Last Chance to Win with Terri Blackstock!

Casey Cox doesn’t fit the profile of a killer . . . but her DNA is all over the crime scene, and she’s now a fugitive. Don’t miss Terri Blackstock’s next page-turner, If I Run. Unraveling her past and the evidence that condemns her will take more time than Dylan has, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey. But as Dylan’s damaged soul intersects with hers, he is faced with two choices. The girl who occupies his every thought is a psychopathic killer . . . or a selfless hero. And the truth could be the most deadly weapon yet.

Join Terri in celebrating her new book with a Fitbit giveaway and a special $4.99 digital pre-order deal!

if i run-400 

One grand prize winner will receive:

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry! The giveaway ends on February 16th. The winner will be announced February 17th on the Litfuse blog.

Plus don’t miss out on the special $4.99 digital pre-order pricing, now through February 15. Pre-order the book through your favorite e-book retailer; details here.

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Menu Plan Monday – February 15, 2016

 

We’re having an exciting week around here.  Weeknight events, back-to-back out-of-town field trips, and changing weather means I’m not sure what’s going to happen with the meal plan this week.  I’ve got a plan, and I’m going to try hard to work it, but … we’ll be flexible if we need to.

What do you have going on this week?

Breakfast:

Dinner:

Parmesan Potato Soup

My husband surprised me with a fancy dinner out for Valentine’s Day – just the two of us – and the dessert we had was amazing.  I found this recipe for Hazelnut Chocolate Cheesecake, and I think we’re going to give it a try.

What are you eating this week?

For more Menu Plan Monday, visit OrgJunkie.

A FREE Field Trip + Chocolate Unit

Disclosure Pic

Videri, a fair-trade and locally-owned chocolate factory in downtown Raleigh, NC, makes for a fantastic field trip.  The self-guided tour is a fun way to see the chocolate process in action, but if you’re not close enough to drop by on your own, I have great news!

FREE Field Trip + Unit Study @ A Nest in the Rocks

Gypsy Road is featuring our trip to Videri on their blog today – along with lots of resources for creating your own chocolate unit – and most of them are FREE!  Hop on over and check it out!

Of course, if you want more information about Videri, you can go here to read more about our trip.  The resources below are also some of our chocolate-y favorites.

 

Hearts for Home Blog Hop – February 10, 2016

A Nest in the Rocks is now one of the co-hosts for the weekly Hearts for Home Blog link-up, which means that every Thursday you’ll find lots of great tips, recipes, and other family-friendly ideas listed throughout this post. If you’re a blogger, we’d love to have you link up your posts and join us. You can find information about the other co-hosts of this hop here.

The most clicked post from last week was FREE Chinese New Year Online Unit Study.

Some of my favorite posts from last week were:

Non-Candy Valentine’s Day Gifts

Chocolate Fractions Pack

67 Awesome Random Acts of Kindness Ideas for Kids

If your post is listed above, please grab one of our ‘Featured Blogger’ buttons! Congratulations, and thanks for writing such inspiring posts.

Please share your family friendly posts with us!

By linking up you agree that if your blog post is selected to be featured on any of our hosts’ blogs that we can use an image from your post with a link back to your post. 

Slow Cooker Mongolian Chicken

Slow Cooker Mongolian Chicken @ A Nest in the Rocks

 

That’s why I was excited to find this recipe.  It sounded so good to me – and yet we didn’t have all of the original ingredients, so we played around a little bit.

We ended up with something that takes a few minutes to throw together and then cooks on its own.  There are no last minute items to do, which makes it especially great for those days when you have little time at home before dinner.

If you’re a fan of Asian food, this is definitely a recipe to try because it’s just as tasty as it is simple.

What’s your favorite busy-night dish?

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Home to 4 Kiddos

Slow Cooker Mongolian Chicken
Serves 4
A tasty and healthy Oriental-style dish
Write a review
Print
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
4 hr
Total Time
4 hr 10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
4 hr
Total Time
4 hr 10 min
318 calories
31 g
96 g
4 g
38 g
1 g
203 g
1908 g
20 g
0 g
2 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
203g
Servings
4
Amount Per Serving
Calories 318
Calories from Fat 37
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 4g
6%
Saturated Fat 1g
6%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 96mg
32%
Sodium 1908mg
79%
Total Carbohydrates 31g
10%
Dietary Fiber 1g
5%
Sugars 20g
Protein 38g
Vitamin A
102%
Vitamin C
3%
Calcium
5%
Iron
11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ingredients
  1. 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
  2. 1/2 c. soy sauce
  3. 1/4 c. cornstarch
  4. 1 clove of garlic, minced
  5. 1/3 c. brown sugar
  6. 2 grated carrots
Instructions
  1. Toss chicken with cornstarch. Set aside.
  2. Whisk sugar, water, soy sauce, and garlic together.
  3. Add liquid mixture to slow cooker.
  4. Add grated carrots and stir to combine.
  5. Stir chicken into slow cooker.
  6. Cook for 4 hours.
  7. Serve over rice with veggies.
Adapted from The Recipe Critic
beta
calories
318
fat
4g
protein
38g
carbs
31g
more
Adapted from The Recipe Critic
A Nest in the Rocks https://anestintherocks.com/

“Keeper of the Stars” by Robin Lee Hatcher

Because it’s not always love at first sight!

When her mother died from pneumonia, Penny Cartwright was heartbroken. But now, after burying her younger brother just 12 years later, she is devastated. Anger, guilt, and sorrow cloud Penny’s mind, and the last thing she wants is to be reminded of her pain—but that’s exactly what happens when a stranger comes to town.

Trevor Reynolds has been chasing fame for more than a dozen years, but his musical career can’t get off the ground. While on the road, an accident kills his young drummer, Brad Cartwright. Trevor wasn’t behind the wheel, but he still blames himself . . . and so does Brad’s sister, Penny. Now Trevor finds himself in Kings Meadow, determined to follow through on his final promise to his friend.

Still feeling the pain of Brad’s death, Penny and Trevor must learn that forgiveness is the only thing that can heal their hearts. And if they do forgive, something beautiful may rise from the ashes of heartbreak.

Robin Lee Hatcher ‘s newest book is a ‘keeper’ in more ways than one!  It may be a love story at heart, but there’s much more happening within the pages of this book.

This isn’t your ordinary love story.  There’s not a simple obstacle keeping the two main characters apart, and finding love isn’t simple on either end.  Penny’s been seriously hurt in the past, and she’s still grieving the loss of her brother.  She’s not ready to trust her heart with anyone, and staying in control sounds great to her.  Forgiveness isn’t an easy road to walk.

Trevor’s finding that out.  While he wasn’t directly to blame for the accident, he feels guilt for his part in it, and he knows that Penny’s brother had his head on a bit straighter than he does himself.  Brad’s life and the legacy he left on Trevor’s heart inspires him to begin making changes, but choosing between love and life and fame and long-held dreams … that’s a hard road to walk, too.

I would’ve loved this book if it were just that: the story of two hurting souls trying to heal and finding love with each other in the process.  That’s a doozy of a story, and Hatcher crafts it expertly.  The ride isn’t smooth but the love is sweet and the story draws you in.  Just like an info-mercial, though, there’s more!  Hatcher sends the reader back in time to hear Brad’s interactions with the main characters of the book. You read crucial interactions that feed what’s happening with the characters now.  Even though Brad is gone before the book begins, he’s still a major player in the story – and you feel like you know him well when you turn the last page.

I love that.  It takes a gifted author to make a dead man a main character in a story, but Hatcher pulls it off, and she does so well.  As you read, you share the pain of the characters, but you also learn their lessons and experience their joy as their journey progresses.

I couldn’t put Keeper of the Stars down.  I was enthralled from the first page to the last.

It’s definitely a keeper.

Click here to read other reviews on this blog hop or here to purchase your own copy now.

Want a sample?  Click here to read a chapter for free.

Best-selling novelist Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heart-warming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, two RT Career Achievement Awards, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over sixty novels.

Connect with Robin: website, Twitter, Facebook

I received a free copy of Keeper of the Stars from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.

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Mommynificent

Menu Plan Monday – February 8, 2016

 

I’m not sure what happened last week.

I cooked, I really did, but somehow I didn’t make many of the things on the plan.

So – here’s to Take Two.

Breakfast:

Dinner:

What are you eating this week?

For more Menu Plan Monday, visit OrgJunkie.

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