Disclosure: I received these books for review. Post contains affiliate links; opinions shared are mine.

Growing up, my views about relationships were quite different from that of the rest of my family. I’m pretty conservative; some might say old-fashioned. It wasn’t until I attended college that I found friends who held the same standards for intimate relationships and marriage. When I read the book The Legacy, it broke my heart a little. In it, the main character Doug is a college student. His parents are completely caught off guard by the way that Doug strayed from their path as he grows up. The reason this devastated me so much? I have a son of my own, yet I identified with Doug more than with his parents Jim and Marilyn. The guilt and expectation that they seemed to shower on Doug reminded me of my struggle to become independent from my family. When Doug didn’t visit as often as they’d like him to, or when he didn’t show feelings for the girl they liked for him, it was with a sense of heavy guilt. I don’t want my children to grow up with those burdens. Sure, I hope that they’ll stick by their Christian faith even as they venture out into the wide world. However, I want them to feel comfortable to spread their wings. The Legacy has a poignant view into the parable of the Prodigal Son of modern times. I certainly don’t want my children to stray from the values we’ve taught them, but I also want them to embrace those values as their own because they believe in them – not from a sense of guilt. That’s why I really like the Old Fashioned series. Remember when I shared the movie with you a few days ago? There are more components to this series, including a  novelization of the movie and a devotional. These tools are going to be very helping in teaching my son and daughter how to date as they get older. [Read more…]

Disclosure: I received these books to review. Post contains affiliate links. Opinions shared are mine.

For many of us who watch TV or see movies, the stars who are featured on our favorite shows can seem larger than life. It’s easy to pass off their troubles as insignificant.  After all, how hard can it be to eat healthy if one has a personal chef?  Or, we’d all have awesome hair if we had a personal stylist.  While some of that might be true, it’s refreshing to see such transparency in the Duck Dynasty crew.  They seem completely down to earth; their show is funny and clean enough that my kids can watch with us.  Not knowing much about the family other than the show, I went into the book The Good, the Bad, and the Grace of God: What Honesty and Pain Taught Us About Faith, Family, and Forgiveness with a completely open mind.   [Read more…]

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

One of the things I love best about summer is the freedom to wear lightweight fabrics.  Breezy cottons and flowy rayon skirts are the cherry atop the summer sundae.  Sometimes, I even forgo the slip under a thin dress (shocker!) because I just can’t bear the extra layer.  To me, it’s excessive to purchase separate dresses for weekend wear, pool cover ups, and the like.  Why not buy one dress that does it all?

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

It pains me to admit that when I learned my 2nd child was going to be a boy, I worried that I wouldn’t be able to find adorable children’s clothes for him.  My daughter was dressed in head-to-toe Matilda Jane and Mini Boden; there were high fashion expectations for this baby boy.  The typical transportation themed tees and sports shorts just weren’t going to do it for me.  Now, those of you who can relate to this first-world dilemma will understand my need to search out the best outfits for boys!  Tea Collection soon became one of my favorites because of their unique designs.  Here are a few of my favorites from the summer season!  [Read more…]

This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. I received this book to review. Opinions shared are mine.

Recently, I read a book called A Friend in Me: How to Be a Safe Haven for Other Women that made me consider the wonderful network of women who helped me grow up. I’ve been so fortunate to have strong, brave women in my support group. My grandmother, mom, aunts, and teachers were wise women. As a teaching intern, I learned from one of the best teachers in the school system. When I landed my first teaching position, I was teamed with a colleague who helped to guide me through those rough waters. She’s still like a sister to me.  Not every woman has that opportunity to bond with other women, and it’s a shame. In the book A Friend in Me, I felt a gentle tug to reach out to those women who might need some extra support. [Read more…]

For many people, going on a Disney World trip is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  Parents scrimp and save to make the dream a reality, then spend hours on the planning process to make it perfect.  In the past few years, the online dining reservation site has become super popular.  For those hard-to-get restaurants, such as Be Our Guest and ‘Ohana, you’ve got to do your homework to make sure your family will have a table.  You can’t count on walking up and getting in the door. Paired with free dining promotions, and it’s really tough to grab those reservations early.

So what to do? Here are some options! [Read more…]

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links; I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. 

During the summer, I value my time off perhaps even more than throughout the school year.  My kids and I love to lounge in our pj’s, relax in the pool, and eat breakfast as late as we want.  Inviting family and friends over makes us happy, but only when we can relax while doing it! That means that the decor for our summer parties must be completely effortless.

I’ve always wanted to try a Cricut personal electronic cutting machine.  The customized cut-outs make even a simple table look professionally decorated!  The DIY part of me would be fulfilled, while the lazy part of me would celebrate the simplicity.  Wondering what the Cricut offers? [Read more…]

Disclosure: I received samples; opinions shared are mine.

What does your family like to do on the 4th of July? We usually celebrate my brother-in-law’s birthday with a cookout, then watch the fireworks. It’s always more fun to celebrate with family! Hallmark’s fantastic new Life Is Good gift selection makes a family cookout fun, whether it’s for Father’s Day or Independence Day. Dad will love all the goodies that you select just for him! Here’s a small assortment of the Life Is Good collection. Don’t you just #LoveHallmark ?

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Disclosure: I received this book to review. Opinions shared are mine.

You might remember my reviews of books by Dr. Richard Mabry in the past. This time, I want to share his newest title with you — Fatal Trauma is another medical suspense novel that flies right in your face! From page 1, Mabry takes the highest level of action with his words. In this book, Dr. Mark Baker finds himself in one bad situation after another. I wondered if Dr. Mabry has a thing for redheads (there’s another one in this book). [Read more…]