Book Review: His Steadfast Love By Golden Keyes Parsons

Book Description: The Civil War - a defining time of great sacrifice, change, and betrayal which determined the fate of the Nation.

It isn’t until it comes into her very home that Amanda Belle must face impossible choices of love, loss, and loyalty.

It's the spring of 1861 on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Although Amanda never thought she would marry because of her promise she made to her dying mother, her attraction to Captain Kent Littlefield is undeniable.

When Texas secedes from the Union, her brother Daniel marches off to war to fight for the Confederate States and Kent remains with the Union troops.

Her heart is torn between the two men she loves and the two sides of the conflict. When she turns to God for help, Amanda expects direction and support, but hears nothing. Is God listening to her anymore? Where is God in the atrocities of war—and whose side is He on?

Amanda senses her life is at a turning point. But she must trust God to bring her family through the chaos that threatens her home, her family, and the beloved state of Texas . . . with her heart, and her faith, intact.

My Thoughts:

I love to read a good historical book or romance novel. This book was both! I love that this book hit on hard topics from american history and how sometimes families were torn apart by having to take sides in the war. the main character struggles not only with the Choices made by the people she loves but has an internal struggle of what she feels God wants in her life. All in all this is a great book and I would recommend it to all my readers.

I received a copy of this book through booksneeze.com. My review however is my full and honest opinion of the book.

Dulce de Leche Cheerios GIVEAWAY Spark - CLOSED

Now, moms everywhere can bring a beloved traditional Latin flavor to their family’s breakfast table with new Dulce de Leche Cheerios. With a hint of caramel flavor, Dulce de Leche Cheerios, provides a delicious and tasty start to your family’s day while delivering key health benefits expected from a cereal made with whole grain and 6 grams of sugar per serving. Be among the first to taste this new twist on a familiar classic.

• Dulce de Leche is traditionally incorporated in Latin American inspired desserts, and you can now get a hint in the newest variety of Cheerios
• With the same goodness you’ve come to know and love about Cheerios, the new Dulce de Leche flavor provides 39 percent of the recommended daily amount of whole grain* (* According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the daily recommended amount of whole grain for most people is at least 3 ounce equivalents, which is equal to 48 grams. Dulce de Leche Cheerios has 19 grams of whole grain per serving.)

Don’t just eat Dulce de Leche Cheerios with milk at breakfast. Enjoy the sweet flavor and crunchy texture of Dulce de Leche Cheerios in one of these recipes for fun new snacking options:

• Dulce de Leche Cheerios Snack Mix- combine pretzels, nuts, and other sweet treats with Dulce de Leche Cheerios for a sweet and salty munching mix with a crunch
• Dulce de Leche Popcorn Balls- Gooey popcorn balls that melt in your mouth as you bite into the caramel flavors
• Dulce de Leche No Bake Snack Bars- Hearty bars with bits of fruit and nut for on-the-go snacking
• Dulce de Leche Apple Bread- A hint of caramel paired with refreshing apple flavors that is perfect for any time of day
• Dulce de Leche Cheerios Parfait- Jazz up your yogurt with Dulce de Leche Cheerios and fresh fruit
• Dulce de Leche No Bake Cheesecake- Make your own crust for this rich cheese cake using Dulce de Leche Cheerios

I don’t know about you but I couldnt wait to try this flavor. Camel is my best friend/ worst enemy and now I can have it without guilt.

My blog spark and general mills wants to give one Family Treasures reader the same prize pack I received above. To win you must leave a comment for each entry and leave a way for me to contact you.
How to enter:

• Mandatory: Follow my blog via Network blogs. Sorry if you followed via GCF it no longer counts (one entry) <- YOU MUST DO THIS ONE FOR THE OTHERS TO COUNT!
• What is your favorite go to breakfast item? Share in the comments.(one entry)
• post about this giveaway on -
  • Twitter,
  • Facebook,
  • or your personal blog.
    • Make sure to leave me a direct link to your post (one entry per method)
• subscribe to family treasures.

GIVEAWAY ENDS 2/12/2012 at midnight EST. GOOD LUCK!

In addition, visit http://www.myblogspark.com/uc/main/434f/ to download a printable coupon for $1.00 off the purchase of ONE BOX of Dulce de Leche Cheerios® cereal today, and feel free to share with your blog readers so they can take advantage of the savings as well.

“Disclosure: The new Dulce de Leche Cheerios information, product, and prize pack have been provided free of charge by Cheerios and General Mills, through MyBlogSpark.”

Follow Friday Four Fun Fill-In

I have joined the Follow Friday blog hop over at Feeling Beachie. this week we were asked fill in the blanks to these four sentences. 

• 1. I have never eaten ___
• 2. I like to ___ in ___
• 3. If I could go back and change one thing, it would be _______.
• 4. My greatest _____ for my ______ is ______.

so here it goes…

1. I have never eaten frog legs.

2. I like to Read in Bed.

3. If I could go back and change one thing, it would be dropping out of college. I plan to go back but it would have been cheaper and easier had I just finished before. 

4. My greatest wish for my children is to be happy. For them to do what they love and love with abandon.

If you want to join in head over to Feeling Beachie and link up too.
If you’re a new follower please follow me via network blogs and subscribe if you want.

Progresso wants to help you be a SOUPer you! - CLOSED

Are you ready for a new look this New Year? Progresso^® is excited to announce the return of their Souper You^® Contest giving you the chance to win an incredible makeover! By telling Progresso why you deserve a makeover and what you love about their soup, you could have the chance to win an ultimate makeover experience in Hollywood this Spring!
Now that the ball has dropped and the confetti has settled, it’s time to consider how you will stick to your resolution for the New Year and maintain your weight management plan, without sacrificing on variety or the taste of foods you love. Thanks to Progresso^®, you can have your soup and eat it too!
With 40 delicious soups with 100 calories or less per serving, Progresso Soup has a variety of offerings that help you beat diet boredom and satisfy your taste cravings, while helping you stick to your weight management calorie goals. Progresso soups are packed with hearty ingredients like pasta, beans, rice, meat and vegetables that suit your taste buds and make you feel good about including it in your meal choices.

• This year, the Souper You^® Contest will provide three lucky winners with an ultimate makeover experience in Hollywood; this includes a trip for 2 to Los Angeles, California where the winner will receive a head-to-toe makeover including hair and makeup, guided shopping spree with a $1,000 fashion retailer gift card, $1,000 spending money and 2 tickets to this season’s live finale of NBC’s The Biggest Loser
• Progresso is asking fans to visit www.SouperYou.com and submit their photo with a brief essay about why they love Progresso soups and why they deserve a makeover, by no later than February 22nd
• Fans can check back on March 12th for the announcement of the top ten finalists, and to vote for their favorite finalist until March 25th
• In addition, visit http://bit.ly/ProgressoCoup  to download a printable coupon for $1.25 off the purchase of four (4) cans of Progresso Soup today, and feel free to share with your blog readers so they can take advantage of the savings as well
• Also, tune into The Biggest Loser on NBC Tuesdays at 8/7c

To lean more about Progresso and the Souper you program check out these links below…

• Souper You Website at http://bit.ly/SouperYou
• Progresso Website at http://bit.ly/ProgressoSoupSite
• Progresso on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/ProgressoFB

And just for you …..

• Progresso Online Coupon at http://bit.ly/ProgressoCoup

Click here to watch this amazing video of the 2011 winner experience.  Or watch it below.

Honestly this opportunity couldn't have come at a better time for me. My goal this year is to lose a large amount of weight and get fit for my family. I hope with diet and exercise I will make my goal and I love that Progresso has the Weight watchers points right on the can. No guess work!
My blog spark and Progresso wants you to be a Souper you and to make that happen they want to give one Family Treasures reader the same prize pack I received above. To win you must leave a comment for each entry and leave a way for me to contact you.
How to enter:

• Mandatory: Follow my blog via Network blogs. Sorry if you followed via GCF it no longer counts (one entry) <- YOU MUST DO THIS ONE FOR THE OTHERS TO COUNT!
• What changes are you making this year to better your life? Share in the comments.(one entry)
• post about this giveaway on -
  • Twitter,
  • Facebook,
  • or your personal blog.
    • Make sure to leave me a direct link to your post (one entry per method)
• subscribe to family treasures.

GIVEAWAY ENDS 2/03/2012 at midnight EST. GOOD LUCK!

“Disclosure:  The Progresso Souper You prize pack, information, coupon, and giveaway have been provided by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.”

Get More Whole Grain! - CLOSED

I’m excited to share with you my readers that the Whole Grain First Ingredient coupon link now has additional prints! You can now Click HERE to download a printable coupon for $1.75 off the purchase of any (2) cereals with the white check today!
The Dietary Guidelines recommend choosing products with a whole grain listed as the first ingredient. Now every cereal with the white check has more whole grain than any other single ingredient, with the same great taste. You will see whole grain as the first ingredient on the ingredient list, indicating that whole grain is the first and most prevalent ingredient.
According to Dr. Travis Stork, emergency room physician and host of "The Doctors," identifying whole grain products can be challenging. Shoppers can look for cues on the front of the box, but they need to read the ingredient list to know if they are getting products with whole grain as the first ingredient. Ingredient lists detail ingredients in order of prevalence, and if the words "whole" or "whole grain" are followed by a grain like wheat or oats, it means the food contains more whole grain than any other single ingredient. Here´s how to determine if your cereals have whole grain as a first ingredient:

People really want to make healthy eating decisions, but there are a lot of messages vying for their attention in the supermarket. This can be especially true when it comes to determining which foods have a meaningful amount of whole grain. Dr. Stork has some additional recommendations to help you include whole grain easily into your diet. They include:

• Start Early! The Dietary Guidelines recommend people get at least 48 grams of whole grain in their daily diets. Get a jump-start on the day´s nutrition by incorporating whole grain into your morning routine. For instance, when choosing cereal make sure whole grain is listed as the first ingredient. One easy choice is cereal with the white check, which have more whole grain than any other single ingredient.
• Make Simple Swaps. Choose whole grain versions of the foods you love. Great options include whole wheat pasta and whole wheat bread or even whole grain crackers. Also, try different types of whole grain. Use brown rice instead of white rice as a side dish at dinner or popcorn, which is a whole grain, for a snack.
• Don´t Judge a Food by Its Cover. The front of food packages provide good nutritional cues, but don´t forget to read the ingredients and check the nutrition label and side labels for additional health information. Cereals with the white check even include the amount of whole grain per serving on packaging.

Did you tune in to  "The Doctors" on January 13th when the experts discussed the importance of whole grain. Plus, check out Dr. Travis Stork in this brief video on how to find whole grain.
To help make it easier to find whole grain products, General Mills developed "Fast Lane for Whole Grain," an online educational game. Consumers can navigate virtual grocery store aisles and identify products that have whole grain as the first ingredient, with the option to enter a sweepstakes to win one of each of the 50 cereals with the white check.
In connection with healthier lifestyles, a diet rich in whole grain has been linked to healthier body weights, and it may help reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
Make a commitment to incorporate more whole grain into your family´s diets by starting their day with a bowl of cereal with the white check, including Cheerios®, Lucky Charms®, Cinnamon Toast Crunch®, Honey Nut Cheerios® and Total®. For more information on the importance of whole grain and a chance to enter the "Fast Lane for Whole Grain" sweepstakes visit www.WholeGrainNation.com.

Today I fight back

If you have never heard of the Bloggess. I suggest, no demand you stop reading this immediately and go read some of her posts. Like this one, or this one and lastly this one. The last one is what inspired me to write this.

My comment to her soul baring bravery -

I want to hug you, and shout at you, and most of all cry because I fight this battle everyday. I thank you for giving words to the hell I live in daily but I also want curse you because now its out there in words. Your right we hide and are ashamed of something we cant control. I don’t have a support system like you, I wish I did. I look at my toddlers and cant figure out why I’m not happy. What the hell is happy?

To quote her “When depression sufferers fight, recover and go into remission we seldom even know, simply because so many suffer in the dark…ashamed to admit something they see as a personal weakness…afraid that people will worry, and more afraid that they won’t.  We find ourselves unable to do anything but cling to the couch and force ourselves to breathe.”

So Today I vow to get of that couch. I may not get far but it’s a start. I do have something to live for not merely survive for, and I promise to remember that, even in the darkest of times.

Now I take up my badge, my silver ribbon, and go forth into the unknown. I will make it out alive, badly bruised and and slightly broken but ALIVE. Take a deep breath and go.