Archive - September 2015

The Lost Heiress – Interview with Roseanna White & GIVEAWAY

September 10, 2015

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After a hectic day of being “Mom,” some days (okay, most days) I just need a nice bedtime story to read myself to sleep, to help my mind calm down instead of going through the to-do list for tomorrow. This means I’m always on the lookout for great new authors to read, especially those writing Christian historical fiction. A few years ago, I saw a post from a friend about Roseanna White’s book, Ring of Secrets, so I checked it out and immediately fell in love with her characters, her stories, and her faith in God, which shines through every book beautifully. I have been reading her books ever since.

When she started sharing glimpses and teasers of her next book, The Lost Heiress, on her blog and pinning character ideas on Pinterest, it seemed as though September 2015 couldn’t get here quickly enough (although I was pretty excited that the book’s release was during my birthday month). When she asked for advanced reader volunteers, I was thrilled to be counted among them.

I watched my mailbox for an entire week, awkwardly meeting our mailman at the gate daily (I probably should have told him that I was expecting mail…), awaiting the moment I’d find The Lost Heiress in an envelope addressed to me.

But not only did I get a chance to read this amazing story before its official release (and it’s sooo good!!!), I also had the wonderful opportunity to talk with Roseanna herself (via Messenger, thus all the smiley emoticons!) about the story and the story behind the story! (Feeling kind of important here!)

*Ahem…time to break out those journalism skills from my years at the newspaper…*

Before I even get into the plot, characters, or events of the book, I have to say that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the history of this particular book. For those who don’t know, can you tell us where (and when) The Lost Heiress was “born”?

Roseanna: I’d love to! When I was 12, I fell in love with English-set historical romances thanks to Lori Wick’s The Hawk and the Jewel. I decided the first week of 7th grade that I was going to write a novel set in England of the 1860s–and that I was going to finish it! It took me a year and a half, but I did. I wrote a full-length novel about a girl named Brook who was raised as a princess, but who through the connections of her best friend Justin–heir to an English duke–discovered that she was actually English and had to go home, only to discover that the same mystery that resulted in tragedy for her parents was set to come after her as well. Twenty years later, almost everything about that story has changed except the two main characters’ first names and that kernel of the premise. 🙂

: Roseanna’s first cover for her original story.

: A later cover for her story.

You shared your early cover designs for this book online, and they made me so happy. I was also an aspiring preteen novelist (not a good one), and I also drew character sketches for my stories (I still have them, but they are so packed away that I couldn’t find them to share for everyone’s amusement today). It’s so fun to know that I wasn’t the only one who did that. 🙂

I had about 4 or 5 stories (none finished) that I can recall off-hand. How many other early “Roseanna Higson” novels were there? Have any or will any others be resurrected for us to enjoy?

Roseanna: Oh my… well, I did plan out this series back then, so The Reluctant Duchess is also a revision of my 13-year-old idea of a sequel. 🙂 And my first published novel, A Stray Drop of Blood, was begun when I was 15. It started its life as a short story, then I wrote the novel during college. I had one other completed novel by the time I graduated high school, but 8 finished manuscripts when I graduated college. And yes, I always drew covers for my early stories! Often many versions, over the years…

That last cover is actually pretty good. Mine always looked more like the first one! Haha. Okay, continuing…

Being a wife and mother of two very active boys, I know how busy life can be just keeping on top of home and family things, so how do you even find time to write a blog, let alone turn out beautifully researched books full of delightful, developed characters, and do all the other jobs you do, too (editing, designing, speaking)?

Roseanna: My canned answer is “I neglect the housekeeping.” Which is true, LOL. But I’ve been writing so long that it was always a steady part of my day, and I quickly learned how to make sure I had writing time, even with small children. My mainstay is getting up early. I’m a morning person, so those quiet early-morning hours are my favorite. And while my youngest also likes to get up early, he knows that he’s not allowed out of bed until 6, and he has to entertain himself until 7:30. 🙂 I homeschool, so we have a nice schedule of the normal day. I write early, do design and editing work after the first part of school, and use evenings to play catch-up with whatever projects are most pressing. But still, without my annual writing retreat that lets me write half a book (almost) in 5 days, some of those deadlines would be very tricky!

It’s always nice to have a reason to NOT do housework!!! 🙂

I have to mention the cover because it is gorgeous! The colors, the model, her dress, her hair. Perfection. Any chance we’ll get a YouTube tutorial on how to fix our hair like the cover model’s? (When we had my son’s turn-of-the-century “Newsie” party, I tried to do an intricate Edwardian hairstyle, but nope. I know why they all needed a lady’s maid.)

Roseanna: Oh, that would be fun! Given that I didn’t do this design, I’m not sure what they might have over at Bethany House, but I’ll see if they ever do that sort of thing!

Oh, yea!!!! 🙂

: Such a gorgeous cover!

: Back cover of The Lost Heiress

: I could have used a lady’s maid to do my hair for my son’s “Newsie” birthday party.

Ok, so on to the revived story of Brook. There are so many great characters in this book: Brook is spunky, smart, and adventurous; Justin and Brice – swoon; Deirdre, who, even when she’s making horrible choices, you’re rooting for her; and Whitby. I loved him. A lot. (I now also want a magnificent black horse, but my hubby is allergic.) Who is your favorite character? And which ones were the most fun to write?

Roseanna: Oh, HARD question! Brook and Justin and Brice have all been there since the original story, so obviously I love them all. Deirdre’s a rewrite of a maid named Liddy from my original–I’d downplayed her in the previous version I pitched to editors, but then upped her role quite a lot in this version, which I loved being able to do! But I think it’s Whitby. He’s a new addition to this latest iteration of the book that I pitched to Bethany House, and now I can’t conceive of how I thought I had a story without him. I mean SERIOUSLY. He made the story in so many ways, and that family aspect I got to put in with Brook being reunited with her father, who had never stopped looking for her…it makes my heart happy. 🙂

Awww. Definitely glad they all got to be a part of the story.

My hubby, who is not a reader, listened as I read him the first chapter (and then later read more of the book on his own), and he enjoyed the story. In his words, “It’s really cool. I could see it being a really good movie.” I think he thought “romantic” and “historical” somehow did not equal “cool.” What?!? (Thanks for proving him wrong.) But following his train of thought, any plans to make this or any of your books into a movie some day? (Due to my stalking, um…I mean, “following” your Pinterest board for this series, you should know that I have been totally imagining Robert Downey, Jr., as Whitby and yes, I think he should play him.)

Roseanna: He totally should. If he would come work for a few bucks and a lot of goodwill… 😉 Actually, my hubby would love-love-love to get into film-making and turn this into a movie. For now, we’re planning on doing a live-action book trailer (like a movie trailer, but for the book) to test out his new toy–I mean, camera. A local historical house is excited to help us out with the interior shots. 🙂 Thus far no Robert Downey Jr. has come out of the woodwork to volunteer to play Whitby…

Another yea!!! A book trailer and maybe a movie!!!

There are plenty of twists and turns to this tale, and if I can ask without giving anything away, what was your inspiration for Brook’s necklace?

Roseanna: I had a necklace when I first came up with this story that I thought was super fun. It was a leather band with 8 wooden beads on it. As I was playing with it one day, I thought, “This looks like it could be old. Maybe I can put it in the story…have it be from her mother.” And so it became a plot point. When I was rewriting the story this final main time, I decided to make it more accurate to the times and situations, so instead of leather and beads, I decided on a gold and pearl necklace. The style is Victorian but was still popular in the Edwardian era. And to make it extra fun, I designed the necklace as I envisioned it and made a couple to give away (and one to keep…you know, for the actress playing Brook in that someday-movie LOL).

Writer, editor, designer, mom, and JEWELRY maker! 🙂 It’s so pretty – You did very well.

If you could convince Monsieur Bisset (The family’s French chef du cuisine in The Lost Heiress) to whip you up something to drink, what would it be? (I’m a tea girl all the way, so a nice pot of Earl Grey would be just fine with me.)

Roseanna: I would definitely choose coffee. I do enjoy tea but not quite as much as I coffee. 🙂 Though I’m not sure I’d like the espresso of 1910…those machines are reported to have left a burnt taste, though it still caught on and became hugely popular. And while Brook takes it black, I’m a sugar-and-cream kind of girl. Or flavored creamer, as the case may be. 😉

Mmm…burnt coffee. Haha. I think I’ll stick with my tea (with a nice drizzle of honey and a splash of milk or cream.) 🙂

Aside from the nicely crafted mystery and romance, what do you want readers to remember most from Brook’s story?

Roseanna: Hmm…I think the underlying theme that emerged for me is that we can’t live in fear. Not of judgment, not of being rejected, not of loss. Loving–be it our family or romance–is worth the risk of loss. And though grief might bring us to our knees, that’s where we find the Lord.

I really loved that part – “But it brought me to my knees—and the Lord was there, through it all, supporting me. The Lord was there, shaping me…”And you answered perfectly to lead into my next question!

Faith in God is always an integral part of each story you write, and I am so pleased that you go beyond just having someone come to the Lord at the end of the book or merely mentioning their church attendance, and do it without being straight-up “preachy.” You write Him with a reality that only comes from personal experience. I know that God has used your words to challenge and encourage me, so how has He used your writing to grow you spiritually?

Roseanna: I have learned so much about faith through my writing! And I have (literally) dozens of unpublished manuscripts that helped in that too. Each time I write a story, I pray that God will show me a new Truth about Him, and what it means to serve Him. And without fail, He does. Writing about situations I certainly haven’t faced forces me to see the world through eyes other than my own. And when I do that, I see God in a whole new light. I just pray I can be a mirror to reflect that Light!

Now that I’ve finished this book, I need to know what happens next in this series. What is the second “Ladies of the Manor” book, The Reluctant Duchess, about?

Roseanna: Brice, now in possession of a rare treasure, heads to the Highlands on holiday. The year before at their lodge, his father had died, so he’s now the Duke of Nottingham, and plotting how to put an end once and for all to all the intrigue surrounding this treasure. But instead of relaxation, he finds a noblewoman in duress. Rowena, heiress to a Highland earl, is desperate to escape Loch Morar and its ghosts–living and dead. A whirlwind wedding makes her a duchess and provides a means of escape…but the more she gets to know her new husband the more she wonders what dangers Brice has invited into his life–and the less sure she is that she has a place in it.

So happy that Brice is our leading man for the second book! I’m sure his “uncanniness” will come in handy on this new adventure!

And how long do I have to wait for it to come out?

Roseanna: April 2016.

I think I can be patient…maybe. Haha! 🙂

It was so much fun to interview Roseanna (Thank you, Roseanna!). Below is a little bit more about her with links to her website and blog. You can also “follow” her on Facebook and Pinterest. 🙂

ABOUT ROSEANNA WHITE:

Roseanna M. White pens her novels beneath her Betsy Ross flag, with her Jane Austen action figure watching over her. When not writing fiction, she’s homeschooling her two small children, editing and designing, and pretending her house will clean itself. Roseanna is the author of 10 historical novels and novellas, ranging from biblical fiction to American-set romances to her new British series. Spies and war and mayhem always seem to make their way into her novels…to offset her real life, which is blessedly boring. She makes her home in the breathtaking mountains of West Virginia. You can learn more about her and her stories at www.RoseannaMWhite.com and at Writing Roseanna.

Okay, now for my first ever giveaway!

Life in Lape Haven is proud to offer one happy reader a copy of The Lost Heiress for their very own! You are going to love it! And yes, you’re welcome. 🙂
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for entering! This contest is open to residents of the U.S. only and runs from Thursday, September 10 (12:00 a.m.) through Sunday, September 13, 2015, at 11:59pm EST (I know, specific.). The winner will be notified by email within 48 hours of the contest ending. Winner has 48 hours to respond before another winner is selected. 🙂

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

The Reluctant Duchess: Interview with Roseanna White

A Lady Unrivaled Review

A Review of Roseanna White’s Giver of Wonders

Tried It Tuesday: Our Experience with ABCMouse.com

September 8, 2015

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Life in Lape Haven: Tried It Tuesday - Our Experience with ABCMouse.com

When I was pregnant with my second child, part of my “nesting” involved preparing Elijah to no longer be the only child and planning for ways to make that transition easier for him and for us. Knowing that I would be occupied with his little brother quite a bit in the first few months (nursing, changing, rocking, repeat), I was on the lookout for an activity that he could do somewhat independently, that would keep him quiet(ish), and that would be educational, if possible.

I had seen numerous commercials for ABCMouse.com on the preschool channel we watched, and one day I decided to see how much it was and if might be a good idea for Elijah.

When I pulled it up on my computer, I was almost overwhelmed by all that the program offered, but in a good way. I started to sign up, but then decide that maybe I should talk to my hubby first about committing us to a subscription of about $8 a month (billed yearly), even though it did include having two children on one subscription. However, since I’d already entered my email, after I closed out the sign up, I got either a pop-up or an email that gave offered me a “special” rate to join, which brought the price down to about $5 a month. I knew we could do that, so I signed Elijah up, and the two of us began exploring the site. (Since this was a couple of years ago, I’m not sure they still do that, but it’s worth a try!)

From the get-go, he loved it, and I loved it. The program, which is for ages 2-6, starts off with very basic “Toddler Time,” where children learn shapes, colors, letters, and numbers by completing lessons along a curriculum-driven learning “path.” Each lesson is made up of four to six activities (as they graduate up to higher levels, lessons can have more), including coloring pages, games, songs, puzzles, and stories. As the child learns, you can adjust the difficulty levels of the each activity, so even though they might repeat a puzzle as they progress from Toddler Time to Pre-K and Kindergarten lessons, they are still learning new things.

There are plenty of incentives for your child to keep moving along and completing lessons. For each activity completed, they earn virtual tickets to spend in the “stores,” where they can buy outfits for their avatar, items to decorate their “rooms,” or they can even buy and care for numerous virtual pets. At the end of each lesson, they win a “prize,” and at the completion of an entire section – they graduate with a printable certificate and a bigger prize. In our house, we celebrate a graduation with a special treat, too.

Not only can the child follow the specified curriculum in their “classroom,” they can also explore a zoo and a farm, where they learn all about different animals; complete individual basic activities to really focus on a certain area; and watch tons of music videos at the theater. My boys LOVE the videos, which all teach something, including letters, colors, numbers, and seasons. Each child also has a fish tank and a hamster that they can visit and design the tank/cage for. (Elijah and Josiah love rearranging the hamster tubes).

Each time they move through a set of lessons, they are also able to learn about different environments in the world, including the animals and plants that live there, so they are getting some basic science added to their reading, math, art, and music.

When your child first starts, you definitely need to help them in some ways, but the program is designed so that they will easily be able to move through it independently eventually. One of the first lessons when you set up an account is on how to use a computer mouse, and Elijah picked that up really quickly. Of course, you can also access the site through tablets and smart phones, so touch-screen is also an option. And we all know how quickly little guys can learn technology!

The only downside to them being able to move around so easily in the program is that they can leave a lesson without finishing it, click in to exploring the zoo instead of finishing a story in their lesson plan or deciding it’s time to play with the hamsters rather than color the letter P. They won’t move forward in their lesson without completing the activities, though. This mean that most of the time I need to be right beside them, Josiah especially, or at least nearby (doing dishes with him at the kitchen table), so I can monitor what they are working on. Plus that way I also can encourage them or talk them through something if they get stuck.

In our house, the rule is for Elijah to complete two sets of lessons before he can go “off-roading.” For Josiah, it’s at least one whole lesson. (Josiah started even younger than Elijah because he kept watching Elijah use it. Since you can have two children on one subscription, I just added him in when he was old enough, and he started at the beginning, just like Elijah had). We try to have them do ABCMouse (or “B-Mouse” as Josiah calls it) a few times a week at least, and most times, we don’t even have to remind them. They ASK to “play” ABCMouse, sometimes even fighting over who gets to. While I could do without the fighting, I’m thrilled that my boys are so excited to learn.

I’m also very certain that these lessons helped Elijah be more than ready for kindergarten. For example, he knew 22 of the 35 site words for his class the first time he saw the list! He just rattled them off, running right down the page. While I have worked with him a little outside of ABCMouse (not really on words, though), and we read together every day, I was surprised. I know that working in this program, or “playing” it, helped prepare him.

So after at least two years of “trying” ABCMouse.com with our boys, I can easily say that, for us, it is a keeper.

How about you? Any experience with this online program?

Giving Him “Apple Pieces to Put in the Pan”

September 5, 2015

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Giving Him Apple Pieces to Put in the Pan, Life in Lape Haven. Sometimes it takes a little extra effort or time for us as moms when our children want to help us throughout our day, but the memories, bonding, and time together are so worth it for them and for us as parents.

When Elijah started kindergarten and was at school for six hours or so every day, Josiah was getting something that he hadn’t really gotten to experience much in his life: hours with Mommy all to himself. He ate it up. And even though I missed Elijah, I also loved having time with my other little guy, too.

This post was first written during that precious time a few years ago when it was just Mommy and Josiah at home during the day. Here is a little look back:

Finding himself without his constant playmate, Josiah has become my little shadow. He will play by himself off and on, but for the most part, he wants to be with Mommy. Generally that means “you play with me, Mommy?” and we do a puzzle or two, color, read books, or play cars, “duck ‘n goose,” or “ring a Rosie” until Mommy HAS to get something done. At that point, he’s either content to be alone, or he’s ready to be my “big helper boy.”

Josiah has discovered a love for vacuuming with me. He wants to be holding the handle the whole time which makes the process take FOREVER, but he’s also learned how helpful it is for him to move the chairs out of my way or pick up his toys really quickly. The other day I got smart and finally pulled out our older vacuum, the one where we can only use it with the attachments. He vacuumed with that thing while I used the good one, and I was able to move a lot quicker while he helped out!

The other task he loves is unloading and loading the dishwasher. He gets super excited when he can stack the plates or the bowls. He is so proud of being “strong” enough to lift them (with Mommy’s very close supervision). He really thrives on being a part.

That’s why earlier this week, he insisted on being my “big helper boy” as I made homemade applesauce. At first I was leaning toward, “Go color” and “Where are your Legos?” or anything that would keep him occupied long enough for me to peel and chop up a large bucketful of dropped apples from my grandparents. I’d had them for a few days, just sitting on the counter, and I knew I had to use them, or I wouldn’t at all.

However, as soon as I was all set up, ready with my paring knife, cutting board, and rinsed apples, there he was, dragging a kitchen chair across the room to the counter. Realizing that having him nearby would be easier than having to keep stepping away from my task to check on him, I relented and let him stand beside me. He even had to have his apron since Mommy had hers.

Before long he was “oohing” and “ewwing” as I trimmed off the bad parts of the apples as I peeled them, and he was utterly fascinated with the couple of worms we found still residing in an apple or two. However, with each enthralled study of the apples, he leaned more and more on my arm, getting closer and closer to the knife in my hands.

So I brought out the big guns – my phone. With the offer of playing a puzzle on Mommy’s phone, while still standing on the chair beside me, he was with me but safer, and I could move a little faster. While I peeled, he slid digital puzzle pieces together to form random animals.

That’s when he started his conversation about the zoo. He knows we have a zoo trip planned in the next couple of weeks, so every animal he completed, he talked about seeing it at the zoo.

“When I go to dee zoo, I see dee lion. I don’t like dee lion. Do you like dee lion?”

So I would answer, “Yes, I like the lions.”

“I don’t. Them scare me.”

And this was our conversation for several animals. He likes to ask the “Do you like? I like/don’t like” questions with explanations for why he likes or doesn’t like something. Generally, he didn’t like animals that he might think “should” be scary.

Suddenly, I hear him say, “When I go to dee zoo, I see dee din-saur.”

Hmmm…“Well, no. We won’t see any dinosaurs. They aren’t at the zoo. There aren’t any dinosaurs anymore. They’re all gone.”

“They gone? They go ‘way.”

Not knowing any other way to say it, I just went for it, “Well, they all died.”

Josiah is really good at being dejected. He’s perfected his show of disappointment with a very adorable, heartfelt, “Awwww,” complete with his head down. Learning that dinosaurs were dead elicited that response and a frown.

Then he was back at his game. “When I go to dee zoo, I see the bird.”(Ostrich). Then he grinned at me with such delight, “They not die!”

I smiled and affirmed, “Nope. They didn’t die.”

“Nope. They not die,” he echoed happily.

In that moment, I wanted to freeze time and just keep him right there with me, little and sweet and innocent. What a funny moment that I might have missed by sending him to play in the other room!

Smiling, I finished cleaning the apples and prepared to start the chopping. When I moved the cutting board and apples closer to the stove, to be near to the pan, Josiah was on it, moving his chair to right in front of the stove.

Again, I hesitated, but he was being so good and wanting to help, so I decided to let him put the chopped apple pieces into the waiting stock pot (since the stove wasn’t on). Being left-handed, I could put him to my right, chop up the apples, then slide them over to the right side, “his” side, of the cutting board, so he could grab them.

Josiah had so much fun picking up the pieces, one at a time mostly, and dropping them carefully into the pan. He didn’t try to eat them or play around. He was very intent on helping Mommy. At first, we counted them as he put them in, up to 20, a couple times, then we worked in silence for a while.

As I diced up another apple, I heard him say softly and so very sweetly, “Thank you for giving me apple pieces to put in dee pan, Mommy.”

I stopped cutting and asked him what he had said, to make sure I’d heard correctly.

He repeated it, “Thank you for giving me apple pieces to put in dee pan.”

With a full heart, I told him he was welcome, then leaned over for a kiss. He grinned all over himself, and I was caught again with the thought that I almost sent him away. I almost missed this.

And he was so appreciative that Mommy was letting him help. He was grateful for the “apple pieces to put in dee pan” just so he could be with me.

I hope I never forget his sweet voice or delighted grin, those chubby fingers plucking up chunks of apples and tossing them joyfully into a big stockpot. I never want to miss an opportunity to let him be with me (within reason), help me (when he feasibly can), talk to me (so we can bond over dead dinosaurs and not-dead ostriches).

On my own, I might have finished my task much quicker, moved onto my next to-do item, and he would have been good playing with his toys alone. However, the time I could have saved would have cost me precious memories. Him, too. Together we now have another moment to store away and cherish, filling up our love banks just like those little apple chunks filled the pan.

It turned out to be really tasty applesauce. It might have been done sooner had I done it alone, but I can guarantee you that it wouldn’t have been nearly as delicious without those little hands that helped. I may never have applesauce again without remembering that day.

I pray it always reminds me to make sure he has apple pieces to put in the pan.

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Tried It Tuesday: My Social Book

September 1, 2015

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Life in Lape Haven: Tried It Tuesday - My Social Book. My experience with the online printing company that makes your Facebook posts into a keepsake book.

When Elijah was first born, I wanted to document everything: the first visitors at the hospital, his first night at home, his first smile, his baby quirks (he laughed in his sleep all the time as a newborn) – everything about him. (I’m a documenter: If I can’t photograph it, I video, journal, or post it.)

I filled in all those cute little blanks in his cute little baby book about all the cute little things he did while he was cute and little, at least whenever I had the energy or time to do it. As he became more mobile and slept less, my time to find the right blanks to fill out in his baby book and the energy to do it were being spent keeping up with his cute, little self, and his baby book fell by the wayside. To make up for that, I started jotting down notes occasionally in a notebook about what he was doing, accomplishing, and learning, but even that was hard to maintain, especially when I became pregnant with his little brother.

And poor Josiah! His baby book is sadly lacking a lot of information. In my defense, I have a lot of the usual baby details scribbled out in a notebook about him, by month, but I’ve never transferred it to the organized pages of his baby book. Of course, as he got mobile and napped less during the day, we had two active boys to corral during the day and two restless boys who could wake us throughout the night. I found myself praying that my memory would just be excellent when my boys later asked me about their toddler and preschool years because the only documenting I’d been doing was posting their funny comments or silly pictures to Facebook.

I remember telling my husband that I wished I could just print off my Facebook wall because everything was there.

Then one day I saw that a company had decided to do just that. According to the ad along my Facebook newsfeed, My Social Book could capture all my postings and turn them into a book. What a brilliant idea!

I looked into it and was disappointed to see that, in order to get everything I’d shared since Elijah was born in 2010, it was going to make a paperback book 500 pages long, cost me almost that many dollars (Okay, not quite that much, but it was about $150 before shipping), and not cover more than four years. If I wanted more of Josiah’s life, I’d have to get a second book. There was no way I could afford that anytime soon.

Then back in June, I saw another ad for them, only this time it was a deal for 60% off their regular price and free shipping. So I talked to Brad, and we decided it would be worth a try for $40.

I clicked over to their site, added my information, linked to my Facebook, selected the date range for the book, decided what type of posts to include or exclude, and picked a color and picture for the paperback cover (they offer hardback & matte cover books, but they are more expensive). Before too long, I was looking at a sample proof of my book (It doesn’t show the whole book since they are big – mine is 494 pages). I decided to go from January 2008 through February 2012 (as far as I could) because that included my pregnancy with Elijah, his birth, and those first 18 months with him.

It took a good two weeks from the time I ordered it to the time I received it in the mail, but I knew it would take a while as it was coming from overseas (I’m not sure where they print, but the company website says that their offices are in Belgium, Israel, and Hong Kong).

However, once I opened it up, I was very glad that we decided to take a chance and order the book. Everything is presented chronologically, with not only status posts, but pictures, comments, likes, and even links for the videos you’ve shared, separated by month. For the videos, you scan the QR code (that square bar code thing) with your smart phone, and it will pull up the YouTube or Facebook link for you to enjoy all over again. (Of course, should those videos ever get deleted from online, you’d be out of luck.)

The print quality is pretty good, with bright colors and legible fonts. (For pictures, the quality does depend on what you uploaded originally.) When I was first looking into getting a book, I read another purchaser’s comment on the layouts that pointed out the numerous blank spaces and pages throughout the book. While my book does have those same spaces and blank pages, it doesn’t seem to detract from it. I think that just comes from having an automated layout program pulling whatever you’ve shared and making it fit.

My favorite thing about having the book is getting to go back, easily, through all the Facebook posts and pictures, and read about how we announced our first baby, see what we shared as he was growing in those first few months, and remember all the funny things he did when he was just a little guy.

Our boys absolutely love going through the book. Since I’ve posted a LOT of pictures, they have plenty to look at and ask questions about. Elijah even asks us to read it to them at bedtime sometimes.

Now all I have to do it wait for another discount or coupon code to order the following years with my second pregnancy, Josiah’s birth, and everything they’ve gotten into since then.

That is the big down side to the books. They are pricey. However, if you share a lot on Facebook (or Instagram) and want to keep a physical copy of it all, and if you can catch a sale like we did (and are planning to in the future), they are definitely worth it.

*Not an affiliate story. Just wanted to share our experience.*