The Twisted Path Home ~ Book Review

When I first read a short synopsis of The Twisted Path Home I knew that this would be a perfect book for me. But without giving you what I knew of the book before I read it, I'd like to talk a bit about the experience I had while reading this novel.

First of all, I'd never heard of the author before, but something about Fae Bidgoli tugged at me. I don't know if it was her beautiful name, or the small bio of her that was provided to me. Fae herself grew up in a small Iranian village, so I knew that her story would come from the heart, despite it being a fictional book.

The Twisted Path Home tells the story of a woman named Arezoo who is experiencing horrible nightmares. Arezoo is married to Robert as our story begins, and Robert is a kind, caring and supportive man. The complete opposite of her first husband. We meet Arezoo as she begins therapy to help her understand these nightmares, and we walk through her relationship with her doctor as he tries to help her come to terms with her own history, and figure out what haunts her so.

The story opens up with a few pages about a young girl named Sogand. Sogand is quickly married off as a child bride to a horrible man named Homayoon. We are privy to her fear as she is forced into marriage, and the horrors of her wedding night. Sogand's story does not resurface for some time, and yet we feel her with us as we turn each page. It's not hard to begin guessing at possible connections between her and Arezoo. It's easy to slip and assume we know how they are intertwined. And yet, the book continues to divulge more and more information.

We learn and grow with Arezoo. We learn what happened to Sogand. And we learn a lot about the abusive and traumatic relationships so many young women are forced into at an early age, simply because of their culture and their family law.

The story develops with each revelation and we learn of more connections between Sogand and Arezoo. The twists and turns ultimately surprised me, despite my early assumptions of what the ties were between the two. And fortunately for the reader, the story does not just end there. There are so many characters impacted by each new piece of information, and we continue to watch the impact and change that occurs for Arezoo and her entire family.

I truly enjoyed this book. I might not have picked it up off of the shelf but I am so glad I decided to read and review it. I really think that it's an important work of writing to bring forth the truth about cultural abuse and what happens that many of us have no idea or information about. So while this was, indeed, just a "story," there is so much more to it than that.

** I was not compensated in any way for this review. The opinions are completely my own. I was provided with a copy of this book to facilitate my review. **

A Letter to My Daughter ... I wish

My dear, sweet, little one,

I woke up this morning to the sound of your voice calling me. Mommy! So different from years before. I celebrated many a birthday before you, and hope to celebrate many more with you in my world. And yet, how things have changed. On my own special day I find myself wishing for so much for you in your own future.

I wish that you should never suffer from loneliness, but that you should learn to enjoy being alone.

I wish that you should never suffer from heartache, heartbreak, but that you should always risk being loved and loving others just the same.

I wish you strength that never ends, but an ability to tear down any of the walls you, yourself, set up.

I wish for you an open heart and mind, so you'll learn, respect and grow through the changes in your life, but an intensity that sticks to your own beliefs and succumbs to no one.

I wish for you the insight and understanding that will get you through the rough days, and I have hopes that you don't have too many.

I wish for you the mindset to always remember that even when you feel left out, alone or sad that there are people out there who love and cherish you, and that you can walk away when you're standing beside someone who does not.

I wish for you so much more than these words can express, and I hope that when I hold you tightly that you can feel them coming from within.

I love you. I love you with my whole heart. I wish for you to know that now and always.

Love, Mommy


p.s. I will promise to forgive you for just saying to me: 'When you get a little older I'll get you a cake and sing you a birthday song. When you're bigger.' And for not letting me sing along with Moose A. Moose, who happened to be singing directly to ME. I love you. **Mom

Capturing the Moments: Part III

Yes, it's that time of year again! Time to start thinking about holiday cards.

Ugh. They're such a PITA sometimes, aren't they? One year we sent them out early, like after Halloween/Turkey Day early, so we didn't have to (who am I kidding here, so I didn't have to) deal with them as the holidays hit.

The two times I have done them online and created photocards, I've used Shutterfly. You know them, right? They're awesome. And I rarely use that word. They have so many layouts that are just perfect. A variety of designs appropriate for all of your holiday photo card needs.

My favorite and oft-used design is this one: the folded 5x7 card with room for several pictures on it to recap the year!

But don't stop there - Shutterfly also has a variety of invitations available as the holiday season approaches. One of my favorites there is the Cookie Swap invite. I almost always attend a cookie swap during the holidays, and I have even tried hosting one (but wound up canceling) and think that if I do one this year these cards are perfect for that kind of event!


I also love that you can pay a little bit extra to have Shutterfly mail them out for you. You simply enter in the names and addresses of your recipients and they'll label them and stamp them and get them out the door. So you don't have to deal with ANYthing after simply creating them online. How simple is that? So simple. Seriously. Don't you want to head on over there right now? I know I do. I just have to wait for the perfect picture(s) to get my cards together.

They also have some super cute gift tags for the holidays. I especially like the ones with the penguin on them. Adorable.


Oh, and if you're a blogger who is interested in an opportunity to receive 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly, just click here and submit the form. Then wait for the email and you'll find out what's next. It's a cool opportunity, so why not go for it?

I rarely praise products on my site, and I certainly don't do this for things I don't believe in (especially after my recent rant about cold-calls that zero in on me as if they're stabbing in the air to connect) so I was excited when the opportunity for Shutterfly crossed my bloggy path.

** I have not been paid anything to express my opinions regarding Shutterfly.com and their services. I will receive a code for 50 free holiday cards for completing this post. The opinions expressed here are completely my own. I'm a huge fan of Shutterfly.com and have been for some time. **

What's it all about?

What's it all about? The things we go through in life?

So many times you hear the phrase, 'it'll make you stronger.' Oh-kay. I guess. 'This too shall pass.' Yes. Sure. Everything does, doesn't it? 'You know what I mean, right?' No. No, not really. But hey, you've gotta do what you've gotta do, as do I.

How many sayings do we hear on a daily basis that cause us to stop and rethink the way we live our lives?

Like just now, on a TV show I heard a woman say, 'You know what it's like, right? A first love? Those feelings never really go away.' Am I supposed to think back now, to the first person I believed I loved and feel those same feelings? Even if I'm not supposed to, for some reason, here I am. This is not what I intended to say when I began writing this post. It's not even close. And yet ... here I am.

I can flash back and remember them. I can find the good. But then I can go back and read old journals to remind myself of how - no matter what others said to me during the window of time I was with this person - I suffered constantly. And yet ... I trudged along. No matter what break-up number one was like, break-up number two was worse. And why? Why? Because this was my first real love. The first boyfriend. The first time I was supposed to be in love. The first person to ever truly break my heart, even though deep inside I knew. I knew that I was not meant to live happily ever after with this person. I know he was a good man, but I know he was not someone who ever wanted to truly listen to what I had to say.

And yet ... the night of break-up number one was so sad. We were amicable. We shared tears. Until it was time for me to go home. Never break up in someone's home. It's a stinging thing. Gives them an advantage. But also make sure if you do, it's not YOUR home. The last thing you want is to have that feeling or memory every time you walk into the room where it ended. So for me, it was good. I skipped that pain. I went home and ate Ben & Jerry's, I cried constantly. All despite the knowing that it would never really, truly be.

And then, months later. I went back. He wanted me back. I wanted to go back to him. And so we did. Somehow, in the midst of an argument. More flirting, more arguing. And we wound up back together. Whatever for? So we could make our way through a few more months? After an entire year together we took 2+ months apart and thought it'd be okay to try again? Of course not. We just figured, hey, why not give it some more time. I guess.

So we tried again. And months later we went away together for the weekend and on the return flight home I hid the tears as they streamed down my face. I knew we were over. I knew it was done. I knew it was time. And yet, I held his hand and hid the tears. A day or so later we walked across the street to a small park after work and said our goodbyes. It was the end for us. We knew it would be. It had been a fun ride, but never truly how it should have been. I was too good for him. I always would be. I think there was a part of him that knew it. And yet ... I was still sad. Still crying. Still hurt. It still stung. AND I had to see him nearly every day at the office. Yeah. That part was great.

The rest? Well, you know this wonderful guy I have now? He worked with us, too. And I cried to him often. I shared how shitty it felt to know that there was this person out there who didn't love me for who I was. Who didn't respect all the strengths I had, who shrugged off so many of the parts of me that made me me. I never expected (although quite some time before a former girlfriend of mine swore up and down that he liked me) that we'd fall for one another. He had a girlfriend. I was just fresh out of my own experience. It was not the right time. We stayed friends. He supported me. I had many guy friends. Loads of them. He was one among many.

One day that kind of changed. A simple semi-drunken kiss. A 'you sleep on my couch, here's a blanket' kind of night (he truly DID sleep on my couch!). And suddenly I wasn't sure what he expected. I ran from him. I turned him down. I'd been down this road already and wasn't ready to go back down it again.

And yet ...

** I'll be linking this post up with Pour Your Heart Out, a weekly post on Wednesdays over at Shell's place. I just couldn't wait til Wednesday to get it out.**

What's Up Down There?

If you have been on Twitter over the last few weeks, you'd have to have been hiding under a rock to have not heard of this incredible book by Lissa Rankin, MD.

What's Up Down There? Questions You'd Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend is a fantastic book that helps you find yourself. Get in touch *literally and figuratively* with your feminine self and find a way to talk about the things that worry you, freak you out and/or embarrass you the most!

Dr. Rankin seriously opens this book as if she's talking to her two best friends. What a way to make the reader feel comfortable. I know I did. She explains how her friends will call her up when they have questions relating to various words that make the general public uncomfortable. Words like vagina, orgasm, discharge and yes, surprisingly enough, SEX.

She takes the time, over these thorough chapters, to find a way to put you at ease while answering your most confusing and embarrassing questions. Questions that cover topics like ... What happens to a woman's vagina as she ages? ... If we don't have frequent sex can things really close up down there? ... Why do I feel like I'm leaking during (or before or after) sex? ... Is it normal to have one breast much larger than the other? ... Does anal sex hurt? ... Why does too much sex cause a UTI?

These are just a few of the conversations you'll have with Dr. Rankin as you turn the pages of this pretty pink book.

I don't know her personally, but after reading all 400 pages I feel as though I do. And I think anyone who is lucky enough to have her as their doctor is really and truly lucky. And actually, I kind of want to buy my own OB-GYN a copy of this book. I actually ordered my copy from my phone while sitting and waiting for my doctor to see me. I suppose I was inspired by taking care of myself and having my health come first for a change.

As women tend to do, I often find myself putting my child and my husband ahead of me when it comes to many things. Whether it be health related, emotional or any other means of coming in last, I do it. But don't so many of us do just that?

I was at the doctor's for a repeat exam, as the last exam I had was questionable. It wasn't horribly problematic, so I had to wait 6 months for a follow up. It kind of scared me, but I did a little Internet digging and then I waited. I went along with it and got my follow up appointment in at the six month mark. I finally spoke to someone today and found out that everything is OK. All is well and there is nothing to worry about. Thank G-d. But I will say that Dr. Rankin has me thinking and looking at things in a different light. She has reminded me that being a woman is an incredible thing. She has pointed out that taking care of me, remembering my own needs, and putting myself first now and then is truly important. And for that, I say thank you. And to all of you, I say check out her book. It's worth it. I promise. Buy a copy for your friends. Your sister. Your mom. Whoever you think will truly benefit from the reminder of how important SHE is.

Thanks, Lissa. Even though we're not friends I kind of feel like we're on a first name basis at this point in our relationship. I hope that's okay with you. ;)

** I was not compensated in any way for this review. I purchased this book on my own, online through BN.com and decided to post this review with my own thoughts about this fantastic book. **

I feel like ...

It has been a while since I've just sat down at my laptop and written a blog post. You know the kind? The ones that you write and then after re-reading them like ten times you ultimately hit Publish. And that's without any options to delay posting, etc. No scheduling involved? Yeah - that's the kind I mean.

I'm kind of trailing off between posts lately, just sort of floating around. Pretty much meme-free, as well. I love memes, and I love the friends I've made through them. Whether these are hosts, participants or just people peeking in, it's all good as far as I'm concerned.

But I'm slack lately. On various levels. I even started a post the other day and I forget what it was supposed to be about. Guess I need to head into my drafts folder and see what I can find.

I like just talking about random things. I would like to get back to that a little bit. I also like the occasional giveaway. I've got one going on right now for Beecology, some great products that smell yummy and are special treats that pamper ME. (Or YOU, if you're the winner!) I've been approached by a few other people for various things, and it amazes me the kind of outreach that goes on out there in the blogosphere.

I love the cold call messages that say, Dear "Good Girl Gone Redneck," I love your blog.

Enter the following sentences:
* I'm Jewish, too.
* I recently relocated to the South, as well.
* I came across your blog "Good Girl Gone Redneck," and am very impressed.
* I want to let you know about ... I think you'll want to share with your readers at "Good Girl Gone Redneck"

It's interesting, and yes, I do admit that sometimes I am really intrigued by the available products to review, or it seems to be a perfect fit for my readers, my blog and/or me. So I try to take those offers and do my best to share my experiences with the products, etc. But other times when I get the generic outreach I kind of feel like the person is stabbing in the air and not really reaching out to ME. It's almost worse when they use my blog name. Hence my detailing such requests with the quotations above. Sometimes they actually write their requests so you know all they are doing is replacing the info in the quotes.

Anyway, that's my most recent take on giveaways, cold call-like approaches and more. I totally look at books differently, because I know that publicists have a list and just toss out the information with hopes that someone will take a bite at the book that's being offered. They've always been open, easily approachable and totally fine when I say a quick 'No thanks!' to something that's not my reading style.

So, what do you think? Are you open to being contacted about stuff? Do you hate these kinds of emails? Or do you just delete them if they come in and aren't for you? I think it's so easy to get caught up, especially early on, when you're a new blogger and get those first few emails, it's like, holy cow! Someone knows who I am / likes me / thinks I might be helpful or worth contacting. It's a whole different outlook once you've been doing this for a while. Even if it's a short while. So - what say you?


p.s. I do know that this may lead to my not getting more outreach with respect to giveaways, but that's okay. I just wanted to get this out there anyway. I'm happy, no, thrilled, to work with businesses that seem to mesh with me and what I want, who I am, and more, and I promise to be respectful to those who don't seem to be the right kind of fit, but forgive me if I'm not going to jump through hoops if you keep pushing, because that, my dear friends, is not who I am. Thanks!

Word-ish Wednesday: Keep America Warm

If you're interested in finding out more about how to Keep America Warm and wish to help provide warm winter coats for those in need, please let me know. I'm arranging a collection of coats here in the Triangle area of NC, and working with That One Mom / Friends You Love to help coordinate drives across the blogosphere.

Don't you want to help a little one feel as warm and toasty as my daughter did last winter? One Warm Coat is working with people across the country to coordinate drives and assist with distributing the collected coats to those in need. So take a minute to sort through your closets. You must have something you can pass on to someone to help them feel some love as the cooler weather draws in.

And let me know if you'd like to help blog about it, too. You can connect w/ other local bloggers and work together. What a networking opportunity, on top of doing some incredible good. Thanks so much!

Beecology: Product Review and Giveaway

When I opened the door to receive my package from Beecology, it was like, well, I'd imagine what Christmas morning was like when you were a little kid. I was contacted by them to see if I'd be interested in getting some samples to review and to host a giveaway. If you remember my product addiction, I quickly checked out their website, and when I saw that their products are all natural, I had to give them a shot.

So when I opened up a box that was filled with this:


You can guess I was in pure heaven. My daughter, who has begun to carry on my addiction, was beyond excited. She wanted to open everything up. Smell it all at once, use whatever she could. Now wait just a minute there, sister, these are mommy's treats, not yours!

I've tried almost everything and I really am loving these products. Beecology doesn't mess around with their stuff. They're the real deal. Mmmn. Yummy smelling, too.

Just a quick one-liner about the lip balm: Perfection. I love it. It's gentle, smells good, perfect for adults and kids alike (I should know - remember my daughter the product addict? She goes for lip stuff straight away!).

I've used the shampoo and conditioner, and honestly, I am still trying to determine how they work with my hair. I am trying to decide which I like more, the shampoo or the conditioner. I like them both, but I am kind of preferring them separately. I use conditioner in waves. Sometimes sparingly, sometimes every day for a week, and I like the way this one feels. And yesterday the conditioner seemed lighter. Something about the way it smells ... it's such a natural smell.


But, what I have to express complete and utter addiction to is ... the BAR SOAPS. I am seriously addicted to these soaps. Look at them:



First of all, they're huge. I wasn't sure if I'd want to try them, being more of a shower gel girl, myself. But, hey, I was open to giving them a shot. So, I let my daughter pick out which one she wanted to open for the downstairs bathroom. She picked the purple one. The purple one is honey and lavender. She loved it. I LOVE it. I smells so clean and fresh, and we love having it at the ready to wash our hands.

Then I decided I needed one at the kitchen sink. You all know how it is, when it feels like you wash your hands 100x a day and they're getting rough and dry. Honey Oatmeal for the kitchen. It just seemed like the perfect fit!

And then I took a chance, even with the shower gel samples they sent me, and I popped one open to use in the shower. The Totally Hip Hemp Soap. It's got a citrus-y scent and I really like it. Check out their line of soaps here, and watch me flip out because I swear there weren't that many choices the last time I looked! I can't wait to try the Coffee one, and the Dead Sea Mud Soap, as well.

At $5.99 per bar, these soaps are no joke. They're thick and hearty. They're fresh and sensitive. I absolutely love them and am completely addicted to them. It's crazy, isn't it? Me, a shower gel kind of girl turning into a soap addict simply because of Beecology!

Anyway, enough of my rambling ... let me share the wealth a little bit.

The great people at Beecology have offered me some products to give away to one of my readers, and I happily accepted. So, if you're interested in winning (at this point I believe you'll receive the hair care products, but I will confirm that shortly) keep on reading:

Mandatory Entry:
** Head on over to the Beecology website and let me know which product you're most interested in trying out.

Extra Entries (optional - but please leave a separate comment for each):
** Let me know if you follow me here at GGGR.
** Let me know if you follow me on Twitter @goodgirlgonered.
** Follow @beecology on Twitter.
** Tweet about this giveaway with the hashtags: #giveaway #win and include both twitter handles (please leave URL)
** Tell me about your all time favorite product.

One winner will be chosen from these comments one week from tonight via Random.org. Good luck, everyone!

** I have not been compensated in any way for this review. Beecology has provided me with the products I have reviewed here at no cost to me, but the opinions expressed are entirely my own. I have not been required to give these opinions in exchange for the giveaway. **

Congrats to Our Winner!!! Comment #19!

lotus82 said...

I would love to try the all natural hair conditioner. I have such long, thin hair that tangles so easily. This might be a great item for my hair.

~Steph

Water ...

Agua. Vasser. Eau. Voda. Acqua. Vann. Aiga. Amanzi.

No matter how we say it, we all know it's one of the most important elements of our world today.

WATER.

It's everywhere. It's the backdrop to so many things.

It's our lakes and ponds ...

Our rivers ...

Our beaches ...

Did you know that roughly 70% of your body is made up of water?

And that between 70-75% of the Earth's surface is covered with it?

Your average bathtub holds about 151 L of water.

Many fruits and vegetables are made up of 90% of water (by weight).

Less than 1% of the world's fresh water is readily available for immediate use.

Approximately 1 in every 8 people lacks access to safe water supplies.

8 glasses a day = do you get yours? Should you? Maybe more if you work out. How many people in the world get their full 8 glasses? Not nearly enough. What can you do to help?

Children's Safe Drinking Water has joined forces with PUR to help children of the world have clean and safe water to drink every day. Click here to find out how (by watching this cool interactive video) just ONE DOLLAR can give a child clean water for 50 days. Yes, FIFTY DAYS. You can't even buy a small cup of coffee for $1 anymore. But you can skip one stop at Starbucks (believe me, I'm as addicted as you are) and donate your treat to these kids. Skip for under two weeks and you could give a family clean water for an entire year. A whole year!

World Vision is an organization where a simple donation can help children and their families have fresh water, giving them health benefits we take for granted every time we turn on the faucet.

How can we clean up our water? Some tips from the National Resource Defense Council: 12 Simple Steps!

This post has been written in honor of Blog Action Day 2010. The topic, in case you can't tell, is water. To find out more, or to register your own blog and get a post up to participate, head on over to BlogActionDay.Change.Org and join the rest of the world in celebrating WATER AWARENESS. Recognize how important water is in your world, and take a moment to bring that to someone in need.

** Facts found on Allaboutwater.org, Water.org and Everydayhealth.com**

Semi-Wordless Wednesday ...

I have a picture to share today, but I also have words to go with it. And since, for me, these words are entirely heart-felt, I figured I'd hit a 3-for-1 and Pour My Heart Out with Shell, as well:

I rarely do blog post entries to giveaways, but my friend Patty over at NYC Girl at Heart is doing a crazy amazing giveaway and I totally want to win. But not for me, for my mom.

The giveaway is an incredible digital camera, along with a digital picture frame. Both are things my mom totally needs.

The first (and mandatory) entry of this giveaway is for you to share your all time favorite picture. I have been tossing this around in my head since I read about the giveaway. Seriously, I have so many great pictures. The first family photo I have with my hubby, my daughter and myself. This fantastic picture of my daughter the first time she was in Maine, it's just adorable, if I do say so myself. Pictures from our wedding. I even stopped and thought, well, I could share my absolute favorite picture of the World Trade Center that I took ages ago. But that kind of hurt a little too much. Still raw, I suppose.

Anyway, the more I thought about how I wanted this new camera and frame for my mom, the more I decided that I needed a picture that represented something important to my mom, to me, and to my daughter.

So I chose a picture from a few summers ago. See, my mom faced a battle with throat cancer, and was starting her radiation treatments, and we were in NY to be with her as she started this nasty road. So one of my absolute favorite pictures of my mom and my daughter shows the two of them highlighting a day on the calendar, the radiation schedule, and crossing it off, as if to say Screw You, Cancer. Tomorrow is another day.

I am thrilled to say that my mom has been cancer free since her treatments were completed, which was over two years ago. We're truly blessed to have been there to inspire her through the early days of this process, and as you can see from this shot, bring a small smile to her face with the love of a little one.


Cancer is a beast. It's a b!tch and a half. It sucks royally. And it's completely and utterly unfair. And my mom, my MOM, had it. She had it. She beat it. She faced it head on and beat it down. I've had family members who have not been as lucky. Not nearly as blessed. Cancer is no joke. Stand up to it. Help someone who is fighting the fight, simply by reminding them you are there to listen. October is breast cancer awareness month, get a mammogram, feel your boobies. Do whatever it takes to ensure you're aware. Cancer's a beast, my friends, but for some there are ways to put her in her place and return to the norm of life-BC. My mom did it. And for that I will be forever grateful. Feel forever blessed.

Anyway, if you want the chance to win this camera, head on over to Patty's place. But remember, if you do you're taking it away from my mom. And how fair is that?

[Don't even think I won't continue to lay on the Jewish guilt, people, because I so totally will!]

It's late at night ...

Since the kiddos are likely in bed we should be in the clear when it comes to what I'm about to discuss with you all, right? And if they're not asleep, well, just don't let them stand over you while you're clicking any of the links I'm providing.

We're all friends here, so let's be honest, have you ever been to a Sex Toys Party? I'll tell you the truth, I actually never have. However, I have seen some on display, so to speak, at a retreat with friends (just a weekend getaway) I went on last fall. Anyway, since there's no retreat in the works for me this October, I figured I'd share a little info with all of you ...

Have you heard of Eden Fantasys? I actually hadn't until they were sponsoring Friendship Month over at Friends You Love during the month of September. And I'll admit, I've been intrigued. They seem like a pretty high class shop. And from what I've read, they're also really discreet. We like discreet, right?

So when I heard about this opportunity to win a gift card from them, I figured, why not? And then I was bummed. I missed the deadline. But guess what? It was extended! How perfect. And so I took another look at their interesting product line.

I don't want to scare anyone away with any images that might, well, make you gasp, so I've gone through the variety of products as best I could to give you a few glimpses that might strike you as less scary.

For example, check out the fairy massagers, they're not that scary, if anything they look like a microphone of sorts, don't they?

They also have really pretty and sexy lingerie and I'm excited to see they have some selections in larger sizes. Hey, we not so tiny ladies like to spice things up a bit, too, ya know!?!

And loads of great gag items for bachelorette parties and the like. And can you imagine serving THIS for dinner or bringing it to your next potluck? Honestly, I wish I had been able to shop at a place like this when I was planning many a friend's bachelorette party!

And for some less risque type products, you can find candles, mood music and massage oils here in their sensual love section.

So take a look, see if anything strikes your fancy, and I'm sure there are great coupon codes out there on the internet these days so you can give them a go at an affordable price. I bet your other half would be quite surprised if you treated him or her to something new. Then again, maybe just some nice candles for a quiet bath. That sounds beautiful. And relaxing. And so peaceful. And relaxing. Did I mention they have aromatherapy candles? Seriously. I need to get my hands on those ...



** I was not compensated in any way for this post, however I am going to be entered into a giveaway for a gift card from Eden Fantasys for posting some links back to them. I hope I win! And if you're interested in an opportunity to win a $25 love card for their website, check me out on Twitter as I'll be giving one away over the next week or so! **

EcoStore USA: Product Review

Some time ago I received two products for review from ecoSTORE USA.

The summer took hold and although we had tried the two products, the review of them, you know, the one I wrote in my head? Well, it never made it to the page. For that, I'm terribly sorry and apologize to ecoSTORE wholeheartedly!

I was happy to accept their offer to review two products from their natural and non-toxic line of products. And, as their website will tell you, ALL of their products are environmentally friendly. Which is a huge plus when you're trying to be GREEN like I am.

So, which products to choose? Let's start off for the kiddo. I picked the baby body wash. Yes, yes, what timing after I just confessed to being addicted to products, right? Well, bear with me, it's worth it ...
This stuff smelled fresh and clean, and it was kind of hard to judge on my daughter, as for her I'm mostly pouring it into the bathtub with hopes of a huge display of bubbles. So, what's a good product reviewer to do? Try it for myself! So I did. I used it in the shower and I liked it. It was mild, but cleansing and the lack of *scent* was perfect for me. But honestly, I have to sing higher praises of the second product I tested out.

The LAUNDRY DETERGENT!

I love this stuff. I want to live off this stuff. It smells so great, it's just a fresh and clean scent. And when you check out the ingredients you'll see exactly what the scent comes from. It's Eucalyptus oil. It's kind of like when I worked in Manhattan and walked across the street to the Pier 1 store and spent about 1/2 of my lunch hour hovering in the Eucalyptus branch section, and even bought some for my bedroom because it just has that calming feel to the smell. Ahhh.

I'm sorry, did I lose you? I guess I kind of got lost there in the memory for a moment. You know how scents can bring you back to certain times and places? That's what this stuff does for me.

Anyway, the detergent left my clothes, towels and sheets clean, and the scent is light enough that it's barely even there when you take your stuff out of the dryer. I liked that I could easily use it on my daughter's clothing, and I especially liked using it for towels, because we all know how towels just get that stank to them? And this refreshing liquid seemed to clean them better than most.

So, I definitely recommend giving ecoSTORE USA a try if you're looking for safe and environmentally friendly products. And if you're hesitant, trust me! And if you don't trust me, well, check out their website, or shoot them an email and ask for more information. They'll happily provide it to you and answer any questions you may have.

** I was not compensated in any way for this review. ecoSTORE USA did provide me with these two products free of charge to facilitate my review, but the opinions included are strictly my own. **

Saving Money on Products!

So it's no secret that I am a product whore addict.

Or maybe it was a secret. Until now. Oops.

Anyway, I'm going to talk a little bit about my avoidance of product purchases for the past, well, long time. I won't say year because I think it's been more than that - somewhat. Minus a few mini-treats for myself for special occasions.

When I refer to products, I'm talking about things like bath products, shampoos, conditioners, lotions, creams, things that bubble and much, much more. I am not talking about make-up, because if you've seen a few pictures of me you already know that make-up ain't a part of my daily repertoire. Minus a few lip-balms, maybe some gloss and the once-in-a-while need for nail polish, I am who I am and you get who I am. Or something like that!

Anyway, the rest of it - a true addiction. Totally love walking into stores like LUSH, The Body Shop, Sephora (OMG! Sephora!) and more. Heck, I can find something I want or need in the aisles of Wal-Mart and Target (Tar-jhay), as well.

But when you're a non-working mom like me, it's hard to justify spending the extra money when I've got a cabinet (and then some) full with loads of stuff that I really should use up before I buy more.

So, how do I get to try new stuff and liven things up a bit for myself in the product department? [Heh, I made a punny!] Stick with me and you'll be doing these things for yourself soon enough!

Option #1: Samples
Samples rock. Seriously, they do. And I'm not just talking about the ones you can get off of Walmart.com (you know about those, right? No? Click here now). I'm talking about the ones you can get when you stop in those yummy stores I mentioned above. Nearly every store has a stash of samples behind the counter. Yes, I mean it.

Stop by LUSH and behold the beauty of a special kind of nature. LUSH carries all natural products that you can sink your body into ~ assuming you find a little time just for you. You can buy a bath bomb for about $3, or not, and head to the counter and ask them for a few slivers of some of their best stuff. They have soap samples that are wrapped up nicely, and last for a few showers. And they will happily give you small samples of lotions, shampoos, conditioners and more. And you don't have to spend a penny!

Same goes for Sephora. Looking to find a new perfume, but don't want to cough up the big bucks to wind up with a scent that you don't truly love? Just talk to the staff there. They'll give you a few small samples of scents you're interested in to find a scent that works best for you.

And if you live in NYC, well, the sample haven for product addicts like myself would be Kiehl's. I absolutely love their products, and it was dangerous when I worked (well, let's be honest, I was an intern) a few blocks from their flagship location down on Third Avenue. Except one of the best things was taking a stroll on over to test out some of their incredible products, and walk out with a handful of freebies. Usually I was there to purchase a gift for someone. Even more usually it was an incredible gift basket. But leaving with a little something extra just for me was a delight. Those samples always made me feel a little bit lighter as I made my way back to work.

Since this post has already taken over a lot more space than I intended it to I'll stop here, and write up another installment when I can. In the meantime, remember that sampling is available for a lot more than the bread or cookies at your grocer's bakery or those little cups they hand out at Costco. Which, of course, are pretty yummy and all, but product is product, ya know?

Share a Spoon: Bobbing for Apple ... sauce?

Hey, peeps! What's cookin' good lookin'?

So today over at Think Tank Momma it's SAS, and I am so excited to have been the prompt of the theme for Share a Spoon this week!

I'm slack, though, as I don't have pictures of my recipe, as, well, I've been lazy, and I was going to make it yesterday, because I love it and lived off it last year, and, well, we ordered Papa John's instead. Oops.

Anyway, here's a yummy recipe for you all, it includes apples ... in the form of applesauce, but I promise you'll love it anyway, AND, if you REALLY want to go all out, well, you can make your own applesauce. And if you do, let me know how that goes for you. Because, well, this lazy mom ain't up for that these days.

This is my addiction:

2 lbs (6 medium sized, but fewer large ones work) of sweet potatoes
1-1/2 c applesauce [or cube up a couple of fresh apples]
2/3 c brown sugar
3 tbsp butter - melted
1 tsp cinnamon
top w. chopped nuts (optional!)

Peel sweet potatoes if you want (I did) and slice/cube. I used two HUGE potatoes, instead of so many small ones. Put potatoes in the CP. Combine all other ingredients (except nuts) in a bowl, pour over potatoes. Cook on Low for 6-8 hrs. Mash potatoes together or serve as is, w. "sauce" on top.

I actually mixed the sauce into the potatoes and let them cook that way. So yum! Oh, and I omitted the butter the second time I made them and they were just as good, so I feel a little healthier eating all of this than I did the days before. And yes, I do mean days, because when I make this, I'm almost always the only one eating it, and it becomes my side dish, my lunch the next day, my side dish again, and so on until it's all gone. So you get why I'm trying to reduce the butter aspect, right?

I have had friends make this and tell me with the fresh apples it's divine. Even if you don't peel them. I've had other friends say they added marshmallows on top at the end (oooh) and others still say they added nutmeg and ginger (I'm not a huge fan, so I don't) and turn it into a crumble on top. Whatever your pleasure, it's quite a delight!

OK, so now I have to go and make this. But it's after 1PM, and it probably won't be done in time for tonight. Sigh -- what to do -- what to do? I'll figure something out, I'm sure. But for the rest of you ... Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday: They're Still So Cute!

Pretend These Are Post-Its

It's Post-It Note Tuesday today. I started off with some pretend PINs, some fun ones I was trying to make myself, but instead my daughter took over. It figures, right?

I'm totally OFF today. I don't feel like dealing with superstickies, but I have a lot I can say to plenty of people, so let's just envision post-it notes all over my lovely 'hood for you all to see -- OK?

First:

CHILD. PLEASE STOP DRIVING MOMMY TO DRINK. I AM NOT IN THE MOOD FOR WINE AT 11AM, OR AT 1PM, OR, TRULY, AT 5:17 PM, EITHER. BUT IF YOU DON'T SLOW THINGS DOWN A BIT I MAY CRACK OPEN THAT BOTTLE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. I LOVE YOU, ** YOUR MOM

Wow. This is awesome. No character limits!

Second:

DOG of MINE, Make up your freakin' mind, please, as to whether or not you want to be in or out. Because while I enjoy the unlimited exercise you provide for me daily as I walk to and from the kitchen door, sometimes it grows really old. As in REALLY fast. Seriously. I love you, ** The Hand That Feeds
p.s PLEASE STOP CHASING PLANES. We've lived here almost four years, have you not yet realized you are not going to catch one?

Third:

Hey, Kiddo -- by the way, I'm getting a little tired of cut up pieces of paper all over the kitchen table, floor and the living room. No more scissors. EVER. End of story. I love you! *Mommy

Oh, lookie at this, exactly as I am typing this out AT said table, the child is on a stool in the kitchen looking for her scissors. SWEAR TO GAWD. No joke.

Fourth:

To my dear, sweet, 3-1/2 year old beautiful little girl, That grunting and face-making you do when I tell you no and make you stop doing something is not going to get you very far. Not with me, not with your father, and it's certainly going to hold you back from becoming a beauty queen, cause, ya know what? Your face might freeze that way. Or worse, I'll take pictures and use them when your future friends come over, future love interests, and campaign managers. Oh, don't push me, I MEAN IT.

And Lastly:

Dear Hubby,
I appreciate that you warned me you'd be headed out after work tonight. I am OK with you going, even though you just called me at 5:15 to remind me. I just have one question? How is it that when you leave work to go out you're out the door and on your cell at, oh, yes, 5:15? And when you're coming home to us the phone rarely rings before 6:30PM? It's interesting, isn't it? Just something I thought I'd point out ... Love you!

So, there you have it, peeps. My pretend Post-It Notes for today. Oh, wait, let me show you what I was trying to do earlier. If I can find them. Yeah, here are two, I tried a few but didn't save the first two correctly. Good times ...

Muffin Tin Monday: Brownies!

Reading With Redneck: What's left for Fall?

My list of I hope to read books for this fall is a scattered bunch. Take a look and let me know if you've read any and think I'll enjoy them or not!

* The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown
* The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Aimee Bender
* Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart, Beth Patillo
* The Wednesday Sisters, Meg Waite Clayton
* Fresh Milk: The Secret Life of Breasts, Fiona Giles
* My Fair Lady, Jen Lancaster
* The Doctor & The Diva, Adrienne McDonnell
* Getting There, Gerry Boylan
* Say You're One of Them, Uwem Akpan

I am sure I have a ton more to add, I'm just not feeling motivated enough to head upstairs and dig through my *to be read* shelves. So there's a small sampling of what I know I'd like to get through. I kind of removed a few I haven't read yet that I've tried to carry over from challenge to challenge. We'll see. Maybe that will actually get me to READ them? Who knows!?! Reverse psychology on oneself isn't always the best way to get one to do something - wouldn't you agree?

Happy reading!

Reading With Redneck ...

Check out the title of this post for my reading-related posts ... Reading With Redneck. Whatcha' think? Do you like it? Yes? No? Maybe? Eh? Lemme know. I even created an extra page for my blog with some book related posts I do elsewhere, I figured it'd be nice to always have them to hold onto, and nice to share with anyone interested in knowing more about what I like to read. As if you don't get enough of that already!


So, here was my list for this summer's reading challenge over at my friend Julie's blog My Book Retreat:

** True Colors, Kristin Hannah
** Between Sisters, Kristin Hannah [read!]
** Mr. Darcy Broke My Heart, Beth Patillo
** The Lost Symbol, Dan Brown
** The Last Girls, Lee Smith
** Best Friends Forever, Jennifer Weiner [read!]
** Finding Marco, Kenneth C. Cancellara [reviewed]
** Freedom's Call, John Walker [read!]
** Seven Year Switch, Claire Cook [read!]
** A Wild Ride Up The Cupboards, Ann Bauer
** Life's a Beach, Claire Cook
** The Center of Everything, Laura Moriarty
** The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake, Aimee Bender
** The Price of Revenge, Dennis Vaughan
** The Whole World Over, Julia Glass
** Men and Dogs, Katie Crouch [read!]
** My Summer of Southern Discomfort, Stephanie Gayle [read]
** Dreaming in Hindi, Katherine Russell Rich [still reading]

I didn't get through as many as I thought I might, but I kind of shifted gears a bit and wound up reading some other stuff, too:

* The Pocket Therapist, Therese J. Borchard
* Please Excuse My Daughter, Julie Klam
* Gerry Tales, Gerry Boylan
* Spooky Little Girl, Laurie Notaro
* This Little Mommy Stayed Home, Samantha Wilde
* To Your Dog's Health! Mark Poveromo
* Handle With Care, Jodi Picoult
* The Ice Cream Theory, Steff Deschenes
* Healing With Words: A Writer's Cancer Journey, Diana M. Raab


So stay tuned for my list of the books I hope to read this winter. I've heard there is a fall (or is it through winter? I forget ...) challenge, and since this is my last shot at getting up to 100 books (HA!) for the full year I'm going to have to charge full steam ahead.

** Images found on bing.com**

Lazy Mom Shares a Spoon!

The theme this week over at Share a Spoon with Think Tank Momma is pasta!

If there was one thing (besides pizza) that I could eat every single day of my life pasta would be it. Seriously. I could live off of it. Oh, it's that good. I'm also probably on a living off of it kind of kick right now, as last night the child and I had ziti with butter for dinner and the night before we had something (I forget what - must have been chicken-related) with spaghetti and butter and parmesan cheese for dinner, as well. I probably ate mostly spaghetti. I'm good like that.

With the amount of pasta I could eat you'd think I am loading up on carbs to run a marathon put myself into a food coma or something.

Anyway, keeping in theme with my Lazy Mom Recipes, I am going the simple and Lazy Mom route to share MY spoon today.

Lazy Mom's Chicken Tortellini Casserole

* 10 oz grilled chicken strips (I made strips out of grilled chicken)
* 9 oz alfredo sauce (but today's recipe is using Vodka sauce, as we had no alfredo in the house)
* 1 bag frozen tortellini (or fresh, whatever works - and I use cheese, but you can switch it up if you want to)
* splash of breadcrumbs


Chicken is usually pre-cooked if you buy the frozen or the packaged strips. Otherwise I'd cook them up a bit. Cook your pasta as directed. Combine with sauce of choice (the alfredo is really yum, and I'm not even a huge alfredo fan, so I hope the vodka sauce is just as delish!), top with breadcrumbs and bake at 350* for about 25 mins or so. Depends on how well cooked your chicken and pasta already are. Mine were good to go so I cooked for like 20-ish minutes.

You can also choose to top it with some mozzarella cheese, or, if you're truly a Lazy Mom, do like I did and shred some Polly-O string cheese to cover the top a bit. It all looks the same when it melts, right?


I promise that even though it looks a little bit off, it was delicious. It's gone, anyway, and I made it on Wednesday night. Yum. So that's that! Go Share a Spoon of your own if you have a pasta dish you'd recommend. And enjoy!