Give your kids healthier choices with Earthbound Farm this school year! (plus a contest)

It can be a challenge to send healthy options in our kid's lunches, whether it is to school, or for a picnic lunch. I know it can be hard to send fruits that are easy to eat (like cut up) and trying to keep them fresh! I was recently sent some samples from Earthbound Farm, and these products are not only healthy, but they stay fresh and taste super! From the samples, I had the baby carrots and the apple slices. I think it is great that Earthbound Farms offers individually wrapped apples and carrots in a single serving bag. This is so convenient and your child has their own bag of goodies. I was surprised that the apples and carrots stayed fresh, and didn't lose the coloring. The carrots and the apples were Very fresh, and crunchy! Best of all, my kids had no complaints when I handed them their "healthier" part of their picnic lunch. I am a big promoter of the Earthbound Farms Organic products. Our family buys the Spinach and Mixed salads all the time~ weekly, in fact, and we love the quality leaves! Now, you can get individual salads for when you are headed to the office, or a day trip. It sure is better than picking up a fast food meal, and healthier, too!

These lunch options are certified organic, fresh and ready to drop in a bag, bento box, tote or briefcase:
Organic Apple Slices – These fresh, crunchy apple slices are the perfect size and ready to eat. (5 2oz bags for $3.99)
Organic Mini-Peeled Carrots snack pack – (10 2oz bags for $2.99)
Organic Carrot Dippers with Ranch Dressing – This perfect combination will help sneak in that serving of veggies at lunch (3 packs for $2.89)
Grab & Go Salads: Caesar Salad, Mixed Baby Greens or Baby Spinach Kits ($3.69 a box and includes salad, dressing, topping, fork and the clamshell package can be used as a bowl)
Organic Raisin snack packs – A sweet treat in a little box (6 1.5oz boxes for $2.99)

I would highly suggest picking up the Earthbound Farms certified organic lunch options at your grocery store. These products are great for you and your kids! These would make a great "after school snack" for your kids, too!

Earthbound Farms has recently launched a web-based contest seeking quotes from children for the inside of its clamshell salad labels. Kids will be encouraged to submit quotes thanking those who purchase organic for helping protect the future. If you’re interested in posting this contest on your site for your readers participation please let me know.

For each child’s quote that is chosen, they have the opportunity to win:
1. A $500 US Savings Bond for your child’s future education

2. A $500 donation in your child’s name to their choice of one of these dedicated nonprofit environmental organizations:American ForestsBeyond PesticidesEnvironmental Working GroupHealthy Child Healthy World Natural Resources Defense CouncilOrganic Farming Research FoundationPesticide Action Network North AmericaUnion of Concerned Scientists

3. Winning quotes will appear on the back of our new salad labels and on the Earthbound Farm website!
They have switched to post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic for their salad containers, and they are designing new labels that carry the PCR symbol. Winning quotes will appear on the back of those labels, and on their website, too. They will select a new winner every month through the end of 2009!
To enter the contest, visit Earthbound Farms Kids quote contest
This contest is open to legal US residents who submit their entry with the permission of their parent or guardian, and who are 17 years of age or under at that time. Winning quotes will be identified by first name, age, and city/state on the Earthbound Farm website and on package labels. Parents or guardians must provide their name, e-mail address and daytime phone number in case their child’s entry is a winner. Either adult or child must provide their Social Security Number to receive their prize and register their bond. Earthbound Farm respects your privacy; we won’t share your personal information with anyone else.

Edge of Motherhood (a Hallmark review and giveaway)

Attention all you moms out there!! I have a question for you to answer...Ever been on the Edge of Motherhood? You know, when you feel like you could just bust because you think you have gone threw the ringer, or been run over by a big truck? I know that I have had "one of those days..."a few of them, actually. Kids...they are super, wonderful, fantastic...tiring, wearing, demanding, needy~ yessiree, you can feel like you are on the Egde of Motherhood sometimes. There are other moms who feel what you feel, most likely because we all have experienced something quite similar, or the very same thing. Hallmark has come out with a great line of cards that are meant for those Edge of Motherhood moments, to humorously give cheer and sunshine to moms experiencing those moments. The new line of humor cards is called “Edge of Motherhood.”
These cards are meant to help moms connect by laughing at those "special" moments and celebrate the joys of motherhood. For only .99 cents, Hallmark's Edge of Motherhood cards are a great, and affordable, way to let another mom know you care. These cards are available at select stores nationwide where Hallmark cards are sold AND online at hallmark.com.
Hallmark also has a great new collection of encouragement cards for kids, from their parents. We all know our kids get bombarded with negativity and criticism, so the more we can send them positive and uplifting messages, the better! The cards can be given for those "special days," like: first day of school, first drive behind the wheel, first trip away from home, etc. The cards can also be given for their challenges: test day, Dr. appt., etc. The cards incorporate humor and heartfelt messages to help adults connect in an authentic way, showing support, pride and giving a special child a boost of confidence. And some of the cards include originally recorded sound clips too, which play when a child opens the card! My kids love this feature, and it is a great way to really bring out that smile on your child's face! These cards start at .99 cents, and the encouragement cards with sound retail for $2.99. All are available at select Hallmark Gold Crown stores and other retailers where Hallmark cards are sold.

Would you like to win a set of cards to help brighten someone's day? Hallmark is offering to sponsor a giveaway for my USA readers (bloggers and non-bloggers)! Just go check out Hallmark.com and leave a comment about what you saw or think is something great to know!

This contest will end on September 14th, 2009. **For extra chances you can: blog this contest (put up a picture of your "Edge of Motherhood"), add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or facebook this contest, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

Women Bible Studies: Live Relationally & Live Deeply

Voracious Bible study readers, women purchase Bible studies more than do men by a ratio of five-to-one—and Gallup reports that 14 percent of Americans belong to a Bible-study group. This summer, David C Cook will release two new books in the Fresh Life series, their easy-to-use series of Bible studies for women and about women.
With strong endorsements from well-known Christian leaders like Kay Arthur and Ruth Graham Bell, two up-and-coming female authors, Lenya Heitzig and Penny Pierce Rose, have created the Fresh Life Bible study series published by David C Cook. Perfect for every age, appropriate for groups or individual study, and intended for today’s on-the-go woman, the Fresh Life series requires just 20 minutes a day for a meaningful contemplation of God’s Word. The next two books in the series are Live Relationally and Live Deeply (David C Cook, June 2009). (The first two books, Live Intimately and Live Fearlessly, were released in the summer of 2008.)
Live Relationally offers a fresh look at the important women of Genesis. Though womenin the Bible are sometimes overlooked or downplayed, this fascinating Bible study curriculum reminds readers that women are central to God’s story—and His plan. Genesis alone is peopled with women who experience death, marriage, divorce, rape, and family tragedy. And if that sounds like something out of Desperate Housewives, it just goes to show that the Bible has a message for women—today.
With probing questions, insightful sidebars, and meaningful life-application exercises, Live Relationally offers the vivid lessons and rich wisdom of Israel’s founding mothers. From the complicated Tamar to the often oversimplified Eve, they are wives and mothers, slaves and owners, sinners and saints … and each woman’s story will touch hearts for God.

Live Deeply is for anyone who has ever read one of Jesus’ parables and asked, “What is He talking about?” Now women—alone or with a small group—can dig deeper into the meaning of these parables to uncover their important meaning for their walks with Christ. Designed with today’s busy woman in mind, each lesson can be completed in as little as 20 minutes per day, but will leave her with a lifetime of valuable insights.
Based on the inductive Bible study method, each lesson conjures vivid imagery of the sights and sounds of Ancient Israel alongside poignant application questions for today. The Fresh Life Bible study series offers something for Christian women of all shapes and sizes; everyone will leave with a more profound understanding of the important women of Genesis and Christ’s amazing parables.
Live Relationally: Lessons from the Women of Genesis ($14.99) and Live Deeply: A Study of the Parables of Jesus ($14.99).
by Lenya Heitzig and Penny Pierce Rose
David C Cook June 2009

Good reads to celebrate: Back to School!!

The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper
The future is clearly mapped out for New York socialite Eugenia “Gennie” Cooper, but she secretly longs to slip into the boots of her favorite dime-novel heroine and experience just one adventure before settling down. When the opportunity arises, Gennie jumps at the chance to experience the Wild West, but her plans go awry when she is drawn into the lives of silver baron Daniel Beck and his daughter and finds herself caring for them more than is prudent–especially as she’s supposed to go back to New York and marry another man. As Gennie adapts to the rough-and-tumble world of 1880s Colorado, she must decide whether her future lies with the enigmatic Daniel Beck or back home with the life planned for her since birth. The question is whether Daniel’s past–and disgruntled miners bent on revenge–will take that choice away from her.
Author Bio:
Kathleen Y’Barbo is the best-selling, award-winning author of more than thirty novels, novellas, and young adult books, with more than a half-million in print. A graduate of Texas A&M University, she is currently a publicist with Books & Such literary agency.

The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love
Once a month, the six women of the Sweetgum Knit Lit Society gather to discuss books and share their knitting projects. Inspired by her recently-wedded bliss, group leader Eugenie chooses “Great Love Stories in Literature” as the theme for the year’s reading list–a risky selection for a group whose members span the spectrum of age and relationship status.As the Knit Lit ladies read and discus classic romances like Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights, and Pride and Prejudice, each member is confronted with her own perception about love. Camille’s unexpected reunion with an old crush forces her to confront conflicting desires. Newly widowed Esther finds her role in Sweetgum changing and is surprised by two unlikely friends. Hannah isn’t sure she’s ready for the trials of first love. Newcomer Maria finds her life turned upside-down by increasing family obligations and a handsome, arrogant lawyer, and Eugenie and Merry are both asked to make sacrifices for their husbands that challenge their principles.Even in a sleepy, southern town like Sweetgum, Tennessee, love isn’t easy. The Knit Lit ladies learn they can find strength and guidance in the novels they read, the love of their family, their community–and especially in each other.
Author Bio:
RITA Award-winning Beth Patillo combines her love of knitting and books in her engaging Sweetgum series. Pattillo served churches in Missouri and Tennessee before founding Faith Leader, a spiritual leadership development program.

Rose House
A vivid story of a private grief, a secret painting, and one woman’s search for hope. Still mourning the loss of her family in a tragic accident, Lillian Diamon finds herself drawn back to the Rose House, a quiet cottage where four years earlier she had poured out her anguish among its fragrant blossoms. She returns to the rolling hills and lush vineyards of the Sonoma Valley in search of something she can’t quite name. But then Lillian stumbles onto an unexpected discovery: displayed in the La Rosaleda Gallery is a painting that captures every detail of her most private moment of misery, from the sorrow etched across her face to the sandals on her feet.What kind of artist would dare to intrude on such a personal scene, and how did he happen to witness Lillian’s pain? As the mystery surrounding the portrait becomes entangled with the accident that claimed the lives of her husband and children, Lillian is forced to rethink her assumptions about what really happened that day.A captivating novel rich with detail, Rose House explores how the brushstrokes of pain can illuminate the true beauty of life.
Author Bio:
Tina Ann Forkner is the author of Ruby Among Us. Originally from Oklahoma, she now lives with her husband and three children in Wyoming, where she serves on the Laramie County Library Foundation’s board of directors.


You can learn more about or purchase these books at RandomHouse.com:
The Confidential Life of Eugenia Cooper
The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love
Rose House

Melt Down (book review & Giveaway)

TASK FORCE VALOR
Explosive Ordnance Disposal — The Bomb Squad

The global war on terror has reached catastrophic proportions, leading the U.S. Special Operations EOD team—Task Force Valor—to Chernobyl, where ghosts of past disasters are nothing compared to the nuclear nightmare about to unfold.

With CIA Agent Mary “Phoenix” Walker heading her first Special Ops mission and Master Sergeant Bobby Sweeney fighting demons on and off the battlefield, Task Force Valor races to stop a terrorist threat in the Ukraine before Europe is turned into a radioactive wasteland.

But when the terror reaches American shores, the team is powerless to help until they can save themselves. And when they finally track down the source of the chaos, what they find is worse than anything they could have imagined.

Chuck Holton has traveled the world, experienced combat, served in the Elite 75th Ranger Regiment, and is the author of six books, including Allah’s Fire, Island Inferno, Bulletproof, Stories From a Soldier’s Heart, and A More Elite Soldier. His journeys have taken him from the depths of the Atlantic, to the mountains of Burma, from the dogsleds of Alaska, to skies of Iraq. Chuck lives in Appalachia with his wife, Connie, and their five children.
You can purchase this book online at any of these locations:
purchase the book online at these locations: Amazon.com, Christianbook.com, and Family Christian.com.

Leave a comment below to enter to win a copy of this book. This contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers of the USA. This contest will end on September 8th, 2009. **For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or facebook this contest, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

Fun Fall Movies from HIT Entertainment and Lionsgate

My kids really enjoy the DVD's from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment with the crew of characters. The recent DVD we got for review was: Trick or Treat Tales. This DVD stars Barney, Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Fireman Sam, Fifi and the Flowertots and Angelina. This DVD will be released on the shelves tomorrow (September 1). The characters in this DVD are great about giving the message of friendship, togetherness, and adventure.
From the back:
The thrills start with Thomas & Friends in a ghostly adventure. Bob The Builder and Spud put on scary faces to protect a giant pumpkin pie from hungry crows. Barney and Fifi learn that there’s more to a costume than just dressing up. Angelina Ballerina sneaks into a costume ball and Fireman Sam saves a furry friend from a chilling experience. Enjoy the season’s sweetest collection of Trick or Treat Tales!
· Thomas & Friends – “Flour Power!”
· Barney & Friends – “Guess Who?”
· Bob the Builder – “Trix’s Pumpkin Pie”
· Fifi and the Flowertots – “Pirate Primrose”
· Angelina Ballerina – “The Costume Ball”
My kids really enjoy this DVD because it is a mini cartoon from each of these fun, loving crew. This DVD is a great selection and they all promote friends doing things together.
There is also a special feature at the end of the DVD called,“Cat Magic” – a bonus episode of Fireman Sam

Barney's Halloween Party is a fun DVD where Barney and his friends are preparing for a Halloween party at the school. Fun filled with songs like: Pop goes the Weasel, Ichy, Aquishy, Gooey, Ooey, and So many Pumpkins. Barney always has positive messages and displays of working together.
From the back:
It's Halloween and Barney and his friends are decorating the gym for an exciting party at the school. From Indian corn to smiling jack-o-lanterns, they gym is aglow with the colors of fall. Meanwhile, BJ™ and Baby Bop™ are putting the final touches on their costumes as they get ready for a fun-filled night of trick-or-treating. Finally, evening arrives, they party beings and the trick-or-treaters set out to search for goodies. Unfortunately, after a full night of trying, BJ comes up just a bit empty-handed. But when he and Baby Bop return to school, they soon find out that their friends have plenty of goodies and surprises waiting for them. Sometimes, the best treats at Halloween are good friends.

Our family loves Shaun the Sheep, and we could NOT wait to see the new DVD: Shaun the Sheep's Little Sheep of Horrors. This DVD is pretty funny! The barnyard tricks and jokes never end with this funny bone tickler. The baby sheep gets in the house, into some red stuff, and needs to be rescued. Shaun and the other sheep are freaked out from a moving glove, and there are many "pranks" performed in this all new, 6 episode, DVD. Here is a list of the 6 spooky stories: Little Sheep of HOrrors, Abracadabra, Things that go Bump, Heavy Metal Shaun, Troublesome Tractor and Sheepwalking. There are two bonus features, too: Sheep-Shearing Game, and Whack-a-Pig game. I highly recommend this DVD for a good family fun night!

These three movies are now available for purchase from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment. All three DVD's have a suggested retail price of $14.98 each.

Whistlefritz: Spanish for Beginners: Adentro y Afuera (Inside and Out)

I think it is so great to teach children another language, especially when they are younger. I was recently sent the DVD Whistlefritz to review. I was impressed with the DVD, and my kids were excited about it. I didn't come across any English in this DVD, and yet I was still able to understand what was being said/taught. The main character, Fritz, is a little grey mouse. He hides, and everyone has to find him. I love how the children and the main adult interact with one another. I really like how clear they all pronounce the words. This DVD has a Parent/Teacher translation guide included in the inside for further study. I think the price for the value of this DVD is superb! I think that there is so much Spanish taught inside this video. The songs are great, and my kids and I even danced around with musical instruments.
This DVD is available September 1, 2009 just in time for National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct 15, 2009).
Founded in 2006, Whistlefritz was started by a mom who wanted to teach her own children Spanish. Frustrated by the lack of high-quality Spanish immersion programs, she decided to create her own Spanish DVDs and CDs for children, and so Whistlefritz was born and two award-winning titles, Vamos a Jugar (Let’s Play) and Los Animales (The Animals) were released.
Product Description:
Winner of a Dr. Toy Best Play and Learn Vacation Program award. Winner of a 2009 iParenting Media Award. Winner of a Dove Foundation Family-Approved Seal. Winner of The National Parenting Center's 2009 Seal of Approval.
The latest release in the award-winning Spanish for Beginners series! Ages 2-7!
In this award-winning Spanish DVD, it's non-stop fun as teacher Maria and the Whistlefritz kids search for the mischievous mouse Fritzi. Using live action, animation, puppets, music, and fun, children explore their world -- inside the house and out on the playground -- learning the words for everyday objects along the way.
An ideal introduction to Spanish, and perfect companion to the award-winning Spanish immersion DVDs Los Animales and Vamos a Jugar.
Our family really enjoyed this video, and it will be one that we will be using into our homeschool education. If you are teaching or learning Spanish, I think that this DVD is a great resource!
Whistlefritz’s DVDs and ¡A Bailar! CD are recommended for ages 2-6. DVDs retail for $19.99 each and the CD is $14.99. For more information on Whistlefritz or to order products visit www.whistlefritz.com.

Weight of Silence (review)

It happens quietly one August morning. As dawn's shimmering light drenches the humid Iowa air, two families awaken to find their little girls have gone missing in the night.
Seven-year-old Calli Clark is sweet, gentle, a dreamer who suffers from selective mutism brought on by tragedy that pulled her deep into silence as a toddler.
Calli's mother, Antonia, tried to be the best mother she could within the confines of marriage to a mostly absent, often angry husband. Now, though she denies that her husband could be involved in the possible abductions, she fears her decision to stay in her marriage has cost her more than her daughter's voice.
Petra Gregory is Calli's best friend, her soul mate and her voice. But neither Petra nor Calli has been heard from since their disappearance was discovered. Desperate to find his child, Martin Gregory is forced to confront a side of himself he did not know existed beneath his intellectual, professorial demeanor.
Now these families are tied by the question of what happened to their children. And the answer is trapped in the silence of unspoken family secrets.

Very gripping book, and hard to put it down. You will want to keep reading to find out what happend to Calli and Petra. As the stories unravel your eyes will be opened and new twists will be revealed. I recommend this book, and the author will keep you turning the pages.

In her literary debut, Heather Gudenkauf has crafted an affecting novel in The Weight of Silence. Says #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Wiggs, "The Weight of Silence is a tense and profoundly emotional story of a parent's worse nightmare, told with compassion and honesty. Heather Gudenkauf skillfully weaves an explosive tale of suspense and ultimately, the healing power of love."

This review was made possible by Mother Talk.

Sleepy Bear from Sleepy Wrap

I love the Sleepy Wrap for "wearing" my babies! I have found it to be the most comfortable wrap for me and my babies while I carry them around! Baby wearing is such a great way to not only provide comfort and protection to your babies and children, it is a great way to free up your hands for other tasks. I fully agree that babies are a lot happier when they are close to their parents after birth, so when you carry them in a wrap/sling/pouch, they are way more content. Sleepy Wrap carries one of the best wraps, in my opinion. Their fabric is stretchy, and fits most all body shapes. The colors that they offer for their wraps are multi-colored, so moms and dads can both feel comfortable wearing them. I love that I can wear my babies in the Sleepy Wrap, have a happy/content baby, and "save" my back from pains with the distribution of weight with the wrap. Well, Sleepy Wrap /NAP, Inc. recently introduced The Sleepy Bear, their very first stuffed toy to help promote baby wearing. I love this new little addition, and so do my children:
Madelyn loves the little Sleepy Bear. This adorable, cream-colored and 100% organic-filled bear is so soft and cuddly. The bear is wearing an Organic Khaki Sleepy Wrap and is baby wearing the baby bear. You can get the same Organic Khaki Sleepy Wrap from the Sleepy Wrap website for your baby wearing, too. It is an adorable stuffed animal, and I love that it promotes baby wearing. The Sleepy Bear is the first stuffed toy to promote babywearing! Plus, I love that this bear is safe with material it is made and filled with. I don't have to worry about my youngest getting his hands on a choking hazard while playing with the Sleepy Bear either, because it isn't made with any buttons or snaps. The Sleepy Bear's eyes, nose, and mouth are all stitched on so that my baby's little hands won’t have anything to pull off. That is reassuring!

Madelyn gives lots of kisses and hugs to her new bear. She loves the little baby inside the wrap, too. I wore Madelyn in many pouches/wraps/slings and loved "wearing" her! The Sleepy Wrap is our favorite wrap, especially for a long day at the zoo. She loves being held, cuddled and carried, so she is a big-time promoter of baby wearing, too!

The Sleepy Bear has found a good home here. I highly recommend this adorable and cuddly bear! Our children can see the baby wearing idea, and know that it is a great thing! Plus, they can see that their Sleepy Bear loves to wear it's baby, too!

These adorable, baby wearing, stuffed animals are only available from these retailers for a SRP of $29.95:

Tadpoles & Butterflies

Sherwood Park, Alberta CANADA

info@tadpoles.cahttp://www.tadpoles.ca/

1.888.312.6554 S

Supermommy’s Superstore

2411 Ring Road, Suite 105

Elizabethtown, KY

accounts@supermommyssuperstore.comhttp://www.supermommyssuperstore.com/ 270.769.6693

Sweet Infant

1007 S. Country Club Rd.

Lovington, NM

support@sweetinfant.comhttp://www.sweetinfant.com/

575.441.3005

Nurtured Family

8525 Jackrabbit Rd., Suite B

Houston, TX

support@nurturedfamily.comhttp://www.nurturedfamily.com/

832.239.5140

Heavenly Hold

510 Briarfield Crossing

Marietta, GA

amber@heavenlyhold.comhttp://www.heavenlyhold.com/

404.849.5394

Baby Carriers-n-More

265 W Cimmarron Way

Erda, UT

robyn@babycarriersnmore.comhttp://www.babycarriersnmore.com/

801.671.5740

Attached to Baby

Seattle, WA

sara@attachedtobaby.comhttp://www.attachedtobaby.com/

800.887.1461

Thanks to Parent Reviewers, I was given a Sleepy Bear to review for my article.

PIllsbury Cookies (Review & Giveaway)

I love cookies~ and it is getting to be "that time of year again" when cookies are at the top of the baking list. I was given the chance to try out the New Simply... Pillsbury cookies, and I was happy to do so! I have had Pillsbury cookies in the past, and I can attest that they are very tasty! Being a member of MyBlogSpark, I was sent a coupon to get a freepackage of the Simply... Cookies, a cookie jar, and a canvas tote. I am thinking about painting the cookie jar and filling it with cookies to give as a gift to someone this winter. Anyway, the new Simply... Pillsbury cookies are easy to make and they have good ingredients (flour, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla). Not only do they contain good ingredients, they don't have any preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, trans fat or artificial colors/flavors. Pure ingredients and pure YUM! Being a mom of 4, I am thankful for quick and easy treats. The Simply Pillsbury cookies are ready to bake, so you just place them on the baking sheet, bake, and eat! Can't get any easier than that!
There are two flavors to chose from for the Simply cookies: Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter. I love both flavors, so I recommend both!
Here is a coupon for $1.25 off for the new Pillsbury simply... Refrigerated Cookies which can be found through this link: Pillsbury simply...TM Cookie Coupon!
You can enter to win a Pillsbury gift pack! You will get a cookie jar, canvas tote bag, and a coupon for a free Simply...cookie coupon. This contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers residing in the USA. Simply just leave a comment to enter to win. Contest ends on September 7th, 2009.
**For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or facebook this contest, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Extraodinary Teens (Review & 2 giveaways)

Chicken Soup books are always great! I love the personal stories shared within the pages of each book. I got the book: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Extraordinary Teens to review. It was fun reading through the stories of the teens that have risen above and succeeded. Each story shares facts and life amazement's of teens, those who are well known like: Donald Trump, Jr., Brenda Song and Timmy Reyes to those who are less well-known, but their stories are just as inspiring! I was inspired to read about teens who have changed their lives and those around them. One story is about a girl, Chelsea Eubank, who started a Christian Clothing company (Faithful Fish) at age 17. She attends the only 4-year credited Learning Disability college in America, and she is on the Dean's list while managing her company! Her company's goal is to "create a lifestyle clothing company for the faithful that will be a profit center for charities." Not only is she a college going, clothing company manager, she is also a Seventeen magazine online money expert and featured in the book, The Richest Kids in America (Mark Victor Hansen). I think that she has already made an impact on those around her!

I like how the Extraordinary Teens book has each story starting with the success of each teen labeled with Quick Facts. There are also pictures of the teens that share their life stories. At the end of the stories that the teens share, they give some helpful advice or some helpful words of encouragement. Most of the stories are faith-sharing, and reveal a humbleness from the teens as they share their struggles, too. I have really enjoyed this book, and with a son who is nearing the teen years, I am excited to have him read their stories.

LUCKY YOU! You have the opportunity to enter to win Chicken Soup for the Soul: Extraordinary Teens! I have 2 extra copies to giveaway. This contest is open to bloggers and non-bloggers of the United States. Contest is open until September 4th, 2009. To enter, leave a comment about something you find extraodinary about a teen you know.
**For extra chances you can: blog this contest, add my button to your site, subscribe to my blog, twitter and/or facebook this contest, and/or visit everyday and add another friendly comment. Lots of chances to win! Don't forget to put the extra comments for the "extra" work. Good luck!**

K9 Cuisine! All around, Super!

My dog, Lena (half Pug, half Japanese Chin) loves to play. She is a very smart dog, and knows her toys by name. Seriously, we tell her to go get _(name of pet)_ and she will go find it. It is quite comical, and she really enjoys playing with her toys.
Lena got a new toy to try out from K9 Cuisine. This toy is a 22 inch plush caterpillar. This caterpillar is very big, even longer/bigger than Lena! The plush toy is very colorful and has two noise-makers on each end: duck call and squeaker. The caterpillar jingles and has ropes for legs. I think this toy is made very well, and I don't plan any "surgeries" in my future. (I have had to operate/sew up Lena's toys in the past due to injury from extended playtime).

We have named Lena's new toy Pillar, and she loves it! She loves chasing after it as we throw it down the steps to the family room. She runs down there, and carries her Pillar back up stairs. I am surprised that she can carry this big toy, and can manage to somewhat keep it away from us.

Lena is very happy with her new toy, and we applaud K9 Cuisine for having such a super toy for dogs! Lena will get many, MANY hours of playtime with her new pal.

We also received dog food for our dog to review. I can't rave enough about K9 Cuisine's dog food! Lena eats the food as if it tasted like candy. She anxiously waits by her dish each day to get more. What I love most about K9 Cuisine's premium dog food is that it is made with natural foods, and not fillers or chemicals. K9 Cuisine cares about what our pets eat, and I appreciate that my dog gets the best with their products! It is a special bonus that Lena loves their food, too. She leads me to believe she is starving...because she eats the food so quickly.

I got a K9 scoop for the dog food, and that was a fun surprise, too! No more using Lena's dish, or my hands to feed her. Included in my order was a sample of the Legacy Dog food, and Lena loved that treat, too!

I also ordered the Lavender - Deodorizing Spritz and the Lavender and Mint Buddy Wash Pet Shampoo. The shampoo was wonderful~cleaned Lena very well and smelled great, too! The ingredients in the shampoo were easy to read: meaning...no harsh chemicals in that either! I felt like the shampoo was good enough for me to use (if I want to). I tried the Deodorizing Spritz on Lena, and she wasn't too fond of it. I think she felt a little threatened by it, or like she was in trouble for something. I think the spritz smells great, though, and I use it on her bed pillow.

K9 Cuisine offers many products for Dogs and Cats! You can find grooming products, food for cats and dogs, toys, supplements, travel supplies, stain/odor control and more! Check it out!

Thanks to Family Review Network, I was able to be apart of the review for K9 Cuisine! I am a big-time fan of their products and I HIGHLY recommend them to you!! Thank you K9 Cuisine for caring so much for our pets to offer only the best for them!

For the month of August ONLY~~

K9 Cuisine and Nature’s Instinct are giving away one free bag of Nature’s Instinct Organic dog food, if you use the code Instinct-e-0709…What a great deal~ YOUR DOG WILL LOVE YOU MORE!!