The Memory Jar by Tricia Goyer Book Review/Blog Tour

About The Memory Jar:

Book One in the Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series

Every year, 30-40 young Amish men descend on the cozy little town of West Kootenai, Montana, arriving in the spring to live there for six months and receive "resident" status for the hunting season in the fall. They arrive as bachelors, but go home with brides! Sarah Shelter has lived in West Kootenai for the last ten years and wonders if she will ever fall in love. Since the tragic death of her best friend, she carries her memories in a jar along with the small items connected to them. For just as long, she's also been carrying around her emotions instead of allowing them to penetrate deep in her heart. Now she's met a kind and gentle man who may be able to break down the wall. But can Sarah risk her heart to finally achieve her dreams?

My Thoughts:

This novel started off with the death of Sarah's best friend Patty in an accident that Sarah watched happen right before her eyes. It causes her to close herself off from everyone and it especially seems to make her shut down where finding a husband is involved. That all changes when she meets Jathan. I loved watching their story unfold and kept wondering as obstacles got in their way how things might turn out in the end for them. I thought this was a unique novel in the Amish genre and I really enjoyed reading something different. Sarah's habit of picking up little things and putting them into her jar to have memories of special days made me wish I had thought of something that cool when I was younger. Oh, the things I would have saved. I may start my own memory jar! It's just such a clever idea. Anyway, I really enjoyed the book and that it wasn't all roses. We see Sarah struggle with her grief over losing Patty, we also see that her relationship with Jathan although strong from the beginning suffer a few set backs. I was rooting for the two of them throughout the story and couldn't wait to see what would become of them at the end. I recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys Amish fiction or a good love story!

Meet Tricia: 

Tricia Goyer is the award-winning author of over 30 books including Beside Still Waters, Remembering You, and the mommy memoir Like Blue Play Dough. Tricia is a regular speaker at conventions and conferences and is the host of Living Inspired. She and her family make their home in Little Rock, Arkansas where they are part of the ministry FamilyLife.




Find out more about Tricia on her Website
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Buy The Memory Jar on Amazon.com

Celebrate with Tricia by entering her Amish Kindle Gift Pack Giveaway and RSVPing to her Facebook party on November 7th. (And be sure to catch the fun video trailer or try your hand at one of the simple, keepsake crafts Tricia has put together on her website.)

One fortunate winners will receive:

• A brand new Kindle Fire
• Custom-made Memory Jar Kindle Cover
• Amish-made decorative items {Wall hanging, horse/buggy and Amish houses}
• The Memory Jar {Be swept away by this captivating series.}

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 6th. Winner will be announced at the ”Memory Jar Author Chat Party on 11/7. Connect with Tricia for an evening of book chat, Amish trivia, and a live video chat! There will also be a chance to win gift certificates, books, and other fun prizes!

So grab your copy of The Memory Jar and join Tricia on the evening of the November 7th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the book – don’t let that stop you from coming!)

Don’t miss a moment of the fun, RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 7th!

*Disclosure- I received a copy of The Memory Jar for the purpose of rendering this review. I was not compensated and all opinions stated are 100% my own. 

Squatchi at Home Shoe Sizer & Growth Chart Review + Giveaway!

Anyone that has a toddler or preschoolers knows all too well how frustrating shoe shopping can be. Those little feet grow so fast and I have 3 little pairs of them to keep up with! Shoe shopping can be an ordeal with 3 preschoolers, so it is nice that there is now a tool I can use at home to measure their feet BEFORE heading to the store. This mama likes anything that saves time, especially something that will cut down on my time in a retail store with my 3 little ones! That's where Squatchi comes in! Squatchi is an at home shoe sizer for children. It was invented by a mom, who like most of us moms, was always short on time and was looking for a time saver where shopping where her children were involved. Squatchi is not only simple to use and comes in several kid friendly colors, it can also be used as a keepsake. Simply mark what size your kid's foot is with a sharpie each time you measure their feet, you could even add the date and you will have a record of how quickly their little feet became big feet!

I found Squatchi simple to use and very quick. All 3 of my kids (ages 5 and 3) cooperated when I asked them to put their foot on it and it took seconds to figure out what all of their shoe sizes were (12, 9 and 9, respectively). This is something I wish I would have had when they were much younger. I think Squatchi would make an excellent baby shower gift or even a first birthday gift since it can be used as a keepsake. I will definitely be utilizing mine from now on!

One lucky winner will receive a Squatchi of their very own. You can enter to win this invaluable tool via the Rafflecopter below!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure- I received a free Squatchi foot sizer for the purpose of putting together this review.
All opinions stated are 100% my own. 

How I Came to Sparkle Again by Kaya McLaren Book Review

When Cravebox announced that they would be having a Limited Edition Book Lover's box, I was so excited and really hoping that I would be one of the lucky ones chosen for it. We would not be told what book that would be included, but several people speculated it would be Kaya McLaren's How I Came to Sparkle Again and they were right! I am always up for a book that will make me both laugh and cry and this one did both more times than I can count.

The book is about 3 people trying to cope with different losses they have dealt with and to try and live their lives again. One is a little girl Cassie, who has lost her mom to cancer, another is her father Mike who has lost his wife and the last is a woman named Jill who has had several things happen that have made her leave her home in Austin, Texas to go back to her childhood home of the small ski town of Sparkle, Colorado.

The heaviness of the three trying to cope with their losses is broken up by the comic relief of Jill's best friend Lisa's crazy ski bum neighbors who live in a trailer they dub "The Kennel" and by the profound, although usually confusing thoughts of Jill's uncle Howard.

There is a lot going on in this story, there are many little side stories going on, but not in a way that makes the novel confusing. In fact, one of those little stories- the relationship between Lisa and Kennel member Tom- was probably the most interesting thing to me in the book. I really enjoyed wondering and following along to find out where things would go to with those two.

The only complaint I would have is that there is some really harsh language, so some of my more conservative readers might want to stay away due to that and blunt talk about sexual situations might also keep some from reading. However, I really enjoyed the story and it wasn't so bad most of the time that it would bother me to the point that I needed to stop reading the book.

I would recommend How I Came to Sparkle Again to anyone who enjoys a good romance, likes to laugh a lot and doesn't mind crying a little (or maybe more than a little.)

Connect with Kaya McLaren on her Website
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*Disclosure- I did not receive any compensation or free products for this review. All opinions are 100% my own. 

Penelope's Rainy Day Adventures by Janelle Rogers- Book Review & Giveaway

I can definitely remember some of my favorite books from my childhood- pretty much anything by Beverly Cleary (people often told me I looked like Ramona Quimby, so I just went with it), Brown Bear, Brown Bear What do you See? by Marc Brown and when I was a little older Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. I know that these great books are what started me off on a lifelong love of reading and I love watching my kids begin to discover what their favorite books are.

I learned that a very sweet woman whom I grew up with had her very first children's book published. I knew right away I would want to buy her book for my kids. Janelle Rogers debut children's book is called Penelope's Rainy Day Adventures and as you can see from the picture above, it is full of cute, animated pictures. Inspired by her daughter, Rogers wanted to write a book they could enjoy together.

I couldn't wait to see how her first book turned out and I would say she did a rather good job. The book is all about using your imagination. It's not so long that little ones can not enjoy the whole book without getting squirmy and not so short that it's not worth the effort to pick up. I think this book is best suited for 2-6 year olds. All of my kids enjoy hearing all about where Penelope's imagination takes her when it is too rainy outside to play.

One of the coolest things about purchasing this book, is that Rogers donates 10% from the sale of each book to Children's Hospital. She also recently held a sell a thon of Penelope's Rainy Day Adventures where 100% of proceeds went to Kidd's Kids, a charity that sends terminally ill children and their families to Disneyland. This talented author also has a big heart.

Janelle Rogers is currently working on the second book in the Penelope Series.

I want to share Penelope's Rainy Day Adventures with you! One lucky reader will receive their own copy of the book. Enter below via the Rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*disclosure- I was in no way compensated for this review nor did I receive any free products. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

The Genealogist's Internet by Peter Christian- Book Review

I have always been super interested in the past, in my roots, in where my family came from. This can be attributed either to the fact that I don't know my biological father or his side of the family or my paternal grandpa or his side of the family OR it may be that I feel so deeply rooted in the history of my Great Grandmother's German family, that I ache to know where else I came from. After my Great Grandma passed away 6 years ago, my interest in genealogy grew and I started on an adventure to finding out things from time periods I would have never imagined being able to dig up!

I recently had the opportunity to check out The Genealogist's Internet by Peter Christian. This book is written for British people looking to get started in Genealogy, so I wasn't sure if it would apply to me at all since I am in the United States (although I do have British roots! :)) but I was pleasantly surprised to see tons of resources that could be of use to us here in the United States as well. In the book, there are many resources listed, both free and those that you have to pay for. The best way to start is with the free resources and work your way up from there.  Although this book is a great resource for those just beginning their family history searches, it is also a great resource for those of us who have been researching for a while, as it contains accurate links to the newest resources available on the web. It discusses everything from how to find military records and census records to local history and geography. The book also explains how to use search engines to optimize your searches and get the best results for what you are looking for. This is probably the most comprehensive book on Genealogy that I have come across. I highly recommend The Genealogist's internet to anyone interested in finding out about their family history and roots.

*Disclosure- I received a free copy of The Genealogist's Internet via NetGalley. I was not required to render a positive review. All opinions stated are 100% my own. 

Discounts on My Gym + Enter to win a free year long membership!

If you have been around this blog for long, you know that I find health and fitness to be some of the things at the top of my priority list. It isn't always possible to get that work out in at the gym, but My Gym wants to make that just a little bit easier...

Voting in the presidential election is important...so is voting for your family's fitness. Exercise your child's right for fun-filled activities, gymnastics, sports and more. Take advantage of one of these amazing offers and you'll be entered to win My Gym free for a year!!

• Enroll for 2 months get the 3rd month FREE
• Enroll for 4 months get the 5th month FREE plus Free Lifetime Membership
• Enroll for 6 months get 2 more months FREE plus Free Lifetime Membership
• Enroll for 9 months get 3 more months FREE plus Free Lifetime Membership

Win My Gym FREE for a year- plus a FREE Birthday Party

*disclosure- I received no monetary compensation for this post, however I will receive a gift pack from My Gym for helping get the word out about this campaign. All opinions stated are 100% my own.

Boogie Wipes Review + Giveaway

As the weather gets cooler, the colds become more prominent. I know my little guys have been fighting a cold for the last week and a half, but we were ready to fight it with Boogie Wipes. Before I used Boogie Wipes, I had wondered how comfortable a wipe wet with saline could be for a little nose. The answer is MUCH more comfortable than a tissue. We will never go back. My twin boys, who are 3, have been much more willing to have their noses wiped with the Boogie Wipes. They even ask to have their noses wiped! I am one of those weird moms that tries everything I use on my kids and learned that I too prefer the Boogie Wipes to tissue. They come in two great scents- Grape and Fresh Scent. My kids don't seem to prefer one scent over the other, but I like the fresh scent the best. Not only do the Boogie Wipes not dry out the nose, they make wiping little noses much easier, since the saline helps get those tough dry boogers off of little noses.

Learn More about Boogie Wipes
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One lucky reader will win the prize pack pictured above which includes a package of grape boogie wipes, samples of fresh scent boogie wipes which also includes coupons and Kandoo hand sanatizer. Enter below via the Rafflecopter.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure- I am a Saline Ambassador and have received free samples to use myself and to give to others as well. All opinions stated are 100% my own.