Chicken Soup for the Soul: Thanks DAD (Review and 2 Giveaways)

Father's Day is coming up and it is the perfect time to say, "Thanks Dad!" Chicken Soup for the Soul has come out with a book to honor Dads. Dad's are celebrated and honored everywhere, and this Chicken Soup for the Soul book is filled with stories highlighting Dad.
Dad's have their children's best interests at heart. I loved the story in the Chicken Soup for the Soul: Thanks Dad called Words of Wisdom. This story is from a girl whose father was her protector....from age four to adult. I love the quote at the top, "A father is always making his baby into a little woman. And when she is a woman he turns her back again." ~Enid Bagnold
Fathers do so much for their children, and they deserve so much gratitude! I love this Chicken Soup for the Soul book, because children of all ages share their heartfelt words of thanks and loving memories in this collection of 101 new stories. This book covers how Dad's say "I love you," lessons learned and taught in life, Dad's as rescue heroes, being a Dad to teens, going through all the ups and downs in parenting, being a Dad, commitments and loyalties, heroism, moments in memories, and Grandfathering. This book is a real Father-treasure! The stories will warm Father's hearts, be stories to relate to, and Dad's will see that their kids may be listening to their words of wisdom!

Thanks Dad makes for a great Father's Day gift, or for any occasion. Share this book with your Father, or another Father you know!

***Enter to WIN IT!***
Chicken Soup for the Soul has offered to sponsor a giveaway! There will be two winners. This contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers of the United States. Contest is open until June 12th, 2010. To enter, leave a comment about your father (or your husband as a father).

**For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or become a fan on facebook, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment about memories with your Dad. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

This review was provided from Chicken Soup for the Soul. They have provided me with a book to review and information to share with my readers. I am sponsored to offer 2 giveaway books to giveaway to my readers through this review. I was given the product for my personal opinion and option to share with my readers. I was not compensated for my time or written review.

Dance Me, Daddy! (book review and 2 giveaways)

There is something so special in the relationship between a Father and his Daughter, and what better time than Father's Day than to celebrate that relationship! I have recently been given the opportunity to review a very sweet book written by Cindy Morgan. I love this book, and it brought me to tears. Dance Me, Daddy is a book about a little girl and her Daddy. The book goes through the stages of this little girl's life, and her desire to dance with her Daddy. The book starts out with the little girl so young (about 2 years old) and she is in her princess gown. (This reminds me of the stage my daughter is in right now...dress up clothes, crown, and our little princess).
The daughter holds much admiration for her daddy, he is her hero and she's her daddy's girl. The little girl asks her Dad this special request, "Dance me, Daddy. Dance me around. Don't let my feet ever touch down. There's nothing better than being your girl. If I am your princess, then you are king of the world." The girl grows up into the teen years, and things change. Some things don't change, though, like his daughter wanting to dance with her dad. Then, the daughter marries, and you can about guess what happens on her wedding night.
I love this book, and I cherish the message in it. The relationship is so strong between Father and Daughter. I think Cindy Morgan portrayed this relationship so well! This story is actually written for Cindy's husband and their daughter. This is somewhat of a true story displayed in the pages of a children's book. Included in the book is a CD with a song "King of the World," sung by Point of Grace, the story Dance Me, Daddy read by Cindy Morgan, and the inspiration behind the book.
Cindy Morgan is a wife, mother, and singer/songwriter. She has recorded 8 records, had 20 number-one songs, and has won nine Dove Awards during her career, including her most recent Dove Awards for 2008 Songwriter of the Year and 2008 Country Song of the Year for "How You Live," the song she wrote for Point of Grace. Cindy, and her husband, novelist Sigmund Brouwer, and their 2 daughters, Olivia and Savannah, live in Canada and Tennessee.
Philomena O'Neill is the illustrator in Dance Me, Daddy, and she did a superb job! I love the expressions on the faces. Philomena has illustrated numerous books for children including The Thanksgiving Bowl (Pelican, 2007) and The Little Shrew Caboose (Pleasant St. Press, Spring 2009). She lives in Seattle with her husband.
I have TWO copies that I am fortunate to giveaway! I am sorry that you won't have these in time for Father's Day, but everyday is special with Dad, right? So, you can give this book as a gift anytime!
For your chance to win this wonderful book, tell me what your plans are for Father's Day! Contest open to those in the USA, and will end on June 30th. Please feel free to do the extra credits (see past contests).
We are daughters of the King! We will someday dance in the arms of our heavenly father.

Looking for a book to give Dad for Father's Day?

I was given three books to review in time for Father's Day. There were three books covering three different types of books. The first one is an insightful one, and one that will challenge your faith and beliefs. The second book is a book of self-discovery and who God sees in you. The last book is a great book geared toward the tween or teen child, and could be one that a Father could read with his son....take a peek at the descriptions.
The Disappearance of God
More faulty information about God swirls around us today than ever before. No wonder so many followers of Christ are unsure of what they really believe in the face of the new spiritual openness attempting to alter unchanging truth.For centuries the church has taught and guarded the core Christian beliefs that make up the essential foundations of the faith. But in our postmodern age, sloppy teaching and outright lies create rampant confusion, and many Christians are free-falling for “feel-good” theology. We need to know the truth to save ourselves from errors that will derail our faith. As biblical scholar, author, and president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Dr. Albert Mohler, writes, “The entire structure of Christian truth is now under attack.” With wit and wisdom he tackles the most important aspects of these modern issues: Is God changing His mind about sin?Why is hell off limits for many pastors?What’s good or bad about the “dangerous” emergent movement? Have Christians stopped seeing God as God?Is the social justice movement misguided?Could the role of beauty be critical to our theology?Is liberal faith any less destructive than atheism?Are churches pandering to their members to survive?In the age-old battle to preserve the foundations of faith, it's up to a new generation to confront and disarm the contemporary shams and fight for the truth. Dr. Mohler provides the scriptural answers to show you how. $14.99 from Random House, Inc.

Eyes Wide Open
I had it all backwards. The main thing wasnot my love for God, but his love for me. And from that love I respond to God as one deeply flawed, yet loved. I’m not looking to prove my worth. I’m not searching for acceptance. I’m living out of the worth God already declares I have. I’m embracing his view of me and in the process discovering the person he created me to be.

In Eyes Wide Open, Jud Wilhite invites you to discover the real you. Not the you who pretends to be perfect to satisfy everyone’s expectations. Not the you who always feels guilty before God. Not the you who secretly feels God forgives everyone else but only tolerates you. Not the you who looks in the mirror and sees a failure. The real you, loved and forgiven by God, living out of your identity in Christ.A travel guide through real spirituality from one incomplete person to another, Eyes Wide Open is a book of stories about following God in the messes of life, about broken pasts and our lifelong need for grace. It is a book about seeing ourselves and God with new eyes–eyes wide open to a God of love. $13.99 From Random House, Inc.

Sir Dalton and the Shadow Heart
Sir Dalton, a knight in training, seems to have everything going for him.Young, well-liked, and a natural leader, he has earned the respect and admiration of his fellow knights, and especially the beautiful Lady Brynn.But something is amiss at the training camp. Their new trainer is popular but lacks the passion to inspire them to true service to the King and the Prince. Besides this, the knights are too busy enjoying a season of good times to be concerned with a disturbing report that many of their fellow Knights have mysteriously vanished. When Sir Dalton is sent on a mission, he encounters strange attacks, especially when he is alone. As his commitment wanes, the attacks grow in intensity until he is captured by Lord Drox, a massive Shadow Warrior. Bruised and beaten, Dalton refuses to submit to evil and initiates a daring escape with only one of two outcomes–life or death. But what will become of the hundreds of knights he’ll leave behind? In a kingdom of peril, Dalton thinks he is on his own, but two faithful friends have not abandoned him, and neither has a strange old hermit who seems to know much about the Prince. But can Dalton face the evil Shadow Warrior again and survive? $8.99 from Random House, Inc.

Treat Dad to a Frosty at Wendy's for Father's Day!!

It is great having two days out of the year to celebrate two of the most important people in our lives: Mom & Dad! Since Father's Day is coming up, I would like to let you in on a few things you can do to make your Dad, Grandpa, your children's Dad, or another Dad feel special! Making that special "Dad" feel special doesn't require a ton of money necessarily, but just spending some good quality time with them would do it!

Since our family loves ice cream for a treat, or dessert rather, we may just see ourselves heading to Wendy's for an after-dinner Frosty, and in the process feel great about supporting a worthy charitable cause while enjoying a favorite summer treat. For the past three years, Wendy's has made it a Father's Day Frosty Weekend tradition to donate 50 cents from the sale of each Frosty to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. The money raised goes to the Wendy's Wonderful Kids program, which funds full-time adoption recruiters at local agencies across the U.S., who in turn pair up parents with foster care children needing homes. So, you and your family can enjoy a tasty (and affordable!) Frosty together, knowing this campaign assists children across the country in finding a family of their own. Involve the kids in this great cause by having them create a fun Father's Day e-Card on FrostyCard.com. For every card they send, Wendy's will donate an additional 25 cents to the Dave Thomas Foundation. Kids can attach coupons for "taking out the trash" or "washing the car" onto the cards for Dad.

So, head on over to Wendy's this weekend to support a great cause, and also treat your Dad to a treat!

Thanks MomCentral for this blog opportunity and information to share with my readers!

Father's Day cards from Hallmark (giveaway~ 4 winners)

With Father's Day just around the corner, it is a good time to check out the card selections from Hallmark. Hallmark has put a whole new twist on card giving, and making the receiver feel extra special. I was given the chance to review the Recordable Father's Day cards from Hallmark. These cards are similar to the music filled cards, but you can record your (or your child's) voice with the simple push of a button. When the card is opened by the receiver, they hear the recorded message, followed by a pre-recorded sound clip. You get 10 seconds to record your message. I love that I can re-record over the recording if the first round didn't succeed, especially when it is my children doing the recordings. Kids have things that come up when they are recording and it is nice to have a few more tries at it.
Caleb, Madelyn and I had fun recording messages to fill in the card. We made a recording in a card for Daddy ~Caleb and Maddie did their recording in their own card. Caleb loved the Superman card he is going to give his Dad. Of coarse, Madelyn loved the Disney Princess card she is going to give her Dad with the, "I love you, Daddy," message she spoke into his card. We also recorded a message in Grandpa's card (who lives in Alaska). I really like the Looney Tunes Card we got to review, because it has a spot in it for a photo insert. I am excited to send off my Father-in-law's card, so we can get a family photo in the mail to him. I am sure these cards will be treasured with the personal messages inside. My kids loved hearing their voices in the cards, too! Hallmark's Recordable cards have a suggested retail value of $6.99 a piece.
Hallmark also has a new collection of “everyday” cards – each only 99 cents – that feature vibrant, colorful designs and special design elements not usually found in previous 99-cent collections. The new 99-cent cards cover a wide variety of situations — birthday, thinking of you, friendship, encouragement, and more. You can check out some of the new 99-cent cards on Hallmark's site.

Want to win an assortment of Hallmark cards to use for different occasions? Hallmark is sponsoring a giveaway for my readers! Each winner will receive 5 cards each, with four winners picked! To enter this contest, leave a comment about card giving, or something you found out while looking at the Hallmark website. This contest is open to those in the USA, and will end on June 30. Feel free to do the extra credits I offer for the giveaways. (see past giveaways).