Surf Sweets let you do Valentine's Day naturally!

Disclaimer:  I received samples of Surf Sweets for review purposes.  As always, my opinions are my own.

Valentine’s Day is almost here!  Are you ready yet?   Have you been waiting because it just really bothers you to buy those candies filled with artificial flavors and colors to give to your loved ones?  Valentine's sure wouldn’t be the same without sharing a something sweet and pretty, but that doesn’t mean they have to be treats full of artificial ingredients. This is 2014....you can forget those Red-dyed and artificial flavor filled candies that have been the mainstays of Valentine’s Day treats for eons. Now, Surf Sweets has naturally good gummy candies made with organic and natural ingredients to give you healthier and delicious candy swaps to spread sweet love.

I was impressed when I saw the ingredients and labeling for the Surf Sweets and I have been hooked ever since I found them a few years ago at my local grocery store. I am so excited to include them in my Valentine's Days gifts to my little one. I feel so much better about her eating these candies. Did you know that Surf Sweets FruityHearts are certified organic watermelon and cherry heart-shaped gummies, and one of the only, all natural, vegan, and organic Valentine’s Day candy options available?  That is great news for everyone!

Bert Cohen, President and Founder of Surf Sweets says regarding the Surf Sweets Fruits Hearts,  “They not only taste great, but they’re made with real organic fruit juice, fortified with antioxidant Vitamin C, as well as vegan, allergy friendly and gluten free.”  One of the things I personally love about Surf Sweets is that the candy is a perfect solution for the big issue of school parties and kids’ candy favor bags. No worries and no grumbling from the principal.  One of the ideas I was considering for Valentine's Day was making some cupcakes and using the Surf Sweets Fruity Hearts as a decoration.  I think that would be so adorable.

I love the Surf Sweets Jelly Beans and Watermelon Rings too. Lot of yummy flavors and no artificial flavors or colors to feel guilty about either.    I was excited to see that Surf Sweets are available on Amazon too!  Excellent prices too... I like that Surf Sweets has candy in larger packages but also single serve packages so you don't overdo it when you just want a little bit of a treat.  One of the things I really liked about all the varieties of Surf Sweets is that they are better kind of treat for you versus conventional candies since they have totally natural flavors and colors.

Surf Sweets  products are free of trans fats, GMOs, corn syrup, gluten, artificial colors and flavors. A better kind of candy, right?  Most of their products are vegetarian and some are even vegan. One of my babysitters has a severe nut allergy and is always looking for new things that she can safely eat. That is nice that it is good for someone looking for a nut-free candy for their child.  Surf Sweets are produced in a nut-free facility that is free of other common allergens (wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, tree nuts, shell fish, and fish).  These candies are perfect for lunch bags, after school, and really for anytime enjoyment!  

One of the most lovely things about Surf Sweets is that they give back. They contribute to 1% for the Planet.  What this means is that they donate a minimum of 1% of the sales from each of their products to a bunch of worthy organizations.  A few they mentioned on their website were Climate Cycle, Healthy Child Healthy World and EcoMom Alliance.  That is a nice added benefit of supporting this great company.

Each 8 oz. bag of Surf Sweets Fruity Hearts contains 130 calories per serving. They are being sold for a suggested retail price of $4.49, and are available nationally at Whole Foods and other natural and specialty retailers.  I also see them at Stop + Shop.
 
Surf Sweets currently offers a variety of yummy candies: Fruity Bears, Gummy Swirls, Sour Berry Bears, Sour Worms, Fruity Hearts, Gummy Bears, Watermelon and Peach Rings, and Jelly Beans, that are available across North America. 

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."

The A-Z of C.S. Lewis by Colin Duriez Book Review and 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."

Are you a big C.S. Lewis fan? This book is for you then.  Just published to coincide with the 50th anniversary of C. S. Lewis's death, this complete guide covers all of Lewis' works, from his literary criticism to Narnia. 

Until I read Colin Duriez' new book, I was only aware of C. S. Lewis's children's books. I had grown up reading them and adored them but I didn't know about all his other works.  C. S. Lewis's work is known around the world and very well regarded but it is so unbelievable that even enthusiasts like me are often only aware of such a small part of his complete work.    He actually wrote so much more, including some amazing science fiction pieces and literary criticism.  This detailed volume from Colin Duriez brings together all aspects of C S Lewis's life and his most intimate thoughts.  One of the things I really liked about it, being the organized gal that I am is that the book is arranged in alphabetical order.  It makes it easy to find exactly what you want.   The book begins with a piece from 1943 called The Abolition of Man.   It is described as "almost my favorite"-to Wormwood, a character in The Screwtape Letters.  It ends with a description of Zardeenah, a Calormene moon goddess in The Horse and His Boy.  This book is a perfect gift for a bibliophile or who is interested in C. S. Lewis and wants to learn more about him, his thought, his works, and his life

About the Author: 

Colin Duriez was for many years a commissioning editor at Inter-Varsity Press UK. He has subsequently appeared as a commentator on DVDs of Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings, and BBC television's The Worlds of Fantasy. He is also the author of The Inklings Handbook (with the late David Porter), J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis: The Story of Their Friendship, and Tolkien and The Lord of the Rings, and has contributed to definitive reference works relating to Tolkien such as The Tolkien Encyclopedia (Routledge).

Princess Ever After By Rachel Hauck: Book Review $200 Visa Card Giveaway & Facebook Party on 3/6!

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."

Princess Ever After By Rachel Hauck is part of the Royal Wedding Series.  Now I have not had a chance to read the first book in the series but I was pretty good at starting here at the second book.  This is definitely more of a fantasy type of book and that is fun to read sometimes too.

Regina Beswick is the main character.  She did a bit of a 360 recently and left a fantastic job to run a classic auto repair shop.  Things were looking good but then this man Tanner Burkhardt arrives in town with with paperwork that says she is a princess.  He is the Minister of Culture of Hessenberg. Very fantasy and fun.  Of course paperwork is found in her parent's attic that attests to the truth of this possibility. As the long-lost princess, she is the one who can save the nation of Hessenberg.

Rachel and Tanner Burkhardt get to know one another as he helps her save the nation of Hessenberg....of course she agrees and returns there. They develop a relationship and well, I don't want to give it all away. It is fun and light and kind of mystical...lots of fantasy.

I love sweet fantasies like the one that Rachel Hauck has crafted with princesses and tiaras.  It is a real Cinderella tale! I really enjoyed the main character Regina.  She always stayed true to herself even when she was placed into these unbelievable situations that might have tested another kind of person. She maintained her confidence even when she found out her true heritage as a princess.  The book delivers a strong religious theme where Regina leaves her trust in G-d which is a nice base.   She learns from past mistakes and decisions and looks to G-d to make sure she is living her life in the right way even with the men that are a critical part of the storyline like Tanner.   I enjoyed the way the whole story came together from her Gramma all the way to becoming the long lost princess of Hessenberg.

Enter to win! 

Rachel Hauck is celebrating the release of her latest "swoon"-worthy romance,  Princess Ever After, with a fun $200 "Princess" prize package giveaway and a Facebook "Princess" party on March 6th. Grab your tiaras and RSVP today!

  One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa cash card (buy your very own "princess ever after" gown or tanks of gas for your "royal" ride)
• Princess Ever After, Once Upon a Prince, and The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on March 6th. Winner will be announced at Rachel's "Princess" Facebook Party on March 6th. Connect with Rachel for an evening of "royal" book chat, princess-themed trivia, laughter, prizes, and an exclusive look at the next book in the Royal Wedding series!

So grab your copy of Princess Ever After and join Rachel and friends on the evening of March 6th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 6th!

A Road Unknown by Barbara Cameron Book Review and $200 Visa Cash Card 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."

I have always been fascinated by the Amish and I was kind of excited to read this book because of that. This is the first book in a series and I can't wait to read the next books.  The author takes the basis for the story from an Amish point of view which is interesting and different.  Elizabeth is the oldest daughter in a large Amish family of 9 children which is fascinating to me. She runs away to escape all her endless duties to the family. It was already so different from my own life at this point that I was very into reading about the character of Elizabeth.

This lovely young girl starts a whole new life and takes a apartment with a roommate who attends college which is very exciting.  Her roommate introduces her to a nice young man named Bruce. I loved the sweet boy element in the story too!  She finds a job at a store and a new love named Saul who owns the store she works at.  She has two men competing for her attention which is always interesting.  She can't forget her family and is constantly reminded of them with her new responsibilities.  The poor thing wonders what to do....stay or go back to her traditional family. You want to keep reading to find out what she does.  Does she stay and start a new life with one of the young men or does she return home to her family?  The characters are well developed and the story is sweet. It is a wonderful weekend read that I really enjoyed.

Even more exciting is the prospect of winning a a $200 Visa Cash Card Giveaway!  Enter here to win.  Barbara Cameron is celebrating the release of A Road Unknown with a $200 Visa cash card giveaway and a fun "Amish Roads" Facebook party.

One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa cash card
• A Road Unknown by Barbara Cameron

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 27th. Winner will be announced at Barbara's "Amish Roads" Facebook Party on February 27th. Connect with Barbara for an evening of book chat, Amish trivia, laughter, prizes, and more!

So grab your copy of A Road Unknown and join Barbara and friends on the evening of February 27th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 27th!