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Rhythms of Rest – Review

I received this book free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

Rhythms of Rest by Shelly Miller – Finding the Spirit of Sabbath in a Busy World.

Are you tired? I know as a mom with young children, I am. And not just physically tired. I’m mentally exhausted from all the constant decision making I have to make, from having to be constantly “on” to keep up with the kids, and from the constant churn to keep up with life.

With 3 kids, homeschooling, and being small business owners, I and my husband are constantly busy.

I feel bad taking a break because there’s always more work to be done. This book, Rhythms of Rest, helps put all of that into perspective for me. Shelly Miller does a great job of explaining why we need rest or sabbath and how we can achieve that. From just being present at dinner with the family to actually taking that Sabbath or day of rest once a week and not feeling guilty about it.

It’s not just about taking a physical break from work, but also a mental break, and an emotional break. To just rest. The author encourages you to plan for your sabbath. It’s so hard to actually take a break if you don’t plan for it. Whether that’s doing more laundry on Saturday so there isn’t any on Sunday or just prioritizing my to-do list and knowing what can wait till Monday.

This book has been super helpful in just encouraging me to prepare for a day of rest and just realizing that I desperately need that day of rest and not feeling guilty about taking it. Because, trust me, that Mommy guilt thing is real, and it seriously keeps me from taking a break when I need it!

So, if you feel like you’re just slogging through parenting, don’t have time for yourself, and you’re just tired. Get this book and learn how to better utilize rest and don’t feel guilty about taking time for Sabbath.

.: This post does contain affiliate Links :.

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Mini Chicken Pot Pies

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These little chicken pot pies are perfect for cold winter days. My kids thought that having their own bowl was awesome! Plus the biscuits fit perfectly on top this way. Feel free to make this in one big pan if you don’t want to do personal ones.

Chicken Pot Pie

8 ovenproof bowls or ramekins, about 1 cup each
4 Cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp ground thyme
2 bay leaves
4 green onions, sliced in chunks
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
3 Tablespoons butter
1 Cup diced carrots
1 Cup frozen peas, thawed
1 Cup frozen corn, thawed
5 Tablespoons flour
1 Cup milk
8 Biscuits

  1. Combine chicken broth, pepper, thyme, bay leaves, and onion in a large pan over high heat. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
  2. Add the chicken and continue simmering for another 20 to 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Add enough water to the pot to fully cover the chicken if too much liquid has cooked off.
  3. Remove the chicken and place on a cutting board to cool. Strain the broth. You’ll need 2 1/2 cups.
  4. Cut the chicken into bit size pieces.
  5. In a skillet on the stove, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
  6. Add the peas and corn to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes.
  7. Stir in the 5 Tablespoons flour just until combined or all the vegetables are coated.
  8. Add 2 1/2 cups chicken broth and the milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. About 5 minutes.
  9. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the chicken.
  10. Preheat oven to 375
  11. Dish out pot pie filling into the ramekins or oven safe bowls and set aside.

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  1. Make biscuits and roll them out to 1/4 inch thick. If you’re using refrigerated biscuits, use half a biscuit.
  2. Place 1 biscuit on top of each ramekin filled with pot pie filling.
  3. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until tops of biscuits are golden brown.
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Conspiracy of Silence – Book Reivew

img_20170104_150636680_top Conspiracy of Silence (The Tox Files) by Ronie Kendig

I love trying out new Action Book authors. Because I love books that are full of action. So I was pretty excited to give this book a try. It sounded interesting and entertaining.

Conspiracy of Silence definitely did not disappoint. It started with some great action and kept going all the way to the end.

From the back cover, “Four years after a tragic mission decimated his team, Cole “Tox” Russell has been disavowed by the United States. And that’s fine – he just wants to be left alone. But when a dormant, centuries-old disease is unleashed, Tox is lured back into action.”

Tox rounds up a special forces team and they head out to save the world. Running into secret societies, deception, a global pandemic, and of course redemption along the way.

Of course, there’s always his past coming back to haunt him. And more bad guys than you can count. Throw in a love interest and complicated family matters, this book is packed with action, adventure, and intrigue!

All in all, an interesting and exciting read.

Want to get your own copy? It’s only $9 on Amazon!

I received this book free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

This post does contain sponsored links.

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The Beginner’s Bible – Review and Giveaway

I received this book free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

The Beginner’s Bible® has been a favorite with young children and their parents since its release in 1989 with over 25 million products sold. Now it’s redesigned with fresh new art that will excite children for many more years to come. Full of faith and fun, The Beginner’s Bible is a wonderful gift for any child. The easy-to-read text and bright, full-color illustrations on every page make it a perfect way to introduce young children to the stories and characters of the Bible. With new vibrant three-dimensional art and compelling text, more than 90 Bible stories come to life. Kids ages 6 and under will enjoy the fun illustrations of Noah helping the elephant onto the ark, Jonah praying inside the fish, and more, as they discover The Beginner’s Bible just like millions of children before.

The Beginner’s Bible was named the 2006 Retailers Choice Award winner in Children’s Nonfiction.

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My 5yr old was super excited to help me review this Beginner’s Bible. She’s been begging me for a new Bible and she just loves this one. The pictures are bright and fun and the stories are short and easy to read to her.

She even enjoys trying to read the stories on her own. They’re a bit above her reading level so she doesn’t get very far, but it’s still fun to try.

Since it’s Christmas time, she’s been picking stories about Jesus birth and other Christmas related stories for me to read to her each night. Super sweet.

This is an awesome Bible for young children!

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Check out the Beginner’s Bible Website for fun activities like coloring sheets and games.

Social
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And check out this adorable trailer

Enter below for a chance to win a copy of The Beginner’s Bible.

Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. U.S. Winners only. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

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Lee Stafford Ceramic Curling Wand for Corkscrew Curls – Review and Giveaway

This is a sponsored post. I received this product free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

My 8yr old Daughter has the straightest, silkiest, hair ever. I’ve tried everything to get good curls. We tried hot rollers, curling irons, a variety of gels and mouses, wet hair, dry hair, overnight foam rollers, overnight rag curls, curling with my straightening iron, etc. Seriously, I’m pretty sure I’ve tried everything I can think of short of getting her a perm.

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Her hair is so long and straight. And it’s so hard to curl!

The Lee Stafford CHoPstick STYLER Ceramic Curling Wand  is a single barrel clipless curling iron. The instructions say to hold the iron vertically and wrap strands of hair around the curling iron and hold there for 5 seconds. Then release and move on to the next strand. Having tried so much in the past, I was excited to try something new and at the same time very doubtful that it would work.

We had washed her hair the day before, so it was completely dry before I started curling. I did not put any product in her hair, because I was curious to see how the curling wand worked on just her hair. I brushed it and made sure there were no tangles before starting.

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It honestly took me 10 minutes to curl her hair. The process was so fast and way easier than a curling iron with a clip. There is a glove included so you don’t burn your hand but it was hard to work with her hair with the glove on, so I didn’t use it. The curling wand has a safety tip on the end so it wasn’t hard to curl her hair without burning my fingers on the wand.

If I do her hair more in layers (top and bottom) next time I can curl up a little more into those roots at the top. Since I was just testing a new curling iron that I honestly didn’t expect to be any different than the others we had used I didn’t bother doing a lot of work on her hair before curling.

Of course, not to be left out, my 5yr old had to get her hair done as well.

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And, they had to get a picture together.

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Aren’t they so cute with their curls! The Lee Stafford CHoPstick STYLER Ceramic Curling Wand was honestly so fast and so easy to use.

Usually my 8yr old’s curls fall out within an hour or two. These lasted all day and she still had some left the next day when we brushed her hair. Not only did this curling wand curl her hair. It also stayed in!

You can purchase this Lee Stafford CHoPstick STYLER Ceramic Curling Wand on Amazon. With free shipping if you have Amazon Prime.

And, enter the giveaway below for a chance to win your own Lee Stafford CHoPstick STYLER Ceramic Curling Wand.

Giveaway ends January 14. Full terms and conditions of the giveaway can be seen on the widget.

Win a Lee Stafford CHoPstick STYLER Ceramic Curling Wand #20

 

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Last Minute Gift Idea

Scrambling for a last minute gift for that impossible to buy for someone? Here’s a super simple and delicious treat anyone can make.

20161116_102142Russian Tea

1 Cup Tang
1 Cup Lipton Instant Tea
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Mason Jar
Pretty Ribbons

  1. If you have a funnel, use it. It makes pouring into your mason jar so much easier! Pour all 4 of your ingredients in your jar. Put the lid on tight. Shake your jar for a minute or two, until all the ingredients are blended.
  2. Add Ribbon and any other mason jar decorations that you like. Don’t forget to include the serving instructions.
  3. Serving instructions: Combine two heaping spoonfuls of tea mix with hot water in your favorite mug. Stir and enjoy!

Talk about fast and easy! These would also make great teacher gifts, neighbor gifts, or a fun addition to a snack basket or cookie exchange. Be creative. This is so easy to make, and it’s so delicious, you’ll want to make sure you make one for yourself.

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Shattered Vigil – Review

The Shattered Vigil (The Darkwater Saga) by Patrick W. Carr

This is the second book in The Darkwater Saga Series. The first book is The Shock of Night. I read The Shattered Vigil without first reading The Shock of Night. It took me the first couple of chapters to get oriented to the characters and events but overall, it wasn’t that hard to pick it up in the middle of the story.

Though, if you have the time, reading the first book first is probably way better.

The Shattered Vigil was definitely an exciting read. I enjoyed it and once it got going, it was hard to put down.

Follow Willet and the Vigil as they fight to rescue their continent from the dark forces. There’s assassins, kings and queens, noblemen, and even church leaders who all want power and have differing agendas. Can Willet see through it all and save the continent?

This book was fun to read with non-stop excitement throughout!

I received this book free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

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Outdoor Play over the Holidays

This post is sponsored by the Voice of Play

My kids love to play outside! Whether it’s at the zoo, up in Gatlinburg, our back yard, or the playground. It doesn’t matter. They just love to be outside!

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Here in Tennessee, we’ve had a warm fall. As in up in the 80’s. So flip-flops and summer clothing were acceptable attire until just a couple of weeks ago. Also, the birds at the zoo are so interesting, I couldn’t get anyone to actually look at the camera 🙂

Imagine my children’s shock when I informed them they they had to take socks AND shoes with them (and coats, and hats, and gloves) when we visited extended family in Ohio over Thanksgiving.

Of  course, it was cold up there. So they were very happy to have their warm clothing.

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We walked to the park up the street from my parent’s house and the kids had a blast playing. They just love slides and such. There’s a walking path here that my parents like to walk, so they got their walking for the day in while the kids played and occasionally joined them on their walk – but a new playground was just too exciting to resist for long!

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The park had these rocking eagles that my kids had never seen before. So, they had a blast trying them out. Next time we visit they want to go back to the park again so they can play some more!

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All in all, they had a great time at the park and can’t wait to go back again.

And then today, back at home, it’s almost 70 out and raining. So of course, they got to do one of their favorite outdoor activities. Play in the rain! They have umbrellas, but it’s way more fun to get wet from head to toe. I dumped cups of water from my little guy’s boots when he came in from playing.  He definitely found all the good puddles!

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So, tell me in the comments, what does your family love to do outside for fun in the fall?

This post is sponsored by the Voice of Play. @Voice_of_Play #YearRoundPlay

IPEMA’s Voice of Play website

The post is brought to you by Activate by Bloglovin and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
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Charlie the Tramp – giveaway

Charlie the Tramp by Russell Hoban and pictures by Lillian Hoban. This book is a hardcover, 50th edition, reprint. After reading it I can see why it was the Winner of the Boys Club of America Junior Book Award, 1968. This is a fun book that my kids love to read and re-read.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Charlie the Beaver wants to be a tramp when he grows up. “Tramps don’t have to learn how to chop down trees and how to roll logs and how to build dams. Tramps just tramp around and have a good time. Tramps carry sticks with little bundles tied to them. They sleep in a field when the weather is nice, and when it rains they sleep in a barn.” Charlie sets off with his bundle. But when he hears water trickling, he can’t get to sleep. Will he be able to resist the urge to make it stop? As Grandfather Beaver says, “You never know when a tramp will turn out to be a beaver.”

An American classic is back in a special 50th anniversary hardcover edition.

This book is super cute. My younger kids enjoyed having this book read to them while my 3rd grader enjoyed reading this book on her own. It’s a beautiful, hard cover book that is a great addition to any kid’s library.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Russell Hoban (1925-2011) first became famous for his children’s picture books about a badger named Frances and other animal characters that have a lot in common with children we know – bedtime for Frances, A Baby Sister for Frances, Bread and Jam for Frances, and Emmit Otter’s Jug-band Christmas.

After reading Charlie the Tramp my 8yr old has requested a copy of Bread and Jam for Frances. Maybe I’ll surprise her for Christmas 🙂

ctrampABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR

Lillian Hoban (1925-1998), one of America’s favorite children’s book illustrators, is best known for a young chimpanzee named Arthur and his little sister, Violet. She also illustrated six of Russell Hoban’s books about Frances the badger, which have taken their place among the great classics of children’s literature. Lillian Hoban was born in Philadelphia and attended the Philadelphia Museum School of Art. She studied dance for ten years and became a professional dancer. She began to write and illustrate her own stories only after having children, basing her tales on their experiences.

The pictures in this book are just beautiful and they really add color to the story and make it come alive.

Find out more about Charlie the Tramp at the Plough website or on Amazon.

Enter below for a chance to win your very own copy of Charlie the Tramp!

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Giveaways winners for this promotion can only be for residents of the continental U.S.

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Ginger Cookies

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My very favorite holiday recipe. I’ve made these for years and I never get tired of them.

Ginger Cookies
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 Tbsp. sugar

Preheat oven to 350. In a bowl, combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add the 1 cup sugar, beating on low speed until fluffy. Add the egg and molasses; beat well. Using a wooden spoon, stir flour mixture into egg mixture.

Shape dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll balls in the 2 Tbsp sugar. Place about 2 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake about 10 minutes.

Makes 24.