Imbue Pain Relief Patch Review

Thanks to a rather ample chest and running way too much while in the Army, I tend to have a lot of pain. The pain is generally in my back, my knees, and my feet.  Since I'd rather not take pain pills all day long, I was more than happy to try the Imbue Pain Relief Patch.

Imbue was founded by Peter and Briana Borten. Peter is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Briana is a Licensed Massage Therapist. They live in Portland, Oregon where they own and run the Dragontree holistic spa. They've worked with injuries and pain of all kinds before they developed their new pain relief patch.

The patch is made of 51mg of Menthol and 15mg of Methyl Salicylate (from Oil of Wintergreen) per patch. To apply, you simply peel of the backing and stick it onto the place you have pain. About a minute after I applied the patch, a nice cooling sensation filled the area. I applied it to my lower back. The cooling sensation lasted well after I applied it. It really helped relieve the pain. It made it feel like the pressure I usually feel in my back was gone. I have one more patch to use, and I am going to cut it in half, and use it on my feet when they start to really hurt.

I would definitely recommend these patches for anyone who has muscle sprains. Obviously, I'm not a doctor, and if you have a serious injury you should see a doctor. But for mild aches and pains, this is an awesome product to try.

Would you like to win a free sample of the Imbue Patch? Just become a follower (through RSS or GFC) and leave a comment below with your email address.

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Deleting The R-Word From Your Vocabulary

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Children's Book Review - Terrible, Awful, Horrible Manners

Terrible, Awful, Horrible Manners by Beth Bracken is an hilarious new children's book. The story of Pete, a little monkey with really bad manners. Pete burps, toots, picks his nose, and never ever says please or thank you. "Not even to his grandma." The nerve. Pete's bad manners don't bother him a bit. In fact, he thinks he's hilarious and he loves all the attention he gets when he misbehaves.

Then one night at dinner, something crazy happens. His dad burps all through dinner, and even starts eating with his hands. His mom toots through the whole meal. And his baby sister just picks her nose and eats it! Yuck! Pete is disgusted! He asks his family why they are acting that way, and they tell him they are just acting like he does. Pete looks down at his dirty hands and face and realizes he just tooted! He is shocked.

Do you think Pete learns his lesson? You'll just have to read it and find out. *Spoiler alert* He does.

I thought this book was hilarious and adorable. I'm not squeamish at all though. If you don't like mentions of burps or toots, this book is not for you. Chances are, the 5 year old in your life will find this hysterical, especially if you made the sounds along with the book. CJ loved the monkey pictures. Personally, I was a little confused as to how Pete's dad is a gorilla and Pete is a monkey, but maybe he's his step-dad. I don't know. This book is a good way to get kid's to realize how their actions affect those around them. It's a great way to talk about manners too. I would say the best age range is from 2-8 years old. 5 monkey paws way up. 

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Fun Meme Friday

1. What is your favorite vacation spot and why?

Egypt is the most beautiful place I've ever been, so I'll go with there. I would love to go back to Sidi Abd El Raman, which I think might be the most beautiful place on the planet.

2. What is your biggest guilty pleasure?

Really bad television and pedicures.

3. What is your favorite fashion trend right now or in the past?

Uhmmm... flared leg jeans. Those are the only kind I wear. I would look ridiculous in both baggy pants and skinny jeans. 

4. What are your spring break plans?

When is spring break? I have no plans.

5. What baby names do you hate?

I hate when names are misspelled, especially when it is done on purpose. I hate names like Mercedes or Precious. I have a cousin named Precious and I just think it is ridiculous. Precious is a word not a name. 

What book would you like to see made into a movie/tv show and which actors/actresses do you have in mind?

There's this series called Harry Potter, you might have heard of it, and I think that this guy named Alan Rickman would be perfect for Severus Snape. Oh wait....

Hmmmm I would say Game of Thrones, but again, already done. 

How about A Great and Terrible Beauty and the rest of the Gemma Doyle trilogy by Libba Bray? That would be sweet. I think I may have discussed this before. I would want the guy from Slumdog Millionaire to play Kartik. Hmmm, who could play Gemma? That's a tough one.... I might have to think about it and get back to you. But I would love to see Gemma Doyle on the big screen. 

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MG Review & Giveaway - The Magic Warble by Victoria Simcox

The Magic Warble is a new MG novel by Victoria Simcox. The main character is 12 year old Kristina Kingsly. She is an average girl with not a lot of friends but an awesome pet rat. The day before school break, her teacher gives her a gift in a small box. Unfortunately, neither Kristina, two bullies on the bus, nor her mean babysitter Davina are able to get it open. Kristina eventually tosses it in disgust.

Later that night, Kristina is woken by a loud buzzing noise. She searches all over until realizing that the noise is coming from the box, which now opens easily. Inside is a mysterious object, which Kristina picks up...

And finds herself outside in bright daylight lying in a pile of leaves. She sees a small, odd-looking man who seems to be gardening. She soon learns that he is a dwarf, and he's the leasy crazy thing she is about to learn. Kristina finds out that she is now in the Land of Bernovem and that she is the "chosen one" destined to return the Magic Warble to its proper place.

Kristina next meets a not-so-nice fairy princess Clover, her brother Looper, and a not-so-charming prince named Werrien. These three are going to help guide her to return the Magic Warble. Unfortunately, the evil Queen Sentiz will do anything to stop her, including sending her son and her monstrous zelbocks after her. To make matters worse, everyone who touched the box, including the bullies on the bus, her babysitter Davina, and her pet rat Raymond, have also been transported to Bernovem. How can Kristina get them home safely while also saving Bernovem?

This was a really cute fantasy novel with touches of Narnia, Hogwarts, and Lord of the Rings in it. Victoria has created her own fully fleshed land with all manner of creatures in it - both familiar and not. I have to say my favorite thing about the novel were the gorgeous illustrations. They really made the story come alive for me. I know that my young cousin is very reluctant to read anything without illustrations, so this book will be right up her alley. My only criticisms are that sometimes the children's speech was a little awkward for their age and that the bullies didn't get enough of a comeuppance for my tastes. All in all, this was a very enjoyable read. I wanted to sit and read it all at once, but unfortunately the baby had his own opinions on what I should be reading and when. There is no real violence or any profanity, so I would recommend this book for 5th graders and up. It would also make a great read-aloud with younger kids. 

Thanks so much for Victoria for giving me this book to read, and for being so patient with me when my review was continuously delayed. 

Would you like to win your own copy of The Magic Warble? Just fill out the rafflecopter form below! 

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A-Z Mini-Challenge 3 - March

February went by crazy fast didn't it? So who's ready for mini-challenge #3?

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, read a book with the word green in it OR a green cover. Pretty simple huh? I like to keep them easy. Good luck and remember, everybody's Irish on St. Patrick's Day.

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Wordless Wednesday (A Day Late)

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