GlobalEyeglasses.com Review & Giveaway

I’ve been wearing glasses for the majority of my life now. Unlike some people, I don’t mind wearing them. Hey – they make me look smart and they’re fashionable :) However, what I do not care for is the cost. I do not even want to know the total amount of money that I have spent on glasses over all these years. I could go on a vacation with that amount of money! I love to shop for new glasses, but I need to be aware of how it affects my wallet. 

GlobalEyeglasses.com provides quality glasses at a much lower cost. You can purchase a pair of glasses as low as $14 right now!  GlobalEyeglasses.com has Full Rim, Half Rim, and Rimless in numerous shapes and materials for men, women, and children. I found it interesting to read on their website that their glasses are 51% cheaper than Walmart and 64% cheaper than Costco. 

GlobalEyeglasses.com kindly offered me the opportunity to review a pair of glasses. It was very hard to choose! I was a little anxious that I would choose the wrong pair for my face, so I chose to review a pair that is a similar style to the pair I already wear. I chose to review the Basics “Sprocket – Brown”. This pair costs $19.00! As the website describes, “Sprocket is a simple solution for customers looking for a short, rectangular frame. With its lenses only 25mm high and 50mm wide, Sprocket fills the need for a minimal wire frame”. 

I was impressed with the glasses. I can’t believe the price! They are exactly the right frame style for my face.  The frames are so much sturdier than I thought they would be.  See how pretty I look? ;)


GlobalEyeglasses.com has generously offered to sponsor a giveaway for a $50 Gift Certificate! Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

RoosterFin Games Review: PongCano

As I’m sure you do, I love playing games with my kids. We have such a great time together. I also have the luxury of playing many games with my students during the day as a way to form bonds and assist them with learning positive social skills. We have many favorites, most are the classic board games. 

I was recently introduced to RoosterFin Games and invited to review a game of my choice. I chose to review PongCano. This is a game that includes a volcano, ball, and 12 chips. The purpose of the game is to be the last player holding all of the chips.
 
Here is how you play:
The chips are distributed evenly amongst players. Any chips that are left over should be placed in the volcano. You place the volcano in the center of the table or playing area. Each player takes a turn and bounces the ball, ultimately hoping to get it into the volcano. If you miss your shot, you need to place once of your chips inside the volcano. If the ball lands in the volcano, you can take out the chips that are inside the volcano and hold on to them. The game ends when someone has obtained all the chips.



I had such a great time playing PongCano with both my daughter and my students. I am a lousy shot, so I lost both times I played  I like this game because it’s different than the board games we always play. It’s more active. This game does not take up a lot of space, which is nice. My only wish is that the game came in a box so that it can be stored. At this point, once the game is taken out of the package, the box can’t be used. I placed the game in a plastic bag so that I don’t lose the ball and the chips. However, to me, this is a minor issue. The game is a blast and I look forward to practicing my aim!

RoosterFin has a brand new game out called “Masheroo!” The point of this game is to match your shape and face chips to your pattern card. However, the Masher Bolt can mash your shapes, leaving you no choice but to rebuild. “It's the fast paced game of Mash or Be Mashed!” Check out "Masheroo!" at
www.playmasheroo.com.

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*Disclaimer: I did not receive monetary compensation for this post. I received a free sample of this game for the purpose of this review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I SEE ME! Review & Giveaway: My Very Happy Birthday Book

My son turned two years old last Friday! He is very excited to have his cake and presents! Since he is only two, he has only recently learned how much fun birthday parties can be. Cake? Presents? Decorations? What’s not to love?! 

In preparing for his birthday, I was very excited to be able to have the opportunity to review the new board book by I See Me!, which is entitled, “My Very Happy Birthday”. In the story, Duck, Mouse, Bluebird, and Turtle, as well as their other friends, have joined together for a party in honor of your child. This book is available to be personalized for either a boy or a girl. The cover can also be personalized with your child’s name and their age and a dedication can be written on the inside. Once we personalized the book, our book read, “J’s Very Happy 2nd Birthday!”


This book is adorable! It is a quality board book, with a glossy, thick hardcover. This rhyming story, written by Jennifer Dewing, excites children about all the preparation for the party, including invitations, the cake, party hats, and music. My son’s favorite part of the story is the end when the animals sing out, “Happy 2nd Birthday, J, they sang out in joy, and they drummed and they danced for the sweet birthday boy”. My son thinks it’s hysterical that the animals are saying “Happy Birthday” to him! 

The personalization is so wonderful in this book for a number of reasons, including:
The child’s name is used throughout the book.
The child’s birthdate is included in the story.
There are the correct number of candles on the cake.
The child’s name is on the cake.



A huge “Thank You” to I See Me! for allowing me the opportunity to review this book. I love personalized products and I See Me! is the perfect place to shop when you are looking for a gift!

Also, I would like to share with you that I See Me! also has a referral program now.  For every friend that you refer to I See Me!, you will receive $5!  Your friend will also receive $5 off their first order!  Click here if you would like to learn more.

Follow I See Me! on Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest!

I am SO excited to have the opportunity to host a giveaway for I See Me! I See Me! very generously offered to sponsor a giveaway for a copy of My Very Happy Birthday! The winner can choose to receive either the girl’s or boy’s book. Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter!

“The Caretakers” Book Review & Giveaway + $20 Amazon Gift Card!

“The Caretakers”, written by Shauna Nosler, is the dramatic story of a family that has experienced extreme loss. The book begins with an intense scene that creates the storyline for the book. Readers are then introduced to the main characters of the book – Caroline (11 years old); Jasper Jamieson, her father; Mitch, her cousin, and Aunt Mabel, Caroline’s aunt. We hear from the characters and learn their perspective about their lives and their family.

The storyline jumps back and forth in time from 1972 to 1987, again from the voices of the characters. When we are introduced to Caroline and Mitch, as well as Caroline’s other cousin Cecil, the author describes how the children spend their summers at The Country House. Caroline has an extremely close relationship with Mitch and their love and friendship is apparent. Caroline and her cousins happen to discover a small white cross, which begins the mystery of who left the cross and why. I don’t want to give away the entire book, but readers are brought back in time and learn who made the cross, why it was made, and who it honors.

Sadly, the family suffers additional loss. Caroline has to cope with gut-wrenching grief at such a young age. Caroline’s father and her aunt help her to cope with her grief and the bonds amongst Caroline, her father, and her aunt are strengthened.

This book was hard to put down. There were moments that truly gripped me and made me grieve for the characters. There is a moment in the book when Jasper Jamieson, Caroline’s father, is considering his life, how he has coped with tragedy and grief, and a particular quote that ended with, “All one knows is there may be no tomorrow”. This quote affected me because it’s an issue I have been thinking about quite a bit lately. There are so many days in which I am just trying to make it through the day and not really “living in the moment”. It’s really depressing to think there might not be a tomorrow….We need to live each day fully, which I admit, I haven’t been doing. Needless to say, I loved this story and it has given me a great deal to think about in regards to my own family members.

About the Author:
Shauna Nosler is a freelance magazine writer turned novelist. She is an avid runner, reader, and above all else a mother. She lives just outside Indianapolis with her husband, three children and chocolate lab Norman. The Caretakers is her first published book.

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to give away a paper or e-book copy of The Caretakers to one Tidbits From A Mom reader! In addition, Shauna Nosler has generously offered to sponsor a giveaway for a $20 Amazon Gift Card! Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

Enter the $5,000 Yard Makeover at DigDropDone.com!

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done. for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I mentioned in a previous post recently my total lack of a green thumb.  I’m completely lost when it comes to maintaining plants inside.  However, I’m not completely hopeless when planting outside.  I don’t consider myself a gardener – I really don’t have any knowledge about flowers and plants.  They’re beautiful and I love having them in my yard, but I definitely consider it a chore to plant. 

DigDropDone.com is a great resource for people who want to learn about planting bulbs.  They provide comprehensive information about planting and when to plant particular bulbs.  In addition, they have a “Family Fun” page that provides coloring sheets for kids as well as ideas other craft, fun ideas.  DigDropDone.com has a page that introduces you to “The Ladies”.  These are three women who live different kinds of lives and have different ideas about planting.  I think I’m most like Marcy.  She has a hectic life, which I can completely relate to! 

Our yard looks pretty nice.  Nothing fancy, but we have beautiful flowering plants and my husband works his tail end off to keep the lawn green.  On Curbside Chaos, there are photos of people whose yards are in some serious need of help.  There is an awesome contest that actually ends tomorrow, April 15^th, in which you can win a $5,000 yard makeover!  Imagine what you could do with that money!  All you need to do to enter is upload a photo of your yard.  In addition to the money, you could win a visit from Taniya Nayak (@TaniyaNayak on Twitter).  Taniya will give you advice about how to maintain your yard and give you tips on how you can utilize bulbs to beautify as well. 

visit www.digdropdone.com to learn more!

Each time you share this information on Twitter, "Bulbs. Dig, Drop, Done." will donate $1.00 to Rebuilding Together, which is the nation’s leading nonprofit that is working hard to keep housing affordable for people and rebuild communities. 

CurbsideChaos.com also has the Garden Guru tool on the bottom of their main page.  You first select your zone in the US or Canada, then where you are located within that country.  You then choose which month you would like your bulbs to bloom.  The Garden Guru then suggests which bulbs you should plant. You choose which bulb you would like to plant and you are given planting instructions. It’s simple!

 

World of Ink Tour: The Kids of Dandelion Township Review & Giveaway

 The Kids of Dandelion Township, written by Nicole Borgenicht, is the story about new friends who are exploring magic together. They are learning about themselves, their emotions, and their similarities and differences. “All in the context of a child’s day, the kids unravel mysteries of A students, and invent ways to be creative while completing their homework assignments”.

More about the book:
Illustrator: Lisa M. Giffen
Book: The Kids of Dandelion Township - chapter book for kids
Publisher: Create Space
ISBN Number(s): ISBN-13:978-1466466401 (CreateSpace-Assigned)
ISBN-10:1466466405


My thoughts about the book:
I really enjoy children’s books that send a message to children and help them learn about important values and character traits. This book is an easy read for children and the chapters are brief. My daughter, who is eight, can easily read this book.

I thought it was such a clever idea for the author to create a community in which children are able to do as they please with very little intervention from the adults. This gave me quite a bit to think about – what would that be like? I posed the same question to my daughter and she had some pretty funny answers and was thrilled with the idea! The Kids of Dandelion Township and its focus on friendship makes this a great book to include with my students. The pictures, illustrated by Lisa M. Giffen, are sweet additions to the book.

Author Website: www.nicoleborgenicht.com
Illustrator Website: www.lisamgriffin.com
Blog Address: http://lisamgriffin.blogspot.com
Twitter URL: LisaMGriffinArt
Facebook URL:http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1175304813
Facebook Fan Page URL: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-M-Griffin-Illustration/126529427398885

About the author:

Nicole Borgenicht is a children's fiction writer. Hermost recent picture book is The Bridge published by Publish America. Some ofNicole's other kid's stories have appeared in The Los Angeles Times Kid'sReading Room section, Stories for Children Magazine and LadyBug FlightsMagazine. Additional works comprise poetry and essays, short stories, one actplays or articles in magazines such as Arts and Entertainment Skyline andAmerican Fitness.

I have a free e-book of The Kids of Dandelion Township to give away to one Tidbits From A Mom reader!  Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

Personalized Gifts for Mother's Day, Father's Day, & Graduation from Shutterfly

Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are quickly approaching. Personally, I love to give and receive personalized gifts. I find them more meaningful and sentimental. My husband is an extremely hard person to shop for. Sometimes it’s impossible to find something he will use. However, if it’s a personalized gift, particularly a gift that incorporates our kids, he is sure to love it.  It's a similar situation when I am attempting to find a gift for my in-laws or my parents.  Grandparents LOVE pictures of their grandchildren!  Why buy a trinket that's going to gather dust or get donated within the next year when you can give a treasured gift that will place an enormous smile on their face?

Shutterfly has a vast variety of photo gifts that can be personalized for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Graduations. These products include Photo Books, iPhone Cases, Mugs, Canvas Prints, Blankets, Desk Calendars, and Desktop Plaques.

One of the gifts that I think is quite unique is the Videogram.  You can upload your photos and choose a soundtrack, then forward the videogram to a loved one or friend.  I am not able to see my father often at all and he misses out on my kids' lives.  This would be such a great way to include him!

For Mother's Day this year, I would love to receive one of the personalized blankets!  I have so many photos of my kids that I adore and it would be nice to wrap up in one of these fleece blankets on a cool night. 

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*Disclaimer: I did not receive monetary compensation for this post.  I am going to receive a gift certificate as compensation.  However, the opinions expressed here are my own and are not at all influenced by the compensation I will receive.