The Inkblots

The Inkblots is part biography of Hermann Rorschach, part history of psychology, part cultural commentary, part history of the inkblot test known as the Rorschach that wraps up in a large, meandering undertaking with a heavy emphasis on the Inkblots in America after the death of their inventor. The book is interesting, overwhelming, and heavy handed in turns. I learned a lot reading this book, but it doesn't have a strong thesis. It wanders around the topics like a river - the current moves you, but you don't go in a straight line. It rather felt like the author just wanted to include as much information on everything relating to these ten blots of mystery as possible, even if it sacrificed quality. I believe this book would have been more compelling as separate books addressing the different parts. Yes, they wove together in real life, but reading about them on top of each other makes for a dense read. Of course, if one was already familiar with the basics about the test and a brief outline of its history or controversies this book would likely be an easier read. For the novice, having absolutely no knowledge and never having heard of this test before cracking the book open, it was a bear of a task. Interesting at times, and a drag at other points. Given, however, that an overview of the Rorschach does not appear to exist outside of this book, it is valuable and worth investing time into reading if you are looking to broaden your knowledge about the man, the test, American culture, or psychology.


I was given a complimentary copy of The Inkblots from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. 

Let it Be

As a stay at home mom with soon-to-be four children under four years of age it's really easy to get overwhelmed. You're always at least two steps behind and just as you start catching up your child figures out how to get in their closet and dump out all the boxes of clothes you had nicely organized for their sibling to grow into.

It's very easy to get stressed and frustrated. That's why I love the message of "Let it Be" .... now that doesn't mean live in a pig-sty but realize these years and this season are fleeting and sometimes it's ok to let things not be right how you wish they were.

Let it be & give your kids a hug. They want to help you fold the laundry & it's not how you want it? Let it be. They're learning. They're proud because they picked out a clashing outfit all by themselves? Let it be and enjoy it while it lasts. Just laugh and enjoy the little moments that will disappear sooner than later. Let it be, and find that you are present, focused, and joyfully there. It's a reminder I need often, and I love this shirt provides that reminder for me.

Yes, I'm pretty much the worst selfie taker ever ;-) This Fashion Friday, I wanted to celebrate the reminder to LET IT BE and challenge myself to dress up this T-shirt that lends itself to casual wear. I chose my black and white maxi skirt to keep the outfit in classy colors, but added pops of color with the mint and gold necklace and bracelet, paired with gold earrings. A classic Southern white floppy hat adds a finishing touch! This outfit is great paired with gold, white, or black sandals! 

Outfit summary:
Sun Hat: Target
Gold earrings: Target
Tee: Cents of Style
Necklace: I modified from a layered Walmart necklace
Skirt: Walmart
Bracelet: Target

This weekend only Cents of Style has their BE series tshirts discounted! Their tees are serious go-tos for me. They have modest necklines and are long enough I don't have to worry about my midriff showing ... I mean, look at that! I'm in the final weeks of my pregnancy and I can *still* wear this shirt without worry of skin shining in the middle! BUT when I'm not pregnant it doesn't look excessively long! I have no idea how they pulled that off, but its brilliant! Brilliant I tell you. I love versatile clothes!

There are so many styles and colors to choose from and through 4/30 they are all just $15.95 + Free Shipping when you use the code BESTORY at checkout! What shirt is YOUR favorite?

Open when...

This is a TINY book. The "envelope" size is small than your usual envelope, and there's not much more than a paragraph...if that, in each "letter". And there are only 12 letters.

Honestly, the book made me sad, because it seems like the kind of things you would own only if there is no one around to encourage you. I mean, what's a generic paragraph from a stranger going to do for you that some good friends or close family couldn't do more?

I also was mixed up as to what kind of book this was. I knew it was "letters to lift your spirits" but I was thinking it was from the "faith" section - from a Christian perspective. It's not. It talks about karma, and about Buddhist belief, and how the first step to forgiving someone is realizing they're an idiot. Hardly Christian thoughts!

While the artwork is absolutely adorable, the content is so less than stellar that it's not a book I'll be keeping around. But, if you like generic messages of affirmation and positivity, this might do it for you.

I received a complimentary copy of Open When... from Blogging from Books in exchange for my honest opinion. 

When God Made You

As parents we are constantly looking for inspirational, motivating, God-centered books for our children to encourage them along. I was optimistic when I saw this book from Matthew Paul Turner - The back of the book reads:

YOU, you...God thinks about you. God was thinking of you long before your debut.
From early on, children are looking to discover their place in the world and longing to understand how their personalities, traits, and talents fit in. The assurance that they are deeply loved and a unique creation in our big universe will encourage them to spread their wings and fly.
Through playful, charming rhyme and vivid, fantastical illustrations, When God Made You inspires young readers to learn about their own special gifts and how they fit into God's diving plan as they grow, explore, and begin to create for themselves.
'Cause when God made YOU, somehow God knew That the world needed someone exactly like you!

Unfortunately, when I picked up this book online I was unable to read this back description or I would have lost some of my optimism about this book. This gives you a very good feel for the book. The book is NOT about God - the book is about YOU. Every page is focused on you (aka the child reading the book) and whenever God is mentioned it is in the context of him thinking about you. Reading this book you seriously walk away with the impression that God is completely and totally absorbed in you and everything you have to offer and give with your unique and amazing talents.

This is a false idea. And a problematic one, on a theological level yes, but also on a practical level. We keep filling our children's heads with delusions of grandeur. We constantly fill them with grandiose ideas of greatness and uniqueness only they can bring. They are special and unique - it's true, but, intentionally or not, we belittle common, ordinary things in the process of trying to build them up.

Is it any wonder we have disgruntled college graduates? They expect to have the world handed to them, instead they can't find a job in their weirdly specialized field. They can't even find a job in their normal field sometimes. Or it doesn't have the pay "they deserve" or some other perk "they need".

We don't give them the idea that maybe their talent is best used in a ministry, not a full time job. Or that maybe its ok if they have an ordinary Joe job, like being a plumber or mechanic or electrician. These are jobs that are regularly demeaned, but in our modern world we can't live without them.

Maybe the point isn't on US and OUR special abilities, but doing *whatever* we have using whatever talents we have (because not everyone actually has a special talent) to the best of our abilities to bring glory to God.

Bringing glory to God is something entirely lacking from this book, and yet that is one of our biggest purposes in life. The closest this book gets to anything remotely Biblical is when it vaguely mentions you being a peacemaker and loving each other.

The God of this book is an undefined "other" being that fits into just about any religious framework, yet it is intended to be for Christians. There is NOTHING in this book that makes that evident. And it's a shame.

I received a complimentary copy of When God Made You in exchange for my honest opinion from Blogging for Books, but I won't be hanging on to it.

(I also didn't dig the illustrations. They might work for some people, but I found them odd.)

A Pun-ny Game (Right Participants Required)

I picked up Punderdome for my dad. He has ALWAYS made puns, a good number of them groan worthy. My siblings and I got the gene too, though not as strong. I never realized how much I made my own puns till I got married ... I get a lot of eye-rolls 𝨝.

I gave this to my dad as a "get-better" present after his unexpected heart surgery. NOTE: giving a game of puns after heart surgery is a bad idea. BAD IDEA. Cause we laughed a lot. And that's pretty painful when your sternum is healing!

Making puns on demand is not the easiest task, if someone isn't into puns they WILL NOT like this game. My mom & husband bowed out after a couple rounds cause it just wasn't their thing.

The thing about puns is they don't have to be great - you just roll with it. It may be horrible, but that doesn't mean you won't win the round. If you like puns and thinking on your feet, you'll enjoy this game.

A couple complaints about the game itself, though - the included paper for writing down the prize for winning is not perforated. You have to get scissors out everytime! C'mon! Just perforate it.

Not all the words on the cards are spelled correctly. Run it through spell check, proof read it. It isn't impressive when you pull out a card like "OYLMPICS"

With the right people, this game could be side-splitting, but otherwise it's a dud. It's truly a love-it-or-hate-it scenario.

If you have a bunch of folks who want to play a game but aren't that into pun-making, but want a little brain workout, Mad Gab or Balderdash are likely a better options.


I received a complimentary copy of Punderdome from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest opinion, which I have given. 

Perfect Presents from Children

I was compensated for this post. This post also contains affiliate links. This means that, at no additional cost to you, I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. 

I am so excited about these Christmas cards from Tiny Prints. Why? Because my oldest is 3.5 years old and she's super excited about Christmas and gifts this year - and these cards let her have her own little gift to give family members!

She can color them and enjoy it. They don't cost that much. She puts her own touch on it. And everyone goes "aaawwwww".

You can have the option of putting a picture on the back of the card, which is totally cute. I left ours blank to give room for her own personal little message in her scrawling hand.

If you want something more sophisticated than a Christmas coloring card, they totally have you covered. Just check out this sampling of options from Tiny Prints! 

CUSTOM OOAK Christmas presents??!

I was compensated for this post. This post also contains affiliate links. This means, at no additional cost to you, I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. 

There is so much of the same ole same ole in stores these days, it's easy to feel like your gift is going to be the same gift one or two other people give someone. What about unique? What about special? Personalized?

Tiny Prints allows you to have truly one of a kind Christmas cards and presents like customized mugs and picture ornaments! (and I have totally unique and personalize-able non-picture Christmas ornaments in my Etsy store!)

I don't even know how to pick my favorite card option! These are just a few of my favorites - aren't these gorgeous?

AND you can get custom gifts! Like these ornaments, stockings, iphone cases, mugs, and pillows (and there are sooo many options to choose from!)!!

There are just so many gifts to choose from at Tiny Prints to truly stand out this season! Which ones catch your eye?

Thankful, Grateful, Blessed

Contrary to what your local mall tells you, it's not Christmastime yet. We're entering in to a season of intentional thanks.

This has been a difficult year for my family. After the birth of our baby early this year, it's been pretty much one piece of bad news after another. But, even in the midst of everything God has shown himself faithful, and reminded us of just how much we have to be thankful for.

We are thankful because he is our Savior. If he didn't take our wrongdoings upon himself, die on the cross, and then defeat death by coming back to life, we would be miserable and have no future. That alone is worth thanksgiving! But he has also given us regular food to eat, a roof over our heads, clothes to wear - he has provided everything we need.

We are grateful for good health, that my dad's heart problem was caught before it was too late, for memories of those who left us this year. We are grateful for their legacies - the can-do attitude of my grandmother; my baby cousin - knowing every life is important and has an impact; the wartime sacrifice and quirky humor of my grandfather.  Even in sorrow, there is much to be grateful for.

And we are blessed to have four healthy, beautiful children. That's right, #4 is on the way! It is a wonderful gift after the sadness of this year to know we have another child. #3 & #4 are bookends, in a way, of a season of sadness. But we are reminded, the Lord gives and the Lord takes away: blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21)

To help celebrate this season of thanksgiving, Cents of Style is offering this FREE tshirt with any $25 purchase! Includes free shipping! 

Add ANYTHING from Cents of Style to your cart - jewelry, scarves, boots, you name it! until you have a $25 minimum in your cart. Then add the Tshirt from their Fashion Friday page and use the code THANKFUL1 at checkout. The price of the shirt will be deducted and, as always, you get free shipping! Orders will arrives before Thanksgiving - now there's something to be thankful for!

How to Style a Swing Dress

Swing dresses are very comfortable, flowy, fun dresses that can be dressed up or down. But sometimes it's easy to get in a style rut, so here are five different ways to style them! Great news, I think this popular swing dress from Cents of Style works great for pregnant ladies too (& it's available ins SEVENTEEN COLORS say what?! So you are sure to find the perfect color or five just right for you)! I think I'll be able to wear this dress well into my pregnancy, which is super exciting! Finding dresses that work while pregnant can be a definite challenge.

First look is super simple and works for casual and occasions you need to dress nice, but not be formal. For pregnant ladies, a think to medium belt worn above the bump with color matching earrings and shoes does wonders. These are actually Crocs! I absolutely love them, so comfy and versatile! If you aren't pregnant, a thick belt worn at the waist could be super cute.

 


For a more casual look, throw on a sweater, coordinating shoes, and a pair of big earrings (I just got these at Target last week and am already in love!) and this faux marble necklace! How fun is this?!

Or throw on some chunky jewelry in complimentary colors and keep warm this winter in your ankle boots!

Can we just think ahead to Christmas for a minute? (I won't tell, promise!) Stay warm with some tights and tall boots, knot the bottom of the dress, throw on a sparkly necklace and earrings! (I'm wearing clear snowmen earrings here I thrifted). 

Or go for a retro look! This works perfectly for that. I put on a long scarf with a 20s style bucket hat. No necklace and short silver earrings. I was wearing tights with my aforementioned Crocs. 

So there you have it! How do you style your swing dress?


PS - that huge stack of dresses? It's not even all the color options!

My Great Baby Manual Breast Pump (Review)

I was given one of these My Great Baby Manual Breast Pumps to review. Unfortunately, I was never able to use it - the white piece inside the bottle that provides the vacuum for you to be able to pump was defective. There was no split in it for the milk to come through! I think I like the idea of the silicone sleeve that fits over the flange to give a more personalized fit/tighter suction, but obviously I never got a chance to find out. My huge concern is actually that even if the product I received hadn't been defective, I wouldn't be able to use this pump. The reason is the flange. I won't fit in it. I need a larger option, which they don't provide. And the flange is one piece with what screws into the baby bottle so it's an assembly replacement, not just a flange replacement.

Further, I usually use Medela pumps and bottles, but I have also used Ameda pumps. And I have used Medela, Ameda, Parent's Choice, and other bottles (basically, whatever is cheapest) - all of these have screwed into my pump assembly for manual and electric pumps. This bottle's mouth is too wide. Basically, that means I could ONLY use the bottle that came with this to pump into. I guess I'd then have to pour into one of my other bottles for storage and use with the Calma nipple I use from Medela. Yes, My Great Baby does provide a nipple that fits, but I only use the Calma because it is designed to be more like the mother's breast (the baby has to work to get any food) and it makes for an easier transition from bottle to breast and back.

Something else I noticed is that my Medela manual pump allows, like their electric one, for a fast letdown cycle before getting into the deeper pumping. My Great Baby's model does not have that feature. They should look into incorporating it, because sometimes that letdown feature is essential for me.

I do like that this manual pump comes apart for easy cleaning. I think it would be easier to clean after a pumping session than my Medela manual pump, but I don't know for sure.

Personally, I wouldn't, and haven't used the breast storage bags that come with this. There's no markings for ounces, and nothing to make me think these bags are sterilized or freezer safe for breast milk. I'm not saying they aren't, but there is nothing that makes me think they are anything but a cheap freebie to throw in and make people think they're getting more for their money. I don't even like the Medela bags for freezer storage - they leak! Bags with one seal just don't work very well from my experience. Lanisoh are the exclusive breast milk storage bags I use.

The breast pads included with this bundle from My Great Baby are ok, not the best, but I also don't have heavy leakage right now so I can't comment on them too much. My favorite reusable pads are from Walmart (can't remember the brand right now!). For disposable pads my favorite are from Lansinoh.

The thing that intrigues me most about this My Great Baby pump is the silicone flange sleeve. I haven't seen that on other models, and I think it would stop the "burping" or "gas" that sometimes happens when pumping. In spite of that feature, though, there are several changes that would need to happen before I could recommend this product.



I was provided the bundle from My Great Baby for free in exchange for my honest opinion, which I have given.

Disruption (A Book Review)

I love a good fantasy read, unfortunately there are way more misses in that department than hits (though I've definitely read some good ones!)... especially in middle grade/young adult lit. But really, I think the market is over saturated. Let's see something different from magic and the elements and finding some hidden destiny, okay?

Disruption was refreshing in this way. It's still a middle grade novel, but it's about kids. And while they're not your typical kids, everything feels real in a this-is-our-world kind of way. I actually loved the story:

Matt plays a prank and it goes wrong, his dad is tired of the pranks and gets him enrolled in a summer camp that he hopes will straighten him out. Of course, Matt quickly realizes things aren't quite what they seem. And with that we are left to figure things out right along side of him. About halfway through the book I kept wondering why the title Disruption? but that becomes apparent by the end of the story.

I actually only have three quibbles with the book.

1. The exact same description of Matt's unsteady appetite is used twice in the book. I told you it was a quibble. It was fine the first time, but it stood out to me upon repetition.

2. I didn't really like how Matt had an attitude about school and thinking students who did well were geeky, nerdy, etc etc. I realize some kids have this perspective, but not everyone and it could turn some kids toward thinking that way. But that is hardly the focus of the book, and is easily forgiven in this case.

3. This one is a little more substantial. I would've preferred a different ending. I think this story would've worked best as a stand alone novel, not the start of a series. I won't give spoilers, but I think the choice offered at the end of the book is unrealistic, and since the whole book felt real to that point, it was a shame. I get wanting to make a series, but I'm not sure they'll have the same feel to them this book did. I think they'll require a greater suspension of belief, but I could be wrong.

The book is well paced, and I think this is a great book to hand reluctant readers. I plan on giving this book to my nephew. It's well written, has a good hook, and is definitely worth a read.

4 stars.



I was given a complimentary ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Life is Beautiful

August 2016 and into the first week of September has been probably the worst month+ of my life...in some ways, but through it all I've been reminded that life is beautiful. It started when I sprained my ankle immediately before an out of town trip for my grandmother's memorial service. She died earlier this year, just a week and half after my youngest child was born. Life comes and goes, and it's beautiful.

My grandmother was a positive, can-do person. She never let her age and accompanying issues keep her down. Instead, she picked up boxing. And she never complained such that unless you saw her, you had no idea how bad off she was. She saw the good, the beauty, in the cards she was dealt.

A couple days after returning home from her memorial service, my father went to the doctor and found out he had what they called a widowmaker - a 99% blockage in his heart in a critical area. Three days later he had open heart surgery. Literally at any moment up to that point his life could have ended. If something throws and makes that blockage 100% there is no recovering. Once again we were reminded of the fragility and the beauty of life.

Not even two days after my dad is released from the hospital, my grandfather dies. He had been given no more than 3 months to live, and he didn't even last another half week. He was a man who loved his family, who served as a medic - preserving life - in Korea. He didn't talk about it much. He was an honest man who did a good job, and everyone knew he was reliable. He worked hard to provide for his family. One of his and my grandmother's favorite things to do was go to the beach and soak in the beauty. Having young ones around the last few years of his life was the absolute highlight for him. Young life is beautiful, but so is old life, and seeing the young life and old life interact and intermingle is truly precious, and a great gift.

Just a couple days after my parent's returned from my grandfather's funeral my dad was readmitted to the hospital for complications from his open heart surgery. Thankfully, he is fine now. But once again, we are reminded that life is precious, life is sweet, life is grand, and its an adventure as we never know what each day brings. Sometimes life is tough, but we are too. And all those things meld together and are facets in the diamond that is life. And life is beautiful.

Love one of the above T-shirts? Grab yours here.

Which statement do you think sums up life the best? I'd love to hear!


original image source

Reading Challenge 2016: Magemother (A Series Review)

#vtReadingChallenge

Week 33: A book by an author under 30

The Magemother series is a middle grade fantasy written by Austin J. Bailey. The gorgeous cover artwork is eyecatching, and the premise, well, the premise of misfit girl being summoned to another world and uncovering her true past could be either totally lame or really work well. The first book was (and at the time of this publication still is) free, so I figured, what did I have to lose? 

 The Mage and the Magpie

This book was free on Amazon and had high reviews. Honestly, I usually pick up freebies with high reviews so I can give an honest negative review. Many people seem to think that if they like a book, it deserves five stars. Five stars, imo, should be reserved for the most excellent, memorable, standout books. Not every single book you read.

Sometimes, though, books deserve the praise. I was surprised to find that I actually enjoyed this book. The characters were well developed, the search was enjoyable, and since we're in an unfamiliar world there are lots of surprises. Some things that I think were supposed to be "reveals" were obvious to me, but others were not.

I haven't quite figured out how I feel about the magic in this series.  I think magic is neutral and you use it for good or bad, like you would a car, and it seems like the mages and apprentices possess their particular magic. Like a gift. I don't think that the wind mage's apprentice could learn the magic of the metal mage. In this world, magic is either something you have or something you don't. If you have it, but are not a mage or mage apprentice, I'm not sure what you do. That's never addressed in the series.

I liked this book so much that I immediately looked the author up and signed up to receive updates from him. I received Magemother 1.5 as a "thank you."

4.5 stars



The Empty Throne

This is a novella, not a full length novel. It was offered as a "thank you" gift for signing up to receive updates from the author.

It is a very short and quick read, but it is an important link in the story. If you don't read this, there will be things you scratch your head at in later books trying to figure out if missed something.

While I didn't find this short story as compelling as the larger series narrative, I still thought it was important and highlighted the vulnerable side of Tabitha. It also makes the reader think about how they would respond if they had to go through Tabitha's test.

4 stars





The Paradise Twin

Book 2 largely focuses on finding the hidden mages and on Hugo's struggle with Molad. And there's a dragon. Dragon's are always fun, right?

In Hugo you really get that Jekyll and Hyde feel. His struggle is real, and it's easy to empathize with him. The search for the hidden mages was not as compelling, though, and almost became tedious at times. I had guessed part of Chantra's location, Unda's hiding place was obvious to me, but Lignumis' was well done.

In this book that I started feeling like the series was very similar to the Farworld series by J. Scott Savage.* A lot of necessary things happened in this book, but overall is wasn't as compelling as the others in the series. It moved things along, but I didn't feel anyone particularly developed as a character.

3 stars





The Bridge to Nowhere

This book was very interesting - and not entirely happy. There were a couple moments where I was actually surprised at something truly bad/sad happenings. Realism! I like books that have happy endings, but when absolutely everything works out perfectly as planned, it is eye-roll worthy. You see more development in Brinley and Hugo, others hold their own, and there are a couple flat characters. Some "twists" in the book I saw coming, but the intended audience would largely find them unexpected.

The Hugo/Molad struggle continued, and while it certainly felt real at times, there was one point very near the end in a major moment (trying for no spoilers!) where the reaction seemed a little extreme. But I understand why the author wrote it that way.

There is a meeting with the gods of their world, near the end of the book, and it rather felt like a huge aside. I got it - and they had showed up in other books - but the direction they promise really hadn't been there the whole series, so it didn't feel quite genuine. They also appear to be modeled after the Mormon view of God - being God and his wife who live in another world, but sometimes interact with us. The moral underpinnings in what they say are close to what I believe as a Christian, but the framework is wrong. Not everyone will agree, but I thought I'd mention it for those who want to have conversations with their children about that aspect of the book.

The biggest thing for me is one unanswered question that is actually asked in the series - what about the bell Brinley's father heard? That is never explained. I feel that is an oversight, or maybe it was too complicated to work into the book without a huge expansion ... but in that case the question should have been removed from the book. Its one thing for a reader to have questions of their own, it's another for an author to pose a question within the series that never gets answered.

Overall, the book gets 4 stars.

Serial Thoughts

As mentioned in my review of book 1, I'm not sold on how magic works in this world. To be sure, it is a well crafted story, but something seems a tad off, but I can't put my finger on it. Maybe its the lack of complete explanation, I don't know.

*To expand on my Farworld comment from book 2's review. The Farworld and Magemother series aren't actually that similar. Just the whole looking for mages (who control the elements) that are hidden was bringing me strong vibes of the looking for the hidden elementals (basically the elements themselves). Also, the cross-world transfer of a main character. But the journeys are drastically different, as are the endings. The Magemother series actually has a more satisfying ending, but as a series I think I prefer Farworld. If you like one of the series, though, I'm pretty sure you'll like the other.

And, to reiterate from my review of book 3, I don't like unanswered questions posed within the story itself (If I missed this someone please point it out to me!). There is also the Mormon-esque deity thing going on that doesn't completely fit with the world that was built.

My biggest complaint for the series as a whole is the age of the our main cast. They're around 12 years old! Everything they do just seems better suited for someone at least an additional 5 years older. It's a little overdone in literature today to have THE FATE OF THE WORLD resting on pre-to-early teens.

I was grateful that while there is friendship (and hints of particular people probably liking each other) romance is not really in the book. Like I said, it's hinted around, but it's not the star. THANK YOU! That is so nauseously overdone, and these books show you can have a good story without the romance. Especially when we're talking this young.

Mage and the Magpie: 4.5 stars
The Empty Throne: 4 stars
The Paradise Twin: 3 stars
The Bridge to Nowhere: 4 stars

Magemother series average: 4 stars


These book reviews appear as a part of the Reading Challenge 2016, to see other books in the challenge, click here.


I received complimentary ecopies of books 2 & 3 in exchange for my honest opinion.