Archive for the ‘Review’ Category

I recently had the opportunity to review two products from a new website to our Modest Clothing Resources page – MyHeadcoverings.com.

They were pleasant to deal with, and my items arrived quickly and very well packaged.

I had Jewel put on the Colorful Circles Head Scarf for a photo, even though it does NOT match her outfit. She’s still cute!

It’s a very pretty scarf, and of course as a simple square it has a wide range of uses. Because it’s so slick, I’m not sure I’d try using it as a headcovering, but of course that’s just me.

The second item I received was the LadyBug: Circular Strokes Cotton Pre-tied Bandana in blue. (Click for a better view of the pattern – but I couldn’t resist this photo of my cuties!)

I was dubious about a “pre-tied bandana” for me, since being 6’2″ my head is also proportionately larger than the average, so most “one size fits all” headbands and things are too small.

The soft, t-shirt-like fabric was a delightful surprise, and it did, in fact, fit perfectly (thanks to a generous elastic in the back).

It is somewhat “clingy”, and seemed like it was much better at staying in place that your typical cotton woven fabric. As an experiment, I went through half the day without putting in clips to secure it, and I was impressed!

A comfortable, easy-to-wear, no-iron covering… Can’t beat that!

I will definitely do business with MyHeadcoverings.com for my personal use – I think I need another one of these comfy pre-tied bandanas! – and I do not hesitate to recommend them to you.

Just a quick update from the author:

Nerni Invents Clock is now available for Kindle!

If you want a fun book about a (female!) gnome engineer/inventor for your kids to enjoy, check it out!

And don’t forget, we also have A GIVEAWAY for both this book and the sequel, Nerni’s Ingenious Inventions, going on right now (ends July 17th).

I wanted to share with you about an adorable little book that I won in a giveaway from Father Geek (read his review here) – Nerni Invents Clock.

Nerni the gnome loves to invent things, but when she invents an intelligent clock, things don’t go according to plan! Nerni Invents Clock is a picture book designed to be read to 0-4 year olds.

Or, of course, for slightly older kids to read themselves!

The language is simple, and repetitive in a pleasant way. The artwork is likewise very simple and uncluttered. The story is very creative, and the characters are cute. It’s just plain fun and appealing.

My kids really enjoyed the story of Nerni and her clock, and there is much imaginary gnome play after each time it’s read.

You can pick up a copy for your little gnomes on Amazon:

And now Todd Edwards has a new book out for Nerni fans – Nerni’s Ingenious Inventions!

This is a bit longer book, with four separate Nerni tales:

Mice Trouble
Cold Tea
Flying Goblin, and
Og’s New Roaster

It is intended for a slightly older audience, with the author suggesting reading it to your 2-5 year old.

As adults, we found these stories to be pleasant enough, if not quite as engaging as the original. The language and artwork were the same delightful style at the first book, making it fun to read.

The kids were delighted, and the alliterative phrase “Gnome named Nerni” (which is repeated in each story) must have been chanted a thousand times…

Now one of our lucky As For My House readers will win an autographed copy of Nerni’s Ingenious Inventions, and another will win an autographed copy of Nerni Invents Clock, directly from the author!

Okay, I admit it, the title is a contrived way to try and be cute while telling you about this fabulous offer.

I recently received a letter from the Bulk Herb Store folks, in reference to my Holy Week reviews of the Making Babies Book and the Making Babies DVD Series.

They had this to say:

On behalf of the Bulk Herb Store, I would like to thank you for helping us reach the world with the good news of natural health and wellness with herbs. One of the most moving ways that we have been able to encourage others in their journey toward health, has been with our Making Babies Series. What better way of equipping families to give their precious new babies the best start in life?

As a token of our appreciation for your review of the Making Babies Series, Bulk Herb Store would like to offer your readers a SPECIAL 40% OFF of the Making Babies Book & DVD Series. That is a huge savings of $44 dollars for you and your readers! Have a fantastic day and happy blogging!

WOW!

So you, my lucky friends, can head on over to the Bulk Herb Store and decide if you want the book, the DVDs, or the complete set.

Just enter the code MBBFMH at checkout for your 40% discount! And hurry – this is good for one week only, until July 16th.

It’s always a delight to find new resources to add to the Modest Clothing Links page!

Introducing the Honor Your Head Etsy shop and Facebook page.

I have not yet had the chance to try on of the lovely coverings from Honor Your Head, but I have enjoyed chatting with Rosi, and look forward to the opportunity!

Honor Your Head would like to offer a headcovering (your choice!) to one lucky As For My House reader!

Just enter using the Rafflecoptor form below. Good luck!

Most people have at least heard of an “envelope budgeting” system.

It’s been around pretty much since envelopes were invented, probably, and has been popularized by Dave Ramsey.

You can stash your cash in regular paper envelopes, or you can pick up something like this nifty cloth envelope set I found on Etsy.

There are also various online budgeting programs to help track spending. The one that most closely mirrors this system, though, is Mvelopes.

I’ve wanted to try using Mvelopes for a while now, but couldn’t get past the idea of paying a monthly fee. (Their “free version” is so limited as to be pointless).

But the wise and wonderful Mary Hunt of Debt Proof Living got together with the Mvelopes folks to offer a totally free basic account. Read about it on the Debt Proof Living Blog.

It still has limits, and they still offer the upgrade to the Premium membership – but this is a fully functional account. It even includes a “jump start” phone coaching session to help you get started.

This is not a sponsored post, and I have no affiliate interest in any of the products mentioned. Just sharing a good deal I found on a tool I am beginning to use myself!

Follow along from conception to birth and beyond in this delightful book (and companion DVD series) from Shoshanna (Pearl) Easling of the Bulk Herb Store. (Don’t miss yesterday’s review and giveaway of the DVDs!)

It’s the FIFTH and FINAL DAY of the As For My House Holy Week Giveaway Bonanza!

So you say a bunch of blog giveaways aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of “holy” or “Easter”?

Me, either. But I wanted to share my joy with you at this blessed time of year, and share gifts in honor of the Greatest Gift of All that Christ gave us.

There are five giveaways, each lasting for a week, leading up to Easter Sunday.

Like the DVD Series, this book is AMAZING

The book is GORGEOUS! It would make a fabulous coffee-table book, just to flip through and look at the gorgeous pictures of food, herbs, and kids.

The book is HUGE! More healthy recipes than your average cookbook (including a good number of gluten free and casein free options), more herbal concoctions than your average herbal book, more pregnancy information and exercises than your average pregnancy book… Just, WOW!

Look at all this stuff:

• The first three section of the book are direct companions to the DVD Series – containing the recipes, exercises, and herbal goodies mentioned in each section.
• My Pregnancy Cookbook – a bunch more recipes!
• Did You Know? – basically an FAQ section with at-a-glance information on everything from “tips for morning sickness” to “mercury in fish”
• Grandma’s Remedies – everything from soothing tea, to toothpaste, to treatment for diaper rash
• Baby Diary – a journal framework for you to records the details of your pregnancy journey
• Resources, Glossary, and Index

For my regular readers, I will comment that while I had no problem with yoga pants for exercise segments [since you are presumably at home alone (or with your husband) while doing these moves], I was disappointed to see her wearing pants about as often as skirts in the rest of the photos, as well.

There is one thing (as in the DVDs) that I found, frankly, both disturbing and entirely out of place: Shoshanna recommends circumcising your baby boy. Not only does this seem quite contradictory to the expressed views of “natural”, “simplistic” and “organic”, and the implied view that God knew what He was doing when He created us — it also flies in the face of current medical research, and even practice.

The 2009 national circumcision rate was just 32.5%, and less than 25% in some states — a far cry from the 55% – 65% she claims in the book. A concise collection of the basic facts and figures (including debunking the myth, which Shoshanna’s second-hand experience of eveidently led to her decision, that circumcision is “cleaner”) – can be found at the Circumcision Resource Center.

Although I find that quite a serious issue, it is still only one item out of literally hundreds. Let us not lose sight of the big, wonderful, picture.

You can purchase your own Making Babies Book directly from the Bulk Herb Store. Or, as of this writing, Amazon.com has it for the same price, with Free Super Saver Shipping!

And one lucky As For My House reader is going to win a copy!

Enter with the RaffleCoptor form below to win a Making Babies Book!

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Isn’t she adorable?

That’s Penelope Jane Easling, the actual baby that was followed from conception to birth and beyond in this delightful DVD series (and companion book) from Shoshanna (Pearl) Easling of the Bulk Herb Store.

Today’s review and giveaway are for the DVD Series, but stay tuned tomorrow for a review and giveaway of the incredible book!

Welcome to Day FOUR of the As For My House Holy Week Giveaway Bonanza!

What? A bunch of blog giveaways aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of “holy” or “Easter”?

I know… But I wanted to share my joy with you at this time of year, and share gifts in honor of the Greatest Gift of All that Christ gave us.

There will be five giveaways, each lasting for a week, leading up to Easter Sunday.

This DVD Series is … Incredible!

Making Babies DVD Volume I follows Shoshanna through the first trimester of her pregnancy. There are countless recipes, remedies, and herb concoctions, as well as a wealth of information about fertility, conception, morning sickness and pregnancy.

Making Babies DVD Volume II covers Shoshanna’s second and third trimester – along with plenty more healthy recipes, remedies, and herb concoctions. It also includes exercises, birth preparation, information on the birth experience and much more.

Making Babies DVD Volume III begins with Shoshanna’s wonderful natural birth, then covers the postpartum period as she stays healthy with her new baby. Making Babies Vol 3. is also full of deliciously healthy recipes, remedies and herb concoctions. Because of the sensitivities of little Penelope (and a blessing to many others like myself), she includes many recipes that are gluten free and casein free. It includes information about birth, nursing, postpartum, losing weight and getting in shape, and much more.

There are also interviews with several professionals throughout the series, lending their wisdom in specific areas (a chiropractor, a doctor, a midwife, etc.).

I will admit right here that I have not had a chance to watch all the DVDs. There is OVER SEVEN HOURS of material in this series! I wanted to make sure to get this giveaway up for you, so I just watched bits and pieces from Volume I and II, and most of Volume III.

I do fully intend to watch it all – even with no intention of ever having another child. I think that (a) many of the recipes and remedies have broad application, and (b) someone I care about may one day be pregnant – you just can’t have too much good information.

Each DVD is visually pleasing, with very professional film-making, and lovely sets. There is a spacious kitchen for the cooking segments, an outdoor setting where she prepares her herbal concoctions, and several other locations where she presents a wide array of tips and ideas.

One of the true highlights of the DVDs, though, is Shoshanna herself. Her cheerful, bubbly personality is guaranteed to make you smile. She gives you a ton of valuable information, but in a lighthearted and un-self-conscious manner that makes it very enjoyable viewing.

For my regular readers, I will comment that while I had no problem with yoga pants for exercise segments [since you are presumably at home alone (or with your husband) while doing these moves], I was disappointed to see her wearing tight jeans in the kitchen segments of Volume III.

There is one thing in Volume III that I found, frankly, both disturbing and entirely out of place: Shoshanna recommends circumcising your baby boy. Not only does this seem quite contradictory to the expressed views of “natural”, “simplistic” and “organic”, and the implied view that God knew what He was doing when He created us — it also flies in the face of current medical research, and even practice.

The 2009 national circumcision rate was 32.5%, less than 25% in some states; 80% of the men in the world are intact (and most of those circumcised are Muslims!). A concise collection of the basic facts and figures (including debunking the myth, which Shoshanna’s second-hand experience of eveidently led to her decision, that circumcision is “cleaner”) – can be found at the Circumcision Resource Center.

Although I find that quite a serious issue, it is still only one item out of literally hundreds – 2 minutes out of over 7 hours. Let us not lose sight of the big, wonderful, picture.

Here’s a preview:

You can purchase your own Making Babies DVD Series directly from the Bulk Herb Store. Or, as of this writing, Amazon.com has it for the same price, with Free Super Saver Shipping!

$75 does sound like a lot of money – but really, when you break it down it’s not at all out of line. $10/hour for a professional lecture series? $25 for a single DVD? Reasonable. And besides, you just can’t put a price on your health, and your baby’s…

But one lucky As For My House reader is going to win a set!

Enter with the RaffleCoptor form below to win a Making Babies DVD Series!

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If you have an Amazon.com Rewards Visa card (or apply for one and qualify immediately!), you can score an additional 20% off a whole range of Gluten Free foods on Amazon.com.

Until March 31 (hurry!), you have a one-time-use code available for 20% off your purchase of in-stock Grocery and Gourmet items sold by Amazon.com. (Much more than the gluten free is included!)

Amazon typically has the best deals available for specialty products like these, and if you select those with Free Super Saver Shipping, you’re really going to get an unbeatable price!

Check out the Terms & Conditions (and products!), then shop at will!

At checkout, pay with your Amazon.com Rewards Visa, and use the code MAR20OFF (it’s listed right there on the offer page, too).

This is not a sponsored post. Links in the post may contain affiliate tracking, in which case I stand to earn a small commission if you click through them to purchase, which helps maintain this website – and I thank you.

What, you don’t think this is a fitness blog??

Okay, it’s not. But (a) I do care about your health and well-being, and (b) as a former fitness model and personal trainer, I do have some idea what I’m talking about in this area.

With that out of the way, let me tell you about the wonderful book that I recently had the opportunity to review (and you now have the opportunity to win!):

Yes, it’s Day THREE of the As For My House Holy Week Giveaway Bonanza!

What? A bunch of blog giveaways aren’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of “holy” or “Easter”?

I know… But I wanted to share my joy with you at this time of year, and share gifts in honor of the Greatest Gift of All that Christ gave us.

There will be five giveaways, each lasting for a week, leading up to Easter Sunday.

As you may not know, if you haven’t delved into the murky “about us” back-story posted here somewhere, I used to be a fitness model and personal trainer. I was also very involved in mentoring women on their fitness journey, through various online communities which sprung up around the “Body for Life Physique Transformation Challenge”.

I stopped working as a trainer because of time conflicts with my family responsibilities, and of course I would not compete these days due to the immodest apparel and attitudes involved. But none of that means that I think being in shape is a bad idea!

For a long time, the book and concept of Body for Life has been the defining product out there, in my opinion. It doesn’t have any fads, or “magic pill” solutions – just a sensible, healthy eating and exercise plan. It was the book I’d recommend to anyone who talked about getting in shape.

Well, the time has come.

There’s a new kid in town, and he’s taking over the “King of the Hill” spot!

Dustin’s book is without question the best resource out there for a woman (or anyone!) looking to get in shape. It combines a common-sense approach to healthy eating and exercise, with all the latest research available to improve the effectiveness of your diet and training.

There is an emphasis on real, wholesome food over “supplements” and “replacements”, which is very important to me (and in fact I think this is the one area in which he might have gone even further).

Strength training is combined with highly efficient “burst training” cardio – no boring hours on the stairmaster here! Dustin also addresses ways to strengthen your body with various physical limitations, and of course busts all the still-too-common myths about strength training for women.

A nice addition to the book is the success stories interspersed throughout. Real women, sharing their real challenges and journeys – and triumphs. A few look like bikini calendar girls, but most of them do not – there is probably someone in the book with whom nearly every reader can identify.

There’s also more information, and a newsletter, available on the Dustin Maher Fitness website, as well as community on the Fit Moms for Life and I Love Being a Mom Facebook pages.

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