About Me

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 Sept. 13, 2012

My first about me post

Well...I did it again. I was going to go to bed on time last night last night but my scrapping mojo was
in high gear and I finished 6 layout last night. I have 2 more almost done and 2 more planned out already. I have always been my most creative at night, wish it was not so, but that's how it works out.

I am sitting at my computer looking at a photo of my beautiful oldest grand daughter that I plan to scrap next. She is an amazing young women. She is our middle daughters oldest and is a Sophomore this years. She has two younger sisters who are in middle school, one in 6th and the other in 8th.
I blinked my eyes and they were all grown up. They now live in Michigan. We get to see them at
Christmas and on their birthdays. Sure do miss them.

We have an adopted in son, who lives in Kentucky. He and his wife are the parents of our other
middle school grand daughter. She love soccer and is very good at it. She also ice skates.

Our oldest daughter and son-in-law live in Michigan also. They have another grand daughter who
goes to the elementary school where her mom also works. She is so sweet. She love to dance and
is super cute.

Our youngest daughter lives far, far away in California. She has two adorable little girls. The last
time I saw her she was pregnant with the youngest one. My husband and 6th grade grand daughter
flew out to see them a couple of summers ago. Hopefully soon we will be able to visit.

If you follow my blog you will see that my grand daughter are the subject of most of my layouts.

I'll close my opening post on my About Me page by welcoming you to my little home on the web.
Be sure to check out my book reviews, layouts and hopefully soon my sewing projects. May God bless you all with health and happiness.  Bye for now. :)

This is Amazing Gracie and I.

 

This is my goofy, amazing husband 

The story behind my digi-scrap gallery/forum user name. I have been GodBlessAmerica for so long(10 years) in the forums and galleries that it seems like a my nickname now. Many of my online friends know me by GBA_Jan or GodBlessAmerica only.  I am slowing letting them know I am Jan.  :)

I am pretty sure if you click on the layout it will open up bigger in another window so you can read the journaling. The original layout is here in my STO gallery, if you want to leave me some love. :)

 

Enough talk for today. 

Re: Layout again

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Layouts for Scrap Takeout Creative Team

 Credits:

Grunget-fitti {three} by Joyful Heart Designs

http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Grunge-fitti-three.html

Happy To Be Me by Joyful Heart Designs (frame, branch)

http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Happy-to-be-Me-the-kit.html

Funktastic! {the kit} by Joyful Heart Designs  (flower)

http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Funktastic-the-kit.html

Font:Zapfino

 

 Credits:

I Am Me! by FranB Designs

http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/I-am-Me-full-kit.html

Color Me Pretty Templates -Set 1 by Dagi’s Temp-tations

http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Color-Me-Pretty-Set-1.html

Font: Santa Fe LET

Look how beautiful and grown up my oldest grand daughter, Sara is. Hard to believe she is 15 and a Sophomore. 

 

Have a great day and thank you for visiting my little home of the web

I've been scrapping

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Look at my adorable grand daughters, they are the ones on the left and right in my layout. They live in California and their Grandad and I sure do miss them.  I made this for the Scrap Takeout template challenge at the end of August. I'm a little behind with my posting to the blob

Credits:
Sass by Jen Yurko
http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Sass.html
Sass Alphas by Jen Yurko
http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Sass-Alphas.html
Scrap Takeout Aug 15-31 Template Challenge by Sweet Digi Scraps
Font: Boring Showers

The next one is Santana the now 12 years old. She always did crack me up. 

 

 Credits:

Toot Sweet by Jen Yurko
http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Toot-Sweet.html
Toot Sweet Alphas by Jen Yurko
http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Toot-Sweet-Alphas.html
Toot Sweet Templates Mini by Jen Yurko
http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Toot-...late-Mini.html
Font: Dick’s Handwriting

Here is a funny layout of Maya.

Credit:
Lets Go Round Templates by M&M Designs
http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Let-s-go-round.html
September Mini Kit Challenge @Scrap Takeout by Jenn2 Designs
September 2012 Culinary Specialist Collab by the Scrap Takeout Design Team
http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/September-2012-Culinary-Specialists-Collab.html
Toot Sweet Alpha by Jen Yurko ( & and 2)
http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Toot-Sweet-Alphas.html
Font: 2 Peas Peppermint Tea

That is all for now. Off to get some sleep.

Re: Sept 13th layout for Jen Yurko

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My newest layout for Jen Yurko creative team.

Credits:

Alegria Alegria Mini by Jen Yurko

http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Alegr...-Mini-Kit.html

Alegria Alegria Solid Papers by Jen Yurko

http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Alegr...id-Papers.html

Alegria Alegria Alpha by Jen Yurko

http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Alegria-Alegria-Alphas.html

Blocking and Popping by M & M Designs

Cowtown Cuties by Jen Yurko (leaf)

Before the Fall Alpha by Jen Yurko (date alpha)

http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Before-the-Fall-Alphas.html

Genuine by Jenn2 Designs (brad)

http://scraptakeout.com/shoppe/Genuine.html

Font: Pea Melissa by Kevin & Amanda

 

Today's free Christian e-books & Cookbook

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Quick and Light: Healthy Recipes You'll Fall in Love With

Amazon 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Faith by Lori Copeland

B/N

Amazon

 

Almost Heaven 

 

B/N

Amazon 

 

Full Tilt (Rock Star Chronicles)

 

 Amazon

A Season for Tending-Cindy Woodsmall

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 I just finished my ARC of A Season for Tending, the Book 1 in Cindy Woodsmall's
Amish Vines and Orchards series.

 From the back cover:
In a community where conformity flourishes, seeds of Rhoda’s odd behavior were planted long ago. Can she cultivate her relationships with the same care and tenderness that she gives her beloved garden?
Old Order Amish Rhoda Byler’s unusual gift and her remarkable abilities to grow herbs and berries have caused many to think her odd. As rumors mount that Rhoda’s “gift” is a detriment to the community, she chooses isolation, spending her time in her fruit garden and on her thriving canning business.
Miles away in Harvest Mills, Samuel King struggles to keep his family’s apple orchard profitable. As the eldest son, Samuel farms with his brothers, the irrepressible Jacob and brash Eli, while his longtime girlfriend Catherine remains hopeful that Samuel will marry her when he feels financially stable.
Meanwhile, Samuel’s younger sister Leah is testing all the boundaries during her rumschpringe, and finds herself far from home in Rhoda’s garden after a night of partying gone badly. But Leah’s poor choices serve as a bridge between Rhoda and the King family when a tragic mistake in the orchard leaves Samuel searching for solutions.
Rhoda’s expertise in canning could be the answer, but she struggles with guilt over the tragic death of her sister and doesn’t trust herself outside her garden walls. As the lines between business, love, and family begin to blur, can Rhoda finally open up to a new life? And what effect will this odd, amazing woman have on the entire King family?

You can read the first chapter here.

My review:
When Rhoda was seven years old her father gave her and her older sisters a blueberry bush and a herb plant. Her sisters had other thing to do, but Rhoda (Rhodes) loved and tended hers with care, so
her father gave her a new bush, herb or gardening tool for her birthday and Christmas each year.
The story centers around her gift for growing her fruit and her "gift" of feeling things  before they happen. When this happens she hears the words in her sister Emma's voice.

I loved how the Lord led the King family into her life and the lessons they learned along the way.
She met Samuel King at a time when he did not at first realize the impact she would have on his family and business. Samuel thought because she was a women that she had no opinions or strengths of her own. She proved she was strong in so many ways and was able to help Samuel to better understand his sister Leah.

One of my favorite parts of the book were the herbal remedies that were given.  I also enjoyed the lesson in fruit harvesting and care.

I found this to be a very enjoyable read and loved learning more about Amish culture. It also
helped me to see that the Amish at times struggle just like we do.  Even though they all went through
hardships in the book they were able to go forward and learn from it. This  is one of those books that you simply don't want to put down because the characters is so utterly likable, and as human as you or I.  I look forward to reading the  rest of the series as they are released.  I would love to see this book series made into a movie.
I give it a 5 out of 5 stars.

Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers  provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes. I was not paid to review this book and give my honest opinion of each book I read.


 I pre-ordered the next book in the series. The Winnowing Season: Book Two in the Amish Vines and Orchards Series

You can purchase A Season for Tender at:
Barnes & Noble
Amazon
CBD
Books-a-million

 Cindy Woodsmall website
More Info
 Read Chapter One

  Cindy Woodsmall is a New York Times and CBA best-selling author of ten works of fiction and one work of nonfiction, whose connection with the Amish community has been featured widely in national media and throughout Christian news outlets. She lives outside Atlanta with her family.

$300 Kindle Shopping Spree

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 Christian book reviews is have a $300 Kindle give-a-way.
 THE WINNER WILL RECEIVE A $300 GIFT CARD FOR AMAZON
http://www.christianfictionbookreviews.org/2012/09/300-kindle-shopping-spree_5.html

CT Layout-Jen Yurko

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   Credits:

   Protect Me 2 by Cornelia Designs

  Pretty Patterns No. 2 by Jen Yurko

 Pretty Doodles by Jen Yurko

Pretty Alphas by Jen Yurko

 Font: Boring Showers

                                                      

                                                       CT Layout for Jen Yurko

 

Credits:

Protect Me 2 by Cornelia Designs

Pretty Patterns No. 2 by Jen Yurko

Pretty Doodles by Jen Yurko

Pretty Alphas by Jen Yurko

Font: Boring Showers

Thanks so much for looking. :)

Over The Edge (The Kinkaid Brides #3)

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Seth Kincaid survived a fire in a cave, but he's never been the same. He was always a reckless youth, but now he's gone over the edge. He ran off to the Civil War and came back crazier than ever.
After the war, nearly dead from his injuries, it appears Seth got married. Oh, he's got a lot of excuses, but his wife isn't happy to find out Seth doesn't remember her. Callie has searched, prayed, and worried. Now she's come to the Kincaid family's ranch in Colorado to find her lost husband.

Callie isn't a long-suffering woman. Once she knows her husband is alive, she wants to kill him. She's not even close to forgiving him for abandoning her.

Then more trouble shows up in the form of a secret Seth's pa kept for years. The Kincaid brothers might lose their ranch if they can't sort things out. It's enough to drive a man insane--but somehow it's all making Seth see things more clearly. And now that he knows what he wants, no one better stand in his way.

My Review:
The third and final book in this series is a fun read.  Seth does not remember getting married...
then he meets Callie and watch out as the sparks fly. My favorite quote from the book is "Marrying her had to be the sanest thing he'd ever done."
Seth may act crazy at times, but he is determined to win Callie's trust. He gets an instant family when he finally finds Callie and her little adorable surprise. He also gets a little brother he did not expect.
I give this book a five and look forward to the next Mary Conneally series.

You can get the ebook at B/N, Amazon and Christian Book.com.  

Off to do some scrapping catch up.

In To Deep (The Kinkaid Brides 2)-Review

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History, Romance, Humor--and Cowboys!—from Bestselling Author Mary Connealy

In 1866 Colorado, Ethan Kincaid agrees to a marriage of convenience with the same casual disregard he gives every decision. Audra Gilliland, young mother of two, accepts his proposal because she wants to stop being a burden to her newly married stepdaughter.

And suddenly both of them are in far deeper than they'd planned.

Ethan doesn't expect Audra to affect him so profoundly, and when she begins to, he's terrified of the pain he's felt before when someone he loved was seriously injured on his watch. He's determined that his new wife will do as he says so he can keep her safe from the dangers that lurk on their ranch.

Audra has been cared for all her life by one man or another--and they've done a poor job of it. Now she's planning to stand up for herself. And her new husband had better agree or get out of her way!

What will it take to transform two wayward hearts fearful of getting in too deep into two trusting hearts ready to risk falling deeply in love?

My review:
I read  I To Deep in one day.  My favorite brother in this series is Ethan. When he first meets Audra
he is drawn to her, but his learned as a child to not feel to deeply, so he would not get hurt.
His older brother Rafe was the bossy type and he would smile and just keep his mouth shut to avoid
strife. Audra was the perfect match for him. Audra's daughter, Maggie loves Ethan from the start and
Ethan find out that caring for someone can be a good thing.

It was fun to see Audra become a stronger women who would stick up for herself.  Her faith in God is put to the test when faced with the "bad" guys. Does she become a hero. You'll just have to read this one for yourself and find out. I don't want to spoil it for you. :)

I give this one a five stars.

You can get this great book at B/N, Amazon or Christian Books.