I have to tell this one on myself...

Yeah, I know. I've been horridly neglecting my blog lately, with the exception of product reviews, which I was obliged to post. And yes, I admit, I seem to have overbooked them for the past month or so. Sorry about that. I really am almost caught up, so maybe I can get back to blogging about real life again soon.

In the meantime, I thought I'd throw this stupid little incident out there for your amusement. I have no pictures to go with it, but it made me laugh. At myself. So I thought you might enjoy it, too.

Cookie (the dog) and I went with Lyle to the print shop this morning. He needed to work half a day, and I had some copies I needed to make. Cookie? She just likes to hang out with us.

Along about mid-morning Miss Cookie indicated that she needed to go outside. Figuring it wouldn't take long, I darted out with her without taking time to put my jacket on. It wasn't freezing cold, I noticed as I stepped outside, but it was a nippy late-October morning.

Cookie quickly took care of business, so we turned to go back in. That's when I realized that the door had locked behind me. And Lyle was working in the back. So he didn't hear me pounding on the door. And pounding. And pounding. For about five minutes.

Man, I wish I had put my jacket on. And picked up my phone. Now what?

I considered my options. There were no open businesses in the neighborhood who might have a phone I could use. I could sit down and wait for Lyle to notice I wasn't inside. No telling how long that would take. I could walk home. But it's 2 miles. And I had no jacket. And no leash for the dog.

I wonder if he would hear me if I banged on the back door? Probably not. He was kinda in the middle of the building. But I couldn't think of any other options, so I decided to wade through the tallish wet grass to go around the building and give it a try.

Ah. The back door pounds louder than the front door. That's helpful. Maybe he will hear it. I hope so, because by now I'm needing to go to the bathroom, besides getting chilled.

What a relief! He did hear it, and came to let us in. He was a little concerned at the loud knocking because he hadn't even realized the dog and I were outside.

I explained, "I took Cookie out. And the door locked behind me. And I didn't have my phone. Or my jacket. And I gotta go to the bathroom!" And I headed there first.

As I was washing my hands, my pocket started ringing.

Um. Yeah.

The phone had been in my pocket the entire time. If I had waited just a few more minutes it would have rung while I was outside. Then I would have realized I had a way to call Lyle to let me in.

I'm such a ditz sometimes!

Sunrise on the Battery - review

Sunrise on the Battery by Beth Webb Hart is the inspiring story of one family's spiritual journey--individually, and then collectively. The novel is told from three perspectives: Mary Lynn (the wife and mother), Jackson (the husband and father), and Catherine (the eldest of their three daughters). I liked the reader is able to "get inside the head" of each of the main characters to relate to their struggles and ambitions. I also appreciated the challenge to find a balance in our spiritual walk.

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

What would it look like if we really loved each other—if we had no inhibitions about sharing our faith and our very lives with a hurting world? How would we really spend our time and our money? And what impact would this have on our own families, especially our children? What impact would it have on our communities, our country and the world? These are the questions that first inspired Beth Webb Hart to write her newest novel, Sunrise on the Battery.

Hart always begins her writing with a question, and she was inspired with these questions after reading David Platt’s book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. His book uncovered blind spots in her own life and helped her fully imagine just where her characters’ uninhibited faith might take them.

Mary Lynn Scoville has everything anyone could desire—a handsome husband, three beautiful daughters and a ticket into the social elite of Charleston, S.C. But after a miraculous answer to a prayer on her behalf, Mary Lynn decides to pray that her husband will discover the faith she loves. But when her prayers are answered, she finds her world turned upside down and is forced to deal with the idols she has created in her own life.

Jackson Scoville is a man on a mission. Growing up deprived of the finer things in life, he wants more for his children. His mission is to give his girls the best—a top-rate education, exposure and immersion in the fine arts and frequent opportunities to see the big wide world. “Not just education, baby—cultivation,” he is known to say. But when he discovers the truth of Scripture, his focus takes a quick turn—a turn his family may not like.

While writing about the lives of Mary Lynn, Jackson and their daughters, Hart shows her readers how God can change a life and inspire a family. She draws her readers into the story, especially with her intricate details of the social culture of Charleston. Her characters will shine a reflection on her readers’ own struggles and fears, and they will be inspired to examine their own lives and discover what really matters.

Thank you to the B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.

Refuge on Crescent Hill - review

I've always dreamed of living in a big ol' house full of intriguing nooks and crannies, staircases and secret passageways. Refuge on Crescent Hill by Melanie Dobson tells the story of such a house, dating back to before the Civil War when Crescent Hill was an Underground Railroad Station. It an interesting, contemporary story about the young lady who inherits the old mansion, but isn't sure what to do with it... and another unrelated young lady in another part of the country who is trying to locate the Underground Railroad Station mentioned in family documents to find out what happened to a particular slave who escaped in the days before the Civil War. I loved the history and intrigue woven throughout, and even the element of romance. It was a good read!

Thank you to Kregel Publications for sending me a review copy.

Heads Up: Refuge on Crescent Hill will be available on Amazon Kindle FREE for one week starting October 31! Can't beat a deal like that!

The Opposite of Art - review

I was intrigued by the description of The Opposite of Art by Athol Dickson:

A great artist is cast into the icy Harlem River by a hit-and-run driver. His heart stops, and he sees something that defies description. Presumed dead by all who knew him and obsessed with the desire to paint the inexpressible, he embarks on a pilgrimage to seek help from holy men around the globe. But is it possible to see eternity without becoming lost within it? After a quarter of a century, when the world begins to whisper that he may be alive, two people come looking for the artist: the daughter he never knew existed, and the murderer who hit him on the bridge all those years ago.

However, my copy only arrived a few days ago, and the review was due yesterday. I'm only half through with the book, so I can't give you a very complete review, but I decided I probably needed to go ahead and post my thoughts so far. It's a different kind of story. A little on the edgy side for Christian fiction, but I am enjoying it. I admire the faith of Suzanne (who is the mother of the artist's daughter) both in God and in believing that the artist is still alive. I will be interested to find out if the artist and his family will be reunited in the end.

Thank you to Glass Roads Public Relations for sending me a review copy.

Life Experience and Literature

I'm posting on the Sonlight Blog today about "Life Experience and Literature." Pop in over there and leave me a comment, if you would. I'd love to hear from you!

George Washington Carver - review

Recently I had the opportunity to review George Washington Carver: His Life and His Work as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. I can't remember when I first learned about George W. Carver. I'm sure it was during my own school days. I remembered that he "invented" peanut butter (among hundreds of other things made from peanuts) and that he was a humble, Godly man. I have always admired him, and have enjoyed reading about him with my own children. So I was excited to have the opportunity to view this film.

Geared towards students in 8th to 12th grade, it is a compelling documentary with lots of lovely nature footage and original photos of Dr. Carver and places where he lived and work. It has a pleasant African-American voice-over with a soft southern accent which ties in nicely with the subject matter. There was even a short clip of Dr. Carver himself speaking (accepting an award). My main disappointment was that it seemed too short. It is only 30 minutes long. It covered all the major highlights of Dr. Carver's life, but I would have enjoyed a little more in-depth coverage.

This DVD is available from Marshall Publishing for $19.95. They also offer a free study guide to go along with the film. For a limited time, Marshall Publishing is offering my readers a 15% discount on this DVD. Please use coupon code TOSC1 at check out to receive your discount.

Say Anything Family game - review

As our children are getting older, we find that we enjoy playing table games as a family more than we used to. It's an activity we especially enjoy in the evenings when we're camping. We have several classic games that we like, but we are always open to finding a fun, new game. Ones that make us laugh are especially welcome. Last winter, we enjoyed Wits and Wagers Family from NorthStar Games. So this fall I was excited to be offered the opportunity to review  another game from NorthStar Games as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew reviews.

Say Anything Family is similar in format to Wits and Wagers Family in that it includes mini marker boards and wipe-off markers for each player. It is different enough, though, that we will enjoy owning and playing both of them. It's a question-and-answer game, so it's pretty quick to learn. The questions are fun... and there is no right or wrong answer.

When a player takes his turn he pulls a question card from the deck. There are 3 questions on the card, and the player gets to choose whichever one he wants to ask. (He's the "judge" on his turn.) All the other players write whatever answer they think the "judge" will like best. The twist is that no two players can write the same answer. The person who writes the answer on his marker board first gets to be the one to have that answer. Everyone else has to think of something different. When you're playing with your family that can be kinda tricky, because you know each other so well.

The first time we played it one of the first questions announced was, "What would make a road trip more fun?" In our family everybody knows Daddy likes to drive fast, so the obvious answer was, "Drive faster." However, "Daddy" wrote that as his answer first, so the rest of us had to think of something different. I came up with, "Have Daddy sing 'The Ducky Song.'" Years ago, on a road trip with the kids, Lyle made up this really awful, goofy song about duckies. The kids got the biggest kick out of it and begged him to sing it over and over. I knew reminding them of it would make them think that would make a road trip more fun than driving faster. And, sure enough, I was right. And then, of course, our 16- and 18-year-old daughters started begging their dad to sing "The Ducky Song."

Who cares who wins the game? Sharing memories and laughter as a family is what it's all about.  

Say Anything Family was a hit at our house. It retails for $19.99 and can be purchased from places like Amazon.com, Target and other retail stores.

Love on the Line - review

I guess it would be showing my age to admit that my family had a party-line phone way back in the Dark Ages of the 1980s when my husband and I were engaged. Actually, party-lines weren't around much any more by then, but we lived in a rural area of the Ozarks where that was the only option for a telephone. And, of course, my "fiance" and I spent way more time on the telephone than we should have, considering the cost of long-distance in those days. We would get so irritated at the neighbors picking up the phone to see if we were through talking yet. Poor neighbors!

I was reminded of that experience when I read Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist. Set in the early 19-aughts in a small town where only a few people had a telephone and everybody was on the same party line, I found it to be a very entertaining and well-researched story. I loved learning more about how the early switchboards operated and how all the calls had to go through Central. I think I would have enjoyed being a telephone operator, like our heroine, if I had lived back in those days. I wasn't real crazy about her obsession with birds, but it did add an interesting sub-plot to the story. It was a fun, light read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world ... which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.

Dashing Luke Palmer is more than he appears though. He's a Texas Ranger working undercover to infiltrate a notorious gang of train robbers. Repairing telephones and tangling with this tempestuous woman is the last thing he wants to do. But when his stakeout puts Georgie in peril, he realizes more than his job is on the line.

Enter to win an iPad2; RSVP for Facebook Party on 11/8!

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group for sending me a review copy.

Knit with Love - review

Knit With Love: Stories to Warm a Knitter's Heart by Lisa Bogart is pretty much defined right there on the front cover. As a knitter (and crocheter) I always have a project--or three--going, and usually take along whatever I'm working on whenever I need to go somewhere. Especially if I know I'll be sitting for awhile. Inevitably I am asked, "What are you making?" Knitting is a great conversation starter, and the author of this inspiring book shares stories of how knitting has touched people's lives. It's a nice book to keep on your side table when you just have a few minutes to read a page or two because the stories and anecdotes are short, yet encouraging. It would make a great gift for any knitter on your list.

Available October 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Thank you to Revell for sending me a review copy. I enjoyed it!

Baby, It's Cold Outside - review

Lately I have been especially enjoying novels set in the 1940s, so I was eager to read Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren. In a somewhat unlikely turn-of-events, the town librarian ends up providing shelter for 4 unrelated people during a bad snowstorm on Christmas Eve. Even though the premise was a little bit of a stretch, I loved the characters and found their personalities and struggles completely believable. I was also interested to learn how the author came up with the idea for the story.

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

It's Christmas weekend 1949, and despite the threat of a storm, the townspeople of Frost are determined to continue their holiday traditions, if only as a means to forget the war that they had all just suffered through. But the suffering hasn't ended for Dottie Morgan who lost her only son in the war. She's preparing to wallow in her isolation for the weekend, when Violet, nearly a spinster at age 29, dares to make a request that will force Dottie to publicly revive the memory of her dead son.

When a storm traps the two women at home with a strange young man who has an unbelievable confession and a neighbor with more to do with Violet's past than she would like, no one can predict how this Christmas will give them all a second chance. 

You can also read an excerpt here.

Warm up to Christmas early this year with Susan May Warren's Baby, It's Cold Outside! To celebrate the release of her new Christmas book with Summerside Press, she and the publisher are giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting an early Christmas Party on Facebook!

One festive winner will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire
• Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. Giveaway ends on 10/26!

Thank you to Litfuse for sending me a review copy.

Families Writing

I'm blogging on the Sonlight Blog today about how to encourage our families to write more. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please leave me a comment over there.

A Necessary Deception - review

A Necessary Deception by Laurie Alice Eakes is a Regency Romance/Mystery which makes for an interesting plot. With elements of espionage, intrigue, and, of course, romance, fans of both mystery and historical romance novels would enjoy this novel. The story is well-researched and the relationship dynamics are believable. In spite of all the good things the book had going for it, I found it a little hard to care about or keep track of the characters, and that was distracting to me-- so I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I thought I would. I have heard other people loved it, so maybe it's just me.

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

When young widow Lady Lydia Gale helps a French prisoner obtain parole, she never expected doing so would put her family in jeopardy. But that’s just what happens when a shadowy figure corners her during an evening stroll and blackmails her with the threat of treason.

She returns to her family just as the London Season is getting underway, and is shocked when the French prisoner appears in her parlor calling himself by a new name, Christien de Meuse, and carrying a letter from the shadowy man.

While she should be helping her younger sisters, bookish Cassandra, who’s about to get married, and headstrong Honore, who’s about to enter into London society, Lydia can’t help being preoccupied with the mysterious Frenchman. Nor can she deny her attraction to him. Is he a spy or a suitor? Can he be trusted? Is she putting her family in danger or sparing them from harm?

With an eye for detail and in-depth knowledge of the period, Laurie Alice Eakes brings alive the drawing rooms of London’s elite.

 Available October 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Thank you to Revell for sending me a review copy.

Piano for Life - review

Did you know that the piano is the most popular musical instrument ever invented? It's always been my favorite-- both to listen to and to play. I love playing the piano, but I'm not very good because I don't take time to practice regularly. I had piano lessons when I was younger and learned to read notes, and I can play anything in the hymnal-- but by note only. Although it's been twenty-mumble years since I've had piano lessons, I've never really quit playing the piano-- but I haven't really progressed very far either. I've often wished I could play by ear or at least improvise a little to make the music more pleasing. I just figured I wasn't gifted in that way. I'm beginning to realize that's not necessarily so.

A few weeks ago Timberdoodle sent me a copy of Piano for Life to review. I was interested in it primarily for the benefit of my younger daughter who loves to pick out tunes on the piano by ear. I have worked with her a little bit on learning the notes, but mostly she plays what she hears. I would love to find a teacher who could work with her special learning style, because I believe she does have a natural gift for music, although she struggles with reading in general. With Piano for Life (and the prequel, Piano for Quitters) I think she and I, together, can learn to play the piano with the natural learning style used by the masters.

I am learning so much myself from the videos. I had several years of piano lessons as well as a music theory class in high school, so I thought I knew a good bit about music already. Apparently I learned the theory and the rote playing without really understanding how theory related to performance. Now, just to find the time to practice what I'm learning...

Piano for Life, a 3-DVD set with 4 1/2 hours of instruction, is available from Timberdoodle for $67.50. I recommend starting with Piano for Quitters, and then progressing on to Piano for Life.

A Lamp to My Feet

Usually, my favorite version of the Bible to read is the New King James (or sometimes even the old-fashioned KJV). I guess it's because I grew up using the KJV and those are the Words that are most familiar to me. The NKJV has retained the same flavor but is a little easier to understand with modern spellings and the "thees" and "thous" changed to "yous."

Awhile back I downloaded The Message Promise Book for my Kindle while it was temporarily free. It is a collection of Bible promises organized by topic in The Message translation. Several people I highly respect really enjoy reading from The Message for their personal Bible reading, though I've never cared for it much myself. For some reason this week I decided to read the little Promise Book on my Kindle. Both the organization into topics and the "fresh" language have been just what  I needed right now. The colloquial turns-of-phrase have me reaching for my "real" Bible to compare the verses. Here is an example of one that stood out to me this morning:

Matthew 11:28-30 from The Message:

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

And then same verses in the dear, familiar words of the King James Version:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

I am so grateful for the easy access we have to God's Word, and that He is still (always!) faithful to speak to our hearts in just the way we need.

Times Tales DVD - review

I have to admit, math is not my strong suit. To this day I still have to stop and think about what 6x7 and 7x8 are. I don't know why those facts are so hard for me to remember.

When my children were younger and just beginning to learn their multiplication tables I heard about a program called Times Tales that uses mnemonic stories for the hard-to-remember multiplication facts. (They don't do the 1s, 2s, 5s, or 10s because those are so easy.) The stories are just silly but the kids remember them... maybe just because they are so silly. The set I got way-back-when came with a flip chart with funny cartoons for each story and flashcards.

Recently Times Tales developed a DVD will all the silly stories and flashcards in an electronic format that you can just pop in your DVD player for the kids to watch. No more having to sit there going over the stories and drilling with the flashcards.

This program is geared more for younger kids who are just beginning to learn their multiplication facts rather than for older ones who never learned them well to start with. That's not to say it wouldn't work with older kids; it just wouldn't be as appealing to them.

Forsaking All Others - review

Forsaking All Others by Allison Pittman is the sequel to For Time and Eternity. It is a historical novel set in the early days of the Mormon church, and tells the story of a young lady named Camilla who was drawn to the Mormons without really understanding what their religion was all about. For Time and Eternity told the story of how she met and married her husband, and moved west to Utah with him to help build the temple in Salt Lake City. The book ended with a cliff-hanger of Camilla leaving her husband and children after he took a second wife. Forsaking All Others concludes the story telling about Camilla's journey to restore her family relationships and be reunited with her children. It was a compelling, and somewhat sad story... but with a hopeful ending. I enjoyed both books very much, but I would encourage you to not try to read one without the other. It really is a continuing story, not just a series of stories about the same characters.

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

Camilla Fox is alive. The last thing she remembers is being lost in the snow after leaving her home to escape the Mormon faith she no longer calls her own. She’s been taken in by the 5th Infantry Regiment of the US Army and given over to the personal care of Captain Charles Brandon. As she regains her strength, memories of her two children she had to leave behind come flooding back, threatening to break her heart. Camilla is determined to reunite with her daughters. But when news of her father’s grave illness reaches her, she knows she must return to the family farm to reconcile with her father. As spring arrives, Camilla returns to Salt Lake City a changed woman, but nothing could prepare her for the changes to the city, to the Mormon church, and to the family she left behind.

Thank you to Tyndale for providing me with a review copy.

Passion to Action - review

As much as we love to travel and go camping with our travel-trailer, we've often wondered what it would be like to be "full-timers." We think we would like living on the road, traveling around all the time. So far God hasn't called us to that kind of lifestyle. Maybe He will some day! In the meantime, we try to be content with the occasional road trip.

But that's exactly what God called the Loecken family to do a few years ago. I was very intigued to read their story in Passion to Action. Here's a little bit about the book:

Jay and Beth Loecken were an ordinary family searching for meaning in their lives. They seemed to have all they needed in life, yet something kept pulling at them—a stirring, a sense that they were being called to a greater purpose in life.

After coming home from a mission trip to Africa, the Loecken family returned to their comfortable lifestyle, but they all knew they wanted something more. In April of 2008, the family made the daring decision to sell their home, purchase an RV, and begin traveling the country serving communities in need.

In Passion to Action, the Loeckens share the remarkable story of how their life was turned upside down and fulfilled them more than they ever thought possible. It will inspire readers to discover their own passions and put them into action.

 I was interested to learn more about the logistics of family life in such a small space, and the things they learned the first few months on the road. I was inspired to read about the various ministries they have helped, and the reactions of people along the way. Even if we never end up traveling full time, I was encouraged to reach out to those around me here at home.

Thank you to B&B Media Group for providing me with a review copy.

Scruble Cube - review

"What in the world is a Scruble Cube?" was my first thought when I was offered the opportunity to review this educational toy/game as a member of the Homeschool Crew.

Well, remember the Rubik's Cube? No? I guess I'm showing my age then. C'mon! Admit it. At least you know what a Rubik's Cube is, right? Okay. Think Rubik's-Cube-meets-Scrabble. That's what the Scruble Cube makes me think of.

Each side of the cube has 16 letter or bonus tiles that can be arranged in a multitude of ways. The surface of the tiles can rotate, too (unlike a Rubik's Cube) so when you're trying to make a word you can turn the letters to all face the same direction.

I thought it would be a good way to reinforce spelling, and it sort of is, but more than that it's a exercise in thinking of words that use the letters that can be manipulated into place. Each letter has a specific number of points (like Scrabble) and the bonus tiles can be manipulated into place to give you extra points for the words you form.

It is recommended for ages 8 and up, but I think a typical 8-year-old would find it very challenging, and maybe even frustrating. However, I think it's great for teens and adults who enjoy challenging word games.

It's the type of game you could play sitting around the campfire or in the car on a road-trip. It's pretty portable being mainly just the cube. It came in a box with an instruction sheet, a timer and a printed score pad, which is cool, except the box was pretty flimsy and designed more for display in the store rather than ongoing store-all-the-game-components together practicality. I was disappointed about that.

Scruble Cube is available online and at various retailers for $24.95.

Hello, Hollywood! - review

Hello, Hollywood! is the second in Janice Thompson's Backstage Pass series. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at a fictional popular sitcom. I enjoyed the first book in the series, Stars Collide, so I was interested to read more of the continuing story. While the story in Stars Collide was about the actors in the sitcom, Hello, Hollywood! features the writers of the show. Being interested in writing, I found that fascinating. I liked how they set up their writing room to resemble the set on the Dick VanDyke Show for inspiration. It's too bad that real sitcoms are no longer clean and family-friendly like the one portrayed in this novel. Still, it's fun to pretend they are!

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

Popular romance author and screenwriter, Janice Thompson, is charming her readers once again with a behind-the-scenes look at life in Hollywood. This time, Thompson takes her readers inside the writer’s room.

At 28, Athena Pappas has a pretty great gig. She’s the head writer of one of the most popular sitcoms in television history, Stars Collide. Yet, something’s still lacking: her love life.

Athena finds nothing wrong with still living at home with her large, wacky Greek family and making her bed with the same Strawberry Shortcake sheets she had as a kid. None of that has prevented Athena from plotting her characters’ romances. So why is her own love life so hard to script?

Athena’s love life gets the shakeup it needs when her boss hires up-and-coming Vegas comedian, Stephen Cosse, to help boost the show’s sagging ratings. Feeling her position as head writer threatened, she starts to doubt her talents, and the fact that Stephen is as good looking as Adonis doesn’t escape Athena’s attention either.

Sparks fly as the competition—and attraction—between the two heats things up. While they struggle to create conflict and comedy for their characters on the page, Athena and Stephen develop a relationship they never would have scripted for themselves and discover that not being in control of the plot of their lives may just be the best thing that’s ever happened.

Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Thank you to Revell for providing me with a review copy.