Dad of Divas

Boy Scouts Turn 100!

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:57:00 +0000

For nearly a century, the Boy Scouts of America has brought families and communities together to prepare America’s youth to live, work, and play with character and integrity. Adventure Base 100 is one of eight major engagement programs the organization is undertaking as part of its 100th Anniversary Celebration.

In celebration of the organization’s 100th anniversary, the Boy Scouts of America will be rolling into Los Angeles on New Year’s Day with a 10,000-square-foot campus of immersive Scout-related experiences: a ropes course, hands-on exhibits, digital interactives, a multi-sensory IMAX-like Go! Dome, stage, and much, much more! Kids and parents alike will enjoy exploring the campus. Not in LA? Don’t worry. AB 100 will be coming to a location near you. Click here to see a list of other locations and dates.

Additionally, BSA is entering a float, “Celebrating the Adventure, Continuing the Journey”, into this year’s Rose Parade, the first time it has done so in more than 50 years.

When: Friday, January 1st 1pm to 5pm
Saturday, January 2nd 7am to 5pm
Sunday, January 3rd 7am to 5pm

Where: Pasadena Rose Parade - Post Parade 2800 E. Sierra Madre Blvd., Pasadena, California

So if you live in California or are planning a trip for the Rose Bowl...check out this celebration. It should be a great, interactive display that would be great to visit directly in California or around the country.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Lands’ End Twelve Days of Twitter – Twitter Party

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:06:00 +0000

Join Lands’ End for Twelve Days of Twitter from November 30th to December 11th! The daily event will feature giveaways and advice from Lands’ End Personal Shoppers.Lands’ End Twelve Days of Twitter
Date: Daily from until Friday, December 11th
Time: 12:00 p.m. CST to 1:00 p.m. CST

Location: #landsend

Lands’ End Hosts: @landsendchat, @LEprAmanda, @LandsEndPRAdam and @LandsEndPR

Wednesday, December 9th – Perfect Practical Presents: PJs, Robes and Slippers
Thursday, December 10th – Gifts for Guys
Friday, December 11th – Hostess Gifts

I am hosting Thursday’s party which covers gifts for guys. I have created a Tweet Grid to make it easier to follow along.

Have fun, and good luck with the giveaways!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Product Review - Funky Monkey Snacks

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 11:50:00 +0000

I was recently asked to review some great new healthy snacks for all members of the family. Well... they really are being touted for kids (at least somewhat), but I have to say that J-Mom and I tried them and they could work for adults as well.

As I mentioned, Funky Monkey snacks are healthy snacks for kids and parents alike – they are gluten-free, sugar-free and preservative free – nothing but three servings of fruit in each bag.

I got to try the newest flavors that Funky Monkey has just released: Applemon, Pink Pineapple and MangOJ. With the fact that the entire package is only 100 calories and that it is all natural, the snacks are perfect for those on the go and are a healthy alternative to chips or candy.

With young children in the house that are always looking for something sweet (or so it seems), I am excited about the possibility of giving my girls something that has some redeeming value to it.

In trying the snacks, all of the family tended to like them. Diva-J did not care for the Applemon, but I can tell you that the rest of us loved it. Also, the rest of the snacks were similarly enjoyed!

If these sounds good to you, you can find them for sale on Amazon. Check out Funky Monkey snacks today, your family will thank you!

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Flying the Friendly Sky??? What I learned in flying with kids...

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:30:00 +0000

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, we took the kids to visit my family in Florida over Thanksgiving and the trip on the way down was a bit of a nightmare as I blogged about. I have to say though the the trip on the way back was much nicer and I think I know the reason. Besides the fact that I didn't get soda spilled all over me right before we took off, or that we had much nicer flight attendants than the ones on the way down that could have cared less for their customers, the main reason that it was better was that we had 2 seats together on one side of the aisle and 2 on the other side of the aisle, and lucky us, there was no one in the 3rd seats in our row, so J-Mom and I had lots of room to spread out and the girls could be focussed on by one of us at all times. It also allowed Diva-J the opportunity to move from one side of the aisle to the other without causing too much strife.

So a few things that I learned on this trip that I will take with me:

Never carry on a soda from McDonalds and ask your five year old to carry it onto the plane...this is a disaster in the making.
If you have two kids, always try and get two seats together on either side of the aisle. You may have someone sit next to you, but at least you are not having to deal with two kids by yourself in very close quarters.
Ask for what you need from the flight attendants. Most will do whatever we can to assist you (and to help you get back into their seats).
Keep the kids moving and try and tire them out so that they'll take a nap on the plane. This will free you up to read, blog or whatever you wish during your plane trip.
Bring an arsenal that can be used to keep kids occupied (including snacks, games and the like).

I hope that these hints were somewhat helpful!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Continuing To Chase Events!

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:09:00 +0000

Thanks to BuckDaddyBlog I was introduced to being an Event Chaser. Last month I wrote about the fact that I was able to to chase my second event, going to Orlando Magic vs. Miami Heat Basketball Game with some of my family members. I encourage all of you to read about my experience and find out more about this great new web resource.

In a few weeks I am excited to be able to go to Michigan State University Basketball game against the Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne Basketball Team, so I will definitely be filling you all in on what happened at this event! If you are looking to go to some college basketall games this season, check out the following links for tickets!

Michigan State Basketball Tickets
Final Four Tickets
College Basketball Tickets

If you are interested in being an event chaser yourself check out the Event Chaser site. Also, if you are looking for tickets for events, check out RazorGator.com it is an easy way to get everything that you need for the event you wish to attend!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Wordless Wednesday - Bah Humbug

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 11:36:00 +0000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Product Review & Giveaway - Socks that Will Grip & Warm Those Tootsies

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 12:07:00 +0000

I was recently asked to review some new socks called PATIENTSTYLE Anti-Microbial Socks. I was sent both the blue (as seen to the left) and a pair of pink socks to review.

The company has created their own line of anti-microbial socks (super soft and completely safe - perfect for flue season!).

My take on the socks themselves
These socks were both warm and fuzzy and the grip on the bottom of them will stop you in your tracks. The grip on these socks were one of the first things that I noticed. With having wood floors in the house, at times the floors can get a bit slippery. These socks had great traction and I know that if I am wearing these I will not have to worry about slipping in any sense (not like it happens much). I also had J-Mom try these socks out as well (as her feet are always freezing) and to say it bluntly, she was in heaven. She mentioned that the socks were so soft that she did not want to have to take them off. So these socks now be the property of my wife, which is ok for me as my feet tend not to be too cold normally.

If these socks sounds like something that you or someone you love would be interested in, check out these and the other great products that Patient Style has to offer. You can also learn more about Patient Style by following them on twitter - @patientstyle

Also, the people at Patient Style have offered a pair for two of my readers to win. So if these sound interesting to you all you need to do is leave a comment telling me why you would be interested in winning this and whether you would want a pink or blue pair of socks. The contest will run for one week and will end on December 15, 2009.

Bonus Entries:

Blog about my Giveaway by linking back to this post (1 entries per blog post. Please leave each entry in separate comments with your URL link in order for it to count)
Grab my badge to your sidebar (one entry per day)
<a href="http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk235/lewisca3/DadofDivasButton1.jpg" /></a>
- Subscribe to this blog either by RSS or email for one entry (top right hand corner, if you already do leave in a separate comment)
- Stumble this post. (leave username in comment per day)
- Follow me on Twitter (@dadofdivas) (leave username in comment)
- Follow @DeniseAustin_ on Twitter.
- Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I'll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:" @dadofdivas is giving away a pair of Patient Style Socks - http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/" (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day)
- Bookmark this post in Delicious, Digg, StumbleUpon, or whatever social bookmarking site is your favorite. (Leave comment with the info. One entry per site per day)
- Add me to your Technorati Favs list (one entry, leave username in comment
- Become a fan of Denise on Facebook - Facebook Fan Page
- Become a fan of Dad of Divas on Facebook
Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

This contest will run until December 15 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

Open to USA Only

Rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by the producers of this product. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

Product Review - A New Type of Shaving System

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Over the past week I have been reviewing the below new shaving system. As a man who uses both electric and straight razors to get a close shave, I am always looking for new products to assist in the process.

The products that I reviewed just had a clinical study completed by the University of Pennsylvania that showed that Shaver’s Choice Skin Therapy System prevents more than 70 percent of ingrown hairs and razor bumps. This new product is available for both men and women and works on all areas of the body from the face and neck, to legs, bikini lines, and underarms.

Slick! Lubricating Shave Gel straightens and lifts the hair (for a closer shave), protects the skin from blades and dries the hair left in its follicle straight, to resist hair’s natural urge to curling back into your skin.

Smooth! Skin Therapy contains mink oil which heels and prevents razor bumps, ingrown hairs, razor burn and itching. Unlike competitor products, Shaver’s Choice contains no alcohol, acids or caustic materials.

Here's how this product is different than competitors:

►With this product, you can use clippers, razor or depilatory!

►With this product, it doesn't have to burn to work!

►This product has been clinically tested to reduce over 80% of razor bumps, ingrown hairs, razor burn and other shaving irritations

►This product is customer proven; over 80% of our customers purchase again

►This product is effective in eliminating and preventing Pseudofolliculitis Barbae

►Our products are effective for both men AND women of ALL skin types.

My Take on This Product

While I do not have problems with Pseudofolliculitis Barbae as some other do, I still wanted to try this system to see if it worked as well as it said it did. I have to say that in using both the Slick and Smooth products that were sent to me. I tend to shave first with an electric shaver and then will follow this up with a straoght razor. While the electric razor does not iritate my skin, the straight razor tends to at times. One of the other things that frustrates me about shaving with a straight razor is the bulke containers that foam comes in; this product helps me in both areas.

In receiving this product, the first thing I noticed is the fact that both products come in smaller soft sided tubes. While I wasn't surprised at this in regards to the Smooth product (as an after shave product), the Slick product did surprise me. In trying the product I was happy to see how little of the Slick product that you needed to use to be effective. The product worked well and my straight razor did seem to be able to cut more hair (which is a claim that this product makes). The scent of the product is pleasant and not overpowering in any way.

The Smooth proct is very thick. At first I was a bit perplexed as it states that you should only use a very small amount of the product, but as I practiced with the product, I found that if my face was still a bit wet the product worked a bit better and I was able to smooth it into my skin better as well. The scent of the product is quite waxy and if there was one drawback, for me this was it. Not that anyone mentioned the small, but to me it was not a smell that was appealing. I will say though that the product did work, and for any areas that were still irritated, the product soothed and smoothed out my skin.

Overall, I was impressed with the product and if you are looking for a product that truly delivers this was one that lived up to the marketing that I saw prior to reviewing the product. In reading some of the reviews on the compan's website, I have to say that it seems that people that have been using this product for some time are very pleased with the results and if my experience is anything like others I can see why. So whether you are a man or a woman, if you are looking for a great shaving product, I recommend you check this out.

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by the producters of this product. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - Obstacles Welcome

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:01:00 +0000

I enjoy learning about my own past, especially learning about the experiences that they had as new immigrants to the United States. In this book the reader learns the story of Ralph de la Vega and his struggle to make a place and life for himself after he came to the United States from Cuba. It is a story that is truly on of rags to riches as well as one that shows ultimate persistence.

As someone who professes and attempts to teach leadership principles on a dauly basis, this book was a page turner and allowed me as a reader to learn leadership principles while also learning about a very inspiring story.

While there were times in the book where I craved more information, especially in regards to the business level leadership insights, the book as a whole was a good one and a quick read. I can honestly say that it only took a few days to get through as the story itself was a good read.

Each chapter ends with some concepts to consider as you are moving forward in your personal and professional lives. This book and the concepts within provide both motivation and inspiration to current and aspiring leaders. So re-focus your professional plan today and be inspired by a great book.

If this book sounds interesting, read a few pages or take a look at the posting at Thomas Nelson Book page, the Amazon.com or the half.com page.

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by the author. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book & DVD Review - The Good Men Project

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Recently I was asked to review the book and DVD - The Good Men Project. This project consists of a myriad of essays from men in relationship to topics that we all deal with on a daily basis:

Being a father
Being a son
Being a husband
Being a worker

I was excited and thankful for being asked to review this as it had a lot to do with what I write about and the topics that quite a few of my readers enjoy as well.

When I received the book itselfand started to read the essays/stories of the contributors, I was amazed at some of the things that these men went through in both growing up and struggling with what it means to be a man. I can relate to some of the issues, but I also found myself shaking my head in wonder at some of the stories and saying to myself, I can't believe that they had to deal with this.

The writers were very forthright and open with their stories. The frankness is something that I have not seen in other such non-fiction accounts. As a man, many of the topics and issues that are raised are, as many of the writers reflect, taboo, or issues that should not be raised with other men. That is the amazing thing about this project and this book and DVD, it blows open the veil of secrecy that surrounds the persona,and at times myth, of what it means to be a man in society today.

The DVD also provided the viewer with a similar glance into the lives of those men documented. There was some profanity used, so I wouldn't suggest it for the very young. I would say though that the topics covered in both the DVD and book are ones that teenage young men would and should learn and talk about with their friends or better yet their fathers.

I would recommend both the DVD and book for all men out there. The stories are short and engaging and you will find yourself identifying with some of the issues that some of the men raise, and there will be others that you will not as well, but all are important to reflect on and talk about, as it opens a discourse into what being a man is all about.

If this is the first time you have heard about this project, I encourage you to visit the project's website to learn more.When you finish looking at the website, take a look at the project's Facebook page and at the co-founder's Twitter page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Event Chasing Continues

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Thanks to BuckDaddyBlog I was introduced to being an Event Chaser. Over Thanksgiving I (along with 3 others) got the opportunity to chase my second event, going to an Orlando Magic Basketball Game at the Amway Arena in Orlando, Florida. I encourage all of you to read about my experience and find out more about this great new web resource.

If you are interested in being an event chaser yourself check out the Event Chaser site. Also, if you are looking for tickets for events, check out RazorGator.com it is an easy way to get everything that you need for the event you wish to attend!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - The Amercan Theatre Reader

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 12:00:00 +0000

In celebration of American Theatre’s twenty-fifth anniversary, the editors of the nation’s leading theater magazine have chosen their best essays and interviews to provide an intimate look at the people, plays, and events that have shaped the American theater over the past quarter-century. Over two hundred artists, critics, and theater professionals are gathered in this one-of-a-kind collection, from the visionaries who conceived of a diverse and thriving national theater community, to the practitioners who have made that dream a reality. The American Theatre Reader captures their wide-ranging stories in a single compelling volume, essential reading for theater professionals and theatergoers alike.

The American Theatre Reader is a compilation of the best essays and interviews from the magazine’s history. It is an intimate look at the people, plays, and events that have shaped American theatre over the past twenty-five years. This one-of-a-kind collection includes more than a hundred artists, critics, and theatre professionals, from the visionaries who conceived of a diverse and thriving national theatre community to the practitioners who have made that dream a reality. The American Theatre Reader captures their wide-ranging stories in a single compelling volume, essential reading for theatre professionals and theatergoers alike.

My Take On This Book

As a theatre major and one who loves everything to do with the theatre, this was a great book, and would be a great gift for anyone who like me appreciates the Theatre. As I do not receive the American Theatre Magazine, this book provided me a window to the profession that I do not get working in Higher Education or in watching the Tony Awards or in watching a great on-stage production.

This book is a huge treasure trove of theatre material that any theatre enthusiast will enjoy. It will keep any reader enthralled for days with over 600 pages of essays directly related to the field/profession itself.

I have to be honest and say that I would not have liked to have been the editor who had to choose which essays were worthy of such a compilation. Yet, the person or people who did put this together did a wonderful job at providing the reader with a cross reference of the profession with conversations and essays with the like of August Wilson, Hal Prince, José Rivera, Sam Shepard, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Miller to name but a few.

So I encourage all of you Theatre lovers to consider this book for yourself or as a gift for someone else this holiday season. The book retails for $24.95 and are exclusively distributed to the book trade by Consortium Book Sales and Distribution. Orders: 800-283-3572. SAN number: 63170X. Individuals may call 212-609-5900 or visit our online bookstore at http://www.tcg.org/. For postage and handling, please add $5.00 for the first book and $.50 for each additional copy. I will also say that I found some other copies at both Amazon and Half.com.

If you are interested in seeing some of the covers of the last 25 years of American Theatre Magazine, the American Theatre Guild has posted them for all to see.

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by the author. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

New TNT Show - Men of a Certain Age

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:00:00 +0000

John Lennon once wrote, “Life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.” For three men entering the second act of their lives, those words are starting to hit home in TNT’s newest original series, Men of a Certain Age.

The show follows three longtime friends - played by Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) Scott Bakula (Quantum Leap, Star Trek: Enterprise) and Andre Braugher (Homicide: Life on the Street) – as they navigate the changes and challenges of mid-life.

I was given the opportunity to take a sneak peak at this show, and it does look at a myriad of issues that effect aging adult men in today's society. With the line up (especially with Ray Romano being one of the writers) I expected comedy, but to be honest, though there were some snippets of humor, the show tackles some tough topics that all aging men have to deal with in their lives. TNT has put together a great cast which seems to work well together (at least in the preview that I observed). It is hard to say where the show will lead, but I can say that I will definitely check it out on December 7 at 10PM EST to learn more.

If this show sounds interesting to you check out the trailer!

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by the producer. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Product Review & Giveaway - EvoraPlus

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Recently I was asked to try a new product on the market that deals with numerous issues that I have had to deal with for a number of years, namely:

1) Whitening my Teeth
2) Fresh Breath

I haven't had problems with gum & tooth health in the past (at least not yet), but this product also used this.

Florida based biopharmaceutical company Oragenics, Inc. states that EvoraPlus™ is a revolutionary new application of probiotics, which have traditionally been used to support digestive and immune health. EvoraPlus™ is the first probiotic mint specifically designed for complete oral care. This all-in-one product supports gum and tooth health and naturally freshens breath while gently whitening teeth.

Within 30 days of using EvoraPlus™ twice daily, the natural healthy oral balance of good bacteria will be greatly restored and you will begin to notice a whiter, brighter smile and long-lasting fresh breath.

How Does It Work

When EvoraPlus™ melts on the tongue, the freeze-dried probiotics activate and attach themselves to the teeth and gum tissue, establishing colonies of live, active beneficial bacteria both on the surface of the teeth and deep beneath the gum line. These colonies compete for both nutrients and space with the harmful oral bacteria that disrupt gum and tooth health, as well as cause bad breath.

In the mouth, the harmful bacteria convert sugar and carbohydrates into lactic acid. Lactic acid is the bacterial by-product which is responsible for a decline in dental health. The Standard American Diet promotes the ongoing conversion to lactic acid by providing a constant source of simple carbohydrates for bacterial cell growth, thus creating a situation for even greater imbalance in oral micro flora.
With daily replenishment, the ProBiora3™ beneficial bacteria used in EvoraPlus™ helps to reestablish the natural microbial balance in the mouth for healthy gums and teeth, fresher breath and whiter teeth.

My Take On This

I have been using the product now for about a week out of a 30 day supply and I must say that at least for now I have been impressed with the results. In taking the mint you notice the minty fresh taste of the small mint. Once the mint desolves, you do notice that the your mouth does have a fresher feeling that lasts for a few hours. Seeing that you take this two times per day, each time that I have taken it I see similar results. I have to say though that I can't wait to see if what the company professes is true and if I can reach the end result they claim.

How would you like to win a 30 day supply? I am giving away 30 day supplies of EvoraPlus to two lucky readers. All you need to do is leave a comment telling me why you would be interested in winning this. The contest will run for one week and will end on December 10, 2009.

Bonus Entries:

Blog about my Giveaway by linking back to this post (1 entries per blog post. Please leave each entry in separate comments with your URL link in order for it to count)
Grab my badge to your sidebar
<a href="http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk235/lewisca3/DadofDivasButton1.jpg" /></a>
- Subscribe to this blog either by RSS or email for one entry (top right hand corner, if you already do leave in a separate comment)
- Stumble this post. (leave username in comment per day)
- Follow me on Twitter (@dadofdivas) (leave username in comment)
- Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I'll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:" @dadofdivas is giving away 2, 30 Day supplies of EvoraPlus - http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/" (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day)
- Bookmark this post in Delicious, Digg, StumbleUpon, or whatever social bookmarking site is your favorite. (Leave comment with the info. One entry per site per day)
- Add me to your Technorati Favs list (one entry, leave username in comment)
Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

This contest will run until December 10 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

Open to USA Only

Rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by the author. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Brainy Baby Extends Its Promotional Giveaway & Will Give Away 1 Million DVDs in 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:49:00 +0000

Recently I found out about a product that claims to stimulate the mind of young children. As a parent I have heard this before, but I am always interested to see if their claims have merit, so I took them up on their offer to send me free DVD's (as I am always up for free!).

Prior to receiving the DVD's I did a little more research on the company who puts out the product and found out that they were created by a team of early childhood educators who use a time-tested and proven method of introducing and reinforcing preschool concepts, Brainy Baby DVDs have won more than 75 awards and offer a highly effective supplemental tutorial for parents who have children entering kindergarten.

The DVDs depict fun, live action scenes of real kids and objects from everyday life. Brainy Baby DVDs introduce children to basic preschool concepts like the alphabet, numbers, shapes and colors. Brainy Baby encourages parents to watch the DVD's with their children so that concepts and images that are presented can be reviewed together and reinforced through verbal communication.

The Giveaway

To take advantage of the FREE DVD campaign, participants must choose one DVD from a selection of four of Brainy Baby's most popular titles (ABCs, Music, Laugh & Learn or Shapes & Colors). The DVD's are FREE ($17.95 value) until December 31, 2009. Participants only have to pay $6.95 for shipping and handling (residents in the Atlanta area can make arrangements to pick up their free copy at Brainy Baby's office). For additional information and details about the FREE DVD GIVEAWAY, visit www.myfreebrainybaby.com.

About The Brainy Baby Company

For 15 years, The Brainy Baby Company has been a pioneer and leader in DVDs, Books, Games and Toys for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers. The award-winning line of videos, CDs, books, games, and toys introduce educational subjects such as letters, shapes, animals, art and music. Brainy Baby videos feature multi-ethnic children, toe-tapping original music, nursery rhymes and instrumental classics. In fact, Brainy Baby DVDs have won over 75 awards including Dr. Toy's Top 100 Best Children's Product, the Dove Foundation's Seal of Approval, Parenting Magazine's Top Videos of the Year, and more. For more information about The Brainy Baby Company, visit www.brainybaby.com

My Take On This

We received two DVD's to review and when they arrived I was anxious to see how Diva-PJ would react to the DVD's in general. Being a child that does not sit around and watch a lot of TV, we came to find that there were parts that definitely drew her attention, especially those scenes with animals within them (as Diva-PJ loves animals). At other points she was content to have it on in the background while she did other things. I plan to try this again with her periodically to see if her interest changes over time as she is only 22 months today and thus her attention is a bit here, there, and everywhere, if you know what I mean.

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - The Cost of Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:00:00 +0000

I was recently asked to review a new book by author Gary Stelzer entitled: The Cost of Dreams.

This book was Mr. Stelzer's first and thus going into this novel I didn't know anything about the author or the storyline. Thus, while waiting for the novel to arrive I looked at a few sites and found out that the book examined the story of:

Flora, a Mayan teenager, has escaped Talapa, her civil war-torn Central American village where herparents have been slain-and where even being seen in native wear could result in summary execution. Following her dream with nearly superhuman determination, she makes her way to San Diego, and against all odds, becomes a wife, mother and teacher. By hard work and shrewdness, she even obtains legal U.S. status.

But her life takes a horrific turn when she's shot by her drug-dealing brother in-law. As she lays unconscious and bleeding in front of her house, Mexican immigrants traveling on a freight train kidnap and claim her as their daughter, caring for her on a long, grueling cross-country flight.

Nearly a year later, still gravely wounded and disfigured, a freed Flora arrives at the Lake Michigan home of Kate Bowman, an American aide worker who had previously befriended Flora in Talapa. Kate's nephew had vanished on that mission, leaving Kate devastated and overwhelmed with guilt for permitting him to remain in a civil war ravaged Central America while she returned home.

Now Flora, eager to heal her injuries and desperate to restore what remains of her family, reignites in Kate a fire to learn the fate of her long lost nephew. The two women embark on a harrowing journey that takes them to the ancient caves of northwestern Mexico in the Barrancas del Cobre, an exceedingly vast abyss of canyons, in search of a storied Indian healer. The cost of healing borders on the unendurable.

My Take on The Book

Reading the above intrigued me and made me want to read the book when I received it. I found the book to be very engaging and an quick read. As a reader you are drawn into the story and are drawn into the drama which is Flora's life. Flora becomes a character that you can relate to and can root for. I found myself continuously drawn into the story and hoping for the best for the character and I know that you will as well.

As a reader I can say that just when you think that that Flora's life cannot get worse it probably will and when you think that things are getting better there may be a turn.

Also, being that I lived in Wisconsin for three years and visited the green bay and door county areas many times it was nice to see the references to my old home.

I was intrigued by the plot of the story and decided to get a few questions answered about the book itself from the author himself.

1) Where did you get the inspiration for your main character Flora?

Years ago a foreign-born woman appeared at the ER of my small city hospital dreadfully injured by her drug-dealing brother-in-law. She had been shot at her family's home in the southwestern U.S. and her husband had driven her and their two small children to this northern Midwest locale. There I cared for her and directed her protracted rehab. Then the husband abandoned them all.

She drifted away in the years following. But I always recalled how badly I felt for her and her children. Then one day in southwestern New Mexico, I watched as dozens of freight trains passed by and I began asking myself, 'what if...?'"

2) What do you hope your readers will take away from reading this book?

I'd like to think they feel overwhelmed by having lived through an exceedingly interesting wild ride of a tale!! And that they take a measure of the struggle for survival an extremely large number of people on this planet are making to survive to the next day.

3) What are the next steps for you as an author?

To begin the research for the authentication of background and setting in New Orleans for the next novel. And while doing that work, discover the thread of a story to be picked up and fully developed into another emotional high impact wallop for the readership!!

4) Where do you get your inspiration for your writing?

I'd expect where most other authors find it: from living everyday and paying attention to what's going on in the world that really, really interests them as to the makings of a great fine tale. I really wanted to find a good historical perspective, so the story not only "fits" in the times, but also really touches people where it "hurts good!" so that they might need a little bottom shocking to get off their duffs and engage the world usefully!

If this book sounds like one that you would enjoy, check it out on Amazon or Half.com!

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by the author. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Wet Ones - A Great Way to Control Germs

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:31:00 +0000

Being a parent we seem to buy stock in wipes like Wet Ones®. Ever since we had kids we also were concerned about all of the germs around them (and thus the wet wipes). I recently heard about a new promtotion that Wet Ones® was working on this season that I thought I would share with all of you.

This flu season, the Wet Ones® brand is asking people to visit http://www.wetones.com/ to pledge to help stop the spread of germs in your community. Using Wet Ones® Antibacterial Wipes are proven to clean hands and kill 99.99% of germs.

The first 100,000 pledges at http://www.wetones.com/ will generate a donation of one Wet Ones® Antibacterial Wipes travel pack to the Kids In Need Foundation, a national organization that provides school supplies to children in thousands of schools across the country. You can post this link for your readers:

Take the Wet Ones Pledge

Upon signing the pledge, you will also receive a downloadable coupon redeemable for $1.50 off a Wet Ones® product purchase, along with valuable information on how to help keep your family healthy this season, including a simple and effective Flu Prevention Plan developed by renowned pediatrician Dr. William Sears, M.D.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Holes in the floor and naked guys in the bathroom

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:52:00 +0000

After my previous post about moving back to college I started thinking about my fraternity life experience. There are many things that I could talk about in regards to being in a fraternity, the positives, the negatives, and there many funny experiences as well that I could share also.

Let me start by saying that I would have been the last person you would have guessed would have joined a fraternity. I actually entered college saying that I would never join a fraternity, especially with all of the bad flack that they get in the movies and on television. So when I started meeting guys in fraternities (or at least the one I joined - Delta Upsilon) I found them to be down to earth and people that I really liked, and really enjoyed hanging out with overall.

When I decided to join the fraternity I came to find out more and more about my fraternity brothers (some of which was too much information at times), as they become something of a family away from home. There were things you came to enjoy and look forward to about people and then there were the skeletons in the closet as well like in many families.

Then, I moved into to house and you really get to know people in a different light when you are living with them. The house that we lived in was somewhat of a location that I wouldn't live in now if my life depended on it. There were holes in the floor of the second floor bathroom. Some appliances did not work, tiles were crumbling in the basement and of course there were the individual personalities of many different fraternity brothers to deal with as well as their girlfriends (or at least live in friends).

I chock up my experiences in this fraternity house as some of the best times in college, but they also were times that pushed me to grow and learn, about myself and about human nature as well as peer pressure and how well you could stand up for yourself.

While I would not move back into the fraternity house today, I will say that I miss my fraternity brothers and always look forward to our annual gatherings at homecoming as well as the times when we are able to get together.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - De-Railed

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:31:00 +0000

Recently I had the opportunity to review De-Railed by Dr.Tim Irwin as part of the Thomas Nelson Reviewing Team.

As a person that teaches and professes leadership development on a daily basis, I am always looking forward to reading more books that can assist my own professional practice.

This book takes a different tact than other books I have read recently, looking at some of the negative examples that are out there to learn and grow from so that history does not repeat itself. Looking at six bigger than life examples (their rise and fall) will change our current bad habits and bring us on the right path for the future.

I never thought of myself as a bad leader, but I did come to find as I read more and more about the six CEO's in question that we all have some innate tendencies that could lead down the path of failure and utter ruin (though I may be getting a bit too overdramatic).

I particularly liked the last third of the book that works to walk the reader through an analysis of where they are the actions that they can take to correct any areas that need to be corrected to help them move their leadership skills in the right direction.

I recommend this book for any manager or person who wishes to move into the management field in the future. It is an easy and important read. While not all of us will reach the pinacle of success of all of these CEO's or the monumental fall from grace either, we can learn and grow from these examples and not make the same mistakes.

If this sounds like a book that sounds interesting to you, read a few pages before you decide to buy. Also, you can find out more at Amazon or at Thomas Nelson.

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by the author. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - Imagia and the Magic Pearls

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

I was happy to get the opportunity to review a new children's fantasy entitled Imagia and the Magic Pearls recently. In an era where fantasy books like Harry Potter, Twilight, and other such series' have become so popular, author Monroe Tarver takes an unprecedented step forward to introduce a new character that allows kids to experience an elf princess that represents an ethnicity that is different than my divas.

In reading this book and experiencing the world developed by the author you are transported into a realm where imagination reigns.

In sharing this story with Diva-J, she was intrigued and interested and wanted me to read more and more even when it was time to stop for the night. While we have not read a lot of fantasy to her in the past, she did seem to enjoy it. J-Mom and I have enjoyed fantasy in the past through the Harry Potter and Twilight series (Yes I read the Twilight series - I am a father of girls), and this, while different, was an interesting read and one that does draw the reader into the story itself. As in many fantasy books there are some issues with reading of the character names, but Diva-J was held in suspense and asked me to read the book each night before bed (which is always a good sign).

This story and the princess in specific fits well into society today, especially on the brink of the new Disney release of the Princess and the Frog. The author in interviews states that he is hopeful that this will assist his book, but that he is not sure how the movie will effect books like his. I have to say that I commend him on taking a chance on writing a book that makes cultural strides as this one does. Whether the release of the movie makes a difference on the sale of this book or not I am not for certain, but I can say that this book is a great one for parents and kids alike to read together, sharing and imagining a fantasy world together.

Overall this was a great book and one that would be a very unique and different look at fantasy for your child. If you think that this might be something that you and your child might enjoy you can find it on Amazon.

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by the author. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Dad of Divas Takes Black Friday Daddy Style

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 04:07:00 +0000

Muppets are Great!

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:17:00 +0000

Book Review & Giveaway - Firsts: Origins of Everyday Things that Changed the World

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

I was recently askedto review a new book called:
Firsts: Origins of Everyday Things that Changed the World (October 2009, $12.95, ISBN: 9781592579242, Alpha Books) will trace you through the most unique milestones of human achievement to answer any question you may have about histories firsts.

Written by Wilson Casey, a trivia and FAQ expert, this book is an amazing collection of over 500 firsts on nearly every topic imaginable. From fashion to food, politics to science, entertainment to art, each first entry offers a full explanation of the topic, written in a humorous yet authoritative style.

Some of the entries that I found interesting included things such as:

The first cellular phone call: On April 3, 1973, Martin Cooper, general manager of Motorola’s Communications Systems Division, placed the first call on a cellular phone. Who did he call? His rival, Joel Engel of AT&T’s Bell Labs.
The first Beer: Beer is the first alcoholic beverage known to civilization, with mentions dating to thousands of years ago. Nearly every culture developed its own version of beer, using various grains like millet, maize, cassava, rice, and barley.
The first Brassiere: Around 2500 b.c.e., warrior Minoan women on the Greek isle of Crete began wearing and using a garment resembling a bra. It shoved their bare breasts upward and exposed their breasts from their clothing.
The first Bubble Gum: In 1928, the first marketable bubble gum was invented by 23-year-old Walter E. Diemer, an accountant with the Fleer chewing gum company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

My Take On The Book

I always love books that are filled with off the wall facts. When I received this book I was amazed at the detail and research that the author put into this book. I found myself paging through this book and tucking away the knowledge to share with others. There were many off the wall categories and products that were listed in the book that I found myself saying, "you don't say...that's where that came from?"

I also found myself pulling J-Mom aside saying "you have to read this" and " did you know that this was how ________ started." These type of statements do not always come up with every book that I read, and thus I know that this book was one that challenged my knowledge of different areas as well as adding to my overall knowledge.

I would say that if anyone is interested in trivia or facts about products that shape our lives this book is a great reference for you. It is set up similar to an encyclopedia where you can find topics/products alphabetically.

If this book sounds interesting to any of you, read more about it over at Amazon.
GIVEAWAY:

If this book sounds like something you would be interested in, the publishers of this book have gratiously offered a great giveaway for 5 lucky readers. All you need to do is leave a comment telling me one product or fact that you hope will be listed in this book so that you can become better informed. That's it! The contest will run for one week and will end on November 30, 2009.

Bonus Entries:

Blog about my Take Back Your Family Giveaway by linking back to this post (1 entries per blog post. Please leave each entry in separate comments with your URL link in order for it to count)
Grab my badge to your sidebar (one entry per day)
<a href="http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://i281.photobucket.com/albums/kk235/lewisca3/DadofDivasButton1.jpg" /></a>
- Subscribe to this blog either by RSS or email for one entry (top right hand corner, if you already do leave in a separate comment)
- Stumble this post. (leave username in comment per day)
- Follow me on Twitter (@dadofdivas) (leave username in comment)
- Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or any forum, including the name of the prize and a link to this post. Here I'll make it easier on you, copy and paste this:
  " @dadofdivas is giving away 5, Firsts Books by Wilson Casey - http://dadofdivas.blogspot.com/" (Then leave the link to your post. One entry per place per day)
- Bookmark this post in Delicious, Digg, StumbleUpon, or whatever social bookmarking site is your favorite. (Leave comment with the info. One entry per site per day)
- Add me to your Technorati Favs list (one entry, leave username in comment)
Make sure you comment separately for each task after the required entry task so you will get credit for each one ~ and leave your e-mail where you can be contacted.

This contest will run until November 30 at approximately 11:59 pm Eastern.

Winners are chosen at random, if you want all your chances counted, make sure you leave individual comments, not all of them in one!

Winner has 48 hours to contact me or another name will be chosen.

Open to USA Only

Rules for each entry must be followed to be valid.

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by the author. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Bloggers to Use Social Media to Share Black Friday Deals

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:30:00 +0000

November 25, 2009 – Bentonville, AR – Collective Bias, an interactive marketing firm that connects brands with shoppers at the store shelf by facilitating conversation and building relationships, has partnered with Whrrl, a location based mobile application that lets people capture and share the stories of their lives one moment at a time, to create a unique platform that helps shoppers find the best deals on Black Friday.

Twenty bloggers, led by well-known mom bloggers Melissa Garcia, the “money-saving” Consumer Queen, and Courtney Velasquez of Giftfully Simple, will hit stores on Black Friday and upload photos and tips through Whrrl to My Black Friday Deals.

Visitors are encouraged to check the website throughout the days leading up to Black Friday and then all day, Friday November 27th, 2009 to find the best deals at nationwide chains and local stores, and to find the best prices on the biggest shopping day of the year. Visitors can vote for the deals they like the best, and the participating blogger with the most votes on a deal will receive Google Analytics training or tech/design assistance for his or her blog.

“We wanted to integrate a strong social media campaign to show the power that the average person or blogger has to reach so many others,” said John Andrews, Managing Partner of Collective Bias. “By working with bloggers, Whrrl and social media sites, we can effectively spread this idea like wildfire.”

My Black Friday Deals will also be promoted through channels like Flickr, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook to reach a wider audience.

About Collective Bias
The first company of its kind, Collective Bias offers an alternative to the traditional agency model. Formed at the nexus of and Social Media and Shopper Marketing, we addre

Visit Black Friday Deals at:
http://collectivebias.ning.com/groups/group/show?id=3516808%3AGroup%3A9471&xg_source=msg_mes_group

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New to the Divadom?
Please Subscribe to my RSS Feed! Subscribe in a reader
Questions?Drop me a line at dadofdivas@gmail.com

Book Review - The Snowman's Song

noreply@blogger.com (Dad of Divas) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:49:00 +0000

I was recently given the opportunity to review a book entitled The Snowman's Song.

After reading this book and listening to the CD that was enclosed with the book (With a reading of the story from the author) with Diva-J I was impressed at the storyline as wella s some of the morals that the story instills in the reader. The book itself encourages children to both find their own individual voice and song as well as helping them to see the importance of kindness to others.

The illustrations within the book are wonderful and so vivid. My daughter mentioned that she realy liked the snowman and his mommy and she wanted to know if we could build snowmen like them when we finally get snow (which probably won't be too long).

All-in-all this was a great bok that I would recommend for any family to enjoy. This book also would be a great gift to share with others this holiday season. As I mentioned it has some great messages that are timeless, but truly fit into the holiday season.

One other thing that I liked about this book was that for every book sold, the publishers are giving away one book to an underpriviledged family.

If you are interested in this book, please go and learn more at the book's website.

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by the author. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.