Product Review: LifeKix Shoes

LifeKix Shoes 

I'm excited to tell you about some great shoes, perfect for summer. LifeKix is a small, family-owned company in Boston. Their first product launch is this women's mesh shoe. This shoe is designed to wear at the beach, on the lake, at the pool, or just casually around your home.

I have worn water shoes that offer no support or any benefits while wearing them. The previous water shoes I have tried weren't comfortable and certainly didn't look very fashionable. But LifeKix has changed that. They made their shoe as comfortable as a tennis shoe, but lightweight. They are very breathable and easily wash up with a hose. They even dry quickly. If they get wet, they aren't heavy and definitely not slippery. I could see my mom using these to do her gardening. They offer support without your feet getting too hot, and when you are done in the garden, just wash them off.

I love all the fun colors that are offered, but this purple was my favorite. I have worn them to water my flowers. Usually, I throw on a pair of flip flops and then as soon as my feet get wet, I'm slipping around on my flip flops. No longer an issue with these shoes.

LifeKix Shoes are extremely comfortable. For those who don't like to go barefoot or wear socks in the house, these would also make a great house shoe. There is the support of a tennis shoe, without the weight of one.

I wish I was going to the lake soon because these shoes would work great for getting in and out of the boat or walking along the shoreline. These would also make perfect beach walking shoes, which I am hoping to try out this winter!

If you are looking for casual, comfortable and fashionable water shoes, LifeKix has found the formula you need to make them your next favorite summer shoe! I highly recommend them! They are in the same price range as the Sketcher GoWalks, but they offer the benefits of wearing in the water or getting wet as well as lightweight comfort!

If you would like to purchase your own pair of LifeKix shoes, click the photo below:




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Thanks to the company for sending this product in exchange for an honest review. If you choose to purchase the product through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Children's Book Review: The Great Carp Escape By Irish Beth Maddock

THE GREAT CARP ESCAPE

By: Irish Beth Maddock

Illustrated by: Lucent Ouano

Published: January 13, 2015

Publisher: Word Alive Press

Beth and Paul are siblings that live near a lake. They love spending their summers playing in the sand and swimming in the lake. One day they come across a dead carp on the beach and are afraid of them. They don't like the carps because they are scaly with barbels or mustaches that come out next to their mouth. The kids decide to avoid the area the carps swim in under the weeping willows.

During a spring thaw, the lake floods into the family's yard. As it recedes, a pond is left under the weeping willow. When the children explore the pond, they find tadpoles and frogs and carp. The carp had gotten stuck in the pond when the flood receded and left the carp behind. With the pond quickly drying up, the carp will soon die. Beth and Paul have to decide if the carp are important enough to save and how they could do it.

Maddock has created a really wonderful story with meaning and lessons about taking care of God's creatures. Ouano's illustrations are quite gorgeous and remind me of summers on the lake when I was growing up. Carp were a common fish in our area and I remember thinking they were ugly too.

This book would make a great Sunday School lesson or children's time during church. There is plenty of opportunities for discussion and lessons to be taught along with this story. With all the hate in our world today, this is a refreshing example to share with our children about showing love not hate and all of God's creatures have value.

To see a short trailer on the book including images from the book, watch the video below:

Irish Beth Maddock - source

Irish Beth Maddock  was a columnist for two local newspapers, had stories published in Reader’s Digest Canada, and broadcasted on 100 Huntley Street, CHBC Television and CBC Radio to name a few. She is a published poet, and has both performed in and directed plays and musical theater productions. A playwright for a church drama production, her three-part monologue “Tapestry” helped fund-raise over $1,000. So began the realization that she can help raise much-needed funds for great causes with her creativity. A member of SCBWI, IBPA, Inscribe & The Word Guild, Irish would like to continue doing something about those ideas that get downloaded into her brain at 2 AM. For more on Maddock, check out her website, IrishBethMaddock.com. 

To purchase a copy of THE GREAT CARP ESCAPE, click the photo below:

On Saturday, I will link up this review with other bloggers on Booking Mama's Kid Konnection. Click HERE, to see other posts related to children's and YA books.



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Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. If you choose to purchase the book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Product Review: Solar Motion Light

If you are looking to light up an area around your house that is maybe a little dark due to safety or security purposes, this light is for you. Maybe you don't like leaving all your lights on outside, but want to have something that turns on if a movement is detected, this light is for you.

These Solar Motion Lights  offer a great amount of light when motion is detected and just a bit of light when there isn't a movement. They are operated solely with solar power and store it up during the day so it can stay on all night.

We mounted our solar light near our storage area under our porch. It is a very dark area, especially in the evening, and our regular porch lights that we can turn on don't face that side of our porch. The light was easy to attach to the wall with a simple screw. Make sure that wherever you place it, it can still access enough light from the sun to charge itself during the day.

Once you walk into the perimeter area of the light, it will come on. There is some light already coming from it, but it becomes much brighter when you step into the area.

This is when the light is the brightest.

This is how the light is before it is activated by movement. 

I am really impressed with these solar lights and once we finish our addition, I could see us placing these on our new porch. Again, these lights have no wires or cords. They are completely powered by the sun and are water and heat resistant. 

To purchase these Solar Motion Lights, click the photo below:

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I received this light for free for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase the product through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com.

Book Spotlights: Clink Street Publishing #Blogival Book Tour

Today I am sharing more books from the Clink Street Publishing Blogival Event. These books cover a wide range of genres and readers. To see other stops on the tour, check out the calendar below.

Clicking on the photos of each of the books will take you to its Amazon page. If you purchase the book through the link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com.



THE LAST BLUE MOUNTAIN
Tales of a Traveling Englishman
By: James Chilton
Published: March 16, 2015
Formats: Paperback and eBook

From Gabon to Guyana, Shangri La to Kamchatka, through rainbow markets and exuberant rainforests, across impressionist landscapes and a high altitude desert, author James Chilton's delightfully diverse collection of travel writing will whet the appetite and feed the imagination. The Last Blue Mountain takes readers far off the beaten tourist tracks and onto uncharted trails of natural beauty and cultural diversity. Chilton reveals his enthusiasm for travel - he's visited some seventy-eight countries to date - and his love of food, beauty, flora, fauna and, above all, the people he meets along the way. Witty, articulate and with sharp observations, his engaging and often humorous snapshots are illustrated throughout with evocative pen and ink sketches. 



ASCENSION
The Oasis Series
By:  Jeannie van Rompaey
Published: March 1, 2016
Formats: Paperback and eBook

Meet the MUTANT HUMANOIDS. They may look a little different from us, but inside they're much the same as you and me. Left on a diseased Earth, they live in windowless compounds, safe from the contaminated wilderness outside. Safe, yes, but their lives are restricted. 

When the mutant humanoids discover that some complete human beings, COMPLETES, have also survived and are living greatly improved lives on satellites, they determine to rectify this imbalance and claim their share of Earth's heritage. Three-headed RA rules the humanoids with ruthless precision, but others are involved in a power struggle to depose him. Who will succeed in being the next CEO of Planet Earth? 

Sixteen -year-old MERCURY plans to start a new life on Oasis. Will it prove the Utopia he expects it to be? 

ASCENSION, the first novel in Jeannie van Rompaey's Oasis Series, explores with humour and compassion the way humans respond to change. The future worlds of Earth and Oasis mirror our contemporary society. The division between the haves and have-nots widens and the lust for power leads to corruption. But there are idealists determined to build a fairer, more egalitarian society.



ATTACK AT DAWN
Reliving the Battle of Narvik in World War II
By: Ron Cope
Published: April 10, 2015
Formats: Paperback and eBook

On March 1, 1940, Adolf Hitler ordered the invasion of Norway. Having swept across Europe at a terrifying pace, the Nazi assault on Scandinavia was designed to secure the valuable source of iron ore being delivered by rail from Sweden to the Norwegian port of Narvik. To complete the task, Hitler sent ten large, modern destroyers, with 220 Alpine Troops on each. Five smaller British H Class destroyers were sent up the fjord in retaliation by the Allied forces, with little knowledge of what to expect. On April 10, the first battle of Narvik began. Royal Naval Captain, Bernard Warburton-Lee, led his flotilla at midnight into the fjord. They had to navigate the four hour passage undetected, under darkness and in driving snow storms. The harbour — eerily silent on their arrival — quickly erupted into a torpedo attack. Back into the fjord, the destroyers Hardy, Hunter, Hotspur, Havock and Hostile were confronted by five German destroyers, coming from both the front and rear. This resulted in a ferocious sea battle with the loss of Hardy and Hunter and damage to the enemy ships. Those crew members who managed to abandon ship and swim ashore, under bombardment from the Germans, had to endure a ten mile march and pray for safe passage back to Britain in order to survive. Author Ron Cope delivers a comprehensive and gripping account of the Narvik battle, juxtaposing the myriad strategic difficulties encountered by the British Navy, with the vivid and insightful personal accounts of the brave survivors involved, most of whom were under the age of twenty-three. Including first-hand testimony from Cope's own father Cyril, a then twenty-one year old Torpedoman, and documents shared for the first time by the family of Captain Warburton-Lee, Cope presents an arresting account of this crucial British naval victory, as told by the sailors who were there. "Meticulously researched, Attack at Dawn relates the vivid real-life experiences of the British sailors who took part in the extraordinarily bold attack by five British destroyers against superior German forces at Narvik... and the desperate running battle that ensued as they tried to make their escape". John Warburton-Lee, grandson of Captain Bernard Warburton-Lee. V.C. 




MAGICK IT UP
By:Sheelagh McGrath
Published: September 18, 2015
Formats: Paperback and eBook

MAGICK IT UP is a hubbly Bubbly metaphysical take with beautiful illustrations. It is on the cutting edge of new thought for the younger generation. It promotes empowerment, hope, and a sense of wonder, with a little history and folklore stirred ihnto the bubbling brew. The story is based in everyday reality and departs into other dimensions but always returns safely to the present day. The two main characters Alex, aged 11, and his adventurous Grandmother, Nonni, are whisked unexpectedly and unconventionally through diverse multiple realities; at one time travelling on the backs of bats from crystal caves; experiencing the thrill of closely observing wild animals in Africa: discovering fairies in the midst of an English Forest and participating in the wonders of Australia, natural and man made, altogether proving that wishes really can be manifested. It is alchemy in the mental rather than the metal sense, altering situations by thought and intent. 'Magick It Up' will take you on a journey to places that some might only dream of, inspiring both young and old. Alex and Nonni's loving bond shines through as they share these magickal adventures. This bond between generations and the handing down of wisdom are an important message for today's disenchanted youth living in a troubled World.



THE MAGICKAL BIRTHDAY TREAT 
By: Sheelagh McGrath
Published: September 18, 2015
Formats: Paperback and eBook

Jessica enjoys a Magickal Birthday Treat with her Grandmother, Nonni, on her eleventh Birthday. Arriving at Jess's house in Massachusetts, USA, Nonni has some surprises in store for her Granddaughter. They zoom around the World, visiting many places in only a few hours, dimension-hopping, time-hopping and culture-hopping. Visiting Europe and its historical past, Africa and its wonders and Asia, past and present! They travel in a mysterious manner, which is both exciting and daunting, somewhat like Nonni and Alex, in the first book of the series. Along the way, Nonni teaches her Granddaughter a smattering of history, of people and places, the importance of family values and about metaphysics; energy, manifestation, empowerment and Universal Oneness. All of this experienced with fun, a little fear and oodles of excitement. 



WE NEVER LET YOU GO
By: Tracy Peppiatt
Published: March 16, 2015
Formats: Paperback and eBook

It is said that a picture paints a thousand words but unless those words are revealed the viewer has to make their own interpretation. A family photograph like thousands of others may give a clue to the location and time through clothing and scenery, but what is not apparent are the thoughts, aspirations, and life of those portrayed. This is a story of a working class family, whose voyage through the rapidly changing society of the 60's and 70's, was probably like many others. But the difference with this story is that despite the often genuinely desperate situations that they found themselves, they persevered throughout with love and mutual dependence but primarily because there was little choice. The bond that holds us all together through all of life's twists and turns and ultimately determines how we turn out in later life is the underlying story that is revealed. However, as we are the product of our response to our experiences through life, we ultimately never let go.



REAL YOGA
A Pure and Simple Journey
By: Vimla Lalvani
Published: February 1, 2016
Formats: Paperback and eBook

The Queen of Yoga returns to de-mystify the spiritual practice and release it from ridiculous fads by exploring and explaining Yoga's ancient roots, promoting it’s application to modern living and how it can be enjoyed by everyone regardless of age or ability.

After training as a personal student of Yogic master B.K.S. Iyengar in India and practicing the traditional techniques for the past forty years, Vimla Lalvani is the living epitome of Real Yoga’s philosophy and it’s benefits. Featuring: • Realistic and detailed photo-illustrated, step-by-step guides to every yoga routine. • Introduction into yoga philosophy and it’s application into every day life. • Yoga sequences and asanas to help heal a range of specific illnesses and conditions.

Real Yoga: A pure and simple journey provides an accessible foundation for anyone wishing to start the practice of yoga and hopes to encourage every individual to reap the benefits - from dealing with life’s stresses to feeling confident, positive and gaining a sense of empowerment - not to mention enjoying a happier and longer life. 

Book Review: The Anti Ageing Food and Fitness Plan by Rick Hay #Blogival

THE ANTI AGEING FOOD & FITNESS PLAN

By: Rick Hay

Published: January 18, 2016

Publisher: Clink Street Publishing

Health/Fitness/Non-Fiction



I'm bringing you this book today as part of Clink Street Publishing Blogival 2016. This week I will be sharing other books with you as part of this tour of Clink Street Publishing books.

There are so many gimmicks out there that promise ways to slim down in just days. But, most of us know the best way to slim down and be healthy includes a balanced nutrition and getting daily exercise. These aren't quick fixes, but more of a life-long plan to sustain and maintain your health. Hay professes that following his plan will help you create new habits to focus on eating the right food and exercising to maximize your metabolism. Following his plan will not only help you drop pounds but will also make you feel better and have more energy. 

I haven't had the opportunity to actually begin his plan, but reading through the pages, it is definitely a lifestyle change. All the meals are very basic with only natural foods like fruit and veggies. His plans offer breakfast, a morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and evening snack. He gives options for each meal based on your taste, mood or situation. The 12-week plan is broken down into weeks 1 & 3, 2 & 4, etc so that you don't get bored with the food or the exercise. The exercise plan is a HIIT method (High Intensity Interval Training) to offer the most benefits in a short amount of time. All the exercises are ones that can be done in your home with minimal equipment. 

I appreciate that there isn't calorie counting or portions to worry about. Just focusing on eating the right foods at a certain time of day to maximize your health benefits. I am intrigued by the tip to start each morning with a half a glass of warm water with the juice of half a lemon. This drink helps to kickstart your liver and gallbladder. I'm anxious to give this a try.

The book is full of photos of the suggested food as well as the exercises. There are also some photos of gorgeous calming scenes throughout the book. The photos have a muted tone and the pages are thick that really makes this a quality book. Looking at the photos will make you want to eat healthier!

The only drawback for me in the book includes the author trying to sell certain supplements and powders to go along with the recipes in the book. Also, you have to have regular access to fresh fruit and veggies as almost all the recipes involve one or the other. I am looking forward to incorporating some of the recipes into my routine as well as some of the exercise circuits. 

Rick Hay - source

Rick Hay is a renowned fitness and food expert with over twenty years experience as a nutritionist. Since relocating to the UK from his native Australia in 2010, Rick has successfully made a name for himself on television where he is currently the resident Health and Fitness Expert for Ideal World TV. He has previously written for Natural Health and Your Fitness magazines and is the author of NUTRITIONAL BLAST and THE ANTI AGEING FOOD AND FITNESS PLAN. For more information follow Rick on Twitter, HERE and on Facebook, HERE.

To purchase a copy of THE ANTI AGEING FOOD AND FITNESS PLAN, click the photo below:



Other stops on the Clink Street Publishing Blogival Tour:

Check out these related posts:

Book Review: Clean Cuisine By Ivy Ingram Larson and Andrew Larson 
Book Review: 52 Small Changes By Brett Blumenthal
Book Review: The Calorie Myth By Jonathan Bailor
Book Review: The 3-Day Reset By Pooja Mottl


Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. If you choose to purchase a copy of the book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Book Review: A Father's Betrayal by Gabriella Gillespie #Blogival

 A FATHER'S BETRAYAL
A True Story

By: Gabriella Gillespie

Published: July 25, 2014

Publisher: Clink Street Publishing

Memoir



I'm bringing you this book today as part of Clink Street Publishing Blogival 2016. This week I will be sharing other books with you as part of this tour of Clink Street Publishing books.

Gabriella and her sisters lived in Wales with their father and mother until her mother "went missing" and eventually her father was sent to prison for her murder. At a young age, she and her sisters lived in a loving foster home and assumed that is where they would stay until they were grown. There they were loved and well-cared for and treated like the couple's own children. But after just four years, their father was released from prison and the girls were forced to return to live with him. What was supposed to be a holiday to their father's homeland in Yemen, turned out to be a nightmare as they were unprepared for the culture shock and the fact that they were to be sold as child brides. This book shares the horrors that Gabriella and her sisters faced trying to acclimate to a completely new way of life, meeting new family, and living as wives when they should have still been attending school and dreaming of their weddings many, many years down the road.

Gabriella's story is not a happy one and I often had to put it down as it was extremely depressing and tragic. Gabriella (she goes by a different name in the book) doesn't leave out many details when recounting the horrific abuse she received from family members and her husband. All the while I had to remind myself that she was around the same age as my children. I had to believe that if she had written this book that there was a way out of this horror for her and that hope kept me reading.

This book is also a look into the culture that is much different from ours. The descriptions of boys who are working in the fields all day as young as six, young girls fetching water many miles away multiple times a day, and women cooking with meager conditions were eye-opening and humbling. I don't think I could rightfully complain about any housework after reading this book.

The writing at times was childish and elementary, but I could look beyond that knowing that the author obviously had very little education and maybe had a difficult time with translation. Beyond that, I believe she was extremely brave for telling her story knowing that it could be dangerous for her and her family. I was a little unsatisfied with the ending, but can appreciate that she may have had to keep some things private for her safety.

Overall, this was a story that kept me interested, even though it was difficult to read horrible abuse on nearly every page. The relationships that Gabriella made along her journey with her sisters from Wales as well as those she met once arriving in Yemen were a lifeline for her. Even with all the evil around her, there were people who loved her and that allowed her to continue to hope for a brighter future for herself and her children. I certainly pray that she has found happiness.

Gabriella Gillespie - source

Gillespie was a child bride and is now an activist, campaigner, and public speaker.  She is a Board Member of Too Young To Wed. A FATHER'S BETRAYAL is her first book.


To purchase a copy of A FATHER'S BETRAYAL, click the photo below:



Other stops on the Clink Street Publishing Blogival Tour:

A post from today, 4 years ago - Day #26 of Summer Vacation 
A post from today, 3 years ago - Why I Read 
A post from today, 2 years ago - High Five Friday 6.20.14 




Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. If you choose to purchase a copy of the book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com.