Living Better One Day At A Time

I was recently contacted by author Jason D. Morrow to see if I was interested in doing a book review of his book The Deliverer: Book One in the Marenon Chronicles. As I have been trying to expand my horizons of reading  and after reading the synopsis on Amazon.com,I eagerly agreed.

From Amazon.com:

Prophecies are not always clear. That is what seventeen-year-old Silas Ainsley learns when he finds himself in a realm called Marenon. The only way to get to Marenon is to die, and Silas has just arrived. The people of Marenon are nearing the brink of war and many of them claim that Silas is the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. Each group wants to use him for their own purposes, and he doesn't know who is trustworthy. With the help of a lawless band of mercenaries, Silas must journey to uncover the meaning of the prophecy before Marenon falls to ruin.The only way to get to Marenon is to die, and Silas has just arrived.

The Deliverer is an epic fantasy, written primarily from two dif…

Yesterday I was officially 33 weeks along.

For the past 2 weeks I have been on modified bed rest, which is harder than it may seem.

I have not been into work to do any work, I have only worked a couple hours at home on the computer for my job. I have been doing almost nothing at home. Hubby has taken over most of the hard housework, like laundry, going grocery shopping, and moving furniture around for me.  I haven't been going anywhere, except to the hospital twice a week for non-stress tests and to the doctors office.

Sounds idyllic, right?

Well NOT for me. I feel like the walls are closing in on me. I know that I am supposed to rest, but it is SOOO HARD. That is not my personality!  When I want something done, I usually just do it. I am NOT one to stay at home all the time. It is hard to be patient, even though I know that it is best for baby.

Now don't get me wrong, there has been some upsides to being on modified bed rest. My blood pressure, while still high, has com…

I have said before that I am trying to expand my horizons when it comes to reading. The last time I read a novella or short stories (other than in a magazine) was probably back in college when they were required reading. That was probably 10+ years ago. I was excited that Carolyn Moncel asked me to review her new book as it was another way to expand my horizons.
Five Reasons to Leave a Lover is the first book of Moncel's that I have read, and I was quite pleased with the character development in both the novella and the 2 included short stories.
From the back cover:
" In 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover, author Carolyn Moncel offers up a fresh batch of stories based on love and loss. As singer/songwriter, Paul Simaon so eloquently suggested in a fomaous song from the 1970s, there are many ways to leave a lover.
However, Moncel's characters demonstrate that the reasons for leaving in the first place are quite finite. Encounters in Paris' Ellery and Julien Roulet return, pick…

Today is a day off of work and school for many people. Please take a moment to remember not only our past presidents but also our current president. Even if you don't agree with who our president is, please take a moment to pray that he has the courage and strength to make the right decisions at the right time for our country. We won't agree with everything that our president does but we need to trust that he will lead our country. On today, President's Day, may be pray that the wisdom of past presidents shine upon our current leader.

Being a Bzzagent has it's perks! I have been able to test and review various products over the last 2 years. I was so excited to get a chance to be a part of this new campaign for Comforts brand by Kroger.
After signing up, I received my bzzagent package in the mail. It included a box of Comforts Wipes, a coupon for a free package of Comforts diapers, a pack of Comforts brand sippy cups and coupons for 20% off to share with other parents that I know.

COMFORT BRAND WIPES The first thing that I tried was the Comforts brand Wipes. THEY ARE AWESOME!!!! They are thick, but not too thick. They hold just the right amount of moisture and are neither too wet nor too dry for me to use. Also I found that I didn't have to worry about them tearing or splitting while I was changing my 2 year olds diaper. Another advantage was that they are priced several dollars cheaper than national brands and that is great for our grocery conscious budget. I will definitely be using these for the brand new…

Went to the doctor for my 31 week appointment.

My 24 hour urine test came back fine.

My blood pressure is still acting up...aka staying high.

So my doctor has recommended that I go on partial bed rest.

Which means that I have to go off work (unpaid) and that stinks. I am going to be on call for work if they find it necessary for me to be there, but other than that I am not allowed to go grocery shopping, doing unnecessary walking, etc. I am going to go stir crazy. I also have to start going to the hospital 2 times a week for non-stress tests. The goal is to get me to 35 weeks at the earliest.

The good news in all of this is baby is growing well, moving around well, and heartbeat sounds good.

MUST FOCUS ON THE POSITIVES!!!

A couple weeks ago on Facebook, I saw a giveaway for the first 5 people who responded got a copy of Children's author Kyle Mewburn's new book sent to them signed and personalized. I was #4 on the list and won a copy. I asked that he personalize it for Rebecca.

Well....What I didn't realize was that Kyle Mewburn is an author in...NEW ZEALAND!!!
I realized this when we received Rebecca's book in the mail the other day. I was pleasantly surprised that not only did he send her the promised book, but he also sent 2 more books, and a note about how he thought it was silly to send 1 book across the world!

Rebecca was THRILLED! And in awe that they came from New Zealand. (I showed her where it was on the map compared to where we are in Ohio.) It was incredibly sweet of him to mail them and to personalize each of them for her!
Again, a BIG SHOUT OUT and THANK YOU to Kyle Mewburn for making my daughter's day!! 

Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours! May your day be filled with lots of Love! 

Hello Monday. Here we go again. Another week. Another menu plan and another to do list. Hopefully I will be successful with both.


This week our choices for dinner include:

Pot roast, potatoes, carrots and onions (in the crockpot)
Ham and cheese, and pepperoni and cheese crescent rollups with fruit salad
Manwich sandwiches, green beans, corn
Taco bake/ macaroni and cheese
Baked chicken, baked potatoes, peas and carrots
leftovers
????

I don't assign a day to each meal. I find that it works best for us to decide the morning of what we are going to have.

Now on to this week's to do list:



This week I hope to get the following accomplished:
Finish 24 hour test, take to lab and get blood drawnKids to doctor appointmentMy 31 week doctors appointmentGet baby bin out of basement and wash and store bottlesGo through at least 2 cycles of Swagbucks TV each dayMake 2 loaves zucchini bread for freezerBalance checkbook (been slacking on this)Freeze strawberries, melon and yogurt for smoothie…

The last couple weeks, I kept seeing people participating in "Sunday Night Chit-Chat" hosted by Carla @ My 1/2 Dozen Daily. This week I will finally participate in my FIRST one!


 Reading?
I actually have been really bad about reading lately. I have 5 books that I need to read for review, but I haven't had time or energy. I did read the Sunday paper today, so hopefully that counts!

Watching?

Right now nothing. I don't watch a lot of tv. In our house the tv is usually on cartoons for the kiddos or sports for the hubby. Might turn some basketball or something on after the kids are in bed for the noise.

Listening to?

Jacob playing with his crayons and Rebecca is watching "Blue's Big Musical"

Cooking/Baking?

Tonight was a leftovers night for dinner. Yesterday, I fried up 4 pounds of hamburger for the freezer--2 I left plain, and 2 lbs were made into taco meat. I also made a dozen regular size pumpkin muffins and a dozen mini pumpkin muffins.

Happy…

I have been absent from blogging and reading blogs the last few days as I have been dealing with pregnancy issues and just being TIRED!!! Today as I was catching up on my blog reading, I realized that I HAD BEEN TAGGED by Kim at "Out My Window".

Here are the rules:

1, Post the rules
2. Answer the 11 questions
3. Make up 11 new questions
4. Tag 11 new people
5. Let them know they have been tagged

OK. Here are Kim's 11 questions and my answers:

1. Why do you blog about personal finance?

I don't really exclusively blog about personal finance. But I do what I do because it helps me stay accountable and it helps me to see in black and white what our issues are. I HATE being in debt, but can't seem to make any headway. I hope that by blogging I can at least get some ideas about what to do and implement them.

2. What is your favorite vegetable?

Fresh Corn on the Cob

3. What is the worst financial mistake you ever made?  Was it a mistake or on purpose?
Opening my credit …

Well, it really isn't worth a million dollars BUT to me and my hubby it IS the million dollar question....



WHEN IS THIS BABY GOING TO COME????
On Thursday, I had to go in for a growth ultrasound due to my pregnancy induced hypertension. I was technically 30 weeks 3 days along, with a due date of April 16.


As the ultrasound tech is doing her measurements, she asked me 3 different times if I was sure that the due date was April 16. I kept saying yes. As I was laying there watching the screen, she would measure different things, and everything was measuring way AHEAD of schedule. Most of the organs were measuring between 32 and 35 weeks. The head was measuring 37 weeks along.
As she finished up her measurements, I went to the restroom (WHY DID I HAVE TO HAVE  A FULL BLADDER AT 30 WEEKS???? CANT THE MACHINE SEE THE BABY FINE WITHOUT A FULL BLADDER?) and when I came back, she said that baby was weighing in right now at.....5 POUNDS!!! WHAT!?!?!?!?
As we were leaving, she did say that she…

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As the modern world establishes itself and pushes the supernatural into the shadows, the supernatural fights back.

The Darkening Dream is a chilling new dark fantasy novel by Andy Gavin, creator of Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, that has received rave reviews on Amazon and Goodreads and is FREE for two days only on Amazon Kindle (February 7th to 8th)! Download your FREE copy here: http://amzn.to/yTvZPG

Long-time readers of dark historical fantasy (Tim Powers, Guy Gavriel Kay, Katherine Kurtz) will appreciate the weaving together of mythology, occult, and religion, while younger readers and fans of HBO dramas (True Blood, Carnivàle) or urban fantasy (Laurell K. Hamilton, Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher) will be drawn to the twisted imagination, graphic action, and romantic tension.

About The Darkening Dream

Even as the modern world pushes the supernatural aside in favor of science and steel, the old ways remain. God, demon, monster…

The Harvest of Grace by Cindy Woodsmall is book 3 in the Ada's House series.While I have not read the first 2 books, I can say that this book was a very good read. There is a short summary in the beginning to reacquaint or to acquaint you with the characters, as well as a glossary and summary of characters at the end of the book to help the reader, like me, whom may not have read the first 2 books.



In Harvest of Grace, Woodsmall offers another wonderful story filled with love and understanding of God's love.

From Amazon.com (The synopsis):

"Although Sylvia Fisher recognizes that most Old Order Amish women her age spend their hours managing a household and raising babies, she has just one focus—tending and nurturing the herd on her family’s dairy farm. But when a dangerous connection with an old beau forces her to move far from home, she decides to concentrate on a new start and pour her energy into reviving another family’s debt-ridden farm.

After months in rehab, Aaro…

Last week I accomplished most of what was on my to do list, even with the doctors orders to slow down and take it easy! Yay! Go me!

Here is my to do list for this week! These are in no particular order but are things that I want to get done.
Read at least 1 books for reviewWrite 1 product review on blogscour ads to make price matching sheet for grocery shopping this weekendultrasound appointment on Thursdaywork 4 days this week, leaving early every day by at least an hour! have 4 no spend daysTake blood pressure 2 times a day (per doctors orders)Fry up 5 lbs of hamburger to have in freezer in case I am put on bed rest for easy meals for hubby to make.Portion up and freeze yogurt for smoothiesThese are just some of the things I would like to get done. Hopefully I can accomplish them!

Now onto our menu plan for the week:



I make a list of what we have available for the week and then I choose one each morning depending on the mood we are in and what is going on. Here is what we have avail…

Today I went to the doctor for my 29 week checkup. There was a lot of emotion involved in this appointment.

First of all a little background....when I was at the doctor 2 weeks ago, she wanted me to keep track of my blood pressure at home for 2 weeks as my blood pressure was elevated and we wanted to see if this was a pattern. So I have done just that...and I there is no rhyme or reason to how my blood pressure works. Some days it was fine, other days it was low, other days high....

Fast forward to today....The nurse takes my blood pressure and it was 158/ 90! UH OH!!!! Not good. Anything over 140/70 is a cause for concern in pregnant women.

The doctor came in and she listened to the baby's heartbeat and it sounded good. He is moving good. My belly is measuring at 32 weeks. She is VERY concerned about the blood pressure. She has me lay on my side for 20 minutes and then retake it, and it is still 140/68. Down but not by much.

SO...she orders a bunch of labs for me. I have to ha…

Last week, as I was waiting for 3 hours in the medical lab for some blood work that I had to go, I finally had a chance to finish reading Dan O'Brien's book The Ocean and the Hourglass.



This book is a departure from what I normally read. One of my mini goals for 2012 is to expand my horizons when it comes to reading....this book fit the bill perfectly. This book is identified as a fantasy for young adult readers (teenagers).

Per the back cover:

"Dreams are not for the faint of heart, they are for the brave to follow. A book, an hourglass. Nicholas had always dreamt of faraway places, distant lands beyond imagination. Wandering into the library on a cold day, he finds an adventure that he had not been looking for. Transported to a distant world, Nicholas finds himself involved in sweeping adventures of a broken and lost kingdom. Filled with sea giants and ancient cities, the young man soon finds that the adventure was greater than he could have ever imagined."

This …