Mompact Review & GIVEAWAY: Twooth Timer

Motherhood leaves women with all sorts of new worries, jobs, and roles. In addition to caring for your children, taking care of the big things (like feeding, nurturing, etc.), and being their biggest cheerleader, moms also have to worry about the little, day-to-day things. Many of these things are much bigger, because they can help our children develop lifelong habits. Fortunately, other moms have got your back! Mom inventors have created many wonderful things to help moms with all sorts of tasks, problems, etc. that come as part of the job.

Today I am thrilled to share the Twooth Timer with you!

The what?

The Twooth Timer! In short, it's a 2-minute timer that helps ensure your kids brush their teeth long enough for maximum health! It's cute and fun to use, and can help your children develop a healthy habit that will last a lifetime!

From the company's Web site:

Experts recommend brushing your teeth for two minutes. A recent study found young adults spent less than 35 seconds brushing their teeth.
New research is that finding heart disease and strokes, as well as diabetes and respiratory disease, may be linked to gum disease. Consider your mouth as a doorway to your body. Plaque is a colorless film of bacteria that sticks to teeth and if not properly removed, can lead to gum disease. The bacteria associated with gum disease can enter your bloodstream and travel throughout your body. Good oral hygiene is the best prevention.
Healthy habits begin early and our award-winning, mom-invented products are designed to help children achieve good dental health and have fun doing it! Recommended by dentists and dental hygienists for a lifetime of healthy smiles!

Look at that timer! Isn't it cute? Here are some more facts:

• Convenient size - 3¼" H x 2¾" W x 2½" D
• No batteries needed
• Helps reduce dental bills by improving dental hygiene
• Works with all types of toothbrushes - manual and electric
• Easy to use! Simply turn the top to the 2 and begin brushing. Stop when the bell rings.

My Thoughts: I gotta tell ya, I love this little device! I first heard about it in a survey with QuestionMoms, and was thrilled when this was one of the products available as part of the Mompact Blog Hop event!

My kids have been using this for a few weeks now, and it does its job. My oldest, who is 8, will not brush without it now! She loves it. I don't have to be there – she goes up to brush her teeth, starts the timer on her own, and brushes until it rings! We haven't been to the dentist yet since it arrived, but I look forward to her telling him about it. I think he'll be proud of her!

Now, did I mention how cute it is? It's bigger than I thought it'd be, but I like it. It stands out on our (regularly cluttered) bathroom counter, which means it doesn't get forgotten. Plus, it's sturdy. I know for a fact, because it's been dropped at least a couple of times ...

I only have one teeny tiny complaint, and it really is small. The timer, when it rings, is loud. It sounds like a kitchen timer (which is how I know for sure my daughter's using it, because I can hear it from downstairs), and is probably just as loud as one. Because of that, my younger two (5 and 3 years old) aren't big fans of it. The ringing apparently is a bit loud for their sensitive hearing – or something. BUT, I like it loud because – as I just mentioned – I can hear it ring when I'm downstairs, so I know it's getting used. I suspect that as the other two get older, they will come around and start using it, too.

The Final Word: Wonderful product that is sure to help your kids develop healthy habits, and hopefully keep those habits for life!

More Information: You can find out more about the Twooth Timer and the company at the following links.

• Company Site: TwoothTimer.com
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TwoothTimer
• Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/TwoothTimer
• Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinettedejanasz

WIN IT!

One lucky winner will receive a Twooth Timer prize pack, which includes 1 TwoothTimer and some Toothy T Temporary Tattoos (great to use as part of a reward system)!

How to enter: Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Detailed instructions and links (where needed) are provided with each step. ***Comments on this post do NOT count as entries!***

MANDATORY entry: 

• Enter your name and valid e-mail address

Extra entries:

• Follow Ramblings & More via Google Friend Connect (+1)
• Like me on Facebook (+1)
• Follow me on Twitter (+1)
• Like TwoothTimer on Facebook (+2)
• Follow TwoothTimer on Twitter (+2)
• Join QuestionMoms (+3)
• Visit Mompact Web site (+3)
• Follow Proud Book Nerd (+3)
• Like Proud Book Nerd on Facebook (+3)
• Follow ProudBookNerd on Twitter (+3)
• Subscribe for Ramblings & More e-mail updates (+5)
• Sign up for TwoothTimer newsletter (+5)
• Vote for TwoothTimer on Spokesmoms Facebook Promotion (+1 DAILY)
• Visit and leave a relevant comment on Proud Book Nerd (+1 DAILY)

Terms & Conditions: Giveaway ends at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, September 18, 2011.
Entry is open to those in the U.S. and Canada.
Winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter once the giveaway has ended.
 
Disclosure: This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by Facebook, Twitter, or any other outside Web sites, nor is this promotion affiliated with these companies in any way. This is a Mompact sponsored event and the opinions and ideas on the product presented are entirely my own.





This post is part of the Mompact Blog Hop GIVEAWAY event, which includes a total of 122 blogs – and prizes to win on each! After you enter my giveaway, make sure to visit the next blog on the list:

Reviewed by Mom

***Disclaimer: I did not receive any compensation for this post. Any products reviewed were either sent to me free of charge in exchange for my honest opinions, or they were purchased by me and I just wanna share.***

Testing Rafflecopter GIVEAWAY!

I recently signed up to participate in the beta testing for Rafflecopter, the new way to conduct giveaways. And, I gotta tell you, I really like it! I have entered a few giveaways here and there over the past couple of weeks, and it's really simple. So, I was thinking, that I would do a quick low-cost (for me) giveaway to test it. So ..

Up for grabs is a $10 gift card to Amazon.

Giveaway ends at 12:01 a.m. (EST) July 10, 2011.

To enter, fill out the following form. (Comments do NOT count as entries.)








Good luck! Oh, and thank you for your help! ;-)

100 Celebration: Amazon GIVEAWAY

And just like that, I've reached 100 followers! WOW! Thank you to all who are following!

Those of you who are following in order to get an additional entry on my 300 Followers Giveaway over at Proud Book Nerd, THANK YOU. I hope you stick around!

And now the fun part. The giveaway!

I have decide to give away a $10 gift card to Amazon.com. It will be delivered electronically to one lucky winner. ***If I make it to 200 followers before the giveaway ends, I'll add a second winner. That means TWO people will get a $10 gift card to Amazon. ***

How to Enter

Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment with your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Entries (leave one comment for each entry):

• Publicly follow me via Google Friend Connect (1 entry ~ leave a comment with your GFC info)
• Follow me on Twitter (1 entries ~ leave a comment with your Twitter ID)
• Tweet the following (3 entries ~ leave 3 comments with Tweet URL):
  

  I wanna #win an Amazon gift card:
  http://tinyurl.com/67dhn7t #giveaway @ham1299

(The maximum number of entries is 6, if you do all of the extras. So, if you do all, you should have 6 comments below.)

The Fine Print: Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. (Central) Tuesday, May 31, 2011. I will send the lucky winner (or winners) an e-mail notification. (It will come from ham1299(at)gmail(dot)com, so make sure to add this address to your safe list or address book to ensure it doesn’t get lost in junk/bulk mail.) If I do not get a response within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to anyone anywhere who can use an Amazon gift card.

***Disclaimer: I do not receive any compensation for my posts. Any products reviewed were either sent to me free of charge in exchange for my honest opinions, or they were purchased by me and I just wanna share.***

Stupid Blogger

As most of you likely know already, Blogger has been down since yesterday afternoon. Officially, it's back, but they're (supposedly) in the process of restoring what was lost. (For the full story, check out Blogger Buzz.)

Anyway, the point of this is to let you all know that I have a missing post (my review of the Dearfoams Slippers) as well as missing comments. The comments I'm most concerned about are those for the Dearfoams Giveaway. More than half of the ones I had (for the giveaway) last time I checked before it all went to hell in a handbasket are GONE. Hopefully, Blogger will get them restored. But, this giveaway closes this weekend. So, we can't be waiting forever for Blogger to set things right.

If you entered the Dearfoams Slippers GIVEAWAY, please check to see if your comments are still there. If not, please RE-ENTER.

(While I'm writing this out, the review post is back, so there is hope for the comments ...)

Anyway, again, if you do not see your entry comments, PLEASE comment again. I'll worry about duplicates when the giveaway closes to new entries.

As the title says: STUPID BLOGGER.

And I will write more on that in a separate post ...

Giveaway: Dearfoams Slippers

With Mother's Day just about here, Dearfoams would like to celebrate by giving away THREE pairs of Dearfoams slippers to readers of Ramblings & More. So, THREE of you will get your own pair of brand new slippers! How cool is that?

In considering this offer, I checked out their Web site to see what's available. WOW! Not only are there tons of slipper styles and colors, but they all look SUPER comfy and fuzzy! (I will be posting a review as soon as I get my pair, so stay tuned! But, after looking at them and reading about them, I'm confident that I will be nothing but happy!)

Before I go into the specifics of the giveaway, let me give you more info on Dearfoams.

In 1947, Dearfoams pioneered foam-cushioned slippers that delivered the ultimate in comfort.  Over 60 years (and nearly a billion pair) later, people still love the exceptional comfort, style, and quality every pair of Dearfoams provides. It’s easy to explain why people love Dearfoams: Soft, warm fabrics and extra cushioning that provide maximum comfort.  A mix of timeless and fashion-forward designs and colors to fit any personal style.  And premium-quality features to ensure the better comfort fit and durability you expect from a trusted brand like Dearfoams.  Also, we feature the Dearfoams Difference, a multi-density cushioned comfort system with rich quality fabrics that make Dearfoams slippers unlike any other.

With a wide variety of styles and colors, there's bound to be something for everyone.

And now the fun part.

The GIVEAWAY! :-)

As stated before, there will be three winners. Each gets to choose from the options listed below (pictures in this post are the slippers up for grabs).

• Everyday Terry Clog: These soft terry clogs have us saying so long to everyday winter drab, hello to amazing comfort in fresh-as-spring fabrics.
  Upper: Terry
  Lining: Terry
  Perfect foam cushioning plus heel wedge
  High profile injection-molded TPR outsole -- maximum rebound and increased flexibility for added comfort
  Machine washable
  Colors: Black Leopard, Cadet Navy Stripe, Oyster Stripe, Pink Berry Stripe
• Floral Thong: Go girly with soft and ladylike floral thong slippers—perfect for showing off your just-painted peeping toes.
  Upper: Terry
  Lining: Terry
  Decorative floral embellishments
  Indulgent foam cushioning
  Skid-resistant rubber outsoles
  Machine washable
  Colors: Blue Print, Pink Print, White
  

Don't they look and sound fabulous! I know I can't wait to get mine!

How to Enter

Mandatory Entry: Leave a comment telling me which (of those pictured here) you would choose and the size you'd need. **Don't forget your e-mail address!**

Extra Entries (leave one comment for each entry):

• Publicly follow me via Google Friend Connect (1 entry)
• Like Dearfoams on Facebook (3 entries ~ leave 3 comments with FB info for verification)
• Follow Dearfoams on Twitter (3 entries ~ leave 3 comments with your Twitter ID)
• Tweet the following (3 entries ~ leave 3 comments with Tweet URL):
  

  Win @Dearfoams slippers ~ 3 winners choose their prize! http://tinyurl.com/3nlaars
  #giveaway @ham1299

The Fine Print: Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. (Central) Sunday, May 15, 2011. Winners will be chosen with the help of random.org. I will send the lucky winners an e-mail notification. (It will come from ham1299(at)gmail(dot)com, so make sure to add this address to your safe list or address book to ensure it doesn’t get lost in junk/bulk mail.) If I do not get a response within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. Unfortunately, this giveaway is only open to readers in the U.S. No P.O. boxes. 

***Disclaimer: I do not receive any compensation for my posts. Any products reviewed were either sent to me free of charge in exchange for my honest opinions, or they were purchased by me and I just wanna share.***

WINNER: This Little Prayer of Mine

First, thank you to all who entered! :-) Your support means a lot to me!

The winner of This Little Prayer of Mine is entry #6, who is Chris D.! :-) CONGRATULATIONS!

This was the last book giveaway hosted on Ramblings & More. If you'd like to have more chances to win books, please come find me on my NEW book blog, Proud Book Nerd. There will always be a list of current giveaways at the top of the right-hand column to make it easy for you to know what I am offering at any given time.

GIVEAWAY Ends TODAY

Don't miss your chance to snag a free copy of the children's book This Little Prayer of Mine! This is an adorable book for kids with lovely illustrations! Just enter your information on the MckLinky at the bottom of the post, and you're good to go! The winner will be chosen, announced, and e-mailed tomorrow! Good luck to all who entered!

An Absence So Great Winner

Congratulations to Judy Hall! :-) Your e-mail is on the way!

THANK YOU to everyone who entered! Don't forget to enter to win the CUTE kids' book This Little Prayer of Mine and the AWESOME read Forget Me Not! Also, stay tuned, because I have a new giveaway starting on Monday!

Blessings,

GIVEAWAY Ends Tomorrow

Don't miss your chance to win An Absence So Great! Just enter your information on the MckLinky HERE! GOOD LUCK!

Don't forget that I have branched off the book posting to a new blog, Proud Book Nerd. If you like my book reviews and/or giveaways, please join me!

GIVEAWAY Ends Tomorrow

I know I said my book stuff will be on my new blog, Proud Book Nerd, and it will. But, because this giveaway actually is posted on THIS blog, I wanted to make sure my readers here got to see this, too.

I just wanted to give everyone a quick reminder that tomorrow at 11:59 p.m., the giveaway for Here Burns My Candle closes for entries. I plan to announce the winner on Saturday. To enter, click on the link below and enter your information into the MckLinky at the bottom of the post. (If you cannot figure out MckLinky, please leave a comment, and I'll get you entered.) GOOD LUCK!

• Here Burns My Candle

UPDATE ~ MckLinky is back!

PHEW! MckLinky is back, so please use MckLinky to enter my giveaways. They can be found:

• Here Burns My Candle ~ Ends 4/9
• An Absence So Great ~ Ends 4/15
• This Little Prayer of Mine ~ Ends 4/19

GIVEAWAYS ALERT: MckLinky is DOWN!

This is a bad thing if you want to enter any of my giveaways! Until further notice, please leave a comment on the post in which the giveaways are announced. If you already signed up, PLEASE leave a comment in the post just in case MckLinky's not back soon! I don't want to miss anyone. Anyway, here are the links:

• Here Burns My Candle ~ Ends 4/9
• An Absence So Great ~ Ends 4/15
• This Little Prayer of Mine ~ Ends 4/19

Book Review & GIVEAWAY: This Little Prayer of Mine

Title: This Little Prayer of Mine

Author: Anthony DeStefano, Illustrated by Mark Elliott

Summary: Author Anthony DeStefano’s adult books, The Prayers God Always Says Yes To and A Travel Guide to Heaven, have sold a quarter-million copies. Illustrator Mark Elliott’s cherished artwork has appeared in popular picture books and novels for young readers, including Gail Carson Levine’s ever-popular Princess Tales series.

Now, these acclaimed inspirational experts have come together to create This Little Prayer of Mine, a beautiful and alluring book designed to guide children into a very simple, real and expressive relationship with God.

Through engaging rhymes and alluring illustrations, This Little Prayer of Mine shows children—and their parents and grandparents—that complete dependence on God is what brings peace and fulfillment. It invites children to know and believe that God is always just a simple prayer away and that He longs to respond to them with a resounding, “Yes!”

This Little Prayer of Mine appeals to readers from all different faiths. Easy-reader format allows children to read alone, or with someone older, and encourages them to openly express their fears, thanks, and needs directly to God.

Author Bio: Anthony DeStefano is the author of The Prayers God Always Says Yes To and A Travel Guide to Heaven. He has received prestigious awards from religious organizations worldwide for his efforts to advance Christian beliefs in modern culture.

Mark Elliott’s brilliant illustrations have appeared in popular picture books and novels for young readers, including Gail Carson Levine’s Princess Tales series. His acclaimed artwork delivers inspiration, wonder, and timeless beauty on every page.

My thoughts: This is a very cute, sweet story about praying to God. It shows children all the different times we can pray – when we're sad, when we're lonely, when we're scared, etc. It also shows how to ask God's forgiveness when we're not acting as we should. The illustrations are absolutely lovely and go perfectly with the story. Very detailed, my children and I enjoyed really looking through them. This book would be a great addition to any child's library!

Source: This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Own It: Get your own copy of This Little Prayer of Mine HERE.

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*****WIN IT*****

I have one copy to give away to one lucky reader!

To Enter: Submit your entry using the MckLinky below (you can leave the first box, labeled "entry content," blank). Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. (Central) Monday, April 19. A winner will be chosen randomly with the help of random.org. I will send the lucky winner an e-mail notification. (It will come from ramblings.more(at)gmail(dot)com, so make sure to add this address to your safe list or address book to ensure it doesn't get lost in junk/bulk mail.) If I do not get a response within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. Unfortunately, this giveaway is only open to readers in the U.S. No P.O. boxes.

Speaking of GIVEAWAYS: Don't forget to enter my other giveaways!

The GIVEAWAY for Here Burns My Candle ends on April 9!

Enter to win An Absence So Great by April 15 HERE!

I'm back!

I just wanted to say a quick hello – and almost-too-late HAPPY EASTER! We had a lovely weekend with the hubby's family. It was very nice. I'm not going to worry about posting things I'd intended to over the weekend – or things I typically post over the weekends. I'm just going to pick up where I left off. I'm sure you can understand! ;-)

That said, this week is spring break for us, so I'm not sure how much I will be around. I do have a couple of book reviews – including another giveaway – coming soon, so I'll at least be around for those! ;-) In case I'm not around much beyond that, I hope you all have a very blessed week! :-)

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Reminder: I have TWO GIVEAWAYS that are currently open. Not surprisingly, both are books. The first is Here Burns My Candle. (Click on the title to find the post.) Entries are open through Friday, April 9. The winner will be chosen – and announced – the next day. The second is An Absence So Great. Entries are open through Thursday, April 15. To enter either, just fill out the MckLinky information attached to the end of the appropriate post. If you cannot figure out the MckLinky, please post a comment and I'll be happy to add you to the list! :-)

GIVEAWAY: An Absence So Great

I hate doing this, but I have to post this without a review. I just have not had the time to finish the book yet. I am guessing I can finish it tomorrow, while we're on the way to visit family (5 hours in the car), but I won't be able to blog about it then. So, in order to be faithful to my commitment to post about it this week, I have decided to post without a review. So, my plan is simple: make this post with the description, my thoughts on it as of where I'm at in it, and the GIVEAWAY. I'll post a review when I'm finished!

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Title: An Absence So Great

Author: Jane Kirkpatrick

Summary: Inspired by the engaging stories told through her grandmother’s photographs taken at the turn of the century, award-winning author Jane Kirkpatrick provides a portrait of the tension between darkness and light in the soul of a young woman pursuing her professional dreams.

Despite growing in confidence as a photographer, eighteen-year-old Jessie Ann Gaebele’s personal life is still at a crossroads. Hoping she’s put an unfortunate romantic longing behind her as “water under the bridge,” she exiles herself to Milwaukee to operate photographic studios for those ill with mercury poisoning.

Jessie gains footing on her dream to one day own her own studio and soon finds herself in other Midwest towns, pursuing her profession. But even a job she loves can’t keep those painful memories from seeping into her heart, and the shadows of a forbidden love threaten to darken the portrait of her life.

Author Bio: Jane Kirkpatrick is an award-winning author of sixteen historical novels, including A Flickering Light, the first part of Jessie Gaebale’s story, and three nonfiction titles. Known for her unique insights into the exploration of community, family and faith of actual historical women, the Wisconsin native and her husband have called their ranch in Oregon home for the past 25 years.

My Thoughts: I'm having a hard time getting into it, I think largely because I haven't read the first book in this series. I think it has the potential to be very good, but frequent references to the back story make it hard for me to get into it. I think what I'm going to do is get my hands on A Flickering Light, read that one, then come back and try again. I have a feeling that once I know what came before, I'll be VERY eager to read this one – especially since the references to the first part of the story really make me WANT to know what happened!

Source: This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Read It: Get your own copy of An Absence So Great HERE.

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*****WIN IT*****

I have one copy to give away to one lucky reader!

To Enter: Submit your entry using the MckLinky below (you can leave the first box, labeled "entry content," blank). Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. (Central) Thursday, April 15. A winner will be chosen randomly with the help of random.org. I will send the lucky winner an e-mail notification. (It will come from ramblings.more(at)gmail(dot)com, so make sure to add this address to your safe list or address book to ensure it doesn't get lost in junk/bulk mail.) If I do not get a response within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen. Unfortunately, this giveaway is only open to readers in the U.S. No P.O. boxes.

Speaking of GIVEAWAYS: Don't forget to enter my other GIVEAWAY for Here Burns My Candle! 

Tune-In Tuesday

I almost forgot about this today – almost. It has been CRAZY here. I had an appointment with my allergist this morning, so Natalie and I went straight there after dropping Grant off. Then we stopped by Target, picked Grant up, and had to take Natalie back to the pediatrician. So, we weren't home until lunch time. I really haven't had much time to sit until now. So, that's why no music before now. But, now that it's over, I'm here with some music!

So, I was thinking that with Easter coming on Sunday, I should do something along those lines. But, well, I don't know that there are any Easter-themed songs that I'd wanna share. And by Easter-themed I don't mean about bunnies, eggs, and jellybeans. I mean the crucifixion and resurrection. But, I grew up in a church that rarely – if ever – sang any hymns of any sort. So, my repertoire on crucifixion- and resurrection-related songs is pretty small. So, I'll just keep it to Christian music. So, here we go!

1. Jesus' Blood Never Failed Me Yet by Jars of Clay ~ One of my favorite Jars of Clay songs ever. And I do think this one is perfect for posting during what some religions (not mine) call Holy Week – what I've always just thought of as the week between Palm Sunday and Easter. Given that this weekend is when we remember – and even celebrate – Jesus' blood and all it means.

Jesus' blood never failed me yet

never failed me yet

Jesus' blood never failed me yet

this one thing i know

that He loves me so

Jesus' blood never failed me yet

never failed me yet

Jesus' blood never failed me yet

this one thing i know

that He loves me so

Jesus' blood never failed me yet

never failed me yet

Jesus' blood never failed me yet

this one thing i know

that He loves me so

Jesus' blood won't fail me yet

won't fail me yet

won't fail me yet

Jesus' blood never failed me yet

never failed me yet

Jesus' blood never failed me yet

this one thing i know

that He loves me so

Jesus' blood never failed me yet

never failed me yet

Jesus' blood never failed me yet

this one thing i know

that He loves me so

Jesus' blood never failed me yet

never failed me yet

Jesus' blood never failed me yet

this one thing i know

that He loves me so

Jesus' blood (won't fail me yet)

blood (won't fail me yet)

His blood (won't fail me yet)

Jesus' blood (won't fail me yet)

His blood (won't fail me yet)

won't fail me yet (won't fail me yet)

Jesus' blood (won't fail me yet)

His blood (won't fail me yet)

His blood won't fail me (won't fail me yet)

this one thing i know

that he loves me so

2. Judas' Kiss by Petra ~ An oldie but a goody (or is it goodie?)! This one might not pertain to the crucifixion/resurrection as well as others, but when else is Judas' kiss relevant? ;-)

I wonder how it makes You feel when the prodigal won't come home

I wonder how it makes You feel when he'd rather be on his own

I wonder what it's like for You when a lamb has gone astray

I wonder what it's like for You when Your children disobey

It must be like another thorn stuck in your brow

It must be like another close friend's broken vow

It must be like another nail right through You wrist

It must be just like, just like Judas' kiss

I wonder how it makes You feel when no one seeks Your face

I wonder how it makes You feel when they give up in the race

I wonder what it's like for You when they willingly disobey

I wonder what it's like for You when they willingly walk away

It must be like another thorn stuck in Your brow

It must be like another close friend's broken vow

It must be like another nail right through Your wrist

It must be just like, just like Judas' kiss

Well, I surprised myself – I actually DID find some that are relevant to Easter. Or at least I think so. Enjoy! And don't forget to share your music! :-)

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GIVEAWAY REMINDER

Don't forget to sign up to win a copy of Here Burns My Candle! Contest ends on Friday, April 9.

Week in Review ~ Looking Ahead

It's that time again! And I am making sure not to post any embarrassing notes to myself this time! ;-) That said, I normally write a little bit of this post every day. That way I'm not stuck trying to remember what usually is a whirlwind week. This week, I didn't. Kept forgetting. So, we'll see how this goes!

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So, I am happy to say this week was a lot better than the last. At the very least, we had no health crises of any sort!

• Sunday: We FINALLY reached the end of Natalie's health scare. Completely unrelated, Abby and I finally got to try some new nail polish. AWESOME  (non-stinky, non-toxic, environmentally friendly) stuff! Read my review HERE.
• Monday: A busy day. Girl scouts, errands to run, physical therapy. Not much blogwise!
• Tuesday: Posted another Tune-In Tuesday. I had a bit of a mental block, though, and only posted one song – perhaps it was part of this funk I recently posted about? The good news is some people do seem to be interested in this. I hope it takes off. I love music so much. I really think this could be a LOT of fun!
• Wednesday: Joined in on Whatcha Reading Wednesday. It's a fun way to share whatever you're currently reading! I also posted my latest blog tour review and GIVEAWAY for Here Burns My Candle – AWESOME book!
• Thursday: We had our FIRST SPRING RAIN! Makes me SO HAPPY! I got started on editing The Emerald Storm.
• Friday: Five Question Friday time. I really have fun with that one! Personally, more physical therapy. Starting next week, it's once per week – and probably only for a couple of weeks.
• Saturday: Quiet day. I spent most of it alternating between getting laundry done and editing The Emerald Storm. I hope to finish it tomorrow so I can get it in the mail on Monday.

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As for next week, it's almost time for spring break. I cannot wait! At some point I'll post for my latest blog tour. I'll be reading and reviewing An Absence So Great by Jane Kirkpatrick. I also have a copy to GIVE AWAY, so stay tuned!

• Sunday: I hope to remember to post Getting to Know You. That was fun last week! Here, Grant has a birthday party to attend, so I'll take him to that. I'm also hoping to finish the editing. And I have to make sure not to forget to pick up a friend at the train station tonight!
• Monday: The day for makin' new friends. Off blog, no plans. This just in: soccer practice begins again! Yikes. I'm not ready!
• Tuesday: Tune-In Tuesday, of course! My mom's coming out for a visit, so perhaps I'll be quieter than usual? We'll see.
• Wednesday: Hopefully more Whatcha Readin Wednesday! I LOVE that one! 
• Thursday: No plans blogwise, but we'll be packing up to leave for Easter weekend.
• Friday: SPRING BREAK BEGINS! I don't expect to make a Friday-themed post. Maybe if I remember to look for the Five Question Friday questions on Thursday night I can schedule it to post. We'll be traveling to see my in-laws, and it's a LONG drive. I don't expect to get much chance for blogging over the weekend.

I hope you all have a great week!

Winner Announcement

It is time to announce the winner of my latest giveaway. With the help of random.org, here is the result:

Here are your random numbers:

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Timestamp: 2010-03-18 00:32:36 UTC

So, the winner is DENISE! :-) CONGRATULATIONS! You have won a copy of Mother-Daughter Duet and Dancing With My Father!

After submitting this post, the winner will be sent an e-mail. Please respond within 48 hours, or I will choose a new winner.

THANK YOU everyone who entered! Stay tuned for more giveaways - I have another book up for grabs next week.

Quick Reminder

About a week ago, I posted another book giveaway! One week from today, it ends. So, I thought I'd remind you all about it! Up for grabs is Dancing with My Father and Mother-Daughter Duet. You can sign up for either one or both - just specify on your entry. So far, there aren't very many entries - I'm hoping it's because of lack of interest in these books, rather that lack of interest in me. (I'm pathetically insecure, aren't I?) Whatever the excuse, please support me! ENTER HERE!

Sneak peek: Coming in a couple of weeks is a giveaway of Here Burns My Candle by Liz Curtis Higgs and a giveaway of An Absence So Great by Jane Kirkpatrick.

GIVEAWAY: Dancing With My Father & Mother-Daughter Duet

Today I'm posting for another blog tour. This one features two books that I just don't think I can get finished by tomorrow! I'm a little over halfway through one, and just don't see the time to read the second - at least not by the end of tomorrow! ;-) So, here's the info about the books. I'll post my thoughts on them, and later - eventually - a review.

I have one copy of EACH book to give away to two lucky readers. Details on how to win are below!

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Description:  The reality of living in a broken, fallen world can leave women feeling overcome by fear, guilt, and weariness. Many develop “sawdust souls,” numb to any sense of joy.

In this warm and wise book, author Sally Clarkson invites readers to take God’s hand and let Him lead them into a life of anticipation, passion, and purpose. With the voice of a trusted mentor, she reveals how, by getting in tune with the rhythm of God’s presence, women can nurture an inner attitude of anticipation and celebration even in the stressful seasons of life.

Through rich biblical insights woven with real-life stories, women will be inspired to recapture a spirit of joy as they follow God’s lead on the dance floor of life.

Author Bio: Sally Clarkson is a popular speaker, known across the nation and internationally for her work with women. She is the author of several books, including The Mission of Motherhood, The Ministry of Motherhood, and Seasons of a Mother’s Heart. She has worked in various ministries, including Campus Crusade for Christ. With her husband, Clay, she is cofounder of Whole Heart Ministries, which encourages and equips Christian parents. The Clarksons, parents of four, live near Colorado Springs, Colorado.

My thoughts: This book is making me think about a lot of things in ways I'd never done before - or at least not in a long time. While it's about joy, it's also made me think about my role in my family - my job as a wife and a mother. It's made me realize that I need to embrace these roles in a way I haven't yet, and really give these people in my life everything I have. The following quote, in particular, really touched me:

Parents face the test of whether to pursue our own rights and interests or give up personal time and priorities in order to invest in training our children and learning what it means to be a servant leader.

This quote jumped out at me. I need to be better about giving up my own personal interests and personal time for the benefit of my children. Yes, the needs to be some balance, but I need to be less self-centered and more focused on my kids. God has given me these wonderful blessings, and I need to focus on them. That means less time pursuing my own interests and more just caring for them, loving on them, being a good mother to them.

The style of the writing in this book is very conversational and very easy to read. Overall, I am enjoying her stories and learning a lot about my relationship with God.

Source: This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Get your own copy: Order your copy of Dancing with My Father HERE.

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Description: When a daughter is born, her mother has a thousand hopes and dreams for her, especially that they will be best friends one day.

Unfortunately, even the best of intentions can go awry. There are so many challenges on the journey to adult friendship that the reality is fraught with friction and frustration. But a harmonious relationship is possible.

Award-winning author Cheri Fuller and her daughter, Ali Plum, have been there and have discovered the keys to a healthy relationship. In Mother-Daughter Duet they share their story—each from her own perspective—in which they have experienced distance and tension, growth and challenge, and, ultimately, acceptance and harmony. Filled with personal anecdotes and based on several basic principles (letting go; listening; respect; setting boundaries; and more), Mother-Daughter Duet helps moms repair the breach so that daughters want to draw close.

The mother-daughter dynamic is intense, personal, complex, and unique. But mothers and daughters can achieve mutual respect and learn to celebrate their differences when they learn the two-part harmony of the mother-daughter duet.

Author Bios: Cheri Fuller is a best-selling, award-winning author whose books have sold more than one million copies. She speaks to a wide range of women at women’s conferences and is a frequent guest on national radio and television programs.

Ali Plum is Cheri’s daughter, a writer and songwriter, a wife, and a mother to Noah and Luke. She and her mom have weathered the ups and downs of their relationship to find one of the most treasured, honest relationships of their lives. Ali has recorded background vocals for popular musicians, and Mother-Daughter Duet marks her debut into book publishing.

My thoughts: Don't really have any yet, as I have yet to even open this book. BUT, I do look forward to reading it. As the mother of two daughters, I hope to gain a lot of insight into how best to foster a healthy relationship with my girls. Once I've read it, I'll let you know if it delivers! ;-)

Source: This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Get your own: You can purchase your own copy of this book HERE.

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And now for the EXTRA FUN part! Sign up to get a FREE copy of either book. Contest ends at 1 a.m. CENTRAL on March 17. To enter, just give me your information using the MckLinky form below. Make sure to specify what you're entering for (Dancing, Duet, or both)! Remember, only I have access to your e-mail address, so don't be shy! Finally, contest is open only to U.S. residents. No P.O. boxes.