Just Like You is a strikingly beautiful picture book from Zondervan that celebrates the births of babies all around the world.  Each baby is given a two-page spread that describes the arrival of the baby in a different culture and geographical location.  The unique baby-welcoming traditions are shared, and the joy that new life brings into the world is clearly expressed.

The gentle message that God loves babies everywhere and sees them as a precious gift is clearly conveyed.  The child that is being read the story is also specifically celebrated and referenced through the many “just like you” statements throughout the book, and more specifically in the mother who is narrating the story thanking God for the blessing of her new child.

This is definitely a book for mothers to read their beloved children, and – I’ll be honest – it’s a bit of a tearjerker.  I simply can’t read about the joy and delights of babies being born without shedding a few tears.  After reading the book through by myself first, I wasn’t sure if my children would really enjoy it.  But they did. 

Beautiful artwork of cute babies was enough to convince my three little girls that this was a book worthy of their attention.  Illustrator Lin Wang has provided such lustrous, textured paintings of babies from around the world that the artwork alone is worth the asking price.

Just Like You would make a wonderful gift for a new mother (and her baby), and also serves as a very gentle introduction to some of the similarities and differences of regions around the world in both their geography and culture.

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW AT CHRISTIANBOOK.COM OR AMAZON.COM!

Maia Peters has had an unusual upbringing.  As the child of two prominent paranormal investigators her life has been filled with first-hand experiences of ghost-sightings, but she’s hoping to put that behind her as she moves on with her chosen course of study in college.  She is dragged back into familiar territory when a Jordin Cole, a wealthy student at her college enlists her help in exploring the paranormal for herself first-hand.

When Jordin appears to Maia as a spectre at a new amusement park, Maia realizes that something has gone dreadfully wrong and embarks on an investigation alongside Jordin’s fiancé (and aspiring pastor) to discover Jordin’s fate.  Told in an alternating flashback manner, the search for Jordin is interspersed with Jordin and Maia’s past adventures “ghost-hunting”.  In all honesty, the search for Jordin was more compelling than the ghost-hunting scenes, which tended to become repetitive after a while – more of the same, more of the same.

Robin Parrish writes in some of my target genres, so I was excited to see that his latest release – Nightmare – held potential to fall squarely within one of my top reading areas; Christian supernatural suspense.  I’ve enjoyed some of Parrish’s writing in the past (Offworld), and while I find his tendency to spin some pretty improbable conclusions to require a bit too much suspension of disbelief, I was looking forward to his latest read.

Nightmare is a lightning fast read, it’s written in very simple language (which I believe is written to mirror the thinking/speaking style of the main character Maia), but which also lacked descriptive depth due to its straightforward simplicity.  This is the sort of story that keeps readers going with the promise of a mystery unfolding – and there’s certainly that in spades.

I’m disappointed however that Maia’s perception of the paranormal seems to trump that of a Christian worldview, hers is written much more strongly, and though she claims belief in God, we really don’t see a lot of evidence of that in her life.  Coming from a background in the occult, I tend to be wary of stories that glamorize communication with spirits, or that could develop a fascination with the subject.  While I won’t say that Parrish has gone that far, he’s definitely treading on the line, and I’m definitely not comfortable with that.

As a result, I won’t be recommending Nightmare to anyone.  There is far too much emphasis and fascination surrounding ghosts in our culture already.  I was hoping that Parrish would come down with a decidedly more biblical point of view in this novel, but there’s just too much room for distraction and being led astray within its pages.

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW AT CHRISTIANBOOK.COM OR AMAZON.COM!

Well, it looks like the time has arrived for us to sell off our herd of purebred (but mostly unregistered) Dexters.  If you know anyone who’s looking to buy some cows, send them our way.  They are very affordable right now!  We’re in north-central Alberta.

Ack!  Looks like I’ll soon need to sweep up the chocolate muffin crumbs from the floor for the third time today!

Ulcerative colitis diagnoses rates certainly seem to be increasing to me.  I don’t have any hard data on this one, but this disease which I had never really heard of before has struck family members, friends, and even acquaintances that I’ve just met.  UC is often tied to celiac disease and adopting a gluten-free diet is often considered helpful (many members of my family are GF, including my oldest daughter).

However, there’s another link that is rarely uncovered, and that is the possibility of developing ulcerative colitis after consuming accutane – a common acne medication.  There are also links between inflammatory bowel disease (IFB), and Crohn’s disease – all of which affect the gut and can cause intense intestinal distress.  Ouch.  There are now ‘black box’ warnings on boxes of accutane which outline its serious side effects, which essentially state that if you take the drug you give up all legal recourse should you experience medical complications from it.  However if you have experienced a bowel injury after a course of accutane prior to these black box warnings you may be interested in reading more about the accutane lawsuit 2009.

And of course, for those of us who’ve been blessed to avoid accutane, consider the official recognition of many serious side effects as fair warning to proceed with caution where this drug is concerned.

Kaelynn has a strong creative urge and has been exploring it by making many, many necklaces.  She was interested in selling them, but after some research it seems that the jewelry market is tricky to get into, and supplies are fairly expensive.  SO, with that in mind, we’re partnering with her in something new!  You can take a peek here.

You are amongst the first to know!  I’ve been wearing minerals since Kaelynn was a baby, and like all little girls she’s fascinated by pink, sparkly makeup.  This is going to be fun!

I’ve written about the joys of having acne-prone/hormonally sensitive skin in the past, but I’m finally heading into the happy days of..not too many breakouts!  Being pregnant always does happy, happy things for my skin – and while I can’t claim that it’s now entirely clear, it has definitely improved.  Thankfully I can count on this benefit lasting for around 6 months after our new baby arrives – hooray!

Despite struggling with acne (particularly the cystic kind – ewww!) for, well, easily half my life, I’ve never used a prescription acne medication.  I’m thankful for that, because I’d hate to find myself embroiled in a class-action accutane lawsuit!  Particularly concerning is the possibility of severe side effects while pregnant, taken from the website:

“If Accutane was used while pregnant, miscarriage, birth defects, premature births, and deaths in babies”

Umm, don’t go there, okay ladies?  Even if you aren’t bearing children, there are the other side effects (some well-known, some less common) – depression, liver damage, hearing loss, vision impairment etc.  Maybe having bad skin isn’t so bad after all?  Maybe a visit to the naturopathic to ask about natural ways to balance hormones would be a safer option?

Whew.  If you do find yourself in this unfortunate position, you can visit the website linked above and see if they might be able to help.

Today is the big day!  My baby (Sarah) is turning 2!  However, she is definitely still a baby (especially if you ask her.)  In fact, she refers to herself that way more often than any other!  ”Baby do it!” she cries excitedly when she wants to get in on the action.  Other times it’s, “Baby, baby, baby!” when she wants something, or even the more expressive, “Baby hungry!”

You know you’ve called your child “baby” a lot when she thinks it’s her name!  She’s also starting to call our baby-on-the-way “baby”, so I think she’ll definitely transition  to Sarah as she grows.  She’s talking so much now, and she is totally and completely potty-trained and has been for months (hoorah!)

Happy birthday sweet one, I’m so glad that you are a part of our family!

This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by: Reno Rose for this review.

“What is a nurf?”  Good question!  I wondered the same thing myself when I first learned about this convertible nursing shawl/scarf.  The Nurf is a multi-purpose nursing cover from Reno Rose that is essentially a hybrid – a cross between a nursing cover and a fashion scarf.   When ordered in a generous size (I received a Large to review) it covers both a nursing baby and much of your torso, while still being light-weight and easy-to-compact, not to mention that you can wear it on your body in a variety of styles when you aren’t using it to nurse!

There are quite a few different ways the Nurf can be worn (and written instructions for all the different ties and wraps are in development), but one of my favorites was to wear the Nurf as a head-covering when it wasn’t in actin.  The Nurf is 100% polyester, so it was a bit more slippery than my cotton head coverings, but if I wore it sort of in a do-rag style down over my forehead, and with my hair loose it stayed pretty well, and covered the entire back of my head.  This multi-functional nursing shawl can also be worn directly on your body in a very wide number of ways, and can also serve as a light-weight stroller cover!

I’ve been nursing for 7+ consecutive years, and have seen a few nursing covers in my time – but the Nurf is likely one of the most unique!  It’s so light-weight that it compacts VERY well, so you can cram it in a pocket, purse, or diaper bag if you don’t want to wear it in-between nursing times, and there are no wrinkling problems!  I received the “Gwen” in brown, and while brown isn’t really ‘my color’ I still really enjoy wearing it, and it makes me want to buy another in a funkier shade!  These are nice and dressy, so they make great church nursing covers, and with their light-weight can also be a lifesaver in summer!

Even if you AREN’T a nursing mom, there are so many different ways to wear the Nurf as a shawl and fashionable scarf that you should definitely check out some of the ways you can wear it online!

Here is the official low-down on this neat product (yes, gift it! Nursing moms will be so excited to receive it!)

What is Nurf?  

Nurf is a patent-pending convertible scarf created by Rino Greenwood, founder of Reno Rose.  Originally invented as a nursing cover, the Nurf also complements any woman’s outfit as a fashion accessory. The Nurf serves five different functions and can transform into 14 completely different, unique looks.

Functions of the Nurf include the following:

• Nursing Cover 
• Stroller/Car Seat Cover 
• Accessory for purses and diaper bags 
• Shade for baby carrier or sling 
• Fashion accessory:  14 different looks

The Nurf is available in ten designs:

• Ramon: paisley print with splashes of purple, blue, and teal 
• Stephanie: abstract paisley pattern with salmon hues 
• Gabrielle: leafy pattern with neutral green and mustard 
• Juli: black, white, and yellow bold geometric pattern 
• Emily: soft blue with a modern floral pattern in ivory and brown 
• Gwen: white flowers on a chocolate brown background 
• Minako: abstract white roses on a black background 
• Janelle: lime green and ivory geometric pattern
• Noir: the basic black Nurf (not recommended for nursing due to fabric’s sheerness) 
• Akino: black and sheer with dramatic red rose print (not recommended for nursing)

You can buy your own for $35.00, or enter to win a Nurf at MamaBzz (and read other reviews as well.)

Also – you can find Reno Rose online at Twitter and Facebook.

So far I have to say that this pregnancy has gone very smoothly. I’ve even lost 3 lbs. over the first trimester! (Trust me, I didn’t need that 3 lbs. in the first place!) Apart from some intense round ligament pain upon suddenly standing, I’ve been pretty ache free, and thankful for it.

However, today something went funny with my right hip (it’s clicking when I extend it fully, the left one isn’t) and now my right knee is…strange, cracking and painful. If it keeps this up I’m off to the chiropractor! Thankfully these sorts of strange, temporary body failures are just that – temporary, but for people who suffer with chronic joint pain, from arthritis and joint deterioration, health food supplements like glucosamine can really help to build up tissue that has worn down.

It doesn’t seem like too long ago that glucosamine was considered a little bit ‘out there’ but with more studies and personal experiences backing glucosamine’s claims to joint rebuilding, it’s no wonder that this nutraceutical is now becoming a common supplement in nutrition programs for those with joint pain. Thankfully, it should still be an easy supplement to find if I need it in the (hopefully distant) future.

Generally speaking, I don’t read a lot of romantic suspense, but fiction that focuses tightly upon the ever-escalating threat of child trafficking and prostitution always tugs at my heart.  With Deliver Us From Evil Robin Caroll brings us a tale of high-adventure that revolves around this ongoing issue.

Brannon Calahan (a female search-and-rescue helicopter pilot) finds herself drawn into a dangerous attempt to uncover a child trafficking ring when U.S. Marshal Roark Holland’s helicopter crashes in her area while transporting a donor heart to a government witness whose survival is vital to the government’s case. 

Divided almost neatly into two main segments, the first portion of this novel deals with Roark and Brannon’s struggle to survive and deliver the donor heart safely after the helicopter crash, while the second delves more deeply into the intrigues behind the child-trafficking ring and their ongoing attempts to uncover it from beneath the layers of secrecy surrounding it.

Brannon is a woman of strong faith (who is also somewhat bull-headed), Roark on the other hand is a man who feels he’s been burned by God, but when confronted with Brannon’s own difficult past, and views her strong character, he’s in turn driven to re-examine his own beliefs as he is drawn nearer to her.

Interspersed with Brannon and Roark’s adventures are the heart-breaking experiences of the young girls who’ve been led astray and forced to work in the ring of brothels operated by the child-traffickers.  These passages manage to convey the horror and unwillingness these girls experience as well as the breaking of their spirits without unduly explicit writing.  Still, these interludes were difficult to read, and are meant to be.

Caroll kept me reading through this brisk-paced suspense novel, though its conclusion seemed somewhat predictable after a certain point.  Fans of the genre will no doubt enjoy this solidly written title and the romantic interplay between its two strong-willed characters while having their awareness raised about the horrors that surround us.

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW AT CHRISTIANBOOK.COM OR AMAZON.COM!