eShakti.com Product Review {My New Dress}

Recently I contacted eShakti.com about reviewing their products, which happen to be beautiful and affordable custom-fit clothing! They replied right away and told me to choose anything I wanted in the store. (Wow!) I looked for a long time through the pretty dresses and briefly thought about choosing one of the really cute jackets or coats... but I ended up settling on this dress - which was actually in the clearance section. I thought the color and style would be best for me, out of all the selection of dresses. Many of them were sleeveless, which is great unless you would rather have some sleeve on your dress, like I would. ;)

Yup. I love it. The dress was a bit more vibrant in person than it looked on the website, so instead of the light peachy orange I thought it was going to be... it was brighter and sunnier! :D But I still like it, and the color looks well with my complexion. :)

My sweet Dad and brother Mark took these shots of me one evening. :)



I'm not crazy about my pose in this picture but it's the best one I have of the back of the dress...



And here's a close-up for you.

I chose to go with the custom-fit option instead of choosing a regular size, and I was very happy with how the dress fit me!

I would HIGHLY reccomend eShakti.com to any of my blog followers. I was very impressed with the quality and service... the dress came earlier than they stated it would, thus I'll be able to wear it to my cousin's wedding in Florida! *Score!* (I was shocked that it came all the way from India in such a tiny little flat box... gracious!) :D

The next week looks like a busy one for us, but I'll try to throw some blog posts your way! :)

Like Moonlight at Low Tide - A Review

Here I am, back again with another review of a new Zondervan title!
Like Moonlight at Low Tide, by Nicole Quigley.

Here's some information about the book:

In LIKE MOONLIGHT AT LOW TIDE, Missy returns to her hometown of Anna Maria Island, Florida, where she was once referred to as the ugliest girl in school. After spending three years in Pennsylvania, unbeknownst to herself, Missy has blossomed. It takes the romantic attention of her childhood crush for her to realize that she’s not the “Messy” Keiser who used to be greeted by barks in her middle school hallway.

Finally catching a glimpse into the alluring world of high school popularity and parties she never dreamed of attending, Missy becomes entangled with three boys who will change her life: handsome and confident jock Sam King; her elusive neighbor, Josh, who has a quiet confidence and unwavering faith; and her rebellious brother, Robby, who struggles between obtaining the life he wants and settling for the life others expect him to have.

With everyone noticing the new Missy, her skewed self-perception slowly begins to heal in a raw and honest story about what happens after the bullying stops.

 

Quigley reflects, “You can’t read the papers these days without seeing stories about school-age bullying, but not many people talk about what happens afterward. How do you ever feel right after being told you’re all wrong for so long?”

 

Set in her hometown, Quigley captures the ethereal essence of Anna Maria Island, a barrier island off the Gulf coast of Florida, where skim boarding and pool hopping are the activities of choice and the temperature hovers mostly around eighty degrees.

 

With magnetic prose that reads like poetry, LIKE MOONLIGHT AT LOW TIDE is an emotional page-turner that will be sure to hook lovers of YA fiction from page one through to the climactic close.

 

“I think this book will resonate with a wide range of readers,”Quigley adds, “because everyone has experienced some form of bullying and reacted to it for better or worse, whether they realized it or not.”

MY THOUGHTS:

Overall consensus - it was a book with a powerful message, one I think needs to be heard by today's average teen. I was impressed with how the book brought everything around to the point where the main character, Missy, finally decided to trust her life to God and make the right choice. :) It was very real and believable.
 Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this book to any of my blog readers younger than 16 because of some of the characters and situations portrayed in the book, and references to drugs and alcohol. :( I thought it was handled with great tact, and although I didn't enjoy reading those parts of the book, I think the rest of the story and writing voice made up for it.

What I loved:

I loved the setting, first off. I used to live in southern Florida, although it wasn't on an island like Anna Maria. The scenery and details and 'feel' of the book are SPOT ON... Which must come from the author having grown up there. (Write what you know, people, it works!) :D The way the author wrote this book was masterful, and something I appreciated as a fellow writer. The scents and sounds and expressions and colors all feel like you're watching a movie play in your head. I was completely immersed in the book while reading this story, which I do not often feel. Well done, Ms. Quigley!

I loved the characters. While some of the people in the book were not very 'savory' people, everyone in the book just jumped off the page and came to life. I felt like I knew them. I could picture the kid's faces and stances.

*slight spoiler alert* - I loved Josh Durham, the boy-next-door. He was so great. I loved the way he acted Christlike without being preachy or pushy in the least, and the way he cared for Missy in a selfless manner after a tragedy struck her life, and showed her a better way, and what faith means. Really, what's not to love about a guy who leaves a flower on your windowsill every day? ;)

Also... I could really relate to Missy in the area of the kids around her. I was looked down on and left out a lot when I was a young teen, although the kids I was 'friends' with were Christians, so it wasn't as mean and outright name-calling as the secular public-school kids in this book were. It was interesting to see what happened to Missy when she came back to her school after being gone for a few years and was suddenly treated better because she was 'cute' now and had grown up.

What I didn't like:
I did not like some of the scenes in this book involving the school kids - a third of the way through the book I was thinking "okay, if this gets any worse, I'm putting it down" - but it never quite got to that point, and while Missy was in some potentially 'dangerous' situations, it turned out all right.
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I think this book would be a great outreach tool for the average secular teen, and help kids who have been struggling with rejection. I don't think it would be as good of a read for the average sheltered young homeschooler.
I am looking forward to Nicole Quigley's future books, because her writing was amazing. Though I didn't like some of her story's setting, I would be very interested in reading another book by her and savoring the crisp, immersing voice of her writing. :)

I hope you enjoyed this review!



I was provided a free review copy of this book by Zondervan. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my own thoughts on the story.

The Bright Side

I'm staring out at the sun glittering yellow through the woods as it dips below the hills on the horizon. Earlier, I went for a 2-mile hike and crunched the fallen leaves under my feet. (Then I painted my toenails aqua with sparkles.) ;) The trees are nearly bare. Autumn is on its way out... and Winter is peering around the corner.

You know, there is always going to be something "Not Perfect" in your life. Nothing will be just right until we cross beyond that last shore and find ourselves in the presence of God. But that's no reason to waste the moments you have right now.

Life is such a beautiful thing! There is always a bright side, always a silver lining, always a reason to smile, and sigh, and be thankful. Tiny blessings are all around me. All I have to do is look up and start to count them. And when they all add up... they're huge. I am so blessed. I have been given so much.

In the waiting times, the seasons of 'limbo', hold up your head. Good news is just around the corner. Past the bend in the road, something glorious awaits.

A Julia's Journal Jumble

It's been a day full of mostly quiet reflection... kind of nice after the busy weekend we had. :)

Yesterday we went to a friend's house and danced the night away on a very cold evening... we started at 7:00 and by the time we'd finished at 9:08, it was 39 degrees! We went prepared, however, because Mama looked up the weather forecast and knew ahead of time that it would be cold. All of us brought our winter coats along... although I ended up not wearing mine! I was warm enough with just jeans, long-johns, (gents, pretend you didn't read that, if there are any of you) a thermal long-sleeve shirt and a hooded sweater... and a pair of incredibly soft fuzzy mitten-gloves. The mittens were the best idea ever... all the people I danced with who clasped my hands exclaimed "Your hands are so warm!" :D

Like this? There's more!

Today we rested at home and I posted some blog backgrounds... (I'm seriously thinking about using one of them on my blog, they're just too pretty)... then I went on a 2-mile hike, 8 times up and down our driveway, marching quickly in time to the music on my iPod. It was great! I've gotten to where I can do it almost without breaking a sweat. And I'm up to 11 pounds lost on my healthier eating regime, which gives me a warm feeling of satisfaction. ;) (Especially after all that food on Thanksgiving!)

In short - Life is Good. :D How was your weekend?

This Warmth

It's almost like I can reach out and touch it... I feel the light so near. The sun shining through the woods has been absolutely gorgeous the past few days. And yes, I took this picture. :)

My heart is filled to overflowing with thankfulness and joy. I wonder why it hasn't ended, but am delighted that this feeling lasts. :)

Entry from my prayer journal yesterday:

Dear Lord,

Thank you for this wonderful, heart-warming, soul-enriching day.

It was beautiful.

The food was delicious and there was a sweet spirit in the air.

Thank you for Daddy, Mama, Mark, and Steven.

Thank you for:

Love. Joy.

Golden light.

Autumn. Leaves. Camellias. Pies. Turkey. Fresh air.

My home. My life. My future. My past. My friends.

Dancing! :D Laughter. Singing. Music. Colors. Words.

Chocolate. Caramel. Strawberries.

Shoes on my feet and clothes on my body.

Down blankets. Warm fires. Hot chocolate with marsmallows. Tall fur-lined slipper boots.

Mittens. Tea. Books. Movies. Smiles. Happy hearts. Contented souls.

Peace.

Your promises, protection, and provision. Health.

My camera. Memories. Loved ones and extended family.

Energy. Inspiration. Creativity. Ideas. Talents.

Gifts. Letters. Phone Calls. Chats.

My laptop. ;)

And all the days ahead of me in your perfect plan for my life.

I love you, Lord. Thank you for loving me too.

The glinting golden Autumn leaves of the Hickories, Maples, Chinquapin oaks, and Post oaks

This is the ravine we look down on from our back porch. The pictures really don't do it justice.

The bouquet I arranged for the Thanksgiving table. In a blue Ball Mason jar, of course.

 

I hope you had as lovely of a Thanksgiving as I did!

Pumpkin Pie and Golden Rain

Today, there was a whole lotta bakin' goin' on. ;) We baked up three batches of homemade stuffing (eh... 'dressing' to some people - not us. We've always called it stuffing. Dressing is what you drizzle on your salad!) ... and we also baked FOUR pies. 2 apple pies, 1 pecan pie - from pecans I cracked by hand! - and 1 pumpkin pie. All from scratch with homemade crusts. Any minute now the oven timer will beep and I'll have to stop typing to go get the bubbling apple pies out of the oven.

I love this time of year. :)

We'll be celebrating Thanksgiving just-the-five-of-us this year. We'll be traveling in December to go to a cousin's wedding so it wasn't feasible to go anywhere for Thanksgiving... and all our family lives out-of-state. But we plan on having a grand time anyway, and the food is going to be absolutely delicious... :D

This afternoon I was looking out the window at the gorgeous, glimmering, golden light pouring down through the wooded ravine near our house, and then the wind began to blow and gently tugged free thousands of fluttering leaves that danced in the slanted sunlight. It literally took my breath away and I gasped from the sheer beauty. It looked like golden rain. Or perhaps snow, because the leaves floated like giant snowflakes.

When I notice things like that, it's almost like I can reach out and feel the presence of God, just waiting there for me to see Him. It makes my heart glow.

I hope you have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving!

Don't Keep Calm Contest Entries

When I saw that Miss Laurie over at Old-Fashioned Charm was having a "Don't Keep Calm" poster-making contest, I thought about entering but didn't want to go to all the trouble of opening my graphic design program and doing all that work... but then she mentioned the Keep-Calm-O-Matic, which I decided to go look into... and boy, was it easy to use! I bookmarked that right away. :D

Here are my three entries for the contest. I wasn't feeling particularly witty today, but I am satisfied with them, I think. Especially #3. ;) LOL.

From the '95 Pride and Prejudice, of course... Mrs. Bennett...

Also from Pride and Prejudice... Elizabeth Bennett

From the BBC Emma! :D

Hope you enjoyed those... :)

Close-up Bits of Pure Amazingness

I don't often post pictures of my photography... but every now and then I love taking my camera outside and searching for interesting little details to capture with my lens.

I took all of these photos on one stroll earlier this month, in different spots on our property.

A lone camellia blossom, teeny-tiny colorful weeds, golden maple leaves, puffy dried thistledown...

Crisp, feathery evergreen sprigs, delicate daisies, and bare wildflower stalks...

Take a minute today to stop and study the detail of the world around you. Tiny textures and little bits of beauty, fragments of wonder, are everywhere. You just have to look for them.

What beautiful thing did you notice today?

An Apricot-Vanilla Day

Today was one of those days you just sit back and smile about.

The morning was spent peacefully... I made scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast and we did all our usual household chores. Mama helped Daddy process a few chickens.

I worked on my story and smoothed over some plot holes while listening to vibrant Owl City music. 

This afternoon, Steven and I played one of the most demanding games of Ultimate Frisbee I've ever witnessed, and had loads of fun. The best part - I walked away from the field feeling fresh, instead of bone-weary. My long walks up and down our gravel driveway are paying off, big time. :D

I drove us home after the game and we returned to find that while we were away, Mama and Daddy and Mark - who felt too ill to play Ultimate, poor soul - had prepared a delicious dinner of ground-venison tacos that were just. too. good.

I munched down my soft-shell taco and stepped into the shower, choosing one of my favorite scented shower gels. Apricot Vanilla.

I smiled to myself and thought - It's an Apricot-Vanilla kind of day.

Tangy, fun, with a hint of softness and home.

Then we watched Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which didn't really go with the mood, but it was wildly entertaining. ;) (I can't decide if I liked it or not. I did like Jack Sparrow, he was hilarious.)

What is your favorite kind of day?

Peachy-Minty Afghan

I posted on my wordpress blog about this afghan I crocheted recently, but for my blogger followers, here are some photos of it. :) I'm hoping it sells... I have it marked for $200 because so much time and effort went into it (not to mention beautiful soft yarn, which wasn't cheap). :D

What do you think of the color combination? Peach, mint, lime green, gray, ivory, and sandy-beige are the colors I used... I think it would be a beautiful baby blanket for either a girl or a boy. :)

Laundry Room Makeover

 

Okay... so it really wasn't a 'makeover', more like an overhaul, but 'makeover' is more fun to say.

 

I worked two whole mornings on this tiny room off our kitchen that serves as both laundry room and pantry, and I moved over a bunch of items from where we'd had them in Steven's closet - his bedroom is off the dining room - and cleared out junk and re-organized.

I think perhaps my favorite part of the whole makeover was hanging up a vintage laundry sack that my mother bought in London on her trip there in college, when she went touring with her chorus group. The sack looks great on the wall and partially hides the ugly electricity breaker box. :D (How did I hang it? Thumbtacks.) ;)

LOL - our pantry is a mix between healthy food... noodles, rice, beans, spices and wheat... and stuff like Jell-O and Swiss Miss hot chocolate and marshmallows. The boys love their sweets. :D

 

 I know it doesn't look all that amazing from the photos... but a lot of effort went into straightening and stacking and shifting of stuff. I double-stacked our empty mason jars and jam on some beadboard daddy cut up for me, doubling our space. We've been wanting to do that ever since we moved into this house and hadn't gotten around to it! Now we even have an empty shelf above the doorway.


Knowing the laundry room is clean and orderly makes the whole kitchen feel better! :D

We use our kitchen and pantry a lot, so it's really nice to have it clean and neat.

Just recently we made some apple pies, and they were "Mmm-mmm good". :D

 



We canned a double batch of grape jelly on Wednesday, because we had finally run out of the last jar from the batch we canned back in June! :D



 

Our chickens are still furiously laying eggs - we had so many piling up that we tried selling them, but couldn't seem to find any steady customers. Then, my clever mama figured out that we could freeze them. Who'd 'a thunk? ;) Now we have over 80 eggs frozen, to later thaw and use for baking or scrambling when the hens slow down this winter.

We've also been freezing lots of produce from our garden... beans and peppers, mostly. It's a wonderful feeling to grow your own food.

I hope you enjoyed that little peek into our homestead!