February 9, 2010

Review & Giveaway: Pedia-Lax Fiber Gummies

Introduced in 2009, Pedia-Lax® Fiber Gummies, are a daily fiber supplement made just for kids by Fleet®, a trusted brand for digestive health for more than 100 years. So many kids lack the proper amount of fiber in their diets, but wrinkle their little noses at the kinds of foods that will add it in (my kids love to say “Mom, I don’t WANT brown bread!”). Pedia-Lax Fiber Gummies are a great, tasty and sugar-free way to get some much-needed fiber into your little ones’ diets.

In 2009 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) significantly increased the recommended daily fiber intake standards, far above the previous "age plus five" rule. In fact, today's updated guidelines recommend 25 grams of fiber per day for four-year-old children. But how do we meet these requirements and get our children to eat high in fiber foods?



Now there's a delicious daily fiber supplement to help kids ages 2-11 maintain better digestive health and stay regular.* The penguin-shaped, great tasting Pedia-Lax Fiber Gummies are sugar-free, calorie-free, gluten-free and made with natural fruit flavors. With a recommended serving of three gummies every day, (equal to ½ cup of broccoli!), Fiber Gummies are a great way to supplement the fiber found in fruits, vegetables and other fiber-rich foods in your child’s daily diet. It’s a great solution to help bridge the gap between the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended amount of fiber and the fiber that kids actually consume in their daily diet.  Fiber Gummies are dentist approved.

Suggested retail price is $7.99 for a bottle of 60 gummies; available at Target and Walgreens, also online and other supermarkets and retailers nationwide.

You can also visit http://www.fibergummies.com/ where you can get a $1.00 off coupon and use the “store locator” to see where the product is sold in your area. And, because they know getting kids to eat foods high in fiber without complaint is a challenge faced by many moms the Web site also offers helpful tips on how to incorporate a high-fiber diet into a busy family’s lifestyle with tips for meal planning and easy-to-make recipes on the Web site, too.

My kids both enjoyed the taste of the fiber gummies.  They were sweet enough to taste good, had cute shapes and were easy to chew.  So much easier to get them to chew a gummy than to get them to swallow a pill.

* This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

How would you like to win a bottle of Pedia-Lax Fiber Gummies?

You must do entry #1 in order to enter. The rest are optional.

1. Follow this blog

Extra entries:

1. Follow me on Twitter (@scentednights) & tweet about the contest. You can tweet daily. Just leave one comment for each daily tweet:

Pedia Lax Fiber Gummies @scentednights #giveaway #gf http://tinyurl.com/yen2wju



Leave a link to your tweet.

2. Be my friend on Facebook (click on the Facebook badge on my left sidebar)and post this contest. Leave a link for the post.

3. Subscribe to my blog by email.

4. Blog about this giveaway on your blog (five entries). Leave a link to your blog post in your comment.

5. Add my button to your website (see right hand column) (two entries)

Remember, please leave a separate comment for each entry. And please enter only in the ways listed above. I reserve the right to delete comments not adhering to the above entry guidelines.

You must be 18+ years old & live in the USA. The last day to enter is 2/16/2010.

My thanks to Pedia Lax for allowing me to review this product.

As required by the FTC:  I received samples of this product in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone. 


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Pasta Making Question

Does anyone have any experience making gluten free pasta? I'm seriously thinking about getting a pasta machine but I'm not sure how well if at all it will work making pasta that is gluten free. I don't want to spend all that money on one only to find out making gluten free pasta is impossible.

Anyone care to share their experiences?


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What is it with the weather?

It just seems like this year the weather has been so much more messed up than usual. We've had more earthquakes than normal. Then you add in the fires and mudslides. Then all the snowstorms going on in the midwest right now. I don't ever remember the weather being this extreme before.

We've been very lucky in the upper northeast. Here in Vermont, we've actually had a fairly mild winter (snow wise). I'm not sure if we're going to get hit with a big storm at some point or not or if spring will come early or late.

I'm hoping for an early spring because I want to get out in the garden and get things planted. But if we get an early spring and then a freeze or a storm, all the blossoms on the fruit trees will get destroyed and we won't have fruit this summer.

Makes me wonder how they did it 200 years ago when the weather had such a huge impact on whether or not they lived to see another year or not.


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February 8, 2010

Free Sample of Burts Bees Toothpaste!


Burts Bees Free Toothpaste Sample

Free is good!


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Book Review: Ecstasy Unveiled by Larissa Ione

Ecstasy Unveiled (The Demonica Series)
Book Title: Ecstasy Unveiled
Subtitle: A Demonica Novel
Author: Larissa Ione
Genre: Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 978-0-446-55682-8
Publisher: Hachette Book Group, Inc.
Suggested Retail Price: $6.99

From the cover:

Lore is a Seminus half-breed demon who has been forced to act as his dark master's assassin.  Now to earn his freedom and save his sister's life, he must complete one last kill.  Powerful and ruthless, he'll stop at nothing to carry out this deadly mission.

Idess is an earthbound angel with a wild side sworn to protect the human Lore is targeting.  She's determined to thwart her wickedly handsome adversary by any means necessary - even if that means risking her vow of etermal chastity.  But what begins as a simple seduction soon turns tinto a passion that leaves both angel and demon craving complete surrender.

Torn between duty and desire, Lore and Idess must join forces as they battle their attraction for each other.  Because an enemy from the past is rising again - one hellbent on vengeance and unthinkable destruction.

********************

Ecstasy Unveiled is the fourth book in the Demonica series coming after Pleasure Unbound, Desire Unchained and Passion Unleashed.  It easily stands on its own as a romance novel so don't worry if you haven't read the other three books yet.
Ecstasy Unveiled is the best of two worlds.  It's a really hot romance and a fantastically captivating science fiction read.  The men are always sexy and the action is fast building so you're hooked to the very last page.

Idess is the typical good girl heroine who falls for the bad boy demon, Lore.  Lore, a Seminus demon, needs sex to survive and of course, Idess, an angel is supposed to be chaste and innocent.  Lore has to make one final kill in order to be free from his Master and Idess is sworn to protect the man Lore is set on killing.

I really liked this book because it doesn't portray Idess as a helpless female.  She's tough and can stand on her own to feet even if she is an angel.  She's beautiful and powerful and makes a great match for Lore. The author has done a fantastic job with this book & I cannot wait to get Larissa Ione's other books!

Ecstasy Unveiled can be purchased at Amazon.
















My thanks to Larissa Ione and The Hatchette Book Group for allowing me to review this book.

As required by the FTC: I received one book in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.


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Book Review: Love & War by John and Stasi Eldredge



Book Title: Love & War
Subtitle: Finding the Marriage You've Dreamed Of
Author: John and Stasi Eldredge
Genre: Relationships/Christianity
ISBN: 978-0-385-52980-8
Publisher: Doubleday Religion
Suggested Retail Price: $22.99

From the book's cover:

What the Eldredge bestsellers Wild at Heart did for men, and Captivating did for women, LOVE & WAR will do for married couples everywhere. John and Stasi Eldredge have contributed the quintessential works on Christian spirituality through the experience of men and the experience of women and now they turn their focus to the incredible dynamic between those two forces.

With refreshing openness that will grab readers from the first page, the Eldredges candidly discuss their own marriage and the insights they’ve gained from the challenges they faced. Each talks independently to the reader about what they’ve learned, giving their guidance personal immediacy and a balance between the male and female perspectives that has been absent from all previous books on this topic. They begin LOVE & WAR with an obvious but necessary acknowledgement: Marriage is fabulously hard. They advise that the sooner we get the shame and confusion off our backs, the sooner we'll find our way through.

LOVE & WAR shows couples how to fight for their love and happiness, calling men and women to step into the great adventure God has waiting for them together. Walking alongside John and Stasi Eldredge, every couple can discover how their individual journeys are growing into a story of meaning much greater than anything they could do or be on their own.

**********************

In honor of Valentine's Day, I thought I'd bring you a book about love.

I hadn't read any of the Eldredge's books before so I was very glad to see that this book doesn't require that you've read any of their previous books.  Romance meets reality.  That's one of my favorite sayings in the book.  Marriage is hard.  That's another one.  Actually this book is full of favorite sayings.  Little bits of wisdom that convey oceans of understanding.  It's normal for marriages to be hard.  Even good marriages.

God created marriage and put desire in our hearts and he cares about our marriage.  The Bible begins with the marriage of Adam and Eve.  It wasn't very long until they encountered problems though just like we do.  The snake convinces Adam and Eve that they cannot trust God and the problems begin. The Eldredges write about that marriage of love in the middle of a battlefield.

Love & War shows us that our marriages are much like that.  God gives us love but there is still a battle to be fought.  As the Eldredges explain, in the beginning many of us think that our story will be something like "Love God, love each other, and it'll all work out".   Another quote from the book is "Marriage is a rushing stream God uses to shape us into more loving people."  I think that sums up what marriage is really all about much better that the first quote.

The Eldredges show couples how to fight for their marriage by travelling with them through their marriage and its ups and downs. Love & War is loaded with personal stories that I could so relate to.  I love that they don't try to come off as perfect examples of how to have a perfect marriage.  They each have their own little idiosincracies and annoying habbits. 

This is not a self help book.  There are no steps you need to follow to find the perfect marriage.  It's not a preachy book either.  Yes, it's a Christian book but the tone is so casual that it doesn't come off as preaching or lecturing which is extremely important to me.

If you're married, you need to read this. If you're thinking about getting married, you need to read this. You'll probably want to re-read it several times as you go through your own personal battlefield.

Love & War by John & Stasi Eldredge can be purchased at WaterBrookMultnoman.com

My thanks to WaterBrookMultnomah.com for allowing me to review this book.

As required by the FTC: I received one copy of this book in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.


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February 7, 2010

The NEW winner of my Snorg T-shirt giveaway is

Peggy said... These shirts are too funny! I love the Yes With A Fox,a long running joke with neighbors and I am happy to see this awesome tee!! Thanks

Sadly, the first winner never contacted me :( so I needed to draw another winner.

I am now contacting the new winner who has 48 hours to respond or I will choose another winner.

Thanks for entering & please enter my other contests!


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The winner of my Presents for Purpose Giveaway is

DEBIJOT said...
follow presents for purpose on facebook

I am contacting the winner now. She has 48 hours to respond or I will choose another winner.

Thanks for entering & please enter my other contests!


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Review: POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice

It seems like pomegranates are the in fruit lately. They're popping up in a lot of different products because they're so rich in antioxidants. I admit to never having tried a pomegranate so I wasn't sure what to expect when I tried POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice. POM Wonderful is 100% pure pomegranate juice!

POM Wonderful also offers pomegranate blends with blueberry, cherry, mango, kiwi, and nectarine.  They also offer POM Wonderful Tea blends and POM Wonderful Iced Coffee blends!  They have POMx Bars and POMx pills as well. You can see their full product line at their website.

Not only is POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice delicious, there's a wide range of recipes on their website that you can use POM Wonderful in!  I really want to try the Rubies & Snow (holiday oats) recipe!  I enjoyed the POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice.  For those who've never tried pomegranate juice before, it's slightly tart but still sweet - not quite as tart as cranberry juice.  Best of all, there's no extra "junk" in the juice. It contains no high fructose corn syrup, sugar or artificial ingredients.

I  like that the POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice comes from California grown pomegranates.  I have been making a real effort to avoid buying fruits and veggies (and juices) that come from other countries.

POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice comes in a cute little 8 ounce plastic bottle. It's 160 calories for 8 ounces of juice which is high for me to drink as a meal accompaniment.  I prefer to treat it as healthy snack since it equals out to about 3 Weight Watcher's points per bottle.  I very much enjoyed the POM Wonderful Pomegranate Juice and look forward to trying their other products.

My thanks to POM Wonderful for allowing me to review their products.

As required by the FTC:  I received samples of their product in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.



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Well it's starting

The Superbowl pre-game has started. The men are gathered in front of the TV. My son & husband are debating the merits of the Colts & the Saints. They're each rooting for a different team of course. Sarah has sequestered herself in her room & will come down periodically for food.

Lunch was a simple affair of leftover ham and cornbread.


P.S. I am not a football fan.  My computer lives in the same room as the TV so I am forced to "watch" this with the guys.  You can expect me to be blogging in an attempt to block out the football game behind me!



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Review & Giveaweay: St. Eve Kids Cozy

We live in an old 1865 farmhouse in Vermont so the winters get really cold and some of that cold always manages to sneak inside.  The kids complain about being cold at night while watching TV, reading or doing their homework.  Blankets don't work because they need their arms to be free and that leaves half their body cold.



St. Eve Kids Cozy is a long, cuddly blanket with sleeves so children can relax in comfort.  Perfect for reading, playing video games, doing homework or watching TV, each fleece Cozy covers little ones fromj neck to toe while still allowing full arm mobility.  The sleeves are roomy enough to slide up easily over sweaters or sweatshirts.

The Cozy is made of 100% polyester and it's nice and warm.  It's very roomy too so you can easily wear it over other clothes and move freely while playing video games or reading.  The St. Eve Kids Cozys are one size fits most (boys & girls sizes between 6-9) and are suitable for ages four and above.

St. Eve offers delightfully sweet and totally trendy under garments and pajama sets for boys and girls.  The boys' under garment line features briefs, boxes and undershirts, while the girls' collection includes panties, bralets, and camisoles.  The apparel comes to life with a wide array of playful themes and colorful personalities, including the memorable characters of DramaU that children come to know and love. 

Boys and girls alike will welcome a whole new world of playmates thanks to St. Eve Kid’s DramaU™ characters featured on the St. Eve Kid’s apparel. Meet Molly, Tommy, Tammy, Frankie, Johnny, Tweet, Shirley, Lulu, Peggy, Marky and Suzie - the bubbly characters, exclusive to St. Eve Kids, pop up on garments and make the perfect pals for kids bursting with personality and attitude. As an added bonus, St. Eve Kids is giving parents the opportunity to win a year supply of pajamas. For more information about this contest, visit http://www.dramau.com/.

The St. Eve Cozy retails for $20.00 and can be purchased from Bon Ton, Von Maur, and online through QVC.  Starting in February 2010, the St. Eve Cozy can be purchased from http://www.sleepwear.com/.

How would you like the chance to win a St. Eve Kids Cozy (pink) all your own?

Here's how you can win!

You must do entry #1 in order to enter. The rest are optional.

1. Follow this blog

Extra entries:

1. Follow me on Twitter (@scentednights) & tweet about the contest. You can tweet daily. Just leave one comment for each daily tweet:

St. Eve Kids Cozy Giveaway @scentednights #giveaway @DramaUStevekids http://tinyurl.com/yfr6uus



Leave a link to your tweet.

2. Be my friend on Facebook (click on the Facebook badge on my left sidebar)and post this contest. Leave a link for the post.

3. Subscribe to my blog by email.

4. Blog about this giveaway on your blog (five entries). Leave a link to your blog post in your comment.

5. Add my button to your website (see right hand column) (two entries)

6. Follow DramaU St Eve Kids on Twitter @DramaUstevekids

7. Fan DramaU St Eve Kids on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Drama-U-for-St-Eve-Kids/188575974113

Remember, please leave a separate comment for each entry. And please enter only in the ways listed above. I reserve the right to delete comments not adhering to the above entry guidelines.

You must be 18+ years old & live in the USA. The last day to enter is 2/14/2010.

My thanks to St. Eve Kids for allowing me to review this product.

As required by the FTC: I received one product in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.


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February 6, 2010

The winner of my In Mind poetry book giveaway is

DEBIJOT said...
blog follower - Thank you for the giveaway.

I am emailing the winner now. She has 48 hours to respond or I will choose another winner.

Thanks again for entering & please enter my other contests!


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Giveaway: Bare Escentuals Rethink What Matters!


Bare Escentuals is rethinking and they want you to join in on the conversation. What are you rethinking about? Rethink What Matters invites women nationwide to shake up their foundation and sound off on topics that are more than just skin-deep—from going bare in public to discussing what freedom really feels like.

Each week at RethinkWhatMatters.com, a new discussion topic is featured with five questions for all to answer, share with their friends and have the chance to instantly win free products and other fantastic goodies. New topics and products will be featured weekly, posted each Friday to the site. This week’s topic is “Rethink The Need to Find Yourself”!

Anyone that completes the quiz at RethinkWhatMatters.com will be entered for a chance to win the grand and runner up prizes!

To get you in the mood to Rethink What Matters, Bare Escentuals is offering one of my readers a bareMinerals Blush.

For your chance to win:

1.  Follow my blog.
2.  Leave a comment telling me what you learned about RethinkWhatMatters.

A winner will be chosen on 02/13/2010.  You must live in the USA and be at least 18 years of age.

My thanks to Bare Escentuals for allowing me to be part of this campaign.

As required by the FTC: I will receive a sample of their product in order to write this post.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.


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Recipe: Asparagus Frittata

Since the chickens have started laying again, I'm finding myself over run with eggs at a time of the year when I don't expect to be. I decided to make an asparagus frittata tonight for dinner since I have a can of asparagus I'd like to use up & no one but me will eat it plain. Generally, I'd prefer to use fresh asparagus but that just is not happening in February in Vermont. I'm hoping to plant some this spring so in the future I'll have my own supply.

Frittatas are really easy to make. They're basically an omelet that you don't fold over. The veggies are cooked into the eggs themselves instead of layered on top like in an omelet. It's finished off by covering it with cheese and putting it under the broiler to melt the cheese.

Asparagus Frittata

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion chopped (we used frozen from this summer)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound asparagus, cut in 1" strips (or 1 cup canned)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded cheese (I used slightly less - more like 2/3 cup)

Heat olive oil in a 10-inch oven proof frying pan over medium heat. I use cast iron and it works great.




Add onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 3 minutes.



Add asparagus, reduce heat to medium low and cookuncovered until asparagus are barely tender, 6-8 minutes (or just heat up if using canned).



Pour in eggs and cook until almost set but still runny on top, about 2 minutes. While cooking preheat oven broiler.





Sprinkle cheese over eggs and put in oven to broil until cheese is melted and browned about 3-4 minutes.





Cut into wedges. Serves 4.



Yummy!!! Ignore the slightly odd look on your 12 year old's face when you tell him there is asparagus in it!


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Book review: Country Bob's Cookbook

Book Title: The Original Country Bob's Cookbook
Genre: Cookbook
ISBN: 0-9754441-0-7
Publisher: Favorite Recipes Press


From the book's cover:

In 1968, when Country Bob Edson perfected his steak sauce recipe, he called it an "All Purpose Sauce" because it was much more than just a steak sauce.  Its versatility has made it a "must-have" in every kitchen, and it has remained the flagship item at Country Bob's since 1982.  In this cookbook, you will discover delicious recipes featuring this famous sauce and other tasty Country Bob products.

**************

This is a gorgeous hardcover cookbook with tantalizingly yummy color photographs at the beginning of each chapter.  The cover is full color and glossy and the inner page is a nice, heavy, textured paper.  This gives the cookbook a very expensive, quality feel to it.

Each recipe in Country Bob's Cookbook is featured on its own page and is written in easy to read large type.  There is a beautiful decorative border around each page which makes the recipe stand out. The cookbook has 96 pages and four chapters in total.  The chapters are appetizers, soups & snacks; grilling, main dishes, and desserts. I also love that scattered throughout the cookbook are verses from the Bible


The recipes all look fantastically inviting.   Each one uses a Country Bob's product in it as expected except for the desserts.   The instructions are clearly written and easy to follow and the ingredients lists feature items that can be easily found at any grocery store.  Many of the recipes use pre-packaged ingredients like canned soup or packaged corn bread mix so they are perfect for the cook looking for time saving recipes.  I prefer not to use many pre-packaged foods but could easily substitute homemade alternatives in each recipe.

If I had to choose my two favorite recipes, they would be the Hot Reuben Dip and the Slow Cooker Orange Country Chicken.
The Original Country Bob's Cookbook can be purchased from Country Bob's or from Amazon:




My thanks to Country Bob's for allowing me to review their cookbook.

As required by the FTC: I received one copy of this book in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.


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Review & Giveaway: ecostore USA $25 Gift Certificate!

ecostore USA offers plant-based household cleaning products that are as effective as leading supermarket brands as well as body and baby care products that are gentle and simply beautiful to use.

Their products are also super concentrated which means I get more bang for the buck with my grocery dollars. Their products are made with plant and mineral based ingredients and free of toxic chemicals.

We were very luck to be able to try the ecostore USA Dishwash Liquid. ecostore USA Dishwash Liquid does not contain toxic petrochemicals, phosphates, nitrates, EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid), Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, TEA (triethanolamine), synthetic dyes or perfumes, which are found in standard washing products and can leave harmful chemical residues on your dishes and your skin.




I was very impressed with the Dishwash Liquid. It had a very pleasant scent and did a great job cleaning my dishes! Plus it's a super value for the money because it's so concentrated.  It sells for $8.50 for a 17 fluid ounce bottle.



We also had the opportunity to try their natural, non-toxic laundry liquidecostore USA uses 100% Certified Organic Eucalyptus oil and plant-based ingredients, making it ideal for washing your children’s clothing. Conventional laundry liquids often leave chemical residue on bedding, clothes and even skin. This product is a wonderful, healthy alternative.

I really loved the laundry liquid from ecostore USA.  It did a fantastic job on my laundry and I love the eucalyptus scent.   It's a nice, fresh scent that isn't overpowering at all.  You only need to use a few tablespoons of the product in your laundry load so it's really very concentrated compared to what I used to buy. It sells for $11.00 for 33.8 fluid ounces.

ecostore USA also offers baby and pet care products as well as a variety of cleaning products.  ecostore USA's products can be purchased directly from their site.  They have free shipping on orders $25 or more right now!  If you live in the midwest, you can find ecostore USA products at Meijer's stores.

How would you like to win a $25 gift certificate to ecostore USA?

Here's how you can win!

You must do entries #1 and #2 in order to enter. The rest are optional.

1. Follow this blog & tell me what your favorite product is from ecostore USA.

2. Sign up for ecostore USA's No Nasty Chemicals newsletter.
Extra entries:

1. Follow me on Twitter (@scentednights) & tweet about the contest. You can tweet daily. Just leave one comment for each daily tweet:

ecostore USA $25 GC Giveaway @scentednights #giveaway @ecostoreusa http://tinyurl.com/ye8d6gf

Leave a link to your tweet.

2. Be my friend on Facebook (click on the Facebook badge on my left sidebar)and post this contest. Leave a link for the post.

3. Subscribe to my blog by email.

4. Blog about this giveaway on your blog (five entries). Leave a link to your blog post in your comment.

5. Add my button to your website (see right hand column) (two entries)

6. Follow ecostore USA on Twitter @ecostoreusa

7. Fan ecostore USA on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ecostoreusa

Remember, please leave a separate comment for each entry. And please enter only in the ways listed above. I reserve the right to delete comments not adhering to the above entry guidelines.

You must be 18+ years old & live in the USA. The last day to enter is 2/13/2010.

My thanks to ecostore USA for allowing me to review their products.

As required by the FTC: I received samples of their products in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

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Book review: Arcadia Falls by Carol Goodman


Book Title: Arcadia Falls
Author: Carol Goodman
Genre: Fiction, Mystery
ISBN: 978-0-345-49753-6
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Suggested Retail Price: $25.00

From the book: 

In debt after her husband's unexpected death, Meg Rosenthal secures a job as a teacher at an upstate New York boarding school.  Leaving suburban Long Island, Meg and her teenage daughter, Sally, embark on a new life in Arcadia Falls, a beautiful but isolated small town and the inspiration for a number of magically eerie fairy tales.  With a hurtful rift growing between her and her daughter, Meg is hopeful that the change of scene will provide them with a fresh start.  But it soon becomes clear to Meg that this isolated community hides deeply rooted and deadly secrets.  And after a mysterious death, Arcadia Falls begins to reveal a disturbing dark side.

*****************

I'd never read a Carol Goodman book before so I wasn't sure what to expect starting this book.  I have to say that I really enjoyed it!   Meg is a totally believable mom with a teenage daughter that reminds me a lot of my daughter.  They move to an artsy private boarding school where Meg takes a job teaching at the school loacated in a small rural community in Upstate New York that reminds me of the town I live in.

Meg is familiar with the town because of an old fairy tale called The Changeling Girl that she used to tell her daughter when she was younger.  This fairy tale totally captivated me!  The fairy tale is woven in and out throughout the book.  Soon there is a mysterious death at the boarding school and Meg is drawn into the dark secrets surrounding the school when she finds an old journal.

I won't give away any more of the story because I know you'll want to read it!  I really enjoyed Carol Goodman's style of writing.  It was so hard for me to put the book down that dinner was noticabely late one night because I just had to find out what happened!

I'll leave you with this little teaser from the fairy tale:

There once was a girl who liked to pretend she was lost until the day she really lost her way--. In the old orchard and pretend the trees were gnomes on crutches marching through the mire....."
Arcadia Falls can be purchased from Amazon.  It's available starting March 9th, 2010.

My thanks to Ballantine Books & Carol Goodman for allowing me to review this book.

As required by the FTC: I received one copy of this book in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.




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Mailbox Destruction!

It happened again! If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll know that we live on a dirt road in a rural area. We have a mailbox across from our driveway. Each year, at least TWICE a year, someone either backs into it or the snowplow knocks it over or some kid in a car thinks it's going to be loads of fun to wack it with a baseball bat!

Thankfully this time it's not totally knocked down. It just has a tilt to it. It may be salvagable but I can't tell until the snow melts and I see how badly the post is cracked. I am seriously considering having a wall mount mailbox instead. Wall mounted mailboxes attach to the side of your house so I wouldn't have to worry about anyone hitting it any more.

I think wall mount mailboxes also offer greater security than a mailbox that's across the street from my house.  It would be a lot harder for someone to steal something out of a house mailbox because they'd have to come a lot closer to my front door to get to it.  I'm sure I'd hear them because they'd have to actually park their car and walk up the driveaway instead of just driving by.

What do you think?

Brought to you by your friends at mailboxixchange.com.



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My herb garden

I love my herb garden.  It's a smallish brick lined garden in my back yard and a border around our house.  Currently it's covered by snow but eventually spring will come and I'll be able to get back into it to garden some more. Right now I have a variety of herbs including thyme, walking onions, comfrey, peppermint, chocolate mint, sage, catmint, oregano, etc.  I plan on adding a big pot of basil which is an annual so I need to start it again each spring.  I prefer to keep my annuals in planters because it's easier for me to work with them. 

I got some rosemary sprigs from an online friend.  Thanks, Pat!  I would love to be able to grow rosemary outside but it won't overwinter here in Vermont. I'm seriously considering trying to grow it inside in an indoor planter but I'm not sure I get enough sunlight.  My parents have theirs in an outdoor planter that they move inside each winter but they get a lot more sunlight at their home than I do.
I'd really love to add on some window boxes to the front of the house to grow some lower growing annuals.  I think pansies would look really pretty and I could put in something like curly parsley between them too so they'd be pretty and functional.

Now I just need the snow to melt!  Anyone have some nice 70 degree weather they'd like to send up to Vermont?

Brought to you by your friends at eplanters.com.

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February 5, 2010

Come play with Rainbow Brite! Giveaway & 4 new mini episodes!


Chances are if you're my age (and no I'm not telling), you remember Rainbrow Brite from your childhood. Did you know that Rainbow Brite has a fun website with free games and videos that you can share with your child?

Share the fun by visiting Rainbow Brite online at http://www.rainbowbrite.com/ to view four (4) new Rainbow Brite animated mini episodes.  Join Rainbow Brite, her two loyal friends Moonglow and Tickled Pink, and their companion horse friends: Starlite, Shimmer and Sunriser on their adventures through Rainbow Land.
Even more exciting, the newest Rainbow Brite fashion doll collection is now available at Target stores and will be coming to Toys R' Us in February 2010.


I have been given ten (10) activity CDs containing games, puzzles, the theme song and much more to share! I'll be handing out five (5) locally and passing on five (5) to five people who follow my blog and leave a comment here!

That's all you need to do.  Follow my blog. Leave a comment  I'll choose five winners on 2/12/2010 to share the Rainbow Brite activity CDs with.



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Review: SweetLeaf Stevia Sweetener



Marty is diabetic and I'm trying to loose weight so we both need to watch our sugar intake.  Neither of us feels comfortable using the artificial sweeteners on the market right now.  I just don't want all those chemicals and artificial things in my food!

SweetLeaf All Natural Zero Calories SteviaPlus, 100 Packets, 3.5 Ounce Boxes (Pack of 2)

Thankfully, I found SweetLeaf Sweetener.   SweetLeaf Sweetener has zero calories, zero carbs and zero glycemic index and it's 100% natural.  Made from the highest quality stevia grown in the nutrient rich soil of South America, SweetLeaf Sweetener processes stevia leaves using only cool, purified water to isolate rebaudioside A and other glycosides, the sweetest parts of the plant.  Unlike other stevia products, no chemicals or solvents are used in processing.

SweetLeaf SteviaClear Liquid Stevia, 4-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 2)

 
SweetLeaf Sweetener comes in handy packets and SteviaTabs for people on the go.  I just toss a few in my pocket book and take it with me to use in coffee, beverages, yogurt or anywhere else I want a touch of sweetness.  SweetLeaf Sweetener also offers Flavored Liquid Stevia.  SweetLeaft Flavored Liquid Stevia can change a boring bottle of water or other beverage into a flavorful, healthier experience!  They have fourteen different flavors so you can experiment by mixing the flavors to create your own unique creations!  A few of their flavors are Chocolate Raspberry, English Toffee, Hazelnut and Valencia Orange!  Oh how yummy that would be in my coffee!

SweetLeaf Sweetener also has a recipe section so if you want to replace more of the sugar in your diet with SweetLeaf Sweetener you can take a look at all the great recipes!

To find a store near you that carries SweetLeaf Sweetener, you can take a look at their store locator. Or SweetLeaf Sweetener can be purchased at Amazon:
















My thanks to SweetLeaf for allowing me to review their product.

As required by the FTC:  I received samples of this product in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.



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Free Exclusive Cheap Trick Music Download


The Audi A3 TDI has been named 2010 Green Car of the Year as Awarded by the Green Car Journal. The Audi A3 TDI gets 42 highway miles per gallon and has 31% fewer carbon dioxide emissions than comparable gasoline engines.

Audi is giving their Facebook fans an exlusive opportunity to view the "Green Car" TV spot that will be aired during the Superbowl on Sunday, February 7.  Fans will be pleased to know that Cheap Trick went back to the studio to re-record their hit "Dream Police" and renamed it "Green Police".  This new limited release song will be aired during the Green Car Superbowl commercial.


You can download a free copy of Green Police by becoming a fan of Audi on Facebook!  Go green and get your free download of Cheap Trick's "Green Police" by going here http://bit.ly/GPfacebook.



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February 4, 2010

The winner of my book giveaway for Complicit is

Nickolay said...
What a awesome sounding book. I really want to read this. Thanks for the chance

I am emailing the winner now. He has 48 hours to respond to my email or I will choose another winner.

Thanks for entering & please enter my other contests.

Complicit can be purchased from Amazon:
















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The winner of my Perricone Cold Plasma giveaway is

Wanda said...
Following perriconemd on Twitter as TantaDesChiens.

I am contacting the winner now. She has 48 hours to respond to my email or I will choose another winner.

Thanks for entering & please enter my other contests!

Perricone MD Cold Plasma can be purchased from Amazon:


















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The winner of my Snorg T-shirt giveaway is

April said...
I just added you on facebook

I am emailing the winner now. She has 48 hours to respond or I will choose another winner. Thanks for entering & please enter my other contests!


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DVD Review: America's Living Constitution

America's Living Constitution: An Oral Presentation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights
America's Living Constitution: An Oral Presentation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights is a 53 minute long educational documentary (plus special features). The narrators, Dave Kuprianiak and Beth Wernick read aloud the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.

The DVD includes readings of both historical documents as well as all the additinal amendments. Each section is completely indexed and contains a bonus feature containing a slideshow of many beautiful monuments throughout our nation. While the speakers are narrating the documents, the document itself is shown on the screen and scrolls slowly as the narrator progresses through the reading.

Because the documents are read word for word, this DVD would probably be best viewed by older children or adults. The only thing on the screen during the narration is the document itself so some children may have problems paying attention to the entire narration.

I think the program would have been more interesting had the narrators explained some of the more complicated wording after each article or section. That might have made it more interesting and captivating for younger children to watch as well.

The bonus feature is a silent slideshow of photographs such as the Jefferson Memorial, Library of Congress, Lincoln Memorial, Navy Memorial, Smithsonian Building, Washington Monument and other important national landmarks. Again, this might have been more captivating for younger children had there been some narration.

America's Living Constitution is a great learning aid for parents who want to introduce their children to these important documents or for anyone who wants to brush up on their knowledge of the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.

America's Living Constitution: An Oral Presentation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights was declared on DVD January 12th from Infinity Entertainment Group and is not rated.

You can purchase this DVD from Amazon:
















My thanks to Micro Werks for allowing me to review this DVD.

As required by the FTC: I received one copy of this DVD in order to write my review. I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.


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February 3, 2010

Weight Watcher's update

I've been doing Weight Watchers since November and have lost 23.4 pounds so far.  Now that I'm nearing my target weight, the weight loss has been slower each week which is really frustrating.  I know I need to exercise to see larger weight loss but I have a huge problem making myself do it.  Today when I got home from WW, I headed upstairs to the TV/DVD player and put in the WW Get Moving Mix DVD I got weeks ago and never opened.

Weight Watchers - Get Moving Mix 5 Different Workouts

The DVD has five different workouts on it.  I decided to try the Cardio Dance workout.   I didn't have really high hopes since I am not the world's most graceful dancer.  Honestly, I don't dance at all except slow dances and I've never managed to keep up with a dance workout DVD but I figured I'd try.

The beginning started out really simple and was basically just marching in place with some simple arm movements.  It started getting a bit harder with actual dance moves - most of which I failed at miserably but I kept moving at least.  Except for a couple dance moves I couldn't master, I managed the whole 20 minute workout without too many issues.

My goal is to exercise at least one more time before my next WW meeting on Wednesday. I'd like to manage to loose a bit more weight next week.  This week I only lost .4 lbs :( which isn't much at all.  Keep your fingers crossed!

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Sundials as useful garden decorations

I love my gardens.  They're peaceful and relaxing and I love walking through them in the summer and enjoying the birds and flowers and the scents of my herbs.  Last fall I was feeling like something was missing from my gardens but I couldn't figure out what it was. I really wanted some type of garden decoration but I'm not really interested in plastic dwarfs or colored gazing balls.  I wanted something decorative and useful at the same time.


It finally struck me, I really want a sundial right smack dab in the middle of my herb garden!   I don't want just any sundial.  I really want a stainless steel sundial that will reflect the light and last a long time.  Stainless steel is weatherproof and I don't need to worry about it fading or chipping or cracking like other materials. Blomus stainless steel sundials are beautiful and functional.

Sundials are the oldest known time telling device (the shadow stick).  You don't need batteries or electricity to tell what time it is with a sundial.  As the sun moves through the sky, the sundial tracks the time based on the length of the shadow on the shadow stick.  Best of all, this Blomus Stainless Steel Sundial is 15% off right now!

Brought to you by your friends at Blomus Stainless Steel.

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Spice DIS-Organization!

This morning while fumbling around for my cup of coffee, I opened the cupboard above the coffee maker and several of my spice jars came tumbling down off the shelf and almost knocked my coffee on the ground. I seriously need a new system to organize my spices!

I've been doing some searching online trying to find a nice quality wooden spice rack that I really like and I found a JK Adams Spice Rack that I really love!  This one is the 48 bottle carousel maple wood spice rack.  Today JK Adams is offering free shipping on this spice rack!!


I love that the JK Adams Spice Rack is so compact.  All the jars fit together in one spot out of the way.  You can see through the jars to see what's inside and the names of the spices can be clearly displayed on the outside of the lid.  The spice rack is made out of maple which is really nice and will last a long time.  The JK Adams Spice Rack holds 48 spice jars which is ideal for me because we use a lot of herbs that I dry from our herb garden.

This post is brought to you by your friends at JK Adams.


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Review: Katz Gluten Free baked goods


We've had a really hard time finding baked goods that the children enjoyed now that they are gluten intolerant. They just don't like the taste and texture of most of the gluten free baked goods they've tried.

We recently found Katz Gluten Free baked goods (located in Monroe, NY) and I am so thrilled that we did!   Katz Gluten Free offers a very wide variety of yummy gluten free baked goods.  Their baked goods include challah/bread, cake, cookies, muffins, rugelech, pizza crust, farfel, kugel and bread crumbs!  All of their products are not only gluten free but dairy free and nut free!

Their state of the art facility has been certified gluten-free by the gluten free certification organization.  Their challah rolls have surpassed the competition and made them the proud winners of the "Best Baked Goods" Award in the breads, grains and cereals category at the prestigious Kosherfest '08 new products competition held in NYC.

I have to tell you, their rugelech is to die for!  I love my baked goods and this is some of the best rugelech I've tasted.  The kids actually asked me if I was sure this was gluten free because it tasted so good.  It's wonderfully flaky and has an amazing taste!


Their breads are soft and fluffy and certainly not what I was expecting from gluten free bread.  Most gf bread has a sort of different texture to it but these breads are amazing!  They don't even crumble which is unusual for gluten free baked goods!

Katz Gluten Free products can be purchased online directly from their website or you can use their store locator to find a store near you.  They can also be purchased from Amazon.



My thanks to Katz Gluten Free for allowing me to review their products.

As required by the FTC: I received samples of their products in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.


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The winner of my Mixes from the Heartland Giveaway is

Cheryl said...
The Cheeseberger Pie and Taco Skillet Meal both look good. I'm already a follower.

Cheryl

I am emailing the winner now. She has 48 hours to respond or I will choose another winner. Thanks for entering and please enter my other contests!

Mixes from the Heartland can be purchased from Amazon:

















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Review: Amelia's Organic Legwear

Amelia's Organic cotton socks are made right here in the United States of America not in a sweatshop in a third world country somewhere.  They're made out of certified organic combed cotton for an ultra soft feel.

All white organic women’s socks are processed using environmentally safe non-chlorine bleach. Chlorine bleach leaves salt residue in the wastewater that is toxic to fish. Their non-chlorine process leaves no toxic by-products. All organic women’s socks of color are processed using environmentally safe non-metallic dyestuffs. Even with the packaging, they have the environment in mind. The paper for the packaging and plastic for the hook contain recycled materials.



Amelia's Organic Legwear offers a variety of styles of legwear for women from crew socks to knee highs to low cut socks. You can see the variety of organic legwear they offer at their website.

I was very impressed with the quality of the legwear offered by Amelia's Organic Legwear.  The socks are soft and fit very comfortably.  They stay up well but are not binding at all.  I love that I can be stylish and organic at the same time!
My thanks to Amelia's Organic Legwear for allowing me to review their product.

As required by the FTC:  I received samples of the products in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

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