31 Days to a Happy Husband by Arlene Pellicane

This book was a delight to read. Because I was reviewing it, I chose to read it in sections and am going back to apply the daily lessons. This book was refreshing because it gave me practical ideas of how to make my husband happier. It's simple things, really. Things such as creating a peaceful atmosphere for them when they come home for work or even finding out what means a lot to them to have ready for them when they step through the doors. Some men like dinner on the table, some want a little bit of quiet, etc. The thing that has stuck with me the most is when she talked about those things that our husbands do that annoy us. Things like coffee cups on the counter, toilet seat up, dishes in the sink, etc. She gave an example of using that as a reminder to pray for them throughout the day. I loved that! The next time my husband forgets where the dishwasher is located, I told him that I would stop and pray for him instead of getting frustrated at his lack of GPS skills! He told me he'd do the same the next time he passed a full laundry basket filled with clean clothes! What a wonderful way to take something negative and turn it into something positive. This book would be a great book for all married women to read! Our husbands need a woman behind them that can build them up and help them as they go throughout their stressful days. Take 31 days to show your husband just how much you love him. It's just 31 days. Take the challenge.
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I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange of my honest opinion.

Parenting with Scripture by Kara Durbin

I love books that help me learn to better bring my children up to know and love God and to obey and love His Word.  This book is a great tool to help you guide your child through those teachable moments where you can show your child the application of God's Word.  The book is laid out in a user-friendly manner so you can find the topic that your child is struggling with and then choose a verse out of the list of scriptures that applies to those certain behaviors.  There are at least 15 for each behavior, ranging from the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, all the way to the Fruit of the Spirit.  I think that what will best work for me and my children (3 years and 1 year) is to have them memorize a verse with me and then look for applications to that verse throughout the week or weeks that we focus specifically on that verse. 

This book is going to be a wonderful tool for me over the years.  I know I'm just now hitting some of those milestones but even the choice to throw a fit or to choose a cheerful heart is one that we can most certainly relate to, among others.  This would be a great Mother's Day gift for a young mom.  There have been so many times that I've needed just a little bit of guidance in order to frame my heart to address the big issue of a situation and this book is it.  I love how Kara says that it's okay to use her book for the Scripture (and that she doesn't take it out of context and lets you know if it's part of a bigger story than just a Proverbs), but she says to make sure that your children see you reading the Bible so when you are discussing it, use your Bible or theirs.  I also liked her idea of giving your child a Bible and underlining the verses in it that they have memorized.  She said she did it when she was younger and it has become a priceless treasure for her.  I know my oldest son would love that.  Plus it gets him familiar with the Bible passages.  So  if you're looking for a Mother's Day gift, grab this book!

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I received this ebook free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinon.



The Sneezy Wheezy Day by Sharon Cramer

This is my first introduction to the Cougar Cub Tales.  Since it is in black and white on my Kindle, I couldn't get a fair assessment of the pictures, although based on the cover it is bound to be beautiful illustrations.  The drawings that are in black and white look good, but not near as good as the full book version.

I read this book to the kids and they enjoyed the book.  I think they would have enjoyed it more in the book form since they like turning pages, but I did hand them my Kindle and let them "turn" the pages on that.  My oldest was fascinated with the animals in the book and the huge variety of animals mentioned.

I liked how the story ended because I thought it was a great lesson for my children.  The book goes through how the boy cougar gets sick and the girl cougar stayed with him and went with him to different people to try to figure out a cure for him to feel better.  At the end, he wakes up the next day and feels a lot better.  He realizes that he feels so much better simply because his SIS was there with him every step of the way and never left his side.  Since my kids are brother and sister, I love books that show a wonderful sibling relationship that is full of love and not fighting.

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I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Sweet Sanctuary by Sheila Walsh and Cindy Martinusen-Coloma

Life hasn't been easy at all for Wren.  What was supposed to be a life full of family has turned into a life of being a single mom to a child, Charlie, who is 10-years-old who is gifted musically.  After being accepted to a prestigious school in Boston to study violin, Wren isn't for sure what to do.  Accepting this invitation would mean a lot of financial problems and moving. 

Thrown into all of this mess, Wren finds out that her ex-husband has been having contact with Charlie.  How is she supposed to handle him wanting to be a part of their lives again?  What happens when another man shows an interest in Wren and wants to pursue a relationship with them?

I enjoyed reading this book and hearing all about the story from the point of view from Wren.  It was a sweet story on forgiveness.  It was a storyline that was very believable and that I think many have the same story.
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I received this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.