Schoolhouse Crew Review~Everyday Cooking

As the busy homeschooling mother of eight girls and foster mom to fifty, Vicki Bentley didn't have the time or money to make gourmet meals every night.  Everyday Cooking began as a chapter in her homeschooling manual, Home Education 101, and has grown to become a cookbook full of great recipes and ideas.  I received Everyday Cooking as an e-book, and I plan to have it printed and bound eventually.  Mrs. Bentley has many good money and time-saving ideas in this book, and I learned a lot from reading it. 

One thing I have never frozen, because I thought you couldn't, is rice.  I read in Everyday Cooking to cook up a bunch of rice and freeze it in individual bags for quick dinners.  I've been freezing it regularly now-what a timesaver!!  I made several of the recipes in Everyday Cooking, and my family's favorite was Hawaiian Chicken.  Here is the finished product:

Yummy!  This recipe is going to be a regular in our dinner rotation.  I liked that many of her recipes could have their ingredients chopped/cooked ahead of time and frozen, to be thrown together and heated up at dinnertime.  The only thing that I didn't like about some of the recipes was that they would say for example '1 quart size bag of cooked chopped chicken'.  I know a lot of people cook without exact measurements, but I'm the kind that likes measurements on everything.  It would also be nice to have pictures of some of the recipes. 

Everyday Homemaking is a website full of great tips and encouragement on homemaking and homeschooling.  You can see sample recipes, including Vicki's Bread Recipe!  There are also several other books available for purchase.  Everyday Cooking is available as an e-book for $14.99, or printed for $17.99.  It is a great resource for busy moms! 

 

*Disclaimer: I received a download of Everyday Cooking in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own. 

Book Review~The Reason

Looking for a book you won't be able to put down?  If you are looking for a real page turner, I suggest reading The Reason by William Sirls.  In a small Michigan town, lightning hits the church's wooden cross and splits it in two.  This event is the beginning of a riveting story about everyday people dealing with life's problems.  The church's minister hears the words, 'only believe.'   The Reason is about learning to 'only believe', and find God amidst their troubles.  The story and characters were so deep-it will make you feel so many emotions!  

This is Mr. Sirls' debut novel, which I was very surprised to learn. There are author's notes, a reading group guide, and an interview with the author in the back of the book.  I think The Reason would make an excellent book club choice.  I highly recommend this book!

*Disclaimer: I received this book free from Booksneeze in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review-A Duke's Promise

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Duke's Promise B&H Books (September 1, 2012) by Jamie Carie

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

As Jamie’s relationship with God grew, she discovered her heart was filled with songs and poetry. During high school she wrote lyrics for her brother’s band. (And she sang them too!) After college, Jamie married, had two sons and decided to stay home with them. While she homeschooled she wrote skits, poems, plays and short stories for school and church.
When her eldest son turned five she dove into the world of novels. She’d read romance novels for years, but couldn’t relate to the flawless, saintly heroines in Christian romance novels. So she decided to write her own.

Snow Angel was born on a frosty night in an old farmhouse in Fishers, Indiana, where the cold floor gave plenty of motivation for the snow scene. Jamie loves to write late at night when the house is quiet and the darkness seems alive. Elizabeth and Noah had been playacting in her head for a long time, so the story went fast.
Ten years later Snow Angel was published and won the ForeWord magazine Romance Book of the Year winner, was a National “Best Books 2007” Awards winner, and a 2008 RITA Awards® Best First Book finalist. It was the beginning of her dream career.

Jamie and her husband Tony have been married for twenty-one years and live in Indianapolis with their three sons and a giant of a dog named Leo.

If she could only say one thing to her readers it would be, “Live the dreams God has destined you for!”

ABOUT THE BOOK

From the Land of Fire and Ice back to England’s shores, Alexandria Featherstone finds herself the new Duchess of St. Easton. Her husband has promised a wedding trip to take them to the place where her imperiled parents were last seen -- Italy and the marble caves of Carrara -- but a powerful Italian duke plots against Alex and her treasure-hunting parents.

Hoping to save them, Alex and Gabriel travel to Italy by balloon. Fraught with danger on all sides and pressured by Gabriel’s affliction to the breaking point, they must learn to work and fight together. The mysterious key is within their grasp, but they have yet to recognize it. This journey will require steadfast faith in God and each other -- a risk that will win them everything they want or lose them everything they have.

If you would like to read the first chapter of A Duke's Promise, go HERE.

*Disclaimer: I received this book free in exchange for my honest review.

The Haven review and contest!

The Haven is the second book in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series by Suzanne Woods Fisher.  About the book:

When Sadie Lapp steps off the bus in Stoney Ridge after being in Ohio for the winter, she is faced with a decision-one that goes against her very essence. Yet it's the only way she can think of to protect a loved one.


Schoolteacher Gideon Smucker has been crazy about Sadie since boyhood. But his response to her surprising decision undermines his own reputation-and his relationship with Sadie.

College student Will Stoltz is spending the spring at the Lapp farm as a guard for a pair of nesting Peregrine Falcons-courtesy of the Lancaster County Game Warden. Will needs to get his life back on track, but his growing friendship with Sadie threatens his plans.

The lives of these three individuals intertwine, and then unravel as unexpected twists create ripples through the town of Stoney Ridge . . . and through Sadie's heart.

I've read several of Suzanne Woods Fisher's books, and I am always amazed at the characters she creates-they are deep and real, and I feel like I know them personally by the time the story is over!  The Haven is no exception.  Sadie Lapp is a sweet young Amish woman who can be a bit awkward, especially around men.  She strives to do what is right in life for herself and her family.  As she nears marrying age, she struggles as her family deals with life's surprises.  Sadie has to learn her place in her family and community, and to trust God's path for her life. 

To learn more about author Suzanne Woods Fisher and to purchase The Haven, visit her website.
  Celebrate the newest book in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series with Suzanne by entering her 4 eReader Giveaway and Facebook Party and RSVPing for the Live Video Chat on 8/30! 

See what folks are saying about The Haven!

Four grand prize winners will receive:

• A Brand new Kindle Fire or Nook Color 
• $25 Amazon.com or Barnes&Noble.com Gift certificate 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 29th. Winner will be announced at Suzanne's Live Author Chat Party on 8/30. Suzanne will be hosting an author chat (party will start on Facebook AND then be Live from her website) and giving away books, gift certificates and several Burt's Bees® Nourishing Radiance Kits!!

So grab your copy of The Haven and join Suzanne on the evening of the August 30th for a fun chat (both on Facebook and via Live Video), trivia contest 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 30th!

*Disclaimer: I was given this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

Big Changes!

For the past 14 years, I have homeschooled all three of my kids off and on, but I have always had at least one of them home with me.  So when you consider my oldest child turns 21 next month, I have been home caring for and teaching my children for 21 years.  That all changed today!

Chad, 9, attended preschool through 1st grade, then was homeschooled for the past two years.  Today he began 4th grade at Children's Christian School, a local private school for K-8th grade.  I love their small class size (10 in his class!), and we were blessed with a Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship!  The school is just about 1 mile from home, so after we get into the routine, Chad can even ride his bike to school.  He was very excited to begin school today!

Alyssa, 17, is a senior this year and continues with Open High School of Utah.  She does this program online, which gives her the flexibility she needs with three part-time jobs (nanny, retail dance store, and dance teacher) and her dancing.  So although she officially is home to do school, I don't see her too often during the day. 

So, it appears I'm going to have some time on my hands!!!  As much as I will miss my kids, I am looking forward to getting some long-awaited projects done.  Six hours a day sounds like a long time, but I'm sure it will fly by!  We also have an addition to the family that I will happily spend some of my time with-you will find out who that is in a future post (very soon, promise!).

Purex Back to School Shopping Spree!!!

I can't believe summer is coming to a close and it is time to get back to school!  Purex has tons of tips for getting back into the school year routine at purex.com/Back-to-School.  While you are there checking out all the great ideas, be sure to enter to win a $1000 shopping spree!

Also, be sure to 'Like' Purex on Facebook for your chance to win  up to $10,000!