Mommy Has to Work

Mars…with Venus Rising – Book Review

May 15, 2016 By Sharon

Penn Davenport, the book’s heroine, has dreams of moving out of her small town of Mars, and being a CPA in the big city. Penn experienced terrible tragedy in her life when she lost both her parents in a plane crash and now lives with her two Great Aunts. She struggles with her faith and her meaning in life as she falls in love with with the new guy in town, John Townsend, an airplane pilot.

Mars…With Venus Rising is a Christian Romance novel by Hope Toler Dougherty. It is a slow developing love story that I wish had just a touch of spontaneity in it. I found myself yelling internally at the main characters at almost every turn. Penn is fearful to the point of ridiculousness. For example, she was shocked at her first encounter with John because he was wearing head-to-toe black and rode a motorcycle. *rolls eyes* John has a zest for life but absolutely no social skills when it comes to interacting with women. If the hero of the story is going to ride a motorcycle you have to give him at least a touch of suave.

The story however, is saved by Penn’s Great Aunts, Winnie and Janice. They are the types of grandma figures you want to have in your life. They bake and cook for you, advise and interfere even when you don’t them to, and you love them for it all anyway. The best part is the fact that the author included recipes from the story in the back of the book. I plan on trying every recipe, as soon as I can convince my children’s Grandma to make them all.

Overall, I thought Mars…With Venus Rising had a lot of potential but wasn’t my favorite. The Christian notion of “anything worth having is worth waiting for” seems to be the message here and I can appreciate that.

A meddling horse, paper bag floors and a flying saucer on the town square. The little town of Mars has it all—including a brand new resident who might spell heartache for one of its own.

Twenty-something Penn Davenport yearns for an exciting life in the big city and wants to shed the label of orphan that she’s worn for years. To achieve that dream, she must pass the CPA exam then move away from the two aunts who reared her after her parents died in a plane crash.

When John Townsend—full of life and the joy of living—moves to town, he rattles Penn’s view of herself, her life, and her dreams . . . which isn’t such a bad thing until she falls for him and discovers he’s a pilot.

Purchase a copy:http://bit.ly/1VE0NoV

Hope Toler Dougherty holds a Master’s degree in English and taught at East Carolina University as well as York Technical College. A member of ACFW, RWA and SinC, she writes for Almost an Author. Before writing novels, she published non-fiction articles on topics ranging from gardening with children to writing apprehension. She cheers for the Pittsburgh Steelers, ACC basketball, and Army West Point Football. Hope and her husband, Kevin, live in North Carolina and chat with their two daughters and twin sons through ooVoo.

See more reviews here:

http://litfusegroup.com/author/hdougherty

Sharon

My name is Sharon Geyer. I am originally from New York City and currently live in beautiful Ponte Vedra, Florida. My husband and three kids keep me very busy as a stay-at-home mom. I also teach ballet, organize community events, and I love to read books. I typically choose historical fiction when reading something new but I also enjoy science fiction and fantasy, and the occasional romance novel.

How to Make Your Outdoor Garden Stand Out

May 13, 2016 By Anne

This is a guest post.

Gardens have the ability to be places of solitude or celebration merely based on the way they’ve been designed. There are formal gardens and landscape gardens. There are gardens that run wild and gardens that are expertly manicured. The point of a garden is to be a space that helps its inhabitant get back to nature. No matter how much we may prune the tree or how many weeds we let grow between the paving stones, it’s still our own little verdant piece of the world. If you’re interested in shaping your garden to be one of splendor and enchantment, look no further; you have found the guide to help you.

Pattern Designs and Your Lawn

Woman of Style & Substance notes that many people ignore their lawn when reconfiguring the garden space. The design of the lawn can be made to be as important as the garden gnome you have sitting under your rose bushes or the lemon tree growing tall in the center of your garden. In essence, the lawn is more than just another patch of grass, it’s a blank canvas.

Woman of Style suggests that to make your garden really stand out, you should cut patterns into your lawn. By adjusting the blade height on your lawnmower, you can make as simple or as intricate a design as you want, be it wave or checkerboard-patterned. Before you pattern your lawn however, Yardcare writes that it must be healthy, and that you should never cut off more than 1/3 of the height off your grass at any one time.

Lighting Design: Making the Garden Glow

To bring attention to certain areas of your garden, (maybe you want to highlight an exotic looking birdbath or the edge of your koi pond) landscape lighting design will help you bring your garden to the next level. HGTV suggests that before you buy any lights or lighting system, ask yourself what in the garden you want to be the focal point.

Once you have decided what areas of the garden you want bathed or softly lit in light, layer your lighting sources. Layers of overhead, task and ambient light create a natural effect. HGTV recommends using path and spotlight lighting to help you navigate the garden and showcase your home. For a professional touch, consider working with a Landscape lighting installer in the Birmingham, Alabama area (or similar services near your), to ensure your garden is beautifully illuminated with expert precision.

What is a Focal Point?

Mentioned just above, it is important to have a focal point in the garden. Focal points help to pull the viewer’s eye to specific areas in the garden. The critical rule of the focal point (and the critical rule for all design) is that less is more. Gardening Know How has observed that amateur designers will often make the mistake of overcomplicating a space in the hopes of making it pop. This doesn’t work, instead it just makes the garden look overwrought and messy. Need to remove some trees? Check out https://www.thelocaltreeexperts.com/il/chicago for all your tree needs.

There must also only be one or two focal points. If the eye is constantly traveling from one line of direction to another, there is no time for rest and therefore no time for absorption. The garden is supposed to be a space of reflection and meditation. If the user cannot focus, the garden has failed.

Choosing a Focal Point: Sculpture or Plants?

Many people think that the focal point of a garden must be some type of sculpture, be it a water feature, bird bath or replica of the statue of David. The cool thing is that because it’s your garden, the focal point can be anything you want it to be. While sculptural, manmade objects do generally garner more attention than the surrounding flora and fauna, you can make a flowering tree or spiraling vine the epicenter of the garden. Because our eyes naturally follow lines, there are many cases when we land on the tree or sprouting bush first, not even noticing the medieval-looking sundial next to it. Remember, it’s the lighting that will draw the viewer’s attention. Wherever the lighting is, so too will your guests venture.

The beauty of the garden is its power to manipulate space. The way the sunlight filters through the tree branches or plays along the pathway river stones, it’s all part of the experience.

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Sister Dear – Book Review

May 13, 2016 By Anne

I haven’t read a good mystery in a while so I was delighted to read Sister Dear by Laura McNeill. Sister Dear is one of those stories that goes from present to past and back again. It took some getting use to going back and forth but by doing so the author really told a great story of mystery and betrayal. I loved getting to know the characters. If you love a good mystery and want something to read this summer by the pool pick up a copy of Sister Dear.

All Allie Marshall wants is a fresh start. But when dark secrets refuse to stay buried, will her chance at a new life be shattered forever?

Convicted of a crime she didn’t commit, Allie watched a decade of her life vanish — time that can never be recovered. Now, out on parole, Allie is determined to clear her name, rebuild her life, and reconnect with the daughter she barely knows.

But Allie’s return home shatters the quaint, coastal community of Brunswick, Georgia. Even her own daughter Caroline, now a teenager, bristles at Allie’s claims of innocence. Refusing defeat, a stronger, smarter Allie launches a battle for the truth, digging deeply into the past even if it threatens her parole status, personal safety, and the already-fragile bond with family.

As her commitment to finding the truth intensifies, what Allie ultimately uncovers is far worse than she imagined. Her own sister has been hiding a dark secret—one that holds the key to Allie’s freedom.

Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/24TOGXK

Laura McNeill is a writer, web geek, travel enthusiast, and coffee drinker. In her former life, she was a television news anchor for CBS News affiliates in New York and Alabama. Laura holds a master’s degree in journalism from The Ohio State University and is completing a graduate program in interactive technology at the University of Alabama. When she’s not writing and doing homework, she enjoys running, yoga, and spending time at the beach. She lives in Mobile, AL with her family

See more reviews:

http://litfusegroup.com/author/lmcneill

Anne

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Beyond The Known Universe is Available on DVD May 24th. @Nickelodeon #TMNT

May 12, 2016 By Marijean

THE TURTLES ARE ON A MISSION THROUGH TIME AND SPACE

TO SAVE THE DAY…AND THE PLANET!

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES:

BEYOND THE KNOWN UNIVERSE

Available on DVD May 24, 2016

The Turtles embark on an out-of-this-world adventure to save Earth in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Beyond the Known Universe, a two-disc, 12-episode adventure available on DVD May 24. In the first 12 episodes of season four of Nickelodeon’s hit television show, Leo, Raph, Donnie, and Mikey embark on their most epic adventure yet–outer space! Allied with a cyborg known as the Fugitoid, the Turtles hurdle through space, meet strange and bizarre alien creatures, and combat galactic monsters in a race against time to save planet Earth. The DVD release coincides with the upcoming Paramount Pictures feature film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows, and comes with a National Movie Cash offer of up to $8.00 ($8.50 in Canada) off your ticket for the new film as well as a Michelangelo zipper pull as a gift with purchase, while supplies last. Created by Nickelodeon and distributed by Paramount Home Media Distribution, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Beyond the Known Universe will be available on DVD May 24, 2016 for the suggested retail price of $19.99.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Beyond the Known Universecontains the following episodes:

Disc 1:

Beyond the Known Universe – The Turtles meet a strange alien robot called the Fugitoid.
The Moons of Thalos 3 – When the Turtles crash land on an ice moon along with the enemy, they must put their differences aside to survive.
The Weird World of Wyrm – When Casey discovers a hypercube, he unleashes a fourth-dimensional being, Wyrm.
The Outlaw Armaggon – When Lord Dregg hires a bounty hunter to destroy the Turtles, the team flees to an abandoned space station.
Riddle of the Ancient Aeons – The Turtles find themselves on a planet of pure evil.
Journey to the Center of Mikey’s Mind – When microscopic aliens invade Mikey’s mind, the Turtles have to chase them through the strange world of Mikey’s subconscious.
The Arena of Carnage – The Turtles are captured and thrown into the Triceraton Arena!

Disc 2:

The War for Dimension X – The Turtles have to gain the trust of the Utrom Council to find the next piece of the Black Hole Generator.
The Cosmic Ocean – The Turtles journey through an ocean-like area of space.
Trans-Dimensional Turtles – The Turtles are transported to another dimension, where they meet their ’80s alternate-reality counterparts.
Revenge of the Triceratons – Donatello is feeling inferior to Fugitoid, but his intellect is put to the test when the Triceratons attack!
The Evil of Dregg – When Raphael loses his fighting mojo, he must overcome his feelings to save his brothers from certain doom.
SPECIAL FEATURE – TMNT: Kicking Shell & Taking Names – Series recap.

I received this DVD for review, and my 4 year old son was thrilled. He is a BIG Ninja Turtles fan. He has most of the action figures and playsets. He couldn’t wait to grab some popcorn and watch this. I must say this DVD set kept hime entertained for a long time. He loved all of the action, the new characters and also loved how the Turtles help others and help each other. If you have a child who loves Ninja Turtles, they will love this DVD set!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Beyond the Known Universe Fast Facts

Street Date: May 24, 2016

Catalog: 59177142000 (US); 59177143000 (CAN)

Running Time: 304 Minutes

S.R.P. $19.99

You can pre-order from Amazon.

Will you be picking up the latest TMNT DVD from Nickelodeon?

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

TurnerMAX – the 21st Century Sports Sensation

May 11, 2016 By Anne

It’s only a decade since the company was launched. But it goes to Turner Sports UK’s credit that it has executed incredible sales to the tune of 500,000 products. TurnerMAX is the brand the company has projected and popularized. The company specializes in all sorts of equipment including boxing, martial arts, MMA, weightlifting etc. Only 10 percent warranty claims have been recorded in the history of this corporation. Since the company has done so well over the years, it has decided to deliver products in the United States of America as well. Going in is not easy as the competitors are already lined up to give them a tough time. As the saying goes “Don’t lose hope, it is a great thing you have to have in life”, so staying hopeful and being patient is the key to success.

Product Diversity:

Boxing:

Boxing gloves start from a minimal price of $7.23 in USA and £4.99 in UK.
They are made from leather and poly vinyl material.
Shock absorbent
Various sizes are available to suit your needs
Bag mitts, boxing gloves, hand wraps, inner gloves, novelty gloves, and clothing, punch bags, punch pads, and kick pads, Muay Thai pads.
Speed balls are a necessity

Boxing gloves are available in all sizes. The ladies gloves are an integral part of this organization. Since most of the celebrities are working on getting in shape, more and more ladies are entering into the field of boxing. TurnerMAX Bag mitts are the first thing introduced by Turner Sports UK. Mitts are used on the punch bags and you can wear them with hand wraps depending on the intensity of your boxing workout. Boxing gloves from this prestigious enterprise are simply mind blowing. The gloves are made from leather, I prefer leather over any other material. The gloves of non-leather material are also pretty handy and useful. Before putting on these gloves you should always wear hand wraps to ensure the safety of your hands, wrists and knuckles. Moreover inner gloves also perform a similar function, “safety” of the hands. Boxing gloves come in various weights, the more the weight the better is the overall padding and even a slower punch gives the right results. If you are a pro, you need the 10oz size boxing gloves. For kids or junior boxers, TurnerMAX sparring gloves weigh 6oz to 10oz. For adults the boxing size varies between 10oz to 16oz. Sparring gloves are used during the practice sessions inside or outside the ring for flawless hand and foot movement. Anyhow the company makes some sparring gloves that have proved their mettle with the passage of time. The idea behind the weight of the gloves is to make you use heavier gloves during the practice periods so that in the actual fight you can keep your hands up for a longer time and keep hitting the opponent.

Speedballs are there to improve your hand-eye coordination and agility during the real fight. Various speed balls are available in different colours with various brackets to stick them up to your walls. In USA TurnerMAX now provides its wide range of products straight through amazon. Now you can order any of the items you like from the website and get them right at your doorstep.

Clothing and Apparel

The proper clothing is necessary if you want to adopt boxing as a serious sport. This company offers an attractive range of proper boxing shorts in red, blue, black and white as these colours are what you fancy in a boxing match. Different sizes are available – choose the size that is right for you. On top of everything the shorts are economical compared to other brands. TurnerMAX rules if you talk about quality.

Medicine Balls:

The company makes some of the coolest medicine balls that will not only help build up your muscles but also will be beneficial for your abs and lower back.

Punch Bags

They are also hot-selling items on the site www.turner-sports.co.uk. There are several types of punch bags – leather, canvas, maize, rexion and shaped. Choose your desired punch bag from a wide range of these extraordinary bags. To hook them up proper brackets can be bought from the site as well.

One of their latest client has remarked, “TurnerMAX’s punch bags are not only highly reliable but also extremely durable and free of all the usual glitches. I have been using them for the last 6 months and I found them to my entire satisfaction”.

Protective Equipment:

All these combat sports can hurt you seriously if you don’t wear the protective gear.

Back supports can be called the spine supports; help the patients recover quickly after a lower back injury
Groin protection – is a must in case your opponent hits you below the belt.
Elasticated supports – these support weak or injured ankles, knees, wrists hence necessary.
Head guards help in the protection of your head from severe blows.
Boxing body armour is available in different sizes as well.
Shin and insteps are basically part of martial arts and they help in the protection of your knees, feet and legs.

All this protective equipment is part and parcel of boxing and martial arts because injury is the worst thing happening to a player or a novice. Whether you are an amateur or a professional you are all bound by obligation to wear the above mentioned items in order to stay safe from injuries.

Martial Arts:

This also falls under the category of combat sport. Martial arts is learned by individuals, men and women, to stay fit as well as agile. A lot of women enter into this sport to learn self-defense moves. Karate has its special white uniform which looks graceful and if you are a Karate enthusiast you should try the uniforms made by TurnerMAX. They are absolutely comfortable and the stuff that is used in their manufacturing is of top quality. Karate belts are available in different colours.

Muay Thai:

Kick Boxing Pants:

These are yet another marvel this company produces for the kick boxing aspirants. Muay Thai is also a similar sport and TurnerMAX provides the best Muay Thai shorts in striking colours and high comfort level.

Training Pads:

These pads are used to train the individuals to get the right punch or the right jab. Your jabs become so powerful and efficient that you invariably deliver the point that scores. Kick pads are also available at cheap prices, jumping, kicking and punching all you can do until you get tired.

MMA:

MMA shorts are the first thing you need if you are going to train for MMA. Then there are training pants which are basically used for kick boxing. All this stuff is smooth and silky to avoid any uncomfortable experience. Grappling gloves for MMA provide the safety during fights.

Fitness:

Fitness items are there to keep you fit and on a par with the challenges the world has to offer. Fitness training gear includes pedometers, stop watches, chest expanders, door gym bars, flexi rods, gym balls, hand grippers, push up bars, sauna sweat suits, sit up door bars and yoga mats. All these items increase your fitness levels and can be used both at home and the gym.

Gym gloves are important to be used inside a gym during workouts. They give you a firmer grip when lifting weights. These gloves also reduce the amount of blisters which happen when training with weights. Skipping ropes are available in a rainbow of colours and they are also used to stay fit. For juniors and adults, these ropes help them exercise and stay in shape. Apart from that the weight and dumbbells of different sizes are offered at Turner Sports UK.

Weight lifting accessories are present at their site. The leather used in the weightlifting gloves is of premium quality. They can take a lot of wear and tear.

Focus Pads/Strike Shields and Thai pads:

Focus pads are used to train boxers for the fights. Strike shields are also used for similar purposes except for kicking as well. Again Muay Thai pads can be used for many types of combat sports.

Once you try TurnerMAX, you’ll be hooked on it forever. Here at Turner Sports UK, the guys are working day and night to maintain the quality standards of all the items. They are not only interested in making a personal profit but they also think in terms of the mankind in general, particularly the boxers. Boxing, in this age of worries and tensions is a complete exercise which takes care of every part of the human body, not only the hands and the legs but also the human mind.