Beautifully Poor

I have been in love with knitting and I love creating things for my family and home. Leisure Arts, Inc. has some of my favorite knitting books with easy to read instructions and simple patterns for even beginners. The most recent book I've utilized is SLOW FASHION made fast . I was able to knit a blanket within 2 weeks out of this book! It was extremely easy to make and SO SOFT! I found a wool blend yarn, just in time for fall and winter weather. The pattern was easy to follow - the only thing I omitted was the tassels because they annoy my husband. This pattern is found on  page 32 of the book and is called the Garter Pyramid Blanket . I had to use a slightly smaller needle (it asks for size 19 and I could only find size 17 at my local store). It still turned out very close to the size (40"x44"). I really love the Moss Cocoon Cardigan on page 24 and want to attempt that next. This book is perfect for this time of year!!! Every Leisure Arts, Inc . book...

It's that time of year again! I LOVE knitting, and thanks to Leisure Arts, Inc. I can easily do so. I taught myself to knit while I was pregnant with our middle child. I needed something to do with my hands to pass the time and I've always enjoyed sewing and creating things. Knitting is the perfect thing to pass time and can easily be interrupted and picked back up again. With little kids, this is necessary for projects I take on! The newest book I've received from Leisure Arts, Inc. is their Best of Knit Accessories, with 40 quick projects that include mittens, scarves, headbands, and even handbags. (+more!!) I wanted something quick and something I don't have yet so I decided to create the Lacy Headwrap on page 56 of the book. It took me less than two days to make and is super cute! My favorite part about this book is the General Instructions starting on page 120. It tells you about the abbreviations used in the book, symbols & terms, and all t...

The Illustrated Holy Bible for Kids NIrV  is a beautifully put together children's Bible. The need for more kids Bible's - Bible's that children can easily understand - is immense. My husband and I work in children's ministry at our church and you would be shocked at how many kid's don't have a proper Bible. They either have Bible's that are way to babyish or adult one's that are way over their heads. This creates a barrier between them and the Word of God. How do we expect to raise up another generation of those who love and follow Jesus like we are trying to teach them? How will they follow Psalm 119:11: "Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You." The following scripture is one of my favorites regarding Jesus and children. You will probably recognize it. 13 "Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said...

The Cow Said Neigh by Rory Feek is a delightful short story perfect for kids ages 4-8, but a silly read the whole family can get in on. It is beautifully illustrated by Bruno Robert, with bold colors and soft edges that little kids will fall in love with. I personally love the ease of reading due to the rhyming on each page. It ties the short story together in a cute and fun way, and makes it easy for early readers to guess and/or read the next rhyming word. My only negative about this book, is that the description says it celebrates all the unique qualities, but that never comes out in the book. The animals just want to be like another instead of themselves and even the farmer in the end is silly about it. It is a good conversation starter for parents on the topic though. Overall,  The Cow Said Neigh   is an adorable story sure to get the whole family giggling. Who doesn't love a good family book? *I received this book to review from Book Look Bloggers. All opini...

White as Silence, Red as Song by Alessandro D'Avenia is what I would call, the love story of a teenage boy named Leo. It is written in first person, almost as if it is a diary - which is fine by me. I used to read diary type books a lot as a young adult. It is, however, different to read from a young man's point of view. Some of it is just hum-drum regular kid stuff like soccer and hanging with his best friends, Niko and Silvia. A lot of it is his obsession with Beatrice. The very first section explains the title of the book. Leo compares different things to colors. Silence is white - which to him is nothing because there is nothing within white, no color, no feeling. Silence to Leo throughout the book is almost an enemy, something that distresses his very soul. He then compares his love interest Beatrice to the color red, saying that love is red - it is a tempest, a hurricane "that sweeps you away"*, and an earthquake "that crumbles your body to pieces...

Courtesy of www.anniespureandsimple.com You've probably seen my post(s) about green living so it really is no surprise that I am showcasing another great product. This one is an All-Natural, All-Purpose Cleaner with simple, READABLE ingredients.  Let me introduce you to  Annie's Pure and Simple Made with 3 simple ingredients,  Annie's Pure and Simple   offers an affordable and safe household cleaner in four different scents: Sweet Orange, Lavender, Peppermint, and Lemon. What are the ingredients you ask? Here you go: Organic Vinegar Distilled Water Therapeutic Essential Oils It is 100% Natural and 98% Organic - so you can be sure that this cleaner is safe for your pets, kids, the environment, and very importantly, yourself. Not only that, the ingredients are ethically sourced and the ONLY cleaner on the market with a green eco-scale rating from Whole Foods Market.  Annie herself reached out to me and wanted me to try her...

Let me say, this book is inspiring. Reading Sanya's story was beyond amazing, and as a runner I found it extremely inspirational, though I am definitely not even close to Olympic material.  Sanya Richards-Ross began running at the age of 7. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, she naturally wanted to be a runner. Running is huge in Jamaica just like Football or Baseball are big in America. She even says that this was her gift from God - to run. I love how each chapter begins with a Bible scripture.  Sanya tells us her story - the journey of becoming a U.S. Olympic Champion. With the support of her family, Sanya goes on to become a record breaker - a U.S. and World record breaker. Through it all she gives the glory to God, which is amazing for someone who has done so many great things.  I found this book a great, easy read. It is geared toward a younger crowd, I would say pre-teen - teen. As I said, extremely easy to read, has great sets of facts throughout the chap...

I love wine. I didn't develop a taste for it until I worked at what was called the Terrace Bay Inn in my hometown as a college student. We had nightly wine specials so naturally the owners wanted us to know what the wines we were selling tasted like. After that, there was no turning back. Now this. Winc . Ahhh, Winc ! Where have you been all these years! This is a really fun and exciting way to try new wines. It is extremely easy and convenient, and getting wine delivered to my house is just fabulous. Here is how it works: You go to  https://www.winc.com/usfamilyguide  (using this will get you $22 off your first month!!) Click Get Started and it will ask a series of simple questions about your palate. How do you like your coffee, how do you feel about salt, do you like citrus flavors, what's your take on earthy flavors, do you like berries, are you an adventurous eater - easy right? Then you get to build your box. You can choose 2 white 2 red, 1 red 3 white, 3 r...

Ever since I read  Green Enough  by Leah Segedie, I have made a priority of cleaning up our household products to  be greener and healthier. Part of that is beauty products and toiletries, which can be pricey if you don't find the right stuff. I was introduced to  Dr. Jacobs Naturals  and am in LOVE. Why? Because their Castile Soap can be used for so many things! It can be used as a dish soap, body wash, shampoo, all purpose cleaner, shaving lather, even laundry soap. The newest thing I'm going to try is bathing my cats in it - HAHA. They get a monthly bath and it's coming up soon, so I am excited to use this. As a body wash, it has left my skin extremely soft. I have dry skin, and taking hot or long showers dries it out even more - and so does shaving! So having a soap that keeps my skin soft without me having to lather on tons of lotion post-shower is great. I also used it as a shampoo, which I have dyed hair that it cleaned really well - just ...

$22 Off Your First Month of Winc Wine - Winc offers 4 personalized wines each month. Bottles start at $13 each. Winc is not your traditional wine club : we are a direct-distribution global wine company that personalizes the entire wine experience - We are perfecting how wine is made, distributed, perceived and purchased via our Palate Profile quiz that recommends wine based on your unique tastes and I'll add enjoyed on behalf of a new generation of wine drinkers. It takes the hassle and guesswork out of picking a bottle from your local liquor store and delivers the perfect bottle directly to your doorstep. We do all this as part of our quest to improve the experience for consumers, create a platform for artisanal winemaking, and build a grape-to-glass supply chain that's sustainable for the planet. No more intimidating language and steep price points, and more joy in the act of sharing a bottle. $22 Off Your First Month of Winc Wine - New members can enjoy $22 off of thei...

Daring to Hope  by  Katie Davis Majors   is an inspiring story of faith, love, and hope. The way Katie writes is so moving, so touching that it was hard to put the book itself down. I cried more than once reading about her beautiful life with the men, women, and children of Uganda. Her story is that of trusting God, even when it seems the hardest. I really have no words to describe the welling in my heart right now as I write this review about such a beautiful book. Katie Davis Majors  enraptured me into a world I can only but imagine. I have never seen the dirty floors of a hut, I have never watched women give birth and then die next to their newborn. I have never adopted one child, let alone 13. She is nothing short of inspiring. The way she writes as a real person, someone that is extremely relatable, I believe is the best part of  Daring to Hope . I am going to go as far as to say that everyone should at least read this book, if not make it part of ...

Most of us have heard about "greener" living. Some of us have taken small steps towards it, others of us HUGE progress, maybe even living completely "green" . Personally, I am EXTREMELY busy with my life - small kids, homeschooling, keeping house, etc. A lot of us ARE really busy with life, so it is hard to dig into what "green" really means. Or, if you're like me, you have in the past, but have gotten slightly lazy in some aspects. Well, thanks to Leah Segedie , Founder and CEO of  Bookieboo Network  and  Mamavation , my job just got a whole lot easier. In  Green Enough , Leah touches on Green Living, in a sane manner. Not once is she judgmental to us mother's who are doing our best for our families. She is extremely relatable and shares such invaluable information, this book will not be a read once - it will become a reference for a "greener" life. The book starts off with food. Food - sometimes it feels like it can be ou...

When God Made You  by  Matthew Paul Turner  is a beautifully written children's book that shows kids how much God does love them through poetry and illustration. The book is bright and vibrant and I couldn't help but smile while reading it to the kids. My oldest loved the book, and after we had finished reading it I explained to him how special him and his brother are to God. That in fact, God loves everyone just the same, and we are oh so special to him. This book opened a door for my kids to feel and better understand that special love only God has for everyone. When God Made You  really could be a book for young and old alike, because I really don't think many of us grasp the profoundness of God's love for us, as kids and adults. I am so happy to have this book, and have been asked multiple times by my oldest to read it to him again.  Matthew Paul Turner   did an amazing job with the writing and the illustrations by David Catrow are just beautiful....

 Courtesy of adagio.com Just in time for the Holidays, I was introduced to an amazing product from Adagio Teas . They are called Fandom Blends . Now Adagio isn't just any old tea company, sending bags of crushed tea for you to add boiling water to or stuff in the microwave - far from it. Adagio Teas are gourmet teas , that are loose leaf and if you know anything about tea, you know that loose leaf tea far outdoes any sort of bagged tea you will ever taste. Even there bagged tea is gourmet, not the dust you would typically get from a box of tea at the grocer. You can find more information regarding the quality of there tea on there  Product Information Page . Let me share with you my  tea   time with  Adagio Teas . I tried a variety of the  Fandom Blends  that I mentioned earlier. Now if you don't know what Fandom means, it is frankly being the fan of a person, team, fictional series, etc. The  Fandom Blends  are for fans of many diff...

Suicide is a touchy subject. You have those that say it occurs due to mental health issues, then there are those who are angry about it and who say it is the most selfish thing a person can do. Then there are those who spew actual hate and say that the person who commits the act is going to hell etc. etc. We've all heard it. I hope we have not all lived it. Very recently, a couple who has impacted my life in a positive way experienced this firsthand. Their oldest son committed suicide. I do not know the extenuating circumstance. He was much younger than me, but I can tell you this. I remember when his mom was pregnant with him. I remember when he was just a toddler. I remember seeing him as a young teenager. And then this. You don't expect these things to happen. Even if the signs are there, we brush them off, we push them aside, we say we will pray and expect the darkness to disappear - if it is even apparent to us. The purpose of this post is to raise awareness. Do ...

Martha Stewart's Slow Cooker  cookbook is a beautiful compilation of recipes the whole family will love. Using my slow cooker is a life saver in the winter months (and sometimes the summer) especially when we are busy with school activities or karate. Having a hot meal ready to go when we get home is my favorite, so reviewing this book was a treat! The book has 8 sections: Meat Poultry Seafood Meatless Side Dishes Breakfast Sweets Stocks & Sauces Each section offers a wide array of dishes to make, one of my favorites being the Chicken with 20 Cloves of Garlic. The flavor created in the dish was just fabulous and it was extremely easy to make - even better. Of course the pictures in  Martha Stewart's Slow Cooker  are fabulous as well, showcasing the meal in a beautiful fashion, making them look even tastier than you thought they could. The recipes themselves go from simple, such as Brisket and Onions, to more unusual (for my family anyways)...