And the Winners Are.....

It is time to announce the winners of the Date Night Challenge:


The winner of the red heart from Rosy Stitch is:
Ashley said I'm a facebook fan!

The winner of the yellow heart from Rosy Stitch is:
Steph said I'm a blog follower

And the grand prize winner of the $50 gift certificate to restaurant.com and the L-O-V-E heart set is....drum roll please.....
Amy!  Amy entered through McLinky and you can read her submission on her blog The 4th Frog.

All winners were chosen randomly using random.org.  I will be contacting winners through email!

Today is My Day and Last Chance!

Saturday is my day over on From Blah to Ta-Daa.  I'm cooking up some Rainbow Bean Soup, perfect for the snowy weather we are having.  It is also a great nosh for Super Bowl viewing on Sunday!

This is your last chance to enter 2 great giveaways!  Tell me about your favorite date night here for your chance to win a $50 gift certificate to restaurant.com!  Take your favorite Valentine out for a nice dinner!  You can also enter for a 3 month Premium Membership to zoodles.com . 

This is Your Brain In Love {Review}

This Is Your Brain In Love by Dr. Earl Henslin: 

Book Description:


Learn the secrets of proactive passion.

Using the latest in brain research, This Is Your Brain in Love helps couples become Master Level Lovers by encouraging each mate to bring their healthiest, most balanced and joyful self to their marriage.

Dr. Henslin speaks to the vital connection between spirituality and sexuality. He identifies the five types of lovers, with ground-breaking insights and effective solutions for the challenges presented by each:
* Scattered Lover
* Over-focused Lover
* Blue Mood Lover
* Agitated Lover
* Anxious Lover

Filled with relatable stories and humor, this is not your boring brain book! Engaging and practical, Dr. Henslin provides an amazingly accurate, scientifically-based brain test to help spot typical brain imbalances. (And yes, most everyone has at least one!)

Bonus material offers brain-researched strategies and new hope for women dealing with hormones and men struggling with sexual addictions.

My Take:
"If we don't take responsibilty for this {soul care}, we never bring our healthiest selves to a relationship."  That is the whole premise of this book.  We need to take care of ourselves and understand what makes us tick or throws us off balance in order to bring our best selves into a relationship.  We need to "bring our best brain to the marriage".  Without that, the relationship faces extra challenges.

The author helps us identify what kind of lover we are.  He names 5 different types and has a chapter dedicated to each one.  At the beginning of the chapter is a quiz which has 2 columns, one for you and one for your mate, which helps you decide if you belong in that category.  The chapter then explains traits and most importantly, gives tips for yourself if you fall into that category and tips for you if your mate falls into that category.  Understanding yourself is truely important, but understanding how your mate ticks is priceless!  These chapters give you the insight in how to modify how you perceive and handle interactions with your spouse. 

Overall, I found the book very interesting, however at times it was a bit too scientific.  I enjoyed learning how our brain functions and how it affects our moods and interactions.  However, most of us will not be running out to get a brain scan and I really began to wonder how much professional help I should really be seeking after reading this book... I came away feeling as if my brain was more screwed up than I could have imagined!  I wish he focused a little less on the scientology and a little more on the personalization.  I enjoyed his tips a lot, some of them being just good basic reminders and he shared stories of his encounters with clients which is a great way to connect to a topic.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Thomas Nelson.  I received no compensation for this review and opinions are my own.  

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl

Dear Baby Girl,

Today you turn 6 and I'm not sure how to feel.  I see how excited you are and that makes me excited too.  However, I see things you don't see...I see my baby slipping away as you growing bigger every day.  I see you maturing into a beautiful little girl who is happy, loving, and self assured.  I see my baby is no longer a baby. 

I see you are happiest in the surf and sand:
 

I see you pull in a good catch and you look great doing it:

I see how you love exerting your independence and attempting new things:

I see how you love being silly and being outdoors:

I see how you love to give a helping hand:

 

 

I see a girl who loves life and everyone around her.  I love you, Baby Girl and I wish you the happiest of birthdays.