Irreplaceable - A book review

Have you ever thought about what will happen to your organs when you die? I mean have you ever considered donating them? Are you on the same page as your spouse about it? The new book Irreplaceable by Stephen Lovely explores this very issue. In the book, Alex Voorman is married to Isabel who is tragically killed in a biking accident. He begrudgingly complies with her wish to donate her organs. The story unfolds as Janet Corcoran, a 34-year-old mother of two, reaches out to Alex by post. She is the recipient of Isabel’s heart and wants to learn more about the woman whose heart beats in her chest.

Although this book has moments of melancholy, I believe that the story was tastefully executed and was not overly melodramatic. This debut novel by Stephen Lovely is certainly worth reading. The intertwining lives of the characters will keep you engrossed in the story. I want to extend a thank you to the Parent Reviewers for providing me with the opportunity to review Irreplaceable.

The Circus

One of my fondest memories of my childhood is going to the circus with my grandfather. And not just any circus, we loved to go to the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. The sights, the sounds and I have to mention the smells. The smell of hay and elephant dung permeated the hallways but did not deter any of us attending the circus from having a ball.  I plan on sharing the circus with my son - the high flying trapeze, the rings, and of course the elephants. He loves elephants and I can only imagine the thrill in his eyes when he sees one in real life. 

The circus is coming to town and Mom Central has given me some great deals that I want to share with you. Offer #1: Get 4 tickets for just $44 by entering the code "MOM" at select ticketing channels**. Offer good on all performances, minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each. Offer not valid on Circus Celebrity Seating, Front Row and VIP seating or combinable with other offers.  Other Restrictions May Apply.

Offer #2: A select amount of Front Row and VIP seats have been reserved for you to buy before they go on sale to the public - just enter the code "MOM" when purchasing those seats. Dates and cities where families can use the national MOM discount code this spring are as follows:

Newark/East Rutherford/Uniondale/NYC
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
March 5 - April 13
Offer not valid on performances from April 10 - 13 at Madison Square Garden

Washington D.C./ Fairfax, VA/ Baltimore, MD
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
March 18-April 19

Philadelphia
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
May 13-May 25

Phoenix
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
June 24-June 28

Houston
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
July 15-July 26

Anaheim/LA/Ontario
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
July 8-August 2

San Francisco  
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
August 12-August 23

Dallas/Ft Worth
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
July 29-August 16

Sacramento
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® presents ZING ZANG ZOOM
August 27-August 30

Kansas City
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® proudly presents Over The Top
September 16-September 20

To see which Ringling Bros. tour is coming to a town near you, visit www.Ringling.com. And visit www.ticketmaster.com to use the 4 tickets for $44 code, MOM.

He's Just Not That Into You

Thankfully when the book "He's Just Not That Into You" was published I was no longer a single woman. I've had my share of realizing that "he" wasn't into me and was overjoyed when I no longer had to guess about the intentions of a man. I know the book was a runaway success and I am not surprised when it was announced that it would soon be a movie. 

When the One2One Network asked me to review the soundtrack I immediately said yes. I was curious to hear the type of music that would pepper the lessons of unrequited love (or like) in the movie.  As soon as I recieved the CD I was happy to see that there were some oldies by my favorite artists: The Cure, The Human League and R.E.M.  When I popped the soundtrack into my CD player the opening song "I'd Like To," by Corinne Bailey Rae (love her) immediately caught my attention.  I also really enjoyed the song "Love, Save the Empty" by Erin McCarley. I have to say the biggest surprise for me was the final song "Last Goodbye" I found myself playing it repeatedly and when I finally looked at the CD case for the artist - it was Scarlett Johannson! Yes, the actress, Scarlett Johannson.  I have to tell you that girl can blow! Her song is my absolute favorite on the soundtrack. 

Overall I really enjoyed the CD. It is available now and you can check out the website to hear samples of the songs. 

Sikulu and Harambee- Book Review

I am constantly on the lookout for books. My husband and I share a love of reading and we have passed this on to our son. Of course since Mekhi is not quite two yet he "reads" by making up his own words to stories but our reading to him daily has encouraged him to read on his own. I was pleasantly surprised when the Parent Reviews asked if I wanted to review Sikulu and Harmabee, An African version of the Good Samaritan Story by Knule Oguneye. As a child I loved the tale of Ashanti the spider and thought that introducing Mekhi to a similar African tale would be a great idea.



I was not disappointed. I loved the vivid colors in the book and the overall story. The African names reminded me of the time that I spent living in South Africa and my visits to Zimbabwe and Zambia. The moral of the story - helping out others when in need is timeless and this book is a wonderful way to teach children.

In addition to the beautiful artwork and the story, I especially love the key in the back of the book that explains the names, locations and activities that occur in the book. When my son is older he will be able to visit the website to get even more information. Sikulu and Harambe is a wonderful addition to any child's library.

General Mills - Lucky Charms Cereal

Do you know the recommended amount of calcium and vitamin D your child should get each day? Better yet, did you know the American Academy of Pediatrics recently doubled the vitamin D recommendation for children? Approximately 75% of kids today don’t get the recommended levels of calcium and vitamin D -- two key nutrients for bone growth.

General Mills Big G kid cereals offer calcium and Vitamin D in each serving. I had a chance to try out Lucky Charms but Kix, Trix and Cinnamon Toast Crunch are all fortified with calcium and Vitamin D. We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for children. With these breakfast cereals General Mills has provided a tasty and nurtritious way for parents to ensure that their children are getting the Vitamin D and calcium they need.

I have to tell you that I love Lucky Charms, this was my first time trying them but they really live up to their name "magically delicious." I hope that when shopping for cerals you keep General Mills in mind. Delicious and nutritious? What more can you possibly ask for?

Book Review: The Help

Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step.

Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter, a new graduate of Ole Miss, who returns home to find that her beloved maid has disappeared; Abileen, a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child; and Minny, Abileen's best friend, perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi.

Seemingly as different as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. Why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed. 

Kathryn Stockett's first novel is a very entertaining read. It provides a look at race relations in the South during the 1950s. Overall, I think that if you are a fan of historical fiction with a bit of mystery thrown in you will enjoy the book. My one crititsm of the book is that it was dificult to read the "voices" of the black maids. While I am no historian, I found some of the language to be a bit contrived. Despite this minor critique, I do think the book is a good read. 

Thank you MotherTalk for providing me with the opportunity to review this book. 

Protect-A-Bed

For as long as I can remember my sinuses have given me problems. At various times of the year it is worse than others but if I had to guess about 3/4's of the year my voice is nasal. It has gotten to the point that I don't even hear it or think about the fact that carrying tissues is a necessity. Luckily I am aware that I can do various things to keep my allergies at bay. Did you know that household allergeans are frequently the cause of these issues? I remind my husband to change the airfilters (his one job - other than taking out the garbage and he still needs reminding) and I vacuum. But it never occured to me that there were options to take care of my bedding as well. I figured weekly washing of my sheets did the trick. Little did I know that I had been missing a big piece of the puzzle, protect-a-bed.

Here is some info from their website:

There are millions of allergy sufferers all over the world, all of whom would benefit greatly from Protect-A-Bed® allergy relief products. Our state-of-the-art mattress and pillow protectors provide an impermeable barrier between you and the dust mites and allergens within your bedding. Protect-A-Bed allergy relief products ensure that nothing comes between you and an allergy-free, rejuvenating sleep.

I have been using the protect-a-bed mattress cover and pillow protector for a month now and I can actually tell the difference. Despite it being the cold season (when believe it or not my allergies act up) I haven't had any problems. I think that adding Protect-A-Bed to my regular routine has really helped with my allergies. One of the things that I like most about the product is that it is also available for crib mattresses and I plan on buying a cover my Mekhi's mattress too.

If you are an allergy sufferer I am sure you will like this product. And lucky for you I have a giveaway so you can try it out for yourself!

For the giveaway, you have a choice of an AllerZip Mattress Protector (for individuals with extreme allergies) a Premium Mattress Protector or, if they prefer, a Crib Mattress Protector . Additionally they will also receive aPremium Pillow Protector.

For your entry, take a visit to the protect a bed website and let me know in the comments which one of the prizes you would like if you win. This contest is open to US addresses and will be open until Tuesday, February 18, 2009 at 10:00 PM. I will chose a winner randomly and will contact the winner by email.

Good Luck!

Valentines Day Seal Soul Card

Love is in the air! With Valentines Day just a few days away sending a Seal Soul Card is a free and easy way to share some love. Seal's album is full of passion - with his unique voice he sings covers of classic songs. My personal favorite is "A Change is Gonna Come." In addition to this e-card, Seal has prepared a Valentine's gift just for you! On February 12th, at 9:00PM CST, Seal's PBS Soundstage will be airing. If you love Seal as much as I do this is a show that can't be missed!

And as an extra special bonus, the ONe2ONe network has given me a copy of Seal's CD to giveaway.

To enter: Please leave a comment below explaining your plans for Valentine's Day. This contest is open until February 13, 2009 at 10:00 AM EST. A winner will be chosen randomly. I will contact the winner by email and if I have no response within 72 hours a new winner will be chosen. This contest is open to addresses in the U.S.

Good Luck!

Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is just a few days away and rather than walk around the bedroom in my usual two piece flannel pajamas, this year I am going to try out some sexy Valentine's Day Lingerie. Lucky for me I have been helped on my quest for the perfect lingerie by the Family Review Network. Check out what I got:

Naughty and Nice. A perfect combination. I know that my hubby will be pleased! You know there are so many times when mothers neglect the way they look - I am guilty of this too. But this is my year for Bringing The Sexy Back - isn't that how I became a Mom in the first place?

You can still order your lingerie in time for Valentine's Day! Your husband will thank you for it!

Win an Ipod Touch!

Mommy Daddy Blog is giving away something you’d love to touch; a shiny spankin’ new 2nd Gen 8GB iPod Touch MP3 player and a $10 iTunes gift card! Click here to enter this sweet giveaway!

Do you love to be organized?

Yummy Mummy is having a organization junkie's dream giveaway. Although I just won a contest on her blog - lucky me - I am still entering this one because I need some organizational help. Let me tell you what is at stake:
One 14 pack of post-its (love them)
A Franklin Covey organizer
A $40 gift card to Target (my favorite store)
A $75 gift card to The Container Store (no, that is not a typo)
And a 3 pack container from The Container Store.

This glorious prize pack is worth over $2o0.00! What are you waiting for?
Go visit Yummy Mummy to win!

Coach Bag

Here is my entry to win a great Coach bag on Angie's blog 5 Vinez Monkeys, wish me luck!

The Biggest Loser Atlanta Mommy Edition

I have been a mother for 20 months and I have lost and gained my pregnancy weight over that period of time. I need to take action and I am throwing my name in the hat to participate in the Atlanta Biggest Loser Mommy edition. Although I know how to lose weight it just hasn’t been working for me. The combination of being a mom, working from home, and living a sedentary lifestyle has really caught up to me. It is my hope that with the help of a trainer and good nutrition I will be able to take care of the excess pounds.

Mine is the usual story – mom putting everyone's needs before her own. But I know that I will do well in the competition because I am extremely competitive. I can’t bear the thought of not doing my best. I think that my video explains it the best.



I have posted my photo here and although I am highly embarrassed because I have never been this big in my life, I think it will also be inspiring. I know participating in the Biggest Loser Mommy edition is exactly what I need to do – I am committed to making the change and I just need a little help to meet my goal of losing 50 pounds.