Tuesday, July 31, 2012

The River Rose | Gilbert Morris | Book Review & Giveaway


The River Rose
by Gilbert Morris
B&H Publishing Group
392 pages

{ About This Book } 

Life hasn’t been easy for Jeanne Bettencourt, a widow approaching thirty and struggling to provide for her six-year-old daughter. But hope arrives in the form of the Helena Rose, a steamboat she unexpectedly inherits from a distant, departed relative. Jeanne’s father had captained a similar vessel and taught her how to pilot a steamer; this could be her ticket to a renewed livelihood, one of comfort and security, for her and her daughter.

Unfortunately, there is another heir to the Helena Rose -- a tough man named Clint Hardin. Jeanne, a Christian woman, feels that she can't possibly "live" with a man on the boat. But both are desperate for work, so they agree to an uneasy compromise to keep their relationship on a strict business basis.

As they begin their successful partnership on the Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers, the slowly softening Clint becomes attracted to Jeanne, who is now being courted by a wealthy plantation owner. With her family and future at stake, the desires of Jeanne’s heart are becoming duly complex. Only faith can steer her through what happens next.


{ My Thoughts On This Book }

My mom introduced me to Gilbert Morris's historical fiction when I was in high school. I spent countless hours reading about his engaging characters during the various stages of our nations' history, and had serious crushes on more than one of the heroic male leads. It has been almost a decade since I picked up a Morris novel, due more to life changes and forgetfulness than to anything else, and I am so glad I did!

The River Rose is a fast moving and compelling story that I really enjoyed. As with all of his novels, Morris provides a wealth of historical information and detail that fills the story with depth and realism. The only issue I had with this story was that when Clint became a believer, he immediately swore off all of his previous vices without a single hint of difficulty, which felt contrived to me. Thankfully, that was a minor detail, and did not detract from the overall story. Dealing with themes of questioning faith, romance, forgiveness, justice, societal norms, and morality, this book will keep your attention riveted until the final page.

{ Read Chapter One }

The River Rose by Gilbert Morris - Chapter 1


{ About The Author }

Gilbert Morris is among today's most popular Christian writers, his books having sold over seven million copies worldwide. A former pastor and English professor, he specializes in historical fiction and won a 2001 Christy Award for the Civil War drama Edge of Honor. Morris lives with his wife in Gulf Shores, Alabama. You can learn more about Gilbert Morris, and connect with him online, on his website, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

{ Buy This Book }

You can purchase your own copy of The River Rose for $11.20 here.

{ Win This Book }

 Thanks to the good folks at B&H Publishing Group, and Mr. Morris, one lucky Our Little Bit Of Wonderful reader is going to win their very own copy of The River Rose. You must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the United States in order to win, and only entries received via the Rafflecopter form below are eligible to win, and the winning entry will be verified.


{ Disclosure }

I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from B&H Publishing Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Monday, July 30, 2012

Glow Bug Cloth Diapers | Review & Giveaway

I had the opportunity to review a cloth diaper from Glow Bug Cloth Diapers back in February, with my adorable nephew, Nico. We had a bit of a rough experience (the whole stinky story can be found below), and they ended up sending me a second diaper. I almost turned them down (curious about that story, yet?), but I gave it a second shot, and I am so glad that I did! Before we go any farther, let me tell you a little bit about this company and their adorable cloth diapers...

Sara and Neta are best friends who started their own cloth diaper company, Glow Bug Cloth Diapers, in 2010. Frustrated at the lack of available cloth diapers that were both good quality and affordable, they decided to develop their own. The result? An extremely cute, easy to use, and affordable cloth diaper designed to be used from birth through potty training.

{ 12 Glow Bug Cloth Diapers $150 Girl }
{ 12 Glow Bug Cloth Diapers $150 Boy }
{ 12 Glow Bug Cloth Diapers $150 Neutral }

Three packages of 12 cloth diapers are available for $150 each, in designs for boys or girls, or in a gender neutral solid spectrum set. You can also purchase booster packs of 6 cloth diapers in spectrum ($75) or in white ($70), and right now you can get single diapers in an adorable limited edition citrus print for $20 each (no other diapers are sold individually, however when you break it down they come out to $12.50 each, which is on the lower end of the cost spectrum for this kind of diaper).

Lots of mommy bloggers have been talking about these great cloth diapers for over a year now, and I am so excited that I was given the opportunity to try Glow Bug Cloth Diapers out for myself! I was initially sent one back in March to try out with my one year old nephew, Nico, but we had some unforeseen problems with it, so they sent us a second diaper to try with Serenity after she was born this spring. In the interest of a fair review, I am going to tell you about my experiences with both diapers...

{ Copyright @ Alena Belleque 2012 ~ DO NOT COPY }

Nico rocked his stuff for my camera in this adorable Hawaiian print cloth diaper, and he seemed to be really comfortable in it, especially since he had never worn a cloth diaper before. Unfortunately, we made a few mistakes...

Turns out that pre-washing new cloth diapers is really important. So is proper rise adjustment. And if your kiddo is a heavy wetter, you want to make sure they have enough liners in their diaper before sleeping in it overnight. Yahhhh...

In a nutshell, I forgot to pre-wash this diaper, so it didn't have nearly the absorbancy that it should have had. Add to that the fact that his mommy and I didn't set the diaper at a tight enough rise adjustment (more about this later), causing his piddles to - you guessed it - leak right out the leg holes unopposed. Throw in the fact hat he is a heavy wetter, and Nico woke up in the morning completely soaking wet, with poop and piddles everywhere. Not a fun morning for his poor mom!

It got worse. I was quite pregnant at this point, and slept in that day, so when my sister-in-law brought the extremely stinky, sopping wet diaper over to her parents' house (where we were living at the time) I wasn't awake to wash it out right away, so she left it in the garage to avoid stinking up the house. Then everyone forgot to tell me it was there. Did I mention it was March, in northern Illinois? Yah, the diaper froze.

After scraping frozen poop out of an ice cold diaper for 45 minutes, and bawling into the toilet at 8 months pregnant, I was ready to throw in the towel with cloth diapering in general. Thankfully, reason and logic prevailed, and I reminded myself that it wasn't likely that I would have to deal with frozen diapers, well, ever under normal circumstances, and I decided to contact Glow Bug with my concerns instead of just writing a negative review - after all, all of the other reviews I had read were good! They told me that cloth diapers have to be washed at least once (and up to 5 times) for maximum absorbancy, and offered to send me a second diaper and a sample of Rockin' Green laundry detergent.

When Serenity was seven weeks old, we tried again...

{ Copyright @ Alena Belleque 2012 ~ DO NOT COPY }

{ Copyright @ Alena Belleque 2012 ~ DO NOT COPY }

{ Copyright @ Alena Belleque 2012 ~ DO NOT COPY }

Here's what the Glow Bug Cloth Diaper website has to say about these diapers...

  • Each set of 12 diapers are packaged in a free wet bag!!!
  • Two sets of cross-over snaps through the waist band for a perfect fit around newborn tummies
  • Double rows of snaps with square tabs for a trim fit through the hip
  • Four size settings fitting babies from birth through potty training (7lbs-35lbs)
  • Coordinating coloured snaps for every print
  • Waterproof flaps in the front and the back of each diaper to prevent leaks
  • Double gusset through the leg for an extra barrier of protection
  • NEW SlimDry fabric keeps baby’s skin dry without the bulk
  • Two openings in the pocket makes it easier to get the absorbent inset in and out
  • Snap-in inserts to keep it in place while baby’s on the move


These cloth diapers are very easy to use, however I do wish a couple of things were different. The square tabs poke into Serenity's belly, and while she doesn't seem too unhappy about it, they leave big red marks. The only way I have found to get around this is to pull the front panel up above the points, so that it acts as a buffer. I also wish that the waterproof panel in the back was made of a slightly sturdier fabric, as the existing fabric is hard to get to lay flat, and doesn't stay inside the pocket very well (on the other hand, the waterproof flap in the front of the diaper does its job extremely well, and always stays put). Another issue with this diaper may be common to all diapers with riser snaps, but I wouldn't know because this is the only one I have used. When the risers are in use, especially for the smaller settings, the outer gussets bunch up around the top of Serenity's legs. I discovered that it is possible to gently tuck and smooth them in, and so far they haven't leaked, but it does leave a bit of a gap in that corner. Finally, despite making sure that the risers were adjusted properly and that the waist band was snug, and despite using both microfiber liners, we had a repeat of the overnight soaking/leaking disaster we experienced with Nico and the first diaper. Serenity has worn the diaper several times during the day, and I had washed it 5 or 6 times, but when she woke up in the morning the entire diaper was completely saturated with urine, and she was laying in a big puddle. Serenity has slept 10 hours through the night since she was 5 weeks old, so perhaps they are just not suited to being worn that long; I really don't know.

Overall, I like the Glow Bug Cloth Diapers, but I would not recommend using them overnight, unless you plan to change them at least twice during the night. If your baby sleeps through the night, I personally would not risk it. As daytime diapers, I really like the design and function of this diaper, and the fabric designs are adorable! My favorite feature of this cloth diaper is that the pocket is open at both ends, is nice and wide, and that the inserts snap into place and don't slide around. And the customer service at this company cannot be beat!

Speaking of which, the wonderful ladies at Glow Bug Cloth Diapers are offering one lucky Our Little Bit Of Wonderful reader a cloth diaper of their own! All you have to do to enter to win is complete the Mandatory Entry in the Rafflecopter form below (and as many of the optional entries as you wish), be at least 18 years old, and be a resident of Canada or the United States. (This offer is VOID where prohibited by law.) Don't forget to visit them on Facebook and Twitter, and let them know Alena @ Our Little Bit Of Wonderful sent you!


{ Disclosure }

I received product from this sponsor in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This post is in compliance with FTC regulations. You can read more about my policies on my PR Friendly and Disclosure pages.
This post is part of our Celebrating Serenity baby event! To read more posts, check out the events page. Be sure to enter our many giveaways, and check back frequently for more great guest posts, and opportunities to win sweet baby and mommy loot!

Friday, July 20, 2012

Inescapable | Nancy Mehl | Book Review & Author Giveaway

Inescapable
by Nancy Mehl

{ From the Book Cover }

Lizzie Engel is used to running away. At eighteen, she left her Mennonite hometown, Kingdom, Kansas, with plans never to return.

But five years later, the new life she built is falling apart. Lizzie knows she's being followed, and she's certain the same mysterious stranger is behind the threatening letters she's received. Realizing she'll have to run again, the only escape Lizzie can manage is a return to the last place she wants to go.

Once she arrives in Kingdom, Lizzie is confident she'll be safe until she comes up with a new plan. In reacquainting herself with the town and its people--especially her old friend, Noah Housler--she wonders if she judged her hometown and her Mennonite faith too harshly. However, just as she begins to come to terms with her roots, Lizzie is horrified to discover the danger she ran from is closer than ever.

No longer sure who to trust and fearful for her life and the lives of those around her, Lizzie finds she has only one place left to run--to the Father whose love is inescapable. 


{ My Thoughts On This Book }

Inescapable is a fast paced story that touches on themes of judgement, forgiveness, consequence, and perception. Well written and engaging, it is a good story with compelling lessons that are delivered subtly, without being preachy. If you enjoy stories set in conservative Mennonite or Amish settings, you may enjoy this book.

You can read more reviews of Inescapable here.

{ Buy This Book }

You can purchase your own copy of this book for $11.18 here.

{ About The Author }

Nancy Mehl, the author of 12 books, received an ACFW Carol Award in 2009 for her novel For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls. She has a background in social work and is a member of ACFW and RWA. She writes from her home in Wichita, Kansas, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their puggle, Watson. Visit her website at www.nancymehl.com.

{ Blog Tour & Author Giveaway }


Celebrate with Nancy by entering her "Inescapable" Giveaway, to win a Handmade Mennonite Quilt, and connecting with her during the Author Chat Party on 7/26!

Find out what readers are saying here.


One winner will receive:
  • A Handmade Mennonite Quilt
  • A copy of Inescapable by Nancy Mehl
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 25th. Winner will be announced at the "Inescapable" Author Chat Facebook Party on 7/26. Nancy will be hosting a book chat, testing your trivia skills (how much do you know about the Mennonites?) and giving away some great prizes!


So grab your copy of Inescapable and join Nancy on the evening of the July 26th for a chance to connect with Nancy and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book - don't let that stop you from coming!)

Enter via E-mail Enter via FacebookEnter via Twitter

Don't miss a moment of the RSVP todayTell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 26th!


{ Disclosure }

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This post is in compliance with FTC regulations. You can read more about my policies on my PR Friendly and Disclosure pages.

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Closer To Nature Breast Care Starter Pack | Tommee Tippee | Review & Giveaway

Yep, it's another Tommee Tippee product review and giveaway! *smiles* Here's a little something for mommy, this time...

Allow me to introduce the Closer To Nature Breast Care Starter Pack...

Containing 36 disposable breast pads, 2 washable and reusable breast pads, and 1 zippered storage bad, this is a great starter kit for new moms. The bag is made out of some kind of neoprene, is waterproof, and easily holds up to 8 pads at a time, so it's especially great for carrying your nursing pads around in your diaper bag. No more fishing around in the bottom of your bag for loose packets!


The disposable fabric on these breast pads is super soft and comfortable, and breathes well. The back of each pad has a sticky spot - just peel off the tag and stick it to your bra. Unfortunately, this feature didn't work at all for me, but I am quite large breasted, so that may have simply put to much strain on the poor things (gravity and all that). In other words, the stick patch held the pad to my bra very well until I wore it for a while, and then it no longer stayed put (but it did stay sticky).


These are the reusable breast pads. I have to admit that I did not actually wear these; I was put off by the rough weave of the pad, which really did not feel that comfortable on my fingers, and I wasn't thrilled with the thought of them rubbing on more sensitive tissue. It did occur to me well after the fact (darn that pregnancy brain!) that running them through the wash a few times before using them may have made a difference. I would like to point out that even if you find them too rough like I did, the value of the Starter Pack is not diminished at all by their presence.


As you can see, these breast pads have a very slim line design, that doesn't take up much room inside your bra, and you can't see the outline at all from the outside, even with a tight shirt.

Check out the rest of the awesome products from Tommee Tippee on their website, and find exclusive offers and promotions on their Facebook and Twitter pages!
One lucky Our Little Bit Of Wonderful reader is going to win one of these Closer To Nature Breast Care Starter Kits, courtesy of Tommee Tippee!! To win, you must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the United States, and you MUST complete the 2 mandatory entries AND if you choose to do any of the optional entries you MUST complete the ones you claim - all entries will be verified, and incomplete entries will be disqualified. This offer is VOID where prohibited by law.
Like what you see? Don't miss an opportunity to win more great products from Tommee Tippee by checking out my reviews of their Closer To Nature Clear Shield Pacifiers & Pacifier Holders, their Explora Bibs, and The Day Baby Was Born website!
{ Disclosure }

I received product from this sponsor in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This post is in compliance with FTC regulations. You can read more about my policies on my PR Friendly and Disclosure pages.
This post is part of our Celebrating Serenity baby event! To read more posts, check out the events page. Be sure to enter our many giveaways, and check back frequently for more great guest posts, and opportunities to win sweet baby and mommy loot!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Ceramic Keepsake Diaper | BabyChix | Product Review


BabyChix was created in 2009 by Rochelle Drumm, who has a passion for helping homeless and at risk children and youth, and foster kids, through One Change At A Time. BabyChix is a baby boutique that features unique and adorable products like this 4" ceramic keepsake diaper...

{ 4" Ceramic Keepsake Diaper }

This keepsake diaper is hilarious and adorable. It is very well made, and has a nice shine to it. My favorite feature is definitely the real diaper pin on the front!

I have to say that the packaging of this item was superb! Bubble wrapped inside a small box with a label affixed to the front, tied with a ribbon, with a pretty business card doubling as a product tab.


Useful for a variety of purposes, this keepsake diaper can be used as a vase or a planter, or to store small items like cotton balls or these little hair bows...


You can connect with BabyChix on Facebook and Twitter, and be sure to check out the rest of their cute products on their website.

{ Disclosure }

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. This post is in compliance with FTC regulations. You can read more about my policies on my PR Friendly and Disclosure pages.
This post is part of our Celebrating Serenity baby event! To read more posts, check out the events page. Be sure to enter our many giveaways, and check back frequently for more great guest posts, and opportunities to win sweet baby and mommy loot!

Monday, July 9, 2012

Closer To Nature Clear Shield Pacifiers & Pacifier Holders | Tommee Tippee | Review & Giveaway

Yep, here's another Tommee Tippee review! Like I mentioned before, they sent me a HUGE box of awesome products to review, and today I want to tell you about the Closer To Nature Clear Shield Pacifiers and Pacifier Holders.
{ Closer To Nature Clear Shield Pacifiers 6-18m }

Serenity is only 2 months old, so all I can say about these adorable pacifiers (which are designed for babies 6 to 18 months old) is that they are very well designed, very cute, all the pieces move smoothly, and I love that the clear design allows more of your baby's cherubic face to remain visible while they self-soothe. Here's what Tommee Tippee has to say about these cute pacifiers...

The new Closer to Nature pacifiers (Pure, C-air, and Soft) were created by a bio-medical engineer and a pediatric dentist. They studied the way that the tongue functions and the way that infants suck, and wanted to develop a soother to be more natural and fit more naturally in the mouth.

When a baby sucks on a pacifier, they build up internal pressure in their mouth, the tongue is low and the cheek muscles push inwards on the palate. Our new pacifier is designed to have a natural fit in the mouth and gently expands in an umbrella-like fashion to support the palate and maintain its natural shape.

There are a lot of orthodontic shaped pacifiers on the market today, but what we have developed is a pacifier that provides an orthodontic function. 

This pacifier promotes safe and healthy oral development because of its natural fit and unique attributes in the design of the teat.

These pacifiers also come in a handy sterilizer case that doubles as a storage case. All you have to do to sterilize these pacifiers is put them in the case, add water to the first oval line on the case, and microwave for about a minute and a half (adjust time for microwaves with wattage over 1000 watts).

In addition to the pacifiers, I also received a pair of Closer To Nature Pacifier Holders for review...

{ Closer To Nature Pacifier Holders }

These holders have flexible rings designed to either clip onto ring pacifiers (like the ones in this review) or around the plug on plug-style pacifiers. They are also BPA free and easily wipe clean. While I haven't used them with Serenity yet because of her age (at the moment, she refuses to take any pacifier, and we're still working through some latch issues), I did check out the flexibility, ease of use, sturdiness of the clip and the various components, and I am impressed with the craftsmanship. These are quality pacifier holders!

Check out the rest of the awesome products from Tommee Tippee on their website, and find exclusive offers and promotions on their Facebook and Twitter pages!

One lucky Our Little Bit Of Wonderful reader is going to win these Closer To Nature Clear Shield Pacifiers and Closer To Nature Pacifier Holders, courtesy of Tommee Tippee!! To win, you must be at least 18 years old and a resident of the United States, and you MUST complete the 2 mandatory entries AND if you choose to do any of the optional entries you MUST complete the ones you claim - all entries will be verified, and incomplete entries will be disqualified. This offer is VOID where prohibited by law.


Like what you see? Don't miss an opportunity to win more great products from Tommee Tippee by checking out my reviews of their Explora Bibs and The Day Baby Was Born website!

{ Disclosure }

I received product from this sponsor in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This post is in compliance with FTC regulations. You can read more about my policies on my PR Friendly and Disclosure pages.

This post is part of our Celebrating Serenity baby event! To read more posts, check out the events page. Be sure to enter our many giveaways, and check back frequently for more great guest posts, and opportunities to win sweet baby and mommy loot!

Thursday, July 5, 2012

The Day Baby Was Born | Tommee Tippee | Website Review & Giveaway

A few days back, I introduced you to the baby and mommy stuff brand, Tommee Tippee, in my review of their awesome Explora Bibs (check out my review and enter to win a pair of these great bibs here). Today, I have something fun to tell you about, that they are quite proud of...


The Day Baby Was Born
A digital storybook that captures baby's beginnings
The Day Baby Was Born is an interactive website that helps expectant parents chronicle their pregnancy and their child's birth. It gathers status updates about your baby from Facebooks, allows you to journal pregnancy memories, it has guided prompts to record your birth story, you can upload photographs to illustrate your story, and much more!

Your information is saved on a secure server, and is not shared with Tommee Tippee or anyone else. You have the option to share your story book to Facebook if you want, and you can control the privacy settings when you do, so you get to decide who gets to see it. You can also download your book as a .pdf file, so you can share it with your little one on your home computer, or even print it out and add it to their baby book! Lots of options.

I am big time into traditional and digital scrapbooking, so while I made one of these books, I didn't find the site overly useful for my own family. That said, it was a very easy site to use, and for anyone wanting an easy and elegant way to record pregnancy and birth memories, The Day Baby Was Born is an excellent resource!

If you want to see my book, you are welcome to check it out here. Pardon the quality of the pictures, please ~ I am still making them all pretty *wink*

You can get your own The Day Baby Was Born baby book here ~ it's FREE!! Be sure to check out all the great products from Tommee Tippee on their website, and you can connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to learn more, and receive great discounts.

The awesome folks at Tommee Tippee are offering one lucky Our Little Bit Of Wonderful a set of 3Closer To Nature 150ml / 5oz Feeding Bottles! All you have to do to be in the running to win is enter your info into the form below. This giveaway is open to residents of ELIGIBILITY, and you must be at least 18 years old to win (this offer VOID where prohibited by law). Make sure you complete each entry for which you claim credit as we do verify entries, and anyone found to have not completed an entry they claim will be disqualified.



{ Disclosure }

I was not compensated for bringing you this giveaway. This post is in compliance with FTC regulations. You can learn more about my policies on my PR Friendly Blog and Disclosure pages.


This post is part of our Celebrating Serenity baby event! To read more posts, check out the events page. Be sure to enter our many giveaways, and check back frequently for more great guest posts, and opportunities to win sweet baby and mommy loot!

Monday, July 2, 2012

The Loss Is Still Fresh | Matthew Charlick

I find it difficult to know what to say. My heart is heavy, and has been since Saturday morning; I cannot imagine that it will be any less so in the near future.

My husband's best friend died two weeks ago. Suicide. They found him in the woods on Saturday.

Grief is thick in the air around here.

Matthew was a good man. He was good people, Nick would say. The best kind of people. The best kind of friend. He was always there when his family and friends needed him. Always ready to offer a hand and a smile. Always the first to step up.

{ Nick & Matthew on our wedding day }
Nick has known Matthew since they were seven years old ~ almost two decades. He was Nick's best man in our wedding, in 2007. He helped us move countless times in the first couple of years of our marriage. The first time, he showed up hours early just to help me pack, and he brought me lunch. That was the kind of man Matt was. The kind of person who thinks about others. Who is kind. Who gives because he doesn't know any other way to be. A good man.

His funeral is on Friday, in Montana. I would give anything for Nick to be able to go and say goodbye to his friend, but it isn't possible, financially. I keep vacillating between sadness that Matt is gone, and anger that I can't do anything to ease the suffering my husband is going through at his loss, or to help give him closure. I don't have the energy to even think about Matt's family and other friends and how they are feeling right now. If I stop focusing on Nick, I am going to fall apart myself.

All I can do is pray. Pray for Matt's parents, Terry and Debbie. Pray for his sister, Marjorie. Pray for his brother, Thad, and his sister-in-law, Becky, and their children. Pray for all of the people who have lost a dear friend. Pray for Nick. Pray for Serenity, who will never know her Uncle Matt. Pray for myself.

Our only consolation is that Matt knew Jesus. As wonderful a consolation as it is, grief still hangs thick in the air for those left behind.

Please pray with me?? We need you.