Because I Said So!!! Mom Knows Best!

Spring is coming and I need to freshen up.
My house, my skin, my kids and my life. I need
to not let things worry me and let the bumps just
slide off. Not to take things personal for they cause
a lot of havoc and not only in your mind but it
reflects in your skin and hair too. When you are
troubled over things going on in your life it shows
on your face and I am not speaking about just a
frown. Worry and concern and stress tends to be
pretty traumatic on your skin and that is depressing to
me for my skin has always been one of my best features.
I have always have very even, clear and seldom any
blemishes and was also blessed with my Irish and
Norwegian heritage and received their Nordic porcelain skin.
As a teenager it was a huge perk for I did not suffer
acne and I did little to care for my skin until I
was mid-teens and then not so much out of necessity but
more because all my friends did it and I wanted to fit in. Once
in a while I would have "a bump" around "that time" but
for the most part nothing. I know I am lucky and know
others would kill for my skin but now that I have passed
the 40 mark I am starting to take note. I also understand
I am still lucky for though I am in my 40s I know I
do not look it and I often get told how young I look
when I reveal my real age. It does not change the fact
that I see the calendar and know what it says and know
that I will not ride this wave of luck forever and unlike
when I was a teenager and doing it because my friends
did I know I now have to take care of it for me and me
alone. Though only I, and most likely John, know they are
there, the fine lines are making themselves known. I started
doing a lot of research on different products to use and
one name that kept popping up was Elizabeth Grant!
This is supposed to be a miracle woman and her products
are supposed to be second to none. I contacted them for
a review and was super excited when they said yes for
word of mouth alone was amazing on what I have heard
about them. I was sent the Caviar Nourishing Mask for
review and The Vitamin C Body Scrub as well as the Body Lotion.
Lets start with the Mask. I felt I needed this the most for
though I do not spend a lot of time in the sun I do spend
a fair amount and though I have never purposely been a
sunbather I was a fish when I was younger and Biked and
did a lot of other outdoor activities that have put me at risk.
I also have smoked so that is another no no in the world
of skin care for it drys out your skin. I thought adding some
moisture back into my face might be a really good thing
and grabbed this before the box even hit the table. You
have no idea how glad I am that I did. I didn't realize how
bad my skin was until I saw the difference with my own
eyes. Now really, even bad I had good skin, but in comparison
to the skin I had as a youth it was terrible. This mask filled
my face out. Is that possible? I mean it, I thought the
gauntness in my face was due to the fact I was just getting
older and believe it or not, every year thinner, without even
sticking to a diet. I thought since I was at one of the thinnest
points I have been since I was 12 that was where the gauntness
was coming from. Really. I spent most of my life
a size 8 and happy with a round and full face and very
comfy. The year before I had Rowan I was dropping weight
like crazy to the point John was starting to complain. I
had all size four clothing right before I was pregnant and most
of that was so loose I should have been in a 2. At 5 foot
9 inches it is just too thin for I never wanted to look as thin as
a model and never ever fooled myself I should. My long
wavy hair looks cute on a size 8 and whimsy and not bad
on a 6 where I am now but I am already dropping again
and it draws out my face even more when I get too thin.
I thought the gauntness was going to be my curse for even
if I eat like a Horse the weight was still dropping. I tried
the Caviar Mask though, and oh, my, I feel like a new woman!
I can even handle the boniness of the rest of my body
now that my face is once again full. You can hide hip
bones, you can't hide cheeks!I owe this woman my happiness
right now for I was truly depressed over the whole gaunt
lack of life expression my face was taking on! Product one,
the mask, ROCKS!

Lets move on to the Body scrub. Okay, first off it smells
like Oranges! Um, favorite smell here! I could die happy
right now! This is made for your whole body and to now
I have been using a lemon scrub I just grabbed at the Body
shop, I was happy, nothing special but happy. Like I said
I am blessed with no skin issues but once I tried this scrub
I learned the difference between content and wow, where
the heck has this stuff been all my life! It made me tingle
all over and the smell lingers after your bath but not so
long as it would compete with any perfume you wear, just
long enough were you feel good drying off and getting dressed.
It was fabulous and I was in heaven and to top it off with
the body lotion just kept me feeling fresh and revitalized all
day long. Really, I felt as if I could take on the world
and my troubles turned into to who cares what happened.
Who cares! I feel like a fresh happy and kinda fruity gal
who can do anything she wants! The silky smooth and
glamorous skin is such a perk I think I will keep it,
like, FOREVERRRRRRRRR!! I am so in love with MRS
GRANT right now! I promise I will send you John to do
your bidding for the rest of his life, send more and
you can have the boy to do lawn work too!

Elizabeth Grant has a complete line of products and
not only tackles skin care, and well I might add, she also
takes on fragrances and cosmetics and I have got to
try some of those for if they are just a smidgen as good
as her skin care line I might just offer myself up for service.
She even has products for men and you can already tell
what John will be getting for Fathers day this year. The
Men's anti aging face Cream for he has the same gauntness
kicking in do. The woman knows what it takes to keep
a lady looking like a lady and to help her look as glamorous
as a star! I can't believe that everyone in the world is
not chanting her name now that I have tried her products
but like me they must not have had the honor before because
her products are fantastic! This was a review I will not soon
forget and a joy to do!

You guys can discover her for yourself for the good folks
over at Elizabeth Grant are going to give one of my lucky
readers a Day Crème and Day serum. To enter
just head over to the site and take a look around and them
come back here and post something great you have learned!
The contest will start tonight and run to Midnight on May 7th.

USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day, every day, and then posting that you did here
and other ways to enter are posted below.


Elizabeth Grant!




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is completed.


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Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Radius Toothbrush and isABelt Contests!

When Andrew was a baby the word Organic
was seldom used and pretty much pertained to only food and
a couple of clothing items. Mostly those made of hemp. In
the early 90's there was kind of a mini little hippy movement
going on and that was the word was used, mostly in that
little community and rarely outside of that. Then slowly you
saw some products, mainly in the produce section and
Whole Foods stores started to open here and there and
by 2000 it was catching on all over and now here we
are today where you can buy Organic items at your local
7-11. Now Organics takes on a whole new meaning and
it is as common place as a Twinkie. Instead of locating
Organic products all-together now the search for the best
ones begins and with so many items to search through it
seems like a daunting task at that. I started using Organic
items in the early 2000 but will be the first to admit it
was the produce section. The reason being? Fresh items
just tasted better and there was a store not that far from
me that was pretty much a high end grocery store and
offered an abundant selection and also in convenience
forms like pre-cut fruit and veggie trays and that was a
huge thing for me because I have always been a fresh
fruit and veggie person and to have a platter all ready to
go when I was working 70 hours a week made them a
must have item at my house. As far as other items went
I could not tell you. Andrew was at the age where he
was growing in leaps and bounds and just to keep clothes
on his back that fit was a huge feather in my cap, Organic?
I had not a clue. For my own clothing I had to wear dress
clothes and suits for work and in 1999, 2000 you would
be very hard pressed to find a Donna Karen or Ellen Tracey
Organic line. I did wear a lot of silk and that can sometimes
be Organic, back then only if it costs enough but it wasn't
because they were out to help the environment it was more
because they could charge more if it came from a silk worm
and wasn't synthetic. Now a days, Organic is the thing
to buy and everyone knows what it is and what to
look for. My Organic section in the Gourmet store has
turn into Organic isle and then more isles in every store. You
no longer have to travel, like I said now you job is to find
the products that are good and weed out the fakes!
I have found a few product lines that I love to death
and learn about more everyday. Some times I come across
an item that I toss back but for the most part they are
all pretty good. The bonus with Organics being so common
place now a days is that it is becoming the norm and
therefore the prices are getting lower and lower. I used to
pay around 5 bucks for Organic Carrots and now I can get
them for just over 2. Less then a Dollar over the regular
versions price. That is a big drop. A lot of that has to
do with the fact big business has seen their error of
their ways and has started to develop their own Organic lines.
With all the searching I have done they are probably the
poorest quality but they have helped make it more main
stream and I thank them for that. Without that push I
might never have had the chance to find places like my
next review. A fabulous store that is growing by leaps
and bounds for when you offers some fantastic products
and at a price you can afford it is only a matter of time
before the word spreads and I am so glad I found them
now! The Organic Bath Company! These guys make everything
from Bath and Skin care products to Toys and Baby items
to Household and even cleaning items and so far every item
I have tried has been marvelous! For a product review I
was sent three items, each from a different section of their
store. The first was Better Body Butter. Now everyone knows
what Shea butter, jojoba oil, and green tea oil are and
we all know they are each fantastic in their own right.
The Organic Bath Company goes the extra mile and
found a way to compile these exceptional products into
one spectacular item that is also infused with Lavender and
Vanilla. Lavender relaxes you and Vanilla is not only known
for its aphrodisiac benefits it also is a good anti-oxidant
and has other medicinal properties. When you combine all
of these items into one you are pretty much looking at a
body butter that is something to write home about. Not only
is this a surefire way to visibly improve dry skin in the
shake of a tail feather it is fantastic for healing that severely
dry skin, eczema, burns, rashes and lessen the irritation
of psoriasis. It also provides a natural UV sun protection,
protecting your skin from free radical damage. All that and
it is calming and can make your hubby sit up and take
notice too! Excellent! This stuff was exceptional and
I am toting it around in my purse for it just makes me
feel good all over. Also seeing as I was feeling all spry and
so was John whenever I used it, I don't know if it was
happen-chance or fate but the next item they sent was the
Bubble Bath Roses. Okay, first thought, these are adorable.
So cute I fell for them hook line and sinker before I even
opened the box! The thing is though they are not just for
show they are also a also a rich, skin softening bubble bath.
That's right, these adorable petal melt in your bath to create
a luxurious bubble bath for the petals completely dissolve into
rich, skin softening bubbles and the heavenly fragrance of
pure, distilled essential oils. Now when I looked at them
that was the furthest thought from my mind. I thought they
were purely for show. How they did it I have no clue but
they did and I so thank them for it because there is nothing
more relaxing then a hot tub with candles and some soft
music and then to sprinkle some Rose petal in that don't
just float but dissolve into pure heaven took my entire world
by surprise and brought me up to a level of relaxation that
you just can't compete with. Sensuous, beautiful and relaxing
all rolled into one!

After they showed me some products just for me they
clued me in on what they could do for Rowan. I was sent
a sampler pack of Baby items that were absolutely fabulous!
The Organic Baby Travel Pack has a little bit of everything
and a lot of quality and I was tickled pink to try them
all. The pack includes the:
Conditioning Shampoo & Wash
Calming Bubble Bath
Velvety Soft Babee Lotion
Soothing Bottom Balm
and every single item works like a charm. The Bubble Bath
has become a must have in our house and I am pretty sure
Rowan would not have the fun she has in the bathtub right
now without it. The bubbles are full and thick and do not
fizzle away and pretty much last the length of the bath
unless she is going for a record breaker. I used the Conditioning
Shampoo & Wash while in the tub and "no tears Mom!" just
smiles for she is still oohing and aweeeing over the
bubbles and barely knows the cleaning up part has even
taken place. Once finished we use the lotion and that locks
in the moisture that bath has given her for unlike the
chemical laden products we had before she comes out
all soft and silky and not stripped of her naturally perfect
baby skin she went in the tub with. Now the Soothing
Bottom Balm I have barely had a chance to use because
with the other products she is kept so soft and her skin
is so perfect she has not had a rash since I started using
it. There has been a couple of times her number 2 has
been a little tough for her and left her pink from effort so
I did use it to be safe and not sorry but a real need for
it I have yet to run across. There is not a doubt in my mind
though that if that day should come it will work wonders for
as well as the other items worked I know this will rock just
as well. I am in love with everyone of their items I have
tried. They were just fantastic!

I am looking forward to trying the other items they
make, the cleaning products the most for with their all
purpose cleaner and laundry liquid I don't think I can go
wrong and the men's items are also on my list for
I adore the fact they use Sage in them and it is
such a manly scent I know I will be totally impressed.
The Organic Bath Company has a great line of items and
I see them growing in leaps and bounds and not from
their products alone because they offer the full package.
Not only do they have great products the customer service
is off the charts. I really enjoyed speaking to them and
found them helpful and truly compassionate in what they
do and it is rare you run across a place that believes
in what they sell and you can tell by speaking to them
that they do. They are not only proud of what they
offer they stand behind their products and I am proud
to say that The Organic Bath Company is the first
Organic company to make my top ten list! Just read
through the criteria on that list and I can assure you
they meet every single one and more. Great prices,
great customer service, a fabulous product and they
go the whole nine yards to make sure you are just
as happy owning their items as they are making them.
I can picture their staff whistling while they work for
they are just a great company all around. They are
Snow White in an Organic forests and the Butterfly's
and Birds have already been signing their song and now
I am too! The Organic Bath Company is what I hope
to be a store that sets the standards for others because
it will be a much more healthy, happy and content world
if that is the case. The Organic Bath Company can sit on
the ledge of my tub anytime!

One of you can find out just how fantastic they are
too for The Organic Bath Company is going to give one
of my very lucky readers the same items they gave me.
To enter is easy, just head over to their site and take
a look around and then come back here and post something
you have learned in a comment. The contests will start
tonight and run to Midnight on May 8th.
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day, every day, and then posting that you did here
and other ways to enter are posted below.


Organic Bath Co.




Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.


1. Become a follower of my blog or Twitter page
and post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times. You may only do this
one time! This is not a daily entry.


2. Tweet about my blog and post the link
here. 5 entries, please post five times. You
may do this once per day if you post a new
tweet. For Each Daily entry there must be a
tweet for that day!


3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
5 times. You may only do this one time!
This is not a daily entry.


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and post the link here. 5 Entries. Please
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there must be a blog post for that day!






Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Radius Toothbrush and isABelt Contests!

I know I told you guys about my dry skin and icky feet.
They can get pretty nasty but what I didn't tell you is
about Andrews dry skin that makes mine look the rainy season
in the Rain forest. His elbows are so bad I get grossed out
every time I see them. I mean really grossed out. They are
so cracked and dry they often bleed in the Winter from cracking.
It is worse then sandpaper and if I am ever short on Brillo
pads I could use his elbows as a stand in and the elbows would
probably do a better job seeing as they are more abrasive.
I feel so bad for the kid but short of going to a Dermatologist
nothing we have tried at home has worked. They are so bad I
have tried to even get him to go to a Dermatologist but Andrew
is a big chicken when it comes to doctors and no matter how much
I have promised him that this is not the same kind of doctor he
still will not go. His Elbows are so dry they look like dark
dirty patches and cracked so deep they give the Grand Canyon a
run for its money. It is the bleeding that breaks my heart and
I know they have to hurt him. I have tried, Lord knows I have
tried, to get him to use any lotion on a regular basis but they
are so dry he would have to apply it every hour or so for days
on days to make a difference. They are that bad and he is not
willing to make such a commitment. To me it is a no-brain-er,
your in pain, there is a chance you can do something to fix it,
you do it! To him all he sees is the chunks of his day he will
be wasting slathering on Lotion. SO without me being able to
take him to the Dermatologists to get a prescription lotion,
and that is a shot in the dark for I still think he is going
to have to apply that all the time, and the fact I have yet
to find something over the counter that will help him in
anyway without using bottle after bottle for days and weeks on
end I feel like my hands are tied. How do I help the child?
I need to find something that he only has to put on a couple of
times a day at most and something I can buy over the counter that
will help that kind of dry skin. His dry skin is as bad as it
gets and most lotions are just not equipped to handle skin
that bad.


I read about Yu-Be. This is a Lotion from Japan that is
the number one selling lotion over there and has a reputation
second to none. Not only has it been around a long time it is
medicated and Vitamin enriched and made especially for really
severe dry skin. In short it is made for Andrew. But using a
skin cream from half way around the world? Why not? The world is
not nearly as big as it was 50 years ago when Yu-Be was just starting
to take Japan by storm. Now we utilize products from all over the
globe to aid us in not only our quest for better skin and hair but
health all together. Back in a 50's and 60's to get Yu-Bu here in
the states you had to know someone who traveled abroad to pick it
up for you and bring it home. As awesome as this stuff is people
everywhere were still hooked on it and who cared about a souvenir when
you went to Japan, bring back some Yu-Bu. Now you don't have to
"know someone" to get your hands on it, you can order it from the
web and I have read so many articles and seen so many testimonials
on the lotion I had to see for myself. I just had to know if this is
what would help Andrew and why the heck didn't I know of it before.
I contacted them and they sent a tube of the cream for review and
also some samples of other products they manufacture. That was cool
and I thought very nice of them but it was the lotion I was extremely
interested in. If this works I would do just about anything to
say thank you for over the last 5 years I have tried everything
or thought I had, on the market in search of relief for my son. I
did everything short of steal for I did go as far as telling my Dermatologist
my dry feet were getting as bad so she would write me a prescription
for a medicated lotion and I rushed home and used it on Andrew.
Nothing.
and this was from a doctor.

The Yu-Be, on the other hand. Wow! Okay, it isn't like the lotions you
go grab at CVS. It doesn't look like it, doesn't smell like it
and sure as heck doesn't work like it. When you think of Lotion you
buy over the counter here, you think of a creamy lotion that you rub
on your skin and often smells like flowers or other scents. Sometimes
I wonder if there is more perfume inside then good, natural items
that are set forth to combat dry skin. The Lotion you get here you rub
in but due to all the additives you never feel like you have rubbed it
all the way in. There is always a greasy or tacky film left behind
and to fight dry skin you have to use it over and over and over again
during the coarse of the day. Then you gamble if it will work at all. Now
you can buy lotions here at all different price levels and I have tried
them at all different prices levels too and I feel they are all pretty
consistent no matter what brand and how much you pay for them. I also
found that the lotions you pay 40 bucks for at Macy's quiet often work just
as well as the items that you pay a buck for at the Dollar store. In my
case neither worked and I even tried stupid things like slathering on
a ton of Lotion on his elbows before bed then wrapping them in plastic
wrap so his elbows would sort of marinate through the night and I was
hoping that might soften them up enough for him to get excited by the
improvement and continue using the lotion all the time to they got better.
All that little thing got us was the plastic wrap coming off in his sleep
and me spending a few days trying to work the grease stains out of his
favorite sheets. Yuck! Now I know a lot of other good things that have
came out of the East so I am more then willing to give this a whirl. If
Yu-Be doesn't help my next choice will have to come from Mars or the
Moon for I have tried everything here!


The first day we used it five times. Morning, Lunch, Afternoon, after
diner and Bedtime. He didn't have school due to Winter break for I
planned it that way and I was hoping to do something with that nasty
skin before he went back to classes. The first thing we noticed is it
doesn't feel or look like a lotion at all. They don't even call it a lotion
it is referred to as a Skin Cream and it reminded me of the salve and
other concoctions my Grandmother had in the Medicine Cabinet Up-North
for Bug bites and when you get into Poison Ivy or Oak. It is just as
thick but unlike the salve that stays on top of your skin the skin
cream is absorbed into the skin. It doesn't dissipate as fast as a Lotion
but it does completely rub into your skin and does not leave behind any
residue. It also has an odd scent but that is gone before you are
even done rubbing it into your skin. Now Andrews Elbows were really
bad and so cracked in some places they were almost raw and he said
he could feel it tingling like a medicated cream. By the end of the first
day there was not a lot of difference though the dark parts of his skin
where the dirt was so embedding into the cracks was starting to soften
and though we resisted I really wanted to have them scrubbed off for
this was the first time since his Elbows have been like this ( 3 years
now) that I felt the dirt was so close to the surface you would be able
to rub it off with a cloth. He was still nervous and though I swear we
could have got the dirt right then it was still fresh in Andrews mind the
last time we tried and ended up taking chunks of new skin along with
the dead old dry skin that has the ground in dirt. That time his elbows
were so raw after the scabbed over and hurt even more. So no go
on tempting fate like that again. He took a shower first thing Day two
and we put the cream on right away to hold in any moisture that he
had added with the shower. The skin around his Elbows was pretty dry
too though not nearly as scaly and bad as the elbows and on day two
that was already gone. The bad part about that was now that the skin
on his upper and lower arm was repaired and smooth and had lost its
Scaly appearance that the Elbows looked even worse. Before you could
look at his dry hands, forearms etc and go, "Yes, it is only natural the
elbows are so bad, just look at the rest of him!" Now the elbows stood
alone and looked even more disgusting.The dirt was also starting to
clump. I didn't know what to make of that or how to even explain it.
The only thing I could come close to as far as a description is to think
of a snow ball and how when you roll it the ball gets bigger as more
snow is added. Well this one dry, cracked, dirty part was in the center
and was like a magnet and the edges of his Elbows were working their
way in to join the nasty center and instead of leaving a trail of nasty
skin in its wake it was leaving behind pink skin that didn't look cracked.
Again, Andrew would not let me rub off the yuck for he was afraid they
would bleed but I was already hopeful at the start of day 2 that Yu-Be
was going to do a fantastic job. By the start of Day three he had to
wash the dirt off his elbows for it was starting to clump off on its own.
Underneath was Pink smooth skin. Now I want to take a second to
point out that the lotion was not making his elbows pink it was the
fact it was not ruff skin but new skin underneath and Andrew had
been rubbing his elbows all day out of habit and that is most likely
the reason why the dry, dead skin clumped together in a ball like that
too. He didn't tell me to later when I was wondering out loud what
would make his skin clump like that. It was then he told me of his
constant rubbing for it itched because it was so dry and since he had
been putting on the Lotion his skin was softening up to the point all
the damaged skin was flaking off. The Final results were by the end of
3 days his Elbows looked like those of a normal person and I was
shocked to say the least. I have been trying to help Andrew for 3
years with his elbows. Now I can relate for I have nasty dry feet but
nowhere near as bad as that boys elbows and my feet have never
cracked and bleed. His elbows, all the time. The next two days I
made him continue to apply 5 times but I knew it was redundant for
his elbows were already repaired and all he needed to do from now on
was to apply it after Showers. Before bed would be nice too but I think
that is pushing it with him. There is not a doubt in my mind though,
after seeing with my own eyes what Yu-Be did to those elbows in 3
days that using it just once a day would be more then enough to
keep it from happening again. The lotion just works that well. That
comes from a person who has bought every brand out there and even
some prescription ones in the past with zero success.
Yu-Be rocks!
Yu-Be does more then just carry this wonder lotion. They have also
carry lip Therapy and Skin Polish and those are just as great. I am a
Blistex girl and never thought I would change. I have tried all the
fancy, new fangled items on the market but something about Blistex
was just addicting to me. When I tried the Yu-Be I thought sure it
will be good, I saw what the skin lotion did for Andrew and don't think
it could be anything but good but I didn't really believe it would stop my
Blistex habit. Well I eat my Blistex for that is the only thing it is good
for anymore. The Yu-Be not only gave me the same soft lips as my
Blistex it worked longer and I re-applied a lot less and my lips just felt
plump and healthy immediately after I used it the first time. The Skin Polish
was perfect for use right before bed and has a calming effect and not
only did it take off the days make up it left my skin feeling taunt and
tight and alive and I have got to say I can see why Yu-Be is number
one in Japan and say it is only a matter of time before it is number
one here as well. The entire product line is going to live in my house
and I owe them a great debt for fixing Andrews elbows. You have no
idea how hard that was for him to deal with and pretty embarrassing for
a 16 year old boy in Gym Class to walk around like that for it did
make his elbows look like he never washed them and when he tried
to scrub the dirty looking area off all he would end up doing is making
his cracked elbows bleed worse. Yu-Be can be found on-line now
and you can order it right from their site. Heck, they know how good
they are and you can take the same test I did by just paying for
shipping and handling for they are so awesome they know once
you try them you will be a Yu-Be user for life! Go ahead, try!
These guys are the bomb!


Yu-Be is also going to give one of my readers a Value Pack of their
products and it has something for everyone, To enter just head over
to their site and take a look around then come back here and post
what you have learned in a comment. The contest will start tonight
and run to midnight on April 15th.
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day and other ways to enter are posted below.


Yu-Be




Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.


1. Become a follower of my blog or
post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times.


2. Enter any of my other contest. I entry
per contest, separate post for each entry.


3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
5 times.


4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries Please
post five times.


5. Tweet about this contest elsewhere. 5 entries
please post five times.


Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Mommy Tool Box and Port a Pong Contests!

Free Sample of Yu-Be just pay shipping and Handling!
                 HERE!

I have been doing a lot of product reviews for products
to use on your little baby. Their skin and their body's
are super important and it is "the" most important job
in a parents life to find items for them that are not
harmful and are beneficial for their little bodies. What
I have been neglecting to tell you guys about though
are items for Mom before the baby is born! Baby starts
with Mom and how she treats herself during that time
period is just as important and often we neglect ourselves
for the joy and excitement of planning for baby's arrival.
I planned to remedy that and did some research on
products that will not only make Mom to be's life a little
more easy but offer her some much needed relief from
some of the aches and pains and damage baby does
not only to our bodies but to our skin! Moms skin gets
a thorough workout in those 40 weeks before Baby
gets here, Stretched and pulled and BAM, lets double
in size ( or more in my case) our tummy's are yanked
and pulled and our skin is stretched to crazy proportions
and when it is over just left to fend for itself and bounce
back into shape. During the pregnancy we itch and even
burn and the rapid expansion is enough to drive you
mad. I won't even go into the detail of the moisture and
nutrients your little pride and joy is zapping from you
body and skin. I know from month 4 to her birth I felt
like one of the guys but instead of "adjusting" I was
walking around scratching my belly all day long for
it drove me nuts. Now I didn't freak at the stretch marks
with Rowan like I did with Andrew for I figured the
damage was done but I did hate the loose skin with
just as much passion. I would take a shower and be
so steamed over the fact I felt like my body was wrecked
I couldn't tell if the mirrors were fogging because of
the heat from the water or me! Supplements are a must
have and great but they don't help you skin! There has to
be something out there that does!
And there is!

I found Beaute de Maman and I could just about die
when I realize how much I wish I had this last year instead
of now, or better yet, 17 years ago when i was pregnant
with Andrew for I might be willing to wear a bathing suit
now if I did! Beaute de Maman has a full product
line made to pamper Mom when she needs it most. Baby
isn't here yet and we still don't take the time to tend
to our selves and we need to for once they are cuddled
in your arms you won't get the chance to pamper yourself
again for a very long time! Beaute de Maman makes
face and body creams, Scrubs and gels and even a stretch
mark cream that replaces all those lost vitamins and nutrients
baby is zapping and allows your skin to stay soft and supple
and in peak shape so it will be ready to bounce back instead
of flopping around like a half inflated basketball! I was
sent the Facial Scrub for review and let me tell you what,
you don't have to be pregnant to use it! The scrub is awesome
and I could feel it working its magic and removing
those dead skin cells and leaving me with skin as fresh
and healthy as the skin Rowan was born with. I just felt
more vitalized and younger and my skin taunter and
fresh. It is creamy and not at all harsh and the little
beads are super gentle unlike scrubs you might use
at other times. Our skin and faces are at their most
vulnerable during a pregnancy and Beaute de Maman
knows this and treats it like a temple and takes care
to add health back to your body and not seep more
away for baby is already singing that tune. Her line of
products are all Natural and make use of Herbal
ingredients and have been studied and evaluated,
as well as allergy and obstetrician tested. Let me
tell you, nothing feels better on your skin. After Rowan
my skin still itches due to the fact it lost its elasticity
and I used the scrub on my belly as well and it has worked
wonders there too and I am no longer walking around
scratching like a cave man. I love it! And Ladies, if
this is your first child you need to run, not walk, and
grab the cream for stretch marks for the damage your
pregnancy does to your skin now will last a lifetime and
the only way to fix it after the fact is to go under the
knife and I would not want that for anyone! This is a
special blend to keep your skin hydrated and will help
with the prevention of stretch marks and you will
thank me later for telling you about it now! I give
Beaute de Maman a two HUGE thumbs up for she truly
knows how to pamper a Mom and keep her skin healthy
and fresh! They are such a must have for everyone
who is waiting for a little bundle to add to their family!
Beaute de Maman is also being pretty darn awesome
to my readers and are going to give the facial scrub I
tried to 3 of my readers! 3! To enter just head over to
their site and take a look around then come back here
and post what you have learned in a comment. The contest
will start tonight and run to Midnight on March 23rd.
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day and other ways to enter are posted below.

Beaute de Maman


Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.

1. Become a follower of my blog or
post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times.

2. Enter any of my other contest. I entry
per contest, separate post for each entry.

3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
5 times.

4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries Please
post five times.

Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Snow Stoppers and Lyons Creations Contests!

When looking at baby care items it is so hard to
know what to get and make the right choices. You
are just undated with options and you just can't
drive your pediatrician insane with phone calls for
over the counter items like chest rubs and soaps
and baby oils and powders. They would pretty
much think you are nuts if you called them at
8 PM and asked, "Hey there doctor so and so, I am
looking at the 300 brands of Baby shampoo and I
am not sure what kind to buy. Should I got with No
More Tears or is the is the Aveeno better?" Not only
would you get a bill in the mail, chances are they would
hang up on you too! Over the counter items are the one
thing we as parents have to figure out ourselves. Now
Doctor so and so will let you know when to use Tylenol
and if a pain reliever is even needed but diaper ointments
and lotions, we are on our own. It is enough to drive you
mad too! One thing I am very thankful for is with Rowan
I have the organic option where as with Andrew I didn't.
No matter the brand, Organics are always they best choice
but I now face the decision of whittling down one brand
to the next. Now that I have done the research and made
the stead fast choice to only use organics I have to
find out what the best label is to use now that I know the
type of products. Do a Google search of Organic Baby
Products and you will just about fall over. There is literally
hundreds if not thousands of options out there. I about
wanted to cry!
I did a truck load of research and sent out some
letters and one of the products I was the most excited
about was Natures Baby! When speaking to them I told
them Rowan has been fighting a cold forever now and
asked what they would recommend and was sent some
chest rub for review. Can I get an Hallelujah! This stuff
rocks! I have been using Vicks in the steamer and
I was scared to death to put in right on Rowans chest.
Now I grew up with my Grandmother putting it on mine
but let's face it, I was a child and I can't remember how
old I was the first time she used it on me and even if it
was appropriate for back in the good old days parents
did some pretty off the wall things to sooth their kids
that would cause parents to fall over dead in shock now.
Even if Vicks was a good idea, my Grandmother is not
around any longer for me to ask so I am pretty much on
my own. Babies have so much more sensitive skin then
adults for face it, they are new and it is so important
for us to treat it with care for even though it is new it
is also the skin they will have forever and as parents
we are responsible for keeping baby very safe and
cared for. Natures Baby Organics took the worry away for me
because this was made just for her and I didn't have
to panic when I used it that I was doing the wrong thing.
The chest Rub is specially formulated by an expert to
assure safety for infants, this rub is 95% USDA certified
organic. AND IT WORKS! I put this right on Rowan's chest
and rubbed it in and for the first time in weeks little
baby could sleep and breath and not wake up for her
little nose was so stuffed she was not getting enough
air. There is nothing more heartbreaking for a parent
then to see thier child suffer. Natures Baby offers your
child relief and when they have it Mom and Dad have it
too! I loved the fact that I can rub it on her little chest
with confedance and know I am doing something good
for her and helping her without tossing a bunch of
chemicals and other things I do not even want to know
about all over her little chest. For what an adorable little
chest it is!


Natures Baby offers a full product line and they
carry everything from Shampoo and Detanglers to
lotions, powders and Diaper Creams. They even have
some of the funner sides of items for your little
bundle of smiles and offer Bubble Bath and soothing
items such as calming spray and they have a soothing
stick for those Ouchies! Mom and Dad, they thought of
you too and have a all Purpose Deoderizer to make
those icky yucky diaper pails smell a little bit better
for there is nothing worse then the smell of babies
daiper pale on a hot summer day! Natures Baby is
created by a Mom who just about fainted when she
did a little research on the items she was putting on
her childrens skin. Items she could not even pronounce
she was rubbing in just taking the advertizings word for
it that it was good and when she got it in her head
to check on these ingrediants she decided enough was
enough and she was going to make something she
could use and not loose sleep over. The result is
products that benifet us all and leaves everyone
who uses them with a sense of comfort they are
giving their kids only the best and include ingreediants
you can not only pronouce you can grow them youselves
for there is nothing better then fresh, natural
products for your child! Her line is so good that
not only baby can enjoy thier perks they also rock
at helping people with skin conditions too! Those
of us with eczema and sensitive skin can also
reap the benifets of using her lotions and powders
and not only get some much needed relief but help
in clearning up theri skin. Her items have been
featured everywhere and in Magazines such as
People and American Baby as well as TV shows
and E online and many many many more. You will
be as hooked as I am with just a taste of her skin
cream or Shampoos and your Baby will thank you
for a lifetime to come! After Rowan was able to breath
with the Ah Choo Chest Rub she was able to sleep
and we all know to feel better you need your rest
and with-in just a couple of days of me starting with
the chest rub she was back at full strength and ready
to get into trouble whenever she could. I will tell you
what, chasing around a Healthy Baby intent on
discovery can be a pain but watching her suffer is
hertbreaking and I would rather do the chasing any
day of the week!

Natures Baby Organics is also doing something special for
my readers! One winner will get thier choice of items
from her product line, excluding the gift sets, to enjoy
and fall in love with like I did. The Lotions, Powders
and creams or whatever your heart desires! To enter
just head over to the site and take a look around then
come back here and post what you have learned in a
comment. The contest will start tonight and run to mid-
night on March 21st. USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day and other ways to enter are posted below.

Natures Baby Organics


Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.

1. Become a follower of my blog or
post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times.

2. Enter any of my other contest. I entry
per contest, separate post for each entry.

3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
5 times.

4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries Please
post five times.

Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Lyons Creations and Snow Stoppers Contests!

Everyone wants flawless skin. I don't care if you
are a 60 year old Grandmother or a 15 year old Boy.
Clear, flawless skin is in. We drop more money on skin
care then just about any other beauty item out there.
It is our first line of defense when people see us and
hey, let's be real here, it covers our entire body! The
search for the perfect complexion has taken people
to some pretty odd places and they do some pretty
crazy things. I watched a special not long ago where
people let Fish eat the dead skin off of them and not
only did they do this willingly, they paid big money to do
it. I do not care what my problem was, getting in a tub
with ANY FISH, even a minnow would only bring Jaws
flashbacks and I would be screaming like a little girl
before my toe ever hit the water. To make matters
worse I get no sympathy from the guys in my life
and I am pretty sure my son would be over my shoulder
humming the Jaws theme song. Now I know this skin
eating critters are little but isn't there a fish that can
get into your body and do some damage? I am not going
to tell where he gets in but let me tell you it is not only
gross but has to be painful. No thanks I will pass on
the fish.

I also can't afford some of these skin cream I have
seen out there. I have seen creams as much as $600
bucks for a bottle I would call a tester of the stuff I use.
You have got to be kidding me. I could buy a laptop for
that price and find a cheaper brand that works just as well
on line with the lap top and pay for that and still come in
under 600.00 bucks! Do people think normal consumers
are insane? I do not care if you are a trump, who would
pay that for skin cream? ( SIGH) I know, I know, people
do, other wise it wouldn't be out there. I have always been
very careful with my skin for my family goes both ways
and there is no middle ground. We either have really really
bad skin or really really good. Since the moment I knew
what a pimple was I was all over my complexion and
have been lucky, though I still would never pay 600
bucks! My son is at the same crossroads and he is also
just as ridged on skin care.
In my quest to find items that are great for your skin
and keep you in the Oh, La La you look fabulous column
and not the hello there Quasimoto side I found a neat
little book that says chuck that cream and eat right and
you just won't have to worry.
You mean I can eat and still look good?
You mean I can use my skin as an excuse to eat?
You mean yummy goodness I stick in my tummy can
be good for the rest of me?
You mean I can feed my son some healthy foods under the
guise that it will be great for his complexion?
Yes Mam', all that is true!
Sign me up, I am in! Well, I am at least going to give it
a whirl. Let me tell you the book is darling. It has cute
little Quotes all through it that keep you trucking along
and are sure to bring a smile to your face and inspire you
too and what really got me was some of these Recipes
are dang tasty! Who cares if they are good for me, the
made my taste buds do a jig! Some of the recipes were things
I ate anyways and didn't know it was good for me, um, er,
rephrase that. I have been telling everyone for years that I
only eat Whipped Chocolate because it is good for my
skin, really, do you think I would resort to eating chocolate
for any other reason! I hope you guys bought that! Anyways,
like I said, some I have been eating all along and some
are things I never would have thought to try but I am now
darn glad I did! Awesome goodness on a plate that my son
even went WOW Mom, good job!
A fruity French Toast! What's not to love?
Candied Pears, yum and double yum!
Spicy Tomato soup with a Pomegranate Tuna Sandwich to
go with it. Now I know you are drooling here! This
stuff is awesome! AND the book is packed with recipes
even better then the ones I just told you!
I love how the book is spelled out in an easy to follow
format that makes finding what you are looking for a snap.
It starts out with some useful tips and information and even
facts for those of you who need to see the proof when you
eat the pudding. Elizabeth TenHouten is the Author and she
knows her stuff for Beautiful skin has me convinced I can
chuck those messy creams and eat like a Queen. She offers
you a guide to healthy skin from start to finish and next time
you are tired and need a nap, point to the book and tell your
husband, hey, Elizabeth says I need my rest to look good for
you Honey and run to your bed before he thinks of a response!
Cooking Well, Beautiful Skin is a great book for any complexion!
Take it from me!
Okay, I don't mean take my copy for Cooking Well,
Beautiful Skin is going to give 5 of my readers a copy
of their own. You guys are going to love it and I better
get a dinner invite when you make some Peppered
Persimmon Steak. To enter just head over to the site
and take a look around then come back here and post
something you have learned in a comment. The contest
will start tonight and run to Midnight on March 14th.
USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day and other ways to enter are posted below.

Elizabeth TenHouten


Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.

1. Become a follower of my blog or
post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times.

2. Enter any of my other contest. I entry
per contest, separate post for each entry.

3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
5 times.

4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries Please
post five times.

Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Pepper and Tanky and Bebe Soleil Contests!

You can order on Amazon now!

I don't think I know a single person who does not
know about Burt's Bee's! These guys came out of no
where and have taken the world by storm and even the
big wigs like Chapstick have had to stand back and go
"Wow!" Now I have seen them everywhere and have a
few friends who swear by them and will drive to five
different places to find just the Burt's product they are
looking for and if I dare suggest trying something else
I get that blank stare and a BLINK BLINK, What?
I have also tried their Lip Products and yes, they are
great but that was the extent of the knowledge I had of
them. Lips and whatever other items they sold that
are now on every checkout lines impulse rack in
America. What I didn't know was how vast their product
line was and to how many different people they catered
too.
This Holiday season I was out looking for items for
Rachel. Teenage girls are so hard to buy for and that 12-15
year old age gap is the worst for they want adult items, you
want them to be 6 again and you have to find a happy
medium. You do not want to give them cosmetics they will
apply so thick they will leave you thinking you just set them up
for a life with a man named Bubba who wears a wife beater
and who's idea of Home Renovation it making a beer can Mobile
for the Pop Up trailer in his parents back yard. I have seen the
Wet and Wild display at the drug store and to be honest the
name alone sends chills down my spine when I think of my
step daughter, or worse yet, Rowan, getting her hands on
something that promises a wet, wild time. But you can't stop
progress or worse yet, maturity and Girls will become Women
if you want them to or not. All you can do is try to point them
in a good direction and pray she does not consider Beer can
Mobil's art! I did Bonnie Bell the last few years and she liked
it but someone told me ( It is so nice to have lots of friends
with Teenage Girls who tell me what is cool or not) that Bonnie
Bell is for Kids and Rachel is now past that. She might say thanks
and act like she loves it but chances are it is going to go in
a drawer and she will save her money for makeup on her own
and at today's cosmetic prices chances are that will be Wet and
Wild. Now I could not bring myself to get her war paint this
year for she just turned 13 and if her Mom wants her to do it,
fine, but I will not be the one who takes a 13 year old and gives
her the means to look 23. I remember what I did when I first
realized if I wore make-up I could look older and I almost
had to go straight to bed with an icepack because of the instant
stress headache I had from the mear thought of her doing the
same. So the cosmetic counter at Macy's was out and Bonnie
Bell was a thing of the past so what should I do? That is when
I remembered Burt's Bee's and I know that its a product for all
ages and I think, or hope, they do not have wet and wild anything.
I decided to find out what all the buzz about them was really about!
I was familiar with their lip products but I did not know
they also carried hair products, Baby products, Body items such
as washes and soaps and add ins for your bath, why they even
now carry Toothpaste. Boy, had I missed the boat on this one!
I decided to send them a letter and find out what else I had
been out of the loop on. The people at Burt's were nice enough
to send me some items for review and I not only got to sample
their Body Wash and Bath Soak they stuck in some items for
Baby too and a great item called Belly Balm. I had previous
experience with their lip products and know most of you have
as well and we all know they are fantastic or this company
would not have grown at the rate it has so I am going to
tell you a little about the body wash first. The Radiance
Exfoliating Body Wash is a blend of all their best, right down
to the Royal Jelly, one of the world's most nutrient-rich substances
that is super fantastic at rejuvenating your skin. I just loved
it and I know a lot about Body wash for I have banned the bar
soap from my tub a long time ago and have used body wash
only for going on 20 years now. You could feel the zing of the
wash and it was like a cup of coffee for my skin and was a great
way to wake up and not only offered me a relaxing shower but
energy too! This stuff has found a new home in my tub and
I know my friend loves everything Burt, so I might have to
chain it to the facet!

The next item I tried was for Rowan and the Buttermilk
Bath Pint. I have had such a hard time with her in the tub
for she loves bubbles but I am scared to death she has skin
as sensitive as mine and will not go out and buy a regular
bath additive and even worse she is bald and still has cradle
cap and I am too afraid to try the products that are supposed
to work for that on her as well. What is going on is, she does
not quiet yet have dry skin but it is not nearly as moist as
it could be and my fears are making her suffer and she could
have that Baby Soft Glow if I would only let go a little and now
anything that drips on her I have to wipe up pronto or it leaves
a rash because of this. For Bubble Bath I have been using her
Baby Shampoo and this dries her skin even more and I so
need some sort of item to add that brings back her natural
moisture. When I saw the Buttermilk Bath Soak I will admit I
was apprehensive but I did need to do something and I remember
my Grandmother talking about Buttermilk soaks being good
for something or other and I respect her opinion and thought
if I am going to take the plunge I might as well start here.
You would think I was sitting on Pins and Needles as I sat
next to the tub and put the right amount in. I actually hovered
that Squirming baby over the water with second thoughts but
I made it and she is fine and for the first time in a long time
Soft! Better yet, since she splashes like a fish the water ends
up all over her head and I swear her cradle cap looked better
with just that small amount of water flowing over it. I do have
to explain her cradle cap a little better for you guys would never
see it or know it is there but you know Moms, total inventory of
their children's parts and though it is just a little patch under a
tuft of hair it broke my heart to know it was there. The next bath
I used more and even used the water as rinse to remove the
shampoo and it really does work on this. I know this is not
a product made just for this purpose but if your bundle has it
like mine, try this soak, it worked wonders and I am now adding
it to every bath she has!

The other product they sent was the Belly Balm and one of
you are going to let me know how this works! I am not worried
for everything I tried ( and yes they sent lip balm!) was fantastic
and worked sooooooooooo good at making my skin and Rowan's
soft and moist and for me and my body wash, rejuvenated and
energized I know this stuff is going to be great but unfortunately
I would not be able to tell on my own belly for the damage is done!
To get your hands on this little gem just head over and visit Burt's
and then come back here and let me know what your favorite item
is. The contest will start today and run to Midnight on March 1st.USA and 18 and older can enter daily and the winner
will be contacted by email and have 72 hours to
contact me with their mailing information. As always
you can earn a bonus entry by entering the contest of
the day and other ways to enter are posted below.

Burt's Bee's


Extra entries.
Extra entries only count after the initial entry
is completed.

1. Become a follower of my blog or
post that you are. 3 entries,
please post 3 times.

2. Enter any of my other contest. I entry
per contest, separate post for each entry.

3. Grab my button. 5 entries. Please post
5 times.

4. Blog about this contest somewhere else
and post the link here. 5 Entries Please
post five times.

Hey there, while you are here don't forget to enter
my Zehn Naturals and Alli's Originals Contests!