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Lucy’s Gluten Free Cookie Review

February 4, 2012 By 3 Comments

By Orshi

Lucy's gluten free cookiesWho are you little Valentines this year? If you are a mom, you probably started to think about how to treat your children and their classmates on this sweet holiday. The good old days of bake-up-something-and-wrap-cutely-with-a-heart-note are over. Food allergies and strengthening school regulations are more preventive than ever in bringing homemade treats to school. As a precaution, many schools are ‘NUT-FREE’ and they only accept items for parties that are store purchased. My youngest son has severe food allergies and as a teacher, I constantly have to look out for one of my students as well before giving him anything other students bring to share. Today’s common allergies include peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy and gluten. If you are unfortunate, your child with allergies has more than one of these, which makes it hardly impossible to buy treats that are safe. Dr. Lucy has a solution for you. As an M.D. and a mother of a child with severe allergies, she is passionate about providing tasty, high-quality, and safe treats for children with allergies. Her line of Lucy’s Cookies include seven amazing flavors: Sugar Cookie, Cinnamon Thin, Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Cookie, and her three new flavors: Ginger Snap, Maple Bliss, and Chocolate. I received samples from the three brand new flavors to the joy of my little man. These little sweet morsels are quite yummy. Firstly, they are just the right size (about 2 imageinches diameter) so you can give one for each hand. All seven flavors are peanut, tree nut, milk, egg and gluten free. They are crispy and tasty, packed with just the best ingredients. Lucy developed her special blend of flour – a combination of gluten free oat, garbanzo, potato starch, tapioca, sorghum and fava flours – and blended them with non-GMO oils and flavors, making these treats both cholesterol and trans fat free. Wow … best of both worlds, I am telling you! You cannot tell that they are unconventional cookies. My son absolutely loves the Chocolate ones and by far those are his favorites now. My daughter is a ginger fan so the Ginger Snaps are her special treats. Lucy’s Ginger Snaps have a touch of lemon and chipotle spice that gives them some extra special kick. My personal favorite is the Maple Bliss … oh, with a cup of hot tea or coffee they bring major bliss into my day.

Lucy is deeply committed to provide resources and help people with food allergies and Celiac Disease. Check out her website www.drlucys.com for useful links and ways to find support groups for helping parents and individuals navigate through the challenges of food allergies and Celiac Disease.

About Orshi:

Orshi is a teacher at UCIC where she works daily with children. She shows a great love for children as she has three of her own. She also loves Facebook, gardening and baking. She was born and grew up in Hungary and now lives across the street.

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Behind Broadway with Steve Fickinger: NEWSIES Hits March 15th

January 31, 2012 By 2 Comments

When I was a little girl NEWSIES came out and when I watched it I was bored out of my mind. I think that because of the NEWSIES I decided that musicals must not be my thing. I actually hated the NEWSIES when it came out so long ago and Steve Fickinger, VP of Creative Development and Licensing for NEWSIES on Broadway, said the movie wasn’t the best. “I can’t imagine many of you saw it in the theaters, because I think it played for one week.” Because it failed. “Well, as you might imageknow, oddly the film failed. Failed, failed. I think it made maybe three million bucks. It was in the theater for one week, one week, a famous failure.” He said, “It’s not a great movie.” But NEWSIES the Broadway Musical is going to be fantastic.

Talking to Steve and watching the preview of NEWSIES the Broadway musical gives me hope that N on Broadway it actually has a chance at being something really special. The songs are better the dancing is better and they incorporated more girls into the show. I wish I lived in New York so that I could see it in March when it starts it’s run. I guess my other hope would be that it’s so successful that it goes on tour and comes to Seattle so I can watch it locally. I bet my kids would like it this go around.

_E1K3155 Disney's Newsies, directed by Jeff Calhoun at Papermill Playhouse 9/15-10/16/11 Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Jack Feldman Book by Harvey Fierstein Based on the Disney Film written by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White Choreography by Christopher Gattelli Lighting Design:Jeff Coiter Costume Design: Jess Goldstein Set Design: Tobin Obst Photograph © T Charles Erickson http://tcharleserickson.photoshelter.com/

Steve Fickinger was great to interview, funny and candied with us. He admitted that Disney had a problem with parents in movies and LOVES to kill them off and if a parent actually gets to survive then only one! You know it’s true and that he was being quite silly telling us not to quote him. His honesty with us made me feel I could trust his judgment.

How did the idea for NEWSIES on Broadway get started?Newsies, the Musical 601 Disney's Newsies, directed by Jeff Calhoun at Papermill Playhouse 9/15-10/16/11 Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Jack Feldman Book by Harvey Fierstein Based on the Disney Film written by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White Choreography by Christopher Gattelli Lighting Design:Jeff Coiter Costume Design: Jess Goldstein Set Design: Tobin Obst Photograph © T Charles Erickson http://tcharleserickson.photoshelter.com/

NEWSIES is the number one requested Broadway musical. So Steve talked with Alan Menken and Jack Feldman, who did the original film, and also spoke with Bob Tzudicker and Noni White who wrote the original film. They didn’t have Broadway experience so Steve had to find more help. He told us a story about how he found more help.  “Alan Menken, who I’m sure you all know from Beauty and the Beast and etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, Enchanted, Sister Act, many wonderful things, he happened to be at Leo’s Grocery Store. He lives, uh, kind of slightly upstate New York in some beautiful, leafy suburb where I’ll never be able to afford a home, and he happened to run into, uh, Harvey Fierstein, who you probably also know from Mrs. Doubtfire, he wrote the La Cage aux Folles, he wrote towards some trilogy. “ …..”they fell to talking, they’d never met before, and Harvey says, what do you do, what are you working on? And Alan, well, I’m doing this, and I’m doing this, and I’m doing this, and he happened to throw Newsies into the conversation, and Harvey said, let’s talk more about that. So they went over to Alan’s house, and, uh, as they talked more about it, Alan, uh, Harvey watched the film, and Alan picked up the phone, and he said, you know, you’re never going to believe who actually is interested in writing the book for Newsies. Harvey Fierstein.”

Newsies, the Musical 375 Disney's Newsies, directed by Jeff Calhoun at Papermill Playhouse 9/15-10/16/11 Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Jack Feldman Book by Harvey Fierstein Based on the Disney Film written by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White Choreography by Christopher Gattelli Lighting Design:Jeff Coiter Costume Design: Jess Goldstein Set Design: Tobin Obst Photograph © T Charles Erickson http://tcharleserickson.photoshelter.com/

Together they created NEWSIES and they had to use the best parts of the movie because believe it or not there is a cult following that loves the movie. So he took the songs, the emotion, sort of the bravado of the musical and created an adaptation that I’m ready to go see right now! Advance tickets go on sale starting Monday, January 30th, previews begin on March 15th and opening night of the show on Broadway is March 29th.

_MG_3562 Disney's Newsies, directed by Jeff Calhoun at Papermill Playhouse 9/15-10/16/11 Music by Alan Menken Lyrics by Jack Feldman Book by Harvey Fierstein Based on the Disney Film written by Bob Tzudiker and Noni White Choreography by Christopher Gattelli Lighting Design:Jeff Coiter Costume Design: Jess Goldstein Set Design: Tobin Obst Photograph © T Charles Erickson http://tcharleserickson.photoshelter.com/

Thanks to Disney and DreamWorks for covering travel expenses.

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The Epson Stylus NX430 Small In One

January 30, 2012 By 4 Comments

The Epson NX430 Small in One is very much like the Epson Artisan 730 Printer in appearance that I reviewed back in November. It’s just much smaller with fewer ink cartridges. It only has four ink cartridges. The Epson Small in One much like many other Epson printers is super easy to hook up to the internet it’s push enabled. At least that’s what I like to call it. You push a button and it connect to your wifi and you can print to it from anywhere in the house, which is a huge time saver in my opinion.

Epson Stylus NX430 Small In One

Set up was a breeze

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The printer quality is as expected and when it comes to Epson I have high expectations. The Epson Stylus NX430 is designed for simplicity and comes complete with a 2.5" color LCD and built-in memory card slots for PC-free printing. In addition, the new Small-in-One offers hassle-free printing on-the-go with Epson Connect, a new portfolio of cloud and mobile services enabling users to print web pages, photos, documents, and e-mail attachments directly from tablets, smart phones and other mobile devices directly to their Epson printers.

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I love to read reviews and see what other people are saying about technology and one reviewer wrote that the Epson Small in One isn’t really that small and having reviewed a few printers over the years, I have to disagree. The Epson small in one is much smaller than most all in one printers. Compared to the Epson Artisan 730 Printer, I would say it’s half the size. The paper tray is in the back instead of on the bottom. It uses fewer ink cartridges as I mentioned earlier. I suppose compared to the very first printer I owned it’s about the same size, no I take that back it’s still smaller. My college printer that only printed was taller and the same width so I’m pretty impressed with the size and quality ratio! It’s good on both accounts.

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Scanning is really easy and making modifications are really easy. I love the options of scanning to card or to computer, but it seems just as easy to scan to card and walk over to my computer. One other thing I really love is that the printer is very quite.

Epson Stylus NX430 Small In One ink

the Stylus NX430 Small-in-One   is designed to meet busy families’ home printing, scanning and copying needs. Featuring superior all-in-one performance in an unprecedented space-saving design, the affordable Epson Stylus NX430 packs outstanding print quality and ease-of-use into the smallest footprint available for the feature set.

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ADDITIONAL FEATURES/BENEFITS

  • Wireless printing and scanning — share one small-in-one at home, now with Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n²
  • Easy Epson Wireless — connect to your wireless network in seconds
  • Save time — make multiple copies (1 – 99) with one touch
  • Replace only the color you need — individual ink cartridges, available in different sizes*
  • Quality and speed in one machine — fast printing, copying and scanning, thanks to innovative technology from Epson
  • Better image automatically — red-eye removal, photo restoration, and correction of over/underexposed images
  • Truly touchable photos and documents — instant-dry ink for smudge, fade and water resistant prints; even highlighter friendly
  • Epson Connect — get instant, wireless printing of photos and attachments right from smartphones, iPads, tablets and popular mobile devices¹
  • Quick, high-quality scanning up to 2400 dpi — scan important papers, recipes, bills, report cards and photos and save them as JPEGs or PDFs, with or without a PC
  • Product protection you can count on — One-year limited warranty, Quick product exchange
  • Packaging Specifications (W x D x H) — Dimensions: Printing 15.4" x 20.8" x 11.0", Storage 15.4" x 11.8" x 5.7" and Weight 8.8 lb.

We received a sample for review.

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Wuggle Pets Build ‘Em With Love & Care Review

January 30, 2012 By 2 Comments

By Emily,

I think there is some unwritten formula that when you have children, you will own no less than 20 stuffed animals per child by the time they are 2. By the time they are 4, you double that, and by 6 years of age that number will equal more than you can count! So once you have a couple dozen stuffed animals, what’s a couple dozen more? The latest and greatest stuffed animals that my kids have been dying to check out are Wuggle Pets. Yes, they saw them on TV and instantly fell in love. So when I was given the opportunity to review a Wuggle Pets starter kit, I had to say yes!

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If you aren’t familiar with Wuggle Pets, they are unique baby animals that kids get to assemble, choose personalities for and name themselves. Add a little magic dust, and their new stuffed animals are brought to life as they turn the handle on their special animal making gadget (a.k.a. Wuggle Fun Fill Factory). The 12 piece starter kit ($19.99) includes the Wuggle Fun Fill factory and everything you need to create two pets. Additional pets can be purchased for $7.99 if your kids want to add more to their collection.

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Just opening the package and recognizing the colorful box, made my girls go nuts. When I tried to take a moment to read the directions, my 5 year old informed me she already knew how to do it from the commercial. And crazy enough, she did, it’s super simple:

TaDa

Just place half the stuffing into the Wuggle Fun Fill Factory, sprinkle a little magic dust (star confetti) in it and top off with the other half of the stuffing.

Place the cap on the Wuggle Fun Fill Factory and attach your Wuggle Pet to the front of it.

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Turn the handle about a couple dozen times and watch the cute little pet plump up.

As if that wasn’t fun enough for my kids, they then get to pick personality charms to put inside their Wuggle Pet. My older daughter liked the sassy and brave charms. My younger like the sweet and loving charms. No surprise to me, their wobble pets were taking on characteristics similar to themselves! Box_Back

The final step required a helping hand from me to fully zip and fasten the pet. I was actually impressed that these stuffed animals are nicely constructed and quite soft. Not some cheap-o favor toy, I know our Wuggle Pets will put up with a lot of love from my kids. And so far their Wuggle Pets are getting lots of love. These little pets are the perfect size to travel with and the attached clip keeps them secure on coats and bags without the worry of losing them.Box_Front

For more information or to place an order you can visit Wuggle Pets. Be sure to check out the Party Pack Set which includes all eight of the current Wuggle Pets. This set would be the perfect activity for both boys and girls at a birthday party or special playdate. For an additional $7.99 each (includes shipping and handling) you can also give your Wuggle Pet its very own voice with a Magical Voice Box that allows you to add a personalized message to your pet! For the next Wuggle Pet set we create, I’m planning to record a loving message for each of my girls so that they have an extra special comfort toy wherever they go.

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SAVE MONEY

Special Tip (as of 1/27/12): Save $5 on your order by visiting wugglepets.com and following the pop up when you try to close the main page.

Disclosure – These products were provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

About Emily:

Emily is also very active in the local MOMS CLUB. She raises chickens and has 2 shih tzus. Her daughter Caitlyn attends Montessori school and she hates housecleaning, loves wine and enjoys dining out. She would love to find a cure for the depression and anxiety she has dealt with on and off over the past 10 years, just like me. She is an amazing mom and friend.

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A Kids Exclusive Shopping Spree Experience

January 29, 2012 By 3 Comments

By Emily:

Since I became a mom nearly six years ago, online shopping has become a godsend for me. I love that my shopping can be completed on my computer while my littlest one naps and I can skip running around to various stores toting along snacks, diapers, sippy cups, toys, etc. Our home has become a regular stop on the FedEx, UPS and Postal Services delivery routes! Even if my package contains only baby stuff or cleaning supplies, it always feels a bit like Christmas to open up something that has been delivered to your door.

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When it comes to shopping online for clothing, particularly kids clothing, I am always looking for a great deal since I know my girls will outgrow them in no time. I love the new daily deal shops that carry specialty designers because they will have something unique and quality made. The only trouble with these shopping sites is that 1. Many items really aren’t discounted that deeply and 2. The shipping can take nearly 3 – 5 weeks. Who knows if that outfit is still going to fit my kid by the time it arrives?!

A new shopping site, Kidsexclusive.com, is truly the latest and GREATEST place to find super cute clothes for kids 0 – 9 at amazing prices and with quick shipping!

Model 1From the creators of KidsExclusive.com:

KidsExclusive.com is the smart solution for the busier-than-ever mom, allowing you to get AMAZING BRANDS for INCREDIBLE PRICES so your family can look stylish without making you broke!

KidsExclusive.com was born from our frustration with existing deal sites which have a snobbish attitude (you have to be a member to see the deals) combined with bad customer service (extremely slow delivery, no return policy).

When we shared our feelings with other moms, we found out they shared the same views.  We then decided to create something completely different – a FRIENDLY DEAL SITE!

A site that is easy to navigate, that would show the deals to all moms, that would SHIP QUICKLY (so mom gets them when she needs them) and that will take back the merchandise- no questions asked- if mom doesn’t like them.

Being friendly is our approach to life and that’s exactly we want our site to be!

What is special about KidsExclusive.com?

Kidsexclusive_logoBeing friendly is not just a tagline. It is an attitude that you can experience while working with us:

  • No need to be invited or to subscribe to enjoy our deals
  • A robust variety of Premium Brands, usually found in exclusive department stores.
  • Real Discounts - everything is 30% to 90% off retail price!
  • Speedy Delivery – within 24 hours of you placing the order the product leaves our facility. That’s what we call fast service!
  • A No Hassle Return Policy. Don’t like the product? Send it back! We’ll take it, no questions asked.

My recent experience with KidsExclusive.com was wonderful. There were so many great brands to shop and the deals were incredible, I ended up searching through just about every page to make sure I wouldn’t miss out anything. I was excited that so many of the items were perfect for spring and summer and not just winter closeouts like other sites offer. My only problem was narrowing down my shopping basket! I loved so many of the items but did have a budget to stick to. I ended up purchasing two super cute Jelly the Pug dresses, one Jelly the Pug skirt, a pair of super skinny distressed IT Jeans, a Ragdoll and Rocket tunic, and a colorful blouse from Pink Tangerine. My total, including the flat $5.95 shipping, was $118! If I had purchased these items at full price my total would have been $249 for the entire lot.

You can take advantage of these same savings by visiting KidsExclusive.com. Be sure to check out the “Under $10” section for even more amazing deals. Right now you can earn a $20 credit for every new member you invite, just as soon as their first order ships. All these details can be found on the KidsExclusive.com homepage.

Disclosure – This product was provided to me free of charge by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the writing of this review; however, opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.

About Emily:

Emily is also very active in the local MOMS CLUB. She raises chickens and has 2 shih tzus. Her daughter Caitlyn attends Montessori school and she hates housecleaning, loves wine and enjoys dining out. She would love to find a cure for the depression and anxiety she has dealt with on and off over the past 10 years, just like me. She is an amazing mom and friend.

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Disney Baby Layette Gift Set

January 29, 2012 By 5 Comments

By Christine:

"After a labor of love, we’re proud to announce the birth of DisneyBaby.com".  To celebrate the newest member of the Disney family I was invited to try out a few items from the layette collection.  Included in the gift set were two Disney Cuddly Bodysuits, one Disney Sleep and Play outfit and a Winnie the Pooh soft character rattle. Typically I am not a big fan of babies or young kids wearing clothes with characters or other brands until they’re old enough to pick out what they like.  However, I found the patterns on the Disney Baby items to be very tasteful and unobtrusive.  The Disney characters were included in a more fashionable design in the samples I received and what I saw online.

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The onsies are both cute and cuddly, as the name suggests.  In addition, they are made out of a very soft 100% cotton and are thick enough to wear paired with cotton pants, or under another shirt for added warmth. They wash well and feel even softer after coming out of the dryer.  The head opening is a generous size and fit easily over my  3 1/2 month old’s slightly large head.  What I like most about the Disney Cuddly Bodysuits though is the additional row of snaps.  It is so great to have well made clothes that will last and grow with my daughter, especially since babies grow so fast and I can hardly keep up with rotating her clothes as she grows. I know that these onsies will be in the dresser for several months to come and they will look and feel great.IMG_1001

The Disney Sleep and Play outfit was the same lovely cotton as the bodysuits.  I’m just disappointed that they sent a boy’s pattern, as I have a daughter whose older sister will not hear of her little sister wearing anything remotely boyish.  The Mickey Mouse "Who am I" Sleep and Play will find a new home at Special Delivery, a frequent recipient of items from MomStart.

These items can all be found on DisneyBaby.com along with a whole selection of other baby necessities.

About Christine:

Christine is our in house baby product reviewer. She has two children that are quite adorable, one is 3 1/2 months old and the other is three and in my son’s preschool class. When she’s not taking maternity leave she works at the local children’s hospital.

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Awed and Amazed by Fantasy of Flight

January 22, 2012 By 8 Comments

Sometimes I get lucky and have so many fabulous photos of a place I visit that the entire review can be in photos and Fantasy of Flight was breathtakingly photogenic. In Seattle we have The Museum of Flight where we can take all kind of photos of airplanes. It’s walking through a museum. Fantasy of flight takes you on an adventure while showing you all the airplanes over the years. You not only get to see the planes you feel the life they lived. You have to see it to completely understand what I’m saying. You live the fantasy!

Fantasy of Flight is in Polk Florida very close to Kissimmee. It’s worth the drive over to see a unique display of the history of planes. They offer a variety of guided tours including visits to their working restoration and maintenance areas. My favorite part was the tour we took. Walking through areas of war actually made me nervous.

imageimageimageimageimageimageSome of the aircraft we saw has been carefully restored to represent the same dignity they possessed when they ruled the skies. They were beautiful planes. I think because my son has such a fascination with airplanes it gave me a fascination. Seeing everything through the eyes of a child makes me feel young again. This is defiantly a place I want to take Miles to one day.

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One area that we didn’t try was the Fun with Flight Center. There you can take a spin on a state-of-the-art hang glide simulator and climb on board a real B-17 Flying Fortress in a WWII bombing mission.

Travel and Expenses were covered by Kissimmee CVB and Global Resort Homes

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The Fly Girls: Waldo Wright’s Flying Service

January 21, 2012 By 5 Comments

Just outside the Fantasy of Flight in Kissimmee Florida is Waldo Wright’s Flying Service. There you get to fly above Florida in a little bi-plane and relive adventures of the 1930’s.

fly girl

That’s what we did back in December of 2011. Thanks to Kissimmee CVB, Fantasy of Flight, Global Resort Homes and Waldo Wright’s Flying Service, I got to dress the part of someone who took a little joy ride in a bi-plane. We heard the history of the plane, as it was used to smuggle alcohol at one time, a fact I found to be really cool. Plus flying through the air in bi-plane was much easier and much more fun that I ever thought it would be.

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I was a bit scared because I’m used to small planes being quite shaky, this wasn’t it was a smooth ride and the weather was perfect for us. I loved the wind in my hair and seeing the water and orange groves below me.

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So here are the fly girls.

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Kas – Southern Bellas Ways To Save

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Crystal – Simply Being Mommy and Becca – Mamabblog

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Jen – The Mom Reviews

Now here are the planes. Waldo Wright’s Flying Service offers a variety of vintage biplane experiences. Travel back to the 1930s to enjoy an authentic barnstorming ride in a New Standard D-25, or the 1940s for a more hands-on WWII adventure at the controls of a Boeing Stearman N2S-3.

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Here’s a little history:

The New Standard airplane was designed specifically for barnstorming at the request of Ivan Gates, the proprietor of the famous Gates Flying Circus. Gates, with Clyde Pangborn, formed and operated one of the largest groups of barnstorming airplanes from the middle 1920s and into the 1930s. Carrying 4 passengers in a large front open cockpit, the airplane was instrumental in introducing hundreds of thousands of people to their first airplane ride, when aviation was in its infancy. Many still remember flying out of a pasture near their hometown when they were young. There are very few of these magnificent airplanes still operating today; in fact, Waldo owns two of the seven presently airworthy and flying.

 

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My husband had told me a while back that he was going to take our son up and I said. NO WAY. You are not taking my son on a bi-plane. Now that I’ve been on one as soon as I know my son can stay in his seat, he’s allowed to fly with his dad and a professional pilot of course. Waldo Wright’s Flying Service is located in Polk City just outside Fantasy of Flight. If you ever are in the Kissimmee area you should consider going up in one of his planes.

 

Travel expenses were covered by Global Resort Homes and Kissimmee CVB.

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Angie’s Kettle Corn Valentine’s Snack Pack: What’s Not to Love?

January 21, 2012 By 3 Comments

Review By Orshi:

All-natural treat makes classroom parties sweet

I hate to admit it, but I still have candies from last Valentine ’s Day. Having 3 children and 18 students, we were way overstocked after this especially sweet holiday. And then came Halloween and Christmas and that basket that usually has only a few pieces in it is overflowing now. I am not a big fan of candy and I certainly don’t feed it to my children. Eating candy is a special treat in our house and it is hard to control the little sugar loving minds when they know it is around (so as far as I know they are unaware of the location of that basket). I also have a son who is highly allergic to dairy, soy, and nuts – pretty much three ingredients that are in most common candies. You know, the feeling of grabbing a piece of candy out of your child’s hand to possibly save his life … hmm, not a good one. Needless to say, I am very happy to find a healthy and safe alternative to the Valentine sugar rush that will please all three of my children and their little Valentines. Angie’s Kettle Corn Valentine’s Snack Packs are a sweetheart of an all-natural treat, packaged in portable and convenient packs for classmate and friend treat exchange.

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Angie’s Kettle Corn is created by Angie Bastian and her husband Dan. At 70 calories per .5-ounce snack-sized bag, Angie’s is a cholesterol-free treat made with whole grain and four simple—and simply irresistible—sweet-and-salty ingredients: popcorn, corn oil, sea salt and sugar. Now how simple is that? My children will love it, I already know.

Exclusively available at Target, the whimsically Valentine-themed snacks pack retails for $5.99 and includes 20 treat-sized bags and customizable message stickers for easy and fun gifting. “With no trans-fats, artificial flavors, preservatives or cholesterol, our snack packs are a naturally delicious treat that Cupids of all ages will love from the inside—out,” said Bastian.

By purchasing Angie’s Kettle Corn you can also be part of a great cause since the growing company’s packaging waste is now being donated to Misfit Acres Inc. in Amboy, Minn., a horse rescue and sanctuary. Misfit Acres sends the waste to Michigan where TerraCycle Inc. “upcycles” it by using every aspect of the waste for a variety of products such as notebook covers, pencil boxes, carry bags, and fencing. Recycling proceeds come back to Misfit Acres and help to defray the expense of caring for the formerly neglected horses.

Visit Angie’s Kettle Corn on Facebook at  or Twitter @AngiesKettle.

About Orshi:

Orshi is a teacher at UCIC where she works daily with children. She shows a great love for children as she has three of her own. She also loves Facebook, gardening and baking. She was born and grew up in Hungary and now lives across the street.

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Fight Dry Skin: Lowila Cleansing Bar and Lac-Hydrin Five Moisturizing Lotion

January 20, 2012 By 4 Comments

By Orshi:

I have chronic dry hands and I have soft-hand-envy, too. Let me explain. The chronic part is just what it sounds like: my hands are always dry unless I slather them with hand cream 5 times a day (which I simply just can’t do). About the soft-hand-envy … you know when you shake someone’s hand and you feel their warm silky skin that is like baby skin … oh, I envy that, I envy that a lot. I have tried many tricks to reach that super-soft-hand-state – drenched my hands in hand creams, wrapped them in softening gloves, used special European creams, did mini scrub and spa treatments on them. They have all reached results – some better than others – but they were never to last. When I received the Lowila Cleansing Bar and the LAC-HYDRIN® FIVE Moisturizing Lotion, I knew I will be able to put them to the test.image

Lowila is a soap free, dermatologist, pediatricians and physicians recommended bar to improve various dry, and sensitive skin conditions.

LAC-HYDRIN® FIVE Moisturizing Lotion is a dry skin care for elbows, knees, feet, and hands and even gentle enough for face. It is infused with ammonium hydroxide, fragrance free and absorbs fast. It is non-comedogenic, meaning that it will not clog pores and cause acne.

imageI put the bar of soap into the children’s bathroom and used it during bath time. I usually don’t believe in soap free ‘soaps’ but this one is quite unique. It lathers up very well, has a soft scent and acts just like a regular soap. My youngest son has dry skin due to allergies and his little ‘scales’ need regular moisturizing. I used the LAC-HYDRIN® FIVE Moisturizing Lotion on him after baths and noticed a huge improvement in this skin. First of all, the lotion is not greasy at all, goes on easy, doesn’t feel heavy and soaks into the skin fast. My little guys biggest problem when it comes to ‘buttering’ him (a term he has been using for moisturizing since he could talk) is that the sticky feeling bothers him for a long time. After using LAC-HYDRIN®, he forgets about it in a matter of minutes and his skin is itch free and soft. The only problem with this lotion is that if he has deeper itch marks on his skin, it burns when I put it on … I mean screaming burn – so it should not be used on skin that is very irritated by eczema or possibly imagehas cuts from itching.

As for my dry hands … they are feeling quite soft now. I use LAC-HYDRIN® regularly and I only apply it once a day for lasting results. The lotion goes a long way and there is a lot of magic packed into it. I could make an 8 oz bottle last a long time between my little boy and my hands. Great product!!

Both products can be purchased online from Amazon.com, Drugstore.com or various other websites starting at $14.

Samples Received.

 

About Orshi:

Orshi is a teacher at UCIC where she works daily with children. She shows a great love for children as she has three of her own. She also loves Facebook, gardening and baking. She was born and grew up in Hungary and now lives across the street.

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