Teton Sports Celsius Regular Sleeping Bag Review and Giveaway 3/25 CLOSED

My family loves to go camping every Summer.  I have been on the lookout for some good quality sleeping bags that won't break the bank.  I came across Teton Sports and found the Celsius Regular Sleeping bag.

I was really excited to try this sleeping bag out.  There are many reasons why I like this particular sleeping bag.  I was really impressed that a bag this high quality was under $50.  I find this to be a really reasonable price for a good sleeping bag.  I love that for that price it is a 0 degree sleeping bag.  The sleeping bag itself is pretty light and only weighs 5 lbs.  I love that the inside is brushed flannel.  It's really soft inside too!  One of my favorite things about this sleeping bag is that it is easy to get in and out of the outer bag that holds it.  The bag it fits in has a drawstring that makes it easy.  I like that I don't have to jump on the bag to get it to fit back in!  You can find out more specifics on Teton Sports Celsius Regular Sleeping bag by visiting their website.  This sleeping bag can be purchased on Amazon.com for $44.99.

The bags come in 2 colors.  I chose the green, but it is also available in a women's variety that is brown and pink on the inside.  It's pretty cute.

My kid's had to test it out and pretend that we were going camping in the living room.  They thought it was very soft and comfortable too!

Teton Sports also has product giveaways and promotions you can find out about on their Facebook page.  You can also connect with them on Twitter.

Disclosure - I received a free sample to facilitate my review.  No monetary compensation was provided.  All opinions are completely my own.   I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255. 

Giveaway - 1 reader will win the same sleeping bag I received (Teton Sports Celsius Regular Sleeping Bag).  This is open to the lower 48 states - US only and you must be 18 yrs of age.  Giveaway ends on 3/25/12 at 8:59 pm PST.  The winner will be chosen by random.org via the Rafflecopter form.  The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to contact me back to claim their prize.  The sponsor is responsible for sending out the prize.

In Search of the Light - Book Review

I received a copy of the book, "In Search of the Light" and couldn't wait to read it with my children.  My son and I took turns reading.  My 5 year old isn't reading just yet.

This is a beautifully illustrated children's chapter book.  It has great pictures of animals in it that my children really like.  The animal characters make the book a lot of fun.  My favorite is the brave little bumble bee.  It is a story about animals that see an eclipse and are trying to figure out what happened.  They head out on a journey to find out what has happened to the light.  There is a lesson to be learned from the team of 4 that are out on a search.  They are very determined.  I love that it teaches my children that.  The group is led by a horse.  The animal characters are very likable.  They travel through a few different places on their journey.  I love how the book is written.  It has some fun rhyming in it that my kid's enjoyed.  I love that it tells the story of something that seems magical, but they are then able to figure out what really happened.  It's a great way to get your kid's to start thinking about how things happen and work.  This book really held my kid's attention too!

"In Search of the Light"  is written by Leonard Jacobson and illustrated by Fiammetta Dogi.  The book can be purchased online for $16.99 on Leonard Jacobson's website.

This book is an Indie Excellence Winner!  It received an award in the children's book category of inspiration and motivation!

Disclosure - I received a free sample to facilitate my review.  I want to thank JKSCommunications for sending me some books when I told them that my son was having a book drive at school.  This book is being given to my son's school after the review.  No monetary compensation was provided.  All opinions are completely my own.   I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255. 

The Journey of the Noble Gnarble Review

My son is 7 and loves the book, "The Journey of the Noble Gnarble."  He saw the cover and wanted to check it out right away.  He really enjoys this fun book and loves that he can read it on his own.  My 5 year old loves the book too.  They both enjoy the fun story, but really love the illustrations too!  They want to read it over and over again!  I personally love the book too!

You are really missing out if you aren't familiar with the book "The Journey of the Noble Gnarble."  This book is written by Daniel Errico and illustrated by Tiffany Turrill.

The story is about not giving up when you come across something difficult in life.  The Gnarble sets out on a difficult journey and doesn't give up!  He pushes on and on until he he accomplishes what he has set out to do.  I love that this teaches a great lesson, but it does it in a really fun way.  It is so important for children to have high self esteem.  I love that this gives them the idea that they should strive to accomplish their goals. The book is written really well and Errico makes it a really fun read with all the fun silly words!  To view the book online you can see it here.

We are always looking for new stories that make reading fun!  "The Jouney of the Noble Gnarble" is definitely one of our new favorites.  You can also purchase your own copy right from their website.  The book retails for $14.95.

Disclosure - I received a free sample to facilitate my review.  I want to thank JKSCommunications for sending me some books when I told them that my son was having a book drive at school.  This book is being given to my son's school after the review.  No monetary compensation was provided.  All opinions are completely my own.   I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255. 

Hazelaid Eczema Relief and Teething Jewelry Review and Giveaway 3/25 CLOSED

I am the mom of a child that has suffered from eczema for years now.  We have tried so many remedies for it and are always looking for new ways to treat it.  He was at one time on prescriptions for it, but I hate having to use medication to treat it.  I found out about Hazelaid jewelry and was intrigued.  What is Hazelaid?  It's a natural way to treat eczema.  Hazelaid offers jewelry made out of hazelwood.  The hazelwood is said to absorb the excess acid in your body.  I knew it was something I wanted to try to treat my son's eczema.

My 7 year old has eczema on his legs and he even had to go to the nurse at school one day because he was so miserable.  The Hazelaid jewelry not only has a purpose, but it looks great too.  My 7 year old has no problem wearing his necklace every day.  He takes it off when he takes a bath or shower and puts it back on.  It stays under his shirt and should be kept right next to the skin for optimal results.  He actually thought it was cool looking.  I let him pick out the necklace he wanted.  He chose the Tiger's Eye and Hazelwood.  The Hazelaid jewelry can be purchased from their website.  They can also be purchased from Amazon.  The prices are very reasonable.  They are made very well too.  They are sturdy.  This is important if you are buying this for a child too.  The necklace my son received retails for $23.95.  The jewelry is said to last for 6 to 12 months and of course that depends on the person.  However, you must remember that this is something you need to wear all the time for the jewelry to work.  They offer necklaces in children's sizes, adult sizes and bracelets.

What did I think?  The Hazelaid necklace seemed to help keep my son's eczema from getting out of control!  He has not had any outbreaks of it since he's been wearing the necklace!  I'm very pleased after the 2 week test we did.

Here are some of the necklace choices

Hazelaid also offers other types of jewelry.  They offer hazelwood and amber jewelry and just plain amber jewelry.  Baltic Amber jewelry is said to release healing oils into the bloodstream.  This is really neat and often used for teething children.  I wish I would have known about this when my children were teething.  

You can also learn more by visiting Hazelaid's website, becoming a fan on Facebook and following them on Twitter.

Disclosure - I received a free sample to facilitate my review.  No monetary compensation was provided.  All opinions are completely my own.   I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255. 

Giveaway-One US or Canadian Reader will win a $25 gift code to Hazelaid.  You must be 18 yrs of age to enter.  You must enter on the Rafflecopter form below.  The giveaway will end on March 25, 2012 at 8:59 pm PST.  The winner will be chosen by random.org via the Rafflecopter form.  The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to contact me back to claim their prize.  The sponsor is responsible for sending out the prize.  

Sleep Bamboo - Bamboo Sheets

Sleep Bamboo offers 100% bamboo sheets that are amazing!  I could tell that I was going to love my bamboo bedding as soon as I took the sheets out of the packaging.  Bamboo is much softer than cotton.  It feels more silky.  Bamboo is an excellent material for bedding because of this!  There are actually many great reasons why bamboo is a wonderful idea for bedding.  Bamboo bed sheets stay cool!  This is definitely something I am excited about.  I live where it is super hot in the Summer months.  We are always miserable at night in the Summer.  I am so thrilled to test out my bamboo sheets in the hotter months too!

Did you know that Sleep Bamboo offers bamboo bedding that is antimicrobial?  Bamboo bedding from Sleep Bamboo contains a material in it called bamboo kunh.  This material that exists in the bedding is beneficial because it naturally prevents bacteria from growing.  I find that really neat!  Bamboo bedding is naturally antimicrobial.  The neatest thing about these sheets is that they will kill bed bugs and mites on your bed!  I am thoroughly disgusted by things like bed bugs, so I love the idea of this.  The bamboo used to make their products is organically grown.  Do you have sensitive skin?  I do!  I have horribly sensitive skin and my bamboo sheets are great for that.  Sleep Bamboo's bedding is chemical free.  I love that!

Now my husband said to me "Are we sleeping on bedding made from bamboo that the panda's eat?"  Of course I tried to find more info on this.  I found out on Sleep Bamboo's website that the bamboo used for textiles is a different type of bamboo than what panda's eat.  The bamboo used in textiles is called Moso Bamboo.

They offer bamboo bedding of all sorts!  The sheets are available in different sizes ranging from twin to Cal King.  There are also many color options.  The sheets are 300 thread count bamboo.  This is comparable to about a 1000 thread count sheet made of cotton.

Overall what did I think?  I love these sheets.  They are so soft and silky feeling.  They are very comfortable.  They also look great!  My whole family had to check them out after I put them on the my bed.  My cat even had to see what it was all about.  Sleep Bamboo's sheets are high quality and you really can tell when you take them out of the package.  I love the feel of the fabric.  It's really soft and smooth.  However it isn't so slick that you can slide right off the bed like some satiny bedding.  I love the color I received too.  The color in the pictures from above and below is called Emberglow.  It's a beautiful orange.  This is a product I would recommend.

Disclosure - I received a free sample to facilitate my review.  No monetary compensation was provided.  All opinions are completely my own.   I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255. 

Sweetly You Review

Sweetly You offers so many choices when it comes to bath and body, fragrance, gifts and hair care.  They offer so many neat products in tons of fragrance choices.  I actually have never seen so many fragrance selections.  There is definitely a fragrance that they carry that will make anyone happy.  I personally love fruity and sweet scents and found so many on their website that I wanted to try.

I received a sampler of 10 fragrances.  This is a great way for someone who isn't sure of the fragrance they want, but wants to test out a few.  These sample size are perfect for testing, but also to keep in your purse.  I like something small like this for on the go.  The perfume sampler scent can be purchased from their website for $9.95.  This is a very reasonable price.  These are fragrance oils.  I was pleased with how long the fragrance lasts.  I also noticed that I only needed a little bit to do the job.  I received the following fragrances in my sampler. . . 

Cherry Blossom

Coconut Lime Verbena

Green Tea and Cucumber

Strawberries and Champagne

Tropical Mango

White Ginger and Amber

Sweet Pea

Royal Pear

Sparkling Mandarin Tangerine

Red Currant

I want to say I love them all.  It's too hard for me to pick just one that I love.  I really like the Coconut Lime Verbena.  It's such a fresh and crisp scent.  I also love the Sparking Mandarin Tangerine.  This one has a really nice citrus fragrance that smells real.  It doesn't have that artificial scent to it.  I love the Green Tea and Cucumber.  There are just to many great scents!  I had so much fun trying them all out.  They also offer other fragrances too - Brown Sugar, Bubble Gum, Honeysuckle, Passion Fruit, Root Beer, Sugar Cookie and so many more.  What scent would you choose?

If you know what scent you want you can also purchase a larger container of their perfume too!

I would definitely suggest checking out Sweetly You for great perfume at great prices.  Use coupon code friends25 to save 25% off your order!

Disclosure - I received a free sample to facilitate my review.  No monetary compensation was provided.  All opinions are completely my own.   I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255. 

Aerobie® AeroPress® Coffee & Espresso Maker Review and Giveaway 3/21 CLOSED

I'm sure that most of you know by now that I am a coffee lover.  I am always looking for great new ways to make coffee and drink coffee.  When I found out about the AeroPress® I knew it was something I really wanted to try.  It makes a great cup of coffee.

This is a little bit different way to brew coffee.  It took a few minutes to read the instructions.  The AeroPress® used air pressure to brew your coffee.  I have to say it is the neatest thing I have seen for brewing coffee.  It is also said to create a lower acid cup of coffee.  I noticed today that my cup of coffee was rich tasting, but not as harsh as when you make it strong in regular coffee pot.  You don't need to worry about drinking gritty muddy coffee with this.  There is a filter and it keeps any of the coffee grounds from getting in the actual coffee.  The AeroPress® is a very fast way to make coffee too.  Once I heated the water up it was very fast to make.  

I would recommend the AeroPress® if you want a wonderful cup of coffee.  I could taste the difference between my regular coffee pot and the AeroPress®.  The AeroPress® creates a much better and fuller bodied cup of coffee.  It was easy to use!


AeroPress® is made in the USA.  The AeroPress® makes a cup of coffee that is much stronger than most of us drink in the US.  You can dilute this with hot water.  I like my coffee strong, so I loved it!  I have a milk frother and added hot frothed milk to my cup and it was also excellent this way!  


Want to buy your own?  You can find locations that sell them here!  You can also connect with them on Facebook.


Disclosure - I received a free sample to facilitate my review.  No monetary compensation was provided.  All opinions are completely my own.   I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255. 


Giveaway - One reader will with their own AeroPress®.  Open to US residents age 18 yrs of age or older.  You must enter on the Rafflecopter form for your entries to be counted.  The giveaway will end on March 21, 2012 at 8:59 pm PST and will be contacted by email.  The winner will have 48 hours to contact me back to claim their prize.  The sponsor is responsible for sending out the prize.  

Ciao Bella Gelato Review and Giveaway 3/7 CLOSED

Ciao Bella offers a huge assortment of Gelato, Sorbet and other delicious frozen treats.  I went to the store this morning to pick some up.  My son was with me and I let him choose the flavor.  They all sounded really good.  He ended up picking the Blood Orange Sorbet.  I am a huge fan of blood oranges.  My grandma and grandpa used to have them growing in their backyard.  I used to eat them all the time when I'd go over to visit them.  If you aren't familiar with blood oranges they are a juicy red orange that has an amazing flavor.  Ciao Bella's Blood Orange Sorbet is excellent.  It has the flavor of Sicilian blood oranges.  It's both a little sweet and a little tart.  It's very refreshing.  I love that it's a nice light treat.  This would be great after a meal.  It's delicious!

Ciao Bella also makes sorbet in Peach Ginger, Mango, Lemon Zest, Dark Chocolate and many more.  They also make gelato in flavors like - Chocolate Jalepeno, Matcha Green Tea, Mint Leaf Chip, Peppermint Crunch, Ginger and many more too.  They all sound really good.  They also offer bars.  I like this for my kid's because it's a more portable way for them to eat their treat!  What variety would you want to try?

You can connect with Ciao Bella Gelato on Facebook and Twitter!

Where can you buy this?  Target, Safeway, Walmart, Whole Foods, Ralphs and more.

Disclosure - I received a free sample to facilitate my review.  No monetary compensation was provided.  All opinions are completely my own.   I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255.

Giveaway - Leave me a comment telling me the flavor you'd want to try from their website!  Leave your email in your comment, so I have a way to contact you if you win!

I will use random.org to pick 2 winners.  They will each receive a coupon for a free Ciao Bella Product - up to $5.99 value.  Open to US residents only age 18 yrs of age or older.  The giveaway will close on March 7, 2012 at 9pm PST.  Winners will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to contact me back to claim their prizes.

Awaken Book Tour - Kindle and Swag Contest #awaken 3/31 CLOSED

 

  Awaken (The Patronus)

strong>Awaken (The Patronus)Lucy Donovan was supposed to have a weekend of fun in the sun, celebrating her upcoming graduation from college. In a split second, everything changed. A drunk driver ended Lucy’s mortal life.
Lucy opens her eyes to a world she never imagined possible and a new destiny: as a Patronus, a guardian of spirits. Adjusting to her new role and abilities while negotiating this confusing realm will test her limits and push her further than she ever dreamed she would go. From wayward spirits who don’t want her help to soul stealing vampires, and even a stuck-up British royal, Lucy must brave them all to save one spirit she can’t bear to lose.
Further complicating her confusing life is an inexplicable yet growing connection she feels to a member of her team, Max, whose mysterious behavior leaves her both confused and intrigued.
Waking up dead was just the beginning of her problems. Lucy’s death is about to become the greatest adventure of her life.

Buy it - Kindle, Paperback, Nook, and Smashwords



Author Sarah M Ross is working with Promotional Book Tours to bring you an incredible Prize pack. She is offering up



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Monterey Gourmet Foods Review

I love good Italian food and pasta.  Monterey Gourmet Foods offers a delicious assortment of stuffed ravioli.  They come in Fire Roasted Mushroom and Four Cheese, Butternut Squash, Creamy Ricotta Florentine, Smoked Mozzarella and Artichoke, Roasted Chicken and Mozzarella, Tomato Basil and Mozzarella, Shrimp and North Atlantic Lobster and Artichoke and Colby Jack.

All of the varieties sound really good, but I sampled the Fire Roasted Mushroom and Four Cheese, Butternut Squash and Creamy Ricotta Florentine.  We also tried the Hearty Garden Marinara Sauce with them.  My favorite variety was the Fire Roasted Mushroom and Four Cheese.  It had such a wonderful mushroom flavor.  My husband loved the Creamy Ricotta Florentine Ravioli.  We both thought all the varieties were really good.  The Butternut Squash is very different, but it's also excellent.  The dough it's made with is orange and sage flavored.  I liked the Hearty Garden Marinara Sauce on the Creamy Ricotta Florentine Ravioli.  I actually liked the Fire Roasted Mushroom and Four Cheese and Butternut Squash with a little bit of butter on them instead of sauce.

What variety would you want to try?

What I liked best?  This is a really good pasta that is available in the refrigerator section.  It tastes different than most pasta that comes in the refrigerator section.  The filling in the ravioli is amazing.  You really can tell that they are made with high quality ingredients.  I really like that they use natural ingredients in their products.    I like that it's stuffed with high quality ingredients and they don't skimp on it.  The dough that these are made out of is tender.  Many refrigerator pastas can be rubbery and this was not.  It's the best I've had!  I like that it is simple to make for a quick meal.  It was so easy to boil for 4 to 5 minutes and then it was done.  I would recommend Monterey Gourmet Food's pasta products and sauces.

Disclosure - I received a free sample to facilitate my review.  No monetary compensation was provided.  All opinions are completely my own.   I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255. 

Penna - Great Olive Giveaway - Parmesan Asiago Spread - 5 winners 3/10 CLOSED

I recently received some samples from Penna and they were amazing.  They want to give 5 of my readers a jar of their wonderful Parmesan Asiago Spread.  You can read my review of the product here.  This spread is amazing and I am so happy to be able to share it with my readers.  This spread is great for crackers, veggies and much more.  It's a mixture of Parmesan cheese, Asiago Cheese, Olive Oil and spices.  It's so good!

Giveaway - 5 winners will receive 1 jar of Penna's Parmesan Asiago Spread.  Open to US residents 18 yrs of age or older.  You must enter on the Rafflecopter form below.  Giveaway will end on March 10th, 2012 at 8:59pm PST.  The winner will be chosen by random.org through the Rafflecopter form.  The sponsor is responsible for sending out the prize.  The winners will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to contact me back to claim their prize.  Good luck!

Chipkos Review

I am a shoe lover.  I especially love cute sandals and Summer Shoes.  I live where there is only a few months of the year that are cold.  Most of the year I'm wearing flip flops and sandals.  I am always looking for really cute ones.  Chipkos offers unique looking sandals that are super comfortable.  

Chipkos is a great shoe company and they have a great belief in helping the planet too.  How are they different?  They help expand a nationally protected forest by 100 square feet for every pair of shoes you purchase from them.  I think this is wonderful and really neat!  They help to protect endangered habitats.  They have partnered with SaveNature.org.  

Chipkos is even helping by using green shipping methods and packaging when shipping.  I noticed that my pair of Chipkos was shipped in pretty much the minimal amount of packaging.  I love this.  It creates much less waste.    

Well what do the Chipkos look like?  They are super cute flip flop style sandals.  The have a squared style to them that I love.  They are very comfortable.  I wore mine most of the day today and love them.  I normally wear a size 7 in shoes and received the size small -6/7 and they fit perfectely.  

They offer shoes for men and women.  They come in 3 colors.  You can choose from red, white or black.  I love them all.  What color would you choose?

You can also connect with Chipkos on Facebook and Twitter.

Disclosure - I received a free sample to facilitate my review.  No monetary compensation was provided.  All opinions are completely my own.   I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255. 

Just Buns Bakery's - Swirly Buns Review

Just Buns Specialty Bakery is the home of the original swirly bun.  I hadn't heard of swirly buns before I found Just Buns.  I'm out on the west coast and in all my life I haven't had anything like this before.  These treats come from an amazing bakery in New York.  You can get them shipped to you too!  You can get your very own swirly buns from their website for $22 for 12 of them.  They are really worth it.  They ship these nationwide too!    These are so unique.  They are super light and fluffy.  They are completely different than a cinnamon bun or sticky bun.  They are in a category by themselves.  If I could describe this wonderful treat I would have to say it's more of a cross between a danish and a cinnamon roll.  However, these tasty treats come in more exciting flavors than just cinnamon.  I was amazed when I found out how many yummy flavors they offer.  They offer a few packages that include some great groupings of flavors.  I sampled a few of their flavors.  I personally loved all of them.  It is really hard to pick a favorite.  My son loved the Cinnamon and Brown Sugar flavor.  I brought him one when I picked him up from school and he was in heaven.  My favorite was the Chocolate Raspberry!  This was so good!  I warmed mine in the microwave for a few seconds.  The chocolate was so gooey and delicious!  The Almond flavor and Nutella Flavor was also really good!  They come in lots of more flavors.  Some of them are Cherry, Toffee, Apple or Butterscotch and Chocolate Marshmallow!  Yum!

If you want to order swirly buns you can also freeze these if you won't be able to eat all 12 quickly.  They freeze well and will stay well in the freezer for 3 months.

You can also connect with Just Buns on Facebook and Twitter!

Disclosure - I received a free sample to facilitate my review.  No monetary compensation was provided.  All opinions are completely my own.   I am disclosing in accordance with FTC 16 CFR Part 255.