Blogging Break

I'm taking a planned Blogging Break.

It may be for a week.  It may be for the Summer.  Or maybe forever...

I don't know at this point.

I have some thinking to do about the direction I want to take the blog, and if I even still want to continue blogging.

Blogging takes a lot of time and without linking up with parties continuously, I'm getting maybe 20 views per day.

I appreciate those 20 views, don't get me wrong.

I just really want to give it some thought.

Let me know what you think in the comments.


Colletta

Book Review ~ Without Warning by Lynette Eason

 

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Blurb:

 

Katie Singleton, a partner with the Elite Guardians Protection Agency, stumbles upon her next assignment quite by accident. Spotting blue lights at a familiar restaurant, she stops to investigate, only to discover that owner Daniel Matthews has become the target of someone who will go to any lengths to put him out of business.

Daniel might be concerned, but he's not convinced that a bodyguard--and a female one at that--is necessary. A new attack and his niece's urgings are enough to make him reconsider. He and Katie must figure out who's behind the intimidation and threats--before a would-be killer strikes again.   

My Thoughts:

 

This is the second book of the "Elite Guardians" series but I don't think it is necessary to have read the first book of the series to enjoy this one.

 

This was a very fast-paced book with many twists and turns.

 

I had an inkling of who the culprit might have been but then the author lead me away from that character with very good writing.  I think you'll be surprised with the outcome.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed Daniel's character and Katie was such a strong leading lady.  Their romance in the midst of such chaos was very intriguing.

 

I really like the premise of an all female bodyguard company.  The ladies are all interesting and strong.  I look forward to reading more of this series.

 

 



Colletta

The Menu ~ Week of 5/22/18

For the Week of 5/22/18-5/28/18

Tuesday:            Cheese Ravioli, Garlic Bread, Green Beans, Strawberries

Wednesday:       Pork Chops, Rice, Peas, Oranges  (Rolled Over)

Thursday:            Fish, French Fries, Broccoli, Apples

Friday:                 Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Corn, Peaches and Cottage Cheese

Saturday:             Bacon, Fried Potatoes, Peas, Grapes

Sunday:               Church Pot Luck

Monday:              Memorial Day ~ Picnic


What are you eating this week?

Colletta

Weekly Weigh-In ~ 5/19/18

Well, this week I stayed the exact same weight.

 

Bummer.

 

That is all. 

My week's stats:

 
Weigh-in:  -0 lbs     Total:  -31.8 lbs. 

HW: 297.0
SW1: 285.4
SW2: 275.8
CW:  265.2


Exercise:  Saturday ~  30  minutes
                  Sunday ~
                  Monday ~  60 minutes
                  Tuesday ~  60 minutes
                  Wednesday ~ 
                  Thursday ~  60 minutes
                   Friday ~  30 minutes

                   TOTAL:  240 minutes =  45 /43 Fitpoints

Colletta

What I Am Reading ~ 5/21/18

I picked up a few books at the Library.  I was very excited to find some books that I've been waiting to get my hands on.  This one will finish off a series.

Today I'm reading:

BAILEY WILDE IS THE OLDEST SISTER—and the one who takes care of everyone else in her family. But after her sisters marry and move away, her little homestead becomes bleak and lonely, especially during the long winter months. In a moment of weakness, Bailey agrees to a wild plan concocted by her neighbor, Gage Coulter.

Gage is an honest man, but he didn't make his fortune by being weak. He won't break the law, but he'll push as hard as he can within it. Five thousand acres of excellent grazing land is lost to him because Bailey's homestead is located right across the entrance to a canyon full of lush grass. Gage has to regain access to this land—and he's got to go through Bailey to do it. So he makes a proposal...

Can these two independent, life-toughened homesteaders finally loosen up enough to earn each other's respect—and maybe find love in the process?  

What are you reading?

Colletta

Song I'm Loving ~ "Cry Pretty" by Carrie Underwood

I'm not pretty crier!  How about you?

 

 Colletta

Tea Time ~ Senior Trip and Middle School ~ 5/18/18

 

Grab a cup of tea, coffee, hot chocolate or your favorite drink
while I share a few things about my life lately...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

~Kaylee and her Senior Class of 2018 arrived in Ft. Lauderdale safely!  Thank you for your prayers!  I was so anxious about her leaving but I must let her experience life and she needs to learn to stand on her own two feet.  Today they are taking an Everglades Tour.  It sounds like so much fun!  Wish I could go :)

~I signed Laken up for the Summer Reading Program at our local Library!  The program is called "Libraries Rock".  If the kids read 20 minutes a day during the Summer, they will be invited to a pool party.  She's excited and that makes me happy :)  While we were there we got a Library Card and I'm excited to explore the shelves for new books this Summer.

~We also signed up little Miss Laken for Flag Football Cheerleading!  She loves cheer and is very excited about this activity as well.  It won't start until late August after the Library Program is over.  I don't want to fill the Summer with too many things.  We like to lay back and enjoy the Summertime.

~Mother's Day was such a nice day!  The family took me out to eat at Texas Roadhouse.  Yummy!  Then we went shopping for Kaylee's Graduation Dress (it has to be white) and Laken's 5th Grade Camp supplies.  5th Grade Camp was Monday and Tuesday and Laken had a blast!

~After much consideration and prayer, we have decided to transfer Laken to a new school next year.  She currently attends a Charter School and we have decided to transfer her to the School District's Middle School.  Wednesday we went to meet the guidance counselor and to take a tour.  I feel really good about this decision even though I will be sad to leave the Charter School behind.  Laken will be entering 6th grade and the Middle School is grades 6-8, so it will be a new school for all the 6th graders.  Laken seems to be excited about the change so I'm praying all will go well!

How was your week?
 

Colletta

Book Review ~ Still Life by Dani Pettrey

 

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Blurb:

 

Work hits too close to home for crime scene photographer Avery Tate when her best friend disappears. The only lead is a chilling photo of her--apparently dead. As Avery, her boss Parker, and his friends dig into the case, she's forced to confront her feelings for Parker when they come face-to-face with a dangerous criminal.  

My Thoughts:

 

This is the second book of the Chesapeake Valor Series.  To read my review of the first book, Cold Shot, click HERE.

 

Dani Pettrey has fast become one of my favorite authors.

 

Still Life was an awesome read.  I was hooked from the start.  I think getting to know the characters in the first book really helped to draw me in.  For that fact, I highly recommend reading this series in order.

 

Parker and Avery's love for each other is spoken of fairly early in the book, but there are so my seemingly insurmountable odds that keep it interesting on the love front.

 

As for the mystery/suspense aspect, I could hardly put the book down!  I was intrigued to find out who the murderer was and can say that I didn't figure it out until the very end.  To me that is the way a good book reads.

 

I've become invested in the main "group" of characters and can't wait to find out more about Luke's disappearance and if the "gang" can find out who murdered Jenna.

 

Get your hands on this series if you can!

 



Colletta

Book Review ~ A Grand Design by Amber Stockton

 

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Blurb:

 

When Alyssa Denham, a single career woman, wins a fun getaway for two on Mackinac Island where her grandmother lives, she gives her carefree best friend a call. Together, they tour the old shops and hidden treasures of the quaint island while helping Alyssa’s grandmother piece together an heirloom quilt. Their quest gains them entrance into the homes of many longtime residents of the island, parts of the city that are otherwise off limits to tourists.

As the quilt’s story takes shape, Alyssa gains amazing insight into her grandmother’s life . . . and attracts the attention of the handsome Scott Whitman, an island resident in charge of hotel transportation. Will memories of her past keep Alyssa from letting go? Or will the quest to piece together the heirloom quilt restore Alyssa’s fractured heart—and bring healing to her entire family?  

My Thoughts:

 

Years ago, I saw a commercial advertising Mackinac Island.  The images from that commercial have stuck with me all this time.  It seems like it would be like stepping back in time.

 

It was really interesting to read a book set on Mackinac Island and also feature quilting.

 

This was a sweet book that was a joy to read.  Alyssa's grandmother was quite the character.  I was glad that Alyssa was able to heal from past hurts and move on with her life.

 

I've read many of the "Quilts of Love" series.  I can't say that this was my favorite but they all have been good reads.

 

I want to visit Mackinac Island more than ever!

 



Colletta

Work In Progress ~ 5/16/18

 

 

I've been enjoying sitting on my little deck and working on Ashley's Afghan.

Here's where I was at last week:
 

 

 I've made great progress and have completed just about 5 and 1/2 rows.

 

It is getting a bit harder to fit the whole afghan in one picture without getting a chair to stand on and taking a picture from above.

I've been sticking to my word and tying in ends after each row. 

 

Being over half way finished with the main body of this afghan feels great!  I need to have it finished by June 30th for the Bridal Shower.

I'm also excited to say that I think I'm going to have enough yarn to complete the project!  Whohoo!


What are you working on?

Colletta 





Prayers Appreciated!

I would deeply covet any and all prayers for Kaylee and her Senior Class of 2018 as they depart tomorrow to fly to Florida for their Senior Trip!

I don't know if I'm ready for this!

Colletta

The Menu ~ Week of 5/15/18

For the Week of 5/15/18-5/21/18

Tuesday:        SOS, Mashed Potatoes, Corn on the Cob, Applesauce (Rolled Over)

    

Wednesday:       Pork Chops, Augratins, Peas, Oranges  (Rolled Over)

Thursday:            Weiner Winks, French Fries, Broccoli, Peaches

Friday:                 Ham, Green Beans and Potatoes, Lettuce Salad, Rolls, Orange Jello

Saturday:             Sloppy Joes, Mac-n-Cheese, Homemade Ice Cream

Sunday:               Church Pot Luck

Monday:              Chicken, Buttered Potatoes, Corn, Pears

What are you eating this week?

Colletta

What I Am Reading ~ 5/14/18

I did it!  I finished a book!

To read my review of "Hope Harbor" by Irene Hannon click HERE.

Today I'm reading:

Work hits too close to home for crime scene photographer Avery Tate when her best friend disappears. The only lead is a chilling photo of her--apparently dead. As Avery, her boss Parker, and his friends dig into the case, she's forced to confront her feelings for Parker when they come face-to-face with a dangerous criminal.  

This is Book 2 of the Chesapeake Valor Series.  To read my review of Book 1, "Cold Shot", click HERE.

What are you reading?

Colletta

Song I'm Loving ~ "Space Cowboy" by Kacey Musgraves

 

The first time I heard this song I was struck by how pretty the music is.

 

The second time I was struck by how clever the turn of phrase "Space Cowboy" is.

 

I hope you enjoy :)

 

 

 Colletta

Weekly Weigh In ~ 5/12/18

 

I almost didn't go to my Weight Watchers meeting this morning.

Yesterday, was a really bad eating day for me and by evening I was really discouraged with my lack of self-control.

Did it matter to me that the entire week (except for yesterday) I had stuck to the program and exercised enough to go over my FitPoints goal?  No.  All that mattered is that I thought I had failed.

I decided that I needed to own up to my mistake and go and face the music of the scale.

Imagine my surprise when I weighed in for -2.0 lbs!

I guess one bad day doesn't negate all the hard work of the week.  That is a good lesson to learn.  Don't give up and don't give in because of a few mistakes.

So, that means that I've lost 10.6 lbs  since rejoining WW Meetings on my birthday, March 24th.  I'll take it!

My week's stats:

 
Weigh-in:  -2.0 lbs     Total:  -31.8 lbs. 

HW: 297.0
SW1: 285.4
SW2: 275.8
CW:  265.2


Exercise:  Saturday ~
                  Sunday ~
                  Monday ~  50 minutes
                  Tuesday ~ 60 minutes
                  Wednesday ~ 90 minutes
                  Thursday ~ 60 minutes
                   Friday ~ 30 minutes

                   TOTAL:  290 minutes =   52/43 Fitpoints

Colletta

Tea Time ~ Prom and Yardwork ~ 5/11/18

 

Grab a cup of tea, coffee, hot chocolate or your favorite drink
while I share a few things about my life lately...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 

~Kaylee's Senior Prom was last Saturday night.  She looked beautiful and had a wonderful time.  The theme was "Winter Wonderland".  A bit ironic as we've just now started having Spring weather!  Now to focus on Senior Trip...

~Another Senior Moment was Baccalaureate.  Kaylee was asked to sing to represent the Class of 2018.  She sang a song called "Above All" and did a wonderful job.  I'm so proud of my baby girl!

~I've been able to spend a good bit of time on my deck crocheting and reading.  I LOVE IT!  I can't wait to get flowers to plant in the containers we bought the other day.  We've been doing a lot of yardwork to repair the mess that was made during excavation for the addition.  We also got 12 ton of gravel for the parking lot and driveway.  Lots of work getting done around here :)

~We had our Mother's Day Banquet at Church Tuesday evening.  We ordered a cake for the occasion and I love how the bakers decorated it!  They put leaves going down the sides of the cake.  So pretty!  I'll add a picture soon :)


~I finally wrote a book review!  It was only my 7th review of the year.  I'm so behind on my Goodreads Challenge that I don't think it is possible to catch up.  I think I'm now 12 books behind schedule!  You can click HERE to read my review of Hope Harbor by Irene Hannon.

How was your week?
 

Colletta

Kaylee's Senior Prom 2018

 

Saturday was Kaylee's Senior Prom.  (How did my baby grow up so fast!?!)

 

I took a ton of pictures.  Some of Kaylee by herself some with her boyfriend, Shawn, and some with Laken, Daddy and I actually got in one too!

 

Instead of commenting on each picture, I'm just going to leave them here for your viewing pleasure.

 

Isn't she beautiful?



 

 

 

   
 

Love my family so much!

Colletta

Book Review ~ Hope Harbor by Irene Hannon

 

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Blurb:

 

Tracy Campbell never wanted to leave Hope Harbor, Oregon, or the idyllic three-generation cranberry farm where she grew up. But life–and love–altered her plans.

When tragedy strikes and changes her plans yet again, she finds herself back in her hometown with a floundering farm to run and a heartbreaking secret. Romance is not on her agenda. Nor is it on Michael Hunter’s. The visitor from Chicago has daunting secrets of his own. But when Tracy recruits him to help save a struggling charitable organization, the winds of change begin to sweep through Hope Harbor, bringing healing, hope, and love to countless lives–including their own.  

My Thoughts:

 

I am so excited to be able to write a book review!

 

This is only my 7th in 2018!  I've just not spent the time reading like I used to but now that I can finally sit out on my swing on the deck, I've had the desire to pick up a book.

 

This book wasn't a thrill ride but rather was sweet and compelling.

 

It starts out rather slow and took me a while to really get rolling but that could have been my time constraints.  After a while, things got interesting and kept me intrigued.

 

I was especially anxious to read if Anna and her long-lost son would reunite and if Floyd would find a new girlfriend :)

 

This is the second time at love for both of the main characters who are a widow and widower.  They were both reluctant to let there emotions get involved.  I loved the way the author slowly opened up their hearts to love again.

 

This is the first book in the "Hope Harbor" series.  There are a total of 4 books in this series so I seriously need to get my hands on the other 3 books!

 

 



Colletta