If you didn’t realize yet, I’ve got another bun in the oven. Even though I’ve been through 3 other pregnancies and generally know what to expect, I find myself devouring all the information I can about pregnancy and baby development.  You would think I would have them memorized by now, right? Well, practically. And in truth, a lot of the typical well known books do get old after a while, with dry medical terms that scare you while they supply their information. They also some times lack real life experience and personality, resembling a boring text book.

Enter the new pregnancy book: The Hot Mom to Be Handbook by Jessica Denay. While this book does not have fetal development each month, instead it focuses on what other pregnancy books lack: real daily life, encouragement, and humor. The book isn’t all about physically looking great while pregnant as the definition of “Hot Mom” but turns inward as well. I absolutely love the opening introduction:  “A Hot Mom is a woman who is confident and empowered. It doesn’t matter what age you are what shape or size; EVERY mom can be a Hot Mom! It’s a choice. An attitude and a way of being. It’s knowing that you are not the best mom unless you are the best YOU.” I love that it focuses on real life daily issues, from choosing a doctor that isn’t a “McDreamy” to protect your marriage, starting a baby blog, finding a maternity bathing suit, the importance of good nutrition, dealing with unwanted advice, having “gadgetitis” for baby things, etc.

Besides the practical and relatable advice provided in a fun way, I love that this book has great quotes, stories from other “Hot Moms”, facts, and check lists interjected through out. She also includes lists with fantastic resources for every type of momma, like ones on a budget or eco-minded, as well as a place to journal and answer questions at the end of each chapter to capture thoughts.  This book truly has it all for any type of mom preparing for a baby, taking into account all types of lifestyles during pregnancy and each woman’s vision of birth and parenting. She even talks about cloth diapering and hypnobirthing!

And best of all, the down to earth humor Jessica interjects in every single sentence and title keeps this book so much fun even in serious topics like “post-party depression.” I could not put this book down and could not stop laugh-out-louding  while reading this book. I would stop often to share a fun fact or funny too-common-in-our-house situation with my husband.  In short: this book is much more fun and practical to read than the typical pregnancy book. It has something for everyone, whether you were waiting for the perfect day to pee on the stick or the positive line shocked you and you aren’t so excited about this new change in life. I love that she deals with so many aspects of life that get washed over in other pregnancy resources, dealing with real feelings or situations and telling it like it is.

This book is definitely a must have for any mom-to-be, whether it’s their first time “baking” in the womb or a seasoned baby baker!

You can find this book on Amazon and more from “Hot Moms” at The Hot Moms Club online.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of HarperCollins and received a copy of The Hot Mom to Be Handbook to facilitate my review. Mom Central also sent me a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

One of the scary-nerve-wracking parts of being a parent is knowing that accidents happen. Despite what precautions we might take keeping medicine out of reach, despite making sure she wears a helmet while on her bike, or making sure he doesn’t eat the peanuts he’s allergic to, things happen. The even scary part is that we as parents are supposed to know what to do when things happen. I mean, I don’t know about you but if I know something major has happened, I tend to freak out a little bit!  Thankfully, we have not had anything serious happen that needed the attention of 911 or a trip to the ER, but I did have to call Poison Control twice.  Like I said, things happen, but the important thing is to know what to do.

Enter this amazing know-it-all book: “If Your Kid Eats This Book, Everything Will Still Be Okay” by Lara Zibners, MD. Dr. Zibners is an emergency room pediatrician that has taken her experience in the field and put it in a usable book format.  She realized that 50% of ER trips were not needed, so she wrote this book to help parents know when medical service is needed and when we can do something about it at home. I love this book.  It covers everything you can think of from baby vomit and poops to broken bones and even when they shove things up their nose, and it’s all written in a humorous way. Each chapter is divided by body parts and situations like “The Plumbing,” “The Noggin and Nervous System,” or “Allergies, Bites, and Stings” and there is a content page that makes specific issues easy to find in a hurry.   Dr. Zibner addresses each issue  with descriptive details, measures that can be done at home, when to call the doctor, and reminders, of course, to remain calm.

I love that she also includes little knowledgeable tidbits throughout the book like “Is it sprained or broken?” and even has a chapter on prevention.  She obviously has the knowledge and experience, but breaks the material down in such a way that even a mom under stress can understand what action to take and even can cause a chuckle or two with her choice of words. It’s fun book to read even if you aren’t experiencing a possible emergency.

Absolutely, this is definitely a must have book for any parent, parent-to-be, or even a babysitter!

P.S. If you head over to Amazon you can get an inside look at the contents and check out Dr. Zibners’ website for more information.

Who’s a chronic list maker? *raises hand* Like many busy Moms, I survive off of lists. Otherwise, I wouldn’t get anything done, let alone remember what all there is to do.  Now typically, I use the good ol’ fashioned paper and pen for my lists, but when I was offered the opportunity to try the SmartShopper I was eager to test it out.

The SmartShopper is an electronic grocery and errand organizer. And get this, you don’t write a thing. You speak into it!  I have mine hung on our fridge and when I notice we are in need of an item, I just walk by, press “Record,” and speak the name. Usually, it’s in the pre-programed list of a over 2,500 items and it understands my commands easily, however, say you need a specific item like “Fruity Pebbles” and it isn’t in the list? It can be added manually. You can also make several lists at once, say one for groceries and one for errands. When you’re ready to head out the door, you simply hit print on the list you need and it prints out the items like a receipt in categories like “Fresh Produce,” “Snacks,” “Coffee/Tea,” “Errands,” etc. so it makes your shopping easier.

It also has other neat features like a kitchen timer, and once Mark got it to show the temperature but we can’t figure out how to get back to to it!  The magnet is SUPER on this machine as well. We have a stainless steel fridge that won’t even keep regular magnets on it, but these magnets are super strong so that this will not hardly budge. Which is good because it’s not exactly light weight either.

The cons? It is technology that can be confusing to work at first. It’s easy to get started by simply speaking into the machine, but it can be confusing to learn the menus to add new items, add coupons, etc. And like I said, I can’t figure out how to view the temperature again. However, once you read through the manual and play around with it’s features, it not too bad. I would think this would be difficult for an older or technology challenged person though! My MIL refuses to touch it. Also? It’s good to record things when the room is quiet.  It has a sensitive microphone so if you have the TV on or a screaming kid around? It won’t get things right.

As a holiday special SmartShopper has lowered it’s price by $20 until December 31st (it was originally $100)! And, they have given me a code to get an additional $5 off to share with you guys (DH52569), AND all orders between now and December 31st will include FREE shipping!  However, you do have to order by Thursday December 18th to make sure it arrives by Christmas if it is a gift. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me.

But, it gets sweeter!  I have a SmartShopper to giveaway as well!  Want to win it? Just leave a comment on this post (if you have posted on the other giveaway post due to my technical difficulties, I will accept those as well) telling me the importance of making lists in your life. Since the holidays are quickly approaching, comments will close on December 18th at midnight. One winner will be chosen randomly and announced on Friday the 19th. I will then get it shipped to you ASAP in time for the holidays!

Remember this giveaway is only open for 4 days so enter while you can. Good luck and happy shopping!

I’ve always been fascinated by “supernatural” things. When was asked by The Family Review Network if I wanted to review this book, “Along Came an Angel,” of course I was interested. I believe in a God that does send people to be in the right place at the right time to help somebody, and I believe that He also sends angels to watch over us and help as well, just as described in this book. The title of the book tells it all, it’s stories that have been complied together sharing mysterious and uplifting stories about when an angel came along in a time of need. From car wrecks, to gracious strangers, to uplifting and life changing advice, it’s all good stuff.

It’s a very easy read, divided up into many short stories only a few pages long (much like “Chicken Soup for the Soul books). All the stories are wonderfully written and each tell a tale that gives you chills, but a warm and loving way. Myself not having much time to just sit and read for hours, this was the perfect book to do a review on amidst all my final exams and projects because I could take a break, read an uplifting story, and get back to my duties.

My favorite story?  It’s really hard to pick just one.  But, the one that sticks in my mind is about a young single  woman who drank too much one night and didn’t remember a thing.  She woke up in her bed, not knowing how she got there and not knowing why her car wasn’t in the driveway.  Later, a police man showed up and told her what happened. He pulled her over because she was swerving, she willingly got onto his motorcycle, gave him her purse, told him exactly where she lived, etc. Basically, if he had been another guy she could have been in real trouble, but the police man brought her home safely. He told her that she had to stop living this lifestyle because it puts her in danger and she might not be lucky next time.  She later found her car exactly where he told her it would be, and decided to send this man a thank you note for saving her and changing her life. However, when asking every police station near her if this man worked for them, there was absolutely no record of his name anywhere.  Crazy!

There are many, many other amazing stories and I definitely recommend this book.  It’s example after example of how wonderful and in what mysterious was God works within our lives.  Want to see what others are saying about this book? Click here to see the other participants of this Angel Blog Tour.  There are some prizes going on over there!

I’ve always loved to read books, especially during the summer when the days are lazy and too hot to do anything else.  This past summer? I lost count of how many I read, but since school has started back I haven’t had much time to read just for the pleasure (Big Honkin’ British Lit book is about the extent of my reading lately. No, thank you!).  So I was thrilled to do a review on up and coming Mia King’s latest book, “Sweet Life.”

The women’s fiction novel is based on a woman who’s life who is uprooted from the New York life and placed in what should be paradise…Hawaii!  When her husbands job is transferred, she expects the change will also be a chance to reconnect with her husband and her daughter after years of focusing on a career.  Instead, what should be a relaxing and simple life becomes burdened with a husband who wants time to himself, a daughter who wants to be home schooled, and redefining who she is again.

In short: I couldn’t put this book down. I had it done within 24 hours after ripping open the amazon box while drinking my morning coffee. I found it so interesting to be emerged into the New York mind set, and then shifting to the culture of Hawaii. I have not been to either place, so it was neat to experience pieces of places through the characters.  I loved how she developed the characters and the twists the plot I never would have guessed.  It was very entertaining!

Also, one aspect that I think Mia is genius at: her recipes.  I mean, sure people create and publish recipes all the time, but Mia does it in such a unique way. Throughout the novel she weaves them in with the characters.  For example, one character is pregnant and feeling the stormy seas of morning sickness and so she is offered Ginger Tea by a room mate.  The food and drinks are so much a part of the story that you don’t think about it until you flip to the end of the novel (or online) and find the recipe for it and think, “Oh yea! I remember that, it sounds good!”  It’s a brilliant concept. I also love how the food gives us yet another “taste” of Hawaiian culture and how we can recreate a bit of it ourselves, no matter where we live.

The only thing I didn’t like was the little bit of cussing involved.  I just don’t like cussing, but thankfully Mia used it sparingly and not as harshly as it could be.

If you browse Mia’s web site and read through her blog posts and answers to questions, you get the sense that she is very much a laid back person who just loves what she does all around. I think it’s her personality and sense that she is just like us, her readers, that ultimately shines through her work that makes this book such a pleasure to read.

I know I will certainly be reading more of her books!

Review opportunity provided by the Family Review Network.

I love half.com. It’s my new best friend, seriously.

Mark and I had 11 text books to sell from last semester and I decided to go with this little brother of ebay to go about business. I don’t know if you guys have any experience with the original ebay.com, but trying to get something online for people to buy can appear tricky. What shipping to offer customers? How much should I charge? How can I catch the customer’s eye and accurately describe the product? (okay, that doesn’t sound bad, but trust me, it can be a confusing task with many options to chose from for a newbie). And, they get you with the little fees. And, you can only have an item up for about a week and either it sells in that time, or it doesn’t.

Well, what I like about half.com is that it takes all that guess work out. It’s made for just media type things (books, CD’s, movies, video games, etc.) to sell/buy at reduced prices. It’s really great for buying textbooks (that’s all we’ve bought/sold so far, haven’t tried the other categories of products) at lower prices, because university stores are ridiculous. With 11 books, it took me hardly any time to get our items listed. I was able to tell them the exact product (what edition/cover/author/everything!) with just entering the ISBN number (therefore, saving time), entered the quality of the book, described the book (like, if it had markings), and listed the price. Click. Done.

What I really liked? Instead of the guessing of what I should list it for, it gave me a recommended price based on what other people had/are listing it for so that I could list it competitively, but fairly. It was usually spot on, too. And, what I really like? No bidding. I like that I can buy a book at ebay prices without sitting at the computer for an hour fighting over an item. And what I really, really like? It doesn’t have a time limit. It stays up until it sells, or until I take it down. And, no listing fees. It just takes a very small percentage out after a sale is made (like, two dollars).

Within just a few hours? I’ve already sold 2 books. Score.

Of course, the extra cash will go right back into buying new text books. School starts for Mark on Wednesday, and myself on Thursday. Ugh. I’m not ready for vacation to be over.

After a date night out with a rare good night sleep, I’m ready to take on our sleep issue with a fight. A no-cry fight, even. Not saying tears are bad, because even crying can be refreshing, but crying isn’t so lovely when you hear it all. night. long. I came home and did some research online trying to find a book focusing on sleep issues. Hopefully, I’ve found the one the will work for us, The No-Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley. Thank you Amazon.com for the used book section, allowing me to pay $6 total including shipping, half the price of if I had drove to the book store. Granted, I have to wait a few more days to find some answers to our problems (hopefully), but still, can’t pass up a good deal.

In the mean time, we’re back to establishing a bed time routine (bath time, lots of books, snuggles and a feeding–which I want to learn how to cut out of her sleep necessity). Duh, Leah. Why did you get flax about it in the first place? Remember that back tracking I was talking about? I bet that is why. We’ll see what else Ms. Pantely has to offer soon. I chose this book because it seems to be more than just reading and then trying to apply. She has ‘sleep logs’ and questions to ask yourself and keep record of about daily/nightly routines to help show where the problem is and then gives you a majority of solutions, not just one (so I’ve heard) to apply. She’s got a chapter for tiny infant sleeping AND older infant sleeping (Hello! That’s us!). She has one for co-sleepers and the one I’m most looking forward to–a chapter about babies who are depending on breast/bottle/pacifier to sleep.

And, quite frankly, I’m a person that some times needs some one to just tell me what to do next. Especially, when I am head deep in frustration, anger and tears. When a person is at the end of her rope, she needs some one to tell her what to do next to save herself. I’ve heard this book offers gentle step-by-step solutions. Just what I need.

We’ll see if it lives up to the reviews and to my expectations soon enough. In the mean time, off to dream land where there are no dreams because I’m always awake. Meaning, bed time for the O’s.

P.S. (It did help us!  Routine in crucial as she stresses in this book.)