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Playing House Review and Giveaway

Playing House by Fredrica Wagman From the FSB Publisher: When Playing House appeared in 1973, Publishers Weekly hailed it, "A probing descent into madness that will fascinate the same audience that appreciated I Never Promised You a Rose Garden." This nationally bestselling story of one woman’s struggle with the lasting effects of a childhood sexual relationship with her brother shocked American readers; it remains a literary work of enduring quality and value. In his foreword Philip Roth writes, "The traumatized child; the institutionalized wife; the haunting desire; the ghastly business of getting through the day -- what is striking about Wagman's treatment of these contemporary motifs is the voice of longing in which the heroine shamelessly confesses to the incestuous need that is at once her undoing and her only hope." This story struck me fast and hard. It left my heart aching for these young children who were left on their own to play house. It saddened me to see how the parents over looked what was happening with their children. I had full empathy for the child narrator. I carried that all the way to the end of the book. She had to deal with adult issues and situations when she should have been living her childhood. That is enough to make anyone have mental issues. I can see where someone would think she was crazy because of the repetition of her thoughts and events. This really drove home that she was a victim of childhood incest and abuse and that her wanting to play house was not something normal. She never knew any different. I admire her strength and desire to keep going. A story on such a topic with these strong descriptions has to come from someone who has deep ties to this subject with first hand knowledge. The author did her work and made the characters very real. There is so much more I want to tell you about this book but I really want you to read it for yourself. After you read it feel free to come back here and post your thoughts. I would love to discuss it with you. The book includes A Reader's Guide! I love books with a reader guide! The author, Fredrica Wagman, is the author of five novels, including His Secret Little Wife and The Lie!. She has four grown children and lives with her husband in New York City. Check out my review of The Lie! Thanks to Julie at FSB for allowing me to review and offer 2 copies of this book for a giveaway. I really hope that you will enter to win this book. If you don't win please buy it. It is a heart wrenching, passionate story that you won't want to miss. *************************************** 2 winner will get a copy of Playing House To enter visit FSB Media and tell me another book that you would like to read from there. Make sure you leave your email addy. Extra entries if you subscribe to my blog, tell me your favorite author, tweet the giveaway at least once a day, tell me what you are reading now and/or follow me on twitter as @susieqtpies. One entry given for each comment you make! Do all or none! Thanks! Giveaway for U.S. readers only. Ends October 10th.

Coffee Bean Direct giveaway by The Mom Reviews

I'm a huge coffee fan and really want to try out The Coffee Bean Direct!

Thanks to The Mom Reviews I have a chance as well as you do!!!!

GO to

To enter your chance of winning!!! CoffeeBeanDirect has made a generous offer to one winner!

They will receive the Sampler Pack that retails at $47.99!! Giveaway ends 10/7!

Million Minute Family Challenge! You up for it?

According to their site the purpose of the Million Minute Family Challenge is to provide a simple but fun way for family and friends to enjoy the benefits of board games.

Games are a fun way to interact with a group! I know that my daughters love to play APPLES TO APPLES when they have a group of friends over. It is a great way to interact with everyone!

What do you need to do? Minimum they are wanting every team to commit to playing a game for at least 20 minutes between September and December and record their time on the website.
Their goal with groups working in all 50 states is to reach 1 million minutes in 2009. They figure if 1,000 families, groups or organizations X 50 states X 20 minues of game play = 1 million minutes!

How fun! I hope you take the challenge, create a group name and log your minutes! Pass this information on to your child's teacher. I bet the class would have fun with this. If you are homeschooled then you can easily do this daily or weekly! Their goal is 20 minutes of game time one time in those 3 months. Just think if you played 20 minutes once a week!
Pass this information on to Libraries, Senior Living Homes, Schools, Girl/Boy Scout Troups, PTA/PTO, Preschools, Daycares,etc.

So take up the challenge and join my group CrAzY gAmErS and have some fun!

We will post our minutes and games we play as the Challenge continues!

WANTED- YOU for Elly's Down Syndrome Walk

(CLICK Cute ELLY TO GO TO HER PAGE!)

Here is the information for the walk! If you can't join them and want to help them raise money for the Down Syndrome Association of MN then click on Cute Elly to go to her page!

This year the annual St. Paul Walk has a new name: Step Up for Down Syndrome (formerly Buddy Walk) and we want ya'll to put on your boots and join us for a great time!! The walk is September 20th and we are getting so very excited for another fun afternoon of music, food, and exercise.

The walk will once again be held at Como Park-Midway Picnic Pavilion in St. Paul,MN with check in beginning at 10:30 and the walk starting at noon.

This year we will have team bandanas and the Down syndrome association will once again have tee-shirts and lunches for everyone registered. The deadline for shirts is fast approaching (AUGUST 21) so I am asking your assistance in replying asap if you plan to attend so that I can have a shirt for you. The following link will take you to my Google Spreadsheet where I am collecting the registration data/shirt: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dHdfc2RnbXZHNENsN253Z19kNjdHd2c6MA..

I have also set up a First Giving page to offer further support for the Down Syndrome Association of MN. Their work is essential in providing awareness, advocacy, and support for individuals with Down syndrome and their families in Minnesota. Our page can be viewed at: http://www.firstgiving.com/wanted . Please feel free to share this link!!

We hope to see you on September 20th and have you join us in showing support and advocacy for Elly and other individuals with Down syndrome. Thanks for your support!!

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Host:	Greg, Connie & Elly Snow and Down Syndrome Association of MN
Type:	Causes - Fundraiser
Network:	Global

Date:	Sunday, September 20, 2009
Time:	10:30am - 2:30pm
Location:	Como Park
Street:	Midway Picnic Pavilion

Phone:	9523610186
Email:	family@gotsnow.org

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See ya'll there!

Sushi Review and Giveaway

Mom of 2 boys wife of 1 is having an awesome Giveaway on her blog! Click her button to get the entire SCOOP and to enter the Sushi Combo Set giveaway!!!

The Asian Food Grocer has offered one of my readers their very own Silver Sushi Combo Set. This set includes: a Sushi Cookbook, Gourmet Roasted Sushi Nori, Calrose Rice, Wasabi, Sushi Powder, Ginger and a Bamboo Mat for rolling your own sushi. I LOVE SUSHI! (Lisa said this and I agree with her! If we lived near one another we would be eating sushi together)This giveaway is being sponsored by Asian Food Grocer. You must visit them too! I spent an hour there looking and drooling and wishing! We live in a small town without sushi or resources to make our own. I can't wait to place that first order and have it delivered!!! Now if I can only get the Fuji Sushi place to deliver to me (over 30 min. away!).

So don't forget to enter at