REVIEW: LaCoupe orgnx Moroccan Argan Oil Complex Collection


I would like to start out stating that I have very thick and a lot of hair. So when I was sent a few hair products from Orgnx, I was pretty excited to try them out. The shampoo and conditioner is said to be the perfect duo to nourish the hair, coating it with a protective barrier against heat styling. The leave-in Styling Crème helps reduce split ends and add definition for a natural look with movement and the Styling Oil is said to be able to moisturize the strands adding gloss and lasting conditioning throughout the day. 



The shampoo that I used was Orgnx Shampoo for all hair types. I used about a loonie size amount, as I started to lather my hair I needed to add another amount of shampoo to my head. Once the shampoo was lathered in the smell was wonderful, it was like I was on a beach on a beautiful Island. 

After leaving shampoo in for about 2 mins and started to wash out, the feeling of my hair was like straw and was very naughty underneath. I applied the conditioner about a loonie size just at the base and working to the ends of my hair. I left in for about 3 mins and my hair felt wonderful, I was quite surprised as I knew the shampoo didn't work too well on my hair. 

I applied a penny size amount of oil once my hair was damp and blow-dried as usual and my hair was straight and full of life, the smell was wonderful. Once my hair was done with styling I used a very small amount of Orgnx leave-in styling crème and my frizz and dryness was gone. 

As I said I have very thick and lot of hair and I would recommend the conditioner, oil and styling crème. My hair was full of life and lasted all day, even the next day it still had no frizz when usually I would have to rewash or tie it back. I am very satisfied with Orgnx products.
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received LaCoupe orgnx Moroccan Argan Oil Complex Collection at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received

REVIEW: Kung Fu Panda Legends of Awesomeness: The Scorpion Sting DVD



Get ready for more high-kicking action and fur-flying fun in this awesome animated TV series based on the Academy Award-Nominated hit movie Kung Fu Panda*! He may not be your typical warrior, but Po packs an arsenal of martial arts skills as big as his heart...and his stomach. Always ready to fight for what’s right, Po and theFurious Five—Tigress, Monkey, Mantis, Crane and Viper—face exotic dangers at every turn, including a pair of magic shoes with an evil “sole,” and Scorpion, one ofthe sharpest villains in all the land!

MY REVIEW
We love Po and the Furious Five. This show has to be one of our family favorites. I swear the hubby and I have even watched a few episodes without the kids. It's that good. I love that most of all the actors are the same ones from the movies. Just like most of the Legends Of Awesomeness episodes, Po and the gang try and save the village, this time from an Evil Scorpion and while doing so makes sure the audience is entertained. We're laughing in one scene and serious in the next scene. This show never seems to surprise me because it's easy for the entire family (no matter what your age is) to love. Definitely worth seeing if you have yet to watch any of the episodes from this series. 
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Kung Fu Panda Legends of Awesomeness: The Scorpion Sting on DVD at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received


REVIEW: Fright Night 2 Blu-ray


By day Gerri Dandridge is a sexy professor, but by night she transforms into a real-life vampire with an unquenchable thirst for human blood. So when a group of high school students travel abroad to study in Romania, they find themselves ensnared in Gerri’s chilling web of lust and terror. Charley and “Evil” Ed must stop Gerri from drinking and bathing in the blood of a “new moon virgin,” which just so happens to be Charley’s ex-girlfriend, Amy. They enlist help from Peter Vincent, the vampire hunting host of a reality show called "Fright Night," to drive a stake through Gerri’s plan and save Amy from a fate far worse than death.

MY REVIEW
I'm not too much of a horror fan when it comes to movies. I tend to cover my eyes and peak between my fingers, scream and jump for the littlest things. So when we received a copy of Fright Night 2 I wasn't sure I wanted to watch it. One because horror and I don't really get along and two because I hadn't seen the first one. 
After letting a few family members know that I was going to watch the movie I had a couple of different reviews from them, so I knew I had to watch it. Like the first Fright Night movie, this is about a vampire, but this time it's a female vampire who is going around killing students instead of a male vampire. Although it had me jump a couple of times during the movie and I did end up watching the entire movie, I don't think I liked it that much and I love almost everything with vampires in it. It felt like the movie was trying too hard. But you can definitely be the judge of this movie and tonight would be the perfect time to watch it being that it's Halloween. Fright Night 2 is now out on blu-ray and DVD to buy in stores or you could probably watch it on pay per view too! 
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Fright Night 2 at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received


How Insurance Works #AutoXplained



Insurance is pretty important and definitely needed in life for just about all occasions. Whether it’s life, home or auto, insurance is there for a reason just in case anything ever happens. Do you ever wonder what happens to all that money we pay into insurance? I know I do. Especially since I’ve been in my house for five years and have yet to put in a claim for anything, haven’t been in a car accident over the last ten years and am still alive. (Knocking on wood)



So where is all that money going that I pay monthly? The hubby and I often talk about this all the time and recently learned a few things that I didn’t know before and thought I’d share it with you in case you have the same type of questions and concerns that I do.

So we pay our life, home and auto insurance monthly, the money that we pay goes into a big pool so that when or if you ever call in a claim your insurance company can pull from that same pool and help pay towards what we’re putting a claim on. Since there are more of us contributing than there are claims being made there is always enough money to pay the claims that are being made.

We all know that once a claim is made our premiums tend to some times go up. This is calculated on the probability that you will make a claim again or at all. Those of us that are unlikely to make a claim and get money from the pool are more than likely to pay less than those that have a higher chance in making a claim.


  • Dropping your collision coverage on older vehicles.
  • Getting packaged deals. By insuring one or multiple cars, home and life insurance by the same insurance company you have a better chance at saving money.
  • Installing an alarm system in your vehicle.
  • Buying a car with a lower-cost insurance rate.

  • Where you live - living in an urban area may affect your premium.
  • What you use your car for - Those going back and forth to work daily verses those that use their vehicle to run errands.
  • Your driving record - An accident free driving record can help you qualify for competitive insurance rates.

Disclosure: Although this post has been generously sponsored by IBC, the opinions and language are all my own and in no way do they reflect The Insurance Bureau of Canada

Mommy Parties: Munch 'n Movie w/ Soul Surfer & #WerthersCaramel #WerthersPopcornParty


I'm sure by now that you all know how much I love having a girls night in. I try and host one at least once a month. This gives my girlfriends and I time to play catch up, munch on snacks, have a few drinks and have a great evening filled with laughter and fun.

I had the opportunity to host another Mommy Party and I have to say, I was pretty excited about this one. I absolutely love Werther's Original candy. So when I heard that they had come out with Caramel Popcorn I knew it was going to be good. I didn't expect it to be the best caramel popcorn I had ever tasted, but it definitely was.


After taking a sample taste of the popcorn I quickly made sure to invite a handful of ladies to come over for a tasting party as well as watch a movie that was provided for us too. The ladies were all impressed by how delicious the popcorn was. The room was filled with compliments and questions as to if they sold this popcorn out here in Canada yet. It literally melts in your mouth and you're reminded of their classic candy while munching on the popcorn. Simply delicious.


Once all the ladies had tasted the popcorn I decided to play Caramel Kernel Count with the girls. Such a simple, yet fun game. I put some of the popcorn into the jar and had the ladies guess how many pieces of popcorn were in the jar. The winner would receive a $25 gift certificate to Black's, a local photo print shop.


Once we all had a taste of the popcorn, we quickly headed to my family room with our own bags of popcorn and glass of wine and sat down to watch the movie, Soul Surfer. If you haven't watched this movie before, I definitely suggest to add this on your list of movies to watch. Soul Surfer is inspired by a true story about a teen girl who lost her arm in a shark attach and overcomes all the odds to become a champion again. This movie had some of us choked up and definitely had us talking about it after it was over.




If you love Werther's Original be sure to head on over to wertherscaramelshoppe.com an online community for those of us who love caramel. The site is filled with tons of fun recipes, tutorials, giveaways and much more!

Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received a Werther's Caramel party kit from Mommy Parties at no cost for the purpose of this review and to host a party. No other compensation was received.

What To Do With Your Pumpkin Guts?! #GLADgruesome


Each year around Halloween we get together with all the aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents and we do our annual Pumpkin Carving Party together. We have dinner, drinks and then we start laying down the tarps on the table and we have the kids pick out their stencil they want to use for their pumpkin.

With seven kids carving pumpkins, things are expected to get a little messy and as much as I love pumpkin, I am not a fan of their guts. I don't mind getting them out of the pumpkin, I think it's just the smell that bugs me. And with more than a couple pumpkins being carved at the same time, you can see how this would be a problem for me.

This year, we were asked to participate in the Glad Gruesome Challenge. Glad sent us their new Glad OdourGuard Compostable Bags along with a compostable bin and a gift card to pick out a couple pumpkins. These new bags neutralizes odours in the home so that you can leave whatever you want to dispose in them and leave them on your counter without having to deal with the smell.



This is exactly what we did. We started carving our pumpkins and put all of our waste in the bags. Once they were in the bags and tied up we then put them in the compostable bin and waited a few days before checking it out. While we waited, I have to say I completely forgot about it. It was left on my kitchen counter and because there was no smell coming from the bags or bin, it didn't bother me that  I had it sitting on my kitchen counter.



I've never been one to save compost, I always thought by doing so there would be a smell left in your home or wherever you kept it, but now that I have used  and was successful with the Glad Compostable Bags I'll definitely be trying it out again for our garden next Spring! If you'd like to try out these new compostable bags from Glad be sure to click HERE to save $2.00 off on your purchase. Happy Halloween!


Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received the above mentioned products at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Pumpkin Pie Bites


One of the things I love about Fall other then wearing cardigans and drinking warm beverages, is making goodies that include pumpkin. I've been with my husband for ten years and before being with him, believe it or not, I had never had Pumpkin Pie!

I know, I know, what was I thinking, right?! It wasn't that I didn't want to. I remember going to a couple friends houses around the holiday season and would see it, but would never try it. In my family growing up the popular pie I was raised with was Sweet Potato Pie. It's delicious and is still my favorite pie.

Once I gave Pumpkin Pie a try at my first Thanksgiving with my in laws, I never looked back. I've been loving and trying any and everything that has pumpkin in it. Tons of desserts, drinks and soups. I can't believe I was missing out on something so delicious.

My husband says I more than make up for missing out on Pumpkin Pie during my childhood because now when Fall and Winter is near, I go pumpkin crazy and there's always something with pumpkin being made during this time of year. Which is why I want to share with you these delicious Pumpkin Pie Bites I've been making for the last few years thanks to the lovely Bakerella! I stumbled on her blog about four years ago and have been a follower ever since. If you've never been on her blog I suggest you go check it out. She's such a pro at making cake pops and all things that are sweet.

These Pumpkin Bites are so easy to make and take little to no time to make. They will definitely impress your friends and family, enjoy!


 
Pumpkin Pie Bites
Makes 24

Ingredients
2 refrigerated ready-to roll pie crusts
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter (I used a circle cutter which works too)

Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Use your cookie cutter to cut 12 circles (or pumpkin shaped cookie cutter) from each pie crust. You will need to roll the dough thinner than it comes out of the box so that you can get 12 out of it.
Once cut, place your dough shapes into a 24 cup mini muffin tray. (Make 12 at a time, alternating cups to make sure pie crusts don’t overlap each other.)
Apply egg whites from one egg to the top edges of each pie.
Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, remaining 2 eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until the mixture is well combined.
Spoon mixture into each  pie crust.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Remove pies to cool and repeat with second pie crust. 

Halloween Mummy Dogs


This weekend we're having a Halloween Party for our little ones, cousins, some of their classmates and friends around the neighborhood. The kids are pretty excited and so am I. I can't wait to see all the kids in their Halloween costumes.

To get prepared, last week I decided to make some Mummy Dogs for the kids to see how well they'd go over. If you follow me on Instagram you'd remember when I posted a picture after they were done. (If you don't follow me on Instagram, here's your  invite to start.) This was my first time making them even though I've seen them all over Pinterest and many different blogs.

I had a feeling the kids would love them because of how much they love Pigs In A Blanket. They were super excited to see how they turned out and how much they looked like mummies. I was pretty happy that they turned out and can't wait to see how the other kids will like them this weekend.

Not only is this an easy recipe to whip up, this is definitely a recipe you can have your kids help you with. What a great way to celebrate Halloween with them, cooking together in the kitchen while listening to Halloween music and sipping on Hot Chocolate or Apple Cider, sounds perfect. Enjoy!


MUMMY DOGS
Ingredients
1 8 (oz) can Crescent Rolls
10 large hot dogs
Cooking spray
Mustard or ketchup, if desired

Directions: Preheat your oven to 350F. Unroll the Crescent Rolls, separating so that you have four rectangles. Pressing them in the middle to seal them so that they won't separate.

With a knife cut each rectangle lengthwise creating strips. Depending on how thick you want the strips you can cut them so that you have anywhere between 6-10 strips per rectangle.

Wrap between 3-4 pieces of dough around the hot dog stretching slightly to completely cover the hot dog making sure to separate "bandages" so that the hot dog shows through for the face of the mummy.

Take a large ungreased cookie sheet and spray with non stick cooking spray and place hot dogs on sheet. Bake until the dough is golden brown. With ketchup or mustard draw eyes on the face. Serve and enjoy.

 

@KinderCanada Partners with Disney Princesses & Marvel Superheroes #KinderMom


I'm a mom of both an eight year old girl and a six year old boy. So when I got the news that I was now a Kinder Mom for the next year I jumped with excitement. Kinder Eggs have always been a treat that both my kids and I have loved for years. Not only do they get a chocolate egg, but they always get a nice surprise toy inside as well, which they absolutely love.



Being a mom to both girl and boy, our house is filled with both Disney Princess and Super Heroes toys. From playing dress up to having tons of toys and movies, both Disney Princess and Super Heroes are a constant in our house that both my hubby and I also enjoy. And now that Kinder Canada has partnered up with Disney Princess and Marvel Superheroes, this means there's something even more to love about their Kinder Surprise Eggs!



Not only do I love the fact that their chocolate isn't too sweet and is just the perfect amount for my kids, I love that the treats are peanut free so that every kid can enjoy them and 2 out of every 3 eggs will have these limited edition toys for your kids to enjoy.



I received a box of goodies a couple weeks ago and not only did my kids get really excited because they had a box filled with Kinder Eggs, but I got pretty excited too. I love Kinder Eggs just as much as the kids and love that I can hand these out to kids around the neighborhood who pop in to play or give them to my kids classmates and cousins. These treats are perfect for every occasion, especially since Halloween is literally around the corner. These would be a great treat to give those little monsters coming to your door step.


Sharing is caring and we love sharing our Kinder Eggs! I look forward to this next year of sharing the latest news to you lovely readers about what Kinder Canada has in store for us!

You can see the entire collection of these limited edition toys over on the Kinder Canada's Facebook page!
Disclosure: I’m part of the KINDER® Mom program and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

What's Your Gameology Sign?! Girls Night In w/ @MattelGameOn #GameOnParty (#Giveaway)


I'm a huge believer in taking a few hours away from the hubby and kiddos and just hanging out with some of your girlfriends. You may want to go out to brunch, dinner, a movie or you may be like me and love having a Girls Night In and relaxing with some of your girlfriends in the comfort of ones home. I love chatting and laughing with my girls and serving delicious snacks and of course, that bottle of wine.

That's exactly what myself and a few of my favorite ladies did. 

A few weeks ago I came home to a huge Game On box from Mattel, filled with lots of games to play with not just my girlfriends and I, but there were games for our kids as well. There were also coasters, bottle openers napkins, a party check list, reminder cards and fortune cookies as well.



These box of games were sent directly to me after I had took the Gameology quiz on their Facebook page. After answering a series of questions, I received the answer to what my Gameology sign was: WITTIAN!





So being a Wittian, the main board game I received was Balder Dash! A game where you have to bluff and make up things to try and get your opponents to believe you. I've never laughed so hard playing a board game. This was such a great game that kept the ladies and myself entertained. The first round was pretty easy as we tried to play it safe, but once that went pretty quick, we all began to think a little harder to get one another to believe our answers. Definitely another great fun girls night in we will be talking about for a while.



Find your Gameology sign by visiting the Gameology Facebook app. Answer the challenge questions to find your Gameology sign and you'll be entered for your chance to win weekly and monthly prizes. There is also a grand prize period starting in November, the grand prize is a winter getaway for you and three friends!
GIVEAWAY TIME!
I'm excited to announce that Mattel is offering ONE lucky Canadian Just Us Girls reader a similar Game On Party box like the one I received filled with different games valued at $100! So tell us, what is your Gamelogy sign?!
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received a Gameology Game Kit at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

Shrek: The Musical Blu-ray/DVD Review & #Giveaway


The greatest fairy tale never told comes to life as never before in DreamWorks’ Shrek The Musical, the highly acclaimed Broadway production based on the smash-hit movie. Shrek The Musical received eight  2009 Tony Award® nominations including Best Musical, winning Best Costume Design of a Musical (Tim Hatley) and received a Grammy Award® nomination for Best Musical Show Album. Fans can join in on the performance with sing along Shrek-tastic songs on the Deluxe Edition Blu-ray™ + DVD + Digital HD™ or single-disc DVD!
MY REVIEW
We absolutely love all the movies in The Shrek series. I even remember before the hubby and I had our first little one we lived in California and went to Universal Studios and got to see their live version of Shrek, it was awesome. Once the kiddos were born it gave us even more reason to go and watch the Shrek movies and to buy them. My kids are definitely a fan and love all of the characters. So when we got a chance to review Shrek: The Musical, I knew we'd love it. And boy was I right. This has got to be one of our favorite family movies to watch together. Not only did we get reminded of how much we love all of the characters in the movies, but we also got a glimpse of both Shrek and Fiona's childhood in the beginning of the musical. 

We absolutely loved all of the songs, dances and how hilarious each character was. The actress playing Fiona had so many of the Austin Powers facial expressions as she performed her songs and dance routines. I think she was my daughter's favorite in this and Donkey of course was my little boys favorite as he is in the cartoon movies. This is definitely a great add to your Shrek movie collections. A great movie for the entire family that will have you singing and dancing along as you watch!


GIVEAWAY!
For your chance to win a copy of SHREK: THE MUSICAL on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD simply answer the following question:

Which character is Shrek’s best sidekick?

• Donkey
• Pinocchio
• Lord Farquaad
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received Shrek: The Musical at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.

The Heat Blu-ray & DVD Combo #Review & #Giveaway


Oscar Winner Sandra Bullock and Oscar Nominee Melissa McCarthy are a “dynamite duo” (George Pennacchio, KABC-TV) in this outrageously funny comedy from the director of Bridesmaids, Paul Feig. Uptight FBI Special Agent Sarah Ashburn (Bullock) and foul-mouthed Boston cop Shannon Mullins (McCarthy) couldn't be more incompatible. But when they join forces to bring down a ruthless drug lord, they become the last thing anyone expected...buddies.

MY REVIEW
Let's say you take the movies Bridesmaids, Identity Theft and Miss Congeniality and wrapped them into one, this would be it. I was so excited to have the opportunity to review the movie, The Heat starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. Not only was the trailer hilarious and made myself and a group of my girlfriends go and see the movie, but the movie was just as hilarious as what the trailer led it up to be. 

From the beginning to the end you are continually laughing at these ladies as they team up to catch one of the big drug dealers. You had a local cop and an FBI agent who both have a bit of issues and are use to working alone. Getting them together was hard at first, but in the end they end up being there for one another. This movie made me love these two actresses even more, they did such an amazing job playing their characters. Definitely a must have on Blu-ray and DVD!
Disclosure: All opinions are my own. I received The Heat at no cost for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.


October is World Egg Month! (#Giveaway)


October is World Egg Month, how EGG-citing is that?! (Get it, Egg-citing? lol) Who doesn't love eggs? Whether they're made into a delicious omelette, added to our favorite cake batter or even hard boiled, eggs are super delicious and in this household a must on a daily.

In honor of World Egg Month, Egg Farmers of Ontario have created a seasonal apple and sausage omelette, which is perfect for the whole family to enjoy, especially since Christmas will be here before you know it. How great would this new dish be for Christmas breakfast or brunch with the family?!


Did you know that in a new Angus Reid survey, held September 11th to September 12th, 2013, it showed that Ontarians are tossing everything from jalapeno peppers, curried apples and chocolate chips into their omelettes for a new look and taste that adds “eggs-citement” to any meal? While cheese, veggies and meat are still some of the top choices, we aren't afraid to think outside the box and put a creative spin on the classic omelette.



APPLE SAUSAGE OMELETTE
Ingredients:
2 tsp canola oil
2 mild or hot Italian sausages, casings removed
4 green onions, whites and greens, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Cortland, Honey Crisp or Spartan apples, cored and chopped
1/4 tsp fennel seeds, crushed (optional)
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
6 eggs
3 tbsp water
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
In a 12 inch non stick, oven proof skillet, heat 1 tsp of the oil over medium high heat and cook sausage, green onions and garlic, breaking up with a spoon, for 3 minutes. Stir in apple, fennel (if using) and nutmeg; cook, stirring for about 4 minutes or until sausage is no longer pink and apples are tender crisp. Scrape into a bowl; set aside. Return skillet to medium low heat and add remaining 1 tsp oil.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, water and pepper. Pour into skillet and cook, stirring gently until eggs start to set. Place under the broiler for 3 minutes or until eggs are completely set and puffed. Slide the omelette onto a serving platter and spread sausage mixture on half of the omelette. Fold remaining half over sausage filling to cover.

What are some different ways you'd like to kick it up a notch with your omelette? Do you add anything sweet or spicy to it? Let us know below and you can win a basket filled with Egg Farmers Swag!

Spend #SpiritDay Watching Anti-Bullying Movies w/ Your Kids on @Netflix #StreamTeam


Not only is October National Bullying Prevention Month, but today, October 17th, is Spirit Day. A day where we stand up against bullying. Today millions of people will wear purple as a sign of support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and to speak out against bullying. Getting involved is very easy to do, all you have to do to show your support is wear something purple or turn your profile image purple on any of the social networks you go on.

Are you wearing your purple?! 

As a parent, one of the things I do constantly is worry. Not only for the safety of my children, but for the safety of every child/teen/young adult out there that is getting picked on or teased by another. This has to stop. It's not right and you're doing more harm than you know. It's easy to stand by and let someone pick on another person while watching, but it takes a brave person to stand up and say, "Hey, that's not cool, leave them alone." This is how I'm trying to raise my kids. Not to just sit there and watch things happen, but to make a difference by standing up for others before things get worse.



As a subscriber on Netflix I look for movies and television shows that are not just fun to watch for my entire family, but also movies and shows that have some type of meaning and lesson behind them that can teach my family something new. Since October is National Bullying Prevention Month there are several different ways you can go about talking to your kids about anti-bullying.

You can create different crafts such as totes and pillow cases that will help your kids get the courage to speak up, you can create Superhero  Photo Magnets as well to build your child's confidence and you can also sit down with your family to watch a few different shows/movies on Netflix that show characters in different movies going through and overcoming some type of bullying.





Here are seven movies that will be good to stream and watch for National Bullying Prevention Month:



1. Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius
2. Akeelah and the Bee
3. How to Eat Fried Worms
4. Shredderman Rules
5. Diary of a Wimpy Kid
6. Unfabulous
7. The Fatboy Chronicles

One of the movies we've watched over and over again is How to Eat Fried Worms and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Both are great movies that show bullying in action and showing kids stick up for themselves. Be sure to check out any or all of the above movies to watch with your family.

Disclosure: I am part of the Street Team Campaign with Netflix and I receive special perks as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.