Disclosure: I received product samples; this post contains affiliate links.

Cheap Is The New Classy is hosting The Cheer For The New Year Giveaway Hop from December 26th – January 12th!   This event features prizes from all categories, so be sure to enter all the giveaways below. Plus, Dormeo Octaspring is providing two AWESOME grand prizes!   One winner will receive two pillows from Dormeo Octaspring and another winner will receive a $100 Starbucks gift card courtesy of Dormeo Octaspring.  Don’t you love when you have extra chances to win?

Hasbro and Litfuse Group are co-sponsoring this giveaway.  You can have fun with the family by playing the new game Pointing Fingers (released January 2014).  Then cozy up to a great book by reading The Sinner’s Garden. [Read more…]

Disclosure: I received product samples. The opinions shared here are 100% mine (well, in my words…..opinions were formed by my dog!)

Tis the night before Christmas and the children are nestled all snug in their beds.  Santa has visited and left his burden on the hearth.   Guess who spied Santa?  That’s right, the little dog did!

But did he forget the furry little friend who watched his midnight antics?  No, never fear!  The dog received a treat of her very own—three bags of goodies from Best Bully Sticks.

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Disclosure: I received a copy of this book; the post contains affiliate links.

I’m inspired by reading stories of amazing faith.  Bonnie Floyd shares her experiences in Bound to a Promise and several times I marveled at her unwavering faith that God worked through her parents’ brutal murders.  Let’s start from the beginning, shall we?

Bound to a Promise begins with the author’s childhood memories.  It seems to be the completely normal yet dysfunctional family.  The parents split, the child is shuffled between parents, and life goes on.  Bonnie muses about the feelings she experienced when her parents each found a significant other.  I couldn’t help but share her resentment toward her stepmom; after all, the woman ran away with Bonnie’s dad and they left the country! [Read more…]

One of the best things about being a teacher is getting to spend the holidays with my family.  So many of my friends who have business positions must work through the holidays. My sister-in-law is a postal employee so this is her busiest time of year.  Luckily for me, I have these days off with my kids so we can enjoy lots of quality time.  We often receive gift cards for restaurants at the holidays; it’s a special treat to enjoy a family dinner out.  When the weather is cold and I don’t feel like going to the store, having someone else take care of dinner is such a blessing!

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Disclosure: I received this book to review. The post contains affiliate links.

If you’ve ever tried to find a good devotional for a teenage, you might have had some issues.  For one thing, they need to be pretty short.  They also need to be relevant.   Think 4:8: 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life for Teens fulfills both requirements.  In fact, it’s a decent devotional for just about anyone!  I would like to see a different cover on the book.  The smiley face seems rather cheesy and not really appropriate for teens. I appreciated that the book was only meant for 40 days.  That can seem like an incredibly long time for a teen; even one month’s worth of devotionals would be a good length for a book.  Additionally, the devotions are brief enough that most teens can squeeze them into a busy day.  Teaching teens to look toward that which glorifies God is a tough sell; Newberry does a good job of making it doable through this book.  Each devotional offers a take-away so that teens can focus on that issue for the day. [Read more…]

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book; the post contains my affiliate link.

  Middle school teachers work with the underdogs every day.  After all, middle school is sometimes viewed as the black hole of adolescence.  When I tell someone I teach sixth grade, more often than not the person groans and offers me condolences.  While I understand this mindset, I actually really like working with 11 year olds on a daily basis.  They’re right in that in-between stage trying to be grown up and still actually being a child.  David and Goliath was a helpful book for my profession.  It was also interesting from a parent’s perspective.  The message could be inspirational for those in business settings as well.  This book isn’t really the normal picker-upper when it comes to facing challenges.  Instead, it’s food for thought. [Read more…]

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book; the post contains affiliate links.

My friend Mindy has a heart for lost souls. In fact, she’s a foster mom, opening her home and loving arms to children who need shelter. I’ve often thought she was an angel here on earth.  She always wanted a large family and in this way she was able to create one.   In What Once Was Lost Kim Vogel Sawyer paints a picture of another giving soul. Christina Williams serves as a mentor and friend to her wards in “the poor farm.” From orphaned children to the elderly, Christina lovingly gives of herself to provide a home for the residents. When the farm is destroyed in a fire, she struggles to keep her patchwork family together while they’re separated. She learns to depend on the generosity of others, even when it’s not given with a kind heart. Meanwhile, the mill owner Levi Jonnson is determined not to love the blind little boy who has been deposited at his doorstep. While I read this story, my heart swelled to the point of breaking while thinking of little Tommy being rejected at every turn. [Read more…]

Welcome to the Midwinter’s Eve Giveaway Hop!  This event is hosted by Bookhounds and I Am A Reader.   Don’t wait until your carriage turns into a pumpkin — get your entries in before December 31, 2013!    At Savings in Seconds, we love a good winter read.  That’s why we’re excited to offer a copy of Stones for Bread for this giveaway.   I reviewed Stones for Bread and found it to be hearty, full of love and depth.  Read this book on a night when you’ve prepared a warm stew in the slow cooker.  You’ll go to bed feeling like you’ve been wrapped in a warm blanket. [Read more…]

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Tonight I solidified my place as the Mom of the Universe in my son’s eyes. During a quick trip to Old Navy to grab a few of their $5 tees (great deal, huh?!) I ended up in a long Christmas-season line. I’m a total sucker for the shelves of nonsense that are waiting in the checkout line. Knowing that my kids could each use a new water bottle, I added those to my purchases. Then I noticed a cool TMNT lunchbox. My daughter had a mini-meltdown last week because I used one of her old lunchboxes for her brother. He didn’t care, but she sure did. He definitely needed a lunchbox of his own, so I added that to the pile in my arms. When I got home, he was beyond excited about his newly acquired lunchbox!  Then he informed me that it was just like Aiden’s lunchbox.  Apparently there are more than a few TMNT fans at his preschool.   [Read more…]

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I’m ready to hibernate for the winter. We live in an area that doesn’t often get snow, but when it comes you’ll know it. Any hint of snow on the weather report sends people running to the store to fill up on gas, milk, bread, and then they burrow in their homes to wait it out. For some reason, I also have a compulsion to make sure we have enough toilet paper stored in the cabinet. In my opinion, it’s much more important to have plenty of toilet paper than to have a fresh loaf of bread. Once we’re warm and cozy in the house, I welcome the snow. We snuggle up in blankets and watch hours of TV with zero guilt. I like to indulge in a hot drink like some Vanilla Caramel tea or a cup of cocoa. [Read more…]