I want to be
a princess with super powers. Doesn’t that sound cool? A princess who could run
faster than a train or who could be invisible and hide from the aunt that
pinches my cheeks too hard; or even better, one who could turn vegetables to
candy. I’d always eat my Brussels sprouts then. Hyacinth can’t turn things into
candy, but she does have a cool ability. She floats!
Princess Hyacinth (The Surprising Tale of a
Girl Who Floated) by Florence Parry Heide “Princess Hyacinth has a problem: she floats. And so the king and queen have pebbles sewn into the tops of her socks, and force her to wear a crown encrusted with the heaviest jewels in the kingdom to keep her earthbound. But one day, Hyacinth comes across a balloon man and decides to take off all her princess clothes, grab a balloon, and float free. Hooray! Alas, when the balloon man lets go of the string . . . off she goes. Luckily, there is a kite and a boy named Boy to save her.”
As long as we’re
in a SciFi mode from yesterday, I want to mention another fun series I’ve
discovered that combines the best of several genres. Re-imagined fairy tales set
in a dystopian, futuristic setting - Cinderella as a Cyborg? NO WAY! I thought
for sure it wouldn’t work. But it does, really well. The whole series does, I promise.
So be prepared to try something truly unique and be impressed. Check out the
Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer.
Cinder
Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New
Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar
people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges
on one girl. . . . Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.
Scarlet
Cinder is back and trying to break
out of prison—even though she’ll be the Commonwealth’s most wanted fugitive if
she does—in this second installment from Marissa Meyer.
Halfway around the world, Scarlet
Benoit’s grandmother is missing. It turns out there are many things Scarlet
doesn't know about her grandmother, or the grave danger she has lived in her
whole life. When Scarlet encounters Wolf, a street fighter who may have
information as to her grandmother's whereabouts, she is loath to trust this
stranger, but is inexplicably drawn to him, and he to her. As Scarlet and Wolf
unravel one mystery, they encounter another when they meet Cinder. Now, all of
them must stay one step ahead of the vicious Lunar Queen Levana.
Cress
In this third book in Marissa Meyer's bestselling Lunar
Chronicles series, Cinder and Captain Thorne are fugitives on the run, now with
Scarlet and Wolf in tow. Together, they’re plotting to overthrow Queen Levana
and prevent her army from invading Earth.
Their best hope lies with Cress, a
girl trapped on a satellite since childhood who’s only ever had her netscreens
as company. All that screen time has made Cress an excellent hacker.
Unfortunately, she’s being forced to work for Queen Levana, and she’s just
received orders to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.
When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is splintered. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price than she’d ever expected. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai, especially the cyborg mechanic. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.
When a daring rescue of Cress goes awry, the group is splintered. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes at a higher price than she’d ever expected. Meanwhile, Queen Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to Emperor Kai, especially the cyborg mechanic. Cress, Scarlet, and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.
The final
book in the series is said to release in 2015. Can’t wait!
I want to welcome
Alexa, Kianna’s housemate and best friend. They met as roomies in college and
have been tight ever since. Alexa is a party planner and loves to cook. What do
you have for us, Alexa?
I have
wonderful plans for all of you. National Princess Week just begs for a party,
doesn’t it? How about an International Tea Party?
I think it
sounds like a lot of fun too. With my ideas here and on my Pinterest page, you
can whip something together in time to host it this weekend and see the holiday
out with a bang!
(Follow April's board National Princess Week International Tea Party on Pinterest.
)
There are so
many directions you could go with food, decorations, even entertainment – it’s
all about who your guests are and what you have time to create. There’s a wide
variety of options on the Pinterest page, but pick and choose what you like
best. :)
I had to
share a couple of recipes with you here, because I’m just that kind of girl. I
love trying new recipes. When I saw Giada’s recipe on FoodNetwork.com, I knew
it would be perfect. I’m teasing the title just a bit. (Hope you don’t mind,
Giada.)
“Princess and
the Pea” Pesto Crostini
Total Time: 12 min
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 2 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Level: Easy
- Pesto:
- 1
(10-ounce) package frozen peas, defrosted
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2
cup grated Parmesan
- 1
teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
- 1/4
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
- 1/3
cup olive oil
- Crostini:
- 8
(1/2-inch thick) slices whole-grain baguette or ciabatta bread, preferably day-old, * see Cook's Note
- 1/3
cup olive oil
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved or 1 small tomato, diced
Directions
For the pea pesto: Pulse together the peas, garlic, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until well combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.For the crostini: Preheat a stovetop griddle or grill pan on medium-high heat. Brush both sides of the sliced bread with olive oil and grill until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bread to a clean surface and spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of the prepared pesto on each slice.
Top with tomato halves and serve.
*Cook's note: If you don't have day-old bread on hand, you can dry out fresh bread by putting the slices in a preheated 300 degree F oven until slightly crisp, about 5 minutes.
And
because I always like a little sweet with my savory, try these little yummies.
Snow White’s
Apple Bites
(Mini Caramel
Apples)
Ingredients
·
Extra-large apples
·
Caramels + 2 Tbsp milk
·
Lollipop sticks
·
A metal Tbsp coffee
scoop
·
Wax paper & plates
or a cookie sheet
Easy, follow the steps in the picture and try
not to eat them all before the party!
Now for the
drink, tea is expected and for a fun flair I recommend Jasmine tea. Divine flavor
and fits the princess theme. But for those who just don’t enjoy tea, it’s nice
to offer an alternative. How about something cold? Like...
Princess Elsa’s
Icy Margaritas
Ingredients:
- White
sprinkles
- Light
Corn Syrup
- Blue
koolaid (any blue drink)
- Pina
Colada SOBE drink (any white drink)
Pour a little corn syrup into a plate, then dip the rim of
the cup into the syrup. Next dip the rim of the cup into sprinkles that have
been poured out onto a plate. You can make the cups ahead of time and let them
dry so once the party starts all you have to do is pour the drinks.
There are so
many ways you can decorate. Want high tea with a lot of class? Think flowers
and pretty lacy table decorations. If it’s for a younger crowd, go for a more
sparkly fairy tale feel with costumes and wands and tiaras for everyone. There
are so many ways to have a great time at this party. Be sure to share your
ideas with us in the comments below. I’d love to know what you plan for your
party.
Only 3 more
days to go and there is still a lot more to come! If you haven’t stopped by
my Facebook page yet, be sure to check out the spotlight on Modern Day
Princesses around the world. Being a princess is more than wearing pretty
jewelry, now they have big aspirations. These girls are well educated and have
careers of all kinds that benefit their community. Do you have a favorite
princess? Tell me about it in the comments below!
And don’t
forget to Enter to Win!
 |
| Available at all fine e-book sellers |
For her birthday, her best friend gives her a
journal and dares her to follow her dream of songwriting and vocal lessons
quickly follow. Kianna’s finally dared to dream big… if the three men in her
life don’t get in her way.
Nick Steele, her new
vocal partner is flirtatious and charming. Derek Simpson, the new vocal coach is
asking her out for coffee. Even Jason Payne, a childhood friend is acting odd.
For the first time in her life, she will have to navigate dating and flirtation.
Will her inexperience be her downfall? How will these relationships affect her
songwriting career? Letting go and trusting God is the only answer that brings
the path to real love and success.
Buy your copy today at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords and more. Click the Buy My Book tab for a list of direct links.
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