Time To Workout: I Joined A Gym!

About a week and a half ago I joined a gym. Went in on a Saturday morning, dropped down my money and walked away...pondering my next move. I was so busy over the next few days, I didn't even consider going in to workout.

I had an appointment set up to see a trainer on Tuesday, and I think it was the day before she called me to see how I was doing and to confirm our appointment. I had no idea what to expect with her. It's just a courtesy meeting the gym sets up. The day we were supposed to get together, she had to cancel because something came up. No sweat, literally, we just moved it to Friday. Problem was, I didn't have any time to get into the gym until our next appointment.

Let me back up about a month...maybe more. When I first met with the gym manager, it was as a blogger, hoping to work with them and blog for them. Unfortunately, they don't do those kinds of partnerships. Bummer, but ok. He seemed very personable, and happy to show me all around the gym. They've got a lot, I have to say that for them. Sadly, staying in touch with him after that wasn't very easy. In fact after 3 follow up emails, I only heard from him once. I wasn't going to base the gym on one person, even if it was the manager.

I went in to meet with the trainer, and it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. Well, I didn't know what I was expecting, but I think I had something else in mind. She asked me what my goals were. Basically I want to fit into my clothing again. I don't have a number in mind that I want to weigh. Fitting in my clothing will be a good plumb for me. I just want to feel healthy.

Then she started talking to me about my diet; what's good for me, what's bad for me. Don't eat lots of greasy food, eat lots of vegetables. Yep, I think most of us really know this, right? Again, still trying to figure out what we were doing. She was super nice, adorable.

Knowing that I'm not confident on using the cardio machines, I asked her if she could show me how to use them. She said she would, but seemed somewhat hesitant about it. Turned out she wasn't exactly sure how some of the machines worked. Bummer! Anyhow, the meeting was over in less than 30 minutes.

One other tidbit she showed me was the cost of hiring a trainer. It ain't cheap folks! The smallest option is 5 - 50 minute sessions for $425.00! That's $85/session. I mean, It's not "bad" if you have that kind of money sitting around. The cheapest option is at $68/session, but you either have to sign up for 3x/week for 2 months or 24 customized 50 minute sessions. Needless to say, I'll be sticking with the classes for now.

My plan was to get into a class the next week no matter what. I had to start somewhere and it had to be soon! Oh, and I had to get something to work out in because my pajamas just weren't going to cut it.

Have you ever joined a gym? How did it go?

Revell Rebel U-Wing Fighter

You know it's just around the corner, right? Exactly a week from today? Valentine's Day. Yep, I said it. It's already that far into the year!  You know how many gifts I've gotten for my guys? Nada. I keep forgetting that February 14th is almost here!

Well, with that being said, I at least have an idea for you that you kids will love! First, do they love all things Star Wars? Second, have they or you considered models before? If not, now's the perfect time! I was reached out to about doing a review of the SnapTite® brand's line of Build and Play™ for kids 8+. Hello! How could I say, "No," knowing how much my kids love that movie. Both of my boys have done models with their dad before, so it wasn't a hard sell.

We got the Revel Star Wars SnapTite Build & Play Rebel U-wing Fighter™. There were three models released this past fall, which you can find at Target, Hobby Lobby, and Toys R' Us, as well as online at Amazon.

Having had no experience with this brand, I wasn't sure how easy or hard it will be, even with it recommended for young kids. My son is 13 so I figured it wouldn't be too bad, and it really wasn't. I would guess he was done within 10 minutes? Yes, it was that fast.

There were a couple of times we had to un-snap it because he was going too quickly. Thankfully, they make them easy enough to take apart that you're not breaking anything. Whew, that was good because we had to take almost half of it off for the 2nd mistake. lol

With how easy this was for him to put together: no gluing, no attaching stickers, I think I'd go to the really big one for his next model. What's really cool about these, is the sound effects & light! In the picture below you can see on the left the green light inside the cockpit. The younger kids will love playing with it along with displaying it like my son will be doing with it.

What are your plans for Valentine's Day?

Homesick Candle - Minnesota - It's Your Love Giveaway Hop

Now, if you know anything about me, you know how much I love Minnesota. Yes it snows a lot. Yes they/we have a lot of mosquitos. Yes there's something called hot dish, not casserole. There's just a lot more I love about it than I don't which is why I'm always homesick.

When I came across Homesick Candles, my heart skipped a beat. I wasted no time reaching out asking if we could work together to do a review! The idea of this is so fabulous on so many levels! When you move out of state, aren't you homesick for a while, or forever? You miss it, the people in it who made your life better, richer, full of joy! Homesick Candles are a sentimental way to remember how much you love where you've been!

I'm sure each of us, who have moved away from the place we love, has a memory such as a scent, a food, or an area that comes to mind at random times. Yesterday we were driving over on the Eastern Shore, and it just reminded me of being up North in Minnesota. The Homesick Candles give us a scent that's supposed to remind us of home. Minnesota's scent "Takes you back to The North Star State, with scents reminiscent of winter air and Minnesota apple strudel."

Now, you see the picture above? It was very fortuitous that my candle showed up on the ONE day it snowed in Maryland! It's so weird not to see snow until mid January, and then for it to be gone by the end of the day. Definitely NOT a Minnesota winter!

Something else that reminds me of home is a hotdish. Before I moved to Minnesota, I had no idea what a hotdish was. When I found out, I was like, "You mean a 'casserole'?" Hotdish sounded so stupid. I'd traveled a LOT of places, and never heard of such a thing. Well, Minnesotans say a lot of things differently. After a while you somewhat get used to it.

I decided that I'd share one of the hotdishes I like to make, it's a Tater Tot Hotdish. Somehow, and this was long before my time of moving to MN, people associated the state with hotdish and jello with fruit in it. Just cracks me up. While I did see hotdish at potlucks, I rarely saw jello.

I change mine up a little bit, and I'd say there isn't one specific way that a hotdish has to be made. I mean, it's just a casserole. I like having sautéed mushrooms in mine, and I like the garlic condensed mushroom soup!

Your family is going to love this recipe. It's perfect for the winter!

This is a super easy dish to make, and you will have a happy belly when you're finished!

Now you have the chance to win a candle from the state of your choice. Which state are you homesick for?

Love is in the Air! What would make February even better? Being able to enter a bunch of amazing giveaways! Anderson's Angels, This Mamas Life, The More The Merrier and Woven by Words, are very excited to help create It’s Your Love! We've teamed up with other wonderful bloggers, to bring you another great giveaway event! Each blog has gathered a prize package for the It’s Your Love Giveaway Event! And to make this event even more special, one lucky reader will win an Organic Aromas Essential Oil Diffuser!

Hosts & participating hop bloggers of the It’s Your Love Event are not responsible for sponsors or self-sponsoring bloggers that do not fulfill prize obligations.

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Mark Of The King Review & Giveaway

The Mark of the King
by Jocelyn Green
Publisher: Bethany House
ISBN: 978-0764219061

I've never read any books by author Jocelyn Green before. Hearing about this book from Litfuse, I joined the blog tour so I'd have the opportunity to review the book. So thankful I did. Having not read books during the French occupation and settling of Louisiana, this really piqued my interest!

Summary: After being imprisoned and branded for the death of her client, twenty-five-year-old midwife Julianne Chevalier trades her life sentence for exile to the fledgling 1720s French colony of Louisiana, where she hopes to be reunited with her brother, serving there as a soldier. To make the journey, though, women must be married, and Julianne is forced to wed a fellow convict.

When they arrive in New Orleans, there is no news of Benjamin, Julianne's brother, and searching for answers proves dangerous. What is behind the mystery, and does military officer Marc-Paul Girard know more than he is letting on?

With her dreams of a new life shattered, Julianne must find her way in this dangerous, rugged land, despite never being able to escape the king's mark on her shoulder that brands her a criminal beyond redemption.

My Review:

I was thoroughly captivated by this book. As an avid fan of historical novels, this one did an amazing job of transporting me back to the settlement of Louisiana by the French. Honestly, I can't even tell you how little I know about that time in history.

Reading Mark of the King gave me an amazing fictional insight to what life was probably like for those who were settling this new land.

We get to know poor Julianne as she deals with one incident after another: thrown into prison, married to a man she doesn't know, and shipped off to a land that doesn't have enough resources to handle all of the people coming to it. I can only imagine what that must've been like for the people who actually had to endure such circumstances.

Things sadly don't get any better once she arrives with her new husband. Things go from bad to worse. The mark Julianne received as a prisoner follows her everywhere she goes. The officer Marc-Paul Girard tries to help her navigate this new world she's ended up in.

Of course, a story such as this has deceit, loss, and battles to be fought. The Native Americans were used by the French and British alike, and it rears its ugly head throughout the story. Julianne's brother, Benjamin, had been one of the officers who was sent to live with them to learn more about their ways. Unfortunately, Benjamin has been lost, the one last relative Julianne had.

I couldn't get enough of this book. It's one of those stories that has you falling asleep and waking up wondering what's going on with the characters.

About the Author: Jocelyn Green inspires faith and courage as the award-winning author of ten books to date, including Wedded to War, a Christy Award finalist in 2013; Widow of Gettysburg; Yankee in Atlanta; and The 5 Love Languages Military Edition, which she coauthored with bestselling author Dr. Gary Chapman. A former military wife herself, her passion for military families informs all of her writing as well as her numerous speaking opportunities. Jocelyn graduated from Taylor University with a BA in English and now lives with her husband and two children in Iowa.

There are a few days left to enter the giveaway, so check that out by clicking the image below!

What period of time do you enjoy reading about?

Wordless Wednesday - Old Salem, North Carolina

I had the pleasure of getting together with my company last week! On the last day, I had time to drive over to a historical site. It was beautiful, and man I just love old homes & buildings. Check 'em out!