The Old Fashioned Way - A FlyBy Promotions Book Review & Giveaway

Earlier this month I shared with you a review of the DVD Old Fashioned and asked you to stay tuned for an awesome giveaway.  Well, the time has come.  Are you ready?  This is an awesome giveaway, and you could be the winner!

In addition to the DVD there are two books associated with the movie.  There is a novelization of the movie under the same title written by the author Rene Gutteridge based on the screenplay by Rik Swartzwelder.  Also available is a devotional titled The Old Fashioned Way: Reclaiming the Lost Art of Romance written by Ginger Kolbaba based on the same screenplay.  These three resources are put together in one nice little package and are a wonderful resource for anyone with a concern for the dating scene, modern romance, old traditions, pure lifestyle, and redemption.

Very few of us in today's society grew up with traditional values.  We dated.  We didn't court.  It's possible we don't even know what chivalry is or even have a clue what the traditional roles of man and women were just a couple of generations ago.  The books based on the screenplay help us to take this journey of discovery just a little further.  When you've finished the movie you will likely find yourself pondering over a lot of thoughts and questions.  The Old Fashioned Way is a 40 day devotional written to help you take these thoughts and questions to the next level.  Just like the movies some things may seem very foreign or strange, but the devotional helps us to sort those ideas out for ourselves.

If I had it to do over again, I would have read the book first.  That's just my personal preference.  I think it would be wonderful to do with a group or a book club.  Read the book, watch the movie, and then work through the devotional.  I have felt a gentle prodding in the area of family ministry.  Learning about every aspect of relationships of all sorts and how they work, or don't work, fascinates me.  I feel this would be wonderful for churches to have on hand as part of their available resources in a lending library or something of the sort.  There is lots to learn here and lots to think about.

Softcover - 303 pages

"Turning his back on his reckless lifestyle, former frat boy Clay Walsh has settled down to turn an antique shop in a small Midwestern college town....and to purse lofty and outdated theories on love and romance.  But when Amber Hewson, a free-spirited woman with a gypsy soul, rents the apartment above his shop, Clay can't help being attracted to her spontaneous and passionate embrace of life.  Amber also finds herself surprisingly drawn to Clay, but his ideas about relationships are unusual to say the least, and they bring to light her own deep wounds and fears about love.  They say opposites attract, but can Clay and Amber move beyond their differences and their pasts to attempt an "old fashioned" courtship?"

Softcover - 222 pages

"Contrary to popular opinion, being "old fashioned" doesn't mean you're dull or unromantic.  In fact, a true old fashioned relationship can be more exciting and romantic than anything you've ever experienced!  So what does it mean to do things the old fashioned way?  Sure, it means opening doors, holding out chairs, and taking things slow.  But a true old fashioned romance goes much, much deeper than that.  Inspired by the motion picture Old Fashioned, this book will show you how to reclaim the lost art of romance by introducing you to romantic love as God intended it.  Regardless of your past mistakes, where you've been, what you've done, or where you are now, you can find and create a love that will last a lifetime!  As you work your way through this forty-day journey of inspiring readings and questions for reflection, you'll discover all the unique and amazing benefits of doing things the old fashioned way.  And before you know it, you'll be well on your way to creating a love story for the ages." 

S O C I A L • C O R N E R

Official Website

Facebook

Twitter: @OldFashionedVow

Trailer

Official Website to Purchase

If you'd like to enter for your chance to win this awesome giveaway package, just leave me a comment below.  Make sure you comment with an i.d. that I can use to contact you in the even that you win.  I've had a few this year that have won, but I was unable to contact them and had to choose someone else.  Don't miss out!

"Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

 Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.”

Putting Up the Harvest: Strawberries

Last year I made a decision to put up as much food as I am capable.  In my perfect world I would grow everything I preserve.  In reality very little of what I preserve this year will come from my own soil.  It seems homesteading is filled with way many more bumps and hurdles than I could have possibly anticipated.  My perfectionist side goes crazy trying to deal with everything, and my desire to stumble upon a magic wand grows greater each passing day.  However, at some point I have to come to grips with reality, and that means ANOTHER year without any real designated garden beds to grow food.  It means ANOTHER failed attempt at starting seeds inside.  It means ANOTHER year of supporting my local farmers in my effort to put up and preserve as much produce as I possibly can.  It also means ANOTHER year of not putting up as much as I desire.  After all, I am indeed only one person.

I am one person with high ideals and even higher standards.  I am one person traveling a major detour with no clear sight around the bend limiting my ability to even see the ideals let alone reach the standards.  I am one person shifting gears, dodging potholes, cautiously braking, gingerly steering my way through this uncharted journey that we call life.  I am one person trying to figure out how to live as simply and graciously as possible given my own unique set of circumstances.

And, then there are strawberries.

One thing I've learned over the last couple of years is that eating in season requires determination, flexibility, and a lot of work.  You have to be determined, because it is time consuming.  Making any amount of homemade jam is A LOT more work than buying a jar at the store.  You have to be flexible, because when the item to be preserved is at its peak all life stops to preserve that specific food item before it passes its peak and begins to rot.  It doesn't matter what needs doing.  If you bought one, two, or ten flats of strawberries you darned well better get them processed within a day or so, or you can say goodbye to all those berries, the time you already invested, and the money you spent on them.  It's a downward slope that goes VERY quickly.

Then, there's the work.

It requires work processing your own food.  That's why there's such a huge market for already prepared food.  In our current culture there generally isn't time afforded to women, or men for that matter, for caring for their families like there used to be.  Unless we make a conscious effort to set up our lives to allow the time for the work involved in growing and preparing our own food it just cannot happen.  Not only does it take work, but it takes time, and it takes way more time than we would actually think.  Oh, and yes, your arms can and will get a workout hulling and processing strawberries.  Putting up food is repetitive work, and you have to be committed to the end product in order to see it through.

The reward.

I didn't mention that it is rewarding, very rewarding.  Nothing tastes so amazing as anything you put up yourself, unless of course it's something your grandma put up.  There is nothing more satisfying than opening up a jar of jam that you processed yourself.  You know every aspect of the food you are about to consume; its origin, the process in which it was prepared, etc.  Feeding your family can be done with the confidence that they are eating real, quality, nourishing food.  It can't get much better than that.

So, since I just processed two flats of strawberries for the first time I thought I might share with you what we did with them.  Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures of the finished products, but I can assure you that they are beautiful and delicious.

What we did with our strawberries:

Homemade Strawberry Yogurt Pops

1 quart Homemade Plain Yogurt
1 quart Fresh Strawberries, cleaned and hulled
1/2 cup Local Honey
2 Tbs. Pure Vanilla

I did this in two batches.  Using a blender, mix half of ingredients until well blended.  Pour into freezer molds and freeze until solid.  Repeat with remaining ingredients.

That's all there is to it!



Homemade Strawberry Yogurt Drink

Use the same recipe as above.  Only, this time pour into mason jars and refrigerate instead of freezing.  The kids love to drink this with a straw.  Super yummy!



Strawberry Syrup

I just took some of my strawberries and blended them with some local pure maple syrup and put it in jars in the refrigerator.  I didn't make a lot of this, less than a quart, as it's just a special treat, and it needs to be refrigerated.  It's awesome, though!  (You can make a cooked version as well that is super simple.)



Puree'd Strawberries

I really wanted to make Strawberry Jam, but time would not allow.  With a grandson over for the weekend and a hubby at home on vacation, my time was short when the strawberries were ready.  So, I just pulsed them through the blender and poured them into sandwich bags.  I laid them out on a cookie sheet and set them in the freezer.  After they froze, I removed the cookie sheet and stacked them up.  As time allows I'll use them to make jam, throw them in smoothies, or add them to pancake batter.  No matter how we consume them I know we'll love them, especially in the dead of winter.



Fresh in the Refrigerator

I cleaned up the last two quarts and let them dry.  Then I put them into one of those cool bags you can buy for keeping produce fresh in the refrigerator.  We plan to use some for Strawberry Shortcake.  The rest will just be eaten like they are or put on top of yogurt or cereal.

Do you have a favorite way to use fresh strawberries when they're in season?  I'd love to hear about it!

Enjoy Being a Parent

I just L-O-V-E, love Scott Noelle at Enjoying Parenting! His daily emails are inspirational, challenging, thought provoking, and encouraging. Scott really has a gift of showing us what is so blatantly obvious, but somehow society has managed to snugly secure blinders over our eyes preventing us from seeing what has always been there; pure, gentle spirits.

Our nature as humans really is pretty simple. We are creatures of habit, and when our habits get changed to something less than desirable we can flounder there forever if left unchallenged. Scott provides that challenge in a kind and gentle way. He is so simple and loving in his presentation that I often find myself thinking, "Well, duh! Why on earth don't I think that way already?"

It is SO very easy to get caught up in the daily grind that we can slip right into negative behavior and bad decision making and be completely unaware of just exactly where we have allowed ourselves to go in our thinking and behavior. Left unchecked, as humans we can go rapidly into a downward spiral. Our children are first, right after ourselves, in the line of those effected by the decisions we choose to make.

When you think about it, our children are really quite vulnerable to our behavior. They are directly effected by our state of mind and actions. I know my kids are VERY in tune with me. If something is bothering me, and (I think) I have not given any outward indication to that fact, my children ALWAYS ask me what is wrong. I am definitely a person that wears my heart on my sleeve, but even when I want to keep things under wraps it is impossible to do so in regard to my children. So, if they are so susceptible to something we are trying not to share just imagine how they are impacted by those things that we do without thought on a daily basis. The impact is profound!

I always think of little ones as a sponge. They go around soaking up everything around them until they are overflowing. Imagine the difference we can make if their little sponge selves are filled with positive emotion, creative thinking, and useful information. In my thinking filling them with good things better equips them to keep the negative things at bay. A sponge that is already full has no room for more. You have to squeeze out some of the water down the drain in order for more to be soaked up. What better to refill our child sponges with than good, clean parental interaction. Modeling positive and creative thinking for them as youngsters can only have a positive impact on them as they grow and mature; not to mention the bond you create with yourself and your children through such positive interaction in childhood.

Take the time to visit Scott's web site, Enjoy Parenting. You and your children can only benefit from the resources and articles available there. Scott's advice is perfect for parents that have children of all ages. At first glace it may seem like his information is only directed toward parents of young children, but my youngest is soon to be 15 years old, and I still love reading Scott's daily emails. They're FREE, so you might as well sign up while you are there!