The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari

In case you are not already familiar with them, Roger the turtle and Padraig the dragon are two imaginative young reptiles always on the lookout for fun and adventure.  The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari is the latest book in the popular series by Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark.  In it, we find the two friends on a over night adventure in the great outdoors. Determined to spend the entire night outside and with imaginations running wild, the friends look deep inside to find the courage needed to face the mysterious creatures that lurk at the base of the famed Mount Sillymanborrow.

My little guys were enthralled by the imagery evoked through the author's use of silly names, word play, and friendly banter.  They even decided to add on to the story with other adventures they imagined the two friends would have together.  It took them just a minute to realize that Roger and Padraig were not, in fact, on an African safari, rather on a fantastic adventure in their own backyard.  Once they did, I could see their wheels spinning and knew they were each planning some incredible backyard camping trip of their own for this summer!  My boys are (almost) 7, 5, and 3 and they all really enjoyed this book.  I think some of the imagery was lost on my 3 year old, but with very basic explanations, he understood that this was a make believe adventure being played out in the backyard.

I must add that I adore the illustrations in this book!  They are colorful and imaginative and play a large role in helping the reader determine the difference between fantasy and reality in this fun adventure.

You can purchase The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari for $11.99 from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group.  Be sure to stop by and check them out on Facebook.

*Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group, for the purpose of this review.  The views expressed are my honest opinions based on the experience of me and my children.

Smelly Washer Review

Let me first say that I looooove my front loading washer and dryer, which is important since I do laundry on a daily basis for our humble family of 6! Unfortunately, no matter what I do, from time to time that yucky, mildew-esque, wet-dog kind of funk develops despite my best efforts to thoroughly dry it out at the end of the day.

Smelly Washer is an all natural product that is designed to clean your washer from the inside out. Formulated from citrus-based ingredients, Smelly Washer helps kill odor-causing bacteria and remove the residue that builds up on your washing machine over time (you know, the stuff responsible for that very unpleasant smell we discussed?). The best part is that it's super simple to use! Just add 1 cap of Smelly Washer into your detergent dispenser and turn the machine on for 2 minutes on the hot water setting. Then stop the washer and allow it to soak overnight. In the morning, complete your cycle and revel in the clean look and smell of your machine! After the initial treatment, you only need 1 tsp. of Smelly Washer in your machine each month to keep it squeaky clean, which means one bottle should last you a year or longer! Even better still, it works for both front and top loading machines.

I definitely noticed a difference in my washer after the first use. Not only was the stinky smell gone, but the little gunky build up around the rubber gasket in front vanished!

You can purchase your own Smelly Washer for only $16.99 HERE...not too shabby for over a year's worth of clean!

** Disclosure: I received a bottle of Smelly Washer for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. The views expressed in this post are solely my own and based on my own personal experience with this product.

My Princess Bible {Review}

Although my Little Bean is still a bit young, I am looking forward to sharing the My Princess Bible by Andy Holmes with her in the next few years. More of an introductory storybook than an actual Bible, My Princess Bible introduces young girls to 19 influential, real-life women from the Bible.

Each woman is depicted as a princess, not because of earthly royal lineage, but because she is a daughter of the Heavenly King. Stories are told through rhythmic rhymes and give an overview of the significance of each princess in the Bible. I like that the illustrations show a multicultural depiction of modern day children as princesses, though the illustrations of the actual Biblical women are not as diverse. The author does a good job of imparting to the little girl reader that she is special and seen as a princess because she was created by God, as well as some basic information about some very influential women of the Bible. The last story in the book is taken from Psalm 139, a key passage on how God created us and how special we are to Him.

My Princess Bible can be purchased from the Tyndale publishing house for $12.99. What a wonderful way to remind a special little girl in your life about how treasured she is this upcoming Holiday season!