If you're a regular follower on my blog, then you know I've been trying to lose weight this year, which hasn't been easy thing for me as I have strained my lower-back and my knees. Plus, I had to slow down from exercising for last month because I had a nasty cold/flu virus.

After making a full recovery from my ailments, I decided to jump back into exercising. For the past two weeks, I have been trying out the new workout program called Air Bar Exercises (ABX), which created by Erin Buchanan. The program requires a 40" dowel rod, which can be purchased at almost any hardware store.

ABX was created for both men and women at any fitness level. The program focus on core strengthening, a healthy postural alignment, muscular endurance, flexibility and cardiovascular training. The DVD runs for about 60 minutes, but you can get a great workout by doing only 30 minutes. The creator Erin Buchanan challenges everyone to do the workout for at least 30 minutes for 30 days.

Most faith-based films typically get ignored by Hollywood, where they are produced by smaller production companies and either premiere as a television movie or direct-to-video. However, there has been a new interest in films with biblical themes in recent years, which such big-budget titles as Noah and Exodus: Gods and Kings. Even a few low-budget films (God's Not Dead, Heaven Is for Real, Fireproof) made an impact at the box-office.

Arriving on DVD on Tuesday March 24, 2014 from Cinedigm is the Christian film Confessions Of A Prodigal Son (Retail: $14.93; ASIN: B00R8ILF06). Directed by Allan Spiers, the film stars Kevin Sorbo, Nathan Clarkson (whom also wrote the screenplay) and Rachel Lee.

The low-budget movie didn't exactly go the traditional filming route as it was funded on Kickstarter in the spring of 2013, raising nearly $14,000 over the course of 58 days.

Confessions Of QA Prodigal Son centers on a young man named Sean Matthews (played by Nathan Clarkson), whom is struggling to find who he is suppose to be. His father (played by Kevin Sorbo) is a pastor, so he grew up with religion all around him, but somewhere he has become lost. After begging his parents to give him his college tuition early, in which they only give him half of the money, he leaves his small town and heads for the city to start a new beginning, but this life isn't exactly what he wanted it to be.

For two years, he ignored his parents phone calls as he would rather party hard with his friend Cameron (played by Azel James). As his life spirals out of control, so do his college grades. If doesn't keep get his grades up, his parents won't give him the second half of the tuition. Eventually, he starts questioning the way he has been living after he meets a lovely dancer Ali (played by Rachel Lee), whom helps him finally find his way home.

While I do have a new electric razor, I still have to use a few disposable razors if I go without shaving for a few days. Razors can be a bit pricey anymore, so I typically buy the cheapest off brand I can find.

A few weeks ago I was sent a Schick Hydro® 5 Disposables (3-Pack) to review, which I have seen in stores for around $10! The razor has five blades and it is extremely flexible, so it can curve around your face and neck, giving a closer shave.

Pros: Like I already mentioned, it has five blades and it shaves pretty close to the skin;  longer lasting than other disposable razors, so you it will last for several shaves.

You don't have to be a seamstress or a quilter to be interested in owning a sewing kit as you never know when you need a needle and thread to reattach a button to a shirt or jacket.

I received the Quick Stitch Sewing Kit a few days ago, which features a measuring tape, a thimble, 12 spools of thread (white, black, light pink, pink, tan, blue, yellow, red, green, dark blue, light blue, brown), a seam ripper, a safety pin, stainless steel scissors, three buttons, two quilting pins, two thread cutters, 16 needles in a round dispenser and a black zipper storage bag.

I'm sure many people who sew already own everything in the kit, but keeping one of these in your car or in your suitcase/bag can be a lifesaver with traveling. It also can be a great little starter kit for a new quilter or seamstress.

While I'm neither a seamstress or quilter, I do know how to cross stitch, so I was interested in the kit for the seam ripper, the needles and the scissors. I already own a seam ripper, but having an extra one can come in handy as they ends of them tend to break easily.

Penguins of Madagascar
Director: Eric Darnell & Simon J. Smith
Voice Cast: Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, Conrad Vernon, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ken Jeong, Annet Mahendru, Peter Stormare, John Malkovich
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: March 17, 2015
Retail: $36.99
ASIN: B00SK573RU
Running Time: 92 minutes
Rating: PG
Buy Link: Amazon

Review:

Arriving on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, DVD and Digital HD today is the exciting 3D computer-animated action-comedy Penguins of Madagascar. Directed by Eric Darnell & Simon J. Smith, the film features the talented voice cast of Tom McGrath, Chris Miller, Christopher Knights, Conrad Vernon, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ken Jeong, Annet Mahendru, Peter Stormare and John Malkovich. The Blu-ray is loaded with Special Features, such as Top-Secret Guide to Becoming an Elite Agent, "He Is Dave" Music Video, Flipper Slap Shake Waddie and Roll, "Celebrate" Music Video by Pitbull, Do the Penguin Shake with tWitch, Deleted Scenes, Madagascar Mash-Up, Global Flight Plan, Cheezy Dibbles Ad,World of DreamWorks Animation and a Gallery. The Blu-ray Combo Pack also comes with 2 Poppin' Penguins!

After a brief flashback showing how Skipper (voiced by Tom McGarth), Kowalski (voiced by Chris Miller), and Rico (voiced by Conrad Vernon) rescued Private (voiced by Christopher Knights) just before he cracked out of his shell, the film picks up directly after the ending of Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. To celebrate Private's birthday, the Penguins leave the circus and head to Fort Knox, as they want to steal enough money to buy Private the perfect birthday present - Cheesy Dibbles, which has been discontinued.

Out of nowhere, they are ambushed and taken to a submarine base in Venice, where they meet Dave (voiced by John Malkovich), an octopus who disguises himself as a human named Dr. Octavius Brine. Once upon a time, Dave was the main attraction at the Central Park Zoo that is until the penguins arrived, whom stole all his thunder. Now he plans on kidnapping all the penguins from the world and turning them all into hideous creatures. The Penguins almost become the first victims in Dave's madness that is until the North Wind saves them.

NYPD Red 3
by James Patterson & Marshall Karp
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Pub. Date: March 16, 2015
ISBN: 978-0316406994
Pages: 416
Buy Links: Hardback, Kindle

Review:

It's definitely difficult to keep up with all the new James Patterson's books as there is practically a new title (sometimes two) being released every month. I came across Patterson's titles about twelve years ago when my late grandmother wanted me to read one of his books (I don't recall the title) as she had just became a fan of works. I started buying every new Patterson book, even the young adult titles, and gave each one to her. After my grandmother's death in December 2009, I continued buying each new release, but my heart just wasn't in the mood to read them. However, I recently started reading Patterson's books again, including his middle grade ones.

Arriving this week in bookstores is NYPD Red 3 by James Patterson & Marshall Karp, the exciting third entry in the police procedural series. Little, Brown & Company was nice enough to send me an advanced copy to review a few weeks ago.

NYPD Red is an elite task force that is assigned to protect the rich and famous. The third installment centers on Detective Zach Jordan and his partner Kylie MacDonald, whom just happens to be an ex-girlfriend he had back in police academy. While it has been an awkward beginning working with Kylie, Zach is trying his best to adjust to everything. His personal life has improved as he's now in a relationship with NYPD psychologist Cheryl Robinson, but his New Year getaway with her comes to a complete halt when a bizarre crime occurs.

The decapitated body of Peter Chevalier, the chauffeur for the billionaire businessman Hunter Alden Jr., is found in a limousine in a parking lot, but his head is nowhere to be found. Of course,  Zach & Kylie check into Peter's background and besides from a few parking violations, he had no criminal history. While the detectives don't have any leads, they do suspect that Hunter Alden Jr. is hiding something.

Though green tea is native to China and India, it is used all over the world for its many benefits, such as a digestion aid, to control bleeding & to heal wounds, increase brain function, lowers cholesterol and assists with weight loss. It's usually available as a herbal tea or as a dietary supplement.

Many people actually prefer to drink a cup of green tea over a cup of coffee due to the fact that it is extremely high in natural antioxidants and polyphenols, which help boost your immune system and defend your body against diseases & free radicals.

I've been trying to add at least one serving of green tea into my system daily just to give me that extra antioxidants boost. Now I'm not always in the mood to drink green tea, so a dietary supplement like Advanced Green Tea Extract from Zenwise Labs comes in handy.

Each bottle has 120 vegetarian capsules and one serving (1 capsule) contains 725mg of Green Tea and 60mg Vitamin C. It's free of gluten, wheat, egg, milk, peanuts, shellfish and soy. Zenwise Labs always uses all natural ingredients and is NSF & GMP certified. All of their products are cruelty-free and are made in the USA.