Panther Vision Power Cap - Review

Disclosure: I received this cap at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

There are so many times where it would be handy to have a light on a cap. Do you ever need to walk the yard at night? Do you ever open your car hood to peer inside? Does your basement or attic terrify you with its dark corners? If you are a camper or hunter, then you need one of these too. Bravo to Panther Vision for their Power Cap design!

I received the POWERCAP 25/10 Camo/Blaze LED Lighted Hat and my husband was so excited to get to try it out. This is exactly the kind of thing guys go crazy over, so if you need a gift for any guy of any age, this is going to be a huge hit. Get excited too girls, because it also comes in pink camo!

There are 4 LED's that provide more than 48 Lumens. They're under the brim so the hat looks just like any other hat. To turn the lights on, just click the switch under the brim. Two of the LED's are angled down at 25 degrees to light up where your hands are for close up tasks, while the other two LED's are aimed forward to light the distance up to 42 feet away. Four CR2032 Coin Cell batteries are hidden in the sweatband and provide up to 43 hours of life, plus they are easily replaceable.

Johnny and I tested the brightness of the light in the pantry with no light except for those from the Power Cap. It lit up the entire wall of the pantry. What a great addition to your emergency stash of stuff. I am definitely going to get the pink one!

Visit www.panthervision.com and check out their entire line of Power Caps, Light Specs and accessories. Be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter too!

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The Lone Ranger - Behind The Scenes Clips

I'm old enough to have watched the original television show The Lone Ranger, so I am especially excited for this movie to come out. It starts July 3, so I don't have long to wait! Here are a couple of Behind The Scenes Clips for you to enjoy!

The Lone Ranger - Featurette "The Craft"

The Lone Ranger - Featurette "Hi Yo SIlver"

“Like” THE LONE RANGER on Facebook: www.facebook.com/theloneranger

"Follow" THE LONE RANGER on Twitter: https://twitter.com/disneypictures

Visit THE LONE RANGER website: https://twitter.com/disneypictures

Terrariums Reimagined - A How To Book

Disclosure: I received this book at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Learn how to create adorable terrarium gardens in all kinds of containers with this amazing guide by Kat Geiger. Filled with over 100 pages of fabulous photos and detailed instructions, Terrariums Reimagined will help you make and maintain plant environments in jars, bottles, vases, and even fish tanks and glass ornaments. Having plants indoors is so good for air quality and I can't wait to make one!

I've learned so much about the difference between Desert Terrariums and Tropical Terrariums, but my favorite project is the terrarium called Whiskey Wonderland. I always have empty whiskey bottles around here so I'm planning on making that one as soon as we're moved into the new house. Nearly everything I own is packed up, so I am anxious to get moved and unpack.

One chapter even covers projects that children can make including the Jar Jungle, Arid Arium, and Soda Pop Paradise. The author is so creative and I simply love the straightforward crafting directions in her book because I'm just not very creative on my own. Terrariums Reimagined is a wonderful coffee table book that your guests will certainly pick up to flip through, and it would be the perfect gift for a friend.

Strawberry Banana Flax Smoothies - Featuring Linwoods Super Food

Disclosure: I received Linwoods Super Food products in exchange for my honest review.

I love to make smoothies especially on a hot day. It's so refreshing and adding Linwoods Super Food blends to my smoothies ensures that I'm getting the right nutrition. The best part about Linwoods products is that I can add a spoonful to every single meal I eat which makes it so easy to eat healthy.

To make these Strawberry Banana Flax smoothies, just fill your blender with two bananas, two cups of strawberries, two spoonfuls of Linwoods Flaxseed, and six ice cubes. Puree it for about two minutes, pour it into glasses and enjoy immediately!

Linwoods Super Foods are all-natural and nutritionally-dense. All their products are gluten-free and have no added sugar. You can find them in lots of varieties, like:

Ground Flax, Sunflower, Pumpkin and Sesame Seeds and Goji Berries,

Ground Flaxseed, Cocoa, Strawberries and Blueberries,

Ground Flaxseed, Almonds, Brazil Nuts, Walnuts and Q10,

Ground Flaxseed and Goji Berries,

Ground Organic Flaxseed,

and Shelled Organic Hemp.

Visit www.linwoodshealthfoods.com to learn more 

and be sure to follow them on Facebook and Twitter!

JOLLY TIME Pop Corn Just Got Smarter

Disclosure: I received products at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

The smell of fresh popped corn often fills my kitchen. We love to snack on a warm, buttery, salty bucket of popcorn at least once a week. It's the perfect addition to our in-home movie nights and game nights. JOLLY TIME Pop Corn has just made this favorite snack even healthier with the Smart Balance unique blend of oils that have zero grams of trans fat naturally and absolutely no hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. It's heart-healthy and perfect for my family's journey to eat healthier.

We popped our JOLLY TIME Pop Corn and poured it into the darling red heart-shaped bowl. Every kernel popped and it's amazingly delicious! The two of us ate the entire bowl of warm, perfectly crisp popcorn while we were watching a Mr. Bean movie (another favorite around here). Available in Butter and Butter Light, adding this healthy snack to your weekly menu will make parents and kids happy! Check out their new promotion - Nurture a Healthier Lifestyle - for a chance to win some great prizes!

http://www.jollytime.com

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Avocado Pepperoni Naan Wrap #Recipe

Disclosure: I received Stonefire Naan at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

I'm really enjoying the Stonefire Flatbreads! It's so easy to make a quick meal using their Naan. I created some Avocado Pepperoni Naan Wraps for dinner and they turned out so good, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you!

Place both pieces of Stonefire Naan in a baking pan. 

 Squeeze the juice from half a lemon into a bowl.

 With a pastry brush, lightly coat the Naan with lemon juice.

 Add turkey pepperoni, avocado slices, and shredded cheese on top.

 Bake for 20 minutes in the oven at 350 degrees F.

 Move each to a plate with a spatula and fold each one in half.

Cut in half and serve with ranch dip!

Perfect recipe for two!

CanvasLifestyle - Photos on Canvas

Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

It is so simple to order your photograph on a huge canvas with CanvasLifestyle. Just upload your favorite shot to their site and choose from all kinds of shapes and sizes, all the way up to 60"x48". They will transform your digital file into a beautiful museum-quality piece of art that you will be proud to hang in your home. They also offer offer several different effects such as Black and White, Antique Sepia, Pop Art, Pencil Drawing, and Oil Painting. You can even choose to have your print stretched and ready to hang, or order it rolled and frame it yourself.

I used a digital photo that came from my church's member directory because it's the most recent family portrait we've had taken and I'm just thrilled with the quality of the canvas and their print job on it. The 4-step ordering process and the shipping were both very quick. They even offer a money back guarantee if you're not fully satisfied. A canvas is a wonderful gift for anyone! Plus you can use the code SOCIALM35OFF to save 35% on your purchase.

Visit canvaslifestyle.com

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Disney's FROZEN Trailer

I can hardly wait to see Frozen! Disney does such a great job with films and I just know this one will be amazing! 

Here's the official movie blip - Walt Disney Animation Studios presents “Frozen,” a stunning big-screen comedy adventure. Fearless optimist Anna (voice of Kristen Bell) sets off on an epic journey, teaming up with rugged mountain man Kristoff (voice of Jonathan Groff) and his loyal reindeer Sven, to find her sister Elsa (voice of Idina Menzel), whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter. Encountering Everest-like conditions, mystical trolls and a hilarious snowman named Olaf, Anna and Kristoff battle the elements in a race to save the kingdom.

Click HERE 

to see the just-released trailer 

for Disney's Frozen!

In theaters on November 27, 2013

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SCAM Wrap Your Car for $300 a Week

As a blogger, my email is always full of great offers to try products, accept ads on my site, and once in a while even something huge like a trip. It was no surprise to me to get an email asking if I would wrap my car with an advertisement for $300 a week. I replied with my interest and sent back my car information as requested. After all, several local school districts have done just this with their school buses and I see them driving around all the time.

FedEx dropped off packages to me like they often do and one of them was a flat envelope. Since I enter tons of sweepstakes, I know that the flat envelopes usually contain either a winning affidavit for a big prize or a check/gift card. My son was standing next to me and saw my jaw hit the floor when I opened it to find a check for over $2000. There was no letter, no note, nothing else inside. I took a photo of it and deposited it electronically into my bank. I started doing some research to determine which sweepstakes I won, when I received an email from the car wrap company telling me to expect a check via FedEx.

The email told me to verify when the funds were deposited, to which I replied that I had. Then I was informed that the funds should be available in 24 hours and I should withdraw all but $300 of it, which was my first week's pre-payment for the car wrap. The "hiring manager" even called me to verify that I deposited the check and understood my next step. The next step was to make sure the rest of the funds would be used to pay the graphic artist who would wrap my car. Up to this point, I was okay with the arrangement. Then came the kicker - the $2000 would be used to purchase a money-gram to be wired to the parent company of the graphic artist and the artist would bring out my ad contract paperwork to sign when he came to wrap the car. At this point, the red flag went up and I realized I almost got scammed.

I called my bank and told them that the check that was deposited is likely going to be returned as a bad check. They have placed a note on my account to reverse any charges that may occur when it comes back. I then researched the company's name that was on the check and discovered it is a little gift shop in Hawaii. I called them and spoke to a cashier who had the owners call me back. Apparently it is their real bank account number on the check and they'd been trying all day to figure out why their bank was being hit with multiple check-cashings for the exact amount I received. They already had their local police department working on it. They were so thankful I had contacted them with the information. I sent them copies of the evidence.

I've now spoken to my local PD and turned over the original evidence to them in hopes we can nail this guy before he scams too many people. Maybe there are some fingerprints (besides mine) on the check and FedEx invoice. Thankfully this has not cost me any money. Beware of this scam and others like it!

THINGS TO KNOW:
1. It takes 7-21 days for a check you deposit in your bank to "really clear." When you deposit a check, the bank sends the information to the central clearinghouse, who sends it to the check-writer's bank, who verifies the funds are available. Your bank may be nice enough to release the funds to you, but if a check comes back bad, YOU are responsible for any funds you have withdrawn and used. THE RED FLAG - withdraw funds, buy money order, wire it to an individual somewhere else. (By the time the check comes back bad, you've already sent a money order that was cashed by those perpetrating the scam.)
2. A contract with a company should always be signed BEFORE money changes hands. THE RED FLAG - the artist who comes to your house to wrap your car will bring the ad contracts with him.
3. Find out who you're working with and do your research. THE RED FLAG - The first two emails came from one email and the rest came from another similar email. Also the company website for the product ad that my car would be wrapped with does not look very legitimate.
4. Examine everything carefully. THE RED FLAG - The name on the check was unrelated to the car wrap ad campaign, was from another state (Hawaii), and was signed with what looked to be a computer-generated signature that was hard to read.

At this point, he is still emailing me asking me when I can get to the "available funds" in my account. I've told him the bank has not released the funds to me yet. I hope they catch him!

Memories of My Dad - Throwback Thursday Link Up

Includes affiliate link.

Welcome to Throwback Thursday Link Up!

Sponsored By:

Passport To Frugal and Planet Weidknecht

Join Us Each Weekly as We Add a New Stroll Down Memory Lane to
Our Weekly Throwback Thursday Link Up.

Each week we will have a quick post about a "walk down memory lane" or "what if" type of post for Throwback Thursday.

Lisa and Bonnie would love it if you would:

Please link back to our blogs or posts. You will find the buttons below.

The "Throwback Thursday Link Up" will benefit those who participate!

Each post should be along the lines of a fond memory our what ever happened...? or even do you remember...? Please do not link to a site other than your own.

Please make sure you use your own photos in your posts, OR make sure to give credit to your photo source.

Also please take the time to visit at least three of the blogs when you add your link, and share upon your visit.

Please do not link to the same post more than once.

All posts must be family friendly!

As an added feature you may add ONE text link (word; not some obvious shout out) to an affiliate link for a product discussed/mentioned in your post. Example: I remember having a favorite pillow that made the rounds to each and every sleepover throughout my youth. Make sure you make you note in your post about the affiliate link for the FCC!

Let's enjoy a stroll down memory lane; maybe a family vacation or a wonderful food from your childhood. Truly the options are endless!

This week, in honor of Father's Day, my post is about my dad, who passed away in 1989. Some of my fondest memories of Dad were the family vacations we took in our station wagon, camping across the nation in a big tent, learning to catch fish, roasting marshmallows over a fire, and swimming in lakes. I remember learning to square dance with him and we played pool together often. He loved to take care of his lawn and anytime now that I'm awakened by the sound of a lawnmower on a Saturday morning, I think of him. Although my dad wasn't alive to meet my children when they were born, I believe he got to hold them as babies in heaven before God sent them down to me. I look forward to the day I will see him again.

Bold and Beautiful Parenting

This post is sponsored by Karina Dresses who provided my Carmen dress.

Life is full of choices and teaching your children how to handle choices is a huge part of parenting. Bold and beautiful parenting is a simple concept. Be bold in your own choices and always believe you are beautiful. By setting this example for your kids, whether they are girls or boys, your children will naturally take after what you do. Self-confidence in children comes from teaching them to be bold and know they are beautiful, both inside and out.

Now that my two youngest are 18 years old and graduated from high school, it's even more important that they make choices carefully. They both head off to college this fall and will be presented with thousands of new choices. Many of those choices will be tempting and not all decisions will be good ones. It's one of the reasons we decided to participate in our church's Blessing for Graduates event.

At the monthly dinner in June, families with graduating seniors were given the opportunity to speak to and about their child in front of the congregation, and to bless them with a Bible verse as part of their "send off" into the adult world. We chose to attend this event in place of a school awards event because I want the boys to know the importance of God in our family, both at home and beyond. After all, we believe boldness and beauty come from our creator.

I've watched my daughter, who is now 22, grow tremendously since her high school graduation and college graduation. She is bold and beautiful. As we send off our youngest and empty our nest, we'll continue parenting but in a new way that offers advice only when asked. Our lives are an example to our children, today and everyday. Be bold and be beautiful!

Many thanks to Karina Dresses for providing me this beautiful Carmen dress for this event. Karina Dresses are made for every body and I love that Karina believes in the innate beauty of women when they accept and love themselves as they are. Visit karinadresses.com and save $30 on any full-price dress with code PLANETW30. Be sure to sign up for their newsletter HERE for special email sales and events. Through July 15, 2013, you can also enter to win $2000 in Karina Dresses HERE.

Wednesday Wealth Giveaway Link Up

Oatmeal Raisin Bars #Recipe - Featuring Wholesome Sweeteners

Having some leftover batter from my Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Muffins that I made with Wholesome Sweeteners products, I decided to make Oatmeal Raisin Bars. I added 1/4 cup of butter and 1/4 cup of water to the leftover batter, then mixed it up with my (clean) hands and pressed it into a small cookie bar pan. I baked it at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes and let the pan cool 20 minutes on a wire rack. Then I sliced them into ten moist, delicious, soft Oatmeal Raisin Bars and my family says they are the best ever.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Muffins #Recipe - Featuring Wholesome Sweeteners

Disclosure: I received Wholesome Sweeteners products at no charge in exchange for my honest review.

Rather than make traditional cookies or muffins, I created an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe and used a mini muffin pan instead. I was afraid they would come out too hard and crispy, but they are soft and delicious! First, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. You will need these ingredients:

• 3/4 cup softened salted butter
• 3/4 cup Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Certified Organic Sugar
• 3/4 cup Wholesome Sweeteners Fair Trade Certified Organic Light Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Raw Blue Agave
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 1/2 cups quick oats

 

In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar and brown sugar until it gets smooth.

 Then add the two eggs and the vanilla extract, stir again. 

 Then add the flour and baking soda, stir some more.

 Then add the cinnamon and salt, stir again.

 Next, add the quick oats, agave, and raisins. Stir until wet and sticky.

 Using a spoon, fill mini muffin tin with batter. Bake for 20 minutes in 375 degrees F oven.

Remove from oven, set on wire rack to cool.

When cool to touch, gently twist each cookie muffin out of the tin.

PS - I had some leftover batter, so I made some changes and created

Oatmeal Raisin Bars too!