Book Review: The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

The Garden of Small Beginnings by Abbi Waxman

About the book:

Lilian Girvan has been a single mother for three years—ever since her husband died in a car accident. One mental breakdown and some random suicidal thoughts later, she’s just starting to get the hang of this widow thing. She can now get her two girls to school, show up to work, and watch TV like a pro. The only problem is she’s becoming overwhelmed with being underwhelmed. 

At least her textbook illustrating job has some perks—like actually being called upon to draw whale genitalia. Oh, and there’s that vegetable-gardening class her boss signed her up for. Apparently, being the chosen illustrator for a series of boutique vegetable guides means getting your hands dirty, literally. Wallowing around in compost on a Saturday morning can’t be much worse than wallowing around in pajamas and self-pity. 

After recruiting her kids and insanely supportive sister to join her, Lilian shows up at the Los Angeles botanical garden feeling out of her element. But what she’ll soon discover—with the help of a patient instructor and a quirky group of gardeners—is that into every life a little sun must shine, whether you want it to or not…

My thoughts:

Oh my word.  I can’t remember the last book I read that made me laugh out loud as much as this book did!  Though the tale is super sad and tragic, Abbi Waxman works wonders making you fall in love with the characters with her humorous take on things.  Her writing style is thoroughly engaging and entertaining.  I don’t know how many times I had to stop reading to explain to whoever was around why I was giggling.  The Garden of Small Beginnings is truly one of my favorites books this year…a real gem!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Voortman Bakery Has a Flavor for Everyone!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Voortman Bakery has just made their cookies even better than before!  Voortman Bakery uses real ingredients, like whole grain oats, coconut, and almonds. Plus, there are no artificial colours, flavours, high-fructose corn syrup, or trans-fat in any of their cookies. 

I am in love with a cookie…a whole line of cookies to be exact.  Voortman is everything I want in a cookie and sustains my sweet tooth every time.  I truly can’t pick a favorite, they are all that good!!  

The cookies feature big chunks of chocolate, a healthy dose of toasted coconut, or tasty oats, all in a crispy cookie that pairs perfectly with milk.  

The wafers come in mouthwatering flavors and are stuffed with some of the tastiest fillings!  Good, good stuff I tell you!  When we want chewy cookies, we will bake them ourselves, but from now on, Voortman is our go-to crispy cookie and wafer!  No joke, if you see these, scoop them up for some guaranteed smiles!

You can find Voortman Bakery cookies at Publix, Walmart, Winn Dixie, Kroger and Target stores.

Click to find out more about Voortman Bakery!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Mother's Day Gift Idea: Cate & Chloe #UNCONDITIONALLOVEVIP Box!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Looking for a lovely gift idea for Mother's Day?  Check out this month's Unconditional Love VIP Box from Cate & Chloe!

 The May Unconditional Love VIP Box is a great option for women who want to save money, follow the latest trends or have limited shopping time. All jewelry is hand-picked by a stylist and selections are made based off of a Cate & Chloe style quiz, where you can share your likes and dislikes. Results will help stylist choose jewelry that best fits your style.

Cate & Chloe VIP Box offers three choices:

Starter Package

1 piece of jewelry plus FREE gift starting at $19.99/month.

Double the Fun

2 pieces of jewelry plus FREE gift starting at $22.99/month.

Full VIP Status

3 pieces of jewelry plus FREE gift starting at  $39.99/month.

*VIP boxes receive personalized packages according to their style quiz preferences, FREE shipping, FREE exchanges and an exclusive FREE Gift every month!

Check out what we received in our Cate & Chloe Unconditional Love VIP Box:

A and I loved the matching earring and necklace set.  They are absolutely breathtaking!  

The bracelet is so dainty and delicate, plus it looks great whether you’re dressing up or down. 

 The bonus gift was L’ange Hair's awesome Replenish Detangling Conditioning Spray, a $17 value absolutely free.  It smelled heavenly.  It worked wonders on A’s curly, frizzy hair that tends to get tangly after each wash.

Cate & Chloe is a great subscription for quality jewelry at an affordable price.  Treat your Mom like royalty this Mother’s Day with a subscription to Cate & Chloe!

EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS CODE:

Get 35% OFF All One Month Subscriptions (The Starter Package, Double the Fun, Full VIP Status)

Use Exclusive Code:    ABCDUNCONDITIONALVIP35

Get Connected:

#UNCONDITIONALLOVEVIP 

#cateandchloe @CateandChloe

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

@CricketMediaInc is Here With Great Ideas to Balance Screen Time! #KeepingTechinCheck

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Cricket Media (cricketmedia.com), publishers of multiple award-winning magazines for children and teens, together with Parents' Choice Foundation, recently launched a  KEEPING TECH IN CHECK (KTIC) campaign, providing families with the tools, tips and resources which will empower them to manage technology for their children (and themselves) in mindful ways.  Departing from long-running, time-limited programs such as “Screen-Free Week”, KTIC’s tag is “it’s a balance, not a ban” and it’s something that will be available for families everywhere 24/7/365.

Designed with both parents and kids in mind, the KTIC hub features screen-free activities (available to download as PDFs) from the archives of Cricket Media, including stories from all 11 Cricket magazines (fiction, non-fiction, read-aloud, easy-to-read content), time-tested activities such as games, crafts, experiments, writing prompts, wordplay games, plus a handy tool to monitor screen time, developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. For parents, the KTIC hub also features a “road map” for program success, with blogs, links to research and relevant topics and expert advice. All families who sign up for KTIC will receive a welcome kit with more ideas for family activities and goodies, and more.

We are excited to be KTIC Ambassadors here at ABCD Diaries and look forward to bringing you much more exciting and relevant content from Cricket and Keeping Tech In Check! 

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. 

Chewy.com Challenge: Tylee's Beef Recipe Human Grade Food, Part 3

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Time for part 3 of our 30 day challenge in partnership with Chewy.com, for Tylee's Human Grade Food in Beef:

About the food:

Tylee's Beef Recipe Human-Grade Dog Food gives you all the benefits of a homemade meal for your pup, without any of the prep time. Tylee’s is made with human-grade ingredients just like you’d find at the grocery store—real, whole foods you can see and identify. Real meat is cooked and combined with nutritious fruits and vegetables then frozen to keep in all the flavor and nutrients. To prepare this nutritiously delicious food, simply defrost it and serve it. Each recipe is grain-free and has only one source of protein, so it’s perfect for pets with sensitive tummies or allergies. In Tylee’s Beef Recipe you will find real USDA-grade beef plus sweet potatoes, mango, broccoli, spinach and zucchini that are full of fiber, antioxidants, phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals to help keep your pal in top shape. Ingredients like flaxseed and sunflower oil offer alternative sources of omega-3 and 6 for a healthy coat. With all this good stuff on the menu, there’s no room for things like fillers, corn, wheat, soy, by-product meals, artificial flavors, artificial coloring or any ingredients sourced from China. Tylee’s is made in the USA with ingredients from around the world and is available exclusively at Chewy.com.

Our final thoughts…Tylee’s Frozen Human Grade food is a hit!   

Jessie wipes out her dish every time we put Tylee’s Frozen Food in it.  She must really enjoy the flavor, because it never lasts too long in her bowl.  Often times she sees it coming out of the freezer and won’t wait for it to defrost, but begs to eat it frozen (which makes it a great summertime treat to combat our South Texas heat waves.  

I love that you know what the ingredients are because you can see them in every serving.  Tylee’s is convenient and a great way to insure your pup is getting the proper amount of vitamins and nutrients all in a protein-rich food.  If you are looking for a human-grade dog food that uses only quality ingredients, check out Tylee’s!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Support Clean Water in Developing Countries with World Vision and the Global 6K!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Six kilometers (approximately 3.7 miles) is the average distance that people in the developing world – often women and young girls – walk for water each day. This walk can be dangerous, and the water is often contaminated with life-threatening diseases.

On Saturday, May 6, 2017, 40,000 people from around the globe will join together to walk or run 6 kilometers to raise awareness of the global water crisis and support World Vision’s water initiatives through the World Vision Global 6K for Water. Each participant’s $50 registration fee supports World Vision’s water programs and each participant will receive a Global 6K for Water t-shirt, a race bib with a photo of a child he or she can sponsor, and a race medal in the mail.

Mother's Day Gift Idea: Coloring Books by Thaneeya McArdle

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

In October 2013, artist Thaneeya McArdle gave most of her stuff to Goodwill, put the rest in storage, and became a full-time nomad, roaming across the US and abroad. While on the road, Thaneeya landed upon a major licensing deal for her artwork and worked remotely for two years managing her art for coloring books. 

Her coloring book empire grew and grew! She has since returned home and she's continuing to focus on her newfound coloring book enterprise.

Don't Worry, Be Happy Coloring Book Treasury: Color Your Way To A Calm, Positive Mood

Thaneeya is the author of 30 bestselling coloring books from Design Originals. Based in Florida, she works in painting, drawing, and mixed media, with a special focus on vibrantly detailed whimsical art. Thaneeya operates Art-Is-Fun.com, an art instruction website.

Color Love On-the-Go

Coloring can be so relaxing and these I will take all the relaxation I can get!  We love the books we received from Thaneeya because her designs are so bold and vibrant.  They really make coloring joyful!  

Nature Mandalas Coloring Book

We also love that there is an inspirational quote on the back of each coloring page.  This just adds to the peaceful experience coloring provides.  

Color Your Own Stickers Live, Laugh, Love: Just Color, Peel & Stick

The kiddos especially loved the stickers.  They can color them and stick them pretty much anywhere to show their stylish flair.  

Coloring books from Taneetha would make an affordable Mother’s Day gift idea for the Mom who could use a little me time :)

You can find Thaneeya McArdle's coloring books on Amazon.com

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.