Product Review: Gripsterz

Where did he go now? I'm so tired of having to ask that when shopping with a baby in the carrier and a toddler trying to walk beside the basket. The people in Wal Mart must think I can't handle my kids! I'm always chasing the 4 year old and leaving the baby or running into people with the cart trying to catch the kid so I don't have to leave the baby. My husband won't let me get a "leash" for him because he thinks they're cruel and humiliating. I think it would be just fine...but...

Anyway, I was able to test a Gripsterz Stay Along. And I'm pretty happy with the results.

Gripsterz from ViveVita is a great new product that combines cool fun for little ones with a great function for moms and dads. Gripsterz eases the fears of being out and about with your little one.

When adults and kids are out and about touring the town together, Gripsterz keeps those little wanderers close by. With their new best buddy – Grippy, kids are free to explore and enjoy their world – and their buddy always keeps them close to Mom or Dad.

Gripsterz kit includes: one irresistible Grippy monkey ring with attaching clip, two vine straps (1 ft & 2 ft) with an attaching clip, an adult handle, a convenient storage bag and a Grippy book for kids.

Interchangeable pieces allow for a variety of adventure needs.

Can be clipped to a stroller, belt hoop, shopping cart, luggage, purse, and many other portable devices.

Made of nontoxic materials.

We tested the Stay Along on morning shopping trips (when the store isn't nearly as busy and of course, I didn't take pictures...that would have slowed my trip down...sorry) and the first time we used it, I attached it to the cart on one end and used the velcro wrist strap on my son. It worked well and my son was right next to me the whole time. However, he saw me take it off and he was able to do it himself the next time in the store. So, I tried the monkey grip ring that time and he held on it for most of  the trip. The third time, I used it with the ring and velcro strap and it worked about as well as the first time. He stayed next to me. Not sure if he's "trained" to not leave my side or if he couldn't get away, but either way, it was nice to get the trip done without having to chase him!

I was provided with a Gripsters Stay Along for review. No additional compensation was provided and I was not required to write a positive review. Thank you to Robin for allowing me to test the product, and for being patient since I took longer than normal to get the review done.

Book Review: One in a Million

One in a Million: Journey to Your Promised Land
By Priscilla Shirer
B&H Books, 2010
English, 224 pgs.


Book Description:
The Egyptians in Exodus 1 were intent on enslaving the Israelites, wearing them down so that God’s chosen people would become disillusioned and not live up to their destiny. Of the original two million Israelites who received God’s invitation to enter the Promised Land, only two actually entered it!
Similarly, modern day Christians often hear and understand the promises of God each Sunday morning at church but then rarely choose to experience them in everyday life. In One in a Million, Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer invites us to change that pattern for good, living beyond our circumstances and expecting to see God move in miraculous ways day after day. Without a doubt, we can find and follow God’s purpose for our journey. We can make it to the Promised Land!

My Review:
I like the message behind this book, but I feel like I've heard this before. It's a really great book though. I've enjoyed reading it. I think it would make a good women's study book. There are lots of points that would make for great conversation starters and the chapters are not so long that you couldn't read each one and get prepared for a group setting.

I was provided with a copy of the book for review. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review. Thank you to Shelby at Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists for sending me the book to review.

Mailbox Round Up

Here's what came in the mail last week (all free):

Surfer
Lego Club Jr.
Ok!, Remedy (2?)
Entertainment Weekly
People
Everyday with Rachael Ray
Garden Design
SVC
Florida Travel
American Baby
(great...you should see my magazine stack! I'm so behind on reading!)

Superbaby (review soon)
Faithful (review soon for BookSneeze)
$3 Pinecone Check
2 Happy baby Puffs FREE coupons from RecycleBank
V8 Tea sample (hubs can't wait to get into this...)

Book Review: The Boy Who Changed the World

The Boy Who Changed the World
By Andy Andrews
Thomas Nelson, 2010
English, 40 pages


Product Description:


Did you know that what you do today can change the world forever?

The Boy Who Changed the World opens with a young Norman Borlaug playing in his family's cornfields with his sisters. One day, Norman would grow up and use his knowledge of agriculture to save the lives of two billion people. Two billion! Norman changed the world!  Or was it Henry Wallace who changed the world?  Or maybe it was George Washington Carver?

This engaging story reveals the incredible truth that everything we do matters! Based on The Butterfly Effect, Andy's timeless tale shows children that even the smallest of our actions can affect all of humanity. The book is beautifully illustrated and shares the stories of Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug, Vice President Henry Wallace, Inventor George Washington Carver, and Farmer Moses Carver. Through the stories of each, a different butterfly will appear. The book will end with a flourish of butterflies and a charge to the child that they, too, can be the boy or girl who changes the world.

My review:
I was really excited to get this to read to my soon-to-be 4 year old son. While it was a good story, he lost interest pretty quickly. I do think we'll be reading it again though. Sometimes, it just has to be his idea to read.

The story is great, telling you that your decisions can impact the future in ways you'll never know. I'm a little scared about how I'll explain raiders and kidnapping though.

The artwork in the book is stunning. It's just right for the intended 4-8 year old.

All in all, I think it's a good concept for a book, I'm just not sure it hit it's target on execution.

A copy of the book was sent to me for review from Book Sneeze. I have received no additional compensation for the book and was not required to write a positive review. 

We have winners!

The two winners for the Dracula in Love book are:

Comment # 2 belongs to:
Busy Working Mama said... GFC follower already

and comment # 10 belongs to:
tristatecruisers said... FB fan of Faithful Finances :)


The winners have been emailed and have 48 hours to respond with an address or a new winner will be chosen.

Book Review: Think Like an Octopus

Think Like an Octopus: The Key to Becoming a Good Thinker, Think on the Other Hand
By Wallace Roark
Wasteland Press, 2010
English, 134 pages


Book Description:
WHAT YOU WILL GAIN FROM THIS BOOK: • Skill at critiquing what you hear and read from others. • Ability to speak and write more convincingly. • Respect as a speaker and writer. • Power to easily spot the illogical and inconsistent in all you hear and read. • Better and deeper self-knowledge. YOU WILL BECOME: • A person whose ideas must be reckoned with. • A person who is rarely blind-sided. • A better learner. • More respectful and more respected. • A wiser and more considerate person.

My Review: 
I have to begin this review with a disclaimer: I know Dr. Roark from my college years and his classes were some of the best of those 4 years. I still wish I had my term paper from his Christian Doctrines class with an "A" on it...it truly meant more to me than any other paper I've ever written. It was hard earned.

Learning how to think is one of the most important things you can do in your life. I'm not talking about just knowing how to talk to yourself inside your head. True thinking challenges preconceived notions. True thinking considers possibilities that you may have not realized before. Thinking takes time. Thinking isn't something that you can just decide to do. You have to be taught.

You have to be willing to admit that maybe you don't know everything and understand that there is almost always more to be said on something. You have to "look at the other side of the coin".

Dr. Roark calls this "other hand thinking" based on "On the one hand, but on the other hand". On the other hand are contradictions, another choice or something so close to your original thought that it almost seems the same. It's in recognizing the other options and thinking through a problem that you can come to an answer in which you can be confident.

There is a section on logic and it's use (which cracked me up because my almost 4 year old is going through a phase where he keeps asking "what happens if I..." and "if I...then what?") and another section on figuring out yourself and your values.

I really can't capture what I'm trying to say about this book in a short review. All I can say is that you just need to read it. It's a serious topic, yet handled in a really easy to understand manner. Anyone can learn to think well, you just have to understand why it's important and understand the process. Then you actually have to do it!

Disclaimer: I did not receive a review copy of this book. I purchased it on my own and gladly reviewed it here for someone who meant more to me in my academic life than just about anyone in the past.

4 More!

Tell all your friends! I only need 4 more followers to hit 200! Once there, I'll offer a giveaway!

Walgreens has a policy!

Walgreens has posted a corporate policy! Print it out HERE.

As a customer-focused retailer, Walgreens encourages the use of coupons by our customers in our retail stores, in accordance with the following guidelines.

Guidelines:

General 

• All valid coupons should be presented to the cashier at the time of checkout.
• Walgreens does not accept expired coupons.
• Coupons and their face value cannot be exchanged for cash or gift cards.
• Competitor coupons are not accepted at Walgreens.
• Walgreens cannot accept coupons for items not carried in our stores.
• The number of manufacturer coupons, including Register Rewards^TM manufacturer coupons, may not exceed the number of items in the transaction. The total value of the coupons may not exceed the value of the transaction. Sales tax must be paid, if required by state law.
• Any coupon offer not covered in these guidelines will be accepted at the discretion of Walgreens management.

Sale Items 

• Walgreens will accept manufacturer coupons for an item that is on sale.
• In the event that any item's selling price is less than the value of the coupon, Walgreens will only accept the coupon in exchange for the selling price of the item. Coupon redemption can never exceed the selling price of an item and no cash back is ever provided in exchange for any coupons.

Multiple Coupons 

• When purchasing a single item, Walgreens accepts one manufacturer coupon and applicable Walgreens coupon(s) for the purchase of a single item, unless prohibited by either coupon offer.
• The coupon amount must be reduced if it exceeds the value of the item after other discounts or coupons are applied. (For example, a $5.00 coupon for a $4.99 item will result in a $4.99 coupon value).
• When purchasing multiple items, Walgreens accepts multiple identical coupons for multiple qualifying items as long as there is sufficient stock to satisfy other customers, unless a limit is specified. Management reserves the right to limit the quantity of items purchased.

Buy One, Get One Free Coupons 

• When items are featured in a Buy One, Get One Free promotion, up to two coupons can be used against the items being purchased, as long as the net price does not go below zero for the items being purchased.
• Sales tax must be paid for any Buy One, Get One Free coupon offers, if required by applicable state laws.

Internet/Print at Home Coupons 

• Walgreens accepts valid internet/print at home coupons.

Register Rewards^TM coupons 

Earning Register Rewards^TM

• Register Rewards^TM will only print for in-stock merchandise during the promotional period.
• Register Rewards^TM can only be earned for eligible items. No substitutions.
• There is a limit of one Register Rewards^TM (RR) printed per offer per customer per transaction.
• Customers redeeming a Register Rewards^TM against the same offer may not receive another RR.

Redeeming Register Rewards^TM

• Customers redeeming a Register Rewards^TM against the same offer may not receive another RR.
• Refer to Register Rewards^TM coupon for expiration date.
• The RR coupon value cannot exceed the total purchase amount. No cash back and no cash value for RR coupon.
• The number of manufacturer coupons, including RR manufacturer coupons, must not exceed the number of items in the transaction.
• Register Rewards^TM must be forfeited if the qualifying merchandise is returned.
• Register Rewards^TM cannot be used toward the purchase of gift cards and pre-paid cards.
• Register Rewards^TM can be redeemed for eligible items only. Ineligible items include but are not limited to:
• • Prescriptions
  • Tobacco products
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Dairy products
  • Lottery tickets
  • Money orders/transfers
  • Transportation passes
  • Special event/entertainment tickets or passes
  • Postage stamps
  • Gift cards/phone cards/prepaid/Green Dot^TM cards
  • Prescription Savings Club" memberships
  • Health care services, including immunizations
  • Any items prohibited by law

Giveaway Ending Today

The Dracula in Love giveaway ends tonight at 10PM...there will be two winners.

FREE MP3 of the Day

Amazon's FREE MP3 of the Day is the new single from....Heart!


I really expected at any second she was gonna break into "Dog and Butterfly"...