Pure Vita Sweet Potato Freeze Dried Dog Treats #Review from Chewy.com

Name of Product: Pure Vita Sweet Potato Freeze Dried Delights for Dogs
From: Nutri-Source
Price: $5.99 for a 3 ounce bag
Where To Purchase: Chewy.com
Product Website: http://www.nutrisourcedogfood.com/

About: “We pride ourselves on being a family-owned-and-operated pet food manufacturer, bringing you high quality pet foods that you can trust feeding to your furry family members. We offer a wide range of Premium Pet Foods and formulas including Holistic, Grain Free, Organic, Non-GMO, created with the finest ingredients. We also use the Good 4 Life formula in a large amount of our pet foods, which is formulated to bring your pet Super Premium Nutrition. We bring you Super Premium Pet Foods, consistent products, a manufacturing facility you can trust and unparalleled customer service.”
Nutri-Source offers premium foods for your pets by ensuring that the food they produce:

• is Made With Real Chicken or real Lamb #1 Ingredient
• is Highly Digestible Rice, Barley, and Oatmeal Formula
• is Balanced Omega 3 & 6 Nutrition
• Contains No By-products
• Contains No Whole Corn
• is Naturally Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols (A Source of Vitamin E)
• is Protected with Vitamin C
• contains Natural Anti-Oxidants

First Impression: Freeze dried treats are always a winner in our household so I was excited to receive these for the chi's. Sweet potato seems to be a flavor both the girls enjoy when I cook for them, so I had no doubts that these would be a good treat to try, and a healthy one at that! These particular treats did seem harder than other freeze dried treats we've tried, and did not have much of a smell to them.

My Thoughts: While the girls ate these treats, they were not a favorite. I found that if I broke them in half so they were a little smaller and exposed the softer inside (not soft, but softer than the hard outside of these treats) both Venus and Ocean loved them! They were easy for both girls to chew, but not broken up they were a bit big for Ocean to really rip apart with her missing teeth. Overall these are a good healthy treat made by a trustworthy company, and I would love to try more of their products in the future.

Disclaimer: This blog received the product(s) mentioned in this post for the purpose of review and evaluation. This blog is not responsible for prize delivery. No monetary compensation was received for this post. This blog contains affiliate links.

"Saved by Gracie" {Book} #Review

An Uplifting Story of “Man’s Best Friend”

Author Jan Dunlap was suffering increasingly severe bouts of anxiety after a medical misdiagnosis slapped her in the face with an acute realization of the tenuous nature of human life. A degreed theologian, Jan found her personal faith in God and His promises severely shaken and her enthusiasm for life being replaced by growing fear and debilitating insecurity. Then a rescue-shelter black lab-mix by the name of Gracie came into her life as her daughter’s new pet, and Jan determined to do whatever it took to provide both her daughter and the dog with the sense of security she herself no longer felt. She quickly discovered, however, that Gracie had her own agenda, and it was all dog. From chasing squirrels to jumping fences to the occasional roll in dead fish, Gracie taught Jan that life is for living, not dreading. As she began to realize that Gracie was helping her manage her anxiety, Jan also came to a new awareness of how a loving God provides healing through His own works of creation. Part memoir and part medical exploration of the truly healing gifts that God freely offers us through our interaction with animals and nature, Saved by Gracie is a story of God’s redeeming love revealed at the paws of a dog.

My Thoughts:

"Saved by Gracie" was a very emotional as well as inspirational book to read. As a dog lover, I was drawn to the story behind the book  as well as the story about the family and Gracie herself. Jan, the author, is from Chaska, Minnesota, which is about a half hour from me, so I felt connected as I read her book in more ways than just being a fellow dog adopter. As she speaks of her experience of bringing Gracie home, and training her, she also finds that she comes to be trained by Gracie. Or, saved. Saved by Gracie just as the Lord has saved her. There is a special connection between a dog and it's human, and I urge you to pick up a copy of Jan's book and read about her life-changing experience with her rescue, Gracie.

Did you know? Fur-therapy has saved over 40 million Americans who suffer from depression (myself included).

About The Author:

Jan Dunlap has written about personal spirituality for over twenty-five years for a variety of national and regional religious publications. She wrote her first book, Purpose, Passion and God: Awakening to the Deepest Meaning of Life (Twenty-third Publications, 2006), while completing her MA in theology at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, in an attempt to figure out what she wanted to be when she grew up. (She was partly successful, though she admits she’s still working at it – growing up, that is.)
At the time, she was also writing a humorous newspaper column about raising her brood of five children and working part-time as a career center manager at a local high school; to help her survive the chaos, she decided to plot murder (as fiction, of course, though it’s been suggested by her children that she might harbor a tiny passive-aggressive tendency – but what do they know, right?). Drawing on her life-long fascination with birds, she began developing a book plot about a nice guy who finds dead people while he’s out birding. In 2008, The Boreal Owl Murder was published by North Star Press, Inc., launching Jan’s Bob White Birder Murder Mysteries (all five of which have been nominated for the annual Minnesota Book Awards). With readers across America and Europe, Jan’s brand of humorous storytelling has earned her accolades from critics and readers alike of all ages (as well as some rather odd emails, but that’s another story).
Like millions of people around the world, Jan has suffered from depression and anxiety, and it wasn't until she joined the millions more who own dogs that she finally found relief…and a very effective way to discourage door-to-door solicitors. Relying on her skilled writer’s eye for detail and her clear insight into human nature – along with her trademark sense of humor – Jan tells the story of how Gracie, the shelter dog she didn't want to adopt, helped her recover her emotional, physical, and spiritual health. Saved By Gracie is Jan’s hope that others may regain their health and find renewed joy in life by welcoming a rescued dog into their hearts and homes.
A former adjunct instructor for both New Mexico State University and New Mexico Junior College (thanks to her master’s degree in English Studies from Minnesota State University-Mankato), Jan now works as an author full-time. She frequently speaks to book clubs, community service organizations, writers’ groups, birders, and senior living communities about birds, writing, the blessings of nature, and the importance of humor. Jan lives in Chaska, Minnesota, with her husband Tom and (of course) their dog Gracie.

You can find further information on Jan's website, and purchase her books on Amazon.

You can also follow Jan Dunlap on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Disclaimer: Baby and the Chi's blog received the product(s) mentioned in this post for the purpose of review and evaluation. Baby and the Chi's is not responsible for prize delivery. No monetary compensation was received for this post. This blog contains affiliate links.

My Updated @BirchBox #Review

A few months ago I posted about my initial experience with BirchBox, and how it left a little to be desired, but I really wanted to give them a decent chance.

After the points issue was sorted out, I finally received my first box (April), and it was damaged by a few broken items. The items themselves I was excited about, and had high hopes for boxes to comes, but I had an exploded hair detangler and a smashed nail polish that left everything in the box pretty much unusable. I emailed and ended up having to call to talk to someone and was promised a replacement box. I waited and waited, and before I knew it my May box had arrived but still no replacement April box.

My May box contained a few anti-aging skin creams, a foil shampoo packet, and two tea bags. Everything but the shampoo foils and the tea bags were almost empty, and nothing in the box was something I would actually use. After another couple weeks I called again about my April box.

At this point I was informed that my April box was never sent out and that BirchBox was unable to resend it this late after April (thanks for waiting for me to contact you about this, by the way, really speaks to your customer service...). So I had been waiting for nothing. I was offered to receive my June box for free as a replacement for April, and 100 points for having to wait on nothing. I was happy with the remedy, but still irritated about the whole situation.

Soon enough my June box arrived. A crushed perfume sample, shampoo for dry hair (I have oily hair), a sample of body lotion (that gave me a rash), an enzyme face wash sample (that was empty), and an eyeshadow sample. *sigh*

So, I'm done. I gave it three months, wasted my time, wasted my money, and have nothing to show for it. BirchBox has to be the worst subscription to date that I've tried.

I know there are so many out there who love this sub, and I'm happy for you, I really am. You've managed to stay content with damaged products, foil packets, and 3/4 empty samples. I guess I'm not so easy to please.

***Disclaimer: I purchased a subscription to BirchBox with my own money to try something new and provide an honest review. I was not compensated in any way for this blog post.

Anxiety Wrap for Dogs #Review

Wouldn't you love to know what stresses or aggravates your dog or cat? I know I would. While we can't exactly what our pets are thinking, we can ease their stress and anxiety with helpful products like the Anxiety Wrap.

The Anxiety Wrap is a patented body-hugging wrap that gently calms and soothes your pet by applying just enough pressure to their body to help them feel secure. Unlike other wraps, the Anxiety Wrap also attaches to the hind legs to ensure the entire length of the body is wrapped, not just around the chest. This wrap is perfect for situations where your dog may be exposed to fireworks, thunderstorms, crowds, or being left along (i.e. separation anxiety). This wrap claims to even help with excessive problematic barking.

We received an Anxiety Wrap for Venus to see if it would help calm her down when she became irritated by loud noises and being able to hear our neighbors (both next door, as well as neighborhood children playing outside). We ordered a size Mini-Plus, for dogs 17-20 pounds and 19-20 inches long. Venus weighs 18 pounds, and this wrap was very snug on her. I don't know if they run small, or if they are supposed to be super tight, but that is the first thing I noticed when I was trying to get it on her. The material was very smooth, and sleek. It wasn't thick, and therefore didn't add any addition heat like thicker wraps, and once we got it on it was easy to adjust.

As far as barking goes, the Anxiety Wrap did ease Venus' anxiety when she could hear people talking, but once she was able to see people outside she still ran to the window barking frantically. While this wrap did help, I would not consider it a miracle. Perhaps it would work better for simply calming dogs who suffer from fear of thunderstorms or loud noises. I will however continue to use the wrap, especially when we have to leave the girls at home, to make sure she is content until our return.

You can find more information about, as well as purchase, the Anxiety Wrap on their website.

Be sure to visit Anxiety Wrap on Facebook - Twitter & YouTube.


Disclaimer: Baby and the Chi's blog received the product(s) mentioned in this post for the purpose of review and evaluation. Baby and the Chi's is not responsible for prize delivery. No monetary compensation was received for this post. This blog contains affiliate links.

May 2014 Ipsy Glam Bag

"Better late than never" I always say! As we near the June Ipsy shipping timeframe, I realized I still needed to share my May bag with you all! Here's what I received:

The theme for May was "Fresh Picks." I love the canvas bag, it's so soft and earthy!

Derma E microdermabrasion scrub
I love this scrub! Anyone who loved the Dr Brandt microdermabrasion scrub from April will probably like this, and love the price tag even more. I've already purchased a full size of this scrub for a little less than $30.

Eva NYC Therapy Session Hair Mask
I honestly haven't tried this yet. I have heard mixed reviews though. Some say it's great, others say it weighs their hair down. I recently chopped all my hair off, so I haven't been using masks as often as usual.

Hang Ten Classic Sport SPF 50
Decent sunscreen, no complaints. I did not try it out on my face because I break out too easily, so I stick with what I know won't break me out. But this worked great for our whole family.

Pacifica Mineral Eyeshadow Duo
So many people complained that this didn't have much pigment, but I don't always feel comfortable with strongly colored eyeshadow, so this was perfect for me. It gave me the perfect amount of color and looked beautiful. I hope to find the full size palette at Target someday.

Revlon ColorBurst Matte Balm in Elusive
I was nervous because I rarely wear any kind of color on my lips, that this would be too strong of a color for me, but I love it! The color is beautiful, and it not drying like most matte formulas out there. It's perfect for summer and will probably work into the fall as well. By winter I know I'll need to add in some extra lip balm, but I honestly think this shade would work year-round. This is another product on my near-future shopping list.

This bag was a real win for me. I loved all the products I received, and was happy to get some care products in lieu of all makeup.

Disclaimer: The Glitter Chic blog purchased the product(s) mentioned in this post for the purpose of review and evaluation. No monetary compensation was received for this post. This blog contains affiliate links.