Let me paint you a scene that up until very recently was very common in my home.  It’s the start of a family event and I pull out the digital camera to snap some pictures of the family.  Only to have the camera die after 2 minutes because the batteries are dead.  Unfortunately, by the time the batteries are recharged the party will be over and I have no pictures to show for it.

Well, thanks to my friend Colleen, this is not the case anymore.  Thanks to Colleen, or Classy Mommy as you may now her, and Energizer I was able to check out Energizer’s 15 Minute battery charger.  Words cannot describe my appreciation.  This 15 minute charger WILL charge your rechargeable batteries in 15 minutes.  And when you have little ones and are ready to capture their silly moments, 15 minutes is about all the time you can spare waiting for batteries to recharge.

The best part perhaps is that this charger comes with a car plug in adapter.  This has been so helpful as well because there have been times that we are headed out the door, grab the camera and find out that the batteries are dead.  An average car trip (15-20 mins) and by the time we get to our destination the batteries are ready to be used.  If you have little children like I do and take car trips often you know how much of a godsend it is to be able to recharge batteries in the car quickly.  No more whines about the electronic toy dying and no replacement batteries available.

Just a word of caution that due to the speed at which this charger works, your batteries will be hot at the time the charge is complete.  Follow the manufacturer instructions and allow for cooling time before handling them.  Thanks Colleen and Energizer for the opportunity to review this lifesaver!

I first had a chance to try Flat Earth chips last year when the product was initially coming out and there were free item coupons available.  The Farmland Cheddar was actually an instant hit with my husband.  What I really like about the chips is that they are baked BUT they don’t taste like they are baked.  If you have ever tried baked chips you probably know that they lack the crunchiness that fried chips have.  Not Flat Earth chips, they are crunchy, they are crisp and they are oh so tasty.

Recently Frito Lay the maker of Earth Chips has come out with a very hilarious cartoon webseries called “A Woman’s World.”  I hate to compare but this series is like a G rated, but so much funnier and realistic version of  “Sex in the City.”  You have to check it out.  There are actually four episodes already available, in addition to the premiere.  Enjoy!

Have you ever listened to music from Yanni?  I have but it had been a very long time since the last time I heard any of his CDs, at least 8 years.  While I enjoyed his instrumental music from the 90s, it always ended up making me very sleepy after a while.  The music is great and relaxing but sometimes it was just too relaxing.

Thanks to One2One network I had the opportunity to give Yanni music a second chance.  The title of this CD made me curious enough, Yanni Voices? certainly something I was not expecting.  I popped the CD into my car’s CD player without even looking at the CD box.  I just wanted to be surprised and I was.

The CD has songs in English, Spanish and Italian.  The music is also more upbeat and you are likely to find more than one song you will fall in love with.  Personally, I really enjoyed “Before the Night Ends” by Leslie Mills.  But my favorite were “Mi Todo Eres Tu, “Ritual de amor” and “Mas All.”

I think this CD has the potential to satisfy old and new Yanni fans.  It still contains the essence of previous Yanni work, while being updated with youthful beats and tones.

Buying batteries can become a real budget drain for families.  Using a lot of batteries is also not good for the environment.  My husband and have saved a lot of money and avoided creating a lot of waste by using rechargeable batteries.  In the past I have enjoyed using rechargeable batteries but have also experienced some frustration.  This frustration was caused by not completely charged batteries that died soon after I started using them.

All of that has changed thanks to the new Energizer Easy Charger Rechargeable that was sent to me thanks to Energizer and my fellow Elevenmom Colleen, from Classy Mommy.  Colleen has been invited by Energizer to become an online brand advocate.  This new Easy Charger by Energizer charges your batteries in about 3 hours.  Not only that, but it also has a “charging” light and a “done” light to let you know your batteries are done charging.  No more guessing!

In addition to that the charger has an auto shut-off, so you don’t have to worry about leaving it plugged for a while. The charger comes with four AA batteries but you can also use the same charger to charge four AAA batteries.  I also really liked that it comes with three different “skins” so you can choose the way you want it to look: white, black or silver.

Using rechargeable batteries is not only good for your budget but also good for the the planet.  If you are looking for a reliable and convenient rechargeable battery system I highly recommend the Energizer Easy Charger System.  As it not only charges your batteries quickly but it also protects your batteries from damage with the auto shut-off feature thus extending their life.

Did you know that because we fear success and the change that comes with it we abandon projects? Here are some common example of self sabotage situations: The person who resigns themselves to their dead end job because there’s no way they can pay for their way through college on the salary you make.  How about the guy who wins the lottery and in less that two years has squandered it all away? The person who decides to pay down their debt but decides to charge more items because there is no way s/he will ever be able to pay it all off anyway.

This book is a simple an easy tool to help ourselves achieve personal growth.  I feel that nowadays the message in this book is very appropriate.  Many people are feeling defeated by their financial situation, maybe they have lost a job or they just can’t make ends meet.  Resigning yourself to that state and giving up helps perpetuate that economic reality.  Realizing that you do deserve better and that getting what you want is within YOUR reach is something this book can help you achieve. Read Stop Self Sabotage by Pat Pearson if you want to break free from the patterns of behaviours that keep you away from success.

Thanks to Kmart and their double coupons promotions I was able to score quite a few Scotch-Brite Nailsaver sponges for free.  For years my family has been Scotch-Brite brand loyal and have been very satisfied with their Heavy Duty Scrub Sponge (green and yellow).  I looked forward to using these newly designed sponges.

When I first tried them I noticed that the sponge material was different than that of the Heavy Duty Scrub Sponge.  I liked the curved shape and even the thicker sponge.  The scrubbing part did it’s work very well and although I seldom wear nail polish I felt the curve and thickness helped keep my nails safe.

However, I noticed that after only a couple of weeks the scrub part was coming unglued from the sponge part.  This was a problem we never had with the Heavy Duty Scrub Sponges.  So I found myself having to replace the sponge sooner than what I usually do.

All taken into account Scotch Brite Nailsaver sponges are good at scrubbing and the shape and thickness of the sponge do help keep your nails intact. The only drawback is that the sponge seems to become unglued faster than other Scotch Brite sponges.  At this time unless I find this sponge very cheap after coupons I will keep buying the Scotch Brite Sponge Scrub that does a good job at scrubbing as well and seems to have a longer life that the Nailsaver sponges.

Back at the beginning of the summer my family decided to purchase a laptop.  When we (meaning my Husband, the tech savvy half of the marriage) were investigating the purchase of a ‘budget’ (under $800.00) laptop, the Dell Inspiron 1525 continually came up as one of the top choices in quality and performance.  We ultimately purchased a Red Dell Inspiron. Fast forward a few months and as part of the ElevenMoms program, Dell Inc. has graciously lent me a Lime Green Inspiron 1525 to review.

There are not only several standard versions of the 1525 available in stores and online, but, of course, on Dell’s website, you can customize your computer with a vast amount of options ranging from color, processor type/speed, hard drive size, memory, even down to the type of power cords and batteries you may desire, and the list goes on…

The 1525 we were sent to test and review has the following specs:

Intel® Core 2 duo T5800 (2.0 GHz. / 800Mhz. FSB) processor with 15.4 inch screen

Windows Vista Home Premium

3 GB DDR2 ram

250 GB SATA hard drive

Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3100

CD/DVD +/- RW Drive

Intel Next Gen Wireless-N mini card

Integrated 2.0M pixel webcam

6 cell battery

This system has worked flawlessly for us right out of the box.  It was easy to set up.  We had no trouble transferring all our files/folders, photos and music.  While we are very fluent with Windows XP, the switch to Vista was slow at first, but now that we have been using Vista for a few months, it has been very easy to learn and use.  We have no trouble going back and forth between our other computers that use XP and Vista.  The 6 cell battery life is a little short (I would recommend the upgrade to the 9 cell extended life battery, especially if you travel often or can’t keep it plugged in).  The system as a whole is extremely fast and responsive, with its 800 MHz FSB and 3GB of ram, it is more than sufficient for anything we ever will do.  It is fairly thin, not too heavy and so far the only minor negative is the speaker/sound system which is not very loud (but nothing earphones or plug in speakers can’t fix).  Overall, this is an excellent laptop capable of handling anything we throw at it (internet, photos, music, business software, and even games).

I would like mention as a final note, that being the frugal shoppers that we are we have previously purchased several items (including the laptop I already mentioned, a desktop, and a printer) from Dell Outlet.  This same system at Dell Outlet currently lists for $569.00 (plus tax and shipping).  While Best Buy® sells it for $749.00 and is currently on sale, $100 off, for $649.00 (plus tax).

The systems on sale through Dell Outlet have been fully refurbished and Dell certified with the same 1 yr. warranty that any ‘new’ Dell item offers. Refurbished could mean a customer return, however, it can also mean a factory defect that was repaired at the plant, but this can not be listed as ‘new’.  To date, we have never had a problem with any factory refurbished product we have purchased, and with the same warranty as a new item, we have never worried about it.  I would recommend to anyone who is planning on making big ticket item purchases to look into factory refurbished products as a less expensive way to get the same top quality items as store-bought-new.  In fact, our current all-in-one printer is finally about to die (after 10 years, that’s not bad). My husband has done his usual due diligence and research and has (totally coincidentally) determined that a Dell all-in-one color laser printer 21355cn is the best rated all-in-one color laser printer that meets our personal and blog business needs.  This system currently lists for $549 new, but is available at Dell for $429.

Thank you Dell for the opportunity to check out another Dell laptop!

Let me start by saying that my husband is the ultimate thread count snob. He won’t consider sleeping in anything that is less than 800 thread count. So when I received this set I didn’t share with him this little secret. Canopy sheets are made of 300 thread count Egyptian Cotton. I am not going to lie and say he didn’t notice because he did BUT he also didn’t complain and taking it from the complete snob that he is that is HUGE!

I loved that the fitted sheet has very deep pockets. We have a very thick mattress (21 inches or so) and none of our other sheets fit it very well. But the Canopy sheets actually had room to spare. So if you have a thick mattress chances are these sheets will fit it well. The flat sheet is also nice and big. The pillow cases are for king pillows which our regular pillows are not so I had to fix those myself. But that’s a straight seam with a sewing machine. Sleeping under the comforter is very comfortable, not too cool or warm.

In conclusion, I am very happy with this set of sheets. They fit nicely my mattress. My husband was happy with them and I am happy they seem durable. Thank you Walmart for giving us a chance to try the Canopy Bedding.

So the folks at Fisher price thought it would be a good idea to let my three year old test drive their Kid Tough Portable DVD player. It came just in time too, as we were getting ready to travel and we needed distraction for my son during the two two-hour flights we were about to take.

The Kid Tough Portable DVD player really is made tough. When you take it and hold it, you appreciate that it is made of durable plastic material. There’s nothing flimsy about it. The buttons are kid friendly and my son had no trouble mastering how to use them in no time.

What I liked about this player is that I am confident in can withstand the heavy use a three year old can give to it. It is portable ans easy to carry by a small child. One thing as parents we need to be careful of is that the player allows children to change the DVDs all on their own. You may need some parental supervision when this goes on to make sure your child doesn’t damage any of his/her beloved DVDs.

Thanks to Fisher Price and Walmart for letting us sample this top 12 toy pick for the 2008 holiday season.

Thanks to Walmart and V-Tech my almost four year old has had a chance to check out this toy. The V-Tech V-Motion is a learning system that through play encourages children to learn. For parents it is very easy to set up and for children it is very easy to Play. The control can be used as a joystick or it can also be used based on motion. This is a very good feature for children who are not able to maneuver a joystick well but can play the game by just moving their arms.

The games are entertaining and promote interactive learning. My son is not quite there yet so some of the games are a little bit ahead for him since they may require simple addition and subtraction skills. Your child will look forward to playing them because they feature popular characters such as Mickey mouse, Kung fu Panda or Dora the Explorer.

As a mom this is what I like about this toy: as parents we are trying to keep our children away from video games. Unfortunately my son is exposed to them when he visits older cousins or friends. I feel this system provides him the opportunity to feel included in what the older children are doing while promoting learning. I feel this is a very smart substitution. You just need to be careful when you pick games to make sure they are for your child’s age otherwise the child may feel frustrated and lose interest.

Thank you Walmart and V-Tech for letting us check out such a great toy.