that it's going to be read to my beautiful nieces!

I've finally got all the envelopes for sending out the books and hopefully you winners will be receiving yours soon!

Yesterday, in between rain showers, I snapped a few pictures of my sweet hearts.  As I was posting them to facebook I figured it must be time for another family update!  I can't BELIEVE how much they have all grown since I took their pictures in the spring.

I promise to be around here soon catching up on what's happening with our family!

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Book #8


This is our final book.  This was also the first book we ever checked out of the library.  We walked in, got our library cards and walked out with one, solitary book.  It was Aesop's Fables~ Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.


We all fell madly in love.  The girls begged for story after story.  The pictures were so vivid and beautiful and the fables were so clear in getting their point across that my girls could tell me the moral of the story almost every time without being told.



Havilah's particular favorite was "The Stag and His Reflection".  This could be  due to the fact that I was in a rather silly mood while reading it.  For days someone would randomly burst out in their silliest voice, " But my LEGS!!!  How THIN and UGLY they look!  I'm embarrassed to be SEEN!".



This book is missing it's cover, but other than that it is in perfect condition.  There are 61 fables in this book!  Your children (or grandchildren, nieces, nephews......) are sure to love this one for many, many years!

Leave a comment and I will draw a winner soon!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Trying to breathe (and a winner!!!)


Gasp.... I'm here..... Barely...... I think...... Maybe.......

I feel like I've been gasping for air for weeks now.  I'm a HOME BODY and this past month has been one thing after another, and another, and another, and another (I'm beginning to hyperventilate again....).

The last two days have been spent at home.  I took one step outside my door just to get some meat from our shop freezer and that's it!  It has been heavenly.  Plus it's been raining.  Which makes me about the happiest woman alive.


Sorry for my tardiness in wrapping up this give away.  I've got one more book coming up soon and yes, I do believe I saved the best for last!

I'm excited to be around more and get in some real blogging.  I've missed it.  I've missed all of you.

Now to the news.... Winner #7 is...... Amy Lynn!!!  Please e-mail me at graceisblessedbygod@gmail.com with your address and I'll be mailing these books out soon!  (By the way,  I miss you Amy Lynn!!!)

Cant wait to see more of you all in the weeks to come!!!

Friday, October 19, 2012

Book #7


The next book I'm giving away was another one I grew up with.  "James Herriot's Treasury For Children" recounts some of the sweetest stories from this country veterinarian.  The stories are fun and interesting for children and some still make me tear up to this day, in a good way!

 
This copy looks like it lived at our house.  Many of our books carry the same chew marks on the corner.
 
 

Other than the corner, the book is in great shape.  Every page is filled with gorgeous pictures that help the stories come alive.  Whoever gets this one is getting a good one!

 
To enter, just leave a comment!!!

Winner #6

The winner of "Baby Island" is........  Kimberlee S. !!!

Please e-mail me at graceisblessedbygod@gmail.com with address!!!

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Book #6

The next book I'm giving away is "Baby Island".  This book was my Mom's favorite when she was a little girl.  It proceeded to be a favorite of mine and is now a favorite of my own girls.

It's a short fiction novel about two young girls who are shipwrecked with four babies.  I mean, come on.  What young girl doesn't dream of being shipwrecked with four babies???  It is a sweet adventure story filled with surviving on clams and bananas and has been great as a read aloud.

 
I'm not sure that I could recommend this as a "boy's story" but young girls are sure to love it!
 
Leave a comment quickly!  I'll be drawing a winner first thing in the morning!

Winner #5

The winner of "The Story of Ferdinand" is....... Alysun!!!

I hope you and your kiddos enjoy this one as much as we do!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Winner #4



The winner of "Little House in the Big Woods" is........ "Mama" Sarah!

Please e-mail me at graceisblessedbygod@gmail.com with your address and I'll send it to you soon!
You can still enter for Book #5 and more books will be coming soon!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Book #5



I know I haven't drawn a winner for Book #4 yet (still time to enter that one!) but I thought I would get this one out for some entries too!

The Story of Ferdinand was one of the first books we got from the library and it was an instant favorite! 


The illustrations are very simple and black and white, but they are packed with expression and the girls were so amused to watch what happened to the sweet little bull.  If you ask Ella she will tell you, all Ferdinand wants to do is sit under the tree and smell the flowers.

When I ordered this book to give away I had to order an extra copy for our family as we all loved it!



Leave a comment and you'll be entered to win!

Book #4


I love the "Little House Books".  But of them all, my stand out favorite is without a doubt, "Little House in the Big Woods".  The story is so simple and sweet and that even my littlest girls enjoyed reading it aloud.

 
This book is in almost perfect condition.
 
 
Leave a comment if you want it!!!

Monday, October 15, 2012

Winner #3 and a word from our sponsers...


The winner of "Are You My Mother" is Jill!!!  No need to send me your address, Jill!  I'll just bring it to you at church!





Friday, October 12, 2012

Book #3


This next book holds a special place in my heart.  Back when I had only one darling little girl, my precious Lydia loved this book more than any other.  I would read it to her over and over and over every single day.

 
It's a sweet story and even after reading it several hundred times I still enjoy it!
This copy is in nearly perfect condition!
 
 
Leave a comment and it may be yours!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Winner #2



Winner of "First Thousand Words" is........ RachelD!!!

I hope you enjoy this book with your kiddos Rachel!  Please e-mail me your address at graceisblessedbygod@gmail.com and I will send it out to you!

Monday, October 8, 2012

Book #2


Today's book is Usborne's First Thousand Words in English.  This is not exactly a read aloud book, but it sure has kept my girls interested for hours! 

 
With 1,000 pictures they have to identify and find it is fun for my big girls (7 and 5) all the way down to Ella at 2. 

 
This copy is slightly scuffed, but the pages are perfect.
 

The best part about this book is that you can also get it in Spanish, French, Japanese and MANY other languages so once your children master all these words in English just get them started on something else!

Once again, just leave a comment and you'll be entered into the drawing!  I'll draw a winner....... sometime.......

Winner #1 is......



Got that?  Congratulations Danielle!  Please contact me at graceisblessedbygod@gmail.com so I can get your book out to you!

Watch out for the next book coming your way!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Ready, Set...... Giveaway!!!!



A few months back our family discovered a wonderful thing.  It's called...... The Library!!!

I feel almost ashamed to admit that my children had never set foot in a library before that glorious day.  You should have seen my two voracious readers as we walked through the doors and their eyes beheld the abundance of books that our small Falls City library had to offer. 

Lydia says, " I never imagined that such a small library could hold so many books.  Now it makes me wonder what a huge library like Dallas (Ha! We're talking Dallas, OR here, not Texas!) could possibly hold.  Probably millions of books!".

This has been the spark that has started Lydia and Bethany down the path of loving to read rather than just "reading well".


Bethany has turned into an A+ book reader.  She is amazing at getting into the story and adding all sorts of excitement and intrigue.  She was into a cliff-hanging tale about Curious George yesterday while I was on the computer and I found my self having to turn around and hear the rest of the story.  I couldn't bear the suspense!

Lydia is fascinated with what she calls "learning" books.  She's come home with books about birds, textures, frogs and noses.  I don't think there is anything as exciting as watching your child love to learn! 

Havilah is dying to learn to read now!

Because we have been having so much fun at the library and because I discovered thriftbooks.com, I thought it would be fun to do a giveaway of some of our favorite read aloud books. 

Over the next couple of weeks I'll be throwing out a book here and a book there.  All you have to do is leave a comment and I will draw a winner after a couple of days.  These books are all used, but are still in great condition!

Let's start out with one that is not only a fun story but works in some great math too!


My parents have this book and I remember reading it to my sisters growing up.  My girls call it the "Grandma book".  It's a short fun story about dividing up the batch of cookies amongst the ever increasing crowd of friends.


The book is slightly bent but still in great shape!

Leave a comment an I'll choose a winner on Monday!

Monday, October 1, 2012

Baby #4


She's here!  Our fourth precious cousin was born on September 20.  We adore our sweet Ava Alivia!






Andrew, Hannah and Baby Ava stayed at our house this past weekend and it was SUCH fun getting in snuggles, kisses and a photo shoot with the newest member of the family!

It's hard to believe that all the cousins have been born!  What a tremendous few months it has been as we have welcomed these four new precious lives into our extended family.  Tirzah, Jonathan, Micah and Ava, already I can't imagine life without you!  Auntie Grace loves you all sooooooo much!!!