BBMReview

Lakeshore Christmas (The Lakeshore Chronicles) by Susan Wiggs

TKDDaughter — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:32:36 -0500

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by MotherTalk on behalf of Lakeshore Christmas and received a copy of the book to facilitate my candid review. In addition, Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.”

What is it about small town America that draws us towards it? Is it the simple life that we really all desire, or is it the honest people we imagine living there, or the great sense of fellowship? I find myself drawn to stories set in these small towns, being pulled into a life I think I would enjoy immensely.

Lakeshore Christmas, part of The Lakeshore Chronicles by Susan Wiggs, delivers that small town feeling at a time of year that reminds us what friends, faith, and simplicity really mean in our lives. The characters are typical, but that's what makes them so endearing to us...the reserved librarian with a past, the Hollywood star/rocker with a heart of gold, the struggling teenage mom, the bad teenagers who find the right path. And of course, the conflict...

At the heart of the story is the town Christmas pageant, the one thing that can save the characters and the heart of the town. In the end, miracles will happen and it makes the reader believe again in the goodness of others.

Lakeshore Christmas makes you want to get those decorations out and start baking cookies. Grab a cup of tea and your coziest blanket and enjoy a heartwarming and fulfilling novel! Thanks for MotherTalk for hooking me up with yet another delightful read!

TKDDaughter gives Lakeshore Christmas a:

Magnificent Manicure Kit

Black Belt Mama — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:44:46 -0400

When I was in high school, chemistry class was a real drag. I barely passed. The lab smelled terrible and the experiments we did scared the living daylights out of me. Bunsen burners are scary people; admit it.

However, if chemistry had been made relevant to me, I might have had a different opinion about it. Enter the Magnificent Manicure Kit.

Named one of the best toys of the year, I can definitely see why. My husband, who happens to have a degree in chemistry, jumped right on board with this fancy toy. The girls spent an hour, sitting at a table, mixing things and creating their very own manicure materials including fragranced lotion and buffing cream.

When all was said and done, they had learned a bit about cosmetic chemistry and they both had beautiful nails to show for it. And, even better, the husband had helped them. While the "experimental" part is actually pretty simple, the girls couldn't help but feel like they could now get jobs at Clinique Cosmetics.

The toy completed occupied them and they actually learned something too. How often does that happen at the same time? While using the Magnificent Manicure Kit, kids will be able to make their hands silky with crystal mud, get to soak hands in a sea-salt scrub, create their own custom scented lotion, and buff and shine their nails. It's like a little kid spa in a box.

If I had to find a negative, it's that you can only do it once. I mean, sure you can give yourself manicures, but the actual mixing and making only happens one time. The girls enjoyed that part so much that it would have been nice if they could have had some options for future play, maybe several different scented lotions or something along those lines.

The manicure kit is for ages 8 and up, but with strict supervision, I'm sure younger kids could potentially enjoy it as well. The kit retails for about $18 and you can find it everywhere from Big Box retailers to small creative toy outlets online. The maker of this kit? Elmers of all people; you know, the glue people. How about that.

BBM gives the Magnificent Manicure Kit a. . .

Sonicare for Kids

Black Belt Mama — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:19:46 -0400

This is a compensated review from Sonicare for Kids and BlogHer.

I'll be honest. I always thought that the people who spent mucho dinero on toothbrushes that came in a box were insane. I mean, the dentist gives you a free one every six months. What did I need with one of those crazy Sonicare toothbrushes. More so, why would my kids ever need one?

People, Sonicare has made me a believer.

At first I was worried about whether or not my kids would go for it. Sonicare for Kids does not come shaped like a princess or a mermaid. It does have interchangeable panels for the front of it, but they're definitely more generic than your grocery store toothbrush. I wasn't sure I could get my girls to switch.

However, when it came, it was red and my girls liked that right away. It also came with two different toothbrush heads which was perfect considering one was for 4 year olds and the other was for bigger kids, 8+. My girls are easily able to tell their toothbrush head apart since one is red and the other is blue. They quickly learned how to pop their toothbrush head onto the Sonicare and get busy.

Right away, I fell in love with the Sonicare for Kids and it's special feature to make kids brush longer. Every minute, for four minutes, the toothbrush plays a little part of a song. When you complete the entire time, it plays the entire little tune. We went from brushing for only seconds to brushing for the full time overnight and I know that will make a big difference in their oral health.

The toothbrush comes with two settings and the girls can easily turn the toothbrush on with their recommended intensity by themselves. I thought it would take some time to get used to the Sonicare for Kids, but it has become a wonderful addition to our family and the girls' brushing routine.

I can speak for myself on this issue, as I also received a Sonicare FlexCare to try. It is like visiting the dentist every single day, twice a day and it's amazing. The clean that you get from it is completely unlike any other toothbrush I have ever tried. My teeth feel silky, the way they do when you leave the dentist. In fact, when I visited the dentist last week and told them we're using Sonicare's now, they were thrilled! They said they notice a big difference in their patients who use Sonicare's.

My only criticisms of the toothbrush are that one needs to be really careful with little ones. The toothbrush head for my 4-year old doesn't stay on the way it did when we got it. She says she didn't drop it or anything, but whatever held the head on tightly doesn't work anymore. Now we have to hold it on until we get a new toothbrush head. My only other criticism is that the Sonicare is pretty intense and one needs to make sure that when you turn it on, the toothbrush is in your mouth! If not, the spray from the toothpaste is going to make cleaning your vanity a daily thing. I happened to spray myself in the eye the first day I used it; but people, let me just tell you that you only make that mistake once. This shouldn't be a reason to prevent you from getting one yourself.

A Sonicare for Kids starter package starts at around $69.99. The package comes with two brush heads, three interchangeable plates for when your kids get bored with the looks of the toothbrush, a plug-in charger and complete instructions. You can find brush head replacements for around $21.99 for a package of two. A Sonicare for Kids toothbrush would make a great Christmas gift for kids.

I never understood why people would spend so much money on a toothbrush, but I now know that the family and I will be life-long converts. Thank you Sonicare and BlogHer for the opportunity to review these wonderful products!

You don't have to be a BlogHer reviewer though, to try the Sonicare. You can enter for one of eight chances to win a $100 Visa card or a Sonicare prize package below. You can also check out the other reviews simply by going here.

If you'd like more information, directly from Sonicare, please click here.

Contest Rules:

To enter to win a $100 Visa card, leave me a comment below and tell me "How do you handle your kids' dental hygiene?" - or you may leave a link to your post on your own blog in the comments below. The contest will begin at 9:00 a.m. (PST) 10/15/2009 and will end 5:00 p.m. (PST) 11/15/2009. Make sure that the e-mail address you leave is correct.

Rules:

No duplicate comments.
You may receive an additional entry by linking on twitter and leaving a link in the comments.
You may receive an additional entry by blogging about this contest and leaving a link in the comments.
This giveaway is open to US-residents, 18 years of age or older
Winners will be selected via random draw, and will notified by e-mail.
You have 48 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
Please see the official rules here.

Winners will be chosen with this random generator. There are eight reviewers which means you have eight chances to win a $100 Visa card so you can buy your own Sonicare for Kids. And, there's also the Sonicare prize pack. Visit the link above for the complete round-up! Good luck!

BBM gives the Sonicare for Kids. . .

Wendy's High School Heismann Program + GIVEAWAY!!

TKDDaughter — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 23:06:42 -0400

I teach high school, ninth-graders specifically. I am amazed each year as more and more parents are stressed out about college when their children enter the ninth grade. While I understand that every decision and choice in high school impacts the college application, it makes me a bit sad that children have so much stress so early.

Students today work hard. They are over scheduled and still maintain good grade averages and help in their communities. As a way of showcasing and congratulating these students who work so hard and achieve so much, Wendy's is continuing its eight year tradition of the Wendy's High School Heisman Program. Here's how it works:

High school seniors who have a 3.0 average or higher, participate in a school-sponsored sport and contribute to their community can apply at www.WendysHeisman.com, or a high school educator, guidance counselor, or coach can nominate them. As a little reward, the first 41,100 applicants will receive a free Wendy's gift card in amounts ranging from $5 to $50. One male and one female from each high school will win the award and continue on in competition for state and national awards. Twelve national finalists will participate in Heisman Weekend festivities during an all-expenses-paid trip Dec. 11-13 to New York City. ESPN2 will feature all 12 national finalists during the Wendy's High School Heisman Awards Ceremony, which airs Dec. 13. The Wendy's High School Heisman website will display the names of all applicants and individual school winners on October 22, 2009.

I encourage any parents or teachers to let the high school seniors in their lives know about this great opportunity. And anyone who leaves a comment here will be entered into a drawing for a $20 Wendy's gift card-you can't beat that!

For encouraging kids to keep working hard, TKDDaughter gives the Wendy's High School Heisman Program a:

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Wendy's and received a gift certificate to giveaway and to thank me for taking the time to participate.

L'Oréal Paris Color of Hope-Now YOU Can Help!

Black Belt Mama — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:18:27 -0400

This is a compensated review from BlogHer and L'Oreal Paris.

When I first "met" Lisa aka Clusterfook, it was online. She was writing a blog called "Not the 'C' word" for our local online newspaper, and I was publishing a syndicated version of my own blog at the same place. My visitors were frequently unfriendly, as our area is not known for having the nicest people; but Lisa became a visitor and left me a friendly comment which prompted me to visit her blog.

I started reading her archives and realized she had been through quite an ordeal. Recurrent ovarian cancer was her diagnosis and she was finally free from it. . . or so she thought.

As I began to follow her main blog, "Clusterfook" I realized that her battle was just again beginning. Lisa went through months of surgeries, missed diagnoses, and pain before she finally decided that her fight was over. No matter what she did, her cancer got worse. No matter how her readers hoped and prayed, it wasn't going to bring a cure.

I met Lisa at Tequila Con in Philadelphia and was amazed at her sunny outlook despite her diagnosis. It wasn't long though, before going places like Tequila Con couldn't happen anymore. Lisa entered hospice care.

That's Lisa with the glasses.

When I don't know what to do for someone in this situation, I cook. So when Karl came to visit Lisa to get her blog in order before she passed, I cooked up a ton of food and sent it back to her house with him. A few weeks later, I cooked up a storm again and delivered it myself. It was just three days before Lisa passed and although really difficult, after she was gone, I was glad that I was able to see her one last time, squeeze her hand and tell her goodbye.

Before, all I could do was cook. Now I can do something else and you can help too.

L'Oréal Paris has partnered with the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF), and has created a "Color of Hope" make-up line to help raise money for research. The purchase of individual items (including eye shadow quartets, lip sticks, lip glosses, and nail polishes will result in a $1 donation per purchased item. The prices of these individual items start at just $4.99 and go up to about $9.99.

As with the ovarian cancer bracelets that Lisa used to make in pretty shades of teal, L'Oréal Paris has also created a beautiful quartet of teals and blues, as well as collections in mauve and plum. There is something for everyone in this collection.

If you choose instead to purchase the make-up bag you'll get eye shadow, lip gloss and lipstick (a retail value of $50) for $29.95. The L'Oréal Paris Color of Hope Cosmetic bag will be available for purchase beginning in September 2009. Purchases can be made online via www.lorealcolorofhope.com while supplies last. L'Oréal Paris will donate $5 from each cosmetic bag purchased to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF).

I've had about a week to try the colors out myself. The mauves are just beautiful and the "Color of Hope" lipstick has to be my favorite, tied with the lip gloss. Unlike most lip glosses that have a small want, this wand is soft and helps you to avoid looking "goopy" when you put it on. The teal shadow took some practice at first, but it too is just lovely. Applying it with a q-tip allows for more precise application and that made all the difference.

Because every girl needs some new fall make-up to match the new season's colors, I hope you'll pick up a make-up bag or some of the individual products today. This is a great way to help future generations of women so they don't have to have their lives cut short the way Lisa's was.

For more information and other reviews of new products, check out BlogHer's special offer page for more information.

If you would like more information about L'Oréal Paris' "Color of Hope" program, please visit the L'Oréal Color of Hope site for more information.

BBM gives the L'Oréal Paris Color of Hope line. . .

Have you or any of your friends and family been affected by Ovarian Cancer? What do you think of L'Oréal Paris and their 12 year committment to help the OCRF?

"Daniel X: Watch the Skies" by James Patterson & Ned Rust

Black Belt Mama — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:37:00 -0400

If you're looking for a teenage friendly alien hunter, you're not going to find any better than Daniel X. Daniel returns in this sequel to the first alien hunting book, on the hunt for Space Alien #5. His journey is not your typical Star Wars-ish adventure.

Set in "Holliswood" and reeking of aliens and society's current craze with reality television, Patterson and Rust have created yet another enjoyable and adolescent friendly novel that both boys and girls will enjoy. The best thing about these books is that there is no shortage of aliens, which means the series will surely continue on for quite a while.

What's great about Daniel X books is that they are smart, entertaining, and seem to relate well to younger generations without seeming contrived. Patterson and Rust are good at nailing the sarcasm of a teenager without sounding mouthy. And what parent can resist a main character who conjures up his parents for advice whenever necessary?

An added joy in this book, at least for me, was the mention of martial arts several times. Although it only stayed on the surface and didn't delve any deeper than that, the mere mention of Daniel X using martial arts techniques to defeat evil aliens made me happy.

My only potential criticism or more of a concern actually, is that over time, the books and Daniel X's adventures could become a bit formulaic. But for now, it works so read away.

Although in the first book, Daniel X only has an imaginary girlfriend, in this book we have a bit of a love story that is super sweet, but not over the top. With electric eels, electric first kisses, and electri-charged aliens, this book is one you'll want to put on the list for your kids. With manageable chapters and a fast-paced story, Daniel X: Watch the Skies is another Patterson success. Thanks to Mothertalk.com for the opportunity to review this book!

BBM gives Daniel X: Watch the Skies. . .

Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime Seasoning Blend

TKDDaughter — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 08:26:06 -0400

A little over seven months, my father suffered two massive strokes. By the grace of God, he received medical help within the needed time frame, and we are blessed to have him with us today, with very little long-term damage. DUring the recovery, diet became a huge concern. Low-fat, low sugar, low cholesterol, low sodium-ugh! If you do low-fat, the sodium is high. If you do all of the above, there's not taste. I spent hours in the grocery store, reading labels, hoping I wasn't adding to my father's health issues.

That's when I checked out Mrs. Dash. We always had Mrs. Dash growing up, but what I didn't know was that many varieties of Mrs. Dash that were out there (over fifteen!!!). Mrs. Dash is introducing two new seasoning blends, Fiesta Lime and Caribbean Citrus, and Mom Central asked me to play around with one of the seasonings and let you know what I thought. They sent me the FIesta Lime blend and yum! It popped with flavor and I wasn't dying of thirst afterward.

There are recipes at Mrs. Dash, but I decided to make something up. My friend's garden is plentiful, so I steamed up some yellow zucchini and some fresh green beans, mixed it with a little olive oil, sprinkled on the Fiesta Lime seasoning blend and served over a bed of brown rice, black beans and a touch of salsa. Fresh and yummy! The husband even enjoyed it!

I can't wait to try the Caribbean Citrus blend soon. Both new flavors would be great on fish or in a salsa...hmmmm, now I know what I'm having for dinner tonight!

TKDDaughter gives the new Fiesta Lime seasoning blend by Mrs. Dash a

McAfee Family Protection

TKDDaughter — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 23:58:42 -0400

In the world we live in, danger is all around us. In the "good ol' days," you could shut out the bad things when you closed your front door...now, danger follows us right in and makes itself at home. This poses an extra problem for parents whose children use the computer. McAfee Family Protection software aims to help curb some of a parent's fears on keeping their kids safe.

What I like about the software is the many features that focus on monitoring computer usage...I have found that you can filter all you want, some sites still get through the cracks...this way, I can see who has been where in case one of those sites sneaks through. (Although, I have to tell you, nothing bad has gotten through!)

For you, BBM Review readers, McAfee is offering a discount through August 31, 2009 to save $5 off the McAfee Family Protection. The promo code is: 5familyprotection. Take advantage of this great savings while protecting your family!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of McAfee and received a sample to facilitate my candid review. In addition, McAfee sent me a blanket and care package to thank me for taking the time to participate.

For giving parents some peace of mind while their kids surf the web, TKDDaughter gives McAfee Family Protection:

Chex Mix Snack Bars

Black Belt Mama — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:36:23 -0400

I am not the "bar" kind of girl. I guess this is probably because I'm one of those people who has always preferred it when my foods don't touch. I don't like the mixing of ingredients in most cases. This has always baffled my children, seeing as how they practically live on breakfast bars, yogurt bars, fruit bars. . . I could go on. In fact, if I could have found meat bars at the points in their lives where they were protesting protein, I'm pretty sure they would have eaten them.

Chex Mix Snack Bars are obviously a bit hit in this family. My husband and the girls have devoured them, pretty much without chewing, since they arrived on our doorstep.

We tried the Chex Mix Bars in the "Turtle" variety. They include Caramel-Covered Corn Chex pieces, Wheat Chex pieces, Chocolate, Peanuts, and Pretzels. Maybe my whole aversion to anything "bar-related" had to do with the fact that there was never any chocolate involved, because these bars are definitely worth a try if you have snackers in the family.

Despite the fact that there's also this messy stuff in them, the bars stay together very nicely when eaten and I think they'll probably remain a staple snack in our household from now on. When something with chocolate in it says "Good Source of Whole Grain!" on the box, I'm in.

If you'd like to try them in your house, all you need to do is leave a comment below telling me how you like to unwind at the end of the day. What's your favorite comfort food? Three readers will be chosen to receive two boxes each of the Chex Mix Bars.

BBM gives the Chex Mix Bars. . .

Thanks to MyBlogSpark for letting us try them!

The Classical Three Section Staff

Ikigai 108 — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 14:34:56 -0400

I've played with a lot of weapons in my day, but the three section staff is a scary one. Does any other weapon scream quite so clearly "hey, hit yourself in the head!"

That's why I decided to check out "The Classical Three Section Staff" by Rick L. Wing.

I had my reservations about the book at first because it seemed like a normal color-by-numbers martial arts text (show a couple pictures, explain some foot positions, call it a day).

Although "Three Section Staff" does follow a pretty standard setup, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the content. The author provided excellent information about the history of the weapon and wrote in a very approachable manner. At no point did Wing try to sound like the master of all things staff.

One of my favorite parts of the book was in the beginning when Wing discussed the hand positions used with the staff. Seeing his pictures and examples of how the postures could be used was very enlightening.

Example of a Three Section Staff

Rather than trying to pass on a whole "Style", Wing geared the bulk of his book around a single two-man form. The form is a sample combative engagement of the three-section staff vs a spear. As Wing explains it, the techniques contained in this single form allow the practitioner to understand the core principles of the weapon. Therefore, the methods used here can be used anywhere.

The pictures contained in the book are very well taken and the angles help demonstrate what is happening. Although I personally haven't learned the form contained in the book, I have gleaned a lot from the ideas discussed.

Right now in my training I am not trying to become an expert at three section staff. If I ever did want to significantly increase my proficiency, I would certainly use this text as a highly valuable resource.

Overall, Ikigai108 gives "The Classical Three Section Staff"...

Would you like to purchase this book? Check it out here!