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Real Solutions for Real Parents by Autumn Rose Reo

Stuff the Stocking with I See Me Personalized Books

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Sharing Saturdays:
Just as important as the gifts under the tree are the gifts in the stocking. Working to find the right things that are fun and perfectly priced, this is traditionally where a small trinkets like Matchbox cars, Thomas accessories and holiday candy and of course, dog bones for Birddie, the family dog. Now with a little girl in the mix, I’ve got to expand my ideas of what goes into the cute stockings on the mantle, while also being “even” so the older one doesn’t think the younger one is getting anything cooler than he has.
Enter one of my favorite stocking stuffer finds this year: customized books. I See Me! personalized children’s books are a great way to spark a child’s imagination this holiday season. With every book, the child’s name and other personal details are inserted into stories that can help teach learning lessons like how to be a big sister/brother, the importance of a name, and most appropriately for now: the story of Christmas and Hannukah. Each of the books selected for both children included a great story, beautiful illustrations and will also make them feel special since every page including something specific just for them.

While I opted for color activity book options for both children, you can also choose for beautiful hardbound/board book editions for a little longer shelf time. And with a starting price of $9.99, these personalized books are affordable, memorable and educational all at the same time – making them an idea stocking stuffer. If my recommendation is enough, see what the Today Show, People and DailyCandy had to say about I See Me! Books.
I See Me!
Personalized Books
$9.95 – $39.95


DISCLAIMER:
I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC’s 16 CFR Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)


Sweeten Up Your Holidays with FnG Eats’ Carrot Cake French Toast {Recipe}

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Food Fridays: 
 
Thanksgiving has turned into a main course of shopping with a side of grub. However, as much as I love to shop on this day, I choose to concentrate on the best part of Turkey Day – the food. So this weekend while you’re out and about, I suggest you take a little trip over to Tarrant County to a perfectly place for tasty treats at Sugar and Frosting and delicious comfort food from FnG Eats in Keller, Texas.
 
 
FnG Eats, which opened in August, is Keller’s newest dining destination for locally sourced upscale-comfort food. Using fresh food offerings from the Keller Farmers Market, the FnG menu brings together a blend of creativity, inspiration and skill to create exciting dishes based on homestyle favorites as well as new innovative offerings. Everything from its small plates, entrees, desserts and even its cocktail menu are developed to be a culinary experience. And best of all, every dish is served with a big helping of hometown hospitality.
 
This Food Friday, to celebrate the launch of FnG Eats’ new brunch which begins this Saturday on 11/24/2012, I’m sharing a recipe from Chef Bob Stephenson for his Sweet Memories Carrot Cake French Toast. Doesn’t that sound delicious and just perfect for the holidays? And if you don’t have carrot cake, you can easily use banana or zucchini bread to make your own brunch bread.
 
 
Carrot Cake French Toast with Maple Cream Cheese Sauce

2                      Eggs
1/2 cup             Milk
1/4 tspn            Sea Salt
4 to 6                Slices Day old Carrot Cake


Pinch of Cinnamon and nutmeg per each side of the cake. Whip eggs, milk and salt in a large mixing bowl.  Dredge Carrot Cake in the liquid until lightly soaked. In a preheated skillet with butter, carefully lay each slice of soaked carrot cake in the skillet.  Brown and carefully flip over the carrot cake.  Brown the second side.  Remove from the skillet and serve immediately with Maple Cream Cheese Sauce and Fresh Fruit.

Cream Cheese Maple Syrup

To tie Carrot Cake to French Toast, you combine the toppings for both!
2 cups              Cream Cheese, softened at room temperature
1 cup               Natural Maple Syrup
1/4 tspn           Ground Chipotle Powder (optional)


1/8 tspn           Sea Salt
 
Combine all ingredients in a small mixer and blend until smooth. If you want a little twisted kick, add the chipotle powder to give a little kick to your sweetness.
 
And just in case you looking for something else to love, how about Macadamia Chicken & Stringer’s Waffles with Fried Plantains, Sweet Potato Hash with homemade chorizo, Pepper Bacon Biscuits and Chili Gravy, or the one that’s got me watering, “The Bowl” with OC greens, mushrooms and gruyere.
 
With a menu like that, it’s worth the drive. 
 
201 Town Center Suite 1101
Keller, Texas 76248
 
This post also appeared in on DallasFoodNerd.com.
Disclaimer: I proudly represent FnG Eats professionally to market and promote their concept.  However, this post and the contents within it are all my own. 

Thanksgiving: Did You Know?

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To NOT Do Thursdays:

It’s Thanksgiving, so that’s the to do this Thursday (and of course, online shop!) 
So today I’m thankful to Caloriecount.com for this great set of stats about Turkey Day, so I can enjoy mine. (Now do yourself a favor and wait to read these AFTER you eat.)

Thank you so much for following mamachallenge.com!

Now go spend some time just not doing anything…(now that’s a challenge!)


Get Innovative this Holiday with the Innotab 2s – Toy Pick 2012

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Wow Mom! Wednesdays – Holiday Edition:

I admit: my four-year old can operate my IPad better than I can. 

Unfortunately, while letting him use my device at first allowed me to get through a nice dinner out to eat or a long wait at the doctor’s office, it has now become an issue. I mean I have to ask my son when I can use the IPad… Not to mention me always reminding him not to have his drinks or snacks around it or his sister coming by and knocking it off the table. So something had to happen. And getting him an IPad was not the option, so mom had to get innovative…That’s the InnoTab2s!



Toy Features
  • Pre-loaded with FREE onboard activities including one tilt sensor game, one augmented reality game, one e-book, art studio app, notes app, friends list, calendar and calculator to get started. (Sounds like your first smartphone, right?)
  • Hundreds of apps for download: Kids can engage with their favorite licensed characters by downloading one of more than 200 apps*, including games, e-books and more that teach kids reading, logic and creativity; visit VTech’s Learning Lodge Navigator for more information
  • With 2GB onboard memory and expandable SD card slot available to accommodate SD cards up to 32GB, the InnoTab2 keeps your child engaged
  • *NEW* Rotatable camera for memory capture: Features a new rotatable digital camera and video recorder that allows kids to capture memories of themselves or their friends
  • Customizable: Enables kids (up to four users) to personalize the InnoTab 2 by creating their own user name and avatar, a voice greeting, typed greeting and photo wallpaper
  • And what makes the InnoTab 2s more special than the Innotab2? The InnoTab 2s Learning App Tablet with secure Wi-Fi contains all the product features of the InnoTab 2, plus a secure wireless connection to VTech’s Learning Lodge Navigator for easy and secure downloading of games, e-books, music and more.  (Yep, now you don’t have to plug it up to your computer to get an update or a new app!)

Overall: Get your IPad back and rest assured that the content your kiddo is looking at is education and entertaining, but always approved by you. And at less than $100, than the InnoTab 2/2s is way cheaper than Ipad and much more durable too!)


InnoTab 2 and 2s from VTech
Designed for 3-9 years old boys and girls (comes in blue and pink)
Depending on the model, it’ available for around $69.99 -$99.99 at Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us and other major retailers, and online at www.vtechkids.com and www.amazon.com.

DISCLAIMER:
I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC’s 16 CFR Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

Don’t Leap for Leapster, Go for MobiGo2: Toy Pick 2012

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Wow Mom! Wednesdays – Holiday Edition:


IPad. Nintendo DS. Leapster. Leapster Explorer. MobiGo.
Yes. There are a lot of handheld gaming devices out there. And for a mom just stepping out of todd’s time with simple toys that made sounds and had lights, I’m now having to consider what can teach my kid along with what cartridges go with what. And after much research and testing (my four-year old really had to take one for the team), the new VTech MobiGo 2 is one of the best options around – especially for the preschool/early elementary set.

The new MobiGo 2 is a educational handheld system that allows kids to enjoy on-the-go play and hone their creativity all while learning basic skills such as math, vocabulary, spelling, reading, logic, drawing and more.  Of course, like all the others you can buy several of your kid’s favorite characters and shows like Thomas the Tank Engine, Jack and the Neverland Pirates, and Disney Princesses to play in addition to the fun already installed programs.
Sound like a lot like a Leapster? In some ways they do the same things and even look a lot alike. If you really want to take compare them, you can see the side-by-side. The price of all the accessories will stand out most of all, as well as, the upgraded MobiGo system’s features – the photo viewing! This baby allows you to import your own photos, tag your photos, create mic-activated fun photo effects and set photos as wallpaper. However, there is a lot more cool stuff where that came from.


Toy Features
  • Two NEW ways to play: MobiGo 2 comes equipped with a NEW motion sensor and microphone in addition to the touchscreen:
    • The NEW motion sensor provides total game control, allowing kids to create action movements within games and programs while playing
    • The NEW microphone provides different methods of game play. Blow into the microphone to move objects, blow off dust, or initiate other special effects. Or speak into it to give a command or trigger an action 
  • QWERTY keyboard helps kids become familiar with a keyboard layout
  • Pre-loaded with FREE games: MobiGo 2 also functions as an e-reader, photo album, photo viewer and art studio and coloring book, and comes pre-loaded with three great games that take advantage of the product’s many features
  • Numerous apps for download: The expanded onboard memory allows kids to store more fun. More than 80 other apps are available for download at the VTech Learning Lodge Navigator™ at www.VTechKids.com/Download.  
Overall: The VTech MobiGo 2 allows you to combine that durable first camera, teaching assistant and your kid’s game device into one product for a reasonable price.
MobiGo 2 from Vtech
Designed for 3-8 years old boys and girls (comes in multicolor and pink)
Available for around $59.99 at Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us and other major retailers, and online at www.vtechkids.com and www.amazon.com.

DISCLAIMER:
I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC’s 16 CFR Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

Get Ready to Robot with Cogsley – Toy Pick 2012

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Wow Mom! Wednesdays – Holiday Edition:


When I was growing up, my coolest toys were my Peaches N’ Creme Barbie, My Little Pony, Rainbow Brite and Teddy Ruxpin. At the time Teddy was the coolest thing in the world because his eyes and mouth moved while his onboard cassette played so it “seem” like he was talking. 

Thanks Wikipedia for the childhood throwback.

Hey, it was cool for 1985.

Fast forward to 2012 and your cool, interactive toy is no longer a furry bear that looks like a character from Showbiz Pizza, but a robot that can dance, sing and even teach your kid Chinese. Let me introduce you to Cogsley from VTech. 
Teddy doesn’t hold a candle to Cogsley.

Toy’s Features:
  • Cogsley comes with a set of 30 chips that create movements, sounds, and images and animations on the LCD display. The chips help Cogsley teach children skills including letters, counting, words, manners and even basic phrases in Spanish, French, Chinese and German. (Thank goodness he even comes with a storage backpack to carry his chips, so when you have a little ones you can try to keep up with them!)
  • Cogsley also sings, dances and exercises with music and songs.
  • He has five interactive body movements including twistable ears and a spinning nose and eyes, to help enhance children’s motor skills.
  • He even has a sound detector so that if the robot “hears” a clap, sing or shout, the robot will respond with a variety of expressions and movements.

Overall: This is a great starter technology toy that’s fun and educational before your kids enter the world of Nintendo, PlayStation and Apple.


Cogsley from Vtech
Designed for 3-6 years old boys and girls (while it’s perfect for a 3 year-old, 6 year-olds might be a little less excited.)
Available for around $39.99 at Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us and other major retailers, and online at www.vtechkids.com and www.amazon.com.

DISCLAIMER:
I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC’s 16 CFR Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

What to Toast with the Turkey: Wine Picks for Thanksgiving

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Tech Tuesdays:

It’s not just Tech Tuesday – it’s also two days before Thanksgiving! 

Whether you are cooking, visiting or even dining out, you are probably going to be met with the challenge of wine at Thanksgiving. Well never fear, I not only have a recommendation for your Thanksgiving needs as well as a resource that keeps on giving no matter the holiday or occasion for all your wine suggestions.  I’m so excited to share this info – especially since I was able to talk one-on-one with the creator.  (Heads up: Get out your smartphone so you can get ready to download this!)

Loved this photo from blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com.
Recommendations for Thanksgiving Wines 

From WinePoynt’s sommelier and president, Chris Taylor:   

“My advice is to offer two wines with your Thanksgiving dinner, a medium-bodied white wine with acidity and a touch of sweetness, and a smooth red wine with good fruit character that compliments the flavors on your plate without bossing them around too much.  With a white and a red to choose from that both complement the spread, plus the fact that one’s sweet and the other’s not, you should have all the bases covered.”

White
$ Rieslings from Washington
If your table will be heavy on the marshmallows and other sweets, you may want to go for a slightly sweeter white wine, like a Riesling.  Sweetness varies across different Rieslings, but most of the ones from Washington are versatile enough to go with dinner & dessert.

$$ Chenin Blanc wines from Loire Valley of France (e.g. Vouvray)
The balance of sweetness & acidity complements the tang of cranberries, the richness of sweet potatoes, AND the turkey!

Red
$-$$ Pinot Noir from California
Styles vary of course, but these smooth reds are easy to drink, bursting with fruit and spices, are generally crowd pleasers, and won’t trip over anything on the table.

$$ 2012 Beaujolais Nouveau
The first wines available from the French harvest each year go on sale the Third Thursday of each November, just in time for Thanksgiving.  These light, fruity offerings from the gamay grape are intended to help us give thanks and celebrate the bounty of the harvest.  Perfect!



DRINK. RATE. REPEAT.: A little about Chris and WinePoynt
What happens when you are an accomplished sommelier with volumes of wine knowledge and you want to be able to make recommendations for people no matter where they are and no matter their wine price point? You create an app called WinePoynt.

All the knowledge from WinePoynt’s sommelier and president, Chris Taylor, was repurposed, organized and optimized to create the newest must-download app on your smart device, WinePoynt.  Made for anyone from customers, restaurant owners, party planners and local spirit sellers, you can slice and dice wine info from what to buy, what to pair, what to drink, and more – all with a few clicks.

Using info from the user and their location, WinePoynt learns what individual users like as they rate wines, the more the better. Unlike any app on the market, WinePoynt offers the unique service of providing personalized wine recommendations for the users location, allowing them to create and publish custom wine lists, view wine details, rate wines, add notes, share wines, scan wines by UPC code and more, all with a single app. Additionally, app users can attach notes or pictures to wines and share them via social networks along with their ratings.  WinePoynt has a free and a premium version available to mobile users, the premium app costs $.99 a month or $4.99 per year. 

 Cheers to the Holidays!


Save Those Leftovers: Make Your Skin Merry & Bright with Pumpkin and Yams

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Me Mondays:

Remember when Samantha Jones, the outspoken and sexual socialite from “Sex in the City” rubs yams all over her face in efforts to keep from “ricocheting back into menopause?” While Suzanne Sommers might try to tell you something different, yams can’t keep the clock from moving forward, but it can help your skin look like it has.

So bring on the yams I did with a holiday facial treatment from Highland Park’s Facelogic called the Merry and Bright. The space, located perfectly off the Tollway and Lovers Lane, keeps your skin in tip-top shape with affordable treatments and membership programs for facials, massages, waxing, spray tanning and more. The Merry and Bright is a limited-edition facial includes a yam and pumpkin peel designed to make your skin look its best as you celebrate the holidays with parties and get-togethers. Too bad they haven’t come up with a treatment yet called the Merry and Light (but they do have a weight management program that I also can’t wait to share in a few weeks!)

This facial/peel treatment gently takes away the aging layers of dead skin cells leaving the skin soft, refreshed and looking bright. The yam & pumpkin peel from Eminence Organics produces a dramatic yet natural skin lightening effect, which is great when you aren’t as good as you should be like me about exfoliating your skin. The peel uses nurturing stone crops and a natural hydroquinone alternative to lighten up the skin without photo-sensitivity as well as other fruits and natural products to help you put your face forward! 

Key Ingredients of Yam & Pumpkin Peel from Eminence Organics:
  • Yam Pulp Purée: high in beta-carotene and vitamins to fight the signs of aging
  • Pumpkin Pulp Purée: rich in enzymes, beta-carotene, amino acids, and antioxidants to fight the signs of aging
  • Pineapple: purifies skin by removing dirt and proteins
  • Papaya: contains vitamins and fruit enzymes to improve the appearance of skin
  • Glycolic Acid: soothing and smoothing agent
  • Lactic Acid: sloughs off dead skin cells to improve texture of skin
  • Willowbark Extract: natural beta-hydroxy to minimize the appearance of pores
  • Phyto-Hyaluronic Acid (Phytocollagen): deeply hydrating; natural substance that smoothes and plumps skin to minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
  • Green Tea Extract: high in antioxidants, polyphenols, flavonoids, and vitamins for youthful looking skin
The Merry & Bright treatment options for $75: 60 minute facial with a 5% peel or 20 minute facial with a 20% peel (for more dramatic results). While I didn’t take a before and after photo, I can tell you my skin did look smoother, healthier and brighter, which made my day just merry!

And even better, now until the end of the year, when you purchase this treatment you’ll be doing something good for others, too. The Merry & Bright facial will not only help brighten the face and mood for the holidays but literally brighten the overall lives of those in Zambia living in the dark. For every Merry & Bright facial purchased in November & December a solar-powered LED light is given to a family in Zambia who are in the dark after the sun sets. These lights provide a means to study, eat and enjoy their families well after the sun sets on them (visit http://empoweredbylight.org for more information about this program.) Facelogic is hoping to provide at least 100 lights to Zambia by the New Year. 


Call Facelogic Highland Park at 214-696-3223 today to book your appointment and to get your skin looking merry and bright. 

DISCLAIMER:

I received one or more of the mentioned products for the sole purpose of this review. No other compensating was given and all opinions expressed are 100 percent my own. (Accordance with FTC’s 16 CFR Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)


Sharing the Spirit of Santa: The Next Level of the Santa Letter

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Sharing Saturdays

Remember writing out your Santa letter in hopes he would get your wish list and one of your wants would be under the tree or even better, Santa would write back? Whether you want your child to experience Christmas via “snail mail” or through “e-mail” with a video, you’ve got options to keep the spirit alive. And even better, by just believing you can also help others in need. 


Letters from the North Pole – Kids Will Truly Believe When Santa Writes Back
The U.S. Postal Service is helping keep the enchantment of Santa Claus alive with its “Letters From Santa” program. “Letters From Santa” allows you to mail a letter to their child “From Santa,” postmarked from the North Pole.
Here’s how “Letters From Santa” works:
1. Write a letter to your child from Santa Claus and sign it “From Santa.”
2. Insert the letter into an envelope addressed to your child with the return address:
SANTA, NORTH POLE.
3. Ensure a First-Class Mail stamp is affixed to the envelope.
4. Place the envelope into a larger envelope, with appropriate postage, and address the larger envelope to:
NORTH POLE POSTMARK
POSTMASTER
4141 POSTMARK DR
ANCHORAGE AK 99530-9998
5. Your letter “From Santa” will be mailed back to your child, postmarked from the North Pole.
“Letters From Santa” must be mailed to the Anchorage, AK, postmaster no later than Dec. 10, 2012.
Santa’s helpers in Anchorage will take care of the rest!
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.


E-mailed Video by North Pole Videos
NorthPoleVideos.com offers personalized videos from Santa. Each video includes your desired name, their age and a few special requests like “Be a good boy” from Santa. The videos are free to make and view for 48 hours. If you choose to buy the video to keep all year it’s only $3.99 and you can enjoy 10 additional videos to remind kids to be good to stay on the nice list all year round. 

Believe in Santa with Macy’s: Write a Santa Letter, Make a Wish Come True
with Macy’s As part of its fifth annual Macy’s “Believe” campaign, Macy’s is inviting kids all across the country to believe by writing a letter to Santa. For each and every stamped letter dropped off in a Santa Mail letter box through Christmas Eve, Macy’s will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish, up to $1 million, to help grant wishes for children who have life-threatening diseases.
To participate, bring a stamped letter, addressed to “Santa At The North Pole,” to your local Macy’s store and drop it in a special Santa Mail letterbox.
For each letter received through Dec. 24, Macy’s will donate $1, up to $1 million, to Make-A-Wish. Macy’s will count up the letters and deliver them to the Post Office.
You can even make do a letter online with their Santa letter builder and then print the letter and take it to your nearest Macy’s. Click here to locate a letterbox near you.
See what happens when you BELIEVE?

The Perfect Thanksgiving Pairing: Donut Pumpkin Bread Pudding & Thanksgiving Sangria {Recipes}

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Food Fridays:

With all this year’s activities, the Reos will not be making Thanksgiving. It makes us sad since our way of doing Thanksgiving was a tradition we have enjoyed, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do, to keep your sanity.

However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t relive the memories by sharing the best thing about our Thanksgiving The Reo Way…the food. So I’ve shared two recipes: one that still has us saying “OMG” and another one that makes our holiday complete. 

The Krispy Kreme Donut & Pumpkin Bread Pudding was on the menu for Reo Thanksgiving 2005. My husband made this amazing spread and his encore was this dish that we can’t even remember where he found it then, but I’m sure I have some cellulite that I can still credit from this dense dessert…But man, it is good. 

Krispy Kreme Donut & Pumpkin Bread Pudding

 

4 cups milk
1 cup granulated sugar
8 whole eggs
1/4 cup vanilla extract
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling 
1 dozen Krispy Kreme donuts, cubed  
1 cup fresh cranberries
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
 
In a mixing bowl, blend all ingredients, except for bread and cranberries. Fill a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with donuts. Sprinkle cranberries over donuts. Pour custard mixture over donuts, making sure that all cubes are submerged (push cubes down if necessary). Bake for about 1 hour, or until pudding is set. Serve warm.
 
Butter Rum Sauce: 
1 stick butter
1 pound box confectioners’ sugar
Rum, to taste
 
Melt butter and slowly stir in confectioners’ sugar. Add rum and heat until bubbly. Pour over each serving.

Thanksgiving Sangria
 
While my hubby is the executive chef for Cocina de Reo, consider me the bartender. I’m all about the aperitifs and appetizers. And this basic recipe for Sangria is exactly what makes a long day of cooking totally worth it. However, I will promise you – it will knock you off your feet, so caution if you have to remember how to make mashed potatoes. 
 
 
 

* My recipe also appeared in the Junior League of Arlington’s “A Silver Celebration” ~ Celebrating 25 Years of Holiday Magic.

Happy Thanksgiving Preparations!

For other food news this week also see: Warm Cookies Mean Warm Meals for North Texans in Need


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