Giving Up A Losing Battle

When it comes to laundry, nothing is more annoying than the lone sock (or two or three) at the end of the pile of clean clothes.

I used to fear those lone socks. I used to not know what to do with them and let myself get consumed with finding their missing partners.

Then one day I snapped. I gave up the battle. I tossed all those miscreant socks into bag and tucked it into a corner of my bedroom.

Now when I come across a few loners in my laundry basket, I figure it's just more to add to the bag. Nothing to stress over!

Every so often, I'll feel overly ambitious and dump the bag to see if I can put any new socks together. And wouldn't you know, I usually get at least a half dozen or so matches. Then I just toss the remaining offenders back into the bag and forget about them until the next time I'm bit by the bug of over-ambition.

Letting those loner socks stew in their own misfortune really works for me!

Stop by We Are THAT Family for more Works For Me Wednesday.

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Menu Plan Monday ~ Week of 9/28

I think we are finally settling into our new schedule. It's definitely been a bumpy few weeks, but I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

There are a few new things I'm trying this week with our schedule and eating habits. One of the biggest changes I've had to make is adjusting our eating times and snack routine. We used to eat breakfast around 9:00, lunch at 1:00 and dinner at 6:30 with a 4:00 snack time. Now, the kids are all eating breakfast at 7:00. Isabelle and Alex have a morning snack at school and I've had to add that for the girls at home too. Going from 7:00 to 1:00 is just too long. Our lunch and dinner times have stayed the same, but that might change as time goes on too.

Here's the plan for the week.

Breakfasts

• M - Maple-Brown Sugar Oatmeal
• T - Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
• W - Scrambled Eggs & Toast
• Th - Multi-Grain Cheerios, Bananas
• F - Egg & Cheese English Muffins
• S - Pumpkin Waffles, Sausage
  
• Su - French Toast with Cinnamon Apples
  

Lunch

• M - Tuna Salad Sandwiches, Oranges
• T - Pizza Grilled Cheese, Pears
• W - Hummus, Pitas, Carrots
• Th - Ham Roll-Ups, Yogurt
• F - Crackers & Cheese, Apples
• S - TBD - Apple picking day. We might skip lunch in favor of hot donuts and cider at the orchard.
• Su - Leftovers

Dinner

• M - Porcupine meatballs, Green Bean Casserole (minus the canned soup)
• T - Chicken Things (at Eric's request), Cheesy Potato Casserole, Broccoli
• W - Beef Bourguignonne (for the NCBA's It's What's For Dinner Wednesdays challenge)
• Th - Gnocchi with Brown Butter, Asparagus, Italian Breadsticks
• F - Mexican Chicken Roll-Ups, Salsa Rice
• S - 15 Bean Soup (our traditional apple picking day dinner), Cheddar biscuits
• Su - TBD

Don't forget to stop by Org Junkie for hundreds more menu plans.

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Weekend Linkage - The Fall Edition

Well, it's official fall is here. And since I love fall so much, I've spent a lot of time reading through all the Fall Festival links this week. There was so much good stuff!

Here is just a random sampling of some of my favorites.

• Some inspiring and beautiful decorating ideas over at Pleasing to You.
• I love this Thankfulness Tree idea from Happy Little Homemaker.
• At Balancing Beauty and Bedlam, Jen shared some great fall traditions.
• Wondering what to do with all those apples? Wonder no more with these 12 ideas from Finding Joy in My Kitchen.
• This Chinese Hot and Sour Soup from Newlyweds looks amazing! What a great way to warm up on a chilly day.

I also wanted to let you know, in case you haven't heard already, that my friend Laura from Heavenly Homemakers recently finished compiling an ebook called Fun, Fabulous and (mostly) Free Preschool Projects. There is some great stuff in this ebook and Laura really knows her stuff when it comes to putting together a jam-packed resource. But that's not all...this ebook is completely and totally FREE! You should definitely go check it out.

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Sisters, Sisters...

...there were never such devoted sisters.

My two little girls have really had a big adjustment to make in their day to day lives. For 7 hours a day now, it is just the two of them at home with Eric and me.

But they sure are loving it! And every day, I think they grow a little closer. I can almost see the bonding happening right before my eyes.


Hearing their laughter, watching their involved imaginative play, seeing them hugging each other just because they can...I am hooked on it all.

And hearing Gracie say to me, "Mama, picture of us" as she puts her arm around Olivia is truly a finer thing.

Stop by Amy's Finer Things for more Finer Things Friday and Hooked On Houses for more Hooked On...

Oh, and by the way, if you click over to that sisters link, good luck not getting that song stuck in your head all day. You're welcome!

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CFBA Review ~ One Imperfect Christmas

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
One Imperfect Christmas
Abingdon Press (September 2009)
by
Myra JohnsonMy Thoughts:
This was a moving and gripping book. I enjoyed every minute of it! I really appreciated the way Myra Johnson portrayed the reality of grief and self-doubt in the characters. There is something in each of their struggles that I could relate to. And I have to say, for a book that spans a years time, it was perfectly written! Sometimes books like that leave me feeling like I missed an important stage or like the book was much longer than needed. Not with this one though.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Making up stories has been second nature to me for as long as I can remember. A select group of trusted friends back at dear old Mission High waited eagerly for the next installment of my "Great American Spy Novel" (think Man from Uncle) and my "All-American Teen Novel" (remember Gidget and Tammy?). I even had a private notebook of angst-ridden poetry a la Rod McKuen.

The dream of writing persisted into adulthood, although it often remained on the back burner while I attended to home and family and several "real" (read paying) jobs along the way. Then in 1983, while recovering from sinus surgery, I came upon one of those magazine ads for the Institute of Children’s Literature. I knew it was time to get serious, and the next thing I knew, I'd enrolled in the “Writing for Children and Teenagers” course.

Within a year or so I sold my first story, which appeared in the Christian publication Alive! for Young Teens. For many years I enjoyed success writing stories and articles for middle-graders and young adults. I even taught for ICL for 9 years.

Then my girls grew up, and there went my live-in inspiration. Time to switch gears. I began my first women's fiction manuscript and started attending Christian writers conferences. Eventually I learned about American Christian Romance Writers (which later became American Christian Fiction Writers) and couldn't wait to get involved. Friends in ACFW led me to RWA and the online inspirational chapter, Faith, Hope & Love.

So here I am today, still on this crazy roller-coaster ride. Still writing. Still hopeful. Writing, I'm learning, is not about the destination, it's about the journey. My current projects are primarily women's fiction and romance . . . novels of hope, love, and encouragement. Novels about real women living out their faith and finding love in the midst of everyday, and sometimes not so everyday, situations.


ABOUT THE BOOK


Graphic designer Natalie Pearce faces the most difficult Christmas of her life. For almost a year, her mother has lain in a nursing home, the victim of a massive stroke, and Natalie blames herself for not being there when it happened. Worse, she's allowed the monstrous load of guilt to drive a wedge between her and everyone she loves-most of all her husband Daniel. Her marriage is on the verge of dissolving, her prayer life is suffering, and she's one Christmas away from hitting rock bottom.

Junior-high basketball coach Daniel Pearce is at his wit's end. Nothing he's done has been able to break through the wall Natalie has erected between them. And their daughter Lissa's adolescent rebellion isn't helping matters. As Daniel's hope reaches its lowest ebb, he wonders if this Christmas will spell the end of his marriage and the loss of everything he holds dear.

If you would like to read the first chapter of One Imperfect Christmas, go HERE


Watch the trailer:

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A Simple Quesadilla Trick

We eat quesadillas for lunch at least once a week. I used to be intimidated by the process, but now it's just as easy as making grilled cheese. I don't know what I was so scared of before.

When I make quesadillas, I like to fry them in a little bit of butter so that they get crispy and golden brown without being overly greasy. I used to add a tablespoon of butter to my skillet for each batch I'd make. That meant the first side ended up exactly how I wanted it but the second side wouldn't get as buttery or as crisp and golden.

So what I do now is add 1/2 a tablespoon of butter to the skillet and then cut the remaining the 1/2 into pieces which I place on top of the quesadillas. That way, when I flip them, the second side still gets to cook in fresh butter and comes out just as good as the first side.

Like I said, it's just a simple little trick, but it really works for me!

Do you use a different method for making quesadillas? What works best for you?

Stop by We Are THAT Family for more Works For Me Wednesdays.

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Falling For Fall ~ Our Family's Favorite Fall Festivities

Fall is my absolute favorite season of the year. Fortunately, Eric feels the same way and the kids catch our excitement every year. So needless to say, we pack our fall months with a flurry of fun activities!

There are so many traditions and favorite activities that we have that it's hard to narrow it down to just a few. Instead, here's our fall to-do/wish list. I'm sure we'll get to cross most of these things off of our list, but you never can tell.

1. A trip to our favorite apple orchard and cider mill. We'll pick apples and pumpkins, eat hot apple cider donuts and drink hot apple cider. We'll bring home at least a dozen donuts and a gallon of apple cider. This is our very favorite fall tradition!
2. Applesauce making day. We started this tradition last year and the kids have talked about it ever since. They've already assigned themselves jobs. We'll all work together in the kitchen assembly-line style washing apples, peeling them, dicing them and placing them in pots filled with water for boiling. I plan to freeze at least 20 cups of applesauce and make a dozen batches of apple leather. I'm sure we'll also make some apple desserts and a few batches of cinnamon apples for the freezer.
3. A trip to our local state park for a hay ride and the last visit of the year at the petting farm.
4. One last picnic, probably on the banks of the Huron River.
5. A day trip to Frankenmuth, Michigan to walk around stores, pick out some Christmas ornaments and eat a fabulous Bavarian chicken dinner.
6. A few years ago Eric and Isabelle went through a corn maze with some friends. They had a blast and now that our other kids are old enough, we're hoping to all tackle one as a family this year.
7. In the past, I've taken the kids on a few fall weeks where we enjoy the leaves and crisp air. I definitely hope we'll be able to do that a few times this year.
   
8. Color drive. We all love watching the leaves change colors. I'm hoping we can combine a color drive with our trip to Frankenmuth.
   
9. Disney World! Our family trips (with my parents, my sister and brother-in-law, and my nieces and nephew) to Disney World are always a fall occurence. We're going the first week of November this year. I love Disney at fall time. They usually still have a few Halloween/fall decorations out when we first get there and by the time we leave, the Christmas decorations are going up. We also get to experience the awesome Food & Wine Festival at Epcot, which is one of my favorites.

That pretty much sums up our favorite ways to have fall fun. I'm sure I'm leaving tons of little things out though.

How about you? What are your favorite fall activities? I'd love to hear in comments, and if you want to blog about it, don't forget to link up at Daily Dwelling for the second stop on the Fall Festival tour.

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Menu Plan Monday ~ Week of 9/21

I am so excited to start this week and get into our new routine. I think we've gotten all the big changes out of our system for now. So we'll use these next few days to transition from newness to normal. I'm definitely looking forward to that.

Last week I mentioned how breakfast and lunch were a big adjustment around here with one child in school. And then the very next day we decided to send another one. I still haven't figured out the breakfast or lunch routine. I think until we get used to everything, and until my body gets used to going to bed before 1 or 2 am and waking up before 7, I'm going to cut us all some slack with breakfast. I'm afraid the big breakfasts I usually love to make might be a thing of the past during the week. I guess that will make our big weekend breakfasts even more special though. And one of these days I'll get the lunch thing figured out and start planning for those again too.

Breakfasts

• M- Mini-wheats and bananas (I found a great sale on these and it's one cold cereal I don't feel too guilty about letting the kids have.)
• T - Scrambled eggs and toast
• W - Lemon-blueberry muffins
  
• Th - Apple spiced oatmeal
• F - Lemon-blueberry muffins
• S - Crepes with mixed berry sauce
• Su - Waffles or pancakes and bacon (saving half the bacon for dinner)
  

Dinners

• M - Beef burritos, corn and black bean salad
• T - Beef pot roast with maple sweet potatoes (for the NCBA's It's What For Dinner Wednesday's)
• W - 3-Bean chili, corn bread
• Th - TBD - We're going to an open house at school from 7-8, so we'll need something quick before we go. I'm leaning towards soup of some kind and sandwiches, but if it's a warm day I'd like to get in one more cold chicken pasta salad
• F - Homemade Southwestern egg rolls, broccoli salad
• S - Date night for Eric and I, hopefully (we've been planning one for a while and it keeps getting pushed back), Tuna noodle casserole for the kids
• Su - Bacon cheeseburger pizza, cantaloupe

Get your menu planning fix over at Org Junkie's.

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Weekend Linkage - This and That Edition

I haven't felt this ready for a weekend in a long time. The past two weeks have been wonderfully exciting and chaotic, but I'm looking forward to a little down time. I'm also looking forward to re-establishing some sense of normalcy next week as we all adjust to our new routines.

We don't have many plans for this weekend, which is exactly what I want. Tomorrow we're planning a trip to Sam's Club and maybe Salvation Army to look for that table we still need to find. Other than church on Sunday, I think that sums up our plans. Eric and I will probably watch a movie together after the kids go to bed tomorrow night, if we can stay awake for it. I haven't been this tired in years!

This weekend linkage post is about as scatter-brained as I've been feeling lately. So don't look for a theme, but do go check out all these great posts and sites.

• Now that the kids are all getting older, we'll soon be at a point where we can do a family game night that includes all of us. I can't wait! And after reading Amy's post about family game night, I have some great new games to add to my list.
• I've also wanted to grow potatoes for some reason. Maybe it's because we eat a ton of them! So I was very intrigued by Jennifer's post on their potato box.
• I like participating in memes. They give me a good jumping off point when I just don't know what to write about. And even when I do know what I want to write, they help me stick to a pretty basic schedule here. So I'm excited to share a few new ones that I've recently learned about - Liz at Hoosier Homemade hosts Cupcake Tuesdays. She also just started Frightful Fridays that will run until Halloween.
• Amy at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free hosts Slightly Indulgent Mondays.
• And next week, Life As MOM is going to be teaming up with some great bloggers for A Fall Festival of Fun, Food and Friends. I am really looking forward to this since fall is my absolute favorite time of the year. I'm planning to participate every day, but we'll see how it goes. Here's a quick run-down of the schedule if you want to join in the fun too: Monday - Feathering Your Nest at Hoosier Homemade; Tuesday - Falling For Fun at Daily Dwelling; Wednesday - Fall Traditions at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free; Thursday - A Special Fall-Themed Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life As MOM; and on Friday - Finer Things of Fall at Amy's Finer Things.

Have a great weekend!

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CFBA Review ~ Dawn's Prelude

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Dawn's Prelude
(Bethany House - October 2009)
by
Tracie Peterson
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book. I thought the struggles of the main character were exceedingly well written. I felt her emotional turmoil. Without giving away the ending, I have to applaud Tracie Peterson for keeping it real and believable.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 70 novels. She teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research.

Ephesians 1:18 has become a cornerstone verse for a new non-fiction book she's been working on -- its also become a cornerstone in her life. The verse reads, "I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints."

Tracie and her family live in Belgrade, Montana.






ABOUT THE BOOK

Newly widowed Lydia Sellers discovers that through an unforeseen fluke, she is the sole recipient of her husband's fortune. But instead of granting her security, it only causes strife as her adult stepchildren battle to regain the inheritance for themselves.

Lydia, longing to put the memories of her painful marriage behind her, determines to travel to Alaska to join her aunt. Lydia's arrival in Sitka, however, brings two things she didn't expect.

One is the acquaintance of Kjell Bjorklund, the handsome owner of the sawmill. Second is the discovery that she is pregnant with her dead husband's child. What will this mean for her budding relationship with Kjell? And what lengths will her stepchildren go to reclaim their father's fortune? Lydia soon finds her life--and that of her child's--on the line.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Dawn's Prelude, go HERE

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A Monumental Morning

When we made the decision to send Isabelle to school this year, we decided that we'd keep the other three at home, even though that meant holding Alex back a year before he started kindergarten. We just didn't think he was ready.

But then Isabelle started school and all Alex could talk about was school and how he couldn't wait until it was his turn to go. This surprised me, because a huge part of why we thought he wasn't ready was that he wouldn't want to go. He's kind of clingy at times, especially with Eric. So hearing him say that he was so excited really surprised me.

We started watching him and his interactions with others. And we noticed that he was no longer this shy, clingy child we thought he was. He was outgoing and a willing participant in his sports class and his Sunday school class. He was making friends and talking to his teachers. Plus, we realized that holding him back meant holding Olivia back next year too, since we didn't want them to both be in kindergarten at the same time.

So we began to think that maybe we were making the wrong decision about kindergarten. Maybe he really was ready after all. Were we holding him back for us instead of doing what was best for him?

Eric and I had several discussions about this, but we eventually decided it was too late. He missed the whole first day thing and it wouldn't hurt to keep him at home. We even decided on Monday morning that I'd homeschool him for kindergarten this year, and then have him start first grade next year while Olivia started kindergarten.

Then, Monday afternoon, we received a phone call from our local school. When we initially enrolled Isabelle, the fourth grade was full and so she was displaced to another school within the district. The phone call let us know that there was now a spot for Isabelle at the local school. If we chose to keep her at the school where she was, we'd lose bussing and we'd have to apply for a special waiver.



So, we made the only logical decision to have Isabelle switch schools (and join her new best friend's class). But at the same time, we also saw this as the perfect opportunity to enroll Alex.

We did, and he started Wednesday morning.


He absolutely LOVES it! He is proud and happy and excited.

It's been a little quiet around the house the past two days. Eric, Olivia, Gracie and I aren't quite sure what to do with ourselves. But we're managing just fine, and I know it will get easier for us as time goes on.



But Alex...he's not unsure or having a difficult time adjusting for even a second. After all, he is a kindergartner now. And that is such a finer thing!

Stop by Amy's Finer Things for more Finer Things Friday and Hooked On Houses for more Hooked On...

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CFBA Review ~ Tidings of Great Boys

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Tidings of Great Boys
FaithWords (September 8, 2009)
by
Shelley Adina
My Thoughts:

This is the second book I've read from the All About Us series. This books are definitely a lot of fun. I like the way the faith of the character's is interwoven throughout the story. Plus, something about these books remind me of some of the series I used to love as a teenager, so I really enjoy that nostalgia element. I am looking forward to sharing these books with Isabelle in a few years.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Award-winning author Shelley Adina wrote her first teen novel when she was 13. It was rejected by the literary publisher to whom she sent it, but he did say she knew how to tell a story. That was enough to keep her going through the rest of her adolescence, a career, a move to another country, a B.A. in Literature, an M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction, and countless manuscript pages.

Shelley is a world traveler and pop culture junkie with an incurable addiction to designer handbags. She writes books about fun and faith--with a side of glamour. Between books, Shelley loves traveling, playing the piano and Celtic harp, watching movies, and making period costumes.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Finals week is approaching and Mac is still undecided on where to spend the holidays. Normally she'd go home to Scotland, but spending two weeks alone in the castle with her dad isn't as appealing as it used to be. So she invites Carly, Lissa, Gillian, and Shani to join her for the holidays!

Mac is determined to make this the best Christmas ever. She even decides to organize the traditional Hogmany dance for New Year's Eve. If she can get her mother involved in the dance, maybe her parents will finally get back together.

But when Mac and the girls arrive in Scotland, they are faced with bad news: the castle is falling apart and Mac's parents are struggling financially. Not only that, but Shani is in big trouble with Prince Rashid's royal family. Can the girls find a way to celebrate the holidays, get Mac's parents back together, save the castle, and rescue Shani from her relentless pursuers? There's only one way to find out...

If you would like to read the first chapter of Tidings of Great Boys, go HERE

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Easiest Gum In Hair Solution Ever

Every Sunday as we leave church, Isabelle's Sunday school teacher hands her a pack of Trident gum. And since Isabelle loves to share with her brother and sisters, we've been letting Alex and Olivia have a half piece each. They are new to the whole gum experience, so it has been a great novelty for them.

So I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised when Alex walked up to me the other day and told me that he had gum stuck in his hair. Sure enough, there was a good-sized chunk of gum stuck on the top of his head.

My mind immediately started swirling with all the gum-in-hair antidotes I've read about. I was ready to reach for the peanut butter when I had a better idea. I grabbed the scissors, cut off the whole section of hair and sent him on his way.

Usually this time of year we start letting Alex's summer buzz cut grow back in. (Gotta keep that head warm in the winter after all.) But, I figured he could do with one more cut for the year. So I let Eric know that he'd have to buzz him again and that was that.

Getting gum out of hair is pretty painless in my opinion. (And the girls have been threatened that they'll get the exact same treatment if they ever do that.) I might not win mother of the year for this solution, but it definitely worked for me!

Stop by We Are THAT Family for more Works For Me Wednesday.

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New Friends, Neighbors and Simple Pleasures

Our house has been on the market for a year and a half. One of the things that I've always complained about with our neighborhood was that there were no other kids. Don't get me wrong, I love our neighbors and our neighborhood, but the kids miss out on the fun of having neighborhood kids to play with.

Two weeks ago, the night we ran out to follow the hot air balloons, we saw a family that we'd never seen before. And we noticed that the daughter looked like she was pretty close in age to Isabelle. The next day, Isabelle excitedly hurried outside with her scooter to see if she could find this girl again. In fact, they were looking for each other!

They became fast friends and we found out that this girl was the same age and grade as Isabelle. How cool is that? The bond that they formed was instantaneous. It's nearly impossible to separate the two of them now.

In fact, their friendship keeps becoming stronger and stronger. This girl comes over to our house after school until her mom gets home. I offered, because I'm all about celebrating this friendship after 6 years of no close neighborhood kids.

And today, we found out that Isabelle has to switch schools. Our local school had to displace her to a different school in the district because her fourth grade was full. Well, one of the kids withdrew and there's an opening for Isabelle now. She makes the switch on Wednesday. Best of all, her new best friend is in her new class!

These two girls decided over the weekend that they wanted to hold a garden contest for all the condos in our neighborhood with gardens in their front yard. They created a flyer with all the details and passed them out. And seeing the reaction of our neighbors when they drop off the entry forms has made me abundantly grateful that we live here.

Our neighbors, all of them, know Isabelle. She's always been the girl that rides her scooter all day long. They've noticed that it's no longer Isabelle alone and they are as excited for her as Eric and I. Hearing neighbors that Eric and I only know in passing say they are so happy to see the girls enjoying each other and being creative is a wonderful things.

And every time another entry form gets dropped off, I get the pleasure of seeing the joy and excitement in the girls faces. They're building their friendship and bringing a neighborhood together, even if they don't realize it. Honestly, I don't mind if that "For Sale" sign stays in our window another year. There's nowhere I'd rather live right now!

Stop by Heavenly Homemakers for more Gratituesday.

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Menu Plan Monday ~ Week of 9/14

Well, this will be our first full week of school for Isabelle because of the holiday last week. I thought I'd dread getting up earlier to get her out the door, but it's really made a huge difference in my daily productivity.

I'm slowly getting adjusted to the new way of things around here, but breakfasts and lunches are throwing me off a little. I know once we get more used to the new schedule, everything will fall into place. But until then, I feel like things are still a bit up in the air. So I'm not even going to plan for lunches this week until I figure what works best for us. Isabelle is enjoying brown bagging lunch, so that hasn't been much of an issue. It's figuring out what to feed the rest of us that is stumping me for some reason.

Breakfasts

• M - Breakfast cookies, smoothies
• T - Blueberry pancakes
• W - Banana muffins, smoothies
• Th - French toast
• F - Oatmeal, smoothies
• S - Bananas foster crepes
• Su - Sunshine toast

Dinner

• M - Creamy cheese & chicken enchilads, black bean salad
• T - Beef stew & biscuits
• W - Curry chicken & broccoli casserole, tossed salad
• Th - Ham & cheese strata, maple-glazed carrots
  
• F - Taco lentils over rice, cantaloupe
• S - Chicken & dumplings or chicken pot pie
• Su - Salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, garlic zucchini & mushroom saute

Stop by Org Junkie for hundreds more menu plans!

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CFBA Review ~ Just Between You And Me

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Just Between You And Me
Thomas Nelson (September 1, 2009)
by
Jenny B. Jones
My Thoughts:

I loved this book! Within the first few pages, I was completely invested in the lives of these characters. It was a bumpy ride reading their stories play out, but it was so enjoyable and touching. I definitely recommend reading this book!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I write Christian fiction with a few giggles, quite a bit of sass, and lots of crazy. My novels include the Katie Parker Production series and So Not Happening. I would also like to take credit for Twilight , but somewhere I think I read you’re not supposed to lie.

When I’m not typing my heart out (or checking email), I teach at a super-sized high school in Arkansas.

My students are constantly telling me how my teaching changes their lives and turned them away from drugs, gangs, and C-SPAN.

Okay, that’s not exactly true.

Since my current job leaves me with very little free time, I believe in spending my spare hours in meaningful, intellectual pursuits such as:

-watching E!
-updating my status on Facebook
-catching Will Ferrell on YouTube and
-writing my name in the dust on my furniture

I’d love to hear about you, so drop me a note. Or check me out on Facebook.




ABOUT THE BOOK

The only thing scarier than living on the edge is stepping off it.
Maggie Montgomery lives a life of adventure. Her job as a cinematographer takes her from one exotic locale to the next. When Maggie's not working, she loves to rappel off cliffs or go skydiving. Nothing frightens her.

Nothing, that is, except Ivy, Texas, where a family emergency pulls her back home to a town full of bad memories, painful secrets, and people Maggie left far behind . . . for a reason.

Forced to stay longer than she intended, Maggie finds her family a complete mess, including the niece her sister has abandoned. Ten-year-old Riley is struggling in school and out of control at home. The only person who can really handle the pint-sized troublemaker is Conner, the local vet and Ivy's most eligible bachelor. But Conner and Maggie keep butting heads--he's suspicious of her and, well, she doesn't rely on anyone but herself.

As Maggie humorously fumbles her way from one mishap to another, she realizes she's going to need to ask for help from the one person who scares her the most.

To save one little girl--and herself--can Maggie let go of her fears and just trust God?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Just Between You And Me, go HERE

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A Week of Firsts

This has certainly been quite a week for us! I thought it would be fun to give a brief rundown of things. So here we go...

1. Isabelle loves school. She has made a great adjustment. So far, she thinks school is a lot more fun than homeschool. That's all well and good, but we are making sure she understands that school is for learning, just like when she'd do her school work at home every day. I think she grasps that and she is definitely enjoying her classes and even her homework.
2. The little kids sure miss their big sister! I am asked at least a dozen times a day when she will be getting home. And they each cry if they feel like she didn't say good-bye loudly or long enough.
3. Getting up early and being forced to get going at the beginning of the day has really made a difference in my day. I am actually getting lots done every day and it is feeling really good.
4. I completely forgot how short a lunch period is in schools. Isabelle gets 15 minutes to eat lunch every day. Our lunches tend to be lazy affairs where we all lounge together and take our time eating. So Isabelle has had to quickly adjust to eating faster and I've had to adjust what I pack for her if she's ever going to finish it all.
5. I never expected to feel more fallout from deciding to stop homeschooling than I did when we started homeschooling. It's been a bit difficult for me. I feel like I've ostracized myself from this large, wonderful group of homeschoolers.
6. Having Isabelle in school all the time really has impacted our overall household. I miss her help and her company. The kids miss their play buddy. Eric misses his favorite teasing victim. Everything is different. But yet we all are loving this new stage and we're excited each morning for what the day will hold.
7. I'm suffering from a bit of an identity crisis. For over 5 years, I've described myself as a homeschooling mom. And now I'm not. So...what does that make me? Just a mom? I don't mean that negatively, but it is an adjustment for me to lose that little moniker.

Tomorrow we have an open house at Isabelle's school that we're all really looking forward to. This is definitely an adventure and an experience. And I'm so glad we're all on this ride together as a family. I wouldn't have it any other way, and that truly is a finer thing!

Stop by Amy's Finer Things for more Finer Things Friday and Conversion Diary for more 7 Quick Takes Friday.

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A Great Resource For Moms

Have you ever felt alone in struggles you face as a mom? Or have you ever just needed some wise advice of a mom who's walked the same path as you?

I can definitely answer yes to both of those questions. And I've found those great connections and resources all across the blogosphere. I truly feel fortunate every single day to have this huge community of women at my disposal, 24 hours a day.

So I always get excited when I find a new resource for moms online. And when that resource is filled with wisdom, interactivity, tips and ideas, I know I've really found something great.

That is the case with Mom's Homeroom from MSN.

Over the past few weeks, I've spent quite a bit of time exploring all the resources at Mom's Homeroom and I've been really impressed. I think my favorite feature is the videos. They've been fun to watch. One video in particular on helping kids adjust at school was very timely for me as we prepared to send Isabelle off to school instead of homeschooling.

I tend to have a love/hate relationship with all forums because they become a time suck for me; one that' not very productive either. The Mom's Homeroom forum board was like most other forum boards to me in that it provided some valuable advice and conversation, but there was also a lot I could do without.

Overall, I really enjoy visiting Mom's Homeroom. I'm sure it will be a resource I turn to a lot in the future. I definitely recommend spending at least a few minutes looking around and seeing if there might be something of value for you there.

Disclosure:
I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

All thoughts of Mom's Homeroom are a true and honest reflection of how I feel, irregardless of compensation or product sample.

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When A Homeschooled Girl Heads To School For The First Time

Stop by 5 Minutes For Mom for more Wordless Wednesday.

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Easy Bacon De-Greasing

I rely on diced bacon a lot around our house. It is an easy way to really up the flavor of any dish, even with just a slice or two. I use scissors to make the dicing of the bacon easy. Then I add those pieces to a skillet. Easy enough...but I always had a tough time getting all the grease off those little pieces.

Then I discovered this little trick that really works for me. I remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon and place it in a bowl that is lined with a double layer coffee filter. The coffee filters are very absorbent and it is easy to stir the bacon pieces around so that all the grease is absorbed.



If I'm dealing with a large amount of bacon pieces, I'll add an extra layer or two of coffee filters on top of each other. So, I'll add a third of the bacon to the bowl, then I'll top that with another double layer of coffee filters and add more bacon. It's so easy and really works great.

Plus, clean up is a breeze. I just throw the coffee filters away when I'm done and clean out the bowl. I never have to deal with those grease drips on the counter that can happen when you drain bacon on a paper towel on a plate.

Stop by We Are THAT Family for more Works For Me Wednesday.

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From Homeschool To School

This past week has been very busy and filled with exciting new changes. Last Wednesday, Eric and I made the decision to send Isabelle to school this year.

We initially began discussing the possibility at the beginning of summer. We came back to it several times without ever coming to a final conclusion. I began to plan our curriculum for the homeschool year ahead, but for some reason I kept hesitating with actually ordering the supplies.

Then, the day I planned to order (I'd actually begun filling out the order forms online), we reached our decision. That decision is that Isabelle will be attending school this year for fourth grade. And next year, Alex will start kindergarten...Olivia the year after...and Gracie the year after that.

So many things went into our decision and it was not taken lightly by any of us, Isabelle included. We all decided that this was the smartest option for our family.

Homeschooling is wonderful and I will never once regret the years we spent as homeschoolers. Nor will we ever rule out the option of homeschooling again at some point in the future. But as of now, we are focused on doing what's best for our children.

Maybe I'll go into more detail of this decision at some point, or maybe not. It's a very personal and emotional decision.

We are excited to watch Isabelle tackle this new adventure. We know she will do remarkably well and thrive at school.

She'll walk out the door tomorrow armed with school supplies, a new lunchbox filled with healthy and delicious food, a cool new dress and shoes, and the knowledge that her parents are willing to readjust their views and do what's best for her. Because that's what love and parenthood are all about.

Stop by 5 Minutes for Mom for more Tackle It Tuesday and Heavenly Homemakers for more Gratituesday.

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Weekend Linkage - The Stumble Edition

I've been spending a bit of time on StumbleUpon lately. Stumbling through posts is a great way to find some really good posts and new blogs. So I thought I'd share some of my favorites from this past week.

• 5 Lazy Ways to Simplify Your Days from Little House in the Suburbs.
• Check out this super cute Robot Cup and Saucer from Prime-Number.com
• 10 Uncluttering Things To Do Every Day from Unclutterer.
• An oldie but a goodie...Chinese Egg Rolls from Steamy Kitchen
• Another semi-oldie...14 Ways to Entertain Your Preschooler Using Ziploc Bags from PreSchool Mama.

We are ready for a nice long weekend filled with wishing a fond farewell to summer. Lots of lazy time lounging outside is on the agenda for sure.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead!

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Memories Born From A Yes

One of my favorite things about living where we do is that at least once or twice every year around this time, we are treated to something exceptional. Last night was one of those times.


I was putting dinner on plates when Isabelle called me to come quick. I walked over to the back door where she was standing, looked out the window and saw a sight that still takes my breath away - a hot air balloon.


It was still kind of far away but headed in our direction. So we sat down to eat dinner and decided we'd check on its progress as soon as we were through.


When we went to check on the balloon's progress, we saw there were actually two of them and one looked like it was about to land in the neighborhood next to ours. The kids really wanted to go see that. Who can blame them?


But of course my practical mom brain thought of what time it was. We had dishes to do, dessert to eat, and bedtime routines to take care of. Then a dash of impulse overtook me and I said YES instead.


We quickly threw on our shoes and ran to get a better look. Isabelle made sure I grabbed the camera as we headed out the door. (She wanted to blog about the balloons too!) By the time we got close enough, the balloon was already landed and starting to deflate. As we headed toward home, we realized the second balloon was coming in for a landing across the street.


This time, we got there just in time to see it land. Although we weren't right there, it was an amazing show even from across the street.


The kids stood in awe and watched the balloon. It's a moment that's been etched in my brain forever. I think we all made a lifetime memory together last night.

All because I said yes.

Stop by Amy's Finer Things for more Finer Things Friday.

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The Only Organization Tool That I Can Count On

Organization and I don't go hand-in-hand. We butt heads on a daily basis.

Sure, I have great aspirations of one day being an organizing queen, but I use to have aspirations of living under water someday too. Honestly, one is about as likely to happen as the other.

Every so often, I'll get on a big organization kick and re-organize everything in our lives - from the pantry to the kids toys to our daily routine. I'll do great for a few days. If you want advice on how to start getting organized, I could probably give you that. But if you want advice on how to stay organized, you should probably look somewhere else.

All that aside, I do have one little trick I use for organizing my time that has worked without fail since I was a little girl. I write myself a mini to-do list. And most of the time, I stick to it and feel productive by the end of the day. It's a great thing!

Most mornings, I jot down a quick list of all the things I have to accomplish that day. I usually list the easy, no-option stuff too, like making breakfast, lunch and dinner. That way I know I'll be able to cross some things of my list no matter what.

That morning list is for all my household and mom duties. Then, each night after the kids are in bed, I sit down at my computer and write a quick list of all the things I need to get done work-wise. I cross off as I go and it usually keeps me on track.


I have tried expensive scheduling systems and elaborate plans in the past. I love them all, I really do. But I've kind of learned to just be honest with myself and stick with the pen and paper list. It works for me!

Stop by We Are THAT Family for lots of real organizing tips. And stop by Hooked On Houses for more Hooked On... since I am definitely hooked on lists!

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CFBA Review ~ Gone To Green

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Gone To Green
Abingdon Press (August 2009)
by
Judy Christie
My Thoughts:

I absolutely enjoyed this book! I found it so easy to relate to the main character's journey and I cheering for her the whole time. After I finished the book, I kept thinking about it. I can not wait to read the next book in the series and find out what happens to these characters and this newspaper that feel like friends now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




Judy Pace Christie, after working as a journalist for twenty-five years, left the daily news business to open a consulting firm that works with individuals, businesses, and churches on strategies for meaningful life and work, including goal-setting, living fully, and balancing personal and professional lives. She is the author of Hurry Less, Worry Less; Hurry Less, Worry Less at Christmastime; and co-author of Awesome Altars. Judy and her husband live in northwest Louisiana.




ABOUT THE BOOK

Lois goes from being a corporate journalist at a large paper in the Midwest to the owner of The Green News-Item, a small twice-weekly newspaper in rural North Louisiana. The paper was an unexpected inheritance from a close colleague, and Lois must keep it for at least a year, bringing a host of challenges, lessons, and blessings into her life.

When Lois pulls into Green on New Year’s Day, she expects a charming little town full of smiling people. She quickly realizes her mistake. After settling into a loaned house out on Route 2, she finds herself battling town prejudices and inner doubts and making friends with the most surprising people: troubled teenager Katy, good-looking catfish farmer Chris, wise and feisty Aunt Helen, and a female African-American physician named Kevin.

Whether fighting a greedy, deceitful politician or rescuing a dog she fears, Lois notices the headlines in her life have definitely improved. She learns how to provide small-town news in a big-hearted way and realizes that life is full of newsworthy moments. When she encounters racial prejudice and financial corruption, Lois also discovers more about the goodness of real people and the importance of being part of a community.

While secretly preparing the paper for a sale, Lois begins to realize that God might indeed have a plan for her life and that perhaps the allure of city life and career ambition are not what she wants after all.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Gone To Green, go HERE

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