Momaholic: Crazy Confessions of a Helicopter Parent Book Review

     I recently got the opportunity to Review Momaholic: Crazy Confessions of a Helicopter Parent though booksneeze.com

     Momaholic was written by Dena Higley, who was the head writer for the soap opera "Days of Our Lives." When I first got it, I was mildly interested and expected to trudge through it just to say I had read it.

     However, I found it very compelling and easy to read. It is not exactly a self-help book, and the author herself says so, so if you're picking up this book to find any kind of answers, you may be disappointed. 

     This book is more like hearing from someone who knows what you're going through, someone who can sympathize., with the final result being that we (moms and wives) aren't perfect and can't do everything, but that's okay. We're not alone. And Dena Higley just wants all of us wives and mothers who often feel stretched to our limit to know we are not the only ones. 

     The book is a reflection by a wife and mother who feels her life is spiraling out of control when her young, unwed daughter finds herself pregnant. Dena (the author) wonders where she went wrong that her daughter would get herself in such a situation. On top of this, she has a son who is autistic and a teenage daughter who must be physically carried everywhere, due to a surgery.

     I feel many mothers can relate to the way she feels, no matter how old her kids are. Mothers of teenagers or young adults may wonder what they should have done different. Mothers of young children, like me, may worry about how not to make such mistakes. And I'm sure we can all relate to the feeling that we have to be everything to everyone and often spread ourselves to thin and end up on the edge of a mental breakdown.

     So, while this is not really a self-help book, it is more like a sympathy book. It is good for a light read and you will probably find yourself laughing at some of the things she says. 

     I'm not much of a non-fiction reader, so I probably would not have picked this book up on my own, had it not been for my membership through bookneeze. So thanks, booksneeze. 
    
*I received this product for free from booksneeze in exchange for my fair and honest review*

Knorr Homestyle Chicken Stock

     Have you heard of the new Homestyle Stock from Knorr? It is a really concentrated chicken or beef stock that comes in a package of four tubs. Each tub makes about 3 1/2 cups of broth (about a teaspoon per cup), but you can use more or less stock according to your preference. 

     I was recently given the opportunity by Smiley360 to try and review Knorr Homestyle stock. Off course I was excited to accept. I got the chicken flavor, which is what I prefer anyway, but it did take me a week or two to get a chance of trying it out.

     So, when I finally got around to opening it up, I was a little surprised to find it was a gel-like substance rather than creamy. You have to heat the water you add it too or it will not dissolve. Read more about Knorr Homestyle Stock here.

     I decided to try it in a chicken gravy type dish over rice. I thought I would be clever and add extra to make the gravy more "flavorful" but the end result was really salty. So I recommend that you stick to the directions, or don't vary it to the extent I did, which is 2 teaspoons in a cup of water. Otherwise the flavor was pretty good. I may try it again sometime--just not as concentrated.

     I put in chunks of chicken I had pan seared into the gravy and served over rice.

     If you would like to join Smiley360 and receive free products to try out (in exchange for your opinion), you may do so here. I have only been with them since January and have already received 2 products to try out for them! They are always looking for new members and I believe they may still have some Knorr Homestyle Stock for review. Make sure you sign up and see what they have available for you! 

*Disclosure: I received this product for free in exchange for my opinion. All opinions expressed here are my own.*