Amanda Bennett~December 30th

Why not travel the world with these bargain unit studies! You still have time to purchase these at a discount! Sale ends 11:59 pm Mountain!

Elementary

Expedition Mexico       $3.00

Expedition Canada      $4.00

Expedition Africa         $4.00

Expedition China         $4.00

Passport United Kingdom, Scout  $5.00

Passport France, Scout  $5.00

Junior/Senior High

Passport United Kingdom, Explorer $5.00

Passport France, Explorer    $5.00

Amanda Bennett is giving away an iPad 2 on January 7th. Go here to sign up!

Amanda Bennett~December 29th

 

Football Frenzy      $3

Simply Soccer       $4

Handsome Horses  $4

Baseball                $5

Auto Racing           $5

Amanda Bennett is giving away an iPad 2 on January 7th! Be sure to sign up for your chance to win!

Free Audiobook!

Through December 31st you can get a free copy of When I Don’t Desire God by John Piper from Christian Audio. Add it to your cart and then use coupon code DG1211 at check out!

Thanks Money Saving Mom!

::Right Now::

I saw this over at Candace’s blog and I thought I would post my own version here.

Right now I am…..

• thinking I really should get dressed
• realizing we are moving in a month and I need to get packing….literally!
• looking at the pile of dishes that need doing and wishing I had a dishwasher fairy! (Oh I am the dish washing fairy-I forgot)
• thinking about the pile of items on my bed that need to be sorted, organized and packed
• thinking I need to do a major declutter before we pack
• will be glad when the shelf paper is all in at the new house (we worked on this yesterday)
• thankful to my mom and aunt who helped me with said shelf paper yesterday
• excited and nervous about moving
• wondering where all of this stuff came from?
• thinking we should just leave all of our stuff for the new homeowner and let her sort it all out?
• thinking the boys have too many toys and realizing that they do not want to part with hardly any of them…..sigh….
• thankful that God gives me grace that I don’t deserve each and every day
• thinking I need to do something special for my dear husband who works so hard for us
• planning to buy myself a Kindle fire with out actually spending any money out of pocket. Oh how I love you swagbucks and Amazon!
• thinking I guess I need to take the tree down soon. Nah…maybe I’ll leave it up another week
• needing to make up a new planner and notebook to keep track of everything I need to do in the next month
• trying not to be overwhelmed by previous item on this list!
• praying our move will work out and our current house inspection and sale will go through without a hitch (all prayers are appreciated!)
• thinking I really do need to grocery shop!
• should cook more
• and eat out less
• should eat healthy
• having too many thoughts of moving on my mind

the end!

 

Amanda Bennett Unit Studies~ 12/28

Todays Sale!

American Adventures!

Constitution Celebration   $3.00

Ben Franklin                    $4.00

American Government      $5.00

Election 2012                   $5.00

Amanda is giving away an iPad2 on January 7th! Go sign up for your chance to win!

 

Keeping a Family Journal

Last year we started keeping a family journal. It is a way for us to record our days, both the  big events and the small everyday things that occur. It is fun to look back and read about vacations we have taken, birthdays or just a fun day or feeling we had. We don’t always write in them each day, but try to write something once a week.

Our Family Journal

I use a regular composition book. You can find them just about anywhere, the Dollar Store, Wal-Mart or Target even the drug store. I buy them during the back to school sales and get them for about 25 cents each.

I used scrapbooking paper I had on hand and  Mod Podged it onto our journal. I gave the boys stickers to decorate it and we were all set to start recording our memories!

I encourage the boys to use pencils, pens, colored pencils, crayons, markers. What ever they would like to use. They can also draw or cut out a picture to add to their journal entries. The more creative the better.

This particular page was about Kaden’s 6th birthday this past year. He got his first pillow pet a turtle, which he immediately named Gumball. We each wrote about Kaden’s birthday.

Kaden drew a picture of Gumball. He narrated what his favorite part of his birthday was and I wrote it in the journal. I also wrote my favorite part and Justin drew a picture of his favorite part, the Lego cake!

It has been so fun to read what they have written or drawn and it will be fun to look back over the years and see how we grow and change as a family.

For 2012 I am making these Mama & Me journals for both boys that I found at Mamma Jenn’s blog . I thought it would be fun to become pen pals with them. She has a girl version and a boy version you can download at the bottom of her post.

I love the letter that she included in her journal and I plan on using it in our journals.

“Dear ****, Would you like to be pen pals? I thought it would be fun! Instead of mailing letters to each other, we’ll keep them in this notebook.

I will write to you, and leave the notebook on your bed. Then, when you want to write me back, you write on the next page and leave the notebook on my bed. You can write anything you like. It can be funny or serious or anything you want to write. Sound like fun?

Love,

Mom
P.S. Write back soon!”

This will be a fun way to get the boys to write (sneaky, sneaky) and share their thoughts and feelings at the same time!

Do you keep a journal? How to capture those memories to remember in years to come?

 

 

Amanda Bennett Unit Studies Sale 12/27~$3, $4, $5

 

All of the following unit studies are on sale today only! We have done Terrific Tigers and I have to say it is by far one of our favorites we have done from Amanda Bennett. You can read our review here and here.

Sunny Seashells $3

Astonishing Animals $4

Creation Camouflage $4

Goofy Gecko $4

Dolphin Days $4

Whale Tales $4

Terrific Tigers $4

Dogs $5

Horses $5

Amanda is giving away an iPad 2 on January 7th. Be sure to sign up! Go here!

 

Amanda Bennett Unit Studies~12 Days of Christmas

For the next 12 days Amanda Bennett is having the 12 Days of Christmas sale! Each day there will be a new item on sale! Todays item is

Easter! This is a four week downloadable unit study for grades K-12 on sale for $4.00! regular price $10.95!

Amanda is also giving away an iPad 2 on January 7th!

note: sale ends daily at 11:59 MST

Night of the Living Dead Christian~Winner

With all of the Christmas festivities going on I completely forgot about my giveaway!  I guess I better get to it!

The winner is: #4 Andrew Wencl!

I will be emailing you Andrew! Congratulations!

Noel

Silent Night

Merry Christmas!

The Magic of Christmas is not in the presents but His presence.

Guest Post: To Love the Unloved

"Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes.”

Have you ever felt the desire to do something that is going to effect a whole lot of people? The thought of your life making a difference to so many more....

But then you realize you are just one. You can not make a difference.

We have all had those feeling. It is how you choose to take those feelings and act, that shapes who you are, and your purpose in this world.

We are just three teenage girls.

We have a passion.

We have a love.

We have a hope.

We have a vision.

And, we have chosen to act.

Sunny is 20. She has a 19 year old brother who has Down syndrome. She lives in London.

Savana is 20. She has a 3 year old sister who has Down syndrome. She lives in America.

I, Taylah, and 16. I have a 3 year old cousin who has Down syndrome. I live in Australia.

Each of us have an intense love for someone with Down syndrome. We see them in a way most of the world choses not too.

Did you know that 90% of babies with Down syndrome are aborted before they get to enter this world?
9 out of 10! Their lives are taken because they have a disability. It just doesn't seem right, does it?

Did you know that in Eastern Europe, children with disabilities, such as Down syndrome, are left orphaned at birth.They live in an orphanage until they are 5 years old. Once they turn 5 they are placed in an adults mental institution where conditions are so horrible most don't survive a year.

With adoption costing over 30,000 it is likely that most of these children wont ever see outside the walls of a crib. When we were given the facts we decided that it was too devastating to just sit back. We decided to ACT!

'To love the unloved' was founded in December, 2010. Since then, we have helped fund the adoption of 13 precious children! Each month we host giveaways for a child or family from Reece's Rainbow (an adoption ministry that helps find homes for orphans with Down syndrome) on our blog!

There are so many ways that you can help 'To love the unloved' out! Firstly, you can give a donation and enter the give away! Secondly, you can drop by and leave a message of encouragement and support! Finally, please keep us, and these precious babies in your thoughts and prayers!

Christmas is an incredibly important time of year for us and many of you! It is the time of year that many of us celebrate the birth our Saviour Jesus Christ. It's a time of Love, Kindness and Giving, a holiday where we appreciate all that we are lucky enough to have. We hope you will join our cause this Christmas and enjoy the time you spend with us, as we 'change the world one orphan at a time'

Visit our website: www.tolovetheunloved.weebly.com

Our blog: www.tolovetheunlovedblog.blogspot.com

Our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/tolovetheunloved

Or emails us: tolovetheunloved@gmail.com

Thank you so much!

Love,

Tay, Savana and Sunny!

Real~Book Review

Real by Shelley Malcolm

note: proceeds from Real go to various charities. More information is available here.

About the Book

“REAL” is a collection of 60 inspirational stories by Shelley Malcolm, with photos by Terilee Dawn Ouimette. The stories are deeply revealing, while the photos are anonymous, focusing only on each subject’s hands. Subjects range from adolescent to elderly, from former gangster to humble homeless, international refugee to hero-housewife, from pro athlete to Hollywood celebrity.

Focusing on her subjects’ hands instead of their faces allows Malcolm’s subjects to share more freely about their lives, tragedies, hopes, dreams, loves, and toils. Ouimette displays an uncanny ability to capture each character’s essence on film by depicting one of more sets of hands at work, at play, giving or receiving help. The result shows the genius of the project, the use of anonymity displaying a greater level of intimacy and vulnerability than might have been possible by any other means.

Malcolm states that her inspiration for the book came from a dream with similar images, revealing the beauty in imperfections in a person’s hands. “The hand image is made beautiful by the life behind it,” she explains. “More anonymous than a face or even eyes which show identity and emotion, our hands portray our work, our affection, scars…even our mistakes.”

Confronting the importance of status and beauty in our society, “Real” honestly unveils the life stories of remarkable individuals through moving images and stories that range from tragic to hopeful to triumphant.

Real - The Book from David Malcolm on Vimeo.

My Thoughts

I thought this book looked interesting when I first looked at it. I was not prepared for the emotions I would feel once I started reading it!

Real tells the stories of people from various walks of life with photographs of just their hands. These photos are stunning! They tell stories of hardship, sadness, beauty, hope and so many other feelings.

The stories within the pages of this book are beautiful. You will meet folks who have so few material possessions yet have so much more. You will meet husbands and wives who have shared their lives with each other for many years. You will meet folks who struggle each day and folks who heal.

Each page has a single photograph and the facing page tells the story.

One of my favorites was Gladys. She was reading her Bible. Her hands reminded me so much of my own grandmother. It brought me to tears remembering my  grandma holding her Bible.

The stories are short but you come away feeling you know much about each person.  Ms. Malcolm was able to capture the story of each person in just a few paragraphs.

I especially enjoyed the epilogue at the end of the book that tells where each person in the story is today.

Real would make a wonderful coffee table book or a gift to someone special. It is truly a wonderful book! 

The book is available for purchase here.

 

Missing from blog land!

Hello everyone! I am still alive and well but have been pretty much absent here in blog land these last few weeks. We are so busy here (as I imagine many of you are as well) preparing for Christmas.  All of our gifts have been purchased and baking will commence this afternoon. I still need to get some Christmas cards in the mail~some of them may end up as New Years cards!

In addition to our Christmas festivities we are in the midst of packing up our house for our big move! Yes we are moving at the end of January! Just a few miles from where we currently live, but we sure are busy going through and cleaning out as we pack boxes and prepare for Christmas at the same time!

So I will be posting sporadically here in the next week or two until things settle down a bit. I hope you will stick around and bear with me during this time. I miss blogging, but have a limited amount of time to blog at this time!

I will be posting a few reviews here and there as they come up and will keep you updated on our progress!

Don’t forget I have a book giveaway on Thursday, December 22 and I only have one commenter, I would love some more of you to enter! It is a great book!

 

Night of the Living Dead Christian~Book Review and Giveaway!

Zombies, vampires, a mad scientist, robot who prefers to be called an android, a werewolf, even a monster hunter!  These are the characters of Matt Mikalatos newest book Night of the Living Dead Christian.

From the book

What does a transformed life actually look like?
In his follow-up to the critically acclaimed Imaginary Jesus, Matt Mikalatos tackles this question in an entertaining and thought-provoking way—with MONSTERS!!! While Christians claim to experience Christ’s resurrection power, we sometimes act like werewolves who can’t control our base desires. Or zombies, experiencing a resurrection that is 90 percent shambling death and 10 percent life. Or vampires, satiating ourselves at the expense of others. But through it all we long to stop being monsters and become truly human—the way Christ intended. We just can’t seem to figure out how.

 

My thoughts

This fictionalized story is written from the point of view of Matt and his next door neighbors, who are the monsters. It is an allegory. It is funny and witty and will have you laughing out loud! Even with the laugh out loud aspect of this story it does cover the serious topic of truly becoming a transformed Christian. Each monster in the story is representative of how we as Christians tend to act. Are we truly transformed? Are we willing to give up everything for the Lord? Are we willing to really be transformed and live as Jesus has called us? Only God can truly destroy the monsters that live within us.

**********GIVEAWAY**********

Would you like to win a copy of Night of the Living Dead Christian? Tyndale has graciously given me one coupon good for a free copy of this book. All you need to do is leave a comment (with a way to contact you) at the bottom of this post! I will choose one winner next Thursday, December 22, 2011.

The winner will receive a gift certificate from Tyndale for one copy of Night of the Living Dead Christian.

You can purchase Night of the Living Dead Christian direct from Tyndale or Amazon.

Giveaway open to US and Canadian residents only.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received. All opinions in this post and on this blog are my own.

Scotch Thermal Laminator $16.99 Today Only!

Amazon currently has the Scotch Thermal Laminator on sale for $16.99 today only! This is a great deal for a laminator. I have this one and use it all the time!

Baby’s Little Bible~Review

About the Book: Baby's Little Bible was written by new mom Sarah Toulmin as a way of sharing the stories she so loved with her own little ones. Her ultra-simple retellings of twenty favorite stories, from Creation to Resurrection, are filled with a sense of wonder, expressing God's love for creation. Featuring Kristina Stephenson's heartwarming, baby-friendly illustrations, this little Bible offers lots to look at and point to while parent and child share this delightful book together. Now available in a small format with a padded cover in either pink or blue, or as a gift edition with gilt edges and a ribbon marker, Baby's Little Bible is a perfect starter Bible to share with a much-loved child.

My Thoughts

This is a delightful first children’s Bible. The stories are written in a very simple style and are easy for a young child to understand. The illustrations are bright and colorful! This is a very durable book with a padded cover and is available in pink or blue. This little Bible would make a wonderful gift for a new baby. Don’t let the title mislead you into thinking this Bible is just for babies. It would be a wonderful Bible for newborns to preschoolers. 

You can read an excerpt here. 

Disclosure: I received a copy of Baby’s Little Bible from Kregel Publications as a member of their review team. No other compensation was received. All opinions in this post and on this blog are my own.

 

Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett new unit~Elections 2012

 

Look what has just been released! A four week unit study by Amanda Bennett. 

Elections 2012!

This is a new four week study!

Learn about:

• History of elections
• Basic structure of representative government
• Voting and election process
• Campaign participation and opportunities

Complete and ready to use, the study contains four weeks of daily lessons written at two levels, one for elementary grades and one for Jr./Sr. High grades.

The study requires no other books--it includes Internet links throughout the lessons for the use of the students when other resources are helpful.

• Learn about the election process, how it works and how we vote.
• How are candidates chosen, and how do campaigns work?
• How can we be involved in the process?
• Investigate key historical figures while learning about American politics and elections at all levels: federal, state and local.

What an exciting year to begin this adventure—watch and learn as history unfolds!

Though 12/15/11 you can get Elections 2012 for 30% off. Just $7.66! (regular price $10.95)

Our December….

 

I have been neglecting my little blog here lately. We have been very busy these last couple of weeks it seems. I have not had a lot of  time for blogging. We have been observing Advent and the boys wake up each morning excited to participate in the days events. Larry was off from work on Sunday and we were very happy to have him in church with us last week. He will be off again this Sunday. We attended our fire company ladies auxiliary Christmas luncheon last Sunday and had a nice afternoon visiting with friends, some of whom we have not seen in a while. This week has been busy for me with two meetings and our church dinner.  It seems we have been on the go quite a bit lately. 

Here is a bit of what we have been up to. We have been observing Advent with our Nativity calendar.

We started our nightly reading and have started back with Jotham’s Journey. Last year we finished the series that ends with Tabitha’s Travels and the boys wanted to start over with Jotham.

Kaden has been loosing teeth left and right. He may just be asking for his two front teeth for Christmas!

We have added some new items to Advent this year. We found this printable Christmas Around the World calendar  Christmas around the world from Carisa’s 1+1+1=1 blog. There are two sizes of the calendar, one to fit a full size pocket chart and one to fit those small Target pocket charts!

These are the fact cards that go with the calendar.

We are doing our Jesse Tree and devotional.

This year we are using Ann Voskamp’s A Jesus Advent Celebration. The Jesse Tree is my most favorite part of Advent.

It is really good! I like this devotional so much that I printed and bound it. You can find details on how to get it free at Ann’s blog, A Holy Experience.

We celebrated St. Nicholas Day on December 6th. The boys left their shoes out and were left a couple of fun items. We read a story about the true origin of Santa Clause and how St. Nicholas was devoted to God and helping those in need.

The boys each received a mini maze ball and chocolate coins.

Once again we are using our homemade Lego Advent calendar.

Justin and Kaden also each have a chocolate Advent calendar. I get them at Aldi each year for 99 cents.

A new addition we have added this year is

The Christmas Mystery story by Jostein Gaardner. This is a great story!

First Wild Card Tour~F.A.I.R.I.E.S..Baptism by Fire

 

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author & illustrator is:

 

M. C. Pearson

and the book:

F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire

FIRST Wild Card Press (December 5, 2011)

***Special thanks to M. C. Pearson of FIRST Wild Card Press for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

M. C. Pearson graduated from San Jose State University with a B. A. in art, served as a multi-media illustrator in the United States Army, earning the rank of sergeant, and spent four years as a house parent for at-risk youth. Now married over 20 years, she homeschools her two children, volunteers with her church youth group, and runs a book review blog alliance (FIRST Wild Card Tours) while writing and drawing. F.A.I.R.I.E.S.: Baptism by Fire is her first novel.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Unwittingly chosen to join an army of fairies, who fight for the Light of the One, a teenaged girl learns about spiritual warfare as she attends a military academy with fantastical beings.

FROM THE BACK COVER:

Here lies a most precious treasure,

Awaiting one Chosen to deliver.

 

Seek out the red cousins in the East,

For on this your greed mustn't feast.

 

The wealth of a species now in your hands,

Do with it as the light demands.

 

Give them your gift to unite,

For it is the darkness we all must fight.

EDITORIAL REVIEWS:

"Imagination runs wild in F.A.I.R.I.E.S. Pearson brings young readers through a looking glass and into a world bursting with adventure, heroism, and fascinating creatures. Readers will be inspired to be true to the One and left with anticipation of more to come."

--Jill Williamson, award-winning author of

By Darkness Hid, and other books

"Sprinkled with delightful illustrations, and brimming with a full bestiary of magical creatures, F.A.I.R.I.E.S. is a fun, clever romp through the alternate landscape of the most magical world of all, our own. Read, and take up the call: 'Defend and Emancipate!'"

-- D. Barkley Briggs, author of

The Book of Names, and other books

"F.A.I.R.I.E.S. will appeal to readers who love the interplay of fantasy and reality. A rich cast of eccentric characters and exotic settings make this a fun addition to the folklore of the battle between good and evil."

--Mike Hamel, author of

YA fantasy series: MATTERHORN THE BRAVE

"F.A.I.R.I.E.S. is one of those rare gems I want to tell everyone about. It's highly imaginative, packed with adventure, and full of hope. A must read for kids and for kids at heart. Even better than Narnia! I was thinking about Pearson's wonderfully memorable characters for days."

--C.J. Darlington, author of

Thicker than Blood

"Ms. Pearson's extravagant and imaginative F.A.I.R.I.E. kingdom will surely delight the young and the young-at-heart in this tale of good and evil, light vs. darkness. The fantasy-loving reader will not be disappointed!"

--Linore Rose Burkard, award winning author of

Before the Season Ends, and other books

 

Product Details:

List Price: $17.99
Paperback: 482 pages
Publisher: FIRST Wild Card Press (December 5, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0615530222
ISBN-13: 978-0615530222

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Four thousand seasons shall pass while our swords grow rusty.

Where once one chose to divide, another shall be chosen to unite.

One changed the past, the other shall change the future.

One must emancipate the other to allow the light its dominion.

The realm, now torn, allows the shadow to abide, as humanity lies blind to its peril.

The bond of friendship must endure, for the army of shadows awaits another tear.

Dust off your swords.

Unite the realm.

Destroy the strongholds.

 

Foretelling of Didasko Gnome Digdeep

†

PART ONE

 

MANY ARE CALLED

BUT

FEW ARE CHOSEN

 

†

CHAPTER ONE

 

Off and Running

t was an accident!” Mellie yelled, not caring who heard or stared. Tears streaked her face as she fled down the Santa Cruz coastline, away from her family.

You don’t need them, a voice hissed in her ear, Escape. Run away.

Scorching sand burned at her feet and bitterness ate at her heart. Mellie pumped her legs as fast as they would go. Her feet pounded with the rhythm of her emotions, beating a tempo with the crashing waves. Run-a-way. Run-a-way. Run-a-way. Adrenaline pulsed through her veins, quickening her step.

Why did I have to be the youngest? Only 12 years old. Never smart enough. Never athletic enough. I just wish they loved me.

Once, just once, she wanted to do something that would make her sisters see that she wasn’t the stupid, awkward, ugly, little baby sister.

As she ran, she wiped away some tears with the palm of her hand. Her fingers settled on her large nose, a gift from her dad’s Hungarian ancestry.

Chelsea got the ski-slope shaped nose. I had to get Half-Dome. It just isn’t fair.

Her hand dropped to her side and she pinched at her stomach. It still had some of its baby fat.

Ugh, why are my sisters so perfect? What happened to me?

Pushing her short bangs from her forehead in disgust, she mumbled, “Maybe I’ll find treasure. I’ll be the rich one, and then they’ll have to accept me.” But she knew better. California didn’t hold any more undiscovered treasures.

The sand, hot and coarse, cut at her feet. I wish I had remembered my shoes. She wore only a black, one-piece swimsuit and a San Jose Sharks sweatshirt tied tightly around her waist.

Breathing rapidly, she began to tire. She slowed her pace to a walk and looked back across the beach. The sand was so hot that waves of heat rose from it and blurred her view. A lone seagull screeched overhead.

Her sisters were nowhere in sight.

Man, I thought for sure that Chelsea was going to chase me down and kill me.

She had to admit that it was a little gratifying to see the sand fly from her foot, covering Chelsea’s sub-sandwich and freshly oiled stomach. Grinning slightly, the tears stopped flowing. She rubbed her eyes.

Mellie looked in the direction of her sisters. “You guys can never take a joke.” Flipping her golden hair, she turned her head back toward her chosen path. She no longer smiled as she stomped her feet in the cold surf, remembering the hateful words that had been said.

“Oh, waa waa, you stupid cry baby! Go tell mommy! Maybe she’ll feel sorry for her ugly, fat baby. Why don’t you grow up? We don’t want you near us. Can’t you understand English? You are so dumb. Look at her mouth open. Oh wait, here she goes…come on, baby…cry!”

Mellie knew she couldn’t go back. They would only ridicule and torment her further. Her mom would never believe it was Chelsea’s fault. No, the evidence was on Chelsea’s side. Who was the one with the sand all over her oily, coconut-smelling body? Who was the one who had a sandwich full of sand? Mellie walked on.

After her temper finally cooled, it occurred to her that she had never walked so far alone.

How far have I gone?

A shadow passed over her, and she looked up. Nothing was there. A cool breeze from the ocean created a stark contrast to the scalding sand. She shivered but kept walking, lost in her loneliness.

Not until she stubbed her toe on a large broken clamshell did she look at the beach. A chill snaked up her back. Nothing appeared familiar. The sounds of the surf were still there, yet something was decidedly different. She felt dizzy. Looking around, she could not quite pinpoint the change. Then it struck her.

No people.

Where did everybody go?

Even though she could see no one, Mellie could swear that she felt eyes staring at her.

She looked inland across the sand, saw movement near some eucalyptus trees, but decided that the wind must have caused it.

Trees? So close to the beach?

Something shook the trees again, causing goosebumps to stand out on Mellie’s arms. Alarmed, she checked the skyline. The sun was close to setting. She hoped that the police weren’t out looking for her.

Suddenly cold, she pulled at the arms of the sweatshirt still tied around her waist. It fell to the sand. Bending to pick it up, she once again saw a blur of movement, except this time it came from a rocky outcrop by the waves. She shook the sand out of the sweatshirt and hurriedly tugged it over her head.

“Okay, I’m seeing things.” Mellie yanked at her hair, pulling it out of the sweatshirt. She stared at the sinister rocks. “Hel-lo?” Her voice cracked as she spoke louder. “Is someone the-ere? Hello?” No answer. The shadowy rocks seemed to quiver with excitement, beckoning her closer.

Hmm…probably just a seagull.

Even if it was a bird, she did not want to see it.

There’s no way I’m going over there.

The wind picked up and blew her hair into her eyes. The sand spun with the wind.

Yes, definitely time to move. I need to find a road.

She turned back toward the sweet smelling, oddly placed trees.

Mellie arrived at the base of the first, colossal eucalyptus tree. Without warning, one of the branches fell in front of her, then seemed to get up from the ground and pose its bottom stems in a military-like stance.

Mellie screamed and jumped back. “Branches don’t stand.”

“They do if they are walking sticks.” The eucalyptus branch chuckled, stretching to its full height, considerably taller than Mellie’s meager five feet.
She gasped, grabbed the branch, and threw it like a javelin, as hard as she could.

As she took off running, she heard a bark and halted. Turning, she saw a golden retriever bounding toward her with the stick in his mouth. The dog dropped it at her feet. She watched the dog run into the grove of trees and disappear before she fearfully turned back to the possessed stick.

It had already gained its footing again and stood over her. Mellie was too frightened to move this time.

A face emerged from the skinny twig and took on the characteristics of a male human, but none like Mellie had ever seen. He had hair made up in rolls as if it were a powdered, green-silver wig, the same color as the leaves that grew all around his skinny body. His face was long and his forehead high. The twiggy man smiled and said in a distinctly British, albeit breezy, accent, “Do not worry, you are safe.”

Mellie couldn’t answer.

“Ahh…I love new recruits. They are so easily addled.”

Feeling more confused than threatened, Mellie found her voice. “What? What do you mean, new recruits?” She rubbed her eyes, shaking her head. “Okay, I’m talking to a stick now. Yes, I have lost it. I have gone totally mental.”

“Oh, I say, am I to understand that I am the first to be revealed to you?” With round, leathery leaves, the branch resembled a toddler toy with rings stacked on one another.

She dropped open her mouth and nodded.

“Well, let me do this properly, then. Ahem. Mortal, made of clay, you have been Chosen to join the Fantastical, Aerial, International, Reasonably Inconspicuous, Emancipation Squads.”

“What? What are you? You look like a stick…but you can talk.”

“Yes, child,” the stick replied with a sigh. “But, I think we are quite past that by now. Have you not heard me? You have been Chosen.”

Mellie opened her mouth wider, closed it, frowned, and opened it once more. “Chosen? For what?”

“You did wish to be different? To change who you were? ’Twas an especially strong desire, yes?” The branch crossed its arms and tapped its twiggy foot.

“Umm…”

“Dear me, this is highly unusual. You made a choice to run away from a miserable life and asked to be set free? Correct?”

“Well, I, ah…yeah. I guess so. What did you say about recruit for some squad?”

“Humph. I see that I was not understood. Yes? Let me elucidate. The Fantastical, Aerial, International, Reasonably Inconspicuous, Emancipation Squads , or shall I say F.A.I.R.I.E.S.? have accepted you into their organization. You asked. You were answered.” The branch attempted a smile, but looked impatient instead.

“Fairies? I don’t believe in fairies.” Mellie winced, half expecting him to fall down and writhe in pain until she clapped her hands.

“Quite right. You are not supposed to. If humans truly believed we existed, we would never get anything accomplished.”

Mellie laughed and looked around for a hidden camera, thinking this must be a joke. “Right. Ah…heh…okay, bud, brilliant costume,” she said, imitating the branch’s accent. “Where’s the zipper?” She reached toward him and touched a soft leaf.

The branch slapped her hand away and stamped its foot with a loud cracking noise. “I beg your pardon. I have not been a bud for over 800 springs!” He paced, his leaves crumpling, mumbling to himself about humans and why, in the One’s name, did he listen to that confounded gnome who told him that he needed to stand gate duty. With his rank!

“I’m sorry I upset you. Please, I’m very confused. I’m lost, and I just want to go home.” Mellie bit her lip.

The branch stopped mid-pace. “Home? Earlier, did you not wish for a new life? And riches? I know you wished for treasure, hmm?”

“How do you know that?” Mellie furrowed her brow. “Have you been reading my mind?”

The twig man didn’t answer her questions, asking his own instead. “Ahh, so, you admit this, yes?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Yes, but…well, this really isn’t what I had in mind.”

The branch threw up its twiggy fingers. “Oh, well, of course you did not have this in mind. After all, we are reasonably inconspicuous, especially to humans. How could you have this in mind? However, is it not superior of the One to think that this is what you would have chosen had you known about us? Anyway, ’tis irrevocable now. So, if you would just follow me, we shall get you signed in and enrolled for training.”

The branch marched off between the trunks of two large eucalyptus trees.

Mellie slid uncontrollably after the walking stick. She planted her feet firmly, refusing to budge, but she slid after him anyway. Grasping at branches of nearby trees, she panted heavily as she struggled to resist following the branch. Some kind of invisible tie connected her to him. He seemed to pull her along with his every step.

Mellie thought about her sisters and how mad they were at her. I’m dead meat if they find me. Mellie quickly gave up her battle and ran after the eucalyptus branch, barely keeping up with his stride.

†

The sand changed to coarse dirt, with pebbles and sticks. More and more trees filled Mellie’s vision. Bushes scraped against her bare legs and slapped her face as she moved deeper inside a forest of eucalyptus and redwood trees. She winced in pain as a razor-sharp rock sliced her foot. Stopping to nurse it, she wished once again for her forgotten shoes.

“Excuse me, sir?” Mellie looked around. She could not see the branch anywhere.

“Do not call me ‘sir’, I work for a living.” The branch peeked out from around one of the gigantic trees. “And please, try to keep up. We need to reach the gateway.”

Mellie limped up to him. “Sorry, sir…I mean…umm, what should I call you then?”

“Oh, well, we did skip that. Did we not? Yes, all right, an introduction then.” The branch man seemed to enjoy formal etiquette for he gave an elaborate wave and bowed. “My name is Regnans, family of Myrtaceae, born member of the F.A.I.R.I.E.S., Britannia Wing, rank of Master Nymph Dryad.”

“Nice to meet you, Reg…Reg?” Mellie chewed on the inside of her mouth. Never good at remembering names, she knew she would offend him with her lack of manners.

Sure enough, the dryad raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips. “Regnans.” He gave a hurt sniff, then drolly sneered. “If you find that a difficult name, you should meet the rest of my family, all seven-hundred thirty-four of them.”

“Sorry, I just…well, it is a lot to remember. It’s a nice name, though. My name is Maryellen Goodwin of Bret Harte Middle School, San Jose, California. But everyone calls me Mellie.” She stuck out her hand, intending to shake. Regnans stared at her.

“That is a strange curtsy. However, I guess ’twill do. We must get moving now. The shadows abound, you know.” Regnans made an about face and marched off faster than before.

Another hour passed, and still they strode along the forest floor. Mellie’s feet were now cut, blistered, and bleeding. She kept up as best she could with Regnans’s long stride. Whenever she tried to stop, he would pull her on with that invisible force of his.

Stupid, pompous, magical Star Wars freak.

She whimpered as she limped. Darkness and mist now covered the woods. As she was about to plead for a break, Regnans stopped. Except for her heavy gulps of air, all seemed quiet.

Regnans stiffened even more than usual. Nothing on him moved, apart from his eyes, which darted around quickly.

“All is safe, we may proceed.” He held up a twiggy finger to his woody mouth. “Please do not speak, and try not to breathe so abominably loud.”

Mellie nodded with a disgusted frown. Sweat dripped from her bangs. She tried to calm her breathing, even though her vision blurred, and her legs wobbled. Her blisters had popped by now and oozed wetness.

Regnans moved again, yet this time he took slow, deliberate steps, all the while scanning his surroundings. He walked up to a massive redwood tree and stroked its bark.

A breeze stirred up, rattling the leaves, sounding almost like spoken words. Mellie thought herself crazy again. However, the longer she stood there, the more she sensed that it really was the tree’s language, as if she had never listened to trees properly before. It said, “If you love, you will say the one true love that leads the way.”

Regnans whispered in a leaf rustling voice, “Ah-gaw-pay.”

A loud grumbling sound, as if someone awakened after a long sleep, shook the grove. The redwood tree opened two eyes, each the size of Mellie’s head, and blinked. A great fissure erupted below the eyes in the shape of a crescent, and redish-brown wooden teeth emerged. A long, knobby branch pushed its way out above the mouth and inhaled deeply.

The tree chuckled. Instead of the whispering leaves, a low, rumbling utterance of human speech came from the redwood tree. “Regnans? What brings you to my neck of the woods?” He blinked again. “And who is this? A new recruit? A human? A Chosen?”

Mellie knew she looked silly, standing there with her mouth in an ‘O’ shape, but she couldn’t move. This was simply impossible. There is no such thing as fairies!

“Yes, yes. Please open the gate, we must not dawdle here…they may be watching.” Regnans looked agitated.

A deep laugh resounded from the redwood. “Oh, Regnans. There are none who watch here.”

Regnans mumbled something about hamadryads and their pride, then proclaimed in a slightly louder voice to the tree, “We must be sober, be vigilant, because the shadow walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom it may devour.”

The hamadryad looked chagrined. “You speak true, dryad. Forgive me for acting like an arrogant seedling.” He glanced at Mellie, and with a lowered voice asked, “And what is your name, little human?”

Mellie managed to squeak out, “Mellie Goodwin.”

“Ah, ’tis always nice to have a Good Wind.” The hamadryad laughed heartily.

“Sorry to interrupt this lovely tete-a-tete,” Regnans said, “but would you please open the gate? I left Westside completely unguarded.”

An annoyed creak came from the base of the redwood, followed by a sigh. “Yes, Regnans. Agape you said, and agape it is. Go with the light, my friends.” The large, joyous eyes closed, and the hamadryad whispered in his leaf rustling voice, “Until we meet again, Good Wind.” His face disappeared, and his roots lifted and pulled apart, exposing a tunnel within his trunk.

Regnans grabbed Mellie’s hand with his rough, wooden one, and pulled her inside the opening. The tree closed itself abruptly and left them in total darkness.

Regnans cleared his throat and said, “Let there be light.”

A burst of dazzling brightness sparkled from the tunnel’s wall. Mellie glanced around and noticed a long, winding stairwell leading down into the ground.

“Shall we, then?” Not waiting for a reply, Regnans started down the steps.

Available at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.

My Thoughts:

F.A.I.R.I.E.S is a delightful book! A young girl Mellie asks for a different life and gets more than she ever asked for or thought possible! Mellie is recruited to join a group of fairies that live in a vast underground world unknown to humans. Mellie has been chosen to join the fairies and join the fight against the Evil One.

This is a very imaginative story that is sure to spark your imagination! I love the original illustrations too! This would make a wonderful family read aloud! 

disclosure: I was given a copy of this book as a member of First Wild Card in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was received. All opinions on this blog and in this post are my own.

A Wonderful Blog Post about Christmas

Yesterday I read a wonderful blog post by Ann Voskamp over at A Holy Experience. Take a minute to read it. It really spoke to my heart and what the Christmas season is truly about. I pray it speaks to your heart as well.