Stay Hydrated with WAT-AAH! this Halloween with thier spooktacular limited edition “BOO” bottle!

WAT-AAH! Has done it again they are making water cool to kids with fun bottles. I reviewed WAT-AAH! awhile back and my kids loved the fun bottles and would reach for them before all those sugary drinks or soda! (YAY! for making healthy choices early) You can read about the WAT-AAH challenge my family took here.
In celebration of Halloween, WAT-AAH! has created a spooktacular limited edition “BOO” bottle!



Learn more about WAT-AAH on their website and be sure to check out Their CEO Rose Cameron’s new blog, www.HealthisCool.org.

And to kick off the Halloween fun WAT-AAH is giving one family Treasures Reader a Prize pack!


The prize packs will include WAT-AAH! bottles, t-shirts, sweatshirts, stickers and more.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tech Timeout

 

Are you and your family becoming disconnected because you are too connected to technology?

I think Technology is great. There are tons of educational apps, games, websites ect.. for our children. And Social media has become a great way to stay connected to my family far away. I think to myself look they are learning so its not bad but then I see that my kiddos haven’t gone outside to play in a while or those toys sitting on their shelves. And I think that’s enough, time to take a Tech Timeout.

Do you feel the same way I do? Then I suggest you take the Tech Timeout challenge! As the weather gets colder and we will be spending more time indoors I have decided our family will be taking the Tech Timeout Challenge and I encourage you to join us.

The Tech Timeout was started by Foresters and it encourages families to take a daily break from technology. You can learn more about it here and they even have great ideas on how to spend your tech free time. (just in case you have forgotten how to have fun without your phone, computer, eReader, etc…)

Tech Timeout Link: http://techtimeout.com

So step up and join the Russell family and sign the Timeout Pledge -

disclosure: I was compensated for this post but all content is my own.

Book Review–For Every Season (Book 3 of the Amish Vines and Orchards series)

 

For Every Season

by Cindy Woodsmall

Book Description: Working hard to develop a new Amish community outside of Unity, Maine, Rhoda Byler is fully committed to rehabilitating an orchard with business partner Samuel King. But an impulsive decision has created an unexpected strain in her relationship with her beau, Samuel’s brother, Jacob, threatening plans for the orchard. Amidst mounting tension in matters of the heart and business, Rhoda finds that this fledging settlement feels like the home she has always longed for, and she begins to embrace the God-given, heightened intuition that has always felt like a burden to her. She longs for Jacob to fully be free of his past, so they can work towards the future together.

But as Rhoda uses her gift to unpack an old secret with her Englisch neighbors, it is not her beau but an unlikely ally that cheers her on. With the orchard on shaky ground and Jacob’s plans in question, Rhoda is determined to see things through to harvest. But can she trust her insight to direct her path in matters of the heart?

- See more at: http://www.cindywoodsmall.com/books/amish-vines-and-orchards-series/for-every-season/#sthash.KmePWQO4.dpuf

My Thoughts: Since this is book three in the series I’m already familiar with the characters and their struggles. I have followed along with all the characters up to this point and can feel the struggles they have faced – Moving, question of faith, fear, shame, confusion and most of all love. I loved finally seeing Rhodes embrace her gift instead of trying to hide and ignore it. I wont give away the ending but I will say the love triangle between Rhoda, Jacob and Samuel finds its end. I loved the first two books in this series and the third book didn’t disappoint either. I highly recommend this series.

 

What you missed in book one, A Season for Tending:

In a community where conformity flourishes, seeds of Rhoda’s odd behavior were planted long ago. Can she cultivate her relationships with the same care and tenderness that she gives her beloved garden?

Old Order Amish Rhoda Byler’s unusual gift and her remarkable abilities to grow herbs and berries have caused many to think her odd. As rumors mount that Rhoda’s “gift” is a detriment to the community, she chooses isolation, spending her time in her fruit garden and on her thriving canning business.

Miles away in Harvest Mills, Samuel King struggles to keep his family’s apple orchard profitable. As the eldest son, Samuel farms with his brothers, the irrepressible Jacob and brash Eli, while his longtime girlfriend Catherine remains hopeful that Samuel will marry her when he feels financially stable,

Meanwhile, Samuel’s younger sister Leah is testing all the boundaries during her rumschpringe, and finds herself far from home in Rhoda’s garden after a night of partying gone badly. But Leah’s poor choices serve as a bridge between Rhoda and the King family when a tragic mistake in the orchard leaves Samuel searching for solutions.

Rhoda’s expertise in canning could be the answer, but she struggles with guilt over the tragic death of her sister and doesn’t trust herself outside her garden walls. As the lines between business, love, and family begin to blur, can Rhoda finally open up to a new life? And what effect will this odd, amazing woman have on the entire King family?

My Review of book one: http://kryssiruss.blogspot.com/2012/09/book-review-season-for-tending.html

What you Missed in Book two, The Winnowing Season:

The tornado that devastated Kings’ Orchard pushed Rhoda, Samuel, and Jacob to make a new start in Maine. Are they strong enough to withstand the challenges of establishing an Amish community—and brave enough to face the secrets that move with them?

On the eve of their departure to begin a new Old Order Amish community outside of Unity, Maine, Rhoda Byler is shocked to discover that choices made by her business partner and friend, Samuel King, have placed her and her unusual gifts directly into the path of her district’s bishop and preachers. She is furious with Samuel and is fearful that the Kings will be influenced by the way her leaders see her, and not what they know to be true—that Rhoda’s intuition is a gift from God.
Jacob King won’t be swayed by community speculation. He loves Rhoda, believes in her, and wants to build a future with her in Maine. But when the ghosts of his past come calling and require him to fulfill a great debt, can he shake their hold before it destroys what he has with Rhoda? Samuel has a secret of his own—one he’ll go to great lengths to keep hidden, even if it means alienating those closest to him. Throwing himself into rehabilitating the once-abandoned orchard, Samuel turns to a surprising new ally.
Book 2 of the Amish Vines and Orchards series asks: can the three faithfully follow God’s leading and build a new home and orchard in Maine? Or will this new beginning lead to more ruin and heartbreak?

My Review of book two: http://kryssiruss.blogspot.com/2013/05/book-review-winnowing-season-book-2-of.html

A Close Shave with Shavemob

Hi readers its time again for a guest post from my husband Robert.
 

As a dad of 3 kids, I have to save money wherever possible. One of the biggest expenses I can possibly have is razor blades. My work requires me to look well-groomed, which means shaving (plus my wife hates it when I try growing a beard). But razors fall into two categories to me: too expensive to buy, or cheap, but quickly dulled. I have used razors for weeks after they are supposed to be thrown out simply because I can’t see spending so much to buy new ones.
Then we found out about ShaveMOB. This is a mail-order razor service. I will admit, I was skeptical of this at first. To me, I thought it would be a few small, cheap, disposable razors for slightly less than you would pay at a store. But, noting ventured nothing gained, so I figured I would give it a try.
When the 100% recyclable package came, my first impression was that it was nice for a company to care about the environment. Then, I noticed how hefty the package felt. Nothing like disposable razors. Then I opened it, and WOW! The handle they give you is just as well as the expensive razors, AND they give you a full set of 4 blades to go with it (most only give you 2).
ShaveMOB offers 3 different razors for both men and women, so you can choose a razor that gives you a customs shave that’s just right for you! And I’ve been using it, and again WOW! This is the best razor I have ever used (I am using the six-blade razors, with the trimmer).
Then I went onto their website at www.shavemob.com to check out the prices. I was shocked even more. The blades I love, for a 4 pack with the handle, is $12.99! That is LESS than the price of similar razors by at least $6. And then, the more you buy, the less expensive it gets. With a typical set of 4 blades (priced at $17.49), you are paying $4.37 per blade. With ShaveMob, the same 4 blades, which costs $12.99 and includes the handle, you’re paying $3.25 per blade, saving $1.12 per blade. Over the course of one person’s life, that can add up to a lot of money. And, if you buy the biggest pack they have, which is 24 blades at $39.99, you are paying $1.67 per blade. That saves you $2.70 per blade that you used. And there is FREE shipping on all orders!
And ladies, don’t worry. ShaveMob also caters to you with the same great deals. I personally will never go back to using the cheap razors or being overcharged for an inferior shave. I totally recommend ShaveMob for anyone who uses a razor. WOW!
So check out Shavemob below:
Mens razors: http://shavemob.com/?video=mens
Womens razors: http://shavemob.com/?video=womens
Do you want to try ShaveMOB yourself? Enter to win a set of your own below! a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclosure: I was provided with a sample for review in excnage for my full and honest opinion of the product.

A Message About Children's Claritin & KaBOOM!

 

 

Kids should have time to play -- at home and at school. We know that creative play can make kids happy and healthy, but some kids aren't getting enough of it. That's why the makers of Children's Claritin are teaming up with the national nonprofit KaBOOM! to help bring innovative play spaces to schools in need. As a member of the Children's Claritin Mom Crew, we want you to be among the first to hear about this exciting program.

Children's Claritin and KaBOOM! are helping bring play to kids in need by offering 12 national schools the chance to win Imagination Playground™ equipment. These mobile play sets are comprised of oversized foam blocks that can be assembled inside or outside, giving children of all abilities the opportunity to foster creativity and critical-thinking skills.

Your vote can make a difference! Join Children's Claritin, the #1 pediatrician-recommended non-drowsy allergy brand, and KaBOOM! to help select 4 schools to receive Imagination Playground™ equipment. You can visit http://Facebook.com/Claritin between 8/1-10/31 to cast your vote for one of twelve finalist schools. The four schools with the most votes will win Imagination Playground™ equipment for their students.

Help bring these schools to the finish line!

1. Chicago, IL – Hanson Park Elementary

2. Cincinnati, OH – Pleasant Ridge Montessori School

3. Joplin, MO - McKinley Elementary

4. North Salem, NY – Westchester Exceptional Children’s School

5. Union Town, PA – Menallen Elementary School

6. Washington, DC – Sela Public Charter School

7. New Orleans, LA – Audubon Charter School

8. Spartanburg, SC – Spartanburg Charter School

9. Willis, TX – Parmley Elementary Annex

10. Vail, AZ – Sycamore Enrichment Center

11. Santa Cruz, CA – Live Oak Elementary

12. Spokane Valley, WA – St. John Vianney School