Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

We recently received a packaged filled with Del Monte Fruit Squeezers.  We enjoyed getting to sample these little packs of goodness.  [Read more…]

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

As a mom, I show each of my children that they are loved beyond measure. As a teacher, I remind every one of my students that they’re smart and have potential. As a person, sometimes I feel like a total failure. My sister (in law, but we were meant to be sisters!!) is my cheerleader. She is the one who makes me feel like a super woman even when my heart says I’m a flop. When I texted her in panic about my daughter’s Halloween costume, she stopped at the costume store on the way home from work and took care of it for me. That’s just one simple example of the way that she demonstrates the love of Jesus every day.  She does the same thing at work, too, changing the lives of children by teaching them how to read.  The book These Are the Days of Elijah shows how God uses ordinary people to make extraordinary things happen. It reminds me of my husband, my sister, and all those wonderful people I know who use their lives as a service to God.
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Disclosure: I will receive a product sample. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Welcome to the Great Gifts Giveaway Hop hosted by Planet Weidknecht and LeahSay’s Views.  We’re heading into those weeks when the gift buying frenzy starts.  I don’t know about you, but sometimes the holidays stress me out.  Especially when I feel pressured to get the perfect gifts, the holidays can be a time of major anxiety.  Look no further for some really fab gift ideas!   I love seeking out blogs for gift ideas because I almost always find something different, unique, and just right.  This year for our Great Gifts prize we’re welcoming sponsors BYOU Magazine and Barron’s .   One lucky winner will receive a subscription PLUS a watch-making book for the special little lady of your choice!

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Today my son’s class newsletter came home.  We are so fortunate that he has an amazing teacher.  His teacher mentioned that they are spending the holiday talking about GIVING rather than GETTING.  She said that they’re encouraging the children to consider gifts that are attainable for a four year old.  Giving hugs and kisses, drawing a picture, and things like that will make the list.   [Read more…]

Disclosure: I will receive a product sample; this post contains an affiliate link.  The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Isn’t Thanksgiving a time of blessings?  I always pause to remember my loved ones and friends who are too far to see on the holidays.  My husband and I are transplants in Northeast Tennessee; our family is spread out across the Eastern seaboard and near the midwest.  We never get to spend the holidays with everyone that we love, so we often send our greetings in the form of gifts.   The turkey, mashed potatoes, and desserts embody a certain sense of peace for me.  It’s clear from the state of my thighs that emotional eating is part of my life, but this goes deeper.  Sharing a table with those people who have so greatly impacted my life is always one of the best moments of my year.  Laughter, love, and sometimes tears are part of the celebratory meal.  This year, prizes are too!    Savings in Seconds is pleased to feature California Delicious as our sponsor for this event.  Their holiday gift baskets are a wonderful way to bless those you love. And there’s truly something for everyone!
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Disclosure: I received a product sample. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.
We’re so glad to welcome you to A Very Green Christmas Giveaway Hop, hosted by Happy Mothering and Brittleby’s Corner.  Together with the Green Moms Network each of the participating blogs is offering a green Christmas Gift themed giveaway.  Just in time for the holidays, you’re sure to find something for everyone on your list.  So after entering my giveaway, be sure to hop around and enter all of the other giveaways listed on the linky at the bottom of this post!  Our sponsor for this event is Evande Skincare.  One winner will feel the natural elegance that can be found through this luxurious yet affordable facial care set!

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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Helzberg Diamonds. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Every love story brings together the tale of two journeys that come together.  That’s what the new “We Just Click” photo contest at Helzberg Diamond is all about.  Think about your significant other. Could you capture the essence of your relationship in just three photos? Have any snapshots that show how your relationship has developed over time?  Helzberg invites you to share your unique relationship journey for a chance to win big.  All you have to do is show how you and your other half “click” for a chance to win a $1,000 Helzberg gift card to put towards the purchase of an ideal cut diamond from the new My Diamond Story collection!   [Read more…]

Disclosure: I received product samples to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Welcome to the Anything Goes Giveaway for November.  This month I’m sharing one of my favorite natural skincare companies, Moody Sisters. Focused on giving you happy, healthy skin via organic products, the Moody Sisters offer everything from lip balm to makeup remover. I’ve been using their eye makeup remover for weeks and love how it gently cleans my eyes. This time, I was able to sample the Coffee Love Gift Set. Oh my, was I in heaven! [Read more…]

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I received a copy of this book to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Wow.  Just wow.

If you’ve ever wondered if there’s anything more to life, or asked the question “Why, God?”  you’ve just got to pick up Appointments with Heaven.

Normally I chuck a book to the side after finishing it.  Like wiping my face with a napkin and pushing away from the table, the experience ends when I turn the last page of the book.  Appointments With Heaven changed my life.  It changed the way I see things and the way I see God.  Written by author Reggie Anderson (hey, he’s kind of local…..living in Tennessee at least!) this book shares the coincidences that might otherwise seem normal, but when the dots are connected they shine with God’s light.  The book starts with a foreword by Stephen and Mary Beth Chapman.  In it, the accidental death of their youngest daughter is mentioned.  I remember hearing about that terrible tragedy on the radio; I prayed for the Chapmans for weeks after hearing that news.  In fact, whenever I hear a Stephen Curtis Chapman song on the radio I take a moment to pray for their family.   The foreword explains that the beginnings of Appointments With Heaven were penned after the family’s tragedy.  It hit me that we were praying the same prayer at the same time; while the Andersons were ministering to the Chapman’s needs thousands of other believers were lifting them up in prayer.  We’re all connected in the family of God.  Likewise, when one sheep strays from the flock, the rest of us need to help it find its way back.  Anderson’s words remind me of that message time and again in the stories he shares. [Read more…]

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

If you haven’t read any of Margaret Brownley’s books, you’re really missing out.  From the first few pages of Gunpowder Tea, I instantly remembered that she co-wrote A Bride For All Seasons which I loved.  Brownley has a way of putting details on paper that help me to imagine the story as it plays out.  In Gunpowder Tea, her characters gave me a good chuckle.  I loved the way she described “Annie” and could easily picture this young overachiever trying to impress her employers.  There was enough intrigue going on in the story to keep me engaged.  Normally a mystery wouldn’t be my first choice, but this was different.  Despite my aversion to typical mysteries, I tried to solve the crimes using the details given in the story while I read.  It was fun!  The Wild West isn’t really a place I’d want to visit, yet somehow Brownley makes it seem appealing.  

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