50 Rules for Sons Review and Giveaway

I'm a big fan of books that have inspirational or motivational takeaways. I was able to check out 50 Rules for Sons by Tim Hoch and cannot wait to share it with you.

What started as a letter to his son who was graduating from high school turned into a list of lessons that Tim Hoch wanted to share with him. Perfect for the attention span of the 140-character generation, 50 Rules for Sons dispenses rapid-fire chunks of wisdom in the first half of the book, independent of any explanation:

RULE 13: Time is your only commodity. Don’t waste it. And don’t give it to people or projects that don’t respect it.

RULE 25: Don’t worry about trying to impress people with your knowledge or experience when you’re young. Just be interested, engaged and eager to learn.

RULE 31: Read leisurely for at least 30 minutes every day. This will broaden your point of view and increase your curiosity about the world.

In the second half, Tim provides the back-story to each rule, explaining the personal life experience that makes it relevant.

The whole book was great to flip through and can be given from either a father or a mother. I definitely have my copy set off to the side for Aaron when he is older.

I have two additional copies to give away to two lucky readers. Simply fill out the Rafflecopter below and the winner will be announced on Monday, July 15.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

BlogHer Book Club: What Alice Forgot

I've previously read What Alice Forgot before it was selected for BlogHer's Book Club.  It was definitely one of those books that took me a few chapters to get into and then I could not put it down. I think I finished it in less than a week the first time I read it.

The book is about Alice and how she forgets 10 years of her life after an accident in spin class. Can you imagine forgetting 10 years of your life? She wakes up and has no idea that she has children, that her marriage is in shambles, and cannot figure out for the life of her why she was even in a spin class. The book follows Alice on her journey to piece together the 10 years she has lost.

In the book club discussions this week we are talking about how Alice should have had a blog. I think if there was a major accident and I lost 10 years of my life, a blog would definitely come in handy. Granted, 10 years ago I wouldn't have even known what a blog was and would never imagine myself writing one. 10 years ago I wouldn't have even known my husband and had zero plans of being married before 30. Yeah, that plan panned out.

Be sure to check out all of the discussions going on over at BlogHer and pick up a copy of What Alice Forgot, it's a great read!

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

BlogHer Book Club: The First Husband

I had a chance to read The First Husband by Laura Dave as a part of BlogHer's Book Club.  This book was right up my alley and will make the perfect summer read.

Annie, the main character, is in the midst of a break up and is encouraged to do exactly the opposite of what she normally does. Following this advice she meets Griffin and must decide if she wants what she had or what is new and exciting.

I think to a point all of us have been in this situation. When you're going through a break up with someone that you have been with for any amount of time you may wallow in self pity, or go on some rebellious streak, or some combination of both (guilty!).  Annie is a character that I think many of us can relate to, and the story itself is pretty real.  Plus, you cannot help but fall in love with Griffin and his slightly dysfunctional life.

So, if you're in need of a book for your beach bag, definitely check out The First Husband. You can learn more about the book and join the discussion over on BlogHer!

Disclosure: I was compensated for this BlogHer Book Club review but all opinions expressed are my own.

The Book of Jonas

I had the opportunity to read another selection from BlogHer's Book Club, The Book of Jonas by Stephen Dau. 

The book is about a Muslim boy who, after war tears through his village, moves to America. Jonas is born Younis, then changes his name when he starts his new life, remembering very little of what brought him to America in the first place. The novel bounces between three different lives: Jonas, Christopher (an American soldier), and Rose (Christopher's mother).  All three lives are intertwined, even though the details are sketchy in the beginning.

To be perfectly honest, I had a hard time diving into this book, but once I hit the middle of the book I couldn't put it down. I think I was frustrated that Jonas could not remember his former life and that while you were reading it you could not determine if the events were real or in his imagination (something similar to Sapphire's The Kid). 

The book itself is moving and, for a debut novel, pretty amazing. The struggle that Jonas goes through while trying to remember his life and the events that connect him with Christopher and Rose is hard to handle at times. You feel awful for Jonas, and yet it is entirely believable. I think the part in the book that stood out to me the most is when you discover the story behind the cover, with the lioness and the gazelle. To see that story translate from nature to a war zone is beyond words.

 I would not be shocked if this was based on a true story (it's not) because it is so easy to see something of this nature happening. I don't want to give away too many details on the book, but I highly HIGHLY recommend this book.

Head over to BlogHer's Book Club page to learn more about The Book of Jonas and to join in the discussion.

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

BlogHer Book Club: The Fault in Our Stars

I was able to read another selection in BlogHer's Book Club. This time we are reading John Green's The Fault in Our Stars. I hadn't heard of John Green before this (apparently I'm one of the only people on this planet that hasn't heard of him), but I have a feeling I'll be adding many more of his books to my ever growing reading list.

The story is about Hazel, a teenage cancer warrior, her life, and the life of her boyfriend Augustus, who is in remission. The book was so incredibly well written, it was honestly hard to put down. To see the world through the eyes of a teenager who is battling cancer, knowing that these could be her last days is just amazing. It's also hard for a writer to write this subject matter and not leave you in a puddle on the floor. Yes, it's emotional, but it's so much more than that. Sometimes you forget that she has cancer, and you think it's just another teenage love story.

Have you read any John Green books? Which are your favorites?

Be sure to join in on the discussion with BlogHer's Book Club!

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

The Bear Went Over the Mountain

I've had the chance to preview a great new children's storybook called, The Bear Went Over the Mountain by Iza Trapani. Here's some info on the book:

A bear goes over the mountain to see what he can see, hear what he can hear, smell what he can smell, touch what he can touch, and taste what he can taste; what a busy bear! When he sets out on a sunny morning in spring he uses all five of his senses to explore the world around him. He smells a skunk (yuck!) and sweet honeysuckle vines (yum!). He sees dragonflies and fuzzy ducklings, he hears crickets chirping, he touches a soft flower blossom, and more! When the chill of autumn comes creeping up over the mountain, he goes back to his cave for a snuggly sleep.

With warm, beautiful watercolors and playful, evocative words, Iza Trapani extends this classic children’s song to teach young children about the five senses and the four seasons. It’s so much fun that kids will want to go out exploring, just like the bear!

My kiddos love the song The Bear Went Over the Mountain, so they absolutely fell in love with the book. The illustration in the book is beyond fantastic and definitely draws the kids in. The story itself is great and like it says in the description it helps teach the kids their five senses and the four seasons.

The book comes out in April 2012 and is selling for the suggested retail of $16.95. This is definitely a must have for your kiddos collection!

More about the author:

Iza Trapani is a bestselling children’s book author and illustrator known for her popular extensions of nursery rhymes. Iza’s retelling of The Itsy Bitsy Spider has sold over a million copies and all her books are widely used in the United States and abroad. Among her awards are the IRA/CBC Children’s Choices, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Book Awards, ABA Pick of the Lists, and Bank Street College of Education Best Books. When she’s not in her studio, Iza likes to spend time outdoors and has gone over many mountains to see what she could see. Iza lives near Kingston, New York.

*Disclosure: I received the book as a review from the publishing company. This is no way influenced my review.*

The Rules of Inheritance

I was able to read The Rules of Inheritance, a memoir by Claire Bidwell Smith, as a part of BlogHer's Book Club. Bidwell Smith's parents are both diagnosed with cancer at the age of 14, and the book follows her as she struggles through the different stages of grief.

At first it took me a while to enjoy the fact that the book was not written in chronological order, rather it is broken into sections that seem to mirror each other at different stages of her life. For example, at one moment she is writing to you about when she was 18 and the next she is talking about her middle twenties. I cannot think of another way that this book could have been written, I feel that it had to in this manner to totally convey the message. You had to understand what it was like for her at each age and stage of her life. It was also obvious that you could see how each decision would influence the next stage of her life.

I often had to remind myself that this was a work of nonfiction and that all of these events actually happened. The book is very honest and at moments, totally and completely raw. When you're reading it you can almost see yourself sitting with Claire and listening to her tell you these stories.

I most related to Bidwell Smith when she was discussing the toxic relationship she was in during her early 20's. Often when reading about this relationship I found myself nodding and thinking "Oh I've been there" or "Yup, that's what it felt like".

In my opinion, this is a must read. Even if you haven't dealt with the kind of grief she has, you will find something to relate to in her story. If anything, this book will teach you to cherish the moments you have with the ones you love, and to appreciate the times you could just call them for whatever silly question you had.

Be sure to head over to BlogHer to see more of the discussions on The Rules of Inheritance, and join in the discussions!

This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

BlogHer Book Club Review: Why Women Need Fat

I wanted to love "Why Women Need Fat" by William D. Lassek M.D. and Steven J.C. Gaulin, PH.D., I really did. When the email came out about reviewing this book I jumped at the chance, mainly because I love reading all things related to nutrition. For me though, this book disappointed me.

The book is broken down into three parts; Why and how we got fatter, why women need fat and how to achieve your healthy natural weight. A lot of the information in the first two sections are not surprising and really nothing new, to me at least. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that when the label on the food you are eating has more ingredients you cannot pronounce than you can pronounce, it's not healthy. I did, however, find some of their findings quite surprising and slightly disturbing.

One of the most disturbing claims I read was that high fructose corn syrup is ok, and not a reason why we are getting fatter. Um....I'm not a doctor, I don't even pretend to be one on tv, but I'm not buying that. Maybe by itself and in extremely low doses it's fine, but when it's in almost every product on the market, I think that is the problem. Now, we can start a debate on this, but let's just get back to the book.

The book has such potential to really educate women about eating healthy and making sure that you have smart fats in your diet (high in omega-3's and low in omega-6's), but I feel like it ventures off that path too many times and almost encourages the reader to be overweight. No, really. I was floored when I was reading and it said it's better to be overweight because you will be less likely to break a hip when you're older since your bones will be stronger from carrying the weight. A discussion about natural foods and eating the right amount of fat (and not processed fats) would have made this book amazing. I worry that women are going to read this and not get the right message out of it.

I'm interested to see what the other reviewers have to say over at BlogHer, be sure to join us and join in on the discussion.

Disclosure: This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own

Crazy for Cake Pops

I was able to review Molly Bakes' book, Crazy for Cake Pops. I've been interested in cake pops, but definitely intimidated. This book is great for people like myself who are just getting into cake pops and need a step by step tutorial. Aside from the basics, the book tackles 50 different ways to make these, from the super simple to the really complex (like a teapot).

I made the vanilla cake pops with a simple candy coating. Now let me mention I've had this book for a while but haven't been able to make these because of how hot it has been here in Florida. I couldn't find a store with candy melts because they were melting in transit. Seriously.

Like I said, I made the vanilla cake pops which consist of vanilla cake and vanilla cream cheese frosting. I also had a helper, and he was quick to remind me that he made the cake.

Here's how you make that:

For the cake you need:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/3 cup of self-rising flour, sifted (funny I just read the sifted part...whoops)
4 tablespoons milk, at room temperature

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch round cake tin or an 8 inch cake tin. Cream the butter and sugar until it is pale and fluffy. Mix the vanilla extract into the creamed butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add half the flour and then half the milk and mix until fully combined. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Once baked, leave to cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

For the frosting you need:
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream the butter and cream cheese together. Gradually add the sugar, then continue to cream until light and fluffy. Finally, mix in the vanilla. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before using.

Once your cake is cool you need to crumble it . Molly suggests doing this by hand, or you can use a food processor. You want to remove the crust of the cake so you do not have any lumps.

Once the cake is crumbled you want to take you frosting, a heaping tablespoon at a time, and mix it into the cake crumbles. You may not need all of the frosting, so just do it a little at a time. Keep mixing until you have a fudge-like texture.

Wrap your mixture in plastic wrap and chill for one hour.



After it has chilled you want to roll the cake balls into the size of a ping-pong ball. Place each ball on a tray lined with parchment paper and chill for 15-20 minutes.

Next you want to do your candy melts. Take a 14 oz bag of candy melts and melt in a microwave safe bowl for 1 minute. Take the candy out and stir it, you made need to microwave for another 30 seconds (no lie, I almost typed minutes, wouldn't that be awful?!). If your melted candy isn't silky you can add 1-2 teaspoons of vegetable oil. The candy will stay melted for 20-30 minutes if you continue to stir.

Now you want to dip your lollipop stick into the melted candy (about 3/4 inch deep) and immediately insert the stick into the top center of each cake ball, about halfway through. Do not insert too deep or too shallow. Place on a tray lined with parchment paper to allow the candy to set. This should take 1-2 minutes.

Before you dip your cake pops you want to pierce holes into a polystyrene block (yeah I didn't read this part until I was ready to do it and that's just not something I have lying around). Dip your cake pops into the melted candy and make sure the bowl is deep and filled with candy so you don't have to tilt it. Gently tap the cake pop over the bowl to remove any excess candy. Place securely in the polystyrene block and allow to dry. This should take 1-2 minutes.

For decorating I just used icing, but there are literally a million different ways to decorate these.

I am amazed at some of the ways Molly decorates her cake pops. You would honestly never know they were cake, it is so cool.

I will admit these are a lot more challenging than I thought, and I cannot wait to try again. I think I'm going to do the red velvet pops next time, they sound sooooo good!

Have you made cake pops? What are your tips and tricks?

The Ultimate Cake Mix Cookie Book Pt. 2

I already reviewed the drop cookies from The Ultimate Cake Mix Cookie Cook Book and today I'm doing one of the cookie bar recipes. This is the recipe for the Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars. I will say I did see a typo in this recipe and didn't realize it until I was typing it out. In the book it mentions you need vanilla, but it never tells you when to put it in, but based on all of my baking knowledge, I'm guessing you add it with the cream cheese and sugar.

What you need:

• 1 (18.25 oz) package yellow cake mix
• 3/4 (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups quick cooking oats
• 2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 350
• Grease or line a 13x9 inch baking pan
• Place the cake mix, butter, and 1 egg in a large bowl.
• Beat with electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes until blended.
• Stir in the oats with a wooden spoon. Reserve 1 1/2 cups cake mixture.
• Press remaining mixture into prepared pan.
• Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and remaining 2 eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes until smooth.
• Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips.
• Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over crust.
• Mix remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips into reserved crumbs, then sprinkle over cheesecake layer.
• Bake 35-40 minutes or until topping is crisp-looking and golden.
• Run knife around sides of pan to loosen bars.
• Transfer to wire rack and cool completely.
• Chill at least 2 hours, then cut into bars.

These are super yummy! Aaron helped me make them and everything. Be sure to check back next week because I'll be doing one of the specialty cookie recipes.

Still here? Check out What's Cookin' Wednesday at Life as We Know It!

The Ultimate Cake Mix Cookie Book Pt. 1

I've been able to review this amazing cookie cookbook called The Ultimate Cake Mix Cookie Book by Camilla Saulsbury. The book features 375 recipes that all start with a box of cake mix. If Camilla's name sounds familiar to you, you may know her from Food Network's Ultimate Recipe Showdown Best Cookie Recipe (she was the winner). Her recipes in this book are so easy to follow and the ingredients are all things that you probably have in your house, or you at least know where they are in the grocery store.

The book is broken down into three different types of cookies, drop cookies, bar cookies and specialty cookies. I've decided to break my review into three sections as well. This one is for her drop cookies. There are a ton of recipes in this section and it was honestly hard to narrow down my selection. I decided to make the chocolate-covered strawberry cookies. These cookies will be perfect for our Valentine's Day bake sale at church!

You need:
1 (18.25 oz) package strawberry cake mix
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/3 cup butter softened
2 large eggs

Icing:
1 1/4 cups semisweet or white chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vegetable shortening

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place cake mix, sour cream, butter and eggs in a large bowl.
Blend with electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute until blended.
Drop by the tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 9-12 minutes until the edges are firm and golden.
Cool for one minute, remove from cookie sheet and then cool completely.
Microwave the chocolate chips and shortening in a medium microwaveable bowl on high for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds until smooth.
Using a fork, drizzle tops of cooled cookies with the melted cookies.
Chill cookies for 10 minutes to set the chocolate.

It's really important to chill them so the chocolate sets, otherwise you will have a mess when you go to eat them. All of us loved these cookies, even Scott who is not a huge strawberry fan.

Be sure to check back for my next post on cookie bars!