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Author Archives: dpardoe
Love Bears All Things by Beth Wiseman
Book Description
Could God be offering Charlotte a second chance at true love?
Charlotte Dolinsky needs time to recover after breaking up with her boyfriend, Ryan. But when a surprise visitor shows up on her doorstep in Texas, she’s forced to put aside her own worries to help her Amish friends in Lancaster County. Soon she is entangled in a web of deception and this time, she isn’t the only one keeping secrets.
Daniel Byler struggles each day in his Amish community to heal from his fiancée’s betrayal. When he discovers that a member of his family is in danger of being shunned, his pain turns to fear. His only way to help is by partnering with Charlotte, a woman he barely knows who has already deceived them all before.
Charlotte begins building a friendship with Daniel that she’ll need to lean on when more surprises surface from her past and she once again finds herself torn between two worlds. Will Charlotte’s friends in the Amish community be able to show her the power of redemption and lead her home? And can she help young Jacob realize that God offers second chances at happiness when she isn’t even sure herself?
My Review:
The book starts off with a bang and keeps on going. The characters are not fake sugar and love but more real life. Charlotte is being evicted, Daniel is running away and his mother has problems of her own. You will like this book. Very complex issues are addressed in a sensitive, meaningful fashion. We rarely see how the Amish address drug addiction, depression and dealing with life changing abusive childhoods.
This is the 2nd in the series of this Amish trilogy, with many of the same characters appearing. I haven’t read the first book in the series, but there were enough clues to help me understand the background.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Miss Rosie Owl’s Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
Ingredients:
1 Banana (ripe)
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup Rice Crispies (or you may substitute 1 cup of oatmeal)
Directions:
In a mixing bowl, mash up the banana thoroughly.
Add one cup Peanut Butter and mix.
Stir in one cup of Rice Crispies.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spoon mix in one inch balls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet. Lightly press the balls down to flatten.
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until a nice golden brown.
Place on cooling racks to cool.
Benjamin Squirrel’s Easy Crock Pot Apple Butter
6 quarts of Applesauce
2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon of allspice
1 Crock pot (slow cooker) 6 quart size
Large spoons and ladles
Fill the crock pot to within an inch of full with applesauce, mine takes about 5.5 quarts.:
Stir in the spices: 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon of allspice or spice to taste.
Set the crock pot on low or medium heat. . Every crockpot is different, so you just going to get to know which setting works best on your crock pot.
Cover it loosely, I use a pair of chopsticks which I place across the top of the crock pot, then I put the lid on top of those. This leaves a space for the moisture to escape when cooking down the butter.
Leave it to cook for 6 – 18 hours. How long depends on the size and power of your crockpot, and how thick you like it, Stir it occasionally, to keep the butter from burning to the sides of the crock pot. When the apple butter is at the desired thickness transfer to containers and refrigerate or seal in canning jars. I allow mine to cool, place it in medium plastic containers and freeze it.
Lizzy Beaver’s Butterflies
Ingredients:
Peanut Butter
Sliced apples
Sliced Strawberries
Raisins
Graham Crackers
Directions:
Break the graham cracker into 1 half making a nice even square
Spread the peanut butter on top of the graham cracker in an even layer.
Arrange the raisins down the middle for the body, the sliced apples for the wings and add a strawberry slice for the head.
You can also cut antennae out of sliced licorice.
One Small Donkey By Dandi Mackall
Book Description
Little ones can do big things for God!
Your family will love this heartwarming Christmas story told from an unlikely perspective: a donkey carrying Mary to Bethlehem. Though the donkey wasn’t the biggest, fastest, or strongest of all the animals, he had an important job all the same. Adults and children alike will love the message about how God has big plans for little ones.
Dandi Daley Mackall loves God, children, words, and animals. Her nearly 500 books for children and grown-ups have sold more than four million copies worldwide, and her awards include an ECPA Christian Book Award for Best Children’s Book. Dandi writes from rural Ohio, where she lives with her family, including horses, dogs, cats, and an occasional squirrel, deer, or raccoon.
My Review:
So this book is about a small donkey who compares himself with the strong stallions and imagines himself to be greater than he is. Then one day he is called by his owner and is set to do the most important job, carry pregnant Mary to Bethlehem. The story follows his trip and arrival and the birth of the child that Mary is carrying. It is cute, has nice pictures and short. It ill hold your little one’s attention during the story. I give 4 out of 5 stars.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Gladly Bear’s Ants On A Log
Ingredients:
Celery stalks, washed
Peanut Butter or
Whipped Cream Cheese Spread
Raisins
Fresh fruit
Directions:
Wash the celery stalks and cut into sections. Take the peanut butter or cream cheese and fill the inside of the celery stalk, smoothing the top. Take the raisins and place them evenly spaced on top of the peanut butter or cream cheese.
Garnish with fresh fruit and serve.
Submitted by Carrie Hebert
Suzanne Bear’s Beary Blast Smoothie
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup your favorite frozen berries (Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, etc…)
1/2 cup Vanilla Yoghurt
1 cup Almond Milk
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
Directions:
In a blender combine the yoghurt, berries, milk, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Blend on high until smooth. Pour in a glass and enjoy this frozen treat.
John Fox’s Fruit Pizza
Serves 12
GLAZE
1 Cup Orange Juice
1/4 Cup Lemon juice
Dash of Salt
3/4 Cup Water
3 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 Cup Sugar
SAUCE
8 Ounce Cream cheese
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
CRUST
1 Package of Sugar Cookie Dough
FRUIT
Peaches
Bananas
Kiwi
Grapes
Strawberries
Mix ingredients of glaze, cook over medium heat until it boils and thickens, then cool. Spread cookie dough on buttered pizza pan. Bake 350F degrees for 10 minutes. Cool. Mix sauce and spread over cooled dough. Arrange fruit on top and pour glaze over. Refrigerate.
Your child will love being creative on arranging the fruit on the pizza.
Submitted by Karen Orteza
Natalie Raccoon’s Indoor S’mores
This is a quick simple recipe, great for those rainy days when you can’t build a fire but still want S’mores.
Ingredients:
1 box Graham Crackers
1 Jar Marshmallow Creme
1 Jar Chocolate Spread
Directions:
Break the graham crackers into two even halves. Spread the chocolate spread on one half. On the other half spread the marshmallow creme. Take the two halves and place the one on to of the other with the creme and spread touching inside.
Pour a glass of milk and eat your S’more. Enjoy.
Submitted by Carol Czarnecki