The Austen Escape - Book Review

The Austen Escape

Katherine Reay

Title: The Austen Escape

Author: Katherine Reay

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Release Date: November 2017

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Christian Romance Fiction

                                                       A NEW Austen Fan Fiction Novel!

Mary Davies finds the safety in her ordered and productive life. Working as an engineer, she genuinely enjoys her job and her colleagues - particularly a certain adorable and intelligent consultant. But something is missing. When Mary's estranged childhood friend, Isabel Dwyer offers her a two-week stay in gorgeous manor house in England, she reluctantly agrees in hopes that the holiday will shake up her quiet life in just the right ways.

But Mary gets more than she bargained for when Isabel loses her memory and fully believes she lives in Jane Austen's Bath. While Isabel rests and delights in the leisure of the Regency lady, attended by the other costume-clad guest, Mary uncovers startling truths about their shared past, who Isabel was, who she seems to be, and the man who now stands between them.

Outings are undertaken, misunderstandings play out, and dancing ensues as this company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation, work out their lives and hearts.

The Austen Escape is truly an interesting read for any Jane Austen fan! There are beautiful evening gowns, dancing, feasting together, an exquisite mansion, and of course the reader's eye view of how relationships between people work  out. The main characters, Mary and Isabel, couldn't be any more different, and let's not forget Nathan the love interest. Even though this novel is set in modern times, the chapters about Mary and Isabel's time in Bath were well-written and true to a good Jane Austen-inspired story.

My favorite character was Mary. I loved her dedication to her father and her job that she loved. I thought she was a well-written character, and I was just as crushed as she was with that one phone call. I felt like she was dependable because when Isabel needed her the most she was there taking care of her, even if she didn't think she was doing that great of a job.

After reading The Austen Escape I need to make a date to reread Jane Austen's novel again.

About the author:

Katherine Reay has lived all across the country and Europe and has enjoyed a life-long affair with the works of Jane Austen and her contemporaries. Her first novel, Dear. Mr. Knightley, was the 2014 Christy Award Finalist and winner of the 2014 INSPY Award for Best Debut aw well as Carol Awards for both Best Debut and Best Contemporary. Her other works include Lizzy & Jane, The Bronte Plot, and A Portrait of Emily Price. Her stories are all contemporary with a bit of "classics" flair. 

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Science Spotlight - Schoolhouse Teachers

Science Spotlight  

Schoolhouse Teachers

This post contains my affiliate link. Thank you for supporting my blog and our homeschool!

Does the thought of teaching your children science make you squeamish? Or even cause you to hide in your bathroom? Well I hope not, but maybe if it is not your (or your child's) favorite subject then Schoolhouse Teachers.com can save your day!

Schoolhouse Teachers.com has a variety of science courses and unit studies for your kindergartener up to your 12th grader. Science can be fun to explore. You (or your child) just might find out that you do indeed like science!

Check out this fun course, Curious Science, that is geared towards 3rd-4th graders! In this 18 unit course your child will study about some of God's unique creatures. Younger and older siblings can also join for the learning.

Exploring God's World with Kindergarten Science is a fun course! During this course you read short sections from a story about a brother and sister who are curious about the world around them. They ask a lot of questions and each week your child gets to learn with Harry and Dora and their adventures. 

Marine Biology is one of the newest High School courses recently added to Schoolhouse Teachers.com. This course is 30 weeks long and includes videos, slideshows, and both online and printable resources. It covers 5 units and topics such as oceanography, marine plants, invertebrates, jellyfish, marine turtles, and whales of the world. 

There are so many fun science courses to chose from at SchoolhouseTeachers.com! And if you can't tell I love teaching science as well as learning more about God's wonderful creation. 

Blind Spot: Chesapeake Valor #3 - Book Review

Book Review: Blind Spot

Chesapeake Valor Book 3

Dani Pettrey 

Title: Blind Spot

Series: Chesapeake Valor, Book 3

Author: Dani Pettrey

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: October 2017

Genre: Romantic Suspense/Christian Fiction

"The wrath is coming"!

From the back cover:

"The wrath is coming" were the final words that FBI agent Declan Grey heard the suicide bomber say. Now Declan is in the chase of his life-but isn't sure exactly what he's chasing after or when the threat will be unleashed on American soil. When his investigation's best clue leads him to a closed immigrant community, he turns to Tanner Shaw for assistance. She's sought justice for refugees and the displaced around the world, and if there's anyone who can help, it's Tanner.

Tanner Shaw has joined the FBI as a crisis counselor ...meaning she now has more opportunity to butt heads with Declan. As they work together to uncover the mounting threat, the tension between them also includes a spark she can't deny-and she's pretty sure Declan feels the same. But before anything more can develop, they find themselves in a race against time to stop the coming "wrath" that could cost thousands their lives.



My review:

I love a good mystery or in this case a suspense, and that is exactly what Dani did in her third book- Blind Spot. It was another "can't put down" read that I enjoyed. I liked the tango that Declan and Tanner's characters had between them. They liked each other, but neither seemed willing to let their guard down until it was almost too late. I am drawn to books that not only have a great hero but also a leading heroine. Tanner's character reminded me of Ziva from NCIS but that is all I am going to say about that. I think one of the best parts about Blind Spot is that Dani has more than one major crime happening in this book. Griffin and Finley from Cold Shot, Parker and Avery from Still Life, and Kate (who is still looking for Luke) join Declan and Tanner to solve both cases. I just love the group comradery! I would recommend reading the books in order even though you could still follow along if Blind Spot is your first time meeting this group of characters. If you enjoy a clean romantic suspense then get ahold of Blind Spot for your next good read. 

About the author:

Dani Pettrey is the author of two great series: Alaskan Courage and Chesapeake Valor. She is a wife, former homeschooling mom and author. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves - the thrill of adventure, nail-biting suspense, the deepening of one's faith and plenty of romance. She and her husband reside in Maryland, where they enjoy time with their two daughters, son-in-law, and two super adorable grandsons. 


 You can connect with Dani by visiting her website. -  Up All Night Suspense - Dani Pettrey 

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own. 

Elementary Math Spotlight - Schoolhouse Teachers

Elementary Math Spotlight

Schoolhouse Teachers.com 

This post contains my affiliate link. Thank you for supporting my blog and our homeschool!

Math may come easy to you but I for one have had a doosey of a time making math fun at my house. Math has been one of those subjects where I am constantly trying to strike a balance of fun and work. If this is you too, then please take heart friend, this is where Schoolhouse Teachers.com comes into play!

With SchoolhouseTeachers.com I can pick a class, even one I’m unsure of, like Starting Out With First Grade Math and then I just have to assist, not truly “teach” math. This makes my homeschool mama heart very happy. I can be confidant that the math course I choose will be taught well and that my student is learning.

 When each of my children reach about the age of five I start them with simple math workbooks from the Dollar Tree and real-life application with daily living. Once they start first grade we start a more "formal" approach to math. This class is just right for my first grade learner. It starts with simple one-to-one correspondence in lesson one and builds to mental addition and subtraction. This class  has colorful and interactive slides that teach a specific math concept before the student completes a related worksheet or activity.

More times than not, SchoolhouseTeachers.com comes to my rescue with just the course I need. And since math is a subject that isn’t my favorite to teach, I’m grateful to see so many math courses and workshops that are right at my fingertips!

There are also math workshops geared for elementary aged students and links to World Book Online articles about math.  I love the idea of having math workshops for my elementary-age children. We lean more to a mastery approach in math since my children start to get bored with repetitive review. 

Whole Number Place Value Workshop is one of the workshops that my third and fourth graders will be starting soon. This workshop goes beyond just ones-tens-hundreds place values. 

Other math workshops include the following:

1. Decimals Workshop

2. Fractions Workshop

3. Multiplication Workshop

4. Understanding Fractions Workshop. 

You can learn more about each of these workshops as well as all courses math-related on Schoolhouse Teachers.com by clicking HERE. 

Language Arts Spotlight - Schoolhouse Teachers

Language Arts Spotlight

Schoolhouse Teachers.com

This post contains my affiliate link. Thank you for supporting my blog and our homeschool!

Do you ever have those moments as a homeschool mama that make your eye twitch and you realize that Language Arts just isn’t your favorite thing to teach? No? Well I'm here to share a spotlight on some great Language Arts classes!

Back in my teaching days, I was the Language Arts teacher, but to this day I still do not like teaching spelling. All. The. Rules....now that makes my eye twitch. This is just one of the reasons why I'm grateful that I have access to SchoolhouseTeachers.com. With so many classes to choose from, I know that I can provide the opportunities to help my children to be thoughtful spellers and master the English language.

I had already planned to read several different versions of well-known fairy tales to my children this year, but I had not create the lesson plans yet. (Yes, so much to do and not enough time.) The other day I was scrolling through the Language Art classes offered on Schoolhouse Teachers.com and found this gem: Fun with Fairy Tales. Happy dance!! Now all I have to do is download and print the lesson plans then grab our stack of fairy tale books. As a busy mama of five that is a win-win in my book. 

Each class offered at SchoolhouseTeachers.com provides a clear and straightforward approach to the subject of Language Arts. Visit now to see what classes are available for your child. There are over 350 courses to choose from at Schoolhouse Teachers.com

Here are just a sampling of the classes available:

We have pre-reading, reading, and literature covered with courses such as:

ABC: What Will I Be?

Adventures with Books

African American Literature

All About the Alphabet

American Folklore

American Literature

Christian Values in J.R.R. Tolkien

Daily Puzzlers

Everyday Games

Literature Kits

Monthly Book Lists for Families

Pre-K Activities: Read and Play

Reading Lessons for Young or Struggling Readers 

Teaching Reading through Play
Worldviews in Literature

We can help your kids brush up on grammar, spelling, memorization, and research skills with courses including:

Daily Grammar

Fun with Memorization

Little Language Arts

Research Skills 7th Grade

Schoolhouse Spelling

Ways to teach writing abound with courses such as:

Adventures in Writing

Beginning Handwriting

Benjamin Franklin Writing Method

Creative Storytelling

Creative Writing

Daily Writing

Essay Writing 101

Everyday Copywork

Lapbooking

Sparking the Noggin: Creative Writing with Pictures

Writing

Writing: Advertising Copy

Writing: Mechanics

Round-up of Autumn Learning Fun

Round-up of Autumn Learning Fun

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog and our homeschool!

Autumn Fires

by

Robert Louis Stevenson

In the other gardens

And all up the vale,

From the autumn bonfires

See the smoke trail.

Pleasant summer over

And all the summer flowers,

The red fire blazes,

The grey smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!

Something bright in all!

Flowers in the summer,

Fires in the fall.

There is something just refreshing about the fall that I love. The leaves begin their slow fade before dropping to their final resting place, the weather gets cooler, and the pumpkin patches!!! Yes, fall is my favorite season. It also means hay rides, football games, sweaters and boots, and bonfires. Fall also now means fun learning activities for my children that revolve about leaves, pumpkins, acorns, and woodland animals.

In this post I have gathered some links to fun and (some) free learning for children. Please always check the price before checking out. I hope you and your children enjoy all the great things about fall and have fun learning too!

Fall Learning Links:

Free Homeschool Deals by Jamerrill

http://www.freehomeschooldeals.com/70-free-fall-learning-resources-activities-for-kids/

(Hands-down this is my FAVORITE site to visit for free learning activities for our homeschool.)

Proverbial Homemaker
https://www.proverbialhomemaker.com/counting-pumpkins-1-12-free-printable-pack.html
(Limited-time Download)

Pre-K pages

https://www.pre-kpages.com/20-fall-leaf-activities-for-preschool/

The Imagination Tree

https://theimaginationtree.com/50-autumn-play-art-activities-kids/

Education.com

https://www.education.com/worksheets/autumn-fun/

(This site has fun and educational worksheets.)

Little Bins for Little Hands

https://littlebinsforlittlehands.com/fall-science-activities-kids-hands-sensory-play/

(This is a new to me site, but it has some great ideas listed.)

The Homeschool Scientist

https://thehomeschoolscientist.com/fall-science-activities/

Our Journey Westward with Cindy West 

https://ourjourneywestward.com/nature-study-3/

(We love Cindy West's Nature Explorer products, and she has some great posts about getting started with nature study.)

Be sure to check out my Pinterest board, Homeschool:Fall Learning for even more ideas!

Don't forget the Harvest Sale over at SchoolhouseTeachers.com. {aff link} The sale will go through the end of October. 

Grace for the Overwhelming Days

Thoughts for the Overwhelmed Mom

Have you ever had one of those days where your toddler outlasted your last cup of coffee? Or you have so many things coming at you at once that vertigo has you feeling sick? Yeah, me too! Life can be overwhelming sometimes...enough said. Right?

I've had my share of those days. Days where I wished I could just hide under the covers. Would hiding solve any of the challenges for that day, week, month or even some times a year? No, not really. Awhile back I was having one of those days that turned into one of those weeks. I would cry during the day and fall asleep exhausted at night feeling like a failure. By the end of the week I had had enough of it. I was tired of being overwhelmed!!! 

See the problem came in when I kept trying to do everything in my own strength, knowledge, and routine. I kept thinking if this situation was different then maybe things would be better, or if  "this or that" could change then things would be better. I knew deep down in my heart what I should have done the first time those despairing thoughts entered my mind. But I didn't, and instead tried to deal with the feelings of inadequacies on my own. I don't know about you, but for me that is a lonely road to travel. 

Once I said "enough already" and turned to God, He was already there waiting on me to lean on Him.

One of my very favorite passage of verses talks about leaning on Him and not on my own understanding. 

Proverbs 3: 5-6 (NKJV)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

I have to trust Him, and know that He is working all things together for my good, (Romans 8:28) I have to lean on Him instead of trusting my own understanding. (Isaiah 55:8-9) When I acknowledge Him, then He will direct my steps. (Isaiah 30:21) So when those tough days come, and they will, I have to keep my thoughts on Him and offer up a prayer. Take heart, He is still there for you and me waiting for us to lean on Him. Blessings!

Our New School Year 2017-2018

Plans for Our New School Year

2017-2018

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog and our homeschool!

Wow! Can you believe that it is already October? I feel like this school year is flying by too fast for me. How is homeschooling going at your house? 

I think that our motto for this year is going to be "slow and steady wins the race". We are still working on our routine and line up for some of our subjects, but for the most part we are finding what works for us. 

This year, I have a 10, 8, 6, 3, and 1 year old. We are all learning to be more flexible than before with little ones. I have had to adjust our schedule to make room for those "interruptions" that will happen and really that's a good thing. I want my children to value people more than a to-do list, and since I'm their example I first have to show it. This homeschooling journey is becoming more beautiful the more I am learning to trust God's leading on what it is suppose to look like for our family. 

We are eclectic homeschoolers, with a CM bent, because "one size does NOT fit all" in my house. This year we will be using resources from Ambleside Online, SchoolhouseTeachers.com, Reading Eggs, Teaching Textbooks, and unit studies. I will include links below to each one so that you can check them out.

Last year was the first time that we ventured into a more Charlotte Mason approach to learning, but since I am still slowly reading through her volumes and learning myself we are not doing everything 100%. I get to help design some of the curriculum found at SchoolhouseTeachers.com, and I'm very excited to have this resource this year. I am using Reading Eggs with my struggling reader, and Teaching Textbooks for math with my artistic-driven learner. Then for fun, because my children actually like unit studies, I have sprinkled some throughout the school year. I hope you are having a great school year so far! You can tell me more about your school year in the comments below. I would love to hear from you!

Ambleside Online 
http://amblesideonline.org/

SchoolhouseTeachers.com
https://schoolhouseteachers.com/dap/a/?a=29803 {aff. link}

Reading Eggs
https://readingeggs.com/

Teaching Textbooks
http://teachingtextbooks.com/

Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett
http://unitstudy.com/

Also I am working on my own unit studies for the blog as well!! 

Walk It Out - Book Review

Walk It Out by Tricia Goyer

I am planning on making this into a series of posts about books that I have been reading, reviewing or just books that are in my "to-be-read" pile. I haven't decided if this will be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly yet. Sometimes I write about books in my homeschooling posts too.

 This is my review of the book, Walk It Out by Tricia Goyer and all opinions are my own.

If you ever get the chance to be a part of a book launch team, then I say go for it! This is something that I have been getting to do for awhile now, and I love it!!! This opportunity is great for book people. My favorite part of joining a book launch team is getting to interact with the author. I think that is just the coolest thing. OK, so here is the short and long of it. This is a first for me, but I am so honored to be working on three different book launch teams currently. They are as follows:

1. Walk It Out by Tricia Goyer
2. The Lifegiving Table by Sally Clarkson
3. Blind Spot by Dani Pettrey

Today I want to talk about the first book listed above, Walk It Out by Tricia Goyer. I am just going to say that if you are only familiar with her novels, then Walk It Out which is non-fiction will NOT disappoint you. I am greatly enjoying reading, highlighting, and making notes while going through this book. My heart has broken for the tragic events that have happened in Tricia's life, and my heart has also beamed with happiness for the awe-inspiring events. There is nothing cookie-cutter about this book. She has sprinkled gems of wisdom gleaned from her walk with the Lord. Every time that I read another chapter I am even more inspired to find more or different ways that my family and I can serve others. I come away encouraged to keep finds ways to walk out my faith. I think that it would be so neat to meet her in person, by the way. 

This post would get way too long to share all of my favorite quotes from the book, but I would like to leave you a few. 

1. "I trust and follow Him as He leads me in His perfect will. I've learned that God's good plans are not always easy or neat, but when we step out in obedience we never walk alone."
2. "His purpose for your life is one that will not only fulfill you but will also benefit the world."
3. "It seems to me that God does His best work through ill-fitted yet determined servants who willingly follow His directives."

I also have a treat for you. Tricia asked her launch team members to share the first chapter of her book Walk It Out with everyone. Yay!! Click here for more information. Thank you for sticking around until the end of this post, and I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I have. Blessings!

Announcement for Upcoming Webinar from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine

Hello Friends! I just wanted to let you know about an upcoming webinar happening this week over at The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. If you or someone you know works with children then please check out this webinar featuring Mr. Mark's Classroom. Scroll down to find the link and more information. 

Fresh Ideas to Engage your Children in Learning

Teachers need fresh ideas and practical solutions to engage their children in learning. Let us give you some terrific ideas so your child will enjoy learning and retain information better.  Our goal is to resource teachers so children are engaged and stay on task for the learning experience.  

            First, the teacher must realize the learning style of the child.  Many teachers are most comfortable teaching in their personal learning style but that might not be a match with the child or children being taught.  We will discover ways to identify the learning styles of the child and how we can adapt our methods to best fit and tailor to the learner.  Mr. Mark explains several practical ideas each teacher should work to employ in their classroom time.  Variety will always help make learning fun and exciting but teachers need ideas.  Mr. Mark’s Classroom is constantly buzzing with new resources and helps that assist teachers  with the variety they seek and it’s free.

            Second, the early childhood and early elementary children are most responsive to eight unique actions the teacher can always use.  By knowing how to use sensory, relationships, curiosity, imitation, play, repetition, satisfaction, and hands-on learning in the classroom, the teacher will discover greater engagement and even less behavior issues.  Mr. Mark uses these tried and true methods weekly and has created such fun experiences he will share with our teachers to use immediately.

Check out his website at www.mrmarksclassroom.com and begin seeing the many ideas available to you already.  Join us September 28 from 7pm-8:30pm EST to hear him teach us the wonderful methods that will refresh you in your planning and presenting material to your children.  Mr. Mark offers a free book at his website filled with easy ideas you can download now.  

Mark your calendar and register now for our free webinar with Mr. Mark’s Classroom at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8702069769773313026

Creative and Frugal Homeschooling Tip #2

Creative and Frugal Homeschooling Tips

3 Part Mini Series
(This post contains my affiliate links. Thank you for supporting my blog and homeschool!)

In the last post, I shared with you about utilizing your public library for a creative and frugal homeschooling tip. Today, I am going to be talking about a tip that is new for our family. Some of you may have heard of the homeschool magazine called The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. I have been reading this magazine for many years now. It is filled with informative and interesting articles related to homeschooling and information about homeschool-related products. 

So my second tip is the curriculum site for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, Schoolhouse Teachers.com. There will be link below for you to find out more information about Schoolhouse Teachers and about the Autumn sale that is going on until October 31st.

This is our first year to use Schoolhouse Teachers.com. Did you know that there are over 300 classes to chose from for your whole family? And even more classes are being added weekly. Wow, this is going to be a game-changer for our family this year!! I love the fact that I can pick and chose which classes to use with each of my children, and with so many to pick we will not run out of learning ideas. There is also an area for parents that include tools such as a scope & sequence, monthly menus, schedule builders, report card creators, courses, special needs helps, and the World Book Online. This site is truly a one-stop for a family education. We believe in our house that homeschooling is so much more than just teaching our children academics, it is a lifestyle for us.

So now, let's chat about the special that is happening now. From now until October 31st, you can get a Limited Membership for grades PreK-8 for $9.95/month (reg. $14.95/month) using the code CORNCOB or an Unlimited Membership for grades PreK-12 for $10.95/month (reg. $19.95/month) using the code SCARECROW. There are BONUSES as well too:

• two FREE fall-themed PRINT back issues of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine*
• a bushel of digital goodies (see overseas restrictions below)
• And, members automatically qualify to receive FREE ongoing issues of The Old Schoolhouse Magazine in the mail. The next one releases January, 2018.* (see the overseas restrictions below)

Harvest Special at Schoolhouse Teachers.com

*Sorry, physical gifts/magazine free to U.S. addresses only. For information on international shipping, please contact Customer Service. The 2010 & 2011 Fall Print Issues will be given out while supplies last. Due to limited quantities, you may receive a past Fall Print Issue from a different year (not shown). You will still be sent two of our fall-themed back issues filled with wonderful tips and autumn-related content. 

Introducing This Grace Place Book Club

Announcing 

This Grace Place Book Club!!!

I had mentioned earlier this year about starting a book club, and now I would like to cordially invite you, my readers, to join my book club. I enjoy reading and having someone to chat with about the book. Really, there is only so much my dear husband wants to hear about my mom books. 😉


Here are my thoughts about how I will be preceding with this fun idea. I have a good selection of books that I would love to read with a group of like-minded moms. We will meet every other week in a private Facebook group to discuss each chapter until we finish the book.

Sometimes the book will be a Mom book, a book about the CM method, a devotional, a classic, or Christian fiction. This book club will be a place to share what we love about what we are reading, a place to talk about areas that maybe we are struggling in, and a place to enjoy a book with a cuppa of your favorite drink and a few friends.

I hope to see you there. We will be starting our first book, Monday, September 11th. We will be reading Sally and Sarah Clarkson's book,The Lifegiving Home. You can find the Facebook group here:This Grace Place Book Club

If you have any questions or comments, leave them below or send me a message. I hope you will join my book club!

Creative and Frugal Homeschooling Tips #1

Creative and Frugal Homeschooling Tips

3 Part Mini Series

This week I will be sharing three creative and/or frugal homeschooling tips. It's that time of the year again for most -  "Back-to-Homeschool" If you are like me and still planning for the up-coming school year, then maybe one or all of the tips from this week can help you. I hope that you will find these tips to be useful, and I would love to hear how you plan a creative and frugal homeschool year.

So without further ado... 

First Tip

 

Use the resources at your local library. Sounds simple enough, right? That is because it can be if you spend time at your library, browsing the shelves, and asking your librarian questions you have. I spent about 6 years working in my hometown's public library. I had the privilege of helping numerous patrons who visited the library because that was what I was there to do. It was my job to help patrons find the books they were looking for or get set-up with their own library card or do an internet search for a homework assignment.

Sometimes I feel like this is an underused yet valuable resource available for homeschool families. Normally it is free to sign-up for a library and to check out the resources. Some libraries now have an E-book service that allows you to check out a select number of e-books at a time. In addition to books, sometimes you will find audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, magazines, newspapers, a genealogy department, puzzles, blocks, and public computers. Even if the library doesn't currently have a specific book that you are looking for, they may be able to order a copy for you to check out. 

Whether you find yourself in a tight financial place or not, please don't overlook this wonderful resource. With your library card and your child's curiosity, together your family can have a creative and frugal homeschool year.

Tomorrow I'll be back with tip #2. 

The Lifegiving Home - Book Review

Building a Lifegiving Home

I am planning on making this into a series of posts about books that I have been reading, reviewing or just books that are in my "to-be-read" pile. I haven't decided if this will be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly yet. Sometimes I write about books in my homeschooling posts too.

Reading good books is like breathing air for me. There are very few times when I do not have a book with me. Since becoming a mommy to now five munchkins, I have to be intentional about making time to read books that I want to read. This can be hard sometimes when we are in the thick of our homeschool year. Does anyone else binge read over the holidays or is it just me?

Today I am going to share with you about a book that I read awhile back but have picked back up to reread. It is Sally Clarkson's The Lifegiving Home book and study guide. I had the privilege of being apart of her launch team  before this book released back in 2016.  If you follow me on any of my other social medias then you know that I LOVE reading Sally's books. Her books are so inspiring to me on this journey of motherhood. I've even nicknamed her my "mentor mom". I love that she encourages her readers to turn to God and His Word for guidance because when the day is done ultimately God is the only One with the answers.

So let's get back to her book and the wonderful ideas that she shares with her readers. Sally actually co-authored this book with her oldest daughter, Sarah. I love Sarah's writings as well. I have some of her books too. The Lifegiving Home is a great book written to show you how you can bring back an element of beauty that seems to be lost in today's society.  So many times I have read where Sally encourages ladies to bring both beauty and truth into their lives, homes, and that of their families. Home should be the safe haven from this world that ridicules God and His Word. Our homes should be "Lifegiving" and a place of blessing for our families.

The book is broken down into two parts and includes a chapter for each month of the year. Each chapter has information about special times that can be celebrated during a specific month, stories about the Clarksons, questions to ponder, and fun ideas to incorporate or even spur you on to create your own. If you want to dig even deeper, then you will need to get the book, The Lifegiving Home Experience by Sally and Joel Clarkson. The study guide provides further study by showing you how to apply what you have read and planned in the main book. It is filled with even more ideas, questions to ponder, and book recommendations. I love books with lists of books!! If you are new to Sally Clarkson and her books, then I urge you to visit her website and to sign-up for her newsletter. She has some exciting news going on right now. You can find her at Sally Clarkson

Have you read any of Sally's books? If so, I would love to hear from you and how her books have encouraged you!