Mailbox Monday - Aug 31

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.

The end of August has arrived. I'm not sure how I feel about it. The Lil' Princess heads back to campus today, one more step in getting back to life before the pandemic hit. I think next week I will finally cut off Instacart and return to grocery shopping.

So much of life is still in flux, and I'm facing some decisions that require a great deal of prayer. Nothing dreadful or earth-shattering (the family is fine), but they are not decisions to make lightly.

On a positive note, I received word that I am now licensed to sell real estate in North Carolina. First part of a plan that may see me spending more time down south.

My physical mailbox remained empty last week. I downloaded this seasonal cowboy romance to my Kindle Unlimited library. I am ready for something easy to read.

That's it from my neck of the woods. What did your mailbox hold last week? Are you looking forward to a change of seasons? 

Bargain E-Book: Every Grain of Rice by Fuchsia Dunlop

Fuchsia Dunlop trained as a chef in China’s leading Sichuan cooking school and possesses the rare ability to write recipes for authentic Chinese food that you can make at home. Following her two seminal volumes on Sichuan and Hunan cooking, Every Grain of Rice is inspired by the vibrant everyday cooking of southern China, in which vegetables play the starring role, with small portions of meat and fish.

Try your hand at stir-fried potato slivers with chili pepper, vegetarian "Gong Bao Chicken," sour-and-hot mushroom soup, or, if you’re ever in need of a quick fix, Fuchsia’s emergency late-night noodles. Many of the recipes require few ingredients and are ridiculously easy to make. Fuchsia also includes a comprehensive introduction to the key seasonings and techniques of the Chinese kitchen. With stunning photography and clear instructions, this is an essential cookbook for everyone, beginner and connoisseur alike, eager to introduce Chinese dishes into their daily cooking repertoire.

File Size: 37774 KB
Print Length: 353 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0393089045
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (February 4, 2013)
Publication Date: August 15, 2013
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B00E6L8LOG

Purchase here!

Mailbox Monday - Aug 24

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.

Well, the end of August is creeping up on us. I spent time with my mother-in-law this weekend. I will be heading home today. We miss her when she isn't with us, but need to keep her safe from COVID and two of us still work outside the house.

On Saturday, I watched Beauty and the Beast with Emma Watson and Dan Stevens. Wow! I would watch it again if I had time. The only good thing about my tinnitus affecting my sleep is that I watch some good TV and movies on the Kindle Fire HD 10. I'm still going through the Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated series, but I don't like it as much as the original show. I don't like how they put Frank and Daphne and Shaggy and Velma into relationships with each other. I don't like how Velma is jealous of Shaggy and Scooby's friendship, either.

My physical mailbox did not hold any treasures, but I picked up a new Kindle Unlimited selection and a Kindle freebie.

I recently heard Richard Rothstein speak, which prompted me to add his book to my Kindle Unlimited collection.

I've read a few books by Pamela Samuels Young, so I picked up this Kindle freebie last week.

That's it for me this week. It will be a busy one as I have two closings, a meeting, and am taking the girls back to school shopping for some new clothes. My wallet is already crying.

Task it Tuesday - Aug 18

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.

I didn't feel like putting together a list this week. My head is pounding. My schedule is crazy. The ringing in my ears has gotten worse and is affecting my sleep. Still, it must be done. Focus is important to productivity.

Here is what last week's list looked like and the progress I made.

• Daily Bible reading--DONE
• Update planner 
• Six meetings--DONE
• Walk three days--DONE
• Prospect three days--Two days
• Read Five Minutes, Mr. Byner due for review this month--In progress
• Continue cleaning bonus room--Cleaned up another area
• Finish next chapter of The Sisterhood--DONE

So, last week ending being a good one. Hopefully, this week will be good as well. Focus is key. 

• Daily Bible reading--so far, so good
• Update planner--not feeling it, but we will see
• NAR Leadership Summit--Mon-Wed
• Four meetings 
• Read Five Minutes, Mr. Byner due for review this month--probably not until this weekend
• Continue cleaning bonus room
• Review of Strong from the Heart by Jon Land--Friday at The Book Connection
• Start editing project

What does your to-do list look like this week?

Going on A Road Trip? Entertain Little Ones with These PBS KIDS Educational Apps!

Now that we are stuck in the house more than we expected, many families are turning to road trips to avoid going stir-crazy. On-screen entertainment is a must for long trips ... unless you enjoy hearing, "Are we there yet?" from the backseat. Parents can use these free PBS KIDS educational apps to engage little ones while tapping into their art, math, science, engineering and design skills. You'll find nearly 200 educational games that can be downloaded for offline play anytime, anywhere.

Here are a few examples:

• Scribbles & Ink, a character-driven interactive series that teaches kids, ages 4 to 8, drawing techniques as they move through six different worlds. Kids can let their imaginations run wild as they become part of the friendship between the beloved cat and mouse duo.
• The Daniel Tiger’s Storybooks app offers a library of interactive stories narrated by Daniel Tiger. The stories show Daniel learning life lessons, like sharing with friends and being a helper. Each book, available in English and Spanish, includes a familiar song, charming animations, and a simple game to encourage children to play about the theme of the story.
• NEW: The Cat in the Hat Invents mobile app encourages young children to learn more about STEM subjects through fun activities such as designing their own robots, exploring different worlds and navigating challenges. Developed with the Next Generation Science Standards in mind, this app allows players to use voice command when selecting specific tools to help characters Nick, Sally and the Cat in the Hat improve their robot.
  
• The Play and Learn Engineering app brings little ones the opportunity to design roller coasters and problem solve through the twists and turns of obstacle courses. It empowers Preschoolers to develop a better understanding of the world around them and experiment with new tools and techniques. This free app is fully bilingual in English and Spanish.
• My personal favorite is Wild Kratts Rescue Run where you can run, jump, fly, and swim through 24 action-packed levels, rescue animals to unlock information about each one in the Creaturepedia, and face-off against villains to keep the animals safe from harm. Learn about animals and their habitats while using problem solving skills to choose different creature power suits, each with their own unique creature power.

Don't leave home without these free educational apps from PBS KIDS.

Bargain E-Book: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Dehydrating Foods by Jeanette Hurt

Save money and preserve your harvest with more than 80 delicious recipes!

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Dehydrating Foods is a comprehensive introduction to the process of food dehydrating. Today, people are using home dehydrators for drying and preserving all types of foods, and at a fraction of the cost were they to buy commercially-dried foods. The authors take you through the dehydrating process, step by step, and show you how create a huge variety of dried foods, while maximizing your yield and savings.

Here's what you'll find inside:

80 simple and delicious recipes for fruits, vegetables, herbs and blends, meats and jerkies, dairy, crackers, grains and granola, fruit leathers, vegetable and fruit powders, dried soups and snacks, as well as desserts and healthier pet treats that your pet will absolutely love

Practical guidance on buying the right dehydrator, setting up your dehydrating kitchen, purchasing essential tools and supplies, food safety and storage, and how to troubleshoot common issues

Clear instructions for techniques to help make your dehydrated foods come out perfectly every time including slicing, peeling, prep work, pretreating, and rehydrating, plus tips for room drying and sun drying your foods

Fun ideas for making special gifts with your dehydrated foods, plus tips for making gifts with dried flowers, creating potpourri, and more

File Size: 2554 KB
Print Length: 288 pages
Publisher: Alpha (April 2, 2013)
Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B00BR4SASM

Purchase from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Mailbox Monday - Aug 17

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.

Oh, my! We are back to Monday. A cool and rainy weekend rounded out a week of writing, showing houses, and meetings. Doesn't that sound exciting? A few fall decorations arrived in the mail last week, so I am getting ready to start decorating. That means we will be saying goodbye to this beach mailbox on August 31.

So much has been going on at the house. We had our pantry remodeled. The old pantry door was only a single, so I lost 18 inches of storage space I could never reach on each shelf. I chose the glass for the doors. Then our handyman cut out the wood and installed the glass. He painted them and added the handles. We changed out the wire shelving for wood shelves and added some metal baskets that slide onto the shelves to maximize storage space. I am thrilled with the results. It's not a butler's pantry, but it is so much better.

We are putting together ideas for other remodeling projects. We will probably have to take them one at a time, but I'm okay with that. I know we want to get rid of all the carpets. 

The new seeds in the garden are starting to sprout. We will see what we get.

My physical mailbox held no books this week. I'm okay with that since I have a ton to read over the next few weeks. I, did, however pick up this Kindle freebie when it came out.

An author also asked me to review this one.

I have a crazy week ahead of me, so I might not comment at your blog right away, but I will definitely stop by.

Thanks. Hope you have a blessed week.

Bargain E-Book: Mommy Burnout by Dr. Sheryl Ziegler

The ultimate must-read handbook for the modern mother: a practical, and positive tool to help free women from the debilitating notion of being the "perfect mom," filled with funny and all too relatable true-life stories and realistic suggestions to stop the burnout cycle, and protect our kids from the damage burnout can cause.

Moms, do you feel tired? Overwhelmed? Have you continually put off the things you need to do for you? Do you feel like it’s all worth it because your kids are happy? Are you "over" being a mother? If you answered yes to these questions, you’re not alone. Parents today want to create the ideal childhood for their children. Women strive to be the picture-perfect Pinterest mother that looks amazing, hosts the best birthday parties in town, posts the most "liked" photos, and serves delicious, nutritious home-cooked meals in her neat, organized home after ferrying the kids to school and a host of extracurricular activities on time.

This drive, while noble, can also be destructive, causing stress and anxiety that leads to "mommy burnout." Psychologist and family counselor Dr. Sheryl Ziegler is well-versed in the stress that moms face, and the burden of guilt they carry because they often feel like they aren’t doing enough for their kids’ happiness. A mother of three herself, Dr. Z—as she’s affectionately known by her many patients—recognizes and understands that modern moms are all too often plagued by exhaustion, failure, isolation, self-doubt, and a general lack of self-love, and their families are also feeling the effects, too.

Over the last nineteen years working with families and children, Dr. Z has devised a prescriptive program for addressing "mommy burnout"—teaching moms that they can learn to re-energize themselves and still feel good about their families and their lives. In this warm and empathetic guide, she examines this modern epidemic among mothers who put their children’s happiness above their own, and offers empowering, proven solutions for alleviating this condition, saving marriages and keeping kids happy in the process.

File Size: 866 KB
Print Length: 341 pages
Publisher: Dey Street Books; Reprint edition (February 20, 2018)
Publication Date: February 20, 2018
Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
Language: English
ASIN: B06ZZLN7BL

Purchase from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Bargain Cookbook: Modern Kitchen, Old-Fashioned Flavor by Gooseberry Patch

We're lucky to have so many convenient ways to produce the wonderful comfort foods we love, with all the flavors we remember from Grandma's kitchen.

Got all day? Go low & slow with a slow cooker. Treat your family to slow-simmered flavors...fork-tender pot roasts, tummy-warming soups, cheesy side dishes and more. Short on time or just looking for something new? With an electric pressure cooker, you can cook up all your family's favorite dishes in a fraction of the time...chicken & dumplings, barbecue pulled pork, even down-home green beans that taste like they cooked all day. Anything a slow cooker can do, a pressure cooker can do, and so much more. Make all those other appliances in your kitchen earn their keep too! Your microwave can do more than pop popcorn, like main-dish casseroles, speedy sides and more. Countertop griddles can grill sandwiches, of course, but can also grill a juicy chicken breast to top a hearty salad. Cook chicken fingers and fries to crisp, golden perfection, using a countertop deep fryer. And from your waffle maker, turn out ooey-gooey cheese sandwiches and even warm fresh-baked cookies...who knew?

In Modern Kitchen: Old-Fashioned Flavor, you'll find more than 200 recipes from home cooks just like yourself, plus plenty of useful tips for making the most of all those handy kitchen appliances.

File Size: 31145 KB
Print Length: 281 pages
Publisher: Gooseberry Patch (January 2, 2019)
Publication Date: January 2, 2019
Sold by: Amazon.com Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B07JPGJC3H

Purchase from:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Prices subject to change without notice

25th Anniversary Edition of Left Behind by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins

On a Boeing 747 headed to London, passengers instantaneously disappear from their seats, resulting in terror and chaos for those left behind—not only throughout the plane, but also worldwide as the apocalypse begins.

Included in this 25th anniversary edition is an essay by Jerry B. Jenkins, exploring cultural and spiritual changes over the last quarter century through the lens of this groundbreaking work of fiction.

Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.; Anniversary edition (August 4, 2020)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1496447565
ISBN-13: 978-1496447562

Purchase from:

Tyndale
Christianbook
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Books-A-Million

Task it Tuesday - Aug 11

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.

It is not only Tuesday. It is also the Lil' Diva's 19th birthday. How did this...

turn into this...

so quickly? I swear, we just brought her home.

That photo is from the Outer Banks of North Carolina, which is where I wish I was right about now. Instead, I'll focus on my to-do list.

I made some progress on last week's list:

• Daily Bible reading--DONE
• Update planner--a week behind
• Two meetings--DONE
• Walk three days--DONE
• Complete Strong from the Heart by Jon Land for August review--DONE
• Continue cleaning bonus room--Nope
• Finish next chapter of The Sisterhood--about halfway there
• Send out seller's packets--partially done

This week my work schedule is fuller than it has been. The pandemic is giving me a chance to catch up on some outdoor work, since I'm not comfortable going out as much as I was before. I'm still working, but want to be respectful of everyone's concerns too.

Our weekly Bible study is helping me feel more connected than I have been. I am also prospecting more for business, than I was in the last few weeks. I just don't feel like going to the office since I'm really tired of the whole mask thing. It's necessary, I know, but if I can work mostly from home and not wear a mask, why would I go to the office?

Here is what this week's list looks like:

• Daily Bible reading
• Update planner (probably not)
• Six meetings
• Walk three days
• Prospect three days
• Read Five Minutes, Mr. Byner due for review this month
• Continue cleaning bonus room (not likely)
• Finish next chapter of The Sisterhood

Here's a little inspiration to help you and me with our to-do lists.

Mailbox Monday - August 10

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.

Well, isn't this turning out to be a fun year? A pandemic, protests, elections, wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes, tropical storms, and more. Which end is up? Thank God for Mailbox Monday or I might not even know what day it is.

Tropical Storm Isaias visited us last week. No power or internet, downed power lines and trees, and my arbor fell into the garden. It yanked up my grape vine and squashed the tomato plants. Yesterday, I worked on returning it to some form of normal (a dangerous word to use this year). I also planted some new seeds. I never stress over what I get out of the garden in the fall, because I consider it a blessing when I get anything--especially as we head into the cooler months.

Next weekend I hope to do some cutting back of tree branches and plants along the perimeter. 

My real and virtual mailbox were busy this week thanks to some books I ordered and one that I am reviewing. 

I saw this one on Facebook. It came with a few other free e-books I wanted to look at, so I paid the $9.95 shipping.

Do not be fooled by all these gardening books. I have absolutely no idea what I am doing. I can't even say I am learning as I go. I plant things and pray a lot. 

Charlotte Hubbard asked me if I would review the first book in her new series. I jumped at the chance since I love her books.

Since I follow James Scott Bell on Amazon, I received a $5.00 off coupon to buy one of his select titles this weekend. I also had credits from other Amazon orders, so I picked up both of these.

That's it for me. I hope you had a fun mailbox. Wishing you a blessed week.

Bargain E-Book: The Financial Peace Planner by Dave Ramsey

Get out of debt and stay out with the help of Dave Ramsey, the financial expert who has helped millions of Americans control their money

The Financial Peace Planner may be the most valuable purchase you ever make. Dave Ramey's practical regimen, based on his own personal experience with debt, offers hard-won advice and much needed hope to people who find themselves in serious debt and desperate for a way out. This book comes in a workbook format, allowing you to frequently monitor your progress and, most importantly, to face your situation honestly. Loaded with inspirational insights that come from personal experience, this set of books will be life changing for any debt-ridden readers.

You'll find help on how to:
• Assess the urgency of your situation
• Understand where your money's going
• Create a realistic budget
• Dump your debt
• Clean up your credit rating


File Size: 3865 KB
Print Length: 288 pages
Publisher: Penguin Books; 1 edition (January 1, 1998)
Publication Date: January 1, 1998
Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B000PC0S46

Purchase here!

Product & Company Review: Aki Oka Pet Boutique

Because I post pictures of my pets on Instagram, I was contacted by Aki Oka Pet Boutique and asked to be an ambassador for their products. They provided me with a discount code and I ordered the following products:

Portable Water Dish

Proud Rescue T-Shirt

Portable Water and Food Container with Bowl

I ordered the products on May 31 and they shipped on June 4. The reason I ordered the travel products is because we were leaving on vacation and I wanted to make traveling with Theo easier. 

The order confirmation stated a two- to three-week processing time, so when the last week of June arrived, I began contacting the company to check on the status of the items. We were leaving on June 26, so if they didn't arrive before then, I wouldn't need them until next year. Though the shipping notification listed a tracking number, for weeks I couldn't find any information about my order. They would say, we will get back to you, but never did. I also tried contacting the Instagram user who contacted me and asked me to be an ambassador for their products. While they took down some information, ultimately, they couldn't help me.

So, June 26 arrived and we had no products. I visited the local Petco to buy a travel bowl and water bottle, so now I really don't need the products from Aki Oka Pet Boutique. While we were on vacation, the App to confirm shipping details finally started providing information. The products got handed over to an airline in Hong Kong on June 22. Keep in mind, it is five days past that date by the time this information is finally available to me. The products are delivered to our home on July 1. 

We return from vacation two weeks later. I try the T-Shirt on Theo but it doesn't even make it over his head. The portable water bottle is of such poor quality, I am afraid to use it. So, I ask for a refund on these two items. Aki Oka Pet Boutique declines the refund. 

Even with a discount code, it simply isn't worth the aggravation of shopping at Aki Oka Pet Boutique. I proceeded with an order because their website states they donate part of every order to animal re-homing initiatives--a cause I truly support. I will simply donate in other ways, because this company has a lot to learn about order fulfillment and customer service. 

Task it Tuesday - Aug 4

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.

Somehow it is Tuesday again. The days just seem to blend one into the other lately. I've been unmotivated and a bit grumpy. When I get like this, I hide in my office and waste too much time browsing the Internet. I've even struggled with completing the next chapter of The Sisterhood. 

This was last week's list:

• Daily Bible reading--5 out of 7 days
• Update planner--didn't touch it
• Weed garden--DONE
• One meeting--DONE
• Visit with my sister from out of state--we had a great time
• Walk three days--I made my goal of 5,000 steps on Tuesday, but fell shy the rest of the week
• Complete Strong from the Heart by Jon Land for August review--not yet, but reading it
• Continue cleaning bonus room--worked on prospecting instead
• Write next chapter of The Sisterhood--didn't get past the fourth paragraph

Here is what this week looks like:

• Daily Bible reading--so far so good
• Update planner--probably
• Two meetings
• Walk three days
• Complete Strong from the Heart by Jon Land for August review
• Continue cleaning bonus room
• Finish next chapter of The Sisterhood
• Send out seller's packets

Today, I didn't do as much as I should have, but I am looking to be more productive tomorrow. I need to get back on track. 

What does your to-do list look like? Do you need some motivation? Do you like inspirational quotes?

Mailbox Monday - Aug 3

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.

Welcome to August. Our month came in like a lion with storms and a tornado warning. Some areas had storm damage, but not as bad as it could have been. Looks like a sunny week with a few scattered thunderstorms.

Not a very productive week, but I did get some reading done and harvested a few vegetables. I have also been binge watching Fuller House.

We started a weekly Zoom Bible study on Sunday. I've missed attending church services. Many places are still holding online services. Facebook Live and Zoom are nice, but they aren't like seeing people. I pray we can get back to in-person services soon.

My physical mailbox held one treat this week.

I also grabbed these Kindle freebies.

What presents did your mailbox hold? What is one thing you've been missing during the pandemic? How are you coping?