At the Fence

Hey neighbors! Here is a really nice giveaway to start the new year off right.  As we make a few changes here and decide which direction to take with a few new ideas we thought we would give you a GREAT giveaway to enter, that we sponsored.  It is a Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh giveaway.  You might be wondering just what that includes, so let me tell you! First is a travel size, Gold Bar of soap.  Maybe I don't have you very excited yet, but the next two items are essential oils, which just might make some of you a little more excited!  The winner will receive along with the Gold Bar of soap a 5ml bottle of Frankincense and a 5ml bottle of Myrrh.  How great is that? I personally love to diffuse essential oils throughout my home.  Not just for the scents, but I use different oils to help with colds, sleep and other things.  So this year, just as the wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the young Christ, we would like to give this gift to one of our neighbo

Making the decision to get fit is a life changing one. It marks the moment when you are going to change the way you approach your life. It’s an exciting time too. You are full of the possibilities that lie ahead. You know it may be a struggle, but you are determined to see it through. On the other side of the line is the all new fitter, healthier and more energetic you. But exercise is only one-half of the equation. If you are not giving yourself the correct fuel and food, you won’t get the results that you deserve or want. Take control of what goes in and find good ways to feed your fitness. image by Get the knowledge You will be empowered by finding out how food affects your health and your ability to train. There are some great nutrition sites that contain a wealth of information. Use them to give yourself the information. Know what the food groups are. Distinguish between proteins such as meats and nuts. Understand the difference between the carbohydrates and sugars

Hi Neighbors! We have included World Vision in our Holiday Gift Guide for the last couple of years.  They have gifts that you can purchase, that also aid people in other countries that are fighting poverty.  If you purchase a gift your funds will go in to their, Where Most Needed Fund. One of the gifts available is the beautiful Balinese Multi-strand Necklace that I received.  Also available is a beautiful scarf, Mango Wood Beaded Bracelet and an African Soapstone Box.  By purchasing a gift for others through World Vision, not only will you receive a gift to give, but you will be helping someone else. Another option you have with World Vision is actually purchasing a gift for donation to help a child, family or community.  You can choose animals, medicine, clothing, help with education, water, etc.  There are many options to choose from in the World Vision catalog.  Your family can get together and choose one item to donate together, or perhaps more than one of you could each

Hi Neighbors! I am so excited to share this sensory blanket from Baby Jack Blankets!  If you have ever had a child who had a special blanket that they carried everywhere, you will understand when I say this is the one! I personally love the print on this blanket.  It is Baby Jack's Prayer Baptism Lovey.  It has crosses and stars on the front of the blanket, along with 2 Bible Verses.  The first is: For this child I prayed, And the Lord Answered my prayers. I Samuel 1:27.  The second one is: You will shine like the stars in the sky. Philippians 2:15.  They are not KJV which is my preference, but I still like this blanket.  What a unique gift idea for the holidays, birthday or for a baby shower.  The opposite side of the blanket is the softest material!  It is also textured, with small raised dots. Around the edge of the blanket are sensory tags.  Each one feels a little different.  Some are really soft and silky, some are crinkly, some are narrow and othe

Here's a fun game for people who enjoy puzzle games, chess, or checkers. Juxtabo is a 3D game that changes every time you play-because you create the board! We received a Juxtabo game for review, and tried it out recently. There are multiple ways to play, but we started with the basic 5x5, meaning you can have up to 5 pieces across, and 5 pieces down. Gameplay is fairly simple, but it gets more difficult the longer you play-and with more people playing! That's because you build up on the board, changing a piece into the color you need. The goal of the game is to complete a pattern on the challenge card, but everybody has their own challenge cards (2 per player). So while you're trying to complete a pattern, the player next to you is working (possibly) against you trying to complete their own! Yes, it's easier to play with just a couple, but it's much more fun with a group. Juxtabo is definitely not a mindless game, as you have to actually plan out w

Games are a favorite with our entire family, but I especially love games that educate or work your brain while you're playing. I just discovered an entire website devoted to this type of toys and games, and we were actually able to review one of them, the IQ Twist. IQ Twist is a logic game for one person that really does make you think. Definitely not a mindless game you can play on your phone without engaging the brain! I enjoy games we can play with the family, but this is handy for road trips, sitting at the dentist's office, or just for some quiet time alone. It's very easy to get the hang of, and has levels for beginners up to super-smart people! It comes in a handy case that makes it easy to toss in your purse or luggage, without fear of losing any pieces.  To play, remove the twisted playing pieces, and set up the "board" by placing pegs in according to a challenge shown in the book. Then put all the twisted pieces back on the board, u

It’s only a week until Christmas , so you should have your shopping nearly done by now. For many of us, Christmas shopping doesn’t get done until the very last minute. If you’re still struggling to decide what to buy for your friends and family, here are some ideas for you to consider. Image Source For Him Men are definitely harder to buy good gifts for than women, so this can make finding the right personalized gift more difficult too. There are actually many options for you to consider. If they like to think about their style and how they look, think about one of these ideas. One of the best things for a man who cares about style is a personalized pair of cufflinks. You could also get him a watch that is engraved with a personal message. There are many other items in the men's department that can be personalized in the same way, so take a moment to look at all the options out there. For Her Personalized jewellery is a good option you can choose for women, but th

Hi Neighbors! Let’s be honest about it, family travel can sometimes become boring. For any parents with a passion for travel, going on beach holiday after beach holiday, can become a little dull. There’s so much more to traveling than exploring cities, sunbathing, and browsing tourist attractions. Many parents don’t realize it, but when it comes to making family travel more enjoyable , the key is to think outside the box. The vacations marketed at us moms and dads are always at resorts that have been specially created for families. The problem is that these places don’t offer authentic family travel. If you want a vacation with a difference, you need to get creative. To give you a helping hand, I thought that I would share three amazing vacation ideas that are a little more exciting than your average family trip. 1. Hit the slopes If you’ve never taken your children skiing, a ski trip could be the perfect vacation. Unlike most other family-friendly vacations, skiing is a l

Hi Neighbors! link to picture Like all major cities, Rome monopolizes most of the tourism in Italy, and for good reason. Rome is an ancient city that is full of culture and attractions that you cannot miss, from the historical sites to the unmissable Colosseum. Visiting Rome is a once in a lifetime experience that everyone should try if they get the opportunity. However, there is more to Italy than this great city, and it is time to become more aware. Traveling Italy is not about just taking in one city or one place – it is about taking in as many as physically possible. Sicily What do you associate Italy with the most?  One of your answers might be the Mafia because they are ingrained in the minds of many people as being Italian. Sicily is the birthplace of the Cosa Nostra and the best place to experience the customs that you see in the movies. To this day, the mafia is still a big part of life on the island, which is one reason to visit. Plus, the rolling hills and

Here's a great idea for men and women alike this holiday season-especially if the guys in your life are as hard to shop for as mine are! Why not introduce them to Cremo Cream , a company that specializes in superior shave cream and skincare supplies?! We received a few of Cremo's products' the Shave Cream, Moisturizer, and Face Wash. The face wash and moisturizer are for men or women, and the shave cream is designed for guys, but they do have a women's shave cream available as well. The shave cream is very unique; it has "impossibly slick" water-activated molecules that reduce razor irritation and nicks during shaving! It's perfect for people with sensitive skin, but will honestly be appreciated even by those without sensitive skin. This is a very rich, luxurious cream that doesn't foam and fluff-instead, it's a thin layer that actually protects your skin during shaving, and allows for a super-close, yet super-comfortable shave. You do n

I'm really excited to share this amazing product with all you mothers -or grandmas- out there! Baby's Journey is a company that specializes in products for baby. Nursery accessories, travel gear, bath time necessities, gates, and more. One of their most unique products is called the BabySitter. This handy little portable pad quickly converts any chair into a high chair for baby! This looks like just a car seat liner, but you'll quickly see how to strap it into any chair, and it turns that normal chair into a safe place for baby to sit. One strap goes across the back, and one strap goes under the seat, and these are both adjustable to fit multiple types of chairs, but you can also tighten as needed to make sure baby won't slip.  The BabySitter also has adjustable shoulder straps, so baby can use it from six months to two years. The BabySitter is perfect for use at restaurants, a friend's house, or for anyone who is on-the-go or travels a lot. It

When you hear the word journal, you probably think of a book where (normally) girls write down their dreams, events from the day, and hopes and plans for the future. However, Journals Unlimited offers a wealth of journals for all different occasions and themes, and for all different people! We received the Recipes Cooking Journal for review, and this is something that will come in very handy! I love collecting recipes from friends, various websites, Churches we visit...anywhere I can find a good recipe. I have a stack of recipes that have been given to me, or I've printed off a website, and now I actually have a book I can organize and write them down in so the whole family can use them! This Cooking Journal has categories for Appetizers, Main Dishes, Sides Soups & Salads, and Desserts. The pages are nice thick, sturdy paper that won't get ripped or torn easily.  I like the setup of the recipe journal, in that each page is for a single recipe. There's pl

Hey neighbors! Have any of you ever tried the Home Spa Shower Sprays ?  I just recently was able to try 4 different scents!  They are wonderful!  They come in Lavender, Tangerine, Eucalyptus, and Pink Grapefruit.  They are sprays that you can use in your personal shower or bath. I tried the Tangerine scented shower spray first.  It is so relaxing.  I started my shower to build up a little steam, and then you spray a few spritzes into your shower.  It smells GREAT!  I add a few more squirts after I have been in for awhile to keep the scent strong.  The same idea works with your tub.  Fill your tub with nice worm water, spray a few squirts of your favorite shower spray scent and enjoy! The Eucalyptus is great too, especially the last few days when a few members of the family have been dealing with some sinus pressure and congestion.  Stand in a nice warm shower, spray the Eucalyptus and breathe. The Lavender is for those times you just want to relax.  Grab a good b

Playing games are one of our family's favorite ways to spend time together. Whether it's the whole family getting together for game night on Friday, or a few of us pull out a game on a whim during the afternoon, we LOVE games! Recently we received a new game to learn and enjoy, called Aggravation. Yes, a game called Aggravation , and it is both fun and aggravating at times! The game is a very basic-looking game, but it is so well made-a solid wood board, and marbles for the playing pieces. Not some cheapo cardboard game board, and little plastic pieces. This is a game that is built to last, and your family will enjoy playing it for years! There are two ways to play; if you have 4 or 6 players, you can play "partners", but we have been playing the standard way, every man for themselves. To play, set up your four marbles in the starting area (each color has their own area with painted holes), then roll the die. Players need a 1 or 6 to move from the start

With all the travel our family does, one thing that comes up every once in a while among the girls is how to bring their favorite fragrance along on trips without the risk of a bottle breaking or leaking. Last year one of them actually brought her favorite perfume on a trip, and it made it to the hotel okay-then sister knocked it off the bathroom counter, and it shattered all over! Not one of the best parts of that trip, and because I'm sure many of you have experienced a similar situation while traveling, this product I'm going to share with you would make the perfect gift for any lady this holiday season! I received the Travalo Classic Excel for review. For those of you who have never heard of Travalo, it's a one-of-a-kind product that allows you to bring your favorite perfume anywhere, without any risk of breakage or leaking! This little bottle is only slightly larger than a tube of lipstick, yet holds 65 sprays of perfume-plenty, even for a 2 week vacation! I l