Anniversary, 400 posts, and a Giveaway – ENDED

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A little while ago, LifeWithYou1222 reached its 7 year anniversary!  I can’t believe it has been that long since we started this blog!  So much has happened during all these years.  It’s crazy to realize all the changes we have gone through as a couple, as a family, as individuals, and as a blog.

In addition to that exciting milestone, I also recently passed 400 posts!  What??

I try to do a giveaway about every 100 posts, so without further ado….My 400 post celebratory giveaway!

BlogaversaryGiveawayOct 2018

I am giving away some of my favorites!  It was a bit hard to narrow down some favorites, but here is just a sampling.  I have a movie bundle, a book bundle, and a pregnancy and infant loss bundle.

Movie Bundle:

roman holiday  DarkKnight  Wonderwoman
Roman Holiday
The Dark Knight Rises
Wonder Woman

 

Book Bundle:

redeeminglove  high as heavens  thisishowwelove
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
High as the Heavens by Kate Breslin
How We Love by Milan and Kay Yerkovich

 

Pregnancy and Infant Loss:

willowtree  followers

Willow Tree’s “Remembrance” figurine
Tenth Avenue North’s CD “Followers” (many of these
songs have really been encouraging to me following
my miscarriages)

Giveaway open to anyone in the US.  Ends October 31.

To enter…

{Mandatory entry} Comment below with which giveaway pack you would like if you win.
-Comment and let me know what your favorite book and movie are.
-Share the giveaway on social media.

Please leave separate comments for each entry.

Thanks for reading my blog!  ❤

 

 

 

Giveaway Winners

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Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaways during my 31 day series!  I am so excited to announce the winners.

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Praying Through Infertility ebook – 

  • Ivana
  • Heather C.

Making Babies book – 

  • Em M.

Ovulation Prediction Kits – 

  • Em M.

Congratulations!  Check your inbox for an email from me in the next couple of days!!  🙂

-Bonnie

Making Babies and GIVEAWAY

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I heard about this book a little while back.  I decided to check to see if it was on Paperbackswap and indeed it was, so I requested a copy.

Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility by Sami S. David MD and Jill Blakeway, LAc

TTC infertility making babies

It is so good.

I thought I knew the basics about human anatomy and how it works to, well…make babies.  But I learned so many things.  Not only did I become even more fascinated with the intricate and complex way we were created, but I realized some mistakes (or potential mistakes) we were making in trying to conceive.

I have heard it said that if you are considering starting a family, you should do all you can to get into optimal health before trying to conceive.  I always rather dismissed it, thinking it must be talking to people who are obviously unhealthy.  But after reading this book, I agree.

If you are thinking about or are currently trying to get pregnant, I definitely recommend pursuing an overall healthy lifestyle.  This book is a great way to do it.

First of all, the book explains the basics of a woman’s cycle, important lifestyle choices, ways to de-stress (including self-fertility massage), and a general TTC diet guide.

Then it talks about different fertility types and includes an in-depth quiz so you can determine your fertility type.  Then the authors talk about specific things for you to do, based on your type, to achieve health, ranging from exercise to diet to supplements.

In my doctor visits, I have definitely noticed that doctors tend to put you in a box and don’t ask a lot of questions.  What is normal for one woman’s cycle may not be normal for another woman’s cycle, and it is not enough for a doctor to dismiss symptoms as “normal cycle variance” just because there is a wide range of normal. This book addresses all of those things and takes your body into account so you can achieve maximum health.

From the back of the book…

“With a joint approach that is uniquely complementary, reproductive endocrinologist Dr. Sami David and founder of the YinOva Center, Jill Blakeway, draw on the best Western and Eastern medicine to create the Making Babies program, designed to help any woman get pregnant as naturally as possible.  With 4,000 successful pregnancies under their belts, David and Blakeway explain what might be stopping you from getting pregnant and how you can tailor a three-month action plan to meet your needs.  With the Making Babies program, you will:

  • Prepare your body for healthy, natural conception by implementing lifestyle changes as well as early intervention strategies
  • Discover common (and not so common) problems impeding your fertility that can be easily resolved (sometimes a simple course of antibiotics is all you need)
  • Determine your ‘fertility type’ and learn how to personalize an easy-to-follow prescription plan”

I have been so impressed with many of their testimonials, as they describe many patients who came to them after years of infertility, only to discover their problem was as simple as using the wrong kind of lube or an infection that their Dr failed to test.  Or even for the testimonials where there are more serious issues, there have been amazing results from people following the Making Babies program.

Obviously, I can’t guarantee that you will get pregnant after reading this book and utilizing their suggestions.  But I feel so much better after reading it and I am betting you will too.  I feel more knowledgeable (and there is a sense of “empowerment” in that) and definitely more proactive as I am making healthier choices.

Giveaway Time

I would love to bless someone else with a copy of this book.  If you would like a chance to win, click the link below to enter via Rafflecopter.

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-Bonnie

Note: Life With You is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

31 Days ttc infertility

Ovulation Prediction Kit and GIVEAWAY

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One of the big questions when TTC is…….when do we DTD (do the deed)?

Every woman’s cycle is different, but generally ovulation occurs on day 14.  It could, however, be as early as day 10 or as late as day 20.  As ovulation approaches, estrogen levels rise.  Around day 12 or 13, estrogen reaches the highest point, which causes the pituitary gland to produce luteinizing hormone (or LH) and that is what causes the release of the egg.

An ovulation prediction kit (or OPK) tests for that surge in LH.  Once the surge has occurred, ovulation will occur within 24 hours.

Make sure you start testing before you expect ovulation to occur, so that you do not miss the surge.  The test is unlike a pregnancy test in that there are always two lines.  Just because you have two lines does not mean you are having your LH surge.  A positive test is when the second line is as dark or darker than the control line.

Test daily.  If you get more than one positive OPK, then it probably means your first one occurred right before ovulation, and the second one right after ovulation.

Also unlike a pregnancy test, it is not recommended to test first thing in the morning.  The LH surge starts in the morning and builds throughout the day, so generally the best time to test is mid to late afternoon.  If you are not positive when you ovulate, you can even test twice a day (morning and evening) to make 100% sure you do not miss your surge.

To maximize your chance of success, I recommend DTD once or twice before you expect ovulation, as there is about a 3 day window in which you can get pregnant.  But once you see that positive OPK, it is definitely go-time!  If you can’t DTD any other day, make sure this is the day you do!

Giveaway Time

I am giving away a pack of 20 Wondfo ovulation predictor strips!  Click the link below to enter via Rafflecopter!

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-Bonnie

31 Days ttc infertility

Praying Through Infertility and GIVEAWAY

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If you haven’t yet discovered the Amateur Nester, go do so now.  Her blog is found here and you can follow her on Facebook here.

(Make sure you sign up for her fall card exchange!  People will be matched up during the week of October 12.)

I somehow stumbled across Lisa’s blog only a few months ago but it has already been hugely encouraging.  She and her husband have been through a lot, including IUI and IVF.  After their 3rd round of IVF, she did become pregnant and is due at the end of the year.  I can’t do her story justice, so read the full story here.

She regularly answers reader’s questions, she hosts a weekly infertility link-up, and she also blogs on all things infertility.

The first time I found her blog, I noticed a button on the right hand side that said, “Praying Through Infertility.”  I clicked the link and discovered an ebook that Lisa had written by that title.  I immediately purchased it and was sooo encouraged as I looked through it.

Giveaway Time

Lisa very generously has offered two copies of her ebooks for me to giveaway here.  Click the link below to enter via Rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

-Bonnie

31 Days ttc infertility
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300 Posts and a Giveaway! – CLOSED

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WHAT??  It’s our 300th post!!

And it’s time to celebrate!!!

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Who is up for a little giveaway?  🙂

Remember Paparazzi jewelry that I posted about?
My latest obsession?
Well today you can win a $15 gift
certificate to shop Paparazzi!

Check out some of the awesome jewelry!

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(Note: I cannot guarantee that these exact pieces
will be available, as the winner will be shopping
from Jesskia’s Jewel’s Paparazzi inventory.)

To see some of the pieces I have purchased,
check out this post!

To enter:

1.  Leave a comment on this post telling me what your
favorite kind of jewelry is (earrings, necklaces, etc).

2.  Visit Jes’ Paparazzi site and leave a comment with
the link to a piece of jewelry that catches your eye.

3.  Comment on another post here on Life With You.
Leave a comment here with the name of the other post you
commented on.

So there are THREE ways to enter.  Please leave a separate
comment on this post for each entry that you complete.

One winner will receive a $15 gift certificate to
shop Jessika’s Jewels inventory.

Giveaway will close on June 11th.  The winner
will be drawn using random.org and announced on the 13th.

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Giveaway Time!! US and Canada Only – CLOSED

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Life With You is celebrating our 200th post with a giveaway!!!

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We are offering two prizes for our fabulous readers!!

First is a copy of the book Love Life for Every Married Couple by Ed Wheat.

This book was a huge blessing to me when I read it last year.  Ed Wheat, a Christian M.D., goes through 5 different kinds of love – sexual desire, eros (emotional), storge (affection and belonging), phileo (cherished friendship), and agape (love of action, not emotion).  It is hugely encouraging and convicting.

The second prize is a $5 Amazon gift card!

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To enter, leave a comment saying which prize you would like to win!  For a second entry, find an old post (you can browse our categories on the right or check out our favorites) and leave a relevant comment.  Then comment here saying the name of the other post you commented on.  Unfortunately, at this time we can only allow entries from readers in the US or Canada.  The winners will be chosen using random.org.  Giveaway will close on Saturday the 24th at midnight.

And we have winners!!!

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Using random.org, we just picked the two giveaway winners!!!

So without further ado……

The Pretty in Pink Mani set goes to….  Lindsay!!!!!

The Sony earbuds go to……  Amerl!!!!!!!

Congrats guys!  Tomorrow I will email you both to get your addresses!

-The Pilot and Bonnie-