†Saving Grace† *A Review for ~~Blogging♥For♥Books~~

Somehow I managed to NEVER get this wonderful book reviewed and for that I can only apologize to Waterbrook Multnomah's amazing Blogging For Books crew and the remarkably talented Annie Jones, one of my all time favorite authors.

I received this book quite some time ago to review and fell in love practically from page one. The ladies from Prayer Tree, a previous Jones title, are back and as engaging as ever. Most every woman can find a character to relate to in these two titles, either in Rosemary, Naomi, Gayle, or Lucy who were introduced in Prayer Tree or perhaps in the elderly character of Grace Grayson who relives a tragic disappointment every year on the night of New Bethany's Splendor Belle Gala. 

This year, on the night of the gala, Mrs. Grayson is seen once again in her ball gown of fifty years earlier but this may well be the last year she puts it on.  The prayer circle ladies, who've grown a bit apart since the last time we joined them, have decided to take Grace on as a project of sorts hopefully to strengthen their bonds again and make Miss Grace less lonely, too.  Each woman undergoes different trials and troubles through the story but each one brings the woman closer to her family, her friends, and ultimately to God. 

As I've said previously, Annie Jones is one of my favorite authors and Saving Grace definitely did not disappoint. Even though it is a sort of sequel you do not have to have read Prayer Tree to understand Saving Grace and enjoy it as well. 

I received a copy of this title in exchange for my review through the Waterbrook Multnomah "Blogging for Books" program. The review did not have to be positive and is my own opinion.

MUST SEE for ALL country fans and/or Lady GaGa fans

Yeah, I, um...well, I never and I do mean NEVER post stuff like this...because most people who know I was raised country and will live and die country would be appalled to know I also like Lady GaGa...okay, there, my big deep dark secret is out...and yeah, I sing along with Hannah Montana songs AND Jonas Brothers Year 3000 still, too...

But, I was cruising YouTube looking for some new karaoke videos...and I totally found something I NEVER expected...one of my fave country groups covering Lady GaGa...and covering my fave GaGa song, at that! I *love* born this way. I was bullied horribly as a kid for being a little overweight, having reddish hair, and loving country music and wearing boots and jeans in Orange County...California, of course. Probably folks from Orange County in NY wouldn't have thought twice...after all, they've got OCC and that totally rocks!

But, here it is the video I've been raving about...if it speaks to you or you just really love it, think about reposting it or sharing it with someone else!

I hope you guys really loved like I did. Have a great night!

Friday's Fave Five

First Fave Five in Forever!

So, I'm a *huge* fan of Susanne from Living to Tell the Story and thank her graciously, again, for hosting Friday's Fave Five. I haven't been able to blog for an excessively long time, first because of not having internet service at home, then not having a home period...Now I have both again, blessedly, and I'm so thrilled to get back into the swing of the Fave Five. I guess my them here would be new things and renewal, so here we go: 

1. Three new baby bunnies born on Valentine's Day. They're too young to get a pic of without upsetting Mina, their momma, yet...but as soon as I can, Cupid, Cocoa, and Valentine will have a starring role in a photo shoot and blog post to follow!
2. My hubby buying my favorite chocolates in a beautiful keepsake tin...see, my daddy always did this for me, it was "our" thing since I was a little girl. He bought my mom, sister, and I a Valentine's heart every year from the time we hit Kindergarten (of course my mom's even longer than that, lol!) and I always saved the boxes. They were SO pretty. Some I kept in my cedar chest with mementos in them, others I taped shut and stapled to my bedroom wall. The really rugged or specially fancy ones I used to hold stuff on my desk, dresser, and vanity table. My dad isn't able to buy them for me anymore due to advanced Alzheimer's...so my hubby picked up the tradition this year...including buying ones for our two girls, and a cool metal toolbox and tool shaped chocolates and hard candies for our son. 
3. A new start on my college and career goals. I've been accepted to Kaplan University, I start on the 27th...it's SO good to be back on track with this!
4. A new church family...I've been out of church for so long (way too long to post here, but when I get into soul baring made again, I'll make a full disclosure post). 
5. My Keurig brewer. I *LOVE* being able to go to my local Shop N Save and pick out individual cups. They end up costing me the same as a full box of one flavor would, but this way I'm able to mix and match. I got some Wolfgang Puck Breakfast in Bed cups, Gloria Jean's Mudslide which is actually hot cocoa, Green Mountain had my seasonal faves Spicy Eggnog and Gingerbread House as well as my regular fave, Dark Magic. So, I'm brewing up a cup of Mudslide, putting the last sentence on my fave five, and saying Happy Date Night and see you tomorrow!

My Keurig and some of my fave flavors

 

Super Date Night Suppers Volume 1

Happy Friday and Happy Date Night for the couples who have a partner which reads my blog! Hope you all had a terrific and love filled Valentine's Day yesterday!

For tonight's Date Night we decided to do Chinese Take-In.. We're on a really tight budget, the Chinese place is cuh-razy on Friday (besides being almost a half hour away) and my hubby says he likes my cooking better anyhow...tee hee what a sweetie!

So, I decided I'd make chicken lo mein and an egg roll. We're not huge eaters, and the leftovers will be excellent tomorrow.

Chicken lo mein, shrimp egg roll and yes, a Dixie mini cup of duck sauce

 

 

This menu came together really quick and easy with some staples I keep on hand and a terrific deal that my local Shaw's supermarket is running right now called Pick 5 for $20. For my $20 this week I got a full rack of St Louis Style barbecue ribs, almost two pounds of individually sealed Perdue All Natural Italian marinated boneless/skinless chicken breasts (the bag had 5 large breasts in it), a large ready to cook chicken pot pie, and a beautiful boneless pork loin that I can't wait to cook tomorrow! Look in your weekly sales ad or the meat department when you get to your local Shaw's or Star market. They have many choices besides what I've listed so have fun mixing, matching, and filling your menu with delectable options!

Now, to the recipes!

Chicken Lo Mein

• 1 package Koyo brand Organic Udon Noodles 
• 1 Perdue All Natural Italian marinated chicken breast, thawed
• 1 1/2 cups frozen stir fry blend veggies, your pick
• 1 package Simply Asia Stir Fry Sauce Ginger Teriyaki

Bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and the package of noodles. Boil 8 minutes til done. While noodles are cooking, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium skillet. Add chicken and cook til browned and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from skillet and keep warm. Drain Udon noodles in a colander in the sink. Let them drip while you heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in the pot you cooked the noodles in. Add the frozen veggies and stir fry for 2 minutes, til heated. Slice chicken breast into strips and add to veggies, stif fry 1 more minute. Pour sauce packet in with meat and veggies, turn heat to low, and return noodles to pot. Toss until well mixed. Turn heat off and cover pot. In the chicken skillet, heat 3 tablespoons oil to near smoking. Add your favorite fresh or frozen egg roll, one or two per person depending on the size and cook on each side to golden brown and crisp. Remove from oil, drain on paper towel briefly, dish up a serving of noodles, set egg roll alongside, grab chopsticks or a fork and dig in!

We haven't gotten around to watching the Karate Kid remake (I know, I know, we don't watch a ton of movies though) and we're debating between that and one of my old favorites, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon.

Here's wishing you all an amazing date night!

Wow it's been a long time!

Holy roses, Batman, it's been forever since I've posted. A LOT has happened since my last post...we were staying with friends a while, that became a hot mess, and we've moved on. Now staying with another friend who's lifestyle (off grid, self sustaining, raising livestock, growing our own fruits and veggies as much as possible, fair trade purchasing, etc etc) is completely in line with ours.

Things are as near to perfect as they can be. Essentially for a while there we were homeless. Now have an established address, will be able to secure work with new references that I have secured, worked a few volunteer positions to flesh out my resume after being a stay at home mom since 2005. I have been a full time student in that time as well, I am going back to school now that things are on an even keel to complete my elementary education degree, a dream I've had since third grade back in, um, let's see...1989! Wow, it will be amazing to complete that and become a full time teacher instead of just a substitute and ed tech.

We are on a homestead now, not as large as our farm but eventually after helping out here for a year or two to get another place of our own and start over again. Will post again tomorrow and upload some pictures of our rabbits, too cute too believe and the cats are so cute with them when we let a few have free-play time outside their cages.

Goodnight!

Heaven in Her Arms: A BookSneeze Review

Catherine Hickem certainly knows the struggles Christian women face today.  As mothers the struggles are even more intense: when to push our kids harder and when to back off, when to trust and when to doubt, when to hold on and when to let go.

Mary, the mother of Jesus is not much mentioned in the Bible and certainly not as her own person. She enters the Bible when it is time tell of Jesus' miraculous conception and birth. Little is talked of his upbringing, the day to day struggles Mary faced knowing her child was of God, God's own son, and how that impacted her personally as a woman, as a believer, as a mother.

I cried a lot while reading this book because Mrs. Hickem shares some fabulous insight into what God wants of us women who believe, who follow Him, who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior and she also shows us how to find the answers to our deepest questions.  The section which touched me the most was "Love in the Rearview Mirror: Mary Knew God Looks at the Heart." Our hearts are often spoken of as something that leads women down a sinful path or gets us into trouble. It is also the repository of our deepest feelings: joys, triumphs, fears, longings, anxieties and tragedies we often think they are stored in our head but they are truly written upon our hearts.

The second most impacting for me was "There Are No Accidents" which states that Mary knew God as Master Designer. This is so very true. Sometimes when God shows us His plan for us, for our life, we think "but I don't want that! That's not what I planned." We don't control our lives, God works everything--good and bad--for our good. Sometimes it is hard to see that in a tough moment such as the loss of a loved one or economic uncertainty but that is what we have to remember.

Excellent read which I recommend to any woman who struggles with her faith or wants a deeper relationship with God.

Nearing the end of another school year

As I strolled down our main street in Guilford today, enjoying the nearly 70° temperature, the sun pouring down and a gentle breeze I marveled at the number of older teens lounging in their yards doing the same, enjoying the Spring Break to the fullest just soaking up the sun and hanging out with their friends. I substitute teach in our town on occasion and know many teens and preteens because of 4-H, subbing, and friends who are parents of tweens and teens.

It hit me that many of the kids I know will be heading off to college next fall and more still in the fall of 2013. A lot of these kids are brilliant, funny, creative kids who have no idea what they want to do in life. Most are excited about college but are a little scared of taking the PSAT, SAT, and ACT tests. Most of the parents I know and am familiar with are not college educated and are worried that coaching their kids for these tests themselves may have damaging results instead of positive ones. That is where Studypoint's SAT tutor and ACT tutor programs can make a world of difference. Colleges rely on student's scoring on these tests to determine whether they are accepted or not and if accepted which courses they must take based on achievement level.

I shared these programs with one of my closest friends and her 17 year old daughter who is a junior in high school this year. The daughter has testing anxiety and her mom left school to become a mom in her senior year. K, the mom, was very worried about trying to help S, the daughter, with her SAT prep studies. SAT Tutor has been a blessing and I hope it will help others out, as well.

These are definitely two programs I am going to be recommending to every student I know!