Quality Jigsaw Puzzles for Quality Time Together

I have always loved doing jigsaw puzzles. Call me weird, but there is something satisfying in the sorting, assembling, and creating a picture that you enjoy. As an adult, I've brought my puzzle hobby into the office. I work with children. Children love to soak up adult attention - not always obviously, but trust me, they want our attention. And the children I work with seem to speak more freely if we are fidgeting with something rather than me sitting still and making constant eye contact.  A good puzzle is not only fun for me, but is often helpful and fun with them. A great puzzle is even better.  I am always on the look out for excellent puzzles and in this review, I will share some of the puzzles I consider to be excellent.

Over the years I have found some puzzles to be too fragile or too frustrating.  Sometimes the paper and cardboard peels apart while the children are trying the pieces in different spots. Other puzzles have a poor "photograph" or color quality and it is nearly impossible for the children and I to get it put together. Some puzzles end up never being completed and being either donated or tossed into the trash.  For these reasons, I am on the look out for quality jigsaw puzzles. I have found that Ravensberger creates quality puzzles.

Current Puzzle - Ravensberger Disney's Pixar: The Artists Desk

The previous two puzzles that have been on my table were real stinkers. Too difficult to complete due to color quality.  So it is exciting to be working on this Disney Pixar 1000 piece puzzle. I was introduced to the Ravensberger brand by Treasures by Brenda and am enjoying this puzzle very much. It is made of quality materials (it is not peeling apart), the pieces are solid and thick, and even though the colors are very similar in portions of the puzzle, it is not frustratingly difficult to put together. Many children like to draw, so this theme has been interesting to them.

Next Puzzle - Ravensberger Disney's Pixar: Disney-Pixar Movies

This 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle is the next in the line up.  I chose it due to the variety of Pixar celebrities that are included.  The older children may initially behave as though it's too "baby" for them, but I know they will work on it anyway. The younger children will like it. And what a great way to start a conversation than by asking which of the movies shown are their favorite. And why.  Children aren't often asked their opinions. It is meaningful when you genuinely ask and want to know.

Disney-Pixar Movies Jigsaw Puzzle (1000 piece)

Other Puzzle Recommendations by Review This Contributors

Beverly recommends Susan Wingate jigsaw puzzles. She shows us several examples of the pretty garden and country living artwork. Beverly gives personal reasons why she enjoys puzzles in general, and these puzzles specifically. I have to agree, the Susan Wingate puzzles are beautiful.

Barb's love of California shines through her review of puzzles of California. As a native Californian, she shares samples of Zazzle puzzles created from her travel photographs as well as manufactured state puzzles that are available. If you love California you should read her California puzzles review.

Speaking of creating puzzles from personal photographs, Mary Beth explains how she does this on Zazzle in her article Create a Puzzle from a Favorite Photograph. Whether you are interested in her fantastic lighthouse puzzle collection or in making your own puzzles, her article is helpful.

And when you have finished your puzzles, you may choose to glue them together and hang them for display.  I love this idea and would do it, except that I cycle through my puzzles at work and we put them together more than once.  Beverly reviews puzzle glue that she has used with success. 

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Country Songs that Celebrate Mom - Don't Miss These Beautiful Songs

The Garden Lesson - A Reminder of Life's Simple Joys

It Doesn't Have to Be Mother's Day to Let Mom Know She's Special

If you're looking for a nice tidy list of songs that tell stories about how wonderful mom really is, you'll want to scan this growing list.

To make it easier, listen to the playlist featured below. It includes songs from being thankful for mom, reflecting on life as a mom, to honoring mom's incredible strength.

Each mom is different, each life story it's own, and thus finding the right words makes song hunting a unique and personal search. In fact, choosing a song for mom can be a time consuming proposition, so be sure to scan the Playlist to save yourself some of that precious time.

This list was put together to shorten the song hunting process. Songs are always being added, so be sure to check back.

Mom may appreciate the simple thoughtful gift of a song posted on Facebook in her honor. If mom has a sense of humor, add a funny comment in the post to lighten things up.

A Song For Mom from Dad

If you're looking for a song to honor the woman in your life, here's the winner: "In Case You Didn't Know" by Brett Young.

Today, Mother's Day, my husband heard "In Case You Didn't Know" on the radio in our kitchen for the first time. He was cleaning up dishes when out blasted the words to this gorgeous song. I was sitting in the backyard when he unexpectedly popped his head out to tell me this is his song to me, then added, "the words say exactly how I feel about you".

He's generally not one to listen intently to the words of a song (quite the opposite of me), and I can't put in to words how surprised I was to hear him say this. You see, we've been together for 36 years, married for 32 of those next week, and in that one split second, I loved him all over again, in a new way if that's possible. So guys, don't underestimate the power of the little things, because it's those little things that hold the greatest value.

It was a lovely Mother's Day for me - dinner with our sons, and a quiet waltz to this song with my husband in the kitchen.

Our kitchen has heard a lot of songs, and it's floor felt the feet of a great deal of dancing over these passed 30 years - I hope yours has as well.

Happy Mother's Day

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Book Reviews of the Forensic Instincts Series

Series Book #1 Available on Amazon

by Andrea Kane

The Forensic Instincts team is a group of private investigators who achieve the impossible, often pushing ethical and legal boundaries to accomplish it. They take on cases that ~ for one reason or another ~ law enforcement cannot solve or doesn't have the necessary time to devote to it.  

The team consists of a behaviorist (Casey), a former Navy SEAL (Marc), a techno-wizard (Ryan), an intuitive (Claire), a retired FBI agent (Patrick) and an FBI trained human-scent-evidence dog (Hero).  Together they are amazing, accomplishing what others cannot.

In addition to the team's outstanding abilities (each member having been hand-picked by their leader, Casey Woods, not only for their unique attributes, but also for their ability to work cohesively together as a team), we are also introduced  to some of the personal lives of each member, making them more appealing as people besides the traits that make them very good at their jobs.

The Girl Who Disappeared Twice 

The series begins with The Girl Who Disappeared Twice.  At that time, the team consists of just Casey and her two outstanding cohorts Marc & Ryan. As the story unfolds and the case involving a kidnapping of Family Court Judge Hope Willis' 6-year-old daughter, Krissy, we are introduced to Claire and Patrick who later become the newest team members of Forensic Instincts. We also meet FBI BAU profiler Kyle 'Hutch' Hutchinson from Quantico, Virginia, who is romantically involved in a long-distance relationship with FI team leader Casey Woods who lives and works in New York City.

Even though local police and the FBI are involved in this kidnapping case, Judge Willis has hired Forensic Instincts due to the bizarre circumstances of her twin sister having been kidnapped (and never seen again) 32 years ago. FI soon figures out that the two kidnap cases are related. The ending is a surprise you won't see coming.  

This is Author Kane's first Forensic Instincts book and her most popular. If you read this book, you will be  hooked, as I was, and want to read the entire series!

The Line Between Here and Gone

 

In The Line Between Here and Gone, the Forensic Instincts team becomes involved in a frantic search for an elusive father whose infant son is battling a rare immune deficiency condition. Baby Justin's only hope for a cure lies with his father who everyone thought was brutally murdered before mom Amanda even realized she carried his child.  Then an emailed photo changes everything. The photo looks exactly like Paul - the missing and presumed dead father.  Every second counts in this search for a 'ghost'.  

The Stranger You Know 

 

The Stranger You Know involves the case of a series of college-aged girls with long red hair who are brutally murdered.  The crime scenes are identical to those of a serial offender now serving thirty years to life—a criminal brought to justice with the help of Forensic Instincts. Now the Forensic Instincts team is in a frantic race to discover, and stop, the killer who is selecting targets who have been chosen because of a unique connection to Casey Woods, team leader.  And it soon becomes apparent that the killer is closing in on Casey as the ultimate target.
 

The Silence That Speaks

 

In The Silence That Speaks, the story revolves around Casey's associate Marc Devereaux, the former Navy SEAL, and involves the only girl he ever loved - Madaline. She's a nurse at Manhattan Memorial, and she's terrified because someone is trying to kill her.  Madeline turns to Marc and FI for help and protection.

At the hospital, Manhattan Memorial, there is turmoil.  There is a merger in the works, and the staff is in shock over their hospital administrator's sudden death—during heart surgery performed by Madeline's ex-husband, Conrad. A surgery at which Madeline was present. The killer seems to blame both Madeline and Conrad…

Who is the killer who has the greatest incentive to want Madeline dead?  The FI investigative team has the resources to discover just that, working inside the law—and outside it. Another on-the-edge-of-your-seat Forensic Instincts thriller.
 

The Murder That Never Was

Given the opportunity, would you assume someone else's identity and leave your old life behind? In The Murder That Never Was, A strange set of circumstances gives Lisa Barnes, a down-on-her-luck job seeker, and Julie Forman, a personal trainer to an Olympic hopeful, exactly that opportunity. Problem is, a cold-blooded killer who is a megalomaniacal genius will stop at nothing to eradicate anyone who threatens the success of his medical breakthrough, and he wants Julie dead to protect it. Except, Lisa Barnes has become Julie ... and she's terrified.  

The unorthodox criminal investigative team of Forensic Instincts takes on the case and is forced into uncharted territory to protect their client. The team has grown to include a former pickpocket who is now their receptionist and Girl Friday and who ends up playing a pivotal role in the solving of this case. 

A Face to Die For

Book #6 in the Series

The newest Forensic Instincts book in this popular series (A Face to Die For) debuted September 19, 2017.  This time, author Andrea Kane explores the urban legend of the doppelganger, as the readers' favorite team of investigators (Forensic Instincts) find themselves in a conflict of interest between two clients.

I need to get this book next, having now read the entire series and become a huge fan of Andrea Kane.

Author Andrea Kane

Andrea Kane is a bestselling author of twenty-seven novels, including thirteen psychological thrillers and fourteen historical romantic suspense titles. 

She lives in New Jersey with her husband and family. She's an avid crossword puzzle solver and a diehard Yankees fan. Otherwise, she's either writing or playing with her Pomeranian, Mischief, who does his best to keep her from writing.  You can read more about Andrea Kane and see her other books on her website AndreaKane.com.

Kane's Forensic Instincts series is about a dynamic, eclectic team of maverick investigators who continue to solve seemingly impossible cases while walking a fine line between assisting and enraging law enforcement.  These are definitely in the 'thriller' category and have, without a doubt, captured my interest and attention. 

If you like suspenseful thrillers, you will enjoy the Forensic Instincts series. 

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Indoor Dog Gates Reviewed

As the summer months are fast approaching, I am reminded of how much we need our indoor dog gates once the hot days arrive. 

When we have workmen or company, it is simply too hot to leave the pups outside for more than a few minutes.  Actually, the same is true during the winter months.  Extreme weather conditions of any kind make indoor dog gates essential. 

We have 2 different dog gates that we use regularly in our home.  One that requires hardware mounted on the door facing.  And, one that is held in place by tension.  Both are fabulous dog gates and I can highly recommend either one depending on your preferences. 

Dog Gate with Hardware Required

 Kidco Safeway Gate, Top of Stairs Gate, WhiteThis doggie gate is more secure.  Unless a dog jumps over the gate, they aren't going to get past it.  We have had one dog who was capable of jumping over the gate, but age has slowed that desire and ability.  I am quite certain he could still jump the gate if needed, but he is a really good dog who understands the reason for the gate and tries very hard to be obedient.  To be completely honest, I am reassured to know he could get over it if needed.  After all, the workmen are most often strangers and I am more comfortable having my guard dog only a shout away. 

Features:

• Metal
• Adjustable Width to Fit Doorway
• Locks 
• Hardware Required (but you only have to install it once, unless you move)
• Gate Can Be Removed when Not in Use (hardware remains on door facing)

This gate is also fabulous when we have had bad weather and the dogs come in wet.  I can close the gate and they will stay on the tile just inside our back door until they are dry enough to enter the rest of the house. 

Tension Dog Gate 

 Evenflo Position and Lock Tall Pressure Mount Wood GateThe tension dog gate is the one we use when we want the dogs to stay in an area of the house without locking them behind a door.  I have used it many times in the doorway between the kitchen and the den.  It allows them the freedom to move around in a larger area of the house, but to still be limited.  This gate was especially useful when we had our bathroom re-tiled.  That process took several hours over several days.  The dogs were "penned" in the kitchen area where they had access to their food and water all day.  Plus, they had plenty of room to walk around or lay down without being literally on top of each other.

Features:

• No Permanent Hardware
• Wood (beware, some dogs will chew wood frame)
• Location can be Moved to Different Doorways
• Adjustable Width

We also use the tension gate at the foot of the stairs when we have overnight guests.  It keeps the pups for going upstairs to visit with our guests.  Trust me, that makes for happier guests and happier dogs!

The downside to this gate is obvious.  Since it is only held in place by tension, a heavier dog, or one who was really persistent, could knock it down.  The few times I have seen that happen, the noise of the gate crashing to the ground stunned the dog momentarily and alerted me instantly that the gate was down.  That allowed me enough time to get the dog and the gate back when they were supposed to be without incident.  Fortunately, our dogs understand the gate is a boundary and they are really good about not crossing the boundary regardless.  I have even been able to simply set the gate against the doorway without locking it into place and they understand to stay on their side.

Indoor Dog Gates 

I have no doubt that these gates have saved our dogs lives on several occasions and saved me a tremendous amount of stress over the years.  Because we have larger breed dogs, I've never felt a kennel was a good option.  I wouldn't want to be trapped in one, therefore, I know my dogs don't want to be locked in a cage where they can't even stand up either.  

The indoor dog gates allow our dogs to be happier, healthier and safer.  They allow us to have the freedom to have our dogs live indoors with us, but be securely contained in safe areas when we have guests.

For all of us in our home, these gates are considered essential and worth the cost.  

To new dog owners, I recommend having these gates as soon as you bring a new puppy home.  It really is best to train them properly from the very beginning.  Puppies are much easier to train than an older dog.  However, I can tell you from experience that an older dog can and will learn the boundaries set by a indoor dog gate if you will simply be patient and give them time.  Like any other form of training, start out with short periods of time and keep them company.  Then work up to longer stretches of time and walk into another room for a few minutes.  They will learn that they are safe and that you are coming back.  It just takes time and gentle effort! 


Different Styles of Indoor Dog Gates - Select the One that Fits Your Personal Needs

 Best Choice Products Freestanding Adjustable Pet Dog Gate FenceCheck Price Folding Wood Pet Gate- 3 SectionsCheck Price Carlson Extra Wide Walk Through Pet Gate with Small Pet DoorCheck Price Pet Trex 24" Exercise Playpen for DogsCheck Price

 

 

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Read Tweep-e-licious to Help Increase Your Engagement on Twitter: A Book Review

Do You Wish You Had More Engagement with Your Twitter Tweets?

So was I. That's why I decided to buy Tweep-e-licious by marketing expert Lynn Serafinn. She believes in ethical marketing and is also the author of bestselling book The 7 Graces of Marketing. I bought Tweep-e-licious because I wanted to increase engagement with my followers and to get more followers targeted to my accounts. I was also looking for help in using Twitter more effectively to market my blogs and Zazzle products. I knew what I was doing wasn't working.

My Twitter Accounts and How They Grew

If you are new to Twitter or haven't paid much attention to your account, you may find it hard to get the followers you want. I also had that problem -- especially when I was getting started. I didn't just want followers -- I wanted the right followers who would enjoy my content. How I wish I'd had Tweep-e-licious back then! What a difference it would have made. I gradually learned some of what the book covered on my own, but the going was slow, by trial and error. Lynn's book would have helped me get off to a much faster and better start.

I now manage three Twitter accounts I started in different years. As of three days ago in the morning, @barbsbooks had 2457 followers. I opened that account for my book business in March 2009. That averages out to about 308 new followers a year. Of course, the first 200 followers are the hardest to get, since it takes time to build more credibility. This account targets readers, writers, educators, and bloggers.

I opened @Gale427 in March 2012. I had reluctantly become somewhat of a political activist by then. I didn't want to mix politics and business -- especially since most of my target audience on my first account did not have similar thoughts on politics. I wanted to separate these topics so as not to alienate customers for no good reason. This account had 1074 followers three days ago and I follow 814. The account targets those with similar religious and political views, photographers, gardeners, affiliate marketers, bloggers, and those who like to read.

By 2013 I was starting to be more involved in my local community. I had started a blog completely about my local area and I wanted to target people who lived in California, who were not necessarily writers or bloggers, and who liked to share photos of their travels and Zazzle products.  I opened the @barbsloco account in November 2013. It was very slow to take off, compared to the others. I had 388 followers three days ago and I follow 304.

It took forever to get to 100. Perhaps that's because it was also harder to pinpoint my target audience. I knew I wanted followers as close to my local area as possible, but also anyone interested in traveling to the area. What I discovered is that the people following me tended to be either businesses in my area or travel bloggers and photographers from far away. Lynn's wonderful book of tips is answering all the questions I had about how to find my ideal followers and how to engage them. I also learned which content my current followers like to see and I'm trying to keep providing it. It's possible I was targeting the wrong audience.

How Will Tweep-e-licious Help Me Grow My Account?

Here's what the book will help you learn to do:

1. Master the basics. Even if you've had your account for a long time, you may have missed some of the basics of using Twitter you thought you knew or had been misinformed about. Lynn takes you through choosing the right ID and setting up or editing to create an engaging profile. Using her advice, I just edited the profiles of all three of my accounts. I found I wasn't making the best use of that very important space. 
2. Manage followers effectively. Learn who to follow, how to follow, who not to follow, and who to unfollow. I had my own ideas on how to do this and most of what I've been doing after a lot of trial and error in the first years is pretty close to what Lynn teaches, except I don't yet use any automation to find followers. 
3. Make the best use of Twitter lists to their best advantage. I already had lots of lists in my accounts, but I still got some great tips on how to make better use of them. I just finished the book, so I haven't had time to fully implement the tips. I have started a private VIP list for each account. I never would have thought of that. Most of my lists are based on a profession, a topic, or a location. 
4. Create content that will attract and engage followers. Some of this I knew, but there were still a lot of useful tips I hadn't thought of. Learn what not to tweet. Many Tweeps make tweets every day that annoy people and it's one reason I didn't follow them or I later unfollow them. 
5. Determine how often to tweet. People often disagree on this issue, but if you don't tweet often enough, no one will see you. How much is too much? Lynn helps you decide.
6. How to repeat tweets often without annoying followers. I found this section very useful. Most of us have a number of evergreen tweets we want to keep active. There is a better way to do it than most people, including me, have used. 
7. Make and use effective hashtags. I try to make effective use of hashtags, but Lynn offered even more tips I can try. 
8. Determine when and how to use automation and applications. Lynn did explain at the beginning that because technology and Twitter rules change so often, some of her book, last updated at the beginning of 2014, might be obsolete. Most of her tips are still good, but when reading this section I discovered some of it was out of date. ---- You might as well skip the sections on Tweet Adder because it's gone. I could no longer find a free version of Gremln. Lynn suggested Tweepi.com for targeting followers by location, but I found out when I got there that you need the most expensive version to use that function.  I'm still using Buffer, Hootsuite, and Tweetdeck, so they are still good, but they have also evolved since the book was updated. 
9. Build relationships and not get overwhelmed by them. This group of tips is important. It's easy to get overwhelmed while using the tips to build relationships -- especially if you are also implementing suggestions on using lists and finding the right followers. Lynn suggests ways to avoid getting overwhelmed. 
10. Use Twitter ethically to market products and expand your influence. Many of these tips are for bigger fish than I am, but I found some tips on marketing and monetization I can use. If you are planning a virtual blog tour, have joint venture partners, want to run a contest, get a media interview, or do some crowd funding, you will find help here. Lynn also discusses another topic many wonder about  -- whether and when to set up multiple Twitter accounts. 

Tweep-E-Licious! 158 Twitter Tips & Strategies for Writers, Social Entrepreneurs & Changemakers Who Want to Market Their Business EthicallyThe 7 Graces of Marketing: How to Heal Humanity and the Planet by Changing the Way We Sell

The summary above barely scratches the surface of what the 158 tips in this book cover. Don't start a new Twitter account without Tweep-e-licious! It's still helpful even if you've had an account for years.

My Recommendation

I was feeling invisible on Twitter. Do you ever feel that way? There were occasional likes and retweets, but few clicks or replies. If you are frustrated on Twitter because you don't have enough of the right followers and/or it seems no one is engaging with your content, you need this book. 

I finished Tweep-e-licious just a few days ago and started using the tips right away. Already I see my engagement increasing. I have more new followers than usual on my two oldest accounts. Since I changed my profile and cleared a lot of inactive followers,  the smallest and newest account lost one today. Many people use automation to unfollow anyone who unfollows them. I don't mind since a follower who won't be interested in your content won't be engaging with you anyway. 

The only downside to the book is that some of it has become obsolete, as Lynn predicted it would. I suggest you check out apps you aren't familiar with before reading her tips on how to use them, in case they have disappeared.

I ordered this book in paper. I recommend you do the same since it's much easier to flip back and forth to the tips you want to read again if you have actual pages. 

The Table of Contents lists all the tips in order. They are organized so that related tips are together. This makes the book very easy to use. If you want to be all you can be on Twitter, increase your following and engagement, and learn to run effective marketing campaigns, Tweep-e-licious is the "textbook" you need. It is so practical you can start applying the tips immediately as you read them. Get the book today. 

Image Courtesy of Pixabay

Image Credits:

Top image: https://pixabay.com/en/twitter-banner-message-sky-1566735/
Middle image: https://pixabay.com/en/tweet-twitter-bird-blue-twig-155281/
Last image: https://pixabay.com/en/twitter-mobile-phone-social-media-1183719/
All images were edited and modified on Fotojet.com.

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