Phase+ Diabetic Skin Care Duo Review and Giveaway!!

I have to start out first by explaining, NO, I am not Diabetic, I have plenty of Diabetics in my family, and I have gotten terribly close while pregnant a couple times, BUT I do not suffer from Diabetes. (Thank God!!)
 I do however, have major, major issues with my legs, ankles and feet and I have wished for several years for a product that would seriously help. I have RSD and have recently been diagnosed with MS. (I hate to sound like a broken record but I have to explain a little in each post, just
in case somebody new starts reading and is wondering, "Why in the world???") Before I was actually diagnosed with RSD, I have had nothing but problems with my ankles and feet. (My legs didn't start until later in life, and after a failed reconstructive foot and ankle surgery which almost immediately led to RSD and how fast it spread) Ok, enough about that!
My heels, ankles, basically my whole foot, top, bottom, ankle, and even my legs, are constantly changing, some days are worse, some days are not as bad. But for the most part, I have super rough skin, very dry skin, and I mean, very, very, extremely dry skin!! I constantly itch, on top of constant pain, I am up at all hours of the day and night, scratching and going crazy. Especially since even the slightest touch leads me into hysterics due to hyperactive nerves! It is really rare that I can even shave my legs because of the same issue. It drives me nuts all hours of the day and it is an odd disorder to deal with. Not to mention the affects something like this has on your self esteem.
 I tried the Phase + Diabetic Skin Care Duo mostly because I thought it would be great to have products that not only might help my condition, but also could lead to increased blood flow, (which I have a big problem with! am always being checked for blood clots due to all of the swelling in my affected areas), help with severely dry skin, and possibly help exfoliate and soften my feet and ankles. I am so ready for spring time now!!!!
 I can't wear shoes of any kind, well, I can wear Crocs, but only Mary Jane styles. Those still hurt like crazy and some days I can not even attempt to get these on. I wear slippers, year round, and slipper socks, and again, only Mary Jane styles. I have a long list of "issues" with my feet and ankles, and I suffer from drop foot, so even the slightest touch is brutally painful. RSD also causes this, so it's always a fun time to try to get something on just to walk outside. This also isn't something I am to happy with because my heels are always cracked, hurt, dry and you can see this through the shoes and slippers I have to wear. My ankles are especially bad after a long night at work, and they swell up sometimes it seems 6 times their "normal" size. Not good for confidence, not to mention, this just all adds to the constant pain. BUT, when you find a product that can truly help with these issues, the pain may also ease up a bit! (At least the pain that comes from swelling and dry skin) AND I have to say, Phase+ Diabetic Skin Care Duo has been and has remained a glorious asset to my nightly routine!
 Another thing that has to be mentioned, are the ingredients that are in the Phase+ Exfoliating Wash and the Foot Therapy.
 Foot Therapy: Key ingredients:
 • Peppermint oil is soothing, helps increase blood flow, and has antiseptic qualities.
• Ginkgo Biloba is an herb that contains antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties.
• Dimethicone is an oil that remains on the outer layer of skin making it an ideal ingredient for moisture retention and provides an excellent protective barrier for the skin.
 Exfoliating Wash: Key ingredients:
 • Petrolatum, an oil-based emollient, helps seal in moisture which helps skin from getting dry.
 • Grape seed extract contains antioxidants that help protect skin from damage. • Buffing beads help exfoliate thick, dry skin.
 Oh man! I am not used to products that smell so lovely when it comes to exfoliants and creams that are created for medical conditions. Usually, at least what I have tried in the past, yeah, they don't smell so pretty.
Phase+ Exfoliating Wash, has a very uplifting, refreshing, peppermint scent that lasts for quite some time. This is the perfect pick me up in the mornings, and is the perfect ending to my day of being busy whether I am at home here at our zoo, or at work on the weekends. (HINT: This is especially wonderful to use on your whole body too! Not just your feet and ankles!!) It goes well with my morning pot of coffee;) The buffer beads actually work too! I noticed a difference with the first use, and it only gets better from there!
When you pair it up with Phase+ Foot Therapy, you are getting close to heaven, and no, I'm not exaggerating! The Foot Therapy actually has helped quite a bit with my cracked heels and dry skin problems. The fact that it also helps promote blood flow is another gigantic plus for me! It's been a long time since I've had smooth, moisturized skin that isn't covered in rashes, bumps, and all of the other goofy visible skin problems that unfortunately come with RSD. Promoting blood flow for me and from what I see from family members who suffer from Diabetes, is pretty hard. So, when a product says it can help, and does, it's like waking up on Christmas morning as a kid! It softens calluses and helps your skin look much healthier. It feels comfy too and even with a pair of Mary Jane slipper socks, if you keep them on overnight, you will wake up to some almost sandal ready feet in the morning! ( I say almost for me, with the 1st use, this could be sandal ready for others who aren't as ugly as mine;)
I think this will be yet another addiction of mine, I don't know how I can manage to go without now that I have tried it and have seen improvement, lots of it just with the first set.
 I was also pleased to see that you can buy Phase+ Diabetic Skin Care Duo, at Walgreens!
 AND if you click here, you can be grab a coupon for $2 off!!

 I would love to hear from anybody who has tried these products! What did you think? Did they provide any relief?

GIVEAWAY TIME WOOO HOOOO!!!!

 ENTER THE RAFFLECOPTER BELOW TO WIN YOUR OWN SET, JUST LIKE THE SET I REVIEWED!!



a Rafflecopter giveaway  I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Hugo the Happy Starfish The Secret to Happiness by Suzy Liebermann

The first thing that makes this book stand out ahead of the giant stack we have to review, and many others, are the vibrant, super colorful pages and beautifully detailed characters. This caught Deegan's eyes especially and we have read and re read this book so many times now that I know it word for word.

Deegan was very excited to find a Youtube video about Hugo, and yes, we watched this over and over and over and over, lol! He wanted to share this video with you!


This is just one book in a series of Hugo the Starfish children's books, and it is the perfect pick for your child's first Hugo book. It is easy to follow, and will keep a busy 2 year olds attention! Deegan's favorite picture was when Hugo was when Hugo is wearing a backpack lol, he thinks cartoons with backpacks are hilarious.  But he also enjoyed repeating words, especially the word, happy.
 In this story, Hugo tries and tries and tries to find happiness. He asks his friend, Magic Manta, to help him find happiness. So, Magic Manta helps grant Hugo's wishes, but the happiness never lasts for to long. Hugo keeps becoming sad again and finds, Magic Manta, so he can ask for more happiness.
 Hugo tries many things like, spending time with a friend, which did bring him some happiness, but it didn't last forever. He also found a treasure and bought everything he ever wanted, and had a big house, filled with all of his new things. But, he couldn't stay happy. ( I thought this particular part was an excellent addition to this story and the lesson taught! I often think about how money can not ever buy you everything you want and need, and we try our best to teach this to our children. Many people believe that their problems will all be answered if they just had enough money, a big house, and many things, but in the end, they are going to find that money really can not buy happiness.)
This is a lesson that even grown ups need to learn and this was certainly a good time to discuss this again with all of the little ones.
Hugo comes back to his buddy, Magic manta, and is even more sad, even though he is driving his fancy new car. He tells, Magic Manta, that he is a hopeless case. But, Manta immediately tells Hugo that he doesn't think so, and tells him it is simple to be happy and to share with others!
 So Hugo starts to understand the meaning behind happiness and how to feel truly happy and decides to share his heart with others. Genevive loved this part of the story because Hugo's heart ended up being so happy that it did somersaults! lol! Genevive explained that that's what her heart does when she is the happiest little girl in the world!
 Hugo the starfish is a regular length children's book, but this book has brought so many discussions up with our children, new ones each time! It is so much fun to be able to sit with the kiddos and have them chime in about what happiness is to them, and what makes them happy. That is what makes me the happiest:)
 We would recommend this book to all families and for many reasons! Of course all that I pointed out above, and because this is 1 in a series of Hugo books, that all discuss different feelings, life skills and valuable lessons of character, attitude empathy, choices, consequences, and it is a very clever way to start teaching a 2nd language!

 Suzy Liebermann, launched happy Language Kids Publications in 2010, as an interactive language program for children and even grown ups. This program is particularly aligned with the aims and values she upheld as a teacher of cultural art and and foreign language at a prestigious International Baccalaureate World School.
Suzy and Hugo have a super fun website where you can find free games and worksheets and news about Hugo, Suzy and all of the rest of the stories in the Hugo series. You can also find some neat information about the author and the visiting author program. (Oh and Deegan's favorite Hugo Youtube video can also be found on the home page;)
We have had a lot of fun with this book and website, and I certainly appreciate the benefit of Suzy's books and ideas she shares to help our little ones become confident, happy, sweet little human beings! This is always something I admire in authors and teachers, and people who go out of their way to help our jobs as moms and dads, just a little bit easier!
 Have you read any of the books from Hugo the Starfish?
 We would love to read any comments about your thoughts on these stories!



 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Diamond Candle Review Opp for Bloggers

This is an awesome opportunity for bloggers!!
Diamond Candles is on the lookout for 100 bloggers to review their candles and post the review within 30 days.
You can use the candle as a giveaway or keep it for yourself;)
If you are a blogger and would like to sign up for this opportunity, click here!!
If you aren't familiar with Diamond Candles, they sell the candles we keep seeing all over the social networks, that have a ring in every candle. These rings can be worth anywhere from $10 all the way up to $5000!!
If you are a blogger, and you are one of the first 100 to sign up here, you just may grab a chance at having this fun opportunity for your blog!!
If you get the chance, please come back and share your review and giveaways here so we can all enter too;P

Super Moms Inc by Carolyn Woods Review and Giveaway!!

Super Moms Inc : Work From Home, Build A Profitable Home Business, and Find Time For Your Family When You Have Kids to Take Care Of! , is the actual title of Carolyn's book! (I was worried how to fit it all in the title section above;)
I like the title, it covers almost everything that you will find in this book.
This is an excellent book for people who are looking for ideas, just starting out in the work from home, stay at home, scene, and not just for moms either.
Carolyn covers pretty much everything from where to come up with extra money when times get tough, to where to possibly grab some extra money, to long term opportunity ideas you may not of thought of and could definitely benefit from.
I also loved the addition of her personal charts and graphs on how to better keep lists, and budgets. (You know me, lol, I love lists and any charts, graphs or ideas that make my life and business easier!)
The personal stories and thoughts that she adds in with each section makes it as though you are talking to a friend, rather then just reading a "how to" manual. (She is also a busy mom of 4, so who knows better then a fellow busy mom;)
Brainstorming is great and when you find yourself in the position where you may have to earn some extra money somehow, or you quickly need money, a friend, or Carolyn's book, is a definite must have! I'm sure some of the ideas most of us have already done, thought of or tried, but there is always the "newbies" out there, of any age, as well as sometimes when stressed, the rest of us need a good, back to earth moment. This is a handy little guide to keep at home for some pointers.
Although I have to point out there are a couple things I have tried or currently do, that were not mentioned in this book, that have worked well for me. She is a mom herself, and she made me think of several more ways to earn some extra cash.
A couple years ago I was trying to gather ideas for a blog post about how to earn money for groceries, shopping, holidays, and school clothes, when you don't have internet access, or minimal internet access. I never got very far with that one, although I had some of my own brilliant ideas, I didn't have anybody else come up with anything, and I wish I would have known about Carolyn. (or that her book had come out a couple years ago, so I could've just referred my readers!)
It is especially hard for me to earn extra money from home, I am partially disabled, and have 3 small kids at home. (our oldest is grown up now and is a mommy herself!) but we also live in the middle of nowhere, so a lot of people's ideas for how to earn extra cash doesn't always fit somebody like me to well. But Carolyn does touch on almost every possible outlet and you can add or delete and come up with your own clever ways to make a profit!
I do work pt outside of our home, (I usually joke and say this is because I need a break from the little ones! lol!) But I don't earn enough to cover our gigantic expenses!! Yes, my husband works, we actually have our own trucking business, with 1 employee... him!  But we also pay our own repairs, fuel, taxes, tags, insurances, it's endless and costs a hundred times more then a regular vehicle. So, I am endlessly online, trying to find what fits my family best. I have been doing this for almost 7 years now, and have learned the hard way many times!!
I also agree with Carolyn's time and money saving ideas, and didn't ever think of some of them myself, so I certainly learned something from her book.
I do have to add however, that I have been using coupons for several years, and I do keep a log of each shopping trip, each store, amount, what I saved, how much do I get back (ie: rewards, Extrabucks, Up Rewards, Catalinas, etc), and how much was spent per item. Now, this may seem like it takes forever to collect, sort, cut and scour the ads each week, and run everywhere, and it can, sure. But there are weeks, I "take off" and not bother, and there are weeks where it is very minimal.
I do save an enormous amount of money with coupons, and depending on the store, I won't spend 50 cents per item. (The highest I will go is $1 per item) Otherwise, it isn't worth my time. Of course there are things like produce, meat, milk, dairy, deli, that are super high, but if I clump it all together and some of my free groceries cover some of the high priced items, I'm happy;) I could go on and on about coupons but there is so much mis information out there since these ridiculous shows started on the television. I am always sad to see how people have been misled and how people have given up on something that can actually make you money if you play your cards right! (WalMart will pay overages and CVS and Rite Aid will in fact give you $10 in rewards to use on anything in their store, regardless of how much you just saved in coupons.) So, there are sporatic money makers as well as a LOT to be saved.
Back to the book;)
Carolyn has tried so many things and will let you know what has worked, what hasn't worked and what to look for and what to expect. I love the way she took this project on, and I admire her honesty. You can trust her as she explains how she handled things and how she came up with the ideas.
You will really end up learning something and thinking, "Wow! Why didn't I think of that??", when you are finished with her book.




 

You can read more about Carolyn here on her blog! and you can find her on Twitter! and Facebook!
ENTER TO WIN YOUR CHOICE, EITHER A KINDLE VERSION OR A HARD COPY OF, SUPER MOMS INC!!
 ** Please read our disclosure policy **
 ** I received a copy of this book for my honest review **
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Crunch Pak Sliced Apple Snack Giveaway!!

A few months ago, I had the pleasure of attending a Twitter party, hosted by, Produceforkids, and Crunchpak. We discussed a few different topics, mainly apple snacks, of course, and healthy eating for kids. I was super excited when I actually won one of the prize packs, and I thought I would share some with my readers!! I received a very cool coffee mug, (which is always important to me because I swear I go through 3 pots of coffee per day lol!), and a real nice, well made, picnic cooler on wheels! I also received a gift card for 1 of my favorite grocery stores, AND 8 coupons for free Crunch Pak sliced apple snacks! YUM! You can enter to win these for yourself with the Rafflecopter app below:) Good luck! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ateevia Botanica PRIME Daily Pain Defense Cream Review

I have been diagnosed with RSD for about 7 years now, and I have been suffering from chronic pain for several years before this.
 Since my teen years, I had several sprains, and breaks in my feet and ankles, which I later learned, never healed properly. I was actually born with some foot problems, and even though I was in braces for a while when I was a baby, and a toddler, my feet still turned in quite a bit and I was diagnosed with "weak ankles".
When I was a teenager, I started waitressing at local pizza shops, and then a sports bar, which later led to my bartending career. (20+ years of being on my feet and usually always on cold concrete floors)
 Anybody who has ever bartended, know that this can be a very brutal job, long hours, no breaks, and very rarely sitting down!
 I found a surgeon after a few years off searching, to help me with a reconstructive foot and ankle surgery. She finished the left foot and ankle first and scheduled me for the right foot and ankle to be done 6 months later. Well, after a year, I was still stuck in a wheelchair, and in much worse pain then I ever was in my life.
 I ended up leaving several messages, asking what I am supposed to do, no answers, I went back to my family doctor and he sent me to physical therapy, and more orthopedic surgeons, and they just continued to refer me elsewhere and send me away after apologizing and admitting there was nothing they could do.
 I have been to several different doctors, surgeons, neurologists, pain management, and nobody can do much of anything for me, except "treat" my RSD.
 So, after all of my injuries, torn tendons, failed surgery, heel spurs, drop foot on both feet, and many fractures that made my feet and ankles even more weak, I ended up with RSD, a neurological chronic pain disorder.
 I have also been diagnosed with all kinds of arthritis, and most recently, MS. On top of this, the tendons that my original surgeon "repaired" have since re torn, and my heel spurs are back, and the hardware that was put inside my heel, foot and ankle, are supposed to be removed, except, I can't find a doctor brave enough to attempt this crazy mess I'm in!
This has affected my life immensely! My family has suffered a great deal because of this and I'm not always able to help or do as I used too. I still bartend pt on the weekends, even though it is getting much harder and it takes the whole week just to get back to "normal". There are days I can barely move, and there are days I just get terribly sick from medications, and from being in constant pain. I get very little sleep, and it takes an average of about 4 hours to just get into an ok enough state just so I can go about my day here with my little ones.
 I keep a diary of my pain for my pain management doctors and especially since RSD is such a weird disorder, something new seems to happen each day, as well as spread like wildfire throughout your body.
Pain management is something I can not always even get much relief from, if at all. On top of it being expensive, and after so many treatments, certain things just don't work anymore. I have had so many nerve blocks, and injections, and different prescriptions. If insurance would cover some better treatments for RSD, I could possibly take advantage of Calmare Therapy, Hyperbarrick Oxygen Chambers, and my newest referral is for nerve cutting surgery, which I really don't want. However I don't think this is getting any better, it continues to go downhill.
I have been going back and forth with different pain relief treatments, creams, vitamins, capsules, and I have tried so many different products over the years and have had some of the worst experiences and some that were not as bad but didn't help much of anything.
I recently had the opportunity to try, Ateevia Botanica PRIME Daily Pain Defense Cream, and I can really attest to the fact that this has provided me with a great deal of pain relief! (and it came at just the right time of year!!)
Ateevia Botanica, is formulated to alleviate inflammatory pain, such as: Arthritic Joints Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Tennis Elbow Tendonitis Lower back pain Heel pain and Sports bruises.
 Another reason I was interested in this product is because it is made in the USA!!
 Some of the other reasons: because Ateevia is an all natural formula that is one of the most therapeutic topical analgesics that are out there today. PRIME stands for, Phytonutrient Rich Inflammation Minimizing Extract.
 We've been trying to convert to all natural and organic in our home, and this is something I would love to focus on this year and hope to replace even medications that I am prescribed. Ateevia, is a good start!
 While my chronic pain disorder may be a little different then others, I do also suffer from a few other chronic pain disorders as I mentioned above. The arthritis, and constant, achy, soreness around my ankles and heels is what bothers me most mornings. It seems my doctors steer clear of treating this, even though I think and wish it could be treated separately because whenever I do have a little relief, I can get around a little better. It all kind of depends on the day and what hurts and bothers me most when I wake up.
So, anyway, I started using Ateevia on my ankles and heels, in the morning. I didn't notice a difference right away, (Ateevia doesn't claim that results will be instant, it of course will depend on amount of pain, type of pain, etc. You can refer to their website to read more testimonials about their product and more about how you may need to apply more then once a day, or even several times a day) I did notice my skin around my ankles was quite a bit softer, and that was instant! That was enough to keep me content! I have such bad swelling some days, and super dry skin. I try so many kinds of lotions, body butters and creams and they seem to soak right in and disappear. Ateevia, is much different and I am more then pleased with this. It's rare I can not be so embarrassed with my giant ankles, legs and feet;)
 The scent is also pleasant and I even received compliments on this. Oh, and it makes my hands very soft. Most creams and topical ointments I tried in the past have a very mediciny type smell to them, and they are pretty greasy. It seems to be, "just right" with Ateevia Botanica, because it does soak in and I firmly believe has actually started to heal my extremely dry skin from the inside out. (at least the dryness, but this is the worst of all of it with me.)
After a few more applications on the first day, I could actually notice a difference in the layers of pain that this cream helped! (The achy, bone, sore, beaten up kind of pain.) It has also helped with some newer pain I acquired since my accident a few months ago.
 Nothing ever will take chronic pain away 100%, but when you find another piece to the puzzle and you can get just one step closer to having lower levels of pain each day with a specific product combination, or even just by itself, your life becomes just a bit more bearable.
 I do recommend this for people who are struggling with various types of pain and inflammation. I will be adding this in the mix on a regular basis for my pain days!
You can also find Ateevia on Facebook!
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

GIVEAWAY!! 10 Coupons for FREE KREON MICRO CHANGERS Figures

I have a 10 pack of Transformers coupons leftover that expire on January 31st.
The winner will have 24 hours to respond with their shipping info so I can get these in the mail Monday morning so you can take them to Walgreens or wherever you shop that sells these super cool Transformers toys.
These include, 10 coupons for 1 free Kreon Micro Changer Figure. (up to $3.49 value)
and 10 coupons for $5 off when you buy 1 Kreo Transformers Battle for Energon Building Set.
Enter through the Rafflecopter below and leave your email in a comment on this post or a comment on any social media site:)
You can get 10 extra entries for each RT.




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Making a Difference Program with Operation Smile

If you have been reading my blog for a while, or if you know me in real life, you know that I love helping people, and I especially love helping companies and brands that donate to charity.
 One of the most important charities to me and my family is, Operation Smile. Operation Smile, helps children who were born with cleft lip and/or cleft palate, or other facial deformities, receive the surgeries they need to live a happier, healthier and more fulfilling life.
 This is very important to us because our 4th child, Deegan, was born with cleft lip and club foot. Luckily, he has had a couple of his surgeries so far, and you wouldn't be able to tell that he was born with it, unless you saw a picture or knew him personally. It was hard to let the nurses take him the morning of his lip surgery, it was also hard to say goodbye to his adorable, extra big smile that we loved so much. (Yes of course we wanted his surgery to be a great success and we were anxious to see him afterwards!)
Naturally, when I see a brand or a company who goes out of their way to help children, I like to do what I can to try and utilize them, whether it's for my own family, a friend or relative or my readers. Although I can not at the present time, benefit from, Campus Book Rentals , I do spread the word about them to anybody I know who could benefit from them.
 I love how this company was created by a college kid himself, and the free shipping back and forth hits the spot too!
 If you have books you would like to rent out, you definitely have to look into this website! Not only are you helping other students across the country, but you can end up earning a lot more money renting your books, rather then just selling them. Campus Book Rentals, will rent your book(s), over and over and over again, to as many students who need it. Each time your book(s) are rented, you get paid! (That's a very cool way to earn some extra cash!!) You can find out more about this program in the following video: 

Along with earning some extra cash when you rent out your own books, you can also earn some extra money when you refer friends! Wow!! You could really end up not having to pay to rent your own books needed for college, or, if you already graduated, maybe this could help with some student loan payments:)
 Of course I can't end this post without a couple before and after pictures of our own little angel, Deegan James...
This is Deegan before his cleft lip surgery! (See what I mean about that gorgeous smile??)

AND this is Deegan after his surgery!

Stunning isn't it?? You can see how important it is for these children and their families to be able to have these types of surgeries, whether they can afford them or not. It is not only needed for their health and dental benefits, but also for their self esteem and confidence and lives!

UGLee Pens Review and Giveaway

I am sure those of you who know me personally, or have read some of my posts, know how much I love pens. I am that person who will take pens from car lots, doctor offices, the dentist, I mean, I guess I'm sorry, but they always seem to have the coolest pens in there. Actually, I have so many pens, I have drawers full, and they are in my truck, my backpack, my purses, sometimes my pockets. I am always, always writing. Mostly menus, to do lists and grocery lists, and to do lists of what to do lists and projects I have to write next, lol.
About a year ago, I was taking Deegan for a check up, and I was anxious to see what pens were laying out. (Our doctors office has them all over the front desk, and in pen holders, omg they are everywhere!) Ok, I'm starting to sound like a junkie lol!!
Anyway, when we got there, my worst nightmare had come true! The pens were attached to chains, and have been ever since! But, they were not attached back in the doctor's actual room, haha!! (He just has regular blue ink Bic pens, so I didn't bother)
I saw this review and giveaway opportunity and I was like, "Oh wow!! I never saw pens like these before!!" I just had to have them and so I applied to be a part of it and I checked my inbox like crazy, hoping and praying I was accepted. Sure enough, I was, YIPEE!!
I was crazy while I waited and waited for my UGLee pens to arrive, and when they did, I felt like the happiest geek ever! I swear to you, I am not exaggerating, this is all real, and really how dorky I am. I was even happier when I saw the hand picked pens were pink. (One of my favorite colors!) Blue ink though, which is very cool.
At first I thought these little mushy, rubber things were going to get all full of kid goop, crumbs, fuzz, etc, but surprisingly, they are perfectly spotless! Nothing sticks to the super comfy grips, at all! (Well, ok, glue I am sure would but nobody is going to stick glue on their pens!)
Writing all day sure ends up hurting your hands like crazy, so does typing, and so does 20 years of bartending, and when you also have chronic pain illnesses, like RSD, MS, arthritis, Carpal Tunnel and so on. The UGLee pen is amazingly soft and fits right in the palm of your hand and even when just bending your fingers or hands causes pain, the super sweet, squooshy feeling from the grips make up for it. It's also cool because it isn't like any other pen or pencil grips I have ever used. These actually help cramps and pain, as well as not slip all over the place like other pens do. Plus, they have this real awesome feeling that reminds you kind of like a mix between silly putty and some of that fun stuff our kids love so much that sticks everywhere, slimy, oozey, goey stuff. I always loved how that feels. But it is not oozey and gooey, but more like covered with a soft shell that is not only beneficial for your overworked hands, but also feels amazing.
Here are some interesting facts about the UGLee pen:
The UGLee pen weighs 11 grams, that is half then a half ounce!
Dr James Lee created the UGLee pen, and he is a real physician.
The UGLee pen is the world's most comfortable erognomic pen. (yes, this is a fact to me)
Kids will benefit from the UGLee pen. Why? Because, kids write a lot of course! It takes years to practice to learn to write, and it also takes years to help build up their little writing muscles. Kids are also at risk for repetitive stress injury. Hmmm maybe these should be delivered to our house by the dozens!
This is my regular, standard test I put every pen I ever use under, and I will share my results of my UGLee pen test below:
How smooth does this pen write?
UGLee pen results: Perfectly smooth everytime, like I'm writing on clouds in heaven!
If I accidentally slide my hand, will the ink get all over me and my paper?
UGLee pen results: NO!!
Do I have to start doodling somewhere before I start writing because of that weird little clumpy ink thing that comes out of the pen?
UGLee pen results: NO!!
Is this a pen that I need to guard with my life before somebody else takes it from me? (like one of my kids?)
UGLee pen results: YES!!
Is this pen going to cause that annoying bubble on my first finger I get after writing all day, everyday for a couple days?
UGLee pen results:
 NO!!
How sturdy is this pen? Will it be able to withstand the amount of clicks I am going to force upon it, (I add a LOT of things to my lists!!) or is it going to stop working pretty quick and just always be hanging out so I have to end up pitching it?
UGLee pen results: I received 3, I am still on my first 1, 2 tablets later, numerous envelopes later, and countless menu and list sheets later, and YES! I am happy to report that the UGLee pen has indeed held up under much agonizing pressure from this to do list addicted mom. 
Is this going to be one of those pens that writes goofy at first with some missing ink and those annoying dots that make me have to start over on a new sheet of paper? Or is it going to write perfect, all the time?
UGLee pen results: PERFECT, ALL THE TIME:P

So, there you have it! This is one of the only pens I will ever hold so dear and near to my heart.
Seriously, because if you take it from me, you're liable to end up at the er;)

Do you want to grab a few of these pens for yourself?
Use the Rafflecopter below to enter to win some of your own UGLee pens!!
You can find UGLee pens on Twitter!! 
and on Facebook!!



I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Perfective Ceuticals Skincare

 Perfective Ceuticals has been one of my very favorite reviews so far!
I was super excited to try out their products and it was especially cool that they just let me choose for myself.
It was very hard to pick just 1 product, so I chose 3, and messaged them with hose choices and they chose for me. Luckily, they sent me my most favorite and most used skin care product, eye cream!!

 

 I received Perfective Ceuticals Anti Imperfection Eye Therapy with Growth Factor, and I really have nothing bad to report about this eye cream, at all.
It may seem expensive when you first check it out on their website, ($72) but it is a good size bottle, 0.5 fl oz, and I use this every morning and every night. I believe this size will last me another month and a half, maybe 2. (and believe me, I slather it on, especially this kind) Maybe that would be the only bad part, lol, well, it isn't really. It isn't sticky, it certainly makes your eye area feel soft and moisturized instantly. Not to mention, I have seen a difference within the first week of using this product.


 The fact that it's also in a pump is a huge plus! I often have issues with the little tubes most other eye creams come in, and just like toothpaste, there is always some that ends up getting wasted. Either to much comes out when you get down pretty low, or you just get sick of it, and you throw it away.
I am a very generous eye cream user, and I currently have 4 others in my stock. I have been using eye cream since being a teenager, (a long, long time ago;), and this is one of the first in all these years that have truly produced results I can see myself. Of course you can cover up and use highlighters and things, but when you want to really treat your skin and actually help the problem, rather then mask it, I would recommend Anti Imperfection Eye Therapy with Growth Factor.
Trying this product also makes me want to try out some of what else they have to offer. Particularly the mask and skin brightening serum I also had down for choices. Considering the prices of other brands, and the sizes of their products, Perfective Ceuticals either comes very close, (within a few dollars), or beats them. So, rather then grab my next skin care regimen from my current brand, I am going to try Perfective Ceuticals.
Oh, and they also have some nice sales, this eye cream is actually on sale right now!
But, I think I would like to try the Divine Brightening System first. This system helps with uneven skin tone, lines and wrinkles, sun damage, discolored pigments, and loss of elasticity. I am going to be praying that this line does as well as the eye therapy, because again, I have used numerous skin brightening products from several brands throughout the years, and I have to say, i have yet to see results, at least results that were awesome enough to make me grab those products again.
The people behind Perfective Ceuticals are very clever, and all of them combined have come up with some very interesting products.
The following is taken from their website under the "about us" tab:
Perfective Ceuticals is allied with renowned biochemists, medical specialists and doctors in developing the finest and most advanced formulas to provide comprehensive solution targeting the aspects of skin aging. The company addresses the importance of complimenting cutting edge science with naturally derived ingredients and century old methods that have proven results.

In 2007, Perfective Ceuticals broke new ground in the anti-aging skin care industry by uniquely combining Omega 3-6-9 with the most advanced peptides and Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) in its Divine Age Guardian formulation. The formulation utilized a new trans-dermal delivery technology to help the anti-aging ingredients penetrate deeper and more effectively into the skin.

The company announced two new formulations in 2012, the Divine Brightening formulation and Replenish Moisture formulation, which specialized in skin lightening and post treatment care. Enhancement of existing products, as well as intensive research and development for new products, allows Perfective Ceuticals' laboratories to be highly sought-after by many market and industry segments. Perfective Ceuticals also offers research, development consultation and private labeling services for cosmetic firms and dermatologists seeking to dispense their skin care products in the U.S. and abroad.

I would love to hear about anybody else's experience with this brand!
What products have you used?
Which products would you love to try?

You can also find Perfective Ceuticals on Facebook!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

The Happy Hour Effect by Kristen K. Brown Review and Giveaway

I am starting to really love these self help books, especially the ones where the author shares their ideas about how to de stress our lives, and have a more productive and more fulfilling life.

(There will be a Rafflecopter on this post in just a bit for you to enter to win your own copy of, The Happy Hour Effect!! This is the start of our, Make Time for Busy Moms, Giveaway month, and this is the perfect start:)

Of course this is ALWAYS something we can use advice on. What's funny is, most of what Kristen K. Brown discusses with the reader, is kind of like, "OHH!! That makes so much sense!!" "So, why wasn't I doing it this way or that way??"

What sets , The Happy Hour Effect, away from quite a few other self help books I have read, is her personality, her own experiences, there are a lot of extras in this book, and besides the fact that everything in this book is quite possible, and fairly simple. You will also find that you most likely have a lot in common with this very busy mom. She can really relate to most of us and what we go through in our busy days.
 My favorite for instance is the part that I am personally very used too. I rarely have time to wear much anything other then pajamas, lol, unless of course we are going to a doctor appointment or I am going to work. Well, really, work is iffy, depending on how bad my RSD in my legs are that weekend, I may just end up with pajama pants on. Haha, the same for the doctor, so ok, never mind. But there are times I just don't care what I look like and I will run out the door in pajamas,sometimes even braless! (slippers are all I can wear due to my RSD, but I do go out of my way to find pretty ones;), and I have short hair that sticks up everywhere in the back, kind of spiky. (I got this haircut about 12 years ago and have stuck with it because it saves me time, although, I rarely bother doing my hair unless I am going to work), but, I'm sure you get the picture.
 I see plenty of other moms doing the same, and I am sure, like the author says, i have also scared a store clerk, or 2, or 3. I am 38 years old, so I kind of "grew out" of the whole, "OMG! I am not leaving this house until my hair, make up and clothing is on!" attitude. It's a shame really, but sometimes we just don't have that time. There are to many kids, (even 1 is to many when you are trying to run out the door!), and you only have a few minutes to gather everything, coupons, wallet, keys, it just seems pointless to bother. The point here is that if we would actually take the extra few minutes, even if we just wash our faces, brush our hair, throw barrettes in, anything, we would probably start to feel quite a bit better about ourselves, hence, a much happier attitude.
 It is true that when you look good, you feel good. I even feel much better around the house with my lip gloss and barrettes. I know it isn't much, but it is better then nothing. It drives me crazy when there are so many kids banging on the door when I'm in the bathroom, screaming, fighting, bickering, I usually open the door and leave the way I am.
I was happy to read that the author knows what all of this is like. And she makes plenty of excellent points as to why we really should try and take those extra few minutes to get ready and look decent before we leave the house. Even if just down a few blocks for some milk.
There are some not so nice things that can start happening to us when we are super stressed out and lose energy. (This was another cool part, Kristen K. Brown isn't a fan of exercise, so we don't have to read all about how great our lives and bodies would be with exercise, who wants to hear that anyway?) However, if you use the simple steps in her book, you will most likely start to see changes almost just as fast as feeling the changes!
Stress brings on wrinkles, (something I sure don't want, especially since being older and being a new grandma!), it also brings more illnesses, you always feel tired, exhausted, annoyed, and your skin really takes a massive hit! Another one that really sucks, is stress fat. I know I don't need that at all! If there is something I can do to make all of these things better, make me healthier, and be almost stress free, I'm in!
 I love the way this book is written, Kristen really took the time to prepare this book, and genuinely wants to help other people. It is very cool that everything she talks about, really isn't so far fetched and this is all within our reach.
 Did you know by the way, that chocolate, especially darker chocolate, is a huge stress reducer? Well, it is, and you can eat it, and be happy and not worry about anything, why? Because it does indeed have health benefits and it makes you happy, therefore, less stressed out;) Of course she doesn't tell us to eat a few pounds a day!! I always have a bag of semi sweet chocolate chips in the fridge and I eat a few everytime I open the fridge;) YUM! It depends, I usually am stuck in the kitchen preparing food, planning meals, menus, doing dishes, and cleaning messes, and then preparing more food, packing lunches, it is neverending! OK, not every single time, but quite a few times a day I do grab a few;)
The Happy Hour Effect, is a definite must have for any busy moms, and dads! You probably know many people from work, school, family members, friends, neighbors, plenty of people who would benefit from this book. It is also handy to keep in your diaper bag, vehicle, purse, backpack, anywhere you may find yourself stressed out and need a good pick me up.
 About the author: (taken from the author's website)
Kristen K. Brown is The Queen of Stress Relief! She is a transformation coach, business consultant, bestselling and award-winning author, online TV host, speaker and the founder of Happy Hour Effect LLC and WidowMommy.com. She has her Master's Certificate in Integral Theory which is all about exploring and understanding issues from multiple perspectives. She is a Certified Holistic Health Consultant and is also a 15 year corporate America veteran. Her debut memoir, The Best Worst Thing, is about her journey to a new life after the unexpected death of her husband of a heart attack at the age of 30 when their daughter was just an infant. It hit the Amazon bestseller list the same day it was released and hit #1 on the Amazon Movers & Shakers list. Her second book, The Happy Hour Effect: 12 Secrets to Minimize Stress and Maximize Life, was released by Goodman Beck publishing in November 2012. She does live and virtual book signings, readings and book club events and a portion of the proceeds go to heart health research.
 You can also find Kristen on Twitter and Facebook.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. a Rafflecopter giveaway

  <a style="display: none;" href="http://www.tomoson.com/?code=CONTEST663470a4376517cba40c89a7d514f08c"></a>

Your Daily Bible Verse by Rachelle Ayala

I am more then satisfied with, Your Daily Bible Verse, by Rachelle Ayala. It fits perfectly on my night stand, or sometimes it comes with me in my bag or even my backpack.
 This is well thought out, and would make such a great gift! Not to mention, it is wonderful to have these close by for us to use each morning, kids included.
I especially like the back pages where she gives some very easy steps on how to memorize a Bible Verse. She makes it seem so easy even when I always found this to be a little complicated. I can memorize numbers, lol, I have phone numbers, loan numbers, account numbers, credit card numbers, some from several years ago that aren't even active any longer, but for some reason, memorizing script has always been an issue with me. Although, since using Rachelle's Bible Memorization Tips, I have to say this has helped tremendously!
I really appreciate the effort she put into this and she has helped make this a new tradition in our home with the little ones. They actually ask each morning, "What is our verse of the day mommy?" It adds a lot of breakfast discussion too. We have already read through, Your Daily Bible Verse, and I am pleased with the verses the author chose to include in our daily discussions and memorizations. There are so many beautiful verses in the Bible and you can find 366 of them here.
Another good point about this book, is that again, this would make a great gift for practically anybody, but it will be used and re read again and again and again and again.
 I do have the paperback edition, but even the Kindle would be great (which by the way it is free today January 7, 2013), so if you need a copy, I would pick it up asap.
The other thing my family had fun with, was looking up our birthdays to see the verses that are listed. These are also special because they are like our own verses, and each of the kids, (with the exception of our not so talkative talking 2 year old, Deegan), has memorized. Deegan is working on it, lol, but he does love sitting together at the kitchen table with his cereal, siblings and whatever toys he brings to the table, and listening and contributing to our now, new morning talks.
You can find more about, Rachelle Ayala,  on her website.
 and on her Facebook page!

 Does your family discuss daily Bible verses?
I would love to read your comments about this book!
Please comment about your family tradition, and when and if you read verses daily or weekly.
 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Blaze of Glory by M. Garzon

I am always anxious to read and review a book when it is also the authors debut novel. I think these are the most exciting, and I especially love meeting the author, and being able to catch a glimpse of what might be coming in the future. M. Garzon's , Blaze of Glory, is no exception to my geeky anticipation with debuts.
This is a very well thought out story, it's written as if it's just second nature to this author, and the descriptions, characters, and especially the horses. I personally have no experience with horses, but she has created some very beautiful personalities for them in this book, and just like you will get to know the other characters as if you knew them all their lives, you will also feel the same about the horses in this book.
 Tea, is a 17 year old who has a twin brother, Seth. Since their mother passed away, their step father, who is pretty strict with both of them, but, tries to do what is best in his eyes, continues to raise them. Dec, (their step father) has a nephew, Jaden.
Jaden is 6 years older then Tea, and a polo player, and comes back to Canada after a few years of traveling and playing polo. Of course, you can say Tea and Jaden are first cousins, however it isn't by blood, which leads me to the next part about when Tea and Jaden fall in love.
I know this could possibly turn some people away, however, this isn't the first time this has happened, and again, it isn't by blood, so, I guess the reader should be the "judge" of that.
 Tea and Seth have an incredible bond, and are the best of friends. I like their relationship, and think it is well thought out and just as I would wish or hope or want for my own children's relationships to be. Although Seth, loves his twin sister to pieces, he is a bit worried about her "forbidden love" for their cousin, Jaden. Again, another regular brotherly thing to do. Especially under these circumstances.
 I also like Seth because he isn't scolding or showing disappointment, because he accepts his sister and loves her just for being her, he is more concerned about how this relationship with Jaden, will affect her life.
Although both Tea's and Seth's lives have had it's ups and downs and more then their fair share of bad luck and sadness, they are both very strong 17 year olds. Mainly Tea, who is quite stubborn and headstrong, but even if these qualities are sometimes seen as a fault, I have always thought that it depends on how you use these qualities, which is then considered, in my eyes, (and maybe because I am very similar), an asset, therefore, I do appreciate Tea's character a lot. She has the same type of "assets" that I see in my own 2 daughters and along with this usually comes good values,morals and respect.
 Of course what comes next would be the growing closeness and love between Jaden and Tea. I would recommend that even if you are thinking, "omg!" or " I wouldn't want my daughters reading this!", I would read it first myself. M. Garzon, does a tremendous job with such an intricate subject and it isn't poorly written, and it is done so tastefully that you will end up cheering and filled with joy for Jaden and Tea.
 I don't personally believe that every 17 year old girl who reads this book, will then turn around and think it is ok to have sex, just because everybody else is, or have sex with their cousins. That being said, you should be the judge, and if you feel your teen isn't going to have a problem and change her ways due to what she has read, then she should be just fine.
There are many, many, many things out there that we wish we could shelter our children from, and you know, it isn't going to happen. It is always there, and they will find it, read it, see it, hear it. If they have a brain, they can think for themselves and they will know right from wrong, or they will learn to accept some things that aren't as "normal" as society says.
 I would not recommend this book for a pre teen and depending on maturity, maybe not even 14 or 15. But again, parents should be involved in their children's lives and if you read it, and have no issues, it is fine. I have 4 kids of my own, 2 daughters, and we did try as parents to shelter our children, and we still do. The biggest culprit, television. I would much rather they read a book then watched TV. and this book isn't going to scar them.
You can read more about the author and Blaze of Glory, on her website!
 You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.
I would love to hear what you thought of this book!
 If you have read this book, please let us know what your thoughts are, if not, is this a book you would be interested in?
 Oh, 1 more thing;)
You know when you are reading a really good book, and you think, "Wow! This would make a great movie or mini series!"? Well, this is one of those books, AND it will be a television series! So, congrats to M. Garzon on her spectacular debut and for the television series!!

 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Save TONS and Rent Your College Books Instead of Purchasing!

If you have a kid in college, or are studying yourself, I'm sure one of the most expensive things to afford are the books!
I have seen the prices of college books, and the amount they want even at the campus book stores, I really don't see how everybody can afford them, and I used to wonder why in the world these weren't covered in with the already crazy high prices for school??
Of course it is a huge money saver if you grab used books, and then you can even sell them after your semester so you can always get some of your money back. But if there was a way to save even more money on your college books each semester, and you wouldn't even have to leave to go pick them up, ( Yeah seriously! Free shipping, always!!)
Campus Book Rentals was started by a college student himself. He thought there had to be a better and much cheaper way to help families with what is one of the most expensive costs needed for college. (next to college tuition itself I guess;)
You can go online, order your books you need, rent them for as long or as short as you like, and get free shipping, to AND from this handy dandy dream come true Campus Book Rental site, and voila! Checkout is a breeze!!
You can find out more in this video:

Another neat point you have to know before you go flying off to rent your lists of college books needed, you are allowed to highlight in your rented book, as if it were your own!! Wow!! (I'm a big highlighter dork, so this is actually one of those selling points that would make me run to my laptop!) They also offer live customer support, Another neat point you have to know before you go flying off to rent your lists of college books needed, you are allowed to highlight in your rented book, as if it were your own!! Wow!! (I'm a big highlighter dork, so this is actually one of those selling points that would make me run to my laptop!)
They also offer live customer support, 30 day risk free returns, the most flexible rental periods, and the nation's largest selection of books!
 You can even earn money simply by referring your friends. (This shouldn't be to super hard!)
 Have you found an cool ways to save on any additional college costs? I would love to hear any advice or tips anybody has on how families can really save on one of the most priciest and most important expenses we will pay for in our lifetimes.

Modern Greetings Second Honeymoon Contest #4

Yay!! Here is contest #4!! In case you haven't entered the first few contests from Modern Greetings, you can still grab a chance!!

This is the last contest they are offering, again, the winner will receive $3000 towards their second honeymoon, to whatever destination they choose! ( this can be used towards rental car, hotel, airfare, dining out or any other expenses) All you have to do, is follow the instructions in the above video, and enter your video, (yes, you can use your cell phone recorder!), and submit your entry!
  I didn't win last week as you can probably see:( That's ok, I am still hoping to make this dream come true someday in our lives.
 But, it is exciting to check out Modern Greetings on Facebook   and   Twitter to see the other entrants and hear their stories!
 If you are new to Modern Greetings, you can check out their products here. They offer tons of cool personalized stationary, and greeting cards!
 They also have photo books, invitations and announcements. I love the lists of occasions, especially for the invitations!
 I never saw actual personalized "Tea Party" invitations before, and this would be so cute for a little princess, even if just for fun! They also have picnic/BBQ invitations, birthday, baby shower, wedding, sports, girls night, casino night, and a lot to choose from for businesses.
 I know princess Genevive would be super happy to have Tea Party invitations to hand out to her friends;)
 Oh, I forgot to add that when you do enter to win this contest, you will also receive a $5 credit to use at ModernGreetings.com so everybody wins!!
 I would love to hear if any of you entered! What did you include in your video? This contest ends on January 10th and this is the 4th contest so it is the last.
So, make this entry count!!

The Heart of a Gypsy by Roberta Kagan

 Roberta Kagan has proven yet again, to be a brilliant author, and historian. I haven't read all of her books yet, but I am planning on it, as she does seem to be ending up as one of my favorite authors.
The Heart of the Gypsy, is truly a masterpiece. I actually read this twice and also did some research, because this is a topic I don't see to much and I don't really think a lot of people realize that the Gypsies were involved, or treated the way they were.
 This book takes place during WW2, in Nazi controlled Europe. There is a lot of this war that we aren't taught in school, and a lot we don't know much about, (unless of course you studied this time or place, a historian) There were Resistance bands across Europe, and these were the people who formed groups of people of different nationalities, and lived in the forests.
 They were a very well organized group of resistors, or partisans, who were able to survive from the land and each other. Of course they had many a horrific fight, travel, victims who came and stumbled upon their hideaways, but for the most part, they managed to survive, had plentiful food, and were very strategically placed throughout their tents and groups. They had everybody that would be needed to create their own communities and had some highly intelligent tactics and ways and means of getting enough food, (for example, sending people out to different areas for their ration cards), and even had guns, ammunition, doctors, and Christian, who was of Aryan race.
 Christian, came to them to help, however he was injured with broken ribs. He was well taken care of by Nadya, a young Gypsy girl, and her brother, Ion. (Nadya and Ion's family were imprisoned by the Nazi's.)
 This is a remarkable book, with plenty of history, lots of fascinating scenes, characters, and terrifying events. It isn't as much just a history book, as the author very cleverly, wove a beautiful story of romance and passion throughout the pages. I am a big fan of history books, and this one was especially a pleasure to read because my own ancestors are of Gypsy descent.
 Unfortunately, I only actually ever met a couple great grandparents who arrived in our country shortly after this was began. But this is something my mom always discusses and tells me about the different family members and our history and I am proud of who we are and where we originated from.
 The Heart of a Gypsy, has now entered my top 10 favorite books of all time list. I read this book over as soon as I was done with it the first time around because I was sad when it ended.
 I would recommend Roberta Kagan's books to anybody who enjoys a good history book, a well written novel, (they are a little longer then some may expect but I find that her books are just the right length.) and for anybody who desires a good romance novel, although this isn't your typical, gushy, romance book. Have you read, The Heart of a Gypsy?
What did you think?
 I would love to read any comments from anybody who has read this book, or any of her books. As well as if you have any recommendations for my next Roberta Kagan novel.

Zappix Android App Review

I just can't get enough of apps, there are apps for everything, some aren't so cool, some are useless, and some are very helpful, or fascinating. Zappix, falls into the, super cool, time saving, helpful category. It's also free, imagine that! I have found that some of the best apps are in fact free.
I have tons and tons of places to call or banking, credit cards, utilities, our cell phones, internet, satellite, and countless stores and businesses that I often call with questions, or to talk with customer service.
I usually end up Google searching for everything and jotting down the numbers, or trying to search for their social media pages. Zappix has a long list of all kinds of different businesses, government agencies, non profits, all kinds of major companies. All you have to do is search for where you want to call, which is quick and painless, and this app will automatically take you to their Twitter, Facebook, or mobile customer service sites for that company. They also can automatically dial for you and direct you right to the proper department, and so far, I have used this quite a bit, they have me connected to the proper place the first time!
I really don't know what I would do without it now that I have been using it. It is a huge time saver for me and I love being able to connect immediately, whether I have 3 kids screaming and hanging on me, and I only have a few minutes to make an important phone call.
Another neat part of Zappix, is that you can email customer service right from the app itself! So far, this has also been working smoothly and better then I had expected.
I have connected to a few businesses, and a lot of the places I have to call each month to pay bills, or for service calls with different providers, and I have these specific places stored in my phone through this app, it's even easier to connect now!
You can grab this useful app at the Google Play Store, or right here.
Please always remember that when you grab apps, free or not, same as books, it is always a wonderful idea to let them know what you think by leaving a review on their page:)
I would love to read any comments from anybody who has tried, Zappix!
I hope you find it saves you lots of stress, headaches and time, like it does for me.

January is Pamper Busy Moms Month (Giveaways!!)

What are your New Year's Resolutions?
I made a few, lol, as usual, but who knows if I am going to have the time to get through the list?
I live a very eventful life, and at any hour of any day, this family can be thrown into topsy turvy mode!
We have medical issues, little 2 year olds who find amusement in dumping full containers of Coffeemate cream all over the carpet, problems with my husband's tractor trailer, (yes, we are self employed so the problems are our problems!), pretty much anything can happen, and it has. 2012 has been a very crazy year and I am honestly happy to wave goodbye.
Like everybody else, I make a little list of things I would like to accomplish, throughout the year, and by the end of the year. I figure, if I give myself a year, it will get done. (My weekly to do lists have lots of transfers from week to week), and with Deegan getting a little older, I am hoping this year is the year this little monkey boy calms down.
I realized I had a whole pile of gorgeous products to give away and review, hair products, vitamins, eye cream, (my favorite beauty product!!), gift cards, and breath freshners,  all kinds of things that are going to help with my own personal resolutions, so I thought, maybe some of you have a similar idea for 2013.
I am going to take more time to take care of myself for once, I know this is rough, and sometimes if we even get showers, they might last 5 minutes.  Maybe this is partially a resolution for my husband and kids, lol, but either way, I am somehow going to make time for me, and along with this comes confidence, self esteem, and hey, who knows? Just maybe, I will get more accomplished;)
I am 38 years old, and and a grandma now, so, I have to take more time. (Ok, maybe I am grabbing here lol), but I am just going to do it, and pray this works this year.
If you are anything like me, and I know a few of my readers quite well, so I do know that a lot of you are. Whether you can relate with chronic pain disorders, neurolgical disorders, being a grandma, or even just being a mom or wife, we all need to take more time for ourselves. Imagine how much more pleasant things would be at home for our husbands and kids, if mom had more time....
I will start posting giveaways today, the more you enter, the better your chances of winning!!
If you share, and tweet, the more entries you receive!
and if you are a blogger and would like to help promote or advertise, I will be adding free links, (up to 10), as well as extra links for $1.
The proceeds will be going to create beauty mom boxes to send to 5 wonderful busy moms who could really use a pick me up, and who really deserve it!!
If you are a brand who is reading this, please contact me at busymommylist@yahoo.com oif you have products or books even that would fall in these categories. We would love to get these reviews and giveaways all done in time for Valentine's Day!!

Souls of Darkness

Of course everybody who reads my reviews knows I am a big horror fan! The crazier and the bloodier, the better.
 I am usually extremely picky about horror movies, short stories, and novels, and I tend to either really love them, or really not love them. I don't know how to describe this other then it is a hit or miss with books like this with me. If there is 1 thing out of place, or something that seems to much like another movie or book, or short story, it tends to go downhill from there. I am just super critical of everything horror, fantasy, and I do love science fiction or anything in similar genres.
 Souls of Darkness was certainly a huge, HIT! I was actually not expecting to really, really, really like the stories as much as I did. I have to admit, short horror stories sometimes end way to fast and leave all of the good stuff out. This was not the case here by any means. Which makes this all the more splendid, since this is a collaboration of short stories, 3 authors, 15 stories, published by Fishcake Publications.
(Btw, I love Clive Barker, however, I never cared much for his short stories, SHHHH) I just thought I would throw this in here, lol, I have a Pinhead tattoo on my back, and have been a long, long time fan.But, his short stories, bleh. I think my point is that I am highly critical, and sometimes I think, who am I? But, then I remember, I , well, we, are the readers and the people who do matter. So, I am not trying to sound like I am better then any of these authors, I am just the goofy 38 year old, who loves Halloween and horror for almost all my life.
 Ok, so back to the book, here we really have, original stories by 3 very talented authors.
 I was impressed and would love to read more by them!
Here is the introduction, taken from, Souls of Darkness, :
 This illustrated book shows exactly what can happen when you take three very different horror, fantasy and sci-fi writers, dismember their work, and then fiendishly stitch it back together in the form of an anthology of their compiled short stories. A contorted mixture of sinister sci-fi horror, ghostly goings on and true-life terror, carefully combined within the cover of this book.
 That was plenty for me to get all giddy and jump right in! The next cool thing about this book, are the illustrations! Martin Rothery and Warren Lee, Extraordinary work!
You get to read stories by, Kenneth Frank, Damon Rathe and Louise Hunt.
The first story, River of Dreams, by Louise Hunt, is enough to make you shiver, and an excellent choice for the first few pages. She has a neat, straight to the point way about her writing, and is cleverly descriptive. Decent shock value in her stories too.
 Damon Rathe paints quite a few vivid pictures of some insanely twisted events in, Community Spirits. I like stories that make me think they would make a great movie someday, especially science fiction!
To Play the Game, by Kenneth Frank, is a brilliant short story, one that makes you think, and embraces a deep, dark, twisted side of reality and is truly sinister. I can honestly say I enjoyed every short story in this book, particularly the stories by, Kenneth Frank, I would love to see this book in print, and I will be buying this one.
I love being able to read online, but I love real hard copies even better, and this is one that I would buy and put on one of my bookshelves.
 I have very many favorites in this book, I have to say, To Play the Game, Geoff, Lady Luck and Bramble Cottage are my very favorite stories!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Little Rockstar Animations

If you are anything like me, or any other busy mom, or dad;) You are always on the lookout for videos, games, books, anything, that will keep your little nes occupied long enough for you to be able to get a few small chores done around the house. (Or even just so we can escape for a few minutes!)
I found this channel on Youtube, (yes, Youtube is one of my very favorites since there are so many cartoons and videos that are fit for my little ones!)
Little Rockstar, has some of the most adorable and most charming animations I have found, and these guys just love this channel!
Deegan's favorite is The Three Billy Goats Gruff, I actually had to tear him from my laptop just a bit ago, because I needed to get on here and get a few things done lol!
The only thing I have an issue with is (well, it isn't really an issue), but I never get my laptop back! Especially with Genevive and Deegan, they will watch the same videos a hundred times if I let them, and Genevive can work the videos on her own. Thank goodness!

I am sure you have probably seen some of Little Rockstar's videos all over Facebook throughout Christmas, we have been in love with all of their neat Christmas videos and songs, and again, this gave me time to seriously get laundry and dishes done. Very sweet!
One of our (well, mine), New Year's Resolutions was to have more time to get things accomplished, housework, online work, spring cleaning, projects, etc you know, the regular old to do list(s). Little Rockstar is already helping me with this, and when the 2 smallest ones are driving me crazy, and I need to get just 10 minutes of things done, this is what we do. Plug in the laptop in the kitchen and Genevive takes control and they pick their favorites! Instant sanity for me!

You can find them here on Twitter!

and on Facebook!

You can also follow The Little Rockstar's blog, (this is a good idea, because you get to read some super posts and check out some very awesome artwork and learn about all of the new videos!)
There are also some very neat posts here and I love the descriptions of the videos. Deegan is ecstatic just with sitting next to me when I read The Little Rockstar blog, I believe most of this is due to the background, more specifically the monkey lol!

The artwork is just amazing and all of the singing and voices are done so well, very professional. These little ones absolutely love the voices of the characters. Genevive is a sucker for cuteness;p
I would love to hear what you and your kiddos think of The Little Rockstar videos. I'm sure you will find lots of your favorite kid songs, and fairy tales here and the Christmas songs are still up and according to Genevive, Christmas is everyday from Christmas until her birthday, (January 10th), so they will still be well loved here at our house.

Vitacost Review and Giveaway!!

I often check a few select websites each week for sales and deals, because they always seem to have the best deals out there. Even if I happen to miss them or don't have the money available to take advantage of the deals. But, I sometimes manage to actually hit the site at that right moment when I can save a fortune and score some free shipping!!
 Vitacost.com is one of those sites, so of course when they emailed me about doing a review, I was more then happy to be a part of this!
 Vitacost is well known for vitamins, vitamin sales, healthy living products, free shipping on orders $49 or more, and their super awesome refer a friend program!! I love how they are just like a healthy living pharmacy, online, with much better prices then local pharmacies, and the free shipping deal is always a big help.
 A lot of the products that I have found on Vitacost, are not available around me, or at any of my pharmacies, (we kind of live in the middle of nowhere, lol, so free shipping and availability of the best brands are very important to us!) Especially when it doesn't cost a fortune to have it delivered. It saves me tons of time, gas money and I don't have to run al over and try to find the products. I also love the new brands I can try and have tried thanks to Vitacost.
 I also often check out the Vitacost blog, for advice and tips on healthy living, and recipes. We aren't a big gluten free family, but we are in the process of figuring this one out. My husband and our 9 year old son, Aaron, have a few stomach issues, and we are always keeping food diaries, running to specialists, etc, trying to get answers for what seems to have been going on forever with them. So wen I see a new gluten free recipe, or snack food, I grab it. I mean, it's healthier for all of us, and so far, these products and meals haven't made these 2 sick. So, we are leaning a bit more towards switching at least half of our food to gluten free. Which is a pretty expensive move, and the stores I shop at, only offer very small sections of aisles for gluten free products. So any help from online sources, especially the Vitacost blog, is very important!! Not to mention, they have tons of gluten free products that I would have never realized existed if it weren't for them.
 I am madly in love with the beauty products they carry!! I may not wear a lot of make up, but I am addicted to lotions, lip glosses, lip balms, bath products and mascara lol! I go crazy over these things and have a few containers, make up bags and drawers in both bathrooms, filled to the brim!
 A while back, I saw an ad on Facebook about a sale on Vitacost, that came with a $10 credit, and at the same time, there was a huge sale on beauty products and I grabbed a Burt's Bees sample bag for free! I had to pay a few bucks for shipping, but other then that, it was very cool to try 6 different products from the Burt's Bees line, for practically nothing.
Some other amazing beauty and baby brands they offer are: Alba, Jason, Kiss My Face, Juice Organics, Earth's Best, California Baby, Pangea Organics, Beauty Without Cruelty and Seventh Generation. There are a LOT more brands they offer, some may be familiar and some may not be, so if you haven't shopped here yet, you will probably be here forever, checking out all of the brands and products.
They sell almost everything here for you to instill and keep a healthier, happier lifestyle at home. They offer everything from vitamins, pet care, baby care, beauty, food, herbs, cleaning products and more. Pretty much everything we need to replace here in our home, can be found here. This fits perfect with our family, because one of the new year's resolutions we made was to gradually switch all brands. (We have been doing this in 2012, and I hope to be almost there by the end of 2013.) So, expect to see a lot of reviews and posts about our complete transformation, most will be for products we find on Vitacost.com, I'm sure:)
Anyway, I did get to try some scrumptious bath products that I don't really know if I will ever be able to live without now!! It's so neat how some bath products can actually really smell just like what it says it does, along with doing what is says it will, even more. The best part is, they aren't all filled with chemicals, so they are much better for you and your little ones!
 The first product I tried was, Primal Elements, Sugar Whip moisturizing body scrub. This was nothing but a pure treat!! I am almost empty and have to refill because I really, really, really, have no idea how in the world I am ever going to go without this twice a week!!

They have different scents, I received, Tahitian Vanilla, which smells just like the container when you first open it, ALL DAY!! YUM!! It is especially important on shaving days, since it will exfoliate the top layer of dead skin, which helps tremendously when it comes to getting a much closer shave. This is especially important for busy moms since it seems so rare, at least for me, that we even have a chance to jump in the shower, much less shave!
 Some other tasty flavors, or scents, that Primal Elements has on Vitacost.com are: cupcake!!, Mediterranean Mint, Citrus Melonmint, Grapefruit, Candy Corn, Mocha Latte, and Sparkling Sugar, MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!
The next products I received were: Isvara Peppermint body wash and Isvara Honey body lotion.
Believe it or not, these 2 fit perfectly together and I am impressed with the long lasting scents! I didn't think honey and peppermint would be so splendid, but they are! These products make your skin baby soft, and come in super handy pump form! (I love pumps better for products like this because it seems you use more and waste less and it is not nearly as messy as other containers, tubs, tubes, jars)

Some other noteworthy products from this brand are: Isvara Organics Clear Skin Facial Mask, Body Butter, Peppermint Body Milk, Coconut Sunscreen and Body Polish in Coffee Sugar!! (that is on my next order for sure!!!)
 Another cool point about Vitacost, (yes, I know this is so long, and I apologize, I am just more then pleased with this website and I still have enough to discuss and chit chat about, lol, I may just drive some of you nuts!!), but they have the refer a friend program, which gives you $10 credit for every friend you refer, and they also have a "Set and Save" program, which includes automatic delivery, you set the amount and time frames, it locks you in the lowest prices, and you can change or cancel any time. There are also some surprise gifts for Set and Save customers, and that alone is enough for me to be a Set and Save customer!!
 GIVEAWAY!!!!!
 In just a couple days, there will be a Rafflecopter in this section, where you can enter to win a $50 credit for Vitacost.com!! I will definitely be sharing the link as soon as I get this all legal and on the right terms, blah blah, and then you can enter to win!! YAY!!
 If you want a head start, check out Vitacost.com and comment here with what products you would love to try!
 You can also grab some extra entries by finding Vitacost on Twitter and Facebook. 




  a Rafflecopter giveaway ** Please read our disclaimer under the PR Friendly tab **