Lilac Wedding in Dry Creek - book review

When she ran away from the juvenile home she was raised in, Cat Barker left more than an unstable childhood behind. She also left her first love, Jake Stone. The two had more in common than anyone understood, but neither knew how to trust. Now Cat needs help, and there's only one person she can turn to—Jake, her daughter's secret father. Though Cat can see the tender man she once cared for, she still fears love and marriage. Until a daunting challenge renews her faith—and teaches them all a lesson about trust.

Another wonderful story from Janet Tronstad's Dry Creek series, a Love-Inspired read by Harlequin...Perfect for a rainy day!  Cozy up!   Harlequin Love-Inspired are some of my favorite books!  Clean and heartwarming.  Follow the characters in Dry Creek through an entire series of books...like coming home to an old friend.  :)

To read an excerpt click HERE.

To purchase, click HERE.

Disclaimer:  Thank you to Janet Tronstad for providing me a copy of her book in exchange for an honest review.  Opinions expressed here are my own.

Constantly Craving - book review

In the book Constantly Craving, Marilyn Meberg demonstrates how to make sense of always wanting more.  She insists that our craving are written into our DNA.  Cravings like, happiness, love, friendship, romance, forgiveness, excitement, free time and peace are all part of our nature and that this was essential to our spritual design.  Unfortunately, our cravings are driving the choices we make as adults and they leave us feeling unsatisfied.  The author knows all about cravings and in this books she sets out to help us understand our appetites for more, how to manage them, and how to find satisfaction in our god-given purposes.  Our desires can lead us closer to God and through Him we can find answers and understanding to fulfill our spiritual desires.  I found this book to be a quick read filled with hope for overcoming worldly desires and replacing them with spiritual goals.

Disclaimer:  I was provided this book free of charge by Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.  All the opinions expressed herein are my own.

The Woodcarver - DVD review and GIVEAWAY!

New from Faith & Family Films, The Woodcarver is a movie about finding answers to prayers.  When troubled teen, Matthew vandalizes a local church he reluctantly agrees to repair the damage he caused to the hand-carved wood by working with the artist & woodcarver Ernest Otto (played by John Ratzenberger).  Ernest is reclusive since the death of his wife and the unlikely pair form a unique friendship.  Together they discover that "everybody makes mistakes....the key to mistakes is...how you make them right."  As their prayers are answered in unexpected ways they discover the importance of finishing what you start and answering the timeless question, What Would Jesus Do?
A heartwarming story of friendship, faith and family!

Christian Cinema: http://www.christiancinema.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=4094

I do have 1 copy of The Woodcarver to giveaway, enter below! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

 “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.

 

A Big Girl

I was not ready for the move to the big girl bed, but on Sunday morning, I walked into Maggie's room and realized that she was way too tall for the crib.  It is surprising she hadn't figured out how to get out!  As I walked closer she lunged toward me and at that moment I knew that the crib days were over.  She flung her body over the railing and I caught her right as her body tipped over.  Whew!  The crib was dismantled and packed away and in its place the coveted "big girl bed."  Maggie has slept peacefully in it for 2 nights now, not even getting up once.  She is thrilled!

Homeschool Mothers Journal

In my life this week:
It has been a crazy week.  We have had 2 series of severe storms roll through our area.  I have spent 2 sleepless nights keeping vigil over the radar, Skywarn chatter, listening to the weather radio, and watching "tornado TV."  I'm not sure why but I am completely terrified of tornadoes.  I have seen their devastation.  I have seen houses wiped completely off their foundation.  Living only 1 hour from Joplin keeps tornado safety in the forefront of my mind...it can happen here.   I've noticed that so many of my neighbors and acquaintances have such a complacent attitude about the tornadoes in our area.  In fact, one night last year, while I was nervously watching radar I had one friend respond to my Facebook status saying, "you'll get used it (tornado season)...I'm shopping at Target."  One night last season too, I was sitting at Olive Garden with a group of girlfriends when the weather got angry and within minutes the sirens were blaring.  Literally...people kept eating as though NOTHING was going on.  I could see out the windows, the rain was actually blowing sideways.  I, personally was ready to run and duck for cover in the walk-in freezer...but my friends laughed at me.   Perhaps I am panicking unnecessarily...but...the blase' reaction from people who live in this area is unreal sometimes.  Of course, not everybody is like this, but I've encountered it a lot.  Today, storms are bearing down on some of my friends to the East of me and I pray that they are taking the weather seriously and that they will be ok.

In other news, our new chore chart has been going great, our schedule has really helped us to have more time to do fun things and our school days have been going ok too.  My husband has been working tremendously long hours and we are all missing him terribly but somehow even though the days are awfully long, the weeks fly by so quickly.

In our homeschool this week:
We have been really enjoying learning about the Iditarod, sled dogs, Alaska, and the Great Serum Run of 1925.  I blogged about that HERE.  Kayley is learning 2 column addition with carrying, and 2 column subtraction.  She loves math. We have a new hanging workbox system that has been working nicely...it has really opened up some more space for us to keep more organized.   I know it is time to start working a bit more with Maggie, but I haven't figured out how to make that happen.

Places we are going/People we are seeing/Stuff we are doing
So much to do, so little time.  This is my month to teach sharing time in Primary, and I admit that I am really, really nervous.  I have been preparing for 2 weeks...and I'm still not sure what I'm going to do on Sunday!  Don't even ask about the Sunday's after that or I might have to get a bag to breathe in.

My husband is supposed to be planning the party for the Elders Quorum next Friday night...so, that means that I have been busy helping with this project as well.

What's working/not working:
We've been doing a really fun book for a short morning devotional called "God & Me"  Its for ages 5-7.  We are loving these short stories with questions.   Along those lines...I've decided that our Language Arts program just isn't working for us anymore.  Kayley is just too smart for most of it that it ends up being dreaded busy-work.  I think it is time for a change...  I'm not sure what we might change to, but I'm searching.

I'm reading:


100 Days of Weight Loss by Linda Spangle.  I have been blogging my 100 Day weight loss journey over on a new website called:   Fattery Will Get You Nowhere.  Stop by if you are interested in seeing how I'm doing. This book focuses on the MIND of weight loss...not the diet.  It has been really eye-opening to get behind the "why" of eating.

Something Sharable:

Can you believe how patient and cooperative our cats are?  Me neither.  They put up with some serious shenanigans from my kiddos.  And they are usually purring.