SimplyLife

s Who doesn't need...well want a new cookbook? I recently received a new one by Lorilyn Roberts for review.  Geared toward homeschooling families, it's also an excellent resource for families on the go and working moms who need kid pleasing, but easy family dinners.  Here's my review:  Food for Thought: Quick and Easy Recipes for Homeschooling Families is one to add to your shelf. Lorilyn shares not only family friendly recipes, but it’s seasoned with inspiring quotes from Christians past and present. The recipes are easy to follow and the ingredients are easy on the budget. Busy families can have home cooked nutritious meals with the bonus of sitting down to enjoy it together. Some of the best times in family life are spent in the kitchen and the young cooks section of the book gives moms some great recipes to share with their children. You’ll find yourself reaching for this book on a regular basis when you’re planning meals or need supper in a hurry. If you...

Remember when you had to read certain books to make your English teacher happy? The kicker was writing an actual report on the book, which meant you had to read the majority of it. Most of the time, it was no sweat, since I loved reading. It's been years since handing in a book report, but now I'm writing a new version. They're called book reviews, and it's from the other side of the desk. There are a lot of nice people in the writing world, and I've been privileged to get to know some of them via the Internet. They're authors who want to get their books in the hands of readers, just like me. Most recently, I've connected with two ladies who have earned high marks from me and others on their books. Both are devotional in nature with practical applications and are spiritually challenging no matter where you are in your Christian walk. Let's start with the daily devotional entitled God, Me and Sweet Iced Tea by Rose Chandler Johnson. About the A...

The row of violet leaves sitting in small, clear vases on my mother’s kitchen windowsill were always fascinating to me. The fuzzy, velvety leaves sprouted thin white roots and then when the roots looked strong enough, I’d help my mother put them in clay pots. Within weeks, a new leaf would pop up, and a few months later, a small violet plant would be vigorously growing and blooming. When my grandmother gave me my first special leaf to start in a vase of water, I was delighted to have my very own violet. It was one I’d admired for its showy double pink blooms. I carefully nurtured the little violet for many months and was proud when it was finally heavy with buds.               The sharing of gardens both inside and out has been long family tradition. When I was growing up, no visit to an aunt, grandmother, or cousin was ever complete without a walk through a flower bed or admiring plant laden windowsills. Each one h...