Faith and Family Reviews - Product reviews you can trust!

DIY Goat Stall from Wood Pallets

Posted by html404 on March 26, 2014
in Animals, DIY Projects, Family Stuff, Farm Stuff, Free Stuff, Saving Money, Uncategorized

You all know we are on this farming journey. Well, it is not yet a profitable venture, so we try to conserve, save and reuse. Someone suggested a DIY goat stall from wood pallets. Usually wood pallets are easy enough to find and many times are even free. Gotta love free stuff! There’s a subdivision not far from us on a busy road, which we pass all the time. One house has had a pile of wood pallets there for what seems like years. My husband decided to drop buy and ask if he could have some….just a few days before the goats were due to arrive home! To our delight the man said yes and gave them to us for free! I don’t remember how many pallets my husband and son brought home but they’ve built two stalls so far and have a couple more yet to build. These photos are not the greatest since our barn is so dark but it gives you and idea of how hubby did it. It was our oldest son’s idea to have the goat stall gate swing two ways to save on building another gate.

We just found another source for free wood pallets and we are hoping they still have some left! With the warmer weather coming this weekend (we hope!) it would be nice to get a little pasture fenced off for the goats, another stall done for the sheep and ?????

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Introducing a New Contributing Writer!

Posted by html404 on March 25, 2014
in Blog Stuff, Contributing Writers, News Worthy, Uncategorized

You may have noticed a new name on yesterday’s movie review of God’s Not Dead . Rosemarie Pagano. She is our newest contributing writer! Rosemarie is not another reviewer, as her posts will be focused on encouragement, faith and any other topics that appeal to her. She is volunteering her help in exchange for a writing platform.

B and Rosemarie the day we brought our goats home!

Rosemarie is a family friend whom we met nearly a year ago through our farm’s vegetable CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture). She lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with her husband, who is originally from Italy, and two dogs. Rosemarie and her husband both enjoy cooking.

Rosemarie is a freelance writer working on her first novel. She is an avid reader and has a servant’s heart! She has blessed us with not only her friendship but her service from bringing a meal during haying season, special Italian breakfast rolls (hot chocolate and fruit too) on Christmas day or to helping us bring B’s goats home.

We are blessed to know Rosemarie and now privileged to have her use her gift of writing here at Faith and Family Reviews! Please make her feel welcome!

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God’s Not Dead – Movie Monday

Posted by Rosemarie Pagano on March 24, 2014
in Entertainment, Family Stuff, Movie Monday, Movie Review Monday, Movie Reviews, Movies, Reviews, Uncategorized

“God’s Not Dead” 2014

Director: Harold Cronk

A Drama, Produced by Pure Flix, a Christian film studio.

Rated: PG 1hr 53min

Or go to www.GodsNotDeadtheMovie.com to view the trailer.

I have pretty much given up going to the movies, not interested in the selection of films offered, so I was intrigued by the little known, small budget film, “God’s Not Dead” which
opened March 21, 2014. It grossed $ 9.2 million, the first weekend, and as I watched the trailer, I immediately made plans to see this movie aimed towards Evangelical Christians.

Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper), a pre-law student, signs up for a philosophy class with an aggressive professor. Professor Radisson (Kevin Sorbo) is an atheist who demands that everyone declare and write on a sheet of paper that ‘God is dead.’ Josh, a Christian, refuses which causes the professor to challenge him to prove God’s existence. He is given the
opportunity to present his defense, in front of the class, and if he is unable to do this, he will fail the class. There are several story threads, woven through the movie, that capture the struggles, heartbreak and challenges that believers and those questioning their faith face.

One intriguing character is an elderly woman who is visited by her absentee son (Dean Cain). He is a successful businessman annoyed and impatient with her dependence and deteriorating state of dementia. He angrily questions her faith and she, in a moment of clarity, tells him about the consequences of sin. There are a few surprising twists and special appearances by Newsboys and “Duck Dynasty’s” Willie and Korie Robertson.

I recommend this movie because it encourages Evangelical Christians to stand up for their faith. It also invites those questioning their faith to ask questions about God. I am sick and
tired of offensive language and the blatant attempts of the media to shock and offend with their disrespectful comments. In this movie, the name of our Precious Savior Jesus Christ was spoken with reverence and praise. It has been a really long time since I’ve heard that in a movie. Also, another important concept, about this movie, was that it was based on actual court cases where students, like Josh Wheaton, defended their faith in an academic setting. The ending credits list the students and universities.

The responses to this film are, as expected, strongly divided. I think this quote by Paul Levinson, media critic and professor of communications and media studies at Fordham University in New York sums up the movie very well. He states, “The success of ‘God’s Not Dead’ shows at least three things: Big budgets are not necessary to make popular movies, there is a significant part of the population that cherishes faith-based movies, and students like narratives about arrogant professors who get their due.”

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Fresh Express Salad Swap Party #momsmeet #saladswap

Posted by html404 on March 23, 2014
in Coupons, Food and Treats, Health, Health and Nutrition, Health and Wellness, Organic, Reviews, Uncategorized

We were provided coupons in exchange for our hosting a Fresh Express salad swap party for Moms Meet. All opinions and thoughts are our own.

You all know we are trying to live a healthy lifestyle, including our eating habits. Our whole family enjoys salad. That’s why we were interested in this Fresh Express salad swap.
For the first time in two years, we’ve been battling a serious cold for the past month or so. But we also have mold in our rental home too so it is hard to discern what exactly is causing our illness at this point. Due to our illness, we rescheduled our Fresh Express Swap party a couple of times and finally opted to send our guests their coupons for them to try the Fresh Express Swap app themselves and send us their feedback and photos. The overall opinion was unanimous. Everyone enjoyed their Fresh Express salads!

Fresh Express Facts

•Fresh Express salads are thoroughly washed, rinsed, and gently dried, then sealed in patented “Keep-Crisp®” breathable bags to keep their just-picked freshness, without
preservatives.
• Fresh Express has a wide variety of products, including refreshing mixes and ready-to-eat kits. They also have a special USDA-Certified Organic line.
• Fresh Express salad mixes can vary in price, depending on the retailer, but typically cost between $2-$4 per bag.

The organic line did not seem to be easy to find in the stores we visited, which may just depend on the individual store’s buying/selling habits.

About the FREE Fresh Express Salad Swap App

The free Fresh Express Salad Swap App includes a variety of recipes and salad swaps, a progress tracker, motivation and inspiration, even additional Fresh Express coupons.

You can also participate in the 30 Day Salad Swap challenge and have a chance to earn more salad coupons. For every two salads you buy, you earn a coupon, which will be emailed to you. So if your new year’s resolution to lose weight or eat healthy has fallen by the wayside, this challenge could reboot your goal, plus give you great recipe ideas of how to swap out your favorite high calorie meals for a healthier alternative.

Here are a few screen shots to show you a little inside look at the app:

I wanted to know what would be a swap for blueberry pancakes (my favorite!) and this is the salad that came up:

Here’s what Magen thought of the app:

“Just tried the app … Wow! So cool! I am actually going to the store to try one of the swaps now. Going to try the lemon tilapia with Kale! I like that it has a calorie tracker and that you can put in what you are craving and it actually gives you an EASY option to trade with which are yummy!”

Download the Salad Swap app at 30daysaladsswap.com

Fresh Express Salad Swap Party

I opted to do a sandwich version of this Salad swap – Grown up Ham and Cheese but with my own twist.

I used wheat bread, Fresh Express Baby Spinach, deli ham, colby cheese, raw honey and mustard. I made it like a grilled cheese sandwich in a frying pan but instead of butter I used coconut oil, which heated up waayyy too fast…and they say coconut oil does not burn? Yes it does. This was my first time trying to substitute coconut oil with butter. I think next time I’ll have everything ready before I turn on the burner! I’ll blame it on being in a hurry and my head being clogged from this cold.

Rosemarie shared:

“If you’re craving a favorite comfort food search Fresh Express Recipes for a delicious Salad Swap. I love Middle Eastern cuisine and falafel are one of my favorites. I was eager to try the Roasted Chickpea and Cucumber Salad with Lemon Feta Vinaigrette. It had the zesty flavors. I love and the firm and crunchy Fresh Express Leafy Green Romaine held up great under the roasted chickpeas. This Salad Swap was a healthy alternative that I would make again.”

Magen and her family opted to do the Bacon Caesar salad kit:

Here’s what they had to say about the salad, “We loved Fresh Express Salad. My daughter had a friend over and they could not wait to tear into the bag for lunch. They even started eating it before I could serve it at the table. Fresh express salad was very tasty and we LOVED their “kit” option!”

Here is what Jamie said:

“I enjoyed a lovely cheeseburger salad.”

There is a Fresh Express salad coupon available online for YOU at greenmomsmeet.com/freshexpress and you can learn more about Fresh Express by visiting their social media sites:

FreshExpress.com (click on their store locator for stores carrying Fresh Express)

Facebook.com/FreshExpressSalads

Pinterest.com/FreshExpress

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MommysClub All In Bundle Review

Posted by html404 on March 21, 2014
in Baby Products, Children's Health, Cleaning, Diapers and Accessories, Eco Friendly Products, Health, Health and Nutrition, Health and Wellness, Kids Stuff, Organic, Personal Care Products, Pregnancy and Birth, Reviews, Uncategorized, Women's Health

As I mentioned last week in our MommysClub giveaway post, we have been reviewing the MommysClub All In Bundle.

Products in the MommysClub All In Bundle

None of the products smell chemically. They barely have any scent. I love that they are organic and or all natural, toxic-free and hypoallergenic.

Total Body Health with Multivitamin – To be honest this is weird tasting but I’m not one to shy away from weird tasting health products. Now bad tasting products, I usually won’t buy again. Weird I can get use to. I think only my oldest and I have been taking it.

Total Body Health for Children with Multivitamin – Only our youngest son likes to drink this. The rest not so much. I’d describe it as liquifying crushed up multivitamins. This would be great for those who cannot swallow pill form vitamins.

Children’s Multivitamin – All the children loved these chewable multivitamins!

Pre-Natal Plus – This is the same as the other liquid vitamins above but for expectant or nursing mamas. I did taste it. The flavor kind of reminded me of another health drink we’ve taken.

Daily Cleansing Foam – I’ve barely used this but it is a no-rinse hand washing solution that hypoallergenic with moisturizer for post-diaper clean up, cuts and burns. This would be nice to keep in the car.

Baby Shampoo – I haven’t even had a chance to fully review this product. I kind of forgot about it amidst all the other products. It smells great though!

Rash & Remedy Skin Relief – Haven’t had any use for this yet. Though Jr. does seem to have some spots I could try it on now that I think about it. It is for rashes and common skin problems.

Perfect Touch Sanitizer – Since we’ve been sick, I’ve been using this sanitizer on taps, door knobs etc. Yep, sick for the first time in two years and we’ve been double slammed in the last month. 🙁

I cannot honestly say how any of these products work long term because we have only been using them a short time. I can just give you our general thoughts about our initial usage.

About MommysClub

MommysClub is a network marketing company so becoming a member may enable you to earn an income from sharing their products with others. As a part of the giveaway and upcoming review, I became a member so this post includes my unique link.

You can learn more about MommysClub via their social media pages:

https://www.facebook.com/themommysclub

https://twitter.com/themommysclub

http://www.pinterest.com/themommysclub/

https://vimeo.com/user21859339

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RUUM Kids Spring Fashion

Posted by html404 on March 20, 2014
in Clothing, Fashion, Kids Stuff, SALES, Seasonal Stuff, Shopping, Uncategorized

Spring is here and with that means a change of wardrobe…that is if the temperatures start increasing, which is slowly happening here in the Chicago area! I love being able to dress our kids in nice clothes for when we go out to church, to Grandma’s or some place special. RUUM Kids spring fashion is here and our almost eight year old daughter is wearing a sweet little heart dress (would have been great for Valentine’s Day too!) in the collage below:

It needs a little sweater for the cold start to spring we are experiencing. It is very lightweight and sheer, but does not need a slip as it has a built in lining.

I think my daughter would also have liked this jeweled skater dress:

This embroidered flower dress is definitely a spring choice, perhaps for Easter:

For the boys there are also some snazzy looking spring fashion outfits, like this vintage stripe polo shirt coupled with a pair of khakis or chino pants:

One of our son’s loves a dress jacket so I had to include this dressy blazer:

Then there’s always the nice dress shirt, which is my oldest son’s preference:

What does your child’s spring fashion look like?

Right now RUUM Kid’s has a 30% off sale on all their spring fashion items! Check it out!

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Welcome Prom Season with Jen Jen House

Posted by Bobbie Gould on March 19, 2014
in Fashion, Seasonal Stuff, Shopping

Prom season is here and with it comes the madness of trying to find the perfect dress. While in store shopping can be fun, the ease of online shopping is slowly starting to take over.

In a sea of sweetheart style necklines and puffy pink skirts, JenJenHouse.com offers unique and affordable prom dresses. From classic Grecian style dresses to ball gowns, they have something to suit every fashion sense.

I’ve personally found that most online dress shops don’t exactly offer a decent sizing chart, or a general idea as to how the clothing will fit. I was pleased to find that JenJen House isn’t like that. They give clear directions on how to measure yourself to get a perfect fit.

The wide variety of dresses available on the website ensures that every girl, whether she has dark hair or light, will have a dress that matches her hair and skin tone.

I’m really loving the Grecian styles that they have. After studying Greek history last semester, I’ve been endlessly fascinated by the Greek culture and their way of life. It’s awesome to see how ancient fashion still inspires our culture today!

To check out all of their prom dress selection visit: http://www.jenjenhouse.com/Prom-Dresses-c18/

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White Chinese Geese

Posted by html404 on March 19, 2014
in Animals, Family Stuff, Farm Stuff, Uncategorized

We were given a pair of White Chinese Geese on Friday. They came from the same farm as our goats. We wanted to try having geese as they are good watchdogs or sentinels. We thought they would announce anything on the west side of our barn, as well as help alert the hens to hawks. So we shall see.

The children call the geese Mr. Squak and Mrs. Squeek! 🙂

About White Chinese Geese

They are very loud, as you will note from the video above, which we took in January at our friend’s farm. They were announcing our arrival.

Like most geese they stay with the same mate for life.

Their eggs are edible. They can lay 40-100 eggs per year. Our female goose already laid an egg but due to the low temperatures the other night, it exploded. 🙁

This type of goose is good for weeding. When I found that out I tucked the information away in my mind to use once we have our garden done.

White Chinese Geese are on The Livestock Conservancy watch list so we will be helping increase their numbers if we allow our geese to raise some goslings.

Geese can be quite aggressive and have very strong wings. This is a bit of concern with young children so right now we have the geese in a stall until the ground thaws enough to put fencing up for them. As it was, over the weekend the male goose (gander) hissed at my husband when he was freeing Annabeth (goat) in the next stall from getting her head wedged in her stall gate.

Our geese upset our whole barn with their honking. Not sure if the other animals have got used to them or not.

Just another interesting animal addition to our farm!

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Keep the Faith – Berenstain Bears Book Review

Posted by html404 on March 17, 2014
in Books, Family Stuff, Gift Ideas, Kids Stuff, Reviews, Uncategorized

This post contains affiliate links to support our family.

If you spend any amount of time on my site you know we love books! I stopped getting children’s books to review just because we have so many books already but I couldn’t resist The Berenstain Bears Keep the Faith (Berenstain Bears/Living Lights) book.

Our younger children all love this book and have asked to read it over and over again. The message is simple. Brother and Sister Bear come across a friend, Ferdy Factual, who does not believe in God and they are not quite sure what to do or say for that matter. They were kind to their friend, though they asked him questions. I thought Mama and Papa handled the issue quite well, though they could have done a better job of explaining what faith is themselves rather than going to Preacher Brown. However, I understand that may have just been there to help children know when mom and dad do not know the answer a member of the clergy is there to consult with on the tougher questions.

This book was a good reminder to me to help our children understand that not everyone believes the same way or the same things as we do.

I give it two thumbs up for Keep the Faith for any family of faith with young kiddos in the home.

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MommysClub Flu Pack Giveaway

Posted by html404 on March 14, 2014
in All Natural Products, Children's Health, Eco Friendly Products, Family Stuff, Giveaways, Health, Health and Wellness, Organic, Reviews, Uncategorized

As moms we are always concerned with the health of our children. That means we want to feed them healthy foods and use products that do not harm them or cause adverse affects. MommysClub knows moms. They offer a variety of products that are organic, non-GMO, EcoCert & BPA free, toxic-free ingredients made right here in US. All their products are vegan, cruelty free. MommysClub are animals lovers and are a part of the Leaping Bunny community, which means they do not test on or use any animal products!

MommysClub is offering to giveaway one Flu Pack to one of you! Beat the flu this spring by using the flu pack products.

Mommy’s Club Perfect Touch Sanitizer and Daily Cleansing Foam – are your two best friends in the fight against germs. These products are perfect to hand out at Churches, Schools, Places of Work and even Gyms. Perfect Touch Sanitizers make great ice breakers for Mommy’s Club pitches. Replace soaps in Bathrooms with the Daily Cleansing Foam.

Our Flu Pack Sampler Small contains

10 Perfect Touch Sanitizers 1 oz
2 Perfect Touch Sanitizers 4oz
2 Daily Cleansing Foams

Look for our family’s review of the MommysClub All In Bundle next week!