A Few More Weeks of Comfort Food

As winter is coming to a close and we're all looking forward to spring salads, I'm a little reluctant to give up cold weather comfort foods. I've so enjoyed soups, hot cocoa and home-cooked meatloaf over the past few months. While I'm looking forward to planting our garden and enjoying fresh vegetables from it, I hope to fit it a few more of those "comfort food" meals.

I was excited to get to review Kate Tietje's new cookbook, Wholesome Comfort: Whole Foods to Warm and Nourish Your Family. While I am into trying new foods bordering on "health nut" status, I understand that many of you are not. Kate's site, Modern Alternative Mama, will blow you away if you do happen to be into natural health. However, this cookbook is especially for the person who doesn't want to give up some of these foods:

 

• Beef Stew
• Roast Turkey
• Scalloped Potatoes
• Green Bean Casserole
• Bread Stuffing
• Gravy
• Biscuits
• Chocolate Fudge
• Hot Chocolate

Do those recipes sound "weird" to anyone? Not at all! These are just a few of the recipes you probably have already tried and loved, but Kate has made into recipes without processed food and chemicals. Just plain ol' real, whole food manufactured by God.

What I especially liked about this book, since we have food allergies in our home, is the allergen component to the recipes. Each recipe is marked with a symbol to tell you if it is free of gluten, dairy, eggs, etc. All recipes are soy and seafood free, which really makes me happy!

Kate and her team at Modern Alternative Mama have offered to give one of my readers a copy of the e-book. Cookbooks are especially great to have as e-books because it is easy to print recipes and there are links to some tutorials on Kate's site right in the book. This is nice for those of us that need step-by-step help!

Mandatory: If you'd like to win a copy of Wholesome Comfort, visit this page and come back and leave a comment on this post telling which recipe you'd most like to try.

For extra entries:

• Like Cherish the Call on Facebook and leave a comment on this post telling us you did.
• Like Modern Alternative Mama on Facebook and leave a comment on this post telling us you did.

This giveaway is open to everyone and will close Friday, March 23 at 9 P.M. EST.  Winner will be notified by e-mail and announced on the blog Saturday.


Disclaimer: This post does include my personal affiliate link to Wholesome Comfort. I received a free product for review and no other compensation from Modern Alternative Mama.

Weekend Giveaway Extended

I am extending the giveaway for these two e-books and changing the rules a little:

• Stephanie Langford's brand new e-book, Plan It, Don't Panic:

 

Plan It, Don't Panic: Everything You Need to Successfully Create and Use a Meal Plan

If you grocery shop more than once a week or eat out often due to lack of a plan, you will love the ideas in this book! Stephanie even gives some of her own meal plans. I've been menu planning for quite a while, and I still got some great ideas from this book. I highly recommend it!

• A copy of June Fuentes' new e-book, True Christian Motherhood:

This book convicted me in a way I haven't felt for a long time. Sometime I might tell you about it. Suffice to say, June's wisdom both on her blogs and in this e-book inspire me to be a better mother. I've spent more time talking  with my children, loving on them and just being with them since reading this book. I heartily recommend it to every mother who desires to please the Lord in her motherhood!


RULES:
I will choose two winners from the comments on this post. All you have to do is leave a comment telling me which e-book you would like and why. I will choose one winner for each book. This giveaway will end Wednesday, February 22 at 9 P.M. EST.

Been Coughing Lately? (Review and Giveaway)

It seems that as soon as we stop spreading holiday cheer, we begin spreading germs from after-holiday illnesses. Everywhere we go, people are coughing and blowing noses---symptoms of respiratory viruses and infections. It is almost inevitable that our children will come down with something during the winter cold and flu season.

It hit my kids a couple of weeks ago. A barking kind of cough, slight runny noses and low grade fevers. Not fun for any of us. Especially when it disrupts sleep---both the sleep of the child AND the parent (that would be me). Thankfully, I was already somewhat prepared, if not for the illness at least the symptoms.

A few months ago, I contacted TriLight Health, an herbal supplement company, to find out what would ease my child's coughing so he could sleep at night. They recommended two products, one of which I've already reviewed. However, my favorite product for coughing so far is the fast-acting LymphaRub.

My 15-month-old had the cough the worst. About 10 minutes after I would lay him down at night, he would start coughing. Then, he would start gagging. If you have not had children, I will just tell you that this is not a good thing and can produce some very unpleasant results. (Not that this has ever happened to me or my kids, of course!)

Then, I remembered my little miracle bottle of LymphaRub. My friends at TriLight had told me that if I put one drop on the back of his throat, it would ease coughing.

Fearing the gag reflex more than his possible adverse reaction to the taste, I squirted a drop between his teeth, hoping it hit its mark. (I have not had good experience with babies opening their mouths voluntarily for medicine or some select vegetables.)

It was amazing! Within 5 minutes, the coughing had stopped and within 10 minutes he was asleep. (Yes, both occurrences are equally amazing!) I did this for about 3 nights until the cough was over, and it worked every time.

The ironic thing about the LymphaRub helping coughs is that it is not even for coughing in particular! That was just a side benefit. It is for instant relief of sore throats or for external application to sore muscles or ears in the case of earaches.

I'm excited about all the possibilities for this little wonder bottle. However, I would prefer to wait a while for the chance to use it again!

TriLight Health wants to give away one of these potent little bottles to one of our readers!

To enter the giveaway, simply check out their site and mention what other product you would like to try in the comments on this post.

For extra entries:

• Like Cherish the Call on Facebook and comment on this post letting us know you did.
• Subscribe to this blog via e-mail or a reader and comment on this post letting us know you did.
• Tweet this post on Twitter or post the link on your Facebook page, and leave us a comment letting us know you did.

It is very important that you leave a comment on this post for each thing you do in order to get all of your entries!

Giveaway will end Friday, February 10 at 9 P.M. EST and will be available to U.S. residents only. Winner will be announced in the Saturday, February 11 Weekend Reflections post.

Disclosure: I received no compensation other than a free product in exchange for this review. The opinions in this post are my own and are not intended to treat or diagnose any medical condition. This post does contain affiliate links.

Passionate Housewives Review and Giveaway

The Review

I was privileged to receive a copy of Passionate Housewives (Desperate for God) from Vision Forum to review. I hardly know what to say about this book. It's amazingly rich and very powerful in its presentation, yet simple and encouraging. Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald offer personal testimonies and, more importantly, Scripture to show in a convincing manner that God's plan for marriage and the home is the only plan that will work. Period. While this book is convicting, it isn't harsh. These ladies don't beat up on the reader or stick their proverbial noses in the air while spouting self-righteous cliches. Instead, they lovingly encourage the reader to live to their fullest potential in the light of God's Word; to embrace their high calling as women, and especially as wives and mothers.


I don't usually mark in any book except my Bible, but I found myself underlining and "starring" over and over in this book. Here are a few of the quotes that I found especially inspirational:
   
          "Biblical motherhood means sacrifice, selfless love, and faithful dedication.  It means impacting future generations by our faithfulness now." p.21


          "Instead of crucifying the passions and desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:24), too often we go with the flow and listen to the smooth marketers who tell us we desperately need what we don't have--and, furthermore, convince us we need more of what we already have." p.22


          "I realized right then and there that feminism's empty charm had tugged on my heart--that even as a Christian woman, I was vulnerable. While I had a "choice" of whether to tend to my home or to seek outside pursuits away from my family I recognized that I was prone to wander whenever I let God's grand vision for womanhood slip from my  mind." pp. 29-30

The book addresses feminism truthfully and without apology. The discussion of male and female roles in chapter 7 was especially insightful, as well as the admonition for us wives to allow our men to be men; to stop competing with them, to avoid putting them down publicly, and to build them up in their God-given role instead of tearing them down.


I echo the cry of one lady in the book, "Where are the Titus 2 ladies who are supposed to teach us?"

I will say that there were two topics in the book on which I may differ from the authors. However, I won't get into those differences here. These ladies are far more learned than I am and until I have the opportunity to study into these areas further, I won't state a strong opinion.

I would highly recommend this book to any woman, married or single, and especially to young women at home who are preparing for marriage.

From the book description:

Do you wrestle with cultural messages that demean the homemaker's calling and exalt instead the emotionally androgynous power-woman--the wife whose worth is measured only by the degree of her ambition, the shape of her body, or her money-making skills? Such is the image of the "desperate housewife" that the modern media, culture, and feminism are promoting with great energy.

In a delightfully honest way, this book addresses these issues head-on and provides fresh vision for the hopeful homemaker. Hear a former "Christian" feminist share how she went from a die-hard homemaker-in-training to a dedicated career woman and then back again--after God gripped her heart. See the hollow counterfeit of whitewashed feminism and "me-ology" destroyed. And consider the beautiful picture painted in Scripture of the truly fulfilled homemaker who glories in the hopeful calling God created for her.

Pull up a chair, dust off the cookie crumbs, and join Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald as they lay aside stereotypes like the "Stepford wife" and dispel such myths as the 1950s "perfect homemaker." Discover what it means to be a passionate housewife "desperate" for God alone!

The Giveaway

Vision Forum has graciously provided a copy of this wonderful book to give away to one of our readers. To enter, just leave one comment under this post for EACH thing you do from the list below:

Mandatory: Follow Joy Ever After.

Like Joy Ever After on Facebook.

Comment on a post on Joy Ever After's Facebook page, or write on the wall.

Subscribe to Joy Ever After  via email. 

Share this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or on your blog. (One comment each).

This giveaway ends Thursday, December 22, at 9:00 EST. 

To read our disclosure, click here. 

For the Techy Among Us...(Giveaway)

I am one of the few in my circle of friends who does not yet have a smart phone. I'm not really opposed to having one. I'm just satisfied with my laptop and a little leery about being that accessible. Or about having the internet that accessible. I get distracted too easily as it is.

So, when I was offered the opportunity to review this app, I knew a lot of you mom readers would enjoy hearing about it. My husband graciously let me download it to his smart phone so I could check it out. I really think it is great for smaller children, especially those that are fearful at night. My kids will enjoy playing with it regardless as they love to tinker with all kinds of technology.

Read all about this neat Christian app for kids below, then don't forget to scroll all the way down. You have the chance to win a $75 Best Buy gift card to finish up your Christmas shopping for that techy person on your list.

ABOUT THE APP

The Sounds of Night Company name: Christian Apps 4 Kids Founder: Jessica Kirkland Type of App: Book app Target Audience: Children ages 2-10 years Availability:  iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and all Android phones and tablets. Price: Apple App Store: $5.99            Android Marketplace: $2:99

DESCRIPTION: The Sounds of Night is a book app that helps put a child's mind at ease when the lights go out at bedtime. This book addresses one of the primary feelings young children face; fear. The Sounds of Night reinforces the principle that God is the Creator of every creature. Since God makes all the animals that scurry and screech at night, children can lie down and sleep in peace.

FEATURES: The Sounds of Night has over 75 touch points/interactions. It has rich illustrations and 4 Bible verses on fear that kids can learn with their parents and share with their friends. 

DEVELOPMENT: Jessica Kirkland is a member of Moms with Apps. She recently launched Christian Apps 4 Kids, which seeks to draw kids closer to Christ one app at a time. Her inaugural app is a result of the fear that was such a part of her life:

In every season of life, the Enemy would whisper the lie that I would “never make it” to the next. I believed it. Time and time again, I thought his words held power. As a young child, I never thought I would live to see my school years. Once I entered school, I never thought I would live to see the next day, next grade, or milestone in life. I listened to a very real enemy, even though I didn’t want to. Even though I came from a strong, Christian family, I felt powerless to stop the lies. Fear gripped me, stole from me, and taunted every careful step I took.

Jessica believes the only way to be free from fear, as an adult or child, is to replace fearful thoughts with God's Word. Her desire for each book project is that they not only build character, but help set kids free.

The book app was developed in partnership with ROAR.   

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jessica Kirkland lives in Southeast Texas with her husband, Robb, and five-year-old triplets. She is an author and speaker whose greatest passion in life is to see young families grow deeper in their walk with God. Jessica's newest adventure includes launching Christian Apps 4 Kids, which seeks to draw kids closer to Christ one app at a time. A recent release is a book app that addresses fear and scary nighttime sounds called The Sounds of Night, designed for kids ages 2-8. When Jessica isn't writing, you can find her cheering her boys on at the soccer field, or watching her little girl at the dance studio. 

To find out more about her current writing projects, connect with her at: www.christianapps4kids.com or on her personal blog:  www.jessicakirkland.com

COMING SOON: Christmas App! 

The Lonely Stable is a book app that reminds children that it's never too late to live out God's plan for their lives. Told from the stable's perspective, this intriguing Christmas book tells the story of Jesus' birth. From time to time, we all wonder about our purpose in life. The Lonely Stable wondered why he was still standing, for he was weathered and old. As time passed, he began to question his purpose. This remarkable tale is a lesson that both parents and children can hold on to when they ask questions like, "Why am I here?" or "Does God care about my life?" This book shows us that God has made each of us for a special purpose. The Lonely Stable is aimed at kids ages 2-10 years old.

GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY

$75 Best Buy Gift Card

To Enter: Leave a comment telling us which "techy" gift you would buy with your Best Buy gift card.

Thirty-One Giveaway

Thirty-One Fall Winter Catalog

I have just recently become familiar with this company, even though it has been in business now for around 8 years. I not only LOVE the products they carry (what woman doesn't adore a cute purse, right?!), but I LOVE the fact that they are a Christian based company!

The company name "Thirty-One" is based on the Proverbs 31 chapter from the Bible. This gives their consultants a wonderful opportunity to share with their clients not only their incredible products at the in-home shows; but also gives them an opportunity to share the beautiful example of the Proverbs 31 woman.

This would be a great way for stay-at-home moms to earn a little (or a lot!) extra money while still being available to care for their children. This is an incredible company with fashionable, yet functional, purses, totes, diaper bags and MUCH more!

Take a look at the Thirty-One Catalog by clicking on the picture above. If you find something you just have to have for yourself or to give as a Christmas present, place an order--no need to hold a party.

However, if you find lots of "somethings", you might just want to host a party. Don't worry, you don't have to clean house and cook up fancy party food. You can hold your party online and receive all the same wonderful benefits!

If you really love the products, you just might not want to keep them to yourself. Thirty-One is a great business opportunity as well. For more information about joining their team, click here.

Now, after you look over that lovely catalog, leave a comment below telling us your favorite product or which of the three options above interests you most. One of the commenters will receive a lovely thermal tote, generously donated by Thirty-One consultant, Melanie Collins:

 

If you have any questions about the products, hosting a party or starting your own Thirty-One business; check out Melanie's website: http://www.mythirtyone.com/melaniecollins/

U.S. Entries only. Giveaway open until Thursday, December 8 at 9 P.M. EST.

For extra entries:

• Subscribe to Joy Ever After through Facebook, e-mail or RSS and leave a comment on this post letting me know you did (or already do).
• Host a party with Melanie and leave a comment on this post letting me know you did so. (2 extra entries)
• Join Melanie's Thirty-One team and leave a comment on this post letting me know you did so. (5 extra entries)

Hope you win!

Hear My Heart Book Review and GIVEAWAY!

Book Review:

The first time I heard the song, "Hear My Heart", was last year, I believe, during one of the most difficult times of my life. The song expressed my feelings like I never could and was a great comfort to me. So, when I heard that Sheri Easter was writing a book by the same name I knew I wanted to read it.

In her book she shares a collections of her writings and gives a glimpse into her life, relating how God gave joy, comfort and sustaining grace as she experienced the loss of her father, her battle with breast cancer, and her mother's prolonged illness.  Her upbeat personality, wonderful sense of humor and caring spirit shine throughout the book. What impressed me the most was how she expressed joy and gratitude even in the midst of the heartaches and difficulties that she faced. I was inspired by Sheri's writings to find joy in God, and to trust that He can "Hear My Heart" even when I can't find words.

From the book description:

"There could be no better title for a book by Sheri Easter than Hear My Heart.  For more than twenty years Bill and I have had the privilege of watching this lady's heart guide her through both the painful and joyful places that inevitably come with life, parenthood, traveling, aging parents and physical battles. She has allowed Christ to do in her life what He longs to do in all our lives. She has allowed Him to define and refine her heart at every turn. We are so pleased that the world now has a chance to hear from her beautiful heart." Gloria Gaither

Hear My Heart is a collection of writings from singer-songwriter, Sheri Easter. Sometimes in life words seem superficial, shallow and empty. We struggle to put our feelings into words that convey an honest representation of the heart. By embracing the quiet moments, we hear what our heart cries in the darkness of a loved one's death, a battle with breast cancer or caring for an aging parent suffering from Parkinson's disease. We hear the shouts of triumph of wedding bells, anniversaries, and the celebrations of life. We hear the heart. 

Sheri is a wife and mother of three children. She is a two-time Grammy nominated gospel artist, winner of six Dove Awards, and breast cancer survivor. She and her husband, Jeff, both come from acclaimed musical families and have traveled and sang over 26 years now as a couple. Sheri has a Masters in Business Leadership and resides in her hometown of Lincolnton, Georgia. 

The Giveaway:

The Easters have graciously given us a copy of Hear My Heart to give away to one of our readers! To enter, just leave one comment under this post for EACH thing you do from the list below:

Mandatory: Follow Joy Ever After.

Like Joy Ever After on Facebook.

Comment on a post on Joy Ever After's Facebook page.

Subscribe to Joy Ever After  via email. 

Share this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or on your blog. (One comment each).

This giveaway ends Tuesday, November 29th, at 9:00 EST. 

A very special "Thank You" to the Easters for my copy of the book and for the giveaway copy! To read our disclosure, click here. --Jessica

Book Review and Big Giveaway

ISBN: 9781462037964           

Softcover: $16.95           

ISBN: 9781462037971           

Hardcover: $26.95           

ISBN: 1462037968

E-book: $9.99

Released: August 16, 2011

www.PromiseOfDeerRun.com

I am participating in a blog tour today reviewing the book, The Promise of Deer Run.You all know  novels aren't my first choice of reading, but when I saw this tour I thought it would be a great addition to our history study in our home school. Unfortunately, the content; while tasteful and from a Christian perspective; is not such that I could read it to a child. However, if you love Christian historical romance, this may be the book for you. More details below and an awesome giveaway at the bottom of the post!

 About The Promise of Deer Run:
America’s war for freedom from England has been over for seven years, but the wounds of that conflict still haunt the minds and hearts of the residents of Deer Run. Young American veteran Nathaniel Stearns has withdrawn to a life of isolation as he awaits his father who never returned from the war.

A near-tragedy in the woods brings Nathaniel face-to-face with nineteen-year-old Sarah Thomsen, someone he had long admired but he assumed had eyes for another. This chance encounter opens a crack into the door of his heart as mutual affection quickly blooms.

But slander and lies soon mar the budding romance, rendering both Sarah and Nathaniel wounded and untrusting as their faith in both their God and each other is shattered. Set in 1790, this book continues the story of the Thomsen and Lowe families as they struggle to survive in the aftermath of the war that birthed the United States.

About the Author:

Author Elaine Marie Cooper

Elaine Marie Cooper grew up in Massachusetts but now lives in the Midwest with her husband, her three dogs and one huge cat. She has two married sons and triplet grandchildren who are now one years old. The Promise of Deer Run is dedicated to the triplets and to veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Elaine has been a magazine freelance writer for many years, and is a regular contributor to a blog on the Midwest called The Barn Door and a blog on Christian living called Reflections In Hindsight. She is the author of The Road to Deer Run and the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run. Prior to becoming an author, Elaine worked as a registered nurse.

The Story Behind the Story:

How The Deer Run Saga Was Birthed

By Elaine Marie Cooper

When I was young and first heard that one of my grandfathers had been a Redcoat during the Revolutionary War, I was somewhat embarrassed. Growing up in Massachusetts had made me proud of our country’s heritage. But instead of finding zealous patriots in my bloodline, my DNA was from an enemy soldier named Daniel Prince!

Calmer reasoning prevailed, however, as I thought about the reality of his story. Living conditions in Colonial times were difficult, to say the least. It was a frightening period of our history for both Americans and the British. And in the midst of our nation struggling to be birthed, two people on opposing sides in a bloody war met and fell in love.

This story from my family’s history was transformed in my thinking into an inspiring one of romance, unhindered by the politics of the day. It became, purely and simply, a love story.

And so was birthed the idea to create a fictional account of actual events. Since the story is from my imagination, I opted to change last names, the names of the communities, and many other details of the time. However, many of the historical events are documented facts.

The particular information on Daniel Prince’s military background was discovered thanks to the diligent work of Betty Thomson, independent researcher at The National Archives, Kew, in England. 

In book one, The Road to Deer Run and now in the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run, I made every effort to stay true to the colonial times. Descriptions of food, homes, clothing, farming, worship practices, medical care, etc. are the result of extensive research.

It has been a personally inspiring experience to write these novels. While the times have changed since the 18th century, the same struggles of their day are our own. Forgiveness, fear, pain, illness, despair, the pain of having a family member at war, the death of a loved one—these are all the battles we contend with in the 21st century. But we also share faith, laughter, love, the excitement of that first kiss, the wonder of looking at a newborn. These are the same joys that we share with our ancestors who are so much a part of who we are.

Their journeys are interwoven with our own.

 Now for the giveaway:

Grand Prize

Valued at $297.38

 

Grand Prize (Retail Value: $297.38) Contains:

• Basket
• $25 Starbucks gift card  
• Spode Christmas teapot  
• Spode Christmas mugs   
• Yankee candle
• Hardbound copy The Road to Deer Run
• Hardbound copy The Promise of Deer Run 
• Bath and Body Paris Amour scent

Giveaway will be open to U.S. residents until Friday, November 18, 9:00 P.M. EST. The winner from our blog will be added to the list of other blog tour winners and entered into the grand prize drawing above. However, I will send my own copy of The Promise of Deer Run to the winner here at Joy Ever After.

This giveaway will be centered around growing our Facebook page, which is aptly managed by Jessica, the children contributor here at Joy Ever After. If we get to 50 likes this week, I'll throw in an extra entry for each entry below! Here are the ways you can enter, but remember to leave a comment on this blog post for each thing you do or it won't be counted!

• Like us on Facebook (or leave a comment saying you already do) and leave a comment here.
• Post about this giveaway in your Facebook status and leave a comment here letting us know.
• Leave a comment on the Facebook page on one of the previous posts (besides this one) and then leave a comment here letting us know you did so.

I hope you win, and I hope one of the Joy Ever After readers will win the grand prize!

Need Some Help With Those Dishes? (Giveaway)

You all know I get a little too excited about things food related. So much so that I even devoted a blog to it.

One thing related to food that I do not get excited about is dishes. With 6 people eating three meals a day and assorted snacks, it seems like dishes never get finished. I actually prefer doing them by hand most of the time just so I can say they're DONE---even if it's just for five minutes. In the midst of a grand experiment to not use the dishwasher for a month, wouldn't you know one of my favorite companies, Tropical Traditions, sent me a five-pound jar of their dishwasher detergent!  Yes, this is what showed up on my doorstep:

Well, I reluctantly turned it over to one of my other blog contributors, Joanna, because I can't hoard all the neat stuff for myself. Plus, I had to stick with my experiment. Here's what she has to say about this product:

I'll admit, I was slightly skeptical when I agreed to try the powdered dish detergent from Tropical Traditions; but after the FIRST use, I was very impressed! I have used a lot of different dish detergents through the years, but I believe this is some of the best stuff yet! My dishes came out sparkling clean. If you're tired of washing and re-washing your dishes over and over again, give Tropical Traditions dish detergent a chance!

Would you like to get your own dishwasher detergent delivered to your door? Tropical Traditions is giving away one 5-pound jar to one of you lovely readers! Remember to leave a separate comment for each thing you do if you want multiple entries!

To Enter (Mandatory): Leave a comment below telling me (honestly) would you rather use the dishwasher or do the dishes by hand?

For Bonus Entries:

• Subscribe to Tropical Traditions' newsletter here, and leave me a comment letting me know you did.
• Like Tropical Traditions on Facebook, and leave me a comment letting me know you did.
• Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter, and leave me a comment letting me know you did.
• Subscribe to Joy Ever After through a reader or e-mail, and leave me a comment letting me know you did.
• Like Joy Ever After on Facebook, and leave me a comment letting me know you did.

The giveaway will be open until 9:00 P.M. on Saturday, November 5. Winner will be announced the following Monday. If you are chosen, you will have one week from that day to claim your prize. U.S. entrants only!


Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product. 

Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post. See our full disclosure here.

Welcome Growing Real Readers! (Giveaway #3)

If you are here from Growing Real, thank you for stopping by! I apologize for the extra steps you had to take to enter this giveaway, but I'm excited to share it with you as well as my regular Joy Ever After readers. If you are a Joy Ever After reader looking for today's devotional, please check back next Wednesday!

When I first heard of Tropcial Traditions' coconut oil, I admit I was a little skeptical. I'm not a big fan of coconut, but that stems from the fact that I had never tasted it except highly processed and sweetened in desserts. First of all, a little history/science lesson about how it was discovered (after all, I am a home schooling mama!):

Because of my aversion to coconut, when I first ordered from Tropical Traditions, I purchased the Expeller-Pressed Coconut Oil because it was guaranteed to have no coconut smell or taste. I don't use any other oil to fry now. I have used it to fry fish, potatoes and eggs and could tell no difference in taste or texture from any other oil I've used.

When Tropical Traditions offered me a sample of the Virgin Coconut Oil to try, I gladly accepted. When I opened up the jar, the coconut scent was not over-powering at all. It has a delicate scent and, as I used it, a delicate flavor as well. I have used it and loved it in granola, blueberry pancakes and baked oatmeal. I haven't made any desserts for awhile, but I can't wait to try it in other baked goods as well!

I've only used both oils in recipes that were already family favorites, but Tropical Traditions has a whole site of tested recipes in which to use their coconut products. Check it out here.

Still not convinced? Why not try it out? If you purchase coconut oil through one of the links in this e-mail, Tropical Traditions will include a copy of their Virgin Coconut Oil book with your order absolutely free.

BUT WAIT! Tropical Traditions is giving away one quart of their excellent coconut oil to one of my readers.

To Enter (Mandatory): Leave a comment on this post telling us what Tropical Traditions product interests you the most.

For Bonus Entries--LOTS of opportunities:

• Subscribe to Tropical Traditions' newsletter here, and leave me a comment letting me know you did.
• Like Tropical Traditions on Facebook, and leave me a comment letting me know you did.
• Follow Tropical Traditions on Twitter, and leave me a comment letting me know you did.
• Subscribe to Growing Real through a reader or e-mail, and leave me a comment letting me know you did.
• Like Growing Real on Facebook, and leave me a comment letting me know you did.
• Follow Growing Real on Twitter, and leave me a comment letting me know you did.
• Like Joy Ever After on Facebook, and leave me a comment letting me know you did.

The giveaway will be open until 9:00 P.M.  on Saturday, September 16. Winner will be announced the following Monday. If you are chosen, you will have one week from that day to claim your prize.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review in return for the free product.

Thirty Years (and a Giveaway!)

Well, I've officially hit the big 3-0 today. As in years. I told you that my grandma taught me not to worry about numbers, but that doesn't meant I'm going to share ALL numbers with you. Just my age. Because today is my birthday. Yes, thank you for the "Happy Birthday!" But that's not why I mentioned it. I wanted to give one of my dear readers a birthday gift. Well, it's not really from me, but you can get it for being one of my readers. Okay, okay, on with it already. What am I talking about?

Remember that book that I told you about? Yep, the dear folks at Vision Forum have graciously agreed to give away one copy of Large Family Logistics to one lucky blessed reader. I'm so excited, because I think it has the power to encourage you and to make your household run smoother whether you are a family of 3 or 20. It even has a short study on the Proverbs 31 woman in the first section.


To enter to win, leave a comment telling me how many children you have or if it's a gift for someone else, how you think they would benefit from this book.

For an extra entry, subscribe either by e-mail or in a reader and leave a separate comment letting me know. If you already do, thanks, just let me know in a comment.

Additional entries for:

• blogging about this giveaway
• sharing about this giveaway in your Facebook status

I'll close the giveaway Monday, Feb 21, at 9:00 P.M. Hope you win!

God bless you all!
Jennifer