Monday, December 31, 2012

Modern Greetings Second Honeymoon

Modern Greetings is offering some amazing contests and prizes for the next couple weeks! You can find all of the instructions on how to enter in this video.

 It's simple, all you need to do, is tweet your proposal story, and you can enter to win 1 of 4, second honeymoons!!
The winner will receive a trip to the destination of their choice, up to $3000. This can include air fare, hotel, dining out, rental car, or any additional expenses. Plus, the winning couple will also receive a professionally designed photo book, because you are probably going to need lots and lots of pictures to show off to your family and friends:)
 I love this contest, I am so happy they are offering such an awesome prize, and this is the 3rd contest out of 4!! ( That means there is another one coming after this, for another chance to win!!)
 If you are like me, and have never even been on a first honeymoon, then this would be a HUGE win!! We didn't have the money when we got married, and we didn't even have the money for a wedding! We simply went to the District Judge and then went out afterwards;) It was fine at the time, but I often hope to someday have a real wedding and a honeymoon would be nice too! (Maybe after all of the kids are grown up, lol!)
 If you don't know about Modern Greetings, they offer personalized photo books, stationary, invitations, announcements, and greeting cards for all occasions. I haven't ordered from Modern Greetings yet, but I do love the stationary designs, and I know a certain young lady, well, ok, 3, lol, that would love to have some of the stationary. So, I'm sure I see an order in our future! This would also be a great gift for bloggers, HINT:)
 I am entering this contest myself, I don't really have a proposal story, but if I would win, I would re propose, to my husband myself and surprise him with a first second honeymoon!
 You can find more about Modern Greetings, and their awesome contests on Facebook and Twitter!
I would love to hear if any of you won this contest!!

Saturday, December 29, 2012

SWAT and Zombies app Review

What could be better then zombies coming after you and trying to attack, Perfectville, and a SWAT team with all kinds of weapons to fight the zombies to save the people of Perfectville? Ha! Not much! Especially considering the very cool amount of different zombies included in the game and the fact that you can play it on your phone??
 Well, SWAT and Zombies is actually a FREE app for your Android! That is very, very cool!
 I had no problems at all, installing this app, it runs very smooth, no glitches as of yet. I actually expected some with all of the graphics, which are also much better then expected.
 Gameplay is also super sweet, and the characters and weapons are better then you would expect for a free app. I also got some of this review from Aaron, my 9 year old, zombie hunting, little gamer.
 He says, "OMG! This game is so cool! OMG! Mom! Check out the girl zombies, lol, you would think they are easy to beat and they aren't!!", and "Woah!! Check out all the coins I got! Sweet! I got 3 stars for this level!", and "This is so awesome, mom! How old do I have to be to have a Smartphone so I don't have to watch your battery life?" Need I say more?
 I have but 1 gripe, and that isn't necessarily a gripe, seeing that although I truly adore a good video game, there are times that maybe since I am almost 39 that I just don't "get" the instructions, who knows, lol. But, I do wish there was a little bit more detail in the instructions given. I tend to like to just jump right in and scrap directions for most games. But there are times I have to go back through the book, or the directions at the beginning, (Yeah, I hate admitting that lol, and I usually don't, so SHHHHH)
But,yeah, there are some parts that are like, "Wait, HUH?" Not many, but enough that it may require to restart just so you can try and figure it out. Other then that, this is a fun game, that will keep you occupied for quite some time. Especially if you are a first person shooter fan, or zombie fan. It definitely gets your heart pumping as you try and stop all the zombies from invading Perfectville. (which is a funny and clever name for a town;)
Of course I don't think this game would be appropriate for all ages, but I do think that there is a line that needs to be drawn about violence in video games and weapons and kids, and even adults.
 Zombies are not real, (well, sometimes the way people act nowadays, I have to wonder anymore;), but yeah, for the most part, zombies are not an actual problem we have, therefore, killing zombies is not something I think my children will have an issue with in the future. Besides, who knows? Maybe they should be training for SWAT and Zombies?
 Seriously though, although I love family oriented and kid oriented games, books, toys, movies, etc, there are times that it is adult time and big people time. I do enjoy video games, and I do enjoy first person shooters, like Doom, for example, is an all time favorite of mine.
However, of course I don't play these with my kids, jeez, I have no time to play them myself anymore, lol. But, I do have time to play this when it is so easily accessible, like on my cell phone.
 So, no, I do not recommend that your children play shooting games, but I would recommend this game for people who do enjoy these types of games, and I just feel as though I need to explain this sometimes, given the horrific news we see in this country and we are a family blog, but for grown ups, and even my 9 year old, (he's soon 10), I have no problems with this game.
 It has awesome sound effects, great graphics, and the game is fun to play.
If you are an Android user, grab this one asap!
Please leave reviews to help the developers with any issues you may find and always say, hey, thanks! If we show appreciation, we will see more cool books, games, and movies:)

Our Year in Review

I am not a person who likes to wallow and moan and cry about my sucky life, lol, mainly because it isn't so bad;) I would never trade it for anything! But there are times when it seems our bad luck just never ends.
 2012 started out being a good year. In the 2nd week of January, we drove to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, with our then 1 year old, Deegan, for a 2nd opinion about his health and MRI's and other ridiculous test results.
This is Deegan's Zoolander face;)
 He was cleared completely of everything,(with the exception of the club foot and cleft lip, which we already knew for sure and he has been treated and had his surgeries, and will continue too.)
I know I might drive people crazy with my Deegan miracle story but I feel the need to share it sometimes, just in case we can reach somebody new once in a while;) the neurology department was nothing but courteous, friendly, and answered every single question we had and sure enough, told us to believe our instincts because they were real.
I thought that at that point, we were in for the best year ever.
This is me and my boyfriend Deegan.
 He has become quite the photographer with my new Smartphone!
 It really wasn't all that bad, and I know there have been so many families that have had much worse struggles this year.
 So, I kind of feel bad at any time I start to complain or feel sad about things, but hey, we all have to cry sometimes, right? Between our new (used but new to us), tractor trailer, (my husband is a self employed truck driver), needing tons and tons of repairs, and I am not talking nickel and diming us.
 No way! This thing has literally cost us as much as our home. Of course our house didn't cost us a fortune. We kind of lucked out on that deal, however, we are endlessly repairing this house too!
But, our repair bills from this truck are very huge and we still have a balance since the truck always seems to be in the shop. It is right now as I am writing this post! But, see, we replaced the motor, which was a bit over $20k just by itself. So, we kept thinking, well, it's almost like new, what else could possibly go wrong?? No, we aren't made of money. Paying these repair bills off required payment arrangements with the shop, my husband working as often as the law allows, and me bartending every weekend and picking up as many hours as I can without having a babysitter. (My husband is my "babysitter" lol) Since my husband is self employed, yes, he gets paid more then a regular truck driver. Until you deduct the fuel, tolls, repairs, taxes, insurances, workers comp, and the list goes on.
The bottom line is not as pretty as some may think. But we keep waiting because one day, we will have a paid off truck, (like this one is), and it will run smoothly and have no major dilemmas. This truck decided to break every week for a couple months, and always BIG breaks. Then we get a break, then another HUGE problem, and on and on and on and on. Ok, so no big deal, right? This is something we can cope with. Of course! It just requires more coupons, staying home more often, and re structuring our budget. Easy peasy:)
 Actually, now that I am thinking back in my "year in review", it doesn't seem so bad. Of course I don't want the extra bills again this year, or ever! But there is plenty I wouldn't mind repeating:)
Our oldest daughter, Bethany, was expecting ur first grandbaby in 2012, and I was so excited about being a grandma, I decided to go ahead and finally get a tattoo that I wanted for years and years! I am a big horror movie fan, I have always been a horror fan, movies, books, shows, you name it! I especially have always loved Pinhead from Hellraiser. I had 1 tattoo before this one, actually it is our wedding rings:) (and NO, we didn't copy Tommy Lee and Pamela Anderson! Matter of fact, they copied us! We had ours done 1st!!) My husband has bunches of tattoos, and luckily has a super fascinating tattoo guy he frequents. (when his allowance covers it!) I have been after this guy to do a tattoo of Pinhead for years and he finally said he would do it. I love the way this artist sees! It's fun just to watch him work.
It isn't complete yet, he will be doing the puzzle box at some point here, and I'm not sure of what else I am getting. Maybe some centobites or maybe other horror guys. Either way, I am more then pleased with the job he did. Whether you like Pinhead or not, you gotta admit, this is a fine tattoo;p (oh, it is on my back, I am a mom, and even though I have no problems with people having tattoos anywhere on their bodies, I can cover mine up to be presentable and not scare anybody!
 Alright, maybe 2012 was kind of cool... Well, it got very cool when our first granddaughter, Lillian Ainsley was born on June 30th!! She is such a precious little princess and her smiles and beautiful eyes just light up the room when she comes to visit. I was to be in the delivery room with my daughter, lol, her boyfriend almost passed out, haha! But as I waited impatiently for the nurse to get done chit chatting with her friend on the phone, my daughter gave birth to this little angel, and I walked in a few minutes afterward. Lillian was already a smiley little thing and it was just a wonderful day all around!
Here is a picture of our gorgeous lil princess grandaughter, Lillian;)
 About a month after Lillian was born, she was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome. This was a bit upsetting for our family, but we are so happy to have her! She is such a sweet little blessing!
 I am so proud of Bethany and Lillian's dad for being calm, cool and collected about the whole thing. Of course nobody wishes this on anybody, but hey, this is life and I firmly believe that God will never hand you more then you can deal with. Lillian is growing perfectly and she is exceeding many milestones and her health is pretty good. She does have some holes in her heart but they are expected to heal as she grows.
Onto some of the bad news again.. Many of you know about my accident I had a few months ago, I totaled ,my 2003 Ford F150, the love of my life! and I broke many, many, many bones, some of which will always ache, but finally, after a few months, I am almost fully recovered.
This accident threw me back so far, something I am not used too. No matter how hard or bad it hurts, I always keep trying, which is actually quite foolish most of the time. But I am to stubborn.
I also had worse luck with my RSD, which decided to spread to other parts of my body. This is a constant struggle and there is no cure as of yet, so this is always something that affects our family in some very big ways. I am always trying to find a way to gather enough money for some alternative treatments and hopefully soon, this will happen. In the meantime, I will deal with it as best I can, well I shouldn't say I will, because my kids and my husband and the rest of my family are all very supportive of me during this whole process.
 I also have been diagnosed with a few other things this year, including MS. Don't ask me about MS because I have no clue;) But I am hoping 2013 brings some good luck or answers or maybe effective treatments for all of it. ( I see my new rheumatologist in March) Other then these "main events", we had the typical bad luck as we always seem too. The constant dr appointments, extra bills that pop up just when you least expect them, and then of course, due to my accident and not being able to keep up with this blog, I lost many sponsors, authors, publishers, opportunities, a writing apprenticeship, and more. That has/had me in a slump for awhile, and I tried to explain to some, even offered  proof, and apparently, it doesn't much matter. With some it did, but not with all. I am hoping to catch up in the next few days, which is a lot of work.
  But I have to do what I can to regain some of the trust I had with people and brands and businesses and of course, the authors of the books that we love to read and review and share.
 On a lighter note, Genevive started school this year, and attended her first dance:)
 Aaron's grades have been awesome as usual. Although his stomach problems are still puzzling doctors and he still deals with acid reflux and missed school. My husband recently had to help find a home for his dad and has been dealing with his dad's bank, expenses, apartment, belongings, and visiting his dad. Unfortunately, there are some not so good things that will be following us into the new year, but I am also curious to see what else 2013 will bring!

Friday, December 28, 2012

Three Little Piggies Interactive Book App Review






Three Little Piggies is a super handy learning tool, game and book, all in one cute little book app for iPhones and iPads.
The cool thing about this app is that there are many ways to use this, and it can be used for all ages. My littlest kiddos, are 2, 5 (almost 6), and 9. So, all 3 of them were able to enjoy this together! That is certainly 1 thing we are always on the lookout for.
There are 3 different reading modes and those are:
Listen and Play, which has word by word highlighting, listen and tap objects in each scene, and your little ones are in control of the animation.
There is also autoplay. Autoplay has, word by word highlighting, and karaoke mode with highlighted word by word. This is especially neat for kids when they just want to have fun watching an animated fairy tale.
There is also the read by myself mode, (Aaron's favorite), which allows your child(children) to control the story, and spend as much time on each page as they would like.
There are so many awesome features on Three Little Piggies, I think the all around favorite was how you can blow into the microphone, and be the Big Bad Wolf!
The animations are truly amazing and it is just so much fun to watch! You may end up playing with this one yourself;)
These guys loved huffing and puffing and checking out the little piggies houses, and they control the animation by moving the phone forwards, backwards and side to side.
This is one of the few that we have tried out like this, and it took hours and hours, literally, lol, the kids kept saying, "Mom, if you want to write a good review, we need just a little more time with this one."



Three Little Piggies are one of those apps that make it perfectly ok to use technology for learning. I am always wondering about what happened to children reading real books, and turning pages, but then something like this comes along and just blows my mind away. This doesn't take from your child's imagination whatsoever! There are so many things they can do with the animation that they can play and create all on their own! This is another that can't leave anytime soon;) I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Last Message Android App Review



I have my neat o Pantech Android phone through Verizon, and plenty of times I have complaints about the annoying thing. lol! There are days it seems all I do is have problems with it, even though there are so many features I really do love! I just miss my old phone, apparently if it isn't a Smartphone, it is an artifact these days. So, of course I was forced into this Android in order to stay current on my family plan.
One of my biggest gripes is of course my battery life, ugh! It seems like it dies 10 times faster then any other phone I ever used. I especially go crazy if I am talking on the phone, or texting or emailing a long message and without warning, it says, "shutting down" ! AAHH I don't know how many times this has happened while I am on Facebook, and I'm messaging somebody, and just like that, my phone dies.
Some phones might have that warning up top, but when my phone is online, emails or Facebook, or even Twitter, that top part disappears and I have no idea what my percentage is at.
I found this new app, Last Message, which is available for Androids 2.2 and higher.  You can fnd this at the Google Play Store.
Last Message, lets you connect to your Twitter, gmail, or Facebook, or this is my favorite part... you can set this for your contacts in your phone! If you were texting somebody, and your phone just shuts down, (like mine, several times a day), you can set your own message to send directly to that person to let them know what happened! I love it! It also actually works, and is very quick and painless to set up.
You just install the app, and then set your gmail, sign into your Facebook, and your Twitter, and set your own personalized message to contact your friends so they don't think you just fell pff the planet;)
It has been a long time since I found an app that is something I am going to be using pretty often. Most of the time I have several apps to clear out of my phone since they don't usually do anything I will ever need. Last Message is one I will use and will need. It will be surviving my monthly app cleaning sweeps too.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

The Siren of Paris by David LeRoy



This book is such a meticulously crafted travel back in time, and certainly will not be a book that is forgotten. This is one you will want an actual copy of, so you can come back to it, and read again and again, it is detailed and researched so well, I got lost so many times in this story, and honestly, didn't want to come back some of the time.
 I am kind of at a loss of words for this review, I am more then impressed with David LeRoy's debut novel, and I am more then anxious to read any news of another book coming soon.
If you enjoy history books, this will definitely exceed all of your expectations! Reading it is more like a very vivid dream, then just a book, and I found myself checking how many pages were left several times, not because I wanted it to be over, but because of the exact opposite. I was horribly sad when it ended. That being said, I would not recommend starting this book when you have a to do list, errands or anything else that will interrupt this painfully amazing journey back in time. Otherwise, you will keep people and your list waiting.
 Marc Tolbert, is the main character in this novel, you get to know him beginning with his funeral.
 In 1939, Marc was 20 years old, and was on his way to medical school until he decided to go back to Paris, to attend art school. 1939 of course, was a most terrifying time, and Marc chooses to ignore all of the signs that the world, including Paris, (France) are on the brink of a devastating world war. The author goes into explicit detail, bringing all of the actual historical events and figures into play, as we relive his past with him.
 As disgusting as a time as this is, David LeRoy, manages to carefully articulate a story of spirituality with this book. He doesn't leave anything out of this story, and there will be times you will cringe at the events taking place on the pages, and yet, at the same time, you will be re living a time in history, as though you were really there or at the least, watching a movie.
You will be with Marc, as he tries to escape France, spends time in concentration camps, and witnesses the people and children trying to leave the country. Of course he also falls in love in this story, and with that, comes betrayal.
When Marc dies, he doesn't get to pass into eternal peace, until he answers one question successfully. This is of course a very emotional book, and again, I can't stress enough how brilliant of a job this author did with captivating the reader, pulling the reader in from page 1.
You will find it a tad bit hard to just let go of this book, and I feel I must stress that this book may not be for everyone. (Although, David LeRoy is able to use his creativity and imagination to turn something so grotesque, into a story that will draw in many different types of readers.)
I would love to read any comments you may have on this book! Have you read this novel? Would you be interested in reading this debut novel? Why or why not? I am giving, The Siren of Paris, a 5 star review. It is more then well deserved on every level and especially writing style and originality.

 ** I received a copy of this book in return for my honest review **

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Broken Build by Rachelle Ayala




This is yet another excellent book by one of my new favorite authors, Rachelle Ayala.
So far, I have to say, Rachelle Ayala, is a very well rounded author who seems to be able to write many different styles her own. It is almost magical, maybe mystical, the way she can intertwine a few different "types" or genres, into one book. ( Michal's Window, was another one like Broken Build. 2 different books, 2 completely different stories and characters) yet somehow, they end up being the, Rachelle Ayala, genre. If you have read either of these books, you know what I'm talking about.
Ok, so enough gushing over this author, lol, I just haven't read such fascinating books like this in a long time. I am not comparing Rachelle Ayala's writing to  V C Andrews or a Roland Dahl, (although I put her talent way up there with them, it is just 3 different styles , of course;) but I remember those books when I was younger, as being fascinating books I would have given my pinky finger to sit up and finish that night. It's the same way with Rachelle's books.
Broken Build is about, Jen Jones, who has some dark secrets in her past. Jen changes her appearance in hopes of a fresh start at life.
Jen Jones, (or Jennifer Cruz), has a past with David Jewell, a software  CEO, who she takes on a job with. David doesn't recognize her, he hasn't seen her for 6 years, but there comes a time when he will find out who she is, and this ends up threatening their relationship.
Together the 2 have to rescue David's daughter, who is believed to be with his dead wife's family.
This story starts right from the first chapter and Rachelle, doesn't miss a beat! I wasn't super surprised, that this author would outdo herself yet again. Simply because, Michal's Window was such a shockingly good story that was filled with romance, betrayal, and heart pumping suspense. But I was very, very impressed.
Rachelle's knowledge and computer savvyness adds so much to this suspense, mystery, thriller, techno thriller, romance novel. Just like her genuine love for writing comes through each description, each character and each page of her books, Broken Build will hit you full force with Rachelle's meticulous style, you will be counting down the days until her new novel comes out in 2013!!
I should warn readers a little bit about this book.
As I stated previously, I loved Broken Build!! However, this may not be suitable for everybody, as there will be some scenes that some may not find appropriate and there may also be some language that some do not find suitable.
There is a lot of computer "lingo" in this story as well, which may be a bit hard to grasp. But, Rachelle, does do a fine job describing in great detail what these words, and phrases mean.

I would love to read any comments anybody may have on this book!
Have you also read, Michal's Window?
If you are a fan of this author, keep your eyes peeled for her newest novel, Hidden Under Her Heart, coming next year!! (I will be for sure, and of course I will announce the details as soon as I find out for myself!!)


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Elite Serum Review

As a lot of you already know, I am a die hard eye cream fan! I always have been, I think I kind of thought that if I would take care of everything when I was very young, I wouldn't ever have to worry about any wrinkles, crows feet, laugh lines, fine lines, dark circles or puffy eyes. But as I got a bit older, I see that it didn't keep them away completely. (I'm not really looking my age quite yet, but I am fearing the day I wake up and look 10 years younger in just 1 night!).
 So, any new serums, creams, any anti aging discoveries are fascinating to me and I try to read up on this as much as possible. I applied to try Elite Serum, and was delighted to receive a, "yes!" reply.
 I fall in love with any good product, especially skin care, or body care items, anything that will help me or anybody, look and feel our best. I rarely find a product that gives almost immediate results.
I did find a few of these super special, amazing treats that really do something like make me say, "Oh wow!! It doesn't just mask the absence of results by making my skin feel baby soft and smell pretty!" Yes, there are some products out there that kind of make you think it is doing something just by the way your skin might feel. Which isn't that bad, especially if you are simply going after a "feeling" rather then actual real time results.
 Elite Serum, IS one of the products that showed me real results, and that alone is enough to boost self esteem or confidence of any 38 and a half year old grandma;) (If only Elite Serum could make a diet serum that truly works........)
 I have a giant sense of humor, maybe an odd one, but I laugh at lots of things and little things make me happy, so I am often smiling or cracking up over something. So, one thing I have noticed is I do have those annoying expression type lines that pop up a bit more nowadays when I'm giggling at everything like I'm 7 lol. Some people think those are ok, I think they are a tiny bit ok, but when I am a grandma and I am trying to at least halfway clear up my skin, and the signs of aging, it would be nice to see them halfway disappear. I have seen a pretty fair difference after using this product for a few weeks.
It is simple to use and comes with it's own little massaging tip for the serum!!
I also see a difference in the skin around my eyes being a bit more firm. I haven't been using this serum long enough to have to grab a refill, but when I am out, this is something I will go grab again.
Just the 2 small changes I have seen with my own eyes is enough for me. Like I said before, I am not super wrinkly so I would believe that if I can see these changes, I can only imagine what this product will do for others! I hope it's still around for me to use in 10 and 20 more years:)
1 container should last you about 45 days, which is pretty accurate. I also like the prices they offer.
If you want to order 1 and that's that, it will cost $89.95 plus shipping. However, you can opt to grab a sweet discount and order an Elite Serum for $59.95 plus shipping, and every 45 days they will automatically send you a new one. BUT, you can cancel at anytime. You do not have to take the next shipment. (although I think most of you will end up kinda liking the next shipment;)
Do you need another reason to love this product?
Elite Serum is made in the USA!!
Here are some facts about Elite Serum:
(taken from their website)


  • Elite Serum™ is a scientifically designed eye serum that is exclusively
    formulated using a combination of unique DNA precursor pool peptides.
  • Use of this treatment is intended to effectively reduce the appearance
    of fine lines, dark circles, crow's feet and puffiness around the eyes.
  • Regular application can significantly improve tone, firmness and skin
    elasticity while restoring a youthful looking eye contour for users of all ages. 
I'd love to know what you think!
Please leave any comments about your experience with this product or if you think this is something you would like to try!


** Please read our disclosure policy **
** I was given this product in return for my honest review **
** This is not a paid post. No money was given for this review. However, I did receive a full size product **

Friday, December 21, 2012

Share Your Sticky Situation Contest






I know we all have crazy stories of sticky, messy situations! For some of us, this happens everyday! I know it does here, lol, we have the 3 little ones, running around, not caring at all what may drop or spill or fall or get dumped. Most of the time, these little guys, seem to find lots of amusement with all of this and think it is so funny and so cool, when Deegan, their 2 year old brother, makes the biggest mess I swear I have ever seen!
This is pretty much everyday, now that I think about it. Matter of fact, I just had to stop from writing this post, so I could clean peanut butter from the living room wall! Unbelievable, the things these kids get into. The craziest part is, they all sit and laugh at most of this and look like they are having the times of their lives.
Just last week, I was doing dishes, and didn't hear a peep out of Deegan for a couple minutes. (This is how we always know they are up to no good!), so I went through the house, preparing myself for the worst, when I heard a giggle coming from the bathroom. OMG! I forgot to make sure the door was shut properly!
This is something I always have to double check because it is always left open, just a little, and since Deegan looks for this, it is always my top priority to make sure the bathroom door is shut the wole way.
Anyway, I had to break in with our key, (since he loves to lock us out), and sure enough, there he was, with his toothbrush and toothpaste all over his face and his hair. Cute, huh? No, not when I looked and saw that the toothpaste was also all over the floor, toilet, sink, walls, and his clothing.
But he is just to cute with those big dimples, and he loves to brush his teeth so much. So, I took him and stuck him in the laundry room, so I could gather my thoughts and scrub the bathroom. Well that was a HUGE mistake!
About 5 minutes later, I found him in the kitchen, with my cell phone, taking pictures of himself and now he had chocolate all over his face, hair and my phone!
I can't ever leave this one alone for more then 30 seconds! He is always on the lookout for something he can get into, and he really loves the admiration and giggles from Genevive, and Aaron.
I would love to hear any sticky situations you and your little ones have had!
I always love comments, but there is something even better this time!
Wet Ones is giving us the opportunity to share our sticky situations that we have found ourselves in, along with any tips you may have, through their Facebook contest! 
I just entered and it was super easy! 
You could win an iPad mini or Six Flags tickets!!
Click here to enter!


 “I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Wet Ones. I received a promotional item to thank me for participating.”



Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Pogo Pig App for Toddlers

I am so happy somebody made a saving money app for toddlers!
It is awesome to be able to have such a cute app to help with one of life's most valuable lessons! It is also very important to start teaching this at a very early age.
Deegan is 2 and always loves messing with the computer or our cell phones lol! He especially loves watching videos and playing games. So this was a very fun review for him to do. Oh, and I should mention, he also loves little animals, and little piggies!
This app was created for children ages, 2-4, and is fun, interactive game that will teach your child or children, the concept of saving money and  trust me, it is worth so much more then the 99 cents you pay for this app!
Of course most of us know how important budgeting and saving money is, and we usually have our own ways to teach our children at home how important this is for their futures as well. Pogo Pig comes in very handy when trying to deal with the younger ones, especially when they are sometimes to little to understand the concept. So, this is a very good tool for parents.
We have been trying to teach our children how to save and budget, and have some left for charity.
We started "Behavior Bucks"  here at our house, with hopes of teaching the kids how to earn "money", be respectful, behave, (lol), share, help others, and to save their "money".
They can earn "behavior bucks" for many things, such as, finishing their chores, being nice to one another, helping mom or dad, getting along, sharing, being caught doing a good deed, going out of their way for another family member, etc.
They also have "fines" or taxes, ( we are also trying to implement what it will be like when they grow up and earn money and have actual deductions. These are sometimes simply "fines" for not listening, or fighting with each other. (We were hoping to teach the value of a dollar along with how important family is, and how to grow up to be decent, respectable children, teens and adults.
The cool thing about their, "Behavior Bucks", is that they can spend them at their little store. (This store is open on the weekends, when I have a chance to bring the crates down with the products)
It is cute to see how they sometimes want to buy a pencil, an eraser, a small toy or something for each other.
The other neat lesson they have already learned from this, is how to save money. There are some more expensive items, and some weeks, they decide to wait to make a purchase because they would like to earn more "Behavior Bucks", so they can afford what they want.
While this may not be as effective for Deegan, Pogo Pig is. He still earns his "Behavior Bucks" and shops, but he has been having a very fun time with this interactive game!
You can buy Pogo Pig at the iTunes store!!




Thursday, December 13, 2012

Printable Christmas Pages for Your Little Ones




The holidays area fun time to spend with family and friends, have parties, travel, shop, cook and bake, and we all have so many traditions and fun times we share, even if it is just simple.
The holiday season to me, seems fairly long, (well, especially with the little ones home from school and all of the bickering and fussing lol! I start to wish they were going back to school for just a few more days!) Really, I enjoy every minute with my family, no matter how chaotic or nutty, it sure is never boring!
My big issue is trying my best to keep these little guys occupied. It may seem simple at first, I devise a whole plan for each day, and as long as everything goes well, we have a themed night.
We do have a few nights every once in a while, when we don't even come close to starting our planned baking or cooking fun, or our science experiment, or our craft, so we just reschedule for the next night, and the next;)
We have a craft hutch, yes, it is literally a craft hutch filled to the brim with crayons, stickers, paints, paper, ribbons, googly eyes, popsicle sticks, it is a bit ridiculous! It also drives me nuts since I am the one who has to clean this out almost everyday. I also have lots of crafts and things upstairs in a cubby hole. These are the things they can not take, only me or their dad. It's all the school supplies and arts and crafts I find throughout the year to replace all of the broken crayons, and used up glue sticks, etc etc.
These kids will color and lay games 24 hours a day if they could, and never, ever get bored! Of course, I run out of ideas and things and I found a special secret online! Printable coloring pages and games and worksheets! I hoard these like crazy and keep a folder with a few copies of each and when I am running low, I simply make more copies!
We hold coloring contests and the kids just love them! (Of course they all get special prizes, there isn't really a 1st, 2nd and 3rd:) But these are one of my biggest helpers, and saviors at home. I can throw a few of each out on the kitchen table, walk away and get laundry done, dishes done, cut out coupons, I have to say, coloring page time is the best part of my week. (and yes, I try to throw these out as often as possible!!)
I found these neat o Christmas printables, which are super cute! You can get 60 printables, for just $19.95, which comes to about 33 cents each.

Another cool thing about these printable games, is, they are not just for kids. If you are having holiday parties, any kind of family gatherings, there are some fun games in here you could use for entertainment that would be fitting for the whole family. Of course you can add prizes, and add your own special flair to create  new tradition, something everybody will look forward to each year.
When you make your purchase here, you will receive an email with your special link, to download in PDF format. You will have them forever, because there are no time limits, or subscription fees at all. Once you buy them, they are yours!


I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Invisible Powers Loose Yourself and Run by Jaden Mars





It isn't very often I read a book that is so heartfelt, and you can feel the author's passion coming from the pages, but, Jaden Mars, does just that.
I thought this was not only interesting but also a very positive book, especially in our times. We truly need a push in the right direction, and I appreciate and agree with the direction this book takes the reader.
 There are indeed, three forces in the universe, and if we were to become more aware of our surroundings and our lives, and of course, other people, we can create our own reality and recognize the messages that we seem to miss everyday.
 The author conveys this message very clearly, and reading this book isn't at all like I first thought. It isn't like reading a "How To" book, or a run of the mill, self help book. The author is not only entertaining, but comes across as more of a friend then the teacher or the author. That of course, makes this book all the more rewarding and easier to comprehend.
 There is something in this book for everybody, and Jaden Mars, makes these lessons so much more entertaining and you will truly finish this book feeling much better about yourself and the world around you.
 I am anxious for the next in this series and I am thankful Jaden Mars, is sharing this with the reader. We are in some very trying times, and it is becoming more of a reality that the only way we will get through is to start the steps that are orchestrated in this book.
 I recommend this book for anybody who is open to the world around them, becoming a better person, and wants to better themselves.

Label Daddy Review and Giveaway

Have you ever sent your little one to school with something for show and tell, a tiny wallet for school store, a pair of gloves, or a hat, only to find your child didn't bring it back home?
Even if the items are found, sometimes, they sit in lost and found, and may never find their way back home.
This has happened so many times with me throughout the years with so many different little ones! Whether it was a water bottle at a soccer game, a baseball game, or a batting glove! Not only does it end up costing time and money to replace, it can be very upsetting for a small child if they lose their favorite lunch bag or stuffed animal!
 If you can relate to any of these disasters, you have to check out Label Daddy!! They create some of the coolest and cutest and most useful labels, for any and all occasions. You can even buy spice labels!
Label Daddy makes all sizes of all purpose labels, and zipper tags, luggage tags, photo stickers, address labels, garbage bin labels, allergy labels and sports sticker labels and more!
 They also offer a few money saving sets to choose from, including, a sports pack, a camping pack, a combo pack and a school pack! For instance, with the school pack, retail price is $40, you will receive:
 1 Bag Tag
 45 Extra Small
 30 Small
 20 Medium
 10 Large
 18 Mini shoe labels
 8 Shoe
 4 Zipper Tags
 You can cover everything for school and more. There would most likely be plenty left over for next school year as well;)
 Label Daddy has a super cool variety of designs to choose from, you can pick from a basic logo, your child's favorite basketball or baseball team, Disney, or Marvel characters.
 Of course you personalize your labels, and choose your colors, check the spelling, they have an option to laminate your labels, which only costs $4.95, and after just a few clicks, you are done!
 If you need some more reasons to love these labels like me and my kiddos do, (you know how much we love small business and American made products in our family), wait until you read about how Label Daddy was created! 2 friends who met in high school at age 16, and dreamed of starting a business together, ended up as Label Daddy! What is better then 2 daddys who know what kids like and what parents need that is still cute or cool for our children, at the same time?
 Another thing I really have to mention, is how these labels are microwave safe, dishwasher safe and washer and dryer safe! They really are too! Trust me! We even had a few zipper tags going through the washer and the dryer and they are as perfect as they were when we unpacked the package!
 A few more awesome points to make about these labels, you do not need to sew! (thank God!), no need for markers, and best of all, no ironing!
 Both Aaron and Genevive begged and pleaded for the zipper tags, lol, they love them and they are attached to every single possible thing they own! Genevive picked out pretty pink Tinkerbell zipper tags and Aaron chose Phineas and Ferb. Deegan got a bunch of small Spiderman multi purpose labels. (Mainly for his cups, toys, his trucks and sweatshirts) and we let him stick a few wherever he wanted. He is 2 but still likes to be a big kid most of the time!
When you visit their site, make sure to download a small PDF file of how to's and helpful hints. Like,please make sure you do not wash any clothing for 24 hours after applying your new labels! The adhesive needs that time to actually bond to the garment!
 One thing Genevive had to learn pretty quick, was that her pretty Tinkerbell zipper tags, are NOT pulls for her coat, sweatshirts, sweaters or backpack, but tags!
 I had no problems whatsoever, while creating and ordering our labels, the website runs very smoothly, and has all of the information you need right there! The prices are reasonable, you will see what I mean after you receive your labels and check out the quality. The selection is great! The only reason it took us a little while was because we didn't know what to choose from.
We give Label Daddy our stamp of approval for quality, user friendly site, superior customer service, and super fast shipping!!
OOHHHH while you are over there, check out their guarantee! Splendid indeed!! How would you like to win a $60 gift certificate for your family??
 Enter the Rafflecopter below and let us know what you would kind of labels you would like to create.
Don't forget to check out LabelDaddy on Facebook! and Twitter!
 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Bittersweet Revenge by Monroe Scott

This is a very impressive story, especially for being such a short story, I have to say I didn't expect what I read. I really enjoyed the author's style of writing, and the fact that there weren't any boring parts of this story and there definitely isn't any part that makes you yawn or think about setting this book down! Which to me, is rare, seeing that the author only has so many pages, and yet was able to convey some very interesting characters, an original plot and an unexpected ending.
 Of course I wouldn't personally do what the main character of the story did, or planned, but there are people like this out there. Allison, made the story all the more unusually good.
I am a fan of psychological thrillers and off the wall and out of the ordinary books, and well, pretty much everything, lol. So, this was a hidden little treasure of a book in my recent stack and I would love to read more from this author! I think a few more short stories would be excellent.
 I have always been a big fan of V.C Andrews and this story and this author, reminded me of her books. Her writing style is clever, very inviting, and she doesn't wait for a few chapters to start the actual plot. It starts right from the first page.
 Allison, and Rick, are also 2 unique characters, which brings me to the next reason I would compare this author to early V C Andrews, is because the characters are always intriguing, mysterious, and described very well. Even if they are not necessarily a person we know personally, or a person we can relate too. I believe that the great lengths Allison, went to , in order to pay back the person she loved, were very vividly detailed and made the book all the more mysterious.
 I have to disagree about the ending of the story,according to other reviewers. I actually thought it fit very well! I didn't expect it, not in the least, and it was a shocking surprise to me.
 Short stories say a lot about an author. It's kind of like, Twitter. It really is hard to try and get story, or something you want to say, out, explained, understood, and interesting, all at the same time, but be able to capture all of this in a very limited amount of pages, or characters.
I would love to read more stories like this one, and be introduced to more characters this author has in mind. It would be very cool if in the near future, she would release a book of short stories, and/or a mini series.
 I recommend this book to anybody who loves short psychological thrillers, romance with a twist, and fast paced books.

 ** I was given a copy of this book in return for my honest review **

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Sports Illustrated for KIds ( Super Cool Christmas Gift!)

My kids absolutely love receiving mail. Most of the time, there isn't much mail for them, since they are kids, lol. But they even love to open up the junk mail and paging through all of the catalogs we get every day.
Once every few months, they do each receive a Lego magazine, and that is by far, their favorite day ever.
One thing that is very important to me, especially these days, is the lack of exercise, outdoor play, and reading. It seems this is a problem with kids these days, and parents who tend to think their children should just sit and watch television or play video games, and they aren't outside as much, or playing in team sports. This is one of the biggest problems I believe children have, and I wish rather then sitting in front of computers and tv's, they would be using their imaginations, and playing like we used to when we were kids.
Of course there isn't anything wrong with tv and video games and computers sometimes, but these things should be only some of the time, and not all day every day.
Sports Illustrated for Kids, is an excellent gift for your kids, for many reasons.
I love how this magazine takes our kids favorite team players, and promote being active, playing together as a team, and of course, reading.
It takes all the cool stuff kids like, their favorite teams, role models, players, and has interesting articles our little ones love.
Not to mention, their website, is also a fun place for kids to hang out and rea more about their favorite sports teams and players!
There are usually contests, my kids love the caption contests! Photos, games and a lot more.
You can also find them on Facebook! 
They are offering a subscription for only $19.95! This is for print and tablet.
Sports Illustrated for Kids has received the highest honors from The Association of Educational Publishers and Parents Choice Awards.
This will make an awesome stocking stuffer for your kids, grandkids, or any sports fans on your Christmas list.


Monday, December 3, 2012

The Nutcracker Music Game and Giveaway!!


This is such an awesome game for children of all ages! When Deegan, our 2 year old, heard this video, he shot straight from the table with his cereal, and giggled and came flying over to me, clapping, and giggling and was super excited to watch! He especially loved the music and started dancing like crazy!

 I was especially amazed with how beautiful the music was, believe it or not, when I was growing up and had music class, we had classical music courses and my favorite composer of all time was none other then, Tchaikovsky. I don't know what it was about his music, but it stuck with me from grade school the whole way into being a mom. So, when I read about The Nutcracker Music Game, I was immediately drawn in just from that!





 Kids love games, parents love things that help our children learn, so you put the 2 together and Voila! You have everything wrapped into one. Add the beautiful music, and your children not only learn to appreciate such music, but they learn about Tchaikovsky too! Our little ones have been going nutty over this since day 1 and it is really hard to keep Deegan away from the computer.
This is a brilliant game, created for children, all children, to not only find their own appreciation of music, but also to help with problem solving skills, but also to sharpen their listening skills, ( yes, I think this may also help with listening to rules too;) , as well as help them learn basic concepts of music.
 Music has always been a very, very important learning tool, and ever since I read one day, a LONG time ago, lol, that music could be heard in the womb, (our 1st daughter was born in 1992), we made sure music was an everyday part of life. Which wasn't hard, since we love all kinds of music and appreciate all music, and our oldest started playing the violin at 5 and went onto play guitar for several years. She now does the same with her little princess, and Lillian, my granddaughter, is only 5 months old and already has her favorite music and songs.
 Onto the game part of The Nutcracker Music Game. The object is to earn 9 golden keys, through a series of games and activities that teach students about differences between sounds, exercises their memory skills, and increases their music vocabulary. (PS Aaron, he is 9 and loves video games, and Genevive is 5 and loves fun things and games and earning, so this was a win win win, with all 3 kids here at our house!)
 The Nutcracker Music Game has won, The Parents Choice Gold Award, NAPPA Gold Award, The Parenting Seal of Approval, and many others. Yes, it has also earned our Busymommylist seal of approval too!
 Would you like to win a copy of The Nutcracker Music Game for your little ones??
 I promise you won't be disappointed!
 It will keep them occupied, you get a bit of a break, and who knows? They may all get along together like these lil guys did, (at least for the time they worked together throughout this game!
Just fill out the Rafflecopter for a chance to win your own!
a Rafflecopter giveaway I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Unique Pendant by NanoStyle



I am a big fan of anything odd, unique, different, anything that isn't real mainstream. That's with everything, music, books, movies, clothing, and jewelry.
I was really, really anxious for this review and felt like a little kid waiting for Christmas!
I was also pretty impressed that Pamela Anderson, wears pieces from NanoStyle, specifically the same necklace I was expecting, so that was also very cool.
The package finally arrived, from Israel, which was also neat! I really enjoyed opening the little package and it was in a nice little box, (yes, it is very rare that I splurge on anything for myself, so this was all such a treat!)
I had already seen the pictures, and believe me, the pictures really do not show how gorgeous this pendant is in person! Genevive, our 5 year old, who is also a princess, screeched, "OOOHH Mommy!! It is so pretty!!", while her eyeballs popped out of her head:) We were so careful with it, and even grabbed some hand sanitizer before we used the tiny magnifying glass, so we could read all of the 120 "I Love You's" that are inscribed in this pendant. I forgot to mention all about that! The "I Love You" pendant, has "I Love You" , written in 120 languages, and it is engraved in 24 karat gold! As if the black onyx wasn't enough, or the gold heart in the center! Or the magnifying glass that comes with each piece!
I wore this pendant to work a couple times, not to many because I bartend on the weekends and I was afraid it would get lost in a beer cooler or in the parking lot. I didn't have that problem at al though as I have had with other necklaces and rings. This is made very well, and has a strong, high quality chain attached so it wasn't going anywhere. I was just worried because it probably is one of the prettiest pieces of jewelry I have, but I couldn't help but show it off.
I have gotten so many compliments on my pendant! At work, even at the grocery store! Especially from my little princess, it really catches the eye and can fit and match with anything you wear.
NanoStyle even lets you choose what chain you would like, and you can even choose your own metal!
The choices for the metal are, silver, gold plated, (both are $99) or you can opt for 14k gold metal (which retails for $235)
For your chain choices, you can choose 18" or 19.5" and you can pick from 5 different silver chains or a gold chain. (depending on your option, there may be an extra fee)
Of course the stone is black onyx, which has always been a favorite of mine! And Genevive's favorite, the teeny, tiny magnifying glass, comes with your pendant.
This is certainly not the only stunning pendant or even piece of jewelery, NanoStyle, has to offer. They have a whole line of exclusive 24k gold inscribed jewelry. Yes, they all will have your very own mini magnifying glass too!
They also have Zodiac jewelry, Jewish jewelry, Christian jewelry, Symbolic jewelry, and a lot more.
With the holidays coming up, you may want to either grab a piece or 2 from their collections, or better yet, pass the NanoStyle link along to your husband, fiance, or whoever is getting your gift wish list this year
NanoStyle also offers free shipping and a 60 day money back guarantee!
 You can also find NanoStyle on Facebook!!
and on Twitter!!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Weirder Than Marshmellows Essays and Musings of Dan Fogg




I love books that are purely just, random thoughts. I can relate and I do the same thing all the time. Whether at work, or watching tv, shopping, cleaning, hanging out with my kids, anything. I often joke with people about my brain since it seems I have a zillion thoughts going through it, and some of it will make me laugh out loud, while others just make me wonder.
Weirder Than Marshmellows, is a very interesting, random, odd, weird, and hilarious book. I don't really know where I would categorize it, but I like things better that way, all by themselves, in their own category, or genre.
There are several different stories in this book, some of which are very witty, some a bit sad, many will make you think and some may make you annoyed. Either way, it is a well thought out and well put together book, and if there are some parts that upset you, (I can think of a couple things that people would be offended by), I apologize. I tend to have am open mind when it comes to a lot of things, including book reviews. I like to put myself in the shoes of the writer, and the reader, not just the blogger who happened to receive a book to review.
In this case, the author, Dan Fogg, is a young man, sadly, he has passed away at the age of 21. But he left a lot of very interesting stories, and he sure left his mark on society. More so, as more people read his work. From what I have read, he also has another book on the way, and I for one, am looking forward to this as much as I was looking forward to this one.
There were a lot of things I had to chuckle at, clearly this young man has already seen the strange people and events this world has to offer, and he had a sense of humor and a way to turn these off the wall people and things, into something to laugh at, and ponder.
Like I said earlier, there may be a couple things that possibly offend some readers. He does make a reference about children needing grown ups to take care of them. Did I take offense/ Not really. Had I wished it were worded differently? Sure. BUT, the author is a young man himself, and this isn't some horrible way people think, he's a kid himself. Also, what he was referring to, was also how grown ups tend to be a bit, "dumb", in a lot of ways. Warning labels, ugh, do we really have to read warning labels for everything? Yeah, sad as it seems, there was apparently somebody, somewhere, who did whatever really stupid thing it was that would make that warning label get put on whatever it is. For instance, i have a Nap Nanny for my youngest son, well he has grown out of it, but they had a recall, and had to re do the labels, because parents were putting their babies in this little bed, and not buckling them in, and then placing the small baby bed, on top of a bed or table??? Why? I never will understand the human race, and the strange things that do occur with people, technology, people's brains, and why things happen and why things are not what they seem.
That is what this book is about. Again, you are not going to agree 100%, if we all did agree, life and this world would be terribly boring.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

When Did I App Review

I am so thankful for Smartphones and all of these apps that are available, especially the ones that are created for busy moms and busy people in general. When I Did, is a very cool app that allows you to keep track of everything you need, at any time! It is very easy to use, even for people like me who don't know their way around a Smartphone. (yes, I have had mine since August, and I am still stuck on almost everything) I do have several tablets, planners, to do lists, all of my lists kind of take over everything sometimes, and if a kid isn't writing over top everything, or destroying it, I spill coffee on 1 or 2 or I end up re writing it and throwing away a piece of paper that had something important on. So, yes, I want nothing more then to be more organized!! I have some neat planners I have found, and I have to much to write in the little squares, that I have 4 different planners, 1 for work schedules, 1 for computer schedules, 1 for to do lists and 1 for doctor appointments, birthday parties, and all the fun school stuff. For me, it is very annoying to have so many and if I could have 1 less, I am super happy.
That's where this app comes in! I have been using it for our schedules as a family, and keeping track of parties, appointments, school dances, (and believe me, we have a big family, some of us have medical conditions, so there are times we have more then 1 appointment in 1 week!)
 I would recommend this app for anybody who has something they need to keep track of. This isn't just for busy moms, and busy families. When I Did, can help keep track of your dieting, what you had for lunch, snacks, dinner, how much time you spent jogging, at the gym, during workouts, it's pretty much endless. Another cool thing I have to point out with this app, is that you are in control of categories, and how many, and titles! This is my favorite part!! I don't know how many times I used a planner, whether digital or paper, and even an app, (this is the 3rd I have tried, and now my last:), where they already pre created your list of what is important to you. I always either have to rename them and remember, or scribble it out if it's on paper, and I hate sloppiness. I am constantly re writing to do lists and things when I make a mistake.
 You can grab this app at The Google Play Store. I would love to hear your ideas! What do you keep track of? Have you used this app? How does it compare with other ways of keeping your busy schedules, not so busy and hectic?

The Unfinished by Patrice Williams Marks





I was more then pleased with this book. It isn't very often that a book with less then 20 pages, that isn't a children's book, really grabs my attention and ends up being one of the most original stories I ever read.
My only complaint would be that I would love an actual mini series or possibly a new book with a lot more pages! This has a lot of potential to be a super mystery, detective, science fiction, and everything in between, novel.
It amazes me that this author was able to create such a unique story, (this is something you don't see so often anymore), and introduce so many characters, give short descriptions of backgrounds, the plot, thoroughly explain what is happening, answer your questions, and deliver such a magnificent ending, in less then 20 pages.
Of course I understand the reason behind the short story, after all, it is a short story, but inside, I am wondering or maybe it's more along the lines of hoping, that this was released to see what we would think and that maybe there is a best seller coming our way in a year... hint hint!!
I am a big horror, action, science fiction, creepy, mystery, crime, fan, and I read and watch a ton in this genre. This is truly something that had me on edge and dreading the little arrows on the bottom of the screen when I saw I hit the double digits.
I agree with the reviewer who stated that, The Unfinished, reminded them of, The Twilight Zone. I have seen every Rod Serling story, at least 20 times each and still record them on my DVR, lol. The Unfinished would be an episode he would be proud of.
I recommend this book to all scifi fans, any fans of The Twilight Zone, and please, if we get enough people to read and post their thoughts, maybe we can persuade the author to give us more!




You can buy this book on Smashwords.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Pay Dragon App Review

So, of course being a busy mom, and never having enough time to do anything or finish any to do list, I had so many high hopes for this app, Pay Dragon.
Pay Dragon is an app for your Android, or iPhone, that allows you to scan a bar code from any non perishable items you have in your home, and will allow you to quickly order that item from your phone, with just 1 click! Sounds pretty awesome, right? Indeed it does!
Pay Dragon also offers free 2 day shipping, and even if the price of the product you are ordering seems a little high, remember to add in the fact that you are saving gas and time also!!
This is a blessing, much like that super website where I can subscribe and save, order mac and cheese, cereal, diapers, and Christmas gifts and books, and get it shipped for free! (Yes, I am an addict )
Pay Dragon is a free app, and you are never obligated to make a purchase of course, but at least you know it's there just in case you need it. For instance, I had a terrible vehicle accident and I am still not able to drive, basically, my whole right side was smashed, several broken bones, etc, and of course my truck was totaled. ( I know many of you know about this and I am still not very good at typing, but 1 day soon, I will be back to normal and will share the story:) Anyway, for me living in a rural area, with small kiddos, and our nearest grocery store is 20 minutes away, this is the kind of thing I am in need of! More so since my accident. It is rough having to rely on others to run you around, and luckily, I have a wonderful husband who works like crazy all week, but still gets me to the stores on the weekends. there are still times when I kind of need something and I am out or don't have enough.
When I make up our menus, and figure out school lunches, the kids snack days at school, and things for my husbands lunches, I am usually pretty good with getting things on my list, grabbing the coupons and getting what we need. But even people like me run out and sometimes forget, and this is where I was anxious to use, Pay Dragon.
I used this app now for a few weeks, and I have some complaints, but I wouldn't let this affect my decision to install this app and use it for yourself. Maybe it is just me and the things I can not find, so, I would still give it a try, mainly since it is free after all! Who knows? I am sure a lot of the quirks and things will be fixed and this app has some potential to be one of the most helpful apps on the market!
What are my complaints?
For starters, I am a regular mom, with a regular family, we use the same brands and products that most other families use. For 3 weeks, I have been scanning bar codes with this app, and I continue to get the message, "Sorry, this item is out of stock" however, they will let you submit the item, and they will contact you when it is back in stock. I would say, for the time I have been using this app, I am only able to find 1 out of every 25 bar codes I scanned. these are not goofy products that are super rare or anything, they are things like, Crispix cereal, Skintimate shave gel, Suave body wash, boxes of jello products, Method cleaners, Maxwell House coffee, Coffeemate cream, Chex Mix, Lucky Charms, Duncan Hines cake mix, Betty Crocker icing, Lysol cleaning wipes, Carpet Fresh,  just regular everyday, random, items. But for the whole time, they have been, "out of stock". I understand that while having over 5000 non perishable items available, and maybe just a whole lot of people ordering these regular products, maybe this is why. But it has been a few weeks that I randomly check bar codes, just in case I find 1 I need that is available to ship.
Next issue, some products are only available in larger quantity. For example, Coffeemate, the largest size, (yes, lol, I LOVE Coffeemate and we go through a LOT of it!!), are only available in sets of 4. Which is fine, and of course I sometimes buy by the case, but I already do this through other websites, and at the store. But once in a while, I just need 1! Maybe I don't have $40 available that day, but I have $10 available and I just want 1. I don't see this as a major problem, I just hope in the future, they change this to options, "Would you like 1?" or "Would you like this by the case?"
Next issue I have are the prices. I did keep in mind the price of gas, the fact that it is more about being convenient, rather then saving money. But, the prices are very high on most products. One of the few things that was readily available to be shipped to me, was a bag of Goldfish Flavor Blasted Pizza Crackers. These are something we use a lot! The kids love them and I can usually get these for well under $3,  actually, these are often on sale for 3 for $5 or 2 for $4. That is when I stock up. But with this app, they are just a few cents under $4 a bag. I doubt I will ever order for that price, ever. Other sites that offer groceries, non perishables, at discounted prices or have sales, have better prices, on the bar codes I have scanned! This may not apply to everybody, and I live in PA, so maybe we just have way better prices on groceries and sales? I don't know, so I would still recommend giving this app a try! Oh, the other price I wanted to bring up was for Suave body wash. For just 1 regular old size, Suave body wash, it was over $5. Now, if you are a coupon shopper, you know these are rarely more then $2, and sometimes almost free with coupons and sales. There again, one of the only products available, but I can't afford to pay that much.
Next thing is not really an issue, perhaps more of a warning. Pay Dragon does offer free 2 day shipping, however, this isn't saying, free shipping. You will pay for shipping, taxes of course, but just know that when they say free 2 day shipping, it really only means that the 2 day part of the shipping is free. No, I am not accusing them of anything, they never claimed, free shipping, just free 2 day shipping. Again, this may still be useful for some people and very well could be a great deal.
Another thing I would like to add for Pay Dragon, is it would be very cool if when somebody orders more then 1 item, you would discount the shipping fees. I understand it is only a few cents, but for somebody who is really going to use this service and they are ordering more then 5 items at a time, maybe you could offer a discount?
Some pluses, I couldn't use these good parts myself, yet, but they do have a very nice referral system set up. You can get discounts for referring friends and you earn points for orders and Pay Dragon will offer discounts from 1.5% to 5%!
I will be keeping this app in my phone, and I will be hoping for some changes and I am not holding anything against them, After all, this is a service I would use all the time!! But I can't bring myself to pay these prices for most products, and I wish I could see what is available since most of what we use and need are not available.
Have you used this app?
What did you think?
You can find Pay Dragon on Facebook!!
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Double Bluff - Book 1 (The Dalerian Conspiracy) by Arno Joubert

I love action adventure and true crime books, any suspense, mystery, thrillers, all my favorites! The Dalerian Conspiracy, is all of the above!
 I am anxious to read the next few books in this series, and after checking out all of the other titles by Arno Joubert, I intend on reading many more of his books. You can find his titles and buy on Amazon, and you can check out his website for more information.
 I only have one complaint, and that would be that this specific book was to short, however, there are other books that go along with this one, so I can't say that just yet. Especially since I haven't read them and the price is right, $1.49 for this kindle edition.
 The writing itself is straight to the point, excellent use of adjectives, descriptions, he does not go overboard and the story starts almost immediately after the first few sentences. Which is another reason the length didn't upset me to much.
Arno doesn't waste time, and each page will take you further and further into the twisted and insane life of, Alexis Guerra, an assassin who was basically forced into hunting the people who are hunting her.
 A military espionage thriller is what the description of the book says, and that does about sum it up. there are explosions, suicides, double crossing and assassinations, which all make for a fascinating story. The characters are well thought out and the author introduces them all in a "nonchalant" way, this is another reason I had to give it a good rating.
Everybody fits perfectly in the story and you don't have to sift through pages and pages of boredom and forgetting what you are reading and who you are reading about. There is a computer programmer, Zachary Cohen, (and hacker) in the story, (I love that) Of course, hacking into Government computers and finding all kinds of secrets and then putting his own life on the line, as well as his wife and daughters. Bruce Bryden, a Mossad Operative, and Neil Allen, a disgraced ex Marine, also have interesting roles in this story of assassins and corrupt Government and of course, money. You can read more about, Arno Joubert on his website, www.africaskyblue.com as well as read some excerpts of his books!!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Heroes, Mentors and Friends: Learning from our Spiritual Guides by John Dowd Jr.





I do consider myself a pretty spiritual person, and I try my best to teach my children to be the same. I do believe in miracles, and I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. I was happy to receive a book such as this one to read and post my review for, since I do agree with, John Dowd Jr on many levels.
As a book, this is well written and straight to the point. While reading this book, it reminds you of a phone call or a conversation with a good friend or big sister, mom, grandma, whoever it is in your life that you look up to, as say, a mentor, or a friend.  I do wish it would have been a little longer, but for a good weekend read with some coffee and cookies, (Yum!), this is the perfect length! So, I will just point out that I would like to see more books from this author, since this is his first book.
Heroes, Mentors and Friends, is about just that.
The author explains in great detail, what the differences are between these 3, I planned on writing about all of mine in each category but honestly, this would be several pages long. (Probably more then the book! Lol!)
I like the way he describes each of these words and their meanings, very easy to understand and if you are usually somebody who appreciates the people win your life who have inspired you and helped you through rough times, through good times, and have influenced you and the way you do whatever it is you do, it is nice to have this all reaffirmed.
A hero for instance, is one who will inspire you to go beyond what you think you can do. Possibly sports heroes, scientists, artists, or doctors.
A mentor is, through experience, help us stay grounded and on the right track. A hero who interacts with us.
Friends are, angels who encourage us and applaud our accomplishments, big or small.
I am sure you can already think of several people throughout your life that can fit in these categories.
One of my favorite parts of this book, was when the author touched on, forgiveness.
 This was recently something I believe I needed a lesson in, again, and this book kind of came right at the appropriate time. I do always try my best to find the reasons behind everything, and this was indeed why I read this book.
 Why don't we forgive easily? Why do we cause ourselves so much pain and added stress? is is merely because of ego? The author does an extraordinary job explaining forgiveness, and why it is needed. This is of course something I sometimes need a "shove" in the right direction with. I finished reading this book, feeling more relaxed and at ease with myself and others around me.
 Simple, genuine happiness, and warmth is what you will get from this book. It is inspiring, as though the author is your mentor himself! You will get to know him as a person throughout this book, and I promise you will learn something or at least have something reaffirmed.
I would personally recommend this book to everybody. Whether you read it on occasion, pick out bits and pieces to assure yourself, or loan to a friend, this is well worth buying!
 Heroes, Mentors and Friends, can be purchased at, Balboa Press.
 I would love to hear any comments on this book!
Have you read this book?
Who are your mentors? Heroes? Friends?
What did you gain from reading this?

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Dog Trots Globe to Paris and Provence by Sheron Long




 If you love dogs, or have children, or like cute, feel good, stories, this is a one of a kind book!
Dog Trots Globe, was actually written by, Chula, a 9 year old Sheltie. Well, it was "barked" by Chula, and written by Sheron Long, actually. But it is told through the eyes of a dog.
My little ones really enjoyed this book, mainly because they couldn't get over how cool it was that a dog had traveled to France, and wrote, or barked the story.
There are well over 100 photographs and you can even check this out online where you can also watch 4 videos that go along with Chula's story! This was also a very fascinating addition to this book. I have never sen this before and the kids were just shrieking in pure delight!
Genevive especially, just keeps giggling everytime she thinks of this or sees the book on the shelf, because, "What the heck is a doggie doing going to France" lol.
This was also very fun to read, well except that my, French, isn't to good. But the little ones didn't mind one bit. They were to busy laughing at all of Chula's adventures and cracking up over some of the pictures to even care if I was speaking proper French.
Chula travels from California to France, and has an amazing time on every single part of her trip/ She has so much fun traveling and smelling all the goodies at the market, even the cheeses, some of which she described so well, you could almost smell the aroma coming from inside the book. Chula also seems to enjoy Paella quite a bit, ( I do too!), and the Paella man is extra nice because he lets some drop for Chula to grab, which she states, is "better then kibble!"
There are so many hilarious sections of this book, and the photos are so much fun to look at! The kids of course, had to look at each one and talk about what Chula was doing, thinking and going to do next, So, yes, it will take some extra time to read this story, usually because you are having such a good time with whoever you are reading it too, or even just checking out Chula's pictures yourself.


 Here is Chula, checking out some great deals and having a good time in France,




 Ohhh! I love these baskets!
Along with sharing pictures and fun and all of the things that are so important to dogs, Chula also shared some facts about France throughout the book, so we learned quite a bit!
For instance, Paris has 20 arrondissements, or districts. The Eiffel Tower is in Paris' 7th arrondissement.
Another bonus that comes along with, Dog Trots Globe, is the helpful afterward on pet travel. Just in case you are planning on taking your dog along with you to France someday soon. There are also
Online Extras on French travel, dog fun, and free downloads!
This is a very nice hardcover book, with so many photos, it will be a keepsake and one to treasure for years to come.
You can buy this book on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and right at the OIC store.
You can find Chula on Twitter and on Facebook!!

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 I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.






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