Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Food Shopping For The Family? Read This First To Keep Them Healthy!

Food shopping can be an expensive bill for a family. The average family of four spends over $750 a month on food for their family. It is a crazy amount which is leading families to be broke for the rest of the month. The common reason is that they are buying too much junk food. They are taken in by well-branded products which often can be expensive and unhealthy for your family. Therefore, you need to cut these choices and make healthy decisions. Before you go food shopping for the family, read this first to keep them healthy.


Plan in advance before you hit the store

It’s so easy to head to the store without writing a list of items you need. But that means you are often picking up food without considering what exactly you are going to make with it and how healthy it is. Therefore, to keep your family healthy, you should write down a plan of exactly what you need before you hit the store. Find some recipes for the next week which are nutritious and healthy for your family. You can then write down the specific ingredients you will need to create the dish. That way, you won’t stray to other items that aren’t necessary. Planning before you go will also mean you will spend less grocery shopping!

Shopping List, Leave, Pen, Hand, Message

Buy real fruit and vegetables

You will be surprised how many people buy frozen or tinned fruit and vegetables for their family. They are a lot more convenient to make and last a lot longer than fresh choices. However, they are taking away the natural goodness that you get in fresh fruit and vegetables. They are often packed full of additional ingredients that aren’t healthy in the slightest. Therefore, you should always buy real fruit and vegetables to keep your family healthy. You can often make a lot more by buying them fresh too. For example, a fresh potato, which is a good source of potassium and vitamin C, can be baked, mashed or roasted. If you just buy a packet of instant mash, you won’t get all these options!

Potatoes, Vegetables, Erdfrucht, Bio, Harvest

Make sure you don’t buy too much frozen food

Frozen food is an appealing option for moms. They can last ages in the freezer, and you can just take them out and use them when necessary. However, they are often unhealthy choices that could see your kids putting on weight. Therefore, you should ensure you are checking out the packets before making any purchases. That way, you can check the ingredients and make sure it’s a healthy choice for your family. Frozen pizza, for example, can often be full of additives, chemicals, and preservatives. Therefore, you should just make a fresh pizza which won’t take long. The kids can choose their toppings, and that way, you can control what’s going on the pizza.

Check the dates

It’s so essential that you check the dates of the food that you are buying. You don’t want to buy an item then when you cook it, you find it has gone rotten. Your child will get very ill if they consume it. Therefore, to keep your kids healthy, always buy food that has a long date. You will normally find bread and eggs with better dates near the back. After all, grocers want the ones that will be going off soonest to leave the store first. Then you need to make a note of the date so that you know when it needs to be thrown out. That way, it will stop you cooking something which went off days ago and will make your kids poorly!

Check non-branded items

You might be surprised to know that often the more expensive branded products can be unhealthy options. Therefore, don’t rule out buying the supermarket’s own brand when it comes to your food choices. Just make sure you check the fat and salt contents on the back of the item and then you can make a decision. If the brand is one you have never heard of before, you could always read about it quickly online to ensure it’s a good make. You will also save a lot of money by being flexible with your brand choices. And as this article says, they often taste just as good as their counterparts!

File:Supermarket full of goods.jpg

Make sure you check online for issues

It’s so important that you check online for issues on certain products. For example, there may be products that are making people unwell. Although they have hopefully been removed by the store already, at least you are aware so you don’t pick up these products. You should also keep your receipt safe after you have been shopping. That way, if something is recalled, you can take it back quickly to keep your family safe. You can learn from Unsafe Foods and other sites about current recalls and outbreaks.

Go when you have eaten

To keep your family healthy, you should always eat something before you go shopping. It will ensure you don’t make bad decisions as you are starving. If you are taking the kids with you, you need to make sure they aren’t hungry as well. By all being full, you won’t pick up junk food such as crisps and sweets as you are hungry.

Stick to fruit juices rather than soda

It’s so easy to head down the fizzy drinks aisle and pick up some form of soda. After all, the kids will be asking for it! But sofa is full of high sugar, and caffeine which dehydrates the body and can cause plaque to build up on teeth. Head towards the fruit juice aisle instead where there are so many delicious ones to try. Make sure it’s pure fruit juice though to keep your family healthy. I talked previously about a great organic fruit juice that my kid loves.

A Glass Of Juice, Fruit Juice, Juicy Citrus, Lemon

You need also to ensure any foods you buy are 100% real if you want to keep your family healthy. Therefore, you can avoid artificial ingredients which could be making your family unhealthy. As this feature reveals, you can always add salt or sugar yourself if necessary!



Monday, August 29, 2016

Bout of Books 17 Wrap Up

Bout of Books
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 22nd and runs through Sunday, August 28th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 17 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

I did decently this time around, I think. I didn't read as much as I would have liked with all the unpacking, family coming in for a visit, and personal life stuff going on. But I did manage to finish two books that I've needed to finish for a while, so I'll consider that a success. :)  How did you do?


POSTS
Event Sign Up | 8/13/16
Reading Updates | 8/25/16
Reading Updates | 8/27/16
Event Wrap-Up | 8/29/16

I COMPLETED
4/5 Challenges
8/9 Posts (Including Sign Up & Wrap Up)

I READ
Total Books: 2
Total Pages: 199

BOOKS FINISHED
The First Taste by Jessica Hawkins
Tryst by S.L. Jennings



Review: Tryst by S.L. Jennings

Tryst (Sexual Education, #2)
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: Tryst
Author: S.L. Jennings
Series: Sexual Education #2
Version Reviewed: Finished, eBook.
Website: www.sljenningsauthor.com
I purchased this book myself.

GoodReads Synopsis: 
Heidi DuCane is a tough-as-nails publicist with a passion for success and her husband Tucker. While they’re polar opposites, what they do have in common is a fierce love and commitment to each other. But their relationship—in and out of the bedroom—will be put to the ultimate test.

Rock superstar Ransom Reed is every woman’s fantasy, including Heidi’s. When she meets Ransom, she shares a wild night with him where Heidi gets to play—and Tucker watches, and enjoys, the pleasure Ransom gives Heidi. Though Tucker was a willing participant, Heidi still can’t help reeling with guilt. There’s no doubt that she loves her husband. While Tucker is the perfect lover—generous, attentive and gentle—she needs much more. She needs the mind-blowing ecstasy Ransom offers.
Tucker isn’t blind to the fact that Heidi has unconventional needs which he can’t satisfy. He loves his wife and will do anything to please her The night he watched her and Ransom was so scorching hot that Tucker can’t stop thinking about it. He decides he wants to join Ransom in pleasing Heidi. But as Tucker and Heidi soon realize, it’s not just the sex that is enticing. Heidi felt something within her awaken, and she felt so deliciously sated and loved by both men. Tucker felt it too, and he finds it impossible not to want that feeling again.

Ransom and Tucker satisfy a need within Heidi. And now that she’s had them, she can never go back to the way things were before.
Review:
Oh, this book. As soon as I finished Taint, I knew that I had to read Tryst once it was available. Taint was a great story so I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into this one.  And it didn't disappoint.

Tryst took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I was super excited at the prospect of Heidi and her husband experimenting with Ransom because I haven't read many threesome (or partners watching) scenarios in books and I couldn't wait to see how it was going to play out. That particular scene in the book was amazing although I always felt uncomfortable towards Tucker. There was just something about him that I didn't care for. Ransom, however, I always had a soft spot for. Maybe it was his bad boy rocker persona that attracted, who knows.

As the story continued to unfold I found myself constantly confused. I didn't like what Heidi was doing and it made me uncomfortable for the sake of her marriage and her husband, but at the same time, I liked the idea of her being with Ransom. As they got closer and closer, my heart continued to break for each of the three characters and I couldn't decide who I felt more devoted to. I still felt off about Tucker throughout the whole story, but that didn't mean I couldn't feel bad for him. I just wanted him to suck it up and tell his wife exactly what he wanted from her.

I was really happy to see that Justice and his Oasis was pulled into this story. It fit really well and brought up some of the hottest scenes in the entire story. His playroom was definitely something I would enjoy witnessing in real life.

Closer to the end of the book I found myself completely thrown for a loop. There was such an insane turn of events that I couldn't believe what I was reading. It was interesting, definitely, but I can't say that I was entirely sold on the ending. It worked in the way of not necessarily being a happily ever after (at least for the two characters I wanted to be together) and for giving the readers something a little unexpected, but heart still broke a little for how I wanted the story to end in my head.

Overall, a great, sexy read. If you've read Taint, you definitely need to dive into Tryst.

Rating: 4 Stars

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Bout of Books 17: Reading Updates

Bout of Books
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 22nd and runs through Sunday, August 28th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 17 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team


No challenge today but I did get a little reading in. So close to being done but I don't want Bout of Books to end!

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Day Five Reading Updates
Strikethrough = finishedThe First Taste by Jessica Hawkins
Tryst by S.L. Jennings (read 19 pages)

Total Books Finished: 1

Total Pages Read: 191

Friday, August 26, 2016

Bout of Books 17: Challenge #5 & Reading Updates

Bout of Books
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 22nd and runs through Sunday, August 28th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 17 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team


Had a birthday party to go to today and family came in. Also did a lot of unpacking. I swear it seems like my life can  be completely uneventful until Bout of  Books and then everything happens that week. Shew. :P I did manage to get a little bit read at the end of the night but haven't finished another yet. 

How was your day five?

Hosted by Janey Canuk
Book In A Song
So, you tell me what connections you have between a book and some music.  Anything goes, really.  Some suggestions to get you thinking:
  • Rename your book with a song
  • Give a lyric that sums up the plot of your book
  • A song or album that is forever associated with a particular books in your mind
So here is the lyrics that I chose!
Tryst by S.L. Jennings

And my lyric:
"Well, my girl's in the next room
Sometimes I wish she was you
I guess we never really moved on
It's really good to hear your voice saying my name
It sounds so sweet
Coming from the lips of an angel
Hearing those words it makes me weak
And I never wanna say goodbye
But girl you make it hard to be faithful
With the lips of an angel

It's funny that you're calling me tonight
And, yes, I've dreamt of you too
And does he know you're talking to me
Will it start a fight
No I don't think she has a clue
"
Hinder - Lips of An Angel


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Day Five Reading Updates

Strikethrough = finished
The First Taste by Jessica Hawkins
Tryst by S.L. Jennings (read 32  pages)

Total Books Finished: 1

Total Pages Read: 172

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Bout of Books 17: Challenge #4 & Reading Updates

Bout of Books
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 22nd and runs through Sunday, August 28th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 17 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team


Day four...

Hosted by The Book Junkie
Titles In The Tabloids
  • Think about the book you are reading or one that you finished during Bout of Books 17
  • Create a "tabloid" type headline.  Make it fun, feel free to use sarcasm liberally.  :)
So here is the book I chose!
The First Taste by Jessica Hawkins

And my tabloid title:
"New York's own manhater, Amelia Van Ecken, has been seen around the city fueling up on carbs and getting close to a sexy mechanic from Jersey. Who is this mysterious man she can't seem to keep her hands off of? Find out on page 69!"


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Day Four Reading Updates

Strikethrough = finished
The First Taste by Jessica Hawkins
Tryst by S.L. Jennings (read 18 pages)

Total Books Finished: 1

Total Pages Read: 140

Bout of Books 17: Reading Updates

Bout of Books
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 22nd and runs through Sunday, August 28th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 17 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Hey guys! This post is up a little later than I normally would post it, but oh well. My husband ended up getting a random day off work so I didn't get any reading done and at 11:55pm last night, as I was getting into bed, I realized that I hadn't done my post OR the challenge for the day!

So, unfortunately, I forgot to link up my progress for day two as well and now it won't count for that day towards the readathon giveaways. :(

Oh well. Hopefully today will turn out better. How did you guys do for day three?

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Day Three Reading Updates

Strikethrough = finished
The First Taste by Jessica Hawkins
Tryst by S.L. Jennings (read 17 pages)

Total Books Finished: 1

Total Pages Read: 139

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Bout of Books 17: Challenge #2 & Reading Updates

Bout of Books
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 22nd and runs through Sunday, August 28th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 17 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team


Day two is done! I haven't started a book from the beginning yet because I have a few that I've been reading for a couple weeks between moving and unpacking. I really need to finish some of those books so I'm using the Bout of Books motivation to get them done! I did manage to finish one book so I'm excited and decently on track! :)  How did you do on day two of the readathon? Are you on track, running behind, or just going along for the ride? Let me know in the comments!

Hosted by Bout of Books
Mix 'n Match
Pick out 10-15 books from your shelf, from your local library, or from a local bookstore. They can be any genre, any language, and any length. In each book, flip to a random page and pick the 1st word (articles such as "the", "and", "an", "or", etc. don't count as the 1st word). Use all these 1st words to try to create an actual sentence
So here are my words!
this
kill
eerie
back
down
church
married
Macy
relief
Snape

And my sentence:
"To kill relief, Macy and Snape married down in the back of this eerie church."

And the books I used:
Night of The Living Dummy by R.L. Stine
Impossible by Nancy Werlin
The Carniverous Cavern by Lemony Snicket
Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer
Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy
True Love by Thich Nhat Hanh
Dangerous Girls by R.L. Stine
Goddess by Josephine Angelini
Pride and Prejudice & Zombie by Seth Grahame-Smith
Harry Potter and The Cursed Child by JK Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne

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Day Two Reading Updates

Strikethrough = finished
The First Taste by Jessica Hawkins
Tryst by S.L. Jennings (read 17 pages)

Total Books Finished: 1

Total Pages Read: 139

Review: The First Taste by Jessica Hawkins

The First Taste
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: The First Taste
Author: Jessica Hawkins
Version Reviewed: ARC, eBook
Website: www.jessicahawkins.net
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

GoodReads Synopsis:
Andrew Beckwith has already devoted his life to one girl—and as far as he’s concerned, she’s all he needs. The rough-around-the-edges bad boy left his reckless ways behind six years ago when his daughter Bell was born. To the female population’s dismay, he’s unapologetically single. When Bell’s mother walked out on them years ago, he vowed never to let another woman close enough to hurt them again.
Amelia Van Ecken isn’t just another woman. She’s an independent, smart, and savvy businesswoman who doesn’t have time for sex, much less love. In the midst of a drawn-out, bitter divorce, all she wants is to bury herself in work. But when sharp-tongued Amelia and stubborn Andrew cross paths, sparks fly—and burn. Two things are obvious in an instant: they want each other, and they’re from different worlds. It’s the perfect formula for an off-the-charts one-night stand. After all, it’s not as if opposites ever attract.
Review:
Alright, so I was first introduced to Andrew Beckwith in the book Slip of The Tongue. That book completely ripped my heart out but Andrew played a very small role in the story. I was so insanely excited when Jessica Hawkins announced that she was giving him his own book.  Even with such a small role in the previous novel, he was easy to fall for. I mean, what's better than a badass, sexy man that happens to be great in the bedroom and is an awesome father to top it all off? Yeah, he was easy to fall for

In this story, we also get to learn a little more about another character that made an appearance in Slip of The Tongue, Amelia, who is the boss of Andrew's sister, Sadie.  I admit that I wasn't crazy about her before reading this book but it was so great to learn more about her character and begin to understand exactly why she has the personality that she does. She was a much more likeable character than I had originally given her credit for and it didn't take me long to fall in love with her as well.

The First Taste was an amazing book. It was a beautiful story of two people with nothing in common but their broken hearts and how they manage to find love and happiness in the most unlikely of places. I absolutely loved this book and I couldn't get enough of Andrew and Amelia.

Rating: 5 Stars.

Monday, August 22, 2016

Bout of Books 17: Challenge #1 & Reading Updates

Bout of Books
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 22nd and runs through Sunday, August 28th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 17 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

Yay! Another Bout of Books! I'm so excited to get some reading done and hopefully tick off some books I've been meaning to finish. We recently moved and still have a lot of unpacking to do but hopefully I'll be able to get some reading time in.

Are you participating in Bout of Books 17? If so, how was your first day? And if not... well, why not?
:)


Hosted by Writing My Own Fairytale
Book-To-Movie Adaptations
All I need you to do is share with us your favorite book-to-movie adaptation and your least favorite book-to-movie adaptation. You can give reasons for your answers or just names, it’s really up to you how much you share. 
So here are my choices!

Favorite - Harry Potter Series
My favorite of the entire series (book AND movie) is Goblet of Fire but I really love the rest of the books and movies as well. Understandably, the movies do have their differences from the books but this is like the one and only time that the differences don't bother me. I think the movies were done so well that they pair well with the books and create an experience all their own. I love the books and movies equally. The only real issue I have with the movies is "HARRYDIDYAPUTYERNAMEINTHEGOBLETOFFIYAH?RAWRRRR"
Seriously?

Least Favorite - Twilight
Okay, okay. So Twilight in general was always a love/hate thing with most of the population. But I, admittedly, was one of the crazy twi-hards. I fell in love with Twilight not long after the books came out and I couldn't get enough. It refreshed my love of reading and I was insanely excited when I learned a movie was being made and I couldn't wait to see it.
When the Twilight movie was first released, I fangirled like crazy and my love for the books completely overshadowed the fact that the movie really wasn't that good. I never did care for the blue tint that's thrown over the entire movie but I never realized how unhappy I was with how it was made until recently when I sat down to watch it and I found myself cringing constantly.
I just don't think the movie was made well. And the story is so insanely rushed that none of it works. There's none of the good story there and the characters were even slightly changed. Bella was supposed to be this shy, quiet girl and in one of the first scenes she's goofing off with Billy and be insanely optimistic and social. 
I did enjoy the movie versions of New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn, but the Twilight movie could have been way better in my opinion.


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Day One Reading Updates

Strikethrough = finished
The First Taste by Jessica Hawkins (pages read: 62 )

Total Books Finished: 0

Total Pages Read: 62


Monday, August 15, 2016

Review: Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren

Beautiful Bastard (Beautiful Bastard, #1)
Cover Source: GoodReads.com
Title: Beautiful Bastard
Author: Christina Lauren
Series: Beautiful Bastard #1
Version Reviewed: Finished, eBook
I purchased this book myself.

GoodReads Summary:
An ambitious intern. A perfectionist executive. And a whole lot of name calling.

Whip-smart, hardworking, and on her way to an MBA, Chloe Mills has only one problem: her boss, Bennett Ryan. He's exacting, blunt, inconsiderate—and completely irresistible. A Beautiful Bastard.
Bennett has returned to Chicago from France to take a vital role in his family's massive media business. He never expected that the assistant who'd been helping him from abroad was the gorgeous, innocently provocative—completely infuriating—creature he now has to see every day. Despite the rumors, he's never been one for a workplace hookup. But Chloe's so tempting he's willing to bend the rules—or outright smash them—if it means he can have her. All over the office.

As their appetites for one another increase to a breaking point, Bennett and Chloe must decide exactly what they're willing to lose in order to win each other.
Review:
This was one of those books that I had seen floating around for quite some time. It always seemed like one of the more “popular” contemporary romance books on the market but one that I never seemed to be able to get my hands on. One day I was looking through ebooks and Beautiful Bastard popped up so I said “what the hell” and bought it. And I’m so glad that I did.

The book was very accurately named. I loved that Bennett had a strong personality and that Chloe had an equally as strong personality and stood up to him so well. Individually, the two of them were extremely persistent and headstrong and together they were the perfect combination. A lot of books with strong characters usually have a more submissive female, which is perfectly okay if that's the type of dynamic they enjoy in the bedroom, but it was refreshing to see a female character as equally dominating as the male. 

This book was a great change of pace and I'm really glad that I sank my teeth into it. I'm not sure if I'll continue with the series, simply because I have many other books I need to read, but I do definitely recommend Beautiful Bastard. Great read!

Rating: 4 Stars. 

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Bout of Books 17: Sign Up Post

Bout of Books
The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, August 22nd and runs through Sunday, August 28th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 17 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. - From the Bout of Books team

So if you guys have been around my blog for any length of time, then you probably already know about Bout of Books. I've participated in the read-a-thon for the past couple of years and I really, really enjoy it! Usually, I set a goal for myself that's a little unrealistic. I'm a pretty slow reader and with everything going on in my life, I tend to not be able to read as often as I'd like. So, this time, instead of creating a lists of books to read, my goal is to just read as MUCH as possible! If I finish one book, cool! If I finish ten books, well... that's even cooler!

Bout of Books is a ton of fun, so if you're interested in checking it out yourself, click on the links above or the button at the top of the post for more information! Hope you join in!

Goal: READ!