Grab Your Chocolate!

Great news as of February 17, 2010 if you are reading it here ... according to the American Academy of Neurology, recommends eating a bar a chocolate each week to help reduce chances of strokes!  The study also suggests that eating chocolate may lower the risk of death after a stroke.  Now hurry and eat your chocolate before a new study counters that claim! 

*Here are the findings:

• One study they looked at found that 44,489 people who ate one serving of chocolate per week were 22% less likely to have a stroke than people who ate no chocolate.
• Another study found that 1,169 people who ate 50 grams of chocolate once a week were 46% less likely to die following a stroke than people who didn’t eat chocolate.

Dark chocolate (usually described as containing at least 70 percent cocoa solids) contains plant pigments called flavonoids, which have been linked to health benefits. These include reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (such as heart attacks and strokes) or cancer. Chocolate is not the only source of flavonoids. Most plants contain some flavonoids, and good sources are tea, citrus fruit, and red wine.

The research appears in this week’s Neurology and will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 62nd annual meeting in Toronto in April.

I've been using that excuse to eat a piece of dark chocolate every day.  Enjoy!

*Taken from the Health Freedom Alliance Organization.  To read the full article, go here:  http://blogs.healthfreedomalliance.org/blog/2010/02/16/chocolate-reduces-risk-of-stroke/

Aspartame is Now AminoSweet but is it Safe?

Aspartame, it's in so many products and because of that, one would think it's safe...or is it?   I never really paid attention to aspartame until I started an Atkin's Diet.  Okay, until I restarted an Atkin's Diet and became serious about following it.  The rules are no aspartame so I started reading my package labels on various products to assume I didn't violate the rules and low and behold, it's in almost everything that is touted as low sugar or sugar free.

A big misconception that many have is if it's been approved by the FDA, it's deemed safe.  What some forget to understand that although drugs go through a long term process of clinical testing to ensure safety has been achieved, there are rarely any long term studies done to assess safety or to understand mixing of different drugs, conditions and so forth.  No one will know with certain if something is safe because there are too many factors involved whether it's genetic, environmental or a reaction with another drug.  We all have seen the recall notifications and class action lawsuits against approved drugs that were later found to cause deaths or other serious medical complications. 

The artificial sweetener debate has been going on for some time and there was even one that was taken off the market year's ago which makes me think if one was bad, why not the rest?  In my e-mail box this morning, there was a story on asparame's new name change which the story eluded that the company's name change was one of profit versus concerns for the health of its consumers. 

Aspartame was discovered 25 year's ago by mistake and was initially going to be marketed to be used as a drug for ulcers.  Due to its sweet taste, it was sent to the FDA as a food additive.  The story notes that even one of the origin company's scientist objected to its use but it passed the FDA anyway.   The articile claims that aspartame causes neurological brain damage, cancerous tumors, endocrine disruption among other things.  The new name is AminoSweet. 

For more information on the article, go here:

http://blogs.healthfreedomalliance.org/blog/2010/02/15/aspartame-has-been-renamed-and-is-now-being-marketed-as-a-natural-sweetener/

Link Up Your Giveaways!

Don't forget to link up your giveaways:

http://youthfultips.blogspot.com/p/link-up-your-giveaways.html

Thank you and have a great day!

Giveaways Ending Next Week and New Giveaways Coming

Don't forget to enter the Sears $50 Gift Card and Mikisso Hana $220 Flat Iron giveaways ending soon!

I have a host of reviews/giveaways that will be added today and onward to include:

• Jenny McCarthy Your Shape Wii Game
• FaBOWlous Hair Bow
• Flower Arranging DVD
• Jump Start Kids Online Membership
• $50 Gift Card (reader's choice)
• FlirtyGirl Tee
• Bummas Baby Cloths
• Expressiva Nursingwear Gift Card
• CPR Cleaning Products
• Air-O-Swiss Humidifier

Do you have an idea for a giveaway that is reasonable?  Let me know and I'll see what I can do.  Do you like the multiple bonus entry options or do you prefer that each entry has a smaller set of chances to win?

Military? Check Your W4s for Residency Due to New Law

I wrote about this before but had forgotten it until I was reading the Army Times over the weekend.  Apparently in November, they passed a bill granting the spouse of a military person the right to claim the same state residency.  For those in the military, you know what a pain it is to have to fill out two state tax returns, one for you where you live and the other for your spouse for the state he/she lived in when first enlisted.  I've not been a good military wife as I never learned all the correct Army lingo but I know there is another word or statement for that.

The article furthered the fact that it's retroactive for 2009!  If you meet the requirements,  you get to fill out your appropriate state's form to get that money back and to halt any new deductions.  This is great news because my husband's home state is Texas which means no state tax!  I figure they will tax the tax refund so it's less than I'll have put in.  Whatever happened to no double taxation??

I was happy nonetheless so if you are in the military, check it out by visiting your state's tax page or check it here:  http://m.military.com/news/articlerss/army-news/tax-law-grants-gis-spouses-protection.xml/2

The Taylors' Civil War by Lowell F. Volk Book Review

I received a complimentary copy of The Taylors' Civil War as a member of the Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.

Product Details

• Paperback: 188 pages
• Publisher: Dorrance Publishing Co. Inc. (June 8, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1434902439
• ISBN-13: 978-1434902436
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches

The Taylors' Civil War by Lowell F. Volk is set in Virginia and chronicles the trials and tribulations of a southern family, the Taylors, during the Civil War.  It is a classic revenge book with action packed events that captured my attention and captivated me to finish reading it quickly.  Although it was predictable at times and short, it had drama, love, action and suspense.

The Taylors were a family who only wanted to live their lives and be farmers.  While they were supportive of the military during the War, further events such as the murder of their son and events post the War tested their patriotism and their own will.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in story that is well written and articulated with accuracy to the period and characters in which it takes place.

About the Author:
 
Lowell F. Volk, a native of Minnesota, has already finished the sequel to this book and has begun writing his third of a series of five books planned for the Civil War period.  Mr. Volk is retired and resides in Colorado where is a member of the Montezuma County Sheriff's Posse.  Mr. Volk and his wife have five children.
 

Ruminations of a Twenty Something Momma Expressiva Review & Giveaway

Ruminations of a Twenty Something Momma is hosting a review and giveaway of Expressiva Nursingwear.

After months of nursing a child, the idea of breastfeeding becomes less of an action and more of a lifestyle. Daily events start to revolve around your baby’s mealtimes, and leaving the house means choosing an outfit that will allow easy, comfortable access for feeding.


Therein lies the problem – coordinating clothing for ease of nursing isn’t always easy. Some women prefer to keep their breasts mostly covered, while others are more worried about exposing their back or stomach in public.

Layering works with some outfits, but not others, and wearing your favorite shirt may no longer be an option depending on how high (or low) the neckline is. Nursing bras and tanks become wardrobe staples, but sometimes it’s simply not possible to coordinate an entire outfit around these pieces.

Click here to read and enter!

eShakti New Spring Jackets

If you haven't had the priviledge of checking out eShakti, you should!  I was lucky enough to be able to review a beautiful dress and I liked it so much, I ordered another dress for my daughter.  My previous review can be found here:  http://youthfultips.blogspot.com/2010/01/eshakti-review-special-offer.html

What makes eShakti so special are the custom made clothes.  How many times if you are short, tall, big chested, small chested, and so forth have you either had to adjust your clothing after you purchased it or have to settle for one part of the item not fitting to accommodate the other part?  What I liked the most about eShakti is you pick from a huge selection of all types of clothing and you custom fit for your size (i.e. height, length, bust, etc).

When I recevied my dress, it was perfect height and so was my daughter's.  We are both short so finding floor length dresses is hard without having to take it to get mended.  Both dresses fitted perfectly and were made of high quality fabrics.

The new spring jackets are amazing!  They can be worn with slacks or a skirt and can fit an office environment or a casual outing.  There are 16 different styles to choose from. 

The Asymmetric Cotton Twill Jacket is my favorite priced starting at $59.95 and shipped in three days. 

• Three-quarter-length sleeves.
• Princess seaming for light shape.
• Back vent.
• Light shoulder padding.
• Hip length.
• Cotton; machine wash.

Details with this jacket include custom sizes (small fee), bra cup size, height, sleeve type and tunic length.

Another bonus with eShakti is they offer sizes 0 through 26W.


* Disclaimer:  I received no compensation for this post. 

Progresso Souper You Spark! Review & GIveaway 2/14 CLOSED WINNER

CONGRATULATIONS TO ....

wandapanda at live dot com

Thanks to all those who entered and don't forget to enter the Sears $50 Gift Card, Mikisso $220 Hana Flat Iron or any of the other giveaways.

Make sure you subscribe to know the latest giveaways with more coming soon!

random.org is used to select from eligible winners.

Did you know by adding Progresso Light and 100 Calorie Soup into your weight management plan, it might help you achieve your weight loss goals?  As part of a MyBlogSpark campaign with Progresso Soups, I received a complimentary "Souper You Debut" gift pack that included 15 cans of soups, a digital jump rope and a really cool, big soup mug from Progresso through MyBlogSpark. 

As soon as they arrived, we decided who was going to try what to give a thorough review of the variety we received.  There are over 40 varieties 100 calories or less so there are no excuses!  I also like how Progresso offers choices such as High Fiber, Vegetable Classics, Light, Traditional, Low Sodium and microwave.

Progresso Light Italian Style Meatball:

My favorites included the Progresso Light Italian Style Meatball which is new.  If you are on Weight Watchers, it even has the point listed to comply easier.  The can has two servings at 80 calories each so at 160 calories for an entire can, that's wonderful for my diet plan.  Of course if I was going to be really good, I'd only eat one serving but it was too good and my two year old was competing to eat it.  I watch carbs as well and it only contained 13 grams so that is another plus for me.  The taste was light but delightful and fullfilling.

Progresso Light Beef Pot Roast:

The Progresso Light Beef Pot Roast is delicious at only 80 calories again.  The thing with the Light soups that I had to point out to my husband is they are lighter in calories and so you don't get that same rich flavor of a fat laden, calorie overloaded soup.  I prefer knowing that I'm putting something healthier into my body that will help me feel full, lower my caloric intake while givine me some great tasting.  I really enjoyed the taste of this soup but my favorite is strill the Progresso Light Italian Style Meatball.

My oldest daughter tried the Light Chicken Noodle soup and also enjoyed the flavor.  She's on a get in shape kick too so she appreciated a chance to eat "real food" while not overindulging in calories. 

Stay tuned for more updates to the varieties as there were 15 cans in total!

Here is how you can win a trip to NYC and a makeover:

Between January 4th (yes, I know it's past January 4th) and March 15th, you and I can visit www.Progresso.com/SouperYou and enter the Progresso “Souper You Debut” contest for the chance to win a full makeover in New York City.  I don't know if you have ever been to NYC but I have and lived there briefly and I can tell you that it is an experience that you can't miss out on!

THREE grand prize winners will be awarded a trip for two to New York City from May 21st-23rd. The prize includes roundtrip airfare, a two-night stay in a NYC hotel, a full makeover, a $1,000 wardrobe shopping spree and personal consultation at a New York department store.  I would LOVE to win this, how about you?

Entering is easy and all you need to do is:

• Go to www.Progresso.com/SouperYou to learn more and enter the contest
• Submit your essay (200 characters or less) telling Progresso why you love Progresso Light or 100 Calorie Soups and why you would like a makeover
• In addition, please submit a photo of yourself that visually reinforces the theme of your essay

Once you enter, you’ll have the chance for your photo and/or an excerpt from your essay to appear on www.Progresso.com/SouperYou, so be sure to check back frequently! Once the 10 finalists are announced, you can visit www.Progresso.com/SouperYou from March 29 through April 12 to vote for your favorite.

In addition, throughout the duration of the contest you can visit www.Progresso.com/SouperYou to download a coupon for $1 off any three varieties of Progresso Soup!

With surprisingly hearty ingredients like pasta, beans, corn and rice, and flavor-packed vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and peppers, Progresso Light and 100 Calorie Soups offer varieties with a good source of fiber and a full serving of vegetables. Satisfying your taste buds, Progresso Light and 100 Calories Soups can help curb your hunger, making it easier for you to stick to your weight management plan.

There is still more!

One of my readers will receive their own Progresso Gift Pack that includes two cans of Progresso Soup, an electronic jump rope and a great mug to enjoy the soup with!

To Enter:

Follow my blog and tell me what soup you would like to try by clicking here.

Bonus Entries (five entries each)

Subscribe to my blog.
Blog about this giveaway.
Tweet about this giveaway (can be done daily)
Sign up to become a member of MyBlogSpark
Tweet the sweepstakes here
Post the sweepstakes on Facebook here

Giveaway ends 2/14 at midnight.  Winner will be chosen by random.org.

Good luck and thanks for entering!

Ecostore Review and $25 Gift Card Giveaway CLOSED WINNER

CONGRATULATIONS TO....

arobimom at gmail dot com

Thanks to all those who entered!  Don't forget to enter the other giveaways to include a Sears $50 Gift Card, Misikko $220 Hana Hot Iron and others!  More giveaways coming soon to include a Jenny McCarthy Wii game and other baby products!

Random.org is used to select among the eligible entries.  Please utilize bonus entries opportunities~

If you are a regular to my blog, you know that I tend to write about organic or natural derived products.  I guess as I grew older and became more aware, I realized the dangers that lurk in our common every day products and food.  With that said, when Ecostore USA offered me a chance to receive two complimentary products of my choice, I was interested.  If you are like me, you might have been or still might be reluctant to try something that is not a name brand or contains all the tried and true chemicals you've grown accustomed to.

If you aren't familar with Ecostore USA, they are an extension of Ecostore NZ that was founded more than 20 years ago so they have the experience and credibility behind them.  In this eco farm based village, two people, Melanie and Malcolm Rands, started their business.  Within time, business grew as families wanted safer alternatives for their children and themselves.  Ecostore NZ offers more than 100 products that meets the most stringent environmental and sustainability standards.

Ecostore USA's motto is No Nasty* Chemicals and you can read more about their company via their blog here.  You can also find a wealth of information ranging from videos to podcasts to a glossary and more here.

For my review, I chose the Auto Dish Powder and the Manuka Honey &Kelp Soap.  The Auto Dish Powder is a blend of mineral salts, citrus and coconut oils.  It only takes one tablespoon in the dishwasher and it worked without leaving any films or dirt behind.  There were no odors of chemicals either.  I have used it for five days and have not found any issues with the Auto Dish Powder.  I prefer having an all natural dish washing detergent over one that is full of chemicals that I don't know what they are let alone pronounce.  The bottle is plain and not very eye catching but that is not a concern of mine.

I would recommend the Auto Dish Powder as it does the job, requires only one tablespoon and is reasonably priced at $12.00 a bottle. 

The Manuka Honey & Kelp Soap is made of all natural ingredients and comes in a pretty green bar with Ecostore imprinted on it.

Ingredients:

• Sodium Palmate (palm oil)
• Sodium Cocoate (coconut oil)
• Sodium chloride (salt)
• Vegetable Glycerine
• Tetra Sodium Etidronate and Tetra Sodium EDTA (antioxidants used to preserve the stability of vegetable oils in soap base. Derived from vinegar. Safe for skin)
• Kelp
• Wheatgerm oil
• Manuka Honey
• Bran
• Natural pigments
• Fragrance

The soap quickly works with a deep, rich lather but rinses easily.  I found I did not have to use a lot of soap to get the lather I feel shows its cleaning.  The fragrance is pleasant and my skin truly felt softer and moisturized.  I felt more assurred with this soap given the ingredients are listed on the site, are all natural and I really liked the combination of products such as the Manuka honey, bran and kelp even though I think of Sponge Bob due to my children.

I am sold on this soap and would recommend it especially if you are concerned with the chemicals and additives that are in every day normal soap you buy.

If you are in the US, there are 21 products to choose from ranging from Baby Care, Bath & Body, Hair, Household, Pets and gift certificates.

The Giveaway:

One lucky reader will receive a $25 gift certificate to chooes the product(s) of their choice!

To Enter:

Follow my blog and go to Ecostore USA and tell me what you would like to try.

Bonus Entries (five entries each):

Sign up for Ecostore USA's No Nasty Chemicals newslettters.
Subscribe to my blog.
Become a fan of Ecostore on Facebook.
Follow Ecostore on Twitter.
Follow me on Twitter.
Blog about this giveaway.
Tweet about this giveaway (can be done daily) and include.

Giveaway ends 2/14 at midnight and winner will be chosen by random.org.

Open to all, good luck and thanks for entering!

Old Navy Weekly Giveaway - 10 Winners of $50 off $100 Purchase 2/14 CLOSED WINNERS

CONGRATULATIONS TO ....

luvdamall@aol.com

colleen_mouse@yahoo.com;

arobimom@gmail.com

tboardley20@gmail.com

dgoodridge84@yahoo.com

babyplusme@yahoo.com

Jenprincess88@aol.com

Lyricandariasmom@gmail.com

mi3ragamuffins at aol dot com

cbeargie@yahoo.com

Each winner, selected by random.org, had their e-mail addresses sent to M80 who will distribute the coupons.  Please check spam boxes if you don't receive them within a day.  There is an expiration date so please watch for that so you don't lose out!

Thanks to all those who entered!

I'm so excited as I've seen these giveaways on other blogs and jumped at the chance to work with M80 on behalf of Old Navy for this amazing giveaway where TEN winners will receive a coupon for $50 towards a $100 purchase or more.  This is a fantastic deal!  Where else is it so easy to get $50 in free clothes and accessories for anyone on your family?

Every week, Old Navy Weely features one of their specials and the item of the week for 2/12 - 2/18 is the Women’s Women’s ruffle V-Neck tops.  A great bargain at $8 (Reg. $16.50) but you have to hurry as they will only be at this price from 2/12 - 2/18!

Need to give your wardrobe a flirty flair that’s easy to wear?  You won't go wrong with this women’s ruffle V-Neck top.  The latest Old Navy Item of the Week will leave you sizzling hot for Valentine's Day or any other day.  With easy, essential colors that go with anything, you will be a hit wherever you go.

Have fun with the Women’s ruffle V-Neck top and while your at it, choose a great pair of slacks!

To enter:

Follow my blog and let me know where you plan to wear your ruffle V-neck.

Bonus Entries (five entries each):

Subscribe to my blog.
Tweet about this giveaway (can be done daily).
Blog about this giveaway.
Enter any of my other ongoing giveaways.


Giveaway ends: 2/14 so hurry!

10 winners will be chosen by random.org

Thanks to all those who enter!
 
Notes on the Coupons:

• The winners will be receiving their coupon via e-mail in a PDF format.  The winners will need to print off their specific code they receive via e-mail and have a certain timeframe to redeem it.  All the specifics will be disclosed in the e-mail sent by M80 on behalf of Old Navy.
• Coupons are valid for a limited time only. Old Navy and M80 cannot replace a coupon that was not redeemed in the correct timeframe. 
• If winner fails to respond within the timeframe the coupon is to be redeemed, an alternate winner. 
• These are only one-time use coupons. Once redeemed, code is no longer valid and cannot be used again.
• The individual code should not be shared with nor used by multiple users.
• If a Sales Associate advises that code is not working, customer should ask them to key in the alpha-numeric code under the barcode (if the code is valid, and it’s just a question of the barcode reader having issue with the print quality of the code, then keying in should work – unless it’s already been redeemed then it will come up as invalid).

RoleMommy and Bravado! Designs: Calling All Nursing Moms! Giveaway! 2/14 CLOSED WINNER

CONGRATULATIONS TO......

BABYPLUSME

THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO ENTERED!

Don't forget to enter the $50 Sears Gift Card and Mikisso $220 Hana Flat Iron along with the other giveaways!

More are coming:  Jenny McCarthy Wii Fitness Game & baby products!

random.org is used to select from eligible entries!

RoleMommy and Bravado! Designs are calling Mommy Bloggers to raise awareness on the Bravado! Designs nursing line as well as a brand new sweepstakes by Bravado! Designs. 

If you haven't heard of Bravado! Designs, they are known for bras fit for breastfeeding.  The Bravado Design’s 18 year old signature line is truly the gold standard in nursing wear and beginning January 14, the brand will be introducing an affordable new line of nursing wear in Target stores across the country.

Bravado! Designs is hosting the Basics by Bravado “Spot a Mom” sweepstakes in which participating moms will be entered to win $500 worth of must-have items for their baby.

Here’s how you can enter:

• Find the nearest Target store in your area offering Basics by Bravado nursing wear (click HERE for a a complete store listing).
• Visit the store and snap some pics of yourself finding the Basics by Bravado store display.
• Email your photo, along with your name and contact details to basics@bravadodesigns.com.

If you get a chance to try out the Bravado! Designs website, there is an area that helps you to determine what to buy:

• Just pregnant
• Due date is coming up
• New baby arrived
• Little one is a few months old
• I'm a curvalalicious mom <-- love that as that's me!
• I've got a hot date coming up <-- great concept as why can't a nursing mommy be sexy too?
• Comfort
• I'm a green mama <-- very nice feature!
• I like to wear it like a celebrity
• I'm going back to work soon
• I need the perfect baby shower gift

Find out what others have found in Fit Pregnancy, American Baby, InShape, Parenting and more!  There is a wealth of information on Bravado's website to even help you learn all about breastfeeding.  I strongly believe in breastfeeding and started all three of my girls out with it. 

About Basics by Bravado:

Basics by Bravado is an accessible, comfortable and functional nursing wear collection which includes a sleep bra, t-shirt bra and an inner wear camisole. The Basics by Bravado collection offers women who crave Bravado’s products and the knowledge of breastfeeding that come with them, an option that you can grab-and-go at an affordable price. Bravado is offering this collection as part of the company’s commitment that all mothers deserve a great nursing experience.

I love that Bravado will now being offered at Target as that was one of my favorite places for maternity wear shopping!

The Giveaway:

A Bravado Nursing Tank from the Bravado Designs Collections.

To Enter:

Follow my blog and tell me what other type of bra from Bravado you would choose.

Extra Entries (five each)

Follow Bravado! Designs on Twitter.
Follow me on Twitter.
Join the Bravado Mama Club (it's free)
Subscribe to my blog.
Blog about this giveaway
Tweet about this giveaway (can be done daily).

Giveaway ends 2/14 at midnight and the winner will be chosen by random.org.

US only please.



*Disclaimer:  I did not receive any compensation for this post.

Purposeful Planning Bundle Review & Giveaway - 3 Winners CLOSED WINNERS

CONGRATULATIONS TO ....

theyyyguy@yahoo.com

amandakbarnes90@gmail.com

helencutie06@aol.com

E-mails have been sent to each winner!

Thanks to all those who entered and don't forget to enter current giveaways and subscribe to be one of the first to know about new giveaways coming soon!

 

Phyllis Sather, a mother, a wife and a person with a deep Christian belief, has this thought provoking bundle titled Purposeful Planning.  This great resource starts with an eBook titled Purposeful Planning which encompasses how she became interested in this idea to share her wealth of knowledge. 

During a very heightened moment in Phyllis' life, her husband, Daniel, swept her away reluctantly for the weekend to discuss their goals and plans as a family.  This concept was completely foreign to me as most people take a vacation and never really dive into such discussions as goals and plans. 

When Phyllis contacted me to sponsor this review and giveaway, it really interested me mostly because I am on a spiritual path to learn more about the Lord and of course, my family wouldn't suffer from learning how to incorporate the Lord's teachings into our lives.

Purposeful Planning is divided into sections that provides the reader with the "how to" figure out a plan for your family along with the tools that might help achieving that goal.  The beauty of the book allows a couple to experience this path together or with children when applicable.  Phyllis does a great idea explaining their difficulties with incorporating this idea into their lives and reading how they overcame their obstacles really did add to the value of the book.

Throughout the book are quotes to help keep the reader inspired such as this one:

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.  Mark Twain

Every detail is outlined to help the reader move forward such as the initial planning of starting your first goal session weekend.

• 
  
  Where will you go?
• 
  
  Will you take the children?

There are many other questions that helps to put forward a plan that will work.  Phyllis presses upon the importance of praying and uses passages from the Bible to reinforce the importance of incorporating the Lord into our lives.

I also enjoyed the section written by Dan to fathers and grandfathers.  He understands the role of the father and the viewpoint they may struggle with and encourages him to step up and be an active part in this process.

This bundle series includes the Purposeful Planning Handbook which is also broken into many titles.  The handbook allows the reader to plan accordingly which will provide greater results.  Whether you want to tackle all of the subjects or not, there are recommendations and help provided from a variety of topics from the children, each other, the marriage, finances and more.  There are helpful resource links in both the eBook and handbook to assist the reader on their endeavor.

A big impact on me also was the section titled Discretionary Time.  So many times, people spend their times watching television or surfing the net without devoting time to the family.   They are not advocating a complete surrendering of your time but encourages finding time for family activities.  This is key to a happy family.  One of the things my family does is to have "Family Night" once a month.  This is where all of us gather, cook dinner and play games or watch a family oriented movie.  This has become a favorite of my six year old and hope we continue it to where it becomes a family tradition when they have children.

The bundle wraps up with an MP3 opportunity to listen as well as read.  This is for those that have a commute to work or some other opportunity to listen instead of reading.  I love this option as often times, I listen to something prior to going to sleep as a calming activity as well as something for me.

Overall, this is a great collection or even by itself to help families find the path for the future.  It lays the groundwork in helping families put forth the time necessary to plan and put the Lord into our lives.  Having goals is essential for any type of growth and anyone can have goals but you can't have goals until you figure them out!

Phyllis also has a ton of resources on her website so please check it out!

The Giveaway:

Three readers will receive the bundle set of Phyllis' Purposeful Planning.

To Win:

Follow my blog and go to Purposeful Planning and telling me something about Phyllis you didn't know.

Extra Entries:

Sign up for Phyllis' updates here.

Subscribe to my blog.

Blog about this giveaway.

Tweet about this giveaway (can be done daily).

Follow me on Twitter.

Giveaway ends 2/14 at midnight.  Winners will be chosen by random.org.

Thank you for entering!

Natural Fever Reducing Remedies

Unfortunately, I'm sitting along side my now two year old who has a fever, a headache and is vomiting.  My six year old gave it to her and thankfully she's better.  I worry more about the two year given her immune and allergy issues.  She won't take tylenol or motrin and immediately vomits so I remember watching the remake of Little Women when Marmie is sent back home to take care of Beth.  Can you tell that I've watched it a time or two or three or more?  I watch it a lot to help with the historical novel I'm writing.  Anyway, Marmie has Jo get water, vinegar and some cloths to draw the fever to her feet. 

Since Dani does not tolerate fever reducing medications and never has, I decided to Google natural remedies for reducing fevers and there it was, vinegar, water and cloth.  Much to my surprise, I found another one that had many tried and true comments from others stating soaking egg whites in cloth and wrapping them on feet with covered socks is an immediate treatment to lower a fever.

I've always known fevers are good to a point because it's the body's natural defense against these nasty invaders but any mom knows how frightening fevers can be.  I tried the vinegar and it doesn't smell too terribly great but she let me use it on her.  Her fever, so far, has reduced a tad.  It can be repeated every two hours.  Another remedy is chopping onions and mixing it with vinegar and placing it on the soles of feet with socks covering them.  I don't have egg whites so I'm going to give the onions a shot if the fever doesn't break or elevates.

If anyone has any other old remedies or wives tales, feel free to share! 

Britax Advocate CS Car Seat Review & Giveaway at "Deal"ectible Mommies

Having a daughter has increased my desire to enter giveaways involving baby products. "Deal"ectible Mommies has a fantastic giveaway ending March 10th:

Our family has been long time fans of Britax Car Seats and when Big Pea grew out of her infant seat at only six months, we did our homework before purchasing a bigger car seat. As with any parent, our main focus was safety and we wanted to ensure that we were giving her the safest car seat available! I combed through websites, read reviews and asked everyone I knew for recommendations and the same name continued to come up more than any other... Britax! You can guess from here what car seat we decided to go with.


Britax has a long line of consumers to stand behind their name, but I wanted to know more and when the opportunity for a review came my way, I jumped at the chance to learn more about this company and specifically their new seat, the Britax Advocate CS. The Britax Advocate CS is the newest convertible child safety seat in the Britax line and comes equipped with Side Impact Cushion Technology, (I'll talk about this more in a minute) making this the safest seat in the Britax line!

Just click here to enter.

Giveaways Ending at Midnight (Sunday)

Please don't forget to enter the several giveaways ending tonight at midnight (EST):

• Flirty Aprons
• Bravado Nursing Bra
• 10 Winners for $50 off $100 Purchase at Old Navy
• Christian Planning Bundle Set

http://youthfultips.blogspot.com/

Good luck!

Military Medical Care, My Children's Chronic Medical Conditions & An Etsy Seller Medical Alert Buttons

At long last, the girls were able to experience snow!  The two year old never has seen it in person and the last time my six year old had, it was four year's ago when we lived in Indiana.  We moved from Indiana and spent one year in Hawaii post my husband's deployment to Iraq and then to Georgia.  This summer, will mark our third and hopeful, last year.  While hubby deploys to Kuwait in May, I get the task of selling the house and moving to our next location.  Anyway, we received 6-7 inches of snow and it was glorious except for our six year coming down with a severe ear ache and congestion.  The only thing that provided her any delight was the snow so we had to let her go out both yesterday and today, completely bundled up and not for long.  She's not speaking due to the pain and since she already has epilepsy and migraines, I didn't want to prolong it in case it did end up being H1N1 for both gir's sake.

In June 2008, within two week's of one another, both girls were diagnosed with Benign Rolandic Epilepsy and some unknown pulmonary possible immune system issue.  Both girls were healthy and had no issues until post vaccinations. Coincidental? Perhaps but I have no idea so I move forward focusing on care and treatment.  Both instances landed my girls in ambulances from the local military hospital to the local children's hospital because they quite frankly, are unable to treat chronic conditions in children.  There is a long story on the trials and tribulations I've suffered at the military hospital but I'm not focusing on the past.  Today, I'm focusing on what happened today.

We arrived, no one else was there so that was a nice surprise as the wait can be long as anyone who visits an ER knows.  We are sent back for vitals and the intake person, possibly a nurse, doesn't know what Benign Rolandic Epilepsy is so I explained and provided the medication along with her newly diagnosed medication for pediatric migraines.  I was alright with that as it wasn't the doctor so it would be fine.  Upon being shown to our exam room, the doctor came in.  He was a very nice, polite and professional doctor who I liked.  He asked what the medications were and I said "Benign Rolandic Epilepsy."  He said he never heard of it.  I suppose it might be an uncommon condition but from all that I read, quite a few children are diganosed with BRE and with luck, they outgrow it when they reach puberity.

My summation to today was since the medical facility had no idea what BRE was, found no problem with my daughter's pain and congestion other than "perhaps a virus," I'm not comforted and am still sitting by her side with worry.  It's hard trying to keep the two separated as they spend so much time together.  I'm assuming it's not H1N1 since they weren't worried over the ear pain, fever and congestion.

This is a picture of her during her last EEG to monitor the electrical waves in her brain to help determine type of seizures she is having.  In spite of a scary situation, we had a great two nights together playing, coloring and just having some "mommy and daughter" time.

The other purpose of the post is to draw attention to a fantastic Etsy and Ebay seller who creates and sells buttons highlighting certain medical conditions.  Based on my interactions with her, she created epilepsy awareness buttons and buttons to warn others that the person has epilepsy.

Her shop is Creative Clam and I'm overlooking her New Orleans Saints' Who Dat button (I''m a Colts Believe diehard fan).  Here are two of the new epilepsy buttons:

She has all my children's medical conditions covered: Epilepsy, Asthma and Allergies.  There are so many and they are inexpensive which is why I included the post.   I like the idea of the buttons if my six year old is on a school field trip or participating in an event away from me as it draws immediate attention to her condition.

There are many other non-medical products too and being a military wife, I'm excited to see some future military buttons coming out!

Thought I'd Never See the Day: It Snowed in Augusta!

We're ending our third year in Georgia and we finally got some "real" snow!  I grew up near Chicago so nothing beats lake effect snow but I was happy!

The Criteria for Organic Food

I received my All You magazine and read it last night.  I was interested in one particular article that discusses how to fit organic food into your budget and what allows a seller to state their food is organic. 

Per the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the seller must adhere to "strict" rules to call their food organic and what they are allowed to place on their food label:

• Food must be produced without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics or growth hormones.
• Food cannot be genetically modified, include animal parts or come into contact with sewage sludge (i.e. our wastes retrieved from wastewater treatments plants<-- yes, they do that as I used to be a state inspector for a state agency) or ionizing radiation.

I've long wondered the ramifications of growth hormones not only to speed up the growth factor of animals but also the milk hormones given to dairy cattle to get them to produce milk quicker and in higher quantities.  It seemed odd to me that after the 90's, there seems to be an abundance of teens that weigh 100 pounds and have a size D chest.  Coincidence?  Maybe but if you ever watch television shows from the 80's and early, there aren't many big chested girls.  Granted the late teen and older women are getting surgically enhanced but I doubt the early teen girls are.  I digressed ...

What do the labels mean?

• USDA Organic - single ingredient foods  (fruit and vegetables, milk, meat, eggs or cheese) certified under USDA rules and multi-ingredients products made with at least 95% organic ingredients.
• 100% Organic - all the ingredients in multi-ingredient foods with this label are organic.
• Organic - products bearing this label contain at least 95% organic ingredients.  The remaining ingredients are not available organically but have been approved by the USDA's National Organic Program.
• Made with Organic Ingredients - these products must contain at least 70% organic ingredients.

To see more specifics on label claim rules, the USDA has a page here.  If you are interested in purchasing organic food and don't know if you have a local farmer's market, you can check here.

Friday Follow: Join Us For Week 5

Friday Follow: A Celebration of Followers - Week #5

I love Friday Follow! Here is our 5th week of Friday Follow. Come join the party. We have had a great turnout so far and are finding some wonderful blogs to share.

Welcome to the Friday Follow celebration hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades! We invite you to join us every Friday to get more blog followers and to follow other interesting blogs. It is all about sharing and having fun.

Here's how YOU can join the celebration:

--Link up your blog name and URL using the MckLinky below. Only need to add on one blog to be seen on all the blog hops.

--Follow the Friday Follow hostesses listed in the first 3 slots.

--Follow as many blogs as you'd like.

--Take a moment to comment on the blogs telling them you're from Friday Follow.

--Follow back when you get a new follower through Friday Follow.

The Blog Hop is the same at each of our three hosts blogs so you do not have to add your blog at each site. Just one - but you can follow each blog. Follow a few or follow them all.

The list is new each week. The links do not carry over. Please link up each week for new participants to find your blogs. The list is only open to add your blog links on Fridays. It will be visible all week to visit the blogs listed.

Please be patient with following or getting followers. With the tremendous response there are a lot to visit. The Mcklinky will stay here all week so you can visit blogs at your own pace.





Thank you for joining us. Have fun!