Sunday, October 9, 2016

Every Day with God Veggie Tales Devotional Review



About the Book:
Every Day with God is the latest 365-day devotional (one for boys and another for girls) from VeggieTales. The updated content and art offer the perfect opportunity for parent and child to share time together each day. Each entry includes a Bible verse, short devotion, Thought of the Day, and prayer. The content will help children learn more about God and develop a daily practice to keep Him close in their lives. The book is perfect for bedtime reading, family devotion time, or as a fresh way to start each day!

We really liked this book. I have a four year old boy and a three year old boy who adore everything VeggieTales so I was very excited to get the opportunity to review this book. We were not disappointed. I loved that we could use favorite characters along with bible verses to help them begin to learn the Bible and how to make studying it part of their daily lives. One a day wasn't even enough for them!! They wanted to keep reading, so we read several every time. We recommend this book for 4-7 year old kids. They'll love it!!

You can get your own copy of the Every Day with God devotional for boys here and the girls one here



#EveryDayWithGod
#FlyBy

Friday, May 20, 2016

DIY BABY WIPES

DIY Baby Wipes

I wanted to share my DIY baby wipes recipe. Originally found in the CHEMICAL FREE HOME 1 book but I adjusted it a little.

About 1 tbsp KidScents bath gel
4 drops gentle baby oil
4 drops lavender essential oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 roll of Brawny paper towels cut in half
Air tight container with lid large enough to fit half a paper towel roll.

Mix bath gel and essential oil in a mixing bowl and then add water. Cut one Brawny paper towel roll in half, setting one half aside. Place one half inside your airtight container and remove cardboard insert. Pour water mixture evenly over roll and cover with the lid. Set aside until water is absorbed throughout roll.

Note: I've gone back and unrolled the paper towels afterwards to make wipes look more folded like commercially sold wipes and I've left them in the roll shape and it's been fine either way.


Testimony: we've been using these wipes for several months now and have completely eliminated store bought wipes. They work great and soothe the skin. My boys(I have two in diapers) haven't had any of the rashes they would normally get from irritation due to staying in a diaper too long or the soap on the wipes. We love using these wipes!!

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

The Restaurant Critic's Wife Book Review







     The Restaurant Critic's Wife by Elizabeth LaBan is about Sam and Lila Soto who have just moved to Philadelphia for Sam to begin his dream job of working as a restaurant critic for a newspaper. Sam is very insistent on keeping his identity a secret so that no one in the restaurant industry will know it is him when he dines at their restaurants. As the story begins, Lila, a former crisis manager for Addison Hotels, is pregnant with their second child and knows almost no one in their new town.

     For the most part, I liked the book. I, however, didn't really care for either of the main characters. Sam is obsessive, self centered and selfish. Lila is insecure, selfish and self centered. They don't communicate with each other at all and act very immature and childish too. It was hard for me as a mother of five to read about a woman that is so insecure in her parenting but doesn't actually parent. I felt like she spent the entire book just distracting her kids so that she could do what she wanted. 

     I don't want to come down too hard on the book because there were several things I enjoyed. The different restaurants and menus was very interesting and fun. I liked how real the author was with a lot of parenting issues, with children throwing fits and fighting and dealing with other moms. But, unfortunately, the main character of Lila was very hard for me to read. She was very insecure and immature and selfish in my opinion. Overall, I liked the authors writing style and the way she described the scenes. I felt as if I was actually there. I just didn't care for Sam and Lila Soto.



I was given a free advanced copy of The Restaurant Critic's Wife from Netgalley.com in exchange for my honest review.

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Surprised by the Healer Book Review + GIVEAWAY!!

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From surprisedbythehealer.com :

"The Healer is inviting you…
God’s word declares that there is healing for your deepest pains, hope for your biggest disappointments, and victory over your addictions, past hurts, and past failures. His name is Jehovah Rapha, the God Who Heals, and He can redeem your broken story.
In these pages, you will meet nine courageous women who have agreed to tell their stories, to share with you how they moved from hopelessness and brokenness to hope and healing. Whether from sexual abuse, betrayal in marriage, or other harrowing experiences, the Healer invited them on a unique journey of redemption in the midst of deep pain. He is inviting you, too.
Linda Dillow and Dr. Juli Slattery, cofounders of Authentic Intimacy, have been writing and ministering to women in the church and clinical context for several decades. Their wisdom and experience overflow in this work to give you a trusted resource in journeying toward healing.
Includes a study guide for each chapter in the back of the book."



The stories featured in this book are incredible, heart breaking and awe-inspiring. Our God is amazing. These women have bravely shared their stories and how God has healed them. I think its time for a giveaway so a few of you can read this book for yourself!

I'm giving away TWO COPIES OF SURPRISED BY THE HEALER!!
for US residents only



Monday, January 25, 2016

FREE Surprised by the Healer Webinar TONIGHT!!! 9PM ET/6PM PT



Please don't forget to check out the FREE Surprised by the Healer Webinar tonight at 9PM ET/6PM PT.

The authors Dr Juli Slattery and Linda Dillow will be discussing their book, Surprised by the Healer. 

Do you have brokenness in your past? Do you feel like God can't forgive you for the things you've done? We all have things in our past we wish weren't there. But the good news of the gospel is there isn't anything too broken for God to heal. God’s word declares that there is healing for your deepest pains, hope for your biggest disappointments, and victory over your addictions, past hurts, and past failures. His name is Jehovah Rapha, the God Who Heals, and He can redeem. Learn more about how Jesus wants to heal your broken story during this webinar. 
Linda Dillow and Dr. Juli Slattery, cofounders of Authentic Intimacy, have been writing and ministering to women in the church and clinical context for several decades. Their wisdom and experience overflow in their new book, Surprised By the Healer, to give you a trusted resource in journeying toward healing.
Monday January 25th- 9pm EST / 8pm CT / 7pm MT / 6pm PT

Sunday, January 24, 2016

I'm on the Surprised by the Healer Launch Team!! #surprisedbythehealer





I am privileged and immensely blessed to be on the Surprised by the Healer Book Launch Team!! This is my second time on a launch team for Authentic Intimacy a ministry all about having true, authentic intimacy with our husbands and with our God.


As it states on surprisedbythehealer.com

"The Healer is inviting you…
God’s word declares that there is healing for your deepest pains, hope for your biggest disappointments, and victory over your addictions, past hurts, and past failures. His name is Jehovah Rapha, the God Who Heals, and He can redeem your broken story.
In these pages, you will meet nine courageous women who have agreed to tell their stories, to share with you how they moved from hopelessness and brokenness to hope and healing. Whether from sexual abuse, betrayal in marriage, or other harrowing experiences, the Healer invited them on a unique journey of redemption in the midst of deep pain. He is inviting you, too.
Linda Dillow and Dr. Juli Slattery, cofounders of Authentic Intimacy, have been writing and ministering to women in the church and clinical context for several decades. Their wisdom and experience overflow in this work to give you a trusted resource in journeying toward healing."

I am almost finished reading the book and will post a review and possibly a giveaway when I finish.



There will also be a FREE Surprised by the Healer Webinar on Monday January 25. Click on the picture above to register today!


Thursday, January 21, 2016

My Brother's Crown Review

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Goodreads description says,"From Christy award-winning authors Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould comes a brand-new sweeping family saga. Close-knit cousins are individually led on a redemptive journey as they follow the threads of their family's mysterious past and discover how it impacts the future.

Renee Talbot, a director in her family's 350-year-old paper company, is facing a huge problem: how to stay afloat in an increasingly paperless world. When her grandmother asks for her help in finding answers to some unsettling family-related questions, Renee's search for truth takes her to Europe, where she learns the story of Catherine Gillette, an ancestor who lived in seventeenth-century France. Headstrong and independent, young Catherine's brave actions saved the original paper company--and various members of the family--during a time when the French Huguenots were being persecuted by Louis XIV.

As Renee tries to save the company and her family's legacy, she draws courage and wisdom from an ancestor who stood strong and faithful when life was at its most perilous and God seemed to expect more from her than she ever thought she could deliver.
 "

I enjoyed this book from the start. The authors take us back and forth between Catherine Gilette in 17th century France and Renee Talbot in present day Virginia.  The characters are relatives as Renee is an descendant of Catherine. I enjoyed the use of historical facts interwoven throughout this book. Louis XIV's France was very interesting to read about, as well as the plight of the Huguenots. I hadn't heard of them before reading this book actually.

I felt Renee was a very real, strong character, a mature, modern and intelligent woman which greatly contrasted to the young, immature Catherine. Sometimes I found myself rolling my eyes at Catherine's impulsiveness. I had to remind myself that she was a very sheltered and, in a sense, spoiled young woman of her day. But that didn't deter me from enjoying the book and being eager to read the next installment of the series.

BELOW CONTAINS A FEW SPOILERS

My only real criticism was the fact that the major traumatic incident that surrounded Renee wasn't completely concluded in my opinion. She finally faced her fears and went back to look for evidence and you never found out what actually happened. I guess you could say that they kind of concluded it because they went back and everyone finally believed them and the police had a plan to investigate, but it still felt like a loose end to me. There is always the possibility that they will continue that in other books in the series since this is the first book in the series.

All in all, I enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more about them in the following books.





I was given an advanced copy of My Brother's Crown by NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest review.

Saturday, January 16, 2016

The Swans of Fifth Avenue

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The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin is a work of historical fiction about Truman Capote and his New York society lady friends that he dubbed his "Swans." It spans several decades starting in the 1950s and incorporates many of his well-known works such as, "In Cold Blood" and "Breakfast at Tiffany's." His relationship with "swan" Babe Paley makes up the bulk of the story as well as her relationship with her husband.

I found this a fascinating and wonderful read. As I am usually a nonfiction reader, this book kept me reading until well into the late-night/early-morning hours. The point of view changes from each person in the story seamlessly and makes the story that much richer and full of detail. The timeline strays back and forth around Capote's "social death" after his publishing a thinly-veiled story about New York socialites.

The author was able to use real life events intertwined with her own fiction to make up a very interesting story of two people and those around them who are always seeking love and attention in a world based mainly on outward appearance. The characters are deep and complex and well written. I was very very pleasantly surprised by this book. I highly recommend reading it when it comes out later this month.

I had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of The Swans of Fifth Avenue given to me by NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest review.

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Centralia Book Review




From the back cover of the book:
"Peter Ryan wakes up on a typical morning only to find his house empty, his wife and daughter nowhere to be found. His world is shattered after a phone call to a friend confirms the impossible: his wife and daughter died in a car accident he does not remember.
Haunted by faint memories and flashes of details, Peter becomes convinced that something isn't right and begins to question reality. When he discovers a note in his daughter's handwriting, strange memories surface that cause him to second guess nearly everything he once believed. Suddenly armed men show up at Peter's home, turning the mysterious puzzle of his past into a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
On the run and unsure whom to trust, Peter has to discover what's read and what isn't....before he loses everything."

I wasn't sure what to expect when this book arrived. Then I read the back of the book and my interest was piqued. As I began reading, I was quickly drawn into the mystery of who Peter Ryan really is. Are his wife and daughter really dead? The author has done a fantastic job of keeping you guessing while slowly and subtly moving the plot along. There is never a dull moment and I found myself nodding off while reading the book because I just didn't want to stop reading it!! I highly recommend reading this book!!!

I was given a free copy of this book from the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest review.

Monday, January 11, 2016

Strong and Kind Book Review



What Legacy Will You Pass Down To The Next Generation?
“After being a parent for twenty years, I have come to believe that the most important thing for parents to decide—more important than bottle or breastfeeding, more important than co-sleeping or sleep training, and even more important than whether to put your child in day care or become a stay-at-home parent—is what values are important to your family and how you will go about instilling those values in your children.”
In Strong and Kind Korie Robertson—with the help of her mom, Chrys Howard, and with insights and stories from her husband, Willie—introduces nine character traits that children need in order to lead a successful life. And though there are no perfect parents or perfect children, Korie shares principles—based on biblical wisdom and time-tested practices—that will help you parent your own one-of-a-kind child.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I began reading this book. What a wonderfully written and lovely book to read. Korie takes us through the different character qualities or traits that your child needs to succeed. She suggests starting with the two that are most important to you. Strong and Kind are the two she feels are most important for her children.

She had lots of insightful advice for parenting and shared stories of her own childhood and parenting experiences to go along with the qualities. She takes the reader through each of the qualities and how they apply to us then she details how you can start implementing them in our own lives and teaching them to our children. Along the way, Willie tells his point of view of the character qualities as well as stories from his children and parenting experiences.

In conclusion, it was a wonderful read and I really enjoyed reading it. I highly recommend reading this for any parent, especially if you are a Duck Dynasty fan but not only if you are a fan. Korie is quite personable and real towards her own experiences and journey as a parent. If you're a parent or soon to be, go get this book!

I was given a free copy of Strong and Kind in exchange for my honest review.