Things our parents could have told us about parenting from The Gypsy Mama

What It’s About:

The title says it all for this cute little board book. It is a little  prayer from Hermie the caterpillar thanking God for all the ways that He loves us.

What I Think:

I love this book! First the illustrations are very cute & simple & are the perfect accompaniment to the words. Second the prayer itself is beautifully simple for children to understand & at the same time very meaningful. The sweet rhymes along with the beautiful illustrations make it easy to understand that God cares for us all day everyday. One thing that I really like is that there are not too many words on a page. This may not be a big deal for others but my toddler is only interested in staying on one page for so long right now so being able to read all the words before she turns the page is a nice change for me! I would definitely recommend this book for any little one!!

The Legal Stuff:

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze program in exchange for an honest review.

A Toddler, a Tantrum, and a Fire Truck. Lessons from the Trenches from Not Just Cute

What It’s About:

This is a little prayer book for children full of sweet little prayers that cover everything a little one would encounter during the day.

What I Think:

I loved the prayers. I loved how simple they were & how they covered things like playing, pets, food, time with family & bed time. The only thing that I didn’t really like was the illustrations. I didn’t find them very bright or engaging & also found that they weren’t crisp, but that really is a personal preference. I think that this little prayer books will become a part of our nap time/bed time routine.

The Legal Stuff:

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze program in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About:

This book is about Gabby, a guardian angel in training, who is given the assignment of looking after Sophie. Based off of Psalm 91:11 Gabby the accident prone angel is looking after Sophie, a little girl who is also accident prone, which serves as quite a challenge for Gabby. But after her first day of protecting Sophie while riding a pony Gabby learns that she is up to the challenge of keeping her safe & showing her God’s love.

What I Think:

Full of humor & a very important message this book is great. From the humorous & beautiful illustrations to the simply & beautifully told story I enjoyed it all. This would be a great book for a 3-6 year old. Although it definitely would appeal more to girls the story would be just as great for little boys.

The Legal Stuff:

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze program in exchange for an honest review.

Words on Motherhood A Bookend from Ann Voskamp over at Love, Sara Sophia

I keep coming across Ann Voskamp & have regularly been told that her book, One Thousand Gifts, is a book I must read & the more I read her work the more I wholeheartedly agree!

Here’s a little taste of this post that so accurately describes how I feel in those moments where I overreact or become frustrated over those things that really do not matter. Motherhood is the most amazing, rewarding, difficult job & I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“You’ll never know what happens in the hours after I’ve fussed at you, after you’ve cried and I’ve come and explained myself and we’ve come to terms…You’ll never know a lot of the things that happen after you’ve fallen asleep…It is then that I pray, in the dark, cool, quiet depths of your room, the sanctuary of childhood and innocence – it is then and there, as I gaze upon you hovering in the in-between, that I pray my hardest, deepest most sacred prayer”

What it’s about:

As part of the Christian Encounters series released by Thomas Nelson author Mark Horne has written a great biography on the literary giant J.R.R. Tolkien. This book begins with Tolkien’s birth in South Africa & follows his many achievements through till his death in 1973.

What I thought:

I have wanted to read a biography on J.R.R. Tolkien for quite some time now so when I saw that Booksneeze had this edition available I thought that it would be the perfect opportunity. Author Mark Horne did an excellent job of picking through Tolkien’s life & finding both the highs & lows. I felt that for a smaller book it gave the reader a great deal of information on his life & did a great job of weaving together Tolkien’s professional career (as a professor), his creative side (as an author) and his family life. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in J.R.R. Tolkien & is looking for an easy read on his life.

The Legal Stuff:

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze program in exchange for an honest review.

“One of the most important ways my children learn faith is to watch me wait, in grace, through all the trials of my life–but to wait–putting a flower in the vase, lighting a candle, surrounding our home with music, life, hope that says, “God will show up. He is with us. He hears us and will answer, and I am going to prepare the day by celebrating life looking to the time we will see and know His presence and faithfulness.”