Another Big Sale!!! Vision Forum

5 Days Only — Save 20%-50% on
Everything at Vision Forum!

December is almost here! To help you with your shopping needs, Vision Forum is running an incredible five-day sale across our entire website.

This week only, save up to 50% on everything we sell — EVERYTHING! Plus, enjoy $5.00 flat-rate shipping on every order, regardless of its amount.*

Now is the time to stock up on great gifts for your entire family — toys, books, DVDs, CDs, and much more!

This special offer applies only to online orders placed at www.visionforum.com, and is not retroactive. Offer ends at midnight on Friday, December 3, 2010 (CST).

Count Your Blessings Monday!!

Here is an opportunity for all of us to give thanks unto the Lord for a blessing in our lives. If you would like to take part great. If not that is OK too. If you would like to share your blessing, just leave it in the comments. If you want to use the picture above and list a blessing on your own site, then leave a URL to your site in the comments. There is no pressure here. I just know that I am incredibly blessed and I would like to share that and give thanks to Him who all blessing come from. This is a way that we can encourage one another. I know that I am often encouraged when someone shares a blessing with me. I think that many times we forget that it is a blessing to be able to breath, to get out of bed, to hold a baby... Share your blessings with us. We can share so many other things.... special gifts, recipes, let's take the time to share how God has blessed us!!

This week, I want to share the blessing of getting together with family. We were with Michael's family on Thanksgiving Day. Everyone in the entire family was there except one person who was sick. Then on Saturday, we went to visit with my side of the family. Everyone who lives in Ohio was there except my one brother and his wife. They were off on an anniversary trip. My nieces from Florida were up with their family. I got to meet my great nephew for the first time.

I know that family time can often be stressful. You have to learn to relax and let some things go. Enjoy the people and take lots of pictures. You are making memories.

Favorite Book for Children

Nancy asked me about my favorite children's book. It is called, "All the Places to Love" by Patricia Maclachlan.

Black Friday Super Sale - 4 Days Only!!!

I am not trying to turn my blog into one big advertising blog, but I really LOVE the things that Vision Forum sells and like to use them as gifts. So, when they have a good sale, I like to pass it on. Believe it or not, I don't post every sale. :)


Mix & Match Any Two Items,* and Your Third Is Free!

In our continuing effort to find creative ways to provide family-building, encouraging books, media, and toys for our customers this season, Vision Forum is offering a special 4-day savings opportunity!

Here’s how it works: Until midnight on Saturday, November 27 (CST), mix and match any two items* at www.visionforum.com and receive a third item of your choice absolutely free!* Your free product can be any item* that is equal to, or less than, the lowest price of your two purchased products.

There is no limit to the number of free items you can receive during this mix-and-match sale — every third item is free!*

Shop online and take advantage of this special offer!

This offer is good only for orders placed online and cannot be applied retroactively to previous orders. Free items must be in-stock items. This special buying opportunity expires at midnight on November 27, 2010 (CST), is redeemable only online, and my not be applied to previous orders.

We hope this offer is a blessing to you and your family as you seek to provide God-honoring books, toys, and resources to your children and loved ones. Thank you for shopping with Vision Forum and for supporting us in our mission to encourage and equip the biblical family.

*“Buy 2, Get 1 Free” special offer does not apply to iPods or the 70-Volume Henty Library. The free product will be equal to, or less than, the lowest price of the two purchased products. If a customer qualifies for multiple free products because his order includes at least six items (i.e. “Buy 2, Get 1 Free” x 2), the shopping cart will be reorganized so that the items are listed from highest price to lowest price. Every third item in the shopping cart, from top to bottom, will be marked “free.” This offer will be applied to each increment of 3 products: 3, 6, 9, 12 products, etc. There is no limit!

Brining Questions

I asked my husband the questions about the brining, since he is the turkey preparer in our house. He said that as long as it is cold enough, he does not brine in a fridge. We have a huge pot (some people use big buckets) and make sure it is covered in the water in a cool place. This time of year many people's garage is cold enough. Our pantry area is really cold and he uses really cold water. Just put a lid on to keep anything from falling into or getting into the brine.

Once, it is done soaking, he gets it out and lets it drip dry. Then he puts it in the pan. You can stuff it then if you want. He rubs the skin with olive oil and puts a some salt on it.

Hope this helps. If you have more questions, ask and I will either add to this post or put it in the comments.

It's TURKEY DAY!!!!

Today is the day the turkeys go from this....

to this!!
Then on Thanksgiving Day to this!!!

Someone asked us about brining.

Brine for Turkey

The basic recipe for a brine for poultry is one cup of salt per gallon of water. We use the brine below for our turkeys and love it.

1 gallon water

1 cup sea salt

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

3 Tbsp. sucanat or brown sugar

1 Tbsp. pickling spices

1 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. tarragon

Dissolve the salt and sugar in the water. Add the other ingredients and put the turkey in to soak for at least 4 hours or even up to overnight. We use the amounts of ingredients above, but use more water. We make sure the bird is covered in water.

48 Hours Only - Save 20-50% on All Toys - Vision Forum

48 Hours Only — 20%-50% Off All Toys at Vision Forum!

Fun, imaginative, unique, educational, indoor, outdoor, boys, girls, historical, modern…when it comes to great toys that will encourage and bless your family, Vision Forum is the place to go!

For 48 hours only, we are offering incredible savings on every toy we sell. Save 20%-50% on our hundreds of quality toys that your children are sure to love, including all of our bestsellers and brand-new additions.

Save 20%-50% on Every Toy at Vision Forum — Shop Now!

We have a huge selection of toys to choose from. You can outfit your young pioneers with a frontiersman’s collection of rifles, moccasins, leather pouches, coontail caps, and more. Or delight your daughters with our Beautiful Girlhood dolls, doll dresses, cowgirl get-ups, and coloring books.

You have literally hundreds of options, and all discounted at 20%-50% off — and more!

Here are Just a Few of Our Popular Toy Categories

20%-50% Savings Offer Ends November 23
Our sale ends at midnight on November 23, 2010 (CST). Prices are good only during this sale, may not be applied to past orders. Save 20%-50% on Every Toy at Vision Forum — Shop Now!

Here are some examples of the wonderful and useful and creative items they carry!!!

Traveler's Calligraphy Set Regularly $50 - On sale for $37.50!

Deluxe Zip Line Regularly $99 - On sale for $74.25

Large Swiss Backpack Regularly $65 - On sale for $36

Count Your Blessings Monday!!

Here is an opportunity for all of us to give thanks unto the Lord for a blessing in our lives. If you would like to take part great. If not that is OK too. If you would like to share your blessing, just leave it in the comments. If you want to use the picture above and list a blessing on your own site, then leave a URL to your site in the comments. There is no pressure here. I just know that I am incredibly blessed and I would like to share that and give thanks to Him who all blessing come from. This is a way that we can encourage one another. I know that I am often encouraged when someone shares a blessing with me. I think that many times we forget that it is a blessing to be able to breath, to get out of bed, to hold a baby... Share your blessings with us. We can share so many other things.... special gifts, recipes, let's take the time to share how God has blessed us!!

I am so grateful for God's presence. There have been so many tough situations in people's lives lately. I am so glad that they have the Lord to cling to. Pray for my friend Bonnie, who lost her husband of 50+ years this past Friday. It was not expected. My friend, Clara is spending her last hours with her husband of 50+ years. Hospice is there and they said the end if here. We had that horrible murder and kidnapping in the little town near us this past week and a half. Pray for the little girl who was found alive, but lost her family in a horrific way. I have another friend who is pregnant and due in February. They are afraid she is going to go into premature labor. She already has 8 children, so rest is hard to get.

What would we do without the Lord?

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy Birthday to my Mom. She would have been 79 today. She was a wonderful Mom. I miss her like crazy, but I am so glad I will see her again some day.

Christmas Dishes Give Away.

Can you say WOW!!!! Stone Gable is giving away this set of Christmas dishes!!!!

Head on over there and find out how to put your name in the hat!!

Give Away for $25 Gift Certificate!!

Sharri over at Sharri's Snapzshotz is hosting a give away. She is giving away a $25 gift certificate to our store. She has multiple ways to enter. Head on over and enter to win!!!

Turkey Day on Tuesday!!

It is getting close to turkey day here on the farm. I am not talking about Thanksgiving Day, but the day our customers come and pick up their turkeys. We enjoy doing turkeys, as they have a lot of personality, but it is a long haul.

We buy our turkey poults locally usually 16 weeks before Thanksgiving. They are a bit more fragile during the first 3 weeks while they are in the brooder, but then they are very hardy. Many times you will hear a poult singing while in the brooder. Now, that they are full grown, you can go out in the field and talk to them and they talk back to you.

Turkeys are very good foragers. Our broilers forage some, but the turkeys eat a lot of grass and plants. They are always very eager when Michael moves their pen. They get a whole new salad bar.

We tell our customers about brining their turkey. We always brine ours. The basic brine recipe is 1 cup of salt to every gallon of water that you use. Brining makes a big difference in the tenderness of the turkey. It also gives a moister bird. You can add other herbs and spices to your brine if you like.

Great Gift Idea

The holiday season is coming up. Many people give gifts at this time of year. I have one friend who has a wonderful way to give gifts on Thanksgiving Day. Some like to give a gift to a teacher or a good friend. To some, the thrill is in the shopping for just the right gift. Some couples make it a date night to go out and Christmas shop. I have another friend that plans a day each year with a friend who lives near her and they go spend the day together starting their Christmas shopping. Sometimes your hands get so full carrying lots of small packages, plus your purse or wallet that it is hard to pick up other items to look at. I was thinking it would be really handy to have a backpack. I don't like to put on a backpack normally as I feel confined, but there are lots of new designs out there including sling backpacks. These are simply put up on one shoulder and easily taken off. I like that idea.

There are many ways you can use backpacks. It is great to carry books to school or to the library. If you go hiking, you can keep a water bottle, some fruit or snacks, maybe a sketch pad and pencils. If you are going to an appointment you can have a book or magazines in it to sit and look at while you wait your turn. I have been knitting and this would be a great way to take it along with me where ever I go.

Do you own a backpack? If so, how do you use yours?

CSN Store Reviews.

I wanted to give a couple of reviews from the CSN Store.com opportunities.

Karen in Washington sent this review in.
I chose the Hamilton Beach Chef Prep 525 watt Food Processor with 10 cup capacity.
I was looking for an inexpensive food processor but at the same time was concerned that a lower priced one might not be a very good one but I am very pleased with the quality. It is very solid, has a nice heavy duty cord, all parts are good quality, it is easy to use and wash, and works great!

We ordered a ceiling fan and were surprised at how quickly it came. It is waiting to be put up (hopefully this weekend). The CSN stores have lots different items and their prices are good. Check them out.

Healthy Choices in Herbs and Spices

I have a friend who is a very hard worker. She is 26 years old and just had her fourth baby. They live on a farm and she does a CSA. She makes THE BEST bagels and sells them several places. She spins and weaves shawls and other items on a triangle loom. She makes it look so easy to juggle all of those things. She does have a husband who is a hard worker too, and some of his single sisters live close by and help. She is always sweet and smiling and so patient with people. I am sure she has some warts, but you don't see them very often. She also is a representative for a company called Wildtree.

Wildtree started when a Mom (Leslie) found out her 2 young children had medical conditions that had severe dietary restrictions. She along with her parents started experimenting and liked what the results were. Leslie said, “I remember thinking that others could benefit from what we discovered; how to make mealtime an enjoyable and effortless experience, dietary restrictions or not!” Leslie’s sincere desire to help others was the inspiration that led her to found Wildtree in 1996. They try to buy local when possible. Every Wildtree product is natural, containing no additives, preservatives, MGS or food dyes. They oversee every step of the process in house. Most items are gluten and dairy free, unless they specifically say otherwise.

We have used the products and really like them. Another young friend was having a party that Brittany and I went to. I agreed to host an internet party to help out both friends.

If you would like to see what they offer, go to the link below and click on shop now by my name. I love the fajita seasoning and the Italians seasoning. Michael loves their garlic dipping oil. :)

My Wildtree Party

Vision Forum Coupon - Extra 20% Off, Plus $5 Shipping

Six Days Only — Save Extra 20%
On Everything at Vision Forum!

Announcing six days of site-wide savings at Vision Forum — but you need a special coupon!

Through November 20, use coupon URBAN20 to take an extra 20% off everything at Vision Forum, including already-discounted products. Enjoy great pricing on family-building books, toys, movies, audio albums, and more! Plus, pay only $5 shipping regardless of order size.*

Choose from more than 1,200 family-building products — and save!



Browse VisionForum.com & Save Extra 20% with Coupon

Use the Coupon Code Below to Save an
Extra 20% on Your Order
URBAN20

Your coupon code is above. Simply enter your code while viewing your shopping cart, or during checkout, to redeem your coupon. This coupon may only be redeemed online, may not be retroactively applied to past orders, and expires at midnight on November 20, 2010 (CST).

And, don’t forget. Pay only $5 shipping for every order!*


*$5 flat-rate shipping applies to all orders shipped “Ground” to addresses within the 48 contiguous United States. $5 flat-rate shipping does not apply to expedited shipments or to orders shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, or international addresses. Coupon code not valid on the 70-Volume G.A. Henty Library or the pre-loaded iPods.

Count Your Blessings Monday!!

Here is an opportunity for all of us to give thanks unto the Lord for a blessing in our lives. If you would like to take part great. If not that is OK too. If you would like to share your blessing, just leave it in the comments. If you want to use the picture above and list a blessing on your own site, then leave a URL to your site in the comments. There is no pressure here. I just know that I am incredibly blessed and I would like to share that and give thanks to Him who all blessing come from. This is a way that we can encourage one another. I know that I am often encouraged when someone shares a blessing with me. I think that many times we forget that it is a blessing to be able to breath, to get out of bed, to hold a baby... Share your blessings with us. We can share so many other things.... special gifts, recipes, let's take the time to share how God has blessed us!!

I am so grateful for the beautiful weather we have been having. Many days last week, I was outside in short sleeves. It got down in the mid 20's last night, but the sun is shining today and so far it is up to about 39°. This is great weather for mid-November.

For those who are local, we still have a few turkeys available for Thanksgiving week.

Celebrate Life with America's Most Inspiring Mother

Introducing Tea with Michelle Duggar on DVD!
Save 40% — Purchase with Mothers’ Tea Time Collection

New from Vision Forum: Tea with Michelle Duggar, an inspiring, 1-hour DVD featuring practical wisdom and a contagious, enthusiastic joy for motherhood from Michelle Duggar — Vision Forum Ministries’ 2010 “Mother of the Year.”

Now Available: Tea with Michelle Duggar from Vision Forum on Vimeo.

For three days only (through November 13), save 40% on Tea with Michelle Duggar when you purchase this new DVD as part of the Mothers’ Tea Time Collection — just $47.40 for three brand-new resources for mothers: Large Family Logistics (312-page book), Tea with Michelle Duggar (1-hour DVD), and She Shall Be Called Woman (9-hour CD album)!

Save 40% on the Mothers’ Tea Time Collection,
Featuring the New DVD Tea with Michelle Duggar

Pour yourself a hot cup of tea (or space out several cups over time — there is a lot of great content in this collection!) and enjoy reading, watching, and listening to this encouragement-rich resource set for mothers of children young and old, and of families large and small. Your vision will be renewed, and you will be equipped with fresh wisdom from real Christian mothers who have embraced the glories of their God-ordained roles, as well as the true challenges of motherhood, and who will help you rejoice in God’s calling as well.

Sit Down for an Hour with America’s Most Inspiring Mother
Thanks to Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar’s popular television show, 19 Kids and Counting, Michelle’s faithful Christian testimony as the mother of nineteen children has reached hundreds of thousands of viewers with the Gospel. But not only is she a loving mother and faithful wife, Michelle is also a great encourager to other women — both by word and by example.

In this new, uplifting DVD hosted and narrated by Beall Phillips, join Michelle as she shares her testimony as part of a special ladies’ tea, answers questions about challenges she faces as a busy mom, and receives a special “Mother of the Year” award. Plus, learn how Michelle overcame the challenge of the premature birth of her newest blessing, little Josie, and see how she winsomely responds to critics in this joyful celebration of life with America’s most inspiring mother.

Save 40% on the Mothers’ Tea Time Collection,
Featuring the New DVD Tea with Michelle Duggar

Offer Ends November 13, 2010

This special offer ends at midnight (CST) on November 13, 2010. It may not be applied to previous orders.

Autumn Glory!!!

I heard an ultra-light go over very low, so I ran out with my camera. It was already gone. However, I noticed the wonderful lighting of the late afternoon Autumn sun. The sheep were enjoying the rays. I started taking pictures. I hope you enjoy them.

Here is my black sheep. She is a new one. Her name is Shadow.

This is our ram for this year. He is a Katahdin.

On these next pictures, I loved how the sheep were letting the sun hit their faces.

Here is Abigail. She is the new herd matriarch, since Pepper died this summer. Abigail is Sunshine's (my first sheep) granddaughter. I love how they all lined up to come in.

This is one of this years lambs.

Her wool is gorgeous. I love its curl.

Here is the ram.

I got a couple of good pictures of Skye. She is getting so big. She was out in the fenced yard area we have for her.

Here is good old Star. She is now 13 years old. She is a bit slower, but is still going pretty strong.

We are down to one male cat again. Someone took the mom and the 3 kittens. Now, if no one drops off their pregnant female out in the country, then we should be OK.

The oldest Wonderful Neighbor boy came over today and did some work. He planted my garlic and put straw all over the area. While I was outside I looked over and a lot of chickens were in there scratching away. I had to go and shoo them away. We are going to put a fence around that area, but I am not sure I can keep them out until then. I love the lighting on them though.

This is a rooster junior. He is not full grown yet. He is really henpecked and hangs out by himself most of the time. I hope he is able to perform his duties when he is older.

My chickens have free run of the farm. We are having to watch for eggs in out of the way places.

Here is some of the bounty I found today. They are laying really well right now.

Most of the trees look like this.

This type of Oak tree keeps the dead brown leaves through most of the winter. They are still a bit on the orange side, but they turn brown and brittle.
Well, I had pictures of everything but the ultra-light. I never did see it again.