ABOUT THE BOOK:

After an extended stay in Montana, where Amish traditions are different than in her home state, Marianna Sommer returns to Indiana for two reasons, first to help her brother and his girlfriend prepare for a baby and their wedding. Second, to plan her own wedding to Aaron Zook — a marriage she’s been dreaming about ever since childhood. And yet, although she had missed the idyllic farms and families of her upbringing, Marianna is surprised that Indiana is somehow making her long now for Montana.

As months pass, secrets that were hidden in winter’s frozen grasp thaw and take on a life of their own. The truths about a child, about a past relationship, and about God’s plans are being revealed. Walking through a valley of questions, Marianna must hold on to hope as she decides where and with whom her heart truly belongs.

HOO HOO HOO! I am so excited to share the third novel in the Big Sky Series by Tricia Goyer! I’ve already shared with you Beside Still Waters and Along Wooded Paths. The latest offering in the series is Beyond Hope’s Valley. If you haven’t read the previous two, you can read the final as a stand alone, but I truly recommend reading the entire series so you get a good feel of the characters. Marianna develops so much from book to book. Her life takes on so many changes.

I have grown to love the character of Marianna. In the first novel, I was aggravated because she followed her family even when she didn’t want to. Even though Tricia shows this side of the Amish that most of us are familiar with, she also shows us their vulnerable side. She shows that they are human just like we are and that they make mistakes the same as everyone else. Marianna discovers some big secrets in Beyond Hope’s Valley. She has to finally choose which of the two men she really loves and decide what her future is going to be. This is another reason I recommend you read the first two novels. You will learn a lot about her and her family and what makes them all the way they are.The big Sky Series is my absolute favorite Amish series, if not my favorite all around series! (I’m sort of hung up on Vampires. Big differences I know.) But if I had to really choose, Big Sky would most likely be my favorite!

About Tricia: Tricia Goyer is the award winning author of thirty-two books including Beside Still Waters, Remembering You, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences and is the host of Living Inspired. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.

Follow Tricia Goyer on Facebook!
More info: Living Inspired and www.triciagoyer.com.

Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/azust 

Be sure to check out the entire Litfuse Book Tour for Beyond Hopes Valley!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Beyond Hopes Valley as a member of LitFuse. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

Although they are sister churches, the congregations are as different as daylight and dark. And so is the welcome they give Pastor Alex. Folks at All Saints aren’t actually mean to Alex, but because of  the rocky past of their lead member, Alf Nyborg, things don’t get off to a welcoming start. Alf definitely has some demons to work through. And unfortunately, the flock tends to follow his every move.

Alex certainly had his work cute out for him in these novels. Here he was, a city dweller, fresh in the prairie country of North Dakota. It was steeped in tradition and familial warmth. Being from Chicago, he wasn’t used to that way at all. Everyone from Hilltop greeted him warmly and welcomed with TONS of food. That is one thing I miss about living in the country. It really is like that. Especially when, like in the book, the families that reside there are all descendants of the generations that settled there. In Forever Hilltop, not one farm has ever left the family of the settler. Judy Baer describes the residents as well versed in the bible, caring, educated even though they are from a small town and ready for a challenge. Coming from the country myself, I found that she described small town life perfectly. It left me longing for home!

In today’s day and age, people don’t tend to each other like they did in the past. Like they do in Forever Hilltop. In this book , if a member of the congregation is sick or hurt, everyone knows about it and everyone jumps in to offer support, cook meals, clean, etc. That is how I wish life was today.

Forever Hilltop took me back to a time, even though it is a modern day book, that lends itself to peace and happiness. Work was hard but loving each other was easy. And even when there was conflict, like between the 2 churches, events could bring everyone together for the greater good.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was calming. It wasn’t boring. There were conflicts and drama romance, and mysteries. But it wasn’t hard core fighting or full of foul language or sex. It was family friendly and used the word of God to get messages across in a writing style that made sense. The main character is a preacher so it makes sense that there would be scripture. But Pastor Alex is modern and down to Earth so he offered his congregation help in a way that fit with their lifestyles. I was able to learn while I enjoyed reading a great novel. That made for such a great reading experience!

About Judy:

Judy Baer was born and grew up on a farm on the prairies of North Dakota, experiencing many of the same things as her Hilltop characters. An only child, she spent most of her days with imaginary people-either those she read about or those she made up in her head.

Baer graduated from Concordia College with majors in English and education and a minor in religion. While at the time, she was simply studying what interested her, Baer later realized that she was educating herself for her future career as a Christian writer. She certainly put her education to use as she is the author of more than 75 books.

A certified professional life coach now certified in three coaching disciplines, Baer coaches primarily professional and aspiring writers. She is also a faculty advisor in the Department of Human Development at St. Mary’s University in Minneapolis, MN. Baer has two daughters and three step children. She and her husband live in Minnesota.

She invites you to visit her at her web site www.judykbaer.com for more information on her and her books.

Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/azv7s

About the book:

The charming and often hilarious Forever Hilltop series follows the experiences of former city dweller Alex Armstrong as he settles into his new role as pastor of a Scandinavian community in rural North Dakota. Alex is sometimes baffled by his parishioners and their colorful ways, but he comes to appreciate their simple wisdom. One thing’s for sure — life in Hilltop Township is never dull! This new two-in-one format features An Unlikely Blessing along with its sequel, Surprising Grace.

In An Unlikely Blessing, Alex Armstrong is a former city dweller who has just accepted his first parish assignment to a small community in the wilds of North Dakota. In Hilltop Township, Pastor Alex becomes familiar with the residents and their odd traditions, from julebukking to King Oscar’s fish balls. And then there’s the excitement the single pastor creates among the unmarried women in the community! Alex soon discovers that his new church home has as much to teach him as he has to teach them.

In Surprising Grace, Alex Armstrong is settling into his new role as pastor of Hilltop Church, and he’s even starting to understand the strange ways of the people who populate this barren stretch of North Dakota prairie. But he also finds that his flock needs help and counsel like he never imagined. In this cozy and entertaining read, Alex must choose between the woman he once loved — and the home he’s come to love.

Be sure to check out the entire LitFuse Blog Tour for Forever Hilltop.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Forever Hilltop as a participant in the the LitFuse Blog Tour. No monetary compensation was received. All opinions are my own.

As parent’s to four children, we are always on the lookout for cheap summer activities for kids. I have a list below, kindly shared by Maisie Knowles, showing 7 inexpensive summer activities for kids that your family can take advantage of.

The countdown has begun and parents all over the United States are tackling the age old question: How on earth do I keep my kids busy during the summer without breaking the bank? Vacations and overnight summer camps can be expensive…believe me, I’ve checked! Here’s my list of cheap and money-saving activities for kids this summer.

1. Free Bowling
Yes, that’s right FREE bowling through the summer, two games per child per day. That’s over $500 in savings per child. Kids Bowl Free is a program that community bowling centers participate in during the summer months as a way to give back to their communities and provide a safe and fun environment for local children. Sign up your family at KidsBowlFree.com and bring on the free strikes!

2. Rainy Day Crafts
Follow my board on Pinterest this summer where I’ll continue posting cheap and easy kids crafts. Create a rainy day craft jar and put the name of each craft on a slip of paper. When the rain starts to pour, let your kids pick a craft from the jar and spend the day inside letting the creativity flow.

3. Grocery Hunt
Save Sunday newspaper ads to your local grocery store or check out Coupon Sherpa’s grocery coupon page. Clip coupons with images of products or use a grocery store ad insert and bring your kids to the grocery store. Instruct your kids to be on the look out for the products on your coupons or store ad. This is a great way to keep them occupied while in the grocery store, but also an opportunity to teach your kids about saving money with coupons.

4. Cheap Summer Movies
Many movie theaters offer a summer movie lineup that are both kid- and wallet-friendly. Cinemark is hosting a Summer Movie Clubhouse where you can buy 10 movie tickets for $5 or just $1 per movie at the ticket window. AMC is offering baby mammas a guilt-free way to catch “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” through their Bring Your Baby Day program. Select AMC theaters will feature dim lights and lower volume where breastfeeding, strollers and crying babies are permitted. What a genius idea!

5. Local Deals and Activities
If your city has a parks and recreation program, look into activities they offer for your children’s age group. My city offers everything from dance and swimming to basket weaving (yes, I’m serious), all at an affordable price. Subscribe to group-buying sites like Living Social, Groupon and Seize the Deal where you can often find deeply discounted activities for children. Also check your local Entertainment Book for coupons to area museums, zoos and sporting events.

6. Kids Eat Free
Take your kids out to eat, but make sure to look at this list of 101 restaurants where kids eat free. If you have more than one child, take full advantage of a kids-eat-free deal by ordering one meal for each kid and saving any leftovers for later meals.

7. Volunteer
This summer, teach your kiddos that it’s better to give than to receive. Spend some time volunteering together. Ask your local soup kitchen what their need is and check nursing homes or senior center for visiting hours. Visit VolunteerMatch.com where you can find a comprehensive list of opportunities that are age appropriate. There’s nothing better than seeing your kids put a smile on someone’s face.

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Maisie Knowles is a working mother of two with three-year’s experience writing on parenting and partner issues. She received a B.A. in Communications from the University of Colorado and co-founded Kinoli Inc., site manager for a family of money-saving websites, with her husband. Maisie currently spends most of her time at home with her two young girls.

For all media inquiries, please contact Maisie Knowles at 970-672-7572 or email maisie@kinoliinc.com.

I know I write about Tennessee a lot but we just love it so. We went for Spring Break and it was so much fun. That being said, though, the mountain air can be very cold. Even when it is warmer down in the valley, mountain air is COLD! In the photo above, it even looks cold.

We always go to the Tennessee/North Carolina Overlook. Be cause we were going in April, I figured it would be chilly so I brought along jackets for the kids and a stroller blanket for our youngest. She’s almost 3 and when she gets tired of something she just throws it, willy nilly, where ever she pleases. So I knew I knew I’d need something that would stay on her. I decided to take my MotrB Blanket. That thing is AWESOME!

When we first got to the overlook, it wasn’t too bad. I didn’t even need my lightweight jacket. but there is a rock overlook you can climb. It isn’t very high up but MAN! The difference in temperature just by those few feet is astounding!

You can see the climb isn't that far above the road.

By the time my husband, kids and I had finished taking photos I was freezing! I was so glad I had remembered that stroller blanket because I just know that Lil Sis would have kicked a regular blanket off in no time flat. I would have been chasing it the entire time. And you can’t really use a jacket with her stroller. it is just a little umbrella stroller and she is almost too big for it. The MotrB worked perfectly!

Speaking of the MotrB. You can get one in several solid colors, limited edition prints and one of a kind prints. The MotrB is a fleece lined, nylon blanket with a pocket for your childs feet. It has a flexible, elastic waist and straps that attach to the stroller to keep it in place. The blanket moves with your child and can’t be tossed to the ground. It is truly a wonderful little invention. I wish I had it when all of my children were little. My daughter has almost outgrown a stroller but I’ll be passing our MotrB along to my younger cousins who are now having their own babies. I can’t wait to share mine with them and purchase more for the new babies down the road!

Attached easily with stretchy straps and hook/loop closure

Follow MotrB on Pinterest

Like MotrB on Facebook

MomPact has a wonderful giveaway right now. it ends in 3 days so hurry and get your entries in! You can use the Rafflecopter widget below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a complimentary MotrB as a member of MomPact. All opinions are my own. No monetary compensation was received.

WOW! That’s LONG Title, But What Do You Call It (#NameIt) When You Double Wipe Your  Backside… A.K.A Your Butt?

We all go to the bathroom. We all do number 1 AND number 2. Ladies need refreshing at certain times during the month. We clean our homes and freshen them and we also clean and freshen ourselves! Many of us use both toilet paper and flushable wet wipes to do that. It’s all a part of life. Although it and the act of wiping is one part we don’t typically talk about. But we all have a name for it. Right?  :)

So, if you do use both, what do you call it? There’s currently a name for it when you use Cottonelle Ultra Comfort Care Toilet Paper and Cottonelle Fresh Care Flushable Wipes together in one….. uh…. sitting?  It’s called the Cottonelle Care Routine.

 We tend to use both toilet paper and flushable wipes while potty training. My youngest is almost 3 and using both works great for her. I teach her how to wipe with the toilet paper and then I go back over her with the flushable wipe to make sure she is good and clean. This is a great way to transition from baby wipes alone and teach your child to wipe their little hiney themselves.  I suppose using the two-step method would need a name! I, honestly, hadn’t given naming it a lot of thought. But, the more I did think about it the more I realized we do have a name for it but it wasn’t pretty in the least! Of course, potty time really isn’t a pretty matter, it is?

Wondering what our name is? I know you are. When we use our little dream team of wiping care we call it Poo-Be-Gone. Yes, folks, when wiping my child with both toilet paper and flushable wipes, we proudly announce that it is time to make the Poo-Be-Gone! Crazy, I know. Everything in my home is theatrical it seems. Even our two-step wiping routine. The products are our “dream team” but the process is “Poo-be-gone”. I suppose either name would work.

You all can get in on this naming action too!

Cottonelle Ultra Comfort Care Toilet Paper and Fresh Care Flushable Wipes users can join the conversation to Name It on Facebook.com/Cottonelle.

The Name Generator on Cottonelle Brand’s Facebook Page allows you to get a name in three different ways:

1. The Randomizer: Simply click to get a name instantly
2. The Personalizer: Answer a few questions for a personalized name
3. The Customizer: Create a name to add to our Book of Names and enter for a chance to win a year’s supply of Cottonelle products. I’m not sure Poo-Be-Gone will win!

In order to qualify for the year’s supply of Cottonelle Ultra Comfort Care and Cottonelle Fresh Care, you must create a name through The Customizer on Cottonelle Brand’s Facebook Page between June 12, 2012, and February 28, 2013. Winners will be selected in a random drawing on a weekly basis. There is a limit of one prize per person. Full terms and conditions can be found on Cottonelle Brand’s Facebook Page or Cottonelle.com.

You can also participate by following @Cottonelle on Twitter for exclusive opportunities to win #NameIt  prizes and check out the Book of Names on Cottonelle.com to see what others have named their routine and get fun bathroom trivia. #NameIt <— hashtag

Ok, I’m going to get back to cleaning my house now. I need to finish my spring cleaning and get the windows, curtains, baseboards and walls cleaned.  I think we’ve talked about our bottoms and the act of cleaning them enough for one day.

But, really quickly tell me, did YOU name it? What did you call it? Leave me a comment below.

Disclosure: I was compensated for this post. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own.