Natural Skin MD review

Dry skin? Need help? Try out Natural Skin MD.

A shielding lotion does the real work to prevent dry skin in two ways. 

First, it assists the inner layers of skin to absorb moisture. The humectant (an ingredient that attracts moisture) used in Skin MD Natural is unique to it and has been laboratory tested to be 6 times more effective than any other you will find in common creams.

Second, a shielding lotion enhances the power of the top layer of the skin to resist environmental irritants while protecting the inner natural moisture.

This can be a big benefit for those who cook, wash dishes and garden because Skin MD Natural helps skin retain its natural moisture and oils in the face of all those irritating soaps and chemicals.

The manufacturer's website www.skinmdnatural.com has hundreds of dermatologist and user reviews including many addressing severe dry skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis. People with sensitive skin -- and those of us who like to live as naturally as possible -- will appreciate that Skin MD Natural is hypoallergenic, free of fragrances, parabens and colorants. It is made with more than 90% natural ingredients and 100% food-grade ingredients that are on the FDA's "most safe" list. 

You can read here how and why a shielding lotion works, http://www.skinmdnatural.com/shielding-lotion/how-it-works/

You can find the list of ingredients Skin MD uses here; http://www.skinmdnatural.com/shielding-lotion/ingredients.html

  Skin MD is a great skin care product to help lock in moisture! They do have a few ingredients I am not the most keen on, but this lotion works great, without leaving that "greasy" feeling on your skin after applying. 

I can't say that we have any skin problems in our home. We did over the winter months with skin drying out and cracking like crazy! It was ridiculous. We also don't struggle with eczema or any other skin problems. So for us, using Skin MD was more of a preventative measure than a curative measure. 

They have some great customer reviews here; http://www.skinmdnatural.com/dry-skin-care/rave-reviews.html

I also appreciated there new lotion with SPF 15 in it! I am extremely white (being a redhead) and don't like to apply a whole lot of sun lotion on my face because it feels so greasy and I like to get a little bit of sun on it. 15 SPF is just the right amount!


You can order your own lotion today! Just head over to Skin MD.  They sell individual 4oz bottles, sample packets, gallon jugs, or cases of 12.

Skoy Cloth Winner

I've had a few requests to announce the winner on the blog as well as Facebook, twitter and by email. SO...without further adieu...

Our SKOY CLOTH winner is.....Kristen Robinson. You have 48 hours to reply to my email with your address to accept your prize. Thank you!!!

Remember to share the blog with friends and family!!!

Birthday Bash Celebration winners

 Thank you everyone for participating in our giveaway on my facebook fan page, TNS Family Value[s] Here is the list of winners for prizes from our wonderful sponsors. Make sure to give them lots of <3 and thank you's for their sponsorship!!

Names in bold have not yet claimed their prize. You have 48 hours to respond before new winners are drawn! Thank you.

Baby's butt cream from Earthly Remedies by Erin is...Tammy Leanne Naylor.

25% off any one item from Inspired By Amara is.....LaDonna Hutchins

$10 gift certificate to Aliyah's Hope Chest on etsy is...Betsy Thibaudeau

Free beaded pair of socks from Lil' Sweeties Creations is...Mandy Hatch Agnello

15% off Mark. Fashion and Beauty With Elizabeth is....Mary McMenamy (won on Facebook as it had no entries)


Tube Top from Megan's Sewing Creations is...Mary Mcmenamy

35% off their order from Green Bumpkin is....Darlene Arnold


Kat's Kreations $5 off $25 or more...no entries. Giving away on facebook, waiting to hear from first comment.

All About Baby Boutique Baby Leg Warmers is...Ang Alford

~Skoy Cloth Review and Giveaway~ **CLOSED**

Tired of wasting paper towel? (2.5 million tons thrown away annually). Maybe you aren't a "green" person so that doesn't matter to you. How about unraveling paper after paper? Rip, wipe, toss. Some don't absorb much or help you clean in any way without getting soggy fast, or ripping apart as you use them.Well try Skoy cloth!

About Skoy Cloth *Copied from their website*
'The idea originated when Michelle was living in Europe in the late 90’s. She discovered a product that was similar to the SKOY cloth and it was just amazing. Over time she found the cloth to be indispensible. When she moved back to the US, she realized that the use of a sponge was inadequate and the excessive use of paper towels, wasteful. Michelle searched and searched for a similar cloth and nothing even compared; nothing was of the same caliber. This is when Michelle introduced the cloth to Karen. She immediately fell in love with it and could not imagine cleaning with anything else.’

The original word is actually a Swedish word Skoj, pronounced skoy, that means "just for fun". The creators wants to make a product that you could love and have fun using!

One Skoy cloth saves up to 15 rolls of paper towel! They are 100% biodegradable and natural. They are reusable and machine washable.They also absorb 15 times their own weight.It is non-toxic, chlorine free, and made using water-based colors and inks. They are made from a natural cotton and wood-based cellulose pulp.

Use and Care *copied from their site*
USE

• Wet your SKOY cloth before using. Be sure to squeeze out the excess water for optimal absorption. It can be used with popular household cleaners, but works just as well with water.
• Note: Rinse cloth very well when combined with dish soap in order not to leave residue.
• We recommend that after your SKOY cloth has passed its prime, it can be used as a rag for heavier cleaning. Chlorine-use is not recommended.

CARE:

• The SKOY can be cleaned in your dishwasher and is washer and dryer safe up to 90°C (190°F).
• Another option to keep your SKOY cloth germ-free is to microwave it daily when damp for 1-2 minutes. This will also remove possible bad smell that is caused by bacteria. Remember your SKOY cloth must be wet when microwaving for best effect and to avoid risk for fires. The SKOY cloth will be extremely hot when removing from the microwave so please use caution and wait a moment. Immediately run under cool water to rinse.
• Note: Make sure the SKOY cloth is wet when microwaving to avoid fires.
• Warning: The SKOY cloth can be extremely hot when removing from the microwave. 

I do not us a microwave or dishwasher, so to disinfect mine, I have to use my washer/dryer. But they don't hold bacteria as bad as sponges or wash clothes or old paper towels. Which is so nice! It's a pet peeve of mine to have smelly hands. Ugh. Worst thing ever. Skoy Cloth is one of my favorite finds because it's not only budget friendly (you can find the pricing here; http://www.skoycloth.com/index_files/shopping.htm), they are reusable and earth friendly. We have to take our garbage to the dump every 3 days so the less pile up the better for us! Plus they come in cute patterns with flowers, or sayings, or holiday prints. You can also subscribe to receive regular shipments of skoy cloth.

It's like a light weight wash cloth. Works great for any kitchen need! Here I used it to clean my counters, and it held up well to all the scrubbing. It dries super fast and holds up to a wash for disinfecting.

BUY IT: You can buy small sets, or get monthly subscriptions here; http://www.skoycloth.com/index_files/shopping.htm
WIN IT: Skoy has given me a second set of 4 cloths to give away to one of my lucky readers! The white flower pack pictured above. To US residents only please. Giveaway will end 5/12/11. This giveaway is mobile user friendly this time. :-) There will be no mandatory entry, but you must complete one, or all of the following for entries. PLEASE comment separately for each entry, include your name and email address in your comments.


ENTRIES:

1. Follow my blog via google friend connect (1 entry)
2. Follow TNS on facebook (1 entry)
3. Follow TNS on twitter (1 entry)
4. Subscribe to my blog via email (1 entry)
5. Follow SKOY on facebook (1 entry)
6. Share this giveaway on facebook (2 entries) Tag us!
7. Tweet about this giveaway (2 entries) Tag us!

Helpful Links:
Skoy Cloth Website
Skoy Cloth on Facebook

TNS Family Value[s] on Facebook

TNS Family Value[s] on Twitter

*This is not a paid review. I received these items for free in exchange for this review.*

Sock 'n Boots book review

I received for review this adorable book called Sock 'n Boots Share.

It's a fun little story of a sock and an army boot that are best friends and learn what sharing is. They start off with a question and end the story with a question about sharing to evoke the young reader to carefully consider the story and why sharing is good.

You can watch an animated trailer of sock and boots with this youtube video.

These stories are very well animated, simple enough to read with young readers and provide a good life lesson as well as cause thoughtful consideration. I'm excited for the next 2 in the series to be released for my kids and I to read together!!!!

*Copied from their website*
The Sock ‘n Boots franchise of stories was created to not only teach young children valuable life lessons, but also to stimulate positive thinking while building a bond between parents and children or teachers and students.

The goal of the books is to transform story time into an interactive bonding time.

Each Sock n’ Boots story begins with a question, then through the antics of the characters a lesson is taught that answers the question. Once the story is finished the question is posed again which opens the way for discussion and interaction.

We hope that children and parents alike will grow to love the Sock and Boots characters while building a bond through discussing the lessons that the stories present.
You can find them on facebook here; http://www.facebook.com/SockandBoots

You can purchase this series on Amazon.com here; http://www.amazon.com/Sock-Boots-Share-D-K-Smith/dp/0557526140/ref=cm_cr_pr_pb_t or here on LuLu; http://stores.lulu.com/socknboots

A Treasury of Modern Mother Goose Rhymes Book Review

I chose "A Treasury of Modern Mother Goose Rhymes" by Lillian Rose Jensen for review from Dorrance Publishing.

About the Author: Lillian Jensen is a native of the Lac Courte Oreilles Reservation in Sawyer County, Wisconsin, fifteen miles from both Stone Lake and Hayward, and attended the Janesville School for the Visually Handicapped in Janesville. She enjoys writing tongue twisters and poetry of her own as well as knitting rugs. She lives with her husband on the Lac Courte Reservation, where they have raised three children, Theresa, Michael, and Melody.

Thanks to Lillian, some of our favorite Mother Goose nursery rhyme characters have been modernized, brought to our world for us to enjoy.

Examples: "Remember the old woman who lived in a shoe?
She remodeled her house and painted it blue.
She had the old shoe wired with electricity.
She bought a stove, refrigerator, and a TV......"

"The king of hearts
Wished to bake tarts.
But the king of hearts was in a terrible fix.
The king of hearts
Couldn't bake tarts.
He couldn't find the right cake mix."

It's great to have a collection of rhymes to read with my kids. They are her own creation, so it shows kids they can create their own rhymes and how rhyming works. Filled with 51 different rhymes, it's great for the imagination

My only 2 disappointments are that there are no pictures for the kids while you read it to them, and it is an extreme waste of paper!!

You can buy your own copy of A Treasury of Modern Mother Goose Rhymes from Dorrance Publishing for $9.

Thank you to Dorrance Publishing for providing this copy for free in exchange for this review.

World Without Fish Book Review

I was sent "World Without Fish" by Mark Kurlansky for free from Workman Publishing for review.

About the Author:
Mark Kurlansky is a former commercial fisherman and New York Times bestselling author of Cod, Salt, The Big Oyster, and other books. He’s won numerous awards, including the James A. Beard Award, ALA Notable Book Award, and New York Public Library Best Books of the Year Award. He lives with his wife and daughter in New York City and Gloucester, Massachusetts. His website is www.markkurlansky.com.

The book is suppose to be about how we can change the way we live to help save our fish population, which has estimatedly dropped over 90% in the last 50 years.

His 10 year old daughter helped him write this book in order for it to be interesting for all ages, which is a great idea.

Unfortunately, I can not recommend this book. Within the first few chapters the book talks about evolution and millions of years old. A theory proved wrong, and formed with round reasoning. I could not bring myself to enjoy reading this book when it is suppose to be a factual book and already starts with a wrong theory. I cannot recommend this book to any of my readers as I don't think it's worth the read.

A few good things this does book contain;

—A seafood lover’s guide to safe and sustainable menu options and where to find them

—The cool children’s pick of the season that includes an 11-page full-color comic interwoven

     throughout the book

—A timely look at the impact of oil spills on the ocean environment (the anniversary of the Gulf

    Oil Spill is 4/20, two days after publication)

—An engaging history of fishing

—An inspiring, user-friendly handbook filled with things we all can do to help save fish

And some fun facts in the book are:

Some Fun Facts from WORLD WITHOUT FISH:

1. There is no such thing as a true Chilean Sea Bass. The fish we know as the Chilean Sea Bass is actually a Patagonian Toothfish, which is not a bass at all, and, for that matter, not necessarily from Chile. Since a “Patagonian Toothfish” doesn’t sound very appetizing, the alternate name was created to market the fish internationally 
2. Mammals usually give birth to one to six babies. A bird will lay this many eggs. A fish will lay millions of eggs. For years, people assumed that this meant that fish have millions of babies. Only recently have scientists come to understand that a fish will usually have only one to six surviving babies, just like a mammal or a bird.
3. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is the largest known concentration of floating trash in the world. Located in the north central Pacific Ocean (the area between Japan and the United States), the Patch is alternately estimated to be from one-eighth to twice the size of the United States.

Thank you to Workman for prividing this book for free for a review.