Product Review and Coupon Code: Apothederm Stretch Mark Cream

On November 1, 2011, I began using APOTHEDERM Stretch Mark Cream.  The directions stated that I was to use it twice daily, applying to the stretch mark areas and seeing results in as little as 14 days and up to 12 weeks.  Trust me, I was skeptical.  It has been nearly 7 years since I had my last child and 11 1/2 years since I had my first.  I had years of stretch marks to work on.  Some were that white color, but others were that thick dark purple.  I had no expectations of this working at all.  Plus, I wasn't very good about using it twice a day let alone every day.  But, I did use it fairly regularly for the last 8 weeks and...........

IT WORKED! 

I am totally serious.  I tried taking pictures but decided I wasn't comfortable with those areas of my body all over the Internet.  But, I can honestly say, this stuff worked!!!!! Holy cow!  I am still in shock.  I was applying blindly and not really noticing too much until around Thanksgiving when I actually looked where I was applying the cream and I realized that I could visibly tell the marks were less noticeable.  By last week, my mouth actually dropped and I couldn't pull myself away from the mirror.  The thick, dark purple ones were visibly lighter.  This stuff is amazing!  11+ years of stretch marks sitting on my body and now they are hardly noticeable.  The cream also had a nice, gentle scent and softened my skin in addition to reducing the stretch marks.

So, how does this stuff work???????

APOTHEDERM is a Seattle-based dermatology biotech company that develops the most advanced bioactive peptides.  They have over 20 years of research and development to back them up.  Their peptide technology has been licensed to leading skin care companies around the world.  

APOTHEDERM STRETCH MARK CREAM reinforces the skin's fundamental support structures and helps to visibly repair existing stretch marks. The patented SmartPeptide technology helps build collagen while reducing the appearance of red and silver stretch marks as it smoothes skin texture.  In a clinical study of 30 subjects, 70% had visible improvement in stretch marks in as little as 14 days and more than 90% saw overall improvement after twelve weeks of continued use.  The study included new and old stretch marks as well as red and silver stretch marks.  The cream blends four natural emollients : shea butter, coca butter, olive oil and highly moisturizing meadowfoam seed oil for a silky, fast absorbing formulation.  For more on the ingredients and science behind APOTHEDERM STRETCH MARK CREAM, go to http://www.apothederm.com/. 

Now for the best part - You can get your own Stretch Mark Cream or any of APOTHEDERM's other great products at a discount.  If their other products work as well as their Stretch Mark Cream, you won't be disappointed! 

Go to http://www.apothederm.com/ and check out all their products.  Enter in the discount code TENOFF. You will receive $10 off  (expires 01/31/11). The code can be applied to any order. Any orders for Apothederm Stretch Mark Cream will receive free shipping.  All orders over $75 receive complimentary priority mail shipping.

For more updates on APOTHEDERM, follow them on FACEBOOK or TWITTER. 

This review is my honest opinion.  I received one complementary bottle of APOTHEDERM Stretch Mark Cream in order to facilitate this review.  I was not compensated in any other way.  I only review products that I believe would benefit myself or my family.  Thanks to Mamapedia and Apothederm for this opportunity.

A Couple of Winners

The winner of the PHIX Energy drink mix is

frugalmommieof2 said...
I would replace my afternoon coke or iced coffee.

 
The winner of the ENERGIZER batteries is

Kris K said...

I would use the Lithium. They would be used up with the remotes and the wireless mouse!

Thanks so much for entering and being visitors to my blog!  Your products will be heading your way soon!

Check Out BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP for Your Gift Giving

We are huge fans of BUILD-A-BEAR WORKSHOP at our house.  Our kids love to go there and pick out new outfits for their bears.  The boys gave Reagan a bunny from BUILD-A-BEAR when she was born to welcome her to our family and "Rachel" has been very much loved ever since.  Reagan's birthday is at the beginning of the year and our celebrating usually takes us to BUILD-A-BEAR to spend some of her birthday cash.

BUILD-A-BEAR has lots of new furry friends this season including those from the latest movies, classic and celebrity characters, hi-tech Kinect enabled bears, gifts that give back, holiday traditions, customized presents and fun stocking stuffers.  I know Reagan is eyeing Smurfette from Build-A-Bear and has that on her wish list!

There is something for everyone at BUILD-A-BEAR!

Here are some of our favorite things about Build-a-Bear Workshop this season:

• One of the best things about Build-A-Bear Workshop is the opportunity to make or buy a unique gift, add a customized, signature sound or embroidered message and give it to someone special. From newlyweds to new parents, sports fans to foodies, tweens to tough guys, Build-A-Bear Workshop has something for everyone and every budget.

• What could be more personal than LIVE elves, ready to talk to your child about his/her wishlist? Thanks to our friends at Build-A-Bear Workshop, your family has a direct line to Santa and his little helpers! By visiting http://play.buildabear.com/, your child can create their own wish list with one of Santa's elves and tell them what they want for Christmas! Parental agreement is needed for all children under 13.

• Who doesn't love a great deal, especially during the holidays? Build-A-Bear Workshop knows Moms want to stretch our "bear bucks" as much as possible, which is why they're introducing a great promotion this season. Starting today through 12/18/11, you can purchase any animal PLUS any outfit for just $24.99 (USD). That's a great price for a friend that will last a lifetime!

Check out https://webmail.netins.net/Redirect/r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?llr=tvj4cobab&et=1108939589984&s=49955&e=001qr72uoz0JqXWTVMcv31RU8Io7f_s1IbhNf2PIMO-8vWYeVesGbFRcSed2trMdMBNBmhpwe8kQ1cvZrY1zZBvTTn92WAGbC-uMkPfk4dp3UjwxUSEMtbJow== to see all the great furry friends they have in stock.  There will be someone just perfect for your gift-giving this Christmas!

I was entered for a chance to win a Build-A-Bear Workshop gift card in exchange for this post.  No monetary exchange took place. All opinions are my own.



Scenes From Our Week - Week 10

It has been a long week.  I woke up at 3:30 Wednesday morning with the mother of all migraines.  I used to get migraines all the time, but over the years I have been more careful about the triggers that would bring them on as well as taking different medications to regulate my hormones.  Well, I am thinking it must be time to adjust my medications again.  That migraine pretty much wiped out the rest of my week.  So, my posts and my photo taking has been pretty limited. 

We got the tree up last weekend and I was able to get the kids to agree force a photo in front of the tree.

 

I was able to take Bennett out for our date for the month.  He is our special kid of the month for December and we went to the mall and he tried out Sbarro.  He was quite impressed with the massive piece of pizza he got!

On Saturday, we started the first of many of Patrick's basketball tournaments for his traveling team.  It was an early morning and a long time on those bleachers.  I will have to get my rear back in bleacher training because January and February are quite busy with tournaments.  Even though the boys only won one game, they stuck with it and played well against some tough teams. 


Patrick ready for the pass



Patrick's got the ball



This year I got a puzzle for our family to do during Advent.  Unfortunately, it was more of a Mom and Dad activity than a family activity.....until we were down to the last 20 pieces, then the kids were ready to help out.  We are pretty proud we got this 500 piece puzzle put together in just 11 days!

Since Lego started making their Winter Village sets 3 years ago, I started purchasing their featured set each year.  It started with the Toy Shop, then the Bakery and this year was the Post Office.  We take them apart and then put them together again each year, so again, it is another family activity.  This year we put it on top of our entertainment center, but we may have to carve out a special place just for this village as we will be running out of room up there.  I added the fake snow to make it a little more fun!


The Bakery





The Post Office and Mail Truck



The Gazebo and Band got with the Post Office Set and then the Toy Shop



The rest of the Toy Shop set

The best way we know how to close out our week is with homemade ice cream!  Today was a great family day so what better way to send Sunday night off with a bang but with homemade Cookies and Cream ice cream.  YUM!



Book Review: Proof of Heaven by Mary Curran Hackett

PROOF OF HEAVEN
By Mary Curran Hackett
Published: November 1, 2011


He might be young, but Colm already recognizes the truth: that he’s sick and not getting better. His mother, Cathleen, fiercely believes her faith will protect her ailing son, but Colm is not so sure. With a wisdom far beyond his years, Colm has come to terms with his probable fate, but he does have one special wish. He wants to meet his father who abandoned his beloved mother before Colm was born. But the quest to find the dying boy’s missing parent soon becomes a powerful journey of emotional discovery—a test of belief and an anxious search for proof of heaven.

I received this book as an ARC and was very intrigued by the storyline. As a mom, this book was at times, very difficult to read. I can't imagine watching my child collapse time after time and struggle the way Colm did in this story and feel so helpless. The author was able to put into words those desparate feelings a mother has for her suffering child. Cathleen and Colm had such a unique relationship in this story due to her being a single parent and due to Colm's rare illness. I was fascinated by the lengths Cathleen went to help heal her son and wondered, if I was in that situation, would I do the same?


Even though I was drawn in to the story, I wasn't rushing to finish it. I had an assumption of how it was likely to end and didn't want to get to that point of the story. This isn't the type of story to perk you up but it is one that will remind you of the love of your family, the wonder of life in heaven, and how important it is to have hope.
 
This is Mary Curran Hacketts first novel.  To find out more about her visit her website at http://www.mchackett.com/.  I enjoyed the author insights in the back of the book.  The author used multiple personal experiences to write this story and it makes it all the more interesting to the reader.  Thanks to Librarything for sending me a copy of PROOF OF HEAVEN.  I give this 3 out of 5 stars.

Phix Energy Review and Giveaway

GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. THANKS FOR ENTERING!

Are you feeling a little sluggish during your afternoon meeting? 

When you put your toddler down for a nap, do you want to crawl into bed too? 

Are you feeling like you don't have enough energy to get everything done during this busy holiday season?

Are you looking for a safe alternative to that 5-hour energy feel?

About PHIX ENERGY:

Phix Energy is a healthy, all natural energy drink mix that was designed by a leading naturopathic physician and licensed dietitians to enhance the body’s natural healing power. The proprietary blend of herbs and nutraceuticals in Phix is based on therapeutic dosages found to be safe and effective in clinical research trials.

Phix natural energy drink mix contains a small amount (80mg) of caffeine from yerba maté, a traditional drink in many countries. Green tea extract and NADH also have mild stimulant qualities. The result is a gentle and sustained pick-me-up — with no spikes and crashes. Phix Energy contains several types of important antioxidants, which can help protect your DNA from oxidative damage.  Phix's natural energy ingredients, such as Vitamin C and Eleuthero, are designed to help support healthy immune function.  Phix natural energy drink contains chromium, which helps to balance blood sugar levels. By balancing out extremes of high and low blood sugar, chromium may also help prevent fatigue.   If you’re active, it’s important to replace electrolytes and water-soluble vitamins for optimal athletic performance and recovery.

I received several boxes of PHIX ENERGY to try and review.  My favorite flavor was the Teaberry, but I liked the others as well.  I am the first to admit I need to drink more water and this was a great way to get myself to drink that water along with adding other benefits. Plus it tasted better than drinking plain water!  Usually when I am having that afternoon slump, I reach for my Diet Mountain Dew, but instead I filled my favorite water bottle with ice, water and a package of PHIX ENERGY.  It gave me the kick I needed and I am also convinced it is part of the reason I haven't gotten sick.  Being around kids in my home and at school, I know I have been exposed to numerous cold/flu germs and I usually pick it up immediately.  But, I have yet to have any symptoms of any of that.  Especially during this busy time of year, I have appreciated the benefits of PHIX ENERGY and the boost that it gives me to keep going. 

PHIX ENERGY sells for $9.95 for a 5 pack box ($1.99/package) or $53.73 for 30 packages ($1.79/package).  If you bought 5, 20oz bottles of your favorite soda, which at our convenience store in town sell for $1.75, you are really spending about the same amount, but getting healthful benefits rather than aspartame and caffeine.

To find out more about PHIX ENERGY, check out http://www.phix.com/, check out their Facebook page HERE, or follow them on Twitter HERE.   
Now for the exciting news:  I have a 1 month subscription to PHIX which includes 3 boxes of your choice of PHIX ENERGY and a coupon for 25% off a future purchase to giveaway to one of my readers!  This giveaway is open only to US residents.  This giveaway begins today and runs through Thursday, December 15, 2011 at 11:59 PM.  I will choose a winner using Random.org on Friday, December 16th. 

To enter all you must do is leave a comment below telling me what beverage you would replace with PHIX ENERGY to give you that kick in the afternoon? Please make sure you leave an email address (email AT address DOT com) so I can contact you if you win.  Also be sure to check out their Facebook page and Twitter feeds for all the newest information.

Thanks to PHIX  and MomSelect for sending me free boxes of PHIX ENERGY to try.  I received the product in order to facilitate my review.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.  This review is my honest opinion and I do not review products that I don't feel would benefit myself or my family.  PHIX will provide the product for the winner of this giveaway. 

Scenes from our Week - Week 9

The boys had their annual Christmas program at school.  Since the 6th graders move on to Middle School next year, they get to be the "stars" of the show.  The 3rd - 5th graders provide the music while the 6th graders perform the play.  Bennett is a 5th grader and played in band and sang.  Patrick, the 6th grader played in band, accompanied one song on the drums, played the part of Santa and sang a solo.  The whole group did an awesome job and gave us lots of laughs!
The boys also had their last 5/6 basketball game of the season.  So, I took some final photos from that as well. 

Our 2 percussionists at their school Christmas program.

Patrick rockin' the drums!

Patrick as Santa in the program.

Patrick ready for the ball.



Bennett on defense.