National Stepfamily Day

#Fall2025 Snacking With Crispy Green

Crispy Green emerged onto the snack scene in 2004 with one goal: to offer a natural, delicious, healthy snacking option to consumers of all ages. Through their strategic partnerships, retail distribution, and more, they have become the #1 freeze-dried fruit brand in the country.

Energizing and incredibly convenient, Crispy Fruit is the perfect on-the-go fuel for an active family's dynamic lifestyle.  They come in a variety of flavors, including Apple, Banana, Mango, Pear, Pineapple, Strawberry, and Tangerine!

Check it all out at Crispy Green on Facebook, as well as Crispy Green on X, and Crispy Green on Instagram.

~Hayley

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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. I have used direct text from the website of the company/product I am promoting to facilitate in my review.

Leyla's House #BookTober Sneak Peek

Leyla's House

About The Book:

Evicted from her Istanbul mansion, an elderly aristocrat forms surprising new connections across class and culture in this colorful, nuanced novel about old and new money, the Ottoman Empire, and modern Turkey. The last living member of a great Ottoman family, the refined yet sheltered Leyla finds herself homeless and vulnerable when her house is sold by the bank to a business tycoon and his ambitious wife. Forced out of this historic mansion on the bank of the Bosphorus, Leyla is rescued and taken in by Yusuf, the son of her family’s former gardener, who has become a journalist. She follows him to a modern, cosmopolitan district of Istanbul where she discovers a world of artists and outcasts alongside Yusuf’s partner, Roxy, real name Rukiye, a hip-hop singer. Despite initial hostility, a real friendship gradually develops between these two very different women. When Leyla’s old home is emptied of its furniture, a hidden family history resurfaces thanks to the discovery of a photo revealing the old lady’s uncanny resemblance to a British officer. Could Leyla be the product of an illegitimate union between an Ottoman woman and an Englishman? With a marked sense of romance, this vibrant novel displays all the layers of a society where social classes as diverse as the former Ottoman aristocracy, the nouveau riche, and the Turks who returned after immigrating to Europe coexist.

About The Author:

Zülfü Livaneli is Turkey’s best-selling author and a political activist. Widely considered one of the most important Turkish cultural figures of our time, he is known for his novels that interweave diverse social and historical backgrounds, figures, and incidents.

About the Translators:

Brendan Freely was born in Princeton in 1959 and studied psychology at Yale University. Yelda Türedi was born in Mersin, Turkey, in 1970 and studied chemical engineering at Boğaziçi University.

Get your copy of Leyla's House when it goes on sale on January 20th, 2026!

~Hayley

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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. I have used direct text from the website of the company/product I am promoting to facilitate in my review.

BeFree ZipOn Sweatpants For #Fall2025

It is almost Fall, and it is cooling off in a lot of areas. I have noticed that in our area, at least, sweatpants or sports pants are becoming the "it" style to wear. BeFree is dedicated to improving lives by addressing the real, everyday challenges of people living with limited mobility and is committed to making adaptive and inclusive fashion that really works. The goal is to offer a product that provides freedom during a time when freedom feels so far away. Though clothing is a basic human need, for millions of people with temporary or permanent disabilities, getting dressed can be an ongoing daily hardship. This includes adaptive pants, adaptive clothing, zippered pants, post-surgery pants, and pants for casts.

ZipOns adult pants are zipper pants made with a soft and lightweight moisture-wicking fabric, an elastic waist, and deep front pockets. They unzip and open completely on both sides with full-length zippers from the hem to the waist, allowing them to be taken on and off without pulling up through the legs like traditional pants. ZipOns can be put on and taken off easily from standing or lying down, and they open from the bottom as needed to accommodate casts, braces, and other medical equipment. The zippers are covered in the interior with a full-length flange and a zipper garage at the waist, preventing contact and ensuring maximum comfort.

Check it all out at BeFree on Facebook, as well as BeFree on Instagram.

~Hayley

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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. I have used direct text from the website of the company/product I am promoting to facilitate in my review.

9/11

Happy Grandparent's Day

National Read A Book Day