A Little Blogging Hiatus!

(this post contains affiliate links)                                                           Hi! I know I’ve gone missing these last few weeks! I had not planned on taking a hiatus it just sort of happened!  I’m back and feel refreshed.

One of the things we was doing while I was not here blogging was this!

Picking Strawberries! We ended up picking 13 pounds of berries! Yum!!!!!

Then we turned most of them into this!

I know we did not pick enough strawberries since Justin has discovered that he loves strawberry jam and peanut butter sandwiches!

Homemade strawberry freezer jam! Have you ever made your own freezer jam? No? It is super easy! If you have never made it you should give it a try! Last year I made it for the first time and I used the individual packets of Ball Instant Pectin.  This year I used the Ball instant pectin flex-batch since I was making much more jam then last year! I order mine from Amazon and you can find it in Wal-Mart.

It is so easy! No cooking involved at all! I plan on making blueberry and peach freezer jam as well!

Do make your own freezer jam? What is your favorite flavor?

Afloat {Review}

Afloat~Erin Healy

About Afloat:
Who will you trust when dark waters rise?

Eagle's Talon is an architectural marvel-shining residential units afloat in a protected cove of the gorgeous Rondeau River. The project is nearly complete, partially occupied, and ready to make investors rich when a sinkhole gives way. Then torrential rains and a flood leave a ragged collection of builders, investors, and residents stranded in one floating building, cut off from the rest of the world.

They're bitterly divided over what to do next.

Architect Vance Nolan insists they should sit tight and wait for rescue. Developer Tony Dean wants to strike out into the darkness. And single mom Danielle Clement, desperate to protect her young son, Simeon, struggles to hold their motley band together.

Power failure, a pall of unnatural daytime darkness, explosions in the distance, then a murder ratchet tensions to a boiling point. But Danielle's young son, Simeon, has spotted something strange underwater-beautiful, shifting lights in the dark water below.
In this watery world where everyone's secrets will eventually come to light, salvation may mean more than just getting out alive.

Another stunning exploration of the human spirit and supernatural possibilities from best-selling author Erin Healy.

My Thoughts

Afloat is a very unique story! Not your typical suspense novel at all.  Vance Nolan builds condominiums not on land but on the water. Not just any old condo either, these homes are build for people who have the means to pay for these luxurious homes.

Everything is going beautifully until a sinkhole strands some of the residents and workers.  Then things radically change!

Filled with suspense and some unexpected twists and turns. Erin Healy combines both supernatural and the spiritual world to make for a very interesting story!

Visit the Litfuse website for more information about Afloat! 

Meet Erin:
Erin Healy is the best-selling co-author of "Burn" and "Kiss" (with Ted Dekker) and an award-winning editor for numerous best-selling authors. She has received wide acclaim for her novels "Never Let You Go", "The Baker's Wife", "House of Mercy", and "Afloat". She and her family live in Colorado. Erin can be contacted through her website ErinHealy.com or through Facebook at erinhealybooks.

Find out more about Erin at http://www.erinhealy.com.

“Afloat”! Win an iPad Mini from @ErinHealy!

Erin Healy is celebrating the release of her latest novel Afloat (Thomas Nelson) with an iPad Mini giveaway.

One winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini
• iTunes gift card
• Afloat by Erin Healy

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 15th. Winner will be announced on Erin's blog on June 17th. Save the date and click HERE to see if YOU won the iPad Mini!

Don't miss a moment of the fun; ENTER today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Visit Erin's blog on the 17th!

disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest opinion. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

The Promise Box {Review}

The Promise Box~Tricia Goyer

About The Promise Box:
With her heart - and her loyalty - on the line, can she let true love in her life?

Every year, young Amish men descend on the cozy little town of West Kootenai, Montana, arriving in the spring to live there for six months and receive 'resident' status for the hunting season in the fall. They arrive as bachelors, but go home with brides! Lydia Wyse, a book editor from Seattle who grew up Amish, returns to the small community of West Kootenai, Montana to give comfort to her father after her mother's death.

She is drawn back to the familiar Amish ways after finding her mother's most precious possession, a Promise Box of prayers and scripture. What her publisher sees, though, is an opportunity for a sensational 'tell-all' book about the Amish. Lydia soon finds herself falling in love with Amish bachelor Gideon Hooley. She wants nothing more than to forget her past and look forward to a future as an Amish bride.

Will the pain of her childhood-and her potential betrayal of her community-keep her from committing her whole heart?

My Thoughts

The Promise Box is the second book in the Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series by Tricia Goyer.  I really enjoy Tricia’s writing, she writes with depth and emotion that is prevalent throughout her stories and The Promise Box is no exception!

Lydia is running from God, but He has plans for her life that she cannot imagine. Lydia has also run from her Amish heritage. After the death of her mother Lydia returns to West Kootenai ( I just love this Montana town!) and meets Gideon.  Both Lydia and Gideon have very heavy burdens. As their relationship grows they both realize that God is and has always been in control.

I loved that adoption was a main theme in this story! Tricia has done a wonderful job weaving this topic into the story!

The Promise Box is a stand alone story, but if you love to read book series, you might want to also read The Memory Jar!

Visit the Litfuse website for more information about The Promise Box!
Meet Tricia:

Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of six, grandmother of one, and wife to John. Somewhere around the hustle and bustle of family life, she manages to find the time to write fictional tales delighting and entertaining readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope. A bestselling author, Tricia has published thirty-three books to date and has written more than 500 articles. She is a two-time Carol Award winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee. In 2010, she was selected as one of the Top 20 Moms to Follow on Twitter by SheKnows.com. Tricia is also on the blogging team at MomLifeToday.com, TheBetterMom.com and other homeschooling and Christian sites. In addition to her roles as mom, wife and author, Tricia volunteers around her community and mentors teen moms. She is the founder of Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana, and she currently leads a Teen MOPS Group in Little Rock, AR. Tricia, along with a group of friends, recently launched NotQuiteAmishLiving.com, sharing ideas about simplifying life. She also hosts the weekly radio podcast, Living Inspired.

Learn more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.

Tricia Goyer is celebrating the release of her latest novel, The Promise Box (Zondervan), by hosting an Amish Baking Box giveaway and connecting with readers during her June 12th Book Chat Party!

One "promising" winner will receive:

• Apron, hot mitts, and kitchen towels
• Amish baking items (rolling pin, pie plate, etc...)
• Sherry Gore's Simply Delicious Amish Cooking
• The Memory Jar and The Promise Box by Tricia Goyer

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 11th. Winner will be announced at the "The Promise Box" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 12th. Connect with Tricia for an evening of Amish fun - book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Tricia will also share an exclusive look at the next book book in the Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Promise Box and join Tricia on the evening of June 12th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 12th!

disclosure: I received a copy of this book as a member of Litfuse. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

My Home School Grades {Review}

When I was offered to be a reviewer for My Home School Grades I almost did not take advantage this opportunity. Really. My boys are still fairly young at 11 and 8.  I live in a state (NJ) that does not require a lot of record keeping and paperwork. I am in no way ready for transcripts. That was my line of thinking at the time.

After hearing about how wonderful My Home School Grades is I decided to go ahead and apply to be a reviewer for this product.

I will just say it now! I am so glad I decided to review My Home School Grades! So glad!

My Home School Grades was created by a homeschool dad John Echols and a home school graduate Jordan Shute This program is a homeschool grade tracking program that easily allows you to track your students grades. But is is so much more than just a grade tracker. So much more!

Here is what My Home School Grades can do for your home school!

• Track students home school grades
• Use your lesson plans-you can choose from the list of curriculum already listed in the program (example: Math-U-See, Apologia, Sonlight, Rosetta Stone, Teaching Textbooks and more!) OR you can add your own curriculum and lesson plans
• There is also the option to request curriculum to be added to My Home School Grades
• Options on grading each class by lesson plan, single grade or dual enrollment
• Calculate GPA and credits
• Track Extracurricular Activities
• Create and Export College Ready Transcripts
• Create Transcripts

What I love about the program! Can I say everything! What an awesome program! It is so very easy to use! I was not expecting it to be so simple, but it is! If you can type you can use this program! It is that simple!

I mentioned my boys were young and I was not (or so I thought) in need of a grade tracking program at the present time. I was wrong! I need this program! Not only can I track the boys grades, I can track all of their extracurricular activities! We have been volunteering this year and I was able to add all those dates. I can add the field trips we have attended. I can also recreate past events. Lessons from my planners done in previous years can be added! I can even create future events!  Oh and did I mention it was easy? My Home School Grades is super easy to use!

Another wonderful feature is that I can use the program on the go! I can access it with my Kindle or my smart phone (if I had one). It works with any browser and there is no special app you need to download!

I mentioned it was easy to use. It is! The program is very user friendly and very easy to navigate! It took me about 5 minutes to set up both Justin and Kaden into the program.  It took just a few minutes to add their classes and their extracurricular activities! Easy peasy!

there is more to love:

• you can upload a photo of your child if you wish. I have not done this yet as I love the little chalk students pictured above!
• you can have unlimited students-this is a great feature for larger families.
• If you prefer not to use a grading system there is a simple pass/fail option. I love this option!
• you can print only the years you wish. If you start using the program in kindergarten and your student is now getting ready for college you can print transcripts of just their high school years!

Now I know you are wondering about the cost. My Home School Grades program costs $49.99 for a LIFETIME membership! Lifetime! That means any updates or futures upgrades are included!

If you are not sure if this program is for you. My Home School Grades offers a 14 day (2 week) FREE trial! No credit card required to sign up for the free trial! So what are you waiting for? Give it a try! You will not be sorry you did!

You can see how other homeschool families are using My Home School Grades over at the Mosaic Reviews blog!

note: click on photos to enlarge

29 Years!

Twenty-nine years ago today, Larry and I said I do before God, our family and friends! We have had lots of happiness and some struggles. I could not have asked for a more wonderful Husband! I love you Larry! Happy Anniversary!

Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away. If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.

Song of Solomon 8:6-7

First Wildcard Tour~NIV Real Life Devotional Bible for Women

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card Insight Notes author is:

Lysa TerKeurst

and the book:

NIV Real Life Devotional Bible for Women,
Insights for Everyday Life Notes

Zondervan; Special edition (March 19, 2013)

 

***Special thanks to Rick Roberson for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lysa TerKeurst is a New York Times bestselling author and national speaker who helps everyday women live an adventure of faith. She is the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, author of 15 books, and encourages nearly 500,000 women worldwide through a daily online devotional. Her remarkable life story has captured audiences across America, including appearances on Oprah and Good Morning America. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and five children.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

This Bible will help you live up to your God-given potential. Insightful daily devotions written by the women at Proverbs 31 Ministries help you maintain life's balance in spite of today's hectic pace. Dive into the beauty and clarity of the NIV Bible text paired with daily devotions crafted by women just like you---women who want to live authentically and fully grounded in the Word of God.

Product Details:
List Price: $34.99
Hardcover: 1536 pages
Publisher: Zondervan; Special edition (March 19, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0310439361
ISBN-13: 978-0310439363

 

AND NOW...SOME SAMPLE PAGES (CLICK ON PAGES TO ENLARGE):

May Clutter Busting Challenge: Update 88 Items!

 

Today I am sharing 88 items that I have removed from our home with this challenge! Yes, 88!  Well they are not out of here yet, but much of it will be this weekend! Tomorrow we are taking much of what I have listed to a yard sale to sell. What does not sell this week I will take to my aunt’s memorial day yard sale next weekend! After that it gets donated!

I go through my freebies and samples a couple of times a year and sell or donate when I get an over abundance of items from my CVS shopping.

Another thing I have started decluttering are my photos. I will not tell you how behind I am on this project! Years. The other day I decided to move photos from one album to another. The one I originally had the photos in was just too larger for the shelf. I decided to move them to a smaller album I had on hand. Well I had the brilliant idea that I should declutter those photos. After all how many photos of a rabbit in our yard (from 1992) do I really need to save? I had about 7 of them! SEVEN! Of a rabbit!

In addition to that I had about 10 pictures of my nephew who is now an adult holding a particular elephant we gave him for his third birthday. I think I had about six of those. I thought saving two of them would be enough! I have always been an avid photographer, but I really need to be ruthless with my decluttering! Really when I am gone someday is anyone going to want all of these pictures? Yes many are priceless memories, but I think I can remember and event without twenty of the almost exact photo. Please tell me you can relate?

I have gotten quite serious with this challenge and I will be sharing more in the upcoming days and weeks!

Here is my list:

• 42 samples
• 3 Conditioners
• 1 razor
• 2 Sunscreen
• 1 hand sanitizer
• 2 Pantene Samples
• 11 Wood backed rubber stamps
• 11 foam backed rubber stamps
• 3 decorative mirrors
• 1 bear figurine
• 1 kids toy
• 1 bug catcher
• 3 books
• 1 package bulletin board cut outs
• 1 photo album
• 1 pile of photos (probably about 50!)
• 1 stack of papers (went to recycling)

This brings my total items decluttered since I started this challenge to 156 items not including the papers I decluttered last week and the small items I have thrown out and not bothered to photograph!

I’m starting to see a small difference! I will continue to declutter more today as I prepare for the yard sale.

How is your decluttering challenge going?