5/19/12

Lenovo Speakers for Computers or Music Players

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Lenovo. All opinions are 100% mine.

The Lenovo speaker M0520 may be small, but the sound is big and bold. Made for your computer, laptop, and MP3/MP4s, these speakers have 4 watts of power for high-quality full sound. The M0520 has a convenient USB-powered connection with energy saving function and the speaker wire spools for easy storage. Even better, these speakers are on sale for just $11.99 from May 15-21.

Perfect for your home or office, you can listen to your favorite songs and audio books through these ultra-modern speakers. Easily portable with the spooling wire, it'll fit into your purse, briefcase or backpack with no problem at all. They're a great look for a teenager's bedroom, a college dorm room, or a home office. Take it to your next office presentation to amplify your slideshow for the boss. 

Is your daughter having a slumber party? The M0520 can help her blast her favorite songs so she and her friends can dance the night away. Do your homeschooled children watch lots of online video presentations? The Lenovo speaker M0520 high-quality sound will ensure they hear the buzz of the bumblebees in the science lesson and help them experience the power of the Niagra waterfall through sound. Would you like to enhance your meditation sessions? Try using this speaker to fill the room with nature sounds of birds and oceans. Does your toddler need help falling asleep? Hook up the speaker to an MP3/MP4 filled with soft, quiet classical music and they'll be snoozing soundly in no time. Be sure to get yours before May 21 while they are on sale!

5/18/12

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Likewise Skin Care Set Winner



Weekend Blog Hop

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Have a wonderful weekend!

Smarty Pants Fun - Free Printable Crafts for Kids

I just discovered a fabulous website 
where you can print out all kinds of crafts for kids to do.
Check out http://smartypantsfun.com/.
Everything is categorized so it's easy to find what you want.
Plus if you sign up for her email updates, 
you get a free printable ebook too!
Great for summer fun, preschool themes,
homeschoolers and teachers.

LAMO Footwear - Summer Sandal - Review

Check out my new shoes! These darling sandals are from LAMO Footwear. They make amazing sheepskin shoes, boots, sandals, slippers, and clogs. Their designs include great looks for men, women and children. These are called Garden Party and they are so comfortable!
The thong is made from leather and linen, with a soft breathable sheepskin lining. The footbed is a sueded microfiber fabric that fits my foot perfectly. The sole of the shoe is rubber with non-skid LAMO logos so I don't have to worry about slipping.
They look great with jeans! (I think it's time for some toenail polish color, don't you?) That's a good thing since that's what I'm usually wearing. They come in brown leather or white leather and I had a really hard time choosing. I still might get the other pair too. The quality is wonderful and I'm very happy with my new sandals.
Check out the entire collection at http://www.lamofootwear.com. Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter so you're first to see the newest releases!
Disclosure: I received this product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

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Oh So Pretty - Win Mannatech LIFT Skin Care


Welcome to the Oh! So Pretty Giveaway Hop hosted by How Was Your Day? and Saved By Grace.  All of the blogs below have joined forces to bring you beauty-related giveaways.  Each blog has a prize package of at least $25 worth of cosmetics, perfumes, or other beauty products.  Once you've entered here, be sure to hop along to all the others on the list.

My prize is a
Mannatech LIFT Skin Care Set
for beautifully ageless, natural looking skin
ARV $35.49
including:
Exfoliating Facial Cleanser (.27 fl oz/8 ml)
Multiphase Serum (.17 fl oz/5 ml)
Day Moisturizer (.17 fl oz/5 ml)
Night Repair Crème (.18 oz/5 g)
Body Lotion (.41 fl oz/12 ml)
Associate #3116381
Want more information about Mannatech real-food products
or the generous work-from-home compensation program?
Email me at [email protected]

5/17/12

iPad2 Mother's Day Winner

sponsored by Grandma Juice
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CVS Canvas Gallery Wrap - Review

Father's Day is coming soon! Make plans now to order Dad a beautiful canvas gallery wrap. Create a masterpiece from a family photo that he can take into his office and display on his desk. Or choose one of his favorite vacation photos, like this gorgeous Nevada sunset photo I took in 2011.
These Custom Canvas Gallery Wraps are so easy to order. Just upload your favorite photo to cvsphoto.com, select any size from 5"x7" to 20"x30" and have it delivered free to your local CVS. Starting at just $12.99 it's a very affordable Father's Day gift. Since 75% of the population lives within 3 miles to a location, gift giving and decorating is now easier than ever.
I'm very impressed with the Canvas Gallery Wrap that I ordered. The colors printed beautifully and the canvas is wrapped perfectly around the frame, finished off with a backing that can stand on a tabletop or be hung from the attached picture hanger hooks. Order one for Dad today HERE.
Disclosure: I received this product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.
Win a free 5"x7" Canvas Gallery Wrap from CVS!
One lucky winner will receive a gift code to create a custom canvas gallery wrap. To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. US addresses only. This giveaway ends at midnight ET on 6/8/12. Good luck!

Book Review: Equity of Evil by Rudy A Mazzocchi

Just when you think you've heard it all, something else even more shocking happens. Equity of Evil will keep you on the edge of your seat. Author Rudy A. Mazzocchi masterfully weaves a tale of medicine, greed, and manipulation that will leave you speechless. As the characters in this book are faced with controversial issues and potential to profit from them, they tend to gravitate toward the corrupt choices with a burning desire. At the same time, they find justification for their evil through rationalization of the worst kind. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I like the way the story reached out globally because truly these issues affect the entire world. Equity of Evil really made me think about how easily things like this could happen because the medical breakthroughs in our generation have grown by leaps and bounds. Worth reading twice!


Disclosure: I received this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Eggs from Your Own Backyard Chickens

Many families are turning to organic vegetable gardening to provide their family with better food choices. Have you ever considered raising chickens in your own backyard? Imagine walking into your backyard to collect a few fresh eggs for that morning's breakfast! Raising chickens is not just for farmers. Many cities and towns allow for chicken coops on your property. In the past week, I've even seen offers and requests on an online swap board for chicken coops. Maybe you've already decided and just don't know where to get your chickens and supplies. There are chicken coops for sale online and in many hardware stores. You might even be handy enough with a few tools to construct your own.
So where do you get the chickens? There are also chickens for sale online! Or if you prefer, you can get ducks or even pheasants at californiahatchery.com. How easy is that? They offer a huge range of different kinds of poultry or you can even buy hatching eggs from them. They also sell chicken feed and duckling feed. They will safely deliver your purchases through USPS. Maybe you'd just like a couple of ducks for a small pond? You don't have to order the entire flock. They will do a small minimum order of two ducks or three chickens. Their chicken breeds include ameraucana chicken, rhode island red chicken, buff brahma chicken, white rock chicken, barred rock chicken, polish chicken, and black copper maran chicken. Their duck breeds include pekin duckling, runner ducklings, mallard ducklings, and mandarin duck pairs. Start eating fresh eggs from your own backyard!

School's Out Checklist

Now that school is almost out, your children are going to be underfoot all summer long. They will be so excited. You will be filled with dread. They'll play nicely together for about 20 minutes, then fight the rest of the summer. You'll be counting down the days until school begins again. This might be a good time to start gathering up things to keep them busy. Here's a School's Out Checklist that might help you prepare for the next three grueling months of parenting with no break:
  1. Create a craft supplies box. Get a big bin and toss in a new box of crayons, a couple of glue sticks, tons of different kinds of paper, toilet paper rolls, checkbook boxes, old magazines, a bottle of glue, some markers, scissors, and some yarn. Kids of all ages love to create stuff and since few schools offer art classes anymore, summertime is a great time to encourage their creativity. 
  2. Shop pawn shops for cheap video games in great condition. Garage sales are another good place to pick up video games for next to nothing.
  3. Visit the bargain bins at the major discount stores for kids' movies. I've found movies for as little as $1.00 each in the clearance aisle.
  4. Download free kids' games from the internet. There are tons of them out there. You can also get free apps for tablets and phones. Sometimes it's better to keep the kids in separate rooms! Make sure you have new batteries for your mouse and get a new PC battery or HP Laptop Battery so the kids wear out before the games do!
  5. Gather up a bunch of old clothes no one wears anymore and make a dress up box. Throw in old hats, purses, and shoes. A pretend microphone might prompt them to make up their own music videos to perform for you!
  6. If all else fails, make them clean the house for you!

Giveaways Ending Tonight

5/16/12

Wedne$day Wealth Giveaway Linkup

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Raw Crunch Bars - Review

Healthy snacks move over and make room for Raw Crunch Bars! These uncooked, unprocessed energy bars are handmade fresh to order. They are dehydrated instead of cooked which maintains the original concentrated nutrients, enzymes and antioxidants. You can see and taste the freshness in every bar.
Raw Crunch energy bars come in four delicious flavors - Chocolate, Cranberries, Goji berries, and Blueberries. Made from all-natural organic ingredients, these bars are the perfect combination of sweet and salty. I like all four flavors. The Chocolate, of course, is my favorite.
One bar is very satisfying and could easily be a meal replacement. Since they are individually wrapped, they are perfect for on-the-go people, athletes, and they are a great kids' snack! There are no added fillers, colors, flavors, preservatives, or supplements. Just pure, raw goodness.
Ingredients include sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, flaxseeds, pecans, raw honey, macadamia nuts, and sea salt, plus either dark chocolate or berries. They are soy free, peanut free, dairy free, and gluten free. If you're looking for healthy raw foods, you must try these! You can buy them at http://www.rawcrunchbar.com/. Follow their Facebook and Twitter too!
Win a box of 12 assorted Raw Crunch Bars!
One lucky reader will win. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway ends at midnight on 5/31/12. US only. Good luck my friends!

Irish Spring Clear and Fresh Skin Body Wash

With two teenage sons, I welcomed the opportunity to try the new Irish Spring Clear and Fresh Skin Body Wash. It's made for males and it offers anti-acne benefits too. It contains 2% Salicylic Acid, the leading acne-fighting ingredient. Luckily my boys don't suffer much from acne, just the occasional normal teenager breakout. Clear and Fresh Skin Body Wash fends off blemishes and washes away dirt and oil.
Both of my boys have tried this new product from Irish Spring and both gave it a thumbs up. I love the 8 Hour Scent of clean-smelling teenagers. For just $3.99 you can pick up this Body Wash at retail and grocery stores nationwide. Thanks to Colgate for this review sample!
Disclosure: I received this product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

$75 GC Xperience Days Winner



KitchenAid Mixer Winner




Graduation Announcements from Tiny Prints - Review

My husband Johnny finally completed his Bachelor's degree and I am so proud of him! He wasn't even going to walk across the stage but I told him there was no way I'd let him skip this huge accomplishment's reward. We are even having a party to celebrate. I wanted to send out graduation announcements to let everyone know and I found some fabulous designs at Tiny Prints.
After browsing through the nearly 400 designs to customize I finally chose one for his graduation announcements. I uploaded a photo of him holding his degree, added his name, date, and college and I was done! It was so easy. I paid online and a couple days later they arrived in the mail. They also came with envelopes included.
The announcements turned out beautiful and I love that they are finished on the backside too. The colors came out perfect and the paper they used is a high quality stock (I chose a matte finish). I'm absolutely thrilled with my order from Tiny Prints and will definitely use them again! They offer more than just graduation announcements and invitations. You can get birth announcements, party invitations, moving notices, stationery and even photo books! Check out http://www.tinyprints.com and be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Disclosure: I received these products at no charge in exchange for my honest review.
Win a Gift Code good for 30 Free Invitations!
Tiny Prints is providing one lucky Planet Weidknecht reader with 30 Free Customized Party Invitations! To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway ends at midnight ET on 5/31/12. Good luck!

Confessions of a Daycare Provider: Playgrounds

Outdoor play is so important for young children. It helps them work off energy, strengthens their muscles, and allows them unstructured play time to develop their imaginations. My daycare kids play outside for an hour in the morning and another hour in the afternoon. When we moved into this house, the backyard was a blank slate. Now we have a full playground area that is shaded by an awning. Living in Texas means it can get really hot in the summer and the shade awning helps filter out the harmful sun rays. We sectioned off an area in my backyard with old railroad ties. Using 12 railroad ties, we made a large rectangle and covered the ground with black plastic sheeting. Then we hauled in several truckloads of pea gravel. We shoveled the pea gravel for days and days.

It's worked pretty well for the most part, but there are days when I wish I had chosen mulch instead. Being a daycare provider isn't always fun and games; sometimes it's actually work. The pea gravel are tiny little pebbles and it seems there is always a daycare kid picking up a handful of them to throw at someone else. I'm sure my neighbors are tired of hearing me say, "NO rocks" over and over. Other days, they sit on the little chairs and dig their little feet into the rocks, all the way down to the black plastic sheeting. At least three kids get a rock in their shoe every day and I have to sit them down to help them take off a shoe, shake it out, and put their shoe back on. One day, I caught two of the kids in the playhouse, pretending to eat soup (well, stone soup). I've also got one who likes to stick the rocks up his nose.

Texas child care regulations require me to have playground safety filling on the play area since I have a slide. I guess wood mulch would probably just present different challenges, like splinters and such. I've thought about using Rubber Mulch too. I heard it drains really quickly after a rain and I'm sure it lasts longer than wood mulch. I've used landscape mulch in my gardens before and it deteriorates pretty fast. I love the foamy playground coverings at the fast food restaurants, but I'm sure those are way too expensive for me. For now, I'll just stick with the pea gravel. I'm just happy I can get them outside to play!

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5/15/12

Tombow Glue for Crafts and Scrapbooking - Review


I've been scrapbooking for about ten years, so I'm familiar with the Tombow brand. They have a liquid glue that I've used many times for small embellishments in my scrapbooks. I was so excited to see that they've come out with a Tombow Permanent Adhesive Tape Runner and Refill. I gathered up some paper and a photo of my Buddy to see how well it works.
The Tombow adhesive Tape Runner is easy to hold and even easier to use. I love the little flip top lid that protects the glue-tape when it's not in use. It's not really a tape because it's stickier like glue, but it works just like tape. You just press and pull however much you need, then pick it up off the paper.
It's acid-free and ACMI certified, so it's safe for photos and other archival products. It is a strong permanent bond that is also safe for kids to use on crafts. It's 39 feet of wonderful scrapbooking glue! I also love that I can buy refills for it too. I love the way this craft glue works with no mess.
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.