"Tyler Florence Inside the Test Kitchen" Book Review

I do a lot of cookbook reviews.  There's two reasons for that: 1.) I love to cook, and 2.) I collect cookbooks.  So whenever I see an interesting looking cookbook for review, I jump on it!  I will admit, when I first saw the cover for "Tyler Florence Inside the Test Kitchen," I wasn't very impressed.  It wasn't what I normally look for in a cookbook cover - a cover with beautiful food.  Instead, it looked kind of like a school notebook.  I though, "Tyler, what were you thinking?"  Then I opened it up and my opinion completely changed!

NIV Discover God's Heart Devotional Bible Review

As I've mentioned before, I LOVE reviewing study Bibles!  Its so amazing to see the insights that others have into the Word.  For this reason, I jumped at the chance to review the NIV Discover God's Heart Devotional Bible.  And, I have to say, I'm so glad I did!

"The First Christmas" Book Review

Christmas is coming!  WooHoo!!!  My FAVORITE time of year!  I love decorating the Christmas tree, putting out the nativities I've collected, getting out the Christmas dishes, mugs, etc.  And I LOVE sharing Christmas traditions with my kids!  One of my favorites is giving them new Christmas books each year.  While I love cute little books about snowmen or reindeer, I make sure that we have plenty of books that talk about the REAL meaning and the REAL story of Christmas.  "The Firs Christmas," by Janice D. Green fits right into that category!

"Brave Mom" Book Review

I remember very well the moment I found out I was pregnant with our first child.  We'd wanted children for some time, so this wasn't really a surprise.  But all the joy I'd imagined I'd feel when I saw that positive pregnancy test was immediately replaced with panic.  Were we ready?  Would we be able to handle it financially?  And my biggest question of all: would I be a good mom?  After all, I suffer from an extreme lack of patience and I HATE getting up early.  Weren't those two "must have" quality traits of a good mom?  What did I get myself into? As my mind filled with all of these fears, all of a sudden I had my first "worst mom ever" moment. After all, aren't most women excited when they find out that their family is expanding?  Obviously, I was just a horrible person.

Boy I wish I'd had this book to read when I'd first gotten pregnant - or even before!  In her new book, "Brave Mom," Sherry Surratt, President and CEO of MOPS International, shares not only her top "mom fears" but the top fears other moms face.  I was surprised and comforted to find that I was not the only new mom who'd succumbed to these early moments of panic.

"The Fruitful Wife" Book Review

I loved this book!!!  OK, I know.  I know.  I've said it several times lately. But I've been fortunate to have enjoyed some wonderful books through my reviews.  But this one stands out!  Maybe its because it was very timely.  Have you ever started reading a Bible study or a passage of Scripture and thought, "Boy, God just sent this to me personally!"  Well, that's how I felt about "The Fruitful Wife" by Hayley DiMarco.

"NKJV Study Bible: Full Color Edition" Review

As I've mentioned many times, I love study Bibles!  So I loved being able to review this one. I've received several Kindle version study Bibles for review, but I was excited to receive an actual copy of this one since its a "full color" study Bible!

"God's Greatest Gift" Children's Book Review

I'm going to be completely honest here - because that's what a blog reviewer should be.  This is not my favorite review book.  I was excited to receive it, as I love getting books to read with my kids, but I wasn't thrilled with the message.  I'll explain more below.

"Having A Mary Heart In A Martha World" Book Review

I just finished "Having A Mary Heart In A Martha World" by Joanna Weaver.  While I had picked this book because I thought I'd benefit from it, I had no idea just how much I'd gain from it.  This book was wonderful!

Things I loved about this book:

"New Morning Mercies" Ebook Review

I love devotionals.  Sometimes I read a ton in one day.  There are times when I delve into a deep, complicated study.  But, there are times when I just don't have that kind of time.  Let's face it.  I'm the mother of two (soon to be three) small children and sometimes its all I can do to keep my head above water!  Haha!  "New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional" by Paul David Tripp is a great devotional for when you are short on time but still want to read something powerful each day.

"Unwrapping the Greatest Gift" Book Review

I LOVE Advent books!  Christmas is my favorite time of year and I love anything that brings Jesus to the minds of myself and my family.  That's why I was THRILLED to get the opportunity to review "Unwrapping the Greatest Gift: A Family Celebration of Christmas," by Ann Voscamp.

"The Littlest Christmas Kitten" Book Review

I'm always looking for new Christmas books to read to my kids.  I usually get several each year.  And, while I enjoy cute little stories about reindeer and snowmen, what I love most are stories that refer to Jesus' birth. However, it can get monotonous to read 20 versions of "The First Christmas."  "The Littlest Christmas Kitten" is a quick, cute story that solves that problem.

"Messy Beautiful Love" Book Review

A few months ago I read "The Good Wife's Guide," by Darlene Schact and really enjoyed it.  So when I saw that she had written a new book called "Messy Beautiful Love," I jumped at the chance to review it!

NKJV Adventure Bible Review

I was SO EXCITED to receive this Bible for review!  (Its going to be a Christmas gift for my little ones and I can't wait to give it to them!)  So here's what I love about the NKJV Adventure Bible:

"The Name Quest" Book Review

I love reading books on the names of God.  Its very interesting to learn about the historical and biblical significance of certain names. For that reason, I was pretty sure I'd enjoy this book.  But I have to say, John Avery has a unique take on the study, which makes his book even MORE interesting!

"Beside Bethesda: 31 Days Toward Deeper Healing" Book Review

If you are going through a difficult time - or even if you just need a little reminder to keep your eye on what matters - this is a great book for you!  "Beside Bethesda: 31 Days Toward Deeper Healing" is a wonderful, quick Bible study by Joni Eareckson Tada.  If you don't know who Joni is, you should really look her up.  Joni was paralyzed from the neck down in a diving accident when she was a teenager.  Her daily struggles, along with her strong faith, make her the perfect woman to write this book!

"God Gave Us Angels" Book Review

I am VERY picky about the religious books that I buy for my children.  I want them to be biblically accurate.  For that reason, we don't have any books that are about angels.  Most children's books describe angels as pretty little women with halos.  Many books also tell us that loved ones become angels when they die.  All of these characterizations are unbiblical.  But when I saw this book by Lisa Tawn Bergren, I thought I'd give it a try.  We bought her book, "God Gave Us You," for our first child and we love it.

NIV "Once-A-Day Bible for Leaders: Book Review

If you've been keeping up with my book reviews, you've noticed I love to review study Bibles!  Most of the ones I've reviewed so far have been in Kindle format.  This has its advantages and disadvantages.  One HUGE advantage is that you can have 10 or 20 huge study Bibles all in one place and they don't take up tons of bookshelf space.  If you are like me and live in a smaller house, this is wonderful.  But sometimes its just great to have that Bible in your hands.  I received a paperback version of the NIV Once-A-Day Bible for Leaders and I'm so glad I did.  This way it was really easy to see how its laid out.

"Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible" E-book Review

I love receiving Bible study books, study Bibles, and other helps for review!  Understanding the Big Picture of the Bible is another great Bible study tool.  With articles by the likes of Wayne Grudem, C. John Collins, and Thomas R. Shreiner (among others), this e-book is filled with a wealth of information.

Now, just as fair warning, the information in this e-book is actually found in the ESV Study Bible.  So, if you already own that Bible, you may find this book repetitive. I, however, do not own that Bible, so this was all new information to me.  The book contains essays on the different sections of the Bible (an essay on the Old Testament as a whole, and essays on the Pentateuch, Historical books, Poetic & Wisdom books, and the Prophetic books, and essay several essays on the New Testament: including The Roman Empire and the Greco Roman Empire at the Time of the New Testament, The Time Between the Testaments, Jewish Groups at the Time of the New Testament, and much more).

"NIV Essentials Study Bible" Review

I was thrilled to receive a copy of this e-book study Bible for review!  Actually, its like having six study Bibles in one!  This Kindle version is easy to read and easy to navigate!  And its FULL of great study information!!!

So why do I say its six study Bibles in one?  Well, the NIV Essentials Study Bible combines study notes and articles from SIX other study Bibles: the Essential Bible Companion, the NIV Study Bible, the NIV Archealogical Study Bible, the NIV Quest Study Bible, the NIV Student Bible, and the Great Rescue NIV.  Here's a breakdown of the articles and studies included:

"NIV First-Century Study Bible" Review

I've reviewed several e-book versions of study Bibles recently, but I have to say that this one is my favorite!  It was the title that first drew me in: "NIV First-Century Study Bible: Explore Scripture in Its Jewish and Early Christian Context."  I love reading about other cultures and learning about history, so I thought this would be right up my alley!

"NIV Once a Day Bible For Women" E-book Review

I was very excited to receive this e-book for review.  I always love receiving a new study Bible! I have to say, first off though, I had a lot of difficulty navigating this particular version of the Bible.  (But I want to preface that by saying that I'm not completely sure the issue isn't with my Kindle Paperwhite and not the actual e-book.)  Now on to my review of the actual study Bible...

"Love Letters from God" Book Review

Well, a new book arrived for review today - "Love Letters from God," by Glenys Nellist.  Since the girls were napping, I decided to go ahead and give it a read.  (I always like to read the girls' books before we read them together, so that I can make sure they are appropriate.  This book is not only appropriate, its a wonderful children's book.

"Blue Ribbon Baking from a Redneck Kitchen" Book Review

Woohoo!  Another cookbook review!  If you read my blog, you know I LOVE cooking and baking and I LOVE cookbooks!!!  In fact, I have a collection that's, well, sort of getting out of control.  But I was thrilled to add "Blue Ribbon Baking from a Redneck Kitchen," by Francine Bryson to my collection!

"30 Days in 1 Corinthians 13" Book Review

I thought "30 Days in 1 Corinthians 13, by Pam Forster, would be an "interesting" study.  Boy was I wrong!!!!  Its far more than that!  Its incredible!!!  I will admit that I did not take 30 days to read and work through this book.  I took 6.  Why?  It was just too good to put down!

"Your Family In Pictures" Book Review

When my first child was born I purchased a good DSLR so that I could take beautiful pictures of her.  While my pictures did improve, I learned something.  You need more than a good camera to take good pics.  You need to know how to use it.  So I spent hours, days, weeks studying online, from books etc.  I learned quite a bit, but a lot of it was overwhelming.  After all, I didn't want to be a "professional photographer."  I just wanted my pictures to be beautiful.  That's why I was thrilled at the opportunity to review "Your Family in Pictures," by Me Ra Koh!

"The Dawning of Indestructible Joy" Book Review

Christmas is my FAVORITE time of the year!  So advent reading collections and other Christmas-themed books (books that talk about the true meaning of Christmas) are very important to me!  "The Dawning of Indestructible Joy: Daily Readings for Advent," by John Piper is a great addition to any advent collection!

"The Southern Foodie's Guide to the Pig" Review

As a Southern woman, born 'n' raised, the pig is very important to me.  BBQ, bacon, baked ham, "pig pickin's" - they're all an integral part of Southern life.  So I was very excited to receive a copy of "The Southern Foodie's Guide to the Pig: A Culinary Tour of the South's Best Restaurants & the Recipes that Made Them Famous," by Chris Chamberlain.

I love a good cookbook with good recipes, but what I really love is a cookbook that's "more than a cookbook."  Chris Chamberlain's "Guide to the Pig" definitely falls into the later category!  Yes, there are fabulous recipes from BBQ to cole slaw to bacon peanut butter cookies in this book, but there's SO MUCH MORE!!!

"The Wonder-Working God" Book Review

I'll be completely honest.  When I started this book, I wondered if I'd be able to finish it.  I wasn't "wowed" at first.  But about halfway through the first chapter, I realized that "The Wonder-Working God," by Jared C. Wilson, was going to be a FABULOUS book!  And I'm SO GLAD I stuck with it!!!!

"Conrad and the Cowgirl Next Door" Book Review

I've said it many times, but I love reviewing books.  I especially love reviewing children's books because then my kids get to enjoy as well! "Conrad and the Cowgirl Next Door," written by Denette Fretz and illustrated by Gene Barretta, is a great addition to my kids' library!

First of all, the illustrations are fun, colorful, and adorable! Little Conrad has the sweetest little face and looks precious in his giant cowboy hat!  Imogene looks like a little know-it-all, and yet she's precious.  - She's a perfect illustration of a little child who just hasn't learned yet that always telling people what they are doing wrong may not make you many friends.

Pedipeds Flex Riddell Tennis Shoe Review

Its that time again!  Time for school!  And a new school year means new shoes!  When I looks for new shoes for my kids, I go to Pedipeds first! Their shoes are approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association for promoting healthy foot development and that's SUPER IMPORTANT to me!!!  According to studies, wearing the wrong footwear or ill-fitting shoes accounts for 70% of foot problems!  (If you've read my past Pedipeds reviews, you've seen that stat before.  But I think its SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT!  Ill-fitting or improper shoes can cause damage to your little one's growing feet!  Don't do that to them!   Skip the designer t-shirts and invest in good shoes!  You won't regret it!

The Pediped Flex Riddells are not only great for your little one's feet, but look how cute they are!!!

DriNights Feel Cooler Duo Pillow and Mattress Pad Review

Recently, I received the opportunity to review a couple of DriNights.com's Feel Cooler Duo temperature-regulating and moisture wicking products!  I was sent one of their regular Duo Pillows and their queen-sized Duo Mattress Pad.

Sweet (Food Network Magazine Cookbook) Review

I love receiving review books in the mail, but I nearly did a back flip when this one arrived!  (And if you knew me, you'd know what an AMAZING fete that would have been!)

Sweet, by the editors of Food Network Magazine is an INCREDIBLE book!!!  Here's what I loved:

"Jonah and the Great Big Fish" Review

As a book lover, I get great joy in introducing new books to my kids.  However, since my youngest isn't even 2 years old yet, its hard to keep her attention for long.  That's why short books (that don't have hundreds of words on each page) are great!  But just because a book isn't lengthy doesn't mean it can't teach us something.  Jonah and the Great Big Fish is one of those great books.

NIV "God's Word for the Gardener" Bible Review

One of my favorite items in the world is my Kindle!  I love having hundreds of books at my fingertips!  Its especially great when it comes to different translations of the Bible.  Bible study is so much easier now that I can quickly flip between versions, look at notes, etc. without having to pull 12 books off the bookshelf!

Recently, I received a Kindle version of the NIV God's Word for the Gardener Bible for review.  Now, I will begin by saying that I am NOT a gardener.  In fact, I know nothing about gardening - sadly.  But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy this Bible!  The weekly devotions all have to do with gardening, but they are very simple and easy to read.

"My Paris Kitchen" Book Review

I love when a new review book arrives!  I especially love when its a cookbook!  I have a serious cookbook addiction.  It may be out of control.  Haha!  But even if I decide to pare down my collection, there's one book I would NEVER throw away - My Paris Kitchen, by David Lebovitz!  This book is wonderful!

Erin Condren FUNctional Family System Review and Discount!

You may remember my reviews of my Erin Condren Life Planner and my Erin Condren Address Book.   I love those books! They aren't just functional, but they are colorful and fun!!!  Well, today I'd like to introduce you to another Erin Condren "product of magic and wonder": The FUNctional Family System!
(Sign up using my referral link and you will receive an email code for $10 off your first order!!!)

"Treat Yourself" by Jennifer Steinhauer

I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

I love cookbooks!  Seriously.  I'm a cookbook addict!  So I was thrilled to receive this book for review!  And it didn't disappoint!  Great recipes.  Great pictures.  Its the whole package!  

And I love a "uniquely themed" cookbook - which this one definitely is! Not your regular baking cookbook, this book gives you recipes to create some of your favorite store-bought treats right at home!  I love that it contains recipes for some very well-known treats - like oreos and nilla wafers.  But I also love that it has some less-recognizable treats - like TastyCakes (something you probably aren't familiar with if you haven't lived in the NorthEast) and Star Crunch.  That means I can make some of my favorites and also try some totally new treats!  Yippee!!!  

One pet peeve of mine is cookbooks without pictures.  I want to see something before I cook or bake it.  That's usually how I pick new recipes - by seeing a picture that looks delish.  This cookbook is NOT lacking in beautiful, delicious pics of the treats!  Major score!  All-in-all, I'd say this is a fantastic book!  Can't wait to start baking!!!  :)

"Goodnight Ark" Book Review

I received a copy of this book from Booklook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

I always love getting new books for my kids. I'm a very big believer in encouraging my kids to read as much as possible.  Goodnight Ark, by Laura Sassi, is a great addition to our collection!  And its especially appropriate at this time since my 3 year old recently developed a fear of thunderstorms.  Now I can read this cute little story to her when she's afraid and explain to her that she's not the only one afraid of storms!  Hopefully the humor in the story, the cute rhymes, and the adorable illustrations by Jane Chapman will help her forget about the storms.

"My Happy Pumpkin" Book Review

I received a copy of this book from Booklook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

I was very excited when this book arrived!  To begin with, my toddler LOVES pumpkins!!!  (She gets that from me.  I'm all about anything Fall-themed!)

"Twirl" Book Review

I can remember my mom reading Patsy Clairmont's books when I was a teenager.  She'd laugh.  She'd cry.  Now I understand why.  Patsy's books are full of silly humor and depth. In this book, Patsy walks us through our hective lives and teaches us how to appreciate what we have and take a moment to breathe.  I was particularly taken by this quote: "How I love that we can't be too young or too old, too broken or bruised, to tired or tattered for God to work in us! His mercies are new every morning. That means as long as we live we have access to the storehouses of God, so bring your shopping cart and let's twirl down the aisles of his mercy and grace.

If you are looking for a quick, lighthearted, funny read that will also point you toward the mercy and awesomeness of God, this is the book for you.

I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers for my honest review. 

Citrus Lane May 2014 Boxes Review and 50% Off Discount

Our Citrus Lane boxes arrived this week!  Yay!  Once again, they were a huge hit!  Here's what we got...

My 3 year old's box:

Citrus Lane April 2014 Boxes and 50% Discount!

I know this is late, but things have been crazy around here!  But, as usual, our Citrus Lane boxes were a highlight of our month!!!  So let's review April's boxes, shall we?

My 3 year old's box:

Pedipeds Spring Shoe Review

If you read my blog, you know I LOVE Pedipeds.  I'm serious about buying quality shoes for my kids and Pedipeds are GREAT!  Did you know that wearing the wrong footwear or ill-fitting shoes accounts for 70% of foot problems?  SEVENTY PERCENT!   I'm just not willing to do that to my kids' feet.  Doctors suggest that kids (especially babies and toddlers) go barefoot as much as possible.  But that's not always do-able.  Pedipeds' motto is "The next best thing to bare feet" and they are made to protect your little one's feet while staying flexible enough to keep from adversely affecting them.  

We received these ADORABLE Flex Meredith sandals in white.  They were perfect for Easter - or spring in general...

Celebrate Earth Day with the Green Toys Safe Seas Set

WooHoo!  I have a another exciting Green Toys review for all my readers today!  You guys know how much I LOVE Green Toys!  (You can check out all of my Green Toys reviews HERE.)  Well, Green Toys and All the Way to the Ocean have teamed up celebrate Earth Day (April 22, 2014) with their new, limited edition Safe Seas Sets! 

Erincondren.com May Be the HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH! - Placemat Review and Promo Code!!!

Dear Erin Condren, I love you.  I love your company.  I love your AWESOME blue glasses.  I love your fun Instagram feed.  I love your colorful products.  I may go broke because of you, but I think your website just may be the HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH! - No offense Disney.  I really love you guys too.  But there's a WHOLE LOTTA HAPPY at erincondren.com!!!  ;)

Life Planner from erincondren.com

Nail polish from julep.com

OK.  I'm done.  I just had to gush for a moment.  If you've been reading my blog for a while (or keeping up with me on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest) then you know my love for all things Erin Condren.  I've already reviewed their Life Planner and Address book - both of which are AWESOME, by the way - and I have several other amazing products just waiting to be reviewed!  I've just been trying to space them out so as not to overwhelm you all!  Haha!  But today I received one of their newest products and I just COULDN'T WAIT to review it!!! - The new EC Placemats!!!

They have some really great choices for placemats on their site!  There are personalized placemats, placemats you can color, and the ones that I chose - the "You Are Special" placemats!  I love these!  For $28, you get a set of 25 placemats (its like a notebook where you tear one off).  The best part is the personalization rectangle at the bottom right!  You can write a little note to whoever you are celebrating!

So, where could you use these placemats?  Well, the possibilities are ENDLESS, but here are a few ideas:
1.) Birthdays - celebrate your spouse's birthday or your child's birthday by serving their meal on top of this cute mat!  Write a note that says how much you love them!
2.) Birthday Party, Wedding Shower, Baby Shower - use these to personalize each child or adult's place at the table with their name!
3.) Family Reunion, Holiday Dinner - Use these for reunions, Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners!  Write each person's name on theirs!  Or for Thanksgiving, write one thing you love about/are thankful for for each person!
4.) Special Achievements - Dance recital, winning the big game, graduation, job promotion, good report card, or just because!  Celebrate a loved one by giving them the "You Are Special" mat and writing something awesome on it!

And look at the awesome box they come in!  Erincondren.com always sends their packages in style!!!

If you are new to erincondren.com, you can use my referral link to sign up and you'll get an email with a $10 off promo code to use on your first order!!!  WOOHOO!!!!

Win An iPad Mini from Citrus Lane!!! Plus Get 50% off First Box!!!

Woohoo!  In the market for an iPad Mini?  Well, you can win one from Citrus Lane!!!  Just enter this giveaway.  It only takes a couple of minutes!  But hurry!  Giveaway ends March 31, 2014 at 11:59pm PST!

 

Picture courtesy of Citrus Lane.

Also, sign up for Citrus Lane using this link and reeive 50% off of your first box!

My First Julep Shop Order and PROMO CODE

As you may have seen lately, I'm in love with a subscription box called Julep!  Its mainly a nail polish and nail product subscription, but they also have things like lip gloss, face cleansers, blush, bronzers!