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Miss Moo is…..

Posted by html404 on October 31, 2013
in Animals, Family Stuff, Farm Stuff, Home, Pet Food, Uncategorized

Miss Moo is….not expecting a calf. Sniff. Sniff.

On Monday our vet came out to check to see if Miss Moo bred, but unfortunately the August AI (artificial insemination) did not take. We were disappointed but we are trying again. This time the vet gave Miss Moo a shot to bring on her heat cycle, which should occur any day now. Once we see signs of her heat we will call the vet and he will come out and AI her again and give her another shot, if I am understanding correctly. All of this is new to us so forgive me if I get a few things mixed up! Trying to keep things straight but somehow think it may take another time or two of going through AI before it sticks in this brain of mine.

Now….here’s to hoping for a 2014 fall calf.

The vet was impressed with how much weight Miss Moo had put on since late August – yay for the new pasture and the extra grain portions! We really couldn’t take the credit…but we are very, very happy that he noticed the difference. He said she was in “working condition” and could probably still use another 150-200 lbs, so we will keep her grain portion the same and feed her our hay, which is better quality than the stuff we previously got. She was hardly gaining anything on the old hay but our hay is “gold” ;). Seriously, Miss Moo doesn’t even want to eat the old stuff anymore, that’s saying a lot for a cow because cows usually are not so picky. And she really does prefer our hay.

Unfortunately, our second cutting just got cut last week and was baled on Monday. The weather conditions were not the best so our hay did not dry as it should have, but it’s ok for cows. Our horse does not eat hay due to his teeth. Older horses like him (29+ years) often have poor teeth, if any at all. That’s why we feed him mush. More about older horses in a future post though!

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Curel intensive Healing

Posted by Professor on October 31, 2013
in 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.

DRY SKIN GOT YOU DOWN?

When your skin’s excessively dry, cracked or irritated, daydreaming of comfort and relief is an everyday thing. But in your dreams, was the answer ever a heavy – and, ugh, sticky! – lotion or cream? This is the part where you put down those other lotions and pick up dermatologist recommended Curél^® Intensive Healing Cream:

Spreads easily, non-greasy and absorbs quickly
Provides immediate healing relief and revitalizes cermamide levels for long-lasting hydration
Clinically-proven to help chapping and chafing caused by dryness
Fragrance-free and hypo-allergenic
9 out of 10 dermatologists recommend using it
Pediatrician tested: suitable for children 6 months and older
Excellent for dry skin associated with diabetes — Curél^® is a proud partner of the American Diabetes Association

WHAT ARE CERAMIDES?

Ceramides are natural lipids and a major component in surface skin structure. They serve as part of the “glue” that holds surface skin cells together.

WHY ARE CERAMIDES IMPORTANT?

Dry, irritated and sensitive skin often lacks ceramides. As a result, skin’s protective barrier is compromised and becomes more susceptible to environmental factors, changes in the season and other irritants.

Research proves that dry and damaged skin is often linked to depleted ceramide levels. Ceramides are naturally found in your skin’s outer layer, helping skin retain its moisture. While traditional lotions only hydrate the surface of your skin, Curél^® Intensive Healing Cream works at the source of dryness to strengthen skin’s moisture retaining capacity — so you’re not just relieving symptoms, but actually preventing dry skin from returning over time!

Relieve irritated and dry skin instantly; lock in moisture for all-day hydration and repair skin by forming a protective barrier to keep future irritants out. Feel the difference Advanced Ceramide Therapy makes every time you apply Curél^® Intensive Healing Cream.

Our review:

This is by far the MOST hydrating cream I have used EVER! It is my NEW favorite. I have always loathed cream that left a greasy feel … this cream DOES NOT! I admit I was leery of its hydration qualities but it is so thick and luxurious it just melts into your skin for a luxury hydration experience.

I often use hand cream while I am working and/or on the computer…so I want something that will go on fast and seep into my skin without that greasy after feeling. This does the trick! Goes on sooth and fast and works instantly! Whenever I feel dry I just dab some on my hands…or ANYWHERE my skin needs moisture and VIOLA! I am instantly satisfied!

For more information visit http://www.curel.com/products/intensive-healing-cream.aspx

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Kmart Layaway

Posted by html404 on October 30, 2013
in Deals, Holidays, Saving Money, Seasonal Stuff, Shopping, Uncategorized

This is a sponsored post. I am a Kmart blogger, though all opinions are my own.

I’ve never actually used a layaway plan before but have always thought it was a great idea. Whether or not you want to admit it; the countdown is on to the holiday season! Although many of us don’t start shopping, decorating and celebrating until after Thanksgiving, there are a few holiday ‘musts’ that you need to start sooner rather than later (we’re talking before Halloween). First, putting your big (or small) items on Layaway. Since most Layaway contracts are eight weeks long, this is the ideal time to shop now and pay over time. You don’t want your wallet to go into shock on November 29th, do you? Didn’t think so. Still need convincing?

Kmart Layaway

Here are a few ‘Layaway Lessons’ to keep in mind:

1.) The cat ate your Christmas tree. OK, so even if you don’t have a cat but last year’s Christmas tree was on its last limb and this is the year you need a new one. On the other hand, maybe you just got a cat and the days of having a real tree are over. Either way, you need some new decorating digs. Pick up a pre-lit tree (because that’s the way to go), LED lights, wreaths and village houses now and pay them off in time for decking those halls! Or simply buy a real Christmas tree.
2.) Your gift list has grown. Maybe you’ve found a new group of friends, entered into a new family or you’re just feeling extra generous this year. Long gift lists call for Layaway. Fill that cart to the brim and roll it over to the Layaway counter. Your pals won’t know you paid their gifts off over time.
3.) Money is tight this year. It’s not just you; many of us are watching our spending. If you’re having trouble staying afloat while keeping those bills paid, Layaway is a must. Not only will you avoid ‘wallet shock,’ you’ll keep your pre-holiday peace of mind.

Whether you have one or 100 items , you can Layaway almost everything on your list without paying a service fee through 11/23. Plus, you can pay in store, online or using a mobile phone. Eight or 12 weeks later (depending on your contract) pick up your items and you’re good to go! Bonus: After you figure out how easy it is, you can Layaway all year round at Kmart.

Do you use a layaway plan during the holiday season?

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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

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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Milk Unleashed

Posted by Professor on October 28, 2013
in All Natural Products, Family Stuff, Food and Treats, Uncategorized

Milk Unleashed helps moms get their kids to drink more milk –anytime –anywhere!

Just because busy families are often on the go, they don’t have to sacrifice nutrition. Thanks to Tetra Pak cartons, milk has officially been unleashed! Milk is packaged in the same shelf safe cartons as juice boxes and not requiring refrigeration until they are unopened. Moms can take milk to the beach, the park, sporting events and picnics – anytime, anywhere. It is the same nutrient-rich Grade fluid milk – but packaged for convenience.

How is this possible? The milk is flash-heated at higher temperatures (ultra-pasteurization) to eliminate bacteria and then put into Tetra Pak shelf safe cartons, which protect the milk from air, tight, and other contaminants. Shelf safe milk stays on the shelf without preservatives until it is ready to chill and drink.

Here are a few tips from Milk Unleashed website for getting kids to drink more milk:

Stock the refrigerator (and pantry) with flavored and white milk in single serving cartons for a healthy snack on the go.

Put in the kids’ lunchboxes. If it’s there they will be more likely to drink it.

Try offering flavored milk. It has the same nutrients and only a little added sugar.

Appeal to their eyes by adding a drop of food coloring to make milk fun!

Be a role model. Kids will be more likely to want milk if they see you drinking it.

The Milk Unleashed website is packed with information for moms on the go, ideas for increasing milk in their families’ diets, nutritional facts about milk, plus promotions, contests and information about the various brands of shelf safe milk and where to buy.

Tetra Pak’s shelf safe milk boxes enable milk to retain its quality without refrigeration for several months. Families can purchase large quantities and store it safely in their pantry until they are ready to chill before opening, if they choose. For more information visit www.milkunleashed.com

Our Review:

We LOVE milk in our house we go through 3 sometimes 4 gallons a week! I was excited to try the options from Milk Unleashed in the Tetra Pak containers. The containers are a very nice size (larger than a normal juice box). We received various brands and flavors from milk unleashed. We received Organic Valley Farms White and chocolate milk, Hershey’s chocolate and white chocolate milk, TruMoo vanilla and chocolate milk, and Cow Wow Chocolate milk. All of the brands and flavors were a hit… except I have to say the children did not like the Organic Valley farms regular milk, they did not mind the chocolate flavored milk but honestly hated the regular milk. I tasted the Organic Valley milk and it did have a differently flavor to it… not sure if this was because it is organic or because of the pasteurization but it did taste different. But that was the only one that was not a hit.

The milk was so popular that the kids drank it down before I got to take a nifty picture for the blog of all the flavors and packaging that we received (sorry!) but here are some stock photos of the packaging…

I LOVE the idea of safe shelf milk… this is a great alternative to juice boxes. We do not do juice boxes often, we opt for water bottles instead…BUT now we have an even better option with the new Tetra Packaging of milk!

We also visited milkunleashed.com for more information about the available products and information about shelf safe milk. There is a wealth of information on the website so PLEASE if take some time to peruse the website it will certainly be informative!

WWW.MILKUNLEASHED.COM

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Saturday Top Five Laughs- Join the Blog Hop with Mommyhood Chronicles!

Posted by html404 on October 26, 2013
in Blog Stuff, Encouragement for Moms, Family Stuff, Fun Stuff, Kids Stuff, Uncategorized

Please note: All of this up to #3 was written months ago, if not nearly two years ago, since my first and last Saturday Top Five Laughs was 2/24/12! I had good intentions of joining Saturday Top Five Laughs….

I keep meaning to participate in Mommyhood Chronicles’ Saturday Top Five Laughs but it keeps getting brushed aside for reviews and other things….not so this week!

Here goes my top five laughs of the week late February 2012/Early March 2012:

1. My baby’s laugh. He has this laugh when he’s excited. Whether he’s excited to nurse, eat or be put to bed. It’s priceless and makes my husband and I smile or laugh every time we hear him.

2. We had a few emotional break downs this week (that’s what happens when you have teen girls and preteen girls!) and my husband said, “I wish you all would stop diving off the deep end.” Our Amelia Bedilia matter of factly states, “But there’s no cliff to jump off of Daddy.” My husband says, “Yes, my little Amelia Bedilia” and I pointed at him and said, “That’s exactly what I thought!”

3. My rock star son wet his hair and brushed it dry so that it was standing up on end. He’s hilarious. I don’t have a photo of him, but I just took this one of my other son for the sake of this blog post!

Fast forward to 10/24/13…

4. My daughter cracked me up when she used a scarf to become Ninja O.

5. My youngest son has been giving us two thumbs up when he wants to say “ok”. We have no idea where he got it from because none of us do this on a regular basis. We prompted him for the sake of having a photo to share.

Happy Saturday Top Five Laughs!

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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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Perfectly Matched by Maggie Brendan

Posted by html404 on October 24, 2013
in Books, Ebooks, Products for Mom, Reviews, Uncategorized

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

Perfectly Matched by Maggie Brendan is the third book in the Blue Willows book series about mail order brides. It is a sappy, but cute story of Anna, a mail order bride and Edward, a clock maker, who live in Denver Colorado.

Like most newlyweds, who haven’t lived together before marriage, they have a time of adjustment; which is often hilarious, but also heart wrenching when feelings are hurt and miscommunication occurs. Edwards OCD (OCD – Obsessive-compulsive disorder – apparently emerged in 1877, did you know that?) was a major contribution to Anna and his rocky start, just as much as Anna’s spontaneity. They had to learn how to live a balanced life between the two.

It was interesting learning a bit of the history of the A.S.P.C.A. (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and Anna’s efforts to star the first shelter in Denver. Both were admirable.

I wanted to read this book because of my interest in mail order brides. I cannot fathom how women, girls even, could do this. Usually they left their families behind in another city, state or country. I mean, I did that but I knew my husband before I made the move. I have read the first two books of this series and thought the first was the best one. To me Perfectly Matched was a regular fictional romance novel. It isn’t a book I get excited about or would read again, unfortunately.

“Available October 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”