The Family Caregiver's Cookbook - Review

The Family Caregiver's Cookbook

Author: Harriet Hodgson

Publisher: WriteLife Publishing

Release Date: October 11, 2016

ISBN: 9781608081615

BLURB:

You’re in the caregiving trenches and barely make it through the day, let alone have the energy to prepare fancy meals. But meals don’t have to be fancy or hard to make in order to be delicious, nutritious, and healthy. Harriet Hodgson, a dedicated home cook, former food writer, and family caregiver, wanted to fix delicious meals for her disabled husband. A creative cook, Harriet adapted favorite family recipes and created new ones for this book, reducing salt, fat, and sugar. Personal stories add to the recipes and each one ends with “Caregiver Tips.” You’ll get tips on how to stock your pantry, speed shop for groceries, understand the effects of sodium, and practice food safety. The book is set in larger print that makes it easy to read. Treat your loved one—and yourself—to these easy-fix, delicious, and satisfying recipes. Make every meal a celebration of life!

 

MY THOUGHTS:

At some point in our life, most of us will become a caregiver. Most of the time we won't be prepared for it. It can be difficult and finding time to do everything including preparing special diets, medicines, appointments, etc. on top of our daily responsibilities, so where does one take shortcuts to help? In the food prep area, of course. It's quicker and easier to serve prepared, frozen or canned food, but in the end, it's far from healthy with the high sodium contents as well as other drawbacks including lack of taste. 

The Family Caregiver's Cookbook fills that need for good, nutritious, and healthy cooking that doesn't require long cooking or prep times. Not only is the food nutritious but it tastes great! You can tailor your cooking to the dietary needs of the person you are caring for and still give them a quick and healthy meal that you can feel good about.

The author, Harriet Hodgson wrote this book out of both experience and need to cook for her husband. She had 19 years caregiving experience, so you can be confident that this book is written by someone who knows what it's like being in a caregiver's shoes. She's walked in them a long time!

The Family Caregiver's Cookbook has many delicious recipes that will not take long to cook, is nutritious and best of all, tastes delicious! Some of my favorites are the Swedish Meatballs, Tomato Basil Soup with Shells, Crispy Cod with Potato Chip Topping, Chicken and Mushroom Crepes, Granny Smith's Apple-Dapple Muffins, to name a few. The recipes cover every meal, vegetable, and fruit as well as breads, snacks and deserts.

I cannot sing the praises of this cookbook enough as it is packed full of the author's experience. You'll read her stories, hints, tips and of course the delicious recipes. There is so much information between the covers of this book, it will become your most used resource!!!

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. I was not required to post a positive review - but one of my honest opinion. 

The Handwriting On the Wall

~Author Unknown

A weary mother returned from the store,
Lugging groceries through the kitchen door.
Awaiting her arrival was her 8 year old son,
Anxious to relate what his younger brother had done.

“While I was out playing and Dad was on a call,
T.J. took his crayons and wrote on the wall!
It’s on the new paper you just hung in the den.
I told him you’d be mad at having to do it again.”

She let out a moan and furrowed her brow,
“Where is your little brother right now?”
She emptied her arms and with a purposeful stride,
She marched to his closet where he had gone to hide.

She called his full name as she entered his room.
He trembled with fear–he knew that meant doom!
For the next ten minutes, she ranted and raved
About the expensive wallpaper and how she had saved.

Lamenting all the work it would take to repair,
She condemned his actions and total lack of care.
The more she scolded, the madder she got,
Then stomped from his room, totally distraught!

She headed for the den to confirm her fears.
When she saw the wall, her eyes flooded with tears.
The message she read pierced her soul with a dart.
It said, “I love Mommy,” surrounded by a heart.

Well, the wallpaper remained, just as she found it,
With an empty picture frame hung to surround it.
A reminder to her, and indeed to all,
Take time to read the handwriting on the wall.

Gathering of Sisters Review

Gathering of Sisters: A Year With My Old Order Mennonite Family
Author: Darla Weaver
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Herald Press
ISBN-13: 978-1513803371

About the Book:

Spend a day with sisters.

Once a week Darla Weaver bundles her children into the buggy, hitches up her spirited mare, and drives six miles to the farm where she grew up. There she gathers with her four sisters and their children for a day with their mother. In Gathering of Sisters, Weaver writes about her horse-and-buggy Mennonite family and the weekly women s gatherings that keep them connected. On warm days, the children play and fish and build houses of hay in the barn. In the winter, everyone stays close to the woodstove, with puzzles and games and crocheting. No matter the weather, the Tuesday get-togethers of this Old Order Mennonite family keep them grounded and centered in their love for God and for each other,even when raising an occasional loving but knowing eyebrow at each other.

The rest of the week is full of laundry, and errands, and work that never ends. But Tuesdays is about being sisters, daughters, and mothers.

Hear straight from Amish and Mennonite people themselves as they write about their daily lives and deeply rooted faith in the Plainspoken series from Herald Press. Each book includes A Day in the Life of the Author and the author s answers to FAQs about the Amish and Mennonites.

My Thoughts

Have you ever observed a family and wished you were part of it? The type of family where they are close, seem to do everything together and are happy - truly happy? This is how I felt as I read Gathering of Sisters. I so wanted to be a part of the gathering at Darla's mom's home. To feel a part of a family that is not only family, but are also friends. They share books, chores, creative ideas, gardening, flowers, etc. They are the epitome of love and reading this book made me greatly desire what they had. My family is gone - most have either died or moved away, so there is no one to share my later years with, the way I had always envisioned it. I believe this is the part of Amish/Mennonite life that is so attractive to us - where their society hasn't broken down the way ours has.

In Gathering of Sisters, Darla Weaver takes the reader into her childhood home and family and shares her life, feelings, relationships with her siblings, children, nieces, nephews and her mother. Her accounts are honest and she tells how she's not perfect, how she doesn't really love doing everything that we assume the Amish love to do or are superior at. She gives us the gift of making the members of the Old Order alive and real and not some fantasy from the Amish romances that have become so popular.

To say I loved this book is an understatement. It not only tells about Darla's time on Tuesdays with her siblings at her mother's house, but it also combines life with Godly messages and verses. She shares how things that happen in her life remind her about Bible verses as well as how things are incorporated in God plan. This is beautifully done and doesn't sound preachy or false - but most definitely from the heart.

Along with faith, the reader will find recipes for some of the dishes that are cooked, menus that they have and a nice question and answer at the end. This book follows a year of visits with the family and as it winds down to the month of December, there is a sadness that one knows this is the end of the visit with the family.

Make sure to add this to your reading list. It will not only warm you heart, but your soul. Highly recommended!!!

About the Author

Darla Weaver is a homemaker, gardener, writer, and Old Order Mennonite living in the hills of southern Ohio. She is the author of Water My Soul and Many Lighted Windows and has written for Family Life, Ladies' Journal, Young Companion, and other magazines for Amish and Old Order Mennonite groups. Before her three children were born she also taught school. Her hobbies are gardening and writing.

I received an egalley of this book from the NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

Life is Good!

Married life has certainly changed since the last time around. We have grown and I know that I've probably grown the most. Those years on my own gave me a greater perspective on what actually goes on in life. I never was truly on my own before - where I had no safety net. I went from my parents home, to rooming with someone to being married. Flying to another country and being 11,000 miles from home, away from anyone I knew, certainly put a new light on things.

Working, too, as an older person, was a challenge. Trying to find a job after being out of work for 26 years was difficult. No one was interested in hiring someone that "didn't do anything" for all that time. Homeschooling and doing other odds and ends just wasn't of interest to those that interviewed me. Finally, I found something that was not only a job, but a fun job... demoing products at Sam's Club. That got me the experience to get hired at a grocery store and then on to a job at the University.

I loved the job at the University, but after many hours of Bible Study, decided that after we remarried, that I would leave it and return home as a housewife. Both of my decisions were frowned upon by most of my friends. I was questioned over and over about the remarriage and then told I was crazy to leave my job - my source of independence!

You know, as much as I loved my job at the University, I don't miss it. It's funny, really. I do miss the people - they were a great team to work with, but I stay in contact with those that I made good friends with. The same with my past jobs. I may go back to demoing at Sam's a day or so a week, but right now, I just don't have the time! There are so many things I want to do and so many things that keep me busy right now, that I just don't seem to have enough time in the day, let alone adding work to it. I guess you could say I'm living the life of luxury now. I'm doing things I've been wanting to do that I couldn't with living in an apartment and with working all the hours I did.

Now, I am back doing those things I love: gardening, canning, dehydrating, knitting, reviewing, blogging, taking classes, working on making my house a home, trying new recipes, working on making a place for a craft room, etc. Most important, is having time for church, Bible study, family and friends. Those were the things that I missed doing most of all. I couldn't attend church because of my schedule at work and the time spent with visiting and enjoying the company of others was few and far between.

I am so lucky to have a second chance. I learned a very large lesson from all this - what is most important in life. God is soooo good!

Family Recipe Friday -

Kapusta means cabbage in Polish. This dish was made many times by my grandmother. Sometimes she used just cabbage and other times she'd combine cabbage and sauerkraut together and add pork for New Year's Day and would serve with mashed potatoes and kielbasa.

Just seeing this recipe for Kapusta brings back many memories of my grandmother standing in the kitchen cooking, the warmth of the atmosphere and the mouthwatering smells. Walking into her kitchen on a cold winter's day was like walking into heaven. She would always be in there making something and I remember not only the warmth of the kitchen, but her smile, hugs and kisses and then her demanding that we sit down and eat.

Kapusta

1 medium head cabbage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 pound bacon
1/4 cup flour
1 bay leaf
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon Cumin powder

Cut cabbage in fat shreds. Cook in a small amount of water to which you have added the bayleaf, onion, garlic, salt and Cumin.

Cut bacon into small pieces and fry. Add flout and stir constantly until it is a rich brown. Add to cooked cabbage and simmer on low for about 10 minutes.

Put into a buttered casserole and bake in a 300 degree F oven for 20 minutes.

Buttered crumbs may be sprinkled on top before baking.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Family Recipe Friday - Rhubarb Coffee Cake

It's spring - that time of the year that I get excited as the new plants poke through. With that, comes daffodils, snowdrops, spring onions, garlic, but most exciting for me is the rhubarb.  I love the sour taste of rhubarb and am guilt of munching on the stalks while chopping them for other recipes like this Rhubarb Coffee Cake.

This is another recipe from my aunt's collection. I remember her making Rhubarb Coffee Cake and giving it to me when I was young. She would also bring it along with her when she'd come visit and I was always excited to see her as well as to see what tasty treat she'd bring along when she'd stop in to visit.

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1-1/2 cups chopped rhubarb

Topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 Tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cream sugar and shortening. Add egg. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with the sour cream to creamed mixture. Fold in rhubarb. Spread in a greased 13"x 9" x 2" baking pan. Combine all topping ingredients. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes.

Creamy Rice Pudding

As I try to decide what to take with me, and what to keep, I came across a my aunt's recipe box. She was somewhat of an adventurous cook for our family. She had given me her collection after her husband died because she could never see cooking these for just herself. She had lost her passion for cooking and sadly reverted to plain and simple. No longer were the fantastic and unusual items coming from her kitchen and we no longer saw these creations at our family gatherings. She has since passed, but these recipes will always keep her alive for me. I am currently scanning all my family recipes and will pass them on to my children in their original form.

This was one recipe I had to share. I've had Rice Pudding before but this is my favorite hands down. It is easy and no precooking of the rice. All goes into a greased casserole and into the oven. There was no time given, so I stir it every so often and keep an eye on it until it is thickened to the way I like it. I have covered it and cooked it uncovered. It is very forgiving and tastes great. Unfortunately, I've never timed it, so it truly is one of those heirloom type recipes. I hope you enjoy!

 

Creamy Rice Pudding

1 quart milk

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup raw rice

1 Tablespoon butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup raisins

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. In a greased casserole (1-1/2 quart) combine all ingredients. Add raisins the last half  hour of baking.

For thicker pudding, increase rice to five tablespoons. 

Serves 6.

Happy New Year

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. We can again begin with a brand new slate and a fresh outlook with new goals. There are no failures, just setbacks that can be learned from or changed. I love sitting down at the beginning of each year and plan. Those plans will be many and I may or may not attempt or succeed at doing them all, but this list of plans always signifies hope and dreams for me.

Yesterday, we went to town to get a pork shoulder for the traditional New Year's Pork and Sauerkraut and of course I have to browse the after Christmas markdowns. We always replenish our wrapping paper and boxes for the next year and look for things that can be used throughout the year as well.

I came across a marked down amaryllis that was abused and begged to be rescued.  It absolutely STANK with the smell of a putrid aquarium - almost a sewer smell to it. The poor bulb was swimming in water and it was hacked off - no flower, no leaves, nothing but a spent mass of smell.

I had to take it home and disassemble it. What I found was a bulb that had the basal plate chopped off, roots trying to grow but most were rotted off.  I washed it off and cleaned it as best as I could.

I really wish I had taken photos of the condition it was in when I took it out of the container, but my main concern was getting this poor thing planted in a new pot in soil and hope that it would recover from all its abuse.

It is now in a sunny window and possibly in soil for the first time in its life. I wonder what it's "thinking" now...

The plant was in a very tall vase type container that was filled with rocks and the spiked stand that kept it off the bottom of the container and kept it level. These things had to be washed and washed to get rid of the putrid smell. They still need to be bleached and then they will all be repurposed. That poor amaryllis will never have to worry about seeing that torture chamber again.

Now we just have to convince it to survive...

A Vintage Surprise

As we approach our first anniversary here in our new home, I figured it was time to start going through the boxes of things that came out of our attic - things from our past as well as from my mother and my mother-in-law when they both died. Many boxes were just stuffed and delivered to the attic at the old house without ever going through them. Our intention was to sort the things after the pain of loss had lessened. Well, it was easy to ignore them in the attic... out of sight, out of mind! That was until we had to move them all here.

With the cold months quickly approaching and the garden has grown quiet, it is now the  perfect time to start sorting and seeing what treasures and memories those boxes have in store for us. One thing I came across that I had completely forgotten about was a cross-stitch quilt top that needs to be put together, embroidered and then the whole thing quilted. It is a very pretty piece and has all the threads and fabric included. I wish I knew what time period it was from. I'm guessing the 50's but so far, I can't find any information on the web about it. 

This top appears to have been offered in "Bride and Home" magazine and I've found some issues on the web dating back to the 50's and 60's. I've combed through everything in the bag but nothing gives a clue on the age of this lovely top.

The piece is in panels that need to be sewn together before embroidering it. I'm not sure how I'm going to like seams running through the piece but they may disappear in the background after it is finished and quilted. The strips are yellowed - some more than others and there lines where it was folded. I can't wash it before working on it, because it's possible the printed design will wash out. I guess that will just be the charm of the piece when it is finished. Now I just need to live long enough to complete it! 

Do you have any interesting vintage things that you love or have to make? I'd love to hear about them!!!

Still Settling In - Downsizing/Repurposing Furniture

We didn't officially move into our new home until the kids were on winter break from the university. It seemed like the most logical decision because of the travel involved, plus it was exciting coming here all at the same time as a family. The kids love our new home, even though it is small. They say they love the cozy feeling plus the area is amazing - an added bonus!

One of my largest issues at this time is the downsizing we need to do. Storage space is almost non-existent, so I'm at that point of deciding what really is important and what can I live without. Not only that, but most of our furniture won't work here, so we are slowly acquiring "new" furniture.

One of the items we won't be using is our old waterbed - sorely outdated and one of the few things I was glad to get rid of. Instead of tossing it all, hubby repurposed it into a nice new bed for us!

Waterbed frame cut, resized and legs added.

Next came the support posts.

Then a nice stable surface to put our new Memory Foam type mattress on - But only after we covered the plywood with something that would protect the mattress.

The finished product.

We still need to add a headboard. I want to make an upholstered headboard (like this one), but am waiting until I find the perfect fabric. I'm thinking of a red and white print or something with red in it.

I have many projects ahead of me - refinishing, repurposing, and making new. I plan to furnish our home as cheaply, yet beautifully as possible! I would love to hear what you have done for your home.

Moved In - Sort Of....

We've been in our new home for a whole week now and I'm liking it more each day. It's a beautiful area and it seems each day I find more and more "hidden" treasures. For example, we discovered the Bookmobile stops every week only 1/4 mile from our house AND it's a full-service Bookmobile. We were able to get our library cards, books, movies, and even order books through not only the local libraries, but the whole state and have it delivered by the Bookmobile! That may not be impressive to some, but compared to the one that used to come to my old hometown, this is totally amazing!

We spent the week cleaning and organizing but can't do much more without another trip to the old house to pick up more furniture. That doesn't sound like it will happen in the near future because of the wet weather that's in the forecast - so we will continue to live out of boxes until we can get some sunny days.  Sometimes I think it would be better to just rent a U-Haul :)

This Christmas will be spent without decorations, but we did have a little fun trying to brighten up the kitchen with our new snowman. With a few Christmas towels and dishcloths, some nice smelling candles and scented pine cones, plus a couple of bottles of Mrs. Myers Iowa Pine soap, we still feel the holiday cheer.

So on that note, I will be signing off with warm and loving holiday wishes to all. May you have a Blessed and very Merry Christmas!!!

"Return to Sunday Dinner" by Russell Cronkhite

Return to Sunday Dinner (Revised & Updated)
The Simple Delight of Family, Friends, and Food
Author: Russell Cronkhite
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
ISBN: 9781401604806
Hardbound: 278 Pages

About the Book:

Maybe you can still see it clearly. Your mother, with an apron draped over her Sunday best, standing at the stove, tending to the bubbling pots, sneaking a taste from each one. Somewhere in this memory, you hear the doorbell ring, ushering in aunts, uncles, grandparents, and friends from church, all enveloped in the aromas of Sunday dinner—a pot roast in the oven, warm homemade rolls in a basket on the table, a coconut cake cooling on the counter. Wouldn't you like to go back there?

Russell Cronkhite's Return to Sunday Dinner revisits the time-honored tradition of the Sunday meal, a day of thanksgiving, celebrating the ritual with recipes reminiscent of the Sunday table where you pulled up a seat years ago. Cronkhite will help you recreate those memorable meals you savored in your childhood, and remind you of just how meaningful it can be to break bread each week with the people who matter most in your life. Explore this selection of twenty-four different chapters/menus, each one specially arranged for different occasions. Try the Slow-Cooked Beef Brisket for a simple after-church gathering for friends, or assemble a big pot of Chicken and Sausage Gumbo for a large family shindig. Want the crowd to roar at dessert? Be sure to whip up the Peach Cobbler with Frozen Vanilla Custard.

And because we all know that life moves at a quicker pace these days, Cronkhite offers up plenty of time-saving tips that will help make Sunday dinner easier than ever to get on the table. Introduce your family to a treasured tradition, and enjoy the distinct pleasure of preparing and sharing a delicious Sunday dinner.

My Thoughts:

I grew up in a family that didn't do Sunday dinners. We went to my grandmother's house every weekend and since she lived on a farm, there was nothing fancy - just a sit down to a nice hearty dinner after we helped with all the chores.  She didn't get out the fancy plates or anything special, we just had a good meal with family and friends if they happened to drop by.

"Return to Sunday Dinner" is a fantastic book. I was fascinated with the concept of a "traditional" Sunday dinner and enjoyed all the stories of how others celebrated their Sunday gatherings. To take the time and care of laying out a fancy table was a novel idea to me, but sounded like so many others did as a normal routine in years past. The shared stories of how things were done are in themselves a delight to read, and the recipes range from the simple and delicious to a bit more extravagant - but all very doable.

I loved reading all the stories and found that I wanted to start my own Sunday traditions after reading this book, however, the children are off to college, so I don't know if it will be too late to start now or not. We'll try it when they come home for winter and summer breaks.

The recipes are delicious and the the best part is that there are do-ahead hints and tips, so it makes the dinners easier to make on a schedule without feeling overwhelmed. The Coconut Cream Cake is a must and make sure to try Grandma's Fried Chicken!

This is a wonderful book to add to any kitchen library, but even more wonderful is the tradition that goes along with this book. If you are like me and didn't have a traditional Sunday dinner, make sure to pick this book up and start your own traditional Sunday meal. If you are already doing the traditional Sunday meal, you'll want to read this and add some new ideas and meals to your existing menus.

Highly recommended!!!!

I received this book through the Booksneeze program. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.

We Are New Home Owners!!

We did it! We closed last week and are now the proud new owners of a nice cozy ranch home in a very nice and friendly town. The house sits on a nice sized yard and is surrounded by trees giving a wonderful feeling of privacy. The view from our picture window is one of farm fields, a pond and a barn!  Each time we went out to look at the house, there's always been geese around the pond. I think they were there to entice us with such a breathtaking view. Hubby said that we'll have to put a couple of chairs on the front porch so we can enjoy our coffee with the lovely views in the morning!

To say we are blessed with this find is an understatement!! We had looked at so many houses and nothing was feeling like a home, but this one - the one I said didn't want to look at because it was way too small (eating crow here), this one felt like home.

To think I almost passed it by because of square footage when it had so many more benefits and we keep finding out more as time goes on. I am surprised at how long it was on the market, though. Probably one was the size, and the other is probably because it really needs updating inside. Our realtor said that many want the perfect house when they walk in - all updated and pristine. She said that it is amazing how many can't look past paint colors, etc.!!

So now we are looking at moving from here to there and will be deciding what goes and what isn't worthy of the move. Yes, we will be downsizing and that might get interesting as we decide what is worth keeping and what we can live without.

Is This The One?

Long distance house hunting has been both challenging and exhausting. So many hours of being on the net searching through listings, finding what looks right, and then the showing discloses a total different house then what was presented through the listings. UGH!

Maybe that's a good thing though, as I was searching for my dream house from more than 20 years ago. I wanted a huge house to pack kids in and allow for parties, gatherings, sleep overs, etc. I wanted a nice 2 story that had an expandable attic and a basement, a garage, and a few acres. We looked, we found some but... Things just didn't seem to be working. We prayed and prayed about it, and then one day my eyes were opened. Both kids are in college and we are now empty nesters, so why do we need a big house - or should I say why do I need a big house?

Over and over I was finding verses in the Bible that was leading me away from my excessive wants and towards what I needed. Yes, you did see the word "I" instead of "we" because I was the one that was being excessive. When I finally opened my ears and started to listen to God, I found some of the real reasons I wanted such a large place now - mainly pride. I wanted a house to be proud of and one that others would "ooh" and "ahh" over. Where did that monster come from? That wasn't like me at all!

Well, we found the house for us - it's much smaller than I wanted - only 1,100 square feet, but what do I really need in this stage of my life? It's cozy and homey feeling - with enough yard for a garden, a garage, and a decent basement. We made an offer on the first day of fall and after some negotiations, we came to an agreement the next day (Sunday no less!!). Papers were signed, financial process started, and we had the inspections done. The inspections found a code violation for the venting of the furnace and a HIGH level of radon (79.2 - the safe level is under 4.0). Our agent wrote up a proposal, so now we are back to waiting. This answer isn't coming as quickly. So now we wait.

Watch Out for that Curve Ball!

If you've been a long time follower, you will remember me discussing my husband getting laid-off the end of last year. It was a hard time for him, as he seemed to lose some of his self-worth every time he got a rejection letter. He spent hours upon hours combing through listings all across the US to look for jobs he was qualified for - but with no luck.

Then, just before his unemployment ran out, he received a call from a "head hunter". He was told about a contract to hire job working at a university - his Alma Mater! Of course by then, he really didn't believe that he would qualify, but said to send his application on. He was interviewed by the company that contacted him as well as the university and then was hired!

He finished the out contract, the contract was extended and finally - FINALLY!! he was hired as a permanent member of the IT team at the university!! YAY!!! He says he still has to pinch himself every once in a while because he never thought he'd ever work at the place that gave him his sheep skin.

Weirder still is that I can finally get my degree AND from the same university that I applied to 30 years ago! Certain unforeseen circumstances prevented me going there, which made my mother "happy" because she was upset that I applied to a university so far away from home. Who new that all these years later I would be able to finish my degree at the university I always wish I had been able to attend!

This all means a big move for us. We will be saying goodbye to all the generations before me that lived in this town (my children are the 5th!) and starting a new life in a place where there is no family, but happily I have found some friends that live close to the area - imagine that!

It will definitely take some getting used to. I'm going from a very SMALL town to a large university "town" and one that has grown over the past 30 years. I will have to learn how to drive in town and also how to take a bus.

We are house hunting now and are astonished at the prices. WOW! Those "average" house prices would buy us a pretty nice farm here. It appears we won't be getting our dream acreage, but instead a small 1/3 of an acre in the middle of a development. God has provided us with so much, so I'm not even going to complain about the details of yard size. He will give us just what we need with the house, too. Everything else has fallen into place - so I'm certainly not going to question that one little detail!

If you are in a place you aren't satisfied with and life hasn't turned out the way you wanted, don't fret. God has plans and he will let you know them when it's time. As I look back over the past years, I see how everything has fallen into place, although at different times I couldn't understand why everything was falling apart. They really weren't - they were just pieces moving into place for the bigger picture.

Always remember... "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." ~ Romans 8:28 KJV

365 Things Every New Mom Should Know by Linda Danis

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Linda Danis

and the book:

365 Things Every New Mom Should Know

Harvest House Publishers (April 2012)

***Special thanks to Ginger Chen of Harvest House for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Linda Danis has a degree in marketing and spent five years in hotel management before staying at home to run a hotel of a different sort—guests ages 3, 6, 9, and 11. Linda has written Sunday school curricula, started a co–op preschool, and leads a Moms in Touch prayer ministry at her children’s school.  She lives with her husband, Dave, and children in California.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

This daily guide to the first year of a baby s life combines prayerful, playful, and practical information to energize new moms. Features weekly devotionals and daily activities that foster a baby s physical, emotional, social, and spiritual growth.

Product Details:
List Price: $12.99
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
Language: English
ISBN-10:0736923829
ISBN-13: 978-0-7369-2382-8

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

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My child, you hold the whole of my heart in your small hands.

Author Unknown

Week 1

Day 1

After all these long months, your precious little baby has finally arrived. The child you have longed for is here to hold, to look at, and to touch. Your baby will look up at you and recognize your familiar voices. You are the ones he has been longing to meet—his mommy and daddy! Get to know your sweet little baby—hold him, rock him, smell his skin, gaze at him, marvel at his tiny fists, caress him. Treasure this awesome miracle!

Day 2

On the day you bring your baby home for the first time, have everyone in your family place their hands on her and pray for her. This will be a precious moment for your family to share together as you welcome her into your family and give thanks to God for this wonderful gift!

Day 3

If you have older children who want to hold their new sibling, use a nursing “donut pillow” to help them support your baby’s head. Have your child sit all the way back on the couch. Place the semicircle nursing pillow around his waist. Set your baby on the pillow with his bottom wedged in between your older child’s tummy and the pillow. Rest your baby’s head on your older child’s arm that is resting on the pillow. Even if your child lets go of the baby, his head will still be secure on the pillow. Of course, you should always be sitting right next to your new baby, monitoring his safety. This also works for young visitors, but I would suggest waiting a week or two before letting a nonfamily-member child hold your baby.

Day 4

Despite what all the books may say, most women experience some soreness (or a lot of soreness!) in the first weeks of nursing. Try using your Lamaze breathing when your baby latches onto your breast. If your nipples are cracked or blistered, blot them dry with a cotton diaper after you have finished nursing. Saliva has enzymes that can irritate sore nipples. After you have dried the saliva off, express a little milk and rub it on your nipples. Let them air dry. Also, do not look down at your baby the entire time you nurse. This position can strain your neck and cause tension headaches. If you can persevere through the first two weeks of nursing, things will get better.

Day 5

Sometimes as a new parent it’s hard to tell whether or not you should call your pediatrician. If you are reluctant to call your doctor in the middle of the night, you can usually call the nursery at the hospital where you gave birth. The nurses are awake and can advise you as to whether you should call your doctor right away or if it can wait until the morning. Do not wait if your baby has a fever higher than 99.9 degrees rectally (this is the most accurate way to take your baby’s temperature). Call your doctor immediately.

Day 6

Drink water every time you nurse to stay hydrated and to maintain your milk supply. Always keep a water bottle close at hand. It is a good idea to set up a “nursing station” wherever you will be nursing the most. Have everything you need right at hand—a water bottle, a burp cloth, a nursing pillow, a book or magazine to read, and nursing pads.

Day 7

When your baby startles while lying on her back (the Moro reflex), gently but firmly hold her hands together close to her chest to calm her and make her feel more secure. Say, “It’s okay, sweetheart. Mommy will help you.” This reflex will disappear by four months.

Reflections on the Week

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him.

1 Samuel 1:27

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.

Jeremiah 1:5

An Incredible Love

You have had your baby only one short week and yet you can hardly remember what life was like without him. You prepared for months for his arrival—read books, set up the nursery, went to prenatal classes—yet nothing could prepare you for the overwhelming love you feel for this child. There are no words quite powerful enough to describe the emotions you feel.

Then the impossible happened; each day you grew to love him more. The sheer magnitude of love takes your breath away. Can there be anything more wonderful than when he gazes into your eyes, when you feel his small body curled up in your arms, when you feel his warm breath on your cheek, when his little fingers wrap tightly around yours? Your heart is ready to burst with this new miracle in your life.

It doesn’t matter if this is your first or fifth child, the profound love you feel for your new baby never changes. I remember during my second pregnancy, I secretly worried that I might not love this new baby as much as my first. How could I ever love another child as much as I loved her? But the moment I held my new baby, I knew immediately I had worried for nothing. There was no difference in my love. It was as amazingly wonderful and intense as the love I had for my first. It happened again when my third and fourth children were born. We don’t have to divide our love between our children. Our love actually multiplies, giving us even more love to share. It is one of the ways God’s love works in motherhood. We just have more and more love to give away!

Dear God, thank You for this precious little baby. He is everything I prayed for. Everything about him is perfect. Words can hardly describe how much I love him. Because of him, I have a better idea now of how much You, my heavenly Father, love me. Please help me adjust to all the changes I will face as a new mother. Amen.

My Thoughts:

I wish this lovely book had been available when I was a new mother. It is full of so much useful information that covers everything from your baby's development to helpful hints for stimulating your little one and even helpful hints, prayers and reflections for you.

This book is a wonderful and delightful tool that will come in handy throughout your child's first year. There are so many songs and little games you can play with your baby that will keep you both smiling and enjoying each day together while you build memories. I couldn't help but reflect on some of the times I had spent with my own and doing some of the activities that were listed.

365 Things Every New Mom Should Know is a must for any new mother!!

FIRST Tour: Dr. Dobson’s Handbook of Family Advice by Dr. James Dobson

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

Dr. James Dobson

and the book:

Dr. Dobson's Handbook of Family Advice

Harvest House (August 1, 2012)

***Special thanks to Ginger Chen of Harvest House for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

James C. Dobson, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and counselor and host of the daily radio program Family Talk with Dr. James Dobson, is author of more than 30 books including the recentNew York Times bestseller Bringing Up Girls. He is founder and chairman emeritus of Focus on the Family. Dr. Dobson is married to Shirley and is the father of two grown children, Danae and Ryan, and the grandfather of Lincoln.


Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Respected counselor and internationally recognized radio host Dr. James Dobson offers families godly wisdom, encouraging stories, and practical insights. With expertise and compassion, Dr. Dobson provides his sought-after advice on vital topics including: marriage, love, discipline, boundaries for kids of all ages, money, and God’s truths for decision-making.

Paperback: 288 pages
List Price: $14.99
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers; Reprint edition (August 1, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736943730
ISBN-13: 978-0736943734

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Boundaries

The Security of Boundaries

Children feel more secure, and therefore tend to flourish, when they know where the boundaries are. Let me illustrate that principle.

Imagine you’re driving a car over the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado, which is suspended hundreds of feet above the canyon floor. As a first-time traveler, you’re pretty tense as you drive across. It is a scary experience. I knew one little fellow who was so awed by the view over the side of the bridge that he said, “Wow, Daddy! If you fell off of here, it’d kill you constantly!”

Now suppose there were no guardrails on the side of the bridge. Where would you steer the car? Right down the middle of the road. Even though you don’t plan to hit those protective railings along the side, you just feel more secure knowing that they’re there.

It’s the same way with children. There is security in defined limits. They need to know precisely what the rules are and who’s available to enforce them. When these clear boundaries exist at home, the child lives in utter safety. He never gets in trouble unless he deliberately asks for it. And as long as he stays within those reasonable, well-marked guardrails, there’s mirth and freedom and acceptance.

Your children need the security of defined limits, too. They may not admit that they want you to be the boss, but they breathe easier when you are.

Mom’s Football Team

In the late 1960s, the phrase “If it feels good, do it” made its way around the counterculture. It meant, in effect, that a person’s flighty impulses should be allowed to overrule every other consideration. “Don’t think—just follow your heart” was the prevailing attitude. That foolish advice has ruined many gullible people. Those who ignore lurking dangers are casting themselves adrift in the path of life’s storms. We must be prepared to disregard ephemeral feelings at times and govern our behavior with common sense.

Not only can emotions be dangerous—they can also be unreliable and foolish. I’m reminded of a story told by my mother about her high school years. They had one of the worst football teams in the history of Oklahoma. They hadn’t won a game in years. Finally a wealthy oil producer asked to speak to the team in the locker room and offered a brand-new Ford to every boy and to each coach if they would simply defeat their bitter rivals in the next game. The team went crazy. For seven days they thought about nothing but football. They couldn’t even sleep at night. Finally the big night arrived, and the team was frantic with anticipation. They assembled on the sidelines, put their hands together, and shouted, “Rah!” Then they ran onto the field—and were smashed thirty-eight to nothing. No amount of excitement could compensate for the players’ lack of discipline, conditioning, practice, study, coaching, drill, experience, and character. Such is the nature of emotion. It has a definite place in human affairs but is not a substitute for intelligence, preparation, and self-control.

Instead of responding to your impulses, therefore, it is often better to hang tough when you feel like quitting, to guard your tongue when you feel like talking, to save your money when you feel like spending, and to remain faithful when you feel like flirting. Unbridled feelings will get you in trouble nine times out of ten.

So, before you chase after something that simply feels good, you might want to think it over. You could be about to make one of your greatest blunders.

Children and Materialism

It’s not easy to say no to children, especially in an affluent and permissive society. Toy companies are spending millions of dollars on advertising aimed at children—not their parents. They know boys and girls are the very best customers. But by giving in to this pressure, parents may actually deprive their children of pleasure. Here’s why.

Pleasure occurs when an intense need is met. A glass of water is worth more than gold to a person who’s dying of thirst, but it’s worthless to the person who doesn’t need it. That principle applies directly to children. If you never allow a boy or girl to desire something, he or she will not fully enjoy the pleasure of receiving it. If you give him a tricycle before he can walk, and a bike before he can ride, and a car before he can drive, and a diamond ring before he knows the value of money, you may actually have deprived him of the satisfaction he could have received from that possession.

How unfortunate is the child who never has the opportunity to long for something, to dream about that prize by day, and to plot for it by night, perhaps even to get desperate enough to work for it.

Excessive materialism is not only harmful to children—but it deprives them of pleasure, too.

Children and Television

There’s been considerable debate in recent years about television rating systems. That kind of information is desperately needed by parents who want to protect their kids from harmful content, and I’m among those who believe that the present system just doesn’t get the job done.

But even if changes are implemented, there’s a new wrinkle to be considered. Social research conducted by Yankelovich Partners, Inc., has analyzed the television-viewing habits of Americans. What they discovered is surprising. Forty-two percent of children between nine and seventeen have their own cable or satellite television hookups in their bedrooms.¹ The image of families gathered around a single TV set in the family room is fading. Instead, many kids are off by themselves where they can choose anything that they want to see.

Ann Clurman, a partner at Yankelovich, said, “Almost everything children are seeing is essentially going into their minds in some sort of uncensored or unfiltered way.”² Considering the explicit sex, violence, nudity, and profanity available now, especially on cable and satellite television, this is a disturbing revelation.

Children need to be protected from adult programming, and yet almost four out of every ten kids have parents who don’t really know what they’re watching. I fear that situation will come back to haunt us for years to come. 

My Thoughts:

Dr. Dobson is well known in for his radio appearances and books giving encouragement and advice for Christian families. Over the years, many of my friends have told me how fantastic he was, but I've never read any of his books and in the valley where we live, we cannot get Christian radio, so I've only been exposed to him through others.

I jumped at the chance to finally read a book by Dr. Dobson, and I'm really less than impressed. The book has 1-2 pages addressing problems/subjects and those snippets don't really say much except to much advice for one to seek a counselor and fix the problem there (especially when it comes to marriage).

Honestly, I find this book is not much different than anything mainstream and it shocked me. For example, he addresses the lack of school showers and he's against it. He thinks it's ok to "disrobe" in front of others. Interesting because in my Bible, it says nakedness in front of others is wrong! I find many issues where Dobson's advice is not what I would deem as good Christian advice. This man may be held in high esteem in the Christian world, but for me, his books will not be sitting on my bookshelves. Instead, I'll be turning to my Bible for encouragement and advice.

Prayers for Prodigals:90 Days of Prayer For Your Child by James Banks

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!

Today's Wild Card author is:

James Banks

and the book:

Prayers for Prodigals:
90 Days of Prayer For Your Child

Discovery House Publishers (April 1, 2011)

***Special thanks to Susan Otis, Creative Resources, for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

An Ohio native (and demoralized fan of Cleveland sports teams), Mike attended seminary in Grand Rapids, where he has been stuck every since.  He isn’t complaining, for West Michigan’s many churches and miles of fresh water coastline makes for a fine place to raise a family.  He and his wife, Julie, have three young children, Avery, Landon and Alayna. Because of them, he has no hobbies.

When Mike isn’t playing catch or kck the can with his kids, he can be found teaching theology at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary.  He also enjoys writing books, such as this one, that help Christians to treasure and apply the gospel to their lives.  Nothing is more important, for we’re all going to die.  And then live again!

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Other parents may not understand what you’re up against with your prodigal son or daughter, but God understands. He knows what its like to have a world full of prodigals, and He waits for you to bring yours to Him through committed, passionate praying.

Parents can bless their child in no greater way than to pray for his or her salvation. Yet sometimes knowing what to pray can be difficult. Prayers for Prodigals will help you pray for your prodigal child while encouraging you and reminding you of the power of God to answer prayer. Ninety Scripture-based prayers cover emotional and practical challenges faced by parents of prodigals.
Use this book to partner with God, through prayer, to change your child’s eternal future by bringing your son or daughter into a vital relationship with Jesus. Nothing in this world or the next could possibly matter more.

Product Details:
List Price: $10.99
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Discovery House Publishers (April 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1572934522
ISBN-13: 978-1572934528

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER (Please click the cover below to LOOK INSIDE!):

Out With the Old

Happy New Year !!!

First I want to wish all a happy and prosperous new year. I hope that you have nothing but happiness and blessings as we look forward to a new beginning  :)

I cannot believe that 2011 is over and a new year has begun. I'm so happy for a new beginning and that the slate has been wiped clean. If you have been following this blog for any length of time, you will know that we've faced a few challenges - the last one being the loss of my husband's job. His last day was Friday and after 24 years of service, he is quite at a loss of where to turn next. One thing that is facing him is a career change and probable relocation. That both excites and terrifies him. He's not a spring chicken any more, and he's concerned what employment opportunities are out there, what he's qualified for, and what factor his age is going to have on everything.

With hubby home, we will be sharing the PC a lot as he/we look for work and other opportunities. So what does that mean for Just One More Paragraph? Hopefully, there won't be a change. This blog has been my sanity through the loss of family members and friends, illness, and "empty nest syndrome". It only seems natural it will continue through our next challenge of our lives.

So here we stand - jobless, 2 children in college, and facing a world of unknowns. Am I scared? To be completely honest... no. This is exciting! The sense of freedom is overwhelming. We can go anywhere and do anything. This time when we start over - there are no ties to keep us in this area. I've never known this type of freedom before. Mind you - I am looking at this whole mess with rose-colored glasses on and someday I'm bound to take them off. But until then, I am really looking forward to this change.