Channeling My Inner Amanda

The other day I decided to channel my inner Amanda and try to get all creative with my baking.

Have you seen her baking blog I Am Baker?

Oh.My.Word. She is so incredibly talented and makes everything look so easy.

She is totally responsible for my cookie decorating & cookie cutter addiction.

I admired her so much that I stalked her until she became my friend.

I just want to put her in my pocket.

(Ooh..that sounded creepy)

About a month ago I got the idea in my head that I wanted to bake a pink & purple birthday cake for Jordan's second birthday which is at the end of this month. I am talking about the innards of the cake, friends. Pink & purple on the inside.

Amanda said it might be a good idea to go with one colour on the inside and use pink and purple in the frosting.

But no. I march to the beat of my own drum and I was gonna pink & purple this cake right up.

Right around the time I separated the batter into two cake pans and added the food colouring, I started to regret it. They looked gross.

Still....I popped those babies into the oven, full of hope.

I mixed up my frosting and added the food colouring and went to work.

Before long, I began to feel like Buddy from Cake Boss.

This is the end result.





Looking at the pictures now, I wish I'd cut each layer into two and alternated them.

I can't decide if it's cute or gross. It changes by the minute!

What do you think? be honest, but please be gentle!

Thanks Melis!!

Look what my sweet friend Melis from The Zookeeper's Diary awarded me!



And...



Aren't they pretty?

If you haven't had a chance to visit her blog then you are missing out, my friends. She is witty and warm and wise and I just adore her!

Thank you Melis! Getting awards from YOU of all people makes me all warm and fuzzy inside!

Black and White Wednesday - March 3

Oh how I love baby hands...



Join in on the Black and White Wednesday fun at The Long Road to China!

Goodbye (For Now!) IntenseDebate Commenting System

Thanks to all who helped me try out my new commenting system. I LOVED being able to interact with you!

But...

Some of you were experiencing difficulty in viewing my blog and/or comments and that matters to me, so I've removed it for now. IntenseDebate is looking into this for me, so if I can get it back eventually, then I'd really like to.

I'm off to bed even though it's only 7:30. I have a cold that I can't seem to shake and Ian is kind enough to hold down the fort so I can rest.

Talk to you tomorrow :-)

It Was The Most Dramatic Rose Ceremony Ever...

...at least in this house, it was.

It isn't unusual for me to run my mouth while watching a show I have an opinion about, but even I have to admit that last night I was off the charts.

Why?

Because it was the finale of The Bachelor.

You know, The Bachelor, that show I was never ever going to watch again.

But I got sucked in, just like I do every time.

So here is my recap, Kate Style.

First we have 25 beautiful ladies:



The Girl Next Door:



The One You Loved To Hate:



The crazy one:



The Scandalous One:



The Tease/Player:



The Little Girl:



The DramaMama:



And one Bachelor:



All the components of a typical season.

Oh wait!!

I almost forgot the host, Chris Harrison.



I just love how he comes out of the shadows during the Rose Ceremonies to say, "Ladies....Jake....this is the final rose of the evening."

Um... thanks Captain Obvious. I think everyone knew it was the last rose. Because they can count.

For some reason I just had to find out ahead of time who Jake picked this season. So, I googled Bachelor Spoilers and what did I learn? I learned that it would come down to these two, Tenley and Vienna.

Tenley/Jake/Vienna

I also learned that Jake picked Vienna.

VIENNA!?

Ick.

Still, I watched every week. The spoilers could be wrong. Someone as smart (gag) as Jake surely would pick Tenly, the classy and sweet girl next door.

Men. Clearly this guy was thinking with the wrong part of his anatomy. (Please excuse me for being so crass)

Tenly was crushed. I was crushed.

Surely...surely ABC would make Tenley the next Bachelorette, right?

WRONG!

It's Ali. AKA The Drama Mama.



How do I spell annoying?

A-l-i.

I don't think I'm going to watch this show ever again.

This time I might actually mean it.

New Commenting System

Hey Friends!

I'm trying out a new commenting system I found on Mama M's blog My Little Life.

Could you please leave me any old comment so I can see if it works?

Thanks!

You're Invited :-)

I think that I made my love for Beth Moore pretty clear in my last post, but in case you missed it...

I love me some Beth Moore!

I love her so much that I will be hosting an online Bible study in my BlogFrog Community that YOU are personally invited to take part in.

Yep, YOU!

We're going to be reading Beth's latest book called So Long Insecurity: You've Been A Bad Friend To Us.



I went to Chapters yesterday to purchase this book and just about cried when they told me that they hadn't been shipped any copies of this book from the publisher.

To any of their stores.

GASP!

But all was not lost, because Ian ordered it for me from Amazon.ca and he received a notification this evening that my book has shipped.

Already!

So excited.

If you would like to join in - which I truly hope you will - we will begin discussing Chapter 1 on Monday March 8th.

You don't have to have a blog to participate, but you will need to sign up for a BlogFrog profile. It's free and easy, and will give you access to all of the wonderful blogging communities.

I'm really looking forward to getting to know you more as we work our way through this book. I'm hoping to encourage you, and to be encouraged by you.

Beth Moore…You Shake Me Up!

I’d forgotten how much I love a Beth Moore study. I’ve done her Breaking Free and Get Out of That Pit: Straight Talk About God’s Deliverance studies and they were life changing.

I finally made it back to my Wednesday morning Bible study which we call Coffee Break and it felt so good to be back after being away since December.

Our new study is called The Inheritance and I am in love with it already. In the first DVD, Beth talks about the year that changed our lives, and everyone will have one.

I’ve had many years that have changed the direction of my life, but I’ve always stayed the same for the most part.

But one that changed me?

Oh yeah, there was one.

It was 2007. I can’t give details because it’s too painful and too private, but believe me when I say it was life changing.

What I can tell you is that 2007 was the year that I understood without a doubt that God loved me and without Him I was nothing.

Each day I would pray that He would give me the strength I needed to face that day. Each day I asked Him to be with me.

He never disappointed me. Ever.

He carried me throughout that entire year. That is the Truth.

I felt Him. Inside my heart.

Have you felt that inside your heart feeling that only God can give?

That feeling that, even though your feet are on the floor, it is really Someone else that is carrying you?

It’s beautiful, friends. It’s beautiful.

Have you had a year that changed your life? I'd love it if you'd share it with me. It doesn't have to be here on my blog, you could email your story to me at katieb38@hotmail.com.

I'm sure you'll hear more about this study as it goes forward. I'm excited to share all that I learn with you :-)

Book Review: A Mom's Ultimate Book of Lists

A Mom's Ultimate Book of Lists is your one-stop resource for more than 100 lists to live by, including:

When to Call the Doctor
Questions to Ask before Choosing a Pediatrician
Sleep Training Your Baby
Top Toys for the First Year
Terrific Activities Toddlers Love
Easy Steps for Taming Tantrums
Feeding a Picky Eater
Signs of a Family-Friendly Restaurant
Common Childhood Allergies and Illnesses
Instant Pick-Me-Ups
and so much more

Start saving your time, money, and sanity today!

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

When the opportunity to review this book came along I knew I'd be a fool to pass it up.

Hello. My name is Kate and I am a List Person.

Lists are so orderly and keep me on track toward my tasks and goals. They keep me organized so I don't forget anything.

So... show me something with the word "list" in it and you've got my attention.

Did you read some of the titles up there?? Well there's more. Over 100 of them to be (somewhat) exact.

I started off by thumbing through the book to get the lay of the land, so to speak. And the first list I saw was Developmental Milestones For Toddlers.

What a coicidence. I have a toddler!

This book is a great resource for Moms. It has lists for preparing for a new baby, lists for the first year, toddler years and preschool years. Lists for family and friends, health and safety, and lists on how to save your time, money and sanity.

Oh yep, you know I spent a lot of time in that last section. I need to save what's left of my sanity. ;-)

I think that moms everywhere should pick up this book and keep it nearby. It's a must have for the bookshelf.

This book is courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available now at your favourite bookseller.

Book Review: Abigail

What price must she pay for true love?

Her days marked by turmoil and faded dreams, Abigail has resigned herself to a life with a man she does not love. But when circumstances offer her a second chance at happiness with the handsome David, she takes a leap of faith to join his wandering tribe. Still, her struggles are far from over. How can she share his love with the other women he insists on marrying?

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The novel is the second book in the Wives of King David series but holds its own as a stand alone book.

Author Jill Eileen Smith does a masterful job of bringing Abigail to life, taking great care to stick as close to the cultural times as possible. As I read this book I was transported to that time period and exposed to David in a fresh way.

Abigail is a woman of faith and strength, and the reader is able to relate to her on many levels. She is deeply in love with David and her struggles with sharing her husband with other women is real and raw.

I enjoyed this book. It captured my attention from the very first chapter and held my interest throughout. I found myself looking forward to when I could sit down and read some more, wanting to experience more of Abigail and David.

This author as definitely found herself a new fan of her writing, and I will certainly be checking out some of her other work.

This book is courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available now at your favourite bookseller.

Book Review: Swinging On A Star

Bella Rossi's life is nearing perfection. She's got the perfect guy, she's running a successful business, and she's about to plan her most ambitious wedding yet, a Renaissance-themed fairy tale come true, complete with period costumes and foods, horse-drawn carriages, and even a castle. There's just one hitch. The best man just happens to be Brock Benson, Hollywood's hottest and most eligible bachelor. Oh, and did we mention he's staying at the Rossi house to avoid the paparazzi?

With all the pressure surrounding this wedding, Bella's not sure she's going to make it through. Add her starstruck sister, her feuding aunt and uncle, and a trio of large, sequined church ladies with even bigger personalities, and you've got a recipe for disaster--and a lot of laughs

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Being that this novel is the second in the series, I was a little concerned that I might be missing something by not having read the first book. Had I done so I would have had a better background on the main character, Bella. However this book can certainly be read and enjoyed on its own.

While I did find it a little slow to grab my attention at first, I found myself "all in" soon enough, and enjoyed it right through to the end.

A couple of details that I appreciated was that the story is told by the first person narrative, something I don't see much of anymore. I also liked that each chapter's title was a Frank Sinatra song - I love 'Ole Blue Eyes ;-)

This novel overflows with comedy, romance, love of family and fine cooking. The characters are well developed and enjoyable. Definitely a sweet read.

This book is courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available now at your favourite bookseller.

I'm So Tired Of Winter!!

It's that day today.

You know....that day. When it really and truly feels as though winter will go on forever and ever amen.

I hate winter. It affects my mood and brings.me.down. I keep the blinds open all day long so I can get as much sunshine as possible and that helps a bit. But last night we got a lot of snow and looking at it just made me cry and I didn't want to get out of bed this morning.

So, rather than wallow in these lousy feelings, wanna know what we're going to do today?

We're going to take a mental vacation!

Better pack a bag!



We're leavin'...on a jet plane...don't know when we'll be back again...



Hope you don't mind, but I'm a window-seat kinda gal...



Hope someone is holding my hand...I hate to fly!

We're here!



Let's unpack later! All we need are our beach bags...



..and the beach!



Oh and one or two of these bad boys...



Oh yes. Feeling better already.

Maybe a bit of this...



Some of that...



One of these...



...and I'm good to go home :-)

Sigh.

Sometimes a mental break is all we need.

Have a great day everyone.

Book Review: Beguiled

In the shadows of Charleston, someone is watching her…

Rylee Monroe, a dogwalker in Charleston’s wealthiest neighborhood, never feared the streets at night. But now a thief is terrorizing the area and worse, someone seems to be targeting her.

Reporter Logan Woods is covering the break-ins with the hope of publishing them as a true-crime book. The more he digs, the more he realizes this beguiling dogwalker seems to be at the center of everything.

As danger draws ever closer, Logan must choose: Chase the girl, the story, or plunge into the shadows after the villain who threatens everything?

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

The action begins in the very first chapter of this novel. I appreciate that so much because it sets the stage for the rest of the story. It was a fast paced read, loaded with great character development and scene description.

I liked how some chapters were from Rylee’s point of view and others were from Logan’s. It kept the story interesting for me. I also enjoyed the slow and gradual romance that built up between the two of them, and the lines Logan had…oh the sigh-out-loud kind of lines. The way he loved into the areas where she needed loving, promising to never leave her or hurt her.

What woman doesn’t want that??

The story maintains it’s fast moving pace or suspense and romance keeping me interested throughout, right up to the shocking and heartbreaking realization at the end.

The best part? The epilogue. Oh I do love a little extra somthin’ somthin’ at the end to let me know what happens after the story.

I liked this book so much I’m going to read it again :-)

This book is courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available now at your favourite bookseller.

Book Review: Anything But Normal

She thought she'd left the summer behind . . .

This year should be the best of Sophie Ramsay's life. She's friends with all the right people, she's a shoo-in for editor of the school newspaper, and she's managed to turn the head of one of the hottest guys in school.

But something's not quite right. Sophie has a secret--one she won't be able to keep under wraps for much longer.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Geared to the middle school/high school set, Anything But Normal is a sweet and easy read about a teenaged girl who is dealing with an unexpected pregnancy.

The story's main character is a Christian who has, along with her friends, taken the Purity Pledge; abstaining from sex until marriage. But one summer away from home ends up changing her life forever.

The author did well at portraying the life of the teenaged girl: what they struggle with, get excited about, dream about and hope for. The topics of abstinence, abortion and adoption are explored from both a Christian standpoint as well as the secular. We are able to view the topic of teen pregnancy from the eyes of the young mother-to-be, her friends as well as her parents.

As a mother, I work hard at nurturing my relationships with my children, encouraging them to be open and honest with me in everything, and that I will always be there to support them. This book was an eye opener for me.

I was a little disappointed in the ending, as I would have liked to have had a glimpse of what life was like for Sophie as she lived her life after her decision. I think this book needs to be read by both parents and teenagers alike. I’ll definitely be keeping this one on the bookshelf to share with my children.

This book is courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available now at your favourite bookseller.

Why Do People Dress Their Dogs?

This is a phenomenon I just don't get.

People that dress their dogs.

They don't need clothes.

They certainly don't need a coat to go outside. They have a built in fur coat that does the job.

Don't even get me started on little doggie booties.

Look at this poor little fellow:



He's sporting some kind of vest with pockets.

Hard as I try, I cannot come up with a single reason why a dog needs a pocket.

Then there is this one:



She had some serious bling goin' on. She had a little pink purse that was attached to her leash, but I didn't get a shot of that for you.

So sorry.

But believe me, she had one. And it had sparkly crystal thingies on it too.

But nothing - I repeat nothing - prepared me for this:



A doggy pedicure.

Who has time to do their dog's nails??

I can add this phenomenon to my list of things I will never get.

Book Review: Hunter's Moon

Every family has secrets. Few will go as far as the Baxters to keep them.

Bestselling novelist CJ Baxter has made a career out of writing hard-hitting stories ripped from his own life. Still there's one story from his past he's never told. One secret that's remained buried for decades.

Now, seventeen years after swearing he'd never return, CJ is headed back to Adelia, NY. His life in Tennessee has fallen to pieces, his grandfather is dying, and CJ can no longer run from the past.

With Graham Baxter, CJ's brother, running for Senate, a black sheep digging up old family secrets is the last thing the family and campaign can afford. CJ soon discovers that blood may be thicker than water, but it's no match for power and money.

There are wounds even time cannot heal.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

I found this book to be very slow to start and hard to get into. There was almost too much description and stage setting that went on for the first 60 or so pages. I found it hard to keep my focus on what was going on as I much prefer a book that grabs me right from the get go.

I think the premise of the story was good, and it certainly moved quickly in parts, but the book as a whole didn't grab me. Too long to get to the crux of the story, then it was over. I was left feeling very unsatisfied.

Lots of big words in places that didn't flow naturally. But I kept reading because I love a good secret!

Would I read another one of this author's books? Likely not, as I felt it was geared to a more masculine audience.

This book is courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Available now at your favourite bookseller.

New Blog Look!

Notice anything different?

I am loving my new blog makeover, courtesy of Beth at Laugh Until You Cry! She has such a lovely blog of her own and I've been admiring her layouts for some time now. I emailed her about them the other day and she offered to design something new for me.

I don't think she knew what she was getting into!!

I told her I liked purple and orange and flowers.

I failed to mention how picky I can be.

I am more than a little embarrassed to tell you how many changes I requested before she was done.

There were a lot.

*blush*

But she was SO professional, SO helpful, SOOOOO patient and SO SO SO sweet, and made every single change.

Are YOU looking for a new look for your blog? Check her out - she is wonderful.

Thank you so much, Beth! I am so pleased with what you've come up with!!

Cookie Cutters, Protesting And My Lisa Leonard Necklace

When I went to bed last night, I was all motivated to get my housework done today. I planned my whole day out in my mind so that I would make the best use of my time.

Just as I fell asleep, one word popped into my mind.

McCalls.

Oh sweet mercy.

McCalls is a HUGE baking supply warehouse that I have been wanting to go to for awhile now but never seem to get around to going. I knew I had to go.

This morning the children and I took Ian in to work and we headed off to find this baker's paradise.

And.it.did.not.disappoint.

Wall to wall stuff. From chocolate molds to cake pans, ribbon and sparkling sugar in every colour, cake toppers and candles, fondants, an entire wall of cookie cutters, all sorts of packaging and baking utensils.... I could go on and on AMEN.

In order to shop there I had to purchase a membership for $25. I struggled with that because I don't like to spend money if I can help it, but figured this place was destined to become my second residence so I paid for it. And I bought new cookie cutters.

See?



I can't wait to use them.

I spent an hour and a half in that place. It passed in the blink of an eye.

Oh Mama was happy.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

On our way home we passed City Hall. Sam is learning all about the government at school right now, so I explained to him what City Hall was and what happens there. There were tons of people milling around, and several police cars parked out front. I told the children it looked like there was a protest going on.



When we passed by I read some of the signs. They were protesting the removal of two American Boxers from two different families by Animal Control. Apparently AC believe they are actually pitbulls, a breed that is becoming illegal in our province, and they want to destroy them. There's a big hoo-ha going on about it.

The children were quiet for a moment, then started talking about how wrong they felt it was to kill these dogs. We decided to go home and make some signs, then go back and protest along with everyone else. Once their signs were made we headed back downtown, Willow in tow.

Here are my little protesters:



Julie with a fellow protester:



This lady was really into the cause:



In case you were wondering, I was not there as a supporter today. I do believe that pitbulls are a dangerous breed, but I don't think that destroying them is the answer. But my children had a heart for this cause so I had no problem taking them today. What beautiful hearts they have.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Guess what FINALLY arrived on Friday??



My Lisa Leonard Necklace, that's what! I won a $40.00 gift certificate from my buddy Arizona Mamma at Our Daze In The Desert last month.



Isn't it pretty??

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

What were YOU up to today?