**REVIEW** 3D Fiber Lash Mascara by Mia Adora

Since my feet have been so much discussed here, I guess it should be easy to tell you about my skimpy eyelashes.

~sigh~

I don't wear a lot of makeup. Or I should say, I like for any makeup I do wear to be done lightly and appear as natural as possible. I was taught to accentuate (not exaggerate) my features. I'm happy with my face, but I do have skimpy lashes. Mascara can be tricky for me though. I like definition and a bit of length, but if I use just a touch too much, my lashes feel heavy and clumpy.

And all the ladies out there said, "I hear ya!"

When I got the chance to try this, I jumped on it.

The case is super cute, by the way

A magnetic clasp when you shut the box

That is Mia Adora 3D Fiber Lash Mascara.

Isn't that box just too freaking pretty? I like it when things come packaged attractively. I can tuck this right into my purse and will probably whip it out just to show off how cute it is (because I can be silly like that sometimes!!!).

Anyway...this is what my lashes look wearing ...

... No mascara

                    ...My regular brand (1 coat)                                ...Mia Adora (one coat gel & fiber)

I especially like that I got such a great effect with just one coating of the Mia Adora 3D. Even better, once I played around some, I learned to use the mascara to accentuate my outer lashes (which is what I like to do for a dressier look).

Now, one of the things about reviewing products that you get for free is that people tend to distrust your opinion. I hope that you guys have read enough of my reviews to know that I will give you the good, bad and ugly.

There's not much negative to say about this, but let's get those things out of the way right now:

When I first applied the Mia Adroa(I did one eye at a time), I didn't realize that the brushes weren't fully coated right out of the tubes. I spent a couple of minutes pretty much dry-brushing my lashes and wondering why nothing was happening. Doh! Once I realized the problem, I was timid about over-applying the gel or fiber, so the result was mediocre. It's hard to tell how 'wet' the brushes are because they feel very stiff, which is unlike the regular brand of mascara I use.

Once I experimented on the first eye, things went a lot better with the second eye. It does take some practice - or rather, it takes not rushing. You apply the fiber while the first coating of gel is still wet, but (and this is VERY important): you have let the fiber coating dry before applying the last (or setting) gel coat. Also when applying the fibers, it's best to start light, then add more later if you want.

The Pros of this mascara is that it goes on so much lighter weight than the other brand of fiber mascara - and, yes, I had a chance to try out the 'other' brand when I went to lunch with a friend of mine who owns some. Mia Adora doesn't flake as much. That other brand is good with lengthening more with one coat, but some of it flaked off into one of my eyes. Also it goes too heavy for my preference since I like more of a 'natural' look with all of my makeup.

Also, when I got that flake from the other brand in my eye, and rubbed at it without thinking, I ended up with more flakes around my eye and the raccoon look. Lovely. But I'm not reviewing the other brand. I just wanted to give a comparison.

That leads me to the other big Pro: once the Mia Adora is set, my lashes not only look more natural, but they actually felt more natural than with even regular mascara. I checked and my usual mascara is a long-wearing waterproof formula, so maybe that has something to do with the feel. I didn't have any basic mascara (non-long lasting, etc) on hand to compare.

The Mia Adora set is, in my opinion, much easier to use than the brand I borrowed. For one thing, the other brand is thicker and coats too heavily for me to have the control I like over the thickness and length. Like I said, you can always add more if that's what you want.

By the way, I want to mention that getting a mascara off is as important as applying it. I remove my makeup using the oil/baby wipe method. I found out that the other brand is a lot harder to clean completely. I tested the Mia Adora both ways: oil and baby wipe, then just with a baby wipe.

Two final things to mention:

• As of now, as far as I can tell, the Mia Adora comes in one shade - black. 
• I see that there is currently a Flash Sale. See bottom of product page about the 10% discount and free shipping information. I don't know how long the sale will be active

If anyone else does try this, let me know how it compares to other brands and mascara types you have experience with.

Peace
--Free

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**REVIEW** Pelican ProGear Voyager Case & Holster

I like to boast that I am always very careful with my phones. And, usually, I am. VERY careful.

Next to my vehicle, my phone is probably the most important necessity in my day to day life. It's not just a convenience (though it is very handy) but. because of my memory and health issues, it's my lifeline. Seriously. Besides all that, I haven't had a landline phone since living in Arizona some years ago.

Out of all the cellphones I've owned, I've lost one and dropped another into water. The one I couldn't find disappeared under really strange circumstances (as did a few other things) in the house in Arizona. We decided that we had a Bermuda Zone type of thing going on in one spot in that house. I'm not kidding, but that's a post for another day.

Every other phone I've had, I've kept til they die. Even back when I could afford to buy new phones whenever I wanted, I thought it was a stupid waste of money. Phones are not cheap. This is why I try to be so careful with mine.

I love a good case, and this one is my absolute favorite of all time:

The clip swivels and makes a stand

Those stripes are not that visible, btw

That's the ProGear Voyager Case & Holster by Pelican I have. Of course, I got the one made for my Galaxy Note 4, but there are models for most popular phones.

I got mine at AT&T because I dropped my phone while I was right down the walkway from the store at the mall. If I hadn't been so paranoid about waiting a few more days, I could have saved $10 by getting it at Amazon.

Real quick, before I get to the review, let me mention that this is the best link to the Pelican site if you're looking specifically for phone cases. I didn't realize that Pelican made cases for lots of products, but you can get to the main page at their official site for all of that by going here. Their Amazon page of products is here. (Can you tell by now that I really like these guys? Good, cos I do.)

Now. Where to start with all that I love about this:

• Fits very securely around the case of my phone
• Is not heavy like some cases
• Holster/Clip detaches for fitting into another outer case if you want
• The clip functions as a stand & stand extends to several stages of placement
• Clip has a hooked bottom so it won't slide off or pockets
• Case comes with a lifetime replacement guarantee in case it breaks

Personally, I can say that I like this case way better than one I got by the much hyped Otterbox brand a few years back. That case cracked at one edge, then the replacement they sent also cracked. Done with that.

Not that I was trying to put the case to a real-life test, but.... I did. Right after I got the case, I dropped my phone (or, rather, DJ bumped it out of my hand) onto a concrete floor at Walmart. The case did protect my phone. I'd already put a crack in the glass screen protector (which I'd been smart enough to get when I bought the phone) and even that crack didn't get any worse. I think the Pelican is "military rated" to drop at about 4 feet. I'm 5 foot 5 and I dropped my phone from about waist high.

Almost more than I like that this protects my phone is the fact that the stand is so good. The last stand I used with a case was sort of flimsy. The bottom would skid and topple the phone over. This one is nicest because it has 5 position tabs, rotates, and is steadied with a metal claw.

Lots of notches for positioning the stand
(notice the bottom where the "tooth" is on clip

Clip rotates for horizontal or vertical wear

 If I have to nitpick for some negatives...

In this position, holster won't/shouldn't be
detached from phone

There's no slot for ID/cards or folding money (but that's the same for most hardback cases), and I'm not crazy about the fact that there's no camera hole in the holster. I have to detach the holster/clip part to use the rear camera. Also, I sometimes forget to rotate the clip so that it's easier to remove the holster. But that's all really petty considering how well this case protects my investment.

I did recently find a really affordable faux leather case with clip that will work with the Pelican case (minus the holster/clip attachment). It's not made for holding cards or folding money either, but some other reviewers have told me that I can fit those things in with the phone. I would just have to be careful not to lose those items when removing the phone from the case.

INSERT PHOTO of that item

Like I said, I had to really look for some Cons with this Pelican case. I'm beyond impressed - not just with the case but with the guarantee. All I can say is "Yay for Pelican!" I don't think I will ever want a case by anyone else. (But "Boo! to AT&T for the jacked up price...)

There you have it. Pelican is apparently well thought of by other reviewers for good reason. I wish I could find more variety in colors from them for this phone. Or even one of their cases made with a ID/money slot.

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Zim's Crack Creme ***UPDATED WITH CONTEST***

Well, I got this just at the perfect time, didn't I?

Zim's Crack Creme in the 2-oz pump bottle.

First reaction: I got a fit of giggles at the name. I can be so freaking juvenile when I'm tired.

Second reaction: Um, this is some goooood stuff...

After using it the very first time, I knew that it would be easy to tell you why I like this creme so much

• Absorbs super fast
• Not oily or sticky/tacky
• Worked immediately (on my driest skin, which you'll get to see)
• No icky smell (and what's there fades off fast)
• Really softens the skin for a long time
• Works a little bit like a skin conditioner (I'll explain in a moment)

What's hard is to describe this product. It's not really a cream/creme at all, but a liquid.

Interesting, right? The ingredients list is short & fairly natural:

• Glycerine
• SD Alcohol 3-C
• Purified Water
• Arnica Extract
• Myrcia Oil

I noticed that the FDA classifies Myrcia Oil as Bay and vice versa, so I am assuming it's the same as Bay Oil. This reference seems to support my assumption. What I found so interesting is that both Bay Oil and Arnica Extract seem to be used more for analgesic and soothing properties than for moisturizing. (Always be careful with ingredients that you might have a reaction to.)

I had no negative reactions at all and, since I just fell in love with the callus remover I recently reviewed, this cream (or creme) was just what I needed for a follow-up.

Time for another callus treatment!

After the Zim's

Seriously, my feet looked new after the Zim's. I mean, removing the dead skin and calluses worked wonders, but the Zim's was the finishing touch.

Okay, okay - enough about my feet. I did use the Zim's on my hands and elbows. I really like the way it not only took away that parched look from around my cuticles, but it even moisturized my fingernails. Once again, it's hard to describe the difference between this and oils or lotions. For one thing, this absorbs much faster. Also, the moisturizing feels different. The best way I can describe it is to compare it to how my hands feel after they have been washed and before all that moisture dries up. 

Zim's is not sticky/tacky. It does leave your skin feeling conditioned. I actually think that's the best way to describe the results. You know how your hair feels different compared to just being shampooed to being deeply conditioned? That's what this did for my skin. And for my nails. That was really nice.

Another thing I like is the price. This is really affordable. It occurred to me that this 2-ounce multi-use bottle would last me for quite a while for use on my feet, hands, nails and elbows. The thing is, my family is going to love this so I will be sharing. (Tell you the truth, I'm thinking of trying it on my scalp and the ends of my hair.) I was glad to see that I can get this in different sizes and even in multi-packs. There are different varieties and formulations that you can check out here. Also you can check out their site here, or their social media presence:

• On Facebook
• and Twitter
• and on Pinterest

If I try their lip creme, I'll be sure to do a review for you. For now, let's take a closer look at these feet of mine...

Now, that's a product testimony right there! LOL

Peace

--Free

*** CONTEST***

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

**REVIEW** Glass Roll-On Bottles by 2PM Essentials

Until I tried compared these roll-on bottles against the ones I have been using, I didn't know how much difference a steel roller could make.

Okay. That sounded a little bit strange, so let me show you the product I'm posting about:

That right there to the left is one of the roll-on bottles I'm going to be telling you about.  It's Frosted Glass Roll On Bottle.

It's prettier than any roll-on bottle I've used for my oils and perfumes, but pretty is not all it's got going for it.

Actually, what I got was a 2-pack set of the 10ml bottles from 2PM Essentials.

You guys know how I am about my oils. I use them for everything - for moisturizing my face and lips to using them as natural fragrances. Over the past year or so, I've been learning a lot about the various essential oils - or E.O.s. 

 What I learned about the containers I've been using to carry my oils in my purse is that they will leak. The biggest Oops I've had happen was when I unscrewed one of my old bottles and had oil leak from the cap right on to my jeans. I had to walk around the store with a icky-looking stain down the front of my leg. I usually know to check the cap because my oils will leak and drip out, but...

When I opted to try the bottles by 2PM Essentials, I just wanted to see if they were as pretty as the photos. I wasn't really thinking too much about the steel rollerballs.

These really are some elegant bottles. Much nice than the plain ones I have bought here and there.

The glass is lightly frosted and, because it's not a painted on frost, I won't have to worry about a lot of scratching from the keys and other junk in my purse. The cap is brushed aluminum with just a touch of smooth embellishment to add some flair.

But the steel rollerball is the real bonus. I'm not a mechanically inclined person so I don't much care why or how the metal ball works as a seal to stop leaks. I don't care, but I like it. (If you care, you can read about it on the product page.)

I do care that I don't have to remember to check for oil pooling in the cap before I unscrew it. This design does the trick. And the metal looks a lot nice than the plastic ones.

Something I never considered is that, though I use glass bottles for my E.O.s, the plastic caps probably affect the oils. And maybe the reason the caps leak is because the oils affect them.

At any rate, I really do like these bottles. The steel ball and all the technical stuff aside, the bottles are just so pretty. The fact that I'm not wasting my oils from leaks and spills makes me glad for the techy stuff, but I'm mostly loving the look of the bottles.

The price for these is just a bit more than what I've paid for some with the plastic balls, but saving oils evens out the cost difference. Now that I'm aware of the oil-plastic mix, I going to stick with the steel rollers.

I have to mention that, while you might be aware of the common ways to use a roll-on applicator (oils, deodorants, etc.), I tried something new (for me at least) with this one. Because the metal ball works so smoothly, I got the idea in my head to try applying some oil in the area under my eyes. You know how you want to avoid pulling or rubbing that thinner skin when doing your beauty routine? Well, I wanted to test out how well the roller would work. Results were great. (You do need to get the ball going a bit. Remember, it's made not to leak.)

Let's take one more look at that steel roller

The test with the under-eye area worked so well, I got carried away and used the applicator on my lips. Now I just want to mix up some specific oils for a lip balm to carry in my purse. (I'm thinking this will be a great way to pack some coconut oil without worrying about ruining the inside of my purse.)

To get down to the final nitty gritty, just in case you are not as impressed as I am, there is a super sweet guarantee in place for this product. It's not just a "No Questions Asked" guarantee, but a 100% Lifetime guarantee. Can't beat that with a plastic or metal stick.

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Wow! Liebster Award

When I started blogging here at Being Free, I never expected that I would still be posting 9 years later. The blog has progressed in a lot of ways, but still has a limited following. Limited, but very loyal and supportive. (Thanks you guys! ~MUWAH~)

One of the most amazing ladies I have met is another blogger. I only use the word "amazing" because there's not a nicer one to describe her. Sandy authors the addictingly inspiring Sandy's POV. My blog wants to be her blog when it grows up! LOL

It is Sandy who nominated me for the Liebster Award and I cannot thank her enough.

Now comes the fun part. I'm going to share some information about myself via the following Q & A, then I will pay this honor forward by nominating 11 blogs of my choosing. (Don't worry, I will list the rules at the bottom of this post.)

Ready? Set. Go!

1. How did you decide on the name of your blog?

At that time of my life, I was going through a lot of personal changes. The blog was my way to connect and share with people in a safe way - like free therapy. I didn't want to use my actual name so I decided to call myself "Free" (as in breaking free) and I was temporarily wanting to be "free" of a lot of things. So... I decided on Free Being Free. Because of something to do with Blogger (I don't remember exactly), I ended up with just "Being Free". 

2. Where does your blogging inspiration come from?

At the start, I just wanted to express my own take on people I observed and things that were going on in my life. As I progressed, I started focusing on specific things that interested me. In the past year or so, I have been doing product reviews. Since I like using as many "natural" things as I can for nutrition and personal care, I really enjoy reviewing products and sharing information for that.

3 What is it that you love most about blogging?
Everything, especially since I was hit with a chronic disease that limits my life in other ways. I've "met" so many nice people through blogging. Also, blogging allows me to feel productive and useful during the times I am able to function well. I joke that blogging lets me exercise the parts of my brain that still works well!

4 What is your favorite food?
Pizza. Otherwise, I'm easy. I like just about anything that isn't spicy. My favorite snack is salami sandwiches. I like blended fruits and veggies. And smoke clams. I love smoked clams.

5 What is your favorite thing to drink (alcoholic or not)?
Coffee. With sweetened creamer. I'm not much for alcohol, but I do like iced wines for special occasions. I'm recently drinking more water and trying to make it a habit.

6 What is an item you cannot live without?
My phone. That's because it contains just about everything else I need: my Bible, my address book, and so on. If I didn't have my phone, I'd want my Bible more than all else.

7 What are eleven random facts about yourself?

1. I like being a loner 90% of the time.
2. Blue jeans, t-shirts and tennis shoes as a wardrobe make me very happy.
3. My writing spot is a tiny vintage travel trailer on the side of our house that I am attempting to pretty up. In about 2 weeks' time, I've managed to sand a 12-inch section of a wall. 
4. I don't have kids, but I helped raise four of my nieces and nephews. Now I have a "grandson" who I adore. He also adores me. Mostly because I make him PB&J "sammiches" every day.
5. My nickname is Penny, but my grandkid calls me "BooBoo". He calls people whatever they call him and I always called him "my little booboo". I'm lucky. He calls one of his aunts "Stinky" and a friend of ours is labeled "Juicy". I'm good with BooBoo.
6. I love playing Farmville 2 (and hate myself for it). It's the only way I can farm without being outdoors. 
7. I'm fiercely in love with my big, crazy, wonderful family and can't be happy when I'm too far away from them. I tried to live in England once and lasted about 3 months before I had to get back "home".
8. I was born in Texas, but raised in Alaska. I don't like extreme heat or cold. Go figure that one out.
9. My favorite colors are (currently) red and gold. Unless it's jewelry. I don't like gold jewelry. Unless there are pearls in it. Lots of pearls.
10. I have a piece of metal behind one eye. Don't know how it got there, but I can't have MRIs. I think it might have something to do with having 4 brothers. That's what my doctors have decided.
11. I'm a bit of a conspiracy theorist and I don't think that's a bad thing. Conspiracies happen and I'm allowed to have a theory, right?

8 If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?

Just about anywhere with 4 seasons. And with family somewhere really close by. For now, I'll stick with Alaska because 1 out of 2 ain't bad.

9 If you could meet anyone from history, alive or dead, who would it be?
I'd really like to meet whoever designed freeway roundabouts. So I can smack the back of their head. If I can't have that, I'd like to meet my maternal grandmother because she died when I was a baby.
10 What is your favorite outdoor activity?
Walking. To get back indoors as fast as I can. I'm not an outdoors person.

11 Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Living happily in my "tiny house" travel trailer, finishing the novel I started about 9 years ago. I'll settle for just living happily.

Here are my nominees for the Liebster Award:

1. Bama Blog
2. Seattle Amie Ryan
3. Gwen Sutton
4. Dacotah
5. Small Town Life
6. Samalexwrites 

THE RULES

For those who have been nominated for The Liebster Award AND YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT, write a blog post about the Liebster award in which you: 

• Thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog on your blog. 
• Display the award on your blog — by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a “widget” or a “gadget”. (Note that the best way to do this is to save the image to your own computer and then upload it to your blog post.)
• Answer 11 questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.
• Provide 11 random facts about yourself.
• Nominate 5 – 11 blogs that you feel deserve the award, who have a less than 1000 followers. (Note that you can always ask the blog owner this since not all blogs display a widget that lets the readers know this information!)
• Create a new list of questions for the blogger to answer.
• List these rules in your post (You can copy and paste from here.) Once you have written and published it, you then have to:
• Inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they have been nominated for the Liebster award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it (they might not have ever heard of it!)

These are your 11 questions:

1. How did you decide on the name of your blog?
2. Where does your blogging inspiration come from?
3. What is it that you love most about blogging?
4. What is your favorite food?
5. What is your favorite thing to drink (alcoholic or not)?
6. What is an item you cannot live without?
7. What are eleven random facts about yourself?
8. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
9. If you could meet anyone from history, alive or dead, who would it be?
10. What is your favorite outdoor activity?
11. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Peace

--Free

**REVIEW** Rechargeable Foot File & Callus Remover

Wow!

I just got to try out this little life-saver here...

This is the Naturalico Rechargeable Electronic Pedicure Foot File & Callus Remover.

Now, I talk about my feet so much because they are the least favorite part of my body. I used to have beautiful feet: nice arches, soft, smooth heels and lovely nails. My feet were made for sandals. At one time.


About 13 years ago, I took on an extra job that was part-time perfect. It was just for the Christmas season, paid great money, and the hours fit with my full-time job. The best thing about it (other than the extra money) was that it was like getting paid to work out and stay fit. The worst thing about it was something I discovered on about the 3rd day: it was ruining my feet. Standing and walking on a concrete floor for around 9 to 10 hours each night was just brutal. I worked the job past the initial 1-month casual/temp contract and lasted around 4 months.

Was the job worth it? In the short term, it was. I paid up and saved up and our family had some extra financial breathing room for about a year. The damage to my feet has lasted longer. When my arches dropped, I started developing calluses and corns. ~sigh~

Anyway. That's the story of my feet.... This is the story about this product:

Let me go over what I really like so much about this:

simple & effective right out of the box

1. No tricky set-up. Can use right out of the box, even if it's not fully charged, because...
2. ... You can use it while it's charging. 
3. Uses a grinder head instead of blades. (I do not like blades!)
4. The grinder head (2 are included) is effective but gentle on even the less callused areas.
5. Very easy to use. No learning curve.
6. Does a great job without me having to exert a lot of pressure.
7. Doesn't jam up like some other similar products.

This works better than I expected. I was probably surprised because I once used a similar product that was really quite useless.

On the technical side, this callus remover spins 360 degrees at the rate of 40 turns per second. 

This callus remover comes with a light that is built in. I really didn't need the light, but it's nice that it's there. I did use the included cleaning brush quite a bit. It's just a small brush with soft bristles that I used to clean out all that icky dead skin from around the grinder and off my feet as I worked.

The product comes with information for registering the product for a Limited Lifetime Warranty on the machine, not the roller. 

Once again, I was more than surprised by the ease of use and effectiveness of this product. I'm glad I got to try it and I will be buying one to give out as a gift for someone who has an upcoming birthday :-)

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

My reviews will also any negative feedback that I have regarding a product.

**REVIEW** LG G4 Wallet Case by Abacus 24-7

As promised, I have some more product reviews ready (though not in the order I expected!)

This first item up is this phone case I plan to give to a friend when this review is finished.

It's the LG G4 Wallet Case from Abacus 24-7. The case has four functions:

1. Case
2. Wallet (holds cards, ID and cash)
3. Stand (for viewing videos, etc,)
4. Protects the out part of the phone

And, best of all, you could get it for under $10 if you catch the discounted price. 

Now, that said, I have bought cases in the same price range that were a total waste of the money. Get what you pay for, right? One case that I paid around $20 for (still not too pricey, but...) and the clasp didn't work if you put more than one card in a slot. Another case I bought literally started to come apart at the seams. My library card sliced right through one of the slots because the "leather" was like paper.

This case is not real leather. Of course not. It's a $10 item. The product info describes it as "premium quality artificial leather". Okay.

On the plus side, the artificial material is not that shiny, cheapest-looking kind.

What I like about this is that, for the price, it's not bad. The clasp does work, even when you put a card in each of the slots. I only had three bills to test the cash slot with, but... the magnetic clasp still closed.

The artificial leather is thin. When the description indicates protection for your phone, I take that to mean that it will protect the outer parts from scratching. This is not one of those cases that keep your phones safe from being dropped on hard surfaces. Not a lot of cushioning.

It looks good. Though it might not stand up to a lot of long-term wear and tear, this is actually a decent case. Best uses will be for when you don't want to carry a big purse (or a purse at all) and just need to keep your phone, ID, cards and some cash nearby.

Like I said, I got this to give to someone who likes the case I keep my phone in. I'm always dashing to the store or just up the street, and I love having my essentials with me without hauling the luggage I use as a purse! LOL

Also, this comes with the assurance of "30 day risk-free buying" and there is a 1 year warranty. You don't always get that with a product triple the price. Not a bad gift for yourself, a friend or a young person. By the way, Abacus 24-7 has cases for various phone models.

Peace

--Free

DISCLOSURE: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

More Reviews Are Coming (promise)

Sorry that I've been slacking off on the reviews lately. I'm really trying to get back in the groove with the blogs. There are a couple of reviews coming up on this one, and I have been posting a bit on This Woman Child, but it's hard to keep up with anything when I feel so wiped out.

Yeah, yeah, yawn...

The water challenge is helping. Matter of fact, I no longer consider it a temporary challenge but as an addition to my lifestyle. Not that hard to drink the water now that I have set a do-able daily goal (6 of my 18-ounce bottles) that helps with my digestion as well as keeping me hydrated.

Don't nominate me yet!
(source)

My problem right now is fatigue. I've been so exhausted the last couple of days that I forgot to take my weekly medicine - which is kind of a big deal... My sister Mike used to remind me to take the med, but since she's been gone, I've either been too sick with colds to take it, or I've just forgotten. But mostly just fatigued. Ugh.


The other problem is that I just can't always focus as well as I'd like to. Good days, bad days. I'm sure stress doesn't help.

ANYWAY...

I have some reviews coming up very soon.The one I'm most excited about has to do with feet! Yes, me and these dawgs of mine are going to be trying out another product. Can't wait to see how it works and share the news with you.

The other product is one that you'll be interested in if you are as into using natural oils as I am. It's not an oil, but it's going to help me use the ones I already have.

Then there is a product I got to try out with my phone. ~sigh~ The problem with having a good (i.e.: expensive) phone is that I have to do all that I can to make it last several years. By the way, the phone accessory that I will be reviewing via Tomoson is not so much for protection as it is for style. Never fear, though, I will be reviewing an accessory that is for protecting the phone. Good news for owners of the Galaxy Note 4 because I haven't seen many good cases for that model yet.

Anyway, this is just a post to update you on the product reviews that are coming shortly. Also, I am going to start reviewing products on my other blog. These will be items and services that might interest anyone with Christian faith.

So, new stuff coming in the next week or so. Hold tight!

Peace
--Free

Day 3 of the Water Challenge

Sooo.... I didn't quite make my water limit today. I just realized that Sundays will need to be a 40 or 60 ounce day of the week. (Do you know how distracting it is to the service for someone to jump and make a bathroom dash every 20 minutes? Do you?)


Anyway, I did great the first 2 days of the challenge, and I will be back on the jug tomorrow. As for how I'm doing, I can tell you that, if I wanted to activate my bowels, I could have skipped that Miracle Tea and gone straight for the water. Water is truly a lubricant. Truly. Trust me.

My skin feels good. I can tell the most difference in my hands and face. My torso and feet still need the extra moisture provided with my oils. I guess it's going to take some time to fully hydrate my body completely.

Here's an interesting observation I made today. I had just an 18 ounce bottle when I woke up, then I sipped my way through another 12 ounces during church. Afterwards, I hit the library and chugged about 16 ounces while I was there.

46 ounces of water would have been a lot for me last week. I guess after doing all the extra water for 2 days, my body was starting to like it. I was so thirsty when I got home that I downed a couple of glasses standing right at the kitchen sink. I haven't had such a craving for water since I lived in Arizona.

Apparently, it's water that does a body good...



Before starting this challenge, there were days I was doing great to get more than 20 ounces of plain water. I think my body was so used to being deprived that it was a bit spoiled by 2 days of the water challenge. Weird, right? Or maybe not.

When I tried to check whether or not my reaction was normal, I ran across lots of comments like this one at the top of this page.

Huh.

Maybe it's just that, since I am drinking more water, I'm not craving (or getting) as much fluid from other sources. I notice I'm drinking less coffee and I am eating less. Because of these changes, I'm probably not getting as much fluid overall. I have a theory that water is far more hydrating that coffee teas and juices.

Whatever the case, I can definitely make two claims from my experience so far:

1. It's getting easier to drink more and more of my gallon jug
2. Parts of my skin is a lot less dry

I've heard from friends that, eventually, I will even stop having to pee as much. I'm not sure how that works. Water in, water out, right? 

I have another theory. This one is about the claims that drinking more water will aid in weight loss. I hear that the weight loss is because you eat less food/have less cravings when you drink more water. I don't think that's it. I believe it's because all the water improves your digestion and, um. waste flow. Seriously. Also, the water flushes out a lot of the salt, and doesn't salt cause a lot of water retention? If I'm flushing out the salt with all the water I'm drinking, then I am retaining less of the wat-

Oh wait. Now I have confused myself!

No, no. I am onto something. You can use water to fight water retention. Whew! Good.

(source)

Nice to know more about how drinking water helps with the weight loss.  Even better to know what it does for the cardiovascular system...

So, yeah, this water challenge is good for me so far. I'm going to check some other sites to see how other challengers  are doing with their chugging.

Peace

--Free