A book review! And a giveaway! Huzzah!

Well, howdy-do. I’ve been on a blogging hiatus as things have gotten a bit hectic in Melz World lately, but I come to bring you good news of great joy: I’m back, and this time with a book review (and a giveaway! Huzzah!)

A couple of months ago, I was asked to review the book First Time Dad by John Fuller. What, you say? You’re not a dad, and your kid is almost a decade old? I know, I know. There’s no denying the truth. But, I thought it might be an opportunity to help those who ARE both dads and new to this whole parenting thing to get a good head start on raising great kids.

So many parenting books focus on moms, but we really shouldn’t neglect the impact fathers have on their children. Whether they realize it or not, their influence matters a great deal to how their kids will turn out, for better or worse.

The book was an easy read. Most of the chapters are 10 pages or less, which meant I could digest it in easy segments. I abhor books with really long chapters, because I have such a short attention span that I lose interest in the chapter before it’s finished. Not a problem here!

Fuller is a father of six (!) children, some of whom have already left home. In the book, he shares what he’s learned about dealing with your child’s unique personality, being intentional about instilling your values, how to support your wife as a new mom, and, most importantly, the value of time in relation to raising your kids.

I know for us, when Anna Marie was an infant, Jason’s job at the church meant he was gone a lot. I felt many times that, since I took her to work with me during the day and he was gone to meetings or other functions at night, I shouldered a lot (maybe too much) of the responsibility of rearing her. I also think we could have done a better job of being intentional about teaching her some things. This book encourages dads to be present for their kids and wife, and to invest in their future while they’re still wee small babies.

I’d recommend this for any dad, whether a first-timer or not. And guess what – they sent me an extra copy to give away! It would make a great Father’s Day present for someone who’d just had their first child or is expecting one in the near future. Or, really any dad of small kids.

Just leave a comment here by 5 p.m. Central time on Monday, June 13, telling me a favorite memory you have of your dad or a father-figure in your life. I’ll pick a random winner and you’ll have your book in time for Father’s Day!

Good luck!

I am persuaded

That I need to enter the 5 minutes for mom Mother's Day giveaway.

Because I can.

And because today, they're giving away an itty bitty computer that has MY name all over it.

(Well, not my name for real. But it speaks to me.)

So, meander on over there, because they've got a heck of a lot of great stuff to give away.

Good luck!

There's no such thing as a free lunch

But there is such thing as a free coffee maker.

(Well, you'll have to pay shipping and handling, but $15 for a $70 machine, plus pods and a canister, isn't half bad.)

Heather had this post a few weeks ago, and I decided to try it. You go to this link and fill out a survey, and they tell you by email a few days later whether or not you qualify. Then, if you do, you follow the link in the email they send you, pay your 15 bucks, and in a few days a shiny new coffee maker will arrive on your doorstep.

I qualified (obviously), as did my mother. I've been using mine for about a week and a half now, and I love it. LOVE it. I had a Black and Decker model that my mom got me for Christmas a couple of years ago (along with one for herself) and it was awful. Both machines leaked water everywhere on the counter, so I couldn't fill the tank up with water the night before (when I was thinking clearly) and get my coffee in the morning.

I then got a new and improved version of the Black and Decker when I found one on sale a few months ago, and it didn't leak water, but it didn't give a great cup of coffee either.

This Senseo, though, has two advantages: 1. The coffee comes out two places, so you can either get two cups at once or one that's placed in the middle, and 2. It makes this cool foam on top.

Oh, and it doesn't leak water all over my countertop.

It came with a bag of dark roast pods. They're really, really good. I've been having two cups worth in my big coffee mug, mixed with a pouch of diet hot cocoa, every morning. Because I get up so much earlier than Anna Marie, it helps tide me over until I eat breakfast with her. That also means that I'm not eating breakfast at 6 a.m. and falling out from malnutrition by lunch time.

So, go on. Follow the link. Try your luck for a free coffee maker.

(And, if you already have one, I think it'd be neat to get another one for $15 for gift-giving season. Just a suggestion!)