Reviews – Page 12 – Chocolate 'N Children

July 27, 2017

Back to School With Jane

This is a sponsored post. Thanks to Jane for providing the free back to school items for review! All opinions are my own.

Jane is a daily deal site for the whole family. I got the opportunity to shop on Jane for some back to school items. I bought some backpack tags and a first/last day of school card set. Shipping took a little while on the tags – because they’re custom – and the cards arrived very quickly. I’m very happy with the quality of the items that I ordered. And my kids are super excited to have some cool Back to School items.

First off, have you ever tried to get 3 excited kids to stand still for a picture? It’s basically impossible! I did get their bag tags attached to their bags but they weren’t shy about moving around while I was photographing. They’re apparently all ready to go!
I am quite happy with the tags. They’re a nice thick plastic and my kids names and my phone number are printed on so I don’t have to worry about the information getting lost somehow. This is perfect for if my child looses their backpack or if my child gets lost while at co-op, preschool, or other school activities.

They each picked out their favorite color for the tag. And I think that the tags match well with their backpacks.

Plus the kids are super excited to have their names on their backpacks. I’m sure their teachers are going to appreciate this as well!

The next item I ordered was the First Day of … / Last Day of… cards. The front of the card has The First Day and the back of the card has The Last Day. They come in a deck with preschool to college so I’m basically set for the rest of my life!

I just love the bright colors on these cards! Though, after we took pictures, the kids wouldn’t let me have them back. They insisted on hanging their posters on their walls.

I’m fairly certain preschool is going to have their hands full with him. I was going for a nice picture and this is what I got!

She’s all ready for first grade. Her reading and math have both actually improved over the summer so she’s definitely ready to have a great first grade year!

And this girl is all ready for fourth grade! I’m not sure I’m ready. Seriously, how do I have a fourth grader already? It seems like just yesterday she was a baby.

We had bunches of fun browsing Jane and finding some fun Back to School items. They even have some back to school t-shirts that I suggested to the kids but they thought the posters were way cooler for some reason and since it’s all about them being excited about getting back to School, I got them what they requested.

July 21, 2017July 21, 2017

Review – Nichole Nordeman: Every Mile Mattered CD

I received this CD free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

Nichole Nordeman: Every Mile Mattered CD – I’m constantly looking for new music for me to enjoy and my children love it when I get a new CD to try out. So, we put this one in the car and have been enjoying it this past week while we run errands and such around town.

I somehow had never heard of Nichole Nordeman before this review opportunity – not sure how that’s possible since we listen to a LOT of Christian music in my house and this is her 5th CD!

First off, I’m excited to discover a new artist. She has a great voice and we’ve really enjoyed her latest CD. The music on this CD is soft, gentle, and thought provoking. She sings about her life journey and how Every Mile Mattered. Such a good reminder of how God cares about everything in our life.

Nichole Nordeman: Every Mile Mattered is a great CD and it will be in our car CD rotation for quite a while. Want to know more about the artist? Follow her on her blog: http://nicholenordeman.com.

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You can get your own copy at:

ITunes
Spotify
Amazon

Also, enter the giveaway below for a chance to win your very own copy of Nichole Nordeman: Every Mile Mattered CD.

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“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”): Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway. Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days on the same blog, you are not eligible to win. Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Winner has 36 hours to respond to winning notification or a new winner may be selected.

July 3, 2017

Pley Subscription Box Review

I received the Pley Disney Princess box free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

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First off, my 6yr old was so excited to receive her own pink box in the mail! She couldn’t wait to open it.

One box is $29.99 – including shipping or you can get a subscription for $27.99 a box. Boxes ship every other month so you can send your princess 6 boxes a year.

So, what comes in a princess box? I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was actually surprised by the quality of the items.

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The box transforms into a castle – my kids thought this was so cool!
When you sign up, you give your child’s t-shirt size. This t-shirt is so cute!
The book has a story about the princess and some little activities
The figurines were by far my daughter’s favorite – she combined those with her new castle and has had so much fun!
The crown is beautiful and even has a little rose in the center.

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This box contained some really great items that were lots of fun for my daughter to play with. Would my child enjoy a box like this every other month? Yes, she would. Just guessing what princess will come next would be fun and the box items are well selected and so much fun!

You can find out more information on the Pley Disney Princess Website.

And check out my daughter unboxing her new Pley Disney Princess Box.

June 21, 2017

Threads of Suspicion Review

I received this book free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

Threads of Suspicion (An Evie Blackwell Cold Case) by Dee Henderson

This book is about Evie Blackwell, an investigator who is great at cracking cold cases.

She’s such a great investigator she gets appointed to the Illinois Governor’s Missing Persons Task Force.

Evie gets to pick her own case and gets one that is truly puzzling and proves to be harder to solve than she expected.

With lots of twists and turns along the way. New friendships, old friendships challenged, and unexpected events. This book was a great mystery.

The author, Dee Henderson did a great job of keeping me guessing all the way to the end. Who did it? Where is the missing person? And how will Evie keep up with it all and her personal life at the same time?

A great mystery!

This post does contain affiliate links.

June 3, 2017

Dr. Rogers Restore – Review

This is a sponsored post.

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Dr. Rogers Restore is a petroleum-free ointment that can be used as an alternative to neosporin, vaseline, and such. Designed by a mom who wanted something better for her kids. This is an all-purpose ointment designed for dry, damaged skin, lips and nails. Other uses incude razor rash, diaper rash, chafing, wound care (for small cuts), scrapes, abrasions, insect bites, stings, chapped lips, callouses, etc. Basically, all the stuff I use neosporin and vaseline for.

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Free of petroleum, lanolin, parabens, phthalates, sulfates, fragrance and common allergens. Dr. Rogers is made with all plant-based ingredients.

First, I tried Dr. Rogers out on my cuticles. Our spring has arrived by kicking off with 80 degree weather, then cooling down to 60 degrees and then back up again. This constant temperature not only has us all wondering what to wear each day, but it dries out my hands and I notice it first on my cuticles. So for a couple of days I just put a little bit right on my cuticles where my nails were feeling extra dry.

Dr. Rogers doesn’t smell like anything – in that it has no smell that I can tell. It’s basically a clear ointment, so, I was a bit skeptical that it was actually going to do anything for me.

I used it for two days – twice a day – and my cuticles are no longer dried out. So, it definitely worked.

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Of course, since I’m trying out this cool new product, the kids had to get in on it. I suggested that they try it out on a scratch and see if it helped – usually we use neosporin. Or the girls could try it out where their flip-flops were rubbing their foot – which I use vaseline for. All the kids managed to find a scratch or irritation of some sort to try this out on. I’m sure they invented a few “injuries” as well because that was a good way to get to use more!

My oldest girl and my son both have skin that’s sensitive to scents and dyes so I’m very careful with what I let them try out. Of course, this stuff seemed pretty good, after I had tried it, so I let them use it how they wanted.

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I didn’t notice any real difference is result between using Dr. Rogers or my usual products. They basically seem to work the same. And since this product is supposed to be a replacement for similar petroleum- based products I would say that it works as advertised.

It did not irritate my childrens’ skin, it’s easy to apply, and it did what I expected it to do. Plus it’s plant based instead of petroleum based. In my opinion, a great product.

May 26, 2017

Invitation – Book Review

I received this book free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

Invitation – Harbingers Cycle One – by Bill Myers, Frank Peretti, Angela Hunt, and Alton Gansky.

I read my first book by Frank Peretti when I was a young teen and never read another one. So, I really was reluctant to try out an entire book by Peretti. However, since he wrote this book in cooperation with 3 other authors I thought it was a pretty low commitment way for me to give him another try.

I’ll be honest. He’s still not my favorite author, but definitely better than I remember him. Before this book I had just finished the Wing & Wing by James Fenmore Cooper (think older english text, like Charles Dickens). So switching over to this book, I honestly felt like I was doing some super simple reading. I sat down and in under an hour and a half (with interruptions from the kids) I was already 1/3 of the way through the book.

I’m not complaining about the authors’ styles. I was just a shocking contrast to the larger, older words I had just waded through. All that said, this book was a remarkably fast/easy read. If you’re traveling, it would be perfect for on the plane or in the car when you want to read something that you can just pick right back up if you get interrupted.

Invitation is in four sections. There are 4 main characters. Each author wrote one section from one character’s perspective. A rather interesting way to write a story. Their styles are all similar enough that switching through the authors wasn’t a problem.

The story is interesting and entertaining to read and was a nice break from the heaver reading I had just been doing. If you like any of these authors, you’ll enjoy this creative collaboration and may even find a new author that you like.

May 11, 2017May 12, 2017

Evian® Facial Spray’s #CoolBaby Campaign!

This is a sponsored post.

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For starters, I love evian ® Natural Mineral Water Facial Sprays! They’re so refreshing and perfect for having on hand in the summertime. Pure, natural skincare from the French Alps, evian® Facial Spray is very beneficial for any skin type at any age. The spray delivers a very find mist of pure evian® natural spring water that is sealed at the source in Evian-les- bains, France.

evian® Facial Spray’s unique, balanced, mineral content and exquisitely fine micro-droplet mist allow skin to better absorb its hydration and blend and finish makeup into a smooth, natural look. This favorite of skincare and makeup professionals is affordable luxury at its best. Available in three convenient sizes, evian® Facial Spray is leak-proof and environmentally friendly – 1.7 oz. travel size (TSA approved), 5 oz. for tote or office and economical 10 oz. for use at home.

The 1.7 Fl.Oz size is also perfect for sticking in my purse for any emergency!

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Whether is’s for it’s advertised purpose as a facial spray or for an emergency hand washing for the kids while we’re out and about. evian ® Natural Mineral Water Facial Sprays are awesome.

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We even had a little mishap with the stuffed puppy and my daughter had to clean him off.

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As a fun promo for moms – or anyone else with kids – evian ® Natural Mineral Water Facial Sprays is giving away a Diaper Bag filled with a 10 oz., 5 oz. and trio of travel sized evian ® Natural Mineral Water Facial Sprays!

Head to this link or enter below for your chance to win some of this refreshing spray and a new diaper bag.

May 4, 2017

ATG Today – Review

This is a sponsored post – all opinions are my own.

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About Awakening to God Today (ATG Today):

ATG Today is a devotional journal to help you enjoy your walk with God, with thanksgiving from your heart, everyday touches and prayers. Inspiration for 8 minutes with God at the start of your day, learning to hear His voice, memorize scripture, pray and journal. Lots of great ideas to build your faith, share scripture, encourage others and strengthen family devotions.

Basically, there’s a new verse each day, and there’s a journaling portion of the app for recording your thoughts/feelings/etc. each day. I’ve been using this app for a month now and it’s great to be able to easily look back and see what I’ve been learning this past month.

The creators of this app, Gerald & Jeannie Long experienced success and wealth based on the values of the world and also the deepest grief and suffering from the death of two of their three children. On their journey, God has revealed His grace and glory to them in extraordinary ways. In particular, they’ve experienced how God is able to redeem the most painful areas of our lives and turn them around for good. Gerard has caught a deep awareness of eternity and Jeannie has experienced God’s presence and glory when she was close to ending her own life. Their marriage has triumphed when all seemed lost and they’ve learnt invaluable lessons on their unbelievable journey. And, they have a very clear message of God’s calling for each Christ follower to obey the Great Command and the Great Commission.

They created this app to inspire and encourage thousands of people in their walk with Christ.

Follow this link to find the app for apple and android.

April 25, 2017

Divatress Bobbi Boss Wigs

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are mine.

Ever wanted to change your hair, but don’t want it to be permanent? I know I have! I love to play with my hair, but my hubby isn’t so thrilled with it. To be honest, I’m dying to try out that whole bright splash of color that people are doing in their hair these days – you know, the stripe of hot pink, or turning all my ends blue. I’m just not certain I’ll like it and haven’t tried it because I hate to do something so permanent and then decide it’s no good. And you know what’s worse than doing something I don’t like to my hair? Waiting for it to grow out…

I’ve been checking out these Bobbi Boss wigs, and they’re pretty awesome. They would definitely give me a chance to try out a new hair color without it being permanent. Bobbi Boss is an e-commerce site that carries wigs, haircare, and beauty products. I’m having fun browsing their hundreds of wigs. So much fun, in fact, it’s hard to decide what wig I would try out first!

Like this long wig, I could try out those blue colors that I’ve been dying to try. Without actually dying my hair!

Oh, and I’m loving this red hair. This would be so fun to wear for an extra pop of color!

I realize colors aren’t for everyone. They have regular hair colors as well. This Bob is super cute! And would give me the chance to go shorter without actually cutting my hair. They have a great selection of short wigs.

All of these hair styles have different shades available so you can go really different or get something that’s pretty close to your natural hair color. You could easily make it look like you cut your hair or dyed it when you haven’t actually done anything to your hair at all.

They have long wigs, short wigs, and all sorts of colors for each style. Hundreds of Women’s wigs. They also sell all the wig accessories you’ll need to make your wig wearing a success. It’s like the warehouse of wigs! Just online, so you don’t ever have to leave your home. Or if you’re like me, you can shop for wigs without your children trying them all on… Let’s just say that I’m really enjoying shopping Bobbi Boss online!

April 13, 2017

Bang Cookies – Review

This is a sponsored post.

Bang Cookies sent me a box of 6 different cookies to try out for my review. Bang Cookies uses all organic and natural ingredients in their cookies. They make them when you order them and then ship them out right away. They also have a cookie subscription, so if you love them, you never have to remember to order them.

These cookies aren’t pre-made just waiting around for you to order them. They’re made to order and shipped out fresh to your door.

These cookies are huge! They’re also perfectly soft, delicious, and honestly taste homemade.

Walnut Chocolate Chunk

They have:

Sea Salt Chocolate Chunk
Macadamia White Chocolate Chunk
Triple Chocolate Chunk
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk
Walnut Chocolate Chunk
Oatmeal Raisin
S’mores

You can purchase them in boxes of 6, 8, or 12. For 20% off your order use code JFCOOKIE2 (good until 4/26/17). Choose any combination that you want. I received an assortment with one of every cookie except for the S’mores.

Every one of them was delicious. I don’t usually like oatmeal raisin cookies but I tried Bang Cookie’s oatmeal raisin and I actually liked it. Their cookies are so good!

My favorite was the Macadamia White Chocolate Chunk but the Sea Salt Chocolate Chunk was a close second. My kids preferred the Triple Chocolate Chunk. Basically, you can’t go wrong!

I love how moist these cookies are in the center. The cookies are large enough that my 3 kids share one together and that’s just right for them.

Want to try them for yourself? You can get 20% off your first order with code JFCOOKIE2 (good until 4/26/17)! Order Here. Though I’ll warn you, once you order, you’ll be hooked. And you’ll want to order more.