Menu Plan Monday

Hey guys - I'm trying to do a quick post, but I'll try to put the links up later. My husband loves the recipes from sweet pea chef, so most of my links are from there this week. Monday - chicken and rice Tuesday - French dip, fruit, chips Wednesday - chicken teriyaki, stir fry veggies, white rice Thursday - finish the roast - either as Philly cheese steaks, or just roast :) Friday - family night Saturday - homemade pizza Sunday - tacos For more great plans check out http://Orgjunkie.com

Chasing the Sun - book review

I got a chance to review a book for Bethany House Publishers this month and I loved it. I give it 5 out of 5 stars! I love Tracie Peterson and have enjoyed everything that she has written and this was no different. A family moves to Texas in an attempt to escape the heartache of losing wide and mom, but soon after they move the country is swept up in a civil war. Texas is far away from the initial fighting, but even Texas has its loyalties tested. It was really interesting to view the civil war and the problems with local Indians through Hannah Dandridge's eyes. As a woman raised in Vicksburg,MS, she was loyal to the south, but being in TX where the fighting was a bit distant she had a chance to view and accept both sides, a chance to place her her "loyalty" with humanity. She was raising a brother and sister, twenty years her junior, helping run a ranch and hoping to hear from her family every day, but she held fast to her faith and the knowledge that whatever happened God was still in control. If you enjoy historical fiction and a bit of romance, you too will enjoy this story. Go on, check it out! Chasing the Sun Thank you Bethany House Publishers for providing me with a copy to review. My opinions are my own.

Booking It

If you need motivation to keep up with your reading list, as well as suggestions from other readers you should check out http://lifeasmom.com .  Follow the booking it feature.  Come on, Try it, You'll like it :)

This month I read Blind Hope as my Blogging for Books selection.  It was uplifting and it had a good underlying story, but will be considered "preachy" by some and was somewhat disjointed. If you want to read more check out what I had to say here.

I also read Coming Back Stronger by Drew Brees.  If you read the Tim Tebow book and enjoyed it, then you'll probably enjoy this one as well.  It was pretty well written (for what it is), and I really enjoyed a lot of the back story that I hadn't heard before.  If you don't love football you won't love the play by play, but my nephew ate every word up.  It was really interesting hearing about Drew coming back from a career threatening injury and hearing how he dealt with the rehab and the pressure.  I enjoyed the book, but confession - I skipped a lot of the play by play. :)

I went back to enjoy a Cindy Woodsmall book again this month (she writes novels that deal primarily with the Amish and Mennonite communities).  It was a gift from Waterbrook for reviewing a different Cindy Woodsmall book.  It was called The Scent of Cherry Blossoms.  I really loved it.  It really showed life and how the two communities are interconnected (the Amish and Mennonite) but yet still so separate.  The love story was wonderful, and it is always great to read a love story where everything is kept pure, and that consequences of actions are thought about in advance.  It made me think about what I would have done in a similar situation, and although this world is obviously worlds apart from mine, I think I was able to have some serious soul searching about the matter.

I also have really been enjoying reading a blog called inspired reads which highlights books on amazon that are free for kindles for a small period of time.  This blog has had my kindle (on the phone) constantly full and I can stop and read them at any time. 
. If you want to download the book, check to see what the current price is. I read The Pig and the Pantry by Rose Godfrey
Always the Designer Never the Bride by Bricker
Paper Roses by Amanda Cabot
Homespun Bride by Jillian Hart
Charlotte Figg Takes Over Paradise by Magnin
Goodness Gracious Green by Christie
Gone to Green by Christie
How to De-Clutter and Make Money by Kuper
and Heart of Gold by Lacy Williams. 

I am going to review all of these books soon ( I should have done it while I was reading them), but nap time is nearly over at my house.  Enjoy your books this month.  :)  

Blind Hope - Blogging for books

This month I received Blind Hope - An Unwanted Dog & the Woman She Rescued by Kim Meeder and Laurie Sacher from Blogging for Books.  It is a story of a woman who was taught how to love and be loved by a rescued dog with a litany of problems. 

I enjoyed the book and the story, although for some it'll come across as "preachy."  Each story that is related is related for the express purpose of bringing some point across, but for the woman in the story (Laurie Sacher) I'm sure that's how life felt.  Everytime she learned something new from her dog she always saw the implications of her relationship with the heavenly father.  The story is a true one that is set at a ranch that rescues horses and helps children.  Laurie came to work at the ranch and learned more than I'm sure she ever bargained for. 

The story is uplifting and glorifying to God. I really enjoyed it.  It did feel disjointed in some points, but it was always at a chapter break that I felt that way.  I hope you read it, enjoy it, and apply some new principles to your own life. 


Thanks WaterbrookMultnomah for providing me with a copy to review. My opinions are my own