Hot Straw

Have you ever burned the heck out of your mouth or spilled hot coffee all over your self while trying to take a drink of hot coffee while your driving. Yup been there done that several times. And how hard is it to take a drink of something hot while walking and push a stroller.  Lets face it its tricky but moms do it every day.  What mom is going to go with out coffee right.  Well Moms and coffee drinkers let me introduce you to my little friend the Hot Straw. I received a package of blue Hot Straws to try out. Hot Straw is a special straw designed for drinking hot stuff. Get this it doesn't melt or get soft in hot liquids. It Helps to prevent spills, Keeps Teeth Whiter, Its BPA Free, Dentist recommended reusable and Eco-Friendly. Wait there is more Its made in the Good Old USA. An get this its got a flat design so it fits in those funny lids that come on to-go cups.  You can find Hot Straw at www.hotstraw.com . Hot Straw comes in red blue pink and green. They come in two different lengths so you can order a straw to fit your favorite cup they come in 9in and 7in lengths. They are sold  for $ 8.49 and come with 4 in a pack. Or you can order combo packs for $15.29 and $25.99. Hot Straw even sells a cleaning tool for getting your straw super clean it sells for $3.50.

Pros:

• Well I love Hot Straw I can take my coffee with me in the car not worry about spilling it all over my self while trying to drive. 
• It is shaped to fit in the hole on those funny lids that come on to-go coffee cups.
• Its BPA Free  
• IT'S MADE IN THE USA
• Hot Straw is Dentist Recommended
• Its REUSABLE
• The Kids love drinking hot coco out of it and less of it ends up on there shirt.
• I also feel the price is affordable and budget friendly since they are reusable and should last a while if you take care of them.

Cons:

• Your are still drinking something hot and you still need to be careful.  OK so that is not really a Hot Straw con but I couldn't come up with any real Cons  

Disclosure: I received this product at no cost for review. All opinions are my own or what my kids thought of the product the photos are my own of the product I received but the logo at the top is from HotStraw.

Back-to-School Allergy Tips

As a mom with two little girls who both suffer from allergies I am always looking for a way to reduce allergens in our home. Iv been working with The Claritin  Moms Crew to help other moms with munchkins that suffer from seasonal Allergy's.  Today I want to share some very useful back-to-school allergy tips that Children's Claritin sent to me. I use many of these tips in my home and find that they really do help the girls.

1. Be sure to have Children’s Claritin, the #1 pediatrician-recommended non-drowsy allergy brand, on hand!

2. Multi-vitamins are building blocks to having a strong immune system. Make taking a multi-vitamin part of your

child’s daily routine.

3. Let there be light! Mold doesn't like sunlight, so try to keep your curtains open during the day. Should be easy

during the summer months!

4. Did you know that most pillows trap allergens, dust mites, and bacteria? Monitor the cleanliness of the pillow

your child with allergies sleeps on and replace if necessary.

5. Back to school season means lots of laundry for many moms. Be sure to remove laundry from the washing

machine promptly. Allowing wet clothes to sit in the washer means mold can quickly grow there.

6. Monitor pollen counts and adjust outdoor before and after school activities accordingly. Dry, windy days

can be particularly high in pollen.

7. Showering or bathing at the end of the day as opposed to the morning can be helpful in removing allergens

from body surfaces and hair.

8. Stay hydrated! Always send your child to school with a bottle of water. Drinking lots of clear fluids through the

day can help get rid of toxins and flush out body.

9. Peak pollen production typically occurs in early morning, so try to plan outside activities at other times of the

day.

Disclaimer: "As a member of the Children’s Claritin Mom Crew, I receive product samples and promotional items to share and use as I see fit. No monetary compensation has taken place and any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience." 

The LeapReader™ "Ready, Set, Read & Write" Party

I was given the opportunity to work with LeapFrog and MomSelect on a fantastic new Leapfrog Product.

Everyone Knows how much I love Leapfrog's learning products. So this was a great thrill for me to be able to host this party. Our Party was for the New LeapReader Ready, Set, Read and Write. We received a party pack to help us host the party. It contained two Leapreaders pre-loaded with Leapreader books and learning apps special for our party. LeapReader Books including Learn to Write Letters with Mr.Pencil writing Workbook, Talking words factory writing workbook and LeapFrog Disney-Pixar Monsters university 3d book and monsters university 3d glasses, Get Ready for kindergarten book, talking words factory flash cards, two Leapreader sampler books and lots of great information for parents and teachers regarding the new product.

I want to give you the basic information on the new LeapReader and how much it sells for on the LeapFrog site and of course my opinion of the product. First off The LeapReader starter system sells for $49.99 or LeapFrog offers several different bundle packages starting at about $79.99 to around $94.99. They offer the LeapReader pen in three colors blue, purple and green. you can find all this great stuff by clicking HEAR.

The new LeapReader is the complete learn-to-read-and-write solution. It combines all  three literacy skills, reading,writing, and listening. Practicing them together helps children learn the skills they need to help become confident independent readers.
First Up is the Learn to Read portion of the product a little like the original tag system you can touch the LeapReader to any page to sound out words letter by letter. Read the sentences in character voice and play fun games that help to build reading comprehension.  I love that the LeapReader can sound out the words when they get stuck. This is a great feature for new readers like the HotrodPrincess. She knows how to read but still gets stuck on words some times.

The Learn to Write Feature is new and is something the tag system does not do. You can use the LeapReader to trace letters and numbers and write words with interactive guidance as magic ink appears on special mess-free paper.  Thats right this baby teaching writing too and on mess free paper. That means it only writes on the special paper. No scribbles on the kitchen table score one for mom right. The Learn to write feature is Snoopy Girls favorite part. She is beginning to learn to write her letters and numbers and the guidance really helps her to make the letters correctly. The Interactive guidance helps to ensure she is getting the help she needs when I working with the HotRod Princess on something else.

Learn To Listen feature helps kids develop important listening skills, reading comprehension, trivia challenges and learning songs. The smaller kids loved listening to the stories and the bigger kids like the HotRod princess loved the Triva challenges and Snoopy and kids in her age range picked up the songs easily and were quickly singing along.

I also want to say that the LeapReader works with the tag books so all those tag books you already own can still be used a definite bonus way to go LeapFrog for making that possible. I love the big selection of books Leapfrog offers. My girls are book worms and we need lots and lots of books. With a library of 80+ books, audio books, games and more. there is enough to keep my girls reading for a while. The Girls love there tag system but they love the new LeapReader even more. I liked the Tag system but I am truly impressed with the improvements and upgrades that come with the LeapReader and I am so glad we were given the opportunity try it out and share it with friends and family. The party was big hit and the LeapReader is on the must have list for Christmas this year.

Pictures are from the leapfrog site because well I forgot my camera at home I will update with some photos and videos as soon as I get back.


Disclosure: I received these product at no cost to host this party for our friends at LeapFrog and MomSelect.  All opinions are my own or what my kids and guest thought of the product.

LoopRope

I am a do it your self kind of girl.  I can handle everything from building classic cars to wood working to sewing and quilting. I am forever finding my self needing to tie stuff down. When you have to tie something down you have one of two choices rope which is forever tangled up and if you stink at tying knots you risk losing your stuff.  Then there is the bungee cord  they are quick to use but you risk the hook coming loose and let me tell you from personal experience it hurts like you wouldn't believe when hits you, and at some point or another you are going to get caught in the cross fire when you try to stretch it just a little further to make it the right length. I recently found the LoopRope and this baby is a sweet. Its basically a bungee cord with loops along its length so that you can place a clip/hook at various points so you are not trying to over stretch it. You can make it just about any length or tension you need. Click HEAR to see the LoopRope site. They come in 3ft, 4ft and 5ft lengths and you can clip them together with there carabiner clips to make them longer if need be. They come in different packages prices starting at $13.95 on up to $59.95. They also offer different sizes of carabiner clips.

 I received the 5ft LoopRope Cargo Tie Down that comes with two stainless steel carabiner clips it sells for $23.95 Found Hear. I have tried the LoopRope out on a lot of things lately to see how it performed.  I strapped some lumber together with it. It worked well the loops gave me just the right length. The carabiner clips close completely around the cord so I didn't feel like it was going to pop loose. I tried the hooks on the edge of a truck bed a place where they can often times come loose and they held well I believe its because I could use the loops at different points so that it was not over tightened.  We ran it across the middle of our E-Z UP and hooked the clips on each side so that we could use the loops to hang out LED lights from. I even use it to strap the lid down on the trash can when our friendly raccoon decided to rummage in it for a midnight snack. It holds a trash bag on quite well too. It always seems to be the perfect length. I also love that I can hook more than one together to make it longer if need be. I even used it to strap down the bikes in the back for the truck. I love love love that it doesn't tangle up like rope does. It also fits neatly in the back compartment of the durango so that I always have it when I need it. The longer I have it I find my self wanting a few more of them. They would make a great clothes line for camping. I am thinking of getting a couple for my dad for Christmas this year they would be a great gift. 

Please remember that LoopRope is stretchy like a bungee and can snap back if you over stretch it. Use caution and take care when using. LooppRope should never be stretched over 50% of its un-stretched length.

Find LoopRope on: Facebook
See some videos of LoopRope in action on YouTube.

                                                                                   

Disclosure: I received this product at no cost for review. All opinions are my own or what my kids thought of the product.

Quietest classroom sharpener giveaway

In May I did a review on the Quietest classroom pencil sharpener. Its the best pencil sharpener we have ever had. The makers of the Quietest classroom pencil have given me the opportunity to host a Giveaway! That's right you have a chance to win one of your own. You can enter below you must have a US mailing address to enter. You must like classroom friendly school supplies on Facebook and follow my blog and leave a comment with an email address so that I may contact the winner.

 http://www.classroomfriendlysupplies.com/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thera Pearl

Over the last 5 years my girls have known there share of boo boos. We have been very lucky to only have minor bumps and scrapes and nothing serious. Those minor bumps and scrapes still hurt though and I have found a great product to make those minor bumps and scrapes feel better. Children's Pals by the Threa Pearl company http://www.therapearl.com/products/pals-for-kids/ 


Children's Pals sell for $5.99 and I would love to have one of each. There is Ping the Panda, Buddy the puppy, Ribbit the frog, and Pearly the Pig. All four are just adorable we were given the opportunity to try out Ribbit the frog. He is a cute little green frog that measures 3.75 in x .75 in x 5.5 in he fits in the palm of the girls hand quite nicely. Just chill a Pal in the fridge or freezer or you can pop it in the microwave. Then apply the cold or heat for up to 20 minutes. Of course you need to be careful that you don't get it too hot. Please use caution and common sense when using a Pal. Children's Pals have won a Parent Tested-Parent Approved award for quality and appeal. They were tested by and independent lab and verified that there are no heavy metals, VOCs or BPAs. Pals are safe hypoallergenic and reusable. 

We got Ribbit in the mail last week and right away I stuck him in the fridge. It gets cold quite quickly and I love that i can put it in the fridge or freezer. I also love that I can heat him up a bit if we need a heat pack for some reason  The girls played with him for a while testing him out on various areas where they might get a boo boo. This weekend Snoopy stepped on a bee at park and we got the chance to use him for real. He worked very well I carried it in our lunch bag with my frozen water bottle to keep it cold. Yes I could have just stuck my frozen water bottle on the sting but that would not have been as fun or as flexible as a Pal. This cute little frog had her smiling in minutes.  Ribbit is a great little guy and we have used him on everything from scrapes and bruises to itchy mosquito bites.  Ribbit has become a great friend and we plan to keep him around for as long as we can.

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The Best part about Children's Pals: 
They are reusable
Can be use for Hot or Cold
The Price is fair.
They my girls feel better when they get a Boo Boo and that is priceless.

 

Click below to Find Thera Pearl on
Facebook
Tiwtter
Pintrist
YouTube
Linkedin
Google+


Disclosure: I received the Children's Pal free of charge in order to test the product to write the review. All opinions are my own or that of my kids.

FunBites are Back

FunBites are back to kick off the new school year with a cool new shape Triangles. We got the opportunity to work with FunBites again.  We love the other FunBites shapes that we tried out last year and were excited to add Triangles to our collection. We use them on everything sandwiches, pancakes, french toast, cake, toast, cheese, hamburgers you name it we have probably tired to cut it with FunBites. We found the triangles to be just as easy to use as we did the other shapes. The girls love cutting things up with them. FunBites makes perfect bite-sized pieces for school lunches trips to the park etc. Hears how you do it and a little bit more information in case you didn't catch it last time.

FunBites is the first state of the art kitchen tool that cuts kids food into bite sized fun shaped pieces. They are 100% made in the USA!,they are BPA Free and top Rack dishwasher safe.

To use follow 3 easy steps:
Step 1: place FunBites cutter on top of food. Remove popper top and set to the side.
Step 2: Grab cutter handles on both sides press down firmly and rock 5-6 times to cut through the food.
Step 3: Lift the cutter up, insert popper top and pop out the bite-sized pieces!

That's all there is to it.

Hears a Quick shot of the FunBites triangle straight from the FunBites site.












Disclosure: I received the FunBites Triangle shape free of charge in order to test the product to write the review. All opinions are my own or that of my kids.

Spring In your step

If you have kids like mine you probably know how it is to try and keep there allergies under control in the spring. As a part of the Children's Claritin Mom Crew I get to try our come great Childrn's Claritin products and I get tips and tricks to help my kid's through allergy season and I get to share it with all my mommy friends who's kids suffer from allergies. This month I received the 2013 preparedness checklist and tips to help keep me and my mommy friends prepared for 2013. It covers things like CPR flue season, spring cleaning and allergy removal just simple things you can do to make allergy season a little better. I also received a nifty box of Children's Claritin which is always handy to have and some flex-able hot and cold packs to share.

Disclosure I received these products free of charger as a part of the Children's Claritin Mom Crew.

CafePress

This week I was given the opportunity to select an item from http://www.cafepress.com to review. I
selected a T-Shirt because well I just love T-shirts with cool saying on them. Their are a tone of options on the site and it took me forever to decide what I wanted to get. I finally decided on a breast cancer awareness t-shirt. I always have a difficult time buying shirts on line. I never seem to get the right size. So i measured and used the sites sizing guidelines to choose a size. The shirt I wanted said that it was fitted and ran small so to size up if I did not want it to be snug. So I sized up one size and made my order ordering is very easy and simple.  The shirt came very quickly I believe it shipped out the next morning and arrived with in the week.  To my surprise my shirt was too big. With my measurements I guess I should not have sized up. But my measurements are always between two sizes. I contacted customer service to ask about returning it for a size smaller. I filled out the little form and stated that I wanted to exchange it for a smaller size gave the item number and the new size that needed. I got a reply back from customer service a little later that day. They told me they wanted me to be completely happy with my order and they would send me a replacement right away. I love great customer service and this place has good customer service to get back to me the same day and send out the replacement order the day after. I received the replacement T-shirt very quickly it actually got to me a day sooner than they had said it would.   

The Shirt fit wonderfully its comfortable and the quality of the shirt is great. Its made of a nice soft cotton so its perfect for every day. It washes well and hardly even wrinkled when I forgot and left it in the dryer over night. It line drys well too.  The color and style of the printing is vibrant and beautifully done.  Way better than most of what I have bought at some of the chain stores. I haven't noticed any fading either so I am confidant that it will look good for years to come.  Check out the Picture to see just how cool the shirt really is.

All in all I found the prices on the site to be very reasonable.The variety of items that they offer is great they have everything from clothing to I phone cases to water bottles.  I cant wait to order something else. Click the links to Check out some other great items like birthday invitations, Business Cards, greeting card templates.

Disclosure: I received this product at no cost for review. All opinions are my own or what my kids thought of the product.

Speed

I have been trying to teach the Hotrod Princess how to skip count for a couple months now. This seems to be something that she is having a hard time understanding. I have been looking for different ways to help her get the hang of skip counting and I have finally found a fun game that seems to work. Its called "SPEED". its made by highhill educational supplies and you can find it on amazon for about $18.99. You can click HEAR to find it.  "Speed" is  a fun card game that teaches kids to multiply and how to multiply faster. It even helps teach skip counting. Once kids are familiar with the numbers in a game, multiplication gets easier. The game consist of eight decks of cards 2's - 9's in which kids learn skip counting. Its a two player game where players play against each other to see who can get rid of all of their cards first. "Speed" is a great hands on multisensory game that is short and quick. Its perfect for kids that have short attention spans. The repetition of the game helps kids with memorization. Its great for all learning styles.

one of our games 

We have been playing "Speed" for a few weeks now and I can already tell that it is helping the Hotrod princess with her skip counting. We are still working with the 2's right now. I went over the directions a couple times to be sure I understood how to play the game and what the rules were. I explained it to the Hotrod princess and then showed her what we had to do. She picked up how to play the game very quickly.  Over the last few weeks she has gotten faster at playing "speed".  She now makes less mistakes when skip counting by 2's. I can only see things improving from hear as we advance through the game. I think my skip counting is even getting better. I have noticed that I am getting faster at figuring out what cards I can play next.  We have so much fun playing "SPEED" that she often chooses "Speed" over many of our other games. Its a very fast game so we can usually squeeze in a game or two while we are waiting for it to be time to go some place. It has become a great rainy day activity that we really enjoy . I cant wait for Snoopy to start skip counting so they can play together. She is already sitting with us when we play.

I wanted to see how my sisters son who is autistic would like the game. They came up this weekend and we played a few rounds. He did very well with it and seemed to enjoy playing the game with us. It was easy for him to understand how to play and I think it will help him get better with his multiplying skills. He learns best with hands on activities and "SPEED is very hands on. It's a fast game so his hands are constantly moving. This is very good for his need to fidget,  it keeps him moving and doing quickly which also helps with concentrate.

Their is also a "SPEED" app for the I Pad the light version is free and the full version is 99 cents. You can click hear to read some more about it hear on her blog.
You can also check it out on facebook

All in all "SPEED" is a great educational game that I am more than happy to have in my house. Its worth every penny.


Disclosure: I received this product at no cost for review. All opinions are my own or what my kids thought of the product.

The Quietest classroom Pencil Sharpener

Its no secret that I love a great classroom product and I love sharing them with you. On my quest to find something new this year I came across  http://www.classroomfriendlysupplies.com the makers of The Quietest Classroom Pencil Sharpener. That's right folks a pencil sharpener that's actually quiet. The Quietest classroom Pencil Sharpener has a sleek retro design an all metal frame and blades. Automatic stopping once the perfect point is formed. It works on all standard sized pencils. Has a clear disposal try that comes out for easy cleaning. Its so easy to use even my five year old can do it on her own. I also love that they sell replacement blades and they are very affordable. A single sharpener sells for $24.99 and comes in Blue, Red, Green, and Black. A package with one replacement blade sells for $14.99. They also sell a Teacher Specials where you get 3 sharpeners for $53.97 that's $17.99 each a great deal if you need more than one sharpener.

Me and the girls have been needing a good quality pencil sharpener for a while now and we were very excited when it arrived. We received the blue sharpener to try out in our home class room. The color is a tad lighter than what it looked on my computer screen but we all know how screens vary in color. It came in a box like most things that are shipped to you. Then the sharpener its self was in a clear flexible plastic box We are currently using it to store our sharpener tell we get the shelf for the classroom built. Then it will be clamped to the shelf. Assembly was super easy you basically have to put the blades in through a hole in the back and turn the locking ring. There is a hole on the front of the sharpener that you can insert the provided clamp into so that you can clamp it to a table or you can leave it portable. We are truly in love with the Quietest Pencil Sharpener. Its simple to use my kids cant keep sharpening the pencil away to nothing. It hardly makes any noise at all. Its a beautiful color so it looks cool in my class room also known as my living room. It can be clamped to a table or shelf or it can be left portable did I mention its got grips on the bottom to help keep is from slipping both when clamped down and portable. Its sharpened every pencil in the house several times over now and the girls are both writing more just because they want to use the sharpener to sharpen their pencil again. Its so easy that even my 3 year old can do it on her own. She says its hard to turn but she always gets the pencil sharpened. The only slight issue I have had with the sharpener is the clamp. The part that goes into the sharpener its self needs to be a bit longer. We have had it slip out of the hole a couple times. Its really not that big of an issue and would not stop me form buying the sharpener. because it really does do a Wonderful Job. Check out the video clip below to see it in action.

Disclosure: I received this product at no cost for review. All opinions are my own or what my kids thought of the product.

Wink Shape Wear

As a mom of two I know what pregnancy can do to your body. I know what its like to work to get back in shape, and I know exactly how long it takes to achieve that. Their is this in between time after you have baby  where your not pregnant any more but you just haven't quite got your belly back in shape. Where everything is just a little lumpy and bumpy. We all know about the mommy pooch at the bottom of your belly that never really seems to go away no matter how much you work. Wink has just made the pooch a little smoother. They have smoothed out the lumpy and bumpy. With the Wink ultimate belly & hip shaper. These are the key features of the ultimate belly and hip shaper:

• It has two layers of silky medical compression
• it extends above the waist and below the hip
• It has six panels of Hook and eye closure for adjustment and tightening. 
• Thick wide band at the top and bottom to prevent the garment from rolling up or down
• A seamless design allows band to be worn under clothing. 
• Comes in 3 sizes XS-S, M-L,XL-XXL

You can click hear to get it. the ultimate belly and hip shaper sells for $54.99 and comes in two colors black and nude. It is also suitable for all body types.

This wonderful undergarment came to me two weeks a go. I pulled this contraption out of the package and I thought there is no way this stretchy piece of  material is going to help me look any less lumpy and bumpy. I was anxious to give it a try and ran in to put it on. Ten minutes later me and the girls were headed to church. I was hoping that I wouldn't have any issues with ultimate hip & belly shaper in the middle of church.  I even gave it a real good test when I wore it to the park and chased the girls around for an hour.  The slide the swings a game or two of tag, the teeter totter no matter what I did it stayed right where it was meant to. No slipping no bunching and no rolling. This is the first shapwear garment that I have ever wore that did not role up when I sat-down. The length is perfect, it comes from about the bottom of my ribs to an inch below my hip bones. It gives me a nice smooth even look that I love. The best part is my jeans are too big. I could probably go down a hole jean size If not for my thighs I could go down two sizes. I have to put a belt on just to keep my jeans up. It makes me look a lot smoother and slimmer in a dress too.

I would like to talk a bit about sizing I measured my waist hips and thigh like the sizing chart said. I used those numbers to determine what size to get. I believe I should have gotten a size smaller as it is as tight as it will go so If I louse any weight the shaper will be too big and I wont be able to use it any more. Sizes go as follows Extra Small/Small, Medium/Large and XL/XXL.  I got the medium large due to my measurements when I was more of a small medium. I am apparently in between sizes, a Small/Medium would have been perfect for me if they would have come that way. It still fits me well (at least tell I louse weight :), the ultimate hip and belly shaper does its job well, and gives me a very nice slimming look I defiantly louse some inches with it on. I can't wait to try a pair of booty shaper shorts or the ultimate thigh blaster then I could go down two sizes in my jeans. I thought everyone would love to see some actual before and after pictures. If you notice in the after pictures my jeans are actually slipping off me a little.

       

Disclosure: I received this product at no cost for review. All opinions are my own or what my kids thought of the product.

Crayola's Big Colorful Birthday Adventure.

Crayola is celebrating their 110th birthday, the 8 original crayons are going to be throwing a birthday bash at the new fun-omenal Crayola Experience, the world's only interactive Crayola family attraction. Right now, they're out on a colorful adventure to spread the news, and you're invited to join the fun!How can you join in on the fun? You can FOLLOW the crayons on their adventure, LEARN more

about each color and enter to WIN a trip for 4 to celebrate their birthday and the Grand Opening of the all new Crayola Experience this coming May, 2013!

Visit the Crayola Facebook page and click "enter now" for your chance to be first in line when the Crayola Experience reopens.

The new Crayola Experience features four floors of new interactive exhibits and one-of-a-kind attractions that will bring the magic of color and your child's creativity to life! The winner will be among the first to experience the fun, along with a three- night, all-expenses paid stay. It's an experience your kids will never forget - and neither will you!

Disclosure: Crayola provided the information for this post in exchange for a box of the limited edition 110th birthday pack! 

GRIPAD weight Lifting Gloves

This year, I started a quest to get in shape and live a healthier lifestyle.  Everyone knows there are lots of

good benefits to exercising. Their are also some not so great benefits. One problem is the blisters, and calluses that come with lifting weights.  I have now found the solution to the problem.  GRIPAD weight lifting gloves is the newest product in my workout collection. I've had GRIPAD for about a month now and I now find my self reaching for them instead of my other gloves.  GRIPAD is an amazing invention they take weight lifting gloves to a hole new level. Gone are the days of ill fitting gloves. Any woman knows how hard it is to get a good fitting pair of lifting gloves.  The fit of GRIPAD is just about perfect and there is no sizing required. No more blisters, no more calluses no more sweaty slippery palms they are easy to slip on and off. Allowing me to change to change from one exercise to the next with ease. Most importantly they help me to keep a good grip on my weights and sand bag. I also found that they help my hands get traction when doing push-ups and planks. GRIPAD is made of 100% neoprene material they provide the strongest most moisture-free, most slip-proof grip. They have a soft and flexible,  three finger loop design that leaves your thumb and little finger free so you have a great range of motion. This also gives you the ability to grip you weights with ease.  GRIPAD is the best pair of weight lifting gloves that I have ever tried. They sell on http://www.gripad.com/ for $16.99 so the price is very affordable. I love that they come in several colors, Black, Blue, Red and Pink so there is a color choice for men and women.  GRIPAD gives you a good bang for your buck and they are now one of my must haves for working out.

Disclosure: I received this product at no cost for review. All opinions are my own or what my kids thought of the product.

Dial A Smile Teeth Whitening System

www.whiteninglighting.com 

Every mom wants one of those movie star gleaming white smiles. But like most moms I feel having it done at the dentist is just too expensive and time consuming.  I am teaching two kids and trying to keep a house up and running. I don't have time to hit the dentist office just to whiten my smile. Well this week my movie star white smile came to me in the mail. Yup I received a great little package from the Dial A Smile Professional Home Teeth Whitening system. Its called whitening Lightning its a professional home teeth whitening system. You get 3 treatments in the box and it says it will teeth 3-4 shades whiter in 20 minutes. You can find it hear www.whiteninglighting.com  and if you use this coupon code  Juliekit at check out  you can get the kit for $69.00. its a lot cheaper than going to a dentist and I can do it in my house while the kids are working on a project or napping. 

Ok so whats in the box you get 1 paper shade dial, 1 dispensing tub, 1 hand held LED light, 1 gel syringe that contains 3

treatments, 3 teeth wipes, 1 applicator brush, and 3 vitamin E swabs. and some directions.

So basically you hold this shade guide up to your teeth and determine what shade your teeth are.  First you squeeze out 1.5ml of the whitening gel into the dispensing tub. Then you use one of the teeth wipes to dry all of your teeth using a circular motion. next you snap off the blue striped end of one of the vitamin e swabs and apply it to gums and inside of lips it helps to protect your lips and gums from the whitening gel. Next you use applicator brush and brush on a generous amount of the whitening gel to your teeth. You want to be sure to smile wide to limit how much gel gets on your lips and gums. Then you turn on the LED and hold it no more than 1-2 in from your mouth for 20 minutes. The directions also say that you can put it directly in your mouth but it may cause sensitivity so do what feels comfortable. So that's the short version of the directions. 

So this after I read the directions a couple times over I decide why not give it a try. I take the little shade dial in the bathroom and determine my teeth to be between a 4 and a 5. Next up is drying my teeth with the wipes this part was not so bad and went rather quickly. I applied the vitamin E swab trying to be sure I get my gums and lips covered good.  Next comes applying the gel. try to smile big and apply this stuff to my teeth really wasn't hard because HotRod Princess was standing next to me making faces and whose not going to smile at that.. I Opt to put the light in my mouth because honestly I can see my self holding this thing 1-2 inches from my mouth while i try to smile and help the girls do class work. I set the timer for 20 minutes. ....... and I wait and wait and wait. ok who knew 20 minutes could be this long right. I feel like a total goof ball walking around the house with this blue light in my mouth but hey the girls think its funny and kept making faces at me.  My 20 min is finally up I brush off the gel and bam my teeth are noticeably whiter about 2-3 shades. I am quite happy with it so I decided to store my other two applications in the fridge( the directions say I can do that) and use it at a later date. The company does recommend not eating or drinking anything that can stain your teeth with in 24 hours.  Results will vary and how long it last depends on what you eat and drink but that goes for whitening treatments done at dentist offices also. Its also not recommended for expectant or nursing moms.  

Before

after

                                                                                    
Disclosure: I received this product at no cost for review. All opinions are my own or what my kids thought of the product.

Premama Prenatal vitamin

Every mama knows how important it is to take a prenatal vitamin while pregnant. As a mama of two I know how hard it is to try and get that huge pill down while suffering from morning sickness. Or may be you just cant handle swallowing a pill. Premama has come up with a flavorless prenatal vitamin mix that you can mix with water. It comes in a great on the go pouch  Premama has all the vitamins of your standard prenatal vitamin. Vitamin D3, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B2 and B6, Proprietary Iron Blend, Calcium Magnesium, choline, Coenzyme, DHA and ginger root powder to help settle that up set tummy.
The price is about $25 for 30 on the go servings. You can find it hear http://www.drinkpremama.com

I am not currently pregnant but I am always willing to try out a product. I substituted my daily multi-

vitamin for the Premama prenatal vitamin to see if it was really flavorless. Directions on the box said for a full serving to open the top and middle of package. Carefully pour into minimum 12oz of liquid. Shake or stir. For optimal flavor consume within 5 minutes of mixing. It also said each daily serving could be consumed in two equally divided doses. I know when I was pregnant with the girls and my tummy was already up set there was no way I would have been able to get down 12oz of liquid in 5 minutes. So I opted to take my daily serving in two doses. While its not completely tasteless when its put in water its not bad and didn't really bother me. It has a very slight ginger taste to it. I also tried it in Orange Juice, apple juice, and grape juice I did not notice a taste when it was mixed with a liquid that had a flavor. Be sure to shake or mix very good and may be give it a little shake in between drinks if you have let it sit for a few minutes.  Other than that I think its a great product for the mom fighting morning sickness or the mom who cant stand to take a huge pill.

Disclaimer: I received a box of Premama prenatal vitamin at no charge to try for this review. all opinions are my own use responsibly and talk with your Dr before starting any new medications.

90 Days Thru the Bible

I recently got the chance to review a book for the Tyndale Publishing company. the book is called 90 Days Thru the Bible. First I want to give you the blip from the back of the book. 

as you can tell the pages are well loved. 

Embark on a 90 day journey to understand the heart of God's story like never before. You may believe the bible's overall message, but have you truly grasped the whole story We know god's message of love is so simple that even a child may embrace it, and His epic story is complex enough to mystify even the most curious intellect. We want to understand the Scriptures more deeply, to fully share in the Great Story that God has been telling throughout the ages, though perhaps we aren't sure where to start.

In 90 days Thru the bible, acclaimed writer Chris Tiegreen and Walk Thru the bible guide you through the various sections of scripture, meditating on how each story and theme, like the pieces of a puzzle, beautifully contribute to God's masterpiece of love,faith, and salvation. You'll come to understand the true heart of God- and the awe-inspiring story He's telling in your own life-in an incredible new way. 

Im a busy home schooling mom I am a very religious woman I have a strong belief in God. But to be honest I cant always find the time to read my bible. So when I got the chance to try out 90 Days Thru the Bible I was excited to give it a go.  90 Days Thru the Bible is a nice little devotional. It does not go in depth with the Bible but it does gives a good general understanding of the Bible and what its about. I like that the devotional gives a simple understanding of the scripture's being taught. It gives me reflection questions at the end of each days lesson.  This  helped me to further explore the scripture that was taught that day and what it means to me and the way I lead my life.  90 Days Thru the Bible is a wonderful way to get in touch with the Bible and all that it can teach us. It has encouraged me to find more time to read my Bible and be closer to God. 

You can find 90 Days Thru the Bible at a lot of book stores but Ill give you the link to amazon in case you would like to try it out.f  http://www.amazon.com/90-Days-Thru-Bible-Devotional/dp/141435309X

Its also available on amazon in the Kindle Edition.

Tyndale House Publishers has a lot of amazing books that me and the girls would love to read you can check out the company hear http://tyndale.com to see all they have to offer. 

 

 

Disclosure: I received this product at no cost for review. All opinions are my own or what my kids thought of the product.

Sip The World GlassDharma!

I love a great reusable product, and I really love when the company is ECO friendly too.  When I got a second chance to work with GlassDharma I had to jump on it. If everyone remembers from a previous review, GlassDharma makes beautiful reusable glass straws. For Earth Day 2013 GlassDharma is giving away 1000 free glass straws.  Yes, you read that right you have the chance to win one of the 1000 GlassDharma straws.

Click the link to find out more about how to sign up.

http://glassdharma.blogspot.com/2013/02/1000-free-glass-straws-for-earth-day.html

In honor of Earth Day 2013, I wanted to tell you a little of what GlassDharma is doing to be Earth Friendly. GlassDharma is going out of their way to provide eco friendly packaging. The company even offers up the information so you can see just how amazing they are doing. Their previous packaging is made of 100% chipboard, 95% is post consumer,the corrugated cardboard they use is 40% recycled,15% post consumer. The cello bags for the hemp sleeves are wood based and 100% compostable. They use paper-based tape and even the glue they use is water based and non-toxic with no VOC's. They use a continuous ink system in their ink jet printers and they even use solar powered hosting for their web site. How cool is that!

GlassDharma uses boxes in sizes designed to reduce the amount of filler needed (if any)and old newspaper and cardboard is used on the occasions that it is needed. They make larger less frequent purchases of glass that has a smaller carbon footprint as well as eliminating the packing peanuts issue because their glass arrives on a palette instead of a big box filled with the peanuts!

If you check out the pictures I have posted you can see GlassDharma's new in-store packaging option. Very minimal and I love that I can see exactly what I am getting. If you look to the right, you can see a  picture from the GlassDharma site so you can see the type of boxes that your straws come in when you order online. Separately purchased cleaning brushes are packaged in the same box with the purchased straw, reducing the need for additional boxes.

 

Celebrate Earth Day 2013 by getting a GlassDharma reusable glass straw.  http://www.glassdharma.com

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