Nine

if the eyes don't get you...the freckles will
Originally uploaded by Kudzu and Koolaid

Today, he is nine.
My second son.
He was my smiley baby, with the bright blue eyes.
He is still my snuggly guy.
He has a heart that is tender
and a temper, when pushed.
He loves to tell a story
and tell a story, he can...
He often says, ''oh and by the way...''
to let you know there is MORE to the story he is already weaving.
He loves to read
and play video games.
His best friends are his brothers-
brothers forever-friends for life
He has a way with his baby sister, like no one else.
He is quick with a joke,
and his eyes and smile are magic.
Today he is nine.


I am blessed beyond measure to be his mom.

Bloggy Book Tour

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Frontiersman’s Daughter
Revell (September 1, 2009)
by
Laura Frantz


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I was born and raised in Kentucky and my love of history goes deep - way back to the 18th-century when my family first came into the Bluegrass State. It will always be home to me, even though I now live with my husband, Randy, and my sons, Wyatt and Paul, in the misty woods of northwest Washington. I go back as often as I can to visit family and all the old haunts that I love.

I grew up playing on the original site of Fort Boonesborough and swimming in the Kentucky River and climbing the Pinnacle near Berea and watching the great outdoor dramas of the early settlers. Often my cousins and brother and I would play in my Granny's attic and dress up in the pioneer costumes she made us and pretend to be Daniel Boone, Rebecca, Jemima, or the Shawnee.

As I grew up I began to write stories and they were always historical, filled with the lore I had heard or read about. It's no accident that my first book (which is actually my fifth book - the others were practice!) is about those first Kentucky pioneers.

I feel blessed beyond measure to write books. My prayer is that you are doubly blessed reading them.

Note: Laura Frantz credits her 100-year-old grandmother as being the catalyst for her fascination with Kentucky history. Frantz's family followed Daniel Boone into Kentucky in 1792 and settled in Madison County where her family still resides. Frantz is a former schoolteacher and social worker who currently lives in the misty woods of Washington state with her husband and two sons, whom she homeschools.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Lovely but tough as nails, Lael Click is the daughter of a celebrated frontiersman. Haunted by her father's former captivity with the Shawnee Indians, as well as the secret sins of her family's past, Lael comes of age in the fragile Kentucky settlement her father founded.

Though she faces the loss of a childhood love, a dangerous family feud, and the affection of a Shawnee warrior, Lael draws strength from the rugged land she calls home, and from Ma Horn, a distant relative who shows her the healing ways of herbs and roots found in the hills.

But the arrival of an outlander doctor threatens her view of the world, God, and herself--and the power of grace and redemption. This epic novel gives readers a glimpse into the simple yet daring lives of the pioneers who first crossed the Appalachians, all through the courageous eyes of a determined young woman.

Laura Frantz's debut novel offers a feast for readers of historical fiction and romance lovers alike.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Frontiersman’s Daughter, go HERE

because it's Thursday

DSC_2250
Originally uploaded by Kudzu and Koolaid

and I haven't blogged in forever.

hello!

I'm caught up in the middle of school, the routine may well be the death of me. :)

I'm back to getting up at 5 a.m. , the kids are up at 7, we start school at 8 and are done by about 1, most days. The rest of the day is filled with errands and therapies and such.

I currently have a prayer shawl on my hook. My Aunts, grandmother died recently and I'm making her one.

I'm so excited Fall is on the way--granted, then Winter will come an dI will be longig for Summer...but for now, I'll roll around in the glory that is almost Fall. :)

My mom is still dealing with shingles--it has been awful, but she is improving some--PTL.

This feels scattered, I'm sure. But I wanted to check in. I'm alive, I'm still trying to find my routine--thank you for hanging in there.

Happy Thursday!

things.making.me.happy

friday_felicities
Originally uploaded by Kudzu and Koolaid

--a good first week of school

--much needed rain

--really, really, reeeeaaaallllllllly good coffee

--pend da night campouts with the cousins (this is making my kiddos VERY happy

--perspective

--email-I love how it connects me to friends far away

--yarn

--movie night with my kiddos & nieces & nephew. It's Hannah Montana, and I won't lie. I'm happy to watch it. :D

How's your Friday? Need some happy? Think about it--something is making you happy! So make your list...post it. :)

Day 1

Today was our first day of homeschooling for this year.

I have to say-overall it went very well.

It always takes a week or two to find your flow and work though the kinks--but considering that I added another grade level.

Circle time, was kinda bumpy--but I do feel it's going to be a really good addition and kind of pull things together. In circle time, we had devotion/daily bible reading, started learning the books of the Old Testament, worked on telling time with regular and Roman Numerals, then I did some reading aloud from several sources.

The rest of the day I just kind of moved from subject to subject. This is where the first couple of weeks just works to getting into a groove.

AE totally did a reading lesson. I have no doubt she'll be reading by years end. (skeery)

I'm looking forward to this year. I think it's really going to be a good one. :)

Bloggy Book tour (a bit delayed by sickies...) Night Watchman

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Night Watchman
Multnomah Books (May 5, 2009)
by
Mark Mynheir

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Mark Mynheir was born and raised on the east coast of Central Florida. Like most boys growing up, Mark enjoyed sports, mainly football and martial arts.

In 1983, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and went through basic training at Parris Island, South Carolina. After serving four years in the Marines, Mark changed gears and pursued a career in law enforcement.

During his career as a police officer, Mark has worked as a narcotics agent, a S.W.A.T. team member, and a homicide detective.

Over sixteen years ago, during a health crisis involving his oldest son, Mark gave his life to Jesus Christ. Shortly after his conversion, he felt God leading him in a new direction: writing. Now he balances dual careers as a police officer and novelist.

He has authored Rolling Thunder (The Truth Chasers Book One), From the Belly of the Dragon (The Truth Chasers Book Two), and The Void (The Truth Chasers Book Three).

Mark is married to the love of his life and has three fantastic children, and they all currently reside in Central Florida.


ABOUT THE BOOK

When everything is ripped away...

Eleven months ago, Ray Quinn was a tough, quick-witted Orlando homicide detective at the top of his game-until a barrage of bullets ended his career.and his partner's life.

Now medically retired with a painful handicap, Ray battles the haunting guilt for his partner's death. Numbing the pain with alcohol and attitude, Ray takes a job as a night watchman at a swanky Orlando condo community.

But when a pastor and an exotic dancer are found dead in one of the condos in an apparent murder-suicide, Ray can no longer linger in the shadows. The victim’s sister is convinced her brother was framed and begs Ray to take on an impossible case─to challenge the evidence and clear her brother’s name.

Ray reluctantly pulls the thread of this supposedly dead-end case only to unravel a murder investigation so deep that it threatens to turn the Orlando political landscape upside down and transform old friends into new enemies. As Ray chases down leads and interrogates suspects, someone is watching his every move, someone determined to keep him from ever finding out the truth─at any cost.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Night Watchman, go HERE

Wanna buy your own copy? Go HERE

Friday Felicities

friday_felicities
Originally uploaded by Kudzu and Koolaid

--really.good.coffee

--watching a pink tinged sunrise

--schoool starting soon

--kiddos on the mend

--diet mt dew

--Fall in sight

What's making you happy today?
Post it!
Come on!
I dare you!

Oh, I know who your Daddy is...

today I woke, fixed some coffee & logged into Facebook. It's typically how I start my day.

I was greeted with a status update of a friend that posted part of the lyrics to Brandon Heath's "Give Me Your Eyes''

My kids sing this in Kids Choir and it's one of their favorites-- the message is incredble.

give me your eyes for just one second

give me your eyes so I can see

everthing that I keep missing

give me your love for humanity

give me your arms for the broken hearted

ones that are far beyond my reach

give me your heart for the ones forgotten

give me your eyes so I can see

Today was a busy day...there was a bank run, then all the way across town (20+mins) to take Elijah to therapy, then after therapy a trip to the grocery store.

Errand day means lots of radio time and today, because God is like He is, the playlist seemed to repeat the message. I heard Audio Adrenlines "Hands and Feet" twice and the icing was hearing Warren Barfields, "Mistaken.''

God's timing always amazes me. Because it has been in the last few days that I have been ministered to the most-by friends, being the hands and feet of Jesus, in my life.

As our day was winding down, we stopped at the grocery store. This store, my Daddy happens to work at part time. I've come to know some of the workers and some of them recognize me and will speak. Today, however, after buzzing around, trying to hurry, in my haste I picked up 5 lbs bags of potatoes instead of 10.

While the cashier was rining up the rest of my order I head over to produce to fix my mistake. I'm grabbing the bags when I hear "Oh, I know who your Daddy is, he works up front.'' It was the produce manager. I did a little chit chat, got to agree with him about how sweet my Momma was and then I headed back to the front, paid and loaded up the stuff in the truck.

As I was driving home, it hit me.

I want people to see me and say, "I know who your Daddy is...''

I want to be mistaken for Jesus.

Summer check in...

Ok.

So remember at the beginning of summer, I wrote out my goals/plans.

They were good things...
and...

June was a good month.

July, however, spun out of control. :)

Ok, so maybe THAT was dramatic. But July ushered in my mother getting shingles & to this day she is still suffering. She literally took to her bed (SO NOT LIKE MY MOM) and has only gotten up to go the dr & to sit up for a bit in the living room. The pain for her has been awful. Combined with the fact she has severe RA and her immunity is already compromised--it's just been a hard battle for her.

With her shingles onset, my 'plans and goals' took the path of the wayside.

The 10 lbs I lost in June-I found again in July.
The walking I had faithfully done in June--disappeared in July.
The writing of the Psalms/Proverbs--turned into quick snippets of *reading* them in July.

But that is what August if for...
for recommitting and restarting and resetting goals.

So it's August 13th...
we are rebounding from all four kiddos being sick...
my daddy having an abcessed tooth over the weekend...
my laptop dying...
my uncle getting staph infection...
my mom still dealing with shingles...

but

I am resetting goals.

today is day one (or two, actually!)

July was no a wash.

I got A LOT accomplished by way of prepping for school.

AE is so excited to be starting Pre-K.

Life is kind of like that.
It's never going to be neat and tidy.
It's rarely going to follow the plan or schedule.
The key, I'm finding, is learning to adjust your sails.
And that sounds so cliche.
I know.
But for me-it's just the truth.
Life may not be what you imagined it to be...
or take the path you thought you'd walk...
but
it's still your life
You still get to live it...
you still can rest and know that God is there-
with you...
guiding you on the 'plans and goals'
He's had for you all along.

There is comfort in that, huh?

Happy Thursday.

Have you noticed????

There have been a lot of book tours

and not much Cheri?

Well, sickness is upon the household-it's been a long month around here.

I promise there will be more blogging & hopefully in the not to distant future.

Thanks for reading!!!!
:D

Bloggy Book Tour--Mohamed's Moon

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Mohamed's Moon
Realms (May 5, 2009)
by
Keith Clemons

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



A strong defender of Christian values, noted author and lecturer Keith Clemons is a native of Southern California and graduate of English Literature at California State University, Fullerton. In his former capacity as Vice President of Marketing for Mytec Technologies Inc.

He was a frequent conference speaker, particularly when the forum centered on Electronic Commerce. Today, in addition to writing, he appears on radio and television where he uses his communications skills to explain coming trends that will affect both the church and society at large.

His passion for communication has resulted in the previous publication of more than a hundred articles. To date, Mr. Clemons has completed five novels including Angel in the Alley and the award winning If I Should Die, These Little Ones, and Above The Stars.

He resides with his wife and daughter at their home in Caledon, Ontario, Canada.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Are we enemies...
or brothers?


Two brothers separated at birth grow up worlds apart. Outwardly, they're exactly alike, but inwardly, nothing's the same--one is a devotee of fundamentalist Islam; the other, a Christian. In this modern-day Cain and Abel story, the lines are drawn not just over whose God is right, but also over the fact that they're both in love with the same girl.

It's a conflict with grave repercussions, little hope of resolution--and time is running out. In the background, a plan has been set in motion that will bring the United States government to its knees. Will an unexpected visitation reconcile the brothers in time to save the woman they love--and ultimately, themselves--from the coming devastation?

In his award-winning style, author Keith Clemons delivers a profound comparison between Christianity and Islam, a dichotomy of life versus death, love versus hate, and grace versus legalism. Mohamed's Moon will plunge you into a world where hatred and heinous acts are justified. But if hatred is potent, it pales in comparison to the power of God's love.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Mohamed's Moon, go HERE

Buy your copy HERE.

Bloggy book tour--The Sacred Cipher

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Sacred Cipher
Kregel Publications (July 31, 2009)
by
Terry Brennan


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Over the past 35 years, Terry Brennan has accumulated a broad range of experience in both the profit and non-profit business sectors.

His 22-year, award winning journalism career included:
• Seven years as a sportswriter and editor with The Philadelphia Bulletin, at the time the largest-circulation afternoon newspaper in the nation;
• Leading The Mercury of Pottstown (PA), as its editor, to a Pulitzer Prize in Editorial Writing;
• Serving as Executive Editor of a multi-national newspaper firm – Ingersoll Publications – with papers in the USA, England and Ireland.

In 1996 Brennan transferred his successful management career to the non-profit sector and served for 12 years as Vice President of Operations for the Christian Herald Association, Inc., the parent organization of four New York City ministries, including The Bowery Mission.

Now Chief Operating Officer of the National Organization on Disability, Brennan also won the Valley Forge Award for editorial writing from the Freedoms Foundation. His two adult sons and their families live in Pennsylvania. Terry, his wife Andrea and their two adult children live in New York City. The Sacred Cipher is his first novel.



ABOUT THE BOOK

History's greatest secret could be tomorrow's greatest threat More historically and biblically accurate than The DaVinci Code and just as adventurous as an Indiana Jones movie, The Sacred Cipher combines action and mystery to draw readers into a world of ancient secrets and international escapades.

When an ancient scroll appears in a secret room of the Bowery Mission in New York City, Tom Bohannon is both stunned and intrigued. The enigma of the scroll's contents will send Bohannon and his team ricocheting around the world, drawing the heat of both Jewish and Muslim militaries, and bringing the Middle East to the brink of nuclear war in this heart-pounding adventure of historical proportions. The Sacred Cipher is a riveting, fact-based tale of mystery and suspense.


If you want to read the Prologue of The Sacred Cipher, go HERE

A bloggy book tour--Timescape

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Timescape
Thomas Nelson (July 14, 2009)
by
Robert Liparulo

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Robert Liparulo is a former journalist, with over a thousand articles and multiple writing awards to his name. His first novel, Comes a Horseman, released to critical acclaim. Each of his subsequent thrillers—Germ, Deadfall, and Deadlock—secured his place as one of today’s most popular and daring thriller writers.

He is known for investing deep research and chillingly accurate predictions of near-future scenarios into his stories. In fact, his thorough, journalistic approach to research has resulted in his becoming an expert on the various topics he explores in his fiction, and he has appeared on such media outlets as CNN and ABC Radio.

Liparulo’s visual style of writing has caught the eye of Hollywood producers. Currently, three of his novels for adults are in various stages of development for the big screen: the film rights to Comes A Horseman. were purchased by the producer of Tom Clancy’s movies; and Liparulo is penning the screenplays for GERM and Deadfall
for two top producers. He is also working with the director Andrew Davis (The Fugitive, Holes) on a political thriller. Novelist Michael Palmer calls Deadfall “a brilliantly crafted thriller.” March 31st marked the publication of Deadfall’s follow-up, Deadlock, which novelist Gayle Lynds calls, “best of high-octane suspense.”

Liparulo’s bestselling young adult series, Dreamhouse Kings, debuted last year with House of Dark Shadows and Watcher in the Woods. Book three, Gatekeepers, released in January, and number four, Timescape, in July. The series has garnered praise from readers, both young and old, as well as attracting famous fans who themselves know the genre inside and out. Of the series, Goosebumps creator R.L. Stine says, “I loved wandering around in these books. With a house of so many great, haunting stories, why would you ever want to go outside?”

With the next two Dreamhouse books “in the can,” he is currently working on his next thriller, which for the first time injects supernatural elements into his brand of gun-blazing storytelling. The story is so compelling, two Hollywood studios are already in talks to acquire it—despite its publication date being more than a year away. After that comes a trilogy of novels, based on his acclaimed short story, which appeared in James Patterson’s Thriller anthology. New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry calls Liparulo’s writing “Inventive, suspenseful, and highly entertaining . . . Robert Liparulo is a storyteller, pure and simple.” He lives with his family in Colorado.


ABOUT THE BOOK

David, Xander, Dad, and Keal have discovered a terrible secret. Now, finding Mom is only a small part of their mission. And time is running out. Using the portals to build an empire, Taksidian wants the house for himself, and there's nothing he won't do to get the family out. The consequences of his meddling reach far beyond the family--to the future of the world itself. The Kings know their survival depends on stopping the bloodthirsty assassin. If only they can find his weakness in time.

Most startling of all is their ability to change the path of history. But will their tinkering in time reunite the family and save the future . . . or set mankind on an irreversible course of destruction?




If you would like to read the first chapter of Timescape, go HERE


Enter the contest to win this book package by clicking on the image!!!

You can buy your copy HERE

the summer of the dress

the summer of the dress
Originally uploaded by Kudzu and Koolaid

this dress found it's way to us, via a bag of hand me downs earlier this Spring.

somehow it has become AE's favorite dress

she would wear it daily
she would sleep in it
she
loves
this
dress

it's worn
it's shapless
it's super soft from many washings

it is the dress of Summer 2009