Precious Moments “Good Things Come To Those Who Wait” Figurine Review

I received this figurine free to facilitate this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

Precious Moments is having two different special offers on separate dates. Starting on June 30th with a purchase $100 or more, you can select a free gift ($35.99 value) to add to your cart with the coupon code FREEGIFT17. Free figures to select from are the following: It's All Good!, Thanks For Being There, “Love You Lots!” Glass Bud Vase, Bisque Porcelain Figurine, Girl; and “Love You Lots!” Glass Bud Vase, Bisque Porcelain Figurine, Boy. Offer ends July 5, 2017 11:59 pm CT. Starting on July 7th you will get free shipping with a purchase of $75 with the coupon code SHIP4FREE17. This is for US residents only and excludes Disney Masterpieces. Offer ends July 12th. Don't pass these savings opportunities up!

I received one figurine called the “Good Things Come To Those Who Wait” Figurine. Made of hand painted bisque porcelain, the “Good Things Come To Those Who Wait” Figurine shows a young fisherman happily and comfortably waiting with his puppy dog for the "big one" to bite. He is relaxing the day away enjoying time with his pet, not a care in the world. I love the details of this figurine! The boy is wearing a fisherman's hat with lures and flip flops. His fishing pole has a fishing buoy float that is attached by actual fishing line to the pole. A smiling fish pops his head out the water nearby.

This is a unique gift for a loved one that loves fishing and the great outdoors. It is 4 inches high and can be personalized with with a loved one's name or initials. The pole does look like it might be fragile and is a bit flexible, so I hope it doesn't break. Perfect for Father's Day or any day that celebrates the fisherman in your life. I love this figurine because it makes me smile and reminds me of fond memories of fishing with my Grandpa and Uncle when I was little. This figurine is a great reminder to slow down and enjoy the simpler things in life and that patience is a wonderful virtue to have because good things certainly do come to those who wait.

BUY
You can purchase the “Good Things Come To Those Who Wait” Figurine on the Precious Moments website for $60.99.

6/30 – 7/5 – Free Gift with purchase of $100 or more.
Offer: Select 1 free gift, a value $35.99, with any purchase of $100 or more.
Coupon code: FREEGIFT17

7/7 – 7/12 – Free Shipping with Purchase of $75
Offer: US only. Excludes Disney Masterpieces
Coupon code: SHIP4FREE17

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Thanks to Precious Moments for sending me this figurine for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. Affiliate links may be in this posting. Thanks for supporting my blog.

#PreciousMoments #LifesPreciousMoments #PatienceIsAVirtue #GoneFishing #FathersDay #Fisherman #Sportsman #DadsAreSpecial

Free Entry to All National Parks to Celebrate the National Park Service’s 99th Birthday on 8/25

On August 25, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Organic Act creating the National Park Service (NPS), a new federal bureau in the Department of the Interior responsible for protecting the 35 national parks and monuments then managed by the department and those yet to be established (now there are 408 national parks!).

I am surrounded by Oregon and Washington state where I live. Oregon, the gorgeous state where I reside, has a total of 6 national parks, 10 national natural landmarks, and 17 national historic landmarks so far. Crater Lake National Park is by far the most famous of our national parks with its beautiful lake and scenery. Washington state has 14 national parks, 18 national natural landmarks, and 24 national historic landmarks so far. Mount Rainier National Park is one of the national parks in Washington with its gorgeous mountain and surrounding forests.

To celebrate the upcoming centennial of NPS in 2016, the National Park Foundation (NPF) launched their Find Your Park campaign to encourage everyone to get up, get out there and #FindYourPark - no matter your interest.



The National Parks Service has provided 99 ways you could celebrate NPS’ 99^th birthday on August 25, 2015 and get ready for NPS’ big 100^th birthday next year. Founders’ Day also marks fee free day to all national parks.

99 Ways to Find Your Park
http://www.nps.gov/subjects/centennial/nps99.htm

1. Go climbing
2. Write poetry
3. Be an urban hiker
4. Visit a National Heritage Area
5. Dance
6. Learn about climate change
7. Discover a culture new to you
8. Experience silence
9. Walk through a doorway of a historic house
10. Find inspiration in the story of a civil rights leader
11. Go on a ranger-led tour #rangerspointingatthings
12. Hug a tree
13. Make a memory
14. Earn a Jr. Ranger badge
15. Relax on the banks of a scenic river
16. Celebrate innovation
17. Find life in a desert
18. Get inspired by a First Lady
19. Stand on a mountaintop
20. Bring a kid to a park
21. Paddle a water trail
22. Take a photo that matches a historic one #retrogram
23. Try something new
24. Channel your inner Bill Nye—become a citizen scientist
25. Walk a historic main street
26. Find your park in Spanish #encuentratuparque
27. Explore a cave
28. Go green
29. Brush up your national park trivia skills
30. Scout a park, boys and girls!
31. Make art in a park
32. Celebrate Native American heritage
33. Come sail away
34. Take a picnic and dine al fresco
35. Be bear aware 
36. Hit the road
37. Enlighten yourself at a historic lighthouse
38. Go biking
39. Explore Asian American and Pacific Islander culture in America
40. Feel the sand between your toes
41. Share your story
42. Learn about endangered species
43. Join us
44. Follow NPS on social media
45. Follow the footsteps of a woman who made history
46. Get in the know about H2O
47. Bee pollinator friendly
48. Get VIP status
49. Catch a wave
50. Immerse yourself in a living history program
51. Hit record
52. Get prehistoric
53. Improve your health—get a park Rx
54. Use your free active military pass
55. Get reel—Visit a park featured in your favorite movie
56. Join a trail clean-up
57. See the sea
58. Discover a traditional tribal cultural practice
59. Let Elmo and Murray be your guides
60. Mail a postcard
61. Discover history around you
62. Make new friends
63. Raft down a river
64. Pay your respects at a national cemetery
65. Pick a POTUS
66. Take a mini-cruise
67. Plan ahead and prepare
68. Walk nature's treadmill
69. Pose for a family photo in a park
70. Recognize women who made history
71. Reflect on our most difficult stories
72. Stamp your park passport
73. Ride on a historic carousel
74. Run
75. See history from a different perspective
76. Renew your spirit
77. See how NPS helps transform your community
78. Go fish
79. See the starry, starry night
80. Make a splash
81. Share a #tbt park photo
82. Discover the beauty of our nation's other public lands
83. Sleep outside
84. Spread the love—thank a park volunteer
85. Plan the best field trip ever
86. Visit our international sisters
87. Trash Your Trash
88. Find a monument and decode history
89. Travel the Underground Railroad
90. Use the buddy system!
91. Visit for free on our 99th birthday
92. Wander an American battlefield
93. Watch wildlife
94. Take a deep breath
95. Go wild: Experience wilderness
96. Use a national park lesson plan
97. Play
98. Take a sunrise selfie
99. Get ready to celebrate with us in 2016!

The National Park Service waived all of its entrance fees on nine days in 2015. The remaining entrance fee free days are August 25 for the National Park Service’s birthday, September 26 for National Public Lands Day, and November 11 in honor of Veterans Day. The entrance fee waiver does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.

Parks are so much more than the majestic landscapes you might think of; they also protect and preserve our culture and history in urban areas and offer endless ways for families to get involved. So get out and go visit a national park!

To find a national park near you, and to learn more about the Find Your Park campaign, visit FindYourPark.com or EncuentraTuParque.com.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I am posting about these events because I want my readers to know about them. Thanks to a public relations email for providing me this campaign information. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any compensation for posting about this campaign and event information.

CanCooker Jr. Review

CanCooker Jr. on a Camp Stove.

We received products free to facilitate this review.

Inspired by good old milk-can cooking, Seth McGinn's CanCooker Jr. is a wonderful cooking device that steams your food to cook it. It locks all the nutrients right into the food making it healthier. It is the smaller version of the original CanCooker, but it still holds a good 2 gallons of food, which is actually quite a lot. Makes delicious hearty food with less time and less cleanup. Feeds a family of 1-6 in about 40 minutes or less!

It's an ideal size for taking to: tailgating parties, cookouts, sporting events, camping, family picnics, fishing, hunting, RV and all sorts of other travel. It can go on the stove top in your kitchen, a turkey burner (on the lowest setting), grill, camp stove, and camp fire. It is so versatile and can be taken just about anywhere.

There are so many awesome recipes that you can cook in the CanCooker Jr. The food below is just the tip of the iceberg. I may get a little more creative down the line, but I have seen it or its larger cousin cook all sorts of things from omelets and tamales to desserts like bread pudding and steamed cakes. I'm definitely going to try some of the steamed cakes and breads once I get mini loaf pans that fit my CanCooker Jr. So, stay tuned :)

I also received the rack for free to facilitate my review. It is an additional investment of $13.99. This is a two piece stainless steel rack that fits in the bottom of the CanCooker or CanCooker Jr. preventing burning of food on the bottom of the cooker and aids in an easier cleanup. Also, you can use empty mini soda cans to raise the level of the rack up higher.

Features:

• Riveted, heavy-duty handles
• Safety clamps hold lid in place
• Wide mouth design for easy stocking and removal of food
• Vented lid-for pressure release
• Premium high temperature silicone gasket
• Sturdy, one piece *aluminum construction
• Comes with FREE convenient storage bag 

*Anodized FDA (food grade) 1060 aluminum. The anodizing is important as it means the actual aluminum never touches your food so it’s totally safe!

How it works:

1. Prepare for use (if new clean with soap and water before use)
2. Choose a recipe
3. Prepare your food
4. Place food and liquid in chamber (usually veggies, then meat, liquid, sauce, and seasoning)
5. Secure lid
6. Place on heat source
7. Allow steam to vent (The steam will cause a natural convection inside.)
8. Cook according to recipe (usually 40 minutes)
9. Remove with oven mitts
10. Let sit for 5-10 minutes
11. Open lid, be careful of HOT steam
12. Place food in tray or large container
13. Enjoy meal
14. Cleanup is easy (Clean with soap and water. Because of steam, food will rarely stick or burn to sides or bottom.)

CanCooker Jr. German Feast. You can see the gasket comes off the lid for easy cleaning.

CanCooker Jr. German Feast

1 small cabbage cut in bite size pieces
1lb red potatoes, quartered
1 small yellow squash, sliced
1lb kielbasa sausage, cut into 1 1/2 inch slices
2 tsp caraway seeds
1 cup Italian dressing (I used  Safeway Select Italian Parmesan & Herb)
1 can beer (I used 8oz cup of water or apple juice)
salt and Lawry's seasoned pepper to taste

Place all veggies in bottom of CanCooker Jr. Then put meat on top of the veggies. Add all other ingredients on top. Latch lid and place on heat source. Once it starts steaming cook for 25-30 minutes. Remove from heat (be careful handles and lid can be really hot). Let stand for 10 minutes. Transfer food to large container. Serve.

CanCooker Jr. Rabbit and Red Potatoes

Everything I cooked in my CanCooker Jr. came out really good. The potatoes never got too mushy, they stayed tender and perfect. The meat got cooked all the way through. The sauces and seasonings I added got soaked up by both veggies and meat that I cooked in it and nothing was ever dry or bland tasting.

CanCooker Jr. Brats & Purple Sauerkraut

CanCooker Jr. steaming on the stove top.

CanCooker Jr. on a Turkey Burner.

We love to go camping and this has become our go to cooking device to take with us. We recommend this to anyone wanting to make their camp cooking or outdoor cooking easier.

CanCooker Jr. on a Grill.

BUY IT
You can purchase the CanCooker, CanCooker Jr., and/or its accessories online at CanCooker.com

FOLLOW THEM
For updates follow CanCooker on Facebook. You can also get a list of yummy recipes here that you can make in the CanCooker.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received products for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

Cheap and Unusual Father's Day Fun (Infographic)

Infographic Courtesy of: CashNetUSA: It's Economic. Information about the infographic was provided free as well. All other thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else.

Welcome to the United States of Dad! Here you can find fun and inexpensive ways to entertain your dad this Father's Day. There's no need to spend money on travel; this infographic has provided several options across the country that will keep you and your dad busy on his special day. Don't see an option close by? Use this infographic to spark an idea for fun with your dad, and do a quick online search to find affordable options near you.

This is a great infographic! I love the ideas it presents for Father's Day. You can save money and still have a great time. There are fun trip destinations to go: camping, fishing, hiking, swimming, picnicking, to the zoo, to the rodeo, to parks, skiing, golfing etc. You can also BBQ, garden, camp out, etc. in your own backyard!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: Infographic and information about the infographic was provided free courtesy of: CashNetUSA: It's Economic. All other thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this post other than the infographic.