Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas Winner!

 Thanks to those of you who entered the Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas giveaway!  I wish you could all win so that your kiddos could enjoy it as much as mine do!  Here is the result from random.org:

Congratulations Regan D!  You have 48 hours to respond to me or I will have to pick a new winner.



Blessings,

Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas {Review and GIVEAWAY!}

Since having kids, I have come to realize how hard Christmas can be to keep the focus on Christ's birth and on others instead of on ourselves.  With all the decorating, parties, and gifts, Christmas can become a rather selfish time, especially if you are a young child.  So I was very excited when I was contacted about reviewing the new Veggie Tales DVD Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas.  My kids have always loved Veggie Tales and more recently have enjoyed watching the TV series Duck Dynasty.  Well, this new DVD brings both of them together and my kids couldn't have been more excited!

Here is a quick overview from the Veggie Tales website:

 Larry The Cucumber is a Christmas elf at the Spring Valley Mall who just wants to spread joy at the holidays. When he meets a little girl with a big heart whose only Christmas wish is to help a friend in need, "Merry Larry" sets off on adventure that will light up the holidays like never before and show the town of Spring Valley what Christmas is all about - "Christmas shines most bright and true when you give the love God gave to you!" Featuring Si Robertson as Silas the Okra!

My kids were not disappointed watching this one, they LOVED it! They couldn't help laughing every time Uncle Si's character was on! I really enjoyed this movie too.  I thought it did a very nice job of showing that Christmas is much more than making a list and getting gifts. It is a great way to start kids thinking on what they could do for others for Christmas (or anytime of year!) instead of being so focused on themselves.

Here is a trailer of the movie to give you a little taste of it:



To purchase Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas, you can head over to the Veggie Tales website  While you are there, you can also check out some behind the scenes with Si Robertson or download some really cute coloring pages for your kiddos!

And now for the giveaway!  One of you lucky readers will receive your own copy of Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas!  To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment below with one way you try to keep the focus of Christmas on God's love for us and others.  Please make sure I have a way to contact you if you are the winner!  This giveaway will end in one week on Saturday, November 30 at 8:00pm PMT when I will draw a winner using random.org.

I received this DVD for free for review and all opinions are my own.

Blessings,

Linked up with:
Raising Homemakers
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The Better Mom
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Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

A Couple New Patterns

 I've been working on a couple new patterns lately that I wanted to share with you all!  First up is an adorable sock monkey hat!

 Next I created this cute chunky infinity scarf that I think turned out really well!

 After making an adult sized scarf, my girls decided they each needed a scarf, so I whipped up some patterns for them too.

If you are interested in purchasing one of these or like one of these, please head over to my post all about my crochet obsession.  Maybe you will find some cute Christmas gifts while you are there! :) Thanks!

Blessings,

A Bride For Keeps {Review}

I really like sticking to authors that I know and enjoy because I'm never quite sure what to expect from a new one.  I recently read Melissa Jagears debut novel A Bride For Keeps, and boy, am I glad I found this new author!  I loved her book and had a hard time putting it down!

From the back cover:

Everett Cline will never humiliate himself by seeking a mail-order bride. Not again. He's already been jilted by three mail-order brides and figures a wife just isn't in his future. However, a well-meaning neighbor hasn't given up on seeing him settled, so she goes behind his back to bring yet another woman to town for him.

Julia Lockwood has never been anything more than a pretty pawn for her father or a business acquisition for her former fiance. A mail-order marriage in faraway Kansas is a last resort, but she'll do anything to leave her life in Massachusetts and the heartbreak she's experienced there.

Although Everett doesn't see how a beautiful, cultured woman like Julia could be happy sharing his simple life, he could really use a helpmate on his homestead. Determined to prove she's more than just a pretty face, Julia agrees to a marriage in name only. Faced with the harsh realities of life on the prairie and hesitant to explore the tentative feelings growing between them, can Everett and Julia ever let each other in long enough to fall in love? 

If this is Melissa Jagears's debut novel, I can't wait to see what else she writes!  Her characters and story were very well written.  I have often wondered who would ever be or ask for a mail order bride, but Everett and Julia's story makes it very easy to understand why someone would go to such lengths for a spouse.  It is also a great story of how some of those marriages could even end with true love.  I thought everything flowed together nicely and had a very sweet ending!

I received this book for free for review from Bethany House Publishers.

 

Blessings,

Rebellious Heart {Review}

 I have to say that this was one of my favorite books to read!  I couldn't put it down!  In Rebellious Heart, Jody Hedlund does a great job of keeping your attention with a story full of suspense and romance.  I've read and enjoyed a few of Jody's books, but this one was definitely my favorite!  The story is set in the revolution era, so if you enjoy that time period along with a great story, you will love this book too.  Even if you don't particularly love that I era, I still highly recommend reading Rebellious Heart!

From the back cover:

Massachusetts, 1763
A Love That Would Shape History Forever
Because she's a woman, higher learning was always closed to Susanna Smith. But her quick mind and quicker tongue never back down from a challenge. And she's determined to marry well, so she'll be able to continue her work with the less fortunate.

Growing up with little to his name, poor country lawyer Benjamin Ross dreams of impacting the world for the better. When introduced to the Smiths he's taken by Susanna's intelligence and independent spirit, but her parents refuse to see him as a suitor for their daughter.

When the life of a runaway indentured servant is threatened, Susanna is forced to choose between justice and mercy, and Ben becomes her unlikely advisor. But drawing closer to this man of principle and intellect lands her in a dangerous, secret world of rebellion and revolution against everything she once held dear.

I received this book for free for review from Bethany House Publishers.

Blessings,