Operation Baby Shower Surprise!

We all know how hard our service men and women work to serve and protect our country, and it is our duty as citizens to support the troops (and their families!). Many women living on military bases do not have the comfort and support of friends and family back home, which is especially difficult for them when they are expecting a new bundle of joy. They often miss out on typical experiences most moms-to-be look forward to - like baby showers! That's why we're started the Operation: Baby Shower Surprise campaign to salute military moms and support these women who are stationed overseas. Two amazing moms currently stationed in Germany at a U.S. base received the surprise of a lifetime when all the brands below came together and threw them an awesome baby shower complete with beautiful gifts! They EACH received 36 gifts! (Video coming soon of the moms opening their gifts - we will share.)

Meet the two expecting moms: Morgan who is having a baby boy and Baillie who is having a baby girl!

NOW, we want all moms to join in on the fun and enter for a chance to win a grand package giveaway of these 36 AMAZING baby/kids must-haves! There are tons of cool and easy ways to earn entry points (see the Rafflecopter below) such as liking the brands Facebook pages and fun (optional) ways like:

1. posting a selfie on Facebook or Instagram of yourself (if you are a military mom) using #militarymoms OR
2. posting a selfie of you with a military mom using the same hashtag. If you post a selfie in uniform you can earn even more points! OR
3. If neither #1 or #2 applies to you, then just search #militarymoms on Facebook and/or Instagram and share another person's photo on social media (look for recent pics so you know it's likely part of Operation: Baby Shower Surprise). Make sure to include #militarymoms hashtag.
4. And so many other ways to enter!

REMEMBER….the more points you earn the better chance you have to win! The Rafflecopter entry widget is below.

Please share with friends and family and good luck!

Scroll below the entry form to get more info on our wonderful sponsors and prizes! Enter via Rafflecopter.

First, a BIG thanks to our Sponsors:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Prizes (and a BIG thanks to all brands!)

So what are the AMAZING prizes? Here are the Participating Brands (Giveaway Open to U.S. Residents Only): Buttons Diapers Buttons cloth diapers were born at home. As a husband and wife team, we designed our diapers to be easy to use and affordable for everyone - the way it should be. We believe in keeping our lives simple, even when it comes to diapering. When you purchase Buttons Diapers, you are supporting a family business! Package includes a one-size diaper cover that snaps to fit babies from 9-35 lbs, 2 snap-in daytime diaper inserts made of absorbent microfiber and soft moisture-wicking fleece, and a small wet bag. http://buttonsdiapers.com Star Kids Star Kids Products is an innovative children’s product manufacturer that specializes in making fun and safe products for busy, traveling families. We specialize in safe and easy-to-clean products to make life easier when traveling with children whether via car on road trips, railroad or by plane. http://starkidsproducts.com ZizzyBee Bags ZizzyBee Bags are handy, compact, reusable, washable storage bags convenient for every part of your life. The neat freak in your family will love that they help you store and organize just about anything! From diapers/wipes, make-up and sports gear, to even purse clutter these trendy bags makes organization easy and they’re see-through so you can easily find what you’re looking for. Reduce single-use bag waste while keeping life’s clutter cleaned up. With two eco-friendly bag sizes to choose from, ZizzyBee Bags are a perfect fit for storage and organizational needs. www.zizzybeebags.com PullyPalz This innovative toy not only entertains baby, it keeps a pacifier in view and reach! With PullyPalz, dropped pacis even come back… Which is great for those times when parents need an ‘extra hand’. The toy uses something similar to a pulley system… When baby drops one, and it falls to the side, another is in view and reach. By grabbing the one in view and pulling toward mouth, the dropped paci comes back! Mo Mo, Moo Moo, and Puddles are always ready to lend a hand…or hoof! www.pullypalz.com Piggy Paint Piggy Paint is a non-toxic, odorless, hypoallergenic nail polish that is safe for use on everyone, including babies and pregnant women! Baby Cakes 2 polish gift set is perfect for any baby shower with Muddles the Pig (nude pink) and Bubble Trouble (light blue) polish. http://www.piggypaint.com/ Lalabye Baby It all started with a great idea and a little hard work. Today we're proud to provide quality products direct to your doorstep through an experience you'll enjoy. And most of all, we hope you'll enjoy the products as much as we do. We hope that cloth diapers will become the norm and together we will make cloth mainstream. http://www.lalabyebaby.com Rockin’ Green Rockin’ Green is made for families that care about taking care of themselves and the Earth. We can all do our part for the environment while doing something good for ourselves. Rockin’ Green products are made with a biodegradable plant-based and petroleum-free surfactant. They are septic and grey-water safe. They are never tested on animals. www.rockingreensoap.com yoomi The yoomi 3-in-1 feeding system is a premium easi-latch bottle, a travel warmer and a bedside warmer in one compact and stylish package. At the touch of a button, yoomi warms baby's milk to the natural temperature of breast milk in just 60 seconds. Now includes the NEW super-quick charging pod to make feeding even easier. http://www.yoomi.com Baby Elephant Ears Baby Elephant Ears is a multi-use headrest providing spinal/neck alignment and comfort for babies — and they’re designed to look like adorable elephant ears! Baby Elephant Ears go wherever baby goes — stroller, swing, car seat, changing table, etc. The headrests are fully washable and require no attachments, straps or special skills and they’re offered in diverse prints and organics. The superior design and durability of these headrests make them the perfect gift for parents! www.babyelephantears.com Undercover Tape Undercover tape is a hypoallergenic, latex-free self-adhesive tape that acts as a barrier between you and your irritating seams/tags on clothing, hats, wigs, socks, or anything that keeps you from feeling your best. http://undercovertape.com PunkinWrap The PunkinWrap is your all-in-one baby solution! Originally designed with moms in mind, we have found it is becoming the new “go to” baby gift. A wrap created to do it all! Use our baby safe PunkinLinks to attach the wrap to your existing car seat or stroller – don’t worry about which brands are compatible, no conversion kits necessary. Every PunkinWrap comes with the wrap, nursing strap, drawstring PunkinPouch, and 8 BPA-free PunkinLinks. Easy peasy! http://www.punkinwrap.com Blue Star Bazaar Blue Star Bazaar is an eclectic boutique offering something special for everyone. We specialize in finding unique, well-designed products from small brands. We especially like things that are handmade or made in the USA. Blue Star Bazaar offers clothing for women and kids, accessories, toys, books, and baby gifts. http://www.bluestarbazaar.com Baby Dipper The Baby Dipper bowl means true one-handed feeding of infants. It also helps toddlers learn to feed themselves. The Baby Dipper bowl's unique combination of features includes a non-slip base, transparent sides, a triangular shape, and a slanted interior surface that leads to a spoon-shaped corner for easy collection of food. The Baby Dipper bowl also helps children with special needs and adults who have medical needs to feed themselves using only one hand. http://www.babydipper.com Refresh-a-Baby   A Diaper Bag Necessity! Refresh-a-Baby turns ordinary water bottles into baby bottles keeping baby happy anywhere, anytime making feeding time easy for moms and dads! Simply pop the leak free Refresh-a-Baby on a water bottle of your choice, just add baby formula, and baby is ready to be hydrated. *Fits on leading “ready-made” formula/juice bottles *Made right here in the United States/BPA Free *It’s universal, reusable, convenient for travel, dishwasher safe, with virtually no clean up! *Refresh*Reuse*Recycle! www.refreshababy.com Parking Pal Parking lots can be dangerous, even fatal, for children. Protect your little loved ones with a colorful magnet that keeps them near to you and far from moving vehicles. Kids love using the Parking Pal, while being taught responsibility in parking lots and around vehicles. http://www.parkingpalmagnet.com Baby J This perfect baby play mat was designed for the germaphobe mom who always wants a clean area for their little one. The baby play mat is crafted with vibrant and colorful, 100% cotton, designer fabric and super plush minky. It’s comfy and cozy for any new baby, and great for tummy time. This Baby J play mat is soft enough for baby to lay his face on, and the minky dots give him something to poke at. Not to mention, the modern and chic fabrics will make any mom look and feel fashionable the second they pull it out of the diaper bag. This is a definite must have for a new mom and baby. www.babyj.com Noblo The mom invented Noblo Beach Umbrella Buddy has become a beach gear must have for parents who want to relax and enjoy a safe day at the beach without the fear of the beach umbrella flying away in a gust of wind injuring either their children or another beach goer. The Noblo acts as an anchor holding the beach umbrella in place. http://www.thenoblo.com spbang spbang launched at ABC Kids Expo in October 2013. A mom with a ‘job 1' in the automotive industry was tired of tossing ziploc bags daily. She then moved onto reusable fabric snack bags but they would stink like yesterday’s lunch and would never come truly clean. Using automotive material and processes, spbang reusable snack bags are FDA food touch safe and free from lead, BPA and phthalates. Best part is you toss them in the dishwasher at the end of the day and they are ready for tomorrow. www.spbang.com Jinja Jewelry   Jinja Jewelry is proud to offer a large selection of handmade jewelry from Bali including necklaces, pendants, bracelets, earrings and rings. Jinja Jewelry draws inspiration for its beautiful, high quality coral and silver jewelry from local and global trends in affordable jewelry and accessories. Jinja Jewelry helps support the talented people of Bali and provides their families with a safe and secure future. http://jinjajewelry.net Wristy Buddy Wristy Buddy is a one piece teething wristband comprised of a wristband with an absorbent animal in the center, a textured teething attachment, and a satin attachment. Wristy Buddy is designed for babies that are teething that haven't developed the motor skills to hold traditional teething objects. Babies that can't grasp toys can manipulate Wristy Buddy. Wristy Buddy is made of absorbent materials to help keep little faces and clothing dry. Its various textures and colors engage and stimulate. It is easily accessible to your teething baby and is more sanitary than traditional teething objects. http://www.wristybuddy.com Nizo Wear All Nizo Wear nursing bras feature a unique patented pocket in the pull down flap that can hold a warm or cool pack. The pocket acts as a thin barrier between wearer's skin and the warm and cool pack, which increases wearer's comfort and safety. Our bras also include a removable molded pad to provide a little lining when you want it (to hide leaks, nursing pads or nipples) but gives you the ability to take them out when you dont. This innovative design is offered in amazingly soft fabrics that boast feminine designs. http://nizowear.com Buti-Pod Our uniquely designed buti-pods will keep your wet wipes moist for months instead of just days. Each buti-pod is a soft and durable yet super-flexible and lightweight plastic pouch featuring a center zipper for easy wet wipes dispensing. Their compact and flexible design also makes them just the right size for holding coupons, receipts, recipes and many other small items. They are simple, but effective, and you will have wet wipes when you need them most! http://www.butibag.com Woombie The Woombie Air is the first breathable swaddle that allows excess body heat to escape and requires no wrapping. Invented by a mom of five, 19-year RN, and Infant Care Specialist, the 14-award winning Woombie is a unique peanut shaped swaddle that imitates the comfort and security of the womb resulting in longer periods of sleep. It helps reduce the risk of SIDS as well as prevents overheating, face-scratching, startling, and colic (voted as a top colic product by the Fussy Baby Site). Over a half a million babies and counting have used the Woombie and parents swear by it! www.woombie.com Bobee Inc A wall-mounted diaper & wipe caddy, Bobee allows for one-handed access so you can keep one hand safely on your baby. The diaper caddy comes white and is customizable with included colorful decals to decorate and match your nursery room decor. Changing table space is freed up for other important baby items, and the diapers and wipes are up and out of the way from curious little hands. The dispenser fits high quantities in all sizes and brands of disposable diapers. Pre-package wet wipes fit neatly below. http://bobeeinc.com Wee Urban   Wee Urban™ offers the modern family a unique and fresh collection of baby gear and accessories that goes beyond the conventional and explores the exceptional! Tired of traditional pinks and blues and cute motifs, we offer sophisticated designs, “conscious” organic alternatives, practical functionality and superior quality. Using our custom certified organic cotton blends, low-impact dyes, and other trendsetting fabrics, we hope to inspire families to be make better choices and of course- do it all in urban style! www.weeurban.com Strong Little Sleepers Strong Little Sleepers specializes in helping families get the sleep they deserve. Lori Strong is a an award-winning Certified Child Sleep Consultant and Certified Happiest Baby Educator. She works with families through email, phone, and in-home visits in order to help their children (ages 0-6) sleep better. When children sleep, parents sleep, and the entire family is happier! http://www.stronglittlesleepers.com Babee Talk Babee Talk offers organic and eco-friendly baby bedding and plush toys with healthy, safety and style in mind. Drool-friendly and chew-friendly, our products help to ensure a healthy start in life for your baby. Babies love the cushy, coziness of our Eco-Buds® Take-Along Pals. Earth friendly, parent approved. These portable little playmates attach to strollers, carseats, high chairs and more quickly and easily. No Hassle. No Fuss. And he promises never to turn into a butterfly. All of our Eco-Buds® Take-Along Pals are made using organic cotton fabric, inside & out. Delightfully entrancing colors are achieved using only low-impact dyes with absolutely no heavy metals. Soothing sounds engage babies and hold their attention. These little companions are hypoallergenic, non-toxic and phthalate-free. http://www.babeetalk.com The Diaper Clutch The Diaper Clutch is a mom-invented diapers and wipes carrying case that is the first and only to feature a unique easy-access window to your wipes! The Diaper Clutch is the perfect solution to stay organized without leaving fashion at the door! Who needs bulky diapers bags when you want to take a quick stroll in the neighborhood or go grocery shopping with your little one? Reduce the bulk and lighten your load with The Diaper Clutch – a convenient, compact and fashion-forward solution to carry baby diapers and wipes where you go! www.thediaperclutch.com Southern Yankee Southern Yankee is a small one-woman business making baby clothes and gifts. She rescues vintage fabrics & textiles from resale shops, tag sales & flea markets. The vintage embroidered pillowcase is made into a child size apron, perfect for helping mom & dad in the kitchen or painted a work of art! Handmade in Wilton, CT. Adorable matching burp and bib set appliquéd with vintage fabrics and up cycled fabrics. Perfect gift for the new mom! http://southernyankee.com San Diego Bebe The mom-invented, eco-friendly nursing pillow that offers support, comfort, and discretion for mom and baby. For 20 years we have been providing moms with the best Eco-Nursing pillows that allows a mother to comfortably nurse her baby in private while being the safest choice for the environment and safe for babies. San Diego Bebe® Eco-Nursing Pillow is made with the unique and innovative Eco*Loft Fiber that is:

• FREE of fire-retardant chemicals
• Hypo-allergenic & non-toxic
• Eco-friendly & recyclable
• Odor-free, glue-free
• Foam-free, lead-free & Phthalate-free
• Available in two sizes: one for a single baby and one for twins

www.doubleblessings.com Baby Bindle The SeatPak® is the ONLY diaper bag designed to attach to a car seat. The SeatPak can be filled with your necessities, easily attach it to your car seat, shopping cart, luggage, stroller or anywhere you don’t want to haul your huge diaper bag around. Whether it is a quick trip to the store, or a family trip to the zoo, save the pain of carrying too much, all you need are the essentials in the lightweight, hands-free portability of the SeatPak. http://www.babybindle.com/ Zippyz by Little Trendyz Zippyz are footed pajamas with a patented design that makes diaper changes easier while keeping babies covered and warm during the process. Zippyz are made of a blend of organic and cotton which is extremely soft and eco-friendly! The adorable baby pajamas are made of a 50/50 blend of luxuriously soft organic cotton and bamboo. They feature a mitten cuff with fold over detail to keep baby from scratching his face. http://shopzippyz.com Rock-a-Thigh Baby   If you're a parent of little ones, chances are you're frustrated by chilled ankles from hiked up pants legs, cumbersome girl tights, and baby socks that don’t stay on. As a solution, a Wisconsin mom of four girls developed Rock-a-Thigh Baby. Rock-a-Thighs are Made in USA, eco-friendly, children's thigh-length socks (like legwarmers with feet). Designed with a special wide comfort cuff, Rock-a-Thighs are soft and stretchy and are THE socks that stay on! Available in six different sizes: 0-6m, 6-12m, 1-2yr, 2-4yr, 2-4yr, 4-6yr, and 6-8yr. http://www.RTBsocks.com Baby Jack Blankets Baby Jack & Company strives to create a safe design of modern tag blankets with educational benefits, teaching kids letters, numbers, shapes and colors. Babies adore the different textures and colors of our sensory tab blankets. We have a unique patent pending design of sewn shut ribbon tabs that keeps tiny fingers from getting intertwined in ribbon loops. This educational design teaches little ones abc's, numbers, shapes and colors through a security blanket. Children develop cognitively, socially and emotionally through sensory play. http://babyjackblankets.com ChicoBag   At ChicoBag, our mission is to help humanity bag the single-use habit. We mean the wasteful, throw-away habit that overflows our landfills and clogs our oceans. We do this by advocating for waste reduction and designing the highest quality, longest lasting reusable bags. The Nomad Tote is a stylish, large capacity shoulder bag perfect for baby supplies, picnics, trips to the beach, or a weekend getaway. Three exterior pockets and a zippered top make Nomad our most versatile reusable tote yet. Available in two great colors with contrasting handles and a beautiful printed interior lining. http://www.chicobag.com/ The Pee-Kaboo The pee-kaboo reusable potty training sticker is a unique and fun way to potty train your child and helps overcome the ultimate potty training obstacle-actually getting your child to want to use the potty again and again. Simply place your sticker in the base of a flat-bottomed portable potty seat and watch what happens. Each time your child successfully uses the potty, "peekaboo!", a charming image magically appears. Your child is instantly rewarded for their efforts and is excited to use the potty again! "I want to see the butterfly", your child exclaims. "Sure", you say, "all you have to do is pee-pee in the potty. And peekaboo!" http://www.peekaboopottysticker.com

Giveaway Sponsors

A blog where product reviews and giveaways live in perfect harmony with DIY/crafts and recipes. There is truly something for everyone at Just Married Mom of 3. http://www.justmarriedmomof3.com/ Parents know what's best for their kids. Marissa from Mommy Knows What's Best shares what works well for her family, along with reviews and giveaways, all to make your parenting life a breeze. http://www.mommyknowswhatsbest.com The mission of Couponwahm.com is to teach you to save more, spend less and earn an income online. http://www.couponwahm.com/ Kaisy Daisy's Corner is a well rounded site with lots of posts written by an energetic working woman. I have lots of stories about family, food, recipes, new product reviews and giveaways. http://kswederski.com At Blissful Baby® our mission is to unite communities with family-based resources near and far. We pride ourselves in providing individualized attention whether you are Adopting, Try to Conceive, Expecting or are a Parent. http://www.blissfulbabyusa.com I am a busy lady who takes on too many projects while trying to manage the chaos I call my life. I blog about my life as a mom, wife, business owner,homeschool mom, obsessive organizer,etiquette guru, fitness newbie, and any other title I decide to give myself. http://thepalmettoqueen.blogspot.com I have a review/giveaway blog, I can help spread the word about your giveaway on my blog, and social media outlets. http://jenni-reviews.blogspot.com Just Plum Crazy is a lifestyle blog with family, kids, pets, travel and everything I love. http://plumcrazyaboutcoupons.com We help make life a little easier by providing parenting advice, travel tips and objective reviews on all things baby, tots, beauty, fashion, household and more. http://www.thenaptimereviewer.com   Reesa's goal for Momma Lew's Blog is to ensure everyone can make confident decisions for their families so that they can enjoy each and everyday with one another. http://www.mommalew.com/ Savory Savings brings you the best in family products, gluten-free goodies, green living and amazing giveaways! http://www.savorysavings.com   We are a network of 700+ top mom bloggers across the US looking to help companies big and small create buzz online! We can help with your SEO, social media campaigns, and much more! http://mombuzzmedia.com   I am a 30 something mom who love to write product reviews and host giveaways to my amazinly rad readers! http://giveawaygoddess.com Giving every mama a break, every day! http://www.mamabreak.com We love being able to share with our readers ways to help others and what the power of blogging can do to help others as well. Our blog assistant is a military wife as well. http://www.lifeofasouthernmom.com   I write about my life as a mom of four children under the age of six, as a Navy spouse, athlete and about healthy living. http://www.chroniclesofasahm.com I am a semi crunchy mom to 3 boys who loves writing recipes, doing crafts and DIY posts! I also do reviews and gieveaways. http://www.princessamongsuperheroes.com   Crazy Ramblings of a Crafty Mom - My Crafty Life provides an eclectic array of lifestyle posts, tons of food reviews/ideas/recipes, kids book reviews and tons more fun. http://craftylife.net The best place for moms! http://kerrificonline.blogspot.com My goal is to help people and homeless animals. I write about family, addiction, recipes, blogging tips and homeless animals. I also do reviews and giveaways. I love to share new products and have giveaways. http://momndaughtersavings.com We are two mommies helping our readers save time, money, and hopefully a little bit of sanity. We do a lot of reviews/giveaways, post recipes, freebies, crafts, etc. http://www.moneysavingmommiesx2.blogspot.com Brittleby's Corner is a blog devoted to organic living. I enjoy sharing about products and companies that promote an eco-friendly lifestyle. I especially love when companies use sustainable resources and make their products in the USA. My goal is to show people that life can be simple and organic. http://brittlebyscorner.com/ MommiesFirst sends out monthly subscription boxes to new and expectant Moms. We specially personalize and curate each Mom's package to suit her stage of pregnancy or age of baby. http://www.mommiesfirst.com Deal Blog. Shop and Save Money! http://lalasavesyoumoney.com I am a Mother of 2 a girl and boy. I do product reviews and giveaways on many items such as baby, infant, household, women, men , pets and so much more. http://mommyyof2babies-introduction.blogspot.com Since April of 2009, Barbara's Beat has been blogging about family issues; helping moms find deals, coupons and resources to save money and make life easier; win giveaways; and learn about consumer issues. http://barbarasbeat.blogspot.com/ This blog is here to share the gift of good health and natural living with you so you can live your best life! You will also find great products that we review and have chances to win these products through the many giveaways! http://www.yourworldnatural.blogspot.com/ I am Brittanie and my site will teach you how to create, maintain, and live on a budget through the use of Coupons, DIY Projects, Recipes and more! http://www.bargainswithbrittanie.com/   A fun loving mom who likes to write about her experiences parenting, traveling, and living life! See great tips, recipes, product reviews and more! http://mommybunch.com/ This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook. We hereby release Facebook of any liability. Winner(s) will be contacted by email 48 hours after the giveaway ends. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send an email to Giselle Diaz at giselle@socialmedia22.com. Social Media 22 is not liable for any of the products given away. Once the giveaway is over, the brands shown above may send you one email with an exclusive offer as a thank you for entering.

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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Sponsored post #PlateFullCoOp
Platefull Co-Op

We Have A Winner....

Congratulations go out to our dVida Smoothie Winner...

 

Ali L.

 

  Be sure to check your email and reply back to us within 48 hours to claim your prize : )

"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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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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