Take Ten: Favorite TV shows of all time

In honor of fall TV starting up, the subject for this week has to do with favorite TV shows. I didn't grow up watching a lot of TV, so I may not make it to ten, but here are a few of my favorites.

1. Doctor Who

I fell in love from the get go, perhaps because I started in the middle and went from there.;) I have a hard time picking a favorite Doctor from recent years, though I have to say that Amy, Rory, and River make a compelling argument for Matt Smith to be my fave.;)

2. White Collar

While I am not a huge fan of everything in this show, I did like how the characters worked together and that there didn't seem to be a boring season, like I've found in some shows. I was sad to see this one end.

3. Home Improvement

Granted, I haven't seen this one since I was a kid, but it was a huge hit at our home growing up!

4. Sherlock Holmes, BBC

I wasn't sure I would like this series when I first started it, but Benedict Cumberbatch does a wonderful job of bringing the infuriating, brilliant Sherlock to modern times.

5. Monk

This was another one that I was sad to see end, though I would of loved to have more episodes with Sharona then Natalie. The latter didn't seem to jive as well.

6. Person of Interest

I love the variety of characters in this one!

7. Emma, mini series

Yes, I know it is a mini series, but I get to make the rules, and this one is amazing! It's one of my favorite stories, and I feel like this one did
justice to it.;)

8. Pride and Prejudice

I basically have to mention this one as well, then.;)

9. Psych

This one had some rough patches, but I still enjoyed it and was sad to see it end!

10. Full House

Another oldie that I haven't watched since I was a kid!

What are some of your favorites?

Revive voxbox

My thoughts: I had so much fun with the contents of this voxbox! I love Shea Moisture products, since they don't have a lot of junk in their hair care items. So, I was thrilled to try a sample of their fruit fusion. I only wish that they had sent me a bigger size to enjoy.;)
While I am not much of a coffee drinker (I prefer tea, but I do love coffee ice cream!), I love that these three brands: Kauai Coffee, Chock Full o' Nuts, and Hills Bros use compostable K-cups. I am all about recycling and composting, so this is a big hit with me!
The SnackWell's Caramel Macchiato biscuit wound up not being to my liking, since it was very bitter tasting. As I mentioned above, I love coffee flavored sweets, but I did not care for this biscuit and the aftertaste it left in my mouth. That said, if you are a true coffee fan, I think you will enjoy this biscuit.
Out of the three protein powdered drinks (Vanilla Plt by Plant Protein, Cookies n Cream by Next Step, and Strawberries and Cream by Whey Tech), I have to say that I enjoyed the Cookies n Cream one the best. The others were fine (though I am not a fan of a strong stevia taste, so Vanilla Plt is one I wouldn't buy), but this one was downright delicious! I love that it is a good source of protein and tastes great!
I received all these products free through Influenster. It is such fun to get a voxbox and try out new products! They have a wide variety of things they send out to review, so check them out if you have time to review products for fun.;)

Books that would be required reading if I were a high school teacher

In honor of going back to school (for everyone else that is. I have a bit before my Littles start), I'm choosing books that would be required reading for my students if I were a teacher.

1. The Hiding Place
Basically, all of Corrie Ten Boom's writings, since her family could of stood by and watched. She has a powerful story of forgiveness for those to afflicted her and her sister. I would get a hold of a recording of her to go with the book.

2. To Kill a Mockingbird
For obvious reasons.

3. Emma
Jane Austen is a must. This one would almost be more for the male students, since Mr. Knightley is the opitome of a gentleman.

4. Pride and Prejudice
If one is going to have Austen, then this one is a must too.

5. Little House on the Prairie
Granted, it has been forever since I read this series, but the push to move to wide open spaces is such a huge part of American history.

6. Narnia
Must I explain why I would include this favorite? It would be fun to discuss and see what different readers take away from the series.

7. A Tale of Two Cities
Granted, it's been a while, but this would be interesting to pair with a book about the American Revolution.

8. The Hunger Games
I like discussing futuristic stories and the morals in them. I can see this being a fun series to discuss with teens. Pairing it with some Roman history (gladiators) and it could be quite interesting.

9. North and South
I love Gaskell! This one has a lot going for it, as it shows why unions were needed, as well as the changes the Industrial Revolution brought.

10.The Children
I may be a bit morbid to like Wharton's stories, though this one is a wee bit happier. This is an interesting story that was kind of ahead of its time.

What books would you have in your classroom?

Starving Hearts

Since her assault, Miss Annette Chetwynd has been plagued by nightmares and worries about an arranged marriage.
She yearns to find her anonymous rescuer. Unfortunately, her health and intellect prevent it. Both repel suitors and cause Annette to doubt God’s existence, at least until He answers her prayers in an unusual way. . . .
Mr. Peter Adsley is joining the clergy, and he desires a godly wife by his side. After a failed attempt to obtain one, he engages in a clandestine meeting with the bewitching young woman who keeps crossing his path. But she is so unsettling.
Destined for disappointments, Peter and Annette both endure disgraceful situations. Will Peter’s faith sustain him through overwhelming setbacks? Can Annette overcome her doubts? Or will their starving hearts yield to the machinations of a mad man?

My thoughts: Don't let this book fool you into thinking it is just another Jane Austen knock off, since that would be a disservice to this wonderful debut novel! I thorally enjoyed getting to know the different characters, even having the chance to get inside the villa's head. The historical aspect of this story was wonderful as well. I look forward to reading more by this author!
I received this book from Litfusegroup.com in exchange for my honest review.

Raising a Young Modern Day Princess

Emulating the format of Raising a Modern-Day Princess, authors Doreen Hanna and Karen Whiting seek to help parents and grandparents cultivate strong relationships and encourage the spiritual formation in their daughters using examples, Bible teaching on the fruit of the Spirit, and a variety of creative activities that are based on Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control).

By implementing the ideas in this book, mothers (as well as fathers) will be equipped to understand and guide their daughters through each step of becoming His “princess.” This will include perceiving a daughter’s unique personality and gifts, refining her character through training and discipline, and modeling the attributes of a daughter of the King.

This book is a follow-up to both Raising a Modern-Day Knight (by Robert Lewis) and Raising a Modern-Day Princess by Pam Farrel and Doreen Hanna. While the latter book is aimed at parents of girls ages 12 and up, this book focuses on building the Christian character of younger girls.

My thoughts: This book is just perfect for my family, since I have a young daughter who loves anything princess like. This book is amazing! I like how it has a ton of activities to help little girls grasp the fruits of the spirit and their are ways for both mom and dads to get involved. I love the tea party ideas, and especially appreciated the activities to show how kindness has a ripple affect (I've had a hard time trying to explain the importance of kindness to my toddler, so these really helped!). This is an excellent book for parents or guardians of young girls, since it helps teach important lessons. I look forward to getting the book for older girls when the time comes, but I am so thankful that this one is out there for young girls.
I received this book from Tyndale in exchange for my honest review.

Me:a compendium

Inventive, hillarious and joyously colorful, this fill-in journal was designed to help kids capture nearly everything that’s uniquely rad about them. With design-savvy, yet completely kid-friendly illustrations, they’re asked to draw or write about a bunch of interesting things — like what their hair looks like, what their band name would be, what they’d bring to outer space, and how they feel about lightning, lizards and pickles. There may or may not be a place for super-secret stuff inside the book jacket. Whether kids complete their entire compendium on a rainy day, or finish it over a year, it’ll become a treasure to look back on and smile.

My thoughts :I love this journal! I got it for my daughter, though it is a little old/advanced for her. We are still enjoying just looking through it and thinking about the questions! I think this book would be especially fun for elementary and middle school age kids. It would make a great gift!
I received this book from blogging for nooks in exchange for my honest review.

Dear Jane

The plan was to serve a mission, marry her boyfriend, and live happily ever after. But all of that changed when Quinn got a Dear Jane email. Now she's stuck at home with no boyfriend, no job, no major, and absolutely no social life. Will Quinn ever find the path that leads to her eternal happiness?

My thoughts: While I am not LDS, and this book is very much geared toward that culture with it being about a young woman on her mission who gets a "Dear Jane" letter, I still enjoyed the story immensely. The author does a wonderful job of engaging the reader in this story about a young woman trying to live out her faith and dealing with what happens when life doesn't follow the perfect plan that we think it should. She does a great job of dealing with sensitive subjects like suicide and divorce. I would recommend this book for older teens and young adults on up.
I received this book from Cedar Fort in exchange for my honest review.