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.