Reading...

I'm not sure when I find the time to read so much.  Maybe it's because I stay up too late and I read sometimes while I'm feeding the baby, while the kids are watching a movie, etc.  When I get into a good book and feel like I'm stepping right into its world...the time flies.  So I guess it's kind of my escape. 

So what am I reading right now?  Well...let me tell you!  I think I'm kind of on a western kick right now.  I found The Inheritance by Tamera Alexander and the Montana Marriages trilogy by Mary Connealy on sale at Lifeway and splurged.  It was a good splurge, for sure.  I just got Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer in the mail the other day from Bethany House!  This was totally unplanned.  After I did the author spotlight on Karen, I received her book as one of the options to review.  I jumped at the chance because I've loved all of the books I've read by her.  That means you'll be seeing a review by me before too long!

I started off reading The Inheritance and loved it.  Here's the synopsis from Amazon...

An unexpected inheritance. An unknown future. An unending love.

Determined to tame her younger brother's rebellious streak, McKenna Ashford accepts her cousin's invitation to move west and to begin again. But she quickly discovers that life in Copper Creek, Colorado is far from what she expected. Shouldering burdens beyond her years, McKenna tries to be the parent Robert needs, instead of the older sister he resents. But an "untimely inheritance" challenges her resolve at every turn, while also offering a second chance to restore her trust--and perhaps even her heart.
U.S. Marshal Wyatt Caradon is dedicated to bringing fugitives to justice, yet years of living on the trail have taken their toll. When his path intersects with that of McKenna, he comes face-to-face with a past he never wanted to relive--and the one woman who can help him find the future he's been longing for.
As McKenna struggles to let go of her independence and Wyatt considers opening his heart again, they discover an inheritance beyond imagination. But it will come at a price.

I've read two of the Montana Marriages books...and I believe these are my favorite Mary Connealy books.  Sweet love stories, characters with depth, and the wild west.  Be still my heart! : )  I had to stop myself from starting the last book in the trilogy so I could start Short-Straw Bride.  I'm hoping to finish over the weekend so I can post the review before we head out for my surgery pre-op on Tuesday. 

Please keep me in your prayers as I await my surgery on Wednesday.  I'm just ready to do this and start recuperating.  It's been a 4 month process but it feels like it's been going on for much longer.  I'd appreciate it!!

God bless~Stacey

Four months...

 Has it been 4 months already?!  It's going by fast....especially with everything we've had going on.  From sicknesses to a small toilet overflow...our cup has runneth over.  Literally.  But we press on. I'm trying to remind myself of the truth and find joy in the many ways that God has provided for us and met our needs.  See that sonogram picture up there?  That's my Sethy when he was 4 months old in my tummy.  I remember that day.  We were convinced that he was going to be a girl before we went in.  We just had a "feeling" about it.  Boy, were we wrong!  It was no question that this little one was a boy...I could even tell in the sonogram...and I can never tell.  It was that obvious!  And now our little guy has come and we've had 4 wonderful months with him.  He's sleeping good at night now, he's still spitting up, and he smiles and coos and I'm loving every minute.  Well, almost every minute.  I'm so thankful for my kiddos!

 Here are the brothers.  I think Isaac is just starting to really get interactive with Seth.  I hope they grow up to be close.

And my Sophie.  Her little motherly instincts have kicked into high gear.  She loves to take care of Seth, play with him, talk and sing to him and she is such a big help to me.  I think I see a little resemblance between the two of them.

Children are a blessing from the Lord...and I am VERY blessed!

A Tribute to My Friends

I heard this song as I was on my way home from renting a movie with the kids.  It immediately brought tears to my eyes as I thought about all of the encouragement, prayers, acts of love, phone calls, messages and more that so many of you have sent my way.  It has blessed me so much and this song is a thank you to all of you!  The video is, I think, done by a cancer survivor, which isn't exactly where I'm coming from, but there were so many good verses and pictures on there that I had to use it.  Love to all of you!  Stacey

A Great Baby Tip

Life remains pretty crazy for us right now...but there's definitely been some good moments the last week or so.  I had a birthday...the big 35...and enjoyed time with family and friends.  I've started a tutoring job that I enjoy, went to a high school friend's wedding and got to visit with some old friends (great fun!), and I also have a date set for thyroid surgery.  I honestly think this has been one of the busiest, hardest years of my life...but I must say that God has provided strength and endurance that I've never experienced before. 

One thing that has really helped our littlest guy is this great stuff called Gripe Water.  It's natural and it helps babies with gassiness, fussiness, and hiccups.  Just perfect for our little gassy, hiccuppy boy : ).  It is a little pricey in my opinion, so I try to make it last longer by just giving it to him at night before bedtime and using the cheaper mylicon drops during the day as needed.  We give our baby a bottle of formula at night (long story) so I often put the gripe water in that, but when I started tutoring he got his bottle earlier in the night.  I ended up giving him the stuff later with the provided dropper, but some of it would spill out.  Then I saw this little tip on Pinterest.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE Pinterest?! : )

So....Pinterest.  It's awesome.  Every idea I've gotten from there has been great.  First of all, before I share the idea, I would like to say that this pacifier is my fav.  I think we got these from the hospital so I'm not sure where you buy them.  On the actual pacifier it's labeled "Soothie".  It says it's made by Children's Medical Ventures (http://www.childmed.com/).  We had two of them and have lost one of them so I will do just about anything to make sure we don't lose this one!  I was never a big paci person with my other two kids.  In fact, they always spit it out so I didn't push it.  We didn't have to go through any traumatic pacifier withdrawals.  With Seth, he seems to take it more and it definitely soothes him when he's tired.  This is the paci he likes the most...and we have tried several.  We even got one of these in purple with Sophie that is a good bit smaller because she was in the NICU.  It has a vanilla taste built into it which is said to soothe babies.  Seth didn't care for the small one much, but he really likes the regular sized one.

The tip.  If you take a sharp, pointed knife and cut a little hole in the tip of the "soothie", you can drop medicine in the other side of it, which is open, and the baby can suck the medicine through.  It's not messy, it doesn't spill, and if you keep the hole just right, it provides just the right amount of flow so that the baby doesn't choke and gets to take it at his/her own pace.  I give the baby the grip water with this now.  It's awesome!  Hope this helps some of you!  It's definitely helped us.

Please keep us in your prayers as I will be having part of my thyroid and a nodule that is growing on my thyroid removed.  I am very pleased with the medical care I've received so far, so I feel confident that the surgery will go well. There is a chance the nodule could be cancerous, so I'm asking for prayer that it won't be.  I appreciate it!  August 1st is my surgery date.

God bless~Stacey

My new favorite party dish!

I've been a little neglectful of the blog this week!  Life has taken some twists and turns and I've been quite busy adjusting to all of the changes!  I found out that I will have to have surgery soon to remove a possibly cancerous nodule on my thyroid.  It's not definitely cancerous, but just the thought is a little scary!  I also started a tutoring job this week that I'm really enjoying!  Elementary education is what my degree is in, and I'm realizing how much I'm enjoying tutoring this little second grader.  But it has caused us to adjust our schedule and have more going on.  I also had two out of town dr. appointments for the kids this week that I had to rush back and forth to.  By Friday I was pretty tired...but I had plans : ). 


My birthday cake...with flowers and strawberry butterflies : )



My birthday is next week (July 4th) but everyone is always busy.  So I decided to give myself a party.  : )  I invited friends, cooked a bunch of my favorite types of food, baked and decorated a cake, and got some games to play.  It was a lot of work, but just the kind of therapy I needed!  I got a lot of the food ideas from Pinterest...including the recipe I'm about to tell you about! ; )

It follows my usual criteria...fast, easy, and delish!  There is no chocolate, though...but it's still yummy!

Cherry Cheesecake Dip

2 containers Cool Whip (I used the generic)
1 small container of marshmallow creme
1 bar of cream cheese
1 box of graham crackers
2 cans of cherry pie filling

Leave cream cheese out to soften.  Take one sleeve of graham crackers and crumble.  Sprinkle onto bottom of 2 8x8 dishes or 1 8x13 dish.  Combine softened cream cheese, marshmallow creme, and cool whip.  Spread carefully over graham crackers. (It works well if you pour all the filling evenly over crackers first then very gently spread.)  Put both cans of pie filling over the top and refridgerate until ready to serve. Break up remaining graham crackers to use for dipping.  Yum!

Enjoy!  Please continue to pray for us and the busy weeks ahead!  Thanks for reading and God bless!

And the winner is...

Thanks so much for the great comments on my interview with Jody!   It's been fun for me to have a book giveaway...the first since I started this blog!  I put all the names who commented in a hat and let my daughter draw one.  And the winner of an autographed copy of "The Doctor's Lady" is....

TONYA RICE!!

Tonya, I'm going to send you a facebook message, but I also need a way to get in contact with you so I can send Jody your address : ).  Congrats!

Stay tuned for more of our adventures : ).

Author Jody Hedlund...and a book giveaway!!

 I'm having so much fun getting to know these fanastic authors...I hope you are, too!  Today I'm featuring Jody Hedlund, award-winning historical author of the best-selling book, The Preacher's Bride.  She received a bachelor's degree from Taylor University and a master's degree at the University of Wisconsin, both in Social Work.  Currently she makes her home in Michigan with her husband and five busy children.  Her second book, The Doctor's Lady, released in September 2011.  Her third book, Unending Devotion, releases in September of this year. 

Jody is also a homeschooling mom, so I wanted to ask her some questions about balancing life between writing, family and teaching.  I also have one of Jody's favorite recipes...another yummy one that includes a girl's best friend--chocolate! : )

1. What prompted you to want to homeschool?

When my oldest child was in preschool, I had some friends who were thinking of homeschooling. Their interest and enthusiasm prompted me to begin learning more about it. The more I learned, the more excited I grew about the possibilities that homeschooling provided not only for the many educational options, but also for the character growth and training that I could do with my children.

After a great deal of prayer and research, my husband and I felt like we were being lead to step into homeschooling. So, we began our adventure when our oldest was in kindergarten and have continued ever since. Next year he’s going to be a sophomore in highschool!

2. How have you been able to balance home life, homeschooling, and writing?
It’s definitely not easy. I feel like I have two very full time jobs! But like any other writer trying to balance dual careers or multiple responsibilities, I’ve had to look for ways to make it work. I’ve scaled-back on outside commitments and simplified home life as much as possible. During the day while I’m teaching, I focus on the kids. Then when we’re done in the afternoon, I write for a couple of hours. I give myself a daily word count goal and don’t let myself go to bed at night until I get it done.

3. Has being a published writer been what you expected? Is it a dream you've always had?
Yes and no. Yes, it’s everything I’ve dreamed because I love telling stories and feel blessed that I can do something every day that I’m passionate about. I especially like the feeling that comes as I near the end of the book when everything looks hopeless, the characters are in big trouble, and somehow I’m able to wrap up the book in a satisfying way. The writing process itself brings me incredible satisfaction and joy.

But no, the life of a published author is definitely not as glamorous as I once believed. In today’s publishing industry, authors have to work incredibly hard, wear a lot of hats, and shoulder a great deal of responsibility. Building a readership takes time and effort. And the monetary compensation takes time as well.

4. What your favorite dessert recipe?
O’Henry Bars
4 cups oatmeal
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup melted butter
½ cup white Karo syrup
6 oz. chocolate chips (half a bag)
½ cup peanut butter

Mix the first 4 ingredients. Press into a well greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 15 minutes at 350° and cool slightly. Melt together the last 2 ingredients. Spread over warm bars. Refrigerate. These freeze well.

5. Can you tell us a little about your upcoming release, Unending Devotion?
My next book, Unending Devotion releases Sept. 1, 2012. I’m really excited about this story because it’s set in my home state of Michigan. It takes place during the 1880’s at a time in history when the lumber era was at its height. Although the story isn’t inspired by a true person the way my first two books have been, I do include several real people, particularly a real villain by the name of James Carr who was notorious in central Michigan for his violence and for introducing white slavery into the state.

The heroine of the story is a young woman, Lily Young, who is looking for her sister who’s caught up into the degradation of lumber camp life. While Lily searches for her missing sister, she fights against the evil that runs rampant around her, and she fights not to lose her heart to the lumber baron who turns a blind eye to the lawlessness of the lumber business.

6. Where can readers find you?
I hang out on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJodyHedlund
I also love to chat on Twitter: @JodyHedlund
Find me on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jodyhedlund/
My home base is at my website: jodyhedlund.com

I don't know about all of you...but that O'Henry bar recipe looks amazing!  Anything with oatmeal, chocolate, and peanut butter ALWAYS tastes good!  : )  I will definitely be looking forward to Jody's new release.  I've read both The Preacher's Bride and The Doctor's Lady and I had a hard time putting either one of them down until I finished. 

Jody's book, The Doctor's Lady, is the story of Priscilla White, a young woman determined to be a missionary to India.  Dr. Eli Ernest is equally determined to minister to the Indians of the west.  Unfortunately, the mission board has formed a new rule that singles may not go to the mission field unmarried.  In an effort to fulfill their dreams, Eli and Priscilla agree to marry...in name only.  They set out on their perilous journey across the country, facing hardships and a turning of their hearts.  I have read this book and it was filled with adventure and just the right touch of romance.  One thing I loved about Jody's first two books is that they are based on real people.  I could imagine being on the journey with the men and women who were committing to be missionaries in the wild western United States. 

Jody is giving away a copy of The Doctor's Lady to one blessed (I won't say "lucky" : )) winner!  All you have to do is leave a comment on my blog, along with your email address in the comment, and I will pick one of you on Monday, June 25th.  I will contact the winner and Jody will send you an autographed copy of this book!  Don't miss out on this opportunity! : )

Thanks, Jody, for a great interview, a delicious recipe, and the book giveaway!  Readers, send in those comments! : )
God bless~Stacey