A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet by Sophie Hudson

Book Description:  There’s nothing quite like family—for good or bad. But in a world where we sometimes know more about the Kardashians than we do the people sleeping right down the hall, it’s easy to forget that walking through life with our family offers all sorts of joy wrapped up in the seemingly mundane. There’s even a little bit of sacred sitting smack-dab in the middle of the ordinary. And since time’s-a-wastin’, we need to be careful that we don’t take our people—and their stories—for granted. Whether it’s a marathon bacon-frying session, a road trip gone hysterically wrong, or a mother-in-law who makes every trip to the grocery store an adventure, author Sophie Hudson reminds us how important it is to slow down and treasure the day-to-day encounters with the people we love the most.

Written in the same witty style as Sophie’s BooMama blog, A Little Salty to Cut the Sweetis a cheerful, funny, and tender account of Sophie’s very Southern family. It’s a look into the real lives of real people—and a real, loving God right in the middle of it all.

My Thoughts:  With all of the reality shows on TV, I wonder if people forget that the family God gave them are the "real" people we need to be with!??!

I love the title of this book because that's exactly how a family unit can be classified  . . . a little Salty with the Sweet by  Sophie Hudson is a timely reminder that we need not take for granted the family that God has given us. Family, that group of people that we have so much in common with, those peoples who are there for us through thick and thin.   The ones we fight with (salty) and have fun with (sweet) and make memories with. Our family is the one we make "our story" with . . . they are the ones who know us best.

Remember that one (or maybe more than one) vacation that went terribly wrong.  You know the one, where the rear axle on your family car kept coming off as you made your way home from Grandma's house and your dad kept stopping every couple of miles to fix it.  But in the end we had to get a hotel room and didn't go to church that Sunday because dad was fixing the axel?  We ate doughnuts for breakfast and read Good Housekeeping!  See, if you have a memory like that you probably have a family that has many memories.  Keep those memories and write them down.

Great book!  And a great gift, too!  I'm thinking that this will make a 

great grandparents day gift...or a great gift for that baby shower in July!

*Tyndale Publishing*

List Price:

14.99 

ISBN:

978-1-4143-7566-3 

Trim Size:

5 1/2 x 8 1/4 

Binding:

Softcover 

God Bless Our Bedtime Prayers by Hannah Hall (Author), Steve Whitlow (Illustrator)

Book Description:  Join the adorable animal families as they learn to pray about every moment of the day—the fun times, the hard parts, and everything in between. Whether the animals ask God for help finding a toy or thank Him for the day’s adventures, God Bless Our Bedtime Prayers will create a special, quiet bedtime routine of prayer and will instill God’s Word in your children’s hearts.

My Thoughts:  I love the children's books that are available right now.  This is the third "little"  kids book that I've received this summer and I think the books just keep getting better and better.

Since we have twins in our family I love books that show more than one child.

In this book the illustrations remind me of watercolor art.  And the pages are hard back so it's easy to wipe clean.

There is a child's prayer.  Pure and simple.  Then a short verse. 

Remember that little ones have a short attention span so this book is just right for "leading" a bedtime prayer, saying a prayer and talking about the pictures.  All the pictures are of a "grown up" animal and a small animal.

Our twins just love this colorful book.  "The Lord gives sleep to those he loves.  Psalm 127:2"

This makes a wonderful gift, too.

*This book was provided for review by BookLook*

• Grade Level: 1 - 2
• Series: A God Bless Book
• Board book: 20 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson; Brdbk edition (May 29, 2018)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0718096398
• ISBN-13: 978-0718096397

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

I found this delightful yummy lemon cookie on allrecipes.com

Lemon cookies are a summertime treat!

INGREDIENTS:

1 (18.25 ounce) package lemon cake mix 2 eggs 1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon lemon extract 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.	Pour cake mix into a large bowl. Stir in eggs, oil, and lemon extract until well blended. Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into a bowl of confectioners' sugar. Roll them around until they're lightly covered. Once sugared, put them on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3.	Bake for 6 to 9 minutes in the preheated oven. The bottoms will be light brown, and the insides chewy.

Threads of Love by Andrea Boeshaar

Book Description:  Emily Sundberg has her life all laid out. She has a respectable job as a teacher and an idea of whom she should marry.  But does God have a better plan?

 Emily Sundberg considers herself a proper young lady of the twentieth century. But a decade ago she behaved more like a tomboy. So when the neighbor’s grandson came to visit one summer when she was thirteen, they became fast friends. Emily even got her first kiss—quite by accident. Unfortunately Jake Edgerton told all the boys something else. Rumors circulated, and Emily caved from embarrassment and guilt. Meanwhile Jake returned home to Fallon, Montana and she never saw or heard from him again. Over the years Emily has worked hard to prove to her peers and the people of Manitowoc, Wisconsin that, despite past mistakes, she is an upstanding young woman, one worthy of being a schoolteacher—and possibly Andy Anderson's wife. But even with the passing of time, Emily has never forgotten Jake and how he nearly ruined her life… And now he's a US deputy marshal and he’s back in town!

My Thoughts:  Every once in awhile I enjoy a more "slow" read about times past.  Threads of Love by Andrea Boeshaar is one of those reads.  By a slow read I mean one of those reads that takes you to the past and delves into peoples thoughts and actions...how they related and lived side by side.  Not the fast action of a murder mystery.

Emily Sundberg is a proper teacher.  But in her young teens when was quite the tomboy and loved hanging with the neighbor's grandson, Jake, who was visiting for the summer.  That summer is when "The Kiss" happened.  Not an on purpose kiss but a quite by accident your lips were in my space kind.of.kiss.

Emily thinks that Jake told all the neighbors about the kiss because rumors were started and Emily is both embarrassed and guilty.  So, Jake went back home but poor Emily is left in her hometown.  She sets out to prove that she has a good character and self discipline.  And so, she because a dedicated, straight laced school marm.

But guess who the handsome US deputy marshal is?  And he's back in town?!?!  you guessed correctly...it's Jake!  And boy.o.boy does Emily have a cold shoulder ready!

A fun romantic, light read with christian values and references.

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1621362396
• ISBN-13: 978-1621362395

Memory of Murder {Love Inspired Suspense} by Ramona Richards

About the book:  THE SECRETS OF HER PAST COULD IMPERIL HER FUTURE Lindsey Presley certainly can't imagine why anyone would want her dead-though she knows she wouldn't be alive today if not for the local cop who saved her from two murder attempts. Deputy Jeff Gage has worked difficult cases, but with only Lindsey's fractured memories of a broken past to guide him, this is by far his most challenging.For Lindsey, fleeing the town she has come to call home is unthinkable. Separately, they are vulnerable, but together, Jeff and Lindsey just may stand a chance of catching a ruthless killer. 

If you would like to read the first chapter of Memory of Murder, go HERE. 

My Thoughts: I like a good Love Inspired Suspense read.  This one is a great mystery with romance.  But best of all it's about faith, trusting God and helping others.  When you want a light, quick read with a punch go for a Love Inspired Suspense read!  And this a great one to read on a rainy day or a day at the beach!

 Book video trailer:

MEET THE AUTHOR: 

A word from Ramona:The hardest biographical sketch to write is always your own, whether or not you’re a writer by profession. You can’t decide what to throw in, what to leave out, and whether or not you should list strengths and flaws, or just strengths. I like writing and telling stories so much that I once tried to live out a few. After getting a master’s in English, I went on to be the seneschale of my local Society for Creative Anachronism. I had a rocky start, but I did get better. (Robin Hood, eat your heart out.) People often ask members of the SCA, “Are you in a play?” so I thought it would be fun to do that, too. For seven years, I produced and performed in shows staged by Nashville’s Circle Players.Although I’m single now, I married in 1982 and in 1987 had Rachel. She’s a cutie. Severely disabled, she’s the heroine of many an article for Special Ed Today magazine. Rachel's nurse, Phyllis, is the real life heroine of “An Act of Desperation,” which I sold to Chicken Soup for the Caregiver’s Soul. I’m not really a complex person, and my dreams are fairly straightforward: sell books, have enough money to pay the bills and travel a bit, and settle into a cottage. In early 2006, I bought the cottage, which is now more or less swamped by books and DVDs. I write at night (I’m a lifelong night owl), and I occasionally escape by scuba diving, hiking, dancing, and going to movies and bookstores.I’ve gone to the same church since 1993, and I even sing in the choir. It’s a small but awesome church. I’m no angel, although occasionally I play one in the backyard. I like staying busy. Life is too short not to follow your dreams.

• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373445318
• ISBN-13: 978-0373445318

Harriet Beamer Strikes Gold {Harriet Beamer Series} by Joyce Magnin

Book Description:  After a whirlwind cross-country move, Harriet and her donut-loving basset hound, Humphrey, have settled into a new life in Grass Valley, California. When Harriet learns that she's going to be a grandma for the first time and get a new suite with room for her salt-and-pepper shaker collection, she can't wait for her best friend, Martha, to come visit so she can share her good news. But adventure is never far away when Harriet is around. After listening to the pleas of a desperate teen whose daddy needs money right away---and happens to have a gold mine to lease---Harriet falls hook, line, and sinker into the venture. Although she's nervous about her investment, Harriet chooses to keep it a secret from her son, Henry, and his wife. She can only imagine what she'll do if this turns out to be her ticket to a golden windfall. When suspicions arise, though, it becomes clear that Harriet may never see an ounce of gold. But will she continue to trust and risk losing everything? The fate of the young teen and a family emergency show Harriet where her true treasure lies.

My Thoughts:  I absolutely Loved the first book in the Harriet Beamer Series, Harriet Beamer Rides the Bus!

So, I waited and snatched up this book, Harriet Beamer Strikes Gold, as soon as it was available, because I knew that I would not be disappointed. 

Oh!My!  Joyce Magnin writes with a humorous flair that had me laughing out loud!  Harriet Beamer is a force to be reckoned with, for sure!

Harriet has a heart as big as Texas so when a "desperate" teen talks Harriet into leasing a gold mine her daddy has for lease....well, Harriet secretly makes her investment. Harriet just knows that this will be the best investment for her and help others too.  

Then there's Harriet's unbelievable salt and pepper shaker collection.  She collects the most unique salt and pepper shakers.  I think her collection shows her love for people who are most unusual.  She sees the heart.

Then the fun begins!  

Never try to cross a woman, especially an older woman who is quite determined.  Just when things begin to go sour, Harriet (and the teen) learn where "real gold" lies.

This read was beyond my expectations!  Loved, loved it!

*This book was provided for review by BookSneeze*

GO HERE to visit Joyce Magnin's blog!

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031033358X
• ISBN-13: 978-0310333586

WOW {Warm Oven Wednesday}

Wondering what to do with all those wonderful vegetables in our garden...

I found this delicious recipe on Pinterest (of course!)

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil 
• 1 medium yellow onion 
• 1 tsp minced garlic 
• 1 medium zucchini 
• 1 medium yellow squash 
• 1 medium potato 
• 1 medium tomato 
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• to taste salt & pepper 
• 1 cup shredded Italian cheese 

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Finely dice the onion and mince the garlic. Saute both in a skillet with olive oil until softened (about five minutes).
2. While the onion and garlic are sauteing, thinly slice the rest of the vegetables.
3. Spray the inside of an 8×8 square or round baking dish with non-stick spray. Spread the softened onion and garlic in the bottom of the dish. Place the thinly sliced vegetables in the baking dish vertically, in an alternating pattern. Sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, and thyme.
4. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, top with cheese and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.