Some Summer Reading Picks

Lone Wolf by Jodi Picoult was released a few months ago and is an intense story of a family trying to make decisions about their father who is unconscious.  One of the main characters is a wolf researcher; so the book is chalked full of interesting tidbits about wolves.

The Fools Gold Series by Susan Mallery is a lighthearted, funny series about a town with a man shortage. 

Love You More by Lisa Gardener is a book I recently finished and it is wonderful.  It has complex characters and a mystery that keeps you turning the pages and burning the midnight oil.

Happy Reading!

Things I Will (most likely) Never Do

1. Give up diet coke.

2.  Like the Nicholas Sparks novel Dear John. The heroine drives me crazy! (And no I have not nor ever will see the movie).
3.  Become super mom.  How do you accessorize a cape anyway?
4.  Lose my "Catholic Guilt"  (If you are Catholic you KNOW what this means.)
5.  Stop reading the hard copy version of books.  I have read a couple of books on my IPAD.   But I don't have to worry about charging my hard copy of books or dropping them in the bath tub.

Pieces of Amy Link up

My Celebration of Opportunity

This week I had the opportunity to:
1. Rejoice as our daughter won the Kindergarten reading award.
2. Laugh with my friend Gal in the Middle.( I am visiting)
3. Imagine I had my hands over my ears ( as I sing na, na, na) while my husband is complaining.
4. Enjoy my husband using my old Blackberry because his phone broke....it is pink.
I am linking up today with Pieces of Amy and Gypsy Mama

What Consumers Should Know About Beef

It seems animal and food production are constantly in the media these days.  Usually, to announce a food borne illness.  So, as a beef producer and consumer I thought I would share some tips to in regards to beef.

1. Most food borne illness in regards to meats, such as beef, are caused by unsafe handling during preparation.  Consumers need to be certain their beef products are being cooked to the appropriate temperatures. Temperatures differ based upon what type of beef cut you are preparing.  Click here for a guideline.

2. Avoid cross contamination by washing hands in the kitchen and keeping cooked and uncooked products separate during preparation.

3. Grass Fed Vs. Grain Fed: This comes down to a personal choice.  Contrary to public perception, grain fed animals are not mistreated.  We use a combination of grain and pasture (grass) feeding for our beef.  There will be flavor differences between the two products.

4. Restaurants stating they serve "Black Angus beef"are practising false advertising.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with the beef these restaurants serve, but these restaurants are trying to confuse consumers.  There is a Certified Angus Beef (also known as CAB) program that has a rigorous flavor standards for products.  Beef products that are a part of the CAB program will be labeled as such.  Restaurants and groceries selling Certified Angus Beef also use the CAB logo on their menus and packaging.

For more information visit the USDA website.

Monday Book Mania: The Missing

Last month, I stumbled across a book by Shelley Shepard Gray.  The  book, entitled The Missing, is super!  It is an insightful combination of a mystery and Christian fiction with a little romance thrown in.  The only negative is that it is the first book of a trilogy and the next book does not come out until June.  For more information on Shelley Shepard Gray's novels click here.

The REAL Me

I hate make- up and only wear it for work because it covers up some of my "face lines"
I love being a mommy.
I love my husband-especially when he makes sure I always have diet coke.
I have fed my kids cake for breakfast.
My BFF's have been with me through everything over the last 15 years, which is way cool.
If toys were land mines my house would have blown up 5 minutes ago.
My kids have barn shoes and non barn shoes.  (Occasionally I have to clean cow poop off the non barn shoes.)
I love romance novels but sometimes save them for the weekends so I don't stay up too late during the week.
Happy Friday!

For a few weeks now, I have been linking up with The Gypsy Mama's Five Minute Friday's.  It is alot of fun to write about a random topic!

Preserving Memories

About 14 years ago, I fell in love with the hobby of scrapbooking.  During that time, I had been in several weddings and had pictures, wedding programs and other memorabilia I didn't  know what to do with.  So, my first scrapbook was born.  I still love scrapbooking today because I can make treasured books for my kids and remember special times in our lives. (Because I am always behind).

The page featured in this post was made with products from Creative Memories, but you can use supplies purchased from any vendor or store as long as the materials are acid free.  You can also look for products marked photo safe.

I am linking this post  up with Southern Wife and Mama and Pieces of Amy