Review | Still Living The Dream

Floss Face: Keeping My Teeth and Gums Healthy With Oral-B

May 22, 2013

I participated in this sponsored campaign for One2One Network. I received monetary compensation and product to facilitate my post, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Lately I’ve been paying more attention to good oral hygiene. Jackson gets his top braces off today…phase one of many (pricey!) treatments down the road to correct his bite/straighten his teeth. Monthly visits with him to his orthodontist have made me more aware of how just brushing in the morning and evening isn’t enough to take care of my teeth.

I should have had braces when I was young. I have a very crowded top row of teeth and if I don’t floss, food can get easily trapped in those tight spaces. I admit I’ve been a bit of slacker in the flossing department.

Until the last couple of weeks.

Oral-B made it easy. They gave me a bottle of Scope Dual-Blast rinse, a package of Oral-B Glide Floss, Crest Complete Multi-Benefit toothpaste and a shiny, new Oral-B toothbrush. So I made a promise to myself that I would not only brush, but also floss AND rinse with mouthwash every day. It has been a big difference in how my mouth and teeth look and feel.

Not all floss is created equally and because of how close together some of my teeth are, some floss literally comes undone when I try to floss. Oral-B Glide Floss promises to slide 50 percent more easily than other leading brands which I found it to be true…no broken and frayed floss!

Now I carry a package of floss in my purse because when I’m out and about and have a meal, I want to make sure nothing is left behind and protect my teeth against cavities and bad breath. Because at my age, cavities usually lead to crowns which lead to even more expensive and painful and anxiety filled dentist visits.

Check out my floss face. I don’t look glamourous but I’m stopping the cycle, ya’ll! Bonus – I’m setting a better example for my kids. Jackson actually asked me if he could borrow my mouthwash and floss last night. He asked me!!

Show Off YOUR Floss Face

Enter the Oral-B Floss Face Contest! Every first-time entrant gets a tote bag with Glide product (while supplies last …up to 5,000 units, so hurry, ya’ll!) and every two weeks from now until July 7, 2013, the Oral-B Glide Floss Face app will award a grand prize of one iPad.

Good teeth AND free stuff. Score!

Do you have problems with your teeth? What do you do to take better care of your teeth and gums?

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Getting Some Sleep With Technogel

May 21, 2013

The evening hangs beneath the moon
A silver thread on darkened dune
With closing eyes and resting head
I know that sleep is coming soon

Upon my pillow, safe in bed
A thousand pictures fill my head
I cannot sleep, my mind’s a-flight
And yet my limbs seem made of lead

If there are noises in the night
A frightening shadow, flickering light
Then I surrender unto sleep
Where clouds of dream give second sight

What dreams may come, both dark and deep
Of flying wings and soaring leap
As I surrender unto sleep,
As I surrender unto sleep.

Sleep by Charles Anthony Silvestri

Leaving Pop Century to catch the Magic Express back to the airport to go home.

I’m still in denial that my trip to Disney is over.

I keep waking up wondering why there’s no bus outside my room ready to whisk me away to the Magic Kingdom and perplexed because no one in Houston refers to me as princess. I also have the strange urge to trade pins with shop owners but all I get are blank stares from the folks at Barnes and Noble when I show them my laynard and ask them if they have any “Cindy’s” to trade.

Also – there needs to be a fast pass at the grocery store check-out line on Sunday.

Just saying.

One thing that IS good about being home is getting back to sleep with my Technogel pillow.

technogel pillow without cover

For the last month or so I’ve been sleeping on a Anatomic Technogel pillow for side/back sleepers. (They also offer three other types of pillows as well as a pillow and collar for travel.)

Before that…for longer than I care to admit, I had been sleeping on this “pillow”.

Very un-pillow looking, right?

Gee. I wonder why I wasn’t get a good night’s rest?

Weird. Doesn’t look very supportive, does it?

Sometimes you have to get to the point where you are almost never able to sleep to step away from the scenerio and see what you are doing wrong. This pillow is all kinds of wrong. It was inexpensive…but not even worth the little money I spent on it.

The secret to Technogel is their patented gel that molds itself to each person’s different body structure. Unlike foam or memory foam, Technogel doesn’t get warm from the heat your body generates while you sleep. In fact, it actually feels cool due to its because unique thermal properties.

With my old pillow, I used to squash and fold my pillow a billion times throughout the night to try to get it to support my neck.

My technogel with cover

With Technogel I just lie down and relax. My neck is supported and feels so comfortable whether I’m on my back or side (I switch positions fairly often during the night). It’s crazy what a difference it makes!

Technogel is extremely durable and lasts much longer than the average pillow on the market. Covered by a three-year warranty, Technogel pillows aren’t ones you have to replace often.

Take the pillow challenge!

Are you sleeping on a pillow that is past it’s expiration date? Take this simple test; fold your pillow in half and see if it springs back to its original shape. If not, it’s time to get a new one.

I’m not sure what the original shape of my old pillow was. But there was no “springing” action of any kind when I folded it. It kind of just sat there. So sad!

Getting a comfortable pillow that supports the way I sleep has been a crucial component to my fight with insomnia. As I mentioned in previous posts, I’ve started to change many things about my bedtime routine and behavior, the set-up of my room and the inclusion of items that help me sleep (and removal of things that don’t). In my first post, I shared information about the Dohm White Noise Maker that helps lull me to sleep by blocking irritating noises. (I hope it’s also helping the two lucky Still Living The Dream readers who recently won one to try themselves!) I can’t wait to hear how they are doing with it!

My new Technogel pillow is the second reason why I’m beginning to get a good night’s rest. While it’s disappointing (but understandable) that no one calls me princess since I got back from Disney, because of Technogel…at least I’m sleeping like one!

Do you sleep like a princess? What kind of pillow do you use and are you happy with the support it provides? If not, you should be! To find out where you can purchase a Technogel pillow, visit their store locator .

I received a Technogel pillow to review. I was not compensated for this post and all opinions are my own.

Filed Under: good things, Health and Fitness, Life List, Life List in Progress, review Leave a Comment

Rod Stewart Album Review: Time

May 6, 2013

I am a big fan of Rod Stewart so when I heard that his new CD, Time, was being released this month (actually tomorrow, May 7) and One2One Network was giving some folks the opportunity to review the music ahead of time…I quickly signed up! (see full disclosure at end of this post).

This is Rod Stewart’s first album of new material in almost twenty years. I love songs from his past like “Maggie May” and “You’re In My Heart” and I hoped his new songs would follow suit.

I wasn’t disappointed. Starting with an upbeat “She Makes Me Happy”, Stewart brings us tunes in the same raspy singing voice we remember. In “Can’t Stop Me Now” he sings about life as a musician and staying true to his roots with lyrics like “It’s my turn to stand out in the crowd…i’m gonna make you proud”. Then he slows it down with a sad look at divorce in “It’s Over” singing, “What’s the use in keep on fighting, all the tears, all the crying, why do we keep denying it’s over.”

My favorites? “Brighton Beach” - where he reminisces about youth and love lost and “Live the Life” with a sound that takes me back to his songs from the 70′s and inspiring lyrics “Love the life you live, Live the life you love”.

Stewart wrote and produced 11 of this album’s 12 cuts. He said he rediscovered his love for songwriting while working on his memoir. “Suddenly ideas for lyrics were piling up in my head…And now I was getting up in the middle of the night and scrambling for a pen to write things down.”

Sounds to me like he’s living the dream.

You can find Time on Amazon. Check out Rod Stewart tonight on Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Voice on May 8, Good Morning America on May 9, and Live With Kelly & Michael on May 11. He starts his Live the Life tour on June 1st in Europe and then he’ll hit the states with Steve Winwood starting October 17th.

I participated in this campaign for One2One Network. I received a free copy of the CD to facilitate my review. By posting, I am eligible for incentives. All opinions stated are my own.

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Disney Shake It Up I <3 Dance CD Review

April 29, 2013

My daughter, Annie is 7 years old and loves to dance.

And she loves the Disney Channel show, Shake It Up.

So when a dance music CD with tunes from the show came out, she was extremely excited. And by excited, I mean jumping up and down wildly when it came in the mail. She was able to get it under control for this photo, though – because she’s “all grown-up” like that.

Shake It Up: I <3 Dance features 12 dance tracks including songs by Bella Thorne and Zendaya (stars of Shake It Up) as well as fellow Disney stars Selena Gomez, Bridgit Mendler, Roshon Fegan and Caroline Sunshine, in addition to up-and-coming stars Coco Jones, McClain Sisters and more.

Annie’s favorite?

Contagious Love. Hands down.

But all of the songs will be familiar to you if you are a fan of the show. They are all from the third season of the show and include:

Contagious Love
This Is My Dance Floor
Beat of My Drum
Blow The System
AfterParty
Holla At the DJ
These Boots Are Made for Walking
Sharp As A Razor
Future Sounds Like Us
I Can Do Better
Shake It Up Theme Song
Bonus Track: We’re Dancing

We’ve been listening to the CD in the car and even I’ve been guilty of singing along! Unfortunately, we all dance a little better than we sing…but that’s not stopping us.

The Shake It Up: I <3 Dance soundtrack is currently available for $9.99 on both iTunes and Amazon.com. Annie gives it two thumbs up. What do you think?

Thank you to Child’s Play Communications for providing us a copy of the CD to review. All thoughts and opinions (and crazy dance moves) are our own.

Filed Under: Disney, review, things to do with your kids Leave a Comment

My Daughter’s Artwork On A Customized iPhone Case (Giveaway)

April 25, 2013

In Texas, we take the rodeo pretty seriously. In addition to other student accomplishments, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo also celebrates that artistic talents of area students and each year they display the top artwork representing each school district at the show.

I’m a proud mama!

Annie’s artwork was sent by her elementary school to the school district art display at the beginning of this year. She was one of only 10 students at her school whose rode0-themed artwork was selected and she received second place among all the first-graders in the district.

While her masterpiece wasn’t selected to represent our school district at the rodeo, it won first place in my heart and is proudly displayed in our home. I mean, just look at that cute stunt-rider cowgirl. The cuteness!

Recently, I found a fun way to take her precious painting with me where ever I go.

GetUncommon is an online company that offers many ready-made or customized cases for Apple products. They offer cases for the iPad and iPod Touch as well as the different models of iPhones and MacBooks. It took me just minutes to upload Annie’s art and select one of the cases for my specific iPhone. Then just a couple days later, I received the case in the mail. You can check out the process here on Youtube.

I picked the Black Bezel Deflector for my iPhone 4 because of it’s one-piece, snap-on, slim fit. I really liked the Clearly and Permafrost choices as well, but because you can see the Apple on the phone through the case with these selections, the logo would have hit square in the face of Annie’s cowgirl! They also have a more durable case option and really, all four cases looked great. You just need to pick which is best for your design and your lifestyle.

I love how the photo of her artwork wraps around the sides of the case and how sharp the image is. I’ve gotten so many compliments on it from people everywhere I go. I think this would make a great Mother’s Day present. Hint to my husband: I want another one featuring my son’s artwork so I can change them out!

A Giveaway!

How would you like to win $50 from GetUncommon to spend on a personalized Apple product of your very own? Just leave me a comment about how you would customize your cell phone if you won. A winner will be selected at random on May 1, 2013, at 11:59 p.m. CST.

Want more chances to win? Just leave a separate comment for EACH additional item you do below.

Follow Still Living The Dream on Pinterest
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Share the GetUncommon Youtube video on Facebook or Twitter (include link to post in comment).
Tweet this: “I want to win $50 @GetUncommon for a personalized iPhone case @jpatrickcomm http://goo.gl/hPHb1 ”

I received a cell phone case from GetUncommon for review purposes. I was not otherwise compensated and all thoughts and opinions (and amazing artwork by my daughter!) are my own.

Filed Under: giveaways, review 52 Comments

Serious Sleep with Dohm White Noise Machine (Giveaway)

April 24, 2013

If you read my Sleepless in Houston post yesterday, you know I’m trying to tame the beast and fight insomnia. It’s not easy, but I’ve had success with some tools I want to share with you.

Through the National Sleep Foundation, I learned about the Dohm, a sound conditioner/white noise machine that is all about serious sleep. This little machine packs a mighty punch and has helped me tremendously over the last couple of weeks.

According to my new friends at Marpac (the makers of the Dohm) white noise works sort of like the light spectrum. The color white is the presence of all colors. In sound, white noise means it has all frequencies of sound. So to have effective sound masking, you need to have a machine, such as the Dohm, that creates white noise blocking sound at all levels of the sound spectrum.

I’ve had sound machines in the past but they never really worked for me. I found out that white noise is more effective than rain showers and nature sounds because of it’s purity. Other sound machines on the market use circuit board technology (digital recordings that have a short MP3 recording on a circuit chip). This recording plays continuously in a digital loop which the human brain can pick up on, so you don’t rest as deeply as with a machine like The Dohm – which is actually the only electromechanical sound conditioner on the market.

What Did I Think?

I turned The Dohm on the first night I had it, anxious to see what difference it would make. My husband asked what it was and then commented about how it was loud and he would never be able to fall asleep with it on. Four minutes later (not five, FOUR) he was snoring. Sound asleep.

What made my heart happy was that I wasn’t far behind him! The Dohm works by blocking out all the extraneous noises that can keep us awake (snoring spouses anyone?) For me, what I found is it also helps block out the “quiet”. Annoying noises keep me awake but I can’t sleep with total silence either (when Ed falls asleep watching TV on the couch).

Crazy, right?

The steadiness stream of white noise (it’s not on a timer, so it works all night) really helped lull and keep me asleep. I’m not sleeping the entire night, but when I wake up now I stay in bed (fighting the urge to go work or hot glue something to the wall) and The Dohm helps mask the noises in the house until I drift off again. While this isn’t the only item that is making my bedroom more sleep friendly lately, it’s definitely one of my favorites and I’m packing this bad boy up and taking it with me when I travel next month!

I’ve talked a lot about diet and exercise on my journey to good health, but it’s time for me to take a stand and get some sleep…which I’m finding out is just as important - even for weight loss.

The Dohm retails for $59.99 but Still Living The Dream readers can get 10% off any purchase with the code BLISSDOM at www.Marpac.com. (Valid through 4/16/2014. One per customer.)

A Giveaway!

So what do think? Are you ready to take a stand and go to sleep? How about a FREE Dohm to help you ? Just leave a comment below with the night time noise that drives you bonkers (snoring spouse? partying neighbors?) to enter. Marpac will be awarding TWO lucky, Still Living The Dream readers a Dohm sound conditioner/white noise machine for their very own! Winners will be selected at random on Monday, May 6, 2013, at 11:59 CST.

Are you REALLY tired and want more chances? Then leave another separate comment for each that you do below.

Follow Still Living The Dream on Pinterest
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Tweet this: “I’m SO TIRED and want to win a @mOHMents Dohm white noise machine for a better night’s sleep! http://goo.gl/mTcMY @jpatrickcomm “

For more information about how sleep effects health, visit the National Sleep Foundation. I received a Dohm white noise machine to review but was not compensated for this post. All thoughts, opinions and weird night time sounds are my own.

Filed Under: giveaways, Health and Fitness, review 44 Comments

Working Out With Ellie; Fashionable Fitness Clothing (Reader Discount!)

March 6, 2013

Meet Ellie, my friend in fitness.

If you’ve followed me during my weight loss journey and road to overall better health, you know that I’ve developed quite an addiction to fashionable yet often expensive athletic clothes. New and fun workout clothes make going to the gym or hitting the track more fun for me. Luckily, Ellie is helping me satisfy my need to grow my workout wear closet without breaking the bank!

Ellie is the new pvbody, an online subscription women’s athletic clothing company that provides high-quality fitness wear at an affordable price. With quality compared to Lululemon and other designer brands, Ellie gives customer attractive activewear options that are a little more cost-friendly!

Remember my review of pvbody back in December?

The biggest changes made to the company since they recently became Ellie:

They now have their own line of fitness/workout wear with designers who are constantly inspired by the latest fashion trends from the runway to the gym.
You can now select which items you want from the monthly look book (with pvbody you were automatically sent two pieces based on your style and size profile from different companies.)

Now that they only ship their own line and manage the whole process from product design and development to fulfillment, they never have to worry about waiting for inventory to come in, not having enough stock or the quality not being good enough.

Here’s the skinny:

You can shop any individual piece you want on Ellie.com. or subscribe to become a Fit Fashionista Club and choose any two pieces (at any price!) for just $49.95 per month. Every month, Ellie will launch a brand new, 24-piece collection, which includes 16 tops and 8 bottoms. As a club member you choose your pieces (two tops, two bottoms or a top and a bottom) 10 days before they release them to the public and they are shipped directly to your door…for free! If you decide not to make a selection, Ellie will pick two pieces out for you based on your unique profile and size.

The best part? If you don’t like it or it doesn’t fit, no worries….Ellie allows exchanges and returns and shipping both ways is free!

Really, there’s no risk to becoming a club member because there’s no shipping fees for purchases, exchanges or returns and you can always choose to skip a month if (gasp!) you can’t find something you want from the selection that month. And members also have exclusive access to specially designed pieces only available to club members.

Check out the outfit I got from their February look book. The top is the Vixen. It has white sport mesh draping over a double lined dark blue bra. It is very comfortable and perfect for workouts in the hot, Houston weather.

Look at the cool back!

I really like this tank and I can tell it’s a great piece by the stitching and quality of material but the sides come down a little more than I’d like (showing a bit more skin on the side then I’d like!) While the style is meant to show a little skin, I think it’s just a bit big and why I’m a little uncomfortable. I just called Ellie and I’m going to try a smaller size. If that doesn’t work, I’ll exchange it for totally different top. I won’t pay for shipping and they will keep helping me until I feel totally comfortable and happy. They are awesome like that!

The pants are the Kiss Me Capris. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the double waistband with mesh overlay that hits my waist just right and keeps everything in place (very slimming) with a pretty pink accent on the top. They look cool and are so, so comfortable. I can’t wait to wear these to Jazzercise tomorrow morning!

EllieTex fabric that promises to be as soft as cotton and washer and dryer safe. The light-weight material is pre-shrunk and moisture-wicking. For those prepared to sweat, pieces in the EllieProTex line are also antibacterial. EllieDryFlex pieces take it up a notch with added UV protection and a Micropoly/Lycra blend provides total coverage. They also carry items that are good for pre and post workout in their EllieSoftex and EllieSilktreme lines.

Growing pains:

Right before and during the transition, some pvbody/Ellie members experienced frustration with long shipping times and the inability to get in touch with customer service representatives in order to rectify their orders. With a brand new website up and running, a 12-person customer service team that works between 7am and 10pm everyday (M-F) and a shipping team of 15 that works around the clock… items are going out within hours of being placed and arrive at your door in the same, cool pink package I loved receiving when they were pvbody.

Happy mail

Reader Discount!

So what do you think? Are you a fitness fanatic that likes to look good while getting healthy? Then I’ve got a great for you! Still Living The Dream readers will Save 20% on Ellie!

When you get your fabulous clothes and your friends want to know where to get them….be sure to send them to Still Living The Dream so they can score a discount, too! You can also go to the sidebar on the right and click on the Ellie button there for easy access! Be sure to follow Ellie on facebook as well! They offer great tips, recipes and other fun information related to fitness and health.

Disclosure: I was provided a complimentary outfit to review for this post. No other compensation was received; however, I am now a proud affiliate with Ellie which means that I get a little cash when someone from my site joins the club. I never recommend products I don’t use myself and I am paying Fit Fashionista Club member myself!

Filed Under: Fitness, good things, review Leave a Comment

Meeting A Goal and Moving Forward

February 26, 2013

I Did It!

That’s me jumping for joy. I’m a happy girl because after 7 months, I reached my goal weight!

54.4 pounds.

Gone.

Which is a pretty big deal for a short gal like me.

And I feel so much better. I have more energy. My joints and back don’t hurt. I can breathe better at night.

(Although I will never own up to snoring. Ever. Even though Ed said he has proof. Which kinda freaks me out.)

I know that my hard work and lifestyle changes which have included making better food choice and daily exercise have gotten me to where I am now but that really, this is just the beginning. Even though I’ve reached my goal, I want this to mark the beginning of a life that is active, healthful and fun. While I still have a sweet tooth and I struggle with stress eating…I will continue to strive to eat well and enjoy treats in moderation.

But exercise is something I actually love to do now! I’m excited about making plans to do things that push me physically and keep me active. In April I want to do a 5K with my entire family and in May I plan to do a 10K mud run with my friends. I’m also thinking about a local tri-atholon and I am definitely going to run the Princess half-marathon at Disney in February 2014!

(Jennifer, you lost 55 pounds….where are you going now? DISNEY WORLD!)

Since I dropped 6 dress sizes (yikes!!) I’ve needed to add some new things to my wardrobe. While this is extremely exciting (new clothes… YAY!) and shopping for clothes now that I’m healthier is more fun, it’s also expensive. So I’ve been spacing out my spending and doing a lot of online shopping to catch great looking clothes at a good price.

Here are some things I have my eye on right now:

I love this red tankini from Spiegel. It’s been a long time since I got excited about swim suit weather and (at least in Houston), it’s just around the corner. This is such a fun and flattering suit at a great price! I’m loving the gold accents.

This copper metallic dress is so cool. I love the 50s/60s vibe and the clean look. This would be fun for a summer party and a great way to show off my arms that I’ve been working hard toning up!

This pant suit is all kinds of awesome. I always wanted to wear something like this and I’m thinking now’s the time. I love the built-in Power Mesh bodysuit that keeps everything “put” because while I may have lost weight, I still have some serious toning to do in the middle. I love that this piece is both bold but forgiving! I’m guessing I’ll have to hem the pants about 6 inches, though!!

Check out Spiegel for some good deals on swim suits, dresses and other fun pieces to build your spring wardrobe. And if you are in between sizes because you are losing weight or just need to keep things “together!” like me….check out their Shape FX line with power mesh in all the right places (like the disco-era pant suit above) so you’ll look awesome!

What clothes are on your radar right now for Spring?

How do you find good deals on line and in stores?

Disclosure: Thank you to Spiegel for sponsoring this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Filed Under: good things, Life List, review, Weight Loss 2 Comments

Esio Hot & Cold Beverage Dispenser – Review

January 2, 2013

I like to have friends over during the holidays and this year we had a girls get together before school let out. We gathered at my house in the morning to visit and fuel up with food and drinks before heading out to do last minute Christmas shopping followed by lunch together.

It’s so crazy, busy during the holidays that putting together a party (especially one that begins first thing in the morning after the kids leave for school!) can be challenging. I had to get the house cleaned up and decorated, get myself ready and prepare food and drinks all before 8:00 a.m.!

Luckily drinks were a snap. I didn’t have to worry about having enough variety or quantity for my guests because I have the Esio Hot & Cold Beverage Dispenser. Instead of buying several different kinds of drinks and having a lot of bottles, cans and pitchers out on my counter; my friends could pick out whatever they wanted to drink – all dispensed by one machine.

Available online and at Walmart stores for $199.00, the Esio Hot & Cold Beverage System is a countertop unit that dispenses hot and cold beverages. Esio’s drop’ndrink™ technology allowed me and my friends to switch from cold lemonade to freshly-brewed hot coffee instantly; all from one dispenser.

Here’s How It Works:

The dispenser is a little big, but still fit on the small counter between my refrigerator and oven. It holds 1.85 gallons of water, which I filled up ahead of time in the top of the unit. It takes a bit for the water to chill at first, but a green light gave me the thumbs up to start dispensing and my kids give it a trial run before my friends came over. It’s so easy to use.

Just pick one of the many MultiServe E-Paks™ available which retail for $6.49 each and includes our family’s favorite beverage, Crystal Light Peach Tea
Drop the E-Pak into the front of the unit
Push and hold the water dispenser button (there’s one for hot water and one for cold) until your glass is full.

You can control the strength of your beverage with the 15-setting strength selector – so if you like your lemon-aid or tea strong but your kids’ like their apple juice a little weaker, you can dial it up or down for each glass. Each E-Pak self seals so you can change out drink E-Paks without cross contamination (no coffee that tastes like sports drinks!) and they last up to a year without refrigeration.

Since the unit both heats and chills, you can also opt to dispense water at either temperature without an E-Pak inserted into the system. I love that it has a safety feature for the hot water so my younger daughter can’t accidentally dispense hot water when she is refilling her juice glass.

My kids love it and my friends do, too. I put all the E-Paks into a basket so they could select which drink variety they wanted, like Country Time Lemonade, Crystal Light, V8 Splash, Maxwell House, Diet Brisk iced tea, and Apple & Eve juice drinks.

My one complaint was that since there are so many E-Pak options, when you have them all it’s hard to keep them organized. But I just learned that Esio has a E-Pak carousel available for $19.99, so I can easily store and display my E-Paks. I’m planning to get this right away!

I’ve had several friends and family members over at different times during the holidays and everyone who has seen the Esio, loves it. (And I love when someone who has been over before is the one to bring the Esio up and demonstrates how it works to someone who hasn’t…so fun!)

It makes having a variety of drinks on hand a breeze!

I received an Esio Beverage Dispenser for review purposes. No compensation was received and all thoughts and opinions (and favorite drink flavors) are my own!

Filed Under: review 2 Comments

Duo Powered Atari Arcade for iPad – Review and Giveaway

December 28, 2012

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season! We had a great Christmas and I enjoyed a nice break from work; spending time with my family. We have been playing with some of the goodies the kids received from Santa and family as gifts. This time of the year brings out the kid in me and I’ve been guilty of playing with some of the kids’ toys for a little longer than they’d like!

One new game in our house that’s been a hit is Atari Arcade for the iPad. Powered by Duo, the control unit works with the iPad 1, 2 and 3 and brings old school arcade favorites to your living room! We put together a video review to show you the game in action and some of the features. It stars my son and husband, who aren’t used to being behind the camera but I think did a great job!!

To recap, Duo Powered Atari Arcade features include:

To use, you download Atari Greatest Hits game collection from the app store. You then choose a game and select duo in the control settings then you are ready to play!
It works with iPads 1, 2 and 3.
Games are for one to two players.
Games included with the controller are Asteroids, Asteroids Deluxe, Missile Command and Lunar Landing.
You can purchase different game packs which have four games included in them for 99 cents each but for just $9.99 you can buy all 100 games which include classics like Centipede, Maze Craze, Pong, Video Chess, Hangman, Yars Revenge and Tempest.

Sounds like fun, right? We loved that it is portable so we could bring it with us to Grandma’s house over the holidays to play and that 2 player feature lets both of my kids (or my husband!) to play together. You can purchase the game unit online and in stores and while it retails for $60; I saw it at www.amazon.com for $47.35 today!

A GIVEAWAY!

How about one for free?! One lucky Still Living The Dream reader will win one for their very own. It’s like Christmas all over again! All you have to do is leave a comment below telling me what your favorite Atari game is. A winner will be selected at random on January 4, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. CST.

More chances? YUP! Just leave a separate comment for each of the following you do.

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Tweet this: “I want to win an Atari Arcade #DuoGames accessory for the iPad @jpatrickcomm http://www.stilllivingthedream.com/2012/12/duo-powered-atari-arcade-for-ipad-review-and-giveaway.html”

I was given an Atari Arcade gaming accessory in order to review. No other compensation was received and all thoughts, opinions and low scores on Lunar Lander are my own!

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