Welcome to the fifth week of Monday Mingling! Please take the time to introduce yourselves to our co-host! If you are new to this blog hop, please leave us a comment letting us know you are following and we would be happy to follow you back. Thank you for joining us this week, and don’t forget to link back to us by grabbing our button. Happy Mingling!

Lately, I’ve been trying to change my eating habits and trying to live a healthier lifestyle. Some days are better than others, but one thing that has helped me has been to write down what I eat for every meal. It helps hold me accountable and makes me more aware of what is going into my body.

Carolina Pad’s Studio C magnetic journal has been perfect for my new journalism experience. It is a beautiful book and has a magnetic flap that makes it feel more private. It has definitely helped keep me motivated. Carolina Pad offers more than journals, they also offer bags, totes, school and office supplies and organizational tools. You can read more about their products here. You can also follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to stay up to date on their products.

Carolina Pad is giving away a free Fasionista Collection Magnetic Journal to one of my lucky readers! Enter in the rafflecopter below to win.

Wait, that’s not all! They are also offering a 20% discount to my readers by using code “Blog20SSCB” at checkout through March 15th!

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Hi there! I hope you have all had a wonderful start to your week. We are halfway to the weekend! Woo hoo! I have so many new readers, welcome to you!

My sweet friend Ashley told me about Cara Box this past month. I had heard of it but wasn’t really sure what it was or how to get involved. I was excited to participate this month because of the “Club Sexy” theme as well as the fact that we were being paired based on our state. This past month I have been introduced to so many wonderful Bama ladies. They actually just met up for a blate that I was absolutely sick to miss out on, but that’s life.

I gave my Cara Box to Ashley, and Lauren gave me hers. I was so excited to be paired with these two. Lauren did an amazing job picking out my goodies. If you’ve been around for a while, you know I have been trying to live a healthier lifestyle. She purchased things that would not mess up my workouts or throw off my diet, which was perfect. When asked what my favorite date night is, I told Lauren that my husband and I are extremely laid back. Most of the time after a long day of work, all we want to do is chill at home and watch movies. We also enjoy cooking together and hiking whenever we get the chance to.

Lauren gave me a “Clean Eating” magazine with amazing recipes in it that “won’t undo our hike.” She bought me a coffee cozie, which I’m obsessed with, as well as a stick of chapstick, so we can smooch on our movie nights (HA). She also included some trail mix for our hiking trips and chocolate covered pretzels for our movie nights at home. How thoughtful is she?

Lauren, thank you so much for my goodies! I love them all. Ashley, I hope you enjoy your goodies that I picked out for you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Welcome to the fourth week of Monday Mingling! We had over 90 people link-up last week! We have been blown away with how quickly this has grown.  I hope you will join us again and link-up below.

 

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Big Cherry Holler by Adriana Trigiani
The Random House Publishing Group, 2001

First Line: The rain is coming down on this old stone house so hard, it seems there are a hundred tap dancers on the roof.

From the back cover: Eight years have passed since Ave Maria Mulligan married Jack Mack, moved up into the hills, and dug her roots in even deeper. Bust Ave Maria soon discovers that the mountains cannot shelter her from the painful lessons of the heart. As her life reaches a crossroads, almost everybody in town has advice to offer- including the Bookmobile’s self-appointed sexpert Iva Lou Wade, savvy pharmacy owner Pearl Grimes (“a very mature twenty-four”), crusty chain-smoking cashier Fleeta and of course, the always-wise band director Theodore Tipton, no unofficially “out” and about. But when Ave Maria takes her daughter to Italy for the summer, her passion for a seductive stranger will test her marriage- and push her to choose the man who is truly her destiny.

My Thoughts: I absolutely adored book #1 of the Big Stone Gap series, so I couldn’t wait to read book #2. Big Cherry Holler did not disappoint. It takes a wild twist that you don’t see coming which makes it exciting and devastating at the same time. This book introduces the reader to an older Ave Maria who has been married for over a decade and had 2 children, but after losing her youngest, her marriage starts to take a turn for the worst. This is a wonderful story about never giving up and working through pain and loss.

The story also takes us back to Italy (which I am a total sucker for) and gives you a taste of that Italian tradition. Ave Maria takes her daughter Etta to meet the extended family and she falls in love with her Italian heritage, and a certain Italian boy as well.

I love how these books incorporate a lot of comic relief in the middle of a sad or tough moment so that the books never get too depressing. This series is about real life. You’ll find no fairy tale love stories here. This teaches you to work at it. Love is never simple and it is something you must always work for and fight for.

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While I’ve got you here, meet Andi from Just Another Smith!

I feel like so many people are going through a rough time right now. Whether it is finances, heart aches, health issues, or tough relationships. I have friends going through all of the above and personally. I am going through some of them myself.

I wholeheartedly believe in speaking life into people. Words are so important because you can rip someone to pieces or you can lift their spirits and give them the encouragement they may need to get through the day. I wanted to give all of you a little encouragement today along with myself. I could definitely use it right now.

Via

Via

Via

 

Welcome to the third week of Monday Mingling! We had over 80 people link-up last week! How awesome!  I hope you will join us again and link-up below.

As we mentioned last week, we have started offering a co-host option. Due to an overwhelming response, we have co-hosts set up for the next 8 weeks! Please introduce yourself to our first two ladies and be sure to follow their blogs!

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Sierra @ Oh, Just Living the Dream

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I am a turn-off-the-alarm-7-times person in the morning, a 4th Grade teacher by day, and an avid movie lover by night. I love to travel the world and teach! So far I have been to Kenya, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Fiji and Hawaii with many more travels on the way! I blog about the inner workings of life–love, heartbreak, God, teaching, family, traveling, and just life in general!

Rules:

1. Follow both of your hosts via GFC.

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2. Follow both of your co-hosts via GFC
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3. Link up your main blog URL, not a specific post.

4. Link back to us by grabbing our button.

5. Tweet, Facebook, and Pin this blog hop. The more you spread the word the more people will link up, and the more success you will have! 


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6. Be sure to visit other blogs! Don’t just link up and wait for others to find you. 

Let’s get this party started!!…

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