Book Review: Six Ways to Keep the "Little" in Your Girl by Dannah Gresh

Book Description:

Bestselling author, speaker, and founder of the Secret Keeper Girl conferences, Dannah Gresh shares with moms the secret to helping today’s girls grow up confident, grace-filled, and strong in their faith.

Studies show that the foundation for an emotionally healthy teen girl is built between the ages of 8-12 and that a good relationship with mom is one of the most important factors. So when the world wants girls to grow up too fast, how does a mother help her young daughter navigate the stormy waters of boy-craziness, modesty and body image, media, Internet safety, and more? With a warm, transparent style, Dannah Gresh shares six ways a mom can help protect and guide her daughter, including:

-help her celebrate her body in a healthy way
-unbrand her when the world tries to buy and sell her
-unplug her from a plugged-in world
-dream with her about her prince, and more

This wonderful resource also provides moms a Connection IQ Inventory to test their mom- daughter relationship, creative and fun activities to do together, and Scriptures for the mom to pray for her daughter.

My thoughts:
I have to honest and admit that I really wish it wasn't time to pick up a book like Six Ways to Keep the "Little" in Your Girl: Guiding Your Daughter from Her Tweens to Her Teens (Secret Keeper Girl). In fact, I probably should have picked it up sooner, but I wanted to live in La-La Land a little longer! If you are like me and are reluctant to admit you have a daughter that is not too far away from entering womanhood, then Six Ways to Keep the "Little" in Your Girl: Guiding Your Daughter from Her Tweens to Her Teens (Secret Keeper Girl) by Dannah Gresh is a wonderful book to help you overcome your reluctance.

Dannah Gresh encourages moms to have a relationship with their daughter and the importance of making that connection when your daughter is in her "tweens". She then goes on and shares how to make these six connections that will help instill critical values that your daughter needs. Theses chapters are filled with very practical and doable ideas. This is a wonderful guide, especially for the hesitant mom. When I finished the book I really felt that some those "Important Topics" that needed discussed aren't going to be quite so hard to introduce and build that special relationship with your daughter.

Book Review: Along Came a Dog by Meindert DeJong

Book Description:
My thoughts:

The long, cold winter was over. The little red hen had changed and the other chickens picked on her now, or ignored her altogether. Then one day a big black dog came to the farm in search of a home. The dog was humble and lonesome. The hen was cocky, and lonesome, too. A strange and wonderful friendship grew between them. The dog protected the little red hen, but who would protect the big black dog from being chased off the farm? Who would convicnce the man who owned the farm that the dog truly belonged there?

Along Came a Dog by Meindert Dejong is another book on our free read list that we are slowly dwindling down. I was familiar with The Wheel on the School by the same author since I had listend to it with my son a few years ago and we enjoyed it.

Along Came a Dog does a very good job of describing how chickens act! Also, the it takes 3/4 of the book to come to the climax of the story, so at times it seemed drawn out. Once we had reached the climax the story became more interesting.

I do think this books makes a better read aloud than a read alone book. I gave it to Destini a couple of month ago, but she just couldn't get into it. Chantry really enjoyed the book, much more than his sister or me, so I'm not sure if this book is more along a boy's interest or more appealing to an 8 yeair old.  If you child is sensitive to dying or injury you may want to pass over this book.  Overall, I am glad we read this book since we did learn something new and it had a good ending which made up for the slow beginning.

See what others are reading aloud over at Hope Is the Word.

What's On Your Nightstand - February

March reading:


From my January post, I read:
Cotillion by Georgette Heyer
The Anonymous Bride (Texas Boardinghouse Brides, Book 1) by Vicki McDonough
Nightingale (Brothers in Arms Collection, No. 2) by Susan May Warren
Sharpshooter in Petticoats (Sophie's Daughters) by Mary Connealy
Raising a Modern-Day Knight: A Father's Role in Guiding His Son to Authentic Manhood by Robert Lewis (review)
Six Ways to Keep the "Little" in Your Girl: Guiding Your Daughter from Her Tweens to Her Teens (Secret Keeper Girl) by Dannah Gresh

I also read:
Brighty: Of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry* (review)
The Door in the Wall by Marguerite De Angeli*
Heart of Lies: A Novel (Irish Angel Series) by Jill Marie Landis (review)
Magic or Not? by Edward Eager

Reclaiming Nick (Noble Legacy Series #1) by Susan May Warren
Today Matters: 12 Daily Practices to Guarantee Tomorrow's Success by John Maxwell (review)
The Well-Wishers by Edward Eager

I listened to:
Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson (review)
Forge by Laurie Halse Anderson

Book Review: Today Matters by John Maxwell

Book Description:

Most of us look at our days in the wrong way: We exaggerate yesterday. We overestimate tomorrow. We underestimate today. The truth is that the most important day you will ever experience is today. Today is the key to your success. Maxwell offers 12 decisions and disciplines-he calls it his daily dozen-that can be learned and mastered by any person to achieve success.

My thoughts:

I listened to Today Matters: 12 Daily Practices to Guarantee Tomorrow's Success (Maxwell, John C.) byJohn Maxwell last month on audio. I enjoyed it so much that I ended up getting the book and taking notes. In Today Matters, John Maxwell encourages you to not only make good decisions, but to add daily disciplines to make everyday a masterpiece. His "Daily Dozen" include: Attitude, Priorities, Health, Family, Thinking, Commitment, Finances, Faith, Relationships, Generosity, Values and Growth. Every "Daily Dozen" is filled with very practical ideas to implement coupled with questions to ask yourself. The conclusion show a very approachable way to start using them in your daily life. I found Today Matters to be a very encouraging and motivating read.

Book Review: Brighty of the Grand Canyon by Marguerite Henry

Book Description:

Long ago, a lone little burro roamed the high cliffs of the Grand Canyon and touched the hearts of all who knew him: a grizzled old miner, a big-game hunter, even President Teddy Roosevelt. Named Brighty by the prospector who befriended him, he remained a free spirit at heart. But when a ruthless claim-jumper murdered the prospector, loyal Brighty risked everything to bring the killer to justice.

Brighty's adventures have delighted generations of readers, and he has become the symbol of a joyous way of life. Some people say that you can even see his spirit roving the canyon on moonlit nights-forever wild, forever free.

My thoughts:
Brighty: Of the Grand Canyon  by Marguerite Henry was a free read listed on Ambleside Online Year 2, the curriculum that we are using with Destini and Chantry. I was hesitant to read it since I don't particularly care for animal stories. So I took the plunge and read this aloud over the course of the last two weeks and we were all sorry to see the story end.

Brighty is a story filled with adventure, suspense, history and ultimately friendship. The story passes over many years and is filled with many interesting characters, including President Theodore Roosevelt, and all the exciting adventures that Brighty experiences. My kids were thrilled to find out that Brighty really existed. This story was a wonderful  story to read aloud and kept every one's attention from the 8 year old to the adults. (I even found the 15 year old eavesdropping!)

See what others are reading aloud over at Hope Is the Word.

Out of the Mouth of Delani

Delani singing to her baby doll.

I have a couple of children, who shall remain nameless, that have to be reminded every now and again about their attitude. I didn't realize how much reminding I have been doing until I overheard Delani, who was playing with her doll, declare:

"Change your attitude, doll!"

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesday is hosted by Should be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
•Grab your current read
•Open to a random page
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
•BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
•Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!




Cotillion by Georgette Heyer

"Oblige me, Freddy, by telling me if Jack Westruther is often to be found in Berkely Square?"

Freddy's brow darkened. p. 253-254

Valentine's Day 2011

Handmade Valentine cards are a tradition in the Starr family. Here are this years cards:

The kids gave their dad a special gift (made by mom):



and I received a special gift.



We ended our evening with a hot fudge brownie sundae!