Crowdtap Sampling: Born Sweet Zing Organic Stevia Sweetener

copyright Durhamonthecheap - my Born Sweet Zing sweetener

copyright Durhamonthecheap - perfect for sweetening my hibiscus herbal tea

Through Crowdtap I was able to sample Born Sweet Zing Organic Stevia Sweetener, a totally organic sweetener that comes in little packets and is perfect to sweeten your iced tea or other summer drinks. I now hae a few packets in my purse and use it at restaurants because it is still hard to find places that stock an organic sweetener and I hate to use sugar substitute that comes with its own warnings.
In my house, we drink a lot of iced tea, especially hibiscus-flavored tea is our go to product and now we can brew it as usual, but rather than add sugar to taste, I put a bowl with Born Sweet Zing Organic Stevia Sweetener on the table and we each can add as many packets as we need. But to be honest,  we feel that one packet is enough to sweeten our drinks. The sweetener is just as strong as sugar and best of all, no artificial scent or taste, just plain good old sweetness and the iced tea is now also lower in calories and better for your health. What is not to like about that? So if you are looking for a new brand of sweetener that is organic, tastes just like sugar and is perfect for on the go, Born Sweet Zing Organic Stevia Sweetener is one brand I can highly recommend.



Disclaimer: I received free products in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Book Review: Citizen Newt: The Making of a Reagan Conservative by Craig Shirley

Many of us will remember the Republican revolution that brought GOP majorities to the house for years. Newt Gingrich back then was considered the author of this revolution and a celebrated house speaker. Private affairs, but also a temperament that did offend likely one too many people in the GOP spelled an early end to his career in DC. Now Newt is more affiliated with the Trump campaign than seen as a thought leader of the GOP.

So when Shirley's book is promising a biography of "one of the most important, provocative, and visionary political figures of our time", it summarizing the lasting image of Newt Gingrich to many voters in the USA. In his second book focused on Gingrich, Shirley writes a comprehensive biography of this political phenom that is Gingrich. He starts at his childhood in Pennsylvania that despite not being political still laid the groundwork for his later foray into politics as well as his approach to winning votes and majorities, culminating in the Contract with America. This contract, even though many bills never made it into law, was characterized by a belief in a Reagan brand of conservatism and Gingrich was considered at the time its most vocal proponent. Very few people remember that other politicians, such as Dick Armey, contributed to the proposal. This was Gingrich's proposal and the subsequent Republican majority in the House became his victory. As such, Shirley does not question the leadership of Gingrich, something I would have like to have seen in this book.

This book is a comprehensive biography that follows the life of a still controversial, but also influential figure in American politics from his childhood to an academic career that ended up with a relatively quick rise in politics. After a quick fall, Gingrich is now gaining importance again as a spokesperson for the new administration, an early follower that has so far stayed away from official DC roles, he is nevertheless still influential and, by his own account, traces his roots back to the GOP of Reagan. It is fitting that Shirley, who also covered Reagan in his books, is now depicting Gingrich as yet another important, but also divisive figure in US politics, but also within the GOP itself.

available on amazon.com

Disclaimer: I received a free sample of the book in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Book Review: Of Mess and Moxie: Wrangling Delight Out of This Wild and Glorious Life by Jen Hatmaker

I fell in love with this book on the first few pages because it speaks to all women who are independent, do not question why life is some times no fair and persevere. Jen makes it finally okay to have doubts, but then to wake up another day and figure this day is another chance at making things right. Forget about what happened yesterday and what may not have worked out perfectly (or possibly turned into a seemingly total disaster). Another day and another go at making life fun and proving your worth as a person. Because while the book is directed at women, Jen underscores that women are no different than man in making mistakes and succeeding and trying again and being themselves. What makes women often different is the belief that we have to be perfect and if make a mistake or something does not work out - women tend to have more doubts and fear more the trying again. Jen shows in this book that women are sometimes their own worst enemy. The fear of failure and mistakes is holding us more back than society or our own abilities.

available at amazon.com

Early on, my parents used to tell me after a bad grade that in the future, 5 years down the road, no one will remember this one grade. To me the grade was horrible and a total embarrassment and I focused so much on the grade that I forgot to live for a few days and simply focused on studying; in order to avoid such an embarrassment in the future. Looking back at these times, my parents were right. Everyone has a bad day and one bad grade overall did not matter and I really moved on to other things. It really was not worth it to worry about the one grade. Life is an opportunity and an opportunity to do things better next time. Forget not to live your life and enjoy it and realize that failure is part of life and overcoming failure is the reason we should look forward to each new day.
In this book, Jen provides examples to women about how to enjoy life, how to succeed and how to understand that worrying is often more about us feeling insecure than about an actual problem for the rest of society. If I get one lesson from this book, it is that life should be lived with all its ups and downs. And women have the right, if not the duty, to be themselves because we are all unique characters that deserve a space on this earth. In her usual way, Jen teaches these profound lessons through laughter, tears and thoughts that speak to her reader on a variety of levels. This is one book that I had a hard time putting down and stopping to read. I keep it in my office because sometimes the stories by Jen are the perfect pick me up during work or a nice break when I need to gather my thoughts before a meeting.

Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Kroger Bargain today only: General Mills Cereal, or Nature Valley or Fiber One Bars, just 99¢

Download your coupon July 19-22 for this hot price on General Mills Cereal, or Nature Valley or Fiber One Bars, just 99¢ each with Card! 

 

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Kroger Friday Freebie: Gatorade Fuel Bars on 7-28-17

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Book Review: The Break Down by B. A. Paris

This is tough thriller to read. Not because the action is not believable or the writing is bad; but the book is tough to read because you want to help out Cass, the protagonist of this nail biter. 
One evening, Cass is driving home and passes a car with a woman inside. She does not stop and finds out the next day that the woman in the car has been murdered. Not only is Cass plagued by feelings of gilt for not stopping and possibly helping the woman, but the woman was also someone she knew, making the murder hitting so much closer to home.

This book definitely has some elements of Gaslight in it, the wonderful thriller from the black and white era with Ingrid Bergman and without giving too much away, the reader will likely feel sorry for Cass, who thinks she may be losing her mind. The book does an excellent job of describing the journey that Cass takes from the initial guilt over not stopping and helping the woman to thinking she may be going insane and not remembering basic things about her daily routine. Along the way, the reader is left wondering whether these events are part of Cass's imagination or whether someone is deliberately acting the background to possibly remove the only witness to the murder. This would also explain the strange calls Cass has been receiving lately.  

#ad #TheBreakdown - copyright Durhamonthecheap

This book is not for the faint of heart. Even though will probably make the reader to want to protect her against what is causing this journey into madness; Cass certainly has her flaws to and her inability to trust people around her brings her more and more into isolation and this leaves her ore vulnerable. This is definitely ranking as nail biter type of book that will leave the reader wanting to finish it in one sitting. I suggest though to take your time and read every sentence because the writing is well done and enjoyable. The author has managed to come up with interesting characters and even though Cass is not without her fault, the way her life throughout this book is described still elicits compassion among the readers. I frequently just wanted Cass to move and get away from it all, so she could be safe and enjoy her life. There are plenty of plot twists and the end left me gasping because it was so unexpected. Even though thinking through the storyline, the author prepped you for such an end and it still hit you out of nowhere. This is a book I would read again just to be able to focus on the hints that may be given away. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller and see darkness in everyday life of seemingly normal people. 


Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book for free in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed in this post is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

Crowdtap sampling: Curad first aid supplies, now with Arm & Hammer Baking soda

Thanks to Crowdtap I got a wonderful kit with a bunch of new products to speed up healing. Curad has a tradition of producing products for first aid and the bandages, gauze and tape that I received in my kit underscore that Curead is the name to trust. I love the fact that Curad now incorporates Arm and Hammer Baking Soda in their wound pads because baking soda helps with the bacterial odors that can be noticeable if a wound is oozing. They also made wound pads in different size and offer gauze that can be used in places where pads do not work well, especially knees and elbows. Too much movement can make it difficult to cover a wound, so the gauze is perfect in combination with the tape.
I badly scraped my knee last year and even though I did not need stitches, my knee still shows scarring and it took almost a month for the wound to heal. I remember all too well the bacterial odor as well as the pronounced oozing that I experienced for several weeks. Curad would not only helped with the odor, but also better handled the oozing because there are only natural ingredients in their pads that support a better healing and letting the wound breathe.

copyright Durhamonthecheap - again Target does not disappoint, Curad available here!

Having baking soda and minimizing the odor is also a big plus because even though I may have been more self-conscious that necessary, I felt that the odor was noticeable for the first couple of weeks when I was visiting clients to do some work. Overall, look in your neighborhood pharmacy or Target for Curad products. Especially minor scrapes that do not need stitching, but are deep and will take some time to heal are ideal to show off the advantages of Curad compared to other brands of first aid bandages and gauze. I am convinced and will now rely solely on Curad!

copyright Durhamonthecheap - great selection of products I received through Crowdtap

Disclaimer: I received free products in exchange for an honest review. The opinion expressed is solely my own and has not been influenced by any third party.

copyright Durhamonthecheap -