Winter in Full Bloom by Anita Higman- A Lavishly Beautiful Journey

My Thoughts:

Winter in Full Bloom is one woman's journey to find her place in the world, recover what was lost and possibly learn to love again.  You see, Lily Winter has just discovered that she has a twin sister and she's determined to find her no matter what it takes.  Boarding a plane to Australia Lily's story begins- in more ways than one.  At the end of her journey Lily's life will never be the same again.

Winter in Full Bloom is such a clever title!  This reader simply assumed that the book takes place in winter, but don't be fooled by the cover.:)  Lily Winter is an endearing character and I thoroughly enjoyed watching her metamorphosis in this book.  The cold relationship (if you can call it that) Lily shares with her mother is debilitating and Lily suffers greatly from the lack of love.  At the age of 39, Lily's life is transformed due to a tremendous leap of faith, the joy upon finding her sister and the help of a handsome stranger.

Winter in Full Bloom is truly beautiful.  This is why I loved it.

#1- Lily Winter can be anyone.  She could even be you.  Her insecurities hold her back but in the end they empower her.  She's real and beautifully flawed.  

#2- The relationship between Lily and Marcus.  Swoonlicious.  He's a Knight in Shining Armor with a wounded heart and she's a Damsel in Distress.:)

#3- Much of the book takes place in Australia.

#4- Lily's Mom, Iris Gray.  The woman is cold and hard- and makes an excellent villain.  What is her story??

#5- Dragan- Yes, that's HER name.  Iris Gray's hired friend.  Have you ever heard of such a thing? She's a character like none I've ever encountered.

#6- The story is one of hope.  No matter where we are in our lives we must have the possibility of hope for the future. 

About Winter in Full Bloom: Lily Winter's wings are folded so tightly around her daughter that when empty nest arrives, she feels she can no longer fly. But Lily's lonely, widowed life changes in a heartbeat when she goes to visit a woman who is almost a stranger to her---a woman who also happens to be her mother. During their fiery reunion, her mother reveals a dark family secret that she'd been hiding for decades---Lily has an identical twin sister who was put up for adoption when they were just babies.

Without looking back, Lily---with her fear of flying---boards a jumbo jet and embarks on a quest to find her sister which leads half way around the world to Melbourne, Australia. Befriended by imprudent Ausie, he might prove to be the key to finding her sister. But her journey becomes a circle that leads her back home to attempt a family reunion and to find the one dream she no longer imagined possible-the chance to fall in love again.



Meet Anita: Best-selling and award-winning author, Anita Higman, has over thirty books published (several coauthored) for adults and children. She's been a Barnes & Noble "Author of the Month" for Houston and has a BA degree, combining speech communication, psychology, and art. Anita loves good movies, exotic teas, and brunch with her friends.

Connect with Anita at: www.anitahigman.com 

Anita Higman's latest novel, Winter in Full Bloom, has just released. She's teamed up with her publisher, River North Fiction, for a fun giveaway and a Facebook Author Chat Party on August 29th.







One grand prize winner will receive:

A Kindle Fire HD

Winter in Full Bloom by Anita Higman

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 28th.Winner will be announced August 29th at the Winter in Full Bloom Author Chat Party on Facebook. During the party Anita will be hosting a book chat, talking about family, announcing the winner of the Kindle Fire, and giving away a ton of books, gift certificates, and more. Oh, and she'll also be giving party goers an exclusive look at her next book.



So grab your copy of Winter in Full Bloom and join Anita on the evening of August 29th 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. HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE 29th!




*I was given a copy of this book from Litfuse Publications in exchange for my honest opinion.  No other compensation was received.*

being heard

We had an incident at the pool the other day.

It was a classic case of Bullying 101 accompanied by a misdemeanor of There's 20 of us and only 3 of You so Fear This.(Maybe not that many but it felt like it.)

I despise confrontation but I hate bullying even more. Sometimes you just have to put your big girl pants on and be the grown-up.  (even when you want to strangle a punk group of kids.  that have a wicked attitude.  and are proud of it.)

The lifeguards and manager got involved and things were resolved quickly- thank goodness.

So glad that's behind us!

But then we went back to the pool today and guess who was there?

Yep, the Get-a-long Gang.

I spotted them immediately and thought-

What do I do now??

A story from camp flashed into my mind and I knew what I had to do.

I had to talk to these children.  Because that's what they were- children.  Not gang members (right?) or drug dealers (please??).  

They were kids.

I was shaking.  Would they listen to me?  (God walked me over there and put the words in my mouth.  Yes. He. did.  Thank you, Lord.)

I re-introduced myself.  (Our last meeting involved looks that could kill as they stomped by my pool chair and then the ever popular spitting in the pool.  Classy.)

I told the group of 7 that this was all a big misunderstanding.  There were a lot of people at the pool the other day with tons of talking and confusion.

And then I told them my summer camp story.  The one where I stared daggers at a girl.  Her whole cabin was scared of me!  Truth.  Hey, she'd been flirting with a guy I liked.  And he had flirted back- with both of us!  Hiss. In the end (after I explained my side of the story to her) we became fabulous friends.  That poor boy never knew what hit him!  In fact, she found me on Facebook not too long ago.:)

At this point, the teenage big sister started listening.  She knew all about this kind of story.;)

Then I let these kids tell me their side of the story.  (Yes, it was ridiculous but that's not the point here.)  Perhaps this is what they wanted all along?  Just to be heard.

The story didn't end with a friendship, but it did end in peace.  We had a fun day, no one was bullied and I got to read my book.  Thumbs way UP!:)

The Letters by Suzanne Woods Fisher- A Glorious Visit to The Inn at Eagle Hill

My Thoughts:

I have a confession to make. I'm a bit late posting my review of The Letters, but I have a very good reason.  I was savoring each and every page, getting to know all the unique and wonderful characters and treasuring the fact that Suzanne Woods Fisher treats us to a visit from beloved characters from past stories.  Don't you wish every author did that? I was thrilled to read more about "too handsome for his own good" Jimmy Fisher, the endearing (but loud!) Hank Lapp and Will (who's now in college) comes back to Stoney Ridge, too!   All these characters are very dear to my heart and I know I'm not alone in saying that.  For those of you that haven't "visited" Stoney Ridge yet The Letters would be a perfect place to start as it's the first book in The Inn at Eagle Hill series.  The characters are precious, their stories are beautifully tender, sometimes heartbreaking, but always with a focus on the Lord.

You'll fall in love with the main character, Rose Schrock, from the moment you meet her.  She's absolutely full of grace but carries a heavy burden after the death of her husband.  Not only that, her oldest son Tobe is missing and her mother in law is in need of constant care after a stroke.  Rose is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders and begs God for guidance and a plan.  Delia Stoltz also has some terrible troubles. Her husband tells her he's in love with another woman and she just found out she has cancer- on the same day.  God brings these two women together in the most amazing way.  I don't want to ruin the surprise but I do hope you'll read the story and find out.  

I love, love, loved The Letters.  Suzanne Woods Fisher has once again captured my heart, tickled  my funny bone and made me wish I'd been born Amish- at least sometimes.:)  I can't wait to try Rose's Blueberry Cornbread recipe!

About The Letters: 
Book one in Suzanne's brand new series; The Inn at Eagle Hill. 

Rose Schrock is a plain woman with a simple plan. Determined to find a way to support her family and pay off her late husband's debts, she sets to work to convert the basement of her Amish farmhouse into an inn. While her family, especially her cranky mother-in-law, is unhappy with Rose's big idea, her friend and neighbor, Galen King, supports the decision and he helps with the conversion. As Rose finalizes preparations for visitors, she prays. She asks God to bless each guest who stays at the Inn at Eagle Hill. As the first guest arrives and settles in, Rose is surprised to discover that her entire family is the one who receives the blessings, in the most unexpected ways. And she's even more surprised when that guest decides to play matchmaker for Galen King.

With her signature plot twists combined with gentle Amish romance, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites readers back to Stoney Ridge for fresh stories of simple pleasures despite the complexity of life. Fisher's tale of God's providence and provision will delight her fans and create many new ones. Welcome to the Inn at Eagle Hill.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/nibGe

Meet Suzanne: 

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of the Lancaster County Secrets series and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, includingAmish Peace. She is also the coauthor of a new Amish children's series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist. She is a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California. For more information, please visitsuzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with her on Twitter @suzannewfisher. Get Amish proverbs delivered right to your iPhone or iPad! Download the Free App!http://bit.ly/134r55G

Suzanne Woods Fisher is celebrating the release of the first book, The Letters, in her new series by giving away 2 iPads, 2 Kindle Fires and 2 Nook HDs! Wow!

Two grand prize winners will receive:

• An iPad


• The Letters by Suzanne Woods Fisher


Four second place winners will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HD or a Nook HD - winner's choice!


• The Letters by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 17th. All winners will be announced August 19th at Suzanne's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Suzanne's blog on the 19th to see if you won one of the great prizes! (Or better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)

*I received a copy of The Letters from Litfuse Publications in exchange for my honest opinion.  No other compensation was given.*

Delicious (and SO easy!) Blueberry Coconut Ice Cream- Gluten/Casein Free

Amanda and I are on an adventure, of sorts.  We're working on eliminating gluten/casein foods from our diet.

Life is hard, right?

Or so you might imagine.

It's amazing how many delicious foods we can eat! Try making this coconut ice cream at your house.  It is absolutely delicious- rich and creamy- and the coconut milk and blueberries will be a lovely boost to your health.:) 

You'll find coconut milk (top shelf) in the Chinese food section of Wal Mart.  No driving to a random specialty store- score!  I ordered the gluten free vanilla extract from amazon.

Combine all the ingredients (full recipe below) in blender.  No, I don't have a fancy blender, just a regular one from Wal Mart. 

Amanda was our Barefoot Contessa of the day.  She made the ice cream- double score!

Add in your blueberries.

See how yummy it looks already!

Blend the blueberries into the cream mixture in your blender.  You'll get the softest lavender color- with no food dyes!  Another health benefit- and pleasing to the eyes, too.

I poured the sweet concoction into a Tupperware container and froze it.  Another option would be to use your ice cream maker, but we were going for easy peasy.;)

It is delicious!  Very rich so a little goes a long way.  You can create any flavor you choose- mint chocolate chip, raspberry, peanut butter and chocolate, etc.  

Blueberry Coconut Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 cans chilled coconut milk (put in the refrigerator overnight)

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup blueberries

-Place the coconut milk, sugar, vanilla and blueberries in blender.  Blend for about 30 seconds.

-Pour into Tupperware container and freeze (we did this) OR freeze in an ice cream maker (follow manufacturer's instructions).

Enjoy!

August 10 on 10

We've had the most amazing August with cooler temperatures and oodles of glorious RAIN!

The 10th began with a slumber party...  and, of course, the girls were still up at midnight.;)

After sleeping in late (all of us) we had lunch at Panera.  The entire month of August, their frozen drinks are 1/2 price between 3-5!  (They don't have any signs for this, you just have to be "in the know".;) And now you are!)

Then we were off to the mall!  The girls had a blast in Aeropostale where almost everything in the store was 1/2 price!  The vibrant colors are always such fun and their sales are fabulous.  It was a bit tricky finding a dressing room!

Kissing the pig!

Stopped in Bath and Body Works to check out the new fall scents- they're out!  And they are yummy.  Apple, pumpkin, cinnamon- and even Halloween!  

Back to School time is here which means we need a pair (or two) of fabulous boots.  GAP has some cute styles so I think we may go back today.  30% off the whole store, too!

Caught the sun as it was setting.  The sky was absolutely glorious last night.

Working on some pretties for a friend's fundraiser.  May have to keep one for myself as this bracelet puts a smile on my face.:)

Akinator.  The Web Genie.  It asks a few questions and then (almost) always knows the answer!  The girls played with this all day long.  Crazy fun!

The day ended with homemade chicken soup and a Travel Channel show about the United Kingdom.  A stay in Thornbury Castle is now on my Bucket List.  Click on the link and it will be on yours, too.;)

Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

Crayola crayons, the love of reading and the kindness of strangers

I finally declared a week off from school and it has been heavenly.

Swimming, bowling, sleepovers, and more.

Then I stepped into Target...

and got caught in the back to school shopping frenzy.

Cuz who doesn't love new crayons, especially when there's a theme involved like Pixie Dust?

I couldn't think of a valid reason to buy one of these, oh but I wanted to.  I think Ideas Grow Here is my favorite, but look at the sweet birdie on Follow Your Heart.

Precious.

Speaking of precious, love these two.  They share a passion for reading, shopping and One Direction. I have to brag a bit here and tell you that my little one read for over 50 hours this summer.  Between the two of us we could open a library or organize a support group.;)

Another thing we have in common is the tendency to be a bit cautious (unlike my older daughter who is a thrill seeker extraordinaire!).  But look what happened the other day!  I was so proud of her- the diving board is a big step!  It's amazing what you can do when a sweet friend and your big sister are encouraging you.  My heart was absolutely full watching the story unfold.

Then big sister climbed on the high dive!  Everyone in line clapped when she jumped and my heart soared once again.  It was almost too much!  The kindness of strangers is powerful, dear friends.  Be sure to do it at least once a week and I'll do the same.:)

I think we'll take school off this week, too.

We can break in those crayons later.

Rock Harbor Search and Rescue by Colleen Coble & Robin Caroll- Hopefully the first of Many!

My Thoughts:

Search and Rescue, by Colleen Coble and Robin Caroll, is an exciting mystery for middle schoolers (and their moms!).  My 10 year old daughter actually read the book before I did and we both adored 14 year old Emily O'Reilly, the clever main character with a heart of gold.  Emily is a wonderful role model with big plans.  Her dream is to own her own search and rescue dog and she works hard to raise the funds.  In addition to that, she respects her parents and loves the Lord.  Not all is perfect in her world, though, as Emily is accused of stealing an expensive piece of jewelry in the very first chapter!  There's also the matter of the Windigo in the woods.  Is it just an Ojibwa legend or does it truly exist?  We also discover that Emily's real mom is in jail and the thought of her being released holds Emily and her brother, Timmy, in fear.

This mystery has many exciting twists and turns as Emily tries desperately, with the help her faithful side kick Olivia, to find the stolen necklace and clear her name.  My heart went out to her when her very own father doubted her innocence and the kids at school were cold hearted and judgmental.  Nothing like this would've ever happened to Nancy Drew!  Through the late night rescues in the woods, the altercations with jealous peers and budding romances, Emily's faith in God shines.  I'm hoping that Search and Rescue is just the beginning and that a series of books will follow.  We need to explore the storyline of Emily's mother, watch Emily overcome her fear of the water and accompany her on more Search and Rescue adventures!  

Book Description

In Rock Harbor Search and Rescue, a middle grade fiction novel based on Colleen Coble’s bestselling Rock Harbor series for adults, kids will enjoy the mixture of pets, adventure, suspense, and a mystery.

Emily O’Reilly is obsessed with all things Search and Rescue. She volunteers with the team and goes on rescue missions with her stepmom. She is even selling homemade jewelry to save up for her own Search and Rescue puppy. But when an expensive necklace is stolen from a renowned jewelry artist at Rock Harbor’s fall festival and Emily is accused of the crime, it looks like she’ll never get her puppy and be able to join the Rock Harbor Search and Rescue team.

Emily isn’t willing to give up on her Search and Rescue dreams that easily, and she sets out to find the real culprit and to restore her reputation. With a few suspects in mind, Emily is determined to uncover the truth, but she isn’t prepared for the secrets she and the Search and Rescue dogs sniff out in the process. This exciting mystery is filled with twists and turns that will keep readers on the edge of their seats and have them pining after a Search and Rescue puppy of their own!

*I received a copy of this from Book Sneeze in exchange for my honest opinion.  No other compensation was given.*