9.

8.

7.

6.

5.

4.

3.

2.

1.

Save the Date by Jenny B. Jones

This is a story of a young woman struggling to fund her non profit young woman's home and the surprising way she manages to keep it afloat. This book was a just for fun read that I totally enjoyed and am so glad I got it. It was just the book to sit back and relax with. This is a romance that is clean and positive, I felt comfortable allowing my ten year daughter to read it as well. It has quite a bit of humor that kept her drawn into the story. She enjoyed sharing the funny tidbits with her siblings once she was finished with it. Margaret and I agreed that we didn't think the cover picture fit the character or book, so don't judge the book by it's cover :)

Although Save the Date is a romance that was a lot of fun to read, it also had a good message about contentment, grace, forgiveness and how much we need Christ in our lives.

Words to describe this book could be: energetic, surprising, uplifting, perky, and captivating. So if you have some time to relax you would enjoy this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

I have recently had the pleasure of reviewing another book for Booksneeze. The book: Voices of the Faithful, Inspiring Stories of Courage from Christians Serving around the World compiled by Kim Davis and Beth Moore. This book was put together as a daily reading devotional with a verse, a short story, and a prayer on each page. At the end of each story it tells the missionaries name or initials and the country in which they were serving when this story occurred. Occasionally the days go together but usually they are unrelated and by different missionaries. Between each month is a longer devotional or challenge by Beth Moore. At the very end of the book there are a few pages set aside to help you and your church find ways to be more involved in mission work by more active prayer or the many other ways you too can serve. It is a very enjoyable, and touching read.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

...

We here at Just Being Me want to wish each and everyone of you in blogland a very Happy New Year!

May it be blessed with a richer relationship with Christ our Saviour and closer friendships with those here with us on earth.

Peace and Joy to each one of you,

~Anna

Snow

This has been the fall for snow. We have now made it into winter for a week or so, but the majority of our snow all came before winter even set in. Pretty amazing amounts. As we are wondering what to do if we get more and space is running out. God will set in motion his own plan that works really well, as always. He'll just melt it. Today has been sunny and warm, not really much melting yet but they say tomorrow things will change and we will see a diminishing of the snow as rain runs down on it. I guess next up, ice. We will see. I had to go down and uncover the street light censor as it had been buried in snow. I don't remember needing to do that before.

Here follows a few of our snow memories for this 2010 fall/winter season of snow.

November 21 the snow is new and exciting and Beatrice has new reindeer antlers she needs to try out so they load up a bag for Gregory to have with him as he rides in his sleigh. The new Rudolph the red nose reindeer and Santa are born. Our next good snowfall came in the afternoon before Thanksgiving and it was the perfect temp for taking an evening walk to Cub to get a few groceries. I love night time walks in a white snow covered land. They are so peaceful, sounds are more muted.

With more snow and bright sunshiny days where better to be than on our hill.

Then the big snow of December 11 came and we were buried. Traveling in it was horrible. Once we gave up and stayed home we went over to our neighbors and had a good evening of visiting over freshly roasted, ground, and brewed coffee and ginger cookies. What can be better than good friends and that!

When we were properly warmed and soothed reality had to be faced and we brought in wood and scooped the driveway. Here Henry and Travis bring in wood:

Life is hard when the snow is this thick and you have such short legs: It would be fun to have snowshoes for when the snow is like this. It is very dense and there is a bit of a crust. We can scoot across the top using our arms and sitting on the plastic sleds.

Some of the cousins coming into Grandpa and Grandma's after a refreshing sledding adventure on their new sledding hill. December 25.

Enjoying the snow,

~Anna

Tea-Infused Lentil Soup

I am not really sure why I ever tried this recipe but this very well may be one of the most requested, by my children, meals I make. Certainly it is possible that my eldest daughter requests it the most.

It came in an email newsletter I used to receive called KIWIscoop. I don't have any idea where it came from but it was mostly healthy recipes and fun quick tips for family fun and stuff to do so I would browse through it when it came to my box. It is really a simple and quick meal. Enjoy!

Tea-infused Lentil Soup

2 tea bags Jasmine tea

1 cup lentils (any type will do, it calls for red and I use what ever color those are in the picture above)

1/4 cup rice

2 large yellow onions (cut into thin strips) {I almost always use white onions but red, green, or yellow are all tasty here} [I use just one unless they are small then I will use two]

1 Tablespoon oil -olive is nice

1 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon, or more cumin

1 vegetable, chicken or beef bouillon cube

1/3 cup parsley

5-6 cups water- divided

Fresh bread of some sort to serve on the side.

Directions:

1. Steep tea in 1-2 cups boiling water

2. Boil 3 cups water in a deep soup pot, add lentils and rice. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. {or 2.} In a frying pan saute onions in oil until golden and tender. Add cumin and salt and quickly fry them. { I do this in the pan before I boil the water and leave them in to cook some more with the lentils and rice}

Stir in bouillon and 2 cups more of water. Make sure bouillon is stirred in and dissolved. Return to a boil.

4. Just before serving stir in parsley and tea. Add meatballs if desired (I never do).

They say preparation time is 45 minutes and it will serve 4.

Please try this. It is such a good simple meal to enjoy. And when you are done you can enjoy a good game of chess, maybe if you have a playmate.

~Anna

I am linking this post to Tasty Tuesday's at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

Fall Memories

Going back in our memories to October and our family trip to the Father/Son Retreat up at Flaming Pines Youth Camp. Don't be confused by the name father son, we weren't and took it as a family event and all of us went. Actually we girls had responsibilities there. The guys needed fed so we helped cook for them. While the guys spent most of their time learning about geo-caching, we spent most of the time baking and preparing meals. We all had a good time hanging out with old friends and making some new friends.

After Sunday morning services we had some free time once we had loaded up the van and cleaned out our cabin. So we went on an adventure. With a kind guide we went to the sand hill.

It looks steep and it is! And now we have sand in our shoes. Gregory found some tools to help him up the incline. It was pretty much straight up and down! The view from the top. Travis, summit-ing again, after giving Gregory a final boost up.

Coming down if you didn't want to run head first it was fun pretending you were walking on the moon! Your feet slid right through as you floated down. Beatrice's favorite way to help was holding Mr. Cody.

~Anna