Hello Kitty Jet Plane – For Real!

I saw this on the news today and it is something that  I just had to share with everyone. I love Hello Kitty and although I don’t fly often, if I did… I would totally want to take a trip on this Hello Kitty airplane!

 Even the flight attendants are all Kittified serving Hello Kitty themed food! 

Although this dance party probably doesn't happen every time, it is pretty darn cute.

For more fun pictures, check out the EVA Air Hello Kitty cuteness here.

So... what do you think? Would you want to fly on a Hello Kitty airplane like this one? I know I would… and I probably wouldn’t even mind one of those really long flights on it, either. 

Hopelifter by Kathe Wunnenberg

Hopelifter by Kathe Wunnenberg is the perfect book for someone to read that wants to help people, but isn’t always sure about how to go about doing it. This book truly gives you creative ways to spread hope to people in your life.

Book Description

“How often do women see a friend in distress or crisis, but feel helpless to really make a difference? Hopelifter: Creative Ways to Spread Hope When Life Hurts takes the mystery out of how to be the hands and feet of Jesus to anyone in need of hope, comfort and care. Kathe Wunnenberg, whose hope-lifting ministry has impacted the lives of thousands, demonstrates simple, practical ways that acts of creative compassion can transform lives.

Whether it’s encouraging a jobless friend, lifting the spirits of someone trapped in depression, leaving an anonymous gift for a grieving mother, hosting a starting-over shower for a divorced friend, or playing one small part in long-term support for a family in deep crisis, daily opportunities to make a difference in hurting lives are limitless for a Hopelifter.

The perfect book for women who want to spread hope in their friendships, workplace, neighborhoods, and homes, and ideal for those in caring roles in churches and ministries.” – Hopelifter

My Thoughts

Hopelifter is a book that can actually do what it says, if you use it. Most days we can probably think of someone who we know, or come across that can use a little bit of hope and encouragement, but maybe are unsure how to do it. Kathe Wunnenberg explains how to do it, and gives examples, which I find to be unique and uplifting to the people who need it.

There are ideas of hope for a large amount of topics, and if you can’t find one for the person you need to cheer up, I think that by reading the “recipes” for hope, you can come up with a fun and creative one on your own, too. These aren’t meant to be taken word for word, they are meant to be used and made your own, and to share with others.

I really like this book and the message it gives. Bringing hope into someone’s life could mean more than you could imagine to them, and it will very likely make you feel good for doing it, too. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

* Thank you to the publisher of Hopelifter, Zondervan, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Swimming in the Moon by Pamela Schoenewaldt

Swimming in the Moon by Pamela Schoenewaldt is a story about immigration from Italy to America in the 1900s. The two main characters, Teresa and Lucia are mother and daughter who fled to America after things in Italy didn’t work out like they had planned. However, a fresh start isn’t as easy as it sounds, and when Teresa’s old demons return, it causes her daughter to choose between her and her future.

Book Description

“Italy, 1905. Fourteen-year-old Lucia and her young mother, Teresa, are servants in a magnificent villa on the Bay of Naples, where Teresa soothes their unhappy mistress with song. But volatile tempers force them to flee, exchanging their warm, gilded cage for the cold winds off Lake Erie and Cleveland's restless immigrant quarters.

With a voice as soaring and varied as her moods, Teresa transforms herself into the Naples Nightingale on the vaudeville circuit. Clever and hardworking, Lucia blossoms in school until her mother's demons return, fracturing Lucia's dreams.

Yet Lucia is not alone in her struggle for a better life. All around her, friends and neighbors, new Americans, are demanding decent wages and working conditions. Lucia joins their battle, confronting risks and opportunities that will transform her and her world in ways she never imagined.” – Swimming in the Moon

My Thoughts

Swimming in the Moon is a beautifully written historical novel. It features detailed characters, scenes, and a rich storyline that makes me as a reader feel involved in the story. I came to care about Teresa and Lucia like I knew them, and wanted the best for them, regardless of what they may have done.

Teresa is obviously a damaged character, but she still tries to do her best for her daughter, even though her personal struggles are beyond hard for her to live with sometimes. Lucia’s goal to finish high school and going to college is changed with she receives news about her mother’s mental breakdown. Giving up one dream is hard, but Lucia’s real strength shows through so much when she helps her mother. This courage is seen even more when she is part of the garment strike of 1911 and becomes someone I think everyone could be proud of.

I really enjoyed reading this novel. It showcases so many subjects that are important to our history as a whole, while still providing a very readable and enjoyable storyline. I highly recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of Swimming in the Moon, William Morrow, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Publix Breakfast Savings

Eating breakfast at home is always a great value, and it's an even better value at Publix during the week of September 5th through 11th where select General Mills kid cereals are BOGO! 
Offer valid on Trix 14.8oz, Cinnamon Toast Crunch 16.2oz, Cocoa Puffs 16.5oz, Kix 12oz, Honey Kix 12oz, Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Crème 10.9oz. Offer available in Publix stores from 9/5-9/11.

Saving money on breakfast is something I do daily. I’m not usually a huge fan of breakfast, but cereal (gluten free, of course) is something I enjoy in the morning before heading out the door to nursing school. Additionally, on hectic days, it is also a good dinner, or snack while studying before a big exam.

If you like to save money on food, and honestly, who doesn’t? You should stop by Publix this weekend (September 5-11, 2013) to save on some yummy cereals. Some that you can save on is: Trix 14.8oz, Cinnamon Toast Crunch 16.2oz, Cocoa Puffs 16.5oz, Kix 12oz, Honey Kix 12oz, Hershey’s Cookies ‘n’ Crème 10.9oz. Offer available in Publix stores from 9/5-9/11.

Disclosure: The information and prize pack have been provided by Publix® through MyBlogSpark

Bless This Food by Adrian Butash

Bless This Food by Adrian Butash is a collection of prayers and blessings to say at mealtime. It features 160 such blessings from a variety of cultures and religions. If you enjoy saying mealtime blessings for your family, this is a book you’ll want to read!

Book Description

“Grace before meals is the prayer said most often in homes around the world, an act of worship common to every known society. The universal experience of sharing food fundamentally connects people to one another, to nature, and to the infinite. Expressing thanks for food represents a wonderful tradition that acknowledges bounty and our daily sustenance as gifts from the divine.

Bless This Food presents 160 timeless mealtime blessings in an easy-to-use format. The eloquent prayers and poems have been carefully selected from the world’s major religions, ancient traditions, and the work of great poets and thinkers, with sources ranging from Shakespeare to Starhawk, Tecumseh to the Tamil tradition, the North American plains to Pakistan. Each grace is introduced with cultural context and details about its history and evolution. Also included are two prayers in American Sign Language and the short prayer “bless this food” in nineteen languages. The result is a unique kind of soul food — and a recipe for gratitude at any mealtime gathering.” – Bless This Food

My Thoughts

Bless This Food is a beautifully gathered collection of prayers of gratitude for the food we eat. If you and your family say a blessing before meals, this is definitely a book that you would enjoy reading and incorporating some of the blessings into mealtimes in the future. The explanations on the blessings are also great mealtime conversation that will help everyone learn more about the different cultures covered in the book.

Overall, this is a fun and educational read. I especially liked reading about the history of the different blessings. I enjoyed reading this book and learning more about the other cultures that differ from my own when it comes to these mealtime blessings. I definitely recommend this book, and I also think it would make a great present for someone you know who enjoys saying mealtime blessings, too.

* Thank you to the publisher of Bless This Food, New World Library, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Grace, Under Pressure by Sophie Walker

Grace, Under Pressure by Sophie Walker is the story of the author’s experience raising a child with Asperger’s syndrome. To help deal with it, she trained for the London Marathon, and found courage and determination in herself, and her daughter, Grace.

Book Description

“By the time her daughter Grace was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, Sophie Walker’s life had unraveled. Her career was in disarray. She couldn’t sleep. She and her husband had divorced. All the while, Grace, whom Sophie had once hoped was merely shy, was withdrawn and sullen — and suffering. When Sophie remarried and had another daughter, the baby’s development forced Sophie to recognize how much Grace needed — everything from advocacy for her educational rights and protection from bullying to help with homework and making friends. When Sophie realized she was neglecting her own health and well-being — common among caregivers — she decided to train for the London Marathon. At the same time, she started the Grace Under Pressure blog to document her and her daughter’s trials and triumphs. The blog captivated readers with its honesty and real-world inspiration, as will this book of the same name.” – Grace, Under Pressure

My Thoughts

Grace, Under Pressure is such an uplifting and motivational book for people who are raising children with autism, or any other special need. As the author discovered, dealing with the situation makes you feel alone, filled with worries, and depressed. However, you aren’t alone! The author does an excellent job of really sharing her story with those who read this book, to inspire them to keep moving and be the best they can be in the situation.

I love that the author shares so much of her story and her daughter’s story with her readers. She is very honest and this honesty is what makes this book so valuable to people going through struggles in life. Her suggestions and examples can be used in many different situations in life, and for many different types of struggles people face. Her courage is an exemplary force that is inspiring. I admire her for everything she has done and continues to do to help this cause, and of course, her daughter.

This is the perfect book for someone who is going through similar struggles, and for anyone who needs some courage or motivation in their life. I highly recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of Grace, Under Pressure, New World Library, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Fairest of Them All by Carolyn Turgeon

The Fairest of Them All by Carolyn Turgeon is a completely new version of the fairy tale “Rapunzel” and “Snow White.” See the characters and stories weaved together in a creative and captivating new way in this novel.

Book Description

“In an enchanted forest, the maiden Rapunzel’s beautiful voice captivates a young prince hunting nearby. Overcome, he climbs her long golden hair to her tower and they spend an afternoon of passion together, but by nightfall the prince must return to his kingdom, and his betrothed.

Now king, he weds his intended and the kingdom rejoices when a daughter named Snow White is born. Beyond the castle walls, Rapunzel waits in her crumbling tower, gathering news of her beloved from those who come to her seeking wisdom. She tries to mend her broken heart but her love lingers, pulsing in the magic tendrils of her hair.

The king, too, is haunted by his memories, but after his queen’s mysterious death, he is finally able to follow his heart into the darkness of the forest. But can Rapunzel trade the shadows of the forest for the castle and be the innocent beauty he remembers?” – The Fairest of Them All

My Thoughts

The Fairest of Them All is a book that takes my love of fairy tales and creative retelling of classics to the next level. I really enjoyed this version of the stories, and if you are a fan of fairy tales, I think you’d enjoy this novel, too.

Carolyn Turgeon is a very creative writer to take these stories and show how Rapunzel becomes Snow White’s evil stepmother. I never would have thought of doing so, but how she explains it, it really does make sense, and it just works. Her passion for the stories and her new spin on them really shines through in her writing.

The characters were mostly already known, but this novel goes into much more depth with them and really brings them to life. Personally, I enjoyed how the character worked with these popular fairy tale characters and gave them different qualities than we are used to seeing them with.

The author writes in a smooth and crisp way that makes for a very easy and enjoyable read. It isn’t too overly wordy or full of pages or paragraphs that don’t really matter. I didn’t find myself wanting to skim over anything, or thinking about how many pages were left in it. I just became involved in the story and read it like a good novel should be enjoyed.

This novel is one of my favorite new takes on classic fairy tales, and I can’t wait to read more from this very talented author. I highly recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of The Fairest of Them All, Touchstone, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Logitech Speaker System Z906 Review

Looking for a high quality speaker system for your home entertainment? The Logitech Speaker System Z906 features amazing surround sound, satellite speakers that are mountable, and a wireless remote to control it all effortlessly. Read this review of the Logitech Speaker System Z906 to find out more!

Logitech Speaker System Z906 Features

“This THX-Certified 5.1 system delivers 500 watts (RMS) of theater-quality sound. Digital and analog inputs, an easy-to-read-and-stack control console and a wireless remote let you take charge of your entertainment.

 

500-watts (RMS) of power – Make any night opening night. You get thunderous audio that can shake your house—and your whole neighborhood.

 

THX Certified - You’ve got quality you can count on—these speakers have met strict performance standards to achieve THX certification.

 

Digital Decoding - Hear every detail all around you—from the roar of the crowd to the footsteps right behind you—in your Dolby digital or DTS encoded soundtracks.

 

Digital and Analog Inputs - You’ve got the flexibility to set up your system the way you want to. Connect up to six audio sources, including your TV, Blu-ray™/DVD player, DVR, Xbox 360®, PLAYSTATION®3, Wii®, iPod®, PC and more.

 

Easy to Read Control Console - The stackable, easy-to-read design fits in with your home-entertainment system and gives you control of your audio—change the volume on all your speakers, turn the power on or off, set inputs and more.

 

Wireless Remote - You can control your listening experience without ever getting off the couch.

 

Ported, Side-firing Subwoofer - 165 watts of deep bass brings your music, movies and games to life.

 

Wall-mountable Satellites - Let you transform any room into a home theater.

 

Surround Sound with 3D Stereo - Your speakers convert two-channel stereo into an immersive surround sound experience.” – Logitech Speaker System Z906

My Thoughts

This is a serious speaker system that is perfect for the home theater or big-time gamers. If you are looking for high quality speakers for your at home theater experience, or for your favorite video games, this is definitely a system you need to check out.

The cable that comes with the product is designed for computer use. However, it can also be used with TVs, Blu-ray and DVD players, gaming consoles, music players, and other audio devices. To do so though, you need to use a digital optical, digital coaxial, RCA audio, or 3.5 mm out.

Setting up the speaker system was a little bit intimidating for me at first. I hadn’t ever set up a system quite like this before, so I made sure that everything was placed right, and was able to hookup to the subwoofer before I started. The user documentation guide that came with it explained how to set it up, and this really does help – if you read it. Once I started hooking it up, it all worked out like how it was supposed to.

I haven’t hooked it up to anything other than my computer as of right now. I would like to add my TV to this great speaker system soon though. I’ve used these speakers for playing video games, listening to music, and watching movies with. All of the media I’ve tested this out with have sounded extremely clear and is of very high quality. The sound can also be very loud without distorting. I’m very pleased with the audio output on these speakers!

The control console is easy to read and understand what is being used. The remote is simple and again, easy to use. Nothing too fancy is really needed for these, so it works well.

The only thing I didn’t really like about them is that they aren’t wireless. Having the wires everywhere is a little bit of an eyesore, but it is worth it for this kind of sound quality. There could also be some design improvements and the components could be smaller and consume less electricity. Maybe a future system from Logitech will improve on these, but until then, this is an amazing speaker system. I highly recommend it.

Disclosure: Thank you to Logitech for providing me with the product for review. All opinions, experiences, and thoughts about the product being reviewed are my own.

Speak of the Devil by Allison Leotta

Speak of the Devil by Allison Leotta is a legal thriller starring the series heroine, Anna Curtis, the federal sex-crimes prosecutor in Washington D.C. Dealing with dark themes that are inspired closely by real crimes the author prosecuted, this is one truly worthy read for fans of this genre.

Book Description

“On the very night she gets engaged to the man she loves, sex-crimes prosecutor Anna Curtis’s professional life takes a shocking turn that threatens everything she holds dear.

While Anna is enjoying a romantic dinner capped off by a marriage proposal, a few miles away two separate groups are gearing up to raid a brothel. A vicious killer known as Diablo—the Devil—leads one group. A few minutes later, Anna’s own investigative team heads in to search the brothel, as part of the fight against human trafficking in D.C. Both groups are caught off guard, with deadly results.

As Anna investigates the bloody face-off, the boundaries between her work and home life begin to blur. Though eager to focus on her new fiancé, the chief homicide prosecutor Jack Bailey, and her soon-to-be stepdaughter, Olivia, this case and the search for Diablo are never far from her mind.

When Anna discovers a web of long-buried secrets and official lies leading straight to her doorstep, the truth about this case threatens to rob her of the happiness she seemed so close to securing. And everything Anna counted on becomes a question mark as Diablo moves in for yet another kill.” – Speak of the Devil

My Thoughts

Speak of the Devil is a crime story that surrounds the life of Anna Curtis, a young prosecutor in Washington D.C. She is at a good place in her life now, but when she realizes that the very scary criminal world is coming too close to her personal life, everything can change.

I really enjoy reading the stories that the author writes about Anna Curtis. She is strong, smart, and the kind of woman we need more of in the world. In this book, you see her more vulnerable, but that only made me like her character more.

The author’s personal experiences working as a real life sex-crimes prosecutor in Washington D.C. definitely shines through in her writing. She writes with precision on the topic that goes beyond what someone merely researching the subject to write about could dream of doing. She is a star in her field of work, and I will definitely be reading more books by her in the future.

Speak of the Devil is an intense story that fans of this genre will appreciate. If you enjoy a good crime story, be sure to read this book! I highly recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of Speak of the Devil, Touchstone, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Multiple Exposure by Ellen Crosby

Multiple Exposure by Ellen Crosby is the author’s first novel in the new “Sophie Medina Mystery” series. The main character is Sophie Medina who is a photojournalist who finds herself in the middle of conspiracies, international politics, and much more.

Book Description

“When photojournalist Sophie Medina returns to London from an overseas assignment, she discovers that her husband, Nick, a geologist and covert CIA operative, has been abducted. Three months later she is shocked when a friend in the British government says Nick has been spotted in Moscow and is not only a suspect in his boss’s murder but also potentially involved in illicit Russian oil deals. With her every step now closely watched, Sophie moves to Washington, D.C., to be with her family and friends. 

There, Sophie is drawn deeper into Nick’s shadowy world. While photographing an exhibit of two never-before-seen Fabergé imperial eggs at the National Gallery of Art, Sophie is confronted by a Russian oil tycoon, implicating her husband in an international energy scheme. On the run from Nick’s enemies, Sophie plays a high-stakes game of Russian roulette as she tries to determine friend from foe and prove her husband’s innocence. 

Weaving together political intrigue, art history, and international espionage, the fast-paced Multiple Exposure is the thrilling first installment in an exciting new series.” – Multiple Exposure

My Thoughts

Multiple Exposure is a suspenseful mystery novel that I really enjoyed reading. The author did a really fabulous job with her character crafting, and I absolutely want more from Sophie Medina. Thankfully, this is a new series, so we can continue to read more about her. Her missing husband is also a big part of the story, but his working for the CIA is of course a big part of the political drama that Sophie ends up having to face as well.

The backstory to the character, and essentially, the series, is a little bit slow. However, I think that it works out well overall and includes essential information that the reader needs to fully engross themselves in the series. After the backstory melds into the current situations, it moves quickly and is a breeze to read through. The pace is just right, and at least for me, kept me up late to finish.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. The author writes in a very flowing manner that makes it an easy and fun read. I can’t wait to read more from this series, and the author. I definitely recommend it.

* Thank you to the publisher of Multiple Exposure, Scribner, for providing me with a copy of this book for review. All opinions expressed are my own.