Tag: book lover

The Best Ways to Celebrate National Book Lover’s Day ♡

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A/N~I’ve got a small announcement to make. Today is the last day of me posting every single day on my blog–as I mentioned that I would do in my 1 year blogiversary post. From now on, I will be posting every two days, meaning I post today, skip tomorrow, post Thursday, and the cycle goes on. Besides that, there will be no other changes to my blog or content. Okay–you are free to read the actual post now!

Happy Tuesday, y’all! This is Q’Zion and welcome back to The Joys and Trials of a Christian Teen. To all my fellow bookworms and bibliophiles, we all know that there are few–if any–gifts that we can get in life that are better than a good book. After all, literature is like the foundation for learning just about anything. A world without books would be like a world without color. Just plan boring.

So in celebration of books and all the people around the world who love them, July 9th is proclaimed as Book Lover’s Day. And I’m going to share a few creative ideas for how we bookworms can celebrate to the fullest. Let’s get this show on the road!

Reorganize Your Book Shelf

Almost every bookworm has a shelf that’s just about filled with books. And as we constantly read and add to our vast collection, it can be easy for our books to get mixed and matched. If your bookshelf needs a little tender love and care, today is the perfect opportunity to make it look as neat as a display in a bookstore.

Make a Book Mark

I remember doing a craft a couple years ago where I made my own colorful bookmark, and I had so much fun with it that I had to make an entire series of custom-made bookmarks afterwards. The more books we get, the more bookmarks we need. That means that there’s no such thing as having too many bookmarks. So getting a little crafty and personalizing bookmarks of your own–especially while using colors that match with a particular book–would be an awesome way to celebrate being a bookworm.

Visit your Local Library

Honestly, this one is like muscle memory to anyone who loves books. However, going to the library to borrow a few books–and maybe even sit down and read for a couple hours–will likely give any bookworm some entertainment.

Recommend Some of Your Favorite Books to Someone Else

There aren’t many things that I love to do more than I love reading. But I have to admit that it always puts a smile on my face when I’m able to share some of the novels that I love the most with family and friends. Reading is a gift from God, and it is truly a great experience to be able to see others embracing it. So try showing some of your favorite books to a friend of yours–you never know; they might just turn them into a bookworm, too.

Try an eBook

If you’re like me, you have a huge preference for physical books. You know, the ones that you can feel, smell and hold. But if there’s anything that many of my books have taught me, it’s that sometimes it can be good to try new things. Whether you are used to reading books in the physical or digital world, it can be a great experience to try buying an eBook or purchasing a physical book from a bookstore for a change. Even if you end up switching to your preference afterwards, it’s always good to explore the different ways to read.

Create an Account on Goodreads

Are you looking for a digital platform where you can discover new books, write reviews for books you’ve read, and connect with other bookworms? Well then you might want to check out Goodreads. While I’ve never actually made an account of my own, I often look to Goodreads when I am looking for ratings and opinions on books that catch my interest. So Goodreads is a good option if you are someone who likes eBooks and/or you are on a mission to read more books.

Replace Your Screen Time for Reading Time

I know, I know. For most teenagers, our phones are like an extension of our arms. But every now and again, it’s really healthy to take a break and do something that doesn’t involve a screen. Instead of playing video games all Friday night when you finish your homework after school, reading could be a really productive way to wind down before bedtime–or any time, for that matter!

Join a Book Club

I’ve participated in a handful of clubs over the last couple years, and I’ve got to say that Book Club is one of my favorites. Not only is this a wonderful option for those who need an extra push to read more novels this year, but it’s also a great way to connect and interact with people who love books just as much as you do. And as a bookworm, that’s almost always a bonus!

I hope you all enjoyed these tips for making the most of National Book Lover’s Day–which if you think about it, is everyday. I thank God for books and how much He has taught me through them. Hopefully, you all found a great way to celebrate.

Have a happy rest of your day or night, everyone! Peace in! ♡

A day at the bookstore + book haul | Go Out With Me #4

Q'Zion1 Comment

Hey, everybody! Happy wonderful Wednesday! ♡

You guys probably already know that I’ve been wanting to go to a bookstore for the LONGEST of time. However, on most days Goodmommy had to work, I was too tired, or we just felt like staying at home (since we’re major homebodies lol.)

But since Goodmommy didn’t have to work today and we were already out of the house so that I could complete my last end of the year test, Goodmommy figured that it would be the perfect day to stop by–and I completely agreed.

As soon as we stepped inside, I was absolutely in awe…it felt like I was in a book paradise. What I really like about Barnes and Nobles is their variety in the selections. They have all genres that vary from classic Fiction to Romance, Sci-Fi, Manga, Autobiographies, Graphic Novels and more! Seriously though, you name a genre, I’m 98.5% sure that they’ve got it!

I really loved how much they had to accommodate all types of readers, regardless of their preferred genre or age. At some point, it can be hard to choose the actual book that you want with so many choices. But hey, I’m not complaining.

What made me even more excited is that they had so much more inventory than just books. There were also a wide collection of board games and jigsaw puzzles. Since I absolutely adore solving puzzles, I was extremely tempted to get one for myself. But I held off from it…for today, at least.

Pretty close by was this section called “Book Annex” which seemed to be a lot of notebooks, journals, or “daily devotion” books about prayer, sermons, or self care. Me and Goodmommy both really liked this section, and I ended up purchasing one for each of us, since I was able to afford it with my gift card. I’ll show you which two those were at the end.

And get this, they even had a buttload of art supplies, from pencils, to pens–both for calligraphy and basic notetaking–to paints. As an artist, seeing all the beautiful supplies on the shelves got me really excited.

Eventually we went into the “Young Readers Section” just to see what they had in that decent-sized section of the bookstore. I was pleasantly surprised to be met with many of the books that had a substantial part in shaping my love for reading, including Junie B. Jones, Amelia Bedelia, Magic Treehouse, Nancy Clancy, etc. Overall, I got a lot of elementary school nostalgia.

Although I really enjoyed seeing some of my favorite childhood characters, I eventually went into the more age-appropriate section of chapter books and graphic novels. Overall, I found so many great reads–some of which I already have in my collection.

I honestly think that there were so many great books that I didn’t look at today, but this was an absolutely stellar–and very well anticipated–trip to Barnes and Nobles, and I am so thankful to God, and to Goodmommy, for allowing us to look around and have some fun together. Hopefully we’ll be able to come again once or twice throughout summer break.

Oh, and you know that I had to take a picture of my outfit, one we got home. Selfies are always mandatory.

Okay, so I obviously didn’t want to leave you guys hanging. It’s time to show you what I actually bought. Considering that it’s been a little while since I added some more literature to my large collection, I am extremely blessed to be able to purchase these for me and my Goodmommy to enjoy. Let’s get into the haul!

I don’t know if I ever gave you all an update, but I read Little Women in December, and I absolutely loved it! Therefore, as soon as I saw the names Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy on the cover of this graphic novel, I knew that I had to have it. I really appreciated the added diversity. It’s basically a modernized version of the original novel, and so far it looks really awesome!
You guys know that I’m a huge lover of MG (middle grade) fantasy novels. The beautiful art on this cover (and the description) both looked really promising. Right after I checked the online reviews–which were filled with positive feedback–I decided to give this chapter book a try. And I’m super glad I did. From the short excerpt I read, it seems like such a fun adventure that I can’t wait to dive into! Get ready for some upcoming book reviews.
I’m a very huge fan of writing, both digitally and on paper. So, I ended up choosing this simple purple journal with this minimalistic–but super cute–cover art. I did say that I wanted to begin journaling, this summer, so I’m quite sure this will help me check that off of my bucket list.
Finally, here is the journal that I got for Goodmommy. And I’m super glad that I was able to, since not only does she do so much for me, but this book has her name all over it! Each two pages have different sections for notetaking during church sermons. It has a section to list the speaker, the main points of the teaching, your takeaways, a prayer, and what you are grateful for, with several Bible verses sprinkled in between. If there was more than one of these at the bookstore, I may have gotten one for myself. But, I know that this one was meant for Goodmommy.

As you can tell by this post, me and Goodmommy had such an awesome time, today. I’m super excited to make many more everlasting memories with my family over the next couple months; I know that much fun is up ahead. I truly am very blessed.

Have a beautiful and blessed day everybody! See you next time! ♡

World Book Day ♡

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If you checked out my post from yesterday, you know that it was Earth Day. Coincidentally, I found out that today (April 23rd) is World Book Day. As soon as I heard the news, I knew that I (my book-loving self) had to take this opportunity to talk about books since, I mean…the day kind of calls for it, LOL.

As much as I love reading books, I must say that I also enjoy simply looking around in a library or bookstore–for me, seeing so many books just waiting to be read is incredibly exciting. Whenever I read a good book, I am invested in a new story filled with quirky characters, an unexpected plot, and a life lesson to take with me through everyday life.

Seriously, reading is an adventure that you don’t need to take a step out of your home to have. You can read anywhere and at anytime. You can even write your own book and make your own adventure. The possibilities are endless!

For my birthday last year, I received a Barnes and Noble gift card from a family member, and I was elated, considering that its a really nice book store and I’m OBSESSED with reading. Believe it or not, I haven’t even used it yet, LOL. That being said, I plan on posting a follow-up to this post by sharing some pics inside Barnes and Noble and the books that I purchased. Stay tuned for that coming soon!

In order to celebrate this special day for all book lovers out there, I made a quick Google Form survey with fun questions that you guys may answer about your favorite books, and many other bookish things in between! Just in case you aren’t comfortable with answering on the form, you may also answer the survey questions (listed below) in the comments.

  1. What’s your favorite book genre?
  2. What’s your favorite book and/or book series?
  3. Who’s your favorite book character?
  4. Who’s your favorite author?
  5. What’s a book you want to read in the future?

Otherwise, here is the link to the World Book Day Questionnaire–I’m excited to see all of your responses!

Thanks so much for stopping by my corner of the Internet, today! God bless you all! ♡

6 Things I Love to Do on the Weekends

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What’s up, peeps! Can you guys believe that it’s already April? So far, this year has flew by so quickly, but I won’t complain; God has been good to me.

Let’s face it–we all sigh with relief when we go home and/or get finished with work on a Friday. We have a whole 2 days ahead of us to relax and enjoy our weekend. Personally, I’m a HUGE FAN of my weekends, and I do as much work as I can throughout the week to make the most of every Saturday and Sunday. And since the weekend is coming up, I thought it’d be a cool idea to share some of the ways that I like to spend my short vacations. So what are we waiting for? Let’s get into it! ✨

⒈ Go to a Library ♡

Okay, so this one may be a little obvious since most of my followers know how much I love to read. However, reading is one of my favorite activities to do on a weekend. I have a whole 48 hours to start a new book or maybe even finish one that I’ve been procrastinating, for some time. Don’t you just love that feeling when you sat down and finished a book that you haven’t picked up in a while? I sure do!

⒉ Binge My Favorite TV Show ♡

Throughout the week, it’s easy to forget about some of my favorite TV shows, or simply replace watching them with schoolwork, family time, and the occasional naps. When the weekend comes along, I usually spend a couple hours catching up on the new seasons of the shows that I love. And if a new movie just came out on Disney+, it’s not a surprise if we have a family movie night, too.

⒊ Go to Church ♡

One of the perfect ways to start my week and be refreshed before school starts on Monday is fellowshipping and learning the Word in the House of God. Praise and worship, seeing my family and friends, and socializing with other believers is always a blessing and one of the best parts of my week. It makes me feel happier and closer to God when I listen to His Word.

⒋ Fun in the Sun at the Beach or Pool ♡

Due to COVID-19, it seriously has been a while since I’ve went to the beach or the pool. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that I love changing into my bathing suit and having some fun in the sun. Since spring is here, and summer is not too far from now, it’s the perfect time of year to hit the beach and go for a swim.

⒌ Bake a New Recipe ♡

Although I don’t get in the kitchen often (at least not to cook or bake) Friday nights and weekends are the perfect opportunity to learn a new recipe and spend time with Goodmommy. For me, cooking can be so relaxing and satisfying. The fact that you can whip up some ingredients, place it in the oven, and take it out to see a masterpiece is always super rewarding. Especially when you get to eat your creation, when your all done.

⒍ Have a Picnic ♡

Is it just me, or does this remind you of that one scene from Tom and Jerry? LOL 🧺🍉🌭🥤

Honestly, I’ve only been to a picnic once in my life, as far as I can recall. But I must say that I love to eat in nice weather, especially in a screened-in patio or on a balcony. You get to admire the sunshine while eating your lunch. Picnicking seems to be pretty similar and great for spring time. Especially on a weekend!

Weekends are a time for us to take a break from work and school and focus on family and the hobbies that we love the most. Therefore, we might as well make the most of every second. Hopefully, this list gave you some inspiration for how you can spend your short vacation.

LET’S CHAT~What are some of your favorite ways to spend the weekends? Feel free to comment down below.

Have a beautiful weekend, everybody! God bless you all! ✨

What are your assumptions about me?

Q'Zion1 Comment

What’s up, everyone! I really enjoy reading many bloggers asking people to write assumptions about them, and then the idea of being able to react to their assumptions with another post. Considering how fun to read these are, I wanted to try it myself.

At this point, I have been blessed with 69 followers!!! This is a huge blessing from God, and I thank every single one of you for your support. As well, I want to give a shoutout to my grandmother, whom I call Goodmommy, for always supporting me, my writing, my ideas, and helping to push me to start this blog in the first place.

So, I was thinking that it would be awesome if you guys could comment 3-5 of your assumptions about me down below. They could be about my hobbies, what type of music I like, my favorite color, my favorite movie, my favorite celebrity, my favorite book, and you name it. Assumptions are super fun to read and it would mean a lot to me if you all would be kind enough to participate!

Assumption Rules

Don’t worry–there’s not going to be a crazy list of rules. I just wanted to provide a short few to keep all the assumptions family-friendly and provide the time frame in which I will be accepting assumptions. As long as the rules apply to your lists, then you are good to go. ✔️

  • I need at least 5 people to list 3-5 assumptions, so if each of you would provide a nice-sized list, that would be fantastic.
  • Please make sure that all of your assumptions are family-appropriate.
  • Please don’t write assumptions about specific personal or private information (age, birthday, state, etc.)
  • I will be taking your assumptions UNTIL I reach 75 followers (which includes my email followers.) This means that the deadline is not strictly based on time, so please comment your assumptions as soon as possible.
  • Be creative and have fun! I’m super excited to see what you guys come up with. <33

Okay, so please comment down all of your fantabulous assumptions in the comments. I might have to provide my answers in two parts, depending on the amount of feedback, but I’m super excited to see what you all assume about me.

Have a beautiful and blessed day everyone! ✨

My favorite National Days for March 2nd | 3 in 1

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Some of you are likely aware that I really love blogging about National Days. They’re fun, random, and while some are plain silly, others have really deep, heartfelt, or funny meanings that are a joy to write about. Today, I was checking out the National (and World) Days, and I came across three that I really liked.

I was going to choose one at first, but…Goodmommy came up with the idea to write about all 3 in 1 post, which was a really awesome idea since all three of these caught my attention. So, here’s a paragraph summary for what these National Days are all about and what about them caught my interest.

You ready? Let’s get going! ✨

World Teen Mental Wellness Day

Me being a teenager myself, I think that mental health is especially important. For all people, but especially adolescents. In this stage of our lives, we are changing and maturing in many ways, so it’s always a good idea to make sure that our mental health is in check, resulting in a healthier and happier lifestyle. It’s a win-win for us and everyone who we know and love.

National Read Across America Day

I’m a book lover. All the way and back. I really love just about any National Day about reading, but this one definitely caught my eye. When you read a good book, you can gain so much wisdom and knowledge about many aspects of life, transported into a plot with unique characters on a fun adventure. It’s sad that so many people don’t like to read. That’s part of the reason why I want to publish books, in the future–to encourage people of all ages to get into reading family-friendly and fun pieces of literature.

National Old Stuff Day

Have you ever found something that you used and loved when you were little? Sometimes, it can be the old things that can remind us of our most beautiful and memorable moments and stages of life. Although the name of this National Day might sound a bit odd, ancient things can have some of the largest value.

This was a little out of the box for me, but it was definitely very fun to write. National Days vary so much, and while some days I don’t see anything super exciting, other days (like this) exceed my expectations!

Tell me what you guys feel about these National Days and one of the wackiest (but family-friendly) days that you’ve heard of, if any. Comment down below.

Have a blessed day everyone! #GodisLove ✨

7 Tips on How to Read More

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Some of you may already be aware that one of my goals for this year, 2022, was to read more, as I realized that I didn’t read many novels in 2021. It’s not that I ever stopped loving to read, but I was busy with school, clubs, my blog, and family time. The time by so quickly, and before I knew it the year was over.

I have a sneaking suspicion that I’m not the only one that wants to begin to read more. What I love about every day is that each one gives you a chance to improve and set goals to support a more productive lifestyle with the activities that we love.

So here’s a few tips on how to read more. ✨

Be realistic. While wanting to read more is a wonderful resolution, it is important that we be realistic with how many books we can fit into our schedule. Consider all the duties that you have and how much time of leisure you have every week. This will make your goal for how much you want to read more possible and reachable.

Take baby steps. Just because you want to step up your reading game doesn’t mean you didn’t read at all last year. It’s possible that you read 3 books last year. This year, you might want to read 5. What I’m trying to say is, increase your goal in baby steps to avoid getting overwhelmed. Reading is fun, but its important that you also make time for family, friends, your other hobbies and rest.

Keep books in the rooms you spend the most time in. Sometimes it may be harder to read more when there are no books within arm’s reach. Try to add a bookshelf in your room or office and constantly keep a book on your desk, during the day. It will be easier to finish books more often if you keep one in front of you, at all times.

Consider replacing some phone time with reading time. After school, it’s only natural to want to check your phone. However, instead of spending the multitude of your time off of work/school on electronics, use some of that time to read.

Join a group or club of other readers. Personally, I am in a book club where we read one book a month. At the end of the month, we come together to discuss how we felt about it. It can be a great experience to surround yourself with a community of peers who have similar interests and hobbies.

Read works of your favorite genre(s). I find it much easier to get through a book quickly when it is of the genres that I favor. When reading your preferred genre, it will likely be right up your alley. Books that are the most relatable, memorable, and appeal to our emotions and likes tend to be the ones that we can read in just a couple of days.

Don’t be afraid to try audiobooks. Truly, life can occasionally get too busy for us to sit down and read. If you happen to be someone who is always on the go but would still like to get engaged in literature, then consider purchasing audiobooks (a recording of a book that is read aloud to you.) Not only are audiobooks very convenient, but you may also find some book recordings (specifically for classic books) for free on YouTube. Awesome, am I right?

Finding time for reading may be a little bit of a challenge. But one of the many benefits of the constant technological advances is that we now have so many options for how we can read–there’s no one way. I hope you enjoyed this fairly quick read and that you will reach all of your reading goals. All it takes is some faith, effort and time, and we can–and will–succeed.

Have a beautiful and blessed day everyone! ✨

Books That I’m Reading (But Haven’t Finished, Yet)

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Okay. So it’s been a little while since I posted another book review or anything related to literature. Lately, I’ve been reading a book for this month’s book club meeting (which I will be sharing in this post) and it inspired me to write about the books that I’ve started but just haven’t got around to finishing.

Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE to read, and I have for a long time. So much that ‘love’ might be considered an understatement. But I think we’ve all had that book–or multiple books–that we just put down one day and never finish.

Here’s my list of some of the books that I’m currently reading (or am in the process of reading) but haven’t finished, quite yet. I plan to finish all of them in the future. Enjoy!

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty

What would you do if you were literally struck by lightning? What would your life be like? This question is answered by the main character of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl: a germophobic, introverted, and insanely smart 12-year-old girl named Lucy Callahan. Although her constant compulsion to have a pack of Clorox wipes with her at all times and sit-stand 3 times every time she takes a seat might seem weird to others, the amount of numbers that race through Lucy’s mind on a daily basis is hidden from everyone except her Nana (guardian) and her Uncle Paul.

This is the library book that I’m currently reading for book club. I’m about halfway through. What I found so insanely crazy towards the beginning of the book is the fact that Lucy is just like me: she’s a homebody, she’s been homeschooled since the 3rd grade, and she’s a straight-A student. It’s almost like I’m reading about myself. I plan on finishing this book in a few days, though I thought it would be a good addition to the list since I haven’t completed it, yet. I’m loving it so far, though!

The Stars of Summer by Tara Dairman

This is the second addition of a trilogy written by Tara Dairman about a tweenager named Gladys Gadsby who is a food critic for her homestate, New York’s, newspaper. In fact, she has recently completed her first restaurant review for the New York Standard paper. Now, it’s summer break, and her friend Charissa Bentley has invited Gladys to her parent’s summer camp–Camp Bentley. Gladys has been assigned to find the tastiest hot dog in New York, and it turns out that summer camp life isn’t as smooth sailing as she hoped. Is this the end of Gladys’s reviewing career?

This is a book that I actually ordered myself, and I stopped toward the beginning of it. I really enjoyed the first book of this series “All Four Stars” so I’m determined to finish this one, too. Books with a strong, young, female lead always seem to grab my attention. So, of course, the fact that Gladys is a 12-year-old food critic was part of what reeled me into the series, in the first place. Finishing this book is definitely a goal of mine for the near future.

Jinxed by Amy McCulloch

Jinxed takes place in the future. Now, a company called MONCHA have created ‘bakus’–mechanical animal companions that function as a phone and a fur baby. It’s Lucy Chu’s dream to work for MONCHA one day, and one of her first steps to her goal is joining Profectus — a school for students who are skilled in all things technology. The only catch is, in order to be accepted into the school of Lucy’s dreams, you need to have a baku of your own. Lucy is able to turn scraps of a seemingly handmade baku into a full-functioning companion, whom she names ‘Jinx.’ Although Lucy finally makes it to Profectus, Jinx is different from any other baku that she’s encountered. It’s almost like he’s…real?

This is one of the books that I put on the list of books that I want to read this school year, and I have gotten started on it—I just haven’t finished it, as of now. The amount of technology and action in this book is super exciting to read. And the whole concept of bakus makes me want one of my own! I’ve already gotten well into this one, so I’m curious to see what happens next!

Soul Harvest, Left Behind Series #4 by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

Soul Harvest: The World Takes Sides by Tim LaHaye

In the fourth addition to the Christian novel series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, two men named Buck and Rayford begin to search for their lost family members from different corners of the world. Both of which having survived “the wrath of the Lamb”–a global earthquake in the twenty-first month of the Tribulation. This journey of a novel takes you all the way from Iraq to America in a journey around the world.

I must say that overall this novel is extremely complex. Many twists and turns, amounts of suspense, and unexpected outcomes. I got about 160 pages in–pretty well into the novel–and I must admit that it is extremely well-written with good character development. I think I’ll be able to relate more to the Left Behind: The Kids series, which is written by the same authors, due to the close proximity of my age to the protagonists. However, this series is a great read! I hope Rayford and Buck find their family in the earthquake.

Frozen II: Forest of Shadows by Kamilla Benko

Set in between the popular Disney movie, Frozen, and the hit sequel, Frozen 2, is a story about one of the best animated sister duos, Anna and Elsa. And Anna wants to be nothing more than a help to her older sister, Queen of Arendelle. But in Anna’s sight, Elsa has been doing just fine without her. Just as Elsa is about to set sail for a grand tour of the world, Anna makes it her goal to accompany her sister. But, all of a sudden, a strange sickness begins to show itself in Arendelle, and Anna’s childhood nightmare of a giant fearsome wolf has seemingly become a reality. And worst of all, Anna thinks it’s all her fault.

Earlier on my blog, I dubbed this masterpiece as one of the BEST novels that I’ve ever read. That opinion still stands today. There is just an inevitable amount of detail added into the book that incorporates the whimsical Disney aspect while still creating some suspense and mystery that makes it hard to put down. I really, really, REALLY want to finish this one. I’m sure the ending will be a banger!

Wow. That definitely took a little while to write, but any post about reading and books is one of my favorites, on my blog.

Do you have any books that you’re in the middle of but haven’t finished? If you have any exciting, family-friendly recommendations, feel free to comment them down below. :))

Have a beautiful and blessed day, y’all! ✨