The Universe must have read my blog yesterday because it threw me for another loop around 3:00 this morning.  My sleep pattern has been reduced to a series of naps in the past few days. Last night just as my brain was enjoying a pleasant dream, my entire being was shaken by my son.  No, literally, he had to shake me awake asking me if he could take a shower. He had an accident in his bed.  Which he never, ever does.  Except if he’s getting sick.  He didn’t want me to just change his sheets.  He wanted a shower.  I knew what that meant.  Shower=son awake.  Son awake=no sleep for me.   I could just hear the Sleep Nazi shouting it, “No sleep for you!”  Alright, Universe, I hear you loud and clear. [Read more…]

Disclosure: This post and Rafflecopter form contain affiliate links. I received a copy of this book to review.

Welcome to the Dreaming of Books Giveaway! This event is hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer.  Our sponsor for the giveaway is author Mitchell S. Karnes, who is offering a copy of his book The Pact to two readers.   [Read more…]

We are the sick house.

I even made tomato soup tonight in the hopes that symbolic comfort food would get my family through to the weekend.

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This post contains affiliate links. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

  Some books are worth losing sleep over.

Yesterday I won a blog giveaway (see, they’re worth entering!) and the prize was an ebook of my choice.  I decided upon These Broken Stars.  It’s been on my wishlist and it seems that every blog I visit has been talking about it.  From the second I started reading this book, I was completely and utterly mesmerized.  These Broken Stars was unlike any other I’ve read, both in character development and in plot sequence.  It has a sci-fi feel with the romance built right in.  The story just evolved into an amazing work of art in the descriptions of the settings and moods of the characters.  There were times that I was so completely lost in the book that I didn’t realize I was swatting my children away like flies while trying to maintain my trance-like state of reading.  Finally my duties as a mother won out; I reluctantly put the book down and dragged myself away.  Once everyone in the house was asleep, I scampered back to the couch to re-enter this magical world created by authors Amie Kaufman and coauthor Spooner.   [Read more…]

Disclosure: I will receive a sample. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Welcome to the Mama’s New Look giveaway hop.   After ringing in 2014 most of us consider the chance to make a fresh start! Welcome to the [2nd Annual] Mama’s Got a New Look Giveaway Hop Event. The Blogging Mamas Network, along with co-hosts Mama’s Baby Cupcakes, So Easy Being Green, and Viva Veltoro want to give you very special, deserving Mamas a chance at a New Look for the New Year!

The Mama’s New Look event will run from January 15-29.  Each blogger in the hop has a great prize worth at least $25 to help you achieve that new look!  Viva Veltoro, Blogging Mamas, Mama’s Baby Cupcakes, the Blogging Mamas Network, and the Mama’s Got a New Look participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill prize obligations.

Check out this 2-part Grand Prize!  The first prize pack, Fashion Mama, features a whole Gel Nail Kit from Couture Gel Nail Polish, a $100 Gift Code to the online jewelry retailer The Vintage Pearl, and a crocheted Infinity Scarf in winner’s choice of color from Treasured by Holly.    Our second prize pack, New Mama, features a breastfeeding camisole from Undercover Mama, a Chewbeads “Jane” necklace in winner’s choice of color, winner’s choice of fabric for a diapers/wipes carrying case from The Diaper Clutch, Bamboobies set of Multi Pack Pads, and winner’s choice of item shown from Loving Moments by Leading Lady and their Maternity to Nursing line.

ENTER THE GRAND PRIZE BY CLICKING HERE.

Our sponsor for this giveaway is Limbo Jewelry. Based out of Austin, TX, Limbo Jewelry has retail locations nationwide. I was so impressed with the simplistic beauty of this jewelry. [Read more…]

Welcome to the No Strings Attached giveaway hop hosted by I Am A Reader Not A Writer.  This is the easiest giveaway to enter because all you have to do is CLICK!  All of the participating bloggers are offering a book-related prize with the express desire to thank you for following.  We’ve made it easy for you to win, so get busy and enter!

Our giveaway prize is a paperback copy of Carolina Gold, sponsored by Litfuse Publicity.  

[Read more…]

Earlier this week, our town got devastating news.  A sweet little 12 year old girl from the neighboring school system passed away unexpectedly due to complications from pneumonia.  The girl’s mother is a teacher in the same school system where I work.  We were all stunned and heartbroken for this family and I’ve been praying for them for days.   I heard that the funeral was an extraordinarily uplifting, inspiring event.  The little girl, Taylor, must have been quite a spirited youngster.  This weekend several articles circulated the Internet about a letter that her parents found that Taylor had written to her future self.  The letter made me catch my breath, realizing how this little girl’s hopes and dreams were so close to her heart.

The experience left me wondering what I might write in a letter to my future self.  I’m not talking about New Year’s Resolutions.  In 10 years, where do I expect to be? [Read more…]

My husband watches TV, I play online—that’s the way we spend our evenings after the kids are asleep.  Exciting?  It might not seem so to other people, but at the end of a long day, it’s just what the doctor ordered.   I started entering blog giveaways last year as a way to pass the time.  To my great surprise, I even won a few!  Although I don’t always take the time to enter giveaways, I recognize how easy it is to snag some fun prizes while doing a few good deeds at the same time.

When my husband asked why I enter blog giveaways, I wondered that myself.  Here are my reasons. [Read more…]