Dad of Divas' Reviews: 2009

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Birkenstock - Walking With Support & Style

I was asked by Birkenstock recently to try out their new Boston line of clogs.

I have never been a huge sandle wearer due to the fact that my feet tend to need more support (flat arches) and thus, most sandles tend to leave my ankles and legs hurting. So to be honest I did not know what to expect in trying out the Birkenstocks.

I also did not know a lot about the company prior to getting these shipped to me. I had heard a lot of hype in the past about their products and knew people that had them and raved about them, but I had never owned a pair myself. Some of the things I learned while getting ready for this review was that:

All their footware is crafted from cork (talk about green shoes!).
Their production lines are exclusively powered by solar energy.
100% of the adhesives used within their shoes are earth friendly.
Their shoe boxes are made of 90% post consumer waste.
All of their shoes are completely repairable and renewable (which can increase the overall life of your footware)

When I received the clogs, I was impressed first by the exterior. The clogs were sleek and looked to be very comfortable. Yet, the proof is in the pudding as they say and thus as I tried them on I had to be cautious and as always give my honest opinion. As I put them on, the first thing in my mind was WOW, these have awesome support. The clogs themselves have built in arch supports that as as good as the hard inserts I use in my regular shoes. This is a nice plus for me, and I now think that I do have a pair of clogs that will not merely sit on a shelf, but instead will be ones that I can wear without fear of eventual pain.

I also checked out the rest of the Birkenstock product line and have to say that if given the chance, the next pair that I would love to try out would be a part of their shoe line, in particular the Devon, Dark Brown Leather Shoe. I like how this shoe (from the outside at least) looks like a shoe that I could even wear to work. So I would be given foot comfort as well as style, imagine that!

The clogs that received also came with information about the Movie stars that were wearing these as well. I am not the type of person who would be swayed to wear something just because someone else does (especially someone else that makes a ton more money than I do), but I can say that for the money that one would spend on a pair of Birkenstocks, the quality that you receive in return is worth every penny. I now can see why people talk highly of the Birkenstock brand and I will definitely consider other Birkenstock products in the future.

The featured product in this post was provided to me free of charge by Birkenstock. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use for more information.

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Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Clever Kids Accessories That Double As Entertainment

I was recently given the opportunity to try out a fun new product with my eldest, Diva-J. The Wallaroo Hat Company’s Art Hat offers kids a practical wearable, washable, crushable hat that your child can design.
Every Art Hat kit contains an adjustable white microfiber bucket hat with contrasting color under the 2 ¼” brim, six nontoxic fabric paints and a paint brush.

The hat itself comes in a small unassuming package that makes you wonder what you have received, but once you unpack everything, you will soon notice that there is a lot of fun in store for your budding artist.

When I showed Diva-J what we were going to do, she was quite excited! One of the nice things about the Art Hat is that it comes with all of the supplies that you will need to complete your project, including hat, paint & brushes. The contrasting colors that the hat comes in allows a little diva to truly stand out and her artwork makes it even more the case. I also like the fact that the hat itself can be mashed up in a billion different ways and it still remains wearable. As any of you with kids know, this is a must!

The Art Hat gives children a way to express themselves in their own creativity and then share with the world their talents. While our hat is currently under construction, I know that when it is done that Diva-J will wear it with pride.

Outside of the Arthat, I spent some time looking at the other products that they offer, and was excited to see that they have some very cool men's hats. I particularly liked the Hobart Hat in Beige & Navy. Not only does this hat have protection to the extent of UPF 50+, but it also is sturdy and I can tell it would last a long time! So maybe some day I will be able to get myself a hat such as this to protect my ever thining hair!
There are many other hats such as this that are very diverse in nature. I am sure that you will be able to find something that interests you or someone in your family!

So if you are looking for a hat that stands out and pushes your child to practice their creativity, this is a great product for you and your family.

For more information about the Wallaroo art hat or other hats and accessories, visit http://www.wallaroohats.com/.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Product Review - Dyson DC31

I recently was given the opportunity from Dyson to examine their newest invention on the market the DC31. As you can probably guess, as a father and a guy who loves technology I was extremely excited about the opportunity to try this out!

Some details about the product itself

The DC 31 houses the Dyson digital motor, DDM – the fastest, most power-efficient motor ever developed for a handheld vacuum. Spinning up to 104,000rpm.
DDM is five times faster than a Formula 1 race car engine.
Uses patented Root Cyclone™ technology to separate dirt, fine dust and debris from the air.
Dual power mode with 38 or 65 Air Watts
22.2V lithium ion battery

The Motor
The motor assembly that Dyson uses for the DC31 is unique in that it is four times as fast and twice as powerful as the conventional motor. DDM uses digital pulse technology making over 3000 adjustments a second, and spinning at up to 104,000 times a minute. That’s five times faster than a Formula 1 car engine. And no carbon brushes mean it won’t wear out, for a longer working life.

About Dyson
Research, Design and Development is at the core of Dyson. One third of people at Dyson are engineers and scientists. Their expertise in fluid, mechanical, electrical, EMC, thermal, chemical, acoustic and software engineering allows them to design new products as well as challenge and improve existing technologies. Dyson has over 1,200 patents and patent applications for over 250 different inventions (May 2008). Dyson’s RDD investment has quadrupled over the last 5 years. The total number of Dyson vacuum cleaners sold worldwide since 1993 is over 24.5 million (2007) – and still counting. 10 million of these were sold in the last 3 years.

My Thoughts on the DC31
I have been in awe of the Dyson products (from afar) for many years. I have talked to people that have owned them and used them and all have had very good things to say, though I had never had the chance to try it out myself, that was until now.

In receiving the DC31, I was amazed at how compact the packaging was. I was expecting a larger bulky box, especially when I had thought of other hand vacuums that I have owned in the past. The DC31 is very small in size (about the size of a large drill without the additional tools added on). The construction of the product is sound and the instructions for easy start up were simple to follow.

One of the initial things that I was amazed at was the length of time that the instructions states that a charge lasts. On its highest most powerful setting it states that the DC31 will last about six minutes and ten minutes on the lowest (regular) setting. This surprised me and made me wonder whether it was in fact the case as it also stated that it would take 3.5 hours to bring the DC31 back up to full charge. The other thing that I noticed was how light weight it was and how much it truly reminded me of a drill.

So I charged up the DC31 so that I could prepare for its inaugural test drive.

After using the DC31 I can say that it lived up to my expectations. The suction power that the product had was amazing and while there were some pet hair issues at first, once I figured out how to best use the extensions, the hair seemed to get sucked up without a problem. I also liked the way that the vacuum is emptied. With a simple release lever, it was easy to get rid of all things that I had sucked up.

The charge itself did last about what the company said it would. Yet, in saying this, seeing that I did not have to use the vacuum for long periods of time it lasted multiple days without recharge.

I have had other hand vacuums like this in the past, but none have had the suction power (or RPM's) that the Dyson has. If you are looking for a hand vacuum with amazing power, look no further than Dyson.

Beginning September 2009, DC31 and DC31 Animal are available at most major retailers
and Dyson.com at the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $219.99 and $269.99,
respectively. Both are covered under a 2 year warranty for parts and labor. For more
information, please visit www.dyson.com.

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Book Review - The Language of Love & Respect

If this book sounds like something that would interest you, it can be found on the Thomas Nelson website or at Amazon.com.

Book Review - 5 Cities That Ruled The World

Are you interested in both history and theology? Are you the type of person that enjoys a quick read that doesn't let you down? If you said yes to both of these questions, then this book is the right one for you.

I was given the chance to review this book from Thomas Nelson Publishing and, as I always enjoy learning more about history, I was excited to read this book. The book itself examines, as the title implies, 5 cities that ruled the world: Jerusalem; Athens, Rome, London & New York.

While a true history could probably take volumes to write on each of these cities, the author, Douglas Wilson condenses the pertinent information down to a mere200 pages of jam-packed information on the cities themselves.

I was amazed at how deftly the author examined the main points in history so that the non-historian could get a picture of the world through both a theological and historical lens while keeping the material simple and easy to understand.

I learned a lot in this book, and now am looking for more titles form the same author! I would recommend this book to all!

If this book sounds like something that would interest you, you can read a few pages by clicking here. If you have decided that this book is a must have it can be found on the Thomas Nelson website or at Amazon.com.

Book Review - The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Parenting

The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Parenting is one of a series of the Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbooks by Joshua Piven, David Borgenicht, and Sarah Jordon.

I was excited to be given a copy of this book by the authors. This book is filled with both interesting and funny ideas about how you as a parent can get yourself out of the craziest of situations. From making emergency toys to disciplining an imaginary friend the book starts at birth and examines scenarios through the teenage years. I even loved the appendix on understanding IM lingo. I found myself laughing and amazed at the different angles that the authors took to come up with creative solutions to everyday problems. It truly made me wonder how many of the authors had children themselves, as well whether they had tried these techniques on their own children and if they worked...

The book is an easy and entertaining read and one that any new or old parent can benefit from. While not everyone will find the tips helpful, everyone will find them entertaining and conversation starters for sure.

I recommend this book to anyone who has or will have kids, as it does look at parenting through a fun lens and allows us (as parents) to not take ourselves or the situations that we encounter too seriously.

If this books sounds like one that you would be interested in, it can be purchased through Amazon. Check it out today!

Friday, October 30, 2009

Book Review - How To Walk To School

As an educator, I am always interested in reading about the positive ways in which we can reach out to our kids and educate them for the future. In this book, the authors, who were the individuals who turned around a school in severe decline, show us that change is possible even situations where hope has been lost.

I was amazed at how the neighborhood which surrounded the school in question banded together starting only from the conversations between two parents and a principal. The rest they say is history. The school now has done a remarkable job at getting their local community engaged and actively involved, not only in the school itself, but in the lives of their children.

Some might complain that the change of this school is at the detriment of the lower income students who once attended and were bussed into the school. After reading this book, though, you will see that this practice was also a detriment to the school and to the children itself causing less parent interaction and involvement as well as behavioral issues due to the fact that students were being bussed for up to an hour each day.

With this being said, the renaissance of the Nettlehorst school is remarkable and one that can provide new life for other schools struggling with similar situations. The book also provides other school communities a blueprint of how to make your school and your community stronger.

I highly recommend this book for anyone that wishes to be inspired to take action and make a difference, it will move you in the right direction!

If you are interested in more information about this unique collaboration or about the book itself check out the website at - www.howtowalktoschool.com.

The book can be purchased through Amazon. Check it out today!

Book Review - The Grandparents Handbook

Grandparents are engaged and active in the lives of their grandkids and though it will be many years before I will have the opportunity to be considered a grandparent myself, I was asked to review this book for all of you (my readers) who might be grandparents or soon to be grandparents.

This book is a treasure trove of ideas, recipes, and helpful hints about being a hip, as well as savvy grandparent today. It talks about pitfalls as well as areas where you can really help, and it helps you understand the differences between being a parent and a grandparent (it is more than just - we can give the kids back!)

The book also provides a refresher chapter on various baby related tasks such as changing a diaper, swaddling a newborn, and giving kids a bath and also includes some advice on respecting your children's decisions on how they raise their children.

Divided into four sections—"Bringing Up Baby: A Grandparent's Refresher Course,” "Indoor and Outdoor Fun and Games,” "Crafts and Cooking,” and "Sharing and Exploring the World Together”—The Grandparents Handbook features such activities as:

• How to Baby—and Kid—Proof Your Home (page 30)
• How to Handle Toddler Tantrums (page 50)
• Holding a Backyard Olympics (page 60)
• Planting a Fairy and Goblin Garden (page 85)
• Creating Your Own Ice Cream Cake (page 107)
• Making Homemade Pickles (page 109)
• Planning a Special Meal Together (page 178)
• Creating Your Family Tree (page 180)
• And much more!

The book itself reads much like a handbook and is a great gift idea for yourself or for another new grandparent out there. The book is relatively inexpensive (retailing at $16.95), but it can be found on Amazon and other retailers for sometimes cheaper. If you visit Amazon, you can take a look at a few of the pages of the book. Check it out today!

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Felix Doolittle - A Unique Boutique Stationer

I recently became award of a unique artist who sells his stationary online by the name of Felix Doolittle. If you have never heard of him before welcome to the club. Yet in saying this I have to admit that his artwork is awesome! For me, someone who still does use thank you cards and still writes letter (at least sometimes), this stationary adds great color and vibrancy to what I would typically consider.

I especially liked the play date cards that are customizable. Though I say this there are many others that I would like to get for myself or as gifts for others as Felix Doolittle offers a complete line of stationery and accessories for men, women and kids, and is the perfect place for easy, online holiday shopping for almost anyone on the gift list.

Dad of Divas' readers have been offered 15% off anything in the Doolittle Junior (check out the Play Date Cards!) line or the Seasonal collection, which features the brand new Correspondence Seals.

You can see them here

http://www.felixdoolittle.com/web/front_junior.aspx

And here:

http://www.felixdoolittle.com/web/front_seasonal.aspx

Readers just need to use the code DoolittleJr when checking out. This code will be active through November 30.

Check it out and see if you agree on the quality that I have come to find here!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Book Review - Zig Ziglar Embrace the Struggle

"Life is change," writes Zig Ziglar. and in his new book, Zig Ziglar and his daughter Julie Norman tell a new type of story for readers of Mr. Ziglar. Instead of his typical high energy motivation that people have come to expect, he provides true inspiration for all to rise up and persevere through the struggles of daily life.

On March 7, 2007, his life changed completely with one, simple, misplaced step. Some would say it changed for the worse, and by human standards they would be entirely right. But to Zig Ziglar, his fall down the stairs and subsequent vertigo and brain injury means "my life is more inspiring."

After years of speaking and writing about the value of having a positive attitude, Zig Ziglar was forced to take his own advice after this life changing day. As a motivational speaker, Ziglar was challenged to put his words into practice on a personal basis.

As a person who had heard of Zig Ziglar in the past but who had not become a regular reader, I was amazed at the tenacity of this octogenarian. Many people after going thought the challenges that he was going through may have thrown in the towel, and said that enough was enough. Mr. Ziglar instead decided to do what he had always done, step up and try to help others to grow and learn, and this time, much of the material came from experiences that he was living on a daily basis.

Whether it's the loss of a loved one, a battle with addiction or disease, financial troubles, or a physical impairment, Ziglar, along with his friends' contributed heartening stories of their own ordeals, offer hope to anyone faced with a struggle of their own.

In EMBRACE THE STRUGGLE, Ziglar spreads positive thinking and practices.

Life takes care of itself to a very large degree, if you accept life on life's terms.

If we accept that the past is the past, yesterday ended last night, and today is a brand new-day, we can have an attitude of hope. We can look forward to today with an expectation that it will be better than yesterday.

Choose the best attitude in tough situations. If we stay riled up and in turmoil, always questioning "why" and visiting the "if" questions, we relive the pain of our emotions again and again. We get mired in the wallowing hole of self-pity or self-doubt, and our attitude becomes laced with fear, regret, and resentment,

Be transparent with yourself. Life is to be lived transparently, excitedly, with eager anticipation of the good things that still lie ahead, in spite of our circumstances.

When you have your spiritual life in focus, your family like will thrive; and when your family life is good, your mind is freed up to apply yourself to the work God has called you to. When you live life in that order, the struggles, when they come don't undo your world. There will be no meltdowns when you know who you are and whose you are.

This book is one that truly made me understand the meaning of hope and the meaning of moving on through adversity. As I read this book I was amazed at seeing what one person could do to turn his life around in so many ways and help others to do the same while dealing with his own "baggage." I encourage anyone to read this and learn how to regain hope within your own life!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
ZIG ZIGLAR is a bestselling author with more than three million books in print. He is the president of Zig Ziglar Corporation and has motivated the sales forces of multinational corporations and thousands of individuals. One of the leading stars of the "positive thinking" movement, he is the author of bestsellers See You At the Top, Secrets of Closing the Sale, Success and Self-Image, 5 Steps to Successful Selling, How to Be a Winner, Selling 101, and How to Get What You Want.

JULIE ZIGLAR NORMAN is Zig and Jean Ziglar's third born and youngest daughter. Julie has co-authored Embrace the Struggle with her father, and their dynamic on-stage relationship has inspired more than 100,000 people in audiences all across America. Julia lives in Alvord, Texas, with her husband, Jim, three cats, three dogs, three horses, and one box turtle.

If this book sounds like one that you would be interested in, I encourage you to check it out on Amazon! Come and get inspired and re-energized with hope!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Book Review - Finding Purpose Beyong Our Pain

Within this book, Drs. Paul Meier and David Henderson work hard to bring the reader beyond the surface to examine God's hand in the struggles that all of us deal with on a daily basis. They even challenge us to move beyond the pain to see what the underlying meaning behind the pain may be and what God has in store for all of us.

In reading this book, I found that the book itself was an enjoyable read. While there are some areas that seemed to gloss over the meat that could lie within, overall, the book itself was thought provoking (like any good book should be) and made me think behind the pain that I or my friends and family have gone through and how I may be able to help others through these periods of trial.

While I can relate the idea that all of us who believe in a higher being have asked the question "Does God still love me? Is there a purpose for all this pain?" the book does good job at helping us as readers to move toward acceptance of the life situation that effects us and moves us toward seeing the divine intervention that seems to have a place in all of the pain that we may encounter through our lives.

I would recommend this book for anyone who is going though times of struggle right now, or those that are friends or family members of those that are dealing with similar issues. While it does not go into depth on all of the areas within the book, the book does a good job at helping you to know your place in the scheme of things and helps you to do what you can do to move forward with your life.

You can find this book at Amazon or at the Thomas Nelson site. If the book sounds like something you think you might enjoy I encourage you to read a few pages and review for yourself whether you would benefit from the thoughts and perspectives of the authors.

Book Review - Late, Lost, and Unprepared: A Parents' Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning

I was happy to receive a copy of a new book by authors Dr. Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Dr. Laurie Dietzel entitled: Late, Lost, and Unprepared: A Parents' Guide to Helping Children with Executive Functioning

When I first heard about this book and what it covered, I thought to myself, I wonder whether out eldest has some issues with this. The more that I read, I feel that this might not be what Diva-J deals with, but I have to say that I have come into contact with many children who do have issues with Executive Functioning.

In the book the authors cover many topics that provide tips that can help parents whose child:

· Neglects to turn in completed assignments.

Arrives at an event completely unprepared.
Underestimates the effort involved in a project.
Is overwhelmed at juggling multiple classes and projects.
Has trouble identifying the most important information.
Has trouble organizing space.

Does this sound like your child, if so, I would definitely recommend you looking into this book. It is written by two clinical psychologists who have been working with children who struggle with the issues I mentioned above as well as some of the issues below as well:

Impulse Control (taking turns, interrupting others, running off)
Cognitive Flexibility (adapting to new situations, transitions, handling frustrations)
Initiation (starting homework, chores, and major projects)
Working Memory (following directions, note-taking, reading and retaining info)
Planning & Organizing (completing and turning in homework, juggling schedules)
Self-monitoring (making careless errors, staying on topic, getting into trouble but not understanding why)

I know that for me, I have seen kids with these issues (and think I know some adults who probably had issues with these issues) whose parents could have saved themselves hours, weeks, years of stress by better understanding the underlying issues that their child was struggling with. This book goes over these issues in a two part process. The first part goes into depth about the basics of what you need to know about the concepts of Executive Functioning. The second part goes into what you can do about the issues that you learned about in part one. Do not skip the first part just to get to the second, you will miss out!

The book itself is short and easy to read. The chapter lengths are manageable and even if you are not a huge reader (as I am) you will be able to get through this book in no time.

You can find this book on Amazon or other top booksellers. In looking at Amazon today, it currently sells for $13.57. In my opinion it is definitely a good buy if it can help your child move in the direction of better organization and executive functioning!

Friday, October 16, 2009

Pebble.com - A Great New Search Engine For Products You Want

I was searching for a GPS (Something I would love to own someday) and heard about a new website called Pebble.com. This is a site that not only searches for great deals for you, but also provides you with a Q&A forum to learn more about the product from others who have either used the product, owned the product or the like. You can even leave feedback for products that you own yourself. In learning more about the site, the company itself states that:

Most consumers make purchase decisions without getting all the information they need, which is a huge detriment in our current economy. But with Pebble.com users can get all the information they need to buy products and shop for the lowest prices online.

I found Pebble.com to be a fun way to shop online as it offered everything that I needed in one place to make smart choices in what I potentially wanted to buy. I loved the fact that I could look over what others had said or leave comments myself about what I thought of products I owned myself as when I shop I tend to look for these reviews of common folk like me. The only thing that I found wrong with the site was the lack of reviews currently, but I know that as time goes by and other people find the site and start placing their own reviews on the site that there will be an over-abundance of reviews that will come in the future.

I would recommend that you check out this new site and see if it works for you as well!

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Save some money this Halloween!

I recently heard about a new website that is now available called Coupon Codes. This site does a great job at keeping an updated list of codes that people can use with many vendors to save themselves some money. As a person who loves to save money, this was a great find and one that I would recommend to others, who like myself are looking to save a few bucks here and there.

In speaking with the co-founder Barry Boone he stated that:

CurrentCodes.com isn’t a price comparison site, nor is it a shopping site in the strictest sense,” said Boone. “It’s a site for people who know what they’re going to buy and who they’ll likely buy it from. Even if our visitors don’t have a specific retailer in mind, they can search the appropriate product category for the latest discounts, then choose the retailer with the best offer. At CurrentCodes.com, chances are good that we can save the customer some real money.”

To make choosing the right retailer and deal even easier, CurrentCodes.com also lists sales and other discounts that are currently in effect. Product categories on the site cover the gamut of consumer goods and include automotive, beauty/cosmetics, books, computers, clothing, consumer electronics, food and wine, gifts, health products, jewelry, leisure, shoes, sporting goods, travel and more.

So check out the deals today!

Monday, October 12, 2009

Book Review - Encyclopedia of Haunted Places, Revised Edition

Just in time for Halloween, you can head out to potentially see some real spirits (not just those looking for candy! I have always been interested to the idea of ghosts/spirits lingering in our world. This interest goes back to my childhood, where I read all that I could regarding other-realm corporal bodies.

This book is brought to us by Jeff Belanger who has been studying and writing about the supernatural for regional and national publications since 1997. He’s the founder of Ghostvillage.com, the largest supernatural community on the Web, and the author of more than 10 books, including The World’s Most Haunted Places, Our Haunted Lives, and The Ghost Files. Belanger lectures throughout the United States and has appeared on more than 100 radio and television programs worldwide, including The History Channel, The Travel Channel, Living TV (UK), The Maury Show, The CBS News Early Show, National Public Radio, The BBC, Australian Radio Network, Coast to Coast AM, and The ‘X’ Zone. He currently haunts Massachusetts with his wife, Megan, and daughter, Sophie. Needless to say he has truly thrown himself into his work and knows what he is talking about.

I enjoyed the flow of this publication and the ease at searching location in both the United States and in foreign countries. Living in Michigan, I was excited to see a few locations in my home State. I hope to have the opportunity to see these locations in the future to see if I am lucky enough to experience what the author has experiences in many different locations.

As the author states:

To truly understand a haunted location, you need to get local. What makes this book unique is that the entries are written by people who have done the haunted field work to back up each ghostly claim -- hearsay and urban legends weren’t enough. Each entry combines the history, the tragedies, and the eyewitness accounts of each haunted locale.

At only $19.99 this book is a great deal and is a great resource for those of you, who, like me, are interested in learning more about the spiritual world and the history around places that have been found to be haunted. The book is available at Barnes & Noble, Borders, Amazon.com, and many other booksellers.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

New Site Captures Mom's Wisdom

I was recently asked to take a peek at a new site that is geared for mothers of children of all ages. The site itself states that:

Mamapedia™ is...

For mothers with kids of all ages
Questions by moms, answered by moms who’ve been there
Over a million answers on everything from Acne to Zoos
Easily searchable and browsable
Updated daily
100% free

The site focusses on things from keeping your kids healthy through cold and flu season, to Halloween preparation tips, mamapedia.com has all your answers. This great new website allows you tap into the wisdom of other parents to get inside scoop! Mamapedia.com is a unique website that gives parents access to answers from other moms and dads. You can type a question/topic into the search engine and find similar questions posted by other parents to get help you get the answer you are looking for. All the answer are provided by other parents themselves, so your getting great info from people who have experience it first hand! The site is completely free and very user friendly. You can even look up questions asked in your own area!

Mamapedia gives moms everywhere the power to ask any question and get 'the real scoop' from millions of other mothers. From common parenting problems such as potty training and sibling rivalry to personal mom issues like weight loss and breastfeeding, Mamapedia offers wisdom and advice without judgment.

The site also tracks live top searches (what's hot on the minds of moms right now?) and makes it easy for any mom to find the answers she's looking for - no registration required.

Founder and father of two, Artie Wu says "There is enormous pressure on moms to be constantly on top of everything and to "do everything right" -- to be "SuperMom", all the time. Mamapedia supports moms in a way that no other resource can -- the honest advice and wisdom of millions of other moms, on your specific issue or question, without any judgment and no strings attached."

On Mamapedia, each question posed by a mom is given a box highlight of how many answers have been provided by other mothers. Then, mom can read through all the feedback for the answer that makes the most sense for her and her family.

Current topics cover talking to kids about sex, issues with step families, saving for college and other economy issues, and even city specific things-to-do.

My Take on This

This site does tackle some hard topics and allows moms (in general) to get the help they need by asking questions of other moms and learn from "resident experts" who are moms like themselves. The only drawback for me (as a Dad) is that it would be great to have differing viewpoints form fathers and mothers. I know that this may not fit into the overall scheme of the site, but I think it would be great to have diversity in this respect.

The one piece that makes this site stand out is that the site is focused on the opinions of mothers and the questions and content comes from the members. Instead of having staff who are writing answers, readers are relying on the expertise of other moms like themselves. Fresh and refreshing approach!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Save the oceans, adopt a creature for the holidays

If you are like me you are starting to think about the holidays now. I have just been made aware of an interesting holiday gift that you may wish to consider.

This holiday season, Oceana is providing a unique and meaningful way to give to loved ones while raising important funds for Oceana's campaigns to preserve coral reefs, curb climate change, protect sea creatures and maintain a healthy and abundant ocean.

When supporters virtually adopt a marine creature through Oceana's website (www.oceana.org/adopt), gift recipients can receive up to six ocean themed cookie cutters or up to four sea creature plush toys.

Adopting a Sea Creature

Online visitors will first be presented with images of the 10 different adoption choices that support Oceana's campaigns:

Cookie Cutters - Dolphin, Octopus, Penguin, Polar Bear, Sea Turtle and Shark
Plush Toys - Dolphin, Hammerhead Shark, Killer Whale and Seal

Donation levels*

$35: cookie cutter, recipe card and personalized adoption certificate
$50: plush creature and personalized adoption certificate
$75: cookie cutter, recipe card, framed adoption certificate and an additional gift from Oceana or a plush creature and framed adoption certificate
$100: complete set of cookie cutters, framed adoption certificate and an additional gift from Oceana
$150: complete set of plush creatures and framed adoption certificate

$200 Limited Edition “Casey” Sea Turtle Adoption Package:

This year as part of our 2009 Adopt a Creature program Oceana is teaming up with one of its youngest supporters, 12-year old sea turtle advocate Casey Sokolovic. A finalist for Oceana’s 2009 “Ocean Heroes” award (www.Oceana.org/heroes), Casey became a young environmental steward and role model for others her age when she began a sea turtle conservation campaign called L.A.S.T. - Love a Sea Turtle. She raised over $3,000 for a North Carolina-based sea turtle rehabilitation hospital in part by selling sea turtle sugar cookies.

In her honor, Oceana has developed a “Casey” Sea Turtle Adoption package**
featuring the following:

22-inch plush sea turtle
sea turtle cookie cutter
sugar cookie recipe
personalized framed adoption certificate
information about sea turtles
a note from Casey

Casey hopes her story will inspire many other kids and families to support Oceana’s Adopt a Creature program and become engaged in a local cause that creates a meaningful impact.

My Take On This

For me, I am always looking for unique gifts for people, something that stands out and isn't run of the mill. The gift that Oceana provides here is one that, in my opinion, falls into this category. Kids especially like animals and this gift may provide them the opportunity to learn, not only about conservation but also broaden their global awareness.

Do You Use Coupons?

Do you use coupons? I can honestly say that I am a coupon cutter., as I am always looking for the way to save some of the monthly budget. Recently I found a new site that I would recommend that all of you check out if you, like me, are also cost conscious.

Coupon Mom Stephanie Nelson says a family of four can save over $6000 a year when they follow her system at http://www.couponmom.com/.

"Cost saving doesn't mean sacrificing a healthy diet or the foods your family likes," says Nelson, "With meal planning strategies and simple recipes families can enjoy cooking quick, delicious and nourishing meals. It's never been simpler."

Nelson has been called "the rock star of the recession" by the Washington Post and has taught millions how to save with coupons on Oprah, The Today Show, CNN, Wall Street Journal, Good Housekeeping and Good Morning America.

Because of the recession, more than 40 million people nationally are printing online coupons, up 20 percent from last year, according to a recent report from the Simmons Market Research Bureau.
Coupon usage is definitely on the rise, and more shoppers are looking for help with their grocery spending. Membership on the site has jumped from 180,000 in early 2008 to more than 1.9 million members now.

"Our coupons are for popular products , just this month we have coupons from Kraft, Kellogg's, General Mills, Procter & Gamble and many other quality manufacturers. We also have a great offer from restaurant.com, a gift certificate for $25 that you can buy for only $6 or less with special promotions.

Nelson, a mother of two, says cutting your grocery bill in half is easy. She launched CouponMom.com eight years ago to show other shoppers what weekly sales and savings are available - saving them time, and of course, money.

Here are some of the Coupon Mom's favorite ways to "Strategically Shop" on a trip to the grocery store.

Pick one day a week to shop and plan your week's meals and snacks carefully to make a comprehensive shopping list. The extra planning time will save time and expense of unplanned shopping trips mid-week.
Compare prices for your common items at a few nearby stores and cherry-pick the deals if necessary. Nelson finds the lowest prices on fresh produce and pantry basics at local discount stores and buys the rest of her week's groceries at a typical supermarket using sales, loss leaders, "Buy one, Get one free" offers and doubled coupons.
Study the stores' sales circulars and use online resources like www.CouponMom.com to find the best sales. The free service does the work of finding coupons and deals for shoppers by listing grocery bargains at 41 retailers in 50 states.
Stock up on your common items when they are at their rock-bottom prices. By getting a few weeks' supply of an item, you will have enough on hand until the next sale. Getting in the cycle of stocking up in this way will get you out of the cycle of paying full price for anything.
Maximize your coupon inventory. Buy multiple copies of the Sunday newspaper during high coupon weeks, watch for coupon displays in the store, pay attention to your register receipt coupons, use electronic coupons at grocery store websites and even email the customer service contact at manufacturers' websites to request coupons for their products.
Sign up for your stores' loyalty cards and provide complete mailing and email information. You may be sent coupons for products you buy regularly.

My Take on The Site

In reviewing the site itself, I was impressed by the depth of the resources that were available. Though there are a lot of advertisements on the site that sometimes takes away from the text itself, overall the resources are great for the person looking for ways to save some money for their family.

I encourage you all to check out this site and start saving today!

Respect, it's not just a song!

Deborah Norville does it again, speaking directly to readers about the importance of Respect in all of our lives. Following up her past book
Thank You Power: Making the Science of Gratitude Work for You, her newest venture is a great addition to help all of us to live stronger, more productive lives where we can impact and help others on a daily basis.

I highly recommend this book, as both a parent, husband and individual of society. The older that I get the more I find that respect is definitely something that I hope to instill and afford others.I especially the down to earth flow of this book with real life examples of both everyday and celebrities, the reader is drawn in to see the things that can happen within a life, a marriage, a family once we respect others.

This book breaks down the barriers that people have in respecting others but even more importantly, in respecting oneself.

In a society where respect for others is lacking, we are in need of the reminders that this book provides us, and I for one am hopeful that in its own way, it can make a difference in how we live, treat and co-exist with each other in the future.

If this book sounds interesting to you, read a few pages and see if you would also like to gain more respect within your own life. The book itself can be purchased at Thomas Nelson or at Amazon.

You can also check out Ms. Norville's website at dnorville.com and read her blog here.

Monday, October 5, 2009

I am an Event Chaser

Thanks to BuckDaddyBlog I was introduced to being an Event Chaser. This past weekend I got the opportunity to chase my first event, going to Disney on Ice - 100 Years of Magic with my entire family. I encourage all of you to read about my experience and find out more about this great new web resource.

If you are interested in being an event chaser yourself check out the Event Chaser site. Also, if you are looking for tickets for events, check out RazorGator.com it is an easy way to get everything that you need for the event you wish to attend!

Book Review - Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently

In today's world, can a woman truly "have it all"? A fulfilling career full of passion and performance? A belief that she is truly becoming the best, authentic version of herself? A happy, healthy life outside of work?

Countless women would roll their eyes at the possibility. Work is overwhelming. And for many of them, add the necessities of family and home. It all feels disconnected, out of control, and relentless.

In Find Your Strongest Life, Marcus Buckingham reveals the powerful key to help women draw enough strength from life to feel fulfilled, loved, successful, and in control. Even more, he helps women reconnect with their purpose and gives a starting point for change.

The above text is what the Publisher states about this book. I was at first a little skeptical at the idea of reading a book written for women by a man, but after reading this book, I was amazed at how insightful this book was not only for myself (as I am a father of two girls), but also for my wife as well. Mr. Buckingham does a fine job at using research as well as practical examples to provide readers a good glimpse at what they can do to make their life a strong and fulfilling one!

I particularly enjoyed the free flowing nature of the book which allows the reader to understand what the author is getting at and the recap at the end of each chapter with the most salient points that he was trying to get the reader to take out of the chapter.

As a father and husband I also enjoyed the section in the book about Tactics for stronger kids, as I want my girls to be strong, happy and fulfilled women as they grow up and I hope that I can help them understand the concepts that Mr. Buckingham showcases in this book.

The below video does a good job at explaining some of the crux of the book itself, I encourage all of you to look at this and see how you relate to the women and the concepts that are being raised.

If this book sounds interesting to you I encourage you to read a few pages by clicking here.

Finally, if you would like to have a copy of this book for yourself, I encourage you to check it out either at the publisher or on amazon.com to pick up a copy for yourself!

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Friday, October 2, 2009

Product Review - MedSafe

I recently became aware of a new product that is a great idea for any parents out there. Michael Rebando, a Long Island locksmith of two decades, experienced a near-tragic incident in which his four-year-old niece was rushed to the hospital after unknowingly consuming over-the-counter medication accidentally left on the kitchen counter.

From this almost tragedy, Mr. Rebando did hiw own research and began development of a safe that can be used to safeguard our kids from the medicines that we may have in our homes.

The product fits easily into most medicine cabinets and holds up to 15 bottles of prescription medicine. This product features 19,500 changeable combinations and is a great tool in keeping potentially harmful meds out of the hands of children. The MedSafe also can be easily affixed to the inside of any medicine cabinet with four self-tapping screws included with each unit, and can also be stored in a dresser drawer, kitchen cabinet or closet shelf.

I was impressed to find that a portion of each unit sold will support teen prescription drug abuse awareness programs through non-profits such as D.A.R.E. The product is presently available at http://www.helpsaveourkids.com/ for $49.95, and will soon be available in retail outlets nationwide.

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Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Book Review - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

I was lucky enough to be asked to review a copy of Donald Miller's new book. Not being familiar with Mr. Miller in the past, I did not have any clue what to expect in regards to this particular book.

In reviewing this book, I have to say that I was very impressed. The author brings you on a journey of discovery, that the author himself is on, but that you too soon find yourself on as you work your way through the experiences and life challenges that Donald finds himself being challenged with.

I was particularly intrigued at the idea of going into my own life and editing it to better the "story" that my own life is unveiling daily. This concept is one that Donald discovers for himself, and by doing so, it opens his life to the many wonders and opportunities that lay in the background previously.

I also was intrigued by the individuals that as a reader you are introduced to within the story. One such individual was Bob Goff. Bob is an amazing individual and one that I hope to learn more about and from in the future. At the end of reading this book, I searched for more information on Bob and his company and I found that Bob is on Facebook. Finding this, I became his Facebook friend and began an email correspondence with him that I hope will continue into the future. Bob's life is one that I can only hope for with my own family.

I was glad that the book itself did come to some type of conclusion at the end, as I came to want to see Donald succeed. So much so that I now am following Donald's blog to keep up with what he is up to with his life and to see how his continued story unfurls.

I would completely recommend this book to anyone looking to edit their own life. If you want to read a few chapters to see what this book has in store take a look at the following.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Book Review - The Well-Behaved Child

I will admit it, we have a challenging 5 year old. We have read many books, and tried many things, but we still have problems with her behavior. J-Mom and I work hard to remain consistent, but overall, consistency with Diva-J does not always seem to work. When I was asked to review this book, I was definitely excited and hopeful for a chance to find some new answers, tactics and techniques that may allow J-Mom and I to be a bit less frustrated and allow the whole family to be having fun together at all times!

In reading this book, I was not disappointed. The author lays out his methodology first (even though you want to skip to the meat of the book), which was good, as it truly debunks many of the parenting skills that we think we should do to go back to some of the skills that we more in place back in the 1950's. Further into the book is where the authors lays out his system. Through practical and real life examples he allows parents to see how easy it can be to take control of their parenting as well as allowing the child to take control of their behavior.

Some of the sections in this book include:

* Essential Discipline Principles
* Essential Discipline Tools
* Perplexing Problems and Simple Solutions
* Not Your Everyday Problems
* General Questions and Answers

Does this work, I am not totally for certain, but I will admit that I look forward to trying to skills learned in this "workshop in a book."

I would recommend this book to anyone with a strong willed child, whether 3 or 11. You will not be disappointed! You can find this on both Amazon and at the Thomas Nelson site.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Book Review - Eli Gold: From Peanuts to the Pressbox

Being a person that enjoys sports but is not a fanatic I did not know what to expect when I read this book. I will say that before I received this book, I can say that I had heard of the announcer/author of this book but really knew nothing of his back story.

This book is a great tribute to the hard work and dedication that one person has to achieve his goals. It is an inspirational tale about what one person can do to overcome obstacles and achieve all that one hopes to achieve.

With over 25 years of experience in the sports industry, one can only imagine the experiences and life that he has had througout his career. I truly enjoyed Gold's stories of other announcers and sports stars and what it was like to work with them. This book is a great read for the sports and non-sport enthusiast. The books flows well and is an easy read for all people.

I found that this book could have easily been expanded to add much more depth into the backstory, but I am not complaining at all, as the story was very enjoyable and one that I would definitely recommend to others!

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Book Review - Fearless

Max Lucado is knows for his books of down to earth practical advice of living your life based on a spiritual journey and this book follows a similar path. Fearless allows the reader to envision a life lived without fear of anything. As Lucado explains clearly, it is giving yourself up to the will of God and knowing that through him all your fears are taken away.

This is not always an easy thing to accept, and Lucado freely writes about this struggle that all humans have. Whether it be our own job, our family, our health or the health of others, we tend to be a fear driven people, so this book takes a fresh approach to moving down another path that we do not always take, the road toward fearless living.

I enjoyed this book and with its continuous link to scripture, there is no reason why even the most casual reader of the Bible could not find meaning in the references, not only to the past, but more over their own day-to-day life.

I enjoyed the fact that Lucado (as is usually his case) places himself into the story using examples form his own life to draw the reader into the story. This made the book a very easy read and one that went very quickly.

The chapters within the book cover a litany of fears that many of us hold including:

* Fear of not mattering
* Fear of disappointing God
* Fear of being in need
* Fear of issues around our children
* Fear of overwhelming challenges
* Fear of the worst-case scenarios
* Fear of violence
* Fear of money issues
* Fear of death
* Fear of tomorrow
* Fear of religious doubt
* Fear of global calamity
* Fear of really trusting God with your life

I think Lucado says it best as he states:

Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, or doubt, what would remain? Envision a day, just one day, where you could trust more and fear less.

I can only hope that one day I will be able to live my own life in such a fashion and I believe that through the words that Lucado shares this is possible.

I encourage this book to anyone who lives with fear within their life, it is a quick read and is made to be easy to understand and practical. If you have an interest to read more, check out a few pages of the book for yourself!

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