Book Blast – $100 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway – (GIVEAWAY ENDED)

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Jubilee’s Journey by Bette Lee Crosby   JUBILEE’S JOURNEY…FPA PRESIDENT’S BOOK AWARD GOLD MEDAL WINNER   When tragedy strikes a West Virginia coal mining family, two children start out on a trek that they hope will lead them to a new life. Before a day passes, the children are separated and the boy is caught up in a robbery not of his making. If his sister can find him, she may be able to save him. The problem is she’s only seven years old, and who’s going to believe a kid?   Reviewer Praise:   An uplifting story of hope, love and the kindness of strangers. Rainy Day Ramblings I was drawn in from the first page and held captive to the end. Jubilee’s Journey makes you believe in the power of the human spirit and the kindness of strangers. The Caffeinated Reviewer Real both in circumstances and dialogue Jubilee’s Journey is a book that will have you up late to finish. It will make you believe that you can triumph over tragedy. Mrs. Mommy Booknerd Crosby’s novels touch my heart big time, and Jubilee’s Journey is no exception. Even the Grinch would be hard-pressed to scowl at the Wyattsville Series books. They’ve got tension and suspense in their mysteries, Southern charm and lessons aplenty. Popcorn Reads
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Excerpts – Popular Highlights:   ” His death came as no surprise to anyone. He was one of the countless men forever lost to the mine. They were men loved and mourned by their families, but to the world they were faceless, nameless people, not worthy of mention in the Charleston Times.”   “When Jubilee said she was scared going to a place she didn’t know, I told her not to worry. I said it was a good thing ‘cause we was going to see an aunt we never even knew we had. Then she started smiling. The whole time I was telling her how good everything was gonna be, I was wishing I had someone to tell me the same thing.”   “I guess God looks past what you claim to want and gives you what you need.”   “We can plan ahead until we’re blue in the face, but regardless of what we do events will happen as they will. The truth is we don’t have a bean of say in the matter.”

 

Author Bette Lee CrosbyAward-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby brings the wit and wisdom of her Southern Mama to works of fiction—the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance along with a cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away. “Storytelling is in my blood,” Crosby laughingly admits, “My mom was not a writer, but she was a captivating storyteller, so I find myself using bits and pieces of her voice in most everything I write.” Crosby’s work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. Since then, she has gone on to win another fifteen literary awards, including the Royal Palm Literary Award, The Reviewer’s Choice Award, and the FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal. A third book in her Wyattsville Series is scheduled for release in January 2015 and the third book in the Serendipity Series will follow in the Spring of 2015.

     

BookBlast Giveaway $100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 10/3/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Top 5 Unique Wooden Toys that I am Dying to Add to My Collection

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I love wooden toys.  I love how they don’t fade or break, how they have a little bit of substance when you hold them in your hand and how they last forever!  By forever, I’m talking generations.

My grandma had a freestanding wooden elephant puzzle in her house.  It was white and I think it had four or so pieces.  My cousins and I adored it. It was always out in the house, and as I grew up the silly elephant stuck around.  I think my grandma ended up having to repainting it (possibly a number of times) because the white started to look a bit dingy with so many little hands carrying it around, but it never broke and it never grew old.  Twenty years later my grandma still has that puzzle!

With those thoughts in mind, and my general preference for solid wood, over its more disposable plastic counterparts, I bring you my list of Top 5 Unique Wooden Toys that I am Dying to Add to My Collection!

**This post contains Amazon links which support Top 5 Friday when you purchase through them, yet don’t cost you anything extra. See Disclosure Policy for more information. 

1. Animal Upon Animal

So this is both a toy and a game (are those separate things? Maybe?) This game comes with 29 carved and painted wooden animals that are built to be stacked on top of each other.  The game is suggested for children 4 and up and I suspect that this is one that would be interesting for the whole family as you try to build a tower out of uniquely shaped animals.  Sounds like a good way to work on hand eye coordination and the pieces look like fun to play with even the game doesn’t appeal to you or your child. 

2. Marble Runaround Marble and Blocks Building Set 

Okay, so the Marble Run isn’t exactly a new idea, but how great is that this toy is both a marble run and a set of building blocks?  I take it to mean that I could get this for my toddler and let him enjoy just the block, and when he grows up and is less likely to try to eat the marbles I can show him how to add those to the set and BAM!  It’s a brand new and still a totally awesome toy.  Also I looked at a handful of the plastic and wooden marble run toys on amazon, they can be expensive!  Like $100+, yikes!  This particular one is made of wood, looks awesome and right now it’s listed for only $35.

3. Begin Again A-Z Puzzles

These puzzles are beautiful.  Not only that but the patterns on them are so unique, the painting is colorful and they’ve made them even better learning tools by having lettered pieces. The puzzle comes with a wooden box, but can also be built free standing (yes, I am totally reminiscing about my grandma’s elephant puzzle).  One side of the puzzle has capital letters the other side has lowercase letters so your child has a chance to learn both, and the puzzle can be built face up, face down or standing on it’s side. The puzzles come in varying degrees of difficulty, the butterfly is suggested for 5+, the dinosaur for 3+.  These also have a great animal puzzle that seems similar to the Animal Upon Animal game and an Alphabites Puzzle, that is shaped like a bunch of food – when all the food shaped pieces are removed from the box, the box is shaped like a serving tray, complete with plate and napkin.  I’m tell you, these are worth checking out!

4. Connectagons

These are flat pieces with little cut out edges that can be merged together to create tall intricate looking towers. They come in all sorts of shapes; butterflies, sea critters, happy faces etc.  The look like another great way to work on fine motor skills and it seems like a tower made out of these might be a little more stable than a tower made from blocks.  Also (judging from the pictures) these little creations end up looking like a fun bit of 3D art work.  If you’ve got a little builder and your looking for something new to challenge them take a peek at these.

5. 1-2-3 Grow With Me Wooden Walker/Ride-on Toy/Trolley

This looks amazing! For $125 you can have a baby push toy, a ride on toy with a wagon and a shopping cart!  There are so many ways to use this!  It’s made of wood so I feel more confident about it’s durability and how nice would it be not to have purchase a bunch of big, space taking, toys that your child is going to out grown and then be faced with the option to getting rid of them or storing them for future use.  At least with this one you can play with it for year, and when it comes time to think about storage you’ve only got one, semi compact toy to store.  We live in a tiny apartment and I am dazzled by the looks of this one. 

Have you tried any of these toys?  If so what was your experience?  Do you have any wooden toys your can’t recommend enough?  Let me know in the comments!

*This list of Top 5 list is based purely on personal opinion, it has not been verified or backed up by marketing research or consumer interest.  

$150 Visa Gift Card Giveaway {GIVEAWAY ENDED}

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Welcome to the $150 Visa Gift Card Giveaway Event

Sponsored by Pure Crafted Beds

Pure Crafted Beds is a company who knows Beds. Their factory was started in 1946 and is still owned by the original family and into their third generation! They began by renovating porch furniture and mattresses in the 1940’s, to a modern manufacturing facility located in Lansing, Michigan. They’ve been in business close to 70 years and have brought forth an amazing selection of products that will give you a great night’s sleep. Your comfort is their business! Each bed is “hand-crafted” and they always strive to provide the best value for each customer, whether at $299 or $2,999. They carry two basic mattresses the TruEssence and TruSlumber. The only difference between the two beds is the core foam layer, and the TruSlumber bed does not have a base layer of foam. This helps reduce the overall height of the bed, which makes it perfect for children, bunk beds, and other situations where a thinner mattress is required! However the unsurpassed quality remains the same in both!

One of the most fantastic features of Pure Crafted Beds is their use of an innovative product called the Eco Shield Cover. Every Pure Crafted Bed has this unique EcoShield cover. This amazing cover is resistant to bed bugs, dust mites, mosquitoes, and moths… all without any artificial chemicals!

The proprietary EcoShield fabric is infused with Geraniol, a natural plant extract which provides all natural protection. Many anti-bed bug and dust mite products on the market today use synthetic chemicals. EcoShield® is the first product that is truly 100% natural, with no artificial chemical additives that uses a unique micro-capsule delivery system for long-lasting effects! Through a special process the Geraniol is infused into our EcoSheild® cover, and is slowly released over time as movement occurs on the mattress.

EcoShield® is Scientifically Proven!

To find out more on how these beds are made head over to the video below! Sleep equals health, Don’t trust your sleep to just any mattress.

Thanks to Pure Crafted Beds One winner will get a $150 Visa Gift Card Giveaway ends September 26 at 11:59pm, open to US ages 18+. Only one entrant per household, per address. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Enter using the giveaway form below. Good luck!

Disclaimer: Top 5 Friday and the other participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household, per address. Void where prohibited by law. Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this sweepstakes. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. Contact [email protected] if you have any additional questions or comments.

Lalaloopsy Girls Doll Giveaway! – (GIVEAWAY ENDED)

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Lalaloopsy Girls Doll Giveaway!

Sponsored by: Lalaloopsy Girls

Hosted by:  Savory Savings 

Co-hosted by: My Mismatched World & My World Simplified

Isn’t it a sad time when your kids declare that they are “too big” for a favorite show?  Recently, Krista over at Savory Savings, experienced that when her youngest declared that her favorite show, Lalaloopsy, was “for babies”, but the good news is – now there are the Lalaloopsy Girls!  A slightly older version of the Lalaloopsy we all know and love!  Krista’s daughter received a new Lalaloopsy Girls Doll and is excited to watch the new one hour special, Lalaloopsy Girls: Welcome to L.A.L.A Prep School, on September 7 at 12 PM, on Nickolodeon!

Check out the new fun music video from the Lalaloopsy Girls!

How would you like to win Lalaloopsy Girls Doll?  If you would like a chance to win, enter with the Giveaway Tool below.  If you have won a Lalalooopsy Girls Doll giveaway anytime from another blog in the last 12 months, you are not eligible to win this giveaway.  The giveaway will run from September 4 through September 18, 2014 at 11 PM CST and is open to US residents, ages 18 and older.  Entries will be verified.  Winners will be notified via email (consider adding [email protected] to your safe list) – winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize or another winner will be selected.

Good Luck!

Krista from Gloriously Green Gal and Savory Savings received products from this sponsor to facilitate her review, no other compensation was received. All participating blogs are not responsible for prize fulfillment.  This giveaway is in no way associated with social media sites including Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.