Curlee Girlee: A Book about Confidence for Girls #Review (Holiday Gift Guide)

November 5, 2016 By Marijean

I was asked to review an adorable children’s book called “Curlee Girlee.” My 8 year old daughter was very excited for me to read this book to her.

Curlee Girlee’s hair isn’t like everyone else’s…

… and she’s on a mission to straighten that out, ASAP. Snuggle up with your favorite little girl and get lost in Curlee Girlee’s colorful adventures as she combs, tugs, rolls, and strawberry syrups her way through the day, trying to tame her wild mane! In the end, she’ll discover an exciting secret that just might change the way she sees her hair—and teach your little one a forever lesson on embracing her beautiful uniqueness.

Our Mission: Confidence grows from head to toe.

Curlee Girlee teaches all little girls to love the gifts that make them special, from curly hair like hers, to freckles, gap teeth and beyond. Too often and too early in their lives, girls are told that “beauty” has just one definition, and that anything else is unwanted. Curlee Girlee carries the message to even the youngest girls that “pretty” takes all forms, and ultimate beauty starts with self-love, confidence, and embracing uniqueness. Together with her, we can set a foundation for a new generation of stronger, bolder women, whose beauty radiates from the inside out.

The first thing I noticed about this book was all of the colorful illustrations. The colors are amazing, and the title of the book looks like it really is sparkling! Each page is filled with colorful pictures that holds my daughter’s interest. My daughter says the message this book relays is that you are unique and special no matter what type of hair you have, or how you look! Every girl in unique in their own ways! I love that she has this book to read and it teaches her that.

I love reading this book as much as my 8 year old daughter does. I can definitely relate to Curlee Girlee. When I was a child I had lots and lots of curls in my hair, and hated it! I sure wish I had this book when I was growing up.

About the Author: Atara Twersky

Atara Twersky is an attorney and mother of three of who divides her time between Manhattan and Long Island. She was inspired by her own real-life Curlee Girlee to write this book, the only curly-haired child in a family of straight-stranded people. Atara hopes Curlee Girlee’s story encourages all little girls to embrace their differences and realize that they are beautiful exactly as they are.

This book would make a great gift for the holidays!!

Check out the website here.

You can purchase this book at Amazon and Barnes & Noble

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Winning Moves Classic and Retro Games Will Make the Perfect Gift this Holiday Season! (Holiday Gift Guide) #Review

November 5, 2016 By Marijean

I love having game night once a week with my family. I am always looking for fun yet unique games that my children would enjoy. One of my favorite sites to find unique family fun games is Winning Moves. The have so many classic and retro games that bring me back to my childhood days, and even my own parents childhood! I reviewed 3 different games from Winning Moves, and would love to tell you about them.

RUBIK’S® JUNIOR BEAR

The easy-to-grip Bear is much simpler than the original Rubik’s Cube and will entertain kids with every twist and turn! Think of it as a “training” cube. $12.95.

This is the cutest “Rubik’s Cube” I have even seen! I remember as a child trying to figure out the original one and having a tough time (who am I kidding, I still have a tough time). This one is perfect for little ones to try to figure out. My 5 year old son can spend an hour playing with this over and over again. My 8 year old is enjoying it as well! This would make a perfect stocking stuffer for the holidays!

THIS GAME IS BONKERS!™

Inspired by the classic 1978 version, This Game Is Bonkers will delight a whole new generation of fans! Players “build” a new track with each game so it’s never the same game twice. Your goal is to be the first player to score 12 points. $15.95.

Lets just say this game is exactly like the title, BONKERS!! My parents were down visiting from up north and they actually remember this fame from 1978! They had a lot of fun playing it with my husband, myself and their grandkids. My kids were excited to play an “Old” game as they call it. We had an hour of fun playing this game that was sometimes driving us Bonkers, but in a good way of course!

CLUE® CLASSIC EDITION

The suspects you know, in the mansion you remember, with the weapons you love! Yes, this is Classic Clue! $21.95.

I haven’t played CLUE since I was very young. I have been wanting to purchase this game for game nights, but haven’t been able to find the classic version in stores. I am so happy that I was able to review the classic version! My family has so much fun with this game, and we all get so excited while playing it.

You can purchase these games, and plenty of more at winning-moves.com. Any of their games would make great holiday gifts!!

Connect with Winning-Moves: Website Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram

*I received the above games in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

Marijean

My name is MJ. I have two wonderful children and work part time as well as volunteer at my children's school.

Christian’s Hope by Ervin R. Stutzman

November 4, 2016 By Anne

Christian’s Hope is not your average Amish story. It is set in the 1700’s. This book is also based on true events. I usually do not read historical books, but was pleasantly surprised with this book. I look forward to reading the first two books in this series.

Captured as a child during the French and Indian War, Christian has spent much of his life among Native Americans, who cared for him and taught him their ways. Now that Christian is home, his father wants him to settle back into their predictable Amish life of farming, and Christian’s budding friendship with Orpha Rupp beckons him to stay as well.

Yet Christian feels restless, and he misses his adoptive Native American family—who raised him as their own son. When faced with a life-altering decision, will Christian choose the Amish identity that his father desires for him? Or will he depart from his family and faith community yet again?

Christian’s Hope tells the story of the younger brother of Joseph and son of Jacob, whom readers have come to love in the first two books in the Return to Northkill series. Based on actual events and written by a descendant of the Hochstetler family, Christian’s Hope brings the sweeping epic of the Return to Northkill series to a soul-stirring end.

Learn more and purchase a copy.

Ervin R. Stutzman is author of “Jacob’s Choice,” “Joseph’s Dilemma,” “Tobias of the Amish,” and “Emma, A Widow Among the Amish.” Born into an Amish home in Kalona, Iowa, Stutzman based the Return to Northkill series on the life of his ancestor, Jacob Hochstetler. He has been featured on TLC’s “Who Do You Think You Are?”

Anne

I'm a mother of 2 who likes to get involved in too much! Besides writing here I started a non-profit, I'm on the PTO board, very active in my community and volunteer in the school. I enjoy music, reading, cooking, traveling and spending time with my family. We just adopted our 3rd cat and love them all!

Getting Around On Vacation: The Pros and Cons of Different Transport Methods

November 3, 2016 By Anne

After a long journey getting to your destination, once you’ve arrived it’s time to explore! Getting around while you’re away depends on the place you’re visiting, your budget and your situation. Here are a few of the pros and cons of each.

Bus

Buses are an excellent way to get around, particularly in busy cities. Since most places will have designated bus lanes, it can actually be a lot quicker to travel in this way than any other method. Plus buses are cheap and accessible. On the downside, while they can be the quickest way to get around in busy cities for making other kinds of trips they can take a long time. The numerous stops and slow speeds mean you can be sat on them for a while. Some buses can also be old and not the most pleasant to sit on. Luckily there are more luxurious buses around these days. Companies like Shofur, for example, provide premium buses for an affordable price.

Car Hire

Car hire can give you the freedom to go wherever you want while you’re away. There’s no waiting for public transport, and you can go directly to the place that you want to visit with no messing around. If you’re travelling with babies or kids which need a lot of stuff, it’s easier to load this into the car than lugging it all on public transport. On the downside, some people might find it daunting to drive in a country which used the opposite side of the road which they were taught. Plus the driving experience is likely to be a lot different from the place you grew up which can throw people off. It can also be annoying having to mess around with documents and things to get the car, and it’s a headache if anything goes wrong with it in your possession. Plus in big cities or certain places, it’s so busy you’re not able to realistically get around by car.

Taxi

Taxis give you the freedom of essentially travelling by car, but with none of the hassle of car hire. Perfect if you don’t have a license or the inclination to drive abroad, or you’re staying in relatively close proximity to the places you want to visit. Unfortunately, taxis can be extremely expensive, especially for longer journeys. There’s the chance of a dishonest driver taking advantage when they know you don’t know the area. Plus you have to watch out for unlicensed cab drivers in some areas.

Royalty free image from Pexels.com

On Foot

Travelling on foot allows you to really experience the journey. The sights, sounds and smells will always be far more intense when you’re out in the world rather than sat in a vehicle. You can explore and are likely to discover and see everything in far more detail. However, on foot, you can only cover so much distance so this is the best option when you don’t need to get too far, or if you only need to cover a small area.

Bicycle

If you’re looking to explore a park or a set area, there will often be bike rentals available to take advantage of. This gives you the ability to cover a much larger area with less effort, but you still get to see and experience everything in detail like being on foot. The downside is that this won’t be available everywhere and so it’s only going to be possible for some places. Plus if you’re travelling with children or are carrying a lot of items with you then it’s not going to be the best option.

Anne

PINE BROS. Softish Throat Relief Drops Review

November 3, 2016 By Heather Little

Last weekend, I woke up with a terrible sore throat. Like a lot of busy moms, I rarely go to the doctor when I’m sick, but this time it was bad enough that I seriously considered going. Fortunately, I had just received some packages of Pine Bros. Softish Throat Relief drops to review, so I decided to give them a try!

HISTORY OF PINE BROS.

Pine Bros. was started in 1870 by Herman Pine. If you don’t know the name, it’s probably because Pine Bros. popularity peaked in the 1970s, after having been sold to the Life Savers Company in the 1930s.

After the 1970s, Pine Bros. was sold by Life Savers and acquired and resold to a number of other companies.Just recently Pine Bros. was acquired by the owners of Airborne. Much time was taken to find the original packaging and use the original recipe. This product is also now made entirely in the United States.

Pine Bros. drops are different than other sore throat drops – they are a “softish” consistency, somewhat like a gummy bear. I will admit that the texture did take some getting used to, and although it’s tempting to chew the drops, the directions suggest you just let them dissolve in your mouth. The unique natural formula of plant glycerin and gum acacia coats and soothes your throat without numbing it. After 2 drops I did get relief from my sore throat, and fortunately, my sore throat resolved on its own within a day or so. The drops definitely helped relieve the discomfort.

Pine Bros. Throat Relief Drops come in a variety of flavors including Licorice, Lemon Lime, Wild Cherry, and Natural Honey. They are recommended for adults and children 3 and over. Pine Bros. drops are made in America and have been since 1870.

As the weather turns cooler, hopefully you and your family will stay well, but if you’re like me and get hit with the sore throat bug, I recommend giving Pine Bros Throat Relief drops a try.

Sugar Free Cherry can be found at Harris Teeter, Harmon and ShopRite and Vitamin C Orange can be found at Kinny Drug. But both can be found on our website at www.pinebros.com

Check out all the Pine Bros. products and find money saving coupons at http://pinebrothers.com/.

*I received product in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts are my own.

Heather Little

My name is Heather Little and my husband and I have two sweet girls and one crazy dog. We moved to Florida 6 years ago and have loved every minute of it! I enjoy crafting, good food, shopping, and of course travel!