Christmas Movie Marathon: Day 3 ~ The Family Man

This has become a perennial favorite at our house. I am not into time travel type of movies but somehow this one works for me. It reminds me of that question we all ask ourselves . . . what if? I liken this movie to 'It's A Wonderful Life' it is a completely different storyline but the same premise.

Movie description: 

Jack Campbell (Nicolas Cage) is a single, wealthy Wall Street trader living the high life in New York City. All that magically changes one winter morning when he wakes up in suburban New Jersey next to Kate (Tea Leoni), the girlfriend he left 13 years ago. He's now got two kids, he's traded in his Ferrari for a minivan all while trying not to lose his mind.

Rating: PG-13 for sensuality and some language.

Runtime: 2 hours 7 minutes

Where to watch it:

We have this one on DVD but here are some places that you can watch it online.

Netflix doesn't have it for streaming but it does have it for their DVD service.


Christmas Movie Marathon ~ Day 2: How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 Cartoon)


I know there are newer versions of this classic, and I'm sure that we'll get to them, but we must start with the classic first! 

Movie description:

Every who down in Who-ville likes Christmas a lot, but the Grinch who lived just north of Who-ville did NOT! So the cuddly as a cactus Grinch (with termites in his smile and garlic in his soul) tries to wipe out Christmas for the cheerful Who-villains, only to discover: maybe Christmas, he thought doesn't come from as store. Maybe Christmas perhaps means a little bit more! Magnificently narrated by Boris Karloff and animated by cartoon legend Chuck Jones, it's an award-winning Who-roast-beast-feast of a holiday classic!

Rating: G

Runtime: 26 minutes

Where to watch: 

Tonight on ABC at 8p/7c


How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) by Francisiii

Here are a few more suggestions . . .





Book Review ~ The One Year My Princess Devotions by Karen Whiting



Karen Whiting
Juvenile Nonfiction/Devotion & Prayer

Back of the book:

Little girls love to pretend they are princesses. Now they don't have to pretend any longer.

The One Year My Princess Devotions: Preschool Edition will teach girls that they are truly daughters of the almighty King. They will also learn how much God loves them and what God expects from his children.

Each devotion includes a short scripture (Royal Words), and special message (Royal Thoughts), a prayer for the Kind, and an activity related to the devotion's theme (Princess in Action).

Your little princess will want to read about her King each day and learn how to live like royalty throughout her life.


My thoughts:

In my opinion it is never too early to begin teaching your children to study God's Word. The One Year My Princess Devotions: Preschool Edition is the perfect way to begin that habit with your sweet little girl. 

Each day's reading is short and sweet so as not to lose the attention of your little one. The scripture selection (Royal Words) is simple enough that your little girl can easily repeat it after you. The Princess Thoughts section is written in an easily understood description so as to help you apply what the scripture means. The prayer suggestion (A Prayer for the King) can again be easily repeated by your girl.

The daily devotions are designed to be done during the morning or afternoon so that your little princess can complete the task assigned for the day (Princess in Action). The activities again are simple but have a wonderful application to the scripture of the day.

I am completely thrilled with this book. I'm looking forward to introducing the little girls in my life to it. The author, Karen Whiting, has a fabulous Pinterest board dedicated completely to Princess parties. You should check it out for great ideas to supplement the book!

Connect with the author:









Christmas Movie Marathon: Day 1 ~ A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving


Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving without a viewing of 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving'. Can you believe that this year is the 40th anniversary of this show? (I'm getting old!) I love to cuddle up with the little ones and watch this. It has a beautiful message while being incredibly entertaining. Timeless classic is a very apt description.

Movie description:

Two slices of toast, a handful of jellybeans, some pretzels - not quite what comes to mind when you think of Thanksgiving dinner. It's not what Peppermint Patty imagines either, but that's what she gets when she invites herself over to Charlie Brown's house for a turkey-day feast. After chastising "Chuck" for providing such a meager meal, she ends up eating more than her words and gains a few pounds of emotional sustenance. She also learns a little bit about the true meaning of the holiday. And you will too.

Rating: G

Runtime: 1 hour 15 minutes

Where to watch: 

Tonight on ABC at 8p/7c
Amazon Instant Video
iTunes
YouTube


Charlie Brown - A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving by spanishbizarro

And if you are looking for something else to watch tonight . . . 


Happy Thanksgivukkah!

Photo credit: Getty Images

Thanksgiving + Hanukkah = Thanksgivukkah

Whether you are celebrating Thanksgiving or Haunukkah or perhaps both, we at Rambles of a SAHM wish you a very blessed day.


May you be surrounded with those you love and delight in all the abundance that God has bestowed upon you and yours this past year!


President Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation




By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.


The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. 

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. 

Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. 

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. 

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

Book & DVD Review ~ Christmas from Heaven: The True Story of the Berlin Candy Bomber



Written by David T. Warner
Music by Mack Wilberg
Read by Tom Brokaw
Illustrated by Robert T. Barrett
Non fiction/Christmas

About the book:

Christmas from Heaven is the story of the humble beginnings of what became a beacon of hope to a war-torn land, the story of Gail Halvorsen, a young pilot in the US Army Air Corps who was assigned as a cargo pilot to the Berlin Airlift, in which US forces flew much-needed supplies into a Soviet-blockaded Berlin.

As he performed his duties, Lt. Halvorsen began to notice the German children gathered by the fences of Tempelhof Air Base. Knowing that they had very little, he one day offered them some chewing gum. From that small act, an idea sprang: He would "bomb" Berlin with candy. Fashioning small parachutes, he and his crew sent them floating down as they approached the Berlin airport, wiggling the wings of their C-54 as a signal to the children that their anticipated cargo would soon arrive. 

Lt. Halvorsen became known by hundreds, if not thousands, of children in Berlin as "Uncle Wiggly Wings" or "The Candy Bomber." Word soon spread, and donations of candy and other supplies poured in from sympathetic Americans. Lt. Halvorsen's small idea became a great symbol of hope not only to German children in a bombed-out city but to all those who yearned for freedom.

My thoughts:

Christmas from Heaven is the perfect book and DVD for a family night. The book and story itself are interesting but when you add in the DVD it just adds to the tale and makes it feel complete. We read through the book first and then watched the DVD. After doing that I realized that it works best to do both at the same time.

Tom Brokaw narrates the story just as it is written in the book. Between readings is music by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. There is also video clips of live footage during the time period. As a lover of history I found it to be fascinating. 

I think your little ones will be intrigued by the story of candy being dropped from a plane. Your older kids will enjoy the story behind it and the adults will appreciate all the different aspects of the venture and how it came to be.

A little added bonus is an illustration of how the candy bombs were put together. Wouldn't it be fun to put some together as a family and reenact the story by dropping candy bombs from the top of the stairs?!! This would make a great addition to your families Christmas reading traditions.

Read by: Tom Brokaw

Illustrated by: Robert T. Barrett





Christmas Gift Guide ~ Biblical Names of Christ Ornament Set


Shadow Mountain graciously provided us with a set of the ornaments to facilitate our review. No other compensation was received and the opinions are our own.

If your family is like ours you really do concentrate on keeping the focus of Christmas on Christ. I love to decorate our home with Scripture so that no matter where I am at in the house those words are always ingrained in my thoughts.

These beautiful ornaments have an antique pewter finish and would make a great addition to your holiday tree. They are light weight enough that you could even use them for decorations on a door wreath. They would also look fantastic as embellishments to your packages.

Does your family celebrate the Twelve Days of Christmas? The boxed set also comes with a list of Scripture references for each of the names:
  • Lamb of God ~ John 1:29
  • Emmanuel ~ Matthew 1:23
  • Bread of Life ~ John 6:35
  • The Light ~ John 8:12
  • Lord of Lords ~ Revelation 17:14
  • Redeemer ~ Job 19:25
  • King of Israel ~ John 12:13
  • Shepherd ~ John 10:11
  • Prince of Peace ~ Isaiah 9:6
  • Mediator ~ 1 Timothy 2:5
  • Living Water ~ John 4:10
  • King of Kings ~ Revelation 17:14


If you would like to purchase a set for your family you can get them exclusively from Desert Book.

Book Review ~ Mistletoe Memories by Jennifer AlLee, Carla Olson Gade, Lisa Karon Richardson and Gina Welborn


Carla Olson Gade, Gina Welborn, Lisa Karon Richardson, and Jennifer AlLee
Four-in-One Novellas
Historical Fiction

About the book:

Spend a heartfelt Christmas on Schooley’s Mountain as four generations make a house a home. Carpenter Stephan Yost vows to build a precocious spinster a home by Christmas. Civil War widow Mary Ann Plum learns the greatest peace on earth comes from giving and receiving love. Olympia Paris must protect the orphanage she grew up in from a man intending to play Father Christmas to most of the town. Joy Benucci turns to a modern-day Scrooge to save a transitional home for foster kids. Will Christmas be a season of miracles in their lives?

My thoughts:

I'm not usually drawn to collections of novellas, but when it comes to Christmas stories I'm in! I love to curl up on a cold afternoon and be able to finish a Christmas story in one sitting. This collection of stories was the perfect match for that desire.

All four of the stories take place in Schooley's Mountain, New Jersey. The first story is set in 1820 and the final story is present day. Each one has a nice little romance going on and it also involves children that have in some aspect become orphans.

I enjoyed reading three of the four stories. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the one that I didn't prefer. It just didn't happen to catch my fancy on that day. I'm going to skip naming which story it was and leave that up to you to decide for yourself. 

If you want a quick little Christmas themed read I think that you will enjoy Mistletoe Memories. On most of the sites that I have looked at it is being offered at a great price! What a nice little treat for you or the book lover on your list.

Connect with the authors:


Jennifer AlLee

Wordless Wednesday ~ Seesaw Brothers


























Yesterday hubby asked me if I ever imagined us having such cute kids. I looked at him and said no, in fact when I was pregnant with little M I wondered if I would even think he would be cute or not. How silly, they are the cutest things I have ever seen!

Getting Holiday Ready with It Works! Wraps + Giveaway



For a while now I have seen the It Works! Wraps everywhere and I have been curious about how they work.  One of my friends sells them and so she graciously let me try one out!

The wrap comes folded in a sealed bag. You just unfold it, take it out and smooth it across the area that needs toning.  I choose my mid-section and hips. I have had two kiddos and I could use the extra toning!
After you place the wrap you take plastic wrap (not included) and wrap it around the area over the top of the It Works! Wrap. Then you wait for 45 minutes and then you get results. It’s that easy. They do recommend drinking water and that is what I did while I waited and watched a movie.

The wrap smells like menthol and has a soothing cool sensation when it is applied. It felt like a spa treatment. After the 45 minutes I took it off then rubbed in the left over cream. You can repeat this process every 72 hours.



After both of my pregnancies I was left with a lot of stretch marks and I love that after I took off the wrap my stomach and hips were noticeably  toner. I also think it makes my stretch marks looks smoother.  It’s nice to see instant results and they say that with every wrap you use you see more results each time. If you want the results to last it is encouraged that you eat healthy and exercise regularly.

With the holidays and all those photos being taken it is a great time to try It Works! I am also keeping this in mind for summer vacations!

You can purchase the Ultimate Body Applicator 4 Wraps for $59.00 on Kristin's website this is normally $99.00 ARV! 











Giveaway:
One reader will get to test out a It Works! Wrap for themselves!  Just fill out the Rafflecopter form below to be entered. This giveaway will end on 12/02/13 at 12:00 am EST. Open to US only 18+ 


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Christmas at the Farm with Liz Curtis Higgs & Ann Voskamp



Prepare your heart for the holy season to come with New York Times bestselling authors and Women of Faithspeakers, Ann Voskamp and Liz Curtis Higgs. During their special webcast, "Christmas at the Farm: Unwrapping the Full Love Story of Christmas," Liz and Ann will be sharing family traditions and holiday memories, yummy recipes and ideas for a sacred and sane Christmas.

Watch, listen, and chat with Liz and Ann live online! Right here, 12 Noon ET, Thursday November 21st.


Whatever Happened To Thanksgiving?


Thanksgiving by Doris Lee

This year I'm feeling a bit melancholy about the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. I know I'm going to come off as a fuddy duddy, but I miss the Thanksgivings that I grew up with. I miss all the women (and a few of the men) scurrying around the kitchen making crazy amounts of food. 

There always seemed to be children underfoot and someone's hand was always getting slapped for trying to sample the goodies too soon. The smells that filled the air were divine! I loved being part of that unruly mess of extended family and friends.


Eventually everything was finished and we all gathered around the table (actually it was usually tables). The eldest male asked the blessing upon the food and those gathered together. Then each person would take turns saying what they were thankful for. Some words made us tear up and some of the little ones words of thankfulness would make us laugh out loud. 

After dinner the men and kids would either head outside to throw a ball around or find a recliner to watch a ball being thrown around. The women would clear the table and try to figure out ways to put all the leftovers into containers. I think that was the one day of the year that I didn't mind dishes. Many hands make light work. 

























Several years ago the phenomenon of Black Friday came to my little part of the world. I loved it! It became a fun addition to our family's traditional activities. Sometime late Thanksgiving evening someone would run and get a paper so we could peruse the ads and plan our strategies. At this point in history the earliest the stores would open would be midnight. 

It was fun to bundle up and stand in line chatting with family and friends waiting for the doors to open. We live in a pretty small town so the crowds aren't bad at all. We'd start at Tanger Outlet Mall and then make our way to Target, Walmart and Walgreens. By 3:00 a.m. we were done and heading to breakfast. We felt like conquering heroes! 

In more recent years my children have married and their spouses have joined in the festivities. Poppy has willingly stayed home with the grandbabies so we can indulge in our yearly fun. I can't even begin to describe what a blessing it was to stand in line with my grown kids and listen to their sibling banter. 

I know it has been a slow progression, in fact it has been slow enough that I didn't really think much of it until this year, but the thrill of Black Friday has eroded for me. At the time all of the men in the family worked in retail but they were still off until the wee hours of Black Friday. We just adjusted our schedule a bit (yes it was different but we adapted). 

Now we come to this year and it seems that daily we are hearing of more and more stores that will be open on Thanksgiving Day. We keep hearing that it is necessary because of the economy and the shorter buying season between Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. I understand those arguments. My husband works in retail and teaches business classes at the university level. I get the economics of it. But it still makes me sad that as a people we no longer find it important to stop and give thanks for the provision of the past year.

I just can't seem to escape the irony that we are giving up time with our loved ones in order to rush out and buy stuff for our loved onese. There's an old song called 'Big Yellow Taxi' and the chorus of it keeps running through my head. The lyrics go like this:

Don't it always seem to go,

That you don't know what you've got

Til it's gone.

They paved paradise

And put up a parking lot.



I know that most things are cyclical and we tend to come full circle, but I'm wondering how long it will take for us to realize what we had . . . now that it's gone?



Christmas Gift Guide ~ Flipeez Hat #flipeez




My son has begged me for a Flipeez Hat since he first saw a commercial for them. I wondered if they were just for fun or if they could be used as an actual winter hat. Several weeks later I was asked to review one for our Christmas Gift Guide.

My son was thrilled; I was still waiting to see. When it came I was quite impressed with how thick the material was. It is lined with fleece and the outside is a thick woven material. It is very warm and it can be used as a winter hat. I love that it covers his ears and the quality is very good. My son loved the Playful Puppy  design. I think he looks so adorable in it too.























My son LOVES this hat! It is easy for him to make the ears flip. There is an air filled bulb in the end of one of the tassles and a quick squeeze makes the ears go up. (Other versions have a tail on back that goes up and down.) I love that it is a fun hat but that it is also able to keep kid's heads warm. I want to get one for my youngest for Christmas especially the Curious Owl. It is adorable. They have a great selection to choose from for both boys and girls!

Overall, I am quite impressed and Little M loves wearing this hat which is the best since most of the time I am trying to get him to keep his winter hat on. It is fun but completely practical which in my book makes a great Christmas gift!


Disclosure: The opinions expressed in this review are those of Whitney from Rambles of a SAHM. Products were provided free of cost in order to facilitate this review. This post contains affiliate links. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or Services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising"

Scented Holiday Memories with #FebrezeHoliday ~ $10 Walmart Gift Card Giveaway






















Febreze graciously provided Rambles of a SAHM with products and a giftcard to facilitate this review. No other compensation was provided. The opinions expressed are our own.

My most vivid memories are accompanied by a scent. When I think of the holidays I think of my grandmother's house. Thanksgiving and Christmas always meant a trip to grandma's at some point. The weather was often chilly with a crisp bite to the air.


























Febreze has magically captured that feeling with their Winter Frost line of products. When I use this scent I can just imagine crawling out of the car and trudging up the walk to grandma's front door. The smell reminds me of those beautiful crisp mornings where the air is clean and the day holds such promise.




















Once inside the front door, you would be immediately greeted by the stunning Christmas tree. The lights were twinkling and the ornaments gently swaying. A deep inhale of the scented tree would always lead to a sigh of contentment. The day surely held wondrous prospects!

Even though I now choose to display an artificial tree in my own home, I can still capture that same feeling by using the Glistening Pine line from Febreze. I can easily hide the Set & Refresh Air Freshener behind the manger scene below the tree and no one is the wiser.



















By far my favorite room was the kitchen. The aromas that emanated from there held the promise of a delicious family dinner. My grandmother had a spiced cider that was absolutely to die for. In the evening after we had eaten and opened presents we would all gather round and sing carols and read the Christmas story. This time was always accompanied by her spiced cider.

Using the NOTICEables Warmer with the alternating scents of apple cider and cranberry frost in my kitchen allows me to feel like I have my grandmother near.

For more great ideas on using Febreze you can follow them on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube!


Giveaway:

Rambles of a SAHM has teamed up with @SheSpeaksUp and @Febreze_Fresh to offer a giveaway for a $10 Walmart Gift Card so you too can celebrate a #FebrezeHoliday. Giveaway will end on 11/29/2013 at 12:00 am EST. Open to US only!

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Tree ~ Five Minute Friday #fmf





One Word Prompt ~ Five Minutes of Writing ~ No Editing

Today's Prompt: TREE



GO!

One of my favorite children's stories is 'The Giving Tree' by Shel Silverstein. The tale chronicles the life of a little boy and the apple tree that gives of herself to that little boy. In fact that tree just gives and gives and gives without much gratitude in return. Throughout the life of the boy he just continues to take and take from the tree. He uses its branches to make a house and then later he cuts it down to a stump to make a boat. But at the very end it is that stump that the boy now man finds comfort in.

I know it is just a fictional account but I find so many metaphors to life. We as mothers, wives and daughters are tasked with giving and giving and giving. It is hard. It is tiring. It is frustrating. But in the end when that little one climbs up into our lap or that husband holds us close or that aged parent clasps our hand and smiles it suddenly all becomes worth it.

I pray that at each stage of my life I will continue to give without bitterness. I pray that I will continue to give without expecting something in return. I pray that I will give until I am completely used up and my LORD welcomes me home.

STOP!




Feel inspired to write? Link up with us here on Lisa- Jo Baker #fmfparty linky!

30 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 14 ~ Canon Camera




Before Sam and I were married he bought a nice Canon camera. While we were dating we would go down to the lake by my parents’ house and take pictures. We also took a lot of selfies while we were engaged and during the first year of marriage. I love looking back on those photos and seeing how much we have changed.
























Then our first baby came and all the priceless birth photos and all those first moments were captured with that camera. One evening on a whim I started a blog and every photo captured here has been by that camera.

























I love that camera and all the moments of life we have been able to capture with it. Several years later and the camera is no longer the best of the best but I am not sure I can ever part with it! To me it still takes amazing photos.


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