Audrey's Children

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In Theaters March 28th, 2025

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Audrey's Children

https://www.audreyschildren.com/

AUDREY'S CHILDREN tells the untold true story of visionary British physician Dr. Audrey Evans, who burst onto the scene in 1969 as the first female Chief of Oncology at the world-renowned Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Battling sexism, medical conventions, and the subterfuge of her peers, Evans developed the first Neuroblastoma Staging System, co-founded the first Ronald McDonald House for families of patients, and, ultimately, impacted the lives of millions of children and families around the world. When Dr. Evans started her work, only 10 % of children with cancer survived, now nearly 80% survive. Rated PG. https://www.audreyschildren.com/

Check out the trailer below. 

Check back here after 3/26/2025 for my review

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Vitamin B-12

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I was recently gifted the Raw Science Energy & Recovery Vitamin B-12 5000 MCG. I take vitamin B-12 every day due to several health problems. I take the pill form sublingually, which means under the tongue until it dissolves, and then swallow. With this liquid form, you are supposed to take one dropper and hold under your tongue for 10 seconds, and swallow. 

This is great for those who don't like pills. It has a great sweet flavor and no bitterness. What I don't like is that once you open this it has to be kept in the refrigerator and you have to use it up within 60 days. Going back and forth to the fridge to take your medication does not fit into my schedule as much as just taking a pill. Also I find it hard to know how much a dropper is since the dropper is not marked with a line to let you know you are getting the proper amount. 

I personally take vitamin B-12 for a B-12 deficiency. B-12 can also help with boosting energy and increasing red blood cells.  B-12 is essential for nerve health and can help regenerate nerves. Always check with your Doctor before adding any new medications. As a rule of thumb, I also check with my pharmacist when it would be best to take any new medication with what I already take. 

Morganna's 24 Carrot Glow Review

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Recently I was able to try out Morgannas Alchemy Laboratories 24 Carrot Glow. My skin is pretty healthy but over the years it has taken on some sun damage and has gone from a smooth feeling to tiny bumps mainly in my chin, mouth, and nose area. After using 24 Carrot Glow I have noticed softer skin and more of a glow. My face isn't as dull anymore. On the left you see before I started using 24 Carrot Glow and on the left after 30 days of using 24 Carrot Glow. Like I have said before, I don't wash my face every day because I don't wear makeup other than lip color most days and life gets busy. Even in these pictures, you can see the tiny areas on my chin near my mouth and nose how much more even the skin tone is and no more tiny bumps. One of the main ingredients in this moisturizer is Astaxanthin. 

What is Astaxanthin?

• Astaxanthin is a super-powerful antioxidant found in tiny algae. It’s what gives salmon and shrimp their pink color! But it’s not just for seafood – it’s also amazing for your skin.

What Does Astaxanthin Do for My Skin?

• Sun Shield: Think of it like a bodyguard for your skin cells, protecting them from the sun’s harmful rays.
• Anti-Aging: It helps fight wrinkles and fine lines, keeping your skin looking younger and smoother.
• Youthful Glow: Astaxanthin boosts your skin’s natural bounce and gives you a healthy, radiant complexion.

I have to be honest. I knew this was orange-tinted and was so worried about it leaving my face with an orange-like stain but I will assure you even though it is orange it did not change the color of my skin and I have pretty fair skin.

This was my face this morning after washing on the left and after applying the 24 Carrot Glow on the right. It gives my skin just a bit more of a glow, which brings out the sparkle in my eyes just a bit more too. My skin feels good and like most days I will leave this as is by just applying lip color, but if I go outside I will also apply facial sunscreen for extra protection. I am happy with this product so far and look forward to trying other products out to keep my skin healthy as I age. 

You can find Morganna's Alchemy 24 Carrot Glow at  https://www.morgannasalchemy.com/product/24k-glow 

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90 days to a sharper mind

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 Zeitgeist sent me this Logic Puzzles Book for Brain Fitness: 90-Day Challenge to Sharpen the Mind and Strengthen Cognitive Skills with Enlarged Print to review. As we age we need to keep our minds healthy. One easy way to do that is through puzzles like these which can help improve your logical thinking skills by stimulating your brain, testing your knowledge, and developing your reasoning and creativity.

This book has 90 days worth of puzzles in 6 different formats from easy to hard and teaches you how to to solve the puzzles if you have never done them before. If you are like me you pick up assorted puzzle books and do your favorites but leave the puzzles you don't know how to do empty. The large print is great for those who need it.

Puzzles like this Logic Grid Puzzle on the left I would always try but never finish, not sure why but I never got the hang of them but the informational pages that taught me how to do these puzzles I am doing them on my own now and getting the answers right. I am 52 and I strive to learn new things each day and this was a win for me. Logic Grid puzzles sharpen your logic and reasoning, develops perseverance, and encourages you to see the world from different perspectives.

Sudoku puzzles like the puzzle in the top left-hand corner comes quite easily to me and even though this has easy to hard I still love doing them and usually just breeze right through them. It is nice to have both easy and hard puzzles to do to keep your mind sharp. Think back to all of the years you had to learn your multiplication tables, the practice of reciting them over and over again is why some of us can still recall them with little effort. Sudoku improves memory, deepens concentration, and increases your capacity to analyze how individual parts relate to a whole. 

Calcudoku is at the bottom of the left page. I have seen these but they are one of the puzzles I would skip over and now I am learning how to do them. Calcudoku helps improve number sense, develops problem-solving skills, and prevents memory loss.

Battleship is on the top right page and is one of my favorite games to play but solving it this way is quite different and took me a bit but I am now doing well with this puzzles as well. Battleship improves creativity, increases spatial reasoning, and helps develope logical deduction and reasoning.

Kakuro on the bottom right and though I have seen and skipped these I am looking forward to learning how to do these soon. Kakuro helps lengthen your attention span, helps develop highly methodical thinking patterns, and increases your ability to use resources efficiently.

Masyu, which I am sure I have seen but only a few times and will learn how to solve once I get to that spot in the book. Masyu enhances visual intelligence, boosts your pattern-recognition skills, and increases adaptive thinking.

Most of us want to look and feel young but that includes taking care of our minds too. Here is to stronger better minds for years to come.

Find Logic Puzzles Book for Brain Fitness: 90-Day Challenge to Sharpen the Mind and Strengthen Cognitive Skills with Enlarged Print at

Reviewing Reviv Serums Ultimate Serum

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Reviv Serums sent me their Ultimate Serum to try out. I have tried many facial products over the years and I am sure this is one of many more to come but I was pleasantly surprised by this Serum. I used this for 30 days and to be honest, it wasn't every day, but it was every day that I washed my face. I have a facial skin care regimen but I only do my regimen when I wash my face which has never been every day. I use my regular face wash, then a splash of cold water, and usually my moisturizer but during this time I used the Reviv Serums Ultimate Serum and then my moisturizer. I used this Serum on my face, neck, decolletage, and my hands. I was taught that whatever you put on your face you should put on your hands and I have done this my whole life. 

My before pictures are on the left and after on the right. Here you can see that my sunspots, freckles, and sun damage have cleared up a bit. This was after just one month of use. My skin color is more uniform and even though most people think I look more youthful than I  feel the serum has made me look just a bit more youthful.

Again on the left is before and on the right after. I'm not sure if you can see but there are three prominent spots under my eye on the left side and on the right side they have lightened considerably. 

Here on the top is the before and the bottom is the after. The lines on my forehead look about the same but the sun damage to my skin has lightened. My face looks brighter and my skin more clear. I am very happy with this product and would love to learn more about their other products. If you are interested you can find the Ultimat Serum from Reviv Serums here. https://revivserums.com/products/ultimate-serum

About Ultimate Serum: The ultimate in skin rejuvenation

Ultimate Serum(tm) is a novel next-generation high performance product that addresses every concern of aging skin and is the ultimate rejuvenator in a single serum. With RevivFibroMedia (tm) exosomes, growth factors, stem cells & peptides, probiotics, tripeptides, hexapeptides, skin bioactives, antioxidants, emollients, sebum-controllers, anti-inflammatories, collagen producers, phytosterols, glycolipids and polyphenols.

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Irena's Vow

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I am so excited to tell my readers about Irena's Vow coming out April 15th and 16th to a theater near you https://www.fathomevents.com/events/irenas-vow/ . I had no idea this movie was coming out till I was contacted. Anyone who knows me, knows I have a big interest in the WWII era to be more specific about what happened to the people who were, being tortured, running, or hiding for their lives, and those who stood up trying to make a difference. 

This movie is a true story about a nurse who sees a tragedy and vows that she will save a life when she can. Irena's Vow checks the boxes for suspense, reality, tears, compassion, thrills, dark times, and a will to survive. This time in our history can never be forgotten and each time a movie or book comes out it will tell the future children and adults to never let this happen again. Irena's Vow reminds me of how much a human can endure during hard times. 

I have many favorite books and movies about WWII and Irena's Vow has now joined the ranks in a movie that needs to be seen. 

About IRENA'S VOW:

 IRENA’S VOW is told through the eyes of strong-willed, 19-year-old Irena Gut Opdyke, and represents the triumphs of the human spirit in a time of devastating tragedy. Irena is promoted to housekeeper in the home of a highly respected Nazi officer when she finds out that the Jewish ghetto is about to be liquidated. Determined to help Jewish workers, she decides to shelter them in the safest place she can think of - the basement of the German Major’s house. Over the next two years, Irena used her wit, humor, and courage to hide her friends until the end of the German occupation, concealing them amid countless Nazi parties, a blackmail scheme, and even the birth of a child. Her story is one of the most inspiring of our time. 

Disclosure:  This post was sponsored. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

Ruth's Brownies

Years ago I was sent two batches of Ruth's Brownies and I still tell people about them but for some reason, some of my posts went to drafts so I wanted to make sure I was able to repost about these awesome treats. 

Ruth's Brownies... The Perfect Gift

As you can see they come well packaged and make great gifts as is. 

I was able to try both chewy and classic cake-style brownies. I am more of a chewy brownie eater myself but to be honest almost any brownie is game for me. 

Look at all that beautiful chocolate goodness. Each Brownie is 2 in by 2-1/4 in by 1-1/2 in tall and 1 dz Brownies weigh in at 1-1/2 lbs

What I love about brownies is that you can eat them as is or dress them up with ice cream, frosting, jams, whipped cream, or cheesecake topping. No matter what way you like to enjoy them these will fit the bill.

I couldn't resist enjoying one for myself. 

If you aren't into brownies remember Ruth's Brownies also has cookies, biscotti, and gift basket options. There are even gluten-free styles to choose from. A great gift idea any time of the year.

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Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

Samsung 5.9 cu. ft. Capacity Samsung Freestanding Electric Range

This post was originally written on September 3, 2020, but for some reason, it never posted, since we use this every day I wanted to share about our experience with it. 

First of all, I have to say how excited we were to come across this range. Recently our old stove had the oven door shatter due to a mishap with a rolling chair so we had visited a few sites and stores looking at ranges to replace it.  No kidding we had it down to two stoves this very one and another by a different brand. 

We are used to glass cooktops so there was nothing really new here except for the 5th burner which keeps food warm (think gravy, veggies, dips, stews, etc). This fifth burner is great for family meals or for the Holidays.  We love the sleek design and the stainless steel accents, which we are totally new to.  

My favorite part is the hidden element. This is what makes the range so easy to keep clean. As a mom with children and grandchildren, we are always making meals, so clean up needs to be easy. The top wipes clean with little effort and upkeep, the inside is super easy as you don't have to clean around a heating element which makes cleaning tedious. 

I also love the controls, they are easy to use, and the light that lets others know that the cooktop is hot is awesome. All of our children and grandchildren know if that light is on the range is hot. A lifesaver for a family who likes to cook together. 

 

The oven is great and fits two small to medium pans on one shelf, my largest pan can only fit one per shelf, which is OK with me since this is the only way I have ever used it. I do wish that it had come with a third rack for utilizing the whole oven such as when baking cookies, pizza, etc. 

I only have two flaws that could be made better with future models and that is the vent under the controls on the range. Cleaning this area can be dangerous as it has sharp areas. I am used to a smooth surface that cleans just a bit easier than this. Maybe a grated area that can be cleaned without fear or laceration. The second is that the stove can not sit flush with the wall because of the plug. I am thinking of a recessed area so that there is room for the plug.

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

Freud’s Last Session Review

 

Recently I was able to view Freud's Last Session and found it quite interesting. It is a nice look at what both might have said to each other if they had actually met and debated over the existence of God. For me, I have strived to learn about God my whole life, and then I was introduced to Freud in College during psychology classes. It is interesting to see both of their debates, speeches, and writings going against each other in this movie. Of course, for me, it was also set in my favorite part of history as well. Take a look at the trailer below.

On the eve of the Second World War, two of the greatest minds of the twentieth century, C.S. LEWIS and SIGMUND FREUD converge for their own personal battle over the existence of God. FREUD’S LAST SESSION interweaves the lives of Freud and Lewis, past, present, and through fantasy, bursting from the confines of Freud’s study on a dynamic journey. PG-13

 Tickets can be found at  Tickets.FreudsLastSessionFilm.com 

Disclosure:  MarksvilleandMe received one or more of the products mentioned above as part of a promotion. Regardless, MarksvilleandMe only recommends products or services we use personally and believe will be good for our readers. Some of the links in the article may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive compensation.  If you would like MarksvilleandMe to review or promote a product or service please contact us at marksvilleandme@gmail.com.

No more ear pain

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 Honestly, I hate in-the-ear headphones and have only been able to use over-the-ear headphones until my husband told me about bone-conduction headphones. I was intrigued and wanted to try them out. Luckily I was sent a pair of bone-conduction headphones by Wigfar to review and I am in love. 

I like over-the-ear headphones but they always leave my delicate ears in pain which I think is from the headphones pushing on my ears on top of where my glasses are. With these bone-conduction headphones, I don't deal with this. They run behind the back of my head so I can comfortably wear my hair up or down it doesn't matter. They are lightweight, pair up easily by Bluetooth and sit gently on the Tragus by your ear. I can also wear my glasses with them and haven't had any pain. That was the big seller for me. 

Now for a few reasons why I love these. A few of my girls are runners and I was constantly telling them to leave one headphone out of their ear so they could hear their surroundings while they were running so they would be more aware of nearby danger. With that being said depending on how loud you have the volume set others may hear what you are listening to but I find that I can have these set at a much lower volume because the sound is so clear. Again when my children have headphones on in the house, they often can not hear when someone is calling them so these are able to be used and you are still aware of everything around you. 

These would be great for exercise, relaxing, while cleaning your home, watching your favorite show, or even taking phone calls. 

If you are looking for noise-canceling headphones these are not for you. These are headphones where you can listen to your favorite music, podcasts, etc, and not have to worry about missing out on anything that is going on around you. Check them out below. 

Serving my drinks in style

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Hear me out. I am sure you have seen some videos online of people taking their beverages and pouring them into carafes and putting them in their fridge then throwing away the container they came in. Even though I think that is wasteful I do have a use for carafes in our home. We often buy fresh, frozen, and ready-to-drink beverages. I use our carafes when we are mixing up our frozen drinks or making homemade lemonade. 

I really like this set I was sent to review. It is a pair of carafes with lids, and little signs and even has a chalkboard marker included to change out the labels as needed. Here you see it being used for our orange juice and fruit punch. My husband says it would also make a nice vase in a pinch. 

Easy to use and care for they make me feel like I am Serving my drinks in style and remind me of the orange juice container my mother had while I was growing up. Besides the lids, I like that the carafes are plain so you can put whichever beverage inside you decide. The labels are cute and let those who are serving themselves know what is inside. Also did I mention they look great in the fridge or at the table. Think lemonade on the porch in the summer. So cute. 

So if you use it like others on videos or just need it for things like we used them for you can find them here http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B8YP33D4 if you click on the photo below it takes you to my affiliate link which helps me out too. 

 

Glocusent 16 LED Rechargeable Book Light review

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I was recently able to try out the Glocusent 16 LED Rechargeable Book Light which was sent to me for my honest opinion. Honestly, I love it. It is rechargeable, you can change the light setting with a click, and it will last 80+ hours although I can't vouch for the 80 hours yet as I haven't read that many non-digital books to know if it lasts that long yet. 

This is great for both children and adults. You won't bother your partner while reading, it is great for camping or even for the kids who love to read when they are supposed to be sleeping. I was one of those kids for sure. I love that it helps me read without having to ask someone to help turn the light on at night as I am currently battling colon cancer and this gives me some independence on my down days so that I can do something for myself without having to depend on other so much during the night. 

What I think would make this better is a timer that blinks the light when it will turn off for those parents who don't want their kids staying up all night, as a reminder, it's time for bed you can read more tomorrow. 

If you are interested check it out at Glocusent 16 LED Rechargeable Book Light. 

Help for thin or thinning hair

 

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Just before I got my cancer diagnosis and everything moved so fast and got behind on everything including product reviews I was sent Maximilian Biotin & Collagen Shampoo and Conditioner. I still have a long way to go but wanted to start to get back into doing my reviews especially the ones like this one that are so very late. Maximilian Biotin & Collagen Shampoo and Conditioner which helps to infuse nutrients into every strand creates the appearance of thicker, fuller, and healthier looking hair came just at the right time. Oddly enough with my hair loss from Chemotherapy Shampoos like this are encouraged by others who have gone through Chemotherapy and the loss or thinning of hair till their hair grew in. 

I am at the stage where my hair is thin and I have a few bald spots. I am glad I was able to use this Shampoo and Conditioner so I knew what to expect. The scent is pleasant and not too strong which is perfect for me. This formula is thin. I really like a thicker formula so it doesn't run off my hand in the shower but by being careful I am still able to wash my hair with minimal help from my family. 

I look forward to continued use of this Shampoo and Conditioner as well as others like it for the next few years at least. If you are interested in checking it out for yourself I have a link below, or you can use this one Maximilian Biotin & Collagen Shampoo and Conditioner.

Not just any Pop it

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So the girls and I mean all of the girls in our family love these Pop Its, so when I saw it in a game form I knew we needed to have one so I placed it on my wishlist. Low and behold one of the companies wanted a review so who am I to turn them down when I knew this would give some cheer to two of my favorite girls. Luckily my granddaughter was over this weekend so they both were able to open this surprise together. They were really excited, just check out my video here.

Years ago we had a small circle pop it game, you know way before they became popular. Now we see them everywhere but there are only a few that caught my eye. This one is one of them. I am so glad they are enjoying the time together while playing a new game together.

Being only three years apart they still like a lot of the same things which makes gift-giving really easy. I like easy and I love making them smile.

If you are interested in this pop it game which included a set of dice check it out below.

Wet or Dry it does the job

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I am always on the lookout for a wet/dry mop that will work on our floors. This one from Reenliv is a good one. We really like how it came with three re-usable pads which can be washed and used over and over again. Another thing this wet/dry mop has that others don't have is a built in wringer which is great if you are using it fully saturated. Our other mop does not have this option but it does have a sprayer attached which is awesome that this one does not have. 

The only problem we really had with this is that the mop will not fit into a regular mop bucket. It is just too tall. You would need  one of those tall utility buckets like you see on construction sites to be able to use this right or maybe a tall wastebasket. Other then that it is a good item. I love how it rotates so that it takes up less room when being stored. 

In our home we use this mainly for just collecting dust from under the beds and furniture, but we always know that if our other mop breaks this can quickly take its place as both the wet/dry mop that it was meant to be. Check it out at Amazon.

 

Eternal Spring

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My mother was a big collector of religious knick knacks, but once my father and her passed I wanted to decorate their gravesite with both religious and colorful items they loved in real life. With that being said I found these cute little birds from Gaidenly I thought would be a perfect addition to their grave site. They also make great decor for your home, garden, potted plants etc. 

I think it will give their gravesite a little touch of eternal Spring, and a pop of color in the middle of the cold days of winter. The next time I get to visit my parents I will drop them off, but until then they are hanging around here on our entertainment center with my very own small collection of knick knacks. 

They are well made resin pieces that measure about 2.8x2 inches each. I love how you can use them all at one time or split them up around your home for a little bit of surprise here and there. A great idea would be to buy these and when giving a gift of a plant to for say a housewarming party you could stick one inside the pot for a little extra pizzazz. 

You can find this four piece bird set at Amazon.