Veggies Tales: Pistachio - The Little Boy That Woodn't DVD Review

I am a huge, long time Veggie Tales fan, and I am so excited that my young children are now starting to enjoy these super cute DVD's that teach valuable character education and Bible lessons! When I was given the opportunity to review the newest Veggie Tales release, Pistachio - The Little Boy That Woodn't, I was so excited!

About The DVD:

Once upon a time in the small Italian town of Bologna-Salami, there lived a lonely toymaker named Gelato and his assistant Cricket. Gelato had no children he could call his own, so one day he decided to carve a little boy out of wood. Imagine Gelato’s surprise when he learned that this little toy boy could walk… and talk… and definitely had a mind of his own!
Like the little lost sheep who strays from the fold, Pistachio decides to try things his way and lands in a “whale” of a situation! Will Pistachio learn that obeying the wisdom of a loving father will help him find what he really needs and could be the key to saving his whole family from becoming fish food? Find out in this all new VeggieTales adventure with a lesson about the importance of family and listening to your parents.

Here is a trailer of the movie:



Here is a little clip of "behind the scenes" of making Pistachio:



And a little spoiler - the newest Silly Songs With Larry:



About Big Idea:

Big Idea, Inc. is the leading faith-based studio and producer of children’s and family programming, characters and brands. Since 1993, Big Idea’s best-selling animated series VeggieTales has sold 53+ million videos, 13 million books and more than 7 million CDs. VeggieTales and Big Idea’s property, 3-2-1 Penguins!, enjoyed four seasons as top-rated series on NBC Saturday mornings, Telemundo and ION TV via the qubo children’s programming block. The studio's two theatrical releases, Jonah-A VeggieTales Movie (2002), and Universal Pictures' and Big Idea's The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything-A VeggieTales Movie (2008), are distinguished among the top ten most successful faith-based films of all time. Big Idea also maintains an extensive presence in publishing, licensing and live entertainment arenas. For more information on Big Idea, visit: www.bigidea.com.

My Review:

This DVD was so cute! If you have had the pleasure of viewing Veggie Tales movies in the past you know that each has a wonderful character trait and/or Bible story that is taught to children in fun and exciting ways. Pistachio: The Little Boy That Woodn't is obviously a spin on the Classic Disney movie, Pinocchio, and also tells the Bible Story of The Lost Ship. The songs are fun and catchy, and at only 50 minutes in length this DVD kept the attention of my three year old. She is just at the stage where she is starting to understand the importance of obeying her parents, so this DVD was very timely. Her little sister, at only 20 months, does not have the attention span to sit that long, but she danced to the music and recognized Bob and Larry by calling their names! When it was over, she even asked for "more Bob"  For more activities that are related to this DVD, check out this resource, courtesy of Big Idea. Veggie tales are obviously designed and marketed for children, but adults can totally enjoy these loveable vegetables too! I know I do!

I highly recommend this DVD and give it a huge thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can pick up Veggie Tales: Pistachio - The Little Boy That Woodn't at any retailer that carries Veggie Tales, particularly your local Christian bookseller.

***Thank you to David C. Cook and Graf-Martin for providing me with a complimentary copy of this DVD for the purpose of review on this blog***

Love In Mid Air Book Review & Giveaway!

About The Book:

A chance encounter with a stranger on an airplane sends Elyse Bearden into an emotional tailspin. Suddenly Elyse is willing to risk everything: her safe but stale marriage, her seemingly perfect life in an affluent Southern suburb, and her position in the community. She finds herself cutting through all the instincts that say "no" and instead lets "yes" happen. As Elyse embarks on a risky affair, her longtime friend Kelly and the other women in their book club begin to question their own decisions about love, sex, marriage, and freedom.

 
About The Author:

Kim Wright has been writing about travel, food, and wine for more than twenty years for many magazines including Wine Spectator, Self, Travel & Leisure, and Vogue, and has twice won the Lowell Thomas Award for travel writing. She is the food and wine editor for Charlotte Taste. She has written the annual Fodor's Walt Disney World with Kids for 18 years and also writes erotica. This is her first novel. Kim lives in Charlotte, NC

My Review:

I really enjoyed this book. The characters and plot were very well developed and the storyline revolving Elyse was very real-to-life. I know that although I am not in a stage in my life where I am contemplating divorce, I have had family members and friends go through that experience. I would definitely recommend this book to those who are in crisis relationships and need some inspiration. The writing style of Love In Mid Air is very easy to read and the various sub-plots flow nicely throughout the novel. Although the ending is not your typical happy-ever-after, it was a very good ending. I have to admit this was probably not a book I would have ever picked out to read on my own, but I am glad to have had the opportunity to read it. I highly recommend it and give it a thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can purchase Love In Mid Air by Kim Wright through your favorite local bookseller. It is also available online through Amazon.com or Amazon.ca


WIN IT: Five (5) Readers will win a copy of Love In Mid Air by Kim Wright


TO ENTER: Head over to Hachette Book Group and tell me one other book you would love to read!


EXTRA ENTRIES:


1. Follow this blog


2. Grab my button


3. Subscribe via email


4. Follow me on Twitter & Tweet about this giveaway


5. Blog About this giveaway (leave me the link)


6. Become a fan of Love In Mid Air on Facebook

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GIVEAWAY OPEN TO U.S. & CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY (NO P.O. BOXES)


GIVEAWAY ENDS APRIL 16, 2010


GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

***Thank you to Hachette Book Group for providing with me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review on this blog***

Mama Miti: Book Review & Giveaway

To help celebrate Earth Day on April 22, 2010, I am going to be reviewing a number of earth-friendly products and books that will encourage you to do your part to help save and sustain our Earth. Here is the first book. Be on the look out all during the month of April for more great reviews and giveaways!

About The Book:

One woman. One seed.

One hope for the future.

Thayu nyumba -- Peace, my people.

Wangari grew up in the shadow of Mount Kenya listening to the stories about the people and land around her. Though the trees towered over her, she had loved them for as long as she could remember. So strong, so beautiful, how the trees made her smile.

Wangari planted trees one by one to refresh her spirit. When the women came to her for help with their families, she told them to do the same. Soon the countryside was filled with trees. Kenya was strong once more. Wangari had changed her country, tree by tree.

About The Author:

Donna Jo Napoli is the acclaimed and award-winning author of many novels -- both fantasies and contemporary stories. She won the Golden Kite Award for Stones in Water in 1997. Her novel Zel was named an American Bookseller Association Pick of the List, a Publishers Weekly Best Book, a BCCB Blue Ribbon, and a School Library Journal Best Book, and a number of her other novels have been selected as ALA Best Books. She is the head of the linguistics department at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband and their children.

About The Illustrator:

Kadir Nelson is the widely acclaimed illustrator of many books for children, including Thunder Rose, written by Jerdine Nolen, which received a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award; Ellington Was Not a Street, written by Ntozake Shange, which received a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award; and Hewitt Anderson's Great Big Life, written by Jerdine Nolen, which won the 2005 Society of Illustrators Gold Medal. He is also the illustrator of Deloris Jordan and Roslyn M. Jordan's Salt in His Shoes and Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee's Please, Baby, Please and Please, Puppy, Please. Mr. Nelson lives with his family in San Diego, California.

My Review:

This book is absolutely wonderful! It is the story of Wangrai and how she help to stop deforestation in Kenya. The book is designed for children ages 4-8. So you know that all of this woman's accompliments are expressed in an easy to read and understand format!

Nelson's stunning illustrations, done with oil paints and printed fabrics on gessoed board, bring to life the culture of Africa. The book contains a wonderful glossary in the back that define all the Kikuyu words seen in Mama Miti. It also gives a short biography of Wangari Muta Maathai, who was the first African woman to with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004. She has founded The Green Belt Movement, a national grassroots organization to combat deforestation of Kenya! There is also information from the author about Maathai's life and work, with several website links.

My daughter loves this book. She thinks the pictures are beautiful, and though only three years old, through this book I have been able to begin teaching her the importance of looking after the earth around her. As well, it is a fabulous resource for teaching young children about the culture of Africa, and I believe would be wonderful for homeschoolers, and preschool and early elementary teachers to use during Black History month, or any time!

In honor of this publication Simon and Schuster has made a donation to the Green Belt Movement to plant trees in Kenya. For information on the Greenbelt Movement visit Green Belt Movement.

I highly recommend this book and give it a huge thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can purchase Mama Miti by Donna Jo Napoli online through Simon and Schuster. As well it can be purchase through your local bookseller and on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca

WIN IT: Three (3) Readers will win a copy of Mama Miti


TO ENTER: Head over to Simon & Schuster Kids and tell me on other book you would love for the child in your life.


EXTRA ENTRIES:


1. Follow This Blog


2. Grab my Button


3. Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway


4. Subscribe via email


5. Blog about this giveaway (leave me the link)


GIVEAWAY OPEN TO U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY 


GIVEAWAY ENDS APRIL 15, 2010


GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

***Thank you to Simon And Schuster Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review on this blog***

Toddler Fun For Easter!

I have been struggling this year with how to do Easter treats for my girls. Since finding out we were having children, my husband and I have discussed how to handle Easter. We don't want to emphasis the Easter Bunny or Candy, but more focus on the true story of Easter, that being the death and resurrection of Jesus. However, our girls are still pretty young, and so we try to still make things fun! We have never given our girls alot of candy, or sugar for that matter. With Easter though they tend to get it from other family members, and then yikes, do we ever see some serious behavior issues from "sugar crashes". Well, this morning I found a perfect solution, courtesy of a fellow blogger! I found this list at Life As A Modern Mom and wanted to share this with all my readers:

I was trying to think of healthier alternatives than candy to place in Mr. Toddler’s Easter Eggs this year.  At the Egg Hunt this past weekend, it was mainly chewy candy–something he has never even had!  So for our easter eggs at home, these are my top 10: 1.  Stickers–he loves stickers!
2.  Cheerios
3.  Teddy Grahams
4.  Mini M&M’s
5.  Animal crackers
6.  Mini nabisco cookies
7.  Any other cereal, apple jacks, fruit loops, lucky charms
8.  Alphabet Letters(magnetic)
9.  Gold fish crackers
10. Raisins

I am going to tweet this just a bit and probably add the following:

1. Buy some small reusuable bags and fill with a coloring book and crayons

2. Buy each girl a book

3. add some simple Easter Story color sheets

4. Paint Easter eggs at the grandparents

Question: What activities do you plan for your children? Do you include candy/toys, or do you try to focus on the true meaning of Easter?

Menu Plan Monday - Recipe Edition

So yesterday, I put Salmon and Potato Dish as one of my meals planned for the week. I planned to put the recipe in the post and totally forgot. So here it is now:

Salmon and Potato Dish

1 can (7.5 oz) pink or red salmon, drained
pinch of pepper
1 cup loosely packed, shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups mashed potatoes, leftover or fresh

1. Mash the salmon with the bones. Put the salmon on the bottom of a small baking dish. Sprinkle with pepper and half the cheese.

2. Spread the mashed potato on top of the salmon and cheese.

3. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top

4. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 30 min or microwave for 8 minutes.

For a change, this dish can also be made into patties and fried in non stick pan.

Corn is the sweet vegetable with this meal and spinach and tomato juice are the low calorie vegetables.

Sliced tomato would be a lower sodium option than tomato juice. However, tomato juice is higher in lycopenes, an important antioxidant that is released from tomatoes when they are cooked. Try to buy reduced sodium tomatoe juice.

You can use spinach either fresh or frozen

Choose either 1/3 cup of creamed corn or 1/2 cup corn kernals for your vegetable. Cream corned has sugar added, so a smaller serving is enough

For added flavor, you can add one of the following to the salmon:

1/2 tsp horseradish
14 tsp mustard
1 tbsp salsa
1 tbsp spaghetti sauce

Nutrition Info per serving (this recipe makes 2 large or 3 small servings)

518 calories
39g carbs
3g fiber
39g protein
23g fat, total
13g fat, saturated
133mg cholesterol
731mg sodium

For a dessert, you can have a light gelatin with fruit:

1 pkg light gelatin (4 serving size)
1 cup boiling water
1/4 cup cold water
14oz (398 ml) can fruit cocktail with juice

1. put gelatin inot a medium bowl (not plastic)
2. add boiling water. stir until gelatin is all mixed in
3. add cold water and fruit cocktail and stir
4. pour into 3 dessert bowls. refrigerate to set.

Instead of fruit cocktail you can use a can of other fruit, like peaches. just chop up into small pieces. You can also use 1.75 cups of fresh, chopped fruit instead of canned. Just add 1 cup of cold water instead of 1/4 cup.

Nutritional info per serving (makes 3 1 cup servings)

68 calories
18g carbs
1g fiber
1g protein
0g fat, total
0g fat, saturated fat
0 cholesterol
37mg sodium

If you are a diabetic, like me this meal has the following exchanges:

Canada:             

5 carb                   
5 meat
2 fat

USA:

4 starch
2 non-starchy veggie
1 fruit
5 lean meat
2 fat

I have this recipe from "Canada's Diabetes Meals for Good Health by Karen Graham.

Invisible Boy: Book Review & Giveaway

About The book:

The smart-mouthed but sensitive runaway socialite Madeline Dare is shocked when she discovers the skeleton of a brutalized three-year-old boy in her own weed-ridden family cemetery outside Manhattan. Determined to see that justice is served, she finds herself examining her own troubled personal history, and the sometimes hidden, sometimes all-too-public class and racial warfare that penetrates every level of society in the savage streets of New York City during the early 1990s.

Madeline is aided in her efforts by a colorful assemblage of friends, relatives, and new acquaintances, each one representing a separate strand of the patchwork mosaic city politicians like to brag about. The result is an unforgettable narrative that relates the causes and consequences of a vicious crime to the wider relationships that connect and divide us all.

About The Author:

Cornelia Read grew up in New York, California, and Hawaii. She is a reformed debutante who currently lives in Berkeley. To learn more about the author, you can visit her website at www.corneliaread.com, and www.nakedauthors.com, her group blog with authors Jim Born, Paul Levine, Patty Smiley, and Jacqueline Winspear.

My Review:

This is the first book by Cornelia Read I have had the pleasure of reading. It was beautifully written with exquisite descriptions of New York City and many of its famous landmarks! The characters are quirky but likable, and very well developed. I love that Read explores the difference social class differences while also including a crime to be solved in the storylines. My favorite character would have to be Madeline and I would not mind reading Cornelia Read's other two books that have Madeline as part of the characters. My only problem with this book is the foul language that is very rampant, as well as regular drug use.  I do recommend this book for anyone who likes crime books and give it a thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can purchase Invisible Boy by Cornelia Read through your favorite local bookseller. It is also available on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca, with a release date of March 30!


WIN IT: Five (5) Readers will win a copy of Invisible Boy by Cornelia Read


TO ENTER: Head over to Hachette Book Group and tell me one book you would love to read


EXTRA ENTRIES:


1. Follow this blog


2. Subscribe via email


3. Grab my button


4. Follow me on Twitter


GIVEAWAY OPEN TO U.S. and CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY (NO P.O. BOXES)


GIVEAWAY ENDS APRIL 14, 2010


GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

****Thank you to Hachette Book Group for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review on this blog****

I'm A Hydrasense Ambassador!!!

I was recently chosen by Mom Central Canada to become a Hydrasense Ambassador! As a result, I was sent a great set of four Hydrasense products to test and review! I received the
Ultra-Gentle Mist (Baby), Nasal Aspirator Plus (Newborn and Infants), Easy Dose (Newborn & Infants) and the Nasal Aspirator Protective Filters.

Due to the fact that none of my children are currently dealing with nasal congestion, I will base my review on the product that I have used in the past year or so.


Out of these four products, I have to admit I have only used the HydraSense Ultra-Gentle Mist. But I love it! It is easy to administer and I don't have to perform any sort of acrobatics to get the mist into my children's nose. If you are a caregiver who has ever had to use nasal products on children, you know exactly what I mean!

Children under two don’t have the ability yet to blow their nose, which means bacteria, viruses, pollen and dust build up in nasal mucus and stay trapped. This accumulation can cause complications such as sinusitis and problems with breathing. 

Clinically proven, hydraSense® Ultra-Gentle Mist nasal spray gently cleanses tiny noses blocked by colds and allergies to help your baby breathe more easily. Made with isotonic 100% natural-source seawater, its salinity is perfectly balanced with the body.

With no mixing required, just attach the specially designed nozzle to the bottle and spray. Thanks to its one-way valve, the unique SteriFlo® dispensing system preserves the solution’s sterility throughout use.

hydraSense® Ultra Gentle Mist with Comfort Tip features a safety neck specially designed for use in the nostrils of young babies which minimizes the risk of damage to their delicate nasal lining. Its soft texture makes contact more pleasant for baby and provides an improved grip for the parent, thereby helping to deliver a safe, controlled spray.

 

Five great reasons to choose hydraSense® Ultra-Gentle Mist:

- Safety neck designed for use in the nostrils of young babies
- Soft texture makes contact more pleasant for baby
- Ready to use with no mixing or preparation
- Designed for everyday use
- Mist strength is ultra-gentle enough for tiny noses

The nozzle is designed to fit the shape of the nostrils to protect the mucus membrane. 


I also received the Nasal Aspirator Plus. Here is the official product description from the HydraSense website:


If your baby has a cold or allergies, a blocked nose may cause poor sleeping, poor eating, breathing difficulties and excessive crying. As infants under two cannot blow their nose, bacteria can accumulate in nasal secretions and lead to ear, nose and throat infections and other respiratory problems. 

Developed with pediatricians, the new hydraSense® Nasal Aspirator is a gentle, safe and hygienic way to relieve your baby’s stuffy nose. By cleaning your baby’s nose, you can help restore nasal breathing and adequate eating, improve the quality of sleep and reduce the use of medication. 

 

The protective single-use filters trap excess mucus for a hygienic aspiration. You can even control the strength of suction while the transparent design allows you to see the amount of mucus being removed. For best results, use hydraSense® Easydose® or Ultra-Gentle Mist first to liquefy mucus.

Three great reasons to use the hydraSense® Nasal Aspirator:

- Soft nasal tip is specifically designed for tiny, delicate noses
- Safe to use as often as needed
- You control the strength of suction

Third, I received the Hydrasense Easydose Nasal Drops:

Before the age of two, children do not know how to blow their nose. Impurities such as germs, viruses, dust and pollen can build up in nasal mucus and stay trapped, increasing the risk of ear, nose and throat infections. 

Clinically proven, hydraSense® Easydose® nasal drops are designed to gently cleanse and soothe your baby’s nasal passages. The individual vials are practical and easy to carry around in a diaper bag. Plus, their single-use disposable format ensures the solution is always sterile for your baby.

Made with isotonic 100% natural-source seawater, hydraSense® Easydose® helps to maintain clear breathing. 

Three great reasons to choose hydraSense® Easydose®:

- Ready to use anytime, anywhere
- Easy to carry around
- Always sterile

Finally, The Nasal Aspirator Protective Filters come in a box of 30 replacement filters to be used with the Nasal Aspirator Plus. According to the description on the box, they:

***are developed with Paediatricians
***relieve nasal congestion quickly and effectively
***are hygienic
***disposable single use filters

I have great news for all my readers who have little ones at home, or know of new moms that would benefit from the HydraSense line of products.

Head over to Hydrasense and sign up for the Dolphins Club (for free!) and when prompted, enter the code: MC2010, in order to get an $8 off coupon to be used towards the purchase of the HydraSense Nasal Aspirator. This is a savings of over 50% off the retail price!!! By joining the Dolphin Club you will receive $50 in product and coupons!

Question: If you have used any Hydrasense products, what are your thoughts? If not, what are other ways you help either your child, or yourself, deal with nasal congestion?

***Thank you to Mom Central Canada and HydraSense for providing me with complimentary products and the opportunity to be a part of this blog tour, in exchange for an honest and original post on this blog***

Pampers Gifts To Grow Program

I have been collecting the codes from Pampers products to use for the Gifts To Grow program. If you have codes you will not use, I would love to use them! Please comment below with the codes or email me at: aandsrempel@yahoo.ca

Menu Plan Monday!

Once again it is time for Menu Plan Monday, courtesy of I'm An Organizing Junkie! Here is my plans for the week!

Monday - Meatballs, Mixed Veggies, and Rice

Tuesday - Hamburger Soup, Bannock, Oranges

Wednesday - Beef Stew, Cucumbers

Thursday - Chicken Strips, Fries, Apple Slices

Friday - Salmon and Potatoe Dish, Mixed Veggies

Enjoy! I would love to know what you all are planning this week!

Pull Ups Potty Dance Blog Tour!

I am very excited to announce that I was chosen by Mom Central Canada to be apart of the Pull Ups Potty Dance Blog Tour!

The thought of potty training is often a scary thought for many parents, and I know my husband and I were no exception. I am so grateful for the years that I worked in Early Childhood Education, because it gave me a lot of great ideas when it came to potty training my oldest! A parent can become so overwhelmed with the thought of stickers, charts, treats, potty-parties, and the other ideas out there. Thankfully, Huggies Pull Ups help parents make the transition from diapers to underpants so much easier.

However, here is what worked for us, when training our oldest, now three and a half years old.

When "M" was about 16 months old, she began showing an interest in the toilet (a sign of toilet-learning readiness). So one of the first things we thought to do was have her come into the washroom with me when I would go. That way, she would see what the whole toileting process entailed. She would think it was hilarious and eventually (about two weeks) she would want to sit.

At the time I was expecting our second child and we were living in a townhouse and our washroom was up the stairs (about 10 or so), therefore we decided to get a little potty and have it in our kitchen for her to practice sitting on. This was more for me, then her, as I had a difficult pregnancy.

At first it was a game to her, as she would carry it around and try and use the potty as a hat (yeah I know, gross! We stopped that pretty quickly).  After a while, she realized that it was not a toy and would regularly go and sit on it like a chair, but I actually like this because she was still getting used to the idea of a potty. 

Because we were expecting, we did not push training, even though "M" showed many signs of toilet readiness, such as staying dry long periods, telling us when she was wet or had a bowel movement, and wanting to sit on the potty. We chose not to push the training because we were already preparing her for the new baby, moving her to a big girl bed and weaning her off the bottle, and felt she would not be as successful with potty training with all the other stuff going on. Looking back this was an excellent decision.

By the age of 26 months, she was staying dry longer, and sometimes through the night, and we thought we would start seriously potty training. However, we were heading out of town for Christmas and decided that after Christmas we would go full steam ahead! Luckily, "Santa" found out about this and "M" got Dora panties in her stocking! She was so excited!

In January 2009 I decided that we would have a potty-learning week! We made sure that there were no appointments to go to, and made sure that we let friends and family know that we would be sticking close to home due to having our potty learning week! Everyone was so understanding!

We never used stickers or charts. I am a big advocate for not using bribery, but postive reinforcement instead. But please remember, every child is different. What worked for my child, may not work for yours.

What worked for us was this: I dressed "M" on Monday morning in just a shirt and baby legwarmers, which nothing on her bum. We had the little potty set up in the kitchen and every 45 minutes we would go and have "M" sit. During the day Monday, she went pee 5 times! To reinforce what a great job she had done that day, I sang this little song: "M went to the potty, M went to the potty, M went to the potty, hip hip hooray!"  While singing we would both spin in circles and then give high fives after! She LOVED it!!! That night she actually fought me putting a diaper on! She we decided to put a Huggies Pull Up on. She looked down at the Pull Up, looked at her dad and I and said, "No diaper, I a big girl!" with a huge smile on her face. And she stayed dry that night, what an added bonus!

Here are two fun videos to use music and dance to encourage your toilet training child, featuring actress Jessica Holmes and Traci Melchor





Back to our potty learning journey.

The next two days, we followed the same routine, except I lengthed the time between sitting on the potty to every hour on Tuesday, and every 1.5 hours on Wednesday. She had no accidents either day, and went to bed with Pull Ups only both nights. On Thursday, she wanted to wear her panties (I left them in a spot that she would see them, and make her own choice to try them). I said okay, but "we can't get Dora wet" and she smiled big and said, "I go on the potty". Both her and I were so excited when at the end of the day she had only had one accident and peed on the potty 6 times, and had one bowel movement too!  Finally Friday arrived and we put on panties once again and she stayed dry ALL DAY, and went on her own on the potty 5 times!!!

For us this was such an awesome feeling. We used Pull Ups only at night from January to July 2009. At that time, my husband and I realized that "M" was staying dry at night and we could not actually remember the last time she had been wet at night. In fact she was actually waking up on her own to use the washroom, with our help (us hearing her holler out at night LOL). She when we got to the last few Pull Ups we explained to her that when they were gone, it was underwear only at night. She did not even fight it....why did we wait so long to do this, when it ended up being so easy:) By the way, for those wondering, we also stopped using Pull Ups in the car during the summer of 2009 because she would tell us when she had to go and hold it until we got to a toilet!

So now my three and a half year old has been trained for over a year, and we are now thinking of training our 20 month old because she has been sitting on the potty for 3 months now. I just hope things go as smoothly with "I" as they did with "M". Only time will tell:)

Here is the official Huggies Pull Ups Potty Dance Video featuring Ralph Covert!



Here is my question for you: What method worked the best when potty training/learning your child(ren)?

***Thank you to Huggies Pull Ups and Mom Central Canada for providing me the opportunity to participate in this blog tour***

Smart solutions for everyday moms!

Then Sings My Soul Saturday

Well it is Saturday and that means I get to head over to Signs, Miracles & Wonders to participate in Then Sings My Soul Saturday! This week I am going to post a couple of my favorite songs for Easter!







Enjoy!

An Axe To Grind: Book Review & Giveaway

About The Book:

Detective Doug Milligan and his partner question suspects in the murder of a stalker including the stalker’s target, her boyfriend, father and brother, as well as the stalker’s step-father. The investigation leaves little time for Doug to see his fiancée and fellow officer, Stacey Wilbur.

Stacey handles a molestation case which involves the son of a friend. She and her mother talk wedding plans, though all must wait until Doug’s renter, Officer Gordon Butler finds another place to live.

When Doug disappears while tailing a suspect, Stacey sets out to find him, hoping she can reach him time.


About The Author:


F. M. Meredith who also writes under the name Marilyn Meredith is the author of nearly thirty published novels including the Rocky Bluff P.D. crime series, An Axe to Grind is the newest from Oak Tree Press. No Sanctuary was a finalist the mystery/suspense category of the Epic best in e-books contest .

She is a member of EPIC, Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and on the board of the Public Safety Writers of America. She was an instructor for Writer’s Digest School for ten years, served as an instructor at the Maui Writer’s Retreat and many other writer’s conferences. For over twenty years she lived in a beach community similar to Rocky Bluff.
You can visit the author online at http://fictionforyou.com and her blog at http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com

My Review:

As this was the first book my F. M. Meredith I have read, I did not know what to expect, but was eagerly anticipating a great read! I was not disappointed. As I began to read An Axe To Grind, I was immediately drawn in to the world of Detective Doug Milligan and all the rest of the great cast of characters in this book. This book is not only one about solving mysteries, but also about relationships and how work and personal lives intertwine. I realize that this book is the sixth in the Rocky Bluff P.D. Series, and yet I had no trouble reading An Axe To Grind as a stand alone novel. That said, I will definitely be looking at reading the rest of the series, as I was very impressed with the writing style of Meredith and I was very impressed that my attention was held throughout this book. I highly recommend it and give it a huge thumbs up!


BUY IT: You can purchase An Axe To Grind online through Amazon.com a


WIN IT: One reader will win a copy of An Axe To Grind by F.M. Meredith



TO ENTER: Simply comment on this post or any other from the week


GIVEAWAY OPEN TO U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS


GIVEAWAY ENDS APRIL 9, 2010


GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

***Thank you to the author, publisher and Pump Up Your Book Promotions for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review on this blog***

The Girl Who Chased The Moon: Blog Tour & Giveaway!

About The Book:

In her latest enchanting novel, New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen invites you to a quirky little Southern town with more magic than a full Carolina moon. Here two very different women discover how to find their place in the world…no matter how out of place they feel.

Emily Benedict came to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. For instance, why did Dulcie Shelby leave her hometown so suddenly? Why did she vow never to return? But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew—a reclusive, real-life gentle giant—she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life.

Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor bakes hope in the form of cakes.

Everyone in Mullaby adores Julia Winterson’s cakes. She offers them to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth and in the hope of bringing back the love she fears she’s lost forever. In Julia, Emily may have found a link to her mother’s past. But why is everyone trying to discourage Emily’s growing relationship with the handsome and mysterious son of Mullaby’s most prominent family? Emily came to Mullaby to get answers, but all she’s found so far are more questions.

Is there really a ghost dancing in her backyard? Can a cake really bring back a lost love?
In this town of lovable misfits, maybe the right answer is the one that just feels…different.

About The Author:


Sarah Addison Allen is the New York Times bestselling author of Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen. She was born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina, where she is currently at work on her next novel. You can visit Sarah Addison Allen’s website at www.sarahaddisonallen.com.




My Review:

I really enjoyed The Girl Who Chased The Moon! It was full of wonderfully, quirky characters, and a well written storyline. It was very easy to read and covered such themes as romance, forgiveness, societal cliques and secrets, money, and learning to move on from the past, to be the person you were always meant to be. Though it carries some pretty heavy themes, The Girl Who Chased The Moon is very light reading and will take you to a place where you will get lost in the magic of Southern Living!
You have to head over to Sarah Addison Allen's website and check out all the fantastic extras she has, like a virtual tour of Mullaby, and recipes and an excerpt of the book! Great website!

I highly recommend this book and give it a huge thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can purchase The Girl Who Chased The Moon from your favorite local bookseller. It is also available on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca


WIN IT: One (1) reader will win my ARC copy of The Girl Who Chased The Moon


TO ENTER: Head over to Sarah Addison Allen's website and tell me one thing you learned


EXTRA ENTRIES:


1. Follow this blog


2. Grab my button


3. Subscribe via email


4. Follow me on Twitter


5. Follow Sarah Addison Allen on Facebook


6. Follow Sarah Addison Allen on Twitter


GIVEAWAY OPEN TO U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS


GIVEAWAY ENDS APRIL 11, 2010


GOOD LUCK TO ALL!

***Thank you to the author, publisher and Cheryl @ Pump Up Your Book Promotions for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review on this blog***

Follow Me Friday!

It is Follow Me Friday again over at Trendy Treehouse! I have had so much fun checking out some great new-to-me blogs and have so many people check out mine! If you want to join in the fun, here is how Follow Me Fridays works (from Trendy Treehouse blog):

• Add your blog link to the McLinky below ~ remember to leave your blog name under "Your Name"
• Follow Trendy Treehouse ~ we will follow you back!!!
• Grab the "Follow Me Fridays" button for your blog ~ so more blogs can share in the fun!
• Follow other blogs that have linked up ~ Comment there letting them know you are now following them and visiting from Follow Me Fridays!
• If someone follows you, follow them back, It's only fair. LOL

The more you follow, the more will follow you!

It's that easy!

Blogs only please ~ No advertising links! Have Fun!

 

If you want to join in the fun, link up below!

       

Here Burns My Candle: Blog Tour & Review

About The Book:

A mother who cannot face her future.
A daughter who cannot escape her past.

Lady Elisabeth Kerr is a keeper of secrets. A Highlander by birth and a Lowlander by marriage, she honors the auld ways, even as doubts and fears stir deep within her.

    Her husband, Lord Donald, has secrets of his own, well hidden from the household, yet whispered among the town gossips. 

    His mother, the dowager Lady Marjory, hides gold beneath her floor and guilt inside her heart. Though her two abiding passions are maintaining her place in society and coddling her grown sons, Marjory’s many regrets, buried in Greyfriars Churchyard, continue to plague her.

    One by one the Kerr family secrets begin to surface, even as bonny Prince Charlie and his rebel army ride into Edinburgh in September 1745, intent on capturing the crown. 

    A timeless story of love and betrayal, loss and redemption, flickering against the vivid backdrop of eighteenth-century Scotland , Here Burns My Candle illumines the dark side of human nature, even as hope, the brightest of tapers, lights the way home.

You can read an excerpt of Here Burns My Candle here, in PDF format.

About The Author:

LIZ CURTIS HIGGS is the author of twenty-seven books with three million copies in print, including: her best-selling historical novels, Thorn in My Heart, Fair Is the Rose, Christy Award-winner Whence Came a Prince, and Grace in Thine Eyes, a Christy Award finalist; My Heart’s in the Lowlands: Ten Days in Bonny Scotland, an armchair travel guide to Galloway; and her contemporary novels, Mixed Signals, a Rita Award finalist, and Bookends, a Christy Award finalist. Visit the author’s extensive website at www.lizcurtishiggs.com.

My Review:

Although I have read a number of Liz Curtis Higss nonfiction books, Here Burns My Candle is the first fiction book I have read by her. I loved this book so much! It is amazing to me how many Scottish based historical fiction I have read recently (this is the third such book in a couple weeks), and Higgs does this genre a huge benefit with her novel. 

This book is huge, comprising over 450 pages, but I was taken by the very first chapter, and read the book in only two days! This book is filled with wonderful story lines of relationships, war, forgiveness, marriages issues, and faith in God. I love books that bring the Bible to life and Higgs has written about the Book of Ruth in a wonderful, fantastic manner. She brings the reader right into the novel with her well researched history of  18th Century Scotland, and the very well developed characters. Although I did not read the other Historical Scottish books by Liz Curtis Higgs, I certainly have put them on my TBR (to-be-read) list and I am eagerly anticipating the final chapter in the lives of Marjory and Elisabeth in Mine Is The Night, when it is released in Spring 2011.

I highly recommend this to anyone who loves historical fiction and give it a huge thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can purchase Here Burns My Candle online, directly on the WaterBrook Multnomah website. It is also available through Amazon.ca and Amazon.com, as well as through your local Christian Bookseller, as of March 2010.

WIN IT: One (1) reader will win a copy of Here Burns My Candle


TO ENTER: Head over to WaterBrook Multnomah and tell me one book you would love to read.


EXTRA ENTRIES:


1. Follow This Blog


2. Grab my button


3. Subscribe via email


4. Follow me on Twitter


GIVEAWAY OPEN TO U.S. AND CANADA ONLY


GIVEAWAY ENDS APRIL 7, 2010

***Thank you to WaterBrook Multnomah for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of an honest, and original review on this blog***

Hearts Awakening: A Book Review

About The Book:

Two people in desperate circumstances.
One unlikely proposal.
 

Life has left few choices for Elvira Kilmer. Her hopes for marriage and a family of her own have long since passed her by, and her arrival on Dillon's Island, nestled in the Susquehanna River, is not of her choosing, either. She needs work. And Jackson Smith needs a housekeeper.

Yet Ellie never imagined the widower would be so young... so handsome. 

Jackson, on the other hand, has never met anyone quite so... plain. But he quickly comes to realize that Ellie's presence may solve his own problems--both the rearing of his young boys and the scandal that surrounds his first marriage. 

When Jackson offers her something quite out of the ordinary, will Ellie look beyond mere necessity and risk opening her heart? 

About The Author:

Delia Parr, pen name for Mary Lechleidner, is the author of 10 historical novels and the winner of several awards, including the Laurel Wreath Award for Historical Romance and the Aspen Gold Award for Best Inspirational Book. She is a full-time high school teacher who spends her summer vacations writing and kayaking. The mother of three grown children, she lives in Collingswood, New Jersey. Visit www.deliaparr.com for more information. 

My Review:

Without giving away any plot lines of Hearts Awakening, let me just say, this book was amazing. This is historical Christian romance at its best. I will definitely be seeking out more of author, Delia Parr's work to read because I was so impressed with this book.

The storyline's are wonderfully written and so descriptive that I felt I was right there in each scene, like a fly on the proverbial wall. As with many books I have read of late, I was very happy with the underlying faith message that came through loud and clear....even when we are going through a trial that we don't think we should be, or life does not seem like its going the way we want it to, we have to remember God is in control through all of it! We just have to trust and obey!

Throughout this book, I was also reminded that forgiveness is key to our faith in God and in our relationships here on earth. If we cannot forgive, we will be bitter and God does not want us to be bitter, He wants us joyful as we do His work here on earth.

I highly recommend this book and give it a huge thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can purchase Hearts Awakenings online, directly from Bethany House. It is also available online, through Amazon.com and Amazon.ca You can also purchase this book at your favorite local bookseller, as of March 2010

***Thank you to Bethany House and Graf-Martin for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review on this blog***

Somewhere To Belong Book Review

About The Book:

Journey inside the picturesque villages of the Amana Colonies, 1877 
 

Johanna Ilg has lived her entire life in Main Amana, one of the seven villages settled by devout Christians who believe in cooperative living, a simple lifestyle, and faithful service to God. Although she's always longed to see the outside world, Johanna believes her future is rooted in Amana. But when she learns a troubling secret, the world she thought she knew is shattered. Is this truly where she belongs? 

Berta Schumacher has lived a privileged life in Chicago, so when her parents decide they want a simpler life in Amana, Iowa, she resists. Under the strictures of the Amana villages, her rebellion reaches new heights. Will her heart ever be content among the plain people of Amana? 

About The Author:


Judith Miller is an award-winning author whose avid research and love for history are reflected in her novels, two of which have placed in the CBA top ten lists. In addition to her writing, Judy is a certified legal assistant. Judy and her husband make their home in Topeka, Kansas. Visit her Web site at www.judithmccoymiller.com.

You can read an excerpt of Somewhere To Belong here.

My Review:

Somewhere To Belong by Judith Miller is the first book by this author that I have read. I loved it, and will definitely be reading more by Miller in the future! Her work is so incredibly detailed and the characters are very well developed. I initially felt that there was not much difference between the Amana and the Amish, but this book definitely set me straight. This book was filled with historically accurate descriptions (I only know that because I did my own research on the Amana) I felt that I was part of the story throughout the book. The storylines keep my interest throughout and the book contained themes such as coming of age, God's love for us, and how we know we are doing what God wants us to do with our life. A great read that I highly recommend.

BUY IT:  You can purchase Somewhere To Belong directly online through Bethany House. It is also available at your favorite bookseller, as of March 2010. It is also available through Amazon.com and Amazon.ca

***Thank you to Bethany House and Graf-Martin for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review on this blog****

Wordless Wednesday!

A Book Lover Already!

The Promise of Morning Book Review

About The Book:

Life in Beldon Grove on the Illinois frontier in the 1840s isn't easy. For Ellie Craig, the graves of her three infant children make it unbearably lonely, despite the love of her husband Matthew. When she uncovers a family secret that suggests she may not be as alone as she thought, Ellie is determined to find the truth.

Meanwhile, Matthew Craig faces controversy in the church he pastors when a man arrives in town claiming to be both a minister and the son of the town's founder. Will Matthew find the courage to reclaim his church? Or will he return to itinerant preaching, leaving Ellie even more alone than before? 

Book 2 in the At Home in Beldon Grove series, The Promise of Morning will touch your soul with themes of overcoming tragedy, finding strength to meet daunting challenges, and trusting your heart to love again.

You can read an excerpt of The Promise of Morning here, in PDF format.

About The Author:

Ann Shorey is the author of The Edge of Light and has published selections in the Cup of Comfort series and in Chicken Soup for the Grandma's Soul. 

My Review:

This book was fantastic. I have not read the first book in the At Home In Beldon Grove, however The Promise of Morning is a wonderful book all on its own, and could very well be a stand-alone title. Shorey's writing style is very reminiscent of Janette Oke, Jane Kirkpatrick and Lynn Austin, just to name a few.

One theme that is evident through this book is the strength seen in overcoming obstacles and how the Lord will bring us through each obstacle faced. I was reminded over and over through reading this book, that God knows all that will occur in our life, and He will always bring us through, we just have to let Him. By going through the tough times, we are drawn closer to God. Just because one is Christian does not mean one will never experience pain and trials, but because one is a Christian we have hope during these trials that good will come out of them.

The Promise Of Morning was very easy to read and a quick read. It is very evident that Shorey put a lot of research in while writing this book, and I felt that I was right the book as I read. Very vivid writing! I could see this book as a movie!

If you love historical fiction, particularly Christian historical fiction, then I urge you to read The Promise of Morning. You willl not be disappointed. I know I was not! I cannot wait to see what over work author, Ann Shorey comes out with next.

BUY IT: You can purchase The Promise of Morning online directly through Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group. It is also available through your favorite local Christian bookseller, as of March 2010!

*Thank you to Graf-Martin and Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group, for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review on this blog***

500 + Follower Giveaway Preview!

Okay, so in only a few short seven months, I have had this little blog grown from 9 followers to over 400!!! Thank you to all my wonderful, faithful readers. I really appreciate all the comments and all the entries to the great giveaways I have been hosting over the last seven months.

To celebrate my wonderful followers I will be a HUGE review and giveaway. There will be a giveaway for US Only and Canada Only!!!! This will happen in about three weeks, so keep your eyes peeled!!!

Thank you again to all of you for helping build this blog! I would not have this if it were not for you all!

Shirley:)

Raccoon Tales: Blog Tour

About The Book:

Raccoon Tales is the true-life journey in the first year of the lives of these little “wash bears.” Written in easy-to-read verse, author, Joy DeKok, tells the story with tenderness and energy. Readers will leave the story glad they came, knowing more about raccoons, and what a wild animal rescue and release looks like. Illustrator Leslie Helen Colwin’s art brings the story to life.

About The Author:

Joy is an author, national speaker, and author coach. From the time she was a little girl, she wanted to write for children. She has three published children’s books, a novel, and a devotional. You’re invited to visit her website at: www.believe4kids.com.

Read an Excerpt:

Five baby raccoons lost their mother one day, They needed help and a safe place to stay.
They were tiny, and their eyes were shut tight,
I wondered if they would be all right.
I held them close and promised I’d try
To give each of them a chance at life.
We fed them and gave them a place to play.
Then we sat nearby and started to pray,
“Lord, please keep them in Your care,
And thank You for these little “wash-bears”!
They snuggled into their blankets that night,
And we whispered, “Sweet dreams and sleep tight.”
Baby raccoons need lots of sleep.
They would yawn and pile into a furry heap.
Later, they’d purr and churr and cry out loud,
Letting us know they wanted out!
They’d enjoy a snack of warm milk and rice,
And thought being held was especially nice.

My Review:

What an absolutely adorable book. I have had the pleasure of reading Joy DeKok's work previously and was very excited to review her new children's book.

Raccoon Tales is beautifully illustrated, telling a true life story about rescuing and releasing raccoons, and I love that it is divided up into four different smaller "stories or chapters" within one book. My daughter, who is three, loves this book and we have read it a number of times.

I love that it is filled with scripture verses and also gives great facts about raccoons. This will definitely be a book that will be read around our home for a long time to come. It is written for children ages 4-8 but as I mentioned earlier, my three year old enjoys reading it with me, and we usually just read a section at a time.

If you have animal lovers in your home, then you will love this book. I highly recommend it and give it a huge thumbs up!


BUY IT: You can purchase Raccoon Tales directly from Joy DeKok's children's website, Believe 4 Kids.

***Thank you to the publisher, author, and Cheryl @ Pump Up Your Book Promotions, for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of review on this blog***

Scattered Petals Blog Tour

Its time once again for another great blog tour, courtesy of Graf-Martin and Revell Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

About The Book:

Longing for adventure, Priscilla Morton leaves Boston in 1856 and heads for the Texas Hill Country, never dreaming that the adventure she seeks could have heartbreaking consequences. Although attracted to her, ranch foreman Zachary Webster knows Priscilla deserves a cultured East Coast gentleman, not a cowboy who's haunted by memories of his mistakes. 

When necessity draws them together, Priscilla and Zach begin to forge a life filled with promise. But then the past intrudes.

Book 2 of the Texas Dreams series, Scattered Petals weaves a tale of drama, love, and second chances as beautiful as the Hill Country itself.


You can read an excerpt of Scattered Petals here, in PDF Format.

About The Author:


Amanda Cabot is an accomplished author under various pen names and a popular speaker. The author of Paper Roses, she is also a charter member of Romance Writers of America, the co-founder of its New Jersey chapter, a member of the ACFW, and an avid traveler.

My Review:

Scattered Petals is the 2nd book in the Texas Dreams series by Amanda Cabot. I have not read the first book, Paper Roses, however I feel that it is not completely necessary to have done so. Scattered Petals does well as a stand alone novel. 

I was very impressed with the well developed characters, and I cannot believe the tragedies that the main character, Priscilla, had to endure. Without leaving spoilers of the plot I will just say that what Priscilla endures in just a short time span of a few months, nobody should ever endure in a lifetime. This book is raw with emotion, and yet the author beautifully shows the power of forgiveness.

Cabot also covers the themes of drama, romance, love, family, faith and social issues such as rape, murder and prejudice.  If you love historical fiction, you will definitely enjoy Scattered Petals. The third book in the Texas Dreams series will be released in March 2011 and you can bet, I willl be reading that one too!

BUY IT: You can purchased Scattered Petals by Amanda Cabot online, directly through Revell Books. It is also available at your favorite local Bookseller as of March 2010.

***Thank you to the publisher and Graf-Martin for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest and original review on this blog***

The Big Picture: Blog Tour

About The Book:

Movies are magical. They can release us from the stress of everyday life. But movies also contain valuable lessons to improve the way we do business.

In their entertaining new book, The Big Picture: Essential Business Lessons From the Movies, authors Kevin Coupe and Michael Sansolo show how to use the stories in movies to solve problems in business. From The Godfather to Tootsie, from The Wedding Singer to Babe, the authors use more than sixty of their favorite movies to teach important lessons about branding, customer service, leadership, planning, ethics, and innovation.

Readers learn how to use stories from the movies to communicate clearly with employees, clients, and customers

About The Authors:

Kevin Coupe has been a working writer all his professional life. For the past decade, he’s had his own website/blog—http://www.morningnewsbeat.com/—providing what he calls “business news in context, and analysis with attitude.”

In addition to speaking at hundreds of conferences in the U.S. and abroad and reporting from 45 states and six continents, Kevin has been a newspaper reporter, video producer, actor, bodyguard, clothing salesman, supervised a winery tasting room, ran two marathons (slowly), drove a race car (badly), took boxing lessons (painfully), and acted in a major (and obscure) motion picture.
Kevin is married with three children and lives in Connecticut.


Michael Sansolo has traveled around the world one supermarket at a time, yet stopped to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Great Wall of China, and Pikes Peak. A native New Yorker, Sansolo is a consultant and frequent speaker for the food retail industry, and is a contributing editor and weekly columnist for MorningNewsBeat.com, a daily newsletter on the retail industry.

Sansolo was the senior vice president of the Food Marketing Institute and was editor-in-chief of Progressive Grocer magazine. Favorite book: The Big Picture (of course), and The Great Gatsby; favorite food: Sal’s Pizza; favorite team: the Mets; favorite movies: read The Big Picture!
Sansolo, his family, and his very annoying beagle live in the suburbs of Washington, DC.

For more information on the book and its authors, visit http://www.brigantinemedia.com/author.php?id=coupe-sansolo 

You can also find Kevin online at http://www.morningnewsbeat.com/ and Michael at http://www.michaelsansolo.com/

My Review:

This was a fantastic read! If you are a movie buff and love to learn "life lessons" through movies you watch, then you have to read this book.

The authors divide the book into six categories, based on movie genre: Action/Adventure, Biopic/Documentary, Classics, Comedy, Date Movies and Drama. Each section covers between four and ten movies all with different lessons that can be used in the business world.

For example, from "The Wedding Singer/50 First Dates", the lesson is Romance Your Customers. In You've Got Mail/Julie and Julia, the reader learns that "stiff competition can eat you up". Finally, in the movie, Cool Runnings, one learns that "You Can Succeed without a Gold Medal". One line in the film, that is quoted in The Big Picture is "A gold medal is a wonderful thing. But is you're not enough without one, you'll never be enough with one." 

Not only is this a wonderful application for the business world, but for life in general. All the lessons taught in The Big Picture can be applied to life and I am so glad that the authors choose to write such wonderful, easy to read and very easy to apply to life book.

The authors have picked many movies that I have seen, as well as many I have not, or never thought there would be a life lesson. The authors cover such movies as Star Trek, Butch Cassidy, When Harry Met Sally, Hoosiers, The GodFather and Big! A very eclectic variety of movies, but this book is totally worth it!

I highly recommend this book and give it a thumbs up!

BUY IT: You can purchase The Big Picture: Essential Business Lessons From The Movies online through Amazon.com and Amazon.ca - it is also available through your favorite local bookstore.

***Thank you to the authors, and Cheryl at Pump Up Your Book Promotions for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to participate in the Blog Tour, in exchange for an honest and original review on this blog***