HANG UP AND DRIVE!!

HANG UP AND DRIVE

I’m here today to try to get each and every one of you to take the “hang up and drive” pledge, as well as trying to talk each and every one of your loved ones to also take this pledge.


Each day we hear on the news or read in the papers, how someone was injured or killed because someone was using their cell phone while driving. All too often, it is the innocent who gets hurt, not the driver with the phone in hand.


You may have already heard of this popular pledge that many are already taking. Perhaps on Oprah, bless her heart!!! Watch Oprah's video here.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ivO_q8eeg4A


It’s easy to take the pledge, just sign up and then make sure you live by your pledge!!! You can even get a cool little printout to proudly display and/or possibly use as a reminder to you and to others how dangerous texting/talking and driving at the same time can be.


Effective July 1, 2010 in the state of Michigan, drivers are prohibited from text messaging while driving. But seriously…even if you don’t reside in Michigan or never plan to visit our beautiful state, PLEASE take this pledge anyways. It could save a life…possibly yours!!


You can also go to http://hangupanddrive.com/ to check your states’ law on this subject.


To date, 860 people have taken the pledge online, and 423 people have taken the pledge in person, by signing the paper. Will you be next??

PLEASE TAKE THIS PLEDGE, if it’s the only thing you do today!!! Well, besides telling others about it!!

~Steph

I'm the featured blog on Stash Mama's 'Playdate Friday Follow' !! Woot Woot!!

Cudos

 to Stash Mama!!

So, on Friday, yes last Friday, the 23rd of July, (I'm running a little behind!!) Stash Mama randomly picked my blog to be featured this week in their Playdates Friday Follow.

This is so cool. I entered lat week or the week before, and I found so many rockin' new blogs to follow and also my own blogs, "followers" status has nicely at least doubled in size. *LOTS OF SMILES*

SO A HUGE THANKS TO STASH MAMA is clearly in order here!!

If you haven't already checked her blog out....you absolutely have to do so....SOON!

http://stashmama.blogspot.com/

Stash Mama is one of my favorite giveaway and review sites. And she is also involved in a lot of fun ‘blog hopping’ activities…(such as the one that features my blog this week!)

Stash Mama has tons of giveaways and is very PR friendly. I love bloggers who like to read and receive comments and feedback on their work.

She has four current giveaways going right now that I could see. But HURRY, one of them ends TODAY!!

So…what are you waiting for??? Get on over their and enter some giveaways. While you are there be sure to follow her on Twitter, Facebook, or a feed of your choice. You can even sign up to subscribe to her blog via email and by all means….DO NOT forget to follow her on GFC!!

Thanks again for featuring me, Stash Mama!!

~Steph

Freeman Facial Mask review and GIVEAWAY!! (CLOSED)

 

I recieved the Freeman facial masks in two different scents. I tried the 'Cucumber' which clarifies your skin; and also the 'Avacado and Oatmeal' which purges your pores!!. 

I actully tried the "Avacado and Oatmeal" and loved it. I felt that it actually did help make my pores a little smaller after I peeled off the mask.

My teenage daughter tried out the 'Cucumber' face mask and she said that after she peeled it off, it made her face feel much softer.

I have two sets (one of each mask) to give away!! 

Just check out Freemans site and then come back here and leave a comment on another product that you would like to try that freemanbeauty.com offers.

Hurry...this giveaway ends 8/20/10

Good luck to everyone!!

~Steph

About JAMES PATTERSON (crime/thriller fiction author) & GIVEAWAY!!

Hello everyone!

Sorry that I am not on here as much as I would like to be anymore, you know the drill….KIDS and SUMMER just doesn’t leave much room for free time, not that I’m complaining. It’s the best time of my life, when I’m enjoying the weather with my WONDERFUL kiddos ;)

Anyways, I wanted to share one of my long-time favorite authors with you. I’m sure there is not ONE of you who haven’t at least heard of him, even if you haven’t read his work. He mostly, but not only writes crime and thriller fiction.

JAMES PATTERSON

http://jamespatterson.com/

Right now on his website there is A LOT of wonderful stuff going on.

Like what, you ask????

Well....for starters.....

1. (my personal favorite) You can read the first 24 (yes 24) chapters of his book “Private” for free….YES, I SAID FOR FREE!!!

2. If you click on the ‘sweepstakes’ tab, you can enter to win a copy of his new book, “Daniel X: Demons and Druids”…but you must enter by August 8th. Now…I know many of my readers read mostly “inspirational fiction,” so don’t let this title throw you off. He has so many wonderful books!!!!

 

3. You can sign up for his newsletter to be delivered straight to your email :)

So, what are you waiting for??? Get on over to http://jamespatterson.com/ and check it out!!

And then stop back by here and tell me something you learned, there just MIGHT be a little something in it for you :)

Have a wonderful day!!

Happy reading and relaxing!!

~Steph

Two Great Summer Reads--Both are GIVEAWAYS!! (CLOSED)

Hello everyone!! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far. The kids and I certainly are!!

Ok, not much time today, so let's get right down to business....

I have two books to giveaway... the first of which is "One Season of Sunshine" by Julia London.

This book is about a girl who adopted as an infant, Jane longs to know her birth mothers' identity, but all she knows is the town where she was born. As she searches and searches, and finally starts getting closer to knowt\ing the truth...will she find happiness like she is hoping????

To be entered to win, just become a follower of my blog via GFC and leave a comment

You can have a bonus entry for subscribing to my blog by email.

And two more bonus entries (make them seperate) by leaving me a comment of a great book you have read this summer, with a short synopsis, so I can see if I'd like to read it!!

(So this is a total of four entries each!!)

MAKE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR EMAIL!

Good luck!!

~Steph

Second book giveaway!! (CLOSED)

I have Nora Robert's "Sweet Rains" to giveaway. This book includes two of her novels in one. "Second Nature" which is about a girl named Lee (a very independent girl) who gets to interview a best-selling author and in the meantime, shows him alot more of herself than she'd like...Where will this lead??.....AND..."Lessons Learned" which is about A guy named Carlo who is everything that Juliet avoids in a client!! But...being the professional she is, she doesn't turn him down. Carlo is a famous chef..don't miss a taste of how this 'tasty' story ends up.

To enter...just make sure you follow my on GFC, and leave a comment!

An extra entry if you subscribe to my blog via email!!

Make sure to leave your email address in the comments, so that I can get ahold of the winner.

Good luck to all...and happy reading :)

~Steph

Help!!!

Ok friends and followers...I need a few more entries for the stationery and pen sets giveaway can take place...

Please follow my blog via GFC and leave a comment so that you can be entered to win.

http://fortheluvofsanity.blogspot.com/2010/06/peek-book-and-giveaway.html 

Thanks everyone...and have a great day!!!

Sorry I've been so busy I haven't posted anything lately. I have a few almost ready to go...just need to get the camera back from my daughter for the pics...the post without the pics wouldn't do them justice...especially the one where my son...WON at the skateboard tournement :)

~Steph

Playdates Friday Follow

Friends and followers...this is a blog hop hosted by Stash Mama!! It is meant so that we can all have some fun and get a chance to find some cool new blogs to follow.

I guess the only rules are that you follow the host and you  follow the randomly picked featured blog...which is....Peas, Pans, Puns.

From there, you may follow as many other blogs as you wish....and don't forget to leave some comments here and there. All bloggers want to get some good feedback every now and then.

Happy Blog Hopping!!

Now get over to Stash Mama's site by clicking her button at the top of this post, and add yourself to the fun!!

~Steph

A blog I follow consistently...

I thought I would share a blog that I like to read! I figure you might be just as interested in it as I am!! And...by posting it, I am gaining extra entries to her giveaways. So you know, I thought I might as well kill two birds with one stone and all that....lol!

But seriously...check this blog out, great posts, great giveaways, an all around great blog!!

~Steph

Thursday Thoughts

*****Thursday Thoughts*****

I think today is going to be an absolutely amazingly wonderful day. I have finished one great book and am well on my way into another one (hopefully equally as great!)

I’ve found a few new good blogs to follow.

I’ve entered a few contests and even got news that I won one as well. I won a adorable little necklace from one of the many great Etsy shops out there, which I will certainly review and post about as soon as it arrives. Please support these Etsy shops, their products are mostly home-made and benefit one of our fellow bloggers.

I’ve written to someone who really inspired me this morning. I have a renewed sense to keep going, no matter what obstacles are placed in path. This someone is Kaye Dacus, an author who I have yet to read. (But not for long….Barnes & Noble is just around the corner.lol) Do check her page out, if you haven’t already. You may find yourself inspired as well. I found laughter and tears all in one breath, which just so happens to be one of my most favorite things. She can be found at http://kayedacus.com/

I enjoyed a few to many delicious cups of tea (if you couldn’t already tell by my random rambling…lol)

And…all of this was accomplished while the kids were asleep!! *Huge smiles*

 

AND NOW…it’s time for the day to get EVEN BETTER…everyone is up and at em. It’s a beautiful summer day outside and we are off to have some fun!!

To be continued….

XOXO

~Steph

Inspy eBook challenge

I have decided to join in the fun and get some of these eBooks I have downloaded read.....finally!!

I am pretty new to whole eBook reading thing, but am loving it so far!!

The challenge is only one eBook per month....and if I can't meet that?? Well, let's just say I'm slacking BIGTIME on my reading, considering I usually read four of five books per week, every week, year round.

So....what are you waiting for??? Take this challenge with the rest of us. Sign up today!! You can find instructions on how to sign up here: ..... http://edgyinspirational.blogspot.com/p/challenges.html

I will be adding a list of my reading goals shortly!!

Hope to see you there!

~Steph

Summer Carnival Event by Smart and Trendy Moms

Smart and Trendy Moms is hosting a 'Summer Carnival Event' !!
July 15- 31st!!



You WON'T want to miss this!! I sure don't...that's why I grabbed their button and posted it to my page....so that I now qualify for 'early bird entries'..isn't that just the coolest thing you've heard yet this summer??

Here are just a few of the sponsors....

Reduce
Orglamix
Graffeeti
Birdy Boots
The Brag Company
Earth Divas
Conair
What's in Stork?
Mommy's Sweet Things
Linkel Designs

I don't know about you......but I can't wait for July 15th!!

~Steph

Twee Poppets Giveaways!!!

It's giveaway time over at Twee Poppets Blog....and I think there is something that everyone will be interested in!!

http://tweepoppets.blogspot.com/

Twee Poppets (a wonderful little blog I never miss) is giving away lots of goodies. (as usual!!)

First on the list is a $60 giftcard to use at any of over 200 online stores!!

Second, they are also giving away a copy of Gavin McInnes' book "Street Boners." FYI, this says it is for adults only, as some photos may be inapropriate for the younger ones.

Third, is a $15 gift certificate to "Piggy Paints" up for grabs. This looks like a lot of fun for the kiddos, both little and big...lol

Next, are two reading and math iphone apps being given away as well. What a great learning experience for the kids.

And finally (f0r now at least, because there are always new giveaways being posted) there is also a $20 gift certificate to Reading Glasses Shopper.

WOW

These are all wonderful giveaways that you won't want to miss. And while you are there, take a look at her other giveaways and reviews on some wonderful products.
Also....don't forget to get signded up for the 'Tuesday Tag-A-Long' and/or the 'Blog Hop'

What are you still reading this for???? Get on over there and enter to win some great prizes ;)

Good luck!!

~Steph

Book Review... "Plain Jayne"

The other day I had “Plain Jayne” by Hilary Manton Lodge as my Peek-A-Book! Well, needless to say, I finished it that same night, but with the traveling and visiting family and friends, I haven’t made the time to post the review until now.


Before I get into the actual review, I would like to mention that Amish fiction is absolutely one of my favorite genres to read. I must admit that in the beginning, I was expecting more of the Amish ways and dialect to be included; but once I got past my reservations and just went with the flow, I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

With Jayne being the main character and of course being female…there obviously had to be some male figures included in the main plot (these include Shane, an Englisher who is Jayne’s current boyfriend; and Levi, an outcast from the Burkholder’s family because he chose not to join the church) and just enough other characters (with little bits of their lives thrown in), so as either, not to over-do it -or- bore you.

As I read, I slowly watched Jayne transform into the person she has been yearning to be. In the beginning of the book, Jayne’s boss decides she needs some time off from her job as a newspaper columnist or, either that, or a new job. She opts for the time off and goes to live with an Amish family, in hopes of finding her own story (not one thrown at her from the newspaper editor that doesn’t interest her in the slightest.) This idea to stay with the Amish clearly did her a world of good. She comes into her own, so to speak. An Amish family, the Burkholders takes her in, and slowly she learns their ways…the simple life. Like I said, as Jayne learns how to cook and clean, and do other Amish chores as thoroughly as the Amish do, I see her realize things she has been missing in her own life until now…one of these, simply being, a sense of family and responsibility

Half way thru the book, I started voting toward the fact that Jayne might consider “going plain.” But, I also must admit, that this is always my vote for the Englishers who visit the Amish and realize that they are interested in their ways more than they could ever imagine.

So…now…as not to spoil the book and/or ending for any of you…(because this is a DEFINATE MUST READ for anyone who enjoys Inspirational fiction….Amish or otherwise. The real question here is what path will Jayne choose? Will she stick with Shane, who she has been with for awhile and is comfortable with?? Or, will she surprise us all and go for Levi?? She has already lived a more plain life than most other Englishers, according to her friends and family and had let her faith get away from her.

~~~~
I love to here your thoughts, comments and will also try and answer all questions. What I would like to know from you is…. Feel free to answer one or all.

(1) Do you think you could live the Amish life for a full two-week period??

(2) Do you enjoy learning about different lifestyles than your own?

(3) Would you be interested in having an Amish pen-pal and writing back and forth, sharing your beliefs and ways with each other?