 This page may contain affiliate links. For some of you, this may not apply...but since my family and I are followers of Jesus Christ, we have tried to make a thoughtful effort every December to bring more of Christ into our Christmas and less of the self-centered "give me, give me!" type of attitude. We've downplayed Santa and other secular versions of Christmas that can take over the true meaning of Christmas. If you enjoy the rhythm of the poem, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moor, then I think you are going to be pleasantly surprised at the similar rhythm of this new illustrated book, The First Christmas Night! (Email subscribers may want to click back to the original post in order to most easily view the photos and enter the giveaway contest.) About The First Christmas Night The First Christmas Night is a beautiful retelling of the birth of Jesus on that joyous night in Bethlehem so long ago. The poem begins with the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem and winds though Christ’s birth, the angels’ appearance to the shepherds, and the visit by the Wise Men. The simple, yet elegant, verses will appeal to little ones and are accompanied by the rich acrylic illustrations of Christine Kornacki. Here's a sample of the poetry found between the covers of The First Christmas Night: ’Twas the very first Christmas when all through the town not a creature was stirring—there was not a sound. The moon shining bright in the heavens so high gave the look of midday to the Bethlehem sky. The animals were nestled in warm, cozy places with looks of contentment on each of their faces.
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 | Keith Christopher is an award-winning composer, arranger, lyricist, and author, and his musical talent is evident in the lyrical verses of The First Christmas Night. In addition to writing and producing, Keith is on the faculty at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. He lives in Hendersonville, Tennessee, with his wife and two children. |
About the illustrator:
 | At a very early age, Christine Kornacki developed a love for painting and bringing stories to life. After receiving a BFA in illustration from the University of Hartford, her dreams of illustrating children's books began to take shape, including illustrating the best-selling The Sparkle Box for Ideal's Children's Books. Christine's recent work also includes illustrating the six-book series for the American Girl historical doll characters Marie-Grace and Cecile. She spends her days painting in her studio, which adjoins a charming cafe in New Haven, Connecticut. |
More info. about The First Christmas Night:
Who is it for?
- Kids ages 4-8 - The rhyming language can help them develop verbal language skills and learn to read
- Family story time during the holidays
- Children's Ministers and Sunday school teachers
- Christmas carolers could set it to a tune!
Now, for the GIVEAWAY of The First Christmas Night:
To enter this giveaway, please use the Rafflecopter widget below.
The First Christmas Night children's picture book giveaway ends on Monday, December 9th, 2013 at midnight Pacific time...
...and please read the requirements for entering, below, because if you're the winner, and you said you completed a step, but didn't, I'll be checking up on you! ☺ U.S. entries only, please. Thanks!
The First Christmas Night children's picture book giveaway ends on Monday, December 9th, 2013 at midnight Pacific time...
...and please read the requirements for entering, below, because if you're the winner, and you said you completed a step, but didn't, I'll be checking up on you! ☺ U.S. entries only, please. Thanks!
Entrants must be 18 years or older; only U.S. residents are eligible to enter this giveaway.
I will select the winner of this prize using Random.org (via this Rafflecopter entry form, below).
I will be verifying the winning entrant's giveaway entry options to make sure they are valid. In the past several months, multiple potential winners were excluded from winning even though their names had been selected randomly as winners, because they said that they had signed up for email subscriptions but had not completed the process, which includes clicking on an email you will receive to confirm your subscription. An email subscription to Joy In Our Journey.com is not a requirement to enter our giveaways, but if you do use an email subscription option to enter to win, please make sure that you click on the confirmation email that you will receive. That will validate your entry. Thank you! :)
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I received a copy of this book for review purposes, but was not compensated financially in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based solely on my experiences in reading this book. 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."
In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support!
In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support!
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This is a sponsored post by Minted.com but does not contain any affiliate links.
Our family is gearing up for a fun family reunion this Thanksgiving, not far from home. Because our mindset is on being thankful right now, for so much that God has given us, it can be a bit tricky to switch gears and think about Christmas - before Thanksgiving.
But I must. ☺
The main reasons are that our daughters are involved in quite a few Christmas music rehearsals right now; the best prices on a couple of Christmas gift items were better this week than they will be even on Black Friday; and I need to order our family Christmas cards.
I consider personalized Christmas cards to be a luxury item, one that isn't a necessary tradition for me to carry on in order to celebrate Christmas.
However, because quite a few extended family members and friends of ours are not on Facebook, we feel it is important to touch bases with them at least once a year and share our family's news and photos, either using a personalized Christmas card, or sending a newsy letter with a family photograph enclosed.
Something I have found frustrating when shopping online for photo Christmas cards is that most of the personalized card companies offer few - or no - religious Christmas cards. A few sites I've found have had around 95% "holiday" cards and only 5% Christmas cards. What do they think 99% of Americans are celebrating this time of year? ☺
If you want to purchase "holiday" cards for your family, feel free to do so. My family serves and loves Jesus Christ, and we try to show that in our actions and in how we spend our money and our time...and we want our Christmas cards to show our faith in the Reason for the Season - and that's Jesus. I won't criticize you for ordering holiday cards, but we are looking for something different. ☺
 | I learned about Minted.com this autumn and was delighted to see that they have plenty of Christmas and holiday photo cards, including 15 Christian cards including either Scriptures or Christmas hymn passages. YES! One of the unique options for many of their holiday cards is that while previewing a card online, you can select whether you want the message on the outside of the card to be Christmas, Holiday, or New Year...or you can change some of the text altogether. Nice! |
Minted.com also offers unique edging on many of the cards, as you'll see in the photo, above. While it isn't a free feature, it is beautiful! I really like their ornament photo cards. Neat!
Here are some samples of Christmas cards to which I uploaded family photos as a "preview". While some of the photos look a bit out of focus, this isn't because of Minted.com; it's because they were simply a sample preview of how my card might end up looking...and taking a quick snip of those previews meant the photo quality wasn't all that great.
A neat feature on Minted.com is being able to upload some of my own photos to their website - and selecting one of those uploaded photos so that all of the cards I want to view are showing my chosen photo. How fun is that?
Minted.com also has Inspiration Boards containing many beautiful ideas for your own cards or printed invitations or other printables. Here's one I saw that I thought was very darling:
Here's the thing: Minted.com prices are a bit higher than the average personalized card online site. However, you'll find these unique features on Minted that you won't find on all of the other card sites:
- Minibook Cards containing several pages, fastened at the end
- Foil Pressed Cards
- Ornament Cards
- Free recipient address printing on the envelopes with a qualifying order
- Find It Fast - try your photo in many cards at one time
- 1 free proof created by a graphic design professional
- Thicker, higher quality paper and envelopes
I'm excited to be ordering our family Christmas cards from Minted.com this year! I hope you'll take a look and see what Minted.com has to offer for you and your family this Christmas season.
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Minted.com is providing me credit to their website for review purposes. The opinions expressed are my own and are based solely on my experiences in viewing the Minted.com website. 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."
This page may contain affiliate links.
Read on to enter my giveaway (age 13+ may enter) for your own copy of this new family-friendly music CD!
Glamour: the attractive or exciting quality that makes certain people or things seem appealing or special.
Teen band. Lots of glitz and lots of glamour. And probably lots of hairspray. ☺
So why would I be sharing with you about a new Christian girls' band for tweens and teens?
Because when the new 1 Girl Nation CD arrived in the mail, and I put it into the CD player, I loved it, and so did my daughters!
I'm a 40-something mama, and while I don't love standing up at rock concerts for three hours straight, I still love music of all kinds. Okay, most kinds. Maybe not punk rock or acid rock, or opera in foreign languages. ☺
What's most important to me are the words to the songs...the message that those words hold for me and my teen daughters.
1 Girl Nation helps satisfy the desire of many Christian teens who want to listen to "cool-sounding" music, but don't want to be blasted by the Lord's name being used in vain, or having to go on Prozac because the words to the songs are too depressing.
Here are a couple of videos so you can listen to 1 Girl Nation for yourself!
Landing in the space where One Direction meets TobyMac, 1 Girl Nation is an exciting blend of upbeat pop music, with lyrics that are totally focused on living life for God, even while you’re young.
1GN, as they’ve already been dubbed, stars Carmen, Kayli, Kelsey, Lauryn Taylor and Lindsey, five girls with a passion for telling their fans about Christ through their music. Their first single, “While We’re Young,” can be heard on radio stations across the country, and their self-titled debut album is now available.
1GN, as they’ve already been dubbed, stars Carmen, Kayli, Kelsey, Lauryn Taylor and Lindsey, five girls with a passion for telling their fans about Christ through their music. Their first single, “While We’re Young,” can be heard on radio stations across the country, and their self-titled debut album is now available.
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Now for the giveaway:
To enter this giveaway, please use the Rafflecopter widget below. (Email subscribers will want to click back to the original post to enter the giveaway.)
This time, I'm allowing everyone, ages 13+, to enter the giveaway, so your teens can also enter if they have a separate email address.
This 1 Girl Nation CD giveaway ends on Sunday, December 1st, 2013 at midnight Pacific time...
...and please read the requirements for entering, below, because if you're the winner, and you said you completed a step, but didn't, I'll be checking up on you! ☺ U.S. entries only, please.
This time, I'm allowing everyone, ages 13+, to enter the giveaway, so your teens can also enter if they have a separate email address.
This 1 Girl Nation CD giveaway ends on Sunday, December 1st, 2013 at midnight Pacific time...
...and please read the requirements for entering, below, because if you're the winner, and you said you completed a step, but didn't, I'll be checking up on you! ☺ U.S. entries only, please.
Entrants must be 13 years or older; only U.S. residents are eligible to enter this giveaway.
I will select the winner of this prize using Random.org (via this Rafflecopter entry form, below).
I will be verifying the winning entrant's giveaway entry options to make sure they are valid. In the past several months, multiple potential winners were excluded from winning even though their names had been selected randomly as winners, because they said that they had signed up for email subscriptions but had not completed the process, which includes clicking on an email you will receive to confirm your subscription. An email subscription to Joy In Our Journey.com is not a requirement to enter our giveaways, but if you do use an email subscription option to enter to win, please make sure that you click on the confirmation email that you will receive. That will validate your entry. Thank you! :)
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If you can’t see the Rafflecopter form, there may be a glitch with Rafflecopter, or you may need to update Flash on your computer. First, try opening this webpage in a different internet browser. If you still can't see it, you may need to update the Flash on your computer, here. (Hint: just make sure to uncheck the box that says, "Yes, install McAfee Security Scan Plus - optional", unless you want this on your computer.)
I received a copy of this audio CD for review purposes, but was not compensated financially in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based solely on my experiences while watching this movie. 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."
In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support!
I received a copy of this audio CD for review purposes, but was not compensated financially in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based solely on my experiences while watching this movie. 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."
In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support!
This page may contain affiliate links.
About A Simple Christmas Wish:
Rachel Milligan is caring for her seven-year-old niece, Holly, at her home in Chicago when she receives devastating news: Holly's parents have been killed in a plane crash. Because Rachel is Holly's only known relative, she assumes that she will be her beloved niece's guardian. However, custody is awarded to Lydia, a distant aunt who happens to be Amish.
Just a week before Christmas, Rachel takes Holly to the Amish community in the hopes of persuading Aunt Lydia to relinquish custody. Instead, Lydia sets out to teach Holly to live according to the Amish way. As family secrets emerge and old wounds are healed, Rachel realizes that she will do whatever it takes to ensure that Holly has the loving family she needs.
Combining an Amish family saga with the anticipation of Christmas cheer and the promise of a budding romance, A Simple Christmas Wish from beloved author Melody Carlson is sure to please.
Just a week before Christmas, Rachel takes Holly to the Amish community in the hopes of persuading Aunt Lydia to relinquish custody. Instead, Lydia sets out to teach Holly to live according to the Amish way. As family secrets emerge and old wounds are healed, Rachel realizes that she will do whatever it takes to ensure that Holly has the loving family she needs.
Combining an Amish family saga with the anticipation of Christmas cheer and the promise of a budding romance, A Simple Christmas Wish from beloved author Melody Carlson is sure to please.
Joy In Our Journey's review ~ by Julie:
This small novel has its setting in a tiny Amish community somewhere in Ohio. The story begins with great tragedy for Rachel Milligan, who is caring for her young, six-almost-seven-year-old niece, Holly, while Holly’s parents are on vacation. It is Christmastime and the two have many wonderful plans for both of their birthdays and for Christmas, all taking place within days of each other.
Circumstances happen, as in real life, to where the two travel to an Amish community where Holly has close family relatives and the story quickly becomes very complicated. Neither has ever had contact with the Amish and they discover they have much to learn, some of it not quite to their liking.
Both Rachel and Holly have special Christmas wishes and how these are fulfilled create quite a surprising completion of this story. There is, of course, a little tiny big of a romance involved here. There are also some great insights into how the Amish are “different” and why that is so.
About the author:
 | Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books with sales of more than five million. She is the author of several Christmas books, including the bestselling The Christmas Bus, The Christmas Dog, Christmas at Harrington's, and The Christmas Pony. She received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her many books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series and Finding Alice. She and her husband live in central Oregon. For more information about Melody, visit her website at www.melodycarlson.com. |
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In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support.
I received one copy of A Simple Christmas Wish for review purposes, but was not compensated financially in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based solely on my experiences while reading this book.
I received one copy of A Simple Christmas Wish for review purposes, but was not compensated financially in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based solely on my experiences while reading this book.
This page may contain affiliate links.
About this new book:
It is 1864, and the nation is still torn apart by civil war when Heather Worth discovers she is with child. She has been working as a laundress with her husband's army unit, but when the army gets orders to march south to Tennessee, Gideon insists Heather go home to have their child under safer conditions. Heather agrees, but returns home to another kind of devastation--deaths in the family and a father who refuses to forgive her for marrying a Yankee. With nowhere else to turn, Heather seeks refuge at the Shaker village of Harmony Hill, where her great aunt Sophrena lives. There, after many peaceful years at Harmony Hill, Sophrena is having doubts about her Shaker path. Both women are in need of love and forgiveness--whether given or received. With Christmas coming, can the miracle of new life fill their hearts with unexpected joy?
Joy In Our Journey's review ~ by Julie:
Christmas at Harmony Hill, by Ann Gabhart, takes place during the Civil War - when families and neighbors are fighting each other and dying for a cause they dearly believe in, each in their own way.
When Heather falls in love with Gideon Worth and marries him just as he is taking off to become a Yankee fighter, her Confederate family is torn; her father angry, her brother taking up the cause of the Confederates. It is difficult but Heather chooses her path to follow Gideon off to war; she is able to stay with him and become a washer woman for the company with which he is stationed. Then she becomes pregnant, and Gideon decides she can no longer stay with him, especially after she is seven months along and can no longer keep up with the troops.
Heather returns to her home, after a long and difficult journey. With great sorrow at having to leave her husband, she knows she is doing the right thing to bring her baby into a safer situation. But her father turns her away, saying she is no longer his daughter and she is not welcome in his home. She encounters much sadness at that. Because she also learns that her mother and two brothers have died in her two-year absence, she is beside herself with grief. Her sister, Beth, advises her to try to find their Aunt Sophrena, who lives not too far away at the Harmony Hill Shaker community.
Heather’s arrival at the Shaker community, and her first meeting with her Aunt Sophrena, brings her many surprises. First, her aunt (whom she has never met) is so like her own mother that she is nearly overcome with memories. Second, she is welcomed into the Shaker community in a way she never thought would be possible; she is not made to feel a part of the community, but they provide for her physical needs very well and assign her aunt to become her caretaker during her confinement with her pregnancy. It is an eye-opening experience for all of them.
Heather learns much about the Shakers and tries hard to understand some of their very strange beliefs and traditions. Sophrena comes to face her own doubts and longings after having spent over 25 years with the Shakers. This story is an education into a totally different kind of life than most Christians would know; it is hard to understand some of the beliefs that come to light, and it can be difficult to accept the sense in the type of community life they had built for themselves.
There is much to ponder in the way of forgiveness and love for one another as these characters intermingle and communicate. Much, much prayer goes up for protection of those involved in the war battles, the families left behind, and a greatly anticipated birth right at Christmas time. Conflict turns to victory as the story unfolds - but there are surprises to the very end.
About the author, Ann Gabhart:
 | I started writing when I was ten and have been writing ever since. I've now published twenty novels for adults and young adults. I married Darrell Gabhart, young and in love, but we defied the odds and are still married all these years later. Maybe because we went to church together and were committed to the Christian life. We have three children and nine wonderful grandchildren. I like walking in the fields and woods, finding wildflowers and spotting birds and wildlife while trying to keep in shape. I'm crazy about dogs, with three of my own and several neighbor dogs who like to hang out in my yard or take walks with me. |
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In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support.
This page may contain affiliate links.
Read on to enter my giveaway for your own copy of this new movie!
My family and I love the season of Christmas, starting with Thanksgiving and ending with New Year's Eve celebrations. So when I was asked if I wanted to host a giveaway for a new Christmas DVD, of course I said yes! :)
The Story:
After their parents separate, two estranged sisters who haven't been on speaking terms for years reunite in hopes that having a family Christmas all together for the first time in years will bring their Mom and Dad close again. They plan to do this in their old family home; the only problem is that someone else lives there now!
Who is Norman Rockwell? Rockwell became famous for his American culture illustrations and artwork. He was born in the late 1800’s and died in the mid 1900’s. This movie tries to capture the feelings of many Norman Rockwell paintings.
Here are some of the Christmas paintings that Mr. Rockwell did for December magazine covers:
Who is Norman Rockwell? Rockwell became famous for his American culture illustrations and artwork. He was born in the late 1800’s and died in the mid 1900’s. This movie tries to capture the feelings of many Norman Rockwell paintings.
Here are some of the Christmas paintings that Mr. Rockwell did for December magazine covers:
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About the movie:
The cast of Coming Home for Christmas features George Canyon (Christmas Miracle, Dawn Rider, Man of Steel), Aaron Pritchett, Britt McKillip (Dead Like Me), and Carly McKillip (Hot Rod).
Here's the official movie trailer, so you can get a feel for this new movie:
Here's the official movie trailer, so you can get a feel for this new movie:
What did my family think about Coming Home for Christmas?
While the plot is a bit predictable, the story line is excellent! It's not too mushy, not inappropriate at all, and was enJOYable to view at home. The acting wasn't bad, although it was awkward at times. We're not sure if it was due to the directing in this movie, or the producing, but at times the movie seemed a bit "off." However, we still really liked it and were glad that we watched it!
Now for the giveaway!
To enter this giveaway, please use the Rafflecopter widget below. (Email subscribers will want to click back to the original post to enter the giveaway.)
The Coming Home for Christmas DVD giveaway ends on Sunday, December 1st, 2013 at midnight Pacific time...
...and please read the requirements for entering, below, because if you're the winner, and you said you completed a step, but didn't, I'll be checking up on you! ☺ U.S. entries only, please.
The Coming Home for Christmas DVD giveaway ends on Sunday, December 1st, 2013 at midnight Pacific time...
...and please read the requirements for entering, below, because if you're the winner, and you said you completed a step, but didn't, I'll be checking up on you! ☺ U.S. entries only, please.
Entrants must be 18 years or older; only U.S. residents are eligible to enter this giveaway.
I will select the winner of this prize using Random.org (via this Rafflecopter entry form, below).
I will be verifying the winning entrant's giveaway entry options to make sure they are valid. In the past several months, multiple potential winners were excluded from winning even though their names had been selected randomly as winners, because they said that they had signed up for email subscriptions but had not completed the process, which includes clicking on an email you will receive to confirm your subscription. An email subscription to Joy In Our Journey.com is not a requirement to enter our giveaways, but if you do use an email subscription option to enter to win, please make sure that you click on the confirmation email that you will receive. That will validate your entry. Thank you! :)
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If you can’t see the Rafflecopter form, there may be a glitch with Rafflecopter, or you may need to update Flash on your computer. First, try opening this webpage in a different internet browser. If you still can't see it, you may need to update the Flash on your computer, here. (Hint: just make sure to uncheck the box that says, "Yes, install McAfee Security Scan Plus - optional", unless you want this on your computer.)
I received a copy of this DVD movie for review purposes, but was not compensated financially in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based solely on my experiences while watching this movie. 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."
In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support!
I received a copy of this DVD movie for review purposes, but was not compensated financially in any way. The opinions expressed are my own and are based solely on my experiences while watching this movie. 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."
In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support!
This page may contain affiliate links.
Although I've never been able to attend a formal tea, I've always wanted to! This oh-so-lemony "Mock Starbucks" Lemon Cake is everything I'd imagine a fancy tea cake would be...yet it's quick and easy enough to make for one person in just a few minutes.
I'm blessed to be a part of a Facebook group for families who are losing weight and becoming healthier using the Trim Healthy Mama book. Vanesa Stenberg, a member of that online support group, enjoys Starbucks' Lemon Cake, so she set out to find a healthier option to make this luscious treat. Vanesa is allowing me to share her new recipe with you, and now you can have some lemon deliciousness for your own healthy, low carb, no sugar dessert or snack! Find more of Vanesa's low-carb recipes on her Pinterest site.
I'm sharing with you her original "single serving" recipe - YUM!
Since there are four of us in my family, though, it's easier to make this in a larger quantity for the four of us, instead of measuring out each ingredient four different times into four different bowls. If you'd like to make Lemon Cake that feeds more than one person, you'll find a four-person recipe, below, as well as a free printable PDF file/page that will easily fit into your 3-ring recipe binder.
Recipe and photo courtesy of Vanesa Stenberg
Single serving in a bowl or mug:
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 Tbsp. coconut flour
- 1 Tbsp. almond flour
- tiny shake of sea salt
- 1 Tbsp. Truvia, erythritol, or xylitol or your choice of sweetener
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 5-6 drops of lemon essential oil (optional, but very good with this!)
- 1 Tbsp. melted coconut oil
- 1 Tbsp. warm water
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1 egg
In a microwave-safe mug or bowl (at least 10 oz.), combine all dry ingredients. Add lemon juice, lemon essential (optional), melted coconut oil, warm water, vanilla, and egg. Stir until well mixed. Bake in microwave for 60 seconds, or bake at 350 degrees F for 15-25 minutes until no longer moist on top. While cake is still hot, spread with Lemon Frosting (see below). For additional flare and flavor, you may sprinkle frosted cake with a small amount of lemon zest.
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Serve 4 at once!
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1/4 cup Truvia, erythritol, or xylitol
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 15-20 drops of lemon essential oil (optional, but very good with this!)
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 3 (or 4 small) eggs depending on how moist you like your cake
In a microwave-safe or oven-safe bowl (at least 40 oz.), combine all dry ingredients. Add lemon juice, lemon essential (optional), melted coconut oil, warm water, vanilla, and egg. Stir until well mixed. Bake in microwave for 2-5 minutes, or bake at 350 degrees F for 20-45 minutes until no longer moist on top. (I haven't personally baked the 4-serving size in the oven yet, so hopefully I'm not way off on the time. Check lemon cake several times while baking; bake until top is set and firm. You may also bake this in an 8x8 greased baking pan, although your baking times may vary.) While cake is still hot, spread with Lemon Frosting. For additional flare and flavor, you may sprinkle frosted cake with 1 tsp. lemon zest.
Single serving:
Frosting for 4:
Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth, or use hand mixer to blend. Adjust sweetener and lemon essential oil to taste. Spread onto hot Lemon Cake. EnJOY!
- 1 Tbsp. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 tsp. coconut oil or butter (I used softened butter for a richer flavor)
- 1/4 tsp. lemon juice
- 3-4 drops lemon essential oil
- 1/4 tsp. Truvia, erythritol, or xylitol
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla
Frosting for 4:
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
- 2 tsp. coconut oil or butter
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 12 drops lemon essential oil
- 1 tsp. Truvia, erythritol, or xylitol
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth, or use hand mixer to blend. Adjust sweetener and lemon essential oil to taste. Spread onto hot Lemon Cake. EnJOY!
 38.9 grams of fat; 6.8 net grams of carbs | This is Starbucks' Nutrition Facts (below, right) for their own Lemon Cake with Icing. While there is more fat in the version we are featuring today (left), it's healthy fats: eggs, coconut oil, almond flour, and coconut flour.  |
Here's your free printable recipe page for you to place in a page protector in your 3-ring recipe binder! Just click on the graphic, below:
 |  If you're using a healthy and trim or low-carb/low-glycemic way of cooking, you may enJOY taking a look at my new Healthy and Trim Visual Shopping Guide...a virtual shopping list of ideas when you are grocery shopping!  |
In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission - but your price stays the same. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support!
This page may contain affiliate links.
I know, I know. Your gardens are wintering over until the spring.
You don't have bags of zucchini that you're cleverly disguising and placing inside strangers' vehicles who left their windows rolled down.
But it's SOUP WEATHER!!!
And you know what that means?
Time to enJOY this delicious, low-carb, gluten free "green" soup!
This recipe is loosely based on a soup recipe in the Trim Healthy Mama cookbook. We'd eaten it a few times and enjoyed how quick it was to make, but we decided to put a bit more flavor into our bowls!
Here is my family's version of a quick and delicious way to disguise your veggies (if you're not a veggie lover) or to enjoy your veggies for a snack, quick lunch, or dinner.
Feel free to even have this for dessert, if that bakes your cookie.
☺
Even in the winter months, we find zucchini available in our local grocery stores - and while it is less expensive in the summer months, here in the Pacific Northwest, our groceries and produce are really expensive, even though much of it is grown here. Even in the summer, if we don't know any gardeners who are giving away zucchini, we'll pay a similar price as we would in the winter. I know; it's strange. It's Oregon. :)
Every-Season Greenaholic Soup (printable recipe a bit further below)
"S" or "Satisfying" for those following the Trim Healthy Mama plan of eating
Every-Season Greenaholic Soup (printable recipe a bit further below)
"S" or "Satisfying" for those following the Trim Healthy Mama plan of eating
- 4 medium-sized zucchini (no large seeds)
- 1-1/2 cups chicken broth (or 1-1/2 cups water + 1 tsp. "Better Than Bouillon" Lower Sodium Chicken Base)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt (or to taste)
- 1/8 tsp. black pepper (or to taste)
- 1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
- 2 tsp. minced fresh garlic or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder or 2 Tbsp. fresh chopped onion
- 1/4 tsp. glucomannan powder*
- 1/4 tsp. xanthan gum*
Add sliced zucchini and water/broth to 4-quart saucepot. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn heat to low or medium-low and continue steaming zucchini until it is tender but not mushy.
Pour hot zucchini and broth into blender. Add coconut oil, salt and pepper, nutritional yeast, garlic or garlic powder, onion or onion powder, glucomannan powder and/or xanthan gum to blender; cover and blend well until soup is smooth. Serves 4.
*You may use 1/4 tsp. of each thickener (glucomannan or xanthan gum), or 1/2 tsp. of one of them; or none at all! It's up to you. :)
Click below to print the FREE printable recipe, ready for your 3-ring binder!
Click to print me!
 | Have you seen the latest updates to myHealthy and Trim Visual Grocery Shopping Guide? I think you'll enjoy seeing a variety of ideas and grocery items you can use for your meal planning! |
 | Today's delicious savory recipe is a part of Trim Healthy Tuesday, a series of weekly blog posts containing Trim Healthy Mama recipes, kitchen tips, how-tos, menus, and/or exercising with Trim Healthy Mama. You can find more delightful and helpful ideas shared each Tuesday at Gwen's Nest. |
In the interest of full disclosure, some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products I use personally. Your purchases through these links help support Joy In Our Journey. I humbly thank you for your support.
Finding lodging in the Washington, D.C. area: how many hours are you willing to surf the internet, trying to decide which lodging option is best for your family's frugal, budget-conscious trip to Washington, D.C.?
When our family decided to travel to Washington, D.C. on a frugal budget, with our friend and "tour guide", Joanne, we spent many hours trying to find the best lodging for the best price.
Joanne and I individually spent about 20+ hours looking online...or at least, it seemed like it. We were looking for a safe location, with easy access to the Metro. Our goal was to spend no more than about $125 per night - not an easy thing to accomplish in Washington, D.C.
We were searching for a motel that was clean, safe, quiet, and friendly, with free shuttle service to and from the nearest Metro station. As well, we needed the motel to offer a satisfying hot breakfast each morning to help us save time and money as we started out each day. It was also important to us that the rooms had interior doors to inside hallways/corridors, with no exterior doors for individual motel rooms.
At one point, I was beginning to think that we needed to find a travel agent to help us. There are so many motels and hotels - as well as apartments to rent - in the D.C. area. It was overwhelming! We used the normal online booking sites to read reviews and prices. There was a lot of conflicting information and ratings. Some of the guests would love a particular motel, while others would hate it! Ugh.
One night, Joanne emailed me. She had found the perfect location! Interestingly, this was the motel in which she had stayed during two other trips to Washington, D.C., but for some reason, it just wasn't popping up in her online searches. (We think the name of the motel had changed since she had last stayed there.)
When our family decided to travel to Washington, D.C. on a frugal budget, with our friend and "tour guide", Joanne, we spent many hours trying to find the best lodging for the best price.
Joanne and I individually spent about 20+ hours looking online...or at least, it seemed like it. We were looking for a safe location, with easy access to the Metro. Our goal was to spend no more than about $125 per night - not an easy thing to accomplish in Washington, D.C.
We were searching for a motel that was clean, safe, quiet, and friendly, with free shuttle service to and from the nearest Metro station. As well, we needed the motel to offer a satisfying hot breakfast each morning to help us save time and money as we started out each day. It was also important to us that the rooms had interior doors to inside hallways/corridors, with no exterior doors for individual motel rooms.
At one point, I was beginning to think that we needed to find a travel agent to help us. There are so many motels and hotels - as well as apartments to rent - in the D.C. area. It was overwhelming! We used the normal online booking sites to read reviews and prices. There was a lot of conflicting information and ratings. Some of the guests would love a particular motel, while others would hate it! Ugh.
One night, Joanne emailed me. She had found the perfect location! Interestingly, this was the motel in which she had stayed during two other trips to Washington, D.C., but for some reason, it just wasn't popping up in her online searches. (We think the name of the motel had changed since she had last stayed there.)
 Comfort Inn & Suites, 5716 S. Van Dorn St., Alexandria, VA; Phone: (703) 922-9200 |  Elmer, Brittany, Kelsi, and ME! |
I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about the motel when I booked our two rooms. First, the room prices seemed low, which was wonderful - but why? I later learned it was because of the time of year we were staying in the D.C. area as well as Comfort Inn & Suites in Alexandria being a bit outside of downtown Washington, D.C.
 | Comfort Inn & Suites (not an affiliate link) 5716 S. Van Dorn St., Alexandria, VA 22310 Phone: (703) 922-9200 Exit 173 (Van Dorn Street) off I-495 Capital Beltway. Hotel is on located between I-95/495 and the exit ramps. Conveniently located off Interstate 495 (the Capital Beltway), the Comfort Inn & Suites® hotel is an affordable alternative to staying in downtown Washington, D.C. This Alexandria, VA hotel is minutes from the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), the National Mall & Memorial Parks, the Pentagon, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. |
Our price:
Since I was making the reservations online, I decided to take advantage of the Advance Purchase Rate as a part of their ChoicePriveleges Rewards program, which is free to join and has no membership fees. The one drawback is that once this reservation has been made, it cannot be cancelled, changed, or refunded. In the future, I may choose to use their regular online booking rate so I have the freedom to change or cancel the reservation, if needed. But we decided to take a chance - and it worked out just fine for my family.
We paid $111.20 per night (weekend rate in October 2013); and $119.20 per night (weekday rate in October 2013) for a total of 7 nights in Alexandria (plus a 12% room tax).
We paid $111.20 per night (weekend rate in October 2013); and $119.20 per night (weekday rate in October 2013) for a total of 7 nights in Alexandria (plus a 12% room tax).
 Private bedroom suite with bay window, full bathroom with garden tub and shower, and three nice windows for a view of Alexandria |  This bedroom was spacious with a large dresser for all of our clothing (the four of us). |
The type of room we selected for a family of four:
We selected a one-bedroom corner suite for our family of four. Here's why:
- The private bedroom has three windows, including one nice bay window
- The living room/sitting area is also fairly spacious with a sofa sleeper that folds out to sleep two people (full/double size bed). The sofa sleeper was very comfortable for our teenage daughters, though they were skeptical the first night that they'd be able to sleep comfortably on a sofa sleeper.
- Suites have two flat screen televisions, although we didn't have much time to watch them
- Non-smoking!
- Two vanities
- Desk with ergonomic chair
- Microwave; small cube refrigerator to chill our water bottles each night
- Coffee maker
- Iron and ironing board
- Full closet to hang our clothes and coats, plus room to store our extra shoes and souvenirs we had purchased during the week
- Hair dryer
- Two bathrooms (one half bath with toilet and sink; one full bath with garden tub/shower, toilet, and sink.
- Personal safe ($1.50 per night) that is small but large enough to hold a laptop computer
 The sitting room/living room converted to a private bedroom at night for our daughters |  Elmer relaxing after a long day out and about the D.C. area |
Our opinion of our stay at Comfort Inn & Suites, Alexandria:
The real question in your mind right now probably is...how did we feel about our stay here at Comfort Inn & Suites, Alexandria?
I must admit, sometimes I can be nitpicky about cleanliness (or lack thereof), and the level of professionalism in the staff.
We all were truly impressed with our stay at Comfort Inn & Suites here in Alexandria!
If you are planning to travel with 3-4 people and will be wanting a suite, which I would recommend, the manager told me that all of their suites on the 5th through the 9th floors have bay windows. Their executive king rooms (single room; not a suite) also have bay windows on those floors.
Every day, our room was carefully cleaned for us. I can't think of any lack of cleaning in our room, for seven full days and nights. Amazing! I haven't experienced that kind of service for years now.
The king bed in the suite bedroom was so comfortable that I asked the manager what type of bed it was. Let me tell you, after two nights in a motel room, my back is usually aching - and I normally don't have any back problems. But even after seven nights of sleeping on these beds, my back was just fine. The beds at this particular Comfort Inn & Suites are Serta beds built to Choice Hotels standards. They contain a high coil spring count, about 50% more than a standard mattress. The bed was topped with a 14 oz. fiber fill pad from Pacific Coast Feather, a bit heavier than retail grade, so that they have a longer, useful lifespan.
Aaaaaaahhhhhh! Wonderful!
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If you have more than one teenage or adult woman in your family, you know how it can take some time to get ready to leave in the mornings, right?
Well, with one adult woman (me) and two teenage daughters, we didn't think ahead about the importance of having two bathrooms in our suite. I actually didn't realize our suite would have two bathrooms in it. We were so surprised to find that it did, when we arrived. YES!
I'm sure my husband was the most impressed with this. Ha!
Note: the master bath has a full garden tub with shower. The bathroom adjoining the living room contains a toilet and sink with a long counter and a large, long mirror - but no shower or tub. Just so you know.
We had l-o-n-g days sightseeing while in the Washington, D.C. area, so we didn't want to get up at the crack of dawn just so we could all hustle through the shower. We figured out a routine to our morning that worked really well for our family.
We chose to use the master bathroom as our shower room, and the girls and I finished preparing for the day in the other bathroom each morning, so we could get people through the showers more efficiently.
I personally don't know how we would have got a reasonable start to our mornings without having two bathrooms. It would have been really tough.
Well, with one adult woman (me) and two teenage daughters, we didn't think ahead about the importance of having two bathrooms in our suite. I actually didn't realize our suite would have two bathrooms in it. We were so surprised to find that it did, when we arrived. YES!
I'm sure my husband was the most impressed with this. Ha!
Note: the master bath has a full garden tub with shower. The bathroom adjoining the living room contains a toilet and sink with a long counter and a large, long mirror - but no shower or tub. Just so you know.
We had l-o-n-g days sightseeing while in the Washington, D.C. area, so we didn't want to get up at the crack of dawn just so we could all hustle through the shower. We figured out a routine to our morning that worked really well for our family.
We chose to use the master bathroom as our shower room, and the girls and I finished preparing for the day in the other bathroom each morning, so we could get people through the showers more efficiently.
I personally don't know how we would have got a reasonable start to our mornings without having two bathrooms. It would have been really tough.
Drawbacks to our room?
There were a couple of minor concerns we had during our stay at Comfort Inn & Suites, Alexandria.
For some reason, the motel showed our reservation for 3 people, not four, even though I entered four people online for the room. So for several nights in a row, housekeeping only provided three sets of towels. I went down each night and picked up an additional set of towels, asking the front desk to correct this since we had four people in our room. Their computer system didn't seem to be able to correct this, so I finally started leaving a note in the master bathroom each morning, asking to please have four sets of towels since we had four people staying in this suite. That worked!
The showerhead wasn't the most modern, up-to-date exhilerating low-flow showerhead on the market. When the rooms were remodeled recently, I think they didn't update the showerheads. The water pressure was low, causing it to take much longer to rinse out our hair in the shower. With three of us with long hair, that added time to our morning routine. I'd suggest that Comfort Inn & Suites upgrade their low-flow showerheads to ones that are more modernized and powerful. Ours at home is wonderful, and only cost around $35.
The bathroom fan was one of the "silent" fans - but it didn't seem to work at all. The bathroom mirror fogged up immediately when someone started a shower. Instead of wiping the mirror with a towel, I used the hairdryer to clear the foggy mirror. Not a big deal, but a minor inconvenience. I'm used to silent fans in motels and hotels, but I still expect them to work well!
For some reason, the motel showed our reservation for 3 people, not four, even though I entered four people online for the room. So for several nights in a row, housekeeping only provided three sets of towels. I went down each night and picked up an additional set of towels, asking the front desk to correct this since we had four people in our room. Their computer system didn't seem to be able to correct this, so I finally started leaving a note in the master bathroom each morning, asking to please have four sets of towels since we had four people staying in this suite. That worked!
The showerhead wasn't the most modern, up-to-date exhilerating low-flow showerhead on the market. When the rooms were remodeled recently, I think they didn't update the showerheads. The water pressure was low, causing it to take much longer to rinse out our hair in the shower. With three of us with long hair, that added time to our morning routine. I'd suggest that Comfort Inn & Suites upgrade their low-flow showerheads to ones that are more modernized and powerful. Ours at home is wonderful, and only cost around $35.
The bathroom fan was one of the "silent" fans - but it didn't seem to work at all. The bathroom mirror fogged up immediately when someone started a shower. Instead of wiping the mirror with a towel, I used the hairdryer to clear the foggy mirror. Not a big deal, but a minor inconvenience. I'm used to silent fans in motels and hotels, but I still expect them to work well!
Free Shuttle Service:
One of our main factors in selecting a motel was that we would need free shuttle service to take us to the nearby Metrorail station, allowing us to avoid the parking hassles of downtown Washington, D.C. Trust me: even if you have your own car, you will not want to attempt to park downtown. If you can find a parking spot, it will be very expensive. I know of people who have had miserable vacations in Washington, D.C., all because they chose to drive their car around town.
Even if we had driven our own car to the DC area, we would have still used the Metro to get around town - not our car.
Comfort Inn & Suites-Alexandria provided us with free shuttle service to and from the Van Dorn Street Metrorail station from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Nice! The Van Dorn Metro station was only 1 mile away. :)
The drivers were always courteous and professional. When we would alert the front desk that we needed a shuttle, the driver and van would show up within 1-3 minutes. That's service! And with a 12-passenger shuttle van, there was always ample room for all of us, plus additional guests.
In addition, due to the location of this motel, when we rented a car for two days, we were able to almost instantly get onto the freeway to travel out of the area. This is an excellent location if you are planning side trips outside of Washington, D.C.
Even if we had driven our own car to the DC area, we would have still used the Metro to get around town - not our car.
Comfort Inn & Suites-Alexandria provided us with free shuttle service to and from the Van Dorn Street Metrorail station from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Nice! The Van Dorn Metro station was only 1 mile away. :)
The drivers were always courteous and professional. When we would alert the front desk that we needed a shuttle, the driver and van would show up within 1-3 minutes. That's service! And with a 12-passenger shuttle van, there was always ample room for all of us, plus additional guests.
In addition, due to the location of this motel, when we rented a car for two days, we were able to almost instantly get onto the freeway to travel out of the area. This is an excellent location if you are planning side trips outside of Washington, D.C.
Free hot breakfast:
 Breakfast Room |  Breakfast Bar |
You may have experienced "free" breakfasts in the past at motels and hotels. Some are dastardly awful, with only cold cereal and stale cold muffins, and maybe some hard-boiled eggs that taste like they were boiled last year.
Comfort Inn & Suites in Alexandria, Virginia does not offer a miserable breakfast. Instead, we were pleased to see the breakfast bar full of hot and cold items and delicious options. The free hot breakfast included protein options of scrambled or hard-boiled eggs, sausage or bacon, biscuits and sausage gravy, and yogurt. There were several types of fresh fruit each morning, as well as some canned fruit. We also noticed hot cereal like grits and oatmeal. We smiled when we saw the grits. Back on the west coast where we're from, grits are never an option in a breakfast bar in a motel. :) The breakfast bar also included several types of cold cereal, muffins, regular waffles, blueberry waffles, donuts and pastries, English muffins, and bread for toast.
I'm probably forgetting some of the food that was offered! There was an excellent selection from which to choose, and all of the food tasted fresh and delicious. I was thankful to be able to select scrambled eggs and sausage/bacon each morning since I needed to eat a low-carb breakfast.
Additional amenities:
 Seasonal outdoor pool, open Memorial Day to Labor Day |  Recently remodeled foyer |
Our motel also had a small business center, which I used on our last morning in D.C. to print out our boarding passes for our flight home. There was no charge to use their laser printer and computer - nice!
It is difficult to find safe, clean, friendly lodging in large cities far away from home. Comfort Inn & Suites in Alexandria, Virginia, was all of this and more. The staff was amazingly helpful and encouraging. We loved our stay here and didn't want to come home!
To read more about planning a frugal family trip to Washington, D.C., check out my other planning tips...with more tips and frugal travel ideas to come!
To read more about planning a frugal family trip to Washington, D.C., check out my other planning tips...with more tips and frugal travel ideas to come!
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I love reading Christian fiction, so I try my best to provide you with a number of books each month written by Christian authors - with biblical worldviews.
Why?
It's all about what we are exposing our minds to. (Yes, I know we shouldn't end sentences with a preposition. Please don't nag me.)
Reading a continuous stream of secular books that often impose anti-biblical values on the reader can end up doing damage to our souls.
Today, I'd like to let you know about a new book written by the mother/daughter team, Joyce and Alexandra Swann: The Force.
Before I began reading The Force, I first read through the Swanns' first science fiction book in this series: The Fourth Kingdom. Once I had finished that, I was ready for The Force. Can this new book be read as a stand-alone? Sure. But you will definitely understand more of what's going on if you're able to read The Fourth Kingdom first.
About the book:
Someone is murdering the world’s most beautiful women—over and over and over.
When Jarrod and Joshua Sinclair are called in to consult with the FBI about the Hollywood Starlet murders, they immediately suspect their old nemesis, Josef Helmick, of creating clones of famous women for a visiting Saudi prince. Wasting no time, they hire retired detective Fred Kowalski and send him to Dubai to uncover Josef’s base of operations and build a case against him for the murders.
But Fred soon discovers that Helmick Enterprises is harboring a secret much darker than human trafficking. Fred must stop Helmick before he resurrects an ancient, diabolical Force in order to bring the entire human race under his control.
When Jarrod and Joshua Sinclair are called in to consult with the FBI about the Hollywood Starlet murders, they immediately suspect their old nemesis, Josef Helmick, of creating clones of famous women for a visiting Saudi prince. Wasting no time, they hire retired detective Fred Kowalski and send him to Dubai to uncover Josef’s base of operations and build a case against him for the murders.
But Fred soon discovers that Helmick Enterprises is harboring a secret much darker than human trafficking. Fred must stop Helmick before he resurrects an ancient, diabolical Force in order to bring the entire human race under his control.
My review of The Force:
I'm not always a science fiction fan, but I do enjoy fictional works on genetics and cloning. It's always fascinated me! Don't ask me why. :) Reading The Fourth Kingdom was hard for me, because although I was very interested in the theme of the book, there were some aspects of the writing that caused me to almost put the book down and not finish it. Lengthy monologues by a key character would continue page after page, with no interaction between characters. Lectures in the middle of a fiction book? It doesn't seem right - and it didn't feel right, either. It just wasn't my style. There were also editing issues with grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
So...how was book 2 in this series? Well, from page 1 of The Force, I could tell that the authors had worked very hard to remedy some of those problems.
Even if they hadn't, I would have hardly been able to put down this book. The Force is a powerfully written book encompassing so many of the questions in the scientific community about cloning. It was action-packed, flowed well, and contained only a couple of monologues that were much shorter than those in book 1. There were a few basic editing problems (grammar, punctuation, spelling), but overall The Force was much better written than The Fourth Kingdom. If you enjoy science ficiton, you'll love The Force!
So...how was book 2 in this series? Well, from page 1 of The Force, I could tell that the authors had worked very hard to remedy some of those problems.
Even if they hadn't, I would have hardly been able to put down this book. The Force is a powerfully written book encompassing so many of the questions in the scientific community about cloning. It was action-packed, flowed well, and contained only a couple of monologues that were much shorter than those in book 1. There were a few basic editing problems (grammar, punctuation, spelling), but overall The Force was much better written than The Fourth Kingdom. If you enjoy science ficiton, you'll love The Force!
About the authors:
Joyce and Alexandra Swann are mother and daughter. Joyce homeschooled her ten children from the first grade through master’s degrees. She is a well-known author and speaker on the subject of homeschooling. For nearly a decade she was a popular column-ist for "Practical Homeschooling Magazine". She now blogs regularly on parenting, homeschooling, and Christian lifestyle issues.
Joyce and Alexandra have co-authored two other novels, The Fourth Kingdom, and The Twelfth Juror, both of which were published in 2010.
Joyce’s personal story of her experiences raising and educating her family is chronicled in Looking Backward: My Twenty-Five Years as a Homeschooling Mother, published in February of 2011.
Her novel, The Warrior, which tells the story of one woman’s ten-year prayer vigil for a man she has never met, was released in May of 2012. She is also the author of two children’s books, Tales of Pig Isle and The McAloons, which began as stories that she told to entertain her grandchildren.
Alexandra is author of No Regrets: How Homeschooling Earned me a Master’s Degree at Age Sixteen and Writing for Today. She has been self-employed for over fourteen years and was the 2011 Chairwoman of the Board of the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She writes a regular blog, Paying for Protection, about the consequences of over-regulation and over-reaching government. Her novel, The Planner, which is the prequel to The Chosen, was published in June of 2012.
Joyce and Alexandra have co-authored two other novels, The Fourth Kingdom, and The Twelfth Juror, both of which were published in 2010.
Joyce’s personal story of her experiences raising and educating her family is chronicled in Looking Backward: My Twenty-Five Years as a Homeschooling Mother, published in February of 2011.
Her novel, The Warrior, which tells the story of one woman’s ten-year prayer vigil for a man she has never met, was released in May of 2012. She is also the author of two children’s books, Tales of Pig Isle and The McAloons, which began as stories that she told to entertain her grandchildren.
Alexandra is author of No Regrets: How Homeschooling Earned me a Master’s Degree at Age Sixteen and Writing for Today. She has been self-employed for over fourteen years and was the 2011 Chairwoman of the Board of the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She writes a regular blog, Paying for Protection, about the consequences of over-regulation and over-reaching government. Her novel, The Planner, which is the prequel to The Chosen, was published in June of 2012.
Now for the GIVEAWAY!
We are excited to help Frontier 2000 Media celebrate the release of The Force by Alexandra and Joyce Swann with a super cool giveaway for book lovers! Two prizes will be awarded, one containing 11 awesome books and the other with five books. Total value of this giveaway is $185! Woohoo!
We would like to thank the following authors for their generous donations to these giveaways! Be sure to stop by their websites to say thank you!
William Struse
Tricia Goyer
Sarah Sundin
Eisley Jacobs
Gwen Toliver
Carey Jane Clark
To enter the giveaway, use the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post. Two winners will be selected and announced by noon ET on November 25, 2013. U.S. residents age 18 and older only please. Other Terms and Conditions can be found in the Rafflecopter.
Book Lover's Giveaway #1 ($120 value)
The Force by Alexandra and Joyce Swann
The Fourth Kingdom by Alexandra and Joyce Swann
The 13th Enumeration by William Struse
The 13th Prime by William Struse
Love Finds You in Glacier Bay Alaska by Tricia Goyer
On Distant Shores by Sarah Sundin
Dragons of the Deep by Eisley Jacobs
Blink of a Dragon by Eisley Jacobs
Born to be a Dragon by Eisley Jacobs
Seed Sowers by Gwen Toliver
After the Snow Falls by Carey Jane Clark
Book Lover's Giveaway #2 ($65 value)
The Force by Alexandra and Joyce Swann
The Fourth Kingdom by Alexandra and Joyce Swann
The 13th Enumeration by William Struse
The 13th Prime by William Struse
Love Finds You in Glacier Bay Alaska by Tricia Goyer
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Hi! I'm Julieanne!
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Photos from jaakko.hakulinen, theglobalpanorama, Sarah Korf, jeffreyw, crayonmonkey, Joshua Singh, Sam Howzit, kimberlyac, miggslives, rust.bucket, Derick Leony, Big D2112, Violette79, Andrea.Pacheco, youngthousands, niiicedave, mommyknows, Dominic's pics, sleepyneko, madaise, Daquella manera, Arild Andersen, TounoTouji, jchapiewsky, dennis, cooper.gary, supersum (off), advisorymatters, Nomadic Lass, Effervescing Elephant, ralph and jenny, alubavin, brendan-c, ImNotQuiteJack, jeffreyw, iamlemonfilm, Colin_K, Andrew Michaels, ivoryelephantphotography, bennylin0724, Jo Naylor, daveoratox, f10n4, Bludgeoner86, Ack Ook, BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives, pylbug, limaoscarjuliet, Barbara L. Hanson, CapitalK buy design, Vibragiel, matthiasxc, Podknox, qnr, Sadie_Girl, ComputerHotline, pppspics, Anna Loverus, Joi, Rob.Bertholf, Sheyla Ruiz, nachans, ♥serendipity, IsaacMao, *cart-wheels*, TRFPhotography, vxla, lisaclarke, Missouri History Museum, doortoriver, sunshinecity, anna gutermuth, USCPSC, L. Allen Brewer, bluebirdsandteapots, ell brown, vestman, *PaysImaginaire*, mightyohm, Lars Plougmann, Alex_Lewis116, yoppy, HealthGauge, 401(K) 2013, aprilandrandy, Ben Sutherland, Mason Masteka, WillowGardeners, MStewartPhotography, “Caveman Chuck” Coker, kodomut, DanCentury, TrishaLyn, Katie@!, Looking Glass, Nicholas_T, Francis Storr, Allie_Caulfield, Creative Tools, Aidan Jones, Tim Brown Architecture, HerryLawford, Brett Levin Photography, Gudlyf, Chocolate Reviews, greggoconnell, EmilyWhitwam, Phú Thịnh Co, ilovememphis, cliff1066™, Chi King, erix!, Tony Fischer Photography, GlasgowAmateur, ktylerconk, cfourcalvin, David Locke, blhphotography, dominiqs, quinet, stevendepolo, surlygirl, guzzphoto, mikebaird, rich701, coolmikeol, procsilas, • Happy Batatinha •, pmarkham, Luz Adriana Villa A., LisaW123, fireballsedai, CJS*64, gagilas, Christian Haugen, freddie boy, tausend und eins, fotografik, roland, nedradio, makelessnoise, Salvation Army USA West, TheAlieness GiselaGiardino²³, Arenamontanus, 401(K) 2013, f_mafra, trippingbobcat, brooklyn, Viajar24h.com, yanajenn, jamieanne, hardworkinghippy, ccharmon, eofstr, Julia Manzerova, jhoc, Orin Zebest, battlecreekcvb, jmrodri, trekkyandy, timsnell, Salil Wadhavkar, ewen and donabel, Ted Van Pelt, David Paul Ohmer, Kevin May, CCAC North Library, I_Nneska, AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker, dwstucke, Bonnie B., elise.y, Bill Selak, sam_churchill, JD Hancock, olga.palma, cbr_case, acme, alyak, creating in the dark, TrishaLyn, jacilluch, hans s, cwwycoff1, Karen Roe, AlexiUeltzen, surrelmar, Jeff Kubina, rich701, adie reed, pacificbro, dwstucke, rharrison, avlxyz, Jim, the Photographer, Danndalf, storebukkebruse, rodaniel, dicktay2000, exfordy, torres21, Mr. T in DC, avlxyz, andrealindenberg, HarshLight, stevendepolo, publicenergy, Jan Tik, aechempati, ume-y, xfce, Pink Sherbet Photography, nlian, bittle, bradleygee, rs-foto, JamieDrakePhotos, SimonDoggett, slopjop, Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the BPL, BozDoz, GoRun26, prettyinprint, WTL photos, Minnesota Historical Society, www.bluewaikiki.com, stevendepolo, LibAmanda, jspatchwork, Jinx!, ncmichael2k3, Clevergrrl, michaelkmak, Generationbass.com, Dougtone, roger4336, slgckgc, twicepix, lisatozzi, Lee Nachtigal, Kevin Lawver, brianfuller6385, jamieanne, quinn.anya, SupremeCrete, StockMonkeys.com, OliverN5, jeffreyw, Muffet, krossbow, fdecomite, JeepersMedia, jimmiehomeschoolmom, Zanastardust, joyosity, frotzed2, szapucki, Vincent van der Pas, normalityrelief, Emily Carlin, Clevergrrl, allyrose18, sleepyneko, Jeff Kubina, efleming, Artman1122, notjustsquirrels, PhotoAtelier, roolrool, onnola, Charles Williams, greggoconnell, Highway Patrol Images, andrechinn, loop_oh, ayustety, toinerooijmans, vmiramontes, Claricethebakergardener, mind on fire, jimmiehomeschoolmom, Kat Johnston / Sanura Sakai, toinerooijmans, rfduck, stu_spivack, OmegaPoint, ingridtaylar, AdamSelwood, Gog Llundain, pbody
