Friday, October 23, 2015

BYOU Be Your Own You Magazine for teens and tweens Review + a subscription giveaway #giveaway @byoumagazine


If you have a tween girl you know just how challenging everything can be these days. The ages from 8-14 come with so many changes for girls. Many of the role models, magazines and social networks out there have a lot of information that is just not so suitable for their consumption. What is a mama to do that is looking for some good reading material to feed to her tweens? I am not talking about food either, I am referring to information and entertainment. BYOU Magazine offers a great solution! I like that the magazine bridges a wide range of ages and the stories are great for girls from pre-teen to teenagers. Each issue of the magazine kept her occupied for hours between the articles, the B-Smart puzzles, exercises and games to work on your brain and the crafts. She really loved the crafts...each issue has a seasonally appropriate craft that is not too complicated but interesting enough to keep their attention for a while.




BYOU channels positive messages of self esteem and sprinkles them gently throughout the magazine. BYOU shares lots of great positive entertainment models and blends the stories with education, crafts and fun along with a bit of silliness to balance it all out. The ultimate goal is to empower girls to make their own decisions and to make positive choices.  I love how they seek out healthy role models that teens and tweens look up to and feature them in articles.   BYOU touches on real issues that catch the interest of girls like my daughter. They address those things that they want answers to like how to manage a bully or what to do with friendship issues.  They also focus on staying healthy and moving your body.  The whole essence of the magazine is structured around positivity but in a way that is colorful and keeps their attention.



My tween really enjoyed the issues of the magazine that we received.  Each issue featured covers with teen celebrities like Kelli Berglund. Kelli shared her experiences and positive messages about how she lives her life. My daughter recognized and knew all the celebrities. I was impressed with the stories and the positive role models. The stories and tips the celebrities shared were positive and reaffirmed the ideals we teach in our own home. They all focused on education, personal achievement and following a straight path. The stories and interviews were upbeat and lighthearted...the messages came across in a friendly manner. BYOU magazine is a great resource for tween and teen girls for fun stuff too. Issues had age-appropriate crafts that my daughter loved the B Smart puzzles and quizzes. Those are always a hit...I remember loving puzzles and quizzes in my own teen magazines. It is fun to see the results! 


You can find out more by checking out BYOU Magazine online or checking out an issue in your local bookstore. You can subscribe annually for $17.97 a year or save by getting a two year subscription. You can even choose a digital subscription for less on the BYOU site.  Meanwhile, don't forget to enter my Rafflecopter giveaway for an annual subscription to BYOU magazine.a Rafflecopter 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.

Sunday, October 18, 2015

Valdler makes a reliable indoor rug to trap dirt and keep my home cleaner


Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for review from Giveaway Service website. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Reference ID: pm790f70042f200e878fa12440d51682cd

The cooler weather is here and that means I need a good indoor rug or floor mat to catch dirt, leaves, rain and snow from tracking into my house. This Valdler rug fits the bill perfectly. It is thin enough that the door can open but sturdy enough to prevent dirt and debris from coming in. 


It has a casual feel which is perfect for my den...the door leads out to the back screened in porch. When the kids come in the dirt lands on the mat and not in my house. I got the dark brown which is a chocolate color. It looks attractive and durable with a low key profile. It also comes in grey. It is the perfect size for my standard doorway. 

Valdler Doormat facts:

  • This door mat is perfect for indoor use 
  • Superior durability, longer lasting
  • Non-slip backing; traps dirt and moisture
  • Shoe scraping keep your floors clean
  • Dimension: 18" x 30" in ; 45 x 75 cm; material: 70% PVC/30% PET

You can pick up this attractive and durable doormat right on Amazon for easy shopping amytime. 

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.

Thyme Essential Oil has a fresh, natural scent that blends seamlessly into carrier oils




I love using essential oils and have a stash of different scents that really help to make me feel good.  I love this Simply Earth Thyme oil. It is one of my faves to use in the morning to get me going, or when I need to revive myself in the afternoon. The scent is invigorating. This thyme oil lets me get a fresh focus. The oil allows me to easily restore some balance and energy to my day naturally.  Thyme Essential Oil  has a herbaceous scent that can't help but make you smile as you think of your garden even in the winter. It has a clean scent that blends nicely with citrus oils too. You can get creative and make your own oil blends too...it is easy.

This is Thyme (red) Essential Oil that is 100% Pure. I like that it is non-toxic too. There are no additives. It is unfiltered and undiluted with no fillers.

Botanical Name: Thymus vulgaris | Aroma: Sharp, herbaceous, spicy | Origin: Spain | Benefits: Cleansing, purifying, energizing.

You can find this lovely Thyme Essential Oil right on Amazon for easy shopping anytime. 

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above in exchange for review from Giveaway Service website. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. Reference ID: pmffe4dce930652238d3e7bbfca0c6c112

SantaMedical Non-Contact Thermometer is effective and accurate





Time for a new non-contact kids thermometer! I am done with changing those ear covers on the old one. SantaMedical makes an accurate non-contact thermometer that is a cinch to use. Hold near to the forehead and ta-da...accurate temp in a few seconds. 

I like that I can save money and time without needing any accessories like those probe covers I needed to use with my old one.  The Santa Medical non-contact infrared (IR) clinical thermometer is fast and it will work even if my child is sleeping since I can get a temperature without touching the skin. 

The Santa Medical non-contact infrared (IR) clinical thermometer provides a simple, expedient, and accurate way for initial fever screenings by taking the temperature of areas on the face such as the forehead or tear ducts. The company shares that it obtains the body temperature reading with 0.3 degree accuracy in less than 1 second. The Santa Medical IR thermometer features an intuitive guidance system to secure positioning and confirm accurate readings. 

You can pick the SantaMedical non-contact Thermometer 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.