Faith and Family Reviews - Product reviews you can trust!

Day 1 of 12 Pearls of Christmas Series and a Contest

Posted by html404 on December 13, 2010
in Blog Stuff, Books, Contests

What a blessing it was to find the offer of 12 free posts in our inbox the other day. There are perks to being a part of blog teams that are really, really nice! So I want to give a huge shout out to Litefuse, Pearl Girls and the authors who penned these posts to help us get through an already busy Christmas season…..Thank you so very much ladies! Hope all of you enjoy them and we will try to keep up with our regular posts, but perhaps in shortened versions.

~~~

Hello – I’m thrilled to announce the 2nd Annual 12 Pearls of Christmas! We’ve lined up several authors to share their Christmas “Pearls of Wisdom”! Please follow along beginning today (Monday the 13th) through Christmas day as Melody Carlson, Lauraine Snelling, Rachel Hauck, Tricia Goyer, Maureen Lang, and more share their heartfelt stories of how God has touched their life during this most wonderful time of the year.

We are also providing this series as free content for your own blogs (as 12 html posts) – if you’d like to share the 12 Pearls of Christmas with your blog readers email (amy@litfusegroup.com) and she’ll send you the content.

AND BEST OF ALL … there’s also a giveaway!!!! Fill out the quick form at the link located at the bottom of this post or any of the following 12 Pearls of Christmas posts (on any of the participating posts) to be entered to win a PEARL NECKLACE, BRACELET AND EARRINGS! You may enter once a day. The winner will be announced on New Year’s Day! Pearls – a tangible reminder of God’s grace to us all.

~~~

Pearls of Patience
by Margaret Mcsweeney

As I write by the light of my Christmas tree on a late winter’s night, I reflect upon the poignancy and purpose of this season. The tiny white lights look like strands of pearls draped gracefully (perhaps haphazardly is a more honest description) across the evergreen boughs. Tomorrow I will hang the ornaments and at last place the angel atop the tree

Angels carry a special meaning this Christmas. My brother, Randy passed away on December 2nd from a heart attack at age 53. He was feeding a stray cat on his side porch. Randy was always like St. Francis of Asissi – animals would find him, sensing a kind soul. And my brother was a gentle and patient soul. He loved to fish. He tried to teach me, but I immediately lost interest when I realized worms were involved. And I could never sit still on the banks of a river and just wait. However, Randy could do that. He could wait, and waiting is a true gift. He put into practice the Scriptures. “Wait upon the Lord.” “Be still and know that He is God.” Patience doesn’t have to be passive. Wait is still an action verb. Part of the waiting process for fishing is seeking. Elaine (Randy’s wife of 31 years) told me that Randy said he could see the fish deep beneath the waters. He actively waited for the right time to catch them.

During Randy’s last fishing trip on earth – just a week before his death, he felt an urgency to take a picture of the clouds with his cell phone. When he returned home, he showed the picture to Elaine. They realized that a face of an angel was looking at Randy from the sky – perhaps waiting for God’s timing to bring Randy home to heaven. In my heart I like to think that this “angel in the sky” was part of the heavenly host that appeared to the shepherds over two thousand years ago. A Christmas Angel.

The Christmas Angels brought tidings of great joy that Jesus, our Lord and Savior was born. And because of that incredible gift from God that these angels announced, we all have the promise of eternity. Let us actively wait for His return by sharing our faith, offering hope and acting with love in everything we do.

May each of you be blessed this Christmas as you celebrate the purposeful promises of the Season: Faith, hope and love. And may the 12 Pearls of Christmas be a blessing to you, too.

~~~

About Margaret: Margaret McSweeney lives with her husband, David and two teenage daughters in the Chicago suburbs. After earning a master’s degree in international business from the University of South Carolina, Margaret moved to New York City to work at a large bank where she met David. Charity and community involvement are very important to Margaret. She is the founder and director of Pearl Girls. For more information please visit www.pearlgirls.info. Margaret is fast at work on several fiction manuscripts and her book Pearl Girls: Encountering Grit, Experiencing Grace was written to help fund the Pearl Girl Charities. Connect with Margaret on Facebook or Twitter.

~~~

A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year’s Day. All you need to do to have a chance of winning is {FILL OUT THIS QUICK ENTRY FORM}. The winner will be announced on the Pearl Girls Blog (http://margaretmcsweeney.blogspot.com) on New Years Day!

12 Pearls of Christmas Series and contest sponsored by Pearl Girls®. For more information, please visit www.pearlgirls.info

{No comments}

ClosedFaith and Family Reviews Friday Giveaway- Band Angels Review and Giveaway

Posted by html404 on December 10, 2010
in Faith and Family Reviews Friday Giveaway, Giveaways

Congratulations to Emillie! You won this giveaway! Winner chosen by Random.org. Thanks to all who entered and to Band Angels for sponsoring this great giveaway!!!

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

Our children really liked the Band Angels. We thought that they where cute. We liked that they had a scriptural reference on them for healing as Jesus is the great physician. Our children LOVE band aids so we really need to buy stock in band aids they use them that much!

The band aids stuck well but only if there was no moisture around the band aids. We really liked these band aids and highly recommend them.

Enter to win Band Angels bandaids! 1 winner will get 5 boxes! (Est. value $16.00)

Mandatory Entry:Visit bandangels.net and tell me something you learned.

Extra Entries (Please be sure and leave a comment and link for extra entries):

1 Entry:Follow Faith and Family Reviews On Twitter(http://twitter.com/faithfamilyrevw)

1 Entry:Follow Band Angels on Twitter

1 Entry:Like/Friend Faith and Family Reviews on Facebook.

1 Entry:Like Band Angels on Facebook

2 Entries: Follow Faith and Family Reviews on Google Friend Connect (on the our right side bar).

2 Entries: Tweet about this giveaway, but only one tweet per day please. Include your tweet url with your comment. You may write your own tweet or use this one:

Giveaway: Enter to win Band Angels! @faithfamilyrevw! http://faithandfamilyreviews.com/?p=6076 Please share! Thx!

5 Entries: Blog about this giveaway and link back this post and Band Angels.

1 Entry: for every comment you leave anywhere else on this blog, but please leave a link with your comment!

5 Entries: Tell me your favorite thing about Christmas.

Details:

This giveaway will run from December 11th December 25th, 2010 at midnight CST. The winner will be chosen through Random.org. I will ship 1 winner their prize. (5 boxes of Band Angels) Winner will be contacted via email on or before December 30th and will be asked for their contact and other pertinent info. Winners will have 48 hours to send me their info at [ffr] [giveaways] [at] [gmail] [dot] [com] (without spaces and parenthesis). Please note: This giveaway is offered to US only.

Thanks and have fun!

{41 comments}

Heelys Releases New Products In Time For The Holidays!

Posted by html404 on December 10, 2010
in Kid's Footwear

Heelys, creators of wheeled footwear, has just released two all-new products that are sure to be on the wish-list of every kid this holiday season! Get a special sneak-peek in time for the busiest shopping season of the year! –

· Program A – HX2 Line:
The Hx2 line is brand new from Heelys and perfect for beginners just learning to skate! Built with safety in mind, the HX2 teaches youngsters balance and caution all while enjoying the world of skating for the first time. What makes the HX2 different from other Heelys shoes? The HX2 has two removable wheels in each shoe — not only is it easier for little ones to maintain balance, but wearers of the HX2 do not require as much leg strength to lift up their toes to skate. As beginners get the hang of skating, the HX2 can be converted into a regular pair of Heelys for a more challenging ride simply by removing one of the wheels. It’s like training wheels for your feet!

· Program B – Nano board:
Heelys has a revolutionary new Nano board that older kids will love! Nano is an awesome inline footboard that straps to one foot, keeping your rear foot free to build momentum as you jump, grind, tumble and vault over different landscapes. The Nano combines movements similar to skateboarding, rollerblading, and skating, as well as free running, to provide an out-of-this-world ride.

Tis the season, so don’t forget to follow Heelys on Facebook and Twitter for great holiday deals on the Heelys Shop!

{No comments}

Fisher Price Special Offers & Discounts!!!!!!!!!

Posted by html404 on December 10, 2010
in Deals

Fisher Price has some great deals going on right know. And you can get access to all those deals by:

Fisher-Price® – Sign up for Fisher-Price® and receive special offers, age-appropriate play-tips and more! Sign up here.

{One comment}

Thrifty Thursday: Free App For Your iPad!

Posted by html404 on December 9, 2010
in Thrifty Thursday

Kurt Warner’s Good Sports Gang Readies to Score Some App-Titude Children’s Development Company from Famed Quarterback Expands Brand Into Apps, Online Education Community “Kurt Warner’s Football 101 for Kids” for the iPad, iPhone, iTouch to Launch November 2010

Free Lite iPad Version Available Now!

Phoenix, AZ ( December 1, 2010) – Huddle up and get ready to tackle hours of digital fun as Kurt Warner’s Good Sports Gang enters the mobile technology world with new sports-themed apps for iPad, iPhone, and iTouch with a complementary interactive online community in the works.

Developed by GSG Media (www.gsgmedia.com), a new multimedia development group spearheaded by recently retired two-time NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner and his wife Brenda, the company is developing a number of electronic products designed to teach problem-solving and critical thinking skills as well as impart values such as teamwork, perseverance and fair play in young sports enthusiasts ten years old and under.

“Our Good Sports Gang products are a perfect fit for hand-held devices as the apps incorporate all of the elements that kids like: state-of-the-art digital technology, cool 3D animated characters, sports and fun multi-level games,” said Kurt Warner. “Our creative process has resulted in engaging, whimsical apps that kids and parents can enjoy together — and there’s more to come.”

GSG Media’s producing partner is Schwartz & Associates Creative, a media company that designs and distributes compelling, immersive, multi-platform content. The new venture’s products feature the Good Sports Gang, a team of high-bouncing, energetic sports ball characters – with personality traits and quirks that are appealing to all children.

Up first is “Kurt Warner’s Football 101 for Kids” available now in a free LITE iPad version from iTunes with the full application for iPad, iPhone, and iTouch coming early November for $2.99. Through the magic of special effects, Kurt himself introduces pint-sized pigskin players to GSG’s dynamic, wise team captain Qubee, a charming football character. The two team up to teach children all about football fundamentals in an interactive, fun-filled, and easy-to-understand way.

“With this app, moms can learn about football along with their kids,” says Brenda Warner.

Program Details:
“Kurt Warner’s Football 101 for Kids” ($2.99)
Calling all kids ages 10 and under – and anyone in need of the football basics! Join former Pro Quarterback and two-time league MVP Kurt Warner and his animated football friend, Qubee, on a fast-paced tour thru the world of football. Learn the fundamentals in the Good Sports Gang Gridiron Training Camp, including…
– 1st Quarter: Who’s Who – each player’s position on the field
– 2nd Quarter: Read the Field – features on a football field
– 3rd Quarter: First and Ten – understanding downs
– 4th Quarter: Know the Score – touchdowns, extra points, field goals and more
–
• Literally hundreds of interactive pages to teach the basics
• Lightening Round questions following each quarter to test learning
• Points awarded at the end of each Lightning Round and displayed on the individual scoreboards
• Advance to the Championship Bowl once all four “quarters” are successfully completed
• Scores compiled for up to three individual players

Requirements: Compatible with iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.

Portions of proceeds from the sale of the Good Sports Gang products benefit Kurt and Brenda Warner’s First Things First Foundation (www.kurtwarner.org), a non-profit public charity dedicated to impacting lives by promoting Christian values, sharing experiences and providing opportunities to encourage everyone that all things are possible when people seek to put first things first.

The next app featuring the GSG characters, Kurt Warner’s (Think Fast!) Scramble, is scheduled for release in December. A Good Sports Gang online interactive community filled with games, educational content, videos and lots more is planned for launch in 2011.

Visit gsgmedia.com for a more in-depth look at GSG Media including a video message from Warner, product descriptions, downloadable screen shots, background information on the company founders and a link to iTunes to purchase products.

About the Producers
Saint Louis-based Schwartz & Associates Creative (www.sacreative.com) is a pioneer in the interactive educational business. In 1995, its principals formed the Evergreen Project, one of the first web-based product development groups focusing on the K-8 market. Five years later, the Evergreen Project was acquired by Ask Jeeves (now Ask.com), a California-based search engine company. Since that time, Schwartz & Associates has concentrated its efforts on developing interactive and animated educational products for children as well as educational media for museums and cultural centers. Since its founding in 1973, the company has received numerous national and international awards for its work in new media, animation and video.

{No comments}

Eco Friendly Toys and Gifts for Christmas

Posted by html404 on December 8, 2010
in Eco Friendly Products, Gift Ideas, Holidays

This post brought to you by your friends at www.earthwhile.co.uk

As our family continues our journey in healthy living, we continue to enjoy trying and learning about new sources of eco friendly products. This includes eco friendly toys and gifts for Christmas.

This week we found out about a new shop that carries a wide variety of eco friendly toys and gifts, including:

Wooden Toys– We love wooden toys, especially well made ones because they tend to last so much longer than the cheap plastic toys available. I don’t know how many toys we throw away because they break. It’s such a waste – of toys and money.

Flip Flap– I love solar powered products. Saves on batteries to use the sun! Take a look at this Bee Happy Solar Powered Dancing Flower? Isn’t it pretty? Great for gardeners or just to cheer up a room.

Slate Coaster and Placemat Set –

Reusable Shopping Bags by Envirosax – I have to admit that still haven’t formed a habit of remembering to bring my reusable bags with me when I go shopping. However, I think it is a good idea and like the fact that more stylish bags are becoming more available. They even have ones geared towards kids.

These are not the only eco friendly gifts ideas to consider. Consider giving a larger gift to yourself, a parent or grown child if you have the means to, as helping yourself or family members towards energy saving products is a wonderful gift in my opinion. I can think of a few energy leaks in our home that I would love to plug up, but we didn’t get to and would have loved to receive it as a gift. Think about how much money you could save by contributing towards saving energy (and money!) on home improvements like home insulation, garage insulation or outdoor lighting (such as solar powered lights).

Many times giving an eco friendly gift means that the gift will also help others, whether through providing a fair wage or helping a charity. So please consider giving a gift that gives back this Christmas season.

{One comment}

EllaWrap

Posted by html404 on December 8, 2010
in Eco Friendly Products, Holidays

I really love the concept of a reusable gift wrap. Not only does it eliminate so much useless waste, it creates a journal of memories as well. EllaWrap is a wonderful solution to the waste gift wrap creates.

We received the Eco Holiday Bow Bag and it could fit a bag or tin of candies, a small book as it is only 3 ¼” x 3” base by 5 ½” tall. It comes with a little card to keep track of who has used and received the EllaWrap. Initially I thought the EllaWrap would come with a little notebook like a journal, however, in reality it is a two sided card with lines (see the photo below). That was a little disappointing (the writer in me, I guess!) at first, but I still love the idea of reusable gift wrap. I reuse gift bags, but shhhh……don’t tell anyone! 😉

The Eco Holiday Bow Bag is well made. It is made of recycled burlap on the outside and lined with green material on inside with a good quality Christmas plaid ribbon sewn to the burlap on the outer side.

{One comment}

Faith and Family Movie Review: Rust

Posted by html404 on December 7, 2010
in DVDs & CDs, Movie Review Monday, Movies

I have a couple more movies to review so I can get my links sent to our contact. So I have one more for this week and hopefully two more for next week.

Rust is a movie with content of a more serious nature, but faith, family, friends – relationships – were a huge focus. In this movie actor Corbin Bernsen plays a former minister who is troubled in his soul. He returns to the town where he grew up only to rediscover his purpose as a minister. I loved the loyalty that Corbin Bernsen’s character, Jimmy, displayed. He was a true friend despite circumstances forcing others to turn away from a close childhood friend.

Due to the content being more serious, our oldest did not enjoy it as much. She thought it was scary because of a tragic event that occurred. She told us this after the fact. This was actually one movie we did not preview before the children. The other children seemed to like it (maybe not quite as much as others) and I think we addressed concerns as they arose during the movie. However, for that reason I would advise parents of younger children to preview it first to see if they think their children will be able to handle the content.

Because we were not expecting one surprising element of Rust, I think we enjoyed it more than we would have otherwise, as it has a rather unique story line. It’s always thought provoking to watch a movie that deals with real life issues. The relationship aspect of the movie makes us take a look at our own relationships and question how we can improve them and I think that is a good thing, as long as we seek the Lord’s leading too.

Watch one of Rust’s trailers (there are more at www.rustmovie.com):

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

{No comments}

Movie Review Monday: Trusting in the Shepherd

Posted by html404 on December 6, 2010
in DVDs & CDs, Movies

We received a new dvd from Really Woolly Kids (Dayspring) titled, Trusting in the Shepherd and watched it as a family. The older children thought it was cute, our older son thought it was “pretty good but not the best” and our oldest daughter thought it was silly (but hey, she’s outgrowing a lot of things that her younger siblings still happen to enjoy – that’s a part of growing up!).

Trusting in the Shepherd is an animated movie about a family of sheep (yes, the characters are cute little sheep as you can see from the dvd cover 🙂 ). It features two stories dealing with the little lambs learning how to manage their fears. The daughter lamb was afraid of the dark and the son lamb was afraid of a bigger lamb at school. As they processed their fears their parents and grandmother were influential in leading them to trust the Good Shepherd who is always with them and to the scripture verse Psalm 23:4:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for though art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

This kids dvd is very family friendly and entertained our little ones. A must see, especially if you have children who are struggling with fears.

To find out more about this movie or Really Woolly Kids, please visit their sites:

Website: http://www.reallywoollykids.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Really-Woolly-Kids/120680907979250?ref=ts

{No comments}

Monday Motivation – It’s Winter in Chicago!

Posted by html404 on December 6, 2010
in Blog Stuff, Monday Motivation

You know that old saying on Ground Hog Day about “in like a lion, out like lamb” or something to that affect, well, that’s how I felt last week with the start of December. We have had such a beautiful fall here, then bam! winter smacks us in the face with cold, wind and even snow. I have my favorite winter time activities and as I was saying to some of our children, if I could enjoy them winter wouldn’t be so long and unenjoyable (for the most part and is that even a word?) to be. But I am usually pregnant, recovering from a miscarriage, have an infant…that I really haven’t enjoyed winter like I use to do.

This is one of the first Decembers in the past six years I have started without much of a rain cloud over my head. November 30th marked the sixth anniversary of our losing our son Matthew 18 weeks into my pregnancy. It was a shock to go into my appointment expecting to hear a little heart beat only to discover none. Then going through the ordeal of an ultrasound confirming it, the inside of my head screaming “why?!” and then the trip home to share the news with my husband and five young children who were anticipating a new baby. And finally even harder still was the decisions to be made, the very negative experience we had to go through when we opted to get Matthew taken care of as soon as possible so I could heal and get back to taking care of our other children and the grief that was yet to come. Nope, not easy at all. I didn’t know what grief meant until I lost a child that far into a pregnancy. For me grief took on a whole new form and it took me a long time to process it. To this day I avoid looking at the pictures we were given of Matthew because of the sadness it brings to me. They are tucked away in a special box that has been packed away because I cannot go through the emotion of reliving my experience when the children have asked to see the pictures. Pretty sad, eh? And what a way to start off the week! I am serious, reflective and even sad, but this is the first year that I can actually get through writing about Matthew without crying. Now that is
progress.

Writing about Matthew kept coming to my mind throughout the past week and since I really haven’t made this blog a personal, personal blog due to, again, a past experience, I thought maybe sharing this would show all of you another side of me. It isn’t easy to open up to people I don’t know. I use to be an open book and able to hide behind my keyboard. However, age has made me slow to take the chances I once did when I was naive and younger. Printed words are too easily misconstrued, just are a person’s actions, motivations and verbal words.

On a more positive note….

Following up on last week’s Monday Motivation:

~ The ongoing cleaning and purging is…well…ongoing. We were able to get our tree up and decorated much to the pleasure and enjoyment of the children.

~ No business plan finished. 🙁 We ended up getting sick with colds, so Sunday and Monday, even Tuesday was sluggish, so I was unable to get at it with the rest of life going on.

~ We did get to the Thrift Store after we got our tree on Saturday (that was a great outing!) and found some needed items. But due to being sick we have not got to the YMCA.

~ We have played Christmas music a number of days, but not every day. And we still need to watch a classic Christmas movie.

~ Still no laptop. It’s been a war over our pc for me to get my work done and the children to get their school done, but we are managing somehow. The computer guy has been great, but he’s trying to solve a puzzle he’s never had to solve and each time we talk I end up giving him a missing piece of information. So he’s hopeful and I will remain so as well for now.

This week’s Motivation:Do I have anything new? Just a couple. I’ll be going to my CSA course, worked on my homework this past weekend so I could hand it in. I need to research antifungal diets and figure out how I am going to manage to survive on one, as I need to help get rid of baby’s thrush and the cause of it. First baby to have thrush, unbelievable.

{No comments}

« Older Entries Recent Entries »