Sunday, May 21, 2017

Book Review: God Loves Daddy & Me by Bonnie Rickner Jensen

 
Book Review: God Loves Daddy & Me by Bonnie Rickner Jensen

"I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review"


Book Summary:

God loves Daddy and me, He listens when we pray, When we tell Him “Thank You,” it’s the best part of our day!

Cuddle up cozy-close with an adorable reminder of God’s love for daddies and their little ones. Celebrating loving fathers, precious children, and the God who loves them all, God Loves Daddy and Me will remind parents and little ones of how much they are loved.


My Review:


A great way to remind ourselves how wonderful our Daddy is. The book shows so many ways that a Dad's love can go far with their child...from camping to chores, to walks and talks. Colorful illustrations draw you into this book and keep your child's attention. A must have!!

Consumer Retail Website Review is listed on Barnes & Noble.com under the name King617

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Book Review: Make it Yours by Christine Schmidt





Book Summary: Transform everyday objects into handcrafted pieces to wear, share, and display.

In Yellow Owl’s Make It Yours, you’ll learn techniques for bringing personal touches to objects all around your home. Upgrade your plain scarf with a colorful abstract design. Turn a dresser into an eye-catching art deco showpiece. Whip up a desert-inspired quilt to enliven your living room. Expert printer and Yellow Owl Workshop founder, Christine Schmidt, shares her trade secrets for creating gorgeous projects using unexpected materials, from gold leaf to cake fondant. What’s best: the included Yellow Owl Workshop templates and techniques can be mixed and matched to create countless more projects! Featuring inventive ideas for every room, skill level, and time constraint, Yellow Owl’s Make It Yours will teach you to print, stamp, stencil, and dye your way to a personalized life.
 
Projects include:


   • Monogram Leather Clutch
   • Roll Stamp Table Linens
   • Fruit Shoji Blinds
   • Shibori Dyed Bed Linens
   • Plaid Tote
   • Upholstered Chair with Hand-Printed Fabric
   • DIY Delftware

My Review: I wanted to begin these projects before I even opened the book! The cover is very colorful and fun! Every wanted to upcycle furniture? Design linens? This is the book for you! It has all of these ideas and so much more! Templates in the back of book puts everything right at your fingertips! A great book!

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Book Review: God Loves Mommy & Me by Bonnie Rickner Jensen



Book Review: God Loves Mommy & Me by Bonnie Rickner Jensen

"I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review"


Book Summary:

God loves Mommy and me, He knows we love Him too, When we pray we always say, “You’re so good, God—thank You!”

Snuggle in cozy-close with a sweet reminder of God’s love for mommies and their little ones. Celebrating loving mothers, precious children, and the God who loves them all, God Loves Mommy and Me will remind parents and little ones of how much they are loved.

My Review:

Spring was just bursting at the seams of this board book when it arrived! Although this book can be used any time of the year, it couldn't have come at a more perfect time....Easter! It is bright and colorful with adorable pics that really show the emotion of the characters. It is a fun way of teaching God's love to even the littlest of people. Love this book! Highly recommended!

Consumer Retail Website Review is listed on Barnes & Noble.com under the name King617

Book Review: Life After...A Novel by Katie Ganshert




Book Review: Life After...A Novel by Katie Ganshert


Book Summary:

It could have been me.

Snow whirls around an elevated train platform in Chicago. A distracted woman boards the train, takes her seat, and moments later a fiery explosion rips through the frigid air, tearing the car apart in a horrific attack on the city’s transit system. One life is spared. Twenty-two are lost.

A year later, Autumn Manning can’t remember the day of the bombing and she is tormented by grief—by guilt. Twelve months of the question constantly echoing. Why? Why? Why? Searching for answers, she haunts the lives of the victims, unable to rest.

Paul Elliott lost his wife in the train bombing and wants to let the dead rest in peace, undisturbed and unable to cause more pain for his loved ones. He wants normalcy for his twelve-year-old daughter and young son, to see them move beyond the heartbreak. But when the Elliotts and Autumn are unexpectedly forced together, he fears she’ll bring more wreckage in her wake. 

In Life After, Katie Ganshert’s most complex and unforgettable novel yet, the stirring prose and authentic characters pose questions of truth, goodness, and ultimate purpose in this emotionally resonant tale.

My Review:

When the book arrived, the cover had that modern city look that immediately put you into the setting of where the book takes place. Autumn Manning has been through a very traumatic experience. She survives an explosion which takes place on the city's transit system while 22 other lives are lost. A year later, and no memories of that day, she is simply "existing." With her random jigsaw puzzles to keep her busy, she doesn't do much outside of the home. Letters begin arriving from a young person that she soon begins conversing with through the mail. Will these letters bring back the memories that she feels she needs to overcome her guilty grief? A very compelling book that keeps you reading til the very end.

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Book Review: Whatever is Lovely...A 90-Day Devotional Journal








Book Summary: Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
—Philippians 4:8

Did you know you can totally change your life by changing your thoughts? Well, you can, and Whatever Is Lovely: A 90-Day Devotional Journal can get you started. With examples based on girls just like you, each of these 90 devotionals will show you how to fill your head and your heart with virtues taken straight from Philippians 4:8, helping you grow closer to God and the amazing life he intended for you.
Featuring a trendy color interior, a ribbon marker, and journaling lines for you to write your thoughts, Whatever Is Lovely will inspire you to read and reflect on the devotionals every single day.

My Review: How "Lovely" was this book when it arrived?!! The colorful hearts all over the cover were so inviting whether you are having a good or bad day. Due to the fact that this is a 90 Day Devotional, we haven't been completely through it yet, but what we have read it awesome!!! It really gives a young girl perspective on stories that are Godly related to her day. Prayers are a welcome addition to any girl's day. Recommended!!

Monday, February 20, 2017

Project Clean Up 2017, Week 8: Powder Room


If you have a powder room that takes the place of one bathroom, you are lucky....no shower/bath to clean! It is week 8 and that means, time to clean the Powder Room! If you do not have a powder room to clean, you get the week off! Relax! The regular bathroom cleaning will come at a later date. 





The powder room is usually a room that your guests always see, so you want to be prepared at all times! One of the smallest rooms in the house, but a room that has a lot of time spent in! 

This week's goals:

___  Remove everything from the counter top. Clean then replace only necessity items such as soap, facial tissues and a candle.

___  Find a home for everything that will no longer sit on the counter top. Try to group like things together (makeup and hair care items together; lotions, deodorants and perfumes together; soaps, extra toilet paper and facial tissues together). If you have children, medicines should be stored securely away from items your children use.

___ Sort through items under your sink, in the vanity drawers, in your medicine cabinet, on shelves and in cupboards. Toss:

1. All sunscreen more than 2 years old
2. Expired medications.
3. Hair dryers, curling irons, straightening tools, etc..that you never use or are broken.
4. Dull tweezers.
5. All makeup more than a year old. 
6. Extra applicators and old makeup sponges.
7. Leftover hotel samples you will never use.
8. Towels that are ripped or worn out.

___ If you do not have enough storage space under your bathroom sink, buy some organizers. There are a variety of choices on the market. Some favorites are clear, stackable drawers.

**Tips**

___ If you do not have enough shelf space, roll up your towels and washcloths and keep them in a pretty basket on the floor.

___ Need more space under the sink? Try stackable plastic drawers. This is an inexpensive way to gain more room.

___ Keep soap in a pump rather than a bar on the sink. This looks better and is less mess to clean up.

___ Keep makeup in a bag instead of loose in a drawer. This will make it easier to put it away and take it with you. 

___Learn to consolidate: night/day cream, hand/foot cream, face/body self-tanner, base/topcoat nail polish. Save room by using one product for both areas when possible.

___ Don't store extra, unopened products such as toilet paper, toothpaste and hairspray with products that are already opened. 

Stay Organized! 

Once a month! 

___ Replace all worn out toothbrushes in your bathroom.

Once a Year

___Sort through your makeup and throw away any any products you haven't used in the last year.

___ Toss any worn-out bath towels or cut them into rags if you need them. 


Will be checking in with you soon!

 





Sunday, February 19, 2017

Project Clean Up 2017, Week 7: Bermuda Triangle and Coat Closet


How is your cleaning going? This past week was week 7 and that is the cleaning of my coat closet and what we call "The Bermuda Triangle"...everyone has that area. In our house, this is the area between our foyer, dining room, den and powder room...the area that I sort and fold laundry, sort things into baskets that need carried up or down. We are always find spare items in this area that do not have a home. Do you have this area? It's that time to clean it up, purge it out....get it done! 






Coat Closet

__ Sort the clothing items. Remove all coats, shoes and hats that you and your family members no longer wear for whatever reason (wrong size, don't like it, no longer needed). Donate or sell these items. If the closet is still too full, you need to find new homes for items, put things in seasonal storage or toss and donate more.

__ Teach family to hang up their own items; coats, backpacks, bags, etc...

__ Place a Toss/Donate box, bin or hamper in the hallway closet if you have room. 



**Tips**

If your coat closet is so full you have trouble putting your coats away, you have too much in it and need to cut down. Try storing out-of-season coats and jackets in a storage bin or another closet if you have the room. 


Stay Organized

Every 3-6 months

___ Empty your Toss/Donate box

Once a Year

__ Sort the coats in your hall closet. Donate any coats that no longer fit or have been replaced by a new coat. Do the same with hats and scarves. 


Don't forget to tackle the Bermuda Triangle! 

Grab a bin and toss in what has wandered into that area. Could be items with no home, spare socks, etc....grab it up!