Weekend Links ll April 28, 2023

 

Star Wars Chore Charts

Goal Setting Worksheets

Elephant Lapbook

Cake Pan Layered Salad

Printable Periodic Table Board Game

Printable Flower Matching Game

This Week: 

What I'm Cooking:

We are trying to squeeze in all our favorite crockpot soups this week since the weather will be changing soon.  So my favorite soup this week was Pasta E Fagoili.  My 11 year old even loves this one.  To make it even easier, I chop all my veggies, brown the burger, and sautee the vegetables the night before.  That makes dumping everything in the crockpot even easier in the morning.  Plus my teenage son has been learning to make homemade rolls so we put our favorite together and came up with a pretty good dinner.

What I'm Reading:

My current non-fiction book is The Hope We Hold by Jeremy and Jinger Vuolo.  This one has been out for awhile, but I just didn't have the time to pick it up.  I'm just starting this one today so we'll see if it's any good.

What I'm Doing:

This week flew by.  I had jury duty for several days which was definitely a difficult balancing act with kids, a car in the shop, and homeschool.  Both the teenagers also came down with a nasty cold and as sweet as they have been, it's still been tugging at my heart strings to see them sick.  So I've been doing as much as I can to help them feel better.

What I'm Enjoying:

Ceiling fans...

21 Day Fix Extreme...

Summer dresses...

What are you up to?

The Dreamkeeper Saga: Lost in the Caverns {Review}

In this third book of the Dreamkeeper Saga, twelve year old Lily must protect Prince Rowan from wicked king Magnus and restore the kingdom of the Mist Elves.  As an artisan, Lily is used to imagining and creating.  Instead, this time, Prince Pax tells her to share his story with everyone she meets.  Still the pull to create creeps into Lily's heart and she struggles to follow Pax's request.  Along their journey, Lily and Rowan encounter a host villains as they work to rescue forgotten dreams, prisoners, and a mysterious creator.  Will Lily be able to stay true to her word and share Pax's story in the face of her own fears and insecurities?

 This is the third book that I've read from author Kathryn Butler.  My 11 year old son and I were introduced to this series last April when the first book was published and we've been big fans ever since.  The storylines just keep getting better and better.  I love how the author has been able to continue some characters from book to book and still keep introducing new realms and adventures.  These books are very similiar in fashion to the works of C.S. Lewis as well as The Green Ember series.  There are lots of Christian themes including the fight of good vs. evil and the redemption story.  There are definitely some dark villains that play on Lily's weaknesses, but even then, we're see the lessons of facing our fears and staying focused on what is true.  We love this series and highly recommend it to readers of all ages.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

The Weaving of Life {Review}

 

The first in a new series, The Weaving of Life introduces readers to Susan Lapp, an independent young Amish woman determined not to marry and settle down.  Jadded by watching her sisters' spoiled marriages, Susan commits herself to the single life.  But when her brother's co-worker comes into her life, Susan begins to experience new and confusing feelings.  Fleeing these feelings, she takes a teaching job as part of a new Amish settlement in the west.  However, even here, life is far from perfect.  Susan's new life is rocked with homesickness, teaching challenges, and new relationships.  Will Susan ever find God's will through life's ups and downs?

This is only the second book I've read by author Linda Byler and it was much more interesting than the first. The character of Susan Lapp is complex and interesting.  At the beginning of the book, she is so frustrating.  There is so much about her character that is dislikable.  But as the book progresses, we get to see different sides of her.  Her complexity becomes more obvious and she's much more relatable.  The book took several twists and turns, leading to multiple settings and introducing a host of characters.  All the personalities displayed and the cliffhanger at the end were really what made The Weaving of Life interesting.  I'm anxious to see how some of these loose ends get resolved in book two.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.

Weekend Links ll April 21, 2023

Spring Brunch Tulip Toast

Sausage and Lentil Slow Cooker Stew

25 Creative Ways to Learn Math In the Garden

DIY Fairy Garden Ideas

On the Introverted Mom Homeschooling Extroverted Children

This Week: 

What I'm Cooking:

We have been loving playing with fish tacos lately... finding a good fish, making a great homemade salsa, and recruiting my daughter to make homemade tortillas.  It all comes together beautifully.

Other than that, dinners this week were pretty simple.  We're turning the corner into a true spring so it's been less crockpot soups and many more nutritious salads and quick sandwiches.

What I'm Reading:

This week I finally picked up Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.  I first heard about this week while taking a literature course through Hillsdale College and added it to my reading list.  So far, I don't really know what to think of it.  I'm trying to wrap my mind around if it's just humorous, is it satire... what was Twain trying to say here.  I'm still just a few pages in so I'm not sure if I'll stick with it or not, but at least giving it a try.

What I'm Doing:

Working in the backyard... doing lots of parenting work... trying to wrap my mind around having a homeschool graduate in 6 short weeks...

What I'm Enjoying:

Evening walks with this mild weather...

Baking with the kids...

Stretching out of my comfort zone...

What are you up to?

Teatime Discipleship {Review}

 

In Teatime Discipleship, author Sally Clarkson shares from the Scriptures, quotes, life stories and more that have shaped her unique philosophy of discipleship.  Centered around the theme of teatime, Clarkson speaks of opening her home and her heart in order to cultivate deep relationships and ultimately share the hope of the gospel.  She encourages readers that each discipleship relationship will be special based on their own story of God in their lives, and that He is willing and waiting to use them in the world.  Filled with encouragement, teatime ideas, and recipes, Teatime Discipleship draws the reader to sit at the feet of Jesus and share his message with others.

Clarkson does a wonderful job of reminding all of us to slow down and invest in those around us.  She shares how her own journey required her to reach out to others often, a reality that is especially prevalent in today's lonely world.  Still she found encouragement from Jesus and reaped the benefits of a life spent giving of herself.  In a time where we all desire to make an impact, such a simple act of sharing tea can often be overlooked.  But it's this simple act that opens a multitude of hearts.  I loved listening to the author narrate this audiobook version.  She's speaks with such love and gentleness.  A physical copy of this book would make a wonderful gift and would be an encouragment for years to come.

*Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book for review from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.