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CaringBridge Contest

Posted by html404 on November 1, 2013
in Encouragement for Moms, Family Stuff, Giving Back/Charity, Health, Kids Stuff, Parenting, Uncategorized

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting (#MC) for CaringBridge. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

It wasn’t too long ago that I posted about CaringBridge. Just to jar your memory the post shared about a family we know who used a site like CaringBridge to keep friends and family up to date on how their child was doing just after she was born with a rare condition. They still use the site today for the same reason since their child is still going through treatment several years later.

This post is to celebrate and support caregivers, the strong personal heroes who tirelessly help families get through one day at a time when experiencing a hardship, CaringBridge, the nonprofit caring social network, and Hallmark Cards are kicking off the “Caring Messages” card contest during National Family Caregiver Month.

From October 28th through November 17th, the “Caring Messages” card contest encourages participants to draw on personal experiences as a caregiver or as someone receiving care and create a message of love and support appropriate for a caregiver. Participants can submit one card idea in each of the following categories to www.hallmarkcontests.com:

Support and Encouragement: What can you say to lift someone up or help them get through the day? Let them know you’re thinking of them, send happy thoughts and cheer them on.
Compliments and Appreciation: Let someone know how much you admire them: What they do and how they do it. Words from the Wise: If you’ve experienced something yourself you understand what it’s really like. Write a supportive message for others based on what you’ve learned or what you needed to hear.

This partnership aims to provide patients, caregivers and supporters with love, hope and compassion. Winners announced in February will receive a cash prize, and their entry will be sold at Hallmark.com with in-store sale to be determined.

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Halloween Tru Moo

Posted by Professor on October 30, 2013
in Contests, Coupons, DVDs & CDs, Health, Holidays, Kids Stuff, Reviews, Uncategorized

I am a BzzAgent and received these products from BzzAgent.com for review at no cost to me. I receive no monetary compensation for my open and unbiased review. The purpose of BzzAgents is to generate word of mouth sharing of information – both good and bad – about the products offered by both familiar and unfamiliar companies.

TruMoo^® is dressing up for Halloween this fall, with the same delicious taste and feel-good nutrition underneath.

THE TASTE KIDS WANT, WITH A LOOK GHOULS LOVE

To kids, TruMoo^® must feel like a trick — Mom’s letting us drink flavored milk again!? — but it’s really just a nutritious treat children and parents can’t help but agree on. Made with pure, fresh milk from your trusted dairy, no artificial growth hormones and no high fructose corn syrup, TruMoo^® has the delicious taste kids go crazy for, now with 35% less sugar* than a leading chocolate milk brand. And this bewitching season, there’s even more to treat your family to:

Get into the spooky spirit with limited edition TruMoo in classic Chocolate and NEW Vanilla in Halloween Orange!
Learn how you can enter to win a Goosebumps Haunted Hollywood Vacation and instantly get a $2-off coupon for any Goosebumps DVD with your next TruMoo^® purchase

*A leading low-fat and fat-free chocolate milk brand contains 28g of sugar per serving. TruMoo^® low-fat and fat-free chocolate milk contains 18g of sugar per serving.

Do not forget to “peel and play” once you buy your own tru moo product!

Our review:

My children LOVE Tru Moo… it is a special treat for them since I do not buy chocolate milk that often. However Tru Moo has become their preferred brand… its thick, rich , chocolateness delights their taste buds! As a mom I am glad to be able to give them this treat once in a while!

We were also pleased to see Tru Moo pairing with our FAVORITE Halloween TV show… R.L Stein’s Goosebumps. goosebumps books, DVD’s, and TV show has been a long standing favorite in our house!

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6 Tips to Healthier Eating

Posted by html404 on October 29, 2013
in All Natural Products, Food and Treats, Health, Health and Garden Tuesday, Health and Nutrition, Organic, Recipes, Uncategorized

This is a featured post.

I was recently in a discussion with some other moms about how to start eat healthier. It made me think back to when we began to revamp our eating habits. It became a blog post idea so I thought I share some of the ways we changed our diet when we started to read labels and take a closer look into our pantry and refrigerator.

6 Tips to Healthier Eating

1. Read food labels. I cannot tell you how important this is. Reading labels will change your food buying habits. Learn what ingredients are bad and what ingredients are good for you to ingest.

2. Eliminate food dyes and artificial flavors from your diet. Dyes and artificial flavors are in a lot of things. So read labels and refuse to buy any food with these dyes and artificial flavors. It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. We noticed a huge difference in how our children acted after we eliminated these from our diet.

People are fed by the FOOD industry, which pays no attention to health….And are treated by the health industry, which pays no attention to FOOD.

~ Wendell Berry

3. Buy as much organic as your budget will allow. There is a meme out there about organic food. It went something like this, “Think organic food is expensive? Have you priced cancer lately?” Pretty much says it all. Cancer is rather rampant. Organic food is usually non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism), if labeled Non-GMO. Organic food also has a lot less pesticides and insecticides used on it. Organic food can be bought in most grocery stores now. Start with a couple of products and slowly increase it over time so the slight increase is only noticeable over time.

4. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store. Shopping the perimeter of a grocery store generally means buying more fruit, vegetables, dairy, juice, eggs and meat. It reduces the amount of packaged convenience food you buy.

5. Substitute junk food with healthy snacks. We rarely buy potato chips any more. We buy organic tortilla chips or make popcorn on top of our stove. You can also eat your favorite veggies and fruit in place of your favorite junk food.

6. Reduce and eliminate your soda pop intake. Start drinking water. You can add lemon or lime for flavor. Have a glass or 100% juice with your breakfast. Soda pop offers no nutritional value and causes weight gain when used in excess.

There are many other tips I could share but these seemed like the easiest to start with. For recipes to aid you in your healthier eating journey visit apple crisp recipe and this blueberry muffin recipe appeals to my sweet tooth and love of blueberries!

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Happy Halloween with Crest and Oral B

Posted by Professor on October 29, 2013
in Cleaning, Coupons, Health, Uncategorized

Faith and Family Reviews received the following product in exchange for writing a review. While we consider it a privilege to receive free products to review, our reviews are our honest opinion and thoughts of the product.

Imagine a Halloween without sweet treats – Crest and Oral B asked my young trick-or-treaters to try some healthy alternatives to traditional Halloween candy and the results were…scary.

Why don’t you try it ~ Dig into Halloween candy and keep your teeth cavity-free with Crest toothpastes and Oral-B toothbrushes. Plus, visit your dentist to keep away the scariest monster of them all: tooth decay. That means more candy and whiter fangs for all!

Halloween is a fun time in our house… going door-to-door trick or treating and then devouring candy! I always have my children brush and brush some more after ravenously eating those sweet treats! It can be disheartening to see chocolate smiles… BUT I know that Crest and Oral B will be there to make things sparkly again! Fortunately my children enjoy their brushing adventures! They love the Crest for Kids toothpaste (so glad this came out) with its sparkling fun!

Before I found Crest for Kids I was always fighting with the children to brush… now because of the good flavor and sparkle fun brushing is no longer a chore for mom! AND did I mention the cool Oral B flossers???

They are an awesome way to get kids to floss, a must try! …This being said NOW on Halloween my children will brush away the sugar bugs from all the candy and I can sleep easier knowing that Crest and Oral B have helped my children continue their good oral hygiene.

Make sure to check out the CREST COUPON site so you can SAVE on your future Crest purchases!

For more information about CREST and ORAL B products please visit http://www.crestprohealth.com/

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Have You Tried Tai Pei Asian Food?

Posted by html404 on October 25, 2013
in Coupons, Family Stuff, Food and Treats, Health, Home, Products for Dad, Products for Mom, Uncategorized

This blog post is part of a paid SocialMoms and Tai Pei® blogging program. The opinions and ideas expressed here are my own.

We are usually a family who eats healthy meals we make from scratch. However, as a family of ten we can find ourselves busy taking care of animals, working on fixer upper projects around the farm, making CSA or egg deliveries or taking care of errands to keep our household up and running. It is during these times when our food choices may not be so healthy as we look for a quick and easy way to put a meal on the table. We tend to choose for convenience and fast preparation. Like Little Caesar’s pizza or more recently Tai Pei, since we were chosen to write this sponsored post after trying a few of Tai Pei’s products.

Children eating and enjoying Tai Pei’s Beef and Broccoli entree.

Jr. eating Mango Chicken. He ate everything but left the mango and sauce.

Tai Pei is a line of restaurant-inspired, Asian-style frozen meals. It is packaged in takeout-style and ready to eat in just five minutes (per box) and then let sit with lid closed for 3 minutes. This is to insure the meal is cooked all the way through. A total of 8 minutes and you have a meal on the table. That’s fast!

There are several different varieties of Tai Pei® products available: Entrées: Beef & Broccoli, Bourbon Chicken, Cashew Chicken, Chicken Fried Rice, Chicken Chow Mein, Combination Fried Rice, General Tso’s Chicken, Orange Chicken, Pepper Beef, Shrimp Fried Rice, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Sweet Teriyaki Chicken.

Tai Pei also has many multi-serve appetizers to choose from as well: Chicken Egg Rolls, Chicken Potstickers, Pork Egg Rolls, Pork Potstickers, Vegetable Egg Rolls, Battered Green Beans, Edamame, Mini Chicken Spring Rolls, Savory Chicken for Lettuce Wraps, Spicy Mini Chicken Egg Rolls and Mini Vegetable Spring Rolls.

If you are watching your weight, don’t worry each entrée contains around 300 calories, 8 grams of fat or less, and contains real ingredients including lean meats, crispy vegetables, brown rice and whole grain noodles. These are all good things but a couple of these entrees (Mango Chicken is one of them) also contains ingredients our family usually tries to stay away from (dyes, high fructose corn syrup to name a couple). Just be aware of that if you have allergies or food sensitivities. Read the labels first.

They have a new line called Tai Pei Asian Garden™ that includes: Hunan Beef & Broccoli, Chicken Fried Rice, Spicy General Tso’s Chicken, Ginger Chicken, Glazed Chicken Potstickers, Mango Chicken, Sesame Chicken and Orange Chicken.

Tai Pei is the only Asian brand of single-serve frozen entrées that are low in calories, fat and sodium, High in fiber and protein. All of that conveniently packaged in that single-serve takeout-style box. This unique style box should make portion control easy for you and your family to enjoy a meal on the go without the hassle of leaving home! “Good Fortune in Every Box™!”

Our children gobbled the following Tai Pei entrees up: Mango Chicken (new Tai Pei Asian Garden), Chicken Fried Rice(new Tai Pei Asian Garden), Beef and Broccoli and Orange Chicken. Orange Chicken and Beef and Broccoli were the favorites. The meat was tender. The sauce was flavorful.

If you are a busy mom or dad on the go, you may want to grab a Tai Pei coupon while supplies last so you can have something quick and easy for those busy nights you do not have time to make a home cooked meal for your family. “Good Fortune in Every Box™!”

For more information or to stay up to date on Tai Pei coupons etc. visit:

Tai Pei Website: http://www.taipeifood.com/

Tai Pei Asian Garden: http://www.taipeifood.com/AsianGarden/

Tai Pei on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TaiPeiAsianFood

Tai Pei on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TaiPeiAsianFood

Tai Pei on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/taipeiasianfood/

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Etymotic BEAN

Posted by html404 on October 18, 2013
in Health, Products for Dad, Products for Mom, Reviews, Technology/Electronics, Uncategorized

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Etymotic. I received a product to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

My husband is older than me and it’s been a long running joke for me to tease him about how “old” he is, after all he is nearly five years older than me, so it’s my prerogative right? Thankfully he’s a good humored kind of guy and puts up with my teasing, not that he’s never teased me. Ha! You should hear the short jokes, the Canadian jokes and whatever else his twisted mind comes up with. But we love each other, don’t get me wrong.

Back to the age jokes…with those age jokes come the hard of hearing jokes. My husband really struggles with wax build up in his ears. Seriously, he should go more than once a year or so to get his ears cleaned out but he doesn’t. He let’s it go soooo long that if his bad ear is facing you or he’s laying on his good ear in bed he cannot hear what you are saying. He cannot hear what is playing on the computer when we watch movies or TV shows. I almost think he let’s it go so long so he gets a break from our noisy household!

Enter the Etymotic BEAN.

Etymotic BEAN

The BEAN is…

Designed to ampilfy quiet sounds
Requires no medical referral or prescription
Ready-to-use right out of the box – no adjustments, no controls to adjust
Two-position switch offers two levels of amplification: Normal 15 dB (decibels) or High 23 dB
Handles high-level music without distortion
Long battery life (10-12 days)

An interesting fact: “Etymotic” means “true-to-the-ear”.

The BEAN came with a few accessories:

Assortments of eartips (we did not use them all)
Filter tool (seen just above the little red filters) and extra filters
Cleaning tool
Leather storage pouch
#10 batteries and lots of them!
User manual

Comes with a 1 year warranty

Etymotic BEAN Review

I think my husband gave me a dirty look when the BEAN arrived and I told him it was for him to review. I don’t tell him when I get products for him to review because he’ll just forget. Better to tell him when it arrives. I just do not always have good timing!

Hubby’s Review

My husband said the BEAN felt too weird and amplified the children’s voices and noise too much for him. He also said something about the sound having a fuzzy background noise.

He hasn’t given it a second chance….yet.

My Review

The incorrect way to put the BEAN in your ear.

Yes, I even tried the BEAN. I have no hearing issues except when my children are being loud and I am trying to talk/listen to my husband or watch a video. The Bean felt weird in my ears but it did amplify the video I watched while using them. I could definitely hear better and clearer.

My voice sounded very is muffled when the Bean is in my ear. If they had an off switch, I could use them as ear plugs! Speaking of ear plugs Etymotic does have ear plugs and ear phones available in their product line.

The correct way to put the BEAN in your ear.

I think the BEAN will be helpful to my husband and others who have trouble hearing, whether they wear it sometimes or on a daily basis.

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Calorease Review

Posted by html404 on October 17, 2013
in All Natural Products, Health, Health and Fitness, Health and Nutrition, Products for Dad, Products for Mom, Reviews, Uncategorized, Weight Loss

I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meetsm program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agreed to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC. or the manufacturer of the product.

Weight loss has been on my mind lately and not just weight loss for the sake of losing weight but for the sake of getting healthy. You see my husband and I started going to the park to shoot hoops. Playing one on one left me breathless. We ended up playing the game of “horse”. For those of you unfamiliar it’s basically choosing a spot to shoot from and the other player(s) shoot from the same spot, if they miss they earn a letter. The one with the least amount of letters in “horse” wins or the one who earns “horse” loses. The breathlessness like this has never happened to me before and I didn’t like it. I know I’m getting old but not that old.

I am not much for diet fads or diet pills but a few all natural and seemingly “safe” products have come across my inbox that I thought I’d give them a try. Calorease is one of them.

Facts About Calorease

• Stimulant free.

• FBCx (TM), a patented heart healthy fiber.

• If taken as recommended, results can be seen in about 2-3 weeks. Keep in mind that Calorease is not a license to overeat, nor is it a magic bullet for quick weight loss. As always, results will vary from person to person.

• There is no program or special diet involved with taking Calorease. A reasonable, balanced and nutritious fat-containing diet is recommended. Click here for sample meal plans.

• Calorease does not contain gluten, lactose, yeast, wheat, sugar, salt, egg, soy, dairy, artificial colors, sweeteners or preservatives. It is naturally sourced from grain and is suitable for vegans.

• It binds with fat in food to reduce up to 500 calories a day. That’s equivalent to 15000 calories a month, which could be a whole pant size!

Calorease Review

I haven’t been very consistent, nor have I used the product long enough to see a significant difference. I feel no different when taking Calorease. It’s easy to take. Just take two tablets with water after a fat containing meal or snack, up to three times a day. The package contains 90 tablets so about 15 days worth of product, if taken consistently. A 90-tablet pack retails for $29.99. They do have a 180 count pack for 30 days for $49.99.

I liked the idea of Calorease because there is no special diet plan. You eat healthy, treat yourself if need be and exercise. So many diet programs or diets are so restrictive that it feels like you are starving and depriving yourself. I’ve always been able to lose weight by increasing my physical exercise, cutting back on sweets (not that I eat a lot of sweets anymore), so that is what I am working towards…ever so slowly…after all that’s another reason I want to farm – physical work.

Special Discount

Calorease is offering you a 50% discount! You’ll pay only $14.99 for a 90-tablet pack! Visit calorease.com/buy and enter code 4MOMS. You can also find Calorease on Facebook.

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The Liquid Amino Diet Part 1

Posted by html404 on October 14, 2013
in All Natural Products, Health, Health and Fitness, Health and Nutrition, Products for Dad, Products for Mom, Uncategorized, Weight Loss

This is a featured post and I did receive product to review. All opinions are my own.

I really struggle with weight loss. It’s been years since I have successfully take off extra pounds. I love to watch the TV show Extreme Weight Loss Makeover. I find it is very inspirational and sometimes wish I had coaches like Chris and Heidi to help me over the mental, emotional and physical hurdles that come with losing weight. They say that you have to be ready to lose weight. For months I have felt it building up to the point where I was going to say, “Enough is enough.” However, I still need some motivation. Elizabeth’s video below inspired me.

Elizabeth’s Video

The fact that I am even willing to try a weight loss product shows I have made some progress. I am usually quite skeptical of diet products. I am a firm believer in eating healthy and getting enough exercise. Speaking of exercise my husband and I have started going to the park to shoot hoops. We use to play basketball together before we were even dating so it’s something to not only get us moving physically but to spend time together doing something we enjoy. We’ve been the kind of couple who has often put our marriage on the back burner while raising our kids, especially when they were younger. Now they are all getting older and we are finding a healthy balance again.

Back to dieting and losing weight….

About the Liquid Amino Diet

The Liquid Amino Diet is a product I am going to try over the next few days, maybe even weeks. The nice thing about this product is that it does come with a personal coach to assist you along your journey.

Dr. Finsand developed the Amino Diet about 4 years ago after years of research and trials with his patients. The Liquid Amino diet is not about a quick fix, it is about a total and complete lifestyle change, which is something I need, especially increasing my activity level. You would think living on a farm would do it but it doesn’t especially when I spend most of my day on the computer earning an income. Supposedly, the lifestyle change is accomplished through clean eating and ALL NATURAL homeopathic drops. Because of the healthy change in diet, you can expect to lose between .5-1 lb per day. Unlike other diets, the Amino Diet does not inject hormones for a total body shock, but instead focuses on teaching people how to eat clean without the shock of the system. This is one HUGE factor in keeping the weight off for extended periods of time. One thing I was shocked about was the limited calories – 1500 per day. I am scared I cannot stick to this. I am a total carbs girl and cannot picture life without them!

So stay tuned to read about my update The Liquid Amino Diet Part 2 in the coming weeks….

Visit www.liquidaminodiet.com for more information.

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Breathe Easy with Air Scrubber Plus Pure Air iPad Mini Giveaway

Posted by html404 on October 13, 2013
in Fun Stuff, Giveaways, Health, Home, Uncategorized

I think we would all like cleaner air this fall as we approach cold and flu season. Some of you with children in school may have already experienced your first illness of the season. Did you know the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental dangers? In fact, the quality of indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than the most polluted outdoor air. 87 percent of American homeowners are not aware that pollution may be worse inside their homes than outdoors. October is National Home Indoor Air Quality and Awareness Month and we want to spread the word on improving indoor air quality!

Air Scrubber Plus® with ActivePure™ technology is based on a variation of the technology originally developed for use in the International Space Station and is recognized as the exclusive Certified Space Technology by the Space Foundation in its category. offers the only environmental technology that is proven to actually reduce contaminants in the air and surfaces of the home.

Working through your heating and air conditioning units, Air Scrubber Plus uses specialized germicidal UV light waves along with a proprietary catalytic process to reduce dust, pet dander and odors in your home. You will be able to reduce common smells such as pet odor, cigarette smoke, paint fumes, mold smells and the occasional burnt food odor.

The difference in air quality is noticeable; the air is fresher and the surfaces are cleaner, with an up to 99% reduction in contaminants on surfaces, like kitchen counters and toilet seats. Dust, allergens, mildew and odor-causing bacteria are proven to be significantly reduced with Air Scrubber Plus, now available through a nationwide network of general contractors and HVAC specialists.

Our Favorite Features of Air Scrubber Plus® with ActivePure™ technology:

Air Scrubber Plus cleans and disinfects the air and surfaces of your home, reducing up to 99.9% of surface micro-organisms and 90% of airborne micro-organisms.
The most highly respected labs in the country at Kansas State University and University of Cincinnati have tested and validated the effectiveness of the Air Scrubber Plus technology.
Air Scrubber Plus reduces VOCs (volatile organic compounds) emitted by carpets, building materials, cleaning products, furniture, paint, fireplaces, and pesticides.
Air Scrubber Plus eliminates airborne and surface toxins that can aggravate allergy symptoms, chest tightness, cough, nausea, sinus problems, dizziness, eye/nose/throat irritation, fatigue, and headaches.
Air Scrubber Plus extends the life and effectiveness of your existing HVAC system.
Air Scrubber Plus is easily installed by professional HVAC technician.
Member of the U.S. Green Building Council

Purchase: You can purchase the Air Scrubber Plus indoor air purification system from top HVAC contractors across the country or contact Air Scrubber Plus by phone or email for more information.

Win! Air Scrubber Plus is sponsoring an iPad Mini 16 GB giveaway (retail value $329) to promote their incredible new indoor air purification incredible technology during National Home Indoor Air Quality and Awareness Month.

Special thanks to AnaB Social for hosting this giveaway. Huge thanks to airscrubberplus.com and all the fabulous participating bloggers as well! Giveaway ends November 11th at 11:59 pm, open to residents of U.S., ages 18+. See detailed terms and conditions on entry form. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below (see directions on how to enter here). Thank you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclaimer: AnaB Social and all participating event bloggers are not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. I received no compensation for this post.

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Why is Organic Dairy So Important? #FightPesticides

Posted by html404 on September 17, 2013
in All Natural Products, Family Stuff, Farm Stuff, Food and Treats, Health, Health and Nutrition, Home, Organic, Safety, Uncategorized

This post is part of my application to become a Stoneyfield ambassador and I will receive Stoneyfield coupons for my participation. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Why is Organic Dairy So Important?

I know our family knows why organic dairy is so important but thought I’d share with you our reasons for wanting to eat and drink organic dairy to the point of owning our own cow. As you know, organic anything can be expensive, especially when buying for ten people. A huge reason for our buying a cow is so we could provide fresh milk for our family (and animals because we do share!). You also know from our Mariano’s shop, organic milk is around $7.99 per gallon at Whole Foods and Mariano’s. However, our reason for feeding her organic feed and hay is to be free of harmful pesticides (and GMOs – Genetically Modified Organisms) often used on crops. Now that we have our own pasture and hay, we know without a doubt our milk is organic, free of harmful GMOs. We have been supplementing Miss Moo with certified organic feed because when we brought her home she was underweight and want to fatten her up so she’s a good weight for her age and stage of lactation. We also know exactly what Miss Moo is fed, how she how the milk is handled and how she is cared for. We like knowing where our food comes from, and for our large family that means we are raising our own at this stage of our lives.