I’d planned on keeping it after we moved to West Virginia, but that was about the time that they’d made their announcement.

I then set upon a search for a replacement telephone service.  Money is extremely tight right now, so I NEEDED it to be at least around the same amount as what we’d been paying for AT&T (roughly $35/mo).  On top of that, we needed unlimited long distance.

Then, I happened across a message on Twitter Moms asking for people to do a review of the Magic Jack.

I’d heard of the Magic Jack and had already come to the conclusion that we’d have to at least try one out, so I jumped on that message VERY quickly!

Days later, it arrived.  I was SO excited.  It literally took me 30 seconds to connect it to the USB port on my computer.  Because I don’t have my “auto run” on my computer on, I had to just click on it and make it run.

Within 10 minutes, I was signed up, had my brand new phone number and was ready to make a phone call.  TRY THAT with an ordinary phone service!

I paid $1 for the insurance.  Yes – $1.  If the cat decides to eat the Magic Jack, all I have to do is return the pieces to them and they’ll replace it.

If I’d wanted to, I could pay $3 to pick a specific last 4 digits for our new phone number, or $10 to pick the whole 7 digits.  I suppose I could have chosen something like 1-304-Dawniemom or something fun, but #1, I’m cheap, #2, I didn’t know if I was going to even keep it!

There are NO activation or service fees & taxes.  You know that extra $10 or so that gets tacked on to the usual phone bill? No more!

magicJack costs $39.95 plus shipping and handling.

One year of free local and long distance calling to the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, along with all the other great magicJack features are included with your initial purchase.

You can purchase an additional year of service for $19.95.

This thing is SO cool!

For just $40, you get the following:

• FREE local and long distance service for a YEAR!
• FREE phone number
• FREE call waiting (more on this below)
• FREE Voice Mail
• FREE Caller ID

When I’m on the phone, and I get another phone call coming in, a window pops up on my computer screen.  It shows me the number that’s calling, and gives me the option to accept or reject the call.

If I accept it, it automatically puts your 1st call on hold – AND PLAYS MUSIC FOR THEM – while you talk to the 2nd call.  Once you’re done with the 2nd call, you just “click “end” and you’re back to the 1st call. No messing around with “flash” buttons or hanging up in order to get your other call back.  It’s SO cool!

I also get an email when I have received a voice mail – it allows me to play the voice mail right there.  Seriously, I still can’t believe it’s this full of features for just $39.95.

A few notes:

The Magic Jack has to be plugged directly into your computer’s USB port. It cannot go into an extension or a hub.

The Magic Jack software must be running in order for you to make & receive calls.

As a result, your computer must remain on in order for you to make and receive calls.

If you have a slower internet connection such as we do (the cheap DSL), you may experience laggy phone calls and/or internet service while using both at the same time.

For the cost of ONE month of my previous telephone service, I’m getting an entire YEAR.  That’s a savings of almost $400.  Now I’m gonna be able to afford to upgrade to a better internet! Weeeee!

Seriously, though – I can’t see why anyone WOULD NOT want a MagicJack!

After watching just the preview, I couldn’t wait to see it!

In theaters October 23^rd

Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, based on the popular series of books by Darren Shan, is a fantasy-adventure about a teenager who unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires.  Pulled into a fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and creatures of the night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares.

The Vampire’s Assistant Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/TheVampiresAssistant

CIRQUE DU FREAK has been rated PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned – Some Material May Be Inappropriate for Children Under 13) for sequences of intense supernatural violence and action, thematic elements and some language.

DETAILS ON THE BOOK RELEASE:

THE VAMPIRE’S ASSISTANT and Other Tales from the Cirque du Freak by Darren Shan

New movie edition features the first three books–Cirque Du Freak, The Vampire’s Assistant, and Tunnels of Blood– bound up in one volume!

Of course, living in the virtual CAVE of existence that I reside in, I had never heard of the books, but you can be sure I’ll be hitting B&N or Amazon as soon as this blog post is written! But as soon as the movie hits theaters here in Martinsburg, I’ll be there!

UPDATED:  My oldest son (13) and I went to see the movie and it was just as much fun as the previews.  I love John C. Reilly and he never disappoints in his odd ways! 

Besides letting you know about this really cool movie, though, I have a GREAT giveaway for you! and you… and YOU! and oh yeah, you over there too – the one with the pink furry bunny slippers!

THE VAMPIRE’S ASSISTANT

MOVIE GIVEAWAY

One (1) Grand Prize winner receives:

• $50 Fandango.com Gift Card & a family friendly prize pack ($100 value!)

Four (4) Additional winners will receive:

• A family friendly prize pack which includes a backpack, young adult t-shirt, locker mirror & book! ($50 value!)

  

Shipping Guidelines:

Prizing is only available to United States mailing address only. (International readers can enter if they have a friend in the States who can accept their prizes by mail.)

Didn’t I tell you this was a great giveaway?!

As usual, I have LOTS of ways for you to enter to win one of these fabulous prizes.  Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you choose to do, though – that way you get lots of chances

• Leave a comment here with the last movie you saw in the movie theater.
• Leave a comment here or blog about what vampire super power you’d like to have.
• Grab my button and put it on your blog.
• Become a facebook fan.
• Follow me on twitter.
• Tweet this contest!  Use the hashtag #dawniemomvampire and comment here with your twitter name. You can tweet a maximum of 4 times a day!
• Share this post with my handy-dandy buttons below, and then send me the link showing that you’ve done so (leave that link here in a comment).
• Winners will be drawn on October 31st!

This is more important than that.

Master Lock knows that.

Master Lock has gone pink as well.   In an effort to raise awareness for breast cancer detection and prevention, Master Lock has introduced a line of specially designed “Pink” security products.  More than that, they are also donating $15,000 to the breast cancer research foundation (BCRFcure.com) – not only are they raising awareness, they’re raising MONEY – and money talks in research. 

So be on the lookout for Master Lock’s pink products.  It’s IMPORTANT.

Blah blah full disclosure:  I received a package of TWO pink Master Locks to review for this blog post.  There – happy now FTC?

The day that we received the new Baby Einstein dvd, World Animal Adventure, Zachary had been in a particularly difficult mood.  He was mad that we had come into the house (he LOVES playing outside) and was throwing a fit.  I’d sent Libby out to check the mail, and she came running in yelling "mama, you got a package!".  I opened it, knowing what it was, and got all excited!  I hardly had time to look at it when Libby snatched it back from me – she was a Baby Einstein baby too!

We quickly popped it into the dvd player and Zachary stopped crying the second he heard the familiar Baby Einstein music. 

Within 10 minutes, all three of my kids were ensconced in the video.  When it was over?  They watched it again!

The World Animal Adventure DVD, which debuts September 29, brings animals from around the world home to your baby, presenting dozens of playful animals in their natural habitats. Set to original world music specially orchestrated for little ears, the DVD includes fun baby animal puppet shows and animals from each of the seven continents. The DVD also presents a Grow with Me feature, offering a second viewing mode with content that changes as your baby grows so that you can get more out of the DVD.

I LOVE this feature!  (And just as soon as I can find the DVD remote, I’m going to switch it to that feature LOL!

If your kids love music – if your kids love animals – if your kids love puppets and funny faces and just everything that comes with those things – you NEED to get this DVD.  Visit Baby Einstein.com and explore the numerous & fabulous products that have been a part of our family for 2 kids now.  And tell them Dawn sent ya! LOL

My thanks, as always, to Mom Central.  “I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Baby Einstein and received a World Animal Adventure DVD to facilitate my candid review.”

Ovarian Cancer affects thousands of women each year, and we need your help to raise awareness about this disease. Starting today – September 9th, Moms (and dads, sisters, brothers, aunts, etc.)can participate in a unique "Text-a-Thon for a Cause" campaign to fund research and promote early detection of Ovarian cancer. Moms can donate $5 to the cause by texting “KELLY” to 85944 from their mobile phones (standard text messaging rates apply) – or by logging on to www.kelly-confidential.com.

Each day you log on to the Web site, you are entered for a chance to win a luxury frontload washer and dryer from Electrolux in Turquoise Sky, the color of ovarian cancer awareness.

Aren’t they just gorgeous?!

Also? MOM CENTRAL has a set to give away also!  Click here for that!

You can also help fund research by sending a virtual t-shirt to a friend during September.  For every virtual t-shirt sent, Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF. 

If you really LOVE the t-shirt you design to send, you can actually buy one that was actually designed by Kelly Ripa, and all proceeds from those sold will go directly to OCRF.

So, head on over to http://www.kelly-confidential.com/index.html and send your text, t-shirt or pick up a washer & dryer while you’re there!

Disclaimer: I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Electrolux and received a gift certificate to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Just check out the prizes!

Win a pair of Crocs kids’ sneakers (open to US)  Enter by July 10

Win a Hoover Vaccum (open to US) Enter by July 17

Win a 20th Anniverary Super Soaker (open to US and Canada) Enter by July 17

Win a free game from GameHouse.com (open to US and Canada) Enter by July 17

Win a box of Crystal Light (open to US and Canada) Enter by July 17

AND they’re still looking for more prizes! (I’ve offered one of my framed prints, but don’t know if they’ll want it).

So head on over to Mom Central’s Summer Giveaway Bonanza and get to entering!

Mamapedia.com is the answer to your wish.  They have “the wisdom of moms”.  We all know we can easily come up with solutions for our friends/sisters’ problems.  But when it’s us and our families, those answers aren’t always so easy to find.  Mamapedia is the perfect place for that!  You simply go there and type in your question.  Mine was “12 yr old son wants a cell phone”.  What comes up are other people’s questions regarding cell phones and kids.  Nothing fits your search? Write your own question and then other moms can answer you!  Sort of like a blog, but with a bazillion readers!

You’ll also find product recommendations, business reviews, and you can help other moms with your knowledge as well.  I love it!  When you put in your zip code, you’ll also see requests from other moms in your area.  It’s a great way to help out.  Check out mamapedia & mamasource (it’s parent) today.

I picked up Skinny Cow Mint ice cream sandwiches and was (frankly) a little skeptical.  How could low fat ice cream possibly taste good?  Reluctantly, I took a bite.  I MOO’ed!

It was that good.

In all seriousness, at only 150 calories and 2 grams of fat, this was like heaven wedged between 2 chocolate cookies!  It was delicious.  The ice cream tasted like full-fat normal ice cream.  The chocolate cookies were rich & chocolately and just simply a w e s o m e!

AND!

It’s Best Live Approved!  That means that when I do my 30 Day Challenge on the Wii Active, I can still eat them!  Woot!

Skinny Cow offers lots of varieties of yummy frozen treats, and they really are yummy.

Check them out – check out their site – and moo for yourself!

Frosted Flakes wants to help.  Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes believes that every kid should have a place to be active and play hard, so they can be their best.  Thus was born the KELLOGG’S FROSTED FLAKES® PLANT A SEED PROMOTION.

First, they asked for nominations.  It could be any field.  They took the top 100 from that, and now are asking us to vote for our favorite.  There’s just 19 days left to vote.  THIRTY fields will receive the grand prize of an athletic field makeover.  You can vote once a day, every day, per email address.  THINK of the good that kind of power can bring to a kid, and to their parent!

So go check out Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Plant a Seed promotion and vote for your favorite field.  Help a kid!