Some of My Favorite Things

Happy Thursday, everyone!

In surfing around the net ~

From Mama’s Losin’ It, prompts for a weekly blog post. Here they are, take your pick!!

The Prompts:

1.) If You Give A Mom A Moment...

2.) What's the message you would craft

3.) Your Fall favorites.

4.) If your pet could talk, what would you want to know?

5.)If you could only focus on three things in life and pursue them fully, leaving everything else, what would they be and why?


I could really run with a couple of these. Take #4 for instance ~ (does she realize how many pets are running around here? Duh! Nah, ‘cause she doesn’t know me.)

Like, why do you keep trying to escape? Bad baby! The boys can't play right now, they have school.

Then there is #5, but it is out as in O-U-T, because the kids are makin’ so much noise I can’t think! Doesn’t it say something in the Bible about being delivered from the “noisome pestilence”?

So, to be safe, I am going with door # 3. I love fall. I would probably love fall even more if I wasn’t homeschooling four boys! (That takes us back to the “noisome pestilence”.)

Some of my favorite things of autumn

*County Fairs

*Apples ~ apple pie, fresh apple cake, caramel apples

*The awesome fall colors

*Crisp cool mornings ~ haze coming up off the pond, dew drops sparkling in the bright morning sun

*Long, (dare I say “quiet”) walks in the woods

*The smell of wood fires

*The soothing taste of apple-cinnamon tea

*Chicken roasting in the oven

*Bonfires with friends

*The boys making homemade root beer

*Pouring candles in all the new fall fragrances for the holidays

*FAMILY

*Serving the family fresh cinnamon rolls, hot from the oven

Okay, now I am hungry! Why do I associate fall with so many food smells? Maybe, because I didn’t cook all summer? I did, but cooking in the summer is different than cooking in the fall. In the fall, we can use the oven and the heat actually feels good! We can make the switch from salads to simmering soups and once again enjoy fresh baked bread…okay, okay ~ I am thinking way too much about food! Anyone for a slice of rum cake? It’s still warm!

Thanks for the prompt(s). You rock Mama’s Losin’ It!

http://mamakatslosinit.blogspot.com/2009/09/writers-workshop-fall-favoritesa.html

May your day be filled with blessings!

Secret Santa Soiree

Wanta have some fun? It is time to start thinking about the holiday season! At least, it is for me, ‘cause I’m a little slow at getting everything together, ya know?

Here’s the fun part ~ Georgina (aka Decisionally Challenged) is organizing SSS ~ Secret Santa Soiree! You can go here for all the details:

http://networkedblogs.com/p11783450

This is the second year for SSS and from all indications, last year was a total blast, wonderful, make my (holi)day kind of success!

If I get your name, I promise not to send Aunt Martha's fruit cake!!! Hey, I don't even have an Aunt Martha!! But I do promise to get you somethin' special!

Now hurry and go sign up!

Meeting the Author, Robin Jones Gunn

Earlier I posted a review of the book Coming Attractions by Robin Jones Gunn. Today, I thought you might enjoy meeting Robin and getting to know her.

Robin was born on a dairy farm in Wisconsin. When she was five, Robin’s family moved to southern California, where they lived next to an orange grove. Robin is a middle child sandwiched between a brother and a sister. Her family attended church regularly, her dad taught history to junior high students, her mom directed a pre-school at their church.

Later, Robin attended Biola University for two years and when she was 21, traveled to Europe to attend a Bible school in Austria. While there she worked for a mission organization in Germany. She and her husband married while he was finishing seminary and they then began a journey together doing youth ministry for 22 years. They are the proud parents of one son, one daughter and now a daughter-in-law. Over the years, their family moved a number of times, their favorite “duty” being the year they spent in Maui. Robin and her husband now make their home in Portland, Oregon, where he works as a counselor.

When asked her favorite hobby, Robin’s answer is, "Travel, travel and travel!" When she has time to read, she enjoys Hawaiian history or poetry and hymns. You might notice, much of her knowledge acquired while traveling she has incorporated into many of her books. In Coming Attractions she sent Katie off to Africa and is planning to follow her there in real life. Robin will be going to Kenya, Lord willing, in November to teach at an International Writers Conference www.littworld.org

(stay tuned….there’s more!)

Blessings,

Cheryl

Eeeek! Guess What?!

Yeah! Eeeek....that's me! But while I do sometimes cause that type of response (you know, "hurry/ put it up/ stop/ you'd better not...Mom's coming!), that is not what I am “eeeking” about now.


I wasn't suppose to post my review of Coming Attractions until August 31st! I just found out today. Can I help it if I was finally on top things for a change? After all, that doesn't happen all that often. And since I finally was "early" with something, I hate to take it down, only to repost it next week. It just doesn't seem right!


What to do, what to do?


For now, I am leaving it as is. Next week, I may write a whole 'nother, other review! Just warning you ahead of time. Be prepared!

Book Review ~ Coming Attractions

Coming Attractions – Robin Jones Gunn



Recently, I was very blessed to be selected to review Robin Jones Gunn’s latest book in the “Katie Weldon Series”, Coming Attractions. This was a first for me!


Now for the truth. I am familiar with RJG’s work via Gardenias For Breakfast and the Sisterchick books, which by-the-way, I considered were for her older (cough), more mature readers (cough, cough). And I assumed (wrongly) the Christy Miller, Sierra Jensen, Katie Weldon story lines to be penned for the younger crowd. (Let me say again, wrong! Wrong! Wrong!)

What I love most about Robin’s books is the way I am absorbed into the story so completely, I almost fail to realize when little nuggets of gold spill off the pages and into my heart. The sliver of soap in Sisterchicks in Sombreros and the meaning of aloha in Sisterchicks do the Hula will always be treasures of gold hidden deep in my heart. And so it is with Coming Attractions!

I love the characters. Their individual personalities ring true throughout the book. Just when you think you might know where the plot is going, there is a gentle twist, uncovering new surprises! And I love that the friendships, while tested, remain strong and believable.

I don’t want to reveal too much about Coming Attractions, as you need to read this book for yourself. But there were two nuggets almost back to back and I do want to share them.

“I don’t think many of us know how to accurately measure success,” Eli said. “That’s because God’s ways aren’t our ways, and his thought aren’t our thoughts. So much of the kingdom of God is measured on a different scale than the one the world uses to measure value.” (pg. 191, Coming Attractions)

“So, if I love God, and I mean really love God with abandon, then I must come to love myself, my life. I need to love my story at the heart level. That’s what I believe life is for all of us. A story being written by God. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. When I start to love my story, with all its messed up twists and turns, then I can love other people who are living out their own stories with all their messed up twists and turns.” (pg. 192, Coming Attractions)

I love these nuggets. They bring God’s word into my heart in a new and different way.
Buy the book! I have an entire new series, make that three series, to buy!

Blessings (and happy reading!),
Cheryl

Monday ~ August 10th

Like all good things, summer 2009 is quickly coming to an end. I will certainly miss the lazy days of summer, but look forward to welcoming the cooler days of autumn with all their radiant beauty!

We have been hunting, gathering, ordering and unpacking school materials for the past week! A little more organization and we will be ready to tackle the new school year. (Whatever happened to starting school the Monday after Labor Day?) I think the boys are more anxious than they let on. I catch them looking through their new books and Elijah has already started reading our new "library" material.

Once we are back on track, with routines and schedules, I hope to be back on track blogging! Okay, as much as I ever get "on track."

For now, I am off to the feed store because the animals don't like it when I try to put them off!

Til next time,

Cheryl

Is It Nearly August, Already?!!

Even though you may not be able to tell it from the picture, we have been busy the last three months!

Because I am still running behind, trying to catch up (and failing, I might add), I won't be posting much until mid August....which will be here in about 30 minutes.....just kidding, but it will be here before we know it. In the meantime, I'll post a few pictures of how we have enjoyed the summer.

Stay tuned, enjoy the pictures and I look forward to visiting with you in about 3 weeks!