More fun with desserts!

Love to be creative with your cake and cookie decorating? The Sweetapolita Bakebook may be perfect for you. The paperback book contains 75 very creatively decorated desserts with some of the most unusual accompaniments. What do you think of painting your cake with edible paint? How about chalk cookies with edible chalk? Interested in a cake you can draw on with edible food markers? Never again will you need to look further for a fun filled way to celebrate any occasion. There is even a section for prized basic cakes  which includes a wonderful basic white cake (my personal favorite), buttermilk cake, red velvet cake, pink cherry cake, cotton candy popcorn, and more. From cut out cookies to layer cakes to frosting and fillings (salted caramel!), this will be a cookbook you will turn to again and again. I can just see myself in the kitchen with my daughter and the fun we could have!

I learned to decorate cakes years ago but only did your typical roses, borders, and such. This book opens up a whole new line of cakes. Who knew you could make a cake or cookie that you could use edible chalk on? This book has the recipes, colorful illustrations showing what the cake "should" look like when finished, variations you may want to try, and tips to the creator.

The only thing I am not that crazy about is the paperback format. I don't care so much for cookbooks that won't stay open on the counter. For a few extra cents, the publisher could have made this spiral bound and it would have been much more manageable to work with when baking. In addition, I will have to do some shopping to attempt some of the cakes. Unless you are one to keep cake flour, fondant, and white gum paste in your pantry, you might have to pick up a few items at the craft or grocery store yourself.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way obligated to write a positive review.

Perfect Bedtime Book

Really Woolly Nighttime Lullabies by Bonnie Jensen is a charming board book to share with young children. The child sized volume contains nineteen bedtime rhymes connected to a Bible verse with reference and accompanied by a short prayer to point your child to the One who blesses us with all good things. I love the brightly colored simple illustrations by Donna Chapman, each featuring Really Woolly and his friends. Easy for little ones to hold on to at approximately 5x7 inches in size, it is sure to become a favorite.

The Woolly books are new to me since I don't have small children anymore. However, they are the first greeting cards I typically take a look at when choosing one at my local Christian bookstore so I am not surprised that these illustrations capture me in the same manner as the cards.

I don't know of any better way to spend time with your child than closing out their day reminding them that God is close, watching over them, and cares for them deeply. This book would make an excellent baby gift or birthday for children up to four but even I enjoyed the rhymes. While nothing is indestructible, this is one book you won't have to be concerned with torn pages as it is very durable. 

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and am in no way obligated to write a positive one. Two thumbs up to Tommy Nelson for another resource to use with our children as they close out their day and darkness falls.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade

Several weeks ago, a friend of mine invited David and Jason Benham to his church as guest speakers and I was intrigued enough about his Facebook invitation to read a bit more about the brothers. What I learned was that the brothers were scheduled to host an HGTV show entitled Flip it Forward and that their show was cancelled out of the blue because the brothers stood up for the Biblical definition of marriage. What????  Why is it that those who scream tolerance and mock the Christian faith, trying to validate their sinful lifestyle by making it "legal", are left alone but let any Christian stand up for their belief and they are labeled intolerant and "haters".  Okay, enough of that bandwagon.

Whatever the Cost is the story of twin brothers, David and Jason, from their early years as sons of a minister to their college years at Liberty University where they had dreams of being Major League Baseball players until they suffered life changing injuries in the minor leagues to deciding how to take what life had dealt them and making the most of it, finding the path God had for them in the business world. Their story will inspire you to stand up for your faith, perhaps give you the courage to rearrange your own priorities, and provide you with real life examples of men who will leave this world better than they found it. Their faith and integrity are motivating.

The book is a quick, easy read.  I love a good biography and this is one I will keep on my shelf to reread. I think the part that make me sad is that Americans had opportunity to have strong Christian men of faith that would have modeled Christian principles on HGTV for the world to see and we have missed that opportunity. God's ways are higher than our ways though.  I somehow think God isn't finished with these brothers and their story of closed doors and seemingly failures might just touch more people than their success might have.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review and was in no way obligated to write a positive one. Two thumbs up.

Perfect garden in a small space

I love to garden but even after planting everything from okra to tomatoes to squash, I have had zero success in growing vegetables.  Flowers? No problem. Food for my family? I might get enough off the plants for a meal but nothing more. Thankful that the grocery isn't far away but I am becoming more and more cautious and skeptical about the food available in the grocery stores. What exactly has been used as fertilizer and pesticides on the foods I prepare for the ones I love the most? Personally, I would love to be able to be self sustaining but I don't have the time or the land to do so at this time.

Thanks to new neighbors who don't like the flower bed between my home and theirs and on their land, I might just have an area to grow a few vegetables with enough to share during season with the owners of the land. But the space isn't all that large so I am going to have to be pretty wise about what I grow and how. Thanks to The Postage Stamp Vegetable Garden by Karen Newcomb, I just might be a bit more successful now than without her recommendations. A postage stamp garden is something just about anyone can find a spot for as it can measure as little as 4 by 4 or perhaps container gardening might be more your cup of tea.

From planning what to grow and how many of each to suggested layouts, recommended varieties and companion plants this 217 page volume with index is definitely worth a try for this lady who has been composting and babying her vegetable garden for years with nothing to show for it. The author seems to think I won't be disappointed and promises I will water  less and spend less time maintaining.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way obligated to write a positive review.

The perfect journal

Have you ever tried to journal but just got stumped the minute you picked it up and couldn't think of anything "worthwhile" to write about?  If you have, this journal just may be for you.  No longer will large clean pages stare you in the face.  Each day has only four lines you can write on and has a prompt to get you going.  And they are simple things such as "Do you have a secret?", "What are the ingredients for a perfect day?", "What did you have for dinner?" and "What expressions do you over use?",  and ends with "What is your most cherished memory of this year, just to name a few.  Even better is the fact that  you can enjoy seeing how your responses to the same questions change over the years because each date entry has room for you to write four lines each day for five years.  What other journal do you  know of that allows you to create a "five year time capsule"?

I think this journal is just about perfect, unless you happen to be a pretty wordy writer.  Who can't answer a simple question?  The book is hard covered, small in size, has gold edged pages, and to be honest, reminds me of a small book my grandmother kept on her desk as I grew up.  It was sort of like a perpetual calendar that she reused year after year and made notes in about significant things that happened in her life and to those she loved. So, if you don't want to use it as the creator intended and write in it for five years, perhaps you might use it like my grandmother did and note those types of events in your own life, all in one volume.  I believe I will.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was in no way obligated to write a positive review.  Two thumbs up!

God Watches Over Me

Years ago, as a teen and when I was first married, I collected Precious Moments figurines so, when this book was available, I knew it was one I would "need" for my children's collection.   This book exceeded my expectations.  What I thought I would see was one story covering the theme of God's love and provision.  What I received though was thirteen short "story"/poem reminders of how God cares for us when we need help, when we are hungry, when we learn, when we play, our families, our friends.....and several others.   What a great way to end each day with your child!  Each reminder would take only a minute or two to read aloud and ends with a short scripture verse. What child wouldn't want to go to sleep with that in their minds?

I was also surprised by the sturdy board book format.  I love that each page is chunky enough for little ones to grasp and turn the pages without tearing them.  Perfect for children ages one to perhaps four.

The downside?  Adults will probably have much greater appreciation for the Precious Moments than children do because they are nostalgic but I would expect them to love the pastel big-eyed round faced children as much as I did growing up.   The poems are just okay and are written by multiple authors.  All in all, I give this newly released volume four stars but it is more for the art than the words.

I did receive this book free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was in no way obligated to leave a positive one.