Disney Frozen II Anna Autumn Swirling Adventure doll

As you may know, the new movie featuring Anna and her sister Elsa - Frozen II - has been in theater for a bit now.   And when a new movie from Disney comes out you can be certain that numerous toys will also appear on the shelves at your favorite store. 

So it is not surprising that this Christmas season new dolls based on Frozen II are available.   I have the opportunity to present you one such doll today - Anna Autumn Swirling Adventure doll.

I haven't seen the movie as of yet.   But apparently in Frozen II, Anna's unwavering optimism and perseverance is tested.  She must learn to stand strong even when it feels impossible, and do the next right thing.

This beautiful doll wears an outfit that is black and purple complete with a removable skirt, belt and cape.   If you lift the arms of the doll you will see that the outfit illuminate with a swirling leaf pattern that is absolutely stunning.  I simply love the yellow and red colors moving on the dress. (Why didn't we get that kind of fancy dresses for our dolls when I was younger?)  Her sister Elsa's doll has something similar on her dress where a pattern of snowflakes lights up. (Doll sold separately.)

 

These fun dolls will definitively bring joy to kids as they play with sister duo twinkling together as they journey to new adventures.

The Disney Frozen II  Swirling Adventure Fashion Dolls are available for purchase at your favorite retails store, even on Amazon (Canada and US).

Anna
   

Elsa
   

Disclaimer: Thanks to Hasbro Canada for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Star Wars Forces of Destiny Figures

Star Wars Forces of Destiny Figures
by Hasbro

About Rey of Jakku and BB-8

Rey always stands up for what she believes in, and BB-8 is a feisty, loyal droid. After becoming close friends on the desert world Jakku, they stick together no matter what.
Imagine epic adventures as they journey across the galaxy searching for the legendary Jedi Luke Skywalker with this Star Wars Forces of Destiny Rey of Jakku adventure figure with BB-8 friend. This highly poseable figure features beautiful rooted hair, and a vest, boots, belt, arm wraps, and skirt she can be dressed in. When they face danger, place Rey's lightsaber in the figure's hand and squeeze her legs to see her strike! Re-create the battles and stories of Star Wars with these true-to-entertainment companions.
• Includes: Adventure figure, droid, lightsaber, holster belt, vest, pair of boots, 2 arm wraps, skirt, and blaster.

My Thoughts

I remember when in the 70s I got the Princess Leia doll.   She was bigger than the other dolls I had but I was delighted to have her.  Fast forward to 2017 and a new line of Star Wars dolls have made their appearance on the market.  The Star Wars Forces of Destiny dolls look much more like the characters than my old Princess Leia…    My daughter had spotted them already in one of the toy store Christmas catalogue and thought they were just fabulous.  I wasn’t too sure about them until I saw some at the Wal-Mart near our home. They are absolutely stunning!

I saw the detail in the costumes, the features in the face, and the beautiful colors.   Hasbro has done a tremendous work in bringing these women characters to life for little girls.   I have received Rey of Jakku with BB-8 to review.   I love the little strands of hair falling on both side of the face.  One arm is bend and a lightsaber is included.  Press the legs together and Rey will swing the lightsaber.  As for BB-8 the head will spin just like the real character in the movie. 

I find that this doll is really well done and I suspect that many kids who love Star Wars will enjoy playing with it.  

Other figures are part of the Star Wars Forces of Destiny are Endor Adventure,  Jyn Erso Adventure, Princess Leia Organa and R2-D2,  Rey of Jakku, Sabine Wren, and Chewbacca. 

As you can see each and every one of them are absolutely special in many ways (well except Chewbacca to be honest – I think he is a bit too scary…).  

GREAT NEWS!

Hasbro Canada has agreed to give away one Rey of Jakku & BB-8 to one of my readers.  Fill the requirements below for more chances to win!

Note: Contest is open for Canadians only!  Contest is on until November 30th.   Draw will be on December 1st.  I will contact the winner in order to get the mailing address and pass the information to my contact at Hasbro Canada.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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The Star Wars Forces of Destiny dolls are available for purchase at your favorite store, even on amazon.ca and amazon.com.

AMAZON.CA

  

AMAZON.COM

Note that on Amazon.com you will find the Ashoka Tano doll.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Hasbro Canada for sending me the above mentioned products for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Meet Charlsea the newest Maplelea girl

At the end of 2015 there was a lot of buzz at Maplelea because they released a brand new Maplelea Girl since like forever.   The new girl was from the “West Coast” of Canada and lived in Salt Spring Island in British Columbia.  Her release was just in time for the upcoming holidays and she was well welcomed by all Maplelea fans.

Today, I have the privilege to present you Charlsea and what she enjoy doing the most – kayaking.  But first who is Charlsea?    Charlsea is a girl who loves all things crafty.  She enjoys colorful things and do not hesitate one minute in showing this in her clothing.    She enjoys wearing the cut-off jeans, the patterned and colorful tights and the home-made tie-dyed shirt that can only compliment her free spirit and her fun personality.

She loves going on adventures, like kayaking to Carlos Island, or searching for sea otters and sea stars on Vancouver Island, or weekending in Whistler.   However, she is just as happy at home, gathering things from our garden to sell at the family farm stand at the end of our driveway, or taking care of The Empress, my mischievous little goat. One day she would like to be an architect, but for now she enjoys building an eco-friendly tree-house.

Charlsea has long auburn hair and eyes that are blue-grey, just like the Pacific Ocean!  The details in the face are simply stunning as usual.   I really appreciate the quality and the love that is put in the Maplelea Girls dolls. 

Charlsea wears her favourite pink rain boots  all the time - even when it’s not raining. As you can see these boots are sturdy and made with the highest quality of material including the rubber under the boots.

Charlsea comes in  a beautiful, sturdy, keepsake storage box that you can use to hold Charlsea’s accessories. This premium quality doll is 46cm (18”) tall, with a soft, huggable body and eyes that open and close.  The doll also comes with a journal of 64 pages which contains 32 pages written and illustrated by her, and 32 pages with questions, prompts and blanks for you to write in. Charlsea’s journal includes both English and French versions.   And everytime you purchase a new item in her collection, you will get new pages in include in the journal.

As I mentioned before one of the favorite things that Charlsea like to do is to go kayacking on the ocean in search of adventures.    I also had the privilege to receive the  kayak, paddle and water bottle  to review.   Charlsea will sit comfortably in the kayak and can hold the paddle as well.  However, making the doll hold the paddle can be tricky at first but once you have discovered the easiest way of doing it you won’t have any issue making her hold it.    A water bottle is also included in this playset.  The water bottle can be securely tie-dow in the front part of the kayak.     Finally, you will be able to follow along on Charlsea’s kayaking trip in her 16-page journal booklet that is included with the set.

Now, as an experience boater I know that there is one thing that is absolutely essential to wear when you go on any kind of activity on the water – a PFD.   Wherever in Canada you may be you can easily find a lake, an ocean or a river nearby.   Consequently, it is wise to invest in a good PFD which could save your life if you fell in the water. Charlsea has her own PFD and water shoes  that she can wear anytime she embark on an adventure with the kayak.  The water shoes and the PFD are beautifully designed and again clearly show the quality of the material used for the clothes of any dolls in the Maplelea Girls collection.    The accompanying journal pages will help you understand the differences between PDFs and lifejackets.

 

I really appreciate the fact that we have Canadian dolls that we can offer to our daughters.   Each of the Maplelea girls offer a bit of a Canadian flair and will bring joy to your daughter.    I find it essential to be able to make a choice in getting a doll that has some Canadian heritage to my own daughter. 

Please note that water accessories are for pretend play only. If you decide to bring the doll on a beach you will have to be careful that the sand does not enter the eyes as it may impair the opening mechanism.  The kayak is also for pretend play only. Do not attempt to float the kayak in real water with your doll in it as it will likely tip. Water can damage your doll and the Maplelea dolls should not be placed in water.  If an accident do occurs, you could send the doll to the Maplelea Spa.

Charlsea is sold directly from Maplelea for the price of 99.99$ Canadian.   The Kayak with the paddle and the water bottle is priced at 70$ Canadian and the PFD with the water shoes are priced at 26$ Canadian.

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Where can you find the Maplelea Girls? Maplelea Girls are not found in retail shops for the simple reason that the company keeps its costs down by selling directly to the consumer. Plus many Canadian girls do not live near retail outlets that sell high quality specialty toys. By offering a flat $9 shipping fee for any size order traveling anywhere in Canada, all girls have equal access to the product line. Orders can be placed online at www.maplelea.com or by phone at 1-800-668-4339 24 hours/7 days a week.
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Disclaimer: Thanks to MapleLea Girls for sending me the above mentioned products for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Pioneer Life with Maplelea

Maplelea will be having a special event at Black Creek Pioneer Village on July 5th.   I was sent a beautiful pioneer costume for my daughter’s doll from Maplelea to highlight the upcoming event.  I wish I could bring my daughter Jasmine to the event and that her doll, Léonie could wear the Pioneer Quebecoise outfit since it is simply adorable.

Once again I am blown away by the attention to details when it comes to making outfit for the Maplelea girls.  This specific outfit is based on what pioneer girls in Quebec would wear.  Check out the detail on the blue vest and observe the colorful pattern of the skirt as well.

When Léonie’s family visits her tante and oncle’s cabane à sucre during maple sugar season, they often help out with the traditional entertainment for the guests. For this, Léonie wears an outfit like her ancestors might have worn over 300 years ago.  Léonie's journal pages include detailed information about the history and traditions of the pioneer outfit.  The outfit includes the following items:

• Chemise
• Mantelet
• Scarf
• Skirt
• Bonnet
• Tights
• Shoes
• Apron
• Collectible journal page
• Blank journal page
• Maplelea hanger

 

Even the shoes look like pioneer girl shoes with a little heel.

The Pioneer Quebecoise is available for purchase directly from Maplelea. 

It is perfect to celebrate our history as Canadians no matter where we are located because pioneers were there to bring us where we are today.

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DON`T FORGET THE MAPLELEA MEET UP GIVEAWAY!

Please check out the Maplelea Meet Up Giveaway I am having.

Disclaimer: Thanks to MapleLea Girls for giving me the opportunity to review this amazing outfit. I was not monetarily compensated for this post. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Celebrating Canada Day with Maplelea

Canada Day is quickly approaching.  Here in town, they are already planning for the 150th anniversary of Canada Day which will happen in 2017.   This year, we will spend Canada Day on Rice Lake while camping and our new to us boat. 

To celebrate Canada Day, Maplelea offer a cute little outfit for their dolls.   This amazing outfit is made in the colors of our flag – red and white.   As you can see on my daughter`s doll, Léonie, the shorts are red and the white t-shirt has a maple leaf on it.  The outfit comes with the cutest hat a doll could have as well as a small Canadian flag.    Also included in the box are a collectible journal page with fill-in-the-blank activity on Canada Day and a blank journal pages. 

Now I did mentioned that we will more than likely spend some time on our boat on Canada doing a bit of fishing and enjoying the sun (hopefully it will be a nice day…).   My daughter Jasmine enjoys spending time on the boat and fish with daddy.  She has no fear whatsoever in handling worms or minnows, fishing or grabbing a catch.  

I think that she will enjoy bringing her doll on the boat with us when we go on an adventure.   Léonie will look very safe with her own life jacket on our boat.

 

I am very impressed with the quality of the clothes I have received and by the attention put into details particularly on the life jacket which includes the zipper and the two snaps (even the one in between the legs).  Every time I discover a new item from Maplelea I can`t help but marvel at the workmanship involved in the design and fabrication of it.  

Léonie will wear her trusty lifejacket whenever she's out on the lake with Jasmine on our family's boat. Because she will spend a lot of time in or near water, Léonie will be smart about staying safe. Her journal pages talk about the many different boats used in Canada.

NOTE: The Maplelea lifejacket is for pretend play only. Immersing your doll in water will permanently damage it!

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The Canada Day outfit can be purchase on Maplelea for 23$.

The life Jacket can be purchase on Maplelea for the 20$.

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DON`T FORGET THE MAPLELEA MEET UP GIVEAWAY!

Please check out the Maplelea Meet Up Giveaway I am having. 

Disclaimer: Thanks to MapleLea Girls for giving me the opportunity to review these two items. I was not monetarily compensated for this post. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Maplelea Girls outfits

Two years ago, I had the privilege to review a Maplelea Doll on my blog.   This doll has been the best doll my girl ever had.   She plays with it regularly throughout the year.  The only problem is that Léonie didn’t have a winter outfit.   So recently I approached Maplelea with the possibility to review a winter outfit for Léonie as well as possible a giveaway on my blog. 

Imagine my delight when I heard back from them….   I have received the Laurentian Winter outfit and the Summit Boots to review.  

First the outerwear outfit.  As you might know, there are lots of activities to do in the snow when you are properly dressed in Canada.    The snowsuit includes a warm jacket with hood, snowpants, mitts, an hanger as well as journal pages which you will find a quiz for you to figure out some of the many winter activities that Canadians enjoy.   I must admit that the mittens are beautifully made with two colors – beige and red.   They can be tighten on the wrist of the doll as well.  The snow pant has a snap button to hold at the west and slip well on the legs of the doll.  Finally, the red jacquet has a small zipper and snap buttons which will keep the doll warm during playtime outside in the cold weather.   

However, I must say that the boots impressed me the most.   The small boots really look like winter boots and ever shows grips under the foot.   Impressive quality!

As you can see Léonie will be warm if she goes play outside with Jasmine this winter.  And she can ever wear the outfit without the hood if she desires.

I am very impressed with the details of this outfit and at the quality of the items included in this winter outerwear.       I know that the doll will be kept warm if she goes outside with Jasmine this winter.

The Laurentian Winter outfit can be found on the Maplelea website for the price of 33$ Canadian while the Summit Boots are sold for the price of 14$ Canadian.  

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GREAT NEWS!  
A GIVEAWAY FOR MY CANADIAN READERS…

Maplelea has offered a Taryn doll as a giveaway for my readers.    Taryn comes ready for outdoor adventure in her cozy cotton striped turtleneck, her khaki skirt with buckle closure, funky striped tights and her oh-so-comfortable hiking boots. Her long brown hair is held back with two tiny green hair clips.

The doll has a value of 99.99$.     The package includes Taryn Doll, Striped Turtleneck, Khaki Skirt, Striped Tights, Hiking Boots, Hair Clips, Story Journal, and Keepsake Storage Box

Taryn comes ready for outdoor adventure.  She loves painting, figure skating, and her family.   

To win, simply follow the instructions below.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Where can you find the Maplelea Girls? Maplelea Girls are not found in retail shops for the simple reason that the company keeps its costs down by selling directly to the consumer. Plus many Canadian girls do not live near retail outlets that sell high quality specialty toys. By offering a flat $9 shipping fee for any size order traveling anywhere in Canada, all girls have equal access to the product line. Orders can be placed online at www.maplelea.com or by phone at 1-800-668-4339 24 hours/7 days a week.
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Disclaimer: Thanks to MapleLea Girls for sending me the above mentioned outfit for review purposes and for offering this incredible giveaway to my readers. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Hearts for Hearts Girls

Every year at this time I am starting to present you some options on possible Christmas gifts that would interest your kids.   This time, let me present you some beautiful dolls from the Hearts For Hearts Girls.  Actually, I am not stranger of these dolls as I had the opportunity to review them last year as part of my Christmas theme.  

But these dolls come with a special mission – each of the doll sold help children in need around the world.   How?   A portion of the funds generated by this doll is donated to nonprofits that help girls in the community that the doll represent via World Vision.   World Vision is an organization that builds a better world for children and their families throughout the world.  It is done through education, water, hygiene, microenterprise, community development, and disaster relief.

This year I have receive Lilian from Belarus.  This doll is base don a real girl who wants to make a better world around her. 

The doll comes  dressed in fashions that are authentic to the country she represent, a friendship bracelet and a story book.  The package is marvelously done because you can open the cover and see the doll inside the box.   You can also read on the back of the cover some interesting information about Lilian and the country of Belarus. 

Each Hearts for Hearts Girls dolls are about 14 inches tall and has a poseable, smooth vinyl body and rooted hair.   The eyes are stunning with bright colors.   Lilian has blue eyes and golden hair.  She comes dressed in a full-sleeved white tunic blouse with authentic Belarussian embroidery details on the collar and sleeves, topped with a lace-up vest with embroidered pink and periwinkle flowers. Dotted scarlet leggings complete this culturally inspired outfit.   The accessories included with this doll are: suede hair band with whimsical knit flowers and leaves, ornate silvery earrings with simulated garnets, fashionable black ballet flats, doll-sized hair comb with hair elastic, girl-sized H4HG power bracelet, and a beautiful mini storybook about Lilian’s life.

I have even seen some fashion for these dolls at toy stores.  So it is possible to purchase more clothes for your child to play with her.

There are now eight dolls available in Canada – Nahjo from India, Lilian from Belarus, Tipi from Laos, Dell from USA, Rahel from Ethiopia, Consuelo from Mexico, Zelia from Sao Paulo and Lauryce from New Orleans.  Each of them is special and authentic of the region it represents.

Don’t forget that each doll is a girl that wants to make a difference in her life, community, and culture. When you buy a Hearts For Hearts Girls doll, a portion of the purchases price is donated to children’s causes in countries around the world.

The dolls are available at WalMart, Target and Toys 'R' Us.  They are also available on amazon.com.

Disclaimer: Thanks to RP Toys for sending me the product for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Ann Loren Doll clothes

As some of you know already I had the opportunity to review a Maplelea Girls Doll not too long ago and there is currently a giveaway to win one on my blog. 

So when I received it, I immediately looked on the internet to see where I could get clothes apart from the Maplelea site.   I have found numerous sites where I could get patterns to make some clothes for Léonie and I stumbled on the O.co site where you can purchase some clothings for American Girls dolls.  Knowing that the Maplelea dolls are similar to the AG ones, I asked if I could review a piece of clothing and I received the Ann Loren 2 piece Christmas Floral outfit to review.

This Ann Loren 2-piece Christmas Floral Outfit is made to fit the American Girl Dolls, and most 18 inch dolls. This set is constructed of a soft 100-percent cotton and is made with the same quality as regular girl clothes.   As you can see they have put quite a bit of details in the top and the pants.   I love the flower in the middle of the top and the way the pants are made as well.   The pants are slip on with an elastic band around the waist.   The top has a long piece of Velcro to help keep the back closed on the doll.  

I am particularly impressed with the top which fits snuggly on Léonie and will keep her warm on Christmas Day.    The pants are a perfect fit as well and will protect her legs from the cold if Jasmine brings her to our Christmas get-together (which I suspect she will…).  The pants also arrive at the proper length for the boots as well.   Here`s how Léonie looks like in her new outfit from AnnLoren (I also made her ponytails for fun!).

There are numerous outfits available from Ann Loren on O.co.   Simply go to their website to discover them!   Their prices are around 20$ give or take a couple of bucks depending of the model.   The outfits will be perfect for any doll of 18 inches.   These outfits would made a perfect Christmas or birthday gift for a little girl in your life.   And if you want your girl to have the same outfit as the doll, check out the Ann Loren Girls Floral/Hearts Set which is sold at O.co as well!   

Disclaimer: Thanks to O.co for sending me the above mentioned product for review purposes . I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.

Hearts for Hearts Girls

 

Hearts for Hearts Girls
From RP Toys

About the product

Every Hearts for Hearts Girls doll represent a real girl from a real place around the world.   Each has her own story to tell and ideas about how to make life better for her family, community, country, and the world around her.   They want to change the world – and You can help! 

My Thoughts

Recently I stumbled on a very interesting idea on presenting doll of different countries to little girls in our life.   As a family we are already investing in four kids in Dominican Republic and Thailand.   We also take the time to fill special Christmas boxes for other children during the Christmas season and our kids are regularly exposed to how other kids live in various parts of the world.   So when I was offered to review the Hearts for Hearts Girls, I couldn’t resist.   The dolls were so beautiful that I wish I could have had one of each of them.   But I received two Heart for Heart Girls to review – Tipi from Laos and Dell from the USA.

Tipi

Unlock the loving heart of Laos with our Tipi doll! Like all Hearts For Hearts Girls dolls, Tipi stands 14 inches high and has a poseable, smooth vinyl body, and high-quality rooted hair for hours of doll play. Her eyes are a deep, liquid brown-black and her hair is a flowing fall of gleaming black.

Tipi comes dressed in a charming pale green tee with embroidered detail in bright aqua, and whimsical plaid cropped pants with flower appliqué and lace-edged pocket.

Accessories include:

• Woven friendship bracelet
• Bright bangle bracelets
• Silvery flower earrings with pink crystal centers
• Fun aqua flip-flops
• Pink hair elastic
• Doll-sized hair comb with hair elastic
• Girl-sized H4HG power bracelet
• Beautiful mini storybook about Tipi’s

Dell

Take home the heart of America’s mountains with our Dell doll. Like all Hearts For Hearts Girls dolls, Dell stands 14 inches high and has a poseable, smooth vinyl body, and high-quality rooted hair for hours of doll play. Her eyes are a deep teal-blue and her gleaming hair is a true brunette brown. A sprinkle of freckles crosses her nose and cheeks.

Dell comes dressed in a summery floral top of corals and pinks, and frayed jean cut-offs of real denim.

Accessories include:

• Camouflage baseball cap
• Suede choker with enamel-like butterfly pendant
• Bright bangle bracelets
• Silvery flower dangle earrings
• Slip-on polka-dot distressed tennis shoes
• Doll-sized hair comb with hair elastic
• Girl-sized H4HG power bracelet
• Beautiful mini storybook about Dell’s life

Both dolls are fabulous and the details are breathtaking.   Their eyes are bright and their hair is soft.  I particularly love the expression in their faces as well as their clothing and their accessories.    A little book is also include to tell the story of the doll as well (though this information can also be found on the website.)!  Their website also highlights the real stories of real girls from around the world.  There are also online games on the website where you can have fun with your doll at the same time.   Pretty neat!   I helped Dell make her deliveries in the mountain just to check out the game.

There are six Hearts for Hearts girls dolls available in Canada.   Each and every single one of them are unique and special – Dell from the USA, Consuelo from Mexico, Rahel from Ethiopia, Nahji from India, Lilian from Belarus and Tipi from Laos.    And for every doll  sold a portion of the purchase price will go to World Vision to help children worldwide.  What is World Vision?   It is an organization that is building a better world for children and their families and communities in the USA and around the world.   World Vision does this through education, water and hygiene, microenterprise, community develoipment, and disaster relief.   For more information go to World Vision Canada.

If you have a little girl in your life – whether your own daughter, a niece or your godchild – I strongly suggest that you consider getting  Hearts for Hearts Girls doll for her this Christmas.  This doll will bring not only joy for the child receiving the gift but also will help a child somewhere in the word thanks to World Vision.   

The Heart for Heart Girls are available at your favorite toy store.    I have seen them at Wal-Mart recently!

Disclaimer: The product has been provided for review purposes. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. Please note that the review was not influenced by the Sponsor in any way. All opinions expressed here are only my own.