I received, to review, the first three books of the Green Stone Healing series from the author, C L Talmadge. I have admitted to her and to others that I do not generally read fantasy or sci-fi. I am a non-fiction, self-help, Christian romance type reader. So one might ask why I decided to even accept the books to review. Well, I honestly must say that I wondered too when I first started! I struggled through the first few chapters. I put the book down over and over again. I would say to my husband, "I don't know why I said I would read these." But I was committed to giving the books an honest review.

About The Vision, a bits and pieces summary from the author's press package:

Lt. Helen Andros is an illegitimate, presumed orphaned physician with a gift for healing. She always wears about her neck a green gemstone from her mother with hidden potentials that Helen does not yet know about, although she frequently touches the stone for reassurance and comfort. Helen is also a despised half-breed: unusually tall, black-haired like the dominant Toltecs, the race of her unknown father, pale-skinned and blue-eyed like the conquered and oppressed Turanians, her mother’s people.

.......

While Helen manages to save Prince Harnak’s life, the Lord Protector, angered by her insolence, reviews her service record. At first he is appalled to find out how many times Lieutenant Andros has been put on report and is determined to discipline her for unsatisfactory performance as an officer. When he sees an image of Helen wearing the green stone, Lord James is shocked, and immediately suspects that she is his daughter. He gave that very same stone and necklace more than thirty years ago to his secret love: a Turanian woman named Miriam Andros.

.......

Lord James’ tough decision to acknowledge a daughter he never knew he had touches off a political firestorm between warring factions striving for power and dominance during the mental incapacity of the Exalted Lord, Kefren Poseidon. It also leaves Lord James extremely vulnerable to his political enemies, who include the heir to the Kingship, Prince Seti Poseidon, and the prince’s primary supporter, Ezekiel Malachi, Supreme Lord of the Temple of Kronos.

.......

Nor is Helen happy. She and her father both have been profoundly wounded by her mother’s secretive behavior. Not even wise counsel from Judith Altair, best friend of Helen’s mother and a much sought-after advisor to the powerful, can keep the two from clashing out of pain and fear instead of coming together in love and friendship.

And that's not even the half of it; there are so many neat and intricate details to sort through and that intrigue the reader.  I am really enjoying the process and seeing the pieces fall into place while others lay the groundwork for the next "puzzle".  I could say it this way - the foreshadowing is very very well done!

What were my issues with the book and series?  Well, the genre was a huge hurtle but there were other things.  A new language was thrown in from time to time.  The characters were numerous and have titles I'm not used to reading or talking about.  Our apparent differences in religion and beliefs (reincarnation vs. Christianity) caused me some concern as well.  Lastly, each character could be referred to by any number of names - their job title, their given names, or other titles of royalty and such.  I just can't keep them all straight even at the end of the first book, I don't know who belongs to which title or titles.

What do I love about the book and series?  I love that the new language that I had trouble figuring out at first is easy once you get into the mind-set.  For example, the characters have a drink called caf.  Well, that's coffee.  They have this thing called a link; to me that's a form of the internet or a network of computers.  There are other words that aren't as easy to follow, but I think I'm getting there. I love the parallels I see between my world and the world of Helen Andros.

I love the detailed descriptions of both the people and the landscapes.  I don't know about you but the idea of royalty - princes and princesses, lords and ladies, and their servants - has always intrigued me!  The author tells of and explains rituals in such a way that I can see each step and bend and nod and bow.  I wanted to be a princess when I grew up; I wanted to do and see those rituals when I grew up.

I went exploring the Green Stone of Healing website and found a wealth of information that will help with reading the other two books.  I found family trees including titles and who belongs to what and whom!  I love the family trees.  Here's a link to the Andros Family Tree.  There is also some pre-information given about some of the characters; I found that here and here.

I don't know what it was or when even (sometime after chapter seven of The Vision which is the first book) that got me hooked but now I have trouble putting it down.  The other titles in the series so far are: Fallout, The Scorpions Strike, and Outcast (due out October 1, 2009).  Look for reviews of Fallout and The Scorpions Strike here on Simply Sensational Divas Review in the future.

An excellent work of fiction!  I think I may have found a new genre to add to my joy of reading.  Thank you, C. L. Talmadge for the opportunity to review this wonderful book!

   

Surf Sweets candies are made from organic and natural ingredients without artificial colors or flavors. Our naturally sweet, organic gummy candies and jelly beans are drenched in fresh fruit flavors. Each sweet treat will send you back to the beach.  

 Quick Facts About Surf Sweet Candy:

 

   

 

 

 

   

 Clicking on the front door of any home takes you inside to visit and each home has its own games and activities.  There are also things to do and look for while cruising along! 

 

 

 

“We wanted to take our Wiggles Fan Club to another level. We just needed to make sure we were going to be able to provide children with an environment that was exciting, fun, educational and safe. WiggleTime.com certainly has all of the right ingredients to provide children with a fantastic Wiggles experience” - Anthony Field (BlueWiggle).  

 

  Staying true to The Wiggles philosophy of “education through entertainment”, WiggleTime.com acts as an early childhood developmental tool for both toddlers and their parents. Each game played on WiggleTime.com contains cognitive, physical and social elements to help benefit the pre-schooler. It also doubles as an educational resource center for parents to monitor their child’s development and be kept up to date with the most recent parenting news.  

 

 

    WiggleTime.com offers an interactive environment enabling preschool children to explore, play and learn with the use of familiar Wiggles themes, destinations and characters. Enjoying Wiggle Time is as simple as jumping into the Big Red Car, buckling your seat belt, and toot-toot chugga chugging down the road to visit some of your favorite Wiggle destinations including Wigglehouse, Dorothy’s House, Wag’s Kennel, Captain Feathersword’s SS Feathersword, or Henry’s Underwater World.

 

 

  The majority of the games found on WiggleTime.com have been designed to be played in stages that progressively get more challenging as the child learns. Each time they complete a game they are rewarded with virtual toys that they not only get to keep but play with as well! In addition to games and activities, WiggleTime.com will also offer preschoolers with a series of video clips on a month-to-month basis.     

 The WiggleTime Interactive Online Play Space For Preschoolers is $5.95 for one month (one pymt), get a 6 month subscription for $5.35/month (pay monthly), or $60/year which includes a bonus 3 months (15 total months = $4/month).  There are also a couple of additional packages available to help support UNICEF and get some bonus goodies in the play space: $41.10 for 6 months and $78/year.

 

The trial membership for this review was provided by WIggleTime.com.

 

 

Christi: I found the gummy bear’s package this morning, and no one owns up to eating them! I'd rather that they sneak these than real candy.

LaDonna: yummy!

Christi: But I didn't get to try them! (the gummy bears that is) These only had 70% of vitamin C daily recommendations, but you know some of them had 100% and some had 100% Calcium too.

LaDonna: If I hadn't of been right here when the package arrived I wouldn't have gotten any.

Christi: I had at least some of all of the others.

LaDonna: no corn syrup. I like that too.

Sweets: and of course organic! So the kids loved them?

LaDonna: yep; J too.

Christi: Can you get these locally? I don't think we can, but I'll ask my local health food store to order them, because I'd love to keep these around.

LaDonna: I don't know. I know you can get them at Toys R Us and we have those stores in the cities. Yeah, I could ask the health food store. I'm sure she'd get them in for me.

Sweets: Toys R Us? Really! That's great.

LaDonna: That's a pretty big store.

Christi: We try to avoid that store, but I guess we could go in for good-for-you snacks on our Kidless Weekends

LaDonna: Yeah, I've never been to a Toys R Us, but I would never want to take my children there!

Christi: So which of the TruSweets do you like the most? My favorite was the Sour worms.

LaDonna: Even though the Sour Berry Bears had a different texture I liked them best. It wasn't so different that I didn't get used to it quickly, but different than I first expected.

Christi: I was expecting the same texture as you would get in any candy isle, but these were different, not bad different, but different.

LaDonna: The girls loved the Gummy Worms.

Christi: I was a little disappointed that the sour varieties were not all that sour, but they were still my favorites.

LaDonna: Yes, you are right there. But I'm sure that sour stuff is all synthetic bad for you chemicals.

Christi: I guess you are probably right, but that doesn't make me like it! lol

LaDonna: hee hee What are some of the other samples we were sent?

Christi: rofl! I don't remember. There was the gummy bears, and the worms, and some kinda swirl one...We ate them so fast I couldn't keep up!

LaDonna: Well, some of the others listed on the information sheet include: Gummy Worms, Gummy Swirls, Gummy Bears. Fruity Bears and Jelly Beans.

Christi: I didn't get jelly beans

LaDonna: We didn't get the jelly beans, I don't think. Sour Worms, Sour Berry Bears and Snack Packs. Organic, organic, organic. I think it's something we can trust - they taste good. They look good. The kids love 'em!!

Christi: yep! and I LOVE THEM!

LaDonna: And so do the moms and the dads!

A Big thanks goes out to TruSweets for allowing us to review your products! The Diva's love them and are gladly giving away a package on SSDR. So hurry and sign up!

Christi: LaDonna, have you used your Fuji EnviroMAX batteries?
LaDonna: Yep, in lots of things like flashlights, remotes, and W's camera.
Christi: Well I forgot to charge my batteries before we left for Tuscaloosa, and forgot the charger. So I took some of Scott’s batteries and put them in my camera. They lasted for 2 pictures before dying! I was upset! I thought it was my camera. So I dug out the EnviroMAX AA's for electronics. I was really impressed. They lasted for about 200 pictures. My reusable batteries that cost a TON last about 300 pictures.
LaDonna: WOW! That's great!
Christi: I know, right!
LaDonna: That's similar to what Tammy said.
Christi: Now Scott's batteries were not Duracell or Energizer, but they were working in everything else. Most of the time I opt for the regular Duracell or Energizer and they last for 150 pictures or something; I normally don't get the ones for electronics.    I haven't priced these batteries, but for my camera, I'd buy them even if they were a little more, especially because they are environmentally friendly.
LaDonna: See I have only bought rechargeable Duracell for my camera.
Christi: I bought Fuji rechargeables that week too, and like them. I wonder if they will do the rechargeable ones in the environmentally friendly ones?  We should check online for that and for a price.

Christi: So what was your experience with them?
LaDonna: We put them in J's Mag-light (it takes C's). It was shining brighter than the store brand batteries.
Christi: Oh I bet with him being a fire fighter, that could be a great advantage!
LaDonna: except he never uses that flash light while fire fighting.
Christi: oh ok
Christi: He may want to now, if it’s that much brighter.
LaDonna: Yeah
Christi: Men sometimes treat their flashlights like their dogs (man's best friend). But I never have one when I need it, or the batteries are dead.
LaDonna: Yeah.

LaDonna: I put them in the remotes and I haven't noticed a difference but it takes a long time for store brand to run out of power in remotes. W has an old 35mm camera that we've put them in. They work great in there.

Christi: With these batteries, I'm not as worried about them being left in flashlights and things long term. cause if they leak, I don't think there's anything in there that will be harmful.
LaDonna: To me, batteries are batteries. I never worried before. But I do like that they are safer. And that they last longer than store brand. http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=fuji+enviromax+batteries The prices are comparable to regular batteries. that's important too.
Christi: Yep, 'cause even though I love the environment and all, I live on a very tight budget.
LaDonna: Yeah, we are living on one income too with 5 kids. I may just change brands of batteries whether I go environmental or not. To me, they are making an effort in that direction.

LaDonna: I can't actually buy them here in Canada. But I can order them online.
Christi: Oh, well that sux. If you do bulk, it should be less expensive too.

Kim: I thought the batteries were pretty good. I don't think anything I've used them in has ran out of juice. I'm sure a lot of people would think they would run out quick due to the fact they are environmentally friendly, but they seem to hold a good charge.

Steph: Nothing I used them in has run out and DH has used them in his xbox and he normally goes thru batteries left n right. I also used them in the flashlight.

Don't forget to enter our giveaway too.

The Colors Are Bright AND FUN!!!

Don't forget to enter our giveaway.

LaDonna: I have used my Mabel’s Labels on dishes, clothes and other things.  I have one picture of W holding a bowl with a label on it.
Christi: cool, send it to me!
LaDonna: Ok.
Christi: Which color combo did you get?
LaDonna: Hmm, purple, pink and blue I think.
Christi: I think what we got was the Princess colors; nope, it’s the Cotton Candy.
LaDonna: It's the Back to School Package that we received.
Christi: I put Kayla's first and last name on them and she picked a kitty for the icon.
LaDonna: Here’s the package we received for review - $39.00 for a pack of 50 Tag-Mates, 40 Skinny-Minis, 16 Shoe Labels, 2 NEW Teeny Tags.  Dishwasher/microwave-safe and UV resistant. Clothing labels are laundry safe.

There Are Lots Of Logos, Too. Great Personalization Options!

LaDonna: I had no icon and put H***** Family on it.
Christi: That's a great idea. We have a mixed family, so I just chose one kid.
LaDonna: I love these labels!  I have put them on toys, which W promptly removed.  I have put them on K's purse.  I put the metal tags on my 2 diaper bags.  I love them.
Christi: I was kind of disappointed by getting the Tag-Mates, because none of my kids’ uniform shirts have labels, but the pants do, and they've worked great for that.
LaDonna: Oh, I didn't put them on the tags, but then I haven't put them on an article of clothing specifically, just K’s purse.  I haven't used the shoe ones either.
Christi: I would have chosen the iron-in ones.  The shoe ones are wonderful. They are staying in much better than I thought.
LaDonna: That's good.
Christi: I liked the skinny minis too. They've stayed on thru dishwashing, and look like I just put them on.
LaDonna: Yeah, that's what I was going to say, Christi.  I expected fading and peeling.  Oh, I put one on my glass 9 by 13 baking pan. Nothing.  Looks brand new.
Steph: I just went thru the school clothes and am putting some on there.
Christi: They are stretchy kinda like, so they don't stay straight when you put them on.
Steph: I’m waiting to use mine on dishes until I get my Tupperware I ordered for the girls’ and DH’s lunches.
LaDonna: These labels look great too.  Not tacky.  Now when I take my dish to church, I know it will come back.
Christi: One actually got stuck to itself on the corner, I used it anyways, and washed it, and it still looks like it’s gonna stay on there.
LaDonna: Sweet.

Very, Very Versatile

LaDonna: I need to put some on my crock pot and its base.
Christi: That's a great idea; I wish they were oven proof.
LaDonna: Going to do that now and take a picture.  They aren't?  Because I baked mine and baked it good.
Christi: lol.  Then maybe it is!
Steph: Ok will put mine on stuff too and take a picture. Be right back.
Christi: Send me the pictures please so I can compile them.

Christi: I used those on glass and plastic, and both stayed wonderfully. I'm quite impressed.
LaDonna: Same here.
Christi: Most of them are smaller than I expected, but I actually enjoyed them.  If they were larger, it would be too much.  And I put the metal tags on her school stuff - one on her backpack one on her pencil pouch.
LaDonna: And you are right about them not being too big; I worried about them being too small too.  But they are perfect.

Just the RIGHT Size!!!

Christi: Did you see that they do household labels too?  I'm thinking of ordering some of those.  I would love to find some glass spice jars to use. I don't care for the plastic ones; they absorb the oils too easily.
LaDonna: Yes.  I am going to get some labels for the girls’ birthdays.  At least that's the plan.  Stuff with their names specifically on them.
Christi: Great idea.

A Wonderful Product for Moms!

LaDonna: Definitely made by moms, at the very least by keeping moms in mind.
Christi: I would order all of these and multiples of some that I've seen on the website and they aren't too expensive.  I do wish that some of them were offered in different colors.  I have a label maker, and these are so much better and cheaper than making my own.
LaDonna: Yes.

Cheaper Than Making Your Own

Steph: Ok I love the Mabel’s Labels; they are so cute.  I kinda wish I hadn’t picked pink as the color since I put N***** Family.
Christi: But you can use them for everyone but your husband's things.
Steph: lol I put them on his big and small food thingies that hold hot stuff; I just put them on the bottom.
Christi: That works. Steph, did you choose an icon?
Steph: A flag.

Christi: Kim, what do you think about the Mabel's Labels?
Kim: LOVED them.  They came just in time for our camping trip and dd6 was with other people.
Christi: Right.  What did you put on them?
Kim: I put them in dd6's jacket, as well in some clothing items.

LaDonna: The other thing I was thinking about the labels is that they are great for each kid.  I'd like to have laundry baskets for each one, things that get mixed up easy.
Christi: I can think of a ton of things to use them on.  If you had a pack for kid, and color coded, it would be so much easier!
LaDonna: Yep.

LaDonna: Shoes are tough for me because they are growing so fast and K and CJ share so much.  Gonna try out the ones for shoes in my shoes right now though.  They are so easy to apply!
Christi: Yeah I agree there, I wonder how hand me downs will be? Can they be removed from clothing and shoes?
Steph: I put it into the girls’ school shoes that have to stay at school; that way they don’t get lost.
Christi: They have to stay at school? Wow!
Kim: A friend of mine has kids who have to keep extra stuff at school.
LaDonna: We always had to have a pair at shoes that never left the school.
Christi: I know Payton came home with one of his shoes once, and one from the same style, color and size, but much older pair.
Steph: I went thru 3 brand new sweaters for S. last year so I also put them on the sweaters and sweatshirts.

Cute Labels for Shoes!

Christi: http://www.mabel.ca/mabel.php?n=bin%20labels%20custom Those would be great for bins and baskets; you can customize them for each person in the house. Or Christmas decorations or whatever.
LaDonna: I love the bin labels too!  I need those for the too small - too big clothes!
Steph: I want the neat freak combo.

Christi: I want it ALL!
Steph: lol me too!!

Christi: I'm thinking I could put one on Scott too, maybe everyone will know he's mine then! ROFL!
LaDonna: lol
Steph: lol

Christi: Kim, how have they held up for you? Washing and stuff?
Kim: It held up great to washing.  Even though we won't be doing public school this year, we do have a couple of activities planned with other people.  I probably will attach labels to snack containers as well as sippy cups.  I also need to put one in my diaper bag.
LaDonna: Cool.
Christi: If you do swimming for the girls, most towels have tags; you could use one on them. I hate to buy a nice towel and then some other kid grabs it.
Steph: That’s a good idea!

So Far, They Don't Come Off!

Christi: Did anyone browse the Kid Safety Products at Mabel’s Labels?
LaDonna: No, I don't think I did.
Christi: They do 2 products.
Steph: Yeah, the wristbands, right?
Christi: My 411 Wristbands and Allergy Alerts. Great ideas! I know this is a Mom company!  If I had a kid with food allergies that would be a must for me.
LaDonna: Yep.
Christi: Ha! They give 10% to Autism Speaks for those! I really like that! I have a few friends with kids that are ADHD and some on the Autism Spectrum. They could really use these with the kids that wander.  Those bands are cute, looks like cute bracelets.

Mabel's Labels Donates to Autism Speaks!!!

Kim: That back to school pack had a ton of labels on it; definitely a good value!
LaDonna: I will be using them for a while to get them all used up.
Christi: Yeah same here; should last more than one school year too.

A Great Value for Your Dollars!!

I was presented with this review a little while back, and said okay I'll review it. It's water, I like water. It tastes like fruit, I like fruit. I knew that it was a package of different flavors, but really I was wondering what all the hype was about. I've seen it in the stores, but normally I just grab a case of water or a water filter for my pitcher. I had been considering one of those water filters with "fruit shots" so I decided to see if that would be worth it by trying Fruit2o.



When the mail lady showed up, she wasn't at my house. The package didn't fit into my obscenely gigantic rural mailbox. It was a big box. So as is the custom here, don't leave the package on the table beside the door, drive to the nearest neighbor (1/4 mile away) and see if they are at home. If they are not home, leave it on the ground by their door.

So I ran by my neighbor's house to drop off the kids, or pick them up or something. I don't really remember. (Hey! This summer has been nothing but GO! GO! Go!) I was told that there was a package waiting on me, so I was thrilled. I love packages! I don't love mail, that usually includes bills, and I don't like those.

I promptly ran back to my van and before I could get home, I'd opened the box. There it was, in all its glory! Fuit2o. My first thought was that the packaging was ingenious! I wish that I had pictures, but somehow they are lost. I took a LOT of pictures of this package, and poof! There was a produce bag, like oranges come in, with two bottles of water. There was a plastic container, like a quart of strawberries would be sold, with two bottles (falling out and crushing, but it was a great idea if not a great shipping idea) inside. Then there was a plastic vegetable bag, like you'd tear off and put an onion inside, with one bottle of water inside and tied/taped closed. There was also a list pad, you know like the ones you write a grocery list. That's a real handy little sucker!

Since I had been in and out, on vacation and on the Go! Go! Go! I decided to take my package with me to Tuscaloosa, AL when I spent the most of 2 weeks in a hotel. I promptly put my bottles in the fridge (after painstakingly taking a ton of pictures that have now gone traveling into space) so that when I wanted something to drink, they were ready to go.

I told Scott about them, and that he could take a bottle or two to work with him. He  was pretty happy about that, and happily grabbed the bottle of Blueberry Pomegranate, he has been drinking that flavor faithfully since its release. I asked if he wanted to take any of the others, and he declined.

So I faithfully opened the Citrus.

Here is the good stuff about Fruit2o

• The nutrients of 2 servings of fruit in every bottle
• 1 gram of fiber
• flavor....um wait a minute

Well I did take a sip of the citrus flavor, spat into the sink (YUCK!) and offered Scott a sip. He thought it tasted like grapefruit and said to never ask him to do that again. My sentiments exactly.

After this experience, it took a few days to get my courage up to try another flavor. I decided on the strawberry kiwi. I thought this was a safe bet, because normally anything of this flavor combo is my pick. This flavor didn't rock the gag reflex, but I only drank about a quarter of the bottle before throwing it out, and that took all day long.

One evening we were going downstairs to visit with some friends, and I grabbed the cherry acai flavor. We were only about 3 doors from the elevator. I opened it, and took a sip. Scott took a sip. We both agreed that it was cough syrup hiding in water. It was promptly closed and thrown into the trash beside the elevator.

I have yet to try the other flavors, and I'm not really sure what happened to them, but mind you I won't be buying these for myself. Scott loves the Blueberry Pomegranate, but rarely picks one up while we are out.

While I prefer plain filtered tap water, I think I'm finished trying to drink watered down fruit juice. But if I did want to kick it up a notch, I'd add my own fruit to my water. It has got to be better than this stuff.



If you like this stuff, and a lot of people do, We are hosting a Fruit2o giveaway where you can choose your flavor. In my house we'd pick the Blueberry Pomegranate of course.

The good things about this review from my end: I got a nice reusable produce bag, a note pad, and learned to spit like a man!

Non-toxic, odorless, water-based, hypo-allergenic? Yeah, right! Okay I will try it. My three girls will put it to the test. When I received this product for review my three girls went WILD! We were gifted a yellow polish and a bottle of polish remover. All three girls LOVED the polish. There was absolutely no offensive odor at all. None, nope, nada. I was very impressed. The polish lasted as long as regular polishes too.

What impressed me the most was the polish remover! No smell at all! It was awesome! And safe to boot. I usually do not remove my little ones polish I let it wear off because of the chemicals and odor of the remover. This product is truly amazing. Non-toxic, odorless, water-based, hypo-allergenic how can it be any better than that? As a cancer survivor I am cautious what products we use, I can feel very confident with this product. From a mom of six to every mom out there...this is definitely worth it.

Piggy Paint has given a gift certificate for us to giveaway as part of our Launch Party. You can try to win it here. And don't forget to rsvp for the Twitter Party where we will announce the winners!

Jesus Heals a Little Girl

Written by Edward and Sarah Bolme

Illustrated by Tim Gillette

Crest Publications

Beautifully illustrated by Tim Gillette, and written by Edward and Sarah Bolme this delightful series of board books specifically for youngsters is perfect for introducing babies and toddler to God’s Word! Baby Bible Board Books are sturdy, colorful, spiritual and the perfect size for little hands. I received this book, Jesus Heals a Little Girl, as a gift for review.

The illustrations are made with bright colors and simple images which easily keep my three year old daughter’s attention. At the end of the short book Exodus 5:26 is quoted: "I am the Lord who heals you." I would recommend this book to anyone with young children. This book has apparently become a permanent fixture in our family vehicle!

I was provided several different sizes of these new green batteries to review. I was extremely impressed of how long they last. I was expecting green batteries not to have much power for some reason. However, I discovered quite the opposite! I have six children at home so batteries are as valuable (no actually more valuable) as gold! Lasting power is extremely important.

The true test of these batteries was my ten year old son, a little $20 digital camera and a trip to the zoo. The camera always sucked down the batteries before the pictures could be downloaded and with this camera, if the batteries die before the download...the pictures are lost forever! Very, very NOT GOOD!

I gave my ten year old the same ole speech.....remember...don’t get upset if the batteries fail... He took pictures all day long, kept the camera on most of the day, downloaded the camera, created a cute little book of pictures of his zoo trip, took yet MORE pictures, downloaded yet even more, and yet the batteries are still good! This was the very first time any batteries have lasted through one downloading, even those very expensive electronic batteries. My son is still using the camera and I am looking forward to more wonderful picture.

These batteries seriously impressed this busy mom of six! And green! Living Green is very important to me. These batteries are mercury, cadmium and PVC free, packaged with 75 % recycled materials, and may be disposed of in most landfills. Fuji–I am sold on your new batteries!

Don't forget to check out our giveaway!

Here are a couple of the photos my ten year old took while we were at the zoo: