The Mustard Seeds (pt. 1)

The Mustard Seeds, by Karen Mueller Bryson, is a story of faith, hope and perseverance. You will follow 16-year old  Elliot White on a journey involving his aunt, Amaryllis Long; a fourteen year old  Navajo girl, Hope Lovejoy, fifteen year old Leopard Woolsey, Wallace Jones and Mustard Seeds.

I am 12-years old and quite enjoyed the book. Elliot and his friends form a band but they cannot find a place to perform. Their school’s principal, Mr. Winters, is willing to strike a deal. The kids work hard and accomplish a great feat, winning over Mr. Winters and performing at the school.

A few things bothered me about the book, however,

• Elliott’s Aunt Amaryllis seems to deviate from a more Protestant relationship with Jesus that I am used to.
• The teenagers deliberately hide the fact that they are raising money for the performance from Mr. Winters, which seems wrong to me.

Overall, I quite enjoyed The Mustard Seeds and would recommend it as a good book.

 

(We received a free copy of this book for the purpose of review.)

 

Scent of Rain

Daphne Sweeten is a professional nose. She moves from California to Dayton with a new job as a nose, she is to work with a struggling company  as they develop more scents for their line of household cleaners.

But something happens just before she moves, she loses her sense of smell. As you can imagine, that is not a good thing.

Kristin Billerbeck is a top-notch author. I don’t think I’ve read one of her books that I haven’t liked.  The Scent of Rain, her newest offering, is no different. I enjoyed thoroughly the book.  The parts I typically don’t care for were in the book, but it was a light read and easy enough to follow  I could easily overlook those.

The plot is well developed and has some amazing twists  which will leave you wanting more with every page you turn.

The book is available in both print and ebook formats. So if you love turning the pages, or if you enjoy reading on your kindle or nook (or any other ebook format) this might just be a book for you.

For another great review click here!

(I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review. All thoughts and opinions stated are my own and were not induced by the free book.)

Love

I love board books. I feel almost a sense of huge loss when I realize my children are beyond board books. It is a good thing but I loved reading those first hardback books to my children.

Just for grins and giggles I recently read a new board book, God Gave Us Love by Lisa Tawn Bergren and illustrated by Laura J. Bryant.

Little Cub is fishing with his grandfather when he gets mad at the otters because they are scaring away all the fish.  His grandfather turns that into a lesson on love. How we can love the otters because that is what God wants for us.

The story is cute and well-written.  The lesson is timely and important. I’m not sure though it fits in a board book. The print is small and there is a lot on each page. Being a parent who has had children reading board books (and eating them too),  I don’t think children will sit still and listen to this story at the age board books are designed for.

The illustrations are superb! I think they could be a bit more colorful and bright. They could also be a bigger on some pages. Children love looking at bright colored pictures.

If this book was put in a format for slightly older children, even children reading on their own it would be a better fit.

 

(I received a free copy of this book from Waterbrook Press for the purpose of review.)

House of Mercy

Bethany Borzoi is a young adult who loves horses. Her family owns a ranch that has been in their family for several generations. House of Mercy is the story of Bethany.

House of Mercy is the latest novel offering from Erin Healy. The book starts with the main character, Bethany Borzoi, stealing a saddle to help someone care for their horse.  Right off the bat I knew I would have issues with this book. I am opposed to any book that glosses over sin and shows no consequence for it.

I was also unsettled when Bethany appears to have the ability to heal animals because of the presence of a grey wolf. A wolf that had attacked her and disappeared.

 

I honestly found the book to be extremely odd.

 

I received a free copy of House of Mercy from the publisher for the purpose of review.

 

Healthwise

Last night I watched for the first time ABC’s reality show, Extreme Makeover Weight Loss. The girl, Sally, weighed in at 335 pounds and was 5’9″.  At the end of the show she weighed in at 197. WOW! That is like a whole person.

And she did it all in one year. 365 days.

As I watched I had to fight the urge to get up and run my 2 miles. I was feeling the need to not be a couch potato, I wanted desperately to exercise and run.  Running was out and I did exercise some after the show.

I mentioned to my sister-in-law, who was watching the show with me how much I wanted to get up and run. She said I didn’t need to because I was already healthy.

I was thinking on that this morning. I am healthier than I have been in a long time. But am I truly healthy? I  don’t know. I eat mostly healthy foods. Right now I’m running about 6 and one-half miles a week. (Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh.  A three years ago I was running 24.) Which is good. I’m not necessarily going to win any marathons, or even a 5K, I am lapping everyone on the couch.

I’ve mentioned before that I have lost about 45 pounds in the past couple of years. I’ve worked somewhat hard at it. I can’t say it has been difficult, most of it was done through dietary changes.  Those aren’t difficult unless you have a problem telling yourself “no”.

I was thinking this morning and I wondered where we got the idea that a fat baby was healthy and a skinny adult was healthy? Do you know? I’m clueless.

Skinny does not equal healthy. Just like vegan does not equal healthy. (T’is true! Oreos are completely vegan, think how much weight you would lose eating those. Yeah, not much is right.) Large does not mean a person is unhealthy.

Yes, being over weight and being obese are HUGE problems in America. (pun completely intended.) But what is a healthy weight for someone might not be a healthy weight for someone else.

If I am healthy, it is not just because I’ve lost a considerable amount of weight. Health does not depend on the scale.

Money Saving Mom Back to School Tips!

 

Kid’s Jeans for $9 From Old Navy: Old Navy has all their Kid’s Famous Jeans on sale for $10 through August 15, 2012. This sale is both in-store and online. If you are planning on purchasing multiple pairs, you can sign up for Old Navy emails to get a $10 off $50 coupon. Plus, shipping is free on orders over $50. So you could potentially get five pairs of jeans for just $9 shipped each. If you’re shopping in-store, you can print a $10 off $50 coupon from the Old Navy Facebook Page.

Kid’s Jeans for as Low as $8.50 from The Children’s Place: The Children’s Placehas a number of different jeans priced at $10 right now. Use coupon code RETAILMENOT82 to get an additional 15% off your order, making the jeans just $8.50 per pair after this coupon code. Shipping is free on $75+ orders or a flat-rate of $5 on orders less than $75.

Free 6-month Subscription to Shop Runner: If you do a lot of online shopping, you’ll want to check this offer out! Sign up for a free Cozi account and they’ll give you a coupon for a free 6-month subscription to Shop Runner. Shop Runner gives you unlimited free shipping to many different online sites — just in time for purchasing back-to-school clothes, shoes, and electronics!

Buy One, Get One 50% Off Plus Additional 15% Off at Famous Footwear:Famous Footwear is running a Buy One, Get One Half Off Sale right now. This is a great opportunity to stock up on quality shoes for your kids at low prices. Plus, use this coupon to get an additional 15% off your order total.

Free First Day of School Printable Signs: Like to take a photo of your children on their first day of school to commemorate the occasion? Download two different free designs of First Day of School Signs. In addition, you can find some other fun free Back-to-School printables here.

Crystal Paine is a wife, mom of three, author of The Money Saving Mom®’s Budget. Visit her blog, MoneySavingMom.com, for the best back-to-school deals and for practical ideas and inspiration to get your life and finances in order.

Free of ‘Poo

You might remember in January I gave up on ‘poo. No, not that ‘poo…shampoo. I have kept with my no ‘poo do. The picture, on the left, was just taken moments ago. As you can quite plainly see, my hair has not vacated my head, nor has it done anything weird like turn green and purple. It is the softest, healthiest hair I can ever remember having.

I did just learn a new trick though. See I thought you rinsed everything out of your hair (except “leave in conditioner”) so I had been doing that. But I read yesterday I don’t have to rinse the vinegar out. So yesterday and this morning I’ve left it in and oh. my. freaking. word! My hair is soooo soft and tangles are a thing of the past.

I know you’re thinking my hair smells like a salad at best, and at worst vinegar.  It doesn’t! It smells like hair.

I was telling my children yesterday to leave it in. When my youngest pipes up, “I usually add them.” Now you might remember we use baking soda for shampoo. I had to ask her to explain, “I put the baking soda water on, rub it around on my head. Then I add the vinegar water, rub that in and rinse the whole thing at once.”

I’m sure my eyeballs popped out of my head. I quickly told her not to do that anymore because quite frankly it’s not a good idea.

Ride ‘em, cowboys.

I grew up with a horse crazy older sister. It seemed she was forever reading horse books, The Black Stallion, Misty of Chincoteague, Misty’s Foal, you name it. If it had to do with horses she read it. My oldest child is just like that. She has devoured horse books, has horse posters and figurines. I’m sure she dreams in horse too.

I have friends with horses, in fact one friend is Dean Gorsuch. You might know the name, he is the World Champion Steer Wrestler from 2006 and 2010. He knows a thing or fifty about horses. 

When I saw the opportunity to read Kitty McGregor’s book, Ride of a Lifetime, about horses, rodeo and all things western, I jumped at the chance. I was excited as I downloaded the book to my nook.

Ride of a Lifetime is the story of former rodeo bull rider, Lucas McCade. Lucas is trying to do the right thing, trying to be a family man, there for his wife and teenage son.  He moves them from Texas to Oklahoma so he can work on a ranch.

The story is gripping and for the first paragraph on the first page I was hooked. I was exhausted when I began reading it one night and I stayed up a lot later than I should have. The storyline is good. There were a few places I thought “what? I’m not sure that’s possible.” But I didn’t let it deter me from reading.

There are things about the book I don’t like at all. Some of the language was deplorable. I know, I know, farmers (and just people in general) talk that way. To me it is rude and offensive. And I most assuredly do NOT want to read it in a supposedly Christian book. I know, I know, they have to “keep it real”, nothing has to be THAT real. There are a million or more words that would adequately express the thought. Use them.

Also, satan worship is mingled throughout the book. I was not expecting that and didn’t think that added to the story line at all.  Without that and the coarse, rude, offensive language it would have been a very good book.

I give this book 2 turning pages.

 

I received a free copy of this book from Book Sneeze for the purpose of review.

 

Just for grins and giggles

I follow Tyson Wynn on Twitter and he tweeted once a few months ago how difficult it would be to put a pillowcase on a pillow if we didn’t have chins. I beg to differ.

When I was in the hospital after my daughter was born, a nurse came in to “freshen up” the room and she as she was putting the pillowcases on, I was fascinated. She told me she learned to do it that way in nursing school and it’s so easy.

So here you go!

Star!

Sometimes I fear it appears all I do is read and blog, blog and read, read and blog. I can most heartily assure you that is not at all true. I seem to run around from sun up to sun down. I have just come across a lot of really good books lately.

Yesterday afternoon saw me escaping from the heat to my recliner with my nook. I had downloaded a book from Book Sneeze and spent an enjoyable Sunday afternoon lost in the world of teenagers.

Yes, the above book, Starring Me by KristaMcGee is a young adult novel and quite honestly is the best YA novel I have read in a long time.

Kara McKormick is a teen age girl who dreams of acting. She had appeared in a reality show much like the Bachelor. She had competed with other girls to win a date to the prom with the President’s son. Kara wasn’t picked but that didn’t stop her from trying out for a new show on a brand new network.

After the reality show, Kara meets a young pop singer and of course, develops a crush on her. Isn’t that every girl’s dream? What Kara doesn’t know is this singer is going to be the star of the new show.

Can Kara survive the meanness of the other girls who are also trying out for the role? What will she decide when her father has a heart attack? What will she do with Jesus?

You’re going to have to read the book to find out!

I loved that this book didn’t have much of the boy-girl relationship. There was a relationship but it wasn’t mentioned much and when it was the boy and girl were praying about what they should do before proceeding with the relationship. I just don’t like reading a book for young adults and finding it to not be any different than the books I read for adults.

There was one and only one part of the book I didn’t like. One of the girls pretends to be a Christian so she can win the role. She tells Kara that it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you believe something. That thinking has infiltrated the church and I hate it. I know God hates it! He clearly states He is the ONLY way to heaven. I wish the author had more clearly pointed out the fallacies of this line of thought.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of review.