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Vindication Season 1 – Review

*Sponsored Post*

Pure Flix is a faith based family-friendly streaming video service. They originally started as a film studio in 2005 and in 2014 launched Pure Flix. In 2020 they became part of AFFIRM Entertainment. Their mission is to stream inspiring and faith-affirming TV shows, movies, and original series.

One of these series is Vindication. It’s Pure Flix’s very own Cop Drama and it’s returning for a second season this month! (September 2021). You can check out the trailer here.

I love a good cop drama show and it was interesting to see it from a more faith based perspective. I feel like most dramas like this are very formulamatic and Vindication didn’t exactly follow the usual form.

It was kind of nice, because I didn’t exactly know what to expect next. They spent a lot of time on the character / suspect’s life and almost no time on the crime itself and I was kind of surprised when it was magically solved at the end.

And it was cool to see how the suspect, even though he had struggles, in the end, made the right decision, and that decision probably saved his life.

This first episode was a lot more like a relationship drama and not so much of a cop show. So, I am looking forward to watching the rest of the season on Pure Flix because it is a fun show that’s more about the mystery than the drama.

#VindicationMIN

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Back To School

*Sponsored Post*

It’s back to school time, and I’m loving these fun products that help make learning fun! With homeschooling multiple grades it’s super busy at times, but also so much fun to see my kids learning!

I am loving this rug from KC Cubs! I set it out in our school area for my 4yr old and eventually gave up on taking a picture of it with no toys on it. It’s his favorite place to play!

I love how he’ll play with toys and then we’ll discuss a few letters and then he’ll go back to playing. The seasons have been a favorite topic of conversation with his older siblings. They know the seasons, but seeing them laid out by month has been super interesting to them.

This rug is comfortable and doesn’t slide around on my floor. Basically, everyone loves it! It’s the preferred toy and game area in my house suddenly. And I’m loving that we can naturally have conversations about letters, seasons, and days of the week while the kids play.

And, what’s a school day without good snacks? I’m loving these fun cookies from Dick & Jane!

Not only are they tasty, they’re terrific conversation starters! We even had to look a couple presidents up because none of us remembered what they did.

I think we spend more time playing with these than eating them. Which really isn’t all that bad. It’s definitely a fun way to start or finish our school day!

And, last but not least, this super easy cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen. Because a school day isn’t successful without a tasty dinner! And I don’t always have time to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

Each of these recipes really is only 5 ingredients, which makes them all super easy to make. I’m loving the addition of all these tasty and easy recipes to the end of our school day.

With only 5 ingredients, even my older kids can make us dinner! It’s a win win. Good food, and they’re learning how to cook!

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Aerobie Football

Thanks to Tryazon and Spinmaster for the awesome Aerobie Football!

This football whistles when you throw it correctly, which is pretty awesome! And it’s small and light enough that even my 4yr old can throw it!

We practice in the back yard with it at first and then took it to a play date with friends. It’s an awesome toy and perfect for the fall and playing outside.

I am encouraging lots of outside play these days because the weather is beautiful! And fresh air and sunshine are so great for everyone!

We’re all looking forward to our next playdate at the park!

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Birthday Gift Ideas for Guys

*This is a sponsored post and may contain affiliate links*

I don’t know about you, but shopping for a Birthday present for my hubby is so hard! So, instead of looking for traditional guys gifts (what are those exactly anyway?), I got him some things that he loves. Good food!

Me’s Way

I love cooking, and hubby loves spicy foods. So, for a fun Birthday Present, I made him some well flavored stir fry.

I love a good chili sauce and Me’s Way is delicious! It has lots of spice and lots of flavor. We all know how important flavor is to a good stir fry!

This hand crafted, all-natural chili sauce is inspired by the creator’s Vietnamese roots. And I’m super impressed with it!

It has the spicy kick I expect out of a good chili sauce and it also has a lot of extra flavor (must be their super secret seasonings that they add!) that I’ve not had in a chili sauce before. Basically, It’s amazing and makes all my meals with chili sauce taste amazing!

Hot N Saucy

Back to the spicy food conversation… my hubby loves spice! One of our favorite hot sauce companies seems to be having sourcing issues (seriously, I can’t get the stuff anywhere!!!).

So, we’re once again on the hunt for a good hot sauce. I wasn’t a huge fan of the beet hot sauce – because beets are basically the one food that I can’t stand the taste of – but hubby thought it was good.

For both of us though, our favorite is the sweet potato & habanero. I LOVE a good habanero sauce! And the sweet potato addition to the flavor is just amazing!

Of course, Hubby’s favorite way to eat it is mixed with a little mayo and then used as a spicy fish sauce. It’s so good!!!

The Mayonnaise Cookbook

Speaking of Mayo and fish… this mayonnaise cookbook is one of those gifts that I say is for my hubby, but… it’s really for me. He just gets the benefit of me cooking with one of my favorite condiments.

How awesome is this fish sandwich with homemade mayonnaise sauce on top!

If you get this cookbook, you’ll also want to buy a bulk size package of mayo because you’re going to want to make sure you don’t run out.

My hubby loves fish sandwiches, and he was so excited about me making a super tasty one at home!

I also tried about a bunch of the different mayonnaise themed sauces in this book and have really eaten way too much mayo this month!

All in all, a food themed Birthday for hubby this year really has been tasty and fun for both of us!

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Teen Gift Ideas

*This post contains sponsored content and affiliate links*

For me, August is the month of Birthdays. Throw in some Back to School and end of Summer stuff and it’s just pure insanity! So, in honor of having my first official teenager this year, I put together a fun gift guide for my Girl.

Soo’AE

Skincare is super important for every teen girl. And what better way to kick off her teen beauty routine than with these awesome natural, vegan, cruelty-free, eco-friendly products from Soo’AE!

The face wash, face cream, and face masks are gentle and made with clean & green ingredients. So, they’re good for my daughter’s skin and good for the environment as well. I especially love that the masks are 95% natural!

We had a fun at home spa night with the masks and enjoyed hanging out with each other for a little while.

Spooky America

My kids LOVE ghost stories! Just as much as they love s’mores around a campfire.  And while I have no issues with them hearing / reading ghost stories, I do my best to make sure that these stories are age appropriate for them.

My daughter doesn’t know yet that there are 32 of these books and not just 2 – as soon as she figures that out, her Christmas list will be 30 books long…

My girls actually swiped these the minute they arrived and I had to go hunt them down just to photograph them (while the girls supervised so I didn’t “loose” any in my bedroom).

They told me that the stories aren’t really scary, but they’re very fun. And they want more of them. They’re also unwilling to let me borrow their books because they’re afraid I’ll keep them for myself!

These are definitely on my “need to buy the whole series” list!

Hogwarts Cookbook for Kids

I may or may not have been more excited about this cookbook than my daughter was. Though, my kids have been all about Harry Potter this summer! They had a friend at summer camp ask them about it and they all realized that they’ve never seen it.

So, our Summer family movie nights were all about Harry Potter. She was super excited about her new cookbook and has handed me a grocery shopping list a mile long!

So far, we’ve tried one of the sandwich recipes and everyone was thrilled with it.

 

Fidgets

My daughter was given an Amazon gift card for her birthday and guess what she rushed to buy? Fidgets! I had not idea that these things could come in this many different shapes, but there really is a lot of variety here.

And these days, when in doubt, a fidget for someone’s Birthday is the way to go!

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Tomlin/Jobe/Bethel Tour – Giveaway

Good Good Father – Chris Tomlin – has always been one of my favorite songs. I don’t remember when I first heard the song, but it’s one I always love playing with my Church Band.

It’s just one of those songs, that no matter what the circumstance, it’s perfect. Having a rough week? He’s a good Father. Aced that project? He’s a good Father. And I’m sure, like me, you’ve had a lot of friends and family sick this year. He’s still a good Father. And I’m so excited about celebrating this truth in person, with others this year! (maybe just a little taste of what Heaven will be like!)

If you want to join me and others at one of the tour stops, you can get your tickets here.

Not ready yet? I’ve copied some of the lyrics below. Read through them and rest in the remembrance that God is a good good Father.

Oh, I’ve heard a thousand stories of what they think You’re like
But I’ve heard the tender whisper of love in the dead of night
And You tell me that You’re pleased and that I’m never alone

Oh, and I’ve seen many searching for answers far and wide
But I know we’re all searching for answers only You provide
‘Cause You know just what we need before we say a word

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

Because You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us
You are perfect in all of Your ways
Oh, You’re perfect in all of Your ways
You are perfect in all of Your ways to us

Oh, it’s love so undeniable
I, I can hardly speak
Peace so unexplainable
I, I can hardly think
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still
As You call me deeper still into love, love, love

You’re a good, good Father
It’s who You are, it’s who You are, it’s who You are
And I’m loved by You
It’s who I am, it’s who I am, it’s who I am

And to get you even more excited, I’m giving away some tour swag. Enter my contest to win merch but be sure to get your tickets now.

 

Disclosure: Many thanks toPremiere Productions for providing this product/product information for review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Hashtags: #MomentumInfluencerNetwork #giveaway #ChrisKariBethelMIN #WithOneVoice #StillStanding

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Tomlin / Jobe / Bethel Tour Giveaway

Are you ready for COVID to end? We are all still standing. God has and is meeting our needs and we can’t wait to cry out. This night is going to be a moment to stand and worship. With songs and scripture that have been shaping your life and will shape the rest of your life in worshiping Christ. There’s a new hope rising. A new passion behind the songs we sing. In the face of one of the hardest seasons we’ve ever endured, our faith in the Gospel is stronger than ever. We are STILL standing. THIS is the time to come back together. THIS is the moment to raise our voices. For the first time ever
these amazing worship leaders will be TOGETHER on ONE stage, leading us in ONE voice, lifting up ONE NAME!

Being led by : Chris Tomlin, Kari Jobe with special guest Cody Carnes, Bethel Music featuring Brian & Jenn Johnson, Brandon Lake, Dante Bowe and Jonathan & Melissa Helser.

I love all these musicians and I’m so excited to see them in concert together! I especially love Chris Tomlin and his song How Great is our God.

I feel like I’ve known this song forever but every time I hear it it’s like a fresh reminder of how awesome God is and an inspiration to trust him more.

Get your tickets and experience this worship event of the Summer in a city near you AND enter to win TWO FREE tickets! Winner will receive 2 free reserved-seat tickets to the city of the winner’s choosing to this worship night tour.

Disclosure: Many thanks toPremiere Productionsfor providing this product/product information for review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation. I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Hashtags: #ChrisKariBethelMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork #WithOneVoice #StillStanding

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Elise Design Company & Infamous Swim

I received these super cute earrings from Elise Design Company to review.

Elise Design Company creates handcrafted jewelry that is unique and crafted with care. You can get personalized jewelry as well.

I love how fun and unique the jewelry is while still being a bit subtle and classy. I was sent several pairs of these super cute earrings to review. I kept this pair for myself and have been sharing the rest with my daughters and friends.

For a handcrafted earring, the quality on these is terrific. I’m super cautious about wearing studs because my ears a sensitive (especially to studs) and the wrong earrings can cause a lot of irritation.

I wore these for more than 12 hours one day and they didn’t bother my ears at all. And my daughter who’s ears are more sensitive than mine has been wearing hers for days with no problems. We both love it when we find an earring brand that we can wear all day!

I’ve had so much fun browsing the Elise Design Company website. They have these awesome initial necklaces and I’m just loving their geo stud collection.

The earrings I’m wearing are white and rose gold and they basically go with everything I own! And they have the cutest little popsicle earrings on their website for the summer. I just want to buy them all!

And as a great start to Summer Infamous Swim sent me and my girls these cute swimsuits to review!

They’re so adorable, affordable, and fun! They have the cutest matching swim sets for the entire family!

I love how they have all sorts of fun patterns in all sorts of different styles and they have sizes from baby to adult. The perfect place to purchase swimwear for our summer beach vacation!

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New Gary LeVox One On One – Giveaway

Many thanks to Capitol Christian Music Group for providing this product/product information for review.  Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post. #GaryLeVoxMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork

The new Gary LeVox One On One EP is out and available for streaming on your favorite media player! As a Rascall Flatts fan I was super excited to get early access to this new EP. And, it’s amazing! I’ve had it on repeat for days…

His name is synonymous with vocal power. … Literally, it means “The Voice,” and it only takes a few notes to hear where he got it. But for Rascal Flatts’ Gary LeVox, there’s always been a different, higher power at work.

Now withONE ON ONE, a solo debut fusing two of his biggest passions–music and faith–that higher power takes center stage. Arriving May 21 via Big Machine Records, LeVox’s new chapter kicks off with five soul-mining anthems and the resilient single, “The Distance.” And according to him, the timing is perfect.

After 20 years as front man to one of the most influential groups in Country history, Rascal Flatts’ Gary LeVox is embarking on a solo chapter that combines two of his biggest passions – music and faith. With his debut song, “The Distance,” the Ohio native unveils the empowering first taste of that mission, delivering an epic expression of the power of belief that’s tailor made for the COVID19 era. Grounded in the Flatts legacy, but clearly existing on a different sonic plane, the track features an exhilarating mix of LeVox’s stratospheric vocals and high energy instrumentation, encouraging fans of both Country and contemporary Christian music to never give up and it’s a message he knows by heart. Along with bandmates Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney, LeVox founded Rascal Flatts in 2000, and they went on to enjoy one of the most successful careers in modern Country music. Infusing the genre’s traditional sound with massive pop hooks, rock showmanship and faithful positivity, they scored 17 No. 1 singles and sold over 23 million albums, while also selling more than 11 million concert tickets and earning 40+ awards show trophies making them the most awarded Country group of the last decade. The group celebrated its farewell with TWENTY YEARS OF RASCAL FLATTS: THE GREATEST HITS in 2020, and LeVox will continue to pursue a career as a solo artist with the five track collection ONE ON ONE, released May 21 via Big Machine Records.

“One On One is my passion project and I have wanted to do this body of work for as long as I can remember,” explains LeVox. “I feel so honored to get to collaborate with such greatness throughout this project. BRELAND is a dream to work and sing with, as is the iconicMercyMe. Jonathon McReynolds, one of the greatest singers of our time and my dear friend, wrote a perfect song for us. And for my daughter Brittany and I to get to sing a song that Tauren Wells help craft just completed the collection. I couldn’t be prouder of this project, and the songs that we recorded. This is gonna be an amazing new season and I just hope everybody enjoys it as much as we did making it.

AND I get to give away a signed 8X10 poster to one fan! Head over to my Instagram Page to enter!

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Mother’s Day Gift Ideas

I received these products free to review.

Mixtiles

Looking for a fun Mother’s Day gift? Or, maybe you forgot a gift and want to give something after the day? Snap some pictures and give your mom some Mixtiles!

You simply upload your pictures, select your frame preference, and they show up all ready to hang a couple days later.

What I really love about these, is they have a sticky back, so you can just stick them to the wall – no nails needed! Which I will say my entire household appreciates because I can never get it right with the first nail! If you don’t like the way they look, want to rearrange, or want to swap in some new ones, they just pull right off the wall without damaging your wall and can be restuck in a different place.

So, pull out some favorite pics or snap a couple new pics with your mom and get her something fun and memorable!

Color my Cookie

I’d seen ads for Color my Cookie so I was super excited when offered the opportunity to try them out. And, they’re way better than I expected! I thought they were cool, but really, these are super cool and so fun!

Your cookies arrive in this little box. The box has your cookies, your paint pallet cookie, your paintbrush, sprinkles, and any extras. My box had this extra gold glitter that is super cool!

I highly recommend scanning the QR code and watching their super short how-to video before you start decorating. It answered all my questions about how to “paint” my cookies, how to get the sprinkles to stay on, etc.

I was having so much fun I even painted my paint pallet! Maybe get a couple kits so you can decorate with your mom, and so she doesn’t have to share her cookies with you, because not only do they look terrific, they also taste good and everyone is going to want one!

The Idle Free Box

This box is packed full of fun activities! They have a monthly subscription or just get one for your Mom. There are enough activities in a single box that I was able to share activities with my kids and keep a couple of my favorites (like the puzzle) for myself!

There’s more than just crafts. There’s also a home workout sheet with daily exercises – scan the QR code to access how to videos for these! There’s a free 15 minute session with a life coach. And they even included a brochure with a hotline for mental health assistance if you just need someone to talk to.

So far, the coloring sheets and pencils have been a favorite in my house. We’re still coloring. There were several fun pictures to color! I’ve been waiting for a non-rainy day to do the resin kit outside – and in the spring dry days are few and far between around here but I can’t wait to make my coasters! Scan the QR code for project instructions, they’re super easy to follow!

And I’m saving the puzzle for a post end of school year treat for myself. We’re in the middle of recitals and presentations and tests so there’s no puzzling time this week, but I’m looking forward to working it when summer gets here.

There’s so much fun stuff in this box and plenty to share so Mom can choose to do a fun activity with you or choose to do it on her own.

Happy Mother’s Day!