An Upcoming Review: Little Fockers

In the next few days, I plan on doing a review of the Little Fockers movie.   The reviews I have already out about the movie stated that many critics thought the movie was big mistake.  However, the third movie in the Meet the Parents franchise brought in over $34 million over the Christmas holiday.  

My plan is to review the movie in the next few days and prepare a review.  In the meantime, here is a trailer.  

I know that I never got around to this review.   Things got really busy in my life but I may review it when it is out on DVD.

More Reasons to Love CSN Stores

As you know, I love ordering from CSN stores and I have placed many orders with them.  Thus far, I have been very happy with the quality of their products and their delivery times and options.  Last month, I placed an order with CSN stores. That order included a Pfaltzgraff Edgehill Frost 20 Piece Flatware Set and it was something that I wanted to arrive before Thanksgiving.  I received it in a matter of days.  As a matter of fact, they even upgraded my delivery option so I had my order quicker than I thought I would.

This is the type of the customer service and quality you can expect from the people at CSN stores.  Whether you are looking to buy pictures, lamps or a corner TV stand, you won’t get anything less than quality products and quality service from CSN stores. 

Right now, if you shop online, any product marked “arrive by Christmas” will arrive in time for Christmas and all your purchases include an extended holiday return policy through January 31, 2011.  If you are looking for more great offers, check out CSN stores Facebook page.  Click their “special offers” tab for great savings on holiday gifts.

Because I really stand by my opinion of CSN stores, I keep myself updated on their history and their successes.  In 2010 they were ranked number 61 of 500 on the Internet Retailer 500 by Internet Retailer magazine.  Their motto is “shop easy” and with 200 online stores and over 600 employees, they make that possible.  

My order from last month included the Pfaltzgraff Edgehill Frost 20 Piece Flatware Set.  As usual, it was reasonably priced, arrived sooner than I expected, and the quality is great.  Thus far, I have been really happy with any and every product I have received from CSN stores.  What I like most about CSN stores is their little sidebar information area that includes, shipping and delivery estimates, how many they have in stock, the type of parcel your item will be shipped in, where they ship, and even the quality of the product. Most online stores don’t give you that option but try CSN stores for yourself because trust me, you will be hooked.

New Giveaway

I have recently had the opportunity to review David J. Pollay’s book, The Law of the Garbage Truck™.   David and the people at Sterling Publishing have also generously offered a second copy for me to giveaway. 

For more details, come visit my chronic illness blog, Living It, Loving It.

 

Giveaway is open to all residents of the USA and Canada and ends November 15. Thanks all.

Why I love CSN Stores!

I love that I can find everything that I need right at my computer and CSN stores offers me that opportunity.  That is why I am happy to have another opportunity to work with them.  

I know that I have written many posts where I blog about how great they are but I am going to say it again.  They have over 200 online stores and literally billions of products.  If you are searching for a barstool, a coffee table, holiday décor, toys or anything you can think of, you have to check these guys out!  A few months ago, I blogged about their great products and even hosted a giveaway which so many you really loved so you are going to really like what I have planned. 

  

With the holidays approaching, you need a one stop shop for all your gifts, décor, and meal planning.  Take it from an overwhelmed working mother and make the CSN stores website your new best friend. 

Ebeanstalk and Pound a Peg Review

I have been a Ebeanstalk parenting fan for quite some time and I have done reviews for them in the past and have purchased their products. 

Ebeanstalk is a toy website that does their best to provide you with the best educational toys out there. They like to stay informed about the best learning toys and toddler toys by having people like me and you tell them about their favorites!  What are the perfect baby gifts?  Does your child have one toy he/she just won't put down? Head on over to ebeanstalk and tell them what they are!

We received the Melissa and Doug Pound a Peg Toy a week or so ago and my toddler refuses to put it down.  Boys love anything that makes noise and that they can spend all day pounding.  I love the fact that a reasonably priced educational toy can provide hours of entertainment and education time for a toddler. 

The Pound a Peg toy features a hammer and eight colored pegs that can be pounded into the bench.  When all the pegs have been pounded, you simply flip it over and allow your toddler to hammer again.  After playing it for a few days, my son is starting to remember the colors and says them as he pounds them down.  He is also making the effort to count the eight pegs as well.  Although, I do think that he is most entertained by the pounding and hammering.. (Sorry, no future genius here!). My toddler misplaced one of the blue pegs and keeps telling me that ‘the blue one is missing,” so we are definitely getting our colors down.

Each toy from Ebeanstalk comes with an instruction card about the toy and ideas to help your children master developmental skills. For instance, the Pound a Peg is designed to teach “hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and color recognition.”   

Melissa and Doug offer a seal of approval that their products are ‘carefully crafted using non-toxic coatings and meet or exceed all U.S. toy testing standards.”  With all the recent toy recalls, toy buying can make a parent weary.  Go ahead and put your trust in Ebeanstalk and Melissa and Doug so that toy buying this holiday season is stress-free.

***
I did not hear back from the winner of the Dragon Art giveaway.  If I do not hear from that person by 10 am tomorrow, I will pick a new winner.

The Winner the DragonArt Evolution by J. “NeonDragon” Peffer is…

Commenter No. 2: henley0715.  I will send you an email shortly.

DragonArt Evolution by J. “NeonDragon” Peffer can be purchased through Impact Books or through Amazon.

I have an upcoming review for Ebeanstalk toys.   Look for that in the next couple of days.

Bringing Dragons to Life - Review and Giveaway

The Review

I am not the artistic type but having the opportunity to be gave me a better idea how to turn into an artist.  Okay, maybe not, but my ten year old had a ball bringing dragons to life.  My favorite thing about this book is that it even newbies like me an idea how drawings can come to life through a step-by-step process.  I also like the section on how to color dragons so not only are you sketching but you are also coloring your dragons to life.

DragonArt Evolution by J. “NeonDragon” Peffer is not just for beginners but is also for those you have an interest and a talent.  This is a great way to get your kids creativity flowing and with all the designs available, there is no time for boredom.

The Giveaway

So, if you would like to get your kids of the TV, get yourself a copy or better yet, enter to win this giveaway.   Just leave a comment letting me know if you want to be entered into the giveaway.  You have until Sunday, October 10, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. to enter.  I will pick the winner through Random.org the following day by noon. Make sure you leave an email address so I can contact you. U.S. and Canadian addresses only (No P.O. Boxes please)

You can also purchase “NeonDragon” Peffer’s newest release DragonArt Evolution through Impact Books or through Amazon.

Upcoming DRAGONART EVOLUTION Review Giveaway

Let’s face it: today’s kids don’t know how to use their imaginations and that means that they are not being creative. A lot of this has to do with the time that they spend watching television and playing video games. According to National Institute on Media and the Family, American children watch about 25 hours of television and play seven hours of computer games weekly.

Remember when we were kids we spent time outside, used our imaginations, read books, and spent time being creative and it did not take much for us to get creative either. These days, if you want your children to enjoy play and be creative, they need encouragement. J. “NeonDragon” Peffer’s newest release DRAGONART EVOLUTION (Impact Books; August 2010; $22.99) is a start because it brings their favorite fictional characters to life on paper and through creative imagination.

The review should be up by Friday and you will have one week to enter. I also have an upcoming review for Ebeanstalk Toys.  I have done reviews before for Ebeanstalk and I find that they are unique because they provide learning toys and educational toys that promote a child's development rather than simply providing toys.

eBeanstalk and The Importance of Playtime

Playtime is essential is to the development of children. Playtime assists with healthy growth and physical development as early as birth into the school age years. Depending on the age of the child, social skills are learned and developed through play. Interaction also teaches a basic understanding of emotions especially in newborns and infants and as children grow, they start to development large muscle skills needed for crawling, walking and running through the toddler years. Preschoolers and school agers develop social, emotional, physical and cognitive skills through play.

At eBeanstalk, they know that playtime is the biggest contributor of healthy development and leads to learning, curiosity, and exploration. They also know how important educational toys are to you as the parent. That is why they have created toys for every age level. They have selected the best toys and games to help with growth and learning and they do this by matching toys to each stage of development. Whether you are looking for baby toys,  kids toys or toddler toys, eBeanstalk has something for the teacher in you.

With so many toys to choose from, it's hard to pick out the perfect ones for your children. Ebeanstalk wants to make sure they have the best toys around and they could really use your help. Head on over to ebeanstalk and tell them what your favorite baby toys and kids toys are! It's important to them to provide great toddler toys and the only way they can make sure they have the right ones is to get feedback from moms like you and me!

Eggs Recalled due to health risks

Hilldale Farms of Iowa is voluntary recalling eggs because they may be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In some serious cases, infection can go into the bloodstream and cause arterial infections, endocarditis, or arthritis.

The affected eggs are packaged under the following brand names: Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farms and Kemps. Eggs are packed in varying sizes of cartons (6-egg cartons, dozen egg cartons, 18-egg cartons) with Julian dates ranging from 136 to 225 and plant numbers 1026, 1413 and 1946. Dates and codes can be found stamped on the end of the egg carton. The plant number begins with the letter P and then the number. The Julian date follows the plant number, for example: P-1946 223.

For more information.

Winner of the Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop

I have picked the winner of the Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop through Random.org and that person is Commenter #4 stephy905 who said this is what she hates mop about mopping:

“What I hate about mopping is my mop. It spreads the dirt around more then it picks it up.”

I am will send you an email. Thanks everyone for participating. You can purchase the Reveal Spray Mop online, at www.rubbermaidreveal.com, at Home Depot, Walmart and Target for $29.99.

Check back in for giveaways in the future.

Rubbermaid Reveal Mop Review and Giveaway

Rubbermaid has released a new product: the Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop. Rubbermaid was kind enough to send me the Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop for me to review and blog about. In addition, they are giving one away to one lucky reader of this blog.

I am very happy that Rubbermaid asked me to review the Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop because Rubbermaid has been a household name for most of the 20th century so most of us grew up with Rubbermaid in our homes, and now as adults, we use their products in our homes. With that said, we are confident in their products and they don’t let us down.

The Reveal Spray mop is not a disposal mop nor does it use disposal cloths so it saves you money. I own the Swiffer and one of the things that always boggles my mind is how the minute I open the package I realize that this is the wettest that the disposal cloths will ever be. No matter how sealed the container is, the cloths manage to dry up. With the Reveal Spray Mop, you can use hot water and your favorite cleaner and not worry about the mop not containing enough cleaning solution to clean your floors. The Swiffer Wet Jet is okay, but you have to keep adding batteries and replacing those cloths that do not really pick up much. You are saving more money than you would by buying the Spray Mop than you would with the Swiffer. For more information, check out the Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop’s FAQs page.

I am one of those people that hate mops because you have to clean them. Yuck! I hated that growing up and when the Swiffer came out, I thought it was wonderful but it never really gave me the cleaning power I wanted, and often times, I would forget that I was out of disposal cloths at the most inconvenient times. I don’t have that to worry about now. I can use the Reveal Spray Mop until I get tired of the microfiber pad and purchase a new one.

Cleaning the Reveal Spray Mop’s microfiber pad is easy. It can be washed by hand or thrown in your washing machine and you can wash it up to 100 times before you have to replace it. You can even put it a low setting in the dryer if you need it to quickly dry. If you washed it everyday (not that you would), that would be a little over three months. Since each package comes with an extra reusable pad, you could go up to six months or more without have to pick up any supplies. It would cost $29.99 for six months of cleaning power. Now, that is a great deal. But don’t believe me, try it for yourself.

What I like most about the Reveal Spray Mop is that the swivel head moves sideways into my Swiffer cannot reach. I am taking about tight areas like next to your stove and under your cabinets. It does not use batteries but it has a little pump right at the handle to spray out clean and it cleaner and it sprays a much further distance than the Swiffer. It was very easy to install and took only about three minutes of my time. One other issue that bothered me about the Swiffer was that the cloth kept sliding off. With the Reveal Spray Map, you do not have to worry about the cloth sliding off while mopping even when you are using it in tight place. You can use it on any type of floor; wood, vinyl, laminate, tile, etc.

If you are looking for savings, convenience, and versatility, make the Reveal Spray Mop your friend. Currently you can purchase the Reveal Spray Mop online and at your local Home Depot. In the upcoming weeks, you will also be able to find it at your local Target or Wal-Mart.

Would you have to win a Reveal Spray Mop? Just let me know what you hate about mopping in comment box below and leave an email address so I have a way to contact you. You have until 11:59 p.m. EST Friday, July 30 to get your entry in. US and Canada only.  The winner will be picked by Random.org and announced Saturday afternoon. I will also contact the winner by email and you will have 48 hours to get back to me.

Rapper - He is only seven!!!

Winner of the Ginsu Bakelite 5 Piece Prep Cutlery Set from CSN stores.

The winner commenter number 5: One Frugal Lady. I will contact you by email.

Don’t forget you can currently purchase this Ginsue Bakelite Cutlery Set from CSN Stores for 45% off of the regular price.

The next giveaway will be for the Reveal Spray Mop from Rubbermaid.

There is an additonal giveaway happening at my chronic illness blog for FibroWHYalgia by Susan E. Ingebretson.

Come by and particpate in the Bloggers Unite “Empowering People with Disabilities” event,

Updates

You have until 11:59 p.m. to enter the CSN stores giveaway.  I will announce the winner tomorrow afternoon.

There is a new review and giveaway at my chronic illness book for Susan E. Ingebretson’s book, FibroWHYalgia: Why Rebuilding the Ten Root Causes of Chronic Illness Restores Chronic Wellness.

Tomorrow is the Bloggers Unite “Empowering People with Disabilities” event and its goal to raise awareness about empowerment of those with disabilities.  If you would like to participate, click HERE for more information.

My next review here will be for the Reveal Spray Mop.  Look for that early next week.

CSN Stores Product Reviews and Giveaway

The people at CSN stores were kind enough to send me two of their products for review on this blog, and in addition, they will give away one of the products I reviewed to one lucky reader of this blog.

Why CSN stores?

As a working mother, I am constantly looking for ways to have a less stressful work-life balance because the lack of balance makes my family’s life chaotic and keeps my blood pressure high up there. So, give me your time, if you will, and forget about those “rollback” retailers, and let me introduce you to CSN stores.

CSN stores  is an online retailer based in the Boston, Massachusetts. It started selling online in 2002 and now has over 200 online stores, with each store focusing on a niche area of products (i.e. dining rooms from their dining website), with a wide range of products with different styles for your individual personality and prices that meet every budget. In fact, their tag line is “Shop Easy,” and this working mom needs easy in her life because that “easy button” isn’t really doing much for me. When I say that they sell EVERYTHING, I really mean EVERYTHING. (Yes, the all caps are for dramatic effect and the intention was to shout.) Whether are searching for cookware, housewares, backpacks, or patio, bedroom, or dining room furniture, CSN stores will make your life a whole lot easier. 

As a working mother, one of the things I don’t have enough of is time. Often times, I wish I could invent more hours in the day. My time with my family is precious and also, pressured. I want to focus more on my family and household tasks in the evening such as shopping and preparing meals are not necessarily activities I really want to do, but they have to be done and CSN stores can be visited any time and I don’t worry about closing time either. (Can you visualize me making it to “fill store name in” as they are locking the doors? It shouldn’t be too hard considering the human fuel tank is always running on “E.”) Of course, other stores have websites but they do not offer as many products and options as CSN stores have. One of the products I am reviewing is one that minimizes my time in the kitchen in the evening; that is time with I would rather spend with my family. The more time saving opportunities I have, the less grouchy I am the following morning and that makes my family happy, and if they are happy, I am happy. See, it is really a win-win situation. (It is like when I get to watch Doctor Who without any interruptions.)

Presto 8-Qt Aluminum Pressure Cooker

The first item up for review is the Presto 8-Qt Aluminum Pressure Cooker. I can say many great things about this product but I am simply happy with the fact that it cut my cooking time in half. I have Mediterranean roots and my family loves grape leaves, but grape leaves are best cooked in a pressure cooker but I will get back to the grape leaves that I made this past weekend later in the post. In addition to the time saved, pressure cookers offer several advantages including the use of much less water so dishes are ready sooner. Less energy is used with boiling, steaming and cooking and since I have an electric stove, I dread a high electric bill. Less water also means food comes to a cooking temperature faster. When food is cooked at a temperature that is above the normal boiling point, it kills bacteria and viruses. That also makes it a great sterilizer for baby bottles if you have a wee little one or those binkies that we still cannot seem to get rid of at my house.

Food prepared in a pressure cooker tastes much better because heat is evenly, deeply, and quickly distributed. You do not need to immerse your food in water because all you need is enough to keep the cooker filled with steam. This means that vitamins and minerals do not dissolve and your meals are much healthier than other cooking methods. I am floating on cloud nine here folks, because healthy, without much effort, is this working mother’s dream. (Yea, go me.)

The Presto Pressure Cooker has many great features. First, it was easy to install which is something I always like because, again, this working mom loves things that are quick and easy. Moreover, the setup, when you are ready to cook, is so simple and yet again, I like simple.

Other product features include:

• Cooks three to ten times faster than ordinary cooking methods

• Pressure cooking preserves flavors and nutrients, and even tenderizes lean cuts of meat

• Pressure regulator maintains the proper cooking pressure automatically

• Ideal for use on regular and smooth-top ranges

• Strong, heavy-gauge aluminum for quick, even heating, easy cleaning, and long life

• Cover lock indicator shows at a glance if there is pressure inside the cooker

• Includes cooking rack and complete 64-page instruction/recipe book

• Extended 12-year limited warranty

You can currently purchase the Presto 8-Qt Aluminum Pressure Cooker at CSN Stores for 25% off the regular price.

By the way, those grape leaves were yummy and there were no leftovers. I would like to say that I am a great cook but after making grape leaves for years now, the Presto 8-Qt Aluminum Pressure Cooker deserves 50% of the credit (My husband says 95% so he will visiting the imaginary doghouse tonight).

The Ginsu Bakelite 5 Piece Prep Cutlery Set

Okay, folks, this is our giveaway item from the generous folks at CSN stores. You know those guys that sell you everything from dining room furniture to patio furniture to anything your heart desires. The Ginsu Bakelite 5 Piece Prep Cutlery Set is currently 45% of its regular price so even a cheapskate, like me, knows this is a great deal.

The Ginsu Bakelite Cutlery set includes a chef’s knife, santoku knife, utility knife, paring knife and a natural hardwood storage block. If you are not a top notch chef in your kitchen, you are probably asking what a santoku knife is, and don’t tell me you will know it when you see it because that makes about as much sense as the Supreme Court attempting to define obscenity. The word “santoku” means “three virtues” in Japanese and the santoku knife has three great qualities: chopping, dicing and mincing,” just like a Jackie Chan movie (yes, I know he is Chinese, but stay with me). Santoku knives are designed to offer a comfortable, well-balanced grip, while allowing full use of the blade.

This Ginsu set offers the following features:

• Unique double edge blade for precision cutting

• Serrated knives never need sharpening for strength and durability

• Commercial quality

• Convenient hardwood storage block keeps your knives organized, safe and ready to use

• A lifetime warranty. (I love warranties!)

Now that I have worn you down with all the specifics of both these items and told you that CSN stores is a working mother’s dream come true, let’s talk about the giveaway.

The Giveaway – Drum Roll please . . .

CSN stores is giving away a Ginsu Bakelite 5 Piece Prep Cutlery Set to one lucky reader of this blog. If you want to be entered to win, leave me a comment letting me know whether you already knew what a santoku knife was or not.

For two additional entries,

• Become a follower of this blog and then, leave a second comment saying you are following. If you are already a follower, remind me since I am forgetful.

• You can tweet this giveaway to OhBoy_Boys and then leave a third comment saying that tweeted.

This Giveaway will end Friday, July 23, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST so get your entry in by then.

DON’T FORGET TO LEAVE ME YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS SO I CAN CONTACT YOU. The Winner will be chosen by Random.org. I will post the Winner here and email the winner directly. You will then have 48 hours to claim your Prize. U.S. and Canadian addresses only (No P.O. Boxes please).

I was not paid for this review. CSN Stores sent me the two products for review. The opinions expressed belong entirely to me. Thank you CSN Stores for allowing me the opportunity to review your products.

Winner of Greek - Double Date and next giveaway announced.

This contest is now closed. The winner is Linda who was the first commenter. I will send you an email requesting your mailing address.

My next review and giveaway will be from CSN stores. I will be reviewing two items that they sell in their online store.

The first is their Presto 8-Qt Aluminum Pressure Cooker. I will be offering a review on the pressure cooker.

The second item, I will be reviewing is a Ginsu Bakelite 5 Piece Prep Cutlery Set and one lucky reader will win this item.

CSN Stores is a Boston-based online retailer that offers one stop shopping. Whether you are looking for dining room furniture, bedroom furniture, housewares, cookware, kids’ toys or handbags, you are sure to find it at CSN stores.

I will have the CSN Stores Giveaway posted towards the end of the week.  You will then have a week to enter to win.

Great Grips Door Knob Grippers Review

Most of us take for granted something as simple as opening a door but for people with arthritic conditions and weak hands, this can be a difficult and painful task. I contacted the gracious people at Great Grips about their Door Grippers and they recently sent to me some of their Great Grip Door Knob Grippers to review. I also received a set of the Great Grips Red and Blue Faucet Grips. Before I offer my review, I would like to let you know more about Great Grips and the company’s founder and inventor of Great Grips, Patrick Going.

For the rest of my review, visit Living It, Loving It.

Don't forget I have a upcoming review and giveaway for CSN stores.

GIVEAWAY: Win Greek - Double Date by Marsha Warner!

Thanks to Tricia at Media Muscle, I have a copy of “Greek: Double Date” to give away. It's the first book from Harlequin Teen based on the hit TV show, and sounds perfect for fans of both the show and teen fiction.

Synopsis: Casey Cartwright cannot wait to go to the all-Greek formal. There is only problem. He promised her younger brother, Rusty, that she would go to the Honors Engineering Awards with her brother’s geeky friend, Dale on the same night on the formal. But she made a promise and she has to keep it. You will have to read the book to see how Casey pulls this off.

I handed off my copy to my teenage niece to read and she loved it.  She said that if you have not seen the show, it takes a little more for you to understand the characters and themes.  Otherwise, she really liked it and looking forward to the next book in the series "Best Frenemies" which is scheduled for October 2010.

“Double Date” by Marsha Warner is the first book in the “Greek” series. You can enter to win a copy for yourself or for someone else.

All you have to do is leave a comment saying that you would like to be entered.

For two additional entries,

• Become a follower and leave a comment. If you are already a follower, just leave a comment telling for that.
• You can also tweet about this giveaway to OhBoy_Boys and then leave comment saying that tweeted.
This Giveaway will end Monday, July 12, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. so get your entry in by then.

The Winner will be chosen by Random.org. I will post the Winner here and email the winner directly. You will then have 48 hours to claim your Prize. U.S. and Canadian addresses only (No P.O. Boxes please).

You can purchase “Greek: Double Date” at Amazon for $9.99.

For more information on “Greek: Double Date,” visit the EHarlequin website where you can save 30% off the price.

Review of Grown Ups

Friday night, I had the opportunity to watch the movie, Grown Ups, at one of Ohio’s few remaining drive-ins. There have been some positive reviews out and some negative ones, like this one by James Rocchi, of MSN reviews.

Personally, I loved the movie and I might have a bias considering I have always been an Adam Sandler fan. http://www.adamsandler.com Put Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, and David Spade in a movie together and you will wonder why you forgot to bring your depends and purchased one of those rather expensive movie size coca-colas.

The summary of the movie is as follows. Thirty years after high school, five good friends reunite with their families for a Fourth of July weekend to honor their now deceased coach and to spread his ashes. They gather at the lake house where they celebrated their biggest basketball victory. Over the course of the weekend, the friends realize that, even though they are grown ups and started families, they still are good friends.

The main characters are:

• Lenny, played by Adam Sandler, is a levelheaded leader and a major Hollywood agent, married to a fashion developer, and is raising three spoiled children.

• Eric, played by Kevin James, is a goofy sidekick who has recently become an unemployed businessman and is married to a woman who is still breastfeeding their four year old.

• Kurt, played by Chris Rock, is a soft spoken, domesticated husband married to a Type A wife.

• Marcus, played by David Spade, is prankster, a womanizer and a full time party animal.

• Last, Rob, played Rob Schneider, is an oddball who endures all the pranks and punch lines that the group throws at him, and he is married to an older woman who is merely an older version of himself, thus making him the butt of more jokes.

Grown Ups is not any different from prior Adam Sandler movies in that Sandler brings with him a sense of seriousness with a childlike experience. It is all about friends who share a special bond of brotherhood that time cannot take away. Grown Ups also pokes at the chaos of normal adult life. When the group gathers, they do not just experience a reminder of their friendship but also strong emotional support from one another.

Sandler’s spoiled children learn important life lessons, Eric gets a job and Kurt develops a backbone. Marcus learns morality and Rob continues to be made fun of. If anything, Grown Ups is like a PG 13 version of Saturday Night Live. Moreover, it is a great reminder of friendships and brotherhood that nothing, including time, can change.

If you need something to do this holiday weekend and comedy is your thing, Grown Ups just might be your next favorite movie. Here are some teaser clips of the movie.

Happy Fourth Everyone!

Winner of Pamela Callow’s Thriller, DAMAGED

The winner of this giveaway is commenter number five, Christine, who took an additional entry option and tweeted this giveaway. Congrats Christine. I will be emailing you shortly.

If you did not win, DAMAGED by Pamela Callow through MIRA Books for order on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Amazon.ca and Chapters.indigo.ca. Or, find a local independent bookstore for purchase.

Pamela Callow’s next thriller in the Kate Lange series, INDEFENSIBLE, will be out in January 2011.

We have a new giveaway scheduled for Monday. It is a chance to win GREEK: DOUBLE DATE by Marsha Warner.

Other upcoming reviews include a review and giveaway for a Rubbermaid Reveal Spray Mop, which should be up in a couple weeks and a review for CSN Stores, an online retailer that sells everything from dining room and bathroom furniture, to housewares and clothing.

At my other blog, Living It, Loving It, where I blog about Rheumatoid Arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic Illness, their affect on my life, arthritis advocacy and education, I have an upcoming product review for Great Grips (Round doorknobs can be difficult to open for seniors, arthritis sufferers, people with disabilities or even when your hands are full!) and also three different book reviews on three different topics, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia and Autoimmune Disease and the Working Women – all topics dear to my heart.

The upcoming book reviews are:

Death by Rheumatoid Arthritis by Carla Jones

FibroWHYalgia: Why Rebuilding the Ten Root Causes of Chronic Illness Restores Chronic Wellness by Susan E. Ingebretson

Women, Work, and Autoimmune Disease: Keep Working, Girlfriend! By Rosalind Joffe and Joan Friedlander

As you can see, we have an exciting summer line up and there will be additions forthcoming so stay tuned. Follow my blogs or add them to your Google Readers so that you can get all the updates.

I also plan on doing a movie review for the movie Grown Ups, which I saw last night, in the next day or so, but give me some time to catch my breath.  What I can tell you about the movie right now is that it is a great casting call to put Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade and Rob Schneider in a movie together.

DAMAGED, Book Review and Giveaway

REVIEW

Lawyer Kate Lange is tortured by the guilt of her sister’s death and because she is daughter of a con man. The guilt is something she lives with everyday of her life and she keeps these secrets from those in her life. Her former fiancé, Ethan Drake, a police detective, finds out her secrets and ends their relationship because she kept these things from him. However, Kate’s life is about to change. She purchases a home in her old neighborhood and takes on a new job with a prominent law firm in hopes of making a name for herself.

After four months of being handed one family law case after another, Kate insists that she be given a litigation matter. However, the managing partner, Randall Barrett, insists she take on another family law matter because she still has a lot to prove. The family law issue involves a grandmother seeking to gain custody of her teenage granddaughter whose mother is a prominent criminal judge. She tells the grandmother that the case will not hold and offers some advice to the grandmother on how to proceed. Kate conscience starts to get the better of her but before she can intervene, the granddaughter is viciously murdered. She also receives a litigation case that involves a company that makes surgical products made of cadaver tissue where she finds some inconsistencies regarding tissue samples received by her client from a tissue harvesting company. When she starts asking questions, the founding partner for the firm, John Lyons, urges the client to settle the case and takes her off of it.

Kate starts to feel guilty for not being able to help the grandmother with her family law issue, for being called out by Lyons, for having something to prove to Barrett, and for feeling that she needs to do something to advocate for the slain girl, Kate starts to investigate. Her instincts lead her in the right direction but put her in the middle of a legal conspiracy and Halifax’s serial killer, the Body Butcher. She tries to seek the assistance of Ethan, her former fiancé and the lead detective on the serial killer case, but he tells her to keep her distance and let the police do their jobs.

Randall Barrett and Ethan Drake have bad history between them but after Kate disappears, they must work together to find her. With several young women having already been brutally killed and dismembered by the Body Butcher, Kate must fight for her life after she discovers a dangerous plot and a brutal killer’s connection. Kate is about to be the next victim and every second counts.

Pamela Callow’s thriller, DAMAGED, is a one you will not want to put down and I guarantee you will be squirming to find out what happens next. After reading DAMAGED, you will be eager to read Callow’s next novel, INDEFENSIBLE, where the fearless Kate Lange returns for another criminal scandal.

GIVEAWAY

To enter to win a copy of DAMAGED, please leave a comment telling what was the last thriller you read and by which author.

For two additional entries,

• Become a follower of this blog and then, leave a comment saying you are following.

• You can tweet this giveaway to OhBoy_Boys and then leave comment saying that tweeted.

This Giveaway will end Friday, July 2, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. so get your entry in by then.

The Winner will be chosen by Random.org. I will post the Winner here and email the winner directly. You will then have 48 hours to claim your Prize. U.S. and Canadian addresses only (No P.O. Boxes please).

THE LIES WE TOLD Giveaway Winner

The winner was generated via Random.org and is commenter # 15 told us her favorite author and novel was:

Loved The Daughters of Boston series by Julie Lessman - karenk

Congrats. I will send you an email. You will have until Monday at noon to get back to me.  If I do not hear from you, I will have to pick a new winner.  Thanks everyone else who participated.

The next review and giveaway will be up Monday morning and it will be for Pamela Callow’s DAMAGED.

Grown Ups Movie

I have been looking forward to watching “Grown Ups” and it hits theaters today. One of the main reasons I am excited about this movie is because I am a mother to boys and I understand all too well that boys will be boys and some longer than others.

Grown Ups stars a great group of funny guys: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, and Rob Schneider. It is about five old friends who are former teammates who reunite to honor the passing of their childhood basketball coach.

Their wives, played by Salma Hayek, Maria Bello, Maya Rudolph, and their children are in tow to celebrate a Fourth of July holiday together at the same lake house where they celebrated their championship many years prior. The guys pick up right where they left off and find out that growing older really does not mean growing up.



What movies you are looking forward to this summer?

DAMAGED, by Pamela Callow

Author Pamela Callow introduces us to struggling, 30-something lawyer, Kate Lange, who has just landed herself a dream job at one of Halifax’s top law firms. Thrilled with her new position at Lyon McGrath Barrett, she is assigned a new client where is a grandmother seeking custody of her disobedient teenage granddaughter whom she suspects is using drugs and hanging out with the wrong people. Kate wants to notify Child Protection but the Grandmother asks her not to because her mother is an ambitious criminal court judge hoping for a position in the Supreme Court. Three days later, the granddaughter is found brutally murdered and dismembered and Kate finds herself overwhelmed with guilt and wanting answers.

Pamela Callow’s spine-tingling thrilled DAMAGED (MIRA Books, June 2010) comes out this later this month, but next week, exclusively for readers of this blog, I will post an in-depth review of Kate Lange’s career-making case that leads Kate to a conspiracy that rocks the biomedical research field and puts her in the middle of a deadly investigation.

Visit http://www.pamcallow.com/books.html for an exclusive sneak peek of the first five chapters.



My review we be up Monday, June 28 and you will have until Friday, July 2 at 11:59. Become a follower of this blog so that you are able to see updates for reviews and giveaway posts and opinion posts through Blogger or Google Reader. You still have until tomorrow midnight to enter the giveaway for Diane Chamberlain’s THE LIES WE TOLD.  This will be the last giveaway posted at my personal blog.From now on, all reviews will be posted here. I will, however, let you know there that new reviews are posted.

Wordless Wednesday - Tranquility

Diane Chamberlain Book Review and Giveaway

BOOK REVIEW

Maya and Rebecca Ward are sisters who share many secrets. They both have medical degrees and they both share the memory of their parents’ brutal murder. The Lies We Told reveals that all people have secrets and some secrets are those that we don’t even tell the ones closest to us because of the pain that those secrets hold. Diane Chamberlain’s latest novel reveals the complicated nature of the relationship that sisters have and the secrets that they keep; secrets that will either bind them together or tear them apart.

Maya was fourteen and Rebecca eighteen when they witnessed their parents’ brutal murders. As a result of that tragedy, Maya becomes timid and cautious and Rebecca a risk taker. After a devastating hurricane hits the coast of North Carolina, Rebecca and Maya’s husband, Adam, urge Maya to join them in the relief effort with Doctors International Disaster Aid (DIDA). To please her husband, Maya agrees. Maya is on a helicopter transport to a nearby hospital when the helicopter crashes into powerful floodwaters and there appear to be no survivors. After a two week attempt to locate any survivors, Rebecca and Adam must accept that Maya is gone. As time passes, they turn to one another for comfort and then find themselves romantically attached. Meanwhile, miles from civilization, Maya is alive. She is rescued by strangers whom she is sure is not sure she can trust. She struggles to make her way home not realizing that her life is forever changed.

Diane Chamberlain writes in the first chapter that every family has a story filled with secrets unknown to outsiders. In addition, each member of the family holds their own secrets. The problem with secrets is that they are “the lies we tell others” and “we tell ourselves.” We all keep secrets for several different reasons. One is to protect ourselves and the other is to protect the ones we love. The problem with secrets is that they have a way of coming out and usually when we least expect them to and Chamberlain reveals that we can never really hide from those secrets because they continue to tear us apart inside. She describes the memory of Maya and Rebecca’s parents’ death as “unfinished business” because there was a lot “left unsaid between” them. The circumstances of that murder unfold when Maya and Rebecca are forced that accept what has happened; Rebecca believing that Maya is forever lost, and Maya seeing life in a way she never anticipated.


You can read an excerpt from the book at Diane Chamberlain’s website.



Diane Chamberlain’s The Lies We Told is available through, Amazon, Indie Bound and most book stores including Barnes and Noble.

MY THOUGHTS

The Lies We Told is an amazing story about two sisters, who as different as they are, are bond by the witnessing the murder of their parents. Diane Chamberlain reveals bits and pieces of the events that led to the murder of the girls’ parents with each sister carrying around a burden of guilt and personal blame and you will never be able to guess what those secrets are. Moreover, the ending is a shocker but you have to read the book to find out. Diane Chamberlain has become a must read author for me and I am sure you will be hooked by just picking up one of her books. The Lies We Told does not disappoint.
GIVEAWAY

To enter to win a copy of The Lies We Told, please leave a comment letting me know who your favorite fiction author is and your favorite novel by that author. (My favorite is “Black River” by Dean Koontz.) Please leave me an email address so that I am able to contact you. For an additional entry, you can tweet this giveaway to OhBoy_Boys.

This Giveaway will end Friday, June 25, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. so get your entry in by then.


The Winner will be chosen by Random.org. I will post the Winner here and I will you email directly. You will then have 48 hours to claim your Prize. U.S. and Canadian addresses only.

If you want to enter this giveaway, please do so here.

Logo/Images Courtesy of 2010 © Diane Chamberlain, YouTube.com

ZPCOPEN-OR Open It Universal Package Giveaway Winner

I used a random generator to determine the winner of this giveaway and the winner is commenter number 1. Check your email.

Linda Said:  I hate clamshell packaging. I know it is less wasteful but how can it be environmentally sound. These would be great to have as I get totally frustrated getting packages open.

Thank you to everyone who entered. Please come by and check in for future giveaways.

ZPCOPEN-OR Open It Universal Package Review and Giveaway

Clamshell packing is the worst invention of humanity and it definitely makes for an arthritis sufferer’s worst nightmare. If you do not have arthritis, think about your 85-year-old mother or grandmother and her trying to open that ridiculously difficult plastic packaging. Even hands without arthritis have a hard time opening these things, and clamshell packaging isn’t going anywhere. Household scissors are not strong enough to cut through that bizarre packaging and would be ruined by just opening one package.



What exactly is the point of clamshell packaging? To make old ladies and people living with arthritic or weak hands absolutely frustrated? It is like selling arthritis medicine with a childproof lid (read my previous review) . Since we all know that clamshell packaging isn’t going anywhere, why don’t we just use a product that out beats it?



The people at the Zibra Company were kind enough to send me another of their wonderful products for review and an extra one to give away to one of the readers of this blog.



The Product Review



Let me introduce you to the Zibra 4 in 1 Package Opener. This handy little gadget can help you with opening those ridiculous clamshell packages. For less than $12, you can get a tool that can help you cut through those sealed plastic containers (blister packaging, cardboard and paper), snip toy packaging, twist and zip ties, and slice boxes and the wrapping on CDs and DVDs. But wait- in the words of the late Billy Mays - there is more! It includes a tiny little screw driver that has a little compartment for storage that will help you open those tiny little battery compartments, and the top blade has a corner for helping pop off bottle caps.

If you do not own one of the Zibra 4 in 1 Package Opener, I personally recommend you get one. I made use of it five minutes after I opened the packaging. The Zibra Company was also kind enough to package the product so it was easily accessible and did not used that dreaded clamshell packaging. It can be a great gift and you will be remembered every time someone needs to open a clamshell package.

The product features offset cutting jaws that allow for maximum leverage when cutting through tough packaging and that offset design also keeps your hands at a safe distance from the sharp edges when you opening to sealed clamshell packages so you won’t cut yourself. Its practical, ergonomic design made it a finalist for the 2008 Housewares Design Award and even Rachel Ray has promoted it. The ergonomic design makes it comfortable to hold and use. The multiuse tool also offers a simple “open/close” switch that helps to keep it safely stored no matter where you are keeping, i.e. a kitchen drawer or your office desk. Last, it is guaranteed against defects with normal usage.

You can purchase the Open It! 4-in-1 package opener at any of these fine stores: Bed Bath and Beyond, Home Depot, Walgreens, Fred Meyer, and Kroger as well as Amazon and other regional retailers nationwide. It is also available in Canada.



Giveaway



As I previously mentioned, the wonderful people at the Zibra Company gave me an additional gadget for giveaway so one lucky reader of my blog will receive it. Here is what you have to do to be entered into the giveaway.



All you have to do is leave a comment on what you think of clamshell packaging and this product.



You can tweet the giveaway for an extra entry. Just tweet to OhBoy_Boys. Comeback and leave a comment telling me you tweeted.



U.S. addresses only. I will pick the winner with using a random generator on Saturday, May 1 and post the winner by noon. Deadline to enter is Friday, April 30 at 11:59 p.m.



Please leave an email address so I have a way to contact you.



* *  *

5/1/10 - Comments are now closed.  I will announce the winner shortly.

Winner of Open-It Giveaway

The Winner of the Open-It Review is commenter 2: Peggy from Peg’s Play. I will contact you by email. If I do not hear back from you with 24 hours (Tomorrow - 4/15  9 a.m.), I will have to pick another winner.



Thanks to everyone who commented and participated. There will be another giveaway in the next couple of weeks for another product made by the Zibra Company: ZPCOPEN-OR Open It Universal Package. I will send an email to each of you when that giveaway is up.

Open-it Review and Giveaway

Review



I recently received the Open-It Rx Package and the Open-It Household Package from the Zibra Company for review. I put them on my kitchen counter and I have used them any time I need something opened while I was in my kitchen. These products are a godsend. No more harassing my husband and my son about helping me open medicine bottles, foil packs, those darn pinch and turn caps and even small jars, and since I usually turn blue in the face nagging them, I am in love with these products.  These products are helpful to anyone with weak or arthritic hands.



Rx Package

Let us start out with the “multi-tool.” It helps with opening those annoying foil caps and seals, safety wraps, pinch and turn caps, push-off caps, pull tab caps and cotton inside medicine. Those simple task are difficult with you have arthritic hands. There is even a magnifying glass to help with reading the small print on your medicine bottles.

The “comfort gripper” makes pushing and turning easy. It helps with opening push and turn medicine caps and those annoying twist-off ones.

Last the “squeeze & turn” ring helps with opening squeeze and turn caps. All of these products do their jobs with little effort on your part.

 Household Package

The household package is similar and helps with household use. The multi-tool can assist you with those twist-off caps on water bottles, wraps and seals, pop-off caps, pull tabs on soda cans, and plastic pull-tabs you find on gallons of water. The squeeze & turn comfortable squeeze ring can help with small jars and opening caps on household cleaners. The push and turn comfort gripper can with opening household products like a bottle of laundry detergent.

You can purchase these products at the Zibra website or at Bath and Beyond, Home Depot, Walgreens, Fred Meyer, and Kroger as well as Amazon and other regional retailers nationwide. Products are reasonably priced and you can get a complete set for less than $20.

The Zibra Company also offers the ZPCOPEN-OR Open It Universal Package Opener which you can also check out at their website.





Giveaway



One lucky reader of these blog is going to get a Household package.



All you have to do is leave a comment on what you think of these products to be entered in. You can tweet the giveaway for an extra entry. Just tweet to OhBoy_Boys. Comeback and leave a comment telling me you tweeted.

U.S. addresses only. I will pick the winner with a random generator on Wednesday, April 14, and post the winner by noon. Deadline to enter is Tuesday, April 13 at 11:59 p.m.

Please leave an email address so I have a way to contact you.