Disclosure: I received these books to review. Post contains affiliate links; opinions about what to read are mine.

I’m really glad I had the chance to read The Hutterite Diaries. My only knowledge of the Hutterite community comes from the show that used to play on National Geographic. On the show, the Hutterites displayed little spiritual conviction; most of their actions were influenced by fear of retribution from “the elders” or whatever religious leaders they followed. In contrast, The Hutterite Diaries show a true sense of communal living, where members care for, and deeply love, each other. [Read more…]

Disclosure: I received this to review. Post contains affiliate links; opinions shared are mine.

Dad deserves the Kinivo BTX270 Wireless Bluetooth Portable Speaker. The Man Cave just isn’t the same without it!  This little speaker packs a big punch. Just like Dad, it gets along with nearly any device (check here for device compatibility) and is quite dependable.  We use it to stream music from my phone while I’m cooking supper, at the computer, or even sitting by the pool.  The speaker has zero distortion, which is surprising given the price point and the size.  I’m very impressed with the quality!   [Read more…]

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

This week, my son got to watch much more than his usual allotment of television. My daughter went off to a summer camp with her cousin, so the house was pretty quiet.  It also meant that my little guy got to have his pick of television shows with no one else to share the remote!  We had this great assortment of NCircle DVDs to review, so he got to have some extra special time with his pals Dino Dan and the Octonauts. Thanks to NCircle Entertainment for sending us these DVDs.  [Read more…]

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

If you’re ever been fortunate enough to spend time with a horse, you know how incredible they are!  In the book Wonder Horse, a spunky yearling named Wager helps young Sera to adjust to her new surroundings.  Through Wager, Sera learns that different personalities can get along, and be valued.  This story will resonate with young teens who can relate to bullying, being “the new kid,” and finding friends at school. The book is quite short (at just under 100 pages) and is therefore perfect for reluctant readers. There wasn’t any truly difficult vocabulary, and advanced readers will enjoy the play on words that often appears in the text.  At the end of the book, readers are rewarded by learning about the “real” Wager, who seems to be just as fun-loving as the fictional horse.  The side characters are worth noting as well. My favorite character was Dev, Sera’s unique friend, because she provided an interesting perspective on Sera’s life.  I could relate to Sera’s parents; after encouraging my daughter to try an endless slew of activities, she finally found her niche. [Read more…]

Disclosure: I received a product sample; opinions shared are mine.

One thing my husband and son both dream about doing is farming. They love working with their hands, digging in the soil and making things grow. My husband often looks online for “real” tractors and farm equipment, even though we own 1/3 acre! Even mowing the grass becomes an adventure for my boys. That’s why Farming Simulator is such a great game. The guys can pretend to be real farmers, yet there’s no waking up at 5 AM to feed the cows. They can harvest the grain, but I have no extra laundry to wash. [Read more…]

Disclosure: I received a product sample; opinions shared are mine.

My kids were sick often this year, and my daughter missed several days of school due to various illnesses. Her “happy noise” has always been a song, and you know that she’s feeling bad when there’s no music being played or sung.  On one such sick day, I presented her with this adorable stuffed mouse, the Request a Song Mimi.  The doll is the perfect size for kids to hold.  She comes with a little booklet of song lyrics; although they might have familiar titles, the songs are original to Mimi.  Just request the song you want to hear, and she’ll sing for you!   [Read more…]