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Brew Over Ice Coffee and Tea is a Mom Must-Have this Summer!

September 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment

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Even though we are back-to-school, the weather is more like summer than the entire month of June! Besides, heading to the beach after school or going to the tide pools for PE, I beat the heat with my Keurig Brewer and Brew Over Ice Coffee and Ice Tea. I received the Celestial Seasonings Southern Sweet Perfect Iced Tea and the Donut Shop Sweet & Creamy Iced Coffee and they are both a hit in my house! My husband loves the Iced Coffee and I love the Southern Sweet Tea! The sweet tea is just perfect! Not too sweet but just right! Hey! I think I will make one now….

Self Disclosure: I received products to facilitate this review but any opinions are my own.

 

 

Filed Under: Archived Content, Featured Products of the Week

Beat the Back to School Blues And Bullies with two great books for young children!

September 3, 2013 By 9 Comments

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Author, former teacher and mom Kate Messner has battled the back-to-school blues from all sides – and won!

Her picture books Sea Monster and the Bossy Fish and Sea Monster’s First Day help students, parents and teachers address some of the fears and challenges that come at the end of summer and the beginning of the school year. We received both of these books to review and these really are Must-Haves for younger children starting school! Sea Monster’s First Day is a delightful story about starting school and making new friends. Young children will absolutely love this story! My favorite is Sea Monster and the Bossy Fish and is a fun tale about how to deal with a bully.  Both books can be found at Chronicle Books.

About Kate Messner

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Kate Messner books for kids include the acclaimed Martie McGuire series, Capture the Flag, Hide and Seek and Over and Under the Snow. She’s been honored by New York Times Notable, Junior Library Guild, IndieBound, and Bank Street College of Education Best Books selections. The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z. was the winner of the 2010 E.B. White Read Aloud Award for Older Readers. Kate spent fifteen years teaching middle school and earned National Board Certification in 2006.  She’s a popular speaker at schools, libraries and professional conferences, and was the only children’s book author invited to speak at the TED 2012: Full Spectrum Conference.

 

We have teamed up with the Author for a Back-to-School Giveaway! You can win both books! You must be a subscriber to enter! Next, leave a comment below with a helpful tip for the first day of school or a tip for how to deal with bullies. Deadline to enter is September 10th, 2012 at midnight. One winner will randomly be selected from all entries.

Self Disclosure: I received books for free to review but any opinions are my own.

 

 

Filed Under: Archived Content

let’s go outside! by Jennifer Ward

September 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Lets Go Outside FR cov

I’m always looking for ways to get my child outside to play. He does love his video games!! Let’s go outside! is a book that really does encourage children (and parents!) to go outside and have fun! There are 52 ideas! Sometimes I can’t even think of 10! Some are just classics that some of us may have forgotten such as tag and capture the flag. But, there are also some new ones too. Just perfect for children ages 8-12 years-old and great no matter where you live! We had so much fun playing spy games and making Sun Fun: Shadow Prints and loved Playground for Poets. There really is something for everyone! Retails for $14 and found at Roost Books.

Filed Under: Archived Content, Media Reviews

“Dear Dumb Diary” – Sure To Charm Your School-Aged Kids

September 3, 2013 By 1 Comment

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Based on the best selling series “Dear Dumb Diary” by Jim Benton, this made for TV movie airs September 6 on the Hallmark Channel. “You might think it is a girl’s movie but I enjoyed it and so did my twelve year old brother,” comments KIDS FIRST! Film Critic Adam C, age 8. Adam’s full review follows.

Dear Dumb Diary

Reviewed by Adam C., Age 8, KIDS FIRST! Film Critic

Video review available here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc9I-aEMtHk

If you enjoy comedy mixed with great musical numbers then you will love “Dear Dumb Diary.”  “Dear Dumb Diary” is about a girl named Jamie Kelly who attends Mackeral Middle School and dreams of being popular and of having the boy of her dreams, Hudson, love her.  She writes all of her secrets and dreams in her diary.  She is jealous of a beautiful girl named Angeline who she feels gets more attention from Hudson than Jamie feels she deserves.

My favorite character in the movie is Jamie Kelly (Emily Alyn Lind).  She is easy to relate to as most teenagers have insecurities and lots of dreams of how their life could be better.  Jamie keeps her room really messy and only cleans it when she wants to find her missing diary. She is funny and has a great sense of humor.  Emily is a very talented girl and does a wonderful job of acting, singing and dancing in this movie.

The musical numbers in “Dear Dumb Diary” are well choreographed and very entertaining.  They add a great deal to the movie because it keeps the viewer’s attention and adds an extra dimension to this already excellent movie.

My favorite part of the movie is actually a musical number.  It is the musical number where Jamie sings that there are too many beautiful people in the world and they need to leave to give the ordinary people a chance to shine.  The ordinary people put all of the beautiful people on a small yellow school bus and send them away.

The film has many positive messages that can apply to all age ranges.  The first is “do not judge a book by its cover.”  Angeline, who Jamie feels is mean in the movie because she is so beautiful, actually covers for her and returns her diary without reading a single word of it.  Jamie, even though she wants to shine and be the winner in the Jump-A-Thon, helps Angeline who doesn’t know how to jump.

Jamie and her best friend Isabella do this because Angeline has many sponsors and will enable the school to hire the art teacher back and provide many extracurricular activities for the school. Isabella and Jamie show maturity in putting the greater good of the school before their own personal glory.   Jamie’s best friend Isabella collects for a fake charity so she can get money to buy herself contacts.  In the end, Jamie and Isabella start a charity that helps less fortunate children to get glasses. Throughout the movie, Jamie is learning the lesson that inner beauty is very important.

I give this movie five out of five stars.  It’s a great family movie appropriate for ages 7 to 18. You might think it is a girl’s movie but I enjoyed it and so did my twelve year old brother. I feel the music and dancing help this movie appeal to a wider audience range.  It is airing on the Hallmark Channel on September 6 and will also be available for purchase at Wal-Mart on September 10.

Filed Under: Archived Content, Media Reviews

September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

September 3, 2013 By 3 Comments

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The LMOCF was started by Laura Mercier, founder of Laura Mercier cosmetics, and Claudia Poccia, President & CEO of Gurwitch Products, the brand’s parent company, because both women’s lives were touched by loved ones who faced ovarian cancer.  In 2011, Poccia lost her younger sister, Laura Lia Murray who was only 39 years old, to the disease. Mercier has witnessed her dear friend, Ranee Flynn bravely battle ovarian cancer for years.

 

Last September, they, along with their colleagues at Laura Mercier cosmetics, launched the LMOCF with the mission of educating women about the disease, supporting those who were undergoing treatment, and funding research for a cure.

 

This year, in order to support the cause, Laura Mercier will donate 100 percent of the profits from the sale of three products to the Fund.  Additionally, anyone may make a direct donation to the Fund through its dedicated website, www.lmocf.org. The new products, which launch in September, are listed below.

FUNDRAISING PRODUCTS

 

BONNE MINE HEALTHY GLOW FOR FACE & CHEEKS CRÉME COLOUR PALETTE

The Laura Mercier Bonne Mine Healthy Glow for Face & Cheeks Crème Colour Palette is an easy way to achieve a sun-kissed glow.  This ultra-sheer, blendable and portable palette was inspired by Laura Mercier’s work with celebrity clients, who wanted a universal compact that would “wake-up” their skin.

Retail Price: $48, LauraMercier.com, permanent

 

MATTE RADIANCE HEALTHY GLOW BAKED POWDER & MINI FACE BRUSH

Created to give skin an on-the-go, healthy, sun-kissed glow, this duet features an exclusive shimmering pink shade of Matte Radiance Baked Powder, plus a Mini Face Brush for flawless application.  Use the petite and portable powder for an effortless glow – just dust on the radiant, soft pink shade on the places that the sun naturally hits – the cheeks, nose and forehead.

Retail Price: $36, LauraMercier.com, limited edition

 

LIP GLACÉ IN KISS OF HOPE

A high-shine, perfectly pigmented lip gloss with rich, long-lasting colour and brilliant shine that creates the appearance of fuller lips. The Laura Mercier Lip Glacé in Kiss of Hope is a shimmering peachy-pink shade that virtually enhances any skin tone by creating a subtle contrast in texture.

Retail Price: $24, LauraMercier.com, limited edition

 

WHY IT MATTERS

  • Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death among gynecological cancers in the United States.*
  • Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among American women.*
  • Know your family history. Up to 15% of all ovarian cancer is hereditary and there are things you can do to reduce risk for yourself and your family.*
  • The American Cancer Society estimates that 22,280 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2012; 15,500 women will die of the disease.
  • Most women newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer already have advanced disease.*

Source: Dr. Carol Aghajanian/Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Filed Under: Beauty and Fashion, Beauty and Fashion Corner

Infiniti Pro by Conair Curl Secret

September 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Infiniti Pro by Conair Curl Secret

The secret to the perfect curl is out! You may have heard the buzz around the new, groundbreaking, automatic curling device – the Infiniti Pro by Conair Curl Secret. This is the most impactful and innovative launch in the hair tool category in the past 50 years, and we are excited to introduce you to it!

 

Here’s a brief introduction to the device below, and be sure to check out a brief video at this link to see the product in action.

·         Tourmaline Ceramic Curl Chamber Reduces Frizz and Flyaways and Protects Hair from Damage

·         3 Timer Settings for Different Curl Effects (:08/:10/:12 Seconds)

·         2 Heat Settings(Low/High), Heats up to 400°F Professional Brushless Motor

·         Availability: Mass drugstores nationwide beginning in September

·         More information: www.curlsecret.com

Product retails for $99.99

Self disclosure: I did not receive a product to review or any compensation/Conair sponsored feature.

Filed Under: Beauty and Fashion, Beauty and Fashion Corner