Easy Popcorn from Kernels

I wanted to do something fun with my son the other day, and I came across this idea for making our own popcorn from kernels. This is not only fun to do, but also a lot healthier for you and saves you money! Making popcorn from kernels means you do not have all the added chemicals from the bag popcorn you buy in the store, and it's also a lot cheaper buying straight kernels. 
So we gathered our supplies: A clear glass bowl, a plate to cover it, and our popcorn kernels. Then we decided what flavor we wanted our popcorn to be. We decided on a sweet popcorn, rather then salty. 
We poured 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels into our microwave safe glass bowl, added in tsp of butter, and sprinkled in sugar and cinnamon. We mixed the kernels with the butter and the sweet mix, and put the bowl in the microwave with the plate on and microwaved for 2 minutes and 45 seconds. The first time, our popcorn only popped about half the kernels (see photo below). So we picked those pops out and re-microwaved 
the remaining kernels until they were all popped! 
 It was so fun to see, and the popcorn was just as fluffy as store bought. The only difference is the flavor. Next time around, we will season the popcorn after it has popped, so we can have it more flavorful. But all in all it was good fun and so easy to make!



Worry Less So You Can Live More - Book Review

Worry Less So You Can Live More: Surprising Simple Ways to Feel More Peace, Joy, and Energy by Jane Rubietta, is a book about exchanging your worries for the delight in God, and His delight in you.

In this book, the author is inviting us in to leave behind our heavy hearts of worry and stress, and to live again in joy and in the love
of God, living moment by moment. Jane offers encouragement
and tools throughout the book on how to change for the better, leaving your worries behind, and live a peaceful, happier life.

In reading Worry Less So You Can Live More, I was intrigued
by the title, as I tend to be a worrier myself; the idea of worrying less and living more sounded appealing. Who doesn't want more
joy and energy in their life?! I was excited to read up and learn
how to worry less but once I began reading, I realized this book
was not what I was expecting. The author has a lot of good words throughout and I love her colorful writing in use of describing things, but I wasn't expecting it to be as full of Bible verses and scripture talk. This style of writing just doesn't keep my interest, and I feel the title should be changed as it's slightly misleading. But I did gather some good tidbits throughout reading.

I like how Jane wrote that "Worry and fear create a cautious child - one who will never try to peer out of her box or spring the door on her cage. ...when it rises from fear, when it originates with worry about making a mistake, failing, being hurt by another, or not being liked. If we worry about others' impression of us, we might never get out of our box." This is so true, we as humans worry so much about the impression
we are making on the people around us, so much to the point we become our
own critic and are actually hurting ourselves even more.

Another quote I love from the author is "Writing is like canning is like life: preserving the present for future enjoyment, storing up today to use for tomorrow." This just speaks to me.

And the last piece I really felt in my heart, is about hope. "To live without hope is to begin the slow atrophy of dying. But how do we conjure up hope? We can't click our red heels or tennis shoes together like Dorothy and just chant about home. ... So home is here, right here, right now: home in us, the God who has made a home within us." Lately,  I've been dealing with the emotions of losing hope over something  I care about deeply so these words hit home for me. The hope that I have for something greater, is there, but home is inside of me. I can be content. I can release the worry. If I just let it fly.

Though Worry Less So You Can Live More, was not what I expected, I am glad I was still able to 
get some good from it. After each chapter it has questions and a prayer, so if you're looking for a book to read or share as a group, you can find it available for purchase at bakerpublishinggroup.com 
It just may be a book you like!


This review is made possible by the Bethany House, in providing me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own. 


Pure Body Naturals Fractionated Coconut Oil


Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own.

Pure Body Naturals Fractionated Coconut Oil is a 100% pure and natural carrier oil that is great for the skin and will not clog pores.
It works as a carrier oil by mixing well with essential oils, making it great for aromatherapy, massages, and therapeutic uses. It leaves the skin feeling silky smooth without an excessive greasy feeling afterwards like the other vegetable carrier oils leave.

Because it is colorless and odorless, you can make many things using Fractionated Coconut Oil. Mixing it with a few drops of essential oils, you can make scented skin and hair moisturizer, which is great for the skin and will help with any inflammation, as the coconut will disinfect and and use its antioxidants to aid in healing. It will
also help stimulate hair growth on your head, with its balance of saturated fats, giving your scalp the moisture and nutrients it needs.

Fractionated Coconut Oil has a long shelf life, as it never goes rancid, so you can find many uses for it! It works well in soaps, body scrubs, lotions, ointments, and more. I like using it in our homemade lotion. Mix it with some melted Shea butter and essential oils,
                       and it's a wonderful moisturizer for our skin! 

Fractionated Coconut Oil is a great product to invest in, especially if you're looking to
make healthier homemade products. It's easy to use and your skin will love it!

You can find a 16 fl oz bottle of Pure Body Naturals Fractionated Coconut Oil available on Amazon 
for just $14.95 and it comes with a 100% money back promise, so if you're not satisfied 
with their product, they will give you a full refund in return. 


 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only 
recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

DIY Bathroom Cleaner

The best DIY bathroom cleaner is so easy to make and leaves your bathroom sparkling clean. 
You begin by mixing together baking soda, Dawn dish soap, and Peroxide. 
(The Vinegar is for the after scrubbing spray. Read below.)

I didn't measure, I just kind of eyeballed it all until it formed a paste. I mixed a small amount using a toothbrush, in a plastic container, for easy to spread on and scrub the shower tiles. I've heard this recipe is great at cleaning the grout between tiles, but it didn't make a difference for mine. But maybe 
I just didn't leave it on long enough. I did very much see a difference in shine though! Especially on 
the chrome faucets!! They shined so sparkly, it lit up the whole room! ;-)


{Forgot to take bathroom photos, but trust me, this mixture gets them all shiny and clean.}
People all over Pinterest swear by it ;-)

Once you scrub your bathroom, let it sit for a bit. I let mine sit while I was doing a load of laundry. 
Then I went back and sprayed a bottle of Vinegar all over the area I scrubbed, and let it sit for another little bit. Came back and hosed it all off with water, and scrubbed any spots that needed help 
getting the paste off, then all done! My bathroom was sparkly clean!



All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes - Book Review

All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes By Betsy St. Amant, is the story of a 26 year old woman named Kat Varland, who worked in her Aunt Maggie's Bakery in Bayou Bend, Louisiana. She was tired of the usual flavors of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry cupcakes; She knew she could do so much more then this.
She had a business degree and a passion for baking, and was tired of living in her families shadow. Her life suddenly takes a change, when her best friend, Lucas Brannen, signs her up for a reality Tv-Bake off on Cupcake combat.
She was nervous and excited all in one, as all she wanted in her life was right their within arms reach. If she won the cupcake competition, she would get her creative license as a baker, recognition as a visionary, and even a job at a famous bakery in New York! But soon after the competition gets going,
and Kat is doing so well, Lucas realizes the mistake he made. The mistake of possibly losing Kat to New York, when he wanted her to himself all along.
Lucas is now faced with a decision, does he help Kat achieve her dreams,
or sabotage her chances in winning, so he can keep her Louisiana?

Read the book to find out ;-)

I really loved reading All's Fair in Love and Cupcakes. I sat all day reading it, wanting more and more. The story between Lucas and Kat, and their playful friendship/wanna be romance is cute and frustrating all in one. The back and forth between them makes you laugh because you get both sides of gender, thinking through the entire process. It's interesting to see how male and female think so differently.
And then you want them to hurry up and tell each other their feelings, because when you read each persons thoughts, it's clear they should be together. It's like you're watching a chick flick right in your own mind, as you read the story! I love books like that! This has been a truly fun read, the kind
of book if you're looking for something to sit back on the couch with, and enjoy a cup of coffee.

All's Fair in Love and cupcakes is available for purchase 
in paperback at the faithgatewaystore.com for $12.99


This review is made possible by BookLook Bloggers,  in providing me a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Homemade Pizza Pocket Dough

When trying to figure out dinner the other day, I was so excited to come across Money Saving Mom's Freezer Friendly Pizza Pocket recipe! Not only is this recipe simple to make, it's also delicious!! 


To begin you need:

2 Tablespoons of active dry yeast
2 Cups of Warm Water
2 Teaspoons of Sugar
2 Teaspoons of Salt
4 Tablespoons of Oil
5 Cups of Flour

And then whatever filling you would like to fill these pockets with! I used a mixture of saucy ground beef, rice, and cheese 
to give them a Mexican twist, but you could also fill them with pizza sauce, cheese, and your choice of meats...

I'd imagine these pockets would also taste great if you went a sweeter route, filling them with jellied fruits, or chocolate! Yum...

 So to begin making the dough for these pockets, you mix the yeast and warm water together until it's dissolved. Then you add the sugar, salt, oil, and flour. Mix well until it begins thickening into a ball, and dump the dough into a floured surface. Knead the dough ball for 3-5 minutes, then divide it into 15-20 pieces give or take depending on the size you would like them. Roll each piece into balls and flatten them with a rolling pin. Drop a few tablespoons of your filling into each one, fold over, and seal. I like to crimp the edges with a fork to give it a nice look. Place the pockets on a greased cookie sheet and cook them in the oven at 500 degrees for 10-15 minutes (again give or take as all ovens vary), until browned. Once they are completely cooked, let them cool, and you can eat them as is, or freeze them in an airtight Ziploc freezer bag. They will last 2-3 months in your freezer. If you do freeze them, when you're ready to eat, just pull them out of the freezer and microwave individually for about 2 minutes or until heated through. OR you can pop them in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or so. The dough makes these taste incredible, they are great to make ahead for later meals!

The Real Bug Dig Out Science Insect Excavation Kit


Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own.

The Real Bug Dig Out Science Kit is a great hands-on tool for kids to experience.
Your child gets to be like a Paleontologist, digging for real bug specimens! There are 3 bugs buried inside of a beetle shaped digging block, a real scorpion, spiny spider, and fortune beetle. Each insect
has been preserved inside acrylic, so the child can examine every angle of the insects.


The kit includes a digging tool, brush, and magnifying glass, a 12 page info guide
written by teachers with several fascinating science facts about insects,
and an activity booklet that contains 10 puzzles and games for days of fun.

The Real Bug Dig Out kit has won the Rain Toy Gold Award in Academics Choice of 2013, as it is a great learning experience for children ages 6-12. My son who is 7, just loved this! Ever since he was 3 years old, he said he wanted to be a Paleontologist so I knew he would have so much fun with this kit! It takes awhile to dig the bugs out, so it keeps the kids quiet for a good amount of time so mama can catch a break ;) The bugs are smaller then I thought they would be, but they are still just as cool. I love that the kit includes a booklet filled with facts about each organism, plus more. This has added to our fun in homeschool, getting my son that much more interested in learning. (I even made a printout for my son to fill out some facts he learned after the dig!) It's a great activity every child should experience!


You can find The Real Bug Dig Out Science Insect Excavation Kit  available for purchase on Amazon , as well as discoverwithdrcool.com for just $11.99 as well as many other fun science kits!





 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only 
recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.


Easy@home Midstream Early Pregnancy Test


Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own. 


If you're trying to conceive, the Easy@home Midstream Early Pregnancy Tests are an accurate and affordable option to the daily...weekly..monthly...pregnancy testing. These are some of the easiest pregnancy tests to use, you just take the cap off, put the tip of the test stick in your urine stream for 10 seconds, place the cap back on, and wait for the lines to form. You can also dip the test tip in a collected urine sample, but I find peeing straight on the stick is much easier, and quicker. 

The results of these pregnancy tests come within seconds and are over 99.8% accurate. They are easy to read, one line being not pregnant, two lines being pregnant. The tests sleek design, with a grooved edge allow for stable holding and mess free testing. It's really simple to use!

 



The Easy@home Midstream Early Pregnancy Tests come in a box of 8, each one individually wrapped. They are available for purchase on Amazon 
for just $12.50 and have a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee, with a no hassle refund 
if the customer is not happy. 

An affordable product for trying to conceive!


 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only 
recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Jiva USDA Organic Besan/Gram Flour + Flatbread Recipe


Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own. 

Jiva USDA Organic Besan Flour, also known as gram flour,
is a unique flour made up of dried chickpeas that have been
ground up into a gluten free powder. This flour is commonly
used in batter to make many Indian dishes like kadhi or deep
fried pakodas, and many desserts. It is a very versatile flour
that can be used in several recipes, high in protein and fiber,
and used as a gluten free substitute.

Besan Flour has a very nutty taste, very similar to eating roasted chickpeas, but in flour form, making it great to use in foods like breads and sauces. I decided to use my flour to make flatbread. I expected it to be made easy, as I do when I use regular flour, but I found besan flour makes quite a difference. It causes more of a sticky, play-dough like texture, making it harder to form. To begin making my besan flour flatbread, I mixed the following:

1 Cup of Besan/Gram Flour
1/2 Cup of Whole Whear Flour
Salt, Garlic Powder, and Dill Weed
And about a cup of water give or take.

The dough was very hard to mix together, and made quite a sticky mess, but once I got the hang of it, I rolled pieces of the dough into balls, floured my counter, and begin rolling the balls into very thin, flat breads. I then fried each bread in a layer of olive oil, letting each side brown with bubbles, and salted them when they were finished. The flavor came out pretty good, and I placed a mixture of meat and rice atop. The chickpea flavor was strong, but it paired well with the other food I served. These flatbreads would go great with curry as well.


There are many other uses for Besan flour, and not just to eat! Many use Besan for face, skin, and hair care! It is said to add shine to hair,
and be a good scalp cleanser. It is also used as a body scrub, and facial pack, aiding in the cure of acne, blackheads, spots, and scars. Besan Flour is known to reduce oiliness and tighten pores, as well as remove a suntan from your face!
       
      There are several ways to use Besan flour, 
             and with its many health benefits, 
                  you can feel good about using it!

Jive Organics Besan Flour is certified USDA organic made from organic chickpea chana beans grown in India. They are all natural, no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. Besan flour is rich in antioxidants, natural fiber, iron, and contain many B vitamins and minerals. 

You can find a 2lbs bag of Jive Organics Besan Flour available for purchase on Amazon  for just $14.82 plus free shipping. You can also find more information, as well as other Jiva products at jivaorganicfoods.com as well as on their Facebook page.


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com
Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers

Moisturize Your Skin with BEAUTYOILS.CO 100% Pure Camellia Oil


Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own. 


Did you know Pure Camellia Oil has been a Japanese beauty secret for centuries? 
It has slowly been making its way to the Western World, sharing the information that it is 
very beneficial for your skin and hair, filled with nourishing probabilities. 

BEAUTYOILS.CO 100% Pure Camellia Oil is naturally rich in omega-9 fatty acids, polyphenols, Vitamin E and plant collagen and proteins, making it great for our skin as it moisturizes without clogging pores. Camellia oil penetrates the skin into the deepest layers, enhancing cell growth to give our skin support and flexibility making it a great natural anti-aging treatment. You apply 1-2 drops on your finger tips and rub the oil into the fine lines and dry skin patches, and watch your skin absorb it! It is also great for healing
acne scars and stretch marks as well.

Some other uses for Camellia oil are for your hair,
you can use it as a daily leave-in conditioner, by applying it to damp hair. This will help soften hair, restore its natural sheen, 
help it retain moisture, repair breakage and split ends, and so much more. You can also use it as a deep treatment pack, by massaging a few drops into your hair before washing, cover with a shower cap or towel for 20-30 minutes, then shampoo and rinse as usual. This will help restore your natural hair oils and is great for damaged, color treated hair. Camellia oil is also great for your nail-beds 
        and cuticles, keeping them nourished, smooth, and shiny.

I love Camellia oil. It absorbs into my skin quickly and doesn't leave a greasy after effect.
It softens my skin, leaving it more alive looking, and feeling. There's no fragrance, just
100% pure cold pressed Camellia oil, so you don't need to worry about stinking.
I love that it won't clog pores, and it is so good for the skin!

BEAUTYOILS.CO 100% Pure Camellia Oil is fragrance free, preservative free, cruelty free, vegan, and all good. It comes in a small 1 fl. oz bottle with a press top cap dispenser, and a little goes a long way. You can find it available for purchase on Amazon, as well as beautyoils.co for just $9.95 a bottle.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only 
recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.


From Lotions to Massages With Fractionated Coconut Oil


Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own.
 
Not your regular cold pressed oil, Invivo Essential's Fractionated Coconut Oil gets its name from being a fraction of typical coconut oil pressed from the seed of the Cocos Nucifera palm tree. What it means to be a fraction of the oil, is where almost all of the long-chain triglycerides are removed, leaving mostly medium-chain triglycerides and containing 70% lipids, making it 100% saturated oil, with a
longer shelf life and stability against oxidation. This process is what gives Fractionated Coconut Oil
it's lightweight, fluidness, so it will always stay liquid and clear.

  Fractionated Coconut Oil is very gentle and it has no scent
so it will mix well with other scented products, like essential oils.
This makes it a great base oil for lotions and creams,
and many medical industries use it for message therapy
and medical practitioners. It will even work
in a spray bottle or a roll on applicator!

Some great ways to use Fractionated Coconut Oil are for skin care
as a moisturizer or adding to a nice bubble bath, conditioning
your scalp and hair, making soaps, creams or lotions, and giving
a delicate and nourishing massage. Fractionated Coconut Oil is beneficial to all skin types and won't leave behind an oily sheen
or clog pores. It is non-staining, and it absorbs very quickly,
leaving you with softer skin. You don't need to use a lot of oil,
to see it's benefits quickly working. I used some of it in our
homemade lotion, mixing it will Shea Butter, and essential oils.
It worked perfectly! Fractionated Coconut Oil also makes a great massage, and is amazing for dry winter skin problems!

 
You can find Invivo Essential Fractionated Coconut Oil available in a 16 fl. oz. bottle, for purchase on Amazon for just $15.88. This is a great deal and it will last a long time!


 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only 
recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Alpha Grillers Garlic Press And Peeler Set


Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own. 

You know when you're cooking dinner and your dish calls for garlic? You're left without a mincer...
pulling the peel off, mincing the garlic into tiny pieces, and your hands reeking of it all afterward!
With the Alpha Grillers stainless steel Garlic Press, 
it will do the work for you!


The Garlic Press' ergonomic design is made for easy squeezing, while it minces peeled or
unpeeled garlic cloves, giving you a perfect and even amount of mince. It also works great with ginger!
It will leave your hands smell-free, and give you an easy clean up, as it can be hand washed or thrown into the dishwasher. The press comes packed in a luxurious little gift box, that includes a silicone garlic peeler tube, in which you place a garlic clove inside of, and roll it back and forth to release a perfectly peeled clove. This tube is made of durable, extensively tested silicone, made for optimal peeling,
and can also be washed in the dishwasher.It's very handy for peeling off that sticky garlic skin!

I love the ease of use in both of these Garlic contraptions.
The Garlic Press feels very durable and heavy duty, and its presentation stored in a satin lined gift box, makes this a great gift
for those who love kitchen supplies, or a nice housewarming gift!
It cuts garlic cloves perfectly, and the tube is fun to use...
I can't wait to try the press with Ginger!


The Alpha Grillers Stainless Steel Garlic Press is available for purchase on Amazon for $17.97 
and it comes with a Bonus E-Book titled "50 Delicious Recipes Using Crushed and Sliced Garlic" 
as well as a 100% money Back Guarantee.


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only 
recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Cap' Mundo Espresso Nespresso Yrgacheffe


Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own. 

Cap Mundo Nespresso Yrgacheffe is an exclusive mocha grown at the altitude of 2,400 meters on the Southern Ethiopian highlands. This coffee is elegant with hints of Jasmine and authentic crema.
 When I first opened the package, it smelled so good!! I couldn't wait to make a cup and try it. The taste is mild, slightly bitter, with hints of Jasmine. It's a flavor created to satisfy your need for espresso, with the best quality, to take your time to enjoy it.

Cap'Mundo has six other flavors: Copaiba, Dabema, Ebene, Jimenez, Umbila, and Zebrano, all roasted separately, with a long, slow roasting technique, made with premium grade green coffees,
that can withstand a longer roasting time.

These little coffee capsules are individually wrapped, made of black plastic with foil tops, and come in a nice little package, with a flap for easy use. They are compatible with nespresso machines
and make a great little cup, ready to sip on.


A 10 count box of Cap'Mundo Nespresso Yrgacheffe is available on Amazon for $29.99, as well as the other flavors listed above, Or you could purchase their Variety Pack for $32.99

One reader will win a pack of  Cap' Mundo Artisan Espresso pack 
like the one I reviewed above. It comes with 10 capsules 
and is compatible with a Nespresso maker. Enter 
through Rafflecopter below. Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only 
recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Play Love Laugh's Natural Peel Off Nail Polish


Disclaimer: I received the following product(s) in exchange for my review. All opinions my own.

Play Love Laugh's Natural Peel Off Nail Polish is the first ever patented natural nail polish made with fruits and vegetables! How amazing is that?!

These polishes are free of nitrocellulose, alcohols, acetates, acetone's, ethers, and FD&C dyes, as well as being eco friendly, vegan, gluten free, and animal friendly, and many of them contain carrots, beets, spinach, acerola cherries, black currants and more, making these polishes safe if ingested, though not made to do so, they are safer then any other polish out there!
I love that Play Love Laugh's nail polish is toxic free and odorless. As most females do, I love to have my nails painted, but the smell is just horrible. I've almost swore to never paint my nails again, as the typical nail polish brands make me sick to my stomach. Several little girls I know love to have their nails painted as well, and just the thought of those chemicals being on them, make me feel uneasy. Someday I hope to have a little girl of my own, and I know she will want to be like her mama and have her nails painted too! But I can't fathom the idea of coating her nails in something that is so bad for her. With Play Love Laugh's all natural nail polish, now I can feel safe having our nails painted without the
worry of toxic chemicals being inhaled, or soaked into our nail beds.

As all nail polishes, it's so easy to apply with a coat or two (2 coats suggested) and you don't even need to use that nasty nail polish remover when you're done! This nail polish peels off easily, with just running your hands under warm to hot water or soaking them in a bath, and it will peel off similar to that of a sticker. If your hands need to be in warm water but you don't want your polish to come off yet, you just run cold water over them and it will reactivate the nail polish to stay in place. The average longevity of the polish staying on your finger nails is about 4-5 days, and toenails 14 days, with a total approximate of 7-30 days depending on your lifestyle.

Play Love Laugh's nail polish is my new favorite! It literally has no scent! The colors I received are Grapelicious and Sunny days, and they are both vibrant and easy to apply. Two coats were the perfect amount needed to paint my nails, and the drying time was much quicker then typical nail polishes. My only dislike with this polish is it felt sticky on occasion, and how quickly the paint peeled for me. Just after two days, the polish began pealing off. (you can also see how fast my nails grew in just 2 days! wow!) I assume this is because I wash my hands a lot during the day and am constantly using them. But the peeling was perfectly done. I didn't even have to use nail polish remover to get any pieces off! I love that! I feel a lot better using Play Love Laugh's nail polish. No stinky smells to worry about, and they have a variety of colors to try! Definitely recommend!

Play Love Laugh's nail polish would make the perfect gift for a little girl, or even nail polish to stock up on for yourself! I know I would love to own their every color!

You can find more information on Play Love Laugh's nail polish at www.playlovelaugh.com as well as options for purchasing.


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only 
recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Cinderella's Secret Slipper - book review

Cinderella's Secret Slipper by award winning author,
Alinka Rutkowska, is a short children's story of the classic
fairy tale of Cinderella, with a modern day twist.

It begins with Cinderella and her husband, the beloved Prince,
thinking of what kind of birthday gift they will get their son, Junior,
for his 4th birthday coming in just two weeks. Years before, he got extravagant gifts like a pet dragon, and a golden crown, so they decide on giving him a proper birthday party this year. The Prince
tells Cinderella he and the servants will take care of everything, all Cinderella needs to do is dress for the occasion and wear her glass slippers she once wore when she met him. Cinderella begins preparing her wardrobe for the party, but finds one of her glass slippers are missing! She hears a smash, finding that her son used the slipper
to squish a mosquito on the wall, breaking the glass slipper into pieces.

From the Shoe Store to the Glass Repair store, Cinderella went, desperately trying to find someone to fix her glass slipper. Nobody could fix it, so she decided to go for a walk to her favorite place to relax,
the Enchanted Forest. There she began to cheer up, noticing the beautiful flowers and the birds
chirping cheerfully...she heard a voice say "You're back, my child." it was her Fairy Godmother!
The Fairy Godmother fixed Cinderella's shoes just in time for the party. And when it was time for their son to open his presents, The Prince gave Junior a special gift...a mosquito bat, so he wouldn't use his mothers shoes anymore. The Prince being the romantic he is, gave Cinderella a gift too...
inside was a new pair of glass slippers, "Just in case Junior loses his bat."

Cinderella's Secret Slipper is an adorable read with colorful and fun illustrations by Konrad Checinski. It's exciting to see another take on Cinderella, in her happily ever after life with the Prince and their growing family. It's a story little girls all over the world will love!

Alinka Rutkowska has written over 20 other children's stories and has received many awards for her work. She is the winner of the prestigious International Readers' Favorite Book Award COntest and her book series received the acclaimed Mom's Choice Award. To find more information on Alinka, 
and to see her other children's stories, visit www.alinkarutkowska.com 

You can also find Cinderella's Secret Slipper available to preorder on Amazon in the Kindle Edition.

For a Read-out-Loud version of Cinderella's Secret Slipper, watch the video below:




I was contacted by Alinka Rutkowska herself, to review her adorable children's story. No compensation has been involved. All opinions my own.