tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41534318189144635112024-03-14T03:30:27.887-07:00Canuckian ContestsBlogging Contests for Canada!!Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-34493504283286555522015-12-30T07:48:00.003-08:002015-12-30T07:54:24.762-08:00Gifts for the AA groups meeting at our churchAt Christmas our church tries to do something special for the AA groups that meet in our meeting rooms. We bring them cookies. Woot!! Who don't like cookies. Me like cookies. C is for cookie that good enough for me.<br />
<br />
Whoops sort of lost track of my thoughts. Well we make them a package and this year I added a craft to each package. I made verse boxes. Here is one of them:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8z4DcaFPgdLnCXTvrJL7oj-QJnXs7kToWtBDK4JT_qH7bWZ4oWz6Xpy3sLIujK7sUM2h5FlKpLmnbQmpaJAfP-YBL3nXKnOGMsXeLg30ftvjqKSyO8hC6Tz6aJSUQxEPBOAetitu1Fpg/s1600/2015-11-09+14.47.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8z4DcaFPgdLnCXTvrJL7oj-QJnXs7kToWtBDK4JT_qH7bWZ4oWz6Xpy3sLIujK7sUM2h5FlKpLmnbQmpaJAfP-YBL3nXKnOGMsXeLg30ftvjqKSyO8hC6Tz6aJSUQxEPBOAetitu1Fpg/s320/2015-11-09+14.47.07.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So each of the boxes holds about 30 cards. On the front of each card is a saying that I found from an AA inspiration page. Here are some of these quotes:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArh7NERV9D0DU3d_jiJWLdzJgWKoEkFZFWVaqC6e9Y2tVXkmr1a0CDlgPwg5ukwS5O6w7sIi4Y3DYFUQVSc_Dy47E29T_B5z3jyQQllnf4Dbn-APGxfXlJlC2O5FhKmszoCo_7Jy8pfY/s1600/aa_quotes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArh7NERV9D0DU3d_jiJWLdzJgWKoEkFZFWVaqC6e9Y2tVXkmr1a0CDlgPwg5ukwS5O6w7sIi4Y3DYFUQVSc_Dy47E29T_B5z3jyQQllnf4Dbn-APGxfXlJlC2O5FhKmszoCo_7Jy8pfY/s320/aa_quotes.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And then I picked bible quotes that echoed these thoughts, like this:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuPegPhRz9MlCjJxYDXLAnbU7kOjuaCOuH46HAA67fGcUNczQKiDPHORVcrkWV7RnXlBuZn9WdumF14hTiVXy4f0ykRVP98fK-aGeJoC9P09iVJUZk28qljr2Wks-I7DDhw422grddxk/s1600/aa_Bible_quotes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuPegPhRz9MlCjJxYDXLAnbU7kOjuaCOuH46HAA67fGcUNczQKiDPHORVcrkWV7RnXlBuZn9WdumF14hTiVXy4f0ykRVP98fK-aGeJoC9P09iVJUZk28qljr2Wks-I7DDhw422grddxk/s320/aa_Bible_quotes.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
The little folders have an accordion side that allows you to put your favorite verses up front:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAEtzC-bpk32QzP8pPJORXuBiHET8cGIUd28aalobGNuhv5RyTZI4yh8fwf8nn2odg7XT5IVhG5zXaCz5Zyu79J5seZzNcbkJ4_kq5gnGDoCZZcV6k505gMIfHbu1HiHqD0HLLVyeCqE/s1600/2015-11-09+14.49.34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHAEtzC-bpk32QzP8pPJORXuBiHET8cGIUd28aalobGNuhv5RyTZI4yh8fwf8nn2odg7XT5IVhG5zXaCz5Zyu79J5seZzNcbkJ4_kq5gnGDoCZZcV6k505gMIfHbu1HiHqD0HLLVyeCqE/s320/2015-11-09+14.49.34.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And they have the cutest little snaps to close them. They are snaps for baby clothes and when you add them to paper that has been laminated they provide a nice strong closure. You can see a packet of snaps in the bucket behind the verses.<br />
<br />
Here is the tutorial for making the folders.<br />
<br />
<ol><a href="http://g02.a.alicdn.com/kf/UT82xqwXkRXXXagOFbXd/118850848/UT82xqwXkRXXXagOFbXd.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>
<li>Download the MTC file (<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/qddoqh5meedotmc/verse_box_share.mtc?dl=0">verse_box_share.mtc</a>). And cut out one of each of the three shapes. In the file they are on different pages (box, trim, trim3) and they look like the shapes on the left. I wanted colours that looked nice together so I invited over my colour consultants (who are the most wonderful people and good friends to boot) to pic the colours out. I think they chose about 20 different combinations. The main part of the folder was usually cut out of 12x12 patterned cardstock and then the trim was a complementary colour.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3FVNCrvIkB1MjKly2JzZNHbl9Ee8vGMBlf6OnMipHTCmPb2u7PWCzbD20AkJ7BOrEH3RaTiFY4dmxwMOhVLm73kDzqKZddAD5yDWYhs73nkAaDyI6C4IiVDZuiTXhkWQdUoVek7sZL5c/s1600/3_shapes.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3FVNCrvIkB1MjKly2JzZNHbl9Ee8vGMBlf6OnMipHTCmPb2u7PWCzbD20AkJ7BOrEH3RaTiFY4dmxwMOhVLm73kDzqKZddAD5yDWYhs73nkAaDyI6C4IiVDZuiTXhkWQdUoVek7sZL5c/s320/3_shapes.png" width="320" /></a></li>
<li>Fold all the perforated sections before you laminate in order to make the folding after laminating easier. </li>
<li> Then the next step was to laminate the folder with the trim in place. I did this by cutting a laminate folder to the width of the main part of the folder. With a tiny bit of glue to hold the trim in the right place. The pieces look like this going into the laminator. The laminating sheet only covers the patterned area of the folder. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKG_TaZ5jvpH9inXezTDpldav2jm_H8fQP5uGx91E4Yuudhn3ZOe6toE_1f241YUGwVJfX5EzzosQ_5wxIg2hFp_AXimd7qym2vM1ZtifMl_cSH_ZSbMQcNHhBP-yyAhOt7ocFZ9SJggI/s1600/placement.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKG_TaZ5jvpH9inXezTDpldav2jm_H8fQP5uGx91E4Yuudhn3ZOe6toE_1f241YUGwVJfX5EzzosQ_5wxIg2hFp_AXimd7qym2vM1ZtifMl_cSH_ZSbMQcNHhBP-yyAhOt7ocFZ9SJggI/s320/placement.png" width="320" /> </a></li>
<li>Once it is laminated, refold the perforated lines on the folder. I used my Martha Stewart scoring board but any method will work. </li>
<li>Then you are going to add the snaps to the top and bottom of the folder. The snaps I borrowed from a friend and they are the KAM snaps. There are 3 different pieces and they look like this the below picture. A and B are different sides of the same piece. So at the rounded end of the folder you will attach the A/B piece to the Pin piece with the A side showing against the patterned paper. And at the square end of the folder you would attach the A/B piece to the Box piece. IMPORTANT: the square end of the folder has the box piece showing against the patterned paper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUVOW1PM1F_AiwtPLBd21Iy3px4hWWQVG_S0sxJy3kNqWYLSJzdQUZlAyzSeq1VL6Iuhj8-qWptwxtf1QAGmpnTrFNQpRTwvIX7BfObLWElMriPR1yo1JslR9LX3D1SUEyblhG8D8ZmM/s1600/snaps.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpUVOW1PM1F_AiwtPLBd21Iy3px4hWWQVG_S0sxJy3kNqWYLSJzdQUZlAyzSeq1VL6Iuhj8-qWptwxtf1QAGmpnTrFNQpRTwvIX7BfObLWElMriPR1yo1JslR9LX3D1SUEyblhG8D8ZmM/s400/snaps.png" width="400" /></a></div>
</li>
<li><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFy1aFZodSxw8tOoJtjzBFLU4HVH9PLOjrDnTpkKP3XGtI_zCbGI0d3opaB2qZAY-J0mQpsvwYq-kaoRSR5HqsqXtLqC1qqVvARFS9LmrdW7v2xNaUoo3KXdEQmJoW_YD67vkttJJB6Qo/s1600/snaps.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a>Now comes the fun part. I know it all seems so much fun so far!! I think I put together 120 of these babies and it gets easier as you go. So you are going to fold the tabs up. The tabs that are rounded (kind of looks like a bracket ) you will fold back and forth inward on the folder until it looks like this: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rmW7vZhz7YzentN6xgSLsy_TVuuSGzd9VxnR6PqB6amBZvERxTExng8qezfsF8y7XNKp8bUELAt5US1mk7GIi_4hTB1ATGGjlImZEkVFV2_WbPJrtvXVm4LhimzTRvbeQAyFmTD7CzE/s1600/2015-12-30+10.31.01.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2rmW7vZhz7YzentN6xgSLsy_TVuuSGzd9VxnR6PqB6amBZvERxTExng8qezfsF8y7XNKp8bUELAt5US1mk7GIi_4hTB1ATGGjlImZEkVFV2_WbPJrtvXVm4LhimzTRvbeQAyFmTD7CzE/s320/2015-12-30+10.31.01.jpg" width="320" /></a></li>
<li>The last step is to attach the tabs together with glue and tabs. Here is a poor video to show you how. https://youtu.be/4JZKairJYo4 <iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/4JZKairJYo4/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/4JZKairJYo4?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></li>
<li>And le voile. Et fini.</li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3FVNCrvIkB1MjKly2JzZNHbl9Ee8vGMBlf6OnMipHTCmPb2u7PWCzbD20AkJ7BOrEH3RaTiFY4dmxwMOhVLm73kDzqKZddAD5yDWYhs73nkAaDyI6C4IiVDZuiTXhkWQdUoVek7sZL5c/s1600/3_shapes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3yPJDU7qLtUq99-gEyk5prOvXlNybBJx2crawKHkYhTGdfKvZ64GukQnbxtnQQlx4J-dh8GHcmxyMOuwZi5ZL3HbBeR0vzvRkrUOZHumG1SxcQhnLnPZpIgIIndomc8ZR7eEO-U3laM8/s1600/2015-11-09+14.45.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3yPJDU7qLtUq99-gEyk5prOvXlNybBJx2crawKHkYhTGdfKvZ64GukQnbxtnQQlx4J-dh8GHcmxyMOuwZi5ZL3HbBeR0vzvRkrUOZHumG1SxcQhnLnPZpIgIIndomc8ZR7eEO-U3laM8/s320/2015-11-09+14.45.55.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-46874275248594838142015-11-29T10:48:00.004-08:002015-11-29T10:48:55.426-08:00A glide and slide nativity cardI found this tutorial for making slide and glide cards and thought it was adorable:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/f5KrUdCYd6w/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f5KrUdCYd6w?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
So I decided to make my own with a nativity scene. Here is what mine looks like:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCyuAgQTxKVfsAA6MpKRnrC180qjKMnegZoQK79LOvwDG9nrQEEk_IExbxJGHloJIeUjkki7wv0ACt8SB5QuRywG6Ho13ilDnWhL7RnraFT6gUCBapizHS6MEk-5VtPUZEz3bIHzvppg/s1600/2015-11-29+05.24.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheCyuAgQTxKVfsAA6MpKRnrC180qjKMnegZoQK79LOvwDG9nrQEEk_IExbxJGHloJIeUjkki7wv0ACt8SB5QuRywG6Ho13ilDnWhL7RnraFT6gUCBapizHS6MEk-5VtPUZEz3bIHzvppg/s400/2015-11-29+05.24.43.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Here is a video of it working:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/R_I62ienhQc/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/R_I62ienhQc?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
I am going to pretty it up today (if I have the energy).<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-66487070395553728152015-11-28T13:59:00.001-08:002015-11-28T14:32:17.312-08:00Baby Congrats card with swinging bassinetA pop up baby card with a double slider front. No one ever said I was a simple girl or that I embraced simplicity. I made this card for a very dear friend of ours that just had a baby. Here is a video of the pop up card in action:<br />
<br />
<iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/owXOGn0x2eY"
width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br />
So the file is pretty detailed but essentially, the front part of the card is composed of a double slider base (MTC file front_base page) and then a print and cut page (front_pull_out page) is made of items that go onto the double pull out. Here is a instructional of how to do a double slider by Beccy: http://beccysplace.blogspot.ca/2015/04/tutorial-double-slider-card.html<br />
<br />
Then the inside of the card is a pop up card with a swing on it. The first page in the MTC file is the pop up card. Then the second page is all of the complementary pieces. There is a picture window, a wood floor with a rug and a pink wallpaper and then of course the swinging bassinet. There are pieces that match the wallpaper that go on the pop up tabs. It is all print and cut with a bit of gluing down.<br />
<br />
Note: I did not put fold lines at the bottom of the chair or the dresser because it was such a tiny attachment.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>
Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-7521848213843051262015-11-27T23:46:00.002-08:002015-11-27T23:48:53.806-08:00Build me a snowman and Something old challengesI am enjoying entering crafting challenges so thankfully my blog title still works. I created my own stamp placement tool. It is a dvd case that will allow you to restamp the same image over and over in the same place until it is fully inked. So a lot of my cards will feature stamps in the next little while. Here is a snowman that I am entering in <a href="http://freshbreweddesigns.blogspot.ca/2015/11/build-me-snowman.html">fresh brewed designs build me a snowman challenge</a>. Here is my card:
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Q6iM9JKtoF6zW1vSnOMjBOfi7AP0jLKJPzIlgDWhB_CqcxesXDTCJZ05lGyHxo3Wc4E_2sC__yWecJ9ZdelwweOCJhcryR1V8xui7xNkP7-5J0o-Iuvffg7FbwHTlFdf-LL_aDmhrIY/s1600/2015-11-27+23.27.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Q6iM9JKtoF6zW1vSnOMjBOfi7AP0jLKJPzIlgDWhB_CqcxesXDTCJZ05lGyHxo3Wc4E_2sC__yWecJ9ZdelwweOCJhcryR1V8xui7xNkP7-5J0o-Iuvffg7FbwHTlFdf-LL_aDmhrIY/s320/2015-11-27+23.27.02.jpg" /></a></div>
Isn't she a-dork-able. I love the sweet motherly type snow woman referencing the Game of Thrones.
<br>
<br>
<br>
I made another card for <a href="http://beccysplace.blogspot.ca/2015/11/day-28-something-old.html">Beccy's Place Something old Challenge</a>. This is a stamp that my mother-in-law gave me. He is quite a cute frog. I had a lot of trouble on this card. First I didn't put tacky spray on the grid so the page kept moving in the stamp placer. But I got that fixed but then I realized that the paper I used smudged. And then I got black ink all over the place.
I learned from my wonderful sister that the best crafters take an error and make it a feature. So the smudges became glitter snow. The poorly cut banner had some washi tape added to it and the frog got redone on another paper and stuck on top of the smudged frog.
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-utRJCtdeDmoOPAlhF1cyPq1klfKY0fSKpnb9bs2tP-Z3LTLAjzxGrapKaXLsHl1Y2XpHFMq8uTqbZ_JM6m6iMKq_6MNW-L9LU4gNnUabfKxKvtn33qiF8sbIwnG5Q3ca1DoKBmEwOTA/s1600/2015-11-27+22.05.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-utRJCtdeDmoOPAlhF1cyPq1klfKY0fSKpnb9bs2tP-Z3LTLAjzxGrapKaXLsHl1Y2XpHFMq8uTqbZ_JM6m6iMKq_6MNW-L9LU4gNnUabfKxKvtn33qiF8sbIwnG5Q3ca1DoKBmEwOTA/s400/2015-11-27+22.05.05.jpg" /></a></div>
All in all, I am learning lots about stamping. I only have one stamp pad but I guess in time I will get more. I enjoy the short time frame needed to make cards.
<br><p><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;"/></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-32206965953218874422015-05-04T22:49:00.003-07:002015-05-04T22:52:01.051-07:00Countries of East Gate Alliance Church of Ottawa<script src="http://cdn.amcharts.com/lib/3/ammap.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="http://cdn.amcharts.com/lib/3/maps/js/worldHigh.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script src="http://cdn.amcharts.com/lib/3/themes/dark.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<div id="mapdiv" style="width: 1000px; height: 450px;"></div>
<div style="width: 1000px; font-size: 70%; padding: 5px 0; text-align: center; background-color: #535364; margin-top: 1px; color: #B4B4B7;"><a href="http://www.amcharts.com/visited_countries/" style="color: #B4B4B7;">Create your own visited countries map</a> or check out the <a href="http://www.amcharts.com/" style="color: #B4B4B7;">JavaScript Charts</a>.</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
var map = AmCharts.makeChart("mapdiv",{
type: "map",
theme: "dark",
pathToImages : "http://cdn.amcharts.com/lib/3/images/",
panEventsEnabled : true,
backgroundColor : "#535364",
backgroundAlpha : 1,
zoomControl: {
panControlEnabled : true,
zoomControlEnabled : true
},
dataProvider : {
map : "worldHigh",
getAreasFromMap : true,
areas :
[
{
"id": "ES",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "FR",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "GB",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "RO",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "RU",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "CA",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "GT",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "HN",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "HT",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "JM",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "MX",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "NI",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "SV",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "US",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "AR",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "BO",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "BR",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "CO",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "PE",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "CD",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "CM",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "EG",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "ER",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "KE",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "MG",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "NG",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "ZA",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "CN",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "IQ",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "IR",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "JP",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "KR",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "LB",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "LK",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "MY",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "PH",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "SY",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "TW",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "VN",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "HK",
"showAsSelected": true
},
{
"id": "SG",
"showAsSelected": true
}
]
},
areasSettings : {
autoZoom : true,
color : "#B4B4B7",
colorSolid : "#84ADE9",
selectedColor : "#84ADE9",
outlineColor : "#666666",
rollOverColor : "#9EC2F7",
rollOverOutlineColor : "#000000"
}
});
</script>
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-27086579940145187642014-07-31T22:25:00.003-07:002014-07-31T22:25:45.454-07:00Children Playing box card<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTCsDotR01ifJE1b24CjITh-kkr_TjSTGLCOTFg4lb3x294t6YC26l3M9rdEKeJqNwogEkMBPSXNNWJjQL0yr44cH3qnNjmZWcjL9yt-rQaT4Vw2QJk-g4qj1RgTENSk5AKieR_AfrZo/s1600/2014-07-28+02.37.16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRTCsDotR01ifJE1b24CjITh-kkr_TjSTGLCOTFg4lb3x294t6YC26l3M9rdEKeJqNwogEkMBPSXNNWJjQL0yr44cH3qnNjmZWcjL9yt-rQaT4Vw2QJk-g4qj1RgTENSk5AKieR_AfrZo/s1600/2014-07-28+02.37.16.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
MTC File: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxY0fZP9AEREdHJEU0dKMUs5UlU/edit?usp=sharing<br />SVG Files: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxY0fZP9AERESlpkbjh3NE84RXc/edit?usp=sharing<br />
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxY0fZP9AEREdndVMWpzMUptLVU/edit?usp=sharing<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-78259359677128634082014-07-31T22:10:00.002-07:002014-07-31T22:10:46.692-07:00Bucket o Flowers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivstc2E7ttqrLYiXpASdbybrOJO5D6oR6OIuLRWv7xDGLp8nK-mUQdyco-dB5C42oo0smijScKTY_PM2c33tzfLC9wi8HktJIKOVnKL3tI2NWeLpy-N1sOhUnNELSwJtaJSiqaHgyUcNU/s1600/bucket_o_flowers2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivstc2E7ttqrLYiXpASdbybrOJO5D6oR6OIuLRWv7xDGLp8nK-mUQdyco-dB5C42oo0smijScKTY_PM2c33tzfLC9wi8HktJIKOVnKL3tI2NWeLpy-N1sOhUnNELSwJtaJSiqaHgyUcNU/s1600/bucket_o_flowers2.jpg" height="320" width="179" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrL7xWwOJdOjPCzFF1UuXfzr9DVOyTX6aL5mLuqkmezt_qjPfDzD20f8UaEKKZxG0idpl1-2Qm5pBUcqIVMuq1cOclqhO4RTceYO4Q4RNnaOC7EiLxfLAPaPBIdritHBg3BCHZQeOaso/s1600/bucket_o_flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcrL7xWwOJdOjPCzFF1UuXfzr9DVOyTX6aL5mLuqkmezt_qjPfDzD20f8UaEKKZxG0idpl1-2Qm5pBUcqIVMuq1cOclqhO4RTceYO4Q4RNnaOC7EiLxfLAPaPBIdritHBg3BCHZQeOaso/s1600/bucket_o_flowers.jpg" height="320" width="179" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
MTC file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxY0fZP9AEREY0VIUEtlNkp5N1U/edit?usp=sharing<br />SVG file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxY0fZP9AEREbWRjZjIta0NuSnc/edit?usp=sharing<br />
<br />
You will need to add flowers. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-4704470734069419422014-07-18T12:39:00.004-07:002014-07-18T12:40:07.938-07:00Volcano Craft<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4lXnjhLGNCI9KXMxa3yJ8OteatVng4CqyA1bZwqjiGrVz2pmh9ZlWsE9PMEHYUsM2NBzGSJb5vpe9ODUi5Co-aaVIhQtBbohoD_SD6KmWZcokm4bZp5_CFZrolm1FRaxz9iB6N84vpWo/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4lXnjhLGNCI9KXMxa3yJ8OteatVng4CqyA1bZwqjiGrVz2pmh9ZlWsE9PMEHYUsM2NBzGSJb5vpe9ODUi5Co-aaVIhQtBbohoD_SD6KmWZcokm4bZp5_CFZrolm1FRaxz9iB6N84vpWo/s1600/Capture.PNG" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dw9ciG7VeBEDA1brbeu6BT3O4dFUBeF_i5rvJEjDBpQ9k16jr1BqHs0JFZ0WSsxitGemdDB0IuXoCZROioaMA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
This is a simple craft with big effect. You will get disposable shot glasses to make the reaction in. The way I did the reaction is that I put one Tablespoon of Baking Soda in the shot glass. I took a used water bottle and filled it 2/3 the way with vinegar added some dish soap (dawn), red food colouring and red glitter to give it some fun. I printed and cut out the following volcano, and then covered it with mactac. I put the shot glass in the cone that I made and then I poured the vinegar solution into it.<br />
<br />
Supplies:<br />
Cardstock for cone<br />
mactac for the cone (optional)<br />
vinegar<br />
baking soda<br />
food colouring (optional)<br />
red sparkles (optional)<br />
dawn (optional but highly recommended -- makes it foam)<br />
disposable shot glasses <br />
<br />
Instructions<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Print and cut out the following cone on card stock. Leave a 1/4 to 1/2 inch margin around the top of the volcano <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxY0fZP9AERENGNlX3JrS3A4VFU/edit?usp=sharing" target="_blank">Link to pdf</a></li>
<li>If you want the volcano to survive it's maiden voyage, you may want to mactac or laminate it.</li>
<li>Wrap the cone around the shot glass. Cut the top of the volcano to accommodate the glass and be able to close. </li>
<li>Tape the cone together. </li>
<li>Put a Tablespoon of baking soda in the shot glass</li>
<li>Put the volcano into a pan or a foam plate or the sink</li>
<li>Pour the vinegar mixture into the shot glass.</li>
<li>Rinse Repeat.</li>
</ol>
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-6645754783804173832014-05-22T14:33:00.004-07:002014-05-22T14:36:13.972-07:00One Perfect Spring (Irene Hannon) ... 4/5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://assets.bakerpublishinggroup.com/processed/books/covers/listing/9780800722678.jpg?1397750583" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://assets.bakerpublishinggroup.com/processed/books/covers/listing/9780800722678.jpg?1397750583" height="320" width="207" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This book was very emotional. I loved the characters and the story line. Although the guy got the girl (a near necessity for me to like the book) there was loss and pain as well as love joy and sweetness. The heroine, Claire Summers, is a single mom. She is raising her daughter, Haley, to become an amazing young woman. The lady next door and Claire have become friends when Claire helped Maureen through a health crisis. Haley sends a request to Keith's company to help Maureen. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Keith is a workaholic. He doesn't work hard and play hard, he just works hard. He is afraid of becoming attached. When he meets Claire there is interest on both sides but he reminds Claire of her ex-husband, and she comes off as a crazy lady. But sparks continue to fly as they come to know that things are not as they seem. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Together they try and solve a mystery and in the process emerge from their own long harsh winters. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Back Cover</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Independent single mom Claire Summers is doing her best to make lemonade
out of the lemons life has handed her. Workaholic Keith Watson is
interested only in the bottom line--until a letter from Claire's
eleven-year-old daughter reaches his desk and changes everything. <br /><br />As
the executive assistant to a philanthropic businessman, Keith is used
to fielding requests for donations. But the girl isn't asking for money.
She wants help finding the long-lost son of a neighbor. As Keith
reluctantly digs into this assignment in his usual results-oriented
style, he has no idea how involved he and Claire will become--nor how <i>unusual </i>the
results will actually be. Who could have guessed that a child's
kindhearted request would bring love and hope to so many lives . . .
including his own?<br /><br />Through compelling characters and surprising
plot twists, fan favorite Irene Hannon offers this tenderhearted story
that demonstrates how life is like lilacs--the biggest blooms come only
after the harshest winters.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #4c1130;">Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.<br />
Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-47447337930620252432014-05-22T14:19:00.001-07:002014-05-22T14:35:46.472-07:00Book Review: Meant to Be Mine by Becky Wade ...4/5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.beckywade.com/my_books_files/MeanttoBeMine_comp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.beckywade.com/my_books_files/MeanttoBeMine_comp.jpg" height="320" width="206" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I love this book. I love that the love that began when they were young was picked up when they were mature enough to make it last. Sigh. I just love it when God does that. I am one of those people who put myself completely in the characters shoes. I become immersed. When they are sad, I cry and when they do something funny I laugh. I fully enjoyed being these characters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Celia Park is a great mom with lots on her plate and she is trying so hard to make it all work out. She thinks she has to do it all and does not trust Ty. Well honestly I wouldn't either. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Ty has been coasting for 5 years. Well he has been making money and becoming successful but his life is sort of stuck in neutral. He has avoided Celia for 5 years and goes to visit her to get closure. But holey mackeral he gets a big opening. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It is a great book.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Back of book:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park. All through high
school--irresistible. When their paths cross again after college--<i>still</i> irresistible.
This time, though, Ty seems to feel exactly the same way about
Celia. Their whirlwind romance deposits them at a street-corner Las
Vegas wedding chapel.<br /><br />The next morning they wake to a marriage
certificate and a dose of cold reality. Celia's ready to be Ty's wife,
but Ty's not ready to be her husband. He's a professional bull rider, he
lives on the road, and he's long planned to settle down with the
hometown girl he's known since childhood.<br /><br />Five and a half years
pass. Celia's buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her
daughter. Ty's achieved all of his goals. Or thought he had, until he
looks again into the eyes of the woman he couldn't forget and into the
face of the child he never knew he had.<br /><br />How much will Ty
sacrifice to win back Celia's trust and prove to her that their
spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #741b47;">Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.<br />
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-62134586017136382182012-08-28T07:08:00.000-07:002012-08-28T07:10:15.137-07:00Book Review: Dying to Read ... 4/5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/Console/Common/Image.asp?image=/Media/PubComProductCatalog/9780800721589.jpg&width=223&height=0&quality=90" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/Console/Common/Image.asp?image=/Media/PubComProductCatalog/9780800721589.jpg&width=223&height=0&quality=90" width="206" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
So after last week (or maybe the week before), I was ready for a book where the guy got the girl. (It's a thing for me.) I picked up this book and it was laugh out loud funny. I loved the heroine. She becomes a detective sort of by accident. She stumbles onto a murder and then stumbles onto the murderer (s). It was a great fun ride.<br />
<br />
The book is very quirky and it was fun all the way through. Not a very serious read, but I did fall in love with the main character , Cate Kincaid. She was warm and loving and her internal dialogue was so darn funny.<br />
<br />
<b>Back Page:</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.649999618530273px;">
<strong>All she wanted was a paycheck. What she got was a murder.</strong></div>
<strong style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.649999618530273px;"></strong><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.649999618530273px;"></span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.649999618530273px;">
<strong></strong>Cate Kinkaid's life is . . . well, frankly it's floundering. Her social life, her career, her haircut--they're all a mess. Unemployed, she jumps at the chance to work for her PI uncle, even though she has no experience and no instincts. After all, she is just dabbling in the world of private investigating until she can find a "real" job.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.649999618530273px;">
All she has to do for her first assignment is determine that a particular woman lives at a particular address. Simple, right? But when she reaches the dark Victorian house, she runs into an hungry horde of gray-haired mystery readers and a dead body. This routine PI job is turning out to be anything but simple. Is Cate in over her head?</div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); font-family: Arial;">"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.<br />Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".</b>
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-58366978390698087032012-08-11T16:15:00.000-07:002012-08-11T16:16:29.010-07:00Book Review: Whispers in the Wind ... 1/5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/Console/Common/Image.asp?image=/Media/PubComProductCatalog/9780764204166.jpg&width=223&height=0&quality=90" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="344" width="223" src="http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/Console/Common/Image.asp?image=/Media/PubComProductCatalog/9780764204166.jpg&width=223&height=0&quality=90" /></a></div>
Well a rating of 1 out of 5 isn't really fair to the book because I am punishing it for not being what I expected. =). Picture this, I was having a hard day, I was <strike>tired</strike> exhausted and I just wanted to escape to a place where happy endings were always the case and the guy always gets the girl. So when I saw an envelope in the mail with new books to review I was so relieved to have a place to escape for a bit. <br>
<br>
If you had asked me about 1/3 of the way through I would have said that I liked the heroine and thought she was believable and someone I would like to cheer for. I started having a sinking feeling about half way through the book. There was no hero. Well there was a couple of good guys but no potential beaus for our heroine, Cassie.<br>
<br>
Needless to say, no hero showed up and my hope for an evening passed watching a good guy get a good girl were not to be. I am not sure that I can be objective after that.<br><br>
So I will leave it there.<br><br>
Back Page:<br>
<blockquote>She's Come This Far.... Must She Turn Back Now?
After fleeing North Dakota and the now defunct Wild West Show, Cassie Lockwood and her companions have finally found the hidden valley in South Dakota where her father had dreamed of putting down roots. But to her dismay, she discovers a ranch already built on her land.
Cassie's arrival surprises Mavis Engstrom and forces her to reveal secrets she's kept hidden for years. Her son Ransom is suspicious of Cassie and questions the validity of her claim to the valley. But younger son Lucas decides from the start that he is in love with her and wants to marry her.
Will Cassie be able to build a home on the Bar E Ranch and fulfill her father's dream of raising horses, or will she be forced to return to the itinerant life of her past?</blockquote>
<br><p><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="border: 0 !important; background: transparent;"/></a><br><br>
"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-88113710195134500272012-05-29T15:32:00.000-07:002012-05-29T18:23:25.493-07:00Book Review: my stubborn heart ... 5/5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/Console/Common/Image.asp?image=/Media/PubComProductCatalog/9780764209741.jpg&width=223&height=0&quality=90" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/Console/Common/Image.asp?image=/Media/PubComProductCatalog/9780764209741.jpg&width=223&height=0&quality=90" width="206" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I loved this book. I cannot say it any other way. The main character, Kate Donovan, is a woman who thinks that marriage and kids are not God's will for her life. She also thinks that good looking men are out of her league (or not worth the trouble). Enter the good looking man. Matt Jarreau is a hockey star who hung up his skates when his wife died. He has completely withdrawn from life. He has been hired by Kate's Gran to renovate the family home. He anticipates working in peace and quiet. But Kate and Gran have other ideas. Kate constantly works beside him (even with his not so subtle hints that she should leave). But she is on a mission to heal him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The book is wonderful and funny and really well written. Kate is a very secure, warm and loving individual with just a few insecurities to give her character. Matt Jarreau is a great guy who is buried under a mountain of grief. He comes alive bit by bit and at the end he is the man that God meant him to be. There is an elderly gentleman in the book who has a major crush on one of gran's lady friends. He bribes Kate into helping him get a date and it is hilarious what she has to go through to get him the date.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=0477683E4046471488BD7BAC8DCFB004&nm=&type=PubCom&mod=PubComProductCatalog&mid=BF1316AF9E334B7BA1C33CB61CF48A4E&tier=3&id=E5B8745AF9B94F258429515057870B9D">Publisher page for my stubborn heart</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back page:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style=" font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When her grandmother asks her to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance.</span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Upon her arrival in Redbud, Kate meets Matt Jarreau, the man hired to renovate the house. Kate can't help being attracted to him, drawn by both his good looks and something else she can't quite put her finger on. He's clearly wounded--hiding from people, from God, and from his past. Yet Kate sets her stubborn heart on bringing him out of the dark and back into the light... whether he likes it or not. </span><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">When the stilted, uncomfortable interactions between Kate and Matt slowly shift into something more, is God finally answering the longing of her heart? Or will Kate be required to give up more than she ever dreamed?</span></span>
</blockquote>
<br />
<div style="font-family: Arial; word-wrap: break-word;">
<b>"Book has been provided courtesy <span class="il" style="#ffffcc; color: #222222;">of</span> Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.<br />Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division <span class="il" style="color: #222222;">of</span> Baker Publishing Group".</b><b style="font-weight: normal;"> </b></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-40674374855969314512012-05-29T15:17:00.002-07:002012-05-29T18:25:25.789-07:00Book Review: The Pursuit of Lucy Banning ... 3/5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/Console/Common/Image.asp?image=/Media/PubComProductCatalog/9780800720384.jpg&width=223&height=0&quality=90" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/Console/Common/Image.asp?image=/Media/PubComProductCatalog/9780800720384.jpg&width=223&height=0&quality=90" width="207" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Every once in a while I come across a romance where I don't identify with the characters. And I think it may be that they are just people I would not understand in real life. In this case the heroine Lucy Banning has a thirst for knowledge and loves learning in a time when learning for women was discouraged. She goes behind her fiancee's and parent's backs in order to pursue her goal of a degree. She calculates and plans how to escape notice. I think her goal was noble and in the end people understood that this is what she wanted to do. But it just seemed dishonest.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, the book was really well written. I loved the setting in Chicago months before the world fair opened. I also loved how the Lucy's ex-fiancee's suffered from a mental illness and how it was portrayed and dealt with within the family. Lucy showed great compassion in going to the rescue of him, after he had stalked her and tried to kidnap her. I will look for Olivia Newport's next book to see if I can relate to those characters better.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also love the cover picture... =)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=0477683E4046471488BD7BAC8DCFB004&nm=&type=PubCom&mod=PubComProductCatalog&mid=BF1316AF9E334B7BA1C33CB61CF48A4E&tier=3&id=0492A9D0F9034A40B5A31CDCCA5CF867">Publisher's page about The Pursuit of Lucy Banning</a>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back Cover:</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">
<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She has a secret to keep. But will she give her heart away?</span></strong></div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lucy Banning may live on the exclusive Prairie Avenue among Chicago's rich and famous, but her heart lies elsewhere. Expected to marry an up-and-coming banker from a respected family, Lucy fears she will be forced to abandon her charity work and squeeze herself into the mold of the well-dressed wife who spends most of her time and money redecorating.</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When she meets Will, an unconventional young architect who is working on plans for the upcoming 1893 World's Fair, Lucy imagines a life lived on her own terms. Can she break away from her family's expectations? And will she ever be loved for who she truly is?</span></div>
<div style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Get swept away into the lavish world of Chicago's high society as Olivia Newport brings to life an age of glitz and grandeur, stark social contrasts, and one woman who dares to cross class lines for what she believes.</span></div>
</blockquote>
<br />
<b style="font-family: Arial;">"Book has been provided courtesy <span class="il" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;">of</span> Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.<br />Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division <span class="il" style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222;">of</span> Baker Publishing Group".</b>
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-86738970368686974852012-03-15T23:10:00.000-07:002012-03-15T23:10:31.239-07:00Book Review for Chasing the Sun...5/5I haven't given a rating before but this one is definitely a 5 outta 5.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/Console/Common/Image.asp?image=/Media/PubComProductCatalog/9780764206153.jpg&width=223&height=0&quality=90" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.bakerpublishinggroup.com/Console/Common/Image.asp?image=/Media/PubComProductCatalog/9780764206153.jpg&width=223&height=0&quality=90" width="206" /></a></div><br />
Here is the back cover:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><div align="center"><em><strong>Hannah is desperate for help..<br />
William is determined to regain his family's land...</strong></em></div>When her father disappears in war-torn Mississippi, Hannah Dandridge finds herself responsible not only for her younger siblings but also for the Texas ranch her father recently acquired. A marriage of convenience could ease her predicament... but is it the true desire of her heart?<br />
Wounded soldier William Barnett returns home only to find out that his family's ranch has been seized. Though angered at this turn of events, he's surprised to discover that it is a beautiful young woman with amazing fortitude who is struggling to keep the place running.<br />
Despite these circumstances, Hannah and William form an uneasy truce... and an undeniable attraction builds between them. In a land where loyalties are divided in a country ravaged by war, is there any hope that the first blush of love can survive?</blockquote>I loved it, absolutely loved it. The main character is Hannah. Hannah has had a hard life but she doesn't seem to partake in the "Drama Queen" role (that many of us seem to slip into so easily). She simply does what needs doing and follows God. The book is set during the American Civil War in Texas. Hannah has two younger siblings that she cares for so selflessly. During one scene a group of Comanches (or Numunuu, the people, as they call themselves) arrives in her yard. She walks out to them and greets them as if they were dropping by for a cup of sugar. This earns respect from the leader of the leader of the Numunuu and me the reader. <br />
<br />
The hero, William, is equally as inspiring. He reminds me of my hubby. =) He is peace loving and gentle and kind.<br />
<br />
I loved the book, did I say that already?? This one is a winner, thank you Tracie Peterson and Bethany House for a delightful experience.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-66098250774100749872012-01-25T07:56:00.000-08:002012-01-25T07:56:35.621-08:00Organizing on the cheap: spicesI've been doing a lot of organizing lately. It's been fun. For some reason it soothes me. Here are some of my projects:<br />
<br />
My spice cupboard is my pride and joy. I am immensely practical and this situation works. There is a three tier shelvy thingy (I believe that that is the technical term). So I think I picked something like this up somewhere. Knowing me I bought it on sale or second hand. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUAY-fSkjxtM3P_-kQXbDX2NbuOJtYHLf9tv5rKmLx_Uc6QCWvKKyNrubXmDJiYlDRZGbKo-6tyb5YVmUHcM_AvKvs36aEFt5Fgr1pHFvleAtemnHcNID7BveJoaNtU_3mtGtkWSKjuFE/s320/DSCN5629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyUAY-fSkjxtM3P_-kQXbDX2NbuOJtYHLf9tv5rKmLx_Uc6QCWvKKyNrubXmDJiYlDRZGbKo-6tyb5YVmUHcM_AvKvs36aEFt5Fgr1pHFvleAtemnHcNID7BveJoaNtU_3mtGtkWSKjuFE/s320/DSCN5629.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And then I bought spice jars at Dollarama, as you can see they are 3 for a dollar.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n627/walshsurvey/001-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n627/walshsurvey/001-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
And then I used my handy dandy labeller that I got for free with a mail in rebate. I have a pt-2100 and it allows me to plug it into my computer and print labels with icons on the computer. I don't think you can see but there is a little salt and pepper shaker next to the name of the spice. I have 2 shelves of this many spices and the great thing about is that spices come down for a recipe and then they just have to find the right empty spot to be home again. this is the final look:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n627/walshsurvey/002-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n627/walshsurvey/002-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-83203186177843294752012-01-25T07:38:00.000-08:002012-01-25T07:38:10.621-08:00Book review "In Too Deep"<div class="tr_bq"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;"><b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">"</b><b>Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.<br />
Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group</b><b style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">".<span> </span></b> </div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51GpQWLCGHL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51GpQWLCGHL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;"> </div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;">I love this series by Mary Connealy. The first in this series was <a href="http://canuckiancontests.blogspot.com/2011/08/im-book-revieweryay-first-review-out-of.html">Out of Control</a>. The series is about 3 boys, raised in the west in the 1800s. As children, their parents were distant and non-caring. So they explored the countryside with no restraints. There was an incident that scarred the three of them in different ways. The first born (in Out of Control) learned to deal with the world by trying to control his environment. The second born, Ethan (In Too Deep), reacted to the incident by not allowing himself to feel for anyone. Anytime he felt any emotion he would slap a big old smile on his face and not feel the emotion anymore. </div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;">I thought it was very much like how we all cope with whatever life throws at us. Some people pretend that it never happened and doesn't affect them. Some people, like me, try and control every situation so that we never get hurt again. And some people just break. </div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;">I love this book. Imagine a real hero. A person that for all his grinning is incredibly broken inside and avoids emotions like the plague. But despite his fear, does what is right. Ethan agrees to marry Audra because of circumstances. And then Audra helps him to see that his views about himself are not accurate. I don't think you necessarily need to read the first book to get this book but it sure makes some stuff easier to get.</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;">Here is the back cover bit:</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;"><br />
</div><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;">In 1866 Colorado, Ethan Kincaid agrees to a marriage of convenience with the same casual disregard he gives every decision. Audra Gilliland, young mother of two, accepts his proposal because she wants to stop being a burden to her newly married stepdaughter.</div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;">And suddenly both of them are in far deeper than they'd planned.</div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;">Ethan doesn't expect Audra to affect him so profoundly, and when she begins to, he's terrified of the pain he's felt before when someone he loved was seriously injured on his watch. He's determined that his new wife will do as he says so he can keep her safe from the dangers that lurk on their ranch.</div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;">Audra has been cared for all her life by one man or another--and they've done a poor job of it. Now she's planning to stand up for herself. And her new husband had better agree or get out of her way! </div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;">What will it take to transform two wayward hearts fearful of getting in too deep into two trusting hearts ready to risk falling deeply in love? </div></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></blockquote><div class="tr_bq"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; word-wrap: break-word;"><br />
</div><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-44819752576563709172012-01-12T08:57:00.000-08:002012-01-12T08:57:33.120-08:00Book Review "Confident Heart"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41q+kZBc2EL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41q+kZBc2EL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I have no idea why this book is not appealing to me. It is not that it is not relevant to my life. I need more confidence in God's truth in me. It is not that it isn't well written, it is. I cannot put my finger on why I cannot read more than a couple of pages without putting it down. I guess I cannot connect with the author. I connect with her circumstances, but when she explains her thoughts and feelings, I cannot relate.<br />
<br />
Maybe it is the wrong time for this book. Maybe in another season it will work for me. <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-86641453819380564472012-01-12T04:08:00.000-08:002012-01-12T04:08:04.562-08:00Book Review "The Doctor's Lady"This was a great book. Two very strong characters with a plot based on a historical story. Priscilla and Eli are two young Christian's that are determined that God has called them to be missionaries. Unfortunately the missionary board has decided that unmarried missionaries are not to be sent out. Which puts them in a bit of a pickle, so they decide to get married.<br />
<br />
They are sent west. Not a lot of women have made it west. The journey is fraught with danger. Disease, famine and freezing temperatures are all endured and survived. The love story between them was complicated (of course). He did not think that a woman could make it, and she thought that his opinion meant that she was not worthy. Throughout the trip, he was pushing them to keep up with the wagon train. But through misadventure and sickness they were not able to keep up. She was given custody of a baby along the way, and then a ruthless man tried to blackmail her into coming with him to be with the baby. He learned to lean on God instead of the wagon train. And she learned that she was all that God wanted and to trust God despite all.<br />
<br />
At the end she was re-united with the baby and the her husband. Sigh...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51cYuYxj08L._SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51cYuYxj08L._SL500_AA300_.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: transparent; border: 0 !important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-30237028613530616872011-10-07T09:27:00.000-07:002011-10-07T09:27:49.033-07:00My second book review "The Realms Thereunder"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://media.salemwebnetwork.com/familyfiction/imagegallery/book/large/201103/Lawhead-RealmsThereunder-150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.salemwebnetwork.com/familyfiction/imagegallery/book/large/201103/Lawhead-RealmsThereunder-150.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I have been a Sci Fi/Fantasy junkie since ever. I love putting myself in a world where the current rules don't all apply. I love opening up possibilities and opportunities to play with reality. Since I have become a Christian I have shied away from Sci Fi/Fantasy because it didn't seem right. I was so happy to receive this new book "The Realms Thereunder" to fill my Fantasy fix.<br />
<br />
The premise of the book, without giving anything big away is that there is a force of timeless soldiers that protect the modern day earth from dark forces. These soldiers have been asleep but there is great dark power building and they may need to wake up.<br />
<br />
We follow two young adults. Freya Reynolds and Daniel Tully, on their journey. Daniel is a person hungry for a chance to make a difference and to escape his poor and abusive childhood. Freya would rather not be put in the middle of anything. She just wants to be normal, and not stand out. She has a touch of OCD (a bit more than a touch). She is cast into this journey against her wishes.<br />
<br />
The book is well written and the possibilities are endless. I like the premise and the plot development. I love Daniel and relate to him well. He is not afraid to take on any challenge. I look for Freya to become more open. She hides information and wants so desperately to blend in. I cannot like her. Well maybe in the next book.<br />
<br />
It sure filled my Fantasy needs and I look forward to the next book.<br />
<br />
<br />
Here is the official backstory:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><div id="ProdDetailDescr"> <b>Ancient legend tells of an army of knights that will remain sleeping until the last days. </b><br />
<b>The knights are waking up.</b><br />
A homeless man is stalked by a pale, wraithlike creature with a mouthful of needle-sharp teeth. Maimed animals and a host of suicides cluster around a mountain in Scotland. And deep beneath the cobbled streets of Oxford, a malicious hoard besieges a hidden city.<br />
Freya Reynolds is a university student with a touch of OCD and an obsession with myth and folklore. Daniel Tully is living rough on the streets of Oxford, waging a secret war against an enemy only he can identify. Years ago, they found themselves in a world few know is real. They have since gone their separate ways and tried to put that adventure behind them.<br />
But the mythical world is now bleeding into our reality—a dark spiritual evil that is manifesting itself in forgotten corners of the British Isles. Alex Simpson is a Scottish police officer who specializes in hunting mythical creatures. Together, they must confront the past, the present, and points beyond to defeat the ultimate threat to humanity. <br />
Nothing they've seen so far prepares them for what awaits . . . in <i>The Realms Thereunder.</i></div></blockquote><br />
<br />
<img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" />Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-46305160021519277662011-08-24T09:04:00.000-07:002011-08-24T09:04:33.342-07:00I'm a book reviewer...YAY!!! First Review -- Out of Control by Mary ConnealyI am so excited, I will be reviewing books for Bethany House!!! I have recently had to stop buying books by Zondervon because of their library policies (They are owned by Harper Collins see the article here <a href="http://boingboing.net/2011/02/25/harpercollins-to-lib.html">http://boingboing.net/2011/02/25/harpercollins-to-lib.html</a>). I have been reading a great deal of the wonderful Bethany House authors since February.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The book I am reviewing today is "Out of Control" by Mary Connealy. It is the first book in the Kincaid Brides series. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bakerbooks.com/Console/Common/Image.asp?image=/Media/PubComProductCatalog/9780764209116.jpg&width=223&height=0&quality=90" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.bakerbooks.com/Console/Common/Image.asp?image=/Media/PubComProductCatalog/9780764209116.jpg&width=223&height=0&quality=90" width="206" /></a></div>It was a wonderful read. What I loved the most is that the people in the novel were real. Sometimes I find in the Christian Romance novels the Hero or Heroine obsess about something in their past which is quite minor and it controls their whole lives. I think it is done in order to make a broken person who is also good and kind. In this book, Julia and Rafe both have been through very difficult lives, and they have warts, but they are REAL.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Another thing that I love about this book, is that Julia and Rafe feel real desire. It is still clean but there is an acknowledgment that they forget the world when they kiss. I love that.<br />
<br />
<br />
Another thing I love is that Rafe has the older brother attitude down to a "T". And his younger brothers, Ethan and Seth, are so darn real, and cool and conflicted. I honestly cannot wait for the next book.<br />
<br />
I had some trouble warming up to Julia however. She is a bossy boots, and the characters in the book talk about her softer, kinder side but I don't think we see it, or I didn't identify it. I loved her step-mom though. I loved that Audra was upset that everyone treated her like a invalid. I can't wait to read the next book!! Audra and Ethan???<br />
<br />
Here is the back cover bit:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><br />
Julia Gilliland has always been interested in the natural world around her. She particularly enjoys studying the fossils and formations in the magnificent cave near her father's house. The cave seems plenty safe--until the day a mysterious intruder steals the rope she uses to climb out. </blockquote><blockquote> Rafe Kincaid is a man used to being in control--of himself, his brothers, and his family's ranch. The last thing he expects is to find a woman trapped in the cavern on his land--or to be forced to kiss her! </blockquote><blockquote> Rafe is more intrigued by Julia than any woman he's ever known. But when their developing relationship threatens a reconciliation with his brothers, will Rafe have to choose between his family and this new love that could heal his troubled heart and secure his happiness?</blockquote>Here is a link to the interview with Mary Connealy.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bakerbooks.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=0477683E4046471488BD7BAC8DCFB004&nm=&type=PubCom&mod=PubComProductCatalog&mid=BF1316AF9E334B7BA1C33CB61CF48A4E&tier=3&id=8F1D6622171E4C818C6F58E2AF1A1D0B&AudId=205F4A61B07648D98551934CA40DE116#interview">Interview with Mary Connealy</a><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent; border: 0pt none ! important;" /></a>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-13156841273715139272011-01-28T15:37:00.000-08:002011-01-28T15:42:06.787-08:00Toronto Teacher Mom is giving away a $40 Gift Card to CSN<a href="http://www.torontoteachermom.com/2011/01/win-40-gift-voucher-from-csn-stores.html">Toronto Teacher Mom</a> is giving away a <a href="http://www.csnstores.com/">$40 CSN Gift Card. </a>This is what I am looking at (as you may have noticed, I am all over the map as to what I would actually order...but if I win I guarantee I will buy something wonderful.<br /><br /><a href="http://common2.csnimages.com/lf/1/hash/4780/1986815/1/St%2E+Louis+4%22+Centerset+Bathroom+Faucet+with+Buckingham+Lever+Handles%2FPolished+Brass.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://common2.csnimages.com/lf/1/hash/4780/1986815/1/St%2E+Louis+4%22+Centerset+Bathroom+Faucet+with+Buckingham+Lever+Handles%2FPolished+Brass.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><p><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;" /></a></p>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-8307459147954157492011-01-28T06:35:00.000-08:002011-01-28T06:37:22.167-08:00Realized Returns is giving away a Kindle Jan 31<a href="http://realizedreturns.com/read-my-drivel-win-a-kindle/">Realized Returns is giving away a Kindle</a> on his site. You want a Kindle, you know you want a Kindle. Get over there and enter!!<p><br /></p><p><a href="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/kindle/shasta/photos/graphite-one-hand-300px._V186000090_.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 255px;" src="http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/kindle/shasta/photos/graphite-one-hand-300px._V186000090_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;" /></a></p>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-16847069667928887942011-01-28T06:17:00.001-08:002011-01-28T06:21:14.442-08:00Momma in Flip Flops is giving away a $100 GC to Red Envelope Feb09<p><a href="http://mommainflipflops2.blogspot.com/2011/01/red-envelope-perfect-personalized.html">Momma In Flip Flops</a> is giving away a $100 Gift Certificate to <a href="http://www.redenvelope.com/">Red Envelope</a>. It is in time for Valentines Day. Now hubby and I don't usually exchange gifts on Valentines day but I thought nothing says I love you like <a href="http://gifts.redenvelope.com/gifts/buckyballs-magnetic-desk-toy-30010312?viewpos=44&trackingpgroup=rfmfv">bucky balls</a>. Well at least that is my hubby's point of view.<br /></p><p><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;" /></a></p>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4153431818914463511.post-5662322292536137692011-01-25T09:04:00.000-08:002011-01-25T09:12:55.070-08:00Tales of a Ranting Ginger is giving away a large envie of Coupons<p><a href="http://talesofarantingginger.blogspot.com/2011/01/giveaway-large-envelope-full-of-coupons.html">Tales of a Ranting Ginger</a> is giving away a big envie of coupons. Now I love coupons. No I REALLY love coupons. I'm aiming to win this one!!!<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/225/A50D681D1D55547D023F48DD97121716.png" style="border: 0pt none ! important; background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;" /></a></p>Connie Walshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16040034443479045710noreply@blogger.com1