Slow-Cooker Cranberry Pulled Pork with Cheesy...

I bet this is a great flavor combo!

Slow-Cooker Cranberry Pulled Pork with Cheesy...

Ease into fall flavors with a comforting pork dinner, made in your slow cooker.

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"Conrad and the Cowgirl Next Door"

disclaimer:  I received the book below for free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest opinions.  All opinions remain my own.

 

"Conrad and the Cowgirl Next Door"

 

 

 

Written by Denette Fretz

Illustrated by Gene Barretta

 

  Conrad is heading to his Uncle Clint's ranch for cowboy training.  Conrad meets a girl named Imogene Louise Lathrop who seems to know everything there is about being a cowboy, a sort of know-it-all type.  Luckily for Conrad, he has along his trust Mega Ultimate Extreme First Aid Kit. 

 

  Find out how these two end up getting along by reading "Conrad and the Cowgirl Next Door".

 

  Mommy in PA:  What a cute book!  I really wish this one would have been available when my daughter was younger (She LOVES horses).  The story and illustrations were quite hilarious at times and even had my nine year old interested enough to stop playing his game on the computer to hear the story.

 

  I think we've all known someone like Imogene, she acts like she knows everything there is to know about being a cowboy.  She's always spouting out some kind of cowboy wisedom to Clint every time he does something wrong.  And poor Clint really gets a lot of use out of his Mega Ultimate Extreme First Aid Kit. 

 

  The ultimate lesson to the story is forgiveness but I don't want to get into to much and ruin the story.  You will just have to read it yourself.  This would be a great book for any kids interested in horses and/or cowboys. 

 

"How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters"

disclaimer:  I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest opinions.  All opinions remain my own.

 

"How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters"

Fight Back When Monsters and Mother Nature Attack

 

 

 

 

by Andrew Shaffer

with contributions by Fin Shepard & April Wexler

 

  So did you ever wonder what a person could do to survive a Sharknado, or perhaps you've always been terrified of being in a Arachnoquake (I know I would be...I don't even like little spiders)?!?!  Well then this is the book for you. 

 

  "How to Survive a Sharknado and Other Unnatural Disasters" is a guide to surviving many different disasters.  The book is broken down into two main sections (unnatural disasters and monsters) and unnatural disasters includes a section about mother nature (bugs and other animal issues) and a section about the Earth (weather and geographical issues).  And monsters is broken down by the two types (land or sea). 

 

  The book is meant to be a guide to help folks get themselves out of some pretty odd predicaments.  Each disaster is equipped with a rating scale.  The scale tells us the threat to humanity, the risk of encounter, and the WTF (Wow, that's freaky) factor.  You also find out any other names for the disaster, when and where it was first observed, max speed if applicable, and the high-risk groups that would be more likely to have this disaster happen to them.  Each disaster has the actual study, how to avoid being in the said disaster, and how to survive if you find yourself in the disaster. 

 

  Mommy in PA:  My son was the one who really wanted me to get this book for review because he just loves anything to do with sharks.  My kids actually started glancing through the book before I did and found it absolutely hilarious when I started asking my husband about whether the Arachnoquake story was real : )  I was just terrified thinking of those huge spiders crawling out of the ground...anyway, it took me until the Boaricane section before I knew that this was just meant for entertainment...well at least for now anyway.  Although I do know that there have been Firenados before, which is pretty much why I thought the book may be about real events. 

 

  Ok, so after I knew it was just for laughs I was better able to enjoy the book and all of its hilarity.  I had quite a few LOL moments that I just had to share with my hubby. 

I really like how they have it broken down into the different disasters so if you feel like reading just one or two you can easily (and that way you can read one during a commercial and everyone else doesn't get as mad at you for all of your chuckling). 

 

  I love the pictures, quizzes, and facts sections throughout they really make it a super easy read as you don't get bored just looking at just words on the pages. 

 

  This book is going to find a nice place in my living room so that when company comes over it may end up being a great conversation piece.  Maybe they will be like me and think that these things really did happen, could get a few good laughs : ) 

 

 

"The Animal Communicator's Guide Through Life, Loss, and Love"

disclaimer:  I received the following book for free from Hay House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinions.  All opinions remain my own.

 

"The Animal Communicator's Guide Through Life, Loss, and Love"

by Pea Horsley

Foreward by Richard Allport

 

 

 

  Have you ever wondered what your pets are thinking?  Maybe you've had to deal with tough decisions like whether to have you pet put to sleep or try to save them with some expensive procedures. 

 

  Pea Horsley had to deal with these questions for her own pet and went right to the source for her answers.  What did her dog, Morgan, have to say?  You will just have to read to find out. 

 

  Pea not only uses her skills at animal communication for her own use but also has helped many friends and clients with pet questions of their own.  Pea can receive a photo of the pet via email and answer questions for the owners about how the pet is really feeling. 

 

  In the book you will learn about Pea's experiences with some of her client's and her own experience with the sickness, weakness, and death of a pet. 

 

  Mommy in PA:  I can honestly say that this book was nothing like I expected.  My daughter and I both expected it to be more like a "How To" book about learning to communicate with our animals, instead it is basically just Pea taking us through her different experiences. 

 

  It is not a bad book, just not we were wanting at this time. 

 

  Pea does a wonderful job of touching upon many of the tough decisions when it comes to our pets getting older (are they in pain, are they only staying because of me, is it time). 

 

  My favorite parts of the book were the Appendix (Empowering Animal Transition) and the Resources section.  There is a ton of great information there from poems about the loss of a pet to places to get ahold of if you are having trouble dealing with the grief.  I personally will use the last 17 pages of this book more than the rest. 

 

 

 

To purchase your own copy of "The Animal Communicator's Guide Through Life, Loss, and Love":

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

or

Hay House

Borax (Thank You Purex insiders'!!!)

disclaimer:  I received the products below for free from Purex Insiders in exchange for sharing my opinions with our readers.  All opinions remain my own.

 

 

Mommy in GA:  I want to start by saying, You can use Borax for SO many different things!! Here are just a few to name off the top of my head:

Household cleaner

deoderizing (sprinkle it in your carpet!)

Use it to make a candle wick

Now to tell you about my FAVORITE purpose for borax: 

HOME-MADE Laundry Detergent

This is super easy to make and also super wallet friendly :)

My post is a little late but, the good news is I am also including my fels naptha review in this one too :)

I received both products from my friends' at purex insiders'  :)

 

 

To make your homemade laundry deterget, I got the recipe from a friend and made my own tweaks to it to fit my life.  I have 4 kids so when detergent is a little too pricey this is my fall back!  Although you have to admit PUREX is very fair priced and they run a lot of good deals'!

I used my coupons and samples of Borax and fels naptha from purex insiders' and I also bought oxi clean (to help get those whites white) and a normal sized purex crystal (To get that great long lasting scent!!) and arm and hammer washing powder. I used a cheese grater to finely grate my  ONE bar Fels naptha into a pot and added 4 cups of water.  Put it on the stove over a medium- low heat and stir constantly till your fels naptha melts (about 10 minutes)

Next you get a 5 gallon bucket and pour your melted felsnaptha  into it and add 1 cup of Borax and 1/2 a cup of arm and hammer WASHING (Not Baking) powder, I also added about a 1/4 cup of the oxi clean and 1/2 my container of purex crystals, mix all of this together adding additional water to fill your 5 gallon bucket the rest of the way.

 

After mixing it well let it sit over night.

Okay now while I am waiting, I still had time and some products' on hand so I took and grated another ONE bar of fels naptha, got another 5 gallon bucket, dumped just the grated fels- naptha (DO NOT melt this one!) and my almost full box of borax, the rest of my arm and hammer washing soda, a little oxi clean (this can vary on what you want to add!) and my purex crystals, Stir well and ta da you have a pwder laundry detergent as well!!  Put a lid on it and set it in the laundry room, ready to go!

Now that I had a good night sleep I am ready to finish my liquid batch :)

 

I pull my 5 gallon bucket out, mix your liquid well,  and get my containers' ready, (I used ALL purex containers and 1 one gallon milk jug) you fill your container with half water and half of your laundry detergent and give it a little shake and put it away to be used!

If you have an H ~e washer you should get about 625 loads from one batch of the liquid and I am not really sure how much I get out of my partial thing of powder. The liquid will vary in color depending on how much purex crystals you add or if you use any at all.

 

If I had paid for the fels naptha (.97 a bar) and 3 dollars in change for your borax and washing powder each and another 3 or 4 dollars for your purex crystals BUT, If you just do the liquid you could buy 3 bars of fels naptha and you would have enough of your other stuff to get at least 3 batches, that is 1875 ish loads of laundry!!! For a whopping 15ish dollars, that is what I call a bang for your buck!!!! 

THANK YOU Purex Insiders' for letting me use your GREAT products' to save some money on laundry detergent for all these kids' clothes :)

Train "Bulletproof Picasso"

disclaimer:  I participated in the Train Bulletproof Picasso album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided a free album to review but all opinions are my own.

 

Train "Bulletproof Picasso"

  So I'm pretty sure most of you remember songs like "Hey Soul Sister" and "Drops of Jupiter" the second being a big favorite of mine.  Well Train is back with a new album titled "Bulletproof Picasso".  This album features the following 12 tracks:

1. Cadillac, Cadillac

2. Bulletproof Picasso

3. Angel In Blue Jeans

4. Give It All

5. Wonder What You're Doing For The Rest Of Your Life

6. Son Of A Prison Guard

7. Just A Memory

8. I'm Drinkin' Tonight

9. I Will Remember

10. The Bridge

11. Baby, Happy Birthday

12. Don't Grow Up So Fast

Number 3, "Angel in Blue Jeans" has already climbed to the top 15 of Triple A and Adult Top 40 Radio in just one month!  You can see the video, featuring Danny Trejo (from Machete and Dusk Til Dawn) below. 

  I (mommy in PA) was lucky enough to receive the full album from One2One Network so that I could share my thoughts of the album with our readers so here are my thoughts:

  I wasn't really surprised when I realized I liked almost every single song on this album, there is only three or four that I would end up skipping on my Ipod : )  There are songs for every mood, some are upbeat and motivational and others are slower and more like love songs (Give it All).  My favorite song on the whole album is "Bulletproof Picasso". 

  I was also impressed at the variety of styles of the music.  Unlike some albums where everything is so similar that it is easy to tell the group by just the music, they really mix it up in this album.  "I Will Remember" sounds like a civil war drummer in the beginning whereas "Son of a Prison Guard" kinda sounds like Indian music at the beginning, others sound like classic piano music, car commercials, etc.  Great variety!!!  Something for everyone : )

Train will be performing live on the QVC Channel Sept. 5th at 5 PM...You won't wanna miss it!

  To preorder Train's new album, "Bulletproof Picasso" you can do so by following the links below to ITunes or Amazon:

ITunes  http://smarturl.it/bulletproffpicasso

Amazon  http://smarturl.it/bulletproofpicassoAM

#BulletproofPicasso                       #O2O

 

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Newman's Own Organics

 

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d'Vida Smoothies

disclaimer:  We received the products below for free in exchange for our honest opinions.  All opinions remain our own.

d'Vida Smoothies

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Are your mornings as busy as ours?  You get your kids all ready for school, get them breakfast, and out the door and then you realize you didn't have time for breakfast yourself.  Well here is an easy solution...d'Vida Smoothies.

 

 

 

  d'Vida Smoothies are all natural, low glycemic, an excellent source of fiber and protein, and ready in just a couple of minutes.  Perfect for us moms with busy schedules. 

 

 

 

  d'Vida sent us each four flavors to try (Pineapple + Coconut, Strawberry + Banana, Cucumber + Kale+ Green Apple + Spinach, and Banana + Peanut Butter).  Here is what we thought of our Smoothies:

PLEASE keep in mind, we have never had a smoothie besides the ones that are ONLY supposed to taste good! If you are a health nut and are used to some of these flavors' this is right up your alley :)
Also remember that these are only our OPINIONS :)

 

 

 

Pineapple + Coconut (vidaboost)

Mommy in GA: Well the kids' and I tried all of these together and I have to say this one smelled kind of like baby formula :(  We tasted it and it was not that good, I took one sip and 2 of the kids' got one sip, the other 2 wouldn't even try it because they couldn't get past the smell :(

Mommy in PA:  I couldn't even get past one sip of this one. 

 

 

 

Strawberry + Banana (vidaslim)

Mommy in GA: This one was actually pretty good, we all took more than one sip till it got to my 7 year old and it all dissappeared!!!!  She LOVED it :)

Mommy in PA:  Initial taste was yuck but the strawberry aftertaste isn't bad at all.  I think I could actually drink this one : )

 

 

 

Cucumber + Kale + Green Apple + Spinach (vidagreen)

Mommy in GA: I have to go on record saying the only one of these flavors I have ever had  is the green apple, I am embarrassed to admit that worldwide , but have to be honest and let you know that may be why I was not a fan of this one at all, I couldn't even take a sip :(  The kids' tasted it but were not fans.

Mommy in PA:  Um...NO, I expected a much stronger green apple taste to counteract all of the veggies but it just wasn't there : (

 

 

 

Banana + Peanut Butter (vidapump)

Mommy in GA: Nobody liked this one and I was bummed because I LOVE bananas and peanut butter both, how could I go wrong having them together?! It went wrong somewhere just don't know where!!

Mommy in PA:  Had the peanut butter been stronger than the banana flavor this one probably would have been my favorite but as is...it is a far off second.  My son was actually brave enough to try this one and he said it wasn't bad : )

 

 

 

 

  Thanks to d'Vida Smoothies one of our readers will be receiving a 4 pack of pouches of their very own.  Be sure to enter via the Rafflecopter form below : )

 

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