Musings From Inside the Hobbit Door

Once Upon a Prince

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Sat, 18 May 2013 18:17:00 +0000

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

I just love modern fairy tales! There was even a fairy godmother of sorts in here. Life doesn't always go according to how we plan it. Some times we have long periods of waiting that seem to accomplish nothing. Some times they are just what we need before our next big adventure comes.

Susanna is a fantastic character! She has so much grace and wisdom and practicality. Seriously, I have never been so thrilled to see a practical character. She makes it look honorable and desirable. She may not have much insight into her own life in the beginning but she has so much to offer others.

Nathaniel is honorable and fantastically responsible. I get so tired of characters in all mediums of entertainment that just shun their responsibilities and somehow it all turns out fine. Here is one that will do the right thing and think outside the box when confronted with an apparently unwinnable problem.

I love that this is book is a "book one." I am really looking forward to reading more in this series. I also really enjoyed the way she brought other royals (that are real) into the book. It added a fun element to it all. Add this one to your summer reading as well! You won't regret it.

Book Info

About Once Upon A Prince:

The Royal Wedding Series Book One

Susanna Truitt never dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess---just to marry the man she has loved for twelve years. But life isn't going according to plan. When her high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing, Susanna scrambles to rebuild her life.

The last thing Prince Nathaniel expects to find on his American holiday to St. Simon's Island is the queen of his heart. A prince has duties, and his family's tense political situation has chosen his bride for him. When Prince Nathaniel comes to Susanna's aid under the fabled Lover's Oak, he is blindsided by love.

Their lives are worlds apart. He's a royal prince. She's a ordinary girl. But everything changes when Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel's coronation.

It's the ultimate choice. His kingdom or her heart? God's will or their own?

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/kFb0Y

Watch the Trailer:

Meet Rachel:

Rachel Hauck is the bestselling author of Carol Award winner "Sweet Caroline", and RITA Finalist "Love Starts With Elle", and of the critically acclaimed fiction collaboration with multi-platinum country artist Sara Evans, "The Songbird Novels". She lives in sunny, though sometimes hurricane plagued, central Florida with her husband and their ornery pets. Rachel earned a degree in Journalism from Ohio State University and is a huge Buckeyes football fan. She is the past President of American Christian Fiction Writers and now sits on the board as an Advisor.

Find out more about Rachel at:http://RachelHauck.com

Catch a Falling Star

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Sat, 18 May 2013 17:51:00 +0000

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for providing this in exchange for my honest review.

Love. Love. Love. This book just hit home for me. It touched on so many tough and deep things but was still a fun and enjoyable novel. I felt like it was written for my friends. A professional, 36 year old woman who is single but hoping not to be forever. A mom struggling to connect to an adopted son. Loss. Trouble connecting/letting people in. A book that includes the Air Force (After working for them for 4.5 years, I have a soft spot for them!). These are reality for people I know. As it is a novel, clearly their struggles are cut short or we only see a glimpse of them. We join them at the end of years of struggle just as the hope they've longed for arrives. That is the part that keeps it fun and enjoyable and not just the mundane struggle of daily life.

I seriously read this book in two days. I could not put it down. Beth Vogt is going to be a new favorite for me. I am on the hunt for more books by her. I will probably go back and reread this one. It felt like a Susan May Warren (very high praise from me) book, I was rushing to see what would happen. I was so caught up in the story. Now, I need to go back and savor the book. I honestly fell in love with these characters. I want Kendall's office/loft. I have a huge soft spot for Griffin and Ian--I could see people I know in each of them. I just wanted to hug them. I love that they are not teenagers or young 20's. When I was younger, I hated reading books about people so much older than me. In the same vein, I find it refreshing to read books with people in my current age group with struggles that reflect mine and those of the other people in my life. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be exposed to this author.

Put this book on your summer reading list. It will be a lovely summer afternoon read.

Book Info

About Catch a Falling Star:

What does a girl do when life doesn't go according to her plan?

At 36, Kendall Haynes has seen some of her dreams come true. She's a family physician helping kids with severe allergies and asthma achieve more fulfilling lives-a childhood struggle she knows all too well. But the feeling of being "the kid never picked" looms large when romance continues to evade her and yet another one of her closest friends gets engaged. Are Kendall's dreams of having it all-a career, a husband, children-nothing more than childish wishing upon a star? Should she hold out for her elusive Plan A? Dust off Plan B? Or is it time to settle? God says he knows the plans he has for her-why can't Kendall figure them out and be content with her life?

Griffin Walker prefers flying solo-both as an Air Force pilot and in his personal life. But a wrong choice and health problems pulled him out of the cockpit. His attempts to get out of "flying a desk" are complicated by his parents' death-making Griffin the reluctant guardian of his sixteen-year-old brother, Ian. How did his life get so off course? Can God get his life back on track ... or has there been a divine plan all along?
Catch a Falling Star reminds readers that romance isn't just for twenty-somethings and that sometimes letting go of your "wish I may, wish I might" dreams is the only way to embrace everything God has waiting for you.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/kUDLa

Meet Beth:

Beth K. Vogt is a non-fiction author and editor who said she'd never write fiction. She's the wife of an Air Force family physician (now in solo practice), though she said she'd never marry a doctor-or anyone in the military. She's a mom of four, though she said she'd never have kids. She's discovered that God's best often waits behind the doors marked "Never." Her contemporary romance novel, "Wish You Were Here", debuted in May 2012 (Howard Books), and "Catch a Falling Star" releases May 2013. An established magazine writer and former editor of Connections, the leadership magazine for MOPS International, Beth is also the Skills Coach for My Book Therapy, the writing community founded by best-selling author Susan May Warren.

Find out more about Beth K. at http://bethvogt.com.

Arwen's Bedtime Prayer

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Tue, 07 May 2013 04:20:00 +0000

When I got home tonight from work, the girls were already in bed but not asleep. I went up to give them hugs and kisses. Greer asked me to pray with her and snuggle. Then Arwen says, " Mom, the man in our song asked Jesus to light his way. Will you pray that God will light that corner and that corner and under there? Do you think He will say yes?" It was a heart melting.

It Happened At The Fair

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 20:55:00 +0000

Thanks to Litfuse for providing this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a neat concept for a book! I've had a growing interest in the World Fair's since we've moved close to the location of one--Seattle. I loved the excitement and grandeur of it all that Deeanne Gist was able to infuse into the book itself. She even included pictures of the actual Chicago World's Fair. It was so fun to see them, especially since most of the buildings did not survive.

Cullen McNamara is like a fish out of water in his own environment. So much so, that it was hard to connect in the beginning of the book for me. Once he got to the World's Fair, he seemed to really click as a character for me. I felt like that is where I could really connect to and understand him.

I loved Della. She was a woman with a purpose working for a cause she believed in. Not that cause was without struggle. I loved seeing how far we've come in regards to deafness but in some ways it was interesting to see how some things have not changed. It seems there is always a debate about what's "best" in regards to educating or raising deaf children.

This was a beautiful love story written in a magical setting. I think I will have to do some more reading about the Chicago World Fair. I very much enjoyed my "visit" via this book.

Book Info

More about It Happened at the Fair:

A transporting historical novel about a promising young inventor, his struggle with loss, and the attractive teacher who changes his life, all set against the razzle-dazzle of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair.

Gambling everything, including the family farm, Cullen McNamara travels to the 1893 Chicago World's Fair with his most recent invention. But the noise in the Fair's Machinery Palace makes it impossible to communicate with potential buyers. In an act of desperation, he hires Della Wentworth, a teacher of the deaf, to tutor him in the art of lip-reading.

The young teacher is reluctant to participate, and Cullen has trouble keeping his mind on his lessons while intently watching her lips. Like the newly invented Ferris Wheel, he is caught in a whirl between his girl back home, his dreams as an inventor, and his unexpected attraction to his new tutor. Can he keep his feet on the ground, or will he be carried away?

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/komrd

Meet Deeanne:

Deeanne Gist---known to her family, friends, and fans as Dee---has rocketed up bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere with her very fun, very original historicals. She has received numerous RITA nominations, two consecutive Christy Awards, and rave reviews. Deeanne has a background in education and journalism and a degree from Texas A&M. She has written for People, Parents, and Parenting. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband and has four grown children. She has a very active online community on her website atIWantHerBook.com and atFacebook.com/DeesFriends.

Dutchess

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

Thank you to Litfuse for providing this in exchange for my honest review.

This series is amazing. It is big and epic and beautiful. There is so much in all of them about grace and mercy and redemption. This book in particular. I loved the theme of meekness running through it. I felt like Susan May Warren beautifully portrayed how even when we have outward success, it can still be lacking. That we need more than what the eye can see. I also felt like she did an amazing job of showing how God can work everything for good. I saw in this book that we can never really derail God's plan.

I loved that it took place in the golden age of the movies! It was so fun to see "behind the scenes" as it were. Rolfe is a fascinating character. I might have fallen in love with him a bit myself. This book was so big and epic, I feel I may need to go back and read it again. As with all of Susan May Warren's books, I am so enamored with them, I read ferociously to get to the end and see what's going to happen. Then I feel a need to go back and relish the story. In fact, I feel a need to go back and read the series again from beginning to end.

Rosie's life takes on so many forms and names, it can be a bit overwhelming to summarize. I would just say you need to read these books. The first and second could be read on their own but I think this book, in particular, is best read in the context of at least the last book, Baroness.

In case I haven't mentioned it before, Susan May Warren is one of my favorite authors. I may be a bit biased as a result. Enjoy these books! I sure have and will be again.

Book Info

About Duchess: Book Three in the Daughters of Fortune series.

When her country needs her, will she have the courage to surrender her glittering world and her one true love?

The golden age of Hollywood is in the business of creating stars. Rosie Worth, now starlet Roxy Price, has found everything she's wanted in the glamour of the silver screen. With adoring fans and a studio-mogul husband, she's finally silenced the voices-and grief-of the past. Her future shines bright...until the fated Black Friday when it all comes crashing down. When Roxy loses everything, she finds herself disgraced and penniless. Her only hope is to join forces with Belgian duke Rolfe Van Horne, a longtime film investor. But Rolfe is not who he seems, and he has other plans for Roxy and her movies-plans to support a growing unrest in Europe, plans that could break her heart and endanger her life. Find out more about the series by clicking on these links. Heiress. Baroness.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/jZmj7

Meet Susan: Susan May Warren is the bestselling, RITA Award-winning author of more than forty novels whose compelling plots and unforgettable characters have won acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. She served with her husband and four children as a missionary in Russia for eight years before she and her family returned home to the States. She now writes full-time as her husband runs a lodge on Lake Superior in northern Minnesota, where many of her books are set. She and her family enjoy hiking, canoeing, and being involved in their local church. Several of her critically acclaimed novels have been ECPA and CBA bestsellers, were chosen as Top Picks by Romantic Times, and have won the RWA's Inspirational Reader's Choice contest and the American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year award. Five of her books have been Christy Award finalists. In addition to her writing, Susan loves to teach and speak at women's events about God's amazing grace in our lives. She also runs a writing community for authors. Visit MyBookTherapy.com to learn more. For exciting updates on her new releases, previous books, and more, visit her website at www.susanmaywarren.com

The Heiress of Winterwood

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:15:00 +0000

Thank you to Litfuse for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a great read. I had a hard time putting it down after starting it. This was my first time reading anything by Sarah Ladd but I am confident it won't be my last.

I was immediately drawn in my Amelia. She is a supremely like able character, intriguing. Graham was equally well written. I fell in love with both of them. Amelia is so determined, so focused on her dream of raising her friend's baby. Graham is lost and unsure of how to care for his daughter but a very capable sea captain. Very intriguing in his own right as a character. In fact, I would love a "prelude" book more about his story and Katherine's. The whole book felt very reminiscent of Jane Austen to me. I thought it was a beautiful love story with a great dose of intrigue and a hint of danger as well. I am excited to see where the next chapter of this story goes. There are so many characters that I would love to see more of--Helena, the cousin; the Sulter family, even brother William. I definitely recommend this book.

Book Info

About The Heiress of Winterwood: Pride goes before the fall . . . but what comes after?

Darbury, England, 1814

Amelia Barrett gave her word. Keeping it could cost her everything.

Amelia Barrett, heiress to an estate nestled in the English moors, defies family expectations and promises to raise her dying friend's baby. She'll risk everything to keep her word-even to the point of proposing to the child's father-a sea captain she's never met.

When the child vanishes with little more than an ominous ransom note hinting at her whereabouts, Amelia and Graham are driven to test the boundaries of their love for this little one.

Amelia's detailed plans would normally see her through any trial, but now, desperate and shaken, she's forced to examine her soul and face her one weakness: pride.

Graham's strength and self-control have served him well and earned him much respect, but chasing perfection has kept him a prisoner of his own discipline. And away from the family he has sworn to love and protect.

Both must learn to have faith and relinquish control so they can embrace the future ahead of them.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/jXbHV

Meet Sarah: Sarah E. Ladd has more than ten years of marketing experience. She is a graduate of Ball State University and holds degrees in public relations and marketing. Heiress of Winterwood was the recipient of the 2011 Genesis Award for historical romance. Sarah lives in Indiana with her amazing husband, sweet daughter, and spunky Golden Retriever.

Find out more about Sarah athttp://www.sarahladd.com.

Sarah Ladd is celebrating the release of The Heiress of Winterwood with a Downton Abbey Kindle Prize Pack Giveaway!

One winner will receive:

A brand new Kindle Fire
Downton Abbey, seasons 1-3

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 30th. Winner will be announced on 5/2/13 {HERE}.

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Tales of the Defended Ones

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 19:43:00 +0000

Thanks to Litfuse for providing this book free in exchange for my honest review.

This book was amazing! I will definitely be using this book and most likely the others she has written to help my girls see the needs of those around them, how God is working and how they can join Him in His work. I was on a train reading this and crying-or trying not to. Every. Single. Story. Got to me. It was beautifully written. I just loved how she was able to make these super heavy topics understandable and age appropriate for kids without sugar coating them. I also loved how it pointed kids to action--to loving God and people more. I am always struggling with how to present hard things. How do I show them what God is doing without minimizing people's pain? I am so grateful to be introduced to Beth and the Storyweaver series. I think these are an invaluable resource for parents.

Book Info

About Tales of the Defended Ones: Ben and Joseph lose their mothers, but find a family looking just for them. Antonio is rescued from what seems like a hopeless situation. Caitlyn dares to trust that truth will set her free. Jorani is delivered from slavery into the arms of grace.

Follow these real-life stories as they take you on a journey to foreign places and extreme struggles. Travel through their challenges and see the hand of the great Storyweaver - our Defender God shielding and defending the defenseless in the amazing ways only he can.These are the tales of the ones left wounded and weak-ones made whole and strong . . .

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/jJ8g6

Meet Beth: Beth Guckenberger and her husband, Todd, are the founders of Back2Back Ministries which communicates a lifestyle of service by sharing the love of Christ and serving God through service to others. Guckenberger travels and speaks regularly at women's and missions conferences, as well as youth gatherings and church services. In addition to her children's releases in the Storyweaver series, Guckenberger has written two mission-minded books. She has also partnered with Standard Publishing on the mission content in its 2013 VBS program. The Guckenberger family lives and serves in Monterrey, Mexico.

Find out more about Beth at http://www.bethguckenberger.com/.

Beth Guckenberger is celebrating the release of her new book in the Storyweaver series, Tales of the Defended Ones, with an iPad giveaway and Facebook party {4/25}.

One fortunate winner will receive:

An iPad Mini
A Tales of the Defended Ones small group kit (books and DVD)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on April 24th. Winner will be announced at the "Storyweaver" Author Chat Party on April 25th. Beth will be chatting with guests, answering questions, and offering tips about beginning a dialog with children and youth about the orphans around the world, the basic needs of children living in poverty, and what we can all do to help. (It’s okay if you haven’t read the book – who knows, you might WIN a copy!) Beth will also be hosting a fun trivia contest and giving away tons of great stuff! (Gift certificates, books, and more!)

So grab your copy of Tales of the Defended Ones and join Beth and friends on the evening of the April 25th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 25th!

Growing too fast

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 03:59:00 +0000

Didn't I just have another baby in these pj's?! That baby (aka Greer) told me today she could snuggle without her Nuk "because I'm a big girl, Mommy." Even though I've been prepping her to throw her Nuk away in less than a month, my heart broke a little bit when she said that. It makes me grateful this pumpkin doesn't want to walk yet. We can almost see 12 months, but she's still my baby.

Chats with Arwen

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 03:48:00 +0000

Marriage
Arwen: Mommy, I don't want to marry one of my friends.
Me: You don't?
Arwen: No.
Me: Well then who do you want to marry?
Arwen: Somebody who's already growed up.
Me: Oh? And what else?
Arwen: Somebody who doesn't already have a wife.
Me: Well, that's a very important thing.

Conversations with Arwen

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 06:19:00 +0000

Self Portrait

Arwen just loves her conversations. "Chats" she calls them. The other morning we were talking about Storie being awake all night. She said, "But, Mom, I prayed to Jesus last night!" Every night she prays that Storie will sleep "all night long and not bother Mommy and Daddy with her crying." She was very upset that this did not "work." It was a beautiful opportunity to talk about prayer. It only lasted a moment, of course, as she is only 4. We're keeping it simple at this point, sometimes God says "yes or no" just like Mommy and Daddy do. This is something she can grasp and accept at her age. It brought to mind this verse,

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect. (I Peter 3:15, ESV)

Self Portrait

Later that same day, both of the older girls were asking, "Who made you? Who made us?" I think I said "God." They both said, "We thought it was Jesus!" So we got to talk about God having two names. Arwen says, "There are two Gods?" I decided to keep it simple and talk about God's different "jobs" and that He has different names to go with those jobs. I decided I might as well throw in the Holy Spirit into the mix. Why not? If you're already answering one hard question, why not add in all the information? I was able to discuss the verse that we have memorized,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1, ESV)

Sister portrait

It is such a fun and humbling thing to see their minds opening up and to be able to discuss and teach things beyond "please" and "thank you," etc. Arwen's grasp, and ability to remember our conversations, astonishes me constantly. I forsee many "chats" about lots of different things in our futures.

10th Annual Oscar Party

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 06:39:00 +0000

Sunday was our 10th Annual Oscar Party. It was a fantastic night. We had a house full of beautiful, creative people. Since it was our 10th, we decided to make it a little extra special. It was a "kid free" party (except for 2 in utero) and we dressed up. We had an actual program with a write in ballot. This was our 3rd Washington state party and I was just overwhelmed to see people so engaged. God has given us some amazing friends out here and we are so blessed. It is the people who make this party so much fun year after year. We are not in a phase of life that permits us to see every movie nominated like we used to in the past. There were some fun moments on the award show itself, but the people that filled our living room to overflowing are who made this night a success. Our friends, Ben and Alexis, stole the voting with 14 correct winning predictions. I believe Nate was second with 10, but I may be wrong. The distinction of least correct, at 4, was Nicole. Our first prize took home gift certificates to Fandango and second place brought home the soundtrack from les Miserables. Last prize also received an AMC gift card.

Once again, Ian saved the day. He came up both Saturday and Sunday to help us set up and prepare. My attention was a little divided between this and a shower for one of those precious in utero children who attended our party. It was a weekend full of celebrations.

Ralph made a fantastic Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Chocolate Glaze as a cake/centerpiece dish. It is amazing! He also made "Lincoln Logs" aka pretzels with a chocolate fondue. It was equally awesome. I would suggest you make these some time soon. We were again wowed by people's creativity in food from "Unexpected Sandwiches" for The Hobbit to a "Sugar Rush" cake for Wreck It Ralph to "Build Your Own Frankenweenie" for Frankenweenie. Obviously, not an exhaustive list. Our "top voted dishes" were the "Sugar Rush" cake and, someone correct me if I'm wrong, "Pesto Mac and Argo-at Cheese." First place was awarded a Fandango gift certificate and second took home Argo on DVD/Blu-Ray. Everything was delicious!

All-in-all, a supremely successful night. Thank you to everyone who came and made it such a special evening!

"Shattered" Nook HD Giveaway From @DaniPettrey and RSVP for the 3/14 Facebook Party

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Dani Pettrey is celebrating the release of Shattered with a Nook HD giveaway and a Facebook Author Chat Party {3/14}.

One winner will receive:

A brand new Nook HD
Submerged and Shattered by Dani Pettrey {Be caught up in this riveting series.}

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 13th. Winner will be announced at the "Shattered" Author Chat Party on 3/14. Connect with Dani for an evening of book chat, trivia, and a chance to win gift certificates, books, and other fun prizes!

So grab your copy of Shattered and join Dani on the evening of the March 14th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 14th!

Shattered

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 23:45:00 +0000

Shattered by Dani Pettrey is the 2nd book in what I feel is my new favorite series. I started reading it and couldn't stop. I love stories that are about families--where we get to learn about each person's story. This is one of those series. I also love hearing about families that stick together, even if they don't live near each other, which they do in this book. As soon as I finished this, I texted my BFF and told her to go get the books and start reading them. I told her they will be our new favorites next to the O'Malley series by Dee Henderson. This is high praise in our world. She did and is in complete agreement with me. She was able to obtain Submerged immediately and was in the process of obtaining Shattered last time we chatted. I have Submerged sitting on my bookshelf. This book is good enough that I don't mind going back to read the previous book in the series.
The pace of this book is great. The characters are intriguing. It is definitely a work of fiction, but that's why we read it, right? I love some of the nuances that the author added about Alaska-like someone asking for fresh fruit in the middle of winter and getting canned. It made me laugh, but it was a fun detail that just added to the story for me. If you like a good romantic suspense novel, I highly recommend this one.

Book Info

About Shattered:

With All the Evidence Against Him, Only a Sister's Trust Can Save Him Now

When her prodigal brother Reef's return to Yancey, Alaska, is shattered by his arrest for murder, Piper McKenna is determined to protect him.

Deputy Landon Grainger loves the McKennas like family, but he's also sworn to find the truth. And he knows those closest to you have the power to deceive you the most. With his sheriff pushing for a quick conviction, some unexpected leads complicate the investigation, and pursuing the truth puts Landon's career in jeopardy.

When Piper launches her own investigation, Landon realizes he must protect her from herself-and whatever complications await as the two follow clues deep into Canada's rugged back-country Not only does their long friendship seem to be turning into something more, but this dangerous case is becoming deadlier with each step.

Link to buy the book: http://ow.ly/hLsy9

Meet Dani:

Dani Pettrey is a wife, homeschooling mom, and author. She feels blessed to write inspirational romantic suspense because it incorporates so many things she loves--the thrill of adventure, nail biting suspense, the deepening of her characters' faith, and plenty of romance. She and her husband reside in Maryland with their two teenage daughters.

Visit her website at www.danipettrey.com.

Let's Chat

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 22:40:00 +0000

Arwen: Let's talk about what we're doing for Halloween.
Me: Halloween is a long time away.
Arwen: Let's just chat about it, Mom. Let's chat about all the seasons.
She then proceeded to discuss her plans for Halloween for the next 5 years and planning Christmas for this year.

My 3 Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 07:29:00 +0000

I've had some great bosses in the past. I must admit, I do play favorites when it comes to bosses. One of my favorites, gave Arwen this dress. Now, all three girls have had a chance to wear it. I just love these moments. The moment when I pull out a treasured piece of clothing and get a chance to reuse it and relive some memories. Remember some beloved people. Here is one of those moments.

Precious Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 05:09:00 +0000

Just love my evenings with my girls.

Just a typical evening

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 06:54:00 +0000

You know, just a normal evening at home. Storie is awake at 10pm. Ralph and I are waiting for this dinner to come out of the oven. No big deal.

Dinner, just so you know, was AMAZING!!! I strongly suggest you try it. I am going to start combing the blog for other recipes.

A Family Day

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 22:44:00 +0000

Some days are just great even when they're not fantastic, you know? The morning went as Sunday mornings often go. With Mama turning into the bear version of Elinor from Brave for no real good reason. However, in my insanity, I was able to throw a pork loin roast in the crock pot with some fall root veggies AND I double checked it before leaving the house. Making sure no little helpers turned it off.

We came home to a lovely dinner. All I had to do was throw together a quick salad. The girls helped me set the table with our china. We were able to sit down to a lovely Sunday feast within minutes. I love that!!! We followed it up with a delicious Apple Cinnamon Walnut Cake that Ralph made last night.

Now we're relaxing, watching Brave with the girls and drinking coffee. It's a good day. I'm pretending the dishes don't exist and I'm just enjoying this moment.

Storie's Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 23:22:00 +0000

Storie telling us about her lovely weekend.

Pepperoni Balls

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:29:00 +0000

I am linking up with Life as Mom's Ultimate Recipe Swap today. The theme is "Favorite Holiday Appetizer."

Our favorite holiday appetizer is a version of my MIL's Pepperoni Balls. Connie makes them with the Rhodes Bake N Serve frozen dinner rolls. We use my family's home made bread recipe instead. We also add some cheese in with the pepperoni. It adds something special. Then you dip the whole thing in a marinara or pizza sauce. Yummy.

Pepperoni Ball Recipe

Dough

6.5 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1/3 cup sugar
2 pkg or 4.5tsp yeast (I use active dry)
2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup shortening or oil (I use butter flavored shortening)

Put water, sugar and yeast in a bowl and beat with mixer. Add salt and 2 cups flour and mix for 2 minutes. Add eggs and shortening and mix for 1 minute. Add rest of flour and mix with a spoon (or mixer fitted with a dough hook) until it gets thick. Then knead by hand on a floured surface (or mixer fitted with a dough hook) until smooth and not sticky. Oil a bowl, form dough into a ball, place in bowl, turn over once (to coat in oil), cover bowl with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.

Pepperoni Balls

Once your dough has risen, punch it down once. Then take a piece of pepperoni, fold into quarters, add a small piece of cheese (mozzarella and pepper jack are two fantastic choices) and wrap a small piece of dough around them. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Once you have formed all your balls, cover with a towel and let rise for 20 minutes.

Once they've risen, bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. These usually make around 2 dozen for me.

We currently use America's Test Kitchen (they do require a subscription to see their recipes, completely worth it, though) sauce from their Thin Crust Pizza recipe. It is super yummy, with a light fresh taste. Our Best Bite's also has a wonderful Pizza Sauce Recipe. You can't go wrong with either.

Head on over to Life as Mom and check out this week's Ultimate Recipe Swap to find some other yummy appetizers!

Baba

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 06:14:00 +0000

Since this little pumpkin doesn't want to sleep, I'll share some of our conversation! Enjoy!

Halloween Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 22:27:00 +0000

Our little super heroes turned out quite spectacular! Their costumes came from the Etsy shop, Mahalo. They were so fantastic to work with. I was able to pick both the outer fabric and liner fabric colors, the emblem, their letters, and their mask colors. It was so much fun--the next best thing to making it myself. I loved that they were super versions of themselves!

We ended up scrapping our traditional set up at the end of our driveway where we hand out hot cider with our candy. It was raining quite a bit and that just didn't sound like fun. We could have stayed in and offered it that way but then one of us would have had to go door-to-door with the girls in the rain. That REALLY didn't sound like fun.

We debated about going to the malls or one of the shopping centers, apparently this is a big thing out here, or to a harvest festival at one of the local churches. We opted for the harvest festival. Unbeknownst to us, Arwen had been looking forward to going door-to-door saying, "Trick or treat!" However, she was won over by still getting candy and playing games. We went to Calvary Fellowship on the recommendation of some friends who were also headed there. Ralph and I were a bit overwhelmed with the noise and activity but the girls told us they had a great time. As you can tell from the pics, there were some neat booths and things for the girls to do. Despite Greer's serious faces in the pics, she really did have a good time! It was fun to get out as a family and enjoy ourselves.

When a Stacie Goes to Bake Some Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 05:03:00 +0000

You know the book, right? If You Give a Moose a Muffin. Baking or cooking can be like that for me.

First I must find just the right recipe. This time it was Carrot Cakey Cookie 'Wiches. I plan the right event to make them for--my friend Colleen's Tea/Swap. I get the (this time) one ingredient I don't have--wheat bran. Then I had a child up all night sick so I didn't make it to the tea. However, I did have the wheat bran so I plot and plan and ponder when shall I make my cookies.

Then I work for the weekend and mention to my husband where the applesauce is in case the girls want it over the weekend. Then I forget this conversation.

Monday comes and it's Craftivism time! Now is the perfect time to bake my Carrot Cakey Cookie 'Whiches. I get to work. Then I realize I do not have any applesauce. The girls ate it all over the weekend. Ralph has just gotten home from the store. He has some baking of his own to do and doesn't have time to run out again. Oh, but wait, he just brought home 10 lbs of local fresh apples. If I want to make some cookies, then I must first make some applesauce.

I have just the recipe. I made this pearsauce the week before. It can be used with pears or apples. I get to work pealing apples and making my applesauce. Once the applesauce is made, I set it aside to cool.

Once the applesauce was cool, we were back on track with cookie making. It went quite smoothly after that and I ended up with some cookies I was quite happy with. Except that they were quite large. I was tired of the process at that point and make them bigger so I didn't have to scoop so many.

This is seems to be quite indicative of how cooking/baking around here goes. The applesauce is actually quite yummy too! I came out ahead, really, I now have homemade cookies AND applesauce. Not such a bad deal, really.

Soul Gate

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 07:51:00 +0000

Thanks to Litfuse Publicity for a free copy of this book in return for my honest review.

I received this free book from Litfuse via NetGallery. Now, here is the thing. NetGallery lets you read books before they are published. It seems to me that in the process of getting a digital copy of a book before it is published means you must put up with some inconsistencies in formatting. I'm sure the published print and e-version will be easier to read.

However, all formatting issues aside, this book was awesome! I found myself hurrying through random blank "pages" on my Kindle to get to the story. It is quite a long book-400 pages, but I didn't notice. In fact, when I finished it, I felt like it had just begun! I am excited for the next books in the series, there is so much more to be told of this story. I think that I read so fast, gulping the words down, that I may need to go back and savor the book a bit more.

The characters made sense to me. Their stories rang true and I could relate to their struggles. While it sounds a lot like a Frank Peretti or Ted Dekker book, all spiritual warfare and mysterious. It really is a book about freedom. About letting God heal our wounds and living in the freedom of His grace and love.

I wanted to read this book both because of its content and story line but also because the author is from the Pacific Northwest (PNW). I love reading local authors. It was fun to read about places that I know, local places. It added quite a bit to the book for me.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Book 1 in the Well Spring series.

“Every now and then we get a break from reality. A glimpse into the other world that is more real than the reality we live in 99 percent of our days. The Bible is about a world of demons and angels and great evil and even greater glory.”

What if you could travel inside another person’s soul? To battle for them. To be part of Jesus healing their deepest wounds. To help set them free to step boldly into their divinely designed future.

Thirty years ago that’s exactly what Reece Roth did. Until tragedy shattered his life and ripped away his future.

Now God has drawn Reece out of the shadows to fulfill a prophecy spoken over him three decades ago. A prophecy about four warriors with the potential to change the world . . . if Reece will face his deepest regret and teach them what he has learned.

They gather at a secluded and mysterious ranch deep in the mountains of Colorado, where they will learn to see the spiritual world around them with stunning clarity—and how to step into the supernatural.

Their training is only the beginning. The four have a destiny to pursue a freedom even Reece doesn’t fully fathom. But they have an enemy hell-bent on destroying them and he’ll stop at nothing to keep them from their quest for true freedom and the coming battle of souls.

Purchase a copy here.

Win an iPad Mini from @JimRubart and RSVP for his Live Video Chat {11/13}!
The first book in best-selling author Jim Rubart's new series, Soul's Gate, releases on November 6th! To celebrate, Jim has teamed up with his publisher, Thomas Nelson, for a virtual book tour, iPad Mini giveaway and a Live Video Author Chat {11/13}. Watch the video trailer for the book here.

One "soulful" winner will receive:

A brand new iPad Mini
Soul's Gate by Jim Rubart {Be caught up in this captivating series.}

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 12th. Winner will be announced at the "Soul's Gate Author Chat Party on 11/13. Connect with Jim for an evening of book chat, trivia, and a live video chat! There will also be a chance to win gift certificates, books, and other fun prizes!

So grab your copy of Soul's Gate and join Jim on the evening of the November 13th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 13th!

A Preview of Our Family Pics

noreply@blogger.com (Stacie@HobbitDoor) — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 00:42:00 +0000

And this is why we love Carly (carlybish.com).