SoCal City Kids/ Books for Mom this Mother’s Day!

This is a really simple but cute book for Moms with young babies and toddlers! EVERYTHING IS MAMA by Jimmy Fallon (Feiwel & Friends, October 10, Ages 1-3). This one is a #1 New York Times Bestseller! 

Look for it online or at a bookstore near you!

I love these next choices from Mango Media!

Cooking, Making, and Baking: 100 Recipes and DIY Ideas for All Seasons and Reasons by Cynthia O’Hara, $24.95
From the creative mind of the “Harried Housewife” blog comes a beautifully packaged one-stop-shop book bursting with DIY recipes and ideas for the entire year! Cooking, Baking, and Making includes 60 DIY recipes with bonus designs and 40 DIY ideas that tie your home together for all 365 days. For spring, serve Herbed Cucumber Tea Sandwiches and a make a Spring Centerpiece as you watch the flowers bloom. In the hot summer, delight your guests with Fresh Berries and Cannoli Cream and make your own decorative coasters. In autumn, admire the turning leaves as you bake Dilled Beer and Cheddar Bread and make Autumn Harvest Potpourri. And in winter, enjoy Creamy Eggnog Cupcakes and make Festive Votives while snuggling by the fire. Cynthia O’Hara presents incredibly user-friendly projects and dishes that make replicating her flavors and designs as natural as the changing of the seasons. The Harried Housewife has written articles and developed a wide variety of recipes that reflect a simpler time and are ideal for budget-conscious families. The “Harried Housewife’s Recipe Box” column is syndicated nationally in regional newspapers. View this book on Amazon!

I love the DIY recipes in this book!

Women Who Launch: The Women Who Shattered Glass Ceilings by Marlene Wagman-Geller, $16.95
Dorothy Parker observed, “It’s a man’s world”; the lady entrepreneurs and game-changers profiled in Women Who Launch would beg to differ. Unlike many matrons of the 1950s, these kick-ass females left their DNA in the annals of time. Julia Ward-Howe showed what’s good for the goose is good for the gander when she created the Girl Scouts of America. Sara Joseph Hale, authoress of Mary had a Little Lamb, convinced Lincoln to launch a national day of thanks, while Anna Jarvis persuaded President Wilson to initiate a day in tribute of mothers. Estee Lauder revolutionized the cosmetics industry. The tradition of these Mothers of Invention continued when, compliments of knitter Krista Suh, the heads of millions were adorned with pink, pussy-cat ears in the largest women’s march in history. Women Who Launch is filled with inspiring true stories of women activists, artists, entrepreneurs who launched some of the most famous companies, brands, and organizations today and changed the world. It is at once a collection of biographies and a testament of female empowerment. These women who launched prove, in the words of Rosie the Riveter, “We can do it!” Find motivation in your career and life with the amazing history of women entrepreneurship, activism, and leadership. View this book on Amazon!

A Beginner’s Guide to Essential Oils: Recipes and Practices for a Natural Lifestyle and Holistic Health by Hayley Hobson, $19.95
Homeopathic medicine and alternative medicines are gaining in popularity daily. A Beginner’s Guide to Essential Oils by Hayley Hobson can become your first step to a healthier life—your first step to holistic health. Hayley is an internationally known author and inspirational speaker. She presents uplifting and educational programs in over 50 countries and promotes a holistic path to wellness by incorporating the use of essential oils with a regimen of exercise, healthy eating, and mental and emotional wellness practices. As a coach, she passionately empowers others to live their dreams and create lifestyle transformations by supporting them in becoming the best possible WHOLE versions of themselves. In her book, you will find real life stories and natural lifestyle principles. You’ll discover why we get out of balance in the first place—and find out how to fix it. You’ll learn about Hayley’s signature recipes and their specific purposes, helpful remedies and daily changes, safe handling and usage, and much more. View this book on Amazon!

This one is perfect for new Moms and Moms-to-be! Deep Breaths: The New Mom’s Handbook to Your Baby’s First Year by Michelle Pearson, $16.95
You’ve survived pregnancy and now you have a newborn baby. What’s next? You open up Deep Breaths by Michelle Pearson—and maybe take a few deep breaths of your own. This isn’t your grandma’s parenting book. YouTube parenting vlogger, Michelle Pearson, brings her inspiring and motivating parenting stories, tips, and tricks for the modern millennial mom. From what to expect as the pregnancy develops to the milestones within the first 12 months, Michelle knows that the journey will have highs, lows, and the occasional unexpected surprise on social media. In her book, she details what to expect during pregnancy and the first year of motherhood, the importance of finding your mother tribe, how to embrace motherhood with all of its ups and downs, and how to continue managing your career—and your social life—now that you have a newborn to care for. In Deep Breaths, Michelle will help you figure out what kind of mom you want to be—and how to become her. She will walk you through the good, the bad, and the ugly. And she will show you how to find, define, and embrace the mother within you—all while maintaining a delicate balance and taking the time to pamper yourself, sometimes, too. View this book on Amazon!

Geek Sweets: An Adventurer’s Guide to the World of Baking Wizardry by Jenny Burgesse
A baking cookbook for the truly geeky, Geek Sweets by Jenny Burgesse is filled with recipes for cookies, cupcakes, and cakepops in increasing difficulties, as well as party ideas with fantasy/adventure themes. Big, beautiful photographs, recipes, printable templates, and step-by-step how-to’s for every adventurer—from the squire just starting their journey, to a well-worn dragon slayer looking for a challenge—are all in this incredible cookbook. Whether you’ve never baked before or baking is basically your life, Jenny’s book can help you make tasty treats for your guild. Quest through a tome of countless fandoms, including Minecraft, Dungeons & Dragons, The Legend of Zelda, Harry Potter, Doctor Who, and many more! View this book on Amazon!   

Your kids will love this one! 

The Book of Awesome Women: Boundary Breakers, Freedom Fighters, Sheroes and Female Firsts by Becca Anderson, $16.95
Women hold up half the sky and, most days, do even more of the heavy lifting including childbearing and child-rearing. All after a long day at the office. Women have always been strong, true heroes ─ sheroes, oftentimes unacknowledged. As we shake off the last traces of a major patriarchal hangover, women are coming into their own. In the 21st Century, all women can fully embrace their fiery fempower and celebrate their no-holds-barred individuality. It is time to acknowledge the successful women of the world. From the foremothers who blazed trails and broke barriers, to today’s women warriors from sports, science, cyberspace, city hall, the lecture hall, and the silver screen, The Book of Awesome Women paints 200 portraits of powerful and inspiring role models for women and girls poised to become super women of the future. View this book on Amazon!

Badass Women Give the Best Advice: Everything You Need to Know About Life and Love by Becca Anderson, $15.95
Women’s Studies scholar Becca Anderson has gathered the wisdom from a chorus of fabulous femmes for this one-of-a-kind advice book. From housewives to Hollywood starlets, from standup comedians to startup entrepreneurs, from feminists to Facebook queens, these badass women offer unvarnished and unabashed opinions about love, life, word, men, and sex and share their very frank and forthright thinking on the wild world of relationships. This delightfully dishy gathering of gal pals is like having a heart-to-heart with 200 of your closest friends. Garrulous girls and loquacious ladies of from every walk of life unleash their wicked wit in this humorous and enlightening compilation and tell it like it is. Topics include What the World Needs Now, Love Hurts, Lost Love, and Are Men Really Necessary and cover sex, personal ads, blind dates, break ups, weddings, and the prerequisites for the perfect kiss. Sidebars include quizzes, love and sex bucket lists and topics like “Size Really Does Matter,” and “Cry Me a River, The Weepiest Romantic Movies Ever.” Wait, there’s more–true tales about wild women of yore that entertain as much as they enlighten. From Anais Nin to Lily Tomlin, from Amy Bloom to Dorothy Allison, from Drew Barrymore to Chrissy Teigan and beyond, there’s no shortage of sass, sarcasm, or sizzle and a few shocks along the way! View this book on Amazon!

And, I don’t know about you! But, I really like Journals and I love these ones from Fox Chapel Publishing! They are already known for their high-quality artisan books but now they have released faith-based journals, Hello Angel lined and guided journals, TangleEasy lined and guided journals, and a highly-anticipated line of Woodstock-inspired journals.

They are simply so beautiful that I look forward to writing in them each day! My favorite is one of the Woodstock styles! (below photo)

Find them all at https://foxchapelpublishing.com/journals.html

Self Disclosure: I received copies of the above books for consideration to feature. I highly recommend all the above books. Images were also provided.