Merry Christmas!

Our family has had a busy fall with the need to move to a different rental house and my husband traveling a lot more than usual.  But I didn't want to end the year without saying Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  I'm praying 2016 is better, not because 2015 was bad, but I want more time to love my family and Jesus.  :)

Taken by Dee Henderson

Finally, another Dee Henderson book is out!  The description intrigued me and it sounded more like the Dee Henderson books I like.  Taken is intriguing and it's amazing how carefully planned and prepared Shannon is.

To fully grasp the characters in Taken, because there isn't much of an introduction, you will want to have read Dee's previous books Full Disclosure and Unspoken.  There's also a small presence from one of the O'Malleys.

I thought Taken was a little long, but thankfully shorter than the last three books Dee Henderson has written.  The suspense was very tense at certain times and tight through most of the book, but the suspense overall wasn't that strong.  I thought Shannon was a very interesting character, and younger than most of Dee Henderson's characters! 

I liked this part about training warriors:
p. 263 (chapter 20)
   He [Matthew] nodded and handed it [her Bible] back.  "I'm glad your faith survived, Shannon."
   "It was something that was mine, that faith, something they couldn't take away from me.  I wasn't going to let them take it away.  Long before this happened, I used to write out a prayer I found once in a devotional book:  'Give me endurance, Lord, and help me to go the distance for your kingdom.'  I liked Paul's analogy of running a race, a soldier serving on duty."
   "I like that comparison too," Matthew agreed.
   "You don't train warriors by keeping them out of the dirt and out of the fights," she went on, turning thoughtful.  "You train warriors by giving them what they can handle, then giving them progressively bigger assignments.  You develop the best warriors by training them the hardest.  God used what came to answer that prayer I had repeatedly written.  He would have found a different way to train me if this terrible evil hadn't intruded, but once it did, God was able to create a useful outcome.  A solid faith is one of those outcomes. . . ."

I liked Taken better than the last few Dee Henderson books.  So I feel like Dee is starting towards writing in a style closer to how she used to write but isn't there yet.  4 out of 5 stars

Thanks to Bethany House for giving me this book to review.  Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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.”

Diabetes update

Two oldest daughters, both type 1 diabetics, had their endocrinology appointment this last week.  Oldest daughter a1C = same as 3 months ago, dr thinks this is great, but I can tell daughter thinks it could be better.  2nd oldest a1C higher than TrialNet check from six months ago but dr still pleased (daughter missed last endo appointment b/c she was sick, I'm not a good diabetic parent b/c I didn't reschedule).  The dr asked 2nd oldest about pump, daughter said, "No, not until Mommy gets one."  Well, that would be nice but Mommy had trouble with insurance covering pump right now so we'll have to see if daughter continues to think shots > pump.  :)

A great recipe! Chocolate Graham Cracker Peanut Butter Bars

This is from the back of the Kroger Chocolate Graham Cracker box.  Everyone who has tried it loves it!  I've tried similar peanut butter bar recipes that didn't really impress me.  The chocolate graham crackers really take this recipe to a new level.  I do suggest doubling the milk chocolate chips for the top layer.  By posting here, I won't lose the recipe.  :)  My notes are in parentheses.

Chocolate Graham Cracker Peanut Butter Bars
Makes: 24 servings

Ingredients
10 squares Chocolate Graham Crackers, crumbled
1 18 oz. jar peanut butter (or similar size like 16.3 oz)
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
2 cups milk chocolate morsels (or my suggestion 3-4 cups, which is 1.5-2 packages)

Directions
1.  To make graham cracker crumbs: Place graham cracker squares into a large plastic bag, and using a rolling pin, crush crackers into crumbs to make 1 cup.
2.  Using an electric mixer, cream together peanut butter and butter until soft and smooth.  (I've used natural peanut butter, though tasty it seemed a bit dry so you might add more butter if you think your natural peanut butter might also be thick or dry.)
3.  Beat in powdered sugar until smooth, then beat in graham cracker crumbs.  Beat until well blended and moist.
4.  Spread mixture in a 9x13 inch pan.
5.  Melt the chocolate morsels (microwave) and pour over mixture.
6.  Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours.
7.  Cut into bars and serve.
Refrigerate any leftovers
--from Kroger Chocolate Graham Crackers box (these are not regular graham crackers but specifically chocolate flavored and not graham sticks)

It's the little things

I don't want to dwell on what I've given up by being a diabetic but some of the hardest times are the little things.  Not licking the little bit of icing on my finger after cutting my child's piece of cake.  Not eating the little bit of food left on my child's plate.  I don't want to be wasteful but I don't want to have a high blood sugar from not bolusing, but it's not worth taking my blood sugar and bolusing for that little bit of food.  Not taste-testing as I'm cooking.  Just little moments that make it hard to be diabetic.

Sabotaged - new book by Dani Pettrey

I've read the whole series and enjoyed every book!  Sabotaged is the fifth book in the Alaskan Courage series.  It was great to see Reef get his own book!!  I was surprised by a few basic grammatical errors, not a big deal, but hopefully these will be corrected before the final publish.  I like how Dani Pettrey writes with a mix of romance and suspense, she has kept it up through the whole series.

I recommend starting at the beginning of the series rather than jumping into this book.  There isn't much "catch-up" or summarizing of the characters so you might be lost if you haven't read at least one of the previous books.  In Sabotaged, there is an update on all of the characters so read to find out who might or might not be engaged/pregnant.

Do you know what the Iditarod is?  If not, you'll be lost.  "The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is an annual long-distance sled dog race run in early March from Anchorage to Nome.  Mushers and a team of 16 dogs, of which at least 6 must be on the towline at the finish line, cover the distance in 9-15 days or more." - Wikipedia

Slight spoiler alert, but from the Acknowledgments page it looks like the Alaskan Courage series is now complete.  Hopefully, Dani Pettrey's next book (and new series) will be out soon!

My previous reviews for this series are Submerged, Shattered, Stranded, and Silenced.

Thanks to Bethany House for giving me this ebook (not final text) to review.  Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this ebook free from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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.”

Happy Valentine's Day!

Um, I really haven't forgotten that I have a blog but other things have been happening in my life.  I wanted to post and say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year but that didn't happen, sorry.  So, Happy Valentine's Day!

I had my endo appointment today and my a1C was surprisingly the same as last time.  I don't know how b/c my blood sugar numbers have been high lately due to traveling and guess bolusing and temperature changes and blah blah blah.  But soon it will be Valentine's Day!  Then I get to work on my diet and exercise to work on losing weight, ugh!