Ideas for Advent

Good morning, Friend! 

I wanted to share with you my plans for this upcoming Advent season. I aim to be Presence-centered every day of the year, but I do love celebrating in December in a special way. I love the smell of the Christmas tree in the living room, the twinkling lights on the mantles, the spicy aroma of gingerbread baking in the kitchen and the magical sense of celebrating the greatest Gift we will ever be given. Jesus has already come as a baby. We are not still looking for Him to be born. We do look forward to His second coming, and we celebrate His birth, life, death and resurrection any time and all the time!

Here are a few resources I will be using this December! 

Celebrate Jesus, Light of the World by Amy Blevins from Homeschool Encouragement (click the graphic). I will be using some of this study with my children. 






Another resource I will be using with my children is one of the books from Arnold Ytreeide. We've read through a couple of these before but not in the past two years. I look forward to going through them again. They are so unique and a really great resource for all ages. 

Have you seen The Passion Translation yet? If you follow me on Instagram, you've probably seen some of my re-grams from their account. Oh my! I just love this translation so much. I am thankful to Brian and Candice Simmons and their work and ministry. They are offering a special Celebrate Jesus! Advent Study and it's FREE right now. What a gift! This is what I will be using for myself.

Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links, which means that when you purchase through my links, there is no addition cost to you and I make a small commission. Many thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving 2014

Happy American Thanksgiving today! I hope you are enjoying this holiday and remembering and celebrating the ones who came before us to begin their lives in this country.

I know there are many hurting hearts, wounded souls and those who feel abandoned and alone. Please know that there is Hope for you today. God, our Creator and Father, loves us and has made a way of life, love, hope, peace and yes, even happiness. Cry out to Jesus. He is our Redeemer and Rescuer. He will answer you and be everything you need. I'm not just preaching at you (grin). I know these things personally. He is everything to me and I give Him all my thanks and praise today! He is wonderful and powerful and He knows us and loves us more deeply and intimately than we can imagine.

Blessings and love. xo

What I Wore

Hello, my friends! I hope you are warm and safe on this day before American Thanksgiving. We are watching the glorious snow fall here in Virginia and getting ready to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends tomorrow. Is it snowing where you are? Have your Thanksgiving plans been affected?

I have a few awesome deals to show you this week! Today's offerings come solely from groopdealz.com. I have ordered a couple of items from Groop Dealz and love my purchases! Here is my cute new blanket scarf. Isn't it fun?!

And here are some deals I have found for you . . . 
Oversized Long Sleeve Dolman Tunic - $19.99

Fall Beanie (I have this in burgundy!) - $2.99

Waffle Weave Infinity Scarf - $9.99

Stirrup Cable Sweater Tights - $6.99

I'm linking up with all the girls at What I Wore!

Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links. If you use my links to make a purchase, there is no additional cost to you, and I make a small commission. Many thanks!

Weekly Menu Plan {24 November}

Hello and Happy Thanksgiving week to my American friends! We are so excited for the holiday, family time and time with friends! Although, we are apparently going to be getting a snowstorm! Ha! We'll have to wait and see if it effects our plans.

Monday - Our Favourite Grilled Chicken, sautéed spinach, couscous

Tuesday - Tacos, chips, guacamole (Emma's turn)

Wednesday - Pasta creation by Ben

Thursday - a celebration with friends

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Minestrone Soup, Caesar salad

Sunday - Snack-y supper

I'm linking up with Menu Plan Monday. Hop on over to see more menu ideas.

Blessings and love. xo

Holiday Bundle Sale!

I am so excited to share this Holiday Bundle Sale with you. Remember last year when I went through My Book of Thanks with Ava and Maya? We enjoyed it so much and it is a sweet keepsake. You can see more here. This bundle includes, not only My Book of Thanks, but also The Passion of Mary: An Untold Story of Advent and My Christmas Wish: A Devotional Prayer Journal for Kids plus two bonuses: a Thanksgiving Planner and a Busy Mom's Christmas Planner! It's a $25.99 value, available right now for only $6.99, including the bonuses!

I highly recommend anything Heather writes and do not want you to miss out on this wonderful deal. This is a beautiful way to spend time with your children during the holidays, plus you get free planners to help with organizing your Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. 

Go now to get your bundle!

Blessings and love. xo

Disclaimer: This post contains my affiliate links, which simply means that if you purchase through my links, I make a small commission. There is no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Weekly Menu Plan {17 November}

Hello, friends! How is your day going? I am tired, in the best possible way. Emma and I had an absolutely perfect weekend with my cousin and her 18 year old daughter in Abingdon, Virginia. Have you ever been? It is a wonderful community. We enjoyed every shop, every restaurant, every person we had the opportunity to chat with, and we especially enjoyed seeing "Driving Miss Daisy" at the Barter Theater! It was a sweet family time, and we are extremely thankful. 

Here is my plan for this week:

Monday - Homemade Vegetable Soup, cornbread, salad

Tuesday - TBD by Emma

Wednesday - TBD by Ben

Thursday - Crockpot Chicken and Dressing (I'm hoping to adapt an old recipe for the crockpot.), green beans, corn

Friday - Burgers, scalloped potatoes, broccoli salad

Saturday - Leftovers

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Have a great week!

Linking up with Laura for Menu Plan Monday.

Blessings and love. xo

KIRK CAMERON'S SAVING CHRISTMAS {Review and Giveaway}

My thoughts:
Have you heard about Kirk Cameron's new film, SAVING CHRISTMAS?!!! My kids (ages 18 to 8) and I had the opportunity to watch it last Friday, and we highly recommend it. This movie resonated with my spirit, and I hope you will take the opportunity to go and see it! There is a war on Christmas and it's been waging for awhile now. It's time to put Christ back in Christmas and this is one fantastic way to start. The setting for the movie is a family Christmas party, with much of the movie being a dialogue between two brothers-in-law, one of which who is struggling with what Christmas has become in his own home. Some of it is slow, like conversations can be, especially when one is truly listening and wanting to help someone work through something. I loved the pace. I loved the content. Some of it is funny and had us all laughing. Some of it is educational (who knew Saint Nicholas was such a defender of the faith?!). Some of it is poignant and made us stop and think where we would like to go as a family with our Christmas celebrations. I will definitely purchase SAVING CHRISTMAS for our Christmas movie collection.

Check out the trailer:

About the movie:

This Christmas, have your family join with Kirk Cameron’s family and dive headfirst into all the joy, dancing, celebration, feasting, imagination, and traditions that glorify the true “reason for the season.” KIRK CAMERON’S SAVING CHRISTMAS is an engaging story that provides a biblical basis for our time-honored traditions and celebrations, and the inspiration to stand strongly against a culture that wants to trivialize and eliminate the faith elements of this holy season. So take in the splendor; take in the majesty; take in the story. Take it all in… and let’s put Christ back in Christmas! KIRK CAMERON’S SAVING CHRISTMAS is in theaters for a limited engagement beginning November 14 for two weeks only!

Official Website: www.savingchristmas.com 

Go here for theaters and show times.

Giveaway:

FlyBy Promotions is offering one of my readers a SAVING CHRISTMAS gift pack, which includes a SAVING CHRISTMAS poster - signed by Kirk Cameron, a copy of the movie soundtrack and a car air freshener (smells like Christmas trees!). See images below for products. 

To enter:

Mandatory entry: Leave a comment telling me about your favourite Christmas tradition or one you'd like to start with your family. Leave your email address so I have a way to contact you. Open to anyone, age 18 or older, in the US or Canada. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Winner chosen by random.org. Giveaway ends November 25, 2014 11:59pm ET.

For extra entries:

Follow Kirk Cameron on Twitter.

Follow Kirk on FB.

Follow The Scarlett Thread on FB.

Follow me on Twitter.

And the winner (chosen by random.org) is:

#7 - Denise

Congratulations, Denise! Please email me at scarlettroyce(at)gmail(dot)(com) within 48 hours! (I am posting this at noon ET on Monday, December 1.)

Blessings and love! xo

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.”

Weekly Menu Plan {10 November}

Hello friends! Here it is 9pm and I'm just now getting this written, however, is what a great day we had (minus the toilet overflowing)! I took all the kids to the local arboretum and we spent a couple of hours outside, breathing in the fresh, cool autumn air and enjoying nature. It's good for the soul. And if you haven't had the chance to be outside much lately, I highly recommend it. 

Here is what we have planned for meals for this week (some of these are repeats from last week because we didn't get to them):

Monday - Mom's Potato Soup and cornbread

Tuesday - Stuffed Peppers (with ground turkey), garlic bread

Wednesday - Shrimp tacos, Spanish rice

Thursday - Capellini Pomodoro, salad

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Hot dogs, baked beans, chips

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Have a great evening and week!

Linking up with Laura at Menu Plan Monday.

Blessings and love. xo

The Ultimate Christian Living Bundle

Who among us doesn’t want to lead a life worth emulating? With great kids, a loving marriage, a successful career or business and a closer, faith-filled walk with the Lord. But for many of us, making that a reality is big challenge!

Balancing life’s priorities can seem a bit overwhelming at times. The pressures of work, the need for finances, the demands of parenting and the resulting strain on marriage can leave us weathered, weary and wondering what really works in life?

That’s where the Ultimate Christian Living Bundle comes in. Ultimate-Bundles.com called in some best selling authors, leading experts and top business professionals to address the most common challenges faced by families and individuals today – all from a solid, Biblical foundation.

For the ridiculously low price of just $34.95 (for the PDF version) or $39.97 (for the eReader version), you can get access to a carefully curated collection of eBooks and eCourses with a total combined value of over $1,140 that addresses these issues with stunning clarity and practical application.

For the family…

The bundle contains 10 wonderful books focused on incredibly inventive ways you can craft the marriage you signed on for. To complement that subject, they added 8 more books focused on parenting and passing on your faith to your kids. That wouldn’t be complete without books just for kids so they also included 8 children’s books that parents can read with their children. To close out the content for family life, the highly praised Singing Bible MP3 version was added (a $25 value all by itself). It actually teaches children the story of the Bible not just random stories.

For your professional life…

You will find John Muratori and Michael Pink’s six-hour Christian Wealth Building course ($77 value) which was complemented with Bob Lotich’s 31-day devotional Managing Money God’s Way. There are a total of 14 business related books and courses including Zig Ziglar’s powerful Born To Win course (that Seth Godin and Dave Ramsey rave about), Dr. James B. Richards, Wired For Success – Programmed For Failure and Untold Secrets for Creating Wealth by Brig Hart and John Beehner. You’ll even find one of the best selling Christian business books of all time, The Bible Incorporated – In Your Life, Job and Business.

To ignite your faith…

Rounding out the package, Bridge Logos and Moody Press made a series of classic Christian literature available from generals of the faith like Charles Spurgeon, D.L. Moody, A.W. Pink, E.M. Bounds, Calvin, Wesley, Edwards and more who wrote about grace, prayer, faith and an overcoming life.

In addition to these wonderful classics, the Ultimate Bundles team snagged 12 heart-stirring devotionals from authors like A.W. Tozer and Nancy Leigh DeMoss that speak to matters of faith that are sure to inspire. Let’s not forget Gary Chapman’s Extraordinary Grace or Ray Comfort’s Way of the Master for sharing your faith with others. Both heartbreaking and inspiring, don’t miss Philip Cameron’s, They Call Me Dad, the story of one man’s fight to save orphans from human trafficking.

So as you can see, the Ultimate Christian Living Bundle is an extraordinary value.

But it still gets better…

The Ultimate Bundles team asked several sponsors to step up to the plate and with no strings attached, provide meaningful BONUS GIFTS. One of the first to step up was Dayspring Greeting Cards who offered a choice of heart-warming gift card packages to choose from.  Another, is a downloadable DVD workout series for getting in shape and maintaining health. With a retail value of $62.99 it includes a Biblical study guide for stewarding your health. 

Bonus gifts alone have a total retail value of over $160!

So now you know…

For as little as $34.95 you can receive over $1,140 worth of valuable eBooks and eCourses that address the issues of life most of us face at one time or another, from a profoundly Biblical worldview. The BONUS GIFTS alone are worth more than four times the price of the bundle! So, if you want to ignite your faith, strengthen your family and help your professional life, there’s no better place to start! All the hard work has been done for you…

The Ultimate Christian Living Bundle will only be on sale for 6 days – from 8am (EST) on Wednesday, November 5th until 11:59pm (EST) on Monday, November 10th.

But don’t wait until the last moment – there are only 18,500 bundles available and once they’re gone, they’re gone!

You can buy with confidence because your purchase is covered by the Ultimate Bundles 30-day guarantee: you have a full month to enjoy all the books and courses in the bundle, and if you don’t feel like it’s made a huge difference to your family’s life, you’ll get your money back in full!

Here’s what you need to know about the sale:

When? 8 a.m. (EST) Wednesday, November 5 until 11:59 p.m. (EST) Monday, November 10 (or until 18,500 bundles are sold)

What? 75 eBooks plus eCourses and more, PLUS over $160 worth of bonus products you’ll really use!

Where? Purchase the bundle HERE.

How much? Well now, that’s the best part. The entire package is worth over $1,140, and it’s yours for as little as $34.95. Sweet deal, right?
When you’re ready, you can either buy here directly, or right through the website. It’s fast and easy, and you’ll have your bundle sent to you via email within minutes.

Click here for more info or to buy now.

Remember, this bundle is available for 6 days only, from 8 a.m. (EST) on Wednesday, November 5th to 11:59 p.m. (EST) on Monday, November 10th (or until 18,500 bundles are sold).

Disclosure: I have included affiliate links in this post. Read the fine print about this bundle and read the answers to frequently asked questions about the bundle.

Their Name Is Today {Review and Giveaway}

It's a rare occasion when I feel a sense of refreshing after having read a book (other than the Bible). But that's exactly the feeling I have since reading Their Name Is Today: Reclaiming Childhood in a Hostile World by Johann Christoph Arnold. I am happy to share this book with you today and to offer one for a giveaway (see below).

About the book:
Despite a perfect storm of hostile forces that threaten to deny children a healthy, happy childhood, courageous parents and teachers can turn the tide. Yes, we can reclaim childhood, says Johann Christoph Arnold, whose books have helped more than a million readers through the challenges of education and family life. In Their Name Is Today, he highlights drastic changes in the way our society treats children. But he also brings together the voices of dedicated parents and educators who are finding creative ways to give children the time and space they need to grow. Cutting through the noise of conflicting opinions, Arnold takes us to the heart of education and parenting by defending every child’s right to the joy and wonder of childhood.

About the author:
Born in 1940 to war resisters driven out of Nazi Germany, Johann Christoph Arnold’s parents fled Europe when he was a baby and settled in Paraguay. It was a childhood of dire poverty, but his upbringing gave him a special sensitivity for the downtrodden. At fourteen, he moved to New York, where he has lived ever since. In the 1960s, his interest in the Civil Rights Movement led him to the American South, where he met Martin Luther King Jr. and marched with him. The ensuing friendship was to impact him for life. A noted speaker and writer on marriage, parenting, and end-of-life issues, Arnold is a senior pastor of the Bruderhof, a movement of Christian communities. With his wife, Verena, he has counseled thousands of individuals and families over the last forty years, as well as serving as an advisor at several innovative private schools. A writer whose down-to-earth perspective has helped his books sell more than a million copies in twenty languages, Johann Christoph Arnold offers sound advice on a wide variety of contemporary issues. An outspoken social critic, he has addressed gatherings from Sydney to London and visited hotspots around the globe, including Ireland, Iraq, Chiapas, Israel and Palestine. His work has also taken him into hospitals, nursing homes, juvenile detention centers, and even to death row. 

My thoughts:
I was unfamiliar with Mr. Arnold and have enjoyed his writing so much I am planning to find his other books very soon. I am so happy to have this book on my shelf of deep, meaningful, practical books on parenting. Mr. Arnold is a wise man who comes from a remarkable background and his personal stories are some of my favourites in this work. He shares not only his own wise words, but also the wisdom passed down to him from his own parents and grandparents. Don't misunderstand, he is not encouraging us as parents to return to the past or what some may call "those good ole days". No, he seems completely in tune with our modern culture and what we as teachers and parents face in 2014 and beyond. His heart is for our children to live in this modern day but with their innocence, individuality and wonderment intact and in the security of our unconditional love. He is big on getting children out in nature (yes!), giving them responsibility (again yes!) and protecting them from not only too much screen time (a struggle in my own home) but also especially from the violence that many parents are allowing their children to experience via video games. 

Here is one of my favourite quotes Mr. Arnold shares in this book:

I have very few parenting books that I recommend to my friends, however Their Name Is Today is now going be in my top five. I may even buy some extra copies to pass along to my friends who are trying to navigate parenting in this seemingly hostile world. This book is a breath of fresh air and will give you hope and direction for your household. Whether you are struggling as a parent (or educator), or just want a new perspective in your educating/parenting, I highly recommend it. 

To buy copy of this book (which is only $10.62 at the time of posting), click on this image:



 
And great news! FlyBy Promotions is offering one of my readers the opportunity to win one copy of Their Name Is Today! 
Giveaway Details:
1. Tell me about your toughest parenting struggles or your favourite things about your child/children in the comments.
2. Leave your email address, so that I have a way to contact you if you win!
3. Giveaway is open to anyone, age 18 or older, in the U.S. or Canada. 
4. Giveaway closes 14 November 2014 at 11:59pm ET.
5. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Winner chosen by random.org.

Congratulations to you, Dawnita! You were chosen by random.org as the winner! I will contact you shortly. Thank you to all of you sweet moms for entering the giveaway! Blessings on each of you as you continue loving your children and imparting life to them. 

Blessings and love. xo

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. This post contains affiliate links. When you use my links, there is no additional charge to you and I make a small commission. Thank you!

Weekly Menu Plan {3 November}

Hello, friends! Did everyone have a fun Halloween and weekend? Are we all on a sugar high? I'm thinking of sticking half of our candy in the freezer to save for a few months, at least. That way it's not staring us in the face all the time. What is your favourite candy? I am mostly a chocolate girl, particularly DARK chocolate! I also occasionally enjoy fruity candy, such as Skittles. 

Here is our meal plan for this week:

Monday - Leftovers

Tuesday - BBQ Ribs, mashed potatoes, green beans (Emma's turn to cook)

Wednesday - Lamb Stew (Ben's turn to cook)

Thursday - Cappellini Pomodoro, salad

Friday - Mom's Potato Soup, cornbread

Saturday - Stuffed Peppers (with ground turkey), Texas toast

Sunday - Snack-y supper

Blessings and love. xo

Chaos to Clutter-Free {Review AND Giveaway!}

Hey guys! Today I wanted to introduce you to my new friend Davonne and her brand new ebook, Chaos to Clutter-Free: 16 Realistic Steps to an Organized Home.  When I was offered the opportunity to be apart of Davonne's launch team, I thought, "Yes, I definitely need this. I used to be so organized, but since moving into this house, something has happened to me. Ugh." More on my struggles below.

Davonne has so many great tips and ideas in this book. Here is the Table of Contents:

Introduction: How to Use this Book (Q&A) Step One: Be Encouraged
Step Two: Prepare Your Home and Your Heart Step Three: Tame the Laundry Monster
Step Four: Tidy Your Home
Step Five: Learn Basic Declutter Tips (Assignment: Living Room)
Step Six: Learn How to Stay Ahead of the Little Ones (Assignment: Organize Your Personal Spaces)
Step Seven: Unclutter Your Bathrooms
Step Eight: Sort Clothing
Step Nine: Clean Out Kids’ Toys
Step Ten: Streamline School Papers and Other Childhood Mementos
Step Eleven: Organize Your Kitchen
Step Twelve: Purge Your Storage Closets
Step Thirteen: Organize Your Laundry Room
Step Fourteen: Clean Out Your Storage Room
Step Fifteen: Complete Any Remaining Areas
Step Sixteen: Tips for When You’re In a Time Crunch
Conclusion: The Bigger “Why” Behind the Effort, Plus Some Gentle Encouragement 

Davonne has written this book out of her own experience and what worked for her. I really appreciate how she breaks things down, section by section, room by room. If you are overwhelmed by a messy or cluttered house, and you want to make a change, this book is an excellent resource. Davonne has gentle encouragement and wisdom to share with you. Her practical steps can be implemented right away.

I had a few trouble spots that have just been weighing on me. Isn't that how clutter works? It's a burden. I am not a neat freak, but I also cannot stand a permanent mess. We homeschool and are home much of the time, so there are going to be messes. I remember a friend who said to me one time, regarding her going back to work and her kids all being in school or day care, "I'm so happy we are not home all day. My house stays so much cleaner." I kind of laughed at the time. I guess I can't really relate to that, but that's fine. We each make our choices and mine, for now, involves us being home and making messes. 

And in reading through Chaos to Clutter-Free, I realized something had been going on with me emotionally, that I didn't recognize before. We have moved three times in three years, as of last December. We are renting this house and signed a one year lease, as we really didn't know what we would be doing next. Last month our landlords asked if we would like to renew our lease, and we said yes. We are still in an odd place, with Bob's job situation, but something happened when we said we would be staying here another year. Some kind of psychological break took place for me. I gave myself permission to finish unpacking and get my house in order. Looking back, I really should have done this many months ago, but unpacking every last box was just too much for me. I realized deep down I had been thinking, 'will I just have to repack those boxes come November/December if we have to move again?'. Saying yes to another lease gave me the vision for continuing to make my home a haven. Something that has always been very important to me.

Here is my living room, before and after (I failed to take photos of the other corner, but it previously contained five cardboard boxes.):

It took a few days to find a place for everything, but once it was finished, it was such a huge relief. Whew! It feels so much better and is so much more inviting.

On another note, I wanted to share one of my favourite tips from Davonne, regarding laundry: 

Even though it may seem that owning more clothes means we’ll spend less time cleaning them, the opposite is true. When we have several weeks’ worth of clothing, it can be tempting to go for a while between washings, which contributes to huge, overwhelming piles of laundry. Also consider the extra drawer or closet space we need to hold the clothes, and the amount of time we spend looking through dozens of items for the “perfect” outfit each day.

So, as you work on laundry, go ahead and put some things in donation bags instead of putting them back in drawers. 

This is one of the things I learned 10 years ago from another helpful mom, and it has made a huge difference in my life. If I can never get caught up on my laundry and always have piles of clothes -- to be washed, folded or put away, I need to go through all the clothes and get rid of half of them. Most of us Westerners have too much stuff, clothes included. We really don't need it all. I encourage you to do as Devonne suggests. Go through your closets and donate what you don't need! It's so freeing and you will be amazed at how much easier it is to get the laundry done. 

Guess what, dear readers?!? Devonne has generously offered TWO copies of Chaos to Clutter-Free for a giveaway! There will be two winners for this one. Here's what you need to do:
1. Comment below letting me know what area/s of your home you could use help with. Leave your email address so that I have a way to contact you, if you win!
2. For extra entries: Follow Davonne on Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest. Leave a comment for each extra entry.
3. Deadline for entries: November 7, 2014 11:59pm ET. Open to anyone, as this is a digital product. 

Giveaway Winners!

I have FIVE winners (instead of two, like I originally mentioned) chosen by random.org:

Maddie Bell
Diana Estrella
Lisa R
Sunni F
harknessangels

If you did not leave your email address, please email me within 48 hours to claim your prize (scarlettroyce (at) gmail.com). Thanks to all who entered!

Blessings and love. xo