Today I had the distinct pleasure to speak with R. Barbara Gitenstein Ph.D about her new memoir, “Experience is the Angled Road” available on Amazon.
We spoke about so much as Barbara has led a very interesting life. Her experiences on that angled road led her to be the first Jewish, woman president of the College of New Jersey. Check out our talk below. Let me know what you thought in the comments.
Filed under Home & Garden
Today was a horrendous day. I emotionally broke down, it erupted out of something mundane, but I just sobbed and sobbed. Grief is like that. I am approaching the two-year anniversary of the day my life changed forever. May 6th will be two years since my precious son Raymond Charles unexpectedly passed away. I know that as I approach that date, my emotions are all over the place. I love and miss my son beyond which any words could express.
I had an assignment for my blog and it was to review Anne Wilson’s debut album, “My Jesus” which was just released on April 22nd. After feeling emotionally broken, I scoffed to myself at the email. It was just a reminder of work I had taken on that I did not feel I could complete. However, I listened to one song and then to the title track “My Jesus“. It was an official music video and it sent chills up my spine. It opened with parents finding out the worst news ever as they stood in a hospital hallway with their younger daughter nearby.
The video told the story about the loss of a son and hopeless parents who are brought hope through Jesus. This video and the lyrics of the song spoke to me and the end gave me goosebumps as it is revealed that Anne Wilson’s own brother lost his life in 2017 in a car crash.
After seeing the end of the video, I watched Anne’s “My Story” video where she talks about how the tragic loss of her brother in 2017 inspired the title track of her debut album. It was very moving and I could identify with many of the things she spoke about.
If you are struggling right now, you might relate to the lyrics of “My Jesus”:
Are you past the point of weary
Is your burden weighing heavy
Is it all too much to carry
Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus
Do you feel that empty feeling
‘Cause shame’s done all its stealing
And you’re desperate for some healing
Let me tell you ‘bout my Jesus
Another song from the album called “Mamas” features Hillary Scott from Lady A and will be released on May 4th for Mother’s Day. The video includes footage of Anne surprising her mother with the son and Hillary Scott with her daughters.
Here are some fun facts about Anne Wilson:
Anne Wilson is the first female solo artist debut single to reach #1 on the Billboard Christian Airplay chart. Her debut single “My Jesus” was the longest #1 single on Billboard’s Christian Airplay chart of 2021 at 7 weeks total.
“My Jesus” was nominated for a 2022 Billboard Music Award for “Top Christian Song” against Kayne West. The awards will broadcast live coast-to-coast on May 15 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on NBC. It will also stream live on Peacock.
“My Jesus” Hit #1 on Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and #19 on the Rolling Stone Top 25 Trending charts. Anne Wilson was featured as Billboard’s October 2021 Chartbreaker Artist in their 21 Under 21 issue
Check out the Album Track:
1. Prelude (Scatter)
2. Scatter
3. My Jesus
4. Devil
5. Sunday Sermons
6. Hey Girl
7. This House
8. Mansions
9. Mamas (with Hillary Scott)
10. No Place Like Home
11. God Thing
12. That’s What We Need
13. Something About That Name
14. Closer To God
15. My Jesus (feat. Crowder)
You can stream Anne Wilson’s “My Jesus” Album by clicking HERE. If you do, and I hope you will, let me know what you think in the comments.
Win An Autographed CD
We have a special giveaway that is sponsored by Momentum Influencer Network. One lucky Mommy Ramblings Blog reader will win their own autographed “My Jesus” CD. Thanks so much to Momentum Influencer Network for sponsoring this great giveaway! Enter for your chance to win below. Open to US residents and winner must submit their information by May 6th.
Giveaway:
Many thanks to Universal Music Group for providing a sample of the product for this review. Opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation
Filed under Giveaway, Home & Garden, Music
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, if you are looking for a gift for the the sweetie or all the little sweeties in your life, I have a great idea. I love listening to music, podcasts, watching Netflix and online tutorials when I’m cooking, taking a bath, sewing, crafting or doing some mundane task. However, I find that if I’m not very quiet or the water is running, it’s hard to hear, even with the volume on max.
Enter the Kinivo ZX100 Mini, a litte speaker that is big on sound! The speaker is small and lightweight, great for travel. It comes in great color combos so you can personalize them to the person you are giving ti to or yourself. Enhanced bass resonator and rechargeable battery are just some of the awesome features of this mini speaker. The speaker is compatible with iPods, iPhones, MP3 Players, CD Players, Laptops with 3.5 mm audio socket. You can even connect multiple speakers for maximum sound.
Kinivo is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win a Kinivo ZX100 Mini. Thank you to Kinivo for the review product and for sponsoring this fantastic giveaway on Mommy Ramblings!!!Open to US residents.
Kinivo ZX100 Mini Portable Speaker Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
Please enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good Luck!!!
Filed under Entertainment, Giveaway, Home, Main Page Post, Mommy Ramblings, Review, Shopping, Tech
I recently had the opportunity to review a SoftBums, Echo shell, Super DryTouch pod soaker and Mini DryTouch Pod. I was intrigued to find that this one size diaper uses Slide2Size drawstring toggles on their leg elastic instead of rise snaps. Just like a toggle drawstring on a sweater, you pinch the toggle and slide it up the elastic until you get the perfect size, The toggle grips the elastic well and doesn’t slip. I know some peope have an issue with their babies legs being too small for the elastic, causing leaks, or too legs too chubby that end up getting big red marks from tight elastic, they have trouble finding diapers that fit! The SoftBums Echo diaper would be perfect for those petite and chubby babies! It has smooth waterproof outter fabric and soft cuddly microfleece inner material, their DryTouch pod soakers are made of super absorbant microfiber with the soft microfleece lining it to protect baby’s sensitive skin and keep it dry. It is also extra long so you just fold it under a smaller baby to fit, plus giving extra absorbancy, or just leave it longer to fit a bigger child! I also got a DryTouch Mini pod that can be used for smaller babies without the extra bulk, and they work great as an extra soaker!
I was excited to try it out and admittedly tried it on my baby for size before putting it in the wash. Thanks to the Slide2Size elastic, the Echo diaper fit my 13 month old perfectly, and I was pleased to find that this diaper also fit my 2-year-old just fine by adjusting the elastic and extra long soaker! It felt very light and trim on both of them, and I loved how it wasn’t too bulky in the front like some one size diapers can be with their front adjustment snaps. The two weeks I’ve used the Echo diaper and insert, I have not had any leaks, it can hold a lot of liquid with no problems!
Softbums Echo diaper comes in nine great colors, with prints coming soon! Another great diaper they sell is the Omni, which is a three in one! SoftBums also offers package deals that outfit you with as many shells and soakers you need for a couple of days, as well as trial packs that give you a couple diapers to try out before making a big commitment on the larger stash.
I am happy to announce that SoftBums is sponsoring a giveaway on Mommy Ramblings! One lucky blog reader will win an Echo shell in their choice of color and DryTouch Pod! Thank you SoftBums for this awesome review diaper and giveaway!!! Open to US residents only.
SoftBums Echo Shell and DryTouch Pod Cloth Diaper Giveaway on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
Please enter the giveaway using Rafflecopter below. Good Luck!!!
Filed under Uncategorized
I remember having candle kits when I was younger and making them with my mother. They were the kind that you needed to be older and have an adult with you, because the wax had to be melted on the stove and things would get very hot. We made some great memories and loads of floating candles, that we would light on the lake on the 4th of July and throughout the Summer. While I enjoyed the candle making, it was not for small children and it was messy.
Recently, A Toy Garden sent me their Multicolored Beeswax Candle Making Kit for review. Now this kit is great because you can do it with even the youngest children. As long as they can roll they are good to make candles. I had so much fun making these with my 4-year-old. I did the cutting with a scissors and a pizza cutter which worked really well. We talked about the colors, textures, shapes, and other concepts all while making the candles. He was so proud, I let him choose colors, shapes, height and he had so much fun. He was the best roller, I really love this kit because it is so simple and I saw how much my son loved being big enough to make something like a candle. Definitely much less messy than melting wax and pouring wax. This would be a great craft to do with scout troops, in the classroom or how about a birthday party activity where everyone can make their own candle.
If you are looking for a fun, creative gift for children of any age, then take a look at this Multicolored Beeswax Candle Making Kit from A Toy Garden. Mommy Ramblings likes it so much, we are adding it to our 2011 Holiday Gift Guide.
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A Toy Garden is sponsoring a give-away on Mommy Ramblings. One lucky blog reader will win their own Multicolored Beeswax Candle Making Kit. Thank you to A Toy Garden for the review kit and for sponsoring this creative give-away!!! Open to US Residents.
A Toy Garden, Multicolored Beeswax Candle Making Kit Give-Away on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
Mandatory Entry– Visit A Toy Garden, and let me know another toy they make that you like. Leave your answer in a comment on this post. (If this entry is not done, all others will be deleted)
Extra Entries: (make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry or they will not count)
1. Like Mommy Ramblings on Facebook and leave me a comment here that you did.
2. Like A Toy Garden on Facebook, leave a comment on their wall about Mommy Ramblings and this give-away. Leave me a comment here that you did.
3. Follow Mommy Ramblings on Twitter, and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.
4. Follow Mommy Ramblings by email, and leave me a comment here that you did.
5. Vote for Mommy Ramblings on Picket Fence Blogs (Button is on the side of our blog, “We’re on the Fence) and leave me a comment here you did. You can do this once a day, just make sure and leave a comment each time you do.
6. Rate Mommy Ramblings on Top Mommy Blogs (button is on the side of our blog) and leave me a comment here that you did. (Can only be used as one entry per give-away.)
7. Tweet this give-away on Twitter and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name. You can do this once a day, just make sure and leave a comment each time you do.
8. Like Blueberry Hill Photography on Facebook and leave me a comment here that you did.
9. Write a review for Mommy Ramblings on Alexa.com (button is on our blog right under the We’re on the Fence button) and leave me a comment here that you did. Can only be done once per give-away.
Good Luck Everyone!!! Give Away Ends December 3rd at 12am EST. Winner will be selected by Random.org.
Filed under Uncategorized
I recently was sent 2 of Vicky Lansky’s books to review. The first one was, 101 Ways To Tell Your Child “I Love You” This book was newly updated and re-published. This 124 page book gives you lots of cute ideas to use to tell your child that you love them. It is so important that our children know we love them. I really like the ideas in this book such as leaving little notes in unexpected places, hanging red hearts in a doorway, making your child a special, welcome home banner on the first day of school and much more. This book gives you many ways to say I love you to your child other than just saying the three words. It is so important for our children’s emotional health to let them know often and in many ways how much we love them. I really think this is a great little book.
The next book is the revised and updated, Toilet Training, A Practical Guide to Daytime and Nighttime Training. This book also includes a bonus book, Koko Bear’s New Potty, which is a book for your child. This book covers how to set the stage for toilet training, recognize readiness, choosing a potty seat, dressing your child for success, dealing with an uncooperative child, handling accidents, how to cope when traveling and much more. The bonus book, KoKo Bear’s New Potty, is a read-together book that is wonderfully illustrated and includes a great unisex story that will help make toilet training easy and fun.
Vicky Lansky is generously sponsoring a give-away here on Mommy Ramblings. One of our blog readers will win both of these books (3 counting the bonus book.) Thank you Vicky for supplying the review books and the give-away books.
Vicky Lansky’s Book Give-Away on Mommy Ramblings Rules:
Mandatory Entry-Visit Vicky Lansky’s Website and tell me another book you like, leave it in a comment on this post. (If this entry is not done, all others will be deleted)
Extra Entries: (make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry or they will not count)
1. Like Mommy Ramblings on Facebook and leave me a comment here that you did.
2. Follow Mommy Ramblings on Twitter, and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.
3. Subscribe to Mommy Ramblings by email and leave me a comment here that you did.
4. Vote for Mommy Ramblings on Picket Fence Blogs (Button is on the side of our blog, “We’re on the Fence) and leave me a comment here you did.
5. Vote for Mommy Ramblings on Top Mommy Blogs (button is on the side of our blog) and leave me a comment here that you did.
6. Post this give away on your Facebook status and leave me a comment here that you did.
7. Tweet this give-away on Twitter and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.
8. Like Blueberry Hill Photography on Facebook and leave me a comment here that you did.
Good Luck Everyone!!! Give Away Ends August 1st. at 12am EST. Winner will be selected by Random.org.
Filed under Uncategorized
ShāToBu is the manufacturer of a revolutionary line of shapers that are literally a workout you wear. It is a tummy shaping, muscle toning, calorie burning shaper that is like no other.
The great staff at
ShāToBu let me choose any shaper I wanted to review, and I chose the
I really liked this shaper, it was firm yet comfortable and something I could wear all day without feeling uncomfortable. It was undetectable under my clothes, but its effects were not. It helped to take care of problem areas like tummy bulges and such that many of us Moms know all too well. It made me feel great and while I have no tests to tell me if I burned more calories wearing it, I definitely did feel that I very well could have given the resistance bands. I had more confidence wearing it and I was able to wear it under a multitude of clothing choices and felt better in everything I tried on. I would definitely recommend this shaper to my friends and readers.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENYEywQ8kg0&feature=player_embedded]
Would you like a chance to win a ShāToBu product of your choice? If so, you will be thrilled to learn that ShāToBu is sponsoring a give-away on Mommy Ramblings. Read the rules below and enter to win your product of choice and size from their website. Good luck everyone!!!
Mandatory Entry– Visit the ShāToBu Website and tell me what product you would chose if you won. Leave your choice in a comment on this blog post. Please remember this is the mandatory entry, if not completed no extra entries will count and will be deleted. This give-away is open to US and Canadian residents!!!
Extra Entries: (make sure you leave a separate comment for each entry of they will not count)
1. Like Mommy Ramblings on Facebook and leave me a comment here that you did.
2. Like ShāToBu on Facebook and leave a comment that Mommy Ramblings sent you, then leave a comment here that you did.
3. Follow Mommy Ramblings on Twitter and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.
4. Follow ShāToBu on Twitter and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.
3. Subscribe to Mommy Ramblings by email and leave me a comment here that you did.
4. Vote for Mommy Ramblings on Picket Fence Blogs (Button is on the side of our blog, “We’re on the Fence) and leave me a comment here you did.
5. Vote for Mommy Ramblings on Top Mommy Blogs (button is on the side of our blog) and leave me a comment here that you did.
6. Post this give away on your Facebook status and leave me a comment here that you did.
7. Tweet this give-away on Twitter and leave me a comment here that you did with your Twitter name.
8. Like Blueberry Hill Photography on Facebook and leave me a comment here that you did.
Good Luck Everyone!!! Give Away Ends May 26th at 12am EST. Winner will be selected by Random.org.
Filed under Uncategorized
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Hello, I’m Carolyn! I am a PR Savvy, WAH Mom to 5! I love Photography, Baking, DIY Projects, Crafts, Cooking and making memories with my family. I love sharing reviews and giveaways too!
