Messenger, The by Siri Mitchell

Book Description: Hannah Sunderland felt content in her embrace of the Quaker faith

…until her twin brother ran off and joined the army and ended up captured and in jail. Suddenly Hannah’s world turns on end. She longs to bring her brother some measure of comfort in the squalid, frigid prison where he remains. But the Quakers believe they are not to take sides, not to take up arms. Can she sit by and do nothing while he suffers?

Jeremiah Jones has an enormous task before him. Responsibility for a spy ring is now his, and he desperately needs access to the men in prison, whom they are seeking to free. A possible solution is to garner a pass for Hannah. But while she is fine to the eye, she holds only disdain for him–and agreeing would mean disobeying those she loves and abandoning a bedrock of her faith.

With skill and sensitivity, Mitchell tells a story of two unlikely heroes seeking God’s voice, finding the courage to act, and discovering the powerful embrace of love.

Reclaiming Lily by Patti Lacy

Book Description: A storm the size of Texas brews when Gloria Powell and Kai Chang meet in a Dallas hotel. They have come to discuss the future of Lily, the daughter Gloria adopted from China and the sister Kai hopes to reclaim. Kai is a doctor who had to give up her little sister during the Cultural Revolution and has since discovered that an inherited genetic defect may be waiting to fatally strike Lily.

Gloria’s relationship with her daughter is tattered and strained, and the arrival of Kai, despite the woman’s apparent good intentions, makes Gloria fearful. Gloria longs to restore her relationship with Lily, but in the wake of this potentially devastating diagnosis, is Kai an answer to prayer…or will her arrival force Gloria to sacrifice more than she ever imagined?

The Search Committee by Tim Owens

Book Description: A mismatched team of seven hit the road in an Econoline church van on a mission to find a new pastor. They don’t agree on much other than the stops at Hardee’s for coffee and a biscuit. But they stick to the call, trying to slip undetected into worship services across the Southeast—all in hopes of stealing a preacher for their congregation.

Each member is wrestling to balance their own busy life and personal struggles. And they’re trying to keep their issues to themselves. Forced to spend countless hours together, these very different personalities from different generations begin to bond. And their lives are profoundly changed as they love and support each other through the difficulties in each of their lives.

My Scripture Journal: Fearing the Lord (My Scripture Journal: Bible Reading Plans) by Heather Bixler

Book Description: The goal of “My Scripture Journal” is to help you to grow deeper in your walk with Christ by reading the Bible and memorizing scripture. The scripture memorizing technique offered in “My Scripture Journal” has been proven to help others memorize scripture out of the Bible.

When we study the Bible we learn the tools needed in order to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord. God doesn’t promise a life free from trials. However He has given us the tools we need to fight our battles through His word, the Bible. When we memorize scripture we automatically have the tools on hand that we need to get us through whatever life throws our way.

“My Scripture Journal” is designed to help you memorize scripture while also learning more about God through His word. This plan for reading and memorizing scripture is designed for those of us who have either a short attention span, or busy lives, in order to help incorporate God into our everyday life!

This scripture journal is set up where you will study one snippet of scripture per week. There will be seven different activities you will complete in order to help you memorize the scripture and get into the word, one activity per day of the week. At the end of the beginning of the next week we will move onto another scripture.

Gourmet Ice Pops for Kids and Adults by Ann Chambers

Book Description: There are few treats more satisfying than a frozen popsicle on a sunny day. But why eat the boring same-old pops from the grocery store? They tend to be filled with sugar, corn syrup, and chemicals.

Making your own ice pops is quick and easy and it opens the doors to a world of great flavors. When making pops yourself, you can be sure to only include healthy ingredients or adjust recipes to include your kids’ favorite foods or to eliminate an ingredient your kids just won’t eat.

Although they are a dessert item, by creating pops make from fresh fruits, fruit juices, yogurts and natural sweeteners like honey, you can indulge in delicious treats that are still very healthy!

I was recently asked to review the Quick Split. It is a patented gadget and is the first portable splitter that on the market allows you to more easily cut your child’s food into bit size pieces while on the go.

The Quick Split acts much like a small pizza cutter.  The differences are that it has a cover so that you can toss it in your diaper bag or purse for portability.  It is also quite slim and is no bigger than the palm of your hand.

The handle allows it attach to clip inside your purse but is also perfect to keep a good grip on the Quick Split.  My hand is small and I had no problems using it but I was curious how my husband would do since his hands are larger.  He also had no problems using it.

The blade itself is quite sharp and easily cuts through the items you would be prone to use it on.  Perfect for sandwiches, hot dogs, pasta, or pizza but so much quicker than a knife and fork.  I already have the Quick Split resting in my diaper bag ready for this weekend as we attend graduations and open houses.  This will make life so much easier.

You can purchase the Quick Split from their website.  You can also become fans of The Quick Split on Facebook.

You can win the Quick Split along with the Kidzikoo, MotrB, DiaperBuds, and a Lillybit Diaper Clutch by entering the Rafflecopter giveaway that Mompact is sponsoring. These products offer many solutions to our problems that we face on the go.  All products were created by Moms for moms because no one knows what a mom needs more than a mom!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Right now you can download Words Spoken True by Ann H. Gabhart for free for your Kindle or free Kindle apps.

Book Description:Adriane Darcy was practically raised in her father’s newspaper offices. She can’t imagine life without the clatter of the press and the push to be first to write the news that matters. Their Tribune is the leading paper in Louisville in 1855. Then Blake Garrett, a brash young editor from the North with a controversial new style of reporting, takes over failing competitor the Herald, and the battle for readers gets fierce.

When Adriane and Blake meet at a benefit tea, their surprising mutual attraction is hard to ignore. Still, Blake is the enemy, and Adriane is engaged to the son of a powerful businessman who holds the keys to the Tribune’s future. Blake will stop at almost nothing to get the story–and the girl. Can he do both before it’s too late?

Set against the volatile backdrop of political and civil unrest in 1850s Louisville, this exciting story of love and loyalty will hold readers in its grip until the very last page. Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart once again delivers an enthralling and enduring tale for her loyal and ever-expanding fan base.

Genre:Christian fiction, fiction

I let them just play and do whatever they wanted with it.

Their squeals of joy could probably be heard all the way down the street.

The more they played the messier it became but the more fun they had.

To say they got their energy out is an understatement.

After a shower, they were still talking about the fact that mommy let them make a mess.  So often as a mom, I cringe when I see them make them messes; however, normally when a mess is made their imaginations are going.  I do believe teaching my kids to clean up their messes is important but allowing them to be children is important as well.

This fun lasted for quite some time, kept them busy, allowed them to play together peacefully, and cost us nothing as we used what was on hand.   I have a feeling there will be more shaving cream fun in our future this summer.

Abigail loves to be swaddled.  She sleeps swaddled at night and spends most of her days swaddled.  She loves it and doesn’t like to sleep any other way.  We have been experimenting with many different types of ways to swaddle her and I am in love with the Baby Ota.

The Baby Ota is not your normal swaddling blanket.  I think of it as more of swaddling mattress.  It is super soft, does not necessary pin down your baby’s arms, and offers extra support if you are holding baby while she is the Baby Ota.  When I first heard of the Baby Ota, I was a bit skeptical.  I received it and immediately I wanted one – a mommy sized Baby Ota.  It is super soft and is so comfortable. The quality is wonderful and the Bamboo material it is made from makes it extra soft. This is not your cheap, thin swaddle blanket.

It is much larger than your average swaddling blanket and will fit a baby that is 6 months old as well as a tiny infant.  My daughter is a preemie and is only 6 pounds in the pictures and she fits snuggly in it but there is still plenty of room to grow into it.  The Baby Ota has ribbon inside the outer swaddling part that you tie together which tightens the swaddler around baby.

It is by far the easiest swaddler to use and probably the prettiest.

Abigail loves her Baby Ota.  It is like a portable bed for her and will allow us to lay her down when we are out and about without having to carry an entire bed with us.  My husband loves holding Abigail in the Baby Ota because he feels that it supports her better and it makes it easier to keep her neck stable.

The Baby Ota is not something Abigail can smother in because she can’t roll over in it.  It keeps her snug and tight yet comfortable.  Although her hands are free, there are no flaps that can over her face and she can’t pull anything over her head.  I have had swaddlers that have come up over her face while she sleeps and it has always made me concerned that she could smother in it.

Below is a video on the history of the Baby Ota:

The Baby Ota is a wonderful baby gift and just a wonderful swaddle for any baby.  We love our Baby Ota and highly recommend it.   In fact, Abigail is snug her Baby Ota right now while I write reviews.  You can purchase a Baby Ota here. You can also like Baby Ota on Facebook.