Sunday, August 24, 2014

The Amish Blacksmith by Mindy Starns Clark & Susan Meissner


This book is the 2nd Book in The Men of Lancaster County Series.  I hadn’t read the 1st book yet, but I was able to read this book without feeling like I was missing something.  J  The authors are brand new to me and I’m looking forward to reading other books written by both of them. 

This book is written through the perspective of Jake who is an Amish blacksmith who is courting Amanda.  Things begin to change when Priscilla, a young lady from his past is brought back into his life.  

Jake begins to question things that he thought were perfectly clear before she entered his life.   Priscilla is definitely an unpredictable young woman that Jake was not use to.  

Throughout the book it was interesting watching how Jake and Priscilla grow in so many ways.  I enjoyed the interactions between them.  If you like reading about the Amish, horses and a bit of romance, you will probably like this book.  

I must admit that the story moved a bit slow at times, but overall I enjoyed the book.  


Discosure:  I received this ebook from Harvest House Publishers through the NetGalley reviewer program free of charge. In exchange, I agreed to review this book and give my honest opinion in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Guidelines.


Monday, August 11, 2014

Avery Binder & Labels Review

A few weeks ago Shoplet.com ask me to review a couple of Avery products.   Oh yes I would!!   It took me a few weeks to figure out what I wanted to use them for...but I finally did it!  My camera in my phone is totally messed up…so I can’t post pictures right now, but I will as soon as possible.

First up is this white Heavy Duty View Binder.  



I use a lot of binders for my work and this one is going to work perfectly for keeping all the Data of my first graders.  The one unique feature that I really like are the metal rings.  These will hold a bunch more paper than the usual kind of binder I use.  I get easily irritated when papers don’t turn easily as I flip throughbut these rings are gap free & as of yet... the paper has not snagged on these rings.  Love it!  There is also a nice size latch at the bottom which allows the rings to open and close quite easily.  I have made an insert to put in the front and back cover as well as a label for that slips into the spine.  Easy peasy! 

     I was also asked to review two different kinds of Clear Label Index Maker Dividers. 



There is a practice sheet that comes with both packages of labels.  I don’t know about you… but I always seem to mess up when I have a limited amount of something.  I always hate it when I mess us labels and so this made me feel so much more comfortable.  First, I downloaded the free template and the software for the labels and then typed in the information that I wanted on each of them.  I am documenting information for all my students, so I needed to print 25 different names.   After they printed (beautifully I might add), I stacked one row of dividers and then peeled off my first strip of labels.  Aligning them on the dividers was relatively easy because you can see through the labels.  I pressed each one of them down to make sure they were attached to the divider snuggly.  So easy and they look so professional on both the white and the colored dividers.  The Color Label Dividers come in a package that has 5 sets with 5 tabs (a total of 25 dividers) and the Clear Label Dividers come in a package with 8 tabs and there are 5 sets (a total of 40 dividers).  I used a laser printer but on the package it says that you can also use an ink jet printer.

I hope that you will hop on over to Shoplet.com and check out their wide variety of products.  I have shopped for so many thing there!  They have  Office Supplies, Promotional Products, Medical Supplies, and Office Stationary just to name a few things

***Disclosure*** I received the items referred to above for free in exchange for my honest review. of these products.  The opinions expressed here are my own.   

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm


Once I started reading this book, I couldn't put it down. I started it in the morning and finished it before lunch.  I will definitely be using it as a read aloud in my classroom when school starts up again in the fall.  

Ellie is an 11-year old young lady that has reached the age of discovering who she is.  She is changing and she is not liking it too much.  Like many children her age she struggles to fit in.  

Her grandfather (Melvin) becomes an 11-year old too through an experiment he performs.  This guy is truly funny!  As an 11-year old he is able to show his granddaughter the important things in life.    

This book has lessons for all!  It was a very enjoyable read and it will be one that I will remember!  



This book was provided to me free from NetGalley.  In exchange I have provided this honest review.