Continuing to count God's sweet blessings...
3025. Beautiful weather.
3026. Visits with my Mamaw.
3027. New family pictures hanging on the wall.
3028. Fall decorations.
I've been a fan of the Kendrick brothers and their movies since Flywheel came out in 2003! Since Flywheel, the brothers have created and produced Facing the Giants, Fireproof, Courageous, War Room, Overcomer, and their newest movie Show Me The Father.
We all have fathers. Some of our experiences with fathers were wonderful, some painful. Some of us had very present and active fathers, some were neglected by their father. Whatever your situation is, Show Me The Father will invite you to think differently about how you view your earthly father, and how you personally relate to God.
Contributed post
Your Educational Gift Guide For Kids
Buying gifts and presents for your children can be quite difficult, and it’s not going to be easy to find the right thing. There are many things you have to take into consideration, whether it’s going to be good for them, whether it’s a productive gift, and whether it’s something that they’re going to be interested in. Finding the right balance is important, although, not every gift has to be productive. It’s great to have some mindless fun every now and then, but when they’re a very young age you want to focus on things that are going to help them develop properly.
Instrumental gifts
If they’re at an age where they’re able to identify the things that interest them, they might be old enough to learn how to play an instrument. If you’ve looked at the prices of instruments before, you might scoff at this idea - but not to worry! Instruments for children’s learning are usually quite cheap and easy to get a hold of, and they’re much simpler than the regular versions of the same instrument. Anything else would be far too complicated to start with, but it’s worth considering how it can benefit them. Not only will it help them develop motor skills, but it’s a great way to help them channel their creativity.
Learning instruments come in all forms, and you can get something for them to practice on in no time. Not only that, but it can make for a great way for you to bond with your children. You could learn along with them, and start from the ground up! It’s not easy for anyone to pick up an instrument, and what better time than to learn with your child? If you learn along with them, it could also be a good motivator to keep them interested in it.
Word games
Younger kids need all of the help they can get when they’re learning how to spell, and it’s important that you consider the need for word games. It’s going to help them stay interested while they’re learning, and you can get them in many different forms. Whether you look into the best sight word games online, or you buy books that can help them - it’s a productive item that you can’t go wrong with! They can be fun, and if you pick the right one, it’s an effective way to help your children learn as they grow up.
Math games
Math games are generally a great way to practice math learning, without making it dull. Math isn’t something that’s going to be interesting to everyone, but it’s an important skill to learn. There are many forms of math games, and you’ll find that you can do it through either online games, block toys that you can buy, or even simple apps made for children! Number games can teach your kids the fundamentals of math at an early age, giving them the headstart that will help them later on!
Building block toys
Now, if you’re looking for something that’s going to be a good gift at all ages, it’s block toys. When it comes to things like LEGO, or other blocks, you’re going to have an easy time picking out a gift. Not only are they great fun, but they can be a good way to help your younger children develop their fine motor skills. It’s a necessity if you want to make sure they develop properly and healthily. Other methods won’t necessarily be as effective, as you want to pick something that’s going to hold their interest.
There are sets out there with all kinds of themes and instructions, so not only is it a good way to learn and channel creativity, but it can make for a fun hobby!
Art sets
Yet another choice you have when picking for children of all ages is an art set! No one is too old to pick up different arts or crafts, and they can come in so many forms. Whether it’s more drawing-oriented, painting-oriented, or even cutting and sticking - you want to make sure you’re encouraging your kids to be creative. Being able to draw and paint is a great talent and skill to have all throughout your life and can be an escape for many people. If you want to help them develop a skill that will stick with them - arts and crafts are a great way to do it. Not only that but there are art sets tailored for kids of all different ages, so you can pick one specifically to fit their needs.
Just like with instruments, this is also something you can use to spend time with them! It’s easy to focus on, and like mentioned before, no one is too old to get interested in the arts. Even if you’re not great at it yourself, you can still learn!
Coloring books
Just like with art sets, letting your kids channel their creativity is very important, and if they’re not ready to start doing their own drawings yet - you might consider coloring books. They can learn to have better control over their hands when they use coloring books, and they’re often tailored towards certain forms of entertainment. You could easily pick one up that’s based on their favorite cartoons or their favorite video game. It might not seem that significant, but it’s a simple gift that’s sure to keep them busy if you manage to pick something right for them.
Hobby sets
Hobby sets are a pretty common way to encourage your children to be creative, and they make for an easy gift choice. Though, you should keep in mind that some can be quite expensive. They’re similar to art sets, or coloring books, but they’re more focused on certain things. For example, a step-by-step instruction set on how to build certain models might cost a bit more than something a bit more basic due to the popularity and branding. With that said, it might still be worth that price tag if it’s able to help your children develop their own creative skills.
Memory games
Memory games are often in the shape of board games or apps, and they can be a great way to help train the brain while they’re young. Having a sharp memory is an important skill to have in all stages in life, and if you’re able to help them improve and develop that memory, then you’re making a good choice in a gift. Not only that, but if you’re picking something like a board game, it can be fun for all of the family - which makes it even more of an encouragement for them to play it.
Age is very important to consider when you’re trying to pick a gift out for your kids, and interest isn’t your only concern here. Games and toys with smaller parts are generally not a good idea for the younger kids, and when it comes to things like building blocks - there are usually alternatives with bigger blocks making them a much safer choice. The small components are a serious health risk for children who are very young, so you should make sure you avoid them completely until your kids learn to not put things in their mouths.
It can also help to talk to your children long before the time for gifting comes so that you have at least some idea of what they want. If they’re old enough to make their own decisions on their interests, it’s better to ask before the gifting period so that you don’t drop any hints on what you might buy.
Continuing to count God's sweet blessings...
3020. A week away with my husband, kids, and grandbaby.
3021. Spending time at the beach, our family's favorite place!
3022. Safe travels.
3023. Laughter.
Contributed post
Summer is the best time of year for many people. Being able to enjoy time outside without having to wrap up warm can be a blessing, and there are loads of things to enjoy when this season is in full swing. Of course, though, summer can also come with some downsides. Most people want to be comfortable at home, but it can be incredibly hard to get comfortable when the sun is blazing on your home. To help you out with this, this article will be exploring some of the best ways to keep your home comfortable during summer, giving you the chance to embrace this time of year.
Air Conditioning
Air conditioning is an obvious choice when you’re looking for ways to keep your home cool during summer. Many people have air-con, and this tool can be excellent when you live somewhere that regularly gets very hot. Of course, though, you won’t use machines like this all year round, and this means that you may need to have some repairs done to keep your AC running effectively during the hottest parts of the year. AC repair companies can be found across the world, making it easy to get the help you need when you’re working on this element of your home.
Outdoor Shade
Many people make the mistake of thinking that the air temperature found in shade is cooler than what you will find in direct sunlight. In reality, though, the reason shade feels cool is that it is blocking the sun’s radiation from touching your body, rather than actually cooling the air around you. Having shade outdoors can give you good opportunities to cool off and make your time during summer more comfortable. Of course, though, you need to make sure that you are able to use your shade when summer rolls around. Keeping up with gardening throughout the year can be a challenge, but it will be worth the work to make sure that you can go outside.
Blocking Light
As mentioned above, a lot of the heat you feel on a sunny day is thanks to sunlight, rather than the air around you. The same goes for your home, and this means that light being letting inside can warm up the interior of your place in a very short time. Blocking this light can be a good way to avoid this, with options like shutters being ideal for those who want to make their home look great in the process. Blocking light may feel like a bit of a compromise, but it can be done selectively so that your home still feels light and open.
Keeping a home comfortable during the hottest months of the year can be a very challenging process. Many people struggle with work like this, but it will only get easier once you get some experience. Of course, though, you need to work hard to get the best results.
