Review: Futuro 3M Socks

As a technical trainer, I spend hours on my feet teaching during a class.  That strain, along with an old ankle injury and my legs are usually sore at the end of the day.  I was very interested in trying out the Futuro 3M Trouser Socks when given the opportunity to review them.

The Futuro 3M Trouser socks were light and silky.  When I put them on, I could feel the light compression of the socks, and it was comfortable.  I was afraid that it might feel too tight, but they didn't.  I wore the socks on the 2nd day in a row of training and definitely felt that my legs weren't as sore or fatigued as usual.  The socks pushed just enough against my legs to maintain a constant pressure, but never to the point of discomfort.

They have all the details on their website about why the compression is good, as well as other products that have different levels of compression.  Personally, I am happy with the trouser socks and plan to continue wearing them. Their site also includes a product finder so you can find them for yourself. They definitely made my legs feel better, and that's good enough for me!

*Disclosure: I received product to facilitate my review.  No additional compensation was provided.  All opinions and thoughts are my own.*

2010 Meme

I've done this for the last 3 years (2007, 2008, 2009) -- so I figured I may as well do it this year!  If you decided to play along on your blog, leave a comment so I can read your 2010 recap.


1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
Traveled to Vancouver, B.C. on business.  I'm sure there are more things, but that sticks out right now.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I did keep my big New Year's resolution, but didn't succeed in keeping all of them.  And, I will make more for 2011 -- both on the blog and personally.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope.  No new babies close to us in 2010. 

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nobody close to me died in 2010.

5. What countries did you visit?
Canada


6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Organization

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 11 -- the day the boys started school and I had to admit that we truly were not homeschooling this year.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Gaining 2 new clients and learning a proprietary software which gives me the opportunity to travel.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Nothing I would share with the Internet :)~

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing serious, thank goodness

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Bo actually bought it for me, but my HP laptop has made teaching so much easier.  I was using an old PC laptop to prepare for classes and it was a struggle.  I love my MAC, but everything I teach is PC-based so it's necessary.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My boys.  They were nervous and scared about starting traditional school, but they stepped up to the challenge and have excelled.  I'm very proud of them.


13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Nobody


14. Where did most of your money go?
Mortgages, food, travel

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Our trip to the Grand Canyon, out trip to Camp Verde, our trips to Flagstaff, our trip to Disneyland, my business trips to various cities.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
I Gotta Feeling (it's my alarm ringtone, so it starts each morning for me)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) happier; b) about the same; c) richer (it's about time!)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
visited museums and zoos

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
worried

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Quietly, at home, with my husband, kids & my sister.


21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
Never fell out of love.

22. How many one-night stands?
None.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

I'm still a reality-TV junkie. It's ridiculous, but it's mindless.  I really enjoyed the new BBC Sherlock Holmes series.
 

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No.

25. What was the best book you read?
I Am Hutterite  I don't know if it was the best book I read, but it's the one that first came to mind when I read this question. It's a true story of a woman who was raised Hutterite and whose family left the colony when she was 10.  Very well-written and extremely interesting.  

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?
This is silly, but there is an Elvis Christmas CD that I bought this year where his voice/music was mixed with contemporary artists.  I thoroughly enjoyed it this season.

27. What did you want and get?
More clients, more money, more travel

28. What did you want and not get?
A new cleaning person (mine moved back to Minnesota and I haven't been able to find a suitable replacement yet.)

29. What was your favorite film of this year?
We went to many, many kid movies this year.  I really enjoyed Oceans.


30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I flew across the country on my 43rd birthday with my daughter and sister to visit my parents. 

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A live-in housekeeper and personal chef

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Simple

33. What kept you sane?
My sweet, loving husband and exuberant children. My sister.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Mark Wahlberg.  He's my celebrity boyfriend.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?
I'm not a big political issue type of person. I have my views, and I keep them quiet for the most part -- doing what I can to further what I believe is important.  Nothing stirred me enough to prompt me to post on the Internet about it.

36. Who did you miss?
Many friends.  It's been a year of change and working more after years of not working means that we have to figure out a whole new way of hanging out.  We haven't figured it out yet.


37. Who was the best new person you met?
Colin's 4th grade teacher.  I love how she calls me regularly just to tell me the silly things he does and I love how she truly gets a kick out of my son.  She has pushed him in new directions and helped him shape the direction he's headed.  I'm grateful for her influence.


38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right. (Henry Ford)

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Lydia makes up lyrics to absolutely everything that occurs in her life, so the sound of Lydia singing would sum up my year with song lyrics.

Progresso Soup Giveaway

When the Progresso Soup commericals with soup can phones first aired, I had to explain to my kids what they were.  I don't think I ever actually played with one as a kid, but I knew what they were!  It was funny when we received a box recently from Progresso that included our very own Progresso Soup Can Phone!  The kids had a riot playing with it and couldn't get over the idea of phones having cords.

Progresso Soups has some wonderful soups, that are easy to prepare and nutritious!  You can visit www.progressosoup.com to find out about all their varieties, as well as recipes to try.  My boys took the idea of Progresso Soup and the soup can phone and created a commercial for your enjoyment.  They even drew out a story board and wrote the script before they had me video their commercial.

They took turns with each part, so I decided to share both versions with you.  I think they're hilarious.





Progresso has offered a fun gift package for one of my readers!  If your entry is chosen, you will receive 2 VIP coupons for free Progresso Soups, a soup can rack, a soup bowl, soup spoon and spoon rest.  I'm sorry that you won't receive a soup can phone.

To enter the giveaway, click HERE to jump to the giveaway form.  Before you click, take note of the giveaway name and mandatory question so you can fill in the blanks on the form.  (Link to my giveaway rules can be found to the right)

Giveaway Name: Soup Can Phone
Mandatory Question: What's your favorite soup?

This giveaway will end on January 7, 2011.  Good Luck!!

*Disclosure: I received a prize package for myself and one to give away to one of my readers from My Blog Spark and Progresso Soup.  No additional compensation was provided.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  The videos in this post were created and written entirely by Colin & Nate.*

Review: Bob Books Reading Magic App (iPad and iPod Touch)

Bob Books was one of the tools I used to help my boys learn to read. I remember thinking they were ridiculously simple, but then realizing that was what made them amazing.  Both boys quickly mastered the small words and short sentences, which gave them almost-instant satisfaction and a confidence boost.

I fully expected to make them available for Lydia, and already have a few sets on the shelves ready for her. When I was contacted about the Reading Magic app they recently released, I was excited to try it out!  There is an app available for the iPod Touch and iPhone, as well as one for the iPad.  We tried both out, and the video shows Lydia using our iPad and the Reading Magic app.



As you can see, she enjoys it!  I was surprised at how quickly she picked it up.  I really liked the fact that you can change the settings so that when they are matching the letters to the word, you can choose from actual letters, or the phonic sounds.  Since she is so comfortable with her letters, we set it for phonics.

She thinks the change from black and white to color is interesting, and laughs at how the characters jiggle on the screen.  I like that they kept the same simple line drawings and backgrounds -- but added the color as tasks are completed in the app.


This gets a 5 star, thumbs-up score!

I'm really excited that I can share a code with one of my readers so they can try it out. Let me know if you want to try the app on the iPad or the iPhone or iPod Touch.  They are 2 different downloads, but the app works almost exactly the same on each platform.

To enter the giveaway, click HERE to jump to the giveaway form.  Before you click, take note of the giveaway name and mandatory question so you can fill in the blanks on the form.  Also, be sure that you have an iPad, iPod Touch or iPhone to install the app. (Link to my giveaway rules can be found to the right)

Giveaway Name: Reading Magic
Mandatory Question: On which device will you install Reading Magic?

This giveaway will end on January 7, 2011.  Good Luck!!

*Disclosure: I received 2 codes to download the Reading Magic app for the iPod Touch and the iPad.  I also will receive a code to give to one of my readers.  No additional compensation was provided.  All opinions and thoughts are my own and Lydia's.*

Review: Skin MD Natural (and Giveaway)

I prefer simple routines, but I never skip using a moisturizer. When given the opportunity to test Skin MD Natural, I was eager to give it a try. I am fairly picky about the moisturizers I use -- I don't like them to be thick, greasy or smelly.  So, I was thrilled when I took a sniff and the scent was very light and pleasant.

I squeezed a bit onto my palm and was very happy with how light it felt.  It soaked in quickly and it a little went a long way.  I have been using it regularly on my face, as well as my hands and legs for 3 weeks now and am very happy with the results.  A little bit goes a long way!

When I smooth it on my face in the morning, it soaks in quickly and leaves a smooth surface for my foundation to glide over. I wash my hands quite often, and usually find myself with extremely dry hands unless I use moisturizer after each hand washing.  With Skin MD Natural, I find that I can use it just a couple times a day and my hands stay soft and smooth.

You can find it at local stores, as well as online at Amazon.  The 4 oz bottle runs for around $18, but since it lasts so long I think that it's a good value.  For a couple extra dollars, it also comes in a version that includes a SPF 15, which is what I recently ordered because in Arizona I like to always wear sun protection on my face.  I will continue to use the regular bottle for my hands and legs.

The lotion is made from 93% natural or plant-based ingredients. Their website lists each ingredient and explains what each does for the lotion.

The lotion is made in the USA in a 100% solar-powered plant.  I love when I find out that a product is not only made in the USA, but is also made using solar energy.

Skin MD Natural wants to give one of my readers the opportunity to try out this wonderful lotion. To enter the giveaway, click HERE to jump to the giveaway form.  Before you click, take note of the giveaway name and mandatory question so you can fill in the blanks on the form.  (Link to my giveaway rules can be found to the right)

Giveaway Name: Skin MD
Mandatory Question: When do you moisturize? morning, evening, all day long?

This giveaway will end on January 10, 2011.  Good Luck!!

*Disclosure: I received a bottle of Skin MD Natural to facilitate this review. Skin MD Natural will send another bottle to one of my readers.  No additional compensation was provided.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

2010 Resolutions Reviewed

On January 1, I listed a few resolutions I set for 2010.  I guess it stinks sometimes to put them in writing, stuck on the Internet, so I could look back and see how I did.  I only listed 3, but managed to fulfill only 1.

There was a ton of travel in our family in 2010.  We started the year with a trip to the Grand Canyon, and made trips as a family to Tucson, Camp Verde, Flagstaff twice, Vegas, a local resort, Milwaukee (the boys & Bo, and then later me & Lydia) and California.  There was even more travel as I traveled for 2 different clients (Winslow, New Mexico, Iowa and British Columbia) and even Bo traveled for work (Minnesota).  I don't think a month went by without somebody traveling, and many months had multiple trips.  So, our desire for travel, and specifically visiting more of Arizona was definitely met.

My plan to use reusable bags more often should have been an easier resolution to keep than traveling, but I wasn't very good about it.  I have a nice collection, but I'm still not in the habit of remembering to use them regularly.

And, I still can't crochet more than a chain.  I think too many things came up and a quiet pursuit like crocheting just didn't fit into our life in 2010.

One resolution that I didn't share last year was one that Bo made.  He said he wanted to visit Disney again this year.  I didn't blog about most of the challenges we've faced in the last couple years, but I will share that we've had our fair share and I was extremely skeptical when he made that declaration back in January.  And, then, as things happened through the year, it seemed less and less probable.  But, we kept it as a goal, and slowly but surely managed to put the trip together.

So, even though my results were 1 out of 3 (2 out of 4 if we count in Bo's resolution), I still think there is something to be said for declaring a goal and working towards it.  To be honest, the most important resolution for me was to travel more -- and I met that with great success.  Maybe I should make only one resolution a year, and focus even harder on that one . . . who knows where else we might have gone if I had done that this year?

Disney on Ice - Phoenix Special Savings Code! (and GIVEAWAY)

We had an awesome time at Disneyland last month, so I'm excited that we have the opportunity to attend Disney on Ice on January 19th and see the characters again!  The kids had so much fun during our trip, and the opportunities they had to visit with the characters was very special. The kids are going to be thrilled to see this show!


Disney on Ice is bringing the show Let's Celebrate to the US Airways Center in Phoenix from January 19 - 23, 2011.

From the show's promotional information -- It’s one colossal party on ice, with all your favorite Disney friends! Join Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse as they celebrate a Very Merry Unbirthday Party with Alice and the Mad Hatter; a Royal Valentine’s Day Ball with the Disney Princesses, including Cinderella, Ariel and Tiana; a Hawaiian luau with Lilo & Stitch; a winter wonderland with Woody and Buzz Lightyear from Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story; a Halloween haunt with the Disney Villains and more in a magical medley of holidays, celebrations and festivals from around the globe. Come join the party when this spectacular ice show visits your hometown! 

As a special to my readers, I can share the special discount code of "MOM" so that you can purchase 4 tickets for $44 - good for the Thursday, Jan 20th 7:30pm show, Friday, Jan 21st 10:30am and 7:30pm shows, Saturday, Jan 22nd 7:30pm show, and the Sunday, Jan 23rd 5:30pm show (excluding Front Row and VIP seating).  This is the best discount in our market, so please take advantage of it!  You can use the code online at Ticketmaster or over the phone.

AND, the generous folks at Feld Entertainment have given me FOUR tickets for the Wednesday night opening show to give to one of my readers! These Disney shows are always a fantastic experience and we have thoroughly enjoyed each one we've attended.  I love that I have the chance to share the experience with one of my local readers!

To enter the giveaway, click HERE to jump to the giveaway form.  Before you click, take note of the giveaway name and mandatory question so you can fill in the blanks on the form.  Also, be sure that you're available the evening of January 19, 2011 so you can attend the show!


Giveaway Name: 2011 Disney on Ice
Mandatory Question: What character would you like to celebrate your birthday with?

This giveaway will end on January 12, 2011.  Good Luck!!


*Disclsoure: In exchange for sharing information about the Disney on Ice show and discount codes, my family received tickets to attend the show from Feld Entertainment, as well as a pack of tickets to give away.  No additional compensation was provided.  All opinions and thoughts are my own.*

Tell Me Thursday - Us

This may be my favorite picture of 2010.

I'm grateful for the woman walking by that offered to snap it for us, as it's rare to get a picture of all of us when we're out. We were at Huntington Beach, CA, on the last day of our recent vacation.  We're all a bit wind-blown and chilled, but we're very happy to be together.

Wordless Wednesday -- Us

Review: Roman Town

The boys invited a few friends over a couple weeks ago and had a blast playing a new computer game, Roman Town. The game sets up the kids as archeologists and gives them the chance to participate in a dig and learn about artifacts.  The boys (ages 8 - 13) all had a good time playing the game and discovering new things.

The game was easy to navigate and the kids didn't need any prompting and very little help playing it.  They ran into some frustrations when asked to fill in a report, but the older kids stepped in and got the report completed so they could go on and uncover more artifacts.  There were plenty of opportunities to learn more about the things they discovered and they had fun playing for quite a while!




Mommy Parties, who sponsored the party along with Roman Town's creators (dig-itgames.com), sent along a fun package including not only copies of the game, but also water bottles and hats for the kids.  The kids got a kick out of the hats, which they don't have much opportunity to wear in Arizona, and all the water bottles got used that day.

The boys had fun playing in the dirt in our backyard after playing on the computer and did a little discovery of their own.  They had a fun afternoon, and played hard.

My boys have played the game a few times since the party.  I wish there was a download option as well as a CD option because my boys' netbooks don't have CD drives and I would've liked to load the game on their machines.

I love that Roman Town was educational as well as fun for the kids!  Definitely a game to consider for your kids.