October 2012 | Miki's Hope

Helping Children Understand When a Sibling Has a Disability-Guest Post

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Helping children understand each other’s needs when a sibling has a disability




One of the hardest things that a child can have to deal with is having a brother or sister who is suffering from a mental or physical disability of some sort. If the two siblings are often seen in public—for instance, if they go to the same school together or participate in the same activities—then they are going to have to deal with the presence of other children. For that reason it is important to help children the needs of members of their peer group whose sibling has a handicap.


1) How young children think about each other

In order to help children understand each other, one must take into account how they develop psychologically. In most societies children learn standards of behavior by the time they reach the age of five. It is at this stage that they should be taught how to behave towards their peers who have disabled brothers or sisters. Among the principles that they should be made to understand are the following:

Disabled children are deserving of the same kind of respect as are all other children. They must not be made fun of or avoided because they are not in any way to blame for their handicaps. The same goes true for their brothers and sisters—and for all other members of their families.

They must avoid discussing the sibling’s disability completely. A disabled family member is a personal matter and should not be allowed to enter into extra-familial relationships of any kind, including friendships between peers.

The golden rule applies here just as it does in all other areas of interpersonal relationships. How would you like to be treated if you were that other person?




2) Differences in age

Because of the age differences between them, siblings often attend different schools, have different sets of friends and engage in different activities. They thus spend much of their time away from each other and there are relatively few occasions on which they cross paths. On those occasions on which they do, the siblings should be taught to give each other as much space and as much respect as possible so that the non-challenged sibling is not embarrassed by the other’s behavior. If something unpleasant does occur, then appropriate disciplinary measures should be taken.


3) Sara’s Secret

It might be worthwhile to read the book Sara’s Secret by Suzanne Wanous. This is a story about an elementary school girl who is ashamed to let her class know that she has a brother who has cerebral palsy. Finally she succeeds in overcoming that sense of shame and even brings her brother before the class in his wheelchair. The book is one of the most touching that anyone can read, being made all the more so by the vivid watercolor illustrations that appear throughout. Said one reviewer: “I thought this was a touching portrayal of the difficulties a sibling of a handicapped child would feel.”


4) Support groups

One of the best things that one can do is to form a support group for physically or mentally disabled children in the community. Many of these types of groups exist in various neighborhoods and communities and they not only improve the lives of these children, but also spreads awareness and understanding. If you find an appropriate place and have adequate support, all children would be welcome at the group. You could hold meetings regularly to do many activities together—arts and crafts, sports such as basketball, baseball and bike riding, and nonphysical games such as Sorry! and Yahtzee. Siblings and cousins of disabled children also take part in activities to create a positive community. It is really a wonderful thing to have in your neighborhood.


As the classic Hollies song goes, “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother.”

Author Bio
Katelyn is an associate with abf portable storage containers; a company dedicated to keeping children safe and healthy.






For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

Best Websites for Baby Tips-Guest Post



When have a baby or are expecting a baby, you'll take all the tips you can get. Then, when baby comes along, you're likely to have more questions and concerns. Any help is greatly appreciated. You'll find plenty of baby tips online, but it can be challenging to sort through the maze of sites to find some that offer enough useful tips so you can bookmark the site as a handy reference guide. Here are some of the best websites for baby tips:

1. Parenting.com

This is one of the most popular websites for baby tips and general parenting tips. You'll find suggestions on everything from car seats to homemade trick-or-treat ideas. Bookmark this site as a handy reference for your baby's development, from prenatal care through college prep.

2. WebMD

The popular medical reference site offers a variety of tips related to baby care. This includes infant development, baby nutrition, and a look at the pros and cons of bottle feeding and breastfeeding. You'll also find tips on budgeting for your new baby.

3. Babyzone.com

This site offers a variety of tips for new mothers and fathers, from swaddling your baby and monitoring your baby to how much napping is enough and whether or not baby should get attached to a blanket and for how long. You'll also find tips on how to feel better about going out for the evening without your baby for the first time.

4. HelpfulBabytips.com

This site is a good place to find more in-depth articles on issues relating to baby and infant care, from the advantages and disadvantages to have at least one parent stay at home to how to when you should start disciplining your child. You'll also find convenient links to related articles and posts from other sites. The site is easy to navigate and articles and posts are put into easy-to-find categories.

5. BabyHintsandTips.com

This site offers tips that start with pregnancy and continue through parenting tips for newborns, infants, and toddlers. You'll find a balance of issues ranging from baby care to issues such as working from home and how to transition back to the office. The site also offers interactive links to a related Facebook page and includes a parent's forum where parents can ask questions and share experiences.

6. BabyCenter.com

This site offers advice that is uniquely divided into sections and articles geared towards mom's only or dad's only. You don't find too many sites that divide the advice like this to answer questions specific to new mothers and new fathers. New articles and posts are added on a regular basis, making this a handy reference. There's general advice for rising your baby too, along with video posts.

7. ParentTime.com

This site focuses on tips for prenatal care, newborns, and infant care. You can interact with other parents or expectant parents on the site's linked Facebook page or have baby tips sent directly to you via email. In addition to advice on nutrition, clothing, your baby's health, and diapering, you'll also find convenient links to resources such as baby supplies and classic children's books you can read to your child.

8. KidsHealth.org

This site is a good source for first-time parents. The articles are clearly written and easy to follow. You'll find advice on how to handle your newborn, where to seek help with nursing and nanny care, feeding tips, the pros and cons of circumcision, bonding with baby, and what to do before and after you bring your baby home for the first time. Articles are easy to share with friends or print out for reference. You'll also find links to additional resources.

9. ParentsConnect.com

In addition to newborn care tips, this site also offers helpful tips for decorating your baby's nursery and related topics. You'll find answers to questions about whether or not to let your baby "cry it out" and when to expect the typical baby milestones such as walking and solid foods. Another nice feature of this site is baby videos that present visual presentations on issues such as breastfeeding.

10. Kaboose.com

If you're looking for a go-to reference guide for caring for your newborn, this is a site you need to bookmark. You'll find a bunch of articles on just about everything a new mom needs to know conveniently indexed.

Author Bio
Kathleen Martins is a blogger for the chromium browser from Torch browser; the online YouTube video, offering many benefits you may be missing out on!






For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

Book Reveiw/Giveaway-Strangers in the Land (The Zombie Bible) by Stant Litore-Ends 11/15

This contest is officially closed--Thank you everyone who entered. The winning number is 16

Becca said... 16

I liked the post

November 10, 2012 8:30 PM

Congratulations Becca!! I know you will enjoy reading this book--Now all you have to do is reply to the email I will be sending you within 48 hours with your full name and mailing address. I will then forward it on to the publisher who will mail out the book to you directly.


If you read Stant Litore’s guest post on my blog you know that this book is not for the faint of heart!! Thank heavens this book (it is fiction) takes place back in very ancient times—There is enough actual history to make you shiver and shake if you happen to know that history which I do—two sittings—411 pages and I finished it! It kept me captivated!! It is perfect for a Halloween read—notice—this review is going live on 10/31.


From the back cover

FOUR MUST STAND AGAINST THE DEAD
The aging prophetess Devora, Hurriva, the slave girl, Zodak, a legend among warriors. And the widower Barak, who has sworn to defend his homeland from a migration of walking corpses, greater then has ever been seen.
Devora is all too familiar with the unclean dead. She was there when her mother was pulled screaming from her tent by zombies. And when her mother rose, famished for flesh, it was Devora’s hand that ended her hunger. Now Devora has struck an uneasy alliance with those she fears most among the living. Yet the strangers in the land must stand together if they are to rid the land of its curse.

If you want to find out more about this author and other books he has written-go to his website!

This book can be purchased at Amazon or wherever fine books are sold

OR

You can win a copy (US or Canada only this time Please)

Just remember to put your email address in each and every comment so that I can contact you when this giveaway is over.

Mandatory: In a comment –do you read this kind of book often-yes or no

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I was not paid cash for this post.I did however receive a copy of this book for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Hurricane Sandy amd Other Natural Occurances

Sunday, October 28, 2012

First off I'd like to say STAY SAFE everyone in the path of Hurricane Sandy. I keep kinda hoping it will drift off to sea--far off--but all indications are-it won't.

Hurricanes, Earthquakes, and other Natural occurrences are happening with greater frequency and are larger and more dangerous then ever before. I do believe that climate change caused by man has caused some of this--but not all. The normal cycles of the earth has a lot to do with it also. We just made it worse!! For example--the Hudson River was created by a giant glacier--all those mountains--some were created by the tectonic plates colliding and some from volcanic eruptions. And all of this happened many many many many years ago!


Below I have included some (there are literally thousands) of the websites you can go and research this for yourself.


For people who home school -great interactive info for the kids on the cycles of the earth
http://eo.ucar.edu/kids/green/cycles1.htm


For more info on the Hudson river
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_River


For more info on how mountains are created
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-are-mountains-formed.html
http://www.edu.pe.ca/southernkings/mountainmm.htm




I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Totally Money


Due Diligence is not only for big business or accountants anymore—we all must investigate what charges we MAY get if we accept a credit card or even open a bank account.

With the way the economy is-we all have to watch our pennies and nickels and watch out for all kinds of fees as well as the interest rate we are paying on our credit cards and bank accounts.. The reality is that it is now DOLLARS we could be losing!!

Just recently, my bank ignored the fact that I have overdraft protection—instead of taking the money from my overdraft account they charged me $35.00 for each check they paid where the funds in my checking would not cover. They had never done this before. Now I am sure that somewhere in tiny print I was informed about this change—wish I had paid attention!! Although I prefer using my debit card to make purchases as I really don’t like carrying cash---and interest rates being what they are—I may have to look into credit card rates once again.

You really have to be careful with credit cards—if you are late even one time they can raise your interest rate to the highest allowable by law (yeah it happened to me) or they can suddenly lower the amount that you are allowed to charge. Just recently I was late on one payment-first time in about 10 years—they lowered the amount I was allowed to borrow by 10,000.00!! I was not a happy camper but since I do not use this card and am just trying to pay it off to zero---The way things are going I am almost tempted to go with Pre-Paid credit cards-but I think they have a lot of hidden fees as well.

I will be looking into credit card rates and think I will start with the Credit card offers at Totally Money





All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

Book Review-A Political Affair-Mary Whitney

Saturday, October 27, 2012

I really loved Mary Whitneys guest post featured on my blog on Oct 14, 2012. And I was excited to read the book—it was everything she promised and more!! I definitely give this book a 5 Star rating and recommend it to everyone.

I am so used to hearing or reading how politicians do just about anything they want with whomever they want in the news—at this point I just shake my head. So I was happy to read (even if it is only fiction) of a politician who actually really cares and the lengths he goes to protect the intern in his office with whom he ends up having an affair. Of course there is the usual political back stabbing by both sides of the aisle—or the attempt at any rate.


From the back cover:

The scion of a revered political dynasty, Senator Stephen McEnvoy was groomed to lead, but no one expected it so soon—least of all him. After his father’s sudden death, he’s appointed to fill his seat. Now he must win a tough election against an archconservative.

Though Stephen is a lady’s man, he’s never let his love life interfere with his career—until he meets Anne Norwood, a new intern. At first, he dismisses her as just another pretty young thing, only more interesting. Stephen tries to steer clear of her, but with each sighting and interaction, an unspoken mutual attraction develops. Anne’s independent streak and clever mind intrigue him, and with his guard down, she discovers he’s far more interesting than his Senator McEnvoy persona. They’re both too smart to fall for one another, yet they do.

Luckily for Stephen, no political dynasty is successful if left to one man. Stephen’s sisters, Patty and Megan, guard the family name, and their mother Lillian, is both loving parent and shrewd matriarch. When she learns Stephan is willing to risk his seat for Anne, she decides the family will chaperone them in secret. Despite the compromise, the family remains committed to keeping the McEnvoy Senate seat at any cost.

Stephen’s Senate race receives national attention as their feelings deepen and the political dangers increase. His opposition is steered by a conservative Godfather who investigates Stephen’s life, looking to pounce on any misstep. As they take greater risks seeing one another, Stephen’s past affairs and Republican opposition catch up with him, and they must fight for their future. In the heat of an election, no one is above surveillance, rumors, and threats. Campaigns—like love—are either won or lost.


I received an Advanced Reader’s copy of this book to review. Changes may have been made prior to it going on sale October 18, 2012

This book can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other fine book stores.



I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Wovenhill - Wicker Furniture - A Review

Friday, October 26, 2012

Wovenhill


When I was growing up my grandparents had a house with a flower garden, a rock garden and a vegetable garden-one of my earliest memories was toddling over to the veggie garden-picking a string bean or two (I’m still a 1 for each hand kind of girl!) and eating them right then and there—also went for the raspberries and if I could reach any—the grapes. Right behind the house was a big area where my grandma used to play mahjong and cards with her friends or where the family gathered. There was lots of furniture out there-mostly iron if I remember correctly. It was really beautiful!! Probably because of this I have always been drawn to pictures of English Gardens. They remind me so much of my Grandparents backyard!! (My Grandfather was originally from England)

So as I was website hopping around I came upon a site with pics of beautiful English patios and gardens—I looked at all the pics and stayed to learn more!! It turns out that the company Wovenhill makes Wicker Patio Furniture that is woven so tight it is not affected by the rain! I’m not sure that they sell it here (maybe your furniture store can order it for you?) as they do say that they are aware most people prefer to see patio furniture in person before buying. They do have a store in England.

Can’t you just imagine sitting with your family and friends outside on this sofa set with the smell of flowers wafting over you.



Or just lying back with a good book on one of these Loungers (wouldn’t mind having one of these in my apartment!)


Dream on Michele!! Wovenhill also carries lots of other things made out of wicker—come on in and take a peek.




All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

INTERFLORA - A Review

Thursday, October 25, 2012

For over 40 years I have been looking for gifts for my Mom—3 gifts a year (Mother’s Day, her Birthday and of course the holidays)-that is, at the least 120 gifts for a woman who has EVERYTHING. That does not include taking her out to dinner every year for her birthday. I’m forever scouring the internet for unique gifts that she might like. Over the years I have bought her jewelry, antique mini boxes (and some not so antique), miniature turtles (which she collected for a while), miniature china shoes (another type she collected for a while), unique kitchen items-the latest being an infuser, perfume and of course flowers. About the only thing I forget almost every year is a card (which I hear about!!).

Her 90th birthday is Nov 25th—less then a month away. I really want to get her something special and was about to lose my mind—a gift card to one of her favorite stores? No, I did that already a couple of years ago and besides she has more clothing, shoes and pocketbooks then anyone I know. Maybe wine with flowers? She really does love flowers and enjoys her glass of wine in the evening. I searched and I searched and I searched some more and I have finally found a gift that I hope she will really enjoy!


I happened upon a site based in England which delivers to the US-or maybe has some stores here. There was a tab with locations up top so I clicked on the US and realized that all the flower arrangements and gifts (for both men and woman and every occasion imaginable) was the same!!




There are absolutely the best gifts for women from Interflora. This is the place to get every gift you happen to need for a woman! They have pampering gifts, Biscuiteers Personalized Love Heart Biscuits (I am thinking about getting this as well) or Personalized cupcakes and lots of other personalized gifts.







All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

$25 GC Hale Groves-Hoppin’ Halloween Giveaway Hop - Ends 10/31 US Only

The Halloween Giveaway Hop is offically closed. Out of 214 entries (Thank you everyone) the number picked at Random.org as the winner of the $25 towards Hale Groves is

Kathy said... 26

Hate to admit it but my favorite part of Halloween is the CANDY
October 25, 2012 9:28 AM

All Kathy has to do now is go to Hale Groves and pick out what she wants for 25.00-then reply to the email I am about to send her within 48 hours with her full name and mailing address and I will have it shipped out to her!


Thank you Mama NYC for putting together this hop!!

It is almost Halloween-do you all have all the kids costumes and candy ready to give out to all the little ghosts and goblins? I don't know about you but I love to see all the little ones dressed up (and their Dads looking sheepish as they stand off to the side)!

Although I'm sure you REALLY don't want any more candy--Thanksgiving is going to be here before we know it so----How about a gift to bring to your hostess--




Miki's Hope is going to give you $25 towards buying whatever you want at Hale Groves
(I will pay the tax and shipping)

So now here is how you can win--please make sure to enter your name and email address in each and every comment so that when this contest is over I will be able to contact the winner!!

Mandatory: In a comment tell me what you like best about Halloween

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I was not paid cash for this post. I am an affiliate of Hale Groves and may receive a small percentage of sales. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Author Guest Post- Looking for a Page Turner?-Terminal Ambition

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Thank you Kate McGuinness for writing such a wonderful post!! This book can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and everywhere fine books are sold!!



Recently I had an interesting exchange on She Writes with an unpublished author struggling to make the theme of her novel more exciting and less sanctimonious. She wanted to know how I had managed to address the same subject in Terminal Ambition in a way that resulted in many reviewers calling it a “page turner.” It currently has 39 reviews on Amazon with a rating of 4.7 stars out of a maximum of 5.

Most of the techniques for creating a suspenseful novel apply to selecting one to read. Miki’s followers seem to enjoy this genre so I decided to discuss them here.

The characters are key. The writer must present a protagonist the readers care about. A hooker trying to avenge her pimp’s death wouldn’t appeal to me. A female lawyer fighting for justice for her protégée who’s been raped does. That’s Maggie Mahoney’s crusade in Terminal Ambition.

The antagonist must be smart and motivated, a worthy opponent for the protagonist. Someone with power to block the protagonist. Maggie Mahoney, the protagonist of Terminal Ambition, must fight two men: the chairman of her law firm who wants to be named U.S. Attorney General and a powerful senior partner at the firm who is blackmailing him.

The stakes that the characters are battling over are vital. That doesn’t necessarily mean the risk of Earth’s nuclear annihilation but, rather, a loss that would devastate the protagonist’s world. A man fighting to save his spouse or child is a clear example. Maggie has invested almost 15 years of her life in the world-class law firm at the center of Terminal Ambition. It became her family. She is fighting to restore its commitment to obeying the law and to treating its attorneys fairly.

Complications enhance suspense. Maggie’s career at her prestigious law firm is jeopardized when her principal client fires her. If she takes on the antagonists, will her career survive? Her budding romance with a go-along-to-get-ahead partner is threatened by her battle with firm management.

Pressure on the protagonist must mount until readers wonder if she’ll crack. Maggie is offered escape routes from the firm’s immorality. She resists until the final chapters where the firm chairman offers to help her achieve a previously unimaginable ambition. Will she grab the gold ring? Dilemma is another important element of suspense.

Time constraints increase the pressure. For Maggie that means revealing the firm chairman’s misconduct before he is nominated to serve as Attorney General. As the day of the Presidential election grows closer, Maggie becomes more desperate.

Suspense builds with unpredictability. The protagonist must be tortured when her actions have unforeseen consequences. I won’t spoil of the unpredictable events in Terminal Ambition but it’s full of them. I had fun creating the “twists and turns” noted by reviewers.

Another element of suspense is foreshadowing. Did you wonder what the ticklish theme was I referred to in the opening paragraph? It’s sexism in the workplace.

It seems natural for a lawyer to write legal suspense. I spent years in the profession, serving as a partner at a major law firm and then general counsel at a Fortune 500 company. I chose suspense to create an entertaining read. However, my true goal in writing Terminal Ambition was to educate readers about workplace bias and harassment.

Think of Terminal Ambition as a two-for: suspense with a dash of education.





For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

Zombie Bible-Guest Post by Stant Litore-Strangers in the Land

It is exactly one week till Halloween--------------

This is a guest post by Stant Litore, author of Strangers in the Land (47North), a new entry in The Zombie Bible.

So, zombie apocalypse. You’re ready?




I keep a Templar sword by the bed. Just in case. Actually scared to death of the hungry dead. On one of our first dates, my future wife and I rented Dawn of the Dead and about five minutes in, I quietly got to my feet, tiptoed out, and retrieved my wood-ax from the shed. Set it right against my armchair. Felt much better through the whole movie after that. The fact that Jessica was more amused than alarmed by this likely is one reason she and I now wear wedding rings.

Actually though, you have to understand that it’s not just one big outbreak we have to watch for. Zombies have been here all along, devouring our history from the inside. In every generation, there has been a plague somewhere. That’s what The Zombie Bible is about – how generations of our ancestors wrestled with the restless dead. How they fought for survival and for sanity in the centuries before electricity or guns or the CDC. Moviemakers like to freak me out with warnings of an imminent global collapse and a world rendered wasteland inhabited only by the dead gnawing on the last bones. But in fact tomorrow or the day after may only be the latest chapter in a long and grisly story.

I’ve been collecting these tales for a while. I have a place up in Colorado where there are few trees and you can see the dead coming from a long way off. I write each evening to scholars and archaeologists who can piece together bits of our half-eaten and half-forgotten memory. If you stop by or take a look in one of my books, I’ll tell you a few tales. How the prophet Jeremiah was left in a dry well three days with the dead tossed in after him. How Polycarp the martyr used to bring rest to dozens of the dead with a touch of his hand and his soul-searching eyes. How in the twelfth century BC Devora, an aging prophetess, led a tribal people against great herds of dead, her blade uplifted above her like a slice of moon against the night sky.

These are tales that will fascinate you and they are tales that will break the heart. Because whether today or three thousand years ago, one’s dead are never faced without terrible cost. Our ancestors understood that better than we, and we can learn from their stories.







I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Guest Post - AGE IS JUST A NUMBER!

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

I can vouch for that!! I would like to thank the author for writing this guest post for me and reminding me that Age is just a number!


The phrase ‘life begins at 40’ is, in some respects, true, as there are so many things you can do once you reach that milestone. However, if you’re looking to take up sports, your options may be limited because of wear and tear that you may have endured during your youth. However, there are some sports which are ideal to take up later on in life, not least because they’re as relaxing as they are thrilling. One of those is horse riding, which can be enjoyed by men and women of all ages.
Horse riding comes with a number of health benefits that can help you throughout the rest of your life. Among the benefits it can bring include improving your balance and posture, your stamina and your focus. All of those are important for when you get older, and by taking part in equestrian sports on a regular basis, there is a greater likelihood that it will significantly improve your quality of life.
When going horse riding, you’ll need a lot of equipment to help keep you safe and secure while you’re doing it. Here are the items you will need before you take your first lesson, to help make your riding experience a safe yet fun one:

A healthy, trained horse from a riding stable (obviously)

A range of Gateshouse rider wear such as jodhpurs and a riding vest

Riding boots – these help to keep you secure on your horse and will help to prevent injury if you fall off for some reason.
Gateshouse riding hat from equestrian clearance are hugely important as they can protect your head from any injury should you fall.

A field for you to ride around.
What are you waiting for? It’s never too late to become the next Hiroshi Hoketsu or Lorna Johnstone; among the oldest Olympic athletes to compete in the equestrian events of all time.







For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

$25 PP-WW-Spooktacular Giveaway Hop-Ends 10/31

Monday, October 22, 2012



This giveaway hop is brought to you by I Am a Reader Not a Writer and The Diary of a Bookworm!!

I was thinking about offering candy as a prize from Miki's Hope--BUT--since this ends on 10/31 and by now your kids and you probably already have loads of candy--I do have a scary book (Bottled Abyss) for which I recently did a review--ah I have it--$25.00 PayPal-then you can spend it on whatever you want-and it can be World Wide so everyone can enter!!!




Just remember to put your email address in each and every comment you make so that I can contact you if you are picked as the winner by Random.org. You will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send the winner!!!

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I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Where The Trade Buys - A Review


We all have our favorite place to purchase our business cards, banners, leaflets etc. I was browsing the other day and the name of this company caught my eye. Where The Trade Buys. Hum, buys what—so I clicked!! Well, they sell what we all buy at one time or another. They also sell some unique items I have never seen before where I normally shop!

The silk finish business cards—the only time I have seen these is when someone has handed me one from a large company at work—I would love to have them for myself-they make such a good impression! And the price is not prohibitive.

Something I have never seen before—Mesh Banners—so that in case it happens to be windy—and you have the banner set up outside—the wind blows right through it! What an innovative idea!! They also have roll-up banners-which, in my opinion, would be great for presentations.


And of course they will make up Christmas Cards for you—




Click on in to Where The Trade Buys and take a look around!







All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

Book Review - Shadow in the Reflection


Do you believe you may have lived before in another century and country? Or maybe know someone who you never saw before-but you know them inside out and upside down. Do you often think about it? Well, Shadow in the Reflection is about all this-this Fantasy written by Joe Niehaus and Mary Sikora will start you thinking—again!!

It took me a chapter or two to get into this book—but get into it I certainly did! I Could barely put it down. It all starts off with Dr Ambrose, a psychiatrist who wants Anne, as part of her therapy, to go back in time to where her current day problems began. He, however, starts to get too involved and gets a friend of his, another psychiatrist named Tom to join in. Tom will only be an observer. Meanwhile Tom has a client who decides to go under deep hypnotic regression as well.

The bulk of the book is what transpired way back when the Vikings used to fight among themselves and with the Britons and Saxons. When Druids still roamed the earth and the beginning of Christianity took hold in Briton. It is extremely interesting. It is a story about love that transcends centuries.

I really don’t want to spoil this book for you so this is all I am going to say!

Tomorrow the author is going to have a guest post on my blog—I will be very interested in what he has to say!!

This book can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and wherever books are sold. It comes in paperback, hard copy and e-book form.



I received a paperback copy of this book for my review-the opinions are all mine



I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

Book Review/Giveaway-Maximum Brain Power–Breznitz & Hemingway-Ends 11/17

Saturday, October 20, 2012

This contest is officially over-Thank you everyone who entered. #8 is this contests lucky number.

Marthalynn said... 8

I didn't know Mental exercises such as crossword puzzles and Sudoku are of marginal help in building
Brainpower.
October 28, 2012 10:02 PM

Congratulations Martha!! I will be sending out an email in just a few minutes. All you have to do is reply within 48 hours with your full name and address and I will forward the info to the publisher who will be sending you the book Maximum Brain Power directly.




Challenging The Brain For Health And Wisdom


This book challenges some of the old adages of how people learn and how the brain functions. This is done in a scientific but understandable format. At the end of each chapter is a short re-cap of the salient points in case you get overwhelmed-I know that I will have to re read this book a couple of times to truly understand all it has to offer me. As a senior I am somewhat worried about those senior moments and the possibility of Alzheimers. Although there is no cure, Maximum Brainpower gives the framework for keeping your mental capacity as long as you possibly can.

“Did you know that?

Mental Stress can have more devastating impact on us then physical stress
Experts are often less mentally agile then jack-of-all-traders
Hope, all by itself, is a major healing agent
Mental exercises such as crossword puzzles and Sudoku are of marginal help in building
Brainpower
A false alarm conditions us to ignore future alarms
Multitasking is a formula for the failure to learn, for it works against the basic biology of the
Brain”

About the Authors

A renowned cognitive psychologist, Shlomo Breznitz has been a visiting professor at several leading institutions including the London School of Economics and Stanford University. The author of 7 books and many scientific articles, he is also the founder of CogniFit, a company devoted to improving cognitive fitness.

Collins Hemingway is a writer and technologist who has co-authored books on business, emerging technologies, leadership and ethical principles, including Bill Gate’s #1 bestselling book Business at the Speed of Thought.

If you would like to read this book it can be found at Amazon, Barnes & Nobel, Random House and other fine bookstores or you can win a copy!

Mandatory: In a comment tell me which of the “Did You Know That” statements
you did Not know (you can copy paste!!)

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I was not paid cash for this post, I did receive a copy of the book for review purposes. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.

How Much Do You Pay for Cable?

Friday, October 19, 2012


I used to have cable service from the only company that was in my area at the time. To say I was not impressed with that company is an understatement—then they began to raise prices and take away the stations I really liked!! AND I began to realize that the internet service was slow as molasses. I wanted and needed a change!!

My phone service (landline and cell) was always with Verizon-so when they were allowed to come into the building and install Fios where I lived—I signed up immediately. One bill, TV, Internet, WiFi, Landline and Cell phone—and for the next few years the price wasn’t that bad—but now it is off the roof! I am actually struggling to pay it and am considering dropping the TV part since I really don’t watch very much. But to live without it entirely-I don’t think so. Maybe switch to a prepaid cell since I really never use it-keep it with me for emergency purposes. (of course I never seem to keep it charged!)

My Mom swears by the company she uses—and loves it. I think she has everything I have minus the WiFi-which truthfully I do not use. Of course an e-reader is definitely on my wish list and have entered just about every giveaway-no luck yet. She has a Kindle and goes to where there is free WiFi to download books-there really are a lot of places you can go.

I think I am seriously going to have to do some research here. Make up a spreadsheet comparing one company to the other and see what happens. Then go and see what others have to say about the various services and prices. It is possible that I may be better off paying separate bills for distinct services.

So now—I’m keeping my eyes and ears open—for a cheaper way. If anyone knows of one please let me know!




All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

Evolution Slimming - A Review

Thursday, October 18, 2012

EVOLUTION SLIMMING


I have been trying to lose weight all my life!! Have tried everything from the old Cabbage Soup diet (which a blogger reminded me of the other day!) to Jenny Craig and Weight Watchers. I lost weight on all of them then promptly gained it all back-plus some! Unfortunately-being newly diagnosed as a Type 2 Diabetic-I will not be able to go back to using fruit based weight loss pills-cause they really do work!! (Yes, I have used them in the past as well—my sweet tooth always won out in the end).

Acai Berry is a key ingredient in a lot of these weight loss products. Evolution Slimming also has a raspberry ketone formulation as well. They have so many products-don’t like pills-they have patches. Just click on the headings at the top of the page for lots of great info! Or for a listing of their products just click here.

I may be able to try their colon cleanse-depending on whether I can get a full ingredient list from them. The last one I tried made my blood sugar go UP-seems there was rice powder in there—You really should read the ingredients BEFORE taking anything and if in doubt because of a medical problem you have-always ask you doctor first!!






All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

Author Guest Post-The Sun, the Moon, and Maybe the Trains-Rodney Jones

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

I asked Rodney Jones, the author of The Sun, the Moon, and Maybe the Trains why he wrote this book and to tell us a little bit about himself--below is his answer!




I wrote The Sun, the Moon, and Maybe the Trains for the fun of it.

Who isn’t intrigued by the idea of time travel? I got my inspiration to become a writer at the age of nine watching The Twilight Zone on a small black and white TV set in Selma, Indiana. I can remember three or four episodes involving time travel, though I’m sure there were more. The one that most sticks in my mind is the one that takes place in the Old West, called A Hundred Yards Over the Rim, where a man leaves his covered wagon to look for help for his ill son. As in my story, Rod Serling’s character stumbles unwittingly into the future. There were a lot of years, however, between my seeing that TV show and writing this story—about forty.

I came up with the idea for The Sun, the Moon, and Maybe the Trains while hiking in Vermont. I was in the woods around Lowell Lake when this thought popped into my head: What if I was living in 1875, walking these same woods, and suddenly, without knowing, stepped into 2009, what environmental differences would I notice? This got me paying close attention to details that would likely puzzle a person from the nineteenth century. A story began to unfold in my mind. I was finishing up my first novel at the time, but this time travel idea had me fascinated. On subsequent hikes I carried a small notepad and pen with me and jotted down any ideas that came to me. Once I’d finished my first story, I immediately started writing this one.

My first novel was a difficult, laborious task, which I had to push myself to complete. I wanted the writing of my second novel to be fun, and it was.

I currently live in Richmond, Indiana, where I spend a large portion of my time writing. I have four novels completed and am well into my fifth. I also write a blog called Nothing but the truth… mostly, which I have a lot of fun with. For recreation, I go hiking, backpacking, camping, and bicycling. To wind down, I listen to music (old records, mostly) and will often enjoy a shot of fine bourbon and a chunk of dark chocolate while doing so.

Thank you so much for having me on Miki's Hope, Michele.

Thank you Rodney!! This book can be purchased in e-book or paperback at Barnes and Noble.com and through the publisher, Red Adept Publishing.






For more information please check my Disclosure Statement.

Radio Ranger RC Fishing Boat Giveaway-Ends 11/5

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Radio Ranger RC Fishing Boat Giveaway

RcFishingWorld.com is offering an awesome remote control boat worth $79.95 to one lucky reader and it could be you. Do not pass up on the chance to win this RadioRanger Remote Control Boat Giveaway. Bobbie Anne from BlogWithMom.com owns one of these fast remote control boats, listen to what she has to say about it.

"Taking the Radio Ranger RC Boat to the lake is a great family activity. My kids and I took our boat out this past weekend and had a blast. It runs so fast across the lake that it leaves waves behind it. This remote control boat can also be connected to your fishing line and used to catch a fish. Can you imagine catching a fish and then bringing it in to shore with a remote control boat? This RC Radio Ranger is also great for the fisherman who want to get their bait to the perfect spot, but cannot get it there without a little help. You can connect your line to the remote control boat, drive it to the perfect spot, drop your line and drive back to the shore. My kids and I didn't try to catch any fish this weekend, we just had fun taking turns driving our boat until we completely ran down our battery and it was time to head back home.

The hardest part about setting up this boat was figuring out the right direction for the 6 AA batteries that went in the remote control. This boat is amazing and my boys are already planning our next boat outing and their dad is bringing the fishing pole next time!







I was not paid cash for this post. All opinions expressed are my own honest opinions. For more information please check my Disclosure Statement. Our giveaways are in no way sponsored or promoted by Facebook.
 
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