Archives for March 2014

Fool for Books giveaway hop featuring A Very Good Life by Lynn Steward

This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I will receive a small commission.  I received this book to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Welcome to the Fool For Books giveaway event! This hop is hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer. April is a great time to pick up a new book and enjoy the sunshine. Sit outside in a lawn chair, grab a glass of lemonade, and enter these giveaways. Maybe you’ll win what will become your favorite new book!

In my giveaway, one lucky reader will win a copy of A Very Good Life. [Read more…]

Spring is here – are you wardrobe ready? #sponsored by Kohl’s

I participated in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Kohl’s. I received a gift card as a thank you for participating.

Shopping at Kohl's to get wardrobe ready - #sponsored savingsinseconds.com

Where do you head first to get your spring wardrobe back into shape?  Typically my shopping list holds more than just the ubiquitous tees, shorts, and flip flops.  This year we need new socks for the whole family, beach towels, and a new iron.  My busy-mom schedule doesn’t give me much time for shopping so I need to be able to hit the store once and for all.  That’s why I choose Kohl’s.  I can shop for everyone in the family (including the dog!) as well as grab household items.  And the Kohl’s Cash seems to draw me in every time!   My girlfriends and I had a Kohl’s-centered conversation a few days ago.  We all said that we like to shop directly from the mannequin because Kohl’s always has the latest designers and trends.  This spring the Peter Som’s DesigNation collection will be available. exclusive collection channels the beach scene in feminine styles with bold looks.  Join me at the Hangout on April 4th at 12:00 PM ET where Peter Som will be talking with fashion bloggers.  We’ll even get a sneak peek at looks from his collection!  RSVP to Kohl’s Peter Som Watch & Shop Google Hangout for this special event. [Read more…]

Do your kids know their logos?

Do your kids know their logos?  savingsinseconds.com
My daughter recently asked me to load a new app on her iPad. It’s a logos quiz game; the screen displays a logo with the brand name marked out, then you get a few seconds to answer which brand it is. She’s impressively good at it! I was able to get a few of the questions correct but she really knows her logos. Which led me to wonder how she knows them so well. [Read more…]

Runaway Saint will make you wonder about the skeletons in your family’s closet

Disclosure: I received this book to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.  The post contains affiliate links; if you make a purchase through these links I will receive a small commission.

Family dynamics creates a cloud of intrigue for me. Anytime you’re dealing with human reasoning, it’s a constant battle of perception. How one member of the family perceives another can be entirely void of objective truth, but it doesn’t matter — it’s that person’s perception that counts. In Lisa Samson’s Runaway Saint the skeletons in a family’s closet come to light without any warning. [Read more…]

It Had To Be You by Susan May Warren — book tour and review


It Had to Be You book tour -- savingsinseconds.com

Now, the cover looks a little bit cheesy but don’t be fooled.  The Christiansens are a pretty tough family and they play hard. I received a copy of It Had To Be You to review and was a little surprised at how meaty the book was.  Were all those pages necessary to explain what was clearly a love story?  Yeah.  Because the book really focuses on Eden Christiansen and her growing-up story.   [Read more…]

A Sky Without Stars book tour

Disclosure: I received these books for review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.  The post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase through these links, Savings in Seconds will receive a small commission.

So last week when I asked if you prefer happy-ending books or “realistic” books, a few of you shared your favorite genres.  I recently signed up to participate in a June hop in which (gasp) the host requires the giveaway to be a book from a genre that I wouldn’t normally read!  Pretty sure that my comfort zone did a little shudder on that one.  This week I stayed nice and cozy with a couple of sweet romances that didn’t have any earth-shattering moments but did give me my book fix. [Read more…]

Dancing with Fireflies by Denise Hunter

Disclosure: I received this book to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Disclosure: I received this book to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Draw me into a book whose characters I love, and I’ll be a fan forever. I will read every single book about those characters because I just can’t get enough!! Examples: Harry Potter, Anne of Green Gables, Twilight, Divergent, Hunger Games, and now the Chapel Springs Romance Series.

When I read Barefoot Summer and there were passing mentions of prodigal sister Jade, I just knew there was a great story lurking in that character! My heart was giddy when I saw that Dancing With Fireflies was Jade’s story, complete with Daniel who was clearly in love with her in Barefoot Summer.  [Read more…]

Time to come clean with my dirty little secret

My sister and I have an unspoken pact to go to Pampered Chef parties together whenever we could.  We needed each other’s support to get through the cheesy pitches and games.  There’s always that moment when the consultant asks what the guests’ favorite Pampered Chef product is; we get a little giggly when we hear some of the passionate responses.   Does anyone really love their kitchen gadgets that much?  Apparently so.  For us, we agree that the orange peeler is a pretty nifty little tool.  When I’m being honest, though, my Pampered Chef stoneware is probably my favorite product.  I’ve had some of my stoneware for years and it’s just about the only way I can make biscuits without burning them.  Crescent rolls come out perfectly baked, and my friend Kathy swears that the stoneware loaf pan is the secret to my banana bread recipe.

But here’s my dirty little secret.   [Read more…]

Did spring get the memo? It’s time to stop the snow already.

**FTC Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links which means that I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase.

Did spring get the memo?  It's time to stop the snow.

It’s been such a busy week that I haven’t had time to watch the news or even check the weather.  The temperatures were cool but the skies have been sunny for days, so I thought spring got the memo.  It’s time to stop the snow already.  Then Tuesday morning my daughter went outside to check the moon phase (her homework) and when she came in, she told me that she thought a snowflake landed on her hand.  What?  It’s the end of March, silly girl.  There is no snow.  Then in the middle of the day this huge freak snow shower came blowing through our town.  When I drove home from work, it was near zero visibility because of the blast.  I owed her an apology!!  Thankfully the snow came and went.  Next week the temperatures are supposed to be in the 70’s!   If you feel like celebrating, enter the ModCloth ‘Twirl Around the World Contest’ and you could win a $350 gift card! Snap a photo of yourself twirling in your favorite spring ensemble. Then upload it either to the ModCloth style gallery or post on your own Instagram account with the hashtag#modtwirl. Winners will receive a $350 gift card — one awarded for each platform.  What a great way to welcome spring! [Read more…]

Let’s go fishing for apps — do you have too many?

**FTC Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links which means that I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase.

Fishing for apps - savingsinseconds.com We started out using the iPads as learning tools.  For the most part, my kids use their iPads on educational apps and for school purposes.  I’ve been thrilled that my daughter is starting to use hers as an educational tool, such as looking up song bytes to incorporate into a project.  My son loves to use his iPad to play critical thinking puzzle type games.  Trying to find the right app is like going fishing.  Toss in  your line and you never know what you’ll pull out.  I’m starting to get a little overwhelmed with some of the choices!   [Read more…]

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