Tag: mens gifts

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Organic Grooming Herban Cowboy

As an organic family we have tried to seek out as many organic products in our lifestyle as possible. More so than foods, but also our hygiene products since these are the items in our lives that leave the largest footprint, so why not reduce that. On the look out for holiday stocking stuffers and gifts I found something wonderful for my husband. He is always the hard one to shop for and he was also the most skeptical about organic products.  I found the most wonderful gift for him that he can use daily and is good for his  skin and the environment with recyclable packaging, no alcohols, and no harsh synthetics. A little more about Herban Cowboy which makes me love their product even more, is how they got started and what they stand for:

Starting a personal care company on a few thousand dollars, in a log cabin on a dirt road with no Internet and a questionable phone line, could be classified as crazy. The fact that we were broke wasn’t a plus. After ruining all our hand me down pots and pans developing our first formula, hand filling our first bottles of shave cream and taking our first order to the local rural post office where we were greeted with long stares; we got it running. 

We realize everyday millions of tons of personal care products are used globally which could be made much healthier for humans and the environment. We wanted to create personal care products that are both healthy and have minimal environmental impact. We believe small changes in our everyday routine, like switching a can of aerosol shave cream to a recyclable tube of organic shave cream, can collectively have a long-term dramatic benefit to human health and the environment. 

People think it is fancy now that our products are carried by noted retailers, shipped internationally and mentioned in magazines; but, the reality is we’re just happy that Herban Cowboy products contribute to the growing environmental movement by making it easy for people to ‘go green’.Thanks for being part of our story.

Be a part of their story, choose a new holiday gift for the man in your life. Herban Cowboy is an inexpensive, organic gift your man will enjoy using. I know my husband was thrilled at the results from using Herban Cowboy Shave Cream and After Shave Balm with carrot and cucumber. No itchy feeling, a smooth glide as he said when using the shave cream and he said that the after shave balm wasn’t harsh or drying. He also said it helped him in preventing razor burn, bumps, and possible in grown hairs. As I said, add this to your man’s life and enter to win my giveaway of an Herban Cowboy gift set which includes a full size bottle of Herban Cowboy Shave Cream and a full size bottle of After Shave Balm. Here is how you can enter to win:

  • Visit Herban Cowboy and tell me what product you would love to share with the man in your life.
  • Be sure to Like Herban Cowboy on Facebook and follow them on Twitter
  • Follow my blog
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Like The Fish on Facebook
  • Promote this giveaway on Facebook
  • Tweet this giveaway daily: Add #vegan & #organic to your gift giving win a shave kit for him with @Herban_Cowboy & @KariewithaK https://thefivefish.com/organic-grooming-herban-cowboy
  • Comment on a non-giveaway post
  • Blog about this giveaway (worth 5 entries)

Contest ends November 25th @ Midnight AZ time

As always: No Purchase Necessary, available to US and Canada residents. One entry per household. US postcard entries also acceptable if you do not have access to the above entry options, no limit to postcard entries as long as all are received before the close of the contest, email contests@thefivefish.com for your postcard entry details or to use email as your postcard entrance as these entries will be logged by the administrator of the blog. Winners will be chosen by “And the Winner is” Failure to adhere to the aforementioned rules set forth by this contest will result in forfeiture of your entry with no notice. Facebook does not promote, endorse, nor sponsor this review and giveaway and will be held harmless. As always, good luck and enjoy. My opinions herein are my own and are no way influenced by the receipt of a free product, they are an honest reflection of myself and my review of the integrity of the product.

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Mens and Womens Health Fitness Products

Holiday’s wreak havoc on our diets. Starting with Halloween and moving forward into Thanksgiving and then Christmas we have so little reprieve from the temptations and struggles to maintain our health. We do not have to let the hustle and bustle of the holidays get in the way of our workout routines and our healthy eating habits. But if they do and you cannot get to the gym or in our current economy the gym isn’t a feasible option, workout equipment has evolved where we no longer have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on quality workout equipment.

You can bring the gym home to you with fitness devices that exercise all your muscle groups anywhere, anytime, and any place. Take the equipment with you and it is travel friendly and easy to pack and carry with you.

EB Sport Group is proud to present from Men’s and Women’s Health. Men’s Health offers Triceps Crunch that is customizable to work your triceps, your core, and strengthen your upper body. All you need is a door and your motivation. Ladies don’t fear, this is a great workout to get rid of those “old lady” arms we are so terrified of getting. Women’s Health offers the Quick Adjust Resistance Bands with patented Turn-Key Technology adjusts from zero to five feet in seconds with any resistance, with padded handles for flex and comfort. Each of these amazing workout devices comes with walk through exercise instructions and DVD.

These fabulous products offer the ease of gym right in your own home so you have no excuse not to workout, and these workouts strengthen your entire body without the bulk of weights or the cost of a monthly gym membership. And now you can have the opportunity to win them for use in your home this holiday season and for years to come. Here are the details to win your resistance bands and tri-cep curls:

  • Leave me a comment about what you dislike about gym’s and what you like most about a home gym.
  • Follow my blog
  • Subscribe to my reader (worth 2 entries)
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Tweet this giveaway daily: Better your health this holiday season win a Men’s/Women’s Health Home Gym from @KariewithaK –  https://thefivefish.com/mens-womens-health-fitness-products
  • Like The Fish on Facebook (worth 5 entries, 2 if you are already Like us and still Like us)
  • Promote this giveaway on Facebook (worth 2 entries)
  • Blog about this giveaway
  • Comment on a non-giveaway post (worth 2 entries)

Contest end November 23rd @ Midnight AZ time

As always: No Purchase Necessary, available to US and Canada residents. One entry per household. US postcard entries also acceptable if you do not have access to the above entry options, no limit to postcard entries as long as all are received before the close of the contest, email contests@thefivefish.com for your postcard entry details or to use email as your postcard entrance as these entries will be logged by the administrator of the blog. Winners will be chosen by “And the Winner is” Failure to adhere to the aforementioned rules set forth by this contest will result in forfeiture of your entry with no notice. Facebook does not promote, endorse, nor sponsor this review and giveaway and will be held harmless. As always, good luck and enjoy. My opinions herein are my own and are no way influenced by the receipt of a free product, they are an honest reflection of myself and my review of the integrity of the product.

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Stocking Stuffer Fun with Softlips

Are you stumped for the last minute stocking stuffer ideas well look no further since these ideas cover you literally from head to…bum?

Do you recall your parents protecting you from the elements each year by stuffing Chapstick into your stocking? Okay, so maybe my nurse of a mom was the only woman to give Chapstick and Lifesavers. But boot the Chapstick, really, when you get the fabulous feeling and oh so chic look and feel of Softlips lip conditioner.

Why Softlips? Well why not? The packaging is super friendly and with the duo packs you cannot go wrong. They slip ever so discretely in your stocking, purse, or pocket. Above all Softlips lip conditioner keeps your lips moisturized, soft, conditioned, and has a SPF20 for really fighting the elements. Softlips has a limited edition winter flavor duo pack in the following flavors:

  • Sugar and Spice
  • Vanilla and Mint
  • Sugar Plum Berry
  • Sugar Cookie

The Softlips packs retail for $2.99 to $3.99 for the duo pack and they are available at your local Walgreens and Target stores. Hurry though if you or your family love Softlips as these flavors are only available for a limited time.

If you are on Facebook you can fan Softlips and get all their updates on new flavors, offerings, giveaways, and more! However, since you are reading all about Softlips as a fabulous gift idea on my blog, read on to find out how to enter to win THE SET of Softlips winter flavors!

Now this part of the stocking stuffer I had a ton of fun reviewing while I know a lot of my blog friends and “The Chad” were laughing and skeptical.

In the summers of Arizona we have what you may call “swamp ass” or “swamp crotch” and the feeling is not so fresh or friendly. I mean what else do you do? The wonderful folks of Anti Monkey Butt solve this problem. HANDS DOWN! Seriously, you think I am kidding? I am not afraid to say that I hate the rubbing, sweaty feeling of my inner thighs, or ladies…the sweaty bust? You know what I mean. Laugh it up chuckles! Here is the low down:

Anti Monkey Butt Powder is a new product, invented by motocross riders, designed to treat friction and irritation that can result from excess sweat. Excessive sweat can cause irritation of the buttocks and inner thighs, also known as “monkey butt”. Unlike other powders, Anti Monkey Butt has calamine and talc which gives it a cooling sensation instead of the burning that you might get from other products. Anybody who has used those other powders will know what “the burning” is we are referring to. [RobinLeedyAssoc, 2009]

Lady Anti Monkey Butt is fabulous and really silky smooth. I really was a bit embarrassed to open and try but heck, I am all about trying products, what can they hurt? So I was PLEASANTLY satisfied at the feeling, smell, and sensation of feeling dry. I am a jogger so this was fabulous for me, I truly do not like the icky feeling. The ingredients are ever so simple too, corn starch, calamine, and talc. Sweet! “Butt” hey, Anti Monkey Butt was originally for men and they have the great ladies edition in pink! So while you are still laughing, grab your composure to enter this great giveaway for these fantastic items because ONE winner will receive both Anti Monkey Butt and Lady Anti Monkey Butt.

Here are the deets for these giveaways to stuff your stockings (though these will be a bit late for Christmas, I apologize for the delay in posting):

Mandatory Entry: Let me know which product you want and why? Aside from the information I told you above.

Extra Entries: Follow my blog, enter my other giveaways, follow me on Twitter, tweet this giveaway (daily RT’s available), blog this giveaway with a link back to me (worth 5 entries), Fan The Fish on Facebook, Fan Softlips if you want Softlips, Fan Monkey Butt if you want Monkey Butt

CONTEST ENDS DECEMBER 23RD
@ 11:59PM ARIZONA TIME
*The Five Fish did receive products in conjunction with the post,
however, my opinion was not swayed in any manner
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Spice Up Date Night Eden Fantasy’s Flower Balm

Who says Christmas is just for kids and kids “toys?” Eden Fantasy’s is a great way to share with the one you love by warming up those cold winter nights, afternoons, and everything in between.

Eden Fantasy’s is chock full of wonderful gifts such as vibrators, sex toys, love games, adult toys and even lingerie to get in the “ho, ho, ho” mood of the season. But the giving doesn’t have to end there. Enhance these gifts with wonderful stocking stuffers such as the Flower Balm.

I enjoyed the Flower Balm from Eden Fantasy’s for review because it is mostly vegan, is silky smooth to apply all over as a massage balm and smells heavenly. For the ultimate in pleasure and sensation be sure, or have your partner be sure, to apply to your “flower” for a truly decadent gift of pleasure.

A truly unique and arousing experience upon using the flower balm and this stocking stuffer idea is sure to have you wishing you were a naughty girl all year. The Flower Balm generates a warm, tingling sensation that heightens your arousal and stimulates your “flower” area by increasing blood flow.
The scent is very subtle, refreshing, relaxing and can be enjoyed as just a light body balm with the smell of mandarin and mint.

A perfect stocking stuffer where the packaging is no larger than the size of a jewelry gift box and is tastefully decorated so as not to offend the “virgin” eyes. Stockings may not all you will be stuffing with love this year so be sure to add Eden Fantasy’s to your list of loving gifts for her and for him to share with her.

Want to enjoy Eden Fantasy’s for yourself with your loved one? Here is how you can enter to win a $25 Eden Fantasy’s Gift Card to shop for your love and desire this holiday season:


Mandatory Entry:
Visit Eden Fantasy’s and come tell me what gift you would like to see erect under your tree. (Please leave me your email address too so I may contact you for your winnings. If you have a blogger account, please make your profile public for access to your email address.)

Extra Entries:

  • Follow @EdenFantasys on Twitter for new product updates, great articles, featurettes.
  • Follow my blog
  • Fan The Fish on Facebook
  • Blog this giveaway with a link to The Five Fish
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Tweet this giveaway (daily RT’s allowed) Baby its cold outside but I’m keeping hot with this giveaway from @EdenFantasys and @KariewithaK http://tiny.cc/7ciUB
CONTEST ENDS DECEMBER 13TH
@ 11:59PM ARIZONA TIME
Best of luck!
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Cookup Rice Easily Cuisinart Rice Plus Multi-Cooker

If anyone is the chef of the kingdom in your home this appliance is a winner. I am not a huge fan of “rice” unless of course as a small side with Sashimi. Yes…mmmm….the savory, slippery, luscious taste of sashimi, true raw fish. Not a California Roll, TRUE sushi. I think I was Japanese in another life. Moving on, the Cuisinart however is more than your standard rice cooker. As the name clearly suggests the Cuisinart is a “multi-cooker” which means you can make much more than rice in this fabulous appliance.

While I too am not a fan of crock-pot or slow cooker meals I do have my lazy moments that would make Martha Stewart shudder, for that, I am so sorry Martha. But I do not like to dirty a million pans, my pans are vey nice and I would much rather use them as art than to cook in. So the Cuisinart helps me to cut down on dishes by offering a cook function similar to that of a stove top fry pan.

I was making chili the other night and knew I had to use the Cuisinart Rice Plus Multi-Cooker with Fuzzy Logic Technology. I read a chili recipe in the recipe book that was included with the multi-cooker and the recipe was very similar to mine. A few variations but much similar to mine. So I followed the cooking instructions for the multi-cooker as to not damage the appliance nor ruin my creation.

The function that allows for cooking similar to the cooktop is Quick Cook option and I was able to brown my turkey meat and then I removed the meat and was able to saute my onions with my spices for a truly decadent taste. From there the cooker automatically shuts off based on the Quick Cook option, and I set the option for the slow cook meal of a few hours (you can adjust the time based on volume, etc) and I added my meat and wet ingredients to the cooker, shut the lid and VOILA. The cooker actually did cook my food perfectly, not too hot, not burned and not that burning ring you often see on your ceramic slow cooker, suggesting that maybe the meal got a bit too hot.

In addition to meals like chili, you can make oatmeal, risotto, different variations of rice such as sushi rice, brown rice, you can steam vegetables for wraps, dinners, and even reheat meals that were not prepared in a slow cooker. I even used my Cuisinart Rice Plus Multi-Cooker to make a fabulous Rigatoni pasta dish. (The Cuisinart Rice Plus Multi-Cooker with Fuzzy Logic Technology also has a 3-year limited warranty.)

In all honesty I was completely skeptical. I wondered about the accuracy of the cook, the ability to handle the amount of food I so desired to cook, the cleaning, the ease of use, the electronics, and the name is “rice cooker” I was skeptical that all this appliance could do WAS. COOK. RICE. I was very pleased to find that is does not just do rice alone. So if you are shopping for someone who wants a rice cooker or a crock pot type gift, this appliance is a good all around gift to cover all of those bases.

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Travel in Style High Sierra Sport Company

*Five Fish always blog ethically and with transparency. Click HERE!  

high sierra, luggage, karie herringNow for the third and final installment of our High Sierra Sport Company Trifecta!

I saw in the previous entries how LOTS and I do mean A LOT of you wonderful folks still love duffel bags. Honestly I was quite surprised. I even found that the hubs loves duffels for the ease of use when hurrying through airports or even for overnight trips where he drives. Duffels are those great bags you toss and run with no matter your location.

Plus a duffel is a great carry-on that if you are traveling for pleasure and you do not need to keep your clothes pressed this is fabulous for those quick trips. Just toss all your clothes in and go!

I present to you the AT-GO 22″ Sport Travel Duffel. The AT509 has these fabulous specifications:

FEATURES:

  • Side-load end compartment holds wet items, shoes or accessories
  • Molded feet protect bottom from abrasion
  • Strap on back panel allows bag to slip over the extended handle of a wheeled bag.
  • Large main compartment with U-shaped zippered opening for easy access.
  • Special built-in, high-density foam structure helps maintain the bag’s shape while minimizing weight.
  • SRP $150 ARV $69.99
  • [Source: HSSC, 2009]

The features The Five Fish enjoy? The amount of packing space in this bag. Truly this duffel packs a punch with all the space, the extra compartments and ease of use. I like to know that I have this bag when in a hurry to pack the hubs for a quick trip or for a quick myself with the kids. Imagine running through the airport, quick and easy with a duffel over your shoulder for sure. Again, what else can you expect from a company that sponsors and supplies the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Team!

Now you can run through airports with this duffel or better, maybe you will be packpacking through Europe with this wonderful piece, so here are your entry details:

MANDATORY ENTRY: What is that one thing you forget to pack that drives you bat crazy! (This is fun folks…be sure to leave your email address or make your blogger profile public)

EXTRA ENTRIES:

  • Fan High Sierra on Facebook….you get to enter weekly with them to enter to win luggage! Yes, weekly!
  • Follow my blog or tell me you do
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Tweet this giveaway….and this one is all yours have fun with it! Just be sure to mention @KariewithaK and @HighSierraSport
  • Fan The Fish on Facebook
  • Enter any of my other giveaways
  • Grab my holiday button and add to your blog/site
Now go on!
Enter!
Your last chance at the High Sierra Trifecta here on The Five Fish
Don’t forget to DOWNLOAD your
Copy of the catalog HERE and all the fabulous participants, savings, and giveaways!
CONTEST ENDS NOVEMBER 27TH 
@ MIDNIGHT ARIZONA TIME (PST)
Best of luck!
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Organize Your Christmas Gifts from Rubbermaid

People treat Christmas like this is the only time of year to get someone something completely mind blowing. I mean, is December the only time to get the ones you love totally mind blowing gifts and the rest of the year is a buzz kill? Not in my house. No one likes my lists….I am practical, realistic, affordable, year round too! I like gifts that I can use everyday, that are appreciative, functional.

This year I thought to myself….Karie…what do you need or want? Well I wanted a vacation…but what I really need is organization! I scoured my kitchen, my house, my garage. Disarray! With three kids, twins no less, a dog, and a husband that works full time, blessed be that my house is traffic worthy and that it truly is as perfect as it is all the time. However, I have hidden secrets. Such as my Tupperware. Yes, my dark secret is my Tupperware cabinet fails me. FAIL I tell you.

I sought for the perfect Tupperware answer and Rubbermaid answered my call, the folks at Rubbermaid were so gracious to send me some to review for the gift guide.

Rubbermaid you ask? Like those Roughneck Totes? Yes. Imagine, roughneck totes for your kitchen. Functional storage with the quality of Rubbermaid brand and functionality. But here is the best part in my opinion. Rubbermaid offers 17 different kitchen products (well…more, but specifically these are for the kitchen). What is even better is their new food storage line of products has these great lids.

Lids? You ask. Yes, lids. Do you not hate when your lids are everywhere. A cluster mess of hide and seek for the right lid. Well Rubbermaid has these fabulous and I truly mean fabulous, ingenious snap and click lids.

So I reviewed the 20-piece food storage mixed set and I tell you what….I was ecstatic. I emailed Rubbermaid the day I got them and was bubbling over with the ease of use with the lids. How everything nested together. And…then put away so nicely. I washed them immediately and I absolutely had to try them because that day happened to be farm day for my CSA pick-up and I had produce that needed to be stored properly. I got to chopping and put the Rubbermaid food storage containers to the test, especially the produce savers. Here is what fresh, organic farm tomatoes look like in the Rubbermaid Produce Savers food storage.

Look at those tomato juices nesting at the bottom. This is what you tomatoes will normally sit in and that may make them more mushy once they have been chopped and diced, leaving them undesirable and you end up tossing them, thus wasting money. Well I hate to throw away money. So the produce savers are fabulous for those produce items that happen to be juicy or may turn juicy over time. You see the little green tray at the bottom? Well that keeps your produce fresh and out of the juice with the slots and raised platform, not to mention the venting holes at the top to help release the gasses the build up as produce is stored. But here is what Rubbermaid suggests for your produce storage, which is that you “do not cut the produce before storing” [Rubbermaid, 2009], read more here.

But the produce savers are not the only products The Five Fish tested and the Lock-Its with the secure tab, the Premier, and the Easy Find lids. All with the click lids for easy storage and access.

Rubbermaid is not just store for your stuff and food, but they also have Closet and Laundry storage and organization, Garage organization, any space you can think of and the products to make life more functional and easy! Who can tell me they would turn down functional?

Do you have a chef at home, wife, mother, sister, brother, maybe a college student who could use these. All around Rubbermaid is a great gift idea for anyone who could use storage. You want some you say? Well here is your chance to win a 20pc Food Storage Mixed Set with The Five Fish:

MANDATORY ENTRY: Tell me your pet peeve with Tupperware or storage in general. (Be sure to leave your email address or make your blogger profile public so your email address is available.)

EXTRA ENTRIES:

  • Fan Rubbermaid on Facebook
  • Follow my blog, tell me you do
  • Follow me on Twitter and tweet this giveaway (once daily is allowed!)
  • Fan The Fish on Facebook
  • Grab my holiday button
  • Grab my regular button
  • Blog about this giveaway, with a link to me and Rubbermaid.
  • Enter one of my other giveaways
 Don’t forget to DOWNLOAD your Copy of the catalog HERE
and all the fabulous participants, savings, and giveaways!
CONTEST ENDS NOVEMBER  24TH @ 
MIDNIGHT ARIZONA TIME (PST)
Best of luck!
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High Sierra Luggage

I am thoroughly enjoying all the entries for the AT505 because you really can get into the mind of the traveler when it comes to luggage. So let me present to you “Elevate” EL102 28-inch Wheeled Upright. Seems as though wheeled bags make for easier traveling. As a mother of twins anything on wheels makes life easier, so believe me….I feel your pain!

Aforementioned is the fact my husband travels. A lot. Although his traveling has slowed coming into the fourth quarter of this year, he did spend the greater part of the year hustling through security, baggage claims, and various airports and shuttles. His biggest complaint was having a bag that was sturdy, lightweight, and rugged. Based on the comments for the AT505 giveaway everyone wanted a great bag, either to be checked, carried on, and flat out could handle all the wear and tear that happens with traveling. Glad to know that birds of a traveling feather flock together when it comes to luggage.

FEATURES:

  • Custom molded-corner guards. Will protect your luggage when those baggage workers hoof your luggage all over the place. Helps prevent tears and wear.
  • 2″ accordion expansion for extra storage. You want room….they bring it! For those trips where you pack enough but bring home more.
  • Zip, hide-away telescoping aircraft aluminum handle system with locking mechanism.
  • Tow strap for attaching an extra bag
  • Upper front pocket holds airline tickets or travel necessities. Lower front pocket holds magazines and small travel gear.
  • High density foam structure helps to maintain the bag’s shape while minimizing weight.
  • SRP $300, ARV $149.99
  • [Source: HSSC, 2009]

The features The Five Fish like? The top handle that is normally leather and wears away is the lightweight durable fabric and padded for comfort for travelers such as you and I. The inline skate wheels make the “Elevate” EL102 fabulous to maneuver on any surface. What else we like about the bag is that the weight is fabulous. Not too light where it could break and be damaged and not too heavy where you feel like you are lugging around a safe. The total weight….EIGHT and one half pounds! [Source: HSSC] LIGHT! I delivered a baby for that poundage! My daughter who weighs 22 pounds sopping wet can wheel this puppy around so just imagine how easy it is for an adult. Plus again the Elevate has the fabulous fabric to stand up to all the wear and tear the Grid-Weave Duralite,® Mini-Weave Duralite® and Duraweave®[Source: HSSC, 2009] provide extra durability. I mean if these folks are sponsors for the U.S. Ski and Snowboarding team, this luggage has to stand up to some SERIOUS travel conditions.

But hey…don’t take my word for it. See for yourself and enter to win this fabulous piece of luggage! Here are your deets and please…play fair and follow these simple rules:

MANDATORY (SINGLE) ENTRY: Tell me where in the world you would love to travel and why? Like Italy or Switzerland for the skiing, Australia to hike the outback, Asia to take the Oriental Express into Russia. Tell me where and why. (Be sure to leave an email address or make your blogger profile public, I would hate to not have you be qualified to enter!)

EXTRA ENTRIES:

  • Follow my blog and tell me you do
  • Follow me on Twitter and tell me you do
  • Tweet this giveaway daily! “@KariewithaK is sending me packing with @HighSierraSport http://tinyurl.com/yj6qzex “
  • Follow @HighSierraSport on Twitter for all the great savings and they have deets for weekly sweeps for luggage
  • Fan High Sierra on Facebook to increase your odds of winning luggage too! Weekly drawings!
  • Enter any of the other ongoing giveaways for extra entries
  • Blog about this giveaway and tell me you did with a link back to me and High Sierra Sport
  • Grab my Holiday Button and add it to your site/blog
Don’t forget to DOWNLOAD your Copy of the catalog HERE and all the fabulous participants, savings, and giveaways!
 CONTEST ENDS NOVEMBER 20TH 
@ MIDNIGHT ARIZONA TIME (PST)
*Five Fish always blog ethically and with transparency.
 
Best of luck!
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Boost Computer Performance with System Mechanic

systemmechanic.com, Iolo Technologies
*Five Fish always blog ethically and with transparency. Click HERE!

Do you have a PC or IT geek in your life? Mine is my husband. Complete. Geek. He starts to talk PC or anything beyond simple OS (operating system) and something unrelated to HTML, blogging, finance, etc….he might as well be speaking a dead or foreign language.

I could not have been happier when I got his feedback for gift ideas and I was provided a copy of iolo technologies System Mechanic to install on our computers for review. I was happy to not know what it was until the geek told me. Seriously. Had no idea what this program does. Okay, supposedly it cleans off mumbo jumbo. I can do that. Highlight. Delete. Empty Recycle.

Not so much!
Geek Said: This program is great for boosting all your performance on your computer. Rather than freezing up the entire system like Windows is known to do it does it for you.
She Said: Okay great….why do I need an extra program?
Geek Said: Just download the program. Super easy, takes less than a minute.
(Downloaded in 90 seconds or less)
She Said: Really it was more than a minute. Now what? I don’t need any more garbage on my computer.
Geek Said: It is not garbage…very small installation file. Look, see your installation files and registry?
(If it isn’t bridal, baby, I have never seen a registry on my computer…won’t touch it….I’m dumb like that)
systemmechanic.com, Iolo TechnologiesGeek Said: Just run the system.
To your left is a picture of the start-up screen to scan your computer. It is fabulous! Now that I know what it does.
Geek Said: See, I found over a gig of system clutter, 254 registry problems, 14 unneeded startup processes, and easily backed up my registry.
She Said: (*crickets)
Geek Said: Just run the program.
She Said: FineSo I ran the program and guess what.
I actually also found as much clutter and crap and sludge to slow the performance of my computer as the geek did! Basically the System Mechanic acts like a lubricant would for a car or even just general maintenance, it smooths and speeds processes by keeping all your parts and components clean. (Yeah, I know more about cars than I do PC’s…go figure) Here is what else my geek said:
There is nothing I hate more than not having the right tool for the job that needs to be done. Trying to half ass a clamp with a pair of channel locks is just as annoying as trying to clean up or fix a PC without the right software. System Mechanic has been a favorite of mine for years and the new version 9 is just as awesome as ever.
I think he liked it? What do you think?

Here is what System Mechanic will do for you:

  • Cleans, defrags, and repairs registry
  • Accelerates PC startup 19 ways
  • Defrags & recovers orphaned RAM
  • Boosts internet speed
  • Complete low-level drive defrag
  • Turns off unused background programs [Source: System Mechanic Site, 2009]

Perfect for bloggers, gamers (Yes you WoWHeads out there), and general PC users alike who want to maximize performance. Even better, the customer service is PHENOMENAL! My geek was having an issue with the registry, sent the info to our contact Michael (who is super nice), and guess what…..the problem is a BIG DEAL! Jinkies! So the awesome folks at iolo technologies are working on this issue that my geek found. Pretty dang cool….we are just hoping he is not that nerd like at the Cubs game that tried to catch the in-play-foul-ball deal, yeah we do not need geek hate for that foul. (Just kidding)

So if you are not the savviest, or maybe you are and you need to improve the performance of your computer…this is the way to go. Really no major install or directions required. In fact, you can win a ONE year copy of System Mechanic good for THREE PC’s. Here’s the skinny

MANDATORY ENTRY: Go visit the System Mechanic site and tell me what other products iolo offers and how they can help your PC.

EXTRA ENTRIES:

  • Tell me too what else makes your computer slow or a pain for you
  • Follow my blog or tell me you do
  • Follow me on Twitter or tell me you do
  • Tweet this giveaway “Get the Mechanic for your PC for ONE year from @KariewithaK http://tiny.cc/kIJk7″
  • Fan The Fish on Facebook
  • Enter one of my other giveaways
  • Blog this giveaway with a track back to System Mechanic and my blog (worth 3 entries)
Don’t forget to DOWNLOAD your Copy of the catalog HERE and all the fabulous participants, savings, and giveaways!
 CONTEST ENDS NOVEMBER 18TH @ 11:59 AZ TIME
 
Best of luck!
 *Five Fish always blog ethically and with transparency. Click HERE!
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Travel Business Class with High Sierra Sport Giveaway

luggage, high sierraDo you find your husband travels quite a bit for business? (Maybe even you do as a working mom.) I know my husband travels quite a bit for work and he is constantly complaining of the amount of luggage he has to take with him which usually consists of his overnight bag, laptop bag, and sometimes literature for meetings (which maybe consists of another bag as well). All his gear bogs him down that he decided  he needed a bag that would double as an overnight bag and a laptop bag, but supply enough room for his paperwork, gear, everything you need when traveling on a business trip.

High Sierra Sport Company, Luggage, Thefivefish.comI searched HIGH and LOW on the internet for a bag to meet his needs. Believe me I searched. I finally came across High Sierra Sport Company and I was IN LOVE! I knew I found the bag the hubs could use as a laptop bag and an overnight bag allowing for enough room to pack all his gear. The bag I found with High Sierra Sport Company is the AT505 Carry-On Wheeled Backpack (MSRP $300, found in stores for $149.99). This piece of luggage is a BEAUTY and I have yet to see anyone make anything like it yet. The backpack on the front of the wheeled carry-on, zippers on and off as a day-pack or in his case doubles as a laptop, briefcase type bag. The luggage also makes for a smooth transition through the security checkpoints, where he is not fumbling through a couple of bags or having to check any of his bags. While we were also looking at all the features, the entire piece has backpack handles! You got it, the entire thing doubles as a backpack if you are not wheeling it through airports and or hotels.

Weight must be an issue right? With the fact it has the day pack, its a roller bag, the weight must be atrocious. WRONG! I thought that too until I started throwing it around. We even loaded up both bags to see how heavy they are. Not a problem! The features are totally, can I just flashback to the 80s, RAD!

  • Duraweave and Metallic mini-weave: Not your average luggage, the material is rough and tough.
  • Corner-mounted sport wheels: Inline skate-style wheels have corner-mounted housings with a unique integrated bridge to keep the bag rolling true.[High Sierra Sport Co, 2009] Which this bag does! Most wheels tend to bind or they drag like you are pulling luggage with a body in it. I mean what more could you ask for in a luggage and bag company that is the official supplier of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard teams. HOLLA!!
  • Aircraft aluminum pull-up handle: This feature equates to a sturdy handle that is not flimsy.
  • Custom-molded zipper pulls: Do you not hate those stupid metal zippers that are cold, your hands slip off, and they are heavy. These are designed to reduce the weight of the bag and make for an easier grip.


What else I love about this beautiful piece of luggage? Well two things, the colors are GORGEOUS! Stunning bright and fashionable colors and I plan on snagging this beauty to take with me to BlogHer2010. I will be able to stash my laptop, my swag (oh yeah….did I tell you….this is a THREE part giveaway, this is Piece ONE!), and all my clothes! I could not be more stoked!

Oh the giveaway part….right! Yes, you my faithful readers can win one of these wonderful pieces of luggage to add to your traveling needs.

RULES:

MANDATORY: Leave me a comment telling me what your biggest peeve is with traveling and how High Sierra would be a fabulous piece of luggage to ease your traveling woes. You have to check out their site and tell me which piece besides this one would be fabulous! (Be sure to leave me your email address, no email address, I cannot tell you that you won! How crap-tastic would that be!)

EXTRA ENTRIES:

  • Fan High Sierra on Facebook, by doing so….you can enter to win a piece of luggage EVERY WEEK with them! How fabulous is that!
  • Follow them on Twitter! Lots of info of when the giveaways are happening and all their awesome product updates!
  • Follow my blog and tell me you did
  • Follow me on Twitter and tell me you did
  • Tweet this giveaway “Innovative luggage giveaway for your lifestyle from @KariewithaK and @HighSierraSport http://bit.ly/1sx6Ov” Tweet this at least once a day and tell me you did
  • Fan the Fish On Facebook (to your right) and tell me you did
  • Blog about this giveaway in 50-100 words (Worth 5 entries!)
  • Subscribe to my feed in a reader or email ( I do verify by the way)
  • Enter one of the other MANY giveaways! (Worth an entry for each giveaway you enter! LOADS)
DOWNLOAD your Copy of the catalog HERE to see what other great products will be featured with awesome money savings for the holidays and of course giveaways!
CONTEST ENDS NOVEMBER 13TH @ MIDNIGHT
Best of luck! Be Fair and as always tip your servers.
*Five Fish always blog ethically and with transparency.