The Crimson Rooms: Intriguing Mix of Love and Mystery

If you're in the mood to curl up with a good read, Katharine McMahon's latest novel is one I recommend. Evelyn Gifford is the unconventional heroine in The Crimson Rooms, a novel set in post World War I England. As a woman struggling to establish herself as a female lawyer in a distinctly chauvinist society, her career challenges are laid out for her. We meet her as a 30-year-old, unmarried woman, resigned herself to a life without romantic love, and heartbroken over the death of her beloved brother, James.

Late one night, her world is turned upside down by the emergence of a woman with a child whom she claims is the son of the deceased James. The twists and turns of this novel make for a plot filled with drama and suspense; we are kept guessing to the last pages as we discover that things are not all as they seem. McMahon does not tie all ends off predictably, but rather concludes her novel with a beginning for the courageous Evelyn; the beginning of a true sense of self.

The Crimson Rooms is on sale from February 18th and the book will be available at the following online retailers: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Borders, and Indie Bound.

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by MotherTalk on behalf of G.P. Putnam's Sons / Riverhead and received a copy of the book to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Mom Central's Valentine's Day Gift Guide and Giveaways

It's February already and that means its time to celebrate the one you love! Before you start scratching your head and wondering what on earth you're going to get for that special person this year, click over to Mom Central and check out their second annual Valentine's Day Gift Guide and giveaways. Week one is currently underway, and they have some great gift ideas - I am loving the sassy lingerie from Frederick's of Hollywood!

"I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central. Mom Central entered my name in a random drawing to win a gift to thank me for taking the time to participate."

Enter to Win a Sealy Posturepedic Mattress Set!

Over at From Dates to Diapers, Christine is hosting a great giveaway! Click over and enter for your chance to win your very own, utterly fabulous Sealy Posturepedic mattress set! Deadline for entries is February 14th - wouldn't this be an amazing Valentine's Day surprise?!

Great Ideas From the FedEx Out of Office Blog

Have you checked out the new Out of Office blog from FedEx? It is a wonderful resource, full of neat ideas for projects, gifts and parties. Thus far, my personal favorite is the Parent Projects section; the placemats suggestion is an excellent way to creatively use original artwork from our kids and I will definitely be featuring this idea on my Grandparent gift list!

One of the features of this blog that I'm most excited about is the "coming soon" Templates and Tools section. This promises downloadable templates and instructions for some projects - great! I'll be checking back for this feature!

Visit the FedEx Office Out of Office blog and check it out for yourself; you're in for a treat. The many tips and suggestions will get your own creative juices flowing - I'm planning a party at the end of this month and I just discovered an awesome way to display place cards in the Excellent Events section. Yes, I am absolutely going to steal this idea!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of FedEx Office. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

Jazz Things Up With Rosarita

We're a family that takes our nachos very seriously; there's something about the combination of tortilla chips, cheese, fresh jalapenos, beef (or chicken!), and refried beans that gets a mouth watering. In fact, I blame nachos for the 15 extra pounds that have been lingering around my waistline for the last decade or so! My husband has turned gourmet nacho making into a science and he's always insisted on the Rosarita brand of refried beans in his nacho concoctions. His nachos are sublime, so I've never questioned his wisdom.

Recently, we had the opportunity to try a new Rosarita product: their salsa line. Knowing how tasty their refried beans are, I was keen to test the three flavors offered, but the big afficionado on authentic Mexican-style cuisine in our home (afore-mentioned nacho-loving hubby), was delighted to be the salsa taste tester. He pronounced the Mild Salsa Mexicana "very pleasant"and he loved the zing of the Medium Salsa Verde. (I had to curb his 'sampling' of this one because I plan to use it in a chicken dish for our New Year's Day lunch.) His favorite is the Hot Salsa Taquera - his first choice for eating with tortilla chips. I most enjoyed the Salsa Mexicana; it really does have a classic taste - not too zippy for those with a lower tolerance in this area, but still plenty of flavor.

Rosarita salsa is not just for use with Mexican dishes, kick things up a notch at the dinner table by adding any of the three sauces as a topping or ingredient to standard fare.

*The new Rosarita Salsa line is currently available in the west and southwest U.S. in four cities - LA, Dallas, Phoenix, and Denver - at select Walmart and grocery stores.

"I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Rosarita and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate."

A Chance for Dreams to Come True

When I hear about a program designed to empower young women, I am always anxious to spread the word! Read on because I'd like to tell you about an incredible opportunity for aspiring women photographers. The world-famous photographer and award-winning celebrity, Me Ra Koh, has created the SOAR! Scholarship; a great program with the potential to empower and enlighten young women nationwide.

Me Ra has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, VH1's Fabulous Weddings and Martha Stewart TV shows. Her SOAR! Scholarship breathes hope and encouragement into people around the nation. The scholarship allows three women to have their photography dreams come true by helping them build their own photography business - wow!

The three winners will receive camera equipment from SONY, as well as software from Adobe, ShootQ, and SHOWIT. SmugMug, a photo sharing site, will design websites and blogs for the winners, while these women will also receive mentoring from Me Ra and other industry leaders on launching a successful photography business.

In the 12 months following the announcement of the winners, each woman will document her journey through photos, blog posts, videos, etc. All of these wonderful tools and advice provide three deserving women the opportunity to pursue and achieve their photography dreams!

Each SOAR! Scholarship applicant must complete a brief online application, which requires personal & family information, a summary of what makes photography your passion and your time and travel commitments. Applicants must also submit a two-minute video explaining why they are worthy of receiving the SOAR! Scholarship. The entire application process proves fast and easy, and all information can be found within the SOAR! Scholarship website, http://www.soarwithmera.com/

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of the SOAR! Scholarship and Me Ra Koh Photography. In addition, I received an Amazon gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

"X the TXT: Thumbs Up to the Safest Holiday Ever"

Each time I find myself fretting about my toddler's safety in a world filled with dangerous things, my thoughts always turn to what waits for me when she hits her teenage years. Friends with kids who have already started their teens smile knowingly and tell me that the years preceding adolescence are "the easy ones".

I remember with a shudder what a defiant teen I was; I couldn't wait for the freedom that set of car keys brought me and, once I was behind the wheel, I had an amazing amount of confidence for the tiny amount of driving experience I possessed. Yup, I now know for certain that I have a Guardian Angel who didn't get a moment's rest during my teens! I pray, pray, pray that my daughter uses better judgment and pays more heed to her parents admonitions than I ever did . . .

When I plunked myself behind the wheel and confidently hit the road all those years ago, cell phones didn't exist. Now they're an integral part of daily life, and while we may wonder how we ever functioned without them, they also bring problems with their convenience. They've made our roads more dangerous because they're used so recklessly - especially by young, newly-minted drivers. Studies by The Allstate Foundation have shown that teens are particularly susceptible to dangerous distractions while driving, especially from the use of their cell phones.

These days, more and more teenagers own up to using their cell phones to text while driving. According to The Allstate Foundation, two thirds of teens admit to texting and instant messaging while behind the wheel! Yet nearly 81% of teens rate parents as their number one driving influencers.

Knowing this, how can we as Moms not take steps to ensure we set a good example and make safe driving a priority? Especially when recent research by Virginia Tech's Transportation Institute reveals that texting while driving can increase the risk of an accident by 23 times.

Parents have a tremendous ability to influence the driving habits of their teens, making it all the more important to sit down early on with them to discuss safe driving behavior - and to lead by example.

Allstate's "X the TXT: Thumbs Up to the Safest Holiday Ever" campaign challenges teens and parents alike to make the pledge not to text and drive. By joining the cause at www.causes.com/thumbsup, you're pledging to put your cell phone down behind the wheel.

For each person who takes the pledge, Allstate will donate $1 to the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) – a collaborative network of national organizations and federal agencies that serve youth and focus on youth safety and health – for safe teen driving programs.

As part of the campaign, a 30-city "X the TXT" tour kicks off this holiday season during which teens and their families can add their thumbprints to a pledge banner as a public commitment not to text and drive. I encourage you to visit the “X the TXT” to learn about the 30-city tour and to download the family pledge.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of The Allstate Foundation. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Perfect Party Fare With Minimal Fuss

The party season is here! We were out carousing at a toddler dance recital last, we'll be partying up a storm at a 1st birthday bash/early Christmas party tonight, and we begin our round of home entertaining for the festive season in earnest next week. With the various invitations we've extended, running the gamut from informal to polish-the-silverware formal, planning the party fare can be overwhelming. I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen, only to feel worn out when my guest arrive, so I'm delighted to learn about Nancy's Appetizers.


Nancy's® Frozen Appetizers & Desserts will help you to serve delightful party food for any occasion. They're simple to prepare, and because they look as lovely as they taste delicious, your guests are sure to be pleased. These bite-sized appetizers and desserts are sure to tempt and satisfy any guests' appetite. From cheese soufflés, to mushroom turnovers, crab cakes, petite quiches, and pastry tarts, the Nancy's line serves up a delectable spread that has something for everyone. With the price-point of $4 to $13 per package, they can fit easily with your entertaining budget.


Sound like a tasty plan for your entertaining? Leave a topic-related comment before noon on December 18th, and you could be the lucky reader to win a coupon for a FREE box of any 12 count Nancy's Appetizers!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Nancy’s Appetizers and received 2 coupons to facilitate my review and giveaway and a $20 thank-you gift certificate.

Mom Central Holiday Gift Guide and Giveaways!

Yes! It is that time of the year - time for Mom Central's Holiday Gift Guide and Giveaways! Click on over to Mom Central each week, during the month of December, for your chance to enter to win one - or all - of the wonderful gift ideas Mom Central reviewed for the Holiday Gift Guide!

"I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central. Mom Central entered my name in a random drawing to win a gift to thank me for taking the time to participate."

A Memorable Thanksgiving Meal For All

Here we are, just days from Thanksgiving and it feels like we've only just stepped out of summer. Its hard to believe the holiday season is already here, but it is all the same and there are meals to be planned, mountains of delicious food to be eaten, belts to be loosened, you know how it goes. We are planning our Thanksgiving meal with enthusiasm; there will be no calorie counting in this house come Thursday! (Who am I kidding? There is never calorie counting in this house . . .)

We'll have the usual favorites: my husband's signature spinach and cream cheese dish, candied yams, green beans with toasted almonds, a mountain of 'smashed' potato, as my daughter likes to call it, homemade gravy, stuffing (you can never have too much of this), cranberry sauce, pecan pie, pumpkin pie and, hopefully, the most succulent, tasty turkey we have ever cooked!

I also plan on going the extra mile this year and making my famous 'from scratch' pumpkin soup, complete with toasted pumpkin seeds. It is a glorious soup, inexpensive to prepare and always a crowd-pleaser. Problem is, I don't make it too often because it is labor-intensive to say the least. Indeed, hacking my way through a couple of pumpkins to make a giant batch of this soup is a time-consuming, strenous - and messy - business, but the end result is well worth it.

With food prices on the rise, all of this feast preparation can can challenge even the most budget-savvy moms. This November, Walmart wants to make sure all Americans have the opportunity to create lasting memories with their families by offering a Thanksgiving Meal for Eight for as low as $20, featuring all of the fixings for an unforgettable Thanksgiving meal. The meal includes one 12-pound Grade-A turkey, three cans of vegetables, three boxes of stuffing mix, one 5-pound bag of red potatoes, two cans of cranberry sauce, one package of dinner rolls, and a pumpkin roll cake for dessert. And for those less confident in the kitchen, Food Network star Melissa d'Arabian has created tasty twists on traditional holiday dishes using the ingredients found in the Thanksgiving basket.

Visit the Walmart Holiday Meals website to learn more about the Thanksgiving Dinner for Eight for as low as $20 and find some great recipes from the Food Network’s Melissa d’Arabians.

What are some of your own favorite memories or money-saving tips for the holiday season? Leave a comment and let me know. I'll be giving away a $30 Walmart gift card to two lucky readers!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Walmart. In addition, I received a Walmart gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate and two to offer as a giveaway.