Happy New Year!

"Another day gone. Another year passed. 

Sing the memories of song. Let the old years last.

But most important of all, one must never forget.

That Jesus took the fall, and replaced our fateful debt."

- Me

I hope that everyone of you, whether it was through difficult times or the best moments of your life, fully experienced the year of 2013. I am looking forward to continuing my blog and maybe get some more readers!! Love all ya! :-)

~*~*~*~

As ever, 

Stephanie

Edible Puppy Chow!

It's ALMOST CHRISTMAS folks! 

Since it is so close to Christmas, I am going to give you guys a quick and easy recipe if you are rushing to make a snack for the annual family christmas/work parties. 

And yes, I did try out the recipe this morning! It was so yummy! :-)

Recipe: White Chocolate & Peppermint Puppy Chow

-4 cups of Rice Chex Cereal 

-Any color candy canes / I used regular red and white / (you need about 6)

-1 tbsp of butter

-1-2 cups of powdered sugar

-1 cup white chocolate (I used the morsels, even though it's not real chocolate)

-Milk to thin out your melted chocolate (This is optional, although I did this step, it helped a lot!) 

The video where I got the recipe from, and to show you how to make it is here. 

The result is amazing and the little specks of candy cane showing through is so pretty! It only took me a half and hour or so to make, and it's a no bake - so that's a plus for me. 

I hope you guys enjoy, and comment below if you tried it out. The ingredients can be switched out with many options, so the possibilities are endless!

As ever, 

Stephanie

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City of Bones: Book Review

Hey Audience! I am giving you an early Christmas gift. Free of charge.

Seriously though, I know it has been a while since I last posted a review.

The lovely cover is SOOOO AMAZINGGG!

(This is the same book cover I own at home)

This book has gotten more fame in the past after the movie came out. However, a lot of critics are giving bad ratings to the movie--but the trailer for it looks awesome!

I don't know. You guys decide I guess.

But you MUST read the book first.

Here is a brief synopsis given by the lovely IMDb:

When her mother disappears, Clary Fray learns that she descends from a line of warriors who protect our world from demons. She joins forces with other like her and heads in dangerous alternate New York called Downworld. 

Well ok, I'll be honest. That wasn't the greatest summary in the world . But you get the gist. Truly, it is a great read, SO FAR.

Yes, I will also admit this. I am not finished with it yet. *GASP* What?! How can you not finish the book and still give a review on it? You must be joking. 

I can, because I can. :-)

I have made it to chapter...8...9? Somewhere along there. I AM HOOKED. I literally can not put it down. And I know you will not be able to too. {GRAMMAR NAZI INSERT COMMENT HERE}

Or perhaps not. Perhaps you will think it lame. Or boring. Or mundane. (HAHA. That was a totally inside joke, which you won't get until you read the book!)

Just read it anyway.

I give this book a [*][*][*][*][*] (5 star) rating only because I haven't finished yet.

Happy page turning!

As ever,
Stephanie

Save Money, Steal Clothes!

Honestly, this blog is not about stealing. Or shop-lifting.

I promise.

But there are certainly other ways of saving money when and if you want to go shopping. Since Christmas is right around the corner, I figured that this would be appropriate to give you guys a few suggestions for a cheaper and more old-fashioned way of buying gifts for the family.

Hope you like them!

1. Thrift Stores. Seriously guys, the majority of my closet is from some sort of thrift store. But here's the best part- no one evens knows! I find name-brand items and usually they are 80-90% off the regular store price. You can't get much better than that.

2. DIY Gifts. Pinterest has amazing easy DIY Christmas gifts for any kind of person. If you are crafty, not-so-crafty (like me), baking ideas, decorations, etc. Anything and everything you can imagine! [I also roam Youtube for easy step-by-step ideas as well.]

3. Food. I love, love, love to bake! Cookies or brownies, cupcakes or pies. Anything with sugar would be a great gift, especially for the men. ;o) 

4. Gift Cards. This is an especially nice idea if you have a major coffee drinker in the house, but you don't want to spend money on getting the whole sha-bang (coffee maker, coffee flavors, filters, yada yada). I recommend Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. But mall gift cards also work as well. Oh! And now-a-days they have this, visa, gift card. It is basically a credit card, with a limit on it. At least you don't have debt! 

5. Personal cards//room decor. I like to make a really cool, personal card with pictures and such, BUT when the holidays are over - it can be used as a wall decor or bedroom decor. This is great, especially when you know what colors your sister or your best friends room is so you can match it! 

6. Mason Jars. I love me some mason jars. Seriously. You can put anything in them, throw some ribbon on it, and it looks amazing! I have recently been getting into the putting-a-recipe-in-a-mason-jar ideas. They are simply amazing. 

Again, these are just some ideas that I love and personally have used. Let me know if you try these or if you have any other great ideas! Comment below if you want more suggestions on cheaper gift ideas. 

As ever, 

Stephanie

Divergent Review

Yup, you guessed it. Another book review.

If you haven't noticed all the hype about this book yet, well then I might be able to assist!

Here's the pretty cover:

Divergent is a very good book set in the future of America. *Notice the swampy lands in front of the skyline of Chicago. 

I can't say much about it--but I will tell you, that being an avid reader and a harsh critique, this is not a terribly written book. But why? you ask? Well, I will tell you why. 

1. It is easy to read

2. It is at a medium pace--keeps the readers attention

3. There are not too many characters to remember 

4. It is one of a trilogy--so it does have questions unanswered, making you want to read the next one

5. Will make you laugh and cry at the same time

I give it an 8.5 in my book of ratings. Can you really put a .5 on a rating? Yes. Yes I can. 

If you want a small overview of what the book is about, I recommend WIKIPEDIA. Or IMDb. 

Blogger's recommendation: I BEG you to READ the book first before you watch the movie that is scheduled to come out in 2014. Books are always better than the movies. And you will have more backstory about the characters as well. Better hit up your nearest library! 

Trailer here. 

As ever,

Stephanie

What's the Point of Marriage?

Ok, seriously. Stop for a moment and ponder this question.

What's the point of marriage?

By definition, marriage is "the formal union of a man and a woman, typically recognized by law, by which they become husband and wife". Please don't harp about same-sex marriage, because I didn't make up this definition. It was in the dictionary.

Anyway, recently I was chatting with a friend of mine and we were discussing the possibility of her sister getting married soon. However, she has been dating this great guy for a while now and first they want to get a house together before he pops the big question.

On an outward view, this is a logical step towards finding out if you are compatible with your partner, thus helping decide if continuing the relationship by getting married will actually work.

This practice is so common in the US, that it is socially accepted, whereas a hundred years ago, this wasn't even something to consider. It was simply ludicrous.

So this brings me back to my original question. What's the point of marriage?

If marriage is supposed to bring two people together in unity, whatever your beliefs, but they are already having pre-marital sex (another form of union!) and living t-o-g-e-t-h-e-r in a house before they get married, I honestly think that marriage should be thrown out the window in this case.

Marriage, at this point in history has no merit behind it.

It is only for the fun of planning the flowers, the dress, the decorations. The when, the where, and the how. But what about the why?

WHY is it ok to "practice" being married? It seems redundant, pointless, and utterly hypocritical. Because when you are walking down that aisle, about to be "united" with your future spouse, it seems to me like you are lying to yourself.

So why do people still torture themselves by getting married and become re-united all over again? That doesn't sound logical. That sounds crazy.

***

As ever,
Stephanie

High Beams are of the Devil

November 23, 2013

I am sorry folks, but here is another rant...you might want to arm yourself. It can get nasty.

Only kidding, but seriously...let's talk about an evil phrase that should have never been invented: High Beams.

I don't know about you but I do not like driving in the dark, AT ALL. Not only is there the glare, but the very annoying people who REFUSE to turn off their high beams when passing an innocent driver such as myself.

I would rather not be blinded by the light in this case.

So, please PLEASE please, remember to turn off your high beams when passing drivers.

Thanks!

What Ever Happened to Hymnals?

November 19, 2013
11:47am

Going to church now-a-days is becoming more and more like a mash pit. The worship are songs you can clap your hands and tap your foot to. But sitting in a pew or chair, has the thought ever crossed your mind, What ever happened to hymnals? 

Perhaps not. Perhaps you like the contemporary songs, and don't get me wrong I do too. But sometimes it is nice to throw in some old school every now and then. I mean, isn't retro coming back into fashion? There is no logical reason why hymns shouldn't either.

Some of the old hymns are just classic. Like Mozart or the Beatles. They can never really go out of style...for example everyone knows Amazing Grace. But what about other ones we have forgotten? For example: Count Your Blessings:

When upon life's billows you are tempest-tossed,

When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,

Count your blessings, name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

I mean, these lines are great! Granted, we don't really use "hath" anymore, but the message comes across.

I don't know, this was just a thought. I have many of these often actually. Like things like this keep me up at night. I live a pretty sad life. 

Perhaps it's because my eye isn't on the sparrow.

As ever,

Stephanie

Thr3e Review Continued (Finally!)

What's crack-a-lacking peeps.

Soooo, I am coming to the realization that more people are interested in book reviews rather than me pouring my heart out....*crickets*...

but I still love you guys...

Anyway, for the last book review I attempted to do a review on Thr3e. But I actually never really said anything about it. Here is my chance to redeem myself. 

For those of you who are actually, truly interested in reading this book (which I highly recommend), here is just a taste of what to expect. 

Expect: A story about Kevin Parson who is the target for a psychopathic murder. 

Expect: Many plot twists. There are riddles Kevin has to solve or else many people could die. 

Expect: Fingertips to bleed from paper cuts....It is a high-pacted action thriller that will definitely keep you up at night! (Thus, turning the pages so fast you get a paper cut) So, don't read this before bed under your covers, because I did....so NOT a good idea. 

Expect: An unexpected ending. There is an incredibly wicked (in a good way) twist at the end which will give you a screaming "NO!" and throwing the book across the room response. 

Hope this helps in some way, and comment if you want more book reviews!

As ever, 

Stephanie

Ps. For those of you who are not aware, it was made into a movie...but the book is WAY better. Here is the link for the trailer anyway for your entertainment. :)

What is a Friend?

Have you ever wondered what makes a "friend" a friend? 

William Arthur Ward said that, "A friend is one with whom you are comfortable, to whom you are loyal, through whom you are blessed, and for whom you are grateful." 

My co-worker recently brought this to my attention, and I thought why not make it a blog? So of course I had to look up the definition of the word "friend" and this is what I found: 

Friend (noun) = a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard, a person who gives assistance, a person who is on good terms with another, etc. 

So, now that you have that definition in you head, are you wondering which one to choose? Because I certainly am. 

When I looked up this definition, I started thinking about all of my friends and how I came to the conclusion that they had become one of my "friends". BUT then I also got to thinking about the different definition of MY term for the word friend. 

Because I have many. Terms, not friends.  

There is the best friend, the good friend, the friend, and the acquaintance. At least, in my vocabulary book of friends.

For me, I only have one or two best friends because those are the ones that we share all our secrets to, stay up late talking on the phone (or texting now-a-days) under the covers, and tell about almost all of our minuscule crushes to (because you got to save some good stuff for mom!). 

So, what makes a friend a friend? Honestly, I have no idea. But it sure is a good question. I mean, after all I have over 500 friends on FaceBook, but only really talk to about five on a daily basis. And even then, there are friends that I talk to on a daily basis that don't even have a Facebook. The definition of a friend on a networking site, such as Facebook is a sad way to make yourself look popular and well-liked to others who are stalking your profile. 

This is only an observation. 

My co-worker also made the off-hand comment about how much work it takes to keep a friend. I mean, really...now that I think about it. It really does take a lot of work. Blood, sweat, and tears baby.

A lot rides on the definition of friend. I hope you found this interesting a topic as I do. 

Think about who your friends are. Think about why they are your friends. Think about why there is a difference between a "good" friend and just a friend. Think about maybe why there even is a difference. Are they a friend or not? 

As ever,

Stephanie

Thr3e Book Review

Hey Y'all!

This is going to be my first review blog on a book.

FYI - I am a HUGE HUGH-MONGO GLORIOUSLY GIGANTIC fan of Ted Dekker.

You can check out his website here: http://teddekker.com

Impressed that I could figure out how to add a link?? Yeah I know, I am too.

Anywayssss, one of my favorite books by him (well all of them actually) is a lovely book called Thr3e.

It gets an 8 in my book.

As ever, 
Stephanie

Ps. Comment if you want a short description of the book. 

The Second Quick Note

Hello, again.

Fancy meeting you here. ;)

Chances are you guys accidentally click onto my blog is because you are looking for another blogger who goes by a similar name. Or maybe not, and you don't care.

Either way, I decided to change the name because I want to be different and unique. Not some low life blogger who became famous through happenstance.

That being said, a new blog name is being born! Or in better terms, this blog is getting a skin transplant and it is only a couple days old. Such goes life.

SO- this blog once being called Balmy Books is now.... Putting the "B" Back in Book.

I sincerely hope that no one else has taken this, and if they have--tough cookies.

As ever,
Stephanie

A Quick Note

Just a quick note here--

You must check out this guy, his blogs are amazing, inspiring, and definitely worth a peek at:

http://themattwalshblog.com

Comment below if you have heard of this guy!!

Ps. I am currently fixing little things on here because I am still figuring out how this site works.

NEWBIE ALERT.

As ever,
Stephanie

Hello Blogging World!

I have always admired and -to put more frankly- stalked other bloggers, because I love them so much! 

BUT now here my chance to make one of my own. :)

This is, admittedly, a little weird for me, but I will try and make this blog as interesting

and short to the point as I can. 

MOTIVE: To criticize books on a scale of one-to-ten, based on my personal opinion. 

GOAL: The goal of this blog is to just have fun, and to gain experience. 

That's it for now. Let's hope I keep this up. 

As ever, 
Stephanie