New Year, New Giveaway -- for an Easier 2026

I’m giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner! 

The theme? "Housekeeping Helpers for the Tired and Uninspired." 

WAIT! Don’t Toss Those Receipts (or delete them)!

These apps turn receipts — paper or digital — into gift cards or cash in seconds. Just download and go.

They work after the shopping is done.
No planning ahead. No browser extensions. Just quick actions that add up.

Midlife Mood Swings — What Helped Me Tame Them

Have you ever replayed a moment in your head and physically cringed?

The face you made.
The vicious comment you fired off.
The anger or aggravation that came out way bigger than the situation deserved.

You remember the look of surprise on the other person’s face. But what lingers longer is your own surprise — that split second afterward when you think, Did that really just come out of me?

If so, were you born in the 1900s?

Because if you were, you may recognize this kind of moment. The one where the reaction feels outsized and uncharacteristic. Not because you didn’t know better — but because it happened faster than you could stop it.

And girl — I’ve been right there myself.

I’m somewhat patient and usually avoid confrontation — with the same urgency I use to avoid the cell phone guy at Sam’s Club. But when I entered midlife, my moods became sporadic, and they often bent toward the unpleasant. I didn’t always recognize them coming, and I didn’t always have time to intercept them before they showed up out loud.

It wasn’t constant. But in those moments, I didn’t even like myself.

And to be honest, there’s one moment that keeps coming back to me.

🎉 WINNER ANNOUNCED — BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE (AFTER CHRISTMAS)

Before you scroll — quick heads-up:

Another giveaway is coming after Christmas 🎁

👉 If you want to be in the know about the next giveaway, be sure to FOLLOW Mom’s Best Nest on Facebook.
Giveaways are always free to enter — following just helps make sure you see the announcement when it happens.

🎉 Now for today’s winner!
Congratulations to Wendy! — you’ve won the $25 Amazon gift card! 💛
I’ll be in touch shortly.

Thank you so much to everyone who entered. This one was truly fun, and I can hardly wait to do it again!

All Is Well

Some days, “all is well” feels easy to believe. Other days, we may wonder.

This reminder isn’t pretending that life is simple or pain-free. It’s anchoring ourselves in something steadier than circumstances.

Galatians 4:5 tells us:

God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. (NLT)

Freedom doesn’t always look like everything going right. Sometimes it looks like belonging — even when things are messy, uncertain, or unfinished.

Being adopted as God’s own means we’re not measured by how well we hold it together. We’re held.

So when the day feels heavy, when faith feels tender, or when you’re standing somewhere between trust and questions, this truth still stands:

All is well — not because life is perfect, but because we are not alone. No longer slaves, but children of the maker and keeper of the universe.

If you need this reminder today, you’re not weak. You’re human. And you’re deeply loved.

---

Save for the days when reassurance matters more than answers.

A Little Treat for Your Eyes — or Your Amazon Cart! $25 Gift Card Giveaway

A Little Treat for Your Eyes… or Your Amazon Cart

This giveaway is now closed.
The winner has been notified. Thank you so much for entering!
👉 Another giveaway is coming after Christmas — click "Follow" on Facebook so you don’t miss it.

Ladies, it felt like the perfect time for a little fun — the kind of fun that fits right into our cozy corner of the internet. So I’m hosting a giveaway...

From Big Red to Big Grace

My testimony doesn’t start with rock bottom—it starts with me hitting the candy display while my mama wasn’t looking.

The Christmas Walking Playlist I Use to Feel Better (120–140 BPM)

So here’s something you probably don’t know about me yet: along with a GLP-1,

Finding the Beauty in Midlife & Beyond

THE CONVERSATION THAT HELPED ME UNDERSTAND MY PURPOSE

A friend pulled me aside recently and said,

“You know… she told me that her conversation with you changed her life.”

The Day a Tree Became a Forest

 

In late 2020, when the world still felt upside down, we made a big decision:

🎉 THE READERS THAT BROUGHT ME BACK

You know when something small makes your life so much easier that you want to tell everyone about it?

Well… these readers. THESE readers. They’re one of the biggest reasons I dusted off this old blog and came back.

It's been a minute (more like 6.7 million)

As of today, the posts on this little blog of mine might be categorized as F.N. or E.N., meaning every post prior to this one was written when my home was a "full nest." So, this post and ones to follow are in the era of "empty(ing) nest." 

The Sparkle Box Review & GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

Giveaway Closed
This giveaway has ended, but I’m keeping this post here because The Sparkle Box remains one of the sweetest children’s Christmas picture books about generosity, gratitude, and giving from the heart.

✨ A Lovely Children’s Christmas Picture Book About Giving

If you’re looking for a meaningful holiday story to read aloud with children, The Sparkle Box is a beautiful choice...

Classroom Friendly Pencil Sharpener Review: A MODERN MARVEL!

I, like most teachers, can rattle off a quick list of frustrations that result from the classroom use of electric pencil sharpeners:

• overheating after repeated use, causing one to wait indefinitely for it to start working again
• tips breaking off in the blades, with little to no hope for removing them
• over-sharpening brand new pencils because there's no indication that it's finished, turning 8 inch pencils into 3 inch nubs
• messy shavings that overflow because you can't tell when it's full
• ragged edges after the blades get dull

For the past year or so, I've noticed more and more posts about a pencil sharpener by Classroom Friendly Supplies. I asked them if I could review one, and they gave me one like this to try out in my school library:

After it arrived in the mail, my first impression was, "This is it?" It was very light-weight, smaller than I expected, and uncomplicated, with no batteries to load or cord to plug in. I already knew it was a little different from a conventional sharpener, so I watched their instructional video, which took less than a minute.

Then I was ready to give it a whirl. First, I loaded a pencil with a broken point, and, with only a few turns of the handle, I felt a distinct reduction in resistance. Skeptical of the difference only a few turns could have made, I pulled it out to find...I am NOT exaggerating...the most beautiful pencil point I have ever seen. Um...I hope you're a teacher-type, because otherwise you're sure to think I'm a nut...

• the wood of the pencil was smooth, as if it had been sanded
• the tip was REALLY long, allowing it to be used longer before needing re-sharpening

Then I thought I'd try sharpening a brand new pencil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It took more turns, but soon enough I felt the resistance lessen, and I knew we were done! I took it out, and there was an equally beautiful pencil point. 

 

 

 

 

Regrettably, the picture doesn't do it justice, but hopefully you can see the elongated point on that pencil. It's just BEAUTIFUL! Seriously, it elicited exclamations every time I tried it. It became entertaining - what else could I sharpen? It was so much fun to watch my colleagues faces when I demonstrated it for them. They were as excited as I was. I love this little gadget and look forward to buying one for my home, as well. It's such a pleasure to know that I'll never be at the mercy of an overheated electric pencil sharpener again!

If you're in the market for a new pencil sharpener, I highly recommend this one. It's available in red, green, blue, black and pink from Classroom Friendly Supplies for $24.99 with FREE shipping within the United States. 

 

DISCLAIMER:  I received one of the pencil sharpeners mentioned above for free in the hope that I would review it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

GIVEAWAY: Audrey Bunny (CLOSED)

Recently the folks at FlyBy Promotions sent me a free copy of Audrey Bunny to review. A perfect bedtime story, I read the book to my daughters, ages 9 and 4, and we all just loved it!

The story tells of Audrey Bunny, a humble stuffed bunny, who is eager to be loved but feels insecure about her faults. A young girl named Caroline takes the bunny as her own and takes her along for all of her adventures. All along, Audrey Bunny is frantic with worry that her imperfection will be revealed. 

It isn't easy to lead your readers to fall in love with a story's characters in a brief 32 pages, but Angie Smith accomplished just that with my girls and me. We loved gentle Caroline and the humble little bunny and were eager to see what happened to them both. 

I really enjoyed sharing the discussion questions with my daughters and addressing any concerns they might have about their imperfections. It truly was a pleasure to share this book before bedtime prayers

From the Publisher

From best-selling women’s author Angie Smith (I Will Carry You, Mended) comes this sweet children’s book about a stuffed animal named Audrey Bunny who fears her imperfections make her unworthy of a little girl’s love. She'll learn the truth soon enough, and young readers will learn that everyone is special and wonderfully made by God. 

Also included: The Parent Connection (last page of the book) shares discussion questions and activities reinforcing God's love for us.

Angie Smith is the wife of Todd Smith (lead singer of Dove Award winning group Selah), best-selling author of Mended, I Will Carry You, and What Women Fear, and one of the most popular speakers and blog writers in the country. She holds a Master’s degree in Developmental Psychology from Vanderbilt University and lives with her husband and daughters in Nashville, TN.

Written by: Angie Smith

Publisher: B&H Publishing

Hardcover with jacket:  32 pages 

$14.99

For More Information

http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/books/products.asp?p=9781433680458

http://youtu.be/hB6YFDowXxs

https://www.facebook.com/bhpublishing

https://twitter.com/bhpub

http://www.pinterest.com/bhpub

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 
 
The Giveaway!
You can enter for a chance to win your own copy of this sweet book!

Entry-Form

GIVEAWAY: Rufus and Ryan Go to Church Board Book (ends 10/11)

Recently the folks at FlyBy Promotions sent me a free copy of Rufus and Ryan Go to Church, to review. Here are my thoughts:

Published in 2013, this is a lovely board book written by Kathleen Long Bostrom. The story tells about Ryan and his stuffed animal, Rufus, as they attend Sunday morning worship. The author describes in order the events of the day, beginning with Ryan getting dressed for church. Once the family arrives, the author takes the reader through the typical elements of a worship service, including singing, Bible story time, and prayer. Throughout the story, the author alerts the reader to Ryan's courteous behavior. 


As I read the book, I thought of several reasons I'd like to purchase more. I'd love to have one of these in the church nursery, one in the foyer at our children's welcome table, and one to carry in my church bag to share with my 4 year-old. What a great way to introduce the concept of worship to our young ones. And, according to FlyBy, there are more to come:

This is just one of the first titles in a new series of inspirational books for preschoolers. Also available now: Rufus and Ryan Say Their Prayers.

I strive to teach my children how to participate in worship in a way that not only glorifies God and blesses them, but also doesn't keep others from being able to focus on their worship. The results aren't perfect, but I'm in this for the duration! 

I do believe that most of the pressure moms feel about their children's behavior during worship is self-imposed. After all, as my husband, who is a pastor, reminds his congregation: The sounds of children during worship are coming from the future church! Still, we moms have to try, right? Here are some really good ideas to supplement the book. 

TOP TEN TIPS FOR INTRODUCING YOUR CHILD TO WORSHIP

1. Attend a child-friendly church. A church that invites children to attend worship, that has a children’s time during worship or a service in which children are included, will not mind the noise and commotion that comes with having young children in worship.
2. Bring your child to church on a day other than Sunday morning. Call the church office and make an appointment with a pastor, Christian education director, or church school teacher. Go on a tour of the church facility, and locate the Sunday school rooms and bathrooms as well as the sanctuary. Let your child explore the sanctuary, see how it feels to sit in the pew, and leaf through the Bibles and hymnbooks. Look behind the pulpit, Communion table, and baptismal font, and explain the use of these.
3. Take home a worship bulletin and go through the service at home. Show your child that there are times to sit, to stand (and in some places, to kneel), to sing, to pray, and to listen. If the Lord’s Prayer is used, write down the words and let your child practice at home. Prepare offering envelopes and let your child put money in the envelope, and explain why the offering is important.
4. Play “Let’s go to church” at home. Practicing the worship service at home will help your child feel more comfortable with what happens in worship.
5. Read the Bible and pray at home. Purchase an age-appropriate Bible for your child and read the stories. Let your child handle the Bible and encourage questions. You can explain that the Bible is where we learn God’s story, and how we are part of that story. If you let prayer be a part of your everyday life, not just something you do at church, your child will understand its importance.
6. Sit near an aisle or in a place where you can make an exit if needed. If your child needs to go to the bathroom, or is feeling overly stimulated or having a disruptive day, don’t be embarrassed. Walk your child out of the sanctuary until she can work off a little energy, and then come back in. This is much easier if you don’t have to crawl across a row of other people in the pew!
7. Be prepared with a worship notebook or bag. Many churches provide materials for children to use during worship, but if not, bring your own supplies. Colored pencils can be used to mark the parts of worship in the bulletin as you go through them one by one. Get to church a few minutes in advance and use a bookmark to mark the hymns that will be sung that day. Have some coloring pages from a Bible coloring book for your child to color, or some blank pages for doodling. This is not disrespectful, and can help your child listen more attentively. Have the words of the Lord’s Prayer printed on a page for the child to follow, if he or she is of reading age. Let your child draw a picture of the anthem or hymns being sung, or the sermon, and give this to the choir director or pastor afterwards.
8. Teach basic church etiquette. Speak to people before and after worship, and teach your child how to shake hands and greet others.  If your child is shy, don’t force it, but practice at home and let your child see you greeting others. Let the child put the hymnbook and Bible away after use, and be sure to take your bulletin with you, rather than leaving it in the pew. Meeting other people and taking care of the church facility helps a child feel that “This is my church!”
9. Get to know the pastor. Pastors of child-friendly churches love to get to know the children of the church. Introduce your child to the pastor after worship, and participate in other church activities so that the pastor becomes a friend and not a scary adult.
10. Don’t give up! It may take awhile for your child to become comfortable in worship, and to learn how to sit quietly. The best way for this to happen is to attend worship on a regular basis. There may be days when it doesn’t go well, but don’t let this stop you from coming the following week. Practice makes perfect!

 

For More Information
Ideals Books Website
Ideals Books on Facebook

Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 
 
The Giveaway!

Thanks to Fly By and Ideals Books, you can enter to win a copy for your little one!

Entry-Form

Children's Sermon: True Colors (for Autumn)

This children’s sermon uses fall leaves and Matthew 5:16 to illustrate how we should be who God made us to be and love one another.

vtech Innotab 3 Review and GIVEAWAY (CLOSED)

The Product
Recently, VTech provided me with an Innotab 3 Learning Tablet to try out and review. Here's VTech's Description of the product:

The InnoTab® 3 combines educational games, creative activities and reading skills in a child-friendly, multi-function, touch screen tablet to make learning fun.

• Compact and lightweight design with 4.3” color touch screen, new directional pad and tilt sensor
• 2.0 megapixel, 180° rotating camera with more than 55 photo features and special effects
• Four different media players: e-book reader, MP3 music player, photo viewer and video player
• Includes 16 exciting apps such as: What’s that Noise?” (e-book), WonderCam (uses the camera to add special effects, funny faces and photo frames to pictures), Magical Bean Stalk (a growing game that lets kids harvest and collect beans from their beanstalk), Color & Pop(a coloring book activity that makes coloring pages come to life), and H2O Go! (a directional pad game that teaches science concepts)
• Hundreds of downloads are available via the Learning Lodge™ to enhance learning fun

And their description of The Learning Lodge

The Learning Lodge features more than 350 educational games, e-books, music and videos developed specifically for each child’s unique stage of development and will nearly double its current selection by the end of the year.

The broad library of subjects includes reading, math, social studies, science, creativity, problem solving and so much more!

Starting with activities suitable for toddlers and expanding to grade schoolers, the Learning Lodge™ gives every child an opportunity to expand their learning potential while keeping them entertained.

Featured throughout the downloads and software cartridges are popular characters from Monsters University®, Turbo®, Planes®, Doc McStuffins®, Sofia the First®, Jake & the Never Land Pirates, Mike the Knight™, Angelina Ballerina®, Team Umizoomi™, Dora the Explorer™, Thomas & Friends®, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles®, Sesame Street and many more.

Parents can track their child’s progress through the Learning Lodge™ Progress Log, offer encouragement and share in their pride when kids reach new learning milestones.

My Experience
After setting it up and handing it to my 4 year-old, it didn't take long to see that this product is a much better fit for her than the tablet she received for Christmas!

She really liked it and was able to independently operate and enjoy many of its applications. Some of the advantages of this product include:

• Comfort: The Innotab 3 is light and fits in her hands well. This allows her to be comfortably engaged for longer periods of time. 
• Rotating Camera: The camera on the Innotab 3 can rotate to take pictures behind it, above it, in front of it, and anywhere in between. Not all tablets do this!
• Battery Option: Although I'd prefer using an adapter, the battery option is a nice convenience. It automatically shuts down after a few minutes of inactivity. And when we need to replace the batteries, I found it to be super easy, requiring only 4 AA batteries.
• D-Pad: The gaming control makes up, down, left and right movements easy.
• NOT Wi-Fi: My preschooler has no need for wireless internet connectivity! 
• Educational Games: The cartridge that came with our Innotab 3 included an e-book, coloring activity, and a game that explained the properties of water.
• Easy Downloads: When I initially connected to the Learning Lodge, I had to download an update before I could take advantage of the complimentary download included in the purchase. THAT download was not easy, and I had to repeat it twice. However, once that was over, downloading a game was remarkably simple, and it "landed" exactly where I expected it to. 
• Popular Character Apps: The Learning Lodge offers games related to characters my children love.
• Price: The MSRP for the Innotab 3 is only $69.99.

Also Great:

• Built in bumpers
• Attached stylus 
• Audible directions: great for my not-quite-a-reader

Wishes:

• Adapter: I read online that an adapter can be purchased for about $10, but it would have been nice to have it included.
• More built in games
• More on screen "back" buttons: Sometimes the screen has no back button, but sometimes it does. I would prefer that every screen have this feature.

For More Information
VTech website
VTech on Twitter
VTech on Facebook

The Bottom Line

My preschooler really likes the Innotab 3, and so do I! Should you decide to purchase it, I recommend buying the adapter and an additional cartridge or two at the same time. That combination should provide a great deal of entertainment and education for your little one for a long time to come!

The Giveaway!

Enter below to win a VTech Innotab3 for your little one!

Entry-Form

Children's Sermon: Keeping Life in Place

Title: Keeping Our Lives in Place

Source: Preaching.com

Scripture Reference: Proverbs 3:3

Supplies Needed: sewing notions (zippers, buttons, cords, etc)

Lesson: (See link)