Tag Archives: books

One Thousand Gifts

  By Rachel | June 15, 2012 - 4:15 pm | What I'm Reading
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One Thousand Gifts  

by: Ann Voskamp

 

 

 

 

 

My Dad sent me this book earlier this week, and I have been slowly making my way through Ann’s journey.

One of my favorite quotes so far:

“I, too, had read it often, the oft-quoted verse: “And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). And I, too, would nod and say straight-faced, “I’m thankful for everything.” But in this counting gifts, to one thousand, more, I discover that slapping a sloppy brush of thanksgiving over everything in my life leaves me deeply thankful for very few things in my life. A lifetime of sermons on “thanks in all things” and the shelves sagging with books on these things and I testify: life-changing gratitude does not fasten itself to a life unless nailed through one very specific nail at a time.”

I am already thoroughly enjoying all that she has shared- and have thought often about gardening while I am reading- the joy of a new bloom.  I have also thought about blowing bubbles with the kids and the child-like delight I find when playing with them.

It is bring to mind the sweet blessings- in tiny ways-throughout my day.

Will share a more thorough review once I finish- if you have read it- let me know what you thought about it.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes

  By Rachel | March 14, 2012 - 7:33 pm | What I'm Reading
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A Breath of Snow and Ashes by: Diana Gabaldon

If you have been following my posts about this series, then you know how much I have been enjoying it.

That continues to be true, I would encourage anyone to give the first book of this series a try- especially if you enjoy historical literature, romance, and a little fantasy (time travel) tossed in.

Great characters, love the way this author writes- she is becoming one of my favorites.

 

The Fiery Cross

  By Rachel | February 25, 2012 - 12:34 am | What I'm Reading
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Just started The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon.  This is the 5th book in the Outlander series.  The fact that I am reading this book- when I have a list of over 100 other books on my to-read list- speaks to how much I am enjoying this series.

The majority of the books are 900+ pages.  I have never read a series this long before.

And I continue to enjoy every minute.  I feel pretty certain that I will buy this series once I reach the end.

Definitely want to purchase for my Kindle- 900 page books are REALLY nice on an e-reader.

If you haven’t tried this series, read the first book- if you like it, odds are you will be captivated (as I am) and not be daunted by the length of these books but grateful to linger in their world.

Of course, I am not to the end yet, but I seriously doubt that the author is going to disappoint me in these last few books.

I fully expect to continue to be engrossed in this series till I turn the last page.

Full review:

I don’t know what more to say except, I am still reading- this book was almost 1,000 pages. I would not spend my time reading these books if I did not love them.

I laugh, I almost cry, I turn the pages in excitement and anticipation. I love these characters and the way Gabaldon writes and continues to keep this story interesting- I would have thought it impossible.

So again, I urge you to consider giving the first book in the series a try. If you like it, well, you’ll have enough additional reading to keep you busy for a while.

Masquerade and Revelations

  By Rachel | February 16, 2012 - 12:16 am | What I'm Reading
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These are two books in the Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz.  I read the first book, Blue Bloods, over the Christmas break.  I was worried that this would be another knock off of some of the other vampire novels written in the past- with no original ideas or plot.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Melissa de la Cruz has in fact found a niche all her own.  So far I have found the plot predictable at times but not completely- so therefore there are some portions that keep me wondering- and very interested in the story.

If you are a fan of vampire fiction- you will really enjoy this series.  They are fast reads and very enjoyable.

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Baby Food Basics

  By Rachel | February 13, 2012 - 4:05 pm | Random
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Learning to Eat Baby Food is a ChallengeI am not a natural cook- I must have a recipe- if I try to throw things together, it will be a total disaster.

So, I was a little intimidated when a friend talked to me about making baby food- it sounded really complicated.

She gave me two books to use, and I found them to be very helpful.

 

 

The Healthy Baby Meal Planner   by: Annabel Karmel

Cover of "Healthy Baby Meal Planner"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super Baby Food    by: Ruth Yaron

Cover of "Super Baby Food"

I think both of these books are fantastic, and they gave lots of great ideas- but they both went above and beyond what I really wanted to do.

I don’t buy tofu- not because I don’t like it, but because we just don’t eat it that much.  I didn’t buy some of the more expensive and rare veggies- because when I cook I never make them.

I stuck with the basic foods- veggies like carrots, green beans, spinach, celery, peas, etc.  You know, the ones you find most often in frozen veggie mixes at the store- that type of thing.  And I didn’t do eggplant and butternut squash- or some of the seafood items- I skipped those two.

I just think I can introduce those foods when my kids get older, and if they like them- great- and if not- they are still getting a well-balanced diet- some foods are just based on preference.

 

This was just my philosophy- I have friends who went all out and I think that’s great too.  I just wanted to let you know if you are like me and don’t really want to and/or are on a budget where buying the more expensive things is a stretch- don’t sweat it.  :)

 

There are a few things I have always kept around when I have a baby in the house.

  • apple sauce
  • chicken broth
  • whole milk
  • whole milk yogurt
  • cottage cheese
  • sour cream

These foods are great for adding to make the consistency more appealing to a baby and also give an extra boost of flavor without being too strong.  With my kids, I have noticed they prefer more bland foods- they esp. didn’t like foods that were spicy or salty.  These are all great options that can make the food a little more “runny” or “lumpy” rather than thick and hard for them to chew and swallow.

I hope that this helps some of you Moms out there, or just encourages you to try to make baby food for your kiddo.  I would freeze the food after I cooked it in ice cube trays for ease in warming it up and when you make it in bulk you don’t feel like you are constantly having to prepare more baby food every week.  Usually in one day I could make food for the whole month.

Please post any questions or advice that you might have about making Baby Food.

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Books My Kids Love- Take Two

  By Rachel | February 13, 2012 - 1:08 am | Random
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For the first post of books, look through the Random section of my blog.  I am going to try to post lists of 4 or 5 favorite books periodically- I love to read and I know that rubs off on my kids, we are constantly bringing home stacks of books from the library- and it helps us to find those really fantastic books that you love to read again and again.

Counting Crocodiles by: Judy Sierra  Illustrated by: Will Hillenbrand

Cover of "Counting Crocodiles"

Cover of Counting Crocodiles

This is a really fun book to read, and the story is really clever.  I love books that rhyme.

Skip to My Lou by: Mary Ann Hoberman & Nadine Bernard Westcott

Cover of "Skip to My Lou"

Cover of Skip to My Lou

I love to sing, so this book is really fun- has great illustrations and there is a whole series of Sing-A-Long books, so if you like this one there are others.

Goodnight, Sweet Pig  by: Linda Baily and Josee Masse

Cover of "Goodnight, Sweet Pig"

Cover of Goodnight, Sweet Pig

Such a sweet story, with counting so if you like to practice numbers with your kiddo this book is a great choice.  Love the illustrations and a great book to read before bed.

Goodnight Moon by: Margaret Wise Brown  Illustrated by: Clement Hurd

Cover of "Goodnight Moon"

Cover of Goodnight Moon

There is a reason why this book is so popular- what a great story- so simple but a great book to help settle a child down for sleep.

I hope that you enjoy some of these books and please share your favorites.

 

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Sacred Parenting

  By Rachel | February 10, 2012 - 12:15 am | What I'm Reading
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I am very interested in starting this book.  It was recommended to me by several friends and my Dad- so I am hoping to do some future posts about the inspirational material and hopefully very practical too- that I can start using in my interactions with my two kiddos.

I try to not read too many parenting books, it can be a little overwhelming. But I think sometimes it can be very helpful to hear some suggestions of things that I could be doing to consciously teach or model something for my children that I might be overlooking.

A more thorough review coming soon!

Favorite thoughts so far:

Parenting calls us to purify ourselves so that we can effectively teach our own children.  This purification process in 2 Cor. 7:1 is “both deep and thorough…leading us to confront spiritual sins we never knew existed.

And what motivates us to put forth this effort in parenting?  Out of reverence for God. (2 Cor. again)

He talks a little further in about preparing our children to face opposition and suffering- and not trying to protect them too much and insulate them from hurt.

He said to one of his teenage children, “Look, this isn’t just about the attitude you have toward your Mother and me; it’s about the health of your soul as you accept the authority God has placed over you.  If I simply turn a blind eye to your attitude, I risk putting your eternal soul in peril, and I love you too much to do that.”

We will have to at times watch our children suffer, and have faith that some of those times their suffering will be vehicles for bringing about God’s greater purposes in their lives.  We have to trust Him in those times of trial.

Guilt can point us to God, Guilt can motivate us to do better, We need to trust God and let him take some of the responsibility sometimes and not bear the entire burden on our own. “Guilt can teach us to love mercy- loving mercy not only makes us thankful for the mercy we have received but it makes us eager to show mercy to others.”

 

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Fevre Dream

  By Rachel | February 10, 2012 - 12:09 am | What I'm Reading
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A friend recommended this book since I am a fan of the vampire genre.  I am interested to see how it compares to some of the others- especially since this is the first book that I have read by George R.R. Martin.  Apparently he has a pretty solid fan base, at least the prices of his books and their popularity seem to support this theory.

I have read the first few chapters and I am enjoying his descriptions of scenes and people.  A more thorough review to come later.

Review:

I was a little disappointed at the conclusion of this book- I was expecting something unlike anything I have ever read-groundbreaking- and I guess this book was unique in some ways, but the story wasn’t outstanding.

I like George R.R. Martin’s writing though- I like how he describes people and scenes- and his main character in this book- Abner Marsh- was quite unique- I have to confess I liked him a lot.  As main characters go- he was not what you would expect.

If you enjoy reading the vampire genre- I think it is important to add this to your collection.  I am not sure what the original publish date was- 1984 is listed on the book I got from the library.  So he was writing vampire fiction when it was not “all the rage” like it is today.  And without a doubt he inspired many of the vampire stories that we enjoy today.

So, I gave it three stars- I liked it- good solid story- but not one I would necessarily buy or read again.

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Some of My Favorite Series

  By Rachel | February 6, 2012 - 9:26 pm | Random
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How do you choose favorites?  What makes a series stand out to you? I can’t imagine having to choose one favorite author or one favorite series.  We are truly blessed to have a dizzying variety of books to read, and so many talented authors who bring continually bring unique and thoroughly entertaining works for us to enjoy.  Here are some of my all-time favorites- please share yours!

Harry Potter Series by: J.K. Rowling

If you were living under a rock, I think it is still possible that you would have heard of the worldwide phenomena created by this series.  Fantastic story.  The world created by J.K. Rowling in a word- magical.  Huge fan base due to this series appealing to wide age range.  If you have not read it, I urge you to do so.

Chronicles of Narnia  By: C.S. Lewis

These books have been some of my favorites since childhood.  One of my goals is to read them again this year.

The Saxon Stories  By: Bernard Cornwell

Have I mentioned I love historical fiction?  I am a huge Bernard Cornwell fan, and his main character in this series- Uhtred- is one of my favorite characters of all time.

Sookie Stackhouse Series  By: Charlaine Harris

There was no way I was going to get through this post without throwing in some vampire books.  They are my favorite niche.  Funny, creative, and romantic- nice light reading.

Myron Bolitar Series  By: Harlan Coben

I love a good mystery, and throw in some humor and witty conversation- and a character named Myron- and you have struck GOLD.  I own most of these books, love to read them over and over.

I hope I have inspired you to get out there and pick some of these up.  Happy Reading!

Books My Kids Love

  By Rachel | February 6, 2012 - 8:53 pm | Random
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These are the tried and true favorites, the books that my kids want to read over and over.  I am going to post several of these lists, so be on the lookout for future posts on this same topic.  And please share/recommend books that your kids have loved that I can add to the list.

This first list is Board Books so it is definitely focused more on 0-3 years old. However, my daughter still enjoys many of these books.  She has them memorized so sometime she will (pretend to) read them to herself.

  • Mirror Me! A Mirror Book by: Julie Aigner-Clark

This book has mirrors on each page, and both of my children loved looking at themselves in the mirror and would even just play with this book on their own.

  • I Love You Through and Through by: Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak

Love the illustrations, and this is a great book for helping your child learn parts of their body- while I am reading it I will touch their nose, ears, toes, etc.  This book is also great for kids who have a very short attention span- it is short with only a few words on each page.

  • I Love You All Year Long by: Steve Metzger

Lovely rhyming book that goes through all the seasons of the year with fun illustrations.

  • Chicka Chicka abc by: Bill Martin Jr.

Great way to help your child start to learn their ABC’s.  The rhyme and rhythm of this book makes it very appealing to kids.

  • The Owl and the Pussycat by: Edward Lear

Classic poem with illustrations that will draw your kids in and  set this book apart- the illustrator is Jan Brett and she does fantastic work.

So, what are your kids favorites or your favorites from childhood?