Pixel Berry Pie Design -

Winner of the Wanchai Ferry gift package

Ann On and On

Winner of the American Express Gift Card

Mari

Breyers Ice Cream Bars Coupons will go out to:

Tinagirl

Cheryl F (Lucky Ladybug)

Tiffs Pixie Dust

CindyWindy2003

3 comments

Growing up, I never knew what kind of gifts to get my dad.  Mugs, ties, whatever - I don't even remember what kind of stuff we gave him. I'm sure my mom just picked something out and put our names on it.

As we got older, my brothers and I pooled our money at Christmas and were able to get both my mom and dad something they each wanted.  One year, we got mom a Kitchen-Aid mixer and dad a turntable. Yeah, those things that played records. That's the only gift that stands out in my memory. Even now, as an adult, I shrug when it comes time to get him a gift. He doesn't NEED anything and seldom does he even say things that he might want. His favorite gifts include labor to help him build or fix something.

...and DH is not any easier.  I can't buy him electronics because I'm never sure I'll get the right configuration.  If it's something for his car, then chances are he already purchased it.  Since his background in computer graphics makes him look at colors differently than I do, I don't even try to shop for clothes for him.  (Actually, I usually have him pick stuff out for me!)  Garage?  Well, I've managed to get a few really awesome tools for him but that's about it.  

But generally, shopping for the men in my life is difficult.

When Family Review Network offered up the chance to do a product review for Executive Gift Shoppe, I spent about an hour surfing the site before finally throwing my name into the hat for consideration.  It wasn't that I didn't like anything - it was that I liked a lot of the stuff.  Both my Dad and DH are retired so they don't have a need for anything for their offices.  They don't smoke and when it comes to alcohol, DH doesn't drink and my mom is in charge of all the wine-related stuff at their house. Despite the things they DON'T need, I was able to find a lot of things that they could put to good use.

I have a weakness for pocket knives and watches so I spent a LOT of time checking out the variety of pocket watches and Swiss Army knives they offer. But the goal wasn't to get something that I liked - it was to find something for one of them.  As frustrated as I get trying to find something for these hard-to-shop-for men, I actually enjoyed surfing the gifts at Executive Gift Shoppe. 

Ultimately, I landed on something that would work for either of them - a Golftool Swiss Army Knife.  My dad is a longtime golfer and golfs even more now that he's retired.  DH just got a new set of TaylorMade clubs so he can take up the hobby as well.  I hadn't decided who I would give it to but either way, it would make a perfect addition to someone's golf bag.

When the item arrived, I took it out and examined it.  I was pleased with how quickly it arrived and how carefully it was packaged. Just like when I sit in a new car (where I open every single compartment or hidden compartment I can find), I pulled the knife apart to see what it really contained.  The golf-related stuff included a divot repair kit, a ball marker and a tee punch/groove cleaner.  Of course, no Swiss Army anything is worth calling itself Swiss Army if it didn't have a knife, scissors, toothpick and tweezers.  In addition, the tee punch/groove cleaner tool also has a built-in bottle opener.  Go figure.

The Golftool Swiss Army Knife fits nicely in my hand and seems like it's made well.  The tools are stainless but the casing is not - making it heavy duty without the weight.  The canvas case is padded and has a hook for attaching to the golf bag.

I spent a bit of time, err, playing with it then haphazardly replaced it in the case, divot repair side first, and handed it to DH for his opinion.  When he went to pull it out, he reached in and grabbed it but since the ball marker side was on top, it didn't slide out. Instead, the ball marker by itself slid out.  Once we realized that there was a specific way to put it in the case, we made sure to put it in - ball-marker side first.

After that, hubby looked it over, messed around with the tools like I did then said it would make a nice addition to his new golf club set.  It was fun finding something that he didn't have but still could use!

Executive Gift Shoppe has a lot of traditional and non-traditional gifts to help find something for the hard-to-shop-for person in your life.  Stop by their website to see what they have to offer or find them on Facebook and Twitter.

I shouldn't have a problem finding something cool when the next occasion arises.  If I want to, I could even get them a trophy that says "World's Best Dad."

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“I am tired of changing stinky diapers!” I sternly told my soon to be 3 year old, Little Miss A.

“But Mama, I have an idea! I can go upstairs and you won’t smell it!” exclaimed A.

“No sweetie. I would still have to change your diaper and smell it. And, we have another problem. Mama doesn’t have any more money to buy more diapers.” I explained.

“I know! I have money in my piggy bank.” she resolved hoping that I would consider that.

“No sweetie.” I sadly remarked.

“Maybe Daddy will buy them.” she softly uttered.

I’ve been trying, inconsistently, to potty train Little Ms. A to go poo poo in the potty since she was about 2 years old. She quickly learned how to “pee” in her brand new pink training potty that Grandma bought her, but that is as far as I could get. After months of so many bribes with princess dresses, candy, chocolate, huge pink and purple bouncy balls, a tea set, and Candy land, she still wouldn’t go poo poo in the potty. I gave up when she started telling me she wanted a diaper to go poo poo and when she started holding it. I gave up when we would pick her up kicking and screaming as we sat her on the pink potty. Little Ms. A just wasn’t ready. She put up a big fight for a long time. I was so envious of my friends that were able to potty train their toddlers in such a short time and in such effortless ways.

What was I doing wrong? Was I giving in too much? I didn’t want my Little Miss A to wind up in the hospital getting an enema. I didn’t want to force her either. She tells me she is scared of the poo poo.

Wednesday was the Big Important Day. We woke up with a positive attitude. This day was the day she was going to go poop in the potty. Miss A didn’t know that it was really the Big Day. When it was “time,” she sat down in the little pink potty and I sat on the floor reading my Reader’s Digest. We did this for an hour. I let Ms. A pick any candy she wanted from the year old Halloween candy we had in the Tupperware jar. She picked out some laffy taffy and sucked on this while we both sat there doing our thing. Not even a push. I gave up again.

But I didn’t want to give up. I gave Ms. A a snack and the urge came back! We went back to the pink potty, but she wanted to sit in the big girl potty this time. I gave her a huge hug while she was sitting on the big girl potty and with all the screaming and crying, she went poo poo in the potty!

“Look at what you did!” I screamed. Little Ms. A was crying and laughing at the same time. She couldn’t believe it either. She had to take a peek. We put on her brand new blue princess dress that she had rejected so many times. She ate a half eaten candy cane from the Christmas prior, we put a happy face on the cartoon calendar that Daddy brought home, and more hugs and kisses were exchanged. It was a celebration well earned. And as if presents weren’t enough…..

The Moon Dough miraculously was brought to my door!! It was perfect timing. We were in essence, having a Poo Poo Party. We played with it the next morning after taking the Moon Dough for a walk with us.

“Can we take my favorite toy with me?” she asked.

“Which one?” I inquired.

“That!” as she pointed to the Moon Dough, that was sitting on the buffet table.

“We could put it next to me.” she instructed.

And so we went on our walk with the Moon Dough.

Once we opened the box, with excitement, Little Ms. A couldn’t wait to get her hands on the dough. She didn’t let me squish and squash the dough to get it ready for her. She wanted to play right away. As she played with the dough, I assembled the barn together for her. It was very easy to put together so she could get right to it. I was pleased with how quickly the assembly process went.

The Molding Barn Ramp and Molding Play Mat, however, looked very large in scale to what it actually is. I wasn’t sure if I had the correct ramp, but it worked. All the contents were available and easy to identify. To whatever extent, the Play Mat is not actually a play mat. It’s a small (15 ½” x 11 ½”) piece of cardboard for the barn to sit on.  As you can see from the video and photographs, keeping the dough contained in this small area wasn't possible.  For that reason, I recommend for anyone to read the Helpful Hints before playing with Moon Dough. The Moon Dough is very crumbly and even after squishing and squashing it, the dough quickly crumbles to pieces, very different from Play-Doh. We should have used a large sheet like suggested. On the other hand, the dough is very easy to clean up compared to Play-Doh. I thought I was going to have to vacuum, but a quick sweep did the trick. A comb or brush is recommended according the instructions.

There's one thing that I found somewhat frustrating about Moon Dough.  The instructions.  Why do they call it “Molding” as in “Molding Barn Maker” and “Molding Barn Maker Handle?” Would have made more sense  if the “Molding Barn” was called the “Molding Animal Maker” or something to that effect. I was looking for the animal molds everywhere. It makes sense when you look at the picture on the box. The “Barn Maker” doesn’t make barns; it makes animals.

The pictures on the box show molded hay bales being dropped into the animal molds on the barn. I didn’t understand if that is what we were supposed to do. The instructions don’t mention that idea, rather, that you choose a color of dough and fill an animal mold. This is what we did and the molds did come out quite well! Little Ms. A was able to create a mold all by herself. She was able to use the handle easily. Creating the hay bale and fence mold was easy to use. The hay bale was a little trickier because a three year old may not have the ability to twist the plastic mold to make the dough come out. If you bang it on the ground, it will come out though.

Step 7 on the instructions, on creating the mold, says “Molded Moon Dough Animals!” What is the instruction? This is more of a statement, than an instruction. It should say something like, “Enjoy your Molded Moon Dough Animals!”

Little Miss A had fun regardless of the instructions for that matter. She loved creating her own animals and holding the soft and light Moon Dough. She was excited when she saw the finished product; the molded animals, and would show me what she had done with such joy.

She’d hold the animals up and felt proud of what she had done. Just as how excited and proud I was when I saw that she went poop in the potty.

We both accomplished something in the past few days.

At least I think we did.

2 comments

When you think of having a family movie night, what comes to mind? Well to me it involves a couch, blankets, pillows, snacks and drinks and a fun movie. What movies does your family find interesting? Personally, I usually will go for a comedy or action movie. For example, just in the past weeks I have watched Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull, as well as the first season of the BBC comedy series Chef!

I was pretty excited this past week to be given The Spy Next Door. Have you heard about it? It features Jackie Chan, George Lopez, and Billy Ray Cyrus as spies. Course, it also features a pig, a kitten and a turtle as pets! The only thing I knew about this movie was that it was an action, spy movie for family enjoyment.

So last night, with bagel pizzas and gummy worms in hand, we sat down to watch The Spy Next Door. One of the first things I noticed was that it was definitely a kid friendly movie. The comedy was great for kids and adults. In fact, the movie is rated PG, for the sequences of Action Violence and some Mild Rude Humor.

Some observations about the movie:

In one of the scenes near the beginning, Harrie and I both noticed that Bob (Jackie Chan) floated down from the roof when he was rescuing the cat. I am not sure kids would notice that it wasn’t very realistic that Bob floated instead of jumping and landing a bit harder, but it caused us a little laugh and a bit of discussion.

There were definitely also a few action scenes that could have been more realistic and less obvious that there were wires involved in the stunts, but overall the stunts were great and funny. One of the other scenes we noticed that could have been worked on a bit more was the bike scene towards the end. Keep your eyes out for it!

While there were 3 female characters, Harrie and I both agreed that this movie had a strong boy influence in it. The young boy, Ian, was a character your heart went out to. We cheered him on during a few scenes as well as boo’ing when we wanted him to make better decisions at school. I’d have to say the overall storyline was positive for kids. I’m sure that this movie could definitely lead to some great family discussions about honesty and responsibility.

Overall, I would recommend this movie for your family night, just remember the yummy snacks! Stop by and see Lions Gate Entertainment's website for other movies or perhaps you'd like to follow them on Twitter or Facebook.

2 comments

I recently read an article about how Waddington's, the British distributor of Monopoly during World War II used the game to assist allied POW's. In addition to smuggling compasses, files and maps into board games delivered by the Red Cross to POWs, the games also contained real money. It's one of those stories that makes you look at a game through different eyes. It gives you a sense of pride in the company.

It really hit home when I heard about Hasbro's "MONOPOLY Money Makes it Real Contest". Then I sat back and started thinking about all the times I've wished the money was real. How cool would that be to play the game with real bills instead of colorful phony ones? C'mon... 'fess up.... How many times when you've played the game have YOU wished it was real money? We've all thought that at least once - usually when we're winning.

Now let me ask... What would YOU do if your Monopoly game included real cash? All of it. $20,580. The "Monopoly Money Makes it Real Contest" is an opportunity for you to get it.

Here's how it works:

Between now and September 2, submit an essay of 75 words or less as to what you would do if you won the money. Following that - until September 27, 2010, it will go to public vote where it will be narrowed down to 75 finalist and finally one winner. You can read all the specifics on the official rules.  If you want to jump in and enter, stop by their launch page on Facebook.

Are you seeing a theme here? 75 words... 75 finalists... It's all to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of this game! Well, in honor of the anniversary and the contest, they've set aside a game for my readers!  Hopefully it will make it to the winner in time for Family Game Night on September 29th!

Participants -

...must provide a US shipping address
...must provide an email in the first comment, email me directly with an email address or have email accessible from their profile.

Sometime on September 7, 2010, a winner will be chosen at random from all valid comments left. Winner has 72 hours from posting/notification to respond. If winner cannot be contacted, I will move on to the next random selection.

How to enter:

(1) Subscribe to the SAHM Reviews feed via RSS or email

(2) Leave a comment on this post at SahmReviews.com sharing a favorite Hasbro board game memory!

-- Three Entries: If you have a blog or website, add my button to your page. (Here's the code:)

-- Three Entries: Publish a blog post regarding this contest and link back to it.

-- One Entry (Daily): Follow SahmReviews on Twitter and Tweet this contest by clicking here or copying the following text:

"Does your game library include Monopoly? If not, stop by http://bit.ly/9tlKAr for a chance to win one. @FamilyGameNight @SahmReviews" Comment with a link to your tweet.

-- One Entry: "Like" SAHM Reviews on Facebook.

-- One Entry: Follow SAHM Reviews using Google's Friend Connect feature.

-- One Entry (Each):  "Like" Family Game Night on Facebook or Follow Family Game Night on Twitter.  All I ask is that you post a note for them saying that SahmReviews.com sent you.

-- One Entry (Each):  Be the first to post about this giveaway on an active (current) giveaway link-up or carnival. Leave a link to where I can find it.  Mr. Linky-style submissions should read "SAHM Reviews - Monopoly game (Ends 9/7)"

-- One Entry (Daily): Read any non-giveaway review here at SahmReviews.com and leave an appropriate comment on that post. Come back here and leave a comment stating which product/post you left a comment on.

I submitted an entry in the "Monopoly Money Makes it Real Contest". 75 words isn't very much and it's worth the few minutes for a chance to be able to stock a Monopoly game with real cash.

31 comments

Places.  As of a few days ago, it has a new meaning for a lot of people.  If you have a smart phone and are accessing Facebook then you've probably already figured out that they launched a new feature called "Places".  It just rolled out and is wrought with controversy.  

If you haven't a clue what I'm talking about, let me briefly fill you in.  Places allows people to announce via Facebook exactly where they are.  "Checking-in" and announcing where you are isn't a new idea. Companies like Foursquare, Gowalla and Whrrl have set the groundwork for this and users have been posting their check-ins on Facebook.  Seems only natural that Facebook would try to cash in on the craze.

Some people love this idea but I'm just not sold on it.  I know a ton of people using Foursquare and Gowalla and I often joke that it's like an announcement that people can go rob your house.  You're obviously not there.

Although Places isn't available here in the Quad Cities yet, it will be soon.  When it is, I'm curious how many people will flock to using it.  Me?  Not a chance.   At least not until they work out some things.  While other location-based social networking programs allow you to personally check-in and work to achieve various titles, Places allows other people to check you in also.  That kind of freaks me out.  Friend or not, I'm not wild about the idea of someone else having control of announcing to their friends where I'm at.

But as much as I hate the idea of location-based social networking, I find myself drawn to Whrrl.  At Whrrl, it isn't just about the check-in features; that's only one small part of a larger picture.  On Whrrl, you're able to upload pictures and create stories related to your check-in.  It's a very cool feature that I've used for both marketing campaigns as well as personal digital scrapbooking.

So how is it that I swear I won't use location-based apps yet I throw praise at Whrrl?  You see, I can check-in, take advantage of specials and promotions, participate in recommendations people make, make recommendations of my own, join societies, create societies, post pictures and create slide shows yet not lose all my anonymity.  Whrrl's "Just Me" option is what makes all the difference.  No matter what I do, I'm able to choose the level that I want to share with Whrrl members, as well as whether I want to share on Twitter or Facebook. I'm also able to go back later and amend the privacy settings of a check-in to make it more (or less) public.

Over the course of the past month, I've found myself more and more interested in it.  A Whrrl contest even prompted me to create a society of my own.  After participating in various car-related activities, I decided to create a society called "Under the Hood".  I couldn't find any society that involved automobile maintenance so I created Under the Hood and added the following description to it: "When you neglect your automobile, it will begin to neglect you! Don't forget about general service, oil changes, tires, car washes, window repairs, paint... It's all about taking care of our vehicles."  Automobiles... That's what the Under the Hood Society is all about.  If your business offers car-related services or sells car-related products, check out the merchant program to see if Whrrl can help drive customers through your door.

As a social media participant, you may decide that location-based services are a waste of time.  You may find that Foursquare, Gowalla or one of the other services is best for you.  You may decide to go with Facebook's Places feature. For me, I'll stick with Whrrl.  It's well rounded, thought out and offers a lot of cool features.

...Now I'm waiting for all my favorite merchants to discover the benefits of it, too.

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It's back to school time. The one thing that I absolutely love about this time of year is the immense amount of bargains to be found. We shop for all kinds of school supplies for, you know, school. But we also shop for school supplies for not school.

Seriously. Tape goes on sale tons cheaper at back-to-school time than it does at Christmas. (Or at least if it goes on sale at Christmas, I just don't see it!) So even though we're back in school and done with the official list of supplies, we're still on the lookout for great deals and great products.

I received a package of Back-to-School supplies from Staples (by way of BMS Media/MomSelect) which contained products like the Go Glam line and Zip-it...Literally. It confirmed my thought that back-to-school supplies really are multi-use supplies. They're useful but they're also fun and inventive. The Go Glam line is adorable and my girls immediately argued about who got what from the package. A bling stapler, calculator and pen. Neither of them currently needs a stapler yet they both wanted it. Why? Because it's cute. For an older student, this line would make a statement about who they are.

The Zip-it...Literally bag was another item that we received.  It's labeled as a pencil case but it's big enough to use as a clutch purse.  But unzip it too far and you'll end up one long zipper and no bag.  The zipper doesn't just run across the top, it spirals around the entire thing... all the way to the bottom.  It's a very creative looking bag that's quirky and fun.

And speaking of fun "school" gear:  The Glam Rocks line is positively sparkling.  Is bling still an acceptable term in teen-speak?  Well, that's what I would call these.  Buh-ling!   Calculators, pens and staplers that would fancy up the desk, locker or dorm room of any girl.  Not to be sexist but I'm pretty sure that line isn't targeting young men.

While many kids these days are using electronic organizers to keep their schedules up-to-date, hand-written organizers are still very much in style. I listened the other night as the swim coach talked about the importance of team members keeping track of what they learned at practice. What specific strokes they did or what types of drills were recommended to correct deficiencies. She specifically said that writing it out in a journal helped the swimmers remember it all better.  Organizers like the one pictured here are available as part of the "DoSomething.org" line that's sold at Staples. This you-can-do-it inspirational product is perfect. They look stylish while also being functional - For documenting homework assignments or sports notes - or both. They're also beautiful enough for moms that prefer to keep a hard copy of their kids' schedules.

There's a lot available as part of the DoSomething-inspired line. I've always had a love for notebooks but composition notebooks have always caught my eye.  While the DaySpring line that I recently reviewed provides a niche for users looking for a religious theme, the DoSomething.org line focuses on being socially aware.  The organization recognizes the influence of our youth, harnesses the positive energy and interest in making a difference and encourages it.    Staples is even participating in Do Something 101, a School Supply Drive that runs through September 18th.  Seeing all the ads for discounted supplies and really want to take advantage but you just don't need them.  Grab some stuff and drop it in the designated collection bin located at your local Staples store.  Twilight's Nikki Reed is the spokesperson for that campaign.

Even the basic line of folders and notebooks at Staples look great.  Coordinated pieces to showcase the user's personality.   The set that we received looks like a kaleidoscope in person and looks all pixelated when photographed.  Not because my camera couldn't take a good picture but because it's just a bunch of oversized boxes in various colors. I'm seriously considering telling the girls they can't have that one because I want to carry it around when I'm doing blog stuff. It screams computer-geek.

We're just over a week into our school year and we've already had two folders damaged by a water bottle that leaked in the backpack.  So if you think you're done with all your back-to-school shopping, maybe pick up a few extras to have on hand 'just in case.'  Stop by Staples (or Staples.com) and check out their vast array of Back-to-School supplies.

To make this great package even better, MomSelect on behalf of Staples has offered a $25 Staples gift card to one lucky SahmReviews.com reader.  Could you make use of it?  Want to enter for a chance to win? Here's how:

Participants -

...must provide a US shipping address
...must provide an email in the first comment, email me directly with an email address or have email accessible from their profile.

Sometime on September 4, 2010, a winner will be chosen at random from all valid comments left. Winner has 72 hours from posting/notification to respond. If winner cannot be contacted, I will move on to the next random selection.

How to enter:

(1) Subscribe to the SAHM Reviews feed via RSS or email

(2) Leave a comment on this post at SahmReviews.com letting me know what item at Staples is on your back-to-school list!

-- Three Entries: If you have a blog or website, add my button to your page. (Here's the code:)

-- Three Entries: Publish a blog post regarding this contest and link back to it.

-- One Entry (Daily): Follow SahmReviews on Twitter and Tweet this contest by clicking here or copying the following text:

"Checking out the back-to-school supplies @Staples. Trying to win a $25 gift card from @SahmReviews http://bit.ly/9GhoAd @MomSelectAmy" Comment with a link to your tweet.

-- One Entry: "Like" SAHM Reviews on Facebook.

-- One Entry: Follow SAHM Reviews using Google's Friend Connect feature.

-- One Entry (Each):  "Like" Sam's Club on Facebook or Follow Staples on Twitter.  All I ask is that you post a note for them saying that SahmReviews.com sent you.

-- One Entry (Each):  Be the first to post about this giveaway on an active (current) giveaway link-up or carnival. Leave a link to where I can find it.  Mr. Linky-style submissions should read "SAHM Reviews - $25 Staples Gift Card (Ends 9/4)"

-- One Entry (Daily): Read any non-giveaway review here at SahmReviews.com and leave an appropriate comment on that post. Come back here and leave a comment stating which product/post you left a comment on.

69 comments

When I was kid, the extent of my concern for recycling revolved around a pop bottle. It was a time when most pop came in glass bottles that you bought by the case. At the checkout counter, there was a deposit required of 10 cents per bottle.

I remember being at baseball games and making enough money to buy myself whatever concession food and treats that I wanted. I started by going under the bleachers and grabbing bottles that had fallen during prior games. Then I spent the game walking through the stands offering to return bottles for people. Most gladly gave up the dime they could have received. I don't know if they found my initiative refreshing or whether they were just too lazy to stand in line at the concession stand for only a dime. Whatever the reason, I didn't see it so much as recycling as a source of income.

Today, we're in an age of more enlightenment about recycling. Not only adults but kids, too. My kids always argue about who gets to break down the cereal and pop tart boxes when they are empty. It's not uncommon to hear one of my kids say "I'll go put it in the recycle bin."

They also know what littering is and that it is NOT okay. We'll be out and about and they'll point at something on the ground and say "Someone littered. That's not good."

But how do I go about explaining to kids that it's okay to plant a pen in the backyard? That it isn't littering.  I simply said "This company found a better way to recycle our pens instead of throwing them in the garbage."

Mom Central recently shipped us two packages of Paper Mate products. Biodegradable pens and pencils.  The focus of the tour is to showcase how these writing utensils can be kept out of the landfill.  Most (not all) of the components are made from corn-based materials and biodegrade in the soil in about a year.  The project was to plant the components and mark them then follow their progress through the year.

This is the first year that the girls had their own flower bed - created in the open area underneath their swing set.  I had every intention of planting the pen until I realized that I wasn't going to write enough before the end of the campaign to finish the ink.  Maybe I'm wrong, but it sure seems to counter their intentions if I'm being wasteful, pitching the non-biodegradable items in the garbage and planting the other parts...  simply for the purpose of providing a review.  Instead, I'm going to focus on what's great about this product... then when it is gone, the girls and I will plant and monitor it.  Minimizing waste both from beginning to end.

But how do I go about explaining to kids that it's okay to plant a pen in the backyard? That it isn't littering.  I simply said "This company found a better way to recycle our pens instead of throwing them in the garbage."

Not all parts of these pens and pencils are biodegradable though.  To make things easy, the package contains instructions on what to dispose of in the garbage and what to plant in the ground.  Hopefully, Paper Mate will have that information available on their website because I'm guessing that I'm not the only person that doesn't want to keep a box around until the pen is used up just to have a set of disposal instructions.

Honestly, I kind of thought "If it's designed to be biodegradable then it probably isn't as good as its counterparts."  I pulled out the pen and used it and was pleasantly surprised with how smooth it wrote.  And the case around it... one of the components that is biodegradable that I suspected would be terribly uncomfortable... is quite the opposite. The grip is not so squishy that you have to tense your fingers to hold it but it's also not so hard that it gives you a callas.  It truly is a comfortable pen to hold.  

As for the pencil: As an accountant, I can say that I've used my fair share of pencils in the past and the biodegradable pencil from Paper Mate was comfortable and slid well.  The lead didn't stick and break like some mechanical pencils do.  At the same time, the case around it wasn't rigid like many mechanical pencils.  Despite the fact that many of the components are biodegradable, Paper Mate still chose to offer lead and eraser refills.  Guess what.  The refills come in a case of their own that is... you guessed it... biodegradable when the refills are all used up.

If these were lousy writing utensils, I might have a different attitude. However, they're really nice. So in the interest of being environmentally correct, I'll use these and when we're no longer able to use them, the kids and I will go bury them in the backyard.

...Wonder if I can convince the kids that I'm trying to grow my own pens and pencils.

For more information on Paper Mate, visit their website, like them on Facebook, visit their YouTube channel or the site dedicated to their green products and initiatives.

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One of my favorite memories from last October was going to Disney World for the first time.  I will always remember sleeping in the bathroom (mom snores and I can’t handle it), going to Hollywood Studios and seeing a live action stunt show, and seeing the castle at Disney and thinking it funny that it is not in fact surrounded by a lake as all the movies would have you believe. 

However, one of my least favorite memories is that I turned into a red lobster a few days before coming home.  So what I remember is being chilled even though it was hot out, and going to Kouzzina by Cat Cora to eat and being soo cold and ITCHY because I had to wear my little sweater over my tank top.  Sunscreen has always been a priority, but while in Florida, I should have applied more frequently! 

As sunscreen is a priority I was excited to be able to try a new facial sunscreen.  Especially since I’m always traveling and spending a fair amount of time outside.  In fact, this past weekend I went to Six Flags with a friend, as well as the Chicago Bears Scrimmage and IKEA.  And that was two days in a row on two separate trips with different friends.

I admit to using Coppertone Kids 30 SPF sun block on my body while using a face stick from a completely different company.  As I am not a fan of spraying sun block on my face, I was happy to try Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Liquid Daily Sun block which has an SPF of 70.  In addition to the high SPF, you are able to use it under your make up and be protected from the sun’s harmful rays.  It was easy to apply and didn’t leave a messy residue on my hands.

I loved that the sun block didn’t feel heavy on my skin and blended in easily.  As you can see from the picture, it’s not thick or hard to rub in at all.  I also appreciated the fact that even with us going into Hurricane Harbor, (Six Flag’s water park) I didn’t have any issues with it running down my face.  It was really blended into my skin and protected both my friend and I well.

I know that I can depend on this sun block to keep my face and ears from getting completely sunburned.  I’m already looking forward to going swimming without the worry of possibly turning my face lobster red.  I hope you try this product to see if you have as much success with it as I did!

For more information on Neutrogena UltraSheer Liquid Sunblock and their other product lines, visit their webpage or check them out on Facebook.  Grab a $2 off coupon!

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First, a bit about myself. I am not a SAHM in the traditional sense as you may have gathered from my user name. The “Y” chromosome precludes me from calling myself a stay-at-home-mom, and the acronym for stay-at-home-dad is unfortunate (SAHD). So I call myself a stay-at-home-man, so I technically am still a SAHM!

I have been a reader of SAHMReviews.com for a couple years now, and while the products didn’t always pertain to me, I found the writing style entertaining and believable. When Nicole emailed me a few months back about possibly reviewing some products for her that would benefit from a male’s opinion, it didn’t take much persuasion to hop aboard! I am an early adopter for most technologies, and have a genuine interest in advancements in science, industry, electronics, etc. SAHMReviews had the opportunity to test a couple products in these fields, so I dove in head-first.

My first assignment was a great book just released called “The Language of Life” by Francis S. Collins. For the uninformed, Dr. Collins was the head of the Human Genome Project for fifteen years and now serves as the Director of the National Institutes of Health. This book chronicles the revolutions in our understanding of human DNA and cites many real-life examples of how the information provided by our DNA can be helpful (and sometimes harmful) to how we live our lives.

A few years back, while researching our family tree, I was approached by a person with the same surname as mine. They too were researching their family line, and was interested in finding out if their branch could be matched up to mine. Both of us had solid research dating back into the 1800’s, but no one had ever been able to find out when they migrated to the US or if they were related. This person told me about a new product being offered by Ancestry.com that would use particular genetic markers to determine if two people (or line) were somehow related. It couldn’t tell us exactly how we would be related, but it would say whether or not there was a common ancestor. I passed on the opportunity at the time for fear of my personal information being in the hands of a company that could potentially publish/use/sell the information at a whim. This privacy concern is one that is still being debated in regards to how to use DNA information, and this book covers that topic as well. That being said, after reading this book I have changed my position and realize that the benefits of having the information, whether it be for genealogy purposes or health-related, far outweigh the unknown risks of sharing that information with others.

If you are at all interested in learning about advancements in this field, this book is a wonderful read and written at a level that the average consumer can understand. There are some technical terms, but the author does a great job of ‘dumbing them down’ for us less-than-scientific folk. I do feel impelled to relate one story from the book so you can get a preview of what you will learn about the technology.

Without looking up the names the author used, just imagine this scenario: You are female, and there has never been a history of breast cancer in your family. Somewhere, someone unknown to you has a genetic screening and the results determine that they carry a genetic marker that says they have a predisposition to breast cancer. It had been determined that this particular gene, carried by males, is recessive but always present. Fortunately for you, this person allows their information to be shared, and through some family research, it turns out this person is a far distant cousin of yours – that you shared a common grandfather 5 generations ago. Because of this information, you decide to have the same screening done and find out you carry this genetic marker as well. With this information in hand, you can now make some decisions about your health that may save your life (earlier screenings, etc.). If this faraway relative had not chosen to be screened, or to share that information, you may have never known that you were in a high-risk category…

This is not a quick-read book, and I found myself doing a lot of soul-searching when I didn’t have the book in my hands. It raises some very pertinent questions that only you can answer for yourself. The next decade or so will be filled with extraordinary discoveries, all revolving around our DNA. This book is a great opportunity to begin to understand how those discoveries will impact our lives and you can begin to prepare yourself for the philosophical and ethical questions that will arise.

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Something that drives me absolutely bonkers is sitting to eat lunch in a dirty break room.  Working at an electronics store with teenagers leads to the break room becoming a messy pit pretty quickly.  Being a person of action, I ended up deciding to clean the break room a few days a week.  One day a week I would deep scrub the break room, which means I would scrub the microwave, empty the fridge, sweep and mop the floor, wipe down the table, and clean the counter/sink area.

I use some great cleaners, the only thing I do not enjoy doing is mopping the floor.  Have you ever used a cotton yarn mop.  It feels like all you are doing is pushing water and dirt around.  This is why sometimes I will use a sponge and spray cleaner to spot clean the floor.  It feels like I’m actually getting it clean when I do this. 

I was excited to have the new O Cedar ProMist Cleaning System to try to see if the floor could look cleaner than with the cotton mop.  So on Wednesday morning when I got to work, the first thing I did was go into the break room and give it a deep scrub.  The microwave was back to being white on the inside, and the counter/sink was clean.  Once I had emptied out the fridge it was time to start on the floor.  It was definitely necessary to sweep before I started mopping, as the floor was pretty dirty.

I took a photo of a couple feet of the floor.  If you click on the photo, you can see the dirt and spots of pop that have ended up on the floor.  Doesn’t it make you feel like cleaning now too?  So the first thing I did was remove the refillable bottle from the mop and fill it with hot water and some floor cleaner.  After closing the top of the bottle and putting it back on the mop it was time to get going.  The great thing about the ProMist is that is comes with a microfiber pad that is removable and washable.  So no more buying disposable cloths to clean your floor with, which is great!

The ProMist definitely inspired me to cleaning action.  It was easy to use and I love that you could fill it with your own cleaner instead of having to buy special cleaner refills.  I also love that the spray is so strong.  You can actually hear it spray and it sprays really well.  The mop cleans well and I could definitely see the difference. 

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From the time I was in sixth grade until I graduated from college, I attended a Catholic school.  Through high school, we had dress codes so that all kids have a foundation of equality.

Equality.  It's an important thing to learn.

We had rules there that we didn't have when I was at a public school.  In 6th-8th grade, when the principal came to the classroom door, we were required to stand beside our desks and greet him.  "Good morning, Father (principal)."  When he responded, we were allowed to sit back down and resume our studies.

Respect.  It's an important thing to learn.

I remember a lot about those years because it was so different than what we did at the public school.  We started each day with a prayer and the Pledge. 

Faith and allegiance.  Important things to learn.

When it came to school supplies, it was very basic.  We always watched for things to go on sale and we stocked up.  Even then, I remember making sure that the spiral notebook and the two-pocket folder for the same subject matched.  Books needed to be covered with appropriate cover materials - the school sold covers that had typical prayers and school sayings on it.  That's what we used most.  We didn't really do anything fancy like Trapper-Keepers.

When I was offered the opportunity to participate in a Collective Bias campaign for "Back to School With Purpose", I immediately responded. It's a nice feeling being able to help someone. But connecting someone to a company who has an interest in reaching out to the community is a great feeling too.

This particular campaign was created by DaySpring - the faith-based division of Hallmark. The point of the campaign was to go back to school with a purpose.  Providing hope and encouragement as we begin a new school year. 

Hope and encouragement.  Those are important things to learn.

There's so much to say about this campaign that I don't know where to start.  First, I think that it's a great community outreach project for DaySpring.  The problem that I had was it's a line of religious products. While I don't personally have a problem with it (obviously), I wasn't sure how the schools would be if I decided to drop off school supplies that included religious items.  Last thing I would want is for something of value to be discarded for political reasons. 

So I contacted the church and asked if they had a parishioner who could use this gift.  The Director of Religious Education and the Deacon both agreed that they had a family in mind.  The parents were great and would welcome such a thoughtful care package.  The family included two 4th grade boys (twins) and an older daughter who was in (I think) 8th grade.

My daughters and I discussed the purpose of this project and I explained that not everyone can afford the things they need... let alone the things they want.  We were purchasing these items for a family would was less fortunate than us.  I suggested that they bring along their purses in case they wanted to contribute something on their own.  I figured a box of crayons or a bottle of glue would only be a quarter or less so it would instill the idea with minimal impact on them financially.  I was provided compensation for these supplies, so having a 7 year old and 5 year old dig into their own purses for someone else seemed like asking a lot. 

We set out to Walmart for this shopping experience on Sunday, the day after the tax-free holiday ended.  Products were pretty scarce in general but finding the DaySpring products posed an even bigger challenge.  I expected a nice end cap but couldn't find anything labeled DaySpring.  Finally, after like 10 minutes of circling the school supply section, I asked an employee. 

She walked us directly to the products and also pointed out that there were more scattered about in other sections.  I personally thought the entire DaySpring line (of matching products) would all be displayed together.  I think the only things that were actually elsewhere ended up being the pencil cases.  They matched the rest of the line of folders, binders, composition notebooks and spiral notebooks but they were in with the rest of the pencil cases.

The girls and I picked one of each of the different DaySpring themes and put them in the basket. We proceeded to hunt about until we found a boy as close to 4th grade as we could. Figured we wouldn't want to purchase something too uncool for a boy that age!

When a young man finally helped us, he picked out a few different that looked masculine. The funny thing about the line is that they look very contemporary and don't scream "I'm religious!" at all.

I think they look great and although the pickings for boys was pretty limited, there were a ton that were just beautiful.  Very feminine though.  

We had already completed most of our back-to-school shopping prior to this campaign beginning but I encouraged the girls to pick out something from the DaySpring line.  They don't need many folders or notebooks at their age, but for a child who is older, the DaySpring line provides a lot of variety!

The school the twins would attend didn't have a list available at my Walmart so we utilized a list for a different school figuring most 4th grade classes would be similar.  After a few hours scouring the store for the products, choosing backpacks, asking boys their opinions, picking DaySpring products and getting a special surprise for the twins, we finally were ready to check out.  When all was said and done, we had purchased backpacks for two boys and had a balance still available to put on a gift card for the family to fill in the blanks of what we didn't purchase - or for their older sister who would probably love some of the DaySpring products!

We had an awesome experience and I was so proud of my daughters for a heartfelt and unselfish contribution they made to the backpack.  Please take a minute to watch the Whrrl slideshow to see all the details of this rewarding experience including what my daughters decided was necessary to make this project complete.

To find out what else DaySpring is involved with, stop by their forums, follow DaySpringCards on Twitter or "like" DaySpring on Facebook. To follow along with the Back to School with Purpose campaign, visit the official website (launches 8/12).  Contact your local Walmart to see if they're carrying DaySpring products.  If not, use the DaySpring "find a store" page on the website. (As of this writing, Walmart in our area is NOT showing up on the list but since I purchased product there, I can tell you that it SHOULD be!)

If you're a blogger, you can help spread the Back to School #WithPurpose word.  DaySpring has partnered with Adopt-A-Classroom to bring supplies to classrooms that might not otherwise be able to afford it.  Check out their site for more information on how to join!

Oh, and if you're really inspired by their mission and products, you can become a home party consultant through their Blessings Unlimited company.

One last thing...

#WithPurpose.  That's an important thing to learn.

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It's time for the kids to head back to school. As much as they love each other, they're ready to not be in the same house with each other 24x7. And as much as I love them, I'm ready to have a quiet house for at least a few hours a day.

In preparation for back to school, we're stocking up on all the things we need. School supplies, clothes, shoes, backpacks... all those essentials.

Then the other day, I received an email from the school. The lunch schedule for August.

As I surveyed the schedule, I remembered that my girls aren't fans of all the cafeteria food. Miss M takes a lunch about 1-2 times per week and Miss K about 3-4 times.

Then I realized that I hadn't given any thought to lunches. A trip to Sam's Club was in order.

Perfect timing, too, because MyBlogSpark had a back-to-school campaign for General Mills and Sam's Club. Heck, figured I would be there anyhow so I might as well participate in the campaign!

General Mills has provided bonus boxtops on participating General Mills products. 6 extra box tops on each. While this might not mean much to parents without kids in school, those of us who do have kids greatly value the Box Tops 4 Education program.

I had some of the information in hand from MyBlogSpark but wanted to confirm with my local club since I didn't recall seeing anything in the local paper. We headed to the Sam's Club in Davenport, Iowa and I spoke with Linda at the customer service desk. Despite being very busy, she didn't mind spending a few minutes answering my questions.

While the schedule will vary by club, our Sam's Club organized their event to coincide with Iowa's Tax-Free weekend. That's this weekend! For people who upgrade to or sign up for a Plus membership from August 6-13th, they'll receive an additional 150 bonus box tops. 150! That's the equivalent of 150 boxes of Hamburger Helper. As an added bonus, our Sam's Club will include a free pepperoni pizza or rotisserie chicken to introduce you to their "Fresh" departments.

I put together a Whrrl story to show you how our trip went!





For the first entry (required) -
(2) Leave a comment on this post at SahmReviews.com letting me know what item at Sam's Club is on your back-to-school list!

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