Thursday, February 28, 2019

Farmhouse Style Easter Decor {Carrots & Bunnies}

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Decorate for spring and Easter with cute farmhouse style bunnies and carrots. Add a festive touch to tiered trays, tablescapes, vignettes, and more. I love that Easter decor can stay out for all of March and April! 

All products shows are from Etsy.  Scroll down for decor ideas, and just click on titles or images for details.

Happy Shopping!

This post contains affiliate links. I make a small commission (at no cost to you) for purchases made through the links in this post. Thank you!


















Max and Ruby Party Supplies

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Don't Close Your Eyes by Bob Hostetler {Book Review}

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Don't Close Your Eyes

Written by Bob Hostetler
Illustrated by Mark Chambers


Synopsis


Even after a full day of play, sleepy animals try to stay awake.




About the Book

Don't Close Your Eyes is a 20-page, padded board book perfect for lulling children to sleep after a busy day. Children will encounter forest and farm animals alike on this nighttime adventure. They can follow along and try to stay awake as they listen to soothing, rhyming text and look at engaging, silly illustrations. 

One silly thing about this book is that it encourages sleepy children to do the very thing that they DO want to do, which is NOT close their eyes to go to sleep. The book talks about all the things that happen at night such as the sun sinking in the sky, the moon sneaking out, stars sparkling, and animals settling down to rest. However, the text continues to urge children to NOT close their eyes whatever they do. 

Here's an example from the book:

"You know that if you close your eyes,
You'll never stay awake.
So keep those peepers open wide. 
Don't blink for goodness' sake!"

The illustrations are funny, too. Some animals are pictured with their eyes open extremely wide while others have drooping, half-open eyes. And then there are some who've given up altogether on trying to stay awake. The last two pages show animals who are all finally fast asleep. 







My Thoughts

Goodness, how many times did I put my little ones to bed only to hear, "But I'm not tired!" If you've been reading my children's book reviews lately, you know how much I love goodnight books. I think Don't Close Your Eyes is a GREAT book to add to your bedtime reading routine.

I love all the blue, green, and turquoise colors that are perfect for nighttime. Plus, these rich colors are a nice backdrop for making all the silly animals pop right off the pages in the soft moonlight. Some of the text flows in a wavy pattern which I think adds a nice touch as well. 

This book offers a really fun way to try some reverse psychology on your kids. ;) Not only that, I foresee some giggles and snuggles galore. The text is great. The illustrations are great. I think this book will quickly become a favorite!


Book Rating: 5 stars.

Purchase the book here. 


I review for BookLook Bloggers




Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers 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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

St. Patrick's Day Farmhouse Decor

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When my kids were little, we'd always celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a story and some festive food. Now that everyone's older, I usually make corned beef and practice my royal icing flooding with shamrock sugar cookies. :)

But I confess, I've never really decorated for St. Patrick's Day. If I did, I'd definitely pick some of these cute, farmhouse style items from Etsy! If you like to decorate for St. Patrick's Day, check out these signs and banners.

Happy Shopping!

Affiliate links are included in this post. I make a small commission (at no cost to you) for items purchased through these links. Thank you!



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Sunday, February 10, 2019

Farmhouse Living Room Signs

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Personalize your living room with a farmhouse home sign. Choose from premade signs to custom established and custom saying signs - whatever makes your room feel like YOU!

These signs would make great new home or wedding gifts, too.

I found all of these signs on Etsy! Which one is your favorite? I think for me it's a tie between the first sign and the second-to-last sign. :)

Happy Shopping!

This post contains affiliate links. I make a small commission for purchases made (at no cost to you) through these links.

















Bob Ross and Friends Party Supplies

Wednesday, February 06, 2019

The Warrior Maiden by Melanie Dickerson {Book Review}

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Affiliate link included at the end of this post. I make a small commission for purchases made through the link. Thank you!


A friar came to her village and pointed her out in a crowd. 

He said she would conquer an oppressor in a foreign land 

and a nation would call her blessed.


Mulan knows that at her age she is expected to get married and start a family, but marrying the heartless butcher is out of the question. With her father dead and unable to fulfill his duty to the army, she decides to fight in her father's stead disguised as a boy named Mikolai. 

Girls can't be soldiers. Even with the comfort of the prophecy, Mulan knows no one must find out about her if she has any hope of saving her mother and home. Will she be able to keep her identity a secret?

Wolfgang and his brother Steffan have been commissioned by their father, the duke of Hagenheim, to aid their Polish ally, Duke Konrad, in fighting against the Teutonic Knights who are oppressing others for their own gain. 

Rebellious Steffan threatens to join the Teutonic Knights, his German brothers, instead. Will Wolfgang be forced to fight his brother in battle?


As allies fighting against the same enemy, Mulan and Wolfgang meet during an archery contest. Mulan is drawn to the tall, handsome soldier but tries to mask her true feelings. Wolfgang is suspicious about this boy, Mikolai, who may be a worthy archer but otherwise a poor soldier. Though he wonders if he's pretender or spy, he finds himself becoming fast friends with the feminine-looking soldier. 

Bonds tighten as Mulan and Wolfgang fight side by side in battle and win the respect of their fellow soldiers and even Duke Konrad himself. However, when Mulan's secret becomes impossible to keep, will Mulan and Wolfgang become foes or will they be able to forge ahead as friends fighting for all they hold dear?






My Thoughts


The Warrior Maiden is the ninth book in Melanie Dickerson's Hagenheim fairy tale romance series, a series I've really enjoyed reading. I like the medieval, Lithuanian setting and the joining of the Hagenheim family to the story of Mulan.

I actually watched Mulan for the first time last year. I'm glad I did since it's kind of fun to already know the real fairy tale before I read a retelling of a fairy tale. It really wouldn't matter either way, though. Fairy tales are great no matter what! 

Of course, as a Christian, I appreciate the faith element and how the author weaves that aspect into the lives of these fairy tale characters. Though they're not perfect, Wolfgang and Mulan are noble and honorable characters, and I liked watching their friendship develop into something more.

The book is a simple, sweet YA romance. It's clean, but there seems to be a bit more kissing in this one than in the other books in this series. The battles are exciting and the tension between Wolfgang and his brother keep the story moving along. For some reason, though, I like the first 7 books in this series better than the last two. So, that's why I am giving this book 4 starts instead of five.



Book Rating: 4 stars

Purchase the book here.


Or purchase through my Amazon affiliate link:


I review for BookLook Bloggers


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers 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 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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