Elba Naturals presents an Advanced Firming Eye Cream [Review & Giveaway]

Folks, when you combine being a lady-of-a-certain-age and the ravages  of allergy season, you have very tired eyes - eyes that need all the help they can get to make them look and feel better. You need a product that doesn't irritate and annoy as well.

These days of pollen, changing seasons, and itchy eyes have fared well for me during the past couple weeks

Advanced Hair Repair Shampoo and Conditioner Set with Argan Oil and Macadamia Oil & Argan Oil Mask By Arvazallia

Find it HERE

I was given the opportunity to review Arvazallia Advanced Hair Repair system. I don't have "damaged" hair, but I do have "aging" hair. My hair has always been thick and straight. Beauticians usually use a conditioner on my hair, but I don't because the products I have purchased in the past have left my hair heavy and harder to style/manage.

I decided to give Arvazallia a try because I have heard so much hype about argan oil for the hair.

America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great by Ben Carson, M.D. with Candy Carson [Review & Giveaway]

About the book: What is America becoming? Or, more importantly, what can she be if we reclaim a vision for the things that made her great in the first place? In America the Beautiful: Rediscovering What Made This Nation Great, Dr. Ben Carson, author and professor at John Hopkins Medical Institutions, helps us learn from our past in order to chart a better course for our future. From his personal ascent from inner-city poverty to international medical and humanitarian acclaim, Carson shares experiential insights that help us understand what is good about America, where we have gone astray and which fundamental beliefs have guided America from her founding into preeminence among nations.

Written by a man who has experienced America's best and worst firsthand, America the Beautiful is at once alarming, convicting and inspiring. You'll gain new perspectives on our nation's origins, our Judeo-Christian heritage, our educational system, capitalism versus socialism, our moral fabric, healthcare and much more. An incisive manifesto on the values that shaped America's past and must shape her future, America the Beautiful calls us all to use our God-given talents to improve our lives, our communities, our nation and our world.

My thoughts: I truly don’t feel qualified to offer opinions, criticisms, or evaluations on anything written by an individual with the intellectual qualities of a neurosurgeon.

God is our Refuge...

When the shadows darken our skies, when our heart fails us in trouble, when faced with unfathomable problems or worries, remember....

God is our Refuge

That is the God of Creation. The God of the Universe. The God of our Salvation. The God of our most fearsome worries and troubles. 

He is our Refuge

Psalm 46 King James Version (KJV) 

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

2 Therefore will not we fear,

By Your Side (Book 1 in new Crisis Team Series) by Candace Calvert {Review & Giveaway}

About the book: ER nurse Macy Wynn learned essential, gritty lessons in the California foster care system: land on your feet and trust no one. She’s finally located the fellow foster child she loves like a sister, but the girl’s in deep trouble. Macy’s determined to help, no matter what it takes. Her motto is to “make it happen” in any situation life throws at her—even when she butts heads with an idealistic cop.Deputy Fletcher Holt believes in a higher plan, the fair outcome—and his ability to handle that by himself if necessary. Now he’s been yanked from Houston, his mother is battling cancer, and he’s attracted to a strong-willed nurse who could be the target of a brutal sniper.

My thoughts: By Your Side from The Crisis Team Series written by Candace Calvert involves drama, romance and faith!

Being an RN myself for 30 years, I tend to be more critical of novels

SunTurtle Solar Lamp from EarthEasy - prepare for emergencies {Review & Giveaway}

I just think this is one of the neatest, handy little gadgets I've seen in quite awhile. Maybe they've been on the market for awhile and I just missed them. Who knows? I just know I think it is really a nice product to have on hand in case of power outages or even for a camping trip.

There are 3 levels of brightness to the lamp. The amount of time your lamp will stay on depends on how long you've charged it with sunlight and which degree of light you utilize.

The "ring" that looks like a handle is handy for sticking the lamp atop a large bottle. This gives you a "lampstand." Of course, if out in the wilderness, you might even find a stick or branch to hang it from.

The light can be tilted upward to reflect off a ceiling or perhaps directed straight at the object you wish lite.

The two following video clips are very poor quality - totally my own ineptness. I am attempting to show how to tilt the lamp to utilize the light in varying positions. In the 2nd video clip you will see the light dim and that is because this little gem has the ability to give you 3 levels of brightness.

This is such an interesting company, Eartheasy.com. They carry a line of Earth friendly products. Products that will help you live a sustainable life, prepare for emergencies, and just live a bit greener. Wow! A really fine group of products.

GIVEAWAY: One of Chat With Vera's  readers can win one of these nice little solar lamps. A great way to begin to prepare for emergencies. Begins March 19 & ENDS April 8 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. Open to USA addresses only.a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary product to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Getting more veggies eaten and having fun fixing them with a Spiral Ninja {Review & Giveaway}

I was given the opportunity to review the Spiral Ninja and thought this would be a fun tool to have in my kitchen. It is! Now you can make veggie noodles that are just veggies. No pasta. No mixing. Just twist and voila you have veggie noodles.

This is the result of "Spiraling" 1 Zucchini & 1 carrot.
They were small/medium size. Left over bits were
saved to toss in the soup pot later.

This is a fairly small, hand-held tool that has two openings for two blades (firmly affixed and non-removable). You simply choose your veggie and twist it inside the cone of the Spiral Ninja very much like you would turn a pencil in a hand-held pencil sharpener.

I tried three veggies tonight: broccoli stalks, carrots, and zucchini squash. The zucchini gave the best results for me, but then practice makes perfect so I am looking forward to doing better with the broccoli and carrots. My broccoli stalks were smallish and you probably need the larger portion of stalk (peeled, of course). I did fairly well with the carrots, but need some practice with them. The zucchini was a winner.

I decided to saute my veggies, keeping them somewhat separate. Of course, for a family, you'd need a larger amount. I used a small amount of olive oil in my ceramic non-stick fry pan and seasoned them with pepper and salt (added after cooking so it would not wick moisture from the veggies).

Sauteed spiraled veggies.

I loved the taste. As you can see, there are bits of brown, caramelized veggies throughout. We enjoyed them and this was such an interesting presentation of food.

GIVEAWAY: Want to have your very own Spiral Ninja? Enter to see if you're the one to get one. Begins March 19 & ENDS April 7 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. Open to USA addresses only. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Product information (from Spiral Ninja)

• High-quality super sharp Japanese Ninja blades stay sharp and won't dull or rust
• Opposing blades offer two julienne sizes - 2x3mm and 3.5x5mm
• Speeds up meal preparation time. Easy to use unlike complicated paderno spiralizers
• Works well with zucchini, squash, tricolor carrots, parsnip, cucumber
• Compact and space-saving storage
• Easy to clean with included free cleaning brush
• Top-rack Dishwasher safe
• Free recipe eBook to start your new spiralizing culinary adventures

Find it on Amazon

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary product to facilitate this review. Opinions expressed are solely my own. I received no compensation for this review.