“The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues” by Cindy Vincent KIDS book review

My son did this book review since it’s a kids book:

“I had never read a Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Caper book. After I read it, I loved it and wanted to read more books about them and their adventures. I liked how Bogey says “Holy Mackerel” and “Holy Catnip” to describe something. It’s also funny to understand things from a cat’s perspective such as what they think things are. I like how they are smart and how Buckley can think of how to get things done very fast. It’s also cool that they have cat ‘friends’ who can help them out of a jam. All in all, it is a very exciting book for all ages!”

About the book:
Buckley and Bogey, Cat Detectives, find their next big case with the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Agency to be their most complicated ever! It all starts when someone hides a mysterious package in their Mom’s antique store — in the middle of the night! Of course, the boys find it, and put it in a nice, safe place, until they can open it . . . and, find the rightful owner. But that’s when a whole bunch of suspicious people show up in St. Gertrude, and every single one of them seems to be after that package! Holy Catnip! Plus, everything happens just when a priceless, jeweled statue collection goes on display at the St. Gertrude Museum. Missing from that collection are two jewel covered cat statues that disappeared almost a hundred and fifty years ago.

But soon Buckley and Bogey wonder how long those statues will stay missing. Because this is one case that really keeps them on their paws! From a trip to the Museum, and to an old church for the Blessing of the Animals; and from dinosaurs to diamonds, they end up dodging shady suspects the whole time. It sure helps to have their friends with them, especially when the bad guys make a beeline for boys. That’s because it becomes very clear, very quick — the priceless cat statues aren’t the only cats those crooks are after! Holy Mackerel!

About the author:
Cindy Vincent was born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and has lived all around the US and Canada. She holds an M.A.Ed, and is the creator of the Mysteries by Vincent murder mystery party games and the Daisy Diamond Detective Series games for girls. She is also the award-winning author of the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Caper books, the Daisy Diamond Detective book series, and the Cats are Part of His Kingdom, Too: 33 Daily Devotions to Understanding God’s Love. She lives with her husband and the real, live Buckley and Bogey, who run surveillance on her house each and every night.

You can purchase the book here:

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

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FITNESS GIVEAWAY *** Win 3 months of Barre3 or Fitness Walking dvds plus journal!

Who is ready for a FITNESS GIVEAWAY??

You can either win PRIZE #1 or PRIZE #2. I tried to pick two very different fitness products in hopes of reaching a variety of people.

TWO WINNERS will be selected on Wednesday January 28th. Winners will be notified via email and will have 2 days to respond before a new winner is chosen. USA mailing address only. Prizes will be mailed within 2 weeks.

PRIZE #1
(3) month gift card for Barre3.com online workouts
Barre 3 ball
Barre 3 bracelet
Fresh feet wipes sample
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PRIZE #2
Leslie Sansone Fitness walking dvd-Walk it off in 30 days
Leslie Sansone Fitness walking dvd-Walk to the hits party songs
Target active headband
Guide to fitness book with pictures plus journal.
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>>>GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED<<< Random.org picked winners: number (6) Amber for prize #1 Barre number (29) Kim S. for prize #2 Leslie I will be in touch winners!! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

HOW CAN YOU WIN?
1. Comment below with what prize pack you want to win- #1 or #2.
(Don’t panic if you don’t see your comments right away. I have to approve all comments on my blog because of the spam)

Additional entries:
2. Follow me on Instagram here: http://instagram.com/empowermoms
3. Follow me on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/RDeVaughn4
4. Tweet or share on social media about this giveaway providing this blog link; then comment below and tell me where you posted.

GOOD LUCK! I’m excited to share these awesome products with you and help you in your fitness journey!

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$10 Great Dates: Connecting Love, Marriage, and Fun on a Budget >> Valentines Day Ideas!

I received this book complimentary from Bethany House Publishing for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

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Doesn’t this look like a great book? I was so excited to get this because I’m always looking for fun and cheap date ideas! Saturday nights are the only time by husband and I are home together, but we are so tired from the week we usually stay home and watch a movie together.

This book is divided up into sections, like “At home great dates”, “The Great Outdoors great dates”, “Romantic great dates”, “Marriage pick me up great dates”…there are 8 chapter sections with at least 5 suggestions under each section.

Once you pick a chapter section-lets say “At home great dates”, then you pick the activity. “Game night great date” is one of the picks. Then the book presents the idea, suggestions of things to do before the date, while on the date, talking points, and the takeaway (the point) of the activity.

This book is SO ORGANIZED and has some fun suggestions! This would be a huge help to any spouse-male or female-who has a hard time coming up with ideas and/or planning.

This book would make a great Valentines Day gift! Or get it ahead of time so you can do some of the suggestions in the Romantic Dates section, like Dining Under The Stars!

From the Back Cover
Create Big Romance on a Small Budget

Tired of the usual dinner-and-a-movie dates? Looking for new ways to connect with your spouse?

Energize your marriage by getting out of your normal routine with the help of these 52 creative date ideas. From outdoor dates to out-on-the-town dates, you and your spouse will have no trouble finding the perfect date that fits your mood–all on a $10 budget!

See for yourself how new experiences can help you bond together and nurture your relationship. Which of these will be the first of your Great Dates?

· Time Travel Great Date
· Moonlight/Sunrise Great Date
· Bucket List Great Date
· Surprise Me! Great Date

Each date includes easy preparation suggestions, tips for the date, talking points to enhance your conversations, and a Great Date takeaway. What are you waiting for?

About the Author
Peter and Heather Larson do premarital counseling and marriage education together in a variety of settings. Peter is a licensed clinical psychologist and Heather is a relationship coach with Bridgewell Coaching. Married for nearly 20 years, the Larsons have three school-aged children and live in Boulder, Colorado.
Coauthors David and Claudia Arp, founders of Marriage Alive, have written more than 30 books. Their 10 Great Dates seminar is popular across the U.S. and internationally. Frequently appearing in national media, the Arps live in Great Falls, Virginia.

Learn more at www.marriagealive.com.

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Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM by Number One Nutrition


I received this product complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.

I have been taking this Glucosamine supplement for a couple of weeks now and it has really helped my joints! I take 3 pills all at one, one time per day. Several people have told me that I needed to take it if I have knee problems, so I’m really glad I got these. My knees typically ache for a while after my morning exercises-especially if I do squats and lunges-but it has significantly lessened since taking Glucosamine. I will continue to use these regularly as part of my daily supplement routine. I would highly recommend taking these to help with any joint issues.

Product Description
Number One Glucosamine will help you regain control of your life and maintain healthy joints for years to come! Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM – What are they?

Glucosamine is responsible for building cartilage, ligaments and tendons. We need them to protect our joints and allow our bodies to move freely without pain.

Chondroitin offers your joints more elasticity and flexibility.

MSM is fundamental in the creation of collagen, elastin and cartilage, which will ensure healthier joints.

Glucosamine Chondroitin and MSM occur naturally in our bodies. However, their production is decreased over the years within your body. As the bone protecting cartilages becomes thinner, the amount of protection to the bones as it moves decreases. This results in increased levels of pain and discomfort that can be almost unbearable for some.

Taking high quality supplements is a safe and efficient way to replenish our bodies with the required amounts of these substances essential in reducing joint pain. Have you ever experienced any of these? – Joint pain – Joint stiffness – Joint cracking and popping – Not being able to exercise as much as you did in the past Did you know you could ease and possibly even eliminate joint pain?

Glucosamine Chondroitin and MSM are responsible for helping to build and maintain healthy cartilages that offer optimal levels of joint protection. If you can keep our joints strong, they won`t stop you or hold you back from the activities that you enjoy most!

This is how Number One Glucosamine will work within your body: – Build cartilage and protect your joints – Give your joints more elasticity and mobility – Help your body maintain healthy joints – Help minimize joint pain

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Exercise Recap for first 2 weeks of January

Monday January 5
(60) mins Live P90x class with trainer, (15) mins #Fitin15 Jessica Smith jump start cardio
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Tuesday January 6
Rest day-so sore I can’t move

Wednesday January 7
still can’t move

Thursday January 8
(10) mins AM yoga, (16) mins Jessica Smith walk on blast dvd
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Friday January 9
(16) mins #Fitin15 Jessica Smith cardio, (30) mins MoveBALL workout
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Saturday January 10
several hours of housework and cleaning. Forgot to wear my FITBIT 🙁

Monday January 12
(15) #Fitin15 Jessica Smith total body strength, (30) mins moveBall workout, (31) mins Jessica Smith Hiit workout from dvd in the evening.
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Tuesday January 13
(30) mins moveBall workout, (30) mins Leslie Sansone with stepper
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Wednesday January 14
(30) mins Turbofire30, (16) mins Jessica Smith Fat blaster workout
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Thursday January 15
rest day

Friday January 16
rest day

Saturday January 17
(16) Leslie Sansone morning walk, (15) mins moveBALL 2 circuits, (30) Jessica Smith dvd
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Lots of organizing and chores for rest of Saturday. Signed up for free 2 day FitBit walking challenge. Got some awesome steps in for saturday! My daily goal is 10,000. I really like my new FitBit Flex!
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Sunday January 18
(60) mins/4 miles of Leslie Sansone. Typically Sunday is my rest day but I really wanted to get 1st or 2nd place in my Fitbit challenge. Totally rocked it!! I loved participating because it pushed me to stay active ALL weekend! I got over 24,000 steps for Saturday and Sunday.
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My thoughts on the last 2 weeks:
I’m disappointed I’ve only made it to 2 live P90x classes. The other 2 times last week I had to cancel because of ice. It is so hard to wake up at 430 and get out the door by 5am! I only paid for classes thru the month of January so hopefully I can go a couple more times before the end of the month.

I am loving the moveBALL fitness kit! I will be posting a full week’s exercise recap and a video here on Wednesday so you can find out more about this awesome strength training kit.

I am loving my new Jessica Smith dvds, as well as the daily #Fitin15 free challenge videos she’s posting.

I’m pleased with how my workouts are going. How are your January goals going for you?

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