360 life: Blog Tour & Review

360-degree Life by Billy Joe Daugherty

FROM THE PUBLISHER: explores how ordinary people, caught in the midst of difficult, dark, and seemingly impossible situations experience life-altering events as a result of simple faith. As you learn to see yourself as God sees you--as His child, loved by Him and deserving of the great plan He has for your life, you can finally break free from fear, doubt, rejection, and other roadblocks.

While this was a pleasant read, it wasn't anything that really stood out to me.  It seemed to me to be a cheerleader style book, complete with lots!  of!  explanation points!!    While the  overall message was good,  I found myself annoyed with the chirpy-happy tone of the book.  

Daugherty sprinkles his writings with Scripture references and many short stories of real life people who have experienced God's power in their lives.  For me, those were the best parts of the book-- it's always inspiring to hear the real-life stories rather than just theories.

You can download the first chapter of 360 Life HERE and check it out for yourself.

My copy of this book was provided by WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
in exchange for my honest review as a part of the book's blog tour this week.

This post contains sponsored reviews or affiliate links.  You can read my review policy here.

WFMW: free Blackberry apps

I. love. my. BlackBerry. I admit that I am one of those people... you know, the ones that have the Blackberry attached to them 24/7. I recently saw Jerry Seinfeld do a bit on a talk show, and he was talking about how people carry a Blackberry in their hands at all times, as though the BlackBerry itself demands to be out where it can see things. I laughed so hard that I cried... and yes, I saw myself in what he was saying. You just have to watch the video, it's hilarious:

I have an older model BlackBerry... the kind I could get for free the last time it was time to upgrade our phones.  Of course I'd love to have the newest edition, but really, this one works really well for me.  That is partially due to the wide variety of free apps that are available. 

Here are some of my favorite FREE apps:

• Google Mobile: Thanks to Google Sync, when I recently had to replace my BlackBerry (free, under warrenty, thank goodness)  I did not lose my address book- all my contacts were all saved in Google Contacts. I also sync my Google calendars (work, home, kids schedules) to my BlackBerry. And, since I use Google Reader on my computer, I can also use it on the mobile app... meaning that I can always read blogs from my phone.
• Slacker radio: This free app allows you access to all kinds of music. You can choose from their stations- I've had fun recently listening to some music from my high school days. You can also use Slacker on your computer with a free account.   And... I'm pretty sure Slacker radio and a $5 pair of headphones saved my sanity during my hospital stay last month!
• Twitter: Now that I'm using Twitter a lot more, putting it on my phone was a natural step. I know there are a lot of Twitter apps out there, but this one from Twitter itself is simple to use and works exactly like the site does. I have it set to notify me audibly if I receive a direct message or a mention.
• Facebook: I use this one daily to check in on my friends' status messages.
• Ka-glom: This free tetris-style game is entertaining enough for me, yet easy enough for my kids to play. It's helped pass the time several times when we've been stuck in waiting rooms.
• MemoPad:  Ok, this one actually came pre-loaded on the phone.  It allows me to keep running lists on anything-- I have one for books I want to read, blog post ideas, a running grocery list, and more. 

Free apps to make my BlackBerry even more functional definitely work for me.  Check out more Works for Me Wednesday tips HERE.... and be sure to let me know if you know of a great app that I've missed!

This post may contain was not sponsored in any way but may contain affiliate links. You can read my policy here. I always provide my honest opinions.

Back To Life

This is the song that's stuck in my head this morning- "Back to Life".  That's my day in a nutshell.... today I return to work after six weeks off (following my surgery).  

This post may contain sponsored reviews or affiliate links. You can read my policy here. I always provide my honest opinions.

Menu Plan Monday

This week promises to be very hectic as we all adjust to me returning to work (part time) after being off for the last six weeks.  Throw in softball practices,  doctor's appointments, hair cuts, and whatever else comes up... weeks like these are when menu planning is really a sanity-saver!

• MONDAY:  new recipe: Braised Pork Medallions with Apples, scalloped apples, steamed broccoli
• TUESDAY: Pammy's Crockpot Chicken, pasta, steamed California blend veggies
• WEDNESDAY: french toast, bacon, fresh fruit
• THURSDAY: new recipe: Mexican Style Shredded Flank Steak on tortillas with veggies
• FRIDAY: lasagna (from freezer), garlic bread, salad
• SATURDAY:  homemade pizza, new recipe: Pizza Hut Style Breadsticks, salad

Check out more menus and share your own at Menu Plan Monday!

Look what I won!

If you participated in the Ultimate Blog Party this month, then you know there were tons of blogs to visit and giveaways to enter.   I was blessed to win this prize from Simply Serve, and it couldn't be more perfect, as my kids have really been wanting one of these Topsy Turvy tomato planters.  (My kids LOVE tomatoes!)  The other fun things will be put to good use, as well. 

Thanks to Simply Serve for this great prize!

This post may contain  affiliate links.  You can read my policy here.

Saturday for the Birds

The kids and I are headed out this morning to one of Lowe's FREE Build and Grow Clinics.  Today the kids will get to build a birdfeeder.   We've been to a couple of these free programs and the kids really enjoy them.

What are you doing for frugal entertainment this weekend?

This post was not sponsored..  You can read my review policy here.

Not a Sparrow Falls: a great read

Not a Sparrow Falls by Linda Nichols was one of the best books I've read lately.  I picked it up one evening and found myself not wanting to put it down until I'd finished the whole thing.

FROM THE PUBLISHER: In this powerful story of redemption and love, a prodigal young woman from the hills of Virginia flees the men who have lured her away from a godly upbringing into a life of desperation. Taking on a new identity, Mary Bridget Washburn escapes to the bustling city of Alexandria. There her path crosses that of Alasdair MacPherson, a widowed pastor with three young children and daunting problems of his own. Mary Bridget longs to bring happiness to the deeply troubled family, but she seems an unlikely candidate to help. Has she fallen too far from grace to be able to pass it on? A heart-tugging tale about the extraordinary struggles that turn ordinary people into heroes.

The main character, Bridie, quickly becomes someone you know and can relate to.  She struggles to believe that the church teachings of her childhood still apply, even though her life has taken her far from the Christian values she grew up with.   

At the same time, there's a family in another city that is falling apart... the mother has died, and the father is a pastor who feels disconnected from everyone and everything in his life.  It's easy to empathize with him, and yet see what others (his church leaders) are seeing from the outside, as well.

Overall, this was a great story and one that I enjoyed reading.  I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Christian fiction. 

My copy of this book was provided by Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

This post may contain sponsored reviews or affiliate links.  You can read my review policy here.

Staples Paper Deal- around $6 per CASE!

I just bought 2 cases of copy paper-- $43.00 paid today after discount/coupon-- and will receive a $32 rebate!   So basically I've paid $5 per CASE.... and usually just a ream of paper is around $5.  At that price, I couldn't resist-- and maybe this means that my kids won't use up all my printer paper for a while!

 

Details here-- and many thanks to Money Saving Mom for posting this deal!

• Basically you need to buy two CASES (not reams) of paper and a $1.29 pack of pencils. 
• The pencils bump your total up to $50, meaning that you get free shipping (worth $9.95).
• Use the coupon code in the post to get $5 off each case.
• Then you'll submit the refund form for $16 rebate off both cases (good for 2 per household)

I'll also receive $3.79 in Staples rewards, plus 3% back in my ShopAtHome account.  I'd recommend signing up for both free programs if you're not already a member.   (If you join, please enter my   AmyMCGSwohrrcom    email for the referral- thanks!)

 

 

This post is not sponsored.  You can read my policy here.

Menu Plan Monday... maybe

Between a yet-unscheduled funeral, softball practices, a planned date night that will likely get rescheduled, and whatever else pops up.... this week's meals probably will not go exactly as planned.  That's nothing new, though... I feel like all my menu plans should come with some kind of disclaimer: This is what I plan to make, but due to circumstances beyond my control, we may or may not end up eating all of this stuff... or we may eat it, but not in this order.   LOL!

I called in an expert this week to consult on the menu plan-- my 3 year-old son.  After much prompting about what the family should eat this week, his menu plan goes like this: Monday: bananas, Tuesday: fish sticks, Wednesday: McDonald's.   And he'll have to get back to me later about the rest of the week, because his dinosaur show came on tv, and apparently that takes priority over menu planning.  :)

• MONDAY:  Kids: fish sticks, macaroni, grapes, sugar snap peas (date night for us, maybe- this is the second time we've had it scheduled and there's a good chance it will be cancelled)
• TUESDAY:  sausage melts on buns, sweet potato baked fries, carrots & celery
• WEDNESDAY: crockpot ravioli (I add a can of diced tomatoes), texas toast, tossed salad, broccoli
• THURSDAY: chicken/veggie stir fry over rice, egg drop soup, pineapple tidbits
• FRIDAY: beef fajitas (using this marinade & hopefully the grill), mexicorn
• SATURDAY:  homemade pizza, tossed salad

Everything on the menu this week is tried and true... meaning I've made all these recipes before and know my family likes them.  

Check out Menu Plan Monday @ I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menus and ideas.

Slumber Party... with the big D

It's a rite of passage in every little girl's life, but especially in the life of a girl with a chronic health condition... the first non-family slumber party.

Last weekend my daughter attended her first slumber party.  It was just around the corner from our house, which helped a lot in making the decision to let her go.  DD had a great time.  I stopped by to give her injections as needed, and she checked her own blood sugars throughout the party as needed.  She felt a little low soon after I dropped her off, so she checked her own blood sugar, and then ate a couple of glucose tablets, exactly as we had discussed for days before the party.   I was so proud of her, yet a little sad at the same time, because at seven, I wish she could just worry about her sparkly pink and purple pedicure rather than having to think about her blood sugar, too.

This post at My Diabetic Child  made me think about these extra milestones our D kids have.   The first play date, the first time with a babysitter... every child will have those experiences, but they're a little different for the child with diabetes.   And the first time injecting herself... the first time correcting her own blood sugar with glucose tablets... the first time explaining to a new friend why she has to make herself bleed before she can eat... well, those are milestones we would have happily done without.

Blog Tour: Forget Me Not

Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze is a good read.  It's a mystery that keeps unfolding with plenty of twists and turns. 

FROM THE PUBLISHER: Crossroads Crisis Center owner Benjamin Brandt was a content man—in his faith, his work, and his family.  Then in a flash, everything he loved was snatched away.  His wife and son were murdered, and grief-stricken Ben lost faith.  Determination to find their killers keeps him going, but after three years of dead ends and torment, his hope is dying too.  Why had he survived?  He’d failed to protect his family.  

Now, a mysterious woman appears at Crossroads seeking answers and help—a victim who eerily resembles Ben’s deceased wife, Susan.  A woman robbed of her identity, her life, of everything except her faith—and Susan’s necklace.  

The connections between the two women mount, exceeding coincidence, and to keep the truth hidden, someone is willing to kill.  Finding out who and why turns Ben and the mystery woman’s situation from dangerous to deadly.  Their only hope for survival is to work together, trust each other, and face whatever they discover head on, no matter how painful. But will that be enough to save their lives and heal their tattered hearts?

This is a Christian book, with the themes of faith and hope practically screaming from the pages at times. One of the main characters remains unbelievably faithful, serene, and confident while going through several major crisies... and in real life, even the most devout believers I know would have some momentary shred of doubt or fear.   

Despite the syrupy-sweetness, I really enjoyed this book.  It's nice to find a mystery that can have criminal elements without relying on graphic descriptions of violence or sex.  And while I easily predicted the general ending, the details and twists kept me interested right up until the last page.

This was book was provided in return for my honest review by WaterBrook Multnomah as a part of the book's blog tour, which runs the week of April 12-16.

This post may contain sponsored reviews or affiliate links.  You can read my review policy here.

Free Sponges

This $1 off 1 any Scotch-Brite product printable coupon is in PDF form, meaning that it prints easily and can be printed as many times as you like.    (Anyone else have trouble with a lot of online coupons?  Ever since I switched anti-viral software, I can't print from most coupon sites- and I've tried every "fix" I can think of.  Aarrrgghh!)

I printed two and took them to WalMart yesterday, where I purchased two single sponges, priced at $.84 each.   The cashier adjusted the coupon and I got the two free sponges with no problem at all.   They will come in handy over the next few days as I start scrubbing down the outdoor furniture!

 

WFMW: $8 Greenhouse for Brown Thumbs

Do you have Spring planting fever yet? I do!  By July, I'm tired of yard work. My flowers get watered, big weeds pulled, and that's about it.  But right now... I'd happily empty my bank account on plants and seeds for the yard.

 Last week, during Spring Break, the kids and I started a bunch of flower seeds in one of those Jiffy seed greenhouses.  I'd never tried one before but have been looking at them the last few years.  Seeing as I mostly have a brown thumb when it comes to indoor plants, I've always been leery of trying my own seedlings-- I figured they wouldn't live long enough to make it outdoors.   (Why is it that I'm ok with outdoor plants, but the indoor ones need my husband's care to survive??)  

This one was really quick and easy-- pour in some water, push your seeds down in the peat pellets, and *poof* you're done.   Most of our flowers have sprouted and we have 2" seedlings growing.  It was SO easy, and the kids really enjoyed it.   We've all enjoyed checking on our "baby flowers" each day.

It was also frugal-- all together, I spent about $8 for the greenhouse kit and the seeds, which is less than one flat of flowers.  Next year it will cost even less- I'll just need the peat pellets and flower seeds.  Around here, $8 won't even buy a flat of summer annuals... and hopefully we'll wind up with even more plants for our money. 

And yes.... I do realize that those of you with green thumbs could do this even cheaper with paper cups and dirt from the yard.  But, since I've saved money by not killing off the seedlings  so far and therefore completely wasting our time/money, this is still a pretty frugal project in my book!

Using a "cheat" kit to grow our own flowers from seeds definitely works for me. Check out more WFMW tips HERE. 

This post was not sponsored but it does contain affiliate links.  You can read my policy here.

Video Game Rewards Kids for Checking Glucose

Well, here's an innovation in caring for kids with diabetes that I hadn't heard of yet- Bayer's new Didget rewards children's finger sticks with points in a video game.   The game and special monitor will connect to a Nintendo DS system.

The idea is that rewarding young diabetics with video game points for every drop of blood they give will make the numerous daily finger pricks less of a hassle for diabetic children and their parents.  It's scheduled to be sold in the US starting in May. 

I like this idea, and I know my daughter would love it if we had a DS.  What do you think?

Tweeting

Ok, the Ultimate Blog Party (see my post here)  inspired me to start playing with Twitter again.... and now I think I finally "get it"! LOL!  I've had my account forever, but until I started following specific hashtags and getting into conversations, I never really saw what was so great about it.   In the last couple of days, though, I've met some great new people and had a lot of fun trying to keep up with the flurry of posts. 

What about you... do you tweet?   You can follow me @AmyMCGS.  Leave your twitter name in the comments and I'll follow you back!

Kids Bowl Free All Summer

Summer freebie alert: I just heard about this cool Kids Bowl Free All Summer Program.  The free program includes two games PER DAY all summer at participating lanes, with an option to buy a special family pass so that mom & dad can bowl with the kids, too.   There are a couple of lanes near me that are participating- whoo hoo!

This post may contain sponsored reviews or affiliate links.  You can read my review policy here.

You've gotta fight.... for your right....

... to use coupons???    

And if that title doesn't have you singing  the Beastie Boys hit... well, don't tell me.  It will make me feel old. ;) 

Several weeks ago I had to argue with the Target cashier in order to get the razor deal to ring up right.   

Today, it was the cashier at Taco Bell.   I had three coupons to try their new breakfast burritos for free, and I'd promised the kids we'd do that today.  I showed the girl my coupons, placed our order, and when she tells me the total, she informs me that she's doing me a big favor by accepting two (of my three) coupons, even though they're really only supposed to accept one.   What??   I showed her where it stated in bold print on the coupon that the coupons were limited to one per person.... it said nothing anywhere about limiting how many per order.  I had three people and three coupons, so it should have been fine.  She insisted that  she could not accept all three.   I insisted otherwise, reminding her that that was not what the coupon said.  (Politely.  But firmly.)  Finally I asked her if she could just ring up one of the burritos separately., and she did, but she still charged me for one of the burritos on the first order.... meaning that I now had four burritos for three people.    Uggggghhhhh!

I'm not trying to pull a fast one or do anything illegal.... just trying to use coupons honestly and get some good deals.  Lately, though, I'm starting to feel defensive every time I hand over coupons, wondering if they will  go through ok.   Is it just me, or are you having trouble using coupons for what should be simple deals lately, too?

2010 Ultimate Blog Party

Welcome!  If you're stopping by for the first time from the Ultimate Blog Party, please come on in and make yourself at home! (And if this isn't your first visit, well, you know we're very casual around here-- so you should come on in, too!)

If you came to my home in real life, I'd direct you over to my kitchen island to grab a snack.  See... over there... go ahead and help yourself to some of my broccoli dip or my ranch cheese ball.     If you want to stick around for supper, you're more than welcome-- we'll be having my world famous chicken enchiladas, my family's favorite bean dip, chips, and fresh veggies.

As for this blog, well... I write about all kinds of things:

• The majority of my posts relate to frugal deals,  thrift store finds, coupons, etc. 
• I read a lot, and lately I've been doing a lot of sponsored  book reviews for various companies.   
• I like to share my craft projects, though lately I haven't had a lot of crafting time.  I created a Sunday meme for scrapbookers & paper crafters ~ Sunday Scrappin' ~ and these last several months my wonderful co-host, Bailey's Granny, has taken over the hosting duties. 
• From time to time you'll find political and religious posts here-- those topics aren't off-limits in my home, so they're not off-limits in my blog, either.   I'm a ProLifer, moderately conservative (somewhere between Republican and Libertarian), not in favor of the Obamacare bill that was recently forced on us, a big fan of Sarah Palin.... and I enjoy a lively debate on any of these topics.  However, I do tend to tone things down on this blog, as I find these discussions are much better in person.   ;)

The #1 search that brings people to my blog is my post from 2007 about how to clean your dishwasher and clear up cloudy glassware.  It's not really my secret, it's something I learned from The Queen of Clean... but apparently it's a pretty common problem, because I have visitors every. single. day. who read that post.

If I can be serious for just a moment.... and I can... let me tell you  a little something about Juvenile Diabetes.  My seven year-old daughter was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes (so-called Juvenile Diabetes because it's usually diagnosed in childhood) when she was five.  If you take nothing else away from this party stop, let it be this: Type I Diabetes is very different from Type II, which is the type of Diabetes you usually hear about.   Type I Diabetes was NOT caused by anything she ate, and she will not "outgrow" her daily need for insulin- in fact, those insulin injections are keeping her alive.  And, because she needs insulin after every meal, she can eat anything she wants... so please don't judge when you see her eating an occasional treat like any other kid.  Sorry for the serious tone, but I like to take any opportunity I have to help educate others about this rotten disease.   It's a part of daily life around here, so I can't ignore it, even for a party. 

Back to the party...

If I look familiar, you might have seen me hanging out online somewhere- posting my recipes at RecipeZaar, at the Children with Diabetes forums, or on a variety of other forums.  I'm known as AmyMCGS pretty much everywhere online. 

I have a Twitter account, but I don't really tweet much... I don't think I quite have gotten the hang of that just yet.  Maybe you'd like to help me out and tell me what you enjoy about Twitter in the comments section?  Edited 4/11: OK, since the UBP started I've been playing around on Twitter a lot more, following #ubp10 posts, and I think I'm starting to "get it"!  :)  I'm adding a lot of new UBP friends to my follow list!

So... I know you have other parties to visit.   It's nice to have you visit, and I hope you'll come back again.  If you're like me, party-hopping today, you're probably finding lots of interesting new-to-you blogs, so you'll want to subscribe to my feed so that you don't lose your way back here.  Happy party hopping!

P.S.  If you're not familiar with the Ultimate Blog Party, go check it out-- there are lots of prizes to win just for participating!   I'd love to win the Be My Guest certificate ($250 value), which  is a 2 night stay for a family of four at any Hilton Garden Inn-- that would mean that my family would get to take a little mini vacation this year.  Of course, I'd also be happy with the Your Shape Wii game, the Hobo clutch bag, the Amazon or Target gift cards... or really, any of the other great prizes that are up for grabs! :)