Back to the Books Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Back to the Books Giveaway Hop! A big thank you to Kathy @ I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Heather from Buried in Books for co-hosting this hop!


There are 300 blogs each signed up to host a giveaway.  This hop runs from September 1st to 7th.

The winner of the giveaway on my site will receive a $10 gift card to Amazon! Use it to buy one of my two books (Adventures with the Word of God or Family Home Evening Adventures), or anything else you like.

To enter:

1. Follow this blog
2. Like my author page on Facebook (here)
3. And leave me a comment about one of the chapter topics in either of my books that interests you most (click on linked titles below to read more about my books - see under book description for some chapter topics listed):

Adventures with the Word of God 

or  

Family Home Evening Adventures

Good luck!

Scripture of the Day: D&C 68:25-28

Follower Love Giveaway Hop

***This giveaway is now closed!***

Welcome to the Follower Love Giveaway Hop! This fun giveaway promotion runs from Tuesday, February 8th through Sunday, February 13th and is sponsored by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer.

Each of the 100+ participating blogs is hosting their own giveaway with their own entry requirements. All participating blogs are linked up through a Follower Love linky (see below). After you have entered one giveaway, hop to the next giveaway on the list.

For this giveaway I am offering a free CD-rom version of my book Family Home Evening Adventures.

Here is a synopsis:

Scripture study during family home evening is no longer stressful! Family Home Evening Adventures is the perfect way to help your children stay focused on the scriptures while building their testimonies. Filled with 12 fun seasonal activities and lessons, this book will help you effectively plan for the year by setting up a theme for each month. Learn more about the Atonement, feasting upon the word, preparing for baptism, having reverence, and feeling love in the home. Together, your family can have a testimony-building family home evening based on the scriptures without all the stress, boredom, and inattention. This handy aide is sure to help your children to actively learn from and appreciate the scriptures while also increasing their faith. 

To win a copy of the CD version of Family Home Evening Adventures become a follower and leave me a comment about a fun FHE your family has had.

Good luck!

Scripture of the Day: D&C 133:52

And Another Thing... Midwinter's Eve Giveaway Hop

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!

Midwinter's Eve is the longest night of the year so why not spend it entering some great book giveaways!?!
The is a quick hop that runs from 12:01 AM on Tuesday, December 21st to 11:59 PM on Wednesday, December 22nd. It is sponsored by I Am A reader, Not A Writer.

Each of the 125 participating blogs is hosting their own giveaway with their own entry requirements. All participating blogs are linked up through a Midwinter's Eve linky. After you have entered one giveaway hop to the next giveaway on the list.

Here on my blog I am giving away an autographed copy of my latest book, Family Home Evening Adventures. All you have to do to enter to win is leave a comment on this post naming one of the chapter topics covered in Family Home Evening Adventures. Hint: you can read more about my book here.

Good luck in winning lots of fun things! And Merry Christmas!

DIY #7

I have not posted hardly any DIY projects lately, partly because I already accomplished all the cheap ones and partly because with work I have less time to take care of projects around the house. Last week, though, I received my first royalty check from Family Home Evening Adventures (Yay!), so I decided to splurge a little on myself and bought a new lighting fixture for over the kitchen/dining room table. (Sorry I do not have a before picture to show--just imagine a very brown 1995 ceiling fan.)

Here it is!

Although I still need to repaint the ceiling, my husband installed it for me last night. I found this lamp on clearance online after clicking on a link from Tart House (a decorating blog). I wanted something with clean lines that was traditional, yet somewhat modern. I love how it looks, but now feel my kitchen looks all the more 1987-ish. I guess that just means I have more projects to add to my DIY list.

Scripture of the Day: Moroni 9:25

Random Stuff

Today is the day you can try to win a free copy of Family Home Evening Adventures. Click on over to the 2nd Annual Summer Treasure Hunt to learn how! Good luck.

Other random stuff I thought I would share...

1. Correct pronunciation of 'shew' in the scriptures...here (I have been pronouncing it wrong for years!).

2. I thought these Father's Day tie cookies were super cute. I may have to make some this weekend.

3. Speaking of Father's Day, did you see this hilarious gift idea? Too funny!

4. And finally, a rendering of what the new Gilbert temple will look like is here. I love it!

Scripture of the Day: Hebrews 12:1-2

Diabetes Fundraiser...Please Bid on Me!!

More than ten years ago my father was diagnosed with late-onset diabetes (type 2). Since then my mother, several aunts on both sides of the family, and my MIL have all been diagnosed with this disease as well. Personally I worry I will end up being diabetic myself. I have lost over 40 lbs. and have been learning to eat better in an effort to mitigate my risk. But still I wonder.

So when I was asked recently to participate in a fundraiser for finding a cure for diabetes I was more than happy to help. Please take a minute to browse the many books and items that have been donated to this worthy cause (click on link below). And, if you like, you can bid here on an autographed copy of Family Home Evening Adventures! Thanks in advance for taking part in the 2010 Brenda Novak online auction to Benefit Diabetes Research.

Click HERE to donate!

Image credit

Scripture of the Day: Acts 28:27

Book Signing Tomorrow

Come and see me Saturday from 9 am 'til noon at the Bliss Spring Sidewalk Swap & Sale in downtown Mesa (at MacDonald and Main). I will be there signing copies of Adventures with the Word of God and Family Home Evening Adventures. I would love to see you there!

Scripture of the Day: Proverbs 3:13

FHE Tip

Last night I tried using the newly designed First Presidency message in the Ensign for Family Home Evening and it worked quite well. If you have not noticed, this year the Ensign received an updated layout with some helpful additions. In the First Presidency Message article they have included a section for youth as well as for children (so far it has been activities for them to do).

With Patch now at age 12 and the girls being younger (9 and 7) I am trying to include little bits of age appropriate things for each of them. I started by reading a quote from the lesson, asked a few questions, and then we went through each of the youth and kids sections. The lesson held their attention and even evoked a few questions. So the overall verdict: definitely worth repeating. Kudos to the staff at the Ensign.

For those of you familiar with the intro to Family Home Evening Adventures and my yearly FHE planning style (I blogged about it here), this will be one of the weekly lessons of the month this year for the Irvine family.

Scripture of the Day: The Family Proclamation, paragraph 7

Random Stuff

Just a quick post to blog about a few random items... I know it has been a crazy busy week and my blogging had to take a back seat. But I am alive and well!

- Christmas was good. On Christmas Eve I loved watching the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas presentation on PBS. It was really touching. Then we played a game (I finally won at 'Ticket to Ride') while kind of watching It's a Wonderful Life. As for Christmas Day we spent the entire day with extended family away from home. By the time we were home again I was completely exhausted.

- I am ready for the kids to go back to school. As a friend recently wrote on her blog, sometimes too much quality family time is not for the best!

- This morning I went for my weigh-in at WW. I was a bit nervous, but despite being somewhat naughty the past week I was still within my 2 lb. range. I need to work hard these next few weeks to get back on track. Funny how easy it is to pick up bad habits.

- Today the Deseret Book flier came today and I was so excited to see Family Home Evening Adventures (book-CD set) featured in it! I did a little happy dance and took the flier to show my SIL.

- I am in the mood for organizing and preparing for the New Year. Today I cleaned out part of my home office. I need to get some organizing drawers for some supplies now. It already looks much better, but I have a few more projects in mind. I still have to think about my resolutions, though.

How was your Christmas?

Are you able to find places for all the new presents you received?

Have you decided what your resolutions will be yet?

Scripture of the Day: 3 Nephi 28:10

Blog Tour Stop 7

One of my favorite blogs to read is Joy in the Journey, and today I was surprised to find there a great review of Family Home Evening Adventures and...

...a giveaway!

Hop on over there for another opportunity to win my book--but be sure to take time to read some of the posts there. Your day will be brightened as a result! I promise.



Previous blog tour stops:

Brenda Anderson
Anne Bradshaw
Diapers and Divinity
Pulsipher Predelections
The Little Things From Our House
Heather Justesen

Blog Tour Stop 6

Time for another stop on Family Home Evening Adventures blog tour! Author Brenda Anderson wrote this nice review and posted it on her blog and Goodreads today. Thanks Brenda!


Brenda is the author of Abish: Faith Among the Lamanites (which I will be reviewing myself as I just finished reading... so stay tuned!). I recently met Brenda; she was sweet enough to drive all the way from Buckeye, AZ to attend my book signing. In fact, we are hoping to do a few more signings together in the next few months. Us Arizona authors are sticking together.



Previous blog tour stops:

Anne Bradshaw
Diapers and Divinity
Pulsipher Predelections
The Little Things From Our House
Heather Justesen

Signing Off

Before I sign off for the Thanksgiving holiday I wanted to make sure everyone was invited to my Author Signing this Saturday from 10 am to noon. There will be a $20 gift card drawing at 11:45 a.m., so be sure to get there in time for that!

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I hope your day is full of family, feasting, and fun.

Scripture of the Day: 2 Nephi 8:3

Best Mail Day Ever

Okay, what would you say are the best things you could get in the mail? Yesterday I received three things in the mail that were just wonderful! Here's the low down on what I received:

1. Birthday card from a friend (yes, today is my birthday)


Not only was it a card, but she took the time to write a letter in the card, which made it all the more better. I had not heard from my friend for about a year, so it was so nice to sit down and take a few minutes to catch up with her. Thanks, Raylene!


2. A new dress

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know my DH does not have a great track record for birthday gift giving. (In fact, it is kind of funny to see how bad he actually does--I will post about this year's gifts later.) Knowing this, I ordered myself a new dress. I chose this Shabby Apple design--my first ever purchase from them. I tried it on right away and it fits great. I love how the website gives good descriptions of how their designs fit on the body. They made it easy to select the right size.


3. My book


Yep, Family Home Evening Adventures finally arrived! I was so excited to see it in hard copy and hold it in my hands. Such a thrill! I immediately took a copy over to my manuscript editor -- I just had to share it with someone.

Another great part about yesterday's mail: no bills came!

Scripture of the day: D&C 59:15-21

Family Home Evening Adventures

...is now available online! Yay!

Click here to buy from Borders

Click here to buy from Amazon

Click here to buy from Cedar Fort (book/CD combo)

In other news, I am in the process of arranging book signings (which makes me very nervous). I will be signing books at Seagull Book in Mesa on Saturday, November 28 from 10 am to noon. I am hoping to also be at Deseret Book in Glendale and in Chandler that same weekend. I will post more details as they are finalized!

Scripture of the Day: Jacob 4:3

Family Home Evening Adventures

I just received a copy of what the cover of Family Home Evening Adventures will look like. Don't you love it!?! I appreciate that it is colorful and has some similarities to my first book (Adventures with the Word of God). Many thanks to Angela at Cedar Fort (Horizon) for the great design work!

Family Home Evening Adventures should be in stores in time for holiday shopping!

Scripture of the Day: D&C 58:42-43

My To Do List

Today is one of those days... Not that numerically it is a lot, but a few of the items are simply very time consuming. And several of them are on the computer, which can make my back very tired. Unfortunately, sometimes that's the way life goes. Here are my goals for the day:

1. Complete research report on new burn dressings product (estimated time required 5 hours).

2. Exercise (1 hour needed).

3. Mopping and vacuuming (1 hour needed).

4. Edit proof of Family Home Evening Adventures (it came yesterday! yay! - a few hours needed)

5. Start preparing Sharing Time for Sunday (30 minutes needed)


Looks like no naps today!


Scripture of the Day: Alma 37:6-7

PS, If you have not yet entered my 500th post blog giveaway, scroll down a bit to do so! Deadline is Saturday.

Housekeeping Issues

1. Recently my publisher encouraged all the authors to get on Facebook and Twitter. All this technology seems to take too much time as I am going through the learning curve. I still need to do Twitter, but I did get on Facebook. I even have a fan page. Feel free to become a fan or send a friend request for my personal Facebook page.

2. Tomorrow will be my 500th post! Woo hoo for me! Be sure to check in... there will very likely be a giveaway!

3. I had word from my publisher last week that the cover design of Home Evening Adventures with the Word of God (scheduled for release next month) will be done within a few weeks. I will be sure to post it as soon as I see it.

4. Those of you who indicated you were interested in reviewing a copy of Home Evening Adventures with the Word of God as part of a blog tour, watch your email. I will be getting that set up in the very near future. If anyone else is interested in joing in on this, leave me a comment and I will be happy to add you to the list.

5. Read this article is on the front page of the Denver Post today if you want an update on Harrison.

Home Evening Adventures with the Word of God

Just a little new book info to share: I was recently contacted by my editor and she confirmed my new book, Home Evening Adventures with the Word of God, will be released on October 15 this year. It will also be shown in the annual publishers conference in September. I can't believe how time is flying by--I am starting get excited and can't wait to see what the cover will look like!

If anyone out there is interested in participating in a blog tour for Home Evening Adventures with the Word of God let me know... I need to start planning!