Happy New Year!!

(PHOTO FROM GOOGLE FILES)

I can never believe how quickly the time between Christmas and the New Years flies!  It's hard to imagine that only one week ago today was Christmas Eve. 


I wish you, all my blogging friends, a peaceful, wonderful and prosperous 2012!


Happy New Year everyone!! 


Monica

Living Green, One Tip at a Time - (a weekly feature)

Tip # 40

Get Back to the Basics

Let's all try to be a little greener in 2012 and get back to the basics by remembering the three "R's":

•  Reduce
•  Reuse
•  Recycle 

We all need to remember that we are stewards of this planet, if we don't protect it for future generations, who will?


Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and green 2012!


Monica

"English Idioms And Expressions For Everyone, Yes, Even You!" by Reza Mashayekhi ~ Review & Giveaway ~

Your reference books of synonyms, dictionaries and a thesaurus is not complete until you add this brilliant book.   Whether or not you are a native English speaker, the over 400 pages of information will definitely aid in your communication with others.

Inside this reference book you will find -

- Easy to understand meanings and equivalents for:

• Idioms
• Phrases
• Expressions
• And some commonly used sentences

- Typical examples of how these expressions are used.

- The likely origins of these expressions.

- Illustrations that serve two purposes:

• They add humour to an otherwise serious reference book; and
• They illustrate how some expressions could be misinterpreted by someone who is hearing them for the first time.

- And finally, some interesting expressions and proverbs from other languages and cultures, which show how people of the world have more things in common than we tend to realize.

In our house we all love words.  I keep a journal of words that I love and we often play the "dictionary game".   We'll take turns opening up the dictionary to a random page, putting our finger on a word, and reading the meaning.  The "game" is to see who can be first to guess the correct word for the meaning.  Well, now there's a "new kid in town". (see page 236)

This wonderful book is written by Reza Mashayekhi, who was born and raised in Iran but later attended the University of Michigan and it is dedicated to the memory of Yoshihiro Hattori.

Yoshihiro Hattori was a Japanese foreign exchange student in the United States who lost his life due to an apparent misunderstanding over language.  

It seems he did not know what a frightened and armed home owner meant when he said, "Freeze!"

BUY IT - 

You can purchase your own copy of, English Idioms And Expressions For Everyone, yes, Even You!  by visiting "order your copy"  (left hand column) on the official website.  Available in paperback, hardcover, pocketbook, E-book and PDF.  Or you can order your copy from Amazon or  Barnes And Noble.

WIN IT - 

One lucky reader of Older Mommy still Yummy is going to receive their own copy of English Idioms And Expressions For Everyone, Yes, Even You! by Reza Mashayekhi.
Using the Rafflecopter form below, simply follow the instructions, complete the mandatory entry, (which unlocks the optional entries),  plus any or all of the optional entries for your chance to win this amazing prize!  Good luck!

Read more »

~ CLOSED ~ Luxe Box by Loose Button - Review & Giveaway

The great people at Loose Button have sent me their December Luxe Box to review.
If you are unfamiliar with Luxe Box, it is a monthly subscription service from Loose Button that delivers 4-5 deluxe-sized (and sometimes full sized) beauty samples, all in a chic box, directly to your door.

The samples range from skincare and makeup to fragrance, body, and hair care and are from such brands as - Dermalogica,  Elizabeth Grant, Purminerals, Lancome, Principessa, Benefit, Stila, Consonant, Clinique, RMK, Calvin Cline, Cheeky Monkey and Mereadesso to name just a few. 
Each box is customized to you and also contains a card with usage tips, as well as product descriptions explaining each of the samples in your box.  

By now you are probably wandering, what was included in this month's box? Let's have a look.

Here is the outside of the December box.

Love the classy packaging!

I'm going to open the box and check out the contents.

I'm not sure if you can make it out, but the sticker says "Made for Monica"

Now I'll pull back the tissue to reveal the surprises inside!

Wow, it looks like a very exciting array of products.

I've set the contents out on a the table so you could have a closer look.

This is what I received in my December Luxe Box:

YVES ROCHER
[A] 24H Vitality Anti-Fatigue Skin Care:  The intensive moisturizer is enriched with Red Vine Polyphenols that combat signs of fatigue that age the skin. 

I received:  15mls
Full-size:  50mls [$52]


[B] Italian Mandarin shower Gel: Fall in love with this irresistibly indulgent body wash and envelope yourself in its delicate and delicious citrus-scented lather.
I received:  15mls
Full-Size:  400mls [$12] 


VELOUR
Upper Lashes:  Inspired by mink eyelashes and custom ordered by celebrities, Velour lashes is dedicated to offering the finest lashes on the market.
I received:  One pair [Full size]
Full-size:  One pair [$60-65]


NINA RICCI
[A] L'Air Du Temps:  An iconic fragrance, L'air du Temps symbolizes love, peace and freedom.
I received:  1.2mls
Full-size:  50mls [$72]


[B]Nina:  Fresh and fruity, wear Nina to capture femininity, temptation and modernity.
I received:  1.2mls
Full-size:  50mls [$65]


You may notice the silver coin pictured above, it is a limited edition Loose Button chocolate coin made from imported Belgian chocolate.  It was included as a token of their appreciation...and it was yummy!!

These boxes are well worth the monthly cost.  As you can see, the products I received were worth way more than the $12.00/month [maximum] that you would spend. 

Sign up for Luxe Box, visit them on Facebook or read their blog for great tips on beauty.

This is a great way to try high end beauty products without spending a fortune only to find out you don't really care for the product. 
The cost is very reasonable at 12.00 monthly, 36.00 quarterly or 120.00 yearly (that's two months free!!)

Luxe Box is currently only available in Canada but Loose Button is working hard to make this available in other countries around the world.

SIGN UP -  If you want to receive your own chic box of surprise each month, simply sign up here.

WIN JANUARY'S LUXE BOX -  Using the Rafflecopter form below, simply follow the instructions, complete the mandatory entry, (which unlocks the optional entries),  plus any or all of the optional entries for your chance to win this amazing prize!  Good luck!

Read more »

~ CLOSED ~ Sea Band Review & Giveaway

What are Sea-Bands?

Sea-Bands are acupressure bands that fit around your wrist, similar to a sweat band but with a pressure stud sewn inside. They are a low-cost, clinically proven, drug free alternative treatment for the control of nausea and vomiting.

How do they work?

Sea-Band works by exerting constant, gentle pressure on a point on the inner wrist known as the Pericardium 6 (P6) acupressure point. It brings effective relief within five minutes of being applied and can be used before or after the onset of nausea. The all-natural, drug-free, latex-free Sea-Band does not cause the side-effects often associated with anti-nausea medication such as drowsiness, disorientation, dry mouth or possible interactions with other drugs. It’s safe for pregnant women, children, and patients taking prescription medications. Packaged in a convenient carry-case, they are washable and reusable, and available a variety of colours in sizes for adults and children.

Several weeks ago I was asked to review Sea-Band, however, until just recently I hadn't encountered a situation where I was able to give them a proper review.  As luck (or maybe in this case un-luck) would have it, last week my daughter tried them and just a couple days later, I too was able to give Sea-Band a try.  

My daughter had an upset stomach and due to an allergy cannot take most anti-nausea medication.  I asked if she would like to try the Sea-Band, she did and in less than 10 minutes her nausea was gone, it was really quite remarkable! 

I have an illness than can cause nausea and sure enough with the holidays only a couple days away I started feeling nauseated.  Because of the positive affect my daughter experienced I immediately put them on and in about 5 minutes my nausea was completely gone.


If you are unable or unwilling to wear Sea-Band, the company also offers Sea-Band Anti-Nausea Ginger Gum, for fast nausea relief with fresh, uplifting flavour. Each piece of the great tasting gum contains 25 mg of ginger oil (equivalent to 8 grams of fresh ginger root).

I'm completely sold on Sea-Band and will definitely be keeping them in our first aid kit.


BUY IT -
Sea-Band products are available in the U.S. at Walmart, Target, CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens;  in Canada at Overwaitea, IDA, Familiprix, and Guardian.  Also available in many independent drugstores or pharmacies throughout North America or online at drugstore.com and at http://www.sea-band.com/shop.  (Suggested retail price is $10.99 per pair in the US and $12.99 in Canada)

WIN IT - 

One lucky reader of Older Mommy Still Yummy will have the opportunity to win a pair of Sea-Band wristbands and a pack of the Sea-Band Anti-Nausea Ginger Gum.
Using the Rafflecopter form, simply follow the instructions, complete the mandatory entry (this unlocks the optional entries portion),  plus any or all of the optional entries for your chance to win this amazing prize!  Good luck!

Read more »

Living Green, One Tip at a Time - (a weekly feature)

TIP # 39

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THAT WRAPPING PAPER???

(Photo from FreeFoto.com via Google files) 

• You can carefully remove it and then reuse it...let's face it; this probably won't be happening on Christmas morning!!
• Unless it's the kind that has foil or some kind of waxy lining, most paper, including wrapping paper and tissue paper, is recyclable
• If it is not glossy, does not have a plastic, waxy, or metallic coating, and is not shockingly bright (officially known as Astro bright), it can probably be composted safely. Generally, if it tears easily, it's okay to compost it. 

One thing you should never do with it is burn it. Burning glossy or waxy paper, especially if it is brightly coloured or has a metallic finish, can release highly toxic chemicals into the air.

Below is a quick reference chart -

PAPER TYPE	REUSE	RECYCLE	COMPOST	GARBAGE
Glossy	X	X
Metallic	X			X
Wax-Coated	X			X
Plain/Non-Glossy,  Non-AstroBright	X	X	X
Tissue	X	X	X
Paper Tube	X	X	X
Paper Boxes	X	X	(some)

I referenced the following site for the information contained in this post -

http://ccetompkins.org/energy/heating-wood/what-do-wrapping-paper

Monica

Merry Christmas to all...

I've had an amazing time during this, my first year of blogging.   I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you, the readers of Older Mommy Still Yummy,  for making it so much fun.  

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas season filled with much love, laughter, peace and happiness. 


Merry Christmas,
Monica

A Little Christmas Humour

This was just sent to me and I had to share, it's very cute! 

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas filled with lots of love and happy memories,

Monica

~ CLOSED ~ Limited Edition Lancome Luxe Box by Loose Button ~ Giveaway ~

Do you remember seeing this banner?

This past month, Loose Button partnered up with Lancome Canada to create limited edition Lancôme Luxe Boxes for an exclusive contest.  Thanks to all the wonderful readers who voted for Older Mommy Still Yummy,  I was one of the lucky winners of a limited edition Lancome Luxe Box!  And as promised, you too are now going to have the opportunity to win this awesome Lancome Luxe Box for yourself.


Would you like to see what you will win? These Luxe Boxes contain deluxe beauty products from Lancôme and are available exclusively to the contest winners.   Let's have a look -

I'm not sure if you can make it out, but the card says "To Monica" and "Older Mommy Still Yummy"

Don't look if you want to be surprised, because now I'm going to pull back the tissue to reveal what's inside!

Looks like some very classy products!!

I've set the contents out on the table so you could have a closer look.

This is what I received and you may be lucky enough to receive these items too! 

LANCOME

Tresor Midnight Rose Perfume:  

The scent is sweet floral, mischievious and addictive...an overdose of femininity.  [It's in the cutest bottle ever!]

I received: 5mls

Full-size: 30mls [$58]  50mls [$75]  75mls [$94]  

Aquatique Waterproof Eyecolour Base:

The silky-smooth, waterproof formula holds pigment in place and delivers nude, barely-there colour that evens out eyelids and leaves them with a natural, matte finish.

I received: 0.08 ounces

Full-sized:  I wasn't able to find the ounce amount in a full sized container but this looks quite big. [$28]

Cils Booster XL Super Enhancing Mascara Base:

With just one sweep, this innovative mascara base glides on and evenly coats and smoothes your lashes to maximize the results of your favourite Lancome mascara!

I received: 2.07mls

Full-size: again, I'm not sure, but this looks pretty full-sized to me. [$28] 

Genefique Youth Activating Concentrate:

I'm especially looking forward to using this product, "see visibly younger skin in just 7 days", sounds good to me!

I received: 7mls

Full size: 30ml $95, 50ml $125, 75ml $155

WIN IT -

If you would like the chance to win this Limited Edition Lancome Luxe Box by, Loose Button, it's simple...Using the Rafflecopter form below, simply follow the instructions, complete the mandatory entry (this unlocks the optional entries portion),  plus any or all of the optional entries for your chance to win this amazing prize!  Good luck!

Read more »

~ Giveaways and a Hop ~

Check out these great giveaways, all simple Rafflecopter entry -

Brugo Mug - Review & Giveaway Open Worldwide Ends1/3 

Limited Edition Lancome Luxe Box - Canada only Ends 1/11

Sit Stretch SmileYoga Book/DVD Combo Can/US Ends 1/7

Beyond Broccoli by Susan Schenck - Review & Giveaway Can/US End...

Diary of a Beverly Hills Matchmaker by Marla Martenson - Review &am...

Dancing with Duality by Stella Vance - Review & Giveaway Can/US...

And while you're here, link up a Christmas Tree post at the "Oh Christmas Tree Hop"...can be pretty or not!  It's all for fun with no rules. 

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year!


Monica