Things We Love: Photobooks (A Link-Up)

We take lots of road trips as a family. And always have. It was the cheapest way for a large family to see "the sights." With limited vacation time, and because we don't live close to landmarks or National Parks, there are usually many intensive days of driving to get where we are going.


But that keeps things interesting.


And provides infinite photo ops. We take advantage of those opportunities as often as possible so that we can preserve our memories and so that we can torture our children. It has been rumored that, because we are so efficient at making the most of every mile and moment, we can't even remember it all by the time we get home. It takes a while to decompress and debrief ourselves.


Those conversations are often filled with comments like,"Boy, I sure did like ____________ (fill in the blank with a landmark or activity)." 


Response: "Was that on THIS trip?"


Seriously. 


We have been known to drive in excess of 4600 miles during a 17 day trip. And that's with Kregg and I each driving a vehicle (since we don't have a vehicle big enough to hold all of us AND pull our home-on-wheels).


To preserve our memories, we take lots of pictures. That's my favorite souvenir. And our very favorite thing to do with our pictures is to make them into a photobook. 


Disclaimer: Shutterfly has NO idea who I am. I don't receive a thing for saying any of this. I just like it when we find wonderful resources.


Having 72 gigs of pictures on my hard drive, I am concerned with backup. Just in case. So, before deleting pics from the memory cards, I back them up. It's best to not only put them on your hard drive, but somewhere else as well. An online site and an external hard drive are great. Then if something did happen to your computer, memory card, house, you don't lose them. That's what I always hear from people who have lost a house to a fire or something: they wish they could retrieve their pictures most of all their belongings. 


Anyway, Shutterfly (and other sites, I'm sure) give you a free, unlimited account to store your digital photos. And, very importantly, Shutterfly doesn't compress your files. They store them in their original size and quality--just like they are on your camera. When printing pictures, or making photo books, you want the highest quality file you can have. Set your camera to a large file size so that your photos contain the most pixels possible. That's where the quality comes from. And, if you go to all that trouble to take large file pictures, you don't want them to be shrunken when they are stored.


I've made photo books on other sites, but Shutterfly is my favorite. And they are continually improving the options they offer, so it's only getting better. I love the idea of scrapbooking, but realistically, it will not work in my life. There's no room for all the supplies. There's no room to leave a project of that size out. And so most of my time for the project would be spent dragging everything out and then putting it up. With photo books on Shutterfly, I can open the project, work on it for a few minutes, and then click "Save." That's it! Then I can come back to it when I have a spare minute or two. It's perfect for me.

Everything is customizable, from the cover, to the size, to the font, to how many pages you need, to colors, and embellishments, and numbers of pictures per page, etc.

We like the hard photo covers, but there are all kinds of options for the front and back covers, as well as the spine.

The options for the innards are endless. There are templates for pages with any number of pictures.

You can choose different frames, different backgrounds, different places to put text boxes.

You can always find an arrangement that best showcases the pictures you want to use. You need to think about whether you need horizontal or vertical layouts, or a combination.

You can even use a picture as the background for other pictures (as on the left page). They also have "stickers" you can apply to the pages (like the Wet and Wild in the right corner).

There's also a way to make one picture span two pages. Now you really need a high quality file to blow it up this large. This book is 12" x 12".

 I tend to use a lot of black backgrounds because it makes so many pictures "pop!"

They offer the option of allowing the website to fill your book for you, but I like to place my own pictures. They also offer "themes" for your book, which can come in handy. This one was a "travel theme," so they had already pre-selected backgrounds for that theme. You can use what they choose, or change them one at a time. I added the photo corners on these pages just because they looked cool with the backgrounds.

You can even put "stickers" on the back cover!


I made our photobook for the cruise that we just took yesterday. I have learned that it's best to make the book, and then wait until Shutterfly runs a special. When you sign up for your free account, they will periodically send you emails with coupons or specials. When you have your book completed and saved, you can simply wait for the next special they run. Through yesterday, they had free shipping on orders over $30, plus 1/2 off photo books, plus 1/2 off additional pages! So I was HIGHLY motivated to make the entire book yesterday!! I worked on it here and there between grading papers and reading to the kids. Thankfully, I had already uploaded all the pictures from our trip to their site and so they were there, waiting for me. I finished the book last night and it will be here in a few days. It's so exciting! And so easy!!


When you travel in herds, like we do, it's fun to order extras--like for Grandma, and Grandpa, or your married children. Especially when they have a BIG sale. Hope Grandma and Hannah don't read this, or they won't be surprised. 


Anyway, you get the idea: I'M A FAN!! And it fits right in with intentionally preserving the heritage of our family. Your finished projects are saved on their site, just like your photos. So if, in the future, one of the kids wants a copy of one of the books for their family, all I have to do is go back and order another one. Could it be any better?!


Just thought someone might need to know all of this. :)


Okay, I have NO idea whether this will "fly," but I thought it would be fun to try and start a new "link-up" for "Things We Love." I think it would be so wonderful to see what you come up with to share! It could be anything! Let's see what happens.

Then Sings My Soul

I love a good story. And I'm one who always wants to know the "why" behind the "what." That being said, if you don't know about this resource, it might be one you would enjoy. 


Part of our homeschooling day is praise. Having grown up singing lots of good, old hymns, Kregg and I wanted our kids to be blessed by all those old favorites that have meant so much to us all our lives. We choose a different hymn each week for the kids to learn. If you don't already have them as an mp3 file, you can almost always find a video on YouTube to help with the singing and music. 


Then Sings My Soul gives a brief background of many of the old classic hymns, telling a little about the story behind the words and the person who penned it. Each hymn is given a two page spread: on the left, the words and music (like a page out of a hymnal), on the right, the story--complete with the date (which is always interesting). Each volume in this series contains 150 hymns. So you can sing a different hymn for days and days without repeating one. :)


This week, we are learning one of my all-time favorites: "Fairest Lord Jesus." It is dated to 1677 and most of those who contributed to the hymn, as we now know it, are anonymous. Quoting from a fourth century sermon by John Chrysostom of Antioch, Robert Morgan helps gives insight into the words: 

"I do not think of Christ as God alone, or man alone, but both together. For I know He was hungry, and I know that with five loaves He fed five thousand. I know He was thirsty, and I know that He turned water into wine. I know He was carried in a ship, and I know that He walked on the sea. I know that He died, and I know that He raised the dead. I know that He was set before Pilate, and I know that He sits with the Father on His throne. I know that He was worshiped by angels, and I know that He was stoned by the Jews. And truly some of these I ascribe to the human, and others to the divine nature. For by reason of this He is said to have been both God and man."

So the kids got to hear the story behind the hymn this morning, as we spend the week singing it together in praise. 


Glorious! :)

The Battle for the Imaginations of Our Children

This was drawn by "youngest" years ago

As those created in the Image of our Creator, creativity is at the core of our beings. Endowed with the incredible tool of imagination, man has been "creating" from the beginning. Intended for His Glory, our ability to imagine and create should be used to accomplish His Purposes through us. Is it any wonder the evil one has our imaginations in his wicked cross-hairs? Our enemy would love to hijack, for his own purposes, a Gift that is intended to be used in Holiness. 


So how do we thwart his efforts?


How do we protect the imaginations of our children?


Are we not the "guardians at the gate?"


No doubt, you remember your amazement when your young child came up with some incredibly fanciful idea or story or drawing. Watching their young minds at work is truly a humbling experience, because we recognize the potential contained in the gift of imagination. 


Is it any wonder there are so many attempts to capture the imaginations of our children? Attempts that do not have holiness at their core? Think of all the books and cartoons and movies and video games and regular games and apps for phones, and the list goes on forever, that try to capture the imagination of your children. Or even of yourself? 


Have you ever wondered why?


Have you ever wondered why millions and millions of dollars are spent creating things to sweep us up and away on flights of fancy? Have you ever considered just how many hours people in the United States spend each week allowing someone else to direct the course of their thoughts, strictly for "entertainment purposes?"


I'm going to spout off here, from my personal view of the world as I see it in black-and-white: I don't really believe anything is neutral. Either something is worth our time, or it isn't. Since time is our most valuable resource, the choice of how to spend it is of importance. Sure, there is value in relaxing. But we can't use the need to relax as an excuse to allow anything into our minds that isn't going to bless us in our walk with the Lord. 


We are choosing.


Whether we recognize it or not, we are choosing what captures our imaginations. Many people will argue that they aren't affected by watching something on television that they would never "live out themselves." But we must not be deceived. What we allow into our minds does affect our minds. 


As parents, what does this say about our responsibility to train our children in the use of their imaginations?


Their imaginations are always active. 


Are we offering them wholesome, encouraging, uplifting fuel for the insatiable appetites of their minds?


Their imaginations will be captured by something?


Are we being intentional about what that something is?


Do you know what your children are reading? Listening to? Spending time on? 


What is the value system of those who have created whatever it is that your child is fascinated by?


Our value system is reflected in what we create. 


If our children are reading, watching, absorbing things created by people who do not seek to glorify the Lord, is that truly what's best for our children? Especially when they are young, and their value system is still in the process of being formed? Especially when they do not yet have the spiritual discernment to recognize the schemes of the enemy that may be disguised in a book or game?


As parents, the Holy Spirit offers us the help we need to discern what is best for our children. All we have to do is ask and then be willing to allow Him to reveal Truth to us. 


There is SO much great stuff out there to capture the imaginations of your children. Of course, books are some of our favorite resources. And with the growth of homeschooling, many materials are becoming available again that have been out of print for decades. There is a wealth of historical fiction from a Christian worldview that is filled with adventure and truth and will capture the imaginations of your children. Biographies of great men and women are treasures that will bless the whole family. There is an incredible power in watching how people walk out their faith. 


Even if we haven't realized how easily worthless or even ungodly influences can creep into our home, the Lord will help us weed out and replace things with better choices. And, our children will acquire a "taste" for truly worthwhile things. That doesn't mean that our vigilance will not always be required, but it does mean that it will get easier as our "tastes" improve.


Our imaginations are intended to bring Him Glory. May we feed them properly.

Come, Lord Jesus, Come

Of course, I was weeping this morning in worship as we sang this song. This is one that will just wash over your spirit. What a blessing to be given the ability to worship Him through song with His Body!

Bob Hope's Definition of Democrats (And We Have to Include Many Republicans, Too)

Okay, politics is not a common topic here at the Antbed. A friend showed me this video clip and it is pretty funny. Who knew Bob Hope understood things so well? But, we can't just limit it to Democrats. :)

Psalm 145: A Link-Up in "Pages in Our Heritage of Faith"

I will exalt you, my God the King;

I will praise your name for ever and ever.

Every day I will praise you and extol your name

for ever and ever.

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;

his greatness no one can fathom.

One generation will commend your works to another;

they will tell of your mighty acts.

They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty,

and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

They will tell of the power of your awesome works,

and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They will celebrate your abundant goodness

and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate,

slow to anger and rich in love.

The Lord is good to all;

he has compassion on all he has made.

All you have made will praise you, O Lord;

your saints will extol you.

They will tell of the glory of your kingdom

and speak of your might, 

so that all men may know of your mighty acts 

and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is faithful to all his promises

and loving toward all he has made.

The Lord upholds all those who fall 

and lifts up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to you 

and you give them their food at the proper time.

You open your hand

and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in all his ways

and loving toward all he has made.

The Lord is near to all who call on him,

to all who call on him in truth.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;

he hears their cry and saves them.

The Lord watches over all who love him,

but all the wicked he will destroy.

My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.

Let every creature praise his holy name

for ever and ever.

This was one of the chapters we read this week in school. And it spoke to me so powerfully. I LOVE it when His Truths jump off the page and confirm what the Holy Spirit has been teaching you, branding the lessons on your heart. His Faithfulness to us is complete. Perfect. Enduring. Engaging. Foundational. 

Confession time: there have been weeks when I have had a niggling little doubt in my heart about whether there would be anything for me to write for a Friday link up in "Pages in Our Heritage of Faith." Oh, it's not because He isn't Faithful. It is because I'm not. It is because I don't always have eyes to see. It is because my heart is not always open and humble. 

But, praise God, His Faithfulness to me doesn't depend at all on me! 

My________________ (fill in the blank with the "sin-of-the-week" that clouds my spiritual eyes) cannot diminish His Faithfulness a single bit. And He is grounding me so firmly in this Truth that the fiber of my soul is changing. The freedom that comes with a fuller understanding of His Faithfulness is so liberating. It changes everything!

We would love for you to link up here and share your testimony of His Faithfulness in your life. Be brave! You can do it! Even if you've never "linked-up" before, I promise it doesn't hurt a bit! :) Start writing pages in the Heritage of Faith for your family. Is there a verse you have read lately that spoke Comfort to your heart? Or maybe one that encouraged you, or strengthened your resolve to walk in Faith? Maybe you have been blessed by someone in the Body of Christ? Maybe you see a change in the heart of your child? All of it reveals His Faithfulness to us! Write it up and link it up! We'd love to hear another story about our Abba Father!!! :)

Approaching the Word

I have been convicted, of late, that I should approach the Word with more humility. Okay, convicted is too strong a word. "Gently nudged" would be a better description. It occurred to me that I may have allowed an attitude to creep in that sort of "takes it for granted."


Not good. 


If I really believe that His Word is living and active, my heart should have an attitude that approaches it with a humble expectation of encountering Him through the words on those pages. Every time I pick it up, I should expect to meet Him there, in those words, and for that encounter to change me.


The kids and I discussed this today. In our homeschool, we read several chapters each day in our Bibles, and the very repetition can be conducive to the forming of an attitude of familiarity and complacency. So the posture of our hearts needs to be intentionally addressed to avoid a habit forming that allows us to read the Bible like it is no different than the words written by man. 


Even though they may not fully comprehend what to expect, they should learn to have an expectation when they engage the Word. We encourage them to write in their Bibles, to mark them up, to take notes, so that the lessons being taught them by the Holy Spirit can be built upon as the years pass.


This is the first year, for the ones still in our homeschool, that they are reading through the entire Bible in a year, in addition to our other Bible work. The hope is that it will become a lifelong habit that will take hold of their hearts. Not to check it off a list, but to help them continually devote time to the Word. Even if some of them don't understand much of what they are reading at this point, the Living Word is sowing seeds in their young hearts.

Less Can Be More

It's a cloudy, overcast day here and we have received enough moisture for the driveway to be wet. Loving that. How we appreciate the gift of moisture!


After the frenetic pace we have kept for the past few months, since Thanksgiving in fact, a day that urges us to snuggle into our nest and enjoy quiet, still, peaceful pursuits is such a blessing.


The pace we set for ourselves has so much to do with fruitfulness. Our minds can tell us that "more is better." Often, the truly productive times are when we are attempting less, but are focused more intently. 


Allowing the Lord to make our "to do" list keeps us from being spread too thin, from being excellent at nothing. Mediocrity is the enemy of Excellence.


This time of year, the post holiday-pre-spring break weeks, are when we settle back into the rhythm of our days, without a lot of the interruption characteristic of the holidays. It is a time to be intentional. A time to allow things that don't bear fruit to fall away, refining the expenditure of our time and energies to be focused and effective.


We find ourselves always with choices to make, options to consider, opportunities to weigh. But this time of the year begs us to moderate activity. To trust that He will accomplish His Purposes through us, even when it feels like we aren't accomplishing a great deal. Even when we could "do more," less is often a wiser choice in the long run. 


Days like today remind me of that.


The things that won't fit well into today are probably not for today. 

New Words for an Old Tune

Things have been chaotic around here since our return from our trip. There's so much to catch up on, and new things keep adding themselves to our "list" (as if we could ever have finished the list we already had). 


So, this morning, I received inspiration to write a revision of this "classic" (but odd) nursery rhyme.


Without further adieu, here's my version:


My head is full of snot,
My head is full of snot,
Heigh ho the dairy-o
My head is full of snot.


It makes it hard to breathe,
It makes it hard to breathe,
When your head is full of snot,
It makes it hard to breathe.


I think it may explode,
I think it may explode,
I've reached the point of critical mass,
I think it may explode.


That would make a mess,
Oh, that would make a mess,
Heigh ho the dairy-o
That would make a mess.


Who would clean it up?
Oh, who would clean it up?
Without me here to tell them to,
Oh, who would clean it up?


I've cleaned their mess for years,
I've cleaned their mess for years,
They're such great kids, they'd step right up,
I've cleaned their mess for years.


Homeschooling must go on,
Homeschooling must go on,
Even though I may not live,
Homeschooling must go on.


Mamas can't be sick
Oh mamas can't be sick
Ignore it, it will go away,
Oh mama's can't be sick.


A sense of humor helps,
A sense of humor helps,
Even when your head blows up,
A sense of humor helps.


Okay, I know this is really odd, but it has just been that kind of day. So just humor me, okay? :)

Our Latest Adventure, Part V (The End--Finally)

Our last port was Falmouth, Jamaica. We had scheduled an excursion to Dunn's River Falls and Dolphin Cove. Samuel had not slept well the night before, so he and Hannah stayed aboard the ship to see if they couldn't catch up on some sleep. The rest of us headed out for, what we didn't know then, would be our favorite day of all. 


Our guide was named Norman, but he told us to call him "Daddy," because we were a family for the day. It was pretty funny, since he was probably in his mid twenties. He regaled us with songs and jokes and interesting tidbits about the country of Jamaica, and its history as an English colony.


We arrived at Dunn's River Falls and, even though we had told them to wear water shoes, had to rent pairs for several children so that they would be allowed to climb the 900 foot waterfall.

We were divided into groups and assigned to a guide who would lead us up the best path, and to a videographer who would make sure to preserve any embarrassing moments for posterity. There was no way to keep my camera dry, though I really wished it could have come along. Kregg's parents stationed themselves at an overlook and took the camera to snap some shots as we passed.

Then we went to Dolphin Cove. 

A face only a mother could love. Rebekah took this picture and I love it! :)

Do I have the world's coolest in-laws, or what?!

There was a lot to see and do at Dolphin Cove.

Kregg was holding a stingray.

 

  

  

Probably the highlight of the entire trip was the fulfillment of one of Mackenzy's life-long dreams: to swim with dolphins. 

  

  

 Kregg found this little hat for Samuel with "dreds" attached. It was pretty funny.

Playing miniature golf in the middle of the ocean is amazing.

Kregg, Caleb and Jeremiah entered a 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

Ben just loves wearing a dress shirt and tie to dinner. :)

And we were blessed with another gorgeous sunset.


This trip was such a precious time for our family. Just a few years ago, we could never have even considered going on something like this and that makes us appreciate it even more.