Month: June 2014

FOREVER AMISH from Kate Lloyd! Enter to win a Kindle and an Amish-made prize pack!

The latest book in Kate Lloyd‘s Legacy of Lancaster trilogy, Forever Amish, introduces us to a young woman about to uncover a shocking secret and find an invitation to a new way of living. This is a story of forgiveness, legacies, and the ties that bind through generations.

Kate is celebrating by giving away an Amish-made prize pack!

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  One winner will receive:

  • A brand new Kindle Fire
  • A Qillow (A pillow with a lovely surprise inside! It opens to a 40” X 60” quilt ideal for traveling, sports events, and home.)
  •  A Center Diamond wall hanging (Hand-stitched by Old Order Amish quilter Emma Stoltzfus of E.S. Quilts in Lancaster, PA. It measures 42” x 42” and is a traditional Old Order Amish design.)
  • Darling Amish-made faceless dolls (Hand-crafted in Lancaster County, PA. Each measures 12 inches and is individually named. Meet Martha and Henry!)
  • Forever Amish and the rest of the Legacy of Lancaster trilogy by Kate Lloyd

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 29th. Winner will be announced at Kate’s blog on July 1st.

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning and be sure to stop by Kate’s blog on July 1st to see if you won!

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Take on the Weekend With Depend! #DependFitFlex

Last week I shared a personal story of my own journey with incontinence and how it has affected not only my day to day life but my mental health as well (it’s not easy to be constantly worried about leaking!).

It is so important for people to know that they are not alone and that even though the causes may be different we are all in this together. There is nothing to be embarrassed about – our bodies are only so strong. I wanted to share this inspirational video from Depend that I believe will help so many of you.


If you have a second I strongly suggest reading this post by Sandi from Canadian Blog House as she shares an incredibly open story of her journey with incontinence. A definite must read post! You can find her story here

Has incontinence ever stopped you from enjoying your regular activities?

Disclosure: I am part of the Depend® Fit-Flex Blogger Campaign and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this campaign. The opinions on this blog are my own.

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Seagrass Pier by Colleen Coble #review

In a secluded corner of Hope Beach, one woman must decipher a stranger’s memories before they cost her everything.

Elin Summerall was one of the lucky ones. Not only did she receive a heart transplant but the donor was a perfect fit. A miraculously perfect fit.

But when Elin begins having violent flashbacks and vivid dreams of being strangled she realizes that she has been the recipient of more than just a new heart – Elin is remembering her donor’s murder.

Her strange affliction has attracted some unwanted attention from the press, from the authorities and from the killer himself. Now living alone with her younger daughter and aging mother, Elin is being stalked by a man she has only met in her nightmares.

The police are dubious of her story but one off duty FBI agent is eager to help her, Agent Marc Everton – the father of Elin’s daughter. Of course he does not know about that…yet.

Now in a remote cottage on Hope Island, Elin and Marc must probe the secrets buried in her borrowed heart and there is no time to waste. One man is desperate to silence her before she remembers too much.

Seagrass Pier was an incredibly fast paced and exciting story from start to finish. Full of mystery and suspense – the ending was not all like I expected it to be! Completely caught me off guard (but in a good way!). I love the idea behind cell memory even if it is a little bit scary that she could be remembering stuff from the donor – especially her murder! A definite must read for all book lovers!

You can find more reviews on the Litfuse blog tour here. You can purchase a copy of the book here.

Rating: 5/5

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Taking Charge of Bladder Health #DependFitFlex

Bladder control and incontinence. It is nothing to be ashamed of but for so many individuals it is the hardest subject to talk about. Millions of Canadians will experience some form of bladder control issue whether it be from child birth, surgery and a medical condition (such as a prolapse).

It is so important for individuals to reach out for help without fear of embarrassment or shame. If we really knew how many people were suffering from this it would be that much easier to talk about!

I began to experience bladder problems while pregnant with my second son. As many of you may be aware pregnancy and childbirth can cause many bladder issues including frequency and leaking. These symptoms should never be overlooked but when I mentioned it to my doctor they felt it would go away after he was born (the idea that the decreased pressure on the bladder will decrease after delivery thereby eliminating my symptoms). Several months after an extremely difficult labour my symptoms were not disappearing but I was too embarrassed to talk to my doctor about them – do you know how awful that is? The one person that I should be able to tell anything to and I was too afraid to talk to her because I was embarrassed!

Instead I allowed myself to suffer in silence for another year and a half until I finally broke down in her office and told her the truth. I was terrified of what she would think of me and angry with my body for betraying me (how could my body have done this to me?!). She held my hand and told me I was not alone and how common these problems are in my age group (not to mention chiding me for not coming to her sooner). She decided to send me to a specialist just in case and for that I was grateful as it turned out I had a cystocele that was causing the majority of my problems. I cried in the specialist’s office when she told me – I had allowed my fear and embarrassment to stop myself from seeking help earlier.

Why are we so scared to talk about bladder and bladder related health issues? Join Depend and myself this month as we get comfortable talking about bladder health and learning when to seek help! Let’s end the stigma of bladder health issues and get back to being healthy!

Here are some tips for taking control of bladder issues:

  • Exercise! It is important to maintain a healthy weight to control pressure on the bladder – the more weight you carry in the abdomen can aggravate bladder issues. Try to include both cardio and exercises that work on improving your abdominal wall.
  • For women, kegels are so important! Especially before, during and after child birth. Make sure you are doing them right – if you don’t know how ask. It will help strengthen the vaginal walls and maintain the strength of the pelvic muscles.
  • Include a healthy diet and avoid caffeine and sugary drinks that will contribute to bladder issues.
  • Seek help – make sure you rule out causes such as an urinary tract infection first. Do not be afraid to ask for help – your doctor is there to help you!
  • Wear comfortable protection like Depend fit flex that will allow you to carry on with your active lifestyle without fear. Don’t use products that were not meant for bladder incontinence – it can lead to more anxiety and fear over embarrassment.

 

Disclosure: I am part of the Depend® Fit-Flex Blogger Campaign and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this campaign. The opinions on this blog are my own.
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SEAGRASS PIER | Pre-order @ColleenCoble’s NEW book for just $4.99. Enter for a chance to win a Kindle Fire!

Don’t miss Colleen Coble‘s latest release in the Hope Beach series, Seagrass Pier. The book releases July 1st, and Colleen’s publisher is offering the ebook at a special pre-order price of just $4.99 between now and 6/30 everywhere ebooks are sold.

PLUS . . . between 6/9 – 6/30 Colleen will be hosting a Kindle giveaway.

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One winner will receive:

  • A brand new Kindle Fire HDX
  • Seagrass Pier and the rest of the Hope Beach series by Colleen Coble

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 30th. Winner will be announced on Colleen’s blog on July 1st.

Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning and be sure to stop by Colleen’s blog on July 1st to see if you won!

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