http://www.viewpoints.com/aboutme/ceci9293 Thu, 29 May 2008 00:25:56 GMT Reviews by ceci9293 http://www.viewpoints.com/Campbells-Spaghetti-review-fc262 My toddler is in a spaghetti phase right now, which you moms will know means that's pretty much all he wants to eat, and I give in about once a day. Keeping spaghetti in the fridge can be hard though, since some other household members don't bat a lash at eating a triple serving of it in one sitting and don't even bother to tell me so I can make more! Grrrr... But trying not to digress, buying canned spaghetti seemed to be a reasonable alternative to tolerating 20-25 minutes of toddler whining while I cook it from scratch every time he wants some. — He takes one forkful of this stuff, pronounces it "yucky," and asks for waffles instead. Well, maybe it will cure his spaghetti obsession, but I was really disappointed with Campbell's for this one. I tasted it, and the boy is right. It's yucky. Flavorless and limp. — I'll try the Chef Boyardee brand next. But I'm only buying one can this time. — In the meantime, for those in the same boat, I... Thu, 29 May 2008 00:25:56 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Campbells-Spaghetti-review-fc262 ceci9293 1 http://www.viewpoints.com/Geico-review-5f398 I've been using Geico since I started driving as a teen ohhh 20-some years ago? I have never had a problem or complaint with their service. — Whenever I have needed them, there is a representative on the other end of the line immediately with answers and help. I don't even remember ever having to wait on hold. — Forgot your insurance card and need one faxed to the mechanic/inspection station/government office? Sure! Within seconds, it's on its way. Lost your cards and need new ones? Sure! In less than a week, they're in our mailbox. Need to add or cancel a policy? Sure! Even on the cancellations, we never got the usual pressure -- just a quick, friendly can-do. — I would recommend Geico to anyone. —... Fri, 09 May 2008 19:45:15 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Geico-review-5f398 ceci9293 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Winnie-the-Pooh-and-the-Blustery-Day-review-784f3 I just received this movie as part of a stack of VHS tapes a fellow mom's boys had outgrown and let me tell you, watching it really took me back. I love this story! — 24 minutes of classic storytelling: It's "Windsday" in the Hundred Acre Wood, and a strong breeze has blown Pooh on a fur-raising adventure involving bouncy Tigger, a spooky dream, and timid Piglet... who performs a noble deed worth celebrating! — My 2 yr old boy, who has grown up on the vibrant, superactive cartoons of today, was still immediately captivated by this movie, singing along by the second viewing, and requests to see it again regularly. I'm going to have to find it on DVD soon before he wears out the videotape. — I can't find a release date on this particular video, but the original cartoon was made (and given an Academy Award!) in 1968. It's a Walt Disney Home Video, Stock No. 10100. —... Thu, 03 Jan 2008 08:07:45 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Winnie-the-Pooh-and-the-Blustery-Day-review-784f3 ceci9293 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Land-Before-Time-II-The-Great-Valley-Adventure-review-8d750 I just received this movie as part of a stack of hand-me-down VHS movies from a mom whose boys outgrew them. I think Universal really misthought this release. It is too scary for younger children, and too cutesy for older children. — I know it's an old movie (1994), but that's part of the reason I was so shocked by how violent it is. I'd rather let my boy watch some of my prime-time TV than to watch this movie. And it's not that I'm fanatically anti-violence, either. I'm a huge action movie fan. Explosions and fires and crashes, oh my! But I try to protect my 2 yr old son from seeing a lot of slapping, punching, and shoving for obvious reasons. — And that's my beef with this movie. I know they had to make the T-Rexes sharp-toothed and scary, but there was really no need for the annoying little egg-snatching villains to be slapping, punching, and shoving each other every single time they interacted. Don't the writers know that that behavior isn't something moms... Thu, 03 Jan 2008 07:52:51 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Land-Before-Time-II-The-Great-Valley-Adventure-review-8d750 ceci9293 1 http://www.viewpoints.com/Def-Leppard-Hysteria-review-e0080 What can I say about this album? I can still listen to it on repeat in my car after all these years. The album is such a coherent, consistent group of great tunes it sounds like a Greatest Hits CD (and everyone knows those are the ones you really listen to, unless you're a mix-maker, which is even better.) — The sound is complex and multi-layered, full of harmonies and stacked guitar riffs, and definitely on the melodic pop side of the musical scale. It's hard to even call it metal sometimes, though that's where it was classified due to the sound of Def Leppard's previous albums, but it does have plenty of driving drums and wailing guitars if you like that. This album was the very apex of 80s Arena Rock in my opinion, which sums up the fist-pumping, sing-alonging, can't-stop-moving-your-head-to-it quality that's the defining strength of Hysteria. — I would recommend this album to anyone that likes music that was written for the sake of fun and rock-n-roll. It... Thu, 03 Jan 2008 07:23:43 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Def-Leppard-Hysteria-review-e0080 ceci9293 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Tyson-chicken-nuggets-review-60531 This is not the chicken I prepare for the adults in the family. The nuggets have a bland, watery flavor but they are what my 2 yr old son has chosen as his preferred form of chicken, so when it's a super-quick meal we're after, he gets these and we eat the Tyson Chicken Strips and Popcorn Buffalo Chicken, which are both very tasty. — I think it's because the 'chicken parts' consistency of the nuggets is easier for him to chew with his limited molars than the stringier 'real' chicken. It's almost like it's pre-chewed. (Ew.) — So, while I don't personally recommend these chicken nuggets as a tasty snack for adults, I would recommend them to moms looking for quick, easy snacks for their molar-challenged little ones. Maybe with ketchup for folks dealing with that post-tightening day braces pain? haha, that's stretching it. ;) —... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 06:28:39 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Tyson-chicken-nuggets-review-60531 ceci9293 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Natures-Own-Whitewheat-Bread-review-9dbc3 This bread is a little more expensive than regular white or wheat breads, but it's very competitively priced for the white wheats. I love that my family gets all the health benefits of wheat bread but doesn't miss eating white bread. This brand is always soft and very fresh, and stays good long after the expiration date if I keep it in the fridge. —... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 06:10:08 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Natures-Own-Whitewheat-Bread-review-9dbc3 ceci9293 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Kraft-Macaroni-and-Cheese--112489-review-6b1b0 If you have mac n cheese fans in the house, I'm willing to bet they like Kraft the best! — This stuff is never gritty, never lumpy, never bland... as long as you don't overcook or undercook, it comes out exactly the same every single tme. I'll only ever buy Kraft. —... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 05:49:23 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Kraft-Macaroni-and-Cheese--112489-review-6b1b0 ceci9293 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Betty-Crocker-Hamburger-Helper-review-e8302 This is as close to an all-in-one meal as I'll feed my family. Generally, all you need to add is water and browned ground beef. Add a side dish of veggies and the meal is done. With some of the flavors, you can put the veggies into the Hamburger Helper itself and it tastes great while only dirtying one pan. ;) Watch out for the extremely high sodium content though, and don't feed this too often. — I'm not a fan of most of the flavors, to be honest. The Mexican flavors all have a very cheap, overly salted, lowest-denominator Mexican flavor to them that I really don't like. Many of the Italian flavors also taste like low-grade canned Italian. My husband likes them though. My favorite is the Tomato Basil Penne, and I've subbed the ground beef with Polish sausage for a really delicious beans-and-rice topper in the past. I also like the plain cheese flavors, and most of the potato flavors are good. NOTE: When I cook from scratch, I rarely add salt to anything, so if you... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 05:02:35 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Betty-Crocker-Hamburger-Helper-review-e8302 ceci9293 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Aquafina-Bottled-Water-review-61a90 You know, when I heard about the "tap water" scandal Pepsi and Coca Cola got into, I thought about it for a while and decided it just doesn't bother me that much. It doesn't claim to be anything else on the bottle and Aquafina is still my favorite bottled water. It sure tastes better than MY tap water. And in the end, anything that encourages people to drink more water (as opposed to those AWFUL soft drinks) is a great thing. — Find the bottled water that you like the taste of best. Don't pay more for it just because it's been shipped (using plenty of environmentally friendly OIL) from a plant that's probably defacing the natural beautfy of Fiji unless the taste really is better. You can get minerals from multi-vitamins for crying out loud. If you can put a filter on your own tap and refill a non-disposable container, do it! but if you're thirsty while you're out and about, grab a bottle of good, healthy water, recycle the container, and... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 03:44:29 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Aquafina-Bottled-Water-review-61a90 ceci9293 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Deluxe-Pop-Up-Truck-Sport-Tent-review-edc20 IT'S BUILT TO LAST — To be honest, I was a little put off by the price of this tent at first despite the great Overstock.com discount -- I paid almost $50 for it -- because my 2 1/2 yr old son has destroyed two other tents in less than a few weeks each. But I shouldn't have worried! Where so many play tents are an almost tissue papery fabric, this tent is more like a lightweight gymbag nylon: tough as nails, not to mention more sanitary, since those toddler fluids you just know will occasionally hit it wipe right off. — The colors are bright and the whole thing is just top-quality. And while our old tents usually had piles of flimsy poles that I couldn't figure out, and always those wires that poked through and made the tent unusable after only a few weeks, this tent's 3 pieces go together with loops and toggles, so it's easy and fast. As for collapse and storage, the whole thing goes flat with no effort at all. The description says you can store... Thu, 20 Dec 2007 08:19:30 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Deluxe-Pop-Up-Truck-Sport-Tent-review-edc20 ceci9293 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Burts-Bees-Lemon-Butter-Cuticle-creme-0-6-oz--22471-review-bf5c I got a sample sized tin of this in a kit with several other thing and this is the one I use the least. It is gathering dust because it's just too greasy to use; in contrast to most products that soak into my skin, this one just stays greasy until I wipe it off. It's a shame, because I love the way it smells and I love the natural... Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:21:48 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Burts-Bees-Lemon-Butter-Cuticle-creme-0-6-oz--22471-review-bf5c ceci9293 2 http://www.viewpoints.com/Bath-and-Body-Works-Sweet-Pea-Body-Splash-review-d0d40 There aren't many Bath & Body Works fragrances I don't like, but this is one of my favorites when I'm in a girly, flowery mood. It's easy to apply, affordable, and smells fantastic. I wish it lasted all day on me like it seems to on others, but I don't mind reapplying every few hours because it feels like a treat everytime. ;) — I also love that Bath & Body Works doesn't test anything on animals. —... Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:06:54 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Bath-and-Body-Works-Sweet-Pea-Body-Splash-review-d0d40 ceci9293 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Marie-Antoinette-2006-review-76d50 This movie was SO not what I was expecting. — The music was unexpected in a good way for me (but if you're one of those people who gets really annoyed by anachronisms, I'm telling you, the music will bug you.) The sets, costumes, and camerawork were brilliant, and I really liked the casting. I always love it when the writers make every single character believeable and deep, even when they're not characterized deeply. There are times in this movie I really hated the likeable characters, and loved the despicable ones. — I think most people would find the movie deadly dull and slow-moving, to be honest, because I like artsy films and even I was a little bored during a few parts. But if you think you would enjoy the fantastic beauty of a period piece with characters that grow and change and love before your eyes, it's worth a few slow parts. — NOTE: It may just have been me, but I was a little irritated by how uneven the sound seemed throughout the movie. It... Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:45:42 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Marie-Antoinette-2006-review-76d50 ceci9293 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Melissa-and-Doug-Wooden-Shape-Sorting-Clock-review-88281 I can't say enough good things about this clock toy. I went looking for one because my 2 yr old son has taken a liking to clocks ("lock" in toddler-ese) and this one had moveable hands. But there's so much more to it. — The toy is recommended for ages 3 & up but there are absolutely no small parts, and toddlers start shape sorting at 2 or even younger. My son is also already working on recognizing colors so we can play "where's the red one?" while he solves the puzzle. He has also, after less than a week of playing with it (constantly!), started recognizing when he puts the numbers in upside down! I think it will be a great help when he's ready to start learning number recognition and counting, which could be soon, thanks to this toy. And when he's ready to learn how to tell time on an analog clock, the clock face has minutes and hours marked, along with labels for "quarter past," "half past," and "quarter til." — Last but not least, this great toy cost me less... Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:12:11 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Melissa-and-Doug-Wooden-Shape-Sorting-Clock-review-88281 ceci9293 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Lion-Brand-Cotton-Ease-review-e8a20 This new version of Lion Brand's Cotton-Ease yarn is the best value that Lion Brand has ever produced, in my opinion. It's the best of all worlds! —  I love knitting with cotton (being from Texas and all) but it is heavy, not always very soft, and can be hard on the hands. Also, it tends to stretch out of shape when used for garments of any real size. A nice acrylic yarn is lightweight, soft, and holds its shape like a dream, BUT it's just so... acrylic. — Cotton-Ease has all the softness and lightness of its 50% acrylic, but the more natural feel and look of its 50% cotton. And hey, any yarn that's durable and easy-care enough for children's clothing but nice enough for discriminating adults' garments gets my vote! (Especially at under $5 per 100g skein!) — The Lion Brand shows it's available in 11 versatile colors, including light pink, light blue, red, lime, and yellow, as well as a couple of shades of gray, and white and taupe. I'm... Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:38:14 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Lion-Brand-Cotton-Ease-review-e8a20 ceci9293 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Ravelry-review-9e820 Seriously, if you've ever used yarn to make anything, you have GOT to get on Ravelry. Besides being a fun, free community full of crafters, designers, and retailers it the BEST online resource I have ever found. — My favorite thing about it is the "notebook." — Each user has the option to enter a list of projects both current and finished, along with photographs, comments, ratings, hyperlinks, etc. I don't know how I ever started a project with confidence before now! If I find a pattern that turns me on, I immediately go to Ravelry and see who else is working on it. I can check out what yarn they're using, pictures of what it looks like in different colors and on different bodytypes, how difficult they thought it was, etc. — You can also catalogue your fiber and needles stash. How cool is that?? —... Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:41:42 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Ravelry-review-9e820 ceci9293 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Eebees-Adventures-Figuring-Things-review-2d5d Eebee's website says, "FIGURING THINGS OUT showcases what can happen when a child's newfound motor skills support her natural curiosity and interest in making things work and achieving goals." — There are three ten minute adventures and my toddler loves to watch them over and over. We started watching them on Kids On Demand, but he requests them so much that I finally bought the DVDs so that I could watch my own shows again. ;) — The "adventures" show Eebee, a puppet baby, playing with adults and other babies of varying ages. She is cheerful and enchanting; her movements and babbling are very realistic. This particular DVD's adventures include The Light Bulb Goes On in which Eebee experiments with light switches, flashlights, and shadows; Blocks and Tackling Ideas, one of my son's favorites due to the building and crashing of block towers; and On the Go which is all about obstacles like pillows, tunnels, and ramps. — Eebee's website says the DVD was... Wed, 12 Dec 2007 00:24:25 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Eebees-Adventures-Figuring-Things-review-2d5d ceci9293 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Caron-International-Yarns-review-91e70 Caron Simply Soft is the only Caron yarn I've used and I like it. — It's very soft and has a pretty sheen. And the color range is decent, though it's lacking in neutrals and other more 'grown up' colors. The price is great for the quality, and the stuff is definitely great for crafts that are intended to be used and abused. I have several baby blankets made of Caron Simply Soft and they survive the washer like a million bucks. — The dryer however HAS to be set on no heat or the yarn loses its shine and softness. — ... Sat, 01 Dec 2007 05:51:47 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Caron-International-Yarns-review-91e70 ceci9293 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Heroes-review-402d0 I wait for this show all week, every week, and at the end of each episode I can't believe it's already been an hour. — I love that none of the main characters are one-dimensional. They're believable and I'm really attached to them. — The only negative I can think of in regards to this show is that the storyline is complex, and moves from episode to episode in chapters. Each one picks up right where the previous one left off, so I can't imagine it would be easy to start watching in the middle. — If you haven't been watching, find what you've missed online and get caught up before you try. I'd hate for you to miss out on a great series like this just because it didn't make sense. —... Tue, 20 Nov 2007 03:28:33 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Heroes-review-402d0 ceci9293 5