Books & Reading Book Review; The Eighth Sister by Robert Dugoni Ronda Bowen, May 6, 2019May 6, 2019 A good spy novel can be the vacation that one needs from the everyday monotony of regular life. When I was asked if I’d like to review The Eighth Sister by Robert Dugoni, I was happy to do so. This novel brings in a CIA case officer and a Russian… Continue Reading
Books & Reading Book Review: National Geographic’s Complete Guide to Pet Health, Behavior, and Happiness Ronda Bowen, April 22, 2019April 22, 2019 We have 3 rescued cats – Lady, Stripes, and Lulu. They’re healthy for the most part, but there’s a lot I don’t know about pet health. At some point, we’d love to have a dog. That’s why when I was offered the opportunity to review National Geographic’s Complete Guide to… Continue Reading
Food & Drink Review: The Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club Ronda Bowen, April 9, 2019January 17, 2020 I love olive oil. It’s great for some dishes, excellent for making salad dressings and tossing with pasta, and it makes a nice dip for bread. When I had the opportunity to try a box offered by The Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club, I jumped at the chance to do so…. Continue Reading
Motivation and Productivity #MondayMotivation: The Ugly Truth About Motivation Ronda Bowen, April 8, 2019December 14, 2021 Motivation – you either have it or you don’t right? That’s not necessarily true. There’s an ugly truth when it comes to motivation: it often takes motion to keep it going. That’s why you’ll meet some people who will say, “I can’t sit down yet. If I do, I won’t… Continue Reading
Education & Homeschooling Ideas for Social Activities for Secular Homeschoolers Ronda Bowen, April 8, 2019December 13, 2021 If you’ve been homeschooling – or even considering homeschooling – then you know that the first question “concerned” people ask is, “What about socialization?” Because of this, one of the most common questions asked in homeschooling groups is, “so what can my kids do as a social activity?” Rest assured,… Continue Reading
Books & Reading Book Review: The Garden Lady Ronda Bowen, April 4, 2019April 18, 2019 We all make compromises in life, particularly when it comes to relationships. Some of those compromises are small – forgoing a favorite food that our beloved hates, for example – but some of those compromises are larger. Susan Dworkin’s latest novel, The Garden Lady is about one such compromise –… Continue Reading
Books & Reading Book Review: What She Gave Away by Catherine Riggs Ronda Bowen, March 27, 2019April 4, 2019 Desperate Housewives. Gossip Girl. Melrose Place. What do these three television shows have in common? They each involve game playing that sometimes goes wrong, particularly when it comes to seeking revenge. What She Gave Away by Catherine Riggs also follows the storyline of revenge that is sought out, but that… Continue Reading
Books & Reading Book Review: The Woman in the Lake by Nicola Cornick Ronda Bowen, March 20, 2019October 9, 2019 I will be honest, I feel like dual (and multiple) timeline stories can be either executed really well, like This Is Us or they can fall flat. For me, The Woman in the Lake by Nicola Cornick was somewhere in the middle. I had a hard time suspending belief in… Continue Reading
Books & Reading Resource Review: Backyard Guide to the Night Sky Ronda Bowen, March 19, 2019December 13, 2021 I love astronomy, and Miss 5 is a budding astronomer herself. While my lesson plans have us doing astronomy in 2nd, 6th, and 10th grades in a more methodical way, it’s nice to have resources to answer questions & provide information to her now. So, when I was asked if… Continue Reading
Fashion & Beauty Dia & Co. Review (February and March) Ronda Bowen, March 14, 2019March 14, 2019 As I’ve been trying to build my wardrobe up, I’ve thought to (finally) try Dia & Co. I kept seeing reviews and videos, and then I decided “oh why not?” when they had a promotion that had the style fee of $20 waved on the first box. I was prepared… Continue Reading