After the infamous ebook bundle sale, I don’t really have a stomach for sales of any sort (unless they involve JC Penney and the gift card my parents gave me for Mother’s Day). But I do know about a few great deals right now and don’t want to leave you out, just in case you feel like shopping this weekend.

First up are a couple of books – both of which would make great last-minute Mother’s Day gifts!

Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table with Recipes by Shauna Niequist is probably the book I’ve heard most about in the past few months. EVERYONE I know who has read it has loved it.

I wasn’t sure, because though I adored Shauna Niequist’s first two books (Bittersweet and Cold Tangerines), this one sounds really . . . foodie-ish. And while I love food (duh.), I’m no foodie. But everyone I’ve talked to has said this is her best book yet.

Bread and Wine is a collection of essays about family relationships, friendships, and the meals that bring us together. This mix of Anne Lamott and Barefoot Contessa is a funny, honest, and vulnerable spiritual memoir. Bread and Wine is a celebration of food shared, reminding readers of the joy found in a life around the table. It’s about the ways God teaches and nourishes people as they nourish the people around them. It’s about hunger, both physical and otherwise, and the connections between the two.

So when I saw that the Kindle version was on sale for $3.79 yesterday, I bought it immediately – and can’t wait to read it!

KidVentures: 50 Outdoor Experiences of Wonder, Discovery & Childhood Memories by Jen Murray is a new ebook released this past week – and it’s already ranked at the top of several ebook categories on Amazon!

This weekend only, you can get the book for just $2.99 – either on Amazon or here as a PDF.

KidVentures is a simple and motivating how-to guide for getting your kids outside and having some fun. As a indoorsy couch potato type, this is exactly the kind of book I need as we head into the long summer! And though Jen is the consummate “boy mom,” having six-year-old quadruplets, she’s included all sorts of activities in the book. So while I don’t imagine Annalyn and I will be jumping into creeks anytime soon, we can definitely make a zipline for her Barbies or try out so many of the other ideas.

Other than these books, I’d highly suggest checking out DaySpring’s monthly sales and specials. As always, they have a variety of beautiful items on sale – and no matter what gift-buying occasion you might have this month, they’ve got something for you.

Graduation? You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream is the perfect message for any graduate, and right now, you can get Holley Gerth’s book by that name and a Lisa Leonard bracelet with that engraved message for just $39.99 (regularly $51.99)!
Wedding? How about this Mr. & Mrs. Gift Set? 30% off this month only, this cute set includes Mr. and Mrs. mugs, as well as a Mr. & Mrs. journal for exchanging notes and a coupon book. Who would love this sort of thing more than newlyweds?
New baby? She’ll love this super soft plush musical monkey! (At least I hope so, since I stocked up on these earlier in the year for all my friends having babies this spring!)
Housewarming? Try these Redeemed ceramic coasters, 50% off regular price.

See? I told you. Great deals. So shop if you need to – and then go enjoy your weekend! I’m headed to a gymnastics party for my daughter’s “BFF,” then having friends over for dinner. Church tomorrow morning, then editing a friend’s ebook tomorrow afternoon (which sounds like work, but really, holding a red pen in one hand and a manuscript in the other is simply my happy place). Have a great weekend, friends!

What is UP with this weather? I mean, I get it. I live in the Midwest. If you don’t like the weather, just wait a day because it will change! Right, sure, FINE.

But c’mon! 40 degrees in the middle of April ON THE DAY MY DAUGHTER’S PRESCHOOL GOES ON A FIELD TRIP TO THE ZOO?!?

Well, it is what it is. And you can bet that when I’m sweating my face off in July, I’ll think longingly about these cool spring days and WISH I HAD THEM BACK. So I guess I’ll just snuggle under another blanket and dig my gloves out of the closet. Again.

Oh well, let’s talk deals.

Did you all buy an Ever Grateful vase from DaySpring yesterday? They were on sale – a BIG SALE. I bought five. (What?! They make great gifts!) If you missed yesterday’s sale, you might try it today. Even though the vase is regularly $21.99, even before yesterday’s huge sale it was marked down to $10.99.

DaySpring has also put all its jewelry on sale for the next week or so (until April 21). Just use the code GRATEFUL25, and you’ll get 25% off any piece of jewelry. And that includes the Lisa Leonard collections (a.k.a. pretty much the only jewelry I ever wear every day) – and THAT includes her new gold line.

Did you guys watch Community last week? IT HAD PUPPETS! And singing! SINGING PUPPETS!!! Oh my word, it was so awesome. You know what else is awesome? What’s in the Bible puppets. {See what I did there?}

Annalyn and I loooove Buck Denver and friends, and they do a MUCH better job than I do explaining the Bible in simple terms that everyone can understand. And they sing catchy songs. AND they’re really funny. Seriously, if you have kids and love the Bible, try these videos.

Right now you can get 20% off volumes 1 and 10 (The Beginning and Jesus) with the code ONETEN.

And then there’s this:

I signed up for eMeals a few weeks ago. Have you tried this? For a small fee (seriously. It’s reasonable.), you tell eMeals what kind of meal plan you want (classic, simple gourmet, low-fat, clean eating, vegetarian, etc.), for how many people (1-2 or 3-6), and where you shop. Then, once a week, eMeals sends you a meal plan and grocery list. It’s super simple and really helpful!

And they just rolled out two new slow cooker meal plans – a classic plan and a clean eating plan. What better way to deal with this stupid lingering winter weather? (Or, you know, a busy schedule?) And if you sign up now, you can get 15% off with the code SLOW.

That’s all I’ve got for you this month. Well, that’s not true. I actually have a huge ebook sale to share with you in a couple weeks. But it’s still hush-hush. So until then, it’s just vases, jewelry, Crock Pots and puppets around here.

Have a great weekend!

Pssst! If you haven’t already, go check out my Blog Birthday Party (where I’m giving away five Amazon gift cards)!

This post includes affiliate links. Clicking and buying through those links doesn’t change your price, but it does help support this site.

“Mommy, that is the best story I ever heard!”

Look. I’m going to be honest with you. My first reaction to hearing my kiddo shout that after watching What’s in the Bible? volume 10: Jesus is the Good News! wasn’t pretty.

I was defensive. I said, “What?! What are you talking about? You’ve HEARD this story before! WE TALK ABOUT JESUS ALL THE TIME!”

I told you. Not. Pretty. Actually, quite embarrassing. Thankfully, I got over it quickly and it seems Annalyn wasn’t paying attention to my outburst anyway. No, my sweet girl was too busy thinking about the Most. Amazing. Story. she’d ever heard to notice her mother’s outrageous behavior.

(*whew*)

After I [quickly!] regained my sanity, I asked her why she liked her new Buck Denver video so much. My normally articulate daughter hemmed and hawed and finally said, “Because of Jesus! And our sin and then he was alive again!”

Yeah, baby, because of Jesus.

No matter how many times we’ve read stories and sung songs and discussed, eye to eye, the story of Jesus, I’m never going to turn down the opportunity for my kiddo to hear that story again. Because it IS the best story she’s ever heard – and I want her to feel that every single time she hears it.

I want to feel that every single time I hear it, too.

Jesus is the Good News has been released just in time for Easter. After nine volumes of Phil Vischer, Buck Denver and friends explaining the stories of the Old Testament, this DVD uses catchy tunes and somewhat silly (FINE. Very silly.) puppets to show us how the Bible all fits together to tell one, big redemptive story.

VeggieTales® creator Phil Vischer and a bunch of hilarious friends explain the entire Bible to your kids in What’s in the Bible?, a groundbreaking, fast-paced and fun-filled DVD series. Volume 10: Jesus is the Good News! takes your family through the 400 years between the Old and New Testaments, and then shares about the life and ministry of Jesus Christ from the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Funny and meaningful, the DVD also shares the Gospel and encourages children (and parents) who don’t know Jesus to do so – and reach out to a friend or pastor to experience God’s saving grace.

Here’s a preview of Jesus is the Good News:

Like each volume of What’s in the Bible, Jesus is the Good News contains two 25-minute episodes and has a total run time of 60 minutes. And, I’m pretty sure you’ll walk away excited about this story AND singing the always-catchy tunes Buck Denver and friends use to explain the Bible.

And this week, I’m giving away a copy of volume 10, along with volume 1 (In the Beginning, which features the surprisingly catchy tune, “Genesis”).

To enter, leave a comment telling me your favorite story in the Bible. This giveaway will be closed at midnight CST on Friday, March 15.