Reviews by lebanonmommy

lebanonmommy says "A whole lot of PureVia doesn't go a long way" about PureVia All Natural Zero Calorie Sweetener

lebanonmommy — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:39:00 GMT

I don't often use artificial sweeteners, but when I do my typical choice is Sweet-N-Low. I was excited to try out the newest sweetener on the block, however, when I received a sample. My favorite thing to add sweetener to is unsweetened ice tea. So, when my sample arrived, I poured myself a standard sized glass of iced tea and opened the box.

The first thing I noticed was the packaging. I like the look of the packets . . . they are more in line with Crystal Light To Go instead of other sugar substitutes like Sweet-N-Low, Splenda, and Equal. It appears that there is more sweetener in this package than in the traditional style, and I was a little concerned about adding the whole thing to my tea. So I added a little bit, stirred, sipped and repeated the process until I had emptied the whole package in my beverage.

I stirred and stirred, but still had problems getting the granules to dissolve. Perhaps this would work better in warm or hot beverages. Also, for the amount of...

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lebanonmommy says "Can't beat the price for an indoor water park!" about Abe Lincoln Lodge at Brown County State Park - Nashville, IN

lebanonmommy — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:20:19 GMT

Recently I wanted to take my family of four for a weekend get-away close to home. I was looking for the "feel" of a long distance vacation without the travel expense. I live just northwest of Indianapolis, and have been to Indiana's Brown County but have never stayed in the hotel inside the large Brown County State Park.

Brown County State Park is located in Nashville, Indiana. For those of you who haven't ventured to Nashville, Indiana, it is well worth your trip. The park is very large and the views are breathtaking . . . especially in the fall. There is on-site camping available, but I'm not that much of an outdoor-sy person, although I do love a good hike every now and then. The town of Nashville has many little specialty shops so shoppers can rejoice!

When I did some research for the hotel inside the State Park, I came across the website for the Abe Lincoln Lodge. A variety of room options were available, but I settled on a two-queen room option, as this was best for...

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lebanonmommy says "Surprisingly great for resolving adult acne and redness" about Clearasil Ultra Daily Face Wash

lebanonmommy — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 18:36:00 GMT

I am a 32 year old female who has been troubled by acne since seemingly birth. Okay, well, maybe not that long, but a very long time indeed. I have tried all sorts of over-the-counter products, various soaps, acne creams, ProActiv, and other more risky treatments like Accutane. I had essentially given up the idea of acne-free, red-free skin.

Not too long ago I particpated in a study where I trialed two acne products. There were no brand names on the products, but the packaging shape and color was the same as what you might find in the store. I recieved my first product, and being the acne wash pro that I am, recognized the bottle & liquid to be Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash. It worked well for two days and I was thinking "GREAT!" On the third day, little break outs started to occur and they kept on coming for the remainder of the two weeks I was trialing the product.

The second product arrived and I didn't recognize the manufacturer. I am a fan of the color blue, and...

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lebanonmommy says "Great for my two kiddos" about Baby Trend Sit N Stand LX Stroller

lebanonmommy — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:01:48 GMT

When we added another child to our family, my oldest was 2 1/2 years old. I had a single stroller by Graco that I loved, but I knew my oldest was still going to require a way to rest when we were out on adventures. I originally purchased a traditional double stroller, but, as with most toddlers, my oldest decided she wanted the opportunity to get down and walk when the mood felt right.

I purchased my Baby Trend Sit N Stand LX stroller at Target for around $129.99. When the new baby came home, we were able to use the included adaptor to hook the pumpkin seat over the front seat. My oldest was pleased as punch to have the ability to sit, stand, or surf on the back half of the stroller. As both have gotten older, they have enjoyed trading spaces with each one taking a turn sitting in the traditional seat and the other exploring on the back one.

After about the second trip, the canopy that came with the stroller broke. I'm sure this would have been covered by manufacturer warranty,...

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lebanonmommy says "Great bed for on-the-go; light and portable!" about Peapod Portable Travel Bed

lebanonmommy — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:27:33 GMT

I purchased the PeaPod Plus by KidCo about 6 months ago. We have family in a different state an needed to have an option for alternative bedding in a pinch. There are two versions of the PeaPod -- the original and the "plus." I highly recommend paying a few extra dollars and getting the PeaPod Plus.

When collapsed, the bed weighs less than 10 pounds. The bed unit itself comes already assembled, so all you have to do is remove an elastic strap that is holding it in circular form. Use caution when you go to set it up, because once you release that elastic strap, it will pop into its fully upright position. All that's left to do is to inflate the supplied air mattress. The PeaPod Plus comes with its own air pump, but I find it is much quicker to just blow it up with my lungs the old fashioned way. The mattress slides underneath the floor of the tent and is zipped securely in place.

The PeaPod Plus also comes with a sleeping bag that is the same shape as the floor of the unit...

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lebanonmommy says "Where Weight Watchers.com meets MySpace" about Sparkpeople.com

lebanonmommy — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:03:02 GMT

I joined SparkPeople.com after I saw my Mother-In-Law losing weight. After two kids, I needed to lose some serious baby weight. I checked out the website and registered for free.

For the first month, I mostly "watched." I created my own "spark page" which is a profile similar to that on Facebook or MySpace. I visited other "sparkers" pages and observed blogs and progress made by my mother-in-law.

After a month, I really got "serious." I used the food journal to track items I had eaten throughout the day. I marked my weight progress on the ticker. I even wrote my very first ever "blog" about my progress. Last month was my one year anniversary of "active" participation. I have lost 28 lbs.

What I enjoy most about SparkPeople is that most everyone on there is looking to make a lifestyle change. It is not about quickly losing 5 or 10 lbs but about becoming more aware of your behaviors & eating patterns so that you can lose weight over time and keep it off.

I have...

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lebanonmommy says "Surprisingly fun . . . even for mom" about Nintendo Wii - Hannah Montana: The Movie (game for Wii)

lebanonmommy — Thu, 07 May 2009 13:13:44 GMT

I recently purchased the Hannah Montana: The Movie game for Nintendo Wii. My daughter is in a dance class where she dances to the song "Hoedown Throwdown" and she loves to sing it as well. I was hoping a portion of this was a singing game, but after I purchased it I discovered it was not. HOWEVER, it is a pretty fun game to play.

The description on the back of the game says the player can "perform" Hannah Montana songs from the movie. Hoedown Throwdown IS one of those songs, but again, you don't sing along with the music. There is a tutorial you can do which I HIGHLY recommend because otherwise you won't know how to do what it is asking during the "performances." Use of a nunchuck is required. I believe this is a one-at-a-time playing game, but I have not tried to do multiple players, so I might not be correct there.

Performances involve a mixture of doing hand motions (lasso, drum, high-five, etc.), hitting poses (one arm up, one down, etc.), shaking the "microphone"...

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lebanonmommy says "Use it more than I thought I would!" about Flip Video Camcorder

lebanonmommy — Tue, 05 May 2009 20:24:46 GMT

I bought this item thinking "I'll use it all the time." I've thought this before about other products and then they end up deep in my closet somewhere. Surprisingly enough, I AM using my Flip Ultra a lot. It is light and portable so I keep it in my purse with me all the time just in case a cute moment comes up. The on-board software makes making movies and transferring them to DVD or online a breeze. There is no light on the camera, but so far I have not found that to be a problem. It only has 2x zoom, so shooting from across the room can be a bit difficult if you want close-up shots.

Flip Ultra's are available in 30 and 60 minute recording length versions. I opted for the 60 minute one and found it for $116 on Amazon.com. The camera case that comes with it worried me a bit in its ability to protect it from other hazards in my purse so I quickly purchased another one. The real difference between the Flip Ultra and the Flip Mino is the type of battery in it. I have used...

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lebanonmommy says "Everything I wanted at a price I could handle." about Canon Powershot A1000IS Digital Camera

lebanonmommy — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:25:56 GMT

I recently acquired the Canon Powershot A1000IS after my old camera took a turn for the worst. I did a lot of research before making this purchase and am satisfied that I made the right choice for my needs.

My old camera was 6.2 megapixel, and this stands at 10, so the pictures are much better. I really appreciate the in-camera red-eye fix option and also that you can rotate the screen while reviewing pictures to make them a bit larger (depending on the layout). One of the most interesting and unexpected things I have discovered is that while on the "kids and pets" setting (which is pretty much all I take), a separate box on the screen pops up over the kids/pets faces and zooms in so that you can be prepared to take the best possible shot for expressions. Awesome camera. I know they have a newer and "better" model out, but seriously, this is all I need.

I am currently experimenting with different types of batteries (NiMH rechargeables) and adding a larger memory card to see...

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lebanonmommy says "If you are in the area, you MUST go here." about Parky's Smokehouse - Lebanon, IN

lebanonmommy — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:20:59 GMT

For those of you who haven't ventured to Lebanon (appx 20 miles northwest of downtown Indianapolis), here is your reason: Parky's Smokehouse. Barbecue fans, you will be in heaven with their freshly prepared and pulled meat and home-made sauces. I absolutely love their Blackened Mahi-Mahi with sherry wine sauce. They have a sweet potato casserole that is delicious! The prices are reasonable. The atmosphere is fun. It is very kid friendly which is a must for my family. They also have a lunch menu available.

More than just a restaurant, Parky's is frequently a sponsor of community events. It is a fun gathering place that has regular dining, a bar section, and seasonal outdoor seating. They also have frequent guest singers on Saturdays with the occasional open mic night.

I can, and do, frequently travel to Indianapolis for shopping and entertainment, but when it comes to my dining choice, Parky's is number one on my list!

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lebanonmommy says "I love this card. I love this company." about Chase - Chase Rewards Visa

lebanonmommy — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:18:44 GMT

I have been a card-carrying member for several years now. I have always been satisfied with this company but last week they called me to check suspicious activity on my account. They were right . . . my card had been compromised. They put a freeze on the account and issued new cards promptly. I really feel like I've got a team of people looking out for me at Chase.

I have found the Chase company to be the most fair credit card company I have ever been a card-carrying member of. I have previously been a cardholder of Capital One and Citi-bank. I use my cards appropriately, never going over my limit and always paying more than the minimum payment before it is due. With both Capital One and Citi, my FIXED APR I signed up for (that wasn't a promotional offer . . . was SUPPOSED to be permanent) were raised without an explaination why. Most recently, I had stopped using my Capital One card and they decided to close it without informing me. So needeless to say, I plan to be a Chase...

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lebanonmommy says "My van is my 3rd child." about Chrysler Town & Country - 2005

lebanonmommy — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:16:42 GMT

I always tell my husband "don't mess with my van!" I love it almost as much as my children and lovingly refer to it as "my baby." It meets all of my needs.

I am always flipping up and down the last row of stow and go seats to accomodate a stroller, groceries, or an unexpected table I pick up here or there. I rarely fold down the second row seating, but doing so is not a hassle. Mostly I use the "stow" compartments for things for the road . . . extra umbrellas, reusable shopping bags, toys to keep the kids happy on the go, etc. I also really like the fact that there are three car adaptor outlets available and that one can continue to work while the car is off (just try not to forget that little feature overnight or you might be in trouble!).

Having two automatic sliding doors is great. I especially enjoy that I can open them from either the key remote, a button overhead, or a button just inside the sliding door. They are pressure sensitive so they retract if something (like a...

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lebanonmommy says "I wouldn't have gone anywhere else" about University of Indianapolis

lebanonmommy — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:14:49 GMT

I had such a wonderful experience at the University of Indianapolis. It truly is a gem of a school. They produce excellent professionals and I am proud to be one of them....