Bring On Lemons

People have been asking me for years "how do you keep your teeth so white"? I'm a huge coffee drinker and I've spent most of the last decade pregnant or breastfeeding, so I haven't used any chemical whitening products. Here's the secret: 1) Brush your teeth twice a day (minimum) and floss 2) See your dentist for a professional cleaning at least once a year 3) Use a straw with any colored beverage and for ladies...we add a #4 4) Wear dark lipstick You thought I was going to tell you to stop drinking red wine and coffee, didn't you? Nope - not this girl! Drinking soda with a straw isn't tough, and I drink wine in public withOUT a straw, but when I'm at home, I'll actually use a straw. Coffee on the other hand was kind of a trick. Who wants to use a plastic straw with a hot liquid? The answer is NO ONE and it's not a good idea anyway, because the temperature and the plastic/wax ensures you'll be drinking chemicals not meant ...

Thank you to WOW! Women on Writing for including us in the book blog tour for B. Lynn Goodwin's Never Too Late !  Nancy's Review: It’s never too late to read a book that holds your interest and keeps you reading into the night, until too tired, just to see what the character is going to get herself into next. Never Too Late by B. Lynn Goodwin is that exact book! Being over 60 is not a reason to be put on “hold.” Goodwin proves that as she has her character in, Never Too Late, discover there is life after being single your entire life. Hard to change and accept each step, she trudges on, telling herself she deserves more in her life, even at this “age.” I love that the characters were diverse in beliefs, yet able to find common ground to explore and create lives that suited both of them. I also loved that there was compromise on both sides with non-judgemental consequences. Reading Never Too Late you get the sense that there is “hope” out there for e...

The lovely Ellen Valladares is publishing a fun new mystery with WiDo Press. The book Crossing the Line is set to release March 6th so we've scheduled a WOW! Women on Writing book blog tour beginning April 16th running for approximately a month. Here's how Ellen described the book: It's a light read, a little more ghost story/mystery/New Agey.  Similar maybe to the Lovely Bones, to give you an idea. I'd like to schedule a fair amount of reviews to help lay the groundwork for a successful book launch and book tour. Can I count on your participation? Please email crystal@wow-womenonwriting.com or crystaljotto@gmail.com and let me know the following: 1) what date works best for you (dates between 4/17-5/17)? 2) what email address can I send your e-copy to? 3) what is the URL for the blog you'll be posting your review on? Read on to find out more about this delightful mystery! Laura, who died thirty years ago, enlists the help of a tenacious ...

Thank you WOW! Women on Writing for bringing us and including us in this fabulous book blog tour for this insightful business memoir! In Gambling on Granola: Unexpected Gifts on the Path of Entrepreneurship , Simon shares a tale that is uplifting and inspiring but also raw and honest. This is a business memoir but also a love story―the love for her daughter, of a journey in uncharted waters, of the products and company she created, and of the continued challenge to follow her dream. We see her growth and healing over fifteen years, as mistakes, weaknesses, and naiveté evolve into resilience, resolve, and inspiration. For Fiona, it started out as all new businesses do―with an idea. But her world quickly became more complex as she established her company, developed new product lines, forged personal relationships in a competitive environment, grew her business, and held onto her deepest values―all while raising her daughter, Natalie, as a single mom. Praise: "Fiona’s story...

We've tried making cough drops in the past and they didn't turn out. My candy thermometer had broken and like any project, if you don't have the right tools, you'll end up with a mess. This is a pretty simple process, but you'll need: a candy thermometer a wooden spoon A saucepan candy molds 2 cups of water 1/2 cup local honey flavor oils powdered sugar wax paper a covered container a sink of hot soapy water ready for clean up Once you've gathered those items, you can start: 1) combine the water, honey, and flavor oil in the saucepan and attach your candy thermometer to the side of the pan (some people use essential oils, some people use tea bags, elderberry syrup, etc...let's not get in a debate about this, YOU do YOU and I'll tell you that I really enjoy working with LorAnn flavoring oils and for a cough drop recipe I'll use cinnamon, but you can also make root beer barrels using the root beer flavor instead). 2) Using a mediu...

Lemon shortbread cookies Preheat oven to 350F 1C white sugar 1C brown sugar 1t baking soda 1 1/2C melted butter 2 eggs 2t vanilla extract 1t almond extract Lemon flavor to taste (1-2t) *mix above ingredients at medium/high speed Add: 3C flour *combine (should not be sticky) Add: 1C walnut pieces (Could also use white chocolate chips) *combine gently Spoon into balls and place on baking sheet, press gently. Bake 13 minutes then add topping To make topping: 1C powdered sugar 1t vanilla extract 1t almond extract 1-2t lemon flavor *mix Gently drip over warm cookies Allow frosted cookies to cool Eat & Enjoy!! ***for even more enjoyment, share with a friend!!! 😘

First off - let's thank WOW! Women on Writing and Blog Tour Manager, Nicole Pyles for this opportunity to participate in another great WOW! Women on Writing Book Blog Tour!!! Book Review by Crystal J. Casavant-Otto I must be honest and say that I enjoyed each and every page of Never Too Late by B. Lynn Goodwin, but I have some regrets after reading the book. My regret lies only in the fact I didn't read it sooner. For that I shall blame the stars for not aligning sooner, because clearly I could not have read a book that was not written about a tale that had not yet been experienced. Let me explain... My father passed away when I was young. My mother started dating back in the day when a personal ad was printed in a local newspaper. At my young age, there were many things I did not understand about life and even more things I had yet to discover about dating and love. My mother was a very young widow (not even 50 years old) and I was appalled that she was even...