Katie's Choice

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Amy Lillard

and the book:

Katie's Choice

B&H Books (May 1, 2013)

***Special thanks to Laurel Teague for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

 Amy Lillard is an award-winning writer who loves reading romance novels from contemporary to Amish. These two genres met in her first book, 2012's Saving Gideon. Born and bred in Mississippi, she now lives with her husband and son in Oklahoma. To find out more about Amy and her books, please visit her online at http://amywritesromance.com.

My Laundry Room

If you take a look at the video below, you might agree with me:  my laundry room is not much to look at, but I love it for so many reasons.


Apparently this little utility room was a little porch that was eventually enclosed.  I filmed the room from the doorway and next to it is another doorway leading down to the basement.  The room is unfinished with nails sticking through where they nailed on siding from the outside.  There's a concrete floor that might never look clean, even with a hundred sweeping and mopping's.

But look at the view!  All three sides of the room are lined with wall to wall windows!  That means lots and lots of sunshine anytime I do my laundry.  It also means I have a fabulous view of the little flower garden filled with irises that someone lovingly planted once upon a time.  When I stand still and gaze, I see any number of bluebirds, cardinals and sparrows flying around.  It's a treat everytime I need to go in that room.  I am hoping to convince my hubby that my exercise bike will fit in there nicely.

Promises

It has been raining for days!  When the sun came out yesterday evening, we went out looking for the rainbow...and found it!

Friday Felicities: Things That Make You Happy

Friday Felicities is all about things that make you happy and was started by my friend Nattie. She knew the value of counting your blessings.  Nattie has been a resident of heaven since 2007.  I miss her a lot. 

Things That Make Me Happy:

• Geese that fly above my house morning and evening. 
• Looking out my bedroom window and being greeted by a cardinal 4 ft. away. 
• Seeing how much fun Jonathan has catching frogs. 
• The huge shadows on the grass as huge hawks fly over. 
• Excitement from the boys as they see vultures fairly up close as they wait for us to drive on by their dinner. 
• Both boys randomly telling me: "I love living here!"
• Having room for everything. 
• Basements. 

What makes you happy?

Want to share?

Trying New Things: Single Serving Blueberry Muffin

This morning I wanted something different for breakfast and decided to give the Happy Herbivore's Single Serving Blueberry Muffin a try.

It was very good and I would wager that the majority of people would like it just as is but the next time I prepare it, I will be cutting the sugar as it was a bit to sweet for me.

As of yet, I have not "upgraded" to silicone bakeware so, this time I used a square of parchment paper and pressed it into a muffin tin and filled it with the batter. The blog post also suggests that you could take aluminum foil and press it into the muffin tin to make a liner.

Friday Felicities - Picture Edition

Friday Felicities is all about things that make you happy and was started by my friend Nattie. She knew the value of counting your blessings.  Nattie has been a resident of heaven since 2007.  I miss her alot.

Things That Make Me Happy:

By this time tomorrow this will be my view everyday.  Wide open spaces, the sounds of nature and the Natchez Trace Parkway runs practically in front of our front yard!

This week I spent some time updating a page on my blog where I share my infertility story.  Working on it brought back such bittersweet memories on how hard it was to wait and how wonderful it is to have these two precious boys in my life.

What makes you happy?

Want to share?

Headed To The Country

Panoramic shot of our apartment living room/dining room & kitchen

Our days of living in an apartment are coming to an end.  Originally we had considered renting a smaller house in town after selling ours in 2012 but because we had to vacate our house for the new owner so quickly, we ended up renting this apartment home.

In the beginning, we loved this apartment and we loved living in town where everything was so close.  The complex put up a basketball goal, which made the boys happy, the apartments were brand new and the maintenance and lawn care was maintained by someone the apartment owners.

But then things seemed to change.  The goal was taken down because some older boys started causing trouble.  The friendly neighbors retreated somewhat and it became apparent they weren't so fond of children.  The big spacious apartment began to feel closed in for a couple of growing boys and, have you ever tried keeping a couple of growing boys quiet?  We started thinking and praying about moving and once we did, the door opened up quickly for our departure.

A family Dick for told him about the house that belonged to their parents that had been sitting empty for several years since their death.  It was an older home, probably built in the 50's, that needed TLC, paint and some updating.  They offered to rent it to us and we said yes.  The house sits on about 40+ acres of land that the family owns and they told the boys to feel free to explore as much as they wanted.  There is 3 bedrooms, a full basement and a basketball goal.

In two days we load up the Uhaul and head out to the country.  We are all more excited than maybe we should be, considering the hard work ahead (LOTS of cleaning and scrubbing to do) but we can't seem to help ourselves!!

Wide Open Expanses