Review of TY Bow Wow Beanies- Snort

About a decade ago I recall the huge popularity that came along with TY beanie babies. These were no ordinary stuffed toys, these were highly sought after, and highly collectible. They did not just get tossed to your kids, they got boxed, wrapped and stored as the older certain beanie babies were, the higher in value they would go. In fact some sold in the $1,000 mark, and above.

My mom was a major collector of these toys, but me, I always found them to be silly, wasteful space hogs. Our dogs on the other hand would worship these toys, but never were they able to have one. Not until more recently.

TY has finally released a collection of beanie babies made especially for our furry friends, called Bow Wow Beanie Babies. Now in the collection of bow wow beanie babies you will notice some old time stuffed favorites, only these guys are stuffed differently, with squeakers inside of them, and crinkle paper so that way when the dog is mutilating the toy they get the neat crinkle sounds, and the embedded squeaker will keep them busy.

I went with Snort, because my dog, as lovable as he is, he can be a bit of a pig sometimes, so the little piglet bow wow beanie seemed suiting to him.

Snort is a deep red color, with the official TY tag attached to his ear. You may want to rip that tag off if you plan on letting your dog have a Bow Wow Beanie, however my fellow likes yanking them off himself, and that was the very first spot he went for on the toy.

The squeaker in Snort is located up on his head which seems to be stuffed more than the rest of the toys body, which seems very thin in comparison to past beanies. Luckily with these made for dog toys though, TY did not add any beans inside of the animals. I do not know how many times we have had to clean up the house due to the dog getting hold of a stuffed toy with beans inside of it.

All in all, Bow Wow Babies are a perfect little something to hand over to your dogs. They are pretty durable, the dog loves the squeaking noise it makes when he bites it, and the crinkle noise seems to peak his interest, and he continues to play with his Snort without growing tired of it.

If you are a pet lover like we are, you will want to scoop one of these toys up and perhaps place it under the tree this holiday for your dog, or dogs. Odds are your dog will like it, and they only sell for around $5.00 at local Marshall's stores.

Will Farmville Addicts Enjoy Farm Frenzy: Animal Country for the Nintendo DS?

I am a Farmville addict. It's a shameful little addiction of mine, and yes I probably work on my virtual farm more than I really should be, but man, I want to collect everything and this is what keeps me coming back for more and more.

Sadly I do not have an iPhone so playing Farmville on the go is impossible for me to do at this time. When I came across Farm Frenzy: Animal Country for my Nintendo DS though, I have to admit I was intrigued. The games case showed off neat graphics of farm animals and barns, and all that good stuff that I see on a regular basis on Farmville.

Without knowing anything about Farm Frenzy, I went ahead and coughed up my dough and brought the game home.

Unfortunately it failed to peek my interested the way Farmville does. In fact, it's nothing like Farmville.

Plot:

Well I started the game off by creating my user profile so I would be able to quickly come back to my saved progress. Unfortunately after that I was left on my own to figure out exactly what was expected of me. There is no tutorial and I was thrown into game play without even getting the point.

Was I to save a farm? Raise cattle? WHAT!?

I have to admit, it was frustrating for the first few minutes of playing. Finally I began to grasp it, but still did not get the point of why I was playing. Apparently it is to feed animals, throw eggs, and throw flour? At least that is what I think it is.

Game Play:

The game starts by showing you a birds eye view of your farm. It has blue bubble with an arrow pointing to it. You click her and begin your first mission.

Quickly I got an understanding of what this game entails. It is a compilation of mini games that grow more difficult with each mini game you complete.

The first one I was to collect 4 eggs. I did this by placing grass on the ground for the chickens to eat. I then had to sit around and wait for them to lay eggs until I had collected 4 eggs.

Easy!!!

However as the game goes on, you will be collecting more than just eggs. You will need to at times collect eggs, chickens, coins, and trap enemy animals to keep them from eating your animals.

Each mini game will have a time limit in which you have to complete the mission with a gold trophy. If you need more time, which you will, as always, you level down to a silver trophy, followed by bronze.

The game is basically a lot of touching of the touchscreen, and waiting.

As it goes on, it gets more difficult, but you grow quickly bored with the repetitive nature of the game play. Granted the challenge gets more difficult and will be fun for awhile, you get a little sick of the repetition.

Granted game play does have its fun moments, it grows old fast as each mission seems like the last, only they will ask for more objects, such as more chickens for you to buy, more flour to mill, and so on.

Graphics:

The graphics are nothing like what the box displays. Your animals are pathetic galloping 2D like creatures attempting to look 3D in their environment. I always get angry when games look nothing like what the box cover looks like, and Farm Frenzy: Animal Country is just one of those games. What you see, is not at all what you will be getting.

Sounds and Music:

Sounds and music in the game resemble what you would imagine farm music would sound like. It has a deep southern like farm-ish tune that plays in the background, and the animals all make realistic sounds as well. I liked the music and sounds in the game, no complaints from me.

Controls:

The controls are all basically made up of your stylus tapping away at the touchscreen. When you need to add grass to the dirt, you tap the dirt and wallah, grass grows. When you need to fill up the water well to make grass grow, you just click it. When you need to collect eggs, the same goes for that too. Simple right?

The problem is, they grow unresponsive at times, and if you are not fast you could end up losing an egg or collectible object, which will disappear if you do not collect it quickly enough. If the touchscreen decides to fart out on you, losses add up. It does happen quite often, but it truly does not distract from the game all too much, an annoyance to say the least.

Overall:

Farm Frenzy: Animal Country is a decent game, but definitely not worth the asking prices, which primarily sit around the $20.00 range. For $7 however, this one would be a good pick, so look for it in bargain bins at local game shops if you really are addicted to the farm life.

Review of Picross 3D for Nintendo DS

I at one time was a huge fan of Picross for my Nintendo DS. I loved wasting time trying to pick at my brain in hopes that my tapping skills and problem solving skills would reveal to me the picture hidden in the puzzle without time running out.

Picross is a game however that most will like, and others will hate. There is no adventure here, you basically take your time clicking away at boxes in hopes to reveal a hidden picture within those boxes without making an error. You simply look at the numbers on the grid that reside on the top and side of the screen, then you must determine how many boxes need to be shaded in, and which need to be removed. If you do it correctly you will reveal an image.

I began playing Picross online, and while looking up new puzzles came across Picross 3D for the Nintendo DS. I had not even known about this game, but once I discovered it, I knew I had to have it, because this game was no ordinary flat grid, this game took Picross to the next level and added layers creating 3D puzzles to solve, and 3D pictures that would be revealed if you are able to solve the puzzle.

I figured it would be simple, fun, and relaxing but after I finally got the game in hand and began to play it, I realized that I was more frustrated with the games puzzles, than I was having a fun or relaxing good time.

Besides the annoying complex system of poking your way through layer and layer of puzzle solving, they went and added a new number system. Numbers that are circles can now be divided up. For instance if you have the number 5 circled, it means anywhere on the puzzle, 4 blocks may be colored, and 1 separated down the row and colored. Or 3 numbers could be grouped, and then 2 grouped elsewhere on the row. Any possibility is possible, which just makes it a little annoying and more complex.

Now I liked the game overall, but didn't care much for the circled numbers, or how confusing it all was at first. The tutorial section is found in the 'Beginners' tab, and it gives you a good look into what is expected of you in order to complete the puzzle, there are even example puzzles for you to solve, however once you are thrown into actual puzzle solving game play things get complex. You can handle it in 2 ways, slap your head and try again until you grasp the concept of how the puzzle works, or you can throw the game into your games bin and forget all about it.

If you do however stick it out, I guarantee you will find this one to be more than addicting, but a game you go back to time and time again.

Graphics & Sounds:


Sounds in the game are also standard and generic, and they could have focused more on this angle as well, but they didn't. The tunes are simply monotone buzzes, drums, and beats. Nothing fancy, but if you are playing this one late at night, the tune is so bland it could actually put you to sleep.

Overall:
It's a love to hate game, or a game you will simply love. Some fans of the original game will like this one, and others just won't be able to find their way into the complex new system.Here is where we have a bit of an issue, the graphics are pretty horrendous, and the puzzles, when solved reveal pretty sub standard and ugly pictures of 3D items. I wished they would have focused a little more on the objects gamers would be revealing, as they are very generic, and like those Picross games you could find online.

Aqua Picross for Cell Phones. A Review.

Aqua Picross is definitely one of those games that I am grateful to have downloaded for my mobile phone. I scooped it up off of Tmobiles game apps for under $4.00 or something low in that department.


For those new to Picross, you can first check out how the game works by doing a search right online for 'play picross online'.

Basically Picross consists of a grid where you will find numbers at the top, and then the bottom of the grid. You have to solve the puzzle and figure out which boxes on the grid get X'ed out, and which boxes remain. If you manage to get through the puzzle a picture will be revealed in the box.

It sounds boring, and basically I guess in ways it is, but it is definitely a game worthy of downloading to your phone for those situations where you have absolutely nothing to do, such as hospital waits, family functions and so forth.

Aqua Picross consists of more than enough puzzles to last you a few months, depending on how often you play. In order to continue on to the next puzzle you have to solve the one before it. With each solved puzzle, you move on to a new one which will be a little more challenging than the last.

Each puzzle reveals a picture, the picture is not the greatest work of art you will come across, but it's made up of boxes, so you get what the game is capable of delivering.

Graphics

Graphics in Aqua Picross are very similar to those you would find in any other Picross game. You have a grid, there is really not much else to work with when it comes to this game. The puzzle pictures when solved are not that visually stunning either, but the game is more of a brain teaser like Sudoko, so you cannot expect any mind blowing visuals.

Overall:

It's a pretty good game, and if you already know and love Picross, Aqua Picross will be a fine addition to add to your game applications on your phone. It provides just as much fun as the Nintendo DS version of Picross, for way less than the asking price of that game.

Good or Gross? Review of Limited Edition Candy Cane Tootsie Pops

Once a year when holiday decorations and Christmas lights begin to spread out amongst every single department store, I begin to crave one holiday limited time delight; candy canes!

This past weekend while growing mesmerized by eye bugging LCD lights at a local Target, that sweet tooth began to call, and it was calling for candy canes.

Can you freaking believe that there was not a single package of plain original red and white striped candy canes to be found anywhere in the store. Instead I was standing before an isle of candy canes in every shape, size and color...except for original!

Just when I was about to give up a festive bag caught my eyes, and then the word candy cane. I pulled the bag out of its resting place and before me I held a bag of limited time Candy Cane Tootsie Pops! So what I craved was candy cane, and although Tootsie rolls are not my top favorite candy, I was excited to see how the 2 flavors would mesh together.

The pop itself is white with small red strips running through it. It tastes exactly like a candy cane; my fix! Just what I was looking for. I must say though it was awkward, as I enjoy creating dangerous throat swords with candy canes every year. However I took what I could get, and Candy Cane Tootsie Pops fit the bill.

It takes some time to get to the center, naturally, but soon you reach the tootsie center and the chocolate flavoring begins to envelope the peppermint flavoring creating a nice delicious minty hot cocoa flavoring which I think many will enjoy; not just little kids.

Overall:

If you are also having a tough time finding regular candy canes this year, the way that I was, then try these Candy Cane Tootsie Pops out for size. They will deliver exactly what you are looking for, with a nice little treat wrapped up in the center.

They will only be here for the holidays, so if you are looking to try them start looking now, because you may not see them again for another year if you happen to miss out this year.

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Review of New Glade Apple Cinnamon Soy Candle

I have been in an apple and cinnamon mood lately, which basically means that if it smells like apples, with a sprig of cinnamon, it is mine. I recently have been on an apple cinnamon kick due to the fall season, and every year my hunt for fall fragrances always begins early.


When I saw Glade had made a soy Apple Cinnamon scented candle I was pretty excited to scoop this one up to see what it had to offer.

Glade has really impressed me over the last year with its release of modern and updated fragrances, and collections. Their candles in particular have been the most impressive, and I have been scooping them up as quickly as Glade can release them.

Glade's Apple Cinnamon Candle comes in a glass jar. the wax inside of the jar is an appropriate color for the fall, a burnt orange/brown mixture that initially told me that this candle would perhaps have a fall leaves type ring of fragrance to it.

It doesn't though. In fact it smells perfect.

The Scent:

When I took in a sniff test of their Apple Cinnamon Soy Candle I was thrilled with it. It smelled like thanksgiving day; the spiced cider that my grandmother makes every year is exactly what this candle smelled like. It has a clear mouth watering note of red delicious apples that is as realistic as the real thing. Just under those sweet notes you have just a dash of cinnamon. Combined what you have is the most perfect spiced apple fragrance you can find.

My Use:

I loved the scent unlit, and I knew Glade pretty well by now, and how their candles worked. If it smells good unlit, it will smell even better once ignited.

Low and behold, it did.

Glade's Apple Cinnamon Candle began to spread the fragrance throughout my room fairly quickly. It was as if someone was brewing up homemade apple cider, good enough to drink, and realistic enough to cause your mouth to water.

What really sets this one apart from other apple spice fragrances this season, is that even after the candle wick is blown out, its scent continues to linger in the room for a few hours.

All in all, this one is a winner, and will only be around for the fall season, so scoop it up while you can!

.my post also on ac

What a Nightmare the Frigidaire Affinity 3.8 Cu. Ft. Front Load Washer Is! Read Review to Find out more about Model FAFW3801LW

Our old washing machine decided she was ready to retire, only 2 years young, but as they say, you pay for quality, and this old girl was only $150, so we sort of knew it wouldn't last all too long.


On the prowl for a new washing machine, we knew we were probably better of spending a little bit of money getting a washing machine with a good warranty and nice features. Initially we wanted an LG due to the 10 year warranty on its direct drive motor, but we could not wait a week for them to deliver so we went with a model that seemed similar to LG's, only this particular beauty didn't have a direct drive motor. Just a standard belt run motor.

At any rate the particular washing machine we ended up toting home was the Frigidaire Affinity 3.8 Cu. Ft. Front Load Washer. The floor model was on sale for $499.99, which is a bit high for what we used to spend on washing machines. For this price however we expected this machine to last for a very long time, and to really go the extra mile when it came to cleaning clothes.

It has a bunch of nifty features and different washing cycles for you to choose from, and all of these glitter like features led us to believe that this washing machine was well worth the money. Frankly I loved the front loader, and being able to watch my clothes spin around while the washer did its thing.

The problem we encountered immediately however was that smaller clothing like socks and undergarments were getting stuck in the front loading window crevasse. The door has a small groove in it, which seems to catch smaller things, and they remain there not getting clean, and not moving. It was a little frustrating, but something we could overlook. We figured we could just put smaller clothes in a laundry bag and clean it that way.

The second issue came up about 20 minutes into a normal spin cycle. Right towards the end, the washing machine really begins to spin like crazy before it shuts off. This is just a normal cycle in the wash, but with this machine the washing machine got very loud, started shaking worse than our old $150 model, and sounded like an airplane landing even in the upstairs part of the house, you could hear this thing rattle.

It was supposed to have some sort of anti vibration feature, but apparently ours missed out on receiving that special little detail, because it was shocking, and disheartening to see, and hear this washing machine struggle like this.

All in all, the Frigidaire Affinity 3.8 Cu. Ft. Front Load Washer ended up taking the long haul back to the store, where we simply ordered the LG model we initially wanted. The wait is worth it. Never again will we buy a Frigidaire, as it seriously sounded worse than the lowest end model of washing machines you could buy.

We were fooled by the lights, and the glamorous outer appearance that this washing machine had, but we knew if we kept it, eventually it would break, and probably faster than our last machine.

MY Post also on Associated Content.

Review of WoodWicks Holly Berry Candle

I recently discovered WoodWicks Candles about 2 weeks ago when I randomly decided to take home their Frasier Fir scented candle. I had no idea how deliciously potent and fabulous this candle was until I lit it. It was love, long lasting love, and when I went on the hunt to find another candle in the same scent I came up empty handed. Well with that scent I did. I managed however to find one very last WoodWick candle on the counter called Holly Berry.

I sniffed it in the store, and did not really love it, but I knew the same thing happened when I sniffer Frasier Fir, it was not strong, bot until it was lit. I figured Holly Berry would deliver the same sort of hidden delights, and sure enough it did.

The candle itself comes in a nice tall glass jar, and immediately you will note one oddball feature about the candle. It's wick is made of wood! This is probably the best and most gnarly wick you will ever come across when it comes to candles. What makes WoodWicks so special, is that the wood wick actually crackles, giving it a neat fireplace crackling like vibe to those who hear it. What I love about the wick, besides the crackling noises, is that when you blow it out, the smell is not as terrible as standard wax wicks.

Holly Berry alone and unlit smells like a weakened down cinnamon spice. It's definitely a holiday scent, and one I enjoy. I just hoped when it was lit it would disperse the fragrance in a much more potent note.

It took about 10 minutes for Holly Berry to really begin to spread throughout our home, but once it started it didn't stop. A warm, rich, and very potent cinnamon spice fragrance began to flood our home, and it is definitely a delight, one we knew would be perfect to burn during our upcoming family Thanksgiving dinner.

The best of course is when the candle is lit, letting off it's fragrances in waves of spiced warm cinnamon, however, the second round of delight comes after the candle is put out, and that is because this candle manages to keep its fragrance trapped in the room which can last for hours. Impressive to say the least, as no other candle I have ever burned flooded a room out with such long lasting fragrance quite like WoodWick Candles do.

This particular candle cannot be found on WoodWicks website at this time, however you can scoop it up on ebay, or other auction sites. If you are particularly lucky you will find it at Marshall's selling for $9.99. In that case grab as many as you can, as you will not be disappointed in this one; or any other WoodWick Candles for that matter.

Review of Bose In-Ear Headphones

I like listening to the radio, my cars speakers are for 1999, the year my car was made. I enjoy my music, but I'm no audiophile.


I do know the difference between good sounding speakers and ones that are not so great. I have heard so many mixed reviews on BOSE surround sound for home entertainment. However with all of the negative reviews out there, I have to say, I have never come across a sweeter sounding system in my life. BOSE manages to win me over in that department. I don't have $1,700 though to spend on sound. I love my HDTV, but my $120.00, 5 speaker surround sound is just as adequate; it;s just not as lovely and sharp as BOSE's surround sound.

More recently my mother has had her eye on a pair of Bose In-Ear Headphones. With her birthday around the corner, I figured I'd buy her the headphones, and call it a day.

Now I personally have never liked in ear buds, but with the name BOSE attached to them, I was excited to have a listen for myself. I figured these ear buds would sound spectacular, I assumed they would deliver the same high quality sound that their surround sound systems do. I mean heck, these little ear-buds were priced at $99.99, where most other brands don't even peak at $30.00 in max price.

I figured the $100 would be worth it, it's BOSE we're talking about! BOSE!

When her big day came around, she messed around with the ear buds for a good while, and swore by them; swore they sounded so much better than her old $10.00 pair of ear buds.

Once she passed them off to me for a listen, I must say I was surprised at how lovely everything sounded. The bass was spectacular, and everything seemed sharp and clear. They did not however drown out background noise. I was able to hear others in the room talking still.

I liked the rubber attachment's added to the buds though, because they were much more comfortable then those large plastic ear buds I remembered from the 90's. The added clear rubber also kept them in place, and I suppose they were an added attempt to drown out outside noises.

So yes, at first I thought they sounded great, fantastic even. You have to keep in mind though, that it had been nearly 10 years since I last placed an ear-bud into my ear.

I wanted to see the difference, I wanted to see the big $100 difference, so I asked her to plug her old ear buds in after listening to the BOSE In-Ear Headphones.

She plugged them in, I shoved them into my ear, and would you know... everything sounded pretty much the same. The bass the same, the sharp clarity the same, everything the BOSE headphones delivered, these cheap $10.00 ear-buds delivered the same.

I felt stupid, duped, and really dumb for falling for the BOSE high price tag. Granted I love their surround sound, I was really miffed at how perfectly the same her $10 buds were to her new $100 BOSE earphones. I wanted to pack them back up and immediately return them, but she swore by them, swore they were much better. She kept them, but I do not think she would have kept them if it was her money she had spent. Ha-ha.
For me, I'm just not convinced. They sounded just as good as a low end pair of in-ear headphones. So for all of you out there looking to add this one to your birthday list, or wish-list, do yourself a favor and just skip on it.

Playstation 3, God of War 3: Heart of Gaia Help & Tips

How to Get Out of the Room


I just got God of War 3 a few days ago, and have never become more smitten with a video game, especially one that my boyfriend should be playing, and not me. Being a girl, I enjoy colorful games like Viva Pinata or Leisure Suit Larry, however when I saw the gnarly sneak peeks on this game, and the non-stop buzz on Facebook about ho excited a lot of my female friends were about the games release, I naturally picked myself up a copy the moment I spotted it available in stores.

I didn't think the blood, guts, or muscle bound characters would keep me entertained long enough to want to continue playing. Usually when I pick up games like this I pass off the remote to my other half he moment things get tough, and then I'd forget all about it.

However here I was tapping away on my PS3 remote, happily awaiting my next kill, or big battle. Suddenly all of my fun came to a screeching halt the moment I felt the adrenaline buzz, and addiction this game presented.

It all happened once I landed in the heart of Gaia.

This is a small cave like room located within Gaia herself. Your job is to free her heart, but it is enclosed in a heap of twigs and vines. Nothing is able to penetrate the area in order to free her heart to allow her to continue climbing up towards Zeus.

In this room you are presented with only 2 options, a wall you can climb on the right, and a wall to climb on the left. After scaling the wall on the right, I collected treasures from the available boxes, and made my way down to the left wall.

On the left wall I assumed I would simply be able to climb up, and jump over the large gap to the other vine wall. However the angle would not allow me to do so. I continued to scale the wall, jump, and each time with no success.

It was then I figured I was missing something; there had to be some sort of clue, or riddle hidden somewhere within the room, and I had to find it, if I planned on ever getting out of the room.

I poked around in every nook and cranny, and still nothing came of it.

Just as I was about to give up, I noticed a flashing dot on a pillar on the right side of the room. I walked up to it and was given the R1 option. Pressing R1 near the flashing light orb allowed me to pull out th pillar. By now I knew exactly where to place this pillar, and that was the large gap across the room to the left.

One the pillar is in place, you are now able to easily cross the gap and move on out of the room.

D.L. Jardines Blazin Saddle Hot Sauce, Review

My boyfriend and I watch a lot of Man Vs. Food, and we particularly love the episodes where Man is presented with a challenge involving hot, hot, spicy foods. On a quest to finding really hot sauces we came across a few that were made with habenero peppers, which Man claims is very, very hot. So hot that some cannot even handle the heat.
I guess the heat scale has a lot to do with how much habenro pepper is in the actual hot sauce, because we came across a bunch of them that barely even raised the temperature in our mouths.
When I came across D.L. Jardines Blazin Saddle Hot Sauce, it looked like one that may have a lot more heat packed than the other sauces we had tried. Seeing that it was on sale at Marshall's for only $3.00, we figured we'd give it a try.
Hot! Hot! Hot!

Many of you probably landed here because you are looking for a sauce, worthy of being called a hot sauce. You're probably wondering how D.L. Jardines Blazin Saddle Hot Sauce weighs in.
Well, we cooked up some chicken, and sprinkled it with some of the hot sauce to see how it was. I let my significant other taste test first, in case it was too hot for my liking.
After seeing that he was not sweating, or yelping in pain over the heat, I decided it was safe to give it a try for myself.

The hot sauce itself is really good, with a nice zesty zing to it. It's a hot sauce I could eat on a regular. However just as I was about to void it off for being too weak, the heat began to raise in my mouth. It was not a scorching fire, it was a nice mild warming sensation going on, and it was actually pretty good. It did not burn, nor have me reaching for a glass of milk. It simply warmed up my mouth, which was an interesting sensation.
Overall:
D.L. Jardines Blazin Saddle Hot Sauce has a pleasant flavoring, and it does warm up your mouth after you eat it. It's a comfortable heat level; not one that burns at all.

As far as dousing your fried chicken in this hot sauce, I'd say go ahead, it is safe, and adds a nice warm spice to your food, without the heat being unbearable.
Where to Buy:

I found this hot sauce for sale in the kitchen aisle in Marshall's. If you want a bottle check there, or look for it online. It sells online for around $7.00 a bottle.

Review of Slatkin & Co, Scentport, Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin, Wall Plug

I have never come across a Slatkin & Co scent that I was disappointed with. Their scents are unlike any other, as they manage to capture the pure essence of true fragrances right down to the realistic tee.


My all time favorite scents are their fall scents though, and I still have a place in my heart for the Perfect Autumn collection, which I really hope they bring back.

More recently though, I was given a Scentport, which is basically a savvy name for an oil wall plug. I never bothered much with Slatkins wall plugs though, because candles have always been my favorite way of adding warm scents to my home.

The Scentport was a starter kit, which includes the wall plug and a vile of the oil in Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin scent. You can change the oil plugs after they run out with different scents.

I opened the package and attached the vile of oil to the Scentport. I was able to smell the lovely sweet fragrance as I did so.
The Scent:

Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin first and foremost gives off a very warm and delicious realistic fragrance that matches the scent of baked pumpkin pie perfectly. The light dash of cinnamon adds to the entire realism of a pumpkin pie baking right in your oven. To better put it, the scent is delicious, and if you are a lover of pumpkin fragrances, you will quickly become a lover of Slatkin & Co, Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin.
Use:

So we have already gathered that the scent is delicious, but I am sure many of you are wondering how well the actual Scentport works once it's plugged into a wall outlet.

I plugged mine into our enclosed living room, and let it do its thing. About an hour later, I came back into the room and the fragrance had managed to fill up the entire room. I was impressed, as I took in the realistic fall scent presented before me.

Overall:

This scent is a fantastic one. The Scentport itself disperses the scent throughout the entire room, giving off a long lasting warm fall vibe. I highly recommend this one to those of you who enjoy such scents. If pumpkin is not your thing, then definitely check out the other fragrances that Scentports come in.

Review of Kong Toy Cleaning Brush

We have quite a few Kong toys for our larger bull terrier. We particularly like Kong toys, because our bully has a pretty gnarly bite, and he manages to destroy all of his toys within seconds of receiving them. Kong toys however are capable of withstanding his bite.


The odd shape of Kong balls however never really kept him all too occupied. They didn't do much, and all he could really do was pop it in his mouth and carry it around; which he did not do at all unless the ball was filled with cheese or peanut butter. Then, and only then would his Kong toys be worthy of messing around with for awhile.

We do however fill his Kong ball up with cheese and peanut butter, and after awhile the inside of it gets pretty disgusting if we do not clean it out properly. Usually running it under really hot water, and then sticking our finger into the hole would keep the toy clean.

We never really thought much about it, but when it needed to be cleaned, it became an annoying little chore, so when I came across this nifty little device made specifically for cleaning out Kong toys, I had to scoop it up.

It's called a Kong Toy Cleaning Brush, and looking at it, I realized that this tool would be a perfect solution to cleaning out the ball that our dog uses.

The brush is shaped just like the Kong Toys, and they come in medium/small or large/XL sizes in order to ensure proper cleaning on the correct sized Kong toy.
My Use:

The wand contains precisely shaped bristles to get to the corners of the toy, while brushing out all of the gunk left inside. The durable wands allows you to move the bristles back and forth in a circular motion in order to get a really good surface scrub inside of the toy.

I was surprised it worked as good as it did, but I still needed to run the toy under hot water to get loose any old food particles stuck to the side walls.

All in all the Kong Cleaning Brush is not the next best invention, but it certainly makes cleaning out Kong toys a heck of a lot easier, and we no longer have to shove out fingers into the inside of the toy in order to clean it out. It saves us time, and is neater than using your finger
Overall:
If you have a rather large collection of Kong Toys, or if you are just sick of sticking your finger into the inside of your dogs Kong toy, than I would highly suggest one of these brushes. The bristles are rough, and really give the toy a good cleaning.

Where To Buy:
I found the brush for sale at Marshall's for $2.99. You can find it just about anywhere Kong toys are sold, or online. It's worth the few dollars you will pay for it.

Sprinkles Cookie Crisp Cereal, Review

About 2 months ago I came across something entirely new by Cookie Crisps. They were a limited edition flavor called Birthday Cake. Lately a lot of new birthday themed cereals have been released for a limited time. I have found Cupcake Pebbles, and more recently, Sprinkles Cookie Crisp.


I thoroughly enjoyed Cookie Crisp Birthday Cake, and Cupcake Pebbles were awesome too. Both packed a delicious realistic vanilla cake flavoring. It was like having desert for breakfast.

When I came across Sprinkles Cookie Crisps though I wondered if they would taste just like Cookie Crisp Birthday Cake cereal. The reason I wondered this was due to the fact that the cereal displayed on the box, looked identical to the cereal displayed on the birthday cake version of Cookie Crisp.

The crisps are a vanilla white in color, with small colorful rainbow dashes of speckles on it.

After opening the box, I was a little disappointed in how similar they were to the birthday cake version. It gave off the same fresh vanilla frosting scent that the birthday cake version gave off. Granted it's a delicious scent, I had a really good feeling that they were going to taste the same.
Taste:

As I expected Sprinkles Cookie Crisp tasted just like Birthday Cake Cookie Crisp. It had the exact same vanilla frosting flavor, and they even looked exact in appearance.

Although I was disappointed to see that these crisps were nothing more than the same one's I already tried (just different packaging), the cereal is still really delicious, and if you can find them I would recommend you try them, just don't buy these and the birthday cake version because they are exactly the same.

Overall:

Sprinkles Cookie Crisp Cereal is really good, and it's like serving desert for breakfast. It has a realistic vanilla cake flavoring to it, with a morning breakfast crunch bite. They likely will be hard to find soon, so if you happen to run into them, grab a box. If you like cake, you will enjoy this one.

Febreze Sport, Is It Any Good?

Febreze has always been a top choice of mine when it comes to home fragrances. I have especially loved their Air Effects, and their latest candles and home fragrance products.


About a week ago I stopped down my laundry isle at my local Target,, down this isle while stocking up on some detergent, I came across a new product on the shelf made by Febreze.

It's called Febreze Sport, and it comes in a much different looking bottle from what I expect to usually find from Febreze. The bottle itself was rather large, with a silver color to it. Had I not looked closely, I would not have even known Febreze made it. It looked more like something Adidas would try to sell you.

At any rate, when I saw the Febreze logo, I was intrigued. Instead of a usual home fragrance freshener, Febreze Sport is designed to target more smelly of fabrics that you cannot throw into the washing machine to clean. Febreze Sport is meant for things like sneakers, sport apparel, and gear.

I wanted to try it for my sneakers, because sometimes if my shoes get wet, the smell is not something I want to keep around. Although powders seem to work well enough, they are short lived, and messy, so I could not wait to give Febreze Sport a try.

I knew exactly what shoes was going to use it on. A pair that had gotten wet a few weeks prior. I sprayed some of the Febreze Sport directly into the sneaker a few times, and waited for it to dry before sniffing the shoe.
I must say, it worked, the shoes definitely had a fresher smell to them, and the horrid stink of wet feet were no longer as present. I sprayed the entirety of the sneaker down once more, and the shoes smelled 100% fresh. I wondered if the fresh scent would last though, or if the wet sneaker stink would come back after wearing the shoe for awhile.
Results:

The wet sneaker scent was pretty much gone. I wore the shoes for the day, and not once did a whiff of wet foot creep up into my nose. I did however smell the fresh scent that the Febreze Sport has, which is a fresh linen type of smell, with a really nice breezy cool water type of scent.
Overall:

Febreze Sport works, and I will continue to buy this one to freshen up fabrics, sneakers, and other apparel that do not hit the wash often; or at all. It keeps sneakers smelling fresh, and if it can do that, it can freshen up just about anything (including stinky armpit scents that get stuck in clothing after a hard workout),

I picked this one up at Target for $3.00, after using a $1.00 off coupon. If you have a pair of smelly old shoes you would like to freshen up to re-wear, than I would highly suggest picking up a bottle of Febreze Sport.

Review of New Chocolate Cheerios

Whenever I come across something new in the cereal department, I pick it up and take it home with me. I find that when it comes to breakfast cereals, we have been subjected to the same boring flavors we have had for years. Chocolate, nuts, or fruity bits.


I like when companies think outside of the box, and deliver newer things every once in awhile...even if those newer things are repeats of cereals we have already tried (ex. Cocoa Puffs vs. Cocoa Pebbles).

I was aware that Cheerios have been trying to add a new selection of Cheerios, however every single newly added flavor from Cheerios that I have tried have all been pretty nasty as far as flavor goes. It seems Cheerios are the only cereal you can't do much with. They are best as originals or as honey nut Cheerios, anything else and the flavor is too compromised and odd.

When I saw the commercial for their newest flavor, Chocolate Cheerios, I was excited to give it a try. I wondered how the original flavoring of Cheerios would taste doused in cocoa. This past week I got to find out exactly how they were. I was not intentionally seeking them out, but there they were, right on the counter, and on sale for $3.88 a box.
They are pretty easy to find, instead of the giant orange/yellow colored box that Cheerios normally comes in, Chocolate Cheerios instead comes in a brown colored box, with a photo of what the cereal is supposed to look like inside of the box

How Were They?
After getting home, and yanking the box open I took in the fragrant cocoa scent that the bag of Chocolate Cheerios gave off. The chocolate scent however was bit strange, with a cardboard like after fragrance kick. It was odd, but I figured it would be. Cheerios alone have a distinct exclusive flavor that no other cereal can reproduce. Douse that exclusive flavor in chocolate and what you have is likely going to be an odd combination, and that is exactly what you get.
As I chewed on my first milk drenched bite of Chocolate Cheerios the flavor was a nice mild cocoa flavoring. However as I chewed more, the natural Cheerios flavor begins to make itself known, and combined with chocolate you have this really odd bitter flavoring that just does not work well. The final aftertaste I got was that of cardboard with a bit of chocolate sauce.
All in all, I didn't like them. They were not horrible as to where you would gag, but they are also not something you would want to eat on a regular.

It was fun trying out the newly added flavor, but frankly I won't be buying this one again.

Review of New Chocolate Chex Cereal

Cereal isles this past month have been piling up with a bunch of brand new favorites, from some of our old time classical favorites. With a new selection of birthday cake flavored cereals, and chocolate cereals. I'm excited what else they will have in store for us these upcoming months.

More recently I came across a box of New Chocolate Chex Cereal. The box the new flavor comes in is just as ordinary as any other box of Chex. The logo is there, and it is easy to find. The only difference is that the box is a dark brown in color, and it sticks out amongst the other Chex flavors.

Chex having the best crunch and bite a corn cereal can offer, I did not hesitate to pick a box up and bring it home with me.

Taste:

Once home, I poured myself a bow of the cereal. The Chex all look the way they should, the same weaved squared pattern as one would expect, only, like the box, the Chex cereal itself is brown. You can tell they were also doused in liquid sugar due to the shiny sheen that each of the Chex pieces have.

The scent is easily recognizable, and it smells no different than any other chocolate flavored cereal. More noted is Cocoa Pebbles.

I poured milk on top, and took my first bite. The flavor is delicious with a crunch cocoa flavoring that hits you first. As you chew the chocolaty flavoring subsides a bit, and you are left with a more corn Chex flavoring. The combined flavors coming in at different intervals though mesh really well together, unlike Chocolate Cheerios which I got the chance to try earlier in the week.

They have a very similar flavoring and crunch texture to Cocoa Pebbles, and the milk does turn into chocolate milk. I don't really like when milk turns too chocolaty though, and Chocolate Chex only slightly dashes the milk with chocolate flavoring, so it is not too sugary, or too intense.

Overall:

All in all new Chocolate Chex Cereal is a pretty good addition to the Chex family. It's got a perfect texture, with a perfect mixed in chocolate flavoring.

If you are a fan of Chex, than I would recommend these to you. If your a fan of chocolate cereals, this would be a good one to try as well. A good flavor, a good texture, and an overall nice addition to cereals.

Review: Fluffie Throw, Our Cuddliest Throw Blanket Ever

-My review also on AC

They label it a throw, I call it a blanket. I buy blankets regularly, no ordinary run of the mill blankets. I'm constantly on the search for the softest, cuddliest, fluffiest plush blankets imaginable. I've purchased quite a lot of different blankets. Some were flawless, while others fell apart and turned to garbage just after one washing.

My most recent favorite find came to me this weekend while browsing my local Marshall's for Christmas gifts. I love shopping for Christmas, but shopping for others usually leads me to really spectacular finds; for myself that is.

I spotted a red plush blanket which was simply labeled as Fluffie Throw, Our Cuddliest Throw Ever. The throw came neatly wrapped and folded, and had the approximate measurements of 50X70 inches, which is more than enough to provide me warm comfort at night.

The reason I label this one a blanket though, and not a throw is because both sides of it are saturated in the same warm and soft plush material. Usually throws have one really soft side, while the other is soft, just not as thick and plush.

This particular throw is covered in fluffy plush on both sides, therefor I can use it as I would an ordinary blanket.

The material itself is soft, probably the softest material I have ever found in a plush blanket. enjoy new plush blankets because they provide a ton of comfort and help me to easily drift off to sleep. I am an insomniac and small things like a blankets comfort level really makes or breaks a good nights sleep.

It's safe to say that the Fluffie Throw provided me with a comfortable restless night of sleep, and has done so ever since.

The quality is easily comparable to a thick soft plush blanket that you would find for sale in baby isles for much, much higher prices.

The throw itself came to only $16.99, which is a really excellent deal considering how wonderfully soft it is. I easily agree with the statement printed on the package, because it is the cuddliest throw ever.

You can find this particular throw at Marshall's or TJ Maxx for the same price. If soft plush blankets are your thing, than you will definitely want to pick one up. These throws also make for excellent holiday gifts, so get them while they last!

Review: Holiday Time LED Snowflake Light Set, White/Blue

-Post also on AC

Every year I go out of my way seeking new Christmas lights that were bot available the previous year. Finding newbie items around this time of year as far as lights go is not hard, usually every store that sells lights have something new, something that was not available the year before...and of course Christmas light enthusiasts like myself scoop them up, and buy them before they are gone.

My favorite new find this year, hands down goes to the Holiday Time Snowflake LED Lights in White and Blue.

The lights themselves are strung on green wire, so I knew that they would be perfect on our Christmas tree. The string comes with approximately 60 snowflakes, which are places in order in a blue, white, blue, white pattern. 30 of the LED lights are white, while the other 30 are blue.

When lit up, these LED lights shine like no other. The lights are mesmerizing, alluring, and inviting. The blues in particular are my personal favorite which give off an eye shattering glow that is simply fantastic and beautiful. The white LED snowflakes give off the same eye shattering glow, but with a more mild, toned down harmony to them.
They go really well on our Christmas tree. We would have liked to of put them outside, but there was just not enough of them to do any real decorating dazzle.

Seeing that the LED lights are pretty expensive, covering even a small bush would have been a $60.00 project, as each 60 strand LED Snowflake set comes to $11.99. So yes, they are pricey, but if you are looking to just add some really beautiful lights to your Christmas tree this year, than 2 or 3 boxes would be more than enough to get the job done, and the results are definitely stunning, and a show stopper!

Where To Buy:

We picked up 2 boxes of the Holiday Time LED Snowflake Light Set, White/Blue at our local Walmart, and 2 boxes managed to fill up our entire tree. We decorated the bottom of the tree with one set, the middle with pink LED lights, and the top with the Holiday Time LED Snowflake Light Set, White/Blue. The result would not be the same without these LED lights.

Review: 4 Ever Kidz, with 7 Funny Snap on Faces

-My review also on AC

I usually have a hard time buying gifts for other people's children, especially if I don't know their kids all too well. Girls primarily are easier to buy for, as most little girls love baby dolls, Barbie's, or dolls in general.

Barbie dolls however are not as popular as they were when I was a kid, these days girls tend to favor more snazzy dolls with large heads, makeup caked funky dolls. Although I personally find the new look of dolls to be ugly, little girls love them.

I had to buy a gift for my friends 6 year old daughter, and without any knowledge on what she would like, I figured I would buy her some sort of cute doll. The kind that kids 'these days' like.

I came across 4 Ever Kidz. The collection had a lot of different things to choose from. I however came across a set for only $4.95, called 4 Ever Kidz Funny Faces. This particular set came with one doll, and 7 masks that can snap onto her face in order to create different funny looks.

The masks include, a clown face, a bunny rabbit face, a kitty cat face, a gypsy, a girl with blue hair and glasses, a pirate and a cowboy.

The doll itself looks a lot like some sort of cheap mock up of a Bratz doll, only this doll is bendable and her outfit is a blue denim dress that is clearly made of plastic. Other outfits for the doll can be purchased separately. The doll has real hair which is blond in color, that the child can brush or style.

The 4 Ever Kidz doll reminds me a lot of a snap/click doll I had as a kid, only this one is on a much larger scale.

All in all the collection is really cute, and due to an error on pricing, I got the set for really cheap. Normally the set comes to $17.99 which find to be way overpriced for what you are really getting.

At any rate though, price aside, my friend's daughter was thrilled with the set. I gave it to her on her birthday and even with all of the high end toys she got, she was most interested in the 4 Ever Kidz Funny Faces set. I did not think the set would be as popular as it was, so I guess this is a doll/toy that little girls really like.

I'm happy, she is happy, so everybody is happy. 4 Ever Kidz is a winner in my opinion, especially with the little ones.

You can find this set, and other 4 Ever Kidz sets and collections at just about any super center that sells dolls. I picked this exact set up at Target.

Review of as Seen on TV, Bottle Top

-Review of mine also found on AC
So today while browsing for last minute gifts for Christmas at my local Rite Aide, I came across an interesting concept that initially I was going to buy for someone else for a gift. However I found the idea to be so neat and thrifty that I had to keep them for myself.

Normally I don't like buying As Seen On TV things, but this one seemed pretty fail proof. They are called Bottle Tops.

If you drink a lot of soda or beer from cans than Bottle Tops may be something you will want to pick up for yourself as well. I drink soda in a can daily, and the Bottle Tops concept seemed like something I'd really use, and like if it worked properly.

What are Bottle Tops?

Basically these nifty plastic devices snap on to the top of your soda can, allowing you to close the can up as if it were a bottle. This saves fizz, and will keep your drink from pouring all over the place if it were to be knocked over.
For me I especially liked the idea because I always have a can of coke with me in my car during my commute to and from work. I have to take extra precaution during sharp turns because sometimes the can would tip over and spill. I hoped Bottle Tops would be the quick fix I always wanted, but never thought of.

The Bottle Tops came in a plastic package with approximately 12 toppers. There are many different colors, and all of them are transparent so you can see whats going on inside. They all have a black attached cap that you can push down for when you are not drinking your drink.

My Use:
I really, really hoped they worked. My main concern was having them leak or come loose while drinking. My concerns were all pushed to the side the moment I snapped my first Bottle Top onto my can of coke. The result was pretty remarkable. This simple device actually worked! It held on with a tight leak proof seal, and I didn't feel that at any point it would come loose.

The black cap is probably the only tid bit that's annoying because it rubs against your face as you drink from it.

Overall I find Bottle Toppers to be one of those As Seen On TV products that works, and works well. The set of 12 came to $9.99, and it was well worth it because they are reusable, and came with enough as to where I was able to add them to stockings for friends and family.

Review: As Seen on TV, HD Vision Wrap Arounds

-My review also on AC

Tis the season for tons of As Seen On TV holiday gifts.

I think everyone receives a cheesy As Seen on TV gift during the holidays. Heck, when you don't know what to buy someone, As Seen On TV can be a life saver, regardless of how stupid the product seems.

I'm guilty of gift giving such gifts, but this year I was pleasantly surprised at the newest selection of As Seen on TV goodies. HD Vision Wrap Arounds was one product in particular that sold me. Call it stupidity, call it clever marketing. Call it what you want. HD Vision just sounds cool.

What They Are Supposed To Do:

It's the age of HD. You seriously are not up to times if you have a standard television set still. It's all about HD. So when I came across these glasses, I assumed that they used the clever HD initials in their products name to sell a cheap gimmick.

The glasses are basically supposed to clarify your vision, or I should say enhance your vision. HD Vision. If you got an HDTV you know HD stands for high definition, and if you have a good HDTV, then you know there is a huge difference in clarity compared to your old box boob tube.

HD Vision is supposed to do for your eyes, what your HDTV did for your boob tube. Enhance it.

So the big million dollar question is, do they work?

Hmh, well... it's hard to say they don't work because they do clarify colors, and enhance them a bit, but no more than any standard yellow lensed pair of sunglasses can do. So they work, but they are definitely not new.

HD Vision works the same as those ugly cheap $2.00 yellow lensed glasses; so for $8.00 more you're buying a clever package, with a clever name inked on to it.

Another downside is that HD Vision glasses are ugly. They are big, hefty and have an 80's appearance to them which makes them all the more tacky. The heftiness added to these glasses is done so that way those who wear prescription glasses can fit them underneath their HD Vision glasses. Talk about dork city right?

Overall:

HD Vision is a clever marketing product. I can't say they don't work, because they do. For the price which is set at $9.99 a pair, I must say that I am disappointed because they work no better than yellow lensed sunglasses which clarify colors in the same manner.