EmpowerMoms

Have you heard of LuLaRoe clothing?

I finally went to a home party several months ago because I kept hearing amazing things about their soft, buttery, leggings. I just had to try them for myself and of course I LOVED them! I have several pairs now-along with some shirts and dresses-and I have been really pleased! I love the selection and they hold up well wash after wash. (You HAVE to wash on cold and hang dry!)

I’m excited to share that I’ve partnered with a local LuLaRoe (LLR) Consultant, Jennifer Bradford, to offer you a chance to WIN (2) pairs of leggings! SAY WHAT??!!

Seriously! How would you like to win and try them out for yourself?!

Keep reading my review of my most current leggings, check out my pictures, and then enter the contest below. (Make sure to read the rules!)

LLR not only offers leggings in all kinds of patterns and prints, but they also offer other clothing lines as well. Like dresses, shirts, leggings for kids, shirts for men-lots of variety!!

Here’s a current SIZE CHART of some of the selection Jennifer offers:

I am wearing a size large Nicole dress in this picture from a couple months ago.

So how do I purchase my LLR products?
My local LLR consultant, Jennifer, has her own private Facebook group where she posts her online deals and stock every week. Every week is different so it’s always fun to see the variety of leggings and other products. I just bought another dress last week!

You can join her Facebook group here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/lularoejenniferbradford/

Although I own several pairs of leggings that I purchased, Jennifer was gracious enough to send me a complimentary pair of leggings for this review to share with my readers. I choose a simple black pair of leggings in One Size.

I typically don’t wear OS (one size leggings) since I’m at the top of the suggested sizing for them, but I like my exercise leggings to be tighter than my every day wear leggings. I typically wear TC (Tall Curvy) leggings at work and when I’m out and about.

OS (one size) leggings are for sizes 0 – 12/14.
TC (tall curvy) leggings are for sizes 12/14 – 22/24.
I am 5 feet 4 inches and wear size 12.

Why I LOVE my LLR Leggings:

The title of this book is addressed on page 5, “don’t go to bed angry-stay up and fight” is not what we would typically think it means. It’s talking about not letting the sun go down on your own anger and not trying to control your spouses anger or discussing something to death before bed. It means taking a few minutes with your eyes closed to give God your anger and to let the discussion or problem go until a more beneficial time when you have a fresh perspective. (Prayer, meditation and yoga are helpful!!)

Each chapter is fairly short, like about 6-8 pages long with end of the chapter questions for each spouse, journaling questions, a scripture reference, and a prayer. This book and the journaling sections can be read together with a spouse or alone.

I liked reading the introduction as to why the authors made this book. I also feel that reading the author’s specific “marriage fighting rules” is important to read and understand. They also discuss what’s ahead with each chapter of the book; including burdens, baggage, bridges, barriers, boundaries, and blessings. There are nine total chapters in this book

I felt like this book was very practical, could easily be understood, and easy to read. The chapters are short so you don’t have to spend a lot of time with reading and doing questions. This book could certainly be a book club selection or marriage help book to be spread out over the course of several weeks. I especially like the journaling and discussion questions at the end of each chapter. I would highly recommend reading this book and I look forward to reading and discussing it more in depth.

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:
A practical handbook on how to fight better—together—for your marriage.

In every marriage, there is conflict. And with every conflict, there is a choice for resolution. Will you ignore the issue until it seemingly goes away? Or will you work together to find peace?

In Don’t Go to Bed Angry, Deb and Ron DeArmond give you permission to fight. Conflict isn’t the problem, after all; the real issue is how we deal with the conflict. Deb and Ron demonstrate how communication through conflict can safeguard—and even strengthen—your relationship. Immensely practical features including worksheets and discussion questions make this a definitive go-to resource to help you start fighting—together—for your marriage.

About the authors:
Deb DeArmond is an author, speaker, and coach with a focus on communication, relationships, and conflict resolution. Her writing explores marriage, parenting, in-law and extended family relationships. She is the author of Related By Chance, Family By Choice and I Choose You Today: 31 Choices to Make Love Last. Deb is the founder of Living-Write, where she coaches aspiring authors. She’s monthly columnist and feature writer for Lifeway’s Mature Living Magazine, and has published more than 120 articles online and in print publications.

Ron DeArmond has a hungry heart for the Word, and has studied the Bible for 45+ years. Ron’s call to serve men is evident in his previous ministry positions with Christian Men’s Network under Dr. Edwin Lewis Cole and Faithful Men Ministry. Ron is currently the Associate Pastor of men’s ministry at Catch the Fire/ DFW and has ministered around the world. The DeArmonds live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Giveaway link:
https://promosimple.com/ps/9e7e

Love is Come (Power of the Matchmaker) by Heather B. Moore
*April Power of the Matchmaker book*

“The Power of the Matchmaker” series is a 12 book series, with one book releasing each month during 2016. They are all stand alone books, but they do all include the matchmaker, Pearl, who isn’t restricted by time boundaries. Pearl is introduced in the prequel novella matchmaker series book.

This story was quick reading that I thoroughly enjoyed! I have really liked the “Power of the Matchmaker” series, and Heather Moore is one of my favorite authors!

Nelle loses her parents in a tragic accident and has to live with her aunt’s family further up north until she turns of age to receive her inheritance. Things don’t go as well as she hopes at her relatives home and with her recent parents death, Nelle isn’t sleeping well and feels depressed. She starts to have hope however when she meets an old acquaintance, Matthew, but soon learns he’s “engaged” to her cousin Alice. Nelle also meets a new friend, Matchmaker Pearl, who befriends her and helps her with herbs and with advice.

I really liked Nelle’s personality and how she continued to help and care for others, expecting nothing in return. I loved her love for music and how it blessed others as well.

Sometimes I have a hard time reading books in this time period (early 1900s), but this story was easy to read and kept my interest the entire time. I really really enjoyed it!

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

About the book:
Nelle Thompson lives a life of privilege during the turn of the century New York City. When her parents are killed in a terrible accident, she’s forced to live with her aunt’s family in a small town in Connecticut, and treated as a poor relation with no financial independence. Broken hearted and riddled with insomnia, Nelle’s health begins a downward spiral. When a locked part of her heart blossoms around her cousin’s fiancé Mathew Janson, Nelle doesn’t know if she can endure one more heartbreak. Miss Pearl, owner of the local apothecary shop, becomes a mother figure to Nelle, but a fateful summer day has Nelle questioning everything she’s ever believed and wondering if she’ll ever love again.

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

Monday July 18th starts week 2 of the 6 week Jessica Smith Summer of Strength 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

These are WEEK 2 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.

WEEK 2:

MONDAY: (need hand weights and mat)
“Poise and Grace” STRENGTH workout from Build Balance and Inner Strength DVD (30 mins)
OR
20-Minute Barefoot Fusion Sculpt (26 mins)

TUESDAY:
“Steady, Ready, GO!” CARDIO workout from Burn Fat and Have Fun DVD (30 mins)
OR
Power Interval Walk (30 mins)

OR
Indoor Jogging (40 mins)

WEDNESDAY: (need hand weights and mat)
Circuit #2 “Lower Focus” STRENGTH workout from the Boost Metabolism and Muscle DVD (35 mins)
OR
1 Mile Lower Body Circuit (18 mins) AND 12 Minute Booty Sculpting Exercises (13 mins)

THURSDAY: (need resistance band)
“Balance and Agility” from Build Balance and Inner Strength DVD (30 mins)
OR
Strength and Cardio Workout: Fusion Band (40 mins)

FRIDAY: (need hand weights and mat)
Circuit #1 “Upper Focus” STRENGTH workout from the Boost Metabolism and Muscle DVD (35 mins)
OR
1 mile upper body (20 mins) AND 12 min arms upper body (12 mins)



SATURDAY: (need a ball)
“Have a Ball” CARDIO workout from Burn Fat and Have Fun DVD (30 mins)
OPTIONAL: Prehab Routine from Walk Strong dvd set (30 mins)
OR
30 min Cardio Ball Blast

SUNDAY:
Active Rest Day

ADDITIONAL WORKOUT SUGGESTIONS FOR ACTIVE REST OR STRETCHING:

Active cardio flow/Yoga workout (not slow stretching pace) 20 mins:

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:

>>>Be on the look out for Week 3 to be posted here on my blog soon! 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!

Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World: How One Family Learned That Saying No Can Lead to Life’s Biggest Yes by Kristen Welch

Just reading thru the contents will give you an idea on what kind of helpful book this is! “Wants vs Needs”, “Making Smart Choices about Technology”, “Gratitude is a Choice”… they even include a cell phone contract in the back of the book between parent and child!

I like that the author shares a personal story in her introduction and goes on to say that this book is NOT a guide or list of dos and donts. She does “bring expert opinions and shares research and ideas”, the book is her personal journey of attempting to raise grateful kids, and the ups and downs-it’s their family’s unfinished story.

“Parents who want to raise more grateful kids need to start by living more grateful lives.”

“When our kids begin to expect-even demand-more than our love, that when we have a problem.”

She uses examples from her own family, the bible, and even her ministry work at the Mercy House. This book is for parents with kids of any age! She gives suggestions on how to start and what to do with toddlers on up to teenagers, so this book truly will bless anyone!

I am going to re-read this with my husband so we can learn together and teach our 2 boys valuable, Godly lessons about entitlement and wants vs needs. I have enjoyed what I’ve read and learned so far from this book!

It was released in Jan 2016, so this is a recent book with relevant ideas pertaining to today.

I received a copy of this book complimentary from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media. All opinions are my own.

About the Book:
“But everyone else has it.” “If you loved me, you’d get it for me!” When you hear these comments from your kids, it can be tough not to cave. You love your children―don’t you want them to be happy and to fit in?

Kristen Welch knows firsthand it’s not that easy. In fact, she’s found out that when you say yes too often, it’s not only hard on your peace of mind and your wallet―it actually puts your kids at long-term risk. In Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled World, Kristen shares the ups and downs in her own family’s journey of discovering why it’s healthiest not to give their kids everything. Teaching them the difference between “want” and “need” is the first step in the right direction. With many practical tips and anecdotes, she shares how to say the ultimate yes as a family by bringing up faith-filled kids who will love God, serve others, and grow into hardworking, fulfilled, and successful adults.

It’s never too late to raise grateful kids. Get ready to cultivate a spirit of genuine appreciation and create a Jesus-centered home in which your kids don’t just say―but mean!―“thank you” for everything they have.

About the Author:
Kristen Welch is the author of Rhinestone Jesus and parenting blog “We are THAT Family’. She is an in (Courage) writer; frequent speaker; founder of Mercy house, a nonprofit ministry that empowers women around the globe. Visit Kristin online at: www.wearethatfamily.com