Reading Glasses Shopper Review & Giveaway

I love to read! With that love of reading, and the amount of it I do, I tend to have strained eyes. They get tired, become blurry, and occasionally I get a headache. Hey, what's wrong with reading a good book until 2am? Lets not judge, ok? tee hee hee

I received a wonderful opportunity from Haley at Reading Glasses Shopper to review a pair of their glasses. Gee, being able to focus on the page in front of me? Go figure. I really hadn't stopped to think about getting reading glasses before Haley contacted me! With the stack of books looming before me to read for February, I was happy to hop on board.

My first dilemma came in choosing the glasses. I had no idea what style to choose from. There were sooo many that I loved. I'm no fashionista, but there are some nice looking glasses on their site.

My second dilemma came in choosing whether I wanted sun glasses or regular glasses. (the sun glasses I want are below) I tend to do A LOT of reading outside spring-summer. But, being the middle of winter here in MN wasn't very conducive to me reading outside! So, I went for the regular glasses.

My third dilemma was not knowing what "strength" to get. Would that be called a "power"? I used common sense and went with the lowest number of +1.00. I finally narrowed down my choices and decided on Brooke in red (photo at top of page). I was happy to hear they were in stock!

The day my Brooke reading glasses came, they were a big hit in the house. I put them on thinking I would just be able to see everything around me. hahahaha Not so much. My eyes kind of bugged out because they weren't used to glasses. Of course, my boys thought that was awesome and wanted to try them on. They loved it. Ah, my strange, strange boys.

I contacted Haley to make sure I'd gotten the right strength and she was very helpful. She suggested I ease myself into them and only use them for 10 min at a time and build up from there so I didn't get headaches. That did the trick.

When I sat down to read my first book, I could NOT believe what a difference these glasses made. I am NOT blowing smoke. Personally, I think I'm seeing everything perfectly, no problem and then I put these glasses on and I'm astonished. I didn't think I was having an issues with seeing the pages of the book, but with my Brooke's on, it was so different. So much better. The words even seemed bigger. =)

I have loved using these glasses. You never know what you're truly going to get when you order something online and these pass the mustard! They are a strong frame and very solid. I thought that the metal on the sides would be thin and cheap. Not even close! I was more than pleasantly surprised how sturdy they are. Really, you can't compare these to those glasses you get at a drug store or grocery store.

They recently launched a couple of pages on their site:

Reading Glasses Glossary

Eye Health Glossary

Through Valentines Day they are giving 15% off all glasses! They also have free shipping on orders over $30!! How reasonable is that?

Would you love to win a $20 Gift Certificate or your choice of glasses? Reading Glasses Shopper is offering that to one of my commenters!

Required: Head to Reading Glasses Shopper and let me know which glasses you would choose if you win!

I finally have a giveaway that includes our neighbors to the North!! Must be at least 18 and a resident of the US or CANADA!! Please leave a way to contact you if you win with either your email or have it accessible in your profile. No email/contact = no entry!! Void where prohibited. Giveaway will end 2/24, 10pm CST.

Extra Entries: After requirement has been fulfilled, you can do the following:

1) Follow Reading Glasses Shopper on Facebook (1 entry)

2) Follow Reading Glasses Shopper on Twitter (1 entry)

3) Leave a comment at the RGS blog (2 entries, comment 2 separate times)

4) Follow my Blog (2 entries, comment 2 separate times)

5) Leave a comment on another post here at Woven by Words 1x (1 entry)

6) Follow me on Twitter and Tweet about this giveaway (1 entry daily)

Reading Glasses Shopper Giveaway at http://wovenbywords.blogspot.com/2010/02/reading-shopper-glasses-review-giveaway.html @RdgGlassesShopr

7) Purchase from RGS (5 entries, comment 5 separate times) will need to verify

~Winner MUST respond within 48 hours of email notice or I will choose another winner.

*I would like to thank Haley from Reading Glasses Shopper for sending me my review pair of glasses. The giveaway comes directly from them as well. The opinions expressed here are soley my own and I was not paid for this review.

Fed Up With Facebook!

Honestly, I try not to get crabby on my site...ever. I do however get on my decked out, high wattage soap box occassionally and that is what this post will entail. I am so fed up with Facebook!

I'm pretty sure that it was in the last year that FB changed their whole set-up/layout. When I first started it was very basic. Then they totally changed the layout and there was a group created to send a message that many of us truly disliked it. Let me rephrase that, there are a LOT of groups on FB about how much they hate the newest layout, carried over from their last change. The largest group has 1,645,498 members!! And yet they still ignore the people who use them!!

So, what does this have to say about their company as a whole? I would say they don't listen to the people who keep them going. If people were to stop going to their site and using them, might they understand we're tired of the changes? I have a feeling it would make Zero difference! They've changed it again regardless of the uproar the last time. This seems to be a company who looks only to what they want to do and could care less about the people who use their site.

I say we boycott them! Email the people who advertise on their site and tell them we are tired of not being heard and completely ignored. Truly, they'd have to give a hoot for those who use them if they pull this stunt again! One person posted on the group how to send Feedback to let them know what we think of the new layout. Here's how to do it in case you're interested:

1) Go to the top right corner and click the arrow next to "Account". A drop down screen will come up. Click Help Center.

2) On the right side of the page will be warning triangles with "!" in it. The first one is entitled "New Simplified Home Page". Click on the link under the heading.

3) You can go through the tutorial and at the bottom, left side on the brown bar you will see "Send Feedback". Click and share your thoughts!!

I let them know my thoughts and that I was posting this on my blog. I don't care if they completely ignore my feedback. I'm doing what I think makes a statement.

Personally, I like dependability. I like trusting the sites I visit. I like things to stay the same...to a degree. Change is good, except when so many people dislike it.

I just received a reply to my status on FB that says Google is coming out with something called Buzz! If it's anything like Facebook, count me in! There's just something about Google that you know you can rely on them. Have you been to Google.com lately? It's still the same! True, when you log on to the page everything else that used to be visible is now hidden until you move your cursor across the screen. It's taking me a bit of time to get used to the blankness of the screen.

Even with my FB frustrationthey haven't "changed". My "Home" page on FB is entirely different. The icons at the top of the screen are visually different so we don't immediately relate them to what they used to be. The "Home" button is on the right side of the screen. It's all just different. My Profile page seems to be intact, although my SuperPoke will be taken off the page for some reason. Looks like the creators of it want me to sign up with them or something. Eh, take it away. I still have my Flairs!! :) I must admit, I like my Flairs. heh heh heh.

Well, until I learn more about Buzz from Google, I'm going to be on Twitter, and I say you all join me! You can find me at http://twitter.com/bigguysmama. There is also a link on the left sidebar. Here's to me doing something about what I think...

Never Say Never by Lisa Wingate Interview & GIVEAWAY

Never Say Never

Paperback: 352 pgs

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: Feb. 1, 2010

ISBN-13: 978-0764204920

Retail: $12.95

About the Book

Kai Miller floats through life like driftwood tossed by waves. She's never put down roots in any one place--and she doesn't plan to. But when a chaotic hurricane evacuation lands her in Daily, Texas, she begins to think twice about her wayfaring existence. And when she meets hometown-boy Kemp Eldridge, she can almost picture settling down in Daily--until she discovers he may be promised to someone else. Daily has always been a place of refuge for those the wind blows in, but for Kai, it looks like it will be just another place to leave behind. Then again, Daily always has a few surprises in store--especially when Aunt Donetta has cooked up a scheme.

Interview

1. How did you develop the initial story idea/plot line for this book?

Some book ideas you search for, and some just blow in on the wind. For the past several years, dating back to Hurricane Katrina, we in Central Texas have been the recipients of massive hurricane evacuations. These massive exoduses of people, pets, and belongings are frightening, frustrating, challenging, and at times oddly wonderful. When so many are on the road seeking shelter, the worst, but also the best qualities of humanity come to the surface. Hurricane evacuations truly provide times when we ask the question, "Am I my brother’s keeper?" In answering that question, we’ve enjoyed amazing moments of friendship and fellowship, family reunions, and chances to share a food and space with strangers from other parts of the country. We’ve traded stories and recipies, laughter and tears.

One thing we’ve learned about hurricanes, living here, is that the paths are never predictable. Storms waver, hesitate, speed up, slow down, and sometimes change course unexpectedly. Evacuations needs can change and develop quickly. What better way for the beauty shop girls to find their inner strength and to show Daily hospitality, than for their cruise plans to land them smack in the middle of a sudden and chaotic hurricane evacuation?

2. Almost every author puts a little of themselves into their stories—what did you put of yourself into this one? (personality traits, life events/jobs, settings, characters based on people you know, likes/dislikes, etc.)

There’s a bit of me in the setting, of course. I love Texas, in all its variety of cultures and landscapes, but, living in a small town, I have a particular affection for little bergs like Daily, where the coffee’s always hot, and a good slide of pecan pie can cure most ills. Having watched our little town mobilize to take in hurricane evacuees several times now, I’ve been reminded that sometimes the worst things that can happen bring out the best in people. Given the opportunity and faced with the need, regular people can rise to the occasion in amazing ways, as do the citizens of Daily in the book.

Some members of the Wingate family might also claim to recognize themselves among the citizens of Daily, Texas. I would offer the disclaimer that any resemblances are completely unintentional, but that would be a bald-faced lie. When you come from a family of great storytellers and colorful characters, there’s nothing to do but make use of what you’ve got.

3. Did you encounter any interesting challenges while writing/researching for this book? Please explain if so.

The most difficult part of working on Never Say Never was researching and reliving the devastation left behind on the Texas gulf coast last year after Hurricane Ike. While interviewing family members about their experiences during the evacuation and return, we shared laughter and quite a few tears. For those who have lived in southeast Texas all their lives, talking about familiar landmarks, heirlooms, and old family places that were washed away forever, knowing some things will never be the same, is both difficult and devastating. For those of us who have so many memories of family gatherings and vacations there, it’s hard to believe we’ll never visit the old places again.

4. Why is this book/story relevant today?

Despite our best-laid plans, we all experience storms in life—whether those storms be of a weather-related nature, or due to an illness, death, or in recent months, job loss and financial misfortune. When the parameters of life and our ability to control fate suddenly change, we’re confronted with our own helplessness and need to rely on other people and God. In a culture that values independence and self-sufficiency, it’s important to remember that we all have a common need and a common responsibility for each other and that without faith we really are alone in the storm.

About the Author

Lisa Wingate is a popular inspirational speaker, magazine columnist, and national bestselling author of several books, including Tending Roses, Talk of the Town, Drenched in Light, A Thousand Voices, and A Month of Summer. Her work was recently honored by the Americans for More Civility for promoting greater kindness and civility in American life. Lisa and her family live in central Texas.

Grandprize Drawing

Donetta and Imagene's Texas Road Trip Basket (approximate total value over $150)

Take a Texas road trip, without ever leaving home!

The Daily Texas Series by Lisa Wingate

• Talk Of the Town
• Word Gets Around
• Never Say Never

The Blue Sky Hills Series by Lisa Wingate

• A Month of Summer
• The Summer Kitchen
• Beyond Summer (a special advance copy not available in stores until July 2010)

Road Trip Snacks (Straight from Texas, of course!)

Wrap it all up with a fuzzy, fleecy Texas throw blanket for those cold nights on the road (or curled up with your books!)

For stories with Texas flavor and fun, come see us at http://www.lisawingate.com/

REQUIRED: Leave a comment to be entered. Giveaway ends Feb 19th, 5pm CST. I am ending this one early in the day so that I can send my winner in to Kathy Carlton Willis Communication who will choose a winner out of all the winners from each of the participating blogs. Must be at least 18 yrs old and a US resident. Void where prohibitted.

I'd like to thank KCWC for sponsoring this giveaway and for sending me a copy of Never Say Never.

Faith'n'Fiction Saturday: Why Should Christians Read Fiction?

Faith 'n Fiction Saturday is a weekly event where we discuss the intersection of Faith and Fiction. You are welcome to respond in comments or by writing a post on your blog and leaving your link in Mister Linky. Faith 'n Fiction is found at My Friend Amy's Blog.

Today we're going to discuss why Christians should read fiction. If you are a lover of fiction, it's no doubt that you're heard all sorts of arguments against spending time reading it. In fact, a commenter just this week on my blog said she's heard it referred to as emotional porn. The very concept of Christian fiction had a huge battle to face in conservative circles and is, in my opinion, still facing those battles in its attempts to grow. Is there any value in reading fiction for Christians? Why are some people so resistant to the idea of reading fiction? If you DON'T read fiction, why don't you read it? (Please keep in mind we are talking about ALL fiction and not just Christian fiction).

Ok, let me start with this...WHAT? I've never heard of anyone disparaging fiction as a form of reading or its value. This is quite a shock to me as I love Christian fiction; suspense, historical, romance, YA, etc.

First of all, I learn so much from fiction. An author can put their characters in situations I can relate to. I can learn from how they resolve issues they're dealing with. True, sometimes they're a bit unrealistic, but I can still glean from their stories.

Second, I'll never get to live in the 1800's in Europe. I won't ever attend balls or wear the gowns they wore. I won't ever get to meander through estate gardens. And I won't get to ride daily in a carriage. Switch that to the Wild West. I'll never get to experience falling in love with a Texas Ranger (unless he's a baseball player). I won't travel over mountains in a covered wagon and start over in unchartered territory. With fiction, I can live vicariously through the lives of the characters.

Next I appreciate the escape that I can have when I read Christian fiction. Life can get overwhelming and one of the things I do for myself is to read. I struggle with reading non-fiction because I can't always relate to it, or it's so overwhelming that I can't take it all in. I'm definitely not saying non-fiction is something I won't read. It is an important part of my growth.

I guess if someone were to get legalistic about reading anything but fiction, they could go overboard and say reading anything but the Bible is evil. I don't believe that. I think their minds are completely closed off and are similar to the Pharisees. I believe God has given authors a gift with their words and that they can share God's heart through fictional characters.

There's nothing that will change the fact that I read Christian fiction. It's a wonderful blessing in my life!

Purrfect Play Review & Giveaway

So far in our product review journey, our pets have been sorely neglected. They hadn't been able to test out any products. That has now been taken care of by Pam at Purrfect Play. She sent these wonderful toys for our furry kids to test out.

I thought it'd be fun to let our pets open up their toys and see what they thought! If they could've spoken I'm sure they would've sung in unison, "Oh, happy day..."

Rugby stuck his head in the bag and pulled out his rope toy! He was so excited. My Doodle and Rugby immediately started a game of tug-o-war with the Large Cotton Tug Toy. This is a perfect winter toy for Rugby since it's so cold outside. This Tug Toy is super strong and I have no fears that it will come apart at all. It's amazing! My Doodle is giving it dual use as a jump rope, so everyone wins!

I'm not so hot on throwing things in the house because all of the balls we have make marks on the wall. In comes the Jumbo Wool Ball. That thing can be slobbered on (and has been), tossed around the house without leaving a mark on any of my walls, and when it gets fuzzy or chewed on, I can toss it into the dryer and it's good as new! We have a very happy Rugby!

On to our kitties, who were in catnip heaven. Honestly, is there anything funnier than a cat that's trippin' on catnip? We have 2 old girls, Sammy and Pearl, who are both going to be 12 this year, and Simba a stray we took in about 5 yrs ago and we guesstimate his age to be around 8 or 9. They could use exercise and they have been getting it.

Can you see the tear sliding down Simba's nose? He's so happy! Just kidding. He has eye issues. :)

Pam sent each cat their own Baby Catnip Carrots. That was given to each cat first. Oh, they were so funny, rolling themselves all over these carrots. Simba started rubbing himself all over the chair sticking his head under the arm cushion. Oh, he was out of his mind. My boys and I were just dying. It was a great learning lesson for my boys. I said, "Boys, this is what happens when you're on drugs." hahahaha Their heads snapped around to look at Simba again. He certainly was acting dopey! The ONLY downside to these carrots? Rugby. He thought they must be his toys too and he started eating the ropes at the end!! That toddler.

The next day they were given the Chubby Snake. Pearl, the big tubbo, hasn't give that any exercise. I don't think her stubby legs could wrap around it. Now Sammy on the other hand has gone to town attacking it. She throws herself at it, grabs it with her front paws and uses her back paws to "scratch" the snot out of it. Oh, such cheap entertainment. Later on Simba attacked it and then fell asleep on his prey!

We also have Cotton & Wool Dust "bunnies" that the cats are just batting all over the place and chasing after. Seriously, our pets are in heaven!

The most awesome part of all these products? They're natural!! Ha, even our cats and dog are getting into the healthy way of living! Here's what Purrfect Play says on their site regarding this,

"Purrfectplay is run simply. We are dedicated to producing wonderful pet products crafted exclusively from organic, chemical free, and fair-trade materials. We are members of Co-op America and the Organic Trade Association. When you buy one of our products you can be sure it was made with dedication and love. You can be sure that we care about what you think and how your pets use our products."

How would you like to make your dog or cat happy owners of a new item from Purrfect Play? If you have a cat you can win Dust Bunnies or if you have a dog you can win a Medium Tug Toy. How awesome is that? The winner will get their choice of item.

Get the snake Sammy, get the snake. Her back paws were attacking this snake so badly we were just dying from laughter!

Required: Visit Purrfect Play and tell us what your pet would enjoy from their site AND one thing you learned from visiting their site! Both of these items must be done in your initial comment. You can learn about them in their "About" and "Newsletter" or share about something else from their site.

Giveaway open to US residents at least 18 yrs of age. Please leave a way to contact you if you win either an email or in your contact profile. No email/contact info = No entry. Void where prohibited. Giveaway ends 2/20, 10pm CST.

Extra Entries (after Requirement is complete)

1) Sign up for the Purrfect Play Newsletter (2 entries, comment 2x)

2) Follow Mimi and Purrfect Play on Twitter (1 entry)

3) Tweet about this giveaway 1 time daily and each comment earns an entry. Leave a link.

Win a pet toy from Purrfect Play & Woven by Words @Purrfectplay http://wovenbywords.blogspot.com/2010/02/purrfect-play-review-giveaway.html

4) Follow my blog (2 entries, comment 2x)

5) Grab my button (1 entry)

6) Make a purchase from Purrfect Play (10 entries, comment 10x) and I will need to verify.

~Winner MUST respond within 48 hours of email notice or I will choose another winner.

Thank you Pam for sending our pets these toys to sample and review. They were all a big hit! I was not paid for this review, and the opinions of my pets are soley theirs. *grin*