Wish You Were Here book review and giveaway!

 Remember how Snow White awoke from the witches spell when the Prince kissed her?  There's a similar beginning in Wish You Were Here, by Beth K. Vogt.  It's the story of a young lady, Allison Denman, who feels her life is quite perfect until she "awakens" (with a kiss!) and realizes it's just... well, not.  Postcards from around the world, llamas, Colorado, and a runaway bride all play an interesting part in this quest for happiness.  Wish You Were Here is not a simple romance.  Secrets are uncovered, the past makes an appearance and our heroine is even rescued!  There is also the tiny complication of being in love with two brothers.  Or is she?  I loved the references to Colorado Springs as we vacationed their last year and fell in love with the area (especially our stay at the Broadmoor hotel!).  When I started this book I couldn't even imagine how anyone could ever be a runaway bride.  As I read the story I began to see things differently.  Marriage is forever (intended to be) and not a choice to be taking lightly.  Beth Vogt does a remarkable job in getting to the heart of her heroine, Allison.  Even when all appears fairy tale perfect to the rest of the world, a happy ending isn't possible until you find what and who you are truly looking for in love.

About the book: Wish You Were Here | Beth K. Vogt Allison Denman is supposed to get married in five days, but everything is all wrong. The huge wedding. The frothy dress. And the groom. Still, kissing the groom's brother in an unguarded moment is decidedly not the right thing to do. How could she have made such a mistake? It seems Allison's life is nothing but mistakes at this point. And pulling a "Runaway Bride" complete with stealing, er, borrowing her best friend's car doesn't seem to solve her problems. Can Allison find her way out of this mess? Maybe she just needs to stop orchestrating everything. Allison prefers being the one in control, and giving it up is not going to be easy. But to find her way again, she will have to believe that God has a plan for her and find the strength to let Him lead. About Beth:  Beth K. Vogt provides her readers with a happily ever after woven through with humor, reality, and God's lavish grace. She's a non-fiction author and editor who said she'd never write fiction. She's the wife of an Air Force physician (now in solo practice) who said she'd never marry a doctor-or anyone in the military. She's a mom of four who said she'd never have kids. Beth has discovered that God's best often waits behind the doors marked "Never." She writes contemporary romance because she believes there's more to happily ever after than the fairy tales tell us. Beth earned a journalism degree from San Jose State University and met her husband Rob when he knocked her down at a karate studio. They've been married for 31 years. They have four children, ranging in ages from 28, 25, 23 and - thanks to a funny thing happening on their way to the empty nest-a 10-year-old. The Vogt Team, which now includes a "daughter-in-love" and "son-in-love," enjoys hiking and camping in Colorado. Read more about Beth at her website:http://bethvogt.com Blog Tour Schedule here!

{Enter to win an iPad!}

Celebrate with Beth by entering her Wish You Were Here Giveaway!

One "happy" winner will receive:

• A brand new iPad2 with Wi-Fi (The must-have, do-everything gadget!)
• Wish You Were Here by Beth Vogt (Swoon worthy.)
• $15 iTunes Gift Card (Music, books, apps, & more.)

Hurry, the giveaway ends on 6/4/12. The winner will be announced 6/6/12 on Beth's Website! 

Just click one of the icons below to enter. Tell your friends about Beth's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

*I was given a copy of Wish You Were Here by Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.  No other compensation was received.*

Forever Hilltop Book Review and Giveaway!

Forever Hilltop, by Judy Baer, is part of a heartwarming trilogy that takes you to the wilds of North Dakota.  Hilltop Township is filled with endearing characters that have imperfectly (and often very funny!) wonderful story lines.  The town is in the middle of nowhere but once you visit you will never want to leave.  (You may even start thinking about moving to North Dakota- I know I did!)  I was immediately intrigued when I saw that lutefisk and lefse were mentioned on the cover of the book.  They are traditional Swedish dishes that my family "enjoys" at Christmas.:)  I have yet to acquire a taste for them but found the mention of Scandinavian traditions utterly charming!  This book will make you feel good.  Really good.  Like a warm flannel blanket on a wet, cold day kind of good.  I found myself savoring each page and not wanting the stories (An Unlikely Blessing and Surprising Grace are both in this book) to end.  Forever Hilltop is a bit like the Mitford series by Jan Karon and I believe it would appeal to all ages.  It's delightfully entertaining! Judy Baer also features fabulous recipes in the books- can't wait to try making Nancy's Devonshire Cream!

About the book:

The charming and often hilarious Forever Hilltop series follows the experiences of former city dweller Alex Armstrong as he settles into his new role as pastor of a Scandinavian community in rural North Dakota. Alex is sometimes baffled by his parishioners and their colorful ways, but he comes to appreciate their simple wisdom. One thing's for sure -- life in Hilltop Township is never dull! This new two-in-one format features An Unlikely Blessing along with its sequel, Surprising Grace.

In An Unlikely Blessing, Alex Armstrong is a former city dweller who has just accepted his first parish assignment to a small community in the wilds of North Dakota. In Hilltop Township, Pastor Alex becomes familiar with the residents and their odd traditions, from julebukking to King Oscar's fish balls. And then there's the excitement the single pastor creates among the unmarried women in the community! Alex soon discovers that his new church home has as much to teach him as he has to teach them.

In Surprising Grace, Alex Armstrong is settling into his new role as pastor of Hilltop Church, and he's even starting to understand the strange ways of the people who populate this barren stretch of North Dakota prairie. But he also finds that his flock needs help and counsel like he never imagined. In this cozy and entertaining read, Alex must choose between the woman he once loved -- and the home he's come to love.

About Judy:

Judy Baer was born and grew up on a farm on the prairies of North Dakota, experiencing many of the same things as her Hilltop characters. An only child, she spent most of her days with imaginary people-either those she read about or those she made up in her head.

Baer graduated from Concordia College with majors in English and education and a minor in religion. While at the time, she was simply studying what interested her, Baer later realized that she was educating herself for her future career as a Christian writer. She certainly put her education to use as she is the author of more than 75 books.

A certified professional life coach now certified in three coaching disciplines, Baer coaches primarily professional and aspiring writers. She is also a faculty advisor in the Department of Human Development at St. Mary's University in Minneapolis, MN. Baer has two daughters and three step children. She and her husband live in Minnesota.

She invites you to visit her at her web site www.judykbaer.com for more information on her and her books. 

Blog Tour Schedule here!

{More about the Kindle Giveaway}

Celebrate with Judy by entering to win a Kindle for you and a friend!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Touch for you AND one to giveaway to the friend of your choice
• Forever Hilltop by Judy K Baer for you and a one for a friend

Hurry, the giveaway ends on 5/22/12. The winner will be announced 5/24/12 on Judy’s blog! 

Just click one of the icons below to enter. Tell your friends about Judy's giveaway on FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

*I was given a copy of Forever Hilltop by Litfuse in exchange for my honest opinion.  No other compensation was received.*

Kingdom Dance, Juliet and Summer Break

Summer break is almost here.

We home school all summer, though.

My poor girls.

Loving picking flowers in my garden.

The colors are thrilling!

To me they are better than a florist- any. day.

A work of art that deserved to be framed.

The beads have come out to play.

I have missed them.

Teachers gifts...

Flowers in fabric form.

Sparklies.

Smile.:)

End of the School Year.

Dressing Up.

Friends of all ages.

Sign Language Class.

Such a lovely form of communication.

Kingdom Dance.

Wish I knew how to post videos.

This group is such good friends.

A true and lovely blessing.

They danced to the Kingdom Dance song from Tangled.

My friend, Angel, made the costumes.  She is incredibly gifted!

These boys are incredible- and smart.

Definitely in the minority when it comes to ballet.

So many girls!

They'll never be lacking for a dance partner in life.

Remember Patrick Swayze.:)

Our own Juliet.

Shakespeare, how could you?

What a tortured young lady.

My oldest delivered.

She showed such angst and emotion to the crowd.

"Tell me not friar, that thou speakest of this!"

It was a challenge and she rocked it.

The hair.

Oh, my.

My friend, Tonya, did not disappoint.

I took so many pictures in hopes that I could some day duplicate this.

Sigh.

Sweet memories caught with a camera.

I hope they stay friends forever...

Crazy Dangerous Blog Tour and Giveaway!

Whispers came at her out of the dark.  From the first sentence in Crazy Dangerous, I knew I was in for a wild ride.  I had to skim the first chapter because my heart was racing and I was having a hard time catching my breath!  Andrew Klavan is a master at building suspense and at the same time he also has a clever sense of humor.  This delightful combination made Crazy Dangerous really hard to put down.   

Sam Hopkins is a wonderful main character.  Quick wit, a big heart and courage are all part of who he is, though he loses his focus in life (through a series of "unfortunate" wrong turns) and longs to find his way back to what is right.  Jennifer Sales wanders into Sam's neck of the woods (literally) and things get complicated very quickly.  What are her bad dreams all about?  Is she insane or is there something much more sinister going on?  

Crazy Dangerous is Juvenile Fiction.  I would recommend it for ages 16 and up due to certain topics covered (demons, bombs, juvenile delinquents, mental illness, murder) in the story.  I really enjoyed it and am way past 16, lol!  I have a 14 year old, though, and I think it would be a bit too much for her to handle.  

I really appreciated that Andrew Klavan credited God with being in control throughout Crazy Dangerous.  He shows that Christian fiction never has to be boring!  This is a deliciously suspenseful story with wonderful characters.  A wild ride with crazy twists and turns and a good dose of humor to ease the bumps!  Can't wait to read his next book!

Crazy Dangerous | Andrew Klavan "You probably want to hear about Jennifer and the demons and how I played chicken with a freight train and-oh yeah-the weird murder . . . you're definitely going to want to hear about that." Sam Hopkins is a good kid who has fallen in with a bad crowd. Hanging around with car thieves and thugs, Sam knows it's only a matter of time before he makes one bad decision too many and gets into real trouble. But one day, Sam sees them harassing an eccentric schoolmate of his named Jennifer. When Sam finds the courage to face the bullies down, he loses a bad set of friends and acquires a very strange new one. Because Jennifer is not just eccentric. To Sam, she seems downright crazy. She has terrifying hallucinations involving demons and the devil and death. And here's the really crazy part: Sam is beginning to suspect that these visions may actually be prophecies--prophecies of something terrible that's going to happen very soon. Unless he can stop it. With no one to believe him, with no one to help him, Sam is now all alone in a race against time. Finding the truth before disaster strikes is going to be both crazy and very, very dangerous. About Andrew:  Andrew Klavan was hailed by Stephen King as "the most original novelist of crime and suspense since Cornell Woolrich." He is the recipient of two Edgar Awards and the author of such bestsellers as True Crimeand Don't Say a Word. His books and screenplays have been turned into films directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Michael Douglas, Ed Burns, Michael Caine among others. Hometown: Santa Barbara, California

Celebrate with Andrew by entering his Crazy Dangerous giveaway and connecting with him during the Author Chat Party on 5/29!

One fortunate winner will receive:

• A $100 Visa Cash Card
• A copy of Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan for YOU and 5 of your Friends!

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on May 28th. Winner will be announced at the "Crazy Dangerous" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/29. Andrew will be hosting an Author Chat, testing your survival trivia skills, giving away books and gift certificates to iTunes and Amazon.com! Don't miss a second of the "danger"!

Grab your copy of Crazy Dangerous and connect with Andrew on the evening of 5/29/12 for an author chat and lots of giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 29th!

Blog Tour Schedule here!

*I was given a copy of Crazy Dangerous from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.  No other compensation was received.*

Fiber One Chewy Granola Bar review and GIVEAWAY! Mmmmmm!

                The winner is Shawnee!  Congratulations!!

I received this amazing package of Fiber One and Summer Fun goodness today!  Wanna win a package just like it from Fiber One?  Stay with me.:)

I am a HUGE fan of Fiber One granola bars.  HUGE.  They are delicious and fiber is something we all need help with in our diet.  I like to enjoy mine with chocolate personally.:)  Fiber One has just created new CHEWY bars.  Mmmhmm....  They are divine.  DIVINE.  Chocolate (coated in chocolate!) and Strawberry PB & J (coated in peanut butter!) flavors!  So, the whole family can enjoy.  My younger daughter loved Chocolate (my fave) the most and my older daughter enjoyed Strawberry PB & J the most.  

These little packages of yumminess and goodness will not last long at my house.:)

Fiber One Chewy bars contain 20% of the Daily Value of fiber and 10% of the Daily Value of calcium.  They are between 100-110 calories each, with only 7-8 grams of sugar.  No high fructose corn syrup.

Now for the fun!

One person will win the following in a fabulous prize pack from Fiber One!

-Box of Fiber One Chewy Chocolate Bars

             -Box of Fiber One Chewy Strawberry PB&J Bars             

             -Drawstring Sack Pack

             -Water Bottle

             -Flexi Flyer

             -Soccer Ball

             -Sidewalk Chalk

*Here is how to enter....

1) Leave a comment on this post for 1 entry.

2) Be a follower of my blog (let me know in another comment) for 1 entry.

That's all!  Winner will be chosen next Tuesday, the 22nd.

*I was given a prize package from General Mills in exchange for my honest opinion from My Blog Spark.  No other compensation was received.*

My Stubborn Heart Blog Tour and Giveaway!

Notice I did not use a stock photo for My Stubborn Heart, by Becky Wade.  I loved it so much that I took a picture and posted it on facebook as soon as I was done!  I. loved. this. book.  The main character, Kate (an Audrey Hepburn type, but with red hair), has been praying for her husband to be since the 4th grade.  She is a romantic at heart and knows that God has a special man chosen for her.  Or does he?  At 31 she is beginning to wonder if the fairy tale ending is not what God had planned for her. Kate and her grandmother travel to Redbud, Pennsylvania to renovate Chapel Bluff, her grandmother's childhood home.  Chapel Bluff turns out to be more of an estate!  I enjoyed exploring it and learning about it's transformation!  The characters are all lovable and richly written.  They came to life for me!  Gran's friends are a hoot and have great story lines on their own.  Velma (Weezer-like from Steel Magnolias) tells it like it is and had me laughing page after page.  Gran is strong and clever and knows when to step in or stay out of the situation.  Adored her.  Matt Jarreau's (retired star hockey player) past is tormented and long suffering and I patiently (not!) waited for him to find peace and happiness in his life.  I don't want to give away too much!  I even found myself reading parts to my husband- and he liked it, too.:)

I seriously hope they make My Stubborn Heart book into a movie! Blog Tour here!

About the book: My Stubborn Heart | Becky Wade Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When her grandmother asks her to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance. Upon her arrival in Redbud, Kate meets Matt Jarreau, the man hired to renovate the house. Kate can't help being attracted to him, drawn by both his good looks and something else she can't quite put her finger on. He's clearly wounded--hiding from people, from God, and from his past. Yet Kate sets her stubborn heart on bringing him out of the dark and back into the light...whether he likes it or not.  When the stilted, uncomfortable interactions between Kate and Matt slowly shift into something more, is God finally answering the longing of her heart? Or will Kate be required to give up more than she ever dreamed? About Becky:  During her childhood in California, Becky frequently produced homemade plays starring her sisters, friends, and cousins. These plays almost always featured a heroine, a prince, and a love story with a happy ending. She's been a fan of all things romantic ever since.  Becky and her husband lived overseas in the Caribbean and Australia before settling in Dallas, Texas. It was during her years abroad that Becky's passion for reading turned into a passion for writing. She published three historical romances with Avon Books, then put her career on hold for several years to care for her kids, then recently returned to writing sheerly for the love of it. She felt led to move to the genre of contemporary Christian romance and couldn't be more thrilled with it.  These days Becky can be found failing but trying to keep up with her housework, sweating at the gym, carting her kids around town, playing tennis, hunched over her computer, eating chocolate, or collapsed on the sofa watching TV with her husband.  Learn more at: www.BeckyWade.com  Celebrate with Becky by entering her My Stubborn Heart Giveaway and connecting with her during the Author Chat Party on 5/24! One fortunate winner will receive: A Brand New Nook Simple Touch™ with GlowLight™ A $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Certificate A copy of My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on May 24th. Winner will be announced at the "My Stubborn Heart" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/24. Becky will be hosting an book chat, testing your trivia skills and giving away some great prizes! So grab your copy of My Stubborn Heart and join Becky on the evening of the May 24th for a chance to meet Becky 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 and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTERand increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 24th! *I was given a copy of My Stubborn Heart from Litfuse in exchange for my honest opinion.  No other compensation was received.*

A Chicken Misunderstanding

Saw this on facebook this morning.

Reminds me of a little story of the night I met my husband.

Got your attention?

It was just my grandparents, my little sister, me, a really cute guy (future sweetie!) and his friend.  We had just sat down in the dining room at my grandparent's house.  Chicken was the main course.  Conversation was at a minimum- if any!  My grandfather said a prayer and then looked up and asked the boys:

"Do you prefer breasts or thighs?"

No lie.