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  • Inspirational books for adults and kids! {Book Review}

    Inspirational books for adults and kids! {Book Review}

    I just finished two books that were both inspirational and motivational. One is geared more towards adults – GPS Your Best Life – and one is a picture book for kids – The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob.

    GPS Your Best LifeWhen I picked up GPS Your Best Life, I knew what I was reading. I picked it up to read specifically to gain a little more motivation and direction in my life. Authors Hammond and Kasowski use the GPS as a metaphor for achieving our best life.

    Although I felt they may have rushed to publication (one more edit could have really helped), I still learned a great deal from this book. I started thinking of what I want my best life to look like, how I plan on achieving it, and how to overcome roadblocks. I took insight into my life while reading this book – a thought that often gets pushed back in the daily hustle and bustle of life – and realized that for the most part, I am living my best life. Of course I could always be better, do more, become more – but for me, my best life is being a mom. I am pretty much living my dream. 

    Around the same time I began reading GPS Your Best Life, I also picked up Blue Ocean Bob to read to the kids. Wow!  It was not at all what I thought it was going to be. Granted if I had taken the time to read a little more about it before I picked it up, I would have known, but I just saw a great cover, and thought that looks fun and educational.

    The Adventures of Blue Ocean Bob - A Journey Begins

    It was both fun and educational. I called this a picture book, which isn’t wrong, but it is also a chapter book. Blue Ocean Bob lives on the Island of Roses. Although he is happy on his island, he begins to want more for his life.  Bob begins his journey of fulfillment by speaking to wise animals, learning lessons in patience, and overcoming obstacles that may seem too large to pass. Xena, his hummingbird gives a fair representation of the negative voice we all have at some point in our life. Telling Bob it’s just too hard, he shouldn’t try because he’ll just face disappointment. Better to live happy than to be let down.

    I absolutely loved Blue Ocean Bob. The story itself was great, but it is also written in rhyme, and has some beautiful artwork.

    *I received copies of these books to facilitate this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

  • Tuesday Tip – Inspiration

    Tuesday Tip – Inspiration

    ~WELCOME TO TUESDAY TIPS~
    Today I want to motivate and inspire you! How long have you had your furniture arranged the way it is? Do you like the way it looks? Is it user friendly? Does it invite?  
    My front room did not. I didn’t like the way the furniture was arranged. I rarely did anything in that room but let the kids run amok, and have visitors. The running amok and visitors didn’t mesh well either. Last week I decided to create a sitting area in our bay window. It is a part of our front room, but at the same time it is also separated from the front room. 
    So I changed it. I fixed it to my liking! It’s actually something I will do quite frequently. I like change.  Some people though have a hard time with it. I’m here to tell you today, don’t be afraid of change. Change can be good and exciting!!  Let me show you.
    This is what it used to look like. If you look to the right you’ll see where the front door is. It opens up against this room, kind of blocking it from view and separating it from the rest of the room.
    This is what it looks like now~
    It has made this room more warm and inviting. With the couch facing the rest of the room, it pulls both sides of the room together, despite the door in the middle.  
    Last week I wrote about creating a sitting area in the bay window. I tried many different arrangements, and got  some good feedback. Here is what I decided to go with.
    Although I too liked having both chairs here with the smaller table, you’ll noticed I left the second chair on the other side of the room. Together they pull things in and create the space I wanted. Although I may find an excuse to visit Ikea for a third matching chair. At which point I would be able to make the sitting area open for two. 
    Now see? Don’t you want to go rearrange your furniture? Don’t be afraid. Take a look at your room. Grab some pencils and paper. Make some sketches of what you imagine. Try different arrangements. Once you get started, I’m sure you’ll find a simple furniture rearranging satisfying and mood lifting. 
    I should probably mention as well, that I did all of this while Mark was at work. I wasn’t sure how much he would like the new arrangement, so I figured it would be better to do it, and then change it again if needed, then to just leave it alone. Turns out, Mark likes it a lot. He was really impressed, and told me it was a whole lot better than what we had before. 
    Ta Da! Change is good for everyone!