Product Review - Ringside ApexFlash Sparring Gloves

Ringside Apex Flash Sparring Gloves
FTG2 BK/GN
Ringside
ASIN B00X5K28FM


I must be honest and state I am not a boxer, or MMA fighter. But the gym at work has both a heavy bag and speed bag that I have enjoyed using over the last year. When I got the chance to give these a try, I jumped at it. They are much better than the community ones I had been using. They have a nice weight and feel. They have more wrist support than other gloves I have used.

Some of the features and specifications of this specific style are:

• 100% durable synthetic leather construction
• 2 1/4" thick IMF padding for ultimate hand protection
• 3 1/4" wrap around hook and loop Velcro strap for support
• Attached thumb for safety
• Anatomically correct hand compartment for proper fist alignment
• Mesh palm and anti-bacterial inner liner to keep hands cool
• Two weights 14oz or 16oz

These gloves come in numerous color combinations. If you are going to be using them for sparring or bag work I would stick with the darker color combinations. White or other light colors look grungy pretty quick, as I have seen often at the gym. I got the 16oz gloves and really should have gone with the 14. Pay close attention to the sizing chart on the ringside site.

I have used these every day this week to spend time on the heavy bag. They are comfortable, and convenient. The Velcro strap is perfect for training by yourself or quick changes. These come in at a great price point for the casual enthusiast, they are a little more expensive than some but also much cheaper then really high end gear. The construction is of a high quality and I see myself using these for many years to come.

My kids loved trying these when they came in, and even my wife gave them a go and loved the feel of the gloves and throwing a few punches. I can recommend these gloves with confidence for their intended purpose, sparring or bag work.

Someday - Corinna Turner

Someday
Yesterday and Tomorrow Book 1
Corinna Turner
Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama (Foreword)
Ann Widdecombe (Introduction)
UnSeen Books an Imprint of
Zephyr Publishing, UK
Chesterton Press, US Edition
UK Edition 
ISBN 9781910806036
US Edition
ISBN 9781910806173
ASIN B01EAU61V2

This was not an easy book to read. It was not a fun book to read. But it was a very important book to read! It takes the events from the news of the Boko Haram Chibok school girls' kidnappings and recasts it set in England. A group of girls from a British academy and are quickly transported off continent. Often while reading this book I thought about Matthew McConaughey as Jake Tyler Brigance in the film adaption of A Time to Kill. When during the trial he tells the story of the attack and then ends with 'And now imagine she is white!' I could not help but wonder. If Boko Haram had kidnapped European girls if they would have been recovered by now, would we still be hunting for them? 

The story is gripping, the events terrible. And as we read this fictionalized version we cannot help but imagine the real life terrors. As a father of daughters I cannot imagine anything worse. There were times I was reading this book where my stomach was in my throat. There were times when I wanted to quit reading, but the subject was too important to take the easy way out. The book really got me praying, for the Chibok school girls, for all victims of violence. 

I would not want my children reading this book any time soon. It is not for the faint of heart. And even though it is not explicit in the violence the women face, it leaves one disturbed on many levels. 

The story is written in a series of first person narratives, often jumping back and forth from characters and locations and across plot lines. The story is poignant, powerful and profoundly moving. 

Turner does an amazing job of presenting many different faith traditions through different characters in this book. Those who are horrified but what their fellow believers have done, to those of a number of different faiths and how they respond to this situation. And though she is a Catholic author and the main theme is a Catholic story it is incredibly well written with respect to other beliefs.

Corinna Turner was troubled by these events and these questions. Her way of helping was to write this book and donate the proceeds to Aid to the Church in Need. It also serves as a reminder that most of those girls are still missing. And to bring them back to mind.

I do not lightly recommend this book. And it is not for all readers. And yet I know that reading this fictionalized version of real events has brought me to my knees in prayer and have forever left a mark upon me.

Books by Corinna Turner:
I Am Margaret Series:
0.0 The Underappreciated Virtues of Rusty Old Bicycles (A prequel)
0.5 Brothers (Prequel)
1.0 I Am Margaret
1.5 How Snakey Got His Name (Short Story)
2.0 The Three Most Wanted
3.0 Liberation
4.0 Bane's Eyes
5.0 Margo's (Attempted) Diary & Notebook
5.5 An Unexpected Guest
6.0 The Siege of Reginald Hill
6.5 Buttons (Short Story)
7.0 A Saint in the Family
I Am Margaret The Play - Fiorella de Maria

...

Yesterday and Tomorrow Series:
Someday
Tomorrow's Dead
...

unSPARKed Series:

Prequel Short Stories:

Liam and the Hunters of Lee'Vi

0.1 Breach

A Truly Clawful Christmas

0.2 A Mom with Blue Feathers 

0.3 A Very Jurassic Christmas

0.3a A Very Jurassic Lent

0.4 A Dino Whisperer at the Zoo

Three Clawsome Tales

A Very Jurassic Hallowtide

...

Novels:
 1.0 Drive!
 1.0a Please Don't Feed the Dinosaurs

 2.0 A Truly Rapror-Ous Welcome
 3.0 Panic! 
 4.0 Farmgirls Die in Cages
 5.0 Wild Life

 6.0 A Right Rex Rodeo

 7.0 FEAR

 8.0 A Different Kind of Camouflage

 9.0 A Different Kind of Freedom

10.0 What’s Done is Done

11.0 Weigh the Odds

12.0 A Nest of Piranha’saurs

...

Mandy Lamb Series:
Mandy Lamb and the Full Moon

The Wolf The Lamb and the Air Balloon

...

Friends in High Places:

1.0 The Boy Who Knew: Carlo Acutis

1.5 Do Carpenters Dream of Wooden Sheep? 

2.0 Old Men Don’t Walk to Egypt: Saint Joseph

3.0 Child, Unwanted: Margaret of Castello

4.0 A Lion for a Tomb: Ignatius of Antioch

5.0 The Higher We Go Pier Giorgio Frassati

...

Elfling Series:

Elfling

The Most Expensive Alley Cat in London

...

Last Things Series:

Three last things or The hounding of Carl Jarrold, Soulless Assassin

A Changing of the Guard

…

Other Books:
The Raven & The Yew
Man or Beast 
...

Contributed to:
Secrets: Visible & Invisible 7 Amazing Stories - Catholic Teen Books
Gifts Visible & Invisible 8 Christmas Stories for Teens
Treasures: Visible & Invisible 8 Stories for Teens

The Christmas Lights

Ashes Visible & Invisible 10 Stories for Teens

A Foul Christmas

A Saint Nicholas Eve Carol

The Gift of the Angel Tree  

Shadows Visible & Invisible 7 Stories for Teens

A Lack of Christmas Spirits 

Alien Family Traditions

Pilgrim Tales An anthology of fiction by the Catholic Writers Guild 

...

Author profile and interview with Corinna Turner

Prayer of the Day A Hunter's Prayer.

Made for More - Curtis Martin

Made for More
Curtis Martin
Beacon Publishing for
Wellspring Publishing
formerly
Dynamic Catholic
ISBN 9781937509163
ASIN B004EPZ0Q6
Focus
ISBN 9781934217498

It was interesting reading this book. In many ways it took me back to my first time in University. Like Martin I became connected with Campus ministries, and specifically Campus Crusade for Christ. Unlike Curtis I was pushed away from the Catholic church by the Campus director from that ministry. I wish a book like this had been around back then, it might have saved me years as a spiritual nomad.

Curtis Martin packs a lot of personal story, and a lot of spiritual guidance into this slim volume. Coming in at under 130 pages it has a lot of great content, the sections in this book are:

Introduction
Who Do You Say That I Am?
Can You Believe What You Read?
He is Risen Indeed!
The Kingdom of God on Earth
Life in the Kingdom
A Personal Search for Truth

The progression that Curtis travelled is one that I heard many times in my years in campus ministry, as a student and as staff with The Navigators. But Curtis follows it through and does not settle. He becomes convinced and through that conviction he returns to the Catholic Church.

This book is also part guide, it was written as a guide for students to help them grow first in a relationship with Christ Jesus. Then through that relationship finding God's plan for our life; and to do both through our church communities.

This book would be excellent to young people in our lives heading off to college or universities. It is also excellent for those of us in the work force who need the reminder that we are made for more and some direct points on how to grow in that realization.

I highly recommend this book for any believer who wants to grow in their faith. Can you imagine what our schools, our workplaces, our parishes and our families would look like if we read, believed and lived out the message in this book?

(Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: A Year of Reading Intention - Catholic Reading!)

Books by Curtis Martin:
Made for More
Effective Spiritual Growth
The Real Story (with Edward Sri)
Boys to Men (with Tim Gray)
Family Matters (with Michaelann Martin)

Books Contributed to:
Beautiful Mercy
Catholic for a Reason
Catholic for a Reason II
Catholic for a Reason III
Crossing the Goal Playbook on Our Father
Crossing the Goal Playbook on Virtues

Fear Itself - Andrew Clements - Benjamin Pratt & Keepers of the School Book 2

Fear Itself
Benjamin Pratt & Keepers of the School Book 2
Andrew Clements
Adam Stower (Illustrator)
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
A Division of Simon and Schuster
ISBN 9781416938873
ASIN B007I785KU




I have now read 10 books by Andrew Clements over the last few months. This is the second book of his from a series that I have read. It is interesting seeing him comeback to the same characters and extend the story in a way that he has not done with most of his other novels. And with 3 more books to go in this eries it will be interesting to see where he takes us. Both of the first books have been great reads. This volume continues directly from book one We the Children.

In this volume Ben and Jill are trying to follow the clues to the secrets that were left behind that were intended to save the school. But they also realize that the dangers from My Lyman the fake janitor at their school is much greater than they had expected. He seems to be following them everywhere. So they have a lot on their mind, with only 3 weeks until the school will be vacated and is scheduled to be demolished they need to figure out the clues from the past Keepers of the School. They also need to stay out of My Layman's clutches and keep him away from what they are finding. And from the clues figure out a way to save the school. That is a tall order for kids on any day, but Ben is dealing with his parents having been separated for months and Jill's parents are fighting again over the whole school issue. Life just seems to keep getting more and more complicated for these two. 

The story will really keep young readers glued to the pages. And the illustrations by Adam Stower really add to the story, and there are many throughout the book. Mostly they are pen and ink sketches. This volume has a red cover and all the illustrations in the ebook version are done in black and white and red. 

One of the greatest strengths of Clements writing is his characters. And in this series because it will span the 5 books we get to see more about the characters than we do in many of his standalone books. We seem the characters struggling with hope, with their home life and with the weight of the responsibility of trying to save the school.

I have said before that this book could likely be published in a large omnibus edition, but I fear that the size would be intimidating to many readers. It will be interesting to see how the series progresses over the remaining three books. I know that I was hooked after book one and even more so now. I will finish this series and also likely many, many other books by Andrew Clements.

This was another very good read in an excellent series. I have yet to come across a book by Andrew Clements that I cannot highly recommend. And this book and series is no exceptions. 

Books by Andrew Clements:
Bird Adalbert
Noah and the Ark and the Animals
Santa's Secret Helper
Temple Cat
Mother Earth's Counting Book
Billy and the Bad Teacher
Who Owns the Cow
Bright Christmas: An Angel Remembers
Frindle 
(Adapter)Philipp's Birthday Book
Riff's BeBop Book
Real Monsters Go for the Mold
Things That Go EEK on Halloween
Real Monsters Stage Fright
Music Time, Any Time
Double Trouble in Walla Walla
Workshop
Gromble's Haunted Halloween
Hey Dad, Could I Borrow Your Hammer
The Landry News
Look Who's in the Thanksgiving Play
The Mouse Family
The Janitor's Boy
Circus Family Dog
The Christmas Kitten
The School Story
Things Not Seen 
The Jacket 
A Week in the Woods
Slippers at Home
Naptime for Slippers
The Report Card
The Last Holiday Concert
Slippers at School
Slippers Loves to Run
A Million Is a Lot of Dots
Lunch Money
Things Hoped For
Room One: A Mystery or Two
No Talking
Things That Are
Lost and Found
Extra Credit
Troublemaker
About Average
The Map Trap
The Friendship War
The Losers Club
...

Pets to the Rescue Series
Ringo Saves the Day!
Brave Norman
Tara and Tiree, Fearless Friends
Delores and the Big Fire

Jake Drake Series
Jake Drake Know-It-All
Jake Drake, Bully Buster
Jake Drake, Teacher's Pet
Jake Drake, Class Clown

Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School Series
We the Children
Fear Itself
The Whites of Their Eyes
In Harm's Way
We Hold These Truths

Reading program Books
Karen's Island
Three Wishes for Buster
Bill Picket: An American Original, Texas Style
Hurricane Andrew
Ham and Eggs for Jack
Life in the Desert
Desert Treasure
Inventors: Making Things Better, Steck-Vaughn
Milo's Great Invention

Rediscover Jesus - Matthew Kelly

Rediscover Jesus:
An Invitation 
Matthew Kelly
Wellspring Publishing
formerly
Beacon Publishing for
Dynamic Catholic
ISBN 9781942611202
ASIN B012HHJX5G

Over the past year I have read 11 books by Matthew Kelly. Each has challenged me, and each has had an immediate impact on my live. The main theme running through his writings is about:

"Becoming the Best Version of Yourself!"

And that theme continues in this volume. Kelly states in the introduction that the book can be read two ways. "There are two ways to experience this book. The first is like with any other book: Read it from cover to cover. The other way is to use this book as a guide to a forty-day spiritual journey, reading a chapter a day. This second way is a perfect way to begin (or nourish) a habit of daily prayer." And I have read it through twice using both methods. And to be honest this is one of the best books for spiritual growth. Each chapter is laid out the same way:

Main Teaching Point
Point to Ponder
Verse to Live
Question to Consider
Prayer

Each of these last 4 elements in each chapter really drive home the points of the chapter. To be honest I plan on taking the 40 'Verse to Live' sections and memorizing them. The 'Point to Ponder' is a quick summary of the chapter. The 'Question to Consider' can be used for journaling or just reflection. And both times I read through the book I prayer each of the prayers and suggest you do so also. Do not just read them actually pray them. I really believe that if you are willing to read this book with an open heart your life will be transformed. 

One of the things I like most about this book is that Kelly guides us often by questions. For example, in he asks:

"Who do people say that Jesus is? Who do you say that Jesus is? Who does Jesus say that you are? These are three questions worthy of our attention."

And most of the book focuses on helping guide us to answers to these questions. A quote from this book that really stuck with me was: 

"The Gospel may be difficult to live, but it is unrelentingly simple in its teaching. The Gospel is radically simple, and there is genius in its simplicity."

Kelly also emphasis that we need to love and care for ourselves if we are really to be of service to others. He declared: 

"A healthy sense of self-love is essential to the life of a Christian. God desires it for you. This self-love can coexist with true humility."

Matthew Kelly writes in a clear concise style. He makes the practice of faith very applicable. When I read these next two quotes I though about not only my own life but especially my children. How can I live this better and how can I teach them to:

"Our sight is an incredible gift from God. The Gospel invites us to practice custody of the eyes, which simply means having the self-control to decide what we allow ourselves to look at. In our hypersexual culture we are constantly being visually harassed by sexual images. This makes maintaining custody of the eyes a constant struggle. Some things we look at help us become the-best-version-of-ourselves, and others don't. Having custody of the eyes means exercising the self-control to not look at the things that don't help us become the-best-version-of-ourselves."

And 

"Images are powerful. You cannot unsee things. Edit what you look at. Custody of the eyes is a sure path to spiritual growth."

It really got me thinking about what I read, what I listen to and what I watch. I know we are to be in this world but not of it. But I really needed this reminder. After reading this section and praying I removed a number of books and a bunch music from my phone and tablet. And to be honest that relates directly to the next quote:

"The teachings of Jesus Christ are radical. For two thousand years men and women of all ages, from all walks of life- rich and poor, young and old, educated and uneducated- have been allowing these teachings to transform them. Now the question is, will you?"

And that is what I am striving to do and what this book can challenge us all to do. This book has a prayer of transformation, I have started praying it regularly as a reminder:

"Loving Father, Here I am. I trust that you have an incredible plan for me. Transform me. Transform my life. Everything is on the table. Take what you want to take and give what you want to give. Transform me into the person you created me to be, so I can live the life youyou envision for me. I hold nothing back; I am 100 percent available. How can I help? Amen."

Would you be willing to take the risk that God would actually answer that prayer? Are you willing to risk a shake up to your spiritual life, to all area's of your life? If so I can highly recommend it. If you want to just keep ambling through life then do not give it a read. 

Thank you Matthew Kelly for writing this book and for the ministry of Dynamic Catholic. This book was an incredible read and I highly recommend it.

Books by Matthew Kelly:
I Know Jesus
The Long View
Decision Point: The Workbook
Decision Point: The Leader Guide
The Four Signs of a Dynamic Catholic
The One Thing
Off Balance: Getting Beyond the Work-Life Balance Myth to Personal and Professional Satisfaction
Why Am I Here?
Perfectly Yourself: 9 Lessons for Enduring Happiness
Perfectly Yourself Discovering God's Dream For You
Building Better Families: A Practical Guide to Raising Amazing Children
The Dream Manager
The Seven Levels of Intimacy: The Art of Loving and the Joy of Being Loved
The Rhythm of Life: Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose
Building Better Families - 5 Practical Ways to Build Family Spirituality
The Book of Courage
The Shepherd: A Modern Parable about Our Search for Happiness
Mustard Is Persecution, Matthew Kelly Foundation
A Call to Joy - Living in the Presence of God
The Rhythm of Life: An Antidote For Our Busy Age
Words from God
Resisting Happiness
The Narrow Path
Our Father
The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity
Why I Love Being Catholic
Good Night, Jesus
In a world where you can be anything ...

Coach: 365 Days of Inspiration for Coaches and Players 

I Heard God Laugh: A Practical Guide to Life's 

Life is Messy

Difficult Teachings

The Rocking Chair Prophet

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory

Best Christmas Ever - Worst Christmas Ever

The Three Ordinary Voices of God

Slowing Down to the Speed of Joy

33 Days to Divine Mercy

33 Days to Eucharistic Glory for Kids

The Seven Pillars of Catholic Spirituality 

The Forgotten Way 

33 Days of Miracles, Wonders and Grace 

...

Beautiful ... Series:

Beautiful Hope
Beautiful Mercy

Beautiful Eucharist

...

Rediscover Books by Matthew Kelly:
Rediscover Catholicism: A Spiritual Guide to Living with Passion & Purpose
Rediscover Advent
Rediscover Lent
Rediscover Jesus: An Invitation
Rediscover the Rosary: The Modern Power of an Ancient Prayer
Rediscover the Saints

Audio by Matthew Kelly from Lighthouse Media:
Becoming The Best Version Of Yourself
The Best Way To Live
Don't Just Try, Train
Faith At Work & The Holy Moment
The Four Signs Of A Dynamic Catholic - Excerpt
The Jesus Question
My Spiritual Journey
Our Lives Change When Our Habits Change
Raising Amazing Children
The Seven Levels Of Intimacy
The Seven Pillars Of Catholic Spirituality

(Note: this books is part of a series: A Year of Reading Intention - Catholic Reading!)

2016 McEvoy Fall Reading Challenge

2016 McEvoy Fall Reading Challenge

This is a continuation of our family's Summer Reading Challenge. In which all 3 children read more than 50 times over the 62 days of summer break. Both Liam and Abby made great gains in their ability reading. And we are hoping to build on that success.This time the challenge is expanded and the rewards different. 

This time around it is an effort to help my children keep improving their reading skills. Also this time my wife Andre is joining in at the children's prompting. This time around they can use their prize for anything, not just books, as extra incentive for our most reluctant reader. Looking forward to what the next 4 months of reading together will bring.

The Rules

1. For each 13 days of reading you will earn a $10 Chapters card.

2. Abby or Mommy needs to read to daddy or mommy for 20 minutes (or another Adult), or 40 minutes of shared reading.

3. If Abby read to Liam and or Zoey it can count towards her reading time.

4. Liam and Zoey need to read 1 age appropriate book per day or have longer books read to and/or with them.

5. Daddy need to spend an hour on personal reading a day to count towards his reading goal.

Fall 2016 Reading Challenge Chart

Looking forward to reading with all three kids almost every day! My reading will continue mostly from this list A Year of Reading Intention - Catholic Reading! Below are the results from the summer challenge. 

2016 McEvoy Summer Reading Challenge Results

Articles in this series:

2016 McEvoy Summer Reading Challenge

2016 McEvoy Fall Reading Challenge

Pumpkin Spice - Jenny Meyerhoff and Eva Chatelain - Friendship Garden Book 2

Pumpkin Spice
The Friendship Garden  Book 2
Jenny Meyerhoff
Eva Chatelain
Aladdin a division of
Simon and Schuster
ISBN 9781481439091
eISBN 9781481439121
ASIN B00TBKUXNE

My oldest daughter and I read this book shortly after finishing the first book in the series, Green Thumbs-Up. When my daughter and I read together currently we alternate pages and these books are at the perfect level for her heading into grade 5. As a reluctant reader it is great to find authors and especially series that she really gets into. And she loves these books. And she is awaiting book 5 that will not be out until later. So right from the get go we are off to a good start with these books.

In this volume the school's friendship garden team is prepping the garden for winter. They are doing the last of the harvesting and pulling the remainder of the garden plants for compost. But the children not only learn about gardening they learn about honesty, friendship, owning up to your mistakes and the power of words. That is an awful lot packed into this book, but it is done well.

The top three things my daughter loved most about the book are:

1. Anna learns the power of words, especially when you accuse someone without proof.
2. That the children learn that things are not always as they appear, and by being open they gain a new friend.
3. Being honest always matters.

She also loves that there is a recipe again at the back of the book to try.

What I loved is the story is engaging enough to keep my interesting as I read along with my daughter. And that my daughter was so into the book that we read an extra chapter almost every day while reading it. 

We both really enjoyed the illustrations by Éva Chatelain. The simple drawings really add to the story. We also both really liked that now that the main characters were introduced this book was a little more story and a little less back story. It seemed to go much faster.

This story is really well written. Children and those who read with them will enjoy the book and the series. And as part of a growing series we hope for many more books in The Friendship Garden series to read over the next few years.  

Overall my summary would be this is a great book in a great series.

Books by Jenny Meyerhoff:
Friendship Garden
Green Thumbs-Up
Pumpkin Spice
Project Peep
Sweet Peas and Honeybees
Starry Skies and Fireflies

Other Books:
The Barftastic Life of Louie Burger
Third Grade Baby
Queen of Secrets
Class B.U.R.P. (The Barftastic Life of Louie Burger)
Sami's Sleepaway Summer
Attack of the Girlzillas (The Barftastic Life of Louie Burger)
Playing Cupid