CHILDREN'S EXTRAVAGANZA BLOG TOUR & GIVE AWAY!

My Take: All three books are bright and colorful. I love the illustrations in all. Few words and bold illustrations will make any one of these a winner for your younger crowd. These are with us in the camper and have become part of Stacia's bedtime routine.

If you'd like to win one of these delightful books leave your name and a way to contact you in the comment section below. I'll draw names after 22 August when we return home. Spread the word.

God Gave Us Heaven
Author: Lisa Tawn Bergren

Summary: Little Cub awakens one morning with some important questions on her mind: What is heaven like? How do we get there? Will we eat in heaven? Will we be angels?

During a delightful day spent wandering their arctic world, Papa gently answers each question, assuring Little Cub that heaven is a wonderful place, “a million times better” than she can imagine. He explains how God has made a way for those who love him to enter their heavenly home forever after their lives on earth are over.

Reuniting the best-selling author-illustrator team from God Gave Us You, this gentle story provides satisfying answers for a young child’s most difficult questions about heaven. Parents, grandparents, childcare professionals, librarians, Sunday school teachers, and others will appreciate the gentle approach to a topic that’s on the minds of so many “little cubs.”

Through captivating, full-color illustrations and tender, biblically sound storytelling, young readers and those who love them will find reasons to rejoice in knowing that God Gave Us Heaven.

Author Bio: Lisa Tawn Bergren is the award-winning author of nearly thirty titles, totaling more than one million books in print. She writes in a broad range of genres, from adult fiction to devotional. God Gave Us Heaven is Lisa’s fourth children’s book, following in the tradition of the best-selling God Gave Us You. She makes her home in Colorado, with her husband, Tim, and their children, Olivia, Emma, and Jack.

Illistrator Bio: Laura J. Bryant studied painting, printmaking, and sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. She has illustrated numerous award-winning children’s books, including God Gave Us You, Smudge Bunny, and If You Were My Baby. Laura lives in Asheville, North Carolina.

God Loves Me More Than That

Author: Dandi Daley Mackall

Summary: In two new books from best-selling children’s author Dandi Daley Mackall, clever rhymes and delightful illustrations help young children, ages three and up, understand God’s huge love for them and his joy in creating them. These enchanting picture books from the writer-illustrator team of Dandi Mackall and David Hohn will instill awe in young children as they revel in each page. Parents alike will appreciate the engaging stories that communicate God’s perfect plan and his divine purpose for little hearts.

In God Loves Me More Than That, children learn that God loves them deeper than a wishing well, wider than a semi-truck, louder than thunder, and softer than a kitten’s sneeze. Each question, presented with charming child-like faith will help young ones grasp the great love of God through comparisons and descriptions they can easily understand. In short, they’ll discover that His love is bigger, wider, higher, and deeper than anything they could imagine!

In When God Made My Toes, kids are drawn into the wonder of their creation by God. Their masterful artist who fashioned them just right for amazing and delightful adventures, such as roller skating, finger-painting, doing flips, and drinking cocoa. Children will come to an understanding that God shaped each part of their amazing bodies with joy, delight, and humor.

Author Bio: Dandi Daley Mackall has published more than 400 books for children and adults, with more than 3 million combined copies sold. She is the author of WaterBrook’s two other delightful Dandilion Rhymes books, A Gaggle of Geese & A Clutter of Cats and The Blanket Show. A popular keynote speaker at conferences and Young Author events, Mackall lives in rural Ohio with her husband, three children, and a menagerie of horses, dogs, and cats.

Illutrator Bio: David Hohn is an award-winning illustrator who graduated with honors from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has worked as both a staff artist and an art director for a children’s software company in Portland, Oregon, a position which led to his art directing an award-winning project for Fisher-Price. Hohn’s recent projects include Lisa Tawn Bergren’s God Gave Us Christmas.



©2008 D.R.G.

A Trip Down Memory Lane - Happy Birthday Stacia!

The next contraction began, I pushed, Dr. Adams said "Oh my" as Mike and Rose began to laugh. I asked if I'd done something wrong and was told that I'd delivered a baby girl. One push and Stacia was born....if we do this again it may take a hiccup!

It didn't take long to see that Stacia doesn't have Downs and has a "perfectly, beautiful" heart. She'll have a renal ultrasound in a month to be "completely sure" her kidneys are fine. A highlight of this birth experience is that Krista spent both nights in the hospital with Stacia and I. I was a bit nervous about the cockroaches I saw in the shower....and they do all rooming in and I was a bit tipsy that first night. The second night we just watched chick flicks and ate chocolate. Ah girls night out.

In a real way Stacia's birth motivated the creation of this blog. The girls moved out 2 weeks after Stacia's birth and were sad not to be able to watch her grow. I committed to posting our daily lives so they could watch the youngers mature.

Photos from Stacia's first two weeks are posted here.

Our tradition is a big Birthday Party in the Hospital. Here's photos of Stacia.


©2008 D.R.G.

Day 11 – RAIN

We awoke in the middle of the night to the most amazing THUNDER storm I’ve heard in a long time. I love the sound of rain on top of a tin roof…and the trailer was great. The boys in the tent were soggy….we dragged them in.

Mary, Mike’s sister-in-law, came over this a.m. to visit with us and to see the girls before they left. The girls left about 8:30 a.m. We just heard word that they were turned away from the hotel in Billings. I called and gave the man a piece of my mind…he returned in kind….I called their central office and lodged a formal complaint. By the time I called the central office I was still shaken and upset but had calmed considerably. I wish I had been more gracious with the first gentlemen and will probably write him a note to apologize…but honestly telling a mother whose daughters have driven 12 hours that it’s not your problem if they have an accident while driving 8 more hours is NOT a good business move. ::snort::

I got 8 loads of laundry done today. The rain was useful for that.

We went out to watch Wall E this afternoon. It was a strange movie…cute but strange.

We’re hoping the downpour will blow over tonight. LOL

©2008 D.R.G.

Day 10Whit’s End, Garden of the Gods, Birthday Celebrations

{connection is being touchy - I'll try photos after I get today's entry loaded too. } LOL

This is another day that was packed as full as possible.

We began our adventures at the Welcome Center of Focus on the Family. If you ever visit the Colorado Springs area, this is worth a visit. I’ve not agreed with all that Dr. Dobson has said over the years…but I HAVE always 100% endorsed his vision of strengthening the family. The Welcome Center has something for everyone. We enjoyed the art, the explanations of various aspects of their ministry (which is much broader than it was the last time I really followed it), and of course Whit’s End.

The basement is amazing…..Scenes from various Adventures in Odyssey, Last Chance Detective and Narnia are set up. There is a giant 2 or 3 story slide for kids (75 feet); all for FREE. Whit’s End serves reasonable meals. There’s a picnic area where you can picnic. I was impressed that they’ve made their headquarters such an inviting place for families; affordable to all.

We picked up samples to various magazines that I’ve heard pros and cons on for years. ::snort:: I’m interested to find out what the Focus Institute is all about. Oh yes, the book shop. We picked up 3 more AinO volumes, a computer game and a Father Gilbert book on audio. They had ipods with all the AinO pre-loaded…made me think….hmmm. They give a 10% military discount.
We drove over to Garden the Gods next. This is an old Ute camping ground. There are amazing rock formations of various sizes and shapes. We drove a bit, walked a lot and drove a bit more. This was also FREE.

Next we headed for Dairy Queen. Did I mention that we decided to celebrate Stacia’s 3rd birthday today?

Back on base we stocked up at the commissary and made sure the girl’s car was ready for the trip back to WA.

We played a few games, sang Happy Birthday and gave Stacia a gift we’d found in Westcliffe and a Barbie from BreAnne.

©2008 D.R.G.

The Girls left today.... Please pray for their 2 day trip back to Washington.

Bad things happen when Mama has to say goodbye to her grown up girl babies....

Psst....I'm sure MIKE had nothing to do with this whole plan. ::snort::
©2008 D.R.G.

Day 4 - Hiking Photos

Photos from the hike up Marble Mtn to Marble Hall and Marble Cave. This was a hike that gained over 4,000 ft in altitude. This bulk uploader is making this a snap...but I don't have time to rearrange all the photos in chronological order.
Two of our first time hikers

Mike with lunch - 1/2 the lunch was left at camp.






Arielle, our other first time hiker

Still smiling



Mouth of Marble Cave





Father/Son on top of the World

Ummm.... ::snort::

Jamin & Krista

Jared

Mouth of cave photo

Group Shot at the Mouth of Marble Cave





Going inside the cave







Columbine



Indian Paint Brush





Still snow on top




Jared & Josiah


Coming back DOWN














Leisurely Stroll in the meadow





Remains of an old cabin - used to be more of a cabin when Mike was a boy doing this climb

Does anyone who uses the bulk uploader know why some of the photos would be big and some small in the same batch?

©2008 D.R.G.