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About Cleverly Changing
Hi, I'm Elle Owner of CleverlyChanging. My blog seeks to encourage, empower, & inspire others to live cleverly, changing when necessary. Perfect parenting, doesn't exist, but informed and attentive parenting does. I desire to regularly share savings tips, wisdom, and experiences I gain from everyday life as a wife and mother of twins with others so we can empower each other to become better parents and better people in general.
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Review Archive
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Children’s Book Review: “Smack Dab In the Middle of God’s Love” By Brennan Manning & John Blase
Posted on August 31, 2011 | 4 CommentsSmack Dab in the Middle is a story about a husband and wife who do not have children of their own, who cook, converse with, and encourage the neighborhood children. The story takes place in a small Mexican town and focuses on how we are “Smack-Dab in the middle of Abba’s love.” The title is catchy for a child: “Smack Dab in the Middle.” Every time I said those words my daughters belted-out hardy laughs. The story is sweet, comforting and to the point. It also does a great job of teaching children new Spanish words that they could easily... -
Book Review: “Couples Who Pray” by Squire Rushnell and Louise Duart
Posted on August 21, 2011 | 4 CommentsOn occasions we find books that change us. Books that cause us to reflect on our own thoughts and actions. Books that challenge us to evaluate our own ideals. “Couples Who Pray” changed my heart. Of course, praying with your spouse is extremely important; of course, it is a vulnerable act, but is it really the most intimate act you can have with your spouse? When I first read that statement I was hesitant to believe it. However, over time I have come not only to agree with it, but I am humbled by it as well. Many people would... -
What is Vocal Point? Join now to receive their new samples
Posted on August 16, 2011 | No CommentsI am not sure how I found out about Vocal Point, but I have been a part of their amazing community longer than I have been blogging. What is Vocal Point? Vocal Point is an online community that women can join. The benefit of the community is that their members receive new online friends, learn about new products, get free exclusive coupons and samples, and can ask questions about common household/ domestic dilemmas. Through surveys and commenting you can also let companies know how you feel about their products. The articles are informative and it is great to hear opinions... -
Review: LeapFrog Tag Pen and Books
Posted on July 26, 2011 | No CommentsThis is not a sponsored review. I really enjoy reviewing educational toys for children. I get a thrill learning about the new tech gadgets it only takes children seconds to figure out. Well, back in December I decided my girls needed to have the LeapFrog Tag pen (Tag). My girls had just turned 2 years old in Oct (however the manufacturers recommended age is 4-8 years old), but they knew how to correctly hold a pencil (which was the prerequisite) and they loved to read. After I introduced it to them on Christmas day, it was an activity that we... -
Review: Downy Unstopables In Wash Scent Booster
Posted on July 24, 2011 | 9 CommentsHas the fresh scent caught by the hands of a slight warm breeze ever touched your nose. This is what Downy Unstopables in wash scent booster reminds me of: a fresh scent of clean laundry on a warm summer day. The scent is pleasant and intoxicating. When I first used Downy Unstopables in wash scent booster, I enjoyed the smell so much I gathered up all of the laundry in the house I could find, I spent the day washing and enjoying the scent of my clothes. I promise you, I have never enjoyed doing laundry this much before. The... -
Review: Revenge of the Red Knight (Imagination Series #4)
Posted on July 17, 2011 | No CommentsThe Imagination Station series has done it again, now children all over can enjoy the stories best loved in history from a perspective they can relate to. Revenge of the Red Knight helps explain what the cousins: Beth and Patricks, ongoing quest is all about. The children finally meet Albert face to face who is the reason for their mission. The series thrives on the fact that the children are traveling back in time to help save Albert’s life. In book #1 Voyage with the Vikings we learn that Albert is Mr. Whittaker’s ancestor and also part of the reason... -
Manage Monday: Dusting Tips and Review
Posted on June 27, 2011 | No CommentsHappy Manage Monday! This is not a sponsored post. Returning home after three weeks of vacation I arrived to a dusty house. The tables, chairs, cabinets, monitors etc. really needed to be cleaned. After I gathered my supplies and energy together I set out to get rid of the dust. Here is a list of supplies I used: Clean rags for each room, one for dry dusting and the other for wiping off surfaces. Pledge’s multi-surface everyday cleaner. One microfiber cloth for cleaning our electronics. Normally, I would just grab my feather duster and wipe away, but my regular duster... -
Review: The UniverSoul Circus
Posted on June 5, 2011 | No CommentsWhen the lights are dim, the energy is high, the crowd is wild, grandma and baby are both screaming with excitement and the entertainment before you is raw unparalleled God given talent there is only one place that you could be: enjoying a show at the UniverSoul Circus. The best part about the UniverSoul circus is that even if you go alone you will have a great time. Each act is dynamic and fearless. It is one place where everyone seems to be enjoying themselves equally. Immediately, the Ringmaster sets the stage for interaction between the performances and the crowd.... -
Blog Anniversary Giveway-CLOSED
Posted on May 21, 2011 | 2 CommentsIn honor of my 1 year blog anniversary I am giving away two children’s books (for ages 6 and up) by Whoopi Goldberg and illustrated by Maryn Roos: “Sugar Plum Ballerinas: Plum Fantastic” and “Sugar Plum Ballerinas:”Toeshoe Trouble.” This year has been eye-opening for me. I have learned so much about myself writing this blog. I am growing a parent, a person, and a friend. Thank you to all of my readers, I really appreciate you tuning in to hear my daily dose of ramblings that are meant to empower and inspire. Also here is an interview on ABC where... -
Can you make money on Twitter?
Posted on May 12, 2011 | 3 CommentsPeople have found tons of ways to make money on twitter. Only a few are getting rich enough to claim salaries over 6 figures, but I am going to share one way to make some change. Yes, a little gas money in your tank, which almost all of us can use. Sponsored tweets, is a service that charges advertisers a small fee and allows you to set your own price to tweet. To sign-up for this service you need to have more than 50 followers. They have several competitors, but I like Sponsored Tweets because they also allow you to... -
“Nursery Water” Do Babies Need Flouride?
Posted on April 27, 2011 | No CommentsMy best friend is a dentist and after I had my children she mentioned, in passing, that fluoride wasn’t good for infants. She went on to tell me that babies do not need fluoride; especially before they have teeth. Later, I did some more research to see why I should not give fluoride to my babies. During this time, I was also considering using bottled water and not filtered tap water when supplementing. Specifically, I was looking into using Nursery Water which contains added fluoride. Their target consumers are parents of newborn babies, so here are my reasons for not... -
Review and Giveaway: Purex Complete with Zout-CLOSED
Posted on April 10, 2011 | 23 CommentsIf you are a parent with small children you know that stains can ruin your kid’s clothes. Purex has a new product that combines Zout spray stain remover with laundry detergent. I was given the opportunity to review this new product and it has taken a couple of loads for me to come up with an honest review. Below I will highlight the product’s pros and cons and let you know how I feel about it overall. Giveaway Purex is giving me the opportunity to give 2 free coupons to two of my readers. (The Giveaway is for US residents... -
Interview with author Marianne Hering: Questions for Aspiring #Writers
Posted on April 7, 2011 | 1 CommentCo-author of the Imagination Station Series 1. Were you always a skilled and gifted writer or did you ever struggle with writing? First, thank you for implying that I’m skilled! I have been gifted with opportunity and mentors. I have been writing a long time now and have improved my craft from working alongside some excellent editors at Focus on the Family. The NYT best-selling book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell points out that to achieve highly in a field requires about 10,000 hours of application. I’ve definitely put in my 10,000 hours. I’ll let the readers decide if it’s been... -
Book #Review and #Giveaway: Adventures in Odyssey’s “Attack at the Arena”
Posted on April 6, 2011 | No CommentsOne day while we were taking a long road trip, my children sat strapped in their car seats, in the back seat of the car while my husband drove and I read Adventure in Odyssey’s “Attack at the Arena” by Marianne Hering and Paul McCusker. This is the second book in the Imagination Station Series. Everyone enjoyed listening to the story about the cousins, Beth and Patrick and their journey to a Roman Colosseum to help one of Mr. Whittaker’s ancestors. The story was exciting; especially when Beth and Patrick are captured. Overall, the story brought forth vivid images of... -
Review and Giveaway (CLOSED): Adventures in Odyssey “The Imagination Station” Book Series
Posted on April 4, 2011 | 6 CommentsAlmost every Saturday morning as a child, while eating my breakfast and getting ready for the day, I sat and listened to Adventures in Odyssey. The adventures took me on an auditory ride in the Imagination Station with various characters as they dramatically shared history, scripture, and moral life lessons in a way that I could relate to and understand. The radio series was great because I could create my own characters visually and imagine them role-playing everything that was going on in the stories. Additionally, some of my earliest and fondest memories take me back to the stories I... -
Sippy Cups (Part 3) Munchkin Mighty Grip Trainer Cups
Posted on March 30, 2011 | No CommentsThis review is not a sponsored post, it is based on a products I purchased on my own and evaluated. Munchkin Girl’s BPA Free Mighty Grip Trainer Cups 8 oz I purchased these cups from Babies R Us because I saw that they had a soft spout and were cute. Below is how they held up to my must have 7 features test. No spill Munchkin claims that these cups are leak proof, but they are not. I noticed that the spout leaked a little, shortly after we purchased them. In addition, milk sometimes leaked from the side of the... -
Sippy Cups (part 2)
Posted on March 28, 2011 | 1 CommentThis review is not a sponsored post, it is based on a products I purchased on my own and evaluated. Playtex BPA Free Lil Gripper – 9 oz – 2 Pack This cup has all 7 of the features that I desire in a training cup. Below I outline how the cup meets my standards and I relate it to our own experiences. Most important, is that my children liked these cups. Below I share with you why I like Playtex’s BPA Free Lil Gripper. This post is a part of a series to click here: view part 1 and... -
Sippy Cups What Should I Look For? (part 1)
Posted on March 27, 2011 | No CommentsThis week I will be providing an overview about sippy cups and the different options available. Finding the right sippy cup can be a daunting task, but once you find the right one for you and your child making the transition from bottle to training cup a lot easier. I remember standing in Babies R Us for 30 minutes looking at the many varieties of sippy cups wondering which one I should buy. My children tried 4 sippy cups until I finally broke down and asked some other mothers which one they would recommend. From their recommendations I found the... -
Book Review: I Love My Hair by Natasha Anatasia Tarpley
Posted on February 26, 2011 | No CommentsA couple of weeks ago, I purchased several children’s books from Target. I wanted to get some books because Black History month was approaching and I realized my children had no books with pictures of children similar to themselves. I felt horrible about this because I personally know how important it is to see people with similar features in as many different places as possible. Anyway, on a whim I purchased several books for kids that looked interesting, but I fell in love with the book “I love my hair,” by Natasha Anatasia Tarpley. The illustrations are by E.B. Lewis... -
Book Review: Tithing by Douglas Leblanc
Posted on February 18, 2011 | No CommentsDouglas Leblanc’s “Tithing: Test Me In This” is also a part of the Ancient Practices Series. The book presents a series of testimonies from various people that tithe. The book focuses on the application of the Bible’s principal of tithing and outlines why it is practical and relevant today. Additionally, Leblanc’s stories reveal that tithing is a lifestyle and not a legalistic form of Christianity. The book subtly makes a case for tithing, but not by stating it bluntly or quoting scriptures. I like Leblanc’s approach to the subject because we live in a society that is concerned about practicality....
