Happy 80th Birthday!

My grandpa celebrated his 80th birthday this week.  We helped him celebrate with an open house on Sunday afternoon.  Lots of family and friends came to wish him birthday wishes.

Campground Trick or Treating

The first weekend in October, we went to the campground to trick or treat.  The weather was warm and the kids had fun.  

 Uncle Dan dressed up as "Phil" from the movie Hangover.  He borrowed Allyson's tiger to complete his costume.  

 Allyson, Carly, Elsie

Broc, Caden and Eli trick or treating

 Eli and Caden

The Crossing - Book Review

The Crossing by Serita Jakes

This book was a book that had me interested within the first chapter.  It kept me intrigued until the very end, and trying to guess the conclusion.  

This is a not what I would call a traditional christian fiction book.  I would certainly recommend this book for more mature readers.  The characters in this story deal with some real issues, including anger, drunkenness, depression, greed, adultery, abuse, and many more.  

A high school cheerleader, Claudia was riding the team bus home after a Friday night football game.  While at a railroad crossing, a masked gunman comes onto the bus and murders the bus driver, the cheerleading coach, injures one of the football players.  

Fast forward ten years, and the murder is unsolved.  With the help of Officer Casio Hightower,  the football player who survived being shot that dreadful night, Victor Campbell, Claudia's husband, sets out to solve this mystery and help put the demons and nightmares to rest.  Claudia suffers from PTSD from this incident where her best friend dies and Claudia is there to not only witness, but sit by her side through her last breaths.  

As the story unfolds, and the investigation of what happened at the railroad crossing ten years before continues, each character has their own "crossing" to deal with.  Will they be able to find the truth of that night, and more importantly find the truth of Christ?  

I look forward to reading more books by Serita Jakes.  

Disclaimer:  I received this book for review purposes.  No other compensation was received.  All views expressed are my honest opinions.  

The Baker's Wife - Book Review

The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy

This book was a great read.  I love books that have some suspense, mystery, and a christian theme, and this book had all three.

The book begins with a pastor, Geoff and his wife, Audrey doing the Lord's work.  On Geoff's day off, they bake bread together,  and then Audrey delivers a loaf of bread to the individuals she feels the Lord has placed on her heart to visit and pray about.  

When a scandal forces the pastor leave the church, this husband and wife duo open a bakery.  During a foggy, early morning drive to the bakery, Audrey's car hits a scooter belonging to Julie, a teacher in town, and the police detective (Jack's) wife.  Jack is a council member of the church where Geoff is the former pastor. There is no body to be found, but lots of blood.  The police detective blames Audrey.   Jack searches to find out what happened to his missing wife, with little evidence.  Convinced he is doing God's work, Jack takes the bakery, with those inside, hostage.  He makes an impossible request, for Audrey to bring his wife to him, or he will kill her husband and son, held hostage in the bakery.  Audrey must work together with an ex-con and a unbelieving teen, to unravel the mystery of where Julie is and convince Jack of the truth before he does something to hurt her family.  

Audrey tries her best to follow God's guidance to help her loved ones held hostage in the bakery.

Healy covers many different issues including...loss, acceptance, love, and forgiveness.  I enjoyed this book because it had a great story, kept me coming back to the very end, and challenged the reader to define a sincere christian life.    

Disclaimer:  I received this book for review purposes.  No other compensation was received.  All views expressed are my honest opinions.  

Teddy Bear Day

Today for school, the kids had Teddy Bear day.  They were asked to dress in bear colors, or wear something with a bear on it.  They also got to bring along a stuffed bear to school.

 Allyson was so excited to wear her hat to school.  

I have the privilege of being a room mom for Caden's class this year.  The room mom's get to help out with treats for the kids.  I found a stack-able bear cookie cutter and knew I wanted to make these for the class.  They turned out pretty cute - and yummy too!  

Moments to Remeber

Occasionally, in the morning while waiting for the bus, the kids are eating their breakfast, and get out their books to read.  I snapped this picture the other day, and just love looking at it.
Caden was helping Allyson read her book.  Such a sweet moment.

School Pictures

School picture day was a couple weeks ago, but I wanted to share the snapshots I took of the kids before they went to school that morning.

 Allyson didn't want anything to do with taking pictures, so this was the best I got.  

Warm Fall Days

We are enjoying the warm Fall days.  I found bubbles on clearance, so for $3 - we have had hours of bubble fun.  

Mercy Come Morning

Mercy Come Morning by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Mercy Come Morning by Lisa Tawn Bergren is an excellent story about a daughter (Krista) who holds so many memories of her childhood, with most of them being of her mother's struggles with the Alzheimer's disease.  Krista grew up not knowing her dad, and having to be the "adult" at a young age when her mother was incapable of this role.  Krista has a great job, has her mother in a "first class nursing home", and feels like her life is going good.  Then she gets a call from Dane, an old friend and manager of the nursing home that her mother isn't well.  Krista comes back home and is forced to deal with some feelings and emotions that have been stored away for a long time.  While facing the fact that her mother only has a short time to live, she begins to better understand through a journal from her mother, just how much different things were when seeing them through her mom's perspective.  I love how this book talks about issues of Alzheimers from a daughters view and about the trials she faced growing up with an ill mother.  As a nurse, I also enjoyed the glimpse into the "first class nursing home" that seemed to give excellent care for Alzeimher's patients and the part of the book that talked about the special Christmas room.   

I received this book for review purposes.  No other compensation was received.  All views expressed are my own honest opinions.   

One Call Away by Brenda Warner

One Call Away by Brenda Warner 

I was a bit skeptical when I first received this book, as it is not my typical reading preference (I'm not a sports fanatic) .  I was pleasantly surprised when I began.  I literally couldn't put this book down.  I loved the story contained within the pages of this book.  It was so easy to get caught up in the book, and then I would pause and recall that this is someone's REAL life!  The emotions that Brenda writes about from her own life drew me in and kept me awake until late hours of the night reading.  Brenda seems so real and personable.  I enjoyed reading about her family growing up, the trials and triumphs she faced as a marine, a wife, a mother, a nurse, and a wife to a professional football player.  The examples shared of how she struggled with being in the spotlight along with , or because of her husband, where great reminders of how we as Christians are also judged by others just because of who we "belong" to.  

This book reminds us that we should faithfully answer the call, even when it may be difficult.  

I want to close with a quote from this book that I hope all readers will remember and ponder.  

"God was - and is - bigger than all of my questions.  And he is with me, even when the questions remain."

I would highly recommend this book to anyone that asks.  There is something for everyone on the pages of this fantastic book.  

Disclaimer: I received the book mentioned above for review purposes.  No other compensation was received.  All views expressed are my own honest opinions.