Plank Grilled Salmon

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January 16, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

We are super impressed with the quality – flavor, smell, and texture – of Sitka Salmon Shares.

It’s better than any storebought salmon we’ve ever had.

We all were delighted by the ocean smell of this flash frozen fresh sustainably caught wild coho salmon!

The color is bright and flesh is firm.

Soak a cedar plank in cold water for at least an hour. I cover the plank with water in the sink and place a heavy bowl on top to keep it covered. Otherwise, it will burn on the grill!

Season and marinate the salmon.

Heat up the charcoal or gas grill. Grill indirectly for about 20 minutes or until 145*.

You can also bake the plank on a cookie sheet in the oven at 325* for about 30-40 minutes.

It’s gorgeous!

We like to serve our salmon with rice pilaf and stir fried veggies.

Plank Grilled Salmon

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

1 tsp ginger
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 T honey
2 T soy sauce
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp lemon peel
salt and pepper to taste
1 T olive oil

Instructions

Combine seasoning and spread on fish.
Grill with indirect heat on top on plank, skin side down for about 20 minutes or until temperature to 145*

Sitka Salmon Shares delivers premium, sustainable, wild Alaskan seafood from the fishermen directly to members’ doorsteps! Shop Sitka Salmon Shares.

Linking up: Blogghetti,

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Kids Smart Fish Oil Review

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January 16, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.

My kids are 9, 12, 13, and 19.

We all take daily fish oil and I notice behavior, attitude, and attention changes immediately if we forget.

My girls and I take capsules. My son takes a liquid. My husband likes gummies. I buy probably 4-5 different fish oil products to meet our family’s preferences.

I thought these Chewable Burstlets might be a great compromise to satisfy all our needs.

The Trio comes in three fruity flavors: orange, strawberry, and black currant. The regular bottle is a fruit blend. It’s recommended to take 1-2 Burstlets each day for kids over age 3.

The cute little fish-shaped gummies are edible. They’re very tough gelatin capsules and not very chewy, so we did not eat them.

It’s recommended to bite, twist, or cut the tail off and squirt the liquid into the mouth. This is waaaay more complicated than I want. It can get messy if you don’t pay close attention. Then the oil is all over hands and clothes!

The texture of the liquid is thick and viscous. I couldn’t get the fishy/fruity aftertaste or oiliness out of my mouth for a long time. I find it interesting the tiny amount of liquid that claims it contains more DHA fish oil than other brands.

My 12 and 13 year old daughters were polite and said “it’s ok,” but my 9 year old son did not care for it at all.

Just the facts

• Kids Smart High DHA Fish Oil Chewable Burstlets provide up to 10x more fish oil than other kids’ supplements. Kids Smart Fish Oil contains a high amount of DHA fish oil (133 mg) which is higher than many options on the market.

• They are free of gluten, yeast, wheat, and dairy.

• Fish oil provides two essential omega-3 fatty acids: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). As both are essential fatty acids our bodies cannot produce, it is important that we get them from either the food we eat or supplements.

• Kids will love the fun chewable capsule with a great berry taste.

The fun fish-shaped burstlets can be chewed to experience a fruity burst squirt in your mouth. The Burstlet will dissolve in your mouth. You can also twist off the tail and squeeze the liquid out into food or directly into a child’s mouth, or add it to a favorite food.

About Kids Smart

Kids Smart is specifically formulated to assist in providing children with adequate levels of vital Omega-3 Fish Oil nutrients DHA and EPA. These can help to support and maintain healthy brain function, eye health, and nervous system health. They also support learning as well as healthy behavior and temperament in some children.

How to Purchase

• A 30-count bottle typically retails for $9.99. A 180-count bottle typically retails for $54.99.

Kids Smart High DHA Fish Oil Chewable Burstlets can be purchased on Amazon at momsmeet.link/ kidssmartamzn.

Save 20% when you purchase a 30-count bottle of Kids Smart High DHA Fish Oil Chewable Burstlets on Amazon with the promo code 20MM20KS. Offer ends March 14, 2020.

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PCS to Hawaii

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January 13, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert 11 Comments

It was a surprise call from my husband’s commander, asking me if I would rather go to Hawaii than to Altus, Oklahoma.

Um, yeah.

The year was 2007.

I didn’t have a smartphone.

I had just begun blogging, more as a scrapbook for our homeschooling journey.

I didn’t know what MySpace or Facebook even was.

Sometimes, I long to go back to a simpler time, before Pinterest and Instagram. Just to live a life of uncurated online perfection.

PCS to Hawaii Guide

My husband is active duty Air Force, so I assume Navy and Marines and Army might be a little different.

We flew from San Antonio, Texas, to LA for a short layover, to Honolulu, Hawaii. It was a long travel time.

I had an infant, toddler, young child, and a cat. It was pretty stressful.

We arrived in July and the air smelled like plumeria and the ocean.

PCSing Overseas

PCS= Permanent Change of Station. Relocating from one duty station to another.

What to Do First

Look for social media groups.

Facebook is a great way to connect with families who already live in the area you’re moving.

There are local groups for online yard sales, pet tips, jobs, hobbies, homeschooling, parenting, travel, shopping, meetups, hiking, and more!

Have a PCS fund.

It’s always wise to have some savings for PCS time. Pet costs, travel, meals, illness, surprises, and refreshments for the movers can soon deplete funds. We usually use our tax return that year.

Organize paperwork.

Organize all medical, school, and personal paperwork in a binder.

We have a big zipper binder with lots of pockets for passports, birth certificates, social security cards, pet vet reports, kids school reports, PCS forms.

Close accounts and cancel services.

Contact companies like utilities, cable or satellite TV, and cellular phone service to cancel. Most accounts require at least 30 days’ notice with PCS orders.

Request Your DLA (Dislocation Allowance).

Discuss with finance if you will be responsible to pay back any moving costs. Usually, the government credit card is used for airfare and hotel – and that will be covered with filing a travel voucher, but make sure it’s paid before you spend your DLA on new curtains or something! Anything above and beyond your daily allowances (per diem allotment), you will be held responsible.

Update insurance.

Contact and update auto and home insurance to make sure you have enough coverage or the right plan for the area you’re moving to. Some countries require extra policies.

Update financial info.

Update banking information with a travel alert and update the new address when you get it. When PCSing overseas, you have to open a local account to pay local bills.

Packing Out

We have huge yard sales and purge, purge, purge every time we PCS.

To avoid confusion and make it easier: schedule unaccompanied baggage, household goods, and temporary storage packing and pick-ups on different days.

Keep valuables and important documents with you at all times.

Household Goods

We opted not to put anything into storage, but I would go back and do that if I had known more. Everything fit ok, but we really didn’t need some items and I would have stored them for safety had I known.

It took several weeks for our goods to arrive. Our temp and HHG actually arrived at the same time.

They have “Aloha Furniture” for temporary use until the goods arrive. It was super helpful and convenient for us to get settled into a routine with beds, a kitchen table, and a dish/cookware pack.

TLA (Temporary Lodging Allowance)

Request a TLF (Temporary Lodging Facility) assignment as soon as you know the dates. Keep all travel receipts. Get on the base housing list ASAP.

Depending on availability of on-base lodging, there’s a chance you’ll be authorized for TLA, which can be extended up from 30 to 60 days.

We didn’t get into a TLF unit on base because it was all full during primetime PCS season.

They booked us up in the Hale Koa Hotel.

The Hale Koa is one of four Armed Forces Recreation Centers around the world run by the Army. AFRCs are resorts that were built for the military and are exclusively for use by military members, retirees, DoD civilians, and other authorized guests.

Housing

Housing in Hawaii is smaller than most places. Property is premium. We lived on base. I don’t know how people can afford to live off base. Utilities were included and we only paid for cable TV/internet/phone. Apparently, utilities aren’t included anymore, as of 2013.

Our base house was pretty small for our growing family. We only qualified for a three bedroom because our girls were so young. Our toddler and infant shared a room.

BAH is very high. Sacrificing some living space or commute time in traffic, you might find something affordable off-base to your liking and pocket some BAH money with the VA loan while building some equity.

PCSing to Hawaii with Pets

The state of Hawaii is rabies-free. They like to keep it that way.

Pets may be quarantined up to 120 days.

Pets with uptodate vaccinations may be eligible for 30-day, 5-day, or direct release from the Honolulu International Airport, if requirements are met. See the Hawaii Animal Quarantine info page for more.

Even though we thought we followed the pet travel and moving checklist to a T for immediate release, we had to put our cat in the quarantine kennel for 30 days.

He was fine and we visited him and he seemed happy in his big outdoor private fenced in kennel.

Shipping a Personal Vehicle

Military members are authorized a shipment of 1 POV (Privately Owned Vehicle) at government expense.

We chose to sell our Sante Fe SUV before moving and purchase a Dodge minivan in Hawaii.

We didn’t know any better. I did worry about shipping a brand new vehicle and not having a car for six weeks. But, everything is more expensive in Hawaii because they’re islands.

Just like PCSing overseas anywhere, a POV must be cleaned and inspected before shipment. I recommend shipping the POV as early as you can so it’s ready for you as soon as possible after you arrive.

We only needed one car while we were in Hawaii. We lived on base where my husband worked and he walked or rode his bike everywhere. Occasionally, he needed the car for meetings or something, but it was usually fine for us.

Expenses and Shopping

The Cost of Living Allowance (COLA) is given to government employees stationed overseas (including Alaska and Hawaii) to offset the higher cost if living in those areas. The amount received ranges from $500 to $1500 per month and is determined by a number of factors like rank, years of service, and number of dependents. COLA is not taxed by the federal government, but it may be taxed by the state of Hawaii. My husband’s state of residence is Illinois, so we were not taxed.

I transferred my driver’s license to Hawaii since I am a nonworking spouse and don’t really have a state of residence. As a resident, I got Kama’aina discounts at some places we visited. Many tourist attractions offer great rates for military and Kama’aina and free kids tickets.

Since Hawaii are islands, we realized pretty quickly that if I saw something at the BX, commissary, or in a local store, I better snatch it up immediately because it wouldn’t be there next time.

The commissary ran out of sugar and Cool Whip during the holidays. Canned pumpkin was seasonal and only available during November.

Shopping in local grocery stores was very expensive. Everything is cheaper at the BX and commissary. Gas on base is cheapest.

There’s a big resale business. Lots of yard sales, swap meets, online sales.

We didn’t think about the things we might miss in Hawaii. There weren’t as many commercials stores and restaurants as there are now. No Chick Fil A or Target. I learned not to care so much and I shopped less often than I used to.

Shopping online has extra shipping charges. We learned to live without many things I wouldn’t purchased unless it was available locally.

Laws

The Honolulu City Council just passed a bill that allows the City to fine you if you are texting while walking across a street ($15-$99 fine).

Talking on a cell phone while driving is also against the law in Hawaii.

Everyone (including back seat passengers) must wear seatbelts.

Motorcycle helmets are optional (until you go on base) but advisable for safety.

Hawaii is very strict on firearms. You have a short grace period upon arrival, which is 3 days. You’ll need to register your firearms with the Honolulu Police Department. Take the unloaded firearm to the Firearms Division of HPD for inspection along with proper identification and proof of ownership. You will be fingerprinted ($16.50 fee) and photographed. Also, register with base security if living on base.

Culture

You’ll hear Aloha a lot. It’s hello, welcome, love, a way of life.

Mahalo means thank you.

While driving, people say “thanks” with the shaka sign which is the same as the ASL sign for play. Make sure to return it!

Traffic is awful. There’s only like two or three highways. We quickly learned to deal with it and when to go places.

Leave your shoes outside or by the door when you visit someone’s home. You’ll probably soon be living in flip-flops (“slippahs”) anyway.

On Oahu, there’s the windward side (east), the leeward side (west), town (Honolulu), Central (Pearl City, Mililani, and surrounding areas), and the North Shore. Mauka (mow-kah) means on the mountain side of the road in the context of directions. Makai (mah-kigh) means on the ocean side of the road in the context of directions.

Learn to make friends with geckos. They come in your house and eat the bugs and they’re noisy at night. Don’t go near the feral chickens. They’re mean and carry bugs. Avoid the humongous centipedes. Many people and pets go to the ER with centipede stings.

It never gets cold, but December is rainy season.

We were sad to leave Hawaii. We PCSed from Hawaii to Utah with another baby, two preschoolers, an older daughter, and two cats. It was a pretty stressful and long flight.

We loved living in Hawaii for three years and wish we could’ve stayed longer.

We have some great memories and the kids long to return now that they’re older.

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More PCS Tips:

Linking up: LouLou Girls, April Harris, Home Stories, Create with Joy, Mostly Blogging, Kippi at Home, Confessions, Anita Ojeda, Mary Geisen, InstaEncouragements, Purposeful Faith, Ducks in a Row, Girlish Whims, Fluster Buster, Ridge Haven, Little Cottage, Soaring with Him, Worth Rubies, OMHGW, Penny’s Passion, Grandma’s Ideas, Apron Strings, Crystal Storms, Over the Moon, TFT, Debbie Kitterman, Try it Like it, Answer is Choco, Momfessionals, Lyli Dunbar, Fireman’s Wife, Create with Joy, OMHGF, Being a Wordsmith,Our Home,

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Boost Winter Immunity

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January 12, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Stressful holiday schedules and expectations can wear us down.

How can we recover quickly and boost our immune system?

5 proven ways for added protection from illness:

Create a happy gut.

Your gastrointestinal (GI) tract makes up a large part of your immune system – up to 70 percent! The holidays often tempt us to overindulge in high-sugar or processed food and alcohol, which force our gut to work harder and reduce our natural immune abilities. While these yummy treats are fine in moderation, try eating more balanced meals and snacks as much as possible to give your gut a fighting chance against germs. Probiotics supplements are helpful. Make sure you get plenty of fiber. Stay hydrated!

Practice good hygiene.

Your first line of defense is to keep the germs away with good personal cleansing habits. Wash hands frequently with natural soap and water. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or inner elbow when you sneeze or cough. Thoroughly clean and cover open cuts. These simple actions alone can help power away germs before they ever get a chance to reach your system. Clean tech devices regularly with disinfectant.

Get a good night’s sleep.

Studies show that not getting enough sleep greatly affects how well your immunity cells function. While you sleep, your body is able to rest and recharge itself. So, make a sleep routine and stick to it. Be sure to turn off all electronics at least one hour before bed to help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. Exercising outdoors for at least thirty minutes helps set our body clocks.

Take your vitamins.

Making sure your body gets all the nutrients it needs to function properly is essential to smooth immune function. Some of these we can consume by eating lots of leafy greens, fruits, and other whole foods. Supplementing with natural products helps us get everything we need to fight wintertime germs. For example, Vitamin D can help lower your risk of chronic infections, while Vitamin C is linked to better immunity. Elderberry is also a fantastic natural supplement, proven to help boost immunity as part of a healthy diet. I like diffusing essential oils too.

Watch your stress levels.

The bottom line: stress hurts our immune system. The holidays are a challenging and busy time, so making sure to keep stress levels low can help maintain your good health. If you start to feel overwhelmed with holiday pressures, schedule time for yourself, try deep breathing exercises, or practice yoga and meditation. Studies also show that supportive relationships and healthy social interactions can help to lower stress. Pets help lower stress. Slow down and rest when needed.

The winter season brings with it increased challenges to our immune system. Things like cold weather, holiday stress, and temptations to overindulge on sugary treats can all affect our body’s ability to fight off germs. Take protective action with these 5 tips to help boost your natural immunity and enjoy a happy and healthy holiday season!

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Fried Rice

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January 7, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Fried rice is a super easy frugal dish to use up leftovers.

My family loves it and it only takes minutes.

The base is onion, carrot, and peas.

I like to use radishes too.

Leftover meat chopped finely and any other veggies are great.

Saute onions and carrots and add the meat to warm it up.

Crumble in the cold dry rice.

If I don’t have leftover rice, popping it in the freezer gets it cool and dry quickly.

Add sauces and Chinese Five Spice. Also extra garlic and ginger is great.

The rice steams and the whole house smells delicious.

Toss the frozen peas in and top with sesame oil.

My kids don’t really like the scrambled eggs on top and we were out of green onions this time.

Fried Rice

Course Main Course

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

4 T butter or oil for frying
3 cups cold dry rice
1/2 cup chopped cooked meat
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup peeled chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped radish or daikon
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 T minced garlic
1-2 T Chinese Five Spice Powder
4 T soy sauce
3-4 T dry sherry
1-2 T Mirin
1 T sesame oil at the end
1-2 scrambled eggs for topping
2-3 chopped green onions for topping

Instructions

Melt butter or heat up oil in large frying pan or wok.
Add chopped onion, carrots, radish and saute until onion is translucent. Add chopped meat.
Crumble cold rice on top. Add soy, sherry, and mirin to steam the rice. Sprinkle with 5 Spice. Mix well.
Add scrambled egg if using. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle chopped green.

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Tritip Steak

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January 7, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

One of our favorite family meals is tritip steak.

It’s a simple and frugal cut of beef. Everyone likes it. It doesn’t take very long on the gas grill. We seldom have leftovers.

I rub spices and olive oil into the meat and let it marinate for at least an hour.

It takes about 20-30 minutes on the grill for medium rare.

Gorgeous thin slices against the grain for tenderness.

We serve tritip with rice or potatoes, salad, fried broccoli or grilled asparagus.

Tritip Steak

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

1 tsp coarse black pepper
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp sea or kosher salt
1 tsp ground coffee
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp raw sugar
1/2 tsp cocoa powder
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

Mix rub ingredients together in a bowl or jar.
Massage rub into tritip steak on all sides.
Pour olive oil over steak, turning to coat. Let sit for at least an hour in the fridge.
Grill steak over medium heat on gas grill for about 20-30 minutes, or until thermometer reads about 120*
Let rest for 5-10 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and serve with reserved juices.

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Loving Each Child

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January 6, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

Children need love and attention from their parents, but having two or more children can pose a challenge for moms and dads to spread the warmth evenly.

Sometimes this imbalance occurs when siblings are sharply different in terms of talents and personality.

Giving children equal attentiveness is important to their happiness and starts with parents appreciating their uniqueness.

“Children are unique, unknown little people waiting to be revealed,” Lynch says. “Parents need to ask themselves, how can I embrace these differences and make each child feel and recognize their beautiful uniqueness? “Let the mystery of who they are and who they are meant to be unfold in their own authentic way, however awesome or peculiar it is. Everyone is different and it’s important to make every child feel special, important and loved.”

Tips to help parents balance attention on multiple children who have different interests, personalities, and talents:

Give them quality one-on-one time.

Consistently taking time to give your children one-on-one time, Lynch says, shows them you care and that they are important. “This means no phones, no distractions, and being 100 percent present with your child,” Lynch says. “Make eye contact, ask questions, and just listen and let them lead at whatever activity or interaction is taking place. This makes them feel safe, in control and loved.”

Celebrate their uniqueness.

An imbalance in parental attention can lead to siblings comparing themselves — never a good idea because that can create jealousy and low self-esteem, thus accentuating a sibling rivalry. At the same time, children may think the parent is showing favoritism. “Susie may be faster than Johnny, but Johnny may be a brilliant chess player,” Lynch says. “So when they begin to compare themselves with their siblings, take that conversation and turn it into how great it is that they each have a place that shines. And bring in more examples of how their differences are beautiful and important. Set up scenarios showing examples of how those differences are good.”

Show your love for them.

“You obviously love your children, so don’t be afraid to show it,” Lynch says. “Give them that authentic shout-out, or the gentle, grace- filled redirection and encouragement when they need to try again at something, whether it’s poor behavior or just losing a game. Leave the shame out of it.”

Validate them but be authentic.

When it comes to praise, Lynch says quality is much more important than quantity. “Children can recognize a fake compliment a mile away,” Lynch says. “They know if you’ve really seen them or not. They know if it’s from the heart or just surface praise.” “In these ways, showing appreciation for who each of them are will help your children develop confidence in themselves,” Lynch says.

“They will take your lead and begin to find other amazing things about themselves and their friends. Making each of your very different children feel truly loved and valued will help them grow up to be happy and responsible adults.”

Jennifer Lynch, author of the children’s book Livi and Grace, is an educator and child advocate who serves as a guardian ad litem, a person appointed to represent a child’s interests in a court case. She has worked as a special education teacher for an elementary school and as a preschool teacher. In addition, Lynch created the You Are Good brand of T-shirts and other products for sale and for donations. Thousands of the shirts have been donated to children and teenagers in the system. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Texas A&M University.

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SunWatch Indian Village/Archaeological Park

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January 5, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert Leave a Comment

The Mission of SunWatch Indian Village/Archaeological Park is to protect, preserve and research the cultural remains of the SunWatch National Historic Landmark archaeological site and to serve as a visitor and educational center for archaeology, Native American culture, and heritage stewardship as they relate to the site.

Our Boonshoft membership is reciprocal with Sunwatch and Fort Ancient.

SunWatch has an historical video about how the site was found and the work they’re doing here.

There’s a nice little museum and shop, and then, of course, the recreated village.

Village model:

There are artifacts, bones, and reenacted displays:

The village is still an archaeological site:

Visit SunWatch:

Adults $7.00
Seniors (60+) $6.00
Students (6-17) $6.00

April–November
Tuesday-Saturday
9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Sunday: noon-5:00 p.m.
Closed on Mondays

December–March
Closed except for special events or by appointment. Call 937.268.8199 to book your group visit or field trip!

Closed: New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Easter

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January Themes

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January 4, 2020 By Jennifer Lambert 15 Comments

When my kids were very small, we had monthly themes on our bulletin board, for our homeschool lessons, and to order our daily lives.

As the kids get older, the themes aren’t quite so vivid. I enjoy the liturgical calendar, the natural cycles of the world, and celebrating the flow and small events in our lives.

We loved these themed Calendar Connections.

We’ve packed away the holiday decorations except for the pretty candle holders and front door wreath.

I’m still sweeping up Christmas tree needles, and I’m sure I will still find some in June.

I feel like a refresh. I’m cleaning and organizing, minimizing and streamlining.

It’s been cold but sunny and that makes me happy.

We totally binge watched The Witcher and Lost in Space the last couple weeks. I ate too much, laid around too much, and neglected most of the regular cleaning. I was a slug.

January offers fun themes to begin again or refresh while continuing what’s working well.

New Year

Discuss new beginnings, resolutions, goals, self improvement, growth mindset.

The Asian New Year is on a lunar calendar. Sometimes, it’s in January and sometimes it’s in February.

Epiphany

Surely, you haven’t packed away the Nativity set yet?

Celebrate Twelfth Night, Epiphany, Three Kings, The Magi, The Wise Men – with stories, cake, and fun.

Celebrating Epiphany

Saints

I love learning about the Saints’ lives.

January Book Basket by Kennedy Adventures
January by Catholic Playground
January Feast Table by Elizabeth Clare
January Links from Shower of Roses

Winter

Snow

Martin Luther King, Jr.

History: Racial Injustice Calendar.

Fun Stuff: National Days

Something for each day of the month – from fun foods to celebrating squirrels to justice issues to historical landmarks.

Celebrate National Bubble Bath Day on the 8th!

What are your favorite themes in January?

Linking up: Anita Ojeda, Little Cottage, Mostly Blogging, Kippi at Home, Confessions, April Harris, LouLou Girls, Mary Geisen, Our Home, Suburbia, Grandma’s Ideas, Worth Rubies, Anchored Abode, Soaring with Him, InstEncouragements, Ridge Haven, Ginger Snap Crafts, Fluster Buster, My Girlish Whims, Ducks in a Row, Our Three Peas, Penny’s Passion, Apron Strings, Crystal Storms, Debbie Kitterman, CKK, OTM, TFT, Try it Like it, Answer is Choco, Momfessionals, Della Devoted, Lyli Dunbar, CWJ, OMHGF, Pieced Pastimes, Fireman’s Wife, Epic Mommy, Create with Joy,

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Best Books of 2019

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December 30, 2019 By Jennifer Lambert 14 Comments

I can’t remember how many books I read this past year, but I average about 1-2 per week. Which means that sometimes I stay up very late to finish a book.

I love reading, like, a lot.

I get many books from my local libraries. I love that I can borrow eBooks and read them within three weeks!

I was today years old when I realized I could organize my Kindle eBooks into categories within the app. I was up until 2 AM and still have about 400 books to categorize.

I won’t give up on a book even if I hate it.

I’ve read White Teeth twice. My daughter was assigned it in a college course and I thought maybe I would like it more the second time around. Nope.

My Favorite Books I Read in 2019

Weapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteachers’ Journey Through the Dark World of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto

I’m anti-school. I taught for ten years and we’ve homeschooled for sixteen years. While most of the experiences mentioned in this book was not surprising to me, the history of American public schooling is insidious. I love all Gatto’s books.

Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James W. Loewen

Growing up in and teaching in Georgia public schools, I can say that yes, I was taught incorrect and biased history from poorly written textbooks and we rarely even finished each school year.

Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

A super important book for anyone who has ever suffered from anxiety or depression or considered suicide.

Fear of Flying by Erica Jong

A bit of a break for me, but very enjoyable and funny. I love this feminist manifesto, pseudo autobiography.

You Are Not Special…and Other Encouragements by David McCullough, Jr.

A profound expansion of a popular commencement speech—a call to arms against a prevailing, narrow, conception of success. Perfect for the “everyone gets a trophy” generations.

Parenting Forward: How to Raise Children with Justice, Mercy, and Kindness by Cindy Wang Brandt

A wonderful introduction to respectful, progressive parenting in these challenging times. I found myself nodding and cheering as I agreed with just about everything in this book.

Hold Onto Your Kids: Why Parents Need to Matter More than Peers by Gordon Neufeld

A great book for parents of older kids and teenagers. Family is super important to me and I want my kids to feel safe and happy in my home. I know friends and peers matter a lot to kids because society portrays this as normal. But family matters more and should have more influence than peers.

The Continuum Concept: In Search of Happiness Lost by Jean Liedloff

American writer Jean Liedloff spent two and a half years in the South American jungle, living with indigenous peoples. The experience demolished her Western preconceptions of how we should live and led her to a radically different view of what human nature really is. She offers a new understanding of how we have lost much of our natural well-being and shows us practical ways to regain it for our children and for ourselves.