Invitation Review and Giveaway

Happy Thursday to you. If you love suspense, intrigue, mystery and a bit of the paranormal you will love this book.

From Bethany House:
Four Strangers with Gifts They Don't Understand. 
A World Falling into Darkness. 
This is Harbingers.

You're invited on a journey of suspense and the supernatural as four of your favorite bestselling authors team up for a unique series. 

From the minds of Bill Myers, Frank Peretti, Angela Hunt, and Alton Gansky, Invitation compiles the first four episodes of Harbingers, each following a different character. 

BRENDA--the street-hustling tattoo artist who sees images of the future
THE PROFESSOR--the atheist ex-priest ruled by logic
ANDI--the professor's brilliant but geeky assistant who sees inexplicable patterns
TANK--the naïve, big-hearted jock with a surprising connection to a healing power

Brought together for the first time in "The Call," the four soon realize pockets of darkness are emerging throughout the world. Whether it involves a mysterious house, the unexplainable death of animals around the world, or an otherworldly little girl, each puzzle they solve brings them closer to the ultimate explanation of what's happening. But will they discover the truth in time?"

My Review
Four renowned authors weave a story around four different characters, unlikely to ever end up as a team.  This story covers everything a good tale has-suspense, aspects of spiritual warfare, parallel universes and beings.  I have read and loved many of Frank Peretti's books as well as Angela Hunt's.  I am not familiar with Bill Myers or Alton Gansky.  I will say the stories pulled me in and it was difficult to put the book down.  With that said, I typically stay away from books that center on the paranormal.  The characters with authentic and real and again, kept drawing me in.  So I had mixed feelings about this book, but I will look for the next one and see whether I feel the same.
If you would like to read this book, leave me your name.  You must have an active blog and be a follower of mine.  I will pick a name on Saturday and announce the winner on Monday.  


I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.  No review, positive or otherwise was required.  All opinions are my own.
Thank you Bethany House for your blogger review program.
Noreen

Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum

It's Wednesday and I'm hoping you like the photos our groups trip to the Museum and the stunning variety of quilts.  Here is our group-what a fun time we had together.

Loved this quilt of the Arches State Park.  The photo below shows the quilting-so beautiful.

Many of the quilts had hand painted areas and different thread designs.

Loved this next quilt-it was done with a lot of thread work to give depth.

All three of these quilts had so much detail-simply amazing. While I am not a Art Quilter, I certainly love them.

Celebrating Buffalo Bill's Anniversary.  Made by one of the Volunteers in the Museum.

As we strolled the historic downtown area, I noticed a bed of Black Tulips-well maybe they aren't quite black, but more deep purple.  Simply said, they were beautiful.

I hope you all have a great day and find some beauty and creativity in your life.
Noreen

Finished UFO's

Happy Tuesday to you! For those of you who aren't familiar with quilt terms, UFO refers to an unfinished object. This last weekend I finished my lap quilt from my monthly Fig Leaf club, that I've mentioned. I am very happy with how it turned out and washed it-it is so puffy and soft. You can see the quilt design-in the corners I have Dahlia's and then smaller designs in other areas.

This table runner I made a month or so ago; I actually machine quilted it and I'm trying to continue to attempt this on a more regular basis. I love it for spring!

I'm hand quilting the baby quilt that I was challenged to make; hoping that gets done this week. I asked our retired Chief of Police if they needed quilts for their police cars-in case of rescue, accident, etc.  but he said a group makes really small ones and then puts a stuffed animal or toy with it. I think I'll donate it to our Pregnancy counseling group or keep it as a gift.
I hope you have a great day and find some time to do something that you enjoy!
Blessings,
Noreen

A Final Act of Love

Hello friends, Early this morning I will join 8 gals from our quilt group and hit the road on a mini-shophop. I'm excited and this is the second trip we've done together. Headed in the opposite direction to some new stores and lots of opportunities to buy more fabric for our stash.
 I wanted to share a story of our dear friends in Carmel Valley~Aletha and I have been friends for 51 yrs, get that! We've grown through our teens, marriage, having babies to now having empty nests. Aletha and I have always been dog lovers and watched as each family have gone through the different stages of life with dogs. There is a saying I heard about loving dogs, "You show a dog the greatest love on the day you adopt them and on the day you let them go".  It is so gut-wrenching to make that decision for a companion that has spent many, many years with your family. Yesterday, Aletha and Dave had to set Tucker free, to run over the Rainbow Bridge and run free. Here is a picture of Aletha and Dave's dogs-Tucker, a Jack Russell Terrier is on the left and their cute dog Ruby(who they've entered in Ugly Dog Competitions), a mix is on the right. It seems Tucker has been with them forever, although it has only been 16.5 yrs. In this photo, he really reminds me of Reggie, my sister's dog that we adopted after she passed away.

Aletha with Tucker at his favorite spot overlooking the beach. This was his final time at the spot, one filled with lots of tears.

Here is Dave with Ruby; she is the sweetest dog I've ever met, other than Hunter. They almost named her Yoda due to her ears. Seriously, Aletha will say that she is so ugly that she is cute. It is true, but her personality more than makes up for her appearance.

The memories of Tucker will eventually bring smiles, but for now it's just sadness. When we had our Sadie, the two would play and chase each other. Tucker was such a fun loving dog, filled with endless energy and brought their family so much laughter and love. I will be honest and say that I've shed some tears for our friends as they walked through this process with Tucker.  Aletha and I have a saying, in fact we have a sign that reads "Life Without Dogs, I don't think so."
So today, I say Run Free Tucker!

Hope you give any pets an extra squeeze today.  I sure have given Hunter tons over the last two days.
Hugs,
Noreen

Spring Rain

On a cold and rainy Friday, what is one to do but have a relaxed morning and then join hubby to meet two friends for lunch.  Hubby has one dish he loves, a chimichunga, so he always orders it.

 Typically, I order a shrimp taco salad without the tortilla, but today decided to try their house salad with steak.  It was good, but not as good as my regular salad.

We left in the midst of a downpour and ran a few errands; hubby is now downstairs watching Passenger while I'm upstairs sewing on a binding. We desperately need the rain, but next week shows 4 days of it. Our spring is typically very wet and as long as there is no flooding, I'm o.k. We also get rain during the summer months-usually in the afternoon or evening.  That means that during the summer, when our old town  in no. Ca. is brown and dry, we will have green grass and abundant plants.  I do hope we get some warm weather though.  Our weekend is pretty quiet and on Monday I'm joining 8 friends and going on a mini-shophop.  For those non-quilters, this simply means that we are picking out 6-8 quilt stores in different towns and going to them.  We will also go to the Quilt Museum in Golden, someplace I've never been before and that I'm excited about; we have a ball when we are together!
I hope you have a glorious weekend!
Blessings~
Noreen

It's Thankful Thursday again and it seems like quite awhile since I've done this meme.  I'm thankful  for this life, for each new day that I wake up.  In a world where many are being persecuted or killed for their beliefs, I am thankful that I live in a free country where I can choose to worship in public and hold gatherings centered around fundamental Christian beliefs and not be punished.
I am thankful for an incredibly, loving family, especially my rock-my beloved hubby for almost 39 years. Hard to believe we've been together for 42, known each other for 50 years.  I am so thankful for two incredible daughters, two remarkable son-in-laws that are more like sons than sil's.  Of course, life wouldn't be nearly as fun without our 11 grandchildren. Each one blesses us so much.
Speaking of blessings, yesterday's brunch was so good~I made a Crustless Spinach, Mushroom, Bacon quiche. Let me tell you it was so good.  One of the gals who came brought a fruit salad and I had gluten free apple-cinnomon muffins and some sweet bread-can't tell you what it was, because I couldn't taste it(gluten).  I am beyond thankful for God's grace and mercy on me, His hand covering me and leading me each day.
I am also thankful for the white bundle of fluff Hunter, who is a incredible companion and unconditional love.
Today I have 6 grands coming over for a couple of hours; it's our weekly time together with four and then two are coming from Carrie's family to have play time with their cousins/aka best friends.
I hope you have a great Thursday and remember to give thanks for all the blessings in your life.
Joy to you!
Noreen

Easter Sing

Happy Tuesday! On Easter Sunday night our daughters church was putting on a special presentation with the children. All but 2 of our 11 participated and we were thrilled to attend. The older children were in two different skits or mini-plays and it was so good to see them acting; our younger grands joined in singing. The little girls in the front right, bottom row were so adorable. Our three grands are top right; the girl in the middle with blue dress is from one family and flanked by two sisters from the other family. They did such a great job. WE didn't get any pics of the kids made up for the skit though.

I had Fig Leaf club this morning and then took a good friend out to lunch for her birthday. This afternoon I've been baking~tomorrow I'm having three neighbors, who I did the study with, over for brunch. It will be a nice way to end our weekly time together. Hope you have a great day and that your week has started off on the right foot.
Noreen

Another Year Older

Happy Monday to you! I hope you had a wonderful weekend~we sure did. Aside from it being Easter weekend, our weather was incredible and we had a fun family gathering yesterday for Easter. Last week we celebrated our two granddaughters, whose birthday are just 5 days apart. It helps that they are in the same family. Here is Miss S, growing in leaps and bounds. So thoughtful and kind with a sensitive spirit as well.

The party theme was Parisian and instead of a cake, they had french cookies.  Little sis couldn't resist photo bombing them.

Here is our Peanut; many may remember the health issues she had when she was young-well she's grown up so much.  Intelligent, artistic and fun; in fact, last week she was featured on a book blog and wrote 5 book reviews.
Hubby and I are cleaning our wood floors today and later I've got a lunch date and this afternoon will take another granddaughter for ice cream.
I hope you have a great Monday.
Joy to you.
Noreen

Good Friday

 May His Love Cover you today!
Noreen

Cesar Dog Food From Chewy Review

As a Chewy #Influencer, we are able to participate in the great blogging program Chewy has. As a Chewy #Influencer, each month we receive a product to try; all opinions are my own and we did not receive any compensation for participating in this program. As you know, Hunter is one picky/finicky when it comes to food-whether dry, wet or even treats. It has been the only hard thing about having a small dog; all the dogs we've ever had ate like vacuum cleaners and it took us a long time to finally find food he would eat. Of course, having other family dogs around also help him learn to act more like a dog. So this month, I decided to try Cesar kibble and wet food. Just to make it clear how picky he is, I have been known to take many bags back to the store to exchange. Hunter finally settled in on kibble that Lily and Copper eat, so it was a bit risky to try something new on him. However, he absolutely loves the wet food and I've found his digestion is better from it verses the brand we had been feeding him.  We received a large box of the wet food-24 trays; he gets 1/2 tray each evening. I haven't tried the duck yet, but he loves the the chicken flavor.  I started adding in the kibble to his regular kibble so that it didn't upset his digestive tract.  He also seems to enjoy it; but I've found that he only eats the kibble right before bed-unless one of the other pups is here, then he'll eat it immediately.

As you can see, the kibble is the perfect size for a small dog.
From Chewy~ Cesar's Wet Food:

Cesar Original Pate with Turkey in Meaty Juices, Grilled Chicken Flavor in Sauce, Oven Roasted Chicken Flavor, Duck in Meaty Juices - Your dog will jump for joy when he tries these delicious recipes.

Key Benefits

• High quality cuisine that provides unparalleled variety and enjoyment
• Formula provides complete and balanced nutrition in a pate formulated for adult dogs
• Fortified with vitamins and minerals to help dogs of all sizes to stay healthy
• Savory dog food is served in convenient trays with easy, peel-away freshness seals
• Features delectable delicious flavors for dogs with refined tastes at any time of day

Cesar's Kibble

The Cesar Filet Chicken Flavor With Spring Vegetables Dry Dog Food puts taste and nutrition in one convenient bag. Made with high-quality meat as the first ingredient plus a garnish of spring veggies, it’s just the type of high-protein meal your pup deserves. And with meaty, tender chunks throughout the crunchy kibble pieces, he’ll love the texture and variety, and you’ll love that he’s getting complete nutrition that’s packed with a whopping 26 nutrients for small dog needs.

Key Benefits

• Made with real chicken as the first ingredient for protein-rich nutrition and great taste.
• Gourmet recipe is specially crafted with 26 nutrients that are beneficial to small dogs.
• Contains a blend of crunchy pieces, including an “H” shape that helps keep teeth and gums healthy.
• The re-sealable zipper helps keep the food fresh until it runs out.
• Savory chicken flavor with a garnish of spring vegetables is highly palatable and appealing.

I am so happy with this brand and will be ordering more when we run out.  I can't say enough about it and all that matters is that Hunter loves it.
A big thank you to Miss Natalie and the entire Chewy staff for making this program so easy.
WE rate Cesar foods 4 paws and the entire Chewy staff 10 Stars.
You can find Chewy here and take a look yourself:
https://www.chewy.com/

Noreen and a happy Hunter

The Beauty of Spring

Good Morning Friends, I hope your week has been pleasant and you've found some things that bring joy to your spirit. Today, I'm off to our last neighborhood ladies study and then hubby and I are taking some grands shopping. One granddaughter is turning 10 tomorrow and we always take the birthday girl, when she reaches ten, out for a new outfit. This girl has a very specific brand she loves-Hannah Anderson, so we'll be taking her down the road to a mall that carries this clothes line. I love Spring and my heart is singing-time outside, working in the garden and anticipating nice warm days.

May your days be filled with joy of this beautiful earth.
Blessings and joy,
Noreen

Sitting at DMV this morning, waiting to renew my DL. Unfortunately, I'm still having issues with blogger, so may need to change formats. This has been so frustrating and blogger doesn't seem to be of any help. I hope I get it figured out soon.
Happy Tuesday to you!
Noreen

As of today, I have restricted my blog due to the high volume of spam I am getting in Dashboard. I doubt this will fix the issue, but short of changing to another blog site, I'm at a loss on how to stop this issue. I have notified Blogger and also the sites the spam is coming from.  If you are one of my followers and aren't allowed in, please feel free to contact me-either here or on Facebook.
I hope that this problems is soon resolved and I'll be able to open it up again.
Blessings.
Noreen

It's Monday and the beginning of Easter week.  I hope you had a great weekend!  Thank you for the comments concerning the Spam I'm receiving on my dashboard reading list-I've reported it to Blogger and also to the company that it is coming from.  Not sure how they got my URL, but so ready to have them stop.  The blog titles are essays that others have written and I have never even been to the site they were generated from; it is so frustrating when you get unrequested posts on your reading list of followers~when you don't know who in the world it is.  I had it happen years ago and finally realized that a blogger I had followed had sold her blog to someone else and it was all ads.  This issue seriously makes me consider going to another site like Wordpress etc.
We are now down to one pup-Petrol went home yesterday. While she was thrilled to see her family, Hunter was sorry to see her go.  He does so well with another pup here and if we didn't want to travel as much as we do, I'd have another dog in a heartbeat.
My week will be crazy with lots of appointments and gatherings~birthday parties, shopping and preparing for our Easter celebration.
It's sunny here today, but still cool.  I'm so ready for spring.
Joy to you!
Noreen

Reading List Changes?

Good Morning Friends.  I have a question for all of you who post on Blogger~this week when I've gone to my reading list, the blogs I follow show up name only on the right hand side.  Where the blog and a quick description of the post used to be in the center, is now just ads by usually one company/blog that I've never heard of and didn't follow. I'm not sure how this happened or what to do to get rid of these unwanted ads and have my reading list back in the center.  Has anyone else run into this problem?  Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Noreen

So Thankful for Technology

Happy Friday to you! As I've been getting texts and photos from our family in D.C., I am reminded that many of us didn't grow up with instant communication-whether on trips and just away from our homes. I am so thankful that we've been getting updates each day as to what they are seeing.  Yesterday's weather was quite nasty and cold.

Today they went to the Museum of Natural History and there was a photography exhibit.  Our girl took this photo because she knows her dad loves swim with the turtles.

Yesterday they got to see a exhibit on the Wright Brothers. Here is their plane, take at the Air Museum.

They are having a wonderful time and will be home soon.
 I hope you all have a great weekend.
Hugs, Noreen

Discovery Shuttle

Happy Thursday to you. While the parents are at home minding the fort and taking care of pups, our kiddos and grands are having a wonderful educational trip in Washington D.C. It is a short trip and jam packed with everything you would want to see, other than the White House. On Monday, they all went to the Air and Space museum and got to see this shuttle. Incredible.

We are so glad they got to take this trip together; the cousins will truly remember it.  There is nothing like living history to teach children and plant seeds of learning in their minds.
We are enjoying nice weather and our typical busy days.  I hope you have had a great week thus far and remember to be thankful for every day-it passes too quickly.
Hugs,
Noreen

Northern California

Hello friends~We are back from sunny California and as sweet as our time was there, it's always good to be home! Here are reminders for me of one of my favorite trees-Japenese Cherry Trees. The fragrance is so very sweet and I love the blossoms. On Friday we took the grands to In-n-Out and these were all around.

Of course, Hunter was never far from my mind; he stayed with Kim and her family as well as Petrol.

We worked non-stop on Friday, cleaning and organizing Carrie's mil's condo. It will go on the market once it goes through probate.  It made me come home and start weeding out clothes that I no longer need.  The photo below was at my brother and sister "of my heart" home-it is my dad in his 80's with my nephew Jason, daughter Carrie in the striped top and Kim in the pink top.  Such sweet memories.

While in Ca. our friend Barbara and I got all of our reservations made for our New England trip this coming Oct.  We were both brain dead by the time we finished Saturday evening.   It's done and we can relax now; the rooms were booking up quickly and prices jumping.
I am still getting caught up on chores, plus have our ladies study today.  I hope you are enjoying the week so far.
Hugs and smiles,
Noreen