History Lesson: Labor Day.

The history of Labor Day...

Labor Day: How it Came About; What it Means

"Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country" (U.S. Department of Labor, 2013). 

So, now....when you're at that BBQ, and a random woman (your mother) tries to tell you Labor Day is to celebrate all women who ever have been in labor...and you have to buy her stuff....NOW you know the truth. Not that I know anyone who would do that...*cough*. 

Anyhoo - Happy Labor Day to my fellow Americans..and to the rest of you....uhm...have a happy ...day. 

Reference

United States Department of Labor. The history of Labor Day. 

Product Review: School Zone Alphabet Flash Cards

Product Review : School Zone  Alphabet Flash Cards

Flash cards are a helpful tool for kids, I used them with all 3 of my kids. They were fun for the kids to play with, and helped them remember certain things, such as letters, numbers and colors. 

So, I got to review these alphabet flash cards from Educational Toys Planet. They are actually really nice cards! Have a look --

The flash cards come with a parent card, that also has games on the back; and the 3 'cheat sheet' cards that show all of the cards and their corresponding letters. 

  

The pictures are nice, colorful and bright -- will grab the attention of any child.

The back of the cards show the letter, and the word. 

The front picture side is glossy, while the back letter/word side is matte. 

These cards are fairly thick, and sturdy-- so they will hold up well for the little hands that will want to throw them about. 

You can buy these Alphabet Flash Cards and other Alphabet learning toys at Educational Toys Planet , among other great toys for all ages. 

They are also having a Toyriffic Giveaway at their Facebook page!!!  

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Freebie Show Off!

Hey there, it's that time again...when I show off some of the goodies I have received this past week. As always, I have noted if the sample/offer is still available, however I can not promise the sample/offer will be available when YOU click the link, so...HURRY! 

Puffs "Boogie Wipes" and "Fresh Faces" wipes. Available HERE!

Minties Dental Treats for Dogs: Facebook Promo... No longer available. 

Breath Right nasal strips - Get it HERE.

Katy Perry's Fragrance - Killer Queen - Available Via Facebook 

Fancy Feast  Delights with Cheddar - Promo via Facebook (no longer open) 

Snapple 'Brew Over Ice' Sample Kit - Facebook Promo, no longer active. A $2 coupon is available - HERE. I will be reviewing these in an upcoming post!! 

Tena Trial Kit- (comes in that blue bag, discreetly packaged)- Available HERE 

That's all for now, take care! 

Book Review: Storm Dancer - by Rayne Hall

Storm Dancer by Rayne Hall

Description: 

"Dahoud is a troubled hero with a dark past. As a siege commander, he once razed, raped and killed ... and he enjoyed it. Now he needs to atone. 

    He has sacrificed everything to build a new identity and a life of peace, and he devotes himself to protecting women from harm. But Dahoud is not alone. Inside him lives a devious demon, a djinn that demands he subdue women with force. It torments him with pains and tempts him with forbidden desires. 

    When the women in Dahoud's life repay his kindness with betrayal, his hard-won control over the djinn breaks.  Would you dare an alliance with this man? Could you forgive his evil past? Could you trust him with your life, with your freedom, with your love? Storm Dancer is a dark-epic fantasy novel. It deals with dark issues and may not be suitable for young readers. British English" (Amazon.com) 

Book Review

Okies ...first thing ---this book is not for children!! The author warned me before she even sent the book!! Some of the adult material may not be suitable for all viewers, also.

The setting for this book is a dark, exotic world, with a bit of magic. It could be somewhere in India...or Egypt, maybe. The books main character, Dahoud struggles with an 'inner demon' and does some...well, ...seriously bad things. Dahound and a witchy-type lady, Merida, meet and....well, go read it! I'm not telling you anymore! 

I personally liked this book. The story itself is deep, enthralling...intense, even.. and makes you want to keep reading.  Yes, it is a bit...dark, and intense at times. Certain parts of this book are violently sexual, and I understand the warning the author gave me about the book not being suitable for everyone. But the story and characters are awesome! 

Buy your copy of Storm Dancer by Rayne Hall ---

Amazon.com Paperback

Amazon.com Kindle Version

In addition, this is the second book by this author, Rayne Hall, that I have had the honor of reviewing...so..please also ---

Visit the GoodReads page....

Visit Rayne Hall's Amazon Author Page....

Home page -- HERE...

And Twitter page.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Product Review: Edible Green Tea from EatGreenTea.com

Product Review: Edible Green Tea from EatGreenTea.com

EatGreenTea.com

Product Description from the company: "We are proud to present to you the purest Green Tea leaves available anywhere. There is 100 times more EGCG (a powerful antioxidant) in EatGreenTea whole leaves than there is in brewed green tea. That's 100 times more antioxidants than brewed tea found in just 1 tablespoon of our edible green tea leaves. So don't throw away the powerful nutrients in green tea – EAT THE WHOLE LEAF!" (EatGreenTea's website). 

Product Review

Tea leaves...that you eat...hmm...ok...I like green tea. They send me a pack of 7 envelopes. I open a pack...and smell it, 'cause that's what I do -- and it smells like delicious tea...yay! Then I pour it out onto a paper plate....... 

And I get a good close up look.....*giggle*

I know what it LOOKS like...pfft. Grow up. Geeeezzz....*suppresses Cheech and Chong jokes*. But, yes...it is a dried leaf. 

Then I thought, because I didn't bother to read the directions first, I would just eat some...sure. I take a little 'pinch' and start chewing......

Don't do that. DO NOT DO IT! It was most unpleasant. *sigh* 

So, I read the directions (tip of the day: read the package first)...and indeed the suggested usage is to add the dried leaves to foods. *facepalm*. I decide to add it to a spaghetti sauce that we'll have for dinner.  Since it's a nice dried herb anyway--no one even noticed the tea was in the sauce until I told them. I added the whole pack (3 grams) to a store bought sauce with browned sausage. Note: next time I would add two or three packs. 

It didn't change the flavor to me, but I would say it might add an bit of an earthy flavor (like ..ya know...tea). Seriously, the tea added some nice color to the sauce and my kids didn't know it was in there. 

  

Overall, I am really impressed. Everyone ate it! 

For more info, or to purchase Edible Green Tea -- visit their website: EatGreenTea

They can also be found on Amazon: (not in stock yet): Edible Green Tea @ Amazon

 I like this idea--adding leaves to random dishes is simple, and if it helps --it's even more awesome. 'Cause let's face it, we can all use a little healthy help! 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Part One: Quaker "Back to School" Goodies- Popped Rice Snacks

I received my Quaker Back to School Campaign BzzKit today! Yay! 

The first thing I will review are the Quaker Popped Rice Snacks. I received the Cheddar Cheese version, although there are several varieties; including apple cinnamon  BBQ, caramel corn and chipotle cheddar. 

  At first, I thought they were going to be dry and blah...like the old rice cakes from years ago. I assumed I was about to chew some nice cardboard and need about four cups of water to swallow it all. But, I was pleasantly surprised! These rice snacks, are good! The taste is really good, and although they are dry --they are suppose to be that way! They taste a lot like popcorn with powdered cheese on it. My kids say they taste like 'crunchy cheese puffs', and I gotta admit --they are right!! 

Overall: They're a nice snack, even for the kids. 

Three more products to review....stay tuned!! 

Quaker BzzKit supplied by BzzAgent for free to review. All opinions are my own, however, and I receive no payment for my comments. 

Crafty Things: Upcycled Ribbon Windsocks

Upcycled Ribbon Windsocks

So, Mondays we have an extra kid...who we will call "The Divine Miss M", bestie with my daughter Crazy Girl. This last Monday ...we couldn't go shopping, and it was too hot to do much else -- so...we crafted. Yay for craft time! 

Please note: there is not wrong or right way to make these...this is just a guide. 

Materials needed: 

   Cleaned plastic bottles

   Ribbon

   Hole punch (if desired)

   Beads (or random things to tie on the ends of the ribbon...also, if desired)

Supplies 

This is just super simple, there is no real right or wrong way to make these. There were 5 of us making these, and no two looked even close to being the same! 

Step 1: Cut plastic bottles so you get some rings. This was tricky, since you want to make sure the rings are all one piece --carefully 'stab' a hole in the bottle and cut around to make your rings. ADULTS should do this. From the Mello Yellow bottle in the picture above, I made these three rings below: 

Plastic rings, cut from a soda bottle.

Step 2: Either punch holes into the lower part of the ring to tie the ribbon on, or tie the ribbon around the entire ring --doesn't matter, really. 

Punching holes worked easiest for us. 

Step 3: Tie all your ribbons on, and add beads, or whatever little thingys you want (washers, or Christmas bells...random things...again, it doesn't matter). 

The kids, only 3 are mine. From left front: The Divine Miss M, Crazy Girl, The Brat, and Daughter S. 

Step 4: Tie a string at the top to hang. I punched two holes and tied ribbon. 

Step 4: Hang them in trees, if you like. They are rather pretty. 

  

Freebie Show-Off

Here's a handful of the goodies I received this past week. These are just a few, as I'm saving some for various reasons :P.

Nature's Bounty Water Bottle - Promo at Facebook - No longer available. 

 

Depends Sample Pack - HERE - (comes discreetly packaged, two samples and a coupon)

Gevalia Coffee Single Serve Cup-  via Walmart Samples- No Longer Available (review coming soon)

Scotch Bright - Botanical Disinfecting Wipes - Facebook Promo: No Longer Available (review coming soon)

Adkins Starter Kit: Here (3 snack/meal bars, quick start guide, coupon and carb counter book)

 Reid Supply - Handles and Knobs Sample Kit : No longer offered  - Mentioned in THIS post.