Did you know that you can recycle your old electronics at Best Buy? I didn’t until now. That’s really going to help me in an upcoming move, especially to clean out the garage. I have had an old tv sitting there for way too long. We also have an old non-working PC that needs to be transformed into something useful. In the video below, I learned how Best Buy recycles PC’s and also how special care is taken to ensure data privacy. Very cool!

What’s more, their industry-leading recycling efforts are available for free  in every Best Buy in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. No matter how old it is, no matter where you bought it, Best Buy will recycle it. They recycle 387 pounds of electronics each minute their stores are open and they do it safely and responsibly.

Technology is the fastest growing waste stream on the planet, which is not surprising to me, considering how quickly new tech evolves.

You can learn more about Best Buy’s Recycling Program here.

Also, Best Buy carries a whole line of Energy Star certified products so you can recycle your old electronics and upgrade to more energy efficient ones. To learn more about this, just visit here.

I love companies that help keep our planet healthier and can’t wait to clear out my old “junk” that is just taking up space when it could be re-purposed.

Disclaimer: The reviewer has been compensated in the form of a Best Buy Gift Card and/or received the product/service at a reduced price or for free.

Showers are great when you’re in a hurry or want to feel super clean, but sometimes you just want to relax in a comfortable bath. Whether it’s for aching muscles or joints, stress, or “me time”, I really love taking a nice hot bath after a long day.

I love to enhance a bath with candles. There is something so relaxing about them and so many to choose from. They make me feel like I’m away from my regular routine. If you can find ones with a scent you love, the aromatherapy can help you relax or rejuvenate depending on your choice. Eucalyptus is great for waking up; lavender is great for winding down.

Sometimes I love total quiet (hard to find around here!), but you can also create a “relaxation” playlist. I have certain tunes I love to listen to when I want to tune out the world. I’ve also found that I carry tension in my neck and shoulders, so a nice bath pillow helps me rest my head while my neck and back muscles relax.

I also love bath oils and bath bombs! I recently found an interesting article that actually tells you how to make them here, http://wikitalks.com/2013/02/how-to-make-geysers-bath-bombs-out-of-cornstarch. I love making baskets for friends for birthdays or to thank them, so I was excited that I’d be able to add some homemade bath bombs as well.

Aromatherapy, baths, candles, reed diffusers: When life is stressful, they give me a welcome break so I can rest before I have to get back to work.

I also like using epsom salts when I’m especially achy, though make sure to drink a lot of water if you use them.

Handwriting is important. I say this, because, my dad being a pharmacist and having gone to medical school, tended to write like a doctor; that is to say, illegibly. I got pretty adept at reading his scrawled birthday cards and notes, but, I still think good handwriting is a great skill to have.

Handwriting is something that kids usually learn at school, however, I’ve found that children seem to learn better when they are not just taught something, but are actually engaged and having fun.

If you add electronics to the mix, you’ve really hit a home run.

Elately recently released iTrace, an innovative app that works with your iPad and teaches your children how to write numbers, letters and also to form words.

Guided with visual hints and easy narration, children can use their fingers to trace shapes of numbers, letters and words and also play the app’s fun picture matching game.

iTrace was developed under the guidance of educational pros and tested by students. It’s easy to pick up, and children will learn to write their names, words, letters and get visual awards like gold stars and stickers when they get things right.

I feel that iTrace is a wonderful app because it is an interesting, fun and interactive way for children of ages 3 and up to learn and also to perfect their writing skills through many different levels. It can be used if you are left-handed, right-handed or ambidextrous.

If you go to History, you can see which words and letters your child has learned well and which need some work and practice. It also tells you what needs to be improved as in the example below:

iTrace has some awesome features:

– 600+ different rewards
– 50 animated objects
– Supports multiple players
– Saves the entire history of each child’s progress
– Supports multiple methods of writing the same letters
– A simple switch adjusts the entire system for left-handed kids

iTrace for the iPad is available for $3.99 on the iTunes App Store right here, so why not check it out.

I highly recommend it! 4 stars for fun, educational value and price!

Disclosure: I was provided with an app  download  to facilitate my review and a gift for trying  it out, however all opinions herein are completely my own.

It’s time for some FEBRUARY SHENANIGANS

from February 15 through February 28!


When I think of shenanigans, I think of mischief and fun! In fact, I think I could use some more of that these days! For our Strange Daze Indeed Shenanigans, I’m bringing you,
first of all, some delicious treats from Sweet Andy’s Cookies.

In 2009, Andy of Andy’s Cookies found himself in a position some of us also have, disenchanted with his work, which happened to be in the Financial Industry. He decided it just was not right for him. During the period of transition for Andy, his wife Lissa, and their family, Andy decided he wanted to give back to those who had helped them. Being a bit of a cookie monster, he began baking his homemade cookies and sharing them with friends and family.

Everyone was surprised that a) Andy himself had made them and b) that they were so delicious. Andy kept perfecting his cookies and one day, his friend Brian, a deli owner, put them in his store. They sold out and were a huge hit and the business took off!

This past year, they opened up a small retail bakery in Westhampton Beach, NY with 11 different flavors of Sweet Andy’s Cookies and other freshly baked items. These special “thank-you cookies” have a delicious homemade taste and gratitude and kindness baked into each one.

When I was going to review the cookies, Andy was wonderful to correspond with. He immediately sent me a huge box with six bags of really LARGE thick cookies – White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate, Sugar, Chocolate Peanut Butter and Triple Chocolate Chip. 

It was a cookie lover’s dream come true. And, not just because there were so many cookies and flavors, but because each one was soft and delicious. I am finicky about cookies. I don’t like many of them and won’t bother eating them if they are ordinary, but, these decidedly are not! 

They are like home-baked cookies in the best way, soft, but not too soft. They have a wonderful fresh taste and texture, seriously unlike any packaged cookies I’ve ever tasted. 

My favorite was the Triple Chip which has Semi-sweet chocolate, Peanut Butter and White Chocolate Chips but I also love the Classic Chocolate Chip. I also was a big fan of the White Chocolate Macadamia Nut. The Chocolate Peanut Butter is great for those who love both tastes together. I loved sharing these and hearing the oohs and ahhhs. 

They’ll stay fresh for about two weeks, but you can also keep them in the fridge or put them in the freezer. If you freeze them, you can just pop them in the microwave for about 15 seconds or let them sit at room temperature.

There are other flavors too: Lemon, Pumpkin, Oatmeal Raisin, Mint Chip and more.  The cookies are really affordable for such high quality and make great gifts.

Andy has generously offered one of my readers, a huge gift box of their own with six bags of cookies – and you can choose your flavors!

Sweet Shenanigans!

To add to the fun, the winner will also receive a $10 gift card to Chili’s (if they can find room after eating all those cookies!)  

Spicy Shenanigans!

So jump right in and join us. To enter my giveaway, just follow the Rafflecopter below. 

And, for more fun, hop around and check out the other blogs’ giveaways!

Best of luck!

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Disclosure: I was provided samples to facilitate my review, however all opinions are expressly my own.

The Piano Man is back with a romantic collection of love songs that show why he is one of our greatest singer-songwriters.

Some of them are more familiar like Honesty and An Innocent Man, but there are also lesser-known great tunes like Joel’s version of Shameless which was a #1 hit for Garth Brooks, and Travelin’ Prayer, the b-side of the Piano Man single.

I’ve listened to Billy Joel for years as he’s been one of my favorites, however, the versatility that is found in this album has rekindled my interest, and I’m enjoying some of the underappreciated tunes.

 I had never even heard “The Night Is Still Young”

This romantic collection is ideal for Valentine’s Day, but, to be honest, it’s great for every day of the year. Joel’s smooth vocals, brilliant melodies and honest lyrics are timeless.

As a special Valentine’s Day treat, you can win your own copy of Billy Joel’s She’s Got a Way: Love Songs right here.

Track Listings

a Rafflecopter giveaway Disclosure: I received a copy of this cd from Sony Legacy in order to facilitate my review, however all opinions expressed herein are completely my own.

Welcome to the Valentine’s Day Forget Me Nots Hop, hosted by MamaNYC! I’ve teamed up with some awesome bloggers to bring you great giveaways, which include some fabulous Valentine’s Day ideas. This is going to be a very big event with lots of prizes! It will run until February 14th, giving you enough time to browse through them all. 

Good luck!


Since Valentine’s Day is one of my favorite holidays, I wanted to bring you some fun prizes!



First of all, something delicious! 

My grandmother was always the baker in our family and I would find that usually nothing ever measured up to her treats. However, I was really excited to discover My Grandma’s of New England. 

I have had their Cinnamon Walnut Cake and I have to say that it is just as good as my grandmother’s (Sorry, Nana!) It is, as the expression goes, to die for! 

I was also given the chance to review their Patriot Coffee Cake. It was mouthwatering and I loved the tartness of the Cape Cod cranberries mixed with the sweetness of the fresh New England blueberries nestled in a delicious cinnamon coffee cake.

I absolutely loved that the cake came beautifully packaged and was as moist as if it had just come out of the oven. Unlike other bakery goods I have purchased from other places, it actually stayed fresh for a good amount of time. The top was crunchy and each mouthful was a little bit of heaven. It wasn’t too sweet, but just right.


These cakes are top-rated in the country and have received many rave reviews.

They’ve been served at the Plaza Hotel in NYC’s Tea Room, The Vatican, The Major League All-Star Game, The Ryder Cup and the US Tennis Open.


My Grandma’s has mini-cakes, gluten-free treats, no nut and low fat options, and many other flavors. I think this is a fabulous Valentine’s Day Treat for your sweet! They also have beautiful decorative tins.

And, thanks to their generosity, one of my fabulous readers is going to win their choice of cake from  My Grandma’s of New England. Cinnamon Walnut, Blueberry, Raspberry, Chocolate and more are available as well as the delicious Patriot cake.

All My Love Necklace

You Make My Heart Spin Necklace

Key To My Heart Necklace

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received a cake from My Grandma’s to facilitate my review, however all opinions above are strictly my own.

Oral health is so important, yet sometimes it’s one of the things that can get forgotten in the deluge of day to day activities or skipped at night when everyone is just too tired. Whether it’s kids or adults, the same principles come into play.

I try to maintain good habits when it comes to my teeth and gums as I know from family members how painful swollen gums can be. I, myself, have had times when my gums were red (not fun at all!), and I know I should floss more than I do! I do brush morning and night, and occasionally in between, however, I recently found out that brushing alone misses 75% of your mouth. That was shocking to me.

Even if you brush twice a day, you’re likely to miss a majority of your mouth which leaves room for germs to proliferate.

By using a LISTERINE Antiseptic mouthwash twice a day for just 30 seconds, you can clean virtually 100% of your mouth.

You can get:

• Up to 5 times healtheir gums in 2 weeks
• Up to 9 times healthier gums in 9 weeks

Talisman of El by Alecia Stone

WHAT IF YOUR WHOLE LIFE WAS A LIE?

One Planet.

Two Worlds.

Population: Human … 7 billion.
Others … unknown.

When 14-year-old Char­lie Blake wakes up sweat­ing and gasp­ing for air in the mid­dle of the night, he knows it is hap­pen­ing again. This time he wit­nesses a bru­tal mur­der. He’s afraid to tell any­one. No one would believe him … because it was a dream. Just like the one he had four years ago – the day before his dad died.

Char­lie doesn’t know why this is hap­pen­ing. He would give any­thing to have an ordi­nary life. The prob­lem: he doesn’t belong in the world he knows as home.

He belongs with the others.

Author Alecia Stone

Alecia Stone is the author of Talisman Of El (Centrinian, 2012), the first book in the Talisman Of El trilogy. She graduated with a BA in Film & TV and has worked in television for a short period of time before branching out into storytelling. Alecia loves anything and everything paranormal. Her fascination with all things supernatural sparked her obsession with books, particularly young adult fantasy fiction, which she has never grown out of. She was inspired to become an author after reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen at the age of fourteen.

In 2008, Alecia started working on Talisman Of El, a contemporary young adult fantasy fiction inspired by people who disappeared mysteriously, including, but not limited to, Amelia Earhart and Percy Harrison Fawcett, who went on an expedition in search of an ancient lost city. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys going to the movies, listening to music, and travelling.

Talisman Of El is her first novel. At present, Alecia lives in England, United Kingdom with her family.

BookBlast $50 Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 2/17/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Emmy Rossum’s Sentimental Journey takes vintage sounds and gives them a modern flavor.

I know Emmy Rossum best from one of my favorite wacky and outrageous programs on Showtime, Shameless, where she plays the ever vivacious Fiona Gallagher. I wasn’t aware that she sang until I was given her latest cd to review, Sentimental Journey.

What I know of Emmy is that she’s beautiful, intelligent and an incredible actress. What I didn’t know was that she could so seamlessly bring her gifts in embodying a character into her music. The album comprises covers of classic hits from the ’20’s to the ’60’s. I really love the tone of her voice as it fits each and every song. The Old Hollywood sound is unlike most of what I hear lately and I really love it.

I enjoyed all the tunes on this cd as they aren’t your standard fare these days. Some of my favorites are The Summer Wind. This song takes me back to Ol’ Blue Eyes with its jazzy feel.

I also really like These Foolish Things. Here Emmy’s voice has an airy sensual quality that is intriguing and beautiful.

Emmy’s 12-song ‘passion project’ is an emotional musical journey for her, with each song representing a month of the year.

“Each song needed to either lyrically or emotionally reflect the corresponding month,” Emmy explained. “Some songs were obvious fits, like Summer Wind for June and Pretty Paper for December. Other songs were less literal fits. I chose Nobody Knows You (When You’re Down and Out) for September because, to me, the plaintive melody and lyric emotionally reflect the cold weather creeping in and the sense of melancholy we can get in the fall months.”

I think this is a great cd for Valentine’s Day. I love the laid back mellow feel.

You can catch Emmy as a guest on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on February 6th and on the CBS Early Show, performing a song from Sentimental Journey on February 9th.

You can buy the cd at Amazon or on iTunes. You can also check out Emmy on Twitter!

Disclosure:  I participated in this campaign for One2One Network and received a copy of the CD to facilitate my review. All opinions stated are expressly my own.