Beautiful Headband by Little Sunshine Designs!

I LOVE HAIR DECOR!!!
As a matter of fact, some hair barrettes were the very first review I ever had for my blogsite!

Little Sunshine Design sent me an absolutely BEAUTIFUL hair band to review for Christmas this year!  The hair band looks as if it were designed by an artist.  This is not your average piece of ribbon that has been hot glued around a piece of plastic.  This hair band consists of soft elastic, faux pearls, a feather, and a flower!  Take a look at this gorgeous hair band on my daughter!

I really love all of Little Sunshine Design's hair pieces, because there is something to go with EVERYTHING!  Her pieces range fron dainty to attention grabbing, and all look to be made with care!

Look at some of these pieces on her site!

Please visit her shop today, and enter below to WIN a hair bow/band of your own!

To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.

Mandatory:

• Visit the Little Sunshine Design Etsy site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment (BE SURE to include your email address in case you win!!  Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!) telling me what you love the most!

Optional for Extra Credit:

• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.

• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.

• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!

• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.

• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net  

• Follow me on Twitter HERE and ReTweet THIS.   Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!

• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!

The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on December 20th at 6pm.

Thank you to Little Sunshine Design for donating the free hairband for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.

Custom Fingerless Gloves by Mott Crochet GIfts!

I love the winter. I love the smell of cold weather, the logs on the fire, the hot cocoa with family, and the stars shining through the bare trees.

What I DON'T like however, is how freezing cold I always stay throughout the winter!

Thanks to Jen at Mott Chrochet Gifts, my hands are toasty warm this season!

She sent me these amazingly beautiful fingerless gloves.

They are black (which matches positively EVERYTHING in my closet!), and they are not scratchy, but just snuggly! I get comments and compliments on them everywhere I go! I went Christmas shopping this year for my mother and father in Eddie Bauer. I bought my mother some of these exact gloves for $30, but Mott Crochet sells them for a fraction of that!

Stop by her shop and check it out! She sells out of her inventory instantly, so you might have to go into the SOLD items to view her work!

She is offering one reader of Mingle Over Mocha a $10 gift certificate to her store! You will soon be styling in your OWN fingerless gloves!

To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.

Mandatory:

• Visit the Mott Crochet Gifts Etsy site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment (BE SURE to include your email address in case you win!!  Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!) telling me what you love the most!

Optional for Extra Credit:

• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.

• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.

• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!

• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.

• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net  

• Follow me on Twitter HERE and ReTweet THIS.   Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!

• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!

The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on December 20th at 6pm.

Thank you to Mott Chrochet Gifts for donating the free fingerless gloves for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.

Norah Jones - ...Featuring

I am a HUGE fan of Norah Jones. And when I heard that One2One Network was offering me a chance to review her music, I was SO excited! She has that husky, bluesy, smooth voice that I have always loved. Take a listen by clicking below! 






Another awesome thing about this album is that she is only "featured" in all the songs!  She is performing with many other artists, and there is not one song on this album that is like another.  Some of them completely shocked me, for example, her duet with Willie Nelson in "Baby It's Cold Outside!"  What a strange combination- Norah and Willie, and what a strange song to imagine them singing together- but it was FABULOUS!

The album "Featuring Norah Jones" was released to the public November 17th, and if you haven't bought it yet, this would make a wonderful addition to your music collection!
See below for the list of songs and artists in this new album.

1. Love Me - The Little Willies
2. Virginia Moon - Foo Fighters featuring Norah Jones
3. Turn Them - Sean Bones featuring Norah Jones
4. Baby It's Cold Outside - Willie Nelson featuring Norah Jones
5. Bull Rider - Norah Jones and Sasha Dobson
6. Ruler Of My Heart - Dirty Dozen Brass Band featuring Norah Jones
7. The Best Part - El Madmo
8. Take Off Your Cool - Outkast featuring Norah Jones
9. Life Is Better - Q-Tip featuring Norah Jones
10. Soon The New Day - Talib Kweli featuring Norah Jones
11. Little Lou, Prophet Jack, Ugly John - Belle & Sebastian featuring Norah Jones
12. Here We Go Again - Ray Charles featuring Norah Jones
13. Loretta - Norah Jones featuring Gillian Welch and David Rawlings
14. Dear John - Ryan Adams featuring Norah Jones
15. Creepin' In - Norah Jones featuring Dolly Parton
16. Court & Spark - Herbie Hancock featuring Norah Jones
17. More Than This - Charlie Hunter featuring Norah Jones
18. Blue Bayou - Norah Jones featuring M. Ward

Thank you to One2One Network for offering me this album for my review. I was in no way compensated for this review, and the opinions expressed above are solely my own.

Susan G Komen society meets Milano Cookies!

Welcome to the wonderfully delicious world of Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies!

One2One Network is working with Pepperidge Farm Milano cookies to help promote Milano Moments--those special moments that you steal for yourself or share with a close friend and truly enjoy. (Just like when you savor a Milano cookie!)

This month, Milano is turning their packaging pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month and has launched a Facebook initiative to raise money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure!
 
Click here to participate:  http://www.facebook.com/pepperidgefarmmilano?v=app_161066607238836
 
 

 

The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews

The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews

"The decisions you make and the way you treat others have more impact than you may ever realize.


Speaker and New York Times best-selling author Andy Andrews shares a compelling and powerful story about a decision one man made over a hundred years ago, and the ripple effect it’s had on us individually, and nationwide, today. It’s a story that will inspire courage and wisdom in the decisions we make, as well as affect the way we treat others through our lifetime. Andrews speaks over 100 times a year, and The Butterfly Effect is his #1 most requested story.

Also included with the purchase of the book is a link to view a 9-minute message of Andrews telling The Butterfly Effect story to a live audience."

Book Sneeze offered me a copy of "The Butterfly Effect" by Andy Andrews as a review.

Remember, don't judge a book by its cover... or in this case, its size.  The book is tiny, and is a very quick read.  But it is content that matters!


Andy shares some emotional stories or action and effect in this book.  The stories tug at your heart, and really make you think.  What you do absolutely matters.  Little changes you make in your life absolutely effect others!  That person you see each day could end up being an important part of your life... maybe that person sitting next to you on the plane plays an integral part in your destiny!

Actions matter.  Maybe this review was sent to you because you need to read this book!

Thank you to BookSneeze for donating the free copy of The Butterfly Effect for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.

Protect Your Kids Against MSRA

Amish Proverbs by Suzanne Woods Fisher

My honest, unbaised opinion?  This is one of the best books I own.  And I own WAAAYYYY too many books.  This book is inspiring, offers wisdom, is calming, is comical, and makes you think.  I love it.  When I have a couple of moments of rest, I love to pick it up and browse the pages.  It is well written, beautifully illustrated, and would make a fabulous gift!

About Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life: Simplify your life with Amish wisdom

Through firsthand research and personal relationships, Suzanne Woods Fisher has collected more than 200 proverbs that uncover the rich heritage, folklore, faith, values, history, and essence of the Plain People. These proverbs serve as teaching tools and maxims for practical living--but they're not just for the Amish. They're for anyone who seeks God's wisdom and truth for everyday circumstances.

Ranging from the simple to the profound, from the serious to the humorous, these sayings will stick with you through life's joys and sorrows. With beautiful full-color photos throughout, Amish Proverbs is the perfect gift for any occasion.

About Suzanne Woods Fisher:

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the CBA bestselling author of The Choice, The Waiting, Amish Peace, and Amish Proverbs. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Benedict eventually became publisher of Christianity Today magazine. Suzanne is the host of a radio show called Amish Wisdom and her work has appeared in many magazines. She lives in California.

Enter Suzanne Woods Fisher's Simple Wisdom KINDLE Giveaway!

Simple Wisdom giveaway

It has been said that if you want to know a people, know their proverbs. Suzanne and Revell Books have pulled the wisdom of the Amish into a beautiful gift book perfect for any occasion. Amish Proverbs is in stores now and to celebrate Suzanne is hosting the Simple Wisdom KINDLE Giveaway. One Grand Prize winner will receive a Kindle preloaded with Suzanne Woods Fisher titles. The Prize Pack (valued at over $205.00) includes:

* A brand new KINDLE, Free 3G, 6", Latest Generation

* Amish Peace by Suzanne Woods Fisher

* The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher

To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest. Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on September 1st.

Enter via E-mail Enter via Facebook Enter via Twitter

Join Suzanne for a Wrap-up Party on September 1st! She’ll be announcing the winner of the Simple Wisdom KINDLE Giveaway, chatting with readers, and giving away copies of Amish Proverbs and The Choice! Be sure to join us on Wednesday , September 1st at 8PM EST at Suzanne’s Author Page.

Simple Wisdom Giveaway

Blog Tour Schedule:

Today, you can find this book at the following sites:

8/28

Amy at Girlfriends Get Real  http://girlfriendsgetreal.blogspot.com/

Anna at Mingle Over Mocha http://www.mingleovermocha.com/

Kaylea at My Scrappy Life http://kaytebug2002.blogspot.com/
Would you LOVE to own a copy of your own?  YES!  You would!

Mandatory:

• Comment below telling me why you would LOVE to win this book!
• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.
• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net
• Follow me on Twitter HERE and ReTweet this, "I am hoping to win a copy of "Amish Proverbs" on http://www.mingleovermocha.com/." Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!
• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!


The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on September 5th at 6pm.

I received this book free from litfuse Publicity as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.")

What did you do this summer?

Along with family vacations and trips to the zoo, General Mills teamed up with Nickelodeon´s The Penguins of Madagascar to bring the action-packed adventures of summer to your very own breakfast table.


Inside specially marked boxes of General Mills cereals, you´ll "commence operations" with one of five characters from The Penguins of Madagascar; Skipper, Rico, Kowalski, Private or King Julien. Each participating cereal contains one character launcher with mission details outlined on the back of the box including:


• Dive In, Soldier - Set an empty plastic cereal bowl on the table and try to pop your launcher into it. Wear a helmet or you´ll be squid bait.
• Longest Propulsion Launcher - Challenge your troops to see who can launch their character the furthest. Go long or go back to the zoo.
• Target Practice - Create a landing zone with a spoon and try to strategically drop your character into the sweet spot. Hit the target or go back to the drawing board.
• Clear the Wall - Do you have enough projectile pop to push your launcher over the top of the box? Proceed launchin´ troops, earn those wings!


Each character is unique and has their own specific role, and together, they´re a team with lots of character. With five character launchers to collect, make a splash by trying to successfully complete all of their missions.


Thanks to MyBlogSpark, General Mills and Nickelodeon, I received a Penguins of Madagascar prize pack which included one box of Trix cereal, a Penguins of Madagascar launcher and the new Penguins of Madagascar movie, The Penguins of Madagascar Operation: DVD Premier!  Guess what?  You can win all of this, too!

To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.

Mandatory:

• Comment below, telling me which penguin is your FAVORITE, or telling me your favorite activity you did this summer!

Optional for Extra Credit:

• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.

• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.

• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!

• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.

• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net  

• Follow me on Twitter HERE and ReTweet this: "I want to win a Penguins of Madagascar prize pack on http://www.mingleovermocha.com/ from Nickelodeon!"   Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!

• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!

The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on  August 21st at 6pm. 

Thank you to MyBlogSpark, Nickelodeon, and General Mills for donating the free prize pack for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.

Lisa Welchel's "Friendship For Grown-Ups: What I Missed & Learned Along the Way"

Friendship For Grown-Ups:  What I Missed & Learned Along the Way, by Lisa Welchel

Lisa Whelchel is a Christian Actress, Author, speaker for Women of Faith, and fellow homeschooling mom.  She was the child star "Blair" in Facts of Life.  Her experiences, beginning in the filming of Facts of Life, pwere what began her journey that is described among the pages of Friendships for Grown Ups.  As an independant individual most of her life, she had a hard time understanding what real friendship is.

Lisa is a bit of an open book.  Her no-holds-barred style welcomes you in, and makes you feel like you're talking to a friend. 

I would recommend this book to anyone who has the "loner" mentality.  I have tendancies to need personal space often, and there were many parts of this book I could easily relate to!

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers, a.k.a. "Book Sneeze" as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Pop Weaver Microwave Popcorn with Canola Oil!

POP WEAVER LAUNCHES FIRST MICROWAVE POPCORN MADE WITH CANOLA OIL

I was sent the amazing new Microwave Popcorn with Canola Oil from Pop Weaver! When you hear about a company who is known for making tasty foods, converting to creating a product that is GOOD for you, you first wonder, "Hmmm... Will it still TASTE good?"

The answer in this case: YES!

I suffered some pretty ugly gall bladder attacks a couple of months ago, just before I received this popcorn to try. I had a VERY limited diet, and was unable to tolerate anything with heavy grease. This popcorn was a lifesaver! I was able to snack on it with no issues.

The only problem I experienced with this treat was that my children kept snagging it from me! They love movie theatre style popcorn, so I didn't think they'd like it. I was wrong. The popcorn was gone so fast, I was out 4 days later looking for more!

This is some info from Pop Weaver about

New Product Combines Improved Buttery Taste with the
Health Benefits of Canola Oil

NOBLESVILLE, Ind., – Pop Weaver® is introducing the first microwave popcorn to be made with Canola oil. The new and improved formulation of the popcorn enhances the rich, buttery taste that Pop Weaver is known for, and is lower in calories, total fat, saturated fat and sodium, while also providing Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9 fatty acids.

“Since popcorn is all we make, we’re continually striving to make our product the best-tasting, healthiest popcorn, at the best possible price,” said Mike Weaver, president and chief executive officer of the Weaver Popcorn Company, which makes Pop Weaver. “We’ve worked for years to replace our previous oil blend with a Canola oil blend, and we are proud to lead the industry with this innovation.”

All three flavors in the Pop Weaver microwave popcorn line – Light Butter, Butter and Extra Butter – have been reformulated to incorporate Canola oil. Both Light Butter and Butter carry the American Heart Association’s Heart Check mark, designating them as heart-healthy products. All three flavors also contain zero grams of trans fat.

Pop Weaver’s Canola oil blend is primarily comprised of “heart healthy” polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which help to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, and supply Omega-3, Omega-6 and Omega-9 fatty acids, helping to protect against coronary heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. And the popcorn provides other health benefits, as well, since it is a good source of whole grains. Not only does it contain fiber, but a study released this summer found that popcorn also provides healthy antioxidants. In fact, because it is unprocessed, according to the study, popped popcorn provided more antioxidants than any other snack food tested.

New Popcorn Lower in Fat and Calories, High in Taste
For the first time, even lovers of Pop Weaver Extra Butter microwave popcorn can enjoy an entire bag of their favorite snack, guilt-free. With only 260 calories, 2g saturated fat, and 0g trans fats per full bag popped, new Pop Weaver Extra Butter microwave popcorn will satisfy your butter craving without blowing your diet. The Light Butter and Butter flavors – which carry the Heart Check designation – contain only 210 calories and 230 calories per full popped bag, respectively.

“With most ‘healthy’ snacks, you typically have to give up flavor,” said Weaver. “But our new microwave popcorn really is the best of all worlds. Not only does it taste great, but it is better for you.”

Weaver adds that Pop Weaver remains a great snacking value, as well. “You can serve your family our popcorn for 21 cents per full bag popped, said Weaver. “No other snack provides the nutrition that we do for such a low cost. And it’s fun and delicious to eat.”

New Pop Weaver microwave popcorn made with Canola oil in Extra Butter, Butter and Light Butter is available at mass market retailers and discount stores nationwide.

Thank you to Adrienne Baily and Pop Weaver for donating the free popcorn samples for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.

Beautiful Soaps!

Beautiful Soaps!

I am a sucker for natural and handmade soaps.  When I came across Beautiful Soaps on Etsy, I knew I wanted to try some of the soaps!  Heather at Beautiful Soaps ahs some fo the most original and creative combinations I have ever seen!  For example, how about Lavendar Chamomile Cocoa Butter Bars?  Or Lemongrass Poppyseed with French Yellow Clay?  Or Cinnamon Ice Lip Cooler Balm?

I received an instant response from Heather, who was so kind to ship me three different soaps to sample!

She sent me these soaps:

Oatmeal Stout Beer with Oatmeal Honey and Vanilla Soap

Guinness Stout Handmade Beer Soap

Corona Beer Soap with Lime

Her soaps come beautifully packaged, and wrapped in paper with custom labels.  They would make fabulous house warming gifts, pick-me-up presents, spouse gifts, or mother's/father's day presents! 

One thing that I am always curious about when sampling natural or handmade soaps is to find out whether or not they lather.  A lot of the soaps I have tried in the past feel almost slimy, but don't actually lather.  I am one of those people that needs to feel a lather in order to feel clean!

Great news... Beautiful Soaps LATHER!!  And they lather really well!  The oatmeal soap she sent is amazing- it not only lathers, but the oatmeal acts as a great exfoliator!

Her soaps ALL smell incredible.  She has really mastered combining the scents to create the perfect blend!

Heather also has some other wonderful products in her store.  Check out her STORE to see what else she offers!

Heather at Beautiful Soaps is also willing to offer a $10 gift certificate to my site, and a 10% off savings to all Mingle Over Mocha subscribers who mention M.O.M. in their message or order!

If you would like to enter to win the $10 gift certificate (which would be wonderful to win, because her items are SO reasonably priced, you could pick two items for this amount!!), please read below!

To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.

Mandatory:

• Visit the CEIVA site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment (BE SURE to include your email address in case you win!!  Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!) telling me what you love the most!

Optional for Extra Credit:

• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.

• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.

• Subscribe to Heather's blog feed by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.

• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!

• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.

• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net  

• Follow me on Twitter HERE and ReTweet THIS.   Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!

• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!

The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on July 24th at 6pm. 

Thank you to Beautiful Soaps for donating the free soap samples for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.

From My Mama's Kitchen, by Johnny Tan

From My Mama's Kitchen by Johnny Tan

When you think of a Mother, what do you think of?  If you ARE a mother, what words would you hope your children would use to describe you?

Loving, helpful, faithful, sincere, encouraging, sweet, self-sacrificing, trufhful, God-fearing, bold, insightful, descretionary, one-of-a-kind, true, protective, open, trusting, unfailing, caring, comforting, honest... the list could go on forever!

Johnny has had a unique experience from being adopted, and then "adopting" even more moms (for a total of NINE MOMS!!) in his journey of life!

You will find a little bit of everything in "From My Mama's Kitchen."  It is a book of encouragement for mothers, a book of love and remembrance for children, and soul food for every one else!

You can read other reviews for this book on Amazon, HERE.

You can buy this book HERE!

This is a little bit about the author, Johnny Tan:

Like a pot of the famous Louisiana gumbo, Johnny Tan’s life has been richly flavored over the years by his nine moms.

In April of 2007, Johnny began recording the various heart-felt memories and words of wisdom expressed and felt in the kitchen setting. The result is From My Mama’s Kitchen – “food for the soul, recipes for living.”

Adopted at birth in Malaysia, Johnny Tan came to the United States in 1980 to attend college at LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Here, he began a journey that led him into crossing paths with various women he admiringly referred to as Mom. It is the inspiration, support and life skills that Johnny received from his moms that have guided him towards his pursuit for personal excellence.

After college, Johnny worked in the restaurant industry for 18 years. He retired from a successful career as Chief Operating Officer in 2001, to begin a new vocation of running his own business.

Living by his very own personal vision and mission statement, Johnny continually uses his gift of creativity to enrich the lives of those who know him and for his community through his fellowship and leadership ability.

Johnny is also an accomplished amateur ballroom dancer. He has performed with his dance partners for more than 10 years at various ballroom and charity events in Louisiana and Texas.

He currently resides in Dallas, Texas.

Check out his website HERE, and listen to his radio show HERE!

I hope you enjoy Johnny Tan's work as much as I have!

LOST t-shirt by SlothArt!!

The moment I saw SlothArt's LOST t-shirts, I knew I wanted to review one!  This is a picture of my husband wearing his...

I contacted Allan through his Etsy site, and heard back from him instantly!  His communication is impeccable, and he responds personally in email to my inquiries.  I love great customer service!!

SlothArt has an amazing collection of vintage cameras, photography and t-shirts!  Browse through the SlothArt site, and take a look at this very cool collection!

Here are some other items listed on his site:

"Hand of God" 5x7 Fine Art Print:

The 1923 Pathex 9.5mm Film Camera:

You've got to visit this site!  It is so fun to see what SlothArt has available.  It is definitely not your ordinary Etsy site!

The LOST t-shirt SlothArt sent us is VERY comfortable, and the lettering is not the cheap kind that peels off after you wear the shirt a couple of times.  I know, because my husband has worn this shirt multiple times since it arrived- he loves it!
He gets comments on it everywhere he goes- people get a real kick out of it.

SlothArt is giving away to one lucky reader of Mingle Over Mocha a LOST t-shirt!!
To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.

Mandatory:

• Visit the SlothArt site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment (BE SURE to include your email address in case you win!!  Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!) telling me what you love the most!

Optional for Extra Credit:

• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.

• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.
• Follow SlothArt on Twitter by clicking HERE.
Fan the SlothArt Facebook page by clicking HERE.
• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!

• Digg this post by clicking HERE!

• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.

• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net  

• Follow me on Twitter HERE and ReTweet THIS.   Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!

• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!

The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Saturday, June 19th at 6pm... Just in time for FATHER'S DAY!! Good luck!

Thank you to SlothArt for donating the free LOST t-shirt for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.

My Daddy is a Soldier by Anne M. Stratford

My Daddy is a Soldier, by Anne M. Stratford

I definitely have a heart for our military families.  They make sacrifices on a daily basis that most of us cannot imagine.  While my husband's cousin was serving his most recent of multiple deployments to Iraq, his wife's grandfather died, his son graduated, and his family endured a gas leak at their residence.  Throughout all of these major events, he couldn't just come home and help- he was serving his country.

This isn't an isolated incident- it happens every day.  Wives pick up the pieces while their husbands are gone for months at a time.  Children across the US are without their fathers and mothers who are serving our country.  Yet many of us don't stop to consider how life-altering a parent being gone can really be to a child.

Anne M. Stratford has written a beautiful book to help the children of our soldiers.

My Daddy is a Soldier is a one-of-a-kind, heart tugging book that is beautifully illustrated, and covers all of the emotions that a child must go through while his or her parent is serving our country.  In the book, the child feels a sense of pride, a great deal of sadness, and shows his bravery while his father is overseas.  The resounding theme throughout, "I CAN DO IT!" help a child to keep his head up while his mother or father are serving our country.

As I read the book to my children, they all had to look "one more time" at all the pictures throughout the book.  It is very well illustrated- the pictures are wonderful.  Like many children's books, the pages rhyme, helping to keep the child's attention. 

About the Author

Anne M. Stratford had a successful sales career, and finally left it at the age of 41 to pursue her life-long dream of writing children's books.  This is the first of what I hope to be MANY that she will write!  We truly enjoyed this book.

How to purchase this book
This book retails for $17.99, and exceptional value considering the detail of this hard bound book.  You can buy it HERE for the special child in your life!

How to WIN this book
One lucky reader will win a copy through Mingle Over Mocha!

To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.

Mandatory:

• Visit Anne M. Stratford's site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment (BE SURE to include your email address in case you win!!  Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!) telling me what you love the most!

Optional for Extra Credit:

• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.

• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.
• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!

• Digg this post by clicking HERE!

• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.

• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net  

• Follow me on Twitter HERE and ReTweet this: "I would love to WIN a copy of Anne M. Stratford's book "My Daddy is a Soldier" on @vaagen's blog at http://www.mingleovermocha.com/!"   Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!

• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!

The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Saturday, June 19th at 6pm... Just in time for FATHER'S DAY!! Good luck!

Thank you to Anne M. Stratford for donating the free copy of her book for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.

BEST GIFTS FOR FATHER'S DAY 2010

Hi Everyone!

Welcome to

The Best Gifts for Father's Day 2010!

I will begin posting items I have discovered, or am giving away, today!  The contests will end the day before Father's Day, June 19th, 2010.

Good luck!

Dweebies Card Game from Gamewright Games!

Dweebies Card Game from Gamewright!

Meet the Dweebies™ in the card game with character. These lovably colorful characters are out to capture your heart, but you must capture them first! Round up Dweebies by matching cards on both ends of any row. Seems simple at first... but Dweebies can be tricky, and some will disappear before they've met their match. Collect the most cards and consider yourself the Dweebie-in-Chief. Includes 54 cards!

All 4 of my kids loved this game!  My oldest two loved it because of the strategy and luck involved in it!  My youngest two love it because the characters on the cards are ADORABLE!!!  When my older children were finished playing, my younger two flipped the card over for a game of memory! 

As a parent, I recommend this game, because the Dweebie characters will keep you smiling, and keep the mood light, even if one of your kids isn't the winner of the game!  It comes packed in a great looking tin, that is easy to travel with.  We're going to the beach soon, and you can bet the Dweebies will be coming along!

To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.

Mandatory:

• Visit the Gamewright Games site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment (BE SURE to include your email address in case you win!!  Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!) telling me what you love the most!

Optional for Extra Credit:

• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.

• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.
• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!

• Digg this post by clicking HERE!

• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.

• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net  

• Follow me on Twitter HERE and ReTweet "I hope to WIN the new Dweebies Game from @vaagen on her site http://www.mingleovermocha.com/!."   Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!

• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!

The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Saturday, May 31st at 6pm!!  GOOD LUCK!!

Thank you to Gamewright Games for donating the free Dweebies game for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.

One eskimO "All Balloons Album

I was so excited to be chosen to review the One eskimO album "All Balloons!"

One eskimO is a critically-acclaimed English band fronted by singer-songwriter Kristian Leontiou and includes musicians Pete Rinaldi (guitar), Jamie Sefton (bass, horns) and Adam Falkner (drums).


They currently have the #1 adult alternative song called 'Kandi' which you may have already heard since it's the most played song on all adult rock radio 4 weeks and counting!  Billboard Magazine calls One eskimO's self-titled debut album "...catchy, ambient pop." and Los Angeles Times Magazine hails the song "Kandi" “a beautiful, aspirational track.” The album is available in stores now.   Watch the amazing Kandi video now!



The album release comes in tandem with a full length animated film. “Hometime”, one of the tracks that an animated short was first done with proved to be quite a sensation. It received numerous honors at film festivals around the world, as well as a 2008 British Animation Award.

My opinion on the album...
I LOVE quite a few songs on this CD.  Astronauts, WHICH YOU CAN DOWNLOAD FOR FREE HERE, is amazing.  It is bathtime music for me.  It just takes you away.  Kandi is the funnest, funkiest, jazziest, sassiest song I can think of at the moment.  And I can truely say there are NO SONGS on this CD I don't enjoy!!

The listing of tracks on this CD are:

• Hometime
• Astronauts
• Kandi
• Slip
• Simple Day
• Givin Up
• Chocolate
• All Balloons
• Chosen One
• UFO
• Amazing

 
Be sure to visit One eskimO's Facebook page: http://bit.ly/906Gp3, their YouTube Channel: http://bit.ly/bgZM8P , and subscribe to their newsletter: http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/email/newsletter/1410294733!

One eskimO is on tour May/June/July supporting Michael Franti and in addition to festivals and headlining shows

Tour Dates-

• May 14 Miami, FL Fillmore
• May 15 Jacksonville, FL Free Bird Live
• May 18 Orlando, FL House of Blues
• May 19 Tampa, FL The Ritz Ybor
• May 22 Raleigh, NC Lincoln Theatre
• May 24 Asheville, NC The Orange Peel
• May 25 Charleston, SC The Music Farm
• Jun 01 Toronto, ON The Guvernment
• Jun 03 New York, NY The Beach at Governor’s Island
• Jun 04 Boston, MA House of Blues
• Jun 05 Essex Junction, VT Camplain Valley Expo
• Jun 06 Hunter, NY Mountain Jam Festival
• Jun 08 Royal Oak, MI Royal Oak Music Thtr
• Jun 09 Grand Rapids, MI Orbit Room
• Jun 12 Memphis, TN Minglewood Hall
• Jun 13 Kansas City, MO Crossroads
• Aug 14 Denver, CO Mile High Festival

You can download the deluxe edition of this album HERE!  You can also enter to WIN a copy from One2One Network and Mingle Over Mocha! 

To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.

Mandatory:

• Visit the One eskimO site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment (BE SURE to include your email address in case you win!!  Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!) telling me what you love the most!

Optional for Extra Credit:

• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.

• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.
• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!

• Digg this post by clicking HERE!

• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.

• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net  

• Follow me on Twitter HERE and ReTweet this: "I want to WIN the new One eskimO CD from @vaagen on her site http://www.mingleovermocha.com/!"   Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!

• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!

The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on May 31st at 6pm!  GOOD LUCK!

Thank you to One eskimO and One2One Network for donating the free CD "All Balloons" for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.

Bella Sara Review!

Bella Sara Cards!
Have you seen the lastest from the world of Bella Sara?

Just in time for Easter, Bella Sara had introduced its new Sunflowers series of collectible cards!
This new series from Bella Sara invites fans to join Emma and friends in a captivating search for Herd Sunflower. Using secret codes found in the set of 55 collectible cards, featuring horses, characters and stories, girls will be able to unlock the exciting Sunflowers adventures and experience the new features of the mesmerizing online world, including the ability to customize their own avatar on BellaSara.com.


To coincide with this event, Bella Sara also introduced the Miniatures Series 3 set. Featuring 20 new velvety figurine horses, the Miniatures set includes a secret code in each pack to expand online play through Bella Sara Adventures.

Bella Sara has sent me multiple packs in the past, and each time, my daughters jump with joy!  Bella Sara is one of their favorite computer games, and their absolute FAVORITE collectible.  We have bought at least 20 packs of Bella Sara cards in the past.  They are the perfect treat, because they add to your daughter's collection, yet they are VERY affordable.  Most packs are less than $5!  My daughters trade them, share them, and display them in baseball card protectors in a 3-ring binder. 

If you're not familiar with Bella Sara yet, you can buy these cards at Target stores, online, at card collector stores, and more.  The cards have gorgeous horses on them, and coincide with an online game.  The game has constant positive messages on the screen such as, "Beauty comes from within" or "Be the hero in your own story."  Each card contains a secret code to unlock a new horse for online play!  The online game is lots of fun!  It is a very secure place for your child to play online.

Here is a screen shot of the Bella Sara game:

One lucky reader of Mingle Over Mocha will win a Sunflowers pack of their own, along with a Bella Sara Mini!

To enter, please do any or all of the following items. The "Mandatory" item(s) must be completed before getting any additional credits from the "Optional for Extra Credit" section.

Mandatory:

• Visit the Bella Sara site by clicking HERE, and leave a comment below telling me what you love the most! (BE SURE to include your email address in case you win!!  Sometimes, people never get their prize, because I can't find their email address!!)

Optional for Extra Credit:

• Subscribe to this blog HERE, and comment that you do.

• Follow this blog HERE, and comment that you do.
• Post about this giveaway on your blog, and comment with a link to the post!

• Digg this post by clicking HERE!

• Become a fan of this blog on Facebook by clicking HERE, and comment that you do.

• Email this contest out to your friends, and copy me on it at vaagen@bellsouth.net  

• Follow me on Twitter HERE and ReTweet this, "I am hoping to WIN a Bella Sara pack on @vaagen's review site at www.MingleOverMocha.com!".   Comment below that you did! You can retweet this contest every day for extra entries- simply leave a comment each time you tweet!

• Invite friends to follow Mingle Over Mocha on Facebook, and comment that you did!

The winner will be chosen by random drawing on http://www.random.org/integers/ on Saturday, May 31st at 6pm... Good luck!

Thank you to Bella Sara for donating the free cards for my review!! I was not compensated monetarily for this review, or for any reviews or giveaways on my blog site. All reviews are provided after I receive a free or donated product from the publisher, manufacturer, or PR company. Reviews are written from an unbiased point of view. Only business relationships exist with those who provide products for review. The Author of Mingle Over Mocha is not responsible for your difference in opinion or happiness with this product, or your safety when using this product.