Sunday, January 18, 2015

The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues by Cindy Vincent Book Review + Giveaway

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book for review purposes. My opinions are my own. 


My tween is a real cat lover so it was no surprise that this adorable book caught her attention. She couldn't help but get sucked right into this fascinating cat tale involving two very special cats and their all-star detective agency.  She found it to be a super fun read and easy to follow.  She was entertained throughout the book and was asking me right away if she could get other Buckley and Bogey stories on her Kindle app or in a paperback.  This is a cute one for any tween reader.

Case Jewel Covered Cat Statues Cindy Vincent

Buckley and Bogey run a Cat Detective Agency.  A case falls into their lap involving another mystery this time that they just have to solve. It all started late at night when a package appeared in their mom's antique store.  Of course, the boys find it, and put it in a nice, safe place, until they can open it . . . and, find the rightful owner. But that’s when a whole bunch of suspicious people show up in St. Gertrude, and every single one of them seems to be after that mysterious package. Things really start to happen when a priceless, jeweled statue collection goes on display at the St. Gertrude Museum. What's going on is that there are two jewel covered cat statues missing that disappeared almost a hundred and fifty years ago.

Buckley and Bogey get involved and start thinking how long those statues will stay missing. This is one case that really keeps them on their paws.  They make a trip to the Museum then to an old church for the Blessing of the Animals. They go from  dinosaurs to diamonds meanwhile dodging shady suspects the entire time. Thank goodness they have their friends with them to help out. Of course the bad guys head for Bogey and Buckley but their friends help out.  Everyone figures out that they bad guy are out for more than just the priceless cat statues aren’t the only cats those crooks are after.

This is an entertaining book that my teen really enjoyed. It is different and unusual with the main characters being two cats. She quickly got into it and read it in a weekend. It was a fun read and kept her guessing a lot.  She thought it was fun and different and enjoyed all the antics of Buckley and Bogey.  She really liked how Cindy Vincent made the cats come to life and gave them real and distinctive personalities. It had just enough mystery and excitement to keep her involved throughout the whole book.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway. It is open through 2/8. The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues Giveaway.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Applejack Life Lavender Essential Oil for relaxation and balance in my life #LavenderOil



I love using essential oils and have a stash of different scents that really help to make me feel good.  I love lavender because it is one of my faves to use in the evening or when work gets out of hand. It allows me to easily control stress and restore some balance and happiness to my day naturally.  Aromatic lavender is just an intoxicatingly divine oil from direct from my best friend Mother Nature herself.  Lavender oil is the most versatile of all essential oils in my mind.  Applejack Life is a premium quality essential oil that blends beautifully with other oils or into shea butter. It is lovely solo as well and wonderfully relaxing.

You can use Applejack Life Lavender Essential Oil for many common uses:
  • Relieve stress, anxiety and depression
  • Treat insomnia
  • Freshen laundry
  • Aromatheraphy
  • Add to your bed and bath
  • Add to your pet’s bath
  • Use on vacuum bags
  • Scent potpourri and candles
  • Add to skin cream  or shea butter to soothe skin
  • Treat bug bites, rashes and sunburns
  • Support hair growth
  • Support headache and migraine relief
  • Support your immune system
  • Support skin health including acne, scars and stretch marks
  • Relax aching muscles
Applejack Life Lavender Essential oil is steam distilled to a therapeutic grade quality. Applejack never processes their oils at high temperatures or pressure. They let the oil develop slowly and at a quality level.  It produces a more limited batch, highly therapeutic essential oil. The difference is apparent when you compare aromas with less expensive brands of essential oil. It is packaged in an amber glass bottle for the ultimate in protection. Undiluted essential oils should never be stored in plastic containers, as some properties in many essential oils can cause the plastic to break down. I love the pretty amber glass container and it even comes with a dropper.


It is no surprise that lavender oil is becoming very popular with all the stress we have going on in our lives. Many of my friends use it with success too.  Applejack Life has authentic premium lavender oil that is therapeutic grade, 100% natural, pure, undiluted and chemical-free.  I like that and feel comfortable using it on my body and breathing it in.  When I use lavender essential oil I feel like I have a natural pharmacy at my little fingertips.  You can use it in tons of different ways each and every day. 

I like that Applejack Life has superior potency and quality.  This lavender essential oil out there uses small batch, gentle super-critical steam distilled extraction. This ensures quality and the highest potency. It smells natural and not too floral and definitely not like chemicals. Sometimes I will blend it with other oils as well and it mixes perfectly. I like that I can control stress and boost my happiness naturally with an excellent true lavender product like this one. You can buy this wonderful Applejack Life lavender oil right on Amazon and save yourself time and money.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Ayl Premium Silicone Heat Resistant Gloves for Grilling, BBQ, Baking and Cooking is a Star #Aylsiliconeglove


I love to cook and bake but I am always worried about getting burned. I still remember the awful burn I got years ago when I was distracted pulling something out of the oven. The car on my forearm was so awful I had to use Silvadene because it was so bad. Ever since then I have become so cautious. Even with the traditional oven mitts I would worry. I was happy to try out a more modern option that offers excellent protection from heat. These have several advantages, in addition to the superior heat protection.  


These Ayl Silicone Heat Resistant BBQ Gloves is that they come in a set and one size fits all. They are perfect for cooking, baking, smoking or even to use as an everyday potholder. No worries with super hot baking dishes, boiling hot food or anything. These heat resistant gloves are perfect to use with the grill, oven or even camping with the campfire. I feel like my hands are so much more protected against burns. These are super insulated waterproof and have a five finger grip. They offer more protection and are so much easier to use versus the old fashioned oven mitts. Those went right in the donation bin when I got these!

These Ayl Premium Heat Resistant Gloves use FDA approved and BPA free, pure food grade silicone. That gives me peace of mind. Some additional features of these premium gloves are:
  • Heat Resistant For Temperatures Up To 425 Degrees Fahrenheit
  • 100% Waterproof, Covers Your Wrist, Keeps Hands Safe and Dry
  • Lightweight, Flexible, No Slip Grip Design To Allow Safe Movement Of Hot Items, Easily Grab Carved Hot Juicy Meats
  • No Staining or Smell: Even After Long Term Use
  • Dishwasher Safe, Easy to Clean
  • BPA-Free
  • FDA Approved food grade silicone
  • 1 Size Fits All

These Heat Resistant Silicone Baking Gloves have become my new best friend in the kitchen. I baked cupcakes this weekend with my tween and these gloves worked with total success.  I love that they are waterproof and heat resistant plus they stay cleaner because you can just rinse off any food in seconds. These gloves are bright and colorful so they are easy to find even if I leave them in a corner. They are hard to miss which is an advantage. No worries about misplacing these Ayl Heat Resistant Gloves. They look very durable as well and they have been performing all week. They also have an impeccable slip-free design which makes them good for gripping large pans. This pair of gloves wins hands down over the standard kitchen mitts that burn your hands, accumulate all the oil, and food from everyday cooking and grilling.
 

These heat resistant oven gloves that offer excellent heat protection, versatility and maneuverability for the kitchen or the grill outside. I can't wait to try these with the grill. Even my hubby finds them easy to use. He cooked up a bean and potato dish and he has way bigger hands than I do. Not a problem. The perfect grip makes taking even big baking trays out the oven a snap and no worries about burns anymore. This pair of high quality heat resistant silicone gloves is has the right combination of design for a maneuverable plus safe grip. You can find these great Heat Resistant Silicone Gloves right on Amazon for easy shopping any time. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Gear District Digital Luggage Scale is super for travel #luggagescale


I travel so frequently for work and my company has gotten way stricter over the years with expenses. It is just not worth the headache so I started considering luggage scales. I knew it would just reduce my stress and eliminate expense report issues. Even just knowing that it is one less thing to add onto that pesky, time-consuming report. The quality really varied when I starting shopping for luggage scales and it was a challenge to find one that was compact and easy to store, not to mention easy to read. I confess, I really need glasses but I keep deferring every time I visit the opthamologist. I was excited to find the Gear District Digital Luggage Scale because it fit all my requirements. 

The Gear District Digital Luggage Scale has a ton of features in a compact size:

• Weigh luggage, backpacks and  more with one touch
• Full digital, crisp clear display with blue backlight
• Portable, compact and a cinch to store
• This luggage scale saves you money by providing accurate weight measurements 


 

I took this Gear District Digital Scale on a recent business trip to Florida. It was great because we ended up with so many materials my bag would have gone just over the limit. I was able to shift some of the items to my large tote bag and there was no issue. I got the bag under the 70lb limit. The weight at the airport was exactly on par with with reading I got from my Gear District Digital Luggage Scale. This handy portable scale is certified to weigh up to 88lbs/40kg(standard maximum airline baggage weight is between 51lbs/23kg to 70lbs/32kg).  This luggage scale is a easy and reasonably priced solution to eliminate packing issues and those expense clogging overweight luggage fees. It takes up no room at all either. This would be a great gift for any friend that travels frequently for business or pleasure.  

The Gear District Digital Luggage Scale + Triple-Dial Luggage/Zipper Combination Lock also comes with a complimentary Digital E-book, "How to Pack Smart + Light." I love that the CR2032 battery is even included. You can pick up this great portable luggage scale right on Amazon for easy shopping anytime!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe would be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."