How to get books for review for free!!!

So I read an article in someone's blog months and months ago about how to get free stuff from Amazon. I can't for the life of me think whose blog it was and it was very likely from Pinterest. 

Anyways they had suggested to write reviews from every purchase you make on Amazon and compmnines will send you products similar to use and write honest reviews. I was all about that idea, who doesn't like free stuff?? 

Well I realized shortly after you have to have purchased a lot of stuff in a specific type of product. And since I bought all kinds of different things my profile wasn't going to draw much attention to those people. One thing I did buy a lot of??? Books!! 

And I know a ton of you love reading too!! So I am going to tell you the steps you take to get free books!! I mean it seriously rocks.

If you have an Amazon account (are there people who don't?) go to your profile and start to fill it in. Put in interests, and about me, and most importantly your email needs to be on there. A picture doesn't hurt as it makes you look more human. 

Now just go in your purchase history and start reviewing the books you have read!! And even if you didn't buy a book on Amazon you can still write a review on Amazon!!! But with that being said these reviews can't be simply a star rating and a sentence. If you want free books you have to write at least a couple paragraphs!! And don't just write reviews for the books you loved. Honest reviews about books you weren't stoked about will help authors know what you don't want to read also!! 

And after you write a bunch you are gonna start getting emails from authors asking you to read books!!  Don't believe me??? Here is the folder I throw in all my offers so I don't loose them. And I respond to them one at a time or two if Dustin sees one he wants to read. I have gotten kids books, and lots of sci-if because that is what we read most!! And I get more each week so I have an eternal supply of books coming in it's great!! 

These are only the current ones, and ones I'm interested in!

I hope some of you join me and start reading some awesome free books. The authors I have worked with are all awesome and said they will be emailing me again in the future with the next books in the series!!! How awesome is that??? 

The Last Girl Review

This book was also free, however, not for review. At the beginning of each month if you are an AmazonPrime member you get a free book a month from a list they send you!! This book caught my attention and was really nice to read between all the sci-fi and fantasy novels.

This books starts out in facility that is filled with people but only 6 girls. The world is falling apart when female babies stop being born for no real reason. And the country is doing everything in their power to save the last remaining girls and save humanity!! But how far will they go, before the girls can't take it anymore??

The story had twists and turns you NEVER SEE COMING. All the way to the end. It's the first of a three part series that hasn't even been finished writing!!

I am obsessed with this book, I could have kept reading this story for weeks straight!! And I'm seriously sad that I have to wait til September to buy the next book. And will be spending the money in he second book, it's totally worth it!!!

So this book gets a 5 out of 5 stars, not a doubt in my mind!!

Throne of Demons (book 1) Review

http://www.amazon.com/Throne-Demons-Songs-Death-Life-ebook/dp/B01CROP8LM?ie=UTF8&keywords=throne%20of%20demons&qid=1461778468&ref_=sr_1_1&s=books&sr=1-1

I was given this book by the author to read and write an honest review.

I started out this book not totally sure. We were sent the copy due to previous books we had reviewed, however Dustin has been the one who read the oh her books!! I asked him if he wanted a new book to read for free in return for a review and he said yes so I emailed the author and accepted his offer. I got the book and it sat there for almost two weeks without being read by Dustin. And I felt bad since it was our first offer....little did I know we would receive way more before long. 

So feeling guilty I picked up the book and started reading, I would read a chapter before bed. And it took me a few nights to even understand what was going on. Each "chapter" is written from the perspective of another character. So I was being thrown all over the place trying to piece together all the parts. After about a week I had a good bearing on the few main characters.

Edison really draws you into each character with great details and emotions. And you long to find out who each character is become and how they will relate. 

Without giving away too much, the plot is following a kingdom that is split between 4 lands. The king is a terrible ruler. As they oddly always seem to be. Each land is mostly left to fend for themselves against the on slaught of demons attacking from all sides. And as the story progresses you find that the only way to truly overcome the demons is witchcraft. But who will go to the witches first? The answer will surprise you, and make you want to read the next book.

So what is my review. I'll give it a 4 out of 5 stars. Why because the story is so well written and the characters are so developed you feel genuine grief when someone dies. But this whole concept wasn't for me. If you like stories based on demons, witches, and other folklore as such you would totally think it's a 5/5!! I hope that Dustin manages to pick it up and read it in the future!!

Dream big, Shoot high!!!

Scraping the bottom of the barrel and living paycheck to paycheck is totally something we have our fair share of experience in!! We are no stranger to eating mac and cheese a couple times a week to get by. And whose kidding, the kids eat better those weeks anyways haha!! But obviously this isn't where we wanna be forever.

I have always been a goal setter, I mean I dream big as far into the future as 10 years from now, so as short as goals to reach by the end of the day!  Those small goals may seem mundane and useless in the greater scheme of things, but they make me keep looking forward, and trying to reach for bigger and better things each day.

If you don't set goals, how do you know where you wanna go. You gotta set big goals and then figure out what smaller goals will get there. This can be applied to all areas of your life. And sometimes those smaller goals don't pan out. And you have to take a detour, sit down and set new goals. But that is okay!! You learned something from trying and you are that much closer to figuring out your path!! 

Overall my main future goal is to settle down, make a home and be able to raise my children comfortably. And the reality of that might just be that we live broke, learn and get where we need to be.

There have been two things that have consistently for the past 7-8 years been my interests. And that is fitness and photography!! I love them both passionately. They are the things I could do every day and never tire of them. So for me it was an obvious step in the right direction to start my Photography business. I am not making bank loads yet, because it takes a good foundation to build a successful business and I am still learning what it takes as I go. 

Today I decided to take hopefully a good step towards my other passion. I had thought many times in the past about joining beachbody, and have done quite a few of their programs along the way. I don't know exactly what held me up all this time, but finally I stepped up and decided to commit to being a coach. I don't know where this journey will lead me, it may be successful and be all the further I need to go for a while, or it may just be a stepping stone to go even further. Those long term goals will be discussed later once I have nailed them down!! 

But I hope that my feeling inspired today rubs off on at least one of you!! If you are passionate about something, don't hold back, follow your dreams!! It is never too late!!!

Kyra is 4 years old!!!

Nicknames: Kyra Bug

Clothing size: 4t-5t

Personality: Well I suppose it comes with the age, she has become a very independent and bratty little thing!! She intentionally doesn't listen, talks back, and does things when she is told not to. But over all she is pretty sweet. She loves her brother and plays for large amounts of time together!!

Things I Could Do Without:  your attitude.....I fear for high school if you are starting this young.

Item/Toy We Love The Most: Puzzles, coloring books, and paint keeps you busy.

Item/Toy You Love The Most: Monkeys, and My Little Ponies

Things I’m Loving Most Right Now:  Some of the super sweet things you say. Even when you are being an absolute terror you come back and say things that are just too sweet!

Things You’re Loving Most Right Now: Riding your new bike, movies, bubbles, and running around!!

Random Ramblings of a WFHM: The day of a Dr Appointment

Bzzzz bzzzzz bzzzz my fit bit alarm is going off in my wrist!! Hey awesome I got to wake up to my alarm not a kid, I love this now I can actually wake up on my own time while still laying in bed!! The makings of a good day!!!! 

T-minus 2.5 hours until appointment time.

CRASH, MOMMY!!!! What the heck was that, oh yeah I have kids, crap that sound came from the kitchen what did she break now??? Jump out of bed and run to Kitchen to cereal all over the floor. Oh the joys of a very independent, "I'll let mom sleep in" almost 4 year old. Time to clean up mess #1!

T-minus 2.5 hours (yup so much for that calm wake up in bed stuff haha) until appointment time.

Make strawberry milk, open strawberry yogurt, and open a banana. One kid up and fed!! Not bad, now I can drink some coffee. Sit down time to relax and get the day going!! Feet up, ahhhh not a terrible morning, cereal was easy enough to clean up. I don't know why she was even getting cereal when she wanted yogurt and a banana....who knows. This day is going okay after all, I'll wake Darren up in like 20 mins and get him ready and myself ready and we should make good time. WAAAHHH, oh guess not he's up now!! Well better to get him. Hot coffee onto the counter it goes.

T-minus 2 hours until appointment time.

Milk poured thank goodness I remembered to run the dishwasher last night so I had a clean Sippy cup!! Banana and cereal on his table, check now I can get back to that coffee, which is now just kinda warm. Oh well maybe it's a good thing he woke up before I had to wake him up now he will have more time to eat. Sit down to finish my coffee. SPLASH!!! What was that??? Uh oh mom my milk spilt.....of course it did mess #2...it's okay I'll let the dogs in to clean it. Yup I let that happen cuz I wanna drink my coffee!

T-minus 1.5 hours until appointment time.

Okay time to get dressed. I'll wear that black and white maxi dress it's so nice out and that sounds wonderful!! Now where is is....oh probably in one of the three full baskets of clean clothes in the laundry room. Dump them on the bed. Oh there it is at the bottom doesn't that figure? Aww dressed and even managed a little mascara!! So far so good. Oh look who followed me to the bathroom but my entire entourage!! Oh Darren your little smile is so cute, go ahead and wipe your sticky banana fingers all over the bottom of my dress, no one will notice that down there...haha no shame. Now to get the kids dressed!! 

T-minus about 1.25 hours until appointment time.

Yay kids dressed!! Time to start packing the diaper bag, get shoes on. Turn around , Darren has Kyra's drinkable yogurt in hand, is that empty....no it's not. Why would it be.....yogurt all down his front and all over the couch....mess #3!! Kyra take the yogurt and throw it away while I get him a new shirt. Mom he won't let me have it....take it....mom it's all over my dress now too....ugh seriously? Go to pick him up and he cranks around great now I have yogurt all over my dress again too.

T-minus 1 hour until appointment time.

Run around like chicken with head cut off to get everyone new clothes. Kids dressed, now what will I wear? Dig dig dig where the heck are all my shirts? Oh yeah I haven't done my laundry yet just the kids, hubby's and towels!! Well heck what am I gonna wear??? Oh good thing Dustin is bigger than me. Wearing is shirt here we go. Now to load the kids into the car and get across town to be 15-20 mins early as advised. 

T-minus 45 mins until appointment time.

What the heck, did I seriously just drive all the way across town without any traffic, across two school zones, and 5 lights in 5 mins? Well heck now I am freaking 40 mins early. Uh wonderful....guess we get to sit in the car for like 15 mins, and hope they take us in early.  Head into the dr appointment cuz I can't handle Kyra repeating lets go inside 100 more times. 

T-minus 30 mins until appointment.

Wait.....wait....wait.....wait....oh man trying so hard to be patient. Don't rip the magazine, don't play peekaboo under the table, stop making Darren scream...where is the stinking Doctor...why do I have to be here early...there is like no one else waiting for an appointment I don't understand what appointment times are for....

T-minus not minus anymore it's 10 mins past the appointment time.

Oh finally our turn. Really all that wait for a 5 mins vitals check, and 5 mins prepping for 6 shots? How did that even happen? Finally we can go home. We survived that appointment, now we repeat that all again next month for Kyra's appointment!!

Time 20 mins after appointment time!!!

Planner and Dollar Tree Haul

As you all know I love my planner!! So I get to spend little bits of money here and there on it!! I bought these birthday weekly stickers from Jump To It on Etsy and was super pleased with it!! I did Darren's Birthday week with the left one, and it's one of my favorite spreads this year!!!

And then we both got a little spending money from our tax returns and obviously I needed to stock up on a few stickers as my recent layout have been looking pretty sad. So I grabbed these from Sensibly Cute Planning on Etsy!! I ordered one set from her back in December and had to have more!! If you love planner stickers and planners as much as me you need to follow me on IG I will be doing some amazing spreads with these stickers in March!!

Today I snuck out during lunch just to get a few mins of alone time and cuz we needed some basics, not pictured below...from Dollar Tree like dish soap and sponges. And than as usual I browsed the whole store to see what new stuff they had put out!! And was pleased!!!

I got a few stickers for my planner, the leprechauns are adorable!! Stickers for Kyra's bathroom Mirror we put new ones up each holiday and missed out on Valentine's Day and so I got spring/Easter ones!!!

 

After a few days of spring like weather it's windy and chilly today so I grabbed some finger paint and brushes for us to do something crafty whenever Darren gets up from nap, I'm thinking about letting them pain themselves and the bathtub, and than to wash them off!! 

So recently Kyra stole my hair brush and made it her own, I giggle because we totally did this to our mom all the time. So I got her a pink brush and a few spring colored headbands!! I also grabbed myself a lacy headband too! And while in that aisle I saw a few things in the makeup section I needed to try. A BB cream (which I already tried and kinda hate :(), a nail polish that's my favorite color, and this eyeshadow pallet. I was nervous about the eyeshadow as well its dollar store stuff...but I got it home and did a sample of it on my arm and the colors were amazing!! So I used it right away and it blends amazing!! So if you want something cheap find this pallet there was 3 options!!

Something I was surprised to find was yoga workout videos I hope they are good!! I can't wait I have been super into Yoga lately!! And that teal water bottle is the cutest thing ever!!! 

Well that's mostly everything, some simple storage, a toy, some treats for everyone dogs included, and then some chalk and a beautiful scarf for my studio!! Have I ever mentioned how much I love the Dollar Tree if not now I have!!