Mom Loves 2 Read 2 - backup blog: 2013-09-15
For all current Mom Loves 2 Read Reviews, Giveaways, Mommy Moments and More go to ~ www.momloves2read.com

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Family Fun for Fall ~ Corn Mazes, Pumpkin Patches, Coupons & More from all over the US


 http://swerrv.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/corn_maze_1_540x359.jpg





Ready for some Fall Festival Deals! Here is a great list of Corn
Maze Coupons and Fall Festival savings nationwide that I found through US Family Guide Bloggers Program. You can download valuable coupons
for Corn Mazes, Pumpkin Patches and Fall Family Activities in many areas throughout the US.  





Check the list to see if your local area has a fun Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch or other great Fall activities for your Family to enjoy - I even added a couple in my local area that my family has visited!





Arizona
Schnepf Farms - Queen City
 

Tolmachoff Farms- Glendale, AZ


California
Forneris Farms - Mission Hills

Colorado
Anderson Farms -
Erie

Flat Acres Farm -
Parker
Fritzler Maze - La Salle
Sunflower Farm -
Longmont
Mile High Farms - Bennett
Wishing Star Farm
- Calhan
Harvest Farm - Wellington
Georgia
Lane Southern Orchards - Fort Valley
Poppell Farms - Odum 


 
Illinois
All Seasons Orchard - Woodstock
Kuipers Family Farm - Maple Park
Odyssey Fun Farm - Tinley Park
Siegel's Cottonwood Farm - Lockport 


Ackerman Farms  ~  Morton



Tanner's Orchard ~  Speer




Indiana
Amazing Fall Fun - Waterloo
Harvest Tyme Pumpkin Patch - Lowell
Hobson's Fun Farm - Rockville
Guffey Acres- Kokomo




Louisiana
CM Farms - Dry Creek

Michigan
Farmer Charley's Corn Maze Adventure - Monroe 




Maryland/DC
Summers Farm - Fredrick County

Massachusetts
Sauchuk Farm - Plympton

Missouri/Kansas

KC Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze - Gardner
Shuck's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch - Pleasant Hill


Mississippi
Seward Farms Maze - Lucedale

Minnesota
Afton Apple Orchard - Hastings

Montana
The Maize at Grandpa's Farm - Billings

Nebraska
Camp Fontanelle - Nickerson

NewJersey
VonThun Farms - Monmouth Junction
Sahl's Father Son Farm - Egg Harbor City

New York
Wright Family Farm - Warwick
Harbes Family Farm - Mattituck

North Carolina
Patterson Farm Market and Tours - Mount Ulla

Ohio
The Corn Maze at the Sharp Run Market - Millersburg
Meadow View Growers - New Carlisle 




Oregon
The Maize at The Pumpkin Patch- Portland




Pennsylvania

Hurricane Hill Farm - Coatsville

 Triple B Farms - Pittsburgh 

Reillys Summer Seat Farm - Pittsburgh



Rhode
Island

Confreda Greenhouses & Farms - Hope (Western Cranston) 










Texas
Devine Acres Farm - Devine
Fiesta Farm - San Antonio
Yesterland Farm - Canton
South Texas Maize - Hondo
Dewberry Farm - Brookshire
Brazos Valley Maize- Brenham


 

Virginia
Cows-N-Corn
- Midland
Wayside Farm Fun - Berryville
Belvedere Plantation - Fredericksburg

Utah
Cornbelly's Corn Maze & Pumpkin Fest - Spanish Fork




For Daily Updates on these
coupons and coupons for other family attractions please visit and bookmark: http://www.usfamilycoupons.com




Do you know of a Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch, Apple Farm or fun Fall Event near you?  Leave the name of the location and the city/state where it is located in the comments below and I'll add it to my list!






Disclosure: I received most of the information in this post through US Family Guide bloggers program. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.

Fired Up by Mary Connealy ~ another amazing adventure from a talented author ~ Review on Mom Loves 2 Read




Fired Up   by  Mary Connealy



ABOUT THE BOOK





Rollicking Wild West Adventure and Romance from Bestselling Author Mary Connealy.



Dare Riker is a doctor who saves lives, but someone seems determined to end his. It may have something to do with the traitors he dealt with during the Civil War, or it might be related to the recent incident with Flint Greer and the ranch. Whoever the culprit is, he or she seems really fired up, and Dare can't let his guard down for a moment, which is a challenge, since right now he's trying to win the heart of the recently widowed Glynna.

Glynna Greer came west as a mail-order bride and ended up in a bad situation. Now her husband, Flint, is dead, and she's determined to care for her son and daughter on her own. She wants to believe Dare Riker is as decent as he seems, but she's terrified to lock herself into another marriage. She plans to support her small family by opening a diner--never mind that cooking is not her greatest talent. The men in Broken Wheel, Texas, are so desperate for home cooking that they seem willing to overlook dried-out beef and blackened biscuits.

Glynna can't help but notice that danger follows Dare wherever he goes. There's the avalanche. And then the fire. But things really get out of hand when someone plunges a knife from Glynna's diner into Dare's back. Are Flint's cronies still plotting revenge? Is Glynna's son engaged in a misguided attempt to protect his mother? Is a shadowy outsider still enraged over past injustices? And can Dare survive long enough to convince Glynna to take another chance on love?




If you would like to read the first chapter of Fired Up, go HERE.





My Review:

Anyone who knows me well, knows that Mary Connealy is one of my all-time Favorite Christian Fiction Authors.  I have almost ALL of the books she has written and have read many of them at least 6 times (so far).  Fired Up is another wonderful story from the mind of this talented author.

Fired Up opens with adventure and ends with an intriguing romance.  Throughout the story is a 'whole passel' of twists and turns that kept me so interested I did  not realize it was nearly 2am before I finally finished reading.  Dare is not a typical male main character, and is definitely not without his own flaws.  The amount of danger and injury this poor many survives is unbelievable, yet he seems to bounce back over and over.  Add to the mix Glynna who is a determined and capable widow, not looking for a new man in her life and trying to take care of her children; and you have the makings of a romance doomed for failure from the beginning.  Yet, somehow manages to happen regardless of Glynna's son being completely against it from the start.

I loved this book and can't wait to read the next in this series, or any other from this author.  Once again she has me going back to my favorites of her books and re-reading them, some for the 7th or 8th time!





Read my reviews of more of Mary Connealy's books:

~ Swept Away ~ Trouble in Texas Series book 1

~ Sharpshooter in Petticoats

~ Over the Edge

~ In too Deep

~ Dr in Petticoats





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:




Mary
Connealy writes romantic comedy with cowboys. She is a Christy Award
Finalist, a Carol Award Finalist and an IRCC Award finalist.




The Lassoed in Texas Series, Petticoat Ranch, Calico
Canyon and Gingham Mountain. Petticoat Ranch was a Carol Award Finalist.
Calico Canyon was a Christy Award Finalist and a Carol Award Finalist.
These three books are now contained in one large volume called Lassoed
in Texas Trilogy.




The Montana Marriages Series, Montana Rose, The Husband Tree and Wildflower Bride. Montana Rose was a Carol Award Finalist.




Cowboy Christmas—the 2010 Carol Award for Best Long Historical Romance, and an Inspirational Readers Choice Contest Finalist.




The Sophie's Daughters series. Doctor in Petticoats, Wrangler in Petticoats, Sharpshooter in Petticoats.




She is also the author of; Black Hills Blessing a
3-in-1 collection of sweet contemporary romances, Nosy in Nebraska, a
3-in-1 collection of cozy romantic mysteries and she's one of the three
authors contributing to Alaska Brides with her Carol Award Winning
historical romance Golden Days.








Disclosure: I received free the item(s) mentioned in this post in exchange for my honest review through the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance blogger program. Regardless ~ All my reviews are my honest and personal opinion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.

Friday, September 20, 2013

My Favorite Posts Weekend Party on Mom Loves 2 Read ~ Come Link Up


 Show off weekend welcome 




Welcome back to all of you amazing Weekend party lovers! We have an amazing twist for this week's awesome SHOW OFF Weekend Takeover Party...The lovely Natasha from Epic Mommy Adventures and Stacey from This Momma's Ramblings will be staging a TAKEOVER! The amazing Jessica from The Wondering Brain will be doing a bit of wandering about the states this weekend so we have taken this party

 over! At least for a short while. 




~*~ Personally I think they did an amazing Job - Check it out and see what you think of this week's favorites - once again my favorite is not here since I think my emails are wondering around somewhere in cyberspace - but I love the ones my fellow co-hosts found -

  Presentation250






 Epic Mommy 




 It has been a wonderful September working with all of these amazing ladies...So, now lets give a huge hello to our wonderful September co-hosts:





Cathy from A Peek Into My Paradise



Michelle from On a Wing and a Prayer



Maria from Music Teaching and Parenting



Keia from Improving Me with Keia Lee



Susan from Mom Loves 2 Read


 Cheryl from Little Things, Big Difference 


 



 show off 


 


Now for our favorite links from last weeks Show Off Weekend Party! 



 photo grabbutton2_zps7d635a69.png 


 


 Stacey's favorite post came from Linda at Crafts a la Mode with her post "Caramel Apples and Crushed Candy Bars"
Saying, "I absolutely love caramel apples, especially in the fall! They are definitely the one treat that I will allow myself...always!" 


 


 



Gladiator in Heels

Natasha's favorite post came from Tiffany at Gladiator In Heels with her post "Houston, We Have A Command Center" Saying, "I love the honesty in Tiffany's post...she shares how she has built a command center to manage all of her family's daily activities. Although my son is in daycare (in theory, he's in preschool - he has homework some days!), I also have a command center. As disorganized as it may be, it helps to keep this mom organized. Tiffany has inspired me to do the same -- build a command center that will last me 


 


through the school year!" 


 


 B4 during after 


 


Cheryl's favorite post came from Bethany at Before During and After with her post "10 Reasons I'm An Awesome Mom"
Saying, "This mom is honest and straightforward and is sharing her life with us. I so appreciate that, and we all should take a moment and make a list occassionally about why we are a great mom or wife or friend etc." 


 




Season of Sweets 


Michelle's favorite post came from Judy at Season of Sweets with her post "Cinnamon Apple Sticks"
Saying, "Fall won't arrive here in Phoenix for a while yet but I can't wait to make these Cinnamon Apple Sticks by Judy @ Season of Sweets. They would be a tasty, crisp apple treat that I'm sure would disappear as quickly as they're made.


 


 vashtiqvega_1364242467_47 


Jessica's favorite post came from Vashti at Vashti Quiroz-Vega's Blog with her post "Superstitions"
Saying, "It's about Friday the 13th and how it became a superstition. I always love Vashti's writing style too and to know that she is just as superstitious as I am! It brought me back to all of my grandma's stories about black cats, haunted houses, and spirits!"


 


 Wonderingfeaturedblogbutton 


 


Congratulations to our featured bloggers! Take our wonderful badge and SHOW OFF your blogger skills by displaying it on your side bar for everyone to see!


Don't forget to check out our amazing giveaway! 




Giveaway 


 a Rafflecopter giveaway 


 





we want you 


 


 I am looking for co-hostees to spread My Favorite Posts SHOW OFF Weekend Blog Party on September 27th for four weeks. Only $4.00 to be a part of it along with LOTS of exposure to your blog!


I am also in need of guest bloggers, especially DADDY BLOGGERS. Guest bloggers are featured every Tuesdays. It’s another way to promote your blog with The Wondering Brain! For more information, email m at The Wondering Brain at gmail dot com. 


 


party 


 


Ready to party? We are! Before we begin, just some general guidelines to follow:


Link up your favorite posts. It doesn’t matter which one, just make sure it’s family friendly!


Follow all 3 of your hosts


Follow all 6 co-hosts


Leave a comment if you’d like them to follow you too


Visit at least 5 other bloggers


Show them your blogger love by leaving a comment if you’d like them to follow. Remember, it’s not a party unless you mix and mingle, so mingle around and make some friends!




Now come on and join the party!


Blog Link Up:





Facebook Link Up:



















Stacey
This Momma's Ramblings
Carpe Diem!







Thursday, September 19, 2013

Chasing Hope by Kathryn Cushman ~ Book Blast & Amazon GC Giveaway on Mom Loves 2 Read


chasing hope tour 




 


Chasing Hope by Kathryn Cushman


 


Chasing HopeA Personal Drama of Shattered Dreams and Second Chances 



 A talented runner fully committed to Olympic dreams, Sabrina Rice's future was shattered by a devastating diagnosis. One forfeited scholarship and several years later, she has new goals and dreams that have nothing to do with running--something that's become far too painful to think on.
Until the day she sees Brandy Philip running across the community college campus, easily outpacing security. Sabrina immediately recognizes world-class speed, and it's all the more painful that it belongs to a teenage graffiti artist. When a chance encounter brings the two young women together, Sabrina becomes Brandy's best hope for staying out of juvenile hall. Soon, Sabrina begins to feel an uncomfortable nudge that her new life is just about to be toppled...that God may be calling her to minister to this talented but troubled girl. 














kathryn

 


Author Kathryn Cushman 



Author Kathryn "Katie" Cushman is a graduate of Samford University with a degree in pharmacy.


She is the author of five novels, including Leaving Yesterday and A Promise to Remember, which were both finalists for the Carol Award in Women's Fiction.


She is also the co-author of Angel Song with Sheila Walsh.


Kathryn and her family currently live in Santa Barbara, California. 












 





 

BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash


Ends 10/11/13


 

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



 a Rafflecopter giveaway






Disclosure: All info in the post above was provided by the author through IARNW Book Blasts & Tours. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.

Check out the new Monopoly Empire Game & Enter 4 a chance 2 WIN on Mom Loves 2 Read


Welcome to Mom Loves 2 Read!  

Check out the newest game from Monopoly, and enter for a chance to win a Fun Prize!


Monopoly Empire Review and Giveaway


Monopoly has done it again! They have just released this new Monopoly Empire Game! The new game is for ages 8+ and of course 2 to 4 players. This would make for a great family fun game night!





My family loves to play games together, and Monopoly happens to be one of my kids' favorite family game night games to play.  They would love a chance to try out this new version of their favorite game!  Even my 5 year old loves playing along with one of us helping her.  She loves to help roll the dice and move the pieces.  She gets pretty excited when one of us buys a property we want.







Experience everyone’s favorite property trading game in a whole new way! Kids can now buy and sell some of the world’s favorite brands. Twenty-two top brands such as Coca-Cola, Xbox, Samsung, EA and McDonald’s line the tricked out game board, letting players live out the fantasy of owning it all! Make your way around the board buying up your favorite mega brands and adding them to your billboard tower. Collect rent from your opponents based on your billboard and be the first to complete your town to win the game!





Enter to win this awesome game! Open to US only. Ends Sept. 22, 2013 at 11:59pm est.

a Rafflecopter giveaway







Disclaimer: This event was organized by Branch Pro Promotions, LLC please contact Tina at branchpropromotions@gmail.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event! The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. We are not associated with any of the companies named above. No purchase is necessary to enter. Void where prohibited by law. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received Open to the US only, 18+ only. Confirmed Winner(s) (by Random.org) will be contacted by email. Winner(s) have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this giveaway. My blog is not responsible for product shipment/delivery. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. This disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements. Entrants must only enter with either one email address, IP address and/or Facebook account, anyone found violating these rules will be disqualified. It is at the sole discretion of the admin of the giveaway if the winner has met the rules or not.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Born of Persuasion by Jessica Dotta ~ Book Spotlight on Mom Loves 2 Read

ABOUT THE BOOK



The
year is 1838, and seventeen-year-old Julia Elliston’s position has
never been more fragile. Orphaned and unmarried in a time when women are
legal property of their fathers, husbands, and guardians, she finds
herself at the mercy of an anonymous guardian who plans to establish her
as a servant in far-off Scotland.




With two months to devise a better plan, Julia’s first
choice to marry her childhood sweetheart is denied. But when a titled
dowager offers to introduce Julia into society, a realm of possibilities
opens. However, treachery and deception are as much a part of Victorian
society as titles and decorum, and Julia quickly discovers her present
is deeply entangled with her mother’s mysterious past. Before she knows
what’s happening, Julia finds herself a pawn in a deadly game between
two of the country’s most powerful men. With no laws to protect her, she
must unravel the secrets on her own. But sometimes truth is elusive and
knowledge is deadly.









If you would like to read the first chapter of Born of Persuasion, go HERE.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR:






Born in the wrong century–except for the fact that she really likes epidurals and washing machines–Jessica Dotta writes British Historicals with the humor like an Austen, yet the drama of a Bronte.




She resides lives in the greater Nashville area—where she imagines her small Southern town into the foggy streets of 19th century London. She oversees her daughter to school, which they pretend is an English boarding school, and then she goes home to write and work on PR. Jessica has tried to cast her dachshund as their butler–but the dog insists it’s a Time Lord and their home a Tardis. Miss Marple, her cat, says its no mystery to her as to why the dog won’t cooperate. When asked about it, Jessica sighs and says that you can’t win them all, and at least her dog has picked something British to emulate.













Disclosure: I received free the item(s) mentioned in this post in exchange for my honest review through Christian Fiction Blog Alliance. Regardless ~ All my reviews are my honest and personal opinion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.

Gallagher's Choice Book Tour & Giveaway on Mom Loves 2 Read

gallaghersGallagher’s Choice Synopsis


 


He finally had a family to call his own.
She now knew what it meant to risk it all.
Together they had a chance to find peace at last.
 




Eliza Gallagher is tough, resilient, and rides a horse like she was born in the saddle. All necessary qualities for someone who runs a cattle ranch. She had more to avenge than any of them and she was counting on those skills to finally find the justice they all sought -- until she realized it could cost her everything and everyone she loved.


Ramsey Hunter finally knew what it was to have a family and what it took to keep that family together. He knew coming back wouldn’t be easy, but he never imagined what he would have to risk to keep it.


Eliza got him home; now Ramsey has to do whatever it takes to save her life and help bring peace to Hawk’s Peak.













mkAuthor MK McClintock



MK McClintock published her first novel, Gallagher's Pride, in July 2012, and followed one month later with the release of her second book in the same series, Gallagher's Hope. Her third novel, Alaina Claiborne, was published in January 2013. Gallagher's Choice is the third book in her Montana Gallagher Series. McClintock lives and writes in Montana.




McClintock is a member of Romance Writers of America, Montana Romance Writers, and Women Writing the West.










  


 




Book Trailer

 

 


 


  


 



BookBlast Giveaway

 $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash


Ends 10/6/13




 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.




 a Rafflecopter giveaway





 







Disclosure: All info in the post above was received from the author through Book Blasts & Tours. Regardless ~ All my reviews are my honest and personal opinion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.

Shades of Mercy ~ Book Spotlight on Mom Loves 2 Read




Shades of Mercy


River North; New Edition edition (September 1, 2013)


by


Anita Lustrea   and  Caryn Rivendara



ABOUT THE BOOK



It's
1954 and the world-even the far Northwoods of Maine-is about to change.
But that change can't happen soon enough for fourteen-year-old Mercy
Millar. Long tired of being the "son" her father never had, Mercy's
ready for the world to embrace her as the young woman she is-as well as
embrace the forbidden love she feels.
When childhood playmates grow up and fall in love, the whole community
celebrates. But in the case of Mercy and Mick, there would be no
celebration. Instead their relationship must stay hidden. Good girls do
not date young men from the Maliseet tribe. At least, not in
Watsonville, Maine. When racial tensions escalate and Mick is thrown in
jail under suspicion of murder, Mercy nearly loses all hope-in love, in
her father, and in God himself.





If you would like to read the first chapter of Shades of Mercy, go HERE.





ABOUT THE AUTHORS:






Authentic. That’s the word heard over and over when women describe Anita Lustrea. She is a popular speaker at women’s conferences and retreats, and an amazing communicator as co-host of the award winning Midday Connection radio broadcast. Her deep desire is to communicate freedom to women and help them nurture and care for their soul.

Anita is the co-author of “Come to Our Table: A Midday Connection Cookbook” and “Daily Seeds from Women Who Walk in Faith”, a Devotional for women. Her first solo venture as an author releases in November, 2010, “What Women Tell Me: finding freedom from the secrets we keep.”

Anita and her husband, Mike Murphy, a pastor, along with her teenage son John live in the Chicago suburbs. When she’s not traveling or speaking, you can find her reading and drinking a venti hot tea at her local Starbucks.




*******






Caryn is a sought-after writer and speaker. She’s the author of four books—Shades of Mercy: A Maine Chronicle (River North, September 2013), Known & Loved: 52 Devotions from the Psalms (Revell, April 2013), Grumble Hallelujah (Tyndale House, September 2011), and Mama’s Got a Fake I.D. (WaterBrook Press, March 2009)–and a regular contributor to Christianity Today’s Her.Meneutics as well as columnist for Re:Frame Media’s ThinkChristian blog. She has written dozens of magazine article. Her work has appeared in such publications as Christianity Today, Relevant, FamilyLife, and Engineering and Mining Journal (you read that right).

Caryn leads workshops and speaks at conferences and church groups across the country. She’s also a regular guest on Moody Radio’s Midday Connection with Anita Lustrea and Melinda Schmidt and has been featured on such radio shows as The John and Kathy Show, Changing Worldviews/WOMANTalk with Sharon Hughes, I Thought She Said with Faith Daly, The Paul Edwards Program with Paul Edwards, and Talk from the Heart with Rich Buhler, among many others. Caryn also appeared on The Harvest Show.

Caryn earned a B.A. in English from Calvin College and attended the University of Chicago’s publishing program. She lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with her husband, Rafael, her three kids, a rescued pit bull terrier, two hermit crabs, and several tank fulls of who-knows-what-kind-of fish. Caryn and her family are members of Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church in Elmhurst, Illinois, where Caryn recently joined the worship staff.
















Disclosure: I received free the item(s) mentioned in this post in exchange for my honest review. Regardless ~ All my reviews are my honest and personal opinion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.


Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Check out the #GrowingUpOnline Blog App, FREE ebook, & Lorax Dvd/Blu-Ray GIVEAWAY on Mom Loves 2 Read



 

We live in an
exciting new world of sharing information, more so than ever before, but this is
not without its challenges!  Our children are growing up in a Cyber World where technology is expected as a necessity instead of a reward.  Although Technology has it's good points, there are also dangers that we as parents need to make sure we are guarding our children from and teaching them ways to deal with . . . one is “cyber-bullying.” We know the pain it can
create. Far too often have we heard the stories of children being cyber-bullied
who don’t know what to do or where to turn.


Even my son's Boy Scout Troop is planning to teach the boys about ways to be safe while using technology.  I personally will be teaching this lesson, so this giveaway is a great reminder for me to keep cyber safety at the front of my mind.  


Would you like to learn more about how to keep kids safe online?  Here are a couple of fun ways . .



~~~**~~~


Download the
FREE Growing Up Online eBook and be sure to watch all four entertaining comic
book stories as a family. These stories show real situations that may occur when
your kids go online.


This free eBook
provides easy-to-use information that addresses the growing concern about kids’
online privacy and cyber-bullying in a unique and engaging way. Growing Up
Online is packed with important tips that every parent should know!






~~~**~~~





Check out the fun app below from Growing Up Online it includes:



• Is Your Child Internet-Ready? QUIZ – Have you talked with your kids
about online safety? Take the quiz to find out if your child is
Internet-ready!




• Comic Book Videos – Watch all four comic book stories as a family
to discuss real situations that may occur when your kids go online.




• DOWNLOAD the FREE eBook – Our kids have never known a world without
the Internet. But that doesn’t mean they know how to behave online.
Download the free eBook and start a conversation with your kids.









~~~**~~~

One Mom Loves 2 Read follower will win a copy
of Dr. Seuss’ THE LORAX DVD & Blu-ray Combo Pack. Enter using the Giveaway Form Below


Open to US & Canada

Must be age 18+  

No PO boxes please.






If you like the giveaways like this here on Mom Loves 2 Read, please consider leaving a comment below letting me know - have a favorite product or book you would like to see featured?  Comment or Email me and let me know - I'm always on the lookout for new and exciting books and products to share with my readers!

Thanks for Stopping By!




Disclosure: All info in the above post was received from Growing Up Online through PartnersHub - I received no compensation for posting this giveaway. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.

Winter of Wishes by Charlotte Hubbard ~ Book Spotlight on Mom Loves 2 Read


 




http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Winter-Wishes.jpegABOUT WINTER OF WISHES







Snow is falling, cookies are baking, and Christmas is just around the
corner in Willow Ridge, Missouri, where a new season marks fresh
beginnings for the residents of this tranquil Amish town . . .



As another year draws to a close in Willow Ridge, life seems to be
changing for everyone but Rhoda Lantz. Her widowed mother is about to
remarry, her twin sister is a busy newlywed, and soon Rhoda will be
alone in her cozy apartment above the blacksmith’s shop. 




An ad posted by
an Englischer looking for someone to help with his mother and children
may offer just the companionship she’s looking for, but if she falls for
the caring single father, she may risk being shunned by her community. 




Certain she can only wish for things she cannot have, Rhoda must
remember that all things are possible with God, and nothing is stronger
than the power of love.



First Chapter Exerpt:


As
Rhoda Lantz stood gazing out the window of the Sweet Seasons Bakery Café, her
mood matched the ominous gray clouds that shrouded the dark, pre-dawn sky. Here
it was the day after Thanksgiving and she felt anything but thankful. Oh, she’d
eaten Mamma’s wonderful dinner yesterday and smiled at all the right times
during the gathering of family and friends around their extended kitchen table,
but she’d been going through the motions. Feeling distanced . . . not liking it,
but not knowing what to do about it, either.


“You
all right, honey-bug? Ya seem a million miles away.”


Rhoda
jumped. Mamma had slipped up behind her while she’d been lost in her thoughts.
Jah,
jah.
Fine
and dandy,” she fibbed. “Just thinkin’ how it looks like we’re in for a winter
storm, which most likely means we won’t have as many folks come to eat today and
tomorrow. It’s just . . . well, things got really slow last year at this
time.”


Her
mother’s concerned gaze told Rhoda her little white lie hadn’t sounded very
convincing. Mamma glanced toward the kitchen, where her partner, Naomi
Brenneman, and Naomi’s daughter, Hannah, were frying sausage and bacon for the
day’s breakfast buffet. “Tell ya what,” she said gently. “Lydia Zook left a
phone message about a couple of fresh turkeys still bein’ in their meat case.
Why not go to the market and fetch those, along with a case of eggs—and I’m
thinkin’ it’s a perfect day for that wonderful-
gut cream
soup we make with the potatoes and carrots and cheese in the sauce. I’ll call in
the order, and by the time ya get over there they’ll have everything all
gathered up.”


Jah,
Mamma, I can do that,” Rhoda murmured. It meant walking down the long lane with
the wind whipping at her coat, and then hitching up a carriage, but it was
something useful to do.


Useful.
Why is it such a struggle lately to feel useful? I wish I knew what to do with
my life.


Rhoda
slipped her coat from the peg at the door, tied on her heavy black bonnet, and
stepped outside with a gasp. The temperature had dropped several degrees since
she’d come to the café an hour ago. The chill bit through her woolen stockings
as she walked briskly along the gravel lane with her head lowered against the
wind.


“Hey
there, Rhoda!
Gut mornin’
to ya!” a voice sang out as she passed the smithy behind the Sweet
Seasons.


Rhoda
waved to Ben Hooley but didn’t stop to chat. Why did the farrier’s cheerfulness
irritate her lately? She had gotten over her schoolgirl crush on him and was
happy for Ben and Mamma both, but as their New Year’s Day wedding approached
they seemed more public about their affections—their
joy—and
well, that irritated her, too! Across the road from the Sweet Seasons a new home
was going up in record time, as Ben’s gift to her mother . . . yet another
reminder of how Rhoda’s life would change when Mamma moved out of the apartment
above the blacksmith shop, and she would be living there
alone.


As
she reached the white house she’d grown up in, Rhoda sighed. No lights glowed in
the kitchen window and no one ate breakfast at the table: this holiday weekend,
her twin sister Rachel and her new groom, Micah Brenneman, were on an extended
trip around central Missouri to collect wedding presents as they visited aunts,
uncles, and cousins of their two families. Rhoda missed working alongside Rachel
at the café more than she could bear to admit, yet here again, she was happy for
her sister. The newlyweds radiated a love and sense of satisfaction she could
only dream of.


Rhoda
hitched up the enclosed carriage and clapped the reins across Sadie’s broad
back. If Thanksgiving had been so difficult yesterday, with so many signposts of
the radical changes in all their lives, what would the upcoming Christmas season
be like? Ordinarily she loved baking cookies, setting out the Nativity scene,
and arranging evergreen branches and candles on the mantle and at the
windowsills. Yet as thick, feathery flakes of snow blew across the yard, her
heart thudded dully. It wasn’t her way to feel so blue, or to feel life was
passing her by. But at twenty-one, she heard her clock ticking ever so
loudly.


God,
have Ya stopped listenin’ to my prayers for a husband and a family? Are Ya
tellin’ me I’m fated to remain a maidel?


Rhoda
winced at the thought. She gave the mare its head once they were on the county
blacktop, and as they rolled across the single-lane bridge that spanned this
narrow spot in the Missouri River, she glanced over toward the new gristmill.
The huge wooden wheel was in place now, churning slowly as the current of the
water propelled it. The first light of dawn revealed two male figures on the
roof. Luke and Ira Hooley, Ben’s younger brothers, scrambled like monkeys as
they checked their new machinery. The Mill at Willow Ridge would soon be open to
tourists. In addition to regular wheat flour and cornmeal, the Hooley brothers
would offer specialty grains that would sell to whole foods stores in
Warrensburg and other nearby cities. Mamma was already gathering recipes to bake
artisan breads at the Sweet Seasons, as an additional lure for healthy-conscious
tourists.


But
Rhoda’s one brief date with Ira had proven he was more interested in running the
roads with Annie Mae Knepp than in settling down or joining the church any time
soon. Ira and Luke were nearly thirty, seemingly happy to live in a state of
eternal
rumspringa. Rhoda
considered herself as fun-loving as any young woman, but she’d long ago
committed herself to the Amish faith. Was it too much to ask the same sort of
maturity of the men she dated?


She
pulled up alongside Zook’s Market. This grocery and dry goods store wouldn’t
open for a couple of hours yet, but already Henry and Lydia Zook were preparing
for their day. Rhoda put a determined smile on her face as the bell above the
door jangled. “Happy day after Thanksgivin’ to ya!” she called out.
Mamm says
you’ve got a couple turkeys for us today.”


Jah,
Rhoda, we’re packin’ your boxes right this minute, too!” Lydia called out from
behind the back counter. “Levi! Cyrus! You can be carryin’ those big bags of
potatoes and carrots out to Rhoda’s rig, please and thank
ya.”


From
an aisle of the store, still shadowy in the low glow of the gas ceiling lights,
two of the younger Zook boys stepped away from the shelves they had been
restocking. “Hey there, Rhoda,” ten-year-old Levi
mumbled.


“Tell
your
mamm we
could use more of those fine blackberry pies,” his younger brother Cyrus
remarked as he hefted a fifty-pound bag of potatoes over his shoulder. “That’s
my favorite, and they always sell out. Mamm won’t let us buy a pie unless
they’re a day old—and most of ‘em don’t stay on the shelf that
long.”


Rhoda
smiled wryly. Cyrus Zook wasn’t the only fellow around Willow Ridge with a keen
interest in her mother’s pies. “I’ll pass that along.
Denki to
you boys for loadin’ the carriage.”


“Levi’s
fetchin’ your turkeys from the fridge,” their
dat Henry
said from behind his meat counter. “Won’t be but a minute. Say—it sounds like ya
had half of Willow Ridge over to your place for dinner
yesterday.”


Again
Rhoda smiled to herself: word got around fast in a small town. “
Jah,
what with Ben and his two brothers and two aunts—and the fact that those aunts
invited Tom Hostetler and Hiram and his whole tribe to join us—we had quite a
houseful.”


“Awful
nice of ya to look after Preacher Tom and the bishop’s bunch,” Lydia said with
an approving nod. “Fellows without wives don’t always get to celebrate with a
real Thanksgiving dinner when their married kids live at a
distance.”


“Well,
there was no telling Jerusalem and Nazareth Hooley they
couldn’t invite
Tom and the Knepps,” Rhoda replied with a chuckle. “So there ya have it. They
brought half the meal, though, so that wasn’t so bad.”


“Tell
your
mamm we
said hullo.” Henry turned back toward the big grinder on the back table, where
he was making fresh hamburger.


Jah,
I’ll do that. And
denki for
havin’ things all set to go.”


Jonah
Zook stood behind his
dat’s
counter trimming roasts. Rhoda met his eye and nodded, but didn’t try to make
small talk. Jonah was a couple years younger than she, and had driven her home
from a few Sunday night singings, but he had about as much sparkle as a crushed
cardboard box. And goodness, but she could use some
sparkle about
now . . .


Rhoda
glanced out the store’s front window. Levi and Cyrus were taking their sweet
time about loading her groceries, so she wandered over to the bulletin board
where folks posted notices of upcoming auctions and other announcements. No
sense in standing out in that wind while the boys joshed
around.


The
old corkboard was pitted from years of use, and except for the sale bills for
upcoming household auctions in New Haven and Morning Star, the yellowed notices
for herbal remedies, fresh eggs, and local fellows’ businesses had hung there
for months. Rhoda sighed—and then caught sight of a note half-hidden by an
auction flyer.


Need
a compassionate, patient caretaker for my elderly mother, plus after-school
supervision for two kids. New Haven, just a block off the county highway. Call
Andy Leitner.


Rhoda
snatched the little notice from the board, her heart thumping. She knew nothing
about this fellow except his phone number and that he had an ailing mother and
two young children—and that he was surely English if he was advertising for help
with family members. Yet something about his decisive block printing told her
Mr. Leitner was a man who didn’t waffle over decisions or accept a half-hearted
effort from anyone who would work for him. He apparently had no
wife—


Maybe
she works away from home. Happens a lot amongst English
families.


—and
if he had posted this advertisement in Zook’s Market, he surely realized a Plain
woman would be most likely to respond. It was common for Amish and Mennonite
gals to hire on for housework and caretaking in English homes, so if she gave
him a call she could start working there, why—as soon as
tomorrow!


How
many of these notices has he posted? Plenty of Plain bulk stores to advertise in
around Morning Star, plus the big discount stores out past New
Haven.
And
if he had run ads in the local papers, maybe he’d already had dozens of gals
apply for this job. But what could it hurt to find out?


Pulse
pounding, Rhoda stepped outside. “You fellas got all my stuff loaded,
jah?”
she demanded. Levi and Cyrus were playing a rousing game of catch with a huge
hard-packed snowball, paying no heed to the snow that was falling on their green
shirt sleeves.


Levi,
the ornerier of the two, poked his head around the back of the buggy. “Got a
train to catch, do ya? Busy day chasin’ after that Ira Hooley fella?” he teased.
“Jonah, he says ya been tryin’ to catch yourself some of that Lancaster County
money—”


“And
what if I have?” Rhoda shot back. “Your
mamm won’t
like it when I tell her you two have been lolligaggin’ out here instead of
stockin’ your shelves, ain’t so?”


Levi
waited until she was stepping into the carriage before firing the snowball at
her backside. But what would she accomplish by stepping out to confront him?
Rhoda glanced at the two huge turkeys, the mesh sacks of potatoes, carrots, and
onions, and the sturdy boxes loaded with other staples Mamma had ordered, and
decided she was ready to go. “Back, Sadie,” she said in a low
voice.


The
mare whickered and obeyed immediately. Rhoda chuckled at the two boys’ outcry as
she playfully backed the buggy toward them. Then she urged Sadie into a trot.
All sorts of questions buzzed in her mind as she headed for the Sweet Seasons.
What would Mamma say if she called Andy Leitner? What if a mild winter meant the
breakfast and lunch shifts would remain busy, especially with Rachel off
collecting wedding presents for a few more weekends? Hannah Brenneman had only
been helping them since her sixteenth birthday last week—


Jah,
but she got her wish, to work in the café. And Rachel got her wish when she
married Micah. And Mamma got more than she dared to wish for when Ben Hooley
asked to marry her! So it’s about time for me to have a wish come
true!


Was
that prideful, self-centered thinking? As Rhoda pulled up at the café, she
didn’t much worry about the complications of religion or the Old Ways. She
stepped into the dining room, spotted her cousins, Nate and Bram Kanagy, and
caught them before they went back to the buffet for another round of biscuits
and gravy. “Could I get you boys to carry in a couple of turkeys and some big
bags of produce?” she asked sweetly. Then she nodded toward the kitchen, where
Hannah was drizzling white icing on a fresh pan of Mamma’s sticky buns. “Ya
might talk our new cook out of a mighty
gut cinnamon
roll, if ya smile at her real nice.”


Nate
rolled his eyes, but Bram’s handsome face lit up. “
Jah, I
noticed how the scenery in the kitchen had improved, cuz—not that it isn’t a
treat to watch you and Rachel workin’,” he added quickly.


Jah,
sure, ya say that after you’ve already stepped in it.” Rhoda widened her eyes at
him playfully. “Here’s your chance to earn your breakfast—not to mention make a
few points with Hannah.”


Rhoda
went back outside to grab one of the lighter boxes. Then, once Nate had followed
her in with bags of onions and carrots, and he was chatting with Hannah and
Mamma, she slipped out to the phone shanty before she lost her nerve. Common
sense told her she should think out some answers to whatever questions Andy
Leitner might ask, yet excitement overruled her usual practicality. Chances were
good that she’d have to leave him a voice mail, anyway, so as her fingers danced
over the phone number, her thoughts raced. Never in her life had she considered
working in another family’s home, yet this seemed like the opportunity she’d
been hoping for—praying for—of late. Surely Mamma would understand
if—


“Hello?”
a male voice came over the phone. He sounded a little
groggy.


Rhoda
gripped the receiver. It hadn’t occurred to her that while she’d already worked
a couple of hours at the café, most of the world wasn’t out of bed yet. “I—sorry
I called so early, but—”


“Not
a problem. Glad for the wake-up call, because it seems I fell back asleep,” he
replied with a soft groan. “How can I help you?”


Rhoda’s
imagination ran wild. If this was Andy Leitner, he had a deep, mellow voice.
Even though she’d awakened him and he was running late, he spoke pleasantly. “I,
um, found the notice from an Andy Leitner on the board in Zook’s Market just
now, and—” She closed her eyes, wondering where the words had disappeared to.
She had to sound businesslike, or at least competent, or this man wouldn’t want
to talk to her.


“You’re
interested in the position?” he asked with a hopeful upturn in his voice. “I was
wondering if the store owners had taken my note down.”


Rhoda’s
heart raced. “
Jah,
I’d like to talk to you about it, for sure and for certain,” she gushed. “But ya
should understand right out that I don’t have a car, on account of how we Amish
don’t believe in ownin’—I mean, I’m not preachin’ at ya,
or—”


She
winced. “This is comin’ out all wrong. Sorry,” she rasped. “My name’s Rhoda
Lantz, and I’m in Willow Ridge. I sure hope you don’t think I’m
too
ferhoodled to
even be considered for the job.”


Ferhoodled?”
The word rolled melodiously from the receiver and teased at
her.


“Crazy
mixed-up,” she explained. “Confused, and—well, I’m keepin’ ya from whatever ya
need to be doin’, so—”


“Ah,
but you’re a solution to my problem. The answer to a prayer,” he added quietly.
“For that, I have time to listen, Rhoda. I need to make my shift at the
hospital, but could I come by and chat with you when I get off? Say, around two
this afternoon?”


Rhoda
grinned. “That would be wonderful-
gut,
Mr. Leitner! We’ll be closin’ up at two—my
mamm runs
the Sweet Seasons Bakery Café on the county blacktop. We can talk at a back
table.”


“Perfect.
I’ll see you then—and thanks so much for calling, Rhoda.”


Jah,
for sure and for certain!”


As
she placed the receiver back in its cradle, Rhoda held her breath. What would
she tell Mamma? She felt scared and excited and yes,
ferhoodled,
because she now had an interview for a job! She had no idea about caring for
that elderly mother . . . or what if the kids ran her so ragged she got nothing
done except keeping them out of trouble? What if Andy Leitner’s family didn’t
like her because she wore Plain clothing and kapps?


What
have ya gone and done, Rhoda Lantz?


She
inhaled to settle herself, and headed back to the café’s kitchen. There was no
going back, no unsaying what she’d said over the phone. No matter what anyone
else thought, she could only move forward.


And
wasn’t that exactly what she’d been hoping to do for weeks
now?



About the Author:


I’ve
called Missouri home for most of my life, and most folks don’t realize
that several Old Older Amish and Mennonite communities make their home
here, as well. The rolling pastureland, woods, and small towns along
county highways make a wonderful setting for Plain populations—and for
stories about them, too! While Jamesport, Missouri is the largest Old
Order Amish settlement west of the Mississippi River, other communities
have also found the affordable farm land ideal for raising crops,
livestock, and running the small family-owned businesses that support
their families.



Charlotte-HubbardLike my heroine, Miriam Lantz, of my Seasons of the Heart series, I
love to feed people—to share my hearth and home. I bake bread and
goodies and I love to try new recipes. I put up jars and jars of green
beans, tomatoes, beets and other veggies every summer. All my adult
life, I’ve been a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member,
and we hosted a potluck group in our home for more than twenty years.



Like Abby Lambright, heroine of my Home at Cedar Creek series, I
consider it a personal mission to be a listener and a peacemaker—to heal
broken hearts and wounded souls. Faith and family, farming and
frugality matter to me: like Abby, I sew and enjoy fabric arts—I made my
wedding dress and the one Mom wore, too, when I married into an Iowa
farm family more than thirty-five years ago! When I’m not writing, I
crochet and sew, and I love to travel.



I recently moved to Minnesota when my husband got a wonderful new
job, so now he and I and our border collie, Ramona, are exploring our
new state and making new friends.





You can visit her website at www.CharlotteHubbard.com














Disclosure:  All info in the above post was provided by the author through Pump Up Your Book tours. Regardless ~ All my reviews are my honest and personal opinion. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”.

 

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