Keeper of the Home » Giveaways

The Money Saving Mom’s Budget Book Winners

Lindsey — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:52:31 +0000

The winners of The Money Saving Mom's Budget are:

1) Hannah (hsode)

2) Monique (maidenofhisgrace)

3) Rebecca (rite_as_rain)

4) Christa (Czgroups)

5) Clare (rdifonzo)

Congratulations ladies!

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

Our Sponsor:

Plan to Eat: Simple meal planning. Your recipes. Monthly planner. Grocery lists.

Book Review: The Money Saving Mom’s Budget (5 Copies to Win!)

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:00:38 +0000

If you want to learn something, one of the best ways is to learn from someone who has actually done it.

Do you want to learn to get your budget under control, cut your expenses drastically, simplify your life, and live both frugally and generously? My dear friend, Crystal Paine, is just the person to ask. Her story speaks for itself.

She and her husband began their marriage on a penny-pinching, rice and beans budget of as little as $650-900 (total!) some months, while he went through law school, without going into debt at all. They've dealt with multiple moves, job loss, starting up new businesses and having 3 young children during those years, all the while keeping Crystal at home full-time. They have built up two successful businesses, saved up and bought their vehicles and then their house with CASH (yes, cash!), and are committed to continuing to live frugally so that they can give generously.

Today, her new book The Money Saving Mom's Budget: Slash Your Spending, Pay Down Your Debt, Streamline Your Life and Save Thousands a Year hits bookstores and I am thrilled to be giving away 5 copies to my readers!

My Thoughts on The Money Saving Mom's Budget

When my own copy of the book arrived just before Christmas, I was eager to read it and found that there were many parts of the book that I didn't want to put down. I had initially wondered whether I would learn anything new or be personally inspired by the book, as my husband and I have similar views as the Paine's do on money and budgeting, we aren't in debt, and frugality is something that I love to practice and share about.

However, I found the book inspiring and helpful to read, no matter where you are at in your financial journey.

You see, Crystal doesn't think that having your finances in order is just about having a budget, cutting up your credit cards, and finding ways to trim your spending. Her approach is very holistic and that's what I loved about this book.

The first two chapters were an unexpected breath of fresh air, and focused on goal-setting and simple, clutter-free living. Her premise is that you need to set goals so that you know exactly where you're going and how you're going to get there, and that streamlining your life and eliminating the clutter (physical and mental) is key to being able to achieve those financial goals.

She's right. It's not enough just to say that you want to spend less or that you want to get debt-free, but not change anything about your overall lifestyle in order to accomplish those desires. If you're still living exactly the same lifestyle that got you into that place of financial struggle, then doesn't it make perfect sense to address the bigger picture and not just the money issues?

Although our family is debt-free, with a healthy amount of savings, and we budget our money every month, I was still reminded of things that we could improve on. Her chapter on goal-setting was the most impactful for me. If I can see one major weakness in how we run our finances, it's that we aren't specific or aggressive enough with setting meaningful goals for our income, our savings, or our giving. Crystal and Jesse have done some tremendous things through their careful money-management and I can see how we could steward our money more effectively by being even more intentional with it.

What You Can Expect to Learn From This Book?

How and why to set financial goals, and practical, down-to-earth suggestions on how to move towards achieving those goals
How to simplify and de-clutter your life and why it makes a difference financially
How to budget your time (in order to help you achieve your goals)
How to budget your money in a step-by-step manner, why it makes sense to use cash, and how to find money you didn't know that you had!
How to get rid of your debt and go completely plastic-free
How to cut down on your grocery expenses drastically, both with coupons and without
How to reduce expenses in most other areas of your life (clothing, household needs, recreation and entertainment, etc.)
How to cultivate contentment, no matter what your circumstances are, and live more generously

The one area in which I would suggest that this book may not be helpful for some of my readers is when it comes to the chapters on saving on groceries and household goods through couponing.

Now, I am not against using coupons at all. I use them myself sometimes and write a weekly post with Natural and Organic Coupons and Deals for Crystal's blog, Money Saving Mom. I even started up a deals blog a year and a half ago, with a focus on saving money on more natural, healthy living which included couponing as a way to save (although the blog is now under new ownership). Coupons can be a helpful tool when used carefully, in the context of a "real food" budget.

That said, I think that for those who really desire to focus on eating real, whole, and traditional foods and to keep their homes free of toxins by using simple and natural cleaning and beauty products, you may not gain as much from these two chapters. There is a third chapter that focuses on twenty-five ways to lower your grocery bill without using coupons, and I would agree with (and practice myself) many of these suggestions.

A Worthwhile Read

If you are in the midst of serious financial struggles, OR if you want to learn to steward your money more carefully and work towards meeting your financial goals, I think that you will be encouraged by this book and find its suggestions practical and helpful.

Some of Crystal's suggestions may be downright hard and she doesn't try to sugar-coat what it takes to be in control of your money (rather than letting it control you). She is straight-forward and honest and one of the hardest working women I personally know. She isn't advocating quick and easy solutions, but rather a lifestyle of intentionality and conscientious stewardship of the resources that you've been given. She acknowledges that it takes discipline and often sacrifice, but that the rewards of financial peace are worth it.

An amazing bonus is that ALL of the profits from the sale of this book will be going towards an organization that is dear to my heart, Compassion International. I travelled to the Philippines with Compassion International this past spring, and was blown away by the impact of the work that they are doing in the lives of impoverished children and families, as they meet physical needs, offer hope and transformation, and share the Gospel all over the world.

Would You Like to Win a Copy of The Money Saving Mom's Budget? I Have 5 to Give Away!

Here's how to get entered (remember to leave a separate comment for each entry):

1. Tell me why you would love to win The Money Saving Mom's Budget, or share one of your financial goals for 2012.

2. Subscribe to Keeper of the Home by RSS feed or by email.

3. Share about this giveaway through your blog or favorite social media (find us on Facebook and Twitter here).

Giveaway ends Friday, January 13, 2012.

Disclaimer: I was provided with a copy of this book for the purpose of review. This post contains affiliate links to Amazon, where I receive a small commission of sales, which helps to support this site.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

Our Sponsor:

Plan to Eat: Simple meal planning. Your recipes. Monthly planner. Grocery lists.

Hope Ink Art Giveaway Winner

Lindsey — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 11:00:30 +0000

The winner of the Family Rules Scripture Art print from Hope Ink is:

Pam M. (hhramblings@)

Congratulations Pam!

Remember, KOTH readers can take 15% off their entire order for the month of December using the code KOTH2011 at checkout in the Hope Ink Etsy Shop. Christmas deadline for custom orders is December 10th.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

Our Sponsor:

Plan to Eat: Simple meal planning. Your recipes. Monthly planner. Grocery lists.

Hope and Art for Your Walls: A Holiday Giveaway

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:00:18 +0000

What's on your walls? Is it meaningful? Is it beautiful?

Earlier this week I talked about how less can be so much more, and why simplicity might be best when it comes to what we have in our homes.

This area, however, is one is which I think that perfectly placed pieces amidst the simplicity are all the more effective in bringing beauty to our homes and speaking peace and hope and truth to our hearts...

These stunning art prints are the creative work of Emily from Hope Ink Art. She designs scripture art and other personalized designs, intended to convey the timeless truth of the Word of God and to inspire hope in our homes.

Emily is a stay at home mom, homeschooling her 4 kiddos, and she loves creating scripture art to help support their family's non-profit counseling ministry.

{isn't this perfect for a men's gift? Emily originally created it as a Soldier's Prayer Psalm 91}

We have several pieces of her art in our home, and I treasure them because they are another way to (as my dear friend Sondra always says) to

"put something where your eye can see it, so that it will remind your heart"

That's what's I'm trying to do as I slowly build up our repertoire of beautiful wall art- to find a combination of things that please the eye and speak truth to the heart.

This one is a close-up of a couples print based on 1 Corinthians 13. My husband and I have a personalized mounted print in deep red (you can see it in this older post- note that the giveaway in that post has long ended- you have to enter on this post!).

The mounted prints are have a gorgeous, professional-quality finish to them, and similar to a painter's canvas, they are lightweight and about an inch thick, easy to hang on the wall.

The art prints are printed by a professional photo lab on premium, archival quality paper, intended to last forever.

These examples are just a small selection of the lovely work that Emily carries in her shop.

Any print or mounted print can be customized. You can choose the colors and customize names or wording (depending on which piece it is) to make it just right for yourself or to give as a gift. We have given several prints as wedding gifts and they have been very well received. If you have a specific idea, just ask Emily and see if she can do it.

Would you like to be entered to win Family Rules Scripture Art Print ($65 value, winner chooses color)?

Here's what you need to do to be entered:

(Please leave each entry as a separate comment)

1. Visit the Hope Ink shop and tell me which print you love the most (if you can choose)!

2. Subscribe to Hope Ink's blog or follow on Twitter, @HopeInk.

3. Subscribe to Keeper of the Home by RSS feed or by email.

4. Share about this giveaway through your blog or favorite social media, or follow Keeper of the Home on Facebook or Twitter.

Giveaway ends Monday 11:59pm, December 5, 2011.

KOTH readers can take 15% off their entire order for the month of December using the coupon code KOTH2011 at checkout in the Hope Ink Etsy Shop. Christmas deadline for custom orders is December 10th (orders can still be taken after that, but not guaranteed for arrival before Christmas).

Disclosure: This giveaway was generously sponsored by Hope Ink Art. I always choose to work with companies that I can firmly stand behind and do/would use in my own home, so that makes Hope Ink easy to share with my readers!

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

Our Sponsor:

Plan to Eat: Simple meal planning. Your recipes. Monthly planner. Grocery lists.

Happy Thanksgiving

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 11:01:03 +0000

I'm rereading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts and I am reminded of how true this is. Gratitude really does change everything, most of all our hearts and our attitudes, regardless of our circumstances.

I know that you will all be celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow with your sweet families and friends. Blessings on your day and your celebration!

As always, I continue to be so thankful for all of YOU! This site would be nothing without you (talking to myself doesn't sound all that appealing). I am continually honored and blessed and humbled that you would make this one of the places that you visit. Thank you for allowing me to do what I love and for getting to share in community with all of you!

One winner to announce, of a $75 gift certificate for cloth diapers and accessories at Sweet Little Blessings!

Congrats, Sarah (sarah_salie@)!

Still looking for Thanksgiving food and decor inspiration?

Try this collection of healthy recipes:

Real Food Holiday Recipe Roundup: 398 Wholesome Recipes

This roundup was posted last year, and it will truly blow you away at the sheer number of holiday recipes and types of dishes that you might be looking for!

And from earlier this week, 21 Ideas for Celebrating a Simple, Natural Thanksgiving. My Pinterest inspired collection of yummy looking recipes, beautiful food and nature inspired decor ideas, and various free printables to help you practice thanksfulness.

Black Friday Deals

Although I won't actually be posting any deals on the blog (there will be a regular post, though), I will be at my computer on Friday and will try to take the time to share any Black Friday deals that I see on natural living products, food, Christmas gift ideas, etc. that I come across. I'll share them through Facebook and Twitter, so feel free to follow me there.

How are you celebrating Thanksgiving? And tell me, are you going to be shopping on Black Friday this year?

Image credit

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

Our Sponsor:

Plan to Eat: Simple meal planning. Your recipes. Monthly planner. Grocery lists.

For Cloth Diaper Lovers: Win $75 to Spend at Sweet Little Blessings!

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:00:51 +0000

Giveaway has now ended.

I know that this is going to be a very popular giveaway, and there's no question why! Cloth diapering is obviously important among my readers (as it is to me), and you love having the opportunity to win cloth diaper products and find new places to shop.

What makes cloth diapering so popular and so important?

Cost. There's no doubt that using cloth saves money.
Environmental stewardship. I'm a firm believer in cutting down our waste as much as possible, and using cloth diapers is a simple way to do just that.
Baby's health. Conventional diapers are filled with various chemical substances, some more toxic than others. Having these on our precious little one's bottoms all day long, especially once they're wet, just doesn't seem like a good idea to me.
Ease. Today's cloth diapers are NOT your grandmother's cloth diapers. They're easy to use, easy to wash, and oh so cute!

Sweet Little Blessings has been a sponsor here at Keeper of the Home multiple times and their online store is just such a good fit for all of you naturally-minded mamas:

Huge selection of your favorite cloth-diapering products, including one-size pocket diapers, all-in-ones, fitted diapers, diaper covers, prefolds and flats, newborn diapers, inserts and doublers, and accessories like wet bags.
All of the most popular brands, like FuzziBunz, BumGenius, Thirsties, Happy Heiny's, Motherease, Bummis and Imse Vimse.
Cheap shipping- $2.95 on all US orders under $40, and free on orders of $40 or more!
A knowledgable shop owner, Coleen, a mom of 12 children! Yes, I think she knows a thing or two about diapering. :)

This is the perfect season to get entered to win this $75 gift certificate to Sweet Little Blessings!

Maybe you are currently diapering yourself (or about to be, for those soon-to-be-mamas), thinking ahead for baby shower gifts for friends or families, or looking for practical gifts for the holidays.

Here's what you need to do to be entered:

(Please leave each entry as a separate comment)

1. Check out Sweet Little Blessings and tell me what you would spend your $75 on!

2. "Like" Sweet Little Blessings on Facebook (note that they frequently share coupon codes, sales and even giveaways!)

3. Subscribe to Keeper of the Home by RSS feed or by email.

4. Share about this giveaway through your blog or favorite social media, or follow Keeper of the Home on Facebook or Twitter.

Giveaway has now ended.

Coleen has generously offered Keeper of the Home readers a 10% off discount on orders of any size from Sweet Little Blessings from now until Thursday, Nov. 24 (aka Thanksgiving) with the coupon code THANKSGIVING.

Disclosure: This giveaway was generously sponsored by Sweet Little Blessings. All opinions expressed are entirely my own, as always.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

Our Sponsor:

Plan to Eat: Simple meal planning. Your recipes. Monthly planner. Grocery lists.

Oh-So-Many Giveaway Winners (Are You One of Them?) and That Lovely Place Called Pinterest

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:00:18 +0000

I am a little behind on giveaway winner announcements, so here we go with the winners from 4 (yes, four) giveaways...

The winner of the $100 at TriLight Health to spend on high-quality liquid herbal supplements and remedies is:

Trezlen (trezlen@)

The winner of the GNOWFGLINS Lacto-Fermentation eCourse is:

yangyang721203@

The winners of the 3-pack of real food ebooks (Real Food Basics, Healthy Pregnancy Super Foods, and Against the Grain grain-free reipces) are:

crazydaisies123@

skynwind@

The winners of the Treat Yourself: Real Food Desserts ebooks are:

Danielle (mrs.petite.dani@)

Darcy (memoriesmama@)

Trezlen (trezlen@)

Emily (ekreisig@)

Mary (readinfool@)

If you've won and haven't heard from anyone yet, you likely will in the next day or two, but please feel free to contact me as well. Thanks and congratulations, everyone!

Image source

Are You On Pinterest?

Wonder of wonders, now I am, too.

(Are you surprised? I am!)

Although I think I need to proceed with caution and set strict time limits, I can see how this is an amazing tool for sharing inspiration, recipes, ideas for making our homes havens, natural living tutorials and more. I'm slowing building up my boards with so many helpful and creative ideas, and I'd love to share them with the rest of you!

To make it easier to pin a post on Keeper of the Home, we've also added a "Pin It" button at the bottom of each post (look for a new set of stylish social media buttons sometime in the next week). The more that we can share ideas for simple, natural and healthier living, the better!

Follow me on Pinterest (and join the addiction fun).

Top image by tanzia45

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

Our Sponsor:

Plan to Eat: Simple meal planning. Your recipes. Monthly planner. Grocery lists.

Family Friendly and Pregnancy-Safe Liquid Herbal Products: TriLight Health Review and $100 Giveaway

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:00:30 +0000

I'm a big believer in using herbs to naturally and gently treat many health concerns, as well as to nourish the body with additional nutrients.

The easiest form of herbs for most amateurs is usually dry herbs, made into simple teas, poultices, baths and that sort of thing. However, the most effective form of herbs is usually a tincture, which is a powerful liquid extract made from either a single herb or a combinations of herbs. Tinctures are absorbed better and faster, and tend to provide superior results.

Although it is possible to learn to make your own tinctures, it is a somewhat complicated process and I personally choose to purchase mine from reputable herbal companies instead. This month I was delighted to be asked to conduct a review of herbal tinctures from TriLight Health, who have been specializing in high-quality liquid herbal products for over 20 years.

What makes TriLight Health unique is that they offer a wide array of products that are safe for pregnancy, breastfeeding and children. Since this represents such a large portion of my readership, I and the other reviewers chose to focus on products that would appeal to moms in those seasons of life!

My Own Reviews
I tried several products, one as part of the review, and then others that I simply wanted for our family.
Original Herbal Minerals
My review product. I have found it hard to be diligent with my pregnancy tea this 4th time around, as I am so much busier than I have ever been before. Having an herbal mineral supplement offers the same benefits in a convenient package. My midwife had wanted me on some minerals specifically for the pregnancy-related headaches I was frequently experiencing, as well as to possibly alleviate some muscle and joint soreness. I do think that it's helping, as both issues have decreased over the past month.
Tri-Iron
Intrigued by doing the review, I opted to try this instead of the Floradix Liquid Iron that I usually take. I feel great using this liquid iron, and feel that it works at least equally as well. My midwife (who is also a naturopathic doctor) looked at both the mineral and iron formulas and was happy with me taking both of them (they are also approved by Shonda Parker, a well know and respected midwife). I like that I can take a smaller amount than the Floradix, because it is more concentrated, and I personally like the flavor better. I've chosen to continue with both the Tri-Iron and the Herbal Minerals for the remainder of this pregnancy.
N R G
An herbal energy booster, but one that is actually pregnancy/nursing safe! My midwife agreed that it was safe, provided it wasn't being overused, so I only use it on days when I'm really dragging and need a boost. It doesn't give you that "I've-just-had-3-shots-of-espresso" kind of energy jolt, but in my experience, a general feeling of well-being, slightly increased energy, and more mental alertness.
Snooze-EZ
Although I haven't had as many issues with sleep this pregnancy as with my last, I've still had the odd night where I felt I needed something gentle to help me sleep well. What I love about using a herbal sleep supplement, as opposed to something like melatonin, is that they both work to help me get to sleep, but the melatonin often causes me to wake up somewhere between 2-4 am. With the Snooze-EZ, I haven't experienced that. It doesn't make me as dramatically sleepy as melatonin, but it has really helped me on some nights when I was struggling to sleep.
NR Glow
I actually went for this because the write-up mentioned that it has been helpful for some children with eczema, which has been a particularly stubborn struggle for our youngest daughter. However, I confess to probably not using it faithfully enough to see any real results, and she also had a temporary allergic flare-up during the time she has been taking it, because I accidentally bought a probiotic that I thought was dairy-free and turned out to have dairy in it (oops). NR Glow is really meant more for boosting children's immunity, and I give it to all of my children on occasion now that the weather is cooler, and they all take it straight off the spoon and without issue, so I guess it must taste good!

From Alaina, a mom of 2 who is currently pregnant with her 3rd...

Original Herbal Minerals
The product that I tried from Trilight is called Liquid Light Original Herbal Minerals. The product is pregancy safe and I am using it during my pregnancy. I have been using this product hoping that the extra vitamins and minerals that naturally occur in the herbs will help benefit my body and my baby while I am pregnant. I think that the product is a good one for me as a pregnant woman in particular because it is often difficult to eat as well as I want to during pregnancy. Therefore its nice to have a product as an extra boost of some vitamins and minerals.
I have found however that the product tastes quite sweet (although it contains no sugar or sweeteners which is a good thing) and so for me that was the only downside (Stephanie's note: The sweetness is because it is a glycerin-based tincture). However for some people this might be a plus. I do not normally eat sugar or sweeteners so perhaps it tastes extra sweet to me for that reason. The product recommends two ways of taking it- in water or straight. Taking it in water was therefore essential for my taste buds instead of the option of taking it straight. This solved most of the "too sweet" taste and allowed me to be able to take the product.
I think that I would consider purchasing this product because of the extra insurance it provides during pregnancy of the needed vitamins and minerals. Also, the other lines of products that Trilight offers look to be quite good l and I would consider looking into some of their other remedies as well.

From Stacy, of A Delightful Home and also one of the amazing writers here at Keeper of the Home...

Snooze-EZ
Snooze-EZ can be taken for insomnia, general sleep issues, and also short-term periods of anxiety or restlessness. It contains Scullcap, German Chamomile, Passion Flower, Valerian, Oatstraw and Linden Flower. It is to be taken about 30 minutes before bedtime.
We found the taste of this tincture to be a little unpleasant, but certainly bearable. I used it undiluted and gave it to my daughter in a little water.
I personally found Snooze-EZ to work well. In fact, one evening after laying in bed with an anxious, racing mind, I got up and took some Snooze-EZ and was asleep within a few minutes. My only concern is that the recommended dosage is 1/2 a teaspoon to 150 lbs, so I have to do a little math to figure out the correct dosage for myself and my child.

From Kate, of Modern Alternative Mama and another one of our fabulous writers...

N R G
I tried the N R G formula to increase energy. I have a 2-month-old baby who is, of course, still waking up a couple times a night -- and a toddler and preschooler who are very active. Extra rest isn't easy to come by! I hoped that this product would help my energy levels so that I could keep up with my older children and my responsibilities.
The product was sweet and very easy to take. It was a little strong, and I occasionally needed some water after, but it tasted good. My children were always begging for some too, although I didn't give it to them. The dose on the bottle was 1 tsp., twice a day, but noted that "heating may occur" and you might need to cut back. For this reason I decided to just take a tsp. in the mornings, and not repeat in the evening. The last thing I needed was extra energy at bedtime.
For a few days I felt it was helping, because I did have more energy. I stopped taking it for a couple days then started again, but didn't notice any difference. I can't honestly say if it helped. I realized too late that energy wasn't my real issue. I was mildly deficient in certain minerals that were causing minor problems for me (which I'll blog about in the next few weeks), and that wasn't helped by this formula. It may have been helped by a different formula, and I wish I'd tried the liquid light minerals instead. Oh well.
At this time, it's not a product I would buy, but that's largely because I think it is not something that *I* currently need. I strongly believe in herbal medicine, however, and like Trilight products, and would consider purchasing the formula that I think would benefit me more.

From Beth, of Stewardship Not Convenience, and yes, she writes here, too...

B-Dry
I chose to try Trilight's B-Dry bedwetting formula. I have struggled to find a good solution for my son who is a very heavy sleeper and a bed wetter. I was pleasantly surprised by their quick shipping and good service. I received my order in just a couple of days.
After using B-Dry for a few weeks now, we have noticed a decrease in my son's bedwetting. He still does it but not as much. In fact, my son reminds me to give him his B-Dry if I forget because he feels like it is helping him.
My only complaint is that my son finds the flavor of the syrup to be too spicy because it tastes like concentrated chai. But after we figured to dilute it with some water, he has been happily taking it. Overall, I have been happy with the product we tried and we will keep using it since we are seeing it work.

From Renee, a good real-life friend of mine, with 4 young children...

B-Dry
When Stephanie asked me to review an item from Trilight, I was thrilled! Almost immediately I decided that I would like to try the B-Dry formula for our 7 year old. After struggling with bed wetting since she was potty trained, I needed some extra help. We had tried conventional doctors, rounds of antibiotics, homeopathic tablets, other natural remedies, praying together about it, and all the normal suggestions of 'no water before bedtime' or 'wake them up before bed'. Nothing had worked and I was eager to try this remedy.
Trilight was very generous, giving us a large bottle to use. We faithfully used the B-Dry formula for over a month. The formula is in a sweet glycerin base that was easy for our daughter to swallow. Rarely missing a dose we waited a week, then two praying it would start working. But I am so sad to say that after 4 weeks it has not changed a thing. The daily bedwetting has not waned a bit. The website suggests using the product for up to 3 months until desired results are achieved, so we are contemplating whether or not to continue using this formula. We were thankful for the chance to try the product, and are still hoping for good results as we finish the bottle.

I have $100 worth of TriLight Health herbal products to give away!

Here's how to get entered (remember to leave a separate comment for each entry):

1. Visit the TriLight Health website and tell me which which product(s) you would choose if you won.

2. Subscribe to Keeper of the Home by RSS feed or by email (and be entered to win our monthly email subscriber-only giveaways!).

3. "Like" TriLight Health on Facebook.

4. Share about this giveaway through your blog or favorite social media (find us on Facebook and Twitter here).

**Note that TriLight Health is not actually able to sell in Canada at this point. For the sake of this one-time giveaway, Canadians are welcome to enter and win, but unless you had friends/family in the US, you wouldn't actually be able to purchase from them otherwise.**

Giveaway has now ended. Winners to be announced shortly!

Disclosure: This post was generously sponsored by TriLight Health. Each reviewer received one bottle of their choice of liquid herbal product. Each review is the genuine opinion of that particular mama, and none of the reviews were influenced by anyone else.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

Our Sponsor:

Plan to Eat: Simple meal planning. Your recipes. Monthly planner. Grocery lists.

Winners of Desires of My Heart Ebook

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 10:00:08 +0000

The two winners of the Desires of My Heart ebook and hand-stamped necklace giveaway are:

Kristy (rnkristy1@)

Sara (s.timm@)

Congratulations!

This insightful devotional ebook is only $0.99 (yes, you read that right!) and available in PDF, Kindle and Nook formats. If you're looking for some new devotional material, you can learn more the book and purchase a copy here.

I was also asked whether the Psalm 37:4 hand-stamped necklaces are available to be purchased, and the answer is yes. There is a limited supply and you can purchase one here.

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

Our Sponsor:

Plan to Eat: Simple meal planning. Your recipes. Monthly planner. Grocery lists.

Treat Yourself to Healthier, Real Food Desserts (A Giveaway!)

Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 10:00:52 +0000

Does eating healthy, real foods mean giving up all desserts and other sweet treats?

I definitely don't think that the eating well and enjoying dessert have to be in opposition to one another. In fact, it's really about the ingredients that you use, far more than about the particular dish that you're creating. So in theory, we should be able to swap in some better, alternative ingredients and simply enjoy our goodies.

One challenge, however, can be finding dessert recipes using those wholesome ingredients, that don't taste bland, dry or just plain old blah. Ever had any "healthy" desserts like that?

The ebook I'm giving away today is a fun compilation of tempting, delicious treats full of real food goodness. They make use of old-fashioned fats, soaked whole grains or nutritious nut flours, unrefined sweeteners, and absolutely none of the junky stuff like hydrogenated oils or high fructose corn syrup. But these recipes actually taste GOOD.

Kate, author of Treat Yourself: Real Food Desserts, had this collection of 32 cakes, cookies, cupcakes, frostings, pies, frozen treats and more carefully tested by a team of recipe testers (you can see the entire list of recipes included in the book here).

Although I wasn't a tester myself, I did decide to treat our own family to her Chocolate Cake I, with Cream Cheese Frosting for my husband's birthday. It was just as I think chocolate cake should be. Moist, lightly sweetened (but not overly sweet), rich chocolatey flavour, with a perfectly sweet and tangy frosting.

Naturally-sweetened desserts like these may not have that same confectionary taste as their white-sugar bakery counterfeits, and they won't last indefinitely on the shelf or in the fridge, either. It might take a small bit of getting used to for those accustomed to store-bought treats, but once you do, I guarantee you won't want to go back. I love that I can fearlessly indulge in the occasional goodie, without guilt, and the whole idea of this aptly named ebook is that we can "treat ourselves" without having to compromise.

It's killing me that I'm writing this post as I finish up my last few week's of a completely sweetener-free diet, because I've got so many recipes in this book that I'm eager to try out… carrot cake, chocolate eclairs, vanilla bean cheesecake. Mmmmm.

I'm excited to be able to make this book available to my readers as well!

I have 5 copies of Treat Yourself: Real Food Desserts to give away. Want to win one?

Here's how to get entered (remember to leave a separate comment for each entry):

1. Tell me what your favorite dessert is or what types of real food dessert recipes interest you the most.

2. Subscribe to Keeper of the Home by RSS feed or by email.

3. Share about this giveaway through your blog or favorite social media (find us on Facebook and Twitter here).

Giveaway ends Thursday, October 20th, 2011.

Keeper of the Home readers can use the code KOTHTREAT to take 25% off a purchase of the book! Code is good until October 20th. (And yes, if you win, I'll reimburse you!)

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for the purpose of review. I'm an affiliate of the book, and I receive a small kickback when you purchase through one of my links. You aren't obligated to do so but when you do it helps to support this site, so thank you!

Top image by C1ssou

If you liked this post, you might also enjoy:

Our Sponsor:

Plan to Eat: Simple meal planning. Your recipes. Monthly planner. Grocery lists.