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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A healthier home in 5 weeks {Week 2}

As a mother, one of my primary responsibilities is to keep a clean home. Though it might be difficult to tell since the moment I vacuum someone runs through with dirt and the moment I sweep and mop someone spills juice. I never stopped to consider that the things I am using to keep my house relatively clean could actually cause my children harm.

Many chemicals include toxins that can trigger respiratory infections, headaches (and my husband thought I was just making excuses for not cleaning ;)  cause damage to the brain or nervous system, decrease sperm count and yes, even cancer. This is a great article, How Toxic are Your Cleaning Supplies? Which outlines several of the dangers as well as good solutions.

These chemicals are not limited to cleaning solutions. How about antibacterial soap? Every good mom knows she needs to protect her children from bacteria. But what if your antibacterial soap and hand sanitizer were actually making your children more sick? Studies are showing that an ingredient found in most antibacterial products called Triclosan (yes it was in my soap) can actually do more harm than good. Instead of killing only bad bacteria, it kills ALL bacteria. Even the good guys that protect your immune system. This creates a bacterial resistance which in effect creates superbugs which our body cannot effectively combat against and is much worse than the germs the soap is supposedly protecting us against. Not good.

Even our laundry detergent contains chemicals that have nasty things linked to cancer and reproductive toxins. Check this article to see what chemicals are in your laundry detergent.


{Week 2 Challenge: Cleanup Household Cleaners}

1. Toss those toxic household cleaners. Replace them with organic versions or try making your own. There are many great websites out there with recipes, my favorite is Wellness Mama.

2. Toss the toxic soap and sanitizers. Replace them with organic soap (including body wash). I love the bath soap from Bubble and Bee and have replaced my liquid dish soap with Dr Bronner's (dilute with water) and thoroughly cleaned out my toxic foaming pump bottles and replaced them with a diluted mixture of Dr Bronners for foaming handwashing soap. I also use Dr Bronners hand sanitizer spray.

3. Replace laundry and dishwashing detergent with a non-toxic version or make your own. There are lots of options out there, I have not personally tried to make my own. I use the Seventh Generation brand.


For more information about household toxins, check out this article: Highly toxic chemicals are found in laundry detergents, dryer sheets, deodorants, perfumes, soaps and other household products


Did you miss week 1? 

Continue to Week 3

Manti, Utah LDS Temple Pictures & fun in So. Utah

On the way to visit my family this week, I stopped in Manti and was able to take some pictures of the beautiful temple there. To download these and other free temple pictures, please visit http://freeldstemplepictures.com

The next pictures aren't quite so beautiful...There is a lot of dirt in Utah, especially southern Utah. My boys love it (especially Grant who "swam" in the mud). I loathe it. Here is some of the fun they had this week {followed by several baths each}

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!

A healthier home in 5 weeks: {week 1}

As I began searching for resources on organic eating, I came across information about chemicals that are all around us. I was surprised to learn how many of these toxins were in my home. In fact, it seems like almost all the products I use on a daily basis from tupperware to shampoo to sunscreen contain toxins that have damaging long-term effects anywhere from ADHD to cancer.

I made a goal to eliminate whatever toxins I could from my home immediately, and those that I can't do now, I will eliminate when we move this fall. I realize spring cleaning is over, but summer is a great time to prepare for the upcoming school year.

I've broken down the most frequent toxin exposures into 5 easy weekly steps. Obviously it's impossible to eliminate exposure to all harmful things, but there are small simple steps you can take to limit the risk to young (and unborn) children.

{Week 1 Challenge: Organic Food}

Buy organic produce, meats and dairy starting this week!

Chemicals directly sprayed on fruits and vegetables cannot simply be washed off, some residue will remain no matter how diligently you scrub. These pesticides have been linked to cancer, ADHD and autism.

If you cannot afford to buy 100% organic, then buy these dirty dozen as organics and the clean fifteen you can buy non-organic.

Dirty Dozen (contain the most pesticide residue- Buy Organic!)

celery

peaches

strawberries

apples

domestic blueberries

nectarines

sweet bell peppers

spinach, kale and collard greens

cherries

potatoes

imported grapes

lettuce

Clean Fifteen (little to no pesticide residue)

onions

avocados

sweet corn

pineapples

mango

sweet peas

asparagus

kiwi fruit

cabbage

eggplant

cantaloupe

watermelon

grapefruit

sweet potatoes

sweet onions

Why should you buy organic meat? The main reason is because 70% of antibiotics in this country go to farm animals. That's right, cows and chickens. Why? Because they are fed unnatural diets that fatten them up faster and live in cramped quarters- they are fed antibiotics to prevent them from dying before they go to market. Unfortunately, these antibiotics create superbugs (heard of MRSA?) which spread to humans from contaminated meats or crops (like spinach) contaminated by animal waste. Even chicken feed is found to contain high levels of arsenic that is passed on to our children.

Here's a great article about why it's worth it to buy organic eggs (try finding someone local!) and how buying hormone-free milk reduces your risk of cancer.

I know you're really not going to like this one, but I have to put it out there. Studies have shown that processed meats cause cancer. This includes lunch meat, hot dogs, sausage, pepperoni and my favorite, bacon. Fortunately, you CAN buy organic versions of these foods that do not include the cancer-causing nitrates! Applegate Farms is a favorite brand of mine, found at Whole Foods.

Week one is definitely going to be the most challenging week, but it will also have the greatest long-term impact on your family. You'll find that organic meats can be quite expensive, which is another great reason to base your meals primarily around vegetables and use meat sparingly. I have quite a few meatless meal ideas on my Fabulous Foods website. The thing to remember also is exposure amount- a tiny amount of chemicals won't cause immediate harm, but repeated exposure over time can, so don't feel guilty if you have to resort to fast food or "normal" food from time to time but try to limit exposure if you can.

Also, and this is my personal non-scientific opinion...I believe that a normal healthy body is designed to fight toxins including those used in pesticides and if we feed our body healthy foods most of the time then it will be prepared to combat the toxins we do introduce from time to time. However, if we are fueling our body primarily with junk, it won't have the tools to effectively combat the toxins and  then our body starts to break down and results in headaches, fatigue, weight gain, and possibly even cancer.

Continue to Week 2

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/

Blog Tip: Alternative to Watermarking Images- Right Click Disable

I know I really should watermark my images, I hear all the time about people stealing images but what's really disturbing are psycho's stealing images to pretend they're their own family's photos!

However...I'm lazy. I don't want a second copy of watermarked images taking up space on my computer and don't really want to bother with the extra step. I probably will for important photos in the future, but rather than go back and do that for all the images I've already posted, I've disabled the right click function. Now, obviously there are still ways around that, but it makes it just a bit more difficult for a thief. So, if you're lazy like me and don't want to watermark all your images but still want to keep the creepo's away, you might want to consider adding a simple anti-right click code to your blog.

Thanks to the Being Geeks website for this code- it's a simple 3 step process, just go to http://www.beinggeeks.com/2009/02/how-to-disable-right-click-in-blogger-blogspot.html and follow the three steps, replacing your own text (such as "Images Copyrighted!") for "Function Disabled".

Positive Parenting Solutions

When my husband deployed I experienced a host of behavioral problems I hadn't previously encountered, at least not to this extent. Some of them were a natural result of the growing process while others I am certain were because of the stress of having daddy gone and moving to a new state.

While I still haven't mastered all the behavioral problems (some I fully admit are due to laziness on my part) I have found some great resources that help point me in the right direction.

The first is Love and Logic. I read the book Parenting with Love and Logic and then a friend let me know they also have cd's you can buy. There are actually a ton of resources available in their online store, and I am excited to try a few of them.

The approach of giving your children choices rather than authoritatively commanding them teaches lifelong decision making skills that are essential once they get out into the world. It does require a lot more patience and thought on the part of the parent, and I notice when I get lazy my children's behavior declines.


The second is Positive Parenting Solutions. I bought the book If I have to tell you one more time! (the story of my life) and really loved it. A lot of the focus is on logical consequences for behavior, the only problem is I have a hard time thinking of logical consequences for illogical behaviors!

A lot of the techniques seem perfect for older children but not as easily applied to toddlers. I still need more help! Then, I discovered that they offer online parenting videos called Positive Parenting Solutions.

Even better, they are offering a free membership for military families! I have just started to watch the videos and it is such a great help to me. I hope that combining these two resources will help me become the parent I want to be.

If you're active duty and especially if your spouse is deployed, be sure to sign up for Positive Parenting Solutions, they are well worth your time!

A cure for "Mommy Brain"...

I have been feeling the need lately for some serious intellectual stimulation (being with three boys 24/7 will do that to a person). As much as I'd love to enroll in another master's program, that just isn't an option for me right now, but I knew I had to do something...

I've had a Khan Academy app on my phone for a while now but hadn't actually used it. I finally decided to try it out and I'm sure glad I did! I downloaded the Chemistry and the Calculus video sets. I was really surprised at how well these videos are put together and short enough you could easily fit in a lesson a day no matter how busy you are. They are explained in a way that makes perfect sense and it's so nice to see the exercises worked out right in front of you. Although I admit, after viewing the first calculus video I realized I needed to start over at Algebra and work my way up...

You can view the videos through the iTunes app or online at http://www.khanacademy.org, the online videos are more extensive. There are a variety of subjects available including many facets of math, science and history. Right now I am working on the US History Overview course, the Art History Course (fascinating- especially since I've been to a lot of these museums & historic sites), Chemistry and Algebra. I haven't taken Algebra since my first year of college at age 17, and I hated it. Now, I'm enjoying algebra! It's actually fun to work out the equations and I'm enjoying higher level thought processes again. Yes, I'm turning into a total nerd ;) And while I will probably never use electron configurations and won't need to calculate the sum of three consecutive odd integers, there are several formulas which are useful in "real life" and there is just something fulfilling about expanding the mind. Plus it gives me greater confidence that I will be able to help my children learn these things when they are older.


The best part is that it is absolutely free! I am learning so much faster than I learned in college and am enjoying it so much more. Forget facebook and pinterest, enlarge your cranium!

Anchorage, Alaska LDS Temple Artwork and Salt Lake temple lights

A HUGE thank you to Daren Hatch of Daren Hatch Photography for his willingness to share these photos of the Anchorage, Alaska LDS temple and some beautiful images of the Salt Lake Temple lights! You can download these and other temple pictures absolutely free, at http://freeldstemplepictures.com/

Rexburg, Idaho LDS Temple Artwork

To download free photos of the Rexburg, Idaho LDS temple, please visit http://freeldstemplepictures.com/

Family Reunion

We had such a fun time in Idaho for our family reunion. The boys had a blast slip and sliding down the hill, swimming and canoeing in the lake, riding horses and participating in games and races. They were totally in their element, being able to run like wild banshees with no restrictions or constraints.

I am so not a sports fan, but this picture is too cute!

Idaho Falls, Idaho LDS Temple Artwork

 To download free pictures of the beautiful Idaho Falls, Idaho LDS Temple, please visit http://freeldstemplepictures.com/

Twin Falls, Idaho LDS Temple Pictures

To download free pictures of the Twin Falls Idaho LDS Temple please visit

http://freeldstemplepictures.com

Yellowstone

We had a fun week in Idaho for our family reunion and also took a trip up to Yellowstone. We stayed in West Yellowstone, MT and it was down right cold in the mornings. The boys enjoyed running around the boardwalks and Ethan had fun earning his Jr. Ranger badge. It was so nice being without technology for a week that I have resisted plugging back in! I did take pictures of the Idaho temples (except Boise which is under construction), so I'll be adding those pictures in the next week or two.