Penny Wise-Windy City Neighbors by Neta and Dave Jackson

I read this book in one night because I was caught up in the story line about the Jasper Family and how the book was going to end.

I haven’t read anything by this author and although this is book 3 in the Neighborhood Windy City series, it could also be read as a stand alone book.

The Jasper family is a family of 5 who are Godly, kind and overly busy! Throughout the book the mom struggles with every day balance and trying to get things done for her family, work, and church responsibilities.

It was a good reminder for me to not be so busy and  that I need to prioritize my own life before my two boys get older. Just reading about Mrs Jasper’s daily schedule made me anxious! LOL.

Some events towards the end of the book help Mr. and Mrs. Jasper prioritize their life and recognize God’s help in their lives and struggles. I really enjoyed reading this book and will be making a trip to my local library to find more books by this author.

You can read about this book and series here:
http://www.daveneta.com/books/Neighborhood/Neighborhood-series.html

About the book: Penny Wiseintroduces us to yet another family in “the neighborhood”—the Jaspers, busy with demanding jobs, busy with church, busy volunteering, parents of three active teenagers, juggling sometimes crazy schedules. All good things. Until all those “good things” feed into a series of crises that affects the whole family. Something’s gotta change!

The third in the Windy City Neighbors series, Penny Wise is a contemporary peek at an urban family wrestling with the spiritual and practical challenges of real life. The series employs the innovating storytelling technique of “parallel novels,” each with its own drama and story arc, but whose characters’ lives become intertwined with their neighbors and affect one another. Welcome to Beecham Street—a typical, isolated American neighborhood that is beginning to come out of its shell . . . for better or worse.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/yLCKz 

About the authors: Dave and Neta Jackson are award-winning authors living in the Chicago area where their parallel novels from the Yada Yada House of Hope and Harry Bentley series are set. As a husband/wife writing team, Dave and Neta Jackson are enthusiastic about books, kids, walking with God, gospel music, and each other! Together they are the authors or coauthors of over 100 books.
Find Neta and Dave online: website

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

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Introducing Pure Via!! All natural zero calorie sweetener and GIVEAWAY!

As a FitFluential Ambassador I was sent the Pure Via Summer Fit kit for blog review and testing purposes. 

I am excited to share all the information I learned about Pure Via from their website.  


A pure extract of the naturally sweet stevia plant is the secret to Pure Via’s sweetness. It’s called Reb A and is the sweetest and best tasting part of the stevia plant. At Whole Earth Sweetener Co., we work in partnership with PureCircle to ensure that Pure Via is sweetened with the highest quality of this natural sweetener. And because we work with a single company to source Reb A, we are confident in the consistent quality of this important ingredient.

Pure Via only contains natural sweeteners. The pure Reb A from the stevia plant that sweetens Pure Via starts with stevia leaves, which are first milled and then steeped in water using a brewing method that is similar to brewing tea. The resulting stevia extract is then further purified to separate the Reb A through a proprietary technology used by PureCircle.

Finally, Reb A, the sweetest part of the leaf, is extracted, purified and then combined with other natural ingredients to make Pure Via.



The new Pure Via® meets a growing demand for Non-GMO products.  According to a recently published New York Times survey, 75% of consumers ”expressed concern about genetically modified organisms in their food.”  Whole Earth reformulated Pure Via® with a Non-GMO dextrose derived from cassava root rather than from corn.  All other ingredients in Pure Via are already Non-GMO and will remain the same.  Packages and sachets of the new Pure Via® will be specially marked with a Non-GMO logo.  In the absence of applicable U.S. laws and regulations on GMO labeling, Whole Earth is following the European Union regulations for what constitutes Non-GMO ingredients and flavors.

*What do we mean by non-GMO?

We believe that a food or food ingredient is Non-GMO if it is not the product of bioengineering. Bioengineering means the group of applied techniques of genetics and biotechnology used to cut up and join together genetic material and especially DNA from one or more species of organism and to introduce the result into an organism in order to change one or more of its characteristics. We believe that food ingredients that are derived from GMO plant material should also be deemed GMO. We believe that food ingredients are not GMO if they are produced using enzymes harvested from micro-organisms that are the product of bioengineering.

We have based our definition of Non-GMO on current food labeling regulations in European Union where we manufacture and sell other Non-GMO sweeteners. We may modify or supplement our definition of Non-GMO from time to time in order to conform to any applicable laws or regulatory guidance.

Here are some of the products that they offer: 



Pure Via® is great tasting and sweetened using all natural stevia. Pure Via is a good alternative to sugar and artificial sweeteners. We are proud that Pure Via packets’ ingredients are non-GMO (not the product of bioengineering). You can use Pure Via like sugar, to add natural sweetness to your hot or cold beverages, sprinkle on your favorite fruits and use in recipes.
• Pure Via’s stevia extract is 97% pure Reb A made from the sweetest extract of the stevia leaf
• It is sweetened using all natural stevia
• Pure Via packets contain only non-GMO* ingredients
• Each Pure Via packet sweetens like two teaspoons of sugar
• Pure Via is suitable for people with diabetes
• It’s certified Kosher Parve

For nutritional information, please visit: http://www.purevia.com/Purevia/PureVia.aspx

Pure Via® liquid sweeteners are great for on the go… these bottles will fit in your purse, backpack, pocket or gym bag. They come in two delicious varieties – both naturally sweetened with stevia. Try original and vanilla flavor. The no drip lid means no messes and they dissolve instantly in your hot or cold beverage. Pure Via liquid sweeteners have a clean sweet taste and have zero calories. Big things come in small packages, sweet things too!

• Pure Via’s stevia extract is 97% pure Reb A made from the sweetest extract of the stevia leaf
• It is sweetened using all natural stevia
• Clean sweet taste
• No drop lid
• Great in hot & cold beverages
• 1 squeeze is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of sugar
• Pure Via is suitable for people with diabetes
• It’s certified Kosher Parve

For nutritional information, please visit: http://www.purevia.com/PureVia/Liquids.aspx 



Recipes I want to try with using Pure Via:


SERVINGS

Makes 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (250 mL) plain low fat yogurt
½ cup (125 mL) plain soy milk
4 packets Pure Via sweetener
2 small bananas, frozen*
3 cups (750 mL) quartered fresh strawberries
4 ice cubes

DIRECTIONS

Place all ingredients except ice cubes in blender container; cover. Puree until smooth. Add ice and blend until smooth.

Divide mixture evenly between 4 glasses and serve.


* Peel bananas, cut into 3 pieces each and place in re-sealable plastic bag. Freeze until needed.

Original recipe here:
http://purevia.com/Recipes/Recipe.aspx?id=7&cat=coldbeverages


A creamy rich oatmeal made with low fat milk and water, sweetened with Pure Via sweetener and enriched with dried fruit provides a “breakfast in a bowl”.


SERVINGS

Makes 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

2- ½ cups (625 mL) 1% milk
2- ½ cups (625 mL) water
3 cups (750 mL) uncooked old fashioned oats
½ cup (125 mL) dried cranberries
¼ teaspoon (1 mL) salt
6 packets Pure Via sweetener
1- ½ cups (375 mL) fresh fruit (blueberries, strawberries or raspberries)
Original recipe here:
http://purevia.com/Recipes/Recipe.aspx?id=5&cat=tastytreats

Download the Free Jewel Cookbook here:
http://purevia.com/jewel-tunes/Cookbook.aspx

Now here’s the fun part!! 
You can win your own Pure Via Summer Fit Kit too!! 


The ‘Pure Via Summer Fit Kit’ contains:

  • Box of Pure Via® non-GMO packets
  • Bottle of Pure Via® stevia liquid
  • Bottle of Pure Via® vanilla stevia liquid
  • Container of instant iced tea
  • Pure Via mason jar & straw
  • Pure Via pedometer
  • Pure Via SPF 15 lip balm


a Rafflecopter giveaway

RULES:
US only; up to 4 weeks for delivery; and one kit per person/household. (meaning you can’t win this kit from me if you won this kit from another blog)

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Why I workout even during the ups and downs.


I posted this picture and this caption yesterday on Instagram and wanted to share it also here on my blog. 



I have two boys and I love to workout everyday so I can be heathy and strong and be able to take care of them for a long time!! After I had my youngest exactly 4 years ago, I weighed 250 pounds! I was miserable with lots of knee and back pain. Couldn’t play with my kids without getting winded or tired. I hated how I felt and how I looked. My hubby was so loving and patient and never ever made comments about my body except to be supportive and kind. I knew I didn’t want to live like that for the rest of my life. So I started small and consistent. Started eating healthier and walking for a few mins every day (10-15 mins nothing big). I would increase the length every couple of days until I could go longer lengths without getting winded. I was more energized and hopeful the more weight I lost! As of last summer I weighed 152 and I felt awesome!! I have completed multiple hard at home exercise programs (Chris freytag, turbofire, body pump, etc) last summer I started training for my first half marathon and over did it and really really stressed my body and knees. This past fall I experienced injuries from training and my third miscarriage which was really depressing during the holidays as well as the death of my grampa. I still continued to eat healthy and exercise but I started to gain weight. 🙁 my weight gain has really bummed me out and discouraged me. I’ve been at 167 for the last several months. I’ve been making an effort to eat clean and for health reasons started being gluten and dairy free. Ive gotten back to lifting weights which I absolutely love!! Being healthy and fit is definitely a lifestyle change but well worth it! Even with the ups and downs.

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NEW 2014 Leslie Sansone mix and match walk blasters

I am so excited for this new Leslie Sansone DVD to be released!! I’ve already preordered it from amazon and I will get it sometime the end of August.

Do you like Leslie Sansone workouts dvds?

Got 10 minutes? Then you have time to get started on your health goals! If you want to lose weight, increase energy, slim legs, tone arms, trim waistline, manage stress, improve heart health you name it, Fitness Walking can help! And, Leslie’s Mini Walk Blasters fit into even the busiest schedule. If you have just 10 minutes some days, 20 minutes other days or sometimes even 30+ minutes a day to exercise, you can choose from the 10 different Mini Walks to create a custom walking session that works for you.

Leslie packed so much into this program! You’ll love the NEW ways to WALK… sweat… tone… Kick… punch… even DANCE really! We do it the walkers way.

Mix + Match Minis = MORE benefit in LESS time!

Here’s the Mini Walk lineup:
1. Light Walk!
2. Brisk + Steady!
3. Interval Walk!
4. Short + Sweaty!
5. Walk, Kick + Jab!
6. Dance Walk!
7. Tummy Trimmer!
8. Lower Body Blast!
9. Upper Body Blast!
10. Flexibility Walk!

Plus, in each 10-minute Mini Walk, Leslie offers one tip from her Top 10 Healthy Life list.

You can mix + match any way you like. The easy-to-use DVD menu allows you to plan your own workout combinations. Plus, Leslie offers you three pre-planned workouts made up of her favorite combinations. With so many options, you can’t help but STAY MOTIVATED!

Minutes a day… not hours a day… can be the secret that turns your fitness around!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KASQQTQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

http://www.collagevideo.com/products/copy-of-leslie-sansones-ultimate-5-day-walk-plan

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The Revealing by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Revealing is an Amish Christian Fiction book by Suzanne Wood Fisher. I have read other amish fiction so I’m familiar with some of the amish words they use throughout the book, but I just couldn’t get into this book and the story line. I only read half of it because there were so many characters introduced in just the first couple of chapters, I couldn’t keep people straight and what was going on. I’ve heard she was a great author and has written other books in this series, unfortunately this book wasn’t for me.

Read on below for the book specifics-maybe it will be something that you would like!

About the book: 
Naomi King, soft spoken, loyal, and easily overlooked, has a gift. She sees what others can’t see. Intuition, she calls it. Others in Stoney Ridge don’t know what to make of it and dismiss her hunches and inklings altogether.

When a young woman arrives at the Inn at Eagle Hill with a shocking secret about Tobe Schrock, Naomi fears the worst. She can’t ignore the feeling that something sinister is at work— something more than a threat to the tenuous love begun between her and Tobe.

As signs mount, they begin to point to Jake Hertzler, the elusive mastermind behind Schrock Investments’ downfall. Soon, events spiral hopelessly out of control and Naomi must decide whether to listen to her head or her heart.

In this riveting conclusion to The Inn at Eagle Hill series, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher pulls out all the stops with a fast-paced tale of deception, revelation, and just the right dose of romance.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/ywEHT 
About the author: 
Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of the Inn at Eagle Hill series, Lancaster County Secrets series, and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is also the coauthor of a new Amish children’s series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist. She is a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California.

Download Suzanne’s free app! http://bit.ly/10Tygyi

Find Suzanne online: website, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest

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

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