Review and #Giveaway for Naturepedic Crib Sheet and Mattress Protector @Naturepedic


About Naturepedic:

Welcome to Naturepedic, a GOTS certified organic mattress and bedding manufacturer. Naturepedic was founded by parents, grandparents and scientists who understand the potential harm that can come from toxic chemicals. Naturepedic is committed to providing safer and healthier mattresses and bedding.

Naturepedic specializes in organic baby and children's mattresses. In particular, a more natural and organic baby crib mattress is the first step toward a healthy crib environment for your baby. Crib safety goes beyond wood and bolts. It requires a non-toxic crib mattress as well.

All Naturepedic products are proudly manufactured by skilled craftsman in our eco-factory located in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Quality, purity and customer service are our highest priorities.

Thank you for your interest in our products. We wish you and your family many years of health and happiness.

- The Naturepedic family

My thoughts:

This past winter we were able to review a changing pad from Naturepedic. I was really impressed with it and I was thrilled when we were asked to review an Organic Mattress Protector Waterproof and an organic cotton white sheet.


When I first put on the waterproof crib pad I was surprised at how soft it was. What amazed me the most was that it is waterproof but it doesn’t feel like it. It doesn’t have any crinkly plastic to hold water in.

To test it out I let Little H sleep on it with no sheet and sure enough he had a diaper leak. I flipped it over and there was nothing on the back side. I washed it and it came out even softer than before. With no stains!

I LOVE it and will be only buying Naturepedic waterproof crib pad in the future.  Before try out the waterproof crib pad I had no idea that a waterproof crib pad could be soft with no plastic and still be waterproof.






When I purchase sheets for our bed I buy a high thread count so that they are soft. Well, when it comes to crib sheets I have had a hard time finding soft sheets that don’t get those lint balls after one wash.

I now have a solution! Buy organic cotton, it’s soft and won’t get lint balls after washing. Naturepedic’s organic cotton sheets are soft and silky. They are priced higher than other sheets but will last longer and are made from high quality fabric.

I have noticed that Little H sleeps better on these sheets. I am sure because they feel more like mom and dad’s sheets.

I will be buying organic cotton sheets in the future.  Both of these products would make great baby shower gifts.  It is worth paying a little more when you get a product that is high quality and will last! 


Giveaway:

One reader will win both the Naturepedic waterproof crib pad & Naturepedic Organic Crib Sheet. Open to US only 18+. Giveaway ends 8/20/2012 at 12:01 am EST. Fill out the Rafflecopter form to be entered.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or
Services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog.
Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally
and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance
With the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:
“Guides concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Five Years Baby!



The trip we took where Sam asked me to Marry him!









We have been married for five years! So much has changed in just those first five years. Hubby is in Grad school, we bought our first house, Mini Van, and are the parents of two adorable boys! It hasn’t been easy but it has been very rewarding. Happy five years baby!

Review and #Giveaway for Tiny Love Sunny Stroll @TinyLove_USA




A colorful, flexible arch that fits strollers or infant carriers, Sunny Stroll includes an ensemble of fun toys and activities and is a perfect companion on-the-go.

Flexible arch with angle adjustments - bends forwards, backwards, upwards and downwards

6 different toys: 3 attached to the arch; 3 dangling from the arch

Caters to two stages of development:

0m+: Batting and sensory exploration

5m+: Pulling for cause and effect learning

Sunny Stroll helps develop baby's fine motor skills and encourages eye-hand coordination. The colorful features encourage baby to grasp the dangling toys and hit them with his hands.

My thoughts:

I am in love with the Sunny Stroll by Tiny Love or more importantly baby is! When we first got the Sunny Stroll I was excited that there were no batteries required and I could just add it to our stroller by tightening the clamps.



I have been stopped several times by other moms asking me “What is that?” and “where can I get one?” I think they mostly stop me because of how it entertains Little H.  I love how it entertains him while we have to wait for something and gives him something to play with after he is done eating.



I have also attached the Sunny Stroll to Little H car seat to keep him busy. We don’t go anywhere without the Sunny Stroll. Little H favorite part of the Sunny stroll is the baby propeller. He loves to pull the ball and watch it spin around.



I love the Sunny Stroll and I am sure you would too. You can purchase a Sunny Stroll for your stroller or car seat on Amazon or you could win one here!



Giveaway:

One reader will win a Sunny Stroll or a Tiny Princess Butterfly Stroll. Open to US and CA 18+. Giveaway will end 08/20/2012 at 12:01 am EST. Fill out the Rafflecopter form below to be entered.



a Rafflecopter giveaway



“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or
Services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it
on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally
and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance
With the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Book Review for The Fiddler by Beverly Lewis





The Fiddler
Beverly Lewis
Home to Hickory Hollow, Book 1
Amish Fiction

Back of the book:

Come home to Hickory Hollow, Pennsylvania—the beloved setting where Beverly Lewis’s celebrated Amish novels began—with new characters and new stories of drama, romance, and the ties that draw people together.

A wrong turn in a rainstorm leads Englisher Amelia Devries to Michael Hostetler—and the young Amishman’s charming Old Order community of Hickory Hollow. Despite their very different backgrounds, Amelia and Michael both feel hemmed in by the expectations of others and struggle with how to find room for their own hopes. And what first seems to be a chance encounter might just change their lives forever.




About the author:


Beverly Lewis, raised in Pennsylvania Amish country, is a former schoolteacher, an accomplished musician, and an award-winning author of nearly ninety books for adults and children, many of which have appeared on bestseller lists, including USA Today and The New York Times. Her novel The Brethren won a 2007 Christy Award for excellence in Christian fiction. Writing memorable stories set in Amish farmland brings Beverly continual joy and inspiration. Her own family heritage is Old Order Mennonite, but she has many dear friends among Amish communities in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. Beverly and her husband, David, live in Colorado.

My thoughts:

Reading a Beverly Lewis novel is like coming home to an old friend. She tells a compelling story in a gentle yet familiar way. We were all introduced to Beverly’s fictitious world of Hickory Hollow back in 1997 with her first Amish themed book The Shunning. Since then she has gone on to write other novels featuring other locations.

With The Fiddler we are brought back to Hickory Hollow. In this new story we get to catch up with some of the characters from the first series, but we also meet a whole new group of people that bring freshness to this current series.

Before I read the book, I happened to be flipping through my Netflix account and came across the Hallmark movie of The Shunning. It was a great way to refresh my memory about some of the characters and a lovely visual to set the stage. I highly recommend that you watch it if you have the chance.

The Fiddler not only takes us into the Amish world, but also the realm of professional classical instrumentalists. Amelia loves the violin, but her heart just isn’t in the tour. Michael loves his family, but his heart is set on becoming an architect. This is a beautiful story about the struggle to please your beloved family while being true to what God has designed you for.

Whether you are journeying to Hickory Hollow for the first time or if this is a return trip you are going to enjoy The Fiddler. It is a story full of depth yet light enough to enjoy. It was like a sentimental get away for me!

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or
Services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it
on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally
and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance
With the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:
“Guides concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”


Review for Rockin' Baby Slings @rockinbabysling







For every sling purchased, Rockin' Baby will donate a new sling to a Haitian mother, and educate her on its importance!

Rockin’ Baby is a re-birth of www.rockinbabysling.com with a new business model and a new plan.  Since 2002, Natasha and Lisa have created amazing products that demonstrate sophistication, fashion, and attention to a Mother’s most prize possession:  her baby.  Kathryn Wiley is purchasing the website and company in efforts to breathe life back into an already successful product.

Rockin’ Baby sells wonderfully elegant baby slings and pouches. The slings and pouches consist of 6 yards of unique, modern textiles to make a mother feel beautiful and more like herself.  

As of January 1, 2011, Rockin’ Baby changed the business model, not the product, drastically. Rather than just being chic, Rockin’ Baby is now SOCIAL CHIC. The social aspect of the new Rockin’ Baby will be two pronged:  Mother to Child and Mother to Mother.



My thoughts:

First I have to say that I love a company who not only provides the consumer with a fantastic product but also gives back to a community.  This is why I love Rockin’ Baby Slings. They make trendy slings and pouches for a reasonable price.

The pouch I received is reversible and it has zippers that make it easy to adjust to your size. I really like the zipper feature since a baby grows so quickly. I also like the fact that it has two different prints making it easy to match your outfit.



The fabric is soft but thick, similar to canvas, which holds up to a heavy baby.  I really like how easy it is to use and it’s small enough to fit inside my diaper bag.

I am usually not a fan of pouches since I have big babies that grow out of them quickly. Rockin’ Baby has solved this issue with the adjustable zippers!



Buy one!

You can purchase slings or pouches at rockinbabysling.com. Also when you do purchase one an orange sling will be given to a Haitian mother.

I love the idea of getting a Rockin Baby Sling for a new mother as a baby shower gift and then being able to tell her about a Haitian mother getting one too! I highly recommend Rockin’ Baby Slings.

Connect with Rockin’ Baby Slings:



“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or
Services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it
on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally
and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance
With the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”




Wordless Wednesday ~ Action Hero Night at Chick-Fill-A @ChickfilA









One of our favorite places to eat as a family is Chick-Fil-A. Mostly because my kids love it and I actually like the food! We also love their free family nights. These photos are from the Action Hero night which Little M loved. I also had to get my limited time only Peach Milkshake MMMmmm….





Book Review for Blue Moon Bay by Lisa Wingate @LisaWingate





Blue Moon Bay
Moses Lake, Book 2
Contemporary Fiction











Back of the book:

For Seattle architect Heather Hampton, a trip back to tiny Moses Lake, Texas, is hardly in the plan. Yet because a promotion hinges on the sale of the family farmland, Heather heads to the last place she ever wanted to go. She’s determined to return home, signed contract in hand, the next day.

But the currents of Moses Lake take visitors on unexpected journeys. As Heather’s stay lengthens, she discovers a family steeped in secrets and an unexpected connection to local banker Blaine Underhill, despite his opposition to Heather’s project. With each new revelation and questions, Heather can’t help but wonder if the handsome banker—and the family she has come to know again—are crooks or crusaders. Somehow she must find out the truth before she loses everything she has worked for and everything she’s found on the shores of Moses Lake.



About the author:

Blog  (Lisa posts on Mondays.)









When not disguised as an author, I am the mother of two sons. I wanted girls. I got boys. I never dreamed that boys could be so wonderful. But that is another story.

I can't remember a time when I didn't write. I started writing books before I started school, and I never quit writing. I had a very special first-grade teacher in Peasley School in Northboro , Massachusetts , who recognized a little ability and a lot of desire in a shy transfer student. Mrs. Krackhardt wrote on my report card that she expected to see my name in the pages of a magazine one day, and I suddenly felt incredibly special. She started reading my stories to the class, and I was hooked. I quickly discovered the joy of having an audience, and set out on many, many writing projects.Even though I always dreamed of becoming a writer, I didn't begin pursuing the goal in earnest until after college, marriage, a career as a journalist and technical writer, and then the birth of my oldest son (ordered girl, got boy, fell in love with boy).

My grandmother came to stay with me when the baby was small, and together we decided to plant flowerbeds in front of my house. One day, when the baby was fussy, we had to go inside rather than finishing the flowerbed. Grandma bundled the baby and sat down in the chair with him, and soon he was quietly drifting off to sleep. As the afternoon sun streamed in the window, Grandma leaned back, closed her eyes, and began telling me the story of her life, and her flowerbeds, and the lessons she learned there. That story, "Time for Tending Roses," eventually became the inspiration for my first mainstream novel, Tending Roses, which was published by New American Library (Penguin Putnam) in June, 2001.

These days--several years, several books, two family relocations, one boy (ordered girl, got boy, boy is wonderful again), and thousands of words after my grandmother told me the story of her rose garden, Tending Roses is one of several books inspired by life and written during stolen mommy moments between s, homework, dirty laundry, farm animals, football games, family meals, and book-related talks and events of all kinds with readers, moms, grandmothers, sisters, and friends all around the globe. Who knew all of that would come from one quiet afternoon with Grandma and an unfinished flowerbed?

Of all of the books, Tending Roses remains my sentimental favorite, because of the real-life connection with my grandmother, but I have loved and treasured the moments spent in the “world” of each book. Each story begins with an inspiration from life, and after that, the writing is a journey of discovery. I never know where the story will go, or how it will end, or who the characters will become, until the last words are written, though as a writer and as a person, my heart always goes to happy endings. So many of today's sound bites are sensational, and awful, and when you take in all of those things, it is easy to lose faith in the world and in the goodness of people. I want to create books that are entertaining, but also good for the soul-- that don't leave readers feeling sad or disappointed, or wishing they hadn't read the book at all. I think we are all called to add something good to the world, to inspire and uplift, to add our colors to the canvas. I have met so many people who have wonderful ways of doing that. I admire them. I want to be like them. I love to write about them.



My thoughts:

Welcome back to Moses Lake! What? You’ve never been there. Well pull up a chair and get acquainted with this wonderful place. Some of you were first introduced to Moses Lake in Larkspur Cove. For those that didn’t have that pleasure don’t fret. Blue Moon Bay can easily be read as a stand-alone book.

As with other books from Lisa Wingate, this one is filled with nuggets of truth wrapped in an intriguing story. There’s a bit of something for everyone. You have romance, mystery, and a cast of unforgettable characters.

Poor Heather! She’s gone through a major family tragedy and just wants to live a normal life, preferably away from her abnormal family. She goes home to take care of what should be some quick family business only to be drawn back in.

I love to mark my favorite quotes in books. This one has so many sticky tabs in it that it is beginning to look like a porcupine! I am so NOT a back of the book reader, but I must leave you with a quote from the end of the book that has me weeping with joy even after I’ve read it several times to myself and to others.
“The future is a blank page, but not a mystery.

The truth of that small phrase, of that plain-spoken proverb from the wall of wisdom was so clear to me now. Though we only read the story in due time, the books of our lives have been already written. God has drawn us in shades of charcoal and pastel, known our hours, seen our days, laid down our paths, created each of us as unique and uniquely loved. Our lives come as a blank canvas only because we cannot see as He sees. Before we can conceive our stories, He has watched them in His mind’s eye, and not the stroke of a pen happens at random.

Above the book, the Architect watches with a broader eye, a greater plan. He knows what is to be written on every page.”

I beg you to go get the book. You won’t be sorry, because there is a part of Heather that’s in all of us!


“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or
Services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it
on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally
and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance
With the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: 
“Guides concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review for the Forgiven Duke by Jamie Carie




Forgotten Castles, Book 2
Historical Fiction/Christian

Back of the book:

Tethered by her impulsive promise to marry Lord John Lemon—the path of least resistance—Alexandria Featherstone sets off toward Iceland in search of her parents with a leaden heart. A glimpse of her guardian, the Duke of St. Easton—the path less traveled by—on Dublin’s shore still haunts her. Will he come after her? Will he drag her back to London, quelling her mission to rescue her treasure-seeking parents, or might he decide to throw caution to the wind and choose Foy Pour Devoir: “Faith for Duty,” the St. Easton motto. The Featherstone motto Valens et Volens: “Willing and Able,” beats in her heart and thrums through her veins. She will find her parents and find their love, no matter the cost.

The powerful yet wing-clipped Duke of St. Easton has never known the challenge that has become his life since hearing his ward’s name. Alexandria Featherstone will be the life or the death of him. Only time and God’s plan will reveal just how much this man can endure for the prize of love.

My thoughts:

The Guardian Duke left us with a nail bitter of an ending, but thankfully The Forgiven Duke picks up the story exactly where it left off. You will be able to give a brief sigh of relief but then the chase begins again.

This series is one, in my opinion, that needs to be read in order. I just don’t think that you would enjoy The Forgiven Duke, nearly as much if you read it as a stand-alone. I think there would just be too many nuances in the story that you would miss.

I loved all the globe-trotting in this installment. The descriptions of Iceland make me want to go there for a visit. (In warm weather, of course!) Jamie Carie has created characters that live and breathe in your imagination. There are some, like Alexandria, Gabriel and Montague that you are going to fall in love with. There are others that you are going to be leery about and look for their hidden motives at all times. One of my favorite aspects of the novels is the way that Ms. Carie has shown her characters reliance and need for God’s guidance and strength. In the opposite way she has also done a marvelous job of describing how others reject that same guidance.

While I am enjoying this series, it does have a tendency to just go on and on to me. I love all the letters exchanged but during all the pursuit I keep thinking “just get together already”. There is one last installment in this series. It is called A Duke’s Promise and is scheduled to be released in September. Will I be reading it? You bet!

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or
Services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it
on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally
and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance
With the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: 
“Guides concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review and $5 off Code for Momzelle @Momzelle






About Momzelle:

A few days after the birth of my daughter Cécile, I created my own nursing top in order to feel comfortable breastfeeding in public settings. The shirt worked perfectly with my squirmy newborn (my midwife was the first one to rave about it) and my friends started to want their own.

We are helping you achieve a positive breastfeeding experience and feel confident breastfeeding anywhere is what drives us to offer you the best possible nursing wear on the planet.

Let’s all feel good about breastfeeding in public!

Christine Poirier  
Mom and co-founder of Momzelle  



My thoughts:

I love a good nursing shirt! It makes nursing so much easier than a normal shirt. I was very excited to try the Momzelle Nursing V-neck Tee. The shirt is lightweight and perfect for this hot weather. The fabric is high quality and did not shrink once I washed it.  The length of the shirt is long enough to cover your back when you bend over.

The only down side I have is that if you have a large bust (like me) then when you lift your arms the shirt can gap and show your bra. If you were to order a size up it may solve the gapping problem.



I love how discreet I can nurse in this shirt without a nursing cover. It is also by far the softest nursing shirt I have.

Overall I would recommend buying this shirt. If you are bigger in the chest do buy a size up!

Savings offer:

If you want to buy your own Momzelle then now is a great time because Momzelle is giving my readers a promo code Rambles5 , which givesthem a $5 off their Momzelle purchase!

Connect with Momzelle:


“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or
Services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it
on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally
and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance
With the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review and #Giveaway for Flanders Buttocks Ointment




Over 30 years ago as newly licensed pharmacists in Charleston, S.C., my partner and I compounded a diaper rash ointment to remedy diaper rash for our customers which we called Buttocks Ointment. Over the next few years as we revised and refined the formula, we developed quite a following with our patients and local doctors and nurses. The demand for our product continued to grow as our patients recommended the product to their friends, so we decided to make the product available in the marketplace to other pharmacies. 

Twenty six years ago, we incorporated as Flanders, Inc. and contracted with a manufacturer to supply the product to us meeting our specifications, naming the product Flanders Buttocks Ointment. Since our inception, we have relied on the effectiveness of the product to grow our business through word of mouth referrals and professional recommendations. 

As our customers, pharmacists, doctors and nurses have moved to other areas of the country, we have been able to continue to provide them with Flanders Buttocks Ointment through our wholesaler network. The product is now available to virtually any pharmacy in the country. Even if your pharmacy does not have the product in stock, they can get it the next business day.



Our thoughts:

I am very familiar with diaper rash. In fact Little M had a milk allergy and that was what first started my journey with diaper rash and treating diaper rash. Fast forward three years and I know how to catch it early. The hard part about finding good diaper rash ointment is that it’s either too strong or not strong enough.

With all that being said I was excited to come across Flanders Buttocks Ointment and give it a try. Before I received the product I talked with the owner of Flanders and was very impressed that he created Flanders and today it is still made by family members in the USA! This is very important to me for several reasons. One if they are USA made then I want to support them. Two I know if their family is involved then they are going to make sure it is done right.



We have been using Flanders for a month now and what I most like about it is that after one diaper change the rash is no longer red. Since it is summer time we are fighting diaper rash often and need a cream that we can use often. Flanders is that cream for us it strong enough to get rid of diaper rash but also gentle enough to use every day.

I would recommend Flanders Buttocks Ointment especially for summer when you need to use it often.


If you would like your baby to be the next Flanders ad baby in Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine then head over to Flanders Facebook Page and share a photo of your baby on their wall and you just might win!


Giveaway:



One reader will win two tubes of Flanders Buttocks Ointment. Open to US only 18+. Giveaway ends on 08/06/2012 at 12:01 am EST. Fill out the Rafflecopter form below to be entered.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or
Services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it
on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally
and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance
With the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour for Inescapable by Nancy Mehl @NancyMehl @litfuse





Inescapable
Nancy Mehl
Romantic Suspense




Back of the book:

Lizzie Engel is used to running away. At eighteen, she left her Mennonite hometown, Kingdom, Kansas, with plans never to return.

But five years later, the new life she built is falling apart. Lizzie knows she's being followed, and she's certain the same mysterious stranger is behind the threatening letters she's received. Realizing she'll have to run again, the only escape Lizzie can manage is a return to the last place she wants to go.

Once she arrives in Kingdom, Lizzie is confident she'll be safe until she comes up with a new plan. In reacquainting herself with the town and its people--especially her old friend, Noah Housler--she wonders if she judged her hometown and her Mennonite faith too harshly. However, just as she begins to come to terms with her roots, Lizzie is horrified to discover the danger she ran from is closer than ever.

No longer sure who to trust and fearful for her life and the lives of those around her, Lizzie finds she has only one place left to run--to the Father whose love is inescapable.



About the author:

Nancy Mehl, the author of 12 books, received an ACFW Carol Award in 2009 for her novel For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls. She has a background in social work and is a member of ACFW and RWA. She writes from her home in Wichita, Kansas, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their puggle, Watson. Visit her website at www.nancymehl.com.








My thoughts:

I am a Kansas girl so I was tickled to read the back cover and find out that this story was set in my beloved homeland. Right from the beginning I was biased towards this book. Probably because I lived the majority of my life there and because the author lives there too, it was easy for me to picture the setting.

The narrative begins in Kansas City where Lizzie has just lost her job and been accused of embezzlement. There is someone stalking her. She has seen him watching her apartment from across the street on numerous occasions. Mysterious and threatening notes keep appearing on her door.

In order to escape this crazed person she decides to leave Kansas City and return home. Home is in Kingdom, Kansas, an Old Order Mennonite community. The hitch in the plan is that she left Kingdom five years before as an eighteen year old unwed mother. She wasn’t expecting an overly warm welcome from her father, and she didn’t get it.

She settles in with a family friend and life seems to be turning out better than she expected. That is until she realizes that the danger has followed her home to Kingdom.

I enjoyed reading Nancy’s novel. I would not personally consider it in the suspense category. I thought it was more of a mystery type. Regardless of that, the story is intriguing and the characters are endearing (well most of them are). I think you’ll be glad you picked this one up. 


 Celebrate with Nancy by entering her "Inescapable" Giveaway and connecting with her during the Author Chat Party on 7/26!



One winner will receive:
  • A Handmade Mennonite Quilt
  • A copy of Inescapable by Nancy Mehl




Enter today by clicking one of the icons below.

But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 25th. Winner will be announced at the "Inescapable" Author Chat Facebook Party on 7/26. Nancy will be hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills (how much do you know about the Mennonites?) and giving away some great prizes!

So grab your copy of Inescapable and join Nancy on the evening of the July 26th for a chance to connect with Nancy and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Enter via E-mail Enter via FacebookEnter via Twitter

Don't miss a moment of the RSVP todayTell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 26th!


“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or
Services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it
on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally
and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance
With the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides concerning the
Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”



Book Review for The Jesus Scandals by David Brewer





The Jesus Scandals
David Instone-Brewer
Non Fiction

Back of the book:

David INstone-Brew unravels history to discover what has been lost over the centuries – what Jesus’ contemporaries really thought about him and his teaching.

Jesus scandalized both friends and enemies. Topics covered include:

·         his parentage and accusations of alcohol abuse and fraudulent miracles
·         the dubuious status of his followers – poorly educated, ex-prostitutes and the certifiably mad
·         his anti-religious teaching on temple practices, eternal torment, easy divorces and judgment in this life
·         his thoughts of suicide, shameful execution and impossible resurrection

Faithful to the biblical text, this carefully researched book can be read as a whole or as stand-alone chapters. Useful for house groups and as discussion starters.




About the author:

Revd Dr David Instone-Brewer is a Baptist Minister who was seconded to the academic world by his denomination. He is now the Senior Research Fellow in Rabbinics and the New Testament at Tyndale House in Cambridge. He has written several academic books and articles on early Judaism and the Bible, as well as regular contributions to Christianity magazine. Other interests include computer programming and lowbrow movies.







My thoughts:

From the beginning I was fascinated with this book. It is broken into three sections, Scandals in Jesus’ Life, Scandals Among Jesus’ Friends and Scandals in Jesus’ Teaching. Within each of these sections are several sub topics. Each topic takes up four or five pages and is meant to be read in short segments of time. If I remember correctly the author says he designed it to be read on your coffee break.

I enjoyed the brief readings and also the fact that you could read the book in any order that you wished. I found myself skipping around from section to section. Each story is told with personal accounts of the author’s life. He then relates it to the subject at hand. The whole thing is well researched and reference notes are included to back up each statement.

Overall it was a very interesting read. I did not happen to agree with Dr Brewer on everything but the differences of opinion caused me to think about my position on certain subjects in a very positive way.

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