Kaylea Hutson's Blog, page 63

Sept 11 Lessons

Do you remember where you were on Sept. 11, 2001?

I do.

People talk about remembering where they were on certain days - when Kennedy died, when Reagan's assassination attempt took place, when the Challenger and later, the Columbia shuttle, exploded.

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, I was in my first week as a new reporter for The Lawrence County Record - a small, but vibrant community newspaper in Mt. Vernon, Mo.

I'm not sure if it was my mom's phone call, or another persons' but in the midst o...

Lessons from Vacation - Part 2: Saying Yes

Vacation Lesson 2 - Be Careful What You Say 'Yes' To....
During my vacation, Kim and I took a drive and found ourselves at two different, unique Amish stores near Urbana, Missouri.

I loved looking at all of the fresh produce and exploring the various products available at the markets.

At the second market, we were able to purchase freshly made sandwiches - that give any restaurant a run for their money - in terms of quality and price (less than $4).Yes, I took a bite first.....

While we were wait...

Blog Tour: DIVAS of the Divine (Review)

Looking for a way to be a D•I•V•A•S?
Why not check out - D•I•V•A•S of the Divine: How to Live as a Designer Original in a Knock-Off World

The Bible study, developed by Donna McCrary and Sherri Holbert, focuses on a strategic plan that women can follow to improve their spiritual walk.
Ultimately, through prayer, accountability - hence the name: Devoted Individuals Via Accountability & Prayer - the study is designed to help women gain a confident outlook on achieving life aspiration.

The eight week...

Lessons from Vacation - Part 1: Laughter

It's a little late, but I promised a couple of friends I'd "report" on the lessons I learned during my August vacation. I spent a week with my wonderful friends Kim and Kevin at the their "getaway" home at Pomme de Terre State Park in south/central Missouri.

People asked me what we did - here it is in a nutshell.
We read books - ate great food - played LOTS of Rummy 2000 - took several naps - swam in the lake - went boating - took lots of naps - took a couple of drives - watched a few movies an...

Blog Tour: Choosing To SEE (Review)

Powerful.

If I could sum up Mary Beth Chapman's new memoir, Choosing to SEE: A Journey of Struggle and Hope (co-written with Ellen Vaughn) in one word, that would be Powerful.

I knew the words Chapman used to tell her life story would move me. I never expect to be laughing so hard that my sides in one moment, and then in the next, be crying so hard that I would literally drench my pillow with tears.

Chapman lays out the good, the bad and the down right ugly - including her grief following Maria'...

A Sweet Treat

Recently my bloggy-friend Amanda showed people how you can make homemade ice cream without using an ice cream freezer. It all stems around Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk.

So, after seeing her yummy results, I had to try this treat. So while I was on vacation last month, I gave it a shot....

First - start with  two cups (16 oz.) of heavy whipping cream and one can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk.
Next, whip the whipping cream into "stiff peaks." Don't whip it too much, you might...

A bit of housecleaning......

Congrats to Carol Naomi Wong for winning the August drawing for a copy of Deadly Disclosures by Julie Cave.

It will be in the mail to you this week!

Blog Tour: It's A Winner!

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!
(Ok, where did that saying come from exactly?)

In my review of Suzanne Woods Fisher's newest book Amish Proverbs I challenged readers to submit their favorite family proverb, for a chance to win a copy of the book.

Before I announce the winner - drumroll please - here are a few proverbs which tend to "fall" out of my mouth at any moment in time... think of them as "Kaylea-isms"....

My dad has a saying, which has become ingrained in my brain: "Morning comes awfully e...

RetrO Redesign

It's a redesign!
Celebrating the newest collab at Oscraps.com - RetrO. It's RetrO-Amazing!
Here's the complete preview!
Click here to purchase the kit at Oscraps!
Complete blog credits:
The current blog design uses papers and elements by the Oscraps designers - from RetrO, a collab kit that can be found at Oscraps.com

Fonts used are: Champagne & Limousines & Fontdinerdotcom Sparkly, both can be found at http://www.dafont.com.

As always, thanks to Amanda @ www.kevinandamanda.com for having the wonde...

Blog Tour: Love Finds You in Victory Heights (Interview & Review)

[image error] What happens when you add a factory gal with a slightly pushy, but well-meaning reporter? A match made in "heaven," or actually, Victory Heights, to be exact.

That's the premise behind the newest novel by the writing team of Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss - Love Finds You in Victory Heights. 

Set during World War II, the book focuses on life on the "homefront" of Seattle, Washington. It captures the adventures of Rosalie, a small town girl who spends her days "shooting" rivets into B-17 bombe...