In remembrance of my father on earth and my Father in Heaven

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by!

♥ I thank God for seeing me through another week. The last week has been a very busy one for me and I am thankful to God for His strength and grace daily. I am learning to look to Him and rest in Him daily.

♥ 2 days ago my family and I went to the columbarium where my dad's ashes are kept. My dad passed away from heart failure 9 years ago and my family goes once a year to the place where his ashes are placed to remember his death. We put some flowers there.

My dad loved my siblings and me very much. But my mother said, I was his favourite child :-) My mother said when I was a little child, I looked so much like my father! My dad loves me very much and I do missed him a lot.

I am glad that I have the privilege to take care of my father in the later part of his life when he was ill, together with my family. God has been good to my father. He went with me to church for a few times and heard the Gospel. Though he didn't make any open profession as to whether he has trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour, he did tell me on a few occasions that he believed Jesus Christ is the living and true God. I cherish the hope that the Lord may have worked in his soul while he was alive, and possibly I can see him one day in Heaven. But all these are in the Lord's hands and I humbly submit to His wills. The dead is already gone and the secret things belong to the Lord. So now I am concentrating in praying for my remaining family's salvation and strive to be a good witness to them with the Lord's enablement.

♥ As I remember my earthly father, I think of our Heavenly Father. I am thankful to our Heavenly Father for His love for us and what He has done for us through Jesus Christ our Lord. Thank God for loving us and caring for us daily. Thank God for giving us the Bible to let us know who He is, His love for us and His mercy in saving us from eternal damnation, and giving us the blessed hope of spending eternity with Him.

Hope this letter will encourage you too as you remember with thankfulness the love and goodness of God, our Heavenly Father.

Dear Child,

You may not know me, but I know everything about you (Psalm 139:1). I know when you sit down and when you rise up (Psalm 139:2). I am familiar with all your ways (Psalm 139:3). Even the very hairs on your head are numbered (Matthew 10:29-31). For you were made in my image (Genesis 1:27). In me you live and move and have your being (Acts 17:28). For you are my offspring (Acts 17:28). I knew you even before you were conceived (Jeremiah 1:4-5) and I chose you when I planned creation (Ephesians 1:11-12). You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book (Psalm 139:15-16). I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live (Acts 17:26). You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). I knit you together in your mother's womb (Psalm 139:13) and brought you forth on the day you were born (Psalm 71:6). I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me (John 8:41-44). I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love (1 John 4:16) and it is my desire to lavish my love on you (1 John 3:1) simply because you are my child and I am your Father (1 John 3:1). I offer you more than your earthly father ever could (Matthew 7:11) for I am the perfect Father (Matthew 5:48). Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand (James 1:17). I am your provider and I meet all your needs (Matthew 6:31-33). My plan for your future has always been filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11) because I love you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore (Psalm 139:17-18) and I rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). I will never stop doing good to you (Jeremiah 32:40) because you are my treasured possession (Exodus 19:5). I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul (Jeremiah 32:41) and I want to show you great and marvelous things (Jeremiah 33:3). If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me (Deuteronomy 4:29). Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4). It is I who gave you those desires (Philippians 2:13). I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine (Ephesians 3:20). For I am your greatest encourager (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17). I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles (2 Corinthians 1"3-4). When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you (Psalm 34:18). As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart (Isaiah 40:11). One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes (Revelation 21:3-4) and I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth (Revelation 21:3-4). I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus (John 17:23). For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed (John 17:26). He is the exact representation of my being (Hebrews 1:3). He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you (Romans 8:31) and to tell you that I am not counting your sins (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). Jesus died so that you and I could be reconciled (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you (1 John 4:10). I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love (Romans 8:31-32). If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me (1 John 2:23) and nothing will ever separate you from my love again (Romans 8:38-39). Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen (Luke 15:7). I have always been Father, and will always be Father (Ephesians 3:14-15). My question is will you be my child (John 1:12-13)? I am waiting for you (Luke 15:11-32).

Love, Your Father,
Almighty God

♥ I thank God for my family, my church and all my friends, who love me, pray for me and accept me.

♥ I thank God for everyone of you, my dear blogging friends, and for your prayers and encouragements. They mean a lot to me.You have made a great difference in my life by your friendship and encouragements. I thank God for every one of you. May God may your visit here a blessed one too!


To read more Thankful Thursday visit Lynn.

Thank you for stopping by. Take care and have a blessed day!

Warm Regards,
Nancie

Pens v Lightning

The Red Baron got "fixed" yesterday. We're supposed to keep him calm for the next two weeks, if possible. At the very least, the doc wants him to be relaxed and inactive for 5 days. So last night, less than 8 hours after the surgery, Killian got his lambie and proceeded to throw it and run around the house as if nothing surgical at all had happened. :-O

The Boys are hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight. Geno is still nursing his foot, and Gonch is still fighting strep throat. By now you've heard that Tanger signed an extension. It's good news that helps ease the mind about our defense's future (OY! Killian just got his lambie again...) in the event that Gonch, who is set to become a UFA, decides the grass may be greener elsewhere. Hopefully, Shero can work his magic again and keep Gonch on the roster.

There are just SIX games remaining in the regular season. I am going to make a serious effort have to recap the remaining 5 games to get back in form for the playoffs, but for now I have to go try to control my dog. It's going to be a tough set of days... :-/

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Getting Ready for National Poetry Month 2010

Well...it's almost April--the month when we kick up our heels and get into rhythm and rhyme and really celebrate poetry. I've updated my 2009 Resources for National Poetry Month post. I eliminated the poetry links that no longer work and added links to the poetry book reviews that I've written in the past year. (I may update the resource post again.)

Don't forget to check out all the resources in The 2009 National Poetry Month Lalapalooza Post. You'll find lots of great poetry links there too!

Resources for National Poetry Month

The 2009 National Poetry Month Lalapalooza Post

NOTE: You will find links to both of the above posts in the sidebar at the right throughout the year.

Pens v Leafs

Short post today - I just got home and the game is about to begin. Can you believe there only 7 games left in the season??? It's quickly coming to a close. Come on, Boys!!! You've earned a guaranteed spot in the playoffs, but let's end this season with a bang! You can start this evening by blowing the Leafs away. :)

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pens v Flyers

The Boys are once again without the services of Geno and Gonch (most likely). Geno's foot is still giving him hell, and Head Coach Dan Bylsma said Gonch and goalie Johnson are "ill" - but Johnson is expected to be our backup today. For the Flyers, goalie Johan Backlund will make his NHL debut at Mellon Arena. Bylsma tried to get the scoop on Backlund from the WB/S Baby Pens, but they only faced Backlund once this year. It should be interesting to watch this unfold.

I've got a few things to keep you occupied until the puck drops. The Trib put together a piece about the recently complicated relationship between Pens Captain Siddo and Flyers captain Mike Richards. Note to Richards: The Olympics are over. You are once again the enemy.

On 3-14-10, the Pens squared off against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Florida. Friend of The Show Amanda N. was there:

I'm a Pens fan (born and raised in Pittsburgh) and a Sid fan. :-) I wanted to let you know I was at the game on Sunday. I currently live in Orlando and don't get home to Pittsburgh much, so I see the Pens in Florida when I can. I was right beside the bench and managed to get some great shots of the guys, particularly Sid. ... The slew-footing by Downie? [A reminder:]


So much worse in person! There was a collective holding of breath by all the Pens fans in the arena when he went down.

Amanda sent me 7 great pics of Siddo and the Boys. Click them all for supersized versions:












Thanks SO MUCH for sharing these great pics, Amanda! :)

If the standings don't change, the Pens (#2) will face the Flyers (#7) in Round 1. If the standings do change, this could very well be the last time the Pens meet the Flyers in the Mellon. Something tells me today's game is going to be a doozy.

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!

Poetry Book Review & Videos: Our Farm by Maya Gottfried

Our Farm: By the Animals of Farm Sanctuary
Written by Maya Gottfried
Paintings by Robert Rahway Zakanitch
Alfred A. Knopf, 2010

Our Farm is a poetry collection that touches my heart. It speaks out to me through both its text and its exceptional illustrations. Maya Gottfried was inspired to write this book after volunteering at Farm Sanctuary, which is located in Watkins Glen, New York. In the back matter of the book, the author explains that many farm animals today do not live in idyllic conditions. She writes: “They are usually housed in huge, crowded facilities where they are denied the wind, the sun, the green grass, and the warm dirt they love. Enter Farm Sanctuary. Founded in 1986, Farm Sanctuary provides shelter for neglected and abused farm animals.”

Our Farm is a collection of mask poems in which different farm animals (that actually live at Farm Sanctuary) express their feelings and relate their stories to us.

Miss Grandma Moo, a wise old cow, talks to a young calf and tells the calf that she will show him/her the following: the most wonderful spot in the sun, the sweetest patch of grass, and the softest bed of clover.

Cece and Barnaby, two rabbits speak to us in haikus.

J. D. Piglet tells why it’s so great to be able to run around freely:
I can feel the warm sun on my snout…
…the mud is spraying on my belly
so cool
and wet.

Diego, a duck, quacks instructions to little ducklings—tells them to join his parade, explains to them how to flap their feet in the water, and shows them how to march up the bank:

Step one.
Shake two.
Waddle three.
And quack!

Oh, yes!
Quack!

Hilda, a sheep who was the first animal rescued by Farm Sanctuary, gives thanks for many things—including the wind that cools, the moonbeams that shine, the sunflowers that sway…and the kind hearts and hands/that brought me to my home.

Zakanitch’s realistic illustrations—done in watercolor, pencil, and ink on a blank white background—are extraordinary. They are a perfect complement to Gottfried’s mask poems. Most of the large paintings are of the animals’ faces, which look out to us from the pages. The animals are imbued with personality. Their eyes are expressive. The smaller pencil and ink sketches are more playful and add light touches of humor. The front and back endpapers give us expansive views of Farm Sanctuary and its bucolic setting.

Here is Bonnie, a donkey, giving us her view about life at Farm Sanctuary:

The Hill
by Bonnie, a donkey

here
the fields and trees
the wide green hills
all in front of me

here
my name swept by wind
here
my ears filled with quiet

why ever stray?
i’d rather be here
watch the land
feel the sun.


Click here to visit the Our Farm Book Web site. http://www.ourfarmbook.com/index.html

Our Farm Book Promo



Visit the Farm Sanctuary Web site at http://farmsanctuary.org/

Here are two more poetry books about animals for young children:

Poetry Book Review: On the Farm

Click on the following link to see inside On the Farm: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/imageviewer.asp?ean=9780763633226&MICTID=38

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Great Read-alouds for Little Listeners: NIBBLE NIBBLE

Click on the following link to see inside Nibble Nibble illustrated by Wendell Minor.
http://browseinside.harpercollins.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780060592080

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Julie Larios has the Poetry Friday Roundup at The Drift Record.

Sweet Sugar Treat {GIVEAWAY & DISCOUNT}

Every wonder how a Super Bowl pool run by women is different than one run by men?  The prizes are so much sweeter!  By some miraculous occurrence, I won the pool I entered this year and scored two adorable pieces from The Sweet Sugar Beet - an awesome cosmetic bag....

And an adorable card holder...

I use them all the time!  The zippered cosmetic bag is perfect for keeping all of my must haves contained in my handbag.  And they come in four sizes so you can choose the one that's just right for you.

You can even get one with ruffles!

Speaking of, I also love the ruffled clutch bag.

Even the "plain" clutches from The Sweet Sugar Beet have some sass.

And they all have great contrasting linings.

There are so many fabulous fabric choices to choose from that you can work with Haley, the store's owner, to design something totally unique.

Believe it or not, nothing I posted here costs more than $16!  So whether you're buying something for yourself, a friend or someone who won a Super Bowl pool (thanks Jamie!), The Sweet Sugar Beet has a treat for everyone on your list. 

And one lucky AFOMFT reader is about to win a treat of their own because The Sweet Sugar Beet has graciously offered to give away one large cosmetic bag right here! 

To enter, visit The Sweet Sugar Beet and post a comment telling me which fabric you'll choose for your bag if you win.  For additional entries:

• Subscribe to AFOMFT or let us know you are a subscriber
• Become a fan of AFOMFT on Facebook -- http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN
• Become a fan of The Sweet Sugar Beet on Facebook -- http://www.facebook.com/sweetsugarbeet
• Ask your friends to become a fan of AFOMFT on Facebook by sending them this link - http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN - and post a comment here with the names of each one who does.  You'll earn one entry per new friend who becomes a fan and names will be cross-checked. 
• Visit The Sweet Sugar Beet on Etsy and make the store a favorite.
• Follow AFOMFT on Twitter (@AFOMFT or click the birdie icon on the sidebar) and tweet this post by clicking the graphic above or this giveaway:  It's MOM MADNESS MONTH @AFOMFT with a giveaway a day! Enter to win a fab fabric cosmetic bag - http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFT
• Click here to vote for AFOMFT on Top Baby Blogs and post a comment here that you did - .  You can vote once per day per computer so if you vote every day or on different computers, be sure to post one comment for each one.
• Grab our new button and put it on your blog or website and post a link here showing us.
• Grab the MOM MADNESS MONTH button and put it on your blog or website and post a link here showing us.
• Blog about AFOMFT, MOM MADNESS MONTH or this giveaway (worth 2 entries so please post two comments) and post a link to the post.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry (two if you've blogged about the giveaway) and make sure to include a link to your tweet, blog post, etc. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada and ends April 1st at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be selected by random.org and announced on AFOMFT on April 2nd. If the winner doesn't contact AFOMFT within 48 hours, a new drawing will be held so be sure to check back to see if you've won!

But that's not all!  The Sweet Sugar Beet is also generously offering readers of AFOMFT free shipping on all orders through April 1st!  Just enter the code AFOMFT in the message to seller box at checkout and you'll receive a refund via Paypal when your item is sent out.  Now what could be sweeter than that?

Images: The Sweet Sugar Beet

Who I am in Christ : Understanding my true significance in Christ

Dear Friends,

Thanks for stopping by! Thank God today is Thursday. Thursday always remind me to count my blessings and to thank God. I am learning to be thankful daily but to write about it and share with others, really helps me to remember God's goodness and mercies to me daily.

♥ I thank God for seeing me through another week. The last one week has been a very busy one for me as I took on some new freelance assignments. The income will really help me but I need to remember to pace myself moderately to avoid over-straining and over-stressing myself. I thank God for giving me strength, grace and wisdom daily.

♥ I thank God for saving me through our Lord Jesus Christ and giving me a new life in Him. Due to undiagnosed recurrent clinical depression over some 17 years, I have a lot of distorted views regarding God, myself and the Christian life. During depression my thoughts all turned negative and turned against me. This is mainly due to the chemical imbalance in the brain which caused my brain not able to function properly thereby affecting my thoughts and feelings. Partly also the enemy made used of such times to cast doubts into my mind about God, myself and the Christian life. I was often very confused. Due to the lack of understanding on the issue of clinical depression, many people around me have misjudged me and misunderstood that my depression was due to me being very weak, emotional and lack of faith in God. The enemy made used of them to discouraged me further. I was very discouraged by what they said but I also made the mistake of believing them. So these negative thoughts and negative self-image have been ingrained in me for some 17 years.

Thank God that after my diagnosis of bipolar, I realized that my condition is a medical condition just like asthma and diabetes and not due to a weakness in my character or a lack of faith in God. I need to trust that God has a purpose in allowing me to have this condition, and allowing me to go through 17 confusing years, and He is working all things for His glory and my good even out of all these. In order to do that, one of the most important thing I have to do is to understand afresh my true identity in Christ. I need to know afresh that God loves me and I am of value to Him. It is true that I am a sinner with many sins, weakness and failures, but God loves me, I am precious to Him and I am valuable to Him because He sent His Son to die on the cross for me and He has redeemed me. It is precisely because I am a sinner that I can find salvation in Christ. He has been doing a wonderful work of grace in my soul ever since the day He saved me though I was not sensible of it due to recurrent depression. The many prolonged severe depression caused me to remember mostly only the negative thoughts and experiences. I need to understand afresh God's love for me and my true worth in Him, and find meaning once again in my new life in Christ. The Lord in His mercies has been helping me over the last 3 years to do so and I found that as He lead me step by step to understand His great love and mercies, I have grown to love Him more than I ever did. It is so important to have a right understanding of our identity in Christ and to fight against those wrong notions that threatens to draw us away from God daily.

♥ I thank God for a friend who sent me this encouraging list of reminders on Who I am in Christ.

John 1:12	Who I am in Christ I am accepted... I am God's child.
John 15:15	As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1	I have been justified.
1 Corinthians 6:17	I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20	I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.
1 Corinthians 12:27	I am a member of Christ's body.
Ephesians 1:3-8	I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.
Colossians 1:13-14	I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
Colossians 2:9-10	I am complete in Christ.
Hebrews 4:14-16	I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.
	I am secure...
Romans 8:1-2	I am free from condemnation.
Romans 8:28	I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
Romans 8:31-39	I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22	I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.
Colossians 3:1-4	I am hidden with Christ in God.
Philippians 1:6	I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.
Philippians 3:20	I am a citizen of heaven.
2 Timothy 1:7	I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
1 John 5:18	I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.
	I am significant...
John 15:5	I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.
John 15:16	I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
1 Corinthians 3:16	I am God's temple.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21	I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
Ephesians 2:6	I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
Ephesians 2:10	I am God's workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12	I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Philippians 4:13	I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

♥ Thank God for this video with these encouraging verses:




♥ I thank God for my family, my church and all my friends, who love me, pray for me and accept me.

♥ I thank God for everyone of you, my dear blogging friends, and for your prayers and encouragements. They mean a lot to me.You have made a great difference in my life by your friendship and encouragements. I thank God for every one of you. May God may your visit here a blessed one too!

Thank you for stopping by. Take care and have a blessed day!

Warm Regards,
Nancie

Book Bunch: It's All about the Weather

On the Same Day in March: A Tour of the World’s Weather
Written by Marilyn Singer
Illustrated by Frane Lessac
HarperCollins, 2000

On the Same Day in March is a fine nonfiction picture book that could be used to introduce a unit on weather in the early elementary grades. It’s also an excellent book for connecting science and geography. Both the author and illustrator take readers to various locales around the world on one day of one particular month of the year to show how people living in different places don’t all experience the same kind of weather at the same time.

Singer takes us on a tour of cities, areas of countries, and continents situated in all the hemispheres of the globe. Readers travel to the Arctic; Alberta, Canada; Paris, France; New York City; the Texas Panhandle; the Nile Valley; a Louisiana bayou; Xian, China; Darjeeling, India; Central Thailand; Dakar, Senegal; Barbados; Northern Kenya, the Amazon Basin in Brazil; Darwin, Australia; Patagonia, Argentina; and Antarctica. Lessac’s endpapers label these locales on a hand-painted map of the world.

Here’s a partial weather report for this “same day in March”:

• There’s a tiny twister in Texas.
• “Fog threads through the temples” in the Nile Valley.
• Hailstones fall on a hillside in Darjeeling.
• In Thailand, it’s hot…hot…hot.
• The rains leave behind a river in Kenya.
• It’s raining, too, in the Amazon Basin.
• While in Patagonia, autumn “shears the clouds like a flock of sheep.”

The text printed on each page of the book is brief—usually just a sentence or two. The illustrations extend the text. They show how animals and people in different habitats experience this particular weather day in March where they reside. Folks in Paris sit outside a café or sell produce in an open market. People swim in the ocean and play cricket at the beach in Barbados. A family in Darwin pulls their boat out of the water and boards up their windows before the willy-willies (cyclones) arrive.

Singer includes A Note from the Author in the back matter of the book.

Click here to read an excerpt from the book. http://www.marilynsinger.net/march.htm

From Open Wide, Look Inside
Teaching Geography with Children’s Literature: On the Same Day in March
http://blog.richmond.edu/openwidelookinside/archives/2246

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Here are two books of poems that could be used to integrate poetry with a unit on weather:

Weather: Poems for All Seasons
Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Illustrated by Melanie Hall
HarperCollins, 1994

This is a Level 3 I Can Read Book. It’s excellent for using in primary grades. The twenty-nine poems are organized in five sections: Sun, Wind and Clouds, Rain and Fog, Snow and Ice, Weather Together. It contains works by some of our finest children’s poets—including David McCord, Lilian Moore, Valerie Worth, J. Patrick Lewis, Barbara Juster Esbensen—as well as poems by Carl Sandburg and Langston Hughes.

Here are some excerpts from the SUN section to give you a flavor of the book:

No-Sweater Sun, the first poem in the collection, captures the excitement children feel when spring has finally arrived.

No-Sweater Sun
by Beverly McLoughland

Your arms feel new as growing grass
The first No-Sweater sun,
Your legs feel light as rising air
You have to run—
And turn a thousand cartwheels round
And sing—
So dizzy with the giddy sun
Of spring.

J. Patrick Lewis personifies the “star” of our solar system in Mister Sun—who “puts his gold slippers on” at dawn. He also switches off the “globe lamplight” and pulls “down the shades of night.”

Isabel Joslin Glaser’s summer sun sports a “lion face” at noon and “shakes out/its orangy mane”—and its searing “tongue scorches leaves.” Valerie Worth’s sun “is a leaping fire” that can form “warm yellow squares/on the floor” where a cat can sun itself.

The SUN section is typical of the rest of the book. It includes short poems that are easy to read. Some poems are straightforward rhythmic, rhyming poems of a lighthearted nature; some poems are free verse and do not rhyme; some poems have lovely imagery.

Click here to browse inside this book. http://browseinside.harpercollins.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780064441919

Seed Sower, Hat Thrower: Poems about Weather
Written by Laura Purdie Salas
Illustrated with photographs
Capstone Press, 2008

Laura Salas wrote poems for this collection in a variety of forms: limerick, cinquain, haiku, concrete, and acrostic. The photographs included in the book served as Laura’s inspiration for her poems. For example: Laura was inspired to write a list poem for the picture of a child flying a kite across an expanse of a bright blue sky dotted with puffs of white clouds:

Wind Is An…

Expert blower
Seed sower
Sailboat go-er
Hat thrower
And, best of all, a
Kite tow-er

Seed Thrower, Hat Thrower: Poems about Weather was published by Capstone for the educational market. It contains poems about fog, arid lands, rain, icicles, lightning, wind, a tornado, and clouds. In the back matter of this book, the author includes a glossary—as well as recommendations for other poetry books about weather and the seasons. In addition, there’s a section titled The Language of Poetry in which the author defines poetic terms—such as alliteration, repetition, free verse, and cinquain.

Edited to Add:

Click here to read more poems from Laura’s book at her blog.

Click here to read another excerpt from the book and for links to a couple of classroom activities at Laura’s Web site.

Pens v Caps

Here are some reasons why, no matter if Siddo never wins another trophy in his NHL career, he will always and forever be a better player/leader/captain/human being than A-hOle™:

(Before you ask: no, I did not create this video montage or add the comments.)

This "You Suck!" chant was aimed at our title man. It occurred during Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 4th, 2009, when the Penguins visited the Verizon Center. The Pens sucked so much they eliminated the Caps in 7 games in this series and then went on to win the Stanley Cup. WOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

It boggles the mind that - even after all of these examples of typical Ovechkin douchebaggery and the fact that Sid is both a Stanley Cup and an Olympic Gold medal winner - there is still an active debate about who is better, Sid or A-hOle™. YouTube user mosmorg4n put it best: "The blinders that every diehard Ovie fan wears must be incredible."

GO PENS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS: I got behind a bus on my drive home from work. Bus #87. DO IT.

Stamptastic! {GIVEAWAY}

I posted the other day about some of my favorite combinations - chocolate and peanut butter, leather and lace - but there was one that I missed - modern and vintage.  You're probably thinking, "What?  Modern and vintage are opposites so how can they go together?" but trust me.  There's a reason why opposites attract, and the fabulous wood handle stamps from Note Trunk are the perfect example.

    
That's right.  You can get a contemporary return address from this old-fashioned hand stamp.

I have to admit, I love using stamps and stamp pads.  I think it's so much fun.  And Note Trunk's wood-mounted stamps aren't only beautiful to look at....

But they feature some delightful designs too.  The sleek Hyde Street option is one of my favorites.

The Parcel Express version is old school with a modern twist.

The Flag Banner would be perfect for my kiddos.

And the Organic Bird on a Box and Two Birds circle are wonderfully whimsical.

You can use the wood handle stamps from Note Trunk in so many ways - on letters, Christmas cards, even to create your own personalized stationary.  Just buy a stamp pad in any color you want and you customize almost anything.  Are you a baker or a cook?  Use this stamp to make tags for the tasty treats you give out.

Not as into hand stamping as I am?  All of the Note Trunk designs come in self-inking stamps as well.

So whether you're more traditional and go with the hand stamp or more contemporary and opt for the self-inking version, Note Trunk has something for you.  Now that's stamptastic! 

And one of you is going to have to bust out an ink pad because Note Trunk has generously offered to give away a custom wood handle hand stamp to a lucky AFOMFT reader! 

To enter, visit Note Trunk and post a comment here telling me which hand stamp you'll choose if you win.  For additional entries:

• Subscribe to AFOMFT or let us know you are a subscriber
• Become a fan of AFOMFT on Facebook -- http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN
• Ask your friends to become a fan of AFOMFT on Facebook by sending them this link - http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFTFBFAN - and post a comment here with the names of each one who does.  You'll earn one entry per new friend who becomes a fan and names will be cross-checked. 
• Visit Note Trunk on Etsy and make the store a favorite.
• Follow AFOMFT on Twitter (@AFOMFT or click the birdie icon on the sidebar) and tweet this post by clicking the graphic above or this giveaway:  It's MOM MADNESS MONTH @AFOMFT with a giveaway a day! Enter to win a comfy pair of slipper socks - http://tinyurl.com/AFOMFT
• Click here to vote for AFOMFT on Top Baby Blogs and post a comment here that you did - .  You can vote once per day per computer so if you vote every day or on different computers, be sure to post one comment for each one.
• Grab our new button and put it on your blog or website and post a link here showing us.
• Grab the MOM MADNESS MONTH button and put it on your blog or website and post a link here showing us.
• Blog about AFOMFT, MOM MADNESS MONTH or this giveaway (worth 2 entries so please post two comments) and post a link to the post.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry (two if you've blogged about the giveaway) and make sure to include a link to your tweet, blog post, etc. This giveaway is open to residents of the U.S. and Canada and ends March 31st at 11:59 pm EST. The winner will be selected by random.org and announced on AFOMFT on April 1st. If the winner doesn't contact AFOMFT within 48 hours, a new drawing will be held so be sure to check back to see if you've won!

Images: Note Trunk