Friday, February 27, 2009

Friday's Fave Five


Well, it is that time of the week. Time for Friday's Fave Five!! :) This week had a few rough spots for me so I'm looking forward to putting my list together to remind me of all the good things that did happen this week.

1) Teach Yourself Visually Knitting. That is a book I ordered from amazon and it came in the mail Tuesday. Even though I know how to knit I don't know how to do the more complicated things so I'm enjoying learning how to do the more complicated things and finding out they really aren't as complicated as I first thought. Hoping that I will be able to knit a sweater one day.

2) Spring. Okay, it's not Spring yet but this week here in Texas it has felt like Spring. I'm talking about lovely days of sunshine and temperatures in the high 70s to mid 80s.

3) Gracie. Gracie is my lovely German Shepherd and we took advantage of the warm weather yesterday. She stays at my parent's home during the day with my dad (who works from home) and her two siblings. Anyway, I went to my parent's house yesterday but since I was meeting my mom there to go out to eat I had some time to kill. So I decided to take Gracie and walk down to the little lake that is near their house. She's so funny. The funniest thing she did was after I told her not to she jumped into the water. She stopped and acted like she wasn't going to go in but once my back was turned in she went. It cracks me up to see her just swimming along. Anyway, me and Gracie had a nice time enjoying the lovely weather yesterday.



This isn't the best picture but this is Gracie, Daisy and Doc.

4)Sugar Cookies! My hubby went the the grocery store and got me some sugar cookies. I kept them in the pantry this time so I was able to enjoy my cookies all week. :)

5) A good book. I love to read but lately have been in a little book slump. Just couldn't find a book that kept my interest until this week. Read a really good book,
Romance Rustlers and Thunderbird Thieves by Sharon Dunn. Such a good book and I highly recommend it. You can check out my review here.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Wordless Wednesday

I know this is suppose to be wordless but I just have to say that this is Jill, my lovely office assistant. In this picture you can see her hard at work at keeping that paper from floating to the ceiling. Since she's been on the job I haven't had one piece of paper hit the ceiling! ;)

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

4. Romance Rustlers and Thunderbird Thieves: A Ruby Taylor Mystery


I first discovered Sharon Dunn when I picked up, Death of a Garage Sale Newbie, and I enjoyed that book so much I've been looking out for other books by Sharon Dunn. Well, I finally got my hands on the first book in her Ruby Taylor Mystery series and it did not disappoint.

In this first book we meet Ruby Taylor and her mom whom she has recently been reunited with. Ruby's mom talks her into finding a young man from her church that has gone missing just a couple of weeks before his wedding. Reluctantly she agrees but along the way Ruby and her mom meet a woman whose husband has run off with all her money and her Thunderbird. So Ruby now has two mysteries to solve all the while dealing with all her demons and finding her way to Christ.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were real and the way the author wove in Ruby's struggle with her faith you never felt like you were being preached too. I am looking forward to reading the other two books in this series.

So to wrap everything up: Enjoyable book that I highly recommend. I'm giving Romance Rustlers and Thunderbird Thieves four out of five stars.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Friday's Fave Five


Well, I haven't participated in any little carnival's in a long time so I thought I would come out of hiding and so here I am. :) This carnival is called Friday's Fave Five and it's hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story. What you are suppose to do is to list five favorite things from your week. So here I go:

1) Sleep. Well, a good night's sleep that is. I have problems sleeping at times but this week was pretty good except for the one night when the dog wouldn't stop barking and the hubby's snoring seemed louder than normal. But other than that this have been a good week sleep wise.

2) My cats. Coming home and finding my sweet little cuties all hanging out in the living room to say "Welcome Home!" always makes me feel good and is always a favorite thing of mine. Also coming to work and having Jill, my office cat, greet me is also nice. Jill works hard. It isn't easy being a paper weight. ;) At the moment she is keeping some papers on my desk from floating up to the ceiling. Keep up the good work, Jill! :)

3) Going out to eat with my mom. We always go out once a week and with the cooler weather and other things we haven't gone is a while but yesterday we went out to eat and went by Sam's. I enjoy spending time with my mom plus it also means one night a week I don't have to cook! :D

4) Sugar cookies w/ frosting. I love those sugar cookies you buy in the bakery department at the grocery store. I got me some this week and after enjoying one I started debating with myself if I should eat one more. Finally, I decided I would just eat one more when I heard a strange noise in the kitchen. *sigh* One of my cats had been trying to figure out how he could enjoy a cookie and ended up just dumping them on the floor. Matthew (cat) got in trouble and the dogs got to enjoy my yummy cookies and I have told myself that I will just have to get me some more the next time I go to the grocery store.

5) Monk. My favorite show comes on tonight. Love, love Monk! Sadly, tonight is the season finale but looking on the bright side it should be back around September.

Monday, February 16, 2009

3. The Red Siren


I finally finished reading The Red Siren yesterday and I have to say I enjoyed it. :) In the Red Siren we meet Faith who is determined to do whatever it takes to protect her sisters from being forced to marrying whoever their father picks. So in order to do that she has to raise a lot of money to be able to provide for them. So what's a girl to do? Become a pirate, of course! But once Captain Dajon comes into Faith's life things get a little complicated. He's suppose to capture pirates and has no idea that he is falling in love with one.

MaryLu Tyndall has once again wrote a great story with characters you will love and some you will not like at all. The only complaint I have is that I have to wait until the Fall to find out what happens to one of the sisters. *sigh* The next book in the series is about Hope (Faith's sister) and The Red Siren ends with a cliffhanger so if you just hate to wait then I suggest to wait until the Fall and purchase both books so you can read them back to back. But if you don't mind waiting then I highly recommend The Red Siren. I'm giving it four out of five stars.

Outlaw Marshal Blog Tour


Outlaw Marshal:

A good deed grants outlaw Whipley Langford early release from prison and a friendship with Chief U.S. Marshal John Brockman. Another good deed gets Whip framed for murder and looking at life through a hangman’s noose. John arrives just in time to reveal the true murderers and lead Whip to Christ.

A new man and a fast draw, Whip becomes Brockman’s deputy. Life is still fast and dangerous, and there’s a pretty lady Whip would like to get to know better too. Before he admits his love, Whip is shot in a bank robbery. Survival looks slim until he awakens to hear his lady confess her love. Weeks later, they are married.

Readers who are familiar with the Journeys of the Stranger and Angel of Mercy series reunite with well-loved characters John and Breanna Brockman. Western history buffs will enjoy a wholesome, fast-paced story where the Gospel is presented clearly. Christian readers will learn how to lean on the Lord in times of trial and non-Christians will have the opportunity to make Christ their Savior.

About The Authors:
Al Lacy is an evangelist and author of more than one hundred historical and western novels, including the Journeys of the Stranger, Angel of Mercy, and Mail Order Bride series, with more than three million books in print. JoAnna Lacy, Al’s wife and longtime collaborator, is a retired nurse. The Lacys have been married over forty years and live in the Colorado Rockies.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Happy Valentine's Day!


See that cute Teddy Bear? My lovely hubby got me him for Valentine's Day. It's a Vermont Teddy Bear and it's so cute...I love it but I love my hubby more. :) If your interested in checking out all the cute bears they have at Vermont Teddy Bear then just click on the bear to go to their site.

Hope everyone has a Happy Valentine's Day!

Monday, February 9, 2009

Valentines Day Blog Tour


I Do Again:


With their professional success and adorable twin daughters, Jeff and Cheryl Scruggs looked like the perfect couple. But their polished facade concealed a widening chasm between two people unable to connect on an intimate, soul-deep level.

After years of frustration, Cheryl’s desire for emotional fulfillment led to an affair and, finally, divorce. Yet, incredibly, seven years later, Jeff and Cheryl once again stood at the altar, promising to “love, honor, and cherish” one another. A new and vibrant love had risen out of the ashes of this family’s pain.

I Do Again details the fascinating real-life story of a couple whose relationship seemed shattered beyond all hope until a spiritual awakening led them to reconsider their definitions of “happily ever after.” A riveting account of the power of prayer and redemption, this remarkable book offers renewed hope for even the most troubled marriages—and reveals why the rewards of restoration are well worth the wait.


Author Bio:
Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs are the founders of Hope Matters Marriage Ministries, and for the past several years they have shared their incredible story of a marriage restored with audiences across the nation. Jeff is an account manager with OshKosh B’Gosh, and Cheryl has served as director of the Frisco, Texas, office of the Center for Christian Counseling. They live in Dallas, Texas with their two college-age daughters.



Love As A Way Of Life Devo:

In his book Love As a Way of Life, best-selling author Gary Chapman shows readers how to cultivate a new lifestyle built around the seven characteristics of authentic love. Now in a companion devotional, he provides ninety inspirational readings to help Christians consistently live out the characteristics of love in every relationship.

Each devotional entry showcases biblical truths that guide a life of love, offering fresh insight and practical guidance in how to make love a lasting habit. Over the course of three months, readers will learn to follow God’s lead as they practice the characteristics of a loving person: kindness, patience, forgiveness, courtesy, humility, generosity, and honesty.

The Love As a Way of Life Devotional makes an ideal gift for the holidays or for any special occasion. Couples, parents, new graduates, and anyone celebrating a milestone in life will welcome this inspiring daily guide to richer, more satisfying relationships.


Author Bio:
Dr. Gary Chapman is the author of twenty-six books, including the New York Times bestseller The Five Love Languages, with more than 4 million copies in print. His daily radio program, A Love Language Minute, is broadcast on more than 100 stations nationwide. Dr. Chapman, a graduate of Moody Bible Institute, Wheaton College, Wake-Forest University, and Southwestern Seminary, serves on a church staff in North Carolina.





For Couples Only Box Set:

Since their debut, these revolutionary guides have sold well over a million copies, been translated into fifteen languages, and sparked much fascinating water-cooler conversation around the country. Now together in the For Couples Only boxed set, these books provide the perfect resource to help you understand what you never knew about the woman or man in your life.

Each volume is based on input from more than a thousand members of the opposite sex—including an unprecedented nationwide survey and hundreds of personal interviews. This innovative approach yields candid and surprising answers about everything you don’t “get” about your significant other—even what that person deeply wishes you knew. It also produces simple but groundbreaking awareness of how you can best love and support the one who is most important to you.

So whether you are newly dating or have been married fifty years, get ready to know each other in a whole new way. The adventure is just beginning!


Author Bio:
Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn hold graduate degrees from Harvard University and are popular national speakers, authors, and entrepreneurs. They are also active church members and the parents of two young children, and they enjoy every minute of living life at warp speed.



Angie here. :) Well, I haven't had time to read I Do Again but I have started reading Love As A Way to Life Devotional and the little devotionals are short but sweet. They give you a little something to think about and to put into practice. For Couples Only Box Set I have also started reading, well I started reading the one for woman and I actually got my husband to start to read the one for men. He put up a little fight but then I just asked him to at least thumb through it and see what he thought of it. So he said okay and I was surprised to find out he actually started to read it and that he said that he has learned things. I know the one for women is very interesting and although I haven't finish reading it yet I am enjoying it and learning. I would certainly recommend this for all married and engaged couples. And if you feel like your husband would refuse to read it then perhaps if you read the one for men and then just highlight the parts that you would like him to read. I figure if you ask him to read a paragraph or two he won't put up too much of a fight. And who knows once he starts reading he may keep on going. :)

Monday, February 2, 2009

The Friends Blogger Award


I received this lovely little award from MaryLu Tyndall, http://crossandcutlass.blogspot.com/, Thank you! :)

"These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

So I am giving this to eight blogs that I enjoy reading and hope that you will check them out and enjoy them too. :)