Crave Naturals Detangling Brush

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

The Crave Naturals Detangling Brush helps to protect your hair from damage, including hair loss and breakage.

Brush

The brush is light-weight and has an ergonomic handle. It's also very easy to clean.

I've noticed when brushing my son's hair, there is much less breakage (compared to a regular brush) which means less pain!

Bristles

The first thing I noticed about the Crave Naturals Detangling Brush were the bristles. They are different lengths to help glide through each strand. The bristles are flexible and have rounded tips to massage the scalp. This helps to increase circulation and promote hair growth.

Colors

The brush is available in black, white, and pink/black.

Hair Types

The Crave Naturals Detangling brush can be used on all hair types. Use on wet or dry hair.

Crave Naturals Glide Thru Detangling Brush can be purchased from the Crave Naturals website and on Amazon (affiliate link).

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.

Capresso Espresso Machine Review and Giveaway

Disclaimer: I received this product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

At Quill.com you'll find an abundance of office supplies ranging from computers and printers to paper and ink. Basically anything you need, you'll find it there!

One important product that you need in your home office is a coffee machine. Quill.com offers a variety of coffee machines and supplies to make your life easier (and a bit energetic!)

With the Capresso EC100 Pump Espresso Maker, you can make coffee, cappuccino, lattes, and espresso. The machine is small yet efficient. It doesn't take up much space which is perfect for your home office or kitchen counter top.

Features:

• Removable water container - holds up to 46 oz of water
• Stainless steel cup-warming platform
• Separate steam outputs
• Commercial-grade pump setting
• Coffee/Steam buttons
• Measuring spoon - flat end is used for packing ground espresso

The Capresso machine is very easy to use. Before trying it out, I had never used an espresso machine so it was fairly simple to figure out!

Making lattes is super easy as well. Just brew the coffee, add milk, and use the frothing tool to make it fluffy.

The Vanilla Caramel Coffee-mate creamer was the perfect pair with the espresso and lattes. An iced/blended coffee would taste amazing.

Enter below to win a Capresso Espresso Machine prize pack which includes:

●Capresso EC100 Pump Espresso and Cappuccino Machine

● 1 can of Lavazza Coffee Ground Espresso

●1 box Coffee-mate Vanilla Caramel Creamer

Open to US residents 18+.

Giveaway ends 6/6.

Entry-Form

Apparoo App of the Week: Grandma's Kitchen

Disclaimer: Sponsored by Apparoo

Grandma's Kitchen

Grandma’s cooking up a storm in this fresh-baked app that stirs kindergarten and first grade skills into the batter. Kids can “bake” compound words, make and decorate a cake, tell time to see when the cake will be ready, and even help Grandma wash the dishes.

Reading, math, and pattern-recognition are seamlessly integrated into eight fun mini-games, and live-action instructive cooking tips add to the deliciousness. Customize the games to choose which skills to activate. So hide the knives and step aside – your eensie-weensie Emeril or junior Julia Child will be whipping up dinner – with a side of reading and math! Download it here for only $0.99

What's your favorite part of the app?

Guest Post - Raising Strong Military Kids: One Mom’s Story

Since May is Military Appreciation Month, I wanted to share this post brought to you by the Yellow Ribbon Program.

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I will never forget my first time shopping at a commissary. At 21 and newly married, my husband Jim and I had just packed up all of our belongings to drive across the country from Seattle to Fort Belvoir. We were new to the military way of life, moving for Jim’s new orders with the Army Corps of Engineers. I went to the commissary and had no clue how the system worked – I didn’t even know that I needed an ID card! When we began adding our kids to the mix, I found out there was so much more I needed to learn.

Although we’ve come a long way in helping service members and their families, navigating deployment is still challenging. I want to share with you some tips that helped my three sons and me get through the tough times when my husband was called to service.

1.    Network with other military wives and moms. Early on in our marriage, I met a woman who was raising four daughters. She gave me some tough love about coping with the day-to-day stress while Jim was away, but she was also a great example of how to face deployment. I learned that if she could do it, so could I! Make it a priority to meet fellow wives and moms to share your experiences and get the support you need from friends who truly understand.

2.    Listen to your kids. Though you might feel alone without your spouse, pay close attention to how your kids are feeling. I realized that I had to be strong for my boys, but they often felt like they needed to be the adults while dad was away. Reassure your kids that it’s okay to be sad or angry and that you will get through the deployment together.

3.    Reach out for support. As the director of the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, I’ve had the opportunity to meet military wives and moms from across the services and around the country. We host programs that help National Guard and Reserve members and families connect to other folks who understand what they’re going through. At these free events, you can meet other military families and get expert advice on everything from family communication to employment issues to financial planning.

Raising kids when your spouse is deployed can be challenging, but there are a number of support resources out there to help you. Register for an upcoming Yellow Ribbon event near you at www.yellowribbonevents.org.

Marie Balocki is the Director of the Office for Reintegration Programs at the Department of Defense. In addition to being an Army spouse for more than 30 years, she has served military families around the globe as a volunteer and Federal civilian for 18 years. She is the mom of three grown sons.

Tiny Elephant Bowtique Review and Giveaway

Disclaimer: I received a bow in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

Ashley, the mom behind the Tiny Elephant Bowtique, creates headbands that are affordable yet high-quality. When she asked me to review one of her headbands, I was really excited. How cute would this look on my daughter, I thought. Then I remembered I only have a boy who loves to play with cars and trains, and enjoys destroying his playroom. ;)
Nonetheless, I asked one of my friends if I could borrow her daughter. She happily agreed and had the perfect outfit that would match the headband Ashley made.

The cutest headband to wear on the 4th of July.

Just by handling the headband, you can tell how comfortable it is for a toddler to wear. It's not too tight. The band is soft and very stretchy.

Connect with the Tiny Elephant Bowtique Etsy // Facebook
Ashley is generously offering a discount for 20% off your purchase at her shop by using code giveaway20.

One winner will receive a custom made headband for their little princess!

Open to US residents only. Giveaway ends 5/20.

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Military Spouse Appreciation Day Giveaway - Over $400 in Prizes!

Welcome to the Military Spouse Appreciation Day Giveaway Hop! I've teamed up with a few bloggers to show appreciation for military spouses by hosting this giveaway event. Be sure to visit each of the blogs in the linky below to have the chance to win other fabulous prizes!

 

Grand Prize
Staples The single-cup brewing system allows you to brew your favorite Starbucks drinks in the comfort of your home. Make coffee, lattes, or espresso at the press of a button. Read my review here. Starbucks Verismo 580 Brewer - Piano Black $119.99

Website // Facebook // Twitter
Freedom Creations Show your military pride with personalized items from Freedom Creations. Items include bracelets, keychains, wallets, dog tags, lanyards, fleece blankets, necklaces, and dog collars. Choose your fabric, embroidery, fonts, and accents! Rounded Keyfob and Bi-fold wallet $25

Website // Facebook // Instagram

Overstock.com Overstock.com is your one-stop shop for virtually anything you need for a great value. Spa Essentials Lavender Gift Box $43.49

Website // Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest

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Second Prize
Born on Bonn Born On Bonn the home of personalized signs & prints. Offering customized military signs, personalized name signs, invitations, military duty station signs, military blocks, air force signs, army signs, navy signs, coast guard signs, marine signs, military service signs, and military gifts. Gift Certificate $50

Etsy Shop

Staples The Chromecast allows you to stream music and HD videos to your tv using your smartphone, laptop, or tablet. Supports Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, YouTube, and many more. Google Chromecast HDMI Streaming Media Player $30

The Organic Candy Factory

The Organic Candy Factory offers a tasty selection of organic candy that are gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO, and contain no artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners. Read my review here. 10 oz bag of organic Sugar Sprinkled Gummy Cubs $11.95

Website // Facebook // Twitter // Pinterest

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Third Prize
My Beaded Butterfly My Beaded Butterfly specializes in hand-stamped personalized sterling silver, copper, brass, and bronze jewelry. Styles include military support jewelry - Coast Guard, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, National Guard, and deployment jewelry. Personalized Hand-Stamped Necklace with Military Branch of winner's choice $40

Etsy Shop // Facebook

Staples With thousands of options, there's something for everyone - digital cameras, GPS, laptops, printers and more. Staples gift cards have no expiration date. Spend it right away or save it for a rainy day. Staples Gift Card $50

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Fourth Prize
KayBee Studios KayBee Studios brings you personalized military art prints which you can customize with up to 10 different places, name and dates. Military Places Stationed Word Art Subway Print $25

Etsy Shop // Facebook // Twitter
Get Fresh Get Fresh is a family-run company that features a line of luxurious botanical-based products perfect for pampering yourself. A portion of their sales are donated to military charities. Look Better Naked Kit in fragrance of winner's choice $29.80

Website // Facebook // Twitter ______________________________________________________________________________________________
The giveaway is open to US residents 18+ who are military spouses. Four (4) different winners will be chosen.
Giveaway ends on 5/23 at 11:59pm PST.
Use the giveaway form below to enter. Good luck!

Entry-Form

Be sure to enter each of the giveaways listed below!

Military Spouse Appreciation Day Giveaway Hop - Word of the Day

May 9 - Duty

May 10 - Waiting

May 11 - Stationed

May 12 - Traveling

May 13 - Appreciation

May 14 - Camo

May 15 - Boot Camp

May 16 - Overseas

May 17 - Deployment

May 18 - Homecoming

May 19 - Commissary

May 20 - Military

May 21 - Proud

May 22 - OPSEC

May 23 - Love

Almondina Biscuits Giveaway

Disclaimer: I received samples of Almondina Biscuits in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Almondina biscuits are all natural and made without preservatives. They are super crunchy and are perfect for dipping in coffee or milk! The cookies are also non-dairy, kosher, low calories, made with no salt, and contain no added fat or coloring.
Varieties include:

• The Original
• Sesame
• Choconut
• Pumpkin Spice
• Chocolate Cherry
• Brantreats
• Almonduo
• Anniversary
• Cinnaroma

These are so delicious on their own. I ate most of them without coffee. I think The Original has to be my favorite!

Almondina Biscuits are available at many grocery stores and on Amazon (affiliate link)

Website // Facebook // Twitter

One winner will receive an Almondina sampler pack. Open to US residents only. Previous Almondina giveaway winners are ineligible.

Entry-Form

Apparoo App of the Week: iStoryTime

Disclaimer: Sponsored by Apparoo.

iStoryTime

Sometimes simple is best. No matter how many fancy toys your kid has, they always end up on your lap saying “Mama, tell me a story.” iStoryTime is like a central library for kids’ books, and they wisely left off extraneous features, letting the stories shine. It includes four free books and then you can buy more à la carte, or pay a monthly or annual fee, Netflix-style, for unlimited books. 

With new books released in the app every week, there is always fresh content to enjoy. Stories can be narrated or silent, allowing your child to read independently when they’re ready. As Leonardo said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” (Da Vinci, not DiCaprio, people.) Download it here for free.