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All right, people. It’s time to be honest with ourselves. Christmas is just around the corner! If you haven’t started shopping yet, don’t worry. I’m scoping out some of the best deals for you!  One of my favorite ways to save money during the holidays is to buy “package” deals that can be split up. Let’s talk about this adorable combo from Cents of Style. For only $32.95 shipped, you can get a pair of boots AND an infinity scarf! The boots alone would be at least $32 at our local shoe store, so (to me) the scarf seems like a freebie. Is that crazy talk, or does it make total sense to you? [Read more…]

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

Even in the moments of busy errands or frustrated sleeplessness, my children are best parts of my life.  Before my liver went defunct, we had our second child after years of trying to conceive.  Like many couples, we suffered a miscarriage in between the births of our two kids. Looking back on that heartbreaking event, I can’t imagine things being different. That experience meant that I was able to know my son; it’s not something I would change if given the chance.  My husband remarked to me that he would have liked to have a third child if we could have afforded it.  I was surprised by his statement because we’ve always wanted 2 kids.   Knowing that he enjoyed parenthood enough to want to do it again warmed my heart.  Sorry for the cliche, but it’s true.  Children are a gift from God.   So many children in this world are not cherished the way they deserve.  Even within my own extended family, I see children of relatives who are pushed aside or neglected in deference to cell phones, jobs, or boyfriends.  It makes me think back to a book I recently read, The Desire.
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Disclosure: This post is brought to you by Zazzle. The post and giveaway form contain affiliate links; I will earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.

Heads up for the new iPhone 6 release!   Celebrate your phone’s update with a new case from Zazzle.  Whatever your style, Zazzle has what you’re looking for —- floral, chevron, retro, or just funky!

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

It’s long been decided that between the two of us, my husband is the better housekeeper. He is non-sentimental, ruthlessly throwing away things I try to hoard. Resourceful and clever, he finds ingenious ways to clean behind and between appliances or furniture. Somehow he gets the cleaning finished way faster than I ever do; we call it the “Quick Clean” because it’s often necessary before we have a friend over! Unfortunately we don’t seem to get that Quick Clean accomplished very often. This week, however, I figured out how to get him to mop the floor on demand. Ladies, watch and learn.

Enter the Shark Steam and Spray. [Read more…]

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. I received a product sample.
Tonight I looked back on some old pictures that were saved on my computer. Oh, the days when my babies were small! I found this picture of a caterpillar we “raised” and released. It was such a neat experience to watch the cocoon reveal its hidden treasure. When the butterfly was finally ready to be set free, we checked on it for a couple of days before it finally took flight. It reminded me of the Eric Carle book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Both of my kids loved that book — we had the BIG board book with gigantic holes on the day that the caterpillar really fills up. [Read more…]

Disclosure:  I received these books to review. The opinions shared here are 100% mine.  The post may contain affiliate links.

It was a busy weekend full of family and fun.  Somewhere in the down times, I squeezed in a few pages of reading.  This weekend I finished The Old Man And The Sea, Home to Chicory Lane, AHA, and Mindwar.  There is no rhyme or reason to the books I pick up but they each take me to a different world.  Believe me, these books are as different from each other as can be! You can purchase Home to Chicory Lane  and Mindwar at Family Christian and other retailers. [Read more…]