The Traveling Sisterhood: April 2017

Lucy's Nutro Adventure: Giveaway! Winner's Choice of a One Month Supply!


Special thanks to the wonderful people at Chewy.com for this review and giveaway opportunity. All opinions are honest and my own.
Lucy knows when the mail is for her! After all, her sense of smell is second to none. Here she is, trying to sniff out what goodies might be in her newest order from Chewy.com.

On the top of the box--Petite Eats by Nutro. Roasted Turkey and Vegetable Entree cuts in gravy.... mm!!! I love, love, love Nutro's petite eats. Er.... Lucy loves them! They're the perfect size for my little pooch. The best thing about Nutro is that their food is natural and made in the USA. The second best thing is their incredible variety--they have just the right food choices for any type of dog!

She loves it! Yes, she loves it. But what about the dry food...?

I am usually wary about trying new dry foods for Lucy because she can be very picky and because when they aren't especially made for small dogs, she has a hard time chewing them. But I had heard wonderful things about Nutro, I already knew Lucy loved their wet food (she tried that at Blog Paws last year and it's super obvious in the pic above), and...
...Nutro has a line of dry food specially made for small breeds! As you can see, the pieces are nice and tiny, perfect for littler dogs to nibble. The dry food is natural (just like everything else the company makes) and has powerful antioxidants among all the great vitamins and other goodies.

Before we switched to Nutro about 3 weeks ago, Lucy barely touched her dry food. She would eat it nightly as a last resort (as in, "No. Mama is not feeding you any table scraps and your wet food is done for the day" kind of last resort). But now when I scoop the Nutro dry food into her bowl, she rushes over like it's a cookie (Lucy's word for treat), wagging her tail and diving right in! I am incredulous!! Sold!! Love!!
One of you will win a ginormous one month supply of Nutro dog food in any variety that's best for your pooch! Enter below by 5/5 at 11 pm anyone's time.
You can find Nutro Pet Food, wet and dry varieties for any type of dog, at Chewy.com!


Lip Balm Giveaway! Win a 5-Pack of Totally Awesome Balmshot!


I've been using Balmshot since Christmas time, and it is my favorite lip balm ever! Ever ever ever! So I was thrilled when they offered me the opportunity of a giveaway! Just when I was running low on my my last bit of Vanilla Mint Balmshot, I received their new 6-pack of all of their varieties in the mail. One of you will win the same: a cool carrying case for your lip "ammo" which includes 5 lip balms and their cooling breath spray.


My hubby and I both agree that this stuff is amazing--and when I get items to review, he is the picky one! Not so this time. He loves this stuff! He says it's like Carmex, only better. This lip balm comes packaged like ammo! It's very cool looking, but it is also incredibly moisturizing and doesn't have that horrid taste like some balms and chapsticks do. I prefer the Pomegranate, while my hubby likes the Classic. There's also a Vanilla Mint that has a light pink tint to it that gives your lips just the right amount of color.

You can get Balm Shot at Bed, Bath, and Beyond or on their new website!  If you purchase a multipack, you get free shipping. These are such a cool gift, especially if there's a guy in your life who loves hunting!
Enter below by May 8 at 11 pm anyone's time to win the 6 pack zippered ditty bag. Check out our homepage for more awesome giveaways going on this week, too!
You Can Find Balmshot On:
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Special thanks for Balmshot for providing us with these items to review! All opinions are honest and our own.

Almondina Cookies Giveaway! Delicious Cookies Without the Guilt... You've Got to Taste to Believe!




Have you heard of Almondina? Their cookies are all-natural, delicious, and so much more healthy than your average snack cookie. My family and I loved trying some of their most popular varieties! My favorites were the original and...
... the Gingerspice! Topped with whipped cream, it was especially heavenly!
 
Almondina cookies are just simply delicious! The desserty varieties are also especially good dipped in chocolate or pudding, and the sesame version is great crunched up into salad or with slices of cheese. But, of course, they are all yummy on their own, too, straight out of the bag!

 “Our family created these delicious crunchy almond crisps for special occasions and get-togethers.  It’s a lighter version of Grandma Dina’s original secret family recipe.  The crisps quickly became a highly requested snack item at the office, school events, on road trips and at parties.  Baked with simple ingredients found in most kitchens, these crisps contain no cholesterol, no dairy, no preservatives, no added fat and salt.  Extremely snackable and crunchy, Almondina Toastees are perfect on their own or with toppings.  Excellent when paired with cheeses, enjoyable with coffee, superb in ice cream or yogurt and a great treat for children of all ages.  Have a nice crunch!”  ~Tamar & Jason, Next Generation of the Almondina Family
Almondinas are available at many fine stores including Sprout’s, Giant Eagle, Harris Teeter, Kroger Michigan, many others, and are a featured product on Amazon. Be sure and follow Almondina on Twitter, too!

Enter below by May 8 at 11 pm anyone's time. Also be sure and check out the blog homepage for more great giveaways this week!

Tons of Giveaways This Week! Celebrate Spring!


Double check the giveaway list below to be sure you've entered them all! Each giveaway ends between April 30-May 5, winners will be chosen that night around 11 pm, after which this blogger will be going on a 3 week break. Click the title to enter. Have fun and we'll see each other again this summer!

Ouidad Salon Style Hair Products Giveaway












Easier-Than-You-Ever-Imagined Chinese Blossoms Painting DIY


Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MoreThanAMom #CollectiveBias
A recent trip down the American Greetings Card aisle at the Base Exchange inspired this painting for my mom for Mother's Day. I've made it easy for you by creating a template, and you'll be amazed that the most affordable Mother's Day gift turns out to be the most special! Perfect for any incredible mother you know, even if she's not your own, you can help make this year's special day even more special for her!

Step 1: Gather your supplies. You'll need this template, American Greetings tissue paper in your choice of color(s), acrylic paints (water colors will also work), and 2 different sized paint brushes (one thin one for the thin branches, one larger for the trunk and wide branches).

Step 2: Paint the branches in your choice of color. I used acrylic paints in Ivory Black, Raw Umber, and Burnt Sienna. Simply squirt a dab of each on your plate, and dip the wide brush in each. Experiment on a sample paper if you need to get the hang of it. It's actually very easy and using a few different colors makes the painting more realistic. Use the thin brush to paint the thin branches. If you mess up, don't worry! You'll be able to cover any mistakes with a flower later on.

Step 3: To make the flowers, take out your tissue paper and simply cut a small heart shape out of each corner. The paper is already folded in exactly the right places thanks to American Greetings' clever packaging! Unfold the hearts to make the flowers. I used both the light pink and dark pink that came in my package.

Step 4: Unfold your tissue paper flowers. Some of mine are only one piece, some are a piece of light pink in front of a dark pink. Twist a fold on the back and then glue on. I used hot glue, but any glue will work. I added a message to my mama along the branches so that it blends in nicely with the painting itself.

Step 5: Place in a frame. They also sell these at the BX for around $10. Here is my finished artwork alongside the American Greeting that inspired it. I can't wait until my mama sees it. American Greetings has definitely helped me celebrate her this year!

Where can you get one of these gorgeous cards to go along with your painting? At the BX at the American Greetings' "Celebrate Moms" end-cap! I was amazed at how many different styles there were. So many gorgeous cards not only for Mom, but Grandma, Aunt, Mother-in-Law, Sister, Friend, you name it, it's there--the perfect Mother's Day card for any mom!

The highlighted cards were gorgeous, scrapbook-style greetings along with beautiful envelopes. I especially love that American Greetings has such a variety of cards for mothers that aren't our mothers, but dear friends. As a mil spouse, I know how hard it can be when you're separated from family. I love that American Greetings realizes that and encourages that we celebrate all of the moms in our life. Friends have become my family, and it's so important to me to celebrate them.
One last thing before I leave you to go off and gather everything you need to make this special gift. A sale! All of the Base Exchanges currently have Buy 3 cards, Save $2 through 5/14! Of course I bought 3--one for my mama, one for my grandma, and one for another special mom in my life.
For more inspiring Mother's day gift ideas, and to take a look at their card options, check out this site!

Meet Julia, the Most Beautiful Petalina Doll



My daughters are absolutely in love with their new doll, Julia!  She's a beauty begun in China, completed in Germany by a doll artist, sent off to England, and now she is our American sweetheart.  My girls all love her and it is amazing how well they share her.  They take turns with her, pretending she is their baby sister. 

We received Julia from an on-line store called Petalina, owned by the super-nice Cate who was inspired by her own daughters to seek the world for the most beautiful, high-quality dolls.  Petalina is based in England but they have  inexpensive shipping rates to the US and Canada, too.  They have a wide selection of European children's dolls for all ages so that little girls can grow up with dolls that are perfectly designed for their age.
 
Julia goes with us everywhere--to the park, the grocery store, and anywhere else my daughters and I find ourselves.  



Julia is part of a doll line called Kidz 'n' Katz.  Each doll comes with a kitten and has one embroidered on her top.  I knew my daughters would especially love that--they are so fond of cats!  Julia, the cat lover, fits right in to our family.
 

Julia was sculpted by Sonja Hartmann. She has brown fixed acrylic eyes with long top lashes, a carefully painted mouth with slightly parted lips, hair in light blonde with a side parting tied with a pink bow. Julia has 11 joints in total with them also in her knees, wrists and elbows. The joints mean that she can be posed and looks quite realistic. Julia is wearing a turquoise tank top with a matching cardigan which has coordinating trim and ruffles. Her black chambray skirt also has ruffles around the hem and bows on the pockets. She wears light pink leggings and matching undies, and on her feet she wears a pair of slip on turquoise shoes. She is the most beautiful doll we've ever seen in real life!  My daughters love her little grey plush cat, too, complete with a pink ballet tutu. 





You Can Also Find Petalina On



You can find so many more gorgeous dolls at Petalina!
 
Which one is your favorite?
Special thanks to the wonderful Cate at Petalina for providing us with this beautiful doll to review!

The Most Incredible Hair Products Giveaway Coming Soon!


Ladies, the new Ouidad Climate Control line is absolutely incredible! The products launched earlier this month and the company is celebrating with a giveaway for my lovely readers. These are by far the most amazing hair products I've ever tried... and I have tried so many. I can't wait until April 23rd when I show you how gorgeous these make even the most unruly of hair! 

So what kind of hair do you have? Why would you like to try Ouidad? Make sure and sign up for my blog newsletter so that you'll be notified as soon as the giveaway goes live on April 23rd!

Modarri Wins Best Toy in The Traveling Sisterhood's Kids' Choice Award!

My son absolutely loves his Modarri cars! This is one toy that never ceases to be exciting. I just ordered him a new car body pack and he is going to be thrilled to receive it in the mail. Here, our Lego Friends are going on an adventure with their new Camo Car and Beach Cruzer.  My daughter was so excited for the chance to build her own Modarri car!  It's a beauty.  And the Camo Car is super cool, too.  The camouflage is really working for this guy!
She's ready for adventure!

And so is he!
They're going on an off road adventure to find the perfect camping spot!

They made it and even set up their campfire just as dusk was setting in!



The Camo Car and Beach Cruzer come in a set, or you can get them separately.  There are also tons of other Modarri carsI think my son has the entire collection now and he's always eager for the newest vehicles! To be honest, his sisters think they're super cool, too!

Modarri Cars are so awesome because kids build them themselves and you can mix and match their parts down to the smallest details.  Plus they're very high quality and there are cars to appeal to both boys and girls. My kids have been playing with their oldest Modarri cars for about 2 years consistently and never has a piece broken!

Free Shipping and 25% off Zone Cleaning for Kids!


One day last year, we decided to take a week off school and teach the kids how to properly clean. Not that our house is exactly a mess or anything... but as a homeschooling mom, cleaning does get pushed to the side more often than I'd like to admit. Around the same time, I noticed the Zone Cleaning Program on Educents. When I also noticed it's made by the same people who make Times Tales, I was definitely sold! Now a year later, the kids still love using Zone Cleaning and even ask to use it when doing their chores. I love it! 

After Zone Cleaning came in the mail, I chose a day for our Cleaning Extravaganza.  It could not have gone more perfectly!  My kids have had chores since they could talk, pretty much, but Zone Cleaning has taught them how to be more thorough, to actually clean in a way that doesn't need to be re-cleaned by me, and it is just a godsend! 

I cannot imagine a more well spent $18! So much cheaper than Merry Maids! I am not even kidding--my house looks stellar and my kids have that feeling of accomplishment, knowing they've worked hard and done an amazing job.  I've tried chore charts and reward systems but this is by far the easiest and the most all-encompassing.

 The booklet includes a simple visual representation of each step to a clean room. I like that they can check off what needs to be done as it is done - it keeps them from forgetting anything and gives them a sense of accomplishment each time they check something off.  (I'm not kidding--even my older kids count off those checks and brag about them!)

The rooms included are bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and living room. There are spaces for you to write additional items which is helpful for me, as well. I like that it assigns a day each week to extra jobs like dusting or wiping chairs and cabinets. That way nothing gets out of control, one chore at a time.
As a busy mom, this is just what I needed!  Cleaning is less of a burden now, and it's a blessing to be able to look around at a clean home and to relax without feeling like something more needs to be done. 

 Who's it for?
Zone Cleaning is for any parents who want their kids to do their chores with a happy heart.... the right way!  My kiddos are 8-11, ages I think are ideal for this program, but it could definitely be used with kids as young as 6 through the teen years. 

How Much is it and What Do You Get?
 The cost is $18.95 with free shipping which is the lowest price on the Internet and includes:
  • A fully-laminated flip chart, allowing for all sections to be checked with a dry-erase marker and/or customized by Mom or Dad with a wet-erase marker.
  • Instructional DVD that walks children through the process, demonstrating the correct way to complete each task. The DVD also gives parents tips on how to best utilize the program.
  • Dry-erase marker.
  • Basket labels used for cleaning the bedroom.
  • Kid-friendly Cleaning Solutions E-Book filled with frugal, non-toxic cleansers you can make yourself.
Since the kit only comes with one chart and I didn't want to spend the money on one for each child, I cut them apart by room and reattached with key rings. Voila! Each child chooses a room to thoroughly clean (or Mama chooses for them if they're being indecisive or arguing) and it works perfectly!