My husband suffers from severe allergies, because of that we rarely get to open our house to fresh air. In an effort to keep my house from smelling stale I have a rather large collection of candles and plug in fresheners. The problem? I also have a fear of burning my house down. A big one.

Enter Scentsy. Nicole over at Scentsy was nice enough to send me a sample set to try out at my house. I got to choose a full size warmer and three scents. I could not be more in love with this product. I see a lot of purchases in my future.

Scentsy warmers are SAFE to use around kids and pets, which is important to me considering I have a very curious 15 month old, a cat who loves to knock things over and a baby on the way. The wax is warmed by a low watt light bulb so there is no open flame. The exclusive Scentsy wax also has a melting point of just above normal body temperature so the melted wax will not burn. I actually tested this by letting the wax melt for an hour or so and then dipping my finger in it. It was warm but certainly nothing that would burn.

The scents are AMAZING. There are a wide variety in everything from florals to baked goods, as well as scents that are designed for the changing seasons. The scents come in easy to break wax bars or bricks making it easy to mix scents if you wish. One of the best features of the Scentsy system is the ability to switch scents without wasting any wax. To change to a different scent you simply warm the wax in the dish until it is completely melted and then pour it back into it’s original container. Wipe out the dish and start with a new scent.

The warmers come in a variety of sizes as well as designs to match any decor. There are also plain warmers that you can design yourself using rub on decals for extra personalization. They also carry a line of travel products so you can take your favorite scents with you wherever you go!

Even better? Nicole wants to give one of you fabulous folks a Scentsy set all of your very own. To enter, go over to Nicole’s site http://scents2warm.com/ and check out all the products. Then come back and leave a comment telling me which scent and/or product you would love to try. A winner will be picked at random on August 30th at 10 PM Central.

*Disclosure – this item was received free of charge with the understanding that I would give an objective review*

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Confession: I love TJ Maxx.

Plain and simple, it’s one of my absolute favorite places to shop.

So I was BEYOND thrilled when they offered me $50 in gift cards to take Dylan back to school shopping.

Because, really, I’ll take any excuse for a TJ Maxx outing, and it’s even better if it’s free*!

So, a couple weeks ago Dylan and I hopped in the car and drove over to the local store.  I was excited.  He was nervous.

Kindergarten is a very scary idea to him, so anything having to do with it makes him nervous.

Even shopping.  He’s so not my  kid in that regard.

Thankfully, I’ve dragged him into TJ Maxx enough times that he knew what to expect the moment we entered the store.

Although, I think it threw him when we went directly to the kids section and not to the shoe section.

But anyway, the thing I love most about TJ Maxx is that, unlike other similar stores, it’s easy to make your way through the racks.  The clothes are organized and not jam packed into the racks.  They’re kept neat and tidy, so you’re not going to be stepping on things that have been dropped on the floor or hung with the incorrect size.   Which makes shopping much easier.

Right off the bat we found a super cute pair of Polo Jeans, for an super awesome price.  I picked out a few cute shirts, but he refused to even entertain the idea of wearing them, and I didn’t want to argue with him.  So we moved on to the impressive backpack section.  I’d been toying with the idea of ordering him a fancy schmancy one from a catalog, but we were able to find one that we both liked, and again, we couldn’t beat the price tag!

Next we found a cute little back of school supplies.  Notebooks, pencils, folders, a pencil carrier and sharpener.  It came in a bunch of design options.  He chose Toy Story.

Because I didn’t want it to be all work and no play, we headed over to the toy section next, where he picked out a Spongebob puzzle for himself, and a shape puzzle for Zach.

We’d reached our $50 limit, so we started to head to the front of the store.  Out of the corner of my eye I spotted a few lightweight sweaters that were right up my alley.  So, of course, we stopped so I could try them on.  And I fell in love with both of them so our “free” visit to TJ Maxx didn’t end up being free.

But Dylan is happy with his Kindergarten supplies (as am I) and I am thrilled with my two new gorgeous sweaters.

Once again, TJ Maxx turned out to be a win/win!

Just don’t tell my husband…

*Disclosure: The $50 gift cards were provided to me by TJ Maxx/Marshalls, but the thoughts expressed are my own.*

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Getting Dylan to spend time outside amongst nature and three dimensional people instead of inside with his beloved Wii and his “friends” Mario and Luigi can be a bit of a challenge. It’s so bad I’ve even considered getting him Vitamin D supplements.

Okay, so that’s not entirely true. Yet.

BUT, it does take some cajoling, and sometimes some downright threatening to get him to put down the Wiimote and head into the great outdoors.

So I’m happy to come across anything that might make this job easier for me.

Apparently, the lovely people at Team Mom must have known about my predicament, because they were kind enough to send us a few samples of some Backyard Safari Outfitters gear to try out!

The boys, including my 3, 6 and 9 year old nephews, were excited to rip open the packaging and head outside to see what they could discover.

Being boys, their favorite thing to do was use the Bug Vacuum to suck up any and all tiny creatures that would fit in it.  It worked great for smaller bugs and flying instecy things, but to their dismay (but not mine) it wasn’t powerful or big enough to suck up any of the many lizards that inhabit our backyard.

We actually used to have the Day and Night Bug Habitat which we LOVED and was big enough to hold the lizards that Daddy was quick enough to catch. Unfortunately, it was ruined when the dog managed to knock it off a ledge. Thankfully, there were no inhabitants in it at the time.  But if we still had it, it would have been a perfect home for the  creatures the boys caught with the vacuum.

The periscope (yes, like on a submarine) was a close second, as it allowed them to gain a few extra feet to check out the world around them.  Their grandparents backyard has a few tiers, so the boys were able to use it to check out the plants and bugs that would normally have been out of their line of sight, which they thought was pretty cool It apparently works underwater, but we haven’t been able to try it out yet.

We’re not big into dress up, so the Safari Vest was kind of a flop, even though Dylan thought it was neat that it “looked like that guys on TV.” I’m thinking he meant Steve Irwin, but I’m not 100% sure!  That aside, there are a ton of other products offered within the Backyard Safari Outfitters line and I can honestly say that I’m pretty sure the boys would love most of them.  Heck, they even look like they’d be fun for ME!

Hopefully having access to cool toys that encourage outdoor activity will be my ticket to getting Dylan away from Super Mario and into the great outdoors!

Only time will tell, but I’m pretty hopeful!

*Disclosure: These products were received free of charge for review.  However, the thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

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This is sponsored content from BlogHer and KFC.

Written by Andrea of The Sweet Life

Andrea Says:

I stepped from the cruise ship in Ketchikan, Alaska and immediately looked for a payphone.

We’d been at sea for days, and because of unseasonably rough waters, there had been no contact with shore available.  Finally, I found a phone and called my parents to check on our then- 18 month old daughter, Alison.  It was the first time we’d left her, and I wasn’t handling the separation well.

Turns out, Alison was fine.  Better than fine, because she was having the vacation of her lifetime with her grandparents.

As I said my good-bye’s, filled up on the sound of my little girl’s voice, my mom said she had something to tell me.  She hesitated, not sure if she should wait to tell me news that was sure to make me upset.

My Great-Aunt, Mary Alice, had lost her long and arduous battle with Breast Cancer the day before.

My breath caught.  Mary Alice.

One in eight women in the US will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.  Mary Alice fought The Beast four times.  With three wins in her corner, I’d been sure she would announce another victory.  But she didn’t.

Not this time.  Breast Cancer had finally won, claiming one of the most amazing women I’ve ever had the honor of knowing.

Mary Alice fought Breast Cancer tooth and nail, never letting The Beast get her down.  She knew that her battle affected everyone in her life – those she loved, and those who loved her.

In her eighties, she was just as likely as a ten year old to have an impromptu root beer float party.  She played a game of solitaire every single day.  She read books like they were going out of style.  She was curious to try new things, convinced life was an adventure to be experienced with joy, honesty and laughter.

Mary Alice was my favorite pen pal, whether she was at home and healthy, or in the hospital and struggling.  Even now, nearly 5 years after her passing, I find myself composing letters to her in my head, and smiling as I finish a book she would have enjoyed.

It is with Mary Alice in mind that I proudly wear a pink ribbon, and regularly donate to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  Komen has already invested nearly $1.5 billion in community programs and breast cancer research, which helped Mary Alice to win her first three battles against The Beast.

When I learned that KFC had plans to join forces with Susan G. Komen for the Cure through a program dubbed Buckets for the Cure, I knew I needed to help get the word out.

This Spring, look for commemorative Pink Buckets at participating KFC restaurants throughout the US.  Each Pink Bucket will feature names of breast cancer survivors as well as names of those who have lost their battle with The Beast.

For every Pink Bucket, KFC makes a 50 cent contribution to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.  The Pink buckets will be available in KFC restaurants through May 23rd, 2010.

If you or your family plan to eat out during this time, consider going to KFC and purchasing a Pink Bucket to help spread the message about breast health, and turn millions of Breast Cancer patients into Breast Cancer survivors.

If eating out isn’t your thing, click over to Buckets for the Cure to make a contribution. Join the Cause with KFC, and let’s see if we can make this program the largest donation ever in the fight against Breast Cancer.

In addition to KFC’s amazing program, BlogHer will donate $1 for every comment left on this post, as well as on the other shared story blog posts, up to a grand total of $1000!

Eat. Comment. Join the Cause.  Together we can knock out The Beast for good!

Mary Alice’s spunk and spirit, even in the face of Breast Cancer, inspired all of those who met her to celebrate life.  She made such a difference.

I’d love to know, what do you do to make a difference in the lives of others?

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When I bought my Wii Fit last year I was DETERMINED to use it regularly and get back in shape.  That lasted, oh, a day week.  I enjoyed it when I did it, but I just couldn’t bring myself to use it reguarly.  Especially since it was a huge pain in the butt to try to break it out when the kids were around.

They were constantly all up in my grill.

So I was excited when Nintendo offered me the opportunity to try the new and improved Wii Fit Plus.  Because I certainly hadn’t used my Wii Fit Regular to it’s full potential.  Maybe the fun, new games would get me motivated to…actually use it.

It hasn’t.  But not for the reasons you might think.  Because Dylan likes it so much I can’t use it, EVEN THOUGH I WANT TO.

The kid is obsessed with it.  OBSESSED.  He has been known to spend hours at a time playing it.

And I don’t really mind because he’s being active, he’s problem solving, he’s counting…and he’s learning about losing.  Which, if you know Dylan AT ALL, you know that he HATES to lose.

Wii Fit Plus has some really cool new features.  It shows you how many calories you’ve burned per exercise game.  Which is nice because it gives you some positive reinforcement as you go, but it stink when it’s only a handful of calories.  You can also set up a custom workout using the My Wii Fit Plus Routines section.  Each routine targets a different section of the body, so you can work on the specific areas you want.  Goodbye thunder thighs!

There are also some fun new games, including a TON of new balance games.  Dylan and I really enjoy snowball fight and the obstacle course games.  There’s a fun game called bird’s eye bulls eye where your Mii is dressed in a chicken costume and, while standing on the balance board and leaning to and fro to steer your bird, you flap your arms to fly though the air.  You have to land on these pillars sticking out of the ocean and you get points and extra time based on how close you are to the center of each one.  Let me tell you, by the end you can feel it in your arms.

Dylan’s favorite games are the ones that require him to run in place.  There’s a new bike riding game that takes you all over the island (which is another new addition to Wii Fit- it takes place on an island, pina coladas not included, darn it.) and requires you to find flags.  There are some new running courses that test your memory (and math skills) by giving you a short quiz at the end.

My only real complaint is that the Balance board character guy talks to you A LOT and he’s annoying.  But I’ve said the same thing about my husband, so…yeah.

If you already have Wii Fit, Wii Fit Plus is a great value and is totally worth the $19.99.  If you’ve been thinking about getting Wii Fit, and you’re committed to losing a few extra pounds and having fun while doing it, the $99.99 price for a balance board and Wii Fit Plus is definitely worth it.

*Disclosure – this item was received free of charge with the understanding that I would give an objective review*

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Meghan Says:

When I was first approached with an offer to review Swinxs, I was a little confused as to what it was, exactly.

The press release says:

The hottest innovation in family-friendly interactive play has hit U.S. shores. The portable screen-free entertainment console engages kids in physical, creative and educational play (including musical chairs, tag and relay) by using its voice in combination with sounds and colors.

It sounded fun and like something that Dylan would enjoy, but I couldn’t really figure out how it worked.  So, I decided to reserve judgment until I received it and had a chance to check it out.  And I’m glad I did!

It’s really pretty cool. It came loaded with a few games, and as soon as I plugged it in (the battery wasn’t charged) Dylan and two of his cousins were racing around my Mother-in-Laws house and having a blast.  The played Swinxs Dash the most, where each player takes a turn running a course, and Swinxs keeps track of who runs it the fastest.  Each player has their own colored wristband, and that’s how Swinxs knows who is who.  Fancy, right?

It’s water resistant and cordless (when the battery is fully charged) so your kids can take it outside and keep themselves out of your hair entertained for hours!

There are a ton of games available for FREE download on the Swinxs website, so you can customize your Swinxs console to suit your children’s individual tastes.  Not interested in running around the backyard?  Then download the quizzes and games that require children to stay in one spot, like Flyswatter or Animal Quiz.

There really is something for everyone!

I would definitely recommend Swinxs for children a bit over four.  Dylan will be 5 in March, and I feel like he’s a little young to understand the rules behind some of the games.  But he’s a pro at the ones he does understand.  It’s something he will definitely grown into, though!

Also, at $150.00 retail value, it’s a bit pricey.  But, if your kids are as active as mine, Swinxs will give them an opportunity to play, have fun, learn and exercise at the same time.  And it’s hard to put a price on that!

Giveaway!

We’ve been given the opportunity to give a Swinxs Game Console away to one of our lucky readers!  To enter, simply head over to the Swinxs website and check it out.  Come back here and leave a comment telling us what game you think would be popular in your house.

You may gain an extra entry by:

1) Following Hot Mom Reviews on Twitter

2) Tweeting about this giveaway with a link back to this post (only once per day, please)

The winner will be chosen by random drawing from all eligible comments on Monday 12/14/2009 at Noon Pacific.  Only open to US Residents.    Please be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry, and include a link to your tweet!  The winner will be notified by email and I will need your mailing address by Tuesday, December 15th.

Good luck!

And the winner is….

Comment # 38  Becca!  Congratulations!  Please email your shipping address (no PO Box) to meghan (@) hotmomreviews (.) com by tomorrow!

*Disclosure – this item was received free of charge with the understanding that I would give an objective review*

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We all know I’m somewhat of a…lazy mom.  I mean, hello!

I love, love, love when I find a product to give my kids that makes MY life easier, is something they enjoy AND is good for them. It’s like a trifecta of awesome!

So, when Gerber contacted me and offered to send me a few Gerber Smart Sips samples I was excited.

I mean, the main ingredient is milk, they’re chock full of vitamins and minerals AND, because I’m a bit of a stickler for sugar intake, they only contain 7 grams of sugar per serving. What’s not to like?

I prefer to keep them at our family’s business, because I can stick them in the fridge, and, since they’re individual size servings, not worry about them spoiling as often as I would a container of milk. Plus, Zach totally thinks they’re a treat, so it keeps him happy when he’s ready to go and I still have work to finish. And I don’t have to worry about having a clean cup, or washing one out when he’s done! Score one for me!

And the best part?  Zach really liked it!  Here’s the proof:

I’m willing to bet your toddler would enjoy them too!

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I’ve been having email issues, so I didn’t even KNOW I was expecting a review item from Team Mom recently.  Dylan was THRILLED when the “brown truck” pulled up outside with something for him!  Finally!  And my husband was thrilled it wasn’t another delivery from Target.com or Ann Taylor Loft.  But that’s another story for another time.

Anyway, as avid MythBusters watchers, I was stoked to see that it was something related to that show.  We watch it all the time around here.  But we were disheartened to see that the age range for the MythBusters Science Kit was 9+ years.  Dylan is only 4 1/2, even if he THINKS he’s 12.

But then I thought of my nephew, who IS 9 (ish) and I figured we could all play with the “Weird World of Water” kit when we were at my Mother-in-Law’s last week.

Of course, things didn’t quite work out as planned when they didn’t show up that day.  Dylan was SO EXCITED to do the “water rocket” that we figured it would be easier to only do PART of the kit than it would be to tell him he’d have to wait.  He’s a bit on the dramatic side, and after being so good about waiting ALL DAY we couldn’t bring ourselves to tell him that he couldn’t do it at all.

SO, we mixed vinegar (apple cider, because that was all my MIL had!) and baking soda  and launched a rocket!  Onto the roof!  Whoops!

So then we got out the ladder and my husband climbed up onto the roof and retrieved the rocket, which was in pretty good shape, considering.

The patio was another story, as it was kind of covered in apple cider vinegar.  But OH WELL.  Nothing a little hose down wouldn’t fix.

We launched the rocket again, which was a bit of a catastrophe due to user error (fyi:  Adding MORE vinegar and baking soda than is recommended is NOT a good idea! AND, make sure you don’t get distracted when mixing the vinegar and baking soda and try to put the rocket upside down.  Because that reaction happens pretty damn quickly and you just *might* almost take out your two year old.  Not that I would know.)

We were forced to call it a night when we ran out of vinegar.  But the rocket was still in pretty good shape, so we took it home and used it a few more times the next day.  Until it was completely obliterated in one exceptionally violent landing.

All in all, even though we ONLY used the Water kit for the rocket, we really enjoyed it.  Dylan thought that launching a rocket was “AWESOME!” and it even made him a bit more accepting of the fact that a REAL rocket was launched by our house  a few days later.  Which is a big deal given his history.

All in all, I wish we’d taken the time to try out the other activities, like making a tornado in the provided soda bottles (I loved doing that as a kid).  But, even though we “only” made a water rocket, I still would have been happy if we’d paid the $19.99 for it.  My only complaint is that it only comes with enough supplies to make ONE rocket.  There are two bottles in the package, so having enough fins and noses for two rockets would have been awesome.

If you have an older kid you need a gift for, I’d definitely recommend it.  And if you have a younger kid whose smile you’d want to see, I would also recommend it!

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You all are in for a treat, because she wrote a review!

LINDA SAYS:
_____________________________________________

When I first heard about “GO GIRL“, I was intrigued…mainly because every weekend I am either at a flea market or a football
game tailgate..places where flush toilets have been supplanted by rows of the ever so chic Andy Gumps.  I’m like most women, the idea of heading into an outhouse that has been occupied most of the day with lots of fun loving, beer drinking men with “poor aiming skills” is not something you relish.  In fact, for me I would rather not drink anything (definitely hard to do when you’re out in the hair dryer like Santa Anna winds Southern California is famous for) than sit in one of those wet, foul smelling, odor challenged bathrooms.

Enter GO GIRL..I got my sample, it was nice and compact and was immediately struck by how easy it would be to transport to any of my events. I opened it up, read the instructions and away I went…and let me say it was so easy and it worked so amazingly well.  I couldn’t believe how simple it was to pee standing up, all these years I never knew what I was missing.   The pink funnel shaped piece (love the color, we still want to feel like a woman while standing) comes with a bag for storage after use. It says that you can throw it away or wash out and reuse. I think I’ll be needing  a lot more of them in the upcoming football weeks. Thank you GO GIRL, you have unleashed my inner male side and I love it…

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When Dylan started preschool last year I was nervous.  Not because he’d never spent that much time away from me, even though he hadn’t.  Not because he was a bit shy, even though he was.  Not because I’m a worry wart, even though I am.

Because I was going to have to pack him a lunch on a regular basis.  A HEALTHY, WELL BALANCED lunch.

I LOVE the preschool he goes to.  They’re laid back and fun and they get to play in mud and if they don’t want to wear their shoes, goshdarnit, they don’t have to.

But, they do have one rule that’s kind of hardcore, and I have to say I LOVE it.  They’re not allowed to have sugary items in their lunches.  Which means no cookies, brownies, rice krispy treats or chocolate goodness.  Not even cupcakes for a Birthday celebration.  I’ve never asked, but I’m pretty sure that applies to my Banana Bread with chocolate chips.  Which is a bummer for Dylan.

I was excited to hear that Team Mom was going to hook me up with Safeway and Warner Brothers so I Dylan could try their new line of pre-packaged foods for kids.

The Eating Right line is, according to the information I received:

…meals, snacks, cereals and drinks your kids will love- and you’ll feel good about.  Eating Right Kids is a full line of foods that are not only tasty, but better for children. It has been formulated to standards based on most recent dietary recommendations and regulations from several federal and state agencies.

Which, I mean, HELLO?!  Pre-packaged stuff that is healthy, that makes putting lunch together at 6am faster AND that Dylan likes?  I’m ticked pink at the thoughts of it.

Dylan was STOKED when the package arrived.  Mainly because it wasn’t shoes for me from Target, but also because it was a cute little lunch pack JUST FOR HIM.

He insisted on opening it RIGHTTHEREONTHESPOTOHMYGAWD.  He and his brother insisted on trying the Chewy Fruit bar right there on the spot.  They inhaled it like they hadn’t just consumed 435 dinosaur chicken tenders.  It got two thumbs up.

I made Dylan wait until school the next day to try the rest of it, but it too was a success.  Everything except for the canned pasta product.  That’s something they would NEVER eat, even after my best efforts at cajoling.   Who does’t like Spaghetti-O’s?!

I will definitely be buying some of the Eating Right Kids line for Dylan’s school lunches.

Though I’m pretty sure the Chewy Bars and their chocolate layer aren’t welcome at his school.  :0)

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