Book Review

I am so very excited to be a part of WaterBrookMutlnomah.com book review tour.


These books were provided for review by WaterBrook Multnomah.

The first book that I will review today is Secrets by Robin Jones Gunn.



I have read several of Mrs. Gunn's books and I have never been disappointed, and Secrets followed that tradition. The book was a page turner from beginning to end.

Jessica Morgan (Fenton) is running from her past, but a car accident on the way to her new life put a huge bump in her path. I don't want to be a spoiler for anyone reading the book so I will just gush about how much I enjoyed the novel.

The characters were all very well developed and for the most part likable. As a reader I need to connect with characters and was able to do so with Jessica.

Secrets is the first book in the Glenbrooke Series and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.

The second book that I will review today is Yesterday's Promise by Linda Lee Chaikin.


In this novel were blood is not thicker than water, Rogan Chantry finds himself in a fierce battle with several relatives, and tribes in South Africa over diamonds, gold, and a treasure map.

I found it difficult to have any sympathy for any of the characters involved. They all seemed to be very greedy fortune hunters. Even the main character, Rogan showed few Christian values. He was willing to leave his love, Evy Varley behind in search for his riches.

At certain points the book was very interesting and quite a page turner and other times the novel was bogged down with too many characters and didn't seem to have much relevance to the story. In the books defense, this was book two in a series, and maybe those characters had more relevance in the first book.

If you would be interested in participating in a blog tour, you can sign up at WaterBrook Multonamah Blogging for Books.

Not the best

Today is probably not the best day to blog as I tend to wear my emotions on my sleeve. I am tired more emotionally than physically but as you all know when you are tired emotionally it becomes physical, but physical exhaustion doesn't always lead to mental exhaustion.

Did you follow me on that?

If I were a drinking women I might run out and purchase some custom shot glasses but, since Jesus is the light at the end of my tunnel, I think I will just get off here and go spend some time with my Rock.

I really must remember pray first and then I won't have to worry about the other emotions. Why can't I remember that. I guess I am just a slow learner.

One man's junk

is another man's treasure. I don't think I ever realized how true this was until we started moving. I have three piles in the garage of the old house. One is junk, the other is donations, and the third is a pile of the things we want. The donation pile and junk pile are huge.

Yesterday the church went to the house to grab a desk and a few file cabinets. Two truck loads later they decided they needed to come back tomorrow. I am so thrilled that someone loves our junk and can use it.

I guessed wrong

When we lived at the old house I had to run a dehumidifier in the basement and a humidifier in the upstairs. When we packed all the things that we would need in the new house I decided that the humidifiers would take up too much space, and I would not need them with the different heating system, so I elected to leave them behind.

I guessed wrong. I really need to make sure that they make the next trip. I will now have to purchase humidifier filters, but they are pretty cheap for the units that I own.

I really hope to be 100% done with this move by the end of the month. I just want to put that part of our lives behind us, and move on......

Getting Nervous

I finally received my books in the mail that I am suppose to read and write about in my blog. The problem is there are two full length novels and I have to have them read by February 22. That is a lot of reading.

I figured out exactly how many pages I need to read each day in order to finish them on time. I am already a day behind and because we have church tonight I probably won't get my reading done for today either.

I am very excited about being a part of this club but honestly they have to give me a little more time to read the books. I am old and fall asleep after reading only a few pages. There are good things about getting old, I don't have to worry about accutane and the latest fashion. No one expects an old fat lady to be fashionable.

Commercials

I just saw this facebook group for no more horror commercials on TV. This is such a huge problem in our house.

If you have been reading my blog for long you know that we went close to two years without TV. We had DVD's but no regular TV. Since returning to TV, CAL just cannot handle the commercials. He is not a wimp or baby he just HATES anything scary.

It makes me very upset to have a commercials come on and you can tell he goes into an instant panic. He hides his eyes and starts to whimper. My dad used to think it was hilarious to scare us when we were kids. Because of this is become very angry when I am scared, to the point where I would not suggest "trying" to scare me or you might get knocked flat.

I really wish they would refrain from showing horror commercials on TV.

It has its down side

Watching so much TV has set me back! I don't know about you, but when I watch TV, I eat. I eat constantly. I tried removing the snacks from stand by my chair but it didn't help me to cut back it just meant that I missed more TV.

I have not stepped on a scale in quite some time but I can feel a difference in my clothes. I need to get back on track and I know that this summer things will be very different.

Our new house is very close to a large park that has tennis courts, basketball courts, soccer fields, and baseball fields. The only thing that will hinder my summer activities is this pesky job!

I am hoping to lose at least twenty pounds this summer, then of course I will need to research weight loss nutrition, but I think that is a problem that I would enjoy having. Maybe I will use my blog as an accountability motivator. I don't know though because that would mean giving the world some very personal information. Oh well, I will have to see.

Still Watching

Last night while watching the Olympics I turned to the hubby and said: "why are there so many ads for liberal politics, it is disgusting". To which he responded "well hon, we are watching MSNBC". Duhhh It has been so long since we have watched any prime time TV I forgot how bias it was.

Now I have not watched TV for several years and when we did, we didn't watch prime time. I have no idea what MS in the MSNBC means. Can someone enlighten me?

Just my opinion but, I really don't think the Olympics is the time or place for politics. I don't care if it is conservative or liberal. Can't we just be entertained without someone pushing something down our throat.

What ever happened to the good old fashion TV ads. The ads that try to get you to buy FOOD!

Happy Valentine's Day

Belated as it may be. It was a good day and thanks to a friends post on Facebook about the history of St. Valentine The Hubby had to admit maybe it wasn't such a stupid day after all.

Cal bought me a houseplant from Home Depot since most of my plants did not make the move. He also bought the hubby two books from our church bookstore. The first was a book called "Raising a Modern-Day Knight" - A Father's Role in Guiding His Son to Authentic Manhood. It was the book of the month and looked good. The second was our church hymnal. There are so many songs that we want to learn so that we can sing songs in the car. That sounds goofy but really we enjoy singing in the car.

I really enjoy the short easy songs like "I'll Fly Away" and "Thank you Lord".

Now I am a really bad singer. I have one of those voices that cause the dogs to howl, so I was really excited that my son wanted to learn songs for us to sing together. Sometimes that boy of mine makes we so proud that I am bursting at the seems, other times he is such a pain I think I need hemorrhoid relief.

I think he is a keeper though. He just needs Jesus as his role model. Then again, don't we all. If you could have known my son last year at this time you would not believe the change God has made in his life. If you have a child that is out of control is almost every aspect, let me recommend Jesus. You will NEVER regret a relationship with Him.

A work in progress?

Ya know..... If I could/would make prayer my first reaction to a situation, life would be so much easier. Why is that so difficult for me to understand? Anger can't do anything, tears can't do anything, only prayer can do something, yet I wait until I have exhausted all other avenues before I turn to it.

Even as I type...... I have been on the computer for about thirty minutes this morning but have yet to open my bible.

Is it over yet?

I am officially tired of the winter. I love the four seasons and would not want to live anywhere else but honestly when the end of summer and winter arrive I am ready for them to be over.

My skin is also ready for the winter to be over. My face has not been this dry in years. The good part is I don't have to worry about zits, the bad part is that I am spending a fortune in face moisturizer.

This winter has not been a difficult winter but trying to go to work in a skirt when it is ten degrees is getting old. We really need a different car before next winter. Skirts and Jeeps do not go together.

Hubby Loves our New House

Don't get me wrong, I think we all love the new house. I take that back, I know we all love the new house. That being said, I think The Hubby loves the new house more than any of us. There are several reasons, he doesn't have to snowblow, no yard to mow, no gardens to take care of and weed, but the number one reason The Hubby loves the new house is:



We live just a few yards from the tracks. There is a very slow moving train that comes through town every few days. Let me tell you..... life stops for The Hubby when a train comes through town. These pictures were taken from CAL's bedroom window. That train is even closer than it appears in these pictures.

I am very thankful that it only runs during the day and it moves so slow you can walk faster than the train is moving.

There are days when I am at work and I can hear the whistle blow. I will quickly email The Hubby to be on the lookout there might be a train a-com'in.

House Work

For the past two weekends I have picked a house chore and worked my tail off. Last weekend it was polishing all the furniture. What a task and by the end of Saturday my arms were killing me.

This weekend it was the bathrooms. I think bathrooms might be my most disliked household chore. I can never get them as clean as I would like them.

I have come to the conclusion that housework is the best weight loss diet that you can be on. I feel like I have lost a few pounds scrubbing from floor to ceiling.

It is so nice to clean a house where you feel like it matters. The old house was so old that you would clean and within hours you could not tell you had cleaned. Case and point, I have not killed a spider since I have been here, nor have I seen any evidence of a mouse.

God is good and he got us out of a horrible situation.

Olympic Fever

The family has caught the Olympic fever. Last night we were glued to the TV until 11:00 to watch Apolo Ohno's Silver medal race. I watched the qualifying race a couple of hours before and I was totally amazed. What a gifted skater.

Now staying up until 11:00 doesn't seem like much to normal folk but you are talking about the Lukie family, we are normally in bed (reading) by 8:00 with the lights out no later than 9:00, almost every night.

CAL and I also enjoyed the women's moguls. We didn't stay up to watch Hannah Kearney's medal run but we did see the qualifying runs.

I am not really into figure skating so I hope there are other events on today.

Oh and also last night we watch the men's luge. I don't' like that event at all, even though there was a Luger from Saranac Lake in the competition. (Saranac Lake is the closest town to where we lived for seven years)

My Boy

CAL is starting to think college. They have had several college recruiters come to the school recently so he has been talking about colleges quite a bit.

Nothing would make me happier than to have him attend a well known Christian college. I have no desire to send him to a secular college. I mean after eight years of being brainwashed at public schools do I really want to pay money to have him brainwashed at college.

He needs to start thinking about LSAT prep. But does this look like a child that is ready to take a college entrance test?


It has been spirit week at school. Today was school colors day. Spirit week has been fun but I am ready to get back to the uniform.

The face paint that he purchased really worked well. I have another picture to post of color day!

Sunrise

I have the privilege of seeing some of the prettiest sunrises. Our house faces east and this picture is taken from the large window in my bedroom. Obviously my camera does not do it justice but let me assure you that the sunrise I get to see every morning is fantastic.

Mentally Exhausted

I have not been this mentally exhausted in a long time. The problem I have, when I get like this, is that EVERYTHING becomes a major issue for me. I stress about every eye roll, tone, and detail, and feel like I am a total failure.

I have been taking "breaks" where I just sit and pray for a few minutes. I am here to tell you that it works but I have to remember when something is getting to me to pray. Do you ever do that? Do you forget that praying should be our first reaction to a situation not our last resort?

If I could/would remember that it would be the best treatment for wrinkles that was ever invented. I feel like I have aged five years in the past six months. It doesn't help that I have several bosses now that are half my age. I feel like an old worthless lady.

I have to stop typing and pray......

Cleaning and Organizing

This move has in most areas been a dream. Even though the way my husband insisted the move take place caused me HUGE stress, in the end it worked out OK. Hubby didn't want to pack boxes, so we didn't. It was strange but we only packed a few things in boxes. Most of the smaller items we moved with the Jeep in small trips.

When most people move they don't stick things like fitness equipment in boxes, we didn't stick things like dishes, nick-nacks, books, and clothes.

Today, however, I really need to get some pictures hung, and things organized. It is really starting to feel like home and I don't have a bunch of boxes around (that I have no idea what is in them).

I have been working extra hours that past week, so I have not had as much time to do household chores. Today is the day. I think the Hubby and CAL are going out for some special father son time so it will work out really well. They are never any help and I just end up getting angry because of that.

In over my head?

Maybe so. I was asked to become a member of a Book Review Club. They are a Christian company and I was very excited to become a member. It is a little confusing but I think I have signed up for several reviews. If I am correct I signed up for at least three before I realized that I had in fact requested to take part in that review. The confusing part is that each time the email appears to come from someone different and the company name is not clearly displayed.

I am waiting for my books to arrive. I am just afraid that when they do there will be seven or eight books and I will have only a couple weeks to read them.

The first "tour" takes place at the end of February, I think I better go check the mailbox to see if my books are there. There is also the problem of the change of address that we had. I emailed the change but cannot seem to verify that it actually took place.

Report Card Time

CAL received his report card yesterday. We were all very nervous because he seems to be really struggling with Science right now. Seventh grade science is really goofy. They have to do a science fair and it seems to consume every day with tests/experiments and journaling.

Well his grade did go down a little. Last quarter he received a B+ and this quarter it was a B. He has a GPA of 3.8644, with four A+'s, two A's, two A-'s, and then the B. He has an A+ in Pre-Algebra - he definitely didn't get his brains from me.

I am so thrilled with this school, everything is taught to the kids with God as the base. It is amazing and exciting to open up his history or science and have them start with creation.

Now comes the big problem for The Hubby and I, we have to try to come up with a different reward system than we have in the past. I just cannot afford the old system. Maybe I will have a deals of the day system where I give him little things each day for a week. I don't know does anyone have any ideas?

Isn't it funny that in public school his grades were not this good and the work was a joke.

Trade Off

I have been getting more hours at work and while I need the money, and love my job, it leaves less and less time for really important things like facebook and my blog.

Yesterday was a nine hour day for me and the next few might be the same. It is fun and there is a large variety of things to do so each day is pretty fresh. I have been hired to do two additional jobs, one is through the college, and other is a job that adds about two hours of work per day to my schedule.

The funny thing is my boss, for my duties through the college, is twenty one years old. I joke with her that her friends probably sit around and giggle that she is boss to a forty year old fat lady.