Happy Trails

I'll admit that I'm not normally the biggest fan of trail mix. With their mish-mash of peanuts, raisins, candy-coated chocolates, and maybe some other dried fruits of questionable origin, they usually seem almost like someone took all the leftover snacks in their pantry and threw them together. And maybe, once upon a time, they were. Not completely sure, as I haven't Googled the origins of trail mix. And now I'm curious...

Curiosity aside, when I got my hands on the Edamame & Tropical Fusion trail mix by On the Go Snacks, I was pleasantly surprised by the mixture of goodies inside. Cashews, whole roasted edamame, dried banana chips, coconut chips, dried cranberries, raisins...Definitely not your run-of-the-mill trail mix. Far from it. And being that they're Non-GMO, certified organic, and gluten-free, they're a great snack for health-conscious people who want a great alternative to the over-sweetened traditional versions that we all know and (don't) love. Offered in three other varieties including Edamame & Goji Berry Fusion and Edamame & Berries Fusion, there's a flavor for everyone. 

Tasti-Treats

I'm a sucker when it comes to a good tomato. Big ones, small ones, stumpy ones, perfectly round ones...I'm an equal opportunity eater, but I do have one request: they have to be fresh. And firm. Okay, so I do have a few caveats, but still. Give me a good tomato, and I'll make short work of it, slicing it up to eat as the main player on a sandwich or even just on its own, undressed and unadorned straight from the cutting board. They're packed full of flavor and incredibly juicy, so when you get a fresh one, there's really nothing that needs to be done to them--especially in the case of the small but mighty grape tomato. Seriously. Give me access to a container of grape tomatoes, and my willpower seems to go on a break. Those sweet little fruits (yes, tomatoes are actually fruit, not vegetables--look it up, people) are perfectly poppable and extremely addictive, and the Tasti-Wee cherry tomatoes from Tasti-Lee are like God's candy. 

Vine-ripened until they're ready for picking, Tasti-Lee tomatoes are a premium product with quality and freshness that you can see and taste right away. I had the opportunity to try a few containers and was amazed not only by the plumpness and juiciness of each tomato in the container, but also by the length of time their freshness lasted. As a single woman living on her own, fresh produce has a tendency to get a little past its prime before I get to it, but these little gems stayed tasty until they were gone. To learn more about Tasti-Lee tomatoes, visit Tasti-Lee. 

Naturally Cute

Summer might almost be over, but there are still a few weeks left to squeeze in a road trip or two, which means you might be wondering how to pass a few hours in the car. Break out the DVD player and get ready to learn with Spy House Productions and Gundersen Entertainment's recent release of Owlegories™ Vol. 3 – The Fire, The Duck, and The Seasons. Each episode is packed with fun ways to learn even more ways that God touches our lives every day and speaks to us through his beautiful creations in nature. No matter how young or old you are, these cute little owls can teach you to see the signs of God's love all around us and remember how special He thinks we are. With a special guest appearance from Uncle Sy of Duck Dynasty fame, Owlegories™ Vol. 3 – The Fire, TheDuck, and The Seasons is sure to give your little ones tons of fun and keep them busy while you keep your eyes on the road. Happy viewing!  


For more information, visit www.owlegories.com

What a Hoot!

So...you're looking at the calendar and scratching your head about what the Easter Bunny might have up his sleeve this year when it's time to fill the baskets. Amazingly enough, the lovely people at Spy House Productions and Gundersen Entertainment have released Owlegories™ Vol. 2 – The Ant, The Fruit, and The Butterfly for your little one's viewing pleasure, which means that you won't have to resort to mountains of candy to keep the fun going. In fact, even if everyone's so hopped up on a sugar high that you think they'll never settle down again, this sweet little DVD will capture their attention and hold it, which means that you'll get some peace and quiet while they're learning some really cool ways that God's love is mirrored all throughout His marvelous creation and how we can carry out His plan for our lives. Watch the episodes with them for a reminder of your own––sometimes, no matter how old we are, we all need to take a childlike perception of things to get grounded. So sit down and take a lesson from the cute little owls who make up the cast of characters in these inspirational animated videos...and don't forget to share the chocolate bunnies.

For more information, visit www.owlegories.com

Rich Inheritance

I’m not one to say this lightly, but this is one of those instances that leaves me saying, “Oh, my God!” Not in the irreverent way, that flippant manner so often employed in the common vernacular as a meaningless phrase. Nope. This, “Oh, my God!” is a cry out, an exclamation of praise and wonder inspired by the emotion evoked by Audrey Assad’s brand new album, Inheritance. Released February 12^th, this album is the re-imagining of well-known and well-loved hymns. Assad’s ability to transform them into something truly hear-rending is amazing, and it really will leave you uttering cries of praise, adoration, and exaltation to the God who originally inspired the lyrics of these songs. Assad’s vocals are reminiscent of such secular artists as Loreena McKennitt and Sarah McLachlan, and the instrumentals lend a powerful backdrop that fully round out the experience. This is one album not to be missed.

For more information on Audrey Assad and her album, Inheritance (Fortunate Fall Records with Tone Tree Music distribution), visit www.audreyassad.com

Stuff This In The Little Ones' Stockings...

I recently had the pleasure of getting to watch the premier DVD for a new computer-animated Christian children's series called Owlegories, which features s cute little group of pint-sized owls under the very wise tutelage of a professorial owl, who sends them on a series of field-trip-like adventures in search of things like seeds and leaves and other things found in nature, all of which teach them ways to relate those very things to God and his impact on our lives. The characters are cute, and I have no doubt that they'll easily become a household favorite!

Owlegories™ Vol. 1: The Sun, The Seed, and The Water can be found at Walmart, LifeWay, Family Christian Stores, and local Christian bookstores. For more info, visit www.owlegories.com

Makes a great stocking stuffer!!!!

Stocking Stuff...

It's about that time again! Only two months to go until Christmas, so it's time to break out the elf ears and start helping Santa get ready...Here are a few ideas that might make a few people on you list feel pampered and pretty, so check them out!

All Scrubbed and Polished

I may not be a Nubian queen, but I still need to moisturize; and I want my skin to look and feel at it’s best. When I tried Nubian Heritage’s Raw Shea Butter hand and body scrub, I was amazed at how soft and silky it left my skin. It sloughed off the dry, flaky layers and polished up those patches so that they were smooth and soft like a baby’s bottom. Going into these cooler months of fall and winter, I can’t think of a better way to battle the bluster and keep well-hydrated even when skin has a tendency to get chapped and dry. 

Nubian Heritage’s hand and body scrubs combines certified organic and ethically sourced ingredients like mango, shea, and vegetable butters with essential oils and herbs to create naturally fragranced products that promise to leave your skin looking radiant, healthy, and beautiful. They’re perfect for women of all ethnicities, and because they’re so pure in their ingredients, you can feel good about what you’re putting on your skin, confident in the fact that you’re not exposing yourself to harsh, harmful chemicals that could damage your skin instead of helping it. 

Choose from formulations like Mango Butter, Indian Hemp & Haitian Vetiver, Raw Shea Butter with Frankincense & Myrrh, Patchouli & Buriti, all of which are free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, paraffin, mineral oil, petroleum, DEA, and artificial fragrances or colorings and have not been tested on animals. You’ll look good, feel good, and do good, because the shea butter used in Nubian Heritage products is sourced from women’s co-ops in Northern Ghana, giving the women there an economic boost that has lasting effects on their families and their communities.

Nubian Heritage’s hand and body scrubs retail at $12.99 (12 oz.) and are available at www.VitaminShoppe.com, Vitamin Shoppe stores, www.Pharmaca.com and select Whole Foods and Sprouts stores. For more info, visit www.NubianHeritage.com.

Lighting the Flame

Who doesn’t love a candle––especially one that leaves your home smelling like you’ve magically relocated it to a tropical Hawaiian island? With their fragrant blends of natural oils, herbs, fruits, and flowers, Ola Tropical Apothecary’s Coconut Wax Candles are created from a base of coconut wax, which is renewable, clean, and eco-friendly; Kukui Nut oil; and Hawaiian beeswax. The candles burn with soot-free cotton wicks and give off exotic, intoxicating scents common to Hawaii, including Coconut, Maile, Passion Fruit, Pikake, Plumeria, and Tuberose, which means that whether you prefer more nutty notes or want a little spice in your life, Ola’s candles have the perfect way to invoke an island getaway.

6 oz. candles come in recycled glass jars and offer 30-36 hour burn time. Available online, $33 each, at www.hawaiianbodyproducts.com.

Peeling It Away

Skin peels rank high on the list of spa services and dermatological treatments, but they can be costly and time consuming, which means not all of us can avail ourselves of that beauty boost without doing the budget shuffle and risking some major frown lines. Fortunately, the skincare market has embraced the trend, and leading edge companies like Comodynes offer products with ingredients promising to achieve the same results as those pricier peels, all within the comfort of your very own home. 

Comodynes is a French-born cosmetics company known for the ease and efficacy of its products, and they’ve continued that with their new Easy Peeling Plus exfoliating towelettes, which contain the skin regenerating properties of a Glyco-AHA complex and other natural exfoliants that will swipe away dead skin cells, improve imperfections, smooth out wrinkles, and brighten your skin.  


Comodynes’ Easy Peeling Plus towelettes are available online at www.Comodynes.net