Are You Storing Your Essential Oils Properly?

I love essential oils and my stash was getting a bit out of control. I needed a place to store it all so the search for a quality essential oil bag started. I recently ordered a Gogobag Essential Oil Case and I am so happy! It is a nice hard shell case with dual zipper closure and carry handle.

gogobag

It holds 30 bottles of 10ml and 15ml oils according to the manufacturer’s description but it also held 5ml bottles. I love that it holds so many bottles so I can easily store it anywhere and it is effortless now for me to take my oils anywhere. Great when we are traveling too. The cases are black and available with either blue, green or pink accent coloring.

gogobag 1

Check out my video below to see more great details about this Gogobag Essential Oil Case.

 If you have any questions or comments please leave them in the comments. I will do my best to answer any questions and respond to your comments.

I was able to purchase this case at a discount in return for leaving an honest an unbiased product review. As always my words and views are 100% my own.

 


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Win 1 of 3 VISA $100 Gift Cards with DC Super Hero Girls-#Giveaway

Are you kids searching for some action-packed girl power? If so, the search is over because DC Super Hero Girls are here! DC Entertainment’s latest animated series features a dynamic group of Super Heros on their journey of discovering the power of their unique abilities and friendships. What I think is so great about this series is how dynamic the characters are, from strong and fearless to edgy and fun; there is a character for everyone!

The DC Super Hero Girls YouTube channel makes it simple for  kids to watch their favorite characters, on-demand, and from any device. Check out the YouTube Channel HERE!

For even more fun for your readers, there is an extended online experience on the DC Super Hero Girls website where kids can play games, download free printable activities, and more.

 Take a look at the DC Super Hero Girls Youtube Playlist below:

Giveaway

Win 1 of 3 VISA $100 Gift Cards with DC Super Hero Girls in the Giveaway Below!!! Good Luck!!!

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Don’t Forget The Small Details When Planning Your Wedding

Planning a wedding takes a lot of thought, time and effort. Most times we concern ourselves with the huge decisions like the dress, venue, bridal party, cake, menu, flowers, music and forget the little things that can add a special touch and brand the day our own. Things like personalized wedding napkins may not even cross your wedding planning radar but they should. Small details like this can really show you have coordinated your day down to the smallest detail and they  are a great memory to put in a shadow box or scrapbook to remember your day.

wedding napkins

Wedding napkins are so easy to personalize with graphics and of course your names and wedding date. There are all kinds of napkins in many color tones for beverages, luncheons, dinner and more! It really shows that you thought about everything to celebrate your wedding day. You might be surprised at all the different ways you can design them online.

 

wedding napkins color

 

wedding dinner napkins

 

With wedding season approaching I thought this was a great tidbit to share. Personalized wedding napkins are a great way to add your special touch to make the ordinary truly extraordinary!


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Confidence Not Self-Esteem #Giveaway

Raising good kids who are happy, confident, and successful in life is every good parent’s intent. Without formal training or guidance, most parents raise their children in the hope that they will grow up to be more successful than them. To aid themselves in their most important job, parents seek out all kinds of advice from one end of the spectrum to the other.

One study that has failed parents most is The Psychology of Self-Esteem by Dr. Nathaniel Branden published in 1969. He concluded that “self-esteem” is the single most important part of one’s persona. Between 1970-2000, 15,000 scholarly articles were written that support this notion! This ushered in a cultural change that included the rise of the self-help publishing industry as well as manifold programs designed to help everyone build their self-esteem and instill the same in their children. Fostering self-esteem in every possible way was touted as the epitome of “good parenting.”

The Self-Esteem Revolution

The “self-esteem revolution” was responsible for soccer coaches who didn’t count goals but handed trophies out to everyone. Constructive criticism was replaced with broad, indiscriminate praise while honest competition was frowned upon, and a plethora of other changes based upon building self-esteem were implemented even though most didn’t make intuitive sense to many parents. Yet, logically, who could argue with all the data to support this?

It is no surprise that in 2003 the Association of Psychological Science asked Dr. Roy Baumeister, proponent and great believer in positive self-esteem, to review the literature. His conclusion: high self-esteem didn’t improve grades, career advancement, or achievement. It didn’t affect the usage of alcohol and didn’t reduce violence. He later stated that this was the biggest disappointment of his career!

Competence and Confidence

It is competence and confidence that help people from the youngest to the oldest become their best selves. It is empowering and encouraging positive behavior and accomplishment through trial and error that teaches children how to go through the process that makes success possible in their lives. They have to attempt a task, fail, and then try again and again to realize that this is part of life. Parents need to empower their children to do things for themselves. ThinkVirtues is here to help you do just that!

Think virtues 1 2

ThinkVirtues provides a comprehensive program for you and your family to help transfer your parental wisdom, knowledge, and life experiences to your children. With over 300 years of combined experience, the ThinkVirtues’ ThinkTank is comprised of dedicated educators, counselors, and doctors who have the recipe for raising and educating resilient, happy, confident children who become successful now and later in life. This work is based on the timeless virtues responsible for developing strong character. Through ThinkVirtues’ carefully crafted exercises and conversation starters, parents can have meaningful conversations and create a lasting bond with their children. ThinkVirtues helps parents help their children grow up to become productive adults who will make the right decisions, develop healthy relationships, and become their best selves.

After all, no one else cares for your children more than you and with the guidance provided by ThinkVirtues, you can be sure that your children have all of the tools they need to navigate through life. The practice of ThinkVirtues’ exercises becomes a confidence-building surrogate for your maturing children when you are no longer there every minute of every day. Additionally, because of the lasting bond you will have created, your children will feel comfortable coming to you for help when unsure in a particular situation.

No class, camp, or person can provide the love and care that you have for your own children – we at ThinkVirtues know that. At times you may need help regarding the teaching of morality, resilience, and life experiences but don’t always feel comfortable asking for it. ThinkVirtues’ guided lesson plans provide assistance that is easy to follow and understand.

As a society, it is no longer possible to shelter children from the many bad examples they see outside of their homes, but with ThinkVirtues’ help, together we can ensure that they will learn to make the right decisions even when we are not there.

think virtues photo
About ThinkVirtues—
ThinkVirtues empowers children to be happy, confident and resilient! ThinkVirtues provides a complete set of tools, endorsed by experienced educators and child development specialists, so you can establish the right foundation in your child. Created for ages 4 to forever, children who’ve used ThinkVirtues are happier, more confident and resilient individuals who excel in the classroom, family, friendships and beyond! Just a few minutes a day prepares your child for the journey ahead. Learn more at www.ThinkVirtues.com

Giveaway

ThinkVirtues is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!  One lucky blog reader will win a ThinkVirtues Gold Annual Subscription (Retail Value $179.99). Thank you to ThinkVirtues for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!!  Open to US residents.

 

ThinkVirtues Gold Annual Subscription Includes:

-(365) daily lessons emailed directly to winner

-Exclusive access to the member’s portal complete with courses and videos

-A copy of the fantasy-fiction book, Eutopia: The Discovery

-52-card deck of the Virtues Questions Cards

-Children’s workbook (printable PDF)

-15% discount on all ThinkVirtues merchandise

 

ThinkVirtues Gold Annual Subscription Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Great Easter Basket Treat For The Whole Family-#Giveaway

Are you looking for something that won’t cause cavities and sugar highs for your kid’s Easter basket? If so, you might want to take a look at Capture The Flag, a fun-filled space adventure that arrives on DVD, Digital HD and On Demand March 1, 2016!

capture the flag dvd

 

CAPTURE THE FLAG is approved by the Dove Foundation for family audiences, the film weaves a fantastical tale of a boy, his father and grandfather who come together to protect the legacy of the original moon landing.  With reimagined animated scenes of the famed Apollo 11 mission, CAPTURE THE FLAG offer fans of all ages an entertaining take on NASA and space exploration.

Space travel runs in Mike Goldwing’s family: both his father and grandfather were astronauts. But the plucky 12-year-old’s estranged grandfather, Frank, has lived a life isolated from his family after missing out on the chance to make history as a member of the Apollo 11 crew.  However, when Mike discovers that an eccentric billionaire plans to fly to the moon, claim its vast, valuable mineral resources, and destroy the American flag planted by the Apollo 11 astronauts, the countdown to a spectacular adventure begins!  Mike, teamed with his grandfather, best friends Amy and Marty, and a clever chameleon, blasts off on an incredible moon-bound mission, determined to thwart the billionaire’s evil plan, capture the flag, and reunite his divided family.

An ideal gift for Easter, the CAPTURE THE FLAG DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 televisions with English 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, French 5.1 Dolby Digital and English Audio Description, with English, French and Spanish subtitles.

 

 

CAPTURE THE FLAG

Street Date:                     March 1, 2016

SRP:                                   $29.99 U.S.

Runtime:                           97 minutes

U.S. Rating:                      PG for action, language and some thematic elements

Canadian Rating:            G

 

 Enter To Win

Paramount Home Media Distribution is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!  One lucky blog reader will win their own Capture The Flag DVD. Thank you to Paramount Home Media Distribution  for the review product and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!!  Open to US residents.

Capture The Flag DVD Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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Share The Inspiring NatGeo TV Movie With Your Family of a Voice The Would Not Be Silenced! #withMalala #HeNamedMeMalala

I want to tell you about a very important television event premiering commercial free on Monday, February 29th at 8 pm est. National Geographic is bringing the story of Malala to the NatGeo channel.Malala

Growing up in Swat Valley, Pakistan 10-year-old Malala started to campaign for the rights of girls to receive an education. Using a pen name Malala wrote a blog for the BBC detailing her life under Taliban rule and her feelings on promoting education for girls. Her voice was almost silenced when she was shot by the Taliban at the age of 15 on her way home from school on her school bus.

malala 3

However her spirit was not ready to be silenced and she did not die and she did not just survive, she thrived! She went on to win the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize which was jointly awarded to her and Kailash Satyarthi for their work in the field of children’s rights. Malala is the Co-Founder of The Malala Fund, a non-profit organization whose work around the world focuses on the rights of girls to receive a quality education.

malala 4

 

Watch the official movie trailer below:

 

I hope you tune in on Monday evening with your family to see her story. It is such an inspirational story of what one voice can do to help better the lives of millions. Let me know what you think if you do watch. I would love to hear what you and your family thought.


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Diffusing Essential Oils Can Help You Cope With The Last Weeks of Winter! #Giveaway

You know when we are at the end of winter like this and just longing for spring, it can seem just like a huge tease. We are so close but then Old Man Winter just does not want to leave quietly. Instead, he wants to go out kicking and screaming. It is those last few weeks that can drag on forever it seems especially since that liar groundhog made us think we were getting an early spring. Never trust the groundhog, he lies! One thing I found that really improves my mood during these seemingly endless last few weeks of winter is to diffuse pleasing blends of pure essential oils throughout my home. You would be surprised what a difference it makes.

rockano diffuser 1

If you have never used an essential oil diffuser or if you are looking into getting another, I have a great option to share with you. The Rockano by Quooz is a very interesting looking essential oil diffuser. It comes in three colors; cobalt blue, toffee and peach. I chose the toffee. This diffuser holds 200 ml of water so is in the mid-range volume size. It has a light function that has three modes; steady on, breathing mode and off. The mist has a low or high setting and the unit is easy to operate and care for. Watch my video below for all the details.

 

Product Description:

“”Rockano”” by Quooz® is an essential oil diffuser that utilizes the most advanced ultrasonic technology to diffuse tap water with a few drops of your choice of oils into a cool mist, maximizing the aromatic powers of the oils. It is ideal for relieving asthma, dry cough, sinus, and cold and flu symptoms or for adding fragrance to your environment.

With adjustable mist and adjustable lighting, “Rockano” is sure to please your every preference. The high mist setting is designed for those who like a strong mist or for larger areas. On the regular mist setting, Rockano’s high capacity allows it to work all night. Then, for optimal safety, the unit will turn off automatically when the water runs low- quietly.

Rockano’s stylish, contemporary design, shaped like a peaky, rocky mountain, will blend well with your style- whether conventional or modern. It also resembles the fine cuts of a dazzling Diamond.

•Large capacity- 200 ML
•2 mist settings with separate control buttons
•High mist diffuses up to 5 hours
•Regular mist diffuses up to 10 hours
•Energy- saving LED lighting
•Quiet Diffusion
•Quiet automatic shut-off
•Low energy use
•DC 24V Voltage. 12W Power.
•BPA- free
•Diffuses ultrasonically at 2.4million Hz/second
•Easy to clean & long- lasting
•Five Functions in one: Purifier/Aroma Diffuser/ Ionizer/Humidifier/Night Light
•Great for every room in your home, office, hotel- just about anywhere.

Open your senses to the beauty of aromatherapy – a true retreat for the body, mind and soul.

Included in the gift box:
Rockano diffuser
A/C adapter
User manual”

This diffuser is a great way to enjoy your favorite essential oils and essential oil blends. The product is available right on Amazon and you can order one by clicking on the photo link at the end of this post. If you would like to try and win one, we are having a giveaway and one lucky reader will win their own Rockano Aroma Diffuser. Thank you to Quooz for the review unit and for sponsoring this awesome giveaway on Mommy Ramblings. Open to US residents, just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!
rockano diffuser

Quooz, Rockano Aroma Essential Oil Diffuser Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

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A Smart Way To Inspire Creativity In You Child! #SocialBttrflyCo

I guess I would consider myself a pretty creative person. I love trying my hand at new things, enjoy art projects, crafts, DIY and more. I would say it has rubbed off on just about all of my 5 kids in some way, shape or form. We love painting river rocks, making ornaments, tackling a new DIY project together and making all kids of things. My daughter is a champion knitter as well.  My husband joins in too and so I think all 7 of us are a creative bunch.

If you have a creative child or maybe you want to do your best to inspire some creativity, I have something great to share. Smart Art Box is a month subscription art box. Every month it arrives filled with the instruments and supplies to inspire the artist in us all!

Each month, your box will feature a range of top-shelf FULL SIZED art supplies – from acrylic paint to polymer clay – plus a project to go along with it to help teach and inspire your inner artist.

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PROJECTS FOR EVERYONE

The project’s are unique and cultural. We create projects that give a quick step by step to help those who are new, and guide those that are seasoned. We also provide tips to help new and old artists gain invaluable new skills.

smart art 3

 

THE TOOLS YOU NEED

With each medium come the tools to manipulate it and bring out the strength that each style can achieve.

smart art

Smart Art was created by a small group of friends, driven by the desire to see the world and experience the culture created by historical visionaries. Along the way, they found inspiration in the many mediums found everywhere, from the poorest of villages, to the most prestigious of cities. Each medium expressed the artist’s individual communities, heritage and personality. For this reason, inspired by the passion portrayed in their art, a new determination was born to pursue and discover the many exciting art mediums across the world.

Together, they are committed to ensuring artists understand art and it’s many mediums throughout time in order to create a better understanding of the world around us. Their mission is to deliver products that kindle creativity, stimulate exciting new techniques and establish a deeper connection with art for everyone.

We received our Smart Art Box and were so impressed with everything inside, full size products, everything we need and instruction to guide and inspire us. I will be updating very soon with our masterpieces. This is certainly  “Happy Mail for a family like ours and I would bet it would be for yours too!

smart art mine

smart art mine 1

You can visit Smart Art on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.  Let me know if you do try Smart Art Box of if you are already receiving monthly creativity delivered to your doorstep.

 

 

I was provided with a Smart Art Box to facilitate this post as a blogger working with @SocialBttrflyCo.  As always my words and views are always 100% my own.

 


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The Legend of the Easter Robin #Giveaway #EasterRobin #FlyBy

Surprisingly up until last week the weather in Upstate New York has been mild. January 31st was like a spring day and we missed the snowstorms that dumped a few feet of the white stuff to areas less than 60 minutes from us. In fact, we have no snow on the ground at all. We did experience bone chilling cold temperatures of  -6 degrees Fahrenheit last weekend. It has warmed up, but nowhere near the early spring like temperatures we were having a few weeks ago.

Christmas day was so warm we had dandelions blooming but ironically, Mother Nature wants to give us a taste of winter before spring rolls in. It looks like the next 10 days will only bring us highs in the 30’s and 40’s along with some snow showers.  Oh well, it can’t last that long, at least I hope it won’t. I am eager to see the first Robin Red Breast of spring. Speaking of spring, I have a great book to share with you. The Legend of the Easter Robin is a great book that is perfect to share with your own child or any special child in your life to captivate and teach them about compassion and faith.

the Easter Robin

In the center of the nest lay one perfect egg, the color of a spring sky. The father robin sat on a branch nearby, guarding his family. Tressa spotted raccoon tracks below and a blue jay eyeing the nest. “Gran, how are we going to keep the egg safe?” “We’ll have to leave that one to the Creator,” Gran said. Robins have built a nest on the window ledge at Grandmother’s house! Tressa is thrilled―and concerned. What will happen to the sky-blue egg laid by the mother robin? As more eggs appear, Tressa witnesses the daily drama of the robins’ nest and learns how God cares for all creatures. Besides watching the birds, there are Easter eggs to color. And there is a very special story to hear―a tale of long ago about one small bird with a very big heart. How did the robin get its red breast? Tressa is about to find out as Gran tells her the story of the Easter robin. Brought to life with colorful, tender illustrations, The Legend of the Easter Robin makes a perfect Easter Gift!

Giveaway

 

Would you like to enter our giveaway to win a copy? I thought you would, just enter below using the Rafflecopter widget.  Please read our rules below. Good Luck!!!

The Legend of the Easter Robin Book Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller / FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification. Open to residents of the USA and Canada only.

 

 

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Is Green Tea Causing Liver Damage?

Green tea is supposed to be good for us, right? A metabolism boosting drink filled with powerful antioxidant properties? Green tea is a good choice of beverage for those wanting to get healthier isn’t it?  Well, you might be surprised to hear that there are some very scary cases in the news recently that are shaking a lot of green tea drinkers up.

Green Tea Causing Hepatitis?

green tea cupA recent case study in the British Medical Journal reports that a 16-year-old girl suffering from symptoms of nausea, joint pain, and non-specific abdominal pain visited her physician. The doctor did not feel it was serious and sent her home stating she may just have a minor infection. When she did not get better and her symptoms worsened, she went to the ER. By the time she arrived in the ER she was jaundiced as well.

The girl explained that she had recently started drinking green tea she purchased online to help her lose weight. Citing she had only lost a few pounds when she started to experience horrid pains in her joints. She also felt very dizzy and sick the study reported. The teen was admitted to the hospital and put through a battery of tests.

Test results revealed she had acute hepatitis, or an inflamed liver. She was lucky because once the cause was found, she was given intravenous fluids and medication that let her quickly recover. She also stopped drinking the tea. While the tea she purchased was not tested, doctors theorized that the tea itself could have contained the materials that affected her liver function. While doctors said for the most part green tea is predominantly very safe and healthy to drink with the benefit of antioxidant properties, the danger may be in the additives.

These additives can be chemicals or other ingredients that can cause hepatotoxicity which is chemical-driven liver damage. They said this is especially true in teas made and marketed especially for weight loss. These teas in loose and bag varieties are being sold online through major online retailers and other sources. They have become quite popular with those looking to lose weight or detox their bodies.  It actually appears a natural and safe way to slim down but as shown here, could have dire consequences. Beyond additives, pesticides used in growing the tea leaves could also be a culprit in liver disease.

green tea leaves

Dr. Donna Seger, head of the Tennessee Poison Center in Nashville, said she’s always concerned when people buy herbal supplements or tea over the Internet without knowing much about where it came from. “I think there are still tons of people who don’t realize that because it’s natural,” doesn’t mean it can’t hurt you, Seger said of unlisted herbs or other materials in products. “They can have very significant toxicity.”Seger said people often turn to herbal supplements for weight loss and body building and that the liver, used to filter out toxins, is often the first organ to signal something is wrong.

The teen said she will never buy any online tea or weight-loss pills online again.

Green Tea Extract Supplements Causing Severe Liver Damage?

supplements

A New York Times Article told the story of  17-year-old Christopher Herrera.  Christopher was using a concentrated green tea extract that he bought at a nutrition store as a “fat burning” supplement.  However the effects on Christopher were life-threatening. When he went to the ER at Texas Children’s Hospital with his chest, face and eyes bright yellow it was determined he was suffering from severe liver damage from taking the supplement. The damage was so severe he was put on the waiting list for a liver transplant.

Christopher was terrified, this high school student from Katy, Texas was focused on the fact he needed a new liver and the possibility of his body rejecting it. Even with the best surgeons trying to comfort him it was gut wrenching. Research is showing us that Christopher’s case is not an isolated occurrence. Nutritional supplements account for nearly 20 percent of drug related liver issues that are seen in hospitals. This is up 13% from just a decade ago. Since this study only had data from the most severe cases of liver damage, investigators believe the actual number of cases is even higher.

GREEN TEA CUP SUGAR

Middle-Aged Women At Risk?

It is not only naïve teenagers who are at risk. Today, growing numbers of  middle-aged women are turning to dietary supplements that promise to speed up fat burning and help them lose weight. These supplements appear to be a good choice for them and the women consider them  a “healthy option” to stack the weight loss deck in their favor. I think these discoveries and the potential effects will have a lot of people rethinking their choices.

“It’s really the Wild West,” said Dr. Herbert L. Bonkovsky, the director of the liver, digestive and metabolic disorders laboratory at Carolinas HealthCare System in Charlotte, N.C. “When people buy these dietary supplements, it’s anybody’s guess as to what they’re getting.”

So what do you think? Have you tried the detox or weight-loss teas? What about the herbal supplements like Garincia Cambogia, Forsklin, Raspberry Ketones, Green Tea and Green Coffee Extracts? What about the increasingly popular Matcha tea from Japan? Do you really know what is in those teas and supplements? Are you willing to play Russian Roulette with your health. I would love to hear your thoughts.

GREEN TEA CUP 1

 


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