Win: Four lucky winners will each receive a copy of the DVD Wild About Safety with Timon & Pumbaa: Safety Smart in the Water! Synopsis: Timon and Pumbaa help students learn that fun in the water starts with safety. Once again armed with their Safety Smart® Checklist, Timon and Pumbaa head out for a day at their favorite watering hole. There, they identify valuable water safety lessons like checking for a lifeguard, reading all posted safety signs and looking before leaping in.

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

Congratulations to Janice, Jennifer, Chanelle, Mozi Esme!

• To enter, comment on a summer safety tip.
• You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
  1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and Wild About Safety (leave the link in your comment)
  2)Subscribe to my feed
  3)Add my button to your sidebar
  4)Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
  5)Tweet this giveaway (leave the link in your comment)
• The deadline for entries is , August 7, 2010 11:59pm HST.
• If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on or about August 8, 2010 (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment and be sure to check your junk/spam, etc. folders) and will have 3 days to accept.
• Valid for US addresses only.
• By entering in this giveaway, you have read and agreed to Sage and Savvy’s policies regarding giveaways.
  Good luck!
  

The last half of summer I was able to work with Little Music Man on his hand-writing, cutting, and other skills thanks to Mead Writing Fundamentals.

The Mead® Writing Fundamentals products are designed to guide parents on how best to introduce and facilitate fundamental writing skills for young learners. Divided into four stages based on the developmental level of the child, these tools progressively build upon one another as children master the skills necessary for writing success.

The use of color to aid focus and increase retention, helpful reminders for proper hand placement, and clever cues for paper stabilization are carried throughout the line.



We were fortunate to receive several products from the Writing Fundamentals line which focused on fine-motor skills, letter formation, visual perception, and so much more.

Little Music Man's favorite Writing Fundamentals products are the Write-On Wipe-Off Lowercase Letters and the Dry Erase Activity Board. He loves tracing and writing the letters, numbers, and shapes, and of course he thinks it's so cool how he can wipe off all the markings and start all over again!

I personally think Snip It is really neat. This book promotes fine motor development, and helps Little Music Man practice his cutting and coloring. It also helps him with trying to stick within boundaries, since he often colors outside the lines. I like how the book uses fun strips of paper to help with adherence to visual boundaries.

All of the Writing Fundamentals products are great to have on hand--not only for summer, but also to supplement school work, to use on school breaks--for just about anytime!

The products help Little Music Man develop and enhance a variety of skills in an engaging way, and he really looks forward to "homework" (especially if homework involves using the Dry Erase Activity Board!).

Shop: You can purchase Mead Writing Fundamentals at various retailers online and nationwide, including Target, Walmart, and Staples (ARV $3.99-$6.99).

Win: One lucky winner will receive a Writing Fundamentals Prize Pack consisting of 5-7 of the following products of choice (Path Quest, Snip It, Shape Builders Learn to Draw, Dry Erase Activity Board, Capital Letter Stories, Write-On, Wipe-Off Lowercase Letters, 4-in-1 Learn to Letter, Idea Builders, Primary Journal, Write-on, Wipe-off Cursive Letters)

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

Congratulations to Steph!

• To enter, visit the Writing Fundamentals product page and the product detail sheet and comment on what product(s) you like best AND why.
• You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
• 1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and (leave the link in your comment)
• 2)Subscribe to my feed
• 3)Add my button to your sidebar
• 4)Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
• 5)Tweet this giveaway using #WritingFundamentals (leave the link in your comment)
• 6)Follow Writing Fundamentals on Twitter and tweet "I'm following @MeadEarlyLearn thanks to @sagemom" (leave your link and user name in your comment)
• The deadline for entries is August 6, 2010, 11:59pm HST.
• Winner must not have won a Writing Fundamentals Prize Pack within the past 60 days.
• If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email upon verification of no previous Writing Fundamentals Prize Pack within the past 60 days. (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment and be sure to check your junk/spam, etc. folders) and will have 3 days to accept.
• Valid for US addresses only.
• By entering in this giveaway, you have read and agreed to Sage and Savvy’s policies regarding giveaways.
  Good luck!

Thank you to Mead for providing the products for review and giveaway. All opinions are my own. I received no monetary compensation for this post.

Thanks to Mom Central, we got to try out Eggo's new Real Fruit Pizza!

There's an exciting new way to enjoy Eggo® products! New Eggo™ Real Fruit Pizza, topped with real fruit and crunchy toasted granola… they're the perfect way to shake up your breakfast routine! Ready in just a minute from your microwave. Try both tasty flavors, Strawberry Granola and Mixed Berry Granola!

We were fortunate to receive a box each of Strawberry Granola and Mixed Berry Granola Real Fruit Pizzas.

You can either place them in the microwave and heat on high for 1-1 1/2 minutes, or place them in the conventional oven for 5-7 minutes. We opted to use the microwave since I knew the boys were hungry and wanted to eat breakfast right away.

I heated the Strawberry Granola Real Fruit Pizza for one minute, and I think maybe it could've used an extra 30 seconds because the strawberries were still pretty cold. Everything else was hot—the crust, the sauce, the granola, but since I let it sit a couple of minutes before serving, by the time it was ready to eat, everything, including the strawberries, was nice and warm.

It was really delicious! It wasn't too sweet, and I liked how there were nicely-sized pieces of strawberries. My favorite part of the pizza was the cream cheese sauce!

The boys actually took a while to take their first bite, because they never saw anything like it before.

However, once they took a bite, they did seem to enjoy it! They especially loved the strawberries, because they love all kinds of fruit.

The pizza is a single serving, but for little kids it could serve at least two or three.

Eggo's Real Fruit Pizza offers a quick and easy, way to serve up breakfast that's a change of pace from the usual cereal or pancakes and is very delicious too!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Eggo Real Fruit Pizza and received a sample of the product and a $20 Amazon gift certificate to facilitate my review.

• Imagination and Creative Role Playing
• Object Recognition and Vocabulary Building
• Category Sorting
• Develops Palmar Arches

We were fortunate to receive the Pop on Pals Amusement Park Playset. The set comes with one Pop on Pal and three pop-on rings. The amusement park required only one piece to assemble, and then it was ready to be played with!

My boys' favorite feature of the Amusement Park is the roller coaster. They love putting the pal in the car and making it go down the roller coaster!

They also have fun making the pal go on the Ferris wheel and the dragon swing, and they enjoy the sounds of the milk toss and strong man games.

They don't use the 3 rings too often, but I think it's cute how you can add them on to make the pal look excited, waving her arms in the air as she goes down the roller coaster, or ready to strike the strong man bell.

I think the Amusement Park is very stimulating and entertaining. It's really easy to pop the pals into the different areas of the playset, and it's easy to pop the rings off and on the pals! I just wish it came with more than one Pop on Pal, and it would've been cool if the Ferris wheel could keep moving around and around.

There are several other Pop on Pal toys—cars, buses, planes, and lots more pals, and I can't wait to add more Pop on Pals to our collection!

Thank you to Team Mom and Pop on Pals for providing the product for review. All opinions are my own. I received no monetary compensation for this post.

If you're looking for a special, unique, personalized gift, check out Executive Gift Shoppe, where you can find everything from Business Card Holders and Personalized Flasks, to Swiss Army Knives and Coolers!

Executive Gift Shoppe started as a small personalized gift store in Nanuet, NY in 1999 catering to the wedding & corporate gift industry. We built our reputation by providing unique, engraved & personalized gifts at affordable prices. Over the years, we have added thousands of new products, may personalized and many that aren't. One thing that hasn't changed is our commitment to quality and, more importantly, our commitment to customer service.

Executive Gift Shoppe offers a variety of gifts for all sorts of occasions, so whether you're looking for an anniversary gift for your spouse, a birthday gift for a colleague, or a gift “just because,” check out the great selection at Executive Gift Shoppe!

Win: One lucky winner will receive any product(s) of choice-maximum $50.00 total; includes free shipping and personalization!

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

Congratulations to traci smith!

• To enter, visit Executive Gift Shoppe and comment on which product you'd choose if you won.
• You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
• 1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and Executive Gift Shoppe (leave the link in your comment)
• 2)Subscribe to my feed
• 3)Add my button to your sidebar
• 4)Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
• 5)Tweet this giveaway (leave the link in your comment)
• The deadline for entries is August 2, 2010, 11:59pm HST.
• If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on or about August 3, 2010 (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment and be sure to check your junk/spam, etc. folders) and will have 3 days to accept.
• Valid for US addresses only.
• By entering in this giveaway, you have read and agreed to Sage and Savvy’s policies regarding giveaways.
  Good luck!

Thank you to Executive Gift Shoppe for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway free of charge. All opinions are my own. I received no monetary compensation for this post.

Little Music Man loves playing with our iPhone and iPod Touch. I think we've downloaded more apps for him than we have for ourselves! Thanks to Mom Central, we were fortunate to download even more apps from My Living Stories for him to enjoy!

Living Stories animated storybooks bring new and classic children's tales to life on your iPhone™ or iPod® Touch. Living Stories combine beautiful art, narration, interactive features and compelling stories. Even better, Living Stories are easy-to-use for kids, allowing preschoolers to read along on their own, without any help. Living Stories is the perfect way to entertain kids and to help them learn to read, whether you are at home or on-the-go!

We were fortunate to receive codes to download the following My Living Stories apps: Goldilocks and the Three Bears, King Midas, and the Tortoise and the Hare (also available are Princess and the Pea and Little Red Riding Hood).

It's been a long time since I've read any of these stories myself, so being able to read them with Little Music Man was such a treat!

Little Music Man's loves how the apps are interactive. He can touch screens to make toys change, lights go on and off, pictures on the wall sway,and so much more!

I love how there are a variety of options to “read” the story—it can be narrated in English or French (love the cute voices!), you/your child can read it, or you can record your voice (there are multiple “slots” to record so more than one person can record a story)!

The images are all so cute and fun, and I really like the background music—it really adds to the storytelling experience.

The My Living Stories apps are great apps to add to our collection—perfect for when we need a distraction, or when we simply want to enjoy a classic story.

Shop: You can purchase My Living Stories apps on iTunes (ARV $1.99 each).

Win: One lucky winner will receive a $25 iTunes Gift Card!

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

Congratulations to SocialStudiesSoubrette!

• To enter, comment on which My Living Stories you'd like the most.
• You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
  1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and My Living Stories (leave the link in your comment)
  2)Subscribe to my feed
  3)Add my button to your sidebar
  4)Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
  5)Tweet this giveaway (leave the link in your comment)
• The deadline for entries is August 1, 2010, 11:59pm HST.
• If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on or about August 2, 2010 (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment and be sure to check your junk/spam, etc. folders) and will have 3 days to accept.
• Valid for US and Canada addresses only.
• By entering in this giveaway, you have read and agreed to Sage and Savvy’s policies regarding giveaways.
• You may enter the My Living Stories iTunes Giveaway on multiple blogs, but are only eligible to win one iTunes Gift Card; awarding of prize is pending verification that winner has not won on another blog.
  Good luck!
  

The Story:
I was looking for an easy, chocolatey treat to make for a party, and remembered seeing a recipe in the Kraft Food & Family Magazine (when it used to be free).

The Marbled Chocolate Treats have become a favorite dessert in our home, and I love that it's so quick to make!

The Recipe: (Courtesy Kraft Foods)

8-1/2 HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, broken in half (17 squares)
6 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 squares BAKER'S White Chocolate

• LINE 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Arrange grahams on bottom of pan, cutting as needed to completely cover bottom of pan; set aside.
• MICROWAVE semi-sweet chocolate and peanut butter in medium microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted when stirred, stirring every 30 sec. Stir until well blended. Pour over grahams; spread with spatula to cover completely.
• REPEAT microwave melting steps with the white chocolate. Drop spoonfuls of the white chocolate over chocolate-covered grahams. Immediately cut through the chocolate mixtures with knife several times for tiger-stripe effect.
• REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour or until firm. Use foil handles to remove dessert from pan. Peel off foil.
• Cut dessert into bars. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Notes: I didn't have any Baker's Chocolate, and just used what I had on hand. I ended up using 1 cup of chocolate chips, and 1 piece of vanilla bark. They still turned out delicious!

I also made one batch without peanut butter since Smiley Boy can't eat peanut butter yet. (Below is without peanut butter).

I LOVE ice cream, and thanks to Mom Central, I received a coupon so I could try out Breyers Smooth & Dreamy line of ice cream treats!

Smooth & Dreamy Bars and Sandwiches that are so delicious and indulgent, you'll be amazed that they have less fat and calories than regular ice cream bars and sandwiches. That's
right, flash that big happy smile because we’re bringing back the joy!

The store I went to did not carry the sandwiches, and had only two flavors of the bars available, and I ended up getting the Vanilla Caramel Chip bars.

The bar was definitely smooth and dreamy, rich and creamy. It was so yummy!

I thought the bars were a little smaller than the ice cream bars I usually eat, but they were still a good size.

Little Music Man really enjoyed it—and he savored the bar lick by lick. In the end I had to break the bar apart and put it in a bowl because he was taking so long to eat it that it was beginning to melt all over!

The Smooth & Dreamy Vanilla Caramel Chip bars have no artificial colors or flavors, and are only 130 calories each with 6 grams of fat.

There are many other flavors, all of which sound so delicious. You can check out the Breyers Smooth & Dreamy website for more information on the other flavors, as well as to try your luck in the Wheel of Delights Instant Win & Sweepstakes promotion, where you could win free ice cream, a day at the spa, and more!

The Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Vanilla Caramel Chip bars were really delicious, and I can't wait to try out the sandwiches!

Shop: You can purchase Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Bars and Sandwiches at various grocers nationwide (ARV $4.99 in Hawaii).

Win: Two lucky winners will each receive two coupons good for one free box of Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Bars or Sandwiches Multipack (max. value $6.00; expires 11/29/10).

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

Congratulations to Chrissyb, Jackie!

• To enter, visit Breyers Smooth & Dreamy and comment on which product you'd get if you won (excluding anything mentioned in this post).
• You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
• 1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and Breyers new Smooth & Dreamy l (leave the link in your comment)
• 2)Subscribe to my feed
• 3)Add my button to your sidebar
• 4)Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
• 5)Tweet this giveaway (leave the link in your comment)
• The deadline for entries is July 30, 2010, 11:59pm HST.
• If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on or about July 31, 2010 (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment and be sure to check your junk/spam, etc. folders) and will have 3 days to accept.
• Valid for US addresses only.
• By entering in this giveaway, you have read and agreed to Sage and Savvy’s policies regarding giveaways.

Good luck!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Breyers and received products necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Renee Fleming recently released her new album, Dark Hope.

Track Listing:

Endlessly (Muse)
No One's Gonna Love You (Band of Horses)
Oxygen (Willy Mason)
Today (Jefferson Airplane)
Intervention (Arcade Fire)
With Twilight As My Guide (The Mars Volta)
Mad World (Tears For Fears)
In Your Eyes (Peter Gabriel)
Stepping Stone (Duffy)
Soul Meets Body (Death Cab For Cutie)
Hallelujah (Leonard Cohen)

Fleming, the superstar soprano known as "the people's diva," says of 'Dark Hope': 'I've always been inspired by artists who have shown musical and intellectual curiosity and the courage to take risks.

Because everything about the voice interests me, I felt it would be fascinating to learn a completely different style of singing.'

Producer Kahne was a true collaborator during the recording process, driving most of the arrangements and coaching Fleming in this music. Also joining Fleming on the album are her two daughters and sister, who sing backup on several songs.

Fleming says that for the recording of this album, "Singing in a small, acoustic booth, with a microphone that's very close, in this very intimate style, is the complete opposite of how I usually sing.'

There were similarities to how she prepares dramatically for an opera role, however. Fleming points out that for each track on 'Dark Hope' "we found an interpretation that enabled the point of view to sound authentic coming from me. Every song has a story, so this whole idea of enacting or playing a role is doubly true for this music.'

Renée Fleming, a Fulbright Scholar and three-time Grammy award winner, has captivated audiences at leading opera houses and concert halls around the world. Last year, the acclaimed soprano was a featured performer at President Obama's Inaugural Celebration. Fleming has also had a longtime interest in jazz and has recorded jazz repertoire on 'Haunted Heart', the lauded collaboration with pianist Fred Hersch and guitarist Bill Frisell.

Shop: You can purchase Dark Hope at various retailers online and nationwide (ARV $17.98)

Win: Two lucky winners will each receive a copy of Dark Hope!

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

Congratulations to purango, Jennifer!

• To enter, visit Renee Fleming, listen to the sample tracks, and comment on which is your favorite (audio player is in the upper right corner).
• You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
• 1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and Renee Fleming (leave the link in your comment)
• 2)Subscribe to my feed
• 3)Add my button to your sidebar
• 4)Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
• 5)Tweet this giveaway (leave the link in your comment)
• The deadline for entries is July 29, 2010, 11:59pm HST.
• If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on or about July 30, 2010 (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment and be sure to check your junk/spam, etc. folders) and will have 3 days to accept.
• Valid for US addresses only.
• By entering in this giveaway, you have read and agreed to Sage and Savvy’s policies regarding giveaways.

Good luck!

Thank you to Universal Music Group for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway free of charge. All opinions are my own. I received no monetary compensation for this post.

Your Family Today: Health

5 Beach Safety Tips

By Gail Belsky for Your Family Today

When temperatures soar, families hit the beach. In 2009, an estimated 300 million Americans spread out their towels and smelled the sea air, according to the United States Lifesaving Association (USLA).

But while beach outings are one of the highlights of summer, they also present serious hazards -- from sunburn and jellyfish stings to riptides and lightning. Here’s how to protect your family:

Sun Exposure
Some experts believe that just one blistering sunburn can double your risk for getting skin cancer, which is why the American Cancer Society recommends avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun’s ultraviolet rays are strongest. Make a firm rule that kids sit under a beach umbrella whenever they’re not swimming. Have them wear a hat, sunglasses and a shirt or cover up when they’re walking around or playing in the sand. And of course, slather on the sunscreen and SPF lip balm.

Tip: Choose a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher and use approximately 2 tablespoons of it to cover your entire body. Apply a half hour before heading out, and reapply every two hours or right after swimming or heavy sweating.

Dehydration
When you spend too much time in the sun and heat or have a severe sunburn that gives off heat, it’s easy to become dehydrated. Dehydration occurs when your body loses too much water and essential salts, and the symptoms include dizziness, thirst and fatigue. Children and adults over age 60 are most -- and are at greater risk of developing life-threatening complications if they don’t replace lost fluids. The key to preventing and treating mild dehydration is simple: Drink plenty of fluids, including sports drinks, which restore body fluids, salt and electrolytes.

Tip: In addition to drinks, pack your cooler with fruit, which has a high liquid content. Cold watermelon chunks or frozen grapes are summertime favorites.

Rip Currents
Nearly 80 percent of beach lifeguard rescues are due to riptides -- strong currents of water that pull away from the shore -- according to the USLA. The worst thing you can do if you’re caught in a riptide is try to fight the currents and swim to shore. Remember to stay calm and swim parallel to the shore until the current relaxes -- which usually doesn’t take long -- and then swim to shore. Or just float or tread water until you’re out of the current. Teach your kids to do the same if they get caught too.

Tip: Swim near a lifeguard. The chance of drowning is five times higher at a beach that doesn’t have one, according to the USLA.

Jellyfish Stings
Jellyfish are a pain -- literally -- to swimmers in every ocean of the world. Some are harmless, but others are poisonous, with barbed tentacles that inflict pain and irritation on people who come in contact with them. Mild to moderate stings can produce immediate burning pain, itching, blisters, numbness and tingling. They can also leave painful red marks that may take one or two months to go away. But prevention is easy: Don’t swim, play or sit anywhere near them! (Note: If you feel sick or have trouble breathing after a jellyfish sting or if the stings cover a large area, seek emergency treatment.)

Tip: Soothe the discomfort with ice packs and skin creams.

Lightning Strikes
Lightning kills about 60 Americans a year, according to the National Weather Service, and injures more than 300, often leaving them with debilitating long-term conditions such as memory loss, dizziness, chronic pain and muscle spasms. Lightning can strike as far as 10 miles from where it’s raining. As soon as you hear thunder, leave the beach and take shelter in an enclosed vehicle or building. (Open-sided beach pavilions or snack shacks won’t protect you.) Stay off the beach for 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder.

Tip: When you get to the beach, scope out a safe shelter in case there’s thunder. Make sure your kids know to come out of the water at the first rumble.

Sage and Savvy is a Studio One Networks Media Partner.

I recently had a chance to listen to Sheryl Crow's new album, 100 Miles from Memphis.

For Sheryl Crow, the title of her seventh album isn’t just a location; it’s a state of mind. “I grew up in a small town 100 miles from Memphis, and that informed not only my musical taste, but how I look at life,” she says. “The drive to Memphis is all farmland, and everyone is community-oriented, God-fearing people, connected to the earth. The music that came out of that part of the world is a part of who I am, and it’s the biggest inspiration for what I do and why I do it.”

For Sheryl Crow, 100 Miles From Memphis is the right album at the right moment. “My last record (2008’s Detours) was pretty political, extremely personal, and more lyric-driven,” she says, “so it seemed like a great time to do something soulful and sexy and more driven by the music.” It took a lot of years, but with this set of songs, she finally made it back home.

100 Miles from Memphis is influenced by pop, country, blues, jazz, and has some really great original songs as well as renditions of classic favorites.

My favorite track is Summer Day. It has such an easy-going, feel-good vibe, and it's a song that I can totally see myself constantly listening to while relaxing on a nice summer day.

Long Road Home is another nice song--it has a nice rhythm and a laid back, catchy groove, and Say What You Want is another song I really enjoyed—Crow seems to show her sass in the song, and the chorus just gets stuck in my head.

Her renditions of Terence Trent D'Arby's Sign Your Name (featuring Justin Timberlake on background vocals) and Michael Jackson's I Want You Back are really, really good. I especially liked I Want You Back—she really did an awesome job with the song!

100 Miles from Memphis showcases Crow's versatile talent—evident in both her vocals and songwriting, and I personally think it features some of Crow's best work.

Shop: You can purchase Sheryl Crow: 100 Miles from Memphis from various retailers online and nationwide (ARV $11.98).

Win: One lucky winner will receive a copy of 100 Miles from Memphis!

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

Congratulations to FDP 4 Life!

• To enter, comment on why you'd like to win!
• You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
• 1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and Sheryl Crow: 100 Miles from Memphis (leave the link in your comment)
• 2)Subscribe to my feed
• 3)Add my button to your sidebar
• 4)Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
• 5)Tweet this giveaway (leave the link in your comment)
• The deadline for entries is July 27, 2010, 11:59pm HST.
• If you submitted an eligible entry and it is chosen by random.org as the winner, you will be notified via email on or about July 28, 2010 (make sure your email address is in your profile or comment and be sure to check your junk/spam, etc. folders) and will have 3 days to accept.
• Valid for US addresses only.
• By entering in this giveaway, you have read and agreed to Sage and Savvy’s policies regarding giveaways.

Good luck!

Thank you to the sponsor for providing the product(s) for review and/or giveaway free of charge. All opinions are my own. I received no monetary compensation for this post.

I recently received the book Chicken Soup for the Soul: Runners, 101 Inspirational Stories of Energy, Endurance, and Endorphins, and even though I'm not a runner, this book was filled with stories of perseverance, hope and inspiration that I really enjoyed.

When runners aren't running, they are talking about running, planning their next run, shopping for running. This book contains 101 stories from runners, telling their stories to other runners about. running — how it has changed their lives, their bodies, and their spirits. Runners will love these inspirational stories of fellow runners challenging themselves, recovering from injuries, and staying motivated. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Runners also includes amazing stories of marathons, camaraderie, and the natural high that comes from this popular sport. It holds plenty of stories for triathletes too, covering swimming and cycling.

As expected, there were many stories about runners and their great accomplishments and the many obstacles they've overcome. The stories were so inspirational, all of which had underlying themes of dedication, hope, and courage, and all of which I felt I could relate to in one way or another.

My favorite story was Listen to Yourself, about a woman who adopted a daughter the same year she was to participate in some of the most challenging and grueling races in the nation. Many people told her that she wouldn't be able to compete because she would be devoting all of her time to her new daughter, but she persevered. She never gave up, and ultimately, she met her goals of competing in the races. The lessons she learned of how to take things step by step and to believe in yourself can apply to anyone, and to almost anything in life.

I also enjoyed Real Runners, about how two women began their journey of running by starting small--walking first, then running a little, until they were running for 30 minutes straight at the end of eight weeks.

What I liked about this story is how they took that first small step, and how they eventually reached their goal--it actually sounded like something I could do and accomplish!

There were so many more stories of determination as well as strength--not just physical strength, but mental and spiritual strength too.

As I mentioned, even though I'm not a runner, I still enjoyed this book, and who knows, maybe I'll become a "Real Runner" one day too!

Shop: You can purchase Chicken Soup for the Soul: Runners at various retailers online and nationwide (ARV $14.99).

Win: Three lucky winners will each receive a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: Runners!

• To enter, comment on why you'd like to win!
• You’ll get one extra entry each if you do any of the following (be sure to leave a comment for each “entry”):
• 1)Blog about this giveaway and link back to Sage and Savvy and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Runners (leave the link in your comment)
• 2)Subscribe to my feed
• 3)Add my button to your sidebar
• 4)Follow me on Twitter (leave your Twitter name in your comment)
• 5)Tweet this giveaway (leave the link in your comment)
• The deadline for entries is July 25, 2010, 11:59pm HST.
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Good luck!

I decided that I wanted to start sharing my favorite recipes, along with the stories behind them.

The first recipe I want to share with you is for Lemon Bars, but I call them "When Life Gives You Lemons" Lemon Bars...

The Story:

This recipe is from the mother of one of my former co-workers, who shall be known as "E."

E was already working with the company for over 10 years by the time I started. In the department we worked in, I was not only the newest, but I was also the youngest, straight out of college.

In the beginning, everything was great, but before long, it became evident that E was just not a very nice person.

E would yell and swear at our boss (and our boss would just let it happen--she didn't do anything to warn or discipline E! I don't know anyone else who would yell and swear at a boss--or if someone did that person would definitely get fired!).

E would be very demeaning to fellow employees and could never admit any wrongdoing.

Everyone disliked E, and before long, one by one, people started to leave the department because of E.

I finally switched departments after 3 1/2 years.

I can honestly say it was the worst 3 1/2 years of my employment with the company, but working with E taught me a lot...

I learned how to be more assertive.

I learned how important it is to be responsible for my actions.

Most importantly, I learned that it's important to treat everyone with respect, because if you don't, no one will respect you.

And that's what happened with E. E did not treat anyone with respect, and no one respected E, despite the many years E had with the company and all of the experience E had.

The sad thing is that in the beginning I thought we were going to be great friends. E was at times very generous and fun to be around, and E was a really hard worker.

But as the months went by, the "real" E started to emerge.

It was an unfortunate situation, but despite the 3 1/2 years of work-hell, I became a wiser, stronger person.

And I learned...how to make really awesome lemon bars!

The Recipe:

Crust:
2 c flour
1 ½ sticks margarine
1/8 c sugar
1/8 c powdered sugar

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Combine margarine, flour and sugars.
• Pat into foil-lined 9x13 pan.
• Bake for 15 minutes.

Filling:
2 c sugar, divided
½ c flour
1 t baking powder
4 eggs
1 t vanilla
¼ c lemon juice

Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

• In a bowl, combine 1 c sugar, flour, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In another bowl, combine 1 c sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add lemon juice.
• Combine ingredients from both bowls and pour over hot crust.
• Bake 30-35 minutes.
• Cool.
• Cut into squares; dust with powdered sugar.