Is Life at Your House "Boy-sterous"?

"Raising boys isn't easy. Life with them is loud. If it's quiet, they're probably up to something. Boys are messy, competitive, fearless, and proud. Living with them pretty much guarantees that you're in for an adventure."

Does that paragraph resonate with you? It does with me! As the mother of three boys and only one girl, as well as the wife of one large boy, it rings extremely true for me.

I grew up in a house with only sisters, so this "boy's life" thing is completely foreign to me. When I was received Jean Blackmer's book Boy-sterous Living I was ecstatic. In this book, Jean relates stories of mothers and boys. A few of them brought tears to my eyes, most of them had me laughing out loud, but all of them made me nod my head and say to myself, "YES! That's EXACTLY what it's like!"

Reading Boy-sterous Living felt like getting together with other moms and sharing stories. It was therapeutic, and eye-opening, and fun all at the same time!

If you have a house full of boys, or even if you just enjoy a good story, you will LOVE this book!

Have your own funny stories to share?

CONTEST: Enter your grossest or funniest moment as a mom of a boy (No boys? That’s okay – we still want to hear your story!) and you could win movie tickets and a snack for you and a friend to escape! Share your story by emailing your entry to amy@litfusegroup.com or posting it on the Moms of Boys facebook page!

Want to know more about Jean Blackmer?

About the author: Jean is currently the Publishing Manager for MOPS International and she's been free-lance writing for 16 years. She has been published in a variety of local and national publications, including: Guideposts, MomSense, Today's Christian Woman, Christian Parenting Today, American Girl, Proverbs 31 Woman, Chicken Soup for the Mother and Son Soul, Chicken Soup Cookbook for the Busy Mom's Soul, Focus on the Family's Teen Phases, Guideposts Miracle Series, and others.

She also co-authored her first book, Where Women Walked: Powerful True Stories of Women's Perseverance and God's Provision. (Tyndale/Focus on the Family, 2004) This book was nominated for a Gold Medallion Award.

Jean graduated from the University of Colorado in Boulder with a Bachelor's (1987) and a Master's (1992) degree in Journalism. She lives in Boulder with her husband Zane; three boys, Josh, Jordan, and Jake.

Author website: http://www.jeanblackmer.com

Want to see what other bloggers have to say about Boy-sterous Living?

http://www.litfusegroup.com/latest/current-blog-tours/89-boy-sterous-living-blog-tour

I know what you're thinking...this is going to be a post about the little guy. I can understand why you might think that, and I could most certainly write that particular post today (don't ask...it's not pretty), but no, this is not a David post. This is about a book by one of my most favoritist authors, Susan May Warren! I have read several of Susan's books and reviewed a couple of them here on the blog. Susan has created many memorable characters, but my favorite was Josey...until now. PJ Sugar is most definitely giving Josey a run for her money in falling backwards into messes of huge proportions! Is it evil of me to enjoy reading about other people's struggles? Maybe, but I've gotten myself into enough similar situations that I take an odd delight in the fact that others do the same...or worse! :) PJ Sugar delights me to no end!

Nothing But Trouble!

PJ Sugar - Trouble Collection

PJ Sugar knows three things for sure:

After traveling the country for ten years hoping to shake free from the trail of disaster that’s become her life, she needs a fresh start.

The last person she wants to see when she heads home for her sister’s wedding is Boone—her former flame and the reason she left town.

Her best friend’s husband absolutely did not commit the first murder Kellogg, Minnesota, has seen in more than a decade.

What PJ doesn’t know is that when she starts digging for evidence, she’ll uncover much more than she bargained for—a deadly conspiracy, a knack for investigation, and maybe, just maybe, that fresh start she’s been longing for.

This is just the first in a series of books about PJ Sugar, and I absolutely can't wait for the next installment to hit the shelves! Here's what Susan had to say about creating the title character of her new romantic comedy/suspense series.

Behind the Pages

Sometimes, do you feel like you just don’t fit in? You look around you and if anyone knew how difficult it was just to put yourself together, to smile when you feel completely overwhelmed, to even figure out what you were making for supper, they’d know what a mess you were. Maybe you totally relate to those words in 1 Peter – God’s elect, strangers and aliens in the world. Do you feel like when you look in the rear view mirror, all you see are your mistakes?

Maybe not. But if so, then PJ is your gal. I wanted to write a story about the person in so many of us who just wants to get it right…but can’t seem to stay out of trouble. My friend and I have what we call the “stupid mouth” club…and we report our weekly foibles
(usually on Monday, after Sunday church!). PJ is our charter member. She’s the girl that changes her mind, always hopes for the best, is always discovering that she is just a little different than everyone else. PJ is us.

And that’s good news. Because God loves PJ. He loves her messiness, and her impulsiveness, her heart bent toward others, the hope that fuels her actions. And He has a plan for PJ – one that includes her weaknesses as well as her strengths.

Yep, I need to hear that – need to hear that I don’t have to be perfect for God to love me, use me, sing over me. Need to hear that although I don’t fit in, well, I’m not supposed to…in fact, I’m supposed to be a little…alien.

So, to all the PJs out there – and anyone who knows a PJ -- this book is for you. Thank you for reading PJ’s adventures – I hope you come back for her continuing craziness with Boone, and Jeremy and her PI dreams, in the next book: Double Trouble. And meanwhile, may you live with joy on the outside the unique and delightful person God has created on the inside.

In His Grace,

Susan May Warren

Can you relate? I know I can!

And Susan has a really fun contest going on in connection with the release of this book as well. If you find her book in a store, take a photo of yourself with the book, and send the photo to her, you can win an advance copy of a new novella that is coming out this fall called The Great Christmas Bowl as well as a Sugar Personal Spa Basket! For all the details on the contest, go here.

And to see what others are saying about the book, you can see a list of all the blogs on the blog tour here. Some of them are even hosting contests and giveaways of their own, so go and check them out!

Wanna Get in Trouble with Me?

The celebration for Susan May Warren's first release in her new PJ Sugar collection, Nothing But Trouble, is about to begin. Join Susan for a month long Sugar Party!

The fun will Kick-off with a SUGAR BOMB on Friday May 15th. Susan is encouraging everyone to purchase a copy (and maybe a few for friends) of Nothing But Trouble anytime during the day on May 15th. Every one who purchases a copy of the book will be entered into the contest to win a Sugar Spa Basket. All you need to do is purchase a book at Amazon or CBD (or anywhere else) and then come back here (contest page at www.susanmaywarren.com) and leave Susan a message letting her know where you bought your book. Easy. And for every additional copies you buy, you'll gain an additional ten entries into the contest. So just let her know how many copies you bought.

The party will continue all month with a blog tour and chances to win copies of Nothing But Trouble from the blog tourists! View the Schedule here.

The Sugar party will conclude in a day of celebration on Friday June 19th with a day long ONLINE Sugar Bookclub Party. Susan will be giving away prizes, answering questions, hosting a live chat, and generally getting herself into some "Trouble".

I'll be posting my own review of this book tomorrow, but I wanted to make sure you all got a chance to get in on the fun today!

Tell your friends...or better yet, host your own Sugar Party!

Home to Heather Creek

***UPDATE***
Ya'll, I TOTALLY forgot that Tricia Goyer is giving away a set of these books on her blog as well! Here's the info...

Oh...and the best part is the EVERY FOODIE contest!

Okay...this book is loaded with yummy food: strawberry cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, baked chicken with cornbread, chocolate cake, pancakes with homemade syrup, French onion soup, parmesan crusted chicken…well you get the idea!

So the contest for this tour will be the EVERY FOODIE contest! Leave a comment on this post with your favorite meal and a recipe (feel free to post more than one recipe for additional entries in the contest!)! I’ll choose the one that most tantalizes my taste buds to receive an entire set of the Home to Heather Creek series (books 1-7)!

Five runner’s up will win a copy of Every Sunrise (or another Tricia Goyer book of their choice).

Let the mouth-watering commence!

So, if you want to go and enter over there as well, you can do that here! You can also find links to the other blogs reviewing this book and check out whether or not they are hosting giveaways as well!


I'm not quite sure where the last 11 days went...

I posted two whole days IN A ROW, and then...nothing. I remember why I didn't post last Wednesday...it was a crazy day that started early in the morning and lasted well into the night. Then Thursday and Friday were spent baking and decorating wedding and baby shower cakes. Saturday and Sunday were motorcycle competitions in Houston for my man and my boys. This week I guess I've just been trying to catch my breath!

But, I'm back now, and I have something good to share with you! As you know (if you've hung out with me for awhile), I have gotten the chance to review quite a few books on this blog. That is my most favorite yet unexpected perk of starting this little thing 2 years ago. And you know by now that fiction is my first love when it comes to books, but Christian fiction tops the list. I like reading a book that will help me learn to live my life more like Christ, so I love reading about Christian characters that have struggles and issues and watch how they work through them and I learn from them. I figure, if I learn right along with them, then perhaps I just might be able to skip that particular lesson in my own life! :) So, whenever I read a book, I'm looking for myself in the characters and trying to discover what I can learn through them. Ya'll, this book threw me for a loop!

Charlotte Stevenson's world is turned upside down by the death of her daughter Denise. Denise ran away from home when she was a teenager, and Charlotte has never forgiven herself. Now, Denise's three children have come to live on Heather Creek Farm: Sam, fiercely protective of his younger siblings; Emily desperately missing her friends; and young Christopher, a sweet soul who only wants to fit in. Is this Charlotte's chance to make things right?

That is the premise for a series of books titled "Home to Heather Creek". I believe there are 9 books in this series...so far. The book I was asked to review was written by my Twitter friend, Tricia Goyer. I reviewed one of Tricia's non-fiction books, "Generation NeXt Marriage" some time ago, and I've been following her on Twitter for awhile as well, so naturally I was anxious to read some of her fiction. But this particular book caught my interest for another reason.

Tricia Goyer didn't write the entire series. The series has been written by 5 different authors! Each of the first 5 books in the series were written by a different author and the following 4 books have had some of those authors write another book in the series. (That is why I think the series might not be finished, Kristin Eckhardt hasn't written a second book for the series yet. :)) I believe having different authors writing the series helps each book stand alone as well as fit into the series. Although I was diving into Every Sunrise, book 7 of the series, I didn't feel lost at all. Each book stands alone as it's own story even though it is linked to 8 other stories about the same family.

In Every Sunrise, the bleak, biting cold makes February on Heather Creek Farm a test of endurance for the Slater kids, trying to make it through their first winter in Nebraska. As winter wears on, Sam becomes more and more withdrawn and unhappy, and when he sets out from the farm one night, searching for the father who abandoned them all, Charlotte has to face the memory of Denise's own disappearance all over again. The family tries to discover where Sam may have gone, and as Bob and Charlotte set off on a cross-country journey to track him down, they need all the help--and prayer--they can get to bring him home safely. This broken family needs God's help like never before, but their trials remind them all that every sunrise brings a new beginning.

Now, here's where I got thrown for a loop with this book. I fully expected to identify with Charlotte when I read this book. I expected to find myself in her as she's trying to raise 3 kids and keep a house together. And I do see myself in Charlotte...although she's much better at the whole "keeping the house together" thing. But the one I really identified with in this book was Sam...the runaway, and not just because some days I feel like running away. ;) I identified with Sam for one main reason. Sam saw events happening around him as signs that what he was doing was the right thing to do, and when things didn't go according to his plan, he took that as a sign that something was trying to keep him from doing the right thing. In reality, I believe it was the opposite.

For example, when Sam's uncle was able to figure out what was wrong with his car, and get it running again, Sam believed it was a sign that he should get in that car and go find his father. And when Charlotte gave him permission to spend the night with his friend, he saw it as the perfect opportunity to leave without being missed, so it must be a sign that he should go, right? But when he runs into trouble with the car that can't be repaired in time, he believes that he should press on toward his goal because the good things that happened to him, must have meant he was doing the right thing.

Looking at it from the outside, I saw Sam's uncle fixing his car, and his grandmother allowing him to spend the night with a friend as blessings from God. These were blessings that made his life more pleasant and easier....right there in Nebraska... on Heather Creek Farm. And when he ran into trouble with the car later, I saw that as a sign that God was trying to stop him from making a mistake.

Isn't it interesting how the same circumstances can be read two different ways? This is why I related to Sam in this book. I have been struggling lately with knowing what it is God wants me to do. There are times I've thought I heard Him clearly, but when I acted on what I heard, everything came crashing down around me. Then I was faced with trying to figure out if Satan was trying to keep me from obeying God, or if I hadn't heard right in the first place! In other words, I am Sam.

Do you ever feel that way? Do you struggle with knowing what the will of God is, or what you should do in your day-to-day life? Do you want to know how Sam dealt with his setbacks, and whether or not he ever found his father and gained that relationship he longed for so much? Or how his family dealt with his leaving and whether or not they were able to bring him back home? Well, then you're going to need to read this book! And if you get curious about what might have happened in the other 8 books in this series, then you need to get the whole series!!! And guess what? I'm going to be giving away BOTH right here on the blog! That's right, I'm going to give away one copy of Every Sunrise and one copy of The entire Home to Heather Creek series!

Now I could ask you all to leave a comment telling me just exactly how you know when God is speaking to you....but that seems a bit too deep, and I'd feel really badly if you all had it all figured out and I was the only dope in the bunch! So, to keep my fragile ego in tact, I'm just going to ask you to go to the Guidepost's Home to Heather Creek website and check out the other authors in this series. Then come back here and leave me a comment telling me if you've ever read anything from any of those authors and how you liked it! In other words, I'm always looking for new authors to read, and I want recommendations! :)

I'll leave the comments open until Friday, March 20. Then I'll use Mr. Random Integer Generator to select a winner or, just write every one's name down and put it in a hat and draw out a name...whatever works! So go, check it out, and come back and comment. I'll just wait right here for you to come back.....

Starbuck's Anyone?

Hey there! My bloggy-sister, Shalee is giving away a Starbuck's gift card over at the diner to someone who can guess what color she just painted her kitchen!

AND she's going to add $1 to the amount of the giftcard for each person who posts about the contest on their blog! Now, if you know Shalee, then you know that she is about to start a new job....so she will soon be flush with cash!!! :) So I say we all post about her little contest and add some serious 0's to that giftcard amount...what do you say? Are you with me?

So, first, go here and enter your guess. Then post and link to the contest on your own blog...and be sure she knows it, so she doesn't forget to add that extra dollar!

It's My Birthday...but You Get the Present!

Well, at least ONE of you will anyway!

We have a winner! No Random Number Generator necessary...Shalee is the new owner of a Chris Sligh CD! Congratulations Shalee, and Happy 39th Birthday BooMama!!!

[This is a sticky post and will remain at the top of my blog until the contest winner has been announced...for newer posts---assuming I'll actually be writing new posts :)---scroll down!]

I'm having a contest in honor of my 43rd birthday...which is coming up soon! Here's the gist of it...


It just so happens that I share my birthday with someone who is very famous. If you want to win this contest, you must correctly figure out who that person is! Simple, right? Yeah, I know! Each day up until my birthday, I will post a clue as to who this famous person is. You may make your guesses in the comments. I will take all of the correct guesses and either put them in a hat, or use the Random Number Generator to choose the winner! Oh, and if you post about this contest on your own blog, and link to this post, you can get your name in one extra time! (I'm starved for comments around here, so I'll take 'em where I can get 'em!)


What, you ask, is the prize? Good question!


The prize will be your very own copy of my current FAVORITE CD...

That's right, you all have a chance to win Chris Sligh's CD, right here on this very blog!!! If you want to hear a sample...visit Chris's MySpace Page and listen to your heart's content!

I absolutely LOVE this CD! When I first got it, Empty Me was my favorite song. Then, as I listened to it over and over in the car, I fell in love with Are You Pleased?. Then, I loaded the album on my iPod, and one day during my walk, I heard Vessel and I had a new favorite...there is just something about hearing a song clearly, through headphones, with everything else blocked out, that helps me really hear the song, and this one blew me away. It became my prayer every day during my quiet time for the next two weeks. THIS week, I was again listening in my van, (but for some strange reason, there were no kids in it), and I couldn't stop smiling when I heard I'm Clean. It was exactly what I needed to hear this week, and has been my anthem ever since.

So, you can see that this album is very special to me, and I am LOVING it! That is why I want to share it with my peeps!

So...are you ready for your clues?

The famous person with whom I share a birthday is..... female.

The famous person with whom I share a birthday is..... 4 years younger than I am.

The famous person with whom I share a birthday has..... 3 fewer children than I do.

The famous person with whom I share a birthday is.... a blogger with a profoundly large following...and her own podcast (that she shares with two other bloggers)!

Got it figured out yet? If so, put it in the comments...if not, come back tomorrow for your next clue!

Contest Winner...FINALLY!!!

Sorry, I didn't get to this last week everyone, but when I'm in the middle of making wedding cakes, the rest of my world comes to a screeching halt! And for those of you who sent emails to me last week and didn't get a reply...again, my profound apologies!!

So, this week is a fairly light week, and I'm trying to catch up on those things that I let slip over the past few crazy weeks. Football season has started, but neither of my boys made weight this year, so it's just the girl cheering this time. I always said that I would never put my girl in cheer unless she was cheering for one of her brothers, but the Man over-ruled me. He said that if she wants to keep cheering, she should be allowed to because she has enjoyed it, and she's good at it...all true, but still....anyway, the girl is cheering, the boys are dirtbiking, and David is still David, but all in all the schedule is lighter than normal without two boys playing football as well. :)

So, the first thing I started to catch up on was my exercise routine. I've fallen off the wagon as you can tell from my sidebar, but I started a new program this week mixing weight-training, cardio, and running and good grief am I sore this morning! Yesterday was my first run in over a month and I had to go back to my original training technique of running through one song on my MP3, then walking through the next and alternating that way. I'm hoping to be back up to running 5 miles by this November's "Race for the Cure"....we'll see how that goes!

The second thing I need to catch up on is my bloggy business. I have a "Third Day" CD, T-Shirt, and Lifeway Bookstore Coupon to give away for goodness sake! So, since I had a whopping 3 people enter the giveaway, I did the selection process very scientifically. I wrote all three names down and put them in a bowl and had the Girl draw one out! And the winner is.....

Denise at Stamping for Sanity!

Congratulations Denise!!! I've been listening to this CD since I got them last week, and it's really, really good! And now, since I need to get your winnings to you, we have an excuse to get together!!! (As though we needed excuses!)

Okay, I could stay here catching up with you all for hours, but we're still having school here in the House of Kids and Cakes, and I haven't had my breakfast yet and I'm STARVING!!! So, I'm going to go for now, and I'll check back with you all soon!

Wiser Than Serpents...

I cannot believe I missed my date to review this book! I had it down as July 17, and I discovered yesterday, that my day was actually July 7....I'm so sorry that you have had to wait three whole days to find out that you need to read this book, lol.

Most of you know that I am an avid reader, and my first love is fiction. I like a variety of authors, and I read both Christian and non-Christian books. I am a huge fan of mysteries, and thrillers. I think I have read just about everything that Mary Higgins Clark and John Grisham have ever written. Can you imagine how thrilled I was when I discovered that there is a Christian writer who writes romantic thrillers??? My friends, I absolutely loved this book, and was very excited to find out that there have been two other books involving these same characters!
The story revolves around a human trafficking ring and covers the globe from Russia, to Taiwan, to here in the U.S.A. It has all the elements of a good spy novel...danger, intrigue, secret agents....but weaves in the truth of God's love for his people and His protection to those who call on Him. It's a great story that kept me on the edge of my seat while feeding my love for a good romance at the same time. I really recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fiction of any type.

About Wiser Than Serpents: When her sister vanishes into a human slave ring, FSB agent Yanna Andrevka is determined to rescue her. Unfortunately, she's in over her head, with no way out, especially after destroying the undercover operation of Delta Force Operative David Curtiss, who is deep undercover in the Twin Serpents crime syndicate. David has his hands full trying to save Yanna, and his operation -- one that could rescue hundreds of women from the Serpent, or cost he and Yana their lives. The thrilling next chapter of the Mission: Russia series!

And because she is so intent on ending the very real problem of human trafficking around the world, Susan is donating 15% of the books royalties to the International Justice Mission.

A note from Susan:
Did you know that there are 27 million people around the globe held as slaves today – more thank 80% of them women and children, and up to 50% minors. In fact, there are MORE slaves today than were in the time of William Wilberforce. That leaves me horrified, and it was those stats that compelled me to write a story with a human trafficking plotline.

Wiser than Serpents is a continuation of the Mission:Russia series, a thriller about Yanna, whose sister is snatched through a Russian dating service, and disappears. Yanna enlists the help of Delta Force Captain, David Curtiss to find and rescue her. Readers who’ve read, In Sheep’s Clothing and Sands of Time will recognize Yanna as the tech expert, and David as the solid Christian of the group. (Read the 5-Rose Review here!)

The book is written from the point of views of the rescuers, not the victims, and offers hope and empowerment, instead of feelings of helplessness. It raises awareness without lowering the standards of Christian fiction.
However, the world is real, and the need to get involved is great. I so greatly admire people who take their beliefs and put action to them –hence why a portion of the proceeds of Wiser than Serpents is going to help the International Justice Mission, (http://www.ijm.org/), an organization dedicated to rescuing victims and fighting the scourge of slavery.

Although the story stands alone just fine, I did find myself wanting to go back and read the previous two books in this series. I tried to order them from my local bookstore, but unfortunately they were unavailable....sob. But guess what! I went to Susan May Warren's website and she has the books available to order right there!

And you know what's even better? She's giving away 3 SIGNED sets of the entire series on this Blog Book Tour!

Contest Info! Susan will be giving away 3 SIGNED sets of the Mission: Russia (In Sheep’s Clothing, Sands of Time, and Wiser Than Serpents) series. To enter the contest…click on over to Susan’s blog tour post here and tell us which ministries/charities you support and why! Susan will randomly select three winners!

About Susan: Susan May Warren is the award-winning author of seventeen novels and novellas with Tyndale, Steeple Hill and Barbour Publishing. Her first book, Happily Ever After won the American Fiction Christian Writers Book of the Year in 2003, and was a 2003 Christy Award finalist. In Sheep’s Clothing, a thriller set in Russia, was a 2006 Christy Award finalist and won the 2006 Inspirational Reader’s Choice award. A former missionary to Russia, Susan May Warren now writes Suspense/Romance and Chick Lit full time from her home in northern Minnesota.



Book Link: http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?event=AFF&p=1028342&item_no=786206

Susan’s Website: http://www.susanmaywarren.com/

Susan’s Blog: http://susanmaywarren.typepad.com/scribbles/

Tour Schedule: http://susanmaywarren.typepad.com/scribbles/2008/06/wiser-than-serp.html

Adding to My Prayer List

I have some sad news to share. If any of you watched American Idol this season, you may remember Luke Menard. I always really liked him myself. Anyway, he has recently been diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. Apparently, he had moved to LA to start a career in acting after AI, but when he got the diagnosis he decided to move back to Nashville and continue working on his Christian album. You can read all the details and keep up with his story at his new blog. So, please add Luke to your prayer list and if you want to go and leave him an encouraging comment, please do that while you're there!

And while we're on the subject of Christian music, don't forget to enter the giveaway for the new THIRD DAY CD, T-shirt, and coupon here.

I got a surprise!!!

Hello all! Sorry to be missing again....I'll update on why I've been gone later, for now, I just have a big old surprise for you all! I received an email today telling me that I could go here and listen to THIRD DAY's brand new album...in it's entirety....for the rest of the month....BEFORE it even comes out!!!! And I got this....



...to watch and share with you too!!! Doesn't it sound fabulous??? I'm so excited! And DAUGHTRY joins THIRD DAY on this album, ya'll!!! It just gets better and better doesn't it???

But wait! It gets even better! When I clicked the link to go listen to the new CD, there was an offer to Pre-Buy the new CD for just $7.99 (plus shipping) and with the CD you can get a FREE t-shirt and a coupon for a future purchase...so guess what I did??? I pre-bought TWO of them!!! One for me, and one for one of you!!! Do you want it??? Just go here and listen to THIRD DAY's brand new album and then come back and leave me a comment about what song you liked the best! I'll keep the comments open until I receive the goodies in the mail, so you've got lots of time to go and listen and make your pick. So, go, enjoy, then get back here and tell me what you think!!!

Oh, and you can always go and pre-order your own if you want to...or maybe even TWO! Hee-hee-hee!!! I'm on my way to go hang out with these guys some more...they make some really great music!

We have a Winner!!!

Hello My Internet Friends!

Sorry, I've been missing again. We went camping over the Memorial Holiday Weekend, and then we've spent the past few days trying to unpack, and reclaim our lives here at the homestead. I have lots of news to share and lots of pictures of the kids and cakes and such, but I'll be back with all of that later....I PROMISE!

Right now, I need to announce the winner of my copy of "Sweet Caroline" by Rachel Hauck. I put each name on a slip of paper, and had Jon draw one name out, and the winner is.....

lyn 21!

Congratulations lyn 21! As soon as I get your address, I'll mail this book out to you!

Now, I must go and get dressed and ready for my day...lots to do today, but I'll be back later with some updates and pics for you.

Don't Forget....

"The Sweet Life Blog Tour" is in full swing and there are giveaways to be had. Go here for all the details!

I Cannot Believe I Forgot....

UPDATED: Apparently, Michelle entered to win this book at two
different blogs...AND WON BOTH! Therefore, a new winner has been
chosen....Mocha with Linda!

....to post the winner of "The Busy Mom's Devotional" book giveaway last week!!! I think I'm totally losing my mind. For those of you who know me IRL, you may not comment on that last statement...thank.you.very.much!

ANYWAY, since there were only 7 entries, I didn't bother with the Random Number Generator, I just wrote down everyone's name cut them out, folded them in half and had my 7 year old pick one out of a bowl. And the book goes to......



Michelle, at Delightful Evidence!

Congratulations Michelle! I'll contact you about getting your address to Lisa...she's going to send the book to you HERSELF! Don't you feel special? You should, you really should.

More giveaways are coming...stay tuned!

And the Winner is....

The winner of the first "Blog Book Tour Giveaway" is Darlene at Have You Seen My Keys. Yea, Darlene! You have won a copy of both "Generation NeXt Marriage" and "Generation NeXt Parenting"! Just email me with your mailing address, and I'll get you those books!

And don't forget, the giveaway for "The Busy Mom's Devotional" is right here and it ends on Monday, so if you want to be entered, you need to go leave a comment on that post!

I'm Afraid I've Dropped the Ball...

A few weeks ago, I posted a book review here and announced a giveaway for a copy of this amazing, wonderful, insightful, funny, and deeply touching book. And then, I forgot all about it and said no more, and posted no reminders etc....sigh.

However, Shannon is hosting another Bloggy Giveaways Carnival the week of January 27-February 2, and I've decided to put one or two copies of this book into the Carnival! So, for those of you who have already entered, don't worry, I'll keep you in the drawing, but for those of you who missed it the first time around, come back during the Carnival and enter for your chance to win a copy of this amazing book!

There's a book review in here somewhere....

Wow, so many things have happened since The Perp broke my snow globe that I don’t know if I’ll be able to post about all of it!

You already know about my previous hair disaster, and my subsequent cry to the people for help, and the result of all your help. 

But what you don’t know is that I’ve been in a book reading/movie watching frenzy around here in my “spare” time, HA! Yes, we homeschool here, and we go year ‘round, so we take vacation whenever we darn well please from Thanksgiving thru New Year’s. The idea is to spend time together making fun Christmas crafts and baking lots of Christmas goodies and just enjoying the holidays together. The reality is that for the first week or so, we all just chill out and relax. The kids spend hours and hours outside on the trampoline, making make-shift BMX tracks in my backyard, and pilfering things out of Dad’s garage without permission to create whatever fantasy world they wish to live in that day! In the meantime, I read and watch movies and other completely mind-numbing activities until I find that I can once again hold a cohesive thought in my brain for more than 5 minutes. At least, that has been the reality in the past…

The reality this year is that I spend my days trying to catch up on chores that have gone neglected for far too long, I run around town looking for black dresses, black pants, and white shirts that the children need for the Christmas program at church. I still cart kids back and forth to ballet, Youth Group, and now, Christmas program rehearsals. Just this month The Man and I have attended a wedding, a Christmas party with over 700 guests, and his office Christmas party…I’ve promised my mother that I won’t ask her to babysit again until next year!

However, I do try to spend at least a few minutes every day reading a book, and I try to wake up before the rest of the crowd to have quiet time, and if possible watch a movie…all by myself. I’ve recently seen and highly recommend, “Amazing Grace” and “End of the Spear”. If there is anybody left on the planet that has not seen either of these movies, they are both really good! I have also been reading an absolutely fabulous book that was sent to me by New Hope Publishing to review. And I am not exaggerating when I tell you that it is one of my most favoritest books ever, and NO, I won’t be giving it away on this blog. I have, however, purchased one and given it away as a prize at my church when it was my turn to host the ladies dinner. And I might just be persuaded to purchase another copy or two to give away here on the blog, but I absolutely will NOT be giving up my copy. I read it every morning during my quiet time, and I intend to read it over and over again.

“What is this book?” you ask. Well, let me tell you. The book is called “Wonderlust; A Spiritual Travelogue for the Adventurous Soul”, and it is by Vicki Kuyper. And she is now officially one of my all-time favorite authors! Reading this book is like reading one of my favorite blogs! Really, I’m not kidding! Just listen to the first paragraph in this book…(and by listen, I mean, of course, read it to yourself!)

“Is it my imagination or are my hiking boots actually mocking me? With each rhythmic step on the rocky trail, they seemed to whisper, ‘Imposter, fraud, fool . . . What are you doing here?’ Whether it was my imagination, the lack of oxygen at this altitude, or an actual protest staged by my brand-spanking-new purple footwear, one thing was certain. I totally agreed with my shoes.”

Now seriously, doesn’t that just make you want to keep reading? Not only is she writing in the style of some of my favorite blogs, but PURPLE HIKING BOOTS!!! We could be related! Because a 5 mile hike up a mountain in Peru is no excuse to abandon funky fashion, can I get an “Amen” sistas? Each chapter relates a lesson that God taught her through whatever situation or country she was in at the time. Some are funny, some are poignant, and some are sad, but all speak to the heart and soul, and all will touch you in some way. There are even discussion questions at the end of each chapter that you can use for group study, or just for your own journaling/reflection. It is truly a resource that I will treasure and use over and over for years to come. Which is why I will not be giving away my copy! However, you may either run right out to your local bookstore and pick up your own copy, go here and order a copy, add it to your Christmas wish list, or leave a comment here for a chance to win one!

If you wish to win one from me, then you must write a post on your blog, to help get the word out to as many people as possible, and then just leave a comment letting me know that you did, and you’ll be entered in the drawing! If you don’t have a blog, then just promise to tell everybody you know all about this fabulous book, and leave a comment with said promise! Really, it is a fabulous book and you will be blessed by the stories and lessons within it’s pages.

So go, post, and return with comments! I've got to tackle some laundry, and then I'll come back and finish catching you all up on life here at the zoo circus looney bin.

The Fall Y'all Bloggy Giveaway is Here!

The deadline for entering this giveaway is midnight tonight, November 3rd. I will use a random number generator to select a winner. I will announce the winner tomorrow, November 4! Thanks to everyone who entered, I wish I had 124 of these to give away so you could each have one!

Well, it's time for the "Fall Y'all Bloggy Giveaway" hosted by Rocks in My Dryer and I'm throwing my hat in the ring! I've been holding on to this one for awhile, and now it's finally time to "share the wealth" as it were. Hee-hee-hee! Back in August, when I was at the THSC Homeschool Convention, I was in a seminar taught by someone from the Financial Peace University and although I've tried to follow Larry Burkett's program for years, this program seemed to perhaps be a better fit for our situation and lifestyle. So, at the convention I purchased a copy of Dave Ramsey's latest book, as well as the audio version on CD with the intent to use one myself and give one away on this blog. And NOW the time has come. I am giving away the Audiobook set of CD's to one lucky winner! Just leave me a comment and let me know you are interested, and I'll enter you in the drawing!

Below is a synopsis of the audiobook in case you've not heard of Dave Ramsey or Financial Peace University. And in case you are wondering, no we're not "flush with cash" just yet, but we are trying to follow Dave's plan and feel that we are on the right track!

(Be sure to click on the "Fall Ya'll" button above to see all the other giveaways at all the other blogs!)

Build up your money muscles with America's favorite finance coach, Dave Ramsey. The Total Money Makeover will help you whip those out-of-control finances into shape. This is NOT a get rich quick scheme. It's a solid and straightforward game plan for completely making over your money habits. You'll learn how to pay off all your debt, recognize dangerous money myths, and secure a nest egg for emergencies and retirement. This revised and updated version also includes personal testimonies from men and women who have put these strategies into practice and succeeded. Abridged. Read by the author. 220 Minutes. 3 CDs.

An UPDATED Giveaway!!!!

UPDATED! UPDATED! UPDATED!

*This is a sticky post and will remain at the top of my blog until the contest is over. Scroll down for newer posts!*

My friend, Marcy has finally published her book of family devotions! Marcy is not only one of the funniest women I know, she is an amazing teacher. (I'm still trying to get her to start her own blog!) Anyway, she has published a family devotion book titled Catching Fireflies and it looks like so much fun that I decided to share it with all of you! I have ordered two autographed copies and am going to give one of them away to one of you!

UPDATE: I received the books in the mail last week and have been going through it over the past few days. It is even neater than I imagined! Here is an excerpt from the Introduction in the book:

"I remember warm nights in late spring, early summer, waiting for it to get dark outside. When it was just dark enough, my family would go outside and catch fireflies. Fireflies only came out in the dark and it was so fun catching them and watching them glow. Fireflies locate each other by their light, they illuminate the darkness and they warn predators to stay away. Some groups of fireflies even blink in unison throughout the night. I always found the light in these little bugs to be fascinating.

I can't think of a better description for the purpose for this book. Family devotion time should be as fun as catching fireflies. Family devotions should be full of fun activities, because learning about God's love can be fun. Families should be able to locate each other by the light within them, they should illuminate the darkness wherever they are and when families are lit on fire in unison together, they will warn predators like divorce, discord and demise to flee at the sight of the light."

Doesn't that just sound like what you want for your own family? Me too!! So, I started looking through some of the studies, and the first one that caught my eye was one in which you teach your children about being "bound up in sin" by wrapping them completely in toilet paper! How fun will that be? There is a story that you read aloud and as you read you unwrap the "mummified" child demonstrating how believing in Christ frees us from the bondage of sin. BUT THEN, she goes on with the example to show how even as Christians, we can become bound up in sin and even though we are free, we can still live a life of bondage. This story is the opposite, you read about a Christian who becomes proud and quits caring about others, stops going to church, etc. and with each of these things you are wrapping another part of the body with the toilet paper until eventually the Christian is completely bound just the way the unbeliever was before Christs mercy unbound him. It is a very fun and silly way to demonstrate a very powerful truth.

There was not much response to my first post about this giveaway, but I am hoping that now that I have seen the book and been able to give an actual review, that interest will be sparked! So, I am extending the deadline for the giveaway until this Friday, September, 14th.

All you need to do is post a little something on your blog that links back to this post (just to get the word out to as many people as possible) and then leave me a comment letting me know you are interested in winning the book. And if you want to take a look at a sample of some of the lessons, you can just click on the button at the top of this post, and it will take you to the official website for the book.

Thanks ya'll! I can't wait to share this book with someone out there!

My Perfect Household

*Updated: Sorry guys, I messed up when I entered the blog challenge, and I didn't link directly to this post. I just linked to my blog...DUH! So...I'm making this a "sticky post" and it will remain the top post until the challenge is over. So, if you are looking for new posts...you'll have to scroll down.

This article is my submission to the blog challenge sponsored by Art Bookbindery, "Empowering Writers to Self Publish."




This is a true statement...I promise.

Yesterday at about 12:30 or so in the afternoon. I was finishing up shining the kitchen sink. My mother had come and taken the girl to ballet class. Number one boy was busy shining everything he could find made out of stainless steel with the stainless steel polish; trash can, oven, dishwasher, toaster. Number 3 boy was in his room napping. And number 2 boy was sitting quietly on the couch reading his Bible because he had already finished the dusting.

I'm not kidding. It's true. Do you envy me? Do you think that I have a pretty great bunch of kids and a smooth-running life?

Let's rewind this picture...

It's 11:00. My mother is knocking at the door. I'm still running the vacuum over the middles of the carpet (no time to do the edges). The kids are daydreaming instead of picking up the toys, mail, books, etc. that are in the way of the vacuum. The girl is still looking for her shoes. The baby is screaming for attention. And the kitchen is a huge nightmare.

Rewind some more...

It's 10:30 and my mother is due in 30 minutes. The bathroom is still not finished being cleaned, there is JUNK all over the living room. Everything needs to be dusted and vacuumed. The kitchen sink, counters and table are filled with dirty dishes from the weekend's cake extravaganza, and the morning's breakfast. The kitchen floor is just a mite sticky in places with scattered cereal and a sippy cup or two strewn about. There are 3 trash bags in the kitchen waiting to be taken to the outside trash can. And there is a laundry basket or two with clothes waiting to be folded, as well as three with folded laundry waiting to be put away sitting on the living room floor. Oh, and let's not forget all the Easter baskets, candy, toys etc. piled on the couch waiting to find a home somewhere in this tiny, little, house.

Rewind one more time...

It's 10:00. The shrieking can be heard for miles! "COME ON GUYS!!!! I FORGOT!!! GRANDMA'S ON HER WAY OVER HERE AND THIS PLACE IS TRASHED!!!! B! CLEAN THE BATHROOM!! J! PICK UP IN THE HALLWAY!! M! GET DRESSED FOR BALLET!! D! PUT THAT DOWN!!! D!! GET OUT OF THERE!!! D!!! LEAVE THAT ALONE!!!

On second thought, let's fast forward back to 12:30. The dishes are finished. The floor has been swept and mopped. The living room has been dusted and vacuumed. The counters and table have been wiped clean. The sink has been shined. B has shined everything made of stainless steel in the house just because he wanted to make it look nice -- I didn't even ask him to. J has informed me that he was so interested in his Bible story, that he read ahead and is now 2 days ahead in his reading. The girl has just returned from ballet class with hugs and kisses for her mom. And the baby boy is still napping peacefully in his room.

You see, I could paint you two very different pictures of life in my house. Both would be accurate, but neither would tell the whole story. I thought a lot about this when I got a response to this year's Christmas letter from an old school friend. She said to me, "It sounds like you got everything you ever wanted." I thought for just one second about the house that's too small for 6 people, a school, and a bakery. I thought about car repairs needed. I considered medical bills that needed to be paid. I thought of things we'd like to buy but can't afford. Then I thought again...

This time I thought about four healthy, beautiful, children who think I'm the greatest mom ever. I thought about a husband who acknowledges (quite readily I might add) that I am not perfect while proclaiming that I am perfect for him. I thought of a house that we can afford to pay the mortgage on. I thought of the van I drive that my husband traded work to get for me so it didn't take any money out of our pockets. (The van with leather seats, front and rear AC, and a 13 inch TV with VCR installed in the ceiling.) I thought of the school books and software programs littering my kitchen where I teach my children rather than sending them off to strangers every day. I thought of the cake pans, icing tips, decorator bags, and thousands of accessories I have that allow me to be creative and make beautiful cakes and cookies for my friends while earning a little extra money on the side.

I thought of all these things and I realized that my old friend was right. All I had ever wanted to be was a wife, a mother, and a teacher with the chance to use my creative talents to make beautiful things. I have achieved all I ever wanted in life. So, let's not linger on the 10:00am to 12:30pm times in our lives. Let's instead, follow the advice of Philippians 4:8 and think only on those things that are noble and pure and true...

I do have a great bunch of kids. And I do have a great life.

GOD IS GOOD!

Blog Design Template Contest

Lindsay over at "Splat Designs" is holding a contest for some lucky blogger to win a free template. She has done some really cute designs, so I'm signing up! If any of the rest of you would like to enter the contest, you can go here and register your site for the contest!