Birthday and Blogiversary!

Welcome to my weekend blog hop -

Make My Saturday Sweet #164!

Happy 8th Birthday, Amanda!

and

Happy 4th Blogiversary,

Amanda's Books and More!

Amanda turns 8 on Sunday! She had a little party today at school with her friends. She dressed up like a princess and wore a Disney Tinkerbell dress that used to belong to Jessica. Her sister, Jessica, will be 18 in June. This blog also celebrates a blogiversary this month too! Amanda's Books and More has been going for 4 years now.

My blog is best viewed in Google Chrome.
Click on my pics to see them at their best!

Amanda's Classroom

Amanda handing out lucky packets

Amanda with a candy necklace

Amanda with her teacher

This last photo is of Amanda with her lovely teacher. I purposely didn't include any clear photos of the kids' faces since I would like to have permission first.

*********************

Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.

Now on to my blog hop...

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to

link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook
Instagram

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
• Link up a post from your family friendly blog.
• Please try to add my hop button on your post or side-bar.
• Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
• Visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment.

Blog Button Code:

<center> <a href="http://abooksandmore.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Amanda’s Books and More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWaX10yWr7xxEQ5BBMhOqdZxobJ0omJBq-v8ENFn3YNNebsnsYBHwcGyje-XzSlHSJOIlZ1rEOp89LyNI97XrPFZtdeH_AvaNV3F8hOvHfsuwe29ALNQw75ibK34buYq7nhpGGZJ8UTnoB/s150/Make+My+Saturday+Sweet.jpg"/></a></center>

Weekend Linky

This is a blog hop!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see
what link parties I take part in.

Bike Riding and More with #LinkyParty

Welcome to my Picture Perfect
Party Linky #180!

Recently, Amanda learned to ride a bike all on her own! We've attempted to teach her off and on over the years, but more off than on. When she was younger, a mother from the Netherlands suggested that we remove the training wheels and peddles to teach her to balance with only her feet. Then a couple of weeks ago, hubby had her peddles put back on and the difficult handbrakes replaced with easier ones at the bike shop. Now watch her go!

This blog is best viewed in Google Chrome.

Click on my photos to see them at their best!

Amanda designed this necklace

and strung the beads herself!

She gave it to a friend.

*********************

Here's a peek at
My Latest Post

on 1camera1mom:

Animals at Britannia Bay

*********************

Now on to my blog hop...

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free
to link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook
Instagram

and

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
• Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
• If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
• Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

<center> <a href="http://abooksandmore.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Amanda’s Books and More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS14XLc-z2uSUW00dIvyZc7lEfLP2tkPgO3qmU3NWi_UObDs_d7XqpYhjp0BBeROyZot-8YlEFU9rguELrZYu3arN1qHHNpB4_ezrb-TlBlfHRSOvP7pBA0VI-j1RkUkF77wJxUc7M7ye/s150/Picture%2520Perfect%2520Party%2520Linky.jpg"/></a></center>

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.



Visit my Blog Hops page to see the hops that I often link up to.

Completed Projects and a Weekend Linky

Welcome to my weekend blog hop -

Make My Saturday Sweet #163!

This yellow and green bell pepper came from a rescued plant from the garden. It was suffering in the heat and Hubby brought it up in a pot to our balcony where it is much happier. The photo below is the same bell pepper.

My blog is best viewed in Google Chrome.
Click on the images to view them larger.

My hubby has been hard at work around the house these last few weeks. Our electric gate stopped working and he did some research on the internet and, through repeated trial and error, managed to fix the mechanism without having to pay someone to come out and fix it.

Then the dishwasher's on/off switch stopped working. He went to the repair shop to order a new on/off switch of the same model and found out how to override the switch in the meantime. When the new switch arrived he managed to connect it again, also with help from the internet.

He's also taken on two projects. The first project was measuring and installing glass doors on open shelves where our wine glasses were collecting dust. The second project was using wood cut-offs that were lying around the garage to build a bookcase for three boxes of Britannica books that were given to us. He did a great job on both, even though he doesn't enjoy DIY projects! But, he does at least take pride in a job well done.

In 2014, for Father's Day,
I posted these collages of Hubby
with his little helper, Amanda.

*********************

My Latest Book Reviews:

Cora and the Nurse Dragon
New release by H.L. Burke!




Lands of Ash
(Elemental Realms Book 1)
by H.L. Burke

*********************

Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.

Now on to my blog hop...

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to

link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook
Instagram

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
• Link up a post from your family friendly blog.
• Please try to add my hop button on your post or side-bar.
• Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
• Visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment.

Blog Button Code:

<center> <a href="http://abooksandmore.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Amanda’s Books and More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWaX10yWr7xxEQ5BBMhOqdZxobJ0omJBq-v8ENFn3YNNebsnsYBHwcGyje-XzSlHSJOIlZ1rEOp89LyNI97XrPFZtdeH_AvaNV3F8hOvHfsuwe29ALNQw75ibK34buYq7nhpGGZJ8UTnoB/s150/Make+My+Saturday+Sweet.jpg"/></a></center>

Weekend Linky

This is a blog hop!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see
what link parties I take part in.

Valentine's Day in Photos with #Linky

Welcome to my Picture Perfect
Party Linky #179!

If you saw Friday's post, then you'll know that I suggested to Hubby to buy proteas for Valentine's Day instead of the more expensive Valentine's themed bouquets. This is the bouquet he got me with indigenous flowers from South Africa, including the popular proteas. Prince, Samantha's cat, came to check them out.

This blog is best viewed in Google Chrome.

Click on my photos to see them at their best!

On Friday, Amanda's school had a
competition for best Valentine's
outfits and Amanda won best
dressed out of her class.

Amanda with a heart-shaped lollipop
on Valentine's Day.

Jessica went to her high school's
Valentine's dance and her date
is a friend who is in college. 

Samantha, in the pink and black dress, went
with friends to a different high school's
Valentine's dance on the same night.
(I did not take this photo, but I have
permission to share it.)

Samantha took this photo of Hubby and me on Valentine's Day.

Robbie bought a bottle of Merlot 2011,
Calla Field, for Valentine's Day.
It turned out to be a very
nice red wine.

I made these fun Star Wars Valentine's
themed cards to decorate our dining
room table. The kids enjoyed them.
I shared the FREE printables' link
on Friday's post.

*********************

Here's a peek at
My Latest Post

on 1camera1mom:

The Surf at Britannia Bay

*********************

My Latest Book Reviews:

Cora and the Nurse Dragon
New release by H.L. Burke!




Lands of Ash
(Elemental Realms Book 1)
by H.L. Burke

*********************

Now on to my blog hop...

Come link up your Wordless Wednesday

(with or without words) or any picture post

at this Picture Perfect Party Linky.

Join me on this fun and easy blog hop!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free
to link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook
Instagram

and

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow me on one or more links above or via email.
• Link-up your post with a picture and follow as many new blogs as you like.
• If possible, copy the button code below and add it on your linked post or blog's side-bar.
• Tell others about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.

The Button Code:

<center> <a href="http://abooksandmore.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Amanda’s Books and More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitS14XLc-z2uSUW00dIvyZc7lEfLP2tkPgO3qmU3NWi_UObDs_d7XqpYhjp0BBeROyZot-8YlEFU9rguELrZYu3arN1qHHNpB4_ezrb-TlBlfHRSOvP7pBA0VI-j1RkUkF77wJxUc7M7ye/s150/Picture%2520Perfect%2520Party%2520Linky.jpg"/></a></center>

This is a Wordless Wednesday blog hop.



Visit my Blog Hops page to see the hops that I often link up to.

Valentine's Day with Linky

Welcome to my weekend blog hop -

Make My Saturday Sweet #162!

Since Valentine's Day is a couple of days away, I thought these sunset photos that I took from our balcony in January would add a romantic touch.

My blog is best viewed in Google Chrome.
Click on the images to view them larger.

Do you receive flowers on Valentine's Day? On Wednesday I was at the grocery store with Hubby and noticed the Valentine bouquets are already making an appearance. I told him that if he was considering buying me flowers, that he should buy proteas. They are indigenous to South Africa and probably won't go up in price, since they aren't usually used in Valentine themed bouquets like roses are. The other reason why I like proteas is because they last a lot longer than other cut flowers.

Proteas

Proteas

I came across this great blog post
by Juggling Act Mama for
Star Wars fans this Valentine's Day.
She has created some FREE printables!

*********************

My Latest Book Reviews:

Cora and the Nurse Dragon
New release by H.L. Burke!




Lands of Ash
(Elemental Realms Book 1)
by H.L. Burke

*********************

Make My Saturday Sweet is a weekend blog hop for all family friendly blogs. You are welcome to link your favorite post from the past week(s) and to visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment. It's a really easy and fun way to make new friends and to catch up on old acquaintances.

Now on to my blog hop...

It's time for another Make My Saturday Sweet blog hop!

Join me (your host) for this fun and easy hop.

All family friendly blogs are welcome!

If you host your own blog hop(s), then feel free to

link them on my Blog Hops page!

I would love for you to follow me on

Google+

Pinterest 

Twitter 

Facebook
Instagram

Here are the easy rules:

• Follow Tina (your host) on one or more links listed above.
• Link up a post from your family friendly blog.
• Please try to add my hop button on your post or side-bar.
• Share about this hop on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
• Visit the last link before yours and leave a sweet comment.

Blog Button Code:

<center> <a href="http://abooksandmore.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Amanda’s Books and More" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWaX10yWr7xxEQ5BBMhOqdZxobJ0omJBq-v8ENFn3YNNebsnsYBHwcGyje-XzSlHSJOIlZ1rEOp89LyNI97XrPFZtdeH_AvaNV3F8hOvHfsuwe29ALNQw75ibK34buYq7nhpGGZJ8UTnoB/s150/Make+My+Saturday+Sweet.jpg"/></a></center>

Weekend Linky

This is a blog hop!

Visit my Blog Hops page to see
what link parties I take part in.