Month: July 2014

July 18, 2014

What a Hero Dares #review

A historical romance centered around desire and loyalty, What a Hero Dares by Kasey Michaels is the conclusion to the Redgrave’s series – four siblings united by their legacy of scandal and seduction.

The fearless solder, Maximilien Redgrave is punished and scorned for his father’s crimes even as he fights to protect England. His quest to restore his family’s reputation is a private battle that only he knows of. During one of his battles, he trusts the young Zoe Charbonneau whose betrayal destroyed his closest comrades and nearly unraveled his covert mission and forced him to learn a lesson he will never soon forget. When he discovers a smuggling ring he sets off to find the leader and is not prepared to find Zoe on his ship once again.

Believed to be a double agent for France and England, Zoe must clear her name in order to save her life. Convincing Max of her innocence seems impossible until inescapable desire tempts them both to trust and love each other again. As the smuggling ring danger moves closer they realize they may be out of time together.

A fantastic read that does not solely focus on the romance of Max and Zoe but also on their work as agents during the fighting between France and England. Kasey paints a great picture of their relationship and the mysterious life of Zoe. Zoe is a strong character at a time where women were not allowed to be. She suffered greatly but always manages to come out on top. She hides her deepest secrets close to her heart and slowly allows Max in. Full of adventure, mystery and romance!

Rating: 4/5

Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

July 18, 2014

Squiggle Monsters #review

Looking for a fun way to keep the kids entertained in the car or even at the field watching a sibling play a sport? Or even just looking to have some fun while waiting for a meal or to beat the rainy day boredom?

Squiggle Monsters is a self contained activity kit for children that comes complete with activities, washable markers and a dry brush. The activity kit was perfect for our youngest to work on at his big brother’s soccer games. The size of the book is small enough that it can be held on his lap perfectly and he can use the dry brush to erase what he made and make another monster. It is the perfect activity to keep him entertained while his brother plays.

Using both his imagination and the spinning wheel he created his own little monsters and then gave them their own character traits to help bring them to life. A true lifesaver!

Squiggle Monsters was developed by Random Line to help encourage creativity through doodling – pretty awesome right? Who doesn’t love to doodle away – I know that I still find myself doodling away at work. You can check out their full line of products here.

How do you like to encourage creative play with your children?

Disclosure: I received the above mentioned products free of charge in order to facilitate this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

July 17, 2014

Superhero Pool Party Time!

How many of you have a little superhero in training at home? We definitely do and thought what better way to celebrate a special birthday with a Superhero themed pool party!

The first important item to check off your list is those superhero loot bags (the best part right?!). Try to stay away from the small plastic toys that you can usually purchase from the Dollar Store – you would rather spend a small amount more to get a better item that a child will use for a longer time. I still headed to the Dollar Store and was able to pick up Spiderman frisbees, stickers, bouncing balls, water balls (to coincide with the pool theme). I also picked up some gummies from the Bulk Barn.

I purchased green pails that the children could re-use over again at the beach or in their backyard. They also hold all the loot perfectly as well.

Place the frisbee underneath the pail to help with the wrapping process. I tried every place I could think of but could not find the spider webs – you know the ones that come out at Halloween ever year?. This would have been perfect to wrap around the pail and frisbee.

For the special birthday superhero I wrapped his with ribbons and used an extra pail to give it some extra height.

Why not create an outside fun bucket with all your supplies for the party – think sparklers, pool balls, and glow sticks.This extra pail helps to keep you organized and gives the children a glimpse of all the fun to come.

Get creative with chalk since you are outside anyways. Put your child’s name, how old they are and even a special message for them. Let your creative juices flow – the sky is the limit!

Now here comes the fun part – decorating! I love this part the most and can spend hours decorating.

All those awesome superhero toys you have? Put them to good use as props on your table. I used Hulk Smash gloves to give an extra punch to the the table set up.

Display the treats loud and proud – what child doesn’t love seeing all the goodies to come? Spiderman takes front and centre on the cake. Cupcakes with lollipops and swirly candles give an extra little flair.

I hope your little superhero has a fantastic party! What are your favourite themed parties for children?

July 15, 2014

Back to School Teach #Giveaway #US #CAN

Welcome to the Back To School Tech Sweepstakes!

At Mom Powered Media, we believe in higher education and want to help our network readers get there. To help you do just that, we are giving one lucky reader a $500 Visa Gift Card and HP 14″ Chromebook PC. There will also be 20 second place winners to take home Back To School Prize Packages. So what are you waiting for? Let’s get BTS ready, tech-style! Special thank you to our supporting co-host bloggers: Monica’s Rants, Raves & Reviews, The Jenny Evolution, Memoirs of a Clueless Woman, My Dairy-Free Gluten-Free Life, My Daylights, Barbara’s Beat, Saving You Dinero, Shaping Up To Be A Mom, Robyn’s View, Coupons and Freebies Mom, A Hen’s Nest, Budget Savvy Diva, Mutterings Of A Mindless Mommy, Your Sassy Self and Nest Full of New. Open your sleek, next-generation HP Pavilion 14-Q020NR 14″ Chromebook PC to get online, fast. You can access your favorite websites and Google Chrome apps on the 14-inch diagonal HD display in seconds. HP 14″ Chromebook PC features:

Intel Celeron 2955U Dual-Core processor 1.40GHz
2GB DDR3 SDRAM system memory
16GB solid state drive
802.11a/b/g/n Wireless LAN
Intel HD GMA Graphics
Webcam
SD memory card reader
1 x USB 2.0 port, 1 x USB 3.0 port, 1 x HDMI port, 1 x Acer converter port
3-cell lithium polymer battery for up to 8.5 hours run time
2.76 lbs, 0.8″ x 11.3″ x 8″
Genuine Google Chrome OS Software

One grand prize winner will receive a $500 Visa Gift Card and HP 14″ Chromebook PC. Twenty additional winners will also receive a Back To School Prize Package.

Giveaway ends August 15th at 11:59pm, open to US and Canadian residents, ages 18+. Excludes Quebec. Only one entrant per household, per address. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Enter using the giveaway form below. Good luck!

Entry -Form

Disclaimer: The participating bloggers were not compensated for this post. No purchase is necessary to enter. One entrant per household, per address. Void where prohibited by law. Winner(s) will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this sweepstakes. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. Contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com if you have any additional questions or comments.

July 15, 2014

Skindinavia Makeup Primer Spray #review

I love my make up – it helps to enhance the look that I am going for that day, helps bring me confidence and on my tired days a good application of mascara prevents me from rubbing my eyes and yawning!

While I love the summer months they also bring the humid air that tends to send my makeup dripping off my face not to mention the eye shadow that magically disappears by the end of the work day (so unfair!). Finding a makeup primer is necessary to ensuring that gorgeous look stays put all day long.

Skindinavia makeup primer spray launched in May of this year. Skindinavia is a lightweight, breathable, silicone free makeup primer spray. It is also oil, paraben and sulfate free – it is also tested for use on sensitive skin (perfect for my tender skin that is so prone to breakouts!).

Skindinavia makeup primer is easy to use – three to four quick sprays in a T and X shape across the face, allow to dry and start applying your makeup! Easy right? I loved that it left my skin feeling soft and it actually allowed me to apply my foundation and eye shadow with little trouble. It helped my makeup last through the work day which I appreciated immensely. I was initially worried about break outs but I had none which was a relief. You can order online here.

THE FLAWLESS FACTS

83% of users agree this is the best makeup primer that have ever used.
93% of users noticed their skin felt smoother.
Silicone-free base creates a breathable barrier between skin and makeup.
Helps to prevent common skin issues associated with makeup use including redness, large pores and irritation.
Proven to reduce the need for makeup touch-ups or blotting.
Formulated to be worn with or without makeup.
All SKINDINAVIA products are oil, paraben and sulfate-free. Each product is tested for sensitive skin.