Hi, my name is Erin. I'm from Georgia but live in Oregon now with my family of four. I've been blessed with a son and daughter ages 5 and 2 1/2 years old. I have been married to my husband for six and a half years now.
I enjoy graphic design, loom knitting, blogging, reading all sorts of books, crafting, exploring the great outdoors, homeschooling my children, and more!
Archive for December 4th, 2009
FIRST: The Christmas Kitchen
December 4th, 2009 | 
Author: 
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
and the book:
Howard Books (October 6, 2009)
***Special thanks to Jennifer Willingham of Simon and Schuster for sending me a review copy.***
My Review is here: http://connected2christ.com/theblog/2009/12/the-christmas-kitchen-by-tammy-maltby/
Tammy Maltby is a writer, speaker, and media personality. For eight years, she was the co-host of the Emmy Award-winning television talk show, Aspiring Women. She serves on the board of the National Women’s Ministry Association, Christian Women in Media and Arts, and Women of Courage International. She and her family live in Colorado Springs, CO.
Visit the author’s website.
Product Details:
List Price: $14.99
Hardcover: 132 pages
Publisher: Howard Books (October 6, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1416587659
ISBN-13: 978-1416587651
AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:
Holiday Gift Guide: Mrs. Smith’s Diaper Bag Review and Giveaway
Who knew all the stuff you needed to have on hand when traveling with a baby, infant, or toddler! I recall being out many times and noticing that I forgot to put the wipes back into my daughter’s diaper bag. That was never a good thing! I also have had to deal with digging through a not very organized bag… meanwhile my daughter is wailing for me to see to her needs. This issue was extremely stressful while away from home on a 10 hour flight across the US. Trust me, I got a few nasty stares from inconsiderate people.
What’s a mom to do? Well, I have to thank Rachael Smith, a mother 2 whom has had plenty of her own diaper bag experiences. She couldn’t find a solution, so she came up with her own very line of diaper bags called Mrs. Smith Diaper bags. An awesome line of fashionable and functional bags if I do say so myself!
To me what makes Mrs. Smith Diaper bags so different from the rest is the organization! I no longer lose precious time digging around for my own or my babies things.
The top compartment in the bag is made and best for storing extra outfits for those un-expected accidents. I found I easily could hold about two outfits for my 18 month old, so it can hold many more if you have a younger baby.
There’s a spot in the top compartment with three insulated pockets that are perfect for keeping bottles or sippy cups hot or cold, whichever you desire. I love the pockets as they keep the cups or bottles up right preventing any spills on other things in the bag! An idea is you can also hold baby food jars in those pockets too!
The top compartment flap also has an included washable full-size changing pad! Until I become a mom, I never realized how important it was to have a diaper changing pad with me. You think most places provide those disposable covers but I learned most places don’t even accommodate this issue or they are always out! It can be pretty frustrating so I’m glad Mrs. Smith included this.
Other compartment in the top include a a small little zipper pouch in which I store my daughter’s teething tablets and a larger pocket with velcro in which I store my daughter’s diapers and wipe case. Some of the other things you’ll find in the top compartment of my diaper bag include a few board books, my daughter teething toy, a second set of shoes, and a few other random necessities! But wait’s there’s more to talk about!
I’ve never seen a bag with a drawer, especially one for a diaper bag! 
Mrs. Smith diaper bag bottom drawer area is ideal for storing snacks of all kind ( you can store a banana with no worry of it getting smooshed!), toys, pacifiers, or anything else you want to get to quickly. I’ve been using the drawer in my bag to store my daughters plate, fork, spoon, snacks, and meals when we go out. I love it!
The side pockets are fantastic for storing, an 8 x 10 binder or notebook, 2 small pouch on the outside for a cell phone/and or wallet, a mesh pouch and a pouch with a string. I found storing my Flip and being able to get to it quickly was a breeze with the side pockets! The fact I can store my daughter coloring supplies in the pocket big enough for an 8×10 binder was pretty nice too!
I love going to the park with my daughter but if you know my daughter, she’s always on the go! This is why I appreciate that Mrs. Smith diaper bag can also be converted into a backpack super easily! This feature leaves me hands free which is so crucial sometimes for parents dealing with babies and toddlers!
Mrs. Smith diapers bags are awesome! I would not choose another and I sure wish I had this bag earlier on! I highly recommend these diapers bags to all new moms!
Giveaway: One of my readers will win a diaper bag of their own! ($69 – $99 each)
To Enter: Visit Mrs. Smith, and tell me what bag you would like if you win! Deadline to enter is December 15th!
Extras:
- Tweet this Giveaway and leave me the url of the tweet!
- Blog about this giveaway and leave me the blog url!
- Tell me who’d you like to win this for!
Disclaimer: I was sent a diaper bag to review from Mrs. Smith. This review is 100% my opinion and has not been edited or reviewed by anyone. I was not compensated in any other way for this product review.
Tags: Baby, diaper bag, Holiday Gift Guide, Product Review | 
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FIRST: Essie in Progress Marjorie Presten
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old…or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
and the book:
Kregel Publications (April 1, 2009)
***Special thanks to Marjorie Presten for sending me a review copy.***
My Thoughts… Due to unforeseen circumstances, I’ve fall behind in reading this book. I will add a review as soon as I can!
Marjorie Presten is a native Georgian who has her own fair share of experience juggling career and motherhood. She lives outside of Atlanta with her husband, Tom, and their three children.
Listen to a radio interview about the book HERE.
Product Details:
List Price: $13.99
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Kregel Publications (April 1, 2009)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 082543565X
ISBN-13: 978-0825435652
AND NOW…THE FIRST CHAPTER:
1972
In a thirty-second phone call, Hamilton Wells would make a decision that would earn him more money than he could spend in his lifetime. Everything was on the line, but he was not nervous, euphoric, or eager with anticipation. In Hamilton’s mind, the matter was not speculative, debatable, or anything less than a sure thing. Hamilton had the gift, and it had never let him down. Yet even before he made the call, he knew money wouldn’t cure the unrelenting pain of his grief. He sat at his desk with only a single orange banker’s lamp for illumination and cried silently.
Her death had been inevitable, but feelings of helplessness still overwhelmed him. His young son’s dependency on him only multiplied his grief and anger. Six-year-old Jack Wells had insisted his father do something to help Mama, but the only thing Hamilton could do was sit at her bedside and try not to cry. Now it was six weeks after her death, and Hamilton knew his son needed him to be strong, to return life to normal. A neighbor had enrolled Jack in the local church baseball league. They played a game every Wednesday afternoon. It will be good for him, they’d said. Life has to go on.
Hamilton cradled his head in his hands and groaned. The enormity of the risk he was about to take didn’t concern him. It was purely mechanical. He would surrender all he owned for just one more blissful afternoon at the lake he and his wife both loved, but now that was impossible. His wife was dead. Nothing he could do would change that.
He remembered the book of Job. Would a loving and caring God do this to the love of my life? Well, he did, Hamilton thought bitterly. Earline had lingered for months. The doctors said it was miraculous that she had endured as long as she had. Be grateful for these last days to say goodbye, they’d said. But for Hamilton, the prolonged end only added anger to his bottomless sorrow. Standing alongside his son as a helpless witness to her slow deterioration and suffering in the final weeks was more than he could bear. It was the worst time of Hamilton’s life. Nothing really mattered anymore, and it seemed he had nothing left to lose.
Under different circumstances, he might have played it safe and put the proceeds away for his son’s education, bought a new house, or perhaps invested in a bit of lake property. He could have become like the rest of the players and worn monograms on his starched cuffs so everyone could remember whose hand they were shaking. Instead, he had gone it alone. His brokerage business had few clients. He was the only big player left. Now he planned to risk everything on something happening on the other side of the world.
Ham couldn’t remember exactly when he had recognized his innate ability to pick the winner out of a crowd. It had always been there, ever since he was conscious of being alive. The talent had blossomed in the military when the card games occasionally got serious. Now, with every dollar he had to his name, Hamilton approached wheat futures with that same instinct. The Russian harvest had been a disaster, and the United States was coming to the rescue. The price of wheat was going to go through the roof, and then through the floor. He was going to make a fortune on both ends.
He picked up the phone and dialed a number on the Chicago Mercantile exchange. He listened for a few moments as the connection was made. Young Jack tugged at his father’s shirtsleeve. “Pop? Can we go now?” Jack held a baseball in his hand and a glove under his arm. Hamilton swiveled his chair, turning his back to his son.
A familiar voice announced his name. “How can I help you?”
“It’s Ham,” he said. “Short the entire position.”
“What? Everything?” the voice asked.
“Everything.” No emotion colored his voice.
Young Jack crept gingerly around the chair to face his father. “Pop,” he whispered, “come on, the game is about to start.” Hamilton shook his head and looked away.
The voice on the phone was still talking. “Most folks are still enjoying the ride, Ham. You could get hurt.”
“It’s not going a penny higher. Short it all.”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Warn me? My wife is dead. What else matters?”
The voice mumbled something about her passing.
“She didn’t pass. She’s dead. Just do what I ask.”
“OK, Ham.” The phone disconnected.
Jack was standing there in front of him, shoulders slumped. The ball hung loose at the end of his fingers, and the glove had fallen on the carpet. “Pop, can we go now?”
“Sorry, Son. Not today.”
“It’s not fair!” Jack erupted. Hot tears sprang up in his eyes. “What am I supposed to do now?”
Ham looked down, silent.
Jack hurled the ball to the floor, wiped his tears angrily, and stormed out of the house.
Ten minutes later on the futures board, wheat ticked down.
It ticked down again.
And so it would continue. Ham would be richer than he’d ever imagined. He’d never experience another financial challenge for the rest of his life. It was not really important, though. Scripture came back to him: “what good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”
He would trade it all to have his love, his life, back again.
But that was not an option.
Out his window, Ham could see young Jack riding his bicycle furiously down the street. He watched with a passive surrender as his son’s small frame shrank into the distance.
