EmpowerMoms

This looked like a really interesting book when I read the book description. I don’t recall if I’ve ever read anything by this author.

The book starts off with Rapunzel and her mother having to move because a village man proposes marriage to Rapunzel. Her mother has alot of hatred towards men because of being taken advantage of while she was younger. Rapunzel tries talking to her mother through out the book to get her to open up about her past and why she doesn’t want her to show her hair or be around men. She tries really hard to understand and keep her mother calm which I thought was really compassionate. I also liked Rapunzel’s desire and drive to want to better herself and learn to read regardless of the cost.

I only read about half the book over the course of a week because I just couldn’t get into the story line and characters so I decided not to finish. There was some adventure and possibly a romance starting, but there wasn’t enough going on in the story plot to keep my interest.

There are alot of great reviews for this book on Amazon or Goodreads, so you might find this book interesting like others did.

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:
The one who needs rescuing isn’t always the one in the tower…

Rapunzel can throw a knife better than any man. She paints beautiful flowering vines on the walls of her plaster houses. She sings so sweetly she can coax even a beast to sleep. But there are two things she is afraid her mother might never allow her to do: learn to read and marry.

Fiercely devoted to Rapunzel, her mother is suspicious of every man who so much as looks at her daughter and warns her that no man can be trusted. After a young village farmer asks for Rapunzel’s hand in marriage, Mother decides to move them once again—this time, to the large city of Hagenheim.

The journey proves treacherous, and after being rescued by a knight—Sir Gerek—Rapunzel, in turn, rescues him farther down the road. As a result, Sir Gerek agrees to repay his debt to Rapunzel by teaching her to read. Could there be more to him than his arrogance and desire to marry for riches and position?

As Rapunzel acclimates to life in a new city, she uncovers a mystery that will forever change her life. In this Rapunzel story unlike any other, a world of secrets and treachery are about to be revealed after seventeen years. How will Rapunzel finally take control of her own destiny? And who will prove faithful to a lowly peasant girl with no one to turn to?

About the author:
Melanie Dickerson is the author of The Healer’s Apprentice, a Christy Award finalist and winner of the National Reader’s Choice Award for Best First Book. Melanie earned a bachelor’s degree in special education from the University of Alabama and has been a teacher and a missionary. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Huntsville, Alabama.

As some of you know, I have been a blogger for The Color Run for a couple of years and have shared pictures and my experiences here on my blog. It’s alot of fun and I highly recommend running one!

Did you know they are offering a virtual 5k Color Run kit called “Miles for Meals” from now until January 1, 2016?! That is SO COOL!

Have you missed your local Color Run because of the cost or date conflict? NOW YOU CAN DO IT! Gather your friends, family, coworkers, pets-anyone-to join you!

What does a virtual race mean? You pick your time and place and go at your own pace! You can run or walk inside or outside-where ever you want to go!

All you have to do is order the “Miles for Meals” kit online (US shipping only) and they will ship it directly to you.

And the SUPER COOL thing is that The Color Run will donate THREE meals to those in need with EACH kit registration! Now you can add some color to your holiday season and feel good helping others in need!

For more info go HERE:
http://thecolorrun.com/Movement/

>>>>>To register go HERE:
http://store.thecolorrun.com/miles4meals/miles-4-meals-kit?_ga=1.105281987.1196711068.1445972980

Each Kit includes: T-shirt, Headband, Finishers Medal, Temporary Tattoos, and 2 Color Packets! and its ONLY $15!!!

The Color Run is also encouraging those that participate to post on social media with the hashtag #Miles4Meals and use the hashtag for the category they would like to compete for, for a chance to win some awesome prizes!

The Color Run will be selecting winners for each of the following categories:

BEST VIDEO
Award: GoPro Hero Camera
#Miles4Meals #BestVideo

BEST COSTUME
Award: $250 store credit at The Color Run Store
#Miles4Meals #BestCostume

COLDEST RUN
Award: To be determined
#Miles4Meals #ColdestRun

LONGEST RUN
Award: GoPro Hero Camera
#Miles4Meals #LongestRun

BEST PHOTO
Award: All paid, 2-night trip for 2 to your choice of The Color Run 2016 events in the U.S. (Flights & Hotel)
#Miles4Meals #BestPhoto

LARGEST GROUP
Award: Free Entry to The Color Run 2016 event for everyone in your group
#Miles4Meals #LargestGroup

GRAND PRIZE – BEST STORY
Award: All paid, 3-night trip for 2 to your choice of The Color Run 2016 events in the World!
#Miles4Meals #BestStory

So what are you waiting for? SIGN UP before January 1st so you don’t miss this opportunity!
http://store.thecolorrun.com/miles4meals/miles-4-meals-kit?_ga=1.105281987.1196711068.1445972980

*I will receive a complimentary “Miles for Meals” kit in exchange for posting about the race before and after on my blog and social media. I will not receive any monetary compensation. All opinions are my own.

Get Healthy. Give Back. Get Happy.

I decided to make my own Leslie Sansone fitness walking December challenge calendar and I hope you will join me in staying active this month!

The challenge starts Monday December 7th and will end on day 15 which is Monday December 21st.

What are the benefits of Fitness walking?
*Lower your risks of heart attack, diabetes, osteoporosis and several other harmful diseases
*Lifts your spirits
*Increases your energy
*Weight Loss
*Lowers blood sugar levels
*Improves breathing & circulation
*Strengthens your immune system

You can print the December calendar here:
Dec fitness walking challenge calendar

I feel it’s very important to add strength training to my weekly routine, so I added strength and abs sessions to this calendar. On those days, you will need to do at least 10 minutes in addition to the mileage for that day.

I also posted some Strength Training dvd options and Abs session dvd options on the bottom of the calendar, but of course this list is not exclusive. You can use whatever Leslie Sansone dvds that you have, as long as they fit the criteria. Strength training would include exercising with hand weights, weighted gloves, or a resistance band.

>>>>Comment below if you have any questions!

As always, if you want to get more of a calorie/aerobic burn during your workouts, you can BOOST alot of her movements.

I made this printable based on Leslie’s boost suggestions to hang up in my home gym for reference, which you are welcome to use as well.

Leslie Sansone How to Boost 10 Moves PRINTABLE CHART

The author posts an introduction page which explains the purpose of this Christmas story in 40 days. She suggests beginning this book on November 15 to end on Christmas Eve if you want to do the 40 day reading challenge each day leading up to Christmas.

Each day begins with a scripture from the New Testament followed by the author’s comments. On the second page she asks a question that relates to the scripture just read and then has space underneath for the reader to answer or for journaling.

The layout of this book is very simple and easy to read. I like that although this book leads up to 40 days before Christmas, even the busiest person during the holidays can take a few minutes to read the daily verse and ponder it.

The author posts her resources in the back of the book showing that she used contemporary Bible versions and study guides which I personally do not use, but still found the bible verses familiar and easy to understand.

The christmas story in 40 days would make a great Christmas gift for any adult or young adult wanting to take the time over the holiday season to reflect on Jesus’s birth story and get in the true holiday Christian spirit.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Aneko Press in exchange for an honest review on my blog and social media-all opinions are my own. They also provided me a second complimentary copy to give away to one of my blog readers!

GIVEAWAY HERE:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Description:
Do you know the story of the first Christmas, the entire story, not just what you have seen on Christmas specials or heard in Christmas hymns? Take a few minutes each day for the next 40 days to read about the events leading up to this holiest of nights. Meet the people who were there, Elizabeth, Zachariah, the Angel Gabriel, Mary and Joseph. Travel across the Judean countryside to Nazareth and on to Bethlehem. Witness the birth of Jesus as you never have before. • Spend 40 days strengthening your faith. • Spend 40 days drawing closer to God. • Spend 40 days getting to know your Savior Jesus Christ.

About the Author:
Ever since she can remember, Chris Loehmer Kincaid has dreamed of accomplishing two things: write a book and change the world. You might think that the book was the easy part, but who can change the world?

It was actually as she was publishing her memoir of her mission trip to Kenya, “A Time for Every Purpose Under Heaven”, that she realized her dream of changing the world was not so foolish. Like every item on anyone’s bucket list, this too could someday be crossed off her list. She came to realize that to change the world means to change one person’s world.

Chris and her daughter returned to Africa in the spring of 2013 and while there began working on a nonprofit organization to help the people of Kenya, to empower them and to improve their way of life. Tumaini Volunteers, Inc., was born and remains a work in progress.

In addition to her writing and involvement with Tumaini Volunteers, Chris works full-time in the medical field, mentors a Kinship kid, mentors her church’s college students, and sponsors a Compassion child.

After almost a year of dating, Micah invites his girlfriend Katie to his family’s house for Christmas and ends up proposing to her in front of everyone. Surprisingly she says no, which makes it a little awkward since she’s staying with his family during Christmas vacation.

Katie is worried that her broken childhood and ancestry bad marriage luck will have an impact on having a forever marriage with Micah. As she learns more about the Binder family and their love for each other and God; she can’t help wonder if maybe she can have a better future than what she thought.

I loved this Christmas story by author Cynthia Ruchti. It was heartwarming, emotional and happy! It demonstrated family togetherness, love, forgiveness, sacrifice and the true meaning of Jesus’s birth. Everything a great Christmas story should be!

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.

Book Description:
On the way to Christmas with his family, Micah asks Katie to marry him. She says no, but there is no getting out of Christmas now. The Binder family celebrates every Christmas as if it were their last. Too many people, too much snow, and too little room should be a recipe for disaster. But sometimes too much is just enough. Especially when it’s Christmas.

About the Author
Drawing from 33 years of on-air radio ministry, Cynthia Ruchti tells stories of hope-that-glows-in-the-dark through her novels and novellas, nonfiction books and devotionals, and speaking for women’s and writers’ events. Her books have been recognized by Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Awards, Selah Awards, the Gayle Wilson Award of Excellence, Christian Retailing’s BEST Awards, and Carol Award nominations, among other honors, including a Family Fiction Readers’ Choice Award. She and her plot-tweaking husband live in Pittsville, Wisconsin, not far from their three children and five grandchildren.

There’s no getting out of Christmas now, despite Katie rejecting Micah’s marriage proposal. Cozy up this holiday season with Cynthia Ruchti’s new novella, An Endless Christmas. The Binder family celebrates every Christmas as if it were their last. Too many people, too much snow, and too little room should be a recipe for disaster. But sometimes too much is just enough. Especially when it’s Christmas.

Celebrate the holidays with Cynthia and An Endless Christmas by entering her $100 Target gift card giveaway!

 

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of An Endless Christmas
• A $100 gift card to Target

Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on November 30th. The winner will be announced December 1st on Cynthia’s blog.