My Review of Kisses From Katie by Katie Davis

Kisses From Katie is such an inspirational read. Written by Katie Davis herself, Kisses From Katie tells the story of Katie Davis, a teenage girl with a call to missions. Growing up in a great family and neighborhood, Katie never lived in lack. She had a boyfriend who she planned to marry someday, plans to go to college, friends and family who loved her, and had a great life for a teenage girl.
Katie began to feel the call to missions. She convinced her parents to allow her to go on a trip to Uganda before she graduated high school. Accompanied by her mother, Katie arrives in this poverty stricken country and falls in love with the people there.
When Katie comes back to the US to finish high school, she is able to convice her parents to allow her to take one year before going to college to go back to Uganda and teach kindergarten. Her parents give their reluctant blessing on the condition that Katie come back after one year and go to college to complete her education.
During the year that Katie spent in Uganda, her love for the nation and its people grew even more. Seeing the need around her, Katie ends up legally adopting several girls as well as moving into a house and starting a sponsorship program to fund the schooling needs of children who could not afford to go to school otherwise.
Wanting to honor her parents, at the end of the year, Katie goes back to the United States so that she can keep her word and attend college. When Katie comes home, she finds that she is no longer at home in the US. Her heart and her life is in Uganda and she is miserable away from there.
After one semester, Katie is able to return to Uganda and her daughters for good. Although, she does fundraising in the US, Katie says that she knows her home is with her daughters in Uganda. Katie goes on to adopt 14 children and her organization helps provide schooling and meal for many others.
Katie is open about the challenges that she has faced in Uganda. Since her family is unique, they have faced criticim and ridicule from people both in the US and in Uganda, but Katie has seen God do miracles and use her greatly to touch the people of Uganda. Katie shares many stories, both touching as well as humorous, about her life and ministry in Uganda.
I was so touched by Katie's willing and humble spirit. I was reminded of the missionary Lillian Thrasher and her similar story. A young lady willing to give up everything to serve Christ and share His love with people, Katie gives the glory to God and does not take any credit for herself. This book is a must read.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review.

My Review of Heaven is For Real ... For Kids

I had read the original version of Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo and really enjoyed it. When I saw that the version for kids was available, I could not wait to get it. When I read it to my children, they were captivated by the story. They loved the pictures and had many questions as we read the book. The book is very easy for kids to read and understand. The illustrations are cheerful and colorful and it also includes some photos of the Burpo family as well as the pictures of Colton's grandfather that he met in heaven as well as the painting that Colton recognized as Jesus.
This kids version of Heaven is for Real is very condensed and does not include a lot of the details that are included in the original book. It is short and can be read in just a few minutes. It is long enough that it shares details about Colton's experience and message, but short enough that it holds the attention of younger kids. I thought it was very well written and my kids loved the book and wanted to read it again the next night!
This is a book that we will no doubt read many times as a family. My children are small and even at their young age, they had lots of questions and I was thrilled with the conversation that we had about the book as well as heaven and what happens when we die.
I have read other people's comments about the book regarding some theological questions about Colton's experience not completely lining up with Scripture. While I see their point, I still see this book as a great opportunity to share with my kids what Colton experienced and to then build on that topic with what the Scriptures have to say about death and heaven.
I loved the book and encourage every parent of small children to read it with their children.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review but was not obligated to provide a positive opinion.

My Review of Raising a Daughter After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

I have read several of Elizabeth George's books and I love her heart. Her love for the family is so evident in each of her books and this book, Raising a Daughter After God's Own Heart, is no exception. Elizabeth has walked this road as a mother successfully and has some valuable wisdom to share. I am so thankful for this book, as I feel it is an excellent resource for every mother who has the desire to raise a strong daughter who is strong in her walk with the Lord.
Elizabeth begins by sharing how that as mothers, we are the "bell sheep"...the sheep that follows and obeys the shepherd. The shepherd places a bell around that sheep, so that the other sheep will follow it. This was a beautiful illustration of how our children are to follow us as we follow Christ. We need to live what we are teaching our daughters. She devotes emphasis to the importance of praying consistently for our daughters in every season of their lives. She discusses the importance of sowing the right seeds into our daughter's life and how we are to do that as mothers. She goes on to give imperatives on being our daughter's coach and cheerleader, the importance of training our daughter to be an active part of her church body, and also monitoring her social events. Basically, Elizabeth is a strong advocate of being involved in your daughter's life and having a strong, safe relationship with her. I appreciated that she did not advocate simply being your daughter's "friend," but her trusted parent. There are some basic essentials in this book regarding teaching your daughter how to care for a home, interact with family, as well as have manners. I think my favorite chapter was chapter 10: The Shepherd. The heart of every mother should be seen in this chapter as a shepherd leads and protects the sheep, so we should do with our daughters.
I think every mother should read this book. At the end of each chapter, there are practical suggestions as well as a section for you to jot down ideas, thoughts and Scriptures that correspond with that chapter...kind of like homework.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review, but was not obligated to provide a positive opinion.

My Review of Night Night Blessings by Amy Parker

Amy Parker's book, Night Night Blessings is a gentle book that you can read with your children. What I enjoyed most about the book is that it begins teaching kids to cultivate an attitude of thankfulness from an early age and to recognize the blessings that are around them. The illustrations are warm and gentle. When I read the story to my kids, I asked them what they thought of it. They enjoyed it and will no doubt want me to read it again.
The book takes you throughout a child's day and points out blessings that your child can be thankful for, beginning with a stack of pancakes to playing games with friends. Other blessings mentioned are toys, pets, God's creation, time with family, bath time, and bedtime prayers with Mom and Dad.
This book would be ideal to read at the end of the day as you are tucking your kids into bed. It gives kids an open door to talk about the blessings in their own life that they thank God for and teaches them how to talk to God. I would suggest this book for pre school to early elementary age children.
I was provided with a copy of this book by Book Sneeze in exchange for my review.

My Review of Gabby, God's Little Angel by Sheila Walsh

Gabby God'd Little Angel, Sent to Show God's Love by Sheila Walsh is a wonderful book that teaches kids a great lesson: God loves them so much that He sends His angels to protect them. My kids really enjoyed this book. It held their interest and had their attention the whole time I was reading. At the end of the story, there is a Scripture verse that reinforces the lesson in the book and is short enough that it would be easy for children to memorize.
Gabby is a little angel who is somewhat clumsy, but has a kind heart. Her assignment is to a little girl named Sophie who loves adventurous activities like climbing trees. Gabby thinks that Sophie will need a big angel to keep up with her, but she is the one assigned to her. Sophie is so excited because she is about to get to ride her pony for the first time. Before Sophie gets on the pony, Gabby tells the pony to be gentle and safe with Sophie because God loves her. When the pony gets startled and starts to buck, Sophie rushes to her rescue. Even though the rescue doesn't take place as smoothly as Gabby had planned, all ends well and Sophie is safe. That evening, Sophie tells her mom that she felt like someone was protecting her. Her mom tells her that God says in His Word that He sends His angels to protect us.
I thought this book was wonderful. The illustrations are colorful and my kids enjoyed looking at them. I have a feeling that this will be one of the books that my daughter wants me to read over and over. I would suggest it for pre-school to early elementary age kids. I was provided with a copy of this book from Book Sneeze in exchange for my review.

My Review of Thank You God for Blessing Me by Max Lucado (a Hermie book)

Thank You God For Blessing Me by Max Lucado is a short book featuring little Hermie. It is about 4 pages and would be ideal for a short story before bed with smaller children, setting the tone to calm them down before an evening prayer. It gives children ideas of things they can be thankful for in their own life and opens the door to discussion with them about what they feel their blessings are. I felt like it was a great way to encourage to be thankful and appreciate what God has given them and done for them.
 Hermie thanks God for His blessings, for providing him a place to sleep, food to eat, and special friends. He asks God to help him to obey and be kind so that he can be his best for God. I read this book to my children and while it wasn't their favorite book ever, it did hold their interest and they enjoyed it. Since the book is about little Hermie, the illustrations are not exactly like those in the cartoons of Hermie. The illustrations are colorful and sweet, however, and the picutres were cute and fun to look at as we read the story.
Overall, while it is short, it had some depth to it and I felt like it was a beneficial book for my kids. I was provided with a copy of this book by BookSneeze in exchange for my review.

My Review of Highland Sanctuary by Jennifer Hudson Taylor

Highland Sanctuary is my first book to read by Jennifer Taylor, although she has authored other books. For some reason, it felt like the story was a little hard for me to get interested in until about 1/4 of the way through and it seemed to pick up. Also, I realize that the author was writing the dialogue as the characters would have spoken, however, for me personally, I felt that I had to read slower to make sure I was getting the meaning of what they were saying. For example, the characters would say, "ye" instead of "you", or "mither" instead of "mother." I felt that this was somewhat distracting for me, but I think it is more of a personal preference and I appreciate that the author took the time to write the words as they would have been spoken.
Highland Sanctuary is a historical romance set in Scotland. Serena Boyd and her mother, Evelina, live in the Village of Outcasts. Serena suffers from the "falling disease" and her mother seeks to protect her because many people with the falling disease are thought to be witches or demon possessed, which often leads to the fate of being burned at the stake. Therefore, they seek to keep Serena's seizures a secret and live a fairly secluded life.
Gavin MacKenzie comes to restore the Castle of Braigh, where Serena works and is instantly captivated by her. He does not understand why she hesitates in trusting him. She is aware of Gavin's feelings for her, but feels that if he were to know the truth about her seizures that he would think she was evil and would not love her. So she would rather guard her heart and keep him at a distance, even though she loves him as well.
The Village of Outcasts is being attacked by some unknown person. The Village of Outcasts is a group of people who are different from the rest of society, but they love each other and are good people, so they don't know why someone is choosing to harm the people of the village. Gavin MacKenzie and his men are doing their best to find out who is behind the attacks. As the story unfolds, we discover that the Village of Outcasts share a secret as well.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. Despite the slow start and "ye's" that distracted me, I was interested in the story and it had several twists that I did not expect. I would be excited to read more books by Jennifer Hudson Taylor and would definitely suggest this one to the lovers of historical romance and fiction.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review, but was not compensated or obligated to provide a positive review.

My Review of Horse Dreams by Dandi Daley Mackall

My daughter loves everything that has to do with horses. She is a little below the recommended reading age for this series, yet she still loved the book. In my opinion, boys who like horses would enjoy it as well. The chapters are fun and interesting and not overly "girly."
Horse Dreams by Dandi Daley Mackall is part of the Backyard Horses series. Ellie James is crazy about horses. She thinks about them all the time and always imagines seeing them when she should be doing other things (like paying attention in school). Ellies is not trying to get in trouble and is a kind hearted girl, she just has an active imagination. One day, as she sits in class she sees an ugly and dirty horse run through the street. She eagerly tells her teacher and class, but because she is always imagining horses, no one believes her and she gets sent home with a note to her parents. The story plays out in a fun and creative way as we meet the rest of Ellie's family. Her parents are quirky but loving and her brother is deaf and so they communicate with him in sign language. We have taught our children sign language from an early age so that they could communicate with the deaf and so my daughter enjoyed this aspect of the book as well and we would spell many of the words and signs mentioned in the book.
Ellie has simple faith in God and tells him her feelings and desires in a precious way. I really liked how the author showed Ellie praying and having a personal relationship with God for herself. She did a wonderful job illustrating how God cares about us as individuals and cares about our desires no matter how big or small.
Although her parents are conveyed as somewhat goofy, I liked the way that the author portrayed Ellie's relationship with them. The parents included their children and made them feel valuable. For instance, Ellie's dad requests her help in finding a word for a jingle he is writing and Ellie's mom takes her with her to help her look for the horse because she knows Ellie is good with horses. Ellie has a respectful attitude towards her parents and teacher even when she is in trouble. The author did a great job showing how kids can have an enjoyable companionship with their parents and still honor and respect them.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who has children who are interested in horses. It is well written and fun to read while teaching some really good character building lessons. My daughter and I both give it 5 stars.
In my daughter's words:
"You should read this book. It teaches you good things about how to take care of horses. I liked it a lot. I was very happy about it." She wants to read the rest of the books in the series as well.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not obligated to provide a positive review, nor was I compensated for my opinion.

My Review of Spiritual Warfare for Women by Leighann McCoy

Leighann McCoy's book Spiritual Warfare for Women: Winning the Battle for Your Home, Family, and Friends is an encouraging book that will spur you to keep the faith in your spiritual battles. This is my first book to read by this author and while her writing style is not my favorite, I felt that she had some great points in the book. I have to say that I greatly admire her courage in writing this book because not only is she writing from experience, she was in the middle of several battles while she was writing the book. She is very vulnerable about herself and how she deals with what the enemy throws at her.
In the opening chapters, McCoy discusses the love of God and how it enables us to win our spiritual battles. The next section discusses the enemy, who he is and what he does as well as the fact that spritual warfare is real and not a game. Thirdly, she points out the different areas of our lives as women in which the enemy targets us: marriage, children, friendships, health, and church. Lastly, the book covers understanding who we are in Christ, how to defeat our enemy and why we have nothing to fear.
McCoy gives some really good ideas and thoughts in each chapter on how to win your battle and stay focused on keeping our faith focused on handling things God's way. She also gives some really great Scriptures in every chapter to reinforce the truths that she is conveying. There are examples and illustrations in each chapter that will encourage you to stay strong and focused. I personally liked that she wrapped up the book with the chapter on having nothing to fear. Based on David's 5 stones, she gives 5 stones (or reasons) why we have nothing to fear that I felt were especially helpful. At the end of each chapter, she gives a recap of the main point as well as Scriptures to "Sharpen Your Sword." She also gives many great Scriptures to memorize that will help you in winning your spiritual battles.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher, Bethany House, in exchange for my review. I was not obligated to provide a positive opinion nor did I receive compensation for my review.

My Review of Delivery by Diana Prusik

Delivery is a story that spans over the life of Olivia (Livi)and her family. Livi and her family own and work at Wilson's Florist, which serves as the main hub of activity for the book. Most of the characters work there or are customers of the store. I did not read the synopsis of the book before reading it and was, in fact, expecting it to be a love story and it is not. However, I did enjoy reading the book, regardless of this fact.
As a young girl, Livi loses her beloved brother in the war. Before he left for the war, she said things that she regretted and was not able to reconcile with him. She has a lot of guilt as well as anger about losing him. She feels like it was pointless for him to go to war in the first place and that there was no purpose served by his death.  She has never been able to deal with his loss and has turned to alcohol to numb her pain. She is struggling to not become an alcholic but feels dependent on it.
Life does not get any easier for Livi, her marriage is stagnant at best. We see her husband make an effort towards trying to improve there relationship, but the marriage is more of a minor passing point in the book and not a focal point. Livi's mother is fighting the battle with Alzheimer's. As she watches her mother slowly become a different person and the strain that is causes on her father and family, she deals with anger and bitterness. Her relationships with her sisters are strained because Livi does not want to deal with any issues that the family is facing and her sister feels like she bails out when her family needs her. Friends and family keep encouraging her to give up the alcohol and turn to God with her pain, but she is doubtful that a God who has allowed such painful circumstances to occur in her life would be interested in helping her sort out the mess she has made of her life. As the story unfolds and comes to an end, we see Livi come to peace with her life and with her relationship with God.
I felt like it took me a little bit to get into the story, but once I did, I was really pulling for Livi to make it and to be at peace. The passages involving the pain of Alzheimer's were especially well written and touching. I appreciated how the author depicted the relationships of the different community members and how their friendship was instrumental in helping not only Livi, but other people in the story as well.
I have to say that I didn't feel that the end of the book brought complete closure to the story. While we see Livi come to peace with herself and her relationship with God, I still felt like there were loose ends and unanswered questions that I would have like to have seen meet resolution.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review and was not obligated to post a positive opinion.

100 Read and Sing Devotions by Stephen Elkins

I absolutely love this book. The devotionals are perfect, they give kids great topics to think about, without being too deep. One of my children is old enough to read and she loves reading this book. My other kids who cannot read enjoy hearing the stories. We have used this book for our family devotional time several nights and I feel like it is a great resource. There is a wide range of topics and the way the devotionals are written open the door to further conversation with your children regarding what you have read what they have learned. I personally was impressed by the devotionals. They seem like they have a little more substance to them than some of the devotional books for kids at this level. As a parent, it is great to have tools such as this one which give your kids topics to think about and learn about that are new to them and help you teach them about the Word of God each day. The way the devotionals are worded are very easy to understand. One of my favorite devotionals in the book was about Noah and how he found shelter in the ark. It goes on to say that we have an "ark" from the storms of life, such as problems with friends or family. God is our ark and we can depend on Him when we are troubled. I also liked some of the devotionals such as the golden rule and Daniel (emphasising the importance of daily prayer). I felt like there were some really good foundational devotions that taught some great truths. 
Each of the devotionals has a "Word Watch," or memory verse as well as a thought and a short prayer. The Word Watch verses are just the right length for kids to be able to remember. The pictures are colorful and cheerful. My kids really love this book and get really excited about reading it each night.
The CDs that come with the book are full of songs that my kids love. They listen to the CDs frequently during the week. The songs on the CDs reinforce the message of each devotional for the day. Although, I should add that I find the songs to be somewhat monotonous after a while, my kids think they are great and that is what matters. A lot of the songs quote Scripture so it helps the kids to memorize the Bible without even realizing it.
I highly recommend this book to parents with younger kids. It is one I will be using for years to come!
I received a copy of this book from BookSneeze in exchange for my review, but was not compensated in any way, nor was I under obligation to post a positive review.

My Review of 52 Ways to Wow Your Husband by Pam Farrel

52 Ways to Wow Your Husband is a great resource for every wife to have! The book is broken into 52 chapters, one for each week of the year. Each chapter opens with a thought for the week, usually a story or illustration. The chapter then gives a section of WOW Wisdom and tells what the WOW Date is for the week. There are some creative ideas for dates, some going and doing things with your husband and others are ideas of inexpensive activities that you can do at home or for free. This is a Christian book, but it does not come across as preachy. There are Scriptures in some of the chapters, but others just give sound ideas and advice.
As wives, we sometimes need a reminder. A lot of this book is common sense, but things that we just get out of the habit of doing in the business of life and family. Books like this one are so important because they help us to keep our priorities and focus on the ones who are truly important. The authors discuss that we don't know how long we will have our spouse and that we need to make the most of every day, not nagging about insignificant issues that really don't matter in the long run. Staying positive and keeping your home a place of peace, love and laughter is gently stressed throughout the book.
The chapters are very short, which I appreciated. They are direct and to the point, yet still drive home the message of the chapter and why it is important. Wives and moms will appreciate the setup of the book because it is reader friendly for busy women and you can take about 5 minutes a week and read the chapter.  In my opinion, this book is a must have for all wives.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publishser, however I was not obligated to give a positive review.

My Review of Reinventing Leona by Lynne Gentry

First off, I should start by saying that I enjoyed reading this book for the most part. The author has a writing style that is easy to read and the characters were likeable and memorable. The story line and thought behind it were great. Leona Harper has been a pastor's wife for many years when her beloved husband falls dead suddenly in the pulpit one Sunday morning. The book mostly focuses on how Leona has to make changes and adapt to her new role and life without being the wife of a minister. She is barely into the grieving process when the board members begin to put the pressure on her to move on so they can bring in a new (and younger) minister. She of course has friends who support her and are on her side as well as people in the community who assist her as she finds a job to support herself. There is also ongoing delimnas with strained relationships with her mother, who is agnostic, as well as her two children, who are not living for God.
As a minister's wife myself, I have to say that there were some aspects of the book that disappointed me. While I understand that some Christian people are hurtful, it seemed to me that the response of Leona was not what I would have expected from a Christian who had been saved as many years as Leona. Some of her attitudes, while very much human, were not very Christlike overall. I understand that, even as Christians, we have people in our lives who frustrate us or treat us wrongly, but we are to return evil with good and to treat them with love. At times, Leona does this, but it came across to me that she was doing it because it was what was expected of a "good pastor's wife," not because it was what Jesus would do. She seemed very bitter and angry at many of the church people. As the story came to a close, she began to see that the Lord had placed certain members in the congregation in her life to help her, but I would have like to have seen a little more resolution in the story regarding her feelings about the people of the church and ministry in general.
In spite of that thought, I did enjoy the book for the most part. I felt like her children dealt with many things that pastor's children deal with and there were many humerous (and true) aspects of the book depicting life in ministry.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not obligated to provide a positive review.

My Review of The Bone House by Steven Lawhead

The Bone House is the second book in the Bright Empires series. Having read the first book in the series, The Skin Map, I was interested in reading how the story would continue. I would classify this book and series as science fiction. The characters travel between different times and places by using a ley system.
This second book further develops the characters of Kit and Mina, as well as giving us more insight into the side stories of Flinders Petrie, (the man who "is" the skin map) and Archie Burleigh (the "bad guy"). New characters are introduced as well.
All of the characters, good and bad, are on the quest for the skin map that will lead them to a treasure.
The pace of this book is pretty fast and the chapters jump between the current events of several characters. The characters are also ley jumping between times and places. So, I felt like I had to pay pretty close attention to keep up with what was going on. As the book progressed, the characters began to connect with each other more and we saw bits of the mystery begin to be revealed.  Still, there are questions left unanswered that leave us to wonder if they will be found in the third book. After a run in with Burleigh and his men, the book leaves us with Mina taking care of Giles, alliances made with Lady Fayth, and Kit with a tribe in the Stone Age.
I did feel that the author at times rambled on and gave unnecessary information and details that somewhat lost my interest. Science fiction is not my favorite genre of fiction to read, however, I have to say that overall, this series has held my attention for the most part. I can definitely see how fans of science fiction would love this series.

My Review of The New Women's Devotional Bible

If you are looking for a new Bible, then the New Women's Devotional Bible is one that you may want to consider. It is published by Zondervan and is written in the New International Version. Before each book, there is an introduction which gives basic facts and information about the book. There are devotions for each week day and also a devotion for each weekend. The devotions correspond with the Bible reading you and give helpful thoughts and questions that you can reflect on. Also, there are thoughts that correlate with the Scripture passages in small boxes throughout the Bible. For example, Matthew 24:35 God is Eternal. "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."
There are some other helpful resources included as well. There is a subject index as well as reading plan. Additionally, in the preface of the Bible, it gives helpful information about the Bible and how it is sectioned off.
Overall, I think this is a very user friendly Bible with some really great devotionals for your quiet time. I enjoyed that the devotions were not just written by one person, but by many different women, including Anne Graham Lotz, Edith Schaeffer, Priscilla Shirer, Joni Eareckson Tada, Carol Kent and Liz Curtis Higgs to name just a few.
I would highly suggest that you consider this Bible if you are looking for a solid devotional Bible. I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for my review by the publisher via NetGalley. I was not obligated to provide a positive review.

EXPOTV

I get a lot of questions about Expotv and so I thought I would tell you a little about the program and how I use it.
Expotv is a website in which consumers upload videos in which they give their honest opinions about different products. In exchange for a review, you earn points (typically 500-1000). They also have a tryology program in which they send you the product to try in exchange for your review. My husband got a Braun electric shaver and I have gotten several health and beauty items as well as household items. There are also surveys that you can fill out to earn points.

You can redeem your points for a variety of items, but primarily, I have used my points to get gift cards. I have gotten restaurant gift cards as well as Amazon gift cards.  Here are a few of the things that I have done the past few months by using this program.

I was able to fund most of my Christmas shopping last year with my points. I used the points to get Amazon cards and then went shopping!

When we went on vacation for a week this summer, we were able to eat out almost every day with a gift card, which saved us a LOT of money since we are a family of 5. Some of the places we ate were Outback, Macaroni Grill, Cracker Barrell and Olive Garden. So we were able to go to places that were NOT fast food and enjoy nice meals for FREE. We checked ahead to see what restaurants were in the area so that we could get gift cards for those places.

We ate at Carrabba's for our anniversary with a gift card.

I bought my husband a Nintendo Wii with the Sports Resort game package from Amazon.com

I should add that a lot of these events were close together and so I was earning a lot of points quickly to be able to all of these things. So our family has benefitted geatly from Expotv! I have even made my husband sign up so he can earn points too. The great thing is that it is FREE to sign up. I upload several videos a month and it is SO easy to earn points. If you are interested, check them out here Expotv  or copy and paste in your browser www.expotv.com/raf/thepresley.

My Review of It's Your Kid, Not a Gerbil by Dr. Kevin Leman

Let me begin by saying that I am a huge Leman fan. I have read several of his books on marriage and parenting and have found his advice to be practical and balanced. It's Your Kid, Not a Gerbil is no exception.
When most of us picture a gerbil, we think of the furry creature running on the wheel. He runs as fast as he can, but ultimately ends up nowhere. This is the premise for Dr. Leman's book. In the busyness of our world today, not only are we as adults stressed and busy, but our kids are too. Many parents taxi their kids around from one practice to another event every day of the week, leaving little or no time for family togetherness or quality time.
Dr. Leman walks us through some of the reasons that we give for keeping our kids so busy. So many of us have the mindset that if our kids are busy, then they will stay out of trouble. Other parents feel like if their children are going to be successful in life that they need to be involved in a wide range of activities. Some of us are simply competitive and want our child to make us look good.
This book conveys the message that our kids need to have time with us as parents. They need our input into their lives. I loved the point that Dr. Leman made that there is no coach or ballet teacher or even church leader that can take the place of the influence that a parent has over their children. We need to embrace every opportunity to spend not only quality time with our children, but to give them large quantities of our time as well. Our kids need to be in close relationship with us. They need to feel safe in confiding in us; knowing that whatever they face, we will walk with them through the situation.
I especially enjoyed chapters 3 and 4, which discussed the myths that many parents believe, such as:
Quality is better than quantity
Our kids deserve the things we didn't have
Kids should be able to express themselves however they wish
A gifted child is a successful child
and
It's important to be competitive and finish first

I so appreciate the emphasis that in the long run, character is more important than accomplishments. I HIGHLY recommend this book to every parent. It is filled with nuggets of wisdom and advice from a man who truly cares about seeing successful families and well balanced children...who become well balanced adults.
I was provided with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my review by the publisher via Net Galley. I was not obligated to provide a positive opinion, but I am eager to do so!

Beaumont Bargain Bee

Here is the Daily Deal for the Beaumont, Texas area.
$40 Haircut and Highlights

$10 off Yankee Candles!

Here is a coupon for $10 your purchase of $25 or more with Yankee Candle Co.
http://www.yankeecandle.com/assets/email/fall10off25/couponFall10off25.html

Family Talk with Dr. Dobson

Here is a great audio session worth listening to! Handling Money Conflicts within Marriage.
Resolving Money Conflicts Within Marriage

Free E-book

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My Review of Give the Grace by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Jessica Thompson

The premise of this book is to teach us how to parent our children in a grace filled atmosphere. When we correct them, we are not to simply tell them not to do something because it is wrong or to praise them for their good behavior. Instead, when correcting or praising behavior, we should refer to the Bible and teach our children why it is important to behave properly. It is important for us to stress to our children that we are not able to be good on our own and that we have to rely on God for His help in every area of our lives.
I have to say that while the writing style of this book was not my favorite, the book did give me some really good food for thought. I felt that I got some excellent ideas out of the chapters and a different perspective in some areas.
One of the concepts that the authors pointed out that especially stood out to me was that many times, we don't feel that we need to extend "grace" to our children who are naturally more well behaved. The kids who follow the rules and don't tend to cause problems are not the ones that we necessarily think that we need to spend as much time instilling the message of grace into. However, as the authors point out, many times we raise our children to become "little Pharisees" who in essence feel like they are "good enough" on their own and don't need the forgiveness and grace from the Lord as much as our other children who get into trouble more often. The authors note that it is important that we convey the message of God's grace and how it covers our sins to each of our kids, whether they are a "problem child" or a "good child." It is only through the work of the cross that we are saved, not because we are good enough or have done enough good works. Our kids also need to know that there is nothing they can do that the cross did not cover.
I also was encouraged by the points that the authors made that, in the end, the burden of our children's salvation does not rest on our shoulders, but on God's. He created them and loves them far more than we do. At the end of the day, yes, we need to do our best and instill His Word and values into them, but at the same time, we have to acknowledge that they are individuals who will grow up and make their own choices. We can rest in knowledge that just as He was able to bring us into relationship with Him, He is more than able to do the same with our children.
Overall, I felt like I got some really good ideas and philosophies out of this book and I would recommend it to every parent. At the same time, as with any book that I read, I take what works for my family and "spit out the bones." I think the book gives some good guidelines, but obviously, most of us would adapt the conversations that the authors use to convey the points of grace to the children, and would use our own style of communication with our kids.
There are also some really helpful charts that help put the concepts in balance of how much dialogue to have with your child according to the infraction.

CVS Matchups

My Review of Unlocking Your Family Patterns by Carder, Henslin, Cloud and Townsend

Being a big fan of Townsend and Cloud, I was excited to read Unlocking Your Family Patterns. I have to say that I was not disappointed with this book in the least! Teaming up with additional authors Dave Carder and Earl Henslin, this book deals with issues of dysfunctional families head on in a balanced way with a Christ centered approach. While not offering false promises of "quick fixes", the book gives some great steps on the healing journey. I should add here that this book is a tool not only for those who have been in abusive familiy relationships, but for anyone who has had issues with their family relationships, such as a lack of bonding or lack of proper boundaries. I feel like this book sheds so much light on understanding why you are the person that you are and how you can become the person you want to be.
The book begins by discussing families from the Bible that can certainly be classified as dysfunctional: David and Abraham. While these men are seen as great men who were full of faith and love for God, we also see patterns of dysfunction in each of their family trees. We see David's children abuse and murder each other and he never confronts the issues and seems to ignore them! We see Abraham and his family have boundary issues that pass on to the following generations. So dysfunction is certainly nothing new. This first section of the book exposes areas of dysfunction that many people deal with and can relate to.
The book then goes on to discuss contributing factors of dysfunction such as the transmission process and how the cycle continues to the next generation in families, the role of "religious shame", as well as patterns of dysfunction in operation in the local church.
The final section of the book is Learning How To Do It Right When You Learned It Wrong. This section is full of healthy steps you can take in learning to bond, learning to set boundaries, recreating a proper perspective on goodness and badness, and dealing with unfair issues in your life. Again, we do not see an overnight fix all, but the authors outline ways to change your thoughts about yourself and family situations and how to handle proper and healthy confrontations when necessary.
While the authors certainly do not advocate blaming all of your issues and problems on your family, they offer a healthy perspective to help you understand why you handle situations the way you do and why your reactions and responses to situations as an adult stem from your upbringing. Taking responsibility for your actions and learning to be a healthy person despite your hurtful past is the message that I received from this book. There was such a wealth of knowledge and resources contained in these pages. I cannot even begin to share everything learned from this book. Obviously, if you have issues of dysfunction, then this is the book for you. However, even if you feel that you have had a healthy and well rounded upbringing, I would also encourage you to read this book. It gives so much insight to understanding other people and the reasons behind their behavior. Especially if you are in a leadership position, you would find much beneficial information in Unlocking Your Family Patterns.
I would also highly recommend all of the Boundaries books by Cloud and Townsend.
I was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review. I was not obligated to provide a positive review nor was I compensated for my opinion.

My weekend shopping

So this week Kroger had their Dr. Pepper 2 liters priced at .89 each. I had $1 off coupons so I was able to score 12 of them at a PROFIT of .11 cents each! I'll take that deal!!

I also picked up 2 boxes (76 count each) of Pampers diapers at Target this weekend. They were priced at $18 each and I had 2 coupons for $3 off and a store coupon for a $5 Target gift card with purchase of 2 boxes. So after the gift card, I paid $25 for 152 diapers. Not the best deal I have scored but not the worst either.

Then I stopped in at CVS and picked up 5 of the Cokes that they had for .69 each. Even without a coupon, that is a great price. ;-)

Free Sample of Cheerios

Veggie Tales is offering a free DVD!  You can get Veggie Tales’s A Snoodle’s Tale ($14.99 value) for free.  Make sure you are logged in to your account and add the free dvd to your cart.  Then apply coupon code SNOODLE at checkout.   The only thing you pay for is shipping.
This offer is valid until July 14, 2011
http://www.veggietales.com/

My Review of Sticky Faith by Kara Powell and Chap Clark

Sticky Faith is  an excellent resource and a tool that every parent should have in their library. Powell and Clark and certainly done their research well in the topics that they cover in Sticky Faith.
The premise of Sticky Faith is to provide ideas and suggestions of ways that parents and communities can enable their children to become grounded in their Christian faith as they grow into adulthood. The obvious goal is for our children to come to an understanding and have a relationship with Christ for themselves and not simply because it is what their parents practice.
The ideas in this book were excellent. The focus is on not just preaching at your kids or just letting them watch you live your life, but on building strong relationships with them. By creating a safe environment where our kids feel that they can have ongoing conversation and dialogue about what is going on in their lives. Boundaries are clearly set, yet we help our kids have an identity of who they are as a person and who we are as a family.
While family relationships are emphasized as vital to the success of our childen, I really appreciated the concepts presented of having a "sticky web" or a community of people who are also committed to investing in your children and their success. The authors presented some helpful ideas of having a base of several families who you are connected to and together, these families commit to be there for the other families and their children as they walk out life together. At times, our children learn better from others and so I thought that this idea of giving our children trustworthy people that they can go to throughout their life to be essential to our children's development. Also, I appreciated the ideas that they authors gave of how churches can come together and provide our children with ways to be involved and stay connected during their teen and college years.
A lot of emphasis was placed on how to help our kids through their college years. We see that many times, students who seem to be grounded in their faith throughout high school often fall away when they go away to college. In college, they are now responsible for themselves and their own decisions. It is imperative that we assist our children through this phase of their life. Sticky Faith provides many wonderful and helpful ideas to allow us to do this.
I have to say that I was extremely pleased with Sticky Faith and the resources that it provided. The author also included more details about their research in the appendix of the book, which I felt shed more light on their findings. They also list their website for additional information.
I am thankful for the opportunity to review this book for Zondervan. I was not compensated for my review nor was I under obligation to provide a positive review.

Fiber One will be giving away FREE boxes of their 90 Calorie Brownies AND FREE boxes of their cereal every day for the next 6 days on their Facebook page at random times.  Be sure to “like” Fiber One now so you can see when the offers go live!

Blockbuster Express free rental codes available:
Good through 7/8
74JBHS8
75RRAP9
44CMEA9
98MLBJ7
54ZGDB3
93EHJR8
92KBDJ5
24NCRP9
54VHAP6
Good through 7/11
63CMEA3
39MLBJ8
83MDEB2
73ZGDB7
43EHJR5
86KBDJ7
63NCRP2
92VHAP2
 They only work on $1 movies not the hot releases that are $2.99. You may have better luck if you reserve the movie online and use the code. If you do reserve a movie online, you need to pick it up or they will charge you $1.
Also make sure you return this movie tomorrow to avoid late fees!

July 6 and 7 Ulta Salons are offering a free style and blowout. Spaces are limited so I would hurry to call and see if you get in. You will get the salon service free plus a free Sexy Hair Powder Play product.
This isn’t totally free because you need to tip your stylist but a nice way to get your hair looking great for at least a day or two

Snapfish is offering (99) 4×6 prints for just $.99.  You also have to pay shipping.  Your total should be roughly $7 plus a few cents tax.
That is a really excellent deal and now is the time to develop all those photos from the 4th and from Father’s Day!
Just head over to Snapfish and use promo code: JULYPENNY99.
This expires July 8th.

There are some new Gerber Graduates coupons available right now:
Save $1/2 Gerber Graduates Puffs or Lil Crunchies coupon
or Save $1/1 Gerber Graduates Lil Entrees

Buy 2 L’Oreal Preference or Excellence haircolor at $7.94 and get a $5 gift card back.
Use (2) L’Oreal Excellence coupons from 6/26 RP
or Use (2) $2/1 Preference from 6/5 RP
or Use $5/2 from 5/15 RP
and Use (2) $2/1 Target coupon for any L’Oreal haircolor (under beauty)
Pay $6.88 and get back a $5 gift card.
Net price of .94 per item!!

My Habit $25 off $25 purchase!

My Habit
My Habit has a new promo code available to get $25 off a $25 purchase PLUS shipping is free!!
This obviously works out to be a great deal but the bummer is that stuff is selling out like crazy. The best deals are in the kids section so hurry on over to My Habit  to have a look!
Use code: SUMMER25 at checkout.  This code is supposed to be available through 8/1 so if you miss out today I would keep your eye on this site and see if you get a great deal!
There is a limit to one promo code per customer

My Review of A Vision of Lucy by Margaret Brownley

This is my first book to read by Margaret Brownley. A Vision of Lucy is the third book in the Rocky Creek series. Having not read the first two, I have to say that I did not feel that this novel was dependent on the first two to know who the characters were. After reading the afterward by the author, I realized that some of the characters mentioned were from the previous story lines, but the plot of this book was not affected by it.
This book was just an average read for me. I certainly did not hate the book, but it was not my favorite either. It took me longer to become intereseted in the story and I felt like a lot of the plot was somewhat predictable. I had guessed what was going to happen well before it was written. I never felt that I connected with the characters in the story.
There are some really good points made in the book about forgiveness and exposing the truth. There are some funny moments in the book as the main character is somewhat accident prone and trouble seems to follow her.
Lucy Fairbanks is a young lady who is determined to succeed in her artistic profession as a photographer. In a time where women are expected to get married and raise children, this is quite a challenge for her. Her photography endeavors lead her from the top of a tree onto a stagecoach that is being robbed and into the arms of a handsome rescuer. Lucy immediately feels a connection to David, the "wild man" who comes to her rescue on more than one occasion. David is part Indian and part white and feels like he doesn't fit in either world. He is hesitant to bring Lucy into his situation because he feels it is unfair to ask her to be treated the way he is. David is also a man with many secrets. Lucy is unsure if she can completely trust David because she has grown up with a father who has kept secrets from her. Despite these obstacles, their romance begins to blossom anyway.
The author has a pleasant writing style and developed the story line well, but for some reason, there was nothing about the book that really stood out to me.
I was provided with a copy of this book by BookSneeze and was not obligated to provide a positive or negative review.

My Review of the DVD set Is The Bible Reliable? building the historical case

Is The Bible Reliable? This DVD and study guide is an invaluable resource that anyone with a high school or college student should have. This second DVD set in the TRUE U series by Focus on the Family is very well put together and provides the tools that students need for defending their Christian beliefs. This DVD set focuses on buildin the historical case for the Bible and has 2 disc with 5 episodes each (10 total). The topics discussed are:
1. The Patriarchal Narratives and Documentary Hypothesis
2. The Exodus
3. The Israelite Conquest
4. The United Kingdom of David and Solomon
5. Historicity of the Old Testament
6. The Babylonian Conquest of Judah
7. Canons of Historicity: The New Testament
8. Early Composition of Luke and Acts
9. External Corraboration
10. The Trial of Jesus
The episodes are filmed in a classroom style setting with a professor and several students. Each topic discussed focuses on showing historical and archaelogical evidence that the accounts in the Bible are true. I truly found these episodes to be fascinating. The items found in the excavations of the cities that the Israelites conquered gave extra-Biblical evidence that confirms many of the stories contained in the Bible. What I really like about this series is that the explanations given to give the Bible reliability are from sources outside of the Bible, such as historians and archaeologists.
Even such small details as name popularity and writing styles give proof to the accurate timeline depicted in the Bible. The excavations of the ancient Biblical cities have uncovered pottery, coins,and other items that were accurate to the time period, as well as external writings on tablets and  cylinders that tell the same stories that are recorded in the Bible. All of these give evidence to the fact that the Bible is accurate and reliable.
We actually have been using this DVD with our high school students for our summer Bible study and they have really gotten a lot of valuable information out of it. I am so thanful to be able to equip our student with the tools to help them defend their faith. In a generation when so many of our young people are in need of resources to be able to not only say what they believe, but why they believe that way, this DVD will equip them in one more way to be able to give an answer to those who ask.
I highly recommend this DVD set. The study guide that comes with it allows the students to fill in the blank as they watch the series and has addition study helps in it as well.
I was provided with a copy of this DVD set by Tyndale House Publishers, but was under no obligation to give a positive review.

My Review of An Unlikely Suitor by Nancy Moser

An Unlikely Suitor was my first book to read by Nancy Moser and I must say that I really enjoyed it. The book tells the story of an unlikely friendship between Italian seamstress, Lucy and one of her wealthy clients, Rowena. When she was younger, Rowena suffered a leg injury and now walks with a limp. Rowena's parents have arranged for her to become engaged to Edward, an eligible suitor who will further their family business.
As Rowena and her family depart for Newport for the season, Rowena misses her friend and arranges for Lucy, and later her mother and sister, Sophia to come to Newport as well.
As Rowena tries to deepen her reltaionship with Edward, she begins to question if she is really doing the right thing to marry him as a business arrangement when there is someone else that she truly loves. Lucy is rescued by a man who is not of her social class, yet love begins to grow between them. Young Sophia also find a special friendship, yet is surrounded by questions from the beginning of how their relationship can ever work out as they are so young and from different social standings as well.
The story is told from the viewpoints of Rowena, Lucy and Sophia and how each of them feels as the story is brought to resolution. I especially liked the viewpoint of Sophia and how she matured from selfish to more thoughtful as the story progressed. I felt that the book gave the reader a lot to think about regarding the marriages of that time period for the upper class. The attention to historical detail was evident and made the story even more engaging.
I also appreciated the appendex at the end of the book that gave chapter by chapter details about historical items, places and facts that were mentioned. I am excited to further research some of the historical items that she wrote of.
After reading this book, I have already purchased another of Nancy Moser's books to read on my Kindle. If you are a fan of historical fiction and an enchanting love story, then this is the book for you!
I was provided with a copy of this book by Bethany House publishers but was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

My Review of Spring for Susannah

Spring for Susannah by Catherine Richmond is the story of Susannah, who travels to Dakota territory to marry the brother of her minister. She has never met her future husband, but has agreed to marry him based on the recommendation of her pastor and his wife since she hold them both in high regard. When she meets Jesse, her husband whom she had married by proxy before she left, she discovers him to be nothing like his brother.
After Susannah gets used to Jesse's less than polished behavior, she comes to love him. He says that he loves her, but Susannah is so afraid that her failures as a wife will cause Jesse to send her back home. Having been brought up in a home where she was not treasured or shown affection, she cannot understand why Jesse would care for her.
As Susannah and Jesse grow in their relationship with each other, tragedy strikes and Jesse chooses to leave in order to save all they have worked for. He promises to return, leaving Susannah to wait for him on the homestead. As the months roll by, Susannah is forced to answer questions about the reality looks like. Will she choose to wait for Jesse? Will he keep his promise to return?
This story was such a beautiful tale of the journey of the people growing in their love for each other and discovering more about their relationship with Christ in the process. While deeply passionate, the author kept the book appropriate and tasteful, while still conveying the progression of the relationship between Jesse and Susannah.
The author also does an excellent job of describing the lifestyle of the homesteaders following the war, as well as the variety of people that were settled there. The historical fiction lovers will enjoy this book and I highly recommend it!
I so enjoyed reading this book and am eager to read other books by this author. I was provided with a complimentary copy of the book by the publisher in exchange for my review, however, the opinions stated are completely mine and I was not obligated to give a positive review.

My Review of The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead

The Skin Map by Stephen Lawhead is a fantasy novel in which we meet several characters, centering around Kit and his girlfriend Wilhemina, who travel through time. One day, Kit, who is in modern day London, meets a mysterious old man who claims to be his great grandfather who travels throughout time. Kit is skeptical until his grandfather shows him that he is telling the truth. Upon his arrival back to current day London, he proceeds to his girlfriend's house to discover that he is several hours late. When Wilhemina is upset with him, he tries to explain and, of course, Wilhemina does not believe his outrageous tale. Kit then offers to show her what happened to him.
When Kit and Wilhemina arrive at the ley and make the jump through time, they become separated. Kit lands in the time period with his great grandfather tells what has happened and the search for Wilhemina begins. She could be in any number of ley intersections and the future of the time period that she is in can be altered.
The leys through which the time travel is made possible is extremely complicated and dangerous, thus constituting the need for a map. Because of the importance of the map, one of the travellers tattooed the map onto his chest to prevent it from ever being lost.
As each of the characters travels to the different time periods, choices are made that can alter the history of the universe, therefore, chaos can ensue.
Of course, there is evil to conquer as there are some in the search of the skin map who have plans to use it for their own good.
I have to say that I was disappointed when I finished the book because I felt like I had not fully understood why the story ended the way that it did. There were no conclusions written and all of the characters were left with their situations not resolved. Then, I discovered that this book is the first in a series. So I am anxious to read the remaining two books. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys science fiction or fantasy reading.
I was provided with a copy of this book by Book Sneeze in exchange for my review.

My Review of Beyond All Measure by Dorothy Love

Beyond All Measure by Dorothy Love is one of those stories that easily sweeps you away into its pages. Lovely Ada Wentworth has left her home in Boston to become a companion for an elderly lady in Tennessee. When Ada arrives in Hickory Ridge, the situation that meets her is not what she had been told. The job that awaits her requires more than she was told, many of the people of Hickory Ridge are not accepting of her because she is a Yankee, and her plans to start a hat making business seem destined to be squelched by her employer's nephew, Wyatt. Despite the intial clash between Ada and Wyatt, the spark between them is undeniable and love soon blossoms. However, Ada is hesitant to allow herself to love and trust another man because she feels betrayed by her father and her former fiance who broke their engagement. Ada also finds herself at odds with members of the Klan because of her determination to help Sophie, a young girl who she has befriended who is of mixed race. Will Ada do the right thing and continue to help Sophie, in spite of threats against her? Will Sophie allow herself to trust the man she loves?
Dorothy Love has written a beautiful story that captures your heart from the beginning chapter and holds your attention until the last page. The variety of characters were interesting and well developed. The attitudes and prejudices of the time period were defined and gave the reader food for thought. I greatly enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading a classic love story. While this is a Christian fictional novel, the Biblical themes were woven into the story, but did not come across as "preachy".
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book by BookSneeze in exchange for my review.

My Review of The Book that Made Your World by Vishal Mangalwadi

The Book That Made Your World by Vishal Mangalwadi explores how the Bible is the primary influence of Western civilization today. The author is very well spoken and his attention to research and documentation is very evident. Vishal Mangalwadi is from India and so his perspective is unique and I was appreciative of his insight of other cultures and his observation of the American culture as one who is not native to the USA.
This thought provoking book coves a wide range of issues. The author compares and contrasts different cultures around the world and how their cultures are affected by their use (or lack of) Bible principles. He also compares and contrasts different religions with Christianity and how the people in each religion are affected by the practice of the guidelines set by each religion.
Among the issues that Mangalwadi discusses are the following topics:
Education
Literature
Technology
Science
Literature
Morality
Family
Wealth
Liberty

Mangalwadi discusses each topic in a chapter and clearly shows how the Bible has been a positive impact and driving force for the good of each of these areas. He gave clear historical evidence of how the use of Biblical standards of morality have opened doors for the advancement of society, including all of the the above listed topics as well as others.
While I highly recommend this book, I must say that this is not a quick and easy read. The author gives the reader a lot to think about and for me, I had to read it slower than I read most books because I felt like I wanted to think about what he was saying more in depth than most books that I read. I feel that this book is a must read for everyone, Christian and non Christian alike.
I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for my review by Book Sneeze.

Getting More Coupon Ideas

How Do I Get a Coupon Stash?My experience has been that once you start looking for coupons, they are really easy to find!! Here are a few ways that I get mine.
Sunday newspaper
Online sites (coupons.com)
Electronic coupons (shortcuts.com, cellfire.com, Kroger.com)
Ordering from websites (The Coupon Clippers, Coupons N Things)
Looking inside or on boxes of products I have purchased
Blinkie machines
Joining product and restaurant websites email lists (They send you coupons and links, email and regular mail) (vocalpoint.com)
Call or email companies and ask for them
Checking my blogs (they always post links)
Magazines (All You is a great one! This month’s issue had about $50 worth)
Ebay
Catalinas
Electronic coupons (shortcuts.com and cellfire.com) also Kroger has some on their site
Swapping with friends
Coupon trains

Coupon OrganizationThere are several different ways to organize your coupons. I have tried a couple. I have used the method used by coupon mom, which is where the site tells you what is on sale and what coupons are in each flyer from the newspaper. You don’t clip coupons. You write the date on the coupon flyer and then you reference the site to see which coupons match up with what is on sale. This method was a great starting method for me and it helped train me how to work the coupon system with my stores. I still use the site some.
I outgrew that method because I had many more coupons than just my Sunday coupons, so I was not able to use the system as effectively. Currently, I am using a card box with my coupons clipped and organized by category. The card box is small enough to carry with me into the store and I am able to get to the coupons that I need quickly if I find additional items on sale.
However, I am told that this method is yet another stepping stone and that I will soon outgrow it as well and have to step up to another method. J This link gives several ideas of organizational methods.

http://moneysavingmom.typepad.com/money_saving_mom/2008/03/organizational.html

Getting Paid to Shop at CVS and Walgreens

I get a lot of questions about how I save so much money with CVS. So here is the scoop on how the system works. The following links explain it in detail. But I will give you an overview of how I use it.


Basically, the store offers Extra Care Bucks (ECB’s) on certain items each week. ECB’s are store credit. So you buy items that generate ECB’s and then use the ECB’s to purchase items the next visit that will generate MORE ECB’s and the process continues. Once you start the process, you just continue to buy items with your ECB’s and when combined with strategically chosen coupons, you save money. I very rarely spend more than $5 out of pocket at CVS. Most of the time, after the ECB’s that I make on my shopping trip, CVS had more or less paid me to shop there.

SOY JOY BAR Example
Buy 4 Soy Joy Bars, get 4 ECB’s (limit 5) This means I can get 20 bars
I had 3 BOGO coupons and 15 ECB’s.
My out of pocket expense was $2 and they paid me $20 in ECB’s.
So I made a profit of $18 in store credit.
CVS accepts coupons at face value, however you can “stack” the coupons on a single item, like I explained earlier. When I spoke with the manager, she said that they don’t have a coupon on the amount of coupons that you use in your visit. They do reserve the right to limit you, however, the sale itself will usually set a limit on how many deals you can take advantage of to get the ECB’s, even if you still use coupons for items that are not on sale.
Obviously, the first time that you shop at CVS, you will not have any ECB’s to get items for free, so you will have to spend some money out of pocket. However, once you start the process, it works very well.
They also have a green bag tag that you can keep and scan each time you shop there for using a bag you bring from home. Every 4^th visit, you get 1 ECB.
You can also join the CVS advisory panel and they will reward you with ECB’s for providing input for them.

WalgreensAlthough, I don’t use the Walgreens system, it pretty much works the same way. The link explains their system.



I should add here that stores are not losing money when you use coupons. The manufacturer reimburses them for the coupons. The managers at Kroger and CVS both said that they encourage customers to bring their coupons.http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/01/walgreens-101.htmlhttp://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/03/qa-making-cvs-w.htmlhttp://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/03/cvs-101.html

Tips and Tricks

Tip #1
Buy what you need, BEFORE you need it. The key to saving money with coupons is to buy the items you need from the store when they are on sale and you have coupons for the item. Most stores have rotate the items that they have on sale on a 6-8 week rotation, meaning that the item will be on sale every 6-8 weeks.
So, when you get your coupons, don’t use them immediately just because you have them. Watch your sale ads and see when it goes on sale.

Tip #2
Shop the stores with the best coupon policy.
NOTE: I have found it helpful to focus on only 2 stores. If you shop every grocery store in town, then you are taking a lot of time and will be stressed out with no energy by the time you finish. If you have time to shop each store, then you will most definitely get the best deals, but most of us do not have a lifestyle that accommodates that much shopping.
There are other good deals available at other stores, but your time is also valuable. I do look at other store ads to see if there is a SUPER deal (such as low cost meat) and will make an extra stop for items such as that, but as a general rule, I limit my shopping to those 2 stores. You may enjoy shopping at other stores, but these are the stores that I have had the most success with.
Obviously, I keep an eye out for great sales at the mall for holiday and birthday gifts as well. I have had great success at JC Penney and Kohl’s with their sales and newspaper coupons.

Tip #3
Use more than 1 coupon on the same item
EXAMPLES:
1. You can use a manufacturer coupon AND a store coupon on the same item.
2. Load electronic coupons on your Kroger card. You can go to shortcuts.com or cellfire.com and load electronic coupons on your card. These e-coupons will deduct on top of any coupons used for the same item that you bring to the store with you. If there is more than one e-coupon for the same item on the different sites, my understanding is that Kroger will take 2 of them in addition to your paper coupons.
3. BOGO: When you have a BOGO coupon, most of the time you can use additional coupons with the item. The store reads the BOGO coupon and deducts the price of the second item because it sees that you purchased two items. You can then use additional $off coupons for one or both of the items. Many times the store computer calculates the BOGO coupon separately, enabling you to use a coupon per item in addition to the BOGO.
Using this method, a couple of weeks ago, I bought 2 Steamfresh Meals for Two, priced at $5.49. I had a BOGO coupon and then two $1.50/1 coupons. So I got both of the Steamfresh Meals for $2.49. This deal could have been better if the store had also had the item on sale BOGO. J
This week, there was a special on Tide for $5.88. I had a BOGO, plus a $3/1 and a .35 (tripled to $1.05) so I was able to get to full size bottles of Tide for $1.89!!!
*Also, be on the look out when you are the store for items that have a coupon sticker on them. A lot of times, the store will accept the sticker coupon in addition to the coupon you already brought with you. I was able to get some Nestle Toll House cookies very cheap this way.

Tip #4
Check the clearance bins.
You never know when you will find an item in the clearance bin that you have a coupon for!

Tip #5
Stock up!
When you find the items you need on sale and can match them up with your coupons....build your stash!!

Tip #6
Go for the younger checkers.
In saying that, I am always nice to the store employees. If there is a coupon that they refuse to take, for whatever reason, I don’t argue with them. I shop there all the time and I don’t want to get the reputation as the mean lady with all the coupons who holds up the line. I also try to shop at a time when the store is not as busy and if I can, I will let other customers go in front of me so they are not frustrated by how long I take. Most of the time, the customers behind me are very nice and are impressed by how much money I saved.This is kind of sneaky, but my experience has been, as has also been indicated on many blogs that I have read, that if when you check out you go to a teenage (preferably male) checker, they are not as likely to question you about your coupons. They usually just scan them so you will hurry up and be out of their line. Also, I make an effort to go to the same checker every time I visit the store. He know that I am honest and am not trying to scam the store by using expired coupons. By making an effort to have a friendly relationship with the checkers, they are less likely to hassle you and most of the time will go the extra mile to make the coupon work if there is a problem. When you find a great deal, stock up on it! If you need to do separate transactions according to the store’s coupon policy, then do it. Take advantage of the sales. We have done this many times with our local Market Basket when they put their chicken on sale for .30/lb. or less. Brad and I will both go so that we can get double the limit.I get almost all of my meat at Kroger from the discount section and save 50%-75% routinely. I have also found good deals in the clearance bins that I have had coupons for, so I always make sure that I take all of my coupons with me to the store.. Depending on the store’s coupon policy, many times you will be able to use more than one coupon on the same item. I call this “stacking.”

Stacking at Target

If you are a fan of stacking coupons, Target is  great store to watch for deals. For example, last week, I stacked coupons when I got diapers and wipes.

Pampers Diapers (large box) $19.99
Pampers Wipes (large box) $11.99
Target coupon $5.00 off diapers and wipes
Manufacturer Coupon $3.00 off diapers
Manufacturer Coupon $1.00 off wipes

Total Paid: $22.98

If you are able to stack this with a gift card promotion, they run these all the time, then you will be able to save even more!

My Review of My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren

My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren is the story of Issy Presley, the daughter of a small town football coach. Her father was beloved by the school he coached and by the town. In a terrible accident, Issy has lost her mother and suffers from PTSD while her father is in an assisted living facility from the injuries he received in the accident. Issy has not left her home to speak of since her mother's funeral. But while she is in her home, she moonlights as Miss Foolish Heart, a radio host that gives advice on love and dating...which is somewhat ironic since she has never been on a date herself.
Next door, Caleb Knight has moved in. Caleb has lost one of his legs when he was in the military, but does not want the town to know just yet. As Caleb sets out to prove himself to the school and to make the lovely town of Deep Haven his home, he notices the girl next door, Issy. Something about her captivates him and he can't seem to figure out why he can't get her to even want to be his friend. So who does he call? He calls Miss Foolish Heart. And the story grows from there...
This story was so fun to read. At times, I felt so sad for Issy as she tried to cope with her pain and overcome her anxiety. She so wishes to be the girl that she was before the accident. The author does an excellent job introducing us to her characters and helping us understand their inner battles. I also enjoyed the banter between Issy and her close friend, as well as the side story line of the other minor characters in the story.
This was my first book to read by Susan May Warren and I don't plan on it being my last! The plot was well developed and I enjoyed it cover to cover! I would happily suggest this book to anyone who enjoys a modern day love story about imperfect people in an imperfect world.
I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for my review by Tyndale Publishers. I was not obligated to provide a positive review.

My Review of Save Your Marriage in Five Minutes a Day

Save Your Marriage in Five Minutes a Day by Bonnie Jacobson and Alexia Paul is a book that offers "simple strategies to transform your relationship." I have to say that I was disappointed with this book as a whole. When I received it for review, I was looking forward to reading it and seeing what ideas were offered. Sadly, I felt like the book was lacking in depth and was somewhat unrealistic. It seemed to me that while the concepts of the "Say This" sections of the book were well meaning, it seemed that the way it was worded was how you would speak to your child, not your spouse. While I get the idea of approaching your spouse without blaming or accusing, I think you can obviously adopt your own way of speaking to the concept and have a conversation with your spouse that is non threatening.
Additionally, there were suggestions in the book that went against my personal beliefs. In one of the early chapters, a marriage is described in which the wife has affair. She, of course, later regrets the affair, however, she feels that she learned from it. In my opinion, it seemed that the affair was excusable, even though she regretted it, because she had learned from it. I also disagreed with the idea of viewing pornography together with your spouse. I don't feel that this is ever acceptable.
That being said, I did feel that there were some positive ideas in the book. The author gives some practical ideas of ways to communicate love to your spouse. There are many illustrations in the book of how couples have put the strategies to work and have seen success from them. The book is broken into helpful sections and addresses issues such as communication, children, physical and sexual relationships. I am not saying that every idea and suggestion in the book was a waste, I just didn't feel that there were any earth shattering revelations that we haven't all heard on any afternoon talk show. But admittedly, there were some practical thoughts. Having read many books on marriage and family, this one would not be at the top of my list. I would suggest anything by Dr. Kevin Leman or Dr. James Dobson. Overall, this book was not my favorite or one that I would ever suggest to anyone.
I was provided with a copy of this book from Book Sneeze in exchange for my review. I was not required to submit a positive review.

My Review of Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock

Promises to Keep by Ann Tatlock is the story of a mother who has taken her three children to flee from her abusive and alcoholic husband. The story is told by the middle daughter, Roz. After settling into their new home, they arrive home one day to discover an elderly woman sitting and reading a newspaper on their porch. Tillie Monroe and her beloved husband, who recently deceased, built the home and raised their family in it. Tillie's last wish is to die in her home. So, through a series of events, Tillie is allowed to return to her home and live with the Anthony family and is a tremendous God send to them. As Tillie cares for the Anthony children while their mother works, she slowly begins to become a part of their family as she teaches them lessons about life and God.
Soon after Tille moves in, Roz's older brother, Wally, who was beginning to head down a hard road, decides to leave for the military. His mother is heart broken at his departure and Tillie helps her walk through the process of overcoming her grief, having watched her own sons go off to war during her earlier years.
After starting school, Roz meets Mara Nightingale. They soon become best friends and begin to share secrets that are deep in their heart. As the girls discover, some secrets are dangerous and should not be kept. And sometimes what believe to be the desire of heart is nothing more than a fairy tale.
This book kept me interested until the very end. Tatlock does an excellent job of telling the story from the child's perspective and capturing the thought process of a young girl who wants nothing more than her family to be together and happy. In the end, Roz discovers that sometimes you can have family that was not given to you by birth, but that God sends just when you need them.
The drama and suspense of this Christian fiction book are extremely well written. The characters are well developed and very interesting to read about. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a light suspense story. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for my review.

My Review of A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell

A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell is the story of three girls who work together in a dress shop in Boston during the early 1900's. Each young lady has a unique story and yet the common thread among them is that they are Italian. Julietta is passionate and yearns for excitement and fiery romance and is drawn into a dangerous relationship while the one who truly loves her waits in the background. Annamaria has been brought up knowing that her lot in life will be to care for her parents and siblings until the death of her parents. With this knowledge, she feels that she is trapped in a life in which she has no say so about what her future will be. However, when a kind young man from the "wrong" family shows interest in her, she yearns to follow her heart instead of the traditions of her family. Luciana carries a dangerous secret and grieves for the loss of the life she left behind. Will she ever find peace and happiness again?
I have to say that I loved reading this book. The author is obviously attentive to researching the period of history in which the book was set. The characters were unique and I felt like I had a view of what life would be like as an Italian immigrant during the early 1900's. The personalities and story line of each character were thoroughly developed and I was immersed in the story until the last page.
This is the second book that I have read by Siri Mitchell and I am anxious to read all of her other books. She has a beautiful writing style and creates intriguing characters and story lines. I highly recommend this book. I was provided with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

My Review of The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews is the story of the last traveler, David Ponder, who is assigned to lead a summit of all the travelers to find the principle that will save humanity. I so enjoyed reading about the historical figures that were brought into the story and how the author described them. He meets with George Washington Carver, Winston Churchill, Eric Erickson, Joan of Arc, Abraham Lincoln, as well as others. I even researched some of the characters after I finished the book and found out about history I had not known. Each historical character brings a nugget of wisdom to the table and as they combine their wisdom, the puzzle pieces are put together to discover the principle that was save humanity. As each idea is discussed as to what the principle could be, the characters teach some valuable life lessons to the reader.
The Final Summit is a follow up to The Traveler's Gift and the "Five Decisions" are discussed in this book as well. As the travelers search for the principle, they are in a race against time as they watch the sands from the hour glass fall. I felt as if I needed to read the book quickly to beat the hour glass!
The Final Summit was inspiring and challenging at the same time. I loved reading this book and highly endorse it to everyone interested! I also think this would be excellent reading for high school and college students. I was provided a copy of this book from Book Sneeze in exchange for my review.

My Review of The Lightkeeper's Ball by Colleen Coble

I had not read any books by Colleen Coble, but now I intend to read more! The Lightkeeper's Ball kept me interested until the very last page. The author has a beautiful writing style. The historical time setting for the story was described very well and it was obvious that the author had researched the era in depth.
There is romance, suspense. and mystery in this story of Olivia Stewart, part of the elite society, who wants so much more than to simple be a "bauble" on the arm of an eligible man, she wants her life to have meaning and purpose. When news arrives that her sister has drowned, Olivia sets out to Mercy Falls to find out who could have murdered her. Under an assumed name in Mercy Falls, Oliva meets Harrison Bennett, her sister's former fiance and her primary suspect in the murder. Harrison is not excited about the prospect of an arranged marriage and longs to marry for love and not for money. He is weary of the polite society females who only seem interested in balls and fashion. He has a spirit of adventure and longs for an intelligent companion. As Harrison and Olivia get to know each other better, they each begin to see that the other is not who they originally thought, and that there is more to them than what appeared on the surface. As the story unfolds, there are many twists and turns that kept me guessing right up to the end.
The Lightkeeper's Ball is actually the third book in the Mercy Falls series, but it stood alone from the previous ones and didn't seem to need to reference the previous plots. I plan to read the first two now as well.
If you are someone who enjoys a classic romance, lively suspense and page turning mystery, then I would most certainly reccommend this book to you!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Book Sneeze, however, I was not obligated to give a positive review.

My Review of Transforming Prayer by Daniel Henderson

I cannot even begin to say how much I learned from this book! Transforming Prayer by Daniel Henderson is like a breath of fresh air. The book is very well written and easy to read. Henderson speaks in every day language and shares many examples and gives stories and testimonials of others who have embraced the worship based style of prayer. The purpose of this book is to help you to overcome common barriers to praying effectively, awaken your prayer life wih simple, biblical patterns of prayer, and to enjoy Spirit led praye sparked by Scripture passages. The author is honest about how so many times we feel like we are simply praying because we feel like we are doing our Christian duty or because we feel guilty if we don't, however, most of the time, our prayer times feel like they are boring and ineffective. Rather than presenting God with our long list of needs, requests, and wants, worship based prayer focuses on giving God honor and reverence while placing us in a place of humility as we focus on who He is and what His character is.
Each chapter has a testimonial of an individual who was changed by beginning to practice worship based prayer. There are several appendex at the end of the book which were very helpful, which include: The Privileges,Possibilities and Provision Related to Prayer; Face to Face Biblical Encounters with God; How Jesus Prayed; Paul's Prayer Requests; and The Bible and God's Glory as well as chapter by chapter questions and application and discussion. Henderson thoroughly explains the reasons why worship based prayer is biblical and effective. He then gives detailed, point by point directions on how participate in worship based prayer.
As I read this book, I was so humbled by the fact that we have the honor and privilege to come before the Creator of the universe in prayer. As great and powerful as He is, He is eager to hear from us and to have a close relationship with us. I have no doubt that anyone who reads this book and puts its contents into practice will see a dramatic difference in their prayer life. I eagerly recommend this book to everyone.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book by Bethany House Publishers and was under no obligation to submit a positive review.

My Review of Couples Who Pray by Squire Rushnell

I was eager to read Couples Who Pray by Squire Rushell and Louise DuArt. Having read several books on prayer prior to this one, I thought that the title presented a different perspective on prayer than those I have read in the past. In my opinion, this book is a great foundational book for couples who desire to go to the next level in their relationship with God and with each other. There are many examples throughout the book of how prayer made a difference in a variety of situations when couples began to pray with each other and for each other. Practical implications of how your marriage will be improved is shown and as a reader I was encouraged and challenged to deepen my prayer life as an individual and with my spouse.
I will say, however, if you are looking for a book that gives in depth, step by step instructions on how to pray and what to pray about, then this is not likely to be the book for you. At the same time, the book did not offer that claim and I felt that I gleaned what I expected from the title. Couples Who Pray serves as more of an encouragement to simply take the step to begin praying together and outlines the reasons why. I would encourage readers who are looking for reasons to pray with their spouse to pick up this book. It is easy to read and offers great examples and Scriptures to confirm the information shared. There are a couple of appendexes at the end of the book which offer surveys for the husband and wife to take at the beginning and the end of the 40 day challenge, as well as a list of encouraging Scripture verses for a variety of categories. Overall, I felt like I was challenged by reading this book and feel that it is certainly worth recommeding to others. I received a copy of this book from Book Sneeze in exchange for my review, but was not obligated to offer a positive opinion.

My Review of Regret Free Parenting by Catherine Hickem

Regret Free Parenting by Catherine Hickem was such an encouraging book. It is honestly one of the best parenting books I have read in a long time. I'm sure that I, like most moms, worry if the principles that I am teaching my children are taking root in their heart and not just their head. In this book, Hickem focuses on 7 principles that mothers should focus on as we parent our children (understanding your purpose, knowing and affirming your child, keeping vision, developing emotional intelligence, maintaining your parent position, addressing your fears, and being dependent on God.) The book focuses on an overall game plan and vision that mothers should maintain, looking past the every day moments and situations we deal with and keeping the long term goal of parenting in sight. I love that Hickem doesn't paint a picture of a "Leave It To Beaver" type of home, but she does illustrate that even in trying and difficult situations, we can be a successful parent. While not advocating that parents should be their children's "friend" instead of their parent, there is very much an emphasis on knowing and understanding your children and developing a strong relationship with them. Regret free does not mean mistake free, but even with our mistakes, we can raise our kids to be healthy adults with proper boundaries. All of the principles in this book were very attainable and doable. I left the book encoraged and with the determination to use these guidelines in my parenting. I plan to read this book again with my pen in hand. There were so many thoughts that were profound that I want to make sure I didn't miss anything. I will be suggesting this book to other moms (and dad's). I think it is a resource that every parent should own. I was given a copy of this book by BookSneeze but was not obligated to provide a positive review.