My Preschool Solution? FunShine Express!

"Mommy, I want to go skoo."

Those were the words that I heard about half a year ago that prompted me to start researching at-home schooling options for younger children. I had always planned to homeschool, but I didn't exactly have a standard plan in place. I had a vague idea of what to do when my son was older, thanks to the fact that seven of my younger eight siblings were homeschooled, but I didn't really remember my mom ever using anything for the smaller kids other than a few cardboard books and lined children's writing paper.

Luckily, I used to work in a daycare that used the FunShine line, and I remembered a relative had gotten me a kit from them a couple of years back. My son had been too young to use it then, so I'd had it sitting on a shelf - just one of those things I'd tucked away for a rainy day. I took the kit out and began looking over the materials. I was pleased with what I saw and decided to place an order for a kit that was more season-appropriate.

We started getting our son excited about his impending schooling as soon as we'd placed the order. "Only ten more days 'til school!", we would tell him. "You're going to have so much fun!"

By the time the first of the month rolled around and we were ready to start, my son was thoroughly ready for preschool. He knew we'd be learning about colors, numbers, letters, and shapes and told our whole family that he was getting ready to start school. We ended up having an awesome, albeit shaky, first day in our homeschool-preschool. As it turns out, he was more ready than I was! I had a terrible time with some of the older supplies I had on hand (my glue wouldn't come out for anything, then all fell out in a sudden gush), and I was tired out by the end of the day from hopping up and down to run and grab things I'd forgotten. As a matter of fact, I was so tired I accidentally fell asleep next to my son's freshly painted artwork and woke up with a finger-painted caterpillar transferred onto my rear!

After some needed reviewing of the teacher's monthly guidebook (shame on this mommy!), I was much better prepared for the following days. We got new glue, we made a "chalkboard" out of an area of the house that was no longer being used, and possibly most importantly - mommy read up on the lesson plans and laid out school supplies the night before! We took trips outside to inspect leaves and look for bugs. We pretended that grandma's floral bed covers were a meadow for deer to prance in. We looked for frogs and made "ribbit" noises in hopes of attracting them. My son started drawing letters, numbers, shapes - all things that he had never done before. He filled out a summer journal and colored the pictures with bright greens, oranges, and purples (his favorite colors). We made a giant caterpillar out of paper plates and strung it through the living room.

Sometime into my second month with FunShine, I was asked to review the kits and I was thrilled! I was given a free month's worth of the Fireflies program in exchange for an honest review on my site, and I couldn't have been more happy with the trade! I already knew that I loved the FunShine program, and I was excited to be blogging for them. Because I've already been through the program, I know I enjoy it. The kit they sent to me was for the month of September, and I have big plans for it. I want everyone to see how great their program works, so I hope that you will follow along with me as I outline the types of activities, crafts, games, learning tools, and teacher resources you can expect to find in a typical month! Each day that we work on our September kit, I'll be posting pictures, uploading videos, and writing about some of the cool adventures we had thanks to FunShine! I hope that this will inspire some of you to purchase a kit, or at least grab one of their sample kits to see how you like it for yourselves.

These kits are not only great for homeschooling moms though, they also work wonderfully for daycare! I was an assistant in an at-home daycare a few years ago, and we found the kits to be extremely helpful. In addition to the flexibility of ordering for a particular number of students, FunShine provides free parent-teacher resources, such as take home sheets, certificates, and newsletters. There are even free enrichment activities (think educational coloring pages) available to print off for as many children as you need!

I hope that you will all come back and read our daily posts about what you can expect in your FunShine kits! These are truly an awesome product, and any parent (homeschooling or not) that has preschoolers can get some enjoyment out of the bonding time that the FunShine kits are sure to promote.

My Safety Net for Bedwetting - GoodNites Underwear Review

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of GoodNites. All opinions are 100% mine.

As some of my readers may know, I went to visit my parents for the summer. I had a blast, and because my parents were a bit short on space (my sister-in-law was visiting with her kids too), I slept on a make-shift bed on the floor. I didn't mind this since it was like having a slumber party every night with my kids & my younger siblings. Some nights we had four or five of us camped out in the living room, and we had a blast!

There was one little problem though... I was sharing this make-shift bed with my three-year-old, who only finished potty-training a few months ago. It wasn't long before I met with my first (wet) night-time surprise. My son had wet his bed before at home (not a pleasant experience regardless of where you are), but he had never wet my bed before. Let me tell you, there is a big difference between changing your kid's sheets and going back to bed and having to change the sheets and then take a shower. After the shower, you're pretty much awake, which means you are completely zoned out the next day.

After the second time this happened, I was setting alarms every three hours just to make sure that I took him to the toilet frequently throughout the night. Again, this made for a very tired mommy the next day, and it wasn't much fun for my little guy to wake up so often either.

Thankfully (I just love it when things work out like this), I had been contacted by one of the reps over at SocialSpark about possibly working with them on a campaign they had going. The rep asked if I would like to try out some GoodNites Underwear made especially to help with the problem of night-time wetting. Oh boy did I ever want to try them!

When I first looked at the underwear in the package, I thought they seemed like they might be a little big for my son. However, after putting them on him, they fit just right and he really enjoyed them. He was so excited the first time he woke up without wet bedsheets even though he'd had a small accident in the night! The GoodNites came with cool designs to make them look more like everyday underwear, and they pulled up just like a pair of underwear too. My son liked the designs so well that he started picking out his "fravrites" from the package each night. The GoodNites Underwear are thin enough to look like your child is wearing regular underwear underneath, but padded enough that any accidents won't leak through to the bed or your child's clothes. Even in the photo below, you can see that there is no "fringe" like a typical diaper has to poke up past the clothing.

We didn't need the GoodNites Underwear every night, but on the nights that we needed them, I was so glad that my son was wearing them! It's much better to be safe than sorry, and we were especially happy to not need to wake up in the middle of the night!

On the nights that my son did have an accident, sometimes he woke me up to change him, and sometimes he didn't. On the nights that he didn't wake me up, I was pleased to see that the underwear was absorbent enough that his skin didn't have any rash in the morning - my little guy has sensitive skin, so diaper rash was always an issue with us when he was a baby.

I would completely recommend the GoodNites Underwear to anyone that is dealing with night-time bedwetting. These underwear are very discreet, but your child may love them enough (like mine did) to quite loudly insist in front of everyone that it is time for the "night underpants". These are great to keep your child on track for becoming potty-trained and help to alleviate the concern that a child will want to revert back to diapers at night. The only thing that would give me pause would be if you are putting these on an older child for a sleepover. They had a slight rustling noise when my little guy was running around (which could have been due to the looseness of my son's pajamas), so I would suggest buying a package and testing them out prior to taking them into a social situation.

And the true test of what I thought of them? When I ran out, I bought more, and I'll keep buying them until my little guy doesn't need them anymore. These keep him dry at night, help me (and him) to get more sleep, and allow him a little safety net without giving up the freedom and confidence of getting to wear undies at night.

Want to snag a package of these for your own? Check out these awesome night-time undies at the GoodNites Facebook page or go to the GoodNites website for special offers and information on where to buy.

Review: Dr. Scholl's For Her High Heel Insoles

Summer is over, but the memory remains... this summer I was lucky enough to receive a VoxBox full of goodies from this great site called Influenster. I received the package of Dr. Scholl's insoles shown here for free, just for giving my opinion in return! As always, my opinion is always honest, and my own. If you have more information about me and my disclosures, please see the tab at the top of the page for a personal letter from me to my readers! Now on to this review!!!

So what did I think of these insoles?

Well at first I thought, "My gosh, where am I going to get a pair of heels? When was the last time I even wore heels?" Sadly enough, I used to own tons and tons of heels. I spent my shopping time looking for pairs of the most interesting heels I could find. I had ones made of denim, I had ones that matched every fancy dress I owned, I had ones that had glitter, rhinestones, bows, flowers, and appliques. The more unique they looked, the better. So what happened? Kids happened. Weight happened. Foot pains happened. When you weigh around 120 lbs, yeah sure, that's not a whole lot of weight to put on your feet in some pinchy shoes that just so happen to tilt your ankle four inches in the air. But fast forward that to oh say... 100 and something a whole lot more than 20 lbs... you've got a recipe for disaster. I think the last time I wore heels was to a fancy date with my husband, sometime either right before or right after the birth of our daughter. Having to run after my kids is enough to do without having to do it with sore feet!

I have thought about trying shoe insoles or inserts before, but I've always associated them with the type of things you see lurking in the back of closets, unused, gathering dust. Add that to the fact that I didn't realize they made these for high heels, and of course I didn't think to go pick up a pair!

These insoles were not only inconspicuous, they were clear. So even if a part did happen to peek out from under my foot, who would know that they were in there other than me?

I happily bought my first pair of heels in what is probably years, and took them out for a turn around the town.

I loved that I could feel them under my feet, but not feel them so much that I wanted to wiggle around. I'm one of those people that sees a thread and has to pull on it, so I was really glad that the sensation of having the gel-like soles under my feet didn't disturb my normal walking pattern.

After wearing the heels for a while, my feet still felt relaxed, and I could definitely notice the absence of my usual sharp, stinging sensation in the arch of my foot. Even better, my heels didn't go numb, and although I did have a toe go numb, that had more to do with me trying to wear a size 7-1/2 (hey, they were the last pair close to my size!) than it did the insoles themselves.

I do have one little thing I'd like to see in these though. I foresee that I may be wearing a lot more heels again (love the way they make my legs look, and if it doesn't hurt, why not?), and a lot of my favorites have T-straps. I didn't test these out on a pair with T-straps, but I would love to know if it can be used with them. I just have a bit of worry that they wouldn't fit properly inside and I would have to slide the gel area farther back than I wanted it.

So there you have it. I personally would recommend these as they worked for me, but try them out in a pair of shoes that you think they will work easily in before experimenting with any odd cut-out shoes.

Want to buy a pair of these for yourself? Check out http://www.drscholls.com/Brand/ForHer.

Movie Review for the Mindful Parent: Mr. Bean's Holiday

In this day and age, it's hard to know what is okay for your kids to watch, and what isn't. The problem mainly lies in the fact that each family varies as far as tastes, moral codes, and lifestyles. What is permissible in one household could be taboo in the next, and when you factor in the maturity level of individual children, it makes the rating system for TV and movies nearly ineffective. That's why I started cataloging the movies I watch. Not only do I look at things from a parental perspective, but I include detailed information that may be helpful in deciding whether a movie is appropriate for your child. It is my hope that this information will help others to make informed decisions the next time they are renting or buying a movie.

Mr. Bean's Holiday is a movie starring Rowan Atkinson as Mr. Bean, a man headed out on a holiday with the intention of spending time on the beach in Cannes. Mr. Bean finds that getting to Cannes isn't quite as easy as he'd hoped, and he ends up making a mess of his travel plans. Fortunately he meets some friends along the way, and they all journey to Cannes together.

My opinion of the movie, pre-kids: This is a movie I would have found pretty funny before children, but it wouldn't have struck me as exceptional in any particular way. I would have laughed, I would have enjoyed, and that would have been the end of it. The acting is good and reminded me a of a Mr. Magoo or Get Smart type of show.

My opinion of the movie, post-kids: This movie is awesome. What makes it so awesome? As a parent, it stands out in stark contrast to most other movies due to the facts that 1: There was nothing in it that I personally wouldn't want my kids to see. 2: It was funny. 3: It's one of the few "safe" movies that I genuinely enjoyed watching. There really wasn't anything about this movie that bothered me, but I still included some notes on the movie below to help out parents who are looking to screen out certain concepts and situations.

Swearing: There was no swearing in this movie as far as I can tell, but if you look it up the wiki on the movie, it will say that there is a point in the movie where "damn" is said in French, and again in Russian. I didn't notice either instance, but I do recall a point where the captioning said "darn".

Issues of Note (These are for parents who have not discussed certain aspects of life with their children, and are not ready to broach these subjects yet.): There is a point in the movie where Mr. Bean puts on a sweater on his head to look like a "wig" and he lip syncs the woman's part in opera, and another part later where Mr. Bean dresses like an old woman and a young boy dresses up to pretend to be someone's daughter so they can get past the police.

Other (This is for anything else that I feel has the potential to become a discussion or a point of contention.): Some minor themes that appear in this movie are: absurdity, making mistakes and not admitting to them, ruining/taking other people's things, lack of road-safety, and trespassing. None of these things are done with an air of maliciousness, but with a sense of the ridiculous. There is also a scene where a man is assumed to be in the middle of committing suicide when he receives a phone call, doesn't like what he hears, and jumps off the bridge into the river. This is done for comedy's sake and the man does not appear to be hurt, but it may bother some people so I chose to include it.

I understand that not all of these issues are "hot-buttons" for some families, and for others, this type of information is just the sort of thing they look for when they are trying to grab a movie on a Friday night. My intent is not to tell any of you which issues you should screen out, but rather to highlight them to everyone so that each person can make an informed decision.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Let me know what you think in the comment area below, I love chatting with my readers!

Movie Review for the Mindful Parent: 13 Going On 30

In this day and age, it's hard to know what is okay for your kids to watch, and what isn't. The problem mainly lies in the fact that each family varies as far as tastes, moral codes, and lifestyles. What is permissible in one household could be taboo in the next, and when you factor in the maturity level of individual children, it makes the rating system for TV and movies nearly ineffective. That's why I started cataloging the movies I watch. Not only do I look at things from a parental perspective, but I include detailed information that may be helpful in deciding whether a movie is appropriate for your child. It is my hope that this information will help others to make informed decisions the next time they are renting or buying a movie.

13 Going on 30 is a movie starring Jennifer Garner as an awkward teen who wishes she was older, beautiful, and making her way in the world. Much to her surprise (and horror), her wish comes true and she is transformed into her future self upon waking. This of course leads to new insights both for her and those around her, some odd moments, and the occasional faux pas in her new world. As she goes along, she starts to realize what has mattered all along is not so much what you can attain, but what you are and can become.

My opinion of the movie, pre-kids: Before children, I can honestly say that I didn't see too much wrong with this movie. I actually would have used the word "tame" if I had been asked to describe it's suitability for children. I liked this movie a lot, not just because of the concept (which was interesting) but because I find it to be funny with the sort of ending I like to see.

My opinion of the movie, post-kids: I cringed when the first line of the movie was the main character taking God's name in vain. Not a delightful start, and I cringed further still as the movie continued, talking about borderline adult themes and tossing in words like "orgasm" every so often. I still like the movie, still think it's worth watching, but also think that certain developmental milestones need to be passed before this movie is viewed by children. This movie is rated PG-13. I would say that this movie is probably alright for a 13-year-old, but in my personal opinion, I would try to wait at least until 14 or 15 to let my kids view this. I included some notes on the movie below to help out parents who are looking to screen out certain concepts and situations.

Swearing: There are about twelve instances of swearing in this movie, none of which is the dreaded F-Bomb.* Add that to the eight or so words that made me cringe a little to hear them (such as orgasm), and I'm getting around one cringe every five minutes. Depending on your child's maturity level, this can make for a very uncomfortable time. *Please note that there is an instance in the movie where the main character screams out for a "fluffy pillow". This sounds quite close to the f-word, but if you turn on the closed captioning you will see that she is indeed saying "fluffy".

God's Name in Vain: I put this one in a category on it's own because there were more instances of this than of swearing and taboo-ish words combined.

Issues of Note (These are for parents who have not discussed certain aspects of life with their children, and are not ready to broach these subjects yet.): Sexual references such as alluding to sex, alluding to premarital sex, and party games that are geared toward foreplay, i.e. Seven Minutes in Heaven. Talking about drugs, talking about drinking, and drinking on screen. Three minor references to sexual orientation and several on-screen moments where at least one person is in a state of undress before or after sexual activity.

Other (This is for anything else that I feel has the potential to become a discussion or a point of contention.): Bullying makes an appearance in this video, which includes name-calling, teasing, and using other people to get what you want. There is a large emphasis on the importance of having breasts and issues surrounding self-image at the beginning of the movie, which includes "bra-stuffing" scenes. There is also an aspect of "magic" in this film, as in the type that makes wishes come true.

I understand that not all of these issues are "hot-buttons" for some families, and for others, this type of information is just the sort of thing they look for when they are trying to grab a movie on a Friday night. My intent is not to tell any of you which issues you should screen out, but rather to highlight them to everyone so that each person can make an informed decision.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Let me know what you think in the comment area below, I love chatting with my readers!

Movie Review for the Mindful Parent: Liar Liar

Okay, so recently my mom and I were talking about movies, and how a lot of the ratings don't tell a parent enough to make an accurate decision regarding whether or not the movie is okay for their kid to watch. This is because we all parent differently, and all kids mature at a different pace. What might be okay for one thirteen-year-old to watch may not be considered "appropriate" by another mother until her child is much older. In light of this, I decided to start watching movies and posting reviews up about them, the kind that my mom would want to see. Hopefully this will help families to determine what is okay for their kids to watch, without any "surprise" moments in the middle of the movie!

This review is about Liar Liar, a movie starring Jim Carrey and Maura Tierney. In the movie, the main character, played by Jim Carrey, finds himself suddenly unable to lie due to a birthday wish made by his five-year-old son - a bad predicament for a lawyer to be in. With his career and his son's trust on the line, he has to find a way to win his case and convince his ex-wife that he can be a good father before it's too late.

My opinion of the movie, pre-kids: I loved this movie. It's always made me laugh, and I enjoy watching Jim Carrey tell it just like it is. The idea of not being able to tell even a little white lie is already ridiculous, combine that with his actor-personality and you've got a great movie. While the relationship story of this film adds the bit of drama that was a necessity for the 90's, the sorta-sappy ending seems a bit much, even though I'm rooting for the happy-ending the whole time.

My opinion of the movie, post-kids: Whooooaaa! I forgot just how much swearing there is in this movie! I remembered this as one of those films that was safe enough to let my siblings watch, at the least. After re-watching it from a parent's perspective, I can safely say that this is a film I wouldn't want any of my youngest six siblings to see, and two of them are within the age range given by the rating. The rating for this movie was PG-13, but if I had to pick a random age for kid-watching, I would say take it closer to 16 or 17. That can vary from parent-to-parent and from child-to-child of course, depending on morals, maturity, personal family values, and more. So just to cover everything, I included some notes on the movie below to help out parents who are looking to screen out certain concepts and situations.

Sexual References: Not only are there sexual references in this movie, but there is some rather vivid sexual phrasing, fondling and mentions of fondling, a tape playing sounds and conversation of two people having intercourse, crude joking about sex, direct talk about sex, undressing for sex, pillow-talk after sex, and two people in their underclothes after having sex.

Swearing: There were almost 40 instances of swearing and/or words I wouldn't want my kids to repeat (like slut or prick) in this movie, although the dreaded F-Bomb was not one of them. There were repeated instances of taking God's name in vain, and random bouts of name-calling and insults that are peppered with some interesting words and phrases.

Crudity: There is a crude reference to the main character's penis, crude sexual language, a couple of fart jokes, and a joke about "bending over" and taking it (although they never directly mention where).

Issues of Note (These are for parents who have not discussed certain aspects of life with their children, and are not ready to broach these subjects yet.): This movie contains a theme surrounding a broken home, divorce, and relationship infidelity. Some tough issues may include parents dating other people post-divorce, adultery, illegitimacy, remarrying, separation, and custody battles.

Other (This is for anything else that I feel has the potential to become a discussion or a point of contention.): A couple of mentions regarding alcohol, a scene with someone drinking alcohol, "magic" as in a wish coming true, issues regarding morality and lying, issues regarding the possible immoralities of the legal system, a mention of spousal abuse, and an implied sense that divorced parents sometimes get back together for a "happy ending".

I understand that not all of these issues are "hot-buttons" for some families, and for others, this type of information is just the sort of thing they look for when they are trying to grab a movie on a Friday night. My intent is not to tell any of you which issues you should screen out, but rather to highlight them to everyone so that each person can make an informed decision.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Let me know what you think in the comment area below, I love chatting with my readers!

#SinfulShine Nail Polish Review

I spent the summer with my family back home, and the very first week I was there my sister mentioned that she would give me a pedicure. She isn't a professional, but cosmetology-type things just happen to be one of those things that she is naturally good at. When I saw that I had received a free bottle of SinfulShine™ nail polish in my Sunkissed VoxBox from Influenster, I took it as the perfect moment to remind her of our plans. I received the bottle for free in exchange for my opinion, something I love to give. If you want to read more on my disclosure policy, please click the Let Me Disclose To You tab at the top of this page. Now on to the review!

The polish I was given has something called Gel Tech™ in it. My sister was a bit doubtful as to the claims that it was "5x shinier than a patent leather shoe", and so was I.

After a lovely foot soak and lotion, she began carefully applying the nail polish. At first she commented that it wasn't quite as dense as she'd like it to be, and that the result after the first coat seemed transparent. She finished the first coats on both feet, and (after they dried) applied the second. When she sat back to survey her handiwork she told me that she had been wrong about the density.

"I think I wiped too much off onto the side of the bottle the first time," she told me, pointing at my feet, "The gel stuff that is in there made is seem really thick, so I was only putting on a thin coat, which made it seem transparent. The second time I didn't wipe as much off because you mentioned that it was supposed to be a gel, and the second foot looks much better."

Perfectionist that she is, she quickly put a bit more polish on my "offending" toe nails, and her work was complete. We inspected my toes, trying to decide if they were really more shiny than a patent leather shoe.

"I don't know," she finally told me, "Why don't you go find one?"

So that's just what I did. And my polish job did look shiner than the shoe. You can see here in the picture for yourself. Is it 5x shiner though? I really don't have a clue. Unfortunately, being only a blogger, I have to guesstimate at what 5x shinier would look like, and I'm not really certain. I don't think I have the tools to measure something like that. If we're just talking about shinier though, that I can give a thumbs up to.

As far as colors go, they have quite the selection of eye-popping shades. As a matter of fact, my sister already had several in her arsenal of nail-polishes. None of them had the Gel Tech™ but they were certainly catchy. My littlest sisters and I even made a trip out to Walgreen's to peruse the selection (which is where you can find the SinfulShine™ polishes). Here they are posing with the display like little up and coming game show hostesses. What I loved best about the display? The 2 for $3 sale sign next to it. $1.50 for a bottle of nail polish is what I call a steal.

So there you have it. Shiny? Check. Shinier than a patent leather shoe? Double check. Good price? Absolutely. Amazing display of colors? Definitely. This polish made my nails stand out and look great. I loved the color and how the end-result looked just like a salon-job.

Interested in grabbing some of this polish for yourself? Check out Walgreen's website for details!

Goody Ouchless Ribbon Elastics Review

During the summer of 2013, I went home to visit my family and I had a blast. However, between eating a bunch of fried food at the fair, taste-testing my mom and my grandma's home-cooking, and spending a big chunk of my time sitting on the couch watching movies with my siblings... I put on a teensy bit of weight. (Only like. you know... twenty pounds. Teensy.)

I finally decided I'd had enough of my lazy summer days and busted out my running clothes. I decided a jogging session seemed like a pretty good way to test out the Goody hair ribbons I'd received in a recent VoxBox from Influenster. (I received the box for free in exchange for my opinion, but this review is completely my own.)

I really hate it when I'm taking a jog and my hair starts to come apart. Not only does the movement of a bouncy ponytail against my head really annoy me, but when you jog and your hair is bouncing around behind your head, all those little tugs can make your head sore.

Am I Done Yet? Please let me be done.

As I ran like the wind (ha, ha) I was pleased to see that my ponytail didn't begin to sag or fall down.

I finished my jog (after what seemed like foreeeever) and I was glad when I got back to the house and my hair still looked pretty much the same as when I'd headed out the door. (Well, you know, besides the halo-o-frizz around my head.)

And Now For Something Girly...

Now that I knew these cute little hair ribbons were pretty darn sturdy, I wanted to do something stylish with them.

First I scrounged around the internet until I found a hairstyle I wanted to try. I couldn't find a video of exactly what I wanted, so my sister and I just fiddled with my hair until we had it right.

Finally, I'm A Bootiful Butterfly.

All we did was twist both sides of my hair into itself, but instead of making the ends meet in the middle, she made them meet on the side and then tied the remaining hair into a ponytail. Here was the end result:

You Can Take the Girl Out of the Country...

I added my cowgirl hat, and 'tadaa!' - just the look I wanted. I have country roots that go a mile deep, and although I don't think I'd wear a real ribbon in my hair anymore, these hair-ties gave my braid a ribbon-y effect that is just right for me.

Connect:

Want to snag some of these cute little hair ties for yourself? You can visit Goody's website at www.goody.com! Or, connect with them via social media on YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest, or Facebook.

Have you used any ribbon ties? What brand makes your favorite?

Chat with me in the comments below, I love hearing from my readers!

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post. Although I did receive the item listed above for free, I was not required to write about it on my site. All opinions are, as always, completely my own.

My #Review of the #BBcream from the Olay @FreshEffects Line

So, I've never been that big a fan of moisturizer, partly because it is one more thing for me to buy, and partly because I'm always afraid that I'm going to break out. (And really, isn't that like the number one reason we ladies don't put more balms and lotions and whatever else on our faces?)

Because of this, I kind of got skipped over by the whole "BB Cream" phase, and wasn't even sure what it was until recently. I was chosen by Influenster to receive a free bottle of this as part of their Sunkissed VoxBox promotion for summer. Unfortunately, I didn't get to use it until just recently since my box didn't arrive at my house until after I left for another state on a half-emergency, half-vacation trip to see my family. I kept thinking that I would be home any day. Any day. But as it turned out, my return trip kept getting postponed, and I finally just had my brother-in-law send it to me! Between travel prep to go back home and all the crazy stuff that's been going on here, I am just now getting to it. Better late than never though, so here's what I thought. Remember folks, I got it for free to give my opinion, and that's what you're gonna get. To see more about my disclosure policy, check out the tab at the top of this page!

First off, BB Cream - what is it? "BB" stands for Beauty Balm. Not only does it contain a moisturizer for your face, but it also provides tint that will cover up blemishes and even your skin tone. They provide a good foundation for any make-up you want to wear and protect your skin from harmful UV rays. The type I got to try out is from Olay Fresh Effects, and they claim to be a six-in-one solution that refreshes, brightens, evens tone, hydrates, smoothes, and protects.

After I found that out, the product seemed to make a lot more sense to me. I try to use a lot of 2-in-1 products just to keep myself from having to buy one more item - because these types of creams claim to do four, five, even six of the jobs a regular beauty regimen might contain, that makes them a really great steal. Well, that is... if they work.

So do they work? Well, I'll be perfectly honest - I'm not 100% positive. My problem is that my skin tone is already pretty even, and I don't usually wear make-up. Oh sure, I have blemishes. Some days I have enough little red bumps on my face that I could probably create a dot-to-dot picture. But when I held the pictures of my face before and after side by side, I couldn't really see a difference as far as a change in my complexion. Because I rarely use foundation, this wouldn't be all that helpful to me in replacing my current foundation. Like I said, I don't wear a lot of make-up, and who needs foundation if you aren't even going to wear make-up?

I do however, get incredibly dry skin on my face from time to time. And although I like to brag that I never sunburn because I have some Native American in me, it's just not true. I also have some Irish and French in me and although it is rare, I do tend to sunburn on my face. This is usually followed by freckles (which my husband snickers at) and a peeling nose (which leads to even worse dry skin). Have you ever tried to put make-up on to cover a peeling nose? It sort of just turns into a great big mess. This is why I try to avoid getting sun on my face unless I have a sunscreen on.

So if I'm going to put something on my face that this BB Cream would be replacing, it would definitely be the moisturizer and sunscreen combined. I use both of those, although I will admit that I use moisturizer very sparingly. Although my skin is dry, it seems to break out quite easily, and so I usually don't have a fair idea as to whether I'm breaking out from a particular product or just because my skin felt like breaking out that day.

So far, I haven't had any break-outs since I put on the BB Cream (always a good starting sign), and I feel like my face is much softer than usual.

At first the BB Cream felt a bit heavy. I don't attribute this to the actual heaviness of the product. It seems to be quite light actually, but because I'm so unused to wearing a moisturizer over my entire face, it was a bit obvious at first. Now I can't even tell I have it on.

Also, it smells great, but doesn't taste so well, an unfortunate fact I found out when I accidentally licked my lips. (Oops.) So try not to smear any across your pretty red kissers, or the man of your life may have a funny look on his face the next time he gives you a smooch.

A quick internet search will show you that this product costs around $12.99 to purchase, and is available in two different shades (fair/light and light/medium). To me, that already boasts of a good deal, considering that a product solely for sunscreen that is the same amount of SPF will cost you the same, or more, to purchase. So if you need it for sunscreen plus one other thing (any other thing really), you are already getting your money back. For me, the sunscreen that I purchase for my face is $19.99. The moisturizer that I purchase is around $20. So at 12.99, it's really a steal doing double duty. And because I only have to put one product on my face, instead of two (or more), it decreases the risk that I'll break out.

So is it for everyone? That depends. If you're already using one or more products on your face per day, and the BB Cream claims to help, you should give it a try and see if you can't reduce your beauty regimen. If you're like me however, and don't do a whole lot with your face to pretty it up before you head out on the town, you might want to wait a bit. Decide if you're really going to use the item if you buy it, look for coupons, ask for a sample. That way, if you decide against it, you aren't out the entire purchase amount. As for me, I believe that this is something I will get some use out of. Is it going to be a product I use every day? Probably not. But on the days that I do use it I know I'm going to get some protection for my dry face that won't make me feel like I'm wearing a mask of make-up, or a heavy coat of lotion. And that's pretty good in my book.

Want to buy some BB Cream from Olay Fresh Effects to try out for yourself? You can check them out at their site to find the cream in a store near you, or head over to Amazon to purchase at this link.

Review of @CourtYardHounds new album, Amelita - a must read!

When I was offered the opportunity to listen to the new album, Amelita, that Court Yard Hounds put out, I was so excited! One2One Network arranged for me to receive a digital download and CD for free, just so that I could tell you all what I think of it!

First of all, let me give you a quick background to Court Yard Hounds. The two artists in this band are none other than Emily Robison and Martie Maguire, two of the three members of the well-known Dixie Chicks. Amelita is their second album, and although they still perform now and again as part of the Dixie Chicks, this sound is so entrancingly their own that I really was hooked from the beginning. I wasn't the only one though, my brother, who is a bit of a whiz at the guitar, told me that the songs were indeed very catchy and made even him (a 15 year old boy) get the sound stuck in his head. I think I even heard him humming one of the songs this morning. His one regret? The lyrics aren't targeting 15 year old boys, so they don't connect with him on a personal basis. His words were, "It's easy to listen to, and the guitar is great. I kind of hear it in my head still... but it's not anything I've lived through. I think it's meant for someone older than me." Good words well said little bro. Your musical ear is dead-on though, the guitar playing is great.

And my opinion? Well, I think that for starters, my words below aren't going to do the music justice. Very rarely do I find an album in which I like all of the music from the get-go. Very, very rarely. And yet that is exactly what happened with Amelita. Now, I'm sure some of you are going to think to yourselves, "Oh, she's just saying that because she wants them to sound good." I'm really not. If I didn't like it for some reason, I'd find a way to politely tell you all. Fortunately though, the music spoke to me from the very first moment, and I typed away as I listened to each song. Here below are my first impressions, typed out while listening, unedited, and completely "me". I hope you enjoy reading my reviews almost as much as I enjoyed listening to the songs. (A link to purchase this album can be found at the bottom of the page.)

Sunshine - I love this song. From the very beginning I began to tap my foot. It's the kind of song that you instinctively Google the lyrics to just so that you can have the pleasure of singing along. And the tone of the song is perfect for the kind of person I am. I've always been one of those women that takes the words "you can't do that" as a personal challenge. When someone tries to knock me down, tell me I'll fail, insinuate that I'm not strong enough to accomplish what I set out to do... I tell myself (and them) just the opposite. My eternal optimism is half of what keeps me going, even when I can see the dim outlines of a brick wall ahead for myself. But you know what? I've learned in life that my optimism doesn't come from myself anyhow... it comes from my faith that God will always take care of me. Even when I mess up, I know that when I get to that brick wall, he'll open a door in it and I'll come out smelling like roses as usual! (Thanks God for all that you do for me!)

Rock All Night - This song reminded me of being a young woman, me and my friends getting ready to go out to our local hotspot for line dancing, and men in cowboy hats. We weren't exactly "rocking it" but we were certainly doing it up country-style. When I hear this song it makes me feel young(er) again and brings up some great memories of long nights and some killer outfits. It's all I can do when listening to this song to not call up some of my friends and see if they want to hit the town. Has anyone seen my dancin' boots?

Phoebe - I really like the guitar playing in the beginning of this song. This song reminded me of being a kid growing up in the country, and how my dad was always looking out for me. Unfortunately, my dad was looking to protect me from guys, not from the typical mean girls, so I had days when I came home feeling awfully picked on. When I grew up and moved out of the house though, I realized that the world did not revolve around high school (as so many of us thought that it did). I blossomed, I became something unto myself, and I sky-rocketed into my own little form of "success". The things that I was made to be ashamed of by my peers when I was younger became things that I considered strengths. My rough and rowdy appearance? Just part of my tough-country gal appeal. My tendency to say EXACTLY what I was thinking? Just part of my tell-it-like-it-is attitude. This song says to me: "You go girl. Hold your head up high like daddy taught you."

The Road You Take - The piano in this song is beautiful. From the beginning you can tell that this is going to be a serious song with a sweet message. This one really speaks to me because when I met my husband I was the type of person who pulled away whenever I got too close to someone. I had experienced a harsh heartbreak in the past and had put up an inner wall so that I never really opened up fully to anyone. No matter how much anyone I dated thought they knew me, I always kept a feeling of "apartness" to keep myself safe. There came a point with my husband when I realized that it was going to have to be all or nothing, and I decided it was worth the risk. So very glad that I did! This song gives me an incredible wave of emotion that makes me feel both powerful for breaking through that wall so long ago, and grateful for the fact that my husband stuck around until I did!

The World Smiles - LOVE the sound of this song. It's so uplifting and feels like the song has a secret to portray to me. It reminds me a bit of Enya to be perfectly honest - and she is one of my most favorite song-artists of all time! This song makes me want to grab a bottle of wine, some brushes and a canvas, and go outside to paint something. It makes me think of blue skies, green grass, sunshine, and running free through a field somewhere. What could be better than that?

Watch Your Step - Before I even heard the lyrics to this song, the beginning notes gave me a feeling that it was going to be sassy. It made me want to dress up in my country-best, grab my husband, and take him out for a night out at some hole-in-the-wall where I could remind him why he fell in love with this spunky girl in the first place! I used to be quite the spitfire (something that fades with time after you have kids), and this song makes me feel just about as ornery as I ever was. As a matter of fact, I looked in the mirror shortly after listening to this song and was quite surprised that my appearance was that of "mommy" rather than a wild young woman. Oh if only I was 21 again!

Aimless Upward - This song gave me an initial impression of trying to overcome difficulty. Just the sound of it made me think of a young girl, trying to make it in the world, trying to hold her head up high, trying to become something. When I started listening to the lyrics I was so pleased to hear that it really could hold that sort of a meaning. The picture in my head was immediately that of someone from the country trying to make it in a big city, where you're just one of a million, everyone trying to be noticed - everyone trying to get to the top! I feel like this frequently since I've moved from my country home in Indiana to the Florida suburbs, closer to a metropolis than I ever wanted to be. I feel like I'm trying to get my potential noticed among the thousands, but there is always someone out there who is perceived to be prettier, smarter, faster, stronger... some days it can be a struggle to tell yourself to keep going. As this song says though I will continue to "take my time" and rise upward. This song says to me: "If you keep going no matter what, it may take a while, but nothing and no one can stop you from getting there."

Amelita - This is a song of true female kinship. We've all had that one friend who puts herself out time and again for someone or something that isn't worth it. Many times we can do nothing but watch as her ship sinks, trying to reach for her even though she won't reach back. I have a friend in particular that I have watched do this so many times it is heartbreaking to me. She is now at a point in her life that I feel safe for her, but for so many years it was painful to see her stay with her sinking ship while I stood helplessly on the shore of life, wishing she would swim back. Too many times we women stay silent and allow our friends to drown in their own misery, out of fear of offending them. This song puts it so well to those women who think that this is their only opportunity for a man, a job, a family, or whatever the object they are clinging to: "Have you no pride? You've got the rest of your life!" Beautifully said. From personal experience, I can say that being in a relationship wreck is no fun. You know that it's bad, everyone else knows that it's bad, and yet you just cling on rather than put a short end to it. This song reminds me that we women get through our rough times because of all our besties who are just waiting to take our hand, lift us up, and save us from ourselves.

Divided - A true breakup song. So sad, so touching. We've all been through that part of a lost relationship... the items are being split up into boxes, there are feelings of regret on both sides, tender memories spring up of their own accord, and there is an intense feeling of loss - not just of the relationship, but of a shared area, inside jokes, special nicknames, the closeness that comes from the privilege of being able to touch or hold another. This song makes me think back to some of my past relationships with a sense of bitter-sweetness. I have a wonderful relationship with my husband, and I know that he is the one I'm supposed to be with, but I can still clearly remember the feelings of leaving, of loss, of transition, change, new beginnings, and last moments. I remember thinking that I was on the edge of losing so much, and yet I could see new things just on the horizon for me. It's such an emotional and incredible moment... wanting to hold someone for the last time and keep that in your memory, and yet knowing in the back of your mind that although it is the end for you and they, it is the start of something for you and whatever else you wish. Your entire being is full of the powerful awareness that you are standing between two of the most incredible gifts of humanity: Knowing another person intricately, and freedom to have the world open to you. So beautiful. So moving. This is a definite song to listen to.

Gets You Down - The mellow sound at the beginning of this song caught me from the very beginning. It talks about what to do when life is coming at you... will you be strong or will you run away? It is so soothing and sweet, the harmony of voices mingling to produce the type of beautiful sound I came to love in the Dixie Chicks' song Landslide. The song then takes an unexpected twist to call upon a partner, asking them what they will do with things get rough. Sweetly the lyrics continue as an offered answer to troubles, "You could always love me." It was such an endearing way to end this song and made me feel somehow happy and sad at the same time. It begins out a song speaking of strength in oneself, and turns into a song speaking of the strength in one's relationship.

Guy Like You - A lazy day song. It makes me think of swinging on a porch swing in the summer heat, watching the clouds move across the sky, a warm breeze, the sounds of nature, and being immersed in thoughts such as only a woman could have when she is having a quiet time to figure herself out. It made me realize that it's been a long time since I could truly go outside and have some inner reflection, all by myself for whatever period of time. Kids really do change everything! I have made arrangements now with my darling sister to take the children for a while so that I can lay out in the field and watch the sky pass by while I have some alone time to be one with myself and God. This song is just so peaceful, if you're looking to slow down and have some personal time, this will put you in the perfect mood.

Like my review of this album? Maybe it's time you took a listen for yourself! You can find Court Yard Hounds and grab their songs on Amazon or on iTunes.

Questions, comments, suggestions? Let me know in the comment section below! Do you have an album that you'd like to be reviewed on my site? Send me an email at aury@unboundinspiration.com and we can talk over the details!

Did you catch the post on WipesWraps?

Have you heard of WipesWraps? These wraps provide a cute little cover for your wipes boxes so you can better match them to your nursery, and help them to blend in with your decor. (How cool is that?) If you missed the giveaway post, you can check out the review that Mama's Mission did for WipesWraps here!

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post, and as always, my opinions are purely my own.

(The blogger opp that was associated with this post has expired, please check out our blogger opps tab for a list of available opportunities!)

Did you catch the Buzz about Baby-BeeHaven?

Hey there moms and dads! Did you all get a chance to read up and find out about the adorable product line provided by Baby-BeeHaven? If you love buying fashionably unique items for your baby that are not only stylish but useful, make sure you didn't miss our post about their items during the giveaway they sponsored, make sure to head over to Mama's Mission where you can see how much she loved the Cush 'n Go she was able to try out. Not sure what a Cush 'n Go is? You can check it out here!


Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post, and as always, my opinions are purely my own.

(The blogger opp that was associated with this post has expired, please check out our blogger opps tab for a list of available opportunities!)

Kiddy Click'n Move 3 Stroller Review

What I wouldn't give for a new stroller this past month... I've been in and out of the car, back and forth to the fair grounds, and been surrounded by 12 kids (if you count my nephews) for a good portion of the time. I was already frazzled, and on top of it I was pushing a stroller for a good portion of the time. If you've ever had to watch a bunch of kids running around and handle a stroller all at the same time, you know how hard it is to chase after the bigger ones and keep them out of things when you have to lug the stroller with you. Especially when your stroller is less-than-ideal. The spare one over at my mom's works... but it isn't the newest or latest and greatest. It's a hand-me-down from back when one of my brothers was little. I have no problem with that, but what I did have a problem with was that the handles were too short on one stroller (which meant I had to hunch down to push it), and the other stroller was so heavy and difficult to turn that it made my arms hurt. Every night after we were finished with our escapades for the day, I felt like I'd been ambushed! The stroller in the giveaway below has ended, but there's no reason why you can't check out the great stats and take a look at Everything Mommyhood's Kiddy Click'n Move 3 Review!

Still looking for giveaways? Check out the Giveaways tab at the top of the page for a list of currently running contests.

This stylish and lightweight stroller has a modern design and provides many features for a pleasant walk with your little one. The Kiddy Click’n Move 3 offers the highest standards of safety and is easy to fold when you are on the go. This stroller comes in 4 great colors, black, stone, walnut, and cranberry.

The Kiddy Click'n Move 3 offers the highest standards of safety and is easy to fold when you are on the go. Safety Adjustable 5-point harness with comfortable belt padding includes 3D mesh material that prevents from sweating and ensures maximum safety. Bumper bar can be easily removed. Easy to Operate Stylish and lightweight thanks to the aluminum frame. Easy to fold and unfold with seat unit attached and can be stored in an upright position. The frame's cover can be removed easily by the use of zippers. Comfort Smooth and comfortable ride for your child due to the front and rear wheel suspension design.

The Kiddy Click'n Move 3 has a lot of great features:

• Versatility - This stroller has an adjustable handle (approx. 33”-46”) and has a reversible seat unit for front and rear facing.
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• Safety - Adjustable 5-point harness with comfortable belt padding includes 3D mesh material that prevents from sweating and ensures maximum safety. Bumper bar can be easily removed.
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• Easy to Operate - Stylish and lightweight thanks to the aluminum frame. Easy to fold and unfold with seat unit attached and can be stored in an upright position. The frame's cover can be removed easily by the use of zippers.
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• Comfort - Smooth and comfortable ride for your child due to the front and rear wheel suspension design.
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• Dimensions - Folded (rear wheels taken off): approx. 13" x 20" x 36" Unfolded: approx. 43" x 24" x 41"
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• Weight - Chassis: approx. 17.5 lbs. Seat unit: approx. 8.75 lbs.
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• Standard Features - The Click'n Move 3 has a big protective sunroof with hard-wearing textiles that silently adjusts and its spacious basket is practical for a diaper bag, a purse and the adaptors for your infant carrier.

 

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The giveaway below has ended, so make sure you click on our Giveaways tab at the top of the page for a list of some of the best and latest contests from around the 'net! Got a giveaway you'd like to feature on our page? You can link it up there! Good luck!
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Hosted by: Everything Mommyhood

Co-Hosted by: Fun With Four, My Four Littles, and The Squishable Baby

Sponsored by: Kiddy

One lucky reader will win a Kiddy Click'n Move 3 Stroller in the color of their choice, valued at $399.99. Must be a US Resident, 18 and up only. All winning entries will be verified Winner will be notified via email, and will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen. Giveaway begins 8/1/2013 at 1am CST and ends 8/21/2013 at 11:59pm CST Good Luck!

Disclosure: This blog and Everything Mommyhood are not responsible for prize shipment, as this is a sponsored prize. We were not compensated in any way for promotion of this giveaway. Everything Mommyhood received the above mentioned item, in exchange for an honest review. Our opinions are not influenced in any way. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and any other social media are not affiliated with this giveaway. If you have any questions please contact the host of this giveaway at EverythingMommyhood@gmail.com.