Menu Plan Monday - May 20, 2103

What a crazy week it has been!  We're heading into the homestretch now, though - we have few things on our calendar for this week, except for the end of our school year.  We're planning to move slowly through this week and to enjoy lots of downtime.  You?

Breakfast:
- scrambled eggs and cantaloupe

- fresh strawberries and yogurt with Cinnamon Almond Granola
- Applesauce muffins, fruit

- Blueberry Biscuits, fruit

Dinner:

- Cheesy Chicken Taquitos, salad
- meatloaf, baked potatoes, salad, applesauce
- tacos, Spanish rice, salad, fruit
- Barbecue chicken pizza, salad, strawberry shortcake
- grilled chicken salad, whole wheat bread, brownies

- breakfast for dinner
- leftovers

What are you cooking up this week?

For more Menu Plan Monday, visit OrgJunkie.

“Pastors’ Wives” iPad Mini Giveaway and Facebook Party with @LisaCullen! {5/23}

Lisa Takeuchi Cullen is celebrating the release of her debut novel, Pastors' Wives, with an iPad Mini Giveaway and connecting with readers on Facebook on May 23rd!

One winner will receive:

• An iPad Mini
• A $25 iTunes gift card

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 22nd. Winner will be announced at the "Pastors' Wives" Author Chat Party on May 23rd. Connect with Lisa for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Lisa will also be giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of Pastors' Wives and join Lisa on the evening of May 23rd 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 23rd!

"Undeniably Yours" by Becky Wade

When Meg Cole's father dies unexpectedly, she's forced to return home to Texas and to Whispering Creek Ranch to take up the reins of his empire. The last thing she has the patience or the sanity to deal with? Her father's Thoroughbred racehorse farm. She gives its manager, Bo Porter, six months to close the place down.

Bo knows he ought to resent the woman who's determined to take from him the only job he ever wanted. But instead of anger, Meg evokes within him a profound desire to protect. The more time he spends with her, the more he longs to overcome every obstacle that separates them and earn her love.

Just when Meg realizes she can no longer deny the depth of her feelings for Bo, their fragile bond is broken by a force from Meg's past. Can their relationship-and their belief that God can work through every circumstance-survive?

Undeniably Yours Book Trailer

I love the premise of this story.  You can't go wrong with ranches and cowboys and love. It took me a while to really get into Undeniably Yours, though, and it took me equally long to figure out why.  With a great plot, a well-written male lead, a thought-provoking faith lesson, I finally figured out why:  Meg comes across as rather weak in the beginning of the story.  There's a reason for this, and it's a good one, as part of the conflict is her pain after being romantically hurt in the past.  In order to love Bo, she must trust God, forgive her ex, and try again, and that's never easy, but her coming-to-terms made parts of the story move slowly for me.  

If you don't have that same strange pet peeve, you'll love this story.  By the middle, when Meg was working hard to figure out how to move forward with her life and the non-emotional conflict was escalating, I definitely became more engaged with her story and couldn't wait to find out what would happen.  You know that there must a be a great twist when the main character is an oil baron's daughter who doesn't want o be wealthy, and Wade did not disappoint. 

As for Bo, he's a great male lead.  He sets a great example of respect and honor, and to me, he's the very best kind of character - one whom you really want to ride down the road and meet for yourself.

I think a great sequel to this story would be to write about one of the women at the ranch  - preferably Amber - and write in her love story.  Showing how Meg and Bo were able to make a difference to her while painting her struggle to graduate, be a good mom, forgive Stephen for herself, and find her own to feet would make a great story.

What do you think, Ms. Wade??

You can read other reviews in this blog hop here, or click here to purchase your own copy.

Becky Wade is a graduate of Baylor University. As a newlywed, she lived for three years in a home overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, as well as in Australia, before returning to the States. A mom of three young children, Becky and her family now live in Dallas, Texas. 

Visit her website at www.beckywade.com. 

I received a free copy of Undeniably Yours from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

"Once Upon a Prince" by Rachel Hauck

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?

Once Upon a Prince is the most romantic love story of the year!  From a sun-kissed southern island to a regal European palace, not a single element of this story has been left bereft of Hauck's wash of love-colored paint.  Susanna Truitt's situation, although funny as described, rings bleakly true, and too many of us will find something familiar in Prince Nathaniel's duty-bound story.  

It is precisely that truth which makes the rest of this fantastic situation spellbinding.  All of us, at one time or another, have dreamed of a royal wedding.  We all want to be carried off into the sunset and live "happily ever after," yet we know that this isn't realistic.  

Susanna's dreams, however, are in full color, especially after she visits Brighton Kingdom.  The plot progression deepens the moral lesson and also ups the suspense factor.  I couldn't wait to find out just how Susanna's lovelorn dilemma would reach resolution - I stayed up much too late to find out the answer.  Hauck is a romantic master and, in my opinion, has the corner in this genre. 

This is my favorite love story of 2013.  My only hope is that Hauck writes the next one in this series quickly. 

Once Upon a Prince, Book Trailer - Rachel Hauck

You can read other reviews on this blog hop here, or click here to purchase your own copy now.

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

I received a free copy of Once Upon a Prince from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

Win a “Date Night” Prize Pack from Deborah Raney and RSVP for her 5/30 Facebook Party!

Deborah is celebrating with a fun "Date Night" Giveaway (win a $200 Visa Cash Card!) and an Author Chat Party on Facebook! {5/30}

 
 One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa Cash Card (Use that to catch up with a loved one – your spouse, friend, sister, mom…whomever!)
• The Face of the Earth by Deborah Raney

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on May 29th. Winner will be announced at the "The Face of the Earth" Facebook Author Chat Party on May 30th. Connect with Deborah for an evening of book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Deborah will also be sharing a sneak peek of her next book and giving away books and fun gift certificates throughout the evening.

So grab your copy of The Face of the Earth and join Deborah on the evening of May 30th 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 30th!

Inspired Wednesday - AIO Summer of Service Kick-Off! + Free Downloads!

For the past nine months I've been working with a kids' program at my church, helping to teach Beth Guckenberger's curriculum from Tales of the Not Forgotten.  It's all about how God has not forgotten orphans around the world and how we can help not only orphans, but everyone around us.

This has really opened my eyes to the myriads of ways that even the smallest kids can be helpful.

My favorite thing about helping with this program has been seeing the kids really want to help others.

So imagine my excitement when I was asked to be a part of the Adventures in Odyssey's Summer of Service Kick-off!  Not only is this program designed to encourage kids to begin serving in their communities, but there's also a challenge and a giveaway as part of this program.  Here's how AIO describes it:

Join Adventures in Odyssey this summer to discover how fun it can be to serve others!

Adventures in Odyssey, the beloved audio series from Focus on the Family, has encouraged kids toward a stronger faith for 25 years. Whit, Connie, Eugene, and the other loveable characters from Odyssey have shared countless adventures with kids across the world in the classic audio dramas, books, videos, and devotionals, fulfilling the AIO promise to help kids discover, imagine, and grow.

This summer, Adventures in Odyssey is joining with Christian bookstores across the country, inviting kids to participate in a Summer of Service. They’re promoting the biblical message, “When you serve, everybody wins,” encouraging kids to serve their families, their communities, and their world. Whether it’s baking cookies for an elderly neighbor or putting together a care package for missionaries overseas, kids will discover that serving can be a blast!

How the A.C.T.S. (A Call to Service) challenge and contest works:

Kids who join A.C.T.S. can pick up a service log and collect fun character stickers for hours served at participating bookstores throughout the summer, or download a serving log online at whitsend.org. At the end of the summer, kids can record and upload a short video telling how they serve and why they’d like to become an Adventures in Odyssey Ambassador.

A hundred winners will get the brand new AIO Album, and after online voting, two grand prize winners (one boy and one girl) will get to travel on an exciting Good-Goers Mission Based Adventure trip to another country with a parent! The out-of-country destination will be announced on a live podcast May 22—hosted by AIO actors Katie Leigh (Connie) and Chris Anthony (Chris)—which you can watch at whitsend.org/acts. You don’t want to miss it!

This all sounds like fun and games, and it can be, but serving others has more benefits than just the possibility of winning fun prizes.  It can bond your family, mature your child, grow responsibility, help to mold them into caring adults, and build community.    AIO says that:

Our culture puts an extravagant amount of energy into raising kids who will grow up to feel good about themselves. In schools, clubs, homes, and even at church, adults have made a decided effort to bolster children’s “self-esteem” –not by actually encouraging kids do something that’s worthwhile, but by simply telling them they are important and valuable.

At the turn of the century, researchers predicted that the next generation would respond to these efforts of raising self-esteem by being filled with optimism and civic duty. Unfortunately, recent research shows the opposite. Kids coming of age today are more self-centered, disrespectful of authority, and depressed than ever before.

In a very real way, then, the best path toward building selfless, confident children is to help and encourage them toward a growing and thriving faith in God. And that includes obedience to what God teaches—not because it makes kids feel good, although it often does—but because they’re following God’s instructions to love Him and serve others. That builds a faith they can count on and carry with them into adulthood—which is the greatest gift any parent can bestow on their child. 

You can find out even more at the Summer of Service Launch Party on May 22nd.  

But wait!  There's more! (I've always wanted to say that.)

You can download a free mp3 episode of the AIO A Call to Serve here.

Are you ready to get started?  Download a free copy of service ideas for kids here.

How does your family serve others?  

Last week Carlie at So You Call Yourself a Homeschooler shared a post about a great DVD-based art curriculum.  We've been looking for one of these, and so it was especially great to read her review.  To find out more, visit So You Call Yourself a Homeschooler - and Carlie, please visit our Inspired Wednesday page and take the "I was featured on Washed Up Inspired Wednesdays' button back with you.  

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If you have a post about an encouraging activity, project, or trip that you've taken, please link up below and add a link back to this post.  Either way, please read on to find out more about a fun activity that we enjoy here in our nest, and be sure to hop over to Where He Leads, We Follow to check out Stephanie's  Inspiring Wednesday post, too. 

GratiTuesday - Getting Muddy Together

The weather has been totally goofy here lately.  Even today, with a frost advisory this morning and 87 targeted for tomorrow, this is not really like May in the Carolinas.

That weird weather, along with a busier-than-usual spring schedule, has knocked my garden plans way off track.

We have a good-sized yard, but with old, tall trees, it's much too shady for a typical garden, so a few years ago my husband built me three tiered raised beds beside the carport.  It's the sunniest place in the yard, it's out of the way, and it's easily accessible to water, making care of it simpler than anywhere else we could put it.

Each year we take a day and plant it, usually long before this.

This year, Saturday was the day.  I bought several bags of soil and fertilizer in an attempt to strengthen the soil.  While I'm thankful for my garden, the small space does not allow for much crop rotation or for lying fallow.

The best part of this was that everyone joined in to help.  The kids quickly kicked off their shoes and climbed in, taking turns to dig holes and mix up the old and new soil.  They happily dug holes and planted vegetables and herbs, relocated found earthworms to new homes where they could "do the most good."  Even my husband pulled old plants, removed old ties (I'm terrible about cleaning out the old stuff when cold weather hits - too depressing), and mixed in the new soil.

We were even able to plant onions for once.  As a kid I remember Dad getting them at a hardware store downtown, but I've never seen them here, and so our garden has been without onions since I moved here.  One of the Amish stores that we hit up last week had them for sale, however, and the kids pointed them out eagerly (which is funny since they don't like onions).  We bought a bagful and used the antique rake to make the holes the same way that I used to do with my dad.

It was such a fun afternoon - outside in the sunshine, warm temperatures, muddy feet, everyone with their own set of garden implements, happily running around and helping and working together.  It reminded me of being very small and helping my parents plant our garden.  I love that my own children are so excited to help me now.

I think that spring is a time of hope, and even more so a garden.  It's a time to dream - of new life, of ripening fruits and vegetables, of gifts given and shared, of healthy food to feed your family.  It's a time of promise - before droughts or blights or bug infestations hit, when everything is new and alive and green.

The beginning of summer gardens in the springtime is my very favorite time of year.  This was the very best - when we could all get muddy together.

For more GratiTuesday, visit Heavenly Homemakers.

Don't forget to come back tomorrow to link up your Inspired Wednesday post - and to enter my newest giveaway!