Six Word Saturday

So thankful, my Momma is HOME!!!

Just last week I posted that Mom wasn't home and I couldn't go visit her because of all the sickness that I'd been around.Well, obviously if you've read my Six Word Saturday you can tell she's home! I am so thankful and excited that she's finally home. She came home on Monday (January 24). Her blood pressure being so high has caused her to have a place on her brain and given her PRESS Syndrome. Basically she can see clear if she closes one eye or the other but if she has both eyes open then it's almost like she's cross eyed she said. But the doctors say her vision should clear up. So thank you for the prayers and keep em coming through her recovery! :)

Hollowland by Amanda Hocking

"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

My Review - So this is my first "zombie" book. And my verdict is that I liked it! I liked Amanda Hocking from her other books I read so I decided to borrow this from someone on my Nook. It was pretty good. I liked how it wasn't JUST about zombies but it was also about people working together and love. Although I did dream that someone was chasing me a few times while I was reading this book it was still good. I liked Remy and the way she acted while going through all this.

Always the Baker Never the Bride by Sandra D. Bricker

Thirty-six-year-old Emma Rae Travis has been baking specialty cakes and melt-in-your-mouth pastries at The Backstreet Bakery in historic Roswell, just outside of Atlanta, for the last six years. But here's the rub about her job as a baker . . . Emma is diabetic. When she tastes her creations, it can only be in the most minute portions. Emma is considered an artisan for the stunning crème brulee wedding cake that won her the Passionate Palette Award last year, but she's never even had one full slice of it.

When Jackson Drake hears about this local baker who has won a prestigious award for her wedding cake artistry, he tells his assistant to be sure and include her in the pastry tastings scheduled at his new wedding destination hotel the following week. And for Jackson, that particular day has started out badly with two workmen trapped in a broken elevator and a delivery of several dozen 300-thread-count bed linens in the wrong size abandoned in the lobby. But when the arrogant baker he met a week prior in Roswell stumbles into the dining room with a platter of pastries and a bucketful of orders, he knows for certain: It's going to be a really rotten day.

Can these two ill-suited players master the high-wire act and make a go of their new business venture? Or will they take each other crashing downward, without a net? And will the surprise wedding at The Tanglewood be theirs?

My Review - This book was just okay for me. I'm not one who usually likes romance stories but this book was free on my Nook so I thought I'd try it. I knew right away who was going to end up with who right down to Emma's assistant BUT reading how they got there was what made the book readable.

Six Word Saturday

Missing my mom, wanting her home! 
 So I haven't posted an update on here about my mom in a while. And I'm sorry about that. She's still in the hospital but they have been talking about sending her home. She hasn't had dialysis since January 12th which is awesome but now she has a headache. They think it's from her blood pressure being high but they can't get rid of the headache or the high blood pressure. So they gave her some migraine meds and they made her out of it so much that she can get out of the bed like she was. I know she's ready to come home and I know my Dad is ready for her to go home too BUT we don't want her coming home when she's not ready to. As of tomorrow she'll have been in the hospital for 4 weeks. I haven't seen her since last Saturday/Sunday. I didn't go this weekend because I've been around a lot of sickness this week and I didn't want to chance carrying anything to her and she didn't want me doing that either. But thank you for the prayers and if you'll continue to pray I'd be very thankful as would she!

Enchilada Casserole

Another recipe...I made this one tonight. It's pretty good but next time I'll probably put more seasoning in it.

Enchilada Casserole

1 (10 oz) can of Enchilada Sauce
1 and 1/2 pound Ground Beef
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 (16 oz) can of Refried Beans
1 (12 oz) package of corn tortillas
1 (8 oz) bag of Shredded Mexican Cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown beef and drain out the fat. Mix beef, refried beans and 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce. Dip enough corn tortillas to cover bottom of a casserole dish in the enchilada sauce. Then put beef mixture on top of the tortillas, put a layer of cheese on top of that and then do the corn tortillas again. Continue layering. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Then let cool for 5 minutes and serve.

Chocolate Heaven Poke Cake

A few weeks ago I found this recipe that I really wanted to try for Chocolate Heaven Poke Cake. It was so good. Next time the only thing I will change is to poke more holes! (I was kind of reserved in my hole poking!) Sorry the picture is blurry. I took a ton of them and this was the best I could get with the camera I was using. Anyhow, here's the recipe...


Chocolate Heaven Poke Cake
1 Chocolate Cake Mix
1 Jar of Hot Fudge Ice Cream Topping
1 Jar of Hot Caramel Ice Cream Topping (doesn't have to be the Hot kind)
1 large container of Cool Whip (make sure its thawed)

Mix the cake as directed and bake in a 13x9 inch pan. When the cake is done remove it from the oven and take the handle part of a wooden spoon and poke that cake like you mean it. Lots of poking. Make holes all over the cake. Don't take out to much aggression though, you don't want it to fall apart. Heat up the ice cream toppings and pour them over the HOLY cake. Use a spatula and spread the toppings thoroughly. Let it cool and top with Cool Whip. (I just put Cool Whip on it when I was serving it instead of all over the cake.)

Ascend by Amanda Hocking

The final book in the Trylle Trilogy..

With a war looming on the horizon, Wendy's fate seems sealed.But everything she sacrificed might be in vain if she can’t save the ones she loves.

Her whole life has been leading up to this, and it's all coming to an end.

This is a young adult paranormal romance with some mild language and mild sexual situations.

It also contains a bonus excerpt from "Jenny Pox" by J. L. Bryan.

My Review - I loved it! I loved who Wendy ended up with. I loved how Wendy and Tove handled the situation. I also loved how the whole book just played out...I was sad that the series ended but everything good must come to an end...I'm just glad I have other books from Amanda Hocking to read! :)

Torn by Amanda Hocking

Torn - the second book of the Trylle Trilogy...

Wendy thought she finally understood who she was and what she wanted, but everything changes when the rival Vittra come after her.

She's caught between two worlds, torn between love and duty, and she must decide what life she is meant to lead.

My Review - I liked this book almost as much as the first. I'd always if the Princess was going to marry a certain someone. But I also wonder what a few other people have to do with the story and how it'll all pan out. I've already started the 3rd book and I'm loving it. Can't wait to see how the series will close out.

Switched by Amanda Hocking

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might've been telling the truth. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - and it's one she's not sure if she wants to be a part of.

My Review - WOW...I loved this book. I loved Finn and Wendy. But I also liked Tove and Willa. I kept trying to guess who'd fall in love with who and when. Their powers are amazing and I can't wait to read the second and third book to see what happens, especially with Wendy's powers. I felt sorry for Matt and Maggie though. I actually liked this book so much that I read it in a matter of 3 days. One of my favorite parts was where Finn said "A foolish man thinks he knows everything. A wise man knows he doesn't." So true! So excited to read the rest of the series that I went ahead and bought them so I'd have them ready! :) I'm giving this a 5 star (which I'm quiet stingy with my 5 stars!)

Egg Noodle Lasagna

I have been wanting to make this cause I love it and it's easy to make...Here's the recipe...

1 pound ground beef
1 onion
1 jar spaghetti sauce
16 oz. bag of egg noodles
1 block of cream cheese
1 cup cottage cheese

Boil pasta, mix with cream cheese and cottage cheese. Brown beef and drain, add onion and mix with sauce. Layer noodles, sauce, noodles, etc. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees covered, uncover and bake for another 10 minutes. (I sprinkled shredded cheese on top but it's not a must).

Snow Days

Looking out the front door of my house...

I love snow! And I love being at home and having snow days...On Sunday night they were saying a big snow storm was coming. While we didn't get a whole bunch it has pretty much shut everything down for about two days...This is what we received...Have I mentioned that I love it?! :) After we got snow we got ice which just makes everything slippery and hard.

And looking out my back door...Mind you there is bird food in the bird feeder now! haha

Prayer for my Momma please....

A few months ago, on October 22nd to be exact, my Momma (Debbie) was diagnosed with breast cancer. On 11/3/10 she had a double mastectomy and then on 12/3/10 she had reconstructive surgery. And during that time I asked for prayers from all of the people reading my blog.

Well I need your prayers again. I probably should have posted this sooner but I honestly just haven't had a chance to post anything but copy and pasting my reviews from the books I read.

On 12/26/10 my Momma was running a fever of 104.8 so my Daddy took her to the hospital. He went ahead and took her to the hospital that had preformed the surgeries in all instead of the one close by because he figured all the doctors could work together. Anyhow, when he took her in they admitted her and when she finally got into a room they couldn't keep her blood pressure up so they moved her to ICU. She was in ICU until Friday, 01/07/11. We rang in the new year in ICU. It was a LONG process and she had a breathing tube and feeding tube in. They were also giving her a ton of fluid and she wasn't putting out much so they started dialysis to take some of the fluid off of her and to do the work that her kidneys wouldn't. I stayed the week after Christmas at the hospital with my Daddy. Poor thing has only been home about three time since the 26th. Anyhow, they finally took out the breathing tube on 01/06/11 and she was doing really good. She's weak but she was improving. Well, they finally moved her to a regular room on 01/07/11 and then they moved her to a bigger room on the dialysis floor on 01/08/11. BUT last night they realized that she was bleeding in her stomach so they put a tube down her nose and found an ulcer and a place that she was bleeding. They think that that is all due to the trauma and stress she's been going through while she's been in the hospital. So they moved her back to ICU early this morning to keep an eye on her and they are giving her medicine to heal the ulcer and stop the bleeding. I know she's tired of being in the hospital, so will you please pray for her. Also pray for my Daddy as he will not leave the hospital but for a few hours at a time. AND also pray for the doctors, that they'll have the wisdom to help her get better.

She was supposed to start chemo on 12/22/10 but they said she still looked to tight and weak from reconstructive surgery that they postponed it til 12/29/10, which she didn't have. So now we have no idea when she'll start chemo.

Cain's Apples by Bryan L. Lee

Ever bought an apple at a roadside stand? Joe Johnson wishes he hadn't in this suspenseful and spooky short story.

My Review - this was a book that was only 11 pages so does it count as a book. It was definitely weird and predictable. While reading it I was thinking this can't be going anywhere good. It was just an okay book and I'm glad it was free.

The Christmas Lamp by Lori Copeland

Nativity, Missouri, is in trouble.

When the small town is bypassed by the newly constructed highway, it loses its much-needed holiday traffic---threatening not only the town's financial survival, but its very heart and soul.

Outside consultant Jake Brisco threatens everything the community loves about Christmas with his budget-slashing solutions. Nothing is sacred---not even the traditional town Christmas tree. Long-time resident Roni Elliot knows some sacrifices have to be made, but can't let go of the customs and traditions that have marked her holidays since childhood. The decorations and customary activities have always generated vitality and joy throughout the whole season in Nativity.

Though their priorities and methods clash, Roni and Jake want the same thing---prosperity for the town. As the two get to know each other and become close, each begins to gain a new perspective on what the real wealth of Nativity---and the season---might be.

The Christmas Lamp takes an honest look into the issues and concerns we all face and sheds light on the real origins of Christmas spirit.

My Review - This book was very predictable and just okay. I knew from the get go who was going to fall in love with who. And how the town was going to act toward Jake Brisco. Overall this book was just okay. I gave it two stars.

The Potluck Club by Linda Ward Shepherd and Eva Marie Everson

Meet the Potluck Club--six women who gather each month to share their insatiable appetite for good friends, great food, and a pinch of prayer. Their seemingly unlikely friendship brings a little spice to life in Summit View, Colorado. But when they send up enough misinformed prayers to bring down a church, things get interesting . . .

Evie's niece arrives with a broken heart and a big surprise.

Lisa Leann tries to take over.

Goldie's marriage turns sour.

Donna stews over a strange encounter.

Lizzie's librarian eyes are on the lookout for trouble.

Vonnie must come to terms with a secret she's kept hidden from her best friends.

But who knows what life will serve as The Potluck Club discovers that friendship is no piece of cake and a little dash of grace, like salt, goes a long way.

My Review - I got this book as a freebie on Barnes and Noble and I'm not really sure why I got it other then for the simple fact that it looks nothing like what I'd normally read. I thought to myself when I saw it - it's free, not trashy and maybe I'll like it. And like it I did. Each character in the book had something to give and although it got a little confusing with so many characters at first it was worth sticking with.

I loved how the authors told the story of Evie's life and I loved the way her love life played out. I liked the way Lisa Leann's life took a turn in the book. Goldie is an amazing woman to put up with all the stuff she put up with and I was finally happy to see her stand up for herself! I would have liked to see more with Donna and how she ended up feeling toward Evie and/or Vonnie. I liked Lizzie and felt she was definitely the educator in the group because of her love for research. And Vonnie...I knew right away what was going on there but wanted to keep reading to see how it turned out. And I loved how it turned out. There was also another character in the book who wasn't one of the main characters but she still stuck out to me and that was Jan. Jan was a mother with breast cancer and I completely connected with her as my mother has breast cancer. Overall this book was a really good book and I loved how it was Christian fiction too. Overall I gave it 4 stars and will look into other books by the authors.

Wish by Alexandra Bullen

If you could have anything, what would you wish for? The impossible...or a real chance at being happy?

Olivia Larsen's twin sister, Violet, is dead. Olivia knows nothing that can change that . . . until the day she receives a beautiful dress. The dress doesn't just look magical: it has the power to grant wishes. And all Olivia wants is her sister back.

But Violet's return isn't what Olivia expected. As love, secrets, betrayal, and a haunted past collide, Olivia begins to wonder what a wish is worth . . . and if her life will ever look the same.

"Bullen delivers an enticing first novel . . . she makes the sights of San Francisco come alive in this sweet story of siblings determined to remain inseparable." - Publishers Weekly

"Touching....Readers [will be] rooting for Olivia to find her own voice and step into the sun." - Kirkus Reviews

My Review - I liked this book a lot. It moved pretty quickly and I loved the story line even though it was a YA. The only thing I didn't like in the book really was the drinking that the people did when they were supposedly in high school. But overall it was a pretty awesome book and I can't wait to read the next book by Bullen!

Color the Sidewalk for Me by Brandilyn Collins

As a chalk-fingered child, I had worn my craving for Mama’s love on my sleeve. But as I grew, that craving became cloaked in excuses and denial until slowly it sank beneath my skin to lie unheeded but vital, like the sinews of my framework. By the time I was a teenager, I thought the gap between Mama and me could not be wider.

And then Danny came along. . . .

A splendidly colored sidewalk. Six-year-old Celia presented the gift to her mother with pride—and received only anger in return. Why couldn’t Mama love her? Years later, when once-in-a-lifetime love found Celia, her mother opposed it. The crushing losses that followed drove Celia, guilt-ridden and grieving, from her Bradleyville home.

Now thirty-five, she must return to nurse her father after a stroke. But the deepest need for healing lies in the rift between mother and daughter. God can perform such a miracle. But first Celia and Mama must let go of the past--before it destroys them both.

My Review - I loved the story of Celia and Danny but to get to it kind of took a while. It could have been that I was also reading a book on my Nook. But I liked this book overall and will definitely read the 3rd book of the series.