Month: October 2016

October 27, 2016

The Christmas Tree Book Review

The classic New York Times–bestselling tale of friendship, generosity, and the magic and wonder of the Christmas spirit in The Christmas Tree.

About The Christmas Tree

On his annual search for Rockefeller Center’s next Christmas tree, the chief gardener spots an ideal candidate: a stately Norway spruce located on the grounds of a convent. There he meets Sister Anthony, a nun for whom the tree has special meaning. Orphaned and sent to the convent as a lonely young girl, Sister Anthony befriended the then-tiny spruce whom she lovingly named “Tree.” Over the following decades, as the tree grew, so did Sister Anthony’s appreciation for the beauty and wonder of nature.

She is reluctant to see her oldest and closest friend chopped down and sent away to New York City. But when a fierce blizzard threatens the old tree’s existence, Sister Anthony realizes it’s time to let the world enjoy Tree as she has for nearly her whole life.

My Thoughts

A sweet tale that was easy to read with beautiful illustrations throughout the book. This story follows the relationship between a young nun and her tree. The Nun, Sister Anthony, befriended Tree when she first came to the convent. This relationship was so important to her because of her past. She had lost so much and Tree helped her connect to her past and forge her future in a new role.

The Chief Gardener’s main goal is to find the most beautiful and characteristic tree each year. Which one would think is a simple job but from this story it is quite complicated! Not any old tree will work and I loved how we watch him open up about what makes the “magical” tree for Rockefeller Centre. You can see him grow throughout the story and mostly in part due to Sister Anthony and their friendship. Sometimes while we love our job, the stress of it can take away the joys. Sister Anthony helps him see his passion and love again.

Their friendship grows over years and it isn’t until one dreadful storm that Sister Anthony reflects on her past and her relationship with Tree. She decides that it is time for Tree to show his beauty to the world and bring joy to others. This is such a difficult decision for her, she has to say goodbye to a companion, a sounding board and a friend. We watch her struggle and want to just reach out to her and offer her a hug.

A beautiful and simple story of friendship, love and faith. This would make a great Christmas gift for someone special on your list this year.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 4/5

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 27, 2016

Keeping On Top of Constipation During the Festive Season #OwnTheThrone

Fall is my favourite time of the year, from the colours to the return of hearty stews and soups to warm drinks on the porch watching the kids capture the last hours of sunlight…and even to the beginning of the crazy holiday party season. There is so much to celebrate and be thankful for!! The only pitfall of the cooler weather is that sometimes we aren’t staying as active as we were in the summer (who wants to get out of bed early in this cooler weather or when it’s still dark outside??) and the holiday season itself brings with it a new set of stomach struggles if we tend to indulge in too many sweets and drinks.

I am sure many of you can relate to or even suffer from digestive issues over the fall and winter season. It usually kicks off at Thanksgiving dinner where we tend to indulge far too much and trust me I get it. Our family is Italian-Canadian and holiday dinners are usually overboard with turkey, chicken, pastas, potatoes, vegetables and far too many sweets and cakes. It can be so hard to resist at times. For me it is my Father’s cooking that does me in every year – I will devour any and all of his food in sight regardless of whether I am hungry or not (I miss his cooking so much!). After Thanksgiving is over, then the holiday season really starts warming up and before you know it you are indulging far too much and not being as active at the gym and outdoors. Some of us are more prone to digestive issues and constipation and for other individuals stomach problems can begin without them even noticing – especially when we are really busy just getting through day-to- day life.

Hopefully you recognize the signs of constipation before the pain and discomfort become severe – look for signs your bowel movements are not as regular as they usually are, or are more painful. It is so important to pay attention to your body and bowel movements and I can’t stress this enough. Recognize the signals your body is giving you and when you need to – reach out for help. I know that for many of us, we don’t like to talk about constipation and bowel movements and this may be embarrassing to discuss with your friends or spouse, but at the end of the day it’s just poop! As many as one in four Canadians are suffering from symptoms of constipation, so talking to a friend or spouse for advice can be really helpful. They will know exactly what you are going through and can give you some of their own tips and tricks to help deal with constipation when it happens and hopefully prevent it from happening again.

In the last year, I have noticed that my body responds differently to certain foods and I found myself suffering from constipation after surgery a couple of months ago. To be fair, I was warned that the medications could cause constipation but I never really listened to the side effects when the pharmacist dispensed them to me (I’ve never had constipation problems before so I thought why would I now?). But sure enough, it happened to me and I ignored the signs for three days until I was in severe pain. For me these tricks helped me immensely:

Increase your fibre intake in your meals. I started to record my food in My Fitness Pal and found that I was not reaching my 25gms of fibre goal daily. I had to increase my intake of vegetables, healthy grains and fruits to ensure I was reaching this goal. Recording my food was key to knowing what I was eating as it can be easy to lie to yourself when mentally recording food.
Increase your water intake – this is so important! Aim for at least eight to ten glasses of water a day. If you are not a fan of plain water, add some lemon, frozen fruit or water enhancers.
Make sure you get in 30 minutes of physical activity a day, whether you walk after work around the block, walk on your lunch breaks or go to a gym. It can be hard to get motivated to get moving outside in the cooler weather but it is so important for your physical and mental wellbeing, so make sure you take this time out just for you.

Sometimes even when following all of these tips, you can still find yourself suffering from constipation symptoms. The pain can get really bad quickly, so make sure you seek out relief sooner rather than later. Dulcolax, a gentle overnight laxative, will help get your bowels moving during the night and give you some much needed relief in the morning. You take one to two tablets before bed and they begin to work in six to twelve hours. The tablets work overnight to soften your stools, allowing your bowels to move easier in the morning. Which is a great relief from the pain that I know many of you may have experienced when suffering from constipation.

Constipation is never fun to deal with, but it is so important to know that you are not alone and so many others have struggled through the same symptoms. While it is important to ensure your diet is high in fibre, that you are consuming enough water and keeping active, you should always have a back- up plan in mind in case constipation does occur. Taking Dulcolax will help you #OwnTheThrone. To find out more information and to keep up to date with all the latest news, check out Dulcolax’s website.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, all opinions expressed are my own.

October 24, 2016

An Amish Family Christmas Book Review

In Shelley Shepard Gray’s fourth book in her Charmed Amish Life series, An Amish Family Christmas, an unlikely Amish romance reveals that Christmas is a time for family, miracles—and love.

About An Amish Family Christmas

Ever since his father died in a tragic fire, Levi Kinsinger has felt adrift. Newly returned to Charm, Ohio, Levi is trying to fit into his old life, only to discover he seems to have outgrown it.

But when Julia, his young widowed neighbor, asks for his help with a Christmas project, Levi finds a sense of purpose for the first time in months. She and her daughter are new to Charm and could use a friend, a job Levi takes personally. Soon enough, friendship grows into attraction, but Levi can’t help having doubts. There’s something about Julia that doesn’t ring quite true.

Like Levi, Julia Kemps has survived her fair share of hardships—but only by hiding the truth of her past. Being an unmarried mother in an Amish community was unthinkable. Feeling hopeless, Julia did the only thing she could do: she moved to a new town and pretended to be a widow. But meeting Levi, she’s hopeful for the first time. Little by little, she begins to imagine telling him her darkest secret, and eventually . . . perhaps even sharing her life with him.

Christmas is a time for family, and as the holiday draws closer, Julia and Levi will have to face their pasts together . . . in order to find the healing, support and love they so desperately desire.

My Thoughts

A wonderful continuation in this series by Shelley Sheppard Gray. This books focuses on Levi, who was hit the hardest with his Father’s death and fire at their company. He was so devastated and angry that he actually had to leave his hometown to deal with his emotions. When he returns, he finds he can deal with those emotions but he can’t quite deal with his family all the time. He wants, craves and needs more freedom. Which is what finds him moving out on his own, a decision his family can’t quite understand.

This is where he meets Julia, in a rather unusual manner! Julia is one of the strongest characters I have ever read. She is young, unmarried but trusted someone with her whole heart, and out of this came the birth of her daughter. To hide this pain, she moves as far away as possible from the only home she ever knew. She also hides the truth from everyone around her, which anyone can see is unhealthy but I can relate to her fears about being judged and treated differently.

Their meeting sparks hope, faith and respect. Both of them understand each other on a different level. But both of them hold back just a little out of fear. It is this holding back that causes them the worst pain. They need to learn how to face this pain in order to move forward.

A beautiful story of forgiveness, faith, trust and moving forward. It inspires hope and restores your own faith. I loved every moment of this book in this series (I have to say it was my personal favourite!).

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 24, 2016

How to Raise a Smart Ass

How to Raise a Smart Ass is a funny, witty, rollicking ride through the joys of early parenthood.

About How to Raise a Smart Ass

How to Raise a Smart Ass is a funny, witty, rollicking ride through the joys of early parenthood. The so-titled “Best Butt Wiper in the World” delights audiences by recounting tales of ninja nurses, naughty knights, and super-duper poopers. Whether you’re a proud parent or you aspire to populate the world with tiny terrors of your own someday, this book will have you laughing out loud, or at a minimum buying lots of sanitizer. Kids are messy.

My Thoughts

When I first picked up this book, my first thoughts were that it would be a parenting book based on raising confident, funny and intelligent young children. I was so surprised and happy that it was not! Instead what I found was a hilarious and very real journey through parenthood. The ups, the downs and the hilarious moments in between. Children just truly have an amazing way of saying anything they want in the most innocent way, that leaves you sitting there looking at them and wondering “really, really?!”.

How to Raise A Smart Ass is an honest and loving look at parenthood. She writes with open honesty and you feel like you are having a conversation about being a Mom with your best friend over coffee. She covers every stage of her journey and many of them we can relate to. I literally as laughing out loud at so many times throughout the book. Her girls are amazing young children and will do great things. I hope they keep their confidence and humour through every stage of their life, as you can see they have a true love for life and others. We are aware that Lucia is pregnant with baby number three, a boy, and it would be amazing to see the second part of this journey. How is raising a boy different? How do the girls react to their baby brother? I wish her all the best of luck on her third adventure through parenthood (and boy are you brave – I was nervous with just two!!!).

A well written, honest and hilarious look at the joys of parenting kids who are confident, honest and full of live and love. I loved every moment of this book.

You can purchase a copy of the book on Amazon, Blurb and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 4.5/5

About the Author

Lucia Walinchus is an award-winning journalist, author and ice hockey addict. She has written more than 500 articles for various publications throughout her career and was recently named to the 2016 Fulbright Berlin Capital Program. She has been featured as a guest speaker on CNN and is a contracted freelancer for the New York Times. Walinchus currently lives in Oklahoma because she enjoys wide, flat golf courses that make her think she isn’t actually that bad.

Upcoming event: Lucia Walinchus will be a the Enid, Oklahoma Public Library at 11AM on Saturday, November 12th.

You can connect with her on her website and Twitter.

The Giveaway!

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Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

October 21, 2016

A Sister’s Wish Book Review

In Shelley Shepard Gray’s third book in her Charmed Amish Life series, A Sister’s Wish, a respectable young woman finds herself falling for an Amish man from the wrong side of the tracks.

About A Sister’s Wish

Amelia Kinsinger is the perfect Amish woman—at least according to her neighbors. And while Amelia takes pride in her role as homemaker, she’s also harboring a secret: She’s been in love with bad boy Simon Hochstetler for as long as she can remember. Too bad he’s about as far from “perfect” as an Amish man could get . . . but that’s exactly why she’s so drawn to him.

Life hasn’t been kind to Simon. He ran away from an abusive home at fifteen and things went downhill from there. Eventually, Simon landed in prison. But the experience changed him. Now back in Charm as a grown man, he’s determined to make a new life for himself and not think too much about his wild past . . . unless it pertains to Amelia.

He’s loved Amelia for years. To him, she represents everything good and kind in the world. When he realizes that she returns his affections, he starts calling on her in secret, even though her older brother Lukas—who just happens to be Simon’s best friend—has made it perfectly clear that Amelia deserves better. Simon disagrees and believes he’s the only one who can truly make her happy.

But when Amelia gets hurt, it sets off a chain of events that forces them to consider their future together—and face their past mistakes. There’s a chance for love . . . but only if Simon dares to trust Amelia with the secrets of his past.

My Thoughts

I have always loved Amish fiction stories. They are sweet, full of hope, forgiveness, love and faith. This story by Shelley Shepard Gray is all of that and more.

Amelia is a sweet, kind and loving young girl in her family who takes care of a lot more than her family cares to admit. She is charge of the household, the chores and so much more. She never complains and she loves her job but nor does anyone quite realize all she does and the young woman that she has become. Her long time crush, Simon, returns to their small town. Simon had suffered greatly as a child and it led him down a destructive past. Simon had to go through these hardships in order to become the young man he is today. They helped him with his faith and his understanding of others but it is also a secret he keeps tucked away afraid to show the world. He has always been in love with Amelia but never felt good enough for her. When he realizes she returns his feelings, he feels blessed. Except no one in her family sees how much this relationship means to her.

When Amelia is hurt and the family has to come to the realization that she is now a grown woman who has been looking after a lot more than they expected, it forces them to look at themselves and their way of thinking in ways that no one wants to. No one wants to have admit they are wrong nor do they want to go about fixing it. Thus begins a struggle for understanding, trust, acceptance and faith in each other.

A Sister’s Wish is well thought out, well written and a beautiful story from start to finish.

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour page. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.