Happy Homemaker Monday

 

I sure did miss posting last week.  I hope you had a great week!

Welcome to Happy Homemaker Monday 

Always my favorite post of the week!

The Weather

Fall has arrived in Texas.  Some days it seems a little wintery with clouds and even some rain.  But usually by mid day the sun is out shining brightly.

Right Now I  Am

Looking forward to being off today.  I now only work every other Monday.  I am planning on a new job beginning on Wednesday in December.  I am looking forward to a new client.

On my reading pile

Oh my goodness I have a huge stack.  I need to do a whole post on all the good books in my pile just waiting to be read. 

Today the one I just can't wait to read is . . . 

   A Litfuse tour in December. 

And a yummy cozy mystery on the Great Escapes Tours

Reviewing both books.  My book review blog is over here.

On my 'To  Do List This Week

1. One quilt for the Houston project to finish
2. Buy pansy's 
3. Set up the hot chocolate station in Outdoor room
4. Put Christmas tree in the Outdoor room

In the kitchen

 

This looks so yummy to try to go with a salad and a seafood chowder!

On the menu

Monday- Grilled Steak, fingerling potatoes, green beans

grill some burgers for Thursday

Tuesday- Seafood Chowdar (from leftover seafood boil), Salad and Cajun Crabmeat Augratin

Wednesday-Frozen Lasagna, Eggplant Parmesan, Salad

Thursday- Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Brocolli Salad

Friday- Super Simple Quiche

In the garden

 I planted some mums I got on sale, a butter fly bush.  I so need to get some lettuce started and more carrots. 

Something fun to share

Super Simple choose to send 5, 10 or 20.  Choose domestic or international.  Choose to make or send store bought.  Leave a comment (include your email) to join the group!  Commit to mail by December 10th.

Fabulous Features Including 4 features today since I missed last week!

Click here to read post. 

Carol always shares such great information.  Click here to visit the post. 

Fabulous Feature

Great informative post.  I always love infor. and tutorials to make my blog better!  Click here.

Fabulous Feature

 

Any informative post that might get you to thinking. Click here.

From the camera--Praise The Lord

Story follows tomorrow.  Be sure and come back.

 

Devo./ Scripture

Click here

Ordinary Graces by Lucinda Secrest McDowell-Litfuse Book Tour

About the book 

Ordinary Graces: Word Gifts for Any Season (Abingdon Press, October 2017)

Everyone loves to receive a gift.

And God has given us many, such as his grace—the gift we don’t deserve and can never earn. Promises from the One who declares we are already loved, already accepted, already created in his image. The question becomes, will we truly receive that gift? Will the reality of it actually change the way we think and notice and reach out?

God’s Word will stand forever, in any season of life. These truths prompt us to respond with compassion and courage.

Through inspiring devotions, Lucinda Secrest McDowell reveals biblical blessings that remind us that: God’s promises give us strength, God’s grace can be most evident at our weakest points, a proper response to our abundance of blessings is simply gratitude, and the “more” we are all looking for is the same abundant life that Jesus came to give us.

Would you like to receive these gifts of ordinary grace? Join Lucinda in focusing on one word a day through devotional readings and short benedictions for any and every season to explore the many facets of Grace, Strength, Gratitude, and Life.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

And I thought
What a lovely devotional.  A small little book packed with some big reminders of God's promises. 
This devotional is only 247 pages of devo's followed by a few pages of Gratitude's from the author and foot notes. 

I loved each and every devo.  This was a wonderful devotional for all women.  

A great gift idea for any of your friends whether they are mature believers, young believers or young moms or seekers.

I think anyone would feel a beautifully blessed to read the lovely installments.  

Back in the day I had a similar devotional by another 
renowned author.  I loved it.  As a younger mom at the time 
it was a welcoming addition to my day.  

Although we are all coached to the importance of picking up our Bible and reading it sadly sometimes it can be daunting. 
To receive the lovey word along with a devotional is sometimes just what we women need.  

I completely enjoyed Ordinary Graces.  It is a book that I'll put on my list as perfect to purchase for a gift.  

Just in time for Christmas check it out! 

I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse.
This review will appear on retail sites. 
This review will appear on Good Reads. 


Buy the book 

Amazon 

CBC

Simple Sunday-Fabulous Party

Source

May your Sunday be Simply Blessed

I chose this one today because I needed that reminder. 

Today I am staying home and spending a few extra hours finishing the Houston quilt project.

If your like me and your strung out, wrung out and wilting take a moment and rest in the Father's arms and 

Smile

And now that we are all smiling and rested 

Here's the party!

Welcome new and old friends.

We've been having a few new friends each week.  

Yea!

I hope you all visit each other. 

This week along with your regular Fabulous posts feel free to add any Thankful posts.

If you planning Thanksgiving or share your archives they are always fun too!

Let's party!

As always I will pin your posts and choose 2 features for my Monday Happy Homemaker Monday post.  (I will have 4 this week because I didn't get to post last week)

Rescued Hearts by Hope Toler Dougherty-A Litfuse Tour-Book Review/Giveaway

About the book 

Rescued Hearts (Mantle Rock Publishing, September 2017)

Children’s clothing designer Mary Wade Kimball’s soft spot for animals leads to a hostage situation when she spots a briar- entangled kitten in front of an abandoned house. Beaten, bound, and gagged by the two thugs inside, Mary Wade loses hope for escape when a third villain returns with supplies.

Discovering the kidnapped woman ratchets the complications for undercover agent Brett Davis. Weighing the difference of ruining his three months’ investigation against the woman’s safety, Brett forsakes his mission and helps her escape, the bent-on-revenge brutes following behind.

When Mary Wade’s safety is threatened once more, Brett rescues her again. This time, her personal safety isn’t the only thing in jeopardy. Her heart is endangered as well.

And I thought 

My favorite kind of book.  A romantic suspense.  I was intrigued by the description.  My favorite kind of read.  

I wasn't disappointed!  I loved every minute.  

There was something about this book that I just couldn't put my finger on.  I did no research.  I just kept thinking I had read something else by this author and then it dawned on me!  
I went to my book shelf and found this . . . 

My 5 star review is here. I remember when I read this book last spring how I hoped there would be a series.  I was a little disappointed not to see more.  Hint. Hint.

But am I glad that Miss Dougherty has been busy elsewhere. 

Rescued Hearts is hard to describe.  It is difficult to speak to how good this book is.  

I love a thriller.  I really love a super clean thriller.  This is what you get.  

I was captivated and taken in from the description and then right on to page one and all the way to the end!  

I am excitedly anticipating what Hope throws at us next time!  

I received a complimentary copy from Litfuse.
This review will appear on Amazon and Good Reads.
This review will appear on My Reading Journeys in the near future. 

Available

Amazon 
B&N
Good Reads

Giveaway

Click here

Something Fun To Share-Main Street Romance

Main Street Romance is made up of four friends and bestselling authors who adore romance, and are committed to filling your bookshelves with sweet and clean love stories you'll be excited to share with your best friend, Mom, Grandma, and your teenage daughter, too. No profanity, graphic sex, or violence.

Not only are they dedicated to writing sweet romance and growing their audience with new readers, but they will be building an entire community around the Main Street Romance brand, including giving readers short stories that take place in their very own Main Street Romance world, where new characters along with characters from their prior releases, will appear in stories that take place on Main Street, in Romance, Virginia.

Join them on the front porch for a cool glass of sweet tea, curl up in a cozy chair, and get ready to fall in love with your next favorite read.

Simple Sunday - The Fabulous Party

Have A Blessed Day

Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,

for I have put my trust in you.

Show me the way I should go 

for to you I lift up my soul. 

The Party

Welcome to the party!

Simple rules.  Keep it Family Friendly.

  All posts pinned on the Fabulous Party board.

2 features chosen each week and posted on my Happy Homemaker Monday post.

 

Wordless Wednesday

Enjoy

Happy Trails

Book Review-Sweet Dreams Baby by Nora LeDuc-Goddess Fish Promotions Tours

 

About the book 

Who killed Judge Shaw Buchanan aka “the hanging judge,” on the day of his wife’s funeral?

When Harper Buchanan, the judge’s estranged daughter, witnesses her father’s murder in the small town of Barley, New Hampshire, she promises to find his escaped killer. She hires local private investigator, Finn O’Rourke to track down the shooter. Soon, they are working together, and Harper finds herself drawn to Finn’s looks, smarts, and self-reliance. But she’s fallen for the wrong type of man before. She vows not to repeat her mistake and to keep their relationship professional.



Finn does his best to deal with their growing chemistry by focusing on the job. But when someone attempts to kill Harper to prevent her from uncovering the identity of her father’s murderer, his goal changes. Harper’s protection becomes Finn’s full-time priority, even though it means risking his life for a woman who may never love him.

Read an excerpt

“Leave or I’ll shoot you. You’ll be the next customer earmarked for eternal rest.”

Harper Buchanan shut her mouth in the middle of accepting condolences as her father’s steel-toned voice traveled from the hall into the crowded reception room of Smitty’s Funeral Parlor.

At five-ten, she was easily able to scan the faces of shocked grievers and assess the situation. She’d spent the last two days trying to be a good daughter by making sure her mother received a “heavenly” goodbye. Now, the morning teetered on the verge of going to hell.

She inhaled a sharp breath that filled her lungs with the scent of the flowers decorating the shelves behind her mother’s closed coffin. Nausea rumbled in her stomach. But she didn’t have time to be sick. Her father, Judge Shaw Buchanan, was close to out of control.

Staying away from Judge Buchanan on his “dark days” was one of the first things new interns at the courthouse learned to do, usually the hard way. His work friends and acquaintances knew better than to approach him in his present mood. They’d come here out of their respect and admiration for a man who upheld the law and handed out stiff punishments.

So that left her to handle him. Once her dad flew into a rage, nothing but time and distance cooled his anger. She had to stop him before he reached that point.

And I thought

Get the laundry going.  The crock pot on. A glass of sweet tea and a bottle of wine.   Then crack it open.   This one is hard to put down!  Get ready for a 5 star read!

From the first few pages this reader was totally absorbed and engaged.

I loved the fast paced ride. 

I loved the characters.  They swept in and captured my attention. 

The sparks that fly between Harper and Finn had me wanting to have a 'sit down' with them from time to time.  They needed a little nudge toward each other.  

This was a fun twisting turning ride!  

I received a complimentary copy from Goddess Fish Promotions.

This review will appear on retail sites and Good Reads. 

Buy it now

Amazon

Visit the tour

 

Click Here

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

It's A Great Day For A Horse Show

Watchin mama work.  His 1st horse show

I am off to deliver breakfast then watch my grandson ride and my daughters students.

Last year waitin' to ride

I got a text a few minutes ago requesting a cheese burger plain and dry.  

In the show ring

I convinced him pancakes were a better idea. 

Last year we almost needed sun screen

Today we'll sportin' our new winter coats.

Of course I will take lots of pics. 

Off to get those pancakes!

Happy Trails

Flower Friday-My Busy Week

Sharing today a few orchids that I purchased this week for a client.
I spent 3 days running all over town searching for the right ones. 
I ended up today after The Cowboy suggested it calling around the local stores that might have them. 

I hope she likes them 

I probably spent an hour turning it this way and that looking for the perfect angle

This is what she'll see when she walks in the door

I re-potted them into the urns. 

Here's one in the dining room.

This isn't the urn that was originally in the room.  I am not sure if she would want it sitting on the wood so I put a cloth underneath.

I wasn't able to find the smaller orchids she usually uses for this area so I had to find a different pot.  I choose the urn that was similar to the one in the entry way.

It was hard finding the white.  I wasn't able to find any small ones. 

For another smaller entry way I chose this one. . . 

I hope she likes them!

And I hope she likes how the house looks. This client has been out of town since May.  I am the house keeper and manager of the grounds.  Its been a struggle this summer getting the yard men to keep up with the work.  I am a little curious what they will think when they return tonight!  We'll see. 

Anyway it was fun and stressful shopping for these gorgeous orchids.  The best part was spending someone else's money!