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Disclosure: This site contains sponsored posts, affiliate links (which means I earn a percentage of the sale) and is part of the Amazon affiliate program, but all opinions are strictly my own.

Stoplight Golight Timer {Review}

September 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Disclosure: This could be a sponsored post or contain affiliate links (which means I earn a percentage of the sale), but all opinions are strictly my own.
My sister-in-law and I have boys about the same age with the same temperament.  We both have struggled with getting them to willingly go to bed, take a nap, sit in time out, etc.  You know, the usual toddler stuff.  When my SIL told about how they brought out a timer for their boy, and how it has worked extremely well for him, I got straight to work finding a fun timer for “Rocket”!
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Look at this Stoplight Golight!  So cute!  This guy can be plugged into the wall, or made portable by inserting four AAA batteries.
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When you start the timer by adding in the amount of time you desire, the red light comes on.  When the time is up, the green light glows and an optional bell will ding.  This timer has been great for my boy!  I think he does so well with it because it is a visual and audible indication of when it is time to end one thing and start another.  Its hard for 2-year-olds to grasp any length of time like “five more minutes”, but with a familiar light indicator, we haven’t had any tantrums when its time to go to bed!
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I do think it would be cool if the yellow light worked, but I totally understand the company’s explanation that a functional yellow light was sucking up the battery life too quickly, and that having a reliable, portable timer was most important.  I also wish that I could change the settings to start with the green light on, and then a change to the red, as in “stop what you’re doing, time is up”, but remembering “green means go” and “Go to bed” is cool too.
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I really like the size of this light.  It measures 3.5″ by 5.5″ by 2″.  I was picturing something huge when I saw the photos from their website, but this can sit cutely on our entertainment center and not look obnoxious.  Right now, we are only using it as a ‘time-to-go-to-bed’ timer and a ‘pick-up-for-3-minutes’ timer, but I can certainly see more uses as “Rocket” gets older, such as remembering to brush your 2 minutes, spend 30 minutes reading, or even stay in bed until 7am!  (You can set the timer for 0-15 hrs. and 0-59 minutes!)  This is going to be one well-loved timer in our household!
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The buttons are easy to figure out and use, and the child proof buttons on the side allow for only the parent to change settings, without the child adding or subtracting time himself.  The top left bell button indicates whether a chime will go off when time is up.
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We sure love this timer!  You can purchase your own online below for $29.95.
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Here is a coupon code for our readers!  When you order from stoplightgolight.com, enter Dandy into the coupon code and receive 30% off your timer order.  The coupon is good till 9/21.

Online Store

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*The product(s) in this review was provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting this review.  All opinions expressed in this review are my own are not influenced by monetary compensation. 
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The Passionate Mom by Susan Merrill {Book Review}

September 4, 2013 by 2 Comments
Disclosure: This could be a sponsored post or contain affiliate links (which means I earn a percentage of the sale), but all opinions are strictly my own.

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_225_350_Book_842_coverI was super excited about this book based on its title, as this is something I really want to work on becoming.  I had high expectations, and though it was a nice book with some nice thoughts, I didn’t really change my life.
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I was interested and attentive for the first portion of this book, but slowly lost my fire to finish as it continued.  Perhaps we didn’t jive because everything kept tying back to the biblical character of Nehemiah, which was a nice religious analogy to make, but he was brought up incessantly.  It felt like every other page, the author was referencing his story and making assumptions about his thoughts and motives, making them sound like fact.  Perhaps I am just not as familiar with or interested in Nehemiah, and if I had more of a connection with him, I would have appreciated all the speculation.
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I didn’t exactly like seeing all the promoting of the author’s business, iMOM, throughout the book, though an occasional reference as to where to find more info was helpful.
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The book has really just made me feel more overwhelmed than encouraged about the stresses, strains, and worries that are supposedly inevitably coming my way as my children grow older.  This has been affecting me moreso than any other literature to this point in my life.  It is sure making me appreciate how little and simple my children are right now, uncomplicated and obedient, and I am only more dreading their growing older into rebellious and difficult children, though I don’t think that was the intent of the book.  I’ve been feeling more aware and appreciative after finishing, but not exactly empowered with knowledge, as I hoped would be the case.
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It was finally about 3/4 through the book that it starting becoming engrossing to me, and I wasn’t reading out of obligation any more.  At this point were a number of sections about specific things to watch out for, specific things to do, and specific ways to mother.  Its as if the majority of the book was full of inspirational fluff, like gather figurative bricks with imaginary mortar to build metaphoric walls.  I couldn’t really get in to it.  When the book changed direction into offering how-to’s and what-to-do’s, I couldn’t put it down.
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If you are someone who enjoys analogies and need a new perspective, and most of all, are prepared to read over a hundred pages about what Nehemiah did and didn’t do, you will love this book!
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You can purchase and find more information on this book HERE.
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*I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com (http://BookSneeze®.com) book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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Cleaning House by Kay Wills Wyma {Book Review}

July 30, 2013 by 1 Comment
Disclosure: This could be a sponsored post or contain affiliate links (which means I earn a percentage of the sale), but all opinions are strictly my own.

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coverThe topic of how to maintain cleanliness in a house with many children is SO important to me!!  I plan to have a lot of kids, and I plan to read a lot of helpful material before I get there!  I read the title of this book (Cleaning House, A Mom’s 12-Month Experiment to Rid Her Home of Youth Entitlement) and instantaneously HAD to get my hands on it.  This book turned out to be every bit as wonderful as I hoped it would be, and I have nothing but the most positive things to say about it.
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The book is written by the extremely accomplished Kay Wills Wyma, a mother of five children, who put together an experiment of sorts, where each month their family would focus on one topic of improvement.  They started with a month of clutter control–keeping beds made and bedrooms clean, then progressed to cooking meals, bathrooms, laundry, home repairs, and even hospitality and manners.  Here is the full 12-month list:
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I immediately formed a bond with the author (and her cute kids!) as someone who became very real and very relatable.  I trusted her insight and believed her every word, convinced that following in her footsteps will reap the same results!  The 272 pages flew.
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It was so completely empowering!  With every new chapter and every new project, I was inwardly saying, “Yes yes yes!  I want to do this too!”  While I don’t have children quite old enough to assign chores and send on errands, I can start now by instilling important cleanliness values and expectations, and I feel geared up and ready for it.
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 I’ve been telling all my family and friends all about this book, and when its my turn to choose the book for my book club, I’m definitely choosing this one!  The ideas, insight, humor, real-mom experience, and spelled out blueprint of a plan to follow have made this my best reference for the next upcoming years of parenting.  I will be holding on to this tight!
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I have only the highest praise for this book, so imagine my delight in discovering Kay’s BLOG!  (http://www.themoatblog.com/).  Even yesterday’s post was a gem!
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