We know it’s only April, but Kelly Clarkson’s already working on a Christmas gift for us. The pop star is apparently working with producer Greg Kurstin, who worked on Clarkson’s hit “Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)”, and Ronnie Dunn of country band Brooks & Dunn even took to Twitter to confirm that an album is [...]

You’vve probably heard a million times that Jesus could not have been born in 1 AD, that his real birth must have been in 4BC or a little earlier.Actually, maybe not. Check out this piece from the National Catholic Register.’Od’s Blog: Catholic and Cle…

Shooting star Xmas decorations hang along Adelaide Street just east of Yonge Street in Toronto even though the holiday season has passed by some months ago. It seems a little late for the decorations – maybe they are shooting a movie nearby. Weather …

Most atheists are as irrational as those who believe in religion. And perhaps even more hypocritical. 

There’s no greater example of this than those vocal opponents of religion who criticize Christmas but in just a few months time celebrate St.Patrick’s Day and other religious holidays with unrivaled enthusiasm.

St.Patrick’s Day is of course associated with celebrating the Irish, but it was created and is still renowned as a day to remember Saint Patrick and the introduction of Christianity to Ireland.

The very same snarky atheists who attack Christmas but partake in St.Paddy’s Day, could argue that latter is different; that it is clear by its imagery like the iconic clover that this day is more distinct from religion. However despite the fact that the clover is the very symbol Saint Patrick used to explain the holy trinity, thus linking it to his day, the idea that a fat . . . → Read More: The Scott Ross: Atheist For Christmas, Christian For St.Paddy’s

Hiding in plain sight stands a short little Santa Claus beside a major city highway. The plastic Christmas figure might be working a security guard job during the off season.

See more clues after the jump.

It’s a condo site on the north s…

A great recipe that really works and a photo essay of all the fun we had! Baking and children just go together. Kids love cooking at any age and they eat what they make! Keep that in mind, mommies, when worried about your child’s fussy eating habits! This was crystal clear when I taught cooking [...]

The post Stained Glass Cookies: Happy Valentine’s Day! appeared first on Valerie Lugonja is …..

My tree was down January 2nd. But the outside decor is a different story.Last night I saw that our Christmas lights are the only ones still lit on on our street. An indication that is it time to pull the…

Unlike most homeowners who tend to keep Christmas decorations year round, #Toronto has started to shed some of the trees and other trappings of the jolly season. In Yonge-Dundas Square the Holiday Tree of Balls was dismantled and the bears put away f…

Thatcher and Tanner are happy the others are going back to school!Usually once a holiday has ended and the children get back to school I am estatic, jumping for joy and way to happy to see them off to school!…

Another Canadian Foodie Original Recipe and an ode to David Hursin! I began teaching at Mary Butterworth School in September of 1992, but was hired January of 1991. It was a new concept school: middle school with a kindergarten metaphor. We were placed in teams of 4 teachers and each of us taught all 26 [...]

The post Hand Dipped Chocolate Cherries appeared first on Valerie Lugonja is …..

Our Traditional Canadian Christmas Cookies were varied this year! This Christmas we live amid an authentic miracle at our house. My dad and my mom are both with us, healthy and able to participate and enjoy the family festivities of the season. We are truly blessed. None of us have lived through a fall like [...]

The post Traditional Canadian Christmas Cookies and Tarts 2012 appeared first on Valerie Lugonja is …..

Authentic Sugar Plums inspired by Allan Suddaby, a local food hero; I, too, am a “Suddabite“ Whilst reaching out to my Social Network for inspiration last month: “What is a Christmas Cookie you must have each year? I need some inspiration!” Tara Z suggested I try Sugar Plums and offered Allan Suddaby’s link. I had [...]

The post Authentic Sugar Plums appeared first on Valerie Lugonja is …..

Up the sidewalk they come!We dressed up as robots!We celebrated Christmas on New Year’s Eve!Don’t peek, Gramma!  The kittens are so tired!Out for some winter fun and a play in the tree house!  Thank you for visiting! Glad to make new …

© 2004-2013 Rebecca Bollwitt – Miss604. It’s a new year and soon it will be time to take down decorations and slip into post-holiday routines. If you’re looking to recycle your Christmas tree, there are a handful of chipping events around town that will take it off your hands and support a great local cause [...]

Well tomorrow is the last day of school and as of yesterday we had all the Christmas Projects completed.  Yeah!!!

A big thanks to my helpers, Ana, Colette, and Lori !

Here are some of the Angel plates Grade 1 completed. 

I did n…

We had our 6th annual Christmas Craft Day at school on Friday,  150 kids, 12 crafts, one morning!  A big thanks to all the volunteers who helped with prep and running the craft stations on the day.

That was why the blog was quiet last week.  I was knee deep in all the preparations!

I have had a few inquiries as to how this all comes about.  Basically Grade 1,2 and 3 rotate thru 12 craft stations in one morning. They can make all 12 or spend more time perfecting only a few.

Now that it is over I thought I would show you all the crafts from this year over the next few days.  First up is the Felt Joy Banner. 

That’s it.

3 years ago we made this JOY sign but I didn’t have enough cardboard this year for 150 signs so we went with felt instead.

You can find the tutorial for this sign HERE.  I tend to only repeat crafts every 3 years so the individual student doesn’t get any repeats during their 3 years participating.

 Some other crafts we revisited this year was the Little Snowman.

We also did these paper trees.

I’ll be back next time with more Christmas Craft Day activities.

This is Grade 5′s Christmas project.  A now retired teacher at my school, Mrs. D, would do this every year with her class. 

We have brought it back and will continue the tradition.  Incidentally  Mrs. D is where I got my trade n…

The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson is a sweet little novella that is a perfect read for this time of year.

Matilda Honeycutt has just moved to the town of Parrish Springs and she’s already made a few people angry. Not only does she buy a building …

I am pleased to have author Rose McCauley with us today. Rose is one of the authors in Christmas Belles of Georgia. Four Christmas stories from four different authors! How great is that? And guess what? If you purchase Christmas Belles of Georgia anytime between November 21-27, Rose will give you a free e-cookbook called Novel Morsels. You can find out more details here http://www.rosemccauley.blogspot.com/ for now, let’s get to our interview!

Rose, can you tell my readers what your new book is about? 

The idea for Christmas Belles of Georgia was first formed in the imagination of Jeanie Smith Cash. Then she asked me and Deb Ullrick and Jeri Odell to join her. We each wrote the story of one of the sisters and then Jeanie wrote the epilogue where they all came together on their birth day.

Here is the back cover blurb on the book:
Surprised by Life—and Love—at Christmas

Four letters are mailed from Monticello, a small antebellum town in Georgia. Sisters once, now heirs to a historic plantation, each young woman must come to terms with the circumstances of her birth. . . .

When she learns in a letter she’s adopted, Holly feels betrayed by her parents—and she books a flight out of Missouri immediately. Will she ever be able to love again?

Raised in a wealthy, loveless home, Carol rushes to Monticello from college in Atlanta when she receives her letter. She’s searching for family, but finds instead a boy she once mistreated. Will he remember her? . . .forgive her?

In one year, Starr has lost her parents, boyfriend, and job, so she’s sure her letter is more bad news. When the attorney flies to California to offer proof, Starr takes a second look—at the message and the man.

Noelle always knew she was adopted—and she’s always loved the foreman on her father’s Texas ranch too. But he’s so distant. . .perhaps a trip to Georgia is the break in life she needs.

Will the sisters receive a traditional Christmas gift. . .of love?

Sounds exciting! What type of books did you like as a child? Any favourites?
 
Hmm. That is a hard question I have never asked myself before, so I will have to think. I loved the Bobbsey Twins and Nancy Drew and other series books as a child and love series to this day. The Mitford series by Jan Karon is one of my favourites as well as Karen Kingsbury’s Redemption series and Francine Rivers’ Mark of the Lion series…

What is your favourite Scripture? 
 
Eph. 3:20 and 21: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

 
Do you also have a favourite Scripture that encourages you in your writing? 
 
The verse above has been true in every aspect of my life, including my writing.

If you could go to any place in the world to research/write a book, what setting would you choose? 
 
Any place with a beach, so Hawaii would be my first choice since it has lots of beaches!

As a writer how have you had to grow and stretch out of your comfort zone?
 
I’ve had to open myself up to others. Now in the marketing of my book, I’ve had to put myself out there and ask people to take a look and even buy my book. I find that much easier to do if it is for a friend’s book instead of my own!

What advice would you give to a beginning writer that you wish someone had given you?

Join ACFW and keep reading and writing and praying and persevering!

Blame it on the Mistletoe is the third book in the Bright’s Pond series. I have never read any of the other books in the series, so as I started reading this one I was quite taken aback by how quirky the characters were. Not to mention the entire town …