Happymomblogger

Whoever thought that honey can be such an eccentric ingredient? Not only can you eat honey, but you can use it as a beauty treatment for your skin, you can use it to heal minor cuts and burns, and you can use it for your hair. Honey for hair may sound extreme, but it’s actually not. For centuries, people all over the world has used honey as a secret ingredient in maintaining and improving skin and hair. And at Beecology, they have honey beauty treatments down to the science.

Beecology (http://www.beecology.com/), a natural skincare and hair care company have dedicated themselves on producing the best quality skin and hair care using honey and beeswax as the essential ingredients in their products. Having started with a bee farm many years ago, the founders of Beecology realized that bees were such an integral part of our delicate eco system and promised to produce honey-infused beauty products that were safer for the environment, better for the bees, and most importantly, beneficial and harmless to humans. With their knowledge of farming bees and the natural products industry, Beecology developed into a sought-after natural products company that uses only the finest natural and organic ingredients possible.

At Beecology, you can definitely find something to your liking. We really loved their Foaming Hand Soap as not only were they delightfully scented, but they left our hands soft and smooth. We can instantly smell the scent of honey in the hand soap and it smelled good enough to eat – although of course we didn’t eat the soap. The Foaming Hand Soap comes in three scents: Grapefruit and Lemongrass, Lavender with Bergamot, and Peppermint. We were given the Peppermint scent to try and with the breezy minty scent and cool sensation, infused with the healing powers of Aloe and Honey, we were in heaven. Or should I say – our hands were in heaven! We also tried their Honey Shampoo and Conditioner with Bee Propolis extracts. Wow, is all I can say with these shampoo and conditioner. Not only did they lather nicely without the use of artificial lathering ingredients, but the minute I opened the top of the bottle, the soothing scent of honey and citrus permeated the shower and I felt transported to another time and place. And I know that Bee Propolis is a rare and unique component of the bee colony so having that ingredient added into my shampoo and conditioner was a real treat.

We all know the importance of bees and the honey that they make. But it goes beyond that. Bees are an important part of our eco system, helping farm dozens of fruits and plants as well as countless amounts of flowers throughout the world. Without bees, our plants and fruits cannot pollinate properly and we wouldn’t have all those delicious oranges, pears, and cherries to enjoy nor would we have luscious-scented lavender and thyme to enjoy in our food and baths. And at Beecology, they promise to not only help the bees, but to make sure the ingredients they use in their products will not further harm bees or the environment. And since they do not use any potentially harmful ingredients, they are safer to use for adults and children. And Beecology promises to donate 10% of their net profit to environmental and social causes.

We discovered Beecology not too long ago and I was fascinated that a company can combine all the essential ingredients and quality of natural and beneficial products without deviating from their purposes. The foaming handsoap cleaned our hands well, the shampoo and conditioner left my hair feeling smooth and tangle-free. And although my hair is a bit thicker, the conditioner did leave my hair even thicker, so this would be a great product for those who wishes to achieve a fuller look. We absolutely love honey and would enjoy eating it and using it. When the good folks at Beecology had sent me some of their products to try, I was delighted that their products actually were made with honey and probably a good amount considering you can smell the scent of honey instantly. And when I realized that they are also made without any toxic additives such as parabens, sulfates, SLS, DEA, and TEA, I was even more delighted and relieved. Who would want all those yucky stuff on their skin and hair? And of course there are no artificial colors or preservatives and the natural scents are derived from essential oils of flowers and herbs.

Beecology currently carries the following line of products: Foaming Hand Soap, Natural Body Wash, Sulfate-Free Shampoo, All Natural Conditioner, Handmade Bar Soaps, Hand and Body Cream, and Natural Lip Balm. All of their products include their signature honey from their own bees infused with other natural ingredients. You can find Beecology at most natural grocery stores and for more info about the company, please visit their website: http://www.beecology.com/.

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products.

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

Imagine rich cream swirled into decadant dark chocolate. Sweet caramel blended with tiny bitter chocolate bites creating a fusion of savory and sweet. And now imagine dipping your spoon into smooth and luscious ice cream that only Talenti can create and you’re in ice cream heaven. There’s nothing quite like gourmet ice cream that instantly melts in your mouth and delights your palate having you crave for more. Who ever thought that ice cream can be so addictive and enticing? Well, when you wrap your lips around a spoonful of Talenti’s gourmet ice cream, you’ll never want to go back to ordinary ice cream again.

Talenti (http://talentigelato.com/) is a true gourmet ice cream lover’s dream come true. If you’ve ever tried ice cream from Talenti, then you’ll know what I mean. And if you haven’t yet, then you’re missing out on some really fabulous frozen treats. But to call Talenti’s ice cream as ice cream is almost an injustice. No, it’s more than just your typical ice cream that you find in grocery stores. Talenti ice cream is taking gourmet frozen sweets to the top of its game and once you’ve tasted them, it’s hard to go back to regular ice cream. I am not exaggerating when I say that their ice cream is the ultimate smoothness. The ultimate delight to the senses. And the ultimate dream to the palate. And with so many flavors to choose from, you’ll never get bored.

Talenti, an Italian gourmet frozen sweet, otherwise known as gelato e sorbetto, began as a small gelateria 10 years ago and soon grew into one of the most popular gelato company in the U.S. With sinful flavors such as Black Rasberry Chocolate Chip, Belgian Milk Chocolate, and Caramel Cookie Crunch, you’re bound to find a few favorites of your own. My favorite is the Double Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Caramel among a few others and although I haven’t tried their entire line, I’m pretty sure they are all delicious and melt-in-your-mouth sensational. Talenti uses only natural ingredients and that’s what ice cream should really be – just pure, natural, and high quality ingredients. Their base is milk, sugar, and cream and they source their ingredients from local farms with specialized ingredients from around the world. With simple ingredients melting with complicated flavors, Talenti really is in a class of its own.

Imagine being transported to the little towns in Italy and enjoying a nice scoop of freshly made gelato while sitting outside enjoying the sun. Although traditional ice cream and gelato are very similar in nature, gelato is usually creamier and a bit denser creating a smoother palate on the tongue. Gelato and sorbetto (or sorbet) can come in almost any flavor and at Talenti, they definitely have a great selection of flavors to choose from. You’ll find something that’s suitable for everyone – sweet to salty to tangy. And if you’re watching your weight, then know that Talenti’s sorbetto are made without any dairy and are 100% fat free. The sorbetto are made with a base of fresh fruit, sugar, and water and they are absolutely delicious!

We are major ice cream fans in our household and when we tried Talenti’s gelato and sorbetto, we were blown away by the exquisite and gourmet taste and texture of their Italian-style ice cream. Although I wish the containers were a bit larger, their ice cream can be easily devoured in one sitting! And what’s fun about their containers is that they can be easily reused. The pretty, lightweight containers can easily be resued to fill your little knick-knacks, your snacks, or anything you’d find the jars reusable for. And the best thing is – they are all BPA free plastic containers so you can certainly keep them for a long time without fear of long time exposure to anything toxic in the jars.

Talenti’s gelato and sorbetto can be found at most natural grocery stores and major supermarkets that carry natural products. I think you’ll definitely enjoy the unique and fresh flavors of Talenti’s Italian-style ice cream. They are made with only natural ingredients and do not contain artificial flavors or colors, no high fructose corn syrup, and no added preservatives. All you taste is something that’s pure, smooth, and absolutely delightful! For more info about Talenti, please visit their website: http://talentigelato.com.

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products.

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

Whether you plan on celebrating Valentine’s Day this year or not, it’s fun to teach your kids about this festive holiday. Chinese New Year, or the Lunar New Year also falls closely with the Valentine’s Day Holiday this year. Chinese Lunar New Year begins on February 10 and Valentine’s Day is on February 14. So you have plenty of time to prepare something while teaching your children all the joy and fun with these luminating holidays.

The Chinese Lunar New Year begins on February 10, 2013 and the celebration and preparation begins weeks before. In Chinese tradition, the house must be cleaned and swept and rid of all negative energies. Red decorations such as lucky symbols, lanterns, and the Red Envelope are used during this time of year to signify prosperity, good fortune, and auspicious influence. The Chinese Lunar New Year is also a time for giving as well as receiving so we’ll touch base on the auspicious things we can give people during the celebration.

Valentine’s Day is usually noted as a holiday of love, friendship, and honor. Although not many people celebrate Valentine’s Day, I think it’s a fun holiday to teach your kids so that when they are old enough, they’ll have just as much fun with their friends. We’ll also highlight some kid-friendly and environmentally friendly gift ideas to give. And what’s unique about these two holidays is that they both use the color red to symbolize something great. But you don’t have to stick with red for decorations or gift ideas. Any variation of red – pink, fuschia, magenta, hot pink, lavender, etc. will do the trick.

– Make homemade sweets such as cookies, cupcakes, candies and place them in reusable boxes. Decorate them with festive red and pink colors.

– Make homemade granola. Mix together organic and natural ingredients including oats, honey, raisins, chocolate chips, coconut flakes, dried fruits, or anything you think your recipient might like.

– Make homemade dough for “play-doh”. Use flour and water mixture to create dough-like consistency. Add natural food coloring from beets, berries, and vegetables leftover from your cooking. Create figures using the homemade dough. Allow to dry thoroughly and give as gifts. To make it Valentine’s or Chinese Lunar New Year themed, make hearts, animals, lanterns, dragons, etc.

– Make homemade soaps or try this new soap from Noodles & Boo. These adorable heart-shaped soaps are made from natural ingredients and are delightful to use on children and adults alike.

– Give organic and fair trade chocolates made by Green & Black’s, Chocolove, Newman’s Own Organics. Give natural gummy sweetheart candies made by Surf Sweets.

– Make a gift basket of love. Fill it with organic and fair trade products like soap, chocolates, candies, candles, etc.

– Make paper lanterns or kites. Use them during the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration to bring in good luck and ward off evil.

– Make homemade cards. Using leftover copy paper or construction paper, create cards for both holidays and decorate as you please.

There are many wonderful ideas and traditions during these two holidays. Put your creativity to use and you’ll find many things in your house that you may already have to use for these projects and gifts. Teach your kids about Valentine’s Day and Chinese Lunar New Year and they’ll add more knowledge to their already expanding mind.

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Parenting is never an easy task. And those who say it otherwise, well, what are you drinking and may I have some of that? As a mom, an aunt, a sister, and a godmother, I’ve learned many things about being a parent and the wonders never cease me. Back when I was a preschool teacher, I thought learning all about children would help me learn about the wonders of the world. But as a parent, I realize that you never stop learning about what children can do and what parents can do to become better parents. Anybody can be a mom or a dad, but what does it take to be a real parent?

There are some pretty wonderful parents out there who do right by their kids as much as they can. There are also some pretty crazy people out there who call themselves parents but rarely puts their children first. I’m not one to judge as parenting is truly the hardest vocation possible, but if you open a newspaper page nowadays or glance at the headlines on the internet, you see some crazy stuff that just makes you cringe. And it’s the crazy stuff that I see on TV or read in newspapers that has me wondering if this world will ever be a perfect place?

While kids are young, parents should do their best to instill a good sense of value and integrity in their hearts and minds. Adults may not be perfect and although we all have our triumphs and downfalls, sometimes grownups don’t see the bigger picture ahead of them. We may let our children down sometimes and we may even wonder if we’re ever doing the right things, but we should never use children for our own selfish reasons. My friends and I often laugh at all the strange and dumb things that parents do, but when it comes down to it, we all need some kind of guideline. Whether the rules are set within our own beliefs or from experts, lines must be crossed as to the right and the wrong things that parents must do. So my friends and I came up with a list of “10 Things Parents Should Never Do”. I’m sure most of you have seen or heard of these acts and some may ring too true in your ears, but it’s good to have a refresher now and then.

1 – Never leave your children alone in a house or car. You’ve all heard about the incident when the parent leaves his/her child in the car to get “something real quick” from the store. Next thing they know, their car is stolen and their child is abducted. Alone in the house is even scarier as you may never know what could happen. Even if there were times when you might think it’s okay to leave them alone for a few minutes and depending on the age, think twice about it.

2- Never make promises you can not keep. I know this is a hard one because with a screaming child demanding candy, video games, insert your own demands here – you want to promise them something, anything to get them to calm down. Well, most kids are pretty smart in that they’ll remember the promise you made and will forever hold you to it. And if you keep making empty promises, then they won’t take you seriously.

3- Never make threats (or empty ones). Threats are like threading a needle without glasses. You make many attempts to get it through, but in the end it become a struggle between you both. And then what are you teaching your children with threats? Basically you’re telling them that you can say it, but if you don’t follow through on them, then why bother making them? Gentle persuasion is usually the best option.

4- Never judge them too quickly. Children learn at a very young age about love and hate. And although young chidren have an altruistic trait in them and that they love their parents unconditionally, if you judge your children constantly, they’ll soon develop self-doubt.

5- Never give young children dangerous toys. What’s a dangerous toy? Well, depending on the age, it could virtually be anything. But mostly things like toy guns (I can’t believe they still make and sell them!) or anything that resembles a gun; things that can hurt themselves or others; and things that teach them to be volatile. And if people give these dangerous toys to your kids, throw them away or kindly tell the gifter that you don’t allow those kinds of toys for your kids. Although most older kids know the difference between a dangerous toy and a safe one, young children usually don’t.

6- Never discipline when you’re angry. Face it, we all get angry at our kids at one time or another. Heck, we get angry at other adults too. But most adults can handle a mean word or two but not little children. When you’re about to discipline your children while you’re still heated up, calm down and rethink your course of action in the proper ways of discipling his/her actions.

7- Never misjudge someone else’s intent. You are your child’s best parent after all. If you’re a new parent, you’ll probably get more advice than a 1000-page parenting book. And although some advice may be worthy, your instincts are what guides you as a parent. Just like the well-intended parent who gave you an advice you’re still scratching your head over.

8- Never criticize. I know it may be a tough one because we’re humans after all, but criticizing younger children gets you nowhere. In fact, it may create self-doubt with your children and with yourself.

9- Never embarrass your children in public. It may be okay to tease your kids now and then, but if it’s going to embarrass them, then skip it. Kids get embarrassed rather easily as they are still trying to figure out their roles in life, and when their own parents are embarrassing them on purpose, they’ll soon learn to put up a facade that can be dangerous.

10- Never leave their side. Okay, this may sound like paranoid parenting, and yes eventually your kids will have to leave for college, get married, start a family of their own, etc. But while they are still young, adults need to be reassured just as much as children. Of course you don’t have to be overprotective either, but it’s wise to see the bigger picture now and then.

I’m sure there are many things to add to this list as hopefully people get wiser and learn from their mistakes (or other people’s mistakes). Whether you’re a young parent, a first time parent, or a marathon parent, you’re never too old to learn about parenting. Parenting is like a seesaw. Sometimes you’re up high and you can see for miles ahead. Sometimes you sink down low and you wonder if you’ll ever see what’s ahead of you. But if you take a step back to look at the overall goal, then you and your children will hopefully grow up one day and realize hey, it’s okay to make mistakes just as long as you learn from them and move on.

Everyone has a sweet tooth, more or less. Some eat candy like it’s their only meal while others indulge on it occassionally. We’re the latter kind because candy can be too tempting and can also end up being detrimental to our health. It’s okay to indulge in candy once in awhile as long as you don’t overdo it and as long as you can find ones that are more of a “healthier” choice.

So do healthy candy really exist? Well, I wouldn’t necessarily call candy healthy, but with so many unhealthy candy out on the market today, how can you find one that’s a better choice? That’s where UNREAL (http://getunreal.com/) candies come in. They have as they call it, “unjunked” the candy revolution and has quickly hit stores everywhere with their naturally-made candies. So how can candy be so real that it’s unreal? Well, the folks at UNREAL candies has made a new kind of candy where there are no artificial ingredients allowed and no preservatives or unnecessary additives like refined sugar and genetically-modified ingredients. But does it still taste good? Well, if you’re used to eating the mainstream candies out on the market today, then you’re probably used to the way they taste. But once you’ve taken a bite into a chocolately-caramel filled UNREAL candy, then you’ll wonder why you ate those “other” candy in the first place. And although UNREAL candies are similar to the other candies, such as Chocolate Candy Shell Peanuts and Chocolate Caramel Peanuts Nougat, they taste fantastically better and more real. So yes, in my opinion, UNREAL candies can taste better than the other ones. But you’ll have to try them yourselves to know exactly what I mean.

The story of how UNREAL came about is rather sweet. It was the love of a father for his son that the UNREAL candies were developed. When the thirteen-year old teenager challenged his dad to find candies that weren’t full of junk, his dad took up the challenge. When they couldn’t find any that were suitable to their tastes and mission, they created the brand UNREAL and developed candies made from real ingredients. They promised that UNREAL candies would be free of artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, and GMO’s. And to make them even yummier, they added more chocolate, real caramel, more peanuts, and more protein and fiber to all of their candy. And as firm believers that real candy doesn’t have to have those yucky stuff to taste good, they are now sold in major stores across the country. I found them in Target, Michael’s Art Supply, and Staples. And the best part yet – they are all affordable and comes in just the right sizes!

When we were introduced to UNREAL not too long ago, I was skeptic yet intrigued at how their chocolate candies would taste. I knew it wasn’t impossible to create natural candies as there are other companies who makes them. But I was fascinated at how they can make chocolate candies that were similar to the mainstream ones you see in stores everywhere. Well, after I took an initial bite of their UNREAL candy #8, which is also called Chocolate Caramel Peanuts Nougat, I was astounded at how delicious it tasted. In fact, it tasted even better than the other chocolate candy very similar to it. But it’s not fair to compare really. It’s a matter of taste, but when I had my son and husband and friends try it, they agreed that the more natural version was indeed better tasting. So you see, it is possible to make healthier candies and I’m so glad that there’s finally a company who decided to make them.

The good folks at UNREAL had wanted me to try their candies in a review as well as give readers of Happymomblogger the opportunity to try them too. They had sent me coupons as well as a variety of their chocolate candies and I can honestly say I enjoyed them all. But my favorites has got to be the Chocolate Caramel Peanuts Nougat and Chocolate Peanut Butter cups. The caramel in the Chocolate Caramel Peanuts Nougar bar tastes amazingly fresh and naturally sweet and it drizzled delightfully with each bite. The Chocolate Peanut Butter cups were like tasting a chocolate bar dipped in peanut – just good old-fashioned chocolate and peanut butter. So for those who haven’t tried UNREAL candies yet, be sure to read below on how to get some FREE product coupons. And if you’ve tried them before, well, then you know you’ll want to try and win some. You can find UNREAL candies at most national retailers or you can do a quick search on their site: http://getunreal.com/find-unreal-candy/. The prize is 5 FREE product coupons for 3 winners each. So how do you win this awesomely sweet prize? Read below to find out!

Here’s how to enter in the UNREAL giveaway:

(Please note, the rules have changed slightly. Please read carefully before entering)

ENTRIES:

#1 entry – “Like” UNREAL on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unreal and write on their wall that you are entering the contest at Happymomblogger: http://www.happymomblogger.wordpress.com/. Please put Happymomblogger as the heading.

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES:

#2 entry – Become a follower: http://twitter.com/#!/happymomblogger and “Tweet” me @happymomblogger that you are entering the UNREAL giveaway. Become a follower of UNREAL: https://twitter.com/getunreal and “Tweet” that you are entering the UNREAL contest at Happymomblogger.

#3 entry – Subscribe to my Blog.

#4 entry – Enter in my other contests.

#5 entry – Vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs using the link provided below.

You can enter by telling me the 5 entries in the LEAVE A COMMENT box. Please be sure to give me your name and email address so that I may contact you if you win. Contest is open to residents of US only. 18 years and older please. Please be sure to provide a physical address and not a P.O. Box. Only 1 contestant per household please. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of prize. Any violation of the rules will deem your entry as disqualified. Happymomblogger is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged prizes but will do the best to ensure your prize gets there. In  the event the winner can not be contacted within 3 days of email sent then another winner will be chosen. No purchase necessary to enter. Void where prohibed by law.

Contest Start Date: January 23, 2013

Contest End Date: February 6, 2013 – CONTEST CLOSED. WINNERS WILL BE SELECTED.

Only  5winners will be chosen at random and I will post the winners names on my blog.

GOOD LUCK AND THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products.

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

http://www.topmommyblogs.com/blogs/in.php?id=storm

 

I hate that initial feeling of body aches, runny nose, and a sore throat that just won’t go away. The dreaded thought that a cold or flu is fast approaching is never a pleasant one. But fear not, there are many ways to counterattack the onslaught of a cold or flu: getting plenty of extra rest, uptake your Vitamin C, and don’t stress out. It’s inevitable that we’ll all get sick one time or the other and with the horrible weathers throughout the nation, our bodies are really taking a toll.  And with a busy life keeping us from remembering to take care of ourselves, we subject ourselves to even the littlest ailment.

I like to keep my defenses up throughout the year only because I know that colds and flus don’t only flourish during the Winter months. I’m more prone to natural, homeopathic prevention which helps prevent those nasty bugs and germs from invading my immune system. But occassionally I’ll get a bit of a cold and I’ve learned long ago that it’s best to prevent that impending cold from taking over my body. Ususally for me, high stress is the factor but stress is also hard to prevent as well. So besides drinking lots of hot ginger tonics, uptaking my Vitamin C, and green tea, I’ve found other meaningful and helpful ways of fighting that first attack. And that’s when I also learned about a company called Boiron (http://www.boironusa.com/).

Boiron has been making natural, homeopathic medicine for both children and adults for over 80 years with a sincere and straightforward approach in providing excellent, natural medicine throughout the world. Originating in France many years ago, Boiron’s holistic approach that medicine should be effective and safe for all ages has made them a popular name in households. In fact, having used mostly natural remedies since I was young, I rather prefer medicine that comes from nature rather than from a test tube. From personal experience, most natural remedies causes no ill side effects but you should always consult a specialist if you ever have any doubts.

When we discovered Boiron and their entire family of natural, homeopathic medicine, I had eagerly wanted to try their products. After hearing much about their Oscillococcinum line of medicine, which combats flu-like symptoms, I had to find out for myself if it would be as good as it said it was. Oscillococcinum’s medicine is to be taken right at the initial signs of a flu or cold, such as fatique, headache, body aches, chills, and fever. On one occassion when I was starting to feel downright yucky, I knew that I had better stave off any further attacks on my body so I popped open a tube of Oscillococcinum’s sweet-tasting medicine and waited. In a few hours and by the end of the day, I did indeed feel better and although I can’t say 100% sure if it was the medicine or my precautionary steps, I was overjoyed that my body aches and sniffles weren’t going to take over my life. And because Boiron backs up their medicine with a 100% guarantee, I felt safer at trying a new type of medicine.

Boiron believes that medicine should work naturally with your body. It’s pretty similar to drinking honey with hot water and lemon for a sore throat or mild cough, uptaking your doses of Vitamin C, or rubbing lotion all over your body during the dry, cold Winter months. All of these type of prevention and care stems from years of knowledge and experience that we’ve all come to appreciate. With me, I prefer to prevent an illness rather than take a bunch of unnecessary medication to get rid of it. I do that by trying to eat healthy, exercise regularly, and fight off any cold symptoms before they come full fledged. With Boiron’s 80 years of experience in the medicinal field, I can feel pretty safe about taking their medicne. I don’t really like taking typical pharmaceuticals that’s been engineered in a test tube and although they may be necessary at times, going natural is more suitable for me.

When my son had a cough awhile ago, I decided to try Boiron’s Chestal for children and gave him the syrupy medicine as directed. Along with natural honey and a slew of impressive, symptom-targeted herbs, his cough subsided within a couple of days and I was glad that once again, that there were no side effects from taking Boiron’s medicine. Boiron also makes Chestal for adults too and their cough syrup is sweet, does not have that icky “mediciny” taste, and goes down smoothly. I even took the adult version when I had a cough as well and now we keep a couple bottles of Chestal in our medicine cabinet.

What’s really great about Boiron’s extensive lineup of natural, homeopathic medicine is that they have something for practically any ailment. From muscle pain to topical first aid, to cough and cold preventative medicine, they have a clean line of medication that would suit your everyday needs. Boiron’s medicine can be found at natural grocery stores as well as major supermarkets around the nation so it’s fairly easy to pick some up should you ever need them. The wonderful folks at Boiron had sent me a box of their 6-count Oscillococcinum to try and review. And sure enough, with the harsh Winter months and flu season threatening us this season, the Oscillococccinum came in handy. You may not always be able to prevent a flu or a cold, but if you can zap it in its place before it takes over your body, then the better ways of doing it is with some preventative, natural medicine.

Boiron would also like to give 1 LUCKY reader of Happymomblogger the opportunity to win a box of their Oscillococcinum. The prize will be 1 box of 6-count Oscillococcinum. In this box you will find 6 slim capsules containing tiny, sweet round drops of medicine that tastes like candy. The instructions are simple – pour the entire contents into your mouth and chew slowly. The Oscillococcinum tastes so much like candy bits that my son said it tasted “just like candy”. Of course you’ll need to supervise your children in taking any medication, natural or not, and especially if they taste like candy, keep them out of children’s reach at all times. And let them know that they are not candy, but medicine. So how do you win this very helpful prize? Read below to find out.

Here’s how to enter in the Boiron/Oscillococcinum giveaway:

(Please note, the rules have changed slightly. Please read carefully before entering)

ENTRIES:

#1 entry – “Like” Oscillococcinum on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/#!/oscillo and write on their wall that you are entering the contest at Happymomblogger: http://www.happymomblogger.wordpress.com/. Please put Happymomblogger as the heading.

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES:

#2 entry – Become a follower: http://twitter.com/#!/happymomblogger and “Tweet” me @happymomblogger that you are entering the Oscillococcinum giveaway. Become a follower of Oscillococcinum: http://twitter.com/OscilloUSA and “Tweet” that you are entering the Boiron/Oscillococcinum (you can just write “Oscillo”) contest at Happymomblogger.

#3 entry – Subscribe to my Blog.

#4 entry – Enter in my other contests.

#5 entry – Vote for me at Top Mommy Blogs using the link provided below.

You can enter by telling me the 5 entries in the LEAVE A COMMENT box. Please be sure to give me your name and email address so that I may contact you if you win. Contest is open to residents of US only. 18 years and older please. Please be sure to provide a physical address and not a P.O. Box. Only 1 contestant per household please. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery of prize. Any violation of the rules will deem your entry as disqualified. Happymomblogger is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged prizes but will do the best to ensure your prize gets there. In  the event the winner can not be contacted within 3 days of email sent then another winner will be chosen. No purchase necessary to enter. Void where prohibed by law.

Contest Start Date: Januray 23, 2013

Contest End Date: February 6, 2013 – CONGRATULATIONS TO MARYANN FOR WINNING THE PRIZE!

Only 1 winner will be chosen at random and I will post the winner’s name on my blog.

GOOD LUCK AND THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING!

Disclaimer: The product(s)were sent to the author for review by the manufacturer/PR. All reviews on “Happymomblogger” remain unbiased and unpaid and are the sole decision of the author. The opinions of these product(s) were not influenced in any way, shape, or form. As always, please read the ingredients carefully when trying new products.

Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.

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