ZhuZhu Ice Cream Party

We are right in the middle of summer and around our house we have definitely been taking trips up to our local ice cream parlor!! Summertime and ice cream go hand in hand.

We recently had the opportunity to try out some fun new colorful ZhuZhu Pets and have an ice cream party.

Thanks to MomSelect we received 4 ZhuZhu Pets, a ZhuZhu ice cream truck, and the ZhuZhu ice cream parlor.

The ice cream truck was an instant hit with Gavin, Danyelle, and Katelyn. After switching it on it plays music just like a real ice cream truck and the Zhu Zhu Pet is placed inside to drive the truck all over!

The Ice Cream Parlor came complete with drive up service for the ZhuZhu's and lots of tasty treats!



The kids had a great time playing with the ZhuZhu's and all the accessories and then we had an ice cream party of our own!



Thanks to MomSelect for providing the ZhuZhu Pets and accessories for the party. All opinions are my own.

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Hickory Farms ~ Holiday Review ~

I seriously cannot believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone already. Now Christmas is 20 days away!!!

So during this busy holiday time rushing around trying to find the perfect gift for everyone, don't forget about Hickory Farms Gifts !!!

Who wouldn't love a gift for home entertaining around the holidays?? Hickory Farms Gifts have been a holiday tradition for almost 60 years. They provide a wide variety of sausages, cheeses, fruits, nuts, and even sweets!!

For a limited time this holiday season, for each Party Planner Gift Box sold, Hickory Farms will donate $5 to Share Our Strength, a non profit organization working to end childhood hunger.

Visit http://www.hickoryfarms.com/ to see what they have to offer for the holidays!!

I wrote this review while participation in a blog tour with MomCentral on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a Hickory Farms gift basket to facilitate my review.

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Ronzoni Smart Taste ~ Review ~

I know I'm not the only mom out there who is constantly trying to make sure our kids are eating healthy foods. I am lucky that Gavin will eat anything put in front of him, but Katelyn is my picky eater. I was more than happy to be able to try out the new Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta.

It looks and tastes like regular white pasta, but Ronzoni Smart Taste contains added calcium and fiber, helping kids get their daily recommended value of both nutrients while still enjoying their favorite food. Other benefits for the whole family include lower calories and fat than traditional white pasta, and no sodium, preservatives, or cholesterol.

And Ronzoni knows the frustrations moms go through when trying to get our kids to eat healthier foods. So in addition to their line of pasta, they have created SmartTaste Supermom at their funny spoof video on YouTube .



I wrote this review white participating in a blog tour campaign by MomCentral on behalf of Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta and received a sample of the pasta to facilitate my review and a $20 thank-you gift certificate.

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$.99 Ice-Cream! Yummmmmy

Vanilla, Strawberry, Butter Crunch, Chocolate Almond Chip, Maple Walnut, Purely Pistachio, Black Raspberry, and Mint Chocolate Chip.

Mmmm, Did that get you in the mood for ice-cream? If it did, then I have a great offer perfect for these last hot days of summer.

From now until August 23rd you can get a Friendly's Ice-Cream Cone for under a buck!! Yep, that's right an Ice-Cream cone for $.99!!

So, what will it be? Forbidden Chocolate or Hunka Chunka PB Fudge?

Whatever the flavor- hurry in before the offer ends!!

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Guitar Hero ~ Nintendo DS ~ Review ~

The makers of Guitar Hero introduced Guitar Hero On Tour: Modern Hits for the Nintendo DS system. The game features 28 songs, all radio-edits of modern rock hits from bands including Coldplay, Fall Out Boy, Weezer, The Strokes, Sum 41, and Finger Eleven.

Since our house is big fans of Guitar Hero for our Playstation, I was thrilled when MomCentral gave me the opportunity to try out the new Modern Hits for my Nintendo DS.

The system comes with a guitar grip that mimics a guitar fret board and fits right into the side of the DS. And it comes with a pick stylus so you can strum on the touch screen. I only got to play a handful of times before the game was quickly taken over by Danyelle and Gavin. They LOVED it. And the best part of the system is that it has a wireless feature that allows song streaming and multiplayer modes. So when we make our long drive to Tennessee in a couple of weeks Danyelle and Gavin can challenge each other from each of their DS's.

For more information about this new game and to see videos and images of the game go to: http://www.guitarheroontour.com/.

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Father's Day Gift Guide

Father's Day is less than a week away. Have you already bought something? Or do you still need great gift ideas?

MomCentral has just compiled their favorite gifts for Dad in Mom Central's Father's Day Gift Guide. From DVDs and custom steak brands to a seven-person domed tent, there is something here for every Dad. Plus, we have organized our gift ideas by price, so there's no reason to break the bank (unless you want to!).

You can find the Father's Day Gift Guide by using this link http://www.momcentral.com/giftguide/fathersday/ .

Also, each day, Mom Central will post giveaways for Dads. Upcoming giveaways include barbeque accessories, a Jeep tent built for 7 people (pictured in the photo at right), CDs, DVDs, books, razors, and so much more. Click HERE to see the daily giveaways.

Thanks MomCentral!

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CFBA ~ Book Review ~ Ghostwriter

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Ghostwriter
FaithWords (May 28, 2009)
by
Travis Thrasher


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


It was during third grade after a teacher encouraged him in his writing and as he read through The Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis that Travis decided he wanted to be a writer. The dream never left him, and allowed him to fulfill that dream of writing fulltime in 2007.

Travis Thrasher is the author of numerous works of fiction, including his most personal and perhaps his deepest work, Sky Blue, that was published in summer of 2007. This year he has to novels published, Out of the Devil’s Mouth, and a supernatural thriller, Isolation.

Travis is married to Sharon and they are the proud parents of Kylie, born in November, 2006, and Hailey, a Shih-Tzu that looks like an Ewok. They live in suburban Chicago.

Stop by and visit Travis at his Blog where you can sign up to follow him on Facebook and Twitter!

Also check out the radio interview with Travis on Monday June 8th at BlogTalkRadio/FaithWords



ABOUT THE BOOK

For years Dennis Shore has thrilled readers with his spooky bestselling novels. Now a widower, Dennis is finally alone in his house, his daughter attending college out of state. When he's stricken by a paralyzing case of writer's block and a looming deadline, Dennis becomes desperate. Against better judgment, he claims someone else's writing as his own, accepting undeserved accolades for the stolen work. He thinks he's gotten away with it . . . until he's greeted by a young man named Cillian Reed--the true author of the stolen manuscript.

What begins as a minor case of harassment quickly spirals out of control. As Cillian's threats escalate, Dennis finds himself on the brink of losing his career, his sanity, and even his life. The horror he's spent years writing about has arrived on his doorstep, and Dennis has nowhere to run.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Ghostwriter, go HERE

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Making Life Better ~ Review ~

Everyone loves to gather friends and family around the dinner table for good food and good company. Families are seeking affordable recipe ideas, yet still want to prepare a special meal the whole family will appreciate.

MakingLifeBetter.com has great holiday and everyday meal ideas. With a combination of trusted brands that offer great quality at affordable prices as well as plenty of recipes and tips to help make everyday life better, Moms now have an easily available resource to help with meal prep any day of the year.

MakingLifeBetter.com features great articles such as:

• Budget Recipes
• Recipe of the Week
• New Favorites
• Favorite Recipes

They offer expert advice and even a Recipe Quick Search that allows you to search for recipes by cooking method, ingredients, and meal type.

And don't forget to use the coupon came out on this past Sunday April 5th to get up to $20 back on your ham or turkey purchase by mail when you buy $40 in Unilever products during the month of April.

Thanks to MomCentral for the opportunity to review this great site!

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Baby Einstein ~ World Of Music ~ Review

At a very young age, our children are aware that the world is both very large and yet extremely interconnected. Thanks to digital technology, we can instantly connect with countries around the world, and our own communities grow more diverse every day. We feel a great importance in teaching our children about different cultures, as we want them to grow up with the understanding, respect, and appreciation of every person and culture they meet. And as the language of music transcends cultures and borders, it serves as an excellent way to engage our children and expose them to global diversity.

Because of the focus Moms place on these important lessons, Baby Einstein created World Music, an interactive product line of DVDs, music CDs, books, toys and gear that embrace the brand's philosophy of touch, talk and think, while promoting together time between baby and parents. World Music encourages parents and little ones to foster a lifelong love of music and an appreciation for diverse cultures from around the world. Susan McClain, Vice President and General Manager of The Baby Einstein Company shared, "Based on the thousands of moms who contact us, there is a real desire to expose their little ones to different cultures. From Africa to Australia, music is a common thread that ties us all together. With this new line, our goal is to begin a lifelong appreciation for the world."

Thanks to MomCentral, Katelyn and I were able to review the World Music DVD, which came out March 31, 2009, encourages live interaction and introduces children to the world's distinctive sights and sounds with fun-loving puppet host Jane the Monkey and her toy drum as she travels across the globe to play music with her puppet friends.

It features real-world images of global musical instruments, regional toys and animals, and takes an extraordinary look at the universal language of music, encouraging viewers to join in the fun by blowing on a flute, strumming on a harp and singing along to songs from all seven continents. And for a more customized experience for each family's stage and needs, the World Music DVD provides two settings- Grow with Me and Select-a-Segment. The "grow with me" setting offers a second viewing mode containing spoken words and additional content that grows with babies, while "select-a-segment" gives parents the choice of viewing shorter segments, such as five or ten minutes, as opposed to longer programming.

Please visit Baby Einstein.com to see all of their wonderful products.

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Listerine Total Care ~ Review ~

With our ever growing to-do lists it can be so easy to neglect our personal oral health, but with 92% of adults ages 20 to 64 experiencing dental decay in our permanent teeth at some point in our lives, proper oral care routines and preventive dental care visits prove more essential than ever for achieving a cleaner, healthier mouth.

We need to take notes from what we tell our kids - by doing simple things regularly including brushing, flossing and rinsing twice daily and visiting your dentist twice a year for preventative care, you can avoid bigger problems down the line that require painful oral procedures and may cost thousands of dollars.

An alarming recent survey by Cigna indicates that 41 percent of Americans are taking worse care of their health because of the economy.

Thanks to MomCentral I was able to try out LISTERINE® TOTAL CARE, Anticavity Fluoride Mouthwash, now available, is the only fluoride mouthwash that contains six benefits in one:

Helping to prevent cavities

Restoring enamel

Strengthening teeth

Killing bad breath germs

Freshening breath

Fighting unsightly plaque above the gum line

For more information please visit http://listerine.com

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CFBA ~ Book Review ~ The Real Enemy

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
The Real Enemy
David C. Cook (March 2009)
by
Kathy Herman


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Suspense novelist Kathy Herman is very much at home in the Christian book industry, having worked five years on staff at the Christian Booksellers Association (CBA) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and eleven years at Better Books Christian Center in Tyler, Texas, as product buyer/manager for the children’s department, and eventually as director of human resources.

She has conducted numerous educational seminars on children’s books at CBA Conventions in the U.S. and Canada, served a preliminary judge for the Gold Medallion Book Awards of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association , and worked as an independent product/marketing consultant to the CBA market.

Since her first novel, Tested by Fire, debuted in 2001 as a CBA national bestseller, she's added thirteen more titles to her credit, including another bestseller, All Things Hidden.

Kathy's husband Paul is her best friend and most ardent supporter and manages the LifeWay Christian Store in Tyler, Texas. They have three grown children, five adorable grandkids, a cat named Samantha—and an ongoing fascination with hummingbirds. They also enjoy world travel, deep sea fishing, stargazing, and bird watching and sometimes incorporate all these hobbies into one big adventure.


ABOUT THE BOOK

Brill Jessup just became the first female police chief in Sophie Trace, Tennessee, and is riding on the credentials of a stellar eighteen-year career on the Memphis police force. She may be a pro at finding clues, but she tends to ignore the obvious in her personal life. And she would rather work than deal with the bitterness she feels about her husband Kurt's infidelity. Kurt, is weighed down by her unrelenting anger as he struggles to let God redeem the stupidest mistake he ever made. He is genuinely contrite and making every effort to show his commitment to Brill. But she hides behind her badge and her bitterness, deciding that moving her family away from Memphis is the only change she needs to make. So why can't Brill get over this anger?

Before she ever has time to unpack her boxes, people start disappearing. Lots of them. Seven people in seven days To complicate matters, a local legend has many residents believing that the cause is unearthly─tied to the “red shadows,” or spirits of the departed Cherokee who once inhabited the land.

While Brill draws on all of her experience and instinct to solve the case, she must confront an enemy that threatens everything she holds dear─one that cannot be stopped with a badge and a gun. She is forced to confront the real enemy.

If you would like to read the first chapter of The Real Enemy, go HERE

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CFBA ~ Book Review ~ Turning The Paige

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Turning The Paige
Zondervan (March 1, 2009)
by
Laura Jensen Walker


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Laura Jensen Walker is an award-winning writer, popular speaker, and breast-cancer survivor who loves to touch readers and audiences with the healing power of laughter.

Born in Racine, Wisconsin (home of Western Printing and Johnson’s Wax—maker of your favorite floor care products) Laura moved to Phoenix, Arizona when she was in high school. But not being a fan of blazing heat and knowing that Uncle Sam was looking for a few good women, she enlisted in the United States Air Force shortly after graduation and spent the next five years flying a typewriter through Europe.

By the time she was 23, Laura had climbed the Eiffel Tower, trod the steps of the Parthenon, skied (okay, snowplowed) in the Alps, rode in a gondola in Venice, and wept at the ovens of Dachau. She’d also learned how to fold her underwear into equal thirds, make a proper cup of English tea, and repel the amorous advances of a blind date by donning combat gear and a gas mask.

Laura is a former newspaper reporter and columnist with a degree in journalism who has written hundreds of articles on many subjects ranging from emu ranching and pigeon racing to goat-roping and cemetery board meetings. However, realizing that livestock and local government weren’t her passion, she switched to writing humor, which she calls a “total God-thing.”

Her lifelong dream of writing fiction came true in Spring 2005 with the release of her first chick lit novel, Dreaming in Black & White which won the Contemporary Fiction Book of the Year from American Christian Fiction Writers. Her sophomore novel, Dreaming in Technicolor was published in Fall 2005.

Laura’s third novel, Reconstructing Natalie, chosen as the Women of Faith Novel of the Year for 2006, is the funny and poignant story of a young, single woman who gets breast cancer and how her life is reconstructed as a result. This book was born out of Laura’s cancer speaking engagements where she started meeting younger and younger women stricken with this disease—some whose husbands had left them, and others who wondered what breast cancer would do to their dating life. She wanted to write a novel that would give voice to those women. Something real. And honest. And funny.

Because although cancer isn’t funny, humor is healing.

A popular speaker and teacher at writing conferences, Laura has also been a guest on hundreds of radio and TV shows around the country including the ABC Weekend News, The 700 Club, and The Jay Thomas Morning Show.

Another book in this series is Daring Chloe

She lives in Northern California with her Renaissance-man husband Michael, and Gracie, their piano playing dog


ABOUT THE BOOK

At 35, Paige Kelley is feeling very "in between." She's still working her temp job after two years, still not dating three years after her divorce, and still melting at every chubby-cheeked toddler she sees while her biological clock ticks ever louder. Paige even moves back home to help her ailing, high-maintenance mother.It's not exactly the life she'd dreamed of!

When her Getaway Girls book club members urge Paige to break free and get on with her life, she's afraid. How will her mother react? How can Paige honor her widowed mother and still pursue her own life? The answers come from a surprising source.
A trip to Scotland and a potential new love interest help launch an exciting new chapter in her life, and lead Paige to discover that God's plan for her promises to be more than she ever imagined.

This latest release in the Getaway Girls collection delivers a smart, funny, and warm account of one woman's challenge to reconcile who she is - a dutiful Christian daughter - with the woman she longs to be.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Turning The Paige, go HERE

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Neosporin Review

Pretty soon, the snow will melt, flowers will be peeking up through the ground, and we'll be back outside and on the playground with our kids. As you start to think about running around in the backyard and riding bikes, take a minute to investigate your medicine cabinet and prepare for the inevitable scrapes and cuts that outdoor activities bring. Ensure that you are armed with plenty of bandages and antibiotic ointment, such as NEOSPORIN®.

It turns out that 40% of homes have an expired topical antibiotic in the medicine cabinet, an important issue as some products may lose their effectiveness once they reach their expiration date. Please take a moment to be sure that all medicines and products are up-to-date an have not expired!

Did you know that approximately 60% of scrapes and 40% of cuts occur outside the home? If not cared for immediately, even minor wounds can become infected and take longer to heal.

Thanks to NeoSporin and MomCentral I was able to try out the New Neo To Go. The NEW NEOSPORIN® NEO TO GO!® First Aid Antiseptic/Pain Relieving Spray is specially designed to fit anywhere to give you infection protection, anytime, anywhere.

Convenient enough to fit in your purse or diaper bag to carry with you anywhere this summer!

Check out http://www.neosporin.com for more information.

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CFBA ~ Book Review ~ Breach of Trust ~

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Breach Of Trust
Tyndale House Publishers (February 5, 2009)

by
DiAnn Mills


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Award-winning author, DiAnn Mills, launched her career in 1998 with the publication of her first book. Currently she has over forty books in print and has sold more than a million copies.

DiAnn believes her readers should “Expect an Adventure.” DiAnn Mills is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels.

Six of her anthologies have appeared on the CBA Best Seller List. Three of her books have won the distinction of Best Historical of the Year by Heartsong Presents. Five of her books have won placements through American Christian Fiction Writer’s Book of the Year Awards 2003 – 2007, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005 and 2007. She was a Christy Awards finalist in 2008.

DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Inspirational Writers Alive, Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope and Love, and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also a mentor for Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writer’s Guild.

She lives in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn and her husband have four adult sons and are active members of Metropolitan Baptist Church.



ABOUT THE BOOK

Paige Rogers survived every CIA operative’s worst nightmare.

A covert mission gone terribly wrong.

A betrayal by the one man she thought she could trust.

Forced to disappear to protect the lives of her loved ones, Paige has spent the last several years building a quiet life as a small-town librarian. But the day a stranger comes to town and starts asking questions, Paige knows her careful existence has been shattered.

He is coming after her again. And this time, he intends to silence her for good...

Paige Rogers is a former CIA agent who lost all she treasured seven years ago when her entire team was killed in a covert mission. She blames their leader—Daniel Keary—whom Paige believes betrayed them. Disillusioned and afraid for her life, she disappeared and started a new life as a librarian in small town Split Creek, Oklahoma.

But her growing relationship with high school football coach Miles Laird and the political ambitions of her former boss threaten to unmask her. When Keary announces his candidacy for governor of her state, he comes after Paige to ensure that she won't ruin his bid for office by revealing his past misdeeds. He threatens everything she holds dear, and Paige must choose between the life of hiding that has become her refuge . . . or risking everything in one last, desperate attempt to right old wrongs.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Breach Of Trust, go HERE

Watch the Book Trailer:

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Disney On Ice

Interactive Disney On Ice shows feature exciting action, romance, comedy, athletic world-class skating, beloved Disney characters, and favorite Disney songs to which kids can sing and dance along. Their rich colors, costumes, bigger than life atmosphere, music, lighting, choreography and humor all contribute to making the experience one that builds childhood and family memories for years to come.

Thanks to MomCentral I am excited to share with you a special offer for Disney On Ice tickets.

Offer #1: Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code "MOM" at select ticketing channels*. Offer good on all performances, minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each. Offer not valid on Gold Circle Seating, Front Row and VIP seating or combinable with other offers. Other restrictions may apply.

Offer #2: A select amount of Front Row and VIP seats have been reserved for you to buy before they go on sale to the public - just enter the code "MOM" when purchasing those seats.

This special offer is for families who live in the following cities:

Houston

Disney On Ice presents Mickey and Minnie's Magical Journey

April 15-April 19

Dallas/Ft Worth

Disney On Ice presents Mickey & Minnie's Magical Journey

March 18-March 29

Sunrise/Miami

Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy

March 26-April 5

Toronto

Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy

March 18-March 22

Kansas City

Disney On Ice presents Mickey & Minnie's Magical Journey

April 1-April 5

Denver

Disney On Ice presents a Disneyland® Adventure

March 12-March 15

Phoenix

Disney On Ice presents a Disneyland® Adventure

April 9-April 12

Chicago/Rosemont

Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic

Sept 8-Sept 13

Have Fun!

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Johnson's No More Tears Review

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the JOHNSON'S® NO MORE TEARS®. 50 years of sweet smelling babies. 50 years of No More Tears.

To help celebrate its 50th Anniversary and continue the tradition of fun in the tub, Johnson's is introducing 2 new products. Thanks to MomCentral and Johnson's I was able to review both of these new products.

Johnson's Baby Bubble Bath & Wash. This bubble bath and wash is combined with the No More Tears formula and is extra gentle so I was even able to use it on Katelyn's sensitive skin. It has a cool refreshing scent too!

We were also excited to try the new Head-to-Toe Foaming Wash. This was perfect for Gavin to use in the shower. He liked pumping it himself and got kick out of the foam that came out!

For more great on info on all Johnson & Johnson baby products you can go to Johnson's Baby Chanel by clicking here or http://www.youtube.com/baby.

Happy Anniversary Johnson's!

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CFBA ~ Book Review ~ Daisy Chain

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Daisy Chain
Zondervan (March 1, 2009)
by
Mary DeMuth


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Mary E. DeMuth is an expert in Pioneer Parenting. She enables Christian parents to navigate our changing culture when their families left no good faith examples to follow.

Her parenting books include Authentic Parenting in a Postmodern Culture (Harvest House, 2007), Building the Christian Family You Never Had (WaterBrook, 2006), and Ordinary Mom, Extraordinary God (Harvest House, 2005).

Mary also inspires people to face their trials through her real-to-life novels, Watching The Tree Limbs
(nominated for a Christy Award) and Wishing On Dandelions (NavPress, 2006).

Mary has spoken at Mount Hermon Christian Writers Conference, the ACFW Conference, the Colorado Christian Writers Conference, and at various churches and church planting ministries. Mary and her husband, Patrick, reside in Texas with their three children. They recently returned from breaking new spiritual ground in Southern France, and planting a church.


ABOUT THE BOOK

The abrupt disappearance of young Daisy Chance from a small Texas town in 1973 spins three lives out of control—Jed, whose guilt over not protecting his friend Daisy strangles him; Emory Chance, who blames her own choices for her daughter’s demise; and Ouisie Pepper, who is plagued by headaches while pierced by the shattered pieces of a family in crisis.

In this first book in the Defiance, Texas Trilogy, fourteen-year-old Jed Pepper has a sickening secret: He’s convinced it’s his fault his best friend Daisy went missing. Jed’s pain sends him on a quest for answers to mysteries woven through the fabric of his own life and the lives of the families of Defiance, Texas. When he finally confronts the terrible truths he’s been denying all his life, Jed must choose between rebellion and love, anger and freedom.

Daisy Chain is an achingly beautiful southern coming-of-age story crafted by a bright new literary talent. It offers a haunting yet hopeful backdrop for human depravity and beauty, for terrible secrets and God’s surprising redemption.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Daisy Chain, go HERE

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CFBA ~ Book Review ~ Tender Grace ~

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Tender Grace
Bethany House (February 1, 2009)
by
Jackina Stark


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

I have also spoken nationally and internationally at many retreats and seminars and enjoy running into many readers and former students. I have written frequently for both Christian Standard and Lookout, periodicals of Standard Publishing. Years ago I wrote two non-fiction books, published by College Press, but currently out of print. These days, I’m exploring fiction. My first novel, Tender Grace, will be released by Bethany House January 30, 2009, and a second, Things Worth Remembering, will be released in October, 2009. I’m working on new projects, including a third novel, as time permits. Whether speaking or writing, I love the opportunity to tell about Him whom Jesus called “Holy Father” and “the only true God.”

She lives in Joplin, Missouri with her husband, and she spends most of her free time doing is reading and writing. That is what she usually do when she's not teaching, enjoying the children and grandchildren, or sitting on the back porch drinking a Diet Coke and watching her husband till the garden!


ABOUT THE BOOK

Audrey Eaton awakes at three in the morning and gets up to retrieve her husband, Tom, from the recliner where he has fallen asleep watching a ball game. But when she enters the living room and looks at his gentle face in the soft lamp light, she knows their time together is over. Grief attacks her until all she can think about is how much she wants her old life back. Determined to find healing, she embarks on a journey to the one place Tom and she always intended to visit but never did. Along the way, she discovers, through shared experiences with friends old and new, the meaning of the "tender graces" God provides each and every day.

I've quit reading--even bestsellers, even the newspaper, even my Bible. I've also quit listening to music. This lack of appreciation for things I once loved is beginning to define me. More mornings than I can count, I say to myself before I open my eyes, "I don't want to do this." In the days shortly following Tom's death, that made sense, but what does it mean now? That I'm in trouble? One of the best qualities of the former me was thankfulness. As I was trying to sleep last night, needing Tom to be curled up behind me, his left arm slung across me, I realized to my horror that I couldn't remember the last time I was truly thankful. I think of a line from an old hymn: "Awake, my soul, and sing." I miss Tom. I also miss me. Determined to find healing, Audrey Eaton embarks on a trip to the one place she and her husband always intended to visit but never did. When things don't go as planned, will she embrace the unexpected graces that guide her journey?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Tender Grace, go HERE

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WOW WOW WUBBZY ~ DVD ~ REVIEW

On February 3rd Wow!Wow!Wubbzy! released its newest DVD A Little Help From My Friends. Thanks to MomCentral Katelyn and I got to review this awesome DVD.

The DVD features six great episodes, all focused on the important values of friendship. This theme takes center stage as Wubbzy, a fun, lovable, curious little guy and his Wuzzleburg pals search for a lost Wiggle Wrench, escape a runaway Doodleberry Cake, build a Super Robot, teach Walden to boogie, and work hard for Wuzzleburg trophies. Together they discover the importance of positive values like confidence, cooperation, teamwork and above all, the meaning of friendship. The DVD extras also include two bonus episodes, music video, Kooky Kostume game, activities and sneak peeks.

Parents can get involved by visiting http://www.wubbzy.com/ where they can join the "Wubb Club," sign up for the newsletter, read the Wubbzy Blog, and listen to Wubbzy podcasts. The site also provides fun activities, recipes, printable coloring pages, and much more!

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CFBA ~ Book Review ~ A Cry In The Night

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
A Cry In The Night
Thomas Nelson (February 3, 2009)
by
Colleen Coble


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Author Colleen Coble's thirty novels and novellas have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Romance Writers of America prestigious RITA award, the Holt Medallion, the ACFW Book of the Year, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers' Choice, and the Booksellers Best awards. She writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail and love begin with a happy ending.


AWARDS:
2004 More Than Magic winner for Best Inspirational Romance
Without a Trace, Thomas Nelson
2004 American Christian Fiction Writers Mentor of the Year



ABOUT THE BOOK

The highly anticipated novel that delivers what romantic suspense fans have long awaited-the return to Rock Harbor.
Bree Nichols gets the shock of her life when her husband-presumed dead-reappears.

Bree Nichols and her search and rescue dog Samson discover a crying infant in the densely forested woods outside of Rock Harbor, Michigan. Against objections from her husband, Kade, who knows she'll become attached, Bree takes the baby in. Quickly she begins a search for the mother-presumably the woman reported missing just days earlier.
While teams scour the forests, Bree ferrets out clues about the missing woman. But she soon discovers something more shocking: Bree's former husband-long presumed dead in a plane crash-resurfaces. Is he really who he says he is? And should she trust him again after all these years?
An engaging, romantic suspense novel from critically-acclaimed author Colleen Coble.

If you would like to read the first chapter of , go HERE

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