There is nothing quiet like the glow of a candle. It’s something we love, but have been worried about since reading a lot of information about what goes into regular candles. So of course, we were thrilled to learn about GoodLight Natural Candles!!

GoodLight Natural Candles are the first ever nontoxic candle offered at paraffin prices. If you don’t know about paraffin, they are candles made from petroleum-based paraffin wax, which, up until this spring, were the only affordable choice on the market. However, paraffin wax is the toxic waste from oil refineries!! Parafffin fumes are linked to cancer and birth defects. GoodLight’s palm wax candles, you can have pure, healthy candlelight that cost far less than any beeswax or soy wax candle on the market.

We loved the way they glowed, and they lasted a long time too. Also, they didn’t give off a scent, which is perfect for our household because I have allergies, and we have a pet bird (birds have sensitive respiratory systems). We also thought that the company offered a great range of candle sizes, which means you can find a healthy candle choice for any occasion. We got to try the votives and tea lights, which were perfect for nights under the stars enjoying a summer BBQ. The votives are all around useful for a variety of candle holders.

It was great to know that we weren’t harming our lungs, the planet, or our pocket book! It felt really smart to replace our paraffin candles with a palm based alternative. And they look great too! If you are looking for a healthy alternative to paraffin, but at a good cost, these should be on your wish list for sure!

Learn more at www.naturalcandles.com, where you can buy GoodLight or find the GoodLight retailer closest to you.

A few years ago I received a hoop and DVD from Hoopgirl.com to review on my personal blog. I have to say that it is so much fun! I really haven’t stopped trying new things since the hoop arrived. I have become a hooping addict.

With the holidays right around the corner, I thought I would share my review here in case you are looking for a unique gift for a person who has everything!

First off, the hoop. Mine is an awesome bright pink color, with orange accent tape around the hoop. The size is just right and it is also slightly heavy, which makes it much easier to use. This is not the kind of hoop you had as a kid, this is a serious hoop! It’s much nicer, so much fun to use, and a really good workout for the whole body.

Secondly, the Hoopgirl HoopDance for Beginners DVD. This DVD does a great job showing how to do various moves with the hoop, from the basic pump to harder moves like the booty bump. There are 35 moves in all, which makes the DVD an awesome resource for learning how to hoopdance. Each move is broken down into the “how to” and then is also shown in performance clips. There is also a section of just the performance clips that is really fun to watch and totally inspiring for becoming better at all the moves.

This is the hoop that started it all for me. I have to tell you that hooping with a quality hoop makes a huge difference in the ease of learning. Don’t just run to the store and pick up one of the plastic, toy hoops and expect to keep it on your hips for long. Even I can’t keep one of those going!

So, if you are interested in learning to hoopdance, be sure to check out her website! You can also see a lot of fun hoopdance videos on the HoopGirl YouTube channel. They also offer in person classes, which you can find out more about by clicking here. And most recently she has come out with a book, Hooping: A Revolutionary Fitness Program (Book & DVD), which I bought and love. It features a lot of great moves, as well as personal thoughts from hoopers all over the world.

My Yoga 2 Go

I recently got the chance to try out a new yoga system called My Yoga 2 Go. The My Yoga 2 Go Practice System makes it easy to customize your workout and practice yoga in the comfort of your own home, or take it with you when you travel.

The system features different 71 posture cards organized by level of experience and available workout time. The front of the card shows an illustration of the pose, and the back has information about the pose, which is helpful for those poses you may not have done before.

What makes the system unique is that it comes in a custom tote for displaying and storing the cards. The tote has pockets for each card, allowing you to select a color-coded sequence, organize the cards by pose number, then insert the cards into the clear multi-pocket display tote. Not only does the tote easily fold for carrying with you on the go, you can also hang the it on a wall hook or doorknob for easy viewing while doing your yoga practice.

There are 7 different programs, three for beginners, two for intermediate, and two for advanced. I chose a beginner program to try out first, the energizing sequence. All I had to do was go through the deck and pull out all the cards that had a green circle on the bottom. Once I had all the cards in the sequence, I put them in the tote in order (each circle has a number in it as well as a color). It did take a little bit of time to arrange my cards and get them in, but once that was done I now have a quick and easy reference that I can do anyplace I have enough space.

This is a great system if you have done yoga before. If you aren’t as familiar with yoga, it might be harder for you, but the cards are well illustrated and explained. There were even some poses in the deck that I hadn’t seen before, which excited me because I love doing yoga.

Would you like to try it for yourself? One lucky reader will get their own My Yoga 2 Go Practice System.

To enter, leave a comment on this post before midnight on October 19th, 2009. Tell us your favorite way to relax, or your favorite way to workout. You may comment daily until the giveaway ends as long as you follow the entry requirement. Please be sure to fill out the email portion of the comment form correctly, as the winner will be contacted by email. You may get an additional entry by becoming our fan on Facebook (use the button on the sidebar, then leave another comment letting us know you became our fan). This giveaway is for those in the USA only.

About My Yoga 2 Go
Dedicated yoga practitioner and busy mom Beth Siegel founded My Yoga 2 Go in 2007. Siegel created the My Yoga 2 Go Practice System to address the need for a comprehensive portable practice solution that provides both the challenge and versatility of a traditional yoga class with the convenience of a home instruction tool. The company has since expanded its product line to offer an array of unique, quality products to inspire yoga practice, including: practice tools, accessories, jewelry and apparel. My Yoga 2 Go products are available nationally at select national and independent bookstores, luxury spas, yoga studios and online at www.myyoga2go.com .

Thanks to My Yoga 2 Go, who provided the product for review and giveaway, and to the Family Review Network.

*this giveaway is now closed. Congrats to Janet who wrote: I like to take long walks to relax.”* If you didn’t win, you can still try Yoga2Go with a special discount for blog readers (valid until November 15th, 2009). Use the code “BLOGYOGA” to take 15% off your order.

We will never be able to go back to a regular pillow again! We are truly and totally converted to the Perfect Pillow from NaturaWorld.com. When they chose the name Perfect Pillow, they knew exactly what they were doing, because this is one of the most luxurious pillow we have ever had a chance to sleep on. And sleep you will, it really holds your head in a comfortable way, which means less tossing and turning.

The Perfect Pillow has a unique dual-sided core, one of Talay latex, and the other of memory foam. This makes it super comfortable, and allows you to choose the support you like easily (just flip the pillow to try each side out)! The dual core provides awesome head and neck support, and is truly soft and supportive at the same time.

The pillow cover is also one of a kind, featuring two plush and luxurious, velour fabrics that are so soft! The cover removes for easy cleaning. We use a pillow case over our Perfect Pillows, but I often slip my hand inside to feel the soft cover that came with them.

If you struggle with falling asleep or getting comfortable, the Perfect Pillow should be on your wish list for sure! Worth every single penny, we are thinking about getting these as gifts for everyone we know. A good, quality pillow has made more difference in our sleep than we ever thought possible. Visit the NaturaWorld website to see all their products, and pick up your own Perfect Pillow!

The OFF! PowerPad Outdoor Lanterns are a fun and attractive way to repel mosquitoes, including those that may carry the West Nile Virus. The lantern uses a candle and heat-activated pads that repel mosquitoes up to 225 square feet (about the size of an average deck or patio). The lantern also includes a 4-foot pole so it can be placed anywhere in the yard.

Each candle and pad (they come together, as the candle is perfectly timed for the pad) provide 4 full hours of protection. Each refill pack contains three pads and three candles. You can also relight the candle if you don’t use it for the full 4 hours at a time.

We love the way it looks, but more importantly the protection it provides. Our state has had confirmed cases of West Nile virus, so it’s always important for us to do what we can to avoid mosquito bites, but we still want to enjoy the gorgeous summer night weather. The OFF! PowerPad Lanterns help us do just that!

Try it yourself! One lucky reader will win an OFF! PowerPad Outdoor Lantern!

To enter, just leave a comment on this post before midnight July 13, 2009. You may comment daily. Open to USA addresses only.

This post was written for Family Review Network as part of a program by SC Johnson, who also supplied the product for review and giveaway.

*this giveaway is now closed, congrats to Janna*