Winners of If Tomorrow Never Comes

Congratulations to Candi and Jenny!!!! :)

Friday's Fave Five

It's Friday (ya!) so I'm participating in Susanne's Friday's Favorite Five Picks so here are five of my favorite things for this week:


1) I finished the shawl I was working on this week. I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out and my only complaint is that I wished I had a little more yarn to make it a bit longer. But I figure this will be a good time to try my hand at blocking.



2) Speaking of knitting. It always feels good to knit something and when you give it as a gift the receiver really likes what you knitted for them. Well, I knitted a little blanket for my office assistant and I haven't seen anyone love a blanket that I knitted more than her.

3) Wildlife. I love it when I see all kinds of different wildlife and this week I got to see a roadrunner, a rabbit, raccoons, a hawk, and about seven cardinals at one time. I live out in the country so that is why I usually see all these critters. I love it. :)

4) Hummingbirds. I think I saw a hummingbird this week so I'm going to get my hummingbird feeder out this weekend. I love watching those little birds.

5) Snore spray. I know that sounds crazy and when I bought it at the store I was skeptic but I was desperate. My hubby had been snoring so loud and long that I ended up sleeping on the couch..not fun. So I bought the snore spray and was surprised when it worked. He still snores a little but it's not as loud or long. Before the spray it was almost non-stop and so loud and now it's just a few times during the night and not that loud. My hubby doesn't really like using the spray but he does for me so he's included in this favorite. ;)

Rainy Day

Found this picture on the web and thought it was too cute and it's perfect for today since it's suppose to rain.

If Tomorrow Never Comes Blog Tour Plus Giveaway!

If Tomorrow Never Comes by Marlo Schalesky is about childhood sweethearts Kinna and Jimmy Henley who had simple dreams—marriage, children, a house by the sea… Everything they needed for happily ever after. What they didn’t plan on was years of infertility, stealing those dreams, crushing their hopes.

Now, all that’s left is the memory of young love, and the desperate need for a child to erase the pain. Until…

When Kinna rescues an elderly woman from the sea, the threads of the past, present, and future weave together to reveal the wonder of one final hope. One final chance to follow not their dreams, but God’s plan.

Can they embrace the redemptive power of love before it’s too late? Or will their love be washed away like the castles they once built upon the sand?

Author Bio:

Marlo Schalesky is the author of several books, including Beyond the Night and Empty Womb, Aching Heart. A graduate of Stanford University, Marlo also has a masters of theology with an emphasis in biblical studies from Fuller Theological Seminary. Married over twenty years, she lives with her husband, Bryan, and their five children in California.

Angie here...if this books sounds interesting to you and you would like a chance to win a copy then please just leave a comment and please make sure I have a way to contact you if you should win. :) I will draw the lucky winners (I'm giving away two copies) on Monday, March 30.

Spring Reading Thing 2009: My List

Today is the first day of spring which means that the Spring Reading Thing 2009 has official begun!!! I was in a little bit of reading slump but I'm starting to come out of it so I'm really excited about this challenge cause I'm sure it will help me get all the way out of my slump. So here is my list:

A Vote of Confidence by Robin Lee Hatcher

Hood by Stephen Lawhead

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

Her Royal Spyness by Rhys Bowen

Bookmarked For Death by Lorna Barrett

A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman

Tahn by L.A. Kelly

Crime and Clutter by Cyndy Salzmann

Death By Deep Dish Pie by Sharon Short

Farmer Boy by Laura Ingalls Wilder

From A Distance by Tamera Alexander

So there is my list. :)

Oh--I'm going to be giving away two copies of If Tomorrow Never Comes next week so if you are intestested please stop by my blog on Monday to sign up for a chance to win a copy. :)

Friday's Fave Five

It's Friday (ya!) so I'm participating in Susanne's Friday's Favorite Five Picks so here are five of my favorite things for this week:

1) Today is the first day of Spring!!! Love to see all the trees budding out and the flowers blossoming. :)

2) Since today is the first day of Spring that means that the Spring Reading Thing has began today. I really enjoy Katrina's reading challenge..this will be my third time participating. Oh, and speaking of books if you come visit my blog next week I will be giving away two copies of If Tomorrow Never Comes. So if that book looks interesting to you then please come by and sign up for a chance to win a copy. :)

3) I ordered the yarn that I am going to use to make my first sweater. I decided to go through my stash and see if I had anything and I did so I just had to order a few more skeins so I will have enough. I figured since this is my first time to knit a sweater I didn't want to get a really expensive yarn and have to worry about that so once I finish knitting the shawl I'm working on I plan on starting on my sweater. Ack!

4) I love my Keurig Single Cup Coffee maker and I don't even really like coffee but I do like tea and hot cocoa. My husband got me this coffee maker for Christmas and I'm really enjoying it. I discovered this week that I can make a whole pot of iced tea using one K-cup of the English Breakfast Black tea. I just make about three cups using the same K-cup and then I just add water to make a whole pot and it makes wonderful iced tea.

5) Bluebonnets. They are finally staring to bloom. So pretty. Found this picture on the web to share with y'all:

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Outside my window... the sun is starting to break through the clouds promising to be a warm and lovely day.

I am thinking...that I have a lot of paperwork that I need to get done today but I want to make time to pick out some yarn to knit my first sweater. :)

I am thankful for...my lovely husband.

From the kitchen...need to unload and load the dishwasher.

I am wearing....jeans, green and white striped shirt and a sweater cause the sun hasn't made things warm enough for me to run around in short sleeves.

I am reading...A Vote Of Confidence by Robin Hatcher and Farmer Boy.

I am hoping...to get my yarn ordered today.

I am creating...a dishcloth and a wrap (that's what's on my knitting needles atm).

I am hearing....the radio.

Around the house...is a mess and I need to make time to clean some this week.

One of my favorite things...curling up on the couch with a good book and my kitties.

A few plans for the rest of the week...try to get paperwork caught up, exercise at least three times this week, and get some things done around the house.

Here is a picture that I am sharing with you...This is Luke and he is always into something.

8. Little House on the Prairie

Finished reading this last night and I have to say I enjoyed this book as much as the first one in the series. It amazes me what Laura and her family did on a day to day basis. They were totally self reliant.

So if your nine or ninety I highly recommend these books. I'm giving Little House on the Prairie five out of five stars.

7. If Tomorrow Never Comes

This is the first book I have read by Marlo Schalesky and I have to say she is a good author. If Tomorrow Never Comes is about a couple whose marriage is falling apart because they have been trying to have a baby and so far haven't had any luck.

Now first let me talk about the good things: I really did like the characters and was rooting for them along the way. And for the most part the story did keep me turning the pages but to be honest this is really just not my cup of tea. But it's not the author's fault it's just that I prefer more "light" romances. Guess you could say I prefer romantic comedies while this is more of a drama.

So I would say if you like dramas then I would certainly recommend this book because it is a good story. I'm giving If Tomorrow Never Comes three out of five stars.

If you think you would enjoy this book then please stop by my blog between March 23-27 as I'll be giving away a copy. :)

Friday's Fave Five

It's Friday (yay!) so I'm participating in Susanne's Friday's Favorite Five Picks so here are five of my favorite things for this week:

1) I finished knitting my kitty! I think he's pretty cute and he was a lot of fun making.

2) This week I discovered the Little House on the Prairie books. A very good friend of mine had been re-reading them and kept giving them glowing reviews so I couldn't take it anymore and got the first book in the series, Little House in the Big Woods. LOVED IT! Read it in one sitting and am now reading, Little House on the Prairie and just got Farmer Boy yesterday. I can see why they are classics.

3) Bookmooch. If you have never heard of it, it's this great site that lets you "mooch" books from people and give your books away. I love it and that is where I'm getting all the Little House books.

4) Rain. We have needed rain for awhile now and finally we have gotten some much needed rain. Granted, it's been raining for three days off and on and I'm a little tired of it but I know we need it so I'm thankful for the rain.

5) Interweave Knits. It's a knitting magazine that I just subscribed to and I got my first issue this week. Has lots of lovely patterns in it and it makes me want to try my hand at knitting a sweater soon. That's a scary thought but I do think I'm going to give it a try very soon.

Look What I Made!

Yep, I made that cute little kitty. I ordered the kit to make this cutie from Crafty Alien and enjoyed watching him take shape and I'm pretty happy with the way he turned out. There are a few things about him that I'm not crazy about, mistakes I made or whatnot. But I keep telling myself that my kitty isn't going to look like the one at Crafty Alien. I'm really my own worst critic but all in all I think he turned out pretty darn cute. :)

6. Little House in the Big Woods

I'm a little behind because I'm sure most people read the Little House series when they were kids but I did not. A good friend of mine was re-reading this series and posting about each book on her blog..each book got glowing reviews so I decided I would check them out. Well, Saturday I sat down with Little House in the Big Woods and ended up reading the entire book. I really enjoyed it. It reminded me of sitting with my Grandma and listening to her tell me stories of when she was a little girl. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the books in the series and have actually already started reading, Little House on the Prairie.

After reading this book I now see why it is a classic and I highly recommend it for those that are either young or just young at heart. I'm giving Little House in the Big Woods five out of five stars.

5. The Ghost and the Dead Deb

This is the second book in the Haunted Bookshop Mysteries Series. This series actually reminds me a bit of the old movie, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Very good movie, btw. So if you know that movie this series is like that with a good dose of mystery.

In this book the main character, Penelope, who is the owner of a bookshop invites this author for a reading and then to sign some books. Sounds simple, right? Wrong. A lot of people are mad at this author and they have some disruptions during the reading and book signing. Then this author disappears only to reappear floating in a lake. So it's time for Penelope and her ghost friend, Jack, to start figuring out who killed this author.

It was a pretty good cozy mystery and really my only complaint would be I didn't care for some of the language but it wasn't really that bad, I just personally would prefer none. But that's just me. So the bottom line is: it was a good story, had a few twists in it that I didn't see coming, and the characters are likable so I am giving The Ghost and the Dead Deb three and a half stars out of five.

Friday's Fave Five (a day late)

I know I'm late but yesterday I wasn't feeling very well and ended up staying home instead of going to work which means that I am trying to play catch up today. But before I do that I thought I would do Friday's Fave Five first.

1. I learned how to make cables (knitting) this week!! I was so pleased with myself. I haven't tried making anything yet but still I know I can if I want to. :)

2. Peg Leg was found! I work part time at an animal clinic and a little kitten who had a broken leg went missing. He's such a sweetie and they are trying to find him a home but until then they have let him run around the clinic with the two clinic cats and I guess he got out last Friday. But one day this past week they found him under a bush. I was so happy to see him, if I didn't already have 12 cats I would take him home with me.

3. Free movie tickets. My parent's got some free movie tickets and since they don't go to the movies they gave them to me and my hubby. Now if something worth seeing would just come out.

4. Knitting this kitty. I haven't finished it yet but I have all the body parts knitted up so now I just have to do some finishing touches and then felt them and put them together. I've been enjoying working on this project and will probably order some more patterns from Crafty Alien.

5. Getting to stay home from work. ;) True a good part of the morning and a little bit of the afternoon I didn't feel that great but around 2:00 I was feeling a lot better and enjoyed knitting, watching TV, and hanging out with my critters.

So there you have it..my list a day late but better late than never, right? :)