Genesis Moments - A Writer's Journey

Product Review: Invisalign Teen: "Mom, I want braces."

"No More Wire Braces . . " kept running through my head in some silly bunny trail as I listened to a thorough and quite convincing presentation about Invisalign clear braces for teens this last weekend as my traveling blogger buddy Jo-Lynne and I enjoyed a trip to NYC for this very purpose.

The original line "No more wire hangers" was made infamous by Faye Dunaway in "Mommy Dearest" in 1981 as she played screen queen Joan Crawford, a woman depicted as abusive to her daughter Christina Crawford, creating a traumatic upbringing for her and her siblings.

As we have all come to realize, metal braces are traumatic in and of themselves for many kids who smile less, cover their mouth when they speak, and in general, experience pain in a variety of ways as they deal with the "joys" of metal brackets and wires. I remember when clear braces first came out. I thought they were GREAT because of all the reasons I grew up with -the embarrassment I saw in my brother, sister and mom who wore braces all at the same time. My teeth were "okay" enough to go without. (Though, I might reconsider getting a little correction after learning more about Invisalign now.) I just remember the wax piled on to prevent ulcers and rubberbands springing loose and stained teeth that needed whitening later as my family endured the torture and I praised the Lord that mine didn't need them.

But right now, I have kids and I have to get them through their orthodontic trials -- so I attended the event hoping to learn about an option for my 11 1/2 year old who cried when the orthodontist told her to come back in a year. She has a small gap between her front two teeth and she is getting much more sensitive about it!

ONE problem: for the same reason that the orthodontist originally told us to come back later, we can't start Invisalign because my daughter has ELEVEN baby teeth still in her mouth and all of them have to be gone to get started. The adult ones don't need to be in fully yet but the babies have to be out of there. My daughter is a late dental bloomer (which I hear is great for reducing cavities but not great if we want to start clear braces). On our last trip to the doctor's, we were told that all of the baby teeth should be coming out in the next year - except the one that has no permanent tooth under it. Tooth Fairy, dear, where are you?!

So, I know this is coming but I also saw the doubt in the ortho's eyes when she wondered aloud if my daughter would even qualify for Invisalign. (Doctors are still coming up to speed on the new features!) After this weekend, I can't see why not - unless we have an issue with one of the adult teeth growing in funny which I am aware could totally happen - with ten still to appear. Apparently, the only issue they haven't been able to correct with the clear tray-like braces is extrusion which is when a teeth needs to be pulled down into the mouth.

 
According to the incredibly lovely Dr. Jacqueline Fulop-Goodling who spent her entire Saturday with us, new technology has been added to the Invisalign braces to deal with teen mouths. New features include:

• Compliance Tabs - are they really wearing the aligners? A blue dot made of vegetable dye will show wear as they are used.
• Eruptions tabs - Making room for those pesky erupting 12 mo. molars
• Power Ridge Technology - Working to push teeth in that are protuding

According to the information given to us and the case studies we saw, the braces can correct issues like intrusion (pushing the teeth up into the gums to make them even), overbite, underbite, crossbite, widely-spaced teeth and overcrowded teeth.

What I also learned was that the trays can be taken out when you eat which is AWESOME for kids at school (as long as they don't lose them on their lunch tray). They can also be used as whitening trays and they don't hurt as much if a sports player gets hit in the mouth. Liking them; no, loving them!

Just so you understand the process, Invisalign users get a series of aligners every six weeks, created with state-of-the-art digital imaging and manufacturing technology. Every two weeks, the user inserts a new set of aligners on their teeth. The doctor creates the final result on the computer and the technology helps create the steps that lead up to it. The whole process takes about a year, in most cases; but as we are all unique individuals, complex issues could take longer. A final set can be used at night as a retainer and reduce the effects of grinding if it is a problem (not to mention ongoing use as whitening trays with dental bleach prescribed by your dentist). I was truly amazed.

BEST PART: National average price is about the same as metal braces and most insurance plans cover it. Didn't see that one coming. (Average price = $5,500).

The doctor also encouraged moms to bring in their child for a first consult by age 7 in case any expansion issues need to be addressed before the bone fuses. 

 
Invisalign Chief Marketing Director, Sheila Tan and Senior Vice President of Syndicated Research with TRU, Michael Wood also spoke at the event, sharing with us statistics about teens today.

Sheila shared that teens want to have a good smile but have a negative impression of braces. 

From his teen research, Michael shared that teens today are "into" conspicuous reduction - rather than conspicuous consumption and take pride in how they save money (and give it away). They also have a strong sense of self and are dealing with entitlement issues. In my viewpoint, I see my child thinking she'll get braces automatically. What if the time comes and we can't afford them? I see gaps in people's teeth that are adult (Hello, Lauren Hutton). I hope we can do it but honestly, we'll have to assess it in a year and see where we are.

We also learned that preferred providers who have a certain level of experience with the relatively new technology ("preferred" equaling at least 10 cases within the year) can be found on the Invisalign Teen website.

Since the presenters included fun movies and statistics, I thought I would add in one of them here for your viewing pleasure: Click over to here for the whole segment on YouTube: Marcia Brady and her braces experience

Thank you, Invisalign, for making our incredible trip to NYC so awesome! Pictures are coming of the fun we had with our fellow bloggers and the ladies from the PR firm. I just have to hijack them from those with awesome cameras once they are posted! Networking and connecting with other amazing women is half the fun!

(For disclaimer purposes: Our travel and some entertainment expenses were covered but we were not required to post about the event or use the materials given to us in exchange for our experience.)

Product Review: PlanToys Bug Matching Puzzle

 
PlanToys is one of those companies that make product reviews easy. Their quality, wooden products are colorful, fun and durable. Need I say more?

Well, yes, because that would be too easy. Last year, PlanToys very generously sent me a wooden refrigerator and complete food set which I donated to the local YMCA. I love walking by and seeing it in the nursery where I know it is getting good use.

This year, PlanToys sent out new sample products to their product reviewers and I received the Bug Matching puzzle which is so cute. I do not know the suggested retail price.

A couple of things stand out to me about this product:

Good Things:

• Adorable because it is multi-dimensional. 
• Kids love puzzles.
• Similar to colorful Dominoes where you match sides.
• Unique in that the pieces have three sides and a base on which to match.
• Wooden base can be set up in different directions adding to the complexity.

Reservations:

• Not sure that children would use the wooden bottoms very often since the age it seems geared towards would be challenged enough without it.
• Fear that children would be able to get the bugs off and chew on them but they seem pretty sturdy and glued-on tight and more than likely will come with an age appropriate warning.

 

• PlanToys come in a variety of categories which can be seen below. For quality presents, make sure to head over and check them out! Check out their active discussion on Facebook HERE!

1.      Baby Toys

2.      Developmental Toys

3.      Educational Toys

4.      Wooden Toys

 

Torn about my Tassimo

 
The delicious, rich liquid pours over my tastebuds and I dread the day I'll be packing up my single-serve home brewing system -- one of those gifts you get, are excited about BUT also which come with costly strings - or should I say - T-discs - that have to be replaced with every serving and cost significantly more than bulk buying coffee on sale but are infinitely better in their rich taste.

The Tassimo brewer, developed and designed by Kraft Foods and manufactured by Bosch, is nice because the cappuccino cups are not powdered mixes that blend with hot water to make some totally-wronged version of mocha hot chocolate. You do have to use 2 separate T-discs - one to make the espresso and one to steam the creamer - but what you get is the closest instant-but-totally-the-real-thing cappuccino I have ever had.

The other thing that concerns me about this new brewer is the counter space. I have enough gadgets filling my shelves and now this is taking up more of my precious counter space -- because while I still have a few T-discs left - I am certainly not putting it away. Even though I still make an entire pot of cheapo coffee (and drink it all between my husband and I), I still like having the single cup in the afternoon for that quick pick-me-up. Sometimes I even start with one while the 12-cupper is brewing and add to it to prolong the richer taste.

The Tassimo is nice because it brews all types of beverages - coffee, decaf, tea, hot chocolate, real milk cappuccino, latte, espresso, one after another for anyone and everyone with different tastes. (You have to store those darn little T-cups when you want a variety but I see a new storage unit has come out for them.)

Personally, I like the Starbucks drinks but Gevalia Kaffe is pretty good too. BUT, where to replace these little non-reusable containers made of plastic (hopefully with no ugly plastic leaching side effects)? The Tassimo store locater shows a variety of places from Boscovs to Walmart but I did notice that multiple places will sell in bulk online including their own website. Prices average from $.50 to $1/cup and up - with different brands selling for different prices and different places offering bulk discounts. I haven't found the perfect place yet to suggest.

If you have Amazon gift cards which are easily earned through participating in Swagbucks searches & promotions (Sign up here!), you can buy them from Amazon too.

Oh, what to do, what to do? Undecided but still enjoying the product. If you are going to buy a single-serve brewer, this one definitely does a nice job!

(**Disclosure: I did receive the Tassimo brewer and complimentary trial beverages for free to try out. I did however purchase my own refills during a visit to Macy's where I saw them being sold - after I told my husband we would pack it up after the trial cups ran out. I couldn't resist.)

For more information, visit TassimoDirect.com

Product Review: Powermat Wireless Charger

When I first saw the Powermat Wireless Charger on one of the news stations promoting gifts for men, the technology looked too good to be true (and in some ways it is but I'll get to that) but I could see its advantages so I agreed to review this hot new gadget.

For the review, I received the Powermat Home and Office Mat, the Powermat Portable Mat, the enabling cases for the DSi and for an ITouch.

Both the Home and Office Mat and the Portable Mat charge up to 3 Powermat-enabled devices simultaneously (plus one USB power port). And, they work with all Powermat receivers. Included in the box for each is a universal Powercube with 8 tips that enable you to charge different devices. A magnetized case for holding the tips is also included.

Both mats retail for $99.99. The ITouch case retails for $39.99 and the DSi case retails for $29.99.

After opening the mat and testing it on my phone and several of my children's devices, I took it to my Intro to Digital Media class. One student charged her ITouch and another charged his phone while they took their final.

I found out a couple of things and I will break them down into advantages and disadvantages for you:

Advantages:

• By keeping all the devices charging together, we only use one outlet in the wall which fulfills the claim of this gadget cleaning up the electronic clutter on your countertop.
• We also know where to go to find our devices rather than searching the walls for wires leading to DSs my children randomly plug in everywhere.
• In a hotel room (of let's say, four mom bloggers on conference), having one place to plug in the portable mat could be quite convenient especially since you might not have a car for all your usual car chargers if you are travelling.
• The USB port is nice for the Apple devices if you use your smart phone to communicate and not a laptop when travelling. (One particular student of mine likes the portable option the best. I do think this one gets my vote for usefulness especially for those who travel or students who max out their dorm room outlets & space!)

Disadvantages:

• I found out quickly that I had received DSi cases but we have two DSs which take a different enabler. (Fortunately, I actually won a DSi and will be giving it to my daughter for Christmas. Then, we can use the case!)
• ***I also realized that without an enabling case, you are back to the old plug-in system which is okay but then you only have one powering cube.
• The enabling cases that allow you to quickly drop your device onto a mat without plugging in (thus the word "wireless" in the description) would have to replace any current casing you use which may not sit too well with device owners that love their variety of colors.
• I also found that while the ITouch case worked perfectly for my student who had a more recently released ITouch, it did not slide easily onto my first generation one. Amazing what a hair breadth of difference makes.
• And, this system is a bit pricey for a way to get more organized.

Recommendations:

I would use this device over common charging stations that I see on the market, like the ones with little pockets or shelves that could look cluttered with wires hanging out the back. This product is cleaner and more compact.

I would probably buy 2 more power cubes to maximize the space on the mat. The power cubes allow me to plug in devices without searching for cases to the things I really want to charge which may or may not be available. 

This mat is most useful if you have a lot of devices to charge and limited space. I like the portable mat the best for regular travellers and college students.

Hooray, Genuardi's is lowering it's prices!

 
Grocery stores are feeling the competition everywhere and Genuardi's/Safeway is responding to the need to meet competitor's prices by working to stay competitive in more ways than one.

My trip to Genuardi's actually started at the YMCA where I was working out. One of the bulletin boards held healthy recipes and I saw an interesting, timely one for pumpkin lime soup. Since it was the week of Halloween, I knew I would have no problem finding a pumpkin but I wasn't sure about cooking versus carving pumpkins.

I headed to Genuardi's because, for total honestly and disclosure's sake, Genuardi's did send me gift certificates to shop in their store and to learn about their new pricing. They also allowed me to give away several gift certificates. I was quite happy to oblige because there is a Genuardi's grocery store on my way to my girls' school and I have always enjoyed the friendly atmosphere but felt the prices were higher than other local options.

Pricing aside, I was amazed at the level of customer service. What I found was that any question I had, if the person didn't know it, they went and found the answer. First, this related to the pumpkin. The produce guy wasn't sure if I could use the carving pumpkins to make soup and he went in search of a woman he knew who made pies. She said it was fine so I proceeded to buy all my ingredients for the soup. I even found 3 big fat leeks that I needed. While I was in the store, I asked where the prices had changed. One clerk said it was primarily in the processed foods in the center aisles that they had noticed a difference.

Another trip to Genuardi's found me looking for a ham hock for black bean soup. Can you tell I have been on a soup kick? A visiting butcher told me that he didn't think they stocked them but to use a smoked pork butt. On a later visit for another round of black bean soup ingredients, the store manager confirmed that they didn't stock them but that he agreed with using the smoked pork- which turned out pretty good, by the way. He also told me that he goes weekly to other competitors to make sure they are keeping their prices the same or lower. He monitors their activities to make sure this Genuardi's is giving just as good a deal as others even if the pricing does come from corporate. I am sure his feedback is valuable to their decision making.

I especially love how the store clerks always ask if you need help out to the car. I usually say no but it is nice that they ask. One time I did take the guy up on it.

As far as prices, I was not as thorough as the store manager and I didn't go down my list and walk through the local ACME or Giant or Redners to compare. From shopping for many, many years, I would say that I was happy with the prices I saw. Better yet, I liked the quality of the store brand options where some of the best deals could be found. I also liked the half-off meat section too when meat that needs to sell quickly gets marked down. I made out on some beef tips and several packages of chicken cutlets the other day on that deal.

No, Genuardi's is not the brand spanking new Wegman's with a bar and restaurant inside but it does boast enough regular and unique items that it's proximity will keep me coming back.

Product Review: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Diamond Edition

Hi . . .. Hoooooo! It's off to my basement I go! The other night my girls and I watched the new Blu-ray edition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on our TV in the basement.

Hello scary green eyes! The picture was so clear you felt the wicked queen's eyes boring into you. I quickly noticed the Disney View art created by Toby Bluth on either side of the picture drawn specially to help you enjoy the whole picture in HD dimensions. Castle scenes had curtains followed by scenes with trees that matched the background in the movie as it changed.

The Blu-ray bonus features include Tony Bluth telling how the movie inspired him to create the custom background scenery. You also get the Magic Mirror to guide the audience through the Diamond Edition with ease, an audio commentary with Walt Disney as hosted by John Canemaker and a sneak peek at the new Disney film "The Princess and the Frog."

Extra features on the Diamond Edition include newly discovered story boards for a new Snow White featurette that was never made, a backstage Disney view of Hyperion Studios, a featurette about how Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs forever changed the world of movies and the world at large and an interactive program called "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall." Interactive games include "What Do You See?" and "Jewel Jumble" along with music videos and karaoke. And, there's more!

Suffice it to say, this Disney pack is stock full of goodies! (and I would add. .  . "that the WHOLE family can enjoy" but that might sound a little too much like a commercial and I am trying to do a review here, thank you very much.)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs made history in 1937 as the first full-length animated feature and is making history again as the premiere entry in Disney's new Diamond Collection. It is amazing to see what the new Blu-ray technology can offer with more room on the disc and clearer pictures with the new HD TVs. {I love technology.}

Just so ya know:

A Blu-ray Disc (also known as Blu-ray or BD) is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the standard DVD format. Its main uses are for storing high-definition video, PlayStation 3 games, and other data, with up to 25 GB per single layered, and 50 GB per dual layered disc. The disc has the same physical dimensions as standard DVDs and CDs.

BUT, more important, the movie is such a classic. It is fun to see it spruced up after all these years . . . just when you think it can't get any better. I will say that seeing it in High Def with surround sound made me realize something -- I can relate to an older woman feeling her age and being jealous of all the young, smoothed skin beauties that surround us middle age moms. I certainly have no plans to send anyone packing in the woods but turning 41 this year is certainly doing a number on my psyche and my waistline! But you didn't ask for THAT personal reflection in the middle of a Disney review, did ya? But honestly, look at that woman. She is one angry lady after all those years of trying to look the best in the entire land - year after year. . .

Okay, dwarfs (talking to myself again - its an age thing), back to the mining the facts: The Diamond Edition Combo pack of Blu-ray and DVD retails for $39.99 SRP and the 2-disc DVD set is priced at $29.99 SRP. It is available NOW in stores.

And as always, I am grateful to both One2One Network and Disney for sending me a free copy to review! Oh, I just found the most comprehensive dissection of this DVD set EVER! Go enjoy!

Disney on Ice through the Eyes of Pre-Teens

 
Last night the girls and I went down to opening night of Philly's Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 Years of Magic at the Wachovia Center, thanks to Moms Central and the Feld Family Activator Program.

As always, Disney knows how to put on an amazing show. No holds barred, lots of cool special effects, amazing skaters doing cool routines in costumes and fantastic fireworks at the end. We had some awesome seats too!

The show was a compilation of all the Disney story lines (except Sleeping Beauty which my daughter could not stop bringing up - I don't know why. She's at the age that noticing what is missing must be cool instead of being grateful for the representation of every other storyline that existed.) I will say that as with any compilation, you don't get the strength of any one storyline - only the highlights.

BUT, you really did feel like you got a sneak peek into what going to Disney offers since Cinderella's castle was the backdrop and the evening ended with fireworks shooting off the top.

Only, they forgot to add the monorail to get us back to our cars and out of the parking lot. I only honked once at a man who pulled right into my lane. You feel a little guilty since small children are in cars all around you but he was truly putting us ALL at danger so I justified getting all my driving angst out on him with a good resounding horn blowing.

The GREAT part about going with pre-teens (age 11 & 12) is that 1) they already have light up toys gathering dust at home so they are totally cool when you say NO; 2) they love to analyze the sets (like "did you see that Mulan was the only one to change costume in the middle of the ice when someone helped her turn around her coat"); 3) they can go to the bathroom by themselves and call you on your cell phone from the lobby; and 4) they don't melt down on the way home (instead they want to blast their Taylor Swift music which I have to admit I truly enjoy too).

The SAD (for me) part is that they DON'T want to get their pictures with the characters any more. We were so close to the ice and several performers were milling around near the edge. Lots of parents and kids headed down for a quick snap. I tried one lame, "Want you picture made with the characters?" only to be greeted with the typical pre-teen, "Yeah, right, Mom. Uh, no."

THE BEST part about going with a group like the Feld Family Activator Program is that you get to see fellow bloggers which is always a treat. I didn't get to talk to anyone except Mel from A Box of Chocolates who I sat beside but we had fun talking as always! Her daughter was so cute to watch as she took it all in with awe and wonder. I miss that age but I love this age too with my girls. New wonders all the time.

I have to add ONE thing. Disney, can't you come up with better wigs for those guys? Oh my. I know, I know, they have to be sturdy to fly around the ice and stay on but they really did look like fuzzy rugs on their head. Okay, now that is out of my system.

THANK YOU, Mom Central and the Feld Family Activator Program for send us to Disney on Ice!!

Clothing Review: Mad Style by True Jackson

 

You need tweens, I have tweens for you. I have two tweens to be precise and if you aren't sure what tween is, it is that age BE-Tween under-age-10 child and teenager (like about 9-14). They are little people trying to grow up too fast and still be children. My youngest switches from sneaking into my makeup one day to building forts with her friend and playing with Little Pet Shop animals the next. I can't keep up.

So, when I heard that Nickelodeon/Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) announced the launch of "Mad Style by True Jackson," a new apparel and accessories line inspired by Nickelodeon's hit live-action series, True Jackson, VP, starring Keke Palmer, I said, "SURE, we'll review clothing items" because YES, I have daughters in that age bracket who do watch that show, which they enjoy because it is clever, funny and deals with the fashion questions my daughters are just starting to ask.

The two items we were sent (t-shirt pictured above and jacket below) were comfortable, modest and fashionable. BIG SUCCESS in my book!
Here's a little more I learned about them from their press release:

Drawing inspiration from the series, the "Mad Style by True Jackson" apparel line incorporates elements that make each piece unique and customizable at everyday low prices. The line features: long sleeved henley t-shirts; layerable knit tees featuring graphics with positive messages like 'be true to you'; fashion leggings with novelty buttons; jumper dresses with removable straps; tunic dresses with pre-scrunched sleeves; Mary Jane shoes; ballet flats; and sneakers.

Additionally, a microsite -- http://www.nick.com/madstylefashions/ -- has been developed exclusively for consumers and will be the digital headquarters for the new line. Kids can log on to view images of the line, get weekly style tips, play dress-up games, and more.

One of the hottest and fastest-growing shows for kids, True Jackson, VP is one of the top two rated programs on Saturday nights on all of broadcast and basic cable television with kids 2-11, kids 6-11 and tweens 9-14 -- behind only Nickelodeon's iCarly -- and averages 7 million total viewers each week. (Source: NMR, Live + 7 Day from 12/29/09; Live + Same Day from 7/13/09-7/26/09). True Jackson, VP follows True's adventures as she balances work life and social life in and around the Mad Style offices with her best friends Lulu (Ashley Argota) and Ryan (Matt Shively). True navigates her very first job, battles real-world obstacles like competitive co-workers and corporate politics and builds new friendships and romantic interests -- as well as her niche as a style maven.

As I was saying, my daughters enjoy the show and it was fun to have a little taste of True arrive on our front door step! Thank you, Bender/Helper Impact, Nickelodeon and Viacom Consumer Products!!

Product Review: Nokia E71x

And so, here is the fancy little device sent to me about three weeks ago to review. I was excited because I have never owned a phone on which I can check e-mail and do all the other stuff my friends are doing on their beloved "crackberries" nicknamed for the addiction these divine examples of modern technology afford us.

I do have to send it back this week which is good and bad. Good because I caught myself trying to check e-mail and twitter while DRIVING which one way to become part of the national statistic for car accidents resulting from device distractions. Bad because I was getting used to checking my e-mail when I was out and about. Because this was a trial and I only had a beat-up Razor before this, I didn't buy the full internet access package which I think might have been responsible for the e-mail download quirks I wasn't able to resolve in the time I had it.

As far as features go, I was happy with the QWERTY keyboard, quality of pictures and slim size of the phone. I loved that it could hold a memory card even though I only used the memory on the phone, again since I was only using it for a short time.

I do agree with another review that the back was easy to mark up with fingerprints. I did try to keep the phone in the best shape for returning but it was a tad slippery which made handling it a little difficult. I liked the size however since it fit easily in my hand and I didn't feel like I was talking into a satellite phone like I do with some of the older Blackberries.

In the time I had it, I could not find an easy application for Twitter which I use a lot. Typically I would just go to the website from the internet access. I did see a link to Facebook on the MediaNet Home page. I probably could have added Twitter there too if I wanted to.

On the phone, I also saw the FREE 30-day GPS navigation trial but I didn't want to sign up since I would have to cancel it later. That would be nice in the longrun if I do get a phone like this in the future. I am not going to run out tomorrow and buy one simply because I am not sure I need to check my e-mail so bad that I need it on my body. There was also an option for music which I did not use and probably wouldn't since I have an I-Pod Touch. It meets my needs for music or audiobooks without a phone call interrupting.

Overall, I loved having it mainly to "twitter" since while using it I was at several blogging events which made it fun to share input to the world live from the event. Again, it was not necessary to my livelihood and therefore I can not justify the purchase at this time. If I were to make this phone, I would definitely suggest an option with a holder or more rugged exterior. Phones are too easy to drop especially when there is so much to carry with kids, etc.

Thank you WOM World/Nokia for letting me try this out! See pictures and a video review below.

 

The video above was still processing when I uploaded it so I will be checking back to make sure it is working in the AM. Right now I think it actually is pulling up another review from YouTube for the Nokia E71x but it is a good review so watch it too if you like!