Linda @ Linda’s Lunacy

Faith of Our Fathers DVD Review & Giveaway

November 5, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

Faith of Our Fathers tells the story of John Paul and Wayne, two young men in search of their fathers. There is one problem, though, their fathers have been dead for 25 years. It also tells the story of Eddie and Steven, two young men in search of their sons, whom they’ve never met.

In 1969, Eddie and Steven are with their squad deep in the jungle of Vietnam on a five-day mission to retrieve fallen comrades. They write letters to their wives, often mentioning their love for their sons, one, who is an infant and one yet to be born.

In 1994, John Paul and Wayne go on a five day road trip to the Vietnam Wall in Washington DC to see their fathers’ names. Along the way, reading those letters, they begin to get an understanding of who their fathers were and how they died.

Trials and mishaps, both funny and sad, complicate the road trip for the boys. The horrors of war and the testing of faith manifest themselves for the young men in Vietnam. Ultimately, in parallel stories – 25 years apart – the fathers and sons are bound together forever. The writers do an amazing job of blending the father’s story into their son’s stories.

Faith of Our Fathers stars Stephen Baldwin, Kevin Downes, David A.R. White, Rebecca St. James, Si Robertson, Candace Cameron Bure, Scott Whyte, and Sean McGowan. That is one star studded cast! They all portray their parts great, too. By far, the stand out in Faith of Our Fathers is David A.R. White. He does an awesome job with his character. I have seen many of David A.R. White’s movies. I won’t go as far as saying that I have seen them all. But I have watched his movies all the way back to his early movies that he made with the Christiano brothers. Faith of Our Fathers, from Pure Flix Entertainment, is my new favorite movie of his.

Faith of Our Fathers is a 96 minute drama that is rated PG-13. It has that rating because of war violence. I think this movie is suitable for the whole family. If you have young children that are bothered by explosions, and the sounds of gunfire, however, you may want to watch without them. Or be ready to distract them during those scenes.

Faith of Our Fathers

I watched this for the first time with my 15 year old son. We both loved it. He is already saying quotes from the movie. lol My husband and 29 year old son watched it tonight. They were laughing so hard I heard them in another room. I had to go in and rewatch parts of it. I didn’t want to miss out on any of the laughter. lol

There are several Special Features on the Faith of Our Fathers DVD:

The Heart of Faith of Our Fathers
Honoring Father’s Day
Commemorating Memorial Day
Si Robertson Interview
Stephen Baldwin Interview

For more information, visit:

Official Faith of Our Fathers Website

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In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

November 2, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

My husband was on vacation last week. Which means I wasn’t. lol It also means that I didn’t get to spend as much time is the kitchen as I usually do. I mostly stuck to last week’s menu. I did switch up the dinners for a couple of nights to better fit our schedule with him home.

My major kitchen accomplishment last week was making 6 dozen cupcakes for my son’s birthday.

No, we didn’t have 6 dozen people over to our house. lol I took them all to church for a surprise party for him after church Wednesday night. Well, all except 10 cupcakes that I left at home.

We did take a day trip, and a picnic lunch, to Cumberland Falls. It sure was nice eating lunch by the river!

Yes, we are having tacos twice this week. I promise you there will be no complaining from my family. Unless I don’t have enough sour cream. They always complain if I don’t have enough sour cream.

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Saturday – quick & easy- Venison, potatoes, carrots, and onions in the slow cooker

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Taco Birthday Dinner!

Monday – chicken – Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore, rice

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Homemade Pizza, carrots

Wednesday – Taco Night- Venison Tacos with all the fixin’s

Thursday – pork or beef – Boneless Pork Loin chops, rice, green beans

Friday – venison – Beef roast, potatoes, carrots, and onions in the slow cooker

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

Cumberland Falls State Park

November 1, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

We took our three youngest kids to Cumberland Falls. Cumberland Falls State Park is in Kentucky, and is a beautiful park to visit. I remembered to bring my camera. But I left the memory card in the computer at home. So I took all these pictures with my cell phone. I used no filters for these pictures, and the only editing I did was for size, and to put my name on them.

Before you get to the park, there is an overlook on the side of the road. It is a very nice area with several different levels. It also has picnic tables. This is my husband and our three youngest kids, 15, 17, and 19. They were standing on a lower level than I was. Yes, my 17 year old daughter is standing on the wall. I chose not to look at, or think about, the drop below the wall into the woods.

My daughter was trying to rock climb up this wall by the road. She didn’t make it very far. She climbed the stairs to the upper level where the top of the wall was railing height. She wanted her picture taken up there so it looked like she climbed the wall. lol Her brother thought that was weird. lol

We then walked across the road to take pictures of this view. Beautiful, right?

We stopped at the picnic area by the river to eat our lunch. It was nice and relaxing sitting by the river. We made sure to take all out trash out with us!

Here’s a better picture of our picnic view.

These rocks were by the picnic area. You can see rocks like this on many of the roads in Kentucky.

Cumberland Falls State Park

As you walk from the parking lot to the falls area, there are several places that you can go down on the river rocks. The signs say no swimming, and no wading, but you are allowed to walk on the rocks. That’s my husband and our youngest daughter out on the rock.

Before you get to the falls, you come through the entrance with a restaurant, a gift shop, seating areas, a big green area with picnic tables, and this tree. This tree has been here ever since I can remember, and I’ve been coming here since I was little. We always take pictures in the tree. And we are not the only ones! We have pictures of our kids when they were little in it. My husband and I have pictures here from before we were married. This is my husband in the tree. He’s about 5′ 7″, so you can tell how big the tree is. You can see the river on the other side of the fence.

There are many cool places where you can climb under rocks, and on top of rocks. Of course, my kids always love to do just that. lol

When you are up at the top of the falls, looking down at the river, you can often see a rainbow in the falls mist. I was blessed to see a double rainbow on this day!

Cumberland Falls is unique in that you can also see a moonbow there when there is a full moon. A Moonbow is a phenomenon not found anywhere else in the Western Hemisphere. I have not been there to see one myself, but people come from all over the world to see it.

Ok, so finally, here you go, a picture of Cumberland Falls…….

And my husband and our three youngest kids in front of the falls.

Cumberland Falls is also handicap accessible. This overlook they are standing on can only be reached by stairs, but there are other overlooks that can be reached by a paved path.

If you are ever in Kentucky, be sure to stop by Cumberland Falls. It truly is beautiful. And admission is free!

Battle of Camp Wildcat Civil War Reenactment

October 28, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

Last weekend, my husband, our 19 year old daughter, and I went to the Battle of Camp Wildcat Reenactment. Our other kids usually go with us, too, but they were at a church activity.

We like to go every year, but we have missed the last couple of years. We still had fun, even though there was only 3 of us.

There is a memorial for all those that fought in the battle.

Reenactments are very educational. If you have never been to one, I highly recommend attending. They really make history come to life.

The cannons are loud! Don’t worry, they don’t shoot real cannon balls! All that “smoke” is created with a bag of flour! For real. lol We know some of the reenactors. Even though my kids are older, when they are referring to my husband’s former co-worker, they still call him “the cannon guy”.

At Camp Wildact, the reenactors have their tents set up for historical accuracy and the public is allowed to walk through and ask questions of the reenactors.

There is usually a sutler’s area at reenactments. They sell all the historically accurate items, weapons, clothes, etc. that reenactors need. The public is also welcome to walk through and shop. We have found many unique items over the years that we have purchased. The stores usually stock little souvenirs, too, including items for kids.

This year, we stopped at Ole’ Doc Bell’s for some homemade root beer.

Served from a wooden barrel into the size glass bottle of your choice.

The bottles we chose are capped with a cork. So fun. I wish I had one right now!

I sure hope Ole Doc Bell is there next year with his homemade root beer!

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

October 26, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

After taking a break from making homemade pizza for the summer, it was so nice to make it again. There is no pizza as good as homemade! Ok, maybe I am a little biased. But look at this pizza! lol

Pepperoni pizza and Onion & Pepper Pizza. Both on a homemade garlic pizza crust. Yum!

I tried another new recipe from the Fix It and Forget It Slow Cooker Magic Cookbook. Savory Beef Roast. Except I used a venison roast. This recipe made a very flavorful roast, with lots of cooked onions, like we like. I loved that it made the gravy for me! So good!

You’ll notice that some of the items on this weeks menu are store bought. That’s ok. Sometimes the family just needs their favorite store bought meals. 🙂

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Saturday – quick & easy- Store bought Chicken Strips, Alfredo noodles, corn

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Grilled cheese, store bought frozen french fries, for dinner – store bought Ravioli with cheese bread

Monday – chicken – Oven Baked Chicken, Baked Potatoes, beets

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Spaghetti and meatballs, broccoli

Wednesday – Taco Night- Beef Fajitas, salad

Thursday – pork or beef – Boneless Pork Loin chops, rice, green beans

Friday – venison – Venison roast, potatoes, carrots, and onions in the slow cooker

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

Chops in the Crock Recipe & Fix It And Forget It Slow Cooker Magic Cookbook

October 21, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

*This post contains an affiliate link.

I love using my slow cooker! It’s perfect for cooking on hot summer days when the last thing you want to do is turn on the stove. A slow cooker is great for any day you are short on time. I love being able to put supper in my slow cooker, then spend the day homeschooling the kids, going on field trips, running errands, or visiting family & friends. It’s so nice to have supper waiting for you at the end of a long day!

In fact, I love my slow cooker so much I own three! The new Fix-It and Forget-It Slow Cooker Magic cookbook is a great addition to any kitchen. This new cookbook has 550 recipes perfect for every season and occasion, and feature more than just the usual soup, stews, and casseroles. Highlights include Thai veggie curry, slow cooker pizza, black bean burritos, chile rellenos casserole, banana chocolate chip bars, cornbread, and expanded vegan offerings.

There are several full page color photos of some of the recipes.

The author, Phyllis Good, did not create all of the recipes; rather, recipes are submitted by and tested by a select group of home cooks known as “Team Fix-It” – real women cooking in Chicago, Kansas City, Washington, DC, Indianapolis, Louisville, Brooklyn, and across the country.

“Good cooks love to share their recipes rather than possess them,” Ms. Good says. “Readers feel surrounded by a community when they cook from Fix-It cookbooks. They take comfort in knowing that these recipes come from other people who are also working and feeding their families.” Ms. Good is propelled by the belief that slow cookers make it easy to cultivate quality time with loved ones

I have tried a few recipes from this cookbook so far, and have more on this weeks menu. Here are pictures of a couple that I tried. This first dish is Butter Chicken. It has a wide variety of spices and seasonings. I served it with rice and green beans.

This dish, Chops in the Crock, is my favorite recipe in the cookbook. So far! With tomatoes, green peppers, and onions, it’s very flavorful. I served it over rice, like the recipe says.

Chops in the Crock

by Lavina Hochstedler
from the Fix It & Forget It Slow Cooker Magic cookbook
Ideal slow cooker size: 6 or 7 quart
Prep time: 15-20 minutes

4 1/4″ bone in, blade cut pork chops
salt and pepper to taste
2 medium onions, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, sliced
14.5 oz can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 beef bouillon cube
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp. water
cooked rice

1. Grease interior of slow cooker crock.
2. Holding chops over crock, sald and pepper tops and bottoms. Lay in cooker.
3. Scatter chopped onions, sliced celery and peppers, and stewed tomatoes over chops.
4. In a bow, mix together ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juics. When well mixed, add bouillon cube. Spoon over vegetables and chops.
5. Cover. Cook on Low 2-3 hours, or until instead read meat thermometer registers 145* when stuck into center of chops.
6. In small bowl, mix cornstarch and water together until smooth. Stir into sauce in crock.
7. Cover. Cook 30 more minutes, until sauce thickens.
8. Serve over cooked rice.

*Shared with permission

Enter to win your own copy of the Fix It & Forget It Slow Cooker Magic cookbook! Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter!

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“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):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. *This post contains an affilliate link. If you click the link and purchase something, I will receive a small commission.

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

October 19, 2015 by Linda @ Linda's Lunacy

We had some of our favorite foods this week. We also had some new foods, and some food that didn’t come out so well.

A roast with vegetables cooked in the slow cooker is one of my families favorite meals. Last week, we had a venison roast with potatoes, carrots, and onions.

The before picture:

slow cooker venison

The after picture:

And the meal on the table. Yum!

venison roast with vegetables

My daughter and I made Fried Oreos. Neither of us had made them, or eaten, them before. My son has made them for the youth at church, so I knew how he did it.

fried oreos

The Fried Oreos came out great. It was not really what I expected. I guess I thought the cookie would still be like the cookie. Instead the cookie was all melty. One good thing is that they were so rich that you can’t eat more than a couple. Unless you are a teenager. They had no problem eating several. lol

fried oreo

We had Beef Fajitas on taco night. I cut sliced one of the roasts I got on sale. It doesn’t look like a lot of food in the picture. But it was just over 2 pounds of meat, 2 onions, and 3 (or was it 4?) Green peppers. It made enough that I was able to get 2 meals out of it!

beef fajitas

I have been trying some recipes from a cookbook I am in the processing reviewing. I tried the Butter Chicken recipe. It looked pretty good. I didn’t really care for the flavor, though. My family ate it up with no complaints, so I guess it was just me. lol

Butter Chicken

And just so you don’t think that everything is perfect in my kitchen…..

burned rice

I burned the rice! That makes me angry at myself. I hate wasting food!

In the Kitchen with Linda & Dinner Menu

Now…. to answer the question that I get asked about a hundred times a day……….What’s For Dinner?

Saturday – quick & easy- Pizza

Sunday – soup & sandwich day – Venison, Alfredo pasta, broccoli

Monday – chicken – Slow Cooker Chinese Chicken, rice, green beans

Tuesday – pizza/pasta – Homemade pizza, carrot sticks

Wednesday – Taco Night- Beef tacos with all the fixin’s

Thursday – pork or beef – Slow Cooker Savory Roast Beef, Slowcooker Mashed Potatoes (trying new recipes from a cookbook I’m reviewing. And, yes, I have 2 slowcookers!), broccoli

Friday – venison – Venison Steaks, oven roasted potatoes, corn

For more ideas, visit Menu Plan Monday

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