Book Review: Boss Up! by Lindsay Teague Moreno

*this post contains strong language & affiliate links

You guys . . .this book.

Let me be perfectly transparent here . . .I haven't actually MET Lindsay in person . . . yet. But I have stalked her on the interwebs for YEARS now! I think the moment I fell in love with her was watching a video she did in a Young Living series from Diamond Leaders. There was something in they way she spoke, that went straight to my heart. I immediately "Googled" her, and followed her EVERYWHERE. A Stalker is Born.

From what I've seen, Lindsay is one of those people in the world that you either love, or you don't. She's no-nonsense and wildly successful. Not gonna lie, it's really easy to feel the green-eyed jealousy monster creep in when you see her Barbie Dream House. But part of Lindsay's magic, is she shares how she got there. She's totally transparent (well maybe not 100% - but damn close) and authentic.

Seeking Balance in an Unbalanced World

Oola.

That's a funny word right? I heard it for the first time about a year or so ago and thought it was odd. Then I found out it's related to Oo-la-la. Ok then. . . but what does it all MEAN???

Oo' - la \ n. adj. \ 1 a: a state of awesomeness b: a Life that is balanced and growing in the key areas of health, finances, career, relationships and well-being c: a destination (i.e.,  getting to Oola) 2 a: describing actions, insights and goals that lead to a balanced life (ex: That's so Oola.) 3 a: the ultimate plan for achieving balance in an unbalanced world.

I first came across this word in my education of essential oils and Young Living (by the way, this post includes affilate links - thank you for your support). I read the first book from the Oola Guys,  Ooola, Find Balance in an Unbalanced World and I was intrigued by not only their story of self discovery, but of their relationship and dynamic. You see, there is the Oola Guru (Troy Amdahl) and the Oola Seeker (Dave Braun).  They have a history . . .they have a theory . . .they have a plan, but best of all, they have RESULTS. 

Kids and Yoga

We've been hearing for a while now, that yoga is good for us. In our quest for a healthy lifestyle, we should include yoga in our routines. Yoga has been found to increase our flexibility, help us lose weight, improve respiration, vitality and energy, and provide many more mental and physical benefits to our bodies and minds.

What is yoga? Yoga is formally defined as: a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation. But more often, yoga is defined as an ancient science of mind, body and spirit. 

How Are You Really Spending Your Time?

Have you ever done one of those trackers, where you write down what you do every 15 minutes for a few days? I admit that I have not, but I think it would be truly eye-opening to see exactly where your time goes during the day. I think we are hard on ourselves for "wasting time", when we may have less available time than we think we do (not to say we aren't wasting time on Facebook or Instagram).

In February, we had an electric car on loan. One of the features of this car was a setting that would tell you how long you had been driving, and it was cumulative until you reset it. In a month, I spent 40 hours behind the wheel. That's an entire work week! We only took one long-trip, which was about 3 hours. Where on earth was I going for those other 37 hours?? Dropping my kids off, picking them up, sports, clubs, meetings, volunteer responsibilities, grocery shopping, dry cleaning pick up, etc.

Influencer Marketing for Dummies {w. giveaway}

The digital world moves fast. It seems as if there's a new platform to check out every week. As a blogger, online influencer and social media consultant, it's my job to keep up with the trends and learn new platforms as they hit the market. Being able to offer brands my knowledge, makes my influence more marketable. Businesses, both large and small, need to find a way to navigate all these sources of potential customers, clients and fans. Influencer marketing can play a big part in that navigation.

What is influencer marketing? According to the new book, Influencer Marketing for Dummies, "influencer marketing is the art and science of engaging people who are influential online to share brand messaging with their audiences in the form of sponsored content." In essence, it's how a brand contacts people like me, to help share their messaging with my audience.

Book Review - Drawing Conclusions by Deirdre Verne

This post may contain affiliate links. I am a book lover. While everyone else is binge watching something on Netflix, I am happy to curl up with my iPad and devour the latest mystery by one of my favorite authors.

But not just any book will do - I am particular about what I read. I'm not generally a fan of "chick lit," but every once in a while I'll read a good one that resonates with me. I also don't care for deep, meaning-filled books - it may sound shallow, but I don't read fiction to become a better person.

I tend to stick to mysteries with female lead characters. I read legal thrillers, cozies and suspense mysteries . . . but most of the time, it will be a book by a familiar author, with a character I adore - in other word a series. But all series start somewhere - right?

The latest series to hit my shelves is A Sketch in Time Mystery Series from Dierdre Verne. I received a copy of her first book, Drawing Conclusions to read and see what I thought. I am always hesitant to accept a book for review, as I am very particular. But the summary overview sounded right up my alley.

Truth be told, the story started off a little shaky for me . . . I was worried I couldn't relate to the dumpster-diving main character, CeCe Prentice. By chapter three, I couldn't put the book down. Not only did Dierdre create likeable (dare I say loveable) characters, she dropped them in an interesting location and filled the plot line with twists and turns to keep you coming back for more. While I may have never gone dumpster diving, nor can I draw worth a darn, I could relate to many of CeCe's traits, and would love to call her a friend.

In addition to great character development, my favorite books, usually have some "real life" interesting aspect to them. Even though a book is fiction, I enjoy some little tidbits that I can take into my own life, and Drawing Conclusions was no different. I found myself Googling genetics and farming throughout the book. I can't wait to see what CeCe and the other inhabitants of Harbor House are up to next! And please - more kisses for CeCe and Frank! 

So if you are looking for a great book to add to your beach bag this summer, I would definitely recommend Drawing Conclusions from Deirdre Verne! And here's a chance to get a FREE COPY for yourself! Good Luck!

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What are you reading this summer?

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I received a copy of the book, Drawing Conclusions, but as always all opinions are my very own.

Giving the Gift of Wisdom this Graduation Season

This post was sponsored by author T. A. Barron and was inspired by his gift book “The Wisdom of Merlin: 7 Magical Words for a Meaningful Life.” All opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Graduation season is upon us. All over the United States, kids are graduating from pre-school, kindergarten, Eighth Grade, High School and College. Caps and gowns, pretty dresses and ties are all being discussed. Blogs and Pinterest are full of graduation gift ideas for that special grad in your life. Around here, we are celebrating an upcoming 8th grade graduation. It seems such a right of passage, leaving childhood behind for his first big steps into the "real world." It's both exciting and a bit scary.

I remember my own eighth grade graduation, and high school and college . . . they were times of great joy, but also a bit of apprehension of what was to come. Whether you're moving from one school to the next, or moving from college on to the rest of your life, it's a big step with changes and new responsibilities and challenges. Wouldn't it be awesome if we could give them a gift they could use every day for the rest of their lives?  Something powerful and nurturing; what if we could give them the gift of wisdom?

According to the dictionary, Wisdom is "the quality of having experience, knowledge and good judgement." There's no reason why you can't give the gift of wisdom to your graduate. Or at least a little bit of wisdom, passed on from you to them. I've decided that I'm going to get this quote printed and framed for my own graduate this year - it's something I want him to think about and remember.

Thinking about the graduate(s) in your life, how could you provide their future with some wisdom and inspiration? Maybe a Pocket Compass to lead them on to success?

Or this pretty Dream Achieve Believe Bracelet?

My graduate is a reader, and I'm leaning towards a good book that he can dive into this summer (besides required summer reading) to get ready for high school. I was introduced to the latest book by T. A. Barron and I'm thinking it may be a perfect choice.

T. A. Barron's new book, "The Wisdom of Merlin: 7 Magical Words to a Meaningful Life", features 8 key principles for leading a meaningful life and is appropriate for all ages. This book is the wizard Merlin’s answer to the question “What is the meaning of life?” Surprisingly, the answer has only seven words, but they are the most powerful words of all. A teacher I know, picks one book each year as her standard graduation gift - this book would be a great choice!

Inspiring our future leaders is a wonderful gift we can give from our hearts, every day. What's the best piece of wisdom or advice you ever received?

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3 Ways I'm Choosing Happiness Every Day {#ChoosingHappiness}

Happiness is one of my favorite topics. And today I’m excited to be a Happiness Crusader and join over 100 women in spreading the message of #ChoosingHappiness to women around the world.

Today, bestselling publisher Linda Joy released Inspiration for a Woman’s Soul: Choosing Happiness featuring the soul-inspiring stories of 27 amazing women who share their intimate stories of transformation.  I don't know about you, but reading how "real-life" women manage to choose happiness makes it see a little more attainable to me.
 
Choosing Happiness also includes Reflection Questions after each story which will empower you to integrate the vital lessons of each woman’s journey into your own life. Sort of like a build in Journal - isn't that fun? AND for a limited time, you can get over 40 transformational gifts with your copy of Choosing Happiness. You can grab your copy today: http://bit.ly/Happiness_Book

Why am I choosing to be a Happiness Crusader?  Well you may recall that my One Little Word for 2015 is JOY and this reflection on finding my own happiness, letting go and loving myself, is a great reminder to me to keep seeking joy. It's not easy. In fact, after only six weeks, I am finding that remembering to acknowledge and find the joy in life is hard. Like so many things - it takes practice and a conscious effort.

3 Ways I'm Choosing Happiness Every Day

1.  Turning off work after 9:30pm. That's reasonable right? By setting up office hours and blocking my work schedule each day, I am pledging to stop working at 9:30 each evening. That gives me time to spend with my husband after the kids are in bed, read and unwind from my day.

2.  Filling my home with uplifting scents.  Did you know that what you smell can really affect your mood? With a big nod to aromatherapy, I'm planning to diffuse some wonderfully uplifting essential oils during my work day and into the evenings with my family.

3.  Letting Go. This is a hard one for me. I tend to want to "solve" disagreements or problems at the time they are happening. What I am finding (particularly in raising a teenager) is that by letting it go for a bit, a better solution rises to the top and I feel better about the way I handled it in hindsight. 


Order ‘Inspiration for a Woman’s Soul: Choosing Happiness’ today and receive thousands in bonus gifts from over 40 visionary women. Limited Time Only! http://bit.ly/Happiness_Book

I invite you to share how you choosing happiness moment in the comments below.

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Menu Plan Monday - 2015 Week 2 Plus Ideas for Recharging Your Family Dinners

With a brand new year underway, many of us are making the commitment to get back to family dinners. It's not easy, but research tells us it's good for our kids and our families. But in this crazy world of after-school sports and activities and late nights at the office, how can one family gather around the table for a healthy meal all at the same time?

It's not easy - it takes a little organization and a little commitment, but with some tips and ideas, it's entirely possible - I promise. I was recently sent an advance copy of the new book Home for Dinner by Dr. Anne Fishel, co-founder of The Family Dinner Project, and this was just the jump-start I needed to get my family back to the table and on the family dinner track.

Not only is the book full of ideas for GETTING your family to the table, it also has a great selection of recipe ideas and better yet, ideas for getting the conversation going. Because once we're all AT the table. . .there's no telling what could happen. I found the Managing Conflict section to be particularly interesting. My kids are spaced in ages, 14 and 8 . . .so finding an all-age-appropriate topic can be a challenge. Also, let's not even get into teenager moods (look for that post later in the year). Technology at the table? That's a no-no, but a 2012 study discussed in the book, found that adults use technology at the table twice as much as kids!

By far, my favorite chapter in the book is Chapter 7: Telling Stories to Promote Empathy, Self-Esteem, Resilience and Enjoyment.  Maybe it's the scrapbooker in me, or this quote, "consider a family of four and their story-generating capability" RIGHT?? The book continues to give suggestions for story starters (like a conversation starter jar perhaps) for grown-ups and kids alike.

The book is available on January 7th, but here's a little preview just for you:

Home for Dinner: Mixing Food, Fun, and Conversation from FSB Associates

With all this inspiration for Menu Plan Monday, this week we are trying out two new recipes and we are shaking up a family favorite. We're also turning over a new family dinner leaf this week and returning to the dining room table for dinner. And with that plan, here's what's on the menu for this week:

Monday - Garlic Parmesan Shrimp, Caesar Salad, Rice
Tuesday -  Taco Tuesday with Taco Potato Boats, Guacamole and corn
Wednesday - Broccoli Cheese Soup, Salad and Bread
Thursday - Homemade Chicken Tenders and Cutlets
Friday -Pizza Night
Saturday and Sunday - TBD

What's for dinner at your house this week?

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This post is linked up at I'm An Organizing Junkie for Menu Plan Monday. Check it out for more meal planning ideas and inspiration. I received a FREE copy of Home for Dinner in order to facilitate this review. I was not compensated and as always, all opinions are my very own.

Writing Your Memoir - Can you do it? Should you?

Have you ever thought about writing your memoir? Maybe like me, you've felt for a long time that there is a book inside you somewhere. I believe that is what really got me started in Blogging. I've wanted to write a book for as long as I can remember.

My problem? What to write about. It's even a stumbling block I face when blogging, there is just SO MUCH in the world, how on earth do I narrow it down?

So I was intrigued when presented with the opportunity to review, "How to Write a Memoir in 30 Days" by Dr. Roberta Temes.

Keep Up Your Kids Math Skills Over Summer Vacation

Do your kids get "Summer Packets" from school? These packets are intended to keep kids' skills sharp during the summer slump. Research indicates that kids can lose 2 months of grade level equivalency in math computation skills over summer vacation. 2 months - that's a lot.

One way to combat that slump is to keep learning through the summer months, but let's face it, no one wants to feel like they are in school over summer vacation. That's why we have to employ some fun ideas and strategies to keep learning going, but make it fun. We have a pretty great reading strategy for the summer already, but ee received a pair of Bedtime Math books to review, and it dawned on me that these are the perfect antidote for summer math slide for BOTH the kids.

These books have activities for all ages - but don't have listed ages - they refer to the challenges as for "Wee Ones",  "Little Kids" and "Big Kids". The second book, includes a bonus question for each challenge. Oh and don't let the name fool you - you can play these math games any time of the day! And if you need help with your own math skills, the answers are on the pages (tiny print and upside down).

Here's a peek into one of the challenges:

So you can see how fun this can be and how much creativity you can have with your kids! There's no doubt that we need to be thinking about the next generation of adults, and ensuring that we are giving them a well-rounded educational background. Learning really can be fun, and these books can help you get started and inspire you. Want to try a problem and see? Watch this:



What do you do to keep your kids learning over the summer break?

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This post contains affiliate links - thank you for your support of this website.

Book Review: Aloha Also Means Goodbye

Confession - I am particular about books. Yes, I refuse to read Harry Potter and Fifty Shades of Gray, because everyone has read them. I love to read - it's how I would choose to spend a day, and before I had kids, I would sit down with the latest Lisa Scottoline and not stop reading until I finished. Those days are on hold for a bit longer, but not my passion for reading.

While I tend to read the same type of books (mysteries with a female sleuth), and have a cadre of authors that I rely on to keep my library full of new things, occasionally, something "different" sneaks in. My most recent something different is Aloha Also Means Goodbye by my friend, and fellow blogger, Jessica Rosenberg.

I was nervous when I requested to review Jessica's book - because it's out of my "normal" and I didn't want to let her down. Well never fear, this book hooked me about 10 pages in and kept my attention until I read every word. Jessica has a real way with dialogue and weaving a story. Just when you think it's a predictable story, she throws you a curve. It's a quick, fun read and PERFECT for your beach or pool bag this summer!

Aloha Also Means Goodbye is the story of a girl, Jo, who heads to Hawaii to renew her wedding vows with Jordan, the man who saved her when she was beyond broken. When she arrives on the island she discovers that Andy, part of the reason she needed fixing, is there too. With the help of her two best friends, and despite the meddling of her mother, Jo has to face down her past in order to move on with her future.

This book was released in November, digitally to Kindle - but it will be available in paper format and available on Amazon beginning June 1st! This is Jessica's first novel, although she'd been blogging at http://itsjessicaslife.com for a long time. Jessica is the mom of two little girls, living in Northern California.

Guess what?? Aloha Also Means Goodbye is now an award winning novel too! The novel took silver in the Independent Publisher Book Awards in the erotica/romance ebook category. (Don't worry it is NOT erotica.)

What have you read lately?

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Please note this post contains an affiliate link - thanks for your support.

Book Review - Steeped in Evil by Laura Childs

Have you ever wanted to spend an afternoon in a quaint tea shop, learning about teas and enjoying delicious treats? That's exactly what you will do (in your imagination) when you read one of Laura Child's Tea Shop Mysteries.

Steeped in Evil is the fifteenth Tea Shop Mystery in the series featuring entrepreneur and girl-detective, Theodosia Browning. I long to be Theodosia when I grow up, or at least have her as a BFF. She has a great mind for business, as well as a strong sense of right and wrong. Her keen intelligence and wit, make you want to settle into the Indigo Tea Shop for an afternoon.

Laura Childs has created an enchanted Tea Shop in Charleston, South Carolina. She has filled it with Theodosia, and her cohorts Drayton and Haley. In every book, Drayton shares his vast experience with and knowledge of teas with the reader. Haley delights your culinary senses with savory and sweet treats that seem too good to be true. Lucky for us, Laura Childs includes plenty of tea information, recipes and tea party ideas in each book. 

In Steeped in Evil, we get a glimpse into South Carolina winery life. In true cozy fashion, someone dies and our heroine must match wits with a killer in order to get to the bottom of things and see justice served. Laura Childs drops hints along the way, but does a lovely job of keeping you  guessing throughout the story. If you are a Downton Abbey fan, you'll want to read it for tips on how to have your own Downton Abbey Tea, and delicious recipes too.

I thoroughly enjoyed Steeped in Evil, and haven't begun to tire of this magical series. If you enjoy mysteries, southern fiction and/or tea, I'm sure you'll enjoy Steeped in Evil, and the entire Tea Shop series.

Be on the look out for the next book in the Tea Shop Mysteries, Ming Tea Murder.

catch you soon -

This post contains an Amazon Affiliate Link for Steeped in Evil.

Book Review - The Long Quiche Goodbye

{this post has affiliate links}

I love to read. My perfect day would entail curing up on the couch with a good book for hours. There are several authors that I read regularly, but every once in  a while I am stumped for what to read. On a recent suggestion from Amazon, I picked up the first book in Avery Aames' cheeseshop series, The Long Quiche Goodbye.

The book centers around Charlotte, a young woman who is taking over her grandparent's cheeseshop. Along with her cousin and some friends, Charlotte not only has to get the newly renovated shop up and running, but she has to help prove her grandmother's innocence. During the grand opening of the cheesehop, someone used one of Charlotte's cheese knives to do away with the town scourge.  There is no shortage of suspects, Charlotte doesn't think the local police, are moving fast enough with the mayoral election coming up, so she starts asking questions and putting pieces of the puzzle together. Ed wasn't very well liked, but everyone seems to have an alibi except Charlotte's grandmother. There are some fun twists and turns, and a bit of romance in the air.

My favorite parts, hand-down, were the discussions about cheeses and wines. There is plenty of useful and interesting information woven into the storyline and plot. Along with a few recipes in the back of the book as well.

Overall, I was pleased with this new author's debut in the series, and I'm planning to pick up the next one soon. It was a quick and pleasant read with likeable characters, great imagery and a good story.

What are you reading?

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A Great Book - A Great Gift

 Q: Why are so many people afraid of spiders?

A: We're not born afraid of spiders. It's something we learn. Some scientists think humans are naturally worried about animals that move quickly, as spiders do, and the fact that some spiders are poisonous certainly adds to the fear factor.

Lots of people I know give books for holiday gifts. It's a wonderful idea, and books can be enjoyed and shared for years to come. We received a copy of the latest edition of TIME for Kids Big Book of Why:Crazy, Cool & Outrageous and lately, and the boys and I agree that this book would make an awesome holiday gift.

Crazy Technology Fact: If there are aliens out in space, they could listen to radio shows from long ago. TV and radio signals are still traveling through sapce, as are cell phone calls.

This book is filled with more than 1,000 fascinating facts.  So if you have kids like I do, that are always seeking answers and finding out how things work, this is perfect.

This book is a follow-up to the first Big Book of Why, and has 192 pages of new and interesting content. The book is divided by subject area - the human body, animals, nature, the Earth, space, science, technology, transportation, US and world history, world culture, arts and media and sports and games. Each answer is accompanied by a full-color photo or illustration.

Outrageous Nature Fact: Flowers are supposed to smell sweet, right? Well, don't get a whiff of the massive Titan arum. This plant, which only flowers every four to six years, smells like rotting meat!

If your kids get TIME for Kids at school, they may really enjoy having this book at home to explore. It's available from www.timeforkids.com/why and retailers nationwide. This book would also make a great birthday or classroom gift.

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Disclosure - I received a complimentary copy of this book to facilitate this review. As always, all opinions are my very own.

Book Review: Weelicious Lunches by Catherine McCord

I may not be an expert in the kitchen, but I enjoy putting healthy and delicious food out for my family. Thanks to the Yo-Getter program I belong to with Stonyfield, I had the opportunity to review Catherine McCord's new book, Weelicious Lunches, and share my thoughts with you.

Catherine McCord is the founder of the popular website weelicious.com, a 2013 Babble Top 100 Mom Food Blog. The premise of this book is to provide "out of the box" healthy ideas for your kids for lunch. I don't know about you, but packing kid lunches drives me to distraction.

Gratitude and Taking Time to Tell Others That They are Awesome

"It's the small things."

We've all heard it, many of us have probably said it. But what does it mean? What are those "small things?" I think of it as gratitude. We all have so many things to be grateful for, even on our worst day. A sun to warm the earth (if you really need to stretch to think of something), a polite sales person, children that clean up their toys (a mom can dream-right?).

All of these things are small things that we can be grateful for. A few years ago, my One Little Word was "gratitude" and I used a gratitude journal app to record something I was grateful for each day. Oprah started this "trend" several years ago, as a way to see the world around you and take in the "bigger picture."

So now that we're grateful for people in our lives, how do we thank them? Thank you notes, while still important, are a bit "old school". And it seems too stuffy to break out an ivory engraved card to say thanks to your husband for picking up your favorite dress at the dry cleaners. But just saying "thanks" isn't always enough.

So how about if you left him this?

How fun could that be? This is just one of 50 perforated sheets in the new book (FYI I received a copy of this little book to share) by Alexandra Franzen, "50 Ways to Say You're Awesome". Not only are there 50 of these cool tear-out notes, but she also gives you suggestions of how to use them. It's a fun and colorful book with endless possibilities for paying it forward.

Think about all the possibilities of saying "Thank you - you rock!" The book would make a wonderful birthday, shower or anniversary gift too.

What are some unique ways you've told people they're awesome?

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disclosure - I received a copy of the book mentioned above to facilitate this post. I was not compensated for my time nor for this post, and as always all opinions are my very own.

Book Review: Monument to the Dead by Sheila Connolly

Book Review: Monument to the Dead, by Sheila Connolly. I'm currently reading this book, it's the fourth one in the museum mystery book series. The series  is based in Philadelphia, and centers around Nell Pratt, President of the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society.

This is definitely not a thriller, but rather falls into the "cozy" genre of mystery books. If you have perused the mystery section lately, you may find as I did, that there is a series fit for almost every hobby or interest out there.

I love to read and I read a couple books a month. I enjoy fiction books, especially ones that are Philadelphia based. This latest one centers around the arts and philanthropy in Philadelphia, and fits my female sleuth requirement as well. For some reason, I just don't care for books with a male lead character.

For more details about the story, I hope you'll watch this video review (don't worry I won't give away the ending!) :



So tell me, what are you reading this summer? Fiction books? Non-Fiction books? Both? Do you read any series or books relevant to where you live?  Some of my favorite authors that write Philadelphia based books are: Lisa Scottoline, Sheila Connolly, Gillian Roberts and Nancy Martin.

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This post contains affiliate links.

Book Review: Social Media Engagement for Dummies

I recently received a copy of the new Social Media Engagement for Dummies book written by two women that I admire so much and am so honored to call friends, Aliza Sherman and Danielle Smith.

While I have been working in Social Media for three years now, like any profession, there is always room to improve your skills. And it's great to keep up with the changes and technical aspects of networks like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. . .the real key though, in my opinion, is the engagement.

Social and Engagement just go together. . .like peanut butter and jelly. It's not social to send out link after link after link with no hint of engagement.

Now I also realize that not everyone is a social butterfly, and it doesn't come naturally or easily to some.  That's where the lessons and ideas in Aliza and Danielle's book come in. These savvy social ladies tell you how to connect with prospects and turn them into customers and how to use social networks to engage your customers.

Did you see the words connect and engage? Those words are about bringing the social to social media, and that's exactly what I strive to do for every client, brand and person that I work with.

I particularly love the way this book is broken up. It starts off with the basics of engagement. The basics always seem like such a good place to start - doesn't it? Then it moves into four elements of social media engagement. There is a lot of solid information in the first 135 pages, before they even discuss any particular social networks.

Have no fear, these ladies cover the current top social engagement tools, as well as providing information on leveraging audio and video. Many in the field believe that video popularity has only begun, as witnessed by the incredible popularity of Vine and Instavideo.

Anyone that's using Social Media will not want to miss Chapter 17, Ten Social Media Engagement Mistakes to Avoid. I am sure YOU are not making any. . .but just in case. =)

This book definitely gets 2-thumbs up from me. It's a must-read for those both new to social media, as well as those seasoned "gurus" and "experts", and a welcome addition to any business library. I already have corners turned down and Post-it flags all over the place.

What's your best Social Media Engagement advice? I'd love you to share it in the comments.

catch you soon -

Being Prepared and What That Means for You and Your Family

This post contains a review of the ebook,  "The Untrained Housewife's Guide: Getting Prepared" by Robin Egerton with Angela England, from Untrained Housewife. I received a complimentary download to facilitate my review, however, as always, all opinions are my very own.

Can you ever be "too prepared"?

My answer is no . . .however I must confess that I am better prepared for some things over others. For instance, I have an emergency bag in my car. It contains, band aids, plastic bags, toilet paper, Neosporin, hand sanitizer and tissues, among other perceived "necessities". We are not prepared to shelter in place for more than a day or two - and even that is shaky.

I also consider myself to be a "Type-A' kind of gal . . .so I jumped at the chance to read "The Untrained Housewife's Guide: Getting Prepared" and squealed like a little girl when I saw that the first chapter was titled, "Preparing to Prepare".

Here's some food for thought. . .what if you had to "survive" for 30 days without power - could you do it? How about 72 hours? It seems crazy in our modern world full of conveniences, but if you live in Tornado Alley or rode out Hurricane Sandy on the East Coast, you know it's possible, if not probable. In fact, sometime in the last 45 years, the world has become an uncertain, somewhat crazy place. . .ok, truth be told, it always was. . .but seriously, tornado warnings in Pennsylvania? And after seeing the recent devastation in Oklahoma, I know for certain I am not made of sturdy enough stuff to live in a place where tornadoes happen on a regular basis. . .and not little spinning wafts of wind either - but Wizard of Oz and Twister sort of tornadoes.

I was an auditor for 20 years, and my favorite quote was, "Failing to plan is planning to fail." So while you may never need any of these preparedness tips, it doesn't hurt for you to read through, and think about what you may do if you have a large garden and animals (goats, chickens, llamas, etc) that you rely on for food and income, and there's a drought and water shortage. . .

A stockpile of canned soups and vegetables are a great idea. . .do you have a manual can opener? Do you know where it is? This is the type of practical advice you can find in the book, lending to better ways to live life everyday and still maintain a level of preparedness in case of an emergency. The information on Insurance coverage and tips on maintain good records is excellent and there is also a wonderful chapter on Canning Food for Storage, if that's something you are interested in.

Overall, this book delivers a wealth of practical information, from getting along during an extended power outage, to serious hunkering down after a natural or man-made disaster. There is a wonderful list of essential items for emergency situations, as well as essential items for a home first aid kit.

I'd love to know how you keep your family prepared for emergencies and disasters, leave a comment below!

catch you soon -

This post includes a review of the ebook, The Untrained Housewife's Guide: Getting Prepared by Robin Egerton with Angela England. I was not compensated for the post, I did receive a free download of the book in order to facilitate the review. As always, all opinions are my very own.