1 In 2021/ Book Review

The 58 books I read in 2021 – and how I find time to read

I finished 58 books this year. Occasionally I’ve been asked how I find time to read. Here’s what I’ve said:

First of all, I love to read. You find time for things you love.
Second, I keep books all over the place. I have several next to my bed, a couple by the couch in the family room, another in the car – a physical book and an audio book.
I take a few minutes to read when I first wake up and before I go to bed. If it’s a really good book, I stay up too late to read.
If I have to wait for my kids at practice or an appointment, I read.
I read WITH my kids. I usually read one chapter per day with each of them.
The free HOOPLA app allows me to download excellent books for no cost, so I will listen to books while doing household chores or exercising.
Before I read any book, I look it up on Goodreads to see what my friends have rated it and what their reviews say. I find that well-written books are easier and faster to read. Click here to follow me on Goodreads.

List and ratings of the books I read in 2021

The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino 10/10
John Adams by Janet Benge 9/10
Teaching from Rest by Sarah Mckenzie 10/10
The Writing Life by Annie Dillard 6/10
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown 8/10
Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis 7/10
The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson 10/10
Creativity by Ed Catmull 8/10
She Persisted: Harriet Tubman by Andrea Pinkney 9/10
The Book of Waking Up by Seth Haines 9/10
Water for Elephants: A Novel by Sara Gruen 9/10
Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper By S.A.R.K. 9/10
All Flame by Andrew Arndt 9/10
How Great is our God: 100 Indescribable Devotions About God and Science by Louie Giglio 10/10
Never Caught: The story of Ona Judge by Erica Dunbar 8/10
Who Was Abraham Lincoln? by Janet Pascal 9/10
The Last Arrow by Erwin McManus 10/10
Home Front by Kristin Hannah 5/10
Help Club for Moms : The Wise Woman Believes 10/10
Remarkable by Brady Boyd 10/10
Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry 10/10
The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah 9/10
Confronting Christianity by Rebecca McLaughlin 10/10
Habitudes by Dr. Tim Elmore 9/10
Who was Frederick Douglas? by April Jones Prince 9/10
Get Your Life Back by John Eldridge 10/10
Love Centered Parenting by Crystal Paine 9/10
Essentialism by Greg McKeown 9/10
How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie 10/10
The Millionaire Next Door by Thomas Stanley 7/10
Shadow of the Almighty by Elizabeth Elliot 7/10
Share your stuff, I’ll go first by Laura Termaine 8/10
Front Desk by Kelly Yang 10/10
Thomas Edison by Janet and Geoff Benge 9/10
Row the Boat by PJ Fleck 8/10
Unscripted by Ernie Johnson 9/10
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasa 9/10
Before you Split by Toni Nieuwhof 10/10
Brother Andrew by Janet Benge 9/10
Help Club for Moms: The Wise Woman Stays 10/10
I survived the attacks on September 11, 2001 by Lauren Tarshish 9/10
Three Keys by Kelly Yang 5/10
The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garret Graff 10/10
Love Does by Bob Goff 10/10
Clara Barton by Janet Benge 10/10
Anonymous by Alicia Britt Chole 10/10
Funny How Life Works by Michael Jr. 10/10
Hiding in the Open: A Holocaust Memoir 10/10
Exploring the White House by Kate Brower 7/10
LadyParts: A Memoir by Deborah Kopaken 6/10
Green Lights by Matthew McConaughey 7/10
10 Habits of Happy Mothers by Dr. Meg Meeker 7/10
The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey Into Christian Faith by Rosaria Butterfield 6/10
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl 10/10
Grandma’s Attic, Book 1 by Arleta Richardson 9/10
Room To Dream by Kelly Yang 9/10
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery 10/10
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens 9/10

My next post will include my favorite books of this 2021 – subscribe so you don’t miss that post!

Click here to see my favorite books from 2020

Books are affiliate links

January 2, 2022 By Kathryn

2 In 2021/ Book Review/ Christmas/ Product Recommendations

December Book Reviews and Recommendations

Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Rating: 10/10

Review: I’ve heard of and even quoted this author many times. I don’t know how I haven’t read his story until now. It’s a beautiful and hard book to read. He’s a psychologist who survived Auschwitz – partially by using the techniques he taught his clients. One thing I loved was that he tried to find a way to laugh every day. He and another Jewish man would think up silly stories to share. Finding humor in the worst situation helped them survive.

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor’s Journey Into Christian Faith by Rosaria Butterfield

Rating: 6/10

Review: I really enjoyed the beginning of this book where the author shared her conversion story.

However, the chapters on her specific denominational preferences was not really relevant or necessary for this book, and for me, it took away from her powerful personal story.

In Grandma’s Attic, Book 1 by Arleta Richardson

Rating: 9/10

Review: This was one of my favorite books from childhood. I re-read it to find inspiration for some children’s books I’m working on. Each chapter of this book contains a story from a grandmother’s childhood and includes a lesson she learned.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Rating: 10/10

Review: This is a book that’s stood the test of time. It’s the story of an orphan girl named Anne who gets adopted and the book shares her adventures, and mis-adventures, in a warm and endearing way.

I’ve watched the movie a dozen times, and even starred as Marilla in our high school play, but finally read this book for the first time. I’d recommend that mothers read or listen to this book with their daughters.

Room To Dream by Kelly Yang

Rating: 8/10

Review: Clark and I read this book together. It’s the third book of a series about a young girl who moves to the US from China. In this book, she goes back to China and shares how much it’s changed. Clark said at the end, “I wish there were more books in this series.”

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

Rating: 9/10

Review: I had this on my list of books to read this Christmas season, then walked into a thrift store – and there it was on display, for only 75 cents! This was a great book to read over my quarantined Christmas. If you haven’t read it, I’d add this classic to your list.

Thanks for reading. I’ll be listing my favorite books of the year very soon. Subscribe so you don’t miss that post!

Books are affiliate links

December 31, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Christmas/ Family/ Food/ Inspiration/ Joy/ Minnesota/ Motherhood/ Peek into our Week/ Raising boys

These are a Few of My Favorite Things: Winter Edition

Christmas lights, music, & cards

Thanks to every single person who took the effort to put up Christmas lights this year or send out cards. It definitely brought Christmas JOY to our family.

The new Hawkeye series on Disney Plus

When Ted asked me to come watch Hawkeye with him and the boys, I brought a book to read. I’m not really in to the “Hawkeye” character, and didn’t want to watch this new show, but I did want to hang with the boys while they watched it.

Little did I know how much we would ALL enjoy it. The storyline was so engaging and the characters were endearing. We just finished the final episode on Disney. I said to Ted. ‘Let’s watch that series again’ (I never say that. It was truly THAT GOOD)!

Good and Gather Kettle Chips and Everything Dip

If you are near a Target – get THESE CHIPS and THIS DIP. Thank me later.

The Heads Up app

In The Wild sticker book

This sticker book that makes the most beautiful creations. It’s fun for kids ages 6-10 (and their moms).

Lactaid Egg Nog

Fun fact: I never tasted Egg Nog until college. Since then, I’ve tried lots of different flavors, and this one is my favorite. Have you tried it?

The Fa La Latte from Caribou

The Fa La Latte is an egg nog latte. It’s SO good. I’m making the most of the season with all this EGG NOG, and making up for lost time I suppose?!

Luke’s drawing

I read the Christmas story from Luke 2, and asked Paul and Luke to draw what they thought the story looked like. I’m saving this one!

Wrigley in the snow

Wrigley is a kid in a candy store when there is fresh snow on the ground. I can hear him thinking: BEST DAY EVER!!!

This miraculous e-collar

Wrigley is the SWEETEST DOG. However, when he’s outside and not on his leash, he doesn’t always come back when you call him. If he’s not done playing, he will run AWAY from you when he sees you coming toward him.

This became a HUGE problem two times in December. Once when I had to go to work and couldn’t get him inside. Another time when he ran onto the pond and we weren’t sure if it was thick enough to hold him. Paul was a wreck thinking his dog might go through the ice and there was nothing we could do.

Enter the world’s best invention. A collar that beeps, vibrates or shocks. (We don’t use the shock)

The very first time I gave Wrigley a gentle vibrate and beep and said “COME,” he immediately came and sat next to me. I was shocked and overjoyed how well it worked then, and how will it continues to work. I only needed to use the vibrate twice, and now he obeys when he just hears the BEEP!

This device is usually $50, but they are currently 20% off. This was the best $40 I ever spent.

YouTube videos the whole family can enjoy

https://youtu.be/-N8860D2ITY

There are so many ANNOYING YouTube Channels. However, there are a handful that we can all enjoy together.

Mark Rober – a former Nasa scientist who makes entertaining videos by creating gadgets and fun experiments.
Dude Perfect – a group of guys that met at church and now make trick shot videos and a ‘game show’ called Overtime.
Fantastic 2 – I can’t NOT mention the channel my son’s created. 🙂

The Love of a Dog

Sweet Wrigs loving on Paul when he was sick

Click here to read the story of how we got our dog.

And most of all…spending time with my family!

Thanks for reading! Happy New Year to each of you.

December 26, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Christmas/ DIY/ Inspiration/ Recipe

Christmas on the Stove Top

Who loves the smell of Christmas?

I’ve got this potpourri simmering on my stove right now, and I WISH you could smell it through the screen.

My boys asked with delight: WHAT are you making? My answer didn’t thrill them.

You can share the delightful scent of Christmas with friends and family by making them a bag of Stovetop Potpourri.

I made these for my sons’ teachers (and attached a Target gift card – which is what they REALLY want!)

Here is what you’ll need to make the potpourri:

Cinnamon Sticks: You can find these in the baking or Christmas aisle.
Cranberries: They sell bags of these in produce.
Oranges: If you plan to used slices, buy large oranges. If not, clementines fit well inside the small bags.
Pine: I cut some from a tree in my yard.
Plastic Baggies: I found these at the Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby sells them too.
Red Ribbon: In the gifting aisle or Hobby Lobby.
Labels: Linked here and below.

Inside each bag, place an entire orange (or dried slices), about a half cup of cranberries, 1-2 sprigs of pine, and 2 cinnamon sticks.

Tie the bag with ribbon and add a tag.

Last year, to save time, I just put a clementine in each bag. This year, I bought oranges and dried them. If you want to make these pretty orange slices, here’s how to do it.

How to Make Oven-Dried Orange Slices:

Preheat oven to 175° F.
Slice oranges about ⅛-inch thick.
Set slices in a single layer on baking sheets with wire racks (this will allow oranges to dry on both sides).
Cook for 4-6 hours, until dry to the touch. You may want to rotate halfway through for even cooking.
Cool completely.

Click here for some super cute labels

Christmas on your stove:

Add 4 cups of water to a saucepan or slow cooker.
Add a sliced orange, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1/2 cup cranberries, and some fresh pine to the water.
Simmer on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. Check the water every hour or two, adding more as needed.
Enjoy the scents of the season!

Thanks for reading! Merry Christmas!

December 13, 2021 By Kathryn

2 In 2021/ Memories/ Peek into our Week/ Traveling

Our Anniversary Weekend In Arizona

Ted and I escaped to Arizona for our 20th anniversary – and what a place to celebrate!

The weather was gorgeous and we spent nearly every waking hour outdoors.

Here’s a peek into our trip:

Wednesday:

We arrived at the Phoenix airport, rented a Jeep, met up with some of our best friends (Mark and Stacey), and had lunch at The Mission in Old Town Scottsdale. My heart was happy as we sat outside in the warm sun, surrounded by palm trees, filling up on tacos, chips and salsa!

After lunch we window-shopped in Old Town Scottsdale. This unique shopping area is filled with western style art, clothing, and jewelry.

Though there are many beautiful hotels in the area to choose from (Faimont Princess and The Sanctuary are two of my favs), we found the perfect AirBnB right in the middle of town. After dropping our bags inside the condo, we went straight to the rooftop deck to watch the sunset (and moonrise).

This rooftop would be our favorite spot to end every day.

That night, we had a phenomenal anniversary dinner at Dominick’s steakhouse. When we arrived, the host handed us a handwritten card, wishing us a happy anniversary. The food and service were outstanding. Our dinner ended with complimentary dessert – beignets, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and melted chocolate on the side. Yum! I’m still dreaming about that dinner. That was a delicious and memorable way to end our anniversary.

Thursday

We conquered Camelback Mountain. When we arrived at the mountain, I read signs saying, “Beware: EXTREMELY challenging.”

‘How hard can this be?’ I thought, as I saw a smooth trail ahead of me. Well, that trail soon ended and was replaced by nothing but huge boulders. We climbed rock after rock and felt like we’d never make it to the top. I kept thinking about the relaxing afternoon that awaited us, and that kept me going one step at a time. I wrongly assumed going down would be much easier, but that was a different kind of challenge. It felt SO good to have conquered that mountain.

We spent a luxurious afternoon at the Fairmont Princess spa! We got a couples massage, used their eucalyptus steam room, sauna, hot tub, waterfall pool, and adults only pool.

We left in time to catch the sunset from our rooftop deck and had sushi for dinner.

Friday

We woke up early on Friday and drove 60 miles north to Sedona.

I’m not sure how I’ve lived my whole life without knowing how spectacular Sedona would be. There aren’t even words to describe the beauty.

We started the day with a hike up Soldiers Pass, which led to a unique cave to explore. We brought sandwiches and had lunch with a view.

We hiked back down, drove through town, got coffee, then hiked Cathedral Rock. Because the landscape in Sedona is so incredible, you barely notice that you putting in effort into those challenging climbs. The hikes were phenomenal.

We met some new friends for dinner, then drove back to our condo to sleep.

Saturday

Saturday morning we met old friends for coffee, then went to Hash kitchen for brunch. Hash kitchen is an experience. It’s a breakfast party with a live DJ! Unfortunately (fortunately?), I forgot my tube top or any other sort of club wear that we saw other patrons wearing. The music inside was LOUD (did I mention the live DJ?), so thankfully, we found a table outside and enjoyed a delicious breakfast in the warm sun.

After breakfast we spent the day exploring Scottsdale and a quaint little town called Cave Creek.

We went back to our place to watch another sunset, and spend time with friends.

For dinner, we went to a cool spot called Sorsa Wine Room, and sat on their patio that overlooks a beautiful shopping area.

Sunday

Our last day. We packed up, then went to a friend’s church (you must visit Gateway if you are in town), before heading to their airport to fly home.

We packed a lot into that long weekend, and had such a great time!

A couple things we didn’t do that I’d like to include next time:

Hiking pinnacle peak
Dinner at Elements
Shopping at Scottsdale Quarter, Kierland Commons or Last Chance in Phoenix

Things to have with you at all times in Arizona:

Sunglasses
Good hiking shoes (not white)
Chapstick
Water

Thanks for reading! Have you ever explored Arizona? What are you favorite things to do?

Thank you to my in-laws for taking such great care of our boys, our home, and our dog while we were away. We love you Kevin and Shirley!

December 5, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Book Review

5 Books I Read in November: Reviews and Recommendations

Last month I absolutely LOVED every book I read. This month wasn’t as thrilling. I started the month with an amazing one:

Hiding in the Open: A Holocaust Memoir

Rating: 10/10

Review:

There was an article about this author in the Sunday paper that piqued my interest, so I found her book at our local library.

This author’s life story is phenomenal! She was a Jewish girl living in Poland during WW2. Just before Hitler liquidated her Ghetto, she snuck out with her sister. Using fake papers, they “hid” by working in Germany through the war.

The author went on to become a doctor, then moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota. She got married, raised a family, and worked in the medical field. The book is way better than my short synopsis. I recommend it to anyone interested in stories from WW2.

Exploring the White House by Kate Brower

Rating: 7/10

Review:

I started reading this with one of my sons and he wasn’t really into it. I finished on my own. There were some fun little facts about life in the White House, but most of the stuff written in this book is already well known. I would recommend it to someone in in middle or high school who may be interested in the life of a president or what happens in the White House.

LadyParts: A Memoir by Deborah Kopaken

Rating: 6/10

Review:

I usually love memoirs, but not this one. The author is a great writer, but the book is filled with SO. MUCH. (partially self-induced) DRAMA and struggle. I’ve read plenty of books with struggle, and those are usually the best ones (see the first book I mentioned above). However, many books share lessons learned, a redemptive twist, or some sort of triumph in the end. Not in this book. I kind of just felt sad and icky when I finished this story. I wished the author would have waited a few years to publish this book, to allow herself time to heal first. I don’t recommend this book.

Green Lights by Matthew McConaughey

Rating: 7/10

Review: The only way to ‘read’ this book is to ‘listen’ to the audiobook. It’s read by Matthew McConaughey and he is an entertaining storyteller, but there’s nothing profound in this book. If you want a book with nothing more than some amusing stories, check out the audiobook.

10 Habits of Happy Mothers by Dr. Meg Meeker

Rating: 7/10

Review: I respect this author, follow her on Instagram, and enjoy listening to her podcasts on parenting. Dr. Meg Meeker really understands the struggles mothers face, and writes to help us enjoy the journey. This book has some good nuggets, but I recommend her Strong Mothers, Strong Sons over this one.

Click here to read the review of another favorite parenting books: Knights in Training.

Have you been reading anything great? Leave me a comment!

Click here to read about 5 awesome books I read in October.

These books are affiliate links, if you choose to purchase one, I may earn a small commission.

November 30, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021/ Product Recommendations

9 Things I’ve Fallen for this Fall

1. My Space Heater

Fall feels like winter in Minnesota and this little heater makes my bathroom toasty while I get ready in the morning. This also works well at keeping your feet warm by placing it under the desk in your office.

2. Unkers

Do you remember Vicks Vaporub? This is the upgraded version. It’s a menthol rub for aches, pains, congestion, and more. We use this for everything – sore throat, sore muscles, and cough/congestion.

Buy this now, then when you get sore muscle, you’ll be so glad you have it in your cabinet.

3. Kohlrobi Noodles

Allow me to introduce you to the vegetable you never knew you loved. Crisp, fresh, and crunchy kohlrabi is a turnip-like cabbage rich in fiber, vitamin C, B vitamins, and potassium.

Ted and I call it our favorite “pasta.” It’s a vegetable full of flavor and makes a delicious spaghetti substitute. We sauté it with a little olive oil, add sauce and its oh. so. good.

We get our Kohlrabi (and an amazing Superfood pasta sauce) delivered through Hungry Root, a subscription-based food service.

Why we like Hungry Root:

great tasting food
organic
pre-made or can be cooked in one pan
makes eating healthy a little easier.

If you want to try it, you can get $50 off your first order by clicking here: https://www.hungryroot.com/r/F01URFFC

4. Watching my kids play ball

I’ve never been very athletic, and didn’t grow up playing or watching sports, but seeing my boys work hard and compete is pure joy.

We just finished the football season for Clark and Luke, the soccer season for George and Paul, and now all four boys are playing basketball. I love basketball because (1) it’s inside and you don’t have to worry about weather and (2) it’s so active and up close!

5. Brandon Lake and Maverick city music

Those two are my go-tos lately for a morning, afternoon or evening ‘pick-me-up’ music!

Brandon Lake’s Gratitude – Click here to listen

Too Good to Not be True – Click here to listen

Jirah by Maverick City Music – Click here to listen

Maverick City Christmas Music – click here to listen

6. Teaching

I’ve been subbing in our school district a couple of days each week. I teach grades Kindergarten and all the way up to twelfth grade. Each day is a new adventure – but what a joy to get to love on, invest in, and encourage kids each week.

My current favorite is teaching middle school – specifically if my kids are in one of my classes.

When I was teaching 6th grade this week, a student saw “Mrs. Egly” written on the board and said:

“Are you Clark’s sister?”

That, right there, is why I LOVE teaching 6th graders, and how you earn “teacher’s pet status!”

7. Target’s Good and Gather brand

There are so many delicious Good and Gather Products, but my two current favorites are:

Jalapeño Avacado hummus and Cranberry Jalapeño dip.

8. Plugged in online

This website is a great resource for parents. When my boys ask to watch a movie and I don’t know much about it, I look it up on PluggedIn. They write comprehensive reviews of movies, TV shows, and music.

9. The Children’s Book: What do you do with a problem?

Rating: 10/10

Review: A simple and entertaining children’s book that helps you look at problems in a new way!

Always so many books I’m loving. Click here to read about those.

Click here to read about my favorite winter items.

Several of these items are affiliate links which means if you purchase one, I may get a small commission. TIA!

November 26, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In Christmas/ DIY/ Memories/ Motherhood/ Product Recommendations/ Raising boys

5 Cute and Easy Ornaments to Make with your kids!

Have you put up your Christmas tree yet?

We put ours up over the weekend, and as we hung the ornaments, the ones that made us smile and brought back the sweetest memories were the ones we made together.

Hanging new ornaments they received for Christmas

Here are five fun holiday ornaments my boys enjoyed making, and I think your family will have fun with it too.

You can keep them for your own tree, or gift them to loved ones.

1. Hydro-Dipped Painted Ornament

Click here for instructions!

2. Hand-Print Ornament

This is a precious way to capture that sweet tiny handprint. These make me smile every time I hang them on my tree.

Directions:

Paint your child’s fingers.
Help them press their ‘painted’ fingers on the ornament.
Clean your child’s hand.
Let the paint dry.
Use permanent markers to turn the fingerprints into snowmen.
Add the date.

Click here to buy white acrylic paint and colorful markers.

3. Perler Bead Ornaments

This takes time and patience, but it can be calming and relaxing.

Click here to purchase Perler Beads.

Perler Beads make a great Christmas gift for children ages 6-9.

4. Popsicle Stick snowman

Set out paint, buttons, stickers, string, and construction paper and see what your kids create! The possibilities are endless.

Add your child’s name and the date to the back of the stick.

Click here for popsicle sticks.

5. Salt Dough Ornaments

These are a classic. We enjoyed making these so much last year, my boys are already asking if we can do it again this year.

Click here for instructions.

Which one of those I listed is your favorite? Leave me a comment.

Send me a picture of your family’s favorite homemade ornament.

Enjoy the holiday season!

Love,

Kathryn

Disclaimer: The items I recommended from Amazon are affiliate links. If you purchase an item I recommend, I may earn a commission. Thanks for your support!

November 16, 2021 By Kathryn

2 In 2021/ Book Review/ Inspiration

Five Fascinating Books I Finished in October

I’ve been in BOOK HEAVEN this month and can’t wait to tell you about it! Here are five fantastic books I devoured this month:

The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 by Garret Graff

Rating: 10/10

Review:

This book was captivating. Since the twentieth anniversary of 9/11, I’ve been binging on shows and books about this day in history.

What I loved about this book is that it gives so many different stories of the people who were directly impacted that day.

Love Does by Bob Goff

Rating: 10/10

Review:

I read this book about five years ago and loved it SO much. I saw it on my free Hoopla app and decided to listen to it this time. Bob Goff reads the book and it’s fun to listen to him tell such fascinating stories about growing up, his teenage and college years, meeting his wife, adventures with his kids, and interesting stories with friends. Each chapter has a little life lesson as well – all about living a life of LOVE.

Clara Barton by Janet Benge

Rating: 10/10

Review:

I’d heard of Clara Barton in connection with the Red Cross, but never knew much about her. Wow, what a fascinating life!

She was a SUPER SHY young girl, so her parents encouraged her to become a teacher. Though she was INCREDIBLY nervous at first, she learned that she was really good at it! She quickly learned how to connect with her students, and they loved and respected her. Clara taught for many years, and even helped get free public education started in states that didn’t have it yet.

Reading (or listening to) stories like this gives me hope for each human. Clara was a simple girl that noticed a gap/problem, then filled the gap and helped solved the problem. We can do great things by starting small.

I’m thankful for women like Clara. She carved the way for a woman like me! She was a leader before women were allowed to lead. She was hard-working, creative, respectful, but bold.

I listened to this book on my free Hoopla app and recommend it for moms and their daughters. Listen to it together.

Anonymous by Alicia Britt Chole

Rating: 10/10

Review:

As I closed this book, I held it in my hands with deep appreciation. I am so grateful for this author and her words. Oh, how I needed to hear them. I wish I would have read this book 3 years ago when I moved to Minnesota and felt completely…anonymous.

Jesus lived 90 percent of his life anonymously! And yet, look at the impact He made in the world and for eternity.

Don’t despise anonymity. Learn during that season, grow in that season. God has not forgotten you.

I underlined almost half of this book. It was so incredibly powerful. I was in tears many times.

This is one of the best books I’ve read all year. I read it slowly to savor the words. It’s a book I’ll go back to because the message is so important and so beautiful.

Read this if you feel anonymous, if your dreams haven’t been realized, or if you are in a new town and feel unknown.

Here are a few points that I loved from this book:

Why would Jesus announce the birth of his precious son with a full angelic choir, then hide this priceless gift for three decades? Because what is hidden is not unimportant.
God’s first public words to Jesus were not directional (go there) or instructional (do this) it was relational: THIS IS MY SON! And He spoke affirmation before Jesus had ever done any good works.
Every day, we invest in a future we cannot see. Time is not really spent. Instead, it is invested in a future we cannot see.
Choosing what is right not only makes a difference today, it makes a difference that compounds exponentially to bless our future.
Jesus could stand strong in public because he stood still in private. He intentionally pursued quiet places.There is healing in stillness.
Strength is not given, it is grown.
Savor the anonymous season. Respect it’s potential.

Funny How Life Works by Michael Jr.

Rating: 10/10

Review:

WOW! What a funny, yet powerful book! I couldn’t put it down. Michael is such a great performer and storyteller. Each chapter tells a (usually funny) story from his life with a POWERFUL life lesson or action step for the reader.

Micheal Jr. included great quotes throughout the book:

Sometimes, would tell a story, then say, “Scan this to watch it.”

Thanks for reading the reviews of these great books! Have you read any of these or another good one? Leave a comment and let me know what to read next!

Click here to read my favorite books of last year.

Each of these books are affiliate links which means if you purchase on, I may get a small commission. TIA!

October 31, 2021 By Kathryn

0 In 2021

A peek into our home updates: WALLPAPER

Anyone else staying home for weeks on end, staring at their walls and wanting to make changes?

We decided we needed wallpaper.

For the last twenty years, the only thing I wanted to do with wallpaper was TEAR IT DOWN! Evidently quarantine messed me up enough to want to put it up – in more than one room!

I’ve never picked out wallpaper. I didn’t know what a big and overwhelming job this could be.

I walked into a wallpaper store that was almost as big as my house. Every wall had bookshelves. On every bookshelf were wallpaper books. In every wallpaper book were a hundred different option.

The first day I just walked in … then just walked right back out. I wasn’t prepared.

My second visit involved pulling random books off the shelf and scanning through them.

Thankfully, a sweet lady who worked there sensed that I was a bit over my head. She asked me to describe what I envisioned for my home, then pulled about six different books for me to look through.

Amazingly, several of those books had something I liked, so I brought them home to get Ted’s input, and see how it looked inside our home, with our stuff.