tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35680690887589973852024-03-13T17:24:36.521-04:00Knitty ReviewsHow one woman adjusts to staying at home, parenting two crazy boys, and learning to be crafty...and the stuff that makes it all possible.Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-72129998803055387402011-10-10T13:17:00.002-04:002011-10-10T13:19:25.319-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9789895-the-beginners" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Beginners" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1311706016m/9789895.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9789895-the-beginners">The Beginners</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/305379.Rebecca_Wolff">Rebecca Wolff</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/221460103">2 of 5 stars</a><br />
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*Some Spoilers contained* Well, I finished it. It was almost painful to do so at times, but I plowed through. There was a lot of potential with the story line and with the actual characters, but the majority of a time, I felt like I was listening to someone relate their dream after they'd been awake for a few hours and they kept forgetting the point of the dream. <br />
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Cherry and Ginger are high schoolers in a small, idyllic Massachusetts town, caught between being kids who play make-believe all day and women who are interested in sexual relationships and social structures. A mysterious couple comes to town (Raquel and Theo) who take an interest in them and they are suddenly enveloped by these strangers. When Cherry starts to recognize that they're not healthy people to be around, Ginger continues to become more and more enmeshed in their dysfunction and so the story goes.<br />
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There was one point, about 200 or so pages in, when Theo makes a confession about their true 'story' and I actually said out loud 'What?!' because I didn't see it coming. However, Wolff did not take the opportunity then to use that plot twist and move the story forward. To the end, I kept waiting for a great twist or for something to finally click into place but it just didn't.<br />
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She definitely has a great handle on use of language, it's poetic (duh, she's a poet, right?) but there were so many holes in the story that had to be filled in. I feel like I have a pretty good imagination, but there were times I had to re-read a page thinking I'd missed something-nope. <br />
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I closed the book and wanted to fling it because I was annoyed that I plowed on for virtually nothing. As my History professor once said on a paper that clearly needed more fleshing out '...if you ever again make me slog through seven pages, there had BETTER be a point.'<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-52793361643760567972011-09-14T21:09:00.002-04:002011-09-14T21:09:45.714-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9729040-long-drive-home" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Long Drive Home: A Novel" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1299495800m/9729040.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9729040-long-drive-home">Long Drive Home: A Novel</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/480048.Will_Allison">Will Allison</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/202287599">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
Will Allison has written one of those 'it could happen to anyone' stories: A cautionary tale about the daily choices we make and how they could have a devastating effect on the rest of your life. While driving his daughter home from school, work-from-home dad, Glen is involved in a series of near-miss road rage incidents which culminate in his 'teaching the other driver a lesson', which results in the death of a teenage boy. <br />
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<br/>The story gets tricky when Glen doesn't tell the truth, to anyone really, about the incident. In thinking that he's protecting his family both from civil suit and criminal prosecution, he not only leaves out important details from the accident in question, but deletes the earlier incidents from the day. In attempting to shield his child, he's actually putting her in a horrible situation because she witnessed the earlier events.<br />
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<br/>***SPOILER ALERT***<br />
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<br/>I kept waiting for Glen to come clean and tell the whole story to the detective. I figured the story would either culminate in him being absolved of responsibility or convicted of vehicular manslaughter. I did not expect to have him confess only through a letter to his daughter which could really only further burden her later in life. <br />
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<br/>In trying to protect his family (well, let's be honest, he was protecting himself) he lost everything. One has to think that he will also lose his daughter's respect when she one day reads the letter and realizes that her father displayed not protective capacity, but extreme cowardice. Losing the respect and trust of his wife, and revealing himself to the detective to be 'broken', Glen was one of the more morally ambiguous characters I've read in awhile. <br />
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<br/>While I did like the book, I found myself having a hard time liking Glen. He caused so much stress and strain, while not giving his family, the victim's family or the victim himself the closure they deserved. <br />
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<br/>Oh what tangled webs we weave...<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-9651783402537283232011-08-20T19:11:00.002-04:002011-08-20T19:28:36.416-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9068791-here-home-hope" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Here, Home, Hope" border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51hucTtoYuL._SX106_.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9068791-here-home-hope">Here, Home, Hope</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1105560.Kaira_Rouda">Kaira Rouda</a><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/200526599">2 of 5 stars</a><br />
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This review is going to be a bit of a ramble, but that may be appropriate since the book was as well. I realize that I was reading an advanced reader's copy, but it read more like a second or third draft. Kelly is a mother of two teen/tween boys and is in the predicament of trying to 'find her purpose'. She makes an ever-growing, rambling list of Things to Change, or T2C as she puts it. I felt like this could have been a great book if her editor had handed it back to her and said 'Great! Now polish it up, give your characters some depth and insight and make your main character likeable.'<br />
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Kelly doesn't seem to have any real connections to her friends, past or present, and she just flits from one topic to another. One minute she's obsessed that her husband is having an affair, and the next she's off on another shopping spree with confrontation number 354 with her arch-nemesis, Rachel.<br />
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Honestly, the most likable character in the book was probably Charlotte, who was not necessarily intended to be your character of choice.<br />
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The only interpersonal conflicts in the book (aside from Rachel) are all tidied up swiftly with an 'aw shucks' chuck on the shoulder and Kelly, though she has almost zero insight save for the five thousand Oprah-esque a-ha moments, deems herself a very worthy counselor to all of her friends. It's definitely the Kelly show, which I like because it is supposed to be about her finding who she wants to be, but all the characters are so wooden and one-dimensional. They have these revelations that are supposed to be shocking, but I couldn't bring myself to care about them because the reactions by the other characters were so formulaic it was almost silly. I felt like I was reading a fast-talking parody of a women's fiction novel.<br />
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Also, could she throw in any more Lifetime Movie of the Week topics? Anorexic teen, adulterous friends who've put her in the middle of their secrets, making amends with high-school friends who you abandoned/bullied and then CONTINUE to call her Bony Beth, becoming a self-made woman, death of a loved one, divorce...seriously, pick 1-2 serious topics and actually explore them instead of having your main character come off as a completely shallow and self-involved twit. It made me a little sad because, and this may be reading too much into it, but I had to wonder if Rouda has a lot of close friends herself. If so, she didn't do a great job of drawing on her experiences with them to create dialogue or set-up of characters.<br />
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The woman is food-obsessed and, again, completely shallow and lacking insight when it comes to other people. She has her clothes sorted into weight-gain phases, talks about the benefits of 'having an anorexic around' and says other pretty callous things that drove me cra-zy as I read.<br />
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Would you really have your heroine do nothing but bring a bouquet of flowers to a friend whose estranged husband JUST DIED in a motorcycle accident. Really? You'd have to call your mother to see if you should bring a casserole to her, and the consult your friend to see if you're needed at the funeral? Um, how about you just show up and go? But that's just me.<br />
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The commentary on stay-at-home moms and their cattiness was about to make me send a little tweet to Miss Twitter Queen. Since it's clear Rouda is not an at-home mother, it made me wonder if this is her little soap box to talk about them? Yes, she is a proponent of women empowering themselves, but what if the way that we do that IS to stay at home? Is that not enough?<br />
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After finishing the whole book, I realized I should have read the 'about the author' section first. Really? Two pages? I don't need to know every class you've taken, or that you have a big twitter following. It is awesome that she is a great businesswoman, and strives to empower other women to realize their potential, but stick to what you are really good. Not everyone can write a novel. Or, I guess, not everyone should. Look out, folks, she's got another one coming out soon! You can find out all about it on her twitter feed, her facebook page, her blog or by emailing her. All of which is included in her biography. Which is clearly an autobiography.<br />
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Maybe I was just no in the best frame of mind to read this, but it's hard when you compare it to other women's fiction like Jennifer Weiner, who takes more care in creating characters and conflict resolution. While still beach reads, they're more sophisticated and well-crafted. And with that, I will end my rant. If you've read the actual released copy, am I missing something?<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a><br />
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</div>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-91590697025509339752011-08-05T11:30:00.002-04:002011-08-06T12:39:24.529-04:00Lighten the Load<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7_atCi_ExbNn_e5CNwjrjbI6lMUsOCDg_t1poUBc33tOVzReeHg1ZOvDEOqeWaxIjDC_sW1qlRbTxnE_LMnM0Icw4q4RU8Qlfhr2kEZBtCBlJazjPz5LIDgecVsIpapy91uJ1x8b92G6/s1600/IMG_6641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7_atCi_ExbNn_e5CNwjrjbI6lMUsOCDg_t1poUBc33tOVzReeHg1ZOvDEOqeWaxIjDC_sW1qlRbTxnE_LMnM0Icw4q4RU8Qlfhr2kEZBtCBlJazjPz5LIDgecVsIpapy91uJ1x8b92G6/s320/IMG_6641.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>I was reading a post on <a href="http://ourhumbleabowed.wordpress.com/2011/06/20/green-equals-green-laundry/">Our Humble A{Bowe}d</a> about 'green laundry' the other day and I was a little pleased with how much I'd already implemented in our own laundry room.<br />
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When we moved, I bought the Electrolux Perfect Steam Front-load Washer and Dryer Set<a href="http://www.momcentral.com/blogs/mom-central-goes-green/product-review-electrolux-frontloading-washer-and-dryer-with-pedestals"> which I reviewed here</a>, and since we were using cloth diapers I was using <a href="http://www.countrysave.com/prods.php">Country Save Powder</a> to launder them(which is HE friendly). When I ran out of my All Free and Clear for our regular laundry, I decided to start using the powder for all of our laundry. It doesn't just do a great job getting the clothes clean, but it leaves them smelling fresh and clean without a strong perfume. We do <i>a lot</i> of laundry, and the large capacity of our washer and dryer has cut down on the number of loads I do immensely. I do as full of a load as possible each time, and when I can't I love my 'fast wash' small load setting.<br />
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I knew that the boxes of powder felt like they were lasting a long time, but a quick check of my amazon account shows that I ordered the four pack of boxes in <i>January</i> and I'm just now about a quarter of the way from the bottom on the second box. It was 68.60 for the case, which is 17.15 per box. Calculated over the months, that's just over $3.50/month that I'm spending on laundry detergent. That seems pretty impressive! </div><div><br />
</div><div><div>On the dryer side of life, I never have gotten around to installing a clothes line. That will hopefully be a project for next Spring/Summer, or whenever our HOA decides that they're not an abomination. Anywho, I realized after reading the comments that the one thing I hadn't converted to 'green' in my laundry was the dryer sheets. Several of the comments referenced wool dryer balls; <i>What in the world? </i>After all my time spent trolling cloth diaper sites for green laundry tips, how had I never seen mention of these before? And, I had never thought about the fact that dryer sheets would be adding chemicals and toxins to my laundry...I love clean smelling, soft clothes, so I was loathe to sacrifice that! Turns out, I didn't have to.</div></div><div><br />
</div><div>A <a href="http://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?search_submit=&q=wool+dryer+balls&order=date_desc&view_type=gallery&ship_to=US">quick search on etsy</a> showed that these things were a hot item! I ordered an 8-pack of undyed dryer balls first from a vendor just to see if I really liked them. I'd have ordered just one, but most sites said that for very full loads, they keep about 12 in the dryer. It's the same principle as having tennis balls in the dryer, but without the awful smell and, allegedly, without the racket. (The larger loads buffer the sound better, and as the clothes get dryer, the sound lessens. The second set I purchased are larger and loftier and make significantly less noise.)</div><div><br />
</div><div>When I got them in the mail, I could see that, essentially, it's wool yarn that's been wound into a ball and then felted (probably 2-3 times). I could totally make them myself, but there is little I hate more than winding yarn into a ball. In the future, if I need to add a couple to the mix, I'll make them myself, but for now, I'm happy to support other etsy artists.</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW38Q_PgtHCOxd02q-JWCDPBfNmB150V9EfpYMZnYW7lU-l8TFH5J1FPkweC6p-YKo6W4ui1aX5To3juyDKuenNUvRIwrZCYXeuALonmrNyl0sjjdCAg-eOE-4hzrlCIMs_7yXai4o6NRM/s1600/IMG_6640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW38Q_PgtHCOxd02q-JWCDPBfNmB150V9EfpYMZnYW7lU-l8TFH5J1FPkweC6p-YKo6W4ui1aX5To3juyDKuenNUvRIwrZCYXeuALonmrNyl0sjjdCAg-eOE-4hzrlCIMs_7yXai4o6NRM/s320/IMG_6640.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div>What I liked best about them is that you can either get them unscented, or choose from a wide array of scents. How are they scented? Just a couple drops of essential oils. I chose lavendar and vanilla for half the balls, and half unscented (just in case it was too strong). The scent can easily be refreshed, or you can add a totally different scent when the other is gone, by dabbing a couple drops of the essential oil of your choice on the balls.<br />
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In addition to replacing the function of dryer sheets, they also cut drying time because the wool helps absorb moisture. I've had each load come out completely dry on the 48 minute setting-that's towels and jeans and everything.<br />
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The best part is that this is something that will last for <i>years</i>. You just leave them in your dryer after each load is removed...well, you put them back in your dryer after you've chased the ones that jump out with your clothes and roll across the floor as you hastily warn your giant beast of a dog that these are not his to play with, and they're ready for the next load.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I wanted to wait until I'd been using them for awhile before I reviewed them-the jury is in and I love them. I ordered 5 more from another vendor on etsy because I wanted to see if there was a difference, and because it would get me to lucky number 13 for my mega loads of laundry. I'm glad I did because I like them better. <a href="http://thesittingtree.blogspot.com/">The Sitting Tree</a> has a set of 5 for $25 and the first thing I noticed was that they were bigger, and not wound quite so tight so they don't make very much noise in the dryer. </div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtD_Yj_Ap9t3GX8eo-yhxlhcw1ti4g47a6q4F4Eazh2jW1tN-Ffe01iPA8uDYwqDDXVYS2x7WLF2llhrM91PcLMPginx_oqZ8xzI-l8zZErCmXzkyE69oJnBnQfqOVSbgEEtmmgAgTQ3e6/s1600/photo+%252863%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtD_Yj_Ap9t3GX8eo-yhxlhcw1ti4g47a6q4F4Eazh2jW1tN-Ffe01iPA8uDYwqDDXVYS2x7WLF2llhrM91PcLMPginx_oqZ8xzI-l8zZErCmXzkyE69oJnBnQfqOVSbgEEtmmgAgTQ3e6/s200/photo+%252863%2529.JPG" width="149" /></a></div><div>Plus, I just plain like her shop-and the divine samples of her soap that she included. I love her blog and she's a knitter after my own heart. I purchased some of her yarn as well to go with my new blue bedroom, and it's gorgeous! A bold skein of teal and yellow; perfection. I'm totally addicted to her super soft wool and have several shades to make smooshy hats with now. But I digress...</div><div><br />
</div><div>If you want an eco-friendly alternative to traditional dryer sheets, that you won't have to replace for a long, long, long time-check out her <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/70769589/felted-wool-dryer-balls-set-of-5-made-to">etsy page</a> and click 'add to cart'.<br />
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Even my husband, who sometimes is a little leary of my claims that 'it'll be just as good as using x' when I introduce a new eco-friendly alternative, has noted that our clothes are every bit as soft-maybe even, dare I say, softer as they were when we were using dryer sheets. Give 'em a whirl or, maybe more apt, a tumble.</div>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-8256079189519036452011-07-08T21:43:00.002-04:002011-07-08T21:43:49.400-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8527185-canning-for-a-new-generation" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1279208326m/8527185.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8527185-canning-for-a-new-generation">Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/432704.Liana_Krissoff">Liana Krissoff</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/183237941">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
The postal carrier made my day this afternoon when she delivered my birthday gift from my sister, Sherri. I've been lusting after it for so long on my amazon wish list that when I first opened the package, I thought it was something I already owned. I love the photos, I love the font, I love the print of the section pages and I love the paper on which those photos and fonts and prints are created.<br />
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<br/>In short, I love this book! Not only does it have amazing recipes for everything from Raspberry jam with lavender and lemon to Smoky Corn Chowder, but additional recipes of what to DO with said canned goods. It's broken into season and then further separated out into fruits and vegetables. Makes my little wanna-be organized heart go pitter patter. Actually, it makes it so that my procrastinating nature can flip to the season we're actually in and make something RIGHT NOW. There is a local lavender farm that is currently having their 'Lavender Daze' celebration, so I'm going to snap up some fresh lavendar for the jam this weekend. There are little sticky notes popping out of every section of this baby.<br />
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<br/>I. Can't. Wait. The hot water bath is calling my name...<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-11118995909190492812011-06-28T11:32:00.001-04:002011-06-28T11:45:14.975-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8613223-beside-still-waters" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Beside Still Waters (The Big Sky Series, #1)" border="0" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FYvg-XWIL._SX106_.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8613223-beside-still-waters">Beside Still Waters</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/162726.Tricia_Goyer">Tricia Goyer</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/175984262">3 of 5 stars</a><br />
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<i><a href="http://www.triciagoyer.com/contemporaryfiction.html#BesideStillWaters">Beside Still Waters</a></i> starts out like many of the other Amish-centered books that I've read, particularly two series that I really like by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/34227.Beverly_Lewis" title="Beverly Lewis">Beverly Lewis</a>. In addition to the standard internal conflict brought upon children in the Amish community who are in the thick of their <i>Rumschprimge</i>, eighteen year-old Marianna Sommer also has a family tragedy to contend with; The day of her birth also marks the day her family experienced a defining tragedy. Feeling like she'll never be enough to replace two sisters, Marianna has always strived to be an exceptional daughter and member of the Amish community. With two daughters gone and a son who's chosen to live outside the faith, her parents decide that a cross-country move will be just the fresh start their family needs.<br />
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Marianna is devastated, because she feels that a proposal from Aaron is just around the corner and is afraid they won't be able to survive the distance. As an eighteen year-old, she could technically stay behind, but doesn't feel that's a real choice as she's a big source of support for her parents in tending to the younger siblings and helping around the house.<br />
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For me, there's always been something fascinating about the Amish and conservative Mennonite traditions and way of life, so I am usually drawn to books about them. This book was no exception in being a 'nice' story. There is no real conflict that makes your guts wrench (other than the narrative about the family's tragedy) and the author is clearly of a conservative Christian bent, as is demonstrated when the family settles in Montana and marvel at the 'friendship' that the local Christian church members seem to have with God, as opposed to their strict reverence of Him. <br />
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It bothered me that she insinuated that the relationship that the Amish had with God was less personal or less impactful than that which the members of the local Christian church (it wasn't ever specified, so I'm thinking it was a non-denominational gathering?) have with Him. That presumed bias, while evident, didn't change my enjoyment of the story, which is not anything spectacular, but is certainly a quick read and kept me company over a few days in the backyard watching my kids play, and soaking up the sun. <br />
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It also felt a little untrue to the characters that her parents (strict and conservative members of the Amish community) once they arrived in Montana, were fairly quick to start 'coming around' to the ways of the local church: Her father ordered an English Bible, and started making other small changes that they were worried would happen before they moved because it was rumored that the Montana Amish community was much more lax than that which they left in the Midwest. Maybe the lack of prying eyes from the neighbors finally allowed them to take the time to be introspective and figure out what really works for them. If that's the case, I hope they invite their oldest son back into their lives at some point, as it would seem hypocritical otherwise. <br />
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Although the writing style was fairly simplistic, it held my attention enough that I would read the upcoming installments. I'd love to see if Marianna and Aaron end up together, as she seemed so firm in her faith that she'd join the church in the Fall, or if she starts to question their compatibility and instead falls for a local boy with a relationship with God that is so foreign to her. <br />
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Having an easy Summer read is never a bad thing in my opinion, so I'd still recommend this to friends who've enjoyed similar stories in the past.<br />
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<i>I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by <a href="http://www.momcentral.com/">Mom Central Consulting</a> on behalf of the Beside Still Waters Campaign and received a copy of the book and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.</i><br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-29432918990950876732011-06-01T20:13:00.002-04:002011-06-01T20:13:13.096-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7260188-mockingjay" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1294615552m/7260188.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7260188-mockingjay">Mockingjay</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/153394.Suzanne_Collins">Suzanne Collins</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/166215793">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
This one is hard to review for me, because I feel a little underwhelmed with how things panned out. Katniss Everdean finds herself, once again, at the center of President Snow's attention in his quest to maintain Capital control over all of Panem. She has her same rag-tag team of experts and confidantes, but it's becoming less clear who she can, or should, trust. Holed up in District 13, it's all just one big PR stunt to try and get the rebels riled up to resist against The Man. <br />
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<br/>While I can't say I'm disappointed in the ending, it did seem to wrap up rather neatly. Yes, there are some disappointments, and maybe I'm a little cold, but the one death (don't want to spoil) that is at the crux of the story doesn't affect me as sharply as it probably should have. Maybe because I never really connected to that character, or maybe it was because I knew that there was no way the story would end with all the relevant characters alive and well. Either way, I tore through this trilogy in one week, so it certainly kept me hooked even though parts of it were fairly formulaic. The level of moral corruption is pretty astounding when you actually think about the things that are happening instead of it just being a far-off novel of a dystopian future. <br />
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<br/>Overall, it's a good trilogy and worth reading. I'm glad it's a trilogy only, because I think further installments would just be beating that dead horse. I'm giving it four stars not because it's superb writing, or even because it's a crazy original idea, rather it's because it's a well-developed idea that I'm sure you can find more and more layers to if you read it multiple times. <br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-21852965622693350482011-05-23T13:26:00.000-04:002011-05-23T13:26:01.493-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2767052-the-hunger-games" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1293504845m/2767052.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2767052-the-hunger-games">The Hunger Games</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/153394.Suzanne_Collins">Suzanne Collins</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/166215784">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
Enter the world of Panem, the region that was once North America, which houses the Capitol and 12 surrounding Districts. Each district is responsible for a different segment of industry, and the Capital rules with an iron fist. Each year, one boy and one girl from each district are picked as tributes to play in the Hunger Games, an event that is a fight to the death with only one winner. The odds of getting picked are stacked against the poor and hungry, and to the victor go the spoils. <br />
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<br/>Katniss is a sixteen year-old girl who's been providing for her mother and little sister, Prim, since the death of their father in the coal mines several years ago. When Prim is chosen as the Tribute for District 12, Katniss immediately volunteers to take her place and a chain of events is set into action. <br />
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<br/>Brutality and strife sell, and the Hunger Games capitalize on it all, creating events in the arena to make 'good TV' and generally forgetting that they're dealing with the loss of human life with each gory scene they display for all to see.<br />
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<br/>This is a YA series, but it's written so well that you don't feel like you're lowering yourself to a lower reading level to enjoy it. I really liked it, and can't wait to start Book Two: Catching Fire. I'm so glad I listened to friends who said I should have all three books ready to go, because once you start, you won't want to stop!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-73716770936327985972011-05-16T21:15:00.002-04:002011-05-16T21:15:42.551-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8517207-bumped" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Bumped (Bumped, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1288711015m/8517207.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8517207-bumped">Bumped</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/79922.Megan_McCafferty">Megan McCafferty</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/166215754">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I was a huge fan of the Jessica Darling series, so when I heard that McCafferty had a new book out, I quickly bought it (and read it basically in one sitting). At first, I didn't know what in the world was going on with all the wink, wink, double-blinking, but quickly realized that because it was set in the future, the characters no longer needed to have their smartphones with them to update their status on MiNet on the fly, all they had to do was roll their eyes and do a series of clicks, ha! The whole premise is pretty disturbing, but that is certainly the point. I loved all of the social commentary, specifically the fact that the firm for whom her 'Surrogette' agent works is called UGenXX.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bumped-Megan-Mccafferty/dp/0061962740/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1305594868&sr=8-1">inside cover gives a great synopsis</a>, but I liked looking (as did my sister who recommended this book to me) at the conversations with McCafferty about where she drew her inspiration for the novel. As with most topics of personal freedom, and specifically reproductive freedom, every decision or absolute can lead down a very slippery slope. McCafferty certainly knows how to make it a great ride!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-44093752385483498302011-05-15T18:53:00.002-04:002011-05-15T18:56:29.177-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8584686-swamplandia" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Swamplandia!" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1295567868m/8584686.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8584686-swamplandia">Swamplandia!</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/26417.Karen_Russell">Karen Russell</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/157017666">4 of 5 stars</a><br />
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There is so much to say about this book, but I'll try to limit it to non-spoiler comments. The first 50-60 pages really suck you in, and then there's a slight lull in the middle. After finishing, though, I feel like the majority of what was in those pages was necessary for plot and character-development. A coming-of-age tale that spins in some magical realism (or does it?) and also provides a great social commentary, this is a great book club pick because I felt like it was after discussion that I realized how much I liked it.<br />
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It may be one that I read again, but not for awhile. There's a lot to think about and digest, but it's wonderfully written, and there are so many places that give the reader pause. Will you get sucked into Ava's voice and naivete, or will you remain skeptical with all of your adult knowledge? I definitely found that I'm a cynic (but maybe only because I've seen the worst too many times). Travel deep into the swamp to be introduced to a world that will seem magical, if only because it's foreign, Swamplandia! is sure to make you start googling alligator parks you can visit in real life!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-14111881465946155002011-03-28T22:47:00.001-04:002011-03-28T22:55:13.835-04:003M Natural View Screen Protector<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/opraJEgypAg?rel=0" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe><br />
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I was invited to review the<a href="http://www.3mscreenprotectors.com/momcentral"> 3M Natural View Screen Protector by MomCentral</a>. I finally got my wish when Verizon released the iPhone 4 and I became part of the non-blackberry smart phone community. It is glorious! The customer service folks tried to get me to purchase a screen protector, but I was not swayed. Well, after about a week, I was elated when I saw the chance to try some out for free, because my screen was a smudge magnet!<br />
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I have to say that I am always fairly terrible at putting things that include adhesive or static cling on in a way that does result in air bubbles. This was, unfortunately, no exception. I cleaned the screen thoroughly, then attempted to put on the protector. There was a tiny piece of lint (hint: they mean it when they say to use lint-free cloths when cleaning your screen, ha ha!) that made a giant bubble. Once I'd removed the offending particle, the screen protector then had a smudge on the underside, so I was happy it was a two-pack. After practicing a few more times I'm sure I'd be able to get it on bubble-free, though I'm sure I won't be heading out to do a DIY tint on my car windows with my new found confidence.<br />
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While it's still not a perfect fit (because I didn't get it on straights) and there are bubbles at the edges (again, operator incompetence), it is protecting my actual screen from getting smudges, but is not the glass clear surface portrayed in the above video. However, the point of it is to protect the screen, so I'd say it fulfilled its job.<br />
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Also, the version I got was made specifically for the iPhone4 and does fit it exactly as it should without you having to trim any edges, which <i>always</i> made my screen protectors look even more terrible before. Also, I've had it on for two weeks and the edges aren't peeling up or moving around, so I'm happy with it.<br />
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I use my iPhone as my iPod when going on runs and my run last weekend was over 14 miles in a soggy downpour. I had it in a protective sleeve, but still, the screen protector stayed put and didn't fog over or otherwise impede my use. I didn't really expect miracles from this product, so I'm overall happy with it, and feel like the fit and function of it are great, but as for the smudge-proof properties? I don't know of anything that would resist the smudge of fingerprints or make-up, so it wasn't a deal-breaker for me.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-size: 16px;">I wrote this review while participating in a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-size: 16px;"><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #efffd6; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;">blog</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-size: 16px;"><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #efffd6; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;">tour</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-size: 16px;">by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-size: 16px;"><span class="il" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: #efffd6; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #222222;">3M</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-size: 16px;">and received a Natural View Screen Protector to facilitate my review and a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.</span></i></span>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-51815013735664268682010-12-19T14:22:00.002-05:002010-12-19T14:23:01.039-05:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7079755-run-like-a-mother" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving and Not Lose Your Job, Family, or Sanity" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275671669m/7079755.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7079755-run-like-a-mother">Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving and Not Lose Your Job, Family, or Sanity</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3149172.Dimity_McDowell">Dimity McDowell</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/116997668">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I loved this book! I've been following their blog and facebook pages for some time, but hadn't read the book. I've been reading it at night for a couple of weeks and have really enjoyed it. I found that I related most to Dimity, but also appreciate that having two very difference 'voices' as authors means that it will reach a large audience. I've already purchased five copies of this book because I have so many girlfriends and sisters with whom I think the messages of this book will really resonate. It is possible to be an active runner and still be a present mother, but the key is in finding a balance that will work for your family's unique situation.<br />
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With a ton of nutrition, gear and training advice mixed with their personal stories of trial and triumph and quotes from other moms this book really runs that gamut. It's a book that I know I'll refer back to over and over.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-25954448875443351772010-12-14T01:07:00.000-05:002010-12-14T01:07:54.482-05:00Johnson's Shea and Cocoa Butter LineI have the pleasure of being doubly 'blessed'; the skin on my face is oily and the skin on the rest of my body is super dry. Being a compulsive shaver, with no more than two days going between a date with the razor, I rely pretty heavily on lotions and thick creams. I never thought I would like using oil, but a friend convinced me to try it a few months ago and I found a brand that I <i>love </i>but my wallet would beg to differ.<br />
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I was given the chance to try <a href="http://www.johnsonsbaby.com/all-our-products?keyword=cocoa%20butter">Johnson's Shea & Cocoa Butter line</a> of baby oil products, including Johnson's Baby Oil, Johnson's Baby Oil Gel and Johnson's Baby Creamy Oil. I tried all three over a week-long period at various stages of the day; immediately after a shower without first toweling off, in the morning prior to getting dressed if I'd showered the night before, and then before bed if I showered in the morning. I did not use lotion in conjunction with these products so that the results I felt would be from the oil products alone.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2IzUOU2LjyOwYtIyLNNgl0E_7astCStTrbYaNy0NXBEXILBqvIDS1DuzOs2LqZ-66Ej0Q6EeNdCwMIHwf43fW8oV6wX8WFkfWZuJByf3b8l_X_VrqD9V_Vz3QLzNy1h-TS1qn3l3Qw2t/s1600/jj+oil+cream.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ2IzUOU2LjyOwYtIyLNNgl0E_7astCStTrbYaNy0NXBEXILBqvIDS1DuzOs2LqZ-66Ej0Q6EeNdCwMIHwf43fW8oV6wX8WFkfWZuJByf3b8l_X_VrqD9V_Vz3QLzNy1h-TS1qn3l3Qw2t/s1600/jj+oil+cream.png" /></a></div>I liked the silky feel that I got from the oil gel and that was because I really wanted a substantial product that didn't 'soak in' too easily. The oil cream felt like a thick lotion and it had the strongest fragrance, and for that reason alone was probably my least favorite of the three. However, I did feel the need to wash my hands after applying the gel, but I'm sure that's a personal preference thing. With both the oils and the lotions, I was able to just rub my hands together and put the excess on my arms.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJaDZaIS8Jw9KajvApNVo6k4jySnylNzo2FJKedALV5rc2Fg-bEI1FaX2VplGfF6w5BdDkbWgpxoVf-b6hOH4AP7p4A7fzy_t-3f2ORY8pPZ-0u1wX1uGiELEw76iJi9vtTkCicSLnRV18/s1600/jj+oil+gel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJaDZaIS8Jw9KajvApNVo6k4jySnylNzo2FJKedALV5rc2Fg-bEI1FaX2VplGfF6w5BdDkbWgpxoVf-b6hOH4AP7p4A7fzy_t-3f2ORY8pPZ-0u1wX1uGiELEw76iJi9vtTkCicSLnRV18/s1600/jj+oil+gel.jpg" /></a></div><br />
That said, these were both products that didn't directly compete with my current brand of la-di-da body oil. I found that the Johnson's Shea & Cocoa Butter oil was every bit as effective as the more expensive one that I so covet, and the fact that the Johnson's version comes in more than just the cocoa butter scent (if that's not your thing) tipped the scale so that it will be my staple and the more spendy oil will be used on nights when I specifically want that scent. (Think date night ;))<br />
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I even traveled with the oil and it didn't leak into my toiletry bag. That's important to me as well because I tote stuff back and forth between the gym. Between my phone, iPod and other accessories, there would be a lot to ruin if it did.<br />
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Overall, all three have left my skin feeling silky smooth and the scent was not overpowering. I used all three directly after shaving, and did not find any skin irritation or other negative reactions. Now I'm on a mission to try all of the scents so I can settle on a new favorite!<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">**I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by <a href="http://www.momcentral.com/">Mom Central</a> on behalf of Johnson’s and received the products necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.</span>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-13139522034051311232010-12-05T10:47:00.003-05:002010-12-05T10:47:49.143-05:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4078927-little-bee" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Little Bee" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1243040708m/4078927.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4078927-little-bee">Little Bee</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/374590.Chris_Cleave">Chris Cleave</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/129814406">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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This book was really amazing. Little Bee is a refugee from Nigeria, who was held in an immigration facility in the UK for two years prior to being let out with a group of three other women, in what turns out to be an unethical manner that does not leave her with legal paperwork.<br />
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Knowing nobody, except a couple with whom she had a fateful encounter in Nigeria, she contacts them and sends all of their lives in directions that nobody would have predicted. <br />
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Chris Cleave uses language beautifully and the harsh realities he brings to light in addition to the subtleties of everyday life that we may take for granted or are just the norm were revisited when seen through the eyes of Little Bee. <br />
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This is a must-read, and I won't give any more details, but be warned that a box of Kleenex may be in order.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-88553343403454064192010-11-20T14:01:00.001-05:002010-11-20T14:01:00.289-05:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8456281-casting-about" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Casting About" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1281147741m/8456281.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8456281-casting-about">Casting About</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1359910.Terri_DuLong">Terri DuLong</a><br />
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I am so excited that I will be receiving a copy of this book to read and review! It should be arriving in the next month, so stay tuned!<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-13965188915089808222010-11-19T13:56:00.002-05:002010-11-19T13:56:52.592-05:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6435043-knit-the-season" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Knit the Season" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275626494m/6435043.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6435043-knit-the-season">Knit the Season</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10465.Kate_Jacobs">Kate Jacobs</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/130700790">2 of 5 stars</a><br />
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I have to say that, considering how much I liked <i>Friday Night Knitting Club</i>, I'm pretty disappointed with not only the plot (or should I say lack of plot) in this third book in the series, but with the wooden dialogue and two-dimensional characters.<br />
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I read the whole thing, but it took over a week because I was just not getting caught up in the characters like I had before. It was kind of like watching the re-make of 'The Women', in that you expect great things because you like all the actresses and you loved the original, but it just falls about 20 feet short.<br />
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I'm so sad to say, Ms Jacobs, but unless the next is a vast improvement, I hope you consider the <i>Knitting Club</i> series cast off, and the ends woven in.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-42132545208163918652010-11-14T10:25:00.001-05:002010-11-14T10:25:42.816-05:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3079045.Luxury_One_Skein_Wonders" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Luxury One-Skein Wonders" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1267760284m/3079045.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3079045.Luxury_One_Skein_Wonders">Luxury One-Skein Wonders</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/71779.Judith_Durant">Judith Durant</a><br/><br />
My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/130701222">5 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />
I ordered this book on amazon in order to get some inspiration for things that could accompany Christmas gifts. I didn't expect to be able to have the actual project be the gift. It has substantial items from scarves to socks and hats that people will appreciate. Plus, they're knit in luscious yarns that would break the bank if using 4 or more skeins, but one is within the budget if you're planning to knit for multiple people. I can't wait to get my Holiday knitting firmly underway.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-21685476920355732862010-11-14T10:22:00.001-05:002010-11-14T10:28:54.751-05:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/124652.One_Skein_Wonders" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="One-Skein Wonders" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171878815m/124652.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/124652.One_Skein_Wonders">One-Skein Wonders</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/71779.Judith_Durant">Judith Durant</a><br />
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My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/130701681">5 of 5 stars</a><br />
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There are some really great projects in here, including socks and scarves. You generally think of one skein or ball projects as being dinky little things that may be more decorative than practical...not so! With Christmas around the corner, I'm looking forward to knitting up some of the more beautiful scarves. It's nice to know that they'll be projects that are not only quick, but also affordable and wearable. I'm so glad I added this, and <i>Luxury One Skein Wonders</i> to my crafting library.<br />
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews</a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-65777014734086298292010-09-05T22:35:00.004-04:002010-09-05T23:03:46.849-04:00Johnson's Natural Baby Shampoo and More!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyl4WlsrK_ctu5n1uZN6I1G9UVfcOf-c5_IYuqyz7j8YfZFq3eFj_6BCc9QG7kj1HxHt8wFFDyrCAB-lGtceNBQ0FLrSKQvl5w7YG0G0VvhsxhvKWtPn868Fjg3Sv503e_yg20swp_vR4I/s1600/Johnson's+Natural.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyl4WlsrK_ctu5n1uZN6I1G9UVfcOf-c5_IYuqyz7j8YfZFq3eFj_6BCc9QG7kj1HxHt8wFFDyrCAB-lGtceNBQ0FLrSKQvl5w7YG0G0VvhsxhvKWtPn868Fjg3Sv503e_yg20swp_vR4I/s400/Johnson's+Natural.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513629926255406258" /></a><br />I was asked to test out several of the products in <a href="http://www.johnsonsbaby.com/natural">Johnson's new Natural Baby line</a>, and decided to try it out on my kiddos and nieces during a family get together. The line is 98% natural and is packaged in bottles that use up to 60% post-consumer plastic, not to mention it's still promising 'no more tears'.<div><br /></div><div>I'm big on how a product smells, so it's hard to find a good balance of smelling great, but not having a bunch of essential oils or other fragrances added that could irritate the skin. The '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ALLERFREE</span>' fragrance, which is plant and fruit derived, smells really nice and is not at all overwhelming. I actually forgot to bring my lotion with me during this trip and used the baby lotion the whole weekend...nobody mistook me for a baby or nailed me for a mom, so it's definitely a subtle scent.<div><br /></div><div>I tried the Baby Lotion, Head to Toe Foaming Baby Wash, Baby Shampoo, Kids 3-in-1 Shampoo Conditioner and Body Wash and the Kids 2-in-1 hand and face foaming wash; all of which are under the Johnson's Natural umbrella. Due to the age (and hair) range of the kids, I was actually able to test all of these products in one bath! The 'baby' got bathed prior to the three older kiddos getting in the tub. </div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIaA79IakGl-_GM-v31OQ8ImNldJZF0zH8De3Kdf618qMDB4eKSGluXkvVxl2VYomn6iormwlJZQ8xHlj7oavKBM16oojVI7C4huV9LJPCI8xcSiH08lXMtcdKOA-cmeyBwh2BVa14Lx1G/s1600/IMG_4139.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIaA79IakGl-_GM-v31OQ8ImNldJZF0zH8De3Kdf618qMDB4eKSGluXkvVxl2VYomn6iormwlJZQ8xHlj7oavKBM16oojVI7C4huV9LJPCI8xcSiH08lXMtcdKOA-cmeyBwh2BVa14Lx1G/s400/IMG_4139.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5513630451846336034" /></a><br /></div><div>I flipped over the bottle and found that there were still some awfully long words in the ingredients list. HOWEVER, if you go to the <a href="http://www.johnsonsbaby.com/natural">Johnson's page and click on the product</a>, it lists out what each ingredient is and from what it's derived. In the lotion, for example, the only synthetic ingredient is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Benzoic</span> Acid which is used to 'maintain product freshness'.</div><div><br /></div><div>I liked the scent and felt like it was gentle enough and actually purchased some to put in a gift package for a first birthday party I attended recently as part of a 'bedtime basket'. I'm glad that more companies are making an affordable option for parents who are invested in being more 'green' and sensitive to the needs of our ever-changing environment while they may not be able to afford some of the more high-end brands. I love to indulge in them occasionally, but with how often my kids take the cap off and dump out a whole bottle combined with the fact that a good day is judged by how dirty they are at the end of it; we go through baby wash pretty quickly! I'm glad that there's something I can reach for for everyday use that won't break the bank and also carries a name parent's have trusted for a century!<br /><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><i>I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.momcentral.com">Mom Central</a> on behalf of Johnson’s and received the products necessary to facilitate my review. In addition, I received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.</i></span></span></span></div></div></div>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-68267563325253065452010-07-30T18:47:00.000-04:002010-07-30T18:48:03.644-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2429135.The_Girl_with_the_Dragon_Tattoo" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium, #1)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1275608878m/2429135.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2429135.The_Girl_with_the_Dragon_Tattoo">The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/706255.Stieg_Larsson">Stieg Larsson</a><br/><br />My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/105520600">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /><br />While this book started out super slow, I'm really glad I stuck around for the long haul. I think part of it was all the character and place names. I like foreign films and generally don't have an issue with foreign settings, but for whatever reason this one was a little more cumbersome. <br /><br />It reminded me a lot of the Ann Rule true crime books where the first half dragged out, setting the scene, but the second half really took off. As the reader, you were prepared to follow along because all the details were already in place. I look forward to reading the next in the series.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews >></a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-13464550981555986622010-06-17T14:34:00.002-04:002010-06-17T14:35:48.867-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1951125.The_Lace_Reader" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="The Lace Reader" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1266935034m/1951125.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1951125.The_Lace_Reader">The Lace Reader</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/886869.Brunonia_Barry">Brunonia Barry</a><br/><br/><br /><br />The Lace Reader is the story of one woman, Sophya 'Towner' Whitney, who left Salem, MA for California as a young adult after the tragic death of her twin sister Lyndley. Prior to heading to California, she had a brief, but successful, stay at a psychiatric hospital.<br /><br />She returns to Salem following the death of her beloved aunt, Eva, a local 'lace reader' and town legend. The story is all about the women who've influenced Towner, with the confusing events of her past and a mystery intricately woven in. <br /><br />I just finished this book, and there is still a lot to be processed. I really loved that it's set in Salem, a place I've visited a couple of times before, and that I still have another chance to see before leaving New England.<br /><br />This book is a rich, descriptive text, full of explanations of lace-making and the geography in which the story is set. I did, toward the end, start to guess how it was going to end, and piece things together, but I think it was intended with the break-through flashes of memory and family history provided.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews >></a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-32153367091509072732010-05-22T15:37:00.001-04:002010-05-22T15:37:22.986-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4929705-a-reliable-wife" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="A Reliable Wife" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1267035347m/4929705.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4929705-a-reliable-wife">A Reliable Wife</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/266461.Robert_Goolrick">Robert Goolrick</a><br/><br/><br />My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/90335420">4 of 5 stars</a><br />Goolrick's novel, an idea which was first explored after he read <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/200081.Wisconsin_Death_Trip" title="Wisconsin Death Trip by Michael Lesy">Wisconsin Death Trip</a> in the 70's, is another of those quick reads that's got a lot of depth at the same time. I flew through this book in two days, mainly because I couldn't wait to see if what I thought was going to happen would.<br /><br />Ralph Truitt is a Wisconsin businessman living in the small town of his family's name. A man haunted by the ghosts of deeds and relationships past, he puts out a want ad for 'a reliable wife.' Answering the call is Catherine Land, a woman who also has her share of dark corners and regrets. <br /><br />Together they explore the landscape that may or may not become their lives. Set in one very long Wisconsin winter, the novel delves into an array of relationship dynamics with twists and turns while also giving a glimpse at some of the vignettes that inspired Goolrick to write about a Wisconsin winter in the first place.<br /><br />The lives that go terribly wrong in the turn of a thought, minds gone mad when the snow sticks around too long. <br /><br />While it could easily have been a very bizarre tale that took everything just a step too far, I felt like he kept a nice balance between predictable love story and a novel with deception and twists; sex and sexual themes seem to have a heavy hand, but it didn't feel gratuitous.<br /><br />No spoilers, this is one to delve into post-haste.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews >></a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-44396509199548333352010-05-08T20:18:00.003-04:002010-05-08T21:05:23.239-04:00Sonicare for Kids!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDwlUqqydMeMaba8ofSs26ITZeg95foY9ZMchqLgRakpv_0rt-s7OR-T1fduhIBBAQOex2ysv4qkGcJDHM_NYo35rDTFUJNdp9O8X0V4P9aFjGrcUx9k_-WOhoOK9kysP93UGZqs6QzYy/s1600/sonicare+for+kids.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeDwlUqqydMeMaba8ofSs26ITZeg95foY9ZMchqLgRakpv_0rt-s7OR-T1fduhIBBAQOex2ysv4qkGcJDHM_NYo35rDTFUJNdp9O8X0V4P9aFjGrcUx9k_-WOhoOK9kysP93UGZqs6QzYy/s320/sonicare+for+kids.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469068337059376850" /></a>Many parents find that one of their battles is a struggle with their children to get them to brush their teeth the recommended twice daily, or to get them to brush for the desired two minutes. I'm lucky in that H definitely <i>loves</i> to brush his teeth; a tube of toothpaste, if not closely monitored, can be used within a month's time because he will stand at the sink and brush <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">every time</span> he washes his hands. That's great, right? Well, it would be if he got more tooth-paste on his teeth than he did on his face, or if he wasn't quite so excited about the rinsing phase, and spent more time on the brushing itself.<div><br /></div><div>I didn't want to dissuade his eagerness to brush, but I also wanted him to understand that there could be too much of a good thing by brushing too often (I counted one day and it was 9 times...). Also, because I come from a family of obsessive-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">compulsives</span> who brush <i>way</i> too 'briskly' I didn't necessarily want him to pick up my form, but I did want him to make sure that he wasn't missing any major sections and, mostly, I wanted it to remain fun for him so that it would be a good habit instead of a dreaded one.</div><div><br /></div><div>In<a href="http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/22266008/detail.html"> Massachusetts, they recently instituted a new law</a> that daycare providers and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">pre</span>-schools who have children that stay for a meal period (or more than four hours) have to brush their teeth while there. I thought this was great, as it's one more way to ensure that the sticky residue from the fruit snacks I swore I'd never let my kids eat gets brushed away expeditiously. As an aside, I was a little shocked to learn last week that raisins are just as bad in regards to sugar (yes, it's fructose instead of corn syrup, but still) getting stuck to their teeth as fruit snacks! Just when you think you're providing a healthy alternative...but I digress.</div><div><br /></div><div>I was offered the chance to try the new <a href="http://www.sonicare.com/professional/dp/OurProducts/SonicareForKids.aspx"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Sonicare</span> for Kids </a>electric toothbrush, and I couldn't wait to tell H. He was ridiculously excited, but what boy doesn't love to get new electronics? It came with different '<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">face plates</span>' that could make the brush handle more customizable, and two brush heads; one designed for 7+ year-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">olds</span>, and one designed for 4+year <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">olds</span>. Because H loves to brush, but Charlie primarily bites down, or chews, on the toothbrush, I decided to use one for each, even if the ages didn't exactly correspond. The brush heads were comparable to the ones they currently use, so I thought it would be fine.</div><div><br /></div><div>After letting it charge for the full 24 hours, which is recommended, I let Henry go at it after briefly explaining to him that he just needed to push the 'big button' once, then when it beeped at him, he needed to brush another area of his mouth. The first brushing session went really quickly, because for the 4 year-old setting (which I had already designated) it starts out at 1 minute, and then increases up to the recommended 2 minutes gradually after each full session with the brush is completed. </div><div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBm29_JIAVCBH-aRqWp2gYWY1aCvupgOjtYfbzlyhyfcP1GciMCCka1gN_Jzn0krZh9hRiCGZm5UBOn7TqHNgJggnQCCCIN9fqgxSZtROtMjXokKGOn2Yo7kKMPuCoIAc3w6xGszgeV-8z/s1600/IMG_2782.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBm29_JIAVCBH-aRqWp2gYWY1aCvupgOjtYfbzlyhyfcP1GciMCCka1gN_Jzn0krZh9hRiCGZm5UBOn7TqHNgJggnQCCCIN9fqgxSZtROtMjXokKGOn2Yo7kKMPuCoIAc3w6xGszgeV-8z/s400/IMG_2782.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTEGLyeWQLyc6enkW2yWV0K-0MhHEEkQvT_yVDFvhDYthwRhiE5buYMA-6dw6cAFXhxxgIutZo36nryd59bhh3cIPymWeYQYI1Dudc8-66XHP7l5s6x9dKD-yzZ3HWwrqnbvYd5c-CXFp/s1600/IMG_2784.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoTEGLyeWQLyc6enkW2yWV0K-0MhHEEkQvT_yVDFvhDYthwRhiE5buYMA-6dw6cAFXhxxgIutZo36nryd59bhh3cIPymWeYQYI1Dudc8-66XHP7l5s6x9dKD-yzZ3HWwrqnbvYd5c-CXFp/s400/IMG_2784.JPG" /></a> </div><br /></div><div>It beeps little tunes to move to each quadrant of the mouth, and then plays a longer tune as it shuts off and your time is complete. When it played the '<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">el</span> fin' song the first time, H looked at me and said 'Is my tooth brush telling me I did a great job?' I would never have thought of that, but told him that it certainly was.</div><div><br /></div><div>After just a week of him using the brush, he's able to do so independently in the morning, with me watching for the evening session to make sure he's getting all the nooks and crannies. I am able to use it on my almost-two year old just fine, and I'm getting his front teeth and insides of the back teeth much better than before because he doesn't seem quite so tempted to bite down on the vibrating head.</div><div><br /></div><div>I like the musical cues, because I feel like it makes it really easy for H to use the toothbrush very independently, and at his age, he's really excited about anything that he can do fully on his own. There is only one button they need to push, and they don't hold it down the whole time, it's just a simple press and release. The gentle setting for the 4+ group versus the more vigorous cleaning for the 7+ group only has to be chosen once, but can be changed with the press of a button.</div><div><br /></div><div>I did put it in my mouth to see what it felt like, and have to say it would take a little getting used to, because it's kind of a ticklish sensation, like when you get your teeth cleaned at the dentist's office, but the surface of the tooth I tried it on felt squeaky clean!</div><div><br /></div><div>I've been wanting to get a <a href="http://www.sonicare.com/professional/dp/OurProducts/SonicareForKids.aspx"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Sonicare</span></a> for quite some time, and will definitely invest in it now that I see how much easier it's made my kids' routines at night, and how clean my 'test tooth' felt after using it just briefly.</div><div><br /></div><div>You can currently purchase <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Sonicare</span> for Kids at Target and Amazon.com, but beginning May 3rd it will also be available at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Wal</span>-Mart stores nationwide. At $69.99 it is an investment, but investing in your child's dental health is definitely a worthy one! The replacement heads come in a 2-pack for $21.99. Also, keep in mind that if your budget is tight and you've got two kids, you could purchase one set, and the stand will accommodate both heads, or three kids could even share, storing one of the heads on the handle itself.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><span style="font-family:Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span style=" ;font-size:11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal;"><br /></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; font-family:arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><span style="font-family:Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span style=" ;font-size:11pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:130%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal;"><i>I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by <a href="www.momcentral.com"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">MomCentral</span> </a>on behalf of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Sonicare</span> and received a free <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Sonicare</span> for Kids toothbrush to facilitate my review.</i><br /></span></span></i></span></span></span></span><div style="clear:both; text-align:CENTER"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div></div>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-81634522359710335032010-05-06T10:49:00.001-04:002010-05-06T10:50:00.004-04:00<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61585.Remains_Silent" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Remains Silent" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170591822m/61585.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61585.Remains_Silent">Remains Silent</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/34688.Michael_Baden">Michael Baden</a><br/><br/><br />My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/101059875">2 of 5 stars</a><br />This book had a lot of potential, and I read it mainly because it sounded like it could really be along the lines of the Kay Scarpetta books. <br /><br />I guess the word that could really describe this would be 'unsophisticated'. It was almost as if you were reading the pitch for this book and not the actual book. The rough outline. The character development was pretty lazy, and there was no real build-up...the portions that were supposed to leave you breathless barely registered a change in heart-rate.<br /><br />I had the second one out of the library, but after reading the first chapter, I realized that my hopes that the editors would have taken a more heavy hand with this one were going to be dashed, so I returned it. What a disappointment! I was really hoping to find the next great medical drama/thriller series.<br /><br />No cigar on this one.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews >></a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3568069088758997385.post-57044023805521684442010-04-18T17:36:00.000-04:002010-04-18T17:37:08.110-04:00Born To Run<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6289283-born-to-run" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255657150m/6289283.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6289283-born-to-run">Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/133538.Christopher_McDougall">Christopher McDougall</a><br/><br/><br />My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/94698881">5 of 5 stars</a><br />I honestly haven't had a book that was, if not life-changing, then thought-changing like this book. I'm currently in the midst of training for my first half-marathon, and just thinking about the body mechanics, mind-set and absolute joy that the Tarahumara find in running makes each run go a little more smoothly, and has forced me to push myself WAY outside of my former comfort zone.<br /><br />I've improved my time by almost two minutes per mile, and actually look forward to those long Saturday runs.<br /><br />Coincidentally, this is the first time I've spent a lot of money on shoes...and that was because this is the first time I've felt on the verge of injury. I'm hoping that with ice, ibuprofen, lots of quality time with the foam roller and time, it'll resolve itself.<br /><br />Some day, I may even invest in a set of the Five Finger 'shoes' that they feature in the book and my friend's husband bought after reading the book.<br /><br />This is a must-read for every runner, or anyone who's even thinking of taking that first step. It's ridiculously inspirational and a phenomenal cultural read on top of that!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1388901-sara">View all my reviews >></a>Sally HPhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04321583478635164338noreply@blogger.com1