Archive for html404

Shampoo and Conditioner from Tonic

Posted by html404 on May 10, 2010
in Personal Care Products

I received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

Editor’s Note: I wanted to be sure and add that Tonic’s website does not have the most modest photos of their models that’s why I have not included a link to their site.

Tonic Hair Care Solutions includes sulfate & paraben-free hair care products. (See the resource links at the bottom of this post, if you are not familiar with the toxicity of ingredients in personal care products.) My daughter says that the ingredients are better than the VO5 we have. Nor were they tested on animals. So these products are partially environmentally friendly. They did a comparable job in cleaning my hair, leaving it soft and shiny. So far I haven’t seen any noticeable differences yet, but perhaps as time goes on some will appear over long term use. I really do like the spray and leave in conditioner though. It is so convenient. Pricey though.

tonic_products

Two is Better than One: The Chronic Tonic

Shampoo Ingredients: Aqua, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate, Sodium Cocyl Isettthionate, Sodium Chloride, PEG-3 Distearate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Sorbate, Guar Hydropropyltrimonium Chloride, Citric Acid, Disodium, Methylchloroisthianzolinone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Butylene Glycol, Sunflower Seed Extract, Hydrolyzed Protein, Absrobic Acid and Panthenol.

Conditioner Ingredients: Aqua, Cetearyl Alcohol, Centromium Chloride, Dimethicone, Silicone, PEG-33 Dimethicone PEG-14 Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin Panthenol, Sweet Almond Oil, Vegetable Oil, Isoporoyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Bezophenone – 4, Disodium EDTA, Ritinyl Palmitate, Butylene Glycol, Sunflower See Extract, Polyamide – 2, Absrobic Acid and Tocopheryl Acetate.

Luster Tonic

Luster Tonic is a leave-in conditioning mist with powerful UV-inhibitors and natural botanical oils designed to protect hair from the damaging effects of sun, salt, wind and chlorine. Tonic’s unique cream-to-mist technology can double as a luxurious moisturizer that re-hydrates. It contains aloe vera, grape seed oil and wheat protein, for added volume and protection. Luster Tonic is the answer to split ends, breakage and dry, tangled hair. Price: $14

Ingredients: Water, Propylene Glycol, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cyclomethicone, Amodimethicone, Centrimonium Chloride, Trideceth-12, Idohexadecane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexlglycerin, Citric Acid, Potassium Sorbate, KMDM Hydantoin, Hydrolyzed Silk, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein.

His & Hers: Threesome Tonic

Threesome Tonic is an innovative all-in-one unisex solution for the active guy or girl looking to get rid of a little extra baggage: a high
performance shampoo, conditioner and body wash in one convenient bottle. Infused with natural peppermint and tea tree oils to create nice smelling hair. Threesome Tonic replenishes moisture to tired hair and skin worn by the elements. Price: $12

Ingredients: Ingredients: Aqua, Sodium C14-16 Olefin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Ammononium Lauryl, Cocamide DEA, Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Amodimethicone, Trideceth-12, Centrimonium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Glycol Stearate, Castor Oil, PEG-15 Distearate, Potassium Sorbate, Menthol, Peppermint Oil, Citric Acid, Tea Tree Oil, Hydrolyzed Silk.

For more information on Tonic hair products, please visit www.TonicShop.com

Resources:

Check out ingredients of personal care products to see what their toxicity is
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/04/24/epstein-interview.aspx

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Happy Mother’s Day!

Posted by html404 on May 9, 2010
in Family Stuff

Happy Mother’s Day to all moms!

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The Spoils of Eden

Posted by html404 on May 8, 2010
in Books

This review is done in cooperation with The CWAHM Blogging Team that I am a part of. I did receive free products, but that in no way affects my review.

spoils of eden cover

I really liked The Spoils of Eden. It is a Christian book. It was filled with historical facts (late 1800s) about the island of Hawaii. It also had an intricate story line of the conflicts between and within two wealthy Hawaiian families, some of whom are Christians and others who are not. The Spoils of Eden is a historical romance, so there is a complicated romance within its covers too. There is an interesting twist with the main character of the story, Eden Derrington, her purpose and focus on helping her father find a cure for leprosy.

Eden Derrington is a sweet Christian character. I admired her committment to Christ and how she boldly shared her faith and made tough decisions amidst her desire to please her absentee father and find her mother.

There are a lot of characters in this story, so it does require your attention at first so you can make the connections between the relationships within the book. If you want to understand the historical facts shared within this book, then I don’t recommend that you read it in a hurry because those facts will be blurred by your speed reading!

The Spoils of Eden is Book One in Linda Chaikin’s new series called The Dawn of Hawaii, therefore the story of Eden Derrington did not end with this book, but will continue in the next book of the series. That’s what’s hard after you read the first book – waiting to find out what happens!

This review may also appear athttp://radiantlit.com/

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Set Apart DVD

Posted by html404 on May 7, 2010
in DVDs & CDs, Movies

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We requested the movie Set Apart from our library via interlibrary loan. We had read a description of it in the CBD catalog and were intrigued.

Set Apart is about a ministry reaching out to inner city kids who are being tempted all around by negative influences. Four of those kids get an opportunity to escape to the country side to see what life on a ranch is like.

Friendship, trust, action, excitement, comedy make up this poignant drama. It may be a little scary in parts for little ones, so parents be advised you may wish to view it first so you can properly prepare them.

We really enjoyed it as a family, so wanted to be sure to mention it as another family-friendly movie.

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A Funny Story about the Spring Tulips

Posted by html404 on May 6, 2010
in Family Stuff, Wordless Wednesday

There is a funny little story behind our spring tulips from our Wordless Wednesday photo which we think are beautiful signs of spring.

Several years ago I had the children help me plant tulip bulbs in the fall of that particular year. However, I neglected to instruct or inspect their work before they covered the bulbs up. It took these tulips forever to come up and for couple of years all we had was the green leafy part of the tulips. Then this year we actually had four or five tulips total, so we were excited!

We figure some of our tulips could be half way around the world now trying to find their way to sunlight since they were probably planted upside down!

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Wordless Wednesday – Spring Tulips

Posted by html404 on May 5, 2010
in Wordless Wednesday

Tulips

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Meatless Meatballs from Veggie Patch

Posted by html404 on May 4, 2010
in Uncategorized

I received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While I consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, my review is my honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

meatballs_cover
We were sent two coupons to try the Meatless Meatballs from Veggie Patch, which we did last weekend. We really liked them. They were very good and made a very easy tasty meal. There were no complaints from anyone and the children ate them without any problems. Another interesting thing is that we could not tell they were not meatless!

I get concerned when I read labels and find “natural flavors” and “carmel color” because those terms have been known to mask MSG. And the package of these meatless meatballs contains these two ingredients. However, my oldest daughter informed me that there is a non-GMO caramel color being used now (since 2004 according to my research) and Veggie Patch does use non-GMO soybeans, so there is hope with this product. I saw no where on the Veggie Patch packaging that this product certified organic, so it is pretty safe to assume it is not organic.

Take a look at the ingredients listed on the package: Textured Vegetable Protein (Water, Soy Protein Isolate and Concentrate, Wheat Gluten, Wheat Starch), Carrots, Soybean Oil, Egg Whites, Contains Less than 2% of Onions, Inulin, Spices, Sea Salt, Potassium Chloride, Dextrose, Hydrolyzed Protein (Corn, Yeast, Wheat), Modified Vegetable Gum, Calcium Carbonate, Vegetable Fiber, Garlic, Yeast Extract, Natural Flavors, Caramel Color, Cultured Dextrose.

Resources:

http://www.veggiepatch.com/faq/index.php/section/20

http://www.caramel.com/EditorUpload/File/compliance/GM-6-07.pdf

http://www.seedsofdeception.com/DocumentFiles/141.pdf

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MKZBooks.com Site Review

Posted by html404 on May 3, 2010
in Books

This is a review done in conjunction with my Business2Blogger.com connection and I am being compensated by McKenzieBooks.com for my review, however, that in no way affects my honest review of their website.

mb_banner_Brain

McKenzie Books is an online used bookstore that enables you to buy books at a discount, as well as offering consumers the opportunity to sell their own books. They sell mostly used books, however, you may find some new ones available as well.

The registration process is very easy. You sign up with your name, email address and by creating a password. Activating your account requires having an activation link sent to your inbox that you need to click to activate your account.

What is unique about McKenzie Books is its book notification feature, which allows you to create a books wanted list for books that are not currently in stock or found through their search engine.

Overall, I liked my experience at McKenzie Books. The whole process was very user friendly. I did miss a cart saving feature or wish list feature though and have already sent my thoughts to them regarding these features.

Also, just as a side note, McKenzie Books will be launching an affiliate program through Share-A-Sale Network, so keep a look out that Currently, they offer an affiliate program through their book buying website which you can read about here: http://www.cash4books.net/affiliate.php

They are also a “green” business, which you can learn about here.

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High Fructose Corn Syrup

Posted by html404 on May 3, 2010
in Health and Nutrition

I don’t know what most of you know about High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), but it isn’t a healthy ingredient. It is made with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs). As our family has been reading new materials and watching food documentaries, we are becoming more and more aware of how the FDA is allowing in our food supply – most of which is not healthy for us.

We have always tried to drink pure juice. I love my orange juice in the morning, but my husband likes grape, cranberry and apple on occasion as well. My husband recently bought some cranberry juice that was only 20% juice, by mistake, but the here is what the Langers’ juice container had written on the side:

‘Sweetened with Real Sugar’: Is high furctose corn syrup (HFCS) a major cause of obesity? Most nutritionists say yes. The body processes hight furctose corn syurp differently than it does sugar, altering the way the metabolism is regulated. As a result, the body is tricked into craving more while the liver releases additional fat into the bloodstream. We eat more and at the same time store more fat. Langers Cranberry and Raspberry Juice Cocktail is a delicious and nutritious alternative to beverages sweetened with HFCS. Enjoy it today.

Incredible that a juice company has stopped using HFCS, isn’t it? That isn’t all the news. Pepsi is getting on board as well. Take a look at this article: http://industry.bnet.com/food/10001771/the-death-of-high-fructose-corn-syrup/

For more information, please read the resource links below or even do your own google search for studies on HFCS.

Resources:

www.WestonPrice.org/The-Double-Danger-of-High-Fructose-Corn-Syrup.html

www.WashingtonPost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012601831.html

www.Huffingtonpost.com/dr-mercola/sugar-may-be-bad-but-this_b_463655.html”

http://industry.bnet.com/food/10001771/the-death-of-high-fructose-corn-syrup/

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Farmland and Mentorship

Posted by html404 on May 3, 2010
in Family Stuff

We still have not worked out details of the farmland that we went to see a few weeks ago. We are waiting to hear back about pricing and we need to get the soil tested to see if it is even good for farming. That is the “limbo-land” that I just followed up on. I do know where we can get a soil testing kit for free and where to send the soil for a minimal testing fee, so I have been learning as we go along here in our search for farmland to rent.

Farmland

Image: Tom Curtis / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Last week we inquired about another piece of land that is being offered “rent free”, yes that was a rare opportunity and one we could not just pass over. The landowner is looking for produce in exchange for rent, so it is an exchange really. We went to see the land the other night and meet with the owner. The plot of land is 200 x 80, so it is a good size for a family garden, which is what we’d like to start with. This land is farther away making the distance a definite downfall, however, for the use of equipment etc. for just this year seems like an opportunity we had to investigate.

We also have a farm mentorship in the works through our Stateline Farm Beginnings Class, which we graduated from in Feb.-March. Just waiting to hear back from our mentors. I am sure they are amidst their busy planting season.

Update: We have officially accepted the offer of the land that is farther away. The rest of the spring will be busy learning to ride a small tractor, tilling our growing field, purchasing seeds, planting, watering, weeding, mulching and working on supplying our family with farm fresh veggies – grown by our own hands! We will only be using half of the growing field to start to see how we manage that first. We are excited about this opportunity and will keep you updated on our progress as “produce growers”.

We also found out the the first rental property will not be able to be farmed in the future due to sewer work that needs to be done. Too bad and I am so glad we had the other field to fall back on!

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