~ A Quick Little Update ~

Wow!! February flew by . . .

As most of you know, I got a job as a receptionist during tax season. I am now super busy!! But, I am really enjoying my job and the people I get to work with. I do miss Hannah like crazy and can't wait till April 16th when it is just me and her all day again. 

Aaron is doing good. We are officially at are half way mark; in fact, we might even be just past it.

It is exciting knowing that there is an end to this deployment, and in just a few months we will have him back. We are so lucky that we get to talk to Aaron pretty often. It is rare that I go a couple days without hearing from him. 

Hannah is enjoying spending lots of time with her cousin and best friend, Brynn. It is adorable listening to a conversation between two year olds : )

February also bought some great news for the Craig Family. . . . This past month we became one hundred percent free of our credit card debt!! We had five credit cards ranging from about a hundred and fifty dollars all the way up to twenty five hundred dollars (no judging please.) It was absolutely amazing to pay off each one of them! Now we just have to work on Aaron's motorcycle and my car. 

~ What's in my Primary Chorister Bag? ~

This week we were finishing up, I will follow God's Plan for Me. 

My goal was to have some fun while perfecting the song.

A few weeks ago I found this really fun video on YouTube where they use paper plates to teach this song.

(click here to view the video)

I used this idea with my Junior Primary and they LOVED IT!!

We must have sang the song six times while we clapped with our plates!! 

Then I spent about five minutes singing the second part of the song, because the children were struggling a little with the words. We added some fun actions which they enjoyed.

To finish we sang it all the way through again. I have never heard such volume with my Junior Primary!

I am one happy Singing Lady : )

For Senior Primary it was all about The Olympics!!

I asked a child at random to pick two numbers. Underneath the numbers was a different winter Olympic sport. Once they matched the picture with the sport with the name of the sport, they received a medal. We then sang, I will follow God's Plan with a little twist.

Bobsleigh - perfect lyrics

Figure Skating - spin on a certain word

Ice Hockey - divide the group in half and take turns singing 

Speed Skating - sing as fast as we can (but staying with the piano)

Free Style Skiing - Kids choice

Curling - singing as we snapped along

Snow Boarding - started the song really quiet and then got louder and louder

Ski Jump - as we sang I choose words to hold the note as long as we can.

The kids favourite was the speed skating and the ski jump. I was amazed that in twenty minutes we were able to sing the song eight times!! 

The children LOVED this idea and were really enjoying singing time : )

These were the medals I made. 

I used my own ideas as well as some ideas from 

leaders on the facebook page.

To join the group click here for the link

What's in my Primary Chorister Bag?

This week we are working on I will Follow God's Plan.

I found this really cute idea on Camille's Primary Ideas where they play chutes and ladders.

(click here to find all the links)

For Junior Primary, I divided them into two teams. One at a time I would call them up to roll the dice and then move their piece up the board. Then we sang the song to the space their piece was at. They loved playing this game and were willing to sing loud after each turn.

For Senior Primary, I left them in their classes. We sang the song all the way through and then played the game. It was a race to the finish. We didn't stop to sing the song because I thought they knew it well enough. Senior primary loved the competition and it ended up with my (seven) eleven year old boys winning. Yes, I have seven boys in Valiant eleven!! They then came to the front of the class to sing the song to everyone else. I was surprised how willing they were to sing to the other children.

I then had all senior primary sing the song. 

The word for the colored squares is one of these pictures. 

(again click here for all the links)

In nursery we sang Old MacDonald had a Farm. The nursery kids loved it!!

I am so grateful for wonderful choristers who take time to make all these fun ideas and then makes them available for the rest of us. My kids think I'm pretty cool : ) I am also really grateful for my calling and the sweet spirit the primary children have. I know our Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us. I am glad for the opportunity to have my testimony strengthened by these sweet yet powerful songs.

~ Book Review : Into The Still Blue ~

Book Twelve : Into the Still Blue by Veronica Rossi

WARNING : DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BOOK ONE OR TWO click here to read my review on Under the Never Sky (book one) and Through the Ever Night (book two)

A full hour passed before the tent fell quiet again. Perry was covered in legs and arms and blankets, so hot that sweat dampened his shirt. The shoulder he'd dislocated a month ago ached beneath the weight of Aria's head, and Talon was snoring right into his ear, but he couldn't remember the last time he felt so good. 

Their love and their leadership have been tested. Now it's time for Perry and Aria to unite the Dwellers and the Outsiders in one last desperate attempt to bring balance to their world.

The race to the Still Blue has reached a stalemate. Aria and Perry are determined to find this last safe-haven from the Aether storms before Sable and Hess do-and they are just as determined to stay together.

Meanwhile, time is running out to rescue Cinder, who was abducted by Hess and Sable for his unique abilities. And when Roar returns to camp, he is so furious with Perry that he won't even look at him, and Perry begins to feel like they have already lost.

Out of options, Perry and Aria assemble a team to mount an impossible rescue mission-because Cinder isn't just the key to unlocking the Still Blue and their only hope for survival, he's also their friend. And in a dying world, the bonds between people are what matter most.

My Thoughts : I think the Under the Never Sky trilogy is extremely underrated! This is such a beautiful and imaginative trilogy. The world Rossi created was truly unique. It did take me a while to figure it all out but once I did it all made sense. I was really excited to see how it would all conclude.

Into the Still Blue picks up right where the last book ended. Cinder had been taken by Sable's men, Aria had been shot, and Perry had got Talon back. Perry's tribe is now living in a giant cave and the storms are getting worse. The only way to survive is to find the still blue. A safe place where the storms won't destroy them. The only problem is Sable and Hess are also trying to get there. . . . . and they have Cinder. Cinder is the key to surviving the trip to the still blue. 

I did find this book to move a bit slow for me. I didn't get sucked in until page two hundred and ninety six!!! Once I read that page I was hooked!! Yes, I found the ending to be really predictable; however, it was the ending I wanted so I was one happy reader. 

This trilogy has some of the best written characters! Aria and Peregrine are wonderful main characters. They both experience an amazing character growth through the three books. I love them as individuals and I love them as a couple. I find Aria and Perry's bravery to be so inspiring. These are characters that are true to themselves and each other and I love that they never falter in that!

 I also found the supporting characters to be amazing as well. Roar is by far my favourite supporting character in a book. He is so dynamic and driven. I also loved Soren. I think Rossi wrote Soren really well. He had the potential to be a complete jerk but time after time he did the right thing. Then there is Brooke, who has such growth over the three books as well. I went from hating this girl to rooting for her in the end. There is also Caleb, Cinder, and  Loran. I loved them all and the way they interacting with each other.

I would defiantly recommend this book to all dystopian fans. It has a really interesting world and great characters. The romance between Aria and Perry doesn't overshadow the story line of the book. So I would recommend it to both male and female. I also think it is a book both those on the younger and older side of young adult would enjoy. I'm twenty eight and didn't feel it was too young. Overall, I really loved this book and gave it 4.5 stars

image from goodreads

~ Care Package #9 ~

It's Valentine's Day soon so I decided to fill Aaron's box with some of his favourite things . . . .

I put in some pepsi

little debbie valentine cakes

mini oreos

peanut butter hearts

flammin hot fries

cookies

fruit snacks

peanut butter m&m's

and some new headphones

~ Care Package #8 ~

This package was from Hannah to her Daddy.

She picked out EVERYTHING! 

she choose the paper, the stickers, and all the goodies that went inside the box. . . . . .

this is what we ended up with

Hannah choose pink polka dots, snowmen, monkeys, and basketball paper to decorate the box and she loved it!!

Hannah calls Aaron "Hunny" which is why the box says To Hunny Love Baby Girl : )

These are the goodies she choose:

a doggy

jelly bellys

hearts filled with chocolate

skittles

pez

legos

avengers coloring book

and transformers travel kit filled with games and coloring pages

I wasn't sure how it was all going to turn out, but I think this will be Aaron's favourite box!!

~ Book Review : Ignite Me ~

Book Eleven : Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi

WARNING : DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW IF YOU HAVE NOT READ BOOK ONE OR BOOK TWO click here to read my review on Shatter Me (book one) or click her to read my review on Unravel Me (book two)

I've always known, deep down, who should be leading this resistance. I've felt it quietly for some time now, always too scared to bring the words to my lips. Someone who's got nothing left to lose and everything to gain. Someone who is no longer afraid of anyone. 

Not Castle. Not Kenji. Not Adam, Not even Warner.

It should be me.

The heart-stopping conclusion to the New York Times bestselling Shatter Me series, which Ransom Riggs, bestselling author of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, called "a thrilling, high-stakes saga of self-discovery and forbidden love"

Juliette now knows she may be the only one who can stop the Reestablishment. But to take them down, she'll need the help of the one person she never thought she could trust: Warner. And as they work together, Juliette will discover that everything she thought she knew-about Warner, her abilities, and even Adam-was wrong.

My Thoughts : THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING!!! This is everything I love in a book. It was intense, romantic, easy to get lost in, and had the most perfect ending. I really disliked Juliette in book two but she quickly became one of my favourite female characters of all time. She was so strong! Juliette was determined to never let fear run her life again. She didn't want to hide anymore, she wanted to be free. Her character growth was outstanding and inspiring. I loved that she realized that she always had to power to break free. And she kicked some serious butt in this book!

Warner - I have grown to really love Warner over the course of these books, especially in his novella, Destroy Me. I was unsure what to make of him in Unravel Me but Mafi did an excellent job at bringing a likability to him. I understood better, in this book, why Juliette was so drawn to him. Why she would end up choosing him over Adam. Warner made Juliette better, stronger. He allowed her to believe in herself. I also really love the way Warner reacted to finding out Adam was his brother. This book was just so perfect.

Adam - As we all know, I have a soft spot for Adam. I understood him and the choices he made. I felt his hurt and pain. I wasn't upset with how the story went in Ignite Me, even if I was rooting for Adam. I still love Adam! I'm glad he was more relaxed and likable towards the end of this book. 

Kenji - Every book needs a character like Kenji. He bought the much needed comic relief to this book. I loved the relationship between him and Juliette. It was really beautiful to read. I want a best friend like Kenji!

I have marked my book in so many places because I loved all of it; however, I think my favourite scene was when Warner tells Juliette that she deserves to live, that she deserves to be alive. Yep, I melted away in that moment. Every girl needs a guy who believes in her. And, of course, the scene with Juliette and Anderson was equally amazing. I'm so happy the fight scene wasn't drawn out. I loved how it was written.

This book truly was phenomenal! I could not put it down. I was happy with the way the story went and felt statisfied at the end. I would recommend this book to everyone thirteen and over. It has enough action for the guys and plenty of romance for the girls. Some scenes did get a little steamy but nothing about pg13.

image from goodreads

~ Book Review : Angelfall ~

Book Ten : Angelfall by Susan Ee

"I'm coming," I call out but only a croaked whisper comes out of my mouth. I try to swim toward her but my muscles are so cold that all I do is flail. Flail and shiver in the path of my mother's boat.

"Hush. Shhh," a soothing voice whispers in my ear.

I feel the sofa cushions being pulled out from against my back. Then warmth envelops me. Firm muscels embrace me from the space where cushions used to be. I'm groggily aware of musculine arms wrapping themselves around me, their soft skin as a feather, their muscles steel velvet. Chasing away the ice in my veins and the nightmare.

"Shhh." A husky voice whisper in my ear.

I relax into the cocoon of warmth and let the sound of the rain on the roof lull me back to sleep.

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.

My Thoughts : Holy Crap! I don't even know where to begin with this review. . . . .  This was the first book I read that had angels in it, and I loved it! It was intense from beginning to end. Susan Ee did a fantastic job at keeping me on the edge of my seat, I had no idea where the next page would take me. I could not predict anything about where this book was going. It was romantic yet twisted. This is not how I imagined angels to be like.

This book takes place six weeks after the apocalypse. By day, the earth is run by human gangs that are  hungry and ready for a fight. At night, the earth is run by angels, not nice, sweet angels either. These angels have destroyed earth and are making it their home.

Penryn, the main character, her crazy mother, and crippled sister know they have to flee from the city. They choose to escape at nightfall. As they are fleeing, they notice a gang of angels cutting the wings of another angel. When the angels notice Penryn and her family watching, they start walking towards them. Penryn tells her mother and sister to run while she tries to distract them. Penryn's sister, Paige, is wheelchair bound, and tries to push herself away; however, she is taken by the angels. Penryn decides that the only way she would be able to get her sister back is by  teaming up with Raffe, the angel who had his wings cut off. Together they try to get Paige back and Raffe's wings sewn back on. I hope that all made sense because we are only about fifty pages in!!! She what I mean about the book being intense right from the start.

Penryn is so brave! I loved her. She was so driven to get her sister back, and no one was going to stop her. Raffe was equally amazing. He had these moments where I just melted away and then moments where I wanted to punch him. I found their relationship to be very well written.

I will say that some of the things that happened in this book were pretty graphic and extremely creepy. There was a scene towards the end that I really struggled to wrap my head around. I just couldn't picture the scene the author had written. I would not recommend this book for teenagers under sixteen. This is not a light and fluffy read. I did really enjoy it and am anxious to see where the author takes book two.

image by goodreads

~ February Update ~

Can you believe it is February already!!?

I honestly thought January was going to D R A G but it ended up flying by!

Today I wanted to do a quick update on what the family is up to, and how I'm doing on my new year goals.

Firstly, I was presented with an opportunity to work during tax season. I decided to take the job and help build our savings so we can do some really fun family trips when Aaron gets home. I am working Monday through Friday from about eight in the morning to five at night. I am a receptionist at payroll plus. This means that during the week I stay at my Mum's house, and then head home on the weekends. My Mum also watches Hannah for me which is really nice. I wouldn't work if my family couldn't watch Hannah. I am not planning on moving back home. I LOVE my house in Oceanside and couldn't imagine giving it up yet. 

Secondly, there has been talk about an extension for Aaron. If he does get chosen for an extension he will be home in December instead of June. Yes, this would really suck; however, there would also be some really good pros to him staying as well. I will talk about those more if an extension happens, but right now we are hoping for a homecoming in June.

oh and I broke my car . . . .  but that is boring so we won't talk about it. 

But to put your minds at rest, yes, it is under warranty so I don't have to pay for repairs, and yes, I got a rental car to use while mine is in the shop.

F.Y.I traffic on the Cajon Pass plus a stick shift equals the picture.

Onto how my goals are coming along. . . . . 

My Spritual Goals are doing ok - I remember to say my own prayers but forget to include Hannah. In February I want to do better with that. My Women in the Scriptures Challenge is going really well. I am learning so much and feeling stregthed by their stories. click here to read more about it.

I will be seeing some results in my family goals this month. I am planning to pay off our credit card debt with our tax return and putting all my pay checks into our savings account. Hannah and I had a really fun girls day yesterday, and we are hoping to do something fun every Saturday : )

Lastly, my personal goals of eating better and exercising better. I started running - thanks to my friend Eden - currently I am working on running three miles. I am also trying to eat more fruits and veggies and less junk. My challenge now is to figure out when to run because I am working all day. I also wanted to improve my blog this year. I am loving the way it is looking and enjoying how easy it is to use. I still have a lot of work to do but am up for the challenge. My last goal was to read seventy five books this year. I have read nine so far which puts me ahead of schedule!! click here to read more about it

how are you doing on your goals?

I saw this on facebook today and thought it was great - apart from the drink more tea - thank you Sarah for posting it

~ Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies ~

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

these are my go to cookies. 

they are easy to make and absolutely delicious!!

ingredients

half a cup of peanut butter

half a cup of butter, softened

half a cup of granulated sugar

half a cup of brown sugar, packed

half a teaspoon of baking powder

half a teaspoon of baking soda

one egg

half a teaspoon of vanilla

one and one fourth cups of all purpose flour

half a cup of chocolate chips

granulated sugar for sprinkling on cookies

preheat oven to 375 degrees

1. in a large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter together.

2. add the granulated and brown sugar, and the baking powder and baking soda. beat until combined.

3. beat in egg and vanilla until combined.

4. beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer - if needed use a wooden spoon

5. stir in chocolate chips

form dough into one inch balls. use a fork to make a crisscross pattern on top of each cookie and sprinkle with granulated sugar. place on a cookie sheet.

bake in the oven at 375 for 7-9 minutes

let cool before eating

cookies best served with a glass of milk :)



recipe from better home and gardens new cookbook