Book Review: Before We Were Yours

Book Review: Before We Were Yours

By: Lisa Wingate

Get your copy HERE

Yet another amazing book! Such a heart wrenching story based on historical truths. This was such a fun piece of writing to read and follow along as the mystery unfolds and the main characters discover themselves.

Rill and her siblings are stolen from their home and thrown into an orphanage. Their names, birthdays and parental history all changed so they can not be tracked down. Slowly the children are all separated into new homes.

Fast forward in time Avery is being groomed to take her father's place in politics and uncovers several secrets in her families past that send her on the journey of a life time and cause her to challenge her future.

Wingate's ability to transport you into the moment and feel as though you are part of the story. You can see the memories and feel them fading away. You can hear the children as the scream, laugh and play. You are a detective along side Avery as she tries to tie all the pieces to the puzzle in the proper places to unearth a life changing secret.

BOOK CLUB NOTES:

So I had the opportunity to pick and host this book! SOOOO much fun! I can't wait to pick and host another with our group.

Here are the discussion questions I used

* Of the Two story lines did you have a favorite? What one? Why did you favor that story line over the other?

* Adoption or foster care touches many families now. Do you have a connection? If it had happened like it did in the book how do you think it would have impacted your family?

* After reading the book did you compare the way of life now to the way of life back when Tann ran the roads? ie kids walking to school alone, who you allow to watch your kids ect

*Do you agree or disagree with the decision to keep their history to themselves? How would it have changed their lives if they had gone public?

* Do you feel like family secrets should die with the owner or do they belong to the family and the descendants? Should the descendant own up to the families past?

* What happen to each of the children? What became of each of them? Does the story say? What do you hope happened?

* At the end on the boat during the accident did the father survive? If you felt he did why did he abandon the girls?

Book Review: Present Over Perfect

Book Review: Present Over Perfect

By:Shana Niequist

Get Yours Here

Such a great book to start the year off right. Re-grounding myself, learning to say no to everything else and yes to me, learning to sit back and enjoy the moment in the moment. So many things I have known I needed to do but finally put to words that spoke to my heart and mind. After being so go go go for so long it's time to slow down. It not about being perfect, it's about being present and enjoying the moment.

Although the author relates the bulk of the book to her big job and public speaking life style I was able to take away several aspects that can be applied to anyone in any stage of life they are in. 

1: It is ok to say NO, we don't have to do everything placed in front of us

2: Take time to get away from your normal. Go on a vacation, day trip something to re focus and step away from the day to day 

3: Find someone to talk to. Your not alone! Pray, phone a friend, hire a theropist

4: Discover WHY you are doing what you are? Ask your self Why and then ask your self Why again for that answer. 

Light hearted Example: Why am I so tired? I stay up late. Why do I stay up? I like spending time with my hubby, I like the still and quiet after the kids are in Bed. Why? We don't get much time to the 2 of us with him at work and the kids? Why? We focus on as much family time with the kids as we can? Why? Because family is the corner stone to everything. 

See? And you keep going and going till there is no more reasons.... I know it's like talking to a 2 year old but it works! 

Take a little time a read/listen to this amazing book.

BOOK REVIEW: Where The Crawdads Sing

Book Review: Where The Crawdads Sing

By: Delia Owens

You can get your copy here

This was such a fun book to read. Such a sweet coming of age story as the Marsh Girl learns how to navigate life from an outsiders perspective. Add in the murder mystery of the local town bog shot and you'll be on the edge of your seat trying to decipher who did it. 

Where the Crawdads Sing was a quick read for me. It was a 2 fold kind of story. The first was the  suspenseful I loved the story of how Kya survived in the marsh and who helped her along the way. The young love that unfolds from a childhood friend into adulthood proved that money and flashy things are not everything. Finally the reoccuring symbolism between nature and human behaviors was a fun way to relate the basic instinct of our inner beasts. 

The second part is the murder mystery of the local hometown hero's death.  Who did it? How did they do it? What was the motive? With everything pointing at Kya will she make it out of jail alive or will everything prove to be to circumstantial and have to be timed perfectly for it to all happen the way the sheriff describes it.

Favorite Parts:

The Relationship between Kya and Tate as he starts out it turns from friend to romance

Ownes Surveys of the marshlands are beautiful and you feel like you are there

Kya's achievements and overcoming of life's challenges with little help

The love and care from those in Kyas life as they "take care" of her without her fully understanding

Heads up:

There is a little petting talk in the book. Personally I feel like the book didn't need as much as it had in it or as much detail. 

A few of the books details are off for the timeline and time period but they do not deter from the main story line and what is happening in the book. 

A few discussion Questions:

In what ways does Kya overcome her trials alone?

Why did Ma never come back? 

Did her illness start before she left or engulf her once she knew she couldn't come back?

What about the rest of the family? 

Did they ever wonder what happen to everyone else that they left behind?

What happen to her Pa?

Why didn't the grandparents ever seek out the children?

Does Tate's relationship begin as loyalty for Kya's Brother, being his friend?

Who did it? Who killed Chase?

Did Chase's Girlfriend/ Wife know about Kya? How did she feel?

Is it possible for a child to survive as long as Kya did alone?

In what ways did Jumpin and his wife raise Kya? 

Who influences kya's life and upbringing and how? What does she do alone?

How did you feel about  how Kya reacts during the trial as the sheriff describes what he thinks happen?

Kya's education stuns the whole town and proves them to be wrong in their expectations how do you feel they would treat here after the trial if she had tried to integrate into the community?

Did she do it? Who did you think did it?

Why did she keep the evidence/truth hidden from Tate? 

Who else could have been suspected of doing it? Did anyone else have the knowledge?

Kindle Fire Kids

We have had these for 2 years now and LOVE them. We have 2 devices and our 3 boys share them and each have their own profile. Each profile is set with parental controls for age appropriate content. You will have access to hundreds of games, books, movies and apps. many of which can be downloaded onto the device to play while disconnected from wifi. We also love how you can set time limits for content, time requirements to unlock content, time locks for when the tablet can be on and off. Finally we love how the screen can be blue screen filtered for when we let the kids play in the evenings/ dark. 

There is a subscription for the apps through amazon each month, but it is worth it.

We have loved our Kindle Fire Kids, you can find them Here

I recommend these covers too click here

Where we have used them: 

Banquets, restaurants, road trips, grandma's house, at home 

What we love:

Age and Content filters

Durable Foam Cover 

Variety of content

LOTS of EDUCATION based content

Update:

We have used the 10 inch tablets as well now that my parents bought a set for the grand kids. They keep this set at their place when we forget ours or if all 5 soon to be 6 kids are over. The bigger screens are nice for 2 player games, smaller tots who are still working on their coordination, and when we want to prop up the screen for a movie for several to share. 

Downfalls: They are bigger and take up more space in the diaper bag, the large screen puts more strain on little eyes especially when they hold them so close

link to the 10 inch Here

BOOK REVIEW: Girl Stop Apologizing

So I read Rachel Hollis's first book and walked away with mixed feeling on her writing style and formatting. After reading "Girl Stop Apologizing" I have to say that I do like her as a writer when she writes how she did in this book. It was a lot more focused and it was a better self development based book. 

I also liked how she used the analogy of a road trip/ map to navigate your way through a goal. Also her stories were a lot more on point here with illustrating her points along the way to reaching a goal. I also liked how she didn't ramble as much in this book keeping it shorter and on point. I have a hard time reading books that ramble, partly because my brain rambles on it's own when I read things and adding in someone else makes it even messier... (see I ramble) 

Anyway Loved this book and would recommend it to anyone in the business field, PTO mom, stay at home parent, college student. What she has to say can be applied to anyone trying to reach a goal. 

You can get your copy here

Grandpa's Tackle Box Sign

Nate has been helping my dad build a shed in their yard to store all of the lake and fishing gear. I felt it needed a sign and came up with "Grandpa's Tackle Box" and He loved it! Here is some of the in progress pictures of the sign coming together from my hand stenciling, painting and adding the rope border. (don't ask what kind of knot that is... yes i know my knots but it just needed to look cool not hold anything)

And all done !

My dad loves the sign and is now joking that this is his reason to take over the whole shed with his gear for fishing. 

Chicken Egg Portable Night Light

We were given this cute light for our baby shower for M a few months back and LOVE IT! We have only had to charge it 2 times now since she was born and she is 7 weeks old. We use it every night for diaper changes, checking on her and the boys or when need to nurse her. 

The soft light is amazing because it is NOT blue light and does not pulse. It is and easy tap on and tap off concept. We can even adjust the brightness by holding down the top after turning it on or holding it down again to turn it back up. 

The chicken part is made out of a soft material and is child safe so if you have a little one who is like our 2 year old who likes to snag it to snuggle with they can without getting hurt by a hard toy. 

There are no cords during use unless you leave the charging cord plugged in. It takes about an hour for us to charge ours and like i said it lasts several weeks on the lowest setting being used off and on all night. The box said it can last all night on one charge. The charging cord plugs into a USB port charger (like your cell phone cords) and is included in the box, the port is not.

Check it out on AMAZON HERE