Monumental Giveaway

The more I learn about the pilgrims and founding fathers the harder it is to comprehend how our country has strayed so far from the ideals and beliefs that it was founded on. From career politicians to socialized healthcare and lifelong welfare, banning prayer and all references to religion in schools (yet teaching about sexual practices contrary to their beliefs), infringing on second amendment rights, reckless national debt, and so on.

A healthier home in 5 weeks {Week 5} + Giveaway

Before I jump into the topic of week 5, I want to announce a giveaway of Sweet Milk Handmade Lotion!

A few months ago I discovered this homemade lotion made by Mandy and asked her to send me three different scents of her choosing. I could not have been more happy with what I received! The lotion is so smooth and creamy (I can even apply it right after shaving and it doesn't burn my legs) and her scents are amazing! I have never used creamier better smelling lotion in my life. I'm so in love with it.

One lucky winner will receive three 2oz bottles of Sweet Milk Handmade Lotion! Just scroll to the bottom to enter. And if you aren't the winner, but still want amazing lotion, just email Mandy at tylermandyjack {at} hotmail {dot} com. You won't believe her prices- a 2oz bottle is just $2.50 and an 8oz bottle is $6.50, lip balm is $1.75!


Now, on to our last challenge... We know that pesticides have been linked to all sorts of nasty things. We don't want it on the food we feed our children and we don't want it on the grass they roll around in during the summer. Here are some resources for having a healthier outdoor space.

{Week 5 Challenge: A SaferYard}

1. Rather than spraying chemicals to kill bugs in the yard and garden, try these safer solutions.

• Organic Lawn Care & Maintenance
• Natural Pest Control
• 15 Homemade Organic Gardening Sprays and Concoctions that Actually Work

2. Try these gardening tips rather than insecticides:

• Garden pests and organic remedies
• Top Ten Garden Insect Pests

3. Natural bug spray (for you): I think we all are aware or have at least heard of the dangers of DEET. But if you live in tick and mosquito country the threat of lyme disease or west nile virus can be just as scary.

Here are a few homemade recipes you can try (I have not tried any of these):

• Ideas for safely repelling mosquitos
• Natural Tick Repellants
• Natural Bug Spray Recipes from Wellness Mama

Here are some safer alternatives to DEET (I have not tried any of these products), however if you live in a highly infested deer tick area, wear long clothes and spray the DEET only on clothes, do not make contact with skin and do not use on small children.

• Bubble and Bee Organic Insect Repellent
• Organic Bite Blocker
• Tropical Traditions All Natural Insect Repellent
• Botanical Solutions Tick Guard

If you have completed all 5 steps, Congratulations! You are on your way to a healthier environment for your family!

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Did you miss week 4?

Piper Reed Forever Friend, Book Review, Author Interview & Giveaways!

I had the opportunity to read the book Piper Reed Forever Friend, the sixth book in the Piper Reed series by Kimberly Willis Holt. It was such a fun book, Ethan and I enjoyed reading it together and the content was timely as we are getting ready to move to a new duty assignment (hopefully overseas!)

Piper is a spunky nine-year old navy brat who lives with her family (mom, dad, two sisters, a dog and a goldfish) in Pensacola, Florida. This book follows her adventures as her family moves to a new duty assignment in Norfolk, Virginia. Piper is sad to leave her old friends and school behind but is also excited that her old neighbor and best friend, Michael, moved to Norfolk a few months earlier.

Piper had big plans for living in Norfolk, but finds them falling apart when she discovers that not only is she no longer living down the street from Michael, but he seems to have found a new best friend. This move is not turning out to be what she expected and she finds herself missing Pensacola. How will Piper adjust to her new life? Will she ever make friends in Norfolk?

One lucky reader will have a chance to find out! Enter below to win one of three Piper Reed books!

I also had the privilege of interviewing Kimberly Willis Holt:

Q: I just read my first Piper Reed book and have to say it was a really fun read! There aren't many book series designed for military kids and I wondered if some of Piper's experiences were also your own growing up?

A: Like Piper, I'm a military kid with two sisters and a Navy Chief dad, but I was the oldest. I saw life more seriously than my fun-loving middle sister. Some of the things that happen to the Reed family in the series "sort of" happened to us. We had clubs and owned a poodle. We sang our Louisiana version of Country Roads in the back seat of the car. Most of the series is made up but inspired by things that "sort of" happened.


Q: Did you always aspire to be a writer or was it something that developed later in life?

A: Ever since second grade I loved to write, but I never thought I could be a writer until seventh grade when a thoughtful science teacher encouraged me to show my poem to a creative writing teacher. I wasn't a great student because I read slowly. I loved reading and writing though. So it was a secret dream until that day in seventh grade when two teachers made me think it was possible.  Teachers are powerful.


Q: Is there a particular place you go or routine you follow to get the "writing zone"?

A: I write a lot of different places--in bed, a chair in my bedroom, the screened in porch, and coffee shops. Wherever I begin a story is where I end it.  That's how important ritual is to a creative person. Returning to the same place every day makes the writing begin more easily.  And when I write, I write by hand on yellow legal pads. I think better on yellow.


Q: As you well know, growing up in the military has it's pro's and con's. It can be especially hard for children to constantly leave friends and be apart from extended family. Is there any advice you would to give to military mom's to help make military life a positive and enriching experience for their children?

A: Wherever we lived, my mom made our house a home. We also took Sunday drives to explore the places beyond our house or short trips to somewhere wonderful. When we lived in Norfolk, we visited Colonial Williamsburg and Washington D.C. When we lived in Washington state, we visited Canada.  We took a vacation to Barcelona when we lived in France. These are the advantages of a military childhood. At the same time that my parents exposed to our new surroundings, they always told us stories about our Louisiana heritage. My first book is dedicated to them. The dedication says To my parents, Ray and Brenda Willis, who showed me the world, but gave me roots. I think that makes for a happy childhood. We all want to feel like we belong somewhere.



A big Thank You to Kimberly Willis Holt! Enter to win a signed hardback copy of Piper Reed Forever Friend by Kimberly Willis Holt! Also, one lucky reader will win a signed paperback copy of Piper Reed, Navy Brat and one reader will win a signed paperback copy of Piper Reed, Rodeo Star!

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Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day

Don't forget to visit Chick-fil-A today!

Congratulations to the winners of the three gift cards:

Martha H.

Sara M.

Allyson B.

Thanks for your support!

Standing for Something: Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day- GIVEAWAY

This is a last minute giveaway and is only running for a day and a half so spread the word!

You  may or may not have heard that certain city governments are boycotting Chick-fil-A because of the CEO's support of God's definition of marriage. I don't know about you, but I thought that one of the motivating factors in the establishment of America was for freedom of religion. That means that our government doesn't get involved when a person adheres to a certain religious belief- especially one this nation was founded on. These individuals can boycott away- but they have no right to use our government to do so.

Christians everywhere need to stand up to support the Bible and the future of America by taking a stand in this issue. Some claim that Christian's stand for God's definition of marriage is "hateful". We and God, do not hate the sinner, only the sin. We cannot stand guiltless before God if we do not stand to support and protect His laws. Having an opinion and peaceably defending it is not hate. We are simply trying to protect long-standing traditions and values that this nation was founded on.

Chick-fil-A's company president Dan Cathy said it best:

“We are very much supportive of the family – the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.”

and

“I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, ‘We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage,’” he said. “I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we would have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is all about.”

Three readers will receive a $10 gift card to Chick-fil-A! Enter today, winners will be chosen Monday so that hopefully the cards can reach the winners by Wednesday! And yes, I am aware that this goes totally against my "real food" pledge, but standing for something is more important. Besides, their chargrilled chicken sandwich with honey mustard sauce is to soooo yummy ;)

Please show your support and visit Chick-fil-A this Wednesday, August 1.

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*Winners must respond with their address on Monday or a new winner will be chosen

Source: http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2012/jul/27/aug-1-chick-fil-appreciation-day-marriage/

The Winner of Parley Ray Boutique...

Congratulations Krystal (entry #57)! I will contact you to claim your prize. Thanks to everyone who entered!

Last chance: Parley Ray Giveaway!

Last chance to win a $35 gift certificate to Parley Ray Boutique! Check out these latest additions- simply adorable! Winner will be announced Monday morning.

Parley Ray Boutique giveaway!

I'm excited to announce a giveaway to Parley Ray Boutique! My talented sister (and mother of eight!) makes the most adorable baby bloomers/diaper covers and coordinating tops. These are perfect for summer and make the BEST photo props for photographing baby girls. See below for just a few of my favorite and enter to win a $35 gift certificate to Parley Ray Boutique!

Enter below to win a $35 gift certificate to Parley Ray Boutique!

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America Jane Giveaway!

Have you heard of the scouting site America Jane? They are giving away a copy of Beginning Boy Scouts and a $15 Amazon.com gift certificate. Check out America Jane and enter to win today (hurry, ends Saturday)!

There are also some great resources for homeschoolers. Check out the Boy Scout friendly homeschool curriculum and Real art projects for kids.

The winner is...

Congratulations to Michelle T. winner of the $25 Amazon.com gift card! Thanks to all who entered! I had a fun tutorial scheduled but when I went to actually publish it, it mysteriously deleted all the text and photos... Iphone is not so reliable for blogger... So I'll get that up when I get home. We are heading back west from our month long road trip. It's been a wonderful time seeing my husband and good friends. We are ready to be home though! Will post pics and details next week! Hope y'all had a great Valentine's day (I can say y'all since I'm in Texas)!

Amazon.com Giveaway!

Today is the first day to enter to win "From Our Hearts To Yours Valentine Giveaway" hosted by Life With Two Boys, With Our Best, and Mama-Nibbles! Be sure to check out all the amazing giveaways offered now until Valentine's Day!

I don't know if I've mentioned it before or not, but I do almost ALL of my shopping at Amazon.com. I love that as long as I spend $25 (not hard to do) shipping is absolutely free. Sure beats going to the store with three wild boys in tow! I order all our homeschooling supplies there, books, paper, printers, laminators, craft supplies, learning toys, diapers etc... I especially do ALL my Christmas shopping there. I never fight the crazy holiday crowds, I buy everything online and have it shipped to my door. It's such a lifesaver. I don't think a week goes by that I don't have something from Amazon on my doorstep. I seriously could not survive without them.

I am happy to offer one lucky reader a $25 gift card to Amazon.com!

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The winner of Hilary Weeks Every Step is...

Penny who said "My wonderful family and the gospel. Without either of them, I would not be in the place I am today!!"  Please contact me to claim your prize! Thanks to all who entered! 

Now, if you're hungry, check out this fabulous Pumpkin Bar recipe! The picture doesn't do it justice at all- it is absolutely amazing (and you can use whole wheat!)

*winner chosen by random.org

Tissues please...Hilary Weeks giveaway!

If you haven't heard this song from Hilary's new album- grab a tissue and hit the play button.

We all face heartache and pain in this life. Much of who we become is determined by how we handle the trials that are given us. We were on a family hike a few weeks ago and came across a tree root. We discussed with my boys how all the twists and turns in the roots came when it encountered a rock or other tree and rather than stop growing, it bent and curved around it, and those twists and turns help it remain in the ground.This is a lot like life, when trials come we can choose to stop growing and become bitter and unhappy, or we can embrace those rocks and use them to dig our roots deeper and develop character and attributes to bring us closer to Christ.

In this season of thanksgiving, I am thankful for the life God has blessed me with, for my wonderful husband and three beautiful boys. I am thankful for extended family and friends who help life's journey be a little sweeter. I am thankful that in this world that is often full of fear, confusion, anger and pain, I can have faith in Jesus Christ, that he will guide my life and give me hope for the future. That is my thankful part, now for the giving part, I am giving one lucky reader a free copy of

Hilary Week's new CD album, Every Step!

To Enter, leave a separate comment for each entry:

1. What are you thankful for this season?

2. You are a public follower (click Join this Site in the sidebar on the right)
3. You have my button on your blog
4. You blogged or facebooked about this giveaway

The winner will be announced on Tuesday, November 8th. (Be sure to include your email address in one comment or have it linked to your profile so I can contact you if you win.)

U.S. Addresses only.
If the prize is not claimed within 3 days a new winner will be chosen.

GOOD LUCK!

The Entitlement Trap Giveaway

I absolutely LOVE this book! If I could choose my favorite parenting book it would probably be this one. The Eyre's have such great ideas about raising responsible people and emphasize the importance of starting early. I love the overall concept of this book- to allow your children to learn from their mistakes while they are young and the stakes are low, rather than when they are adults and the stakes are high.

This applies not only to financial decisions but moral, ethical and other important decisions that must be made in life. I purchased the book to learn how to teach my children good financial responsibility, but found that it offered so much more.

My children are a little young to implement the full household economy, but I have gotten so many great ideas that I can start implementing- such as being paid for doing certain tasks around the house and rewarding them for good behavior rather than just handing out an allowance.

I also love their ideas for establishing and writing down traditions in a prominent place where they become an important part of family life and the idea of keeping family stories to read to the children at bedtime. Their ideas for teaching children how to make responsible choices about drugs, sex, and life goals is invaluable. Helping children make these decisions before they are ever faced with them prevents those spontaneous bad decisions. The whole idea is to prepare your children for the things they will face in life and to do it while they are young so that they can learn how to make intelligent decisions and avoid the confusion and frustration most teens and young adults face.


Here are just a few of my favorite quotes:

• "It is parents, by not saying no and by giving kids what they demand, who become the ultimate enablers. We pour unearned praise over them, protect them from criticism of teachers and coaches, give them everything from toys to automobiles, and make no connections between their freedoms and their responsibilities. We seem to be working for our kids' approval rather than their working for ours."
• "As our lives get busier...we give our kids things instead of time.
• "Entitlement really is a kid trap...it stifles children's initiative, encourages self-centeredness, and mutes their natural and healthy fear of consequences. It makes them feel like the world owes them a living and destroys the connection between effort and reward."
• "...Indulgence...[and] anti-responsibility...holds them back from their potential, from adventure, from their independence, from their creativity, from their fulfillment, and from their happiness.

I love this book so much that I am going to be sending one lucky reader a free copy of The Entitlement Trap!

To Enter:

Leave a separate comment for each entry:

• You promise to read the book if you win!
• If you blogged or facebooked about this giveaway
• If you are a public follower and/or have my button on your blog

The winner will be announced on October 17th. (Be sure to include your email address or have it linked to your profile if you want me to email you- otherwise you will have to check back to see if you are the winner!)

U.S. and Canada Addresses only.
If the prize is not claimed within 3 days a new winner will be chosen.
GOOD LUCK!