In the Kitchen ~ Fluffy Icing ~ 9/17/15

 

This is an old family recipe and really easy to make!

Fluffy Icing

1/2 cup Crisco
2 Tablespoons butter
5 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 lb powdered sugar
(Extra milk)

Beat together first four ingredients.

Add powdered sugar and beat well.

Add extra milk if too thick.

Beat for 2 minutes until nice and fluffy.

Spread on cooled cake.

 

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Linking up to:  Full Plate Thursday, Inspritation2 , Creative Ways, Grace at Home, Create It Thursday, Your Turn to Shine,   Project Stash  Homemaking Linkup and Home Sweet Home, Share Your Cup;  Grandma Ideas, Think and Make.

15 Years Ago ~ 9/16/15

15 years ago, today, I was still a young, unmarried woman.

 

15 years ago, tomorrow, these pictures were taken.



 

It was the happiest day of my life.

 

 

Then we went to Disney World!



 

Then, we had two beautiful girls.

 

 

My life is complete :)

 

 Here's to 15 more, Babe!

Also linking up to  WholeHearted Wednesday, Party in Your PJs,  The Mommy Club, Works or Me, Wake-Up Wednesday and Wow Me Wednesday .

 

Book Review ~ A Bride for Keeps by Melissa Jagears ~ 9/16/15

Blurb:

    Everett Cline will never humiliate himself by seeking a mail-order bride. Not again. He's already been jilted by three mail-order brides and figures a wife just isn't in his future. However, a well-meaning neighbor hasn't given up on seeing him settled, so she goes behind his back to bring yet another woman to town for him.

Julia Lockwood has never been anything more than a pretty pawn for her father or a business acquisition for her former fiance. A mail-order marriage in faraway Kansas is a last resort, but she'll do anything to leave her life in Massachusetts and the heartbreak she's experienced there.

Although Everett doesn't see how a beautiful, cultured woman like Julia could be happy sharing his simple life, he could really use a helpmate on his homestead. Determined to prove she's more than just a pretty face, Julia agrees to a marriage in name only. Faced with the harsh realities of life on the prairie and hesitant to explore the tentative feelings growing between them, can Everett and Julia ever let each other in long enough to fall in love?      

 

My Thoughts:

I got my housework done as soon as I could yesterday so that I could sit back and sink into this book.  I read the entire book in one afternoon of non-stop enjoyment!

I love mail-order-bride stories and loved the concept that Everett didn't know his neighbor had sent for one for him.  I thought it had great potential to be intriguing and interesting.

I also love marriage of convenience romances.  I get totally engrossed in reading to find out how they make their way to each other.  Everett and Julia were a tough couple to get together but it all works out in the end :)

I loved the authors writing style.  It was the first book I have read by Melissa Jagears but I definitely hope it won't be the last.

 

On to the Next Book!

Teaser Tuesday ~ 9/15/15

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. 

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My teaser for this week is from:

 

 

~He hadn't seen talked to her alone since the day she arrived in Salt Flatts with those identifying white feathers he'd been told to expect, but he hadn't anticipated her being married to Carl before she stepped off the train.  Why hadn't she thrown her hat out a passenger car window and pretended she'd never been his mail-order bride?~

Page 9

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Happy Teaser Tuesday!

Book Review ~ Welcome to Last Chance by Cathleen Armstrong ~ 9/15/15

Blurb:

The red warning light on her car dashboard drove Lainie Davis to seek help in the tiny town of Last Chance, New Mexico. But as she encounters the people who make Last Chance their home, it’s her heart that is flashing bright red warning lights. These people are entirely too nice, too accommodating, and too interested in her personal life for Lainie’s comfort-especially since she’s on the run and hoping to slip away unnoticed.

Yet in spite of herself, Lainie finds that she is increasingly drawn in to the dramas of small town life. An old church lady who always has room for a stranger. A handsome bartender with a secret life. A single mom running her diner and worrying over her teenage son. Could Lainie actually make a life in this little hick town? Or will the past catch up to her even here in the middle of nowhere?       

 

My Thoughts:

This book leaves me feeling very contradictory.  If that makes sense.

In the beginning, I didn't care at all for either of the main characters.  At all.  I kept reading because I was hoping that meant there would be major redemption as the book progressed.  Thankfully, I was right.

I came to care for the characters, the main and the secondary.  I do wish that there had been a bit more romance to make the love story more satisfying.

Overall, I would recommend the book and do look forward to reading more of the "A Place to Call Home" series.

 

On to the Next Book!

Happy Homemaker Monday ~ 9/14/15

Come join Diary of a SAHM for Happy Homemaker Monday.

 

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On the weather front:
 
It was a rainy weekend which I didn't mind.  Sometimes a person needs a good, rainy day.  The rest of this week is supposed to be clear and in the 80's.

On my bedside table:

 

 
 
On my TV:
 
I watched Runaway Bride this weekend for the umpteenth time!  Love that movie.  I can't wait for the new TV season to start though.  I'm missing me some NCIS!

 

 
On the menu for this week:

Monday  - Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup
Tuesday - Chicken and Rice, Broccoli, oranges
Wednesday - Dinner at my brother's house
Thursday - Steak, Baked Potatoes, Corn, apples
Friday -Pizza Friday!
Saturday - Weiner Winks and French Fries
Sunday - Ham, mac-n-cheese, peas and grapes
 
New Recipe I tried or want to try:

I didn't make anything "new" this weekend.  I did make a funfetti cake with my mom's recipe for Fluffy Icing that I will be posting about on Thursday.

On my To Do List:
 
Devotions
Clean kitchen, dining room, family room, laundry room and sewing room.
Laundry
Dishes
Walk
Make Supper
Help with homework
  
In the craft basket:
 
African Flowers, Scrappy Granny Stripe
  
 
Looking forward to:

Reading a few good books this week :)

 What I plan on doing for myself this week:
 
I plan on getting my walking groove back on.  I can't believe I didn't walk a single day last week.  This must change.
 

Lesson learned the past few days:
 
Don't take family for granted.  My dad, Melvin, could use some prayers.  He is diabetic and keeps getting cellulitis in his leg.  They are going to run some tests to see why it keeps reoccurring.  Thanks so much!
 
Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses:

"As He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct."  1 Peter 1:15



Happy Monday!!!

Make it Monday ~ Bree's Granny Stripe Complete! ~ 9/14/15

 

 

As mention in THIS POST, Bree is Kaylee's friend who picked the following colors for a Granny Stripe Afghan.

 

I love how a basket full of yarn skeins can be turned into anything.

The repetitive colors did get a bit much after a while so I took a break and worked on African Flowers before getting back to this and getting it DONE!

I made a simple granny stripe edging in red to finish it off.

Don't you just love sitting back and looking at a finished project that you know will be loved by someone special?

 

Please leave me a comment with a link so I can return the visit!!

Linking up to Making Memories Monday, Much Ado About Monday,  Making Your Home Sing , Inspire Me Monday, Merry Monday , Motivation Monday, Made By You, Creative Mondays, What'd You Do this Weekend and Pieces by Polly Block Party,  Monday's Musing and Making Monday, Stitch It Up and Hooking on Humpday, Yarn Along , Yarn Fanatic , Keep Calm Craft On.

Songs on Sunday ~ Thrive ~ 9/13/15

 

We were born to do more than just survive!  We were born to THRIVE!!!!! 

       

                 

             

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

I'm also linking up to Spiritual Sunday and Counting My Blessings , Faith And Friendship , Grace And Truth , Dance with Jesus, Sunday Stillness, Give Me Grace , Sundays Down Under and The Weekend Brew.



Book Review ~ A Bride for Noah by Copeland and Smith ~ 9/12/15

Blurb:

It's 1851, and Evie Lawrence is penniless and heartbroken after a failed romance. When a kind elderly man announces his plan to move west and make his fortune, Evie jumps at the chance to go with him and start a new life. She says goodbye to the only home she's ever known and sets out for the Northwest.

There she meets Noah Hughes, a handsome young man who has gambled everything he owns on the chance to make a fresh start. Living the rugged life of a lumberjack, he too is determined to one day make his fortune. The last thing he's looking for is a bride...so why can't he get Evie out of his mind?
        

 

My Thoughts:

Well.  I had heard of books like this being written but this was my first experience.

It is supposedly a "Christian" fiction, but had almost no Christianity within it.  It was what I would consider a "clean read" with few mentions of God or even praying.

That being said, I did enjoy reading this book and really didn't even notice the above until I was pondering it later. 

 I enjoyed the plot, the characters and definitely the setting.  The imagery was amazing of the Seattle area before it was settled.  It made me wish I could see it.

I would recommend this book but don't expect it to have much Christianity.

 

On to the Next Book!

Book Review ~ Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade ~ 9/12/15

Blurb:

Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park. All through high school--irresistible. When their paths cross again after college--still irresistible. This time, though, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way about Celia. Their whirlwind romance deposits them at a street-corner Las Vegas wedding chapel.

The next morning they wake to a marriage certificate and a dose of cold reality. Celia's ready to be Ty's wife, but Ty's not ready to be her husband. He's a professional bull rider; he lives on the road, and he's long planned to settle down with the hometown girl he's known since childhood.

Five and a half years pass. Celia's buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter. Ty's achieved all of his goals. Or thought he had, until he looks again into the eyes of the woman he couldn't forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had.

How much will Ty sacrifice to win back Celia's trust and prove to her that their spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?        

 

My Thoughts:

Sigh......

I think I might have fallen just a little bit in love with Ty Porter...(Don't tell the hubby!)  Is that wrong????  lol

This book was excellent.  I loved everything about it.  Even the "showboating".  Actually, I've loved every book I've read by Becky Wade.  She is definitely a favorite!

I really don't even know what to write about this book.  I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning because I couldn't put it down until the very last page was read.

This is the second book in the Porter Family Series.  I loved the first book about Bo Porter and I can't wait to get my hands on book #3 about Jake.  It came out in May, but I have no book budget and probably 100 other books on my TBR shelf.  I'll just have to be patient.

Sigh.......

 

On to the Next Book!

Tea Time ~ 9/11/15

Grab a cup of tea, coffee, hot chocolate or your favorite drink
while I share a few things that made me smile this week :)

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~On Labor Day we were able to make the short trip to the Flight 93 Memorial!  It was the first time I'd been there since it became a National Park.  Very touching :)

~We finally had another Family Movie Night!  We watched Mazerunner :)

~The other day I sat down to crochet and what to my delight was on TV?  Emma!  Love Jane Austen :)

~I finished Bree's Granny Stripe in red, black and white!  I can't wait to see if she likes it :)

~I started crocheting a Scrappy Granny Stripe!  I love new projects and scrappy to me is beautiful :)

How's your week been?

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Linking up with Friendship Friday, Friday Fragments, Five on Friday, Show Off Friday, Awesome Life,  Friday Favorites , High Five for Friday and OhHeyFriday

 

Book Review ~ A Time to Love by Barbara Cameron ~ 9/10/15

Blurb:

War correspondent Jenny Miller thinks she is just a temporary guest in her grandmother s Amish community while she recuperates from the devastating injuries sustained in a car bomb attack that changed her world. But when she meets Matthew Bontrager, the man she had a crush on as a teenager, she wonders if God has a new plan for her. Jenny has emotional and physical scars and though she feels she has come home to this man and this place, she's not sure she can bridge the difference between their worlds.        

 

My Thoughts:

I've done a lot of transitioning in my life this past month giving me more time to read.  I was ecstatic to think that I would be able to read everyday.  To my horror, I couldn't find a book that really peaked my interest.  I tried 3 or 4 before finally picking up "A Time to Love".

It definitely did the trick :)  Not only did I read, I stayed up way to late reading.  To me, that is the sign of a good book!

I loved the back story of Jenny.  Amish roots but went on to be a war reporter.  The author does such a good job describing her injuries and the pain that she was feeling.  I felt like I truly was "in" the book.

Matthew is such a kind, gentle man.  He truly loves his children and his love for Jenny returns in no time.  He was a wonderful hero.

At first, I thought the romantic climax occurred too soon.  But as I read on, I realized the author knew what she was doing and thoroughly enjoyed finishing the book.  It couldn't have been better!

 

On to the Next Book!

Hodgepodge ~ 9/9/15

Joyce's Hodgepodgey Questions:

1. Last thing you did on the spur of the moment?

We decided to go to the Flight 93 Memorial on Monday.  It is only about 45 minutes away but I hadn't been there since it became a National Park.

2. How well informed do you feel about the current Syrian refugee crisis?

Not very informed at all.

3. What have you changed your mind about? 

 

I thought I wanted to be a working-mom but changed my mind to now be a stay-at-home-mom.

4. A medium sized non-poisonous snake found it's way into the pool trap this weekend. If you'd been sitting poolside would you have fished it out? Gone running? Called for help? Pretended not to know? Continued swimming?

I'd have run for the hills!

 5. September 10th is National TV Dinner Day...what's your idea of a great TV dinner? (Or at least a pretty good one!) 

 

Mac-n-Cheese :)

 

6. Samuel Johnson is quoted as saying, "Courage is reckoned the greatest of all virtues; because, unless a man has that virtue, he has no security for preserving any other." Would you agree? Where have you seen that played out recently? What's the second greatest virtue?

Yes, it takes courage to stand up for what you know is right and to preserve your virtues.  I think the second greatest virtue is honesty.

7. What are three words you have trouble remembering how to spell?

 

I'm a pretty good speller, so I can't really think of any off the top of my head....

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I love September!  It is probably my favorite month of the year other than March, my birthday month :)

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I'd love to return the visit!  Please leave a comment and a link!

Teaser Tuesday ~ 9/8/15

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. 

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My teaser for this week is from:

 

 

~Jenny covered her head and waited for the explosion.  When it didn't come, she cautiously brought her arms down to look over at David.  "We're in the U.S.", he repeated quietly.  "Calm down.  You're safe."~

Page 9

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Happy Teaser Tuesday!

Songs on Sunday ~ Good to Be Alive ~ 9/6/15

 

 Live like there's no tomorrow!  It is good to be alive :)

              

                 

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

I'm also linking up to Spiritual Sunday and Counting My Blessings , Faith And Friendship , Grace And Truth , Dance with Jesus, Sunday Stillness, Give Me Grace , Sundays Down Under and The Weekend Brew.



Tea Time ~ 9/4/15

Grab a cup of tea, coffee, hot chocolate or your favorite drink
while I share a few things that made me smile this week :)

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~I finally uploaded pictures from the first day of school!  Here are my girls ;)

 

 

~We had our annual Area Church Picnic on Sunday!  Can you say horseshoes? :)

 

~This has been my first week of freedom!  Hello SAHMotherhood :)

 

~I called Directv and got $80 knocked off our monthly bill!  I'm psyched :)

 

~Kaylee had her first parade of the school year last night!  I love watching her play :)

How's your week been?

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Linking up with Friendship Friday, Friday Fragments, Five on Friday, Show Off Friday, Awesome Life,  Friday Favorites , High Five for Friday and OhHeyFriday

 

In the Kitchen ~ Butter Hole Coffee Cake ~ 9/3/15

 

This is an old family recipe that is so easy to make and super delicious!

Butter Hole Coffee Cake

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 T butter
1 1/4 cups milk
2 tsp baking powder
Brown Sugar
Cinnamon
Butter

Sift sugar and 1 cup flour together.

Cut in butter.

Add in milk.

Add 2nd cup of flour with baking powder. 

Pour into greased 8X8 pan.

Sprinkle top with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Drop small chunks of butter on top.

Bake at 350F for 40 minutes.

Enjoy the buttery goodness!

 

Please leave a comment with a link so I can return the visit!

Linking up to:  Full Plate Thursday, Inspritation2 , Creative Ways, Grace at Home, Create It Thursday, Your Turn to Shine,   Project Stash  Homemaking Linkup and Home Sweet Home, Share Your Cup;  Grandma Ideas, Think and Make.