Home-made Play Dough!

Our oldest son, Blaize, LOVES doing experiments, learning how to make things on his own just as he likes breaking things up and re-building them himself. He's always researching videos on my iPad, looking for new things he can learn to make from scratch.

Earlier this week, he decided to look up how to make play dough with things we had in our pantry. Sure enough, he found a video on YouTube and did it.

Ingredients:

~ Flour 

~ Veg. Oil

~ Salt

~ Food coloring 

~ water

You will need:

~ counter/table space 

~ mixing bowls

~ spoon 

~ measuring cup

What to do: 

(This makes up to 4 batches. Portions may vary depending on amount of batches.)

1) Mix 4 cups of flour with 1.5 cups of salt in a mixing bowl

2) In a separate bowl, stir 2 table spoons of vegetable oil into 1/4 cup of water

3) Pour food coloring into the water & oil mix and stir

4) Stir 1 cup of the salt and flour mixture into the bowl with the food coloring until it molds

5) Massage batch on the table/counter with more flour until ready.

Enjoy!!!

✰ Book Review ✰ Loving Colt by CA Harms

LOVING COLT

Author: CA Harms

Series: Southern Boys #3 ~ Standalone

Genre: Contemporary Romance

~ SYNOPSIS ~

Alexis and Colt never planned on crossing paths.

Alexis and her three year old daughter were running from their past and Colt was looking for his future.

Neither planning on finding salvation in one another.

One night changed it all and they had no hope of ever being the same again.

Finding a way to make it work when it felt like everything was against them was something they would have to work hard to overcome.

Will Colt be strong enough to handle Alexis's past?

Or will it all be too much?

AMAZON

Okay…I need to get something off my chest. *pop knuckles*

I ADORE THIS SERIES!!!!!! It is hands-down, one of my TOP faves and nothing will ever change that!!!! COLT IS SOO YUMMMMYYYY and had me swooning like an imbecile! I had the biggest grin while reading because he is just so darn amazing!! *Sigh*

Whew! Okay, I feel much better now. =)

CA Harms has always managed to make me fall in love not only with her stories, but her characters as well. I haven’t come across a book by her that has let me down in the slightest way. Nope. And I probably never will.

Loving Colt, the third installment in the Southern Boys series, was a truly enjoyable, light read! Wonderful. Fantastic. From that very first sentence – that PROLOGUE – oh my! I was a goner! I wanted nothing more than to read all day…ignore work and any and all of my other responsibilities!

“I love you so much. I wasn’t looking to fall in love, but with you and Maddison it was inevitable. There was no hope for me, not with the two of you. You both grabbed a hold of me, and I never want either of you to let me go.”

When I first met Colt in Finding Gavin (Colt is Maria’s brother), I wanted more. I wanted to get to know him, so to say I was beyond ready for his book would be quite the understatement. And boy, was it worth the wait!! Harms did a marvelous job writing his and Alexis’ story! I’m a sucker for a sweet romance, so yeah…happy reader here.

Alexis was a single mom to one of the most adorable little girls ever, Maddison. They were running from someone in Alexis’ past and were in search of a fresh start. A new life. Little did Alexis know, one chance encounter would change her and Maddison’s life forever.  

Colt wasn’t looking for love. Deep down, he wanted it – craved it – especially after seeing his sister live it, but he wasn’t set out for it. He had his work, his friends, and his family. He was okay. Until Alexis.

Alexis wasn’t ready to start a relationship right off the bat because of what she’d been through. So, despite them having feeling for each other, Colt and her decided to start out as friends. Easier said than done, that’s for sure. When you connect with someone on a much deeper level, it’s simply impossible to deny your feelings. Trust me, I know. I’ve lived it.

That said, after a bit of ups and downs, Colt and Alexis decided to really give it a go. To leave the past in the past, put injured egos aside, and really give it a go. At this point, I started squealing!! I was elated for them. Their relationship was passionate, yet sweet, making this a light romance with little angst – and I enjoyed that. It felt like a breath of fresh air to be able to just sit back and enjoy the book without worrying if they were going to break up every two minutes like in most books. So YAY CA Harms!! Thank you! =)

All in all this was yet another fabulous addition to the Southern Boys series! LOVED seeing all the characters and how far they’ve all come. This is one group of characters that I truly cherish and carry very close to my heart. Like I said, this is one of my top favorite series! If you’re a fan of light, sweet romances with some steamy scenes, then Loving Colt is perfect for you! FIVE STARS!

~ SOUTHERN BOYS SERIES ~

FORGIVING REED

Author: CA Harms

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Genre: Contemporary Romance

~ SYNOPSIS ~

Kori suffered a great loss, one that left her feeling so desolate and alone, that she believed nothing would ever fill the void…

The only thing that kept her going was the one little piece of joy she still had in her life, her baby boy, Rhett. 

She had no choice but to move forward and give her son the best life she could. Which meant moving back home. 

Except there was one problem.

Home was where Reed would be… 

The man who once held her heart, then shattered it into a million pieces. 

Grieving the loss of Rhetts dad, and learning to forgive those who have betrayed her, Kori was battling it all.

But will she ever have the strength to forgive Reed? 

Amazon

FINDING GAVIN

Author: CA HARMS

Series: Southern Boys, Book #2

Genre: Contemporary Romance
~ SYNOPSIS ~

Gavin was a broken hearted cowboy from Savanna… 

The one she fell for even though he tried to warn her away.

Maria’s entire life had been one rejection after another, always going after things that were just out of reach. 

Gavin was no exception. 

She wanted him, so desperately…

But life had a way of making things unattainable, at least for her anyway. 

Just when things began to change, once again the darkness glooms, and Maria finds that her happy ending may once again be…

Unreachable.

AMAZON US

Meet the author: CA Harms

C.A. Harms is like any other addicted reader. She enjoys happy endings and HEA love stories. She hasn't always been a lover of Romance and had once been addicted to a good Mystery. Just recently she has taken on a new liking and now is a full blown Romance novel addict.

She lives in Illinois and enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. You will always find her with her kindle or paperback in hand as it is her favorite pass time.

Social media links:

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

✰ Book Review ✰Secrets of Whitestone Manor by Brittany Jo James

SECRETS OF WHITESTONE MANOR

Author: Brittany Jo James

Series: The Winters Family Series, Book #1

Genre: Young Adult Romance | Paranormal Romance

~ SYNOPSIS ~

Some secrets are too dark to ever be brought into the light. 

At least mine are.

My name is Orson Winters, and you already know too much for me to let you walk away.

A decade has passed since my parents were killed, forcing my younger siblings and me to move in with our estranged uncle. Whitestone Manor in all its grandeur was overwhelming enough. Then, we learned the family secret. 

There’s darkness in the world no one, besides a handful of fighting families, even knows exists. The Winters family is the most acclaimed of them all. However, power isn’t always pleasurable, especially considering that it’s my responsibility to keep my reckless brothers and sister from jeopardizing us all.

When an old enemy emerges from the shadows, Uncle Sebastian calls in another fighting family to assist. I didn’t need their help. I could independently protect my siblings and the rest of the world from danger. That was, until I met Lilith Shaw. Now I’m not even sure that I can protect myself.

I can’t focus on that, though. 

I’m the last one standing between you and those who wait in the darkness.

If you can keep a secret, I’ll tell you my story.

AMAZON

“The trick, as far as I could tell, was to keep our shadow separate from everyone else’s.”

Amazing. Fantastic. Talk about a page-turner!! From the moment I started reading Secrets of Whitestone Manor, I wanted nothing more than to continue reading this book. I needed to know what would happen next. Suffice it to say, I was pleased with every swipe of the page. The plot kept getting better and better, the characters kept developing wonderfully, and the overall events kept surprising me and keeping my interest completely intact. I was fully invested in this book!

Brittany Jo James wrote this installment so well that I had no trouble at all visualizing the events described. The amount of detail during the scenes allowed me to see everything unfold clearly as if I was watching a movie. AMAZING! Loved that very much!!! Also, the pace of this book was in my opinion, perfect! Nothing felt dragged or rushed.  Everything developed as it should have.

This book had a little bit of everything: drama, action, romance, humor (arguments between siblings? Yeah, they were quite funny!), and of course mystery and paranormal qualities. The character interaction was flawless and it flowed naturally. Nothing felt forced with their dialogue and they all connected really well and balanced each other out. Ellison – HA!! Badass chick!!! The typical pain-in-the-butt younger sister, funny and ‘smartassy’! I’m sure she’ll be the cause of Orson’s grey hairs in the near future, LOL!

“Lilith Shaw was meant for me, and without her I would never be whole again.”

Lilith…LOVED her. She was funny, strong, and sassy!! She challenged Orson so much and made him step out of his comfort zone – which he very well needed to do. They were so different and yet so perfect for each other precisely because of how different they were. They were what they each needed to fully live their lives as normally as they possibly could given their circumstances.

“I realized that out of all the things I’ve ever fought for in my life, this is the one that matter the most. You’re worth fight for. We’re worth fighting for.”

The paranormal aspect of this book was a first for me and wow! I was incredibly amazed and beyond intrigued by it. I won’t go into ANY of the specifics regarding this because it’s all part of their secret. But know this: seeing it all unfold kept me turning the pages at what felt like not a fast enough speed. I needed to know more and more; my curiosity was at its highest. Then, of course, leave it to Ms. James to throw in a few surprises to only solidify my love for this book and for what will surely be a phenomenal series!

I LOVE this family and their secret life and am anxiously waiting for book two already! FIVE STARS to Secrets of Whitestone Manor!!

Meet the author: Brittany Jo James 

Brittany Jo James was born and raised in the small town of Idabel, Oklahoma. She is happily married to her high school sweetheart, Conlee, who is currently serving as an airman in the United States Air Force. They share two rowdy sons, Jagger and Jett. Her life revolves around living for God, caring for her family and writing, writing, writing. The James family is currently residing near Anchorage, Alaska until the USAF decides otherwise.

Social media links:

Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Mommy Monday!

It seems you can find advice just about anywhere for mommies with newborn babies. But what about step moms? Yeah...not so much. Last year, I became a mom by step-parenting two amazingly wonderful boys. And let me tell you, I've had to learn A LOT -- not only on how to be good mom, but on how to be a good mom to BOYS.


Let me start off by saying that I'm a very picky person. I like my house to be clean and things to be put away where they belong. Doesn't sound that complicated, does it?

Ha.

Try keeping your house clean and organized with an 11-year old and a 12-year old running around all the time.

Our boys are ACTIVE. They LOVE sports and doing just about anything that does not involve a TV. Yes, they LOVE watching series on Netflix with us, but that usually happens early in the morning before school or at night when they're getting ready for bed. During the day on weekends? Nope. That rarely happens. They want to be outside playing sports or inside coming up with whatever new invention they heard of through their friends. Yes -- they LOVE making "experiments" that usually involve us having to go grocery shopping (again!) because they used up all the milk, sugar, or whatever they could get their pretty little hands on.

So yes, trying to keep the house clean while we have the boys is a mission next to impossible. But here's the thing: a clean house doesn't matter. Who cares if your house is spotless!!? *Sigh*

Now THAT was something I learned the hard way. Like I said, I like things clean and organized...but I also love spending my free time being a mom.

At first, I'd go around picking stuff up, putting everything away, cleaning up messes, only to have everything laying around and "dirty" in record time. While I picked up one room, they made a mess in the other, and so on. So I gave up. If you can beat 'em, join 'em. So I did. And I've LOVED every minute.





When you have step kids, chances are custody is shared between birth parents...and precisely that's our case. We have them one week, their mom has them the next.  During our time, I pick up what I can at night or while they're at school, but when they're home, we play...we have FUN. If the house gets too messy, they help out by cleaning and picking things up, but then we go back to doing what matters: living as a family.

A dirty house can wait.......kids are only young once. Make it count. ♥ ♥

New Mommy Monday!

Hey, hey, hey!!! Today is the very first NEW MOMMY MONDAY!!!! For today's post, I'm featuring my good friend and new momma, Jodie Ellis!!! Wooho!! She has put together a wonderful message for you all today!! Enjoy! ❤ ❤

Almost 6 months ago, my life changed completely. After 39 weeks of waiting, my baby boy, Macon, was delivered via c section. It was the day my life really started. 

Since Macon is my first baby, I was more than nervous about being a mommy. The thought of being responsible for someone else's life scared me senseless. But I knew I wanted to be a mom more than anything. I had accepted that my life would never be the same.

It's true, my life changed. The change was absolutely amazing though. Sure, we have rough days but being a mom has been an amazing journey so far and I learn something new every day. When I first learned I was pregnant and even right after I had Macon, I was given advice ALL the time. Guess what though? NONE of that advice can prepare you for when things actually go awry.

So here it is...some tips that people may not tell you. From a REAL, far from perfect, new mom.

1. IF you have a boy, keep it covered. Yes I'm talking about his penis. Sure, a ton of people gave me this little tip, but it is TOTALLY different when it's real and the baby is finally home with you. And guess what? Sometimes no matter how fast you are, you still get peed on. I cannot count the number of times we had accidents. He peed on me more than once...it's even gotten in my hair. And on his bedding. And the changing table, a pillow, the wall, and the floor. Pee everywhere!

2. Carry an extra outfit with you, for yourself, at all times. Not only do you risk getting messy when you have a baby with you, sometimes you are faced with other circumstances that require an outfit change. For example, if you decide to wear dirty jeans. Yep, I admit it, I wear dirty jeans sometimes. I can almost guarantee you that every new mom has done the same. Just spray a little febreze on them and GO! Especially if you are a working mom. Sometimes I don't get to my laundry. And jeans usually end up last on my "to wash" list. HERE is why wearing dirty jeans could be an issue.... spit up. Not just any spit up, but spit up from a few days past. Recently I wore dirty jeans to work. I didn't see a problem with it, especially since I had only worn them for a few hours a day or two before. Once I arrived at work, I smelled something unpleasant. Mom brain had made it possible for me to forget that in that few hours I had those jeans on, my son decided to have a horrible spit up incident. SO what did I do?? Panic? Nope. Stinky jeans were no problem for me because I had a spare in my car! BAM! No issue! (This is the first actual time in 6 month that I've needed my spare clothes so far.)

3. Let your house get dirty, seriously. This is another piece of a advice that I heard from multiple people. But I just feel it needs to be stressed in this post. The dishes can wait, the sweeping can wait, obviously the laundry can wait (until you're out of spares!). Babies are only little once. ENJOY IT! Snuggle them when they nap and play with them with they are awake. They grow up too fast to not embrace every second.

4. Never apologize for looking disheveled or tired. People understand. They know you're a new mom. Sure, you feel like Wonder Woman. You have the ability to simultaneously feed your child and yourself. You do wake ups and feedings and barely sleep and still manage to pull yourself (somewhat) together and buy groceries or go to work! So throw that hair up in a messy bun and grab your cup of coffee and get out and conquer the world! No makeup? No problem! Being a mom is hard work.

5. Dress and up get fancy when you have the chance. Most days you probably settle with the disheveled look from #4 but every woman needs to feel beautiful sometimes. So if you find yourself with extra time, do your makeup, fix your hair and take that mommy selfie, girl! Not only will it make you feel better about yourself to get cleaned up every now and then, it's likely to add some spice back into your relationship with your husband.

However trying being a mommy can be at times, it's the absolute best thing in the world. Yes, it's hard. You lose sleep. You get peed on. You wear dirty clothes. The good times always outweigh the bad times though. Never try to be the perfect mom. Just TRY your best. As new moms that's all we can do. You live and you learn. You will make mistakes but you will learn from them too. And hopefully some of this advice can serve as helpful to even a few of you reading this!

Looooved this!! The peeing everywhere part is incredibly TRUE! My little brother peed on my more times than I could count. It was always a mission: undo diaper and COVER THAT UP before he attacks! Hahaha!!

Thank you so much, JODIE!!!

HAPPY MONDAY, everyone!

★ 30-day Challenge! ★

My friend, Jodie, and I are doing a 30-day challenge starting tomorrow, Monday, January 26th! But...here's the thing: it goes beyond just a physical challenge. Not only are we doing 30-day workout routines and eating healthier meals (no more junk food!), but we're also doing a spiritual challenge, of sorts. You see, we want a life with less stress, anxiety, and negativity (and that includes pointless drama!). We want a happier and a more simple life without so much fuss. We all want to be better people, so why not actually do something about it, right?

Jodie has created a board on Pinterest that includes positive and motivational quotes. Feel free to follow our board here ~ 30 days to a more positive life.

♥ I absolutely LOVE it and some of those quotes are pretty darn awesome! ♥

For the spiritual part of this challenge, we are doing something Jodie heard about on her local radio station. They challenged their listeners to listen to only Christian music for 30 days and see the positive impact it could have on their lives. Personally, I've never really listened to Christian music before, but I will definitely give this a try and see how it goes. I mean, why not, right? What do I have to lose?

Well anyway, as for the physical part, I will be doing a 30-day yoga challenge which you can follow here: Yoga with Adriene: 30-day Yoga Challenge. I also found another month-long challenge on Pinterest which I think is probably easier ➜ check it out here. As for Jodie, she will be doing dailyburn.com which she says is "like Netflix for workouts" LOL!

While working out we will be eating healthier meals. That means, goodbye fast food restaurants, junk food, and candy!! *Sigh* While I know this will not be easy, in the long-run, it will be totally worth it!

I'm beyond glad Jodie and I are doing this challenge together. It's been proven that when you do things, such as working out, with a partner/friend, you are less likely to give up.

Cheers to us, Jodie!! We will kick butt!

HAPPY SUNDAY, everyone!

✰ Book Review ✰ Mending Scars by Brandy L Rivers ✰ #ParanormalRomance ✰

MENDING SCARS

Author: Brandy L. Rivers

Series: Others of Edenton (Dacia and Preston’s story), Book 5 ~ STANDALONE

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

~ SYNOPSIS ~

Some scars run soul deep. 

Preston finally knows what he wants, but it’s an uphill battle to win her confidence. Dacia has been hurt countless times, including by his own hand. Despite her accusations, he wants what’s best for her. 

Dacia struggles with her inability to trust. Her mother has always been too wrapped up in her own life to pay attention. Her father only comes around when it benefits him. Dacia no longer believes she’ll ever come first. 

Remus is a fugitive on Earth and in Faerie. His ungrateful daughter refuses to help, even when a mage nearly tracks him down. His best hope is pitting Dacia and Preston against each other. 

Ultimately, Dacia must choose. Can Preston help mend her scarred heart? Or will her father’s corrupt plan spoil Dacia’s chance at happiness?

AMAZON | iTunes | B&N | KOBO | Paperback

Ever since the first time I read a book by Brandy L. Rivers, I fell in love with her writing. The stories have always had a smooth flow that’s allowed me to fully connect with the plot line and all the characters. I’ve always been fully intrigued by the developments made throughout her books and honestly, I’ve never felt “let down”. Brandy quickly became one of my favorite authors and it’s safe to say that I will continue to read anything she writes, regardless of the genre – because yes, she not only writes amazing Paranormal Romances, but Contemporary Romances too (so far).

Mending Scars was yet another amazing installment in the Others of Edenton Series. While this was book 5 in the series, it can be read as a standalone. I always recommend reading books in order because you will always have a deeper connection to the characters and the storyline, but even if you haven’t read books .5 – 4, you will still be able to thoroughly enjoy this one.  At least, I know I did and I’ve only read book 1: In Too Deep prior to this one. I will be going back and reading them all, though! I just LOVE these characters!

In Mending Scars, we got Dacia and Preston’s story. 

These two characters had a not-so-positive/friendly past. You can immediately tell (even if you haven’t read the prior books) that Preston and Dacia weren’t among the “most liked” characters in the series, especially Dacia. They had both done a few shady things in the past that well, yes, earned them their “I-don’t-like-you” statuses. And this is precisely the reason why I absolutely loved this book’s title: Mending Scars. It played into the storyline in more ways than one, both physically and emotionally.

There was SO much more to Dacia’s character, and Preston’s for that matter. Their back stories were intriguing; I felt for them and understood why they did the things they did. They both had their fair amount of issues that weren’t necessarily their fault – they just didn’t know better. I mean, for starters, Dacia had one hell of an evil father that caused her so much emotional pain that it amazed me how good Dacia actually turned out to be! All she wanted was to be acknowledged, accepted, and loved by her dad, but nope. An evil being such as Remus wasn’t capable of those feelings.

Then on the other hand, we had Preston. He had this huge secret he’d kept all his life, one that could very well change his future, all while trying to bring down the most evil man of all, Remus. As fate would have it, Dacia and Preston ended up ‘bonding’ which of course made things even more interesting. After all, two broken souls completing each other? Heck YEAH.

However, falling for Dacia made Preston’s job a tad more complicated. Not only did he have his hands full with putting Remus away, but he had to do so all while keeping Dacia safe and protecting her not just from any physical harm, but from any and all emotional repercussions as well. I mean, he was trying to capture her DAD, nonetheless.

“You are my heart, Preston.”

“And you’re mine.” 

Overall, this was yet another fantastic book by Ms. Rivers. The paranormal side of it kept me on my toes, fully captivated, while the romantic aspect kept me swooning nonstop (and blushing – talk about hot scenes!). She has truly done it again! Rivers delivered one more must read!! Five stars to Mending Scars!! I absolutely loved Preston and Dacia’s story! 

Meet the author: Brandy L Rivers

I've always loved books, especially about monsters and magic, so I started writing. I'm working on a prequel and the next few books in the Others of Edenton series, and I have a head full of stories to share.

I'm a stay at home mother with a wonderful husband who lets me write and write to my hearts content.

Social media links:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads