Book Review: Prayer, Marriage and the Leadership Roles of the Husband and Wife by Bishop Ken Giles & Pastor Sheila Giles

In this slim book, Bishop Ken Giles and Pastor Sheila Giles share their decades of combined experience of counseling others with readers.

Prayer, Marriage and the Leadership Roles of the Husband and Wife helps married couples and those considering marriage to learn the important role prayer plays in creating a healthy marriage and also encourages men and women of God to secure their leadership positions.

It's doubtful one could argue that time in prayer is necessary to our Christian journey. It is how we communicate with God: it allows us to give Him thanks and praise; it allows us to confess our sins; and it allows us to ask Him for help. The authors are spot on in stating that prayer and marriage go together.

In some ways, however, this book could be considered controversial. In this modern world, the traditional view of marriage with the man as the head of the household and the woman taking care of the kids and the household chores seems outdated. While the reader might not necessarily disagree, it's possible by the time they get to the Christian Marriage and Family Structure Assessment Inventory quiz at the end, some women might be lighting torches on fire and carrying pitchforks

Now, we have a very traditional marriage and it works for us, so little about what was in this book bothered me. My only concern is that this heavy-handed approach could make some people turn away from a God who is more about love for us than anything else. He is mercy. He is compassion. He wants us to be in relationship with Him. It is in knowing and experiencing the abundant love of our Heavenly Father that makes obedience to His Word easier. I truly wish more of that could have been communicated throughout these pages.

If you are looking for ways to refocus your marriage or to learn more about leadership roles of men and women in marriage according to His Word, then you may wish to explore Prayer, Marriage and the Leadership Roles of the Husband and Wife by Bishop Ken Giles and Pastor Sheila Giles.

Publisher: BishopKenGiles.org (2016)
ISBN-10: 1948951010
ISBN-13: 978-1948951012

I received a copy of this book from the authors. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts - July 25

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts is hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. This is a chance for book bloggers to dabble in areas besides books (but those are welcome too). Share your plans for the weekend, a rant on people not using their turn signals in parking lots, or your love of Sunday morning mimosas.

Bookish Thought: I need to finish a book.

Not so Bookish Thought: Wouldn't bed feel good right about now?

Bookish Thought: Why did I sign up for all these book reviews?

Not so Bookish Thought: Can I really function on only three hours of sleep?

Bookish Thought: One day I am going to be totally caught up on book reviews.

Not so Bookish Thought: One day this office will be clean.

Task it Tuesday - July 24

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

Here was my list from last week:

• Clean out most of my in-laws house on Thursday. Dumpster is coming so hope to get a lot done. Heat might be an issue. Living areas and shed are done. Cellar and my hubby's old bedroom are the big ones that need to be tackled. I moved everything out of his attic, so that's a good start. Filled one dumpster, but I think we will need a second. 
• Post a review of The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse. Loved it! Can't wait for the next book in the series. Posted yesterday.
• Schedule a time to get the old furniture out of the house. Not that I have bought the new furniture yet, but I don't want to deal with taking it out while getting the new pieces in. I think I need a few days of empty, clean space. Talked to the contractor, but haven't set a date yet.
• Make my plan to clean out my own house: donate, trash, and clean. That might become my new mantra. The minute I am finished with my in-laws' place, this is happening. Next dumpster is coming here.

For this week, I have a few things I'm working on:

• Schedule my blogs posts. I want to schedule them on Wednesday for the rest of the month. We will see how it goes.
• Pack up items to donate when Hartsprings comes on August 2. I have three boxes so far. 
• Clean my office. I've been moving my in-laws' paperwork and filing cabinet into my tiny office and now I have too much stuff in here. Time to declutter.

How about you? Are there any tasks on your to-do list this week?

Mailbox Monday - July 23

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

Somehow it is Monday again. We had a nice rainy day on Sunday so my garden is very happy. Finally put the fence up around it to keep the critters out. Think the rabbits are stealing my peppers and beans.

It was a totally crazy week. Just got back into the swing of things after vacation and had appointments up the ying-yang. My mother-in-law was here for a few days so I could bring her and my father-in-law to the doctor. The Lil' Diva's senior picture photo session was this week. The Lil' Princess took off for a vacation with a friend on Friday--but not before we had to go shopping for stuff--and I spent two days tossing things into a dumpster at my in-laws' house. At least the end is in sight.

No books arrived in my physical mailbox, but I did download these Kindle freebies:

What was in your mailbox? Anything good you were waiting on? 

Contemporary Christian Romance Free on Kindle Today: Finding Love in the Low Country Box Set

After the Storm

Sharon cannot face her future until she has dealt with her past. When an accident takes everyone in her family except Sharon Martin’s grandson, she is forced to face the secrets of her past. For decades she has protected herself and "his family" from the damage this secret could cause. But when Bobby’s well-being depends on her honesty, will she have the courage to speak the truth? When tragedy strikes, can love and honesty save a life? 

Catch of a Lifetime 

From an early age, Adella believed that love brings only pain. First her mother dies, and Adella struggles to deal with her grief and care for her younger sisters. When the young girls decide they don’t need Adella anymore, she concludes she can’t trust anyone but herself. With few options, she determines she will use her good looks and intelligence to catch a handsome, wealthy man who can give her the security she craves.

Derek Goodson appears to be the man of her dreams, and at first their marriage is wonderful. After a few years, however, Adella discovers a restlessness that nothing seems to satisfy. She is bored with exclusive parties, clothing, and vacations. When introduced to a handsome stranger, she wonders if he is the answer to her secret longings.

Adele must face some tough choices, along with a tender tug on her soul. She married Derek for his money. Why can’t she love him for it? 

Somewhere a Rainbow

Brooke Haddon’s future looks gray…

After her unfaithful husband is killed in an auto accident, she faces the challenge of rebuilding her life. With most of her money gone, she takes her five-year-old son to the honeymoon cottage on Hilton Head Island where her marriage began. As a single parent, she wonders how she will manage, and once she arrives on the island, she can’t imagine how she’ll be able to repair a cottage as broken down as her life.

When local carpenter Jake Randolph offers to help, Brooke immediately distrusts him. But as the months pass, she begins to think he may be different from the other men she has known. He begins to melt the emotional ice around her heart. Then Jake admits he’s concealing a secret past. Are Brooke’s hopes of a brighter future about to be destroyed. Or is there a rainbow beyond the storms of heartbreak?

Southern Gentleman

What’s best for the baby?

Norah Brown must answer this question when Thornton Winter pushes his way into her life. Baby Camille’s parents, Thornton’s brother and Norah’s sister, were killed in a terrible accident. Now both feel responsible for the baby. But by the time Thornton comes along, Norah has already formed a strong bond with Camille. Will Thornton try to take the baby from her? 

To keep her greatest fear from being realized, Norah reluctantly agrees to move with the baby to Thornton’s family home in South Carolina, where she soon finds herself in a battle of wills with his take-charge manner. It certainly doesn't help that Norah begins to lose her heart to this Southern Gentleman.

Purchase here!

Book Review: The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse

The Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with this next exciting installment, The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse.

Faith Lytton Jackson is a friend of George Washington and staunch supporter of the Patriot cause. Living in Boston, she is holding meetings with like-minded women when the British invade. Little does she know that when she agrees to help the cause in a more meaningful--and dangerous--way, she will meet someone who makes her think she could love again.

Matthew Weber is friends with Ben Franklin and his son William, which makes him privy to information on both sides of the conflict. Acting as a spy, Matthew meets his messenger, Faith, and is quickly taken with her.

What will these two people sacrifice for the sake of their fledgling country? Can they find love despite the conflict?

The Patriot Bride is my favorite of the series so far. Woodhouse brings her masterful storytelling back for the fourth book set between 1774 and 1775 when the First Continental Congress has already met but prior to the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. She brought her characters to life against the backdrop of a war that would change everything for the Colonies as the people tired of being ruled from across the pond. Next to the Civil War, this is my favorite time in American history, so it was a thrill to read this novel.

As with the other books in The Daughters of the Mayflower series, the main character is a strong, independent woman who defies conventions in one way or another. The pace of the novel is closer to romantic suspense than the typical romance novel, which may entice different readers. It does, however, stay true to its romance genre as the reader watches Faith and Matthew's relationship unfold. I must applaud the author for creating such fascinating ties for her characters to two of America's Founding Fathers. It's really quite clever.

With every book The Daughters of the Mayflower series gets better. History, faith, romance and adventure are the perfect combination. You can read only The Patriot Bride, but I encourage you to start at the beginning and go from there. You won't be disappointed.

Series: Daughters of the Mayflower (Book 4)
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books; Gld edition (August 1, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1683226062
ISBN-13: 978-1683226062

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts - July 18

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts is hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. This is a chance for book bloggers to dabble in areas besides books (but those are welcome too). Share your plans for the weekend, a rant on people not using their turn signals in parking lots, or your love of Sunday morning mimosas.

I turned 50 last week. Oh, my gosh, that was tough. It shouldn't be. Age is just a number. I don't feel 50. Well, how would I know? What does 50 feel like? Maybe I should say that I don't feel like my mother. Granted, she never made it to 50, so I already feel blessed I'm happy and healthy. My memories of my mother, though, are of this serious person who never would think of doing the Carlton in the middle of the living room--which I've been known to do. She was definitely the adult in the house.






It's also hard to imagine I've been around for half a century. Where did the time go? Didn't I just graduate from high school? How am I the mother of two teenage girls and a son who has been married for eight years? How is it I'm much closer to retirement than to starting out?

Perhaps the toughest realization of turning 50 is that I thought I would have accomplished more by now. I'm actually working harder now than I did when I was 30.

Life is strange. Now instead of taking care of kids, the hubby and I are caring for his parents. We find the girls want to spend more time with friends and less with us. In a couple of years, it's possible our oldest daughter won't join us on vacation because she will be working or off on her own. We've spent our entire adult lives taking care of kids. What will it be like when they aren't home anymore? Yes, they will still need us, but it will be different. It doesn't make me sad, really, just makes me wonder what else the Lord has in store for us.

Have you been down this road before? How did it feel for you? Any helpful tips you can share?

Task It Tuesday - July 16

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

Trying to stay focused these days. I've been overwhelmed, which means I procrastinate. With vacation now behind me, I really want to finish out the year strong. Might sound silly with five months still left, but that's how my brain works.

I accomplished all the tasks I had on my list two weeks ago, so I'm happy about that. This week I am looking to do the following:

• Clean out most of my in-laws house on Thursday. Dumpster is coming so hope to get a lot done. Heat might be an issue.
• Post a review of The Patriot Bride by Kimberley Woodhouse. Loved it! Can't wait for the next book in the series.
• Schedule a time to get the old furniture out of the house. Not that I have bought the new furniture yet, but I don't want to deal with taking it out while getting the new pieces in. I think I need a few days of empty, clean space.
• Make my plan to clean out my own house: donate, trash, and clean. That might become my new mantra.

Is there anything you're looking to accomplish this week? Do you create to-do lists? 

Mailbox Monday - July 16

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

Happy Monday! I hope you had a lovely week. Here are some photos from our recent trip to the Outer Banks.

Our first visit to Miller's Waterfront Restaurant this trip. One of my favorites and views are awesome.

My favorite store - The Christmas Shop & General Store in Manteo

Listening to the 208th Army Band on the waterfront before the fireworks on July 4.

Tropical Storm Chris made it dangerous to swim the second week. 

The new bridge (to the right) they are building on Route 12 to Hatteras.

On the ferry to Ocracoke. 

Hanging out in Corolla.

Theo liked the beach in the evenings.

Big Bucks in downtown Manteo. Great ice cream!

The ride home on Saturday.

I managed to get a fair amount of reading done. Most of my reviews have been posted at The Book Connection. While we were away, I received a book that is for a book tour running in August and September.

In the novella, Appointment in Prague, one woman, a British secret agent, sets out in May 1942 to single-handedly send to hell the most evil Nazi alive—SS General Reinhard Heydrich, the head of the SD, the domestic and foreign counter-intelligence wing of the SS; second in rank only to the head of the SS himself, Reichsfuhrer SS Heinrich Himmler; and the architect of “The Final Solution” that will send millions of European Jews to their doom.

When British Prime Minister Winston Churchill authorizes the SOE—the ‘Special Operations Executive’— in October 1941 to assassinate Heydrich, he is unaware that the entire operation has been conceived and is being run by his Scottish goddaughter, the former Pulitzer Prize-winning Hearst photojournalist Mattie McGary. The SOE is Churchill’s own creation, one he informally describes as the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and, at his suggestion, Mattie becomes one of its Deputy Directors.

Mattie has a history with Heydrich dating back to 1933 and a personal score to settle. In September 1941, when the man known variously as ‘The Blond Beast’ and ‘The Man With the Iron Heart’—that last coming from Adolf Hitler himself—is appointed Reichsprotektor of Bohemia and Moravia, the remnants left of Czechoslovakia after the Germans had dismembered it in 1939, Mattie is determined—now that he is no longer safely within Germany’s borders—to have him killed. She recruits and trains several Czech partisans for the task and has them parachuted into Czechoslovakia in December 1941.

An increasingly impatient Mattie waits in London for word that her agents have killed the Blond Beast. By May 1942, Heydrich still lives and Mattie is furious. The mother of six-year-old twins, Mattie decides—without telling her godfather or her American husband, the #2 man in the London office of the OSS—to parachute into Czechoslovakia herself and “light a fire under their timid Czech bums”. Which she does, but her agents botch the job and Heydrich is only wounded in the attempt. The doctors sent from Berlin to care for him believe he will recover.

On the fly, Mattie conceives a new plan to kill Heydrich herself. With forged papers and other help from the highest-placed SOE asset in Nazi Germany—a former lover—Mattie determines to covertly enter Prague’s Bulovka Hospital and finish the job. After that, all she has to do is flee Prague into Germany and from there to neutral Switzerland. What Mattie doesn’t know is that Walter Schellenberg, Heydrich’s protégé and the head of Foreign Intelligence for the SD, is watching her every move.

What was in your mailbox?

Book Review: The Lifegiving Home by Sally & Sarah Clarkson

If you are looking for a heartfelt and meaningful story of how to create a home that is both inviting and warm to family and others, The Lifegiving Home by Sally and Sarah Clarkson is a great choice.

In this joint mother/daughter effort, they share their perspectives on creating a lifegiving legacy in your home through rhythms, routines, and rituals, growing relationships, celebrating life, being in service to each other, and shaping a certain family culture based on love, and combining personalities, history, events, and traditions. This book addresses how we have lost our center in the hectic, busyness of day-to-day life that our current modern, consumerist culture encourages.

The last point mentioned is why I requested to review this book. At the end, however, I can't say I'm any closer to finding a way toward creating the kind of home I've always envisioned we would have. The Clarksons sound like lovely, god-fearing people, whose goal is to inspire others. Sally and her husband founded Whole Heart Ministries in 1998 and Sarah is an award-winning author who also leads workshops on reading as a means to transform a child's mental and spiritual development. They have a clear calling from the Lord to serve others. While one can't argue that more time in prayer and with Scripture is key to making any change, getting from where you are in your crazy life now to the type of home culture you desire is a step-by-step process. While The Lifegiving Home is a vital part of that process, it may not be the starting point for some of us. I have to admit to enjoying Sally's chapters more because they are more conversational, whereas Sarah's style is more academic. Coupled with The Lifegiving Home Experience, a twelve-month guided planner, the reader may have more success creating the home culture she seeks.


Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Tyndale Momentum (February 2, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1496403371
ISBN-13: 978-1496403377

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Reading Now: The Life Giving Home by Sally & Sarah Clarkson

How to make home your family’s favorite place to be . . . all year long.

Does your home sometimes feel like just a place to eat, sleep, and change clothes on the way to the next activity? Do you long for “home” to mean more than a place where you stash your stuff? Wouldn’t you love it to become a haven of warmth, rest, and joy . . . the one place where you and your family can’t wait to be?

There is good news waiting for you in the pages of The Lifegiving Home. Every day of your family’s life can be as special and important to you as it already is to God. In this unique book designed to help your family enjoy and celebrate every month of the year together, you’ll discover the secrets of a life-giving home from a mother who created one and her daughter who was raised in it: popular authors Sally and Sarah Clarkson. Together they offer a rich treasure of wise advice, spiritual principles, and practical suggestions. You’ll embark on a new path to creating special memories for your children; establishing home-building and God-centered traditions; and cultivating an environment in which your family will flourish.

File Size: 18845 KB
Print Length: 255 pages
Publisher: Tyndale Momentum (February 2, 2016)
Publication Date: February 2, 2016
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B012P6LEJM

Mailbox Monday - July 9

In honor of our vacation, I'm sharing the Wrightsville Beach mailbox. To read its story click here.

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

This is our final Monday on the Outer Banks. Though we only have a few days left, we plan to make the most of it. Tropical Storm Chris is limiting any swimming--and probably will for most of the week. No loss to me, as I don't swim. It is a bummer for the kids and the hubby. At least yesterday evening when we visited the sand didn't blast you in the face like the day before.

When we are here, we like to support as many local businesses as we can. The girls enjoy visiting downtown Manteo and the first Friday of every month from April through November is First Friday, where they have local musicians and activities and the stores are open later. We stopped by Downtown Books and I choose these two novels that are tie-ins to the story of the Lost Colony. 

Rose Payne is heartbroken when her secret betrothal to a duke's son results in public scandal and her dismissal from her position as a clerk in his noble household. Desperate for work, she signs up for a risky colonial venture and sails for the New World, vowing never again to fall for a wealthy gentleman.

Sailing home after a diplomatic tour in London, Chief Manteo is bewitched by the intelligent, fiery-haired, working class girl and determined to overcome her distrust of men. A titled and powerful man on two continents, he is everything she thinks she isn't looking for. But a man in his position never backs down from a challenge. He contrives a daring plan to win her heart -- a plan he prays will protect her from a conspiracy involving murder, blood money, and a terrifying betrayal aboard their fleet of ships.

Jane Mannering can shoot an arrow and handle a knife as well as any Englishman. But she's no match for the red-painted Native American warriors who ambush their Colonial caravan the moment she and her friends reach the shores of Virginia. When Chief Wanchese shows up at the Great Trading Path to view the human spoils of the raid, Jane is shaken to learn their greatest enemy wants her for himself. It's a pity he's the only man on two continents who has ever stirred her heart, because capturing his is definitely not part of her escape plan!

Hope you enjoy the rest of your week. Feel free to share what was in your mailbox.

Book Review: The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep

The Daughters of the Mayflower series continues with The Captured Bride by Michelle Griep.

As the French and Indian War rages on, Mercy Lytton is called to be a scout and accompany a team on a dangerous mission. Raised by Mohawks, her gift of keen sight will be invaluable to them. Along with her friend, Captain Matthew Prinn, and Rufus, the son of Brigadier General Bragg, they are transporting traitor Elias Dubois and a stolen shipment of French gold to Fort Edward.

A woman of duty and honor, she doesn't expect to be attracted to a despised traitor, but she struggles to contain her growing affection for Elias. As for him, he has a plan of his own and Mercy has no place in it. Why then does she steal his every waking thought?

The Daughter of the Mayflower series continues to draw readers in with superb writing, engaging and complex characters, and the rich historical background against which these stories are set. Like other books in the series, The Captured Bride features an independent young woman who rises to the challenges she faces. Her past is well tied into her present and helps define who she became and, ultimately, where she ends up at the end of the novel. If you ever watched, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, you'll find this story has that type of feel to it considering the tense relationship between the white men and the Native Americans.

The Captured Bride is a powerful and engaging new installment in The Daughter of the Mayflower series. One finds history, romance, faith and adventure swirling around to create a fantastic read for any lover of this genre. A total stand alone novel, my recommendation is you start with the first book in the series to truly appreciate all it has to offer.

Highly recommended!


Series: Daughters of the Mayflower (Book 3)
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Barbour Books; Gld edition (June 1, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1683224744
ISBN-13: 978-1683224747

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Review: The Rancher's Mistletoe Bride by Jill Kemerer

Love, faith and letting go of the past combine to create a magical seasonal romance in The Rancher's Mistletoe Bride by Jill Kemerer.

Alexandra Harrington returned to the ranch where she grew up after the sudden death of her father. With both parents gone, it is up to her to carry on his legacy. So, she takes a leave from her wedding planner business in Colorado, planning to hire a ranch manager and then go back to her career. Then walks in Clint Romine...

Clint needs this job, but he's certain if Lexi finds out about his past she won't consider him at all. A former foster kid, he has built up walls that he refuses to let anyone break down. When she takes him on, he plans to keep their arrangement strictly professional, even when it's obvious Lexi is struggling for answers and direction because of her father's death.

This is such a sweet romance. Two characters engulfed in their own pain and doubts find themselves attracted to each other despite their declaration to be no more than boss and employee. As they tiptoe around each other, the reader witnesses their romance unfold to its satisfying and heartwarming conclusion.

While this might be the first book of Kemerer's I've read, it certainly won't be my last. Her ability to create a moving scene and tap into her characters' emotions pulls you in right away. These characters are so real, and how they end up filling each other's needs and finding their way to each other despite the reasons they've decide they should remain apart, is truly touching. If you're a pushover for seasonal romances like I am, you need to read The Rancher's Mistletoe Bride.

Series: Wyoming Cowboys (Book 1)
Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired; Original edition (September 19, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0373623038
ISBN-13: 978-0373623037

I received a copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts - July 4

Bookish (and not so Bookish) Thoughts is hosted by Bookishly Boisterous. This is a chance for book bloggers to dabble in areas besides books (but those are welcome too). Share your plans for the weekend, a rant on people not using their turn signals in parking lots, or your love of Sunday morning mimosas.

One of my favorite parts of vacation is spending the Fourth of July on the Manteo waterfront. We walk the boardwalk, eat at The Hungry Pelican, and listen to the 208th Army Band at the Roanoke Island Festival Park Theater before the amazing fireworks display starts.

It makes me sad, however, that our country is so divided. Instead of drawing on what we have in common, our differences pull us apart. My sincere prayer is that we can learn to find that common ground again. The days following 9/11, it didn't matter which side of the aisle we were on or if we were right in the middle. We all stood together as one. We were Americans first and liberal, moderate or conservative second. How we responded to that tragedy and the humanitarian efforts we see during other tragedies is what makes us great. The freedom to express our own opinions is what is wonderful about America, but it is us acting with honesty, integrity and respect for all that should define us as a nation. We are the great American melting pot, and it is only when we blend together and work for the common good that we can be all that we are destined to be.

May you have a blessed Fourth of July.

Task it Tuesday - July 3

Originally created by The Geeky Blogger, Task It Tuesday is a weekly meme to help you--and me--get things done. The challenge is to post a a task or list of tasks you want to complete before next Tuesday. These tasks can help you with your blogging life, reading life, personal or professional life.

I haven't posted one of these in a while. Vacation week seemed like the perfect time. Here are three things I want to accomplish this week:

• Critique my partner's chapters she sent on Monday.
• Finish the next chapter of Amelia's Mission so I can send it to her for her thoughts.
• Read through the nursing assessment paperwork from the Soldier's Home. 

Anything special you want to accomplish this week? Do you have an accountability partner to help you along?

Mailbox Monday - July 2

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

Welcome back to Monday! Looks like it will be another scorcher of a day. We've been having some fun in the sun since we arrived in NC. I've gotten a bit of color--not a fan of too much sun on the skin--and the ocean breezes are lovely. Made a trip to a few of our favorite places already.

Miller's Waterfront Restaurant

The Fudgery at Jockey's Ridge (So much for eating healthy.)

Duck Donuts in Kill Devil Hills (Isn't this a healthy breakfast?)

Since we aren't home, my mailbox is very far away. Not sure if I'll have any presents waiting when I return. 

What was in your mailbox? Anything good you would like to share? Hope you have a great week.