Parenting Healthy

For ages 10 and up, this book series by Jason Reynolds is for the track (and sports) fan! Ghost, Patina, Lu and Sunny are a track team and Coach guides them through their meets.

Book 1 starts with Ghost. Ghost wants to be the fastest sprinter on his elite middle school track team, but his past is slowing him down in this first electrifying novel of the acclaimed Trackseries from Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe Award–winning author Jason Reynolds.

Book 2 continues with Patina. A newbie to the track team, Patina must learn to rely on her teammates as she tries to outrun her personal demons.

Book 3 introduces Sunny. Sunny tries to shine despite his troubled past. Sunny is the chillest dude on the Defenders team. But his life hasn’t always been sun beamy-bright. But as he practices for this new event, can he let go of everything that’s been eating him up inside?

Book 4 is about Lu. Lu must learn to leave his ego on the sidelines if he wants to finally connect with others. Lu needs to figure out, fast, what winning the gold really means.

Read page 1 of Book 4, Lu (in Spanish)

Book 5 is the final book about Coach. Meet Coach as a boy striving to come into his own as a track star while facing upheaval at home. Sprint free or die is practically his motto.

Read page 1 of Coach

You can buy the series by Jason Reynolds on Amazon! Visit his Author page to find all of his titles and learn more about him as a writer.

Still Hope Movie Review & Giveaway

February 4, 2026February 4, 2026 Erin Sluka

Whether you suffer in the bondage of being a victim to human trafficking, kidnapping or violence, you know that “freedom is just the beginning”. If you are one of the lucky survivors, you understand this quote. Escaping a dangerous situation takes courage and you do not feel free when you have live as if you are being hunted, or haunted. As a domestic violence survivor who escaped 21 years ago, I still feel so much in this movie. Hope finds herself trafficked and it happened so fast. The escape was dangerous and then she had to fit back into family and life. It is not easy. I am glad that this film shares that!

There are so many gentle messages in this film. Leaving takes courage. She left because someone saw her struggling and stepped up. Lesson One – pay attention to others and lean in when someone appears to be struggling (it is amazing how many people look the other way). When you are out, it is not as if you look into the rearview mirror and watch that old situation get further and further behind you, only to see sunshine ahead. That is not a realistic ending. Escaping means someone is looking for you or has told you bad things will happen and your nervous system is waiting for the next beating or violence. It is so hard to break free from them – freedom is just the beginning. Lesson two – these victims need to give themselves grace and need your grace too. Human trafficking, abusers and kidnapping is real and all around. Talk to your children and take the precautions to protect them. It is easier to do so in a digital age = Lesson Three!

Watch the trailer below:

Still Hope is a must see! It is in theaters Friday, February 5th! When you purchase a ticket to Still Hope, you help shine a light on the fight against trafficking and amplify the hope this film was created to
share! Also, A portion of ticket proceeds will go towards organizations that care for victims of trafficking.

Buy tickets today to see Still Hope in theaters starting February 5th! You can also enter to win a gift card below – $10 Amazon (USD)!

Home

Upgrade your bath decor with this Luxury Terry Towel Set from Badesofa

January 5, 2026January 19, 2026 Erin Sluka

Sitting on the edge of the bed in my guest room is in the photo above. I leave a bath and hand towel with a bar of soap. Our guest room is directly across from the hallway bathroom that family and friends use when they stay over. My guest room has been used for out-of-town family, friends/family who house sit and those that may not want to drive home after a night of friends and drinks. I try to think of all the items I require from a hotel room and with a bit of luxury to have available in the gust room. I want guests to feel like I am proud to have them, rather than feeling that they are a bother.

I hve a set of the Luxury Terry Towel Set from Badesofa for guests. I like this neutral tan color and if I did want to hang them in the bathroom, they feel as soft as they look! The bath towel also comes with a loop to hang on a towel hook (I have one of those on the back of the guest room door as well).

I love the Badesofa proucts from Germany. It is a touch of luxury and quality at a great price. Their bath and pool products are of made eco-conscious materials and follow a zero-waste fabric-cutting strategy to reduce environmental impact. Shop Badesofa today and upgrade your bathroom! You can also shop their Amazon storefront.

Uncategorized

Heal Scars and Bruising quickly with these 2 products

January 2, 2026January 1, 2026 Erin Sluka

Scars from burns and deep cuts become such a cosmetic annoyance. It is important to treat burns and cuts right away to minimize scaring. However, sometimes I have my typical cooking burns I just deal with and move on. I wait too long to treat it and the scar forms. So, I tried NewGel+ Advanced Medical-Grade Silicone Gel + Vitamin E gel on a burn scar that I never treated right away and had left a scar on my hand.

I am impressed! Look at the photo to see the difference already! The gel rubs in well and it leaves no greasiness or odor behind. I just simply apply before bed and again in the morning as I get ready for the day. A small amount goes a very long way, so 1 tube can trat many scars or last quite a while.

As annoying as scars, is bruising! I bruise easily and am a tad clumsy, so I tend to carry bruises and in spots that show in shorts and short-sleeve shirts. Did you know that by applying Arnica and Caffeine, you can quickly improve bruising and swelling symptoms? BruiseMD has a Topical Bruise Gel With Arnica and Vitamin K and supplements that support your body’s natural healing process, helping you recover faster from the start and as it heals.

You can stock your first aid stash from the Bruise MD Amazon storefront and NewGel+ storefront.