Tommee Tippee Sippy Cups Review & Sweepstakes

For about a year now I have tried, unsuccessfully, to get my almost three year old of of bottles and my four year to drink out of more than her one and only cup she uses.  I have tried harder than others at times but knew that something had to be done.   Especially for the littlest one.  A bottle at three was even too much for my relaxed parenting style.

So when I was asked to review Tommee Tippee Explora Sippy Cups that are sold at Target, I jumped at the chance thinking that this could be my tool to the turning point!

I received a set of two cups, one with a dinosaur on it and one with fish!  I could tell immediately that these cups were going to solve one huge issue that I have with sippy cups in general.   These things are not going to leak.  The tops screw on tightly, the insert in the top fits snugly and is not made of thin bendable plastic which means it won’t have a hold in two days and there is nothing escaping from the opening on the top of the cup.

These very durable cups are bright, easy for little hands to hold and cleverly designed to prevent leaks no matter how far the cup falls to the floor from the counter!  My 4 year old Sarah is extremely particular about her cups.  She has one cup that she likes and I get so tired of cleaning it time and again and hunting it down when she wants some milk.  Plus, it had a flimsy rubber nipple much like a bottle and I personally feel she should be off of them.

I called her over to look at the Tommee Tippee Explora Sippy Cups and she was immediately intrigued with the cup with the dinosaur.  In a house with three daughters we don’t see a lot of dinosaurs.  I asked her if she would try to drink her milk out of them and she said no.

Hmph.

And then about ten minutes later she asked if she could have it. Once she drank out of it and I celebrated as if she won the Nobel Peace Prize, she was hooked!  I was ecstatic!  And she still requests the cups today!  An amazing change that I never thought I would see!  Plus she shows everyone her new cup and is really proud of her ‘big girl cup’!

As for Megan, I have been lax about forcing her off the bottle.  I know, I know… terrible.  I figured one day I would have to put my foot down but was still looking at the calendar trying to pick a date.

She, like Sarah, flat out refused to drink from the Tommee Tippee Sippy Cups.  So I left a cup with milk  - the one with the fishies – on the coffee table and made a huge stink about Sarah’s progress.  Then I made a comment about how the fish would be lonely and cold without someone to hold the cup and love the fish.  Megan picked it up and carried it around.

**Note: So we have had these cups no less than two weeks.  The girls drink out of them and love them.  Apparently, however, my mind was made up that there were fish on Megan’s cup because despite having a ton of photos, showing her the cup and discussing it and just plain seeing, it took a reader to email me last night and tell me that there are no fish on these cups! Yea….  Megan’s cup as a rocket ship and planets…  sooo not fish!  I can not stop laughing at my mommy brain!  Thank you Brenda for pointing out my error!  But, truth be told, I am still going to tell Megan that it is fish…  it works!  ROFL!

And then it happened… she drank from it.  And again… and again!

I gave it a few more moments and drinks before I start celebrating like mad!  Megan is taken aback but squeals with glee as I spin her around.  Later that night she asked for her bottle and I reminded her that the fish needed her. She hesitated but again drank out of the cup!

I am so thrilled that my girls love these cups and am excited to get to Target to purchase some more!  In the few weeks we have had them there have still been no leaks.  That is my kind of happy and so worth the trip!  Plus, the cups are BPA Free and dishwasher safe!

Head over to Target and get your Tommee Tippee Sippy Cups today!

Do you have a child struggling to sippy cup train?  Or have you never found that cup that truly won’t leak?   Enter to win a pair of Tommee Tippee Sippy Cups too!  Just click [continue reading] for easy Rafflecopter entry:

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Tommee Tippee Sippy Cups. I received a Tommee Tippee Explora Sippy Cup product as well as a promotional item as a thanks for my participation.

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Dora is All Grown Up in ‘Dora’s Explorer Girls’: DVD Review

Dora is one of my children’s favorite characters.  But as they grow it will be hard to take the Dora they love now with them!  Luckily, Dora is growing up and she and the Explorer girls are just as adventurous!

Dora’s Explorer Girls (available May 15, 2012) sees Dora all grown up and moving to Puerto Verde, with her family and new friends, Emma, Kate, Naiya, and Alana – the Explorer Girls!  Excited about the Shakira concert, Dora and her Explorer Girls friends can not find the tickets!  Realizing that they accidentally mixed their tickets with their charity donations for the concert they head out on an adventure to find the tickets!  They race again the clock in hopes of making the concert in time!

My girls are supposed to be a little young for this DVD at 5, 4 and 2 but they still ripped the plastic off, opened the movie and begged to see what Dora was like all grown up.  My eldest who is almost six seemed to really re-engage with Dora in this movie.  She danced and sang with the music and kept reveling in how beautiful Dora and her friends were.  Dora carries that same innocent charm that she has as a youngster and is just as endearing!

Dora’s Explorer Girls is perfect for that set of fans who might be too old for the younger Dora but not too old for animated, educational musicals.  Even Sarah, at 4 was thrilled as Dora and the Explorer Girls as they overcame obstacles, thought through problems and leaned on each other for ideas and support.

The Explorer Girls are fun and excited to run through Puerto Verde with their friend and add a level of maturity to this movie that appeals to the older set.  Instead of animals and trolls, they are beautiful, confident girls that support Dora, come up with great ideas and make this movie a lot of fun for everyone!

Enjoy catchy tunes and music that you are thrilled to dance with your kids to in this movie!  Make sure you pay attention to the wonderful song “Todos Juntos” sung by Shakira, Dora and the Explorer Girls!  You will be up and dancing in no time!

I, personally, hope that Paramount and Nickelodeon make more of these ‘Dora’s all grown up movies.’  I know my girls would love to get to know the Explorer Girls a little more, learn new songs and see more new adventures!  And as my girls grow up they can take a familiar friend with them!

Purchase your Dora’s Explorer Girls: Our First Concert and watch your kids fall in love with Dora all over again!

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**This is a sponsored post by Family Fun Magazine and Paramount.  All opinions and writings are my own.  Please see my disclosure statement for more information. Images were provided from the sponsor.**

Argentina Barbie: Travel With the Barbie Dolls of the World

There is nothing I love more as a mother than seeing my children enjoy something that I enjoyed at a little girl!  Barbie’s were a big part of my childhood and I love that they are coming back into my home.

Even though I don’t actually play with the Barbie’s.. well…  maybe a little and by a little I mean every time they do, I love that my girls are embracing Barbie and her friends and using their imagination as they plan parties, hang out with friends and play house.  So it was a hugely happy day when we became the proud owners – friends – to the Argentina Barbie from the Barbie “Dolls of the World” Collection!

Dolls of the World is the largest and longest-running series in the history of the Barbie brand and re-launched in 2012 with 8 new dolls, including Argentina Barbie, Australia Barbie, China Barbie and Ireland Barbie.  Each doll wears an ensemble inspired by the native fashion of each country and every doll pack contains a ‘passport’ and special pet. The package also doubles as a carrying case for the doll or a place to store personal travel souvenirs.

Argentina Barbie is beautiful.  She has the detail work that makes only Barbie’s special!  She comes with a sweet little baby cougar, a passport, country stickers and a brush! She wears a beautiful flower in her hair and a lovely rose on her ankle.  Her fishnet stockings are tasteful and in character and her dress is expertly designed down to the lace shawl tied in the back!  She comes with a brush but her hair is styled to perfection and set to stay!

I love this Barbie for more than her style and detail.  She is an educational Barbie as well. A world traveler, your daughter can learn all about Argentina and her world on the Dolls of the World Website!  You can send letters to Pen Pals, read all about Australian facts and so much more!  The website helps tie together Argentina Barbie’s story!

Barbie Dolls of the World are available in China Barbie, Ireland Barbie and Australian Barbie.  Collect them all and give your daughters the education and the dreams of traveling the world too!

It’s fun to watch my kids play with something I loved so much.  It is an added bonus that she can also help my girls learn more about the world!

You can purchase your Barbie Dolls of the World online or in stores!  Let me know which one you want to get!

**I received this product for review purposes only.  100% of the opinions and writings are ADayinMotherhood.com’s and can not be duplicated without prior permission.  Images and links were used with permission. Images borrowed from approved sources**

‘The Mommy Diaries’ Book Review & Sweepstakes

Every mom needs a little support!  And the best support is generally from the mom who is the most honest!  And when that mom writes it down in a book for us to enjoy, relate to and refer back to when we need that extra support then it is just a a blessing!

The Mommy Diaries: How I’m Surviving Parenting without Killing Anyone by Dallas Louis is just the book that we moms need to pick us up and laugh, cry and feel akin to any day of being a parent.

“The trouble started when I realized that babies don’t sleep.”

A mother who had three babies within 26 months brings humor, heart and recognition to the realities of motherhood.  Through her mixed fear and joy every time the pregnancy test turned positive to the absolute shock that once you have them, you actually have to raise them!

Ms. Louise brings to the forefront the true reality of parenting.  From dealing with kids that liked to bite other kids – she feared they would be kicked out of Christian school for canabalism – to the reality that woman simply do not view sex as men do. Especially after children.  While breastfeeding. And a child hanging on them all day, this book covers the A  -Z’s of parenting for a  mother’s perspective!

From the realization that a marriage needs attention even with three babies in the house, to the parenting decision that she did not need to move her precious Cukoo Clock from its lifelong place just because the kids were touching it, her brutal honesty and admission to struggling with parenting is refreshing and just plain funny!

My favorite section of the book is the third pregnancy.  A result of some rare alone time before a business trip, it was unplanned, unexpected and came when their oldest was one and their youngest was eight weeks.  And they found out the morning of the husband’s vasectomy!   The reality that a third baby would be coming with two at home, a husband that traveled and a mother in law who insisted on moving in was just overwhelming.  Add to that Ms. Louise’s intense nausea from the pregnancy that caused a 15 pound weight loss and landed her in and out of the hospital and she admits… things were more than stressful.

I love this book.  It makes me feel normal.  And in a good way.  Everything the author writes about and admits to is something I can easily understand. I see my story in hers and that makes it much more interesting to me.

Plus, I like to laugh out loud when I read a book and this one is stock full of hysterical conversation and flippant – true -remarks!

Oh, and for my Houston, TX readers… she lives here and talks about Houston in the book!  Just a little fun fact! AND she includes a ton of real life photos which just adds to the amazing storytelling!

Head over to Amazon and read the great reviews and get your copy of The Mommy Diaries: How I’m Surviving Parenting without Killing Anyone and then come back and tell me what you think!!

And one lucky winner will get a copy of this fun and honest book!  Just click [continue reading] for easy Rafflecopter entry: [Read more...]

Nature’s Sleep Memory Foam Slippers Review & Sweepstakes + 50% Off Code

I am tired.  I have been at a dealership trading in a car and my feet hurt, my head hurts and all I want to do is relax and feel a little pampered.

I plop down in my office chair already feeling the heat of what has to be done and spin around to boot up my computer.  I kick something on the floor and remember, with great relief, that my new Nature’s Sleep Open Toe Terry Cloth Slippers with Memory Foam are sitting under my desk.  I slip them on and instantly feel wrapped in warm, comfortable luxury.

It is amazing how that can happen.  How something as simple as a pair of slippers can change the day.  I think the secret to these particular slipper is not the soft cloth that wraps your feet in warmth, nor the high quality stitching that tells you they will last a while, but the memory foam bottom that allows your feet to sink into them as if into a cloud.

But these slippers are more than just a pretty shoe.  They really are better than your run of the mill slipper.  First of all, you know how slippers can flip and flop on your heel?  And if you are wearing jammie pants they get stuck in between the shoe and your foot so you are constantly tugging on the pants?

No, just me?

Anyway, that drives me NUTS!!  But the Nature’s Sleep Slippers stay put on your feet.  There is no “flopping” as they hold on tight and secure!  LOVE that!

Another thing I love – and you busy moms will appreciate this – is that the sole is a little sturdier than others I have seen.  It is thick enough that if you have to slip them on to run outside and pull the kids apart from their fun game of, “I was on the middle swing first!”, you won’t feel the pine cones and stickers that are abundant in your yard!

And for those of you who appreciate a good pedicure, these peek a boo toes let you admire your hard earned pampering time while relaxing!  Just a little fun side note!

Nature’s Sleep offers a wide variety of quality memory foam mattresses, pillows and even pet pet beds!  You can save 50% on ANY order now with code BEAR50!  That makes these slippers only $12.50!  Not too bad for such amazing comfort and quality!

And because every person should have the opportunity to pamper their tired feet, you can enter to WIN a pair of slippers now from Nature’s Sleep!  And the entry to the giveaway is an entry to ANOTHER giveaway that is a monthly drawing for a product from Nature’s Sleep!  How cool is that!

Just click [continue reading] now to enter: [Read more...]

Kimochis Cat & Feeling Review + Win a Kimochis Bug

We have a new friend in our house and he is helping us understand and explain our feelings!

He is the Kimochis Cat and a Mixed Bag of Feelings and he is my children’s new best friend!   The cat is durable, adorable and has a little pocket in the front for the kids to put their feeling in.  The Cat came with three feelings, Band-aids to help kids explain their hurts and a Kimochis Feel Guide that even has an activity in the back where kids can create their own feeling.

The ‘feelings’ are little, round characters with the name of the feeling on the back and the expression on the front.  They are the perfect size for little hands and are easy to understand even if a child can not read.  We put our ‘feelings’ in a little basket and when one of the kids is trying to show how they feel, they pull the feeling and show it to us!  At first a fun game of ‘guess my feeling’, this has become a great way to get my kids to calm down instead of having a tantrum when they get upset!

My little one, age 2, carries the Cat around and likes to put the feelings in her belly and act them out!

I am so excited about this toy and they reach it can have.  For kids dealing with a deployed parent to a child whose family is in crisis to a child who just needs some help showing what they are feeling, the possibilities are endless!   Take some time to look over the Kimochis website.  From the Cat to the Clover to the Bella Rose,  these dolls – available in 13″ and 6″ sizes, are any child’s favorite in no time!

Because Kimochis and I want you to see how fantastic they are too, you can enter to WIN a 6″ Mini Limochis Bug!

Just click [continue reading] for easy Rafflecopter entry:

**I received the product discussed for review purposes only.  I am mailing the winner the prize.**

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LittleSpaceHeroes.com: A FUN Online Game for Kids + $100 Prize Pack Giveaway

If your kids are anything like mine, they want to play on the computer and electronic devices you have all.day.long.  But if you are like me, even when you are OK with them playing on the computer – they have to learn to use it after all – you still want them to be safe and protected in whatever online universe they are in.

I am so excited to share with you information on LittleSpaceHereos.com!  A game for boys and girls ages 6 – 12 (though my 2 year old loves watching my 5 year old play it) that is fun, colorful and attention grabbing from the get go – even for my 2 year old!  And safe! And they have a blast playing it!

Little Space Heroes is an award-winning safe and fun online game for kids that is FREE to play at www.littlespaceheroes.com!

The story

In this amazing fun online game for kids, players get to create their own Space Hero and explore a galaxy full of fun and adventure.Little Space Heroes really is a virtual universe, not just a virtual world. There are entire planets to explore, each with different quests and adventures to be had.

The dastardly Lord Shadowbot has stolen the Glows! This not-so-evil villain’s bizarre fear of the dark led him to our heroes galaxy where he discovered the Glows, a curious light emitting creature with amazing powers. Wanting the Glows all for himself, Shadowbot and his minions landed on the Glow’s Crystal planet home world and began to Glow-nap them! Stealing away our littlefriends to light his way through the Galaxy and power his minion ships … the Nauts.

Exploring deep space, Ace and his pals Kira, Sparky, Krill and Zed made haste back to the galaxy, and using Professor Q’s Bubble Chi powers, the heroes succeeded in banishing Shadowbot from their home – but not before he had damaged the Crystal Palace and stolen away most of the Glows. In the months that followed, no matter how hard they tried, no trace of Shadowbot or the Glows could be found.

To find the space robot, Ace and pals invite new cadets to join the Space Heroes Academy to learn the ropes, team up with friends, and master your Bubble Blaster, Jetpack and Starjet. The galaxy is a very big place and with plenty of distant planets to explore we need new and old Heroes alike to work together to unravel secrets of Shadowbot and the missing Glows. Along the way you’ll make new friends, earn badges, play fun games, take part in special events and craft your own amazing hero adventures!

Info for moms and dads

Little Space Heroes is all about adventure, discovery and friendship. As a free online game for kids, players are encouraged to work together as they go on quests, play mini-games and solve mysteries. Learning the art of team-play and sharing, socialising and communicating are cornerstone elements of Little Space Heroes. We encourage good behaviour and inspire kids to be the bestheroes they can by way of our Space Hero Code.

Little Space Heroes is incredibly safe and the team has gone to great lengths to secure independent recognition of their safety features which include advanced chat filtering and live in-game moderators. Little Space Heroes has more independent safety accreditations and endorsements than Club Penguin or Moshi Monsters! It is kidSAFE+ certified, has a Parents’ Choice Approved Award, the Family Friendly Video Games Seal of Approval. The game is rated E for Everyone meaning it’s suitable for the whole family! They also just got honoured in the 2012 Webby Awards!

Little Space Heroes is a massive new virtual world for kids under 12 with loads of fun activities, adventures, games and quests for kids. It’s made by an independent children’s entertainment studio, Bubble Gum Interactive many of whom are parents themselves and have a passion for creating games that help kids discover every day.

Your kids can play Little Space Heroes for FREE for as long as they like. The free game is huge and much bigger than other virtual worlds I’ve seen. You can also buy premium memberships from $6 per month to access the entire game experience.

Check it out and play Little Space Heroes at http://www.littlespaceheroes.com.

We LOVE our hero, Holly Hero and we love to take her to the beauty shop, Dive School and more!  If you have not already logged in to get your FREE hero, then check out this video on how:

 
And because  bubble gum interactive  knows your Little Hero will fall in love with theirs, they want to give away a prize pack consisting of an annual premium membership and Space Heroes wall graphics worth $100 to one (1) of my readers!  Just click [continue reading] to enter below:
**This is a compensated review and giveaway.  My opinions are 100% my own.**
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Happy Nappers & Best Flower Buds by Jay At Play Toy Reviews

A while back I was standing at the television switching out one of my kids DVD’s during television time. While I was fumbling with the  - clearly adult proof – case, a commercial came on and my kids went nuts!

“MOMMY, MOMMY, We want those!!!”

I stopped for a moment and watched the commercial for the Happy Napper, a pillow that turns into a stuffed animal and then back again into a pillow!  I watched as the kids squealed as the commercial paraded the Castle to Dragon, Palace to Unicorn and Doghouse to Dog and more.  The ‘I want that one!’s at fever pitch, I made a mental note that these might be something to look at for presents one day!

Lo and behold, I got an Igloo to Penguin to review!  And it is pretty derned COOL!

On the Igloo is a button. It is the ‘doorbell’ to the penguin’s house, if you will.  When  you push it, laughter ensues… and the kids like it too!  The sound is a sleeping, snoring penguin that comes from the doorbell ring!  Once we got past that, the kids unzipped the door and let the penguin out!

When he came out they pushed the Igloo into his back and he became a stuffed penguin that they could play with!  And, oh, he is sooo soft.  When the napper is a pet his belly is plump and he is the perfect size for penguin wars… not that we would ever do that to him!  It’s just a mere suggested activity with this now beloved stuffed pet.

When it is bedtime, the girls unstuff him and put him to bed in his house and the use him as a pillow!

This is really quite cute and if you order one today, you can use code SPECIAL4U to get FREE Shipping on the already promotional price of $14.99 {was $19.99}.  Get them now and stick them away for the perfect gift for birthdays and holidays!

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The other toy that my girls are crazy about that we got recently to try out is the Best Flower Buds by Jay At Play!  Find these creative and fun dolls at your local toy store or Toys R Us!  Available in a several sizes, our little bud fit just right in Megan’s Easter basket this year!

The concept behind these super cute and soft Best Flower Buds is so cute!  They look like little flowers in a pot until you pull on their tops!  Then, as they grow, they turn into dolls that the girls can play with!  My kids pretend to water their “pot” and then out comes a new friend!

The one that we got to review is pink but the dolls are available in a variety of colors!  Plus you can get them in the 5″ size, the 9″ size or the 15″ size!  These are really cute and creative dolls and I have some stocked away that I got more Best Flower Buds on Amazon for the girls birthdays!  Then they can have their own little garden of Best Flower Buds! 

Take some time to check out the whole line and celebrate summer with some fresh Best Flower Buds in your child’s rooms!

**I received the products discussed for review purposes only.  My opinions are my own.  Like A Day in Motherhood on Facebook and Subscribe to A Day in Motherhood**

‘Space Dogs’ DVD Review: A Fun History Lesson for the Family

Gather your family, snuggle next to your kids, and get your hands greasy with popcorn on family movie night… Space Dogs has landed!  Or at least is ready to orbit your family into a night of entertainment and laughter!

You’ll have to get used to the dub over since this is a Russian movie and you’ll have to explain to your kids why they can not understand the language, but it is still entertaining and a fun movie to watch!  Because even my little two year old – who can not read – was entertained by the “doggies” and all that they did.

In this fun, animated family movie, two dogs are sent to space in the 1960′s.  They aim to be the world’s most famous Cosmonauts!  And even thought the movie is aimed to entertain and bring on some serious laughter, it is actually really based on the true stories of two dogs who were sent into space in 1960!

How cool is that?  This is a great one to share with kids the a good conversation started for a little space history lesson!  As adults, you may understand some of the underlying political tones, but the kids will miss them completely, I am sure.

The  movie is colorful, musical and sweet too.  In fact, it has a few touching moments that will make mom and dad take a deep breath of appreciation!

But one of my favorite things about the movie are that there are no bad words, no inappropriate innuendos, no violence or anything else that would make me uncomfortable sharing this movie with my kids!  The main characters do get sad and my five year old did worry about them, but the ending made her understand that everything was OK.  And when we all sat to watch it, I was relaxed and thrilled to see them interested in the adventure without having to worry about something terrible happening!

With extras on the DVD like a slide show, the trailer and a downloadable activity kit, this movie can entertain long after your done watching it!

Consider Space Dogs for your next family night!  And brush up on your Sputnik history so you can answer all of the questions that your kids will have when they find out that this movie is based on real dogs going into space!

  **Like A Day in Motherhood on Facebook and Subscribe to A Day in Motherhood  I received a copy of this movie for review purposes only.**

SureFlap MicroChip Cat (& Small Dog) Door Review + Discount Code

You guys know I have a love for pets.  Cats, dogs, rabbits and so on.  But one thing that absolutely drives me nuts is having to head over the the door time after time to let out my two dogs.  They never want to go out at the same time, they want to come in separately and when it is squirrel hunting time, they scratch and bark and basically make a ruckus until someone lets them out. Dog doors -and cat doors, resolve that issue!

But having a doggie door in the country is dangerous.  You never know what might wander in!  So I LOVE the SureFlap.com Microchip Cat Door that I got to review for you guys!

This door is great!  It uses the microchip that your pet has to allow access through the door.  Only those pets that the door recognizes the chip from can come in!!  So stray cats, rodents and anything else that might want to scurry through this battery operated door that is made of sturdy plastic instead of flimsy rubber, are locked out.  And the installation is easy and done in no time!

After seeing that my “little” dog was a little too tall for the door (he is NOT a tiny little Bichon as advertised, but a Labra-Doodle… whole ‘nuther post) I happily “donated” my door to a friend who has a tiny dog and cats and a problem with other strays trying to get in.  This is the PERFECT door to eliminate other animals from coming into your home!

Check out our slide show below to see how easy it is to install:

We have had numerous dog doors over the years and I have to say, after watching the install and use of the door at my friends, this one is a much higher quality and will last a lot longer than the ones you get that have the thin plastic flaps.  And if you have a small dog, like the one in the slide show that easily fits through the door, you basically eliminate it’s ability to chew on this door.  For anyone who has had to hunt down a replacement flap for a door a dog chewed through, you’ll appreciate that little perk!

And once my friend had her door in she programmed her little dogs code in and the dog started using it within seconds!  I can not tell you how intelligent this design is!  The door is built like a tunnel so that your cat or small dog has to stick their head into the tunnel to have it’s chip read.  This prevents another animal from pulling the door open from the outside!  Not only that, the door’s strong magnetic strip locks the door in place when not in use creating an air tight seal.

Get your SureFlap Microchip Cat (and small dog) door using discount code MOMBLOG12 at checkout and SAVE 10% NOW through May 31, 2012!  I can tell you that this one is well worth the price!!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Mom Blog Society Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Bubble Guppies on DVD Hits Shelves May 1: Review & Sweepstakes

The day has finally come!!  Bubble Guppies, the popular preschool children’s show on Nickelodeon, presents their first ever DVD hitting shelved May 1, 2012! Bubble Guppies is one of my children’s new favorites!

In their 3D animated and so colorful world, preschool aged fish characters sing and dance their way through the day.  With the sountrack to some seriously addicting music, the Bubble Guppies teach math, literacy, the arts, science and even have eco- friendly lessons for the kids!

This three episode DVD premiered on Nickelodeon back in February and has captivated my kids ever since.  Sarah loves the character, Una – the little girl with purple hair and the star in her hair and Megan is in LOVE with Bubble Puppy and seeing him sparks a round of, “I am a puppy!” that cracks me up every time!

In the double length feature episode, Bubbly Puppy’s Fin-Tastic Fairy Tale, a mean Witch (played by Wanda Sykes) turns Bubbly Puppy into a frog!!  Working together, and quickly, the Bubble Guppies use song and dance to break the spell!

The Bubble Guppies also learn about responsibility when in Bubble Puppy, Gil wants to adopt a new puppy.  He has to understand all of the responsibility that goes into taking care of a puppy before he can adopt!

Rounding out this fun DVD is the episode, Bubble Bites, where the characters and Mr. Pinkytoe go on an adventurous race to see who gets the last box of treats for Bubble Puppy at the store!

If your kids love colorful, fun character, catchy music and to laugh, you should introduce them to Bubble Guppies by treating them to their first ever DVD!

And one lucky reader can WIN one too!  Just click [continue reading] for easy Rafflecopter entry: [Read more...]

Vizardz.com Personalized Picture Lamps (So Beautiful) Review & Sweepstakes

I love, love, love this and I am so excited to tell you why!  Vizardz Personalized 2.5D Photo Lamps are unique, elegant, creative and beautiful. And they are a conversation piece that you will have forever and hand down from generation to generation!

Basically, Vizardz takes a photo of yours – your children, you spouse, your parents, your pet – and they turn them onto 2 dimensional images that, when light is put behind them, turn your photos into beautifully lit, highlighted pieces of art.  They are taking ordinary photos and adding depth and texture to them.

And I have to say, this one one of the most beautiful things I have seen done with photographs probably ever.

The process to get a night light-  perfect of a child’s room – a photo box, an ornament – not just for Christmas any more – and even a 3D Sculpture made with your photo is incredibly easy. 

Go to Vizardz.com and take a moment to check out all of the options you have.  I chose the 2.5D Photo Box and a picture of my eldest daughter that I never want to forget.  I added my photo to the cart and proceeded to check out.  I chose a color photo in the 4×6 frame.  Now, when you do this you can choose a horizontal photo and it will fill the whole box.  Or, you can do like I did and choose a vertical photo and, when created, there are white sidebars.  I liked that style personally for the photo I chose so either one is going to look stunning!

The Back of the Photo with the 2.5D Technology

Once I uploaded my photo and paid, I was done.  It was just that easy!  The hardest part of this entire process is choosing which product in which size you are going to get.

I received my box with my precious Katie in it about a week later.  Considering that these are personalized gifts, made when you order them, I was incredibly impressed with the turn around time.  There is plenty of time to get one of these for Mother’s Day!

The box comes with the light that inserts behind it easily, an open and shut lid on the top and the insert – a surprisingly sturdy card that has the photo in it’s 2.5D texture that simply slides into the front of the box.

The Front of the Vizardz.com Personalized Photo Box Insert

When I turned it on, however, my breath was taken away!  Honestly.  This beautiful photo that stood it’s own on ordinary stock paper being brought to life, highlighting the brightness in my daughters smile, the beauty of the day and the essence of who she is.  I could not take my eyes off of it and still, to this day, walk by and stare.  There is something new that shines through each time the photo is lit up.  And it is just simply gorgeous.

The Insert Slides into the Box with Ease

These are the perfect sentimental gift to give the ones you love.  Your Mother would cherish a photo of her grandchildren.  Your wife will cry when she sees your family so elegantly displayed and your friends will be impressed when they walk in and see your photos in such a new way!  Don’t forget Dad either!  Shhh— I am ordering one for my husband’s desk with all three of my children on it!  He will LOVE it!

Take some time to really look at Vizardz.com and find out why this is so incredible!   I bet you fall in love with yours as much as I have fallen in love with mine!

And because Vizardz.com is so generous, they are offering one (1) of my readers a 4×6 photo box like I received… but with your own photo, of course!  Just click [continue reading] for easy Rafflecopter entry below: [Read more...]

SAFESKIN Kid’s Sports Wraps Are Fun and Versatile + My $100 Walmart Gift Card Winner

 

A few weeks ago, I shared with you guys the fantasticness of NEW SAFESKIN Kid’s Color Sports Wraps.  Because these painless wraps are so awesome, I thought I would share some more thought about them plus share a coupon to get them for your First Aid kits!  In addition, the WINNER of the $100 Walmart Gift Card is announced below too!

More Great Facts:

SAFESKIN® Kids Sport Wrap offers kids the superior support needed to get back in the game with bright, fun colors that highlight team spirit and self-expression – not the boring, dull beige wraps adults use.  I put them on my kids to see what they thought and the loved the vibrant red and blue colors!

SAFESKIN® Kids Sport Wrap is a great option for on-the-go sports moms’ first aid kits – it’s self adhesive, water resistant, reusable, latex free and does not need clips or pins to secure it in place. I can attest for the fact that these are super easy to apply!  I just opened the package, wrapped the SAFESKIN Sports Wrap around my kids arms, ankles and hands, tore the end off and it stuck!  They played in them for a while and they never budged!

Each year, more than 3.5 million children under age 14 receive medical treatment for sports-related injuries,1 with strains and sprains among the most common complaints.2  From the playground to riding bikes to organized sports, kids can get injured doing anything!  Having these wraps on hand at the time of an injury just makes things easier on mom and her crying child!

I highly recommend everyone heading to Walmart to pick up some SAFESKIN Kid’s Sports Wraps for the car, the First Aid Kit or the medicine cabinet!  For only $3.94 a roll you can afford to be prepared!

The Coupon

$0.50 off ONE roll of SAFESKIN* Kids Sport Wrap Save $0.50 on a roll of SAFESKIN Kid’s Sports Wrap with this coupon from Coupons.com!

 

 

The Giveaway WINNER:

CONGRATULATIONS TO Elana I. who won the $100 Walmart Gift Card in the SAFESKIN Kid’s Sports Wrap Sweepstakes!

Remember that April is National Youth Sports Safety Month – I teamed up with SAFESKIN Kids Sport Wrap to bench the beige of traditional sports wraps for my kids.  And I loved every minute of it!  Get your wraps while it is fresh on your mind!

LIKE SAFESKIN Kids Sports Wrap on Facebook

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2 National Center for Sports Safety, Sports Injury Facts, http://www.sportssafety.org/sports-injury-facts/(Updated Not Available) [Assessed Feb. 6, 2012]
*SAFESKIN Kids Sport Wrap is not intended for direct contact with broken skin.

SAFESKIN Kids Sport Wrap is a trademark of Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc. or its affiliates.

DISCLAIMER:

Please read all terms and conditions within the Rafflecopter form.  I received compensation from Kimberly-Clark Professional in the form of a gift card to participate in this campaign promoting the Sport Some Color SAFESKIN Kids Sport Wrap Challenge. In addition, Kimberly-Clark Professional provided the gift card I am using as the prize in my promotion.

‘No Biking in the House Without a Helmet’ Book Review & Sweeps

“Everyone wants a happy family, but some parents fear they don’t have the knack for it.  We tilt anxiously above our children, examining them from every angle, consulting experts, and reading how-to books about increasing their popularity and enhancing their odds of getting into the expensive university of their choice.” Melissa Fay Greene 

And thus begins an incredible journey of a mother and a family who decided to adopt their fifth child from Bulgaria… and then four more from Etheopia.  Already the parents of four children by birth, it was their 10 year old son who asked if they would be adopting.  Little did he know that his parents were already in talks and that his family would grow more than he could have imagined.

Being adopted myself, I found the trials and tribulations of a family seeking a child to adopt very interesting.  In the book, No Biking in the House Without a Helmet, Greene speaks of the fears and joys of becoming a mother to adopted children after her own miscarriage.  She writes just as I would expect her to… from a mother’s heart, and holds back nothing as she discusses her fears of not being able to bond with her new children and the frustrations of the adoption process.

I love the touching personal accounts, like when one of her adopted sons discovered LEGO’s for the first time, or when her son, Lee showed them baseball movies.  And she shows wonderful family photos throughout the book that helps tie in the stories on an even more personal level.

This book is an easy read – except for some of the names, I know I am pronouncing them all wrong – heart felt and human.  And, surprisingly, very funny.  In the midst of a serious story at times, I laughed a lot!  And I really love that this is a book about a family.  It is not moralistic or “HA! Look how good of a person I am!”   It is just a really uplifting, touching, happy story of a family put together in pieces but operating as one.

I am still reading and rereading parts of this book and I know you will too.  One time through is just not enough! Take a moment to check out all of the all of the awesome reviews on Amazon and learn more about this wonderfully written novel and why everyone, not just parents of adopted children, should take some time to read Ms. Greene’s story!

And because the author is so generous, one of my readers will win their own copy of No Biking in the House Without a Helmet of their own!  Just click [continue reading] for easy Rafflecopter entry: [Read more...]

Lovable Labels Ultimate Camp Pack Review and Sweepstakes (US & CAN)

Summer is right around the corner and I am already getting mailings and brochures at my house regarding summer camps in my area.  Day camps, weekend camps, church camps and longer stay camps.  As a mom of 3, I am tempted to send them to all of them! But since I need to pay the mortgage, I have chosen just one camp to send them to this summer.  Cheer camp!  Four fun filled days of tumbling, dance, cheer and more for my girls.  They are going to love it.

But along with their days of fun and my days of peace and quiet comes the prep work!  I have to make sure all three girls come home with the same things they went to camp with!  And that is why I think any camper heading off for a day or a week needs to check out Loveable Lables Ultimate Camp pack of personalized labels!

I have used Lovable Labels for a while now for everything from tennis shoes to lunch sacks!  They are colorful, really stick and make my child’s things easy to identify!  So for the summer, I know I can depend on them to keep my kids things where they belong… coming home with my kids!

With the Lovable Labels Ultimate Camp Pack you get:

Colors: Available in 12 designs / Colors and 45 Icons

Features: Dishwasher and Microwave Safe, Waterproof, UV Resistant, Peel & Stick

Quantity:
15 Sticker Labels
40 Slimline Labels
12 Shoe Labels
72 Press n’ Stick Clothing DOTS™
2 Mini-Metal Tags (two 4” silver ball chains incld)
12 Square Labels

Enough labels to last the entire summer!  And with the awesome variety of styles, colors and design, you will be hard pressed to see the exact same labels on someone else’s camping gear!

Stick the Clothing Dots to jackets, socks, shirts and even undergarments!  The shoe dots are perfect on the inner heel.  My daughter’s have been in her shoes all year and have not worn at all!  The mini- metal tags secure on back packs, duffle bags, suitcases and more!  And I love the slimline labels for cups, books and electronics that kids might have at camp!

These days every dollar we spend is important.  And I would rather make sure that the clothing, toys, pillows and more that my kids take to their camp comes back rather then having to buy them all over again!

Get your Lovable Labels Ultimate Camp Pack now and get stuff back!

And because we love these so much, Lovable Labels is generously giving one of my lucky readers their own Ultimate Camp Pack!  Just click [continue reading] for easy Rafflecopter entry: [Read more...]

Sneaky Pete’s Oat Beverages Review & Sweepstakes – 2 WINNERS

Seriously?  There are juices that are oat based?  On the market now?

That was my reaction when I was asked to try Sneaky Pete’s Oatstanding Beverages!  Cute, right?  I kept thinking, “Aren’t juices JUICE based?”  I received the Mango Mystique, Apples Away and Grape Escape in their pretty, colorful packaging and took a deep breath and a sip.

These. Are. GOOD!

They taste like juice!  Go figure!  And they are clean and crisp and so fresh tasting!  AND – my kids love them!!

So, now that I know they taste great, I started reading about these new juices!  It turns out, oat based beverages are pretty healthy.  There are ONLY 40 calories per 12 fl. oz. bottle!  Plus, there are 3 grams of Oat Fiber in every bottle.  These are all natural juices with no artificial colors or additives and they can help reduce cholesterol!  Heart healthy, delicious and the kids love it too?

Where can I get some more?  Or, if your store is not listed, buy it online!

I have to tell you, it is hard to find really good juices that are healthy too.  There is always something I don’t like about them.  In fact, ti is one of the reasons that my kids don’t drink a lot of juice. But I really like Sneaky Pete’s.  The natural color and flavor is easy to drink, it is low in calories – even lower than the ‘lite’ juices on the market – and I don’t feel the need to water it down if my kids do want juice.  Plus it is good for adults too!

LIKE Sneaky Pete’s on Facebook and FOLLOW them On Twitter!

Be sure to look for Sneaky Pete’s the next time you are at the store.  Check the health food section too!  And if you can not find it, get your case online!

Because Sneaky Pete’s knows you will love this juice SO MUCH, they are generously giving two (2) of my readers juice of their own!  The first winner will get a 12 bottle case of Sneaky Pete’s and the second winner will get a six case pack!  Just click [continue reading] for easy Rafflecopter entry: [Read more...]