Tuesday, October 18, 2011

My heart is so full

My heart is so full of joy today. I am just in awe of God's blessings in my life and I am immensely grateful that He has entrusted my 3 amazing boys to me. My heart just swells. I never want to take for granted these beautiful blessings that I have been entrusted with and I want to make sure they know every single day just how incredibly loved and valued they are, not only by me, but by the God who created them. I'm just one very happy mommy today.

Tonight is the last league game of my oldest son, Gavin's, football season. So far the team is undefeated and we're hoping to seal the deal tonight! We'll be traveling an hour and a half away for the game and getting home late tonight, but it will be a great family time. Praying for safety for all of the players and just that all of the players have a great time, win or lose. Here's a picture of Gavin with some of his teammates at one of his games. He's the one in the middle, making the awesome face. I love it!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Say Hi Sunday Blog Hop



It's Sunday! What a perfect day to check out some new blogs and say hello. I hope you'll follow my blog. Be sure to leave me a comment and I'll follow yours too!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Mmmm...yummy!




The cold weather has started here in Michigan and with the leaves falling off the trees and fall in full swing, I am dreaming of yummy comfort foods and fall dishes. There's one problem with that...I'm also trying to lose weight. Well, fortunately I know of a great website called Gina's Skinny Recipes (Skinnytaste.com) that can help me out with my little dilemma. I'm talking about totally yummy food, without all the guilt. I have made several recipes from her website and my family has loved pretty much all of them (ok, there was this one soup I made that wasn't really a hit, but I think that's been the only thing). There are recipes for appetizers, salads, soups, casseroles, crock pot meals, sandwiches, burgers, desserts, beverages, etc. You are sure to find something you will love there. I did so great the last time I followed the Weight Watchers points plan and she even gives you the point value (both the old and new point values)for the different recipes! What more could you ask for?! Anyway, since I'm in the mood for some comfort foods and was looking on her website today and found some, I thought I would share a couple of them that you might like to try too! If you end up making them, let me know what you thought of them!

*All pictures are from her website*

Baked Potato Soup



Sweet Potato Casserole




Pumpkin Swirl Cheescake Yogurt Cupcakes



These are just a few tempting recipes. There are soooo many more I want to try!




I have made her Sweet Potato Pie a couple times and it is an absolute favorite at our house. My husband goes totally crazy over it and all three of my boys love it too. I highly recommend it.

Sweet Potato Pie




Disclosure: I have been in no way compensated for this post, I just really love her website and recipes and wanted to share them. Be sure to like her on facebook or subscribe to her emails. You'll be glad you did!

Can it really be?



Has it really been six months (almost to the day) since my last blog post? That hardly seems possible, but I guess it is. Where have I been? What have I been doing? Does anyone really care at this point? Well, in case anyone does, I've just been busy with the job I started last year, busy with my oldest and all of his sports stuff, busy re-modeling and moving into a new house...all sorts of stuff, really. It's been a crazy 6 months for sure, but it has also been great and I thank God for all of the incredible blessings He has given to us over these past months. We are truly blessed and I am excited at the prospect of getting back into the swing of blogging and hopefully reviews and giveaways as well! So, let's do this! Let's make this my official comeback! I can't wait to get back in the groove and for you to go along for the ride with me!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

That's When I Talk to God by Dan and Ali Morrow

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card authors are:


and the book:


That's When I Talk to God

David C. Cook (April 1, 2011)

***Special thanks to Audra Jennings, Senior Media Specialist, The B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:


Dan and Ali Morrow are parents of two wonderful daughters. When they’re not writing children’s books, they like to go on adventures around their Colorado home. They are the authors of That’s Where God Is (2010), their first children’s release.

Visit the authors' website.


ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:


Cory Godbey illustrates, animates, and writes for Portland Studios, a creative firm dedicated to telling great stories and pursuing excellence in art.

He has contributed to projects such as Zune Arts, Flight graphic novel anthologies, and has worked with many major publishers.

Recently, Cory was accepted in the acclaimed Society of Illustrators Annual.

Cory seeks to tell stories with his work.

He also likes drawing monsters.

Visit the illustrator'swebsite.


SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Targeted to children four to eight, That’s When I Talk to God mirrors the day of the typical child, creating an opportunity for readers to put the practices in the story to use in their own lives. Through beautiful illustrations and an engaging, familiar character, readers can relate to That’s When I Talk to God. Children will learn to go to God with their fears, their joys, their questions, and their desires. They will also learn the hows, whens, and whys of praying to the Lord in a way they can easily apply to their own experiences. And adults will be reminded to communicate the benefit, simplicity, and beauty of prayer.



Product Details:

List Price: $12.99
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 36 pages
Publisher: David C. Cook (April 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1434700186
ISBN-13: 978-1434700186

AND NOW...THE FIRST FEW PAGES (Click on the pictures to enlarge them!):









Thursday, April 14, 2011

Hawk Nelson ~ Crazy Love and Aaron Gillespie ~ Anthem Songs - Reviews

I wanted to share with you about two new Christian albums that have come out recently that I adore!


First things first...Crazy Love by Hawk Nelson. I have liked Hawk Nelson since I first heard them about 3 years ago. They have what I would describe as a light-hearted, fun sound. Definitely a sound that the younger crowd would like and since a lot of those younger people would consider me old, I guess a sound that old people like too. ;-) It's not just about a fun sound though, they are also all about substance in their lyrics. For instance, in their new single called Crazy Love they say..."We're the ones who believe in the things unseen. This home, this body is the in-between. We're the ones who fight down on our knees, who dare to love our enemies.
Love enemies. They say it sounds insane. We say that we've been changed by the power of crazy love. This world, it looks at us like we're ridiculous. Baby, it's all because of crazy love." When I hear these lyrics, I think of saying it like it is in a way that's easy for anyone to understand. It's acknowledging that people who don't know Christ think we're ridiculous and that we sound insane, but we know that we believe the truth because of His crazy love for us and the love He gives us for others. I LOVE that! Another of my favorite songs from the album is called My Next Breath and it talks about needing God more than my next breath. How true that is and how grateful I am to have Him. While I do like their sound, I really do believe that they are more of a young sound and if you're looking for an album for your pre-teen to teen, they are sure to love it!

Check out Crazy Love!




Next is an album called Anthem Songs by Aaron Gillespie. This is Aaron's debut solo album and I have to say it has become one of my favorite albums. I love the sound of his voice and I love the passion in the songs on this album. From one of my favorites (Hosanna) to a great new song called We Were Made for You. I really cannot say enough about the passion I hear in his music. I have to admit that I had never heard of Aaron Gillespie before this point, and just put the cd in to listen to one day while I was cleaning simply because I was sick of hearing the same songs over and over again on the radio. From the first song I was drawn in and listened closely to the whole album and then...I played it again. Every single song was great! Every single song had passion and meaning and just made me want to worship. I find myself walking around singing his songs all the time now and it brings a smile to my face every time one of the songs comes to mind. I HIGHLY recommend getting yourself this album. Trust me, you will love it! I really can't say enough good about it. I keep sharing his youtube videos on facebook so that all of my friends can hear him too. I seriously adore the album that much! You should definitely get it!

Listen to We Were Made for You! (I kind of think he has a Jonas Brothers sound in this song, what do you think? I think he sounds great!)




Disclosure: I was given these albums for free for review purposes from Overture Media. I was not compensated in any other way and my opinions in this review were in no way pursuaded by the company involved.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Enjoy Lighting Winner!

The Enjoy Lighting winner is...


Comment #13 - Captain Coupon


CONGRATULATIONS!

Monday, April 4, 2011

Friis Review


I LOVE coffee. I actually have to limit myself because I could drink coffee all day everyday. In fact, I started buying half-caff coffee for at home so I wasn't getting so much caffeine. Something that's a really big deal to me concerning my coffee is freshness. I cannot stand the taste of coffee that isn't fresh. That's why I was really excited when I heard about Friis coffee canisters and was given the opportunity to review one. We've been using it for about a month and a half now and we couldn't be happier with it. Let me tell you a little about the Friis freshness valve and how it all works...


(Info taken from the Friis website.)
The key to rich, full-flavored coffee is limiting the effects of these external forces through proper storage. Your coffee loses flavor with exposure to light, air, moisture, and carbon dioxide released after the roasting process.

The Friis Coffee Savor keeps your coffee fresh by locking in flavor while blocking out light, air and moisture. The Friis Freshness Valve vents away flavor destroying CO2 gas. When stored in a cool, dry place, your coffee stays fresh longer.

The patented Freshness Valve is the key to eliminating trapped CO gas. The valve is constructed with a unique filter that allows carbon dioxide gas to pass through without allowing oxygen or other gases back in. This one-way valve removes the trapped gas that breaks down and destroys coffee flavor over time.

All coffee is roasted, both whole bean and ground. This roasting process heats the coffee bean and caramelizes the sugars in coffee. It is this roasting process that creates the flavor degrading gas. Coffee is perishable much like fruit, milk or bread -- keeping coffee fresh is very important. Without a freshness valve coffee can not be kept fresh.


I had never really put that much thought into keeping coffee fresh before, but after using the Friis container over these past few weeks I can tell the difference in the taste of the coffee. It has maintained that fresh, robust taste that I like so much about coffee. I am thoroughly impressed with the Friis canister and if you like coffee, I know you will be too. Check out their website to find out more about their great products. Mother's Day is coming up and if you have a Mom who loves coffee, this could be a great gift idea!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Enjoy Lighting ~ Review & Giveaway


I love candles. I love the atmosphere they create in a room. I'm not a fan of forgetting to blow them out, melted wax on furniture or black soot on my cool candleholders. I found a company that makes a product that eliminates that problem.

Enjoy Lighting makes flameless candles made out of real wax. There are several different colors and textures to match any decor. They are fragranced too! LED bulbs will last over 100,000 hours! 3 LED's and a computer chip built into the candle produce multiple points of randomly shifting light, creating a glow that flickers, rolls, and casts dancing shadows, just like a real candle flame! Did I mention that they have a Multi-Hour Timer Mode? Operate manually or set timer to run for 4, 6, or 8 hours. Candle will automatically turn on each day at the set time and off after the selected number of hours. Perfect for hard to reach spaces – Set it and forget it!

I was sent two different sizes of the Ivory Smooth Vanilla Scented Wax Pillars seen below...
• Available in 3x4, 3x6, 3x8, 4x6, & 4x8”
• Astonishingly realistic 100,000 hour Triple-LED flickering light source.
• Available with Multi-Hour Timer Mode or Dim/Bright Mode.
• 300+ Hour Battery Life
• Requires 4 ‘AA’ Batteries
• Realistic Melted Edge
• Distinct Vanilla Fragrance





Not only do they look great on their own, but I put them in some really cool candleholders I have and they looked really great there too! They looked completely real up there on my fireplace mantel and I didn't have to worry about forgetting to blow them out.

Another thing I really liked is that you can get them at places like Target and Kmart, so I can easily get more!

If you'd like to win two candles for yourself, be sure to see below for how to get your entries in...

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!


This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on April 5th. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winner. The winner will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose a new winner. This contest is open to U.S. residents.

LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com


MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Enjoy Lighting and tell me which of their great products that you would love to have. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)

Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)

Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)

"Like" my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)

Place my Finally Finding Me button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)

"Like" the Enjoy Lighting facebook page. (1 entry)

Follow Enjoy Lighting on Twitter @EnjoyFlameless (1 entry)


That's 8 chances to win! Good luck!




Disclosure: I was provided with these products for free for review purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.

*Enjoy Lighting will not give or send candles to winners of past Enjoy Lighting blog reviews and giveaways.*

WINNERS!!!

I apologize for being a little MIA lately, but we've had some pretty major stuff going on around our household. I'm getting back on track though and to start off, I've got some winners to announce!

The winner of the HOME letters from Plow & Hearth is...

Comment #2 - pridelandmama




The winner of the $45 gift code from CSN Stores is...

Comment #28 - shala_darkstone

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Nissa Lynn Winner!

The winner of the necklace from Nissa Lynn is...


Comment #34 - monapete


CONGRATULATIONS!

Monday, March 14, 2011

CSN Stores...with a giveaway.


Spring is right around the corner, which means it won't be long before our kids are heading back outside to play! That's a big yay for me and for the kids. Our backyard is quite small and besides a swingset with 3 swings (one for each of the boys) and a sandbox...there isn't really a whole lot to do. While browsing the CSN stores website, I came across some really awesome wood swing sets and it got me dreaming of how cool it would be to have one of them in our yard. I would love for my kids to have a big, cool swing set to play on. Even though our oldest son is 12, he still enjoys getting out there with his brothers and swinging and playing, so even though he probably wouldn't admit it, I know he would love a cool wood swing set too. They really have a lot of cool ones and when I think back to the hours I used to spend as a kid out on our simple swingset and climbing trees, it makes me nostalgic and makes me want to give my boys something cool like this to hang out in the yard on. Seriously, there's some really cool ones. Check them out.

How would you like to win a $45.00 gift code from CSN stores?! They are offering one of my readers just that! If you would like a chance to win, please see below for how to enter.

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!


This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on March 21st. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winner. The winner will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose a new winner. This contest is open to U.S. residents.

LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com


MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit CSN Stores and tell me another of their great products that you would love to have. (1 entry)


Extra Entry:

Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)


Just 2 entries available for this giveaway so get yours in!


Disclosure: I was not personally compensated in any way for this post, but was given a gift code offer for one of my readers in exchange for it.

The Key to the Kingdom: Unlocking Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom written by Jeff Dixon

It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!

You never know when I might play a wild card on you!


Today's Wild Card author is:


and the book:


The Key to the Kingdom: Unlocking Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom

Deep River Books (December 1, 2010))

***Special thanks to Arielle Roper of Bring It On! Communications for sending me a review copy.***

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Jeff Dixon was raised in Florida and has always been fascinated with the man Walt Disney and the theme park he created. Dixon feels that any guest who would take the time to look would discover a story that will never be completed. It is against this canvas that Dixon paints this mystery, adventure, and thriller.

Visit the author's website.

SHORT BOOK DESCRIPTION:

Grayson Hawkes learns how imaginative and elaborate Walt Disney World is when he accepts an invitation from a trusted friend landing him in a world he never knew existed. Suddenly unraveling a perplexing puzzle and trying to solve a mysterious disappearance, Hawkes navigates through the kingdom where knowledge of seemingly unimportant Disney facts and some divine help are the only way he can discover the answers and get out. In this world Disney trivia is no game…And the ancient key is the only way out.

Soon the lines between right and wrong begin to blur, and telling the difference between real and unreal become nearly impossible. Loyalty to faith, family and friends are stretched to the extreme in the pulse quickening adventure through a magical place where dreams really do come true.

Key to the Kingdom: A Real Treasure Hunt at Walt Disney World from Marc Percy on Vimeo.



Key To The Kingdom Trailer from Marc Percy on Vimeo.



Product Details:

List Price: $15.99
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Deep River Books (December 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1935265245
ISBN-13: 978-1935265245

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:


Day One

Night

Halogen headlamps pierced the darkness of the cool central Florida night. The GPS guided the Mustang surging toward the coastal community of Port Orange. Racing along Taylor Road, Dr. Grayson Hawkes approached an unknown destination. Questions swirled in the tornado of curiosity whipping through the preacher’s mind. The glow of the dashboard light illuminated the business card propped against the gearshift; “1819 Taylor Road, Port Orange” had been neatly printed in blue ink. Flipping the card he read the name on the other side.

Farren Rales

Imagineering Ambassador

Walt Disney Company

Reading the name of his dear friend brought a slight smile to his face. Rales had been hired by the late Walt Disney himself as an animator at the Walt Disney Studios on Rales’s thirtieth birthday. In the years that followed he had worked on animated features, been involved in projects at Disneyland, and eventually became a part of that exclusive group of creative Walt Disney Company designers known as Imagineers. Rales was part Disney historian, part Disney philosopher, and a modern day keeper of the dream that Walt himself had begun.

Farren Rales had given him the business card with an invitation to meet the old Imagineer at ten o’clock this evening. The GPS announced a turn seconds before an inconspicuous dirt road veered to the right. Hawk responded sluggishly and shot past it. He instantly banked his ride into a U-turn that corrected his course. Slowly navigating the heavily wooded, chassis-jarring dirt road, he watched for signage. The headlights threw a glow on a sign that read Gamble Place Parking with an arrow that pointed right. He turned the wheel. A gate immediately came into view, blocking forward progress. Hawk looked over the steering wheel trying to decide whether he had managed to bungle the directions and gotten hopelessly lost. With the car idling, he got out and walked to the gate. Grasping the chain that held the gate closed, he saw the lock had been secured to the chain, but the chain was not fastened. When he dropped the chain, the gate lazily swung open. Hawk slid back behind the wheel of the car and it crawled forward as the dirt became softer below the tires. The Mustang eased up to a parking barrier, above which the headlights shone on a yellow house trimmed in green.

Exiting the automobile, Hawk left the parking area and made his way toward the house. There was a display in front of the walkway to the house that probably explained where he was. The automatic timer for the headlamps clicked off, leaving him standing in darkness. Sensing his eyes would never adjust in the moonless night to read the display, he remembered a flashlight that was hopefully still in the trunk of the car. He retraced his steps. In addition to the soft sound of his shoe steps in the sand, Hawk thought he heard something else moving near him. He came to an abrupt halt. Rales? Listening closely, he now only heard the sounds of the outdoor evening. The trunk popped open, producing a blast of light that momentarily blinded him. He fumbled for the flashlight and flicked the switch. The beam shone strongly as he slammed the trunk shut. He again moved toward the house. Sweeping the beam around him, he saw a large historical marker looming in the dark, over his left shoulder. He refocused the attention of the light on this newly discovered sign.

Gamble Place

In 1898, James N. Gamble, of the Proctor and Gamble Company and a longtime winter resident of Daytona Beach, bought this land on Spruce Creek for use as a rural retreat. In 1907 he built a small cracker cottage with an open front porch and a breezeway connecting a separate kitchen and dining room . . . In 1938, Gamble’s son-in-law, Alfred K. Nippert, completed the “Snow White House,” a Black Forest style cottage inspired by the Disney animated film classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The house is surrounded by a Witch’s Hut, the Dwarfs’ Mine Shaft, and an elaborate network of rock gardens. Collectively these buildings and grounds form a historic landscape now known as Gamble Place. This property was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

Obviously Rales had asked Hawk here because of the Disney connection. It had been a Disney connection that had started the friendship between the two men. Hawk had been introduced to Rales and asked the Imagineer if he would meet with him and his church staff to teach them the art of storytelling. The first meeting had gone so well it turned into a standing appointment each month. However this evening the invitation was for Hawk alone. Sighing deeply in an attempt to relax, Hawk listened closely and his ears tuned in to the sound of water gently playing along an unseen shoreline. The unexpected snap of a branch unleashed a wave of adrenaline spinning him in the direction of the noise. He peered into the blackness of the trees, searching for the maker of the sound, but heard nothing.

“Farren, is that you?” Hawk spoke with a bit more edge than he anticipated.

Silence confirmed Rales was not the source of the sound. “So when did you get so scared of the dark?” he muttered to himself. “And when did you start talking to yourself?”

Out of the corner of his vision he noticed a glimmer of light across the wooded darkness. With a bit of reservation he moved toward it. His shoes cracked sticks and crushed leaves, creating a symphony of sound that shattered the haunting noises of nature that had moments ago surrounded him. His flashlight began to dim. Shaking it violently he resurrected the brilliance of the beam, only to watch it fade into a momentary glow, and then disappear completely.

“Tremendous,” he said in frustration at the malfunctioning light. “Still talking to . . . and answering yourself.”

The point of light he had been moving toward disappeared as well. Pressing onward, he drew nearer to where it had been. Once again it appeared and this time looked brighter and stronger. Hawk’s trudging through the undergrowth yielded to softer ground as he heard a familiar voice cut quietly through the night.

“I began to think you weren’t going to make it.”

“I was starting to think you were playing a practical joke on me,” Hawk whispered back.

“Now, would I do that to you?” Rales laughed softly.

Hawk could now see much better as he approached the place where Rales stood. Farren had brought a lantern that illuminated the place he was standing and cast long shadows in multiple directions. Hawk descended the steps to join Rales on what appeared to be a recently created platform. The sound of the creek was closer and Hawk assumed they were now on the edge of the river. Rales was dressed in a pair of black slacks with a lightweight black windbreaker. Hawk did not miss the stealth attire and was getting ready to comment on it when Rales again spoke in a hushed tone.

“Any trouble finding the place?”

“I suppose not, since it’s out in the middle of nowhere!” Hawk decided to satisfy his curiosity. “And could you tell me why we’re whispering?”

“Didn’t you read the sign? We’re in a state park. It closed at dusk. We could get arrested for being here.”

“Then why didn’t we come here in the daylight?”

“Now, that wouldn’t be as much fun, would it?”

“Farren, we should clarify our definitions of fun.”

“Breaking into a state park is a story you’ll be able to tell for years!”

“I didn’t break in, the gate was unlocked.”

“So you opened it and drove on in.”

“You invited me.”

“Shhh,” Rales interrupted.

Hawk grew quiet and strained to hear sounds coming out of the darkness. He studied Rales’s tense features, trying to decide whether the old man was toying with him or was actually concerned that they might be caught after hours in the park. Rales’s face softened and he turned away from Hawk, letting his lantern shine toward a nearby wooden cottage that looked as if it had been plucked off of an animation cell from an antique piece of film. Hawk’s mouth opened slightly. Rales moved forward and panned the light across the front of this cottage that did not belong in this time or any other. It was recognizable as the cottage in the Black Forest of the classic cartoon Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Hawk’s eyes followed the movement of the lantern to the carved lintel and a stone trough. Rales moved toward the front door, fumbled with the handle, and then opened it. Looking back to Hawk, he motioned for him to follow him inside. Hawk entered, feeling like he was stepping into a fairy tale as Rales silently closed the door behind them.


The Key to the Kingdom: Unlocking Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom

© 2010 Jeff Dixon

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.




My personal thoughts: I feel like I just received this book and have not had a chance to finish it yet, but what I have read so far has been awesome! The characters and the storyline are very interesting and intriguing. I feel like I never know what to expect with each turn of the page and I love that in a book! I am really enjoying it and look forward to finishing it to see what happens (although I almost hate for it to be over)!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Yoplait Prize Pack Winner!

The winner of the Yoplait prize pack is...

Comment #10 ~ Tiffany Christie

This is her second win this week! Congratulations!

Friday, March 4, 2011

Snack Taxi Winner!

Who says number 13 is unlucky? Certainly not the winner of my Snack Taxi giveaway! The winner is...

Comment #13 ~ Tiffany Christie

CONGRATULATIONS!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Plow & Hearth Home Decor ~ Review & Giveaway


I love Plow & Hearth! I really just cannot say enough good things about this company. I have been beyond thrilled with all of their products that I have experienced and am excited to share yet another great product with you!

Since this long, cold winter is starting to get to me, I decided it would be fun to find some new home decor to brighten up the inside of my house even on the long, gray winter days. I was fortunate to be able to review these adorable "HOME" Wall Letters!


When I received them and got them out, I was so excited about the bright, cheerful colors. I also love the way the letters look distressed and are decorated with metalwork vines and flowers. They create the type of look I see in magazines and wish I had in my home, and now I do! My walls are pale yellow and they look great on them, but I can picture several colors that they would look great on and it's inspiring me. I love how a new piece of decor can freshen up a room and bring a new interest to it. Using the colors found in these letters, you can add different accent pieces to your room to compliment them. The ideas are just spinning in my head! I just love them!

Plow & Hearth offers such a great variety of products and I could easily find items to decorate my home inside and out with from them. Here are a few more products that I am dreaming of...




Once again, Plow & Hearth has proven to be a great company with high quality products that I just can't get enough of. How would you like to add these adorable "HOME" Wall Letters to your home?! One lucky winner will receive a set for themselves!!! To gain entries into this great giveaway, please read below...

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!


This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on March 16th. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winner. The winner will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose a new winner. This contest is open to U.S. residents.

LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com


MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Plow & Hearth and tell me another of their great products that you would love to have. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)

Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)

Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)

"Like" my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)

Place my Finally Finding Me button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)


That's 6 chances to win! Good luck!




Disclosure: I was provided with these products for free for review purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

GreenTime Reusable Bags ~ Review


I was given the opportunity to try out another set of reusable sandwich and snack bags, this time from a company called GreenTime Bags.

These sandwich/snack bags are PVC, BPA, lead and phthalate free. They are also hand or machine washable. I like the idea they give for drying them on a bottle drying rack. They are definitely a much better alternative than disposable plastic bags. I really like how deep the pockets in the bags are because I'm pretty sure nothing is going to escape from them. The one thing that was a little strange to me was how wide the sandwich bag is. I've never seen bread that wide, so I'm not sure why you would need it like that, except for then I thought about that you could probably fit a sandwich that was made on part of a sub bun or something like that in it. Also it would probably work out nicely for a wrap or pita sandwich. I like taking wraps to work a lot, so that would be the perfect size for them. They come in great prints too, so they aren't just great for the environment, but they are fun too.

Here is one of the bags that I received (the other is a snack bag and has a retro dot design to it)...


Overall, I think these are great reusable bags and I am glad to have them as an alternative to wasteful plastic baggies. If you would like to have a better alternative for yours and/or your childrens' lunches, get over to GreenTime Bags and get yourself some!



Disclosure: I was provided with these products for free for review purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved

Monday, February 28, 2011

Nissa Lynn ~ Review & Giveaway


I absolutely love Etsy and all the unique jewelry, clothing, art, etc. that you can find there. I was beyond excited when I found Nissa Lynn. I am in awe of her talents in creating great clothing and jewelry pieces. Pretty much everything I looked at received a response of "Ooooh, I want that."

I was beyond lucky to receive one of her Librarian Tunics for review. I chose a great black and white print with an awesome zebra print flower pin with a sparkly jewel in the center. This tunic could not be more "me". I took a few pictures to show you some of the different ways the tunic can be worn.

Just alone.


Belted high with a skinny belt.


Belted high with some of the material pulled up through to create a bubbled top.


Under an open flutter cardigan with the flower pin attached to the cardigan.


Isn't it absolutely adorable? I'm excited to wear it in the summer with my black capris and cute heels. It would be perfect to wear for a bridal or baby shower, out to dinner, or just casual with a pair of jeans! It is so versatile and so cute. I'm actually going to wear it next time with a magenta cardigan that has a black lace back on it, to add a punch of color. There are just so many ways you could wear this tunic, or one of her other tunics. She also makes other great tops, jackets, dresses and skirts. Let me show you a couple more of my favorites...

Oh, how I would love to have this dress!


Another great tunic. I love the flowers.


What a great pencil skirt that would go awesome with one of her tunics!



I know I mentioned that she does jewelry too, so I have to show you some of those great pieces as well...

Just imagine how many things you could wear this necklace with!


This necklace is so fun with all of the little sea inspired charms mixed in. What a great summer necklace!



Isn't she amazingly talented? I just love her pieces! I know you've got to be drooling over one or more of them as well and I've only shown you a small sampling! You definitely should get over to her shop and check it all out.

How would you feel about winning a great piece of jewelry by Nissa Lynn? I bet I know the answer to that. Well, Nissa Lynn has offered one of my readers a chance to win the gorgeous necklace pictured below! It is made up of a silver chain, pearl beads, crystal beads and an organza flower with a pearl bead center. Gorgeous! I'm totally jealous of whoever wins this.



If you would like a chance to win this great necklace, please see below for how to gain entries into this giveaway...

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!


This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on March 14th. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winner. The winner will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose a new winner. This contest is open to U.S. residents.

LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com


MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Nissa Lynn's Etsy shop and tell me which of her pieces is your favorite. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)

Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)

Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)

"Like" my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)

Place my Finally Finding Me button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)

Heart Nissa Lynn's Etsy shop. (1 entry)


That's 7 chances to win! Good luck!




Disclosure: I was provided with these products for free for review purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Yoplait Light Two Week Tune Up


If you haven't heard of Yoplait yogurt, I have no idea where you've been, but it's yummy! I was excited at the opportunity to receive a Yoplait Light yogurt gift pack that includes 28 VIP coupons for Yoplait Light yogurt, a gym bag, a reflective wrist wallet and a pedometer.

I was so excited when I received the package. The gym bag is really cool and I'm thinking it would make a great beach bag as well. I love yogurt too, so I was most excited about all the free yogurt. While I haven't started it yet, I am starting next week with their Two Week Tune Up. Basically, Yoplait Light´s Two Week Tune Up could help you lose five pounds in two weeks by:

Replacing your breakfast and lunch with a Yoplait Light yogurt, a whole grain,
and a fruit.

Eating a diet rich in lean protein and non-fat dairy, including a sensible dinner, beverages, and snacks.

Walking 30-40 minutes daily

Please visit Yoplait.com for study and full diet details.


Sounds simple enough, right? I think so and I'm going to try it starting next Monday (today is my son's birthday, Saturday we'll be gone all day at basketball tournaments and Sunday we have a lunch date with my husband's aunt, so I'm not even going to attempt it this weekend). I can't wait to see how it all goes and I'll be sure to write a post with the results when I'm done!

Do you love yogurt and wouldn't mind losing a few pounds in a couple weeks' time? Then you should try it out! Would you like to kick-start this Tune Up with a Yoplait Prize Pack of your own that includes a gym bag, a reflective wrist wallet, a pedometer and one VIP coupon* for a free cup of Yoplait Light yogurt?

*This coupon offer for Yoplait Light yogurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and Tennessee.

You should definitely enter for a chance right here on my blog! What are you waiting for? Get your entries in now!

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!


This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on March 4th. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winner. The winner will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose a new winner. This contest is open to U.S. residents.

LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com


MANDATORY ENTRY: Leave a comment sharing what special event you will be participating in the Two Week Tune Up program for or if you just want to lose weight just because. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)

Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)

Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)

"Like" my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)

Place my Finally Finding Me button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)


That's 6 chances to win! Good luck!




Disclosure: Yoplait provided me with the free product, information and giveaway through MyBlogSpark

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Snack Taxi ~ Review & Giveaway


I've been intrigued for quite some time now with the idea of reusable sandwich and snack bags, but never took the initiative to buy any and try them out. That got me thinking that they would be a perfect thing to review. So, I present to you...Snack Taxi reusable bags for snacks and sandwiches!

The first thing I noticed when I opened up the package was the cute material they were made out of. I mean, how fun is it to take your sandwiches and snacks in a cute printed bag, rather than a boring old plastic one?! The next thing I noticed was the generous sizing of the bags. There is plenty of room in the sandwich bag for a very large sandwich and plenty of room in the snack bag for any kind of snack I can think of that I normally pack in mine and my boys' lunches.

Before I go any further, I just have to show you the bags I chose. I was sent a set to keep for the review and a set to give away to one of my readers. I couldn't resist the bags with these adorable little hedgehogs all over them. Seriously, they are so stinkin' cute! Just look...


Anyway, one of the things I was concerned about about these bags and part of the reason I have never taken the initiative to get some is I pictured the food falling out of the bags if they got jostled around. I'm not sure if you can tell in this picture below or not, but the pocket part of the material actually folds over quite a ways, so there's really no way anything can fall out. I was also very happy to read that the nylon that lines the bags has been tested to be sure that it is safe and not leeching anything into your food that you or your children shouldn't be eating. Same goes for the cute cotton prints on the outside of the bags.




Wondering about how you care for them? Well, you can throw them in the wash (unscented detergent is recommended) and dryer or simply rinse with water and air dry. Just like any other material, they will hold up better if hand washed and air dried, but I guess that's kind of obvious. So see, easy!

Now, for the main and most important benefit of these reusable snack and sandwich bags...they are REUSABLE! Have you ever really stopped to think about how many plastic bags your family goes through in a week, a month, a year?! It's honestly disgusting when you really think about how much waste something as innocent as your lunches are creating. Now, I'd love to say that I'm great about recycling and things like that, but I have to be honest and say that I am not. I do care though about doing things to make a difference in how much waste my family is creating and these reusable snack and sandwich bags are an easy (and ridiculously cute) way of doing that.

Wouldn't you love to try out some of these great reusable bags from Snack Taxi for yourself? Well, let me show you what you could win! Snack Taxi has offered one of my readers a set of one each of their sandwich and snack bags. Oh, and they are in this adorable owl print below...


If you would like a chance to win these great bags, please see below for how to gain entries...

BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE ENTRY DIRECTIONS EXACTLY FOR YOUR ENTRIES TO COUNT!!!!


This contest will be open until 11:59 PM on March 2nd. At that time I will use random.org to determine the winner. The winner will then be emailed and have 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will choose a new winner. This contest is open to U.S. residents.

LEAVE SEPARATE COMMENTS FOR EACH ENTRY AND LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN THIS FORM - Jane (at) yahoo (dot) com


MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Snack Taxi and tell me which print you would love to send in your kids' lunches or your own. (1 entry)

Extra Entries:

Follow my blog (publicly via google friend connect, located on the top sidebar) - You can use this as an entry whether you are a new follower or a current follower. (1 entry)

Subscribe to my blog via the sign-up found on the right sidebar of my blog to be sure to never miss a great giveaway! (1 entry)

Follow my blog via Networked Blogs, located on the right sidebar under google friend connect. (1 entry)

"Like" my Facebook page, located on the right sidebar. (1 entry)

Place my Finally Finding Me button on your blog and leave me a comment saying you did. The button is found on the right sidebar of my blog.
(1 entry)

Blog about this giveaway with a link to my blog and leave me the link to your post. (1 entry)


That's 6 chances to win! Good luck!




Disclosure: I was provided with these products for free for review purposes. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own and I was in no way persuaded by the company involved.