Welcome to the Beach Reads giveaway hosted by Michelle Ziegler.   Personally, I never seem to read while I’m on the beach. After all, the beach offers so many other things to do that I can’t do at home — such as find seashells, build a sandcastle, and splash in the ocean.  But when I’m all settled back into the hotel room and have a bit of quiet, I tuck into a good book.  In this giveaway hop, you’re sure to find a book that will be perfect to read this summer.  Our giveaway prize is a paperback copy of Four Weddings And A Kiss provided by Litfuse Publicity. [Read more…]

Today my daughter was thrilled to have a big pot of rice at her disposal.  She loves to make rice balls just like her grandmother (my mom) taught her.  She showed me her special method and my heart warmed at the thought of my mom teaching her this technique.  I didn’t even know they had discussed how to make a simple thing like rice balls.  It brought me to tears as I thought of my husband’s nostalgia about peonies.  His grandparents had a beautiful field of peonies that bloom every year around Memorial Day.  He reminisces about the peonies often; they seem to be a happy symbol of his childhood.  His grandfather taught him how to bud the flowers and how to care for them.  This year, I asked one of my  husband’s cousins to take photos of the peonies for my husband’s Father’s Day gift.  She sent me so many gorgeous images; one is pictured below.  I can see why this is such a beautiful memory for him!

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Yesterday was the perfect summer day.  We had a few errands to run in the morning, but were free all afternoon. We took a drive into the mountains and enjoyed the sunshine!   I didn’t get many pictures because I dropped my camera on our last Dollywood trip. 🙁  So my husband was the photographer on this outing, using his phone to snap a few shots of the kids playing in the creek.  They were timid at first but soon got into the splashing, laughing, and rock throwing.

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I received this book to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine. The post contains affiliate links.

If you’re interested in WWII fiction, Love Comes Home is a sweet book to add to your bookshelf.  The book is full of deep relationships, from newlyweds to expectant mothers to sisterhood.    The heartache that comes with this book is gentle and sad, which was enough to bring tears to my eyes more than once.  The characters are easy to relate to.  I especially felt connected to Kate, who struggled with a difficult pregnancy.  When she has to face the worries, fears, and problems of her family, it becomes almost too much for her to bear.  [Read more…]

I received product samples. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Welcome to the Christmas in July giveaway hop hosted by Parenting in Northern KY.  This event features prizes that would make great Christmas gifts this year!  The event runs from July 11 through July 25, 2014.  Our giveaway is open to US readers ages 18+. Void where prohibited by law. Enter on the Rafflecopter below.  Good luck!

Thanks to Maximum Games and Tommy Nelson for providing prizes for our giveaway.

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I am participating in a Vibrant Influencer Network campaign for Depend. I am receiving a fee for posting; however, the opinions expressed in this post are my own. I am in no way affiliated with Depend and do not earn a commission or percent of sales.

Did you ever want to just hide from an embarrassing moment?  Some things are tough to discuss.  Financial information, marital problems, and health issues are generally taboo topics in polite conversation.  If you’ve experienced bladder control issues, you might be tempted to ignore the problem.  Depend undergarments can help you manage the condition while enjoying the activities that bring you happiness.  It’s time to let the cat out of the bag and live life again!  [Read more…]

A couple of weeks ago, my van had an appointment for a little TLC.  The courtesy van dropped us off at the mall so we could bide the time.  Since I do so much of our shopping online these days, we rarely visit the mall anymore.  My kids loved walking around, window shopping and getting gumballs out of those little candy machines.  It’s the little things in life that make us happy!

While we were there, I realized my phone was out of juice again.  Much to my surprise, there was an outlet right in the restroom!  Since we take for-stinking-ever in the bathroom anyway, I plugged in my phone while waiting for my kids.  As happy as I was to charge my phone, there was an even better freebie at the mall that day!!

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I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for Shire. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

The relationship that exists between mothers and daughters is unlike any other. It has many unique moments, memories, and yes, even challenges along the way. The relationship dynamic can be even trickier when your daughter is in those tween-age years. What can be even more difficult is when some people dismiss certain behaviors as “typical tween girl behavior” when those behaviors can be symptoms of something more serious. Research suggests that girls are more likely than boys to report having mostly inattentive Attention- Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms. Since inattentive symptoms can be less noticeable than hyperactive and impulsive symptoms, it is important that moms know what to look for.

I’m proud to be joining forces with Shire, CHADD and Holly Robinson Peete to announce the launch of keep momming, a new public service initiative geared towards the moms of tween girls to raise awareness of ADHD.

The campaign is anchored within a new digital hub, KeepMomming.com, where you’ll find tips, tools and other go-to resources for moms, including a checklist to help recognize the symptoms of ADHD – inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity – and then encourages moms to talk to their daughter’s doctor. The keep momming initiative can help moms learn about ADHD and provide ideas on how to spark a conversation and stay connected with their tween.

Don’t miss Holly’s message about the keep momming initiativehttp://goo.gl/3tqd5q, and be sure to check out the website atKeepMomming.com.

This post is brought to you by Doctor on Demand.  The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever avoided going to the doctor because ……

a) You didn’t have time. 

b)  You didn’t want to be exposed to germs in the waiting room. 

c)  You knew that the bill would be triple digits and you just didn’t have the cash. 

d)  You couldn’t find anyone to watch your kids so you could go. 

Every one of those reasons applied to me at one time or another.  Medical care can be so expensive and inconvenient but when you throw in an extra snag like childcare, it’s almost impossible to obtain.   What if you had a doctor at your disposal, waiting for you on the other end of your phone?  Wishing for the good old days when the doctor made housecalls?  This is the next best thing.  Doctor On Demand is a free app that you can download and use right away.  No need to take a sick day hoping to be worked into the doctor’s busy schedule.   No waiting for the Triage nurse to call you back.  No appointments to make (or forget).  No worries about the insurance company rejecting your claim.  This service is a dream come true for the busy mom!  Download the free app now so you don’t have to look for it when you really do have a need.  It’s available in the iTunes App Store and on Google Play  — Register for free and use code SIS14 to receive $10 off your first Doctor on Demand call!  Read on for a chance to win a $200 gift card, plus a code to use at Doctor On Demand!  [Read more…]