• Love It – EcoSphere Closed Aquatic Ecosystem Aquarium

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    Jake and the girls got me an EcoSphere Aquarium for my birthday!  I knew when the package arrived that it was some type of live plant or animal based on a text I received from Jake while I was out running errands – “There was a package dropped off this morning and it is susceptible to cold, can you make sure to bring it inside?”  Oh Boy!  As soon as Jake was home that night the girls were begging to check out the box.  There was a lot of giggling, whispering, and checking out the special package that hung out in Jake’s closet with the lights on for several days before my birthday.  Hmmm….interesting.

    I knew if it was susceptible to cold and required extra light and/or warmth there was a good chance it was some living item.  I didn’t hear any scratching, whining, or other funky noises or smells coming from Jake’s closet so that was a good sign.  I was a little perplexed at what it could be though.

    I was very surprised when I opened up my special birthday present to find an EcoShpere Aquarium inside it.  I had never seen an EcoSphere up close before it was very neat!  They got me an aquarium with four shrimp in it.

    The best part about the aquarium is that it is super easy to maintain!  My kind of pet!  You don’t need to feed the shrimp, clean the tank, change the water, or anything else!  Oh YES, that’s awesome!  You just get to enjoy watching them swim around.  It is a pretty cool system and the best kind of stress free pet to have around the house!  If you are wanting to get a simple and easy small aquarium this is a great one to have around!

    There are several places where you can get the EcoSphere Aquarium – on the EcoSphere website, at Amazon, on Target’s website, or another retailer that sales the EcoSphere products!  If you have any Amazon or Target Gift Cards that you have earned from Swagbucks you could use them to purchase your EcoSphere Aquarium too!   I hope you enjoy your EcoSphere Aquarium as much as I have!  This is a great Christmas, Birthday, Anniversary, or Special Event gift for someone special in your life!

    “Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love!  There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun.  I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list.  It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!

  • Book: “Everything Romance” by Todd Hafer

    Any time is the perfect time to celebrate with the ones you love!  With Valentine’s Day celebrations around corner I thought I would share with you a book I recently read called Everything Romance by Todd Hafer.  The book is packed full of great quotes, recipes and information.  It has plenty of great ideas to get your creative juices flowing for your upcoming Date Night, Valentine’s Day, Honeymoon, Anniversary or any other fun celebration with your spouse.  You will get a wonderful variety of romantic inspiration from the book through:

    • Blessings & Prayers
    • Did You Know? (fun love facts)
    • Features (Conversation Starters and More)
    • Lists (such as Creative Ways to say “I Love You”)
    • Love Boosters & Love Busters
    • Love Letters (from famous people like Mark Twain and more)
    • Perfect Pairs & Famous Quotes
    • Poetry & Poets
    • Special Recipes
    • Gift Ideas & Love Stories
    • Scripture Verses, Trivia and More!

    I thought this book was great reminder of how important it is that we spend time with our spouse.  Going on a Date Night even after your married helps keep you connected.  The book has a lot of different ideas.  My suggestion is take the ones that work well for your marriage and implement them.  There is plenty of fun activities to try and inspirational sayings to get you started.  I especially enjoyed the love quotes and the recipes. The top 100 lists for Love Songs and Romantic Movies are wonderful starting points for Date Night ideas.

    I haven’t had a chance to try all the recipes but here are a few fun ones:

    • Berry Sweet Breakfast Parfaits for Two
    • Lip Smackin’ Spicy Lime Popcorn
    • Smooth Operator Blue Smoothie
    • Perfect Pair Pizza Pita Snacks

    If you need some great ideas for the upcoming Valentine’s Day celebration or more ideas for your Date Nights I would recommend checking this book out.  Everything Romance would be a neat Valentine or Anniversary gift for your spouse.  You could read through the book together or use it to help plan out your next date night.

    I think investing time and energy into our marriage is important.  While I may not be inspired by every story, quote, or activity in the book I believe the author did a good job of putting a great mix of ideas so each person can pull their favorites out for them to implement or enjoy.   The book was a fun one for me to read and I appreciate a book that focuses on building better relationships!  I am already looking forward to our next Date Night! 🙂

    Rate my review & be entered into a giveaway: I reviewed this book for “Blogging for Books.”   By rating my review, it allows me to choose another book and enters you in a GIVEAWAY!   The rating is a two step process.

    Step 1:  Rate my review below (select the number of stars, enter your email, and hit submit).

    Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher through the Waterhouse Multnomah.  The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”