Hugs & Kisses, God {Giveaway}

Hugs & Kisses, God by Allia Zobel Nolan is a cute lift-the-flap picture book published by Zonderkids.

When the email came asking if I wanted to review Hugs & Kisses, God I thought it looked like a good book to read during the Valentine season when we're talking are reading about love. Turns out, I was right.

The book is a quick read and the flaps are very simple for little hands to open. Odd numbered pages fold over, creating one large flap that you lift to reveal different ways children can express their love to God.

The author uses rhyming text to teach children various ways they can express their love to God, as well as ways God expresses his love to us through creation. The book is intended for young children, maybe ages 2-5.

I like that Hugs & Kisses, God teaches children that they can talk to God about anything and everything and to find him throughout their day.

For example, on one page we read:

"Daddy walks me to my day school. On the way, we get a thrill. 'Hugs and kisses, God,' I whisper, 'for those daisies on the hill." 

What a sweet way to remind us that God created the daises and that we should enjoy them.

I read this book aloud with my children and their response was favorable. I think my too big guys are too old but my girlie (5 yrs.) liked the verses and illustrations. My 3 year old son liked lifting the flaps.

Here's the best part! Zonderkids has kindly offered an additional copy to give to one Stephanie's Mommy Brain reader!

To enter leave a comment on this blog post. Be sure to include your email address so I can notify you when you win. For additional entries subscribe to Stephanie's Mommy Brain and like my Facebook page. Entries must be received by February 15, 2012.


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A Not-So Organized Basement

I'm keeping it real today. I wrote a lot of posts about organizing your home last month. That might lead you to think that my house is organized perfectly. It's not.

My house is a work in progress, just like yours.

Need proof?

Behold, the basement work room!

In my defense, this is all my husband's handyman tools and painting STUFF. That means I don't touch it.

In HIS defense, I bought 4 medium-sized tubs a few weeks ago and he's started organizing everything. It's a slow process. I'll share pictures of the finished project with you in a few weeks, or maybe months.

Does it surprise you that part of my basement is cluttered and messy?

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

One of my husband's favorite home cooked meals is chicken pot pie. I hated chicken pot pie as a kid, and still hate the frozen ones, but after tweaking this recipe I actually like eating chicken pot pie now.

Chicken Pot Pie Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups of cooked chicken, shredded or cut into bite-sized pieces
2 cups of Grimmway Farms baby carrots, cut into bite-sized pieces and cooked
3 medium potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces and cooked
2 cans of cream of chicken or mushroom soup
1/2 tsp of pepper
1/4 tsp of salt
2 pie crusts

Directions:

Boil carrots and potatoes separately. When slightly tender, drain and allow to cool until you don't see steam coming off of them.

Combine chicken, soup, salt and pepper. Gently stir-in potatoes and carrots until coated with the soup.

Place one pie crust in a pie plate. Pour chicken and vegetable mixture into pie crust. Cover with the second pie crust. Crimp the edges. Make 4 slash marks in the top of the crust to allow steam to escape.

Bake at 375* until the top pie crust is golden brown.

We usually have half of the pie left over. I allow the pie to cool completely. Then I gently wrap the leftovers in parchment paper or waxed paper. Then wrap a second time in aluminum foil and place in the freezer.

We usually eat the leftover pie within 2 weeks. I unwrap the pie, allow to thaw, and heat it up in the oven.

Does your family eat chicken pot pie? Do you cook it from scratch or use frozen?


Disclosure: I received a coupon for a free bag of Grimmway Farms carrots in exchange for this post. I accepted the coupon because I always buy Grimmway Farms 5 lb. baby carrots at my local Price Rite for my family to eat. Grimmway Farms also sells produce under the Cal-Organic label and may be found in your local grocery store.

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