Eurodam (Holland America) Cruise Review Photobook

I just realized that I never blogged about the cruise we took this past February! I also just realized that I had a Blurb Groupon that was about to expire. So, I combined the two, "quickly" made a photobook and did this post! Enjoy! (Click on the link below if you'd like to view a larger version)

MS Eurodam Holland America by February 4 - 12, 2011 | Make Your Own Book

Emma's Age 10 Interview

And last, but certainly not least, here's Emma's Age 10 interview...


How old are you now Emma? 10
What grade are you in? 4
What's your favourite thing about school? being with friends, with my friends
What's your favourite subject? writing
Who's your teacher? Miss Buffie, no that's not how she spells it, it's Ms Buffie.
Do you like school? I LOVE school! It's so educational :)
What's your favourite color? light blue
What’s your favourite drink? 7-up
What's your favourite food? cottage cheese perogies
What’s your favourite game? playing babysitter for pretend
What’s your favourite treat? going to sleepovers - that's a treat for me because I don't get to very often
What's your favourite snack? carrots dipped in peanut butter
What's your favourite restaurant? Famous Dave's in Fargo - I like the ribs
What's your favourite place? my room or Disney World
What's your favourite toy? my doll Mikenna
What's your favourite book? The Frog Princess because the Princess' name is Emma, because the book is interesting
What's your favourite sport? hockey
What's your favourite movie? I haven't seen it yet, but it looks really good, does that count? Monte Carlo
What's your favourite TV show? Full House and Wizards of Waverly Place
Who is your favourite celebrity? Selena Gomez
What's your favourite thing to do? hang out with my friends
What's your favourite thing to wear? shorts and a t-shirt
Who are some of your best friends? Emily, Madison H, Michelle D, Arrielle, Nyiah and Elora
Who's your favourite person? Other than God? Other than family? Elora
What is your favourite song? Who Says by Selena Gomez
What's one of the best things you've done with your family? Go to Disney World together and going to the States
What do you like best about Disney World? the rides and the pool at the house
What do you like best about going to the States? shopping and swimming

Sophia's Age 8 Interview

Continuing on with the "birthday" interviews. Here is Sophia's 8th Yr Interview....


How old are you now Sophia? I'm 8
What grade are you in? 2
Who's your teacher? Miss Mauws
What's your favourite thing about school? um, I get to be with my friends
What's your favourite subject? computers and gym
Do you like school? ummm, ehhhh
What's your favourite color? hmmm, fuschia
What’s your favourite drink? uhhh, strawberry lemonade
What's your favourite food? perogies!
What’s your favourite game? playing pre-school for pretend
What’s your favourite treat? candy
What's your favourite snack? cookies, double chocolate chip cookies
What's your favourite restaurant? Famous Dave's in Fargo - ribs!
What's your favourite place? Ruckers!
What's your favourite toy? DS
What's your favourite book? Nancy Drew
What's your favourite sport? Is dance a sport? If dance is not a sport, then hockey
What's your favourite movie? Annie and Little House on the Prairie
What's your favourite TV show? Full House
Who's your favourite celebrity? Selena Gomez
What's your favourite thing to do? paint my nails
What's your favourite thing to wear? my skinny jeans and my white and pink striped t-shirt with a necklace
Who are some of your best friends? Emily, Marie, Madison, Phoebe, Dilyn, Emma, Ashley, Hannah, Danielle, Karina, that's about it
Who's your favourite person? Me!
What is your favourite song? Our Song by Taylor Swift and Who Says by Selena Gomez
What's one of the best things you've done with your family? Go to Disney World
What's your favourite thing about Disney World? going on the rides and the nice house
What's your favourite ride at Disney World? Mom, what's that roller coaster called that we always went on in the Magic Kingdom? MOM! (giggling) Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (giggling) Don't put that on!
What's your favourite store? Claire's!!

Olivia's Age 6 Interview

I got this idea from a friend's blog and thought it was a great idea. Even though it's not their birthdays, I'm doing it now anyway. I'd like to do it every year and put it in their photobooks. You know, if I ever get around to making their photobooks.

So, here's Olivia's interview!

How old are you now Olivia? 6
What grade are you in? What grade am I in? Kindergarten
What's your favourite thing about school? recess
What's your favourite thing you do in school not during recess? inside recess
How about not including inside recess? printing, drawing pictures actually
Do you like school? no, maybe, yes
What's your favorite color? favourite colour's fuschia and purple
What’s your favorite drink? drink? I'll have to think about that one for a moment, mom. Mom, you know those cans downstairs? I like all of those. So you can't write them all. (orange crush, grape crush, Dr. Pepper, I think that's it)
What's your favorite food? perogies and cheese
What’s your favorite game? game? I'll have to think about that one too. Do puzzles!
What’s your favorite treat? My favourite treat is, think about it. Chocolate bars! Kit Kat and, mom, you know that one that umm, is that, sounds kind of like oreo, the one that you eat it and it looks like bubbles inside? What's it called? Aero!
What's your favorite snack? favourite snack? Jell-o
What's your favorite restaurant? can I do 3 favourites? Hannah's?! Montana's! Boston Pizza and Tim Horton's
What's your favorite place? My favourite place is visiting my cousins in Alberta
What's your favorite toy? toy, my favourite toy is, hmmm, think about it. My dolls.
What's your favorite book? My favourite book is, think about it. Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?
What's your favorite sport? hockey, soccer, ummm, that's it
What's your favorite movie? My favourite movie is the one that's coming out - Cars 2!
What's your favorite TV show? TV show, my favourite TV show is L'il Lulu
What's your favorite thing to do? do puzzles, that's my favourite game!
What's your favorite thing to wear? dress
Who are some of your best friends? Amber, uh, Liv and Arwen
Who's your favorite person? Amber, I mean me!
What is your favorite song? Song? God Save our Gracious Queen, I like that one.
What's one of the best things you've done with your family? be around them (gives Mom a hug) That's my most favourite part with my family. Having my dad's birthday, mom's, Emma's, Soph's, Jay's. Is that the last question? Going to restaurants.
Not Disney World? Disney World!
What's your favourite thing about Disney World? My favourite thing about Disney World is the rides.
What's your favourite ride? My favourite ride is the Peter Pan one and Mountain Thunder Railroad? Was it called that one? Mom, you know that one where you go very fast? Big Thunder Mountain Railroad.

My husband rocks!

Repeat of a previous post, to honour my husband for Father's Day - and as an entry into a contest at Time-Warp Wife.

Those of you who know me on Facebook are already familiar with me bragging on my husband and then ending with "My husband rocks!". I have also blogged about a great company, Union28, that celebrates marriage and communicates this message positively in fun and stylish ways (also where I got that catch-phrase).

And my husband does rock! To be perfectly honest, I think he is a better husband than I am a wife. Here are just a few of the rockin' things he does for me and our kids.

He works very hard to support me and the children so that I can be a stay at home mom.

He is also blessed to work as his own boss, so he is able to determine his own work hours and he has made it a priority to be home at a decent time so that we are able to eat dinner together as a family virtually every evening, despite our rather busy schedule.

He is always thinking of me and trying to do things to make life easier for me. He does 99% of our grocery shopping, as well as most of our trips to Costco and Walmart - and he always asks me which of the kids I want him to take with him, so I can have a break while he's gone. He virtually never goes anywhere without taking one or all 4 kids with him.

He makes breakfast for the kids every Sunday morning so I don't have to get up earlier in order to get ready for church on time. He also makes breakfast for the kids on the Saturdays that he's home so that I can sleep in.

He reads Bible stories to the kids and prays with them every evening. If he has hockey in the evening, he usually makes sure to still do this before he leaves.

Before bed, he often takes the time to just chat with the kids, or tease them, or tell them made up stories (they love this!).

He takes the kids out for one on one dates.

If he's not going to come home for lunch on a workday, he phones me to see how my day is going.

He compliments me on my looks.... a lot!

He makes it a priority for us to go on dates regularly.

He initiates us reading devotions and praying together before bed.

My husband rocks!

Book Review: Branded by Tim Sinclair

About the Book: The church spends $1.5 million for every one new follower of Jesus. Apple sells 26 iPads every minute. What is it that makes Apple so exciting and Jesus so boring? What is it that compels someone to bring their iPod everywhere and their Bible nowhere? In a word: marketing. Jesus is a life-changing product with lousy salespeople-people who are intimidated and embarrassed by the word "evangelism" and who show more enthusiasm for their gadgets than their God.

What would life look like if we stopped mass-marketing Jesus and started marketing our faith like Nike and Apple market their products--sharing relationally, from person to person? Using examples from these and other successful companies, author Tim Sinclair challenges Christians to throw out their casual attitudes toward faith and sign on for a marketing campaign for the Savior.

Written with the wit and wisdom of an experienced marketer, Branded peels away the feelings of fear and encourages readers how to share their faith in ways that are honest, authentic, and, most importantly, effective.

My Thoughts: This book was challenging and convicting. Though often it was simply a reminder of things Christians ought to know already, there's nothing wrong with a good reminder now and again, especially on a topic of such vital importance.

A true Christian will not want to keep their faith to themselves. When you truly believe in something, you want to share that with those around you - whether it's the latest technological gadget, a book or your faith. Obviously those are all very different things, but the principal is the same.

It can, however, be difficult to "market" Jesus to a world that doesn't think there's a need for Him.

And, unfortunately, often the worst deterrent to Christianity is Christians themselves. Either people are claiming a title they don't actually believe, or they've portrayed Christianity as a magic pill to solve all your problems. Jesus is not a genie in a bottle, and claiming He is is a lie. We're over-promising and under-delivering.

It's true that it's impossible to over-promise what God can do. But it definitely possible to over-promise what God will do.

From the book....
God is a healing God. But that doesn't mean He's going to heal you.

God is a giving God. But that doesn't mean He's going to pad your bank account.

God is a loving God. But that doesn't mean He's going to take away all your problems....

Giving people the impression that God will heal you, make you rich, or make your life easier when you become a Christian isn't just over-promising, it's lying. And it's a lie with eternal implications....

God doesn't promise health and wealth. Christians do.

We're lying. And our lies aren't attracting people to Christ; they're pushing people away.

As Christians, we are supposed to be known and recognized by our love. And we need to remember that when we are open, honest, real and raw - we're authentic, believable and relatable.


Thank you to Stephanie and Amy from Litfuse Publicity for organizing this tour and providing me with my complimentary review copy.

Book Review: My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren

About the Book: Unknown to her tiny town of Deep Haven, Isadora Presley spends her nights as Miss Foolish Heart, the star host of a syndicated talk radio show. Millions tune in to hear her advice on dating and falling in love, unaware that she’s never really done either. Issy’s ratings soar when it seems she’s falling in love on-air with a caller. A caller she doesn’t realize lives right next door.

Caleb Knight served a tour of duty in Iraq and paid a steep price. The last thing he wants is pity, so he hides his disability and moves to Deep Haven to land his dream job as the high school football coach. When his beautiful neighbor catches his eye, in a moment of desperation he seeks advice from My Foolish Heart, the show that airs before his favorite sports broadcast.

Before he knows it, Caleb finds himself drawn to the host—and more confused than ever. Is his perfect love the woman on the radio . . . or the one next door?

Read an excerpt here.
My thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. It was a light, easy read yet still made you think, and even learn a little about life, love and faith.

The characters were likeable and you were drawn into their lives with Warren's excellent storytelling skills. Sometimes poignant, sometimes funny, it was just the right mix for me.

Though part of a series, it reads well as a stand alone book as well. I've read at least one other book from her Deep Haven series and loved it too!

Thank you to Stephanie and Amy from Litfuse Publicity for organizing this tour and providing me with my complimentary review copy.

Win a Romantic Night on the Town from Miss Foolish Heart!

Susan May Warren is thrilled to announce the release of her latest Deep Haven book, My Foolish Heart!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

To celebrate this charming novel about a dating expert who's never had a date, Susan has put together a romantic night on the town for one lucky couple. One grand prize winner will receive a Miss Foolish Heart prize package worth over $200!

The winner of the Romantic Night on the Town Prize Pack will receive:

* A $100 Visa Gift Card (For Dinner)
* A $100 Gift Certificate to a Hyatt/Marriott Hotel
* The entire Deep Haven series

To enter just click one of the icons below. But, hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on June 16th. The winner will be announced that evening during Susan’s Miss Foolish Heart Party on Facebook! Susan will be chatting with guests, hosting a book club chat about My Foolish Heart, testing your Deep Haven trivia skills, and giving away tons of great stuff! (Gift certificates, books, donuts, and more!) Don't miss the fun and BRING YOUR FRIENDS!