From House to Home {Link Party}: Zoo and Much More!
We made it to the zoo earlier this week. The pictures didn’t turn out so great, but we still had fun! The best part was the dolphin show. We were in the splash zone, but didn’t get wet. 
The dolphin show–sorry I didn’t catch them when they were up in the air.
A tapir
Gorillas–Aren’t they hilarious how they’re perched up high in the trees?
Our babysitter who’s been helping me out since October only has one more week with us. She has been doing preschool with the younger kids every morning so I could focus more on homeschooling the older kids. Now, I’ll have to figure out how to do it all on my own again!
My eldest had his band concert last night. He was featured with his fellow alto sax player in one of the numbers! I was very proud of him! Maybe I’ll figure out how to post a video here sometime.
This weekend–the last 3 performances of Godspell. Next week, they have their Spotlight dance showcase and violin recital. The year is winding down!
Have you heard of Craftsy before? They have all kinds of neat classes for crafty people: sewing, cooking, knitting, etc. And you can get a class for free on Saturday 5/18!
On May 18, 2013, Craftsy is hosting Free Class Day to benefit DonorsChoose. For one day only, new members can choose one free course from a selection of favorite Craftsy classes, up to a $39.99 value! If you haven’t taken a Craftsy class yet, Saturday is your chance to sign up for your first by choosing from classes in quilting, sewing, knitting, cake decorating, and more.
If they meet their goal of giving away 10,000 classes, Craftsy will donate $5,000 to DonorsChoose to fund arts education in public schools across the US. Existing members are not eligible for the free course offer, but will still receive a special treat.
Free E-Book:
There is an e-book for teens called Teen Truth: Answers for Tough Questions by Judith Rolfs that is free on Amazon. I’m reading it right now–check it out!
I’m going to be sharing some great reviews and giveaways in the next couple of weeks–See the Light Art Curriculum, Lilla Rose hair clips, a book for toddlers, and book for teens! Be sure to sign up to receive I Choose Joy! in your email inbox if you haven’t already. The sign up box is in the sidebar.
It’s time for our Link Up Party: From House to Home!
Only 2 rules:
1. Link up family-friendly posts (exact post, not website) about making your house into a home: homemaking, parenting, homeschooling, marriage, loving God!
2. Link back to my site with the button below or a text link. Thanks! The code can be found at the top of the Link Party page. (If you don’t link back, your link might be deleted.)
See the wonderful blogs I’ve linked up to here!
(Post contains affiliate links.)
Apple TV Giveaway Announcement Post
Famous Free Samples’ Apple TV Giveaway Event
Sign-ups are now open for Famous Free Samples’ latest giveaway event!
- This event is free to join with an announcement post. If you don’t wish to post the announcement, please send the $5 non-post fee to tiphero@gmail.com
- You’ll receive 1 free link for participating (either Twitter or Pinterest)
- Additional links (RSS/Email, YouTube, Twitter and Pinterest) are available for $5 each
- Sign-ups for this event end on May 20th
- Event runs from May 22 – June 5
- Prize: An Apple TV (in the form of a $100 Apple Gift Card)
Please send all payments to tiphero@gmail.com as a “gift” via PayPal.
Sign up for this event here.
To enter the giveaway, join me back here next week!
Adventures in Odyssey A.C.T.S. Summer of Service Project
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting tired and burned out and ready for some of the change that summer will bring. I was so excited to find out about this great service challenge from Adventures in Odyssey, and we’ll definitely be participating in our family! If you decide to do it with your family, please leave a comment or link up your blog below so we can check in with each other throughout the summer. (Follow my blog through email so you don’t miss anything–there will be giveaways!)
Join Adventures in Odyssey this summer to discover how fun it can be to serve others!
Adventures in Odyssey, the beloved audio series from Focus on the Family, has encouraged kids toward a stronger faith for 25 years. Whit, Connie, Eugene, and the other loveable characters from Odyssey have shared countless adventures with kids across the world in the classic audio dramas, books, videos, and devotionals, fulfilling the AIO promise to help kids discover, imagine, and grow.
This summer, Adventures in Odyssey is joining with Christian bookstores across the country, inviting kids to participate in a Summer of Service. They’re promoting the biblical message, “When you serve, everybody wins,” encouraging kids to serve their families, their communities, and their world. Whether it’s baking cookies for an elderly neighbor or putting together a care package for missionaries overseas, kids will discover that serving can be a blast!
Why serve?
Our culture puts an extravagant amount of energy into raising kids who will grow up to feel good about themselves. In schools, clubs, homes, and even at church, adults have made a decided effort to bolster children’s “self-esteem” –not by actually encouraging kids do something that’s worthwhile, but by simply telling them they are important and valuable.
At the turn of the century, researchers predicted that the next generation would respond to these efforts of raising self-esteem by being filled with optimism and civic duty. Unfortunately, recent research shows the opposite. Kids coming of age today are more self-centered, disrespectful of authority, and depressed than ever before.
In a very real way, then, the best path toward building selfless,confident children is to help and encourage them toward a growing and thriving faith in God. And that includes obedience to what God teaches—not because it makes kids feel good, although it often does—but because they’re following God’s instructions to love Him and serve others. That builds a faith they can count on and carry with them into adulthood—which is the greatest gift any parent can bestow on their child.
How the A.C.T.S. (A Call to Service) challenge and contest works:
Kids who join A.C.T.S. can pick up a service log and collect fun character stickers for hours served at participating bookstores throughout the summer, or download a serving log online at whitsend.org. At the end of the summer, kids can record and upload a short video telling how they served and why they’d like to become an Adventures in Odyssey Ambassador.
A hundred winners will get the brand new AIO Album, and after online voting, two grand prize winners (one boy and one girl) will get to travel on an exciting Good-Goers Mission Based Adventure trip to another country with a parent! The out-of-country destination will be announced on a live podcast May 22 (3:30 MT/ 5:30 ET)—hosted by AIO actors Katie Leigh (Connie) and Chris Anthony (Chris)—which you can watch at whitsend.org/acts. You don’t want to miss it!
Here’s how to tell your kids about the Summer of Service: Gather them around the computer and have them listen to this 20-minute Adventures in Odyssey episode! You’ll find a printable chart of service ideas on that same page. :) Discover how much fun service can be with Adventures in Odyssey’s A.C.T.S. challenge and contest!
Be sure to comment below — or link up your blog if you have one!
Linked to 
Thank You, God, for Puppies/Kittens: Review and Giveaway
If you have toddlers or preschoolers, you’ll love today’s review and giveaway. The books are about one of their favorite subjects: pets! There are 2 books to look at today: Thank You, God, for Puppies and Thank You, God, for Kittens.
My 2-year-old son got the puppy book and my 4-year-old daughter the kitten book. These board books are full of precious photographs of adorable puppies and kittens in various activities such as playing, eating, and sleeping. The rhyming text reminds us that God made these animals and we thank Him for it. We enjoyed curling up on the couch reading these cute books together!
Here are links to preview the Kitten book and the Puppy book.
Thank you to Tommy Nelson Publishers for providing one of each book to give away! All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me whether you’d prefer the Puppy book, the Kitten book, or either. The winners will be chosen by random.org on Tuesday 4/21/13. The winner must respond to my email within 24 hours.
(Thomas Nelson Publishers provided a complimentary copy of each book for me so that I could write this honest review. Post contains affiliate links.)
Linked to. 
Motivated Moms Planner Sale!
I forgot to remind you about the Motivated Moms planner sale yesterday, but it’s OK, because she has extended the sale until tomorrow (5/14/13)! If you’ve been feeling disorganized lately, and not sure what to do when, this planner has it all laid out for you!
Motivated Moms is a printable chore planning system to help you have a clean and organized home and still have time for yourself!
The code MOTHER is valid for $3 off ebooks through May 14th only. The price on apps will be dropped to $4.99, so every product will be $4.99 or $5. This is the best sale they’ve ever offered! You might remember my review on these great planners. They are sooo helpful!
(Post contains affiliate links.)
From House to Home {Link Party}: Fun From Flat Stanley
A few weeks ago we received a flattened version of my niece in the mail! She is doing a project with her kindergarten class that was inspired by the Flat Stanley books. We took her with us on some adventures and took pictures. I made a couple of scrapbook pages to send back to her so she can remember the fun she had with us!
Here are the pictures:
At the Chicago Botanic Gardens
With our newly-planted garden
In the backyard
At the park
At the theater
And having a picnic
It’s time for our Link Up Party: From House to Home!
Only 2 rules:
1. Link up family-friendly posts (exact post, not website) about making your house into a home: homemaking, parenting, homeschooling, marriage, loving God!
2. Link back to my site with the button below or a text link. Thanks! The code can be found at the top of the Link Party page. (If you don’t link back, your link might be deleted.)
See the wonderful blogs I’ve linked up to here!
(Post may contain affiliate links.)
