AllerMates®
June 27, 2010 by CPA Mom
Filed under kids, product reviews
From the company: Think super stylish dog tag necklaces and brightly colored wristbands! Finally kids whose lives depend on making others aware of life-threatening allergies have a new line of allergy accessories to choose from that they’ll love wearing.
Awearables LLC has created AllerMates®, kid-friendly (and cool!) allergy awareness accessories – to make identifying a child with an allergy simple for both children and adults!
Kids will love the wristbands adorned with the “AllerMate®” character that signifies their specific allergy, such as P. Nutty (peanut), Nutso (tree nut), Eggie (egg) and Pint (Dairy). Bold colors and fun characters help kids feel secure and confident about themselves, regardless of their allergy! Made of 100% high-quality soft plastic, the adjustable band comes with two snaps to fit different sized wrists. Available in Lime Green, Bright Orange, Yellow and Sky Blue.  AllerMates Allergy Awareness Wristbands are bright and colorful and designed to be noticed. They come with two adjustable snaps and should fit most kids from the age of 2 and up. As always our products are hypo-allergenic (latex-free) and thoroughly tested for safety and quality. For multiple allergies, try layering these colorful bands.
The AllerMates® necklaces are designed to hold not just one, but two or more dog tags for those with multiple allergies. Hypo-allergenic, nickel-free and made of fashionable silicone, each AllerMates® tag features a quick allergy identification on the back and the AllerMate® character on the front. The tags are available in pink metallic for girls. Hypo allergenic, cool brushed metal with a dimensional rubber character makes the AllerMates tags unique and eye catching.
My take: My 7 year old has, among other allergies, an allergy to peanuts, so he wears a medic alert bracelet 24/7. It’s not terribly stylish of course, but he is not of the age to care yet. But these days, with every child I know wild over those silly plastic bracelets (including my two kiddos), I knew he would love these AllerMates® wristbands. And boy does he ever! Being latex free, they don’t irritate his skin either – they kind of make having allergies “cool” – his sister (who no food allergies) for one, is very jealous of him and tried to convince me to let her wear the egg and dairy bracelets that were sent to us too. When I pointed out she doesn’t have an egg or diary allergy, she said “but I don’t like eggs so I can wear that one!” I wasn’t sent one of the dog tag necklaces but those look pretty neat too – imagine, dog tags for allergies! Such a cool idea, my only regret is I didn’t think of it first! I’m going to pass on the egg and dairy bracelets to our allergist - if your kids have allergies, be sure to check out AllerMates® today! ★★★★★
This post was written for AllerMates®, who provided the items for review (three wristbands). I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary products.
Never Blame the Umpire
June 26, 2010 by CPA Mom
Filed under books, product reviews
The Prophecy (The Watchers Chronicles)
June 25, 2010 by CPA Mom
Filed under books, product reviews
From the publisher: It was a night in St. Louis no one would forget.
A freak hailstorm during the Mardi Gras parade. Strange pockets of wind smashing into revelers. A sudden jump in crime across the city. But Jonah Becker and his ragtag friends would remember it as something else: the night of the curse – or gift – each are now destined to carry.
They are The Watchers: Witnesses to the epic and otherwise invisible battle for souls that rages around us. Jonah, the handsome musician who lives from one party to another; Sam Becker, kickboxer, and artist, whose tortured visions lead him into a fatal web of deceit; Carly Hagan, successful young entrepreneur and rebel, who will have to see with her own eyes that her father’s faith is not so blind; Jenna Moore, a young single mother who has made some dangerous mistakes; and Jeremiah Harvey, known ominously as “Big J.”
A thrilling fantasy novel for young readers, The Prophecy releases this May by Dawn Miller, acclaimed filmmaker. She is currently working on both a graphic novel and film version of this book. http://tinyurl.com/TheProphecy-Dawn-Miller
My take: Fallen Angels vs. Guardian Angels. An epic battle of Good vs. Evil. Action. Suspense. This book has it all. And the “religious” part of the story is so subtle, it doesn’t overwhelm the story itself.  Instead, it’s intertwined throughout the story arc in a very natural way, as faith is in life. The book was confusing though, to be sure. I felt I had to keep notes on who was who with all the characters, by name and by which “side” they are on. But once you get a handle on that, it’s a great book, very fast paced, with a lot of action. I can’t wait for the next “episode” to be published but the book doesn’t leave you hanging, thank goodness.  A good solid y.a. fiction book for Ms. Miller that adults will like as well.
Muffins and Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy – if Disorderly – Life
June 4, 2010 by CPA Mom
Filed under books, product reviews, women
From the publisher: In MUFFINS and MAYHEM, author Suzanne Beecher uses her quirky, homespun magic to transport the reader through her tumultuous journey from her childhood in the very small town of Cuba City, WI to single, teenage mother to successful businesswoman, mother, grandmother, and wife of her best friend. MUFFINSÂ and MAYHEM is refreshingly humorous and honest, and a perfect summer read that celebrates food, friends, and family.
Pull up a chair and dig into this delicious dish of confessions and reminiscences from an everyday person who had big dreams. In Muffins and Mayhem: Recipes for a Happy – if Disorderly – Life (Touchstone; June 1, 2010), Suzanne Beecher, beloved creator of the hugely successful online book club DearReader.com, rediscovers her path to the present through a recipe box and opens her heart to her readers.
Raised in Cuba City, Wisconsin, boasting 2,000 people, with a firm appreciation for hard work, Suzanne recalls her own arduous childhood years followed by her evolution from single, drug addicted, teenage mother to successful businesswoman, mother, grandmother, and wife of her best friend – the man of her dreams. Tracing memories evoked by the recipes she loves to cook, Suzanne reassures us that with love and dedication even the most challenging obstacles will be overcome.
Muffins and Mayhem was inspired by a reader who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and was wondering how to leave a legacy to her children. Suzanne suggested a recipe box filled with memories and family stories. Helping this reader turned out to be a gift to Suzanne as well, and she decided to share the stories and recipes that help keep her grounded in today’s unpredictable world.
Dished up with a healthy portion of hilarity; whether she’s ironing the clothing her mother deliberately froze solid, being the only girl in an auto mechanics course, or getting her pearl chandelier earring stuck between her teeth while driving, Suzanne’s personal tales remind us to take life lightly and enjoy our time with those we love.
So bake up some of Suzanne’s blueberry muffins, pour a tall glass of tea and take some time to savor the days when all food was slow food and people came together to enrich the quality of each other’s lives.
Muffins and Mayhem is a ticket back home.
My take: To begin with, I loved the style of this book – Suzanne wrote this book as if I, the reader, was sitting down at her kitchen table, drinking a cup of coffee with her while holding a little “Kaffeeklatsch”; it was just like sitting down with my best friend, taking a bit of life advice while indulging in, well, “muffins and mayhem!” With complementing recipes in each chapter, Suzanne leads you on a journey through her life (a troubled childhood, a troubled adulthood but finally the rousing success she so undoubtedly earned and deserves). I literally “gobbled up” this book, reluctantly putting it down to sleep and let me tell you, I rarely do that with non-fiction! And not only did I take away some life lessons, I now have some new awesome recipes to try – and the feeling I made a new friend. I highly recommend this book. ★★★★★
This post was written for Touchstone/Simon and Schuster who provided the book for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary book.
