Birthday Gift Winner!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by with birthday wishes over the last several days!

Rafflecopter has randomly selected a winner for my Belated Birthday Giveaway and the winner is....

Sonia! 

Congratulations, Sonia!

I hope you enjoy the facial kit, tea, chocolate and book and that it both relaxes you and brings you joy.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Someone had a birthday!

Hello 45

Hello 45! Ready or not, here I am!

Yep. The good ol' age machine flipped another digit on me earlier this week. (hahaha! Get it?) I'm taking it well, though, reminding myself that every day is a gift and it's so good to be alive! And I vow to embrace every age as best I can, striving to be healthier, happier and a better citizen of the world every day. Some days are better than others because let's face it, as fabulous as the 40s really are..sometimes it really sucks when I think about how I'm probably closer to the end than I am to the beginning. Oh I try not to think about it too much or let it get me down, but sometimes it sneaks in on me! Not good.

cupcakes for my birthday!

Anyway, I had a fabulous birthday on Tuesday. My husband gave me flowers and the new iphone 5S woot! which totally delights my youngest because she promptly inherited my 4S the lucky (spoiled) kid. My dear friend Claudia treated me to a fabulous lunch at nice Italian restaurant and the weather was so nice that we dined on the restaurant patio. It felt so decadent. I was flooded with birthday wishes from friends and family all over the world (thanks to Facebook and Instagram) throughout the day. Thank you so much for those of you who did this! Then around dinner time I got the sweetest surprise.. Maria came home from college for the evening just for my birthday! Wow! I was so surprised and so delighted. We all went out for sushi, came home for cupcakes and then Maria and I watched some cooking shows we had recorded while she was away. (We got into Cupcake Wars, Chopped and Cutthroat Kitchen just before she left for college). What a special day!

It turns out this is the first time since I started my blog over five years ago that I didn't post on my birthday and do a birthday giveaway. I feel badly about that so I'm doing a belated birthday giveaway now.

My Birthday Present to one of you:

The 'Fabulous At Any Age' Gift Bag

Mini facial kit 

Package of Harvest Blend Herbal Tea*

Fancy chocolate bar.. your choice of dark or milk chocolate 

Book of your choice, up to $15 US value.

*Harvest Blend tea is caffeine free and contains cinnamon, ginger, hibiscus, natural cinnamon and apple flavors with other natural flavors, chamomile, roasted chicory and orange peel. Other tea may be substituted per winner's request or if it becomes unavailable.

Sounds nice, right? To enter this birthday giveaway, all you need to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below and then leave a comment in the comment section of this post telling me what you love best about October.

I love pumpkin desserts, cool evenings and warm sunny days and colorful leaves swirling to the ground in the breeze.

Giveaway terms and conditions:

• Giveaway runs from today, October 4, 2013 through Thursday, October 10, 2013 at 12 am EST (midnight). All entries received after the close of the giveaway will be disqualified. 
• You must be 18 years or older to enter. 
• No purchase necessary to win and void where prohibited. 
• Book may be sent anywhere in the world via TheBookDepository as long as they deliver to your mailing address. I will do my best to mail other gift items via international mail as allowed per shipping restrictions to your country. 
• Prize value: $25 US plus shipping 
• Odds of winning are dependent on the number of entries received. 
• One winner will be drawn on October 11, 2013 and notified by email within 48 hours. Winner will have one week from the time I send my email to get back to me with their book choice and mailing address or their gift will be forfeited and a new winner will be chosen. 
• Contact information [email and mailing address] will only be used for the purposes of contacting the winner and prize delivery. Information will not be saved, sold or used for any other purpose.

By entering your name in the Rafflecopter form below and in the comment section below, you agree to these terms and conditions.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

twenty years...

My husband and I are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary today.. :)

On our wedding day.. August 21, 1993

He stole my heart pretty much from Our First Date...
he's my lover, my best friend,
my co-pilot in this parenting stint,
my workout partner,
my travel companion
and the keeper of my heart. 

He truly is my prince from a far away land who swept me off my feet. 

I'm so lucky to be living happily ever after with this man.

Today on our 20th wedding anniverary.

I love you. xo

My apologies for the repetition to those of you who saw these same photos and sentiments on facebook or instagram earlier today.. 

A Happy Birthday Giveaway!

It's that time of year again-- it's my birthday today. The calendar has rolled over again all too quickly, but I'm not complaining (much) because I have so much for which to celebrate!

44 years strong. :)

First and foremost, my health. I may not be at the trimmest I've ever been in my life, but I'm more active and fitter than I've probably ever been in my entire life. Biking--sometimes for so many miles that even I can't believe, running, strength training, going to the gym. I eat well and my blood pressure and cholesterol are excellent. I feel great!

Second, I have a wonderful husband with whom I'm still in love. A man who still makes my heart skip a beat and my girl parts sing after more than two decades since our first kiss. TMI but it's true!

I have two beautiful, healthy, amazing daughters who keep me on my toes and may have contributed to a few gray hairs, but I wouldn't want it any other way. It is joy to be a part of their journey from birth to the amazing young women they are becoming. I love them with my whole being.

I have many people in my life who I am lucky to call friends. Friends to whom I know I can turn in times of need and in times of joy.

Lastly, I am grateful for how fortunate I am to have a home, plenty of healthy food and clean water, access to good medical care and the opportunity to live life to the fullest within our means.

I am exceptionally grateful for my life and the people with whom I am lucky to share it. I truly have a lot to celebrate on this birthday and I hope you have the same in your life every day.

In my tradition of celebrating my birthday on my blog, I'm giving away a birthday gift to one lucky person. I'm gifting one lucky winner a one year's subscription to either Everyday Food Magazine or Whole Living Magazine--both my current favorite publications. Note: I am not affiliated in any way with these magazines, Omnimedia, Inc. or their affiliates. I'm merely a fan who wants to share the goodness.

October 2012 issue

I have been a subscriber to Everyday Food Magazine for several years now and look forward to every issue. The recipes are simple, easy and delicious. Each issue contains recipes and food preparation ideas to enhance the daily cooking of both the beginner cook or the experienced home cook.

October 2012 issue

Whole Living magazine is new to me in the last year. Whole Living magazine is a sponsor for the Danskin Triathlon and gifted participants with a complimentary one year subscription to their magazine. My subscription started in the summer of 2011 and I was hooked with the first issue. This magazine is chock full of recipes, nutrition and health news and information, as well as ideas, suggestions and inspiration for living a whole, healthy lifestyle--"body+soul in balance." Many of the recipes are vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free.



To enter my birthday giveaway, all you need to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below and then leave a comment in the comment section below telling me what your favorite autumn comfort food is. Mine is pumpkin anything. :)

Here are the terms and conditions of this giveaway:

• Giveaway runs from today, October 1, 2012 through Monday, October 8, 2012 at 12:01 am EST. All entries received after the close of the giveaway will be disqualified.
• You must be 18 years or older to enter.
• No purchase necessary to win and void where prohibited.
• Magazine subscriptions can only be gifted to residents of the US. I am willing to work with an international winner, however, with an ebook or a gift purchased of equal or lesser value from thebookdepository.com as long as they deliver to your country.
• Prize value: US $15
• Odds of winning are dependent on the number of entries received.
• One winner will be drawn on October 8, 2012 and notified by email within 48 hours. Winner will have one week from my email to get back to me with their gift choice and mailing address or their gift will be forfeited and a new winner will be chosen.
• Contact information [email and address] will only be used for the purposes of contacting the winner and prize delivery. Information will not be saved, sold or used for any other purpose.

By entering your name in the Rafflecopter form and in the comment section below, you agree to these terms and conditions.

This is my first time using Rafflecopter, so please bear with me as I learn how to use it.. hopefully it's as easy as all the testimonials say it is. In the meantime, it might be a good idea to subscribe to the comments of this post by email so you're kept in the loop about the giveaway. Thanks!

Good luck!


Note: Special thanks to Donna H. who blogs at Girl Who Reads for her very informative articles about the laws regarding hosting contests and giveaways on blogs. I highly recommend you check them out.

Thursday Bloggiesta Edition
Tips on Thursday: Giveaways a Rafflecopter giveaway

Recital Day! Plus How to Make a Hair Bun

Both of my daughters were lured by pink ballet shoes and tutus at a very young age and started taking ballet classes before they were even in school. Over the years they added tap, jazz, lyrical, hip hop and for my oldest--pointe to their dance repertoires. After spending hours and hours at the dance studio every week for a few years in a row, including most weekends for competition team, they both decided to take a break from dance a couple of years ago. This school year, however, my youngest decided to take up jazz again. So back to the dance studio she went for another year of dance, which culminated with her dance recital last Saturday night. What a fun show! :)

She is a such challenge when it comes to having her picture taken! While she's not too shy to take all those self portraits in the bathroom or bedroom mirror and then post them on facebook or instagram, she avoids getting in front of her parents' camera lenses at practically any cost! This is the best shot I have of her from Saturday night, just after the show was over:

You see what I mean? I felt like the paparazzi chasing down the star of the show! ; )

My husband took a bunch of photos with his fancier camera and lens, too. And luckily I snagged a few shots of her on stage during dress rehearsal earlier in the week. Her group literally lit up the stage during their number:

How could they not with such sparkly costumes, right?

Now for the instructional segment of this post...

How to Make a Perfect Hair Bun: 
After years and years of practice, gallons of hair gel and hundreds of bobby pins . . . I think I've mastered the art of styling the perfect bun for recital day. Or dress rehearsal, dance competition, picture day, first communion or whatever special occasion for which a neat, tight bun is desired. I imagine there are numerous YouTube videos available with similar instructions, so I encourage you to check that out if you need more visuals. In the meantime, here are my instructions:

What you need: 
hair gel, extra hold
            [I buy a big bottle of whatever is cheapest, usually L.A. Looks.]  
two elastic hair bands, one thick and one thin
            [also called pony tail holders]
a hair net
            [find at a well stocked drug store or beauty supply store like Harmon's]
bobby pins
            [the kind you have to sort of pry open] 
hairspray
            [any brand is fine, Aquanet brand is inexpensive and effective]

What you do:
Read through all instructions before starting.

1. If your dancer has short or medium length fine weight hair, go to next step. Otherwise, for dancers with long and or thick hair, it is best to start with very damp hair. Completely wet hair and gently towel dry. Then comb out any knots, if necessary.
2. Once hair is brushed free of any knots, apply a GENEROUS glob of gel to hair, starting at scalp, working it in to the hair. Be sure to get the gel all the way to the hairline around the face, behind the ears and along the back of the neck. Don't be afraid to use A LOT of gel, especially if the bun is for a dancer or gymnast who will be bopping and leaping across a stage or flipping around over the mats. For a special occasion such as communion or flower girl, you can probably get away with less gel.
3. Brush or comb hair using a wide toothed comb until smooth. Work the hair into a pony tail at the height you want the bun, brushing the hair smooth as you go. Secure with a thick, elastic hair band [pony tail holder].
4. Add more gel to the pony tail, if necessary, which it usually is, to make sure the hair is slick enough to hold together without any little "fly aways" sticking out.
5. Braid the pony tail and secure bottom with a thin, elastic hair band [pony tail holder].
6. Now wind the braid around the base of the pony tail and tuck the end in to the base of the bun. Secure with a few bobby pins.
7. Take the hair net and wrap it around the bun. You may need to twist and double or triple wrap the hair net around the bun until it covers the bun neatly. Secure the net to the bun and the bun to the hair on scalp with bobby pins. If your bun is well gelled and covered with the hair net, this may take only 4-5 bobby pins. But to be sure the bun is very secure--especially if the bun is for a dancer or gymnast, go ahead and use more. Have your dancer or gymnast jump and leap around a bit to make sure the bun isn't going anywhere.
8. Have your dancer or gymnast cover her eyes with her hands and spray hair with hairspray. Gently pat or brush hair flat with your hands to tame down any fly away hairs.

Sounds like a lot of steps, but it's really pretty easy to do. Just like the advice you probably give your budding star, practice makes perfect, so keep practicing making hair buns and you'll be a pro in no time.

Good luck!

Seventeen!

Happy 17th Birthday! xo

Seventeen years ago today I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl. What a wonderful young woman she is now!

Happy 17th Birthday to my beautiful, smart, caring daughter.

I love you. xo

My Baby is a TEENAGER!

My youngest is 13 years old today, which means I'm now officially the mom of two teenage girls. Whoa. I just referred back to a post I wrote almost four years ago when my eldest turned 13-- [HELP!!! My girl's a teenager!] to remember how I was feeling about that. Turns out nothing has changed! I still have those same feelings.


I still can't believe I'm the mother of teenagers.
I'm too young [not really] to be the mother of teenagers.
Way too young. [not really]

I will not to panic.
I will remain calm.
I will continue to act like I know exactly what I'm doing.

Although, perhaps I have grown a bit alongside my girls in the last few years because I'd like to replace that last sentence with this one:

Happy 13th Birthday :) xo

I [we] will continue to do my [our] best to nurture and guide my daughters as they travel the rocky road to adulthood and help them find the determination and confidence to be the person they wish to be, doing the things they love, and making a positive difference in the lives of others.

It's a wonderful thing to see your baby grow into a happy, healthy young woman .. but it's also a little bit sad for mom and dad to have it happen way too fast!

Happy birthday to my baby... my new teenager. xo

One Direction Birthday Cake!

Justin Bieber Birthday Cake!

ps. two teenage girls! wish me luck. ;o)

My 4th Blog Anniversary

So I guess I've been blogging for four years now! What started out as a book blog has transformed over the years to a comfortable place where I get to share my interests in books, fitness, cooking, travel and basically bits and pieces of myself! The happily ever after... has become one of my favorite creative outlets over the years, thanks to all of you who visit and leave comments or visit and never say a peep [I still appreciate your interest!] and a small handful of you who have connected with me privately via personal email. I appreciate all of you and your interest in what I have to say.

For fun, here are some stats:

Top 3 Most Frequently Visited Posts:
Cross (stitch) My Heart posted on August 21, 2008 with over 3400 page views.
And no... I still haven't finished either of those cross-stitch projects! 

Homemade Strawberry Daiquiris for Two posted on June 18, 2010 with over 1500 page views.  Yum!

A Volleyball Pumpkin Party posted on October 17, 2009 with over 1400 page views.  Really??


Should I try to learn something from these stats? Post more about cross-stitching and crafts? More recipes? Specifically recipes for two? I don't know what to get out of all those page views on Volleyball Pumpkin Party! It's so specific!

Top 3 Most Commented-on Posts:
Name Your Desert Island Keeper 339 comments on May 14, 2008 <--that was fun! :)
REVIEW: Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione  59 comments on March 28, 2009
REVIEW of Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas and.... 56 comments September 26, 2008

Authors who have left comments on my blog over the years:
Megan Hart
Meljean Book
Carolyn Crane
LB Gregg
Jaci Burton
Carolyn Jewel
Melissa Walker
Jocelyn Drake
Larissa Ione
Ann Aguirre
Lara Adrian
Lisa Kleypas
Lori Brighton
Margaret Mallory
Sarah MacLean
KT Grant

I hope I didn't forget anyone! Author visits are always so exciting. :)

Book Character who has left a comment on my blog:
Colin Ames-Beaumont, main character in Demon Moon by Meljean Brook's and present in other Guardian series novels. < ---that was so cool!


Anyway, thank you all for keeping me company here on the happily ever after ...  

Here's to another great year! :)

A 500th Post Holiday Giveaway

It took me almost exactly four years [my blogging birthday is December 29, 2007], but I've finally reached my 500th blog post and this is it! That's an average of 125 posts a year, 10.4 posts a month or about one post every 3-4 days. That sounds about right.

What started out as a place to share my thoughts on books with an emphasis on romance novels has expanded and transformed into pretty much a personal blog. I still post regularly about bookish things, but also about fitness, food, family and other assorted adventures. All are topics I'm passionate about and enjoy sharing with my readers here on the happily ever after... I hope you all enjoy the mix, too. :)

To celebrate this 500th post milestone and the upcoming holiday season and to thank all of you who visit the happily ever after... and keep me company on this blogging adventure, I'm giving away a holiday ebook prize to one lucky winner. Below is a list of holiday novellas, most of which are new releases, from which one lucky reader will win up to three stories of their choice.

I'm afraid I don't know a lot about the restrictions of purchasing ebooks for recipients overseas, but I will look into that between now and the closing of the entries and see what I can do. In the meantime, assume that you will at least need to have one of the following to qualify for the prize: A kindle or kindle app on your reading device OR an iPod touch, iPad, or iPhone with either iBooks or the Kindle app installed, depending on the book below.

Winner will choose from the following list of fantastic holiday ebooks:
  Click on titles to see the book on goodreads.

   

Newly Fallen by Megan Hart [kindle only]
A steamy contemporary Hanukkah romance!

A Taste of Midnight by Lara Adrian [iBooks or kindle]
A Midnight Breed novella, book #9.5
Paranormal romance, not so Christmas-y

Once Upon a Winter's Eve by Tessa Dare [iBooks or kindle]
A Spindle Cove novella, book #1.5
Historical romance.

Or perhaps one or more of the following contemporary romance novellas from the Carina Press holiday anthology, Holiday Kisses:

 

Mistletoe and Margaritas by Shannon Stacey [iBooks or kindle]

It's Not Christmas Without You by HelenKay Dimon [iBooks or kindle]


 
A Rare Gift by Jaci Burton [iBooks or kindle]

This Time Next Year by Alison Kent [iBooks or kindle]


Romance not your thing? That's okay! We can still be friends and you can choose this "regular" Christmas book: ;)

The Christmas Shoes by Donna VanLiere [kindle only]







To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment letting me know which THREE holiday novellas you would like to read.

All entries must be received by Friday, December 16, 2011 12 noon EST.

Be sure to leave an email address if it is not easily found in your profile.

Happy holidays! :)

A Happy Birthday Giveaway!

It feels like I just celebrated one of these, but here I am again! Wow, time sure flies when you're having fun. ;)

This first thing I did this year to celebrate my birthday was run in a 5K race. What a nice way to celebrate life, right? The best part--I ran the 5K in 30:02 minutes--my new personal best! Whaoo!

It was like a surprise birthday gift to myself! : )

The rest of the day was spent at home hanging out and relaxing with my husband and daughters and ended with a warm apple pastry, vanilla ice cream and a mug of my favorite herbal tea.

In the spirit of celebration and per my annual birthday tradition, I'm giving away a "birthday gift" to ONE lucky winner on my blog.

This year's "birthday gift" includes two of my favorite things-- a book [winner's choice ebook or paper book--mass market, trade or comparable priced hardcover] and a bar of dark chocolate with caramel with Hawaiian sea salt from Trader Joe's.* [It's SOoooo good!]

You're going to want to enter just for the chocolate bar. It's out of this world.

To enter the giveaway, just leave me a comment below telling me how you like to celebrate your birthday.

Giveaway ends on Saturday, October 8, 2011 EST and the winner has one week to claim prize before I'll give it away to someone else.

Please also include your email address if it's not easily found on your profile or web page.

Open to everyone, but international winner*, if chosen, will receive book of their choice per the guidelines above and shipped from The Book Depository ONLY. Thanks for understanding.

Good luck!

My 3rd Blogoversary!

I started this blog three years ago today as a place to share my thoughts on bookish things, and while that intention has remained largely true, my blog has inevitably transformed itself from a book blog to a personal one. These days my posts now include a variety of topics that interest me such as adventures with my family, personal goals and achievements in health and fitness, an original recipe now and then and whatever else comes to mind.

I'm thankful for everyone who takes the time to read my blog whether you have been with me since the beginning or if you have just recently found me. I appreciate everyone who takes the time to leave a comment--blogging is so much more fun and rewarding when I can interact with my audience-- yet I'm also thankful for my regular visitors who rarely or never leave a comment. I'm forever flattered that all of you are interested in what I have to say. Especially since I find I talk about myself a lot. :)  

Cheers! :)

It's a Happy Birthday today...

Mine! Didn't I just celebrate one of these last year? Before you know it, the next one's upon you! I can't complain, though. I'm really happy where I am right now in my life and I have a lot worth celebrating.


Sure, I've got a few gray hairs, but I try to look on the bright side. They're highlights! 


And then there are the small wrinkle lines by my eyes and mouth, but they're evidence that I've been laughing and smiling, right?


I can't really think of anything on bright side when it comes to sagging breasts, but I suppose that's where our friend Victoria and her secrets come in. *coughpushupbracough*


But if that's all I have to complain about in my midlife years, I'll take it! 


Right now, I'm probably the healthiest I've been in at least two decades. I've been working really hard at taking good care of my body in the last year ... eating healthier than ever before and I've even lost 34 lbs.[15 kg] in the last six months, and I exercise hard nearly every day and have a lot of fun doing it. I even had a physical recently and got an excellent report from the doctor. I'm so grateful for my good health.


As for emotional well being, I have a wonderfully attentive and sexy husband who makes me very happy and two beautiful children who add such joy to our lives. When they're not driving us crazy, that is! I have an amazing group of friends who are not only fun to be with, but they're compassionate, supportive and also generous with their time and attention. Some of those friends are people like YOU who I've met online.

As part of my happy birthday celebration, and maintaining my tradition of previous years, I'm giving away a small token gift to three people here on my blog-- Kiss My Face Facial Mini Kits! It's a really cute little kit that comes with a sample size of the Kiss My Face Soy Soft Facial Cleansing Bar, revitalizing Facial Toner and Cell Mate-15 moisturizer and sunblock. When I say "little kit," I mean little, but it'll be a fun, natural treat for your skin and a great way to try out these three products. Click here to find out more about the products in the kit.


To enter the giveaway, just leave a comment below telling me what's so fabulous about being in your 40s. And if you're younger than that ... make something up! ^_^


Giveaway ends on Friday, October 8, 2010.


Three randomly selected winners will be chosen and announced in a separate post. Winners will have three days to claim their prize before I'll give it away to someone else.


Please include your email address if it is not easily found on your profile.


Open to everyone.

My Blog Anniversary!

I just realized that today is my one year blogging anniversary!!! I knew it was close, but actually had it in my head that it was on New Year's Eve. Good thing I was reviewing some old posts and noticed the correct date of my first post. 

I guess I just want to say that it's been fun blogging and getting to know readers from all over the world who share my passion for similar genres. I appreciate everyone who reads and comments on my blog. This venture wouldn't be nearly as much fun as it is if I didn't know there were people interested in what I have to say.

Cheers! :)