By Quiet Waters

Embracing the Full, Hard and Good Life, While Pausing Often by Quiet Waters

Search Results for: children's books

Brave Beauty, Finding the Fearless You

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Brave Beauty

Brave Beauty:  Finding the Fearless You

Messages to girls and boys abound.  Positive, negative, helpful, most certainly damaging.  As parents, grandparents, teachers and mentors, one of the steady roles we have it is to help each other, and the young ones in our midst, sort out the harmful and untrue from all that is beautiful and true.

Having a rich supply of wholesome and beautiful resources on the book shelves is one way to nurture the minds and thoughts of those who live, or pass time, in our homes.  As the years have passed, I have held tightly to many books, old friends, from my children’s younger years.  And I am finding that it is a lot of fun to find new additions for those shelves, as well.

It is a joy and an honor to have the opportunity to share these treasures with grandchildren.  At this time, we have all daughters, and only grand daughters.  I do expect that to change over time, with the addition of more grands… and hopefully adding a few boys in the mix.  But for now, it is all girls and I’m having fun discovering books for them.

Brave Beauty is one such book.  I”ll be tucking it onto the shelves for a couple of years, but one day in the not too far off, I imagine we’ll pull it off the shelf and delve into this book of devotions written to encourage young ladies to build their confidence in the God who created them.

This book has 100 devotions, covering the topics of “who am I?”, “what about the tough stuff?” “Who is God?  And will He really help me?”

Delving into these topics will help a young lady to tell herself the truth about who Jesus says she is.  The temptation to indulge in damaging habits (comparison, eating issues, self abasement, etc) is overcome when we know who we are, and what is true in the world around us.

Growing up is exciting, and scary.  Taking the time to introduce a young lady to the truth, and to walk alongside her has a lasting impact toward strengthening and shaping her in beauty, truth and wholesomeness.

Journaling opportunities and enriching activity ideas are woven into these devotions.  These help the message to go deeper, and give the girl to time to flip the material over in her mind and process it.

Brave Beauty is another wonderful resource for mom and daughter, a small group of young ladies with an older mentor, or for Nana to share with precious ones in her care.

Thank you to HandleBar Publishing for adding another book to my shelves in exchange for this review.

Reading in April, Reading with Grandkids Edition

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Reading in April

Have I mentioned before how fantastic it is to be a grandmother? Well it is truly fantastic in many ways.  One way in particular is the gift of sharing favorite old stories and finding new ones.   This month I introduced my 4 year old grand daughter to two old favorites, James Herriot’s Animal Stories and also, Brambly Hedge.

Those are two books I delighted in reading to my kids when they were young. And it is a treat to share these stories with Miss Joyness.

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New Board Book ~ God Loves Mommy & Me

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God Loves Mommy & Me

New from TommyNELSON Publishers is this cheerful board book, God Loves Mommy & Me by Bonnie Rickner Jensen.  The book is illustrated by Laura Watkins.   This children’s board book is illustrated with two long ear bunnies, and  cheerful colors.  Young children will find the story delightful, and will likely recognize activities they do illustrated on the pages.  This is a good book for stimulating conversation between the child and the loved one who is reading to her.

” God put love in Mommy’s heart, and I can feel it too…”

“God’s great love is endless – it reaches to the sky, like when I’m on the swing and Mommy helps me fly so high!”

Aren’t those words sweet and true?!  As mothers, we do want the love of God to be evident in us, to flow through us to our children, husbands, and the world around us.   This is another book affirming the love and purpose God has for the different roles in family life.  And in this case, the role of Mommy in the raising and nurture of children.  I think it is important and good that these books are being written, and that the family is being esteemed by authors and publishers at this time.

If you are interested in adding God Loves Mommy & Me to your family’s library, you can do so here.  There is also a giveaway happening for the book, HERE. 

God Loves Mommy & Me

This complimentary copy of God Loves Mommy and Me was provided by FrontGate Media, in exchange for my review.

August Reading 2016

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Summer was glorious, but here we are at the end of August.  That means BACK TO SCHOOL.  It seems that audiobooks are the way to go as the drives to school and home again begin.  I’ve found that while audiobooks how I am mostly reading, getting the book version through kindle is how I take notes and copy down quotes.  Downloading the overdrive app to my phone has made this pretty easy!

This month I read:

Queen of Katwe

The Queen of Katwe by Tim Crothers –  I was given a copy of the book, but listened to the audio version while traveling earlier in the month.  This was a challenging book to read, and even more, a difficult book for me to review.  I suppose that is why I haven’t finished my review.  I know the movie is coming out soon, and plan to see if it helps me understand the struggle I have with the book.

August Reading

You Smile When You Show Me Grace by Michelle Thooft – an adoption story that has an encouraging message on grace for anyone.

Quiet:  The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking by Susan Cain  –  This book, I’ve had on my audible app for over a year, and I finally started it last month.  It was slow going for the first 1/2 of the book, but in later chapters I found information that is increasing my understanding of my children’s different personalities, and how to better relate to each of them.  This is the first book I downloaded via overdrive to kindle to take notes!

Unashamed by Christine Caine – another powerful message from Christine Caine, founder of A21 Campaign.

While I only finished 4 books this month, I have way too many on my “currently reading” list/pile.  My plan for September is to finish all of the currently reading titles and be ready to start fresh with some cozy reads for autumn.  How about you?  What are you reading these days?

 

 

 

Starsmore Discovery Center

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Starsmore Discovery Center

Starsmore Discovery Center 

This center is at the entrance to Cheyenne Canyon.  Starsmore Discovery Center is one of several nature centers in Colorado Springs.  Each one offers fascinating opportunities for children and adults to experience and understand the natural world.

In the late spring and through the summer there are beautiful gardens full of native plants, butterflies and birds.  Inside there are numerous displays, dioramas and hands on nature items as well as a bird watching area. There are areas for children to handle nature items, look at books or to color.

Starsmore Discovery

 

The center is open April to October, and hosts fantastic children’s events.

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Outside you are likely to see squirrels, mule deer, various birds including Hummingbirds.  There is access to the North Cheyenne Creek, where we have enjoyed picnics and a little splashing in the water.

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Heading into the Canyon, from the Discovery Center,  the road runs along the North Cheyenne Creek all the way up to Helen Hunt Falls.  This road continues around to Gold Camp Road and more hiking trails.  The Columbine Trail begins here, and just like the road leads up to the area around Helen Hunt Falls.

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It is easy to see why this canyon is such a popular place for families.  I hope you find a morning, afternoon or a whole day to explore the area.

Raising Readers, the Next Generation

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Raising readers has been one of my life goals since my children were young.  From the looks of my daughters’ night stands and bookshelves it is likely that I succeeded.  Now I am a grandmother and am happily on the road to helping my older daughter raise the first of the next generation of readers.

Reading aloud is one of my favorite things to do.  Reading for fun, for growth, for teaching, for exploring, there are so many reasons to read together!  Shared stories add flavor, color and context to family memories.  Those shared stories bubble up when I least expect them.  Like during a drive through the Badlands in South Dakota…

Summertime

Driving through the Badlands one summer we suddenly felt that we had found the shire. We never did find the hobbit houses though.

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