Decorate your room with Wallmonkeys wall decals {review and giveaway}

I received product samples to review

Ever since we moved them into their own room downstairs a year ago, 3Po's and Jammy's bedroom walls have been completely bare.  Their interests change so frequently that I don't want to commit to painting wall murals, and they can't decide which posters they want to hang on their walls!

That's why wall decals are the perfect solution.  I didn't even think of it until Wallmonkeys invited us to select a few images to be made into bright, colorful, non-marking wall decals to peel and stick onto their walls.  They literally have millions of designs to choose from, including fine art, photo landscapes, vector graphics and more.  You can even upload your own image to create your own wall art!

This is what I selected:

(Note: With so many images, finding the image you want can be challenging.  You can search through general categories, but within those categories there are still so many images, so it would have been nice to be able to refine the search in other ways, for instance by image type (photograph/vector/etc..) or by size.  Your best bet is to type in a key word or words in the Search bar).

You can choose from various sizes; I chose the largest size ( 48"x42" sheet) because 3Po's and Jammy's bedroom has a lot of wall space to fill!  The images arrived rolled up in a large, sturdy tube so they wouldn't get crumpled.  Using Wallmonkeys to decorate walls couldn't be easier -- you literally peel the images from their paper backing and stick them onto your walls.

There's no glue or tape required!  The decals are beautiful, printed in nice colors without any bleeding or blurriness.  They are made of really high quality material, with a nice matte finish (almost like wallpaper) that I really love.  I don't think I would have used them if they were made of slick, glossy material like a bumper sticker!

My kids loved being able to decide where each decal went, and they loved being able to peel and stick the decals themselves.

Wallmonkeys decals are environmentally safe, PVC free and biodegradable.

 The best part about Wallmonkeys?  They're reusable!  If you decide you want to change things around, you can peel them up and stick them back on your wall in a different location.  3Po and Jammy did this several times while deciding where they wanted each decal to go.

If you decide you want to change the look of your room, you can peel up the decals and stick them back on their paper backing.  If your kids are anything like mine, five months later they'll decide they want the old look back.  In my case, all I will have to do is take out my roll of Wallmonkeys decals and stick them back up!

Wallmonkeys -- what a practical, adorable, affordable way to decorate a wall!


Win a set of Wallmonkeys Wall Decals
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a set of Wallmonkeys decals!  The winner will be able to choose from Wallmonkeys' designs, or upload a design of their own.

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and leave the link to the Wallmonkeys design you like best.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on any of your Pinterest boards (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Wallmonkeys giveaway!  http://ow.ly/nOETy 

6) Tweet this once per day (1 entry per day)
You could win a set of reusable @wallmonkeys wall decals!  Enter on @bonggafinds by 8/31 at http://ow.ly/nOETy 

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you join)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on August 31, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on September 1 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.


Disclosure: I received product samples to review.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Get Ready for School with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America

This is a sponsored post

Where has the summer gone?  My kids have less than a week before they start school!  We are all freaking out, but it is what it is, so we try to ease the "pain" of transitioning from summer to school by planning ahead.  Here are five things we always do before school starts:

1) Start transitioning from our summer bedtime schedule (sleep and wake up late) to our school time bedtime schedule (sleep and wake up early).  I've gotten pretty lax about enforcing bedtimes, so much as I hate to do it, we're going to stop weekday movie nights, after-dinner ice cream runs and other late-night activities.

2) Find out which teacher and classroom my kids are getting.  They don't release this information until two or three days before the first day of school, but my kids find it incredibly comforting to know in advance who will be teaching them and which of their friends will be in the same classroom.

3) Check the kids' shoes and clothes to see whether they fit and take them shopping to replace anything they've outgrown. It's amazing how much kids can grow over the course of just a few months!   I never buy a whole new school wardrobe every year, but I might buy a special shirt to commemorate the start of the school year.

4) Check the kids' lunchboxes and backpacks to see whether any are worn and need replacing.  I prefer to invest in high-quality school gear that lasts instead of buying trendy-but-cheap things that break down by the end of the school year.

5) Check the kids' school websites to see whether they are required to purchase any school supplies for the upcoming school year. We are very lucky in that our school PTA has the funds to pay for most school supplies our kids need in the classroom, so most of what I have to buy are binders and locker trinkets for my middle-schooler!

The Disney Company wants to make sure all kids start the new school year right, not just the ones whose parents can afford to pay for school supplies.  That's why they've teamed up once again with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to launch an online school supply drive.  By simply playing a pop-quize style game, you can help donate school supplies to local BGCA Clubs.  For every five correct answers, a donation of supplies will be made!

I took the quiz several times, and it's super easy.  You'll be asked questions about the BGCA and education statistics like the number of high school students who fail to graduate high school in the US every year (hint: the number starts with 1 and it has 6 zeros).  If you get the answer wrong, you get a second chance to guess the correct answer!

You can take Disney's and BGCA's Supply Drive Game at www.greatfutures.org/backtoschool.  This website also has useful tips for kids and parents to prepare for the school year.  The more times you take the quiz, more more supplies will be donated -- Disney will be giving up to 40,000 supply kits!

Disclosure: Thank you to the Boys & Girls Club of America and Mom Central Consulting for selecting me to be a BGCA Back-to-School Ambassador! As a Back-to-School Ambassador, I am participating in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and I will be receiving a promotional item as a thank you for participating. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Bonggamom's Friday Finds: list your giveaways here

Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

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Ruum American Kids Wear Review and Giveaway

It's time to go Back-to-School shopping, and if you are looking for one-of-a-kind designs that reflect your kids' unique personality and taste, check out Ruum American Kids Wear, American Eagle's rebranding of their 77kids line.  They've got a cool new look to go with their cool new name; their line of casual wear has lots of fun, cute prints and graphics, and their prices are great.  Ruum sent us one of their graphic tees so we could see for ourselves what kind of fit, design and quality they offer.... and you could win one for your child so you can check them out too!  Keep reading....

Here's more info about Ruum:
Ruum (pronounced "Room") is the new destination for kids clothing, footwear and accessories. Offering head to toe outfitting, exceptional quality, and great value at 22 newly-opened stores and online @ www.ruum.com . Moms looking for great kids style and quality will love Ruum because the collections are designed to coordinate easily and to cover all of a child's lifestyle needs.

My favorite girls' tees are the Love Graphic Tee, the My Wheels Tee, and the Sneaker Tee; however, it has been a long time since I have been able to convince The Pea to choose exactly the designs I like best, so of course her favorite is something completely different.  She has a mind of her own, that one! She loves the Sunshine Tee, so that is what we ended up reviewing:

I have to say, she does have good taste.  The lettering on the sun is printed with reflective ink, so it is really striking against the navy background.  The fabric is sturdy but not bulky, just the way I like it.  The Pea is a tall 12 year-old, so we ordered the size 14, and it fit her just right with no room to grow.  Based on the way other size 14 shirts fit her, I would say RUUM sizing runs true to size or just a tad small.

Check out Ruum clothing for girls and boys online, on Twitter , on Instagram  and on Facebook.

Win a Back to School Graphic T-shirt
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a graphic t-shirt from RUUM!  The winner will be able to choose from one of the following designs (items and sizes in stock may vary)

Girls’ Love Tee
Girls’ Sunshine Tee
Girls’ Be Awesome Tee
Boys’ Marina Tee
Boys’ Sunset Tee

(note: even though it says on the website that some of these items are out of stock, don't worry -- they've put aside a selection of these shirts in various sizes for the winner!)

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which design you would select if you win

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on any of your Pinterest boards (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the RUUM t-shirt giveaway!  http://ow.ly/nLN4P

6) Tweet this once per day (1 entry per day)
Win a cool graphic t-shirt from @RUUMKidsWear and @bonggafinds!  Enter by 8/29 at http://ow.ly/nLN4P

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you join)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on August 29, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on August 30 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.


Disclosure: I received a product sample for review and giveaway, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions.. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Sara Lee Snack Cakes: a new way to snack {review and giveaway}

I received samples for review

The school year is about to start, and once again I'm on the hunt for easy-to-pack snacks and treats to fill my kids' lunchboxes.  What a great timei for Bimbo Bakeries USA to introduce a new way to snack from Sara Lee!  Their new line of pre-portioned Snack Cakes are an easy way to treat your kids to something sweet.

New Sara Lee Snack Cakes are individually wrapped baked snacks, retailing for about $3.99 for a box of eight.  The introductory line includes Devil’s Food Crème Cakes, Golden Fudge Cakes, Chocolate Crème Cupcakes and Golden Crème Cakes.

Bimbo Bakeries sent us a box of Sara Lee Golden Fudge Cakes and a box of Sara Lee Buttery Sunshine Cakes to try out.  I have a soft spot for Sara Lee because my aunts used to buy Sara Lee pound cakes when they would travel to the US and bring them back for us to enjoy in the Philippines.  Even though there are perfectly good bakeries in Manila that make delicious pound cakes, we preferred the Sara Lee pound cakes -- they were such a treat!  So I didn't hesitate to accept.  Would my kids love Sara Lee the same way I did when I was their age?

The good news: my kids did love them.  The bad news: there aren't any left for when my kids go back to school!

The Sara Lee Golden Fudge Cakes are individually-wrapped slices of yellow cake with a ribbon of chocolate fudge on top, covered in a chocolate coating.  I'm not convinced the "chocolate coating" was actually chocolate (I didn't read the ingredients) but my boys liked the taste.

The second box, Sara Lee Buttery Sunshine Cakes, was a far bigger hit.  They were delicious and we really found ourselves fighting over them!  They are somewhere between a light pound cake and a rich angel cake; wonderfully buttery, extremely moist and tender, and just sweet enough.  We had them with blueberries, but they would be perfect with strawberries and whipped cream (strawberry shortcake!), peaches or any fruit.   I thought of sticking one in the freezer for a couple of hours, splitting it in half, spreading some softened vanilla ice cream in the center, then sticking in back in the freezer for another few hours.  Presto -- a delicious ice cream sandwich!  The possibilities are endless!

As I mentioned before, I did not read the ingredients list or the nutrition label.  I'm not expecting any of these cakes to be healthy -- they are strictly an occasional treat.  But that's okay.  As a child, having that one or two slices of Sara Lee pound cake every year made it all the more special.  I'd say the same thing goes for these Sara Lee Snack Cakes!

Win a Sara Lee Snack Cakes gift package
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive Sara Lee Snack Cakes SnackStakes gift package, valued at $40 (estimated), which includes:

• An assortment of Sara Lee Snack Cakes
• An official Sara Lee logoed lunch box
• An official Sara Lee logoed water bottle

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which variety of Sara Lee Snack Cakes you would most like to try

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on any of your Pinterest boards (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Sara Lee Snack Cakes giveaway!  http://ow.ly/nLKCO

6) Tweet this once per day (1 entry per day)
You could win a Snackstake prize pack from Sara Lee Snack Cakes! Enter on @bonggafinds by 8/30 at http://ow.ly/nLKCO

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you join)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on August 30, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on August 31 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.


Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions.The views and opinions expressed here are my own.


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A first look at American Girl's new Bitty Baby doll

On August 27, American Girl is relaunching their Bitty Baby line of  baby dolls.  The new line has more dolls, more books, more accessories and more clothes (you can read more about the new line on yesterday's Bitty Baby post).  Little girls everywhere will be delighted because now they have more ways than ever to find the perfect childhood companion and friend.  American Girl sent me a Bitty Baby from their new collection to review, and as promised, here is my post with more photos:

Bitty Baby is a 15-inch doll, slightly smaller than the average newborn.  Ours has fair skin, blue eyes and fair hair, but there are 11 dolls to choose from, each with a different skin tone, hair color, and eye color combination.  The eyes close when the doll is lying down, and open when the doll is sitting or standing up.

Baby Bitty's signature sleeper has been revamped. It is now long sleeved, with a kimono-style wrap front that I adore.  The floral print on white background is really sweet, but I always worry about white -- I'm sure it will get stained eventually!  Fortunately the material is knit cotton, so any stains will probably wash out easily.

Check out the ruffle details on the cuffs and neckline!

Bitty Baby also comes with a velcro-tab diaper that little girls can easily undo and put back on again.

Bitty Baby comes with a keepsake star toy in a little pink box (note: the little bunny and bear in the photo are not included; they are just props!).

The box has a sweet inspirational quote on the bottom.

You can find Bitty Baby dolls online at AmericanGirl.com and at all American Girl stores.  The basic doll-and-book set costs $55.  Yes, you can buy baby dolls for half that price, maybe even a third, but Bitty Baby is really high quality and has the potential to be a cherished keepsake.  I really wish I had known about American Girl and Bitty Baby when The Pea was a toddler.  She did have a couple of baby dolls, but they quickly lost limbs and eyes.  I would much rather have given her a high quality doll that she could have played with and cherished (probably even 2 dolls, since she wasn't even 3 years old when the twins were born) ... and once she had outgrown the doll, she could have stored it and kept it until it was time to give the doll to her own little girl!


Disclosure: I received a sample doll for review purposes. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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American Girl launches their expanded, revamped Bitty Baby doll line

For the past few years, American Girl has been busy updating their line of dolls for girls ages 8+, with the addition of new historical characters (Julie, Ruthie, Cecile, Marie-Grace, Caroline) and expanding their My American Girl line (which used to be called Just Like Me dolls).  Now their Bitty Baby doll line is getting its turn -- starting August 27, 2013, American Girl is debuting an enhanced and expanded Bitty Baby collection!

Here's what the current Bitty Baby looks like:

Here's what the new Bitty Baby will look like:

Here's a summary of what's new:

• To begin with American Girl is offering an expanded range of dolls so that every little girl can find the Bitty Baby that's perfect for her.  There will be a total of 11 different dolls to choose from, with various skin tones and hair- and eye-color combinations, up from 7.  

• Bitty Baby will come with a new sleeper and a new hardcover picture book, Bitty Baby and Me.  Instead of a teddy bear, Bitty Baby will come with a new soft wishing star keepsake toy.

• The book that comes with the doll, Bitty Baby and Me, is only the first of a new series of books.  The new Bitty Baby picture-book collection includes 5 hardcover books -- Bitty Baby and Me, Bitty Baby at the Ballet, Bitty Baby Loves the Show, Bitty Baby the Brave, and Princess Bitty Baby.  The series is authored by Newberry Honor Awardee Kirby Larson, and illustrated by award winning illustrator Sue Cornelison.

• The new Bitty Baby books have inspired a new line of play sets, plush animals, doll outfits, matching girl outfits and keepsake-quality furniture, including a wooden crib and changing table.

I was invited to the Bitty Baby launch party held for a group of bloggers in late July, but it was in Chicago so I was unable to attend.  I was pretty devastated, because there's nothing I like more than hanging out at an American Girl store (their cafe food is great!) and looking at all the cute stuff.  American Girl gave all the attendees a Bitty Baby doll to review -- and they sent one for me as well!  I was so excited and grateful for the chance to have an advanced look at the new doll (and The Pea was so happy for the chance to welcome a little sister for all her American Girl dolls!).   Here are a couple of photos of the newest member of our American Girl family:

Isn't she a little sweetheart?  Click here for my post with more photos of the new Bitty Baby doll!

Disclosure: I received a sample for review purposes. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Gravity Falls and SUBWAY team up for Fresh Fit for Kids™ Meals™

My kids love watching Gravity Falls on The Disney Channel.  Maybe they have an affinity for Dipper and Mabel Pines because Dipper and Mabel are twins.  Maybe they think all the weird situations the twins always seem to find themselves in are a hoot.   Whatever the case, they're not the only fans of Gravity Falls:  as of 2013, Gravity Falls is TV’s #1 animated series across Kids 2-11 (2.0 million/5.1 rating), Kids 6-11 (1.6 million/6.7 rating) and Tweens 9-14 (1.3 million/5.4 rating).

When The Disney Channel sent me a box of Gravity Falls goodies, I didn't even realize the cap inside the box was Dipper's Gravity Falls cap until the kids saw it and wanted to wear it!

Why the celebration?  Throughout the month of August, Disney and SUBWAY restaurants, the world's largest restaurant chain, will bring fans "Gravity Falls" characters and promotional items through SUBWAY Fresh Fit for Kids™ Meals™. Each low-fat meal will include one of six reusable bags, with a specially designed "Gravity Falls" window decal or sticker. Check out the cool designs:

I love collecting the reusable bags from SUBWAY's kids meals because they're small and lightweight, so they make great alternate lunch bags for the kids when they leave their regular lunch bags at school, or when their regular lunch bags are still in the wash.  I love that this series has girls and boys designs, so The Pea, Jammy and 3Po will all be happy :)

One last thing -- don't forget to watch the season finale of Gravity Falls! It first aired on August 2 but you'll be able to watch reruns on The Disney Channel.  Here's the episode description:
Titled "Gideon Rises" - Gideon swindles the Mystery Shack away from Stan, everything in Gravity Falls appears to be even more west of weird - Dipper, Mabel and Grunkle Stan are forced to move in with Soos and his grandmother, while the town remains enamored with Gideon's charm. Meanwhile, Grunkle Stan isn't certain he can take care of the twins and is considering sending them back home. With their summer in Gravity Falls threatening to come to an end, Mabel and Dipper decide to take on Gideon and win back their home.

Disclosure: I received an assortment of promotional items from The Disney Channel as a thank-you for posting this information Episode description (in italics) was provided by The Disney Channel. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Discover your past and (possible) future with 23andMe

There is a long, strong history of cancer in my family, most of it from my dad's side of the family.  My dad.  His dad.  His mom.  His sister.  His mom's sisters.   His mom's sister's daughters.  His dad's sisters.  His dad's brothers.  The males have had varying types of cancer: pancreatic, prostate, esophageal.  All of the females had breast cancer. It's like a dark, twisted family tree, and when I look at it, my stomach twists up like those imaginary branches because I start to think that it's just a matter of time for me.

Alfie says I'm being a ridiculous, paranoid, hypochondriac.  Family history is only one factor, and he is adamant about the power of positive thinking -- I might not actually cause my own cancer with so many negative thoughts, but all the stress I incur while thinking about it can't be good.  Of course, I know he's right.  I have thought about getting tested for the BRCA1 gene mutation, long before Angelina Jolie announced that she had had the test (and susequent mastectomy).  But the test can be prohibitively expensive -- and since I don't have a first degree female relative (i.e. my mom or sister) with breast cancer (my grandmother and aunt were the closest), my insurance turned me down to subsidize the cost.

The BRCA1 gene test may be out of my league, but a $99 DNA test?  That I can do.  23andMe is an at-home DNA testing service that provides over 240 health reports analyzing your risk for a variety of conditions and diseases, all for $99.  It's also the largest DNA-based ancestry service worldwide.

When you sign up with 23andMe, they send you a do-it-yourself, at-home DNA collection kit.  Everything you need to collect and send a sample of your DNA (contained in your saliva) is included, along with clear, step-by-step instructions.

The hardest part is gathering enough spit in your mouth to fill the collection tube!  (I'm kidding, it only takes a couple of minutes).

Once you've collected your saliva, you seal the vial and place it in a ziploc bag.

23andMe even provides a mailing package and pre-addressed, postage-paid envelope.  All you have to do is drop it in the mail, and your DNA is on its way to the 23andMe labs for testing and analysis.

Approximately 4-6 weeks after you mail out your sample, you'll get an email informing you that your results are ready.  You can log on to your 23andMe account to view a huge list of conditions that your DNA sample was tested for, grouped according to risk level (conditions that you are at higher than average risk for, conditions that you are at average risk for, and conditions that you are at lower risk for).  You'll get a better understanding of your genetic propensity towards a variety of conditions, from the well-known like obesity, cancer, high blood pressure, to more obscure ones like atrial fibulation (irregular heartbeat).

For the purposes of this review, I'm only going to discuss 2 of my results:

First, my risk of breast cancer is apparently below average! Not only that, 23andMe actually does test for 3 variations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene -- and I don't have them.  Of course, that's only 3 mutations out of hundreds, and I'm guessing the test that Angelina Jolie had looks at all or almost all of them.   But still, that's 3 down.  I never would have guessed.  Of course, I'm still going to do everything I can to lower the risk factors under my control, like not smoking, eating healthy, natural foods, and getting regular exercise.

Second, it appears I have a mutation in my CRTF gene that may be related to cystic fibrosis. There has never been anyone in my family with CF that I know of, but in order to have CF, a person must have inherited the CRTF gene from both parents.  It's not earth-shattering news.  None of my kids have CF -- but I may have passed it on to them.  I will definitely share this information with them when they grow up so that if they decide to have kids, they can get themselves tested with 23andMe to find out if they did inherit the mutation, and they can ask their partners to get themselves tested for the mutation as well.  This single piece of information alone has made the 23andMe service invaluable to me and my family!

As for the BRCA1 gene test, I'll keep my fingers crossed that over time, it will get more affordable.  After all, when 23andMe was founded, the price of the personal genetic service was $1,000 and over time they have been able to reduce it to $99! So anything is possible.  In the meantime, I intend to take the results of my 23andMe test to heart and remind myself that I don't need to stay up at night worrying about a disease that I may never end up having.



Disclosure:I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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