Book Reviews: January 2017

I made a vow to myself that I would begin taking better care of myself this year. That not only includes my physical health, but my mental health as well. I have not been good about carving out “me time” and as I have reflected upon those things that I miss doing, reading for pleasure was near the top of the list. I have since made a point to have some reading time before going to bed almost every evening. It allows me to unwind and escape.

January Reads

I thought I’d share what I’ve been reading. These reviews are my personal opinions and I have not been compensated in any way for sharing my thoughts.

Taming the To-Do List by Glynnis Whitwer

It was an encouraging read about how to make the best of your choices. There was not anything particularly profound in my opinion, but I loved how she backed up a lot of what she said with science. It just proves that we try to do too much and that we were not meant to live that way.

 

Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor-Easter by Lisa Patton

This read was a little slow for my taste. The story line was fine and the characters were likable. I have another one of her novels on my list for later reading. I’m hoping that I’ll like it better than this one.

 

The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines

I LOVED this book. I could not put it down. There was a lot of laundry that did not get done in the two days it took me to get through its pages. I am late to the Fixer-Upper stage, but I am hooked. I am so smitten with their story and their style. I cannot recommend this book enough!

 

One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus

This book toyed with every emotion. There were parts that were so startling that it was hard to read. His word imagery is amazing and I felt like I was witnessing the joys and devastations along with the characters. Fergus is a great writer. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is not one that I would read again, but it is also not one that I’ll soon forget.

 

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

I wanted to like this more than I did. I loved her style of writing and her path to stardom was interesting. While I did not expect a saintly worded narrative, I was not prepared for the amount of (what I consider vulgar) language that would be incorporated on the pages. While I know this is not a deal breaker for a lot of readers, I struggled to get through it. I still find her adorable and I will forever love her character on Parks and Rec. She is so talented, funny and her experience is valuable.

Linking up for WWRW

12 Books of Christmas...How It Happens in Our Home

::via::

Last year we began the 12 Books of Christmas with our daughter. Beginning on December 13th she opens one book, we read it together, and add it to her book collection. I've had a few people ask me about the logistics and also for a list of the books we've purchased for this tradition.

I begin buying books in January. I purchase one book each month, with my final book bought sometime in December. It works well. I've purchased books online, from Scholastic, thrift stores and consignment sales. All of the books I choose are in new or "like new" condition. I wrap them all and have them set out in the living room.

On the 12th we begin by sitting down as a family and have her open her 1st book of the season. She eagerly sits in anticipation as she waits for us to read the story. These moments are so precious and will hopefully continue to cultivate a love of reading.

As for the books I choose? Honestly it tends to be what strikes me. As a teacher I get the opportunity to look at a lot of books through our library, the collections of other teachers and the annual Book Fair. I make note of books I like and keep an eye out for them as the year goes on. I think back to books I enjoyed as a child and try to include those as well.

Here is a list of books from 2013.

1. Pout-Pout Fish and the Big-Big Dark
2. Curious George
3. Madeline's Christmas
4. Henry's Pirate Surprise
5. Have Fun Molly Lou Mellon (seriously one of my favorites...ever)
6. The Very Busy Spider
7. Who's Peeking at Me?
8. Christmas in the Barn
9. A Charlie Brown Christmas
10. My Little Red Fire Truck
11. God Bless You & Good Night
12. The Family Christmas Treasury (we just read stories from this book from time to time)

On Christmas Day we read the scripture of Jesus' birth. We then open presents and enjoy our time together. I hope you'll find some special ways to make memories with your family this Christmas season.

(I'll do my best to get up our 2014 list soon after Christmas...because I honestly can't remember all of the books that I chose...)

Linking up with Annie for Thoughts for Thursday

Five on Friday: TGIF

These past two weeks have been a bit crazy! Between the snow, teething and grown-up odds and ends, I'm grateful to thank God for it being Friday. Join me and others like Darci for this week's Five on Friday!

 

 

[one]

Besides not having our computer functioning last week, we also said goodbye to our water heater. Of course it would have gone out the coldest, snowiest week this winter. I briefly discussed this week previously and I was not sorry to see that week go. Over the weekend we got our new water heater! Yay! The things that we get excited about as adults...

 

 

[two]

Taco Tuesdays are always a big hit at our house and I do my best to come up with new takes on some of our favorites. This week I made a super simple Enchilada Chicken with Cheesy Enchilada Rice. Think of it as healthier Chicken Enchiladas deconstructed.

 

 

 

[three]

A couple weeks ago we began the Winter Reading program at our local library. G met her first goal and received her free book and her free vanilla cone. That will be a great treat for her first birthday in April.

 

 

[four]

Speaking of G, she turned 10 months old this week! I cannot believe how big she has gotten. Time is flying!

 

 

[five]

I've been teaching about President's Day, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington this week. To celebrate the holiday (a few days late) and all that we've been learning, we'll enjoy Patriotic Parfaits (similar to these)! I'll be using strawberries, blueberries and vanilla yogurt in layers to form the Red, White and Blue.

Five on Friday: Food, Football and Fun

This week has consisted of many memory making moments. Join me and others as we link up for Five on Friday!

[one]
It has been said that good friends are hard to come by...that may be so which makes me all the more grateful to have such amazing women (and men) as a part of my life. It becomes doubly sweet when the joy of friendship and memory making can be enjoyed by our little ones.

G and I headed out for a play date on Saturday with my friend Shannon and her adorable daughter. Shannon and I met several years ago when we both went to work for the same agency. Even though I left to follow God's call elsewhere, she and I have remained close. We have the delight in reminiscing over days gone by and the joy of making new memories with our little ones.

[two]

I pulled together a festive Nacho Bar with "wings on the side" as my husband requested (during the course of cooking and entertaining our guests, I neglected to take pictures of our Super Bowl spread). G did a little catching up with our friends until bedtime and then it was time for the game.

 

[three]

Earlier in the week I signed G up for the Winter Reading Program at our local library. I'm super excited because not only do we love to read together, but she'll be entered into a raffle for every 15 books she reads. On top of that, once we read her first 15 and submit her log, she'll earn a free book and a coupon for a free Sonic ice cream. We've already been diving into the books. So much fun!

[four]

It came!!! It finally came!!! The Pioneer Woman Cooks has arrived! My husband presented me with a brown paper package (and had it been tied up with strings I would have broken out into song) when I came home from work. Inside I was thrilled to discover my new cookbook! Not only have I been dying to add this cookbook to my collection, but it represents the first 10lbs I've lost. I chose this as one of my weight loss rewards and I am thrilled to be sifting through the recipes...even my hubby is enjoying the cookbook. He is currently picking out recipes for our Valentine's Day (after) dinner.

[five]

The 2nd graders at my school had an assignment that required them to pick someone to write a letter to. The teacher recommended that they select someone from the school so that it could be easily delivered. I was tickled to find a letter in my box from one of my former students. It was so touching and I felt so blessed to know that I had made an impact on her. It just goes to show that you never know how far your influence will go.