Ruin by Rachel Van Dyken

Oh, you guys....I cried hard with this book.
Not just soft whimpering sobs either...we're talking belly shaking sobs.

The author tries to prepare us too -
Letting us know it's going to be an emotion journey.
But nothing can truly prepare you.

All I know is that from the get go; I went from laughing to smirking to crying, back to laughing, back to crying...then throw in some heated chemistry and past time drama, and you're invested.
This book won't allow you to look away.

If I could, I would rate this higher than 5 stars.
This book is legit.
Highly recommend!

So what's Ruin about?

18 year old Kiersten is a work in progress.
She's had a trying 2 years since her parents passing.
She's basically lost until she meets Weston.

Weston is known for being a player.
And knows how hard it is to lose a loved one, just as Kiersten has.

They meet during college orientation when Kiersten runs into Weston.

After a brief humiliation scene *that he never lets her live down* Weston takes her under his wing.

Weston is one to make every single day count and his new mission in life is to bring Kiersten out of her shell.

From the day they've met, they spend every day together.
Thing is; They're just friends.

They both clearly want more, but...
Kiersten is inexperienced and isn't sure how to "play the field", so she's waiting for Wes.
Now even though Wes treats her like his girl, he refuses to allow himself to get involved.

Why?
Wes is sick.
Really sick.
Like dying sick.
And he doesn't want her to know.

She makes him feel alive.
The most alive he's ever felt and during his final months, he wants to continue to feel the way she makes him feel, but Kiersten, doesn't back off that easily.

She wants her man(!) and makes her feelings known, so he gives her 2 weeks.
2 weeks of full on committed romance, but after the 2 weeks, he says they have to back off.

Pssh... 
Yea, Right...
Like I believed that would happen!

Just as we expect, during those 2 weeks, chemistry is flying and making us more involved in their story.

They are soul mates.
What is empty in him, she completes, and
What is empty in her, he completes.

Oooh...this book.
This book.
I cherished it.
Relished it.

I love these rollercoastery type of books and in a sense, it sort of had that Beautiful Disaster/Walking Disaster feel to it.  Just the feel.  The *connection* between the characters.  And you all know how much I heart these two books!! *Sigh*

Loved.This.Book so much!
It makes my heart swell.

5 full hearted stars!

BIG "Thank You" to the ingenious Rachel Van Dyken herself!
You plastered the cheesiest smile on my face - just by acknowledging my review.
Heart you and your book!
Looking forward to reading more!!

@craftsformommas thank you so much!
— Rachel Van Dyken (@RachVD) September 11, 2013

Watermelon Cake with Tips and Tricks

This is the perfect summer cake!  Especially for those with summer birthday's and can you believe a kid picked his out on his own?!  Very impressive.

One of my bestest friends, sent me this link, and it seemed simple enough. 

Although...if I'm being honest...I didn't stick with the original instructions.

There wasn't an ingredient list, and even though I enjoyed their photo's, it didn't give me some of the information I wanted.

That said...I'm here to share their site, and add an ingredient list and my special tips to go along with it to help the constructing process go a little smoother.

So, here we go...

You'll Need:

1 SEEDLESS watermelon

1, 9" pie plate or serving platter

Various fruits (I used black grapes, since my store didn't have any good blueberries, green grapes, strawberries and kiwi)

1 tub of whipped topping (or you can make your own)

papertowels

1 box of your instant jello, your fav flavor (I used orange)

To begin, slice your watermelon - I sliced both ends to create a flat surface, then made a hexagon, but the original site, has an awesome tutorial on how to make yours round!

Once your watermelon is sliced, place it on your serving platter/pie plate.

Blot well with paper towels.

Open your jello box and sprinkle top and sides. (I had the HARDEST time getting the whipped cream to stick to the watermelon w/o using this tip.  This helped a ton!)

Refrigerate.

While it's refrigerating, start washing, peeling your fruit.

Remove watermelon and start icing it with whipped topping.

Refrigerate.

Continue fruit prep - Cutting.

Remove watermelon from refrigerator and start assembling your cake the way you want it.

The major key here is refrigeration!  So keep it cool as long as you can before serving.

Enjoy!

Mid Life Love by Whitney G.

My gosh, if "Mid Life Love" is this way for everyone, then I'll cheers to that - Ha!
This book was smoldering.

What I really enjoyed about this book is simple.
It lets us see that even though life can crush us to the core, it is never beyond repair.
You will pick yourself up and love again.
And it will be make the windows fog, it's so hot!

Oooh...and just a fun insight -
Jonathan Statham (at times), reminded me of Gideon Cross, and we all love Gideon!
I'm even thinking that Jonathan could possibly give him a run for the money.  (Literally!)

So what's Mid Life Love about?

Claire...poor Claire...

She's a woman who's heart has been stomped on by the two people she should trust the most in the world. Her husband and her best friend.
They've been having a secret affair and Clarie finds out in the most horrid way.
Horrid.

Naturally she leaves that slimy bastard and is off to find greener pastures, but the thing is, she really loved her husband (and her best friend) and she's truly having a hard time going anywhere or doing anything without thinking of them.

So she reinvents herself.
Does the normal womanly thing and changes her hair, style, etc, but nothing is working.

That's when she decides to move.
Clear across to the other side of the country so nothing can trigger the painful reminders of them.

Her and her daughters settle in nicely.

They're all making friends, but Claire still isn't dating.

In fact, it's been 4 years, but her friends make her go to those dating mixers (which she hates) but on one New Years Eve, she gives in and goes.

Jonathan is on a late business meeting at the same restaurant that hosts the "New Year's Middle - Aged Singles Mixer" (Tangent - Why is 39 considered "Middle aged"?  I think not!) and spots Claire out on the deck.

Claire is struggling to hold it together, because she is reminiscing about past times.
Soon after, Jonathan spots her, he thinks she's the most gorgeous woman he's ever seen, but she up and leaves all before he can make it over for an introduction.

Of course, the man has money and power, so he finds her, and by chance they run into each other.

In a bold move, he asks her out.

Claire, is stunned and you can imagine exactly what her expression looks like -
"Ugg...Exsqueeze me? Moi?!"
She sees how young he is and is hesitant -
Even though she's attracted to him.
She feels like she's robbing the cradle.
She's 39 and he's 28, so that's hardly the case.

Jonathan leaves his number, but Claire still refuses to call.

You know where this is going next right?

Um, yea...

We all know Jonathan wouldn't give up easily!!
A week goes by and Claire has finally convinced herself to go ahead and call, but before she can, he finds her, and wouldn't ya know it...she's practically been under his nose the whole time! *Squee*

Definitely worth the read!

The ending had me feeling a little jumpy too.
Big turn of events!

There were a couple times I kept thinking Jonathon seriously did not just do that. He didn't!...but ooooh...he DID! Hee-hee

4.25 Stars for me!

Afterburn by Sylvia Day

Okay...so if you're a follower on Facebook, you all know just how much I have been DYING to read this book...and let me just say -  It.was.awesome!

I love a book with plenty of back story, especially if its one of past lovers being reunited.

This one did not disappoint...in fact it gave us more!

This gives us that heady cocktail, plus loads us up with an extra shot of mixing business with pleasure.
*Gush*
That's right...she went and did it!

I could totally read this book again.  For reals...

The one (and only) downfall in the entire book (for me) was that it was just far too short.

10 chapters...
*Sniff*.
I wanted more, and I can't wait for Aftershock to be released!

67 days to be exact, but who's counting?!??

So what's Afterburn about?

Gia and Jax are two lovers who have a passionate, love fested, fling together, but after 5 weeks they become estranged.

Gianna Rossi was head over heels in love with Jackson Rutledge.

Jax broke her heart.
Shredded it.

It took some adjusting, but over time, Gianna decided to keep herself away from men and has invested all her time and energy into her work.

Then one day *poof* Jax is back on the scene and back in the life of Gianna, who's now a successful protégé for a fierce-some restaurateur.

Jackson Rutledge is from a family seeped with money and politicians, so he knows how to work the field.
In and out of the office.

That's how Gia and Jax become re-acquainted.

Gia's company is about to land their next biggest account and Jax is brought into the mix to make sure that doesn't happen.

After an awkward meeting of them not saying anything to each other, and Gia even thinking that Jax doesn't remember her - Jax reaches out.

Comes to the office to see Gia's boss, but we all know why he's really there...Her!

He can't seem to stay away once they've reacquainted and the thing is...even though Jax has hurt Gia, she doesn't want him too.

So they start anew and of course...old dogs can't learn new tricks, so he deceives her. Again.

Then she realizes a big secret that Jax has kept from her all this time (and it's a good one - no whips and chains here), but Jax is hiding something else and none of us knows what it is...Tisk, Tisk!

I, for one, can't wait to continue this journey with them!

Gia and Jax, sittin' in a tree...K.I.S.S.I.N.G!

5 stars!

1st Day of Preschool Pictures - What works!

My "baby" girl turned 3 over the summer and I can.not.believe that she is already old enough for preschool! Where did my 'ittle bitty baby go?! *Sniff, Sniff*

Mother and child held it together rather well...

She practically jumped her way to the classroom, and me...?
Well...I waited till I made it to work to cry.
Okay...maybe not all the way to work, but mostly. *Wink*

Which brings us to today.

I wanted to share my idea with you about preschool pictures.
We all love to have those little memento's and I don't know about you, but it can be a chore to get a 3 year old to stand still for pics. Are you with me??

So, instead of spending a gosh awful amount of time on some construction project that may or may not make it into the picture correctly, I thought it'd be a good idea to just use a plain white sheet of paper, cardboard, construction paper...what have you and photo edit the information in.

And guess what?
It worked perfect!

After our pictures were all said and done, all I had to do was load them, type in the information I wanted displayed and Viola!

Now we have a forever memory masterpiece without the headache or near worry of whether she'd remember to turn this way or that'a way so we could all see what her sign said.

Your next question, I'm sure, is how do you "edit".

Let's go through it.

1.                   Go to picmonkey.com
2.            Click “Edit Picture”
3.            To add text to your photo – You’ll have a menu bar on the far left hand side that looks like    this:  

                        

4.           You’ll want to click on the left sided column, 4^th option down “P”

5.           This is where you can pick your font, size, color etc. – 1^st choose your font. (FYI – most     fonts are free, but everything with a crown next to it, is considered a “royal” treatment and     you do have to pay for those.)

6.           Once your font is chosen, select “Add Text” (Up at the very top)

7.           This is what your screen should look like:

8.                   From here, just chose what you want to say, coloring, size, etc.

9.         Once text placement is made, you'll want to arrange.  There is a small circle at the very top that lets you adjust and rotate text.

10.       Now it's time to save.  Pretty self explanatory, but make sure that when saving (if you’re wanting to keep your original picture as well) that you re-name the picture file before saving!

Hope you Momma's (Daddy's, Grandma's and Grandpa's) out there find this beneficial as well.
I don't know about you, but I'm hoping this saved me a few gray hairs - Hehe

Come Undone by Madelynne Ellis

We all know I love a good rocker book and this was one that did not disappoint!

Here is where I will add a disclosure -
This is not for anyone who can not be open minded.
You will be opened to a wide variety of scenarios that some are not keen on, and if that's the case for you, then so be it, but this is sooooo not the book for you!

If you can...then climb on aboard and enjoy the ride, baby!
For me, it was one that was thoroughly enjoyed!!

So what's Come Undone about?

Xane, super rock star extraordinaire and lead singer of the mega rock group, Black Halo, is legitimately dumped before going on stage for a performance.

Oh, no.  Don't turn your head...
This is not some 'tear in my beer' sob story between a rocker and his girl.
This break up involves a love tryst where 2 people betray the lead singer and run off to Vegas to get married without even telling him!  O.M.G - Who does that?!

Anywho...Xane gets on stage after finding out about the wedded event and tries to perform...but he can't.
Every song is a reminder of the love affair they shared and he chokes.
Not really chokes, but yea...

So he leaves.  Walks off stage completely.

That's where Dani comes in.
She's a sweet & innocent, who accompanies her friend Ginny to the concert.
Ginny is her best friend and is every possible meaning of the word "groupie".
The two of them end up with a backstage pass and ultimately Dani decides she would rather see the show than sit in the Black Halo's dressing room, but Ginny...well she's determined to make it with a rocker (Or 2. Or 3.) and stays put, which leaves Dani on her own to head back to the show.

This is where is gets interesting!

Xane's leaving the show completely and he runs (literally) into Dani.
Seeing she's got a backstage pass around her neck, he knows he's in for it.  She's a "groupie" and he wants nothing to do with her in that way, although, he needs something from her. A ride!

And this is where it all begins...

The most interesting, twisted, dare I say "love" story you may ever read.
It not only focuses on Xane and Dani and their blossoming relationship, but also focuses on the group, Black Halo, Xane's 2 ex's and even some of his family members.

And the end...Oh the end...
It's like you think you know that's what has happened, but when it's confirmed, you're just stuck processing the information!

I truly enjoyed this book and how it took me out of my "norm"...

There were definitely a few times that things that were revealed, that I didn't see coming...and I soooo love that in a book!

Personally, I'm looking forward to reading more books by Madelynne Ellis!
Before Come Undone, she was an author I had never heard of before, and I totally dug her writing style!

I have recently added more of her books to be TBR list b/c I enjoyed this one so much.

Can.not.wait for Book 2 to come out!!

5 stars for me!

Knock Love Out by Pella Grace

More affairs.
More age gaps.
More fluffy, feel good, makes you want to love hard kinda book.

I felt such a connection with this book!
With the characters.
There's no way you can't feel for them on some level.

Lilla is struggling through a very common situation.
Wife loves husband.
Husband works too much.
Wife is feeling lonely.

Then there's Cash...
Cash is just the most unique free spirited, well rounded guy, I think I have ever read about.

I loved his honesty, his love, their love.

This one is a must read!

So what's Knock Love Out about?

Lilla is a mature woman, in her late 30's and is desperate to find happiness.
She hates/loathes/wants to kill her husband.
Maybe not physically, but she has thought about it.
She's miserable and unfortunately her husband doesn't notice her.
At all.
They're just two ships sailing in different directions.

After great thought - Lilla is on a mission...
To have an affair.

She wants to love.
To be loved.

So she goes out...
Runs to the grocery store with her "whore" perfume & looks that could kill in tow.

That's where she meets Warren "Cash" Valentine.
(I chuckled once I figured out how Warren dubbed himself as "Cash".  There's a cute little joke behind it!)

He works in a grocery store as cashier.
He's an artist.
He's a free spirit.
He is also 15 years her minor.

Cash scopes her out in the store.
He immediately notices her.
Watches her.

Then after a highly educational lesson on how to chose a cucumber, Cash is awed by Lilla and on a whim decides he's going to "kidnap" her.

She goes willingly and has the best time she's had in years.
They're gone for 2 days.
2 days!

I loved this part of the story, but it was only just the beginning for them.

You know love is in the works, but your just not quite sure how things are going to play out.

After all...he's so young, and she's married!

I felt this book.
It made me feel all warm and fuzzy.

I loved the stories they shared.
How he's able to dig her out of her shell.
How he holds her when she needs held.
How he listens...

I laughed.  Especially when it came to Mariah Carey and a cute MJ moment.  I will never look at Mariah in the same way again. That is all I will say!

I enjoyed the young, light humor between Cash and Lilla. Even if they weren't always following each other 100%, they made it up as they went along because of the love they share.

The nicknames they came up for each other.  {Heart} So cute!
It kinda of reminded me of young high school love, but that's just how they are.
Cute.  In love.

Cash was really something else.
When he spoke to Lilla, *I* felt loved.

I couldn't get enough of the little love chant he would recite with her and my heart just kept growing bigger and bigger for him the harder he loved her.

Pella Grace NAILED the connection of these characters and I truly enjoyed all of them.
Even Georgia, who was weird at times to say the least!

This one is a must read!

4.5 Stars for me!