Welcome

1. Introduction

I am 28 years old, happily married to the love of my life. We've been together for over 11 years, and married for almost 5. Together we have two beautiful boys, one who is 2.5, and the other will be turning 6 months in a few days. They are the lights of my life. I am very much a family person. I love my parents, my younger sister, and a lot of my extended family. We spend a lot of time with them, and it makes me happy to have my boys so loved by other people. I am a teacher at a small private school. I absolutely love my job. Usually I teach core subjects to Grade 8 students, but have also taught Grades 4 and 7. I'm currently on mat leave, and am expected to return to work in September.

I am also a Christian which means that I have a relationship with God, and have accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour. This doesn't mean that I think I'm better than anyone. Far from it. I know I will fail day to day, but I am blessed to have a relationship with God and to have faith that He will forgive me, and help me when I stumble. My relationship to him has not always been strong, and I'm currently trying to renew its strength. 

Some things that I love are curling, reading, driving my car, doing cross-stitch, being with my family, crossword puzzles, coffee, and listening to music.

2. This Blog

For many years I've kept a blog on livejournal, but have decided to make this blogger a domain for my public posts. I'll be posting my book reviews, favourite recipes, and Bible studies/verses/inspirational texts. 

Recipe: Spicy Fried Pork Chops

Ingredients

• 2 large pork loin chops (either bone-in or boneless)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Steps

1. Mix all ingredients of the rub together.

2. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. 

3. When oil is hot (looks wavy), rub one side of pork chop with spices, and place in the pan (spice side down). Rub the other side with spices.

4. Repeat with second pork chop.

5. Cook both sides for 5-7 minutes, then flip over for another 5-7 minutes.

6. Heat over to 350 degrees Celsius.

7. Once pork chops are cooked, place pan in the oven for an additional 5 minutes (if your pan is not oven-proof, place pork chops on a foil-lined baking sheet).

I served mine with oven roasted potatoes and a garden salad.

Recipe: Creamy Chicken Pesto and Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsps butter (I used olive oil)
• 1 1/4 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut into cubes
• 1 can Campbell's condensed cream of chicken soup (I used the low fat one)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup prepared pesto
• 3 cups pasta, prepared and drained (I used rotini, the original recipe called for bow-tie)

Steps

1. Heat butter/oil in 10 inch skillet over medium-high heat.

2. Add the chicken and cook until well browned, stirring often. (At this time I start preparing the pasta).

3. Stir in the milk, pesto and soup into the skillet.

4. Heat until boiling.

5. Reduce the heat to low and let cook for 5-7 more minutes.

6. Stir in the pasta, and cook until mixture is hot and bubbly.

- Recipe from Campbell's Cookbook

Recipe: Pistachio Salad

Ingredients

• 1 tub of frozen whipped cream (thawed)
• 1 package of pistachio Jello/pudding mix
• 1 small can of crushed pineapple
• 1 package of mini marshmallows

Steps

1. With the thawed whipped cream, empty into a large mixing bowl.

2. Add pistachio pudding mix and stir into the whipped cream.

3. Add crushed pineapple and mix in thoroughly.

4. Add marshmallows a bit at a time (sometimes you'll use more than other times - it depends on the consistency you're looking for), and mix in.

5. Chill in the fridge until time to serve.

- Recipe from my Sister

Recipe: Ham & Cheese Casserole [w/ Cheez Whiz]

Ingredients

• 4 cups rotini pasta
• 1 cup cubed cooked ham
• 1 1/4 cup Cheez Whiz
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup milk

Steps

1. Cook pasta in large pot.

2. In small saucepan, melt Cheez Whiz product over low heat. Add in milk and stir until creamy and smooth.

3. Drain pasta, and pour into 9x13 pan.

4. Mix in cubed ham.

5. Pour cheese sauce over top of pasta, and mix in thoroughly.

6. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

- Recipe loosely based on leftover casserole from my Mommy, but re-done myself

Book Review: The Forgotten Garden

The Forgotten Garden

Kate Morton

2008

648 pages

Synopsis

A foundling, an old book of dark fairy tales, a secret garden, an aristocratic family, a love denied, and a mystery. The Forgotten Garden is a captivating, atmospheric and compulsively readable story of the past, secrets, family and memory from the international best-selling author Kate Morton. 

Cassandra is lost, alone and grieving. Her much loved grandmother, Nell, has just died and Cassandra, her life already shaken by a tragic accident ten years ago, feels like she has lost everything dear to her. But an unexpected and mysterious bequest from Nell turns Cassandra's life upside down and ends up challenging everything she thought she knew about herself and her family. 

Inheriting a book of dark and intriguing fairytales written by Eliza Makepeace - the Victorian authoress who disappeared mysteriously in the early twentieth century - Cassandra takes her courage in both hands to follow in the footsteps of Nell on a quest to find out the truth about their history, their family and their past; little knowing that in the process, she will also discover a new life for herself.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

My Review

This book took a little while to draw me in, as I found it difficult initially to keep up with who was who, and what time period the chapter was set in. Eventually as time went on, and as the stories interconnected with each other, I was able to follow a little more clearly. There was a lot of descriptive writing, which I have to really be in the mood to read through, but I did enjoy the realistic nature of the characters. I felt like the author really portrayed their actions, thoughts and dialogues quite well, and made it more of a believable story. I have others of hers waiting to be read on my night stand - we had a great discussion of the book at book club, and one of my friends had two of her other novels. So I'm looking forward to tackling those soon.

Book Review: Summer Rental

Summer Rentals

Mary Kay Andrews

2011

402 pages

Synopsis

Sometimes, when you need a change in your life, the tide just happens to pull you in the right direction…

Ellis, Julia, and Dorie. Best friends since Catholic grade school, they now find themselves, in their mid-thirties, at the crossroads of life and love. Ellis, recently fired from a job she gave everything to, is rudderless and now beginning to question the choices she's made over the past decade of her life. Julia--whose caustic wit covers up her wounds--has a man who loves her and is offering her the world, but she can't hide from how deeply insecure she feels about her looks, her brains, her life. And Dorie has just been shockingly betrayed by the man she loved and trusted the most in the world…though this is just the tip of the iceberg of her problems and secrets. A month in North Carolina's Outer Banks is just what they each of them needs.

Ty Bazemore is their landlord, though he's hanging on to the rambling old beach house by a thin thread. After an inauspicious first meeting with Ellis, the two find themselves disturbingly attracted to one another, even as Ty is about to lose everything he's ever cared about.

Maryn Shackleford is a stranger, and a woman on the run. Maryn needs just a few things in life: no questions, a good hiding place, and a new identity. Ellis, Julia, and Dorie can provide what Maryn wants; can they also provide what she needs?

Mary Kay Andrews' novel is the story of five people questioning everything they ever thought they knew about life. Five people on a journey that will uncover their secrets and point them on the path to forgiveness. Five people who each need a sea change, and one month in a summer rental that might just give it to them.

Rating: 2/5 Stars

My Review

It was definitely a light summer read. I pushed through it because I had gotten so far in it. It wasn't horrible, but there were some parts that were dry and did not leave me hanging, like my usual suspenseful reads. The characters were more believable than I was first expecting, so that part was great. The romance in it was expected, but still well-played out. I'll probably read more of hers in the future - especially when I want a lighter read.

Book Review: The Power of a Praying Parent

The Power of a Praying Parent

Stormie Omartian

1995

214 pages

Synopsis

Stormie Omartian's bestselling The Power of a Praying series (more than 23 million copies sold) is rereleased with fresh new covers and new material to reach a still-growing market of readers eager to discover the power of prayer for their lives.

After 20 years of raising her son and daughter alongside her husband, Michael, Stormie looks back at the trials and joys of parenting and the power in praying for her children. In these easy-to-read chapters, Stormie shares from personal experience as to how parents can pray for their kids':

* safety 

* character development 

* adolescence 

* peer pressure 

* school experiences 

* friends 

* relationship with God

This resource will help you to be an amazing praying parent whether your kids are three or thirty-three.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

My Review

I absolutely love this book. As a parent, it taught me a lot of things that my child needs prayer for, in every aspect of their lives. It was nice because there was a personal connection made in the devotion, then an example of a prayer about that specific topic, and then 5-6 verses that apply to what was prayed about. For me personally, my prayer life is not the strongest, and I often feel like I don't know *how* to pray, so by reading the example prayers in the book I was able to get an idea of how I could pray for my child in such an easy manner. I will likely be buying this book in hardcopy because I want to use it more than just the past 3 weeks (I borrowed it from the library). I'll also check into her other devotional books about prayer, like the one meant for wives.

Recipe: Apple Crisp

Ingredients

• 3 medium apples - peeled and sliced
• 3 Tbsp water
• 3 Tbsp white sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 cup oatmeal

Steps

1. Grease small casserole dish (I use an 8x8 glass dish)

2. Spread apples on the bottom of the dish.

3. Sprinkle water over top of apples.

4. Sprinkle white sugar over the water and apples.

5. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients, and mulch with a fork or pastry blender. Mix until crumbly.

6. Spread crumbs overtop of apples.

7. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

- Recipe from my Mommy

Recipe: Zucchini Loaf

Ingredients

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 3 cups shredded zucchini (I always use frozen zucchini, so thaw it first, and then squeeze all the water out of it before mixing with other ingredients)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cup coconut or 1/2 cup crushed pineapple

Steps

1. In one bowl, mix eggs, sugar and oil together.
2. Add to the shredded and dried zucchini. Mix in.
3. Add vanilla.
4. In separate bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.
5. Add to zucchini mixture.
6. Mix thoroughly.
7. Add coconut and/or pineapple. If you want both you could do 1/2 cup coconut and 3/4 cup pineapple.
8. Pour mixture into two greased loaf pans.
9. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

*Makes two loaves

- Recipe from my Nana :)

Recipe: Beef Taco Skillet

Ingredients

• 1 lb of ground beef
• 2 tsp garlic powder or garlic salt
• 1 tsp onion powder or onion salt
• 1 can corn, drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 3 Tbsp taco seasoning (full Old El Paso packet)
• 8-9 oz of pasta (I used penne)
• 1 cup water
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (colby jack or mozzarella)

Steps

1. Brown hamburger in large skillet. Drain.
2. Add all above ingredients, except for cheese, to the skillet.
3. Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer.
4. Cover for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Sprinkle cheese on top.
6. Cover and cook until cheese is melted.

- Recipe based from The Domestic Geek, with some alterations by myself (green pepper, salts, mozzarella cheese, amount of pasta)

I added the cheese on after, instead of letting it melt in the skillet.

Recipe: Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 Tbsp white sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cinnamon or 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Steps

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder together. Mix well with a fork.
2. Before adding the eggs to the big bowl, I like to beat them a little with a fork. Then I add them to the flour mixture.
3. Add milk and vegetable oil. Stir in well.
4. Add cinnamon or chocolate chips and stir to mix.
5. Heat a griddle to 350 degrees. I put about 1/2 Tbsp of oil onto the griddle and spread it around.
6. Pour pancake mix onto griddle. I usually do circles, but like to do Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes. I'd like to eventually get some shape stencils so I can make letters or other objects.
7. Flip after 1-2 minutes (I leave mine longer than usual because I like them a little crispy).
8. Flip again after 1-2 minutes.
9. Serve with butter and maple syrup!

Product Review: Melissa & Doug Wooden Puzzles

Last week I went to Scholar's Choice in a mall close-by, and found a lot of neat puzzles for toddlers. Ryan has been showing an interest in doing puzzles, so I thought I would be on the lookout for different puzzles that he can do. I have some floor puzzles that I do with him - he can't figure out where the pieces go based on their shapes yet.

However, the Melissa & Doug wooden peg puzzles have been an amazing find! They're puzzles that he likes doing and can actually do on his own! He can lift the pieces out and move them around the way he wants to. Also, because the puzzles have the pictures of the pieces underneath, he can visualize where they go. It's super! I ended up buying one at Scholar's Choice, and another at Chapter's the next day. He enjoys doing them himself (although he still likes doing the other puzzles with me).

He likes to call out the names of the pieces too - great vocab enhancer!

I absolutely love that he can see the pictures underneath.

Doing it all himself!

It keeps him calm and focussed for a little while too.

The fire truck is definitely his favourite.

The puzzles I have so far for him are:

• Transportation wooden peg puzzle
• Construction site wooden peg puzzle

Recipe: Pepper Steak

Ingredients

• top sirloin grilling steak (cut into strips)
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 onion (sliced)
• 1-2 green peppers (sliced)
• beef bouillon cubes/package (I use OXO)
• 1/4 cup soya sauce
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 Tbsp corn starch
• rice to serve over

Steps

1. Fry steak in vegetable oil in large skillet. Remove steak and put into a bowl for a few minutes.
2. Add strips of onion and peppers to the leftover oil in the hot skillet, and saute until golden.
3. Add steak back into the skillet, and mix into vegetables.
4. Prepare beef broth with the bouillon cubes or package. The OXO package requires 3/4 cup of boiled water to be mixed with one package. Add to steak mixture.
5. Add soya sauce and stir in.
6. Prepare thickener by mixing cold water with corn starch in a small cup. Add to steak mixture once it is stirred well together.
7. Bring mixture to a boil, and then let simmer for 10-15 minutes.
8. Prepare rice during the last 5-7 minutes of cooking.

- Recipe from my Mommy

Recipe: Beef Chili

Ingredients

• 1 lb extra lean ground beef (or lean)
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 green pepper (optional)
• 1 onion (optional)
• cayenne pepper
• chili powder
• 2-3 cups macaroni or penne
• 1 cup shredded cheese

Steps

1. Brown ground beef in large skillet. Add diced onion once brown.
2. Add diced green pepper, and brown for a few minutes.
3. Add can of tomatoes (including the water in the can).
4. Add can of kidney beans (including the water in the can).
5. Mix together, and bring to a boil.
6. Add cayenne and chili powder to taste (I use quite a bit, but some people don't like it as spicy).
7. Mix in and let boil for 5 minutes.
8. Turn to simmer/minimum heat until ready to serve.
9. Cook pasta and shred cheese while waiting.

- Recipe used by my parents as I grew up, and now one of my own favourites to make.

Book Review: No Child of Mine

No Child of Mine
by Susan Lewis
2013
560 pages

Synopsis:
Alex Lake’s life is centered on helping people. Her job as a social worker in a British seaside town is more than a career: It’s the very essence of who she is. And though there are frustrations, Alex takes to heart the rewards of placing a child in a safe and loving home. But when she encounters three-year-old Ottilie Wade, Alex is completely unprepared for the effect the sweet, shy little girl has on her. Though on the surface Ottilie seems to want for nothing—she’s perfectly healthy and lives in a very nice home—she’s mysteriously silent and asocial. Alex knows that something is not right in the Wade house. And the deeper she looks into the case, the more Alex comes to feel that she and Ottilie are being drawn together by fate.

As disturbing evidence mounts and Alex’s superiors seem unwilling to help, Alex knows she will have to risk everything—her job and the life she loves—to save Ottilie. But Alex will also have to wrestle the demons of her own past before she can secure a future for this child in need.

Rating: 3 / 5 Stars

My Review:
I enjoyed this book much more than the other Susan Lewis novel that I read. The writing wasn't so descriptive, and the story was well told. The characters were very believable, and I was able to really connect with the main character, Alex Lake, and understand her side of the story. The material in the novel was a lot more tragic than I was expecting. There were situations involving child abuse that I was not prepared to read about. It's really apparent to me that now that I'm a mommy, things like that happening in a book are very disturbing for me to read. Lewis did it in a very tasteful and well-written manner, and the shock-factor definitely had the right effect that she was probably going for. The ending was a little odd to me - not at all what I was expecting. Nor was it realistic (or so I think). It was a happy and interesting ending which Alex and Otillie definitely deserved to have after everything they'd been through, but it was not what I was expecting at all. I'll read another novel of hers in a little bit, and see if I continue to enjoy her storytelling.

Book Review: The Family of Jesus

Heart of the Story: The Family of Jesus
by Karen Kingsbury
2014
240 pages

Synopsis
Through The Family of Jesus, listeners will develop an emotional connection to the family members of Jesus, learning about their lives and falling in love with Scripture along the way. Bible studies and devotionals abound, and in churches everywhere people gather to seek a deeper understanding of God’s word and its application to their lives. But too often these studies engage only the analytic approach to Bible learning.

In The Family of Jesus, #1 New York Times bestselling novelist Karen Kingsbury will make you laugh, cry, and ultimately care more deeply about the Bible by helping you grasp the truths in Scripture not just with your mind, but with your heart. The characters in these short stories were among those closest to Jesus—Mary, Joseph, Jesus’ brother James, John the Baptist, Zechariah, and Elizabeth. Each has a compelling tale to tell. Kingsbury intersperses fictional, emotionally gripping details anchored in Scripture with historical and theological insights and questions that will guide soul-searching and reflection.

The Family of Jesus not only provides a deeper understanding of the relatives of our Savior, but also helps listeners acquire tools that will draw them closer to Christ, to the Scriptures, and to each other.

Rating: 5 / 5 Stars

My Review:
A beautifully written novel looking at the lives of 6 family members of Jesus: his parents, Mary and Joseph, his aunt and uncle, Elizabeth and Zechariah, his cousin John the Baptist, and his brother James. I found the stories worked well together and told the story of Jesus' upbringing and ministry quite well. There were some parts that were obviously made up as it's not mentioned in the Bible, but that needed to happen in order to pull all the stories together, and to adequately portray the different character's lives. It was well-written, descriptive, and interesting to read about each of their different perspectives. I also like that she added a Bible Study to the novel, so that you could either work on it through your own devotions, or do it with a church group. Next time I'll get it from the library without doing the "Express" read, so I can take some time doing the studies.

Book Review: No Turning Back

No Turning Back
by Susan Lewis
2012
544 pages

Synopsis:
Eva Montgomery is at the peak of her career when she is viciously attacked by a stalker. While still traumatised, she makes the biggest mistake of her life -- one she can never turn back from.

Sixteen years later, Eva has managed to rebuild her life in a way that seemed impossible after the attack. Her home in Dorset, high on the cliffs overlooking the sea, is as elegant as she is, but bears none of the scars. To an outsider, her world seems perfect in every way.

Then the past invades the present -- with shattering consequences.

Hurt, frightened and confused, Eva struggles desperately to put right the terrible mistake she made sixteen years ago and finally break free from a past that nearly destroyed her.

Rating: 2 / 5 Stars

My Review:
At first I thought I wouldn't be able to finish this book. The beginning was really long and drawn-out, and somewhat confusing. I decided to keep plugging along, and I'm glad I did, because the story did pick up and get more interesting. The characters were interesting and the dialogue was pretty good. There were many spots where I had to go back and re-read a section because I wasn't sure what was going on, or who did what, etc. Then there were other parts that I skimmed quickly because it was a lot of drawn-out detail. I'm glad I stuck through it though, as I really enjoyed the ending and how things came to a close. I will try more of her novels because she has good story ideas, but I hope the writing style improves or differs from this one.

Recipe: Chocolate Macaroons

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 cups oatmeal
• 1 cup coconut
• 6 Tbsps cocoa
• 1 tsp vanilla

Steps

1. In a large pot, combine butter, sugar and milk.
2. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring often.
3. Meanwhile get other ingredients ready, in separate bowls/containers.
4. Once mixture has boiled, remove from heat.
5. Add in cocoa and stir.
6. Add in vanilla and stir.
7. Add in coconut and stir.
8. Add in oatmeal and stir.
9. When mixture is stirred in completely, drop by spoonful onto wax paper on baking pans.
10. Refrigerate/Freeze until set.

- Taken from my Mom's recipe

Book Review: Her Last Breath

Her Last Breath (Kate Burkholder #5)
by Linda Castillo
2013
320 pages

Synopsis
An extraordinarily beautiful Amish woman, a dangerous femme fatale, is the central figure in a story that reveals a dark side of Painters Mill and its seemingly perfect Amish world

A rainy night, an Amish father returning home with his three children, a speeding car hurtling toward them out of nowhere.
What at first seems like a tragic, but routine car accident  suddenly takes on a more sinister cast as evidence emerges that nothing about the crash is accidental.  But who would want to kill an Amish deacon and two of his children? He leaves behind a grieving widow and a young boy who clings to life in the intensive care wing of a hospital, unable to communicate.  He may be the only one who knows what happened that night.  Desperate to find out who killed her best friend’s husband and why, Kate begins to suspect she is not looking for a reckless drunk, but instead is on the trail of a cold blooded killer amid the residents of Painter’s Mill.  It is a search that takes her on a  chilling journey into the darkest reaches of the human heart and makes her question everything she has ever believed about the Amish culture into which she was born. 

Rating: 5 / 5 Stars

My Review:
I found this one really intriguing because it tied in part of Kate's past that was talked about in the first book of the series. I think it'll still come up in the next one, and I'm curious to see how it'll be resolved. The murder in this book of the series was absolutely crazy and not what I was expecting at all. It makes me happy when I'm reading that the author just pulls off a random and crazy twist to make me realize that I wasn't on the right track. It keeps me guessing, book after book, what really took place. I'm eagerly waiting the next book to get into the library so I can read it. Lastly, I was very pleased with how Kate dealt with the Tomasetti situation. I love that man, and it frustrated me to see how she could so quickly and easily just toss that away. I'm glad that at the end of this novel she finally came to her senses!