Product Review: Playtex® Sport Tampons

I'm not a tampon person. Never have been. My small size means they aren't always easy to insert or comfortable once they are there. Now that I've had three children, my cycles aren't as bad as they used to be either, so I only need full protection for the first two days of my period. For the past few years, I've switched to tampons for those couple of days so that I don't have to walk around feeling like I have a wet diaper on, but I haven't been satisfied with the two brands I tried: either the applicator was too rough around the edges or even with the applicator I couldn't place the tampon correctly so that it was comfortable.

I received a sample of Playtex® Sport Tampons from Procter & Gamble. The box included two regular absorbency tampons and one super absorbency, all unscented. I have finally found my tampon of choice. Playtex Sport Tampons have a contoured applicator that provides for correct and easy placement. I didn't even know I was wearing one. In addition, their two layers of FlexFit™ interlocking fibers prevent leaks. I always wearing a panti-liner to be sure, but now I'll feel more confident going without one.

The sample also included valuable coupons, so I purchased a box of the regular absorbency on my next shopping trip. If you visit their website, you'll find  special offers, and a list of where you can buy the product you are looking for.

I received a free sample from the manufacturer, who did not know I was going to review this product. I received no monetary compensation of any kind for this review.

Tunes Tuesday

I wanted to touch upon a contemporary artist that my daughters and I enjoy, but it seems a challenge for the modern-day mom is finding music that isn't vulgar or obscene, and whose video doesn't include nearly naked or totally naked people.

I settled on Selena Gomez and her song Love You Like a Love Song. While it's hard to not think every love song is about her famous boyfriend, Justin Bieber, I love Selena's upbeat music and how she still manages to keep things clean for her tween audience. Her racy wardrobe has some wondering if she's growing up too fast, like her Disney pal Miley Cyrus, but overall I think her music and look is staying true to her fan base.

Our daughters have danced to some of her music (Naturally, Round and Round) for recitals and their iPods are loaded with Selena tunes. It will be very interesting to see where her career goes from her. A talented actress and singer with her own line of clothing, it seems like the world is wide open for her.

Follower Love Giveaway Hop

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Rachel Renee Anderson are sponsoring this year's Follower Love Giveaway Hop from February 7th - 14th.

What is a giveaway hop?


Simple - Each participating blog hosts a giveaway and then we link up together allowing our followers & blog readers to hop easily from one giveaway to another.

For blog readers this means lots of chances to win.

For blogs hosting a giveaway it means lots of new visitors.

It's a win-win!

For all the details, please visit http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com/2011/12/follower-love-giveaway-hop-sign-ups.html

Books, Products and More! will be giving away a $25 Amazon gift card. Look for our announcement coming in February, during Romance Novel Month!

You've Got Mail Mondays!

It's time for another You've Got Mail Monday. The postman delivered some interesting stuff this week.

Casey and Kyle: I'm Saving Up for a Big Brother by Will Robertson arrived mid-week. This is a comic strip collection that I'll be reviewing in February at The Children's and Teens' Book Connection. Just skimming through it, the book seems to have a Calvin & Hobbes feel to it. I can't tell you how much I miss that strip.

Two sample packets of Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Baby Wipes (I think the actual brand name for them based upon the company's website is Free & Clear Baby Wipes. Though my daughters are well past the diaper stage, we still use wipes every day to clean hands and faces. I'll be reviewing this product here. The envelope also included a coupon for $1.50 off Seventh Generation Free & Clear Diapers and a coupon for $1.00 off a Seventh Generation laundry product.

A new Land's End catalog came in at the beginning of the week. I love their clothes, but I usually wait until sales to purchase them. Since I've ordered in the past I receive regular emails with discounts or free shipping offers. One of the most important reasons I buy from Land's End is because their clothes for children are age appropriate. My 8- and 10-year-old girls don't need pants with writing across the behind or short skirts.

A new catalog arrived this week for a company I had never heard of before--Athleta. They are part of the GAP, Banana Republic, Old Navy stores. I buy from Old Navy a lot for the girls because they grow out of their clothes so quickly that it doesn't make sense to spend too much money on their clothing--especially the Lil Diva (10). She grew so much this past summer that only about 5 items remained in her closet for back-to-school.

Athleta sells sportswear, casual clothes and outerwear. They are a bit pricey for me, but I really liked their Shock Cord Anorak. I desperately need a new lightweight, water resistant jacket, so I might try that one.

The girls were thrilled to see the new American Girl catalog arrive this week. The new doll of the year is McKenna. Santa brought last year's doll of the year, Kanani for Christmas. McKenna is into gymnastics. What I love about these dolls is that I can order them with a book, so I can encourage reading at the same time. We visited the American Girl Place in New York City when we were there last month. Truly an amazing place to visit with little girls.

And finally, the postman delivered my Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators Bulletin for Jan/Feb 2012. I became a member of SCBWI last year. The bulletins are filled with writing craft articles, book events, and regional events. The New England SCBWI Conference will be held in Springfield, MA this year, so I'm excited about possibly attending. We'll see what the budget says.

So, what was your mail week like. Did you receive anything exciting?



You've Got Mail Mondays are unsponsored posts. I received no monetary compensation to mention any company names or products.

Product Review: Biore® Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser

The Lil Diva (10) began puberty way before I did. She's been shaving for months, has needed deodorant for the last two years, and one of the most obnoxious and annoying parts of puberty--blemishes--have appeared on her beautiful baby face.

We've tried a couple of products so far, but she wasn't too keen on them, so when I saw a free sample offer for Biore® Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser I figured I would give it a shot. There was enough cleanser in the sample pouch for her to use it twice. We also conducted an experiment by having her use Biore® Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser for one series of breakouts and another product for a different breakout.

While the Lil Diva prefers the smell of the other brand, she loved how soft her face felt after using Biore® Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser. It's active ingredient--Salicylic Acid--gently cleaned the impurities from her skin. Even she was amazed by the dirty water in the sink. Her blemishes cleared up in a couple of days after use, and it didn't dry out her skin like the other product did. Now that winter is upon us, that is especially important.

After her second use of Biore® Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser she asked me to pick her up a bottle, which I'll do on my next grocery shopping trip.

I received no compensation for this review.

Free for All Fridays - Is Family TV Extinct?

Many blogs run a Free for All Friday, so this feature isn't unique by any means. Even Rush Limbaugh has Open Line Fridays, where his listeners help dictate the direction of the show by sharing what is on their minds. For this blog, Free for All Friday is going to start off being about whatever is on  my mind at the time. It could have to do with family life, books, television, religion, politics (Did I just mention those two never talk about subjects?) or who knows what else. If this feature becomes popular enough, I would like to see readers directing our Friday conversations. We'll see how it goes.

Today's topic is spurred by two things:  my inability to find anything I can sit and watch with my kids on a regular basis, and an article about Collingswood, New Jersey (the home town of TV legend Michael Landon) misplacing a plaque that was dedicated in his honor.

I grew up with shows like Happy Days, Little House on the Prairie, The Brady Bunch, Diff'rent Strokes, and The Waltons. What do these shows have in common? They have strong family units with caring parents--or in the case of Diff'rent Strokes, a caring parent--who deal with the triumphs and tragedies of daily life. On a regular basis these shows provide viewers with some type of lesson. Modern-day counterparts seem more concerned with highlighting the total dysfunction of their families. Even on networks that are family oriented, some shows have self-centered parents who are so concerned with their looks or fulfilling their own dreams that their children are negatively impacted. Though the issues are resolved by the end of the show, why are parents portrayed this way?

One can't help but wonder what messages about authority figures are relayed to children when often times the children manage to outsmart the adults in their lives. There are cases where teachers are seen as argumentative kooks. Fathers are dumb as boxes of rocks--except on those few occasions where they dole out useful advice and declare their love of home and family.

Granted, our world has changed in the past thirty years, and in some ways we wouldn't want to reverse the clock. I still can't help but think, however, that highlighting dysfunction only leads to more of it, because children see this as the norm. They learn to challenge authority when their TV heroes manage it on a regular basis. A tiny part of me also believes that if quality family television from the '70's still existed, the plaque honoring Michael Landon never would have been mislaid.

What do you think? Does quality family TV still exist? Are there shows out there you feel comfortable watching as a family?

Book Spotlight: An Act of God? by Edwin Lutzer

How can we begin to understand or explain the tough questions about world disasters? Should we question if God is in control of major disasters, or even ask if he caused them? How do we answer the probing questions of non-Christians? How can God be considered good and just in light of the tsunamis, hurricanes, fires, earthquakes, and floods that are visited on his creation and his children? An updated, timely, and even more accessible edition of Where Was God? by Erwin Lutzer, bestselling author and senior pastor of The Moody Church, An Act of God? is a faith journey discussion about these and other life dilemmas.


Format: Paperback
Number of Pages: 144
Vendor: Tyndale House
Publication Date: 2011
ISBN: 1414364946
ISBN-13: 9781414364940

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