tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35143386547507294892024-02-18T22:13:55.309-05:00Where you go from here...Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08015683454662470168noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-74243765798054909032016-08-23T11:08:00.002-04:002017-03-04T09:23:19.388-05:0025 Things I've Learned Before I Turned 25<h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfbnH2pvgfYeRXvmBt-w4FznM3JxwIg4172MgqRz3fQ7Q-TjZ-FmemJnSGtqIb5Y6JWjnoyjhef4m-vOIK3U7gTM6ntvnkdNaKDxfZpltYjp74IHnJcA867-YerTkCiYkK6pNBII8YO-pV/s320/14060239_10154439961868615_1911596612_o.jpg" width="187" /></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: large;">25 Things I Learned Before I Turned 25</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;">1. Life does not get easier with age.<br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;">2. Adult-ing is a class that I wish they would have taught in high school... The important things like what to make for dinner, how to balance a budget, how to handle a sh*tload of laundry, how to get poop/vomit out of every surface in your house and how to not vomit when you see poop/vomit on every surface in your house.<br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;">3. Once I had kids, I didn't realize (that people were serious) I would n<span class="textexposedshow">ever go to the bathroom alone again. It's like my tush hits that ivory throne, and everyone has something to ask/tell me.<br /><br />
<span class="textexposedshow">4. People make mistakes. I've always believed that it's the decisions you make going forward that define you.</span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;"><span class="textexposedshow"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;"><span class="textexposedshow"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;"><span class="textexposedshow"><span class="textexposedshow">5. I cannot change anyone. I can only change myself. I can be the change I </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;"><span class="textexposedshow"><span class="textexposedshow">want to see in my household.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;"><span class="textexposedshow"><span class="textexposedshow"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;"> 6. I like to think that my children are the reason that we can’t have nice things, but without fail, every time that I say, “Don’t spill that”; “Don’t drop that”; “Watch out!”. I end up breaking, spilling, running into, said object. I am the reason we can’t have nice things.</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background: white;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">7. I really did marry my best friend. Austin drives me crazy, always knows how to make me laugh, knows how to make me cry, isn’t afraid to tell me when I ha<span class="textexposedshow">ve cheese on my face and is the best person I could grow up with.<br /><br />
<span class="textexposedshow">8. I’m really glad that I got married earlier in life. I think that my husband and I got to grow up together. I didn’t get a chance to live on my own, create my own bad habits, get used to being by myself and I’m okay with that. I went from living with my parents, to taking care of my own family and figuring out how that works. I had to put my selfish mindset aside (it didn’t happen easily at first) and really focus on my family.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;"><span class="textexposedshow"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;"><span class="textexposedshow" style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="textexposedshow">9. I didn’t know that once I had kids, I was also signing an agreement to be farted on daily for the next 18 years. Oh and that my husband would think this was hilarious as well.</span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;"><span class="textexposedshow" style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;"><span class="textexposedshow" style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="textexposedshow">10. BOOBS. Enjoy them while they are YOURS. Once I got married/had kids, they became other people’s playthings/source of food. I miss when I could go a whole day without my boobs being touched. Just enjoy it. Enjoy your boobs while they are yours<br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;">11. Everything I ever did to my parents, I regret daily. I see the attitude and the rebellion that they had to deal with growing up. I thought that maybe I would know how to talk to my kid, because I remember being a kid (it wasn’t that long ago). I thought wrong. I don’t know how to get anyone to listen to me.</span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; font-weight: normal;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white;">12. FREE should be my middle name. Seriously. Anything at all that I could get for free, I will attempt to get. I will</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="background-color: white;"> </span><span class="textexposedshow"><span style="background-color: white;">go to events strictly because there is free food/object/activity. If gas wasn’t an issue, I would drive to get free things all over town. It’s not because I’m cheap, I just like the idea of not spending money. </span><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.12px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span class="textexposedshow">13. I cannot wait to be an empty nester. I love my kids, and I MIGHT have more (OMG NOT FOR LIKE THREE YEARS). But the thought of becoming an empty nester is exhilarating to me. I’ve never gotten an opportunity to just live with Austin. We will have time where it’s just the two of us. I could count on my hand the times we’ve had where it’s just us (one of those being our honeymoon). I have all these plans for all the crazy things we are going to do in a house without kids, but knowing us, we will probably just end up doing the same things we already do. OR we will be trying to hang out with our kids as much as possible.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="skr" style="font-weight: normal;"><span aria-hidden="true" style="background-position-x: 0px; background-position-y: -442px; background-size: auto; display: inline-block;"><span aria-hidden="true"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;">;)</span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span class="textexposedshow">14. I don’t need as many things as I want. This sentence is a little confusing, but I’ve realized that sometimes I think that I need to watch 4 episodes of a TV show before I do “x”… but really, I’m just procrastinating. I have been working towards being less of a procrastinator, I want to be someone who gets things done BEFORE they are due. (This is something I’ve struggled with all of my life).</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span class="textexposedshow"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span class="textexposedshow">15. Just because it isn’t socially acceptable, doesn’t mean I’m doing something wrong. There are several things in my life that have happened that aren’t “socially acceptable”. I won’t go through and name them all here. I just know that I am doing what is best for my family. If I went through my life trying to collect stars and make my black dots fall off, I would miss the point of trying to define myself through God’s eyes. Finding my true worth in God has helped me every step of the way. There are so many people in my life who have helped me remember that your true worth is found through looking at yourself through God’s eyes.</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span class="textexposedshow"><br /></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">16. Community. As much as I’d like to apply the saying, “It’s Us Against the World” to my life, it couldn’t be more wrong. I need help. I don’t think that we were meant to live without community. I need people to speak wisdom into my life. I need people to come and jump my car battery when it dies. I need some butter when I run out and decided to make brownies (before checking and AFTER running to the store already). I think that</span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal;"> <span class="textexposedshow">there is a reason for church. I think church is the place to connect with others. I have met so many amazing people through church activities. I cannot thank them enough for their influence and help in my life. I aspire to get a point in my life where I can give back to others, like I have been given to in the past.</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="textexposedshow">17. Money doesn’t buy happiness; it just adds stress. At the end of the day, I’m not looking at my bank account, I’m looking at my family. I know that money adds to your financial stability, and it’s nice to be sitting under a roof that’s paid for. I would still be happy if we were all living in a tent in someone’s backyard. I don’t think my children and husband would be happy, but I would still make the best of the situation. I think that’s something else I’ve learned too.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="textexposedshow">18. I always choose to see the silver lining. There are very few times in my life where I see all the negative. I always try to approach the situation in a positive light. I am hopeful about the future. God gives me that hope. I know that there is no definite, and I don’t know anything for sure about the future. I know that God knows. I have hope in God. I have great comfort about the future.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="textexposedshow">19. You can never have enough pictures. I love how in society today it is so easy to capture a moment. I love taking pictures of life with my family. Even just pictures of us all hanging out in the morning in bed. They aren’t professional, my house is a mess and they aren’t going on Facebook. BUT I love to look back on them and remember. I know that my kids will have these pictures to look back on as well. This is also why I’m going to make my husband take as many pictures as possible on my birthday.<br /></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-weight: normal; line-height: 107%;"><span class="textexposedshow">20. I love my birthday. It is usually celebrated during the whole month of August. I don’t think that it’s silly or childish or immature to enjoy your birthday. I like being the center of attention (around my loved ones) and I like feeling the love. Receiving gifts is my love language, and it’s one of the days of the year where I get a ton of gifts.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="skr" style="font-weight: normal;"><span aria-hidden="true" style="background-position-x: 0px; background-position-y: -442px; background-size: auto; display: inline-block;"><span aria-hidden="true"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;">;)</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;"> </span></span><span class="textexposedshow" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;">I love it when people give me cards filled with words of encouragement. I love handmade gifts that I can use throughout the year. I love thoughtful gifts that remind me that people around me really do pay </span></span>attention to me.<br /><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span class="textexposedshow"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;">21. I am a huge hypocrite. I don’t think there is anything that I can do to change it. I reserve the right to change my mind. Sometimes I learn things that make me have a different opinion than what I had previously. Sometimes I say that I will never play such a stupid game like Pokémon Go, and then two months later we are pulling over at the three Poke Stops on Browns Bridge because they are on the way home and WE DON’T HAVE ANY POKEBALLS. I think that this okay though. I am a constantly changing and growing human being. My word can change sometimes, I think that just means I’m human (and contrary to what my husband/kids believe, I DON’T know EVERYTHING.)</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;"><span class="apple-converted-space"><br /></span></span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="color: #1d2129;">22. I must take care of myself before I take care of my children. When I had Madelynn, she was extremely harder than Brayden was. I was thrown for a loop (especially since it was around Christmastime and there was a ton of unneeded stress). I had been planning for nine months to do the same things I had done with my previous son, and those were all thrown out the window at the hospital. It took me a few weeks to realize (well, my mother told me), that I am useless if I am a crying, dirty, mess. If I don’t take the time to feed myself, take my vitamins, clean myself then what good am I going to be to the kids? I have really learned to make sure that I have that time to myself, before I take care of the kids. Yes, this means that I have to get up earlier in the morning, after staying up late because I want MORE time without the kids and with my husband. But learning on how to function on little sleep is just another thing you learn as an adult. Maybe I’ll be like</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: #1d2129;"> </span><span style="color: #365899;">my friend</span></span></span></span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="background: white; color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;">one day and I’ll go to bed at 3 AM!!<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">23. I am socially awkward. I have gotten more and more socially inept, by being a stay at home mom. A lot of my conversation throughout the day, is when I am talking back to the TV. No, I’m not joking. I can see why people watch shows like “The View” because I get to feel like I’m a part of an important discussion with adults. When really I’m just feedi</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;">ng the baby for the umpteenth time today, or steam cleaning my floor. I’m okay being socially awkward. I leave parties when I feel uncomfortable (and I regret it for months later). I say things that people wouldn’t say behind closed doors, and I say them WAYY too loud in a grocery store. I laugh too loud (but not as loud as my mother). I mess my up words; I tell my kids to put their shoes in the trash can. I’m okay with all these things. I have accepted that I am this way, and people can take it or leave it. </span><br />
<span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">24. On Fridays, we eat pizza. Doesn’t matter what kind of pizza, but if we don’t have it for dinner, it doesn’t feel like a Friday.</span></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">25. I have really struggled with turning 25. All I ever wanted in life was to be married, with kids, and carry the daily struggles of life. Welp, here I am! I did it. Way sooner than I expected. So what is next in life? What is the direction that I am going (with myself)? Is there more for me? Those are questions I’ve been asking all year. All I have discovered is that God has a plan. I don’t know that plan, but I will follow it, whatever it may be. I am willing to be willing to do what God has in store for my life. I am willing to be his instrument in this life. He has entrusted me with a family, who needs me. They not only need me to function, but their emotional states need my presence as well. I have never been so needed in my life. I have a purpose right now, and it’s to be me. I can continue to work on being the best me there is.<br /></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #1d2129; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"><br /></span></span></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-54768236005251299672016-08-01T15:35:00.001-04:002016-08-01T15:39:23.628-04:00Hope Unfolding: Grace-filled Truth For The Momma's Heart by Becky Thompson Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyITZxOOZE9kSxpg1oJJsNpXL2uk0NajjDYbOBQQ5KPvx_AE5NFYQe-kSyqbDCG66bUexbv6tkPQdAWxX_e2YHiPkjS6W-PF0x_-dy0SHxbrnhmAMJZ-eynmbB9dpaUDzao8HsxaOpuT3a/s1600/9781601428127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyITZxOOZE9kSxpg1oJJsNpXL2uk0NajjDYbOBQQ5KPvx_AE5NFYQe-kSyqbDCG66bUexbv6tkPQdAWxX_e2YHiPkjS6W-PF0x_-dy0SHxbrnhmAMJZ-eynmbB9dpaUDzao8HsxaOpuT3a/s320/9781601428127.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Title: </b>Hope Unfolding: Grace-Filled Truth For The Momma's Heart</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Author: </b>Becky Thompson<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Back Cover:<br /><o:p></o:p></b><b style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">God’s love, plans, and promises for you are forever unfolding.</b></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><i style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">I get it, Momma. I totally get it.</i></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">Every day you wake up and try your very best. You love, give, and pour out your life for the ones who call you Momma. But no matter how much you offer, there are still days you feel as though you come up short. You worry, </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">Am I loving these babies enough? Is this ever going to get easier? Why does it seem like I am the only one who cannot balance it all?</i><span style="line-height: 24px;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;" /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">Sometimes, we just need hope (and maybe a long uninterrupted nap).</b><span style="line-height: 24px;"> We need someone to help tune our hearts to the voice of the Father and to remind us that He has not forgotten about us.</span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 24px;">In </span><i style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">Hope Unfolding,</i><span style="line-height: 24px;"> Becky Thompson is a friend who reminds you that you aren’t alone, and that God is still writing your story. She guides you to encounter the Truth of God’s presence that not only fuels you with strength, but also a fresh confidence. And beyond gaining faith that tomorrow could be different, you find hope and purpose where you are standing today.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Review:</b><br />Talk about diving into a novel where you meet your new best friend.... <i>Hope Unfolding </i>by Becky Thompson is just that! I don't know if it's just because the season of my life right now, or if it's like this for everyone... but I have to say I LOVED this book. I was hooked from the first chapter. Now, I have never heard of <a href="http://beckythompson.com/">Becky Thompson </a>or her blog Scissortail Silk before. From reading the book, you find out that she started out as a mommy fashion blogger! How cool is that. I love the community of bloggers out there, especcially if it brings a person like Becky who has such a great message to share!<br /><br />She speaks to moms right where we are. She has been there before and has gotten through it! I started reading this book right before going to see the movie <i>Bad Moms</i>. I have say that this book put the message from <i>Bad Moms</i> into a better "package". I say it this way to point out that we need to extend the grace and the hope that God gives us to other mother's around us. This book is the tool to extend that grace and hope to you. Becky goes through her personal life and situations, relates them back to God and shows you how to apply it to your life.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At the end of each chapter are "Let's Talk" sections. I loved these because they opened up a channel for journaling, which is a new thing for me. I was able to really delve into myself, and take that time to discover a new facet of me. Then she would pray in "Let's Pray", and I loved these because she was praying with you. The whole book is like a private journal from Becky Thompson, that she wrote just for you. I love it when books feel so personalized.<br /><br />It really spoke to me where I am in my life right now (with my 5 year old starting kindergarten and my 7 month old destroying my house!). She inspired me and kept me in the word of God. I would highly recommend this to any mom who feels like a "Bad Mom". This book really lays out the kind of hope and grace that God extends to us.<br /><b><a href="http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/books/252820/hope-unfolding-by-becky-thompson/">READ THE FIRST CHAPTER FOR FREE.</a><br />Go to this page, click on "Click here to download Chapter One"</b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>About the Author:<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></b><b style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 24px;">Becky Thompson</b><span style="line-height: 24px;"> began blogging under the name Scissortail SILK, quickly drawing a global audience of millions. A self-professed city girl, Becky is a recent transplant to northwest Oklahoma, where she lives with her husband, Jared, their three young children, and whatever critters wander in from the wheat field behind their house. You can connect with Becky online at www.BeckyThompson.com or join her and the thousands of other grace-filled moms who are a part of the Scissortail SILK community on Facebook.</span><br /><br /><b>Video:</b><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/f5yFmeGV5Gg/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f5yFmeGV5Gg?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe><br />Other books:</span></span><br />
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_5AM2orAzELd0aZFze1mk6OJRwpONjzeRGn7rLQqV2Bv4upKFKEhIbV6-vH9aH4RB42KNYx5nmAwDj7NpZAXNF_qHJIt7bYneHSjBQiAHc2WKCwJH3qh2Mn9yZfllJEowqGqxqYqy7kl_/s320/51ieVZRUiKL.jpg" width="207" /></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I just saw (when I was publishing this review around) that she will have a new book coming out on January 3rd 2017!! I am SO STOKED! I cannot wait to read a book about marriage! <3<br /><b style="text-align: center;"> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Disclaimer</b>: I received
this book free as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required
to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing
this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-43137600861875919322016-08-01T15:20:00.001-04:002016-08-01T15:20:23.904-04:00Daily Wisdom for Women 2017 Devotional Collection Review<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZmzZXBA_zNlTHPTYVGDaCu3oov_WKm-B7Ui7BipWg3ByUzyt3nNj0tSLjIJOt5PcP7s8U9glC2wIj_NIco-Qrpw0EEkaUnprBrNxSPuG1qlxRRspuJnsVfTyiBRpiSCoSi18yb8OmKvi/s1600/cover92744-medium.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZmzZXBA_zNlTHPTYVGDaCu3oov_WKm-B7Ui7BipWg3ByUzyt3nNj0tSLjIJOt5PcP7s8U9glC2wIj_NIco-Qrpw0EEkaUnprBrNxSPuG1qlxRRspuJnsVfTyiBRpiSCoSi18yb8OmKvi/s320/cover92744-medium.png" width="228" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Title:</b> Daily Wisdom for Women - 2017 Devotional Collection</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author:</b> Barbour Publishing</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Back Cover:</b> <o:p></o:p><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">Experience an intimate connection to your heavenly Father with the </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 21px; outline: none;">Daily Wisdom for Women </i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">devotional collection. Featuring a powerful devotional reading and prayer for every day of 2017</span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 21px; outline: none;">,</i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"> this beautiful volume provides inspiration and encouragement for your soul. Enhance your spiritual journey with the refreshing readings—and come to know just how deeply and tenderly God loves you.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As stated in my previous review, I have a collection of devotionals. I get new ones every year, so that I'm never reading devotionals that I've read before. My lovely mother makes sure I'm never out of stock. This devotional is set to come out for the 2017 year! It starts on January 1st. What a way to start the new year with a new devotional made for that day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Each day starts with a scripture, a theme, a devotional and a prayer. I love having a theme to focus on for the day. A simple phrase that I can come back to, and remind myself of the verse. The verses are all in NLT so that they are easy to understand and comprehend. This is important, usually when I can't understand a version I look it up on the computer so that I can put it into a different version. Saving the time to look up different translations is key! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This is a devotional that I can use on the go for the busy mornings! I can start my day off right with these uplifting and thought provoking devotionals. If you are looking for something to expand your mind, but won't take up all of your morning. I would look no further than this devotional right here! Can't wait to incorporate it into my daily devotionals in 2017!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Disclaimer:</b> I received this book free as part of their
Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The
opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with
the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255</span></div>
<o:p></o:p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-28123724727596265592016-08-01T13:28:00.004-04:002016-08-01T13:28:55.555-04:00365 Encouraging Verses of the Bible for Women A Hope-Filled Reading for Every Day of the Year Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; color: black; float: left; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJJvpL_yDGQ2XYMaQhbMnESMF9F8gYeP2x6pM6k0v-FMxm4jzXLFcB16QxtZ6qVOr4GCT0CcjANF1k9CCjp6sr6qP6nbcZosY-LX5pn1wptzk-7ljh_vn7BbmAr2ZEZIMDGc15_KP1GDHl/s320/cover91422-medium.png" width="228" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Title:</b> <span style="line-height: 1.1em;">365 Encouraging Verses of the Bible for Women </span><span style="line-height: 1.2em;">A Hope-Filled Reading for Every Day of the Year</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author:</b> Barbour Publishing</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Back Cover:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">The Bible is filled with thousands of fascinating verses that describe God, people (including ourselves), and the world we live in. Some of them make us confident in our faith, while others puzzle us.<br />The Old and New Testament scriptures in these pages may be favorite verses you learned as a child or those you've wondered about for a long time. Some you may have never noticed before. Whatever the case, 365 Encouraging Verses of the Bible for Women is designed to help you appreciate the World and walk more deeply in it. Here you can daily share the authors delight in well-known scriptures, come to know some elusive verses better and feel encouraged to make each one part of your own life, and meditate on the soul-stirring prayers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">The Bible is the most wonderful book on earth. As these verses challenge your faith, encourage your soul, and help you understand more about the God who loves you, His words will touch your heart and soul-and you'll be encouraged to make them an everyday part of your vibrant spiritual life. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Review: </b>I have to say, I am a huge fan of devotionals. I'm not sure if anyone else does this, but I usually have about two-to-three devotionals at a time that I am reading. I just feel like there is a message out there for the day, and I want to be exposed to it. I like to read different books with different unrelated things each day. Some days they all line up and they have a profound meaning on my day. Doesn't happen often, but when it does it's a nice treat. This book is one of those books that I can use. It has 365 verses paired with a small paragraph about the verse and a prayer at the end. They take less than 15 minutes to read, and they are very engaging.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">They are written by several different authors, who are named in the back of the book. All of the authors are eloquent, and really have a heart for God. These devotionals really encourage you on your walk with Jesus. They are affirming and uplifting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One that really touched my heart was about Colossians 3:16. I don't want to put the whole devotional in the review, but one line that really stuck with me was this: "When we spend time in God's Word, we find peace, wisdom and contentment that we get from no other place. This is a peace we love to have!"<br />I find that starting my morning in the Word, even if it's just a short devotional like this, refocuses my mind for the day. If I get up in the morning, and turn on the news, I find that I am in a negative and downward mindset. Starting the day off right is important! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am thrilled to add this devotional to my collection. I would recommend it to anyone who needs a little hope in their life. </span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Disclaimer:</b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> I received this book free through Net Galley. I was not required to write a positive review. The
opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with
the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-62634118264561086212016-07-13T12:10:00.001-04:002016-07-13T12:10:31.834-04:00Bat Dad a parody by Blake Wilson Book Review<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx97AsRFBSW8u1dVKXzgETpNjHw61xSgq8s0Obiq9WIvZ3izlNFzTuinaogP6dIKVfDi7iXnNJ09UySxrstCvr5GNbvOWeZPG2hBsOmMked58xhTn79WJ1XsCTBbs8ivKbLRJ44cTJ5uyU/s1600/9780451495501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx97AsRFBSW8u1dVKXzgETpNjHw61xSgq8s0Obiq9WIvZ3izlNFzTuinaogP6dIKVfDi7iXnNJ09UySxrstCvr5GNbvOWeZPG2hBsOmMked58xhTn79WJ1XsCTBbs8ivKbLRJ44cTJ5uyU/s400/9780451495501.jpg" width="343" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Title:</b> Bat Dad</span><br />
<ul style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 19px; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">
<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Print Length:</span> 64 pages</span></li>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Publisher:</span> Three Rivers Press (May 10, 2016)</span></li>
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<li style="box-sizing: border-box; list-style: none; margin: 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">Publication Date:</span> May 10, 2016</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Author:</b> Blake Wilson<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Back Cover (taken from <a href="http://www.batdadbook.com/">here</a>):</b> Life as an everyday superhero when your batmobile is a minivan. The villains you face are your crazy kids, and your batcave is always covered in piles of dirty laundry. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Review:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have been a fan of Bat Dad (Blake Wilson)'s video for a few years now. I know that he started on Vine, but I was more introduced to him through Facebook.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My son (5, almost 6) is also a huge fan on his videos. I know that they are usually PG videos about Bat Dad and his family. They show real life, in a funny way. When we first saw the videos, my son walked around in his best "batman" voice, making jokes like Bat Dad.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When this opportunity came up to review this book, I jumped at the chance. I am always up to supporting topics/people/things that I already enjoy! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I got this book in the mail, I ripped open the packaging and started to read the book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is a letter from Blake that really draws you in. I thought that I would be getting a peek into Bat Dad's life and about his family. The letter ends, you turn the page and then you are disappointed. It is a bunch of screencaps from his videos put into a book. There are some one liners that could cause some laughter. Then the book ends. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I was a little disappointed. I do enjoy his videos, and his content. I thought this book was going to be something more than just his videos.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In the book, the pictures from the videos could have been better. The quality of the photos are bad (I understand that it's because they are taken from videos), Bat Dad could have taken some pictures with him and his kids and used them for this book.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It just seems like it was kind of slapped together quickly to put out quickly. Doesn't seem like much thought went into it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am glad that he is getting more exposure, but I think that he should stick to videos (unless he will really give us a peek into his life!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Please support Bat Dad by watching his videos, and finding out more about him below! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>About the Author (taken from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BatDad">here</a>):</b><b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;">BatDad</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;">, real name </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;">Blake Wilson</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;">, is a father of 4 children from </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roswell,_Georgia" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Roswell, Georgia">Roswell, Georgia</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;"> who has popular parenting-themed </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vine_(service)" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Vine (service)">vines</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;">. They star him as raspy-voiced "BatDad" often with his children in the background. Wilson's wife is named Jen,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;"> and his children are named Ben, Sienna, Kaya and Taylor. Ben and Sienna are twins.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;"> BatDad has 3.6 million followers on </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vine" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #0b0080; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="Vine">Vine</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #252525; line-height: 22.4px;"> as of 2016, and one video with his son Ben exceeded 20 million views within four days of uploading.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Other Social Media Outlets:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://vine.co/BatDad">Vine</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BatDadOfficial/">Facebook</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSjl0j6EUWMKFU8IU5yf7tA">Youtube</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://twitter.com/BatDadBlake">Twitter</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/BatDadBlake/">Instagram</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Video:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Disclaimer: I received this book free as part of their
Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The
opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with
the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255</span></div>
<o:p></o:p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-51544722167776398742016-06-22T14:22:00.004-04:002016-06-22T14:22:51.082-04:00Honey - Takes the work out of online Shopping!! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.joinhoney.com/ref/xjnydg"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOklE8Yj4iwVexRLEQlD6mUSQm67CPEh7BgVIr7onZUv7-4Nq9hcWg8_DclljyiX69Ax_I7aY_Xd-sdq7PzgxPj4o3uFAA8hgRXqkPH-E4M4wLBZ5ENDmXJKfL8Iyd4TlpruMHKgEGX97H/s640/honey+screen+cap+2.png" width="640" /></a><span id="goog_912956543"></span><span id="goog_912956544"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's really simple how it works. You go to your favorite online store, put the things that you want into your cart, and when you get to check out, Honey will prompt you and apply a multitude of codes to your cart! I found that if I already had a coupon code in the cart, there wasn't going to be an additional code for <a href="https://www.joinhoney.com/ref/xjnydg">Honey</a> to apply. But if it was an order that didn't have a coupon code, 9/10 there was a code that saved me money! </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLABHu0RbOcLP4wluoV3S_Fylp81rfM-wJIxva53006tI6ed7gTr1hhsiZg3pCrSzJ0brcGgCihcJBIGL5qbmXjb4y_JIdva70Z877rSAD4wMqn5VrZxZBF-ciyKI1jsikaYXxXYAq6dQ0/s1600/honey+screen+cap.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="337" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLABHu0RbOcLP4wluoV3S_Fylp81rfM-wJIxva53006tI6ed7gTr1hhsiZg3pCrSzJ0brcGgCihcJBIGL5qbmXjb4y_JIdva70Z877rSAD4wMqn5VrZxZBF-ciyKI1jsikaYXxXYAq6dQ0/s640/honey+screen+cap.png" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-82336634726395015412016-06-22T13:50:00.001-04:002016-06-22T13:52:55.955-04:00Punderdome: A Card Game for Pun Lovers Review<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.56px;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Punderdome:</span></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.56px;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">A Card Game for Pun Lovers</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.56px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>By:</b> Jo & Fred Firestone</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>About the Game (taken from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Punderdome-Card-Game-Pun-Lovers/dp/1101905654" target="_blank">here</a>): </b><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">From the daughter-father duo that created Brooklyn's beloved live pun competition comes Punderdome, the "Punderful card game [that] will replace Cards Against Humanity at your next party" (<a href="http://mashable.com/2016/01/30/enter-the-punderdome-card-game/">Mashable.com</a>).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">One part game, one part conversation starter, you don't need to be a pun master to master Punderdome: the goal is to make bad jokes and have fun along the way.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">A player (the prompter for that round) draws two prompt cards from the deck, and then reads the prompts to the rest of the group, who have 90 seconds to create a single, groan-worthy pun that combines the two prompts. </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">When time is up, pun makers share their puns with the prompter, who awards the prompt cards to the player whose pun he or she likes best. The winner then draws the next pair of prompt cards and the process repeats. Players win by obtaining 10 pairs of cards.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"><b>Every Game Set Comes With:</b></span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">· 200 double-sided cards (100 White and 100 Green)</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">· 2 Mystery Envelopes with fill-in prize slips</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">· 2 80-page pads for drafting puns</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">· 1 instruction card and 1 pun example card</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">· A stu-PUN-dous time for 3 or more players</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"><b>My Review:</b>I asked to review this game from Blogging for Books, because it was the first time I'd seen something on there that wasn't a book! My father and husband are also very good at making puns. It is something that they do very often. The rest of my family isn't as good at making puns, but I thought we'd give this game a try. </span></span></div>
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji3FtyfR4q1SOA8urOxI29o0eKnGne2g71r0dilM-gcyIWgUvqk3UAwNnxFkksdmSLrBrTneMlQq3mwDf-5N-km7VRlKYQIYiayoj8QR_c7dQRlEwa1xEqzu9zS3DIKEOCepfKBYOiKs40/s320/13487698_10153825321497753_164691371_n.jpg" width="240" /><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6t2lYu7drRVVQhOZ6DZxxmyLWQc30bChLHUYhZDq-ZOadmFog_nchJEbudr9KzWbmY5P-7azjdjjeze0-u2xsdy2w8Mxad0r_5XdNEc68R1YDBOV_pLwcjuPfkIYjFk3DXF3SULeuoQyI/s320/13479385_10153825321472753_516991067_n.jpg" width="320" /><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">We sat down to play this game on Father's day. I've never watched the LIVE Game Show, that it references. When you first open this game, it's a little intimidating. The set up is a little confusing, I had read a review that it will replace Cards of Humanity, so I assumed the play was like that. It's almost like that game, but instead you are making a pun of the two words and the winner of the pun gets to be the next person to pick the cards.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">There are a few things NOT included in the game, that you NEED to play. The first thing you need to bring are prizes! We decided that the prize would just be the satisfaction of being a winner. You also will need a TIMER. This is important because in the beginning of the game, you also win extra time! </span></span></div>
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<img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5vP-BmxRbRFS5x6KUgGz3DIvo-voJ_GQG6oQhejH1XIHMNpxOHGze0jFDqhgF8lM_D7pIqm0pu6S8HfNUgJGyV1cqM47e2YP12tjk9JhX-ekRo7BKUhnRYUXeZe-4saVZGxRZ9r_Ux4Iy/s320/13474261_10153825321652753_2054336745_n.jpg" width="320" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvuyI3qAIfnG3ar2o8LbfKRFlREB1rWIdYtkiXU5S_9XPjZyeBMraes1bqtjVI9-6-AkgGIxGnm3da4YAQvuvbPJQtkHbKLs1SDanQmaMGmtPxCXBO0Ix-1WPEvHw2usYirHdaUPOkFRU/s1600/13474129_10153825321617753_880230935_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvuyI3qAIfnG3ar2o8LbfKRFlREB1rWIdYtkiXU5S_9XPjZyeBMraes1bqtjVI9-6-AkgGIxGnm3da4YAQvuvbPJQtkHbKLs1SDanQmaMGmtPxCXBO0Ix-1WPEvHw2usYirHdaUPOkFRU/s320/13474129_10153825321617753_880230935_n.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">The first few rounds we tried, you can see that we didn't really understand (well at least I didn't) how to make a pun out of the two words. I just tended to make sentences that connected the two words. We ended up giving everyone a minute and a half to come up with a pun. It took longer than we thought. We even took breaks in between rounds to do more "warm up" puns. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">The last two rounds were really fun. I'm not sure that we made puns, but we came up with really funny one-liners. We also made sure that the person who got the puns read them out loud, so that we could all laugh at them as well. We also just went around the table for the "presenter" instead of the winner of the round. It made the game go smoother for us.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">After we finished playing the game, I went around and asked everyone to rate the game on a scale of 1 to 10. (names kept anonymous) </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">1 - didn't enjoy the game at all</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">10 - best game ever made</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">I - 6<br />A - 0<br />N - 3<br />D - 5<br />H - 4<br />Out of a total 60 points, it got 19/60.<br />We rate this game about a 32% replayability. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">I think with the right group of people, this game could be a lot of fun. We had fun just making jokes between the two topics! This will be a great hit at an organized party with prizes! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">So why don't you take a turn?? I would love to hear some of your puns between "Drawing" and "Celine Dion" !! Comment below.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.56px;"><b>About the Author (taken from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Punderdome-Card-Game-Pun-Lovers/dp/1101905654" target="_blank">here</a>):</b></span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.56px;"> </i><span style="background-color: white;">JO and FRED FIRESTONE, a daughter-father duo, are the creators and hosts of Punderdome®, NYC’s Most Puntastic Competition—part of New York’s comedy landscape since 2011. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">JO FIRESTONE, named a “comic to watch” by Comedy Central, is a regular contributor to </span><i style="background-color: white;">The Chris Gethard Show</i><span style="background-color: white;"> on Fusion TV. Her radio show, </span><i style="background-color: white;">Dr. Gameshow</i><span style="background-color: white;">, can be heard every Monday night on WFMU, a freeform New Jersey radio station. </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">FRED FIRESTONE is a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, who specializes in customer/client satisfaction, branding, and ethical selling, for corporations across the country. His clients include AT&T, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and Hewlett-Packard. He enjoys impersonating Rodney Dangerfield.</span></span><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.56px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></i>
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<i style="background-color: white; line-height: 21.56px;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Disclaimer: I received this book free as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255</span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-22875537330219493882016-06-13T09:28:00.001-04:002016-06-13T17:34:23.809-04:00The Aetherlight - Online Game Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirL2vKeIDrl0-zs7Ug9T5xG7DGi31eDM2L2DMUD37eDIdUnVnDBB2XlBTv_CETD9FqhkFdS188zcTYr9F8t3LtGbah9C9za6KRViHzVuSN8nehyk9xPpckbPywd0_mSndzLTVTnE3-FVeM/s1600/TA_Logo_Hires_cropped.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirL2vKeIDrl0-zs7Ug9T5xG7DGi31eDM2L2DMUD37eDIdUnVnDBB2XlBTv_CETD9FqhkFdS188zcTYr9F8t3LtGbah9C9za6KRViHzVuSN8nehyk9xPpckbPywd0_mSndzLTVTnE3-FVeM/s200/TA_Logo_Hires_cropped.png" width="200" /></a><b style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Title:</b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> The Aetherlight: Chronicles of the Resistance</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><b>Created by (taken from <a href="https://theaetherlight.com/about-the-company/">here</a>):</b> Scarlet City Studios<br /><br />Scarlet City Studios is a small New Zealand-based gaming studio with an epic goal: to take the greatest story ever told and re-tell it for a digital generation. Established in 2012 to advance the historic mission of a postal Sunday school ministry, Scarlet City took the grand tale of the Bible and reimagined it as a steampunk, allegorical story that would be entertaining, educational, formational and creative. With the launch of The Aetherlight: Chronicles of the Resistance, the studio’s ongoing mission is to tell great stories, nurture genuine innovation, and foster rich encounters. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.scarletcitystudios.com/">www.scarletcitystudios.com</a>.<br /><br /><b>About the Game (taken from <a href="https://theaetherlight.com/about-the-game/">here</a>): </b><br />Once a beautiful land, Aethasia is now covered by a sickly pervasive fog that corrupts everything it touches. But all is not lost. Rumors are spreading of a fledgling Resistance, who have the courage and audacity to try and restore Aethasia to its former glory, and to reinstate The Great Engineer back to the throne of Aethasia. <br /><br />And that Resistance needs you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Review:</b><br />I received this game for review from BuzzPlant. I only received the first episode/chapter/part but I did not complete it. There are two people that played it, my son Brayden (who is 5 turning 6) and myself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Since this game was for children who could read, I had to play with my son when he played, but I also played by myself several times. Both of our opinions are scattered throughout this review.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My son Brayden has been playing video games since before he was 2 years old. He started playing Xbox (even if he wasn't holding the controller correctly.) </span></div>
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Once he got the hang of video games, he can pretty much play any system now. He can play Xbox 360 and One, Playstation 3 and 4, Wii and Wii U, Computer, Ipad, Phone etc. He is pretty well versed in the way that games work, even if he cannot read yet. He can pick up pretty easy sight words, but can't read anything yet. When we first started up Aetherlight, I realized that this was a game for kids that could read and understand. Their target audience isn't displayed anywhere on the site, but from playing it I would say that 8+ would be the audience for this game.<br />
<br />You create the character/account for you child online. Then you can sign into your parent account to view their account and control their online interactions. I like that you can turn off the chat (there is no reason for my 5 year old to chat online) and you can see what they are doing. They also send you emails as your child progresses through the game. These emails contain information that I didn't see in the game. They explained things in a more descriptive manner that made way more sense that what they tell you in the game. I knew things about the game that I wouldn't have known, by just playing it. Which I thought was very interesting. They expanded on topics in the game, gave scripture and different things for you to talk about with your child. This was a very cool aspect, sometimes its hard to talk to your child about a game that you are not playing. With these emails you can stay in the loop and even hint to things that can happen further on in the game. ;) Earning you a greater level of cool. Making you essential to make this game make sense.<br /><br />
Brayden started up the game and it took him about 15-20 minutes to truly figure out how to game worked. The game starts up and it gives you a little bit of backstory, and then just throws you into it. You aren't show how to control the characters, or where your toolbars are. The progression in the beginning is slow and arduous, having to watch several things happen. They try and introduce your HUD to you, but it's not laid out in a very eye catching way. When they introduce the top left hand corner where people will talk to you, my son got stuck for a few minutes. Wondering why he couldn't move anywhere. Because of his age, I did have to walk him through the beginning of the game. It had an interesting setting. Aethasia is a downtrodden land that is kind of steampunk-esque. You are a part of a revolution that you don't really understand but support for some reason. Once you can leave the beginning part, then you can start to fight.<br />
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The fighting style is pretty simple to catch on to. Again, there isn't much explanation. They just kind of expect you to know what to do. You have to click on the colored spot for it to actually hit the enemy. You have a few weapons in the beginning and they also introduce clothing. You can change what you are wearing, and then you can pick up things to change the colors. (<i>Don't really understand that, you don't get a description of things when you pick them up. I've always just accidentally used the color changer item to change the colors</i>)</div>
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When you win battles you get chances on the gears to win different objects. These are essential because you do not find lots of places to pick up items. You need these resources throughout the game, but they are scarce and hard to find. You would think that the resources would regenerate after 45 mins -1 hour, since this is a game that they expect children to play online with their friends. But in my experience the resources would not show up again until the next day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34dxgbV_ZGrvHnLTXSnxkxPk0EeGDiipXCWORxkI3vdwLyIIp39bnT0hVjqE2D3XdwMwgYyixFvzazAfhDnMmgYBZMGJVERD9LV9jQb0QV1aedAUq-28l2lYBS5rntDA9QlZ9wLnnMgBI/s1600/screen+cap+3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34dxgbV_ZGrvHnLTXSnxkxPk0EeGDiipXCWORxkI3vdwLyIIp39bnT0hVjqE2D3XdwMwgYyixFvzazAfhDnMmgYBZMGJVERD9LV9jQb0QV1aedAUq-28l2lYBS5rntDA9QlZ9wLnnMgBI/s640/screen+cap+3.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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You also receive missions throughout the game. This gives you some direction about where you need to go. But some missions my son would get stuck on for awhile, because it wasn't clear what you had to do. There were some that I didn't even understand. When you start the game you get this mission to paint a new sign, but no direction about how to get the paint. You can ask several characters where to get paint, and where to get the colors. After several attempts to figure out how to paint the sign, I am proud to say that I figured it out, but my son would never have been able to get it. It didn't even make sense to me. I didn't get it until I took all of my items and just kept dragging them onto the paint, until one of them worked. >< </div>
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You could see several people online, and they would be running around battling. They were different levels, and in different parts of the game. When I would try and ask people to help me with certain parts of the game, they would agree. They would go to follow me to the area that I needed help in, we would be in the same spot of the loading screen. I would load to the next area, and then they wouldn't be there. My theory is that they did load to that part of the game, but because we had different missions completed we were not able to see each other. They had several versions of different locations, this made it hard to see other people online because we were at different parts of the same storyline, but in the same locations. I'm not sure if that makes complete sense, but basically it made it hard to play with people online. They push a lot about playing online with friends.<br />
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Once you get up past level 5 as well, the enemies get harder. You are up against 2-3 enemies every fight. If you are by yourself, you are outnumbered and easily defeated. I found it easier to battle alongside people, when they were in the same area together. I was trying to advance in the mission, but I kept getting killed by groups of 3 robots and I could never get anyone to help me. It was quite annoying.</div>
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All in all, the game was a good play. My son likes to go back and just fight the robots. He will go around with people online and join in their fights. You can call for help (people can see it if they are walking by your fight) and they can join in. </div>
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I have gotten stuck in the story line, and I need to level up more before I can move on. It's going to take a lot of work, the aether meter keeps resetting when you go into the game, so you have to keep filling it up. In my mind, they expect this game to be like World of Warcraft, but safe and for kids. This is a game that they want kids to play when they get home from school every day. I think it was a easily constructed, pretty game. Not for first time players, because you need to know what you are doing. Enjoyable nonetheless, we are happy to have been asked to play this game and review it! The characters were fun to get to know, and the world was exciting to run around in. Check it out for yourself! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-81784563790293524542016-06-13T08:39:00.001-04:002016-06-13T08:39:02.055-04:00Hairstyled: 75 Ways to Braid, Pin & Accessorize Your Hair by Anne Thoumieux<h1 class="a-size-large a-spacing-none" id="title" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-size: 21px !important; line-height: 1.3 !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMh1orgHe7WmGSdg1QAaW-kNjhff85nxkK8PrWQIqZdGGzarrFOVsPjC_FQHfhs03bvqO0pAynugQDM-c-KgY2CJpRKhbfPXfOa1Z-58VdMjeNvhuy4Tu9diYHeWWjyA8zEvdTl-xR0WW/s1600/9780553459630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlMh1orgHe7WmGSdg1QAaW-kNjhff85nxkK8PrWQIqZdGGzarrFOVsPjC_FQHfhs03bvqO0pAynugQDM-c-KgY2CJpRKhbfPXfOa1Z-58VdMjeNvhuy4Tu9diYHeWWjyA8zEvdTl-xR0WW/s400/9780553459630.jpg" width="315" /></span></a><span class="a-size-large" id="productTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.3 !important; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Hairstyled: 75 Ways to Braid, Pin & Accessorize Your Hair</span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By: Anne Thoumieux<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Spruce up any outfit with your best accessory—your hair!</b><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">You don’t need to be a professional to get show-stopping hair. </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Hairstyled </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">presents 75 deceptively simple techniques for creating your favorite high-fashion hairstyles. Dress up your everyday look with a ballerina bun or accessorize with a scarf bow. Turn heads at special occasions with the woven crown braid or a regal bouffant. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Each style has how-to photographs that are easy to follow, and chapters dedicated to a variety of hair lengths and textures help you update your look whether you have a pixie cut or long, curly tresses. With product tips and countless ideas for accessorizing your ’do and inventive variations on classic styles, </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">Hairstyled</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;"> is your guide to getting gorgeous hair every day.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Review: My hair is longer than i've ever had it in my life. I've kept it this long for a few years now, and I still don't know how to do things with it. I picked this book out so that hopefully it would help me out. Before you get this book, you should know that you need several tools to get some of these hairstyles done. There is not a list of tools to get, you just have to look by the hairstyle. I was thrown off by this, I didn't have a lot of the tools that they were asking for. I was able to incorporate a few hairstyles into my daily routine, like the Looped and Low ponytail. A lot of these hairstyles were over my head though. I'm not very coordinated and I'm kind of clumsy. I don't have a lot of time to sit down and practice this hairstyles. If I got the right accessories I'm sure I could make these work. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I got my mother to help me with the french braid and we took a few pictures. :) </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We also attempted one of the braid crowns, but were not as successful. My hair isn't the most cooperative.. :) </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Overall, I am happy to add this book to my collection. I am excited to try some of the other hairstyles when I have some time. I do think this should have been a spiral bound book. It was easier when I could hold the book open and my mother could do my hair. It would have been harder to do it by myself, it's hard to keep the book open to the page that you are on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>There are several sections to this book:</b><br />Buns<br />Braids</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Headbands</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Accessories</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Curly, Wavy, and Kinky Hair</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mid-Length Hair</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Quick and Easy (My favorite!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am excited to keep trying hairstyles in the Quick and Easy section, and will work my way to the "For A Night Out". They have pictures of part of each step. It's hard to not watch them do it, it's almost like there is a slight step missing. If you know what you are doing though, these are just reminders of how it should go. Someday I will conquer the fishtail braid!! This book will help me get there... :) <i>Although, I might look up some youtube videos for some help as well...</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">About the Author (taken from <a href="http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/530529/hairstyled-by-anne-thoumieux/9780553459630/" target="_blank">here</a>):<br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22.8571px;">Anne Thoumieux is a French beauty editor, blogger, and former TV host. She loves spreading knowledge about beauty and helping women feel confident and glamorous. She lives in Paris.</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Disclaimer: I received this book free as part of their
Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The
opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with
the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255</span></i><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-33904205977550932642016-04-14T16:17:00.001-04:002016-04-14T16:17:05.755-04:00The Pediatrician's Guide to Feeding Babies & Toddlers by Anthony F Porto, MD MPH & Dina M. DiMaggio, MD<h1 class="a-size-large a-spacing-none" id="title" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.3 !important; margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2U0ckfsevOSTXW2sisrNAPM8hyOQ43bjDOH7O-1EdmPOFmW8n6OY1fCFQ1N3hatofpCUKi9MTg2M9NcNLJN-c7q57occzGF4dDrLBlsXo3msVyylX2y_DomdqK7mweHBuC0gN0RA0cOf/s1600/91-dTpVCqOL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 21px !important; font-weight: 400; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR2U0ckfsevOSTXW2sisrNAPM8hyOQ43bjDOH7O-1EdmPOFmW8n6OY1fCFQ1N3hatofpCUKi9MTg2M9NcNLJN-c7q57occzGF4dDrLBlsXo3msVyylX2y_DomdqK7mweHBuC0gN0RA0cOf/s320/91-dTpVCqOL.jpg" width="212" /></a><span class="a-size-extra-large" id="ebooksProductTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.2 !important; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small; line-height: 1.2;">The Pediatrician's Guide to Feeding Babies and Toddlers:</span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 1.2;">Practical Answers To Your Questions on Nutrition, Starting Solids, Allergies, Picky Eating, and More</span></div>
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<span class="a-size-extra-large" id="ebooksProductTitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.2 !important; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;"><span style="font-size: small;">(For Parents, By Parents)</span></span><span style="font-size: 21px !important; font-weight: 400;"> </span></div>
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By: Anthony F Porto, MD MPH & Dina M. DiMaggio, MD<br /></div>
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<b>Back Cover:</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">All Your Questions about Feeding, Answered.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The choices of when, how, and what to feed your baby can be overwhelming. With </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">The Pediatrician’s Guide to Feeding Babies and Toddlers</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22.4px;">, you have the expertise of a team of pediatric medical and nutritional experts—who also happen to be parents—in a comprehensive manual that takes the guesswork out of feeding. This first-of-its-kind guide provides practical, easy-to-follow advice to help you navigate the nutrition issues, medical conditions, and parenting concerns that accompany feeding. With recipes, parenting stories, and recommendations based on the latest pediatric guidelines, this book will allow you to approach mealtime with confidence so you can spend more time enjoying your new family.</span></div>
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<b>Review:</b><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Brandon Text, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I have a four month old who is going to be starting to eat soon. When I saw that this book was up for review, I jumped at the chance to review it. The team of contributors are pediatricians, a dietician, a lactation consultant and two chefs?? PLUS THEY ARE ALL PARENTS. Sign me UP! I want to hear about how THEY fed their children!! :) They have to know a thing or two.</span></span><br /><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Brandon Text, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">When it came to the house, I opened it immediately. It was exactly how the cover states! "Easy to Use" "Q & A Format". I can scan this book easily for a question that I might have. This is a book that I will constantly be going back to when I have concerns about my daughter and what she is going to eat. The chapters</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> have charts and diagrams showing you different things about feeding and food. First the book is broken down by age, so you can read about a particular age group. The Doctors</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> talk about the baby's stomach, and make comparisons to adults. It don't use complicated words, or lots of medical jargon. It was so easy to get the answers for things that I was concerned about. In the book there are also recipes that I cannot wait to try. The first section of recipes was for food to eat while breastfeeding. The Veggie and Cheese Mini Frittatas sound delicious!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> I will be posting a review of that recipe later on this month!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> There are so many different types of diets, and they are broken down in the back. This was most interesting to me because I don't know a lot about diets like that. This helped me to visually see the diets, as well as read in depth paragraphs about it. This book is a worried parent</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">'s dream! It covers topics from stool colors to banana smoothie recipes! Very informative! This is a book that will help me for MONTHS to come. I am so happy to have found this book!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh4V_Rsfloe-2sr2a1I_vc5qOKXqxYRIM79a7_ixrR_o59XYRlgFAdVHOoQ7x_6QgoNuWwQLBLtvrxkH4PlQsNeoMQYkn8WNCu-qZSFtOw1kVEIT28-plZP6lmKlvBpQ2yQS-Cjf0twZV_/s1600/30703bcf-45fa-4aa9-b006-30f2733e30d5_w0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh4V_Rsfloe-2sr2a1I_vc5qOKXqxYRIM79a7_ixrR_o59XYRlgFAdVHOoQ7x_6QgoNuWwQLBLtvrxkH4PlQsNeoMQYkn8WNCu-qZSFtOw1kVEIT28-plZP6lmKlvBpQ2yQS-Cjf0twZV_/s200/30703bcf-45fa-4aa9-b006-30f2733e30d5_w0.jpg" width="133" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Brandon Text, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">About the Authors:</span></span><br /><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Brandon Text, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Anthony F Porto, MD MPH:</b></span></span><br /><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Brandon Text, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Anthony is a board-certified pediatrician and board certified pediatric gastroenterologist. He is an assistant professor of pediatrics and associate clinical chief of pediatric gastroenterology at Yale University and director, pediatric gastroenterology, at Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, Connecticut. He is also the medical director of the Yale Pediatric Celiac Program. He sees patients in Greenwich, Trumbull, and New Haven, Connecticut. He has won numerous awards, including the Norman J. Seigel Award at Yale University in 2015 for leadership and providing outstanding clinical care, as well as Physician of the Year during his time at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital. He has been named Castle Connolly Top Doctors since 2012. He is on the American Academy of Pediatrics PREP Gastroenterology Advisory Board and a member of the North American Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology's Public Education Committee and writes web-based educational materials. Anthony is interested in nutrition, especially in the care of children with difficulty gaining weight, feeding issues and celiac disease. He loves teaching and educating parents and gives lectures to parents throughout Connecticut.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Brandon Text, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">He graduated from Columbia University with a bachelor of arts in neuroscience and behavior and attended medical school at Tufts University School of Medicine, where he also received his master of public health. He completed his pediatric residency at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore Medical Center (where he met Dina and Persephone) and his pediatric gastroentergology fellowship at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York at Columbia University (where he met Janet). </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><b>Dina M. DiMaggio, MD:</b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdmwPLN31KwIsyh8_yUA_KjnxWRAIYIHlj9GzbEVTgBPYOlWvNeNdUVdPzewFxfjLk3skSU3Z2mhsffdRUO9tX9IWH0_B7708PI6U7DtIR0CkNX8J_tYCOWEIRI2NC11fQkSdgbjnaGQg/s1600/dimagd01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdmwPLN31KwIsyh8_yUA_KjnxWRAIYIHlj9GzbEVTgBPYOlWvNeNdUVdPzewFxfjLk3skSU3Z2mhsffdRUO9tX9IWH0_B7708PI6U7DtIR0CkNX8J_tYCOWEIRI2NC11fQkSdgbjnaGQg/s200/dimagd01.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Brandon Text, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Dina is a board certified pediatrician at Pediatric Associates of NYC (where she met Liza and Susan), one of the oldest pediatric practices in Manhattan, and a clinical instructor at NYC Langone Medical Center. She has received numerous research awards, along with Patient's Choice Award (2008-2012) and compassionate doctor recognition (2010, 2012). She was featured in the </span></span><i style="color: #555555; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">New York Times Magazine </i><span style="color: #555555; font-family: Brandon Text, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">as a Super Doctor in 2014 and in 2015 as a New York Rising Star. She is dedicated to educating parents on baby and toddler nutrition and gives talks to parent groups throughout New York.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Brandon Text', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">She attended Barnard College (where she met Amanda), graduated summa cum laude and as a member of Phi Beta Kappa Society, and went on to attend medical school at Albert Einstein College of Medicine (with Amanda), where she was elected into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. She completed her pediatric residency at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore (where she met Anthony and Persephone) and her hematology/oncology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I
received this book free as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not
required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR,
Part 255</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-65240799081064157982016-04-07T10:17:00.001-04:002016-04-14T15:22:47.287-04:00The Power of Broke by Daymond John<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XWBqz7uSn2IQ3d-UkQ6ZdDOsLbe3RYlcz91ODug4fj20zzRw1MSJlK21liwNHQvwCl31WPX6ZRXEHwap0Xh9LVpsxWrhGBgSQcf1VSgPB-jUj3zbiDu8Z5GeQNjUqrz-mcrZ1UT71xsj/s1600/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XWBqz7uSn2IQ3d-UkQ6ZdDOsLbe3RYlcz91ODug4fj20zzRw1MSJlK21liwNHQvwCl31WPX6ZRXEHwap0Xh9LVpsxWrhGBgSQcf1VSgPB-jUj3zbiDu8Z5GeQNjUqrz-mcrZ1UT71xsj/s400/images.jpg" width="266" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">P</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ower of Broke<br />
By: Daymond John<br />
Published By Crown Business<br />
ISBN: 978-1-101-90359-9<br />
269 Pages<br />
<br />
<b>Back Cover:</b><br />
Daymond John has been practicing the power of broke ever since he started
selling his home-sewn t-shirts on the streets of Queens. With no funding and a
$40 budget, Daymond had to come up with out-of-the box ways to promote his
products. Luckily, desperation breeds innovation, and so he hatched an idea for
a creative campaign that eventually launched the FUBU brand into a $6 billion
dollar global phenomenon. But it might not have happened if he hadn’t
started out broke - with nothing but a heart full of hope and a ferocious drive
to succeed by any means possible.<br />
<br />
Here, the FUBU founder and star of ABC’s Shark Tank shows that, far from being
a liability, broke can actually be <i>your greatest competitive advantage</i> as
an entrepreneur. Why? Because starting a business from broke forces you
to think more creatively. It forces you to use your resources more
efficiently. It forces you to connect with your customers more authentically,
and market your ideas more imaginatively. It forces you to be true to yourself,
stay laser focused on your goals, and come up with those innovative solutions
required to make a meaningful mark.<br />
<br />
Drawing his own experiences as an entrepreneur and branding consultant, peeks
behind-the scenes from the set of Shark Tank, and stories of dozens of other
entrepreneurs who have hustled their way to wealth, John shows how we can all
leverage the power of broke to phenomenal success. You’ll meet:<br />
<br />
- Steve Aoki, the electronic dance music (EDM) deejay who managed to parlay a
series of $100 gigs into becoming a global superstar who has redefined the
music industry<br />
- Gigi Butler, a cleaning lady from Nashville who built cupcake empire on the
back of a family recipe, her maxed out credit cards, and a heaping dose
of faith<br />
- 11-year old Shark Tank guest Mo Bridges who stitched together a winning
clothing line with just his grandma’s sewing machine, a stash of loose fabric,
and his unique sartorial flair<br />
<br />
When your back is up against the wall, your bank account is empty, and
creativity and passion are the only resources you can afford, <i>success
is your only option. </i> Here you’ll learn how to tap into that
Power of Broke to scrape, hustle, and dream your way to the top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Review:</b><br />
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book by Daymond John, from the show, Shark
Tank. I have been watching Shark Tank for a few years, and even though Daymond
had books out before, this book looked like it was written just for me. “The
Power of Broke is a mindset.” Is how the book starts. Right off the bat, he
gets you interested in the book and how to make this “Power of Broke” work for
you. I don’t normally read non-fiction books, but this one kept me engaged and
laughing. I felt like I was sitting in the room with Daymond and he was giving
this advice to just ME. I liked the POWER FACT’s littered throughout the book.
They were a great resource while I was reading. Each chapter was about a person
that used the Power of Broke to get to the top of their potential. I enjoyed
reading about these people and their journeys. If you want a peek into Daymond
John’s life, and how to get a slice of it in your life, I highly recommend
reading this book and discovering these great secrets yourself!!<br /><br /><b>Read a sample <a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Power_of_Broke.html?id=fOKsCAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button#v=onepage&q&f=false" target="_blank">here</a>!</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqTqPKvy9MdnCXE3183D_16G29l_F0HQPq3QsAS5P4eVtA92RDkiHs_QjV4sPFGrN8yt3TDLrg8ETCne4fZqXq6aPzaiX8V5jnPgfw5fqxHCg4wGPKbBTT4aLuW3rTMBrEsdNmWZEWn72/s1600/otmr_guest_daymond-john_shark-tank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqTqPKvy9MdnCXE3183D_16G29l_F0HQPq3QsAS5P4eVtA92RDkiHs_QjV4sPFGrN8yt3TDLrg8ETCne4fZqXq6aPzaiX8V5jnPgfw5fqxHCg4wGPKbBTT4aLuW3rTMBrEsdNmWZEWn72/s1600/otmr_guest_daymond-john_shark-tank.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>About the Author
(found <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Daymond-John/e/B001JPAF46/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1460038208&sr=1-2">here</a>):</b>
<br />
A young entrepreneur, an industry pioneer, a highly regarded marketing expert,
and a man who has surpassed new heights of commercial and financial success are
just a few ways people have described Daymond John. Over the last 20 years,
Daymond has evolved from one of the most successful fashion icons of his
generation to one of the most sought after branding experts, business, and
motivational speakers in the country.<br />
<br />
Daymond's creative vision and strong knowledge of the marketplace helped him
create one of the most iconic fashion brands in recent years. FUBU, standing
for "For Us By Us", represented a lifestyle that was neglected by
other clothing companies. Realizing this need in the marketplace, Daymond
created the untapped urban apparel space and laid the groundwork for other
companies to compete in this newly established market.<br />
<br />
Daymond grew up in the community of Hollis, Queens, quickly becoming known as
the birthplace of the new genre of music called Hip-Hop, with acts like RUN DMC
and Salt-N-Peppa rapidly making names for themselves. Being surrounded in this
influential neighborhood helped spur the inspiration for his clothing line that
would ultimately change the fashion world.<br />
<br />
His first foray into the apparel market came when he wanted a tie-top hat he
had seen in a popular music video but could not find one for a good price. With
the sewing skills he had learned from his mother, Daymond started making the
hats for himself and his friends. Realizing he was on to something, Daymond
made a sizeable order of the tie-top hats, sold them on the streets of Queens
one day, and made $800 in just a few hours. There was a buzz about Daymond's
products that simply could not be ignored.<br />
<br />
Based on that early success, Daymond recruited some of his neighborhood friends
and FUBU was born. They created a distinctive logo and began sewing the FUBU
logo on all sorts of apparel, including hockey jerseys, sweatshirts and
t-shirts. The brand hit a tipping point when Daymond convinced Hollis native
and Hip-Hop superstar, LL Cool J, to wear FUBU for a promotional campaign. This
was the catalyst behind the entire Hip-Hop community supporting the new brand
and instantly giving it credibility. In need of start-up capital to keep up
with demand, Daymond and his mother mortgaged the home they collectively owned
for $100,000. Soon, the home was turned into a makeshift factory and office
space.<br />
<br />
FUBU gained even more nationwide exposure when Daymond and his partners
traveled to the industry trade show Magic in Las Vegas. Despite not being able
to afford a booth at the event, the FUBU team showed buyers the distinctively
cut, vibrantly colored sportswear in their hotel room. The company came back to
Queens with over $300,000 worth of orders. FUBU soon had a contract with the
New York City-based department store chain Macy's, and it began expanding its
line to include jeans and outerwear. A distribution deal with Korean
electronics manufacturer Samsung allowed their designs to be manufactured and
delivered on a massive scale. With the brand transcending into the mainstream
markets, FUBU recorded annual sales of $350 million, placing it in the same
stratosphere as designer sportswear labels such as Donna Karan New York and
Tommy Hilfiger.<br />
<br />
In 2009, John joined the cast of the ABC entrepreneurial business show, Shark
Tank, produced by acclaimed TV producer Mark Burnett. As one of the
"Sharks", Daymond and four other prominent executives listen to
business pitches from everyday people hoping to launch their company or product
to new heights. Investing his own money in every project, Daymond becomes
partners with the entrepreneurs helping turn their dreams into a reality.
Millions of viewers tune into the show as Daymond demonstrates his marketing
prowess and entrepreneurial insights.<br />
<br />
Due to the increasing amount of requests from major companies, Shark Branding
was formed to provide companies with the marketing insights that have made
Daymond's companies successful over the years. The firm consults companies on
innovative strategies to connect with their consumers more effectively by
associating with the world's most influential celebrities, musicians, and
personalities. Whether it's activating a celebrity endorsement or integrating
product in a music video, companies rely on Shark Branding to utilize Daymond's
contacts and relationships to produce real results and sales.<br />
<br />
Daymond entered the literary world with his first book Display of Power: How
FUBU Changed A World Of Fashion, Branding And Lifestyle which tells the story
of his awe inspiring journey and provides a roadmap for those who aspire to
succeed in business and in life. Daymond followed up his with his second book,
The Brand Within: How We Brand Ourselves, From Birth To The Boardroom, which
examines the loyal relationships companies seek to establish with the public by
attaching celebrities to their brands and the instantaneous impulses consumers
exhibit when purchasing a product. Drawing on his cutting edge experiences in
the fashion business, as well as his hard-won insights developed as a
sought-after marketing consultant to trendsetters and tastemakers, the author
argues that branding relationships have now seeped into every aspect of our
lives.<br />
<br />
In recognition of his contributions to fashion and the face of American
business, Daymond has been celebrated with some of the most prestigious awards
including: Brandweek Marketer of the Year, the Advertising Age Marketing 1000
Award for Outstanding Ad Campaign, Crain's Business of New York Forty Under
Forty Award, and Ernst & Young's New York Entrepreneur of the Year Award.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Other books by
Author: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziiizcT1VsxQO64HbW2q5CCn1G3yvTbGoezXxlRrPYcWgaqwbmqdWpml8fxq-so0NWxOx40tI9xRgvSdBvzmCJQtE2cpObdvqBh-8Fv8baYtzgJyhh2_AYRVWCUbK6sQkhR1ehbg0rzTh/s1600/81P8PFlbmWL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziiizcT1VsxQO64HbW2q5CCn1G3yvTbGoezXxlRrPYcWgaqwbmqdWpml8fxq-so0NWxOx40tI9xRgvSdBvzmCJQtE2cpObdvqBh-8Fv8baYtzgJyhh2_AYRVWCUbK6sQkhR1ehbg0rzTh/s320/81P8PFlbmWL.jpg" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRiQXehRHiJXrt2NktTIPb4mpmaSgfFzVSliTizuGLONAnuKJWT37V-o7Sn78WYO5zBM_6EFPaWwcLoTCBfl0_0WX8z7FFcMgnsko3cUo0YhyphenhyphenC6tOs7ZzRO70yNN6fO2on94uefU-_yI-/s1600/31I7BwhYWCL._AC_UL320_SR218%252C320_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRiQXehRHiJXrt2NktTIPb4mpmaSgfFzVSliTizuGLONAnuKJWT37V-o7Sn78WYO5zBM_6EFPaWwcLoTCBfl0_0WX8z7FFcMgnsko3cUo0YhyphenhyphenC6tOs7ZzRO70yNN6fO2on94uefU-_yI-/s1600/31I7BwhYWCL._AC_UL320_SR218%252C320_.jpg" /></a><b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> </span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Author Interview:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<iframe height="360" scrolling="no" src="http://abcnews.go.com/video/embed?id=36373264" style="border: none;" width="640"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://abcnews.go.com/">ABC Breaking News</a> | <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Video">Latest News Videos</a>
<b><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--></b><span style="background-color: #fff9ee; color: #222222; font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 19px;">I received this book free as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255</span><b>
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-11522937807414925932016-02-11T15:55:00.002-05:002016-02-11T15:55:39.212-05:005 FREE BABY BOARD BOOKS!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqj4-dJh2qLOPZORfo0i96ywPKnbnzAYYWpjpkyHe3MwNcB9a9VsMvaMImf2_6UfJ7LKhfAKEpXfPHwtdml6bxvOemqDU8xPIzG2fxB105kIbA112fC1AsbPWJFep6gMZxForKr2U0_xac/s1600/little-girl-reading-912380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqj4-dJh2qLOPZORfo0i96ywPKnbnzAYYWpjpkyHe3MwNcB9a9VsMvaMImf2_6UfJ7LKhfAKEpXfPHwtdml6bxvOemqDU8xPIzG2fxB105kIbA112fC1AsbPWJFep6gMZxForKr2U0_xac/s640/little-girl-reading-912380.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just thought i'd share this with everyone!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I absolutely love reading to my kids. My son enjoys a story or two or seven before bed. I've started to include my newborn daughter with us, but I know she's not absorbing much yet. I think she just likes to hear the sound of my voice.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyways, Babies First is offering a deal for Valentine's Day! :) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Just pay shipping and handling, and the books are on their way!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
I was not paid for this post. I just got an email about the deal, and thought I would share the savings with everyone else.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-68070887694854396752016-01-28T12:40:00.002-05:002016-01-28T13:16:56.029-05:00PINCHme Free Samples! <img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-oKlM94ItL0mD5VHizCin8gAdSo3tjzW9GsWCFMoF8IVr6eG5ae8Dq5vkjiGf6VMK65uvT57oXLvJCr5HGSGhUJ7pIUpxhjZAwxQSxqnw2Ue7KqjzUrVHpoan4VD3oEqJJCgjPWVct8gC/s640/PINCHme+%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have got to take a moment and talk about a great website for a moment.
PINCHme Samples is a website where you can get free samples from popular brands every month!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I have been apart of this website for about a year and I am loving it. I have gotten free body wash, sugar samples, formula and more! Sometimes i've even gotten FULL SIZE samples. It's great! It's a mix up every month and the more information you have filled out in your profile, the more samples you can qualify for.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It's super simple and not time consuming at all! You just sign in on the Sample Tuesday, that is once a month. They ship the samples right to your door, within a few weeks. Then you use the products, and review them on the website. This is the most recent sample I got from them, it was a full-size Gerber supplementing formula sample and a bib with monthly infants to take pictures with when my daughter grows this year! </span><br />
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<span start=""><span sans-serif="" verdana=""><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">I have received products for free from the PINCHme program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255</span></span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-8376921474717074322016-01-21T16:17:00.000-05:002016-01-21T16:20:58.540-05:00Breath of Angel by Karyn Henley<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dyCxuiiMsWmUCYHSVEpyhrAsaWZnTq3g5IU53iZ9Xu3CNWdYeR3Cr9f8pzdSbUhOTBZoZrIl0OPizqUVC0wnFmSV8RQU8dd5f6nde-uJ2RJGl5j83okZYCq5y8T5nHagvEPqDDWsqNKT/s1600/breath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7dyCxuiiMsWmUCYHSVEpyhrAsaWZnTq3g5IU53iZ9Xu3CNWdYeR3Cr9f8pzdSbUhOTBZoZrIl0OPizqUVC0wnFmSV8RQU8dd5f6nde-uJ2RJGl5j83okZYCq5y8T5nHagvEPqDDWsqNKT/s320/breath.jpg" width="213" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Breath of Angel</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">By: Karyn Henley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Published by: Waterbrook Press</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Released in 2011</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">227 Pages</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><b>Back Cover:</b> The stranger’s cloak had fallen back, and with it, a long, white, blood-stained wing. When Melaia, a young priestess, witnesses the gruesome murder of a stranger in the temple courtyard, age-old legends recited in song suddenly come to life. She discovers wings on the stranger, and the murderer takes the shape of both a hawk and a man. Angels. Shape-shifters. Myths and stories—until now. Melaia finds herself in the middle of a blood feud between two immortal brothers who destroyed the stairway to heaven, stranding angels in the earthly realm. When Melaia becomes a target, she finds refuge with a band of angels attempting to restore the stairway. But the restoration is impossible without settling an ancient debt—the “breath of angel, blood of man,” a payment that involves Melaia’s heart, soul, and destiny.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;"><b>Review: </b>This book was a slow read. I couldn't really connect with Melaia, even though I know I was the target audience. The way that she thought and the things that she did didn't really make sense to me. I liked the kind of world that the author tried to create, but I wish that there was more to it. The book could have been longer and I would have been more satisfied. I know that there is a series of these books, but I think that lengthening this one would have been satisfactory. I appreciate the strong Christian values throughout the book, but they didn't feel genuine. It felt kind of forced. All in all, I'm glad that I read this book, but I don't think I will be continuing the series. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;"><b>About the Author (taken from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Karyn-Henley/e/B001H6NS8M/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1" target="_blank">here</a>):</b> </span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">Award-winning author Karyn Henley has written over 100 titles, which include a mix of children's books and articles, parent-teacher books, articles, and curricula, and preschool musicals and CD's/DVD's of original music for children. An accomplished songwriter, Karyn has been a Dove Award nominee, and received a regional Emmy Award as Music Composer for a Christmas television special. She has traveled worldwide speaking to parents and teachers and entertaining children and their families in storytelling/active movement sessions and concerts. Most of her work has been in the area of spiritual development. She is best known as the author of the original version of The Beginner's Bible, which during the fifteen years it was in print (1989-2004), sold over 5 million copies and was translated into 17 languages.</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #111111; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">A graduate of Abilene Christian University (BSEd), Karyn received a Master's of Fine Arts degree from Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2004. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">I received this book free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group as part of their Blogging for Books program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-63971458404415921322016-01-13T10:55:00.001-05:002016-01-13T11:33:36.697-05:00Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3vpxHmGfMJsiKaEPdkaxaKJznLk2oqAAVwhGngYytXFu5MjCubvwez3zqNqdXJVaKIekijdPkUayEnF0pmJBI51syCjGzMAzmZEqRPfS35PA6DEbo6nK4AeFAaNOnwkFQBPVQYrP9OkU/s1600/Seventh-Generation-logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span black="" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD3vpxHmGfMJsiKaEPdkaxaKJznLk2oqAAVwhGngYytXFu5MjCubvwez3zqNqdXJVaKIekijdPkUayEnF0pmJBI51syCjGzMAzmZEqRPfS35PA6DEbo6nK4AeFAaNOnwkFQBPVQYrP9OkU/s320/Seventh-Generation-logo.jpg" width="248" /></span></a><span arial="" helvetica="" sans-serif="" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My husband, son and newborn all have sensitive skin. I am constantly looking for detergents that aren't going to bother them. <span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I received a free product for the purpose of my review. Opinions are 100% my own. I was so excited to try this detergent when I received it. I'm doing laundry EVERY DAY now that I have a newborn and so I threw this in with my daily laundry routine. It doesn't have a fragrance and it cleaned my clothes just like the detergent I had been using before (store brand). </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I've always seen Seventh Generation in stores, but I never had the guts to try it out. I didn't know if they actually delivered on their promises.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here is their mission statement: </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;">" We believe our products are healthy solutions for the air, surfaces, fabrics, pets and people within your home–and for the community and environment outside of it. As a pioneer in corporate responsibility, we want our products to make a difference—from their development through to their production, purchase, use, and disposal. We are always evaluating how to reduce their environmental impact, increase performance and safety, and create a more sustainable supply chain. We believe it is our responsibility to set a course for a more mindful way of doing business, where companies act as partners with other stakeholders to create a brighter future for the whole planet. "</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 21px;">Who can argue with that? Helping the environment and making a healthier home for me? Win-Win!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKg3of1QF1vNG0_IahuaS4ie8uAMLlcD0oD2UT1749sicY1C3lIePPlWJrPWhxBxZVsuroVm-k-6_LhsC3fc1kzlBeulEuAAZI36iz3tbLOM071hkgQhkrZFvgnZbYTPpi53fe-1B0wn_/s1600/7thgeneration_003_edit_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOKg3of1QF1vNG0_IahuaS4ie8uAMLlcD0oD2UT1749sicY1C3lIePPlWJrPWhxBxZVsuroVm-k-6_LhsC3fc1kzlBeulEuAAZI36iz3tbLOM071hkgQhkrZFvgnZbYTPpi53fe-1B0wn_/s320/7thgeneration_003_edit_.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21px;">I am proud to report that I absolutely loved their detergent. It works really well and it didn't bother anyone's skin here at our household! I have a coupon to buy my full size product next!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8WR0NeXUDxLSEY9uTrFaUCYcLfINWC8rbPznCPzf6dwXq37tjwLvu-9l-tyeFkVbgHcWlkWb0xEFQgTgka0dWVwpME8xjMX66DgEQtjpNNM9evSXcHHLYxFifLrudkcWD47hyphenhyphenAzf1fQh/s1600/DSC00086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH8WR0NeXUDxLSEY9uTrFaUCYcLfINWC8rbPznCPzf6dwXq37tjwLvu-9l-tyeFkVbgHcWlkWb0xEFQgTgka0dWVwpME8xjMX66DgEQtjpNNM9evSXcHHLYxFifLrudkcWD47hyphenhyphenAzf1fQh/s320/DSC00086.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 21px;">I am apart of Generation Good, which is a great program that i've just joined. You can check out more information about it <a href="http://www.seventhgeneration.com/generationgood" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07258930446279588629noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-53542155936237837212016-01-13T10:47:00.003-05:002016-01-13T11:25:34.525-05:00The Magnolia League by Katie Crouch<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyn6jOH5To4q7vlNJQ4J6EoCSxEhTdTgm6Uusp8SiPfR9EwZjYrXimC4iGVXccLwG6cWMU55mdtxdQVS1OalOmUXEix5xIRwoT4N4QdSSeOqPH04LRhZBn9T2clZW9nq8ZNZfNK3y3DS2/s1600/the+magnolia+league.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieyn6jOH5To4q7vlNJQ4J6EoCSxEhTdTgm6Uusp8SiPfR9EwZjYrXimC4iGVXccLwG6cWMU55mdtxdQVS1OalOmUXEix5xIRwoT4N4QdSSeOqPH04LRhZBn9T2clZW9nq8ZNZfNK3y3DS2/s320/the+magnolia+league.jpg" width="211" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">The Magnolia League</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">By: Katie Crouch</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Published by: Poppy (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)</span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">ISBN #: 978-0-316-07849-8</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"><b>Back Cover:</b> </span><span style="color: black;">When her free-spirited mother dies in a tragic accident, sixteen-year-old Alexandria Lee is forced to leave her West Coast home and move in with a wealthy grandmother she's never known in Savannah, Georgia. By birth, Alex is a rightful if unwilling member of the Magnolia League-Savannah's long-standing debutante society. But white gloves and silk gowns are a far cry from the vintage t-shirts and torn jeans shorts she's used to.<br /><br />Alex is the first in decades to question the Magnolia League's intentions, yet even she becomes entangled in their seductive world. The members enjoy youth, beauty and power...but at what cost? As Alex discovers a pact between the Magnolias and the Buzzards, a legendary hoodoo family, she discovers secrets-some deadly-hidden beneath the glossy Southern veneer.<br /><br /><i>New York Times</i> bestselling author Katie Crouch's poignant and humorous voice shines in this enchanting and mysterious story about girls growing up in a magical Southern city.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Review</span></b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">: </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;">Alexandria</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt;"> (Alex for short) lives on a community farm called RC, in California, until her mother dies in a car accident and she is shipped off to go live with her grandmother, Miss Lee. Miss Lee lives in Savannah, Georgia which is a completely different world to Alex. For starters, her grandmother is extremely wealthy and the head of a very prestigious society called The Magnolia League. She forces Alex to join, and signs her up for classes so she can prepare for her debutante party. The rest of the story is Alex questioning and challenging the Magnolia League's intentions. </span></span><br />
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At first this book was hard to get into, Alex was a bit of a cliché and her 'bad-girl' persona was very easily pushed aside during the course of the book. The first eighteen chapters felt very rushed and confusing to me, as a reader. I felt like the author kind of jumped all over the place. She would let you into the Magnolia League's conversations but you would have NO idea what was going on or what they were talking about.</span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Another thing that I didn't understand was Alex's relationship with Madison and Hayes. I never understood their intentions. When they first met her they didn't like her at all, and then a couple pages over they were fawning over her. It was very confusing, and I never felt like it was a genuine friendship. Even though it seemed like at the end they were extremely close. Those chapters are kind of a blur to me, but once you hit the nineteenth chapter you get <u>really</u> hooked on this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it after this point. I couldn't put the book down! In the end <i>The Magnolia League</i> was an absolutely fascinating read.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About the Author (taken from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Katie-Crouch/e/B001JSCJH4" target="_blank">here</a>):</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 19px;">Katie Crouch is the New York Times bestselling author of Girls in Trucks. Her other novels include Men and Dogs, two young adult novels, and Abroad, a literary thriller set in Italy. Julia Glass wrote of Abroad: With uncanny psychological precision and a dark, dead-on wit, Katie Crouch explores how the casual follies of youth all too quickly turn tragic" Katie covered the Amanda Knox appeal for Slate magazine, and has also written for The Guardian, the New York Times, McSweeney's, Tin House, and Salon, and she has a regular column on The Rumpus called "Missed." A MacDowell fellow, Crouch teaches at San Francisco State University and lives in Bolinas, California with Peter Orner and their daughter Phoebe.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 19px;"><b>Other Books by the Author:</b></span></span><br />
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Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08015683454662470168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-34209618521668723052011-07-19T21:32:00.000-04:002011-07-19T21:32:33.168-04:00Review - Downy Unstopables<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_taGgc0hTl_xW_3pn2lw7hFZzroiThz7HJcD0E-DuzJx0jL8AKZQtYcu6Kb2BOkpjsN9JTPpQm3yDfJDj1mDwXMXGdNRvWT82fSv-RZQwDEszWAC5_vVVPFAg3G-2y0rXXnyqBqlbjO-F/s1600/vocalpoint.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_taGgc0hTl_xW_3pn2lw7hFZzroiThz7HJcD0E-DuzJx0jL8AKZQtYcu6Kb2BOkpjsN9JTPpQm3yDfJDj1mDwXMXGdNRvWT82fSv-RZQwDEszWAC5_vVVPFAg3G-2y0rXXnyqBqlbjO-F/s320/vocalpoint.bmp" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrnsS0QNMgHOvC2oKYEbDlKd3Psfk4YNs98kqFUd70999s8hv_qT19uY7cU9Nd-QJwtqNiNCF5_zT0TnPdah2vadn-nr2RD-xbv5rL14MonzdNELzNmEvO04YZ50D95W7dKQRW2GemCvlG/s1600/unstopables_blogkit_5.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrnsS0QNMgHOvC2oKYEbDlKd3Psfk4YNs98kqFUd70999s8hv_qT19uY7cU9Nd-QJwtqNiNCF5_zT0TnPdah2vadn-nr2RD-xbv5rL14MonzdNELzNmEvO04YZ50D95W7dKQRW2GemCvlG/s1600/unstopables_blogkit_5.png" /></a><br />
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I have to tell you guys about this amazing website I'm apart of called Vocalpoint, its a great website where you can get samples, full-size products and just have a great community of people to chat with online. You can join by clicking <a href="http://www.vocalpoint.com/registration/acquire.aspx?sourceid=466">here</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNUJtz4dGZUchTnhgR994d-0xfbUEuE9xjRF1Q6lW-6awEJMf-n9jrVVvBmndHBpwSCMbmmYLd6PIWqI_Ug5BYWEtK0DLlVDY6SmD4vam8ishkRysko5wpz5A3xqNl_Mm-SFugnEJ-GIi/s1600/unstopables_blogkit_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoNUJtz4dGZUchTnhgR994d-0xfbUEuE9xjRF1Q6lW-6awEJMf-n9jrVVvBmndHBpwSCMbmmYLd6PIWqI_Ug5BYWEtK0DLlVDY6SmD4vam8ishkRysko5wpz5A3xqNl_Mm-SFugnEJ-GIi/s1600/unstopables_blogkit_1.png" /></a>Since I've joined Vocalpoint, I've been up and up on all the greatest products just like this new one I recieved in the mail. I got new Downy Unstopables in the mail and was chosen to review this product for Vocalpoint!<br />
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I have to tell you that I really love this new product! It smells SO fresh when you open it, and it smells so good on your clothes. They have a cool "squeeze and sniff" feature, where you can just squeeze the bottle to have a burst of that fresh scent.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHhUBSF9wT_7vpvj6GdZGjIdfNU8cWgp6-ywmvSKP9oe-bw3CDwunjnXmynwDVZRIoTLTaDq491sQ6BxVhqKwA_hMkLGq0IcLw5P8RjbH9W7S72Q6VBmAVoRZ2uWMJ5cdkj7aNzjz5D5wM/s1600/unstopables_blogkit_4.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHhUBSF9wT_7vpvj6GdZGjIdfNU8cWgp6-ywmvSKP9oe-bw3CDwunjnXmynwDVZRIoTLTaDq491sQ6BxVhqKwA_hMkLGq0IcLw5P8RjbH9W7S72Q6VBmAVoRZ2uWMJ5cdkj7aNzjz5D5wM/s200/unstopables_blogkit_4.png" width="167" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1zG4eNNlvXwHKQHpSp3SYkJ4PQTX7uGIN5xi3MpuRTnwhNrHigMCaQLJEuCAVHFRmq4Zeztgfn3JU39YXjC_cyCb-1ziMWnYr9QhS-zVkjRXjpbC9F7CljxhV6DFxo1Em-2zyPUTY9K1/s1600/unstopables_blogkit_3.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv1zG4eNNlvXwHKQHpSp3SYkJ4PQTX7uGIN5xi3MpuRTnwhNrHigMCaQLJEuCAVHFRmq4Zeztgfn3JU39YXjC_cyCb-1ziMWnYr9QhS-zVkjRXjpbC9F7CljxhV6DFxo1Em-2zyPUTY9K1/s200/unstopables_blogkit_3.png" width="151" /></a>It's really simple to use, all you have to do is put the little beads in the wash before you put your clothes in. It's supposed to make the freshness in your clothes last longer.<br />
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I sweat a LOT in my car because I have no air conditioning and it's summer time, so this product sounded GREAT to me! I don't think that the scent lasts as long as it says it will, but maybe I didn't put enough of the beads into the wash I had (because it was a large wash). I like that you're able to choose how much you wanna put it, and that it's easy to use.<br />
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I think if you want your clothes to smell fresh or lavender-y, I would definitely reccomend this product! I really enjoyed it. :]Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08015683454662470168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-62146768936533586142011-05-31T23:22:00.003-04:002011-05-31T23:22:10.878-04:00Review - Shattered by Melody Carlson<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSUmLptbZyVNm5q8foIUWlZpa8iGSGpMywuk0prsQIYx2lyze5LqCvSV8pQFdSVQDDrZ6EM87kZ9KbAismUcUGaB8zc9bBQ3k4hi5QAZ5igK_LAKiq5FvdUe_nxm0GSGLXYzrSGr5MlSV/s1600/97988656.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSUmLptbZyVNm5q8foIUWlZpa8iGSGpMywuk0prsQIYx2lyze5LqCvSV8pQFdSVQDDrZ6EM87kZ9KbAismUcUGaB8zc9bBQ3k4hi5QAZ5igK_LAKiq5FvdUe_nxm0GSGLXYzrSGr5MlSV/s320/97988656.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>Shattered</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By: Melody Carlson</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ISBN: 978-1-60006-949-9</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Published by: NavPress</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Released on April 15, 2011</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">208 Pages</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Back Cover (description from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shattered-Daughters-Secrets-Melody-Carlson/dp/1600069495">Amazon</a>):</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;">Everybody does it—sneaks out of the house now and then. It's harmless enough, right? Not this time. Cleo Neilson faces the chilling consequences of her actions. Now she has a secret and can’t tell anyone, and it’s breaking her heart. As Cleo fights through her grief and guilt, she learns about faith in God and forgiveness through him. As teenage girls read Cleo's journey, they too will learn the value of having faith and receiving forgiveness as well as just how dangerous it really is to keep a secret.<br />
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[series copy]<br />
Every teenage girl has a secret. And every teenage girl loves hearing someone else’s secret. But some secrets are big enough to detour, derail, or even destroy a young person’s life. Each of Melody Carlson’s Secrets novels will propel readers into a world where promises are broken, life is not fair, and challenges can make or break them, while ultimately helping readers discover that solid faith, loyal friends, and a persistent spirit will see them through.</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Review:</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I have loved Melody Carlson since I read her Diary of A Teenage Girl Series, and she's one of my favorite authors. She wrote the True Color series, which is another one of my favorites. When my mom asked me if I wanted to review this new book in Melody Carlson's new series, I jumped on the opportunity.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This book is about Cleo and a lie she tells to her mother that completely shatters her from the inside out. I liked the surprising turns that this book took. I thought I had this book pegged when I first started reading it (because I always read the ending first!!) but Melody threw me a couple curve balls during the story.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Shattered was a quick read. I read it in a couple of hours, but throughly enjoyed it. I cared for Cleo and everything she went through. I related with a lot of the feelings she had in the book about her mother, and the guilt she felt for keeping secrets. I think the Secrets series is a great thing that Melody is doing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Secrets can tear any teenager, or adult, apart. They will eat you from the inside out. It's amazing the way that Melody delves into the mind of Cleo and how she tries to not think about everything that's happening around her. She has a mentality that if she doesn't feel it, it's not really happening. It was very interesting watching all the puzzle pieces fall into place.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This book could have taken a lot of turns, and I appreciate the turns that it took. I wish the book had been longer, maybe more in depth and that her kind-of "break down" had been more intense. But I know she probably had a page limit, and it's probably just that "soap-opera" side of me kicking in. :D </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You will absolutely love this book, it deals with a couple of tough issues in a great way. If you're looking for a fast, but deep and enjoyable read check out Shattered by Melody Carlson. You won't regret it!!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">About the Author(taken from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Melody-Carlson/e/B000APR3DC/ref=sr_tc_ep?qid=1306898062">here</a>):</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;">Melody Carlson has written around 200 books for teens, women and children. That's a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a "storyteller." Her books range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She's won a number of awards (including the Rita and Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at <a href="http://www.melodycarlson.com/">http://www.melodycarlson.com/</a></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Other series by the author(check out all her books <a href="http://melodycarlson.com/">here</a>):</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://melodycarlson.com/true_colors.shtml"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGEvDIJqBTNYYL9qu7xQXeB65303xY9gI19ny5g5MZ833E1kMJB7oCqBTaDSD_4Yy8Y0mUV_UViD1P70vhwLX5FwhLrRGyHQRptukQfivFLin_BuJZCM2f390C27Md1ui-4NVhu4PgUdxX/s320/true+colors+line+450.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="http://melodycarlson.com/diary.shtml" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnduCNKLHuIL1p2pv5lr8RP-MjxsbhvGsLdWxsxxTEVfMZGR0QR1KxtLNQ_YZR9S8FEfjtMCsDo1KkBcbakb0x3v08xZpnEMEhhl-uGTgEMgToaj3awnztIdLBhVLQqXsuaYlECB4Ec2Ks/s200/doatg+small.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Bjl1JFa6C6w" width="560"></iframe></span>Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08015683454662470168noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-51188578142497377942011-05-29T20:02:00.000-04:002011-05-29T20:02:27.793-04:00Preview: The Unbecoming of Mara DyerThis book...omg...it looks so good! I CANNOT wait for this to come out. Sept 27th is just too far away. I would say that we should fast forward time, so that I could read this book...but my son was born on Sept 25th and I'm totally not ready for him to be a year yet.. :P<br />
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BUT this book sounds amazing. I love books where the main characters lose their memory and it's kind of a mystery to figure it out through the book.<br />
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There is an awesome contest going on at the author's website right now! You should <a href="http://michellehodkin.blogspot.com/2011/05/mara-dyer-story-siren-andme.html">enter</a>!<br />
Add this book to your TBR list and add this widget to your blog! Cannot wait!!<br />
<img border="0" height="0" src="http://c.gigcount.com/wildfire/IMP/CXNID=2000002.0NXC/bT*xJmx*PTEzMDU1MTgyMzYxODMmcHQ9MTMwNTUxODI*NTE3NyZwPTE2MzAzMTImZD1NYXJhJTIwRHllciZnPTImbz*2ODZkMDJj/YmNmZjg*YjcyYThkODUwNjEyZTYzYzUyYSZvZj*w.gif" style="height: 0px; visibility: hidden; width: 0px;" width="0" /><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,28,0" height="450" width="300"><param name="movie" value="http://go.thesyn.com/maradyer/maradyer.swf" /> <param name="quality" value="high" /> <embed src="http://go.thesyn.com/maradyer/maradyer.swf" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.adobe.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="300" height="450" align="right" FlashVars="gig_lt=1305518236183&gig_pt=1305518245177&gig_g=2"></embed> <param name="FlashVars" value="gig_lt=1305518236183&gig_pt=1305518245177&gig_g=2" /> </object><br />
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Mara Dyer doesn't think life can get any stranger than waking up in a hospital with no memory of how she got there.<br />
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It can.<br />
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She believes there must be more to the accident she can't remember that killed her friends and left her mysteriously unharmed.<br />
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There is.<br />
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She doesn't believe that after everything she's been through, she can fall in love.<br />
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She's wrong.<br />
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<strong><i>The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer</i></strong> hits stores everywhere 9.27.11. <strong>Pre-order</strong> your copy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Unbecoming-Mara-Dyer-Michelle-Hodkin/dp/1442421762%3FSubscriptionId%3DAKIAJBDF5XQBATGDX4VQ%26tag%3Dspea06-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1442421762">here</a>. <strong>Download</strong> the widget <a href="http://www.maradyer.com/">here</a>. <strong>Enter</strong> to win an Advanced Reader’s Copy <a href="http://michellehodkin.blogspot.com/">here</a>.Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08015683454662470168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-41256220933565888102011-05-24T11:24:00.003-04:002011-05-24T11:50:39.378-04:00Review - Predator by Terri Blackstock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjux8xCxziJ_V2zbTmhrGEPRSBwRlDRNNph_8fJxtl9cfUCqnNKWj-qb3XIz1XqKDlGdJO16utBg5oR9374bSQbomza6d8fJGLVNcT8Pr3lI8G41qiQxS2QtkjdzzQgNsSbN59VatnZmPCP/s1600/Predator-by-Terri-Blackstock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjux8xCxziJ_V2zbTmhrGEPRSBwRlDRNNph_8fJxtl9cfUCqnNKWj-qb3XIz1XqKDlGdJO16utBg5oR9374bSQbomza6d8fJGLVNcT8Pr3lI8G41qiQxS2QtkjdzzQgNsSbN59VatnZmPCP/s1600/Predator-by-Terri-Blackstock.jpg" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Predator</span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By: Terri Blackstock</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ISBN: 978-0-310-25066-1</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Published By: Zondervan</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Released on May 24, 2010</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">336 Pages</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Back Cover (Description from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Predator-Novel-Terri-Blackstock/dp/0310250668">Amazon</a>):</span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b></b>Bestselling author Terri Blackstock presents another stand-alone novel, Predator. The murder of Krista Carmichael's fourteen-year-old sister by an online predator has shaken her faith and made her question God's justice and protection. Desperate to find the killer, she creates an online persona to bait the predator. But when the stalker turns his sights on her, will Krista be able to control the outcome? Ryan Adkins started the social network GrapeVyne in his college dorm and has grown it into a billion-dollar corporation. But he never expected it to become a stalking ground for online Predators. One of them lives in his town and has killed two girls and attacked a third. When Ryan meets Krista, the murders become more than a news story to him, and everything is on the line. Joining forces, he and Krista set out to stop the killer. But when hunters pursue a hunter, the tables can easily turn. Only God can protect them now.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Review:</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is one of the best books I've read in awhile. Terri Blackstock grips you from the beginning and leaves you completely satisfied in the end. A fourteen year old girl is murdered essentially because of what is posted on her "Grapevyne" page. Grapevyne in this novel is a mix of Facebook and Twitter, people are constantly posting "Thought Bubbles", snapping pictures of themselves, and sharing their day-to-day activities with their followers. This book makes you think REALLY hard about what you post online. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The murderer in this book knows everything about these girls because of their Grapevyne page. They take pictures of themselves in places, post about what their doing and what they're going to be wearing. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One scene in this book, in particular, makes your hair stand on end. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">He finds a girl at the airport, and knows exactly who she is, what she's wearing and how to get her into his car, all because he's a follower on her Grapevyne page. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This book makes me think twice about what to post on my own Facebook page, I can have all the privacy settings in the world but there are people out there who can get into my Facebook page if they really want to. That's scary. I think that this book should be required to read in schools. Teenagers and children should be educated about what is safe to post on the internet. Personal information in the wrong hands can lead to devastating things.<br />
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Ignorance is not bliss. If you don't know what you're doing on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, Blogger, Tumblr, LiveJournal, or any site like that, you can get into trouble. Nowadays, people are not getting jobs because of what's posted on their Facebook page. Your Facebook page will make you or break you. It represents you. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This book is amazing, and it's one of those books that makes people think. I HIGHLY recommend this book, and I think you should pass it along to everyone you know. I enjoyed this book immensely, and you will to! </span><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>About the Author (taken from <a href="http://www.terriblackstock.com/about/">here</a>):</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #030200; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-weight: normal;"></span></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Terri Blackstock hasn’t always written for the Lord. Just over a decade ago she was an award-winning secular novelist writing for publishers such as HarperCollins, Harlequin, and Silhouette. With thirty-two titles published and 3.5 million books in print, she found that she was miserable. The compromises she had made in her career had taken their toll on her spiritual life, and she yearned to renew her relationship with Christ.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After much soul-searching and wrestling with God, she finally told the Lord that she would never write another thing that didn’t glorify Him. Thinking she might never be published again, she began planning ways to supplement her income, while she worked on her first idea for a Christian novel.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Because she enjoyed reading suspense novels, she tried weaving a faith message into a fast-paced page-turner with ordinary people in jeopardy. When Christian publishers expressed great interest, she realized that a secondary job would not be necessary. God was paving the way for her to enter the Christian publishing world.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since that time, she’s sold 2 million Christian novels. She has over thirty Christian titles, many of which have been number one best-sellers. Her latest book, True Light, reached number one on the Top 50 of all Christian books the first full month it was in stores. Night Light was the winner of the 2007 Retailer’s Choice Award for General Fiction. Both books are part of her popular Restoration Series which began with Last Light. Other reader favorites include her Cape Refuge Series, her Newpointe 911 Series, her SunCoast Chronicles Series and her “Seasons” books written with co-author Beverly LaHaye.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Terri has appeared on national television programs such as “The 700 Club” and “Home Life,” and has been a guest on numerous radio programs across the country. The story of her personal journey appears in books such as Touched By the Savior by Mike Yorkey, True Stories of Answered Prayer by Mike Nappa, Faces of Faith by John Hanna, and I Saw Him In Your Eyes by Ace Collins.</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</b></div>Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08015683454662470168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-79900640536434584522011-04-26T08:07:00.001-04:002011-04-26T08:09:30.999-04:00Review - Beyond the Dead Forest by Steve Groll<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0y5pNlh00xv5ET7N_5_uNj0JYEuYtHVwnQNRzOTfEVfpHZKmn6Riv6Sc8cl0ly74wzB0Oy3W-sUD3B9E0-yMVZxprKmpMpqbYWrM5dYUa0BD1OsCgtryokeXPNFb4oAH3X990M-T04g1/s1600/9781615664368_L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0y5pNlh00xv5ET7N_5_uNj0JYEuYtHVwnQNRzOTfEVfpHZKmn6Riv6Sc8cl0ly74wzB0Oy3W-sUD3B9E0-yMVZxprKmpMpqbYWrM5dYUa0BD1OsCgtryokeXPNFb4oAH3X990M-T04g1/s320/9781615664368_L.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Beyond the Dead Forest: The Bizarre Adventures of Carter and Kat</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By: Steve Groll</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ISBN: 978-1-61566-436-8</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Published by: Tate Publishing</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Released on May 4, 2010</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">420 Pages</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Back Cover (Description from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Dead-Forest-Steve-Groll/dp/161566436X">Amazon</a>):</b></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">It just appeared one day out of nowhere--a dead forest that the partners had never seen before. Carter and Kat think they know every tree, river, and rock within five miles of their homes, but this section of wood, completely devoid of life, was not supposed to exist. Stepping through a doorway into a bizarre world filled with darkness, terror, and death, they embark on a quest to discover the greatest treasure of all. Aided by a strange old man they called the Guardian, and armed with spiritual weapons, their wits, and a growing arsenal of wisdom, they battle against forces of darkness that are determined to destroy them. Hitch a wild ride with the arrogant Mr. Stewborn with a raving madman in hot pursuit. Come stay awhile in the inescapable People Rule Inn and experience a place where nightmares are real. Travel through the depressing Valley of Shadows, and meet dark creatures you have never imagined. Join Carter and Kat as they venture Beyond the Dead Forest and discover, with our heroes, the unsurpassable riches of wisdom that can empower you to change your life and your world.</span></b></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <b>Review:</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; line-height: 20px;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This story is unlike any I have ever read before. I feel like if I had known Steve Groll, it would have been a whole lot of parables manipulated into this plot. Kat and Carter get into the weirdest, most imaginative, and craziest situations that I couldn't have possibly thought up. In every situation there is a lesson to be learned, without fail.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Carter and Kat are unlike any children I know, but I guess that's why they embark on this journey. They are constantly tested, tempted to go down the wrong paths, and no one was who them seemed to be. It was a tough journey. I honestly don't know if I could have gone through it when I was their age. These children act a whole lot older than they actually are, I would have liked to see them as teenagers, rather than as children. It would have been a tad bit more believable.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are a lot of secrets hidden in the pages of this book, in people's names, names of hotels and even in the locations themselves. I felt like I was watching a TV show, I could see myself seated on the couch every week waiting for the next episode of <i>Beyond The <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Dead</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Forest</placetype></place>.</i> I think this should be made into a TV show, it would be phenomenal.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The book is a little hard to get into at first, but give it a couple chapters and you'll be hooked. I learned along with the characters in this book. I learned to be a better person and how to appreciate people around me. The way the author wrote this book had me feeling for the side characters, even if the people you are cheering for are just in the chapter and you never here from them again. It was a little heart-breaking--I wanted the character to stay but alas I knew it was good-bye until another interesting character appeared on the scene.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The cover of this book didn't draw me in at all, I was kind of turned off by all the black trees. The dragon on the front, when I first saw it I thought it was a bat. I don't think that the cover is a very good representative of this book, so don't judge this book by the cover. Make sure that you grab this one right off the shelf because it's definitely worth the read! I can't wait to read more books written by Steve Groll, when you finish reading this book I know you'll feel the same! :)</span></div><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>About the Author(taken from<a href="http://www.authorsden.com/stevegroll"> here</a>):</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse;"></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Author of the award winning Ebook Visual Illustrations, Steve Groll, has written and published his first novel "Beyond the Dead Forest: The Bizarre Adventures of Carter and Kat." Groll has worked with children and families for over 40 years. Steve's goal is to write suspenseful adventures that take place in strange worlds and that are both intriguing and profound. Though his novel is geared to older children and younger youth, many adults enjoy the excitement, and wonder at the wisdom found in his uniquely dark, tense, and personally challenging novel.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Steve Groll is currently the children’s pastor at First Southern Baptist, Palm Springs, CA. Over the years, he has had a special calling and love of working with children. He has served as camp pastor, guest speaker at children’s retreats, led children’s revivals, and taught, trained, and administered all ages in the area of Christian education.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Book Trailer:</b></span><br />
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</b></span>Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08015683454662470168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-21419912782221346952011-03-22T13:08:00.001-04:002011-04-26T08:11:11.829-04:00Beside Still Waters April, 2011<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tricia Goyer has a new book coming out!</span></div><div><blockquote><a href="http://www.triciagoyer.com/cmsimages/BesideStillWatersSM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://www.triciagoyer.com/cmsimages/BesideStillWatersSM.jpg" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<b>Book Description</b>: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Marianna Sommer believes she knows where her life is headed. Nineteen years old and Amish, her plan is to get baptized into the church, marry Aaron Zook, and live in the only community she's ever known.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When Marianna's family moves from Indiana to Montana she discovers life and faith will never be the same. As she builds an easy friendship with local guy, Ben Stone, Ben not only draws her heart, he also gets her thinking about what loving God and living in community is all about.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As Marianna struggles to find "home", she also encounters God in intimate ways.</span></blockquote><br />
<div style="font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here's an interview with Tricia Goyer:</span></div></div><div><iframe frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UhNTOiOF_uA" title="YouTube video player" width="300"></iframe></div><div><br />
I hope you guys check out this book, and if those two things were tantalizing enough, here is the book trailer!<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oV3ZITyb12w" title="YouTube video player" width="300"></iframe><br />
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I hope this books makes it to your TBR list! It has definitely made mine! :)</div>Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08015683454662470168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-29544305132088696572011-03-22T00:06:00.000-04:002011-03-22T00:06:52.568-04:00"One Man Disney Movie" Nick Pitera Disney Medley Music VideoJust thought I'd brighten you're day with an amazing video. ;) Have a fantastic Tuesday! :D<br /><br /><iframe width="480" height="295" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Zp1BYzIVi0U?fs=1" frameborder="0" allowFullScreen=""></iframe>Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08015683454662470168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-51083195082921376812011-03-19T20:50:00.001-04:002011-03-19T20:50:40.563-04:00Enter This AMAZING New Contest!!<center><a href="http://bethrevis.blogspot.com/2011/03/win-all-five-signed-copies-of.html"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ARZzmNWDpnM/TXl8VAQ-XMI/AAAAAAAABtU/XdNGJKfnqzs/s1600/breathless-banner.jpg"></a></center>Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08015683454662470168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514338654750729489.post-48524574432388146772011-03-17T12:33:00.000-04:002011-03-17T12:33:21.826-04:00Something to Brighten Your Thursday.I'm having kind of a blah Thursday, with back pain and just exhausted from having a teething baby. My friend sent me this video, and I figured I'd share it with you!<br />
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Enjoy! May this bring a smile to your face!!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fLxI4lSbbHQ" title="YouTube video player" width="480"></iframe>Hilaryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08015683454662470168noreply@blogger.com0