Friday Food For Thought

Children are great imitators,
so give them something great to imitate.

~Anonymous

Wonder Hanger {Review}

When we moved into our new house last August, we knew we were making some concessions in certain areas to gain big payoffs in others. We gained a fabulous treed lot with a shallow wood behind us in which the boys could play and explore 'til their hearts content. We gained the ability to plant a hearty fruit, vegetable, and herb garden that will have us eating fresh, hearty fair through the fall. We also gained a warm, cozy home with many of the fixtures, features, and color palettes that we prefer. In order to gain all of these wonderful things, we decided to make a concession in an area that is near and dear to the collective heart of this family of 6...closet space! As you can imagine, a family of our size accumulates a lot of stuff and storage of all kinds is key. Needless to say, I have tried all kinds of closet organizational tools in place to maximize the space we have available.



So, when given the opportunity to review The Wonder Hanger, I jumped at the chance. I had seen these organizational tools advertised in numerous infomercials and wanted to give them a try first hand. I must admit that they are much sturdier than I had expected. Made from a heavy weight plastic, these babies can hold up to 20-25lbs. without bowing or breaking! Some assembly is required to pop the hook portions of the hanger into the "rod" and it take a bit of elbow grease to get them in place. As far as I'm concerned, this is actually a positive because that means they are less likely to pop out on accident ;) In terms of performance, I found that they functioned exactly as depicted on tv...easy to use and definitely saved on space. The only critique I have is that in closets that are pre-designed with space saving shelving (you know, the kind with 2 shorter hanging areas on top of each other instead of one long space), the unit is too long when extended into the space saving position. However, overall this mama gives The Wonder Hanger a thumbs up (I currently have 3 of them in our stuffed to the max coat closet!).

Here is what the company has to say:
The Wonder Hanger is an affordable tool that's great for Spring Cleaning! This cascading clothes organizer increases closet space by enabling you to stack clothes vertically. Each Wonder Hanger holds 5 wood, metal, or plastic hangers. There are 8 hangers to a package - enough to hang 40 garments. The open-mouth design allows you to easily add or remove your jackets, skirts, pants, and shirts. Supporting up to 20 lbs., it can hold up to 5 heavy winter jackets.

You can use it to group complete outfits or similar items, organize by colors or seasons, and hang handbags or belts. It retails for $9.99 and can be purchased at major retail chains including Target, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, and CVS and online at www.buywonderhanger.com.

*This is a Mama Buzz review. This product was provided by Wonder Hanger for our use and consideration. The opinions regarding the performance of this item are honest, based on my personal experience and belong solely to the author of this post. Images provided by The Wonder Hanger.

Paula Deen Stoneware Set {Giveaway}

This giveaway is now closed.

The other day I was in the storage area moving side rails from our kids' convertible cribs when I realized that I had no idea where my favorite serving set was! It's a beautiful stoneware set that includes a soup tureen/bean pot, small and large platters, and medium sized oven-to-table baker. Perfect for outdoor dinners and get togethers on the patio (which we now have!), I started scouring all of the boxes laying dormant in the storage area as a result of moving twice in 2 years. I am happy to report that I have uncovered all but the baker so far and am planning for our first outdoor feast as soon as the weather breaks!

When given the chance by CSNstores to offer another wonderful giveaway to my readers, the choice was clear...why not offer my fabulous peeps a chance to win a chic little stoneware set of their own? And so, without further ado, I give you the Paula Deen 4 Quart Bean Pot, 3 Piece Prep Bowl, and 9x9 Baker Stoneware Set!

Each piece in this beautiful stoneware set is uniquely glazed so that no two pieces are exactly alike. This set is designed for oven, microwave, refrigerator, and freezer use and goes from prep to table in style! All pieces are dishwasher safe and oven safe to 500 degrees...no fuss, no muss!

CSNstores is an online retailer based out of Boston. They are currently one of the top 3 online retailers of home and office goods with over 400 employees and 200 online stores. Not bad for a company that started in 2002 with just 2 employees and 1 online venue. Today, they sell everything from home goods, to children's furniture, to pet supplies, to office equipment, and much more!

Giveaway:

If you would like to win this fabulous stoneware set, leave a comment telling me how this set would make your life easier. Please include your email or have it visible in your profile (mandatory entry).

For extra entries, do any or all of the following and leave a comment for each letting me know. Make sure to leave your email address if not visible in your profile so I can let you know if you win:

1. Follow my blog with google friend connect (2 extra entries)
2. Follow me on Twitter and leave me your twitter id (2 extra entries)
3. Tweet about this giveaway and leave the link (you can do this once a day)
4. Become a Facebook Fan of Ellia C. Naturals (our all-natural bath & body shop) and leave your FB handle (2 extra entries)
4. Blog about this giveaway or post it on your sidebar
5. Grab my button and place it on your blog

Giveaway ends May 10, 2010. Open to U.S. and Canada. Winner selected by www.random.org. @ 10pm. Winner will have 72 hrs. to respond to email notification or alternate winner will be selected.

No compensation or test product was received in exchange for hosting this giveaway (just the opportunity to pass this great prize along to one of you!). Company information provided by CSNstores.

Masala Baby Sale!

Our friends at Masala Baby are having a fabulous spring sale during the month of May (that's next week for those of you keeping track!). Be sure to stop by and stock up on some adorable finds for your little fashionista!

Woot, Woot FREE Shipping!

Looking for the perfect gift for Mother's day? Shop Ellia C. Naturals tonight and your order ships for FREE! Use shipping option "Mom" at checkout through midnight tonight!! Offer available for shipping within the continental US, Hawaii, and Alaska.

A Glowing Review!

A big "Thanks" to Summer of The Baby Runway for her Sa-weet review of our One Lump Or Two (TM) Solid Sugar Scrub! Stop by today and check out the new use she found for this yummy nummy scrub ;)

Have You Heard Our Story?

Check out our feature on Market Mommies!

A big thanks to Toni for letting us share our story :)

Friday Food For Thought

Great minds talk about ideas, average minds talk about events, and small minds talk about people.”

~Eleanor Roosevelt

Just For Twitter Users

Last night I got a phenomenal deal on biz cards (1000 of them!) using a promo from Vista Print. I sent out a tweet about it in hopes that it might help another small biz owner get some great marketing materials for a super discount. This morning I was still fielding inquiry tweets about my great deal when I received a direct tweet from Vista Print. They passed along a special promo link that they have exclusively for Twitter users and now I'm passing it along to you. Click HERE to see all of the exclusive offers available to my fellow Tweeps! BTW, the fabulous deal I got on my biz cards can be viewed HERE. Happy shopping!

A Little Teaser!

Wouldn't you love to have this fabulous stoneware set for springtime get togethers and summer barbeques? Stay tuned to find out how you can win your very own!

Guess What Happened Today?

My baby (actually, 6 years old now) lost his first baby tooth!

CONGRATULATIONS, PUNKIN'...you handled it like a pro!! Hmmmmm, I wonder what the tooth fairy will leave in your special dinosaur pillow?

Picture property of Bullfrogs & Butterflies Baby Boutique, llc. All rights reserved.

Get Your Sale On With Bellas Bowtique!

My friend Kristie is having a MONDO big sale on the cutest hair candy for your little (and big!) princess. Now through April 22nd:

Enjoy a saving of 50% off ALL HEADBANDS
and 25% off ALL BEANIES

Check out all the details HERE. I've already snapped up 3 little goodies for my Ellie Bean!

Image property of Nicole Ann Sackner Photography

Friday Food For Thought

God brings people into our lives for different periods of time and various reasons. Some are here for a moment, some for a season, and others for a lifetime. Some are here to bring a ray of sunshine, some to challenge us, some to cause us to excel, and others to bring out the best in us...whatever your reason for being here and for however long, Thank You!

I know that in some way, I am growing because of you :)

~ Jennifer Williams

In The Works...

Working on bringing you a couple of new fabulous giveaways...1 for inside the home and 1 for outside :) Stay tuned!

The Key To Healthy Skin

To exfoliate or not to exfoliate...what's the answer? In this day and age, we are bombarded daily with the latest technology, chemical peels, and miracle creams that are "guaranteed" to make you look and keep you looking younger. However, the real key to keeping that fresh, "youthful" look may be as simple as regular exfoliation (in addition to drinking enough water for daily hydration!).

Many times, it doesn't matter how much lotion or cream you're slathering on your skin...if you aren't exfoliating on a regular basis, your skin gets clogged not only by dirt, perspiration, and other environmental agents, but also by the dead skin cells that are shed daily. The result? Dull, lifeless looking skin that is dry and dehydrated and unable to absorb the benefits of any moisturizer you may apply. This is true of any area on the body, ladies, not just the face. It's just as important to pay attention to your arms, legs, elbows, knees, neck...basically everything!

Here are just some of the benefits of exfoliating just once or twice per week:

1. Improves the texture of skin , giving it a vibrant glow
2. Sloughs off the dead cells that your skin has shed
3. Unclogs pores
4. Reduces the appearance of fine lines
5. Decreases the formation of black heads, white heads, and general break outs

Looking for some great products to help you buff your way to healthier skin? Try our One Lump Or Two Solid Sugar Scrub and our Lip Lock (TM) Brown Sugar Lip Polish...simply divine!

A Few New Lather Lovelies!

Please welcome the following newcomers to our Lather Line Up!

Buff Goat Milk Soap

Enlighten Shea Butter Soap

Whisper Shea Butter Soap

Friday Food For Thought

Train up a child in the way he should go:
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

~ Prov. 22:6

Rainy Day Fun!

Well, we're in the home stretch of our fabulous Spring Break and it looks as though our final days will be filled with raindrops and puddle splashing. No need to skimp on the fun though...here are a couple of our favorite rainy day activities filled with smiles, giggles, and fun, fun, fun!

1. Take a Bath: Who says bath time has to come at the end of the day or after a particularly messy activity? In our house, water play is always a sure fire hit! Too rainy or cold to play in the hose or water table outside? No worries, fill the tub with some cool toys, old measuring cups, and whatever else you have on hand and let the fun begin! Throw in a little beet juice or other non-toxic coloring additive for an extra special touch ;)

2. Pull Out the Playdoh: Playdoh or modeling clay and a little imagination provide for loads of creative play. My little guys love to make artificial habitats and landscapes that they can stomp and demolish with their plethora of dinosaurs. The Ice Cream Shop and Burger Stand play sets we have also help make way for an unending array of yummy, and sometimes unusual, menu items! For added fun, try making your "doh" from scratch...here's a quick and easy recipe that is sticky-free and won't dry out:

1 c. flour
1 c. boiling water
2 tbsp. cream of tartar
1/2 c. salt
1 tbsp. oil
Non-toxic coloring

Mix and knead together...let the fun begin!

3. Hide-n-Seek: No explanation needed. Always a winner, distinguish rooms that are "off limits" and let the good times roll!

4. Movie in a Tent: An indoor twist on the classic "movie in the park", this is a fun-filled way to up the fun factor on program time. We have limited tv time in our household for obvious reasons, but I find this is also a nice way to reward the kiddos when they've been cooped up in the house and demonstrated lots of good cooperative play with each other. We like to make our tent big enough to accommodate all 4 munchkins and loads of pillows in case anyone wants to "rest their eyes". Even though Ellia has no real interest in tv at this age, she always likes to be around her big brothers, so we must have a spot for the princess as well!

Mama's New Babies

Check out our little baby seedlings...aren't they precious? The boys and I planted these about 10 days ago in preparation for our vegetable garden. Last summer, we were blessed to move into a home that already had a hearty garden under way and reaping the harvest was fabulous! Freshly picked, chemical-free veggies have a definite leg up on the competition when it comes to taste factor and I found myself longing for the garden all winter long. I try to buy organic in the grocery store whenever possible, but the supply in our area is very limited, which means less of a selection and even higher than normal prices for organic fare.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I do not have a green thumb...not even pale mint! But regardless, I've decided that we are going to give gardening a valiant effort this year. The boys and I sat down and came up with a list of veggies, herbs, and fruits that we would like to try. Many of the items we're planning on planting start outside straight from seeds and we may try a few starter plants, but I wanted to start some plants indoors so that the kids could see the process from seed to seedling to starter plant first hand. Each morning they rush downstairs to see how their baby plants are doing...very cute! So far, our roma tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, and basil are off and running. Rosemary is a little slower out of the gate and the lavender and jalapenos have yet to sprout. Hopefully we'll be out from under the threat of any last minute frost in the next week or so and begin staking out the garden!

Friday Food For Thought

All men dream, but not equally.
Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds,
wake in the day to find that it was vanity;
but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men,
for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible.

~Thomas Edward Lawrence

Our Facebook Fans Rock!

This giveaway is now closed.

I must say (with absolutely no bias whatsoever *wink*), that our Facebook fans are the BEST! And to prove it, Ellia C. Naturals is having a Sa-weet little giveaway over at our spot (AKA: our fan page) at 8pm EST tonight. Head on over now for the details...you must be a fan to win, so make sure you get in on the action HERE!