Still Life by Dani Pettrey (Chesapeake Valor Series #2)

If you are looking for a good read with romance and suspense, this just might be the book for you.  I wanted to read it as soon as I saw the handsome man on the cover and even more when I realized it was the 2nd book in the Chesapeake Valor Series written by Dani Pettrey.  If you haven't read the Cold Shot (the first book in the series), you might want to get that book and read it first.  J

I enjoyed every single minute I spent reading Still Life.  Just like every book I have read by Dani Pettrey, I can’t bring myself to put it down until I finish it.  This book was no different.  From the very beginning of the book, I wanted to keep reading… and reading… and reading… 

This is a very fast paced book.  When a young lady is discovered missing the characters from the last book begin to show up as their expertise is needed in solving the mystery.  The characters are unique and they work well together and make quite an interesting group of people.  This book will have you sitting on the edge of your seat.  Just when you think you have things figured out, another twist happens in the story. 

I received an ebook of Still Life from Bethany House Publishers and in exchange I have written my honest review of this book.  

Emerald Tree-Free Bath & Facial Tissue

     If you are looking to go green Emerald Tree-Free is a brand of bath & facial tissue that you might want to check out. 

     This Emerald Tree-Free Bath Tissues comes individually wrapped!  I don’t think I have ever had any toilet paper in my house that was individually wrapped!  J  It is 2-ply and is also much softer than the toilet paper we normally use.  However, it is definitely not the softest tissue I have ever used either.  The roll doesn’t disappear overnight like some brands I’ve used in the past.  I don’t know much anything about bagasse, but it is made with that as well as bamboo and eucalyptus.

     These Emerald Facial Tissues came at just the right time.  I’ve had a sinus infection for the past week.  I went through the entire box of tissues!  The tissues have a texture that I’ve never felt in other tissues.  They definitely aren’t like the soft ones with lotion…but after blowing my nose a million times a lot this past week… my nose survived! 

     I just read the bottom of the box and I learned something new.  BAGASEE is the residue from the sugar cane stalks!  Wow!  It’s amazing the things people discover that we have wasted for so many years!

     Shoplet offers so many wonderful products!  Chances are they will be able to meet most of your shopping needs… including medical supplies, cleaning supplies, office supplies as well as office furniture. 

Disclosure:  I was provided a sample of both of these items.  In exchange I have given an honest opinion of these products. 

Treasures in Dark Places by Leanna Cinquanta

          The cover of this book is haunting!  Perhaps it is the eyes of the little girl... but something about it just left me with a sensation of wanting to read it.  As I read the first chapter, I was quickly drawn into the story.  

          Leanna's childhood was the total oppositive of mine!  Her family traveled from one home to the next and they never knew where they would end up.  I can't imagine a life of such uncertainty!  As a young child she experienced dreams that became hard to discern if they were real or not.  They left her with many questions unanswered.

          As a young person when Jesus Christ came to her, things change for her and her life was never the same.  Within a few years of her life changing in a direction that she never expected, she traveled to India on a mission that she didn't think she would return. 

          Reading her story left me with a sensation of knowing there is so much more that God wants from me.  As a Christian, we should all be about God's Kingdom and this book was definitely an inspiritation to me personally.  I was left feeling an intense challenge to make my life count for the Kingdom of God!!


Disclosure:  I received this e-book through the NetGalley reviewer program at  no cost.  In exchange, I have agreed to give my opinion of this book.  

In the Shadow of Denali (The Heart of Alaska Book #1)

This is the first time I have read a novel by Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse and I’ve officially added their names to my list of authors I enjoy reading.  It is a Christian historical fiction which beautifully depicts the Alaskan Frontier as not only a place of great beauty but also shows the grave danger that exist there. 

Alaska has always been on my bucket list of places I really want to visit.  After reading this book, I have moved it to the top of my list!  I love the descriptive writing that draws you into the story and allowed me to visualize so clearly what Alaska was like when it was land that was practically uninhabited with its natural beauty.

There are just a few of the main characters: 

·       Allan is a young man who recently lost his father while climbing Mount McKinley.  The death of his father leaves him full of anger towards the man he believes is ultimately responsible for his death. 

·       John is a mountain guide who lost a man during one of his expeditions while climbing Denali.  When the man’s son comes to do an internship with him, there are of course trust issues that somehow need to be addressed.  

·       Cassidy is a young girl who has been raised by her father.  She always has such a positive attitude.  An attraction quickly develops between Cassidy and Allan.

This is the first book in the series, and I am anxious to read the next book!

Disclosure: I received this e-book  through the NetGalley reviewer program free of charge. In exchange, I agreed to review In the Shadow of Denali and give my honest opinion.

Valentine's Day... A Month Away!!!!

Guess what a month from today is?  Valentine’s Day!!!  It will be here before you know it.  I’ve found several cute items at Oriental Trading. 

I try to send home Family Project several times during the year.  I saw this DIY Valentine Heart Pocket Classroom Quilt and I knew that it would be perfect for the month of February.  Each student will be given their own square to take home and decorate.  When the squares are returned they will be displayed like the picture below.  I can hardly wait to see what they look like!  (I will update the picture when I get them back from my students! J)

During the week before Valentine’s Day my first graders will start making these Rainbow Hearts.

They are really cool.  In the package there are 24 individual kits.  Everything you need is there, well… except for a pencil.  Students complete one color at a time by peeling the next piece of precut paper off, wrapping the tissue paper at the end of the pencil and pushing it to the sticky part.  No glue involved!  I must admit there was one issue with these hearts.  Have you heard of Roy G BIV?  Well that is how my students remember the order of the colors on the rainbow (Red Orange Yellow Green Blue Indigo & Violet).  This is not the order listed on the directions…but I’m totally okay with that… who needs directions anyways??  My kiddos know the order.  J

First graders always need more practice writing sentences.  They will have so much fun writing different types of sentences while using these fun  Valentine Conversation Self-Adhesive Foam Heart Stickers.   There are two sizes and there are several saying on the pieces.

  

These DIY Heart Masks will be so much fun to make and what little first grader wouldn’t love wearing them when they are are decorated.  If you don’t like messy, they could color them using markers, crayons, or colored pencils.  I’m all about letting them express themselves, so they will pick from a variety of items I have at school… even glitter!!!   If you decide to get this… be careful… the product says it will make 24, but the package I received had only enough for 12.  hmmmm... L

I also found a heart shaped card I will be giving my kiddos in their Valentine boxes.  It says “I Think You Are Just Write” and it already has 2 holes to put the pencil through.  It can’t get much easier than that!  

These Peanuts® Valentine’s Day Pencils along with these Frosted Valentine Hot Air Balloon Lollipops will also be a hit in their boxes.  My kiddos love the frosted lollipops they have there.  They have a huge selection of really cute ones. 

Lastly, I can’t forget my precious dog Samson.  Here he is modeling one of the three Valentine's Print Bandanas that came in a package (3 different designs).  Isn’t he about the cutest thing you have seen today? Precious boy!

That’s it.  I know your favorite is my little puppy dog…but trust me there is a lot of stuff to check out over at Oriental Trading for very reasonable prices.  Head on over their to check out all their Valentine's Day crafts, decorations, teacher supplies, toys, etc.  Don't wait too long though... Valentine’s Day will be here soon!  

I received these products at no charge in exchange for my honest review of their products.  The opinions expressed above are my own. 

Swivel Wheels & Clean Green Gloves

I have always wanted a coffee table that I could move around easily and now thanks to these Instant Swivel Wheels that has finally happened.  After cleaning the bottom of my table (with the alcohol wipe provided) I was able to quickly peel off the protective paper and stick a wheel on each corner.  Absolutely no tools needed!   Easy Peasy!  Then I anxiously waited to see if my table was going to move the way I pictured in my head.  I was not disappointed.  The wheels roll easily and my coffee table is now easy to move out of my way!   I didn’t even know that these kind of wheels existed!  

I will definitely be purchasing several sets of these.   These Instant Swivel Wheels could easily be attached to totes, bookcases, coolers, and so many other possibilities.  The only limit that I can see is there is a weight limit of 250 pounds. 

If you have not ever used a pair of gloves like these you really need to try them!  These Clean Green Microfiber SMARTer Dual Action Gloves are special in so many ways.  They are designed to allow you to wear them while using any type of touch-screen electronics.  The material itself is very soft so you don’t have to worry about your device’s screen getting scratched. Another plus is your fingers stay warm when you’re out in the cold!  It hasn’t gotten cold her in Oklahoma, but I’m sure it's coming soon!!!  I have rather large hands, so I was somewhat concerned that they wouldn’t fit, but they did!   In fact, they are very comfortable!   Here are few other things that you might want to know about them these awesome gloves:

• Lint Free
• Static Free
• Odor Free
• Hand Washable & Air Dry
• One Size Fits Most

I wish they came in smaller sizes, because I would order them for my classroom for my students to use whenever they were using our classroom iPads!  Have you ever seen what the hands of 1^st graders can leave on an iPad.  Trust me, you don’t even want to know what some of those things are.  Lol    Since these gloves need to be hand washable and air dried, I think they would be perfect for my classroom,  if only they came in a size for little children. 

I do have a small minor complaint about the gloves. There is a white tag that is sewn into each of the gloves. I found it slightly uncomfortable as well as a bit of an eyesore since the gloves are black.  I was able to get the tag off though by clipping near the seam and then pulling part of it though the seam.  Problem solved.

Are you ready now to do a bit of online shopping to make your life easier? Go ahead and find your way over to Shoplet.com.   They will help you meet a wide variety of your shopping needs while searching for office supplies, cleaning supplies, medical supplies, and office furniture.

I received the above mentioned items at no charge and in exchange, I agreed to give my honest opinion of each of these products. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Shopping Made Easy!!

Christmas is just a few weeks away!  YIKES!!!  Why oh why do I let it sneak up on me like this every single year!!!!

      Thank goodness for Oriental Trading and their huge selection of Christmas items!  I found several things that will bring huge smiles to my first graders. 

      Every year the students make gifts for their parents.  This year, I decided to go with some Pot Holders.  Who wouldn't love getting this as a gift from their little one?  My students will be able to color/paint these in no time at all!    These will be painting them with these 10-Color Crayola Fabric Markers.  Unfortunately there wasn’t a brown one in the box... so I had to find a brown paint marker to use also. 

      Every year we have a Polar Express day in our classroom.  In previous years I have created a “ticket” for each of the them.  This year, however, I will be using these beautiful gold tickets.  They are stickers so the kiddos will be able to stick them directly on their pajamas.    

Like many classrooms around the world, we also have an Elf on the Shelf visiting us.  The class unanimously decided his name should be Charlie.  Charlie has brought special gifts to the students several times already this year.  These Elf on the Shelf Erasers are going to be a wonderful surprise to the kiddos.

      It’s not all about my first graders you know… I had to find something for my precious Samson for Christmas.  He loves wearing all kinds of bandanas.  When I saw these on the Oriental Trading website, I knew that they would be absolutely perfect for my little boy. I think Santa is my favorite, but Samson likes all of them.  :-)

Samson is always carrying around a little friend (that looks just like him... almost...).  His name is Little Lab and they alway wear the same bandana.    Aren’t these two twinkies adorable!? 

     Oriental Trading has a huge selection of items.  I hope that you will give them the chance to meet your Christmas shoppings needs this year.  They have reasonable prices and they ship very quickly!!  

***Disclosure*** All the items that are mentioned above, were provided to me at no cost.  In exchange for receiving these products for free, I agreed to express my opinion of each of the products without being influenced by any outside sources.