Quest For Zhu -- The New Zhu Zhu Pet Movie!!

We love ZhuZhu pets, seriously there are more squeaky little hamsters with attitude running around my house than there are children! So naturally, when we were given the opportunity to get the movie and have a little premier party, my kids were ecstatic!!

Synopsis of Quest For Zhu:
The heartwarming tale of four lively young teens (who just happen to be hamsters) on a quest to find the Palace of Zhu, where they believe all their dreams will come true. Join the feisty and lovable Pipsqueak as she gets swept away to the other side of the Zhuniverse. On her adventure, she befriends Chunk, Num Nums and Mr. Squiggles, and when they arrive at the Palace of Zhu, they realize it is just the beginning of their remarkable journey. A mean-spirited and controlling reptilian creature, Mezhula, tries to stand in the way of making all of their dreams come true but, by working together, our true Zhu heroes save the day! Pipsqueak realizes she already had everything she ever dreamed of and all she really wants is to find a way back home.

For our party we were sent a copy of the DVD The Quest For Zhu, some limited-edition figurines, posters, twizzlers, and some fun themed recipes and games. We decided that we were going to have "Pipsqueaks Pizza Bar" at our party, and we each got to make our own pizza -- ok, the kids each got to make their own half! It was fun!!

We also made "Quest For Zhu Kettle Corn" and that went over very well, with us all!!! It was a great treat while we were enjoying the movie!

The kids and I had a couple friends over and everyone enjoyed the movie! The kids who were watching the movie ranged in age from about 2 to 6. A couple parts of the movie could be considered "scary" if you have a fairly sensitive child, but overall it was a great family friendly movie. There is a great theme to the movie -- the power is inside of you! Throughout The Quest For Zhu the hampsters, Pipsqueak, Chunk, Num Nums, and Mr. Squiggles learn some valuable lessons while having fun. A couple of times in the movie there are some songs, which my kids are very into! The music videos can be found on the menu at the end of the movie as well.

One of my daughter's favorite things about The Quest For Zhu is the music videos - she likes to dance along with the "hams." I think it's super cute!! Here is Emily's thoughts that she would like to share on The Quest For Zhu:


This movie comes out on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 (tomorrow!!)
I am sure that you will be able to find it at your favorite store, or you can preorder/order it from Amazon now! If you have little kids or any zhu-natics(!) this would definitely be a great movie for you....or a great Christmas gift!


Disclosure: I was sent a movie party pack and received products for free to host this party. All opinions are mine/ours.

Thank you for stopping by, have a blessed day!!

Safeway & Betty Crocker Holiday Cookies {{Review & Giveaway}}

I love to bake, especially when it is something that my girls can help with!

We have a ton of cookie cutters and have wanted to be able to use them. Unfortunately, I have not had much success with sugar cookie recipes.

I was sent a holiday cookie exchange package from My Blog Spark which included Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie mix, a set of Glad deep dish containers, and a $25 Safeway gift card. I was pretty excited to try the sugar cookie mix! After some discussion, my daughters decided that we should make thumbprint cookies with the mix -- the recipe/directions are on the package.

It was so easy and so much fun. This was definitely something that we could all do together (myself, a 4 year old and a 2 year old) each step of the way. The cookies turned out great and it was so simple!
I haven't used a mix in a long time to make cookies, but using the Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix eliminated all of the measuring and a lot of the mess that comes with baking without taking the fun away. Now that we have made the thumbprint cookies, and had a good time (and built up a little trust with Betty Crocker mixes, lol) we will be going back to Safeway with our gift card to purchase another pack and try our luck with the cookie cutters!! The gladware is perfect for storing the cookies, as it holds a lot and is air tight.

Everything that you need to have a fun baking day can be found at Safeway!! And My Blog Spark, Betty Crocker, Gladware, and Safeway have graciously offered to give one lucky reader the same package that I received!!

This giveaway will close on Jan 28, 2011 - just in time for some Valentine's Day baking! Open to legal residents of the USA who are 18+ years old!

To be entered to win you must follow this blog publicly through GFC - you can do that on the right sidebar!

Mandatory Entry: leave one comment with this entry

Tell me for what occasion do you enjoy baking.

Extra Entries: leave one comment per entry

**Subscribe to my blog by email, only confirmed subscriptions count! (Right side bar)

**"like" my blog page on facebook (you can do this on the right side bar)

**like Betty Crocker on facebook

**like Safeway on facebook

**like Glad's Glad to Give page on facebook

**Follow me on twitter AND tweet about this giveaway including a link. Here is a sample tweet you may use: #Win a @BettyCrocker cookie mix #giveaway w/ $25 @Safeway GC from @tinymansmom & #MyBlogSpark ends 1/28 http://tiny.cc/bettycrocker

**Share this giveaway anywhere else, and leave a link to it. If you are sharing by email cc tinymansmom@sbcglobal.net when you send the email.

GOOD LUCK!!

Disclosure: The information, prize pack and giveaway have all been provided by Safeway, Betty Crocker and Gladware through MyBlogSpark. The opinions expressed are my own and are honest.

Tassimo Hot Beverage System

There is a new Tassimo machine out -- the T20!
If you don't know what the Tassimo is, check out the review I did of a previous model last year. It is single cup beverage maker - cappuccino, latte, espresso, cocoa, it does it all!
The new one is awesome, it has all the power and capabilities as the tassimo I reviewed last year, but is a sleeker, smaller, more "counter space friendly" model!! I received one on Friday to review and will have that up in the next few days. And guess what --- I will be giving one away on here too!! So keep your eye out for that in the next week or so.

Tiny Prints Christmas Cards {{{Review}}}

Absolutely Amazing.

I love photos, so it is no surprise that I love photo cards.
But, I have never seen any like some of the ones TinyPrints.com offers. There is a huge selection of holiday photo cards that vary from simple to unique and elegant. I had a hard time selecting one, as there are so many designs that I loved! I ended up ordering the Floral Twist card in Black.

This is the front of the card! - A family picture from the Monterey Bay Aquarium in October.

This is back of the card - the girls!

This is what the card looks like when it is folded into the square!

I think that they came out pretty nice. The only complaint that I have with this design is that I wish I would have known that the picture that would be framed when folded is the inside picture - it would have changed the order I put the pictures in.

Creating your photo cards is very pleasant and easy. You are given the option of uploading pictures from your computer or even importing photos from your facebook, flickr, picasa and other photo sharing accounts -- awesome!! Once your photos are uploaded you can zoom, change them from color to sepia to black and white, you get to see a wide variety of options so that you are sure you are creating the most pleasing photo card.

Once you submit your order you can get proofs emailed to you - for free. The designer that is working on your card will also let you know if there are any issues such as having grainy photos or anything like that. You are given the option to change anything on your card or go ahead and place the order. I love that there is someone who is working with you to make sure you are getting the best quality possible! Great customer service!!

Another plus is that the cards ship pretty fast. I had my cards in under a week of ordering them, with standard shipping.

Aside from what I already said about the order of the photos, the only other complaint I have is that the cards have a noticeable "ad" on them with tiny prints, their logo, and website. The cards are not cheap, they are good quality and therefore are a little more expensive - not too expensive, but they cost enough that I don't think they should be "branded."

Disclosure: I was given 75 free holiday cards to furnish this review. The opinions stated are my own and are honest!

Mend Mark: The Mark Of Love --Bracelet-- {{{Review & Giveaway}}}

I absolutely love this bracelet! Everything from the unique design, to the inscriptions, to the story behind it is amazing.

Mend Mark, The Mark of Love 

The Mend Mark is an innovative and distinctive bracelet that is designed to reflect the scars and nail holes of Jesus. By bringing the story of Jesus’ life and death to constant awareness by wearing a bracelet, Mend Mark is meant to powerfully remind wearers of the ultimate act of love Jesus made for all of humankind.

The Mend Mark is meant to inspire and motivate wearers to live a life of service. Harrison strives to bring people together around the simplicity and power of love as lived by Jesus. But this is no example of passive love. The Mend Mark calls individuals in all walks of life to love with a profound sincerity and commitment great enough to change a neighborhood, a community, a world.

Unique in its design, the Mend Mark is sure to be noticed and gives wearers an opportunity to share the story of the profound love of Jesus for each and every person.

My Review:

Like I said, I love this bracelet. The first thing that I noticed when we received our Mend Mark, The Mark of Love bracelet was the wording on the back of the box:

{REMEMBER LOVE}

if we stop remembering, then we forget

------

there once lived a king

who laid his entire life down for his people

this selfless act became the greatest love example of all time

remember the sacrifice

emulate the emotion

change the world

WOW, right!?! A wonderful message of love and an almost convicting reminder to emulate it. Jesus did show us and tell us many times through the Bible that loving each other is one of the most important things we can do.  

On the bracelet are the words REMEMBER and LOVE. As you can see from the picture below, the bracelet is made to be pretty thin and unnoticeable as far as the band, with bold circles reflective of a hole where a nail was driven through Jesus. It is most definitely a noticeable piece, and people have asked about it opening up an opportunity to share the love and sacrifice of Jesus for our salvation.

For me, any product that opens doors for a talk about salvation gets a 5 star rating!!

 The only thing that I take issue with is that according to the Bible (as far as I read and understand it) Jesus was mailed through the hand, not the wrist. That being said, this bracelet is a reflection that makes you thing of Him being nailed to the cross -- and I think that it is a great representation.

If you would like to buy a Mend Mark: The Mark of Love bracelet, you can order them online for $9.99 on the Mend Mark website A portion of each bracelet sold goes to support Living Waters International, providing clean water to communities that need it.

Hunter Harrison, creator of the Mend Mark, has generously provided an extra bracelet for a lucky Proverbs 31 Mommy & Wife reader!! 

GIVEAWAY RULES
Open until 11/26/10 at 9 P.M. PST
**Please always include a valid email address in your comments if one is not visible in your blogger profile, or I will be unable to contact you!**Leave a separate comment for each entry you are completing

MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed for any extra entries to count):
Tell me why you’d like to have The Mark of Love.

EXTRA ENTRY OPPORTUNITIES:
**Like Mend Mark on Facebook, tell them you heard about them from Proverbs 31 Mommy & Wife - leave part of your FB name in your entry/comment  (2 entries)
**Follow Mend Mark on Twitter leave your twitter name (2 entries)
**Follow my blog publicly through Google Friend Connect or through Facebook's Networked Blogs leave your name (2 entries each)
**Subscribe to email updates in the top left sidebar leave your email address -only activated subscriptions count so be sure to confirm your subscription with the email they will send you (3 entries)
**Follow me on twitter leave your twitter name (2 entries)
**Friend me on Facebook leave part of your FB name (2 entries)
**Tweet about this giveaway, Share it on your FB wall, link it in a giveaway linky, etc - leave the URL (2 entries each, daily)
**Blog about this giveaway and link it back here – 5 entries
**Enter my other giveaways – 1 entry each

Open to legal residents of the USA, age 18+ only. Winner will be chosen based on the random integer generator at random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send them before a new winner is chosen.

Disclaimer: I was sent a product free of charge in exchange for this review. The opinions are my own and are honest.

Nacho Mama Tees {{{Review & Giveaway}}}

When I first heard the name on this store, I wanted to check it out - Nacho Mama Tees.

It peaks your interest, right?

NachoMama Tees has a large variety of t-shirts - some thing for everyone! They have vintage tees with things like Ghost Busters, The A Team, and more. There are shirts for guys and shirts for gals. Really, there is something for every body.

I received this shirt for my husband:

REVIEW:

Honestly, I was surprised with the quality of the shirt. They are not very expensive, so I was expecting something like a light- to medium-weight cotton. This shirt is a heavy-weight cotton, it's soft and very comfortable. The shirt did shrink a little bit when it was washed, so if you are teetering between sizes, I would recommend getting the bigger size, but if not the size you normally wear would be perfect.

NachoMama Tees was easy to navigate, loaded fast, and has a lot of search options - vintage, funny, girls, etc. Ordering and shipping was fast and easy. There is a "Daily Deal" tab where each day a new shirt is on sale for only $6.99!!

GIVEAWAY:

NachoMama Tees has graciously offered one Proverbs 31 Mommy & Wife reader an opportunity to win a t-shirt of their choice ($19.99 or less)!!!

In order to be eligible to win this giveaway, you must be 18 years or older and live in the USA. Please leave your email address in your comments, so that I can contact you if you win. Contest closes at 9 PM PST on Nov 19, 2010. Winner will be chosen by Random.org. I will verify the winning entry and then notify the winner, who then has 48 hours to send me their info or a new winner will be chosen.
GOOD LUCK!!

Mandatory Entry: Go to NachoMama Tees and pick out the shirt you would like to win and leave the URL to it in the comments!!!

Extra Entries:

**Like CrazyDog T-Shirts on Facebook  leave part of your FB name (BTW, they give you a $5 coupon code for liking them) (2 entries)

**Follow CrazyDog TShirts on Twitter leave your twitter name (2 entries)

**Follow my blog publicly through Google Friend Connect or through Facebook's Networked Blogs leave your name (2 entries each)

**Subscribe to email updates in the top left sidebar leave your email address -only activated subscriptions count so be sure to confirm your subscription with the email they will send you (3 entries)

**Follow me on twitter leave your twitter name (2 entries)

**Friend me on Facebook leave part of your FB name (2 entries)

**Tweet about this giveaway, Share it on your FB wall, link it in a giveaway linky, etc - leave the URL (2 entries each, daily)

Disclaimer: I was send a product in order to review and publish this post. The opinions are mine and are honset. Your experience may differ.

Fun For The Whole Family Hour

Sail Into God’s Great Love With Fun-for-the-Whole-Family Hour

Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX – Group Publishing has set sail on a brand new expedition, where families will embark on an adventure to discover God’s love. In their very first Fun-for-the-Whole-Family Hour event, Group partners with Walden Media and 20th Century Fox, using scenes from the new Narnia movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Fun-for-the-Whole-Family Hour combines eye-opening discussions and upbeat music with the thrilling adventure of Narnia in an experience that connects all ages with each other and with God.

Fun-for-the-Whole-Family Hour is one action-packed hour where participants will discuss never-before-seen clips from the movie, listen to music, watch a skit, and grow in their faith. Participants will divide into family groups of no more than five. Each group is given their own expedition pack, which contains an interactive expedition map that uses water to reveal hidden messages, guiding each family to look at God’s transforming love in a whole new way. It also includes a CD with all the music so families can continue their adventure at home. Clips from the Narnia movie will help them explore how God’s love changes us. Fun-for-the-Whole-Family Hour makes reaching families easier than ever.

Fun-for-the-Whole-Family Hour is flexible, easy to implement, and a great value. Everything you need to get started is in the Leader Pack, which includes:
· Leader Guide

· DVD containing a promotional video and clips from The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

· CD containing clip art, publicity helps, drama script, and PowerPoint song lyrics slides

· Family Expedition Pack (sample)
· Publicity Poster (sample)

Fun-for-the-Whole-Family Hour came out of a desire to let families share in simple, life-changing experiences like the ones kids explore at Group’s vacation Bible school. “In Group’s many years of ministry experience, we’ve seen families connect in unique ways during VBS,” according to Group’s Shannon Velasquez. “Fun-for-the-Whole-Family Hour brings families together for laughter, drama, and music, creating a starting point for family faith-building conversations.”

Group has a reputation of being hands-on in growing children’s relationships with Christ, and this new product does not disappoint. Nothing fires you up like seeing kids “get it” as you teach…and seeing the children you serve grow closer to God. This practical, time-saving resource makes that happen.

Fun-for-the-Whole-Family Hour Leader Pack—ISBN 978-0-7644-4288-9/$19.99
Fun-for-the-Whole-Family Hour Family Expedition Pack—ISBN 978-0-7644-4289-6/$5.99

Fun-for-the-Whole-Family Hour Publicity Poster Pack—ISBN 978-0-7644-4287-2/$9.99

Group Publishing, August 2010

For more product information, visit familyhour.group.com.

MY REVIEW

Fun for the Whole Family Hour is a great way to get families to spend time together learning or and discussing the love of God. I especially love that it is family focused. There are a lot of different activities to participate in at church - VBS, women's Bible study, men's Bible study, and stuff like that but this is unique in that it is for the whole family - I really like that!! The material is written in a way that is great and easy for children to understand but not too dulled down that it will lose the adults attention. We enjoyed it. This is definately something that we would participate in if our church ever decided to do.

Disclosure: I was sent a Leader's Pack for review purposes from The B&B Media Group. This review is my honest opinion.


Out of curiousity, would you be interested in attending a family even such as this at your church?

I'm back!

Ok, I am back. Sorry it has been so long since I last updated my blog, it has just been crazy around here! So, I have a few things to tell you, grab a cup of coffee or tea, and spend a few minutes with me!

*I hope that each of you had a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends. We had a great Christmas. On Christmas morning we spent time with my husband's parents and his brother (Blake) and sister-in-law (Angela). It was great. Last year we were not able to spend with Blake and Angela, so this year felt even more blessed, it was wonderful to have them back "home"! Later, Christmas afternoon, my mom came over and we visited for a bit and had dinner - it was YUMMY!


*Last Tuesday afternoon, Emily started to get a bit sick. She had gone out in the snow and played, had a good time - came inside and had a tea party with her sister and Uncle Blake, then started vomiting...yay! (Sarcasm anyone?) Tuesday evening Emily was having a terrible time breathing and was HOT. We gave her an albuterol treatment and decided not to take her to the ER, but to get her to the doctor first thing in the morning. To make a long story short, the doctor was worried about her oxygen saturation levels and her labored breathing. He gave her a bunch of medication - antibiotics, steroid syrup, albuterol, and some steroid that goes into the nebulizer. He scared the heck out of me by saying that if she wasn't breathing BETTER in just a few hours that she would have to be hospitalized for a night or two...Christmas Eve and Christmas? No bueno. Thank God, the medication is working wonders on her, but the steroids turn her into a raging lunatic! Any prayers for her would be appriciated!

*I am feeling much better, the nausea comes and goes, but thankfully it goes away for a while at a time! I have my doctor's appointment in a couple of hours to find out how far along I am and get an estimated due date...even though they have never been right yet!!!

*I miss my family who is not here. A lot. I wish that I, sometimes, had really long arms so that I could hug everyone! So for those of you who are not close enough to get a hug from me, please hug yourself or someone you love and imagine a hug from me!

*I wish you all a very safe New Year. We will probably be at church - we are having worship, word, fun, and games! But I am not yet set on going, I think it would be just as easy to stay home so that we didn't have to drive after 12 with all the people who have been out drinking...still praying about it.

Thanks for taking a minute to catch up with me. I will have more for you later.
I just posted a giveaway for Anti-Monkey Butt Powder and am soon to post a review & giveaway of Pre-Histin, a natural allergy product; a giveaway of eCover; and a review of a Tassimo Hot Beverage System!!!

Kidorable **Review & Giveaway**

Emily was sent the most beautiful raincoat and rain boot set that I have ever seen! Kidorable is an adorable company with much more than raincoats and boots!

They have umbrellas, backpacks, knit hats, hanger sets, and more! Each of the product lines have beautiful, creative styles - from butterfly, mermaid, fairy, ladybug, to dinosaur, fireman, frog, pirate, and more! The kidorable products are so stylish and fun that Emily had a really hard time picking which was her favorite! They make rainy days beautiful, hanging up clothes fun, they even have bookends that can brighten up the shelf!!
This is an amazing company!
The products that we were sent are great quality and will definitely be able to be passed down to Natalie.
One thing that I thought was great about Kidorable is that they also have a "My First" collection, so if you have a little baby, like a year or so old, they have a line of firsts - first raincoat, first rain boots. So if you have a little one with an older sibling, they can both be stylish in the rain!!
Kidorable also has a Facebook Fan Page where there is usually something fun going on and a twitter account.

You can view and purchase any of the kidorable products on their website.

The people at Kidorable have generously offered a Proverbs 31 Mommy & Wife reader a chance to win an umbrella of your choice! There are a lot of really cute ones, so it might be hard to decide!!

GIVEAWAY RULES - Starts now and ends Monday, 12/7 at 12 NOON, PST
**Please always include a valid email address in your comments if one is not visible in your blogger profile, or I will be unable to contact you!**
Leave a separate comment for each entry you are completing
MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed for any extra entries to count): Go to the Kidorable website and check out the umbrellas and come back and tell me which one you would want if you win, chose carefully as this will be your prize!!
EXTRA ENTRIES (worth one extra entry unless noted otherwise):
• Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
• Follow through Face Book’s Networked blogs (left sidebar)
• Subscribe to email updates (only activated subscriptions count) 2 entries
• Fan Kidorable's Face book Fan Page and write on their wall letting them know that you are coming over from Proverbs 31 Mommy & Wife
• Follow Kidorable on twitter
• Grab my button or add me to your blog roll 3 entries
• Follow me on twitter & tweet this giveaway, including URL – 1 entry daily
• Blog about this giveaway and link it back here 5 entries
• Enter my other giveaways – 1 entry each
• Comment on any non-giveaway post – 1 each


Open to legal residents of the USA, age 18+ only. Winner will be chosen 12 NOON PST on 12/7. Winner is picked based on the random integer generator at random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send them before a new winner is chosen.

IBW Interactive books - **Review and Giveaway**

IBW Interactive books are tons of fun! They are very age-appropriate and entertaining for children. It is really a neat concept, each of their books has a web address at the end of each chapter. After your child, or you and your child, read each chapter, you get on the Internet and go to the address given. Each web scene is a short animation that corresponds to the chapter that was just read.
We were sent one book from the KA Reader series and one book from the Busy Preschoolers series.
My oldest daughter will be 3 on December 6 and she absolutely enjoyed each of these books. She loved the webscenes from the KA Reader book, and the story. She was able to connect the chapters with the pictures and tell me information about the pictures that came from the book.
The Busy Preschooler book was wonderful!! There is an activity for each letter, they are simple yet fun and educational. There is also a webscene for each letter, and an ABC-TRACE. The ABC TRACE really got Emily's attention because she is into learning letters right now. The ABC TRACE has little "tracer pacers" at each touch point of the letter. The child uses the mouse to click and drag, as if they were writing the letter.
I have a video of Emily doing the "H" activity, but am having trouble getting it to upload. :( I will figure it out, and when I do, I will post it too!
So that you can get the idea, I am going to tell you briefly about the activity and will give you the address of the webscene: The activity was a riddle where the child had to guess what body part was being talked about, they had to act out the phrases as you read them (ex. It can count and clap and wave) and at the end guess what it was - hands! Here is the webscene, at the bottom is the link to the ABC TRACER.

IBW Books has very generously offered one of you lucky readers the opportunity to win your own interactive books! You will be able to chose from the following prizes:

The Busy Preschooler’s Guide to Learning – fun activities built around the 26 letters of the alphabet, with step-by-step help to guide parents in how to use everyday situations to teach 105 skills their kids need before they walk in the kindergarten door.

~~OR~~

THREE (3) KA Readers – beginning readers that use a new kind of storytelling where kids see an animation unfold at the close of every chapter! Dr. Seuss-like rhyming hooks kids on the fun of words. Online activities help parents assess a child’s reading and comprehension.

GIVEAWAY RULES
**Please always include a valid email address in your comments if one is not visible in your blogger profile, or I will be unable to contact you!**
Leave a separate comment for each entry you are completing

MANDATORY ENTRIES – there are 2 (must be completed for any extra entries to count): *Go to IBW books’ website and have a look around, then come back and tell me which of the series’ is your favorite. *Tell me which of the prizes you will want if you win.
EXTRA ENTRIES (worth one extra entry unless noted otherwise):
• Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
• Follow through Face Book’s Networked blogs (left sidebar)
• Subscribe to email updates (only activated subscriptions count) 2 entries
• Grab my button or add me to your blog roll 3 entries
• Follow me on twitter & tweet this giveaway, including URL – 1 entry daily
• Blog about this giveaway and link it back here 5 entries
• Enter my other giveaways – 1 entry each
• Comment on any non-giveaway post – 1 each, 3 maximum

Open to legal residents of the USA, age 18+ only. Winner will be chosen at 12 NOON, PST on 12/09 based on the random integer generator at random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send them before a new winner is chosen.

The Friendship Stone **Review and Giveaway**

I recently came across a wonderful company whose products represent lifelong friendship and positive thinking! Sounds great, right? Not to mention that through this link, feel free to bookmark the site when you get there ;) they donate 20% of sales to Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America! It gets even better, the founders of the company are best friends, and sisters! (I am a succer for close families!) And another 10% is given back to the villages in Africa where the stones originated to help make the villager's lives better!

I was sent this wonderful Friendship Stone. The Tiger's Eye is beautiful! When you look at the stone from different angels, the colors seem to change. In the booklet that came with the stone, there is a story of a mother who gave one of these Friendship Stones to her children. The color changing was explained to the children as representing their power to change their feelings by changing their viewpoint. WOW. Holding the stone in my hand and just rubbing it is very calming, I really enjoy the friendship stone and everything it stands for!
Cathy Raff, the owner/founder of My Stone Company has a heartwarming story of her own, and I would like to share part of it with you. In her first year of college, Cathy was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitus and had a total colectomy (removal of large intestine) on her 21st birthday. Cathy says, "I knew this was really my birthday, as I felt re-born on the day after I awoke from surgery." When Cathy was 31, she she fell in love and got married. After 4 years and 12 unsuccessful IVF treatments, the couple had three children through surrigacy. Through all of the medical challenges that Cathy has been through, she began thinking of her disease as a gift. She began thinking of what was important to her, and the amazing feeling of being pain free! In 2004, the friendship stone journey began when she was on a business trip with her husband to South Africa.
The Friendship Stone has generously offered to give one of my readers a Power of Two - Friendship Stone Gift Pack a $24.95 value. Also, remember that if you purchase a power of two gift pack, 20% of net sales gets donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America - 15% to your local agency and 5% to National, when you order through the BBBSA-TFS site.
GIVEAWAY RULES
**Please always include a valid email address in your comments if one is not visible in your blogger profile, or I will be unable to contact you!**Leave a separate comment for each entry you are completing
MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed for any extra entries to count): Go to The Friendship Stone website and come back and tell me one thing you learned about the company, products, or anything that interested you
EXTRA ENTRIES (worth one extra entry unless noted otherwise):
• Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
• Follow through Face Book’s Networked blogs (left sidebar)
• Subscribe to email updates (only activated subscriptions count) 2 entries
• Grab my button or add me to your blog roll 3 entries
• Follow me on twitter & tweet this giveaway, including URL – 1 entry daily
• Blog about this giveaway and link it back here 5 entries
• Enter my other giveaways – 1 entry each
• Comment on any non-giveaway post – 1 each, 3 maximum


Open to legal residents of the USA, age 18+ only. Winner will be chosen at 12 NOON, PST 12/08 based on the random integer generator at random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send them before a new winner is chosen.

Soft Lips **Review and Giveaway**

One thing that I think every woman loves is to have soft lips! And I might even say that men love it too! ;)
I was fortunate enough to be sent the new winter line of SoftLips Lip Balm with SPF 20 and their new flavors in the PURE line. I have loved SoftLips lip balm for years, and my favorite flavor has ALWAYS been cherry, but with these new winter limited edition flavors, I think that the cherry has some major competition!

The new Winter Limited Edition flavors are: Sugar & Spice, Sugar Plum Berry, Winter Mint and Sugar Cookie. They are all great, but my favorite is the sugar plum berry...what can I say, I am a sweet flavor kind of girl! I really like that all of these amazing flavored lip balms have an SPF 20 to protect your lips while leaving them feeling moist for hours!
The Softlips PURE line is 100% natural and is USDA-certified organic. This line of lip conditioners also expanded with four new flavors: papaya, peppermint, acai berry and chai tea. The PURE line also includes pomegranate, which is my favorite of the line, with Chai Tea coming in close!!
SoftLips is a pretty inexpensive way to protect your lips and indulge at the same time! With prices around $3.69 for a pack of 2 (at drugstore.com) they would also make great stocking stuffers or gifts for the girls and ladies on your list! You can purchase SoftLips lip balms with SPF at most major retailers and drug stores, even some gas stations!
One lucky Proverbs 31 Mommy & Wife reader is going to win their very own set of the new SoftLips Winter Limited Edition flavors!!! How awesome is that?!?!

As if that wasn't enough, SoftLips is currently having their 4th annual Picture Perfect Lips Contest, where the winner will receive $2500 cash and a year's supply of SoftLips, there are also prizes for runners up. You can read about and enter the contest here, even if you don't enter, you can go vote for your favorite set of lips! :)
Also, SoftLips has a Facebook fan page that you can use to stay up to date on the new flavors, great deals, and giveaways - hurry and fan them, when they reach 3200 fans they are giving away the winter line and a cute Dooney & Bourke small, patent-leather cosmetic case!!

GIVEAWAY RULES
**Please always include a valid email address in your comments if one is not visible in your blogger profile, or I will be unable to contact you!**Leave a separate comment for each entry you are completing - Giveaway closes at 12 NOON on 12/4/09!

MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed for any extra entries to count): Go to the SoftLips website and tell me one product they have that you would love to try that I did not mention.
EXTRA ENTRIES (worth one extra entry unless noted otherwise):
• Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
• Follow through Face Book’s Networked blogs (left sidebar)
• Fan the Softlips Facebook Page and mention that Proverbs 31 Mommy & Wife sent you!
• Subscribe to email updates (only activated subscriptions count) 2 entries
• Grab my button or add me to your blog roll 3 entries
• Follow me on twitter & tweet this giveaway, including URL – 1 entry daily
• Blog about this giveaway and link it back here 5 entries
• Enter my other giveaways – 1 entry each
• Comment on any non-giveaway post – 1 each, 3 maximum

Open to legal residents of the USA, age 18+ only. Winner will be chosen based on the random integer generator at random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send them before a new winner is chosen. Good luck to all who enter!

Healthy Mouth - Happy Mouth **Review & Giveaway**

I hate when my mouth gets dry and uncomfortable, I really do hate it. These patches are an all-natural way to prevent that from happening, or to moisten your mouth when it is already dry. Cotton-mouth is what we always called it when our mouths would become incredibly dry, but it is actually called xerostomia, and effects 10% of the population - not counting those who may be taking medications that cause their mouths to dry out. It is easy to apply - it simply sticks in your mouth, either the roof of your mouth or on the inside of your cheek. It then lasts for 2-4 hours. This patch works by releasing ingredients that cause you to salivate - moistening your mouth, and creating a more healthy oral environment.
This product worked great for me!

OraMoist Dry Mouth Patch has been clinically proven effective in terms of increased saliva production and improved feeling of moistness. Suggested retail price is $9.99 for a box of 16 patches; available at Rite Aid, Albertson’s LLC and Raley’s, and online at www.oramoist.com.

Have you ever had a canker sore - a painful blister that forms on the inside of the mouth, cheeks, and inner lips, as well as on the tongue? I have and they are miserable, and can last as long as 7-21 days when untreated! Luckily, I have not had a canker sore lately, so I haven't been able to try Canker Cover, but I am definitely putting these in the medicine chest for the next time... Here is a little bit of information that I was provided with:

Canker Cover is the only over-the-counter canker sore treatment shown in clinical studies to significantly speed treatment. The pill shaped patch adheres to the sore and forms a gel patch that protects the sore, relieves the pain, and speeds treatment. In two separate clinical studies, Canker Cover was shown to heal most canker sores within 24 hours and to be more effective than benzocaine, the active ingredient in most canker sores products, at eliminating pain. No other canker sore products in the world have shown this result.

Canker Cover is also made from natural ingredients including natural menthol, citrus oil and sea salt, which dissolves over time, offering immediate pain relief upon application while covering and protecting the lesion from bacteria and other irritants (e.g., movement, food, drink, orthodontia/dental appliances, etc.) for eight to 12 hours. Canker Cover provides immediate and long-lasting pain relief by steadily releasing pain-numbing menthol and other ingredients on the sore. In most cases, one patch completely treats a canker sore within 24 hours. Suggested retail price is $9.99 for a box of six patches; available at drug stores, supermarkets and health food stores nationwide, and online at www.cankercover.com.

Again, I know that cold sores are not fun. I have never yet had a cold sore, but know plenty of people who have. They say that they hurt, burn, tingle, and obviously are unsightly. They last up to 2 weeks and are extremely contagious. Cold sores are caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (hsv1), unfortunately there is no cure for this virus. So the best thing that cold sore sufferers can hope for is fast healing times, and Lystine+ cut healing time in half, to under four days. Doesn't that sound amazing, completely healed from your cold sore in 3 days??

LIP CLEAR’s unique combination of natural ingredients provides immediate relief from symptomatic burning, itching and tingling upon application. LIP CLEAR Lysine+ is all-natural, has a non-chemical flavor, goes on clear, can be worn under lipstick and doesn’t burn on application. It provides immediate soothing relief of burning and itching.
Suggested retail price is $6.99 for a 7-gram tube; available at drug stores, supermarkets and health food stores nationwide, and online at www.LipClear.com.

One person is going to win a Healthy Mouth, Happy Mouth Package containing all three of these products! For the rest of you, I wanted to let you know that on the respective websites above, each of these products has either a coupon for purchase or a BOGO offer!!

GIVEAWAY RULES
**Please always include a valid email address in your comments if one is not visible in your blogger profile, or I will be unable to contact you!**Leave a separate comment for each entry you are completing

MANDATORY ENTRY (must be completed for any extra entries to count): Tell me which of these products you would like best and what is the closest place to you to get it.

EXTRA ENTRIES (worth one extra entry unless noted otherwise):
• Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
• Follow through Face Book’s Networked blogs (left sidebar)
• Subscribe to email updates (only activated subscriptions count) 2 entries
• Grab my button or add me to your blog roll 3 entries
• Follow me on twitter & tweet this giveaway, including URL – 1 entry daily
• Blog about this giveaway and link it back here 5 entries
• Enter my other giveaways – 1 entry each
• Comment on any non-giveaway post – 1 each, 3 maximum

Open to legal residents of the USA, age 18+ only. Winner will be chosen based on the random integer generator at random.org. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the email I will send them before a new winner is chosen. Giveaway will close 12/4/09 at 12 NOON PST. Good luck!!

MyClyns germ protection spray - review & giveaway!

With it being flu season, and add to that the Swine Flu -N1H1-, I am open for suggestions as to how to keep my family healthy. Of course, hand washing is the number one way to avoid getting and spreading any virus. But is it enough? I do not believe that it is. So when I was approached about reviewing MyClyns, a germ protection spray, I was intrigued. It is a bit uncoventional in its application, but seems to be worth the new routine.

MyClyns is a non-toxic, alcohol-free, non burning spray that kills 99.99% of MRSA and other germs. It is safe to use in the eyes, nose, and mouth - where germs typically enter the body.
To use it, you simply spray the area of the body that is affected: Imagine that you are in a store, doing your Black Friday shopping :) and the person in front of you starts coughing and sneezing, instantly germs fill the air around you. In this instance you would remove the cap and spray the MyClyns on the nose/mouth area of your face, preventing those germs from entering your body. Say that you are shopping and your child puts their mouth on the cart (happens to me a lot) all you have to do then is spray the mouth area on your child.
You might be thinking "WOW, spray them in the face - really?" But as I was reminded, when hand sanitizer first came out the thought of using a thick, sticky, alcohol-based goop was also if-y.
Emily, my "almost 3 year-old" is skiddish about water going in her eyes, and she handles this well. There is no alcohol in it, so there is no burning...it is almost like a game to the kids, and reassuring to me to know that they/we are being protected from more than 60 dangerous germs!

MyClyns is the only germ defense for use in the eyes, nose and mouth – offering protection where you need it most – common entry points for most germs. MyClyns is safe to spray directly onto the face and even into open wounds. It’s safe for people of all ages – even those who wear contact lenses.

One of you lucky readers is going to get your very own spray bottle of MyClyns, a $9.99 value! For those of you who don't win, you can buy yours here or look for it at CVS and other drug stores near you (ARV $7.99-9.99).

Please leave a seperate comment for each thing you do to enter (each is worth one entry unless noted!
Be sure to leave an email address if one is not visible in your blogger profile!
**Mandatory Entry: Go to the MyClyns website and come back and tell me one thing you learned.

**Extra Entries (mandatory entry must be done first):*Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
*Follow through Face Book's Networked blogs (left sidebar)
*Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway
*Tell me of an instance that your family would use the MyClyns germ protection spray
*Sign up for the mailing list on the My Clyns website and come back telling me you did
*Subscribe to email updates, leave the email address you subscribed (2 extra entries)
*Enter to win the set of 4 hardcover childrens' books (before 11/27) and comment telling me you did
*Blog about this giveaway and link it here or email 4 people and CC tinymansmom (at) sbcglobal (dot) net (5 extra entries)
*Comment on any non-giveaway post and tell me the title of that post (1 entry each, up to 2 extra entries)

Giveaway ends 11/27 at 12 NOON PST, and is open to legal US residents who are at least age 18. Winner will be chosen from the random integer generator on random.org. Good luck to all who enter.
I was provided with a sample of this product for review purposes, and the opinions expressed are my own.

Children's Hardcover Books - Pretty Please Press - ***Review and Giveaway***

I was sent a set of four children's hardcover books from Pretty Please Press to review with my family.
This is a collection of books that are designed for reading aloud, and are fun to read. Each of the four books teaches a different concept through the characters and the story.

Bella Basset Ballerina by Laura Aimee Garn (founder of Pretty Please Press), Illustrated by Valerie Sokolova
This is a great story of a Basset hound who aspires to be a ballerina. Bella, the Basset, hears from many people that she is not going to be a ballerina - she is too short, low to the ground, etc - and that there are paths that each dog is supposed to take. Because Bella was willing to work hard and make some sacrifices, she was able to defy all odds in this heartwarming story, giving the reader encouragement to follow their dreams. A great book to teach perseverance!


The Scritchy Little Twitchell Sisters by Laura Aimee Garn, Illustrated by Erik Brooks
This is a story of two sisters who cannot get along to save their lives! It gets so bad that the parents literally divide the house in half and label everything with one of the sisters' names. One day, Mr and Mrs Twitchell take the girls to "Travelstead's Variety Show" and when Emmeline was picked to assist the magician, Lavinia immediately caused a scene and the girls began throwing water, eggs, and anything within reach at each other. The magician saw how the crowd reacted to the girls' "performance" and they sign a contract and go on tour doing what they do best - fighting with each other. After a while, the girls realize that they love each other and want to have a sister to play with rather than fighting all the time. The character building theme in this book is conflict resolution, and as my daughter Emily says - being nice to your sister.

Kick Block Punch written and illustrated by Jacquie Hann
This was actually a really good book, and my girls enjoyed it - wasn't so sure at first since it is about karate. Through this book, Sam (a beginning karate student) learns that it takes practice, discipline, and respect to advance in karate. Sam showed up the first day, kicked one of his friends and punched another and then asked for his black belt. His instructor tells/shows him that only through practice, will he be able to get what he wants - a black belt. I was impressed with this book because Sam went from a rambunctious kid who hits/kicks his friends and brother when he firsts starts karate, to a respectful boy who learns that he is not trying to hurt other people but discipline himself (through practice) to attain his next belt. There is also a glossary of karate terms at the end of the story, and a great statement: "YOU NEVER USE KARATE TO START A FIGHT!" Kick, Block, Punch has a few character building themes that I can see, but the one that is developed through the additional resources on the website is setting goals.


Pynx written and illustrated by Jeffrey Greene
From the Pretty Please Press website:

In a distant galaxy, on a very colorful planet, a brilliant purple Pynx settles into her new home in the jungle. But her noisy arrival upsets the other fanciful creatures who are already living there quite happily. When the Pynx expands her family with dozens of new babies, her neighbors are very upset. The very vocal Pynx has had this problem before, but this time, with a little luck, she finds a real home. This is a story about being tolerant, learning to appreciate differences, and about finding ways to communicate.

The creatures on this far away planet learn to appreciate the new, loud Pynx when she saves the colony from Shovelsnouts. It is a good book, totally fictional, imagination inspiring, and tolerance teaching. The character building theme of this book is tolerance.


Each of the books also has wonderful FREE downloadable tools from the Pretty Please Press website to accompany the book:
■Download Free Vocabulary Building Cards
■Download Free Concept Building Cards
■Download Free Character Building Lesson Plan

My thoughts:I think that this would be a great set of books for a homeschooling family to use, or for extra reinforcement of any child's vocabulary, reading ability, concept and character building skills. For now, we mainly just enjoy reading the stories and we talk about each of the character building themes - a little. I plan to utilize all of the extras as my children get to an age where it is more appropriate.

Buy it These books are for sale directly from Pretty Please Press at a 20% discount on the cover price. They also have a great offer - buy 3 books and get 1 FREE!
Win it!
The wonderful people at Pretty Please Press is offering one reader a chance to win a set of all four of these books!!
Be sure to leave an email address if one is not visible in your blogger profile!
**Mandatory Entry: To enter, go to the Pretty Please Press website and tell me one of the tips they give for parents; or if you are an educator, a tip they have for educators.
**Extra Entries (mandatory entry must be done first) Please leave a seperate comment for each thing you do (each is worth one entry unless noted):
*Follow my blog publicly through google friend connect (left sidebar)
*Follow through Face Book's Networked blogs (left sidebar)
*Follow me on twitter and tweet about this giveaway using this tweet or your own: Win a set of 4 kids hardcover books (ARV $63.80) from Pretty Please Press @tinymansmom #Giveaway closes 11/27 http://bit.ly/7ddTc
*Sign up for the mailing list on the Pretty Please Press website and come back telling me you did
*Subscribe to email updates, leave the email address you subscribed (2 extra entries)
*Enter to win a Little Music Lovers CD (before 11/13) and comment telling me you did
*Blog about this giveaway and link it here or email 4 people and CC tinymansmom (at) sbcglobal (dot) net (5 extra entries)
*Comment on any non-giveaway post and tell me the title of that post (1 entry each, up to 2 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to legal US residents, age 18+. Giveaway will close at 12 NOON PST on 11/27/2009 and winner will be chosen using random.org then notified via email and will have 48 hours to get back with me or another winner will be selected.
I was sent a copy of each of these books for review purposes, all opinions are my own.

GoGo Trouser Socks - Review

My feet are always cold, and often get numb. My circulation to my hands and feet is not the best, it seems like no matter how warm it may be outside, my hands and feet are cold. When I heard that GOGO made socks, tights, and pantyhose that are specifically designed to increase circulation, I was excited - sure it helped that they are also made to prevent varicose and spider veins!!

Some info from the GoGo site:

The synergy of GOGO, with high-end microfiber yarns and Lycra not only give you natural energy, it makes you feel fabulous! The product fits scientifically to aid in the prevention of varicose and spider veins. The addition of Lycra yarns provide a slimming effect and increase the durability of GOGO, so it lasts longer.

WEAR GOGO:

Flying - The natural science of GOGO will just help out to keep that nasty swelling down and as a bonus, you'll be able to slip your shoes back on when the plane lands.

Sitting - If you sit for extended periods of time you will be more alert if you keep your blood moving and not sitting idly in veins. You'll feel better too!

Standing - On your feet all day? We do not want you to encourage those nasty varicose and spider veins. We do want you to feel like you could still go out and dance all night.

Running - This is a great workout. You're running, GOGO is working with your body to give you more energy. Pure running bliss.

At the Gym - It goes without saying - when you are working out, GOGO is working with you! You can actually feel the soft yarns massaging your legs as you go!

On a Date - Read above and repeat. I highly recommend the thigh-high stockings.

My experience with GoGo was great! (Well my second experience was, I tried to put the socks on while my foot was still very swollen and sore - not a good idea!) I was sent a pair of Cocoa ribbed trouser socks and a pair of Navy diamond trouser socks to try. I love them. They are comfortable, kept my feet warm, and I didn't get the tingling in my feet at all while I was wearing them. Like with any pantyhose and most knee- and thigh-high socks, they were a little tight at the top, but not uncomfortable. These socks actually remind me of the thermal socks that I have for skiing. GoGo socks are well made, after being washed (hand-wash only) several times, they are still in like-new condition.
I wear them often because of keeping my feet warm and from going numb, they are slim and are comfortable weather I am wearing slippers, tennis shoes, or pumps! I would recommend these socks to anyone who may have trouble with legs/feet feeling tired, going numb, varicose or spider veins, or anyone who just likes nice socks! They also have a maternity line - you have got to love a company that caters to ALL women! And did I mention that they are made in the USA - another bonus!

I was provided with 2 pairs of GoGo trouser socks to write this review, but the opinions are my own.

Little Music Lovers ***Review & Giveaway***

What do Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and lullabies have in common? They are the themes of Little Music Lovers Cd's.
My children LOVE music! They dance and sing and have a great time with music, and are actually getting "smarter" while they listen to Little Music Lovers!
Dr. Diane Bales, a University of Georgia professor says:

"Music seems to prime our brain for certain kinds of thinking. The classical music pathways in our brain are similar to the pathways we use for spatial reasoning - the ability to understand the relationships between objects, such as the pieces in a puzzle. When we listen to classical music, the spatial pathways are 'turned on' and ready to be used."

Classical music is unique in this effect because of the complexity of it, so listening to country or rock music is not going to have the same effect, it will however help build other music-related pathways in the brain and have positive effects on mood.


Here are some ideas on how you can nurture your child's love of music from the time they are born:
*Play music for your baby
*Sing to your baby
*Sing with your child

Our experience with the sampler CD that we were sent was nice. We had the music playing in the background while we did the stuff we do - play, make and eat snack, play, read, lunch... I noticed that Natalie (1 YO) seemed to be more aware of the music playing than Emily (2 YO). Natalie would track down the source of the music and would stare at it for a minute and then start to do her little baby dance! Emily didn't really seem to notice it, until I turned it off, then she asked where her music was. For me, the classical music was calming, yet stimulating - like while I was making lunch I was surrounded by beautiful music rather than silence. I can't say we are smarter because of it, but it definitely lifted our moods!

The nice people at Little Music Lovers want to offer one of my readers a CD of their own. (US addresses ONLY, please) Go check out the Little Music Lovers website and look over the Cd's available in the smart music series, and come back and tell me which one you would want to win. From the Little Music Lovers website, you can also purchase these Cd's from iTunes and Amazon, and they are available at Barnes and Nobel and Borders.

****Win One of the Little Music Lovers Cd's****

Mandatory Entry:
Go to the Little Music Lovers website and come back and tell me which of the four Cd's you would want to win

Extra Entries: (Mandatory Entry must be completed first for any of the extra entries to count)
~Tell me a way that you nurture your child/grandchild/niece/nephew's love of music
~Follow my blog publicly through Google Friend Connect
~Follow my blog via Facebook Networked Blogs
~Subscribe to email updates & activate your subscription (top right sidebar)
~Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway (can be done daily, leave a new comment with link to tweet) You can use this tweet, or make your own: Win a little music lovers cd for your child, or someone on your Christmas list! http://bit.ly/4vpXGb @tinymansmom
~Blog about this giveaway and link it back here (6 extra entries)

Good luck to all who enter! Contest will close Friday, November 13 at 12 NOON, PST. Winner will be chosen by random.org's random integer generator. Please make sure to either leave an email address or have one visible in your blogger profile. I will contact the winner by email and they will have 48 hours to respond, or another winner will be chosen. US addresses only, please. I was provided with a sampler CD to write this review, and the opinions are mine and were not influenced by the sponsor.