QWIRKLE- a new family favorite 50% off now at Amazon

We received the game Qwirkle as a Christmas gift this year. It has already been played many times with many people ranging in age from toddler to grandparent.  Usually, we follow the rules. Other times, the kids make up their own games using the tiles.

The game comes with 108 square tiles which are larger than scrabble but the same idea.  There are 3 of each tile, a combination of 6 colors and shapes.  There are 3 red squares, 3 purple squares, 3 purple stars, and so on.  Each player may create or add to one row at each turn.  The object is to make a row of six tiles that are the same color or the same shape, appropriately named a "QWIRKLE".  One challenging part is that a row of blue needs to have a blue tile of every shape, yet may only have 1 of each blue heart.

Qwirkle is great for the whole family, as it is not so fast paced as other shape and color sorting games, which can be hard for younger children to keep up. We all enjoy the game.  Naomi is 5 1/2 and easily understood the rules, whereas Samuel usually partners with another player.  He likes to match colors, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.

The scoring is a little complicated to explain until you have actually seen the game, but by the second game Naomi could figure out how many points she scored.  This game allows for developed strategy but can easily be played by younger children who do not understand that aspect of the game.  Naomi has easily (and fairly) won.

I have also used these tiles with Samuel outside of the official Qwirkle rules.  Samuel likes to make a row of color or a row of shapes.  Last night, he was my partner when playing with my parents and kept saying "Grandpa, look at my cirdle (circle),"  That doesn't help Mommy win the game, but I am glad that he is learning.  There are many other ways that these tiles could be used. The lack of an official game board allows for easy storage without the box, a bonus as many parents have noticed that many games are useless once the gameboard becomes worn or lost.

My children have also had the opportunity to play Qwirkle Cubes .  The game has similar rules, but you roll dice rather than pick tiles.  The children all liked that game also.

Qwirkle is available at Amazon and is on sale right now.  We really like this game and at 50% off, it is definitely a great deal.  We opened this present shortly before Christmas day and it has been out multiple times everyday since.

DISCLAIMER: According to the company description, this game contains small parts which may be a choking hazard for children under 3 years old. Samuel won't be 3 until February 8, but as he has never put any toy in his mouth in his life, we took the chance.

Educational value
Identification of colors and shapes.
Pattern recognition.
Counting (all players) and addition (scorekeeper)
Great for math manipulatives.

A Nativity set you can play with

The kids recently received an early Christmas present to be able to enjoy while we prepare for the Christmas season.  They received it first thing this morning and have been playing with it for the past few hours.  I know that my children will get much enjoyment in imaginitive play.

The Fisher Price Little People are great for many reasons.  They allow a wide range of age groups to play as there are no small parts.  There are many pieces so that we can work on sharing and playing nicely together. It also plays Christmas songs and makes animal noises.  Besides the basic Nativity set, the children received the Shepherds and the Three Wise Men, providing even more fun.

I am excited that this will last for years.  I think this will stay out long past the Christmas season.  I want the children to learn the story of the birth of Jesus, our Messiah, from the Bible.  I want them to learn that this was just the start of His ministry here on Earth.  Jesus was born with the intention of dying on the cross.  His life was perfect and He did not need to endure the cross.  Because of His love for us, He paid for our sins (yours and mine).  After repenting of my sin and believing in Jesus' promise of forgiveness, I can look forward to eternal life.  If you do not understand what I am talking about, please email me.  I would love to explain God and His love for YOU.

The Nativity Set we received can be found HERE

Ministry of mothers- Does the church look down upon this job?

Must see for everyone- not just mothers.
I just came across an amazing video about mothers. God has given us our children as a ministry.  Do we look at someone in foreign missions to be more highly esteemed than mothers?  As a church, do we make mothers feel that there ministry of staying home and raising their children is not as significant as someone else's ministry? Very thought provoking.

Discipleship through singing.... even with babies!

Tonight as we sat together singing songs about the birth of our Savior, Josiah even joined in. So of course, Mark videotaped it and uploaded the video for the world to see. Discipleship of our children starts very early, and we thank the Lord for each child He has blessed us with as it is a privilege to train children to know God and walk in His truth.

Deal of the Day- Large Family Logistics

Sorry this may be late for some of you, but the day just slipped away.  For a few more hours, you can get Large Family Logistics for only $8.00. This is great book that may help some of you organize your home and time.

Please bookmark this page for your Vision Forum shopping needs, as purchases through our site help our family. Thank you very much!   http://www.visionforum.com/1523-0-3-4.html

Settled into our new home

Well, it has been awhile since I have written but thought I would share about our new home.  We are living in Cushing, Maine a few miles from my parents house.  It is nice being close to grandparents that help out.  We very rarely leave the children but there were times during this recent pregnancy that the kids stayed with Grandma and Grandpa so I could go to the midwife.  What a blessing they were.

The house is perfect for us.  As I type this, the kids are outside running around our yard.  We have trees, rocks, a grassy area, and a big driveway.  We are on a hill overlooking the river.  When we moved in, the trees were just starting to change color

Minka's story of adoption

This article was shared with us by a friend, and I wanted to share it with you. 
Read the whole article here

"I do not remember all the details that revealed my pregnancy. My mother went to our German Lutheran pastor and together they determined the course I was to take. I was checked into a Lutheran Home and Adoption Agency for girls. I had never been away from home or my mother but I was at the mercy of their decision."

Minka was 16 years old when she found out she was pregnant. After much encouragement, she gave her daughter up for adoption. 77 years later, she met the daughter that she loved enough to give life to. Minka reflects on the lives that  would have been lost had she aborted her baby. A mother's love for her child remains a powerful force, even after years of separation physically. 

Cowperthwaite family: Yep, that's a baby in there!

Cowperthwaite family: Yep, that's a baby in there!: Some families choose not to find out the gender of their baby during pregnancy, others use the modern technologies available to find out. Ou...

Cowperthwaite family: Another large Christian family is on the air

Cowperthwaite family: Another large Christian family is on the air: Gil and Kelly Bates from Lake City, Tennessee have not been strangers to the public eye. With 19 children, surely any family this large woul...

Modesty from a young lady's perspective

This might very well be my new favorite Youtube channel. This girl has got her head on straight and her heart for the Lord. Same girl passing out 180 DVDs, please pass this around!