CSN Stores~ Review~ Finally!

Remember back in August I mentioned that I was going to get something from CSN Stores to review?? Due to my  computer/camera combo not playing nicely together it has taken me far too long to get this review written. However.... Here is what we chose:

The lovely yellow swing ($27.99)with the coated chains:

This is GREAT! Not only are the chains "no pinch", due to the rubbery coating, they are long enough that littlest can just about get on by himself. He likes "his" swing, and I'm happy that he isn't sitting on slippery hard plastic any more!(Now I'm not afraid that he'll fall off every time I give him a push, because the swing hugs his bum.) BONUS~ The seat fits mom, dad, our neighbor 'C' (who is much taller than I).. one at a time of course... :)

The other item that we picked up to review was the Crescendo Fitness 36" Mini Jump Trampoline.  (The version we got had a blue cover which is no longer available. However, I expect the black cover to perform the same as the blue... ;) )  The trampoline is a HUGE hit here! This is going to be a super item to have in the house this winter when I need kiddos to burn a little extra energy. $39.95 is a small price to pay for the convenience of expending that energy inside! I also understand that "Rebounding" can greatly benefit your immune system. I plan to look into that more!

I'm very happy with how sturdy this unit seems to be, and I really like the fact that the legs screw off, so that the whole unit can be stored easily. Littlest has decided that this is his "stage", and he'll happily bounce "around" in circles, changing his expression each time he comes around. VERY fun! Eldest and Middlest enjoy it as well, and if we leave it out,  I frequently find someone SITTING on it, reading a book! (Yes... we are seriously lacking seating in our home!)

I will say that I was careful to choose items that were listed as in stock and shipping within 3-5 days, and CSN delivered as promised. All in all, I was very happy with the entire process.

Oh, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I was able to add another item to my order that I paid for myself~ A folding chair with attached cooler underneath ($16.99). We haven't had opportunity to use this yet, but expect that it will come in handy as extra seating when Eldest goes Feis'n (Irish Step Dance Competition).

So there you have it! Stay tuned~  I may have something else interesting coming up from the wealth of products that CSN provides soon! :) 

Disclosure of Material Connection: CSN Stores provided the Swing and Trampoline free of Charge. I was not required to post or to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

MyBlogSpark~ A Surprise Dinner!

Well~ I suppose that this could apply as a Frugal Friday post in some ways, and not so much in others... ;)

I have enjoyed trying out various products and reviewing them, so I thought that signing up with MyBlogspark.com would be a good idea. Imagine my surprise when I received the following email:

"Dinner’s on us, you deserve it! As a thank you for being a member of the MyBlogSpark network, we would like to treat you and a guest to a night out.
You and a guest are invited to a special dinner at Myers + Chang in Boston where you will have the chance to meet other local members of the MyBlogSpark network. The exclusive dining experience includes a special four-course dinner and drinks for two (limit of one alcoholic drink per person) as well as a $50 gift card to cover any incidental costs such as transportation or parking. Guests must be 21 years of age or older."

I mean... really?? I hadn't had the chance to review anything for them yet, and they were taking me out to dinner??? That's awfully nice! :)

I invited my friend and next door neighbor to come with me for a "Girls' Night Out", since our hubbies were willing to get kiddos to and from their various activities. Then it was time to RSVP and  mapquest the directions to Myers & Chang.

Most of our "Adventures" related to actually GETTING to our location... (Who knew that there is a "U-turn" on the Mass Pike in Cambridge for those who mistakenly got on in Boston because the signs are seriously lacking!!!) but thankfully parking was a breeze, and we ended up less than a block away. :)

When we arrived at Myers & Chang, we were welcomed by members of MyBlogSpark, and given a seat at a table near the window. the table was set with a cute silver fortune-cookie place card, holding our special menu choices. The waiter took our drink orders (WOW! House-made Sodas... lychee-vanilla  was far and away my favorite, although the mint lime rickey was good as well ~ @ $5 a pop, this would be the part that is NOT so frugal... but oh the yumminess!).

We started with mama chang's pork dumplings, followed by wok-roasted lemongrass mussels and thai ginger chicken salad with rice vermicelli. We then had a choice of about 8 entrees. We decided to go with the Shrimp Lo Mein and the Orange Chicken.

All during dinner there was a film crew roaming and videoing various tables and diners (And their dinners). They didn't stop at our table, but it was fun to watch.

Finally, round about dessert time (coconut cream pie with lime whipped cream and chocolate and cocoa nib terrine with vietnamese coffee sauce), the MyBlogSpark folks started handing out fortune cookies~ and therein lay the second surprise~ our entrees were not crafted by Myers & Chang (I have to admit to having been surprised by the "Typical-ness" of the options, but didn't really think about it at the time), but were frozen Wanchai Ferry dinners! Hello! I didn't expect that curve ball! I have to say that while the sauces were rather more sweet than spicy, overall the dishes were very good, and I wouldn't have guessed that they were frozen dinner kits. I am pretty sure that my boys would enjoy the orange chicken, and the shrimp lo mein was VERY good (the shrimp was delightfully tasty and tender, if just a little saltier than I like), and would be a hit with the other seafood lovers in my house.

We WERE interviewed after the surprise was revealed to find out what our reactions were... fun~ fun~ Hope I don't end up on TV in a Wanchai Ferry commercial!

As we left the restaurant we were each given little plastic chinese take out containers in which were enclosed coupons for 3 free Wanchai Ferry dinners. I contemplated doing a give-away for these on my blog, but my DH convinced me that he would like to have the opportunity to try the shrimp lo mein as well, so we're keeping them to feed the family one night. However, if YOU are interested in trying them out, I have noticed a number of coupon sites with printable Wanchai Ferry coupons. Check it out the next time you're in the mood for Chinese at home! :) (Hence the frugal aspect of this post)

Disclosure of Material Connection: MyBlogSpark provided the dining experience, $50 gift card, coupons, and  the  fortune cookie place card holders. I was not required to post or to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Review~ Adventures in Odyssey CDs~ Take it From the Top

My kids were very excited to receive the Adventures in Odyssey "Take it From the Top" CD set from the Tyndale Blog Network to listen to for review purposes. The set includes 4 CDs with over 5 hours of audio, and 12 stories on Serving God and more....

The stories on these CD's include humorous looks at characters that my kids can identify with.
The stories and lessons with a few "notes" from me:

• The Inspiration Station~ "Inspiration"
• Clutter~ "Storing up treasures in heaven" (My kids could identify with this family a little too much, perhaps...)
• Game for a Mystery~ "Procrastination"(Hmmm.. not sure RJP and JDP1 got the point the first time listening, but I'm hoping it will sink in.. :) )
  
• Target of the Week~ "The folly of revenge"
• For the Birds~ "Responsibility"
• When You're Right, You're Right~ "Pride"
• Grandma's Visit~ "The importance of family"
• Finish What You.....~ "Responsibility"(And time-management)
• The Jubilee Singers~ "Perseverance" (This one may be a little too intense for the younger kids. My 9 yo thought it was a little scary. My 12 yo thought that it was really good tho', so perhaps that gives you a little insight~)

We had some Adventures in Odyssey stories from YEARS ago that I wasn't overly thrilled with, due to the usage of words (like "boring") and "name-calling" that were not promoted, but seemed somewhat gratuitous(ie, didn't have anything to do with the story line). I was interested to see how things have progressed, and I think there is a combination of fewer unwarranted "attitudes" on the CD, and maturity on the part of my kids~ They've "grown into" Adventures in Odyssey. ;)

This set gets a thumbs up, 5 star rating with a note from mom that it is probably most appropriate for ages 6-12, with the Jubilee Singers possibly requiring a "preview" to see how it fits with your family. (My children are admittedly a little more "sensitive" than some, so that is the "lens" I am looking through.)

Take it from the Top (Adventures in Odyssey) CD's retail for $24.99, but can be purchased from Amazon for $16.49, and may be available for less at sites like CBD....:)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this/these item(s)/service for free as part of the Tyndale Blog Network. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

UHU Glue Roller and a Notebook

Back in October I received a free sample, the UHU Glue Roller ($6.65)from Glue with UHU. This is a pretty nifty little item, which takes messy permanent glue and turns it into little micro-dots of glue on a tape that you can roll out and apply to.... whatever. I understand that it is good for scrapbooking due to its acid free and solvent free formula, but the application I used it for doesn't require quite as much longevity.

I have some little notebooks sitting around, waiting to be turned into something special, and this particular glue just fit the ticket. I had previously tried using another glue to adhere scrapbook paper to the hard plastic/Vinyl cover of the notebook, and while it was "Adequate", it didn't work quite as well as I had hoped. Then I tried the UHU Glue Roller, and was very pleased with the results.

First I took the coil out, and covered the entire frontpiece with red scrapbook paper.
The paper adhered to the cover quite nicely, and didn't "gape" along the bottom edge.
Then I added the contrast, that created a pocket on the inside, as well as adding to interest on the front. This picture shows that piece ready to put on the front cover~

Here is the front piece before I finished poking holes, and put everything back together~

Here is the notebook opened up to the inside


And here is the completed notebook with the embellishment of a heart


The back flap is covered on both sides with that block rose paper. (Sorry, no picture of that...)

Here's another notebook I helped my daughter to make as part of a birthday gift for a friend~

(We used the UHU Glue Roller to help cover the pencil before modge podging it...)

I only had one caveat~ The roller has an 'Adjustment screw" to help with the tension on the tape, and I think there might be a learning curve to using this, as I did have some trouble with the tape doubling up. However, I was still able to use it, and would definitely be happy to use it again!

If you are interested in applying for free UHU samples, and blogging about your projects, be sure to head on over to Glue with UHU around the first of the month, to find out what's new, and request yours!

Blessings~

UHU Glues... a belated review!

We have had a free sample of UHU Twist and Glue for some months, and have been using it, but I finally got my camera working, and pictures uploaded. This is a sample of the cards that my daughter has been making for her etsy shop, Penney For Your Thoughts.

We decided that the Twist and Glue works really well for paper piecing and card stock, not as well for felt pieces, or for gluing large areas of regular paper (Tended to wrinkle....). We especially like the small tip for getting "Just the right amount" of glue on some of those tiny bits of paper! And..... when you get just a little too much on, it washes off very nicely, even on these nice cards! EXCELLENT!


$3.95 for this bottle, and it is still going strong...
Enjoy! :)

Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure~ It's About Being Unique By Max Lucado's Hermie & Friends

Well, it’s taken us a little while to get to viewing this DVD, simply because we don’t spend a lot of time in front of the TV screen. As a result, I am fairly selective about what my children view. Because we had recently seen a Hermie movie at our AWANA club, I was pretty sure that Skeeter and the Mystery of the Lost Mosquito Treasure would be A-OK!

The story has to do with two brothers, Skeeter and Sinclair. Sinclair is debonair and something of a world traveler with a distinguished reputation. Skeeter is… a “homegrown” mosquito with a crooked stinger… lovable, but with a penchant for getting lost. The moral of the story has much to do with the fact that God created each one of us, just the way we are. We each have strengths and weaknesses, but if we focus on the strengths and work together to overcome our challenges, we are much more likely to reach a common goal.

My children* enjoyed the story, from the 21-month old(The animations kept his attention) to the 8 and 11 year olds(Who ended up thinking about the "Message", and it left us (Mom and Dad) with smiles on our faces as well. If you are looking for “Family viewing” that will entertain a variety of ages, including the littlest in the family, this could be a good choice for you.

*My kids are very happy that we were afforded the opportunity to review this DVD as a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program http://brb.thomasnelson.com/

The Noticer~ Book Review

Perspective~ From Latin~ past participle of perspicere : to look through, see clearly, from per- through + specere to look. A mental view or prospect

Andy Andrews’ inspirational new book The Noticer was my introduction to his writing, and a first rate first read. He tells the story of a small town filled with individuals whose lives are changed for the better due to the interest and observations of a man named Jones, whose favorite phrase is “Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.”

How true that we all too often are looking at matters through a microscope, when we would be better backing off so that we could see the “Big Picture” clearly. Like the blind men and the elephant, we sometimes need someone to help us see our circumstances from a bird’s-eye view, and that is what Jones does throughout this narrative. Like Robert Frost, in The Road Not Taken, he points out that the choices we make affect not only our immediate circumstances, but those of future generations.

In a society where everyone seems to question the motives of others, but seldom search their own souls, are quick to cast blame, but anxious to avoid it, Andy Andrews has posed an introspective question: “What is it about me that other people would change if they could.” Jones suggests that the answer and one’s decision to act on that answer, or not, can be a source of magnifying one’s focus on the positive or the negative in one’s life.

Of course, the hope is that people choose to take positive steps forward, and make a positive impact on their lives, families, communities, states, countries, and our world. One way to do so, is to check out The Noticer Project, and take a little bit of time to publicly “notice” those who have had a positive impact on your life. It may be a small step, but sometimes that is all it takes to make something good happen.

*I am a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program http://brb.thomasnelson.com/