Link up your Wordless Wednesdays here!
I am also hooking up with:
Wordless Wednesday... sunset edition
Link up your Wordless Wednesdays here!
I am also hooking up with:
Congratulations to the Winner!
The winner of my random 400 followers (which is now 413!!!!) draw was Mass Hole Mommy!
She has won $50 worth of Restaurant.com gift certificates!
Stay tuned for more giveaways later in the week and don't forget to enter my CSN Stores giveaway (ends 9/14) and my Etch-a-Sketch Keychain giveaway (ending tomorrow) !
She has won $50 worth of Restaurant.com gift certificates!
Stay tuned for more giveaways later in the week and don't forget to enter my CSN Stores giveaway (ends 9/14) and my Etch-a-Sketch Keychain giveaway (ending tomorrow) !
Tell me more Tuesday!
I am participating in Traci66's meme today!
1. Have you ever ate a bug, or anything else that isn't food?
probably...but I really don't want to know.
2. Colors, do they make you think of anything? ex:Purple=Passion
Yellow always makes me think of daffodils
3. Do you decorate for the holidays?
Christmas and Hallowe'een
4. If you were one of the 7 dwarfs, which one would it be? (I saw this one somewhere).
Doc
5. Beef, Pork or Chicken?
Chicken
Post it Note Tuesday
If you don't follow on Google Friends - today is the day to start... one of my soon to be 400 followers will win a great prize (hopefully today!)
This is a big break through for us... he counts and sorts at home, but hasn't ever done this much for the teacher at school!!!
Thanks for reading - now go and check out everyone else's PINT at
Boost...Reboost?
This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boost Mobile. All opinions are 100% mine.
As I watch my friends lament on Facebook about how awful their wireless plans are and how difficult it is to upgrade or switch providerds for cell phone service, I just shake my head, partly because I still haven't gotten to a point in my life where my cell phone is that vital to me, but also because I have Boost Mobile- one of the most flexible wireless providers out there!
I found Boost Mobile when we first moved to the United States and needed to get a cell phone for emergencies... none of the major carriers wanted to touch us because we didn't have a US credit card or credit rating, so we ended up going with Boost Mobile for Pay as You Go service...
We've now been here five years and I wouldn't trade Boost Mobile for any other service provider! They have excellent customer service, no contracts, and best yet, they offer a variety of ways to Re-Boost your phone! When we first got our phone, it was easy to pick up Re-Boost cards in a variety of denominations at the grocery and drug stores, and you can still do that! You can also Re-Boost over the phone, online or set up automatic withdrawals on either a regular monthly basis or like I do, when my balance drops below a certain dollar figure!
Boost Mobile has kept up with the times too - I don't lose out on texting, web surfing or high quality phones! Last year, I upgraded my old flip phone to an i465 with a full Qwerty keyboard and nice large screen, but now there are even more options - including the Blackberry and the i1!
As I mentioned, I'm still not a fully integrated wireless phone user - preferring my laptop for internet and email, except when I'm away from home for long periods of time, but for those of you who want unlimited text, talk and surf, Boost has a package designed just for you! For $50 a month, you get unimited text, talk, web, IM, and email! And there's still no contract required!!
As a loyal Boost customer, my next upgrade isn't too far off... maybe I'll have to take the plunge to being connected 24/7 on my mobile and I'm so glad that I'll be able to keep Boost Mobile as my provider!
MMMmonday - Review, Recipe and linky!
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to review a new cooking manual - you can't really call it a cookbook, because it is so much more and takes an entirely different perspective on cooking and baking!
The book is entitled Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food
by Jeff Potter and is over 500 pages of recipes, interviews and analysis of food, its properties and the science of cooking and baking! My twelve year old daughter is totally enamored with the scientific explanation of how leavening works, the chemical reactions of everything from yeast to vinegar and of course sugar. Have you ever wondered why some pie crusts are flaky and others more mealy? The answer lies in the ratio of ingredients... all explained in Cooking for Geeks.
The chapters are laid out as follows:
1. Hello Kitchen
2. Initializing the Kitchen
3. Choosing your Inputs: Flavors and Ingredients
4. Time and Temperature: Cooking's Primary Variables
5. Air: Baking's Key Variable
6. Playing with Chemicals
7. Fun with Hardware
The book also includes interviews with great 'geeks' in various disciplines - everyone from Brian Wansink, a professor at Cornell University who studies how we interact with food, to Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame who talks about the scientific process. The interviews add an additional depth to the discussions of each chapter and lend credibility to the author's perspectives...
And of course there are recipes! Everything from no-knead bread to 30 minute scrambled eggs, the experience of cooking and baking takes on new meaning as you control your environment for both taste and science! Take for instance the discussion of why certain meats require slow cooking, providing an explanation of collagen, gelatin and which meats have more and less... including why lean meat doesn't stew particularly well...
I recommend this book for anyone who ever asks WHY? Why can't I cut down on the flour in the bread? Why can't I use lean beef in my stew? Why can't I just cook short ribs for 15 minutes and expect them to be tender? Why do I need to put salt in things when they cook? Why is it that if 350F for an hour cooks it, 500F for 12 minutes doesn't... If you have a need to know why your recipe is working or not, this is the book for you!
Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food is available at Amazon.com for $23.09
For videos, more recipes, and additional interviews, see the book’s companion website, at http://www.cookingforgeeks.com.
If you use Facebook, see http://facebook.com/cookingforgeeks.
If you tweet, follow @cookingforgeeks; use the hashtag "#c4g" for general discussion.
An excerpt from Cooking for Geeks is today's recipe - one that I thought was appropriate for the start of harvest season:
Poached pears are easy, tasty, and quick. And, at least compared to most desserts, they’re relatively healthy, or at least until the vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce are added. Much of our enjoyment of fruit comes from not just their flavor but also their texture. Consider an apple that’s lacking in crispiness or a banana that’s been bruised and become mushy: without their customary texture, their appeal is lost. But this isn’t always the case. Poaching fruits such as pears causes similar changes in the structure of the fruit’s flesh, breaking down cell walls and affecting the bonds between neighboring cells to create a softer texture that’s infused with the flavor of the poaching liquid.
In a shallow saucepan or frying pan, place:
2 medium (350g) pears,
sliced lengthwise (longitudinally) into eighths or twelfths, and core removed
1 cup (240ml) red wine
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Set the pan over low to medium heat, bringing the wine to a simmer and then poaching the pears for 5 to 10 minutes, until soft. Flip them halfway through, so that both sides of the slices spend some time facedown in the liquid. Remove the pears and discard the liquid. (You can also reduce the liquid down into a syrup.)
Notes: Fun chemistry fact: the boiling point of wine is lower than that of water. The exact temperature depends upon the sugar and alcohol levels, and as the wine simmers, the ratios shift. It’ll start somewhere around 194°F / 90°C. It’s doubtful that this will actually help you avoid overcooking the pears, though.
Pears are one of those fruits that are underripe until you look away and then go rotten before you can look back. To encourage them to ripen, you can keep underripe pears in a paper bag so the plant tissue will be exposed to the ethylene gas they give off. I find I can get away with poaching pears that are a little more underripe than I might want to eat fresh, but your pears should be at least a little soft.
Try serving this with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Or try poaching other fruits, like fresh figs, and using other liquids. Figs poached in port or a honey/water syrup with a small amount of lemon juice and lemon zest added after poaching are sweet and tasty.
You don’t need to actually measure out the ingredients. As long as the pears have enough liquid to poach in, they’ll turn out great. Add freshly ground pepper to suit your tastes.
And now for today's linky - post your favorite recipe to share here:
Disclaimer: I received an electronic copy of Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food by Jeff Potter from the publisher for the purposes of this review. All opinions are my own
I'm also participating in the following bloghops:
The book is entitled Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food
by Jeff Potter and is over 500 pages of recipes, interviews and analysis of food, its properties and the science of cooking and baking! My twelve year old daughter is totally enamored with the scientific explanation of how leavening works, the chemical reactions of everything from yeast to vinegar and of course sugar. Have you ever wondered why some pie crusts are flaky and others more mealy? The answer lies in the ratio of ingredients... all explained in Cooking for Geeks. The chapters are laid out as follows:1. Hello Kitchen
2. Initializing the Kitchen
3. Choosing your Inputs: Flavors and Ingredients
4. Time and Temperature: Cooking's Primary Variables
5. Air: Baking's Key Variable
6. Playing with Chemicals
7. Fun with Hardware
The book also includes interviews with great 'geeks' in various disciplines - everyone from Brian Wansink, a professor at Cornell University who studies how we interact with food, to Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame who talks about the scientific process. The interviews add an additional depth to the discussions of each chapter and lend credibility to the author's perspectives...
And of course there are recipes! Everything from no-knead bread to 30 minute scrambled eggs, the experience of cooking and baking takes on new meaning as you control your environment for both taste and science! Take for instance the discussion of why certain meats require slow cooking, providing an explanation of collagen, gelatin and which meats have more and less... including why lean meat doesn't stew particularly well...
I recommend this book for anyone who ever asks WHY? Why can't I cut down on the flour in the bread? Why can't I use lean beef in my stew? Why can't I just cook short ribs for 15 minutes and expect them to be tender? Why do I need to put salt in things when they cook? Why is it that if 350F for an hour cooks it, 500F for 12 minutes doesn't... If you have a need to know why your recipe is working or not, this is the book for you!
Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food
is available at Amazon.com for $23.09For videos, more recipes, and additional interviews, see the book’s companion website, at http://www.cookingforgeeks.com.
If you use Facebook, see http://facebook.com/cookingforgeeks.
If you tweet, follow @cookingforgeeks; use the hashtag "#c4g" for general discussion.
An excerpt from Cooking for Geeks is today's recipe - one that I thought was appropriate for the start of harvest season:
Poached Pears in Red Wine
Poached pears are easy, tasty, and quick. And, at least compared to most desserts, they’re relatively healthy, or at least until the vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce are added. Much of our enjoyment of fruit comes from not just their flavor but also their texture. Consider an apple that’s lacking in crispiness or a banana that’s been bruised and become mushy: without their customary texture, their appeal is lost. But this isn’t always the case. Poaching fruits such as pears causes similar changes in the structure of the fruit’s flesh, breaking down cell walls and affecting the bonds between neighboring cells to create a softer texture that’s infused with the flavor of the poaching liquid.
In a shallow saucepan or frying pan, place:
2 medium (350g) pears,
sliced lengthwise (longitudinally) into eighths or twelfths, and core removed
1 cup (240ml) red wine
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
Set the pan over low to medium heat, bringing the wine to a simmer and then poaching the pears for 5 to 10 minutes, until soft. Flip them halfway through, so that both sides of the slices spend some time facedown in the liquid. Remove the pears and discard the liquid. (You can also reduce the liquid down into a syrup.)
Notes: Fun chemistry fact: the boiling point of wine is lower than that of water. The exact temperature depends upon the sugar and alcohol levels, and as the wine simmers, the ratios shift. It’ll start somewhere around 194°F / 90°C. It’s doubtful that this will actually help you avoid overcooking the pears, though.
Pears are one of those fruits that are underripe until you look away and then go rotten before you can look back. To encourage them to ripen, you can keep underripe pears in a paper bag so the plant tissue will be exposed to the ethylene gas they give off. I find I can get away with poaching pears that are a little more underripe than I might want to eat fresh, but your pears should be at least a little soft.
Try serving this with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Or try poaching other fruits, like fresh figs, and using other liquids. Figs poached in port or a honey/water syrup with a small amount of lemon juice and lemon zest added after poaching are sweet and tasty.
You don’t need to actually measure out the ingredients. As long as the pears have enough liquid to poach in, they’ll turn out great. Add freshly ground pepper to suit your tastes.
And now for today's linky - post your favorite recipe to share here:
Disclaimer: I received an electronic copy of Cooking for Geeks: Real Science, Great Hacks, and Good Food by Jeff Potter
from the publisher for the purposes of this review. All opinions are my ownI'm also participating in the following bloghops:
I won again!!!
I want to thank Kim's Korner for hosting a Brother Canada giveaway of a P-Touch 90 Labeller that I won!!!!
If you're feeling lucky, you should enter my two current giveaways:
Etch-a-Sketch Keychain and $45 CSN Stores Gift Certificate
If you're feeling lucky, you should enter my two current giveaways:
Etch-a-Sketch Keychain and $45 CSN Stores Gift Certificate
Sunday Family Stories - My Opa
I really don't have memories of my Opa, he passed away when I was two years old... but I have memories of great stories and a wonderful family heirloom to share with my children that was made by his hand...
I also don't know all of his story, but the parts that I do know make me proud to have had a man like Franz Loeffler as my grandfather... From early on, the stories I was told of my father's father - Opa, was that he was a quiet man who spoke with his hands... he was a carpenter and I remember the garage at the bungalow where my father spent his teen years and my Oma lived when I was a child to be full of strange and wonderful tools of his trade... chisels, planes, saws - almost everything he did was by hand, in the Old World style... and he worked on a special piece for his first grandchild, a rocking horse... but I digress... I want to tell you some of the history that I know about him before we talk about my gift...
Franz Loeffler was a young man, growing up in Germany in the twenties and early thirties... as an apprentice and then journeyman carpenter, he was a socialist and believed in unions, trade and commerce... and as Fascism took hold in his country, he made the difficult decision to follow his beliefs and leave a country that no longer supported him and his ideals... from what I gather of the stories, he fled through Czechoslovakia and made his way carefully to Canada.
Upon arrival in Canada, he began to build a life, interrupted by the growing ills in his homeland and surrounding countries in Europe - the escape route he had used fell to German forces that occupied Czechoslovakia and Franz felt the need to return to fight against the oppression and atrocity being wrought and joined the Canadian Armed Forces and returned to Germany as a translator... it must have been an impossible situation as he headed into familiar territory to fight against oppression and tyranny of his own people...
While there, he met my Oma, Ursula, who immigrated to Canada shortly after the war to marry my Opa - she had two weeks after landing on Canadian soil, knowing almost no English, to get herself organized, acclimated and married!
They built a life in Canada, having three sons, my dad being the oldest... who married my mom in 1973 after having known each other off and on all their lives... and growing up down the street from each other... I was born in 1975 and from all accounts was my Opa's darling - he shared some of my firsts... he gave me my first beer, and of course, my first 'pony'...
I know so little of the intervening years...my Oma shared some stories with me before she passed away on January 1, 1998, but what I do have is a legacy... and my children call her 'Dotty'
Dotty is a fabulous, one of a kind preschool size rocking horse... and one of my greatest treasures... my Opa lovingly created her for me and never got to see me ride her... She was a Christmas present that he nearly completed before passing away.
I was inspired to write this before I could contact my family to get pictures to include... I promise to scan and add new pictures of my Opa and Dotty as soon as I can and I will announce the opportunity to come back and see this post come to life... but I really wanted to share this story with you as my Sunday Family Story today!
***************
Don't forget to check out my giveaways - Etch-a-Sketch Keychain and $45 CSN Stores Gift Certificate
***************
As usual lately, I am linking this post up at:
I also don't know all of his story, but the parts that I do know make me proud to have had a man like Franz Loeffler as my grandfather... From early on, the stories I was told of my father's father - Opa, was that he was a quiet man who spoke with his hands... he was a carpenter and I remember the garage at the bungalow where my father spent his teen years and my Oma lived when I was a child to be full of strange and wonderful tools of his trade... chisels, planes, saws - almost everything he did was by hand, in the Old World style... and he worked on a special piece for his first grandchild, a rocking horse... but I digress... I want to tell you some of the history that I know about him before we talk about my gift...
Franz Loeffler was a young man, growing up in Germany in the twenties and early thirties... as an apprentice and then journeyman carpenter, he was a socialist and believed in unions, trade and commerce... and as Fascism took hold in his country, he made the difficult decision to follow his beliefs and leave a country that no longer supported him and his ideals... from what I gather of the stories, he fled through Czechoslovakia and made his way carefully to Canada.
Upon arrival in Canada, he began to build a life, interrupted by the growing ills in his homeland and surrounding countries in Europe - the escape route he had used fell to German forces that occupied Czechoslovakia and Franz felt the need to return to fight against the oppression and atrocity being wrought and joined the Canadian Armed Forces and returned to Germany as a translator... it must have been an impossible situation as he headed into familiar territory to fight against oppression and tyranny of his own people...
While there, he met my Oma, Ursula, who immigrated to Canada shortly after the war to marry my Opa - she had two weeks after landing on Canadian soil, knowing almost no English, to get herself organized, acclimated and married!
They built a life in Canada, having three sons, my dad being the oldest... who married my mom in 1973 after having known each other off and on all their lives... and growing up down the street from each other... I was born in 1975 and from all accounts was my Opa's darling - he shared some of my firsts... he gave me my first beer, and of course, my first 'pony'...
I know so little of the intervening years...my Oma shared some stories with me before she passed away on January 1, 1998, but what I do have is a legacy... and my children call her 'Dotty'
Dotty is a fabulous, one of a kind preschool size rocking horse... and one of my greatest treasures... my Opa lovingly created her for me and never got to see me ride her... She was a Christmas present that he nearly completed before passing away.
I was inspired to write this before I could contact my family to get pictures to include... I promise to scan and add new pictures of my Opa and Dotty as soon as I can and I will announce the opportunity to come back and see this post come to life... but I really wanted to share this story with you as my Sunday Family Story today!
***************
Don't forget to check out my giveaways - Etch-a-Sketch Keychain and $45 CSN Stores Gift Certificate
***************
As usual lately, I am linking this post up at:
Product Review and Giveaway - CSN Stores - CLOSED
I was contacted while I was away in Canada to do a product review for CSNStores.com and after going back and forth on what we should get, Wayne and I decided to take the plunge and order Ach Baby a cool new set of wheels and car seat... narrowing down the choices was tough, because CSNStores.com had such a great selection of strollers (over 500 to choose from) and specifically 72 different travel systems (stroller and car seats) to choose from! Better yet, all 72 came with free shipping and many had a 20% discount when we were ordering!
When Liam was born, we went for a traditional travel system - a Graco with standard wheels and classic styling... and it served us well, but it wasn't great for heading to the park or traveling over grass and uneven track, so we paid careful attention to the newer wheel options... our other concern was to get a stroller with as high a stance as possible - Wayne is six feet tall and the worst thing that can happen is that he has to spend hours pushing a stroller that he's hunched over...
Having eliminated several that were too expensive, we narrowed our search down to one...
The way it folds is a plus - we drive a Kia Rondo right now and had been worried about getting the stroller in when we were traveling as a whole family, because Robyn will need to ride in the third seat when all 5 of us go out for long trips - this stroller will slide easily into the other half of the third row seat and allow her plenty of room to sit comfortably!
When Liam was born, we went for a traditional travel system - a Graco with standard wheels and classic styling... and it served us well, but it wasn't great for heading to the park or traveling over grass and uneven track, so we paid careful attention to the newer wheel options... our other concern was to get a stroller with as high a stance as possible - Wayne is six feet tall and the worst thing that can happen is that he has to spend hours pushing a stroller that he's hunched over...
Having eliminated several that were too expensive, we narrowed our search down to one...
The service from CSNStores was amazing, fast and efficient communication and I was able to track my package from their warehouse to my door...
I have to say that I was somewhat intimidated by the idea of putting the Safety 1st Acella Sport Travel System together, remembering the horror that our previous travel system was to put together... so it sat in my dining room in the box for almost two weeks before I unpacked it to put it together..
I was pleasantly surprised that it only took seven steps to get it together - and we had the whole thing together in less than 10 minutes! The hardest part was putting the cotter pins back in the wheels! Everything clicked together quickly and easily and the directions were clear and concise!
As for the stroller itself - it is lightweight, a good height and offers large plastic wheels which don't get stuck in the sand and grass nearly as often as the traditional stroller did. I also love the way it folds down -
Both the kids tray and the parents cup holder snap off quickly for easy cleaning, and the seat is easily adjusted from reclining to upright in seconds!
Even Liam, who is almost 4 had plenty of room in the stroller... which allows us some flexibility when the baby comes - baby in the sling and Liam in the stroller, or baby in the travel system and Liam helping to push the stroller!
I have to say that I think we made a great purchase and I look forward to really road testing the Safety 1st Acella Sport Travel System once Ach Baby arrives!
I was so pleased with the service and variety of products available at CSNStores.com that when they offered to extend the opportunity to get great deals and great products to my readers, so here's your chance to win a $45 gift certificate to any of the more than 200 affiliate websites of CSNStores.com, including cookware.com, All Modern Lighting, Toys and Games Online ... the possibilities are endless!
The giveaway is open until Tuesday, September 14th at 11:59pm and the winner will be announced and contacted on September 15th! This giveaway is open to my readers in Canada and the USA. (My Canadian readers need to know that some items may have international shipping charges).
Mandatory Entry: Go to CSNStores.com and leave a comment let me know what you would choose if you win - (must be done first)
Bonus entries (each one requires a separate comment) :
Follow Acting Balanced on Google Friends (1 entry)
Follow Acting Balanced on Networked Blogs (1 entry)
Subscribe to Acting Balanced by email (1 entry - must confirm)
Like Acting Balanced on Facebook (1 entry)
Share the giveaway with your facebook friends by clicking Share this on this post on the Acting Balanced Facebook Page or copying this: Win a $45 CSN Stores Gift Certificate from Acting Balanced http://bit.ly/9qZcPy ends 9/14 (1 entry)
Follow Chascouponmom on Twitter (1 entry)
Tweet this giveaway (1 entry per day)
Use this: Win a $45 CSN Stores Gift Certificate from Acting Balanced http://bit.ly/9qZcPy #giveaway @chascouponmomends 9/14Good luck!
Disclaimer: I received a gift certificate from CSN Stores that partially compensated me for the purchase of this product. All opinions expressed are my own
Saturday Snippets and some Winners!
Well, thanks to more wonderful followers, we are closer than ever to being able to award a prize to one lucky google friend! As of writing this post, I now have 385 followers on Google Friend Connect - with only 15 to go, I'm hoping to award the prize by the end of this weekend!
***
I have a feeling that this is going to be a catch-up weekend at our house... Saturday's forecast looks pretty blah, which means it's the perfect time to corner Wayne into helping me put together Ach Baby's new stroller so I can complete my review!
***
Speaking of catching up, I had a great doctor's visit this week - I lost a pound (which was okay after gaining 7 in the month we were home visiting Canada), the baby is still measuring slightly ahead but nothing to be alarmed about, his heart rate was strong and he kicked at the doctor! The only down side is that the nurse said my protein was up in my urine, probably because I was dehydrated... more water!!!
***
It was a busy week here at Acting Balanced - I hope you didn't miss any of the great posts! Two new book reviews and four new product reviews went up this week! I also completed the Sunday Family Story Trilogy about my Summer Adventure when I was six... you start with part one here if you missed it, part two, and part three
***
This week coming up will include my $45 CSN gift certificate giveaway, more book and product reviews, and a new Sunday family story series focusing on my other grandparents, my Oma and Opa!
***
Random.org has chosen the winners from the 68 possible entries for the two Medela Gift Bags and they are:
# 36 8/24/2010 15:51:57 Chris F. Initial Entry
# 63 8/27/2010 21:16:08 Mindy Left a comment
An email has been sent to both winners, who have 48 hours to contact me, otherwise another winner will be drawn!
*******
As per usual, I am participating in some blog hops and websites including:
***
I have a feeling that this is going to be a catch-up weekend at our house... Saturday's forecast looks pretty blah, which means it's the perfect time to corner Wayne into helping me put together Ach Baby's new stroller so I can complete my review!
***
Speaking of catching up, I had a great doctor's visit this week - I lost a pound (which was okay after gaining 7 in the month we were home visiting Canada), the baby is still measuring slightly ahead but nothing to be alarmed about, his heart rate was strong and he kicked at the doctor! The only down side is that the nurse said my protein was up in my urine, probably because I was dehydrated... more water!!!
***
It was a busy week here at Acting Balanced - I hope you didn't miss any of the great posts! Two new book reviews and four new product reviews went up this week! I also completed the Sunday Family Story Trilogy about my Summer Adventure when I was six... you start with part one here if you missed it, part two, and part three
***
This week coming up will include my $45 CSN gift certificate giveaway, more book and product reviews, and a new Sunday family story series focusing on my other grandparents, my Oma and Opa!
***
Random.org has chosen the winners from the 68 possible entries for the two Medela Gift Bags and they are:
# 36 8/24/2010 15:51:57 Chris F. Initial Entry
# 63 8/27/2010 21:16:08 Mindy Left a comment
An email has been sent to both winners, who have 48 hours to contact me, otherwise another winner will be drawn!
*******
As per usual, I am participating in some blog hops and websites including:
Time is running out...
Last chance to enter the Medela Gift Bag give away ... the winner will be drawn on random.org from all entries made by 11:59pm tonight!
CLick here to enter
Good luck to all who entered!
CLick here to enter
Good luck to all who entered!
Book Review- Second Chance
Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog (PBS Kids recommended title)
by Sandra J. Gerencher is a great children's book that combines sensitivity, caring and understanding for the sometimes difficult topics of orphans, adoption, autism and belonging.From the Publisher:
The timeless tale of a boy (with autism) and his (shelter) dog. Over the past 10 years, author Sandra Gerencher has been on a mission to save dogs from high-kill animal shelters. Her first rescue was P.J., the black and white Pomeranian in the story. She also adopted the orange Pomeranians Shelby and Lil Rascal, and of course, Chance, the big black Rottweiler/German Shepherd mix. All characters in the story are based on Sandra's real life family. The book is filled with softly blended watercolor photos of her loved ones. Her most significant adoption was her son, Terry. He was considered a special needs child because he was born with a genetic disorder known as Fragile X Syndrome. The disorder can cause many cognitive disorders, such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, mental retardation and depression.
My review:
Although I'm not a dog person, I am an avid reader of everything to do with autism and adoption and I love that this book is able to express compassion, love and understanding of family, adoption and autism. This book
offers the reader, young and old, an opportunity to glimpse a small moment in the author's life as she welcomes a new member of her family into the fold and allows him to learn organically about his place in their 'pack' and what the terms 'adoption' and 'autism' mean.This book would make an excellent edition to school libraries, classrooms and home libraries, especially as a communication tool to talk about and celebrate difference, similarity and family!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sandra Gerencher is a special education teacher in the public school system. Prior to becoming a teacher, she worked at Lehigh University in a school-based program, as a Program Specialist for adults with disabilities. Over the past 20 years she has worked with children and adults with special needs in such areas as counseling, Behavior Specialist Consultation, behavioral research, crisis intervention and abuse therapy. Sandra graduated from Lehigh University with a M.Ed. in Special Education (2004) and from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia with an M.S. in Counseling Psychology (1999).
Purchase the book:
Second Chance: How Adoption Saved a Boy with Autism & His Shelter Dog is available from Amazon.com as both a paperback
and a kindle edition
, and a portion of the proceeds supports the Humane SocietyProduct Review - Dryel® Starter Kit
As I mentioned in my last post, the laundry multiplies at my house, and for nine months of the year, my husband dresses in business attire for his work as a business professor, the dry cleaning escalates too! And with that, the cost... so when I had a chance to test out the Dryel® Starter Kit as an alternative to taking a whole pile of clothes to the dry cleaners, I jumped at the chance!
The Dryel® Starter Kit includes 2 ultra-concentrated cleaning cloths that will care for 2 dryer loads (up to four garments in each load for a total of 8 garments). Each kit also includes:
- Dryel On The Go™ Instant Stain Remover Pen
- 2X ULTRA Concentrated Refill Cloths
- Re-usable Fabric Protection Bag (designed to last up to 50 loads)
- An instructional pamphlet including coupons
I tested the bag out on two pair of dry clean only pants and two suit jackets for my first load, and then I tested out the second option - which is to refresh delicate fabrics like sweaters for the second one! Boy was I impressed, the clothes came out virtually wrinkle free, smelling clean and fresh and ready to wear! I can't say that this product will completely replace my trips to the dry cleaner, because occasionally, I like to make sure the clothes get a professional pressing, but I think this will help reduce the number of times I need to go! And it will certainly be a great stand-by when my husband brings home a jacket that's been sitting on a hook in his office for three weeks and says, I want to wear this tomorrow... can you take it to the cleaners?
This is definitely going to be a staple in our household!
Refill kits are available once you have the kit, which provide you with a further 6 cleaning cloths at a time (or 24 more garmets!)
Beginning in late August, Walmart customers will be given the chance to try the Dryel Starter Kit and refill packages for free via rebate, so keep your eye open for that in your local Walmart!
Disclosure: This is a Mama Buzz review. The product reviewed was provided by Dryel® and oneCARE. All opinions are my own.
The Dryel® Starter Kit includes 2 ultra-concentrated cleaning cloths that will care for 2 dryer loads (up to four garments in each load for a total of 8 garments). Each kit also includes:
- Dryel On The Go™ Instant Stain Remover Pen
- 2X ULTRA Concentrated Refill Cloths
- Re-usable Fabric Protection Bag (designed to last up to 50 loads)
- An instructional pamphlet including coupons
I tested the bag out on two pair of dry clean only pants and two suit jackets for my first load, and then I tested out the second option - which is to refresh delicate fabrics like sweaters for the second one! Boy was I impressed, the clothes came out virtually wrinkle free, smelling clean and fresh and ready to wear! I can't say that this product will completely replace my trips to the dry cleaner, because occasionally, I like to make sure the clothes get a professional pressing, but I think this will help reduce the number of times I need to go! And it will certainly be a great stand-by when my husband brings home a jacket that's been sitting on a hook in his office for three weeks and says, I want to wear this tomorrow... can you take it to the cleaners?
This is definitely going to be a staple in our household!
Refill kits are available once you have the kit, which provide you with a further 6 cleaning cloths at a time (or 24 more garmets!)
Get your own Dryel® Starter Kit!
Beginning in late August, Walmart customers will be given the chance to try the Dryel Starter Kit and refill packages for free via rebate, so keep your eye open for that in your local Walmart!
Disclosure: This is a Mama Buzz review. The product reviewed was provided by Dryel® and oneCARE. All opinions are my own.
Product Reviews - Dryel On the Go and 3 in 1 Spray
I love testing out new laundry products... cause you know that the math in my house causes Laundry to multiply and socks to divide, so when I got the opportunity to be part of a team to test Dryel® products, you know that I leapt at the opportunity!
I was sent three products, the first two I will talk about in this post and then the second post will be a review for the third!
The first product I tested was the Dryel On the Go™ Stain Pen! The Dryel On the Go™ Stain Pen is so handy! Unlike competitor pens, the Dryel On the Go™ Stain Pen has a rubber head with bristles to help draw up the stain and massage in the stain lifter! Since I have been pregnant, it seems like my favorite pastime is to see how much food can drop on my belly in one sitting... and the Dryel On the Go™ Stain Pen has lifted tomato sauce, mustard and teriyaki off of my favorite blouses and shirts! I love that it also can work as a pre-treater for tough laundry stains and dry-cleaning, because it's safe on dry-clean only fabrics!
The second product I tested was the Dryel 3-IN-1 Touch-Up Spray™, which is designed to extend the life of your clothes between washing or dry-cleaning treatments! All you do is:
Overall, I am planning to make both of these products part of our everyday life! They are great in a pinch, and for augmenting your regular laundry products!
Be sure to check out Dryel's website for great money saving coupons and more, so you can try these products for yourself!
And don't forget to check out my review of The Dryel® Starter Kit, coming up shortly!
Disclaimer: This is a Mama Buzz review. The product reviewed was provided by Dryel® and oneCARE. All opinions are my own.
I was sent three products, the first two I will talk about in this post and then the second post will be a review for the third!
- Spray a light mist evenly on fabric.
- Use more spray in heavily wrinkled, smelly or clingy areas.
- Use hands to press and smooth away wrinkles.
- Air dry or dry in the dryer.
Overall, I am planning to make both of these products part of our everyday life! They are great in a pinch, and for augmenting your regular laundry products!
Be sure to check out Dryel's website for great money saving coupons and more, so you can try these products for yourself!
And don't forget to check out my review of The Dryel® Starter Kit, coming up shortly!
Disclaimer: This is a Mama Buzz review. The product reviewed was provided by Dryel® and oneCARE. All opinions are my own.
Closing in on 400....
It has been an exceedingly busy August... I made a commitment to myself to work hard this month to build the number of people reading Acting Balanced, so that I could bring better giveaways and reviews to those of you who have supported me since the beginning... and we're getting there! As of today, I am at 366 Google followers!!!
When I reach 400, I will use Random.org to choose one of my followers using Google Friends Connect and count down to that person on the list and award a prize to that individual! If you're a reader who hasn't yet subscribed by GFC - now is the time!
In the next few months I will also have similar giveaways as I meet targets for Twitter, Facebook, Networked Blogs (at bottom) and subscribed by Email ---)
Following in all these ways will also help you earn more entries in my current and upcoming giveaways, especially the Fall Follower Giveaway in October!
Thank you to everyone who already follows Acting Balanced - I appreciate each and every one of you!!! Please comment here if you are a new follower who has a blog, twitter account or Facebook fan page and I will definitely check you out too!
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This was a Friday Fragment
and
I am participating in the following blog hops:
When I reach 400, I will use Random.org to choose one of my followers using Google Friends Connect and count down to that person on the list and award a prize to that individual! If you're a reader who hasn't yet subscribed by GFC - now is the time!
In the next few months I will also have similar giveaways as I meet targets for Twitter, Facebook, Networked Blogs (at bottom) and subscribed by Email ---)
Following in all these ways will also help you earn more entries in my current and upcoming giveaways, especially the Fall Follower Giveaway in October!
Thank you to everyone who already follows Acting Balanced - I appreciate each and every one of you!!! Please comment here if you are a new follower who has a blog, twitter account or Facebook fan page and I will definitely check you out too!
**************
This was a Friday Fragment
and
I am participating in the following blog hops:
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