Uncommon Life by Tony Dungy Review & Giveaway 1/14

I received a complimentary copy of the book The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge co-written by one of my all time favorite coaches, Tony Dungy.  It was also written by Nathan Whitaker.  The jest of the book is a daily challenge to be read no matter when you start to read the book.  Tony has been part of a Bible study for the last fourteen years along with another group of coaches.  They read The One Year Bible and no matter where they were, they were only a quick e-mail, voice mail or phone call away.

The way the book reads, you focus on seven themes that repeat each week:

1. Core
2. Family
3. Friends
4. Potential
5. Mission
6. Influence
7. Faith

Each devotional includes a scripture and an uncommon key which is an action to implement based on what you just read.  It's really a good way to start each day or even end each day pending the time you have to devote.  They also preach to not to worry if you miss a day as you just pick up where you left off.

Here is a video from Tony:

I just started reading The One Year Uncommon Life Daily Challenge and love it already.  I'm grateful to Tyndale House Publishers for the chance to review this book.  I jumped to December 25th to start my Uncommon Challenge as I didn't receive the book until December 24th.  The devotional was spot on and stated that kids watch us and mimic our actions more than our words often times so the way I interpreted it was, ensure your actions are just as Godly as your words in order to raise good, polite children.  I can't wait to read each devotional and learn and improve myself.

 Tony Dungy was the very successful coach of my favorite team the Indianapolis Colts.  His brother is married to a former colleague of mine and she expressed what a wonderful person he is in person as he appears on television.  I've always heard that he never yelled at his players and always commanded the utmost respect from all.  I've never heard an ill word mentioned about him nor from his words.  When offered the opportunity, I jumped.

Now you can win a copy too!   Just complete the Rafflecopter form below.

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The Tough Jewelry: Black Titanium Rings

I was just looking at my rings that are made of white gold and am disappointed in their appearance.  They are already scratched and have a worn appearance.  It's the one thing I dislike about gold.  I should have switched to titanium when I first heard of it.  It's a metal that doesn't tarnish and doesn't interact with a person's unique body chemistry such as allergies, irritations and discolorations.  I bought a titanium ring years ago but never thought about purchasing another one until I saw these black titanium rings.  If my father wore rings, I would pick this Titanium Squared Top Ring with Two Thin Grooves but with the brushed center.

Finding gifts can be difficult but finding one that can last a long time and can be passed on to the next generation can be next to impossible.  That's why I like the idea of the titanium bracelets and rings.  There are different grades of titanium as well:

1. Aircraft Grade
2. Extra-hard 
3. Commercially Pure

The nice thing with titanium, you can change the look you want by selecting black rubber inlays, stones, hammered appearance, inlaid or classic. They are versatile and can appease almost any taste.  I also like that there are wedding bands available.

*Disclaimer:  This is a sponsored post.

Renovating Idea with Vessel Sinks

My sister has been renovating a home they bought and are working on the bathroom.  I renovated a bathroom awhile ago but it was only for the faucet and handle components.  I was trying to find some unique designs for her and found these vessel sinks that would be perfect!  I'm always drawn to fashion and functionality or in the case of a vessel sink, unique and functional.  A house's decor shows a lot about the owner's style and attention to detail.  Whereas some prefer standard equipment, I opt for something that gives a wow effect.  From the sink to the faucets, we have so much more variety today.

Vessel sink faucets are unique in that they are available in bamboo, classic, modern and vintage.  There is something for everyone.  I personally like the brushed nickel appearances for the sake of repelling water spots and the ease of cleaning.  Another style I like are waterfall type faucets.  I was traveling years ago and experienced one of those faucets and fell in love with it!  I look forward to the day when I can renovate or even build my own custom home.


Click here to visit bathroomvesselsinks.com.

Have you renovated a bathroom before?  How did it go?

Toshiba Portégé R835-P56X – Core i5 2.3 GHz – 4 GB Ram-GIVEAWAY 12-26-1-26-12

The Portégé R830 is a fast, powerful, and secure business machine that offers all the power you need. A smart and fast processor provides powerful performance, and Airflow Cooling technology keeps the laptop cool while advanced internal honeycomb structure keeps your laptop protected from the knocks of mobile use. A tough magnesium body includes a durable honeycomb structure under the palm rests, protecting internal components from the wear and tear of everyday use. A 3D HDD impact sensor protects your data from the knocks and bumps of mobile working. Toshiba's PC Health Monitor alerts you to issues before they become problems, constantly gauging your machine's temperature and power usage, while checking the hard drive to help protect against shocks. A 33.8 cm (13.3") non-reflective display with LED backlighting is the perfect platform to view and amend documents and presentations when on the move. Built-in webcam and microphone let you chat face-to-face, collaborate with classmates, videoconference, and generally improve the way you interact with the world around you
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The Girls Had a GREAT Christmas

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas as I know my children did!

"Picnik Show"

Create a free slideshow with Picnik!

Trop50 True Resolutions: What Will You Do?

Every year, many of us decide we will make a change for the good at the start of the new year.  Sometimes they are easy and usually they are challenging but then it wouldn't be a resolution if it were easy and we all love a challenge, right?  Tropicana's Trop50 True Resolutions celebrates the real reasons behind New Year’s resolutions.  My motivation in getting healthier is for my children and now my grandchild.  If I am healthier, I have a better chance of living longer.  If you are a Tropicana fan, you will love this!

Share your secret motivation and you’ll earn a coupon for $1 off Trop50 for yourself and $.50¢ off coupons for up to 50 of your friends. You can even submit incognito with a fierce disguise if you don't want to reveal your resolution!  What is also nice, whether you submit a resolution or not, you can also enter a sweepstakes to win a $1,000 gift. 

To enter, click here and to learn more about Trop50 True Resolutions.

Link will go live on Dec. 26: http://www.facebook.com/trop50

Christmas Letdown Giveaway Blog Hop 12/26 - 12/31

The day after Christmas sometimes feels like a letdown. 

All that preparation, then BAM it's over. 

You're left with a hundred boxes and three garbage bags of torn paper. 

Didn't get what you wanted? You're not alone. 

This will cheer you up! 

The Christmas Letdown Giveaway Hop, 

hosted by Planet Weidknecht and co-hosted by Going Crazy! Wanna Go? 

runs from December 26 @ 12:01 a.m. EST to December 31 @ 11:59 p.m. EST. 

Each blog on the linky list below has a giveaway worth at least $20.00. 

You can hop from blog to blog and enter to win prizes on every single one!

Good luck and HAPPY NEW YEAR!


Don't forget to check out my other giveaways!
 

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Blogs Participating in The Christmas Letdown Giveaway Hop:

Merry Christmas!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and please know that I'm thankful for your visits and support to my blog.

Merry Christmas!

New Year's Resolution Blog Carnival Coming 1/3 - 1/10

                                                 Hauling & Trucking, Medical Transcription Source and Makobi Scribe
                                                             Present New Year’s Resolution Blog Carnival

Don't miss out on an exciting New Year's Resolution Blog Carnival that will start January 3rd and end January 10th!  There are over 100 bloggers participating so stay tuned!

HP Mini-Note Giveaway December 20 – January 1, 2012

 

Win an HP Mini Netbook

 

Small and compact

Our Mini 110 packs all the essential technology you need on the go. Features include:

• Genuine Windows 7 Starter
• Fast, easy, trusted Web browsing with Windows Internet Explorer⁴
• An Intel Atom N455^‡ processor with energy-efficient performance (or upgrade to dual core Atom N570)
• Color choice of black (standard), pacific blue, or sonoma red
• A 10.1" diagonal LED display
• 1GB system memory (user upgradeable to 2GB)
• A 250GB^§§ hard drive for storing photos and songs, or upgrade to 320GB
• Three USB ports
• Integrated Wireless-N for wireless access within range of a hotspot (Bluetooth is optional)²
• An optional external CD/DVD drive for installing software (the Mini has no internal optical drive)
• ENERGY STAR^® qualification

Mobile and connected

It's easy to stay in touch via your HP Mini 110, which comes with:

• A built-in webcam for chatting with friends and family⁴
• HP QuickWeb, a fast way to connect to the Web, e-mail, and favorite apps in seconds⁴
• An integrated multi-format digital media card reader that supports SD/SDHC/SDxC, MMC, and mini versions of SD/MMC/MS adapters (adapter not included)
• A built-in VGA port for connecting a monitor
• 5 free HP games, already loaded on your PC

 
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Shameless Season 1 & Season 2 Premiers 1/8

Have you caught the newer series Shameless yet with William H. Macy?  It's a story about a father, Macy, who drinks too much and doesn't work while his five kids fend for themselves.  Of course, the ages range so that there is at least a parental figure as Macy shamelessly gets by in life.  Shameless in the first season had many moments that were .... well....shameless.  If you are a fan, you may know what I'm talkinga bout and maybe have an I-Never moment as well.  Whether you are a show regular or are interested in learning more, now you can join in with others for the I-Never Challenge where you can watch various clips from Season One and decides if you would admit or deny that you have done something similar.

The clips in the I-Never Challenge include some of the funniest and wackiest scenes from Shameless as well as some that might make you cringe.  Dressed in Drag was unexpectedly funny but you don't want to watch around kids!  Some of the other challenges might leave you reminiscing about your past or others you might know.  Either way, take the challenge and challenge your friends as you never know what you might learn about them!


If you are new to Shameless, you will get to learn more about the Gallaghers and don't forget to tune in for Season 2's premiere on Sunday, January 8th at 9 pm (ET-PT) on Showtime.  If you can't wait, good news as Season 1 is available on DVD and Blu-Ray!

Shameless 'I-Never Challenge' by thewbdotcom   *Disclosure:  I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote Shameless Season One on DVD.

Shabby Apple Nothin' Like a Dame Dress Giveaway (~$70 Value) - US Only 1/7

Just because Christmas is nearly here, there is a new year around the corner and what better way to ring it in then a new women's dress from the Shabby Apple?  Whether you might be going to a party, going on a cruise, preparing for Valentine's Day as it's really not that far away after this giveaway is over or you just want to feel pampered and fabulous, this is the giveaway for you!  Shabby Apple has an entire selection of flirty, stylish dresses for women, by women and of women.  They know what we want which is to look feminine and beautiful regardless of where we might be or have to go.


There is a great selection for the holidays that I just can't decide which is my favorite:

  

One lucky winner will receive this gorgeous Nothin' Like a Dame dress (retails $78)!  It's a beautiful dress and it can be easily worn on the beach, at home, at a party or at work.  It's one of those dresses that is versatile while accentuating a woman's beauty.


Check out the Shabby Apple now and on Facebook and Twitter.

To enter, please complete the Rafflecopter form below.

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*Disclaimer:  I received no compensation for this post/giveaway.

Mamavation Monday: Slumber Party

Another Mamavation Monday and boy do they come along fast!  I forgot what week we're on but I always keep the sistas in mind when I contemplate making a bad choice.  I've written before about how I instilled the help of my family in a weight loss challenge to get us all ready for a family reunion in July.  So far so good!  I can state that this year, I beefed up a bit as that's because I'm a stress eater and it's been a stressful year.  I have lost 25 pounds in 2011.  Since I started my weight loss challenge with my family which coincided with this segment of Mamavation Mondays, I've lost 15 pounds and I couldn't be happier.


I've used Dukan Diet, Atkins Diet, calorie counting and finally ended up with Slim-Fast.  I like Slim-Fast because it helps me to count calories with convenience yet I can opt for healthy snacks and meals.  It's the best of both worlds for me.  I've also started running in addition to biking so that should also help.


This week on Mamavation:

MAMAVATION TV: Join us Monday night at 7pm PST/10pm EST on Mingle Media TV

BLOGGING CARNIVAL: This week’s blogging carnival is sponsored by Santa’s little helpers – @YumYucky, @EcoFoilPans, and @Mamavation. 2 blogging carnival participants will receive something out of the big holiday bag.

WHAT’S IN THE BAG?
Shakeology Prize (4 prizes): 4 individual packets of Shakeology, Supplement Facts sheet, and 30-day recipe calendar. @YumYucky (Josie) is  a Beachbody Coach and You can find Shakeology at her Beachbody shop. Shakeology is a nutrient-dense powerhouse in smoothie form with over 70 healthy ingredients to help you lose weight, increase energy, eliminate toxins, stay regular and improve your overall health – all with no artificial ingredients.” Smaller sampler quantities are available here.

Eco-Foil T-Shirt (4 prizes): These t-shirts are comfy and great for every day workouts. Don’t forget to buy some Eco-Foil pans for your next party. These disposable pans are 100% recycled and will make your holiday cleanup  an easy task. Check them out on Facebook and enter their Photo contest.

Workout DVDs from Mamavation (3 prizes): Start your New Year in high gear with new workouts. Have a variety of DVDs at your house to keep it fun and interesting. Don’t forget to vote for Mamavation for Best Health Blog of 2011. Each vote counts AND you can vote daily.

For a chance to win one of these prizes, answer one of the questions in your blog post and link back to the Mamavation website. <--details here

What is your biggest achievement of the year?

My biggest achievement this year was turning my children into health conscious little ones.  With my goal to getting healthier, I incorporated changes that fed into them.  Now they ask for salads and sometimes, they ask for apple slices and milk in their rare Happy Meals.  My eight year old turns down soda and is aware of eating healthy versus any image type issues (i.e. getting fat).  For that, it's my biggest achievement.  I have to say that is Leigh's influence for all the scolding she has done on my posts in the past about healthy losing weight versus bad losing weight (smile).

*Disclosure:  I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway sponsored by YumYucky, Eco-Foil, andMamavation and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women.

Do Good for Free: Dr. Praeger’s Launches Charity Program on Facebook for Holiday Season 12/31

Happy Holidays! In the spirit of the season, Dr. Praeger’s is launching a “1 Like = $1” charity campaign on Facebook, to run through December 31st. For every new “Like” the Dr. Praeger’s Facebook Page receives, Dr. Praeger’s will donate one dollar in product to the Food Bank for New York City, up to $1,500.

Also, Dr. Praeger’s will be giving Facebook fans the opportunity to vote on the wall for their favorite three food banks across the country to each receive a $500 donation. Voting will also run through December 31st. The 10 food banks included in the vote are:

• The Greater Boston Food Bank
• Feeding South Florida (Miami)
• Greater Chicago Depository
• San Francisco Food Bank
• Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
• Gleaners Community Food Bank (Detroit)
• Food Bank of the Rockies (Denver)
• North Texas Food Bank (Dallas)
• Center for Food Action (Bergen County, NJ)
• Oregon Food Bank (Portland)

Scrolls from Santa: Worth Every Penny!

Thinking of sending a letter from Santa to those on your nice and naughty list?  I always look for something special and unique every holiday to dazzle my children and I think this will do the trick.  A scroll letter from Santa himself delivered in this cute candy cane delivery box with a detachable ornament, Rudolph bands and the choice of Christmas glasses, snow, coal and reindeer collars that are adorable.  Scrolls from Santa are just plain cute!

   

 

What an adorable package for your children to receive for Christmas!  I received a code to create one scroll in the deluxe package and although I have not received it as I ordered it a few minutes ago, I wanted to share this because it's so cute.  I was so taken by the ease of the process, the options to add stocking stuffers and more that I bought another one because I just can't send one to only one of my children right?  I will say that they tend to be costly after shipping but given what you are receiving and the special nature of the present, it's well worth the cost.  If you use JOLLY10, you might score a 10% off discount.  I found that on another blogger's post that is only good for the first 50.


Here are my pictures and I can tell you that they are worth the cost!  The glasses make the lights look light gingerbread men and other shapes, the bracelets are the "in-thing" and the scrolls are nice done on wooden scroll rods.  The tube comes from the North Pole and has an ornament on top.  My girls loved them!

Here are some more pictures to give you an idea how precious these are:

 

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.