"Let's Visit Maui"

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

"The Adventures of Bella & Harry:  Let's Visit Maui!"

Written by Lisa Manzione

Illustrations by Kristine Lucco

  This is actually book twelve in the series of "The Adventures of Bella & Harry".  Bella and Harry are sister and brother Chihuahuas that, along with their family,  take kids on adventures to different locations around the world and show them the different cultures, customs, traditions, and landmarks.

To find out more and give your children a chance to interact with Bella & Harry you can head over to their site here where there are online study guides, coloring print outs, and games. 

Mommy in GA: my 10 year old said she loved this book, it is a really great way to teach children as far as teaching differant islands and they used some hawiian language. It was good because they used pictures and maps and showed examples of the things they were talking about so it was a good way to learn!


My 9 year old said " i like it but there is too much learning about stuff i can learn at school."
She obviously only wants to read for fun not too absorb anything real lol.


My 6 year old says "nothing" 
He is big on description!!

Mommy in PA:  This was a great learning adventure for me and the kids though my youngest said he already knew most of the stuff in the book (He is a tad bit of an overachiever...LOL).  He kept interrupting my reading with other facts he knew which made the book that much more special. 


 My daughter and I both agreed that the pictures were gorgeous (and that's something coming from a 17 year old).  Every page is completely covered with beautiful art. 


I also love that they use a good selection of the native languages although I would really have loved it if they would have included a page in the front or back that had word pronunciations for the tricky words.  The page with all the island names had my kids looking at me a little goofy because I didn't know how to pronounce them all : )


These would make great books to have available in the classroom for learning geography and about native languages and cultures.

  You can pick up your own copy on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

 

ToiletTree Products - Portable Oral Irrigator

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

 

ToiletTree Products - Portable Oral Irrigator

 

 

 

  Keeping your teeth clean and healthy, especially when on the go can be daunting at times.  Especially when you hate to floss.  Well ToiletTree Products has a solution that will not only make oral health easier but also more convenient...the Portable Oral Irrigator.

 

  The Portable Oral Irrigator helps you get a deep down clean in all those hard to reach places using an adjustable pulsating stream of water.  Great for people with bridges and braces where normal flossing just won't cut it.

 

  The nozzle (they include 2 so you don't have to share the same nozzle) rotates a full 360 degrees allowing you to reach every corner of your mouth, and it even folds down for easy storage.  The irrigator itself even folds down to half its normal size when done using so that you can take it with you wherever you go.  Great for business trips, lunch breaks, etc.  It also features two different operating modes (normal and soft) allowing you choose which works the best for your dental situation.  And the unit is even rechargeable.

 

  Mommy in GA: Okay so the Oral Irrigator I was a little hesitant to use, and now I am furious I missed out that time!!! This is great........ I am probably about to overshare but here it goes! I used this for the first time when I still had the morning bed fuzzies (meaning before brushing my teeth !Eww I know) I used it then so that I could see how well it was really going to work and let me tell yall I was really impressed!!

I had to brush my teeth to get the fresh feeling only brushing gives you but, the irrigator is a nice thing to have to keep your teeth feeling clean between meals or on the go!
I used the low setting because my teeth are a little sensitive, I also tried the normal setting and it wasn't unbearable, but that is he nice thing is you get an option not just one setting!! 

 

  Mommy in PA:  As soon as this arrived I handed it to my teenage daughter.  She has had tons of dental issues the past couple of years, the most recent being a bunch of small cavities between her teeth...obviously due to a non-diligent job of flossing : ( 

 

  She filled it up and decided to try it out on her hand first to see just how hard the water shot out.  Well needless to say, she was a little scared to try it in her mouth.  After a few minutes she decided to try it out and ended up handing it back to me saying she was just too afraid it might pop out her fillings. 

 

  Well that left me to try it out and I just wanna say that if you've never tried an oral irrigator before be very careful as to not totally drench yourself and all of your surroundings like I did...LOL!  This does take some practice : )  But I will say that it is great for getting out all of those tiny food particles and for removing plaque.  I just wish I would have had one of these when my daughter was younger and maybe we could have avoided a lot of the issues she is dealing with now. 

 

 

 

Essenza Luxury Hand Soap

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

 

Essenza Luxury Hand Soap

 

Essenza is a new line of hand soap. The soap is available in various scents such as :French Lavender, Rosemary Mint, Pomegranate Acai, Pear Glace, South Pacific Waters and Mango Agave.

 

 

The Essenza line is available nationwide at Target, select Bed Bath & Beyonds, Walgreens and DrugStore.com . A 12 oz. bottle will run around $3.99 and a 16.9 oz. bottle is around $4.99.  Can you say luxury on a budget?!?!

 

 

The soaps are made from a blend of essential oils, shea butter, and aloe.  They are all free of artificial dyes and colorings, making them great for those with more sensitive skin. 

Mommy in GA:  No, you're not experiencing dejavu, I did indeed review these soaps awhile ago but the company was kind enough to allow me to review again.

This time I received the Pomegranate Acai and the South Pacific Waters.  My favorite being the Pomegranate Acai. 

I still totally love the packaging of these soaps.  It's a little bit of added luxury in the bathroom or the kitchen and they don't cost a fortune. 

Also they smell amazing!!!  It's also nice to know that these soaps are available in a lot of locations so no need to wait to have them shipped. 

Balanced Guru

 

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

 

 

 

Balanced Guru

  Are you looking to add a little more balance to your life (balance in your skincare routine that is) then Balanced Guru has you covered.  Balanced Guru carries a full line of certified organic products for your skin, body, and hair to help everyone find their own balance. 

  Mommy in GA and Mommy in PA each received samples of Balm Me Up and Soothe Me Slowly and here is what we thought:

  Mommy in GA:  These both had equal effectiveness on my nasty, dried out heels.  I noticed that they both left an oily residue but that's ok because my heels feel smoother now and that was the point.  It was amazing how quickly these products relieved my dry skin.  And they even smell good, the Balanced Guru products that is, not my feet. 

  Mommy in PA:  The Balm Me Up was a great product for relieving my dry skin issues.  My hands tend to dry out a lot, especially in the winter and this product actually made the dryness go away instantly.  It did leave my hands feeling on the oily side but it wasn't the kind of oiliness that leaves a residue on other surfaces (which is a huge plus, especially when you are typing a lot). 

  I really like the smell of the Soothe Me Slowly.  It really does give you a soothing feeling.  This is great for spraying on your skin before bedtime.  

Dakota Vox Light Up Mascara

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

 

Dakota Vox Light Up Mascara

 

 

 

  Ok, I know what you are thinking...light up mascara...you mean it lights up on my lashes?  Well the answer is no.  What it means is that the actual applicator end of the case lights up.  Not only does it have the LED light up end but also a mirror on the other part of the case so you can see what you are doing even in the poorest lit conditions. 

 

 

 

  The lights are activated by simply pushing the button located on the end of the cap.  How simple!

 

 

 

  Now you are probably wondering about the mascara itself.  Well it is rich black, flake free pigment that is designed to lengthen your lashes.  And the applicator is silicone to give your eyelashes an even coating without clumping. 

 

  You can pick up your very own Dakota Vox Light Up Mascara by going here.  Retails for $12.99. 

 

  Mommy in GA: I opened this and.......fell in love!!!!  This is awesome, the Dakota Vox Light Up mascara is great!! It not only makes my eyelashes look longer and fuller but, they are also still light like I haven't put two coats of mascara on!!! The mascara doesn't clump your lashes together either, unless you are like me and tend to recycle your makeup with a few touchups, I know it is a horrible habbit but those are the hardest ones to break right?!?!
I LOVE that the case lights up also, you never know when you might need to apply your makeup in the pitch dark!!

 

  Mommy in PA:  I wish all mascaras were like this!  Not only do they have the awesome light and mirror so you can see what you are doing but the case actually makes a clicking sound when you screw the end in so that you know it is fully closed.  No more dried up mascara or possible messes in your purse due to hurriedly throwing the cap on and just hoping it is closed : ) 

 

  The mascara did indeed make my lashes appear longer and didn't overcoat them like some of the other mascaras I have.  This would be a great everyday mascara for when you are going for a less dramatic look. 

 

  The only thing I think they could do to improve upon this product is to make replacement cartridges that slip in and out of the base so that there is no need to purchase the whole product repeatedly if your case and lights are still working, I just think that would be awesome : )