The Hearts We Mend by Kathryn Springer

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I love to read. Spring is here and summer is right around the corner. I love to read by the pool. The Hearts We Mend by Kathryn Springer is a perfect book to start my spring off right! It is a very easy read. I love the characters – Evie and Jack and wish there was another book with them in it to read next. The story comes to life as Evie and Jack become friends and we watch them slowly become more than friends.

Planning and Post-It notes are the epitome of Evie’s life. But when she meets Jack, her life gets more than a little complicated.

Thirteen years ago, Evie’s firefighter husband was killed in the line of duty, leaving her to raise their young son, Cody, alone. Now, Cody is marrying the love of his life, and as he packs up his belongings, the house feels as empty as Evie’s heart. But for all her planning and mad organizational skills, Evie could never have anticipated the dramatic shift her life is about to make.

Tattooed, rough-around-the-edges Jack raises quite a few eyebrows in the tight-knit community of Banister Falls. Where Evie’s life is stream-lined, Jack’s approach to living is moment-by-moment. But as Evie gets drawn into Jack’s world—a world that isn’t as safe or predictable as the one she’s worked so hard to create—he challenges her to open her eyes to the problems outside the walls of the church.

Jack doesn’t make Evie feel comfortable, but he definitely makes her feel something. Something she hasn’t felt since Max passed away—or, maybe ever. Because even though Jack isn’t anything like her late husband, he just might be everything she needs.

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Kathryn Springer is a USA Today bestselling author. She grew up in northern Wisconsin, where her parents published a weekly newspaper. As a child she spent many hours sitting at her mother’s typewriter, plunking out stories, and credits her parents for instilling in her a love of books — which eventually turned into a desire to tell stories of her own. Kathryn has written nineteen books with close to two million copies sold. She lives with her husband and three children in Marinette, Wisconsin.
Read more reviews on The Hearts We Mend  – http://litfusegroup.com/author/KSpringer
Anne

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!

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Hidden Garden Cookies Made With Hidden Vegetables Review and Giveaway @HdnGardenFoods #Review

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Getting my children to eat vegetables can sometimes be tough. They either don’t like the taste or the texture of the vegetable. I have always wished there was an easier way for my children to get there veggies in every day.  I was asked to review cookies made by Hidden Garden that are made with vegetables, but have no veggie taste. I knew my kids would love them!

 

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Hidden Garden cookies are gluten free and are made with hidden vegetables. These delicious little treats may be the tastiest vegetables you’ll eat all day. These cookies are all natural and made with no preservatives, artificial flavors or colors, just high quality ingredients that you can feel good about eating.
  • No Artificial Flavours, Colours or Preservatives

    Our hidden vegetable cookies are all natural and contain no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives.  Most of the ingredients that we use are probably in your own kitchen cupboard.  Call us crazy, but we believe that a cookie doesn’t need to be stuffed full of chemicals in order to taste good!

 

  • Gluten Free

    All of our hidden vegetable cookies are gluten free and produced in a certified gluten free bakery.  If you are trying to avoid gluten in your diet, you can feel secure knowing that our cookies are not subject to the same risk of cross contamination that may exist in non-certified production facilities.  Our hidden vegetable cookies have been certified gluten free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization, which inspects our production facility and regularly tests our cookies to ensure compliance.  We are permitted to use the certified gluten free logo on our packaging, which stands for the independent verification of quality, integrity, and purity of products. To find out more about the Gluten-Free Certification Organization, visit their website at www.gluten.net.

 

  • Nut Free

    None of our hidden vegetable cookies contain any type of nuts, and no nuts are present in our production facility (not even in our staff lunches!).  You can feel safe eating our cookies if you have nut allergies or if you want to send the cookies in your child’s lunch to a nut-free school.

They have 4 varieties of cookies. I was able to try them all. The flavors are:
RED VELVET: Each 40 gram serving of our Red Velvet Cookies hide 1/4 cup of beets. Wondering how? Our beets are dried first, then ground up into a flour-like powder so that we can stuff a lot of them into our little Red Velvet Cookies. Crunchy and full of cocoa, these cookies are a perfect little snack or lunch time treat.
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GINGER SNAPS: Our Ginger Snaps are rich with the flavour of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, just like Grandma used to make, but with one secret ingredient: butternut squash. Each 40 grams of the cookies (about 4) has 1/4 cup of squash in them, which is truly the most we could pack in there. Make Grandma proud by eating your veggies!
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CHOCOLATE CHIP: Who doesn’t love a Chocolate Chip cookie? Our Chocolate Chip cookies are little treats that taste just like you would hope, except they have the added hidden benefit of a 1/4 cup of pumpkin in each 40 gram serving of the cookies. Light and crispy, with some sneaky added vegetables…how can you resist?
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COCOA CHERRY: Everyone always says that you have to eat your spinach to grow up big and strong. But there’s one problem, a lot of people don’t exactly “love” spinach. Well, now there’s a better way to get that iron in you – by eating cookies! Our brand new Cocoa Cherry Cookies are jam-packed with 1/2 cup of spinach in each 40 gram serving of cookies. Cocoa, cherries, AND some sneaky spinach? Yes please!
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A VARIETY PACK IS ALSO AVAILABLE.
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The Ginger Snap cookies are my favorite. They smell amazing.  My daughter LOVES the Chocolate Chip. We both love having them with a glass of milk (or for myself sometimes coffee).  All of the cookie varieties have vitamins and have no artificial colors or flavors. These cookies are a little bigger than bite sized and perfect to have on hand for a craving.  They all taste great and my children and I didn’t taste any vegetables. They smell and taste just like the flavor listed. I am thrilled to give these to my children so I know they are getting more vegetables in their diet.
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Click here and scroll to the bottom to locate a store to purchase these yummy cookies. These cookies are sold at Sprouts, Shaw’s and The Fresh Market.
 
Connect with Hidden Garden Foods: Website Facebook Twitter Instagram

***GIVEAWAY***

Would you like to try these cookies? One lucky reader will get to try 2 bags of each flavor (8 total bags)!! Giveaway ends 3/30. Giveaway is open to residents of Canada and United States.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

 

***I was given a product in exchange for my honest opinion. This review is based on my experience with the product. I am not affiliated with the company and everything in this review is my opinion.

Marijean

Marijean

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

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Meet Remocam, The Smart Home Security Camera #review @Remocam

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I was so excited to try out Remocam. It is a very impressive Wi-Fi camera that has so many cool features. This is the ultimate home security camera.

 

 

Meet Remocam

The little Smart Home security camera that protects your entire family

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Remocam Features

Protect your house with the best-in-class technology

Live Feed: Monitor your home or office via your smartphone

Pan & Tilt: Remotely Control the camera’s viewing angle

Motion Sensor: Receive a push notification and view recorded videos

HD Resolution: Watch clear HD video with state of the art technology

Smart Home Capability: Connect your home devices such as TV, Media player and lights

256- Bit AES Encryption: Protect your personal data

Night Vision: Enjoy excellent night vision with 8 infrared LED sensors

2-way Communication: Listen and speak on demand, Interact with family and pets

Siren Alarm: Turn on a siren to alert those who are home or to scare off an intruder

One Minute Setup: Spend less time setting up and more time with family

Local Recording: Save your videos on a microSD card instead of the cloud

Cloud Recording: Save your motion sensor videos to the cloud and watch anytime

 

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The box Remocam comes in

 

 

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So simple, just the Remocam and adaptor

 

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Remocam plugged in and ready to monitor my home

 

 

 

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Picture of the Remocam app for your smart phone

 

When you take Remocam out of the box, installation will only take a minute (which is fabulous because some home camera systems can take a while to set up). Install the app on your smart phone Android or iOS device (app is called Remocam) and set up your free account. Plug in Remocam and wait until you are greeted by Remocam’s robotic voice. Once you set up your account on the app, you will have to connect Remocam. You will place your smart phone near Remocam when you are prompted until you hear Remocam tell you it has been connected. You can now use Remocam for many options in the home. One cool option you can use it as is a baby/child monitor. This camera has a motion detection feature, so it will alert your smart phone once motion has been detected. You can also listen and speak through the app. Remocam also came with an extra long cord. They gave you plenty of cord to put Remocam wherever you would like.

We had Remocam set up during the day and at night, I wanted to see if the night vision would be clear. The picture was great and not fuzzy at all.

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Night vision

 

I love how you can record of this camera. For example, your child is doing a dance for you, or singing for you. You can record the feed and watch it later on. No worrying about grabbing your phone to record. Great feature!!

This camera also has the ability to pan 335 degrees and tilt 95 degrees. Not many cameras on the market today can do this, and it is a super cool feature. When we went away overnight I was able to look around the room to see what my cat was doing.

This camera also features an alarm system. You can use this via motion sensor or you can trigger the alarm yourself using the Remocam app.

 

There are so many home security cameras on the market these days, you don’t know which one is the right one to pick.  Remocam offers so many cool features, it really is the perfect home camera system. I love having Remocam in my home!

 

Purchase your own Remocam here

Connect with Remocam: Website Facebook Twitter

 

 

***I was given a product in exchange for my honest opinion. This review is based on my experience with the product. I am not affiliated with the company and everything in this review is my opinion.

Marijean

Marijean

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

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2016 Disney World Vacation Package Offer From Pixie Vacations and Pixie Scents Review @PixieVacations #PixieVacations

 

Considering a Disney Vacation with your family? Don’t want to go through all of the stress trying to figure everything out yourself? No worries, Pixie Vacations can handle every little detail for you. Please check out the awesome offer they have below!

 

 

2016 Disney World Vacation Package Offer – 2016 Walt Disney World Vacation Package Offer

Enjoy a 5-day/4-night Walt Disney World vacation package for a family of 4 for as low as $1,714.*

Spending quality family time together at Walt Disney World Resort is magical. Plan your next memory-making vacation with this great offer. Please contact your Pixie at Pixie Vacations today to start saving on your 2016 Walt Disney World Vacation!

Experience the excitement with a package that includes 5-day theme park tickets and a 4-night stay in standard rooms at Disney’s All-Star Music Resort for as low as $1,714 for a family of 4. Book this offer through February 28, 2016 for stays most Sunday through Thursday nights Feb. 22 through Mar. 3, 2016 and April 3 through May 26, 2016.

Other great rates are also available for alternate lengths of stay and party sizes for stays most nights Feb. 22 through Jun. 11, 2016.

Disney World 2016 Vacation Package Early Spring Vacation:

Booking Window: Dec. 28, 2015 – Feb. 28, 2016
Travel Window: Feb. 22 – Jun. 11, 2016

Disney World 2016 Vacation Package Late Spring Vacation:

Booking Window: Feb. 29 – Mar. 31, 2016
Travel Window: Apr. 14 – Jun. 11, 2016

How to Book this Offer:
Contact a Pixie at www.PixieVacations.com
Phone: 678-815-1584
Email: Info@PixieVacations.com

*Sample package price based on 2 adults, 1 junior (ages 10-17), and 1 child (ages 3-9) for a 4-Night/5-Day room and Magic Your Way Base Ticket. The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. Tickets are valid for one theme park per day and must be used within 14 days of first use. Additional per-adult charges may apply if more than two adults per room at Disney Value, Moderate and Deluxe Resorts. Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion. Advanced reservations required. Offer excludes 3-bedroom villas, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort – The Little Mermaid Standard View Rooms.
http://usfamilyguide.com/coupons.php?bid=10993&dealid=1078 .@usfg

 

 

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Amber Griswold (10) loves going to Walt Disney World and Disneyland. She’s also very crafty and after a recent vacation at Walt Disney World she decided to try and recreate her favorite scents from her trip in candles and wax tarts.

She started with Disney snacks. Main Street Popcorn, Pineapple Whips, and even Turkey Legs. Each scent brings you back to those vacation memories. Amber also has created the unique scents from the resort. Beach Club Resort is her favorite.

Each Disney inspired scent is available on her Etsy store.  She only makes one scent at a time and when it sells out it’s gone. You can make suggestions for the next scent you want her to make on her Pixie Scents Facebook page and when that limited batch is ready she puts them up on her Pixie Scents Esty shop.

You can also get a Pixie Scent wax tart (she calls them cakes), for Free.

Now – October 1, 2016 Pixie Vacations is offering one of her Disney inspired snack scents as part of your Walt Disney World Vacation package. So if you are planning a Walt Disney World Vacation for 2016, go over to Pixie Vacations and to get a quick no obligation Disney World vacation quote and the details for your Free Pixie Scent wax tart click here.

 

 

Pixie Vacations sent me a Main Street Popcorn scented wax tart to try out in my warmer. I loved the smell immediately, and it really does bring back great vacation memories at Magic Kingdom. My readers can get one for free when you book a Disney Vacation package by clicking here.

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My Pixie Scent, Main Street Popcorn, in my warmer.

 

 

 

 

Additional Information:
Owners: Steve and Lisa Griswold (678-815-1584 Office)
Concierge Level of Service

We want to plan and book the best Disney Vacation you have ever had. We are not a call center; we are past Disney Cast Members and Disney Vacation Planners that know the ins and outs of Disney. We are your agent and we work for you. Our goal is to plan the best Disney vacation, especially for you, at the lowest possible price. You will get your own Pixie Vacations agent, and we work one-on-one with you to plan your trip. Our concierge level of service is free. We can help you plan special extra activities and also know about fun free things to do at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and on Disney Cruise Lines. This is a great luxury to have. Again, we are not a call center that is pressured to get you on and off the phone as quickly as possible.
Lowest Possible Price

We offer the same prices as booking with Disney. However we do have a key advantage when it comes to getting you the best possible price. When you book with Pixie Vacations we will monitor your reservation. If a Disney promotion comes out that is a better fit for you, we will move your existing reservation to the better package price. If you book directly with Disney, they will not contact you to tell you there is now a better deal. We have two kids ourselves and know how important it is to get the best vacation for your dollar. Also when you call or book online with Disney directly you will not get any discount at all unless you know to ask for a specific rate. We know what specials to ask for to save you money.

Also check our exclusive Pixie Offers. These are Disney Vacation offers we have created just for you, our Pixie Guests’. These exclusive Disney World vacation packages combine tremendous savings on your Disney World Resort Room, Discounted Disney Park Tickets and Disney’s Dining Plan with some amazing special extras.
A History of Disney Knowledge equals Disney savings

We are a US based Mom and Pop company run by a family that worked at Walt Disney World for many years in Parks and Resorts. We have been to the parks and resorts more times than we can count, during all seasons, day and night. We have been to the parks and resorts when we were kids, as college students, and as a family now with our kids. We have eaten at the Disney resort and park restaurants, we have been behind the scenes and we have possibly checked you in or given you park information from the Magic Kingdom information booth during one of your past trips. We have used Magical Express and the bus system and have been on Disney Cruise Line. We have planned conventions as a convention coordinator at the Grand Floridian when we were cast members and now as Authorized Disney Vacation Planners. We have even sewn names on Mickey Mouse hats (and even got an extra $0.10 an hour back in the day!).

 

 

Pixie Links:

Website  Guest Reviews Pixie Scent Details Easy Shop Facebook Twitter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marijean

Marijean

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

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Nickelodeon’s Let’s Learn: S.T.E.M. Vol 2 Available on DVD May 3rd. @nickjr #nickelodeon

THE POWER OF MATH IS BACK TO SAVE THE DAY IN THIS 
NEW NUMBER-FILLED COLLECTION
 
LET’S LEARN: S.T.E.M. Vol 2 
 
Available on DVD May 3rd.
There’s no shortage of science and math fun in Let’s Learn: S.T.E.M. Vol 2, Nickelodeon’s second DVD dedicated to the world of numbers. A hot topic for educators everywhere, S.T.E.M. education (science, technology, engineering and math) has proven to be the perfect tool in jump-starting children’s interest in problem solving and technology. Nick’s Let’s Learn: S.T.E.M. Vol 2 contains more than 140 minutes of S.T.E.M. – themed adventures with Blaze and the Monster Machines, the first preschool show on TV to comprehensively cover all areas of S.T.E.M. in every episode, as well as fan-favorites Dora and Friends: Into the City!PAW Patrol and Team Umizoomi. In addition to expanding imaginations and developing inquisitive minds, the Let’s Learn: S.T.E.M. Vol 2 DVD also comes with a S.T.E.M.-themed worksheet to reinforce some of the lessons learned throughout the collection. Produced by Nickelodeon Home Entertainment and distributed by Paramount Home Media Distribution, Let’s Learn: S.T.E.M. Vol 2will be available on DVD May 3, for the suggested retail price of $14.99.
Let’s Learn: S.T.E.M. Vol 2 includes the following episodes:
  • Blaze and the Monster Machines: Cake-tastrophe
  • Blaze and the Monster Machines: Runaway Rocket
  • PAW Patrol: Pups Save Walinda/ Pups Save a Big Bone
  • Dora and Friends: Into the City!: Kite Day
  • Team Umizoomi: Job Well Done
  • Team Umizoomi: Race to the Top of Shape Mountain
 
Let’s Learn: S.T.E.M. Vol 2 Fast Facts
Street Date: May 3, 2016
Catalog: 59177540000 (US)
Running Time: 144 Minutes
Audio: English, Spanish and French audio tracks
S.R.P.: $14.99
About Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon, now in its 36th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in almost 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).
About Paramount Home Media Distribution
Paramount Home Media Distribution (PHMD) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment.  PPC is a unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands.  The PHMD division oversees PPC’s home entertainment, digital and television distribution activities worldwide. The division is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment content on behalf of Paramount Pictures, Paramount Animation, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Insurge Pictures, MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and CBS and applicable licensing and servicing of certain DreamWorks Animation titles.  PHMD additionally manages global licensing of studio content and distribution across worldwide digital and television distribution platforms including online, mobile and portable devices and emerging technologies.
Marijean

Marijean

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

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