Category: giveaway

September 30, 2018

Sesame Street – Elmo’s World: Elmo Explores! DVD Giveaway

Return to Elmo’s World with an all new two-hour DVD full of your favourite character hitting stores on October 2nd, 2018.

About Sesame Street Elmo’s World: Elmo Explores!

Explore the everyday world with everybody’s favorite furry red monster, Elmo, in the new DVD release of Sesame Street – Elmo’s World: Elmo Explores!, on October 2, 2018 from Shout! Factory and Sesame Workshop.

Elmo Explores! is a two hour collection of Elmo’s World episodes, appearing for the first time on DVD. Using the power of his imagination, Sesame Street’s little red monster explores kid-friendly topics such as painting, cooking, and habitats from a child’s point of view. Joined by the hilarious Mr. Noodle, Smartie the Smartphone, and his pet goldfish Dorothy, Elmo asks questions that lead to fun discoveries. An age-appropriate launch pad for imagination and learning, Elmo’s World: Elmo Explores! indulges children’s natural sense of curiosity about the world around them.

Each engaging installment of this newly reimagined Sesame Street segment presents young viewers with lessons to help them grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. Bonus features include two episodes of the uproariously silly Sesame Street spin-off The Furchester Hotel and three classic segments of the original Elmo’s World.

About the Bonus Episodes: The Furchester Hotel

The Furchester Hotel episodes The Count’s Vacation and Space Alien Party are presented here on DVD for the first time in North America as bonus features. The Furchester Hotel is an “almost” world-class establishment run by a tight-knit family of cheerfully incompetent monsters. The proprietors are welcoming owner Funella Furchester, her dear and beleaguered husband Furgus Fuzz, their daughter, the unflappable Phoebe Furchester-Fuzz, and Isabel, the furriest front desk bell in the business. Cousin Elmo is on an extended visit and fascinated by all the hotel has to offer. Cookie Monster has landed his dream job as a room service and dining room waiter. The family bends over backwards, forwards, and sideways (occasionally tipping over) to be sure the needs of every guest are met because a Furchester never gives up! Animal, vegetable, and mineral alike flock to this hub of hospitality, where problem solving is part of the service.

DVD Trailer

Our Thoughts

How can you not love Elmo and his crew? These shows are in its forty eight season and that shows just how much generations of children and adults love the sense of adventure, humour and curiosity presented in the shows. There is something for all age groups – I couldn’t stop watching them and I love that I can share this part of my own childhood with my own kids.

Get into the Sesame Street fun with this printable colouring page and bookmark brought to you from Shout Factory.

You can purchase a copy of this amazing, fun-filled DVD on Amazon.

The Giveaway

Want to win your DVD? Enter to win one of two DVD copies now via the Rafflecopter form below – GOOD LUCK!

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Disclosure: I received the above mentioned DVD in order to facilitate this post, all opinions expressed are my own.

September 25, 2018

A Life by Design Book Review

In A Life by Design, Elena faces escalating danger to herself and to Francesco, she must fight for her freedom, her love, and her survival.

About A Life by Design

When 20-year-old Elena Allegro leaves the Italian village of Laurino to study Fashion Design in Milan, she’s certain her dreams are about to come true. Despite her father’s warnings that risk comes with her newfound freedom, she loves her studies and develops a love interest with Francesco, the handsome young entrepreneur who offers her a part-time job in a Milan clothing store.

It seems like an idyllic situation—until a stalker targets Elena, tormenting her with mind games and threatening her safety. In the face of escalating danger to herself and to Francesco, Elena must fight for her freedom, her love, and her survival.

My Thoughts

Elena has led the life of a typical Italian young woman (and I am sure many European girls), where life is dictated by her Father and she is not allowed the same freedoms as her brother and the other males in her life. She has big dreams of conquering the fashion world but will never be able to realize this dream unless she leaves her small town and head to Milan.

Through some help from her brother and Mother, she convinces her Father to let her head to Milan to study fashion. She is in awe of the big city, the clothes and her studies – she has found her niche and can’t wait to begin her life. She even finds love in her boss, Francesco! How could anything go wrong? All seems to be going well until someone starts threatening her and stalking her. This is when the book takes a turn and you are left constantly wondering who is threatening her? Is it the rejected boy from her class? Could her love actually have a darker past? Or is it someone from her families past?

This was a well written novel that I loved from start to finish. You couldn’t help but fall in love with Elena and her positive outlook on life. She is a dreamer who has the typical constraints on her of an Italian family. You want to protect her and feel outrage that someone could be trying to harm for what seems to be her following her dreams. The stalker throws a wrench in the story as you really aren’t sure who is the suspect. Your first thought is always to the young man in her class who she rejected but it doesn’t quite sit well. Lucy leaves you guessing and questioning even yourself.

This was a wonderful journey to Milan where we are immersed in Italian culture, fashion and love. A great read from start to finish!

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Kobo, iTunes and Barnes & Noble.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Lucy is an author of romantic suspense, historical fiction/coming of age, short story thrillers, and non-fiction books. She is also a Registered Counsellor/Wellness Coach, and works as a Rehabilitation Counsellor for the Australian Government.

Lucy enjoys reading romantic suspense, romance, thrillers, crime novels, family/historical drama, and sagas. She has enjoyed travelling to exotic places such as Madrid, Mauritius, and Italy, and draws on these experiences in her creative writing.

Lucy’s favourite authors include Kendra Elliot, Christiane Heggan, Theresa Ragan, Tara Moss, Nicholas Sparks, Adriana Trigiani, Erica Spindler, and James Patterson (to name a few).

Lucy’s interests include meditation, exercising, journal writing, reading fiction and nonfiction texts about writing, coaching, and counselling, ongoing professional development, spending time with her husband and two daughters, and socialising with friends and family.

Connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

September 25, 2018

Too Blessed to be Stressed for Moms Book Review

Do you feel like you re drowning in the everyday stress-pool? . . .
Wish you could make busy-ness a business so you d be a millionaire? . . .
Welcome to the maternal order of slightly sagging sisters of the ‘hood. The motherhood.

About Too Blessed to be Stressed

With her own offbeat brand of wit and near-wisdom, popular inspirational humorist Debora Coty addresses heart needs of moms drowning in the churning stress-pool of busyness. In her beloved mom-to-mom, grin-provoking style, Coty offers empathy, laughs, real-life stories, practical parenting survival tips, and fresh biblical insights to help you hear Papa God’s still, small voice through life s chaos.

Whether you’re struggling with stress related to attitude, time-management, guilt trips, patience, or something in between. . .this humor-filled volume will deliver a much-needed smile and equip you with simple-to-implement tips for attaining the peace we all crave the peace that passes all understanding.

My Thoughts

A Mom’s job is tough – you never know if you are doing the best job, you constantly question and doubt yourself (not to mention comparing yourself to others) and the never-ending list of things to do. It can be an overwhelming, stressful, underappreciated role but when you look at your children, you realize that there is nothing better in life then the job of a Mom.

When we feel stressed and overworked, it can be easy to overlook the good parts in our life and feel blessed. We tend to focus solely on the things that are worrying us and causing us anxiety. We begin to feel inadequate and judge even ourselves. As a Mom, you are not alone! There is not one Mom who hasn’t questioned their ability and their parenting ability at one point.

This book acknowledges those feelings but also reminds us that we are not alone. That we all feel like this at times and the best medicine? Faith, humour and remembering the basics – your kids just need you to love them, to support them and fully be engaged in them. Coty uses her own personal experiences – that not only will have you giggling away but that you can one hundred percent can relate to – to help share her story of hope and guidance. Each chapter has a unique focus and gives us personal examples, tips and quotes to help us get through the hardest times. This was a well written, personal book that I couldn’t put down. It was like having a glass of wine and a fantastic conversation with a best friend – you just didn’t want it to end! A definite must read for first time Moms and second (third and fourth!) time Moms.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon.

Rating: 5/5

About the Author

Debora M. Coty is a popular humorist, speaker, and award-winning author of numerous inspirational books, including the bestselling Too Blessed to be Stressed line. Deb considers herself a tennis junkie and choco-athlete (meaning she exercises just so she can eat more chocolate). A retired piano teacher and orthopedic occupational therapist, Debora currently lives, loves, and laughs in central Florida with her husband, Chuck, and three grandbuddies and one grandprincess.

You can connect with her on her website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

To celebrate the release of Too Blessed to Be Stressed for Moms and to bless a mom that needs to de-stress, Deb is giving away a “Take a Day for Mom” $75 VISA Cash Card. The card can be used by a mom for a day of pampering or just getting away and enjoying a day to herself. Do you need a day away or know a mom who does? (Is that a trick question?) Then, enter the giveaway and share it with all your friends. (Another little secret… you don’t have to prove you are a mom in order to win!)

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Book Trailer

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

August 15, 2018

The CleanSweep Counterstrike Book Review

In this sequel The CleanSweep Counterstrike, Matt Tremain is back, facing an even deadlier threat. Deceit and intrigue lie hidden behind the collapse of Operation CleanSweep. It’s time for revenge.

About The CleanSweep Counterstrike

In this sequel, Matt Tremain is back, facing an even deadlier threat. Deceit and intrigue lie hidden behind the collapse of Operation CleanSweep. It’s time for revenge.

Instrumental in exposing the evil behind Operation CleanSweep—a diabolical “cultural cleansing” plot masterminded by Toronto billionaire Charles Claussen—investigative blogger Tremain now faces the madman’s desire for vengeance. Claussen intends to settle the score personally by luring Matt into a deadly trap.

But the clock is ticking for Claussen, too. Fraternité des Aigles, The Brotherhood of Eagles—a shadowy group that secretly financed Claussen’s Operation CleanSweep—wants answers and their money back. Consumed with rage, Claussen risks everything to get to Matt before the Brotherhood gets to him. Tremain is once again partnering with a police detective, Carling. Knowing they are being lured into a possible trap, they decide to face their nemesis, Charles Claussen.

Across four continents, Claussen sets traps, pursues Tremain, and continues to execute his signature brand of global chaos. When his fiancé’s life is on the line, can Tremain stop Claussen’s madness and still avoid getting killed?

My Thoughts

The CleanSweep Counterstrike is book two in this series (find more information on book one here) and it starts off with the team realizing that Claussen did not commit suicide at the end of book one and that they were all still in grave danger.

Claussen is an evil master mind with a deep hatred for anyone that does not fit into his model of the perfect person. In book one, Matt and his group of friends managed to stop Operation CleanSweep but did so with great risk to their own lives and Claussen took the lives of many individuals in book one. Claussen is out for revenge in this book and he has his own life at risk not only from Matt and his team but also the backers of his CleanSweep plan. This begins a cat and mouse game with both sides trying their best to out smart the other and escape death.

Counterstrike is a fast paced, thrilling novel that builds off of the first novel. We are introduced to new characters as they help try to stop Claussen and put an end to the hateful plot of Operation CleanSweep. You have to pay close attention in this novel as it has a lot of moving parts but it is well worth every minute.

You can purchase a copy of this book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Chapters Indigo.

Rating: 4/5

About the Author

Chuck Waldron is the author of four riveting mystery, thriller and suspense novels and more than fifty short stories. Inspired by his grandfather’s tales of the Ozark Mountains and local caves rumored to be havens for notorious gangsters, Waldron was destined to write about crime and the human condition. Those childhood legends ignited his imagination and filled his head with unforgettable characters, surprising plots and a keen interest in supernatural and historical subplots.

With literary roots planted in the American Midwest and South, and enriched by many years living in the fertile cultural soil of metropolitan Ontario, Waldron now resides on Florida’s fabled Treasure Coast with his wife, Suzanne. While keeping an eye out for hurricanes, alligators, and the occasional Burmese python, visitors will find Waldron busy writing his next crime thriller.

You can connect with Chuck on his website, Twitter and Facebook.

The Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

August 14, 2018

Capturing Family Memories to Last a Lifetime on Canvas Print with BestCanvas.ca

I love capturing moments with my camera. My family can always count on Mom to be there with her big camera capturing moments on the soccer field, at school and just playing around. Time flies by so fast that it these special moments that we capture on film that will always last. We can still look back at photos and remember the history to each one, whether it was just before something silly happened or an accident happened.

Every once in a while you capture an image that you know needs to be printed out. It may be full of emotion or action or even that perfect family photo (and living with three boys, trust me, getting that perfect family photo feels impossible at times!). You want to be to look at that image every day but maybe you are not sure what format would be the best? Canvas prints have been a popular choice for a long time but finding the best company to work with in Canada can be difficult.

Bestcanvas.ca creates high quality photo products from canvas to acrylic to aluminum all in their own factory. Canvas prints are manually stretched on the framework using a specially certified canvas that is resistant to UV damage to keep your image looking as new as the day you purchased it.

Purchasing your canvas print from Bestcanvas.ca is simple, quick and effortless. This was one of the best parts about the website – it was easy to navigate and choose my options. I completed my purchase in less than five minutes! Simply head to their website, upload the image you want in canvas print, choose your size and add in any other addition options you may want and head to checkout. That was it – promise!

The turn around time to receive my canvas print was just as impressive. We received our canvas in just under a week. It was well wrapped and shipped carefully to prevent any damage of the canvas.

I personally love checking the quality of the printing – I love my photos so I like to see how it was printed, if it is clear and the image is crisp (although a lot of this has to do with the photo you upload so make sure you use a good photo). I was really impressed with the texture and quality as well as the frame. It was lightweight but printed on great quality paper making it easy to carry and hang. The image extended over the sides which is so important as I didn’t order mine with a frame.

The canvas itself was easy to put up on the walls and came with its own equipment (added to my order at the time of ordering). I couldn’t wait to get it up on our walls, I had the perfect spot picked out in our dining room that was just waiting for a new print. My kids loved looking at our family portrait once it was up and we have received multiple compliments from visitors on the quality.

The Giveaway!

My Canadian readers can now enter to win their own BestCanvas.ca print! Enter via the Rafflecopter form below to win a 36″x24″ print.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don’t want to wait to win one? Head over now to BestCanvas.ca and use the WORKINGMOMMYJOURNAL to receive 10% off your order today.

I can’t wait to get started on our next canvas project which will be a collage of the boys soccer photos from this year for the entry way in our basement. The possibilities are endless with the variety of sizes and styles Bestcanvas.ca offers. Head over now to check out their website and make sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with the latest news and offers.

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned product in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.