Grab Download N Go Educational Curriculum Whale Tales

This is part two of the review on Downlad N Go curriculum.  Click here to read, DAVY CROCKET Download N Go Review . 

The Whale Tales Unit Study is geared toward K-4th grade.  My 5th grader loved all the graphics and links.  They gave her an opportunity to explore more videos and educational material on the whales.  This curriculum does all the prep work for the teacher which saves a lot of time! The links were all safe sites for my daughter to freely explore.  We use the internet a lot for our homeschool.  We have safe blockers on our computer just in case a link takes us to a site that is inappropriate for children.  The safe blocker never popped up on any of the sites that the curriculum linked us to.  I love how these unit studies integrate History, Spelling, Geography, Vocabulary, Literature, Writing, Science and Art!

The unit is divided up into 5 days.  This allows you to study daily or over the time you need for the unit.  Once you download the unit it is yours to keep! There isn't anything else that needs to be purchased.

Day 1- What Is a Whale?

Day 2- Getting to Know Whales.

Day 3- Where Are the Whales?

Day 4- The Science of Whales.

Day 5- Cool Things About Whales

Check out these newly released titles and sales!

Click to purchase Davey Crockett and view sample

Click to purchase Whale Tales and view sample
Save 20% on multi-pack purchases using this code DNG20PKS

Fan them on Facebook and enter to win a "Sweet Prize package valued over $260"

Thanks to LitFuse for providing me opportunity to review the curriculum  with my homeschool daughter. The words and tasty opinions stated here are my own.

Friday Blog Hops, Giveaways and Hamburgers and links

Time to do some Friday blog hops and meet new bloggers!!!  If you are here reading this post from one of  the below blog hops please let me know!! I love knowing where you came from!  For those stopping in, here is a list of my current giveaways!  If you enter Friday-Monday give yourself the "Weekend 10 Bonus Entries" comments for any of the giveaways that you enter!

• Stephenie Meyer The Host Giveaway 3 copies (6/5)
• Free ebook download
• Explore the World Through Soccer with Ethan Zohn (5/12)
• Tropical Traditions Giveaway with Tropical Waffle Recipe (6/5)
• One eskimO CD and TShirt giveaway (5/29)
• Saint for all Reasons Giveaway (6/5)
• Husband and Wife 3 copes (6/6)
• Giveaway 10 REDBOX codes

May is National Hamburger Month and Today is National Hamburger Day!  Sooooo Here are two burgers for you to enjoy!  One is sweet and one is spicy!  Click pics for recipes!  Do you have a burger recipes on your blog? Leave the link!  Here are more recipes if you are wanting to look for some ideas.

Thanks for stopping in!  Go check out these blog hops, too! Do you know of any other blog hops? If so leave the links! All my follows are on the right side bar! You can follow me with Google Friend Connect, Networked blogs, Facebook "Like" and Twitter!  Please leave a comment on how you followed me so that I can come follow you back!!  Have a great and safe Memorial Day Weekend!

Explore the World Through Soccer with soccer player Ethan Zohn

As a kid growing up in Indiana in the 70s-80s  I didn't hear much at all about soccer. I'm not even sure I knew what it was.  By the time I had children in the 90s, I knew what it was and my little 3 year old twins were playing the sport! I recently found out that "one of the earliest forms of soccer in which players kicked a ball around on a small field has been traced as far back to 1004 B.C. in Japan." Click to read more on the history of Soccer.



This brings me to the book, Soccer World Mexico: Explore the World Through Soccer by Ethan Zohn & David Rosenberg.  This book is an educational children's book that explores geography, history, science and the culture of Mexico.  The authors also have a book Soccer World South Africa.  What makes this book so awesome?  How about a soccer book written by a real-life soccer player?  Ethan Zohn is just that! He took his passion of soccer and connected the world into fun, educational teaching tools. Ethan's name was familiar to me but I couldn't remember why.  After doing a search, I realized he was the winner of Season 3 Survivor and was on Pitchmen with Billy Mays.  Ethan a cancer survivor and co-founder of Grassroot Soccer.

 Here is the description on the back cover:

Ethan continues his adventures around the world, this time meeting up with his young soccer-playing friend Gabriel in Mexico City as they explore the cultures and customs of our neighbors to the south.  From a walking tour of Mexico City to visits at ancient civilization ruins, an amazing once-in-a-lifetime butterfly migration sanctuary, and colorful Lucha Libre wrestling--Ethan and readers experience the real Mexico, away from the tourist traps and border towns.

Activities generated from each chapter are wide-ranging, including learning Spanish, science and math projects based on the Mayan cultures, creative projects borrowed from Mexican folk art and celebrations, and even simple recipes.  

As in all Soccer World adventures, readers have the opportunity to research a "give back" project in Mexico.  Through their efforts, kids can make a difference in the wonderful country. 


This book is labeled ages 6-9.  As a homeschool tool, I can see it used from Kindergarten through Sixth-grade.  Soccer is a game played in almost every nation that brings people together instantly with just one ball!  The book takes the reader on an adventure, exploring  the world of Mexico.  As the the main character, Ethan travels through the country with his soccer ball, meeting new friends, he leads the reader into learning about customs, culture, language, animals, recipes, geography, history, craft and science projects, music, environment, geology, currency and math, oceans and caves and of course, sports in Mexico!

The book is jammed packed with 45 pages of pure goodness! The graphic are outstanding with easy to read fonts.
Do you want a copy of the book? Click on the link above to order your own copy! You also have a chance, below to win one!!!

GIVEAWAY

1 reader will win 1 copy

To enter: Tell me something about soccer.  Please leave your email with this entry!

BONUS entries: 

1) Go visit Nomad Press publishers and come back and tell me another book you would like to read.  5 entries 

2)  Follow my blog- Google Friend Connect or Twitter! For each follow you get an entry into the Giveaway! Leave separate comments for each one you do so that I can follow you back. 1 entry for each follow! 

3) Twitter the link to this giveaway 2 entries each tweet, unlimited tweets.

Giveaway ends June 12th

Thanks to Nomad Press for the book to review and one copy for a giveaway. The words expressed here are of my own tasty opinion. Thanks to The Product Review Place for the product opportunity by connecting me to the giveaway company. 

Grab Download N Go Educational Curriculum

Download N Go is an online educational curriculum that follows a unit study/lapbooking approach to learning. These unit studies give you daily interactivity lessons.  Use them daily or spread them out into your learning schedule.  Once you purchase the Unit it is yours to keep, nothing is consumed and can be used over and over. Nothing else is required to purchase with the unit study.  Each unit list books to enrich your study, but they are not required.

The Download N Go unit studies include all the research that is needed for the unit study. This allows the teacher to pick up the unit and start teaching.  The prep work is done and hyperlinks are embedded right into the study to save you time.  

The integrated studies include: 

History, Spelling, Geography, Vocabulary, Literature, Writing, Science and Art!

The first unit study we reviewed was of the hero, Davey Crocket, "The King of the Wild Frontier," by Amanda Bennett and The Old Schoolhouse^®. The unit is set up in a biography format. The study teaches about his childhood, education and family life. Davey Crocket's history is such an important part of our American history. The unit includes a timeline and a certificate upon completion of the study.  The suggested level of learning for this unit is K-4th grade.

 The lessons allow the student to travel with Davy from his early frontier life in Tennessee through his heroic efforts at the Alamo, investigating these daily objectives filled with high-interest fun in an interactive format: 

Day 1: Who was Davy Crockett?

                           Day 2:  People and Places in Davy Crockett's Life

       Day 3: Science Secrets of the Frontier

                   Day 4: Lessons to Learn from Davy Crockett

     Day 5: Remembering Davy Crockett

My daughter is in 5th grade and found that was still a great age to use this Unit.  The pictures and easy to read layout are a plus! The older children can explore the links listed on their own time.  All the sites were appropriate for children to view.  I really appreciate the links and the extra books that were recommended with the unit. Older grades can use this unit as a spring board into more reading and writing activities.  We can't wait to try out more themed unit studies by Download N Go.

Click here to view a sample of Davy Crockett

Check out these newly released titles and sales!

Click to purchase Davey Crockett
Save 20% on multi-pack purchases using this code DNG20PKS

Fan them on Facebook and enter to win a "Sweet Prize package valued over $460"

Thanks to LitFuse for providing me opportunity to review the curriculum  with my homeschool daughter. The words and tasty opinions stated here are my own.

Facebook Like You Back Wednesday Blog Hop

I just stumbled into this follow me on Facebook link up this morning! It is very fun to do! Just follow the first 4 ladies on the link up to get started! Then go visit and follow other blogs on the link up!  I'm excited to meet new bloggers this way!!! Hope you do, too! If you stop in from the Link Up please leave a comment and follow! I always come back and follow!!  Have a great Wednesday Link up on Thursday!

Honolulu Burger for National Hamburger Month

May is National Hamburger Month! I love a good juicy burger AND I'm not talking about the burgers at fast food chain. I make turkey burgers on my George Foreman Grill. They always turn out perfect!

Honolulu Burger 

1 # ground turkey

6-8 buns

1 medium onion, diced

6-8 cheddar cheese slices

6-8 pineapple slices

6-8 thin slices of red onions

1 bottle Bob's Country Sauce

Chop up medium onion and mix in with the hamburger meat. Form into desired amount of patties and grill.  On the George Foreman grill cook the burger 4 min, flip and then 3 minutes. Add cheese to burger then put on bun, onion, pineapple and sauce! Yummy goodness! You'll need a few extra napkins.

Fiction writer Husband and Poet Wife Book Review Giveaway

MY TAKE ON THE BOOK: (Giveaway at the end of post)
Ever wonder what happens when a writer marries a poet? Are you married to a writer? Do you wonder what it would be like to be married to one? What if he publish a fiction book about marriage infidelity and you read it and wonder how he knows so much on this subject? Writers do research, right? Are you curious to know?  If so, this book is for you!
I loved reading this book about about a husband and a wife. It is fascinating to read about the workings of marriage from when life is good all the way to when things are going, not so good.  When things go bad in a relationship and betrayal has occurred and it is out in the open, the couple goes through the steps of grief as if someone died.  The author delivered the steps and the message.  Now it is your turn to read and see what happened between a husband and a wife, an author and a poet!

Book Description from HarperCollins website

In this new novel by the celebrated author of The Myth of You and Me, a young mother discovers that her husband's novel about infidelity might be drawn from real life.

Sarah Price is thirty-five years old. She doesn't feel as though she's getting older, but there are some noticeable changes: a hangover after two beers, the stray gray hair, and, most of all, she's called “Mom” by two small children. Always responsible, Sarah traded her MFA for a steady job, which allows her husband, Nathan, to write fiction. But Sarah is happy and she believes Nathan is too, until a truth is revealed: Nathan's upcoming novel, Infidelity, is based in fact.
Suddenly Sarah's world is turned upside down. Adding to her confusion, Nathan abdicates responsibility for the fate of their relationship and of his novel's publication—a financial lifesaver they have been depending upon—leaving both in Sarah's hands. Reeling from his betrayal, she is plagued by dark questions. How well does she really know Nathan? And, more important, how well does she know herself?
For answers, Sarah looks back to her artistic twenty-something self to try to understand what happened to her dreams. When did it all seem to change? Pushed from her complacent plateau, Sarah begins to act—for the first time not so responsibly—on all the things she has let go of for so long: her blank computer screen; her best friend, Helen; the volumes of Proust on her bookshelf. And then there is that e-mail in her inbox: a note from Rajiv, a beautiful man from her past who once tempted her to stray. The struggle to find which version of herself is the essential one—artist, wife, or mother—takes Sarah hundreds of miles away from her marriage on a surprising journey.
Wise, funny, and sharply drawn, Leah Stewart's Husband and Wife probes our deepest relationships, the promises we make and break, and the consequences they hold for our lives, revealing that it's never too late to step back and start over.
Read more about the author, Leah Stewart. Leah Stewart is the author of the novels The Myth of You and Me and Body of a Girl. A recipient of a 2010 NEA Literature Fellowship, she has taught at Vanderbilt University; Sewanee, the University of the South; and Murray State University, where she was the Watkins Endowed Professor of Creative Writing. She currently teaches creative writing at the University of Cincinnati and lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, with her husband and their two young children.

GIVEAWAY

 3 copies

TO ENTER: Tell me something about your husband, wife, or your special someone!  Please leave your email address with this entry.

BONUS entries- do all, one or none. 

1) Go to HarperCollins and browse their books. Come back here and tell me something from their site that you would like to read. (10 entries)

2) Follow my blog- check all the ways on right side bar, including Twitter! For each follow you get an entry into the Giveaway! Leave separate comments for each one you do so that I can follow you back.

3) Twitter the link to  this giveaway. 2 entries each tweet, unlimited tweets.

 ENDS JUNE 6th

Thanks to HarperCollins for the book to review. The words under MY OWN TAKE are my own tasty words and opinions.

Free ebook download

Don't you just love e-books? Here is a brand new e-book novella  for you to download for free.

Click here to download

A Saint for All Reasons pocket bible review and giveaway

A SAINT FOR ALL REASONS: Your Spiritual 4-1-1  

Press release: 
05.05.2010 – How many times a day do you find yourself asking for help? And how many times is your need for assistance beyond the call of your friends? Be honest, because most of us hit that wretched roadblock several times a day. The next time you feel stuck, pick up

A SAINT FOR ALL REASONS: A POCKET BIBLE OF 100 SAINTS FOR EVERY SITUATION (QNY, a part of the Langenscheidt Publishing Group; $13.99; ISBN: 9780843713817; Trim Size: 4 1/4” x 7”; Format: Trade Paperback; Pub Month: MAY 2010).

Comprehensive and compact, A SAINT FOR ALL REASONS connects spirituality with everyday life, offering a direct link to those who can help you out of any situation.


Always Have a Friend On Call
No matter what your dilemma, whether it is as simple as losing your car keys or as difficult as a death in the family, A SAINT FOR ALL REASONS holds an inexhaustible supply of inspirational figures offering up strength and guidance. Jam-packed with historical backgrounds, prayers, offerings and rituals, A SAINT FOR ALL REASONS features 100 different saints recognized in the Eastern and Western churches (particularly the Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran churches) and those who have been designated “blessed” or “venerable” in those traditions. Representing contemporary categories that are relevant to modern day life, A SAINT FOR ALL REASONS offers up saints that are prepared to help you out in just about every situation, such as:

*Can’t find the remote, but the Yankee game starts in 5 minutes?

Pray to Clare of Assisi!

*Don’t have a date this weekend?

Pray to Saint Augustine!

*Does your car break down more often than you brush your teeth?

Pray to Saint Christopher!

*The boss wants you to move mountains before work!

Pray to Alphonsus of Liguori!

Quickly Tap Into the Blessings of Saints
A first-aid manual to spiritual guidance, A SAINT FOR ALL REASONS is practical and easy-to-use. Grouped into chapters according to common themes, each saint can also be sought by name or subject using the comprehensive indexes at the back of the book. Whether it’s a material or spiritual crisis, there is an appropriate saint to guide you in your moment of distress or indecision. Categories include:

• Home and Family

• Love and Longing

• Work and Weariness

• Travel and Transport

• Technology and Today

• Health and Happiness

• Calm and Consolation

Best of all, A SAINT FOR ALL REASONS is available in a portable, handy format. The perfect size for your briefcase, glove box or handbag, its bright purple color ensures you’ll never lose it—even in the mess of your car’s backseat or overflowing purse! And if you feel a certain affinity for a specific saint, just visit www.desktopsaints.com (username and password provided upon purchase of the book) to download your favorite spiritual leader straight to your computer or cell phone. In the car, subway, train or plane, you will feel spiritually guided just by carrying your laptop or phone.

Quirky yet inspiring, there is no obstacle too great for A SAINT FOR ALL REASONS. Whether you’re afraid of flying, looking to spice up your love life or just wondering how to get through the day…there’s a saint for that!

MY TAKE ON THE BOOK
I'm not someone who would normally go to a Saint in times of need or distress.  I was curious about this book and so happy that I got the chance to review it.  I've never read a book dedicated to the Saints.  I was so impressed with the detailed history given on each Saint.  For example, Gregory The Great, patron of music. He was pope from 590-603 and founded several  monasteries.  His patronage of music arises from his collection of chants, known as Gregorian chants.  I'm very familiar with Gregorian chant but never gave it much thought as to its origin.  Each Saint is also listed with a ritual and  prayer. 
Did you know that there is a saint for housework, single women and even electricity.  The book includes a Saint for every day of the year. The book also includes a special user name and password to allow you into the online site, Desktop Saints. This allows you to get the graphics of the saints for your computer and cell phone. I love book like this that include interaction with technology.  I give this book a thumbs up! Yes, it might be "quirky" but it is very educational. 

About the Author
Tim Muldoon is a Catholic theologian, writer and retreat leader currently teaching in the Honors Program at Boston College, where he also serves in the Office of University Mission and Ministry. He is the author of Longing to Love: A Memoir of Desire, Relationships and Spiritual Transformation (2010) and The Ignatian Workout: Daily Spiritual Exercises for a Healthy Faith (2004).

GIVEAWAY

1 copy

To enter: Do you know any Saints? If so tell me one that you know. Leave your email with this entry.

Bonus entries:

1) Go to Langenscheidt Publishing Group and browse their books. Come back here and tell me something from their site that you would like to read. (10 entries)

2) Follow my blog- check all the ways on right side bar, including Twitter! For each follow you get an entry into the Giveaway! Leave separate comments for each one you do so that I can follow you back.

3) Twitter the link to  this giveaway. 2 entries each tweet, unlimited tweets.

ENDS June 5th

Thanks to Langenscheidt Publishing Group for the book to review and one to giveaway. The MY TAKE ON THE BOOK are of my own tasty words and opinions. This PR opportunity came to me via The Product Review Place.

Tuesday Top 5 must have Fashionable pieces to pack on a quick weekend Trip

This is such a relevant topic because I'm doing just that for the weekend! I'm taking a quick road trip with my teens and we are getting packed and ready to go!

Here are our top 5 must have fashionable pieces for our weekend trip!

#1 Shades, shades and shall we say more shades! A girl can not leave the house with out a handful of shades. 

 #2 Shoes, shoes and yes, more shoes! We will need comfy, fashionable shoes while we talk in and out of Outlet stores. Mom needs her Birkenstocks and the teens need their flip-flops.

#3 Pucker up lipstick and lip gloss- I can't believe this is getting listed as #3 for me but lipstick and lip gloss. I don't go any where without it! It is my #1 never-leave-home-without-it item.  I love that you can count on your favorite brands supplying your gloss with SPF to protect your lips!

#4 Scarf - I love my fun, fashionable scarves! You can do a head wrap to protect your hair-do in the sun and wind or you can use it to dress up a plain t-shirt.

#5 Purses and bags- For me the purse and  the hand bag are all about fashion, too! No way can you take a quick weekend trip and not plan on bringing a few fashionable purses and bags. You need to look good when shopping and your  purse needs to be mulit-functional.

How about you? What are your TOP 5 must have fashionable pieces to  pack for a quick weekend trip?

May is National Foster Care Month and Adoption Awareness

Each May, National Foster Care Month provides an opportunity to shine a light on the thousands of children and youth in the U.S. foster care system. The National Adoption Campaign in partnership with the Children’s Bureau, AdoptUsKids, and the Ad Council raises awareness about the urgent needs of these young people and encourages citizens from every walk of life to get involved.

Together, We Can Make a Difference
Through the dedication of advocates, child welfare professionals, elected officials and support groups around the country, the total number of children waiting for a safe and permanent family has decreased from more than a half million to 463,000 between 2003 and the end of 2008. These numbers tell us that, together, we can make a difference for children in foster care.

But there is still so much work to be done, as there are more than 123,000 children waiting to be adopted.

We’re asking you to help us spread the word on behalf of AdoptUsKids about this incredibly important issue. Here are a few things:

1) “Children in Foster Care’ http://adoptuskids.org/content.aspx?q=National-Foster-Care-Month

 2) Find out How you can help.

3) Join us May 27 at 2 p.m. EST on Twitter for an #AdoptUsKids one hour chat to get the message out about National Foster Care Month.

4) Join us on Twitter and Facebook for more information and to help spread the word.


Did you know it would take less than 1% of the U.S. population to provide a family for every child in foster care?

May is National Foster Care Month and there has never been a greater need to bring attention to children waiting for forever homes. More than 463,000 children are currently in foster care and 123,000 children are waiting to be adopted.

Children in foster care are loving children. They are children like Shaquane and Edlina and Albert. Every child deserves to have a home with caring and supportive parents.

Help us spread the message this month to reach all Americans and teach them about the love and joy that foster care adoption can bring to your life.

Thanks for taking time to read this! Visit www.adoptuskids.org to learn more about fostering and adopting.

This is a public service announcement through Global Influence. 

Tropical Waffles

This is an ongoing segment on using coconut products in the kitchen, thanks to the folks at Tropical Traditions. Coconut products offer different health benefits. Here is what I learned about Coconut Flour and Coconut Oil. My newest coconut product to try out is dried Coconut Chips.

From their website:  They are 100% natural Shredded Coconut, Coconut Flakes, and Coconut Chips are made from organic dried coconuts in the Philippines that are grown with no fertilizers or pesticides. This premium dried coconut contains no additives or preservatives, and is not sweetened. Unlike most dried coconut on the market, our dried coconut products are not treated with sulfites to keep them white. They are a great addition to recipes and baking, or just for snacks! 


Note: The Shredded Coconut is a very small cut, suitable for baking, such as making macaroons. The Coconut Flakes are a larger shredded coconut cut, perfect for garnishing or toppings, such as the top of a coconut cream pie. The Coconut Chips are a much larger cut that can be used as a snack food. You can mix them with nuts and dried fruit, for example.

We loved eating the coconut chips as a snack.  We also mixed them with nuts and dried berries for a snack mix. I made waffles this morning and included coconut chips and coconut flour! Here is the recipe:

Tropical Waffles

2 c. flour (half coconut, half whole wheat-use any variety)

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 c. coconut chips

4 eggs

2 T. sugar

1 c. milk

1/4 c. melted butter

1 tsp. nutmeg (I only used the nutmeg with these tropical waffles. For my regular waffles I omit the nutmeg)

3 bananas cut into slices

syrup

powdered sugar

blueberries and strawberries as toppings

Mix together all dry ingredients in one bowl. In another mix wet ingredients. Combine all ingredients, including bananas. Mix quickly until combined.  Cook in waffle iron.  Top waffle with berries. ( This is my regular waffle mix. For the Tropical Waffles I added nutmeg, bananas and coconut chips.)

Here are some of my other coconut recipes: 

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Cinnamon Rolls

Banana Bread

Peanut Butter Sweat Bread

Dried coconut recipes from Tropical Traditions

 GIVEAWAY 

2#  dried Coconut Chips

$16.00 value

To enter: Go to Tropical Traditions and tell me something you learned, you want to purchase or a recipe that you want to make. Leave an email contact with this entry.

Bonus entries:

1) Subscribe to Tropical Traditions Newsletter  5 entries 

2)  Follow my blog- check all the ways on right side bar, including Twitter! For each follow you get an entry into the Giveaway! Leave separate comments for each one you do so that I can follow you back.

3) Twitter the link to giveaway 2 entries each tweet, unlimited tweets. 

ENDS June  5th

Thanks to Tropical Traditions for the Coconut Flakes to review.  The recipe and opinions are my own tasty words. 

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith

 I can't wait for my up and coming road trip with my teens! I have our new 10 hour CD book to help pass along the time! We will be listening to Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter! This is a 9 disk unabridged read by Scott Holst and featuring an interview with the author, Seth Grahame-Smith.

Here is the description from the box:

Indiana, 1818.  Moonlight falls through the dense woods that surround a one-room cabin, where a nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln kneels at his suffering mother's bedside.  She's been stricken with something the old-timers call "Milk Sickness." 
     "My baby boy..." she whispers before dying.

Only later will the grieving Abe learn that his mother's fatal affliction was actually the work of a vampire.

When the truth becomes known to young Lincoln, he writes in his journal, "Henceforth my life shall be one of rigorous study and devotion.  I shall become a master of mind and body.  And this mastery shall have but one purpose..." Gifted with his legendary height, strength, and skill with an ax, Abe sets out on a path of vengeance that will lead him all the way to the White House.

While Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving the Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years.  That is, until Seth Grahame-Smith stumbled upon The Secret Journal of Abraham Lincoln and became the first living person to lay eyes on it in more than 140 years. 

Using the journal as his guide and writing in the grand biographical style of Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, Seth has reconstructed the true life story of our greatest president for the first time-all while revealing the hidden history behind the Civil War and uncovering the role vampires played in the birth, growth, and near-death of our nation.

The CD also contains a bonus PDF of historical photographic documents.

I"ll be sure to report back and let you know what we thought of this CD!  I have loved his other books! See below!

Click to check out Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Dawn of the Dreadfuls by Seth Grahame-Smith
Read Chapter 1



More Zombie Ideas

Brain Food 
BROKEN GLASS Cupcakes
FINGER FOOD
Jello Brain Dessert
{Kid Zombie} Iced Coffee Frappes
{Momma Zombie} White Russians
MUMMY FACE Pizza
Pumpkin Cookies
Pumpkin Guts 
Toxic Waste Punch
Zombie Party Ideas, Recipes & Photos

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Dolly Parton Songs of Faith and Inspiration

Legacy Recordings now offers a different kind of inspiration with Dolly Parton’s 17 classic gospel recordings.  This collection is a perfect gift for Parton fans and fans of Inspirational Music.  It is now available at Amazon.com and Christian bookstores everywhere.

From the back cover:  From the timeless gospel classic "How Great Thou Art" to "Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man," a personal tribute she wrote for her grandfather, Dolly Parton's devotion to faith and family shine throughout  this potent collection of songs.  

The 17 tracks make up this 45-minute collection are original songs from the 1970s.  Before listening to this CD, I did recall the song "Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man" as one that she would sing.  I didn't realize it was a song from the 1970's.  I was born in the  70s!

A few of my old and now new favorites are "Daddy Was An Old Time Preacher Man," "Coming For To Carry Me Home," "Would You Know Him if you Saw Him," and "The Master's Hand."  I love the sweet, sincere voice of young Dolly Parton.  She hit the country charts in 1967 and is a well known artist for her entertainment work in film, music and television.

This is a great CD to lift your mood, get you up and moving and singing.  Check out the CD on Amazon and listen to the mp3 samples. I hope that you, too, will soon have a few new favorites of your own.

Thanks to Legacy Recordings of Sony Music Entertainment for sending me a review copy. The words expressed here are of my own tasty opinions and words.

Follow Friday Link up Blog Hops and Giveaways

Yea! It is Friday! It is my most favorite day of the week because I usually sign up for 2-4 Friday blog hops! This gives me a chance to go find new blogs and have new peeps come see me! So if you are stopping in from one of the blog hops, pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee leave a comment and tell me where you came from!!!

I love following back so if you do that lmk and I'll follow you, too!!

Here are the Hops I'm participating in today:

You can check out the links right here on my blog from The Trendy Tree House link up below!

Here are the Giveaways that I have going on today:

• Summer Blog Tour & Giveaway Membership (5/25)
• Stephenie Meyer The Host Giveaway 3 copies
• Giveaway 10 REDBOX codes
• One eskimO CD and TShirt giveaway (5/29)
• Foxy Giveaway (5/24)

CAKE BALL RECIPE

 Have a great weekend!

Guest Chef Susan Irby cooks from Substitute Yourself Skinny

It's Greek to Me Greek Salad
By Chef Susan Irby,
Author of Substitute Yourself Skinny: Cut the Calories, Keep the Flavor with Hundreds of Simple Substitutions!

it's greek to me greek salad
CALORIE SAVINGS 263
Substitutions such as reduced-fat or nonfat feta cheese save on calories and fat; however, cutting back on the amount of extra-virgin olive oil in dressings is another key factor in keeping your recipes slimming.

½ head red leaf lettuce, washed, dried, and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 English cucumber, diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
¼ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
¼ cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
½ cup reduced-fat feta cheese crumbles
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste 
1. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, olives, and cheese. Separately, in small bowl, whisk together the oregano, oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Pour over the lettuce mixture and toss well to coat. 

2. Serve on salad plates as an entrée or side dish.

SERVES 4Serving size: ¾ cup

CALORIES PER SERVING Original recipe: 440 SYS recipe: 177

NUTRITIONAL BREAKDOWN Fat: 15g Carbohydrates: 8g Protein: 4g Sodium: 469mg

Skinny SecretThis recipe has so many great flavors in it that you can skip on the heavy salad dressing, which can add up to over 500 calories to an otherwise light salad.



From Substitute Yourself Skinny by Chef Susan Irby, Copyright © 2010, F+W Media, Inc. Used by permission of Adams Media, an F+W Media, Inc. Co. All rights reserved. Photos by Albert Evangelista.
The above is an excerpt from the book Substitute Yourself Skinny: Cut the Calories, Keep the Flavor with Hundreds of Simple Substitutions! by Chef Susan Irby. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Author Bio
Chef Susan Irby has worked with multiple Master Chefs including George McNeill, Todd English, and Ming Tsai. Known as the Bikini Chef, specializing in "figure-flattering flavors," Chef Susan is host of The Bikini Lifestyle with Susan Irby The Bikini Chef on KFWB News Talk 980 in Los Angeles and author of The $7 a Meal Quick & Easy Cookbook, The $7 a Meal Healthy Cookbook, and Cooking with Susan. She has cooked for several celebrities including Patrick Swayze, David Spade, Kate Sagal, and Bill Handel, and appeared on The Patti Gribow Show and KLAC Los Angeles and numerous other media outlets. She lives in Orange County, CA.
For more information, please visit www.susanirby.com.
Become a fan of the Bikini Chef on Facebook and follow her on Twitter.

 

 To read more information on the book from my blog click here, Substitute Yourself Skinny Cookbook