We’ve arrived at the middle of the week again, which means time for another midweek mix-up!
Last week, I spent a lot of time figuring out what needs to be done over the next few months in order to attain some goals I have set. That includes upping the amount of new reviews posted each week, possibly even doubling the past amount! Currently, that seems huge, but one thing I want to focus on is write more reviews, which means taking more time for reading.
I have about fifty print books in my room at the moment that I haven’t read (they’ve been collecting out here for the last year or more!), so it’s my goal to get through all of them. That’s not counting the 300+ on my kindle that I want to read as well! So I’ve got plenty to read, I just have to make sure to take the time.
Right now, I’ve just finished . . .
I’m going back and forth about reviewing this for the website. I loved the story—it’s a true story, fairly well written, and has great historical value. However, there was quite a bit of language at one stage, something I do not appreciate. I will be reviewing this on Goodreads and Amazon, so you can hear my thoughts there, anyway. I’ll include a link in one of these midweek mix-ups when I finish it (hopefully next week).
New reviews this week:
My Big Book of Bible Heroes for Kids by Glen Hascall — This looks like it would be a great birthday present for someone!
Forty-eight short stories focus on various character qualities that people in the Bible demonstrated.
Underground by David Macaulay
In a combination of descriptive text and detailed ink drawings, Macaulay shows all the systems in place under streets to keep cities moving smoothly.
Home on the Blue Ridge by Pablo Yoder — I loved this story, and the rest of the family did too, when Mom read it aloud to us recently.
The Sanford Yoder family, now living at Faith Mission Home, continues to have adventures as the boys explore the mountains and learn more about life.
No Children, No Pets by Marion Holland
When Mother inherits an apartment house in Florida, the children pitch in to help with the work so they can stay there.
Palio, the Wildest Horse Race in the World by Marguerite Henry — Fascinating story about an interesting horse race!
The big dream of Giorgio’s life is to ride in the Palio, the great historical race held every year in the city of Siena, Italy.
A Proud Taste for Scarlet and Miniver by E. L. Konigsburg
While they wait for Henry II to be released from Purgatory, Eleanor of Aquitaine, her mother-in-law, a knight and an abbot pass the time by telling stories from Eleanor’s life.
Interesting and encouraging blog posts:
Do Your Kids Really Know What You Believe? (Not Consumed) — While it is for Moms, this post was really thought provoking. What do I want to teach my children? How will they think about these important issues? Very, very good thoughts here.
But I Homeschool to Keep My Kids From Being Exposed to Worldliness (Not Consumed) — Another one for Moms, this post was also really thought provoking. Very interesting perspective.
James Scott Bell Shares His Process For Brainstorming A New Story (Go Teen Writers) — A fascinating blog post. While I might not follow these exact steps, it does provide a great pattern to study and tweak to make it work for you.
From Blunderer to Blogger: A Cautionary Tale (Money Saving Mom) — Ouch! This hits home more than I’d like to admit.
When God Asked Me To Give Up My Dream (The Rebelution) — Wow. This is well worth the read. I’ve had this experience at least once, possibly more, and while it isn’t fun it’s also wonderful to know that He has a plan—even if I don’t.
Tool of the week:
Aspect Ratio Calculator is something I use multiple times a week to make sure my pictures are all the right sizes when resized. Plug in the numbers you have, and what you want to end up with, and it will instantly give you the other number you need. It’s slick, easy, and fast. I use it for every blog post I write (so the image in the email won’t end up too big), and I also use it for each review I post as well, along with other miscellaneous things. This is a very handy tool!
Well, that’s it for this week! Next week, I’m thinking of a free resources post, such as planners, programs, apps, and such like. Anything you would add to a list like that?
–Esther
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