Salad with a Twist

I don't want this blog to turn into a "what I had for dinner" blog, because I want to do more with my creativity than just cook, but because I made this awesomely delicious Salad this evening for dinner i just had to share

So basically, its just a salad. Lettuce. Tomato. Hard boiled egg. Cubed Sharp cheddar AND get this...................... BRATWURST!!! HAHA! who ever thought about putting Bratwursts in a salad?! ME! that's who! I didn't use a dressing or anything because the juices from the tomato, lettuce, and bratwurst made is moist in flavor enough that I didn't need a dressing! Go me!

Enjoy!
~*~K~*~

Toliet Paper Towers

Jude has this new obsession with playing with toliet paper... And by playing with it, I don't mean balling it up and throwing it down the toliet. I mean making castles and towers out of it. Thursday, when I asked him to put the toliet paper away in the cupboard for me, i noticed it was taking him an unusually long amount of time and he had gotten really quiet. This is what I walked into:

Now of course, I could not be mad at him because I love his creative abilities. It stayed like this for quite awhile and then I informed him we had to put it away. He was a very good helper putting it away. He's a great boy, I couldn't ask for anyone better and his imagination is AMAZING!

Enjoy!
~*~K~*~

Dinner Last Night

Last night for dinner I actually cooked!

I made a cucumber, olive, mozzarella, and tomato salad. Some creamy mushroom penne, and Parmesan bread crumb chicken. It tasted delicious underneath all my sickies, so I can only imagine how amazing it would have tasted if I hadn't of been sick. I was just thinking though that the mozzarella didn't really have the full flavor that i was looking for so next time to bring out the taste of the cheese, I may go ahead and use feta.
Anyway, it was really good and I wish that my stomach could have eaten more but it didn't. I don't feel like posting a recipe, but it's pretty self explanatory. If you want to know how I made a particular thing (like if you're just dying to know) email me at goin2merced24@hotmail.com and i'll be totally glad to give it to you. I'm just not feeling too well and my mind is boggled so blogging it isn't gonna happen tonight.

Enjoy!

~*~ K~*~

I'm Baaaack!

So for awhile i've wanted to start being creative again. I was dabbling over at that tumblr place but i didn't like it. It didn't allow me to express my creative take on things as much as I would have liked it too. I am going to start blogging again.
Life
Creativity
Jude
Me
Marriage (or lack there of)
and Everything in Between.
I spend a lot of time on the computer doing the same ole things over and over and quite frankly, my talent deserves to be noticed. So hold tight and enjoy!

Kirsten

REMEMBER in case you forget

Ah Kirsten, this is for your memory purposes only. The email is kirstenbalkom@hotmail.com =)

Moments of Truth Unleashing God's Word One Day at a Time

I got this book before the new year in hopes that I would be able to read it daily. I couldn't really get into so i put it down for awhile; but then i remembered that I am suppose to write a review on it, so I had to pick it back up and read it in it's entirety...
I believe that if you understand the philosophy behind the author's mentioning in this book you will have a better understanding at grasping the lessons being taught in this book. A lot of it was too deep for me. I was first put off by the very first chapter being something i wasn't particularly interested in, so it was hard to keep reading.
When i did pick it back up and start reading more thoroughly, i found that it did become more interesting. This book is definately for someone that understands Big words and philosophical comparisons of religion.
At the bottom of the page there is a footer with mentions about some other book, it would have been nice if there was some kind of clarification of what those footers were actually for (there is only a small blurb in the back of the book about the footers, but it's unclear). Perhaps maybe accompanying the book as a set would help a reader understand what's taking place.
I guess i give it 3 stars.

How to save my marriage...

I read this book "How to save my marriage in 5 minutes a day: daily practices to transform your relationship" by Bonnie Jacobson...

Well it took me a LONG time to get this review in. I just couldn't get interested in it. I don't know what it was, but whenever I picked it up to start reading, i just couldn't make sense of it. I may try to read it another time, but it took me forever this time. I think that if my marriage is going to work, reading a marriage self help book is great but only God can actually save my marriage. The ideas in this book are well meant, but I just don't think they are appliable to my daily life. IF you have time to read and really meditate on what it's saying then I say go for it, but I was disappointed.

alot..

A lot has happened in the months since I last blogged. A lot.
At some point I will bring my computer home to my apartment and write up blogs for both. Myself and judes blog too. Right now i don't say much bcuz I am doing it all from mobile but I hope to really get back into writing again. Till then, many blessings. - kirsten -

Someday...

Someday, I hope that I have daily internet access again so that I can get back into blogging. Till then, we'll just have to wait... sorry.

Thank You, God, For Mommy

Absolutely Amazing!!! I love love love this book! I read it to my son and he sat through the whole thing. I love the illustrations. I love the words. I love the meanings. I sat there and read this to Jude and had tears in my eyes cause I could relate. This book is GREAT!
Usually i'm not one for wanting to just focus on mommy or daddy , but this book hit the spot for the sappy mommy. I'd like to see them make one geared for the daddy too. I could only imagine how lovely that one would be.
I save these books so my son doesn't destroy them and read them periodically and I find myself wanting to pull him aside and read this one to him all the time.
I definately recommend this book and would most assuredly recommend it to anyone else. Thank you Thomas Nelson for another amazing book!!!
5+++ stars in my book.

Adventures in Booga What?

Adventures in Booga Booga Land: 'Squid Sushi Loses His Marbles' & Other Episodes

We recently received this dvd from Booksneeze. My son watched it for about 10 minutes and then claimed he was done with it. It wasn't a very interesting dvd and it certaintly didn't catch his attention. The stories are good and moral, but the graphics on the film aren't very good. It reminds me of some sort of cartoon network show, with a christian theme. I also wasn't too thrilled with the idea that on the main menu of the dvd it didn't give me the "play all " option to start, without a dvd remote I couldn't select play all and had to wait for it to run. Although, it did play through all the shows, i didn't like the lack of play all feature.
I don't think that I would really recommend this to anyone, unless you like choppy graphics and lame plots.
I give it 1 stars.

Precious Moments storybook Bible

Amazing, beatufiul, great. I love this book. The words are big enough to read without squinting. There are all the major stories. There are even songs at the end (no cd though). My son and I will have a lot of relaxing moments reading this book together.
I highly recommed to anyone wanting a childrens storybook bible.

Really Woolly Bible Stories

I've had a bit of trouble figuring out my blog and how to post things in the different sections. I've wanted to write this review for awhile now but i always end up forgetting

Really Woolly Bible Stories is an AMAZING book. I love to read it to my little one. Over and over we read it and it's a different adventure everytime. It gives you most of the basic stories throughout the bible. Its only flaw is that it doesn't really focus a lot on the stories in the New Testament, but it reflects on some that even I didn't learn as a child.
It is a rhyming book and i love rhyming books. Also, it is beautifully illustrated and you can follow the animals in every story as they lead you through the book. I think my favorite part was that underneath the illustration on each story was the part of the bible in which you could read the entire story. Simply Great! I give it 5 stars!

Updating

I'm in the process of updating and making my blog more interesting. Stay tuned.

Please sign up

http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/judesmommy08

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!! everyone to sign up under my name for swagbucks... I need referrals and more points. Please also tell everyone you know. Already I have received the following things from being a member, FOR FREE

$30 in amazon giftcards which got me:

• 1 christmas present for my mom
• 2 christmas presents for jude
• 1 christmas present for my brother
• And 1 dvd for myself

1 children's cd

It really is worth it, i'm starting already to save up for more points for next christmas. Help me out!

~*~Sigh~*~

Jesus Calling: 365 Devotions for Kids

Each day starts off with a date, title, and verse.
The verse is a reference for the reading and the readings themselves are written as if God is speaking them directly to the reader.
Each devotion ends with verses for you to read in your bible for further reading of Gods' word.

It's a fantastic daily devotional. I got this book thinking it would be suitable for me to read with my young son, however, I think that "Jesus Calling" should be geared towards older children, teens, and even adults.
There aren't really any child specific topics and I was disappointed in that aspect of it.

I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone with young children, but if your teen or yourself is looking for a simple and quick daily read, then this book is for you.

I give it 3 stars

A Christmas Prayer- Amy Parker

Instead of focusing on toys and presents the child in this book goes through each character of the Nativity story. From Gabriel to Baby Jesus, thanking God for the blessings of each.
What a lovely book! Full of colorful illustrations and a perfect, short but sweet, outlook on christmas through a child's eyes.
I definately recommend this book; to anyone with small children who want to teach their child(ren) the true meaning of christmas.
***** five stars from me!

One Hand, Two Hands

I recently received the book " One Hand, Two Hands" by Max Lucado. It is about all different things we can do with our hands, it's a child's book with lovely illustrations. My son enjoyed it and actually sat through me reading it.
The only problems that I have with the book are that the illustrations are just girls.
I have a boy and while he loved looking at it, it's not always his first pick because of the fact that it's "girly".
I also didn't like how some of the Colorful words indicated what the hands were doing, while some didn't. I think they should have made all the words in color, be those that were actions so that the children could identify with what the hands were suppose to be doing.
As always, I thoroughly enjoyed the book i received and would recommend it to my friends and family. Good choice for a children's book.

Howdy

I know it's been awhile since I was last on, but i'm still here. I got a new book from Thomas Nelson Publishing that I will be reviewing for you all in a few days.
I have been sick this past week, my whole family has been sick. I started school and work is kind of crazy. I am going to go to bed soon, so I will update more later.