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How I made a breakfast bar using WEET-BIX!
My family has an ongoing love affair with WEET-BIX, you guys. I mean, seriously, besides for it being a fave in terms of breakfast cereals, it has also become my teens go-to midnight snack of choice. Do I understand it? Not always. Have I embraced it? Uhm, definitely! I mean, I’m not completely opposed to its wholesome goodness. It also helps that it contains 97% of wholegrains, no preservatives or colorants. (And let’s not forget the deliciousness factor… very important IMO).
But that’s not what you came here to learn. You came here to find out how on earth I made a breakfast bar using WEET-BIX. (Me, with my limited knowledge of baking. I did it. Can somebody give me a high five please?)
Well, for starters, you need to know that I did not devise the amazingly easy recipe myself. I mean, my Hubstopher will confirm that I am a low-key genius. (Right, babe?) But alas, I cannot take credit for this one. I actually spotted the recipe on the WEET-BIX My Way mobi-site. The site is filled with a ton of really great recipe ideas that kinda inspires you to eat your WEET-BIX a lot differently compared to how you usually would enjoy it.
Whether you’re a smoothie kinda person, or you like that extra crunch in your mac and cheese, or you’re daring enough to enjoy it with atchar and chillies, there are so many different ways to incorporate your favorite wholegrain breakfast cereal into your everyday snacks and meals.
Right, back to me being impressive with my WEET-BIX breakfast bar. Here’s how I made it:Ingredients
WEET-BIX crushed
Flour
Baking powder
Rolled oats
Brown sugar
Fruit and nutmix
Eggs
Milk
Margarine
Honey
You can find the exact measurements on the mobisite over here.
Method
Mix together the flour, baking powder, crushed WEET-BIX, oats, sugar, fruit and nut mix.
In a separate bowl mix your egg, milk, margarine and honey.
Then combine the concoction with your dry ingredients.
Press the final mix into a prepared tin and bake in a preheated over for 25-30 minutes.
Once baking is done, take out of oven and allow to cool, before cutting it into bars.
You can find the exact method on the mobisite over here.
GIVEAWAY
(This giveaway is closed)
Will you be giving this a go? Or have you spotted an interesting WEET-BIX recipe on the mobi-site? Well, friend, try out one of the cool recipes from the site, take a snap and tag me on social media and you could win a R500 shopping voucher, compliments of WEET-BIX! Giveaway ends on 28 May 2019. Winner announced on 29 May 2019.
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The Spindel laundry dryer saves you time and money! {Giveaway}
If you’re a mom and your kids (for the most part) are not running around naked, you probably have the best time doing laundry! (Yes, that was me being sarcastic and witty) Okay, let’s be real, doing the laundry is probably not up there on our list of “favorite things to do” and with Winter fast approaching (#winteriscoming) wash days will become a lot more stressful, as you try to figure out how the heck you’re going to get those school clothes dry on time.
Powering up that tumble dryer can get pretty expensive and let’s be double-y honest, sometimes you don’t want to have to sit and blow dry your kid’s favorite blank-ey with a hairdryer. (Just me then?)
You guys, I’m also kinda freaked out by the fact that my baby is due during the rainiest of seasons! I need to have a clothes drying option that won’t damage my infants clothing and won’t eat into my pocket.
Enter: The Spindel – a specialist laundry dryer that (get this) dries your laundry without eating up your electricity! You can use your Spindel to shorten the dry time on the washing line/in the tumble dryer since majority of the moisture will be removed.
The machine is so easy to use, my teenage son often pops his soccer socks into it, for a quick over night dry. There are no complicated buttons to press and no long waiting period.
I mean, besides for leaving fabric almost dry, in just 3 minutes, the Spindel also promises to not damage your delicate garments because it air dries. This makes it a great option for drying your delicate fabrics (silk, wool, etc) that you would usually hand-wash. It’s also perfect for safely drying your baby’s cloth nappies!
Using the Spindel, during the rainy season, is such a help, you guys. My kids clothes are kept soft and I love that it removes excess detergents and softeners, which could be harmful to baby’s skin and those who suffer from allergies.If you’re all about saving the planet, consider the fact that the Spindel actually drains all excess moisture, into a separate container, for reuse. With double the spin power of a normal washing machine, it removes more moisture in just 3 minutes!
I also love that it’s easy to move around, but that the 4.5kg or 6.5kg load capacity can hold up to four king size sheets. You can run over 65 cycles with just one unit of electricity! A tumble dryer will consume more than three units of electricity in just one cycle.
Purchase your Spindel from one of the participating online stores: Takealot, Yuppiechef.com, Faithful to Nature, Sustainable.co.za and Ucount Online Mall.
GIVEAWAY!GIVEAWAY CLOSED – Spindel South Africa wants to give one lovely My Spreadsheet Brain reader a 6.5kg Spindel specialist laundry dryer, valued at a whopping R2 599! How cool?! If you’re looking to enter, you can do so either on Instagram OR Facebook OR both! Check out the links to those posts here:
Enter via Instagram
Enter via Facebook
Terms and conditions:
Winner will be announced next Monday, 13 May on Facebook.
Winner will be chosen randomly from combination of Facebook and Instagram entries.
Giveaway only open to residents in South Africa.
Judges’ decision is final. -
Telling our kids we are pregnant
When you have as many as we do, you kinda brace yourself when breaking pregnancy news to the kids. Telling our kids we are pregnant was a pretty big deal in our home.
I mean, the older ones help out with the younger ones (thanks Kyle), so a new baby means more smallies to run after. It helps that Kyle is almost 18 and that Seth (who lives with his bio mom anyways) is 13. But you guys, Jo (2) and Kari (4) are a handful on their own. Kari thinks that Jo is a handful too (I know this because she says it). Jo… well, he’s just outchere being cute and cherub-like. But he’s two years old. So I wasn’t sure if #demkids would appreciate the addition of yet another little Williams. And I don’t blame them.
Another child means that time, money and other frivolities will have to be rationed between five whole children now and not just four. Again, I can’t stress enough how helpful it is (such a weird thing to be thankful for) that the older boys have whole other families in their lives. I mean, it eases the load, if you know what I mean. But we still need to consider things like one on one time (dating your kids is a real thing), the paying of school fees, making sure they are clothed and fed and other important stuff like that. Oh and the WiFi. Someone needs to pay for the WiFi.
The thought of one more can be extremely overwhelming. I totally have moments where I’m like “aaack, I’m having another baby, am I CRAZY?!” Of corse, those moments are few and far between the more predominant moments of “Oh my goodness, I’m having another baby, heart melt!”
I get it. It’s alot with to deal with mentally… well, for me atleast, and I’m their MOTHER. So let’s just say we were a bit wary when breaking the news to the kids.
We waited a very long time before we told them. Well, we waited a long time before we told anyone. Mainly because of health reasons (wanted to be sure that we’re in the safe zone first) but also because we wanted to keep the information to ourselves (you can read the reasons why over here).
When we finally told #demkids we were kinda stunned at their responses.For starters, Kari (who had been the “mommy please have another baby” champion in our home since December) was completely overwhelmed at the news. In fact, she had no words. Our girl. The outspoken one. She was silent. It took her a while to absorb the information, but once it hit home, she was a ball of energy planning out her journey, as a big sister, in detail.
Jonah… well, he was being his cute and cherub-like self. Also, he’s two. We didn’t really expect him to understand.
The older boys were a lot more optimistic than we had expected you guys! I mean, the immediate debate was that the child must either be named Kyle Seth Williams or Seth Kyle Williams. But I gladly encouraged it, because it meant that they were not running around, pulling their hair out at the news.
Both boys were kinda nonchalant about it though. They say that they have enough siblings to know what goes down when another is added to O Town (see what I did there) and they feel that they are ready for it.
All in all a good response, I think. I know. I’m still in shock. I mean, they handled it better than some of the adults we know. So that’s something right there.
Anyways, with that said, we’re still super excited (me, still super overwhelmed sometimes) and really looking forward to doing life with our crazy, big family! Big families are the best! And we be havin’ it! Somebody give me a high five, immediately.
(Watch a very short kids response video below.. recording stopped mid-way through the big reveal, don’t know how that happened. )
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Great Mother’s Day gifts because she’s worth it! {Giveaway!}
So, I’m not sure if you guys know, but I love Mother’s Day! I mean, it took me a long time to get to this place (teen mom syndrome) but when I eventually realised what a blessing it is to be a mom to my kids, I could finally enjoy the Mother’s Day celebrations. Also, gifts are my love language, so it’s a win-win situation (I win, and then I win again.)
Because the day is so special to me, when it comes to purchasing Mother’s Day gifts, I’m usually pretty pedantic with the type of love offerings I present to the moms in my life. I mean, I want it to be sentimental and meaningful and not just a “I had to do it because everyone in the country is doing it today, so here.”
This is why I love taking a stroll through Cum Books ‘round about this time of the year. They usually have a lovely selection of gift ideas for that special mom in your life. I mean, I would buy them all, if I could! Looking for a special gift for your mom that shows how much you value her? Check out this list of great Mother’s Day gift ideas:
Life Lists for Women/MothersYou guys, I instantly fell inlove with the Lift Lists for Women and Life Lists for Mothers ranges! These beautifully designed books and cards are designed to encourage your special person to live an abundant, faith-filled life. Think: scrap booking made easy!
The Life Lists for Women paperback and Life Lists for Mothers hardcover comprises of 101 practical lists to help women become the beautiful, strong, purpose filled individuals that God has called them to be. It has awesome journaling prompts, inspirational quotes and scriptures and pages for your mom to jot down her life goals and lists.
In the Life Lists for Women book, expect to find topics related to staying positive, finding peace, building confidence and becoming a prayer warrior. I especially love the topics covered in the Life Lists for Mothers book. These include praying for your children, simplifying your life, speaking kind words and prioritizing.
If reading a whole book is not your gal’s thing, you could gift her with the Life Lists for Women or Life Lists for Mothers boxed card set. Both comprises of 44 beautifully designed double-sided cards, containing short lists and scripture that help you to stay God focused and goal-driven. The box set aimed at moms, focuses on the specific needs of mothers. This is such a great gift and is perfect for that busy mom who may not have the time to sit down and read (so that’s like, all of us.)
Pick up the Life Lists for Women Paperback for R180 and the Life Lists for Women Boxed Cards for R89. The Life Lists for Mothers Hardcover retails for R180 and the Life Lists for Mothers Boxed Cards for R89.
My Prayer Journal
I fell inlove with the gorgeous My Prayer Journal diary. You guys, this is a 120-day journal for women of all ages (so not just moms, but wow, what a wonderful Mother’s Day gift it would make!) that prompts you to have a more intentional prayer life. I love that it teaches you the ACTS method of praying which is: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication.
The journal has enough space to record your daily scripture verse, prayers lists and even specific requests. You can also jot down your list of prayers of thanksgiving to God.
The My Prayer Journal retails for R89.
Prayers to Strengthen Your FaithIf you’re all about that boxed card life, you’ll be pleased to know that there is a whole range of really stunning boxed card sets available! The Prayers to Strengthen Your Faith set comprises of 50 double-sided cards, that features scripture based prayers that will definitely help your mom to start her day off right. I especially love that there is space provided at the back of each card, so that she can write down her own prayers.
Pick up the Prayers to Strengthen Your Faith Boxed Cards for only R90.
Promises to Bless Your Soul
This 50 double-sided card set features Biblical promises to bless and encourage that special woman in your life. There is also space provided behind each card, which she could use to jot down daily reminders from God or even use to pen a personal message to share with loved ones and friends. Love this!
The Promises to Bless Your Soul Boxed Cards retails for R90.
199 Favorite Bible Verses for Women/Mothers These paperbacks are filled with best-loved scripture verses, on beautifully designed pages. This is the perfect set up for the mother who is keen to memorise scripture, or simply wants to get into the word of God. It also serves as a daily reading, and is a great way to start or end the day.
The 199 Favorite Bible Verses for Women and 199 Favorite Bible Verses for Mothers paperback books retails for R49 each
A Womans Battle for Grace
Popular speaker and ministry leader, Cheryl Brodersen’s fantastic new offering, A Womans Battle for Grace, tackles the topic of self-condemnation. In this fascinating read, Brodersen talks about the daily battle we face, as women and mother’s, and helps us to pinpoint the real enemy behind it all. I loved this excerpt, describing the book: “God wants His daughters to live moment by moment in His victory, but first we have to see whats at stake when we go our own way. The truth about grace is simpler and deeper than you may realize.”
A Womans Battle for Grace retails for R230.
The Better Mom DevotionalThe Better Mom Devotional is filled with 100 devotions power packed with scripture, prayers and reflection questions to help every mom discover just how God uses parenting and motherhood to deepen your relationship with Him. How amazing?! I love that it tackles hot topics, such as mom guilt and trying to be the perfect parent (hello, this is so for me!) and it helps you to view motherhood as a challenging and rewarding adventure. Some of the lessons you’ll learn as you delve into each beautifully designed page includes:
- How God uses motherhood to change you from the inside out
- Intentional ways to deepen your faith in any season of parenting
- The true calling of motherhood: training, disciplining and loving your children well
- The life-giving impact of honest, loving friendships.
The Better Mom Devotional and all the other items in this post are available at any Cum Books retail store or from their online store.
GIVEAWAY!Want to spoil your mom this Mother’s Day? Or are you a mom, desperately in need of some lovin’? Well, I’ve partnered with Cum Books to give 2 of you an amazing Mother’s Day hamper, compliments of Cum Books. You can enter either on Instagram or Facebook (or both, to increase your chances of winning!) Both entry prompts will require you to:
- Follow me and Cum Books on the various channels. You can find the handles on these specially marked posts on Instagram and Facebook.
- On those specially marked posts, also tag a mom that you feel deserves a win! (You can tag as many moms as you’d like)
Each platform and comment will count as an individual entry. Giveaway ends on 11 May. Giveaway not open to readers outside of RSA.
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Book review: The Masterpiece – Francine Rivers (GIVEAWAY!)
I'm a Francine Rivers fiend! I love her writing style and her story telling ability, but more than that, I love that her stories are Bible based. You're able to relate with the lesson in the plot, while totally being swept away by the picture she paints with words as you get to know the characters as if they are your own best friends. Meg from By Megan Kelly and I have collaborated with Cum Books to give the gift of Francine to 2 of you! Follow our Francine Rivers' book reviews, over the next month, and stand a chance to score a super cool Francine Rivers hamper!
Francine Rivers knows just how to speak straight to my heart. And this is not me being dramatic. (Okay, maybe a teeny tiny little bit dramatic.) When I got into her latest novel, titled The Masterpiece, I was immediately struck with all the single mommy feelings, as I read about Grace Moore’s struggle to provide for her baby boy Samuel.
The plot revolves around Grace and her new employer, Roman Velasco, a famous artist. Both Grace and Roman are wrestling with ghosts of the past, trying to figure their lives out on the down low, while building up walls that would prevent anyone from getting too close.
Roman is a successful LA artist, who seemingly has it all – the money, the fame, the girls. He employs Grace as his personal assistant and she soon discovers that her new boss is secretly battling with demons of his past, and it affects every area of his lonely life.
As I mentioned, Grace is a single mom, left in the lurch by a cheating ex-husband who made her give up everything to support his selfish needs. Once her baby boy is born – she realizes that she is unable to give him up for adoption, as she had planned – and vows to do everything possible to build a life for the two of them. And this includes making sure that no man would ever steal her dreams again.
Both Roman and Grace try to do life on their own (yep – that was me), not wanting help or even comfort from anyone else. And then, one day an unexpected event changes everything!
The story is definitely one of romance and unspoken passion, but it also incorporates strong messages of faith, hope, redemption and the plan and purposes of God.
You can pick up your copy of The Masterpiece at any Cum Books store or check out their online store for more!
GIVEAWAY!Megan from By Megan Kelly and I have partnered with Cum Books to give away 2 book hampers comprising of 3 Francine Rivers books, including The Masterpiece. All you have to do is:
- Make sure you’re following @luchae and @bymegankelly on Instagram
- Find the corresponding post on Instagram and let us know which of these 3 books are your favorite or which one you’re most looking forward to reading.
- Gain a bonus entry by letting me know what your Instagram handle is in the comments section below
Giveaway ends on 3 May. Follow our weekly Francine Rivers reviews to gain that bonus entry on each post! Check out Megan’s post to score another bonus entry. Giveaway not open to readers outside of RSA.
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Book review: Bridge to Haven – Francine Rivers (GIVEAWAY!)
I'm a Francine Rivers fiend! I love her writing style and her story telling ability, but more than that, I love that her stories are Bible based. You're able to relate with the lesson in the plot, while totally being swept away by the picture she paints with words as you get to know the characters as if they are your own best friends. Meg from By Megan Kelly and I have collaborated with Cum Books to give the gift of Francine to 2 of you! Follow our Francine Rivers' book reviews, over the next month, and stand a chance to score a super cool Francine Rivers hamper!
The thing that I love the most about Francine River’s writing style is that she is able to draw you into a story, hit you with enough emotion to weaken those walls that you put up on the daily and then, when you’re completely invested in the narrative, you’re served a huge dose of reality check as you find yourself relating with some of what the character is going through.
Such was the case when I found myself deeply engrossed in one of her heart wrenching novels, Bridge to Haven.
Set in the 1950’s, the story is centered around young Lena Scott – a Hollywood sweetheart and one of the biggest stars to hit the silver screen. But Lena’s story starts a lot differently than most know. Lena, whose real name is Abra, was found abandoned underneath a bridge when she was a few minutes old.
This spirit of orphan – a deep rooted sense of abandonment – trickles into every area of her life, ultimately affecting every single decision she makes. Sound familiar? Well, it did to me. I could relate with Lena on so many levels. My story is different to hers but I know all about that spirit of abandonment and rejection and how it can control (and ruin) your life.
Anyways, Lena believes that she was never wanted, even though she was adopted by a kind Christian family and is pretty much loved and doted on by all the people in her family’s circle. She ends up believing the lies in her head and rejects her closest friends and adoptive parents.
Hopping into bed with one wrong guy after the other, Lena finds herself looking for love in all the wrong places. I could relate on some level – not that I ended up in many beds – but I remember jumping from one terrible relationship to another… looking for love and acceptance, I guess, and not finding it where I expected it to be. But, like Lena, I discovered unconditional love from the most unlikely source.
This story is filled with lessons about grace, temptation, wisdom and that unconditional love that breaks chains and has the ability to change lives at the blink of an eye.
You can pick up your copy of Bridge to Haven at any Cum Books store or check out their online store for more!
GIVEAWAY!Megan from By Megan Kelly and I have partnered with Cum Books to give away 2 book hampers comprising of 3 Francine Rivers books, including Bridge to Haven. All you have to do is
- Make sure you’re following @luchae and @bymegankelly on Instagram
- Find the corresponding post on Instagram and let us know which of these 3 books are your favourite or which one you’re most looking forward to reading.
- Gain a bonus entry by letting me know what your Instagram handle is in the comments section below
Giveaway ends on 3 May. Follow our weekly Francine Rivers reviews to gain that bonus entry on each post! Check out Megan’s post to score another bonus entry. Giveaway not open to readers outside of RSA.
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The big chocolate covered marshmallow egg comparison
If your family is anything like my family, you’ve probably eaten your way through many a box of marshmallow eggs by now. And it’s not even Easter yet. I mean, I’m not complaining… I LOVE marshmallow eggs, you guys! Maybe its the chocolaty goodness on the outside… or the gooey mallow on the inside… or a combo of both. Who knows! We’ve learnt not to question these things, unless the question is: “Can I have another mallow egg please?”
But guys, I had found myself in a weird predicament the other day, when I popped into the store to purchase (yet another) box of mallow eggs. There were just so many to choose from! I mean, how does one wrap one’s brain around such things?
A big marshmallow egg comparison had to be done! So I enlisted the taste buds of my family members, who acted as independent auditors. After some investigating, they decided that the following were in the running for marshmallow egg champion of 2019:
(left to right: Checkers Eggs Galore, Woolworths Marshmallow Egg, SPAR Marshmallow Egg, Cadbury Fluffies Mallow Egg, Beacon Marshmallow Egg)We grabbed a couple of strings of each of these from a few of our favorite retailers. Everyone had their own idea of which one would come out on top.
It was decided that, when it comes to judging, a bunch of different factors would come into play. I mean, if you’re a frugal mom like me, you’d want more bang for your buck, for sure. So price is important. But if you’re after quality, you’d want to make sure that the chocolate actually tastes like chocolate and that the marshmallow is just the right texture.
I mean, these things are important. My independent taste auditors (Hubstopher, Seth and Karis) were ready for action! They started by comparing the size of each egg. Because, hello, when it comes to chocolate, size matters.Result: It seems that the Beacon and Fluffies eggs were slightly bigger than the rest. The SPAR brand chocolate seemed a bit darker than the rest. Oh and Karis says that they all smell the same, so that’s probably worth nothing too.
We then compared things like, how chocolaty the chocolate is and how marshmallow-y the marshmallow is. Both the chocolate factor and marshmallow quality were given a mark out of 10 each. Seth also insisted that we consider the “over all eating experience”.
Result:
According to our auditors, the Cadbury Fluffies won the taste challenge. The Beacon, a firm favorite in many households, was a close second.
If your kids are okay with any type of marshmallow egg and you’re looking to save on dollar bill, you should probably consider that you’ll be spending the following per egg, per box:
Eggs Galore: R1.67 per egg (R50 for a box of 30 eggs)
Woolworths Marsmallow Egg: R2.30 per egg (R55 for a box of 24)
SPAR Marshmallow Egg: R1.25 per egg (R60 for a box of 48)
Cadbury Fluffies: R2.33 per egg (R70 for a box of 30)
Beacon Egg: R1.67 per egg (R80 for a box of 48)
(Please note: prices may vary)So there you have it! What is your favorite chocolate mallow egg?
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And then there were five
Luchae and Christopher Williams are excited to announce that they will be adding one more little Williams to their brood. That’s right! We’re pregnant! (Well, I’m pregnant. If there was an option for us to take turns, I would definitely say that this should be Christopher’s round. But alas, I’m the oven and he is the chef. So….. oh kay… now that this awkward little monologue is over…)
To answer the series of questions that usually follows an announcement of this nature, when you have a bunch of kids already: Yes, we are serious! No, our baby is not a mistake. Yes, we are well aware that being pregnant usually results in the need to feed and clothe a whole other person. And no, we are not overwhelmed. Well, not anymore, atleast. #realtalk
Now, I had written out a whole other birth announcement post. This other post was way more chiller, and in it I explained the series of events that ultimately led to me taking a pee stick test. But, when I told a few people about our HAPPY news, we were met with a bunch of really negative responses that literally shattered my soul.
People said things to us like: “Oh my gosh don’t you guys use protection?” and “You’ve got to be kidding me!” and “Couldn’t you wait another year?!” and “Don’t you have enough children?” and “You know that self control is a fruit of the spirit” and my favorite, “What is wrong with you guys?!”
Those very real, very painful comments made me realize that I shan’t be sharing the detailed birth announcement post because I don’t owe anyone an explanation. And I most certainly don’t need to explain myself to someone who clearly has a different set of ideals and beliefs that I do. Especially the ones who don’t pay for my kids nappies. (So that’s, like, everyone.)
The truth is this, you guys, if Chris and I came into our marriage, sans any other kids, then there would be a lot more celebration and excitement for our baby number three. But, because we have a very real Seth and a very real Kyle (our stepkids), we are now suddenly grouped together with those mass breeding cult families who literally do nothing but procreate. (You get that we’ve only had two babies together, right? We don’t “pop them out all the time”.)And anyways… who cares?! Well, everyone does, apparently, because in this day and age, you’re only allowed to have a certain amount of children in order to be deemed socially acceptable. I mean, I can’t tell you who made up this rule because my grandparents had seven children and I don’t think they were stoned to death by the town folk.
We get it, five kids feels like A LOT but we’ve managed thus far, by the grace of God. He has sustained us through each uphill and every challenge and I’m 100% confident that He will do it again. He is faithful you guys.
Also, have you seen our other children? There’s another one of those beauties a-cookin’ in my belly as I type this! Eeeeek! So yes, we are happy and excited and feeling all those “aack, we’re having a baby!” feelings and it would be GREAT if you could celebrate with us! In fact we need you to celebrate with us. Will you, please?
Obviously more updates to follow but for now, just this one little public service announcement:
We’re having a baby! AAAAAAAAAAAACK!
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Book review: Redeeming Love – Francine Rivers (GIVEAWAY!)
I'm a Francine Rivers fiend! I love her writing style and her story telling ability, but more than that, I love that her stories are Bible based. You're able to relate with the lesson in the plot, while totally being swept away by the picture she paints with words as you get to know the characters as if they are your own best friends. Meg from By Megan Kelly and I have collaborated with Cum Books to give the gift of Francine to 2 of you! Follow our Francine Rivers' book reviews, over the next month, and stand a chance to score a super cool Francine Rivers hamper!
The first time I picked up Redeeming Love, I honestly didn’t expect the story to unravel me the way it did. I mean, the cover was pretty enough, and the synopsis speaks about a prodigal son/runaway bride type of vibe, but I honestly didn’t think that the story would draw me closer to God or move me in any way.
And boy was I wrong.
Set in the 1850’s, amidst the Calfornia Gold Rush, unwilling prostitute, Angel, survives abuse, rape and human trafficking. She was sold into prostitution as a little girl and basically grows up knowing no other way. In her eyes, men are evil, she is unworthy of love and God probably doesn’t exist, or if He does, then He is a sick and hate-filled God.
In the meantime, farmer Michael Hosea, a man after God’s own heart, receives word from God to go and find his wife in the city. The wife turns out to be Angel, and Hosea is floored that God would expect him to marry a seemingly cold-hearted (but very beautiful) prostitute. BUT this Hosea is such an obedient man, you guys, and He knows that God would not give him instruction if there wasn’t a reason for it, so he begins to pursue Angel. After a lot of back and forth, Angel and Hosea end up married (much to her dismay) and living on Hosea’s farm out in the bundu’s.
Hosea is a patient man and is obedient to God’s call and is willing to wait it out, as Angel journey’s through feelings of depression, unworthiness, fear, anger and shame. She doesn’t understand why this man would want to marry her and she is so annoyed that he speaks about this God all the time.
Guys, no matter how good Hosea is to her, Angel keeps running away from him. Like, physically, leaving him to go back to the life of abuse and prostitution, because she feels that this is the type of life she deserves. She is stubborn, foolish and spiteful (uhm, I can relate) and even when she eventually falls in love with him and grows to love their life together, she still feels that she is not good enough for him.
God instructs Hosea to let her go, because at the end of the day God is the only one who is able to heal her brokenness, and she needs to come to that realization all on her own.The story hit home for me because I too felt that worthlessness at one point in my life. The “why would anyone love me?” syndrome. It causes you to make the worst decisions (because surely nothing good can come from me) and it chips away at your ability to give and receive love.
I also completely admired Michael Hosea’s obedience to God. It made me feel like, wow, God is speaking to us, like that, every day… are we even listening?! Am I listening? Am I willing to be that obedient? When Angel kept running away from him, back to prostitution, Hosea put his pride aside and went after his wife, because God said so! Would you put your pride aside, if God told you to?
The way River’s unpacks the story, going into detail about the Gold Rush, the farm and the way life was lived back then, it totally helps you to step into the pages of the book – it’s as if you’re there! I couldn’t help but sob as I read about Angel’s experiences as a little girl and every physical attack thereafter. You want to climb into the book to console ‘little girl Angel’ when she loses loved ones and you want to shake the shoulders of ‘grown up Angel’ with each stubborn retort.
This book is probably one of the best reads of my life! (And that’s not me being dramatic) I’ve reread it a few times now and each time I find a new lesson to apply to my life. If you’re looking for one of those types of books that you just can’t put down – this is probably the one for you! There’s romance, there’s drama, there’s intrigue and there is a beautiful story about the unwavering, unfaltering love of God that overlooks even the dirtiest of sins you’ve committed and promises to love you just the same.
You can pick up your copy of Redeeming Love at any Cum Books store or check out their online store for more!
GIVEAWAY!Megan from By Megan Kelly and I have partnered with Cum Books to give away 2 book hampers comprising of 3 Francine Rivers books, including Redeeming Love. All you have to do is
- Make sure you’re following @luchae and @bymegankelly on Instagram
- Find the corresponding post on Instagram and let us know which of these 3 books are your favourite or which one you’re most looking forward to reading.
- Gain a bonus entry by letting me know what your Instagram handle is in the comments section below
Giveaway ends on 3 May. Follow our weekly Francine Rivers reviews to gain that bonus entry on each post! Check out Megan’s post to score another bonus entry. Giveaway not open to readers outside of RSA.
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Bath Time with Purity & Elizabeth Annes
We take bath time really seriously in our home. Okay, correction. I do. I take bath time seriously. Whaaat? It’s the only time I get to cuddle and love on my babies without them wanting to ditch me for their dad or play things. Part of our routine involves me telling them little stories, making up songs about the amount of fingers and toes they have and I obviously love that I get to rub them up with lotions and nice smelling potions, while they stare at me, enamored.
Over the past week we tried out some of the cool products from Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s mild and gentle range. I was so pleased when I received the press drop, because I’m old now and things like bath products excites me, apparently. But also because the names Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s is synonymous with quality and safety. We know the brand, we love the product, we buy copious amounts of the stuff to add to our baby shower gift bags. What’s not to love?The Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s Special Baby Shampoo is formulated without soap and is gentle on your baby’s eyes. I love the travel size bottle (great for that hospital bag and over night kit). We’ve used it as an all-over body wash (yep, including hair, yo!) It cleanses skin gently and leaves baby feeling fresh and all baby-smellin’! You guys know that well-known, Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s rose fragrance… I simply love it!
We also tried the Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s Fresh range. The Head to Toe wash has a fun, fresh fragrance (can a fragrance be fun?! why, yes it can!) with a tear free formulation. The Fresh Aqueous cream bar is perfectly PH balanced to be mild & gentle. For those who believe in chamomile (because, it’s like, a thing) you’ll be pleased to know that the Fresh Baby Powder has chamomile to help soothe and calm skinYou guys, the thing that most excited me was the laundry range! The amazing smelling Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s Laundry Wash is suitable for both hand and machine wash. The Purity & Elizabeth Anne’s Stain Remover comes in a really convenient ‘roll on’ tube, making it easy to apply to smaller garments. I mean, hello green poop stains! Those are a bummer (pun intended) to get out!
You can pick up the Purity and Elizabeth Anne’s ranges from all leading retailers. For more deets on these products, check out the website.
