Book Review: My Bedtime Story Bible by Jean Syswerda, Illustrated by Daniel Howarth

Disclosure: Zondervan provided me with a free copy of this book for reviewing purposes.

I have a two year old, and she is quite the mover. It takes a lot to get her to slow down throughout the day, and while she used to love to sit and read books, even just to look at the pictures, that has become less frequent as of late. I can get her to sit through a couple of pages before she is off and on to the next task. I know this is typical, and "this too shall pass", but I love reading, so sometimes I just want to grab her, strap her to me, and make her sit for hours on end listening to stories and learning new things. That's not child abuse, right? Don't answer that. We recently received a copy of My Bedtime Story Bible by Jean Syswerda, and this has made reading at night much more of a success!

First of all, the beautiful illustrations by Daniel Howarth rope her right in. The pages are full of color, very high quality and printed on heavy, durable paper. Additionally, it is a hardcover book, so it can withstand extensive use. It is much better than many of the other books we own. On top of that, each story is short, just a couple of pages, so they coincide perfectly with her attention span (or lack thereof). I have found, in fact, that she will ask for more than one "story" each night out of this book - she actually requests several! I feel that this book is relevant for children age birth-5, but could easily be read to or by children who are older. I see this as a great family bed time book! Each story tells of important figures in the Bible, and how they prepare for bed. The tone is very calming, and truly does promote relaxation. While these stories do not necessarily teach the Bible, they can help young children become familiar with the prominent figures in the Bible, as well as the many lessons. I enjoy the "Tuck In" message at the conclusion of each story. This gives the readers (or "listeners") a prompt to thank or ask God for something . I find this to be helpful in teaching children to be grateful for many things, but more importantly, how to say prayers. I would definitely recommend this book for parents who are looking for a religious-based bedtime story to share with their children. The quality is truly second-to-none. We will read this in our house for many years to come!

I give My Bedtime Story Bible by Jean Syswerda, Illustrated by Daniel Howarth 10 stars:

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Disclosure: I received this item for free from Zondervan in exchange for an honest review. The opinions and experiences stated here are my own.

Review of MIRA Stainless Steel 2-Container Set

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

If you are unaware that plastic is unhealthy for you, you must live under a rock. Many companies have taken it upon themselves to remove some of the harmful ingredients in their plastics (e.g. BPA, phalates, PVC, lead), however, there is still much debate about the health-related consequences that this material has on our long-term health. Because of this very fact, I try to buy food storage containers (among many other household items) that are made of less harmful materials. I especially try to find kid-friendly products made from safer alternatives. This is no easy task....Many affordable options are made from some form of plastic, they are convenient and they are readily available. It can be quite a task to find an affordable, safer alternative. Therefore, I was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to review the Stainless Steel 2 Container Set from MIRA through Tomoson.

This is the set that I received

The larger container is the 8 ounce size, and the smaller one is a 5 ounce size. I originally thought they were going to be larger, but they are the perfect size for lunch box foods, or on-the-go snacks. The containers themselves are made from unlined 18/8 food-grade stainless steel, are easy to wash, and make me feel good about serving food in them to my kids (or myself). The lids are made from non-toxic LDPE (low density polyethylene) number 4 plastic, and they go on and off super easy. In fact, I often think they are not on correctly because there is no definitive "click" or "snap". That being said, I have yet to have my son come home with the contents in them spilled all over his lunchbox, and these easy-on-easy-off lids make them effortless for small hands.

I have enjoyed using these, and am planning to purchase more. They also sell a very nice 3-piece set including a 16 ounce, 8 ounce and 5 ounce size container that I have my eyes on. The 2-piece set that I received retails for $29.99 on Amazon, but is on sale right now for significantly cheaper. Additionally, the 3-piece set retails for $34.99, however, that too is displaying a discounted price.

Overall, I give the MIRA Stainless Steel 2-Container Set 10 out of 10 stars:

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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.

Getting Right in the Kitchen with Suprah's Ultra-Thin Tempered Glass Digital Kitchen Scale

I recently had the opportunity to review a wonderful kitchen scale from Surpahs, and am excited to share my experience! If you are new to kitchen scales (and I certainly was), let me tell you some of the helpful ways that you can use one in your kitchen. 

Picture taken from Surpahs website - this is the scale I received

Reason #1: Your measuring cups are *gasp* meant for measuring liquid - That's right, folks...all of your dry ingredients should be measured by weight, and not by the traditional measuring cup. You thought you were a bad baker? Try using a scale and follow a recipe that includes weight measurement for it's list of dry ingredients. Flour, for example, is a truly difficult ingredient to measure by anything but weight because of it's texture. And don't be lazy...most recipe sites will convert recipes for you, and there is probably an app for that.

Reason #2: America has decided that a single serving of food is about the size of a house, which is likely the same reason we are also considered an overly obese country. Did you know that a single serving of meat, fish or poultry is 2-3 ounces? This tends to be about the size of a deck of cards. Was the last steak you ate that size? I'm willing to bet it was more likely the size of your foot. An accurate way to keep track of the amount of food you are consuming, and in the correct portion sizes is to measure them with a kitchen scale. This is especially helpful for individuals who are on diets that focus on portion control.

Reason #3: It eliminates mess. That's right! Have you ever confidently placed your cupcakes in the oven, feeling all accomplished and proud of yourself, only to take a look around the kitchen and realize the disaster you still have to clean up? With a kitchen scale, you place the bowl on the scale, zero it out (so it isn't measuring the weight of the bowl) and measure your ingredients that way, zeroing the scale out after each ingredient. Think, bag to bowl and....Voila! 

If that hasn't convinced you of the benefits of the modern-day kitchen scale, read on. My experience with the Surpahs Ultra-Thin Tempered Glass Digital Kitchen Scale has been great! I found that initially we all started weighing everything in the house just to see it work. This makes you truly aware of how much you are putting in your body. It has several useful settings so you can accurately measure in: grams, ounces (lbs), milliliters, and fluid ounces. Plus, the sleek design makes it simple to keep out for everyday use, and the tempered glass allows for simple and thorough clean-up. Additionally, this has touch settings (to control the unit and tare), which contribute to it's modern design. I found this scale to be accurate, and yes, I did measure it's accuracy (by putting a nickle on it and making sure it read 5 grams-getting scientific over here!).

I enjoy this scale and highly recommend it with 10 stars:

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The Surpahs Ultra-Thin Tempered Glass Digital Kitchen Scale retails for $34.99, and can be purchased through Amazon. As a side note, this is available for $18.98 right now, so this would be an excellent opportunity to grab it at a discounted price.

Disclosure: I was given the opportunity to receive this product for free in exchange for an honest review. The opinions and experiences stated here are my own. 

The Rules Have Changed With NEW Purex® No Sort™ for Colors Detergent - Review & GiVeAwAy!!!!

I have to admit that laundry is one of my biggest motivation killers. It is one of those things in life that can never truly be complete... Unless of course the people in your household walk around naked for the period of time that you are washing the clothes that they were previously dirty-ing. Yet, as soon as they dress themselves, the cycle starts over. Between clothes and towels and bedding and anything else you can fit in that washer and dryer, it gets to be quite an endless task. Add to that the specific instructions for each material, fabric and color that enters, and it becomes even more of a daunting task. Luckily, Purex® has made an attempt to make this task easier by coming out with their latest: Purex® No Sort™ for Colors detergent! Clap your hands laundry-doers, this stuff rocks!

As a Purex® Insider, I got to try a bottle of the Purex® No Sort™ for Colors for free. As a reader, you benefit from this because I am going to tell you how miraculous this liquid amazingness is, and THEN, I am going to give you the opportunity to win a free bottle to tackle your very own Mount Wash-more!

New Purex® No Sort™ for Colors detergent is the latest innovation from the Purex® brand designed to simplify your laundry routine. Prurex® No Sort™  For Colors detergent features a breakthrough Anti-Color transfer Technology™ which traps loose dyes in the wash and reduces color bleeding accidents in your mixed color loads leaving your clothes bright and clean.

~Purex®

Laundry is tedious enough without the chore of sorting, so I have a huge appreciation for Purex® and this new, innovative, no sorting, dye transfer inhibitor detergent they created (and it smells so clean too!). I have to say that one of the most devastating laundry mishaps is color bleeding accidents. I specifically avoid buying anything red as it ends up never seeing the inside of my washing machine because I don't want to chance my clothes turning pink. That, and I wash all of my jeans together (I'm a fan of the dark wash) so they don't have the opportunity to ruin anything else - they can share their dye with one another. In an attempt to see how this detergent works, I washed a load of my 8 year old son's clothes. In the photo below, you can see his undershirt (on the right), which was washed in a mixed color load (jeans, underwear, socks, shirts-you name it, it was in there, and my son likes dark clothes). On the left is one of my undershirts that is consistently thrown in the wash with "colors" because I wear undershirts everyday - I don't have the time or patience to wait for the "whites" to accumulate enough to necessitate a wash. Clearly, I had an excellent experience using Purex® No Sort™ for Colors detergent, and will continue to use it - it saves me time, and who couldn't use more time?

  

I will include that it is recommended to wash new clothes that are prone to heavy bleeding (i.e. anything strongly colored and especially jeans) separately 5 times before being mixed into a load using Purex® No Sort™ for Colors detergent. I will also add that for tough stains, I would pre-treat, or use whatever method you are used to. This does an excellent job at cleaning your clothes from everyday filth, but I think it spends so much time tackling the absorption of dyes that it can't also tackle tough, set-in stains. In my experience, most detergents alone cannot do that, so this was no disappointment to me.

Overall, I give Purex® No Sort™ for Colors detergent 9 out of 10 stars:

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Purex®, with the release of their newest detergent has decided to run a sweepstakes of their own, providing one grand prize winner with $1,000, and 100 second place winners with a free bottle of the New Purex® No Sort™ for Colors detergent. You have nothing to lose! Enter here.

And don't forget, stop sorting laundry and enter my giveaway for your chance at a FREE bottle of the new Purex® No Sort™ for Colors detergent (up to a $6.00 value) ! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Disclosure: I received this product for free for the purpose of providing an honest review. The opinions and experiences presented here are my own.

Book Review of: The Berenstain Bears Keep the Faith by Mike Berenstain

There is one thing you can never have enough of in my opinion: Love....and books. I am a huge fan of reading, so when the opportunity arose to become part of the Z Blog Squad, I was thrilled! Each month we get the opportunity to choose a couple of books through Zondervan, free of charge, in exchange for an honest review on our blog. Plus, they have a giant assortment of high quality books to appeal to infants through adults.

What I love about The Berenstain Bears books in general is that each book focuses on a moral lesson, and further, turns it into an entertaining story. In The Berenstain Bears Keep the Faith, Brother and Sister Bear are faced with a situation where they learn that some of their friends practice different religious beliefs than themselves. From these differences, they learn that they have faith in God, although are uncertain about what that means. With the  help of Preacher Brown, they learn about what faith is. While The Berenstain Bears Keep the Faith is appropriate for children ages 4-8, I have a 2 year old and an 8 year old, and this can keep both of their attentions. It is easy to read for my 8 year old son, and has enough pictures and color to keep the attention of my 2 year old daughter. Plus, we received this book shortly before Easter, and I thought that was fittingly appropriate. Additionally, on the inside of the back cover, there is a section with bullet points addressing conversation starters and activity ideas. Any older children could benefit from discussing what they read, while also seeing the real world application.

I found that the message in The Berenstain Bears Keep the Faith was very easy to understand, and simple enough for children to follow. I also found that it was not overpowering or confusing as some religious books can be; the message was clear, as well as relatable. I do not feel as though the spiritual message in this book is strong, however, it is perfectly appropriate for the audience that the book is written to entertain. Religion can be a very loaded topic, and I appreciate that they break it down into digestible pieces for young readers. As stated earlier, the illustrations help to pull the story together and keep the reader's (or listeners) attention, and they are the same high-quality pictures that are present in all of the Berenstain Bears books.

I would definitely recommend this book to add to any children's library, and give it 10 stars:

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Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book complimentary from Zondervan in exchange for an honest review. The opinions stated in the above review are my own.

Vitamin C.... In Your Beauty Routine!

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

I have seen so much lately on using oils and serums in your beauty routine. I never quite put enough thought into it to care much. I figured, I have sensitive skin and I don't see the point of smothering my acne-prone face with something oily or adding yet another step to my already time consuming routine. If anything, I want to shorten the time I spend "beautifying" myself everyday. I have since learned the science behind the oil things too; oil attracts oil, and consequently dirt and bacteria as well, therefore pulling it from the pores and purifying your skin. I have since used some oils, and with success! So there is your lesson for today - Don't judge a product by it's ingredients. Unless, of course, they are harmful....In that case, judge away. I am on a "green" kick, and have been attempting to rid my household of products that contain high concentrations of toxic ingredients. That being said, my beauty routine was one of the first things to get overhauled. Since then I have tried to seek out products that are made with more natural and organic ingredients. Fortunately, I was given the opportunity to try out La Beauté Pure Organic Vitamin C Serum complimentary for review purposes.

This Vitamin C serum comes in a sturdy, 1 fluid ounce glass bottle with a dropper for easy dispensing. It retails for $49.99, but tends to be available for cheaper through Amazon. This price seems to be in same price range as similar products. I always look at the small bottle and wonder how something so small can cost so much! That being said, I only use a couple of drops each time I apply it, so I envision this lasting for quite some time, making it much more reasonable in my opinion. Plus, many dermatological procedures that make the same claims are much more expensive. The serum itself is cloudy in color and does not really have a scent to it. I like this because oftentimes fragranced products contain unnecessarily added ingredients. The ingredients used in this serum are 98% naturally derived, with 72% being organic. I love this, as it complies with my attempt at ridding chemicals from my household, and my body. Additionally, this particular Vitamin C serum contains as much Vitamin C as possible without making the product watery. The bottle states:

This serum is a concentrated delivery system for the highest form of active bio-available Vitamin C for beautiful skin. Suspended in a concentrated base of pure vegan hyaluronic acid to plump skin cells and protect and restore.

And my favorite part:

No parabens. No chemicals. No preservatives. No Formalin. No Formaldehyde. No Phthalates. No Petro-chemicals No GMO. No Triclosan. No Fragrance. No Colors. No Animal Testing. No Worries.

After using this serum for a couple of weeks, I have to be honest and say that I have not noticed any differences in my skin aside from a bit of a brightening effect; My looks rejuvenated when I wake up in the morning, versus dull. That being said, I am still young and don't really have any signs of aging for the serum to erase. Perhaps I am providing my skin with some added nutrients to prevent that process from taking effect sooner? In which case, YAY! Additionally, my skin is very susceptible to breakouts, especially with the introduction of a new product, and I have not experienced an increase in breakouts since adding this to my regimen. Plus, it is a new way to get my daily dose of Vitamin C! (Your skin is your largest organ, you know?)

Overall I give this Vitamin C Serum 7 stars:

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If you are looking to try a serum and have a need for reducing signs of aging, I would recommend that you give this Vitamin C serum a shot!  I have been using this serum for only a small amount of time. While some people may experience drastic transformations right away, I am sure that using it for an extended period of time is the only way to find out if this serum will work for you. Luckily, they do offer a money back guarantee so you have nothing to lose. 

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.

Deliciousness Delivered through Hello Fresh

I LOVE to cook (and bake too!). It is something I am passionate about and take pride in. I am forever on the search for new, tasty meals to share with my family, and to break-up some of the tedious food ruts we get into. I wish I was as skilled as those "home" cooks on Masterchef who can identify the most bizzare foods in a blindfolded taste-test, or who can take one bite of a meal and identify all of the main ingredients. My palette isn't as sensitive as theirs, and I don't even know how to cook with some of the ingredients they use on those shows. That being said, it is one of my secret desires to cook a gourmet-style meal with the fancy plating techniques, or at least eat one at some point in my life. That isn't too much to ask, right? Well, the closest I have come to fulfilling this fantasy was through the free order of Hello Fresh that I was given the opportunity to review through Mosaic Reviews!  

I may or may not have tackled the Fed Ex delivery guy when this arrived...

If you are concerned about fresh-ness - this is the arctic insulation/ice pack combination it is delivered in!

 Hello Fresh is a fresh food delivery service. It could be described as a subscription-box-meets-grocery-delivery-service, except with greater flexibility. What makes this particular service unique is the fact that you are given durable, illustrated recipe cards and all of the ingredients (with the exception of a handful of household staples including: butter, milk, sugar and oil) to complete 3 nutritious meals, delivered right to your door! You can choose from the Classic Box (receive 3 of 5 meal options) or the Vegetarian Box (receive 3 predetermined meals). From there you decide whether you want supplies for 2 people, or 4 people. If you choose 2 people, the box costs $69 per delivery for the Classic box, and $59 per delivery for the Vegetarian Box. If you choose 4 people, the cost is $129 for the Classic Box and $109 for the Vegetarian Box. Orders must be placed by midnight on the Wednesday before delivery week. Don't wait until the last minute because it takes a few minutes to set-up your account and submit your information. Plus, give yourself time to assess your options! Please be advised that this is a subscription service. You will be charged these fees each week that you have an active subscription. What is nice about this particular company is the fact that you can "pause" your subscription. If the next week has meals that do not interest you, you will be out of town or your budget does not allow it, you simply "pause" your subscription through your account settings before Wednesday. Be sure to save your actions and look for a confirmation e-mail to ensure that your changes have been applied to your account. If this sounds like something you would be interested in trying, use code: DEM57U to receive $20 off of your first order.

We chose the Classic Box with 2 servings, and from there decided to customize our meals to include: Chile Dusted Shrimp with Corn Relish, Steak and Brussels Sprouts Stir-Fry and Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Lemony Skillet Potatoes and Zucchini. Here is my experience in pictures (because no words I know of can express it on the same level that the pictures do):

On Wednesday evening I made the Chile Dusted Shrimp with Corn Relish:

Unpacked directly out of the delivery box (and ice cold)

Before prepping

Prepped and ready to cook

Finished product!

Up close and personal

On Thursday we had the Steak and Brussels Sprouts Stir-Fry:

Right out of the delivery box

Pre-prep

All diced up and ready to fry!

So delicious!

I mixed it up a little to give credit to all of the ingredients

On Friday I made the Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Lemony Skillet Potatoes and Zucchini:

Takes the guesswork out of which ingredients go where

So fresh!

All ready to cook!

Love the way this one looks!

And it tasted just as great as it looked, and then some!

I have nothing negative to say about my personal experience with Hello Fresh. My package was delivered on-time, ice cold, and with all ingredients in beautiful condition. I was able to cook using ingredients I was not accustom to using, with ease. For example, I have never used fresh ginger in my cooking and did so with 2 of my recipes. I have used powdered forms of it, but never fresh. I also, and I am embarrassed to admit this, have never used scallions. Each of the 3 recipes we received used them and come to find out, my husband LOVES them (as do I)! I also love the culinary knowledge I got from using the provided ingredients; I paired foods together that I would have never thought to on my own accord. Everything is packaged and labeled so you can easily decipher which ingredients go with which meals. Additionally, you can customize the recipes to fit your tastes. If there is an ingredient you dislike, leave it out, or substitute with something you have on hand at home. I made the meals as they were described for the sake of the review, and I am so thankful I did. My husband discovered that "brussels sprouts really don't taste bad" after years of hating on those poor baby cabbages. So remember, even if it isn't something you would traditionally eat, try something new and be adventurous! I am grateful for the recipe cards that I now have on hand for when I decide to make these dishes again, and I WILL be making them all again. It is worth mentioning that the amount that comes in the 2 serving size box is more than enough for 2 people, especially if you serve sides with the meals. And lastly, I love the fresh, wholesome ingredients. It's so simple to throw something in a microwave, or heat something up on the stove top. Surprisingly, it truly takes a small amount of effort to make a completely fresh homemade meal that tastes even more delicious.

I give Hello Fresh a 10 out of 10 stars:

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See what some of the other reviewers had to say here!

If you are interested in ordering your own box of nutritious meal ingredients, please go here to see if they deliver in your area. You can reference the Hello Fresh website here, and their FAQ section here if you are seeking more information about the company and how their service works. Additionally, you can show them some love and keep an eye on the up-and-coming meals and features by liking them on Facebook and following them on Twitter.

REMEMBER to use code: DEM57U to receive $20 off of your first order