Thursday, May 31, 2012

#CelebratingDad Giveaway!

Celebrating Dad

I am joining with a group of bloggers to celebrate Father's Day by pampering our Daddy's out there!  You can find a linky with all the wonderful bloggers participating after the rafflecopter form below! 

My prize is a Balboa Baby Adjustable Sling.  You can read my review on it HERE.  Needless to say we love this sling and though my husband wouldn't let me take his picture using it, he has used it.  That says a lot considering he was very skeptical about the whole babywearing thing.  It's not something that daddy's in our area do.
Now onto the fun part!  Use the rafflecopter form below to enter the giveaway!  The winner will have 48 hours to contact me after I email them.  A new winner will be chosen if they do not contact me back.  I will then send their information to Balboa Baby who will be responsible for shipping the prize out to the winner!  Sound good?  Here we go!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hen N Chicks Soap Giveaway

Hen N Chicks Soap has been so wonderful that they are allowing me to give away 2 bars of soap to 1 winner!  The winner will be notified within 48 hours of the end of the giveaway and will have 48 hours to respond back with their information.  I will then pass that on to Hen N Chicks who will mail out the prize!!

You can read my review of this great soap company by going HERE!  Good Luck and Have fun!

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Father's Day Gift Guide Giveaway!

Welcome to the Father’s Day Gift Guide Giveaway hosted by Blog It Forward! We are giving away *every*single*gift* in the 2012 Father's Day Gift Guide! That is 11 prizes with a combined retail value of over $1200! The gifts are being divided into three incredible prize packages valued at $400 each! That means there will be three winners! What can you win? Take a look!
Prize #1 (RV $400)
NeatDesk from The Neat Company
Prize #2 (RV $402)
Kentfield Hiking Shoes from Ahnu
$100 GC from Xperience Days
Bamboo Robe from The Ultimate Green Store
Hammock & Tree Straps from Hammock Bliss
3 Bags of Coffee from Sogno Coffee
Prize #3 (RV $408)
3D Diamond Photo Crystal & Light Base from 3D Laser Gifts
Precision Digital Fat Body Scale from EatSmart
$50 GC from Wind & Weather
$50 GC from All USA Clothing
10 Year Journal from Journal 10
How To Enter :: Just use the simple form below to enter! This giveaway is open to US only. Must be 18+ to enter. Giveaway closes on June 15, 2012 at 11:59 pm EST. Only one person per household/IP address may enter. You only need to enter the giveaway on one of our blogs. Good luck!

Disclosure :: No financial compensation was received for this post. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook or Twitter. Please understand that Blog It Forward and other participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that fail to fulfill their prizes. We expect that our sponsors will fulfill their prize agreement and ship them to the winners in a timely manner.

Cup of Joe Keurig Giveaway

Welcome to an awesome giveaway! 

Freebies 4 Real, Kat's Cafe, Powered By Mom, Mom Does Reviews, have teamed up with a big group additional bloggers for this occasion. It is our absolute pleasure to host this giveaway. So please do not hesitate to enter because if you don't, you won't have an opportunity to win.

 

One lucky reader will win a Keurig B40 Brewer.


A great big thank you to all of our fans who we are always delighted to interact with each day.

              

Here are some additional details about the Keurig Brewing System:


  • Unique design brews coffee in under one minute.
  • K-Cup® Portion Pack allows you to enjoy a single-serving of your favorite blend.
  • Two cup sizes let you customize the intensity of the coffee flavor.
  • Removable drip tray and water reservoir offer total convenience.
  • Sleek chrome accents add a modern touch to your countertop.
  • Details:
    • 1500 watts
    • 48-ounce water reservoir
    • Includes 12 K-cup coffee & tea variety pack
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Facebook Amazon Blast!

FacebookBlast

Another Facebook Blast means another Amazon code winner. Could it be you? Enter on the Rafflcopter form below for the chance to win a $100 amazon code! This giveaway is open to US and Canada and ends June 15 at 11:59 PM EST.
amazon100gc
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Balboa Baby Adjustable Sling Review

our sling in box

I recently got the privilege to receive a Balboa Baby Adjustable Sling in the signature khaki color for my husband to review for Father's Day.  While I have some pictures of the sling, please respect the fact that though he did use the sling, he did not want his picture taken of him in the sling!

out of the package and ready to get tried on

Now onto the review!  I opened the package when it came because I was excited to see and feel what the sling was like.  It is so soft and smooth.  And as you will see from the pictures Fionna definitely approves of it.  Yes, Fionna is a daddy's girl and she is the one that Daddy ends up carrying while Zyera and I travel together.  I have a WAHM made sling that is black and pink that we use.

Fionna couldn't wait to try it out. . . note the super cute diaper!

Anyway I'm getting sidetracked!  This sling is super easy to use and adjustable.  Meaning I can use it and my husband can use it with hardly any effort to change it back and forth.  It fits newborn to up to 25 lbs as well.  You can use it up front for a cradle, front for a cuddle, or side for a hip carrier style.  I will have to say that I thought we'd mainly use the hip style.  But when Fionna was falling asleep on the hip style it was so easy to move her around to the front and let her cuddle and sleep!  And very precious looking to see her curled up there on daddy.

Balboa Baby has been kind enough to let me do a giveaway so that one of you can win an adjustable sling for that special dad in your life(or yourself-we won't tell)!  Make sure to head on over and enter my giveaway which will be going live soon!  It is called the Celebrating Dad Giveaway!

Don't forget to get a headstart and follow Balboa Baby:

Mailing List
Facebook
Twitter
You Tube



Dyson Housewarming Giveaway


Welcome to the Dyson Housewarming Giveaway event. This took months in the making and Mom to Bed by 8, the Iowa Mom is proud to bring you this fantastic home essential and offer you the chance to win one too! Big thank you to our lovely co-hosts How to Have It All, Mark Your Savings and GiveAway Bandit.


Dyson DC23 TurbineHead Canister Vacuum

Delivering 220 airwatts of suction power, this canister vacuum cleaner features advanced Level 3 Root Cyclone technology to ensure thorough, efficient cleaning with no clogging or loss of suction. It also offers a TurbineHead brush bar that's ideal for cleaning medium and short pile carpets and can be turned off for hard floors. Certified asthma and allergy friendly by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, the unit expels air that contains up to 150 times less mold and bacteria than common breathing air thanks to the vacuum's money-saving, lifetime washable HEPA filter. Plus, Dyson's Bactisafe screen traps and kills bacteria, mold and allergens on contact, preventing them from re-entering the air.

The Telescopic Wrap System allows the hose and wand to be compressed, and ensures that the Dyson DC23 can be stored away neatly and compactly, with no loose components or wires to get tangled. It comes with a stair tool for focusing on dust and dirt from stairs and stair carpets, a brush tool with long bristles to dislodge cobwebs and for delicate cleaning, and a high-velocity airflow crevice tool that's ideal for cleaning base boards, picture frames and in-between furniture. Other features include a clear bin with 0.44-gallon capacity, 21.6-foot cord length, and easy-to-maneuver fixed wheels. The vacuum measures 13.9 x 19.3 x 11.9 inches (HxWxD) and weighs 19.5 pounds. The Dyson DC23 TurbineHead is backed by a 5-year warranty.


Open to worldwide, ages 18+. Giveaway ends on June 15th. Please use the rafflecopter form below to enter. Good luck to all!

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. For Him and My Family is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. 
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Hen N Chicks Soap Review

I feel horrible.  I got this soap to review quite a bit ago and though I have been using and loving it, I haven't had the chance to sit down and write out my review and get the giveaway up for you guys!

So here is my review!

Hen N Chicks Soap.  I was given the Eucalyptus Lemon to try.  On the label it states "saponified Organic Oils of palm, coconut, and olive.  100% natural eucalyptus and lemon oils."  It smells heavenly.  When I opened the box I was immediately met with the wonderful herb smell of eucalyptus with a hint of lemon.    It reminds me of a tea my grandma used to make.

This stuff works for more than just pleasing the senses.  It gets me clean too!  I have used it to just simply wash my hands before eating, after changing dirty diapers, and after getting through in the garden. Each time it has gotten my hands clean.  My kids even love to use it! 

I have to show you the wonderful little wrapper too.  You will find below two pictures.  One of the front of the wrapper and one of the back.  I love the cute little picture on the front!

My chick got a bit smudged, but isn't she cute!

short and sweet ingredient list
I really love this soap and want to try some of their other great scents.  The one that is currently catching my eye is the cocoa butter vanilla mint.  Doesn't that just sound yummy!? 

You're in great luck if you'd like to try Hen N Chicks Soap as they have agreed to let me have a giveaway for 2 free bars of soap!  You can get a head start on the giveaway(which will go live tonight at midnight) by liking their Facebook page Here and following their blog Homemade Natural Soaps.    Follow by GFC and email!

So what are your thoughts?  Does this sound like a soap you'd like to try?  I'm having a hard time waiting until I get more money in my household fund to order a big batch! 

30 Day Fitness Challenge -Day 11



Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10

You might want to check out Kandi's post for today over at Gluten Free For Jen as I'm sure she's doing better than me right about now!  I have 8 kids all with strep throat so I'm a bit slow!  I did get some exercising done yesterday and have done about a miles worth of animal chasing today, lol, so here you go.  Yesterday was day 11 so here is the layout for it!

Challenge 1:  Active Challenge:  Avoid all elevators, escalators, etc.  Well, I can check that one off.  I did not use any of the above yesterday.  I did take 8 kids to the doctors office and the store by myself so I think I remained active.

Challenge 2:  Exercise Challenge:  I did actually get this is by doing it while I was waiting for the doctors office to call back.  I ran 1.5 miles on my elliptical.  I did 1/2 mile at a medium pace then did 1/2 mile at a full out as fast as I could pace with the last 1/2 mile back to a moderate pace. Yeap I could feel that in my legs when I stretched out.

Challenge 3:  Flexibility Challenge:  I of course did not do the yoga, but I did do several stretches before and after running. 

Challenge 4:  Nutrition Challenge:  Umm well they wanted us to pay attention to what we were eating and the portion sizes.  I normally do this, but yesterday was a horrid day due to the kids and spending 6 hours away from home with the Dr and pharmacy visits.  I had a bowl of cold cereal for breakfast and then didn't manage to eat until 5pm on the drive home where I ate a granola bar.  I made some quick homemade pizzas on crusts that I had frozen before.  And that was my not so healthy meals for the day.

Challenge 5:   Mind/Body Challenge:  Take 5-10 minutes to do one chore you've been procrasinating or putting off doing.  That did not happen.  I do have some cleaning that needs done.  I do a weekly cleaning on a lot of things in my schedule(will do posts on my daily cleanings next week) so there are always things I could do, but I did not take even 2 minutes to go potty by myself yesterday, lol. 

And that is that.  Not the best day for me, but it is what it is when you have 8 sick kids. . . .

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

30 Day Fitness Challenge -Day 10



Today's post is going to be a bit short and sweet, tomorrow's probably will be too.  I had to take my oldest to the Dr yesterday for fever/sore throat.  Yeap she's got strep throat.  All the kids plus daddy shared a water jug over the weekend while building fence, so my days are about to get even busier with sick kiddos.  I already have 4 others that I think have got it.

Anyway, for the Fitness Challenge!

Challenge 1:  Active Challenge:  set an alarm to go off every hour and take 1-2 minutes to stand/stretch/walk around.  I so did not do this one!  I rarely get to sit around at all, half the time I'm even standing when typing because the kids are all helping me.  I can honestly say the only time that I was sitting yesterday was when I was driving.  So, check on this one.

Challenge 2:  Exercise Challenge:  Spend 5-10 minutes with a light warm up of light cardio.  They suggested walking in place.  I did some half hearted chasing of kids around the house for 10 minutes in the morning.  Check on this one.  The second half was to do 9 different exercises with a weight.  I do have a pair of 5lb weights, and had planned to use them to do these, but I did not find the time what with taking my daughter to the Dr and having sick kiddos. Non check on this one :(

Challenge 3:  Flexibility Challenge:  This came with a list of stretches which I did do in the morning before having to go to the Dr's.  I was only able to do 3 of the 5 because I do not have an exercise ball, but I'm still giving myself a check for this one!

Challene 4:  Nutrition Challenge:  Cravings. . . . so I did have a craving yesterday. . . and I gave in to it!!!  Yeap fail on this one, lol.  I had a dark chocolate raspberry candy by Dove and it was so yummy.  As for meals. . . . I was not such a good girl here yesterday. I skipped breakfast to get out of the house to get to the Dr's.  Lunch for the kids was sandwiches with chips, fresh cherries, and carrots.  I grabbed a few cherries(yes I know very bad of me).  Supper was leftover potato salad, lettuce salad, fruit salad, and steaks/brats.  I had a brat and some lettuce salad. 

Challenge 5:  Mind/Body Challenge:  Take five minutes to massage your hands or get a manicure.  Well first, I've never had a manicure at all in my entire life.  Second, I did not have a chance to give myself a hand massage.  The only thing I did that was close to this was milking my goats.

Make sure you check out my previous days and head on over to see what Kandi has been up to over at Gluten Free For Jen.

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

30 Day Fitness Challenge -Day 9



Previous Days:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8

For Day 9 we were supposed to start off with yoga for 5 minutes.  Did NOT do this, but I did start my morning off with running up and down the basement stairs several times so that should count!

Next, was medium high exercise with no distractions.  Well sorry to say, but I never have no distractions!  Yeap the kids just keep finding me!  Today I did some bluff hill climbing as we were finishing fence.  Carrying one baby on each hip walking up and down so good hills, I'd say I can check this one!

Next was a set of 8 stretches.  I did not do all the stretches, but I did do stretching first thing in the morning and before going to bed.

The nutritional part was to write down any cravings that were had today.  I can say that I did not have any cravings.  We were so busy finishing the fence and then having to take a little one to the ER for a cut that I didn't have time to think of any cravings!

The mind and body challenge was to sit and do nothing for 5 minutes.  Did not get this done.  By the time all the kids were in bed asleep, I layed down to sleep as well.  I did spend my normal Bible reading and prayer times though!

Sounds like Kandi had a good time yesterday so you might check out her post by going HERE.

Monday, May 28, 2012

30 Day Fitness Challenge -Day 8



Day 8 already has come and gone.  Here was how it went for me.  You can read about Kandi's day over at Gluten Free For Jen.

Challenge 1:  15 minutes of walking up hills or stairs.  I did 30 minutes of stair walking while my moon pie was baking(watch for recipe later).  So check got that one done!!

Challenge 2:  Exercise challenge:  Do abs and core exercises.  They gave us a list of 7 exercises to do, but I could only do 5 of them because I do not have an exercise ball.  I would love to have one, but don't have the extra money for one right now.

Challenge 3:  Yoga.  I did not do this, however, I did get some stretching in.

Challenge 4:  Nutritional Challenge.  eat one serving of fruit with each meal.  We had strawberries with breakfast(waffles), no snack on Sundays as we're in church, lunch was a cold pasta salad(recipe coming) with cantaloupe on the side, afternoon snack was apples and oranges, supper was eaten at a friends house which consisted of roast, salad, potato salad, and other yummy things plus watermelon for dessert!  Check we got that one!

Challenge 5 was the mind/body again.  I did not do the meditation but I did spend extra time praying and reading my Bible so I think I qualify for that one.

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7

Pinterest Monday Hop

Today is Pinterest Monday Hop, co-hosting
Just link to a post with your favorite Pinterest for 
the week and comment on the post above yours! 
Link a post you would like pinned.
 Please make sure it is worthy of pinning and no giveaways, no sponsored, for sale posts, etc. 
You may also link to your Pinterest profile 
Other links will be deleted, have fun and share.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

30 Day Fitness Challenge -Day 7



I really can't believe we've been at this a week already.  It seems the week just flew by.  I will have to say that today was not the best day for me.  There were a few things that I couldn't do in today's list so let's get started with the challenges.

Challenge 1:  Active Challenge:  The challenge was to get up and get moving during commercials while watching television.  Well, this is hard because we don't have regular television.  We have a TV and we have a DVD/VCR player for playing movies, but we do not have cable or satellite or anything like that.  We also do not watch a lot of movies.  Today our television never got turned on so I could not do this.  But of course, you do have the fact that I am a stay at home mom so I really am up and moving pretty much constantly.

Challenge 2:  Exercise Challenge-strength training:  Some exercises listed to do were the chest fly, dumbbell row, overhead press, hammer curls, tricep kickbacks, squats with dumbbells and lunges.    Now I did not do all of these, I didn't have time.  I did do the last 4 though!  Today was my shopping day so I was gone for half the day.  I go grocery shopping once a month so it's  abig dea.

Challenge 3:  Flexibility Challenge:  Today's flexibility part came with three stretches, shoulder rolls, back stretch, and  wide back and shoulder stretch.  I did manage to do all of the stretches.  Of course, it was right before going to bed, but they got done!!

Challenge 4:  Nutrition Challenge:  For Day 7 we were supposed to try a new veggie or fruit that we had never tried before.  I did not do this as I  did not see anything in the store that I wanted to purchase that I could fit into my budget.  I did however have a sample of a yummy chicken cranberry salad if that counts!!

Challenge 5:  Mind and Body Challenge:  For this challenge we were supposed to list five things accomplished today and 5 things that we wanted to accomplish for the next day.  I got my grocery shopping done(no small feat), got all the kids bathed, fixed up some salads to take to a friends for supper, did laundry, and tidied up the kitchen.  Tomorrow's list(for today now) consisted of building fence.  That's about the only thing on the todo list besides the normal of getting kids up, dressed, fed, etc.

Don't forget to go over and see how Kandi is doing at Gluten Free For Jen with the challenge.

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6

Saturday, May 26, 2012

30 Day Fitness Challenge -Day 6



Day 6 went by quickly for me.  We had a nicer bit of weather but still no rain.  I had to run my littlest to a new chiropractor and all the others had to come too.  That is exercise in and of itself.  Keeping 8 kids going where they should be.  We also went to Hy-Vee(yes I was asking for punishment)!

Challenge 1:  active challenge:  stand whenever possible.  They wanted us to not sit for longer than 5 minutes.  I can honestly say the only time I sat for over that was when I was driving and it's a 45 minute drive each way so  I sat for a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes. . . . plus sometime for eating with the kids, etc.  But as a mommy sitting really isn't in the vocabulary.

Challenge 2:  exercise challenge:  30 minutes of light to medium cardio.  I think that my shopping trip in Hy-Vee should qualify for this.  But if not, we also did run around the yard doing a game of monster(mommy is the monster) so that will give you my exercise.

Challenge 3:  flexibility challenge:  To perform 5 stretches once or twice during the day.  I started my morning out with stretches and ended the day with them too.  The five they had us do were standing cat stretch, calf stretch, torso stretch, back stretch from chair, and neck stretch.

Challenge 4:  Nutrition Challenge Breakfast:  Umm well uh, yesterday was not such a good breakfast day.  I had a Larabar for breakfast.  We had to leave  by 8 for the chiropractor and with running kids around to get them up and going I just didn't remember to feed myself breakfast!!  Normally we do better.  Cereal is only eaten by the kids 2 times a week, pancakes are normally 2, eggs 2, and then either waffles or something else the last day.  Oatmeal tends to be our cereal when it is cold out.

Challenge 5:  Mind and Body Challenge:  1 minute meditation which was supposed to be you picturing yourself somewhere that you have always wanted to go.  For me I would love to go to Ireland and find where my family used to live.  I didn't meditate on this, but I did allow myself to think about such a trip.

And that was my day!  Tomorrow's post may not be so good as today is my shopping day which means half the day will be spent with me in the city(hahaha) getting all our groceries for the month.

Make sure you run over to Kandi's page at Gluten Free For Jen and see what she did for Day 6.  I will say I'm jealous, they got rain!!  We need rain so badly!

Friday, May 25, 2012

Father's Day Gift Guide

Welcome to the 2012 Father's Day Gift Guide hosted by Blog It Forward! If you are looking for great gift ideas for dad then you came to the right place! Men are so hard to buy for aren't they?! We want to help. We have gift ideas for all of the special men in your life! From hammocks to bathrobes to digital filing systems, we have ideas that will make your shopping easier!
Be sure to come back on June 1 because we will be giving away *every*single*gift* on the Father's Day Gift Guide!
  1. NeatDesk :: For the digital dad. This year give him a sleek tech-tool that will help him manage and digitize important files at home, in the office, and on the road.
  2. 3D Photo Crystal :: For the sentimental dad. 3D Laser Gifts can create etched crystals that show your love and appreciation for dad in a creative way.
  3. Kentfield Men's Hiking Shoe :: For the active dad. The Kentfield by Ahnu is designed for the dad who wants the performance of a cross-trainer with the breathability and comfort of a water-sandal.
  4. Xperience Days :: For the adventurous dad. With thousands of unique gift experiences nationwide, there is a perfect opportunity for dad in your area.
  5. Organic Bamboo Bathrobe :: For the "green" dad. Any dad would love to receive such a luxurious and eco-friendly gift from The Ultimate Green Store!
  6. EatSmart Precision GetFit Body Scale :: For the health conscious dad. This scale from EatSmart is perfect for dads who are serious about taking control of their health!
  7. Hammock Bliss :: For the outdoorsy dad. Any dad who loves to spend time outdoors will love a new hammock from Hammock Bliss!
  8. Galileo Weather Station :: For the weather buff dad. Dad will love to study the weather on the Galileo Weather Station from Wind & Weather!
  9. King Louie Microfiber Windshirt :: For the All American dad. All USA Clothing offers many gift options that dad will love, all Made in the USA!
  10. Journal 10 :: For the record keeper dad. Give dad his own personal time machine as he records precious memories and builds a memoir to treasure.
  11. Sogno Coffee ::  For the coffee loving dad. Dad will enjoy premium Sogno Coffee made with only the finest Arabica beans.
Please visit the links above which will take you to a full review of our fabulous sponsors. You will also find special offers and discounts. We hope you found some gift giving inspiration for your dad! Don't forget to come back to this blog on June 1. We are giving away over $1210 in prizes! 

Protecting Your Teens Tour

I wanted to take a few minutes to share a series of books with you.  I have not read these books but really think they would be worth it.  As a mommy of 8, it makes me a bit worried for the future when they all hit the teenage years. . . . together!



Safe Text - Protecting Your Teen from the Dangers of Texting (Protecting Teens from the Dangers of Technology and the Internet)
From Amazon

 
This is the first book in a series to help parents protect their teens from the dangers of technology and the Internet. Not only does the book describe the dangers and legal implications of texting, but also gives tools and information on how to dialog with teens about the dangers of texting. This is a very practical book. Also, there is a project to go with the book on Diane's website that is based on best practices in education to help teens understand the dangers and how to deal with them. This project will include lesson plans for teachers and parents who home school their teens based on national educational standards and learning targets. There is a video book review on the Amazon purchase page for Safe Text.  I really like that they are prepared for homeschool families to use their book.


Protecting Your Teens on Facebook
From Amazon

This is the second book in a series of books to help parents protect their teens from the dangers of the Internet, texting, and social media sites. This book is about Facebook. Not only does it spell out the dangers of Facebook for teens but also the positives. It describes the problems and actually tells parents what to do about them. The book gives links to a good amount of useful resources.  You can also find it on Amazon by going Here. 

Social Media Secrets
From Amazon

Have a teen planning to go to college? This is the book for you. It is a book to help parents and teens use Social Media to help the student get into college. It describes the traps that might have an adverse effect on admittance into a college. The most popular social media sites are described as well as some newer sites that a becoming more popular. This is a must have book if you want to help your teen capture an advantage in being accepted to the college of their choice. There is a video book review on the Amazon purchase page for Social Media Secrets. Click on the link below to learn more about the book and view the Review.

Diane is giving away a Kindle Fire and two Amazon Gift certificates. Any host or member of the Assisting Authors Online Book Review Team will get 15 entries to the contest if they review one of the books and put the review up on Amazon, Goodreads, Shelfari and the hosts site. Readers will get 10 entries for a review posted as previously stated. There are also other ways to get entries.




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30 Day Fitness Challenge -Day 5

Welcome to Day 5 of the Fitness Challenge!!  We're still going strong so let me tell you what Day 5 consisted of. 


Yesterday the first challenge was to do 10 minutes of extra walking. The second challenge was to do 30-45 minutes of medium cardio workout. My kids wanted to go for a walk yesterday morning(well one wasn't too happy with the walk because he didn't like the destination--back home)!  So off for a walk we went.  We ended up walking for an hour.  I was pushing the double stroller and two boys were holding onto it.  One was on each side.  I was trying to walk fast and they were pulling back trying to slow down the stroller.  I think that makes it count as a resistance exercise!  I did not really break too much of a sweat, and I wanted my heart rate to go up more, but that was about the best I could do with 8 active children.

Next came 5 minutes of stretching after the cardio workout.  So I made this into a game and the kids stretched with me.  We worked on who could reach the farthest and touching our toes.  I didn't do any stretches that required great balance.  Most of what we did stretchwise we did from a sitting position.

The nutrition challenge for the day was about choosing something healtheir when you go out to eat.  I definitely do not go out to eat on a regular basis.  I did not go out yesterday.  Partly because I'm a stay at home mom of 8 and if I went out they'd all come with me, which means a HUGE food bill.  And partly, because I'm gluten free and though some restaurants are starting to cater to people like me, it's still hard to find one that won't make me sick.  As far as the healthier part, I normally get a salad when I go out because they normally come prepackaged to the restaurants so I don't have to worry so much about contamination and getting sick.

The last challenge was the mind and body as it is everyday.  My answer to that is the same.  I don't do mediation in the sense they suggest, but I do do a meditation or devotional over the Bible daily.  I also spend time in prayer several times a day. 

Make sure to go over and visit Kandi and see how her day went.

Also check out my other days below:

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
 

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Fluffy Wishes Cloth Diaper Giveaway Sign Ups

My Cloth Diaper Stash is putting together a great giveaway coming up in July!  To learn more and sign up you can go to their post found HERE.  Make sure you tell them that For HIm and My Family or Erin Slocum referred you!  THe person who refers the most bloggers will get a wet bag!

Here's a bit of information:


Are
you interested in helping out fluffy wishes with your blog?
Sign Up's start at only
$2 each per link
on
the Rafflecopter form.
It's up to
you...1 or all 5 links!
The
funds raised (fees you pay)
will
go directly to Fluffy Wishes and their efforts to provide cloth diapers to those
in need.

  • Facebook ($2)
  • Twitter ($2)
  • E-Mail Subscribe ($2)
  • GFC, Networked Blogs, or Linky Followers ($2)
  • RSS Subscribe ($2)  

    The
    event will run from July 12-24, and will end with a Twitter Party on
    July 24th at 9PM EST
    . Please come to the twitter party for the announcement
    of all the prizes and some special Mystery Twitter Party Only
    Prizes
    as well!

If this sounds like the perfect opportunity for you. Here's how to get started...

  1. Grab the Event button (above) and place it on your blog's sidebar to help spread the word.
  2. Join the Fluffy Wishes Facebook Group Page for the latest updates.
  3. Send your payment via Paypal to fluffy.wishes.diaper.closet@gmail.com as a personal gift.
  4. Fill out the google document below with all your info.
  5. Add your blog to the linky list:-)
I've entered as a blogger and can't wait to have you guys enter too!!

30 Day Fitness Challenge -Day 4


Challenge 1:  To set an alarm to go off every hour so that we'd take the time to stretch or walk around.  Okay so I did not do this.  I did however take the time to stretch out and move if I happened to see that I'd been sitting for a while.  Yesterday was laundry day so most of my day was spenting washing cloths, hanging them on the clothes line and bringing them in.

Challenge 2:  Strength Training Challenge which has us doing 12 reps of each of the following exercises:  squats, lunges, push ups, one arm rows, lateral arm raises, hammer bicep curls, tricep extensions, superhumans, and seated rotations for abs.  I managed to do them all, but not all at the same time.  Being a mommy with 8 kids it seemed that as soon as I sat down to start one of the exercises that one of the kids needed me for something. 

Challenge 3:  Flexibility Challenge.  They called these yoga moves, but these are all stretch moves I'd done before.  Here are those stretches; hip flexor stretch, hamstring stretch, calf stretch, wide arm chest stretch, and full side stretch.  Like I said these are all stretches I did in high school.  I don't think of them as yoga.  I have never done yoga and won't because of the meditation aspect.

Challenge 4:  Nutrition Challenge.  This challenge had us heading to our cabinets/refrigerator and picking up something that we eat regularly and then studying the label.  I picked up the yogurt that I use in my breakfast smoothies.  It's an organic whole milk yummy good for you kind.  Plain of course.  If you're interested in the name and such comment and I'll let you know.  I get it in a big tub from my Azure coop.

Challenge 5:  Mind/Body Challenge.  This involved totally relaxing and contracting the body one muscle group at a time.  I did not do this.  I did spend a few extra minutes praying and reading my body today so I think my mind was taken care of! 

Food Journal:  I had a smoothie for breakfast(fruit smoothie this time with just added spinach), morning snack with the kids was oranges, lunch consisted of strawberries, cheese slices, apple slices and celery(with peanut butter for both), cucumber slices, and some Crunchmaster Multi Grain crackers.  The kids afternoon snack was totally unhealthy. . . . I gave them each 5 of the mini marshmallows while I made some rice krispie treats.  Supper was leftover grilled meats(hamburger, kielbasa, and steak) with potato salad, coleslaw, and cottage cheese.  No buns were used for the meat.

You can see Kandi's post over at Gluten Free For Jen by going here.

You can read about what I've been doing previously by going to these links:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Giveaway Scoop Kindle Fire Giveaway

 

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Moppy Review

moppy

What is it? Moppy by Natural House is a professional strength, ALL Natural probiotic floor cleaner.

How does it work? Moppy's probiotics remain on the surface to help maintain a odor and germ free household!

Features:

Industry-First, Cutting-Edge Probiotic Cleaning Products
Convenient foaming water soluble pouch application
Cuts through dirt and lifts grime from the floor
Active ingredients keep working to maintain germ and odor free surface
1 bag lasts 30 DAYS

Uses:
Safe to use on multiple surfaces including high-gloss surfaces, terrazzo, marble, slate, vinyl, tile, and finished hardwood surfaces
Use weekly to promote a healthy and safe home

Benefits:
Leaves no Dulling Residue
Scrubbing action scours dirt and lifts germs and grime, while driving out odors at their source
Eco-Friendly, non-toxic, biodegradable

This stuff works!!! 
I received a bag to try and review and I love it. 
My bathroom floor is not a nice floor. 
I have three boys who use the bathrooma nd the floor around and behind the toilet more often than not has potty around it. 
And let me tell you it does not smell good. 
I tend to mop daily and use sponges to clean it up with cleaner several times a day. 
This stuff works and helps keep the smell out!
I recommend if you need help with odors that you give this stuff a try!

How to Use!
1. Toss a Moppy probiotic packet into about 3 gallons of water.
2. Watch Moppy’s foaming action go to work for 5-10 seconds.
3. Soak mop or automatic scrubber in solution.
4. Scrub floor and watch your probiotic revolution begin.
Caution: Keep out of reach of children. Store in a cool, dry place.
Do not ingest.

30 Day Fitness Challenge -Day 3


It really doesn't seem like it should be Wednesday already but it is.  So Day 3 of the Challenge has come and gone.  Reflecting back I think I did an alright job of it, but we'll see what you think!

The challenges for day 3 were different than the past two days so here they are.

Challenge 1 was to park the furthest from the door.  On a normal day I do not go anywhere that I need to park.  I'm a stay at home mom so I don't get out a lot.  But I did have to go to the doctor yesterday so I did take the opportunity to park the absolute farthest away.  I normally park further than most, but not at the absolute far reaches if I have the kids with me.   When I go shopping with my little ones we park right next to a shopping cart parking spot so that I don't have to leave the kids alone in the van.

Challenge 2 was to spend 5-10 minutes doing the suggested ab exercise or your own workout.  Well I did 50 situps for that.  I didn't time it just did all that I could do.  It was interesting.  I had Colin sitting on my feet(the kids wanted to help) with Fionna bouncing on my stomach.  But it was fun to situp and kiss that adorable face and watch her giggle.  Make me sad my muscles couldn't handle more.  I think I'll have to work more on those!

Challenge 3 was the flexibility challenge.  They suggested yoga but I spent the 5 or more reps time doing stretches.  The big girls wanted to help so we pretended we knew ballet and did their stretches.  I really need to work on flexibility.  I used to be so flexible, but somehow over the years it's gone away.

Challenge 4 was the nutritional challenge.  We eat all our meals together as a family so this was a bit of a challenge as the challenge was to eat a meal with no distractions, not talking, no tv.  We don't allow the TV on when eating.   I did not meet this challenge.  Something about 8 kids all being quiet through a meal just isn't happening at this house!

Challenge 5 was the mind and body challenge having you set a specific time to worry.  Well I don't need to worry.  Worrying is one of the things that I have challenged myself to not be doing rather to give it over to God instead. 

Now meals.  I had a green smoothie for breakfast, we had apples for morning snacks, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on my homemade bread with sweet potato chips and yoghurt for dinner, peanut butter and celery for  a snack, and for supper we had chef's salad.

Want to see what Kandi is up to for day 3?  Go on over to Gluten Free For Jen and check it out!!