The Happy Wife

Book Review and Giveaway Info: Chasing Mona Lisa

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 02:14:00 +0000

I am having a little trouble getting back into blogging, mostly due to family life, but I am trying. I have been migraine free the past few days and all 4 kids are no healthy (I hope it stays that way), so I am hoping to get back on regularly soon. Here is a book review and giveaway information to hold you over until I return.

About the Book

It is August 1944 and Paris is on the cusp of liberation. As the soldiers of the Third Reich flee the Allied advance, they ravage the country, stealing countless pieces of art. Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring will stop at nothing to claim the most valuable one of all, the Mona Lisa, as a post-war bargaining chip to get him to South America. Can Swiss OSS agents Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler rescue DaVinci's masterpiece before it falls into German hands?

With nonstop action, Chasing Mona Lisa is sure to get readers' adrenaline pumping as they join the chase to save the most famous painting in the world. From war-ravaged Paris to a posh country chateau, the race is on--and the runners are playing for keeps.

My thoughts

This book was unlike any other I have ever reviewed. I do have to warn my readers that some of the violence in the book does get a bit graphic. However, please do not let that stop you from reading this. I was riveted from the beginning. The setting covers a part of World War II that is seldom covered, the Nazi occupation of Paris and the underground movement that took place there. In this book, it particularly covers the artwork, mainly the Mona Lisa, and how the employees of the Louvre protected it from theft by the Nazi's who had already stolen many of their masterpieces. While I am very familiar with the Mona Lisa, I am not an art student by any means. As I read, I kept my iPod nearby so I could look up the paintings that were mentioned. I love learning new things when I am reading fiction, and this is probably why I particularly enjoy historical fiction.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good story. It will be of particular interest to those who enjoy reading about France, World War II, art, and/or romance stories (though the romances are a minor part of the story).

About the authors

Tricia Goyer is the coauthor of The Swiss Courier as well as the author of many other books, including Night Song and Dawn of a Thousand Nights, both past winners of the ACFW's Book of the Year Award for Long Historical Romance. Goyer lives with her family in Arkansas. www.triciagoyer.com
Mike Yorkey is the author or coauthor of dozens of books, including The Swiss Courier and the bestselling Every Man's Battle series. Married to a Swiss native, Yorkey lived in Switzerland for 18 months. He and his family currently reside in California. www.mikeyorkey.com

About the giveaway
Chasing Mona Lisa is the continuing tale of Gabi Mueller and Eric Hofstadler (first introduced in The Swiss Courier). This time the duo are on a relentless quest to save the most famous painting in the world - the Mona Lisa. You can help Gabi and Eric with your very own spy pack when you enter The Chasing Mona Lisa Giveaway!

One passionate protector will receive:

iTouch (The must-have device for any spy. Camera, Maps & Music.)
Starbucks Gift Card (For all those late nights.)
Moleskin Notebook (For those important notes.)
Invisible Ink Pen (Don’t want anyone reading those important notes.)
Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer & Mike Yorkey (Great handbook and intriguing tale for any spy-in-training!)

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on January 31st. Winner will be announced at Chasing Mona Lisa Facebook Party on 1/31. Tricia and Mike will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from Tricia's website) and giving away copies of their books and a book club prize pack! (Ten copies of the book for your small group or book club AND a LIVE Author Chat for your group with Tricia and Mike.)
So grab your copy of Chasing Mona Lisa and join Tricia and Mike on the evening of the 31st for an author chat, spy training (How much do you know about WWII?) and lots of giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

Disclaimer

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the authors for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

Make It Monday: Coffee filter snowflakes, Homemade liquid fabric softener, and homemade dishwasher detergent

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 01:44:00 +0000

So, I did not get caught up yesterday, but in an attempt to not fall behind, I am going to jump in with the first Make It Monday. Unfortunately, I have no pictures...yet, but I am hoping to get some up in the next few days. Here are the craft and projects I have worked on this past week:

- Coffee filter snowflakes: These are similar to paper snowflakes and just as fun, but I like them more because of their more rounded shape. We folded ours into quarters and then just snipped away. If you want a hole in the center of the snowflake, be sure to trim of the point at the top. After trimming them, open them up and lay them flat under a heavy book so that they will hang flat. It took about 24 hours for ours to stay flat. We then taped ours to the plastic covering we have on our big picture window, but you could hang them with fishing line, string, or yarn from anywhere. I also thought about letting the kids paint them with some watered down glue and sprinkling glitter on them, but then decided against it...maybe in a few years.

- Homemade liquid fabric softener: I found this recipe on The Frugal Girls blog (which, if you do not already read, is a phenomenal source of money saving ideas). It was super easy to make and it works BETTER than any other liquid fabric softener I have ever used. In fact, I really disliked liquid fabric softener because my clothes were still always had static cling afterwards, but we have found that not to be the case with this. Due to the fact that we did not buy liquid fabric softener previously, I did not have any old bottles, but if you have one, I recommend rinsing it out and using it to mix up some of this. Otherwise, you can do what I did and rinse out an empty gallon container (I used a milk jug), but be sure to label it clearly. This is certain to save you quite a bit of money each time you make it.

6 cups hot water
3 cups white vinegar
2 cups hair conditioner (I used Alberto VO5, strawberry moisturizing milk)

Mix conditioner and hot water until well blended. I put them in both in the jug and shook it well until it was done, just a minute or 2. Then add the vinegar and mix again. That's it! When you are ready to use it, add 2 Tablespoons to the fabric softener dispenser on your washing machine. I put an old measuring "cup" from a bottle of cough syrup with the milk jug so I could easily measure it.

- Homemade Dishwasher Detergent: I originally found this as a pin on Pinterest, but after I wrote down the instructions, I never hit re-pin, so I cannot give credit where it is due, but I can tell you that this is NOT my recipe. (If anyone recognizes it, please let me know and if it is the site I used, I will link to it.) I was hesitant to try this for a few reasons. First- I typically dislike powdered dishwasher detergent because it sever seems to dissolve completely. Second- I researched homemade dishwasher detergent before and the reviews were always mixed, often with people saying they left behind a film. This recipe was a bit different than the others I had seen and I decided to give it a try as the reviews were good. The results? We LOVE it. My kids love the smell and fight over who gets to do the dishes, because they want to fill the soap dispenser. I love that it cleans my dishes, dissolves completely, and does not leave a film. According to the review, it says to use vinegar for the rinse agent (think Jet Dry), but we have not found that to be necessary. I still have some Jet Dry in my rinse agent dispenser and a couple more bottles under the sink so it makes financial sense for me to use that up first. I have used vinegar in the past though and will use it again in the future when I do not have bottles of rinse agent I received for free. The homemade dishwasher detergent is much less expensive than even the store brand powdered detergent.

1/2 cup Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (NOT baking soda, look for it in the laundry aisle)
1/2 cup Borax (also found in the laundry aisle)
1/4 cup Kosher salt
4 packets of unsweetened lemonade flavor drink mix (I used the Great Value/Wal-Mart brand of Kool-Aid @12 cents per packet)

Put into a container and mix well. We used a gallon size (though a quart bag would have been big enough) Ziploc bag for our first batch, but now that we know how much we like it. I will multiply the ingredients and make a larger batch in the future which I will store in a Tupperware container. Add 1 Tablespoon per wash.

I would love to hear your feedback if you try any of these. I know water hardness may also play a role in the effectiveness of the fabric softener and dishwasher detergent, so I am curious if the rest of you have different experiences than I did.

A new beginning

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 02:51:00 +0000

When I started this blog a little over 3 years ago, I had a clear vision of where I wanted to go with it. I started out doing well and writing often. Then life happened. We moved several times, sometimes living in difficult situations, and I had some health issues to deal with. In April of 2009, we purchased our home and the frequent moves became a thing of the past. The health issues were still an issue and as a result of all the stressors in our lives, my marriage began to suffer terribly, to the point that we briefly separated. Needless to say, I was not feeling like The Happy Wife and felt like a liar any time I tried to post, even if it was not marriage related. I am not one that likes to complain, nor am I one who will get in details about issues within my personal relationships on a public forum. Therefore, it became much easier to focus on reviews and writing less, than it was to actually write real content. I can tell you that our marriage has improved tremendously, and has been for quite some time, though like any marriage, we do still have stress and disagreements. We have just discovered ways to communicate better and to deal with the stresses we face in life. The past few months have brought their own issues with the pregnancy and how I have been feeling. Add in the holidays and my other obligations, such as homeschooling and just daily care of the family and it left me little time to write. Now, I am beginning to have more days where I feel better and less on my plate and I am finding myself with more room to write, really write, not just reviews and giveaways (though do not worry, I will still have plenty of both). I have set up a new schedule for my blog so that I may better focus my daily writing, but I will still not promise I will be able to post every day and there will be days I post more than once, or even twice. I have not scheduled a review or giveaway day, so they will be posted in addition to what will be the regular post for the day. Here is the new schedule:

Spiritual Sunday (post will be based on a scripture or other religious writing)

Making It Monday (will be a craft I have been working on)

Teach Me Tuesday (what we are doing in our homeschool and/or a lesson plan)

Wellness Wednesday (just like ones in the past, about something wellness related)

Top 10 Thursday (will include my goals for the following week, blog posts and giveaways I find)

Feed Me Friday (I will share a recipe I made this week)

See It Saturday (I will feature a shop I have found online that I particularly enjoy)

I do still have a few things to catch up on from December which I am going to try and get done tomorrow, but hopefully, I will be back to "schedule" within this week. I will still be light on pictures for a bit, and those I do share will not be the best, as I have misplaced my memory card for my camera, but I do plan on having many more pictures as well.

Thank you to all of you who have stuck with me over the past few years. I truly appreciate all the support you all have given me and I look forward to reconnecting once again with my blog and each of you.

Book Review and Giveaway Info: The Keeper

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 03:02:00 +0000

I will be back tomorrow with some new information regarding the direction of this blog, but tonight I want to share a book review with you.

About the book

Julia Lapp has planned on marrying Paul Fisher since she was a girl. Now twenty-one, she looks forward to their wedding with giddy anticipation. When Paul tells her he wants to postpone the wedding--again--she knows who is to blame.

Perpetual bachelor and spreader of cold feet, Roman Troyer, the Bee Man. Roamin' Roman travels through the Amish communities of Ohio and Pennsylvania with his hives full of bees, renting them out to farmers in need of pollinators. He relishes his nomadic life, which keeps him from thinking about all he has lost. He especially enjoys bringing his bees to Stoney Ridge each year. But with Julia on a mission to punish him for inspiring Paul's cold feet, the Lapp farm is looking decidedly less pleasant.

Can Julia secure the future she's always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?

My thoughts

This is one of my favorite books in the Amish fiction genre. The reader is quickly and easily transported to a beautifully simple life in Pennsylvania. The plot draws you in quickly and keeps you engaged until the end. I had a very difficult time putting the book down and read it in 2 days. There are things that you will be able to figure out on your own, but there are also surprises along the way. The book deals with topics I have not encountered in other Amish literature and I was very intrigued. The topics of true, mental incompetence (as opposed to someone who is just foolish), and organ donations are strong elements throughout the book. I have never stopped to think about the Amish and their beliefs regarding organ donations, so it was neat to see that they are very similar to my own beliefs. Another theme throughout the book is forgiveness, but not in the way that one normally sees forgiveness in a book. The Amish are well known for being quick to forgive, but it was interesting to see how the characters dealt with the forgetting part. They do not hold grudges toward the person, yet they still need to deal with the consequences of whatever happened.

I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys Amish fiction, romance stories, and stories with characters who are trying to figure out who they are after experiencing a tragedy in their life. Honestly, this is a great book for anyone who enjoys a good story.

About the author

Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. In both her fiction and non-fiction books, she has an underlying theme: You don't have to "go Amish" to incorporate many of their principles--simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily-- into your life.

When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth. Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

About the giveaway

It’s a “Honey of a Giveaway” from Suzanne Woods Fisher! Suzanne is hosting a "honey of a giveaway"during the blog tour for The Keeper! During 1/3-1/17 you can enter to win an iPad2 from Suzanne and connect with her on January 17th at The Keeper Facebook Party!

During the giveaway one Grand Prize winner will receive a Prize Pack valued at $600:

A brand new 16 KB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi
A $25 gift certificate to iTunes
A copy of The Keeper

But wait there's more! Just click one of the icons below to enter, then on 1/17 join Suzanne for The Keeper Facebook Party! During the party Suzanne will announce the winner of the "Honey" of an iPad Giveaway and host a fun book chat and give away some fun "honey" inspired prizes - It'll be 'sweet"!

RSVP early and tell your friends!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 17th!

Disclaimer

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

Book Review: Real

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:27:00 +0000

About the book

"Real" is a collection of 60 inspirational stories by Shelley Malcolm, with photos by Terilee Dawn Ouimette. The stories are deeply revealing, while the photos are anonymous, focusing only on each subject’s hands. Subjects range from adolescent to elderly, from former gangster to humble homeless, international refugee to hero-housewife, from pro athlete to Hollywood celebrity. Here is a link to view the video trailer: http://marthamartha.net/media.html. Proceeds from "Real" go to various charities. Visit http://realthebook.blogspot.com/ for more information.

My thoughts

I enjoyed the small insight I was able to get into a variety of lives and the epilogue at the end, brings a semblance of closure to my involvement in their lives. The stories not only cover a variety of people and slices of their lives, but covers a broad area of life topics, such as hope, love, courage, and renewal. I found the stories to be inspiring and heartwarming and the photography is stunning. I will never look at, or even think of, hands in the same way again. The photos did a fabulous job of capturing the stories and lives of the hands they showed. Overall, the book brings the reader to the realization that the only way to make it through this life is to be the real you. In fact, one of the opening quotes to the book, has become a favorite of mine. It is by Margery Williams, from her book, "The Veleveteen Rabbit". Skin Horse says to the Velveteen Rabbit, "Real isn't how you are made. It's a thing that happens to you... Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all because once you are Real, you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand." This quote perfectly captures just what this book is about.

I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys peering into the lives of everyday people and who need to be uplifted. This is the type of book that you can open and read just 1 or 2 stories at a time and does not need to be read in order, or you can sit down and read it cover to cover in a few sittings.

About the author

While "Real" is her first published book, Malcolm is no stranger to creative projects, as co-owner and restorer of an historic chapel, La Perla del Mar in Shell Beach, CA, and a set designer for theater and film. Shelley Malcolm was named Pismo Beach’s Citizen of the Year in 2011 for her extensive contributions and involvement in the community. Proceeds from the book will benefit the Alzheimer’s Foundation and other charities. Shelley Malcolm graduated from University of Southern California with a degree in dental hygiene. For more information, please visit http://marthamartha.net or http://shelleymalcolmblog.wordpress.com/ Shelley Malcolm resides in Shell Beach, California with her husband, Doug.

Shelley has four adult children. Her interests include painting , drawing, sculpting, building, playing piano and other musical instruments, outdoor activities including hiking, ocean kayaking, running, water and snow-skiing, international travel, sewing, reading, writing and others. Visit www.marthamartha.net for more information.

Disclosure

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

48 hour giveaway: $25 gift card to Kroger (or affiliate) giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 01:55:00 +0000

I was offered the opportunity to share information with my readers about a sale Kroger had back in November and to give away a gift card to Kroger. Unfortunately, due to the accidents and surgeries, I was unable to get online to post in a timely manner. However, the kind folks at Kroger and General Mills through My Blog Spark are still allowing me to offer my readers the prize of a $25 gift card to Kroger. The gift card can be used at Kroger or any Kroger affiliate (Ralphs, King Scoopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith’s, Fry’s, QFC, Baker’s, Owen’s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Food4Less, Fred Meyer, Pay Less Supermarkets and Scott’s Food & Pharmacy). I need to have the winner's information to the prize sponsor on December 9th, 2011. The winner will be notified no later than 10AM on 12/9 and MUST get back to me with their information no later than 7PM or a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: The Kroger gift card, information, and giveaway have been provided by Kroger and General Mills through MyBlogSpark

Book Review and Giveaway Info: The Mirror of N'de

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 01:13:00 +0000

About the book

In the mythical city of N’de lives thirteen-year-old Hadlay and her people, the Ramash. Scorned and abused by the unloving and absent Emperor, the Ramash are poor people, placed second to the ruling class of the Oresed. Young but bold, Hadlay rages against the injustice in her city. When she is chosen for the honor of serving the Prince in the Tower, she hopes to find a way to right the wrong... but soon discovers that things are worse than she believed.

While Hadlay works to better her people’s condition, she struggles to abide with the abusive Oresed and understand the meaning of her dreams in which a fantastical white horse appears to her and speaks in riddles. When Hadlay stumbles into one of the Tower’s secret rooms, she discovers a hidden mirror that doesn’t just show her reflection, but reveals much more: the horse’s name is Sirach and he has a plan to save the children of N’de, if only Hadlay can bring them to the mirror. Hiding her knowledge of Sirach from the Prince, Hadlay sets out to do Sirach’s bidding. But when Sirach’s presence is revealed, Hadley’s life is in danger and the only way to save her is for Sirach to give up his own.

Crafting powerful narrative and creative characters, author L. K. Malone spins a compelling tale that combines exciting entertainment and the Christian story. In The Mirror of N’de, readers will empathize with the desires of an oppressed people, will anger at the affliction of a cruel adversary, and ultimately rejoice with the revelation of a Savior.

You can also watch a trailer for The Mirror of N'de on YouTube.

My thoughts

This book is targeted at tweens and teens, so I decided to read it along with my tween girls, ages 9 and 10. They really enjoyed the storyline, but found much of the vocabulary to be rather advanced for them. I would put the vocabulary level of the book at 10th grade or so, but if an adult were to read it along with them, the storyline would be great for 6th grade or so (and up). There are many aspects of The Mirror of N'de that anyone who knows the stories, even just the basic ones, like Adam and Eve, of the Old Testament would recognize. I think that is what intrigued my girls the most. Also, be aware that many of the names are not names we are used to. However, there is a pronunciation guide in the front of the book that was very helpful.

I recommend this book for families with older kids to read together and for high school students and adults to read alone.

About the author

L. K. Malone is an insatiable reader who devours nearly a book a day when she isn’t writing. Favorite genres include political thrillers, historical fiction, romance, and fantasy. Some of her favorite reads include the Hunger Games series and the Harry Potter books, which inspired her to try her hand at fantasy with a Judeo-Christian twist. Malone is a Colorado native with a large extended family, which includes two lovely young women who graciously let her mentor them through the Denver Kids program, and a handsome menagerie of pets.

About the giveaway

The publisher is sponsoring a $50 Amazon.com giveaway.

To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using @litfuse) about The Mirror of N'de or share about it on Facebook!

If you tweet we'll capture your entry when you use @litfuse. If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let us know (ckrumm@litfusegroup.com). Easy.

Not sure what to tweet/post? Here's an idea:

TWEET THIS: New YA fantasy - The Mirror of N'de - compelling narrative and creative characters! @litfuse RT for $50 to @amazon http://ow.ly/7AWGT

FACEBOOK THIS: Don’t miss this debut YA fantasy story: Crafting powerful narrative and creative characters, author L. K. Malone spins a compelling tale that combines exciting entertainment and the Christian story. In The Mirror of N’de, readers will empathize with the desires of an oppressed people, will anger at the affliction of a cruel adversary, and ultimately rejoice with the revelation of a Savior. Share this for a chance at $50 to Amazon.com http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13440685

Disclaimer

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

Lots of upcoming posts and giveaways and an official announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:57:00 +0000

I will start with the official announcement, well, I actually announced this in the book review I posted October 20th, for The Wonder of Your Love, but I know not everyone enjoys book reviews so I am making a special official announcement. My family and I are excited to announce that we are expecting our 5th baby in June 2012. This partly explains my disappearance for the past several weeks and the relatively few posts in the weeks prior to that. I have never experienced morning sickness, but the beginning of this pregnancy has proven to be the hardest on me physically. Along with feeling awful, we had a car accident and 2 surgeries (unrelated to the accident) in our home within the past month. Having said all that, life is quieting down and I am starting to feel better, at least most of the time. My surgical "patients" are healing and our van has been repaired. Now, I have LOTS to catch up on. I will start with some reviews and giveaways and then get back to posting more original content. I have lots to share and can't wait to get to writing it.

Book Review and Giveaway Info: Remembering You

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 03:02:00 +0000

About the book

35-year-old Ava Andrews' dream job is interrupted by an unusual request--fulfill her 84-year-old grandfather's last wish by joining him on a battle site tour of Europe. Ava is sure her boss will refuse her request. But, instead, he gives her a directive of his own--to videotape the tour and send it back as mini-segments for the show she produces.

As if juggling these two things isn't hard enough, Ava is soon surprised again ... twice. First, Ava and Grandpa Jack arrive in Europe, only to discover the tour is cancelled. Unwilling to let down her grandfather or her boss, Ava and Grandpa Jack head out on their own. Then, while they're on their way, the pair soon meet up with Paul, her grandpa's best friend, and his grandson Dennis. The same Dennis who just happens to be Ava's first love.

Before she knows it, Ava and Dennis are swept down memory lane as they visit the sites that are discussed in the history books. And even though Ava's videotaping old soldiers, she can see their youth, their hopes and fears, and their pride in their eyes. Soon Ava learns the trip isn't just for them ... it's for her too--especially for her heart.

Read an excerpt, watch a video and find out more here. http://www.triciagoyer.com/contemporaryfiction.html#RememberingYou

My thoughts

Until I read this book, I was only familiar with Tricia Goyer's works regarding the Amish, Beside Still Waters and Along Wooded Paths. I immensely enjoyed both of these books, but was unsure if I would like one of her "non-Amish" books. I will admit, I had some difficulty getting into the book in the beginning. I would read 1 or 2 chapters and then put the book down. I was afraid it was going to take me quite a while to finish it. However, towards the middle of the book, I was drawn in so much that I finished it in 2 sittings. I truly enjoyed watching Ava and Paul rediscover their relationship with God, and seeing Ava begin to view the various people in her life differently than she had before. For some people, like her grandfather, this was good, for others, such as her former fiancee, not as good. The part of the book that I enjoyed the most were the stories from World War II that were retold, with some poetic license, but were generally accurate. The descriptions that the author uses allows the reader to feel as though they are in these places themselves, both currently when the characters are on their trip, but also when they are reminiscing about their war experiences. I recommend this book to any one who enjoys historical fiction, particularly World War II, and stories of first loves reconnecting.

About the author

Tricia Goyer is the author of thirty books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. On Tricia's weekly radio show, Living Inspired, she shares stories of inspiration and encouragement. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.

For more about Tricia and her other books visitwww.triciagoyer.com

About the giveaway

Win a Kindle Touch for YOU and a Friend from Tricia Goyer!

Tricia Goyer is celebrating the release of her novel, Remembering You, with a KINDLE Touch Giveaway for you ... and for the friend of your choice. Then on 11/29 she'll be wrapping up the release of Remembering You with a Book Chat Party!

During the first half of the party Tricia will be chatting, sharing a sneak peek of her next book, and giving away a ton of great stuff. Then she'll head over to her website for a Live Chat! Readers will be able to chat with Tricia via video or text.

Don't miss your chance to win a Kindle Touch for yourself ... and to "remember" a friend this holiday with a Kindle Touch for them!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

One grand prize winner will receive:

A Brand New Kindle Touch and a Kindle Touch for a Friend (winner's choice!)

A copy of Remembering You by Tricia Goyer for each

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on November 29th. Winner will be announced at Remembering You Facebook Party on 11/29. Tricia will be hosting an author chat (on Facebook and Live from her website) and giving away copies of her other WWII books and gift certificates to Starbucks and Amazon.com. So grab your copy of Remembering You and join Tricia on the evening of the 29th for an author chat, a trivia contest (How much do you know about WWII?) and lots of giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 29th!

Disclaimer

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

Book Review and Giveaway Info: The Baker's Wife

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 02:17:00 +0000

About the book

To save her husband and son, Audrey Bofinger must rescue her enemy.

The Bofinger family has lost their church ministry in a scandal exposed by Officer Jack Mansfield. Hoping to heal and to restore their reputation, Audrey, Geoff, and their son Ed take over a failing bakery in the small community.

Driving to the bakery one morning, blinded by fog, Audrey hits a motor scooter owned by Jack’s wife, Julie. The mangled scooter is crushed and bloody. But Julie is nowhere to be found. Her disappearance coincides with a sudden illness that nearly cripples Audrey.

Jack believes the Bofingers have hurt Julie to take revenge on him, but the evidence dries up and her trail goes cold. At a breaking point, Jack takes the tiny bakery and its patrons hostage, issuing only one demand: Audrey has six hours to return Julie to him, or lose Geoff and Ed forever.

With only an excruciating and intuitive gift, an ex-con, and Julie’s estranged daughter to help search for clues, Audrey starts the search of her life for a woman who has vanished like the fog.

Read an excerpt here.

My thoughts

This book did a great job of weaving together a bunch of seemingly unrelated lives. It also showed just how much lives can change over time and how people can be misjudged based simply on a title in their life, such as convict or police officer. The Baker's Wife was a great read, full of suspense, with an underlying storylines of learning how to forgive oneself and others and how to be resilient when faced with things out of your control. I had a difficult time putting the book down each night and recommend this to anyone who enjoys books about people changing, resilience, or suspense.

About the author

Well-known to critics and reviewers, Erin Healy has established herself as an award-winning editor and a best-selling co-author with Ted Dekker. Healy received wide acclaim for her two debut novels Never Let You Go and The Promises She Keeps . Her work focuses on the psychological and spiritual, driven by high moral stakes. She lives and writes in Colorado with her family.

For more information please visit www.erinhealy.com .

About the giveaway

Let the flour fly! Beginning October 24th, Erin's celebrating the release of her latest page turner, The Baker's Wife, with an outstanding KitchenAid baking prize package giveaway that includes a brand new KitchenAid Mixer, cook books, and all you need to whip up some fabulous bread or sweets! Then and on November 10th she'll be wrapping up the release of The Baker's Wife with an Author Book Chat Party on Facebook! Don't miss a minute of the fun!

One grand prize winner will receive:

Empire Red 4.5 QT Ultra Power KitchenAid Stand Mixer
Black & White Kitschy Apron
Black Silicone Oven Mitt
Black OXO Rolling Pin
Wilton 9X5 loaf pan
At My Grandmother's Knee Cookbook by Faye Porter
Second Helpings with Johnnie Gabriel Cookbook
The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 9th. Winner will be announced at The Baker's Wife Author Book Chat Facebok Party. Erin will be wrapping up the The Baker's Wife celebration with a book club chat and giving away a bunch of "sweet treats"! So grab your copy of The Baker's Wife (it's okay if you don't have one yet- you might win one!) and join Erin on the evening of November 10th for a book chat, some "baking" trivia and lots of "sweet" giveaways (books, and Amazon, iTunes & Starbucks gift certificates)!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends. Hope to see you on the 10th!

Disclaimer

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

Please come vote for me

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 02:56:00 +0000

Crane USA is hosting a contest right now where, their facebook fans can help name their animal humidifiers. They just finished naming the finalists for the cow humidifier and I am one of them! I would love it, if you would go and vote for the finalist you like best, even if it is not me (though I would love it it was me). I chose the name Bo, short for Bovine. While you are there, you can also submit your idea for a name for the elephant humidifier. The winner of each naming contest will win that humidifier and their child will be made into a cartoon and featured in a video that will be on the Crane USA facebook page and website in 2012. Let me know if you make it to the finals in any of the naming contests.

Book Review and Giveaway Info: Love on the Line

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:30:00 +0000

About the book

It's a Battle of Wills ... and Love Is on the Line!

Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world . . . which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.

Dashing Luke Palmer is more than he appears though. He's a Texas Ranger working undercover to infiltrate a notorious gang of train robbers. Repairing telephones and tangling with this tempestuous woman is the last thing he wants to do. But when his stakeout puts Georgie in peril, he realizes more than his job is on the line.

My thoughts

I particularly enjoyed the unique setting for this book. The story line was intriguing, though I had figured out much of it before it was revealed. This did not make it any easier to actually put the book down though, as there were pieces that I had not figured out and I wanted to confirm my theories :)

About the author

Deeanne Gist--known to her family, friends, and fans as Dee --has rocketed up the bestseller lists and captured readers everywhere with her very original, very fun historical & contemporary romances. Add to this three RITA nominations, two consecutive Christy Awards, rave reviews, and a growing loyal fan base, and you've got one recipe for success.

She has a very active online community on her website at IWantHerBook.com and at Facebook.com/DeesCircle.

About the Giveaway

Deeanne is thrilled to introduce Georgie and Luke to the word in her latest novel, Love on the Line. To celebrate Deeanne's publisher, Bethany House, is hosting the Love on the Line iPad2 giveaway an Author Chat on Facebook! Enter today and follow the link below to RSVP for Deeanne's rip-roarin' Facebook Party!

One fortunate winner will receive:

A Brand New iPad2
An Autographed Hardback Copy of Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 7th. Winner will be announced at Deeanne's Author Chat Facebook Party. Deeanne will be wrapping up the Love on the Line celebration by chatting with friends new and old! So grab your copy of Love on the Line (it's okay if you don't have one yet- you might could win one!) and join Deeanne on the evening of November 8th for a rip roaring book chat, a little trivia and lots of giveaways (books, and Amazon, iTunes & Starbucks gift certificates)!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends. Hope to see you on the 8th!

Disclaimer

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

Book Review and giveaway info: The Wonder of Your Love

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:15:00 +0000

About the book

Katie Ann lost the love of her life. Then God offers her a new beginning in Colorado .

Katie Ann Stolzfus lives in the small Amish community of Canaan , Colorado . At forty she is widowed and raising her first child. But baby Jonas will never know his father, and Katie Ann wonders if her Heavenly Father hasn't forgotten about her as well. Is it really God's plan for her to be a single parent?

Eli Detweiler has come to Canaan for a wedding and a long vacation. Having raised six children following the death of his young wife, Eli is finally an empty-nester. He's enjoying the slower pace of having no one to care for but himself.

When Katie Ann and Eli meet, there is an instant connection. Yet as strong as the attraction is, they both acknowledge that a romance would never work. He is done parenting, while she has just begun.

But as their friendship slowly blossoms into feelings that are as frightening as they are intoxicating, Katie Ann and Eli question if the plans they made for themselves are in line with God's plans.

Can Katie Ann entrust her heart to another man, and rediscover the wonder of God's love?

My thoughts

I was able to completely relate to the theme of this book: questioning if our plans, even if they are good plans, are in line with what Heavenly Father is wanting us to do. How often do we make plans and later realize that they are not the plans God has for us, or maybe we assume He wants us to do something for one reason, but we later realize that the reason was nothing like we thought? When I joined the Army, I KNEW that was where Heavenly Father wanted me, I assumed it was to serve my country. That is why, when I fell ill just a few weeks in and learned I was being discharged, I was very confused. To make a long story short, the real reason I was in the Army was to have an undiagnosed, life threatening illness diagnosed and treated (I had already had it for 5 years and was lucky to be alive) and to meet the man who would become my husband.

More recently, after the birth of our 4th child 3 years ago, we were pretty sure we were done having kids. We did not take any permanent actions, but were preventing conception in other ways. One day, about a year ago, I began to feel like maybe we were NOT supposed to be done. I really struggled with this because I was not certain that I WANTED more kids and my last 2 pregnancies had been fairly difficult. None-the-less, when I saw my OB/GYN for my annual this year, I asked about the problems I had in the past. He gave me the go ahead to have more if we desired and told me that the problems were no more likely to occur than they had been previously. It did not matter much though, because my husband was not having those same thoughts and feelings that I was having. Then one day, out of the blue, he told me that he had been lying to me. I asked what he meant and he went on to tell me that he HAD been feeling like we were meant to have more, but that he REALLY did not WANT to. Of course, the not wanting to does not mean that we would not love and cherish any future children just as we do the ones we have now, just that we dragged our feet about doing what Heavenly Father had planned for us. Now, after all those months of fighting it, we started trying to get pregnant and I am very happy to announce (for the first time publicly) that we are expecting the next Garcia baby in June of 2012. (Because this has not been announced elsewhere yet, I do ask that if you want to leave any notes about this on facebook for me, please do so privately.)

My thoughts on the book- sorry for the sidetrack above

I really enjoyed this book. As I said above, I could completely relate to Katie Ann and Eli. I also loved Katie Ann's ability to forgive the woman who had caused her such pain, even though she could not forget it. I know that forgiveness like that is expected among the Amish, but this really put it in a way that made it easy to understand. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys Amish literature, love stories, or stories of healing. Although this is part of a series, I have not read any of the other books in the series and did not have any trouble following this one. Click here to read what other reviewers are saying.

About the author

Beth Wiseman is hailed as a top voice in Amish fiction. She is a Carol-award winner and author of numerous bestsellers including the Daughters of the Promise series and the Land of Canaan series. She and her family live in Texas . www.bethwiseman.com, Twitter @bethwiseman, www.facebook.com/pages/Fans-of-Beth-Wiseman/47576397539

About the giveaway

Beth is celebrating the release of Book 2 in the Land of Canaan series with a Fabulous Facebook party on November 1st. She'll be giving away one of her OWN paintings, several mini prize packs and a sneak peak at the next book in this heartwarming series.

CLICK the button (below) to RSVP for the party - then join us on November 1st for a book chat, Amish themed trivia contest, and more!

The Wonder of Your Love Facebook Party on 11/1!

Disclosure
Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

Book Review and Giveaway Info: Baby, It's Cold Outside

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 22:43:00 +0000

About the book

Hope finds the hopeless when a storm hits.

It's Christmas weekend 1949, and despite the threat of a storm, the townspeople of Frost are determined to continue their holiday traditions, if only as a means to forget the war that they had all just suffered through. But the suffering hasn't ended for Dottie Morgan who lost her only son in the war. She's preparing to wallow in her isolation for the weekend, when Violet, nearly a spinster at age 29, dares to make a request that will force Dottie to publicly revive the memory of her dead son.

When a storm traps the two women at home with a strange young man who has an unbelievable confession and a neighbor with more to do with Violet's past than she would like, no one can predict how this Christmas will give them all a second chance.

Read an excerpt here and find out the story behind the novel.

My thoughts

This was another book that I struggled to put down, in fact, it only took me 2 days to finish it, because I couldn't wait to see what happened next. Each character has their own story, but they intermingle so much, even those who were strangers in the beginning of the book, find that pieces of their lives had crossed paths at an earlier time. Other characters have long histories together. They all have their own unique trials though and they all have faced love, loss and desire in their own lives. I loved watching one romantic relationship grow and another one rekindle after many, many years of them trying to extinguish the flame that was smoldering beneath the surface. I highly, highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys romantic tales, stories that take place near Christmas, or who just appreicate a good heartwarming tale.

About the author

Susan May Warren is an award-winning, best-selling author of over twenty-five novels, many of which have won the Inspirational Readers Choice Award, the ACFW Book of the Year award, the Rita Award, and have been Christy finalists. After serving as a missionary for eight years in Russia , Susan returned home to a small town on Minnesota ’s beautiful Lake Superior shore where she, her four children, and her husband are active in their local church.

Susan's larger than life characters and layered plots have won her acclaim with readers and reviewers alike. A seasoned women’s events and retreats speaker, she’s a popular writing teacher at conferences around the nation and the author of the beginning writer’s workbook: From the Inside-Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you!. She is also the founder of www.MyBookTherapy.com, a story-crafting service that helps authors discover their voice.

Susan makes her home in northern Minnesota , where she is busy cheering on her two sons in football, and her daughter in local theater productions (and desperately missing her college-age son!)

A full listing of her titles, reviews and awards can be found at:www.susanmaywarren.com.

About the giveaway

Warm up with a Kindle Fire from Susan May Warren

Warm up to Chrismtas early this year with Susan May Warren's Baby, It's Cold Outside! To celebrate the release of her new Christmas book with Summerside Press, she and the publisher are giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting an early Christmas Party on Facebook!

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

One festive winner will receive:

A brand new Kindle Fire

Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. Giveaway ends on 10/26!

But, wait there’s more! Join Susan May Warren on 10/27 for merriment and a few early Christmas presents at her Baby, It's Cold Outside Christmas party! Grab your Christmas sweaters, socks and pj’s and join Susan and a few friends for a fireside chat about her recent books (Heiress & Baby, It’s Cold Outside), holiday traditions, favorite Christmas recipes, a trivia contest and more! Invite your friends and don’t miss the fun!

RSVP here and we'll see you on October 27th at 5 PM PST / 8 PM EST!

Disclaimer
Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:57:00 +0000

Here are the winners from last week's giveaways:

Yoplait Do the Swap: There was only 1 entrant so by default, the winner is Raven in a Blue Room
Hearts for Hearts Girls: The winner is

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-10-20 00:45:47 UTC

which belongs to debijackson

SpellingVocabularyCity.com: The winner is

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-10-20 00:51:42 UTC

which belongs to Tea Moore

All winners have been notified (Tea, I did not have your e-mail, so I sent a Twitter message). Please reply within 48 hours so that new winners do not need to be chosen. Congratulations to all the winners and a big thanks to all who entered.

Book review and Giveaway Info: Married Mom, Solo Parent

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:33:00 +0000

About the book

For married women who feel like single parents.

Bookstore shelves are full of parenting resources for moms who are newly divorced or widowed. But where do moms turn if they feel like a single parent--but they’re not? Whether he is away on business, deployed in the military, or obsessing over a computer game, dad may not be available for a variety of reasons. Moms who parent in this situation still need help and don’t necessarily relate to the advice given in divorce recovery or single parenting resources.

Married Mom, Solo Parent: Finding God's Strength to Face the Challenge
is a common-sense, down-to-earth look at the struggles wives and mothers face when their husband is not actively involved in family life. Writing from her own experience as a married single mom, Carla Anne Coroy will help wives and mothers sort through their questions, such as: Can I do this alone? How do I raise kids to honor their father? How do I give my children a healthy perspective of marriage if they never see one in action? With practical suggestions, anecdotes, and biblical teaching, this book will encourage moms to see their position as a high calling, to find healing for their worries and frustrations, and to tap into God’s strength for help in facing the daily challenge of being a married mom, solo parent.

My thoughts

This book does not currently apply to my life, in fact, my life is currently quite the opposite. My husband is currently looking for work, but due to modern technology, that means he is home almost all the time, and I am blessed that he is very involved with the going-ons of the family. Unfortunately, this has thrown our schedule way off and I am struggling to figure out how to make sure all the things that need to get done, actually get done. However, I have spent considerable parts of our marriage as a "solo parent" (a term that is not to be confused with "single parent.") My mom also spent her marriage to my dad, at least all the parts I can remember, as a solo parent, so I was definitely able to relate to this book. What is a solo parent? It is a parent, often the mom, who although married, has the majority of the parental duties laid on them 100% of the time. As it says above, the other spouse may be in the military or travel a lot for work, or they may have addictions or illness that keep them from being involved. For me, my husband was working both a full-time and a part-time job and attending school full-time. For my mom, my father is schizophrenic which kept him from being able to provide the emotional and mental parts of parenting. Any which way, if you find yourself in the role of a solo parent, there is a lot of things you need to learn how to deal with, not just how to balance it all, but also emotional issues. This book did a great job of covering all the aspects of solo parenting. I do have to warn my non-Christian friends, this IS a Christian book and is therefore rather "preachy", especially regarding the emotional parts. However, there is also a lot of practical information, particularly when talking about how to do all the work that is laid before you. I found much of that information applicable to my life, even now, when I have an extra set of hands around to help.

I recommend this book to any Christian solo parent, whether they think they need help dealing with it or not. For those who are not solo parents, but need help learning how to balance all the household duties, you will find quite a bit of help in the book as well. To see what other bloggers think about the book, click here.

About the author

Carla Anne Coroy runs the Married Single Mom blog at www.carlaannecoroy.blogspot.com. She speaks regularly and serves as a staff writer for an online Christian women’s magazine Mentoring Moments for Christian Women. Carla Anne lives in Canada with her husband and four homeschooled children. For more information, visit www.carlaanne.com/blog.

About the giveaway

Come to an encouraging MomChat party on Facebook…you could win a KindleTouch!

To celebrate the release of her new book Carla has partnered with her publisher, Kregel, to host a live MomChat party on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=177346262342482

The party will wrap up the blog tour (http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13420715) and Carla will be hosting an encouraging MomChat about all things mom and wife related. There will also be a fun contest and she’s giving away a KindleTouch and a ton of other fun stuff (books, gift certificates and more!).

So RSVP today and then come back on 10/25 at 5pm Pacific, 8pm Eastern for the party.

Don't miss the fun ... and tell your friends.

Disclosure

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

Hearts for Hearts Girls dolls Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:34:00 +0000

Playmates Toys has released a new line of dolls and fashion collection called Hearts to Hearts Girls. The collection features six dolls from around the world, each with an inspiring story to share. Their goal is "Changing the World One Heart at a Time."

The authentically dressed and lifelike dolls each represent a girl who is working to change her community in ways that are unique to her home country. Included with each doll are a friendship bracelet and a story booklet that explains how these multicultural girls live and contribute to their families, communities, and culture. Each doll also comes with a special code that unlocks a free membership to the kid-safe Hearts for Hearts Girls Website, which features:

Additional information about each of the Hearts For Hearts Girls and the countries in which they live

Educational activities and lively games that are fun and rich in culture

Intriguing stories about real girls who are making a difference

While all girls are welcome to visit the site, the code unlocks access to additional features, including a larger array of games and a “myHeart” page

To further bring to light each Hearts For Hearts Girls’ culture, additional outfits are available for the dolls, so that your little girl can envision her doll’s story as she plays and changes the doll’s attire.

Additionally, through a partnership with World Vision3, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each Hearts For Hearts Girls doll is donated to programs that support girls in that doll’s country. Whether it’s malaria nets in Africa, schoolbooks in Asia, or food supplies in the United States, these programs help girls to thrive and succeed.

Help to make a difference one doll at a time by purchasing your very own doll from the Hearts For Hearts Girls line which debuted in stores this fallor you can visit http://bit.ly/ShopH4HG to purchase a Hearts For Hearts Girl doll for a loved one today!

Meet the six Hearts For Hearts Girls:

Meet Consuelo from Mexico City. Colorful and warm, Consuelo provides aid to hungry children who are homeless and live on the streets near her parents’ bakery.

Meet Lilian of Belarus. Determined Lilian provides aid to girls whose parents must find work in the big city and are forced to leave their children with orphanages.

Meet Dell from the heart of Kentucky’s Appalachian Mountains. Dell creates music and knitwear to share with others in need of warm clothing.

Meet Rahel of Ethiopia. Rahel, who dreams of becoming a doctor so that she can make a real difference for people in her region, journeys with her family into the wilderness of Ethiopia to help bring back aid to her community.

Meet Tipi from Laos. Based on a real girl who shares her art and storytelling with others through dancing, drawing, and puppetry, Tipi leads her school in a mural contest in hopes of winning much-needed books for her class.

Meet Nahji who hails from Assam, India. Brave Nahji breaks tradition to bring courage and education to the girls who work in the tea fields of India.

Giveaway

Playmates Toys and My Blog Spark have provided a gift set for one of my readers. One person will receive:

One Hearts For Hearts Girl, accompanied by a friendship bracelet, story booklet, donation for girls in need through partner World Vision and a special product code your daughter can use to unlock a free membership to the Hearts For Hearts Girls website, which provides access to the “myHeart” page and an array of games and activities.
An outfit that is authentic to one of the Hearts for Hearts Girls’ culture, in which your daughter can also dress her doll

Please note, that the outfit you receive may not be from the same culture as the doll you receive, but they are all wonderful and the dolls can wear any of the outfits, not just the ones from their culture.

To enter:

Mandatory entry: Tell me which of the dolls you like best.

Extra ways to enter (leave a comment for each one you do):

- subscribe to The Happy Wife
- follow The Happy Wife on Google Friend Connect

- Like The Happy Wife on facebook (you can also click the like button on the right hand side of the blog)
- share this giveaway via your blog or other social networking site.
- Follow me on Twitter

The giveaway will end on Tuesday, October 18th, sometime after 9PM. You can enter until I choose the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to get back to me or a new winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer

The Hearts For Hearts Girls doll, and information have been provided by Playmates Toys through MyBlogSpark. I also received an identical prize package in exchange for sharing this information with you.

Yoplait Light- Do the Swap (Giveaway)

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:16:00 +0000

When trying to lose weight, it can be really difficult to maintain a new diet if you make many drastic changes all at once. The weight may drop off quicker, but what good is it, if it all comes back once you can no longer maintain that diet? I find that making small changes, 1 or 2 at a time, allows you to change your lifestyle, without feeling like you are depriving yourself. The weight will come off a bit slower, but you will be happier and healthier in the end. Yoplait Light also feels the same way and has created a "The Yoplait Light Swap" as a way to remind people that by making simple substitutions, like swapping one item from your diet per day for a 100 or 110 calorie Yoplait Light, you can cut unwanted calories and help yourself feel great about daily diet choices. Through swapping tips for food, fitness, and fashion, the "Yoplait Light Swap" can help remind you how rewarding one simple change can be. Here is some information from Yoplait Light:

Yoplait Light yogurt offers 33 different options to choose from in fruit, pastry and dessert flavors that contain around 100 calories or less, providing endless swapping options.

Visit www.Facebook.com/Yoplait to share your favorite food, exercise and fashion swaps, find recipes and quizzes. Alison Sweeney, host of "The Biggest Loser" and author of The Mommy Diet, offers this Top Swap Tip on how she maintains her weight with a hectic schedule.

"I'm all about easy solutions, and making simple swaps in my diet helps me lead a healthy lifestyle while juggling everything else. I swap a slice of my favorite red velvet cake after dinner for a cup of Red Velvet Cake Yoplait Light which can save me almost 300 calories, without even thinking about it."

Swap your way to fabulous with the following tips from fashion guru, host of the Style Network's "How Do I Look?" and correspondent for NBC's upcoming series "Fashion Star," Jeannie Mai.

Swap the bus for a 15 minute walk on the way home, and you can save 60 calories.¹
Boost your confidence in seconds by swapping more low-key flats for a pair of colorful heels.
Expand your wardrobe without breaking the bank by swapping clothes and accessories with your girlfriends.

Giveaway

Yoplait Light and My Blog Spark have put together a prize package to help one of my readers begin to make simple changes. Included in the package is:

(1) VIP coupon for a free cup of Yoplait Light yogurt
Insulated tote bag
Water bottle
Sunglass holder
Hardcover planner
Ballpoint pen

To enter:

Mandatory entry: Tell me a simple swap you can feasibly make to improve your health. Promise me you will do it :)

Extra ways to enter (leave a comment for each one you do):

- subscribe to The Happy Wife
- follow The Happy Wife on Google Friend Connect

- Like The Happy Wife on facebook (you can also click the like button on the right hand side of the blog)
- share this giveaway via your blog or other social networking site.
- Follow me on Twitter

The giveaway will end on Tuesday, October 18th, sometime after 9PM. You can enter until I choose the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to get back to me or a new winner will be chosen.

Disclaimer
Thank you to Yoplait Light and My Blog Spark for providing a prize package for one of my readers and for myself in exchange for sharing this information with you.

Review of VocabularySpelling City and a giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:43:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I told you about an upcoming review of VocabularySpellingCity.com. Well, here it is and the best part is, that I also have a 1-year Premium Membership to give away. We have been using the free version of Spelling City for a while now and like it. In the free version, you can create spelling lists and your kids can play some of the games to practice their spelling. I had not thought much about trying the paid version, basically because no one I knew had used it and I did not want to spend money on something I was unsure of. Then I received the opportunity to review the paid service and I am so glad I did. We have been missing out on SO MUCH!!

There are so many more benefits of being a paid member of VocabularySpellingCitycom. For starters, you will see that I refer to the free version as just Spelling City, that is because the vocabulary games are only available to those with a paid membership. In addition to vocabulary, your students can practice parts of speech and synonyms and antonyms of the spelling words. Another great benefit is the ability to create records and track progress for your individual students. This is nice because all I need to do is go in and enter their spelling/vocabulary lists and then let them "play". I can see their progress and address it as needed, but as of yet, I have not needed to. They were learning with the free version, but definitely enjoy the paid version much more and are learning so much more as a result. My 9 year old absolutely LOVES the spelling game Letter Fall, which is only available with the premium membership. Both versions also offer spelling lists that others have created, so you also have options of using those. There are also tests available for each list in both spelling and vocabulary, with only the spelling test being available for free members. Another benefit, although somewhat minor, is that there is no paid advertising with the premium membership. I say this is a minor benefit because even on the free version, advertising was never very distracting.

So how much does this all cost, you ask? For families and homeschoolers, it is a very reasonable $24.99 per year and allows you to register up to 5 students. For a school classroom, up to 30 students, it is $49.99 per year and they also have rates for schools as well. If you want to see more of the benefits and FAQs visit the premium membership page.

I am a very frugal homeschooler and really dislike spending money when there is so much available for free. However, spelling and vocabulary are areas where I have not found much available. In addition, there is a lot to be said about curriculum that allows my children to learn with minimal time spent by me. The best part is that $24.99 a year, for 5 children, is an excellent price for this, so even my frugal-side is appeased.

How would you like to win a 1 year Premium family membership to VocabularySpellingCity.com? Here is how to enter:

Mandatory entry: Tell me which of the benefits you think would be the most helpful to you and/or which game you think your child will enjoy the most.

Extra ways to enter (leave a comment for each one you do):

- subscribe to The Happy Wife
- follow The Happy Wife on Google Friend Connect

- Like The Happy Wife on facebook (you can also click the like button on the right hand side of the blog)
- share this giveaway via your blog or other social networking site.
- Follow me on Twitter

The giveaway will end on Tuesday, October 18th, sometime after 9PM. You can enter until I choose the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to get back to me or a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure

I received a 1 year premium family membership to VocabularySpellingCity.com in exchange for my honest review. No other compensation was received and as always, my opinion is my own.

Gerber® Graduates® Grabbers™ Squeezable Fruit and Fruit/Vegetable Pouches

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 01:03:00 +0000

I recently had the opportunity to try Gerber® Graduates® Grabbers™ Squeezable Fruit and Fruit/Vegetable Pouches. As soon as my preschoolers saw them, they could not wait to get into them. Had I allowed it, they would have eaten all the packages in one sitting. Here is a little about them:

Made for Toddlers:

· Easy for toddlers to self feed

· Encourage independent eating skills

· Come in a resealable pouch

· Pouch is easy to take on the go

· Fun to eat

Good for Toddlers:

· Made with 100% natural fruit or fruit and vegetables

· No artificial flavors or colors

· Excellent source of antioxidant Vitamins C & E

· 2 servings of fruit or fruit/vegetables per pouch*

5 Flavor Combinations:

· Banana Blueberry

· Apple, Pear & Peach

· Apple & Sweet Potato with Cinnamon

· Pear & Squash

· Apple, Mango & Strawberry

My opinion:

I am blessed to have kids that willingly eat fruits and veggies, but I am aware that many people struggle to get their kids to eat enough of them. Generally though, I have met few kids that do not like foods like applesauce. Three of the flavors include apple in them and they all have the same consistency and sweetness of applesauce. I am willing to bet that this would be a food that most kids would enjoy. I also like them because we travel fairly often and it is rather difficult to eat healthy when on the road. Furthermore, due to their delicate nature, fruits can be difficult to travel with so if we want them, we need to stop and buy them along the way. However, the Gerber® Graduates® Grabbers™ Squeezable Fruit and Fruit/Vegetable Pouches, travel well and were not messy, even in the hands of my 3 year son.

Disclaimer

I received 1 of each of the flavors to assist me in reviewing this product. No other compensation was received and my opinion was not influenced in any way.

Spiritual Sunday: A Mighty Change of Heart

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 23:00:00 +0000

A few weeks ago, I was asked to give a talk at church about a "mighty change of heart." I debated whether or not I wanted to share it on here, and if so, if I would alter it. I have decided to go ahead and post the talk I gave, as is. For my non-LDS (Mormon) friends, there are both Biblical references and references from the Book of Mormon, so if you see a scripture quoted and you do not recognize the name of the book, it is likely from the Book of Mormon.

If you had known me 20 years ago, you would not recognize me today. While I was not into a lot bad things, I was a worldly girl who didn’t know anything different. I had many friends, some who had the potential to lead me down the wrong path. Fortunately, my freshman year of college, I became good friends with the girl who would later introduce me to the missionaries. I remember meeting the elders and I was blown away with what they were teaching me. I had looked for a church for several years, but none could ever answer my questions. I had begun to believe that there just was no religion on earth that made sense to me. Then, I had 2 young men in my living room answering my questions before I could even ask them. Because I already believed that there had to be prophets on the earth still today, it was easy for me to believe that Joseph Smith had been a prophet. Once I believed that, everything else had to be true as well. However, simply believing something is often not enough. There were still areas of my life where I had to have a mighty change of heart in order to live the gospel fully.

What is a mighty change of heart and how do we have one?
Just like our physical hearts, our spiritual hearts can also be weakened. Every time we sin, our spiritual heart becomes hardened and weaker. In order to repair our spiritual heart, we need to undergo a spiritual heart transplant. In Ezekiel 36:25-26, we read, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.“ This tells us that just as Heavenly Father can make us spiritually clean again, He can also perform a spiritual heart transplant for us. Through the Atonement of Christ, we have the opportunity to have our hardened hearts removed from us and replaced with a heart of flesh once again. We can find examples of Heavenly Father performing these heart transplants throughout the scriptures, particularly in the Book of Mormon. In Mosiah 5:2, after King Benjamin had taught his people, we read, “And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” And again in Alma 5:7 we read, “Behold, he changed their hearts; yea, he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word”
However, just as those in the Book of Mormon learned, if you do not take care of your new spiritual heart, it will begin to weaken again. Satan quickly begins to present temptations in an attempt to cause us to spiritually reject our new hearts.

How do we maintain a mighty change of heart?
Maintaining our new spiritual heart is a lifelong process which requires certain behaviors on our part. The first being:
- Prayer: We need to maintain our relationship with Heavenly Father on a regular basis. Many of us have to take medications every day to keep our physical bodies working the way they should or to keep us free from pain. Prayer does for our spiritual health what these medications do for our physical health. But sometimes medicine is not always enough.
- Sometimes we have to give up certain things, even things we enjoy. Just as a diabetic has to give up sugary treats, there are behaviors that we need to give up when we experience a mighty change of heart. If these behaviors are closely linked with certain friends, we need to let them know where we now stand and may have to give up some friendships. I chose to give up a very close friend after I was baptized because they would not respect the changes I had made in my life. In some ways it was difficult to lose this friend, but in many ways, it was very easy as I could see the bigger picture. However, even with giving up these things, temptations will still be placed before us.
- We need to constantly be on guard against temptation, especially our former weaknesses. When bulletproof glass is hit with a bullet, it will protect the person on the other side. However, the place that the bullet hits has become weakened. If it takes a few more hits in the same spot, the glass will give way. We are the same way and Satan knows this. The things that we used to succumb to are the very things he will tempt us with, knowing that they have already been a weak point for us in the past. At the very first sign of temptation, we need to remove ourselves from the situation and pray for strength. You may have heard that it is easy to ask forgiveness than it is to ask permission, but anyone who has ever been through the repentance process will tell you that is not the case.
When we do give in to a temptation, it is essential that we repent of that transgression.
- Repentance: To truly repent, we not only need to take the steps of repentance: confessing, rectifying, asking for and receiving forgiveness, but we also need to forsake the sin. This does not mean simply changing our actions, but undergoing a mighty change of heart regarding this sin.

In a BYU devotional, Brent Webb said,
“Our desires come and go, often in relation to our environment, but character and personality are more permanent, more fundamental to the makeup of our soul. The change of heart we seek that accompanies true repentance actually brings a change of appetite for sin. Our likes and dislikes relative to good and evil are shaped by the Atonement. We learn not only to avoid the sin but the temptation to sin as well. There is no earthly entity that has this power to change our temperament. Wars are fought trying to bend people's wills and loyalties, but only the Savior can transform within us something so fundamental as our character and our appetites.
Those undergoing spiritual cleansing are softened in their interactions with others. They make better home and visiting teachers. They are less apt to be critical of those around them, looking for the good instead of the faults. They see and seize opportunities to serve more readily. They are more patient and less quick to anger. (I have noticed that when I am truly seeking spiritual health, I am able to be more restrained in what can be for me most un-Christian behavior--such as when I'm behind the wheel of my car in heavy traffic.) In short, the change of heart brings the Savior's hand into every facet of our lives "at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in, even until death" (Mosiah 18:9).”

Undergoing a mighty change of heart may be a onetime thing for many people. I know for myself it has not been. I have had to have several spiritual heart surgeries since joining the church, but once I have had a mighty change of heart, it is only when I fail to maintain it that I begin to feel the symptoms of my heart hardening again. It is when I am diligent with my personal prayers and scripture study that I find myself less likely to be tempted and if I am tempted, I have much more strength to walk away. I encourage all of you to nourish your spiritual hearts and to keep it strong.

Space Lunch

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 22:52:00 +0000

I have been working on serving a fun themed lunch to my kids each week. Last week, I chose a space theme. I used half of a buttered English muffin for the moon (though I wish it had been more round) because I wanted my moon to have a crater-appearance. The stars are made from American cheese using a star-shaped fondant cutter. The rocket is a slice of turkey breast, with kiwi "wings", Craisin decoration and a 1/4 of a Roma tomato for the thruster (is that the right word?). THen I dropped dollops of vanilla yogurt for the smoke. The kids really liked this one.

Book Review and Giveaway Info: Reclaiming Lily

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 01:45:00 +0000

About the book

A storm the size of Texas brews when Gloria Powell and Kai Chang meet in a Ft. Worth hotel. They have come to discuss the future of Lily, the daughter Gloria adopted from China and the sister Kai hopes to reclaim. Kai is a doctor who had to give up her little sister during the Cultural Revolution and has since discovered that an inherited genetic defect may be waiting to fatally strike Lily.

Gloria's relationship with her daughter is tattered and strained, and the arrival of Kai, despite the woman's apparent good intentions, makes Gloria fearful. Gloria longs to restore her relationship with Lily, but in the wake of this potentially devastating diagnosis, is Kai an answer to prayer--or will her arrival force Gloria to sacrifice more than she ever imagined?

My thoughts

It took me a little bit to really get into this book, but once I did, I had a hard time putting it down. I enjoyed learning a bit about the Cultural Revolution in China, which I knew little about was encouraged to research more. (For those interested, you can learn a bit more about it here: http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/cultural_revolution.htm .) Reclaiming Lily, takes the reader from a small village in China to Texas and then onto Boston, as you learn about how Lily came to be adopted and the struggles that Gloria, Kai, and Lily face as their lives become intertwined with one another. Kai and Gloria both have a deep love for Lily and want what they believe is best for her. At times, Gloria seems to know best what that is and at times Kai does and in the end, it is Lily who ends up making the decisions for herself. I enjoyed watching Lily awaken as she discovered her new-found family and was able to reconnect with her Chinese side. I also enjoyed watching Gloria come to realize that she was not the perfect mother and how she dealt with that. I also very much enjoyed the tender relationship that Gloria has with her pastor husband. Kai also undergoes extreme growth as she faces her own medical issues, her struggles with her beliefs and those of Christianity, and her love life. I recommend this book to any one who enjoys heart-warming family stories, and those who have adopted, plan to adopt, or were adopted from another culture, particularly China. While the book deals with the adoption of a Chinese girl, it serves to remind us that those who put a child up for adoption have their reasons and while we may believe we could never do the same, we do not know their individual circumstances. It also serves to remind us that although we are all human, knowing about our cultural heritage is important and should not be ignored, even if we never end up experiencing any of it first hand.

About the author

Patti Lacy graduated from Baylor University with a BS in education and completed master's-level courses in English at Indiana State University . She taught at Heartland Community College until May 2006, when she resigned to pursue her passion of writing. The author of three previous novels, Patti is the mother of two grown children and lives with her husband in Normal , Illinois .

For more about Patti and her other books, visit her website at www.pattilacy.com.

About the giveaway

Win a KindleTouch from Patti Lacy!

Patti Lacy is celebrating the release of her latest book, Reclaiming Lily, with a KindleTouch Giveaway, blog tour and FB Book Chat Party!

Follow the blog tour and read the reviews!

Patti and her publisher, Bethany House, are giving away a Reclaiming Lily prize package worth over $150 to one lucky winner!!!!

Enter the Reclaiming Lily Giveaway and you could win:

A brand new just released KindleTouch with Wi-Fi
$25 gift cetificate to Amazon.com

But, wait there’s more!

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. Giveaway ends on 10/19! Patti will be announcing the winner of the Reclaiming Lily Giveaway at her Party on Facebook October 20th! She’ll be hosting a book club chat of Reclaiming Lily (it's okay if you haven't read it - you could win a copy!) and giving away other fun prizes! (signed copies of her books and gift certificates to Amazon.com, Starbucks, & iTunes!). Don’t miss the fun at Patti’s FB Author Page on 10/20/11 at 5pm PST ( 6 pm MST, 7 pm CST, & 8 pm EST)! RSVP today!

Disclaimer
Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

Book Review and Giveaway Info: Along Wooded Paths

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 01:13:00 +0000

About the book

All she wanted was a simple Amish life . . . But now Marianna Sommer finds herself depending on Englisch neighbors. Although proud of living apart from the world, she and her newly relocated Amish family have discovered that life in the remote mountains of Montana requires working together.

As Marianna begins helping those different from herself—and receiving their help—her heart contemplates two directions. She’s torn between the Amish man from Indiana whom she has long planned on marrying and the friendly Englischer who models a closer walk with God than she’s ever seen before.

Who should have young Marianna’s heart? What is God asking her to sacrifice? Her traditions? Her community? The answer is found along the wooded paths.

Read my review of book 1, Beside Still Waters, here: http://juanshappywife.blogspot.com/2011/04/book-review-and-giveaway-info-beside.html

Read an excerpt.

My thoughts

When I wrote my review of Beside Still Waters, I stated that I hoped there would be a sequel because there were several loose ends. I was not disappointed with this sequel. All of the loose ends of the first book were tied up, well mostly, but there are new loose ends that have my interest piqued for the next installment. Marianna is still on her spiritual journey, but has most of it figured out. Her dilemma in this book is deciding which man to choose. It was kind of like the Amish Bachelorette when she gets to the final two. She is truly torn between Ben and Aaron and they both have their own pluses and minuses. In the end she makes a decision, but I am not certain that she is certain about it. I found it difficult to put the book down and I am eagerly awaiting the next sequel. However, I need to state that while this is part of a series, you can read this book without having read the first one. There is enough back story given through the book to update a new reader, but I still recommend reading the first book because together they are even better. You can see what others are saying about the book here: http://litfusegroup.com/blogtours/text/13430807

About the author

Tricia Goyer is the author of thirty books including Songbird Under a German Moon, The Swiss Courier, and the mommy memoir, Blue Like Play Dough. She won Historical Novel of the Year in 2005 and 2006 from ACFW, and was honored with the Writer of the Year award from Mt. Hermon Writer's Conference in 2003. Tricia's book Life Interrupted was a finalist for the Gold Medallion in 2005. In addition to her novels, Tricia writes non-fiction books and magazine articles for publications like MomSense and Thriving Family. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences, and has been a workshop presenter at the MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International Conventions. She and her family make their home in Little Rock , Arkansas where they are part of the ministry of FamilyLife.

For more about Tricia and her other books visitwww.triciagoyer.com

About the giveaway

Come to a Facebook Party and Live Author Chat!

Tricia is celebrating the release of Along Wooded Paths with a Fabulous Facebook party on October 18th. She'll be giving away prizes and a sneak peak at the next book in the Big Sky series.

Then during the second half of the party she'll be hosting a LIVE AUTHOR CHAT on her website and announcing something BIG! CLICK the button (below) to RSVP for the party - then go here to sign up for the Live Author Chat.

Disclaimer
Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

Winner: Gabby, God's Little Angel

noreply@blogger.com (Danielle) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 20:18:00 +0000

I am a little behind due to life, but I will write more about that later. Here is the winner of Gabby, God's Little Angel:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2011-10-08 20:15:55 UTC

Which belongs to:

Robyn said...: Follow on GFC
coolestmommy2000 at gmail dot com

Congratulations! Please respond to the e-mail I will be sending within 48 hours.

The Happy Wife

Book Review and Giveaway Info: Chasing Mona Lisa

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 31st!

*Disclaimer*

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the authors for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

Make It Monday: Coffee filter snowflakes, Homemade liquid fabric softener, and homemade dishwasher detergent

A new beginning

Book Review and Giveaway Info: The Keeper

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 17th!

*Disclaimer*

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group and the author for providing me with a copy of this book for review purposes. My opinion is my own and was not influenced by anyone else.

Book Review: Real

48 hour giveaway: $25 gift card to Kroger (or affiliate) giveaway

Book Review and Giveaway Info: The Mirror of N'de

Lots of upcoming posts and giveaways and an official announcement

Book Review and Giveaway Info: Remembering You

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 29th!

Book Review and Giveaway Info: The Baker's Wife

Please come vote for me

Book Review and Giveaway Info: Love on the Line

Book Review and giveaway info: The Wonder of Your Love

Book Review and Giveaway Info: Baby, It's Cold Outside

Winners

Random Integer Generator

Random Integer Generator

Book review and Giveaway Info: Married Mom, Solo Parent

Hearts for Hearts Girls dolls Giveaway

Yoplait Light- Do the Swap (Giveaway)

Review of VocabularySpelling City and a giveaway

Gerber® Graduates® Grabbers™ Squeezable Fruit and Fruit/Vegetable Pouches

Spiritual Sunday: A Mighty Change of Heart

Space Lunch

Book Review and Giveaway Info: Reclaiming Lily

Book Review and Giveaway Info: Along Wooded Paths

Winner: Gabby, God's Little Angel

Random Integer Generator

Disclaimer

Disclaimer