Category: Uncategorized

February 27, 2019

The Children’s Illustrated Bible

About The Children’s Illustrated Bible

Written in conjunction with educators, scholars, and religious advisors, this retelling of favorite Old and New Testament stories retains the original feel and poetry of the Bible while appealing to contemporary young readers. DK’sChildren’s Illustrated Bible features some of the best-known Bible tales, including, the Birth of Jesus, Jacob’s Ladder, Noah’s Ark, and the Resurrection, written especially for children in a clear, easy-to-understand tone. A “Who’s Who in the Bible Stories” section and quotations from the King James Bible, listed by chapter and verse, add even more value to this unique resource.

My Thoughts

A Bible is a truly special gift that you can give to someone important in your life. I have the Bible given to me at my Baptism in a keepsake box along with another Bible given to me at my Confirmation. It is an important part of my faith and learning about our faith.

For children, it is so important for them to understand and relate to their faith in a way that makes sense to them while still staying true to the original stories. They need to be able to see pictures and have the stories told to them in a manner that they understand.

The Children’s Illustrated Bible does this perfectly. It is hardcover and roughly letter sized. There is around 310 pages of stories, pictures and facts that help to bring the stories to life. It contains many of the most loved stories from the Old and New Testament, including Noah’s Ark, The Sacrifice of Isaac, The Prophet Isaiah, The Birth of Jesus, John Baptizes Jesus and so many more.

The stories are beautifully told with illustrations that are respectful and appropriate for the content. It is easy to read out loud if you are reading to a young child as well as being easy for an older child to read on their own.

As we head into the season where many children will be receiving their First Communion, this is definitely a book to keep in mind to gift them. It is definitely a special keepsake, that they will be able to cherish for years as they learn more about their faith and the community that they belong to.

You can purchase a copy of this Bible on Amazon and Indigo.

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

February 27, 2019

DK Eyewitness Books: Bible Lands

Take a journey through the Holy Land – learning its history, geography and people.

About Bible Lands

From the early ancestors of the middle stone ages to the Greeks and Romans in 40 BCE, countless civilizations and people have lived in the eastern Mediterranean area known as the Bible Lands. Discover the story of the Holy Lands and the people who lived there before the time of Christ in DK Eyewitness Books: Bible Lands.

Learn what kind of jewelry and pottery the Canaanites traded with Egypt and see armor from ancient Assyria. Explore the different gods and goddesses each civilization worshiped, how the people of the Bible Lands defended their cities, and more.

My Thoughts

I am a huge history buff – I can spend hours reading books, watching documentaries and in museums. I love learning about the past, the culture, the beliefs and the people themselves. I could not wait to learn more about the Holy Land which is a land rich in history and mystery for me.

This beautiful hard cover book is a history lover’s dream with page after page of bold images and insights into the Holy Land. We learn about the people that lived during this time period and what they wore, what they ate, what they created and so much more. It contains a fantastic blend of photos, information and points of interest.

The book starts off describing the lands of the Bible, with a large two page map that really helps give a better understanding of the lands, rivers and areas they will be discussing in relation to each other. We then immediately jump into early ancestors and the patriarchs, learning about the times they lived in, the items they used and some of their cultural beliefs. We then jump into Middle Bronze Age in Egypt and the Philistines and Canaanites. We are re-exposed to stories we may be familiar with (the parting of the Red Sea in the Hebrew Exodus) and learn new facts and aspects of daily life. I loved learning about the artifacts from pots to dippers to jewellery to plaques, the book covered a lot of different angles of every day life. As we continue on in the book we dive into the Israelites, the Phoenicians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persons, Greeks, Romans and King Herod! While some were familiar to me, learning about the Assyrians was new and I enjoyed learning about that kingdom and their culture.

This is a great book for children, young adults and parents to read with their children as they learn more about the civilizations that lived during these time periods in the Holy Land. While we learn so much at a young age, we never learn enough about the culture and the day to day lives of these people, so learning about what they ate, what they wore, who they worshipped is an important part of our faith and understanding. A great read from start to finish!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon and Indigo.

Rating: 5/5

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

February 19, 2019

Sesame Street: Celebrate Family DVD Giveaway

February is the month of love and what betters represents love than a family? Unconditional love, kindness, caring and respect, everything you can find in a family and more. Sesame Street: Celebrate Family will be on DVD February 5th for all families to enjoy.

About Sesame Street: Celebrate Family

Sesame Street: Celebrate Family includes five stories for curious preschoolers and their families. First, Abby’s family has dinner at Elmo’s house, where she learns that even though families do things in all different ways, they can still have fun working together to make a meal. Then, Cookie Monster realizes he’s forgotten to get a gift for his mommy for Mother’s Day—what should he do? For Father’s Day, Rosita wants to make a video for her dad, but she needs some help from her friends. Next, we meet Rudy, Abby’s new step-brother! Finally, Hooper’s Store is throwing a special party for kids and their grandparents.

Bonus Features:

Full length episode: Siblings
Elmo’s World Families
Sesame Studios: Marvie’s Song for Dad

Our Thoughts

Family is the most important thing in life. It is important for children to learn how families can be the same and different. Every family can have a different make up, different traditions and all should be celebrated and embraced. Children can learn about family, sharing, having fun and celebrate everything that makes a family special. This is a beautiful, fun and special collection of shows that the whole family will love.

Download fun Sesame Street Celebrate Family printables here.

This DVD has a running time of roughly two hours.

The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Official Trailer

Disclosure: I received the DVD above in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

February 5, 2019

The Military Wife

A young widow embraces a second chance at life when she reconnects with those who understand the sacrifices made by American soldiers and their families in award-winning author Laura Trentham’s The Military Wife.

About The Military Wife

Harper Lee Wilcox has been marking time in her hometown of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina since her husband, Noah Wilcox’s death, nearly five years earlier. With her son Ben turning five and living at home with her mother, Harper fights a growing restlessness, worried that moving on means leaving the memory of her husband behind.

Her best friend, Allison Teague, is dealing with struggles of her own. Her husband, a former SEAL that served with Noah, was injured while deployed and has come home physically healed but fighting PTSD. With three children underfoot and unable to help her husband, Allison is at her wit’s end.

In an effort to reenergize her own life, Harper sees an opportunity to help not only Allison but a network of other military wives eager to support her idea of starting a string of coffee houses close to military bases around the country.

In her pursuit of her dream, Harper crosses paths with Bennett Caldwell, Noah’s best friend and SEAL brother. A man who has a promise to keep, entangling their lives in ways neither of them can foresee. As her business grows so does an unexpected relationship with Bennett. Can Harper let go of her grief and build a future with Bennett even as the man they both loved haunts their pasts?

My Thoughts

The Military Wife is a beautiful story of suffering, forgiveness, grief, hope and love. The characters in this story are either members of the military or spouses of an enlisted member. We are given an intimate look at the lives of military wives and the sacrifice that many of them go through. Many of them have given up careers or the potential for a career to follow their husband as they are moved to base to base, they deal with raising children on their own and not to mention with the psychological impact that their spouses may be dealing with.

Harper, now a single Mother after the death of her husband overseas is struggling with moving on. She loves her child and is an excellent Mother but doesn’t do enough for herself. She misses her husband and is afraid to move on in fear of hurting his memory. When his best friend and SEAL partner enters her life again, she realizes she needs answers for closure. What she wasn’t ready for was the attraction to this man that meant so much to her deceased husband and the impact he had on their lives.

While dealing with her own struggles, her best friend and the person who carried her through her husband’s death, is dealing with her own trials. Her husband is dealing with many mental health issues but refusing to seek help. This not only takes a toll on his wife but his children and we watch as not only him but their whole family spirals out of control.

This is a beautiful, heart wrenching at times story of ordinary people struggling through death, grief, forgiveness and searching for calm in a storm and a sense of purpose. I loved every moment of this beautiful story (and wouldn’t mind a part two!).

You can purchase a copy of this book here.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

LAURA TRENTHAM is an award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance. She is a member of RWA, and has been a finalist multiple times in the Golden Heart competition. A chemical engineer by training and a lover of books by nature, she lives in South Carolina.

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

February 4, 2019

Bring Star Wars to Life with Star Wars Maker Lab

Ever wanted to move things without touching them like a Jedi can? Or grow your own kyber crystal? Now you can (and maybe just maybe you can share with your child!).

About Star Wars Maker Lab

With 20 amazing projects, Star Wars™ Maker Lab teaches your child how to become a Master of science, in both the real world and the Star Wars galaxy. Using clear step-by-step instructions, the book guides scientists and makers through each experiment – from making Jabba’s gooey slime or a hovering landspeeder, to an Ewok catapult and a glowing Gungan Globe of Peace. Each experiment has fact-filled panels to explain the real-world science as well as the Star Wars science fiction from the movies.

With projects that are out of this world, this Star Wars book can keep children entertained for hours, making use of many household items such as cardboard tubes, baking soda, cornstarch, straws, balloons, and food coloring. There is also plenty to keep adventurous scientists engaged, with instructions on how to make your own bristlebot mouse droid, lightsaber duel, and Mustafar volcano. Star Wars Maker Lab supports STREAM topics and helps children to learn the basics of science by traveling through the Star Wars galaxy.

My Thoughts

This beautiful hard cover book is a child (and adults) dream come true. We are huge Star Wars fans although we do argue over if the newer or older movies are better (I still love the oldies!). This bold, vibrant book is full of ideas that help make the popular series come to life.

I have to be honest, some of the experiments would require you to have to go out and make a special purchase as you may not have them lying around the house. Which is perfectly okay – you just would have to plan out the projects to ensure you had every item (I don’t own a hamster ball but that project looked like so much fun).

We decided to tackle making Kyber crystals this weekend. I had most of the items needed except for clothespins but we improvised and it still worked. The kids loved the craft but were a bit impatient with wanting to eat the crystals as soon as possible. I loved how the book explained the process of creating the cyrstals and how it worked while incorporating a Star Wars theme. I was also a bit impatient and kept pulling the skewers out of the solution to check on the state of the crystal formation, this was fascinating to watch even as an adult!

This is an excellent craft book for any Star Wars fan. You will want to plan ahead to ensure you have everything you need to create the crafts but you will not be disappointed (our next item to tackle is creating our own light sabres – awesome right?). The instructions are easy to follow, a lot of illustrations to help you along the way and helpful hints (like watch the hot sugar boiling but this Mom still managed to splash herself!). Enjoy hours of Star Wars themed fun with this book – you will never have a dull PA or snow day again!

You can learn more about this book on the DK Canada website and purchase a copy on Amazon.

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