Deborah Vogts's Blog, page 77

Valentine's Day & Anniversaries

I've mentioned before that my husband and I were married on Valentine's Day. We thought it would be fun (or at least I did) to celebrate our hearts becoming one on this day. Never again, would I be without a Valentine.

Little did I know that this would also be a day of long lines at restaurants and over-priced roses. That is why on most anniversaries my husband and I stay home and eat at the Valentine's Cafe with our daughters and watch a chick-flick on TV. But NOT this year! 

This year we're celebrating our 25th year anniversary and plan to celebrate all weekend! We'll begin by attending a Valentine's Day concert by our daughters, The Vogts Sisters. Believe me, listening to our daughters sweet harmony is one of our most favorite things to do, so this will be a true blessing for us. (Learn more about the concert HERE.) Then on Sunday, our three daughters have planned a special surprise for us--with no hints given until we arrive at our destination in Olathe. All I know is we're to pack an overnight bag with something nice to wear, and to wear comfortable shoes! Oh my! I am excited and eager to find out what they have in store for us! 

So how about you? Do you have fun plans for Valentine's Day? Did any of you marry on that day? If so, I'd love to hear from you. 

Book Preview ~ Paper Hearts

Paper Hearts, by Courtney Walsh

Abigail Pressman would never have guessed that love notes penned on paper hearts by an anonymous couple could restore her belief in love. As a business owner in a quaint town at the base of the Rockies, she’s poured everything into dreams of expansion . . . and resisting the matchmaking efforts of the Valentine Volunteers, who gather in her store to continue Loves Park’s tradition of stamping mail with the city’s romantic postmark.

When Abigail is unwillingly drafted into the Volunteers, she encounters the paper hearts, a distraction that couldn’t come at a worse time. A hard-to-read doctor has become Abigail’s new landlord, and he’s threatening to end her lease to expand his practice.

As she fights a growing attraction to this handsome man crushing her dreams, Abigail is inspired to string the hearts in her store, sparking a citywide infatuation with the artsy trend. But when a new batch of hearts reaches the Volunteers, it appears something tragic has happened to the couple. Will uncovering their story confirm Abigail’s doubts about love, or could it rescue her dreams . . . and her heart? Buy the book HERE.

Courtney Walsh is a published author, scrapbooking expert, theatre director and playwright. Her debut novel, A Sweethaven Summer, was released in February, 2012 by Guideposts Books, and will be followed by two additional novels in the series. She has also written two papercrafting books, Scrapbooking Your Faith and The Busy Scrapper and is currently working on her third, The Scrapcrafter’s Idea Book (F&W Publications, February, 2013.)

Courtney has been a contributing editor for Memory Makers Magazine and Children’s Ministry Magazine and is a frequent contributor to Group Publishing curriculum, newsletters and other publications. She has also written several full-length musicals, including her most recent, The Great American Tall Tales and Hercules for Christian Youth Theatre, Chicago. Courtney is a member of ACFW and is the current PR Manager for Webster’s Pages, a scrapbooking manufacturer. She lives in Colorado with her ultra creative husband and three children. Visit Courtney's Website HERE.

This Week's Recipes

Here are this week's new additions at Country at Heart Recipes. Tomorrow the Vogts Sisters will return to Tulsa for a performance at Joe Momma's Pizza from 9-11:00 PM. Join us if you can! 
Almond Cherry Chip Cookies
Cheesy Chicken Soup with Broccoli and Cauliflower
Valentine Menu Ideas

Book Preview ~ Love Unexpected

Love Unexpected, by Jody Hedlund

Stranded at Presque Isle port after their steamboat sank, Emma Chambers and her brother, Ryan, couldn't be farther away from security. While Ryan at least can find work, Emma can't even find a place to stay. An unlikely solution arises when the lighthouse keeper, who recently lost his wife and is struggling to raise his young son, arrives in town. A traveling preacher believes they might be the answer to each others' problems, and after a hasty marriage, 
Emma is headed back to the lighthouse with this handsome but quiet stranger. But nothing in her wandering life has prepared her for suddenly being asked to raise a child and keep a house. Struggling at every turn, Emma also suspects Patrick may be keeping something hidden from her. In town she hears whispers about strange circumstances surrounding his previous wife's death, and it seems as though Emma's answered prayer for a home and family may actually be something much more dangerous. Buy the book HERE. 

Jody Hedlund is an award-winning and bestselling author of inspirational historical romances for both adults and teens.

As a busy mama-writer, she has the wonderful privilege of teaching her crew of 5 children at home. In between grading math papers and giving spelling tests, she occasionally does a load of laundry and washes dishes. When she’s not busy being a mama, you can find her in front of her laptop working on another of her page-turning stories.

She loves reading almost as much as she loves writing, especially when it also involves chocolate and coffee. Visit Jody's Website HERE.

This Week's Recipes

Here are this week's new additions at Country at Heart Recipes. Tomorrow our daughters, The Vogts Sisters, will be performing at the Backroom Gallery-Cody's Cafe in Independence, MO. Learn more HERE. 
Playdough
Southwest Fiesta Chicken and Rice Skillet

Featured Author Alexis Goring shares her recipe for Cherry Pecan Bread

Book Preview ~ Watercolor Dreams

Watercolor Dreams, by Sherry Kyle

Historical Romance. He strolled into her painting . . . and into her heart. It's 1910 and Anna Lewis is praying that God will help her become a premier watercolor artist of the lush beaches of Carmel, California. When a man strides down the beach and stops to face the ocean, Anna sketches him into her painting. Was it a mistake? Anna thinks so when he tells her he doesn't have spare change to purchase her work. Spare change indeed! But while she seeks God's leading for her art career, she'd better keep her day job as nursemaid to two rambunctious boys. The minute Charles Jordan walks away, he regrets criticizing the woman's painting but as he told the artist, he's just been jilted at the altar. How will a secret from Charles' past affect his chances of loving again? And how will Anna have the hope she needs when tragedy strikes and she must rely on the one man who crushed her spirit? Buy the book HERE. 

Sherry Kyle is a graduate of Biola University with a degree in Communications, and a minor in Bible. She is a freelance writer, and is an active member in her church. Sherry maintains an active membership in a variety of professional organizations, including the American Christian Fiction Writers, My Book Therapy, and Christian Authors Network. She is also a graduate of the Institute of Children's Literature. Sherry has four children, three biological and one by adoption. When she isn't writing, she enjoys decorating her home, going to jazz concerts with her husband, Douglas, taking walks on the beach, watching movies, and spending time with her family. They live by the coast in Central California. You can find her on the web at SherryKyle.com

This Week's Recipes

Here are this week's new additions at Country at Heart Recipes. Enjoy your weekend! 
Peanut Butter Kisses
Shortbread with Raspberry and Chocolate Ganache
Cookbook Preview ~ Taste of Home Annual Recipes 2015

Are You a Downton Abbey Fan?

I admit it ... I'm a hopeless fan of Downton Abbey. I became hooked on the TV series on PBS Masterpiece Theatre back in 2012 when my youngest daughter and I watched the first few episodes on our computer (while hubby watched football on TV.) We've now entered into the 5th season and we're loving it still. And what's not to love? 
Its Setting: 1900's Brittish Aristicracy using the real Highclere Castle as Downton Abbey. Lush beautiful scenery, lavish decorations, authentic costumes, extravagant table settings--oh my!
The Family: Lord Crawley, Earl of Grantham and Lady Cora Crawley, their three daughters, Lady Mary, Lady Edith, and Lady Sybil (who died in childbirth in the third season), their families and of course the staff.
Quippy Lines: Actress Maggie Smith, Golden Globe winner for her role as The Dowager Countess of Grantham, never fails to offer us a few chuckles in each episode.
Intriguing Plot between upstairs and downstairs cast: We still miss Mary's husband, Matthew (who died right after his first son was born in season 3). 

And now wonder who Mary might fall in love with next. 

And will Tom really fall for Sarah--who seems to be a bit of a trouble-maker?

And what trouble lies ahead for Lady Edith? 
So, what are you waiting for? Check out this season's schedule HERE. And if you are already a fan of Downton Abbey, what do you like most about the show? Do you have a favorite character(s)? What do you think is in store for us in Season 5? (no spoilers, please.)

Book Preview ~ Buttermilk Sky

Buttermilk Sky, by Jan Watson

Weary of the expectations imposed on her by her strict upbringing, eighteen-year-old Mazy Pelfrey prepares to leave her home in the Kentucky mountains for the genteel city of Lexington, where she’ll attend secretarial school. She knows her life is about to change—and only for the better. Everything will be blue skies from now on.

But business school is harder than she thought it would be and the big city not as friendly, until she meets a charming young man from a wealthy family, Loyal Chambers. When Loyal sets his sights on her, Mazy begins to see that everything she’d ever wished to have is right before her eyes. The only hindrance to her budding romance is a former beau, Chanis Clay, the young sheriff she thought she’d left firmly behind.

Danger rumbles like thunder on a high mountain ridge when Mazy’s cosseted past collides with her clouded future and forces her to come to terms with what she really wants. Buy the book HERE.

Former registered nurse and peri-natal loss counselor, Jan Watson won the Jerry B. Jenkins
Christian Writers Guild First Novel Contest in 2004 with Troublesome Creek. Written with a dollop of romance and a smidgen of suspense, Jan's award winning historical novels, are uniquely set in the Appalachian Mountains.

Jan lives in Lexington, Kentucky and spends her days writing and entertaining her Jack Russell terrier, Maggie. Her favorite hobby is reading antique medical books. Visit Jan's Website HERE.

This Week's Recipes

Here are this week's new additions at Country at Heart Recipes. Our daughters, the Vogts Sisters, will perform tomorrow night at The Donut Whole in Wichita, KS. See more HERE. Enjoy your weekend! 
Cheesy Ham and Rice Casserole
Slow-Cooked Cheesy Chicken and Potatoes
Featured Author, Michelle Griep shares her recipe for Espresso-Cocoa Almonds