Books

  • Book: “You’re Hired” by Bill Rancic

    A few years ago my husband and I watched the “reality” TV show “The Apprentice” with Donald Trump.  After winning on “The Apprentice” he wrote this book “You’re Hired” by Bill Rancic.  I received the book from a library sale and figured it may be something fun to read.  My first thought was that it would be primarily about his time on the show and how he won.  He did mention his time on “The Apprentice” and various factors related to that, however, the majority of the book gave you interesting insights into his life and entrepreneurial ventures (from buying junk cars to washing boats and more) .  The book was a good reminder to always continue learning, being a “sponge”, and that your attitude makes an impact both personally and professionally.

  • Getting My Attention

    Do you ever have those wild stressful days?  Recently I had one of those days when I had a lot going on and the girls were trying to help but they were slowing down the process.  Since we had to get going soon I told them to relax quietly together so I could finish up the last few items then we could leave.  It was one of those rushed days that are more stressful than usual and I had over committed myself.

    After completing the necessary tasks I went to find the girls,  they had been quiet the past fifteen minutes so I was interested in finding out what had captivated their attention.  My heart about burst when I went into the dining room.  They were standing at the table taking turns reading The Big Picture Story Bible by David Helm together.  As I stood there listening to them share story after story and point out the pictures on the pages I was so happy that they were  sharing this time together.  It was amazing how much they remembered from going through the book with them even though it was several devotional books ago.

    However, at the same time I was convicted because it was a fast paced day and I hadn’t taken the time that morning to do my devotions.  God used my sweet girls to grab my attention and gently remind me of the importance of having quiet time each day.  How I chose to live my life has a ripple effect on my family and the people around me.  I am thankful for these quiet reminders.  I trust that God will continue to do a work in my life.

    We do devotions with the girls in the evenings before bed (most nights).  They always look forward to reading together.  Typically,  Jake will read them a chapter from a book we are going through together then I will do the devotional book with them.  If time is tight we just do the devotional book.  During the Holidays we were staying up too late so we would just pray with them before tucking them into bed at night.  We are excited to get back into the routine and see all the neat things that they will learn this year.

  • FREE Tag Book from LeapFrog!

    You can get a free LeapFrog Tag “Ozzie and Mack”, or a LeapFrog Tag Jr. “Animal Orchestra” storybook when you link your LeapFrog toy(s) or DVD(s) on the LeapFrog’s Learning Path site.  Free shipping included!  This book is totally FREE ($9.99 value)!

    • Go online and type in shop.LeapFrog.com/freebookk

    Rules & Information:  Limit one per household. The offer is valid from 7/1/10 though 3/1/11 or while supplies last. Valid only in the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia and Canada, excluding Quebec. We are not able to ship to P.O. Box, APO or FPO addresses at this time.

    Most families have at least one of the LeapFrog toys, games, or DVD’s that will qualify them for this offer.  All you have to do is sign up and get your free book!

    We got the girls a Tag Reader for Christmas and they LOVE it!  They will be thrilled to get another book to read and I love that it’s free!

  • Book: “Lioness Arising” by Lisa Bevere

    Lisa Bevere’s new book “Lioness Arising” encourages Christian women to wake up and make an impact on world around them.  The idea for the book was from a vision Lisa had while she was still pregnant with her fourth son.  Although some may perceive “Lioness Arising” to be a more feminist book you have to look at the book in it’s entirety; it is meant to be a motivational call to stir the hearts women.  A change in history usually starts when one person chooses to stand up while everyone else is still seated.

    “Lioness Arising” is a fresh reminder to women that we have been designed by a creator and called to live a life of purpose.  It is evident in the book that Lisa has a fascination with the lion analogy based off the stories she reveals and the powerful images of the lioness she paints with her words.  Comparing a lioness’ beauty and power to women of faith gave the book a unique twist over some of the other ones I have read in the past.  Unlike many of us, the lioness is comfortable (and content) in her own skin and her beauty is revealed in her strength.

    Sometimes we need a “wake up” call to motivate us into action.  God gives us the skills we need to serve him, however, so often we are more concerned about figuring out the step-by-step process that we take too long and we miss out on some great things he has planned for us.  Lisa gives several biblical examples of women who made history.  This books calls you to be fully awake and ready to write your piece of history.   As women we need to let go of the baggage and life’s daily obligations that are holding us back in order to be attentive to the needs around us.  Lisa encourages women to unite together, uplift each other, and make an difference.

    Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher through the Waterhouse Multnomah.  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.”

  • Life Simplified: Sell, Give, Donate or Toss It?

    I was listening to the radio a few weeks ago and heard the announcer telling a personal story how she had a box of knickknacks and other items.  She was procrastinating on organizing the items and as she was going through it she was trying to decide what she should give away, put away or throw away……in the end she just got a bigger box.

    This little story stood out to me because I have been thinking about how we as a family and Americans in general need to cut back.  One of my goals in 2011 is to simplify my life more by enjoying the blessings and not wasting what God has given me.  I have been sharing with you the successes and challenges on those specific areas in my life as I go through them.

    My Third Life Simplified Goal:

    • Organize & De-Clutter our Home

    Explanation of the Goal: When my husband and I were first married we lived a nice but small apartment.  When we had friends over to eat we had to sit on the floor or the hand-me-down love seat that I received from a client that was throwing it out.  The majority of our items have been purchased second hand or given to us by family or friends.  After a couple years in the apartment we moved into our home and then had kids.  Recently as we were sitting together talking about life we realized how much “stuff” we had accumulated over the course of a few years.  I am a sentimental person so a lot of items have a story behind them, but there a many items in our home we no longer use.  The girls have baby toys that they no longer play with along with knickknacks here and there.  Over the course of the year we a going to reorganize and de-clutter our home.  I think it will be a continual work in progress, however, if we are not using an item we need to evaluate if we really need it.

    Here are some ways we anticipate eliminating some of the clutter:

    • Sell It – EBay, CraigsList, or Garage Sale
    • Give It Away – to someone needing or wanting the item.
    • Donate it to a charity or an organization that can give it to a person who can use it
    • Throw it away – this one is hard for me!  I am still learning that it is okay to not keep every single piece of paper my kids scribble on.  I want to have some to put in a scrapbook for them but I don’t need every paper.  I love the memories!

    We have already started working on this goal.  It is amazing how easy it is to post to CraigsList and Ebay which the items usually sell within a week or two.  When someone is over at the house and we realize that they could use something we have but are not using we take the opportunity to give it away.

    I will share with you the challenges, successes so you can keep me accountable or even go through the journey with me by participating  and sharing your story.  I would love to have an organized and de-cluttered home by the end of the year.

    Life Simplified is a series on getting rid of the extras in our life while learning how to enjoy what God has given us so we can continue to be a blessing to others.  Our homes can quickly start are bursting with “stuff”  and if you are like us we just have too much.  I am doing a series on ways we are learning to simplifying our food, homes, and lives.  When our hearts, lives, and homes get too cluttered we may start missing out on opportunities to serve and bless the people around us.

  • Book: “Made to Stick” by Dan Heath and Chip Heath

    I read Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Dan Heath and Chip Heath a couple years ago.  I enjoyed the illustrations as well as the information they shared.  It is a great book and whether you are a student, business person or professional it gives a lot of good insights.  Below are six quick points they made in the book:

    • Simplicity
    • Unexpectedness
    • Concreteness
    • Credibility
    • Emotions
    • Stories

  • Book: “The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas Stanley

    My husband and I listened to The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley the first time together.  I found the book at the library book sale and went through it again.  It is about the study of Americas deca-millionaires by leading expert Thomas Stanley and the surprising habits and lifestyles of America’s wealthy.  It was a neat book to listen to as a couple or read on your own.  It provides some great topics for discussion.

  • Book: Better Homes and Gardens

    Grandma Willa gave me this cook book –  Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book as a wedding gift and we use it all the time.  Grandma Willa is one of the most amazing cooks I know.  I am thankful for the times we had cooking together.  Grandma is still cooking a lot of meals for family and friends but due to distance I am not able to participate in her cooking adventures as often as I like.  Below is the note she put in my cook book, which I treasure even more then the cook book itself:

    What’s Cooking?

    Bridgette,

    My Aunt Zell Body, gave me a BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS cook book as a Wedding gift.  It was my first and faithful cook book, and I found it to have many helpful hints as well as great recipes.

    I and the girls wore one out, and almost the second one over the many years.  If I couldn’t find something, needed to substitute, know cuts of meat etc….. I’d go to old faithful BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS.  I hope this new version is as good or better than my old one was.

    Happy Cooking!!!

    Love,

    Grandma Willa

    “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.” – John 6:35