Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
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Sunday, November 30, 2025
Friday, November 28, 2025
Friday Book Review~ The Gingerbread House
Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
A Gingerbread House
Author: R.M. Whitaker
Publisher: Paper Elephant Publishing
Published Date: November 1, 2025
Print Length: 378 pages
The Gingerbread House by R. M. Whitaker is a wonderful Christmas romance story. It has all the perfect ingredients for a Christmas romance… a charming small town, a sweet romance, characters that you fall in love with and root for.
A.J. Banner left home and headed for the big city. She never thought she would head back home broken and defeated, but life had different plans. She returns to her small town home for the holidays, excited to spend the holidays with her friends and family. While celebrating the holiday season with her family, she runs into her childhood crush, Bensen Miller. Together, they spend a whirlwind of days enjoying the Christmas season. They work hard on preserving and saving a childhood landmark from destruction.
A.J. works hard to overcome her fears and doubts. Can she find what she's looking for? With her career and heart on the line, she must figure out what she wants out of life, what she feels is important now.
This is a sweet, charming story. It's a clean romance story, so there's no need to worry about graphic scenes. It's refreshing to read a clean romance story. There seems to be a trend now to go all out. The characters are enjoyable and very relatable. I enjoyed the storyline. It was a charming tale of preserving what's important and realizing that our life is made up of so many memories that shape us. You can always go home again.
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This is a beautiful story about second chances, small-town communities, and the importance of love.
I received this book as an advanced reader's copy for my honest opinion.
Sunday, November 23, 2025
Sunday Inspiration~ November 23, 2025
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.png "Sunday Inspiration")
Friday, November 21, 2025
Friday Book Review~ One Snowy Swedish Christmas: A Spicey Holiday Novella
Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
Author: Elina Scott
Publication Date: November 17, 2025
Print Length: 131 pages
Since this is a novella, it's a quick, easy Christmas read. Overall, One Snowy Swedish Christmas is fairly good. I always have problems with novellas. I want a more developed storyline, but that's pretty challenging to achieve in such a quick read.
I have to be honest. I was not a fan of the FMC, Casey. She was way too old to be acting like a spoiled brat. She came across as selfish and a little unhinged. I don't know too many grown adult children who would actively fly across the world to break up their mother's marriage at Christmastime.
The romance part of the story is not bad. It's a little taboo. Casey and her stepbrother, Erik, start to have feelings for each other. Casey does try to avoid them because of the fact that their parents are married. It is a little awkward, but they're not related, so it is plausible. Casey doesn't want to get involved with her stepbrother at first. She doesn't want to destroy the happiness her mother has found, which Casey has finally admitted to. We see Casey mature somewhat during the Christmas visit to Sweden.
Since this is a novella, everything is fast-paced. The storyline moves quickly. I do feel like the relationship between Casey and her stepbrother moved a little too fast. They've met once before and suddenly fall madly in love in a few days. Her actions go against everything she believed with her mom and her new husband. She was so upset that her mom married a man after knowing him for a few months. Now, she's falling in love with a man in a few days. The plots contradict themselves. Yes, people can change, but not that quickly.
The story itself is not bad. It has some great potential. I would have loved to see more growth and understanding between Casey and her mom. The quick turnaround didn't flow that well for me. The love story between Casey and her stepbrother felt rushed and not authentic. If the story could have been longer and developed more, I feel it would have been better. I would have loved more details and descriptions of Sweden, so that as the reader, I could have felt like I was there.
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Overall, the story was fairly good. It just wasn't for me. If you're younger and looking for a quick Christmas read, I'm sure you'd enjoy it.
I received this book as an advanced reader's copy for my honest opinion.
Sunday, November 16, 2025
Sunday Inspiration~ November 16, 2025
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Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Wednesady Hodgepodge~ November 12, 2025
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Hello friends! I'm joining Joyce over at From This Side of the Pond for Wednesday's Hodgepodge. Each week, she hosts a weekly link-up that is a collection of questions for bloggers to answer. It's to help bloggers get to know each other better and have a little bit of fun! It's a great way to hang out with friends. So grab a cup of coffee or tea if you prefer and join in on the fun.
So, what is a hodgepodge? A hodgepodge is an unorganized mixture of various things, a jumble of items that don't belong together.
Here are this week's questions and my answers for this week's Wednesday Hodgepodge~
1. What does patriotism mean to you?
Patriotism to me is having pride in your country, loving your country. It means loving the traditions and the history of your country and heritage. Respect is also a huge part of patriotism. Respect for our flag, our National Parks, and the beauty of the land around us. It means preserving historical sites and the National Parks, so we can share them with future generations to come.
2. September-October-November...your favorite fall month? Tell us why. If you live in the southern hemisphere, use these months but sub spring for the word fall.
I'd say I love November the most. Thanksgiving and spending time with family are incredibly important to me. I cherish the memories we are creating. I also decorate for Christmas during the month of November. I love the cozy feel the house has when it's all decorated. It's enchanting.
We usually start burning the wood stove in November. The warmth and glow of the fire are so comforting. It just adds to the cozy feeling of winter days.
3. A song you love with the word thanks (or some form of that word) in the title or lyrics?
I have no clue. I love music and listen to it all the time, but I usually have no clue what the titles of songs are, and often have no clue who sings them. I just don't pay attention.
4. November is National Peanut Butter Month. Are you a fan? What's the last peanut butter bite you had? Fill in the blank: peanut butter and _____________________ . Oh, and you can't say jelly.
I love peanut butter, so I'm a big fan. Peanut butter cookies are one of my favorite cookies. The last thing I ate with peanut butter in it was a Reese's Peanut Butter cup.
Peanut butter and chocolate together are the best!
5. This week's gratitude question-What event from this past year are you most grateful for?
There's not one specific event that I'm grateful for. I am grateful for the love of my family. I'm grateful that everyone is healthy and happy. My daughter expecting our first grandchild, is definitely a huge event. I'm thankful for the blessing of welcoming a new life into our family.
6. Insert your own random thought here.
Life has been crazy here lately. I visited my parents, and we've been cleaning and purging the house. Trying to get a nursery set up for the new little peanut that we are welcoming in February. I keep saying when things slow down, but why does it never seem to do that?
Monday, November 10, 2025
Happy Homemaker Monday~ November 10, 2025
Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
Well, October flew by. I had every intention of blogging during the month, but we were just busy with life. We finished up most of the porch remodel. We gave some painting to do, but that will have to wait until the spring now. We cleaned out the guest room for the baby. Once Christmas is over, we'll put the crib up. It's getting close. I know that time will fly by with the holidays. I visited my parents the last week of October. It was a nice visit, but I'm glad to be back. There's just something about sleeping in your own bed. I hope you had a fantastic October. It's hard to believe that November is here, but I'm ready for the Christmas season. I'll be decorating the house over the next few weeks. So, let's get started with Happy Homemaker Monday with our beautiful hostess, Sandra from Diary of a Stay at Home Mom. Be sure to stop in, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and say hi.
The Weather in My Neck of the Woods~
Fall has arrived and is here to stay. The mornings and evenings are cool. We have a chance of snow flurries up here on the mountain tonight. I'm not quite ready for snow.
I love the orange, yellow, and red hues of the trees. The fall colors are always so warm and inviting. Sadly, the colors didn't last too long. We had a few extremely windy days, so now most of the leaves are gone. The bare trees of winter are almost here.
Monday~ Partly Sunny, 47*
Tuesday~ Partly Sunny. 44*
Wednesday ~ Partly Sunny, 58*
Thursday~ Sunny, 57*
Friday~ Partly Sunny, 64*
Saturday~ Partly Sunny, 59*
Sunday~ Partly Sunny, 69*
As I Look Out My Window~
The sun is shining on a tree. The last remaining yellow leaves glitter like gold. The golden hue is stunning. The rest of the leaves are slowly fluttering to the ground. We have a slight breeze, so I see leaves swirling to the ground. It's that time of year again.
Thinking and Pondering~
The leaves are typically off the trees by Michael's birthday, which is this Friday. When he was little, his grandpa would take him birdwatching on his birthday. He talked about that the other day. It's hard to believe he'll be gone 4 years this January. Time goes by so much faster than we realize at times. I'm 51 now, and I still feel like a 16-year-old girl some days. It's hard, I want to slow down, but life just makes that so difficult at times. Visiting my parents was like a slap in the face. My parents have aged so much over the past 5 years. You always think your parents will always be there, but looking at them, I know that's not possible. Realistically, I know they can't live forever, but it's hard to imagine life without them. The people who created you. The people who shaped who you are. It's humbling to realize that our days are numbered. I hate how fast life moves at times. We get so distracted by so many useless things. I miss the days when family was so important. I miss going to Mass and having Sunday dinners at Grandma's house. Life was simple and easy. Of course, I was a kid then.
Grandmom's china~ A treasure from my dad
How I'm Feeling~
I'm feeling pretty good today. I had a few really bad migraines in October. One of them kept me in bed. I was doing really well. Allergies are still going strong. Now, I think it's the moldy leaves on the ground.
What's for Breakfast~
I'm going to have two eggs. I've had my cup of coffee with collagen. I use a mix of regular and chocolate to get a mocha latte.
Looking Around the House~
Fall is almost down and put away. I have a handful of things left to put away. I'll deep clean and put out Christmas as I go. I have just basic tidying up to do. I took most of the donations to the local thrift store. I have one more bag to drop off, but I'm waiting a bit to see if I find anything else as I clean and organize.
The house needs vacuumed and mopped, but that's a weekly occurrence around here with the dogs.
On My To-Do List This Week~
Monday~ Laundry
Tuesday~ Work on putting out Christmas
Wednesday ~ Work on putting out Christmas
Thursday ~ Work on putting out Christmas & bake a cake
Friday~ Nothing
Happening This Week~
Monday~
Tuesday~ Day off for hubby and son
Wednesday~
Thursday~ Bible Study
Friday~ Michael's Birthday
Giants in the Earth by O.E. Rolvagg (book club)
Hot Cocoa and Hotter Nights by Alexx Andria
Hazelnuts and Homicide: A Bonne Annee Mystery by N.E. Carlisle (ARC review)
Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon
Rooted and Radient: A Study of Colossians with Walking with Purpose for our Bible study group.
What I'm Listening To~
I've been all over the place. Fall playlists, 90s, 80s, classic oldies from the 40s, etc.
On TV this week~
Netflix
Call the Midwives
Blindspot
Leanne
Grey's Anatomy (I restarted it)
YouTube
Cooking Videos
Quilting Videos
Exercise videos
Music
On the Menu this Week~
Monday~
Tuesday~
Wednesday~
Thursday~
Friday~ Birthday dinner for Michael (His choice)
Saturday~
I'm sitting down today to meal plan for the next few weeks and to plan Thanksgiving dinner. I have to get everyone's schedule to plan accordingly. It's crazy trying to plan meals with the weird schedule everyone has. My dear hubby is the only one with a normal 8-5 schedule. Everyone else gets home between 6:30 and 9. One even works nights occasionally. Chaos, I tell ya!
What I am Sewing, Quilting, and Creating~
I started a fall table topper, but I haven't finished it yet. I may put it aside and start working on the Christmas table topper. I bought the rest of the fabric I needed when I went and visited my mom. We went to a few quilting stores in Pennsylvania while I was up there. They have so many nice quilting stores.
My Simple Pleasures~
It's so not healthy, but I have discovered the Toasted White Chocolate Signature Latte from Dunkin' Donuts. It's so good. I tried it last week after taking Maddie to the vets. She hates going in the car and to the vets, so she always gets a treat afterwards. I decided to get myself a treat too.
Something fun to share (a blog, a video, a tip)~
From the Camera~
Praying For~
My parents
My husband and children
Our country
Friends and family
My 9 little ones
Inspirational Quote/Bible Verse/Faith~
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Sunday, November 9, 2025
Sunday Inspiration~ November 9, 2025
Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
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Sunday, November 2, 2025
Sunday Inspiration~ Novermber 2, 2025
Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
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Sunday, October 26, 2025
Sunday Inspiration~ October 26, 2025
Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
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Friday, October 24, 2025
Friday Book Review~ Mom, Rediscovered by Jen Butler
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Mom, Rediscovered
Author: Jen Butler
Publisher: Invisible Ink Books
Publication Date: October 21, 2025
Print Length: 308 pages
Mom, Rediscovered by Jen Butler, is her beautifully written
debut book. This heartfelt and honest book drew me in from the very
beginning. Jen’s story is raw but
extremely relatable. In Mom, Rediscovered, Jen shares with readers some of her
most personal and painful parts of her life. As soon as I started reading, I
immediately felt a connection to this story. I, too, was a child of divorce.
Our stories had similar experiences, but we each had our own, too. Her feelings
of not feeling good enough are so common for children of divorce. We often
wonder what we did wrong, and we become people pleasers. I’ll admit, I carried
a lot of baggage into my adult life, too. Jen’s story shows that we are not
alone, that there are people out there who do understand. It’s a shame that we
often hide our fears, doubts, worries, and pain. Jen lost herself in motherhood
(I can definitely relate).
Even if you can’t relate completely to Jen’s story, there
are parts of her struggles that we as wives and mothers can relate to. No
matter how strong and confident we may seem, we all struggle with self-doubt.
How we choose to handle that can look different, but we are all struggling to
find our way, especially in a world where so many people are ready to criticize
every little thing a mother does.
Mom, Redicovered shares the lonely path we often face as
mothers. In her story, Jen shares how she found her way out of the gray area of
drinking. A small glass of wine leads to another. Oddly, we see this
glorified in today's culture. All you have to do is open up Facebook or
Instagram, and you will see moms everywhere sharing their wine glasses. Jen
shares how hard it was to admit the truth and ask for help. I love how honest
Jen was about her struggle with drinking, diet culture, and being who you are.
I love how she shared her triumphs and setbacks. Her story is real. I’m so glad
she shared it with the world. I truly believe that so many women could benefit
from reading this memoir.
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I received this book as an advanced reader's copy for my honest opinion.
Sunday, October 19, 2025
Sunday Inspiration~ October 19, 2025
Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
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Sunday, October 12, 2025
Sunday Inspritation~ October 12, 2025
Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
.png "Saint Quotes")
Friday, October 10, 2025
Happy Reading~ My September 2025 Reads
Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
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I'm a week late, but I wanted to share a book review last week. I can't believe September has come and gone. Another month of reading has come to a close, and the end of 2025 is fast approaching. I have no doubt I'll reach my reading goal. In fact, I have a feeling I may exceed it this year.
2025 Reading Goal~ 125 Books
I've read 102 books so far this year. Good reads says I'm 11 books ahead of my schedule this year, so I'm thinking I'm going to exceed my goal.
Here's how my book recap goes~
~ I have included pictures if I have them and have provided links to them on Amazon so you can find out more about the books before you buy or check them out at your local library.
~ If I left a more detailed review for a book, I'll include the link under the book so you can check it out. I leave reviews for books I really like or have received for reviews on Amazon, Goodreads, and this blog.
~If I receive a preview book, I'll include the release date for you.
~ Each book will have a rating in bold. I rate each book with a numbered star.
The rating system I use is as follows ~
*5 This book was amazing! I couldn't put it down. I loved the book so much that I either bought the book or planned to buy it to add to my ever-growing collection so I could reread it.
*4 This means the book is definitely worth reading. I really enjoyed the book. I liked it, but not enough to buy it and add it to my collection.
*3 This book was good. It wasn't the best book I've read, but I did enjoy it. I wouldn't need to read it again.
*2 This book was okay. I finished it, but had to force myself to. I probably didn't like the plot or the characters. The story just didn't work for me.
*1 This means I didn't like the book at all, and I couldn't finish it.
Here are this month's books~
4****
This was the third book I read by Kim Davis. I love the sweet, quirky mysteries she writes. They are an easy read, but I just love the characters.
3***
This was an ARC review for boksirens. I really wanted to love this book. I enjoyed the characters, and the plot had so much potential. I just didn't enjoy the writing style and the mistakes throughout the book were distracting. You can read my full review on Goodreads.
Meet Me in The Dark by Laura Ahley Gallagher *ARC Review
4****
This was another ARC Review I received. This was my first time reading a book by this author. The characters are great! I loved the book. It's a spicy romance, so if you are not a fan of spice, this may not be for you. The story is great, though, and who doesn't want happily ever after? You can read my review here.
Mom, Rediscovered by Jen Butler *ARC Review
5*****
This is Jen's debut memoir, and it delivers. It is a must-read for moms of all ages. She recounts her life and struggles as a mom. I'll be posting a review in a few weeks!
3***
3***
This was another new author for me. I think I got these two books from a stuff your Kindle day. I honestly don't remember. I was in the mood to read a fall-themed book, so this one was the first one I came across on my Kindle. I then, of course, just followed up with the 2nd book (which is set during Christmas). Both books are about a small-town romance. They are cute and I liked all the characters. They were easy, quick reads.
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
Teaching Tuesdays~ The Story of Creation
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Welcome to another week of Teaching Tuesdays. Each week, I'm going to be sharing what we are learning in Sunday school.
Welcome to another week of Teaching Tuesdays. Each week, I'm going to be sharing what we are learning in Sunday school.
Our saint this week was Saint Martha. Saint Martha was a friend of Jesus. They had a very special friendship. Jesus often visited Martha's home. After reading a short biography about Martha. The children colored a picture of her. You can find it over at Catholic Playground.
Martha's virtue is faith. Faith is believing in God and all He has revealed.
After our saint and virtue lesson, we moved on to our first Old Testament Lesson... The Story of Creation. I read Alice in Bibleland The Story of Creation. The children enjoyed the story, especially since I had them make the animal sounds of all the animals mentioned in the story.
After our story, we worked on our craft for the day. It was a creation wheel. I used this one.
Source~Crafting the Word of God
We did an easy scavenger hunt around the room. I used a game from That Resource Site (the site is no longer around), called Know and Go Who Made It? Essentially, it consists of images of various objects, including trees, flowers, fireworks, bridges, skyscrapers, and animals. I cut the images out and taped them up around the room. The children then recorded their guesses on a worksheet. G for God and M for man.
After our Old Testament lessons, we moved on to our Catechism lesson. I showed the children a variety of Bibles, ranging from little children's Bibles all the way to my family Bible. They learned the Bible is broken up into two parts: The Old Testament(before Jesus) and the New Testament(after Jesus).
I had the children guess how many books are in the Bible. For Catholics, we have 73 books (Old 46/New 27). Each child is given a children's Bible to take home.
We hand out The Jesus Storybook Bible.
We ended class by working on the Sign of the Cross. We practiced together, and then I had each child do the Sign of the Cross on their own. This is the first year that every child already knew how to do it. I send home a coloring page with the movements home with each child. You can find it here.
Sunday, October 5, 2025
Sunday Inspiration~ October 5, 2025
Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
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Friday, October 3, 2025
Friday Book Review~ Meet Me in The Dark
Please note that posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to click on a link, add it to your cart, and complete your purchase, I will receive a small percentage. We are very grateful for this additional source of income. Thank you.
Meet Me in the Dark
Author: Laura Ashley Gallagher
Publisher: Independently Published
Publication Date: September 5, 2025
Print Length: 395 pages
Meet Me in the Dark is the 3rd book in the
Skeptically in Love series. I haven’t read the first two books in the series
yet. I don’t feel like you need to read the books in order. I feel they can
easily be standalone books.
We first meet Celeste and her two best friends in a
hilarious exchange of conversation with Celeste’s doctor after her surgery for
endometriosis. Celeste, an architect, is a strong, independent woman who is
still trying to figure out what she wants out of life. After suffering from endometriosis
for years, she is hopeful that this surgery will change her life.
Celeste decides to go out of her comfort zone and attend a
secret, invite-only party. This is no ordinary party, though. Celeste never
expects to see him again. The man who has occupied her thoughts and dreams. But
life has a way of twisting our plans.
Julian Blackwood is a successful businessman. He likes to be
in control. After a difficult childhood, he knows what he wants and isn’t
afraid to get what he wants. He is shocked and intrigued when he realizes that
his new architect for his company project is none other than the woman he can’t
get out of his mind.
One night of passion leads them down a very interesting path. Both
characters are amazing. I love the banter between the two. I fell in love with
both of them and was rooting for them. I honestly enjoyed all the characters.
They were well-connected, and the relationships between them seemed real. You
can easily see yourself hanging out with them. I am looking forward to reading
the first two books in this series.
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If you’re looking for a romance story with great, relatable
characters, this story is the one. The story is well written; the characters
are amazing, believable, and fun to get to know. The story does have some spice, so be prepared!
I had never
read any stories by this particular author before. I had no idea what to expect. I’m
so glad I was given the chance to review this book and get to know this author!
I received this book as an advanced copy for my honest review.
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Till Next Time,
Monique
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