Messy Beautiful Love by Darlene Schacht-christian marriage book-Challenge and Giveaway!!

I was given the wonderful opportunity to be a part of christian author, Darlene Schacht's launch team for her new book "Messy Beautiful Love". I was given her new e-book and pre-order freebies complimentary for blog and social media review.

I posted about the pre order freebies and first couple of chapters of the book here:
http://crafts-n-fitness.blogspot.com/2014/09/messy-beautiful-love-by-darlene-schacht.html

If you didn't get the pre order bundle, Darlene is still offering a couple freebies if you participate in her upcoming October challenge. You can read about the challenge and specifics here:
http://timewarpwife.com/?p=4849

The book has been released now, so you can order the book in time to participate in the challenge starting October 1st. I will be participating and posting about it here on my blog like I did with her last book club challenge. I can't wait-I'm so excited!

Click here on my amazon affiliate link if you would like to order the book for the challenge starting October 1st: 
Messy Beautiful Love: Hope and Redemption for Real-Life Marriages

I have learned so much with what I've read so far in her book-Messy Beautiful Love. I am not perfect and neither is my marriage, but I know if I read this book slowly and apply it; I can have a different approach and attitude to my marriage and can make it better and stronger.

I love how Darlene shares personal experiences-good and bad-to make her points clear and to use as examples. I love that at the end of every chapter she offers CHALLENGES.

Here is one of the challenges as an example:
"Learn to follow the voice of wisdom and tune out the cries of the flesh. The next time that you are feeling angry, pouty, or frustrated, resolve to handle your emotions in a way that is pleasing to God. Be willing to walk in humility when it's required of you, and make choices that will unite you and your husband as a couple and draw you closer to God." 

This book can help you grow stronger as a couple and as a christian individual if you allow it and if you open your heart to positive changes and forgiveness. I know it's hard! Sometime I feel very negative and feel like giving up when I feel justified in my anger towards my husband, or feel like I'm the only one that's trying to help our marriage or grow more spiritually.  But I keep going forward every day and books like this one help me want to be better and help me stay more positive and make better life changes.

As a launch team blogger, I am able to host a book GIVEAWAY here on my blog.

One of my readers 

(USA or Canada mailing address only) 

can WIN a copy of 

Messy Beautiful Love! 

You can WIN HERE:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Interested in ordering this book? 

Click here on my amazon affiliate link to order: 
Messy Beautiful Love: Hope and Redemption for Real-Life Marriages

Tried & True book 1 of Wild at Heart series by Mary Connealy

I finished this book in one night because it was fun and easy reading!

I loved Kylie's personality and spunk thru out the entire book. I also liked how she desired to be a homemaker and the woman of her home, instead of taking on a man's role in the wild west. Aaron made a great hero in this book and I loved his interactions and protectiveness of Kylie and her family.

I would consider this book to be a clean, romantic, some drama, christian fiction.  I plan to read more books by this author and hope to see more books about the Wilde sisters! "Tried and True" is book 1 of the "Wild at Heart" series and book 2 will be out in June 2015.

About the book: Saddle up for a wildly fun ride with the Wilde sisters!

Kylie Wilde is the youngest sister---and the most civilized. Her older sisters might be happy dressing in trousers and posing as men, but Kylie has grown her hair long and wears skirts every chance she gets. It's a risk---they are homesteading using the special exemptions they earned serving in the Civil War as "boys"---but Kylie plans to make the most of the years before she can sell her property and return to the luxuries of life back East.

Local land agent Aaron Masterson is fascinated with Kylie from the moment her long hair falls from her cap. But now that he knows her secret, can he in good conscience defraud the U.S. government? And when someone tries to force Kylie off her land, does he have any hope of convincing her that marrying him and settling on the frontier is the better option for her future?

Purchase a copy:  http://ow.ly/AS8Js

About the author: Mary Connealy writes fun and lively "romantic comedy with cowboys" for the inspirational market. She is the author of the successful Kincaid Brides, Lassoed in Texas, Montana Marriages, and Sophie's Daughters series, and she has been a finalist for a Rita and Christy Award and a two time winner of the Carol Award. She lives on a ranch in eastern Nebraska with her husband, Ivan, and has four grown daughters.

Find Mary online: website, Facebook, Twitter

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

Wonder Mom Wednesday: Favorite mom moments from last week

I am linking up with This Mama Runs For Cupcakes, Mom Who Tris and Mom Swim Bike Run for a weekly installment called Wonder Mom Wednesday. 

This week’s topic is favorite mom moments from this past week. 

On Friday's I try to leave work early so I can spend the afternoon with my two boys-ages 4 and 12. We love to go to the library and pick out books and family movies. 

My 4 year old loves to dress himself and I have decided that trying to get him to match his clothes/coordinate colors is not a battle that I want to have on a daily basis. So I let him wear whatever he wants (within reason of course-we don't wear shorts in the winter!) 

He recently found an Easter headband and insisted on wearing it to the library. Did I like it? Not really, but he looked hilarious so off we went to the library!!  

We read lots and lots of Halloween/Fall books together. 

I take so many pictures, he won't do "good" faces any more for me. :-( what a turkey! 

So we made silly face instead! LOL 

(my 12 year old was also with us, so he took the pictures)

This past weekend I checked out a new goodwill store and bought Dora Candyland. How fun is that? We played a couple of times together and talked about having a good attitude playing games whether we win or lose, and following the rules. I won a game and he won a game. and then he played another game with his Leapfrog Scout. ;-)  

On Saturday my 4 year old got a book in the mail for blog review which he immediately wanted to sit and read the entire thing. So we read some stories from it on Saturday and Sunday.  

This wasn't a great moment this week-my hubby was hit by a deer coming home-but it was a teaching moment for my 4 year old. I explained to him that the deer was not obedient and did not look both ways before crossing the street and got hurt. :-( I felt like this was important to teach him because he loves to walk across the street and get the mail with me, and play in our yard; and I'm so worried he will run out into our street and get hit even though we've talked about it many times.  

So there's some pictures of my past week. 

Typically I take tons more than that, but I've been dealing with alot of stress at work and a hurt back so I haven't been very productive lately. :-( 

What were some of your favorite mom moments from this past week? 

Please join Wonder Mom Wednesday hosted by: Mom Who TRI's, This Mama Runs for Cupcakes and Mom Swim Bike Run.  Be kind and use the Wonder Mom Wednesday graphic in your post or link back to the hosts. Have fun,  find new blogs to follow!

Week 8, End of Phase 2 recap of Jillian Michaels Body Revolution

Week 8-end of phase 2 of Jillian Michaels Body Revolution 

August 25-30 workouts

Some of you may ask-why is she posting about her August workouts in September?
First, I can't believe I totally missed this post and it will totally bug me if I don't post it, so I am-even though it's very late.
Second, I wanted to show that I successfully made it thru 8 weeks/phase 1 and phase 2 of the Body Revolution program!! whoohoo!!

Monday

(33) mins Jillian Michaels #7, (12) mins Fit as Pro circuit

Tuesday

(15) outside walking with training poles

(60+) mins PuttPutt

Wednesday 

(34) mins Jillian Michaels #8

Thursday
Rest Day

Friday

(20) Leslie Sansone 2 mini walk blasts

Saturday

(34) mins Jillian Michaels #8, (20) mins Leslie Sansone

Some of my food this week: 

The Wedding List by Autumn Maccarthur -Book review

The Wedding List by Autumn Macarthur
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a fun, simple, romantic story between James and Beth which took place in London. The story is about love, forgiveness and finding God. I liked that the chapters went back and forth between what James was thinking, and then what Beth was thinking and saying. I liked that James was a Godly man and tried to be a good christian example and do the right thing at all times.
Good story-light reading.
I received this book complimentary from the author for blog and social media review-all opinions are my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION:
You never forget your first love...

With her eye for design and her cut-glass accent, no-one would guess Beth Forrest’s impoverished background. It’s all throw pillows, china patterns, and upper class brides as she manages the Wedding Registry at Pettett & Mayfield, the stately maiden aunt of London department stores. It’s not quite her dream job, but each bride she helps to select beautiful and oh-so-expensive items for their gift list brings her one step closer to buying a little home of her own, and financing the education she longs for.

When physics professor James Tetherton-Hart, brilliant in his research lab but awkward and disorganized in everyday life, comes to the store in desperate need of both a gift and a partner for a wedding that evening and recognizes her, all her careful plans and meticulous checklists are turned upside down.

Now her first love is back, determined to make her his partner for life, not just the evening. But unless Beth can let go of the mistaken beliefs that separated them in the past, and appreciate the depth and breadth of God’s love for us all, her only gift from the wedding will be another heartbreak.

View all my reviews

Leslie Sansone Mix + Match Walk Blasters NEW dvd workout-only 10 minutes!

For the past two weeks I've gotten to use my brand new Leslie Sansone Walk Blasters dvd!! I pre-ordered it months ago, so it was like christmas when it finally came in the mail. 

DVD Description: 

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

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

Mix + Match Minis = MORE benefit in LESS time!

Here's the Mini Walk lineup:

Light Walk!

Brisk + Steady!

Interval Walk!

Short + Sweaty!

Walk, Kick + Jab!

Dance Walk!

Tummy Trimmer!

Lower Body Blast!

Upper Body Blast!

Flexibility Walk!

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

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

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

Here's what the menu looks like. 

I have only chosen the option to do one mini walk at a time, but I love that there's a couple different options. 

So far I've done the dance walk; walk, kick & jab; tummy timmer; and short & sweaty.  

This dvd is great when you want a fast, fun workout. My 4 year old loves to do Leslie Sansone dvd walks with me and loved doing this one as well.

Great addition to any workout!

If you want to purchase this workout dvd, you can click on my amazon affiliate link below: 

Have you done any Leslie Sansone dvds before? or any other 10 minute workout dvds? 

Fitness Friday link up with Jill Conyers and my workouts last week.

My Sept 1-6 workouts:

I am linking up to Fitness Friday here with my post:
http://jillconyers.com/2014/09/dailymnb-instagram-challenge/

Monday
(39) mins Blue workout by Ultimatum, (21) mins elliptical

Tuesday

(11) mins Leslie Sansone NEW dvd! 

Wednesday 

(37) mins Black workout by Ultimatum

BOUGHT A NEW PILATES MACHINE on craigslist! whoohoo!

Thursday

(30) Turbojam, (10) pilates

Friday

(30) Leslie Sansone, (10) pilates

Some of my food from this week: 

I tried a new workout program this week but it wasn't for me so I will not be continuing it. It was alot more advanced and fast paced than what I could do. The instructor was great though and I liked that the workouts had weights and cardio combined.

I'm also thrilled with my aero pilates machine I got super cheap from my local craigslist. Haven't done a dvd with it-just trying to get use to it and using the poster as a reference.

How did your workouts go last week?