The Kitchen Ecosystem: A Book Review

A large box came in the mail. What is this?! it was The Kitchen Ecosystem by Eugenia Bone. The box and mounds of bubble wrap were a bit much, but the book did come in pristine condition. It is quite the heavy tome. The cover is beautiful and the pictures throughout are wonderful. The introduction was very inspirational. It really got me thinking about how I have and can use so many of the food things I tend to toss out from bones to carrot tops. Eugenia talks about creating your own kitchen ecosystem where your meals are interconnected with each other and where there is less waste. I love the concept. I can't wait to implement it in my own kitchen, when I finally have one again.

I know many people who would love this book. It has creative recipes and they look mouthwatering. The problem that I have is that so many of the "staple" ingredients in her book are not available in our small town grocery store. Corn, check. Carrots, check. Chicken, check. Lobster, duck, fennel, not so much. The likelihood that I would be able to make many of these recipes is very slim. The one thing I really liked in this book was the variety of broth and stock recipes that can use leftover bits and bones. It is an awefully big book to keep around for that handful of recipes though.

I am inspired by the concept of this book. I plan to take Eugenia Bone's advice and create an ecosystem in my kitchen. I plan to use my own recipes with the foods available in my area. She doesn't recommend simply following her recipes, she wants you to create an ecosystem of your own and is simply showing how she has done it. In concept I give this book a 5 out of 5, but if I had purchased this book for myself, I would have been sorely disappointed. So, I will average it out with a midrange 3.

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I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Lost in Translation: A Book Review

Lost in Translation by Ella Frances Sanders is a beautiful little book. I was expecting a large coffee table book, probably paperback. Instead I opened my package and found this adorable hardcover book that is not much bigger than a steno pad. The cover really describes it well when it says it is "an illustrated compendium of untranslatable words from around the world."

Each two page spread is set up the same. The first page is a solid block of color with a short paragraph describing what the word means and the language the word comes from. The second page contains original artwork from the author with the word and the definition. It is very interesting to see which languages feel it necessary to have words for certain things like a third cup of coffee or the way your heart beats before leaving for an exciting adventure.

This is a great coffee table book, and it won't even take up your whole coffee table. You will enjoy the artwork and learning a little something about the languages of the world.

 

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I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

Dear Luke: A Book Review

Dear Luke, We Need to Talk, Darth is the long and crazy name of the book I am reviewing today. Written by John Moe, it is a satirical collection of letters, e-mails, and other communiques from many notable areas of pop culture. You would be hard pressed to find an adult, and it is very much a book for adults, that does not find something that makes them laugh. Whether it is the journal of Bruce the shark (from Finding Nemo) falling off the bandwagon and inadvertently becoming the shark from Jaws, the CIA log of Gilligan studying the effect of stranding people on an island, or the Welp reviews of such notable stops as Moe's Tavern, Bates Motel, and Bronto Burgers in Bedrock.

This book will be a hit if you enjoy dark comedy. It is quite cynical most of the time. As I tried to think of a way to describe this unique book I began to think of The Stinky Cheese Man. For those who aren't familiar with it, it is a picture book which sheds a cynical and comedic look at popular fairy tales. Dear Luke is like a grown up version of the popular 90's picture book.

Overall I would have to say that I truly enjoyed about half of this book. The book is clever and well put together. I do like a good dark comedy from time to time and this was no exception. At times it went a little too far, funny to uncomfortable in a matter of sentences. The other half of the book I was not familiar with the references to or were completely uninteresting to me, like the numerous Super Bowl Half-time ideas that peppered the entire book. The thing that bothered me the most was the gratuitous foul language. I am an adult, the book is for adults, and a little language here and there isn't necessary but not a deterrent. There are times, like in Dorothy's letter to Glinda, that the "F" word shows up several times in each paragraph. I thought the idea for Dorothy's letter was hilarious and witty, but the over use of swearing destroyed the youthful innocence of the character instead of playing upon it.

I am happy I read the book. I had many a good laugh. My recommendation is to enjoy the sections that are funny to you and simply bypass the stuff you don't get or don't like.

I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.

 

Books My 6 Year Old Loves to Read

I am going to stick with my reading theme today and share some of my six year old son's favorite books.

Elephant and Piggie Books by Mo Willems

These books are his number one favorite right now. They are easy for him to read. They don't pose much of a challenge for him. They are so funny and silly though. He reads them over and over again. Anyone who is willing to listen will be read one or six of these books. The enjoyment level is high and his reading fluency has improved drastically from reading and rereading this wonderful series.  

 

Little Bear By Else Holmelund Minarik

This series is a classic and a TV show. My little guy doesn't remember the show but has fallen in love with the Little Bear books. This series introduced him to the joy of chapter books. Each book has four stories/chapters that add to one cohesive theme throughout the book. The text is difficult enough to challenge him but not hard enough to frustrate him. He loves the stories and the characters. We even enjoyed a chapter this morning from Little Bear's Visit.

 

Fly Guy by Tedd Arnold

This chapter book series is short and easy to read. It is easier and shorter than Little Bear. That is one of the reasons my little guy loves Fly Guy. He really enjoys all the silly adventures that Fly Guy goes on. Sometimes Fly Guy simply goes on a road trip, but sometimes things get more wild like in Fly Guy and the Frankenfly.  

 

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

To be fair he hasn't actually finished one of these. Book one was the first chapter book he attempted. He is at least five chapters in though and really gets into the story. The text is challenging for him quite often but he makes it through each page quite well. One of the reasons he has shelved this book for a while is that he really needed to feel the accomplishment of finishing books and this one will take quite a long time for him to finish. He is really drawn in by the story and characters. I think this book will be back in his hands soon because he really wants to see what happens to these four orphans living in a boxcar.

What are some of your kiddos favorite books to read? I know my little guy would love some recommendations!

Hunt For the Devil's Dragon: a Book Review

Hunt for the Devil’s Dragon by Marianne Hering and Wayne Thomas Batson is the first book for young readers that I have had the privilege to review and I must say it was a fantastic way to start. I read this book with my 5 year old son and he was thrilled to find out that there were more in the series. As a 5 year old, he isn't quite read to read this book himself. I love that it says right on the book that the reading level is grade 2.2. That makes it easy to know if this book is at your child's level. He also loved the action . He didn't want me to stop reading at the end of any chapter. We only took a breather because 14 chapters is a lot to read out loud in one sitting.

From my mom's perspective, I liked that the type was large for young readers and that there were beautiful illustrations dotting the book. The series is very similar to The Magic Tree House series. It is so much more in depth though. Instead of simply going on a mission to retrieve an object the go into history to learn valuable life lessons. Their connections with the characters they meet are meaningful and go beyond the surface.

The series is also Christian themed but not all the characters are Christians. In this book Georgius is a Christian Roman guard. We get to see the difficulties he faces being the only Christian in the story. He is also a wonderful example of the way that Christians should behave. Georgius is kind and forgiving even to those who are mean and hurtful. 

We will absolutely be getting more of this series. It is also available on the Kindle which is great for our trying to downsize for our mission trip. I hope the e-book is as stunning as the paperback was. 

Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book.

More Cindy Woodsmall

I recently did a review for the book A Season for Tending (you can find the review here). Well, I got an e-mail to let me know that book #2 is coming out! Plus I have embedded below the first chapter for all of you to read. I am looking forward to seeing what happens next in King's Orchard!

The Winnowing Season by Cindy Woodsmall (Sneak Peek) by WaterBrook Multnomah

Upside-Down Prayers for Parents - A Review

Upside-Down Prayers for Parents by Lisa Bergren is a wonderful parent's devotional. Inside its covers are 31 devotionals. Each devotional starts with something you should pray for your child. These are not your run of the mill prayers for happiness, safety, and wonderful spouses. These are prayers that will result in great spiritual growth, for example:

I pray you will...

• suffer loss so you can see how God can use all things for good
• face hardships so you can see how the Lord provides
• get so weary that you will give up and learn that through submission to God comes great strength

After this short prayer suggestion is a short bible verse. Then it gets to the meat. Lisa spends roughly 2-3 pages discussing the reasons behind the prayer. She writes in a way that is completely relatable and I saw myself in nearly every page of this book. Next is a prayer to pray. I noticed right off that these prayers are just as much for the parents as for the children, if not more.

God put this book in my hands today. It could only have been His timing as it has been sitting on my dresser for about a week.. It was a rough weekend and Monday. God used this book to speak to me today. That's right, today I went through the entire book. Nearly all of the devotions and prayers related to the specific difficulties that I have been struggling with over the past 3 days. I needed this book today and am grateful to have had the chance to read it. It may have made its way onto my exclusive list of books to bring on our mission trip.

That is not were the devotion ends though. There is a small area to record your thoughts on the questions about the theme of the day's devotion. Also, there are questions to ask younger kids or older kids to help them understand the topics and help apply them to their lives. This is a book I plan on returning to time and again. I highly recommend it!

I would like to thank Water Brook Multnomah for providing me with a free copy of this book to review as a part of the Blogging for Books program.

Miracle for Jen: a Book Review

Thank you to Tyndale Blog Network for giving me a copy of this book to review!

This is an incredible true story told by Linda Barrick. Linda, her husband, daughter (Jen), and son are the victims of a horrible car crash leaving Jen in a coma after serious head trauma. The book starts out with a detailed account of the crash itself. How they reacted, a recap of the events leading to the crash, and journey from the car to the hospital. Throughout the entire ordeal we can see how God is working wonders to help this family. Mom and Dad are seriously injured and wheel chair bound for months. Their son escapes with only minor injuries. Jen, however, is not even expected to live through the first night. Gradually, Jen comes to and praises God with nearly every waking moment.

I was crying from the get go on this book! It is 262 pages and I read a quarter of it each time I picked it up. I could hardly put it down. It is simply amazing to see how God has worked in the lives of the Barrick family. Their tragedy brought so many people to know Christ and grow in their faith. It is a must read in my book! My prayer is that anyone who reads this book and is amazed at the works of God's hands would come to realize that God is working those same wonders in their own life, they need only notice them!

P.S. The soft cover is super soft to the touch, making it great for long hours of reading!

Cleaning House: a Book Review

First off I want to thank Blogging For Books for giving me a copy of this book to review!

Cleaning house has an interesting premise. Kay Wills Wyma realized that her children had become quite entitled over the years. They were under the assumption that someone will always come along and do their work for them, clean up after them, and attend to their every whim. Sound like any of your own kiddos? Kay came up with a 1 year plan to break this cycle and help them become self sufficient by raising the bar of expectations and cutting back on her own enabling tendencies.

Each month She added a new task to the list of duties her children would take on. From simply cleaning their rooms, to cooking, to learning to serve. The narratives were wonderful! While my own Little Guy is still much to young to do many of the things in the book, it did get my brain cranking out ideas for my 5 year-old.

While I enjoyed the the narratives and the overall theme of the book, it did get a little long for me. Excerpts from other moms dot the chapters like a commercial break in the middle of the narrative  I am not a fan of this, but it may look better in print over the Kindle version I read. It gets a little repetitious as well as she gets into the research on youth entitlement.

Over all, I really liked the book. I really think more women should try doing this. Imagine what our future would look like if every home cracked down on entitlement...that is a world I would love to see!

Ministry of Motherhood: A Review

I have been reading The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson and couldn't be happier with the time spent. This book is all about discipling your children and giving them the gifts that God has given all of us. The gifts discussed include grace, inspiration, faith, training, and service.

If you are the type who skips the introduction to a book, make sure not to skip this one! It was quite a bit longer than expected but I was teary eyed by the end of the first section of the intro. The story of where Sally started her journey with her small children rang so true for my own life.  There is also information about how to use the book in a small group study or as a devotional on your own, as I did. The discussion questions throughout the book are open ended and very thought provoking.

Each part, containing smaller daily chapters, discusses one of the gifts. She gives many examples through narrative. I loved her telling of stories from the bible. They simply come to life and it is like you are right there inside history. The stories from her own life are wonderful too. I was able to relate to each and every one of them. They gave me an insider's view of how she practiced what she is teaching in the book.

This book has become one of my all time favorites. It is compelling and well written. I read it on my kindle and it was very well done in digital format. This is one that will stay in my library for a long time, to read again and again!

Thank you Blogging for Books for allowing me to review this fantastic book for you!

More Books

I have 2 more books to share!

Indescribable by Louie Giglio and Matt Redman
Love! I mean, really and truly  This book is stunning in it's photographs of space. The blending of science facts and the pure majesty of God in this book is phenomenal  I am about  one third of the way through and it is marvelous. I especially like that it comes with a DVD of the same name. Giglio is a fantastic speaker and brings the book to life on the screen. The book hold so much more information though and I am glad to have the chance to read it...even though I forgot to add it to my book list yesterday.

Miracle for Jen by Linda Barrick
I don't actually have this book yet. I got accepted into the Tyndale Blogging Network today. I will be doing book reviews for them as well and this is the first book I selected. It is a true story of God's work and sounds quite good. It should be shipping out at the end of the month as this copy is an actual book.

What I'm Reading

An escalating stack, I can tell you. This month I am starting 3 books. They all look great, one is as I have been through it before. Here is a sum up...

James: Mercy Triumphs by Beth Moore

Beth is one of my favorite bible study authors! I did this study about a year ago at my church and it was so deep and really struck a chord with me. It is an incredible look at the person and book of James. When planning a women's study in my home this was my first pick! I am loving it the second time around. It has varying levels of activity, from just watching the weekly videos to memorizing the book of James. I am taking a stab at memorizing the book because it has become on of my favorites. I have the first 4 verses down already and am working on #5. We started the study on Thursday, so I think this is a good pace. If you are looking for somewhere to start on study, James: Mercy Triumphs and Becoming a Woman of Simplicity, by Cynthia Heald have been my all time faves.

Fight Like a Girl by Lisa Bevere

I got a call from Adam's Mom on Saturday morning in which she asked if I wanted to come to the women's study at her church starting 5 minutes before she called me. I did not attend, but I did pick up the book on my Kindle and got started reading for next week. So far it looks pretty good. It isn't capturing my full attention at this point, but I am still on the first chapter. I think it will make great conversation and I am looking forward to seeing the corresponding video.

The Ministry of Motherhood by Sally Clarkson

This one I downloaded tonight. It is my first book for review with Blogging for Books. I am really excited to read this one. It really stuck out among my book choices. Since I haven't started reading it yet, I don't have much to say about this one. You will have to wait till my book review I suppose.

What are all of you reading this winter?

Kindle Me

My birthday is coming up and we have never been good at waiting for gifts in our home. So, I am already thoroughly enjoying my Kindle Fire. I have wanted a Nook since my last birthday and Adam and I spent a lot of time deciding if it would be the Kindle or the Nook. They are basically the same thing. Amazon Prime was the deciding point for Adam. For me it was the super hard, and likely more kid safe, casing.


It has been just what all the info online said it would be, I like that in an item! The first book we borrowed from our Amazon Prime membership was The Hunger Games. We are addicted to the book, in case you were wondering. We love that you can change the font and size and even color of the screen to make it easier to read. You can change the screen brightness too.

We have been having a blast with apps too. Jayne's favorite is Angry Birds, mine is Townsmen 6 and Mighty Grocery, and Adam likes the Weather Channel and map apps. This is our first time playing with apps. They are fantastic! Plus we get a free paid app every day and have gotten some fun ones that way.

I would definitely recommend a Kindle. It has 8 hours of battery which we have used up every day since it came in the mail on Wednesday. It has a crisp clear touch screen. The size is small compared to a pad, but that means it fits in my purse. While Adam wasn't sure about getting it in the first place, we all like it and are happy we got one.

Find Kindle Fire at amazon.com. This was not a paid review, we just really like it!