ThermaCELL Mosquito Repellent Patio Lantern

I recently had the opportunity to try out the new ThermaCELL Mosquito Repellent Patio Lantern. Here’s some information about the product from ThermaCELL -

ThermaCELL has manufactured a portable, butane-powered, area mosquito repellent device that is up to 98% effective at warding off mosquitos, black flies, and no-see-ums. In addition to repelling mosquitoes, it can also be used to provide ambient lighting for your patio, porch, or other outdoor areas. This new Lantern can be used as a mosquito repellent, as a light, or for both purposes simultaneously. It operates on a single butane cartridge which heats a repellent mat releasing allethrin (a synthetic copy of the natural repellent found in chrysanthemum flowers). ThermaCELL Mosquito Repellent creates an odorless cell of protection which has been evaluated by the EPA for safety and effectiveness. It provides up to 50 times more protection than mosquito coils or citronella candles. And, it’s cleaner and safer than candles. There is no open flame and the lantern shuts off if tipped over. One butane cartridge lasts up to 12 hours, while the repellent mat lasts up to 4 hours. The protection coverage is for an area of 225-square feet (15ft x 15ft).

You can find the new ThermaCELL Patio Lantern, including one butane cartridge and two insect repellent mats, at national mass merchants, hardware stores, and outdoor/sporting goods stores. The MSRP is $29.99. For more information or store locations, visit http://www.mosquitorepellent.com/patio-lantern.asp.

I enjoy sitting on my back porch – watching the kids play in the back yard or sharing a cool drink with a neighbor. But, there’s nothing worse than being pestered by mosquitoes. I placed the ThermaCELL Mosquito Repellent Patio Lantern on a table on our back porch to try it out. First of all, I was very impressed with the looks of the lantern. It’s a Mission inspired design and it’s quite attractive. The frosted globe lantern has two illumination settings and both give off a nice amount of soft light. I was also pleased with the effectiveness of the mosquito repellent. It did a great job of keeping the pests away, especially the flies, which are a particular nuisance around here. I love that it’s so easy to use. Once the cartridge and mat are installed, it’s simply a matter of flicking the switch. And, because it’s portable, you can pick it up and take it with you or move it from area to area. I will definitely get a lot of use out of this product.

This post was written for ThermaCELL who provided the complimentary product in exchange for my honest review.

FAT TO SKINNY Fast and Easy! – Book Review

I recently had the opportunity to review the book FAT TO SKINNY Fast and Easy! It’s written by Doug Varrieur and in it he describes how many Americans are caught in a vicious cycle of overeating, low self-esteem and out-of-control weight gain. Americans endure confusing advice from a diet industry pushing both low-fat and low-carb products, and yo-yo dieting that’s destined to fail. Obesity, diabetes and related diseases rob us of health and vitality, and threaten a healthcare disaster for our kids.

Hidden sugar, even in supposedly healthy snacks, is a leading cause of the childhood obesity epidemic that is threatening our children’s health and their future.

“We have the highest obesity rates that we’ve ever had,” Doug says. “The generation of children that are upcoming right now are expected to live a shorter life span than their parents for the first time in history.”

Fortunately, there are lots of things parents can do to help their kids eat well and avoid becoming fat. It starts with Sugar-Proofing your child, according to Doug.

Sugar-Proofing is as simple as following these 10 steps:

1. Spot the hidden SUGAR

2. Understand how to read labels

3. Get your children involved

4. Act immediately

5. Remove all of the foods and drinks that metabolize into blood sugar

6. Prepare your family meals

7. Replace the foods that metabolize into sugar with foods that don’t

8. Organize a Sugar-Proof gang

9. Offer your help in teaching others what you’ve learned

10. Forget everything you’ve been taught

No one can watch Doug’s visual demonstration about the tons of sugar hidden in our foods, including supposedly “healthy” ones, and be unmoved. Pouring cups of sugar and stacking 5-pound bags on a scale, he graphically shows the 150 pounds that each of us consumes on average every year.

“People see that and they say ‘I can’t believe I’m eating that much sugar.’” Doug says. “This is about how to eliminate the one thing out of their diet that’s making them fat. All of a sudden, it makes sense for the first time in their lives.”

Doug is not a doctor or nutritionist. He’s an inquisitive entrepreneur with a big heart for people who are overweight just as he was for many years. He developed Fat To Skinny on his own, independent of those other low-carb diets, out of his drive to win his own battle with diabetes. Using these principles, Doug at age 46 lost more than 100 pounds, went from a size 48 to 32 waist and reversed his type 2 diabetes. He has kept the fat off and stayed fit for almost eight years since then.

Doug has developed a complete lifestyle change which replaces all the foods that contain hidden sugar with comparable foods that don’t contain this ingredient linked to creating fat in our bodies.

Doug’s regular guy appeal allows him to present information in a simple, easy-to-understand way in Fat to Skinny that makes sense to everyone struggling to lose pounds. In a world of confusing and often conflicting diet messages, he believes simplicity is the key to his ability to reach people and save lives.

I found this book very easy to read and understand – it just made sense. I was shocked to discover how much sugar we consume on any given day. One thing I really liked about the book was that Doug listed very clearly the foods that were good choices and the foods that were not. He included specific brand recommendations as well as many recipes. This made it so easy to figure out a meal plan. After reading the book, I decided to give this “diet” a try. I followed the plan for about three weeks, and, while I didn’t stick with it perfectly, I did drastically reduce the amount of sugar in my diet. In that three week period I lost four pounds. But, more than that, I cannot tell you how differently I felt. I tend to have a lot of bloating, and upset stomach – especially at night when I go to bed – I’ve gotten used to having that uncomfortable full-feeling. But once I removed a lot of the sugar from my diet, I noticed that I wasn’t feeling this way at all anymore. I didn’t feel like I was starving myself and usually felt satisfied (with the exception of a few sweet-tooth cravings every now and then, for which Doug offers several options for when you need some “dessert” type foods).

I know that I won’t totally adhere to a strict low-carb/low-sugar diet, but, reading this book taught me a lot. I will definately make an effort to read food labels more closely and watch the amount of sugar that my kids and I are consuming. This book is a real eye-opener and I recommend it highly.

For more information visit the FAT TO SKINNY website.

This post was written for author Doug Varrieur who provided the book for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

Token Tags Jewelry

Token Tags are hand-stamped, customized jewelry charms created by Colorado jewelry designer, Elizabeth Lindsay. Each Token Tag charm can be personalized however you like – your name, a child’s name, an inspiring word or motto, or even a special date – the choice is yours. Since each piece is made-to-order, no two Token Tags are exactly alike. Design options include 18k gold and/or sterling silver, pendant-style token tags, circle-style token tags, assorted charms, and birthstone-embellished tags in gorgeous colors. The tags range in price from $25 to $150. Token Tag jewelry is a special one-of-a-kind gift idea (for a loved one or yourself). Here are two examples of custom-created Token Tag necklaces:

I received two sample Token Tags – I chose the words “dream” and “believe” for my personalization. They are just adorable!

Celebrities have fallen in love with Token Tags, as well. Christina Applegate, Jennifer Garner, Teri Hatcher, Marcia Cross, Selma Hayek, Katherine Heigl, Rebecca Romijn, Trista Sutter, and Vanessa Williams are just a few of the celebrities who love Token Tags.

For more information on Token Tags jewelry charms, visit the Elizabeth Lindsay Creations website.

This post was written for Elizabeth Lindsay Creations who provided the sample Token Tag charms for review. The author was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

Tom and Jerry Tales: The Complete First Season

I  loved watching cartoons when I was young and I still enjoy watching them with my children.  Tom and Jerry has always been one of my favorites. I recently had the opportunity to preview Tom and Jerry Tales : The Complete First Season on DVD. This collection is a 2-disc set which contains 13 episodes (39 total cartoons). In each episode, as you can expect, the cat and mouse duo are up to their usual hilarious shenanigans. One of our favorite episodes was called ‘Cry Uncle’ where we get to meet Jerry’s silly singing Uncle Pecos. Some other characters that we see are Tuffy the mouse, Spike the dog, and Butch the cat. Their adventures take Tom and Jerry fishing in the Arctic, to a haunted house, to a wizard’s lab,  into a digital world, and more. We were all literally laughing out loud as we watched this DVD together.

Warner Home Video Vice President of Family, Animation & Partner Brands Marketing states: “Tom and Jerry continues to be a big hit with kids today because the essence of the show reamins the same. The stories and settings surrounding the characters are more contemporary, but the formula never changes, which is what draws viewers to the series.”  I couldn’t agree more. I love the fact that we can all enjoy Tom and Jerry together – it is truly appealing to all ages and very family-friendly.

Tom and Jerry Tales: The Complete First Season will be available April 13, 2010. SRP $19.98

Warner Bros. Animation has been producing award-winning original animation since 1930. Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, has the largest film library of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

This post was written for Warner Home Video who provided the DVD for review. The author was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product.

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