Lucky Chicken Dinners...I mean.. Winners!!!

Congratulations Winners!

Thanks for stopping by The Review Stew and entering! I love to see all the new faces and I hope you will keep coming back 'cause we have lots of great giveaways on the horizon!!

EatSmart Bathroom Scale Winner #201 - Cara

Preston's Pants Giveaway Winner #240 - The Carrolls

AMP Diaper Giveaway Winner # 270 - Tim, Allyson, and kids

Ministar Shoes Giveaway Winner #125 - Busy Working Mama


Have a great weekend everyone!

Sweet Peanut Clothing Company Review

I am always on the lookout for cute clothes for my son - especially since cute boy clothes are so rare it seems like! The latest company I love is Sweet Peanut.

Sweet Peanut started with a very stylish advertising and marketing executive. New York's dailycandy.com was her bible and shopbop.com was her homepage. Her Manolos were on altars, her Sevens on padded hangers and she brought C&C California to her very stylish friends before it was one of Oprah's favourite things.

And then one day, the inevitable happened. This "it girl" became an "it mama" and found that dressing her sweet baby boy became a problem of Isaac Mizrahi proportions. Her stylish side shunned the teddy bears and balloons, her yoga mama side couldn't face unnatural fabrics or "dryclean only" processes on her newborn's skin, her practical side needed wash and wear and her dear hubby's hands couldn't manage the intricate web of small buttons and snaps.

Something had to be done - and surely this mama wasn't alone. And so, with the help of her two not-so-silent partners and tireless husband, The Sweet Peanut Clothing Company was born.

The item I received was the ever popular item – the Long Peanut Suit - now footed. Toasty toes stay cuddly warm and it is especially perfect in the newborn size for the under eight pound set.

My Opinion

I received a really cute footed pajama suit from Sweet Peanut. They had cute little airplanes all over them and they were perfect for my son.

I was a little nervous at first if it would fit (especially over his big fluffy cloth diaper) but it did perfectly! I loved that it was a little snug because when he was crawling around his feet didn't slip out of the pajamas and trip him up.

I recommend Sweet Peanut clothes for all your little peanuts! If you want some cute clothes, Sweet Peanut is the company to check out!

Buy It: You can purchase Sweet Peanut footed suits for $16.00 on the Sweet Peanut website.

* Thank you to Sweet Peanut for their product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Book Tour: Seven Year Switch Book Review

Ready for another great summer read? Seven Year Switch is a great book by Claire Cook and it will be a great one to read on the beach or by the pool this summer! Read on to learn a little more about the book, the author, and what I thought about it.

Jill Murray is content living a man-free existence. She’s got Anastasia, her ten-year-old daughter, and a sweet little bungalow to call home. Life as a cultural coach didn’t turn out quite the way she planned, but between answering phones for Great Girlfriend Getaways and teaching Lunch Around the World classes, the dust in this Jill-of-all-trades life is starting to settle.

Then her ex-husband comes back.

They say that every seven years you become a completely new person, and Jill has long ago stopped wishing her deadbeat husband would return. Now she has to face the fact there’s simply no way she can be a good mom without letting Seth back into their daughter’s life. But why can’t she seem to hold herself together around him? And then there’s Billy, the free-spirited, bike-riding entrepreneur who hires Jill as a consultant. When their business relationship seems destined for something more Jill’s no-boys-allowed life is suddenly anything but.

It takes a Costa Rican getaway to help Jill make her choice — between the woman she is and the woman she wants to be. It’s a wild ride, sure to thrill Claire Cook’s many fans, complete with laughter, revelations, and one heckuva big tarantula

The author of Seven Year Switch, Claire Cook, is the bestselling author of seven novels, including Must Love Dogs, which was adapted into a Warner Bros. movie starring Diane Lane and John Cusack, The Wildwater Walking Club, Life’s a Beach, and her latest, Seven Year Switch. Her books have been featured on Good Morning America and in People, Good Housekeeping, Redbook and more. She has two kids, seven brothers and sisters, and one husband. She lives in Scituate, MA.

My Opinion

This book was another one-dayer for me. I literally could not stop reading it! The storyline and troubles that Jill went through as a woman, wife, and mother hit home and really drew me into the book!

I loved the "Seven Year Switch" part and how after seven years you become a new person. I think in life that really does happen - we just don't think about it unless it really changes our lives!

I recommend Seven Year Switch to all women out there who love a good read. It is especially good for women who are going through divorce or separation, are mothers, or who are just facing challenges or questions in their life!

You can learn more about Seven Year Switch and the author Claire Cook on her website. Go friend her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. Also, check out the book trailer below!

 

Buy It: You can purchase Seven Year Switch at various online book retailers including Indiebound, Amazon, B&N,  and Borders.

* Thank you to Pump Up Your Book for their generous book for review!

Disclosure - This book was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Weight Loss Blog Event: Country Time Lemonade Hard Candy Review and Giveaway

One of the most important parts of a diet and weight loss program is minimizing the snacks and calories you consume! Personally, I love to snack and I love sweet things! Sometimes, it is really hard to resist sugary, sweet, calorie-packed products! But I know if I want to lose weight, I have to cut back and find alternatives! That is what I did with these great Country Time Lemonade Hard Candies! I now can have a sweet little snack that satisfies my sweet tooth but doesn't ruin my diet or weight loss!

Enjoy the simple pleasures of Summer any time of the year with Country Time Hard Candy. They are a traditional sugar hard candy with good old-fashioned lemonade flavor. Country Time Lemonade Hard Candy is bursting with flavor and reminiscent of your favorite Country Time Lemonade drink – “the taste that’s not too tart and not too sweet.” Kids, Teens, and Adults will love the delicious candy and comforting brand name that America has embraced for over 30 years. The candy is fat free and gluten free.

Country Time Lemonade Hard Candy is available in 14 oz. bags of Lemonade or 14 oz. bags of Assorted Lemonade Flavors (Pink Lemonade, Peach Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade & Lemonade.

My Opinion

I am a big fan of lemonade so I knew I would love these candies! And I was right! I loved that they gave me that little burst of sugar when I needed it and they lasted a while because I had to suck on it!

These have now become my "reach-to" sweets when I need a little pick me up or sugar boost and I don't have to worry about adding fat or too much calories to my diet! I love that!

Even my husband, who doesn't like lemonade, loved these!

I recommend Country Time Lemonade Hard Candy to all people who love a little sugar in their lives but don't want to add the extra calories or fat to their diet! They are also great for people who must eat gluten-free!

Buy It: You can purchase CountryTime Lemonade Hard Candy for a price of $3.49 on the Sorbee website or at Walmart.

Win It: Sorbee is generously offering (1) Country Time Lemonade Hard Candy prize pack consisting of a couple of bags of the traditional lemonade flavored candy as well as the assorted lemonade flavored candy!

Enter here for a chance to win:

(1) Country Time Lemonade Hard Candy prize pack

Ok, here are the rules:

1) This giveaway will end August 5, 2010 at 12:00 P.M. (noon) central time.

2) Must include email address in comment/entry to qualify to win (so I can let you know you won)

How to Enter:
***Mandatory Entry***

(must do this one before all others to qualify to win)

- Be a follower of The Review Stew on Google Friend Connect (publicly) and tell me you are currently one or became one in a comment below

(If you do not have a blog/Google account, you may subscribe by email or RSS feed to enter - tell me in a comment)

Extra Entries (Make a Separate Comment For Each!!):

1) Subscribe to my feed by clicking on the book or subscribe by email (must confirm address) on left hand side of blog - let me know you did in a comment

2) Write about this giveaway in your blog with a link to this site/giveaway. Let me know you did this in a comment.

3) Tell me which you would prefer: The Traditional Lemonade Hard Candies or the Assorted Lemonade Hard Candies

4) Vote for my blog on Top Mommy Blogs, Top Baby Blogs, or We're On the Fence - make a separate comment for each

5) Enter any of my other giveaways - see the list on right hand side of blog. Let me know each giveaway entered in a comment.

6) Grab my Weight Loss Event button or my blog button and post it on your blog - let me know you did and the link to your blog in a comment. (If you grab both, that is two separate entries!!!)

Winners will be chosen randomly by Random.org, contacted by email and Sorbee will send your prize by mail.

* Thank you to Sorbee for their generous samples for review!

Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Winkydinks Eco-fleece Diaper Cover Review and Giveaway

All you eco-friendly cloth diapering mommas out there are going to love this eco-fleece diaper cover! This eco-fleece diaper cover from Winkydinks is the most unique item I have reviewed during this cloth diapering event and one of the most effective! I love it!

Winkydinks is very excited to offer this new line of soakers, made from 89% recycled pop bottles! Fleece diaper covers are great - they are reusable, soft, and super cute. However, some cloth diaper advocates steer clear from them because they are made with a chemically processed fiber...polyester. This fabric made by Malden Mills is made from a yarn that is composed of 89% post consumer soda pop bottles. They perform equal to, or better than, many soakers made from 100% polyester (and only need a single layer to do so), and have an eco-friendly twist to them!

My Opinion

What a great idea!!! When I first saw that this diaper cover was made from recycled bottles, I was so interested! How cool is that???!! I think it is amazing what products they can make from recycled products!

And the best part was how effective it was! It fit him perfectly and there is also room for him to grow too! I use it at night now all the time and it has never leaked! It is so easy to wash (either with his diapers or regular laundry) and dries quickly! It has all the benefits of other diaper covers/soakers plus a little extra peace of mind that it is made from recycled bottles!

I recommend Winkydinks Eco-Fleece Diaper Cover for all diaper covering needs! What a great combination of great quality, great effectiveness, and great eco-friendliness!

Buy It: You can purchase a Winkydinks Eco-Fleece Diaper Cover in the Winkydinks Hyena Cart or Etsy Shop for $11 for small/med and $12 for large/XL.

Win It: Winkydinks is generously offering (1) eco-fleece diaper cover in your choice of size and in either the harvest gold or charcoal color to a lucky winner!

Also...There is a bonus to this giveaway!!!!!!

If we get over 300 entries, there will be a second winner!!!!

The second winner will win a $10 gift code to Winkydinks Shop!

Enter here for a chance to win:

(1) Eco-fleece diaper cover in either the harvest gold or charcoal color from Winkydinks

Ok, here are the rules:

1) This giveaway will end August 4, 2010 at 12:00 P.M. (noon) central time.

2) Must include email address in comment/entry to qualify to win (so I can let you know you won)

How to Enter:
***Mandatory Entry***

(must do this one before all others to qualify to win)

- Be a follower of The Review Stew on Google Friend Connect (publicly) and tell me you are currently one or became one in a comment below

Extra Entries (Make a Separate Comment For Each!!):

1) Subscribe to my feed by clicking on the book or subscribe by email (must confirm address) on left hand side of blog - let me know you did in a comment

2) Go to Winkydinks on Hyena Cart or Etsy Shop and tell me something else you would love to get from there.

3) Become a fan of Winkydinks on Facebook - tell me in a comment and tell them The Review Stew sent you!

4) Vote for my blog on Top Mommy Blogs, Top Baby Blogs, or We're On the Fence - make a separate comment for each

5) Enter any of my other giveaways - see the list on right hand side of blog. Let me know each giveaway entered in a comment

6) Grab my Weight Loss Event button or my blog button and post it on your blog - let me know you did and the link to your blog in a comment. (If you grab both, that is two separate entries!!!)

Winners will be chosen randomly by Random.org, contacted by email and Winkydinks will send your prize by mail.

* Thank you to Winkydinks for their generous samples for review!

Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Counting Stars CD Review

Two of my great loves in life is God/my faith and music! I was recently introduced to a great new album called Counting Stars by Andrew Peterson. It is a great combination of my two loves!

Over the last ten years Andrew Peterson has quietly carved out a niche for himself as one of the most thoughtful, poetic, and lyrical songwriters of his generation. More recently he’s established himself as the grassroots facilitator of an online literary and songwriting community and an emerging fantasy novelist as well (The Wingfeather Saga). But it’s still ultimately that sense of rootedness that listeners, readers and fans seem to respond to most deeply—because Andrew’s songs (and books) remind us again and again of simple, solid things like love and friendship and hope and redemption and beauty and how our stories were meant to be shared, and how the darkness will not always hold sway, and how we, being human, need to hear those things over and over again, because otherwise we become disconnected from the very stories we’re living in. All of which brings us, in a roundabout way, to our real starting point, because somehow, Andrew Peterson’s new, twelve-song project, Counting Stars (produced by Ben Shive, with Andy Gullahorn) manages to do all that without ever leaving home.

“So often we think of the grand adventure being out there somewhere waiting for us,” Peterson says, “like you have to leave home to find it. One of my favorite songs on the new record, ‘World Traveler’, was written about my slow realization that a life is just as much an adventure if you’re a family man as it is if you’re a pirate on the high seas. Every human you meet is a great mystery, and that includes your wife and children. The tears and the laughter and stories and the small daily wonders we share in our little house in the hills have so much more significance to me nowadays than any of my travels around the country.”

Framed in a largely acoustic context and underpinned by a sense of gentle but ancient and unyielding strength, Counting Stars aches and glows, finding infinite wonder in the stuff of hearth and home, family and friendship, struggle and storm. Perhaps it’s because the writing approach this time around involved a conscious departure from the string of concept albums Peterson has released in recent years. Opting for a more introspective, confessional approach seems to have opened a greater sense of vulnerability in the writing process.

My Opinion

This album was a little country music-like/folk music and I loved it! I love that genre and I loved that it was by a Christian artist at the same time!

There was beautiful songs with beautiful messages and I am so happy to have this album as part of my collection!

This album will be available July 27th but is available to pre-order.

I recommend the Counting Stars album for all Christian music lovers and people who like the country/folks genre.

Buy It: You can pre-order Counting Stars for $12.00 on Andrew Peterson's website.

* Thank you to Centricity Music for their product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Book Tour: The Simpering, North Dakota Literary Society Book Review

All the history buffs will want to check out The Simpering, North Dakota Literary Society by G.F. Skipworth set during World War I.

Card shark and ex-nun Farika Zingarella won the town of Simpering, North Dakota in the greatest card game ever played at The Huffy Hussy Casino & Billiards Parlor. Gathering five female geniuses to her side, she assembled a sisterhood so powerful that even the United States government had to watch its step. There wasn’t much to laugh about in 1919 – World War I had ended, fascism was already rising in Italy and American women took up the suffrage question. Then along came The Literary Society. You’ve never lived in a town like this!

The author, G.F. Skipworth, has toured much of the world as a concert pianist, symphony/opera conductor, composer, vocalist and opera coach. Along the way, however, he also worked as a speechwriter, in comedy and as an academic author. As he describes it, one day he sat down to write a fourth symphony, but a four-volume fantasy series came out instead, which he affectionately refers to as a “shoot ‘em up clang clang.” Following the “Fables of the Carpailtin Campfire,” he wrote a fantasy based upon the twenty four poems of Franz Schubert’s great song-cycle, “Winterreise (Winter Journey.) Moving on to historical fiction, he released “Stormfield – Tales from the Hereafter,” based on Mark Twain’s final incomplete work. Dr. Skipworth often refers to “The Simpering, North Dakota Literary Society” as his personal favorite, although writing dialogue for a cameo appearance by the razor-sharp Dorothy Parker was maddening, even worse than for Mark Twain (at least he paused to light a cigar now and then.) Currently, he resides in Portland, Oregon with his wife Barbara, where he serves on the faculty of Lewis & Clark College. Upcoming works include “The World-Weary String Quartet of Alliance, Nebraska” and “The Madonna of Dunkirk.” You can visit G.F. Skipworth’s site for more info.

My Opinion

As I have said in the past, I love historical fiction books! Since I live close to North Dakota, I thought this would be an especially interesting book to read.

And it was! I liked how it was broken into many subheadings throughout the book to help differentiate between different characters and storylines. It made it a little bit easier to read that way. It was fun to hear about the Mighty Five that changed history in North Dakota forever! I learned things about that time period and North Dakota I never knew before!

It had a lot of history and facts in it so make sure you really like history, this time period and this storyline before you read the book.

I recommend The Simpering, North Dakota Literary Society to all history buffs and North Dakota fans. It will definitely help you liven up your North Dakota knowledge and history!

* Thank you to Pump Up Your Book for this book for review! Disclosure - This book was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

The Eli Monster Cloth Diaper Review

I love to feature great WAHM's - especially ones that make great cloth diapers for me! Check out Steph's creations from The Eli Monster Shop! Steph makes all her son's (the Eli Monster! :o) clothes and diapers and can make your child's too!

All pieces are made to order, making your choices almost unlimited. If you would like something different (like microfleece instead of suedecloth as a fabric for example) just let her know and she would be happy to switch it up!

She makes a variety of items that are sure to fit one of your child's needs - even if you don't cloth diaper! She makes diapers, wool longies, PUL covers, doublers, nursing pads, children's clothing, and so much more - even custom orders!

My Opinion

I received a black diaper from The Eli Monster. The greatest part about this diaper is that it is black and so is the INSERT! If you are a cloth diapering momma, you know why that is my favorite part - it shows no stains!! This is now my official poop diaper - I put it on at the time I know he usuallly poops and it never shows any stains!

I also loved that it dried fast and fit him well! It wasn't bulky at all and I could easily add in extra inserts if needed.

I recommend The Eli Monster's diapers and other products for mothers that love to support WAHM's and love to use cloth diapers! If you are looking for diaper that shows no stains, The Eli Monster's black diapers are the ones!

Pros: easy to put on, black inserts and diaper so it shows no stains, dries fast, washes easily

Cons: The velcro didn't quite hold the diaper up all around the waist so sometimes the top sides drooped a little and leaked. My son's waist is so tiny so he would need extra velcro along the top.

Buy It: You can purchase product from The Eli Monster at The Eli Monster Online Shop or Etsy Shop.

* Thank you to The Eli Monster for their product for review! Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Weight Loss Event: Real Bodywork Yoga DVD Review

During my weight loss journey, I have really been trying to incorporate all kinds of exercise to really challenge my body! I have never really done yoga before, but I really wanted to try it! A great yoga DVD for beginners was the Yoga: Gentle Practice DVD I did from Real Bodywork.

Experience peace & tranquility while you gain flexibility! This comprehensive yoga DVD will get you started with a variety of routines to choose from. This is a great DVD for beginners or anyone new to yoga.

Featuring 6 sequences each with their own difficulty level and length: two half-hour sequences, two three-quarter-hour sequences, and two hour sequences. This means that you can choose your level, and amount of time that you want to practice, and this yoga DVD will give you exactly what you need!

This yoga DVD also features a unique Yoga Pose Guide section that gives detailed instruction on 23 poses including positioning, common mistakes, pose benefits, & contraindications. This means that you can learn the basics of each pose, without having to listen to detailed instructions that you already know during the main sequences.

My Opinion

Like I said and as you can see from the description, this is a great yoga DVD for beginners like me! And it really helped stretch me out after a hard workout! It was also so relaxing to do after a stressful day with my son or husband!

I loved that they had different length sequences that you can choose depending on how much time you have and they are each divided by difficulty too! Another great feature for yoga newbies like me is the yoga pose guide! It was really helpful!

I recommend Real Bodywork Gentle Practice Yoga DVD to all yoga beginners or experts! It is great for every level, every schedule, and everybody! It can really be customized to all people and it was really helpful for me in gaining back some flexibility and some peace of mind!

Buy It: You can purchase this Gentle Practice Yoga DVD for $19.95 on the Real Bodywork website

* Thank you to Real Bodywork for their generous samples for review!

Disclosure - This product was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*

Book Tour: Beachcombers Book Review

Want to hear about the latest book that has kept me reading in bed all day? (Well, at least as much as my 8 month old will let me??) Then read on...

Beachcombers by Nancy Thayer is a book about Abbie Fox who hasn’t seen her father or two younger sisters in almost two years, during which she’s jetted around the world and experienced life. But now Lily, the baby of the family, is sending Abbie urgent emails begging her to return home to Nantucket. Their middle sister, Emma, has taken to her bed, emotionally devastated after the loss of her high-powered stockbroker’s job and a shockingly unexpected break-up with her fiancé. Also, Lily is deeply worried that Marina, the beautiful, enigmatic woman renting their guesthouse, has set her sights on the sisters’ widowed father, Jim. The Fox girls closed ranks years ago after the haunting, untimely death of their mother, but seeing their dad move on with his life forces each of them to take stock.

Over the course of the summer, the sisters’ lives grow as turbulent as the unpredictable currents encircling Nantucket. They join forces to make up a company called Nantucket Mermaids where Abbie encounters an incredibly appealing married man, she breaks her own rules in the name of love, fearing all the while that she’ll regret it. Meanwhile, type-A Emma learns a new definition of success, and strong-minded Lily must reconcile her dreams with reality. Even Marina, who has come to Nantucket to forget heartbreak and betrayal, faces an astonishing turn of events that will find her torn between fate and freedom. At summer’s end, these unforgettable women will face profound choices—and undergo personal transformations that will surprise even themselves.

Nancy Thayer is the New York Times bestselling author of Summer House, Moon Shell Beach, The Hot Flash Club, The Hot Flash Club Strikes Again, Hot Flash Holidays, The Hot Flash Club Chills Out, and Between Husbands and Friends. She lives on Nantucket. You can visit Nancy Thayer’s website at http://www.nancythayer.com/.

My Opinion

This book was a great read for me - it was easy to read, had a great storyline, had some romance (ok..a lot of romance!), and reminded me to cherish family!

This book made me want to keep reading and I think I read it one day! I loved the four different storylines Nancy lays out for her readers to follow along with. Unlike some multiply character books that are really hard to follow, this one was really easy to distinguish the different characters, their pasts and their experiences told by the author!

I recommend Beachcombers to all women who want a great rainy day, sunny beach, or anytime read! Make sure you set aside some time though, because you will want to keep reading this one!

Buy It: You can purchase Beachcombers on Amazon.com for $13.75.

* Thank you to Pump Up Your Book and Nancy Thayer for this book for review! Disclosure - This book was given for review for my honest opinion. No other compensation was given.*