Product Review: Peter Rabbit Organics

I've told you several times that my 3 year old is a picky eater. What I haven't told you (and you probably can guess, if you have a kid) is that he is an incredibly messy eater. I used to laugh at my mom for making us wash the table after every meal. Now I understand. We have to wash the table, the chair and the floor. Not to mention the kid...

I was intrigued by the concept of a non-messy fruit snack for kids. I was a bit skeptical. I just knew my kid would be the one to make a mess.

Peter Rabbit Organics fruit pouches are 100% fruit in BPA free pouches with no added sugars or preservatives. They come in three flavors: Strawberry/Banana, Mango/Banana/Orange and Apple/Grape.

The pouches are easy to open, easy for the kiddo to hold and were easy to carry with me for eating in the car (which was also not messy, for once!). He did try once to squeeze it before it was in his mouth, but I explained that wasn't how we eat them and he did it correctly after that.

My son really liked the Apple/Grape. He ate the whole pouch (with one little taste for mom)! The Mango/Banana/Orange was a little thick and he wasn't as crazy about it. He only ate most of it! I personally wish it had more orange flavor, but that was my taste preference (and I'm not the target audience).The Strawberry/Banana was a hit as well. I thought the color was strange, but the flavor was spot on. I'm wondering if these could be used with some yogurt to make a smoothie...

You can find a store near you by using their store finder HERE or you can purchase from Amazon HERE.

















I was provided with pouches of product to test. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review. Thank you to the company for allowing me to try their product!

Product Review: Pukies

Don't you just love clever names! I discovered Pukies while reading a magazine and immediately had the "why-didn't-I-think-of-that" moment. These are brilliant. Okay, so what are Pukies?

Pukies are bibs, burp cloths and clothes for children. What's so special about that you ask? Well, how many times have you been feeding your baby those carrots which are so delicious and nutritious and oops...some got on their shirt. Or you wipe them off their cute little faces with the burp cloth. Then you wash the items and you see that nice orange stain...

Well, no more with Pukies! They are not only the colors of most baby foods (to hide stains), they are made with soy fiber, which makes it difficult for stains to set. The organic cotton is free of toxic chemicals, making it safer to use on your children.

We tried one during the initial feeding stages with the baby and I have been really impressed. Not only are the burp cloths made out of really cute fabric, they're really soft and I wasn't scared to let the baby chew on it!

I love that the company has a great sense of humor too! The colors of the clothes are named after the foods they'll hide: ketchup, mac and cheese, cocoa, carrot, grape.

 

 

Another cool thing they have is Buggies, which is insect repelling clothing! My sons will have the full line of these since we're about to have our own backyard!

Check them out HERE.

I was provided with one burp cloth to test from the company. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review. Thank you to the company for letting me test their fabulous product!

Book Review: I Love You, Now Hush

I Love You, Now Hush
By: Melinda Rainey Thompson and Morgan Murphy
Publisher: John F. Blair, 2010
256 pages, English


About the Authors:
Melinda Rainey Thompson has a B.A. from Tulane University and an M.A. from the University of Alabama-Birmingham. She lives in Birmingham, Alabama.

Morgan Murphy, who has an M.B.A. from the University of Oxford, has written for Southern Living, Forbes, Vanity Fair, and Harper's Bazaar. He recently launched the world's first online social network for classic car enthusiasts, Motorpool.com. He lives in Mountain Brook, AL.

Book Description:
The grass is ablaze, the lawnmower blade dangles from a tree, and your frustrated husband is hiding in the garage. You (a) tell him you re going shopping, (b) ask him if everything's okay, or (c) sneak back into the house and pretend you didn't see him reading the instructions.

Your wife says she's fine after an argument. You (a) assume she s fine, (b) go back to watching the game, or (c) duck and cover.

If you don't know the answers to these questions, then this book is for you. Two of the South's funniest voices have come together to write this hilarious, heartfelt collection of essays about the nature of men and women. From keeping house to romance, from yard work to money, their fresh take on these common arguments will make you laugh out loud and maybe even instill a bit of insight when it comes to the opposite sex. Also covered are quite a few not-so-common squabbles, such as proper singing etiquette and hoarding mayonnaise jars.

My Review:
Just the title of this book cracks me up! This was a really fun read. I went from agreeing with the authors to laughing at them to being ticked off at them. It made me think again about why I do some things (keep anything that can be used to store something else) and explained why my husband does some things (never reads instructions). Particularly funny were the chapters on swearing and Morgan's chapter on eating. I think anyone who wants to has interactions with the opposite gender (especially in the south) needs to read this book! It's great.

You can purchase this book from Amazon HERE.

We Have a Winner!

Random.org as picked comment #9 as the winner of Boogie Wipes.

Megan said... I'm a FB fan (Megan Ackerson Earley)

Megan has been contacted and will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.

Jodi Thomas, Welcome to Harmony Blog Tour

Welcome to Harmony
By: Jodi Thomas
Publisher: Berkley, 2010
384 pages, English

About Jodi
Jodi Thomas is the NY Times and USA Today best-selling author of 30 novels and 8 short story collections. As of July 2006, she was the 11th woman to be inducted in to RWA Hall of Fame. She is also currently serving as the Writer in Resi-dence at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.

Starred review from Publishers Weekly
Thomas ... sets her latest trilogy in a town founded by three families who are also bitter rivals: McAllen, Matheson, and Truman. Nothing much happens in Harmony, Tex., except on Saturday nights, when the town sheriff is brawling at the local bar. Unhappy teen Reagan worked in a nursing home and loved listening to old Beverly Truman’s stories about Harmony. After Beverly’s death, Reagan steals her last name and runs away to Beverly’s hometown. Jeremiah Truman, Beverly’s brother, quickly figures out that Reagan isn’t actually a long-lost relative but lets her stay with him anyway. Meanwhile, sheriff Alexandra McAllen tangles with fire chief Hank Matheson, who keeps rescuing her from her Saturday night sprees. The characters are delightful, and a subplot about mysterious fires balances the sweet stories about being and becoming family.

Please find the link to the video trailer for Welcome to Harmony on YouTube or on Jodi’s website.

TwoLips Reviews
Being shuffled from foster home to foster home, Reagan has always wanted to belong. Befriending old Miss Beverly at the Shady Rest Home, Reagan decides after she talks so fondly of Harmony, Texas, she wants to be part of that heritage. When Miss Beverly dies, Reagan slips away, entering the tiny town pretending to be her granddaughter. Will the town accept her ruse, embracing her within its arms?

Be just as pleasantly surprised as Reagan when you enter Jodi Thomas’s Harmony, Texas in Welcome to Harmony. Who hasn’t felt like Reagan once or twice in their life, wishing with all your heart and soul to truly matter to someone? Knowing she can bluff everyone in Harmony excerpt for Jeremiah, Reagan is determined to prove her worth to the blustery man she wants to call her uncle. Proving nothing worth having is easy, it takes a long time with hard labor in his orchard to worm her way into his affections.

Although Jeremiah knows Reagan isn’t his kin, he can’t help but admire her plunk. Not wanting her to slave her life away working on the farm, he demands she attend high school to keep up with her learning. While there, Reagan catches the eye of Noah McAllen a cocky bull rider. Noah finds Reagan’s aloofness refreshing and befriends the young girl to her utter dismay. I loved their interaction together since both represent one third of the original families which comprise Harmony. Somehow these two manage to not let old tensions get in the way, finding a way to form a great bond.

Lest you think Jodi Thomas’ Welcome to Harmony is just Reagan and Noah’s story, think again. I’m so glad this is only the first book in Ms. Thomas’ Harmony series because I desperately want to know more about the town sheriff, Alexandra McAllen who perpetually flagellates herself over her older brother’s death. Clinging to her shame, thinking she was directly responsible, she drinks herself into oblivion every Saturday night, making Hank Matheson rescue her. Hank is another intriguing character because he’s the only male in his clan, bound by a sense of duty not only to Alex but his unconventional family. Tyler Wright is the last of his family’s line and owns the only funeral home in the area. He is an unassuming man by day until he interacts with a mystery woman via email at night. All these characters make me long for Jodi Thomas’ second book because I’m afraid I’m just like Reagan, never wanting to leave Harmony, Texas, and its colorful characters.

My Review
I have found this novel to be so sweet and refreshing. I fully admit that I have not finished it, due to packing and moving this week, but I have loved every bit that I have read so far. This is my first Jodi Thomas book, but it has made me want to read more from her. She weaves a story as well as any I’ve read. The characters are complex, yet seem real. I’m from a small Texas town and have lived all my life in small Texas towns. I can relate to lots of things the characters experience and can understand why Reagan would want to go to the one place she thinks can be a home. There are a few things I’m “hoping” will happen with the characters as the story evolves. I can’t wait to see if I’m right!

Available on June 1 from Amazon HERE.















I received an advance copy of the novel, courtesy of Jodi Thomas. No additional compensation has been provided and I was not required to write a positive review. Thank you to Ms. Thomas for allowing my to enter a world that I'm really enjoying!

Cardboard and Paint

I'll be gone this week (with the exception of the giveaway ending) since we're officially moving Saturday. I'll be back as soon as I can! While I'm gone, check out Deal Seeking Mom for your daily savings and freebie fix!

Weekend Coupon Preview!

Here's the LINK for the weekend coupon preview. I'm always happy to see toilet paper and paper towel coupons! So far they only have the Redplum list up, but there will be a SmartSource as well!

Huggies Deal next week

Next week, Walgreens will have Huggies Jumbo Packs on sale for 2/$18 with $3 RR when you purchase. use two $3 off Huggies coupons from Coupons.com (link is the banner at the top of the page) and you get each pack for $4.50! Best I've seen in a while!

We Have Winners!

Hair Coverings: 

16. Latoshia said...

    I liked Faithful Finances on fb! hpb157@XXXXX (confirmed)


What to Wear the Rest of Your Life:

13. Covering a lump on my lower leg, without looking like a granny when I were a dress.
Linda linda[at]XXXXXX (confirmed)

7. Money Saving Maine-iac said...

    I follow you via google friend connect!

    moneysavingmaineac at XXXXXX (confirmed)

5. Ashley said...

    Fan on FB under Ashley Reynolds!

    reynoldsmommy at XXXXX

Winners have been emailed and will have 24 hours to confirm.

Cover Girl Blast Collection

I've never been good with applying my make up. That's really sad to say at 32 years old. I hope that I'm using the right colors and applying it where it's supposed to be. Good chance that I'm not though. I love dark shadows and bright fun eyeliners. I've never been able to perfect the "smoky eye" though. I've tried making a "v" with the sides in the crease and along the lash line. I've tried blending colors and it just looks like I have stripes. So anyway...I've heard about the Cover Girl Smoky Shadow Blast eye colors and was thrilled to get to test one! I picked the purple plume color because I've heard that brown eyes "pop" with purple shadow.

Step one is the rounded end and this is applied to the entire lid, from lash to brow. I found that when I was applying this (it's creamy) that if I rolled the tip up too much, the shadow kinda smooshes. I just smooshed it back down and it's doing much better.

Step two is the pointed end and this angled tip really makes it easy to apply along the lash and in the crease. I also applied it below my lids. The darker color is creamy as well and has a little shimmer to it.

Add two coats of mascara and some liner and wa-lah I have a smoky eye. I have the other colors on my wish list. I really want to have all of them and mix and match! The color combos have been created by expert make up artists to pair together perfectly. I just want to play! The one down-side I discovered was that it creased up on me on a particularly humid day.

The other new "blast" product is the Shine Blast Lip Gloss. This is super shimmery and super creamy. It tastes a little like watermelon to me. But my husband says strawberry, so I'm not sure if each one is different or not. It has a new tapered applicator that makes it really easy to apply, even without a mirror!

It comes in 16 shades, all of which are really pretty. I tried the "smolder" and it's finally a color that I'm happy with on my lips. That's always been a problem for me. I just can't tell if a color is right or not. I'm sure about this one though. It's perfect!

So, the results? Well, everyone I know says it looks great. I don't take pictures so you're going to have to trust me on this one. 

I was provided with sample products from Cover Girl, through BzzAgent to review. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review.

Book Review: God's Promises for Boys

God's Promises for Boys
By Jack Countryman and Amy Parker
Published by Thomas Nelson, 2010
128 pgs, English


Description:

An easy way to help young boys see God's promises and how they can rely on His love in their daily lives.
The promise verses in this book are selected from the bestselling International Children's Bible^® to offer comfort and encouragement when a boy is feeling afraid, lonely, worried, angry, dissatisfied, discouraged, sad, rebellious, impatient, or sick . . . and when they need reassurance of God's protection, love, forgiveness, help . . . and that He listens when they pray. It's a great way for children to hide God's Word in their hearts.
Sample text:  Sometimes it's hard to tell the truth when you feel like you have something to hide. But remember-when it's hard to be honest: God promises to reward Truth-not Lies!
"You must do these things to enjoy life and have many happy days. You must not say evil things. You must not tell lies." Psalms 34:12-13

Review:
This book came at just the right time! Our 3 year old is learning to lie and is getting really defiant. We've tried teaching him Scripture to combat this behavior, but it's just not working. I like that this book is arranged into sections which are well organized and thought out. The lessons are short and just the right amount for a short attention span. We've been reading one a night for the past several days and he seems to be understanding what we're reading. I think it's going to take a lot longer to combat our issues, but we're starting. The book is so cute too! The illustrations are really cute and I think the rhymes for the lessons will be easy to remember.


I was provided with a copy of this book from Book Sneeze. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review. Go HERE to join the program!

Mailbox Round Up

Here's what came in the mail last week:

Magazines: (two pics because I didn't realize some were on the shelf under my usual place to put things)

Bridal Guide

Wood

Lego Club

Food Network

Glamour

Parents (this isn't free...just realized it got put in the box on accident)

Sonlight Homeschool Curriculum Catalog

US News and World Report

Boating
Forbes

Critical Thinking Homeschool catalog

Florida Travel

2 copies of Remedy

2 copies of Ladies Home Journal

eWeek

Bloomberg Business Week

Books:

Eat the Cookie, Buy the Shoes (giveaway win from Books with Coffee)

Great and Terrible Quest (free gift for requesting Sonlight catalog)

Iron Man 2 (giveaway win from Chrissy's World of Books)

Just Let Me Lie Down (giveaway win from Goodie Goodie Gumdrops)

Cassandra Prophesy (for blog tour next month)

God's Promises for Little Boys (to review for Book Sneeze)

Other Stuff:

Bummas cloths (giveaway win from Wee Share)

Kellogg's Fiber Bar (to review for Viewpoints...yum!)

Peter Rabbit Organics pouches (to review)

Grilling Guide

Address labels from Pear Tree (excited I got mine!)

Eucerin samples (with coupon)

$3 Pinecone check

Bealls coupons

Suave sample

Address labels from St. Jude's

Uncle Ben's coupons

Pampers coupon

Whataburger coupons (dangerous ground...)

Similac check

Gerber coupons (given by a friend!)

Jimmy Dean and Cover Girl coupons (from a swap with Moms By Heart)

Shout Sample

CVS coupon for Huggies Denim print diapers

Gummy Vites Review

My son is a picky eater. I've told you that before. We were giving him a pediatric nutrition drink every morning, but that started to get pricey and they had a lot of sugar in them. We realized that was part of our behavior problems with him. So we stopped giving them to him, but then we wanted to make sure he was getting his nutrition. I started giving him the old style chewable (chalky, powdery) vitamins and he was fine with taking them at first. Then he started to revolt and refuse.

In one of my many parenting magazines, I saw an ad for Gummy Vites. I remembered how much I liked the adult version of these so I wanted to try them for the kiddo. I contacted the company and they agreed to let me review their product. He's been taking them for three weeks now and he actually asks for them. I tasted them myself and I really liked them too. They taste just like the old school gummy bears of my youth.

I like that he's willing to take them daily (dosage is two per day) and I'm really happy that they are made with natural flavors and colors. There isn't anything artificial in them! These are going to be his vitamins for as long as it takes to get him eating more than cookies, crackers, cheese, chicken and chips!

I received two bottles of the product for review purposes. I was not required to write a positive review. Thank you to Northwest Natural Products for allowing me to review their product.

Donner the Western Dragon, Book Review

Donner the Western Dragon, A Hero's Tale
By Suzanne Davis Marion, Illustrated by Marj Hales
Self Published by author, 2009
33 pages, English

Description: 
Donner the Western Dragon lived in a cold northern forest with his parents, brother and sister, and several other dragon families. Western dragons were noted for their warlike and fierce demeanor. The young dragons spent much of their spare time in rough-and-tumble games, snorting fire at one another, wrestling and fighting. While all the other young dragons were tumbling about and breathing fire all over the grass, flowers and trees, Donner much preferred romping and playing with his best friend, Una. Everyone found it strange that Una should be Donner’s best friend, as Una was a unicorn, an animal noted for its gentle disposition. Donner’s father and the other dragons mocked Donner for his quiet demeanor. They accused him of behaving like a peaceful Eastern dragon. He was an embarrassment to them. In an unexpected twist of fate, Donner’s unique personality and talents enabled him to intervene in a frightening situation, and become a hero, appreciated and commended by all.

Review:
I was excited about reviewing this book because my son loves to read and we really need new books. We read and re-read books for weeks and I get a tired of them way before he does! I read the book before I read it to him just to be sure it wasn't too scary for him and I really enjoyed the story and message. It took a few reading sessions to get through the whole book with my son because it's more words than a 3 year old is used to in a book. He has asked for it a few times since we finished it the first time. He likes it a lot. He cheers for Donner each time at the end. This should be on our bookshelf for a long time to come!


You can purchase a copy of Donner HERE. You can see other works by the author HERE.


I was provided with a review copy from the author. No other compensation has been provided and I was not required to write a positive review. Thank you to the author for agreeing to let me review her work.

$1 off Oscar Mayer lunchmeats!

Go HERE and submit a "good mood" and you can print a coupon for $1 off Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Meats! These are on one of the HEB meal deals this week! You can print the coupon twice!

Weekend Coupon Preview

Here is the list of coupons for this weekend.

I'm excited about the All coupon since my laundry detergent stash is getting smaller! I'm also really excited about the BOGO Aussie coupon! Yes, I will be buying multiple papers just for that one!

Mega Swag Buck Day!

 Today is Mega Swag Bucks Day! Every Friday, Swag Bucks gives out more (and higher value) Swag Bucks just for searching!

If you haven't started searching and winning with Swag Bucks, go HERE to get signed up and get started with 30 points in your account!

I've been a Swaggernaut since about September and I've redeemed for $25 in Amazon credit, just from searching and finding extra Codes! You can also earn points from shopping through the site, trading in cell phones and game consoles and taking special offers through the site.

You can download a tool bar which makes searching and winning even easier (search is powered by Google) and occasionally get a code through the messages! Be sure to follow Swag Bucks on Facebook and Twitter for more codes. You can always check my "swidget" on the right hand side to see if a code is available!

There will be a special code out sometime today for accurately predicting who would win immunity on Survivor last night! They take good care of us!

Free Suave

You can sign up for a coupon for a FREE bottle of Suave shampoo. While supplies last. One per household.

Button Works!

After months of looking at it and not being sure I could do it...the button is up!!!!  Feel free to add it to your sites. It will be a major entry on giveaways! Let me know if you add it!

We Have a Winner!

For the Happy Baby Giveaway, the True Random Number Generator has picked comment #49

familyof3 said... im a twitter follower of happy family

The winner has been emailed and has 24 hours to respond! Thanks to all who entered.

Book Review and Giveaway: What to Wear For the Rest of Your Life (CLOSED)

What to Wear for the Rest of Your Life
By: Kim Johnson Gross
Published by Springboard Press, 2010
288 pgs, English


Description:
Every woman's closet-no matter the size-is a room of her own. In that space hang side by side the special occasions and the everyday, the triumphs and the disasters, the memories we want to keep and those we should jettison. Gross helps us to reconsider our closet identity and discover who we want to be. She shares her personal journey and the intimate, poignant and often humorous stories of the dozens of women she interviewed across the country. Along with calming fashion advice about how to choose flattering clothes that will fit any woman's shape and style, Gross's engaging stories will help every woman evolve gracefully from wife to mother, from empty-nester to globe-trotting adventurer--whatever role she chooses--while letting her style express her inner beauty.

Review:
Okay, I know this book was written toward an over 40 audience. But I still got some really great tips!

I have my own "alien" (you have to read to see what I mean!) after having the boys and have not been able to figure out how to dress myself anymore. Plus, life has changed so much for me and I'm still wearing things from college and early in our marriage (we're coming up on 11 years!).

I spend most of the day in the house with the two monsters boys and I really don't have the need for chic day wear, yet. I spend my days in shorts or sweats (which are so old they're just pants now, no sweat left to them if you know what I mean) and a tee shirt which already has baby drool and spit-up on it so it doesn't matter if more gets on it. Oh and my hair has been worn in a ponytail so long it naturally lays back now after it's washed.

But then we have our church life. I can't keep wearing my one old pair of black trousers, which are about 2 sizes too big, every Sunday. Oh, and don't get me started on my two skirts (which I hate...yucky girl clothes...) or my other pants which I'm still hoping will magically re-size themselves to fit again. I did go shopping for the first time (maternity doesn't count) in three years a few weeks ago and got a few new shirts. I want to look better for our life there. I want to look like a pulled-together pastor's wife. I'm tired of looking like a college kid who just can't graduate.

I just can't find my "look". You know, when people look at you and think "wow, where does she shop?" I can't figure out what works on my body, how to cut my hair, how to accessorize.

Yes, I really am a woman, I just don't know how to do these things.

I will be taking lessons from this book for a long time. I've learned that I will not likely find something off the rack that is perfect. That's why God has gifted people to tailor clothes.

I will be getting a hair cut (no color, I'm tired of fighting the greys) as soon as I can get an appointment. I think I'm just going to ask her to "make me look better, just not too short".

I will learn to accessorize (it does separate us from the beasts after all) and I will continue to play around with make-up until I find the one that works best for my skin.

I will do better.

You can purchase this book from Amazon HERE or you can enter to win one of 3 copies that are being provided for my readers courtesy of Anna at the Hachette Group.

This is a real simple, real quick giveaway. You have one week to get entered.

Entry Methods:
First, and mandatory, entry: Tell me your greatest challenge with dressing yourself. (1 Entry)


Other entries (leave a separate comment for each) Please notice that some entries have changed:
1 entry - Become a public follower of my blog. The link is on the right hand side of the page. If you're already a follower, leave a comment letting me know.
2 entries - Blog about this giveaway, with a link back to the giveaway (leave a link in your comment so I can verify)
1 entry - Subscribe to my blog by email (link is just under the followers), let me know if you already subscribe.
1 entry - Become a Facebook fan of Faithful Finances, let me know if you're already a fan.
NEW ENTRY: Place my button on your site (5 entries! You must leave a link so I can verify) 
THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED

Giveaway Rules: Please be sure you read these before you start posting comments. 

Giveaway open to residents of the US and Canada only. Winner will be chosen, with the True Random Number Generator (Random.org), Wednesday, May 19 at 10 PM CST. Winner will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Winner will need to provide a physical address for shipping the book. All entries MUST have your email in them. To keep Spam Bots from snagging you, put your address like this: name(at)server(dot)com

I was provided with a copy of the book from Hachette Book Group. No additional compensation was received. I was not required to write a positive review. Thank you to Anna at Hachette for allowing me to take part in this promotion.

Boogie Wipes Review and Giveaway (CLOSED)

Okay, I've already confessed my hatred for snot. But sometimes, with a baby and a preschooler, there just isn't anything I can do to keep it away from me. Trying to wipe these boys' noses is like trying to get a cat into a tub. It just doesn't seem worth the effort. So I was a little skeptical about Boogie Wipes. I've heard of them and seen them advertised in magazines, but really, are they that much better?

Well. Yes.

I was given the opportunity to test the wipes, courtesy of Tamena at Boogie Wipes. She sent me a full size package of the fresh scent and travel sizes of the fresh, grape and menthol scents.

All personal peeves aside, I think the slogan is pretty funny!

Boogie Wipes are the latest innovation in a moist wipe product for busy moms, dads & kids.  With added saline, they offer quick, gentle, effective relief of stuck on Boogies (mucus) caused by the common cold & allergies.

Hypoallergenic • Alcohol Free • Unique Formula Moisturizes with Added Chamomile, Vitamin E and Aloe • Gentle Enough for All Ages • Lightly Scented

The first time I went after the 3 year old with one he wasn't sure what I was doing! He knew I was about to wipe his nose, but this wasn't a scratchy tissue. (Or burp cloth with mommy spit on it, whatever is handy.) He liked the fresh scent and told me a few minutes later that his nose "still smells good mommy". He wasn't a fan of the menthol, but the baby didn't seem to mind that one too much. The grape scent just kinda weirded me out. It worked just as well as the others, but the scent just seemed wrong for wiping a nose. The 3 year old liked it though. Maybe I'm just old.

You can purchase Boogie Wipes HERE for $3.99 for a 30 count pack or $2.99 for a box of 10 individually wrapped wipes. 

But even better, the generous folks at Boogie Wipes have agreed to give one of my readers 2-30 ct. packs (combination of scents will vary).

Entry Methods: THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED
First, and mandatory, entry: Go to the Boogie Wipes website and tell me something else you learn about the company or the products . (1 Entry)


Other entries (leave a separate comment for each) Please notice that some entries have changed:
2 entries - Become a Facebook fan of Boogie Wipes. 
2 entries - Follow Boogie Wipes on Twitter
2 entries - Become part of the Boogie Bunch (you get a coupon too!)
1 entry - Become a public follower of my blog. The link is on the right hand side of the page. If you're already a follower, leave a comment letting me know.
2 entries - Blog about this giveaway, with a link back to the giveaway (leave a link in your comment so I can verify)
1 entry - Subscribe to my blog by email (link is just under the followers), let me know if you already subscribe.
1 entry - Become a Facebook fan of Faithful Finances, let me know if you're already a fan.
NEW ENTRY: Place my button on your site (5 entries! You must leave a link so I can verify) 

Giveaway Rules: Please be sure you read these before you start posting comments. 

Giveaway open to residents of the US and Canada only. Winner will be chosen, with the True Random Number Generator (Random.org), Wednesday, May 26 at 10 PM CST. Winner will be notified via email and will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. All entries MUST have your email in them. To keep Spam Bots from snagging you, put your address like this: name(at)server(dot)com

I was provided with products to test from the company. No additional compensation has been received. All opinions are my own. I was not required to write a positive review of the product. My sincere thanks to the company for allowing me to test the product and give some away to one of my readers. I enjoyed working with you!

Follower Events

I'm participating in two great follower linkys:

The first is Trailing Tuesdays at Sugar Pop Ribbons and the second it Follow Me Back Tuesdays at Little Yaya's.

 Welcome to anyone who has found their way to my humble little blog through either site. If you're not on the lists, go check it out!

Mailbox Round Up

Here's what came in the mail last week:

Reading Materials:

Living the Country Life

Thriving Family

Bloomberg Business Week

Town & Country

American Baby

Ok! (where did this come from???)

Lowe's Creative Ideas

Golf Digest

Marie Claire

Cruise Travel (someday...)

Islands (the next day...)

Woman's Day (my day!)

Rouge (with coupons!)

A Touch of Scandal (giveaway win from Chrissy's World of Books)

Jodi Thomas' Welcome to Harmony (for a blog tour later this month, one for me and one to give away)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (from Read it Forward)

The California Roll (from Read it Forward)

Donner the Western Dragon (to review for publisher and author)

Other Stuff:

Cascade, Pantene, Metamucil and coupons for dog food and Tide from P&G sampler
CoverGirl BzzAgent Kit with full size shadow and gloss and lots of coupons to give out!
2 Pampers coupons
Payless coupon
Parent's Choice formula (was sent to my father in law and just made it to me!)
Staples coupon for $25 off a $75 order
P&G Booklet with $31 in coupons
PowerBar Gel Blasts sample with coupons
Bunch of great coupons from Kroger (including one for FREE Nature Valley Granola Bars)

So, how did you do?

I'm proud to be part of Mailbox Mondays at A Frugal Friend. Stop over and see what everyone is getting for free!

National Train Day!

Since I'm sure most of you do not have a son like mine who is obsessed with trains you may not know that today is National Train Day.

My son has been talking about it all week. And wouldn't you know it...today his train bathroom decorations came in! I was allowed to pick an item from CSN Stores to review and after days of agonizing over what to pick from their over 200 stores (that's just stores people, not items...) I started thinking about what we needed in our house.  The boys' bathroom was the first thing that came to mind. We had a little babyish rubber ducky curtain, which was ripped thanks to a falling child grabbing it, and the bath mat that belongs in our bathroom (where we've been using a towel until we got our rug back).

I'd gotten my hands on an Olive Kids Trains, Planes and Trucks shower curtain and was waiting to find the right items to go with it.

So I found this:

This train rug is perfect. The colors are bright and the pile is really plush. It's kinda cool how the smokestack kinda fits around the commode too! I cannot wait to see his face when he gets back in about an hour! This will be such a great surprise for National Train Day! Note: this was not sold as a bath mat, but just as a rug. I'm choosing to use it in the bathroom.

Doesn't it look great all put together:

All I need to finish it out are towels and a few things to jazz up the walls.

Just a quick word about CSN Stores: Like I said before, my head was spinning with the choices. They really have everything you need for your house, indoors and out. The registration and purchasing process was really very easy and the item shipped faster than I was expecting it. I am very pleased with my experience there and highly recommend you check it out next time you have housewares to purchase.

UPDATE: He loves it! He walked in and said "Wow, that's new. It's beautiful. Thank you momma, I love it!"

I was provided with a credit towards a purchase at CSN stores in exchange for a review of a product and the site. I was not required to write a positive review and no additional compensation has been received.

Free Address Labels

This Deal is now dead...they didn't anticipate the response and are not going to fill orders.

 Mercedes over at Common Sense With Money has posted a deal where you can get free personalized address labels!

Go to Pear Tree Greetings and create your own labels. I just did it and actually had a hard time choosing between the designs. These are far and away the best label designs I've ever seen! It took a while to customize them, but I'm so excited about how they're going to look!

Once you've created them, add 24 large or 48 regular size to your basket and use promo code MOMSDAY10 and it will zero out your cost. Shipping is free as well so you do not have to enter any payment information!

This is the design I chose (with the pre-filled in address, this isn't mine. Although I do wonder if they're using real addresses...) and I can't wait to get them in and start using them!

Book Review: The Money Answer Book

The Money Answer Book
By Dave Ramsey
Published by Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2004, 2010
170 pgs, English

Description:
This quick and simple, question and answer book is the perfect resource for equipping individuals with key information about everyday money matters. Questions and answers deal with 100+ of the most-asked questions from The Dave Ramsey Show--everything from budget planning to retirement planning or personal buying matters, to saving for college and charitable giving. This is Dave in his most popular format--ask a specific question, get a specific answer.

Review:
I reviewed the 2010 revised edition. There were several part which I skipped (College and Student Loans, Mortgages and Real Estate) but I found situations in the rest of the book which were relevant to me and my money. I do disagree with Mr. Ramsey on one point (which I think Ms. Orman gets right). I do not think you should do his debt snowball as he tells you to. He says to pay off the lowest balance first and she says to pay off the highest interest first. I guess it doesn't matter what you do, just get it paid off! I like that he gives quick and simple answers and spells out his "baby steps" and envelope system. This is a quick reference. I do wish the questions weren't printed in green ink. It made it kinda hard to read. (I know, picky.) I also wish the questions were in an index somewhere rather than having to find the section you need and thumb through it looking for your question. I do like the resources pages in the back.

I was provided with a copy of the book courtesy of BookSneeze (Thomas Nelson book bloggers review site). No additional compensation was provided. I was not required to write a positive review. To join the review site, visit http://booksneeze.com/#frombrb.

Divanomics Book Review

Divanomics: How to Still Be Fabulous When You're Broke
By Michelle McKinney Hammond
Published by Tyndale House Publishers, 2010
272 pages, English

Book Description:
Once upon a time, Michelle McKinney Hammond’s lifestyle centered around the finer things in life—designer clothes, five-star restaurants, and bag after bag of high-end nonessentials. Then one day, like many people, Michelle awoke to find herself on the losing end of a most unwelcome and unexpected financial downturn. In response, she quickly went from “spoiled” to “fabulously frugal,” and with courage and a sense of humor, she made the necessary adjustments in her life.
Now, Hammond, a self-proclaimed DIVA (Divine Inspiration for Victorious Attitude), shares what she learned about her own spending, desires, and needs and how she adjusted to life during an unpredictable economy. Divanomics is filled with money-saving tips on fashion, beauty, home decor, entertaining, diet, housing, and more.

Review:
I was hoping for something new. I've been living frugally for a while now and wanted to see if there was something else I'm missing. I've heard it all before. Pay off the highest interest rate first. Shop with coupons. Take unwanted clothes to the consignment shop. So as far as lessons, I didn't learn anything new.
Now, as for a good "how-I-messed-up-and-what-I'm-doing-to-fix-it" story, this was a great read. It's honest and open and I don't really see that a lot from "stars". She isn't afraid to tell the readers how she got into a jam. She owns her circumstance and is sharing what she has been going through for those who haven't realized they're broke yet. I like that the chapters are short and that she focuses on a relationship with God and the importance of friends and family.
In short, it's a good read, but more for the personal side, than the finance side. If you know someone who is fabulous and doesn't realize they're broke, this would be a good suggestion for them.

I was provided with a copy of the book  from the publisher. I received no compensation and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

VitaTops Review

Yum.

Okay, what else can I say? Um...double yum.

No really, I have wanted to try VitaTops for a long time now. I have seen them on other blogs, in magazines and in the store (Kroger) and they look so yummy. I contacted the company and they were amazing about letting me write a review for them. I was literally watching for the box to get here. As soon as it did, I ripped it open (quietly, it was nap time...) and immediately tried the Raisin Bran flavor. And the obsession began.

The fact that these seemingly small muffin tops are only 100 calories, contain no preservatives (have to freeze them...), contain fiber, vitamins and minerals...woah...too much!

While most of today’s 100-calorie foods are loaded with sugar, artificial ingredients and preservatives, Vitalicious baked goods still remain as eponymously “vital” and “delicious” as they were at the outset of the now thriving category.

Over the years, Vitalicious’ individually-wrapped VitaMuffin™, VitaTops™, VitaBrownies™, VitaCakes™ and VitaMuffin Mix™ have exploded in popularity among dieters and non-dieters alike because they are satisfying and provide excellent daily nutrition. In fact, clinical studies have found foods high in fiber and protein help you feel full longer and eat less.

Here is the VitaBreakdown of what you get in each individually-wrapped serving:
    * 100 calories                                   
    * No artificial ingredients
    * No preservatives
    * Whole grains
    * 5g - 6g of fiber
    * 0g - 1.5g of fat
    * 3g - 4g protein
    * 15 vitamins and minerals

So, what did my family think about all the flavors? I'll spare you the details on every flavor. Our favorites were the Chocolate Mint, Raisin Bran, Blue Bran, the Brownies (oh my...) and the Deep Chocolate. I really liked the Corn Bread, but my husband did not. The kiddo liked it too. Actually, I don't think there was a flavor I didn't like.

I told the hubs that I was going to have to make room in the grocery budget for them. The days I ate one for breakfast (just pop in the microwave for about 30 seconds) I stayed fuller longer. I did find that if I ate too many...well that's more fiber than my body was used to...

All in all...you gotta try these! Go here to order. Really. Do it now.

I was provided with a sampler box from Vitalicious for review purposes. No other monetary compensation has been provided. The opinions are my own. I was not required to write a positive review. I genuinely love this product! Thank you to the company for considering my blog worthy of a review of their product.