FlameDisk Review and Giveaway!

My husband really likes to grill out. Don't tell him I said this, but he isn't exactly good at it. Somehow he can make meat burnt on the outside and raw on the inside. My friend Lynne, who I always tell you about, is a grill master. When the people at FlameDisk approached me for a review I went directly to her house and we made burgers and dogs for the whole family.

FlameDisk is an eco-friendly alternative to grilling out. FlameDisk is made with recyclable materials and burns with the renewable fuel ethanol. All you have to do is light it in one spot and the flame will quickly take over the entire disk. When it burns out it cools quickly and can be tossed in the recycle bins in most neighborhoods (always check your own neighborhoods policies).

When Lynne and I tried the FlameDisk we had a hard time lighting it only because the wind was blowing. We made sure to light it in more than one area but that was not necessary, the flame spreads over the top quickly. When our food dripped onto the smokerplate we got the most delicious flavor. Honestly I told her that this was the best hamburger I had ever eaten. I'm not just saying that. It cooked thoroughly and the burger was so juicy.

A few extra tips I would pass on would be to make sure and let it heat itself up a few minutes before you put the meat on the grill. Also if you have a large grill or plan to grill a lot of food make sure you purchase two FlameDisks. One was perfect for the few burgers and dogs we were cooking but we did have to keep the portions smaller. 2 burgers and one dog at a time was what the FlameDisk could cover. In a smaller grill, like a camping grill, I think it could have covered more meat.

For a great demonstration please check out the video at this link http://www.ugogrill.com/product_video.html

Right now the nice people at FlameDisk are offering up one free FlameDisk to a lucky reader. To enter simply follow the directions below and be sure to leave an email so I can contact you if you win.

To Enter(For 3 separate entries please leave 3 separate comments):
Visit the FlameDisk website at http://www.flamedisk.com and check everything out. There is so much to learn that I did not cover. This product is very interesting. Come back here and tell me one thing you learned that I did not cover in the review!

Extra Credit (5 separate entries for each you complete):
1. Blog about this giveaway and come back here and show me the link
2. Twitter about this giveaway and come back and link me
3. Share My Button and come back and link me
4. Digg or Stumble Me using the buttons on the right side of my site and tell me who you are
5. Be sure to check out this post for a chance to get 10 extra entries into any contest! http://www.mysentimentexactlee.com/2009/06/its-great-big-follow-me-fantasmic.html

This contest is open to US Residents ages 18+ only. Contest will end July 23rd at midnight EST. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize.

OgoSport Review and Giveaway!

Living in Florida gives my family a lot of time to spend playing outside. When I received an email from OgoSport, maker of outdoor play things, I was happy to review their product.

OgoSport came up with their name using the every day exclamation, "Oh go outside and play..". The two designers who founded the company are graduates of the Pratt Institute in New York City. They have since agreed that all the products carrying the OgoSport name would have to live up to the following standards:

Encourage active play and exercise
Age ranges span from young children to grandparents
Encourage play between all age combinations in-between
Allow for open-ended exploration and experimentation
Opportunities for both indoor and outdoor play
Benefits for therapy and children with special needs
Safety, quality, and integrity
Batteries not required

I've recently had a few parties at my home where children of all ages were involved and I can tell you first hand, everyone enjoyed the OgoSport toys. We were able to try out the Min OgoDisk and the Super OgoDisk along with little "koosh" style balls (OgoSoft) and what is called a copter ball. While the small children were enjoying hitting the balls back and forth the older kids were coming up with games all their own. My 15 year old nephew even figured out how to kind of shoot the ball out of the disk by pulling the material back with his fingers and aiming it at his friends.

One of the creators, Rick, from OgoSport recommended I try water balloons on the OgoDisks on a hot day. Well, it's always a hot day in Orlando so we did this at my son Spencer's first birthday party. The children had such a fun time (these children were all 3 and up with parental supervision) watching the balloons pop on the ground or once in a while on each other. The material of the OgoDisks was weighted just perfect to really bounce small water balloons around.

Right now Rick at OgoSport would like to give one lucky winner a set of the Mini OgoDisks and a set of the Super OgoDisks. To enter follow the directions below and be sure to leave an email so that I can contact you if you win.

To Enter:
Visit www.ogosport.com and take a look around. Come back here and tell me which product you think your family would enjoy and why! Be sure to leave an email. :)

Extra Credit(3 extra entries for each one of these you do)
1. Blog About This Giveaway and be sure to come back and link me
2. Follow Me on Twitter (go ahead and give yourself three entries if you already joined)
3. Share my button
4. Be sure to check out this post for a chance for 10 free entries! http://www.mysentimentexactlee.com/2009/06/its-great-big-follow-me-fantasmic.html

This contest is open to US Residents ages 18+ only. Contest will run until July 22 at midnight EST. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize.

Simple Shoes, Eco Friendly Shoes Review!

I wanted to take a moment to tell you all about an incredibly fashionable new toddler shoe from Simple Shoes. If you haven't heard about Simple Shoes let me tell you about the biggest draw, they are Eco Friendly! All of their shoes and bags are made out of recycled and sustainable materials. I say it over and over, what's good for our earth is a favorite for this mom!

One thing that drives me crazy about shoes my children wear are how dirty they get. The new shoes, named The Doodle, The Noodle and The Poodle, are machine washable and have non marking soles. I personally have not had an issue with soles marking up my floors so that aspect wasn't huge for me but I'm sure there are people out there who find that very important. The machine washable aspect however had me jumping for joy. I tossed them into the washing machine to see it they would hold their shape and they did.

Not only are these shoes stylish but they are earth friendly and budget friendly as well. I recommend visiting www.simpleshoes.com to check out the new Toddler Shoe Collection and also all the other great products they offer. Which pair would you choose?

Win an Apple MacBook at BlogHer 09 courtesy of SafetyTat!

Boy do I have big news. My amazing sponsor SafetyTat, The Tat That Brings Kids Back, is giving away an Apple MacBook at Blogher 09! The way it is going to work is you need to find me (I'll be wearing a blue shirt and tons of Safetytats) and give me your cell number. I will in turn give you a write on SafetyTat and you can write your blog name on it then stick it on your body. At the end of day two SafetyTat will randomly choose ONE cell number and give it a call. If you are still wearing your SafetyTat you WIN! You'll just have to come find me in a designated place and show me your SafetyTat. It is that easy. Please spread the word and start getting excited.

Here are the specs on this computer:

MacBook 13.3/2.0/2GB/120/SD – White
* 13” monitor
* 2GB Memory
* 120GB hard drive
* Standard keyboard
* White polycarbonate shell


I can't wait to meet you ALL at BlogHer 09! Like I said, please spread the word about this amazing contest!

A Challenge For Walt Disney World. Do Better!

When I was growing up Disney World was a magical place. I spent nearly every single Sunday playing in the parks. As I grew older, into my teen years, most of my friends were employed by the Mouse and we ended up spending many weekends there as well. Nearly all of my homecoming and prom pictures were taken at the beautiful Disney hotels. The Mouse House was a very big part of my life.

Now that I have children I am seeing Disney through new eyes, in a whole new light so to speak. However I'm not exactly thrilled with the light. The customer service at Walt Disney World has gone so far downhill I firmly believe Walt would roll over in his grave or his cryogenic chamber, whichever.

Back in the day, the day being 1989-1998 customer service at Disney was at it's best. Cast members had a lot of strict rules but abide by each of them. No leaning, no chatting, never say no to a guest...and the list goes on. I don't know if these same rules apply now but if they do they are not followed. Here is what I encountered on my trip to The Magic Kingdom Monday June 29th of 2009.

After exiting the monorail my father in law asked a cast member if he had any monorail passes, a cute little card that shows you have ridden the monorail that my son Jason loves. The man literally looked at us and said, "No I don't." He wasn't rude, but I remember the days where Disney cast members were never allowed to say "no". They had to say, "I'm not sure but let me find out for you" and then they made it work.

So we move on to the entrance and people were in search of the cast member entrance. I overheard two different employees telling the guests they "didn't know" and then just turning away from them. Well if you don't know who does cause I certainly don't. Finally someone walked over and said that a certain line was for cast members. When the cast members reached the ticket employee she informed them that no, the other line was and now they would have to get out of line and wait all over again. Not okay in my book.

Next stop was the Buzz Lightyear ride. We waited for about half an hour and when we finally made it to the part where Buzz stands and talks to you there was a housekeeping cast member standing directly in front of Buzz. Jason could not see his favorite character. If the guy had been cleaning up a spill I wouldn't be complaining, but he was TEXTING!!! Yes the cast member was blocking the view of Buzz Lightyear while texting on his cell phone. If any Disney employee is reading this, check the tapes for about 1:30"ish" on Buzz Lightyear literally directly in front of the Buzz set up before the ride is boarding and you will see this. Cast members didn't used to be allowed to carry cell phones.

Now we are on to the Tom Sawyer's Island attraction. While boarding the raft a cast member openly mocked a small child's haircut. The kid had a Mohawk, I'll admit it was a bit silly looking but it is the current style for trendy people. The cast member went as far as to put her hair up into a Mohawk shape, point and laugh at this child. Check the tapes, 4:30"ish" Tom Sawyers Island raft boarding on the Frontier Land side. This is rude and not okay in any circumstance. I don't care where you work.

My biggest gripe of all however was with the people in merchandising. I am desperately searching for a Stars and Stripes Buzz Lightyear. We have been looking for one for over a year now. I began my search at Downtown Disney. Every single cast member I ask simply tells me "no, they've never seen this doll". They don't offer to call merchandising, they don't walk around the store, they don't ask around, NOTHING. This happened at both Wide World of Disney, The Toy Story toy store and then on to the parks at Magic Kingdom. No one knows, no one cares. I finally approached a cast member at The Emporium and said, "I have a question for you, before you answer I need to tell you, do not tell me no, I need you to help me find out about this." He was very polite. He had never seen the toy but told me to check Hollywood Studios and the Toy Story store where I had already checked. He also told me to call the number on my receipt and ask a merchandising person directly. At least he seemed to care however it would have been nice if he had found out for me himself rather than sending me around the parks.

Maybe I'm asking for too much, but I don't think so. This is Disney, it costs nearly $100 a person to get inside and food is $10 or more per person. It is supposed to be a magical place. Guests come from all over the world, some for a one time only vacation.

I realize that customer service is going down in quality all over America. Many parents are raising their children in a way that no one will take responsibilityfor any situation. It isn't right. Manners are going out the window in this country and probably others. It "grinds my gears".

But really, the amount of laziness I saw among cast members was unreal. These employees are acting like it is a chore to quit chatting with their friend to answer your question. This is not the Disney I grew up with. So I challenge Disney to DO BETTER. I know you can, you made my childhood all the way through my teens magical. Take some time to retrain your employees and train your new employees better. Put them through Traditions and really pay attention. I'll come back in a few months and take notes, then I'll come back here and blog about what I see.

Feel free to add your opinions on positive or negative things you have seen at the parks over the past few years. I'd love to hear both sides of the story. And Disney, if you see this and would like to contact me, my email is mysentimentexactlee@gmail.com I'd love to chat.

Be Our Guest Be Our Guest Put Our Service To The Test...
MySentimentExactLee

Wave LX Casterboard Review and Giveaway!

This review was written by my sister Jackie. When I was approached by the people at Street Surfing L2 Communications asking me to review their Wave LX Casterboard I knew my 4 year old was a bit young. Instead I had them send it over to my 15 year old nephew Jake. I knew he would enjoy the faster, lighter and more stable Casterboard and so would all his friends. He tried it out along with his friends and my sister wrote up the review.

When my 15 year old son received the Wave LX Casterboard he called all his friends over to check it out. They all looked with amazement as they examined the two wheels. It was a good thing that the package came with an instructional DVD because they had seen caster boards on TV, but nothing prepared them for this. All four boys watched the instructional DVD that came with the board which was extremely helpful or as my son explained “exactly how I would tell a friend how to ride it”. Plus the DVD was loaded with extra material including how to purchase custom items to make the board more personal and “decked out” to replacing parts like the wheels when they wear down. The bright blue color it came in worked just fine with the boys and the web design of the foot board was unlike anything else they had seen and made the board unique on the street. The DVD showed other kids riding and performing a great many tricks, however the boys all agreed it would take some practice to become that experienced.

Next they took it to the streets. At first it was hard to keep balance. Plus they needed to get some momentum going in order to stay on. So they started at the top of a hill just like the DVD had suggested doing. It did not take long for them to figure it out and then look out! Even the kids who had never used a regular skateboard got the hang of this one pretty quickly. The boys were arguing over who would go next. Before they knew it half the kids on the block were lining up to take a chance. I asked the boys to explain to me what it was like to ride the Wave LX Casterboard compared to a regular skateboard the responses were that “the constant motion makes you feel like you are getting a good workout instead of just standing there. However it does not make you tired or out of breath”, “once the wheels start moving it’s as if your entire body is in sync with the board”, “There is much better control over movement with this board than with any other I’ve tried. You can weave in and out of small places and you can get up to lightning speeds”.

Over all this new board is a big hit with the teenage crowd. Our neighborhood is still having a ball with it!

Wow, thanks Jackie, I'm glad my nephew and his friends enjoyed it so much. Right now the nice people at StreetSurfing.com would like to offer one Wave LX Casterboard to a lucky reader. Simply follow the directions below to enter and be sure to leave an email so I can contact you if you win.

To Enter:

Visit www.streetsurfing.com and take a look around. Come back here and tell me about another product someone in your life may like to try out. Make sure an leave an email so I can contact you if you win.

Extra Credit:

1. Blog About This Giveaway, be sure to leave me a link

2. Followers get an extra entry, but also be sure to check out this link to get your 10 free entries right away!

http://www.mysentimentexactlee.com/2009/06/its-great-big-follow-me-fantasmic.html
3. Follow Me On Twitter, come back and tell me who you are
4. Share my button, help me get my name out!

This contest will run until July 16th at Midnight EST. Contest is open to US Residents ages 18+ only. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize.

ClearEars Review and Giveaway!

Our new neighborhood has the neatest zero entry pool and all of our friends love to come over and swim. Lately we have probably been swimming two to three times a week. This creates a lot of chances to suffer from swimmers ear or just plain annoying water sitting in the ear. I was glad when I received a box of ClearEars water absorbing ear plugs from the people who brought us EarPlanes.

I swear by EarPlanes. I do not fly without them. There have been numerous times where I have been stepping into an airport news stand to grab a pair of EarPlanes minutes before a flight. So when I received the ClearEars product I felt pretty confident they would do the job of removing water from the ears.

After swimming I simply slipped them into my ear and could actually feel them working. Once their was no longer any moisture inside my ear I removed them and they had done their job. No more annoying banging the side of my head, suctioning my ears or sticking my towel in my ear to try and remove the water, usually to no avail. This was so much easier and perfectly comfortable.

The best part is that they are eco-friendly. After you use them you can cut them up and add them to your plants to retain water and keep them saturated. Anything that is good for our earth is okay by me.

Right now the nice people at ClearEars want to offer up one 5 pack to a lucky reader. To enter follow the directions below and be sure to leave an email so I can contact you if you win.

To Enter:
Visit http://www.cirrushealthcare.com/index.aspx and take a look around at their other products. Come back here and tell me something else you'd like to try.

Extra Credit:
1. Blog about this product (come back and show me a link)
2. Follow Me on Twitter (come back and tell me who you are)
3. Share My Button (come back and link me)

Be sure to check out this link for 10 extra chances to win! http://www.mysentimentexactlee.com/2009/06/its-great-big-follow-me-fantasmic.html

This contest is open to US Residents ages 18+ only. Contest will run until Friday July 10th at Midnight EST. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize.

Panchero's Mexican Grill Review and Giveaway!

Burrito places are all the rage nowadays. Each menu reads about the same as well. All there really is to differentiate between them is customer service and food quality. With at least 5 to choose from in my town my husband and I have decided that Panchero's Mexican Grill is our favorite.

When we walk into our Panchero's the staff is genuinely happy to see us. We don't get a generic "Hi Welcome to Panchero's" like some of the competition. The menu is pretty simple, you have 4 choices of burritos (chicken, steak, pork or veggie) and the same choice in a bowl (a burrito without the flour tortilla). Then a few salads, quesadillas and tacos. I'm a bowl girl, the steak is my favorite. The staff cooks everything right up in front of you, they have a huge grille and they know how to use it. For children you have the choice of a quesadilla, taco, side of rice and a toddler quesadilla. My son is a pretty big fan of the "Mexican grilled cheese".

Recently I had a slight issue with service at my local store. Nothing big, but I'm the type of person who likes to make a manager known about any problem I encounter. I sent an email to the website and apparently it was routed to the location manager. I was so blown away with the amazing customer service that I received from her. She called my home, we talked about my problem and she actually listened. She even told me she would sit down with her staff and talk about the situation. I told her I was so pleased I would blog about this and that is when she offered up some free dinners!

Right now 2 readers will win 2 free burrito coupons each (which can also be used on bowls). To enter simply follow the directions below and be sure to leave an email so I can contact you if you win. Also be sure you have a Pachero's around you.

To Enter:
Visit http://www.pancheros.com and take a look around. Find out which location is closest to you and come back here and post it. Make sure to leave an email so I can contact you if you win.

EXTRA CREDIT (for one entry each):
1. Blog about this giveaway including a link to Pancheros and MysentimentExactLee (come back and link me)
2. Follow Me (all followers, even current but make sure to check this out first http://www.mysentimentexactlee.com/2009/06/its-great-big-follow-me-fantasmic.html)
3. Follow Me on Twitter (all followers even current)
4. Share my button on your site (come back and link me)
5. Digg or Stumble me by using the link to the right (come back and tell me)

This contest is open to US Residents ages 18+ only. Contest will end Monday July 6th at midnight!

IT'S A GREAT BIG FOLLOW ME FANTASMIC!!!

Hello loyal readers! I know you are out there, it shows on my SiteMeter. However I've noticed many of you have not been "Following" me. So I'm here to ask (beg) that you click on that little Follow Me link and make my day. In exchange for the Follow I'll give you 10, yes that is right I said 10, free entries into any of my contests that end by July 31st 2009. You don't have to use them in all one place either! For those of you who already Follow Me then as a reward you can also have your 10 free entries, I just ask that you spread the word!

Please leave a comment here telling me who you are once you Follow or who you are if you already Follow!

All The Cool Kids Are Doing It?
MySentimentExactLee

Norman PhartEphant "Pharting" Elephant Review and Giveaway!

Norman PhartEphant is an elephant with a little "problem". You see, Norman is an African elephant that was adopted by a US Zoo. Apparently the food we feed him here is a bit different than the food he ate back home, and some gastric changes occurred. The upside is now Norman has been turned into a 10" plush toy that "pharts" and can be enjoyed by everyone.

When we received Norman PhartEphant my husband was a bit apprehensive to allow our 4 year old son to play with him. He feared it would cause bad behavior. Not that I didn't agree but this guy is so lovable I just had to share him with Jason. We introduced him to Jason and told him the story about the gastric changes and then told him to squeeze Norman's tail. He did and "tooted gas" and Jason was in hysterics. He thought that was the funniest thing he had ever seen. Now when his friends come over he shows them Norman and his special talent but the rule is he also has to explain Norman's background so that poor Norman isn't embarrassed in front of company.

Norman PhartEphant is a really fun gift to give to your husband, child even a coworker. Right now the nice people at Fierce Fun Toys would like to offer up one free Norman PhartEphant to a lucky reader. To enter follow the directions below and be sure to leave an email so I can contact you if you win.

To Enter:
Go watch the little Norman PhartEphant cartoon and come back here and tell me who you would like to gift a Norman PhartEphant and why! Be sure to leave an email so that I can contact you if you win.

Extra Credit:
1. Blog about this giveaway include a link to my blog and Fierce Fun Toys (come back and link me)

2. Twitter about this giveaway including a link to the contest (come back and link me, you can Tweet as many times as you want for unlimed entries, just come back and tell me each time)

3. Follow Me (come back and tell me who you are and make sure to check out http://www.mysentimentexactlee.com/2009/06/its-great-big-follow-me-fantasmic.html)

And for 5 extra entries join the Norman PhartEphant Facebook page by clicking HERE! Come back and tell me who you are.

This contest is open to US Residents ages 18+ only. Contest will end July 2nd at Midnight EST. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize.

Here are your random numbers:

44

Timestamp: 2009-07-04 01:41:35 UTC

Congrats Judy Brittle! 48 hours to claim your prize!