Libre Tea Review and Giveaway! **CLOSED

*Winner posted here**


I’m a big fan of tea.

Sweet, hot, green...I’ll take it practically any way.

So I was thrilled with someone from Libre Tea contacted me about reviewing one of their large tea glasses.

Here is what Libre Tea says about their glasses on the website:

"In the car, on a hike, on your bike, at the office, at a yoga class; wherever you happen to be, take your Libre tea glass with you and enjoy your favourite loose leaf tea.

Attractive, convenient, and ecological — carry it in your backpack or purse and know you are only seconds away from a blissful tea moment of connection and reflection.

Libre™ loose leaf tea glasses are specifically designed for tea ‘on-the-go’ and are made with a built-in stainless-steel filter that keeps tea leaves in the glass and out of your mouth."


Isn’t that fantastic?

I especially loved the cute packaging the glass came in.

And it came with instructions on how to enjoy your tea.

If you still didn’t understand the instructions, there is a demonstration video here.

Making my tea was simple. I just put some loose leaf tea in the bottom, added boiling water and I had delicious tea!

And bonus? The glass is BPA free!

Cleaning the glass was simple as well, which always pleases me.

The folks at Libre Tea are being generous because they’re giving the exact same glass I got (the Libre Tea Large) to a lucky reader!



Giveaway Rules

--Must be 18 or older

--Open to readers in the US and Canada


MANDATORY ENTRY: What kind of tea is your favorite?


EXTRA ENTRIES: (Please make each entry separate)

LIKE Libre Tea on Facebook


FOLLOW Libre Tea on Twitter


SIGN UP for Libre Tea’s newsletter on their website and receive a free iced tea recipe booklet


Also, PLEASE have your e-mail address attached to your blog. If not, please leave it in your entry.

Contest will run until September 10th.

Good luck!

Project 365 - Week 36

Well it is that time of week again when all of the Project 365'ers post their photo journals.  I hope some of you will try next year.  I have really gotten a blast out of this,.....and a new camera.  I am so thankful to Sara for hosting us and hope she will continue to do so.  Want to see everyone else's pictures then head over to Sara's blog and check them out.  I promise you there are some over there that should be making a living doing this....awesome I tell you.

Sunday, August 28th

 Sunday after church and lunch with the Baptist Church, Frank and I went to Lowe's in Opelika to get some wood for his projects.  On our way back I asked him to stop at this little country road I had seen on the way down so I could get a shot of the sun and the trees.

Monday, August 29th

On my way home from school I saw this funny church sign in Daviston.  I think I could have done a whole week of church signs this week...there were so many to choose from.

Tuesday, August 30th

My little pumpkin is filling out.  It is a Cinderella Pumpkin because of it's shape.  It looks like her coach.

I know you guys are sick of my pumpkins...but the green one/watermelon wannabe is finally turning orange.  Maybe it will be ready by October. What do you think?

Wednesday, August 31st

 The sun was setting.  It was almost 7:00 PM and it was still 88 degrees here and we have had no rain.  No one is cutting grass for fear of setting a grass fire.  It is so dry.

Thursday, September 1st

Sunrise from the BRHS parking lot.  It looked like the sun was lasering through the tree so I had to grab this shot.

Friday, September 2nd

I checked my pumpkins when I came home....and this is how they have changed since Tuesday!  Can you believe it!  The orange on the bottom picture is amazing and the size on the Cinderella pumpkin is unreal!  I promise....unless something drastic happens there will not be ANY pumpkin pictures next week!  Cross my heart!

Saturday, September 3rd

 We had a cookout at Amanda's.  Her kids are all here for the weekend.  I love it when they come.  I just love seeing those babies!

Jax, Della's son was born in mid-December and has decided he is ready to walk.  He is so cute!

Appetizers on the grill with Chef Boy R Dustin (Ramona's husband).  The main course was grilled chicken and the sides were macaroni salad, potato salad (Della's famous for this), slaw, fresh tomatoes, baked beans(my specialty), garlic bread...it was yummy!  For dessert we had homemade ice cream(thanks to David) and fresh peach cobbler (thanks to Suzanna(Davids wife)...and there was a gorgeous red velvet cake Patty brought and much much more.

These were peaches Kimball bought at the market.  They are South Carolina peaches and delish!

The tomatoes were courtesy of Kimball as well.

Remember the cute red, white and blue strawberries Ramona made on the 4th?  Well this was her fall contribultion.  Are these not the cutest things....and all it is is a hershey's kiss, a mini vanilla wafer, a piece of a pretzel stick and some frosting!  How cute are these????

Drew man(right) and Big Wheels (left) enjoying their lunch at their special table.

Tommy wanting to get to the television.  I missed a picture of Will somehow.  We are going back tomorrow for a bit...I will try and feature him on my Sunday next week.  Have a Happy and Safe Labor Day Holiday!

Playing Hurt Blog Tour and Kregel Publishing Giveaway

Published by: Kregel Publications
Copyright: 2011

ISBN: 978-0-8254-2673-5

About The Book: "Playing Hurt is a marriage book that husbands will actually want to read! Everyone admires people who play hurt, from the superstar athlete to the journeyman player who finishes the game even when hurt, sick, or falling apart. Everyone looks up to these athletes and wants to mimic their “never give up” attitude. Except when it comes to marriage. Most husbands are willing to take a bullet for their wives in a life-and-death situation; but when his bride fires the bullet--hurls an insult, disrespects him in public, ignores his foreplay in private--he’d rather throw in the towel than play through the pain. Playing Hurt is a biblical playbook for marriage that speaks in the language most men understand—the language of sports. Using a sports analogy to explain the motivation, means, and methods of playing hurt, author Brian Goins shows men how to overcome the temptation to stay on the bench. Playing Hurt is more about inspiration than instruction. It’s about finding the motivation to stay in the game, despite the pain. It’s about becoming like the One who knew more about nails and thorns than any superstar athlete. Using Ephesians 5 as a biblical basis, this book will call husbands to be the heroes they long to be--men who play hurt in order to win at marriage."

About The Author: Brian Goins is the author or editor of numerous study guides, workbooks, and Bible studies that he has developed for Insight for Living (Chuck Swindoll) and Walk Through the Bible. When he’s not traveling across the country as a Family Life Weekend to Remember speaker, he and his family reside in North Carolina.

My Thoughts: Although I am not a big sports fanatic and when I got this book I thought, "Great...a man book." I have to admit I was delightfully surprised and I really loved the insights given in Brian Goins book, Playing Hurt. The book was well written and truly one you did not want to put down. Each chapter added another play to Paul's Playbook for Playing Hurt. This book would be a great gift to a newlywed or an oldy wed. My biggest blessing from the book was that in many of the chapters my own husband kept appearing in the examples (even though he was not mentioned by name). I am one of the fortunate ones who has the husband who has the playbook and guidelines to love like Christ and seeing it in print made me smile. If you would like a copy of this book then click on this link and find out how and where you can get one. Want to see what other reviewers have to say then visit Litfuse Publicity for the Blog Tour Schedule.  My rating for the book is definitely a four star.

Video Trailer:



Giveaway: Kregel Publications is sponsoring a $50 Amazon.com giveaway open to both me and all my blog readers. All you have to do to enter is send a tweet (using @litfuse) about Playing Hurt or share about it on Facebook! It does not get any easier than that!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group and Kregel Publishing Co. as part of a September Blog Tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A Lancaster County Christmas

About the Book:  Jaime and C. J. Fitzpatrick began their married life in love and looking forward to a bright future together. But when Jaime's mother dies and she wins a National Geographic Photography Contest her father, who deserted them when she was six months old, returns to the scene and now four years later the once happy couple has drifted apart and they are almost ready to call it quits.
Mattie Riehl was hoping to give her husband Sol the Christmas gift they have both longed for--news that another baby was on the way, only to be disappointed with a miscarriage. With the Christmas holidays approaching the young mother feels an acute awareness that her dream of a big family isn't likely to become a reality. A random meeting at the doctors office, a lost owl whistle and a grudging favor to return the whistle to six year old Danny topped with a  winter storm raging outside blows the Fitzpatricks into the Riehl home--and into a much slower pace of life. Can these two couples from different worlds help each other understand the true meaning of love this Christmas?  Can the two young women come to grips with their lives, their dreams, and God's perfect grace?

About the Author:  "Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of Amish fiction and non-fiction and the host of a weekly radio program called Amish Wisdom. She has twenty books under contract with Revell--seven published, thirteen to come...she's contracted all the way into 2016. The Waiting is a finalist for a 2011 Christy Award. The Choice is finalist for a 2011 Carol Award. Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World and Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life were both finalists for the ECPA Book of the Year (2010, 2011).
Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. She has many, many Plain relatives living in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and travels back to Pennsylvania, as well as to Ohio, a couple of times each year for research.
Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. In both her fiction and non-fiction books, she has an underlying theme: You don't have to "go Amish" to incorporate many of their principles--simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily-- into your life."
My Thoughts:  This book was a wonderful read and a great feel good story.  Once I began I did not want to put it down.  The characters were so lifelike I found myself routing for each of them as they faced their personal struggles in the story.  Fisher is a master storyteller.  This was her first book I have read and I cannot wait to get my hands on more.  She is phenomenal.  I would give this book 5 stars easily.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group as part of a September Blog Tour. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song Giveaway! **CLOSED

**Winner posted here**


To be honest, I hadn’t even heard of the DVD A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song when I was contacted about it.

But then I looked it up and had to admit that it sounded really cute.

Here is a synopsis from Wikipedia:


“Over-worked, harried and terrified of being put back in foster care, 17-year-old Katie Gibbs (Lucy Hale) does her stepmother and step-siblings' bidding without complaining. Vocally gifted, Katie feels particularly upset when forced to lay down singing tracks so that her untalented stepsister, Bev van Ravensway, can hopefully win a recording contract from Massive Records--whose company President, Harvey Morgan, is scouting for new spectacular talent at a talent showcase for the Performing Arts Department at a prestigious private school.”




I always like a movie with singing. (Even though I can't carry a tune..)

And when it contains someone with the name Bev van Ravensway.

To see some of the stars of the movie sing, check this YouTube video out here!


I have a DVD of A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song up for grabs to a lucky reader!

Before you enter, check out this widget:

With it, you can write your own Cinderella story, enter a lip syncing You Tube contest, check out the trailer for A Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song and much more!

Also, PartnersHub, the company giving away the DVD (thank you again!) has partnered with Confidence Coalition which helps promote self esteem and confidence amongst girls. Always a great thing.



Ready to enter the contest?

Great!


Giveaway Rules

--must be 18 or older

--must live in the US


MANDATORY entry: Do you like musicals? What is your favorite?


Contest will run until September 9th. The winner MUST get in contact with me that day as I need to get the address out to the company.


Thank you and good luck!

Stumbling Into Grace

About the Book:  After seeing and hearing Lisa Harper at a Women of Faith Conference in Atlanta I was excited about reading her book, Stumbling into Grace. I hoped beyond all hope that this would not be another highbrow book about Grace that I wished I had not asked for.  I have to admit the front cover with the precious little Diva wannabe on it made me smile and I thought, hum...this could be just what I'm needing right now.  In person, Lisa Harper has such wit and charm as she shares her life storis and the book is just like hearing her live.  I don’t know if it was the fact that I had just seen her, but I could actually hear her talking to me in the book as she shared her stories and then used those stories to get across what Grace was all about. The book was filled with some wonderful stories but one of my all  time favorites was about an incident in a hotel in Chattanooga. Her expert use of lighthearted scenarios throughout the entire book makes a profound impact on her readers.  At the end of each chapter, there is a section for personal reflection/group discussion questions and thought-provoking journal entries. 

My Thoughts:  As a middle-aged female I have been a fan of Lisa Harpers for a while.  I have heard her speak several times and love the way she leads you quietly along with her humor and before you realize it you are renewed and revived.  Stumbling Into Grace is a must read for today’s Christian woman.  I am one of those Christians who finds myself many times stumbling into grace and all I can say is that I am glad that option is available.   This is the kind of book I will dog ear, give as gifts, use in my own ministry every chance I get. The teaching is authentic and very easy to understand for the trained and not trained.   Lisa Harper is like a best friend you have never met when you read her books. She says things that only best friends are comfortable saying to each other.  I encourage you to walk, no run, to your nearest bookstore and get your own copy.  You won’t regret it!

About the Author: “Rarely are the terms hilarious storyteller and theological scholar used in the same sentence, much less used to describe the same person…but then again, Lisa Harper is anything but stereotypical! She has been lauded as a gifted communicator, whose writing and speaking overflows with colorful pop culture references that connect the dots between the Bible era and modern life. Her style combines sound scriptural exposition with easy-to-relate to anecdotes and comedic wit.  Best-selling author and pastor Max Lucado calls Lisa one of the “best Bible tour guides around,” and speaker Priscilla Evans Shirer adds, “If anyone can help us to hear, understand and receive the truth of Scripture it is Lisa Harper. Her God-given ability to not merely teach the Word but package it in a way that stirs the heart and calls to action is incomparable. When she speaks ears perk up!” Lisa’s pastor – Scotty Smith of Christ Community Church in Franklin, TN – sums up her appealing approach with this commendation, “In a day in which people deeply connect with stories and yet too often find the Bible abstract and irrelevant, Lisa shows us that the 66 books of the Bible are telling one grand story of personal and cosmic redemption, with Jesus starring as the lead character.”  Want to know more…check out her website:  http://lisaharper.net/ or on the Women of Faith site: http://www.womenoffaith.com.  She is addictive so be prepared!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Book Sneeze . I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A Robot in the Gym

Why was it burning so much?

Why?

Wasn’t the pain supposed to lessen in time?

Why did it feel like my legs were about to break off—oh wait, smile, the guy next to you looks concerned. It’s probably because of my deep breathing. And my ultra red face. It always turns red when I’m working out.

It was day 3 in the gym.

It was day 3 in the gym and I couldn’t help but marvel at this other girl who had already done 30 minutes on the bike (I peeked at the screen when I walked by) and had moved onto the elliptical. How could she stand both? Didn’t she want to die?

I guess not because she easily moved to the elliptical, punched in her workout and started to move. Without even taking a drink of her water.

I slurped on my own water. At least I remembered to bring it this time. And I remembered to bring music. But the water wasn’t helping. The music wasn’t helping. The Beach Boys trilled a song about the beach from my iPod and I wanted to slap them. This was no time to be singing about the beach! I was dying! I wanted a pina colada!

I kept moving. I only had ten minutes to go. I could do ten minutes. I just wouldn’t focus on the pain.

That didn’t work well. I reached for my water, tilted it back, and realized it was empty.

EMPTY!

I had filled that thing up to the brim. I suppose I could get more water from the fountain—but then I’d have to pause my workout and if I left the elliptical, I wasn’t sure if I’d go back.

I managed to get through the work out. When the machine beeped that I was done, my legs felt like jelly. I wobbled over to grab a cloth to clean the machine and as I was wiping it down I saw Workout Chick move from the elliptical to the treadmill.

Was she working out on every last thing in the gym? Was she a robot?

Her face wasn’t bright red. She barely even paused before climbing onto the treadmill.

As I finished wiping down my elliptical, I noticed it said SUMMIT on the side. What? Summit? What did that—

--and then it occurred to me that I had used the HARDER elliptical. The others were just basic ones. I had gone on one that resembled a tiny mountain.

Oh.

That explains the intense pain.

Note to self: stay away from the ultra evil elliptical for awhile.

(And as I discovered this, Workout Chick happily jogged on her treadmill, ponytail swishing back and forth behind her.)