Book Review

I am still reading books sent to me by Bethany House Publishers for review. The latest book I read was titled "Hatteras Girl" written by Alice J. Wisler. It all happens in North Carolina's Outer Banks. Alice does a fantastic job of making you feel like you are right at the beach with her descriptions. The story is about love, love of a bed and breakfast, love of the beach, love of Hatteras, and the finding of true love that comes from the most obvious of places but is most often overlooked friendship. Jackie the main character sorts through real life issues and finds true love in a true friend. It was so down to earth and real that I enjoyed this book and the plain everyday characters that make life so interesting.

She Walks In Beauty a book review

Another book review from the books I receive from Bethany House Publishers.

She Walks In Beauty is set in 100 New York City. Debutant's, glitter, balls, and rich heirs dominate the book. Clara Carter is destined to win the hearts of high society. Though her Dad is manipulative and buying her way into the papers and high society. Clara is holding out hope for true love though, she doesn't want to conform to the mold of the day.

I enjoyed this book. Admittedly not the best I have ever read but I wanted to finish the book because I really didn't know how it was going to end. I wanted to know the ending and was looking forward to see how the author summed up the book.

Book Review- Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate

I have been reading books that I received free to review by Bethany House Publishers. I am in the contemporary Christian Fiction Mystery genre and have really enjoyed all the books I have read. This is the third of the four given me.

Never Say Never takes place in Daily, TX. With real Southern charm Christian ladies out to have a good time on a cruise. Hurricane Glorietta has a different plan in mind. The ladies get rescued by a young lady who is searching for her place in this world, could it be Daily, TX?

I really enjoyed this book. Its a fun mix of drama, romance, and finding that God's plans are not always yours. You need to follow His design though and trust that all will work out for his glory in the end.

Hunter's Moon by Don Hoesel

I have been receiving books from Bethany House Publishing to read and review. The latest was Hunter's Moon by Don Hoesel. Its Christian Contemporary Mystery Fiction. Although the Christian parts are sparse and they seem to just be thrown in to make the book sell in Christian circles, the book itself was quite enjoyable. I am a mystery fan and this had a good amount of mystery and intrigue in it. It deals with the Baxter family in Upstate New York and the "Royalty" they represent. Hidden underneath though are secrets that end up ripping the family apart and creating the main themes of lies and betrayal, ending in forgiveness that is the crux of this book. Hunter's Moon was a good read and I would recommend it.

Beguiled- Deeanne Gist, J. Mark Bertrand

Finally! I have been looking and looking for a good read and this one fell into my lap. Bethany House Publishers sends out emails to interested parties and sends free books to those who would read them and write a review of them. I was so excited to receive this last group of books its contemporary mystery christian fiction. Beguiled was exciting although not heavy on the Christianity it was a really great book. Set in present day Charleston you have a beautiful heroine in a dog walker, a good looking reporter rescuing the damsel in distress, and the makings of a really great book. With a string of robberies that are to a Robin Hood theme, stealing from the rich to give to the poor, all pointing toward Rylee what is the innocent dog walker to do? You will really enjoy this book with its twist and turns through the historic streets of Charleston as Rylee and Logan try to figure out this mystery. Filled with romance, intrigue, and Christian background Beguiled is a great read.

Though Waters Roar- A Book Review

I have been receiving books from Bethany House Publishers to read and review. This is my next book review, Though Waters Roar by Lynn Austin.

This book was very slow in its development. The time periods were Civil War and Abolitionist, with some Sister suffragist mingled in. The Author wrote jumping from one time period to the other and sometimes it was very hard to remember what character had done what. I couldn't get into the book I felt it was to slow. I am usually fond of historical fiction but this was a hard book for me to read and enjoy.

Derek's 7th Birthday

We celebrated Derek's 7th birthday last week. The official day of his birth is January 20, 2003. But in famous Sears style we celebrated almost all week long. With dinner on Wednesday night being chicken patty Parmesan, per Derek's request.

Followed with a Razzleberry pie from Marie Calendar.

Derek likes a berry pie, and although I am not afraid of pastry cooking I am not ready for a berry pie yet. So we instead went with the store bought berry pie, needless to say all were quite happy with the decision. Derek received a flashlight from Nathan, a "Nate the Great" book from Sarah, and a sleeping bag from good old mom and dad! To make life perfect he got Lego Star Wars in the mail from Michelle, one he didn't have yet and his birthday presents were a success!

Realizing that I hadn't make him a scrapbook in over 2 years I got right to work on a book for him and was able to finish it in time for our Saturday party that included both sets of Grandparents. Although we live with the Sears' we of course did not get a picture with them. That would be to easy! But we did get a Graeser Grandparent picture, right before Nathan used Grandpa Joe's legs as a slide!

Every Jedi has to have his own light saber was the theme for the birthday party. As accented by the 4' Light saber that I made with a girl friend on Friday night. We had a lot of fun with it. Derek's favorite color is green, and Yoda just happened to grace our napkins so there you have it. Star Wars is a particular obsession of my son's so we went with it.

To finish up the birthday fun we dined at Chuck E Cheese in Erie, PA. What a mad house. We had a great time though! It was supposed to be a surprise for Derek because he wanted a surprise so bad but thank you Sarah for blowing the surprise on Saturday morning. We come down stairs to, Mom and Dad I forgot that Chuck E Cheese was supposed to be a surprise," says Sarah. "No you didn't," says Derek, "You told me mom and dad don't want you to know but we are going to Chuck E Cheese for dinner tonight!" Ah yes the joys of having your 5 year old know a surprise! But luckily enough Uncle Jon and Aunt Jessica and Noah were meeting for dinner too so they could be the surprise. Until Tim blows that one buckling the kids in the car. Yes Derek we are sorry I surprise was not in the cards for you this birthday!

Over all I would say the birthday was a success. I can not believe that my son is 7, that he can read and write and spell and do math and so on. He is in first grade and I should believe that he can do all of this but its still hard to wrap my mind around. I do claim Phil 1:3 though "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you" Derek I do thank God for you every day! I love you buddy!

Christmas has come and gone...

We had a great Christmas this year. We went to Ohio for 2 days and then back here to Sherman for a fun time of family being in town. We aren't done yet either, Thursday Marci and Michael and family will be back so we will spend more time with them. The best part of Christmas is being with family. My family all together is the best part for me. From Jon, Jessica, and Noah with the addition of Jessica's brother Luke this year at my parents home. To Lori, Brian and their kids, Marci, Mike and their kids at my in-laws in Sherman. What a blessed wonderful time. I am thankful to my God who gave me a family that has their quirks and problems but it so wonderful to spend time with. So that is my blessing of Christmas= Family. My Savior came and we celebrate his birth but more than that He gave me life, eternal life and saved me from my sins. Amen and what a wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord.

A book review

The Rose Legacy by Kristen Heitzmann. This is a historical fiction book set back in 1880. A woman was not to be of on her own setting up shop. Carin Maria Di Gratia didn't believe in the social patterns and so sets off on her own out to conquer the world. Wagon trouble and disgruntled men are only the tip of the ax that start the trouble for her in the little mining town of Crystal, Colorado. This book was enjoyable from the upset on the wagon trail, to the wedding, to the betrayals. You are thankful this isn't the only book in the series and are ready to read more. I received my free copy of this book from Bethany House Publishing.

A perfect evening

Ever just have one of those evenings? I did last night. My family has been busy for the last month and we really haven't had much time just the five of us together. Last night we all went to my in-laws property "Country Acres" and went swimming in the pond. Derek in the last week has been asking to swim without his life vest on and he has been doing a wonderful job. Last night was his first swim in the pond without his vest. Nathan was in his floaty and Sarah in her life vest Tim and I were also swimming so Derek was brave and jumped in off the raft and off the dock with out his vest. I have to say it really was one of the nicest nights of my life. All of my family in one place having a great time being together. Thank God for the little things!

Here is Nathan playing in the sand before he wanted to go swimming.

Also Derek gets a running start and blasts off into the pond. Sarah was playing with an empty animal crackers jug and it kept slipping out of her hands and getting her wet! Too funny!

Oh yes and a last side note. Nathan has been really into taking pictures lately with a little tykes camera but the only problem is that he takes them of himself. He tells you to smile and say cheese then he holds the camera backwards and takes a picture of himself. So funny, so precious. I just had to document it.

4th Of July Weekend

We had a pretty busy weekend this past weekend. We traveled to Lancaster, PA for Michael Schwartz's wedding. We stayed with Marissa and Andy Kmiec while we were down there and what a treat that was! Thanks you so much Kmiec's for letting us crash at your place. We didn't get to chat with Michael much but it was so good to see him. We actually got cute pictures of us too while we were there always a bonus!

The kids did not go to the wedding with us they stayed with Grandma B and went to Seneca Hills for a North-Mar Church (Mom and Dad Greaser's) family camping weekend. We met them there Saturday for lunch. Grandpa Joe also came and met us there for Saturday to Sunday. We had a lot of fun from crafting, to playing gaga to just in general being with family.

Finally to round out our weekend we went to Michelle's Graduation party and that was a good time. We will miss Michelle lots when she goes away to college but we are so happy and proud of her for the woman she is turning out to be. Besides the kids got to play on Mr. Mark's tractors and they love that!

Derek's Day at Midway

We had an interesting day the day I took Derek to Midway. I was in charge of taking Derek and a little Amish boy Norman around. There are a lot of Amish in our community and they send their children to public school for Kindergarten to learn English. Most Amish are more fluent in German and so why they have such a hard time talking to us sometimes is not because they are slow but because their primary language is German and English is a secondary language. (That was your Amish trivia for the day!) Any way Derek and Norman and I ran around Midway together. When I say ran I mean it I could not slow the boys down that day. We went from one ride to another to another. It was a lesson in standing in line and patiently waiting though.

Here they are on the tilt out ride my first attempt at a picture I said look at me guys and Derek looked the other way and Norman looked at me. This attempt Norman looked at Derek and Derek smiled at me so you have to take what you can get!

Derek loves the ride you can paddle your own boat. But they did enjoy the ride where you can go round and round while the motor does the work for you! Remember how I said that we ran the whole day we did. They only sat down at 11 for lunch because I made them. They ate in 15 minutes flat and wanted to take off again and I made them wait until I was done with lunch at 11:30. No one else was waiting in line because they were eating like normal people and so they boys were so excited they had the rides to themselves.

The spinning cups are not the best idea after lunch, but it never fazed these boys they had a ball. I told them the front car of the roller coaster was the best and they rode up there I don't even know how many times. I end this story by saying I am not sure Norman's mom and Dad would be so keen on the amount of pictures I took of their son, the Amish don't like to get their picture taken, but he rode every ride with Derek and I enjoy taking pictures of my son. So here is a little taste of our day at Midway.

Amen!

On Sunday night we had baccalaureate for the graduating Seniors instead of an evening service. So we walked up to the school and attended in the auditorium there. It was a nice event there are certain song, hymns the Seniors can choose from and they aren't popular by any means but they are still hymns. The pastor, and there were six of them up from we have six churches in our small town, then spoke on the Prodigal son. He compared the prodigal son wanting his inheritance to "Senoritas" and I thought that was a funny take on the story. After he finished preaching though he asked the parents of the graduates who were there and wanted to pray with their graduate to come and take the hand of their graduate and lead them to the front and pray with them. All of the students who were there had a parent or a friend come up and pray with them. It was nice to see I am not sure all of them wanted to be up front and were feeling peer pressure to go up but still the pastor got up and prayed for them. He was praying for them in different ways, as they go to school, as they go into the military, as they start a job and so on. He also prayed for them in a way that suggested they had problems and was in the process of saying and in Jesus name we ask that you take this problem away, but all the farther he got was and in Jesus name when my sweet Nathan, who had been crawling over his Dad and me most of the night, sitting in the theatre seats where he could sink to the back, yells out Amen! Talk about breaking up all the mood of the moment. People couldn't help but laugh. And since we are such a small community everyone knew who it was who had said Amen. Tim and I could not stop laughing. You know the laugh the kind you have during a church service where you aren't supposed to be making any noise, everything just seems so much funnier then doesn't it! Nathan is such a ham and is such a joy to have around!

Sarah's Pre-K Celebration

Sarah had her pre-k celebration yesterday. There is nothing quite as cute as little 3 and 4 year olds singing songs. It really was a good time. They sang eight different songs and Sarah even had a solo. She sang six little ducks and was absolutely wonderful. (This is my prejudice coming out can you hear it!) Sarah has a very small class so the teacher recruited some 3 year olds to join the class. Sarah is considered the little mother in her class. She has a few boys that she takes "good care of" while she is at school. She is such a mother hen. Even yesterday she sat by one of the little boys and was telling him, in a super cute manor, its not time to sing yet, sit up straight, sing good. The little boys mom thinks its so cute and I have to admit I would like her not to be to bossy but she really does care for the little guy. After singing they had refreshments and then we went home. Sarah played with one of the little girls from her class for the rest of the afternoon. Sarah does have some good friends who are in her class. There are four little girls that attend our church and whose parents I agree with their faith and morals which today you don't always find. So I am glad she can make school friends and church friends and some of them overlap and then they will have each other to stand string for God in the future also. Ah, nothing like pre-k celebration to make you while away the years and see her in High School facing peer pressure.

Sarah turns five

Yesterday my darling little girl turned five. She had a small family birthday party with both sets of grandparents our family and Michelle. We had a really great time! (I haven't ventured into the birthday party with friends yet. I am sure I will some day but for right now we are good with the family thing!) We made grilled chicken, loaded baked potatoes, jello, 7 layer salad, and a wonderful Teddy Bear Beach Party cake. My mom made the cake for Sarah and it was perfect! Sarah received many amazing gifts from crafts, to dress up clothes, to Disney princess dolls. I can't believe how old she is getting. My mom spent the night, my Dad had to go back to camp, but when my mom left this morning Sarah cried. She really does love her grandparents and I am so glad that my children have relationships with their grandparents. What a blessing it is to have loving Christian family.

As a part of my gift to Sarah I made a digital scrapbook for her. Here are a few samples of what was in her book.

Kindergarten graduation

The proud graduate of the 2009 Kindergarten class!

Wow- my son graduated from kindergarten today! I can't believe it he is already six and has finished his first year of a full day of school. (He had half days of pre-k last year.) My son has learned so many things in the last year he is now able to read books to his sister and brother, he can write out his numbers from 1-200 and beyond (have actually seen the 1-200 so I am sure he can go beyond). He is adding and subtracting and doing small word problems. He had real "specials" gym (where we got stitches in the chin), art, computers, music (they learned some really cute songs and sang them for us at the program today), and library (where he, being all boy, brought home books about Star Wars, and He Man). So we have had a really great year. If you remember one of my earlier blogs was about how I sent him to school at the beginning of the year in tears, we have come so far. Right before my eyes my son is becoming a big boy. I am so proud of him.

Here is the 2009 Kindergarten Class- The Future Class of 2021!

The Sears Men, at the cookie and punch reception after graduation. Derek tolerates the fact that we want them to have their picture taken together!

A really great day at Midway

My children are deep into their end of the year activities and have been on a few field trips. Sarah got to ride her first roller coaster and got to run around with friends at Midway Park. It was a lot of fun for all of us.

Sarah and I riding her first roller coaster, we had such a good time.

Sarah and her friends in the spinning cups.

Sarah and I on the tilt a whirl- really we had that thing going so fast I almost puked right then, it was a lot of fun but the tilt a whirl gets me the wrong way sometimes!

We got on the slide together too, the pink slide went super fast, I had to hold onto Sarah really tight.

Summer TV Shows

I am a TV junkie really and truly I just can't help it. Its a form of entertainment that I really enjoy. So here are a few TV shows that I am enjoying this summer.
1. So You Think You Can Dance- Fox- A take off of American Idol except its dancing instead of singing So cool I really am enjoying this show. Its not to late to start watching and really enjoying the show, the top 20 have been picked and the good part it about to begin.
2. Burn Notice- USA- A spy has been burned and is trying to get his life back its way cool.
3. Royal Pains- USA- A Dr. who is black balled by the medical elite and so goes to the Hampton's to be a concierge Dr. for the rich. A little McGyver a little medical drama and it makes for a pretty good show.
4. America's Got Talent- NBC- Its fun after they weed through the riff Raff and it cover so many talents.
5. Monk- USA- Its the final season of it this summer so pick up this quirky detective he is so lovable.
6. Robin Hood- BBC America- I am not sure if this will be back on this summer but I have totally loved this show.
7. Leverage- TNT- Robbers gone good I like this kind of show, could you tell from the rest of the note.

Well I guess I just like a lot of different shows. I just like TV in general.

A busy weekend

Busy seems to be the word of my life right now. My weekend was a pretty wonderful event. On Saturday I celebrated with my family by having a baby shower for my brother and sister-in-law who are expecting their first child. It was held in Grove City, PA at their home. One of my good friends who I was in her wedding 11 year earlier, Chris Pancratz, was there and it was a real joy to be able to spend time with her.

My sister-in-law is totally a cute pregnant girl and we got a really nice picture together. (She's the pretty one in the picture!)

Her mom was there also from Colorado so we were able to get pictures of

all the family, well the girls, together! What a blessing to be able to be together and share in this happy and joyous occasion. Now I can't wait until the end of July to meet this little one.

This weekend was also Sherman Prom so I went and took picture of the girls who I am close too and was able to help them with make up and the putting on of the gowns. They were so stunning. Jessica in the blue ended up being Queen, Michelle is in the yellow and Alyssa is in the coral. The dresses are stunning colors! How original!

And finally Saturday night was summed up with our family minus Nathan going to the Lake Erie Speedway, the Race to Read night. Our children participated in a program at school to ready every day for at least 15 minutes a day for a month and they got us all free tickets to the speedway. There were 6-8 different stock car and modified car races and then fireworks at the end of the night. It was a great time. I admit I am a hick and I love the races!

Hopefully this weekend will be a little more laid back and we can just spend time together as a family! Friday is Derek's trip to the zoo and last Thursday was Sarah's trip to Midway Park so look for those blogs soon.

Latest endeavors

This is the finished page with the picture included. Still working with square pictures am trying to figure out that part now.

This is going to be part of Nathan's book. I made a book for Sarah and Derek for their birthday's a few years ago and now I am going to work on a book for Nathan.