EmpowerMoms

The introduction and chapter 1 is about the author, Hetti, and her personal experiences with being an imperfect mom-an (un)natural mom.

She goes on to describe 7 myths in chapter 2.
1. Every woman must be naturally maternal
2. Every mom must get pregnant naturally
3. Every mom must give birth naturally
4. Every mom must be a natural at breastfeeding and continue as long as possible
5. Every mom must be a natural homemaker
6. Every mom must find parenting natural
7. Every mom should keep all things unnatural away from her family table

Since I love to read and learn about health and fitness, there were a couple things I didn’t agree with her in number 7 section.

At the end of each chapter, she has some reflection journaling questions.

The author goes on to describe temperaments and that she believes there are 4 “Tall Trees Parenting Profiles” which can reveal the 4 mothering styles most common. Those were interesting to read. She gave examples on how these specific mothers act and their characteristics.

This was a very different “parenting” book than I’ve ever read. Not in a bad way-just different.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

About the book:
Do you feel like you’re the only mom who serves store-bought birthday treats, dreads school plays, and misses the days of going to the bathroom by herself?

Unnatural Mom gives you permission to say that mothering doesn’t always come naturally to you. Parenting expert and self-proclaimed unnatural mom Hettie Brittz helps you . . .

-Recognize how unrealistic our culture’s standards of mothering are
-Move beyond the myths of “supermom”
-Complete a profile to determine your own parenting style
-Understand and forgive the mothers who hurt you
-Embrace your capabilities as well as your challenges

Come find new hope in discovering that every mother has unique gifts. In Christ, the “unnatural” mom becomes the supernatural mom who is just right for her family!

About the author:
Hettie Brittz is an author, international speaker, and one of South Africa’s foremost voices on parenting advice. She is the developer of the Evergreen Parenting Course and Tall Trees Profiles. Hettie and her husband, Gospel singer Louis Brittz, live in South Africa with their three children.

“When Death Draws Near” is book 3 of the Gwen Marcey novel series. I haven’t read any of the other books or any books by this author but I feel it can be read as a stand alone book.

This story immediately starts off with an unfortunate death and answered questions that forensic artist Gwen is trying to solve. Good, steady pace but I didn’t care for the serpent-handling church and what all was going on. It was really creepy and unchristian. I didn’t read the back description very well, otherwise I wouldn’t have requested to read this story.

This author has written other thrilling mystery books, so maybe I’ll try reading another story of hers instead of finishing this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

About the book:
Death has always been part of Gwen Marcey’s job. But when faced with her own mortality, everything takes on a different hue.

Forensic artist Gwen Marcey is between jobs and homes when she accepts temporary work in Pikeville, Kentucky. The Eastern Kentucky town, located deep in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains, has been plagued by a serial rapist and a series of unexplained deaths. Before Gwen can develop a composite drawing, the latest witness vanishes, just like all the previous victims.

Turning her attention to sketching the face of an unidentified body, she discovers a link between his death and a Pentecostal serpent-handling church. Serpent-handling is illegal in Kentucky, and the churches have gone underground to avoid the authorities and continue to worship as they believe. Gwen is offered a handsome reward to infiltrate the renegade members, a reward she desperately needs as it seems her breast cancer has returned.

Joined by her digitally-obsessed, Generation Z daughter, Gwen goes undercover to a nineteenth century revival, planning to draw the faces of the snake handlers so they can be identified and arrested. Instead she uncovers a murderous plot and a festering

Purchase a copy here:

About the Author:
Carrie Stuart Parks is a Christy finalist as well as a Carol award-winning author. She has won numerous awards for her fine art as well. An internationally known forensic artist, she travels with her husband, Rick, across the US and Canada teaching courses in forensic art to law enforcement professionals. The author/illustrator of numerous books on drawing and painting, Carrie continues to create dramatic watercolors from her studio in the mountains of Idaho.

Plunge into forensic artist Gwen Marcey’s world, full of cold-case murders, shady politics, and a den of venomous suspects. Add Carrie Stuart Parks’ new Gwen Marcey novel, When Death Draws Near, to the top of your must-read list. Gwen accepts temporary work in Pikeville, Kentucky—a small town facing big-city crime. But before she can finish her first drawing of the serial rapist who is on the loose, the latest witness vanishes. Just like all the others. Can Gwen uncover the truth—and convince anyone to believe her—before she becomes a victim herself?

Join Carrie in celebrating the release of When Death Draws Near by entering to win an Undercover Artist Starter Set.

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of When Death Draws Near
• A $30 Michael’s or Hobby Lobby gift card (winner’s choice)
• Colored pencils
• A sharpener
• A pencil case
• An eraser
• A coloring prayer book
• A coloring notecard set
• A lap desk

 

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on August 22. The winner will be announced August 23 on the Litfuse blog.

I can’t believe my ROC *Ridiculous Obstacle Race* is in 2 days!

I am so excited to be partnering with the ROC race this year in DC! The current last chance DC price per ticket is $72.00. Game day tickets will be $80.00 (IF ITS NOT SOLD OUT!) Event is this Saturday August 20th!

Make sure to use my $5 off discount code for the ROC Race in DC: EMPOWER

Have you ever done an obstacle challenge like this before? Any tips for me?

They have a couple of the obstacles listed on their website like: wrecking balls, jump balls, the drop, badger wall, foam of fury etc. I know I’m definitely getting wet at this event!
https://rocrace.com/obstacles

Here’s the DC obstacle course they just released. It looks like there are 12 obstacles. 🙂

WHAT IS ROC RACE?
With over 400,000 certified ROC Stars and in its 6th year, ROC Race is the original game show-inspired obstacle run featuring larger-than-life obstacles including (but certainly not limited to!) the infamous Wrecking Balls, the menacing Sweeper, the newly re-imagined Jump Balls, and an epic finish line slide down The Hippo – a towering 4 story tall waterslide!

Get ready for the craziest 5K of your life!

ROC Race is an untimed event open to everyone, from couch potatoes to track stars, ages 13 and up. Get your teams and costumes ready, and prepare for an experience you will never forget!

WHAT’S INCLUDED?
Your ROC Race registration includes the newly released 2016 Finisher’s Medal along with the brand new 2016 ROC Race Tour Shirt (with the option to upgrade to the high performance technical shirt), free bag drop, entry to the course & access to the all the post-race fun (with beer garden)!!

Make sure to bring cash with you as parking, concessions, and additional merchandise are not included

This week starts week 6-THE FINAL WEEK of the 6 week Jessica Smith Summer of Strength challenge. It is also “doubles” week, meaning you can choose to do TWO workouts (and/or) or you can just do one or the other.

Although this is the last week of the official challenge, you can join in at any time!

Here’s week 1 schedule and specifics about the challenge:
http://empowermoms.net/2016/07/week-1-alternate-workouts-for-jessica-smith-phase-3-walk-strong-2-0-calendar-summerofstrength.html

Week 2:
http://empowermoms.net/2016/07/week-2-alternate-workouts-for-jessica-smith-phase-3-walk-strong-2-0-calendar-summerofstrength.html

Week 3:
http://empowermoms.net/2016/07/week-3-alternate-workouts-for-jessica-smith-phase-3-walk-strong-2-0-calendar-summerofstrength.html

Week 4:
http://empowermoms.net/2016/07/week-4-alternate-workouts-for-jessica-smith-phase-3-walk-strong-2-0-calendar-summerofstrength.html

Week 5:
http://empowermoms.net/2016/08/week-5-alternate-workouts-for-jessica-smith-phase-3-walk-strong-2-0-calendar-summerofstrength.html

These are WEEK 6 suggestions for an alternate Walking Strong 2.0/Phase 3 calendar if you don’t have the DVDs listed on the calendar. I made up these suggestions entirely on my own and I hope you will find them useful! If you do, please recommend my blog and these posts to others so they can join the fitness challenge.

You can do these suggested workouts along with the 2.0 calendar to get a 60 minute workout; or you can do these workouts in place of whatever dvds you don’t own right now.

I went thru the Walk Strong 2.0 calendar week by week to then find alternate free Jessica Smith TV YouTube workouts that were similar in style and time length. Each alternate workout suggestion is either cardio or strength exactly like the calendar suggests, and is within 5 minutes more or less of the suggested time.

MONDAY: (need chair)
“Steady, Ready, GO!” CARDIO workout from Burn Fat and Have Fun DVD (30 mins)
AND/OR
“Interval Mix” CARDIO workout from Walk Strong DVD Set (30 mins)

OR
Power Interval Walk (30 mins)

OR
Indoor Jogging (40 mins)

OR
High Intensity Interval Training Workout – HIIT It (31 mins)

TUESDAY: (need weights)
“Upper Body Strength” STRENGTH workout from Walk Strong DVD Set (30 mins)
AND/OR
“360 Abs” CARDIO workout from Walk Strong DVD Set (30 mins)

OR
1 mile upper body (20 mins)

OR
Abs Cardio Workout: 30-Minute Kickboxing Cardio Abs

OR
20-Minute Belly Fat Blasting Cardio Ab Workout

WEDNESDAY: (need weights and band)
“Balance and Agility” from Build Balance and Inner Strength DVD (30 mins)
AND/OR
“Lower Body Sculpt” STRENGTH workout from Walk Strong DVD Set (30 mins)

OR
Strength and Cardio Workout: Fusion Band (40 mins)

OR
Pilates Workout 30 Minutes Full Body Sculpting

OR
1 Mile Lower Body Circuit (18 mins) AND 12 Minute Booty Sculpting Exercises (13 mins)

THURSDAY: (need stepper)
“Stride and Step” CARDIO workout from Burn Fat and Have Fun DVD (30 mins)
AND/OR
Brain Fitness Fun CARDIO workout from Walk Strong DVD Set (30 mins)

OR
Indoor walking workout with a step (36 mins)

OR
30-Minute HIIT Cardio And Core

OR
Kickboxing Workout: Kick Butt (35 mins)

FRIDAY:
Any Flow Combo (1-4)of Gentle Yoga DVD

OR
Active cardio flow/Yoga workout 20 mins:

OR
30-Minute Low Impact Aerobic Workout: Cardio Core Fusion Flow

SATURDAY: (need ball)
“Cardio Party” CARDIO workout from Walk Strong DVD Set (30 mins)
AND/OR
“Have a Ball” CARDIO workout from Burn Fat and Have Fun DVD (30 mins)

OR
30-Minute Latin Spice Walk

OR
30 min Cardio Ball Blast

OR
45-Minute Cardio Ball Ballet

SUNDAY:
Active Rest Day

ADDITIONAL WORKOUT SUGGESTIONS FOR ACTIVE REST OR STRETCHING:

8 Minute Total Body Stretch with hand towel after a workout (not cold muscles):

30-Minute Stretching, Flexibility Routine: Stretch, Rest and Relax:

10 Minute Flexibility Training Workout:

I will be posting my daily workout pictures and progress on my Instagram page, so make sure you follow me there. I’d love to hear how you are doing with the challenge as well.

“Exodus” is book 3 of The Moses Chronicles and was released this month. The story picks up where it left off at the end of book 2.

I love reading biblical fiction and author HB Moore does a wonderful job describing events and bringing to life the characters mentioned in this story which corresponds with the bible story. The author mentions in the beginning of the book that she had to speed up the timing of some events to keep the steady plot which I didn’t mind and I appreciate she pointed that out to keep the story as accurate as possible.

Like the other 2 books, the chapters go back and forth between Moses and Miriam and the other main characters, so the readers get different points of view of the events going on. Moses brother Aaron was a big part of this book as he and Moses worked together to try and free the Hebrews.

There was obviously alot of drama due to the plagues and pestilence being sent by the Lord against the Egyptians.

I really enjoyed this book and can’t wait for book 4! I highly recommend this thrilling biblical series and simply can’t say enough good things about it! I have been reading books by this author for years and she is one of my top authors to read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own.

My review for book 1 is here:
http://empowermoms.net/2015/09/the-moses-chronicles-volume-1-bondage-by-h-b-moore-heather-moore.html
and
my review for book 2 is here:
http://empowermoms.net/2016/03/deliverance-the-moses-chronicles-vol-2-by-h-b-moore-book-review-giveaway.html

About the Book
Let my people go . . .
A plea has been made in behalf of the children of Israel. Now comes the epic climax years in the making—the final showdown between two of the most powerful men in history—one fueled by pride, the other guided by the word of God. Moses has received an extraordinary call from the Lord: he is to lead the exodus of the Hebrew people out of Egypt, ending generations of bondage. And he must return to the land of his birth to boldly petition a man he does not want to challenge. . . or lose to: Ramses—pharaoh of Egypt. Ramses, harboring years of feeling betrayed by his best friend, is determined to stop Moses no matter the cost. He will not yield, even as a dark veil of plagues and pestilence descends over the land of Egypt.

What follows is a powerful chronicle of the struggles of the children of Israel as they traverse uncharted territory, both physically and spiritually. Amid the horrific catastrophes devastating their land and through the dramatic events that follow, the Hebrews must face their fears and their faltering faith. For even in the darkest of times, there are manifestations of the Lord’s constant care to inspire their hope for a bright future.

Biography
Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen historical novels and thrillers, written under pen name H.B. Moore. She writes women’s fiction, romance and inspirational non-fiction under Heather B. Moore. This can all be confusing, so her kids just call her Mom. Heather attended Cairo American College in Egypt, the Anglican School of Jerusalem in Israel, and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Brigham Young University in Utah.

Please join Heather’s email list at: http://hbmoore.com/contact/
Blog: http://mywriterslair.blogspot.com
Website: www.hbmoore.com
Twitter: @heatherbmoore
Facebook: Fans of H.B. Moore

Literary awards: 4-time Best of State Recipient for Best in Literary Arts, 3-time Whitney Award Winner, and 2-time Golden Quill Award Winner

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