Product Review: Mixbook Personalized Cards

As the holidays approach, there's one thing many families do to keep in touch: send Christmas cards. One favorite way to send out cards is with a customized photo of the family. A common place to get these done is your local photo processing place. These come out looking like a photo, though, and aren't very professional in my opinion. That's why I was excited to review Mixbook's personalized photo cards.

First, their site is very easy to use. I was able to choose from a variety of styles of cards and edit the cards to my wants. For instance, I changed my card to say, "Merry Christmas, May Jesus' love shine brightly during on you and yours during this holiday season." On the back, I was able to customize our family's name and add a photo of my kids.

When the holiday photo cards arrived, I was really excited to see how they came out. They were a nice, thick quality with crisp printing and great resolution on the photo. They were a beautiful matte finish and something I would be happy to send out to my friends and family this Christmas. Their prices were also very reasonable for the quality of card produced. 

If you're interested in learning more about Mixbook, you can like them on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.

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

Upgrade your Phone Plan without Downgrading your Wallet

This post brought to you by Straight Talk. All opinions are 100% mine.

As a blogger, I'm feeling the need for a Smartphone more and more. My phone has some apps and capabilities, so it's not completely stupid, but it doesn't have The power of Android phones. I love how Android phones are so easy to use and have tons of apps and games. My poor phone only has one game and my kids have gotten "stuck" on it. As my son would say, "Epic Fail, Mom!"

With an unlimited plan at only $45 a month, it's easy to Feel Richer with Android phone. Straight Talk offers a plan with unlimited Monthly service at only $45, including calls, text, picture messaging, and web. With this phone plan, I could take care of simple blogging tasks while at my kids' soccer practice, catch up on emails at the doctor's office, and all for the same price I'm currently paying on my "stupid" pay-as-you-go phone. If you're like most cellphone users, $45 could cut your monthly bill in half or more!

Straight Talk is a cellphone company to trust since it has no contracts, reliable service, and lots of ways for you to save, including buying refurbished phones.

The getting richer effect has expanded... by LittleBard95

Music and Rhythm can Greatly Impact Learning

As a teacher, and former "band geek," I know the kind of impact music education can have on students. Students learn critical thinking skills, improve mathematical thinking, problem-solving, and social skills when in a school band (see this reference for more information). Most band programs begin around 5th or 6th grade in public school. If you're looking to give your kid a head start, you either need to pay for a private tutor, or teach them yourself (a daunting task).

That's why I was excited to review the Beginning Rhythm printable to review. This product comes with basic rhythm matching, as well as some games, such as rhythm bingo, to help teach your child rhythm.

My two sons love music and have lots of different musical instruments to play (mainly toys like a set of chimes, paper jams, etc.). They love to make music together, but they still need some work on their rhythm. They really enjoyed playing with the flash cards and games. And, their recognition of measures and rhythm patterns seemed to improve. This was especially useful for my oldest, who is in beginning band this year, carrying on the family tradition of playing the clarinet.

Here's a video to see more about the Beginning Rhythm product.

If you're interested in learning more about the Beginning Rhythm product, please visit their site for more information.

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. 

#CoconutOil: What You Never Knew About this Miracle Food

About Coconut Oil

I was asked to review Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil. Frankly, before I reviewed it, I had no idea what to do with it! So, I looked through the Tropical Traditions site and did some research on my own. Here are some of them:

• Coconut oil is good in baking and cooking because it is able to withstand higher cooking and baking temperatures than other oils. It will not burn as easily, so it is more stable. 
• Coconuts naturally contain many nutrients and vitamins that are beneficial for the body, including Vitamins B and C and proteins. 
• Coconut oil is supposed to be good as a weekly hair conditioner.

What I Think

I first used the Tropical Traditions Coconut Oil as a hair conditioner--after our dry, Texas summer, my hair needed it! I put the coconut oil in my hair at the end of my shower at night, then wrapped my hair in my head wrap, and went to sleep. In the morning, I rinsed my hair out twice and styled as normal. It was softer and more manageable after the coconut oil treatment.

I also tried the coconut oil in cooking. It was light and cooked well. I used it in a stir fry and it came out nicely. It didn't taste any different to my family (who are pretty picky), so that's a good thing! I could tell the difference, though, and it was just a light, coconut flavor, but not overpowering.

I like how it has a lot of properties that make it good for cooking. I know I've heard before that other oils, such as olive oil, change their properties when cooked too hot and may not be as good for you.

According to the Tropical Traditions website, "Research shows that the medium chain fatty acids found in coconut oil boosts the body’s metabolism, raises body temperatures, and helps provide greater energy which can lead to weight loss." That sounded good to me, so I have been using it in all of my cooking. I haven't been using it long enough yet to notice any effects like described, but I will keep you updated.

Finally, I have never received such a well-packaged jar sent to my home! It was extremely secure, so you can count on it being shipped to you in one piece. My husband, who is a packing guru, was impressed with the thorough packaging.

Resources for you: check out Free Coconut Recipes to learn how to use coconut oil in your cooking.

Enter my giveaway below to win your own Quart jar of Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil! Giveaway ends 10/31

Where to Buy

You can buy direct from the Tropical Traditions site. Below are some of the products they are currently offering:

Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil Hair Treatment - 16 oz

 

32-oz. - Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil - 1 quart

Coconut Soap - 1 bar

 

If you order through the links above, you will also receive their book on Virgin Coconut Oil. This book is packed with testimonies and solid research showing how healthy coconut oil is, and it also includes over 85 recipes showing how people can incorporate coconut into their diet.

Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Product Review: Little Miss Creations Goat's Milk Soap for #SensitiveSkin

My youngest son has sensitive skin. Lately, he's developed eczema when using regular body soaps. We've had to resort to his using Aveeno, but he doesn't care for it too much. He recently had a chance to try out Little Miss Creations' Sun and Moon Goat's Milk Soap.

Goat's Milk Soap is supposed to be very mild for sensitive skin. Here is an article that supports that: The Good Things Goat's Milk Soap Does for the Skin

Nick really enjoyed the shape of the soap and hated to use it because he didn't want the face to go away. He did use it in the bath for a week, with a washcloth. He liked the neutral scent, which was very light. The soap lathered well and was substantial. It also is pretty dense, so I expect it to last a good while.After using the soap for a week, Nick's skin is clean and soft, but has not broken out.

Little Miss Creations also offers several types of candles, including a cute candy corn candle for Halloween, and lotion as well as soaps. Prices and shipping are reasonable.

I received the Sun and Moon Goat's Milk Soap to perform this review, but was not compensated in any other way. The opinions expressed here are my own honest reflections on the product.

Healthy #Bloggers #Giveaway Ends 10/10

Sponsored by Tomoson.com

Dennis Cox/Wacky Stock

Blogging can be an unhealthy business. You sit at your computer all day, often eating snacks, not getting much fresh air or exercise. That's why I put together this giveaway of three of the great things I've recently reviewed.

To help you hone your blogging skills, you'll receive a free copy of Super Blogga: 70 Plus Tips and Tricks To Make You a Super Blogger. Check out my review of this great blogging guide. 

To help you keep from getting sick, you'll receive a full size 8oz bottle of Prefense Hand Sanitizer, 640 applications, or approximately 2 years' worth! I reviewed Prefense Hand Sanitizer recently, too.

And, finally, to keep your lips healthy and looking great, you'll receive an Eco Lips Gold Lip Balm with Eco Clip. See my review of Eco Lips Lip Balm. 

The giveaway is open to US residents only, aged 18 and older. To enter, use the rafflecopter below. The only mandatory entry is to comment on this post with a tip on staying healthy. The other entries are optional, but will increase your chance of winning.

Product Review: Kinder Soles Flip-Flops

If you love products that give back (like Tom's), you're going to love this product review. When I first heard about Kinder Soles, I was really excited to review their flip-flops. Their company is my kind of company for several reasons:

• They make ergonomic flip-flops. I have joint issues (probable Rheumatoid Arthritis) and my feet hurt me especially, so I couldn't wait to see if these flip-flops lived up to their ergonomic name.

• They're made from recycled water bottles--how cool is that? Recycling taken to new heights!

• My favorite: Kinder Soles donates a portion of their profits to SoleMates Foundation, a non-profit that provides gently-used shoes to those in need.

So, I eagerly ordered my prima flip-flops and waited for them to arrive. They showed up at my door on Monday, and I wore them to school all week. As a teacher, wearing shoes to work is one of the most grueling tests shoes can undergo. Teachers are on their feet ALL DAY and constantly moving. Normally, when I come home, my feet feel like they're made of lead, but filled with crushed glass.Yes, they usually feel terrible, and I have to spend about 30 minutes just sitting with them up before I feel normal again.

The first thing I noticed when I put them on was how well they fit my feet and how comfortable they felt. They are easily the most comfortable flip-flops I have ever worn! My husband and kids had to try them out, too and everyone agreed that they felt great.

For me, the ultimate test would be how they felt during the school day and when my work day was finally over. Kinder Soles met the test: they kept their comfort throughout the day and my feet were only mildly tired when the day was over. One other thing I liked about them was they were quiet--not a lot of FLIP-FLOP, FLIP-FLOP noise as you walk.

The Verdict

I have a new favorite pair of flip-flops! Yay! I don't know what I'll do when the weather turns cold and I can't wear them anymore!

I also love knowing that for every flip-flop that is sold, a family receives shoes. Makes my heart feel good as well as my feet.

Where to Buy

Kinder Soles sells their awesome flip-flops directly on their site. Head over to Kinder Soles to purchase their ergonomic flip-flops or to learn more about their company.

If you'd like to buy these fab flip-flops, I've been given a special promo code for you. Use the word CART at checkout to received $10 off their site.

I received a pair of Kinder Soles flip-flops to review, but was not compensated in any other way. The opinions stated in this article are my honest reflections on this product.
 

Product Review: Prefense Hand Sanitizer, A Teacher's Perspective

There are two places where hand sanitizer is tested the hardest: the hospital and the classroom. As a teacher with 150 students, I dread cold and flu season and all those germy hands. We have hand sanitizer at our school, but I've found there are several problems with it:

1. It's goopy, so when a student squirts it onto their hand, it drips all over. It can also become a distraction when kids play with it, or put it where it doesn't belong.
2. It stings when it gets in cuts (something kids often have).
3. It dries out your hands. If you're like me, you use hand sanitizer after every restroom break. At school, I use it every time I enter my classroom. My hands become dry quickly, and I have to keep reapplying lotion to keep my hands from cracking--a pain!
4. Sadly, some of my pre-teens like to "sniff" or "huff" the hand sanitizer the school provides. It has alcohol in it, so it can produce a small "buzz" if sniffed.

For all of these reasons, I have a love/hate relationship with hand sanitizer. But, in a school, it's a necessary evil unless you want to spend all winter sick as a dog!

That's why I was excited to review Prefense. Prefense is a different kind of hand sanitizer as it is silica-based, not alcohol-based. I've found there are several advantages of Prefense compared to other hand sanitizers and once you try it, I’m sure you’ll agree with me:

1. Prefense contains no alcohol and is made of all-natural ingredients. It’s non toxic and won’t harm you if swallowed, so it’s safe for kids! No concerns about "huffing" either!
2. The formula will provide continual protection against 99% of germs for up to 24 hours or through 10 hand washings. You can get your hands wet and Prefense will still work to kill germs upon contact! In a school, this made my day--no more repeated applications of hand sanitizer.
3. It contains soothing organic botanicals that moisturize your hands, instead of drying out your skin like other sanitizers. My hands felt softer after use, rather than dry, cracked and "exposed" as they sometimes felt with traditional sanitizer.
4. It protects against staph, strep, E.coli, MRSA, and more!
5. It’s cheaper than other hand sanitizers because at “one spray lasts all day” the 1.5 oz Prefense Foaming Hand Sanitizer offers 120 applications, costing only $0.08 per day, compared to the average $1.20 per day with other hand sanitizers.
6. It's a foam sanitizer, so no goopy mess, and less chance of my students causing a problem with it!
7. It has a pleasant scent, too!

I put this hand sanitizer in my classroom along side the alcohol-based one to see which one got used more often. After a week, my students used Prefense much more often than the alcohol-based sanitizer. Several of my students also commented on the pleasant scent, too.

Hands down, I loved Prefense and I'll be getting some to keep in my classroom and in my home!

Where to Buy

Prefense can be purchased directly from their site, at a great price. You can also buy Prefense from Amazon and if you take advantage of Super Saver Shipping or Amazon Prime, you can also get a really great deal on this hand sanitizer.

Giveaway

I will also be hosting a great giveaway for this product, and a couple of others to prepare you for this coming fall and winter seasons.

When the giveaway is live, I will be editing this post to link to the giveaway.


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

Product Review: Green + Healthy = EcoLips

**A giveaway will be coming soon for this product! Look out for the announcement!**

As allergy season approaches again, I find my lips chapped as they always are this time of year. That's why I was so excited to see a package show up in the mail with three tubes of Eco-Lips. I really enjoyed browsing their catalog to choose the three I wanted. They had quite a selection, from those that are meant to heal your lips, to tinted lip balm and even "energy" lip balm with caffeine. 

For me, I picked the Energy (what teacher is going to pass up caffeine? Really?), Medicinal (I love tea tree oil and was excited to see it in a lip balm), and the Eco-Tint. I also received the Eco Lips Gold with carabiner. I was really pleased with my choices when they arrived. 

I loved the Energy the best, it actually made my lips "buzz" a little and tasted nice. It was soft and smoothed my lips without getting sticky.

The Eco Tint was nice, too. I chose the Rose Quartz tint and it gave my lips a soft, pink tint, and made them feel kissable, but not sticky. 

The medicinal smelled of tea tree oil, but not too strongly (if you know tea tree oil, you know it can be overpowering, especially near your nose). It also was really good for my cracked lips and seemed to heal them quickly.

The Eco Lips Gold was great, too, and I loved the handy carabiner that you can attach to a purse or a backpack (Doesn't it always seem that lip balms get lost in the bottomless pit that is a mom's purse?).

All of the Eco Lips products were long-lasting. Hours later, I could still see the tint, or feel the effects of the lip balm. Best of all, none of the lip balms were sticky. I don't know about you, but I hate sticky lips!

Overall, I was really pleased with Eco Lips and it's great to know that they're organic and I can pronounce all of their ingredients! As their catalog said, the lips are one of our most adsorbent areas of our bodies, so you want to put healthy products on them. I also appreciated that their products are cruelty-free.

Where to buy

If you're interested in learning more about Eco-Lips, or purchasing some lip balm yourself, check out their site for more information.

To get in on the latest from Eco-Lips, sign up for their newsletter, like the on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.


I was not compensated for this review, however I did receive products to try out. The review is my own honest opinions of this product and written by me.

Product Review: Fleurings Natural Flower Jewelry

How often do you hear about a really unique and new idea? Not very often, at least in my case. Fleurings are that new idea.

Getty Images

Have you ever been in a tropical mood and tucked a flower behind your ear? Of course, few of us probably look as gorgeous as Taylor Swift up there, but even so, those flowers only look great for a while, then they fall out, or wilt and die. Flowers are like nature's jewelry and it's too bad we haven't been able to take advantage of their natural beauty much outside of leis from Hawaii.

With the invention of Fleurings, all of that has changed. You can now use flowers as jewelry, whether earrings or necklaces. Each Fleuring has a tiny vase to keep the flower fresh all day long. Ideally, small stemmed flowers like spray roses, dendrobium orchids, daisies and mums are great to use. Just add water by placing them under the tap and then add the flowers you like. If the flower stems are very thin, then bunch them together. If they are too thick, then slice them down lengthwise. The stems should be sort of snug in your jewelry so they don't come out. Fleurings offers many tips for using real flower jewelry in your wardrobe.






The possibilities are as varied as nature when it comes to Fleurings. Each Fleuring comes packaged with artificial flowers so they are ready to wear when they arrive. You can also change the flowers to match your outfit, style and occasion. The flowers even add a fragrance, giving this jewelry many layers.

Over the past week, I have worn my Fleuring necklace several times. I wore it with patterns and solids. I found I liked solids better as they seemed to bring out the flowers more and draw more attention to them. When wearing solids and my Fleuring necklace, I received many compliments. From my grocery checkout clerk to the friend I ran into about town, everyone stopped and noticed my beautiful Fleuring.

My Fleuring with a green flower (my favorite color!)

I was extremely pleased with the versatility of this jewelry, and my boys found a renewed passion for picking me flowers! The only slight drawbacks I found with the Fleuring necklace was that you had to be careful what neckline you wear with it and the clasp was a little hard to work. The first time I wore the Fleuring, I had on a ruffled mid-neckline and the neck of my shirt kept catching the flowers and pulling them out. The second issue was very minor: the lobster claw clasp of the necklace was a little small and did take an extra second or two to clasp. I never struggled to put the necklace on, however.

Overall, I was pleasantly surprised and pleased with my Fleuring experience. I think this is a really innovative idea that's going to catch on soon!

These would be great gifts for weddings, gardeners, women who love flowers, and it would be an especially romantic gift from a man to his love--what better way to say, "You're beautiful and I want to adorn you in nature's beauty?" 

And, if you're a fashionista, flowers as an accessory were really hot in several Spring '11 collections including Marc Jacobs.



Where to buy


You can buy Fleurings flower jewelry from their site, or if you happen to live in Hawaii or California, they are sold in some shops there. You can check out their location guide to see if a store is near you.



Coming Soon -- Giveaway


I'm very excited to announce that Fleurings has generously offered to participate in an upcoming giveaway on Full Cart Full Wallet. I will be posting more details about this giveaway as the event approaches.

Stay connected: learn more about Fleurings and their latest styles and trends by liking them on Facebook. 

For #Bloggers: Go from Blah to Super Blogga!

**A giveaway will be coming soon for this product! Look out for the announcement!**

If you're a blogger, or just thinking about blogging, you need to start out right. There are so many things I've learned after the fact, usually with a "Really? I never knew that?!?"comment from me. Mistakes bloggers make can cost them traffic, and even revenue. Luckily, there's a great e-book out there that can help you wade through it all. 

Missy from G34Media.com has written Super Blogga: 70 Plus Killer Tips To Take Your Blog from Zero To Hero , a guide to everything you need to know about blogging. Some of the information I had heard before (but not as a newbie) and some was new. I've been seriously blogging for about 6 months and I had never heard of a blog carnival, for instance, but they sound like a great way to share content and connect with other bloggers. I also liked her tips on monetizing your blog, from focusing on a specific niche, to combining methods. She also advocates connecting to your readers and other bloggers as much as possible. There are lots of links included, directing you to the information she presents in the book.


This book is well worth it's small sticker price, for newbies bloggers and veterans alike.

If you're interested in learning more, you can check out Super Blogga on Amazon or here.


I was not compensated for this review, however, I did receive access to the e-book to review it. All opinions expressed within are honest and completely mine.

Product Review: Sweet Natural Soaps

Charlene from Sweet Natural Soaps was kind enough to send me several samples of her great soaps. I received:

Grape Fizz

Mint Hot Chocolate

Hot Chocolate 

Beautiful Love 

Fresh & Clean

Buzz Off

It was exciting to try all of these different soaps. First, the scents were strong, but not overpowering. They all had a pleasant smell, but I liked the Hot Chocolate the best and my boys (husband and two sons) thought the Fresh & Clean was awesome. The soaps lathered well and did not dry out our skin. My youngest has sensitive skin and did not break out after using these soaps in the bath.

 

I really liked the time and attention put into making and wrapping these soaps. They had a nice, personal look that would make great gifts. They would make great stocking stuffers, or perfect to give out to friends and family for gifts!! 

Sweet Natural Soaps makes natural glycerin soaps that smell just as great as they look while at the same time being good for the environment and your body. All of thei soaps are very moisturizing containing coconut oil & glycerin (kosher, of vegetable origin). Each recipe is tested before being sold. No animal testing is done on any of the ingredients used. All of the ingredients used in their soap come from the USA. 

 

Where to Purchase: 

Sweet Natural Soaps has a lot to choose from at their store. You can find soaps for a variety of needs and in many different scents! It's easy to order their pre-made soaps, or you can even custom order! If you're not sure what you'd like yet, you can even order samples.

During September, there is a special: Free Lip Balm with Every Purchase!

I was not compensated to provide an opinion on products, services, websites and various other topics. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owners.

Quality Glasses for Low Prices @ GlassesUSA

If you know me, you know that I'm blind as a bat! I've worn glasses or contacts since I was little and I'm in the top 1% of the nation when it comes to nearsightedness. All of that means I am careful about my sight and I want the best for my eyes.

I recently went to GlassesUSA.com to check out what their site had to offer. I've considered shopping online for glasses before--who wants to wait an hour in that discount store only to get frustrated and not get personal attention? I liked GlassesUSA.com's site setup as well as their "virtual mirror" where you could check out how the glasses would look on you.

When looking for eyeglasses, one of the most important things to me is that I'm going to be satisfied with the result--my vision and my looks. I'm sure you've experienced it before yourself--the glasses looked great in the store, but when you got home...something just wasn't right. Most of the time, you go back to your old glasses. GlassesUSA.com has a great 100% satisfaction guarantee and a 110% lowest price guarantee.

If you're considering ordering glasses online, I highly recommend you check out GlassesUSA.com. I was very pleased with their eyeglasses site and will be looking to them the next time I need to get my prescription updated.

If you order glasses with GlassesUSA.com, be sure to check out these two coupon codes that are available for you:

• Take $25 off any order of glasses with Transitions lenses with the code: Trans25
• Take 10% off any order. Code: Blog10

More Frugal Birthday Party Ideas: Pirate-Themed Party

With the Pirates of the Caribbean series, all things pirate have never been hotter. If you've been looking for a fun party theme, whether for adults or kids, this Pirate-themed printable party kit could be just for you!

This printable party kit is from PartyGamesPlus.com, who also produces the Minute2WinIt Party Printable which I reviewed a while back.

This one is also similarly creative and realistic. The game centers around a treasure hunt with authentic-looking clues. These Printable Pirate Treasure Hunt Riddles are able to be solved by kids, but are also fun for adults. Also included with the kit are invitations and several pirate printable pages including pirate lingo, a skull maze, pirate ship coloring page, and a pirate word search.

PartyGamesPlus.com also includes flexibility in their party plan, allowing you to have the treasure hunt be done in groups (good for younger party-goers) or as a competition (good for adults and older children). You can also be creative in deciding what kind of prizes to offer at the end of your treasure hunt. 

You'll get lots of ideas from their site, helping you to host a shipshape pirate party your guests are sure to enjoy. Check out PartyGamesPlus.com to plan your pirate party today.

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.

Product Review: Learning Link Technologies

Back-to-school time is usually a happy time, for parents anyway :) But if your child struggles in school, or is failing to make progress, back-to-school can mean back-to-the-nightmare. As a teacher, I see this more than I would like. 

Usually by the end of the first three weeks of school, I can identify who out of my ~150 students struggles in school. Give me another few weeks and I might be able to more closely identify their issues. For some, it remains a mystery all year long. I can only imagine the misery these students must feel, knowing everyday they come to school only to continue to struggle, and in some cases, fail. These are students that I can see are intelligent and have unique gifts, but something doesn't click for them in school.

It's these students that I want to help the most and, sadly, have the least time for. In our rush and bustle of a school day (50 minute periods), I generally have two minutes or less to devote to each student each day. That's just not a lot of time to make significant changes.

Luckily, it is at this point that Learning Link Technologies steps in. Lisa Harp, an educator, learning disability specialist, and educational therapist for over twenty years, developed this program to help students with learning differences.This system is completely different from any tutoring, intensive drills, or other programs that focus on the content the child is learning. With Learning Link's system, your child will be focused on brain retraining through various physical exercises that link the brain to the senses.

Snikiddy Natural Snacks Review

I was recently given the opportunity to review Snikiddy's natural snacks. Since I have two hungry boys at home (aged 7 and 11), I was eager for the chance to try some new, healthy snacks. Snikiddy has a nice variety of snacks at 130 calories per serving. All of their ingredients have actual food names, nothing you can't pronounce--in other words, there are no preservatives, fillers, or other yucky stuff. Most of their products are gluten and wheat-free, peanut and tree nut-free, contain no corn syrup, and are vegan or vegetarian-friendly.

So how do they taste? I got the Bold Buffalo Baked Fries, Original Baked Fries, and the Cheddar Cheese Baked Fries. I liked all of them, but my favorite were the Bold Buffalo. They were tangy and a little spicy, but not so hot tears strated streaming down your cheeks. My older son really enjoyed them, too. He says, "I give the original 7/10, the cheese 8.5/10, and the buffalo are 10/10!" He compared them to Takis, a hot snack among teens and tweens in my area. I think they're like a healthy version of Andy Capp fries. 

The price was comparable to other snacks in our area: $2.59 ea. Knowing these are much healthier for you, I would go for Snikiddy snacks over fried potato chips any time. Check out the Snikiddy site to see where you can find their snacks near you.

Now you have a chance to win Snikiddy's awesome Snack Prize Box by visiting my giveaway page!

In the meantime, like Snikiddy on Facebook for news and product updates.

PongCano Get-the-Word-Out Lightning Giveaway

PongCano - The Game of Sacrifice

Just in time for the ‘Back-to-School Blues’ is a brand new game that kids are going to love. I’m excited to introduce readers to this great fun, family, party game by RoosterFin Inc. called PongCano – The Game of Sacrifice! PongCano is a perfect edition to any game collection and is appropriate for all skill levels, ages 8 and up.

PongCano is a fast paced game that keeps everyone in the action. Make shots into the PongCano Volcano or risk sacrificing your stack of chips! Check out the video on Kickstarter to learn more.

www.pongcano.com

RoosterFin needs your help! PongCano will only be manufactured if it gains visibility and enough pre-orders in the next 10 days. We can help make a huge impact! Get a head start on the crowds by pre-ordering it for only $15. Pre-order PongCano now and receive special items that are ONLY available on Kickstarter; such as FREE shipping! All you need to do it click the green button at www.pongcano.com

Here’s a list of the pre-order options available:

• Order 1 game for $15 with FREE shipping and get the game before it hits stores
• Order a $25 gift pack and get a game and specialty designed PongCano carrying satchels, and FREE shipping. The satchels will NOT be sold in stores ever.

PongCano Get-the-Word-Out Giveaway

To celebrate the upcoming release of PongCano, RoosterFin is giving away a 2 Limited Edition PongCano Logo Shirts and Full Cart Full Wallet is giving away 4 $100 Value Coupon Envelopes . To enter, follow the directions below. For a bonus entry, watch the PongCano  video and tell me something you saw or liked in the comments area. This giveaway is only lasting ONE WEEK, so enter NOW!

Please note: I am not receiving any compensation in return for featuring PongCano nor hosting this giveaway.  

CashNet Sweepstakes and Contest Guide are helping to get the word out, thanks!

PongCano -- A Cool Game Needs YOUR Help!

My friend Joe, is a middle school teacher like me in Long Island, NY. He has invented some really cool games, and his newest is called PongCano. It's a fun twist on the get-something-in-a-cup type of game. With PongCano, you're trying to bounce a ball into an odd-shaped cup (volcano-shaped to be exact). The fun comes in with the chips. If you miss, you have to put a chip in. If you get the ball into the cup, you get to take all of the chips. It's fun and addicting.

Here's where the problem comes in: Joe hasn't yet gotten a manufacturer to make his game. He's trying to raise enough money on Kickstarter.com to get this game in production. He has 10 days to get $3,200 more in donations (he already has $3,300--over halfway to his goal of $6,500). YOU can help Joe reach his goal and get this cool game on store shelves. Here's how:

• If you donate $15, you can reserve your own copy of the game
• Donate $25 and you'll receive the game and a drawstring backpack imprinted with the PongCano logo, available only through the Kickstarter project
• Pledge $60 and you'll get two games, two bags (one for you and one for a friend, or as a gift!) and a special set of Kickstarter chips!
• Pledge $300 or more and you'll receive 2 games and a really cool folding PongCano table
• You can donate as little as $1

Please help Joe out by spreading the word on Twitter and Facebook. Link to www.PongCano.com Let us know you've helped spread the word by commenting below.

Note: I did not receive anything in return for posting this. I just want to help Joe out :)

Product Review -- MecaBrush's Bold and Beautiful Vinyl Decals

Being a teen is all about expressing your individuality and identifying the groups you're a part of. That's why I was excited to review MecaBrush's Vinyl Decals. My students are all about being a part of a group and expressing themselves. To test out their products, MecaBrush sent me a neat deal of tropical flip flops and a cute "I <3 Blogging" decal. 

I put them on one of my binders and they were very easy to install. They have a clear top layer that you peel off to position on your smooth surface. Once you place the decal, you peel back the clear top layer and your decal is perfectly positioned. 


These would be great for binders, lockers, bedroom doors. They might even work on cars as a more personal decal that those generic white ones you sometimes see. They allow a lot of customization, so you can get just the right decal for you. Here's an example below:

For that one, you can customize the name, number, and colors.


My students loved the decals and thought it was really "epic" that they could customize the names and colors.


MecaBrush also offers customizable airbrushed shirts, hats, batting helmets, key rings. I found lots of fun stuff on there.


They were even nice enough to offer a $1 off coupon for any order. Just enter the coupon code at checkout: meca1264.




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.