Leeeeaaaves

What's a good fall without playing in the leaves? Even though the tree in our backyard still has plenty o' leaves left on it, I managed to rake up a pile for the kids to play in and work off some of their wiggles :-) It was pretty windy so the leaves went everywhere.  Good fun!

I had music for this whole thing but after the first song it stopped working - too lazy right now to fix it - maybe later :-)

Book Review: Don't Look Back by Lynette Eason

Jamie Cash has spent the last twelve years trying to get on with her life after she was brutally abducted 12 years ago. Although she struggles with trust and keeps her life very private, she is finally starting to recover her independence and make a good life for herself. There is even a guy interested in her, and though she is not quite ready for a relationship, she finds herself drawn to him too.
Everything seems to be going well until her attacker comes back to finish what he started - to end her pain and be her hero. The one that got away will pay!


As the second book in a series, I thought this read pretty well as a stand alone book. I could tell there was a story behind some things, but everything important was explained and it didn't take long for me to catch up.  I enjoyed the action and though I had a pretty good guess about who the bad guy was, it actually probably made the story more exciting for me.  I thought it was scary enough to keep me on my toes but not keep me up at night :-) A good read.

Available October 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group

Thank you to Revell Publishers for a free copy of this book!

Book Review: The Waiting by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Jorie King is waiting for Benjamin Zook to come back from war to his own people. She is hoping he will have grown into the man she knows he could be - free from his discontent and ready to settle down among his own kind. The plain kind. But she is devastated when she receives the news that Ben will never come home - he has been killed at war.

Caleb Zook is dealing with his own grief while trying to raise a family by himself while fending off the match making wiles of his well-meaning aunts.

As Jorie and Caleb become friends and help each other through the pain, a new love begins to grow. Everything is turned upside down when they receive some shocking news that could change everything.

This book was the best book I have read in a while. Because it's the second in a series, it took me a while to get to know everyone. But once I was into it, I was hooked! I loved that even though the characters were Amish, the book focused on their "normalness" rather than their customs. They struggle with things everyone struggles with. You will definitely need a box of tissue for this - I must have spent half the book balling but it was so good! I will definitely be looking for the rest of the series!

Available October 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Thanks to Revell Publishers for a free copy of this book to review!

Book Review: The House on Malcolm Street by Leisha Kelly

Leah Breckenridge's life is unfair. How could God take away both her husband and baby? And on top of that, there is no more money and she doesn't dare look to her father for help. She turns to her only hope, her late husband's aunt who has invited them to visit. With her young daughter's strong faith challenging her at every turn, Leah is constantly confronted by her bitterness against God.
As Leah settles into her new home, she begins to heal and find hope for her future again. Will she be able to finally trust God with her hopes and fears and find her faith again?

Grab your box of Kleenex for a great story that looks into the hard time of life. I really loved this story. The  characters were real hurting people who were struggling with hard issues and it was great to watch them grow and heal together!

Available September 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Thank you to Revell Publishers for a free copy of this book to review.

Book Review: No More Christian Nice Girl by Paul Coughlin and Jennifer D. Degler

Sugar and Spice and all things nice - that's what little girls are made of. So we've been told, and have been expected to be in society for centuries. But Paul Coughlin and Jennifer Deglen say differently. Jesus expects Christians to be like him and although he was always loving,he was not always what today's society would consider nice. He was instead, GOOD. He did what was right no matter who was offended or who got upset. He was not afraid of whether others perceived him to be nice or not. And he expects us, as women, to be like him.

Coughlin and  Degler give examples of how we are nice but not good in our marriages, friendships, churches and workplaces. When we try to love up to every one else's expectations instead of obeying what God has for us we damage the relationships around us and instead end up burned out and resentful of all those that take advantage of our "nice-ness."

I thought this book had some good things to say about being an authentic Christian. I especially liked their explanation of how conflict increases intimacy when handled correctly.  I wasn't the biggest fan of their writing style, however. I thought the examples were a bit cheesy and I didn't like that they used acronyms for everything. It was a bit over the top for me - almost seemed a little condescending. But I thought they made valid points and I'm sure others would enjoy the writing style - it just wasn't my cup of tea :-)

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a free copy of this book to review.