Tuesday, June 1, 2021

3 Books I Finished Recently and more...

Welcome to my book update post where I share what books I finished recently + my honest thoughts and star ratings of them. My Reading Goals for 2021 For 2021, I set a goal of reading 3 books per week — 1 fiction book, 1 non-fiction book, and 1 ...
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Intentional finance. Intentional family. Intentional business.

3 Books I Finished Recently

Welcome to my book update post where I share what books I finished recently + my honest thoughts and star ratings of them.

My Reading Goals for 2021

For 2021, I set a goal of reading 3 books per week —  1 fiction book, 1 non-fiction book, and 1 audiobook each week. I know this is an audacious goal, but reading is something I love and it’s a way I learn, challenge my mind, improve as a writer and communicator, and am refreshed and encouraged through inspiring stories.

I have a few shelves full of books (mostly that I’ve gotten free), so I decided to choose 52 books from off my shelf to read this year (see my list of 52 books I plan to read in 2021 here). I’ll also read other books that I find/am sent that pique my interest. Plus, I plan to go through a lot of audiobooks (I get mine free from the Libby app).

Here are three books I finished recently…

Mama Bear Apologetics: Empowering Your Kids to Challenge Cultural Lies

As parents, our heart is to raise kids who know how to think, wrestle through what they believe and why they believe it, and be able to stand alone in their convictions — even if no one else agrees.

Mama Bear Apologetics is well worth reading if you are a Christian parent who struggles to know how to help your kids navigate difficult topics from a Biblical perspective. You might not end up agreeing with the authors’ beliefs or convictions in all areas, but this book will make you think and examine who you believe, why you believe it, and how you are interacting with others around your beliefs. AND, it will also help better equip you to have meaningful conversations with your kids.

One critique I did have of it is that I felt like the first part of the book was kind of fear-based. As in, if you don’t know how to have these conversations and you don’t teach your kids this, here are all the bad things that could happen. While I understand that empowering our kids to challenge the cultural lies is important, I don’t think we should do it motivated by fear, but out of a desire to point our kids to Jesus and to honor Him with our lives because we are so loved by Him. I want to make sure I am parenting out of faith not fear.

Verdict: 4 stars

Praying Women: How to Pray When You Don’t Know What to Say

I listened to this on audiobook and while I felt like it was a lot of stuff I’d heard/learned/thought of before, it was a good refresher. Sheila narrated the audiobook and I love her Scottish accent and her hilarious stories and honesty.

If you are new to prayer, if you are frustrated by the idea of prayer, or if you are cynical about prayer, I think you will especially appreciate this book.

Verdict: 3 stars

The Chance

This audiobook was available to listen to for free on Libby and since I often enjoy Karen Kingsbury, I downloaded it. I figured out — after listening to a few chapters — that I thought I might have already read or listened to it a few years ago. As it went on, I realized that I had, but I was invested enough into it, that I went ahead and finished it!

It wasn’t one of my favorite Karen Kingsbury novels, but it overall, it was a good listen. It was such a reminder how our decisions can have such profound impact — either good or bad — on others.

Verdict: 3 stars

    
 

Free LEGO® Life Magazine Subscription!

If you have kids who love all things LEGO®, did you know you can sign them up for a completely free LEGO® magazine subscription?! This makes our list of the top magazine subscriptions for kids!

{Don’t forget to check out our LEGO Gift Guide and all the recent LEGO Deals!}

Free LEGO Life Magazine Subscription for Kids!

Free LEGO® Magazine Subscription

If you have kids who loves LEGOS, I just wanted to remind you about this great FREEBIE!

Did you know you can sign up for a completely free LEGO® magazine subscription?! There are no strings attached and it’s 100% free!

(Well, other than the fact that there’s definitely some marketing and advertising built into each issue about the newest kits coming out…so your kids might get really excited about new LEGO® sets that are on the horizon! ;))

Your first issue will arrive within 6-16 weeks. While the first issue won’t arrive in time for Easter, you can always print a photo of the magazine cover and attach a little love note for your child!

building LEGOS

What is LEGO® Life Magazine?

This magazine used to be called LEGO® Club Magazine but in recent years has rebranded to LEGO® Life Magazine.

It’s designed for kids between the ages of 5 and 9 years old. And after providing your child’s birth date, they will receive this FREE magazines 4 times per year until they are no longer within the age limit window. (And after that, they can download the free LEGO® Life app to use!)

Each issue is filled with stories, activities, posters, comics, contests, creative building ideas, and more!

Kids can even submit their own creations to possibly appear in the magazine!

Kid Holding LEGO Magazine

Our Kids Loved LEGO® Magazine

When they were younger, our kids absolutely loved this magazine.

It was always one of their very favorite magazines to get in the mail, and it was SO fun for them to get some of their own snail mail!

I have fond memories of our three older kids pouring over the latest LEGO® issue and reading it from cover to cover — especially Kathrynne!

This magazine provided hours of entertainment for all of our kids without spending a dime!

free LEGO® magazine subscription

Go here to sign your kid up for a FREE subscription!

    
 

Gretchen’s $72 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan for 5

Aldi

1 Half & Half – $1.55

1 box Oatmeal – $1.59

1 pkg Frozen Chicken Breasts – $5.59

2 bags Frozen Corn/Peas – $0.75 each

1 bag Frozen Broccoli – $0.85

2 cartons Yogurt – $1.75 each

1 Cottage Cheese – $1.59

4 Avocados – $0.69 each

1.02 lbs Roma Tomatoes – $0.97

2 boxes MooTubes Yogurt – $1.29 each

1 bag Tortilla Chips – $0.89

1 gallon Milk – $2.35

1 pkg Flour – $1.15

1 dozen Eggs – $1.49

1 Steak Seasoning – $1.49

1 pkg Chicken Drumsticks – Marked down to $2.35

1 bag Pretzels – $0.69

1 box Kids Krunch Cereal – $1.99

1 box Granola Bars – $0.95

1 bag Spring Mix – $1.89

1 bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese – $2.59

1 Italian Dressing – $0.89

1 bag Caesar Salad – $2.29

2 loaves Bread – $0.59 each

2.49 lbs Red Grapes – $4.21

1 bag Spinach – $1.19

1 bag Mini Cucumbers – $1.99

2.27 lbs Bananas – $0.82

1 Deli Cheesesticks – $3.99 (not pictured)

1 Deli Pizza – $4.99 (not pictured)

Total: $62.12

Publix

1 pkg Yummy Dino Buddies – $3.49, used $1.50/1 Publix e-coupon – $1.99 after coupon

1 Tillamook Ice Cream – $4.50, used Free printable coupon (no longer available) – Free after coupon

1 Activia Strawberry Yogurt – $2.64, used $2/1 Publix e-coupon – $0.64 after coupon

1 pkg Kentucky Legend Ham – $2.79, used $1/1 printable – $1.79 after coupon

2 boxes Cheez-It Crackers – $1.65 each, used $1/2 Publix e-coupon AND 2 $0.25/1 Ibotta rebate – $0.90 each after coupon and rebates

1 bag Cheez-It Snap’d – $1.65, used $1/1 printable – $0.65 after coupon

2 Annie’s Mac & Cheese – $1 each

Total after coupons and rebates: $8.87

Harris Teeter

1 Harris Teeter Popcorn – $0.99

1 lb Harris Teeter Butter – $2.27

2 Lily’s Chocolate Bars – $3.49 each, used $2.50/2 printable (no longer available) AND $4.29 Ibotta rebate – $0.10 each after coupon and rebate

1 Chosen Foods Dressing – $3.49, used $1.50/1 peelie coupon AND $3.25/1 Ibotta rebate – Free plus $1.26 overage after coupon and rebate

Earned $0.75 in Ibotta rebates for scanning receipt

Total after coupons and rebates: $1.45

Total for all stores: $72.44

Menu Plan for This Week

We are starting to get veggies from our garden so I’ll be using some of those this week.

Breakfasts

Cereal, Eggs, Yogurt, Oatmeal, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins, Homemade Granola

Lunches

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches x 2, Mac & Cheese x 2, Fruit/Veggies/Hard Boiled Eggs, Dino Nuggets/Veggies/Yogurt, Leftovers

Dinners

Deli Pizza and Cheesesticks from Aldi

Baked Chicken Drumsticks, Mashed Potatoes, Butterhorn Rolls, Watermelon

Taco Bar, Chips and Homemade Guacamole

Sour Cream Enchiladas, Steamed Corn, Leftover Chips & Guac

Tossed Salad Bar with Chicken

Spaghetti, Caesar Salad, Steamed Peas

Pancakes, Eggs, Fruit Smoothies