Reviews by Friends of Girl4God80

this2shallpass19 says "My son LOVES me to read Mommy's Little Boy to him!" about Mommy's Little Boy

this2shallpass19 — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 18:48:16 GMT

When I was pregnant, I started collecting books for the boy I knew I was going to have. By the time he was one year old, he was really into reading, so his collection of books was quite large. Besides his animal books which are his favorite, his other most requested read was for Mommy's Little Boy. A book about a little boy questioning whether he will always be his mother's "little boy", even if he gets older.

The book shows the little boy, "Robbie", helping his mom with things like cooking in the kitchen, setting the table for dinner and taking the dog for a walk. It also shows Mommy playing in the park with Robbie and getting ice cream.

One of the reasons why my son loves the book, Mommy's Little Boy, is because the mommy and Robbie take their dog with them everywhere they go. My son loves to point out the dog on each page!

The story is a cute one, with Robbie always asking his mommy questions like, "Will I be your little boy even if I grow bigger than you?", "Even if...

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this2shallpass19 says "Redken Outshine 01 smoothes frizz and makes hair shiny!" about Redken Outshine 01 Anti-Frizz Polishing Milk

this2shallpass19 — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 19:33:27 GMT

I don't have a lot of frizz, but I do get a lot of fly-aways when I flat iron my hair and wear it down. I usually wear a ponytail, so I don't have to worry about it very often, but when I do wear my hair down, I want it to look smooth and shiny, and that's what Redken Outshine 01 Anti-Frizz Polishing Milk does for the most part.

The consistency of this product is a little thicker than lotion. The directions say you can apply it to either dry or damp hair, but I only use it on my dry hair. I'll blow dry my hair, then flat iron it, then apply Redken Outshine 01 Anti-Frizz Polishing Milk to smooth things out. I squirt a small amount in my hands and after rubbing them together, I glide my hands over my hair very lightly. The end result is shiny, smooth hair that isn't weighed down at all. This polishing milk, does fight the frizz, but it doesn't totally tame all my fly-aways, probably because this formula is really light.

Some styling products have the tendency to leave my hair...

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this2shallpass19 says "Cattlemen's is my absolute favorite BBQ sauce!" about Cattlemen's Classic Barbecue Sauce

this2shallpass19 — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:23:08 GMT

Something I make for a dinner a lot is BBQ beef sandwiches. I cook a large roast in a crock-pot for hours, then shred it and pour BBQ sauce all over it. Over the years, I have tried many BBQ sauces including one I like quite well, KC Masterpiece Original Barbecue Sauce, but my absolute favorite is still Cattlemen's Classic Barbecue Sauce.

The label on the back of the bottle says: "Year after year, Cattlemen's BBQ Sauce has been the #1 choice of professional chefs and the secret behind award winning BBQ at the World Championship Barbecue contest at Memphis in May."

Cattlemen's makes several varieties of barbecue sauce, but my favorite is "classic". I haven't tried all their flavors, but "classic" is so perfect, I can't imagine anything else being better. It has the perfect blend of seasoning and spices. It's a little spicy, a little tangy, a little hickory, not too sweet and totally perfect. There's definitely a little zip in it, perhaps from mustard bran. It also has the perfect...

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this2shallpass19 says "These tabs clean the dishes, but that's not all they do!" about Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Concentrated Pacs

this2shallpass19 — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:36:00 GMT

I'm always trying to find products that are both eco-friendly and effective. It seems like most eco-friendly cleaning products are decent, but missing something, and that also goes for Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Concentrated Pacs. Yes, it is eco-friendly, but it doesn't provide the same great results I'm used to with traditional dish-washing tabs.

The great things about these dish-washing pacs are:

Chlorine-free
Phosphate-free
Biodegradable
Not tested on animals

The Seventh Generation Automatic Dishwasher Detergent Concentrated Pacs look very similar to traditional dishwashing packs that contain a pre-measured amount of detergent in a clear, plastic wrap. Just pop one in your dishwasher, and that's it. One great thing I would like to note is that the box states that Seventh Generation donates 10% of their profits to "organizations working for positive change".

My Experience

After using half of the box, I have had similar results with each load of dishes:...

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this2shallpass19 says "This orange scented cleanser cleans my face, without drying!" about Murad Essential-C Cleanser

this2shallpass19 — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 00:28:08 GMT

At one of my recent online orders to Sephora, I was given a free trial-size sampler of the Murad Essential-C skin care line. The samples were actually mini products, and not foil wrappers, so they were definitely generous samples.

The Murad Essential-C Cleanser is designed to:

Neutralizes environmental aggressors
Restore moisture
Remove impurities
Bind moisture to skin

My Experience

This cleanser smells nice, like orange candy. There are small, orange balls in the clear cleanser that probably exfoliate a little bit. A little bit of this cleanser goes a long way. After using, my face feels nice and soft, and not dried out at all. In fact, I think it's claim to "bind moisture to skin" is accurate, because my face feels more moisturized after using than before.

Although Murad Essential-C Cleanser contains some nice ingredients, it also contains methylparaben, which I avoid in all the products that I buy. I do have to say that while I do like the way this product cleans my face...

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this2shallpass19 says "This organic cereal is super crunchy and loaded with berries!" about Kashi Strawberry Fields

this2shallpass19 — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 18:13:56 GMT

Whenever possible, I try to incorporate natural and organic foods in my diet. I'm not really a cereal eater, but the picture on the box of Kashi Strawberry Fields Cereal lured me in. It is organic, the flakes looked large and crunchy, and I like the fact that it has real berries too.

I love that this cereal is not only organic, but also very healthy. It has no fat, and only 120 calories per one cup serving. The only nutritional downfall is the fact that it contains only 1g of fiber per serving.

The flakes are big and extremely crunchy. In fact, they might be too crunchy for some people, but I like cereals that don't get soggy quickly, and these flakes certainly didn't get soggy. By the time I was eating my last couple bites, the flakes had sightly softened, but nowhere near soggy. In addition to crunchy, rice and wheat flakes, this cereral also has an abundance of whole raspberries and sliced strawberries.

Although this cereal tasted good, I still felt it was missing...

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this2shallpass19 says "This delicious snack tray is perfect for holidays!" about Hormel - Supreme Party Tray

this2shallpass19 — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:30:07 GMT

I hosted Christmas dinner at my house this year, so I wanted to get a snack platter that would not only appeal to different people, but also have enough food to go around. I scored when I found the Hormel Supreme Party Tray at the commissary. It was only $10 and it has food that everyone loves on it, and plenty of it.

I love snacking on meat and cheese with my wine, so I was really excited to try this tray. I was even more excited when everything turned out to be delicious. What makes this delicious snack tray so great, is the variety of foods on it. The Hormel Supreme Party Tray includes the following:

Hormel® Hard Salami
Hormel® Genoa Salami
Peloponnese® Country Pitted Olive Mix
Sargento® Sliced Colby Jack Cheese
Sargento® Sliced Pepper Jack Cheese
Keebler® Town House Crackers

The portions of cheese and meat are generous and you get two full rolls of crackers, so this tray really is a good amount of food. In fact, I had six people at my house on Christmas, and today...

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this2shallpass19 says "Finally, a shape sorter that is fun AND challenging!" about Battat Shape Sorter House

this2shallpass19 — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:27:56 GMT

My son has played with several shape sorters, just to be bored quickly or not challenged enough. Since he does enjoy playing with them, I wanted to find him one that would capture his attention and entertain him, and I did, the Battat Shape Sorter House. This shape sorter is both fun and challenging because it uses colors, shapes and keys to operate.

This shape sorter is much larger than other shape sorters I've seen. It is a "house" in the sense that it has several doors on the sides and a key is required to open the doors. There are several ways to play with the Battat Shape Sorter House. You can drop shapes into the slots on the top, push shapes through the doors on the side, or open the doors with the keys. Everything is color coordinated. Each color has two shapes, one shape for the top, and one shape for the door. The shapes from both the top, and the doors all fall into their own compartment, so when you open the door with a key, you can grab the shapes. To open...

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this2shallpass19 says "I will never go back to a regular basting brush again!" about Gourmet Trends Brush Genie Silicone Basting and Pastry Brushes

this2shallpass19 — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 17:57:18 GMT

When I walk into a Bed Bath & Beyond store, I am in kitchen gadget heaven. I spend most of my time in that store in the kitchen section, especially looking at their utensils and cool gadgets. My latest find from there is the Gourmet Trends Brush Genie Silicone Basting and Pastry Brushes. Apparently, this product used to be a As-Seen-On-TV product. I can't remember exactly, but I want to say I paid between $6-9 for a two-pack of brushes.

Before I bought these brushes, I used to use the traditional basting brush that has a coarse type of hair or bristles on it. They were a pain to clean, so I never really used them. Now that I have my dishwasher-safe Gourmet Trends Brush Genie Silicone Basting and Pastry Brushes, I can just throw them in the dishwasher when they're dirty, and they come out brand-new again.

I'm not a very good baker, so I don't use these for pastry, but they are excellent for applying BBQ sauce to ribs, chicken or whatever meat I want to use. I love how the...

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this2shallpass19 says "Bigelow's Mint Medley is a burst of mint in your mouth!" about Bigelow - Mint Medley Herb Tea

this2shallpass19 — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:37:43 GMT

Since mint or fruit flavored teas are my favorite, I have tried a lot of different brands and flavors. I have to say that Bigelow Mint Medley Herb Tea is by far the strongest mint flavor I have yet to find - and that's a good thing!

The first time I made this tea, I was blown away with the first sip, it's that minty. It's so minty, that after I inhale a breath after taking a sip of this tea, my mouth feels cool like it does after brushing your teeth, not exactly that strong, but similar. Unlike some mint teas, this tea has no sweetness to it, just a strong mint flavor.

Ingredients: peppermint leaves, spearmint leaves, rose hips, lemon peel, hibiscus.

After trying several Bigelow teas now, I have come to realize that they are the strongest flavored teas I have tried. I Love Lemon was a very tart, lemon flavored tea, and Pomegranate Pizzazz, which is one of my favorite teas now, is a tea made with fruit juice and is bursting with fruit flavor.

This refreshing tea is made with...

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this2shallpass19 says "This Yves Rocher mascara is nothing special!" about Yves Rocher Extra-Volume Mascara

this2shallpass19 — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 22:36:31 GMT

This is the third Yves Rocher product that I have tried from my order, and I have to say that I haven't been impressed with anything I bought. Nothing is high-quality about their products, and their Extra-Volume Mascara is no exception.

The Yves Rocher website states that this mascara is supposed to:

Separate and smooth lashes
Thicken and add volume
Have the natural benefit of cellulose

My Experience

As I pulled the wand out of the tube, I thought the brush looked promising. The brush is very thick with different length bristles; some short, and some long. I was thinking to myself, this might actually be a good mascara. Um, not really. When you coat your lashes with this mascara, it feels as if it is 8 months old. It goes on like glue and once you apply a coat, it dries almost immediately, preventing you from adding a second coat because then it gets even clumpier.

On a positive note, I do like several things about this mascara. I like how it darkens your lashes, separates...

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this2shallpass19 says "Great way to incorporate green veggies in my toddler's diet!" about Happy Baby Organic Puffs - Greens Puffs

this2shallpass19 — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:50:02 GMT

When my son was a baby, I used to buy him the Gerber Graduates Fruit & Vegetable Puffs. He is now almost two, and I no longer need those puffs, but he has become an extremely picky eater. He won't eat vegetables no matter what, even if I hide them in his food. Short of pureeing vegetables, I have tried everything. That's where Happy Baby Organic Puffs - Greens Puffs come in handy. These are the traditional "puffs" that he used to love, but the Greens flavor is made with nutritious green vegetables. I got them at Target where they also had other flavors.

I love these puffs because not only are they organic, but they are made with nutritious green vegetables and they are also lower in sugar than the Gerber Graduates Puffs I used to buy. In fact, the label says that they contain half the sugar of the Gerber and Beech-Nut puffs.

Happy Baby Organic Puffs - Greens Puffs are made with great ingredients including: organic rice, organic oats, organic wheat, organic apple juice, organic...

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this2shallpass19 says "The Kensington Jacket is the softest, most comfy jacket ever!" about Avalanche Women's Kensington Jacket

this2shallpass19 — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 21:04:39 GMT

My mom bought me an Avalanche fleece jacket a couple years ago and I loved it so much, she bought me another one recently. My newest jacket is an Avalanche Women's Kensington Jacket. Like my other Avalanche jacket, this is the softest article of clothing I own. It is super warm too, but you'd never guess after you felt how light it is.

What makes this jacket so warm is the second layer that Avalanche calls a "thermal layer". When you look at and touch the jacket, it is only one layer, so the second layer must be hiding inside the first. This jacket is made out of 100% polyester body and lining. It is a fleece that feels like one of those really soft blankets or throws that you cuddle up on the couch with. It has two zippered pockets and a raised neck to keep the wind out.

According to Avalanche, this jacket has/is the following:

Highly breathable; allows moisture to vapor and escape
Dries quickly to minimize heat loss
Machine washable
Lightweight, but still provides warmth...

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this2shallpass19 says "I knew this Color Play Palette was too good to be true!" about Sephora Color Play Palette II

this2shallpass19 — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:10:16 GMT

I love having a nice assortment of eye shadow colors to choose from when I do my make-up, so when I first received my Sephora Color Play Palette II in the mail, I was in beauty product heaven. This large make-up kit includes 36 eye shadows, 12 lip glosses, 2 blushes, a bronzer, a face powder and a couple make-up brushes. It all comes in a slim, rectangular compact, with a small mirror on the top. This make-up collection was only $24.00, but unfortunately, I am totally disappointed because the make-up is not high-quality at all. On a good note, the product description states that this kit is good for sensitive skin and is paraben-free.

Like a kid playing with all her new birthday presents, I started digging into my Sephora Color Play Palette ll as soon as I got it. First, I started playing with the lip gloss. I never really found a shade I liked, so I moved on to the huge assortment of eye shadows. There is a great assortment of colors; some matte and some frosty. ...

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this2shallpass19 says "This Baby Bjorn Bib catches everything!" about BabyBjorn Bib

this2shallpass19 — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 21:48:11 GMT

Someone recently informed me about how wonderful Baby Bjorn Bibs are since I was disappointed in the bib I was using for my toddler. My toddler is starting to use forks and spoons and most of the time, the food falls off the utensil and onto his lap. After hearing great things, I went to eBay and immediately bought a Baby Bjorn Bib.

The Circo Baby Bib that I am extremely disappointed in, has a pocket on the front, but it doesn't catch anything since the pocket lays flat against the bib. The Baby Bjorn Bib is not only made out of a thick, plastic material, but it has a deep pocket that extends out from the bib. Since the pocket is made out of the same thick plastic, it stays extended and catches just about anything that might fall off my toddler's spoon.

Not only is this bib great for catching food in the pocket, but it has an adjustable neck strap, and is easy to clean. Since the material is hard, it is easy to wipe it down with antibacterial wipes or a soapy cloth.

I really...

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this2shallpass19 says "These tasty, ready-made sandwiches are a major convenience!" about Smucker's Uncrustables

this2shallpass19 — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 18:59:41 GMT

I wanted to bring some convenient, easy-to-make snacks and meals for my recent vacation, and I thought Smucker's Uncrustables would be perfect for my toddler, and they were! My son absolutely loves them, and I love how convenient they are!

A Smucker's Uncrustable is a frozen, round, peanut butter and jelly sandwich that has no crust. What makes these sandwiches so neat is that they are pre-made and frozen, so you can defrost them as needed, and have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich ready anytime you want. They only take 30-60 minutes to defrost, so I take one out before my son's nap so it is ready to eat when he wakes up.

I bought my son the strawberry flavor and he loved it. I took a bite to see how they tasted and I liked it too. The bread was nice and soft, not soggy like I was expecting. There was a good amount of peanut butter and jelly inside too. Although they might seem expensive because you don't get very many in a box, the time they save is worth it to me. I...

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this2shallpass19 says "I've never eaten red velvet cake, but this smells good!" about Philosophy Red Velvet Cake 3 in 1 Shampoo, Body Wash, and Bubble Bath

this2shallpass19 — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:53:01 GMT

Lately, I have been on a Philosophy kick. It's an expensive habit to have since their 3-in-1 bath products are $1.00 an ounce! I bought this online even though I've never even eaten red velvet cake to know what it smells like. It was one of the products in my Philosophy The Recipe Box gift set, which also included a Sweet Creamy Frosting 3-in-1 Shower Gel.

Philosophy Red Velvet Cake 3-in-1 Shower Gel is a multi-purpose product. It is a shower gel, bubble bath and shampoo in one bottle. Philosophy is known for their delicious, food-inspired scents, and this scent is sure to please fans of bakery scents. I've never eaten red velvet cake, so I don't know what it smells like, but this product smells like cake, butter, cinnamon, sugar, chocolate and something fruity. I have to admit the title of the product helps with scent association, because had I not known what they called it, I would have no idea what I smelled! It's not my favorite Philosophy scent, but it is nice.

I haven't...

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this2shallpass19 says "Artificial taste & it's not creamy enough. No thanks." about Nestle Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Coffee Creamer Packets

this2shallpass19 — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:42:25 GMT

I recently went on vacation and stayed in a rental home in Big Bear Lake, California. I like to be as simple and practical as possible when on a road trip, so I bought Nestle Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Coffee Creamer Packets because I didn't want to bring perishable half & half, my regular coffee creamer.

I thought these single serve packets would be perfect since they can be room temperature and they come in a small box instead of a huge, plastic container, like other powder coffee creamers. Unfortunately, I don't like the way they make my coffee taste, so they were almost a waste of money.

Nestle Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Coffee Creamer Packets come with five, .42 ounce, single serving packets to a box. These are not the liquid creamers, they are powder. I do admit that these are very convenient since they are pre-measured, but what's the point if they don't cream my coffee enough? I understand they can't possibly make single serve packets that satisfy everyone, but I'm...

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this2shallpass19 says "7-Up flavored lip balm? Yep, and I like it!" about on10 7-Up Lemon Lime Lip Balm SPF 15

this2shallpass19 — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 16:22:06 GMT

Not that I need another lip balm, but I recently purchased some new ones online from Sephora. They were all on sale, came in scents that appealed to me and came in vintage-looking tins that I thought looked really cute.

I really love the on10 Schweppes Pink Grapefruit Lip Balm I bought, so I was looking forward to trying this one because of the unique 7-Up scent. on10 7-Up Lemon Lime Lip Balm SPF 15 is a unique lip balm because it actually smells like 7-Up, the lemon/lime soda. Unlike my Schweppes Pink Grapefruit Lip Balm, this one comes in an easy-to-open tin. Instead of having to try to pull the lid off the small tin, this lid slides across, making it very easy to open and close.

The scent does smell like a solidified version of 7-Up, and I like it. I also like that it contains sunscreen. Most of my lip balms don't contain any SPF, so the fact that this one contains SPF 15 is a plus. I also like that this product is free of petroleum and parabens. It's actually made with...

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this2shallpass19 says "I'm sure I'll be breathing garlic for five days!!" about Trader Joe's Garlic Fries

this2shallpass19 — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 07:15:20 GMT

Making my way through all the delicious products at Trader Joe's, I decided to try something new - Trader Joe's Garlic Fries. I have liked just about everything I have purchased at Trader Joe's, so I didn't even hesitate when I threw these fries in my cart. Unfortunately, these are one of the few products at Trader Joe's that I'm just not crazy about.

I did like how easy these fries were to make. Just bake them in the oven until they are crunchy and then mix them with a packet of garlic sauce. Unfortunately, the end result is a soggy french fry with an extremely strong flavor of raw garlic. Don't get me wrong, I love garlic - even a strong garlic flavor, but these are way too strong to enjoy. They have that spicy bite that raw garlic gives, but worse because you are getting so much of it. After eating a couple of fries, I just couldn't eat anymore. Thank goodness my husband ate them too, or I'm sure he wouldn't come near me for a while!

The packet of garlic sauce includes:...

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