Amanda's Books and More

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Picture Perfect Party Linky #65

Here's a peek at our back garden, swimming pool and 2 of our pets. Recently was the first day that Amanda could go swimming. We've been having spring and now summer with a few wintry days still passing through. I know, most of my blogging community is in the northern hemisphere and experiencing winter, and even some have already had early snow fall. None of my kids have ever experienced a white Christmas, but it is on my wish list for them.

Click on the images to view

them larger. There's almost

no wait time and it's worth it!

Amanda excited to go swimming.

Amanda testing the waters.

Benny and Prince

Hubby keeps the pool looking good.

Benny with his summer hair cut.

Prince enjoying the warm evening air.

Amanda standing at the pool fountain.

Amanda with both pets at the side of the
house that is rarely photographed.

Amanda drying off.

White roses from my back garden.

White roses from my back garden in Black and White.

I've also got a great new series on the
McGregor Wine Region on my 1camera1mom
that you won't want to miss!

Now on to my blog hop...

Here's your chance to link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Come join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free
to link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter

Facebook

and

Here are the easy rules:

Follow me. Please leave a comment so that I can follow back (as long as your blog is family friendly).
Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
Grab the button below and add it on your post or side-bar.
Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.

Friday, November 8, 2013

Make My Saturday Sweet - Blog Hop #57

Today I'm participating in Create With Joy's Friendship Friday. The theme for this month is "Gratitude." I also invite you to link your favorite blog post from this past week below on my Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop. My hop doesn't have a theme, so any family friendly post is welcome. Don't forget to visit the two posts that were linked before yours and make their Saturday sweet!

Her questions for us this week are:

Do you currently keep a Gratitude Journal?
If you’d like to start one but haven’t – what’s stopping you?
Are there any tips or resources you’d like to share to help others get started?

Honestly, I don't keep a Gratitude Journal. I do believe in counting my blessings and naming them one by one. I also encourage others to focus on what they have rather than on what they don't have. I had the privilage this past year to teach once a week a 45 min. Bible class to 4th graders. These past several weeks we've been looking at Philipians 4:4-9. They memorized verses 4-7 and I printed their verses out on white cardboard for them to color and keep. I did this one in watercolor.

Also, my latest blog post on Happy Moms, Happy Homes deals with the issue of our thoughts. Here's the image and text that I created for that post. The photo and quote are my own.

*********************

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to
link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest

Twitter

Facebook

Leave me a comment with your link and I will follow back!

Here are the easy rules:

Follow Tina (your host) @ Amanda's Books and More.
Link up your family friendly blog.
Please try to add my hop button on your most recent post or on your side-bar.
Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
Visit at least the last two blogs before your link and leave a comment.
Follow any new blogs that you like.

Blog Button Code:

This is a blog hop!

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Picture Perfect Party Linky #64

I hope you enjoy all the colors in today's photos.

The flowers are in my garden and Amanda is the

prettiest flower of them all. We've been having

spring and the hot summer days have already

begun to make an appearance.

Click on the images to view
them larger. There's almost
no wait time and it's worth it!

Sheela, Amanda's kitten,
sitting by the pool.

Prince, Samantha's cat,
exploring the garden.

Check out my latest set of photos

of the Robertson Wine Region

on 1camera1mom!

Now on to my blog hop...

Here's your chance to link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Come join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free
to link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter

Facebook

and

Here are the easy rules:

Follow me. Please leave a comment so that I can follow back (as long as your blog is family friendly).
Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
Grab the button below and add it on your post or side-bar.
Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.

Friday, November 1, 2013

Make My Saturday Sweet - Blog Hop #56

South Africa will be celebrating International / Universal Children's Day on the 2nd of November. I went to Wikipedia to find out more about this day.

"Universal Children's Day takes place annually on November 20. First proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1954, it was established to encourage all countries to institute a day, firstly to promote mutual exchange and understanding among children and secondly to initiate action to benefit and promote the welfare of the world's children.

"This day is observed to promote the objectives outlined in the Charter and for the welfare of children. On November 20, 1959 the United Nations adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child.... Universal Children's Day is not simply a day to celebrate children for who they are, but to bring awareness to children around the globe that have succumbed to violence in forms of abuse, exploitation and discrimination."

The safety and care of children is very close to my heart. There's a wonderful organization in Cape Town called Jelly Beanz Inc. who have set this day aside to "celebrate children - their joyfulness, innocence, energy and creativity." And to, "remember those children who have to struggle on a daily basis for their emotional and physical survival."

Jelly Beanz Inc. is a national non-profit organization that offers creative African interventions to address child abuse and trauma. South African children are amongst the most traumatized in the world. To find out more, visit the Jelly Beanz website and like them on Facebook.

*********************

I'm participating in Create With Joy's Friendship Friday. The theme for this month is "Gratitude." I also invite you to link your favorite blog post from this past week below on my Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop. Don't forget to visit the two posts that were linked before yours and make their Saturday sweet!

I'm thankful for my sweet
little Amanda.

I'm thankful for sisters
that get along well.

I'm thankful for my wonderful son
and big brother to three sisters.

I'm thankful for the love between
our two cats. Look how they cuddle!

I'm thankful for the stunning view
from my kitchen window.

I'm thankful for the beautiful region
we live in, the Western Cape, and
the fun day trips we get to have.
This is the Cape Town Waterfront.

*********************

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to
link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest

Twitter

Facebook

Leave me a comment with your link and I will follow back!

Here are the easy rules:

Follow Tina (your host) @ Amanda's Books and More.
Link up your family friendly blog.
Please try to add my hop button on your most recent post or on your side-bar.
Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
Visit at least the last two blogs before your link and leave a comment.
Follow any new blogs that you like.

Blog Button Code:

This is a blog hop!

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Picture Perfect Party Linky #63

We've had a busy last couple of weeks. Samantha turned 13 and then about a week later had a big birthday party. With her birthday money, she bought herself an electric guitar. She's been taking guitar lessons for the last two years at school.

We've been experiencing spring and my garden has begun to blossom. Some of the first flowers to make an appearance have been the irises and lilies. I never planted the lilies. They grow wild here as long as they have plenty of water.

Amanda has been having fun with my watercolors. I still have my watercolor paint and paintbrushes that I bought in Heidelberg, Germany as a teenager and that's what she's been using. I'm also letting her paint on proper watercolor paper. It's been a lot of fun.

Amanda and Jeremiah are good friends.

The cats are best friends.

Since it's almost Halloween, I had to show you this photo. We've been getting these rain spiders over the past couple of weeks and they always freak me out. Even the way they move is creepy. Hubby has been catching them in a plastic container and releasing them back outside away from the home.

Here's my hubby's latest post on Real Church Life, "Is Halloween for Christians?" He gets into the debate and opens up a "hornets' nest."

Here's my latest series of photos on 1camera1mom, "The Robertson Wine Region - Part 2." If you like beautiful countryside, snow-capped mountains, budding trees, cows and horses, then you'll like this series.

Now on to my blog hop...

Here's your chance to link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Come join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free
to link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Twitter

Facebook

and

Here are the easy rules:

Follow me. Please leave a comment so that I can follow back (as long as your blog is family friendly).
Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
Grab the button below and add it on your post or side-bar.
Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.

Friday, October 25, 2013

Make My Saturday Sweet - Blog Hop #55

Welcome to my weekend blog hop! Here you get to link your favorite post of the week and share it with other bloggers. Just remember to visit the last two links before yours and leave a comment and make their Saturday sweet!

Today I'm sharing some of my favorite Christmas photos. My own hop doesn't have a theme, so you are welcome to link your family friendly blog below.

The theme on Friendship Friday is "Holiday Fun."

Christmas 2010 with
Amanda and Jessica

What is my favorite holiday? That's a hard question! I love all of the big holidays and even birthdays when cheerful decorations, scrumptious food and dear family members are involved. These kinds of celebrations make me the happiest. If I have to pick just one, then I'd say, "Christmas!"

A Pop-up Nativity Scene

Share a favorite holiday tradition old or new. My favorite family tradition at Christmas time is opening one present on Christmas Eve. My parents began this tradition when we were kids, because we lived part of our growing up years in Germany. Many Europeans open all their presents on Christmas Eve, often waiting until midnight to do so. I liked that we could focus on one present that night and then wake up on Christmas morning to many brightly wrapped Christmas presents. If we woke up to a white Christmas, that was even cooler. I still do this with our kids. They open one at night and then the rest in the morning. Most of our Christmases have been in South Africa, where it's summertime at that time of the year, so there's no chance of a white Christmas.