• 250 X 250 Ad Space on Becoming A Gilbert
• 250 X 250 Ad Space for 2 Months on Re-Solve 
• An Ad Spot on Peculiar Treasures
• 300 X 300 Ad Space on Keeping Up With Ashley and Cody
• A Choice of either a Monogrammed Ring Dish OR Mug from Showered With Design

I've never joined a confession link up before, but even I want to giggle at what I've been up to lately!

I confess:

• My summer reading has mostly been the Anne of Green Gables series. I never read them as a kid, and when the internet mourned actor Jonathan Crombie's death, I knew it was time for me to finally take a look at the series. I'm on book six.
• I'm hooked on the show Swamp People. Sean was watching one day, and I promptly rolled my eyes. We've finished season six together and just started season one. It may be the most redundant show I've ever seen, but I can't stop watching.
• I'm the pickiest wine drinker ever. I'm finally starting to like the stuff and even enjoyed a local wine festival this summer. But, buying bottles is still hit or miss for me... out of 9 wines I recently received from 2 wine clubs, I only liked one. 

The excitement quickly faded. Kudos to Sean for drinking everything I hate.

• I was actually tempted to eat meat this month. The potluck-style family reunion I recently attended was dominated by meat, including a tray of Chick-Fil-A nuggets which I started to ponder, knowing the pasta salad on my plate wasn't going to cut it. The sad look on Sean's face was quite endearing when I mentioned it. In the end, I filled up on carbs (this is why I'm not a skinny vegetarian).

I had huge dreams for this point in the summer: ripe radishes on my salad, fresh tomatoes for some sandwiches I've been seriously craving, an overall abundance of veggies that I'd be both sharing and canning.

I tried hard and wanted it bad, but my black thumb prevailed.

My cucumber and zucchini plants sprouted and said "this is as far as we go." Months later, I have two pots of sad, short sprouts. My tomato, onion, and pepper seedlings started in February looked promising as they grew in my bay window...and proceeded to die right after transplanting. My radishes grew and grew and grew...above the soil. I have huge greens with no radishes below. My lettuce wilted as quickly as it sprouted.

My zucchini and cucumber in July look much like they did in May.

Indeed, the only live plants at the Walsh home are the pretty Jasmine ones...the non-edible Jasmine plants I purchased and didn't grow myself. Yikes.

I want to be able to do it all. I try to do it all. And I swear, my dad made vegetable gardening look so darn easy when I was a kid. Plant-water-sunshine, right?

Those of you enjoying your bounty right now, help me out. Tips for next year? What should I try? Plant earlier? Later? Buy plants instead of trying everything from seed? Any trade secrets?

$50 Gift Card—Winner's Choice!

Feedback has shown that entrants wanted money more often for giveaways. So, here you go! The winner of this giveaway may choose any gift card that can be ordered online and emailed or shipped. PayPal cash is also an option!

Anise gave us a bit of a fright in her first few months with us. Despite a routine diet of a good-quality dog food, things just weren't regular when we took her outside. There seemed to be no rhyme or reason to what would make her feel good one day and not so good the next.

After vet visits with no answers and trying other foods to see if any difference was made, we finally had to accept that our girl simply had a sensitive tummy.

It was a relieving, but "no duh" kind of moment when Best Natural Home and Health informed me that they were adding an essential dog probiotic to their product lineup. Anise and I were already in love with their natural dog shampoo, so after some quick online research to confirm the safety of probiotics for pets, we agreed to give them a try!



Using these probiotics couldn't be easier. It comes in powder form with a tiny scoop, and you add the recommended amount (on the container) right to your pup's food. The needed amount is tiny, and there's no fighting with or trying to hide pills! It's definitely undetectable—it didn't affect Anise's desire to eat one way or another (she's a moody eater).

Anise benefits from the probiotics by tummy regulation, but overall, probiotics are a great way to holistically address your dog's health: they can help ease inflammation, meaning less scratching, and with over 70 essential minerals, it's like an easy one-a-day for overall dog health!

My favorite part (besides a healthy, happy Anise)? A container lasts forever. One jar can last up to three months depending on the size of your dog. Plus, right now, Essential Home and Health is offering $10 off when you buy two containers. Not that you'll need it, but there's a 100% money back guarantee should you not see results.

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Welcome to the Grillin' Up Giveaways Summer Giveaway Hop, brought to you by The Hopping Bloggers & Up All Night Blogging! Hosted by Mama Smith’s Review Blog & Women And Their Pretties Co-Hosted by Cia Denise & Real Advice Gal Each blogger participating in this hop has a giveaway with a prize value of at least $15 – and some are much more than that! Be sure to scroll down the whole list and visit them all – there is no limit to how many prizes you can win! Good Luck and Have Fun!

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In two pages, debut author Varina Denman tells an entire story in what she labels the "prologue."

I dare you to read just those two pages without someone popping into your head. Maybe it's an old friend. Maybe it's you. Even though Denman's novel Jaded is the story of Ruthie, the prologue makes it clear that this story isn't just hers: this is the story of a Christian who once believed only to leave the faith and become embittered at the hand of other Christians. This is a story that happens all too often, and for many who share this story, theirs will begin and end in those two pages.

By the Grace of God, this story continues beyond the prologue.


Yes, this story, Ruthie's story is fiction. But we all know better. In Jaded, Denman is encouraging us as believers to do better.

Ruthie and her mother are shunned by their church when Ruthie is only seven. They continue life in their small Texas town embittered at the Christians they once thought were friends...and any other believers they may encounter. Thirteen years later, all attitudes are confronted when Dodd, a new pastor comes to town...and takes notice of Ruthie.

Jaded is as entertaining as it is convicting. I found myself smirking at the obviously Texan details (Blue Bell ice cream, homecoming mums, and plenty of shout outs to Dr Pepper) and internally sighing at all the unfortunate truths of "Christian" actions that are anything but.

In terms of Christian fiction, I'm not exaggerating when I say this is the best piece I've read in years. I enjoy the genre, but it does have a tendency to be cliche and/or predictable. The slower pace of the story was appropriate, and the characters believable. The issues presented are real issues that many Christians need to confront but media rarely acknowledges. I respect Denman immensely for tacking the harder truths in her story:




Jaded sends me back to my own story. It fills me with gratefulness that my story didn't end in the prologue despite the hurts from my first church. But, it also breaks my heart when I think of friends with stories similar to mine. I looked up to one in particular, one who I never thought would leave the church. She's still my friend, but the girl I first met is no longer recognizable. While her story isn't over—God can always redeem—there's a sense of worry and mourning, never knowing who may or may not lose or leave the faith due to the (often well-intended) actions of another Christian.

My story hasn't ended, my friend's story hasn't ended, and Ruthie's hasn't either—Jaded is book one in the appropriately titled "Mended Hearts" series. Book two, Justified, is on shelves as well, and I can't wait to sit down with a copy!

Want to read Jaded? Enter below for a chance to win a copy, courtesy of the Blythe Daniel Agency!

I love enjoying good scents in my home. But, as I've mentioned before. I'm incredibly sensitive to synthetic fragrance... which is everywhere from detergent to shampoo to candles.

I recently made the mistake of buying some candles online to support a fundraiser. I chose scents I would normally choose (i.e., lavender), thinking I was fine since the candles claimed to be soy and scented with essential oils. Right up my alley!

Nope. I lit one and had a headache within minutes. Such a waste of both money and product, which really irritated me.



On the other hand, I can put a few drops of lavender essential oil (EO) in a diffuser and enjoy the scent for hours...and experience wellness benefits!

I've since realized that saying goodbye to candles (and other home fragrance items) in favor of diffusers is the best decision for fragrance in my home. Here's why:

1. You control the scent...and can change it. I have a diffuser by my bed, and throughout allergy season I mix lavender, lemon, and peppermint oils for relief. If I have a different ailment or just desire a different scent, changing it is just a matter of changing the water and putting a few drops of another EO in.
2. Less waste...physical and financial. This year, I've made a point to be more aware of (and cut back on) personal waste. When you finish a candle, you're left with a container...and have to buy another candle. Yes, they can be upcycled, but let's be honest, a lot of them get trashed. On the other hand, when the diffuser is empty, you just add more water and EO—at a few drops per use, you buy additional oil a lot less often! 
3. Health benefits. It's not just me—studies have been  citing synthetic fragrance as a toxic health hazard for years. Essential oils, on the other hand, smell good and offer holistic health benefits (i.e., the allergy remedy mentioned in #1).
4. Safe for all households. Kids? Pets? No need to worry about accidental knock-overs leading to fire. Dorm or rental that doesn't allow candles? No problem. You have the fragrance without the fire.

I just got a second diffuser for the house from Emmi's Essentials! I love that it's quiet and BPA-free. It runs up to 3 hours per cycle (so no biggie if you forget to shut it off!) and doubles as a light source!

Clary sage is a great relaxation oil if you're feeling anxious or depressed.

How do you like to keep your home smelling nice? Have you tried a diffuser?

The bibber buddy only required an amazon review, no blog review will be provided.

Blogger Opportunity for $50 Gift Card of their choice. Any gift card I can order online and email or sent by mail is allowed.

 

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Sean turned 31 yesterday. We enjoyed his last two birthdays over weekend getaways, but opted to celebrate at home with friends and family this year since we have a real vacation coming up this summer (my first cruise ever! can't wait!).

Sean's birthday, circa 2013

Friday was full of snacks and games with friends, Saturday was full of lounging and fireworks-watching (if you were wondering, Anise does not like fireworks), and Sunday was dinner and World Cup viewing with family.

There were plenty of opportunities for photos and recipes that could have been turned into blog posts. I took advantage of none of them. My camera remained in it's case and my phone was rarely in my hand.

I missed out on more traffic-worthy content, but every moment was enjoyable and it was wonderful to be present. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Happy birthday, babe!