In the last year I’ve re-committed myself to reading books. I’ve always been an avid reader, but once Ainsley was born, reading got pushed to the back burner, something I felt sad and a little guilty about. So this year I’ve made a conscious effort to read, even if just a few pages of a book each day, and my life is undoubtedly richer because of it. Personal development, fiction, non-fiction, even books for kids. The list goes on and on.
I’ll be posting a series of holiday gift guides in the weeks to come for those of you who are doing your Christmas shopping in hopes that I can share with you items I genuinely love and products that have made my life richer, starting with books!
- A Simplified Life by Emily Ley (pictured above)
I put this one first because my dear friend Emily’s second book launches TODAY. I’ll be honest and say that my pre-order hasn’t arrived yet, but it’s due to get here tomorrow and I already know I’m going to love it. Tactical tools for intentional living? Yes, please. Emily is a fellow business-owner, wife, mom and very busy woman and I have a feeling any mom in your life would be blessed by this book. - Chasing Slow by Erin Loechner
Another good one for busy moms who are trying to sort out and prioritize what matters (do you sense a theme here?) this book has been such a wonderful read! It’s a beautifully designed book and Erin’s words always thoughtful and compelling. I’ve been reading it slowly, chapter by chapter, savoring and thinking about each section before moving on to the next. - Write the Word Journals
A dear friend gifted me one of these journals that has been on my wish list for quite some time. Each journal is topical (joy, gratefulness, etc.) with scripture prompts on each page, encouraging you to write out each prompted verse and other thoughts you may have in the process. They are beautiful little journals and the perfect stocking stuffer. - Kids Legacy Prayer Journals by Val Marie Paper
I just bought two of these – one for each of our girls – and they are beautifully designed and made. I’ve been wanting to be more intentional about praying for our girls and these journals leave a beautiful legacy for keeping those prayers in one place. I’m so excited to see how God answers the prayers written in these journals over time and imagine they will be special keepsakes for the girls as they get older. - 2018 Power Sheets – Intentional Goal Planner
I don’t personally own these but I have friends that do and RAVE about them as a way to goal set intentionally and mindfully in the new year. What a great gift to give someone to start 2018 off on a focused, thoughtful note. - Emily Ley’s Baby Book
We have two of these and I can’t tell you how much I love them. As someone who isn’t very crafty and doesn’t really enjoy that aspect of motherhood, these books made me feel craftier than I actually am. There are plenty of prompts to help guide what you write down and spaces for you to put photos with suggestions on what type of photos to include. I also love that it’s a binder so you can 3-hole punch important documents and paperwork from each child. - Chatbooks
We love these little photo books to archive our family memories. I wish that I was even better about organizing and archiving things like this, but having our favorite photos at least printed and in our house makes me feel like I am taking a step forward. Bonus? They are currently offering 20% off photo books and prints and have some really cute gift-able covers and designs!
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