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Matilda Jane Clothing – Ode to Shoes

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It’s that time of year again where we are thinking about summer clothes and switching out wardrobes, but if your weather is anything like the Chicagoland you may have experience snow showers early this morning! So we were digging out the winter clothes again. I know I wore my woolly socks and ear muff headband!

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My youngest daughter received a cute little dress from Matilda Jane Clothing, called Ode to Shoes Tank Dress (Retail $50). It’s a brightly colored tank dress that works perfectly with a pair of leggings.

I really like Matilda Jane clothing. It’s well made, the fabric is thick, not thin cheap stuff. It arrives in a neat package making the receiver feel special from the onset.

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This dress is perfect for casual wear or even for church. I would have preferred it be longer but realize longer length dresses are hard to find these days.

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About Matilda Jane Clothing

Matilda Jane Clothing is not your typical retailer. They operate using Trunk Shows and by using Trunk Keepers (representatives who sell Matilda Jane Clothing or help host a Trunk Show). Matilda Jane offers clothing for girls and women. Prices are medium to high range.

Founder, Denise DeMarchis says this of Matilda Jane Clothing:


“Sometimes, when you put on a certain dress, you feel a certain way. When you put on Matilda Jane, you feel just happy and twirly. You just feel good.”

You can learn more at the following links.

https://www.facebook.com/matildajaneclothing

http://instagram.com/matildajaneclothing#

http://www.pinterest.com/matildajanegals/
https://twitter.com/MatildaJaneGals


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The Waiting Book & Giveaway

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing and participating in The Waiting review. We are being compensated by Tyndale Publishing and The Motherhood. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review and compensation, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

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All I wanted to do this past Mother’s Day was relax and read The Waiting by Cathy LaGrow. My husband let me sleep in and when I woke up I read my book. What I didn’t expect to give myself was a huge headache, a pile of tissues, and red, puffy eyes!

FFR Teary eyes after The Waiting
Lighting in our bathroom is awful! Should have taken it somewhere else!

I don’t think I have ever cried as much while reading a book as I did during The Waiting. That’s why I took pictures of my pile of tissues and red, puffy eyes.

On to the review….

The Waiting Review

The Waiting is a true story of a woman’s wait to see her first born daughter again after giving her up for adoption.

I loved this book. I couldn’t put it down until I was done. I shooed my children away , mostly because I didn’t want them sitting there on the bed with me watching and staring at me while I cried buckets of tears!

As emotional as the book made me, I cannot imagine living it as Minka did. I cannot imagine giving up my child and waiting 77 years to see her again.

There are so many facets of the story that show God’s faithfulness to a young mother and her years of praying and waiting. The fact that all the letters Minka wrote to the director of the “home” (like a pregnancy crisis center where young girls were sent to hide their pregnancy) were put into Betty Jane/Ruth’s adoption file, which would eventually be proof to Betty Jane/Ruth that her birth mother loved her fiercely for 77 years and never, ever forgot about her.

I loved the reunion and family bond Minka and Ruth’s families experienced upon meeting. I loved the honor and love bestowed upon Minka and how active and involved she continues to be even at age 102 (or possibly 103 at the time of this review). There’s so much more I could say but I think you should just read the book…how often do I say that!?

I highly recommend this very inspirational book. You won’t regret it. My daughter B read it the same day I did!

The Waiting in the Press

The NBC TODAY Show interviewed the author of The Waiting, Cathy LaGrow, who is Minka’s granddaughter. The interview aired on Friday, May 9, click the NBC link to watch it.

Tyndale is Giving Away FIVE Copies of The Waiting!

Enter to win one of five copies of The Waiting below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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$100 Amazon Gift Card Blast

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Makobi Scribe is bringing you this Amazon Facebook blast where one lucky reader will win a $100 Amazon gift card. The giveaway is open to everyone and provided by Makobi Scribe. Good Luck! If you are a blogger, you can sign up for this blast here.


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VTech Phone System for Seniors & Giveaway

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A year or two ago my mother-in-law was going about her usual morning, however, one normal routine proved disastrous for her. She used her dresser to pull herself up from her bed and she inadvertently caused the dresser to fall on her, trapping her. My husband worked five minutes from her home. That one day he called her before he left work instead of dropping by but the phone was busy. He thought nothing of it and decided she was talking to his aunt and left for home instead of going over to her house. My mother-in-law in the meantime tried to use her cane to get her bedside phone but only knocked it off the hook. Fast forward 24 hours later, my brother-in-law discovers her with the dresser STILL on top of her. A bit of her history: she’s a diabetic with a history of leg and foot clots. Talk about scary! After recovering, she was suppose to get an emergency bracelet but I don’t think the home nurse ever followed through and to be honest we allowed it to fall through the cracks as well. Enter the VTech Phone System for Seniors.

The VTech Phone System for Seniors

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My mother-in-law is nearing 82 years old and still lives on her own. Yes, even after the above incident. “VTech’s new CareLine home telephone system supports independent living, featuring a wearable pendant that allows seniors to conveniently make and receive calls, listen to voicemail messages, review missed calls or receive programmed reminders for medication, appointments or other events.” This seems like the perfect phone for my mother-in-law!

We have been testing it out before taking it to my mother-in-law’s house. It has large numbers, it has a bright display and it calls out the numbers as you dial as well as announces a call. We love that it has the pendant to go around her neck so she can just push the button if she finds herself in a situation where she needs help. We are looking forward to installing this phone in her home. Hoping she likes it too!

The best part – No fees!

VTech CareLine – Want to stay socially connected? Seniors are empowered to maintain active lifestyles and close relationships with this home telephone and personal communication system. This product was designed to answer your daily communications needs and support hearing, dexterity or vision challenges. Features include large displays, photo speed dial, reminder capabilities, volume boost and a wearable pendant with one-button dialing that directly calls those pre-selected people who you communicate with most or for emergencies.

The VTech CareLine home telephone retails for $119.95 and may be purchased at VTech.

Do you have a loved one who could use a phone system like this? Enter to win below!

VTech Phone System for Seniors Giveaway

One winner of a VTech Careline home telephone. Ends 5/28.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Meet Atlas Our Babydoll Ram Lamb

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Atlas, our Babydoll ram lamb and third lamb (we still have our loaner Oopsie), arrived on our farm on April 28 at eight weeks old, which is the recommended age of weaning and going to a new home. We brought him home in the back of our “truck”, like we did the other lambs.

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We already got our papers for Atlas, since he is a registered Babydoll sheep. We are still waiting on Juno’s, her breeder sends all her lambs in at once.

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It has been fun watching our son and all our children fall in love with our sheep.

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Gutsy Chewy Supplements #MomsMeet

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet™ program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meets™ blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of the product.

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Have you ever had sour burps or an upset tummy after you’ve eaten something spicy? What do you usually do about it? I usually just endure it. However, in using Gutsy Chewy Supplements I have found there’s no more need to endure but help is here in the form of a tasty chewy tablet.

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Just the facts

• Gutsy Chewy products are available in two delicious flavors: Citrus and Wildberry.

• Gutsy Chewy supplements are safe, gluten-free, vegan friendly and lactose-free.

• Gutsy Chewy products are all-natural and made in the U.S.A.

• All Gutsy Chewy supplements contain a proprietary blend of apple cider vinegar, licorice extract and papaya extract (GiGs®shown to be effective in treating GutBurn™ and GutBloat™.

• Xylitol is used in Gutsy Chewy to aid oral health, while calcium and magnesium are included to fortify the bodies stores of these important minerals.

• Gutsy Chewy comes in a handy 8-pack tube that’s easy to travel with.

• The retail price for Gutsy Chewy ranges from $15.99 to $79.99 (2 – 12 tubes), depending on volume purchased. Each order also has a cost of $4.99 to cover shipping and handling.

The Gutsy Chewy comes in travel sized containers that are easy to tuck in your purse or bag when out and about. Digestive relief at your finger tips.

I like the taste and flavor of the Gutsy Chewy and it does seem to help with preventing those sour burps. I haven’t really had much of an upset tummy to comment on that sort of digestive upset. I also like that they are an all natural product made right her in the U.S.

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Learn more about Gutsy Chewy Supplements:

gutsyproducts.com

facebook.com/gutsyproducts

twitter.com/gutsyproducts

youtube.com/user/GutsyProducts

Disclaimer:
Always check with your physician before starting any supplement product and specifically Gutsy Products. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare professional prior to use if you are pregnant, nursing, taking any medication or have a medical condition. This product contains papaya and should not be used by people with a latex allergy. Keep out of reach of children.


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AAOS + AA Distracted Driving

If we are honest, we all can probably say we have been distracted at one time or another while driving. Driving with a newborn crying with hunger? Driving with a toddler who wants to get out of his or her car seat? Driving by a car pulled over by 2-3 police cars leaving you curious as to why? What about cell phone users? Texting? We have a teenager on the verge of learning how to drive (she’s studying her driver’s handbook now) and it scares me to think of her out on the road. It isn’t that I think she’ll be a terrible driver, it’s the distractions, it’s the other drivers and their distractions.

Distracted Driving Vehicle

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons and the Auto Alliance want to increase awareness about the risks of distracted driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), of the nearly 33,000 roadway fatalities in 2012, there were 3,328 fatalities and approximately 421,000 injuries in distracted driving-related crashes. Orthopaedic surgeons—the specialists who put bones and limbs back together after road crashes and traumas—along with our partners, the automakers, would rather help all drivers “decide to drive” each time they get in the car and to keep bones and limbs intact.

Distracted Driving

We all want to see accidents reduced so remember, the most advanced safety feature of any vehicle is the driver. The AAOS and the Auto Alliance urges all drivers to keep their most sophisticated safety features engaged at all times: eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

Decide to Drive Campaign


The Decide to Drive program aims to empower drivers and passengers to speak up about distracted driving, continue the conversation at home, work and play, and reduce distracted behaviors behind the wheel.

Do you have the best slogan or catch phrase to make the Decide to Drive campaign pop? Enter the Decide to Drive Catch Phrase Contest between May 28 – June 13. Your words could be chosen as the official Decide to Drive campaign catch phrase, and you could win one of two $500 runner-up prizes or the $1,000 grand prize! Can’t wait to see what you come up with! Enter here: http://clvr.li/1nwa6CV

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.


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Mother’s Day Gift Idea: The Greek Yogurt in the Kitchen Cookbook

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The Greek Yogurt Kitchen Book Cover

As I mentioned before, we love Greek yogurt so when the opportunity to review The Greek Yogurt in the Kitchen Cookbook I took it. I really like the looks of the Eggs Benedict recipe so I have shared it below.

This cookbook would be a great Mother’s Day gift for you or your own mother. It contains over 130 recipes with meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert. It also explains the health benefits of Greek Yogurt. I am really looking forward to trying new recipes, which is a change for me because I usually dread it because my family doesn’t really adapt well to new things, at least certain ones.

You can find The Greek Yogurt in the Kitchen Cookbook at any major book retailer.

About the Author

Toby Amidor is the founder of Toby Amidor Nutrition, where she provides nutrition and food safety consulting services. She is a nutrition expert for FoodNetwork.com, writing for their Healthy Eats Blog, a regular contributor to U.S. News and World Report Eat + Run blog, and an adjunct professor at Teachers College, Columbia University. Toby trained as a clinical dietitian at New York University. Her expertise includes over 14 years of experience in various areas of food and nutrition. Through ongoing consulting and faculty positions, she has established herself as one of the top experts in culinary nutrition, food safety, and media.

Recipe from The Greek Yogurt in the Kitchen Cookbook

Eggs Benedict-6593

Eggs Benedict with Lighter Hollandaise
Serves 4

Hollandaise sauce is typically made with a stick or two of butter to serve four people. The fat and calories can easily be slashed by substituting nonfat Greek yogurt for much of the butter, while still using a touch of butter to maintain the traditional flavor.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar
4 large eggs
2 whole wheat English muffins
Cooking spray
4 slices turkey bacon (about 1/4 pound)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 medium asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups water to a boil over high heat.
Add the vinegar and lower the heat until it is no longer at a rolling boil.
Crack an egg into a small cup, dish, or wineglass.
Holding it near the surface of the water, gently slide the egg into the hot water.
Repeat with the remaining eggs.
Cover the saucepan and allow the eggs to cook for exactly 6 minutes.
Remove each egg carefully with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
Toast the English muffins.
Coat a medium skillet with cooking spray and heat it over medium heat.
Cook the bacon until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
Place a slice of bacon on each toasted English muffin half.
In the same skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the asparagus, cover the pan, and cook, tossing occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon butter with the yogurt, egg yolks, lemon juice, mustard, cayenne, and salt.
Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler, set it over simmering water, and heat it, whisking continuously until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
Immediately remove from the heat.
To assemble the dish, place 3 asparagus spears over the bacon on each muffin half, and top with 1 poached egg and 2 tablespoons of the hollandaise sauce.

NUTRITION INFORMATION (PER SERVING): Calories: 241; Total Fat: 13 grams; Saturated Fat: 6 grams; Protein: 15 grams; Total Carbohydrates: 16 grams; Sugars: 3 grams; Fiber: 3 grams; Cholesterol: 295 milligrams; Sodium: 301 milligrams

Enjoy!


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Week #20 Saturday Top Five Laughs

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Guess what? It’s that time of week again! Saturday top Five Laughs with Mel over at The Mommyhood Chronicles for week #20 (for us) in our Saturday Top Five Laughs of the week.

5. Our six year old’s second question from last week was, “When do I get my mustache?” Then he laughs and says, “Just kidding!” Or something like that. Goofy boy!

4. We brought Atlas home in the truck, as we did the other lambs. Atlas was much more vocal though as he baaaa baaaa baaaaa’d his head off. O was having a conversation with him, but JAG said, “I need hearing aids” meaning ear plugs. 😉

3. Another question from our son this week. He wanted to know why he couldn’t have “zebee” pants like his dad, so I decided to see if Zubaz had any kid’s apparel. Well, on their home page a bikini clad woman comes up, which led to this conversation.

Son – What does bikini even mean?

Me – I don’t know why women want to go around in their bra and underwear.

Hubby – It means embarrassment.

O – Google it.

Me – Then images will come up.

Hubby – Google ‘what does bikini’ mean and no images will come up.

Here’s what we found out:

bi·ki·ni
biˈkēnē/
noun
noun: bikini; plural noun: bikinis

a very brief two-piece swimsuit for women.
scanty underpants.

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2. Conversation with Jr. as he was icing his bump (he jumped on his brother’s bed and landed head first onto a BB gun!):

Me – Do you like the sheep?
Jr. – Yes.
Me – Do you like the goats?
Jr. – What goats? Goats pass gas.
Me – Do you like the geese?
Jr. – No, they poke my eye out. (They haven’t but they do bite! But have only bit B)
Me – Do you like the cows?
Jr. – Yes.
Me – Do you like Blaze-y-boy? (Our 30 year old horse)
Jr. – Blaze-y-boy have baby cow?
Me – No, Blaze-y-boy is a horse. He can’t have cows. (Didn’t get into the gender/gelding (castration)
Me – Do you like Padfoot?
Jr. – Yes.
Me – Do you like the chickens and turkeys?
Jr. – No, they poke my eye out. (We have roosters who have tried to do this but don’t have any roosters right now.)
Me – What?! You goofy boy!

1. Hubby was feeding grass to the cows and each one of them tried to eat the grass from the the other’s mouth! Goofy cows!


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$100 Amazon Gift Card Blast

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Makobi Scribe is bringing you this Amazon Twitter blast where one lucky reader will win a $100 Amazon gift card. The giveaway is open to everyone and provided by Makobi Scribe. Good Luck! If you are a blogger, you can sign up for this blast here.


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