Book Review: Full Disclosure

A handsome FBI Special Agent gentleman meets a beautiful confident woman that knows how to tell a story. And he's a good listener! She first appears as a local small town cop - you know the kind - where she comprises the whole staff! However she walks down the hall and casually says hello to a U.S. Marshall, happens to be the Midwest Homicide Investigator and, what?! she knows the previous Vice President...like not just knows but is a close friend!??! Who is she? Who is Ann Silver? That is certainly what Paul wants to know ever since she captivated his attention. There are surprises popping up constantly with this one but she doesn't just have surprises, she has secrets.

 

This book is an amazing read and one that provides a great twist and crazy turn of events! It really leaves you wondering and asking out loud - who is she??!

 

 

 

In case you didn't figure out by now, I highly recommend this book as a great read! Not only will your curiosity be held but it intertwines Christ so easily into it that it just makes it all the more sweet. If you are like me and FINALLY have a little time off this holiday season, give this Dee Henderson new release a try. I doubt you'll regret it.

A good rest and a good read

Oh my sweet blog! How I've missed you so! However, as crazy as my fall and winter had gotten I really needed a true rest. I spent Christmas in Kansas with my entire family, then laid around and read as much as I possibly could on my Kindle and just finished spending three weeks with my parents visiting here! And I don't know what "parents visiting" means to you but to me it means that between my mom and I's cooking we eat GOOD food and a LOT of it, we get to go do something fun and magical cleaning fairies always appear while I'm away at work! Haha, it really was fun and I hated to see them go but it's time to get back to a regular schedule and hopefully some more regular blog posts! Wouldn't you say?!

I am working on a couple of posts for the future and one very good guest blog post which I think you will be highly interested in, however until then since I have been avidly reading during my break I decided to share with you what I've gotten myself into.

The Percy Jackson Series by Rick Riordan

I was leery of reading the series because yes it has all the Greek gods and goddesses and demigods etc. in it. However a friend in the faith whom I trust told me she read it to her older son and that she, and her boy, really enjoyed them and as long as it's to an older audience that knows this is FICTION then it does have some educational value along with a great storyline. With every god or creature it introduces it tells the history of it as per Greek Mythology. I have never known a lot about the subject so this easy reading series has been very intriguing to me. It has adoring characters and is written with humor and cliff-hanging suspense!

So I don't know what your thoughts are on the series but it has been some great reading and awesome entertainment to me for a few weeks now. I only have one book left!

31 Days to Clean!

If you're like me and spring is passing you by and you keep telling yourself you REALLY need to do some spring cleaning before summer arrives then you'll be just as excited as I was when I saw this on a fellow blog I read: 31 Days to Clean, Having a Martha House the Mary Way!

Sarah Mae, writer of "Like a Warm Cup of Coffee" has written this e-book (which means you can buy the download or it's also available on Kindle - woo woo since I have one now) and it helps you keep your house clean while also doing some spiritual picking up and dusting as well! This is right up my alley and I will most definitely be downloading it ASAP and thought I should share it with my readers as well, in case heaven forbid you have a dusty windowsill as well, *gasp*. Obviously it does this by giving you daily challenges and just a wild guess but I'm guessing there are 31 of these daily challenges but that's just a wild guess.

I also thought you'd be interested to know that she is having a giveaway in honor of finishing the e-book! Among the prizes (yes as in plural) is a $50 gift certificate to DownEast Basics! (See below)

And to get an entry is a cinch! Check out all the details at her blog (just click the above link)! And here's a super easy way to get an extra entry: just put this button on your sidebar and let her know in a comment - do you notice my sidebar :)

Excuse me now while I go download something on my Kindle...

A couple cool giveaways...

I found a couple giveaways that were just too cool to keep to myself and of course the added bonus is I get extra entries for sharing them on my blog!!

1. For a beautiful book of "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement C. Moore and Illustrated by Robert Ingpen can be found at Brimful Curiosities. Ends 12/15

2. A Blu-Ray Disc Player and Redbox Rentals for a YEAR over at "A Not-So Blog's Experimental Mommy, Dissecting Mommyhood one review at a time" ! ONLY 24 hour giveaway, ends 12/14 at 11:59 P.M.


Hope your Christmas season is full of Christ and joy!

GINGERBREAD HOUSE!!

Christmas = Baking and vice versa. Am I right? My kids have never done a gingerbread house (mainly because they are still very little and don't understand my desire to make it pretty and let it sit to admire before eating it, lol) However we made a ton of cutout cookies in October for Halloween and Thanksgiving and with my son studying gingerbread men in school it just seemed the right time. I didn't want to attempt to make a homemade one (shocker I know) for the fact that it's so hard to get them flat and straight and that young kids aren't patient. I wanted a simple, quick and easy to construct house that the kids could do almost all by themselves. I found a perfect one at Target for only about $10!

It was great! It constructed so easily and even came with a building tray to set the pieces in. And the icing set in 15 minutes, enough for my kiddos to handle. I let them loose with the candy pieces and only decorated one half of the roof myself - that's it! They had SO much fun and I giggled at their corky designs.

You can't tell that they're proud can you? hehe.

I take that back. I piped the icing on the Santa and Tree cookie pieces that went in front of the house. My bad. Although I was thankful for those cookie pieces - it gave my kids something to eat right away and kept my pretty house intact for admiring purposes! (At least for a little while)

I added some powdered sugar to give it that "just snowed" look. So if you're looking for a quick fun gingerbread house to create with your kiddos check out this fun kit at your local Target!

Now I had to laugh because we read a cute book my mom gave us that night at bedtime however I was reading through some of my blogs I follow and someone beat me to the punch on sharing this adorable kids book so instead of re-sharing, I'm sharing her post instead! Hop on over to Brimful Curiosities for a great gingerbread kids book to go with your creative fun! Not to mention she has an even EASIER idea for gingerbread fun with your little ones!

A funny thing happened on the way to the psych ward...

(Excerpt from my latest book, "Help I'm raising kids while doing ministry" by Josh Mayo)

"David Roshenhan illustrates this principle in a study he conducted with a group of psychiatric patients: Eight mentally stable people, including three psychologists and one psychiatrist, were asked to pretend to have symptoms so they could gain admission into the psychiatric wards of several hospitals for treatment. During the initial interview, they falsified only three pieces of information: their name, their occupation, and the admission of hearing voices. All other questions about their personal background were answered truthfully. All were successfully admitted.
Once diagnosed and admitted, the eight people stopped faking all symptoms, but the staff never detected their deception. They continued to relate to the eight volunteers as bona-fide psychiatric patients. Embarrassingly enough, many of the real patients could tell the difference. At times they voiced their suspicions strongly: "There's nothing wrong with you; you must be checking up on the hospital."
Rosenhan's point was clear. Once a diagnosis was made, even normal behavior was reinterpreted to match the clinical diagnosis. The people who evaluated the disturbed patients labeled them incorrectly. In the same way, prejudices regarding P.K.'s (Pastor's kids) can result in them being treated as if they are going to rebel, whether or not it is a reality. These labels can come from other pastors, teachers, leaders, and parents. Usually those closest to a P.K. know the truth, but it's hard to convince the rest of the world."


This particular chapter was SO interesting and full of good information for parents in full time ministry! As a P.K. or just a ministry kid prejudices and labels are most definitely put on the kids and false expectations are also part of that deal. Why can't people understand that pastors and ministry leaders are human too and no one is perfect and everyone WILL make mistakes? By EXPECTING a child to act a certain way or do certain things you speak over their life -for words have the power of life and death so as a Youth Pastor and a Parent do me a favor and speak life over your ministry leader's kids. Please.

The return of the infamous Ivy!!!

I needed a break.

I didn't have time.

This summer has been a whirlwind.

Take any of the above three facts to answer the question of: "Where have you been?" Did I forget about my blog? No. I actually had SO many ideas for great awesome posts throughout the entire summer but it just never happened. I would go almost a week without even checking my emails it got so bad. So after a few weeks of wanting to blog and never finding time or when I did I was way too tired I decided I would just accept reality and take a well-needed break.

BUT - my kids are off with their grandparents staying with them for a couple weeks to give my husband and I a "oh-so-needed" break and thus...I have returned to my blog! Yay! I know I can hear the shouts of praise from here. Yes all 24 of my faithful followers and maybe a straggler that accidentally stumbled onto here by accident.

Anyways, so you ask what is my first post back going to be about? Well....how about a little bit of this and a little extra of that? I figure I owe you one.

First off is another "Spring Cleaning" idea. That WAS what my last post was about and I'm proud to report that I have come a LONG way in my cleaning and organizing this summer! My house hasn't been this organized in quite awhile. One particular day of organization I found myself in my craft closet. Although honestly I'm not sure I could define it that way because it holds quite a few other things but they are all holiday/craft related. Back to the point. In the top of this closet was my kids Easter baskets along with a couple other cute baskets I had received at one point or another and I never could find myself throwing them out. They were good baskets. I had become tired of trying to get them not to fall every time I rooted around up there so my ingenious idea was to use the clothes bar in that closet which was currently not being used for clothes. I really liked the result and it cleared up SO much room! What do you think?

Next up on my list is an idea for someones birthday. Or anniversary. Or Christmas. You get the point. It's multi-functional. Have you seen those window markers that teens love to "tag" other teens vehicles with? Or the occasional adult too :) ? Well it says on there you can use it on windows OR MIRRORS. You there with me yet? If your husband is like mine and doesn't eat breakfast (I know - it's a crime) then breakfast in bed for his special day isn't really gonna work. So instead I surprised him with a fun birthday greeting on our bathroom mirror!

It still was a surprise and made him smile just the same! It's cheap, and washes off pretty easy, I mean why NOT do it?!

Speaking of my husband, he took some of the cutest pictures of our daughter this one summer morning right after she had woken up. She wasn't hungry quite yet so instead she crawled up in this chair I have that sits right by the bookshelf and I always stack our latest checked out library books on it (so as not to be mixed with our books and impossible to find when they are due). She sat there so quietly and went through book after book.

It was so adorable and heartwarming to know that my kids are developing a love for books! It did this mother's heart good. Summer is a great time to encourage your kids to read because:
1. They have TONS of downtime that will at some point be vocalized with an "I'm bored".
2. Your local bookstores and libraries give great incentives to get your kids reading!

My kids did the BORDERS Bookstore Summer Reading Dare! If they read 10 books they got one free! They have specific books you may select from and yes my kids are toddlers and no the selection is not toddlers books but we got them anyways to keep for when they are older and to reward them so they felt happy about it I bought them a book each from the discount shelf! So they were happy and I was happy! AND I got two free books that are both excellent reads for when they grow up.

Also if you have a child between about ages 6-10 my Summer Reading Recommendation is the Magic Tree House Series!! I have already started reading one or two chapters a night to my son and he LOVES them! they teach about all kinds of places and people in history and with my son LOVING locations and where everything is he is IN to these books! And for my princess toddler well you just can't beat a good Fancy Nancy book!

Okay last thing has to do with school since yes it is already fast approaching. If you happen to be a scrapbooker or at least a mom who likes to record your child's events in some way this idea is for you. I myself am an avid scrapbooker and HATE to throw anything away. I want it all as memorabilia for my albums but some things are just too big or too bulky or the pile can just become ridiculous. So as my son would create the COOLEST things at school I had to come up with some way to scrapbook them without actually scrapbooking ALL of them, ya know? So is what I did was I hung up a cork bulletin board in his room to display all his school art work and projects. It would hold one month's worth of stuff (STUFFED full...but it did) and then at the end of the month I would take a picture of the bulletin board.

So instead of having a year's worth of art (I did save I think two of my favorite's though) to scrapbook I now have 9 pictures of that month's school projects! Cool huh?

I thought so at least. Well hopefully this will make up for being gone so long. And I promise another post to come SOON! Until then, thanks for allowing me my break (although you technically had no choice) and see ya next time!

Whispers of Hope

Bright Morning Star
God's diamond brooch
Upon the blackest night

Whispering Hope
'Neath mercy's cloak,
"The dark is almost light!"

Waken, Slumber!
Sleep not past
The painted dawn for thee.

Burst forth, O Star
One day not far
And shine Thy light on me.

-Beth Moore

Silent Sundays - Princess Day at the Library

At one of our local libraries they hosted a "Princess Tea Party" with Belle as the storyteller! They read about 5 cute Princess books including Gracie's favorite - "Fancy Nancy" and then had jewelry and snacks, crafts, and photo op time with Belle. My daughter had the best time and we have recently gone back for their DINOSAUR themed Family Story Time as well. If your local library has anything like this I strongly encourage you to check it out with your kids. Mine love it and we have already brought home a TON of books to read and enjoy - and then return for new ones!

My latest readings...

I know I haven't updated my blog in awhile and that the last few have been pretty political so I thought I would do a laid back post today with simply my latest reading! I am an avid reader and wish I could sit for about 4 hours every day to just cuddle up with a good book, although most days do not afford me that pleasure. Any who here is what has graced my book shelf and worn out my bookmarks lately:

1. "The Healer" by Dee Henderson

The 5th book in the O'Malley Series and takes you through the emotions of dealing with a sister that is fighting cancer and believing God for a miracle every day of her fight.

2. "The Rescuer" by Dee Henderson

The 6th and final book the the O'Malley Series. This one finds a young man who's instinct is to run from death and things that just seem overwhelming in life. Will he ever come back? Will he find the peace he is searching for? This one has an end that will leave any mother in tears and laughter at the same time!

3. "Me, Myself, and Lies" by Jennifer Rothschild

This is actually a bible study that Beth Moore is sort of leading through her online blog, LPM blog. It is the "Summer Siesta Bible Study" and yes she knows that "siesta" is the Spanish word for nap! Check out her blog - it's a hoot! Anyways about the study -it takes an up close and personal look at your own "thought closet". It makes you realize what you are speaking to your soul on a daily basis. GREAT study to align your thoughts with God's truths over your life!

4. "The Laws of Prosperity" by Kenneth Copeland

From the back of the book: "True prosperity is the ability to apply the power of God to meet any need - spiritual, mental, and physical. In this book Kenneth Copeland shares the revelation of spiritual laws that govern prosperity. The Laws of Prosperity is written to teach you how to apply these laws in your own life so that you can begin to enjoy the great abundant life that only God can provide."

So what have you been digesting in your memory bank this summer?

The Shack

This morning I finished my latest "good read", "The Shack" by WM. Paul Young. When I told my mom I was reading it she told me that people either love it or hate it. She was absolutely right and I personally was amongst the "love it" crowd! This book really makes you stop and go, "what?!" and often go back and reread a paragraph to try to understand what the heck the author just said! It is a very emotional and heart-changing book and I highly recommend it to ANYONE! It is a must read! You can click on the picture or the title to visit the website to learn more.

Back of the book reads:

" Mackenzie Allen Philip's youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later, in the midst of his Great Sadness, mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend.

Against his better judgement he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever.

In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant THE SHACK wrestles with the timeless question: Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain? Then answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone you know to read this book!"

Acne & Aging

If you currently struggle, or have ever struggled with, acne or signs of aging then you will WANT to read this!

When I was a Senior in High School I had already gone through a number of acne treatments and was running out of options! I had tried over-the-counter products, tried several topical treatments prescribed by my dermatologist and even gone through the UV-ray treatments driving an hour one way two times a week for them! I was exhausted and about to give up hope. My mom remembers praying to find a solution and when she was in a bookstore saw this book called the Anti-Acne Diet by Dr. Perricone.

Long story short she asked if I was willing to try a three-tiered program that included diet, supplements, and topical treatments. Now before you go whoa that's a lot of stuff - you can do it with the diet alone!! JUST by changing what you eat can drastically change the effects of acne AND aging. If you want overall better health and want to make sure it stays away the supplements (simply vitamins and minerals) and his specially formulated topical treatments which ensure it follows the guidelines of his study.

So what are the guidelines? NOTHING that is pro-inflammatory! Through his research he found that acne is actually a Systemic Inflammatory Disease. Now I will keep it in layman's terms that it simply means there are certain foods, creams, cosmetics, etc. that will cause inflammation at the cellular level. This is what actually starts the chain reaction that leads to that zit on your face. It's NOT oily skin although yes that will contribute to acne...it's NOT chocolate, lol...although yes the sugar IN chocolate is! Now yes stress, hormones, oily skin and all these things contribute to acne and aging but are not the root cause which means even when those other things still exist if you are on an Anti-Inflammatory Diet and using cosmetics that don't have pro-inflammatory components than you can keep your acne flare-ups away! Good news huh?

I wrote all that to say I went on the entire three-tiered system my senior year and by Senior Picture time was acne free and had more energy than I had ever had in my life! I felt the best I've ever felt and ever since going off of that diet have wished I could somehow get back on it! Well I was blessed that during pregnancy my hormones blessed me with acne free skin. Now with my daughter turning two a couple months ago suddenly here comes my acne again after almost four years of not dealing with it! As soon as I got a few really bad cases I asked my mom to mail me the book.

I have officially been on the Anti-Acne diet since Thursday, March 19th and my face is already almost completely clear - and may I add I am ONLY doing the diet and taking TWO of the seven supplements! I'm regaining energy that I had been depleted of lately and am starting to think more clearly and be more efficient in my work! I'm not kidding! I HAD to tell my readers about this because it is for aging too - and all the bad things that come with it (cancer, Alzheimer's, arthritis, WRINKLES, etc...)

I will be doing a series on this Anti-Inflammatory Diet and have also linked the title to Dr. Perricone's website if you would like more information right away!