Friday, December 10, 2021
Thursday, December 9, 2021
Bruno and Frida {Review}
Sometimes friendship flourishes under the most unusual and tragic circumstances. This is exactly what happens in the story of Bruno and Frida. Caught in war torn Germany during World War II, Bruno befriends Frida, a Russian bomber-dog. Together they set out on a journey to escape the country and in the process, save each other.
This was a nicely written piece of historical fiction, presented at a lower reading level with a higher interest level. Bruno and Frida takes a honest look at the horrors of World War II, sometimes outside the realms of an age appropriate manner (the mother was brutally killed early on). Despite some of the more graphic scenes, I quite enjoyed this book until we hit the final chapter. The author attempts to correlate Nazi Germany with some refugee situations today. There's also mention of survivor guilt and how to "pay back" as way of restoration. It was all a bit heavy handed and felt contrived in today's world. The title would have received a more resounding approval had it stuck to the subject at hand.
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Friday, December 3, 2021
The Wonder of Creation {Review}
The third in a series of best selling kids' devotionals, The Wonder of Creation picks up the theme of tying God into scientific concepts. Categorized by earth, space, animals, and more, this title shares even further about how uniquely and wonderfully made our world is. Each devotion contains an Old or New Testament scripture, a brief description of the scientific principle, what this shows us about God and ourselves, a short prayer, and an additional scientific insert entitled "Explore the Wonder." The illustrations are fun and engaging, and the information is just enough to encourage further investigation without being overwhelming. The Wonder of Creation has been a beautiful addition to our homeschool routine and we're really enjoying this one. Great for elementary age learners.
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Weekend Links ll December 3, 2021
This Week:
What I'm Cooking:
Tuesday was busy around here as most Tuesdays are. Those are good crockpot nights. So this week, we made a post of lasagna soup, swapping out the lasagna noodles for bowtie. This is definitely a crowd favorite and one that doesn't really provide any leftovers. Which is a total bummer when you're a homeschool family looking for a quick lunch. But everyone was happy and full, and somewhat nourished by a hardy bowl of soup.
What I'm Reading:
I'm reading The Beginning by Beverly Lewis. I think this is her newest title. Although still in the genre of Amish fiction, I'm finding this one to be less predictable than her prior work. And I'm enjoying them very much. I'm about two thirds of the way through and I'm still left with lots of questions. It's proving to be a good read in an otherwise hectic month.
What I'm Doing:
December is always busy around here. Holiday planning is in full swing, and I'm doing my best to sit in it and enjoy. We did a little baking this week, a little crafting, some planning for upcoming events. And I've been thoroughly busy trying to get all this Christmas cards addressed.
What I'm Enjoying:
Late night crafting
Listening to Christmas carols
Soft Christmas tree lights in the mornings
Crockpot recipes
Homemade muffins!
What are you up to?
Wednesday, December 1, 2021
Simply Christmas {Review}
Simply Christmas is a collection of thirty-one short devotionals designed to bring our focus back to the Lord in a busy, hectic season. Each day's reading is concise and impactful (only requiring a few minutes), coupled with beautiful photographs and fun ideas for adding more meaning to your holiday traditions.
This devotional is very much about simplifying. If your holiday season has become hectic, this book is all about reclaiming the habit of short, quick devotional reading and re-centering on the meaning of Christmas. The readings aren't very deep. Rather Simply Christmas is meant for quick reflection. It was a cute book and would make a nice devotional for new Christians or young moms.
*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
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