Only Wanted To Comment

Review # 100: Garmin Nuvi 1490LMT

2011-12-24T12:33:00.000-05:00

Already spending way too much time in my car, this year was record breaking for being lost, due to soccer game direction mix-ups and changes in exits on major interstates. The discovery of reward points on a credit card, a few days researching GPSs, a couple of clicks on the internet and this Garmin 1490 LMT is now mine. Having had it for only about a week, this is an out of the box initial

Review # 99: "My Dad Ran Over a Frog" by Rob Portlock

2011-12-19T21:09:00.000-05:00

When my children were little we had a tradition. Starting sometime after Thanksgiving, I would bring out the basket of Christmas books. Every night it would be someone's turn to choose one. Would it be "The Gingerbread Man," "Twas the Night Before Christmas," or "the Littlest Angel"? Or would it be "My Dad Ran Over a Frog" A Christmas Story by Rob Portlock? The review goes like this: This book

Review # 98: Macbook Pro 13"

2011-12-18T08:13:00.000-05:00

Model name: Macbook Pro Model Identifier: MacbookPro7, 1 Processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Memory: 4GB It took me months to make the decision to jump the Microsoft Windows ship and go Mac. The expense was one deterrent, the proprietariness of Apple was another, but in the end, the hope of having a computer that I did not need to pour hours of time de-bugging was the deciding factor. Before I

Review # 97: Pillsbury Gingerbread Cookie Dough

2011-12-11T21:05:00.000-05:00

The review goes like this: These were better than I thought they would be. The cookies came out soft, and my family and guests enjoyed them. The gingerbread men lost limbs during oven to serving plate transfer at a higher rate than when I make them from scratch, but we weren't decorating these, just snacking, so it wasn't too big a deal. Definitely won't be replacing homemade, but for a quick,

Review # 96: Pre-Built Gingerbread House Kit from Costco

2011-12-11T16:32:00.000-05:00

When my daughters were younger, every year I made gingerbread houses from scratch, including cutting templates, making royal icing - the whole deal. It was fun and we always made a party of it. Making it from scratch, however is time consuming, labor intensive and expensive. The girls are mostly grown, and my son is only so-so interested in this tradition. The last time we made one, we used a

Review # 95: "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint Exupery

2011-12-06T20:57:00.000-05:00

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery The review goes like this: A young boy loved to draw, but was discouraged when noone recognized his drawings for what they were, so he put away drawing and grew up to be a sensible man, a pilot by profession. One day his plane went down in the Sahara Desert. It was there he met the Little Prince. The Little Prince comes from a very small planet

Review # 94: Petco Grooming Center (Ranson, WV. Store)

2011-12-05T20:48:00.001-05:00

The review goes like this: Who can take a shaggy little mutt with bad breath and long nails and turn him into a fluffy sweet smelling short nailed dog, delightful to have sitting next to you? It's the wonderful groomers at the Ranson, WV Petco. Always pleasant, always a great job. They seem to really like my dog, and although he does not like baths, he likes them too. Highly recommend !

Review # 93: GE Top Loader Washing Machine Model # GTWN4250M

2011-12-05T20:18:00.000-05:00

I am reviewing this GE top loader model # GTWN4250M which I have had for about 4 months. The review goes like this: For space reasons or plumbing reasons, I needed to order a top loader. This is indeed a top loader. After reading reviews, I wanted an agitator. This has an agitator. Funds are low - this came in under $ 500. This is an energy star washer and is supposed to be high efficiency. I

Review # 92: "Silk" Almond Milk

2011-12-04T19:27:00.000-05:00

Milk has been on the yuck list since I was a pre-schooler. With enough chocolate (or espresso at my Grandmother's house) it was palatable, but as an adult, even chocolate could not mask the milkiness of milk. My stomach and taste buds prefer cream or half and half in my coffee. Soy milk did not cut it in the taste or stomach tolerability either, so many cereal-less years passed by. Enter "Silk"

Review # 91: Playmobil Nativity Set

2011-11-30T21:38:00.000-05:00

While this set is lovely to look at, it is not appropriate for too much handling. I wanted my grandkids to have a set that they could touch and act out the Christmas story and I was torn between a Fisher Price Nativity set and this one by Playmobil. In the end I chose the Playmobil because it seemed a little less "baby" and had more detail. The review goes like this: This Playmobil nativity

Review # 90: Lenox Renaissance Nativity Set

2011-11-30T21:19:00.000-05:00

My mother very generously gave me this Lenox Renaissance Nativity Set which is one of my favorite gifts I have ever gotten. The review goes like this: These pieces are beautiful to look at, are beautifully detailed and capture and inspire the worship, wonder and awe that the birth of Jesus brings. The pieces are large and make a prominent Christmas display. These are porcelain and therefore

Review # 89: Food Chopper by Pampered Chef

2011-11-17T18:39:00.001-05:00

I rarely accept invitations to parties for kitchenware, jewelry, baskets etc. because not matter how much the hostess tries to assure me that I don't need to actually buy anything, I always feel compelled to (with the exception of the baskets - but that's a blog for another time.) More often than not I am pleased with my purchase once I get it, and this Pampered Chef food chopper is no exception.

Review # 88: Unilever Q-Tips

2011-11-13T20:23:00.000-05:00

Excuse the bad picture. You are familiar with the cotton swab. Unilever is the manufacturer of Q-tips. The review goes like this: This reviewer thinks that real Q-tips are by far superior to any other cotton swabs including another brand name and many store brands. Real Q-tips are the only ones that are consistently the same in shape and consistency. Store brands tend to shred which is not a

Review # 87: Ghiradelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix

2011-11-12T10:00:00.002-05:00

Have seen this mix at Costco for what seems like years but never bought it. Finally, a couple of weeks ago I picked up a box, and this week got around to making a batch. The review goes like this: This brownie mix has three kinds of chocolate chips in it - milk , bittersweet, and semi-sweet. Does that sound like a lot? Family members and a guest had mixed reviews, some really liked it, some

Review # 86: La-Z-Boy Rex Reclining Chair

2011-11-11T16:44:00.001-05:00

A sofa and a love-seat only seat 5, we need way more than that, so I chose this reclining chair to go along with the set. The review goes like this: In the beginning, this was my favorite piece of the set. It is so comfortable to sit in, I even fell asleep in it one day, which is very not like me at all. The foot rest extends far enough to be very comfortable, and you can recline to almost a

Review # 85: La-Z-Boy "Rex" Reclining Sofa and Loveseat

2011-11-10T17:31:00.002-05:00

It has been almost two years since I decided to replace a sixteen year old La-Z-Boy sofa and a thirteen year old bargain sofa. The latter was freecycled, but the La-Z-Boy is still in the house, although in desperate need of a slip cover, it is still functional. Because the sixteen year old sofa had held up amazingly well to children, pets, and being moved from room to room, I thought it might

Review # 84: Petmate Le Bistro Waterer with Microban

2011-11-09T18:58:00.000-05:00

This evening we have a special guest review by Benji. His review goes like this:

Review # 83: Bibimbap by Sophie (AKA Lynnie) and CJ

2011-11-09T17:27:00.001-05:00

Remember these girls? On Monday night they were back in my kitchen and this time I was treated to a dish called Bibimbap, a Korean dish which means something like "mixed rice." The review goes like this: White rice. Ground beef made with honey and soy sauce. Hot pepper sauce. Zucchini, peppers, onion, garlic, mushrooms, carrots and all kinds of sauce. An egg on top (I passed on that.)

Review # 82: Merrell Thermo Arc Crystal Waterproof Shoe

2011-11-08T18:54:00.000-05:00

If I had my way, I would live in a climate where I could wear my Keen Newports or go barefoot 365 days a year. Not having my way, about now my feet are getting cold. What to wear when the weather is too cold, wet or snowy for sandals, but not cold or wintery enough for boots? How about these Merrell Thermo Arc Crystal Waterproof slip-on shoes? The review goes like this: These slip on shoes are

Review # 81: Bogs Classic High Boots

2011-11-07T19:26:00.000-05:00

Here I am wearing my new Bog Classic High Boots. I have owned them only a few weeks and yet have had opportunity to wear them during the mid atlantic freak monsoon season, and in the, also freak, October snow storm. How fortuitous for me and my in need of 20 more reviews blog. The review goes like this: These boots are made of rubber and neoprene, and look like boots you would find in a farm

Review # 80: Ridgefield Farm in Harpers Ferry, WV

2011-10-29T10:17:00.000-04:00

With 4 children of my own I have been to many a pumpkin patch over the years. Homeschool field trips, regular school field trips, and family field trips. Some are huge and have tons of other attractions like petting zoos, pig races, big slides, corn mazes etc. Others are kind of small and dinky, get a pumpkin, maybe go on a hayride and see you later. Last weekend I took my mother and my two

Review # 79: "Little Bee" by Chris Cleave

2011-10-28T14:16:00.000-04:00

Some books tell a good story, but are not written or edited all that well. Some stories are told so well that the writing becomes an amazing art, that you want to hang up somewhere and look at again and again. Books like Morrison's "Song of Solomon," Saint-Exupery's "The Little Prince" or McCarthy's "The Road," are books where the author uses language in a way that is unique and beautiful, even

Review # 78: "How To Crochet a Beanie Using Double Crochet Stitches" by Rachel

2011-10-21T09:19:00.000-04:00

I found these "How to Crochet a Beanie Using Double Crochet Stitches" by Rachel, instructions and decided to give it a try. The review goes like this" This seemed simple enough, but I still managed to mess it up. I think you are meant to go continuously in the round, I ended each one with a slip stitch and a chain. The beginning explanation of what is being done was helpful. I did not

Review # 77: How to Crochet - Part 1 - Basics for the Absolute Beginner

2011-10-19T06:23:00.000-04:00

Last year a friend of mine started crocheting and it got me interested. Here is the fantasy I had: me in the recliner wearing warm slippers, a fire going in the wood stove, my son playing piano in the background, and me crocheting away the days of winter. Of course, reality has been somewhat different - it is only Autumn, the beat of music makes it hard for me to count stitches, and the first

Reviews # 73, 74, 75 and 76: Website PoolSolutions.com/Poolforum.com, Liquid Bleach, C9 by Champion Drawstring Sweatpant, and Made For Life Drawstring Sweatpant

2011-10-14T12:24:00.000-04:00

One day I found myself with about 13 thousand gallons of water in my backyard and no clue how to keep it clean and suitable for swimming. Somehow, I found this website: Poolsolutions.com . Review # 73 goes like this: PoolSolutions.com and the linked forum Poolforum.com was incredibly helpful to a pool newbie. I learned basic pool chemistry and when over the years equipment needed to be replaced

Review # 72: Keen Voyageur Mid

2011-10-02T20:18:00.001-04:00

Once I had a pair of lightweight hikers that I loved, except that they wore out too fast. So rather than replace them with another of the same, I took a chance and ordered these Keen Voyageur Mid shoes. Since Keen Newport sandals are my favorite comfort shoe ever, I had high hopes for these. The review goes like this: Keen Voyageur Mid is a lightweight hiker. The sides are vented so your feet

Review # 71: Kohls

2011-10-01T17:24:00.000-04:00

Kohls is a clothing - shoe - houseware- department store that runs sales and promotional gimmicks (like "Kohls cash") and sends out coupons on a regular basis. The review goes like this: A few months ago I would have given Kohls really high marks for good selection, great return policies, and great prices. That was then, but something has changed. A couple of months ago I bought my daughter a

Review # 70: Audio Book "The Invisible Bridge" by Julie Orringer

2011-09-30T12:33:00.000-04:00

This review is for the 22 CD audio book "The Invisible Bridge" by Julie Orringer, narrated by Arthur Morey. The review goes like this: "The Invisible Bridge" by Julie Orringer is a pretty amazing work of historical fiction. In pre- WWII Europe, in spite of a growing anti Jewish sentiment and quotas for how many Jews can attend universities, young Hungarian Jew, Andras Levi, middle son of a

Review # 69: Staples Model # 34462 Pencil Sharpener

2011-09-24T16:41:00.001-04:00

With four children my house has and continues to contain pencils. Lots of pencils. Every year I buy them in bulk, plus the required colored pencils. Sure, we make use of mechanical pencils, but the classic # 2 still rules. Over the years we have had many sharpeners. Classic hand cranked ones like we used to have in school. Desktop ones. Ones that attached to the wall. Small portable ones.

Review # 68: Smart Source Stainless Steel Water Bottles

2011-09-21T20:55:00.002-04:00

At Costco, I bought a three-pack of stainless steel Smart Source Water Bottles to use in the car, at work, etc. The review goes like this: Likes: The bottles are attractive in red, blue and silver, and they come with neoprene sleeves which help keep your water cold and also prevent the bottle from sweating. Each bottle holds 27 ounces, has an easy open flip top and a little handle to hold the

Review # 67: "The Glass Room" by Simon Mawer

2011-09-20T20:55:00.000-04:00

I recently read "The Glass Room" by Simon Mawer "The Glass Room" opens and closes with Liesel Landauer, returning to her beloved home, and the chapters in between tell the story of how the house came to be built, the story of the Landauers and their circle of lovers and friends. The review goes like this: Czech newlyweds Liesel and Viktor Landauer are all about modern. While on their honeymoon

Review # 66: Hasbro Scrabble for Kindle

2011-09-14T19:55:00.000-04:00

Long ago, when my mother did not want to do dishes or walk the dog, she would challenge us to Scrabble, loser did the unwanted chore. My mother was (and is) an excellent Scrabble player, and even with the handicaps she always gave us, she usually won and my brother and I became expert dog walkers and dishwasher loaders. Fast forward to my adult life. For a while I could play Scrabble on Facebook

Review # 65: Chenille Plaid Throw Pillows From Kohls

2011-09-09T06:42:00.000-04:00

This is a review for a pair of patterned throw pillows that I purchased from Kohls about 20 months ago. The review goes like this: These throw pillows are holding up remarkably well. Used in our family room, these pillows get a good amount of use. Aside from being used as pillows normally are, they have had beverages spilled on them, they have been tossed around, and they are routinely used on

Review # 64: Totes Double Canopy Extra Large Golf Umbrella

2011-09-07T19:22:00.000-04:00

The review goes like this: To its credit, the Totes Double Canopy Golf Umbrella is very large and not too heavy. Perhaps it is true that the double canopy, because of the venting, protects the umbrella from being blown inside out, because so far this one never has. Unfortunately, two of the sewn material pieces on the top layer which fit around the umbrella frame tore apart and the result is

Review # 63: Samsung Flight II

2011-09-06T17:26:00.000-04:00

This review is for the Samsung Flight II cellphone which AT&T offers. The review goes like this: Let us open up with a postitive word or two. Flight II has a nice QWERTY keyboard and long lasting battery. The camera on this phone is mediocre at best. And here is how I really feel about the Flight II: Hate the overly sensitive touch screen. Hate that the speaker gets accidently turned on all the

Review # 62: New York Cut Steak from Costco

2011-09-03T09:06:00.000-04:00

For the past couple of years when an occasion for a good steak has come up, I have experimented with the different cuts of steak from Costco. The winner is the New York Cut steak. The review goes like this: Tender, flavorful, thick and perfect, we have not had a disappointing one yet. I sprinkle salt and pepper on the steak, then rub a little olive oil over it. Then the grillmaster of the day

Review # 61: Beach Rental House "Sand Dollar" 204 E. Altoona, S. Nags Head

2011-09-01T21:23:00.000-04:00

This is a review of "Sand Dollar," a South Nags Head beach rental located at 204 E. Altoona, S. Nags Head, NC. This picture is of the beach access, taken from the deck of our living room. Pictures of the Sand Dollar can be seen here. The review goes like this: In June of 2011 my two youngest children, dog, husband and I stayed in this house, called the Sand Dollar, for a week. The house is in

Review # 60: Mazda Mazda5

2011-08-30T21:19:00.000-04:00

With over 260,000 miles on our minivan, a new driver in the house, the desire for something smaller and more fuel efficient, it was time for a new car. A 2012 Mazda5 Sport is now the primary people mover of our household. The review goes like this: The 2012 Mazda5 has a sightly more powerful engine than previous models, and also comes with traction and stability control. These things were

Review # 59: Burpee Garden Bean Tenderpod Bush Bean

2011-08-28T15:28:00.000-04:00

Last year we grew these beans in our raised square foot garden and they were so tasty that they rarely made it in to the house. My children, grandchildren, pool guests and I would eat them raw as soon as they were picked. In hopes of having some to freeze, I tried growing a second crop of them, but one day it was discovered that an insect had eaten through every leaf, every bean and so that was

Review # 58: Lands End Beach Living Shirred Waist Mini Swim Mini

2011-08-28T15:10:00.000-04:00

Also part of Lands End's "Beach Living" Collection is this Shirred Waist Mini Swim-mini. This one is solid black. The review goes like this: More coverage than a classic bikini bottom but not quite a Granny skirt, this swim-mini looks cute and more importantly stays on in the ocean. In the pool it is annoying because the skirt constantly floats up. Annoying enough that for most of the summer I

Review # 57: Lands End Beach Living Dot Tankini Top

2011-08-28T15:01:00.000-04:00

This year Lands End offered this tankini top as part of their "Beach Living" collection. I bought it before I went on a week long beach trip, and it has been my go-to top for swimming and playing in the pool this summer. The review goes like this: This particular top is black with white dots. It has a bow underneath the bust. The material is substantial, the top has underwire, but it is not

Review # 56: Soccer Ball(s) Review

2011-08-20T22:30:00.000-04:00

This is a special guest review written by Ricky B. In the last few years I have gone through several soccer balls including some from normally reliable name brands including Mitre, Wilson, and Nike but they lasted no longer then a month or so, being used for practice 14-16 hours per week.When my sister got me an Adidas LA Galaxy ball for my birthday last year it didn’t get

Review # 55: Happy Birthday or Whatever by Amy Choi

2011-08-17T07:11:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday or Whatever Track Suits, Kim Chee, and Other Family Disasters by Amy Choi Before I bought it for my Kindle I saw that she was compared to David Sedaris, which turned out to be about right, although, as you might expect from a Korean young woman, not quite at the over the top raunchiness in experience or telling of. The review goes like this: What is it like to grow up in

Review # 54: M-Edge e-Luminator Book Light

2011-08-16T21:15:00.001-04:00

In the dark of the night How could I know The Barefoot Sisters' plight When my book light would not glow? I tried to be thrifty I tried to do right Yet disappointed I was with all three book lights A Tale of Three Book Lights: Epilogue A New Beginning The review goes like this: Gray and black, sleek and cool fits on the jacket a night reading tool Three levels of brightnesswith the touch of

Review # 53: Walmart Book Light

2011-08-15T21:21:00.000-04:00

A Tale of Three Book Lights: Part 3 Dollar store book light dreams dashed, and $ 2 in the trash, it was back to tried and true flashlight reading. Then, one day while at Walmart, when book lights were not even on my mind, I walked by a large display of these lights (pictured.) I bought the black and grey one which so nicely coordinated with the Kindle. The review goes like this: Third time is

Review # 52: Dollar Tree Folding Book Light

2011-08-13T21:30:00.000-04:00

A Tale of Three Book Lights: Part 2 Giving the Dollar Tree one more try, this time I opted for the other model, pictured here. The review goes like this: This light required AAA batteries. This light never worked. This rates less than a 0.

Review # 51: Dollar Tree Book Light

2011-08-13T21:16:00.000-04:00

A Tale of Three Book Lights: Part 1 When I mentioned I might like to get a book light for my Kindle, my daughter told me to check out the local dollar store. Sure enough, there were two types of book lights in a variety of colors. This review is for the book light pictured to the left. The review goes like this: This LED book light clipped on to book or kindle jacket. It came with a watch

Review # 50: Grandchildren

2011-08-12T22:39:00.000-04:00

*Picture of grandchildren eating on pool deck, something children were never allowed to do. I love my children beyond anything I could ever describe. As a parent, it was and still is my job to raise them to be able to stand on their feet in this world that can throw even the best equipped person off balance. This means love and fun balanced with discipline and hard work. Grandchildren are a

Review # 49: How To Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu

2011-08-10T19:49:00.000-04:00

When I read, I may read a passage twice, or flip back to remember why what I am reading should make sense. You can't do that when you are listening to an audio book. Some things may get by and names of people and places may not be heard correctly. You can not pull out a dictionary when you are listening in the car, at least not if you are the driver. Still it is a pleasant way to pass the time

Review # 48: 1999 Toyota Sienna

2011-08-10T07:27:00.000-04:00

Why review a vehicle that is almost 12 years old? I wasn't going to, but the economy is tight, older used cars may be the only option for some, and besides, I don't buy all that much, and coming up with 100 things is becoming more difficult. After driving station wagons for many years, we bought a 99 Sienna in 2000. It was a year old and had about 33,000 miles on it when we got it. Our Sienna

Review # 47: The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2011-08-07T07:03:00.000-04:00

To the disappointment of her southern Mama, recent "Ole Miss" graduate Skeeter Phelan comes back to Jackson, Mississippi with just a piece of paper (her degree!) but no ring on her finger. Set in the early 60's, "times they are a-changin*," even in Jackson, and a series of events lead to Skeeter, with the help of a friend's maid named Aibileen, putting together a book; a compilation of true

Review # 46: Corelle Plates

2011-08-06T20:56:00.000-04:00

We needed some new plates and it may not surprise you that I could not decide on a set. Pattern? Might get tired of it. Colors? Maybe. And then there was the material. I hate a plate that will make a horrible sound when the fork is scraped on it. Sometimes I would find pretty plates only to have the scratch test (nails, to simulate fork action) take them out of the running. Stoneware with lead

Review # 45: Kleenex Brand Tissue

2011-07-31T09:53:00.000-04:00

What tissues do you buy? One day I became disenchanted with handkerchiefs, that is, carrying around cloth covered with snot in my pocket or bag, and became grown up enough to want actual tissues, not toilet paper, for my families sneezing or runny nose needs. Some brands add lotions which while soft and soothing on a sore nose, create dust every time you pull one out. Picture the cloud around

Review # 44: "Dreams of Joy" by Lisa See

2011-07-31T09:21:00.001-04:00

Sorry about the picture - Webcam picture of cover as viewed on my Kindle mirror image backwards (so Danielle, you should have no problem reading it...) Once upon a time when I had a working CD player in my van and a lot of alone time driving, I would listen to books on CD. I stumbled upon Lisa See's Shanghai Girls in a local library sale bin, gave it a try and consequently became a big fan of

Reviews # 42 and 43: The Barefoot Sisters Southbound and Walking Home

2011-07-31T07:35:00.000-04:00

These are reviews of two books, The Barefoot Sisters Southbound and The Barefoot Sisters Walking Home by Lucy and Susan Letcher. The Appalachian Trail (AT) runs from Maine to Georgia (or Georgia to Maine) and is over 2000 miles of sometimes very difficult hiking including crossing water, climbing over steep rocks and other scary scenarios all while wearing a pack containing on average 40 - 45

Review # 41: Trendy Digital Waterguard Waterproof Case for Kindle 3

2011-07-31T06:37:00.000-04:00

Once of the nice things about getting a Kindle is that it has provided family members with easy gift ideas for any occasion. Gift cards for Amazon. No shopping for them, and I can load up my Kindle, or in this case (pun unintended) buy accessories for it. If you have been following my reviews you know that I chose the mCover for my Kindle. It protects the Kindle in the event of dropping, things

Review # 40: eBags Weekender Convertible

2011-07-17T08:57:00.000-04:00

Almost two years ago I took a work trip to Denver. I was going to be traveling alone and was a little intimidated by navigating the Denver airport by myself. My luggage was showing some wear and tear (like holes and a temperamental handle) and I wanted to see if I could find a lightweight but sturdy carry-on bag that I could fit 5 days worth of stuff. The under 4 pound eBags Weekender Convertible

Review # 39: mCover Folio Case for Kindle 3

2011-07-16T22:43:00.000-04:00

I wrote the italic portion of this for Amazon, so to be efficient I will repost it here for review # 39. The review goes like this: "I wanted a protective cover but did not want a lot of bulk or weight, since that (to me) defeats the purpose of having the Kindle. After much searching I chose this mCover. This mCover is slim, lightweight, protective, functional, attractive and inexpensive. A

Review # 38: Sportcraft Table Tennis to Go

2011-07-15T07:03:00.000-04:00

I first saw this at my brother's house. A couple of weeks ago I saw it at Walmart, promptly forgot what I was actually shopping for and picked it up with visions of fun evenings of Ping Pong dancing in my head. The review goes like this: The box contains the net, two paddles, three balls and a storage bag. Why would you buy this? No room for a real Ping Pong table in the house. So use what you

Review # 37: Amazon Kindle 3 (Wi-Fi)

2011-07-15T06:35:00.000-04:00

This review is for the Amazon Kindle 3. My children gave me the Amazon Kindle for Mothers Day. Until about a year ago, this was not a product I had ever considered. I like books. Real books. I hate reading off of screens. So what changed my mind? Travel. Try to pack a large bible and 2 or 3 books and see how successful you are with keeping your luggage weight down. Shoulder pain. Toting around

Review # 35 and # 36: Cadbury Mini Eggs and Joyva Ring Jells

2011-04-24T21:01:00.004-04:00

Passover. The commemoration of the freeing of the Jews from Egypt, the Angel of death "passed over" the homes where the blood of a lamb had been applied to the doorposts of the homes. Easter. The commemoration of the resurrection of the lamb of God, whose blood made atonement for the sin of all men, and all those who believe are covered by the blood and saved from eternal damnation. These

Review # 34: Plastic Grocery Bags

2011-04-23T17:31:00.000-04:00

This review is of plastic grocery bags from 3 large chains, WalMart, Target, and Martins (Giant.) In my area of the world plastic bags are still used more often than paper. Reusable cloth bags are great but sometimes I don't have enough. Besides, I want these bags for the following repurposing uses: 1) Lunch bag - supposedly the only socially acceptable one for an eighth grade boy. 2) Bathroom

Review # 33: Chick-Fil-A at Ranson

2011-04-11T21:53:00.001-04:00

"Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name..." Dedicated to Devan, Tayva, Cody, Colleen, Peter, Kelly, Jessie, the lovely Kirsten, and the Queen of all things Chick-Fil-A, Jeanette. Jeanette introduced me to my first Chick-Fil-A about eight years ago but it was not a favorite of mine until the spicy chicken sandwich was introduced. I am convinced it is breaded with a highly

Review # 32: Free Range Hen Eggs

2011-04-04T20:36:00.001-04:00

Although not as bad as I was a child, I remain a picky eater. Growing up in a large city it will not surprise you that I was only exposed to white store bought eggs. My daughter and her boyfriend have recently taken in 4 hens and a rooster. In exchange for feed, a nice big yard to run around in, and a warm sheltered place to live, the hens produce eggs for daughter and boyfriends consumption.

Review # 31: "Beastly"

2011-04-02T10:29:00.001-04:00

If you have somehow lived your life never hearing the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale, or seeing Disney's animated version of it, don't read further, as this review may contain spoilers. The plan: drop daughter and friends off at theater, go shop, read or do anything else. The reality: movie was only playing in one location, one not familiar enough for me to be driving around at night, and movie

Review # 30: Cream Cheese Pie Recipe

2011-03-29T21:13:00.000-04:00

This review is for Cream Cheese Pie recipe and the Cheesecake (Pie?) that results. The recipe was given to me by my mother. The recipe goes like this: Ingredients: Unbaked graham crust 1 1/2 8 oz. packages of cream cheese 2 eggs 1/2 cup sugar 1 tspn. vanilla What to do with the ingredients: Preheat oven to 350. Beat ingredients together until smooth Pour into graham cracker crust Bake

Review # 29: BYO Lunch Bag

2011-03-22T20:43:00.001-04:00

This review is for the BYO Lunch Bag, available at Target and probably other places too. Mine came in a package of two, one for me and one for my daughter. BYO Bag next to my old lunch bag No Problem! What I wanted to pack today The review goes like this: The BYO lunch bag looks too small to hold more than a sandwich and a small bag of chips. Looks can be

Review # 28 : 5 Good Read Alouds

2011-03-21T20:38:00.000-04:00

Today's review is for 5 read-alouds - yes, that's right, 5 reviews for the price of one. A good deal in any economy. The reviews go like this: 1) Abiyoyo by Pete Seeger, illustrated by Michael Hays. This South African folk story is retold by Pete Seeger. My children loved it. My grandsons adore it. So do I. If you want to hear the very best version of it, try finding the audio book with

Review # 27: The Hayward Ladybug Pool Cleaner

2011-03-17T22:32:00.002-04:00

Pollen, dust, sand particles, leaves, bugs are a dirty little reality of the little pool in the big woods. Manual cleaners are OK but can be time consuming. Several years ago I found the Hayward Ladybug on sale for $ 99. It has been worth every penny. The review goes like this: The Hayward Ladybug pool cleaner works like this. You hook up all the hose it comes with to the Ladybug. You submerge

Review # 26: Fried Rice and Sticky Sweet and Spicy Chicken by Lynnie and CJ

2011-03-11T20:06:00.000-05:00

These lovely girls asked me to review this dinner on my blog so here goes: I precooked the rice so it would be ready for them. I made sure we had all the ingredients that they requested. I picked them up after school and brought them to my kitchen. I snapped a few pictures of them prepping the food, then went in my bedroom, closed the door and watched some TV, until I heard the call "dinner's

Review # 25: Parenthood (the TV Series)

2011-03-09T19:31:00.000-05:00

A theme of recent church sermons has been "swimming upstream" against a popular culture. How do we discern the good from the bad? Do we too easily embrace things like a mouth watering, well cooked steak, perfectly seasoned, but thrown into a filthy trash can colorfully described down to the wads of hair that we will have to pick off the steak if we want to eat it. Gag. In what I assume was a

Review # 24: House Hunters

2011-03-08T22:11:00.000-05:00

For about 20 years of my 25 year marriage we did not have cable or satellite TV. We had a TV with antennas, or a coat hanger, and sometimes we got no channels, sometimes we got one or two, and if I rearranged the furniture and moved the TV to just the right spot and bent the hanger just so, sometimes we got a 5 or 6 channels, if you didn't mind watching through occasional fuzziness or wavy

Review # 23: "The Last Fall" by Jay Blevins

2011-03-07T05:30:00.002-05:00

Did you ever watch an episode of American Idol where a singer sounded great on TV, but the judges would say something like it was flat or off key completely? Or vice versa, a singer sounded terrible on TV and the judges would say "You nailed it." Sometimes, the next day or week, on the episode where the votes were revealed, Simon would admit that his initial critique was wrong because the singer

Review # 21 and # 22: Curel Ultra Healing Lotion vs. Udderly Smooth Udder Cream

2011-03-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Curel Ultra Healing Lotion for Extra Dry Skin vs. Udderly Smooth Udder Cream Painfully dry hands that bleed and can rip stockings need help. I purchased the Curel Ultra Healing Lotion and one of our children gave my husband the Udderly Smooth Udder Cream. Hand lotion should: Heal hands quickly. Be absorbed quickly so life can go on. Protect from further drying from hand washing and other skin

Review # 20: Standardized Tests

2011-03-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

Here are less than impressive standardized test scores for one of my daughters when she was in first grade. Back when we were a homeschool family, the state required a standardized test to be taken and woe to the child who did not score over the 40th percentile. ("Average" is between the 25th and 75th percentiles.) This child had some difficulties on the standardized tests, which was unfortunate.

Review # 19: Gladware 4 Ounce Plastic Containers

2011-03-04T13:23:00.000-05:00

This is a review for the 4 ounce size Gladware interlocking lid plastic storage containers. I would rather store things in glass or ceramic. The reality of life right now is that sending glass or ceramic in my children's lunch bags is a recipe for broken glass and ceramic. Eating shards of glass vs the risk of leaching plastic in food might be an interesting debate for another time. The review

Review # 18: K-9 Advantix

2011-03-02T21:15:00.000-05:00

If you have one of these and if your yard looks like this (that's a deer aka tick taxi) You might have a problem with ticks and fleas. You could try this:

Review # 17: Futsal

2011-02-28T19:22:00.000-05:00

This review of recreational league Futsal is from a spectator, not player perspective and may be useful for parents wondering if this a worthwhile winter sport as well as how boring or not (not, I promise) it will it be to sit and watch two games a week. My son wanted to stay in practice for soccer over the winter, but I couldn't find anything for him until I found a futsal rec league in a

Review # 16: Searching For God Knows What by Donald Miller

2011-02-26T19:52:00.002-05:00

The book is Searching For God Knows What by Donald Miller. I didn't like it, then I did like it, then I really liked it, and then I did something which I have never ever done before. I finished the book, read the afterword, then immediately began reading the book all over again. Starting with the bad and ending with the good, the review goes like this: The Style That Grew On Me The Second Time

Review # 15: Recipe for Potato Leek Soup from pinchmysalt.com

2011-02-20T20:57:00.000-05:00

They, whoever they are, say you should not go grocery shopping on an empty stomach. This is wise and true but not always followed. Hungry in the grocery store, visions of leek and onion pie in a whole grain pie crust danced in my head and with no one to talk me out of it, many leeks were thrown in to the cart. Once fed, blood sugar and sanity restored (there would be no leek pie) a Google search

Review # 14: Keen Newport H2 Women's Sandals

2011-02-14T00:15:00.004-05:00

Happy Valentines Day! During the winter of 2010 we were snowed in for nearly two weeks after two back to back blizzards dumped about three feet of snow. Fortunately, I had ordered boxes of sandals from Zappos, and when not shoveling snow, entertained myself by trying them on, pretending it was summer, running up and down a skateboard ramp in my son's room to simulate hills (you know, to see if my

Review # 13: Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Snaps

2011-02-12T15:45:00.000-05:00

Today's review is for Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Snaps. I have never been to a Trader Joe store, as there are none nearby, but my mother keeps me well supplied. The review goes like this: Trader Joe's Triple Ginger Snaps are good. Really good. There are little chewy pieces of ginger in the cookie. They are a little chewier and less "snappy" than the grocery ginger snaps available. They are more

Review # 12: "Sister Aimee" by Daniel Mark Epstein

2011-02-11T13:54:00.000-05:00

I thought I had never heard of Aimee Semple Mcpherson. This week, while browsing through some Time-Life decade books which I used to pour over as a kid, I found that I must have at least seen the name, because her famous (infamous?)"kidnapping" is featured in a two page spread. Before I read this book, I had Googled her name and was not sure what to think of her, except how in the world had I

Review # 11: Nine & Co. Janis Tote

2011-02-05T12:45:00.000-05:00

It is hard to find the perfect bag. Different days bring different needs. This was the third bag I bought (I returned the other ones) in a quest to find a bag to meet the following needs: 1) Look a little more polished than the reusable grocery tote I was throwing things in to. 2) Be small enough to seem like a pocketbook, but just large enough for me to squeeze in my 13" Macbook when needed.

Review # 10: Mr. Coffee JWX20

2011-02-04T15:40:00.000-05:00

Today's review is of the Mr. Coffee JWX20. Our old Mr. Coffee coffee maker had to be replaced. I cared about the following things: Very Important: Coffee would taste good. Coffee would be hot. Coffee maker would have automatic shut-off** Coffee maker would make at least 10 - 12 cups of coffee (not a mini one.) Coffee maker would have a carafe that could be easily replaced if necessary. Prefer

Review # 9: CorningWare 20 Oz. Pop-In

2011-02-01T18:19:00.000-05:00

Soup in an insulated thermal type container is not always hot by lunch. Lugging a can of soup and a bowl big enough to carry from the office to the kitchen microwave and back without sloshing is awkward and doesn't fit in my lunch bag. Bowls are too hot when you pull them out of the microwave. Mugs are never big enough for the whole can of soup. So, what do you do when you are at work and want a

Review # 8: Nok Hockey

2011-01-30T20:51:00.000-05:00

Today's review is for Carrom's Nok Hockey. Can't remember the first time I ever played this, I can, however remember the last time I played, which was this afternoon. The pictured board was given to my family by my brother's family 10+ years ago. It has been played by many a teen at youth hangouts and parties in our family room. It spent a long time in hibernation under a bed until it was

Review # 7: Progresso Light Chicken and Dumpling Soup

2011-01-30T15:15:00.000-05:00

When I was a kid, I was a very picky eater. One of my favorite things to eat was Campbell's Condensed Chicken and Dumpling Soup. As an adult, I have rarely seen it in the grocery stores. Probably it has been discontinued. Chicken and Dumpling soups can be found, but most are in a cream base, which, having only moved up the picky eater ladder about two rungs, I don't really like that much.*** It

Review # 6: Jumsoft Money

2011-01-29T21:00:00.000-05:00

As a brand new Mac user, one of the first things I needed to figure out was how and what to use to manage my checkbook. For many years I used Quicken and then MS Money. My needs were pretty few. So few, that a less lazy person would have set up Excel to do what needed to be done. But that is a less lazy person and not me.Here are my computer money program needs: - keep a checkbook log for a

Review # 5: Zappos.com

2011-01-27T15:59:00.000-05:00

Zappos.com is where the shoes are. Lots of them, in every brand, color and style. Since you can buy shoes on lots of websites, Zappos entices you to buy from them with their free shipping and free returns. Free shipping is not a huge deal, but free, no questions asked returns are. The coolest thing, in my opinion, about Zappos is how fast they get your order to you. It is common to order and be

Review # 4: Nature Valley Trail Mix Fruit and Nut

2011-01-26T18:30:00.000-05:00

My son says I need to do comparison reviews. He thinks that if I were to review a pizza restaurant, for instance, that I would have to compare it to another pizza restaurant, because if I said the pizza was cheesy, my reader(s?) might want to know, cheesy compared to what? I don't know if I agree, but today there will be some comparing of products because for the longest time I thought I hated

Review # 3: "Digging to America" by Anne Tyler

2011-01-24T05:00:00.001-05:00

The Walden Books in a nearby bookstore has gone out of business and was selling everything at a deep discount. While unfortunate for Walden Books, this was quite a stroke of luck for me, in light of the fact that I have been terrorized by stories like this and no longer want to visit my once beloved public library. I picked up four new, never been in someone's bed books. This one was the cheapest

Review # 2: Mutts

2011-01-23T07:16:00.002-05:00

Today I will review mutts, as in mixed breed dogs that one usually picks up at a shelter or from a neighbor's dog who has accidentally found itself in the "family way." This review will be based on the following mutts: 1) Skipper, my childhood dog. A mixed breed male adopted from the ASPCA. Destructive at first, but two weeks of boarding school and a kennel fixed him of that. The most gluttonous

Review # 1: Brooks ASR 7

2011-01-22T00:15:00.000-05:00

I walk a lot. I love to walk. Not run or jog, or hike. Just walk. Which works out very well for my dog. If you had told me five years ago that I would spend over $ 100 on a pair of sneakers I would not have believed it. Frivolous. Wasteful. It turns out, however, that age has not been kind to my feet. Pain in my toe, the ball of my foot and achilles tendon was making walking unbearable. I was

Coming Soon: 100 Random Reviews

2011-01-21T23:07:00.003-05:00

You might not believe this, given the date of the last post, but this blog has been on my mind for a while. I missed the New Years Resolution picture and post a day bandwagon, which is quite a relief, so here is what I will be doing for 2011: One hundred random reviews. Random in that the things reviewed will not have any theme or connection. Unless they do. We'll see how it goes.Maybe it will be

Fridays for the Indecisive

2010-10-01T20:38:00.002-04:00

When the kids are in school and I have a Friday off, the enormity of deciding what to do is like being a kid in a candy store, with a few pennies (or dollars as the declining dollar dictates) and having to choose only one of what seems like hundreds of good options.What should I do with seven hours of time? So many options tug at me that I could spend the entire seven hours just thinking about

Hello September

2010-09-01T05:02:00.002-04:00

I woke up this morning and thought "Wow, can it really be Wednesday already?" After a few cups of coffee, my thoughts were more of "Wow, can it really be September already?"Time is moving way too fast, the days are flying by, and it feels a little sad.Goodbye August. Lazy days with the kids, catching up with friends, long Sunday afternoons in the pool with the boys was fun while it lasted.Hello

On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

2010-08-22T21:48:00.002-04:00

Book bags are packed, fridge stocked with lunch foods, hair has been cut, shoes have been bought. Alarms have been set. Early.Goodbyes to summer vacation have been said (OK, mostly by me.) Taking a deep breath.Here we go again.

Decisions Decisions

2010-08-17T05:27:00.002-04:00

From: The most indecisive person in the world?Indecisiveness comes from fear. The fear of making the wrong choice which will lead down the completely wrong path. Permanently shutting all other options out forever. Worst than that, a bad situation which impacts my family could result from a wrong choice. What if, what if, what if...

To Blog or Not to Blog ?

2010-07-30T12:30:00.002-04:00

In the age of Facebook, why blog? Pictures can be displayed on facebook, as can notes, statuses etc. More info can be shared with a larger and more targeted audience with tagging, messaging and such. So why are some of you still blogging? I have resisted deleting this blog, but please comment on the purposefulness of it, if there is any. What I lean toward is an anonymous blog where I could