Archives for September 2011

Tropical Waterballs Review

September 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Looking for a fun way to add some color to your decor?

Or a fun way to decorate for a party?

A few weeks ago I discovered Tropical Water Balls.  They are an odorless super water absorbing polymer which is 100% non-fade, non-toxic and long lasting.  You can use them in vases and they will keep flowers that don’t need a lot of water hydrated (like Calla Lilies).

You can also put them in any other clear container and decorate with them.  They make beautiful centerpieces for weddings, corporate parties, flower displays, and more!

They come in 10 beautiful translucent colors.  They’re crystal-like in appearance yet irresistibly soft and therapeutic to the touch.

They come in a pretty organza bag.

I can’t stop squishing them!  My children loved watching them expand.

They start off about the size of a round sprinkle and when hydrated (over a period of 6-8 hours) they grow to  be about 1/2 inch in diameter.

When I first put them in the water:

After about an hour:

After a few hours:

Full grown:

They cost $5.99 for .5 oz which will create over 1-1/2 quarts of transparent sparkling crystal like Tropical Water Balls.

Mix and match colors to your theme or decor!

They would make a great centerpiece for your holiday party!

Find out more information or order them on the Tropical Water Balls Website.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for performing this review. I received a free product to try out and review.  The opinions and statements expressed by me in this post are my own personal and honest opinion of this product.

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Jumbies Product Review and Giveaway

September 30, 2011 By 18 Comments
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A Jumbies Story
 
There were more babies being born than ever before.
The storks had to deliver them from shore to shore
There was so much to do they had little time for rest.
They flew to America, Europe, Antarctica and down under.
They went to Africa and Asia trying not to blunder.
It began to get very confusing on where they had to go.
Some storks turned left when they should have turned right.
Some storks flew all day when they should have flown at night.
Then in began to happen in a flash! One by one they started to CRASH!!
The babies were fine but the storks did not know what to say.
When the storks crashed and tumbled, it appeared all the animal babies were jumbled!
The storks could not believe their eyes. These babies were quite a surprise
So they called them JUMBiES
And  they became a new breed! 
I recently received 2 Jumbies to review.  What a Jumbies you ask?  Jumbies are cool stuffed animals that are about the size of a Beanie Baby but that makes them unique is that they are 2 different animals “jumbled” together.   
I read the story that was included in with the Jumbies to my girls and of course they were immediately asking for one.  
I didn’t tell them that I had actually received any Jumbies.  I just left them sitting out in their room and let them “discover” the delivery the storks left!
We received a Mallit (Mallard Duck + Rabbit) and a Moosecow (Moose + Cow).  My girls were so excited to receive them and of course they are already talking about which ones they want next.
You can find Jumbies at select stores and on the Jumbies Website for $6.99 which is a great, inexpensive price point.
There are also FREE Coloring Pages and FREE Online Games on the Jumbies website that my girls are enjoying.
Want to win 2 of your own Jumbies?  Enter below:

Disclosure: I was not compensated for performing this review. I received a free product to try out and review.  The opinions and statements expressed by me in this post are my own personal and honest opinion of this product.
 

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Oxi Clean Product Review- See If It Worked For Me!

September 30, 2011 By 1 Comment
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First let me say that advertising works on my kids.  I didn’t want my daughter to wear her fancy dress to eat pasta with tomato sauce and she said, “It’s ok Mommy.  Just go buy Oxi Clean to take the stains out.”  A few days later I was asked if I would be a part of an Oxi Clean Product Review so of course I jumped at the chance.

I will say I was a little skeptical.  To date I had not found anything that really took all the stains my kids created out of their clothing.  Sometimes I wonder if I have the worlds messiest kids.  Girly girls they are not when it comes to eating.  And almost as if on cue my daughter spilled chocolate sauce right down her school shirt the day that the Oxi Clean arrived.

Like I said, I was skeptical.  I wasn’t sure if it would remove such a dark stain but I was hoping it would because school clothes need to last!

I filled the bucket I received from Oxi Clean with water:

Measured out a scoop of Oxi Clean:

Added the Oxi Clean to the water and swished water around until it bubbled and the Oxi Clean dissolved:

Added the stained shirt, swished it around a bit, and let it soak overnight:

I removed the shirt from the bucket in the morning and was surprised how clean the shirt came out.  The stain was GONE!  I washed it as normal in the washing machine and it looks great:

I’ll be adding Oxi Clean to help with all my laundry from now on.

This weekend I plan on trying the Oxi Clean out on other things around my house like my tile grout!

I’d love to hear your experiences with Oxi Clean and what you were able to clean with it!

“So how does it eradicate all these stains? Activated by water, OxiClean unleashes bubbling oxygen for effective cleaning and stain removal. OxiClean’s newly reformulated Versatile Stain Remover has 40% more oxygen power per scoop than the current version – and is safe to use on both whites and colors. In the wash, it enhances your detergent’s cleaning ability and also contains special ingredients to help rinse those sports soils away.”

Want learn more about Oxi Clean?  Check out the Oxi Clean Website!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of OxiClean and received OxiCleanitems to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

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Pick Me, Pick Me and Other Books From LeRue Press- Book Review

September 25, 2011 By 3 Comments
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I was recently sent several books from LeRue Press to review and my favorite one was called Pick Me, Pick Me by Elizabeth Horton.  It is a delightful story about a little boy, Miguel, who knows all the answers and wonders why his teacher doesn’t call on him for every answer.  It is a great book to help students understand how they have to wait their turn and that every student needs a chance to answer questions.  As a former teacher and a parent, I really loved the message in this book.  My two daughters loved this book as well.  They have asked for me to read it with them several nights in a row!  You can find Pick Me, Pick Me by Elizabeth Horton on Amazon.  You can also order directly from the publisher LeRue Press and the illustrator will draw a picture of Miguel and sign the book, too.

You can see an interview with the author, Elizabeth Horton, below:

LeRue Press also offers other great books.  Below are summaries I received from the publisher.  You can find more information on their website.

Naming Your Baby by Ruby Szudajski

Naming Your Baby will appeal to many parents even if they already have a name for their child. It includes the top 1000 names as compiled by the Social Security Administration, limericks using many of the names (not the bawdy, naughty type…these are all family friendly) and some meanings of name also. Written by an 86 year “young” great-grandmother, it’s a fun book and will be followed with a new edition for next year.

Bad Hair Days by D.C. Paull
What a great way to spend an afternoon, reading the escapades of Sara Blake. In her first novel, Go Girl Friday, we were introduced to Sara Blake an unlikely candidate to journey beyond Reno, NV and get into all kinds of trouble! D.C. Paull, in a Janet Evanovich style takes you with Sara while she gets into mischief.

Inked In: Shadows Between Darkness and Light by Karlyn Simone
Written by a 14 year old teenage girl, it took 4 years, but Karlyn finally saw her book in print. Now eighteen and in college, Karlyn is proud of her 1st novel. It’s full of vampires, intrigue and love.
Wicked Tides by Sean Kinsley
Fantasy doesn’t begin to describe the full effect of Wicked Tides.  Sean Kinsley takes you through an action packed adventure you won’t want to put down!
Synaptic Traffic by Benjamin Arnold
Synaptic Traffic Intersections of Prose and Poetry prompts you to find your own voice and write your own story.
Want to win your own copy of Pick Me, Pick Me?  Enter below:


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The Mystery of the Silver Statue by Raymond C. Perkins Jr.- Book Review

September 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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The Mystery of the Silver Statue by Raymond C. Perkins, Jr. is a wonderful adventure book for children grades 3rd through 8th but my girls who are 5 and 7 enjoyed it as well when I read it with them.  This book follows the adventures of two 8th grade sleuths, B.T. and Jimmy as they solve a real-life mystery.  The story takes the readers through heroic deeds, a search for treasure and more.  But what makes this story unique is that it also has real life connections to Colonial American History.  Children reading this story will also be learning American History without realizing it.  That’s the best kind of learning!  I plan on reading this story with my children again when they a little older and can appreciate all the history in it.  You can purchase this book on Amazon.
 Author Bio:
     Ray Perkins is 55 year-old retired middle school Social Studies teacher now living in Cape Coral, Florida. He grew up in the wilds of the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and has spent most of his life there until retiring to the south. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Mary, five children and one granddaughter. He has written three books including the sequel to The Mystery of the Silver Statue. He would love to have you visit him at his website or on Facebook.
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Sharon Wei Designs Jewelry Review and Giveaway

September 25, 2011 By 35 Comments
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This is one product review that I am sure you will all enjoy as much as I do.  Jewelry, but not just any jewelry.  I have been asked to review jewelry from designer Sharon Wei and each piece is truly exquisite.

Created to compliment every facet of femininity, Sharon Wei Designs is fashion forward, beautiful, and fun. Using a wide range of freshwater pearls and gemstones with an expansive color palette, Sharon Wei is designed to emphasize individuality and lend a visual expression to the unique voice of every woman.

Ancient and modern. East and West. Classic and contemporary. It’s not surprising that Sharon Wei is able to capture these diverse elements in her jewelry designs – she is that rare jewelry artist who is steeped in unusually rich and varied cultural experiences and who expresses those experiences in every design.

I just love all of the pieces in Sharon Wei’s collection but here are just few.

 

#1-Embrace (Pendant Collection)

With a 7.5-8mm freshwater pearl cupped in the middle, ‘Embrace’ was born out of my longing to embrace my children when I see them getting off that school bus.  ‘Embrace’ is one of the 24 designs in the Pendant Collection by Sharon Wei.  Sterling silver with rhodium plating, on both the mounting and the 18″ box chain.  Retail $126.

I can see myself wearing this beautiful necklace with jeans and a t-shirt or dressed up to go out for a night on the town.  I love that it represents the embrace of a mother and her child(ren).

 

#2 ‘Cocktail Hour’ (Fashion Collection)

18″ Single strand of chunky and keshi pearls, smoky quartz, garnet, and sterling spacers. Sterling silver.  Retail: $222.

This beautiful piece would be perfect to add to your fall wardrobe and worn to any holiday party.

 

#3 ‘Timberland’ (Fashion Collection)

 Featuring various colorful chunky pearls and keshi pearls, labradorite, and chalcedony, this 40″ long single strand necklace can also be worn doubled up.  Retail: $194.

I love the versatility of this piece.   Wear it doubled up for one look and then change it up the next day and wear it as a long single strand for another look.

To find a store near you, please visit Sharon Wei Designs Store Locator.

Or write a note on her Facebook page.

You can also follow Sharon Wei on Twitter.

Want to see more of Sharon Wei’s collection?  Check out the Sharon Wei Designs Website.

ABOUT SHARON WEI

Born in what is now Beijing, China, her childhood was filled with artistic endeavors that fueled her inquisitive spirit and pushed her to explore the larger world. Arriving in the United States after her university studies, she brought her artistic sensibilities to the world of jewelry, gaining several industry certifications along the way. Today, every piece of Sharon Wei’s jewelry expresses her adventurous cross–cultural experience and excitement about the possibilities of the moment.

Sharon Wei captures in classic and contemporary designs the beauty, complexity, and unique qualities of every woman. She combines the tradition of her native ancient Chinese culture with the fashion forward western styling in a way no other designer can. Her use of freshwater pearls from China as the foundation for her designs is an homage to her native culture, and her direct and personal relationship with the best Chinese pearl farms gives her hand–picked access to a wide variety of the highest quality pearls. The result is a fresh interpretation of pearl jewelry design that fits perfectly into the modern American wardrobe.

Want to win your own piece from the Sharon Wei Collection?  Sharon Wei has personally picked out a pair of ‘Cocktail Hour” Earrings for one of my lucky readers.  The colors are perfect for fall and the name ‘Cocktail Hour’ fits well with the many parties coming up around the holidays.  Retails $60

Enter below to win a beautiful pair of ‘Cocktail Hour’ Earrings from the Sharon Wei Collection.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for performing this review. I received a free product to try out and review.  The opinions and statements expressed by me in this post are my own personal and honest opinion of this product.


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Scentsy Product Review

September 25, 2011 By 1 Comment
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I have heard about Scentsy for a while but never tried it.  One of my readers, Amanda Lewis, an Independent Scentsy Consultant was kind enough to send me a Lei Plug In Warmer and Blueberry Cheesecake Scentsy Bar to try.

I was amazed how fragrant the Scentsy bar was.  My whole house smelled like fresh baked blueberry cheesecake.  I really like that I didn’t have to have a candle burning in my house for it to smell like I did.  I used to burn candles all the time but when I had children I became afraid that they would touch the candles and get burned.  Scentsy provided me with a nice option.  I can melt the Scentsy Bar without worrying that it would catch on fire.  I can’t wait to try more scents and products from Scentsy.

From their website- Scentsy is different from regular candles because they are wickless.  A wickless candle, called a Scentsy Bar or a Scentsy Brick, is a highly fragrant wax bar that is warmed to release fragrance into the air. Because the wax is gently warmed rather than burned, it can hold more fragrance oil than a traditional candle. And, because there is no flame, there is no smoke, soot, or lead. Scentsy wickless candles are a safer alternative to traditional candles.

Want to learn more about Scentsy?  Check out the Scentsy website.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for performing this review. I received a free product to try out and review.  The opinions and statements expressed by me in this post are my own personal and honest opinion of this product.

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Elfin Tales and Pixie Tales- Book Reviews

September 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Are you looking for a little whimsy for your children at bedtime?  Check out these 2 delightful books by Francine L. Trevens- Elfin Tales and Pixie Tales.  Both of these delightful books are illustrated by Maggie Cousins but I think my girls enjoyed just closing their eyes and imagining what was happening in these magical stories.  Each book features 5 different enchanted stories that my girls just couldn’t get enough of.

These books include such fun story titles as The Tale of the Dog Without a Tail, Leprechaun or Can’t, Elf Help, The Boy and the Pixie, Have You Ever Seen a Pink Leprechaun, and many more.  If your children like fantasy stories about elves, pixies, and leprechauns, they will love these imaginative stories.

You can find the ebook versions of these stories at TNT Classsic Books as well as some other titles by Francine L. Trevens.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for performing this review. I received 2 free books to read and review.  The opinions and statements expressed by me in this post are my own personal and honest opinion of these books.

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Clean + Green Pet Stain and Odor Removers- Product Review and Giveaway

September 25, 2011 By 6 Comments
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I’ll admit I am not the most “green” person, but when Clean + Green asked me to try out one of their All Natural Pet Safe Cleaning Products I agreed.  I do not have pets, but I do worry about using chemicals around my children so  the representative suggested that I try out the Clean + Green Furniture Refresher.

The Clean + Green Furniture Refresher is fragrance free, works on contact, and removes odors on pet beds, leather, fabric, and upholstery.  I like that it is made from all natural ingredients such as cane sugar derivatives and botanical extracts so it is safe not only for my family but for the environment as well.  It is non-toxic, non-flammable, and 100% biodegradable.

My children have a few small toy couches that they have had for years and really needed to be refreshed.  I sprayed the Clean + Green Furniture Refresher on their couches and let them dry.  I came back an hour later and the couches smelled fresh and clean.  Clean + Green also makes a Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner but since I didn’t have any I also sprayed the area rug in the playroom with the Furniture Refresher.  I was pleasantly surprised that the Furniture Refresher also freshened up the area rug as well.

Clean + Green also makes other products such as Auto Cleaner, De-Skunk Coat Cleaner, Wood and Tile Cleaner, and Litter Box Cleaner.  You can learn all about these products and more on the Clean + Green Website.

You can also check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for performing this review. I received a free product to try out and review.  The opinions and statements expressed by me in this post are my own personal and honest opinion of this product.

Clean + Green has generously agreed to giveaway one of their products to one of my lucky fans.

Please enter below.


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Red’s All Natural Burritos- Product Review and Giveaway

September 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Do you like burritos as much as I do?  Do you look for all natural products to feed your family?  If so, you will love Red’s All Natural Burritos.  Red’s All Natural Burritos are all natural burritos made from high quality ingredients such as natural turkey and chicken, corn, beans, brown rice, veggies, and their special seasonings.

When I heard about Red’s All Natural Burritos I jumped at the chance to try them.  I received a mixed box of Turkey Mole, Steak, Bean and Rice, and Chicken Burritos.  Each burrito is HUGE.  I’m not talking about the little burritos you find at the local convenience store.  Red’s All Natural Burritos are a FULL MEAL in itself.  I found the best way to eat the burritos was to defrost them in them in the microwave and then crisp them in the toaster oven.

My husband and I enjoyed the Steak and the Chicken ones the best.  My children liked the Rice and Beans burrito with some sour cream on it as they were a little spicy for their palates.

Right now if you head over to Red’s Burritos Facebook page you can get a coupon for $1 off any Red’s All Natural Burritos.  You can also find out more information on the Red’s All Natural Burrito Website.

Disclosure: I was not compensated for performing this review. I received a free product to try out and review.  The opinions and statements expressed by me in this post are my own personal and honest opinion of this product.

Red’s All Natural Burritos has generously agreed to give one of my readers a chance to win their own box of burritos.  You can enter below.


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