Linda @ Linda’s Lunacy

Nichole Nordeman The Unmaking CD Review & Giveaway

September 6, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

I recently received Nichole Nordeman’s latest CD, The Unmaking, to review. Nichole Nordeman is a recording artist and songwriter for Sparrow/EMI CMG. She has had numerous number-one and top ten singles and cumulative CD sales of over one million. Nichole is a two-time Gospel Music Association winner for Female Vocalist of the Year. She has also won a total of nine Dove Awards, including the best selling album, Music Inspired by The Story. Nichole Nordeman’s best known songs include Holy, Legacy, Brave, This Mystery, Why, and What If.

Now Nichole is back with her newest CD, The Unmaking. There are 6 new songs on this CD.

The Unmaking

Not to Us

Name

Love Your More

Something out of Me

Slow Down.

I listened to this CD several times while driving with my family. I listened with my husband, two teenagers, a couple of 20 year olds, and even my 79 year old mother at different times. Everyone enjoyed listening to the songs. There is something for everyone on this CD. Some songs are slower, some faster, and some a mix of both. This is a great CD for the whole family.

I really like this quote from Nichole Nordeman:

Before things in our lives can be resurrected and given new life, certain things must die. Before beauty blooms in spring, roots must do the hard work under the hard frozen soil of winter. Before you renovate and re-build, you tear down the parts of the structure that are weak or damaged or dangerous. Before we make, we must unmake.

For more information about Nichole Nordeman and The Unmaking, you can visit Official Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and can see more videos at VEVO.

How would you like to win your own Nichole Nordeman The Unmaking CD?!

Simple fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Dave Ramsey’s Foundations in Personal Finance for Homeschool Review

September 2, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

I have been using Dave Ramsey’s Foundations in Personal Finance for Homeschool with my 9th grade son for a month.

Foundations in Personal Finance for Homeschool is a complete high school curriculum and meets standards and benchmarks in all 50 states. This homeschool edition has added scripture references that are not in the other editions of this curriculum. Foundations in Personal Finance for Homeschool sells for $119.99 for the set, with additional student texts available for $26.99.

Included in Foundations in Personal Finance for Homeschool are the paperback student text and a 6 cd-rom set. Five of the cds feature teaching delivered via video by Dave Ramsey and his team of experts. The 6th cd is Teacher’s Resources.

Dave Ramsey’s Foundations in Personal Finance for Homeschool Review

Foundations in Personal Finance for Homeschool consists of 4 units.

Saving and Budgeting
Credit and Debt
Financial Planning and Insurance
Income, Taxes, and Giving

Each unit has 3 chapters, with each chapter containing 3 sections, as well as a chapter summary. You can see the chapter titles, summaries, and see a sample chapter from Foundations in Personal Finance for Homeschool on the website.

The student text pages are not in full color, but rather in shades of gray. The chapter and section titles are in orange. The pages are not boring, though. The book is filled with graphs, charts, statistics, quotes, and scripture references. Each chapter has journal questions. The chapter summaries help reinforce what the student learned in that chapter.

The video lessons last anywhere from 3 minutes to 15 minutes. My son said he really liked the videos. The instructors use humor and real life stories to teach and reinforce principles of managing money. While watching the video lesson, students follow along using the student text. As the student is watching the lesson, they have to fill in the blank in their book. I like this, as it helps to insure that my son is paying attention to the video lesson.

The Teacher’s Resources CD contains over 150 pages and includes a getting started guide, forms & resources, assessments, a 90 day syllabus, and files for each of the 12 chapters. Each chapter’s file contains a fill-ins answer key, lesson plan, chapter summary answers, case studies, printable activity pages, tests and answer keys. The over 35 activity pages contain fun activities that reinforce what was learned in that chapter. Some activities are about learning statistics about money. For example, which country has the highest, and the lowest, percentage of saving money.

I love having the syllabus printed out. I can tell with just a glance what is needed for each day. It makes it easy to have the printables ready for each day when the student needs them.

You are able to print out as many copies of the assessments and activities as you need for your homeschool students from the cd. The student text, however, does not grant permission to copy pages. So you will need a student text for each of your students.

The only thing I didn’t like about this curriculum was that some of the activities were for the classroom, not the homeschool. For example, Candy Bar Madness, shown below, was designed to be used in the classroom, and is nearly impossible to replicate in the homeschool. This is something I think they need to improve. If they say this is for the homeschool, then all activities should be geared towards the homeschool setting.

There is another aspect to this curriculum that we have not used yet. There is a learning website available to the student that features calculators, tools and resources. We have not used Foundations U yet, but I have checked it out. The different calculators available look very helpful to the student. There are also articles to read, and the chapter activities for the course.

Overall, Dave Ramsey’s Foundations in Personal Finance for Homeschool is a great curriculum for teaching homeschool students all aspects of personal finance. From learning about world currency and the world financial market to the history of credit in America to saving their own money & managing a checking account and their own credit.

I’m pleased to be able to offer you a giveaway for Foundations in Personal Finance for Homeschool! Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Making a Home – Homemaking Linky

September 1, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

Welcome to this weeks………

Making a Home – Homemaking Linky!

This weeks featured post is……Pizza Stuffed Chicken from Simply Stacie.

This Pizza Stuffed Chicken looks so good. My family is going to love this! I have everything but the pepperoni to make this recipe. As soon as I get some, I will be making it.

If you missed this great recipe last week, check it out now. Don’t forget to pin it for later!

Making a Home – Homemaking Linky

Now it’s your turn! Share your posts about homemaking ideas, recipes, crafts, decorating, cleaning tips, basically anything that has to do with caring for a home and family. The Linky is open all week.

Don’t forget to visit a few other links while your here!

Your click is a vote for next weeks featured post!

Having your post featured means I will share the picture you add in the linky, as well as the link to your post, in next weeks post!

All featured posts will be pinned to a special

Making a Home – Homemaking Linky Pinterest board!!

So link up your posts, tell everyone to visit the linky, and maybe your post will be the featured post next week!

No giveaways, please. Giveaway links will be deleted. You can link your giveaways on my Thursday’s Giveaways linky. Thanks! Please provide a link back to me. A text link is fine. Of course, family friendly posts only.

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

August 31, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

I have become fascinated with skillet meals.

Or maybe obsessed is the correct word.

Either way, I am in love with how easy they are. So far, my family has loved every one I have made.

Here are two that I made last week.

Skillet Chicken Alfredo

Yes, you really can make Chicken Alfredo in one pan! In about 30 minutes!

This recipe is coming soon! And it is so good!!

This Skillet Spaghetti has become a family favorite. I have made it numerous times now. With meat, or without. With hamburger, or with chicken. If I use meat, I serve it as the main dish. If I make it without meat, I serve it as a side dish to meat. The family loves it any which way. lol

I am working on new skillet recipes, and hope to share them all soon!

So, what about you? Have you tried any skillet pasta meals yet? Let me know what you would like a recipe for and I’ll work on it!

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Saturday – quick & easy- Pizza from the deli, my sons request

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Roast Beef & cheddar cheese or ham or chicken, with lettuce, tomato, & chips

Monday – chicken – Fried Chicken, fried chicken livers (yuck! lol), mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Pizza and salad

Wednesday – Taco Night- Beef Tacos with all the fixin’s

Thursday – chicken – Chicken & rice, carrots

Friday – beef – Smoked Sausage Skillet Dinner (recipe I’m working on!), beets

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

Until My Name Is Known Book Review

August 28, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

*This post contains an affiliate link.

Until My Name is Known by Sonya Contreras is book one in the Tell of My Kingdom’s Glory series. Until My Name is Known tells the story of the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt. The book opens with Moses returning home and telling his wife Zipporah that God spoke to him at the burning bush.

Until My Name Is Known

The Exodus of the Jews from Egypt is a love story between God and His people. God woos His people to Himself as He prepares them to leave. Before leaving, God must fight Pharaoh for possession of His people. See how God changes all people: some for the better, others not. None stay the same. How will He change you? Can you trust a God Who destroyed a nation before your eyes? Would you want Him as your Friend?

See God free His people from Egypt’s bonds before a watching world. Trace His Finger in the lives He touches. The time: 2450 BC. The Place: Old Kingdom of Egypt where Pharaoh is god. His people worship him. Israel’s God arrives. He challenges Pharaoh. His power touches all people. They must change. Some do not concede. They suffer. Others yield. They find freedom.

Until My Name Is Known brings all to see the one true God. Read it to see Him. Today’s historians and archaeologists puzzle over the fall of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, But the world at that time heard of God. The world knew that He is the Lord. His Name was proclaimed in all the earth.

I like that Sonya Contreras uses the Bible, archaeological records, and historical records in the writing of this book. Because of the author using these records, you will see different names and places than in other books set in this same time period. In Until My Name is Known you will see what life, was possibly, really like for the Israelites. You’ll see, and understand a little better, what is was like to live through the 10 plagues.

The book ends after Moses and the Israelites cross the Red Sea. They watch as Pharaoh and his army are overcome with the waters of the Red Sea moving back into place. The really couldn’t believe their eyes. Was Pharaoh really defeated? Were they really free?

Once they realize that they really are free, they sing a song of praise to the God that delivered them from Pharaoh’s hand.

“The Lord is my strength and my song:

He has become my salvation.

He is my God… And I will exalt Him…”

You can read chapter 1 of Until My Name is Known on the authors website.

In the back of the book are the author’s remarks, a glossary, a bibliography, and more. I love when books contain this extra information for the reader.

Until My Name Is Known is not just a retelling of the same story that we all know. Until My Name is Known is a fresh telling with new archaeological and historical information. I really liked reading Until My Name is Known. If you like to read Christian historical books, you will like Until My Name is Known.

See what others have to say on the Litfuse Until My Name is Known page.

*Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): I received a product sample for review purposes. I received no other compensation. I was not required to write a positive review. My opinions are my own.”

*This post contains an affiliate link. If you click the link and purchase something, I will receive a small commission.

It’s National Dog Day – Meet My Dogs!

August 26, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

In honor of National Dog Day, meet my dogs!

Max and Piper

Max, on the left, is a German Shepherd mix. We got him, for free, when he was 6 weeks old. He’s about 18 months old now. He is very protective of the whole family. He even goes so far as to give us an escort when we leave in the car. He walks us to the car, and waits behind the car while we get in. Then when we start backing up, he runs up the driveway. He stays ahead of the car up the driveway, and runs in front of the car on the road. When he thinks he has done his job and we are safe, he moves to the side of the road so we can pass.

He’s a really sweet dog. That most people are afraid of. lol I have to tell everyone, including the mail man and other delivery people, that it’s ok, he just wants to play with them. lol His favorite delivery people are the ones with treats. lol

Piper, on the right, is a Morkie. which is a cross between a Maltese and a Yorkie. She looks like a Yorkie, though. We were given Piper when she was just over 3 years old. She is now about 4 1/2 years old. She came with papers, so we know her birth date, parents names, etc.

Piper came to us with “issues”. She had been kept in the house, rarely let outside even on a leash, and we were told was housebroken to puppy pads. If she was, she gave that up when she moved here! It took me about 6 weeks to get her trained to going outside. She hates to be tied up outside, and will retaliate by going to the bathroom in the house as soon as we bring her in. grrrr Piper pretty much only likes the people that live here. Even family members that visit all the time, and she should be used to, can not escape her wrath when they come. She hasn’t bitten anyone, not even close, but she lets everyone know that she is not pleased that they are here by barking, snarling, and growling. For some reason, she still hasn’t figured out that that behavior is what gets her banished from the living room. lol

I took several pictures, and this one is the only one that they were both looking in the same direction at the same time. lol Maybe I should have taken treats out with me. lol

I’m sure that if they knew it was National Dog Day, that they would have demanded some! lol

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

August 24, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

This week, I made my favorite Chicken Curry dish in the slowcooker instead of on top of the stove. It came out really good. There ended up being too much sauce, but that’s not really a problem, now is it? I will definitely make in in the slowcooker again.

I’ve made fried chicken a couple of times now this summer, after a break from making it of about 17 years. lol Of course, the family loves it! I used thin cut boneless skinnless chicken breast, but next time, I will probably cut them myself instead of paying extra for it. The cream gravy is the best! It really is an easy dish to make, just a little time consuming. Using the thin cut chicken speeds up the process. Of course, you have to have mashed potatoes to go with the gravy!The first time I made this, this summer, I had the kids peel the potatoes. I made extra, and put half in the freezer. It sure was nice to just pull the mashed potatoes out of the freezer, instead of making them again!

I don’t make pork that often, but my husband picked some out at the store. These were boneless, so they took less cooking time. I served them with oven fried potatoes, peas and carrots, and homemade applesauce.

I just love my cast iron skillet. I use it all the time. I actually have 5 cast iron skillets, but I use this big 12 inch one the most. I can get a nice brown on my fried chicken and pork in this skillet without using a lot of oil.
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