An Uncommon History of Common Courtsey

March 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment

 An Uncommon History of Common Courtesy: How Manners Shaped the World

Details …

With engaging and artfully presented text, including sidebars on media mavens throughout history, social gaffes, and archaic manners, this book is as entertaining as it is informative. Readers delve into cultural similarities and differences through lively passages, colorful photography, and sidebars on unique history. Topics include Courtesies and Greetings, Communication and Correspondence, Dining and Entertaining, Hierarchies and Protocol, Hospitality and Occasions, Amusements and Institutions, Boundaries and Cultural Differences, New Technology and Old Manners. Whether you are planning a trip abroad or just want a fascinating, browsable read, find out what is universal and what is merely a product of one’s culture.

My Thoughts …

I am always commenting on how people seem to be forgetting, or failing to learn, basic common courtesy.  So, in that regard, this book is very well timed and I loved it.  It has short entries which are perfect for those nights when I wants to shut off the TV, but doesn’t want to commit to a chapter in a novel or a more challenging read.  The book covers a broad array of concepts but does not go too deep into any one topic.  This makes for an easy read but may leave history buffs like me wanting more.  I felt like some of the entries were kind of glossed over, but I has definitely learned a few things reading it.  All in all, it’s well worth picking up a copy.

This book would be a great gift for a history buff in your family or someone who is always reminding you to mind your manners. You can find it over on Amazon for a great price right now too!

 

Who in your life would enjoy reading this book? Leave me a comment and let me know!

Filed Under: Promotional, Reviews, Simply Life Tagged With: , , , ,

Healing Your Church Hurt

March 30, 2012 By 5 Comments

 

Description …

If you’ve been part of a church, you have probably suffered a “church hurt”—or know someone who has. Maybe the pastor had an affair or the congregation fought over money or the leaders were disguising gossip as “prayer.” Stephen Mansfield knows how it feels. Though he is now a New York Times bestselling author, he was a pastor for more than 20 years, and he loved it—until he learned how much a church can hurt. Yet he also learned how to dig out of that hurt, break through the bitterness and anger, stop making excuses, and get back to where he ought to be with God and his people. If you’re ready to choose the tough path to healing, Mansfield will walk you through it with brotherly love, showing you how you can be better than ever on the other side of this mess—if you’re willing to start Healing Your Church Hurt. Previously published as ReChurch.

Our Thoughts …

When we moved, we struggled to find a new church and found that the task left us unhappy instead of seeking the Lord. As we were going through this process, it would have been great to read this book and feel encouraged. While knowing that you aren’t alone is the best solution, it does provide comfort and this book helps provide some guidance in what to look for in yourself instead of just looking at everyone else.

You can find this book over on Amazon right now for a great price with Prime shipping!

We are excited to offer a copy of this book to one of our readers (we have a free coupon to mail to you.)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Giveaways, Lifestyle, Promotional, Reviews, Simply Life Tagged With: , , , ,

Friday Favorites: God Gave Us Christmas

December 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Friday Favorites is another almost weekly feature here at Simply Budgeted. The whole point of this feature is to share some of our favorite finds. Anything is game. Food. Cleaning supplies. Kid stuff. Garden favorites. Recipes. Anything that I really like and want to randomly post about. Reminder/Disclaimer/Whatever: Everything in Friday Favorites is something that we use and bought on our own.

In the spirit of Christmas, up this week …

God Gave Us Christmas

 

Details …

As Little Cub and her family prepare to celebrate the most special day of the year, the curious young polar bear begins to wonder…
“Who invented Christmas?”
Mama’s answer only leads to more questions like “Is God more important than Santa?” So she and Little Cub head off on a polar expedition to find God and to see how he gave them Christmas. Along the way, they find signs that God is at work all around them. Through Mama’s gentle guidance, Little Cub learns about the very first Christmas and discovers that…
Jesus is the best present of all.
This enchanting tale provides the perfect opportunity to help young children celebrate the true meaning of Christmas and to discover how very much God loves them.

Our Thoughts …

This book is a super easy read and our kids loved it as a bedtime story. It is a story for those who have kids that ask lots of questions about Christmas and why we celebrate it. The little cub and momma bear in the story allow the kids to easily relate to the journey they take to ask the cub’s question about “Who invented Christmas?” This would be a great book to add your bookshelf this holiday season!

It is available on Amazon (and qualifies for Prime shipping too!)

Have you read this book before? Do you love it? What is your favorite Christmas children’s book? Leave us a comment and let us know!

 

 

Filed Under: Friday Favorites, Kids, Memes, Simply Family Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook

November 19, 2011 By 1 Comment

 

Details …

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of French Women Don’t Get Fat offers a long-awaited collection of delicious, healthy recipes and advice on eating well without gaining weight.

With French Women Don’t Get Fat, Mireille Guiliano wrote the ultimate non–diet book on how to enjoy food and stay slim, sparking a worldwide publishing phenomenon. Now, in her first-ever cookbook, she provides her millions of readers with the recipes that are the cornerstone of her philosophy—mouthwatering, simply prepared dishes that favor fresh, seasonal ingredients and yield high satisfaction.

Organized around Mireille’s three favorite pastimes—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—these recipes emphasize pure flavors, balanced ingredients, and easy cooking methods. Eating pleasurably is just as important as eating healthfully, and Mireille does not neglect dessert and chocolate (essential components of any French woman’s diet) and incorporates advice on entertaining, menu planning, and wine selection. And once again, Mireille offers tips and tricks to reduce one’s waistline (including a secret family recipe from Mireille’s beloved Tante Berthe for a delicious breakfast that melts away pounds effortlessly).

Filled with stories from Mireille’s childhood in France, her life in Paris, Provence, and New York, and her extensive travels and meals for business and enjoyment, The French Women Don’t Get Fat Cookbook is a beautiful, practical lifestyle guide to living well, eating wonderfully, and getting the most out of life with the least amount of stress.

Our Thoughts …

This more than a cookbook. It contains many stories from Mireille’s life too! The cookbook is simply organized into a breakfast, lunch and dinner topics followed by a chapter on fish and vegetables and then sweets. The recipes are laid out really nice in a big enough font to read while you are cooking and baking! For breakfast you might pick the Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal or maybe the Provencal Omelet! Or maybe you want to skip right to the sweets and try the Fruit Salad with Quinoa!

This cookbook is on a great sale over at Amazon right now! Maybe some of these recipes will help you slim down this holiday season!

Do you have this cookbook? Leave us a comment and let us know!

NOTE: We were provided with a review copy of this book to provide this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are our own.

Filed Under: Promotional, Recipes, Reviews, Simply Food Tagged With: , , , , ,

750 Best Appetizers

November 15, 2011 By

Details …

There are more than 750 recipes to choose from because we’ve tried to make sure home cooks have a selection to suit every possible occasion — from a dress-down backyard barbecue to the most elegant sit-down dinner. We’ve also considered the need to satisfy a variety of dietary preferences, from strictest vegans to wide-ranging omnivores. And since we know busy families are probably doing lots of things at once, many recipes can be prepared ahead of time or, if so inclined, made in a slow cooker while busy doing something else.

The book is structured to cover a broad range of options. There are 16 chapters built around specific types of dishes, such as dips and spreads, or specific ingredients, such as fish and seafood or cheese. We’ve also categorized by presentation since it’s such an integral component to appetizers, so chapters are organized by categories, such as “Wraps and Rolls” and “Sticks and Picks.”

Our Thoughts …

This book is full of ideas. If you are planning a Thanksgiving event, Christmas dinner, or just a holiday party, this book would be a great place to start. Maybe the Zucchini Hummus or Chive and Navy Bean Dip would be great to add to your next event. I think the Honey Mustard Dip might show up on our menu soon for a weekend football watching meal!;)

Amazon has a great deal on this book as we head into the holiday season!

We are excited to announce that we have been provided with the opportunity to giveaway one copy of 750 Best Appetizers to one of our readers!

 

Details:
This drawing will end Tuesday, November 29th at 11:59pm EST. The winner will have 48 hours to reply with their address. You must include your email address in the comment form so you can be contacted if you are a winner! You must complete the Mandatory Entry for the additional entries to count.

This giveaway is open to US residents only!

So how do you enter?

Mandatory Entry: Leave us a comment about when you want to make appetizers!

Additional Entries:

1) Follow us on Facebook HERE. Worth two entries so leave two comments here! (Psst … we love comments on Facebook so maybe you can leave us one!)
2) Follow BOTH SimplyBudgeted and This_Cookin_Dad on Twitter. Leave a THREE comment with your twitter name.
3) Tweet about this giveaway with this tweet:

RT #Win a copy of 750 Best Appetizers @simplybudgeted http://bit.ly/uwjlcj ends 11/29 #giveaway #book #cookbook #recipe #cooking

Leave a comment with the URL for your tweet. (One Tweet per day until end of giveaway!!)
4) Follow us publicly through the Google Friends Connect in the footer. Leave a comment with your name that you subscribe with.
5) Subscribe to the daily email here at Simply Budgeted. It is at the top of the sidebar!;) Please leave a comment. (worth 5 entries!)

NOTE: We were sent a review copy of this book in support of this review. No other compensation was received. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are our honest opinion.

Filed Under: Giveaways, Promotional, Recipes, Reviews, Simply Food Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Lighten Up by Peter Walsh

November 8, 2011 By

Details …

It seems as though not a day goes by that we don’t think about money. We cut back on spending. We chase a bargain. We try to save more. We strive to use less credit. We worry about funding our retirement and our children’s education. Yet we continue to spend money on things that don’t matter. Peter Walsh knows that money and debt can overwhelm your life even faster than clutter, and he has a plan to help you deal with that emotional and financial chaos. Peter’s previous bestselling books inspired us to successfully evict the clutter in our homes, on our bodies, and in six key areas of our lives. But for many people, clearing the clutter suddenly exposes deeper issues—financial, physical, and emotional. Sometimes our problems are not really about the physical stuff but about the emotional fabric of our lives—from our relationships with money to our relationships with people and even how we define and find happiness.

In Lighten Up, Peter demonstrates that this reassessment of priorities is a great opportunity to examine our lives and circumstances and to make the changes necessary to focus on the things that really matter. Exploring the real source of happiness, Peter offers a clear strategy for finding the delicate balance between what we have, what we need, and what we want or feel entitled to. With three unique audits that cover every aspect of our well-being, he takes us step by step through sizing up not just our possessions and financial statements but also our thoughts, goals, use of time and energy, and even our innermost sources of tension. He then shows us how to embrace the changes we’ve experienced, set a new path for the future, and come to accept that living on less can feel—and be—so much richer.

Our Thoughts …

This is our first introduction into Peter Walsh’s books. It might be odd for us to say that being a budgeting site but we talk about our simply methods for budgeting so it always great to see what others see. This book really a work book more than a reading book. Plan to think and have an ink pen in hand! If you are in a relationship, you should read this book with your husband, wife, who ever you share finances with right now because it will impact you both. This books makes you think. It covers the WANTS versus NEED thought that we talk about here. If you are look for a way to work through redoing how you look at your finances and budget, check out Lighten Up! This book might be the right book to get your budget on track for 2012!!

You can buy Lighten Upon Amazon right now so click over there and be on the path to lighten up your family’s finances!

We are excited to offer TWO our readers a copy of Peter Walsh’s Light Up to get them started on the right financial path as we close out 2011!

Details:
This drawing will end Tuesday, November 22nd at 11:59pm EST. The winner will have 48 hours to reply with their address. You must include your email address in the comment form so you can be contacted if you are a winner! You must complete the Mandatory Entry for the additional entries to count.

This giveaway is open to US residents only!

So how do you enter?

Mandatory Entry: Leave us a comment about what you hope to change in your budget.

Additional Entries:

1) Follow us on Facebook HERE. Worth two entries so leave two comments here! (Psst … we love comments on Facebook so maybe you can leave us one!)
2) Follow BOTH SimplyBudgeted and This_Cookin_Dad on Twitter. Leave a THREE comment with your twitter name.
3) Tweet about this giveaway with this tweet:

RT #Win a 1 of 2 copies of Peter Walsh’s Lighten Up book at @simplybudgeted http://bit.ly/u0eGq5 ends 11/22 #giveaway #book #budget #finance

Leave a comment with the URL for your tweet. (One Tweet per day until end of giveaway!!)
4) Follow us publicly through the Google Friends Connect in the footer. Leave a comment with your name that you subscribe with.
5) Subscribe to the daily email here at Simply Budgeted. It is at the top of the sidebar!;) Please leave a comment. (worth 5 entries!)

NOTE: We were sent a review copy of this book in support of this review. No other compensation was received. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are our honest opinion.

 

Filed Under: Budgeting Advice, Giveaways, Promotional, Reviews, SimplySaving Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Just in Case You Ever Wonder

October 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Just in Case You Ever Wonder

 Details …

A timeless children’s classic by best-selling author, Max Lucado, that reinforces the love of a parent.

There are certain words that every child longs to hear . . . affirmation of unconditional love, promises of support, and words of encouragement.  Just in Case You Ever Wonder wraps your children in its tender message of love, comfort, and protection, showing them that as they grow and change, you’ll always be there for them-whether it’s “monsters in the closet” or hard times when other kids are mean. Beloved author, Max Lucado, helps express unconditional love for a child-simply, powerfully, and forever.

My Thoughts …

I read this book tonight to the kids at bedtime. Matthew was not into story time (which is common at 2 years old). Sophie and Grace were really happy to get  a new bedtime book though! I didn’t really know what to expect from this book but I really loved it. Sophie is almost four years old and loves to ask “why?” I just kept reading tonight when she would ask and she would smile when she heard the answers to her “why’s”. I can see this book staying on our bookshelf for awhile. It is a book the kids can grow into for sure. It might be a little above them right now but they get that mommy and daddy love them and so does God. My favorite part was actually the end of the book when it talks about Heaven because we have been talking about Heaven lately so it was nice for the girls to see and hear that mentioned again in another way!

You can buy this book at Amazon right now for $10.87!

 

Have you read this book or other children’s books by Max Lucado? We love Max Lucado’s One Hand, Two Hands book too. Leave us a comment and let us know if you love this book or what your favorite book to say “I Love You” is!

NOTE: I was sent a copy of this book in support this review. No other compensation was received. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

 

Filed Under: Kids, Promotional, Reviews, Simply Family Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School

October 20, 2011 By

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School

Details …

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School is essentially “What Not to Wear” meets Michael Pollan.   Inspired by a supermarket encounter with a woman loading up on processed foods, Le Cordon Blue graduate Kathleen Flinn decided to use her recent culinary training to help a group of nine culinary novitiates find their inner cook.  These students invited Kathleen into their kitchens where she took inventory of each person’s refrigerator, cabinets and eating habits.  After kitchen “makeovers” and a series of basic lessons where they learned to wield knives, trust their taste and improve their food choices, the women found a common missing ingredient–confidence.  In this new book, Flinn follows these women’s journeys and includes practical, healthy tips to boost readers’ culinary confidence, strategies to get the most from their grocery dollar and simple recipes to get readers cooking.

Our Thoughts …

The Easy Artisan Bread recipe from the book is our favorite from this book. We have almost stopped buying bread from the store by using this recipe. We hope that by next year, we won’t be buying sandwich bread any more! We are so happy to make this change. It is a change we have wanted to make but were not sure how to do it so we excited to find a way that isn’t killing us in time or costs! How many times can you say a book changed the way you eat and shop?! This book might do that for you. We do want to share one recipe from the book with you so here is …

YEAST PANCAKES

1 pkg. active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1 3/4 cups milk, scalded then cooled to lukewarm
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 tbsp. oil (or 4 tbsp. Smart Balance margarine)
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon soda
1/2 teaspoon baking power
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water in mixing bowl. Add milk, sugar, salt, and spices. Beat in rest of ingredients with rotary beater until smooth. Cover and let rise in warm place about 1 or more. Batter will be light and bubbly.
Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate overnight. (Do not refrigerate more than 24 hours.) When ready to make pancakes, preheat the griddle, grease lightly, if necessary.
Stir batter and drop from tip of large spoon, or pour from pitcher onto hot griddle. Turn as soon as top turns bubbly. Bake other side until golden brown. Pancakes will be thin.
Makes about two dozen four-inch pancakes
You can buy this at Amazon right now (it is a great deal!!!) …

We are excited to offer a giveaway for a copy of The Kitchen Counter Cooking School to one of our readers!

Details:
This drawing will end Thursday, November 3rd at 11:59pm EST. The winner will have 48 hours to reply with their address. You must include your email address in the comment form so you can be contacted if you are a winner! You must complete the Mandatory Entry for the additional entries to count. This giveaway is open to US residents only !

So how do you enter?

Mandatory Entry: Who would this book help to learn to cook?

Additional Entries:

1) Follow us on Facebook HERE. Worth two entries so leave two comments here! (Psst … we love comments on Facebook so maybe you can leave us one!)
2) Follow BOTH SimplyBudgeted and This_Cookin_Dad on Twitter. Leave a THREE comment with your twitter name.
3) Tweet about this giveaway with this tweet:

RT #Win a The Kitchen Counter Cooking School at @simplybudgeted http://bit.ly/o0oBDA ends 11/3 #giveaway #cookbook #cooking #recipes #book

Leave a comment with the URL for your tweet. (One Tweet per day until end of giveaway!!)
4) Follow us publicly through the Google Friends Connect in the footer. Leave a comment with your name that you subscribe with.
5) Subscribe to the daily email here at Simply Budgeted. It is at the top of the sidebar!;) Please leave a comment. (worth 5 entries!)

NOTE: We were provided with a review copy of this book to provide this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are our own. All prizes are mailed by the PR company or actual company.

Filed Under: Giveaways, Promotional, Recipes, Reviews, Simply Food Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Dinosaur Train Halloween Fun

October 13, 2011 By

Dinosaur Train Halloween Fun comes in two varieties … the Dinosaur Train “Buddy” and “The Spooky Scavenger Hunt” book. But there is even more …  you can watch  ALL NEW TELEVISION SPECIALS OF DINOSAUR TRAIN  & SID THE SCIENCE KID:

Dinosaur Train NEW EPISODE Haunted Roundhouse/Big Pond Pumpkin Patch premiere 10/20 on PBS Kids (check local listings) Repeats- 10/24, 10/28, 10/30 , 10/31

Buddy is the main character on the hit TV series, Dinosaur Train.  This colorful costume includes the orange colored T-Rex jumpsuit, Buddy the dinosaur hood, and the shoe covers to match the costume. Available for toddlers ages 3-4, and children between the ages of 4-6. SRP: $34.99 –39.99.

Our Little Dude is thrilled with this costume for Halloween. There was no way he was letting me take a picture though as he carries it around. I am hoping by Halloween he actually puts it on and you see it in a Wordless Wednesday post around here!

Additionally, for those who are feeling a little adventurous, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop — the folks who brought you Elmo and Miss Piggy, among many others — have created a Buddy costume that can be made at home! For sew and no sew options, click this link: http://www.pbs.org/parents/dinosaurtrain/costume

  And to see a video of the sew version, click this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QANroqbPing

For a little scary Dinosaur Train Halloween Fun – enjoy reading “The Spooky Scavenger Hunt” from Grosset & Dunlap in which Mr. Pteranodon takes Buddy and Tiny on a nighttime trip to the Big Pond for a spooky nature walk! Mr. Pteranodon and the conductor insist they can’t be scared, but when the conductor’s mom jumps out at them, everyone gets a good scare! This simple storybook is perfect for read-aloud fun!  Ages 4 – 8; SRP $3.99.

While talking about Halloween you might also be interested in …

Now, Sid and his friends Gerald, May and Gabriela can come along while your child is trick-or-treating with this spooky candy bag that can be personalized with a youngster’s name. To collect your favorite candy and goodies, check out the Sid the Science Kid Happy Halloween Black Trick-or-Treat Bag. available for $14.99 at the following link: http://sidscience.shop.pbskids.org/sid-the-science-kid-happy-halloween-black-trick-or-treat-bag.html

We are excited to offer a giveaway for a copy The Spooky Scavenger Hunt to one of our readers!

 

Details:
This drawing will end Thursday, October 27th at 11:59pm EST. The winner will have 48 hours to reply with their address. You must include your email address in the comment form so you can be contacted if you are a winner! You must complete the Mandatory Entry for the additional entries to count. This giveaway is open to US residents only !

So how do you enter?

Mandatory Entry: Who enjoys Dinosaur Train or Sid the Science Kid at your house?

Additional Entries:

1) Follow us on Facebook HERE. Worth two entries so leave two comments here! (Psst … we love comments on Facebook so maybe you can leave us one!)
2) Follow BOTH SimplyBudgeted and This_Cookin_Dad on Twitter. Leave a THREE comment with your twitter name.
3) Tweet about this giveaway with this tweet:

RT #Win @pbskids and @hensonparents The Spooky Scavenger Hunt #book at @simplybudgeted http://bit.ly/mPOhgq ends 10/27 #giveaway #children

Leave a comment with the URL for your tweet. (One Tweet per day until end of giveaway!!)
4) Follow us publicly through the Google Friends Connect in the footer. Leave a comment with your name that you subscribe with.
5) Subscribe to the daily email here at Simply Budgeted. It is at the top of the sidebar!;) Please leave a comment. (worth 5 entries!)

NOTE: We were provided with a review costume to provide this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are our own. All prizes are mailed by the PR company or actual company.

Filed Under: Giveaways, Kids, Promotional, Reviews, Simply Family Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

When Monsters Get Lonely

October 11, 2011 By

Details …

One night during a blackout, one of Hannah’s worst childhood fears comes to life, when her monster pays her a visit in the dark of night. Hannah finds it difficult to control her dreadful fear, until Grams reveals how our thoughts magically create our lives. Check out Maha Huneidi’s guest post too!

Our Thoughts …

Sophie has been scared of the dark on and off for awhile so I thought this book might help her calm her fears. She really enjoyed reading the book. It was a little long for her under 4 attention span but Grace who is 5 loved the detail in the book. They both really enjoyed the pictures in the book.

If you have monsters at your house, this book is a good book for your kids and you. It will make you think about monsters differently for sure!

You can buy this book on Amazon now for $12.99!

 


We are excited to offer one of our readers a copy of this book in a giveaway!!

 

Details:
This drawing will end Tuesday, October 25th at 11:59pm EST. The winner will have 48 hours to reply with their address. You must include your email address in the comment form so you can be contacted if you are a winner! You must complete the Mandatory Entry for the additional entries to count. This giveaway is open to US residents only !

So how do you enter?

Mandatory Entry: Who would enjoy this book at your house?

Additional Entries:

1) Follow us on Facebook HERE. Worth two entries so leave two comments here! (Psst … we love comments on Facebook so maybe you can leave us one!)
2) Follow BOTH SimplyBudgeted and This_Cookin_Dad on Twitter. Leave a THREE comment with your twitter name.
3) Tweet about this giveaway with this tweet:

RT #Win a copy of When Monsters Get Lonely at @simplybudgeted http://bit.ly/reP3Ml ends 10/25 #giveaway #book #children

Leave a comment with the URL for your tweet. (One Tweet per day until end of giveaway!!)
4) Follow us publicly through the Google Friends Connect in the footer. Leave a comment with your name that you subscribe with.
5) Subscribe to the daily email here at Simply Budgeted. It is at the top of the sidebar!;) Please leave a comment. (worth 5 entries!)

NOTE: We were provided with a review copy of this book to provide this review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are our own.

Filed Under: Giveaways, Kids, Promotional, Reviews, Simply Family Tagged With: , , , , ,
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