Both of my daughters have sensitive skin and I have a rather sensitive nose when it comes to perfumes and added scents (both inherited from my mother). I typically shy away from scented detergents and liquid softeners for these reasons. I do use Bounce dryer sheets to keep the static down in the laundry and add a little fragrance, but sometimes it’s just not enough and it does not last long.

During a December shopping trip I came upon a deal for P&G products that offered $10 back if you purchased $35 worth of their brand. Naturally I was intrigued and pairing it with coupons and on sale items I was able to save $80 on one shopping trip. It was during this trip that I discovered Downy UNStoppables in the ‘fresh’ variety. Never having used anything like this before I thought I’d give it a chance, especially since I was getting such a good deal.

On the first try I realized that a little goes a LOOOOONG way. Using the included floral shaped cap to measure to the lowest line left the clothes with a heavy dose of the ‘fresh’ scent that was a little overwhelming for my taste. I started using about half of the recommended ‘dosage’ for clothing and was left with a long lasting, pleasant freshness that the dryer sheets I had been using could not match (plus this made it last twice as long ). Neither of my girls experienced any kind of adverse reaction and once I figured out the proper amount to use my nose was happy too. I’d definitely suggest using this in the lowest recommended amount for bedding, blankets, and bath towels. The fragrance is strong enough that freshly cleaned bedding will leave the whole room smelling fresh for days.

As with any cleaning supplies, keep out of reach of children.  It smells good and it looks like candy, so it would be very tempting for a little one to put in their mouth.

When my brother and I were kids we went to see Toy Story and Toy Story 2 in the theater. I remember how impressive the graphics were compared to the old Disney cartoons. The era of digital animation had really come into its own. This is when I first noticed that the storylines were also changing. The stories though appealing the children also had bits of humor or nostalgia that only an adult would understand. Though I was never a huge fan of the films it was kind of exciting when Toy Story 3 was released, especially now that I have children of my own.

DD1 had seen the first two Toy Story movies at my sister-in-laws house. When she saw the advertisements for Toy Story 3 there was no getting around having to go see the movie in the theater. We actually waited until it was at a local dollar theater and took both girls (the little one got in free)!

The movie, just like the first two, was very well made. The animation is just what you’d expect and the characterizations of the toys was hilarious – my favorites were Ken and Barbie. As in the first two movies there was the element of adventure and suspense. In a way this was a little darker. Instead of the villains being people it was the toys that were evil. The big baby kinda creeped me out. The monkey guard wasn’t much better. DD1 noticed right away how evil the purple teddy bear was and talked about it for weeks. I was actually surprised that the content of the movie didn’t freak her out more.

If you haven’t seen the movie and would like to with your kids keep in mind that for a cartoon movie it can get a little intense with the action. Your child’s ability to handle that kind of stress should be kept in mind before watching. If they are prone to nightmares or scare easily it might not be the movie for them (the bear gets pretty mean and the big baby doll is rather creepy). If you love the Toy Story movies then this is an indispensable addition to your movie collection.

I had been looking for a pair of boots for the past 18 months. At the end of November JCPenney was running a sale and the Clarks Wyld Polka was on sale for $79.99 which was an awesome deal. The regular retail for the boot was $149 and with the sale price plus the 20% off coupon was very good discount. I went right away and read reviews about the boot and found out that even though this is not a wide calf model that the shaft of the boot runs a little wide. That was great for me because I have very wide calves for my height. I hesitated for just a few hours and when I went to look for my size on JCPenney.com it was all gone. I was crushed.

I went looking everywhere for the boot. Most other stores had it for the regular retail and did not carry the boot in a 7W. Finally, I found a little shoe store based in New York and found a 10% off coupon from Retailmenot.com. The price of the boot was $105.95 with free shipping so with the coupon that brought it down to $95.35. Not $79.99 but not $149 either. So I bit the bullet and bought the boot.

In a few days I received a box directly from the Clarks warehouse with a beautiful pair of black leather boots. I tried them on and discovered that the foot was generously cut. I would say maybe a 1/2 size too big, but for a winter boot to be worn with thick socks and possibly an orthotic insert the extra room was OK. The sole was very soft and flexible, very comfortable on my heel. There was considerable pressure on the balls of my feet even with the slight 2″ heel, but I write that off mostly on my weight.

Zipping up the shaft was another story. Remember these are not wide shaft boots and I have a wide leg. Thank goodness for the elastic inserts on the back of the boot, they stretched just enough to zip all the way up. At first they did pinch a little but I figured that with time they would give some and not be so tight (plus I need to lose a little weight anyway ).

I grabbed my Dr. Scholl’s 3/4 length insert and a pair of my husbands wool socks and tried them on again. When I put my foot inside again the boot couldn’t have fit more perfectly. The heel even though fairly low will take some getting used to since I don’t wear heels that often.

Since I bought them the boots have been worn with everything. The weather has been a catalyst for this, but my feet and calves were stylish and warm. The only thing i didn’t like was how the boot bunched up around my ankle and pressed the zipper into the ankle bone. Really is there a zippered boot that doesn’t do this? I haven’t found one yet. So if you are looking for a stylish, warm leather boot with a shaft stretchy enough to accommodate a 17″ calf then the Clarks Wyld Polka is for you.

Last year we bought a Keurig single cup coffee machine.  It so happened to have a built in filter assembly in the reservoir.  DH and I did not thing that this would be necessary or an issue for continuous replacement since we use bottled RO water from his brother-in-laws store.  Eventually we are going to install our own home RO system, but that is a subject for another post.

A couple weeks ago DH bought a Keurig machine for his office.  I happened to be there this weekend and he made me a cup of coffee while I worked on fixing his computer.  I noticed that the coffee actually tasted better than what I made at home.  It dawned on me that we had not changed the filter in the reservoir since we purchased the machine.  You could see that the filter “wool” looked clean, but maybe the carbon in the filter did catch something that was now altering the flavor of the water as it brews.

Since we have to buy water for drinking there are times when we run out and if DH has the car that I am capable of driving then I have to wait for him to go to the sore and get more.  Well, that did happen a time or two and I had to use tap water in the Keurig.  Not only was this because I wanted a cup of coffee, but out of necessity to help clean the sediment from the water so I could drink it.  What drinking water we had left I was saving for my daughters.

But I digress. .. This morning I decided to  change the filter since I did have an extra that came with the machine.  I made sure to clean the cup holding assembly just to make sure that none of the coffee flavor or grounds that may have fallen from the K-cups would interfere with the brewing of a clean cup of water.  This was an experiment after all .  When I brewed the coffee  after changing the filter I could tell the difference right away.  The aroma was brighter and something was much more pleasing about it.  I do feel that a cup of coffee made with the Keurig is much tastier than one brewed in a regular coffee machine; this was even better.

When I tasted the coffee – prepared exactly as my first cup of coffee had been the mouth feel was even different.  It felt softer in my mouth; I do feel strongly that the filter does improve the taste and mouth feel of the coffee even further.  So now I am going to be much more diligent about changing the filters and will be looking for a good price on extras today.  Keurig’s recommendation is to change the filter once every 2 months or every 60 reservoir refills.

I know I’ve had my love/hate relationship with eBay, but this week I’m in love again!  A couple of things I’d been looking for are coats, waist cinchers and leather purses.  I found my coat at Macy’s so that was done.  Then I did find some spandex and nylon waist cinchers on ebay.  They retail for $28 and $49 respectively and I got all three for $30 with shipping.  So I was on to finding a new purse.

I hate purses with short little straps.  They are hard to keep on my shoulder and I inevitably end up dropping them or have them hanging precariously from my elbow while trying to juggle my two girls, a diaper bag and whatever else I might have.  In my search for a purse my mom found a used Nine West bag made of microfiber and PVC.  It looked less dowdy than my previous purse, but still lacked style and a long enough strap to use it as a crossbody purse.  I’m learning that being a mom almost requires me to carry a larger bag on most days so I broke down and started looking for a hobo or bucket bag that would hold all my stuff.  I’m hoping to be free of a diaper bag soon, but I’ll still have a need to carry wet wipes, lotion and maybe an extra pair of skivies for my little one in case there is an accident while we are out in public.  Translation – I need a big honking purse.

I hate PVC bags.  They rip, wear and tear way sooner than leather. My last genuine leather purse I dropped $70 on and it lasted me for 7 years before it literally was falling apart.  Ten dollars per year – less than a dollar a month doesn’t sound too bad.

Typically I go for black purses.  Very utilitarian and little style.  This time I thought I would go for something a little more colorful.  This way the bag could add some interest to my outfit even when I’m wearing neutrals.

Admittedly I had never, before last week, heard of Tignanello.  All I searched for was leather crossbody purse on ebay and many choices were presented.  A large number of them were Tignanello brand.  Turns out there is an ebay seller who is going out of business and posting all her remaining purse inventory at .99 starting bid and no reserve.  If you are smart and follow the auction and set a limit (based on your research of what an item retails for and what percentage of that you’d be willing to pay for an item on ebay with a NO RETURN policy) you can get a purse for a very reasonable price.  I’ve become more frugal in recent years so it is rather hard for me to purchase anything without really mulling it over and researching all my possibilities.  The Tignanello purses retail from anywhere between $80 and $200.  Way more than I would be willing to spend on one purse.  After watching a couple of the auctions end the purses she was selling were going for approximately $30 each plus 9.95 shipping.  Not too bad.  These were also the large crossbody hobo purses. The first ones to end were white and light blue.  My thought was those colors are nice, but they would get dingy looking way too soon.  Then I came across one that would be colorful and not show dirt too soon – peridot green.  Typically, I would not like green, but I was trying to think outside the box.  What Not To Wear is a frequently watched program in our house and I thought I should try to put into practice some of what I’ve learned. The second bag I had my eye on was a medium sized organizer purse in a color named Sunshine.  Talk about cute.

Persistence is the key.  Don’t get bummed if you are outbid especially if there are more varieties or similar styles still listed.  I missed out on 7 auctions before I finally got my purses at a price that was well below retail and at or below my cutoff price.  Counting in shipping I probably got a 80% discount compared to actual retail. For the price I paid I would only have gotten a plastic faux leather purse at a local retailer or some really cheaply made patch leather purse.  Can’t wait to get these purses and post reviews for each.

Take advantage of the ONE DAY SALES at Macy’s.  My suggestion would be if you can get to a store – GO.  The deals there totally blow away any of their offerings online.  This is especially the case if you have a Macy’s card and get special “member’s only” discounts.

For several seasons I’ve been looking for a good winter coat.  Mine are falling apart and not exactly appropriate for every occasion.  I have a very heavy, almost ankle length wool coat that I wear to church and since my other coats had gone the way of the dodo I’d been wearing it when we go out anywhere else.  The problem was it is so heavy I’d end up with a terrible neck, head and backache by the end of the day from “carrying” it around.  I needed something else.  A warm coat with a hood and a zip front that was lighter, easier to wear.

Yesterday I found it.  My mom called me the night before and said she got a coupon from Macy’s for 20% off her purchase good until the end of the month.  Then I remembered that in my online search that Macy’s was having a ONE DAY SALE.  I’d never been to one so I didn’t quite know what to expect.  Actually my expectations were pretty low since Macy’s is an expensive place to shop in my experience.  Wow, was I blown away.

All the women’s coats were in one area.  Another tip – don’t get discouraged.  There is no consistency of sizes among the brands so try on EVERYTHING that might come close to your size.  Just because it says L and you think you are a 1X or 2X you shouldn’t discount it.  I tried on every coat in XL from the Misses section that I could find.  My chest dictates my size (I’m top heavy) so it was hard to find a Misses coat that closed across my chest and didn’t pull, strain or gap.  Then I decided to go to the Women’s Plus section and look around.  I found a rack that was full of London Fog quilted coats.  Some were hip length and some were knee length for which I was looking.  I tried on a brown, hooded, knee length quilted coat with a front zip and side slit pockets in 1X.  The top fit great, but the bottom was cut in a very wide a-line that made me look bigger that normal.  Mom said it helped to minimize the “impact” of my top section, but I thought it was too much.  I kept looking.  None of the other coats came even close to the fit of the London Fog.  Then it dawned on me that I should try to find the Misses XL to see if it would fit any better.  To my dismay I couldn’t find the an XL in that coat in the Misses section anywhere.  I was about to concede defeat when I took one last sweep of the Plus section and found a lone black London Fog coat in the style for which I was searching amongst some Calvin Klein jackets – AND IT WAS AN XL!

I tried on the coat and was so happy I almost cried.  It closed across my chest and had a more moderate a-line that still gave me an hourglass figure without looking out of proportion.  Not only did the coat fit like a glove but it was 60% off.  The original price of the coat was $205, so with the extra 20% discount my total without tax was $65.60!  Isn’t that an awesome deal?!?!  We saved $139.40 AND I got a London Fog (I love this brand).

Even if Macy’s may seem out of your reach most of the time (like me) – TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR ONE DAY SALES.  Look for items that will soon be out of season or that they may want to move out to make room for newer styles.  Go to the racks marked with high percentages off because you’ll be surprised at the brands and quality of the items there – they don’t only closeout junk.  My husband has the misaprehension that if it’s in the clearance rack then it must be crap or there is something wrong with it.  NOT SO!  Sometimes a store just has too many for the local population to consume and they have to lower the price.

If you have the privilege (or rather responsibility) of having a Macy’s card and can get the member’s only discounts make sure to read the restrictions.  There are many brands that cannot have this discount applied (Levi’s being one).  At least this time Clearance items were not excluded.  That was great for me.  Since I don’t have a Macy’s card my mom went with me and purchased the coat on her card.  I just need to pay her back before it starts to accumulate interest.  If you don’t want to apply for the card find a willing friend that has one, be reasonable with your purchase and PAY THEM BACK SOON! Usually you have 30 days before the purchase starts to accrue interest.

Throughout my life I’ve had bouts of indigestion and heartburn. Most of the time it was from overeating, but there were times that it just seemed my body wasn’t working right. I would be able to eat much because I felt full. Whether it was stress or anxiety that brought on this “wrench in the works” I needed something to get me back to normal.

Papaya enzymes are OK but I had a tendency to burp them up. Straight capsules of hydrochloric acid worked but seemed to exacerbate the heartburn feeling temporarily. Then a couple of years ago on a business trip my husband and brother found an enzyme blend that helped them conquer a trip to Fogo de Chao. If you aren’t familiar with Fogo it is a restaurant dedicated to the Argentinian tradition of cooking meat over open flames and lots of it. For a set price you can eat to your hearts content and your waistband’s limits. When they got home they raved about how much they ate and how wonderful it was and how they were able to sleep like babies that night, too. I was a little confused. Usually, after a gorging like the one they described my DH would be up all night with heartburn and essentially feeling like crap. Then the truth came out. On my mother’s advice my brother directed them to a VitaminShoppe nearby and get a digestive enzyme. The one they found was Udo’s Choice Ultimate Digestive Enzyme Blend.

It has a proprietary blend of 10 plant derived enzymes which are slighted to “enhance proper digestion and absorption of nutrients”. The instructions recommend taking one capsule at the beginning of a meal and for particularly heavy meals to take another one in the middle of the meal. It has even worked for DH and I to take it at the end of a meal with plenty of water if we happen to forget before or during.

The enzymes it contains:

• Amylase
• Lipase
• Protease
• Cellulase
• Invertase
• Malt Diatase
• Lactase
• Pectinase
• Brommelain

For my DH and I it has definitely worked to prevent the over-stuffed feeling from a heavy meal, the heartburn from eating rich foods and help for digestion when we are stressed. We try to keep a bottle on hand at all times and take some with us if we are going out to eat.

Last night for instance, we had patty melts for supper and I ate a good portion of vegetables. Typically this is enough to make sure everything “works out” ok. Before I went to bed I was feeling overstuffed and supper was coming back to haunt me. I remembered that we had some Enzyme Blend in the fridge (yes, I keep it in the refrigerator to maintain freshness). I took one capsule with a 12 ounce glass of water then finished getting ready for bed. By the time I got in bed, probably 20 minutes later, the full feeling was gone and I was able to relax. I didn’t have any late night heartburn problems and slept like a baby.

This is the time of year when family gets together and eats, really eats. There are so many good things at the table that we want to try it’s hard to not feel like a stuffed turkey ourselves by the end of the meal. Though I am not a registered dietitian, nutritionist or other medical professional, my experiences with Udo’s Choice Enzyme Blend lead me to believe that it would help almost anyone fend off that “stuffed turkey” feeling and the heartburn that comes with it. Do yourself a favor this year and have some enzyme supplements on hand along with your special family meals. You’ll be more able to enjoy the food and your friends and family.

From the label:

This full spectrum of digestion enhancing plant enzymes guarantees the highest standard of enzyme activity. Formulated by renowned author and nutritionist Udo Erasmus, PhD, Udo’s Choice Enzyme Blend is twice as high in protease that most other enzyme formulas and also contains all the enzymes required to break down and metabolize fat, carbohydrate, soluble fiber, starch, milk sugar and complex sugars.*

And the disclaimer:

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

My disclaimer:
This review is based on my personal experiences with this product. I purchase it and use it. Udo’s Choice neither provided the product nor is compensating me for this review. The opinions and recommendations are my own. I am not a medical professional.

THE DRY SKIN ISSUES

Winter is coming and the seasonal dryness is already making it’s mark. As a mom, housewife, and gardener, et al, my hands are always at the mercy of the elements. Whether I am preparing food, bathing children, washing clothes, washing dishes, planting seeds, potting plants or just playing with my girls my hands are always in contact with water and detergents and other irritants. This wreaks havoc on the skin and cuticles. I am always on the lookout for some cream or lotion to restore the softness to my skin and prevent it from becoming chapped and broken.

I am not the only one in my family that deals with dry skin issues. Dear daughter #1, Cookie-Cookie, has chronically dry skin and has even recently developed sites on the insides of her elbows and backs of her knees with erythema and excess dryness.  Unfortunately, it is an inherited condition.  My mom has very sensitive skin and DH’s dad suffers from psoriatic eczema.  The poor thing has even been in tears from the pain these spots cause her from the splitting and cracking. Of course this makes mommy cry, too. We have struggled to find a fragrance free, citrus free, and emollient rich cream or lotion that is non-greasy and non-irritating. Many of the lotions and creams out there contain alpha-hydroxy or acidic ingredients or citrus based oils to help “reverse” the signs of aging which is great – for me. This though is not necessary when all you are trying to do is help a four-year-old’s skin to heal.

A COMPANY WITH A SOLUTION

Redex Industries, the makers of Udderly Smooth & based in Ohio, was kind enough to send me a sample box of some of their more popular formulations. I decided to do some research into how this brand began. With a name like Udderly Smooth I had a feeling dairy cows had to be involved somehow.

Over 30 years ago Registered Pharmacist and CEO Bill Kennedy directed the development of Udderly Smooth for dairy cows in Ohio that were under harsh conditions. I imagine after discovering that the farmers who were applying the cream also experienced softer skin they started marketing the product for human use. It is now used world wide for treating dry chapped and irritated skin. Redex has produced Udderly Smooth formulations for the needs of athletes, medical professionals, and chemotherapy patients among others.

OUR SMOOTH REVIEW

I received the Shea Butter Foot Cream, Body Cream (unscented) and some Udder Cream in tubes that were perfect for carrying in my purse. The first thing I noticed about all of these creams was the texture. It was light and smooth with an almost whipped texture. The creams went on the skin very easily and absorbed quickly. There was no stickiness or greasiness, but you could tell that you had something on your skin. This was made evident the first time I washed my hands after having applied the Udder Cream – the water just rolled off the backs of my hands like water rolling off a ducks back. That is a good sign for someone whose hands are always in the water.

I was particularly interested in trying the ‘non-greasy’ foot cream. Having walked around in sandals through the summer and most of the fall had left my heels and bottoms of my feet dry and thick with dead skin. My left foot even has a bit of a hole where a chunk of dry skin was worn away by my sandals. It is taking quite some time to heal. Like many women I have a plethora of creams, lotions, body butters and other emollients that I’ve used on the bottom of my feet. One of the main problems is that the greasiness or oiliness makes it difficult and dangerous to walk across smooth surfaces like tile or wood floors and messy to walk across carpet or try to put on shoes. I quickly discovered that this would not be a problem with the Shea Butter Udderly Smooth Foot Cream. The cream goes on very easy, absorbs in an instant and leaves no slippery feeling. After a week of using the cream on my feet I’ve noticed a significant reduction in the dryness of my heels.

Cookie-cookie was a little hesitant to allow me to put a new lotion on her. I understood her apprehension since she has had contact dermatitis reactions to different lotions, detergents and clothing dyes. Just to put her mind at ease I tried the Udder Cream on the back of her leg and the inside of her forearm only. She said she liked the way it felt and hours later there was no breakout. She made sure to tell me that it did not sting on her sensitive broken skin behind her knee which made me feel good about the product as another alternative to our moisturization arsenal.

Redex Industries makes a variety of products for all different moisturizing and skin protection needs. In addition to the Shea Butter Foot Cream, Udderly Smooth Hydrating Cream and Udderly Smooth Body Cream they make products for use by athletes to prevent excess friction. The creams all contain lanolin which is a natural oil derived from the sheared wool of sheep. It has a very signature smell. After having used a lanolin based product for my breastfeeding needs I have come to know that smell as the smell of comfort and quality. It does take some getting used to but once you have accustomed yourself you won’t regret it.

To beat the winter dryness blues (or any time of the year) try Udderly Smooth creams. They’re not just for cows anymore.

To Buy It:

Udderly Smooth, a quality product made in the U.S.,  is available at a variety of stores nationwide. You may also purchase it directly from their website.

Win It: (THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED . Thanks to all who participated)

Udderly Smooth by Redex Industries has graciously offered to award ONE Frogtown House reader a gift pack of Udderly Smooth products similar to the one I received as described above.

Mandatory Entry (DO THIS FIRST ) –

You must be a subscribed reader of Casa Guanajuato/The Frogtown House Reviews either by e-mail or in a reader. Visit Udderly Smooth and share something you’ve learned about their products, their uses or their company. ‘Like’ Udderly Smooth on Facebook. Make sure to leave your Facebook name and your valid email address in this first post.

Suggested format for what I’ll be looking for in this first post (replace the X’s accordingly):

Subscribe to your blog via (put email or rss reader here)

I learned that Udderly Smooth XXXXXXX…

“XXXXXX” likes Udderly Smooth on Facebook

These items together in one comment count as ONE entry – No other entries will be valid if this is not completed properly.

Extra Entries – Would you like more chances to win? Please post a comment for each extra entry you earn. Make sure to include your valid email address in each one.

2 entries- Follow @UdderlySmooth on Twitter

1 entry- Follow @earthformed on Twitter

1 entry- Tweet the following up to once a day, leave your status link in the comment: Win an @UdderlySmooth Cream gift pack from Casa Guanajuato by @earthformed, stay smooth http://bit.ly/beweAX #giveaway ends 12/1/10 23:59EDT

1 entry – Subscribe to my newsletter

1 entry- Subscribe to my feeds in a reader (leave the name of the reader in your comment)

1 entry- ‘Like’ Casa Guanajuato/The Frogtown House Reviews on Facebook – like box on the left

1 entry- Post this giveaway on your Facebook profile and leave your status link in the comment

1 entry- Follow me on Google Friend Connect – box is on the left

1 entry- Follow me on NetworkedBlogs – box is on the left

1 entry- Leave a relevant comment on another blog post for ONE extra entry. Let me know which post you commented on.

1 entry each- Check out my four (4) other blogs in the section to the right “Our Earthformed Family”.  For each subscription to rss, email, Facebook like, Networked Blogs follow, Google Friend Connect follow, or relevant comment on a post (one entry for ONE comment left on another of my blogs) leave a comment below with your ID and/or the post name and post # if available.

1 entry each- Post about this giveaway on any other social network – StumbleUpon, Digg, Reddit, etc. and leave the link to your post in a comment.

1 entry- Blog about this giveaway and leave your post link in a comment below.

Giveaway ends December 1, 2010 at 11:59 EDT. This contest is open to U.S. residents with a valid street address; NO P.O. Boxes please. Winner(s) are selected randomly through the use of Random.org and will be announced asap after the contest closing date. To claim your prize(s), you must contact Casa Guanajuato/The Frogtown House Reviews within 48 hours of the time stamp on your winner’s notification email (from Lucero De La Tierra). Prize(s) not claimed within 48 hours will be forfeited and a new winner will be selected from the remaining entries. Please, make sure you provide a VALID email address with each comment/entry to be informed in case you do win a giveaway.

DISCLOSURE: The sponsor provided the products for review free of charge. I was not compensated in any way for my review or my opinions. The sponsor is providing the products for this giveaway free of
charge, no purchase is necessary to participate. The opinions and thoughts in this review are unique and my own based on my experiences using the product provided by the sponsor.

Jeff at the Culture of Me and his crew teamed up with HP on a contest to give away a Pavilion Dv5. This is an awesome opportunity. It really is an experiment in social networking because the giveaway will not happen until they get 200 viral links in the internet ether. Pretty cool!

On their blog post they have a very well done vlog review of the Dv5 and how he uses it to get his stuff done. The team they put together to make this video did a wonderful job with the videography and art direction. Please, go watch the video and add your link and comments to the mix. The more linkbacks they get the sooner they can give away that sweet laptop!

Go to The Culture of Me and learn about who they are and what they do by watching the video they have posted. Then do some posting of your own on Facebook, Twitter, Digg, Buzz, StumbleUpon, etc., etc., and blog about it too if you’d like.

You may also like: What Is Your Computer ‘Culture’?

Back in May while at Sam’s Club, DH and I spotted a sample kiosk for a Keurig coffee brewing system.  I was in serious need of some mid-afternoon caffeine so I was thrilled to try a cup.  They were sampling the Caribou Coffee K-Cups which tasted quite nice though the only creamer they had was Hazelnut flavored (since my last pregnancy I’ve had a real problem with nut flavored creamers, go figure) and I like a little coffee with my creamer . We weren’t exactly shopping for a coffee maker so when DH suggested that we buy the Special Edition Ultimate Home Brewing System I was hesitant to say the least.  I hadn’t had a chance to shop around and $129 at the time seemed a bit steep.  The coffee maker we had at home worked just fine and we were well pleased with the flavor of the coffee made from freshly ground beans.

DH insisted and I rejected.  Then he mentioned I should use my cool new Droid Incredible (subject of an upcoming post) to find out what those systems would cost someplace else.  So I did.

The package they were selling at Sam’s Club had the brewer, 72 sample K-Cups, and the water filter starter kit for $129.  I checked Keurig.com to see what was so great about the system and the price.  Turned out that on the web it sold for at least $10 more, plus shipping and you had to wait and it had less sample K-Cups.  I checked other websites via Google for pricing and what Sam’s Club was offering was way more bang for our buck.  The whole time as I checked around DH was trying to convince me because we wouldn’t have to buy coffee filters or coffee beans, wash a carafe, worry about mis-measuring, wasting coffee or wait 10 minutes for a half pot of coffee to be done anymore.  We could have a cup of coffee in a matter of minutes and it would be fresh and just the size we wanted.

DH insisted and finally I relented.  We bought the Special Edition Ultimate Home Brewing System and an 80-count box of Caribou Coffee K-Cups.  As soon as we got it home DH pulled it out of the box and put it together while he had me wash and put away our old, trusty coffee maker. Once he had it in place it was like it was meant to be there!
The styling is modern and not gaudy.  The brushed and polished metallic accents on the black base were tasteful.  I like that the reservoir is on the side of the machine and not the back which makes it easier to remove and refill.  We use filtered water in our Keurig so the water filter in the reservoir is nice to catch any small particles of dust that may find their way in.  The machine takes but a minute to come on and you immediately hear the heating element heat the water.  The blue backlit LED screen lets you know when the machine is ready to brew it’s first cup.  This Keurig version also has a timer you can set for On time, how long you want it to stay on after the “alarm” time, and how long you want it to stay on after a manual power on.  It’s great because DH gets up at 6am to get ready for work so the Keurig is set to come on at 6:30 so he can make his cup to go.  We set it to stay on until 8:30 am so I have time to make breakfasts and lunches before I make my cup of coffee.  Not that it’s a big deal to turn it on again, but it’s nice to have the option.   With three available cup sizes you can have a cup as strong or as weak as you like it depending on your mood and preference.  Personally, I like a big cup of coffee and two runs through a K-cup with the middle button is good.  Though the K-cup better be strong enough to handle a double drip or it’ll end up tasting like water.  So far my favorites are the Caribou Coffee, Emeril’s Big Easy Blend and the Newman’s Own Special Blend K-Cups.

My only problem with this system is the waste it creates.  The K-cups are great in that the coffee is pre-measured and stays fresh.  The machine auto-punctures each K-cup prior to brewing so there is no guesswork.  The cups themselves are made of plastic.  When I brewed coffee in our old coffee maker the used coffee grounds, filter and all would go in the compost heap.  Now I have a lot of work to do to empty my K-cups before I reuse or throw them out.  It kills me to be throwing out that much plastic.  Sure it’s only a couple a day, but that is 60 a month which adds up big time in the long run.  DH thinks I’m crazy to keep and empty the K-cups but all that yummy organic matter could go on my garden next year instead of rotting in a landfill.  My challenge to Keurig and to all the K-cup manufacturers is to find a more readily degradable material to use for their K-cups (this is a post from 2 years ago with still not progress on the matter:-().  Yes, the ones they make will eventually degrade, but they ARE NOT recyclable and as was brought out in a recent article dedicated to the subject of these cups they HAVE to be be exposed to direct sunlight in order to break down effectively- not buried in a landfill or floating in the ocean.  So, until that day I will continue to empty my K-cups by hand and I will be reusing them to start seeds for next years growing season.  I know they make a reusable My K-cup, but DH says it defeats the purpose of not having to measure and clean a filter cup so he refuses to buy it for me (heathen).  I said I’d clean it myself (like anyone else would anyway :-S), but he still refuses.

In retrospect I’m glad I listened to DH and let him buy us the Keurig Special Edition Ultimate Home Brewing System.  Now he wants another one he can put at work! So, keep working on that packaging problem Keurig and we may encourage more of our friends and family to purchase this machine.