I got this book so that I could use it for my preschool class. The winter curriculum covers polar bears and snow... and this book includes both! :o) 

This is a great book to read to little ones. It is about a little Polar bear who asks his mother questions about other bears. The mother takes the bear to a zoo where they learn about different bears around the world! I absolutely love the illustrations!! It is a beautiful book! 

The book really focuses on God as the creator, a very creative creator!! They discus the different types of bears, where they live, and what they eat. Like every child, the little bear responds with more questions of why... The book also discusses how we must take care of the gift God has given us, our Earth. 

I definitely would give this book as a gift to young children. It's also a very simple book to read, great for beginning readers! I will definitely read this book to my preschool class and my kids!

I received this book from Waterbooks Press!! 

Book Review: Stories about Jesus

I selected this book because I teach preschool for 3 year old kids. I was surprised when I received this book, and the WHOLE book was "hard covered"! This book is perfect for the 3 year olds. It will definitely stand the test of a classroom of 3 year olds! The pages are glossy so you won't have to worry about sticky fingers! Just simply wipe it off!

As for the stories, this book includes the story of Jesus' Birth, Jesus' baptism, healing the sick boy, bringing a girl back to life, walking on water, loving children, Zacchaeus, healing the blind man, calming the storm, story of the lost sheep, Peter and the fish/coin, the man healed of leprosy saying thanks, and the resurrection.

The actual stories are not very well written, but easy for 3 year old to understand. The font is large so beginner readers can read it easily. The stories include the reference of the passage where the stories are from the Bible. The illustrations are pretty. I will use this book to teach Sunday school and my preschool class, but I would definitely include other children's books to get a more in-depth explanation of the stories.

I received this book for free from BookSneeze.com!

Book Review: Couples Who Pray

I have to admit... the reason why I was drawn to this book is because of my current prayer life right now... The book mentioned that many couples only pray together during meals... well, that's pretty much the extent of my personal prayer life.

After reading this book, I realized the importance of prayer not just in my personal life, but in my marriage as well!! The book isn't a step-by-step guide on what to pray for during your 40 Day Prayer challenge, but more of an encouragement on why you want to do it!

The authors point out the significance of 40 days, referencing the story of Noah, Moses, David and Goliath, Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness, and the time Jesus spent with his disciples after the resurrection! All those major events took 40 days of prayer!

The authors also provide tips for your prayer challenge. Some easier than others! For example... praying in every day language is an easy tip to follow, but praying out loud with your spouse might be more difficult for others. There are only 10 tips, and hopefully couples will be able to use these tips to make their prayer life better!

Common prayer topics are addressed in the book, such as finances, tithing, and forgiveness. The book is a really easy read and the topics broken down to seem so simple! Application on the other hand can be a bit more tricky! They use examples of other couples who have seen the power of their power life! The stories are moving and encouraging. I highly recommend couples to read this book together, and do the prayer challenge together as well. This book includes a survey for both spouses to take (Appendix 1 and 2) and information about online resources as well to help support couples during the prayer challenge.    

We will be starting our 40 day prayer challenge today! We will see where God takes us through the power of prayer!

Note: I received this copy of the book from Booksneeze.com!

Book Review: The Power Based Life

Like most people in the world... I always ask myself... "What do I want to be when I grow up?"

This book will NOT answer that question, but it can help set you up to discover how you can come to answer that question, searching to find purpose in your life. Mike Flynt does a fantastic job discussing what it takes to succeed in life... not how to make the most money, or find your perfect job, but building the foundation to find purpose and fulfillment in life... the most important foundation being Jesus Christ! He also discusses the importance of our attitude and what we focus on, who we surround ourselves with and who else is "on our team", and encouraging words from the Bible on overcoming adversity.

He does a great job combining scripture, funny stories of his experiences, other people's experiences, and what they had to do and endure to get to the places in their lives where they found success, purpose, and fulfillment.

Mike Flynt uses scripture and Biblical stories as examples and support of his arguments, but it never felt as though he was trying to convert the reader.

This is a good read for almost anyone who is still searching for something more from their life. Like I mentioned... it won't answer the question what you should be when you grow up, but it will open your eyes to see how other people go there and may even open your eyes to see how you could get there!

Book Review: Love and War Devotional for Couples

I was looking for a couples devotional for me and my husband... and this is wonderful!!! It is a 8 week long devotional, 5 days a week. They are short and to the point. The topics range from expectations, to intimacy. Each day has scripture, prayer, and a short message from the authors. The devotionals are very easy to ready but with a very strong message.

I would recommend all couples to read this together. Whether you are newly weds, and married for 20 years, all couples can gain something from taking 5 minutes a day to do this devotional.

Note: "I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review".

Book Review: International Children's Bible: Holy Bible

When I first read the description for this Bible, I thought it was a children's "bible story" book... not the actual Bible... so as you can imagine, I was utterly disappointed when I received a full children's translation of the Holy Bible instead. The images on the cover are actually a bit difficult to see due to the glitter effect. Jesus is the only clear image... the rest of the characters you see above are actually pretty difficult to see.

Even though the cover might not be to my liking, the translation is very good. I will be using this translation to teach my elementary school kids during story time, but I would not use it for an actual Bible study. Even though the translation is written so that kids can understand what they are reading, I feel that some of the changes made in translation takes away the original meaning.

This Bible has a dictionary in the back with full definitions, and references to where it is mentioned in the Bible. This is a wonderful feature for youngsters... even for adults! As for the pictures in the Bible, it will definitely attract children, but as an adult, I was not a fan of the computerized characters.

Even though I was not a fan of the art inside or on the cover, I would give this book as a gift to an upper elementary school student. It is easy to read, with good size font and would be a good resource for the kids.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Recipe: Cranberry-Orange Scones

I found this recipe on: Obsessed With Baking Blog

Ingredients:
2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar (I added 4 tbsps for a bit more sweetness)
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter
1/2 cup craisins
1 cup heavy cream 
zest of one orange



Directions I followed:
Step 1: Place all ingredients except for heavy cream in food processor... and pulse about 12 times or so. 
Step 2: Pour cream in slowly and mix... next time, I will use the KitchenAid Mixer.
Step 3: Cut dough in half. Make into ball, flatten into about 1/2 inch thick or so and slice into 8 pieces. 
Step : Bake at 425 degrees for 12-14 minutes on un-greased baking sheet.


I liked this recipe because it didn't require too many ingredients, and it was sooo easy to make! One modification I would make is to put an orange glaze on top for that extra zest! :o) Yummy.