Go YAY!

A moment of silence

2012-01-27T10:40:00.001-06:00

During the next couple weeks, you may notice online activity from me being very minimal. My family and I will be leaving home this weekend and traveling to California due to the passing of my mother-in-law. I will have internet access while away, but in order to lend my support and respects to my husband and his family, my online activities will be less than normal. I still have giveaways running and those will remain open for the time frame stated within each post. I will try my best to get around to selecting and contacting winners but please be aware that it may not be done in a timely manner. I think I have done a fairly good job of getting reviews/giveaways posted for those things that I had piling up here and contacting others to get extensions for when I can get them posted. If I have missed anyone, I am deeply sorry. Please know my heart is in the right place while my mind is going in several directions right now.
Thank you to all my wonderful readers and followers. You help make my blogging experience possible. Please know that I will return shortly. My deepest thanks,Danetta

Natural Vitality Kids Natural Calm Multi * Review

2012-01-26T12:47:00.001-06:00

I think we can all agree that our children deserve the best. Adults are not the only ones that can really benefit from good nutrition. Good nutrition is a cornerstone of good health and important for children to develop properly both physically and mentally.

Natural Vitality, an organization that strives to provide products and information that are beneficial to people's health, offer a great product, made with children's health in mind, called Kids Natural Calm Multi. This liquid dietary supplement combines the beneficial effects of magnesium with a comprehensive premium multi to provide children with key nutrients missing from their diets.
Kids Natural Calm Multi includes 24 organic fruits and veggies. We all know that fruits and vegetables are fundamental nutritional factors in a healthy diet. While many kids like the flavor of some fruits and vegetables, they don't always like the texture or other factors of them. Kids Natural Calm Multi incorporates superfruits (organic pomegranate, açaí, goji, and noni), fruits (apple, banana, blackberry, blueberry, cranberry, mango, orange, pineapple, raspberry, strawberry, and tart cherry) and vegetables (beets, broccoli, carrot, collard greens, kale, peas, pumpkin, spinach, and tomato). Organic produce was used to ensure no pesticide, herbicide or fungicide residues, chemical fertilizers or genetically modified ingredients were included in the formula.
Kids Natural Calm Multi also includes omega-3 Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). DHA and EPA are biologically active omega-3 fatty acids. They are the basic building blocks in cells and are needed throughout the entire body for good health. As children grow and develop, they need these fatty acids in their diet. Omega-3 DHA and EPA are an integral part of cell membranes and precursors of several important cellular messengers. DHA has been recognized as necessary for brain, visual and nervous system health and development. The DHA, EPA and omega-3 come from fish oil that is sourced from wild sardine and anchovy from the waters off South America where there are significantly fewer environmental impurities.

One of the biggest features of Kids Natural Calm Multi is that it contains a calcium and magnesium balance.Calcium and magnesium are key nutrients that need to be in balance with each other in order for good health to be fully maintained. An imbalance of calcium and magnesium results in stress. Adults are not the only ones that can experience stress. Magnesium helps a child's muscles and nerves functioning properly. It helps keep the heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure and assists in keeping bones strong. It is also required for producing and storing energy. Magnesium has lots of benefits!
Kids Natural Calm Multi also includes bioavailable calcium, vitamins, trace minerals, amino acids and DMAE (dimethylainoethanol), a substance that is naturally produced in small amounts in the brain and supports improved mental focus.

Kids Natural Calm Multi has an organic fruity splash flavor that is sweetened with organic stevia and organic agave. With this liquid dietary supplement, you can simply mix it with an equal amount of water or add to juice for children to drink. My son really liked the flavor, describing it as an orange flavor. I even tasted it and it does have an orange/citrus flavor with a very light mineral taste. To learn more about Natural Vitality, products offered, where you can purchase products, and more visit www.naturalvitality.com or www.naturalvitalitykids.com.

Disclosure: The product(s) in this review was provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation. Different people may have different outcomes. Please see disclosure policy below for more information pertaining to this site.

Combat Sore Throats with New Drops and ‘Pops from Chloraseptic * Review

2012-01-26T09:45:00.000-06:00

When you have a sore throat or other minor throat or mouth irritation, it can effect many things such as eating and drinking, talking, and more. And the pain associated with a sore throat is never pleasant. When your throat gives you problems, you want something safe and effective to deal with it.

Chloraseptic®, the #1 pharmacist-recommended brand for sore throat relief, is expanding its line to include new offerings. Chloraseptic’s® new Warming Sore Throat Lozenges and Sore Throat Lollipops are the latest to be added to the line of throat pain relief staples. I was happy to receive samples of these two new products to review. With the winter cold season upon us, it's perfect timing!

Chloraseptic® Medicated Sore Throat Lollipops are available in a 10-count box of individually wrapped pops. The box includes lozenge pops in a variety of flavors including grape, strawberry and orange. The kid-friendly formula provides fast-acting relief as it soothes sore throat and mouth pain on contact. These lollipops are safe and effective for adults and children 3 years of age and older. I always like to taste test any medication I give to my son so I tried a grape flavored pop and it was really great tasting. While it is medicated, there is a slight medicine taste to it, but the flavoring overpowers this to make it pleasant tasting for children. Not only is it kid-friendly tasting, it's also kid-friendly looking. Because I take the subject of children's well-being seriously, I highly recommend that caregivers thoroughly read and follow all package directions and use/administer them responsibly. A 10-count package of Chloraseptic® Medicated Sore Throat Lollipops has a suggested retail price of $3.99.

Chloraseptic® Warming Sore Throat Lozenges, which soothe throats with a warming sensation, are available in their popular Green Tea and Honey Lemon flavors. In addition to the warming ingredients and real honey, the new formula contains added benzocaine, which will help numb the pain and temporarily relieve irritation. The Honey Lemon flavor that I tried is very good tasting. They are a hard lozenge that has a soothing liquid center. The numbing sensation can be felt instantly, so it starts to soothe right away. The liquid center is like an added bonus, providing an additional warm soothing sensation. An 18-count package of Chloraseptic® Warming Sore Throat Lozenges has a suggested retail price of $3.99. In addition to these new items, the Chloraseptic® line also includes a variety of other easy-to-use over-the-counter (OTC) products including great-tasting lozenges, throat sprays and pocket packs. For more information, visit www.chloraseptic.com.

Disclosure: The product(s) in this review was provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation. Different people may have different outcomes. Please see disclosure policy below for more information pertaining to this site.

Alienation A C. H. A. O. S. Novel Series #2 by Jon S. Lewis * Book Review

2012-01-25T08:44:00.001-06:00

Previously, I was not a huge fan of science fiction novels, but after reading the first 2 books of the C.H.A.O.S. Trilogy by Jon S. Lewis, I have gotten more into them. For Alienation, not only is the book description an interest getter, the cover art is rather interesting as well. One of the reasons I have gotten more into science fiction novels from reading this novel is the way it is written. Not only is it full of plot twists, it also contains a lot of suspense. When reaching the end of a chapter, you are propelled to continue. Although I do recommend reading the first book, Invasion, before diving into Alienation, the storyline is easy to get into without having read the first one. But, reading the first one beforehand will give you more insight into the characters and events leading up to the plot.
In Alienation, by Jon S. Lewis, Colt McAlister, a 16 year old surfer is trying to find his place in life, understand what is happening around him, why it is happening, and what his connection to all of it is. He just wants what several normal teenagers want...a normal life the way it's supposed to be, with friends and family, NOT aliens and invasions. But, the United States government has other plans for Colt. They believe that he holds the key to the world's survival. Of course, many teens would find this to be a little too much to understand. The government sends Colt, along with his best friends Oz and Danielle, to the CHAOS Military Academy where they are trained to defend Earth against the aliens known as the Thule. And what story wouldn't complete without exciting conflicts? Alienation has that! Someone is trying to eliminate Colt before he can lead the way to Earth's salvation. Colt shockingly learns about the key events in his past, he learns startling revelations about himself, his friendships and why he has been chosen to defeat the alien attack on Earth. Unsure who he can trust, Colt becomes alienated and on the run.

Disclosure: BookSneeze® has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for the purpose of conducting this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation. Different people may have different outcomes. Please see disclosure policy below for more information pertaining to this site.

PediaCare Acetaminophen Infant & Childrens Liquid * Review & Giveaway

2012-01-25T08:10:00.000-06:00

When children are ill, it can be a stressful time not only for the child, but also for the parents. Many parents take great care when giving children medication, just as they would for themselves. But during the stressful time of illness it's always good to know that there are products out there that strive to offer parents with a safe, easy and well informed method of giving children medication. One of the most commonly used pain and fever relievers for infants and children is Acetaminophen. When used as directed, it is safe and effective. PediaCare® makes dosing easy for parents and safer for children with new PediaCare® single-concentration acetaminophen products. In the following educational video, Dr. Jim Sears discusses the changes to single-concentration acetaminophen brands with new dosing features.

PediaCare® now offers additional product enhancements which include age appropriate dosing devices. Thanks to Family Review Network, I received the following PediaCare® products to review and become aware of the new dosing.

Infant products, for ages 0 to 36 months, will now contain a special dosing syringe and flow restrictors on the bottles. Weight and age-based dosing instructions are also on the package. The PediaCare® Infants Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever will be available in new bubble gum flavor as well as cherry and grape. The suggested retail price for a 2-ounce liquid bottle is $6.99.

Children’s products, for ages 2 to 11 years, will have the bottles with flow restrictors, and continue to contain dosing cups. Weight and age-based dosing instructions are on the package as well. The PediaCare® Children's Fever Reducer/Pain Reliever will be available in cherry or grape flavors. The suggested retail price for a 4-ounce liquid bottle is $7.59. While the new single-concentration for PediaCare infants’ and children’s acetaminophen products are among the first to hit store shelves, parents should know that there will be a "transition period" during which the existing infant products and the new acetaminophen infant PediaCare® products may be on store shelves simultaneously. The new infants’ formula is less concentrated and the dose is therefore more than in the older infant formulation. And while reading and following package directions is always recommended to obtain accurate dosing instructions, it will be important, while the two concentrations are available, to select the dose that is proper for the specific product version that is being given. Parents and caregivers should ask a healthcare professional if they have any questions.
PediaCare® products are available in mass market retail, supermarkets and drugstores and at pharmacies nationwide. If you are interested, there is still time to enter the PediaCare “Get Back to Happy” Sweeps, which ends on January 31st. Check out my recent blog post for more information.
To learn more about the new acetaminophen dosing system visit pediacare.com. While there you can also use the symptom checker to select the right product for your child's symptoms and check out some great sick day advice like recipes, activities and tips in the parents' and kids' sections. The website, along with the voluntary changes to single-concentration acetaminophen dosing, demonstrate the continued commitment to accuracy, safety and innovation from PediaCare®.

One lucky winner will receive a package of both the PediaCare® Infant and Children's Liquid Acetaminophen. To Enter:
Get quick and easy entries using the Rafflecopter form below.

Giveaway ends Wednesday February 8, 2012 at 11:01PM CT. Open to US residents.

Read more »

Anti-Aging Cures: Life Changing Secrets to Reverse the Effects of Aging by Dr. James Forsythe * Book Review

2012-01-24T10:35:00.001-06:00

Have you ever wondered if the "Fountain of Youth" really exists and if it does, how you can benefit from it? Do you refuse to accept that aging and all the painful and unsightly symptoms associated with it are unavoidable? If so, you may want to check out this book I recently read, Anti-Aging Cures: Life Changing Secrets to Reverse the Effects of Aging by Dr. James Forsythe. Dr. James Forsythe is a Nevada medical oncologist and one of the world's leading anti-aging experts. In the book, Anti-Aging Cures, Dr. Forsythe reveals how you can slow and even reverse the aging process. The book provides an account of revolutionary anti-aging treatments, based on meticulously researched clinical evidence, that can prevent health conditions associated with getting old. In this book, Dr. Forsythe thoroughly explains, in easy to understand terms, our body's master hormone, known as the human growth hormone (HGH), and how it is the key to youth, good health, and vitality. By reading this health guide, you can learn about a variety of safe, natural, and affordable substances that you can use as biostimulators to rejuvenate the master hormone gland to improve the quality and duration of the human lifespan, prevent problems such as heart disease and obesity, and maintain optimal health. With this guide, you can also discover how some lifestyle choices can help you gain control over the aging process and how you can determine if you are a good candidate for injectable growth hormone along with all the pros and cons of using growth hormone. I think that this book can serve as a great anti-aging health guide for anyone wanting to learn more about aging and medically documented and proven benefits of loss of body fat mass, improved skin texture and tone, bone density, libido, sleep quality, and much more.
Below is an excerpt I was approved to reprint:

Want to Know a Dirty Little Secret?
By Dr. James Forsythe,
Author of Anti-Aging Cures: Life Changing Secrets to Reverse the Effects of Aging

Most of the health industry keeps a dirty little secret from you -- the vast majority of vitamins and supplement products sold in the world today fail to work effectively.

Our bodies simply can't break down and assimilate many supplement products because they are synthetics created in pharmaceutical industry laboratories. More than 90 percent of all the supplements sold in the United States are synthetics, as opposed to natural, plant-based, according to nutrition expert Dr. Brian Clement, director of the Hippocrates Health Institute and author of the book Supplements Exposed.

As a result of this synthetic overload, our digestive system ends up passing most vitamin supplements through our system virtually unabsorbed!

Food provides the best, most direct way to get healthy nutrition that the body can readily absorb. That means plants, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. But most of us fail to get enough of these in our daily food intake.

Worsening matters, many industrial food farms add harmful chemicals to our fruits and vegetables in an effort to preserve crops through the long transportation process, from farms to the supermarket, and eventually to your table. Those pesticides, preservatives, and other synthetic chemical residues pose health risks.

When you purchase supplements, always try to find natural, organic products that come directly from plant-based sources. Look for labels that say "Naturally Occurring Standard" to indicate the ingredients come straight from plants rather than chemical laboratories. This helps to ensure that you absorb only the highest quality and densest nutrient supplements.

The above is an excerpt from the book Anti-Aging Cures: Life Changing Secrets to Reverse the Effects of Aging by Dr. James Forsythe. The above excerpt is a digitally scanned reproduction of text from print. Although this excerpt has been proofread, occasional errors may appear due to the scanning process. Please refer to the finished book for accuracy.

Copyright © 2011 Dr. James Forsythe, author of Anti-Aging Cures: Life Changing Secrets to Reverse the Effects of Aging

Author Bio
James W. Forsythe, M.D., H.M.D., author of Anti-Aging Cures: Life Changing Secrets to Reverse the Effects of Aging, has long been considered one of the most respected physicians in the United States, particularly for his treatment of cancer and the legal use of human growth hormone.

In the early 1960s, Dr. Forsythe graduated with honors from University of California at Berkeley and earned his Medical Degree from University of California, San Francisco, before spending two years' residency in pathology at Tripler Army Hospital, in Honolulu. After a tour of duty in Vietnam, he returned to San Francisco and completed and internal medicine residency and an oncology fellowship.

Dr. Forsythe is a world-renowned speaker and author. He has co-authored and written chapters in numerous bestsellers. Today, in Reno, Nevada, Dr. Forsythe maintains a conventional medical clinic, the Cancer Screening and Treatment Center, and a homeopathic practice, Century Wellness Clinic. A former associate professor of medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, Dr. Forsythe has conducted numerous original clinical outcome-based studies on many natural substances. For more than twenty years, he has been interested in integrating complementary and conventional medicine.

For more information please visit http://www.antiagingcures.com, and follow the author on Twitter

Anti-Aging Cures: Life Changing Secrets to Reverse the Effects of Agingby Dr. James ForsytheJanuary 2012ISBN: 978-0-9844307-3-4$25.99 U.S. ($30.00 CAN)336 PagesPublished by Vanguard Press Find Anti-Aging Cures: Life Changing Secrets to Reverse the Effects of Aging by Dr. James Forsythe at the following online book retailers:Amazon KindleBarnes & NobleIndiebound

Disclosure: An advanced reader's copy of the book was provided to me free of cost, courtesy of FSB Media, for the purpose of conducting this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation. Different people may have different outcomes. Please see disclosure policy below for more information pertaining to this site.

California Innovations Products Recalled * Parents & Pet Owners Please Be Aware

2012-01-23T20:00:00.001-06:00

As a concerned pet owner and in order to inform readers, I am sharing with you the following information that I received from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recalls newsletter.

There is a voluntary recall of the Expandable Insulated Lunch Box with Freezer Gel Pack and Travelin' Chef Expandable Thermal Food Carrier by California Innovations due to a Freezer Gel Pack ingestion hazard. The gel contains diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol that can leak out of damaged freezer gel packs, posing a poisoning hazard if ingested. There were two separate reports of a dog chewing and ingesting gel from the gel pack. One dog reportedly died from ingestion of the gel. The other was reported to have received treatment and has recovered.

Ci Sport Expandable, Insulated Lunch Box Set

The Expandable Insulated Lunch Box with Freezer Gel Pack was sold at Costco Wholesale Clubs, Leon Korol and Cost U Less stores between May 2007 and September 2008 for about $10. Consumers are urged to immediately stop using the gel packs and dispose of them. Consumers may return the lunch box set to Costco for a full refund or may receive a $5 cash refund for the gel pack only by contacting California Innovations.

Travelin' Chef Expandable Thermal Food Carrier

The Travelin' Chef Expandable Thermal Food Carrier was sold at Walmart between August 2008 to December 2011 for about $22. Consumers are urged to immediately stop using the gel packs and dispose of them. Consumers may return the gel pack to Walmart for a refund of $6 or contact California Innovations

Consumer Contact: For additional information, call California Innovations at (800) 722-2545 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, e-mail ci-recall@ca-innovations.com or visit the firm's website at www.californiainnovations.com

Build-a-Bear Workshop Fun Packs from Enterplay * Review

2012-01-23T18:25:00.001-06:00

Having collections can really be a lot of fun and lend valuable life lessons to children. By having a collection of items that interest them, children can not only learn about different aspects of interest, they can also learn about goals, achievement, and much more depending on the subject they collect.

Enterplay, headquartered in Guilford, Connecticut, designs and manufactures fun and kid-friendly collectible products, which include trading cards, plush, stickers, tattoos, mini-games, puzzles, and more. Having worked on many of the most successful licensed trading card, collectible, and game products, Enterplay now presents collectible products in a new and fun way. Enterplay recently introduced two brand new Build-a-Bear Workshop products that are packed with lots of fun. These two products feature the beary cute and fun plush friends of Build-A-Bear Workshop and are rightfully named Build-a-Bear Workshop Fun Packs.

The Build-a-Bear Workshop Fun Pack plus Furry Friend is like a miniaturized Build-A-Bear Workshop experience in a cute compact package that is stuffed with fun. This new collectible features 12 famous Build-A-Bear Workshop Furry Friends, including Brown Sugar Puppy, Shimmer Kitty, Pawsome Pink Bunny, and Peace Bear. Each fun pack comes complete with one of the 12 Furry Friends, shirt, fabric stickers, friendship heart, 3 trading cards, Bearville.com online code, collector's guide, fun activities, and more. Collectors can customize their Furry Friend by using the fabric stickers on the shirt. The friendship hearts included can be one of six colors. Each colored heart represents a special meaning. I received Brown Sugar Puppy who came with an orange heart, meaning it is honest. With the heart, collectors can perform the Heart Ceremony by following the included note. The suggested retail price for these fun packs is just $5.99, perfect for a stocking stuffer or party gift. Best of all, they will be available at Target, Walmart, Toys R Us and other retailers where moms love to shop.

The Build-a-Bear Workshop Trading Card Fun Packs have also just hit the shelves in Build-A-Bear Workshop stores. Each pack contains a tattoo set, a scratch-off activity card, a Bearville.com online code card and 3 of 36 collectible trading cards. These fun packs are available at Build-A-Bear Workshop stores for a suggested retail price of only $1.99.

With the Build-a-Bear Workshop Fun Packs, children can learn about friendship and other life lessons while having fun!

Disclosure: The product(s) in this review was provided to me free of cost for the purpose of conducting this review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation. Different people may have different outcomes. Please see disclosure policy below for more information pertaining to this site.

Math Blaster Virtual World for Children * Review & Giveaway

2012-01-23T09:08:00.000-06:00

With technology so much a part of everyday life right now, I think it is a good idea to use as learning tools for children. Children can learn so much from technology, when introduced and used responsibly.
I see more and more interactive and educational programs popping up online lately and I am so pleased to have the opportunity to tell all of you about Math Blaster, an educational online game for kids ages 6-12. You may be familiar with the award-winning JumpStart virtual world for ages 3-12, created by Knowledge Adventure. Math Blaster is Knowledge Adventure's newest browser-based virtual world, which was launched last January. At MathBlaster.com, kids can create avatars called Blasters for themselves as they become the newest cadets at Blaster Academy. After completing arcade-style math challenges and racing through high-speed missions, they become members of the Intergalactic Space Patrol and explore a futuristic world, voyage to strange new planets and discover wacky alien races, all while practicing their math skills.

The first time playing at Math Blaster, children can create (or build) a Blaster Cadet. The Blaster Cadet is the personalized avatar that run, jump and blast their way through the Math Blaster spaceship. Using the Molecular Modulator, children can choose different hairstyles, eyes, mouths, height and even species for their Blaster Cadet. As children progress through the game, they can earn merits and achievements from completing activities. Earned merits allow the child's avatar to advance ranks in the Intergalactic Space Patrol (ISP) and their Blaster’s uniform will be upgraded. Players can visit the Molecular Modulator at any time to change their avatar's appearance.

After choosing a name for their Cadet, players can start exploring the virtual world (space station) to see and find all the fun that is offered. New areas, games, and features are added constantly, so players are always encouraged to explore, but a quick launch feature is also available. Because exploring and learning is always more fun with friends, the Math Blaster virtual world features a safe, kid-friendly buddy system which includes multiplayer, chat and a buddy list. This allows players to interact with other players and also features safe type chat where players can type in and send their own messages, as long as all parts of these messages appear in the database of approved words and phrases. A moderator is also present to ensure that all players are having safe fun while exploring and learning. At Math Blaster, children can find several portals and training activities. My son has only been playing at Math Blaster for a couple weeks now, so we haven't explored all that is offered yet, but my son definitely has his favorite games and activities that he enjoys and finds new ones often. I love that new features, areas and games are always added because my son never looses interest it and since math is one of his weakest subjects, he gets some valuable and fun learning at the same time! There is also a very great game guide included in the parents section that outlines all features, areas and games at Math Blaster. I've been referring to the guide often, as I think I might get lost in the virtual world without it! The music that plays in the background is a fun feature. It sort of puts images of Inspector Gadget in my mind, but it is very upbeat and adds to the fun atmosphere of the game.

My son really enjoys participating in the Red Alert, which is a virtual emergency calling calling all Blasters to help protect the space station from (imaginary) rapidly-approaching space debris and (imaginary) enemy forces trying to make their way onto the spaceship. The Red Alert alarm can go off at any time when players are in the Space Port (the main hub). When the emergency alert goes off, players can guide their Blasters to one of three Red Alert portals to play a fun blasting game.

Math Blaster also features alien creatures that players can adopt, raise, care for and train. These alien creatures, known as Monster Mutts is another of my son's favorite features. Once a monster mutt larva has picked a Blaster, the Blaster must help it transform into a mutt in the Incubator. If Blasters take good care of their mutts, they will grow and be able to help Blasters go on new, exciting missions!

There are several games at Math Blaster that my son enjoys. The games teach math skills such as math facts (addition, subtraction, etc), fractions, decimals, percents, money, place values, and 3D figures. They include skills from kindergarten to 6th grade curriculums. One game that my son enjoys is Oozami, in which Blasters must use their math skills like numeric place values, decimal place values and money recognition to tackle toxic ooze that is trying to take over the Math Blaster spaceship. Membership at Math Blaster includes complete access to MathBlaster.com, JumpStart.com and 4 downloadable JumpStart games. There are different membership plans to choose from, including monthly, annual and lifetime. All memberships have the same unlimited access and added features. I love Math Blaster for several reasons. I love that they offer parental controls with easy addition of up to 6 children per account, the fun and friendly audio instructions which make it fun and easy for the younger children that haven't mastered reading yet and the clean and smooth animations that load quickly (based on my 4G WiFi connection). As a mother, I also love the value that is offered from a membership. It makes learning fun by combining skills with topics most children enjoy, such as science and space. In addition, it encourages creativity by allowing children to personalize the appearance of their avatar and room (pod). Membership also allows players access to higher game levels to practice advanced math concepts, allowing them to further their learning skills.

One lucky winner will receive a 3 month membership to MathBlaster.

To Enter:

Get quick and easy entries using the Rafflecopter form below.

Giveaway ends Monday February 6, 2012 at 11:01PM CT. Open to all 18+.

Read more »

PediaCare® "Get Back to Happy" Sweepstakes

2012-01-20T11:31:00.002-06:00

PEDIACARE® "GET BACK TO HAPPY" SWEEPS KICKS OFF!

ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A TRIP TO GREAT WOLF LODGE® RESORT AND A PEDICARE® "GET BACK TO HAPPY" FAMILY PACK!

PediaCare is one of the first brands to adopt a new dosing system for infant acetaminophen products, and now they want to help you get your little one back to feeling happy!

Now through January 31, 2012, enter the PediaCare "Get Back to Happy" Sweepstakes for a chance to win one of four fun prizes! One grand prize includes a two-night stay for four (4) at a participating Great Wolf Lodge® resort valued at $1,100, and all winners will receive a PediaCare "Get Back to Happy" Family Pack each valued at $350.

Visit the PediaCare web site, www.pediacare.com or more information about the new acetaminophen dosing changes and a special message from celebrity-pediatrician, Dr. Jim Sears, co-host of the Emmy award-winning medical talk show The Doctors.

Stay tuned to this blog for a review and giveaway post for PediaCare coming soon!

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation. Different people may have different outcomes. Please see disclosure policy below for more information pertaining to this site.

Share Your Kids Funniest Moments on TV

2012-01-19T11:27:00.001-06:00

Do any of those kids look familiar? Well, they should – hundreds of millions of people have viewed their videos across the web. I’m sure you’ve thought your kid is just as funny if not FUNNIER. Admit it! Ok, I'll be first to admit it. Yes, there are times that I have thought my son did or said something that was just so hilarious I almost peed myself.
Now’s your chance!
Youtoo TV (the nation’s first “social TV” network) wants to put your little angels on national television! They are inviting moms to shoot a 30-second video with their tots, sharing their kids’ funniest moments. Moms can then upload these 30-videos, called “Peoplemercials” to Youtoo.com and receive an email confirming that their video will air on national TV – on the Youtoo TV network, currently in 15 million homes! I currently have DirecTv, which is a provider that the Youtoo TV network does not currently air on. Boo Hoo! But you can enter your zipcode on the Youtoo TV website to find a provider and channel.
Participating moms will also receive an “air check” email with the exact date/time when their Peoplemercial will air. This gives your moms the chance to tell their friends and family WHEN they can tune in to see their kids on national TV!
To recap, here’s how it works: 1. Moms shoot 30-second videos
2. Upload the video to www.Youtoo.com Have fun!!

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation. Different people may have different outcomes. Please see disclosure policy below for more information pertaining to this site.

Coca-Cola’s “Arctic Home” Program + Giveaway

2012-01-19T09:42:00.000-06:00

Representing icy cold refreshment and friends and family togetherness, polar bears have been part of Coca-Cola tradition since 1922. But, the polar bears need help in the Arctic. They need a place they can always call home. Coca-Cola is taking action and partnering with World Wildlife Fund for a campaign called “Arctic Home”. Together Coca-Cola and WWF will raise awareness and funds to help create a safe haven for the polar bear. Coca-Cola has made a commitment to helping the WWF and polar bear habitat preservation by donating an initial $2 million and matching donations through March 15, 2012—up to $1 million. You Can Help!! To have Coca-Cola match your donation, simply text the code on specially-marked Arctic Home packages to 357357. You can also make donations online at ArcticHome.com. Each donation accompanied by a code from specially-marked packages will not only be matched, but a designated parcel of the virtual Arctic Home refuge will be donated in your name on the site.

You can also find new red “Arctic Home” cans on store shelves. This new limited-edition can advances awareness of our efforts to protect the polar bear’s Arctic home.

The Arctic Home website is more than just a place to make your donation. There is so much you can do and see there! You can learn more about the Arctic Home program and what partners in the campaign are doing to help the polar bears and their habitat, learn things you can do to help out the environment, learn more about polar bears and their habitat, learn more about Arctic research and the team of researchers, take virtual guided tours to discover more about the Arctic Home, polar bears and the Arctic environment, and walk around in a virtual 3D environment to discover videos, photos and more.

I really enjoyed exploring the 3D environment. Be sure to have your speakers turned on! It's so realistic. You can even hear the snow crunching under your feet as you virtually walk around! I also enjoyed the videos. They are excellent quality videos and you can learn a lot.

Go visit the Arctic Home, browse around and make a donation. The polar bears will thank you for it! Be sure to come back after your visit and enter the giveaway below!

I received a really "cool" Polar Pack filled with items featuring polar bears and I get to give another Polar Pack away to one of you! Now I am going to share with you, information on what is inside this Polar Pack, because I know you really want to know.
Each kit is valued at $100 and includes the following items:

Polar Bear Hat with attached paw mittens

Isn't that adorable!? Little ones will love wearing this to keep warm this winter.

Polar Bear Stuffed Animal

A cute little cub, perfect for cuddling.

Polar Bear Glow in the Dark Puzzle

This fun puzzle features the art of Steven Michael Gardner. Great for framing!

Polar Bear Shaped Pillow

Another item children will love. It's a Peek-A-Boo Plush! Use it as a pillow or unzip it into a polar bear plush.

Ice Cube Tray – Bear Shapes

Great for ice cream, ice cubes, jello, and more!

Polar Bear Cookie Cutter

Great for more than just cookies! My son loves it when I use cookie cutters to make shaped sandwiches.

Red Throw Blanket

Made of Polyester MicroTec, this throw blanket is soft, plush, and oh so comfy! One lucky winner will receive a Polar Pack, just like the one I received described above. The prize was provided by Coca-Cola, but Coca-Cola is not a sponsor, administrator, or involved in any other way with this giveaway.
To Enter:

Get quick and easy entries using the Rafflecopter form below.

Giveaway ends Thursday February 2, 2012 at 11:01PM CT. Open to US residents.

Read more »

Wuggle Pets * Review

2012-01-18T13:39:00.000-06:00

There is a new activity toy that is quickly becoming the "it" toy of the year!

You may have seen the infomercial for them and might even get that addictive little jingle stuck in your head. (I openly admit to singing it throughout the day). This new activity toy, Wuggle Pets, are cute plush baby animals that children can create and bring to life with creative personalities and a name. Children can then play with their "pets" or adorn their backpacks with. Children four and up love to build, collect and trade Wuggle Pets!

Unlike traditional plush animals, children build their pet by placing the Wuggle onto the Fun Fill Factory and then add fluffy stuffing and "magic dust". Cranking the factory makes the pet plump up with the stuffing and "magic dust". When the Wuggle is removed from the factory, a personality charm can be placed inside the new pet and secured with a zipper tool. Children can choose from 12 personality charms to create a pet that is brave, caring, smart, cool and so on. Illustrated instructions are included to help along with the process. Once the Wuggle is fully created, the child names his or her pet and fills out its birth certificate. The pet comes with a “clip” that allows it to tag along with the child on a backpack, belt loop and more. Each Wuggle Pet is identifiable by their small baby pet stature and the authentic Wuggle Pet "birthmark" on their ear.

I received a Wuggle Pets Starter Pack, which is available for $19.99 (plus $7.99 shipping and handling). This 12-piece Starter Kit comes complete with a Wuggle Fun Fill Factory, a Magical Unicorn, and a Cuddly Puppy. In addition, two bags of fluffy stuffing, two bags of "magic dust", two sheets of personality charms, two birth certificates and a zipper lock are included.

There is also a Party Pack available that is great for birthdays, holidays, family activities, and special events. The Party Pack features all 8 Wuggle Pets - Cuddly Puppy, Magical Unicorn, Funny Monkey, Sunny Bunny, Earful Elephant, Playful Pony, Clever Raccoon, and Bashful Bear - and is $49.99 (plus $7.99 shipping and handling).

I recall some of the commercials mentioning that children can even record a short message to include in the pet so that it will play the message when squeezed. This is available also, but is not included in the kit. There is, however, a Wuggle Pets Voice Box Offer which is included in the kit. This offer gives details on how to order the voice box, which costs $7.99 each (includes shipping and handling). I think it would be good to either have the voice box included in the kits (of course the price would increase due to added value) or have the option to include the voice box with your initial order. This would eliminate any confusion or disappointment. This detail doesn't change my opinion of the product itself, which I think is brilliant as both an activity and educational toy.

I love the concept that the Wuggle Pets help encourage children to love and care for something they create themselves. I also believe that when children get hands on experience in creating or helping to create something, they have more pride in their own abilities and are more willing to try future activities involving independence. Wuggle Pets are also great for teaching children about how things are made and encourages discussions about feelings and emotions.

Connect with and stay updated on all the Wuggle Pets news by visiting the Wuggle Pets blog, Wuggle Pets on YouTube, follow Wuggle Pets on Twitter, and Like Wuggle Pets on Facebook.

Leave Dirt At The Door With The Amazing Mat * Review & Giveaway

2012-01-18T09:54:00.002-06:00

When you invite guests into your home you are also inviting less welcomed things like dirt and germs. One particular helpful solution to reducing those unwelcome things, that I recently discovered and received to review is The Amazing Mat.

The Amazing Mat is - like the name implies - a mat that uses an amazing, simple concept to help you maintain a cleaner home. The mat is made of several layers of thin, clear, eco-friendly sheets, that use the same anti-bacterial adhesive as NASA, to catch and trap dirt and up to 99.9 percent of germs, bacteria, mold, pollen, fungus, and more from your shoes (or even paws of pets) to keep it from being tracked into your home. When the top sheet gets dirty, you simply peel off the top sheet, revealing a new, clean sheet. The used sheet can then be recycled with other plastics.

The Amazing Mat consists of 30 recyclable sheets, which normally last for three months, depending on traffic. You can place the mat at any covered entrance to your house, garage, patio or workshop. Because it is designed for indoor use, it is not recommended for use outside where it can become exposed to sunlight or rain. The Amazing Mat can cut your cleaning time in half and ensure that your home is a more sanitary environment for you and your family. You may have seen The Amazing Mat featured on television. If not, check out the infomercial video below:

The Amazing Mat is available in six designs, including a sandstone look, Oriental, traditional welcome and a paw print design like the one I received.

I placed The Amazing Mat at our main entrance. We live in the country and therefore a lot of dirt can be tracked into our home. I and am really enjoying how effective it is at trapping the dirt, germs, and even pet hair right at the front door. This has reduced my need to sweep and mop tremendously.

The bottom of The Amazing Mat has a nice tread that keeps it from shifting a lot on our tiled entry area.
Another nice feature is that each layered sheet is numbered. This makes it very easy to know how many sheets are left on the mat. The best way I can describe the sheets on The Amazing Mat, is that they are very similar to those on a lint/hair roller.

Closeup of The Amazing Mat surface which has trapped dirt and even dog hair.

When walking on the mat, you can experience the "sticky" sound. For me, it's a little of an annoying sound, but it doesn't affect the effectiveness of the mat and I have not experienced any shoes or feet getting stuck to it. My son rather likes the sound and I have noticed him walking in place on the mat a little more than necessary. Perhaps this can be a learning tool to encourage children to make sure their shoes/feet are clean before entering!? Another quirk/annoyance I have of The Amazing Mat is that it is not recommended to allow the mat to become wet. When wet, the surface can become slippery. What I have been doing, since receiving the mat, is remove it from the entry when it is raining outside to avoid any slips or falls.

Connect with The Amazing Mat on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.

One lucky winner will receive The Amazing Mat in the design of their choice (depending on availability).
To Enter:

Get quick and easy entries using the Rafflecopter form below.

Giveaway ends Wednesday February 1, 2012 at 11:01PM CT. Open to US residents.

Read more »

MrChewy Pet Food and Treats * Review

2012-01-17T11:31:00.001-06:00

All three of our family's dogs are treated just like family and just like each human counterpart of our family has different likes and dislikes, so do our dogs. We recognize this and therefore, each of our dogs is treated as an individual, especially when it comes to mealtime. Each dog has their own food bowls and their own food. When purchasing food for our dogs, we buy them based on their likes and needs. It's a known fact that dog food, treats and other supplies can get rather expensive. It's such a relief when we can find a retailer that offers a large variety of pet supply brands and types while maintaining competitive prices.

I recently discovered MrChewy.com, the ideal online pet food retailer where dog and cat owners can shop for pet food, treats, and other pet supplies such as house training supplies and flea and tick control. Unlike the big, corporate, profit-driven retailers out there, MrChewy is focused on pet and owner happiness.

MrChewy recognizes that there are pet owners, like myself, that don't want to have to drive all over to find the perfect brand and type of food for my dogs, or lug heavy bags from the store, to the truck and home, or spend high prices. MrChewy makes it easy on pet owners by offering popular brands at everyday low prices and delivering it all to your door with free shipping on orders over $49.

The friendly people at MrChewy offered me a $50 coupon to use on their website. Having three dogs, each a different size with different likes and dietary needs, I was able to purchase each of them a bag of food that I thought would be perfect for them and a bag of treats to benefit them all. And I got all of it for just under $50!

For my oldest dog, Obi Kenobi, a two year old Chiweenie (Chihuahua/Dachshund mix), I got a 6 pound bag of Blue Buffalo Adult Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food. This dog food uses a natural chicken and brown rice recipe that is made with natural ingredients plus active nutrients and antioxidants of BLUE™'s exclusive cold-formed LifeSource® Bits. Obi is usually a slow eater that will even leave a few kibbles in his bowl when done. After a "this is something new" sniff, he took a small bite that he obviously liked because he eat the rest with more passion than usual and was licking the bowl clean afterwards.

For Loki, a 15 month old Great Dane (aka "miniature horse"), I got a 6 pound bag of Royal Canin Giant Junior Dry Dog Food. What I really like about this brand, is that they offer several different varieties of food based on the pet's breed, size, age/stage of life, and dietary need. Although they didn't currently offer a variety specifically for Great Danes, I found the next best kind based on his size and age. Loki has always been a very passionate eater, so it was a little hard to tell exactly what he thought of this food, but he finished it all and looked at me as if to ask for seconds.

For the tiny but mighty, Mojo, a 10 month old Teacup Chihuahua, I got a 5 pound bag of Natural Balance Ultra Premium Formula Small Breed Bites. This dog food is made with small breed puppies to adults in mind. Mojo is the pickiest eater of our three dogs and I was not at all sure how he would like this food. He did his usual sniff test before taking a taste test of one bite. After slowly crunching on the bite, he gathered a whole mouthful, which he carried over to his bed to enjoy while relaxing. He continued this routine until every bite in his bowl was gone.

Each of the dog foods got a symbolic two paws up from our four-legged, furry children. Now it was time to see how they would respond to the 5 ounce bag of Dogswell Veggie Life Vitality Sweet Potato Chews Dog Treats. I purchased these treats because I think each of our dogs can benefit from a product that helps maintain eyes, skin, and coat. None of them had ever had a treat made with natural sweet potato, but for only $3.99, I figured I'd give them a first try. Of course, I got mixed reactions. Loki, who very rarely sniff tests anything, reacted as expected. He gobbled up a treat and begged for more. Obi, the sniff first then eat slowly until all gone type, did the sniff test and gently took the treat. He then carried it to his resting spot where he decided to lick on it but never chew. And Mojo, the picky but relaxed eater, did the sniff test and then looked at me as if to ask "What am I supposed to do with that?" before walking off to lounge. At least one of the three really liked the treats, so it wasn't a complete waste.

Overall, we give MrChewy 4.5 out of 5 paws! Thank you MrChewy!

Connect with MrChewy and stay up to date on all his "pawsome" happenings by signing up for his newsletter, Like MrChewy on Facebook (feel free to let him know the gang at Go YAY sent you!), or follow Mr. Chewy on Twitter.

Alpha Hydrox Skin Care * Review + Enter to Win $500

2012-01-16T10:46:00.002-06:00

The new year is the perfect time to discover new products that can help create a new you!

Alpha Hydrox skin care products are manufactured in Denver, Colorado and work for people of all ages and skin types. They are especially ideal for anyone battling dry, sun damaged, aging, wrinkled skin or acne. Alpha Hydrox alpha hydroxy anti-wrinkle skin creams, lotions, body washes and oil-free formulas are an effective and affordable way to help prevent and reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and creases and even skin's tone, unclog pores, help banish acne and problem-prone skin.

Alpha Hydrox products use Glycolic Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs), advanced natural exfoliants, that gradually and gently rid the skin of dead surface skin cells and allow fresh, new cells to emerge. AHAs, particulary glycolic, are recommended by Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons throughout the world because they actually improve the skin. Apha Hydrox contains the highest percentage of AHA's available without a prescription.

Alpha Hydrox has products that will help your skin look and feel younger, fresher, smoother, softer, clearer, more radiant and healthier, from head to toe. They offer facial care products, acne-prone skin care products, and bath, body and hand care products.

Thanks to my participation at Tomoson.com, I received two of Alpha Hydrox's most popular products: Foaming Face Wash Clarifying Cleanser and Enhanced Lotion 10% Glycolic AHA Anti-Wrinkle.

The Alpha Hydrox Foaming Face Wash is a great fragrance free, non-drying cleanser that gently washes away makeup, dirt and environmental pollutants. As it is cleansing, your skin maintains its moisture level. I've been using it twice daily for about 3 weeks and I love how it leaves my skin looking and feeling soft, smooth and clean without any irritation. Not only is the Foaming Face Wash fragrance free, its oil free, soap free and alcohol free. Because of this, it does not dry out my skin or leave any residue behind. Alpha Hydrox Foaming Face Wash is excellent for all skin types and a 6 oz. bottle is available for $7.49.

The Alpha Hydrox Enhanced Lotion 10% Glycolic AHA is also fragrance free and proven to reduce and delay the onset of fine lines, wrinkles, forehead creases, crow's feet, laugh lines, and other facial problems commonly associated with age. It contains 10% Glycolic AHA at a pH 4, so that it effectively and safely removes dead cells from the skin's surface and helps restore younger, healthy, radiant looking skin. It also renews moisture, refines texture, improves elasticity, and evens skin tone. I have also been using this product for about 3 weeks, right after using the Foaming Face Wash. They work very well together and have effectively made my facial skin look and feel so clean, soft and smooth. The Enhanced Lotion is great for dry to normal skin and a 6 oz bottle is available for $11.99.

Follow Alpha Hydrox skin care on Twitter!

Alpha Hydrox Promotion - Enter to Win $500!

Be sure to visit Alpha Hydrox skin care on Facebook. All Readers/Subscribers that "Like" Alpha Hydrox skin care on Facebook by midnight (MST) on January 31, 2012, can be entered to win $500 cash! This promotion is in partnership with Denver Radio Station KOSI 101.5 and is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by or associated with Facebook.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation. Different people may have different outcomes. Please see disclosure policy below for more information pertaining to this site.

The Great American FreshOver Project With Ziploc and Rachael Ray + Giveaway

2012-01-11T14:02:00.001-06:00

Recently, Ziploc® brand announced a partnership with Bestselling Author and TV personality Rachael Ray, best known for her quick and value driven meals. Together, they are launching The Great American FreshOver™ Project – a fresh food makeover - to show American families everywhere that eating fresh can be convenient.

It's very easy to participate in the The Great American FreshOver™ Project. If you are not currently a fan of Ziploc® on Facebook, visit the Facebook page and "like" the Ziploc® brand. There you can discover and stay up to date on all the great happenings at Ziploc® , as well as interact with the company. On the left side of the page, click on the Ziploc® FreshOver™ link to open the Ziploc® FreshOver™ Facebook app. At The Great American FreshOver™ Project you can: ☺ Learn more about The Great American FreshOver™ Project by watching Rachael's FreshOver™ Intro.

☺ Test your food-prepping skills against Rachael Ray in the Cooking Chops game, with $250 worth of instant prizes given out daily as levels are completed; fans that complete all five levels will be entered for a chance to win a $5,000 grand prize.

☺ Create a customizable and downloadable FreshOver™ recipe guide which is full of Rachael Ray’s recipes and tips from Ziploc®.

☺ Watch the FreshOver™ Tip Videos to get exclusive tips from Rachael Ray and Ziploc® brand on how to make eating fresh fun and easy. Each week new tips will be added. ☺ Get Ziploc® brand coupons! ☺ Enter for your chance to win the ultimate FreshOver™ weekend in NYC and meet Rachael Ray in the FreshOver™ Sweepstakes which begins February 29th. ☺ Best of all, by participating in this program, you can help others! As part of the FreshOver™ mission, Ziploc® Brand will make a donation to Rachael Ray’s nonprofit organization Yum-O®!, which brings fresh and healthy foods to families across the country. Families can support the cause by “pledging” to start their own FreshOver™ Project and by downloading the free, customizable FreshOver™ Recipe Guide. With every download, up to a maximum of 50,000 downloads, between 1/1/12 and 12/31/13, Ziploc® Brand will make a $1 donation to the organization on the fans behalf, for up to a maximum $50,000 donation. To further support Yum-O®!, Rachael Ray and Ziploc® will donate an additional $200,000 during the same time period, no matter how many guides are downloaded.

One lucky winner will receive a FreshOver™ Giveaway prize pack that will include recipes from Rachael Ray, assorted Ziploc products and be worth $100!

To Enter:

Get quick and easy entries using the Rafflecopter form below.

Giveaway ends Thursday January 26, 2012 at 11:01PM CT. Open to US residents.

Read more »

Chef Boyardee’s “Make It Boyardeelicious” Facebook Contest

2012-01-11T11:44:00.000-06:00

I have just learned of a great, new Facebook contest from Chef Boyardee that not only offers $75 in coupons, but a chance to win FREE groceries for a year!

By entering the Chef Boyardee’s new “Make It Boyardeelicious” recipe contest on Facebook, you could be a lucky winner!

How to enter:

Visit the Chef Boyardee Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ChefBoyardee and click the “Recipe Contest” tab on the left column. To enter, submit a recipe, upload a photo and describe why you love it! Entries will appear on the page within 24-36 hours after submissions have been made. Entries may be submitted now through 3/11/12. If your recipe doesn’t win one week, you may re-enter the same recipe subsequent weeks of the contest period.

Judging:

Each week, newly submitted recipes will be judged evenly on creativity, all-family appeal, ease of preparation and palatable appeal.

10 weekly winners:
A panel of experts review each recipe, and each week, a finalist is chosen. Each weekly finalist wins $500, plus $75 in Chef Boyardee coupons.

Grand prize:

Once the 10 finalists are selected, consumers will get the chance to vote for their favorite recipe. The creator of the winning recipe will win free groceries for a year!

More Ways to Win:

Consumers are eligible to vote for their favorite recipe once every 24 hours for the two-week voting period (3/26/12-4/8/12). Voting enters you in to win a daily $100 sweepstakes, and sharing it with your friends on Facebook increases your chances of winning by receiving extra entries.

Need a little inspiration for a recipe? Check out these five new, quick and easy recipes that can be prepared in 30 minutes or less! Each recipe incorporates Chef Boyardee’s original, great-tasting meat and pasta into a balanced meal with a full serving of vegetables that the whole family can enjoy. The recipes include:

Ravioli Lasagna

Pepperoni Spaghetti Bake

Chili-Roni

Taco-Roni

Cheeseburger-Roni

Disclosure: I was not monetarily compensated for this post. Information was provided by PR company. Please see disclosure policy below for more information pertaining to this site.

Lovable Labels Toy Bin Labels * Review & Giveaway

2012-01-11T08:49:00.000-06:00

For many people, the New Year is a time for creating resolutions in order to change one's life. One of my New Year's resolution was to become more organized and teach my son about organization. Organization is not an easy task to undertake or even teach a young child and it really helps when you have products that can make it a little easier for everyone involved.
I was thrilled when I received an opportunity from Lovable Labels to do a review and giveaway that focuses on organization. For those that are not familiar with Lovable Labels, it is an awesome company that was started by a mother who was asked to label all of her son's belongings when in childcare. She recognized the need for personalized labels that were tough and durable enough for everyday use. The company launched in 2003 and throughout the years, has developed innovative and useful products, many of which have derived from customer suggestions and feedback. Lovable Labels specializes in personalized durable labels and tags and have developed the best quality labels that are not only durable, but beautiful to look at. All of their labels are waterproof, dishwasher and microwave safe, washer and dryer safe, sun safe, bleach safe, sunscreen safe and temperature safe.
Among some of the great products, that Lovable Labels offers, are the household labels. All the household labels available are perfect for helping one become more organized in any room of your house. There are home office labels, kosher labels, outdoor bin labels, wire tags, craft storage labels, pantry labels, spice labels, toy bin labels, and classroom labels.

To help my son learn about organization and help him become a more organized person, I received the very useful Toy Bin Labels. These labels help keep toys, supplies, games and more from turning into a huge cluttered mess.

The labels feature toy pictures as well as text, making them ideal even for younger children that can not read yet. The pack of includes 80 labels. 64 of them are all ready for labeling bins or boxes and pre-printed with common children's toy categories such as dolls, cars, dress up, action figures, and many more. There are also 16 blank labels that you can write on if a particular label is not available. The Toy Bin Labels are all dishwasher and microwave safe, waterproof, UV resistant, and peel and stick nicely. They are reasonably priced at $13.95.

Before using the Toy Bin Labels, my son's room was very cluttered. Toys were placed everywhere and there was really no organization at all.

After a good cleaning of his room, sorting of items and labeling of toy boxes, my son's room is much more organized and he can now easily find something. It puts a thankful end to my having to hear "Mom, where's my [insert name of toy here]?!?"

One lucky winner will receive a set of Lovable Labels Toy Bin Labels to help them become organized. Thank you Lovable Labels!

To Enter:

Get quick and easy entries using the Rafflecopter form below.

Giveaway ends Wednesday January 25, 2012 at 11:01PM CT. Open to US and Canadian residents, 18+ years old.

Read more »

Rafflecopter Open to Public! Enter the Launch Party Giveaway!!

2012-01-10T13:16:00.000-06:00

Have you heard? Rafflecopter is now open to the public! For those who are not familiar with Rafflecopter yet, Rafflecopter is an online service that makes the whole process of running giveaways on your blog or website really, super easy and organized for both the giveaway host and entrants. Over 80,000 giveaways have already been created with Rafflecopter. They have recently created a new Rafflecopter widget. It's really easy (and FREE!) to open an account and start creating giveaways.

To celebrate the New Year and the public launch, Rafflecopter is going to give away a 16GB Apple iPad2 and several Kindle Fires! giveaway is open for the US and Canadian residents and will close February 9th at 12:01 a.m. EST.

To Enter:

Get quick and easy entries using the Rafflecopter form below. This widget is the same widget that appears on several other blogs/websites, so you only need to enter on one.

Read more »

Join Musician JoJo & Pledge to Stop Texting and Driving

2012-01-10T12:48:00.000-06:00

JoJo , Cambio and AT&T Join Together to Tell Fans ‘It Can Wait’ to Stop Texting While Driving

According to Car and Driver , texting while driving is more dangerous than driving under the influence* and those who send text messages while driving are 23 times more likely to be in a crash**. Music sensation JoJo and Cambio, the online destination for teens and young adults, have teamed up with AT&T’s “It Can Wait” campaign to help combat this epidemic.

Throughout the month of January, Cambio will release three videos about the risks of texting and driving narrated by the twenty-one- year-old-platinum-selling songstress, JoJo, through Cambio Impact — Cambio’s new social causes platform. In these compelling vignettes, JoJo reminds her peers that text messages can and should wait until after driving. The first video is available to watch HERE.

JoJo and Cambio encourage their collective fan base to take AT&T’s “It Can Wait” pledge to not text and drive on Facebook. To help drive pledges, JoJo has agreed to do a Cambio Live Chat with her fans when the total number of pledges exceeds 50,000. To take the pledge, visit https://apps.facebook.com/itcanwait/.

Cambio Impact, with JoJo as its exclusive launch partner, is an extension of Huffington Post Impact and AOL Impact that will reach and engage today’s millennial around causes that are important to them.

About JoJo

JoJo released her platinum self-titled debut album in 2004 at the age of 13 and its follow up, the gold-certified The High Road, in 2006 at age 15. She was the youngest artist ever to reach #1 at the Top 40 radio chart wither debut single “Leave (Get Out).” She was also the youngest (13 years old) solo artist to receive a MTV Video Music Award Nomination. Last fall JoJo released a mix tape through RapUp.com that had over 400,000 downloads and most recently she had the internet buzzing with her remix of Drake’s “Marvin’s Room.” JoJo’s new single “Disaster,” off her forthcoming full length Jumping Trains, is available now. Jumping Trains will be released April 2012 on Blackground-Interscope/Streamline Records. Collectively JoJo has sold over three million albums worldwide. Connect with JoJo on Twitter and Facebook

About Cambio

Cambio is an interactive online entertainment experience, connecting teens and young adults to their favorite celebrities and professionally-produced original content programs. This groundbreaking destination fuses information, social interaction, exclusive video and compelling entertainment content together to bring our passionate audience from fans to friends. Cambio is a joint venture between AOL, Jonas Group and MGX Lab. For more information, visit www.cambio.com, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Connect with Cambio on Twitter and Facebook

About AT&T’s “It Can Wait” Campaign

“It Can Wait” is AT&T’s growing movement to encourage teens and young drivers to pledge to stay safe behind the wheel by not texting while driving. AT&T will honor those taking the pledge by contributing to non-profit organizations focused on youth safety. JoJo joins celebrities like Rachel Zoe, Katie Cassidy, Jesse McCartney, Brandon Mychal Smith and Joey Lawrence who have also supported the ‘It Can Wait’ movement. For more information on the ‘It Can Wait’ campaign, please visit AT&T’s Facebook Page or the official ‘It Can Wait’ website.

*http://www.caranddriver.com/features/09q2/texting_while_driving_how_dangerous_is_it_-feature

** Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (http://www.vtti.vt.edu/PDF/7-22-09-VTTI-Press_Release_Cell_phones_and_Driver_Distraction.pdf)

Disclosure: I did not receive any compensation for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are my own, and different people may have different outcomes. Please see disclosure policy below for more information pertaining to this site.

New Progresso® Souper You® Contest + Online Coupon

2012-01-10T09:46:00.000-06:00

Are you ready for a new look this New Year? Progresso^® is excited to announce the return of their Souper You^® Contest, in which you can win an incredible makeover! By telling Progresso why you deserve a makeover and what you love about their soup, you could have the chance to win an ultimate makeover experience in Hollywood this Spring!
Now that the ball has dropped and the confetti has settled, it´s time to consider how you will stick to your resolution for the New Year and maintain your weight management plan, without sacrificing on variety or the taste of foods you love. Thanks to Progresso^®, you can have your soup and eat it too! With 40 delicious soups with 100 calories or less per serving, Progresso Soup has a variety of offerings that help you beat diet boredom and satisfy your taste cravings, while helping you stick to your weight management calorie goals. Progresso soups are packed with hearty ingredients like pasta, beans, rice, meat and vegetables that suit your taste buds and make you feel good about including it in your meal choices.
Check out the Souper You® Contest!This year, the Souper You^® Contest will provide three lucky winners with an ultimate makeover experience in Hollywood; this includes a trip for 2 to Los Angeles, California where the winner will receive a head-to-toe makeover including hair and makeup, guided shopping spree with a $1,000 fashion retailer gift card, $1,000 spending money and 2 tickets to this season´s live finale of NBC´s The Biggest Loser.
Progresso is asking fans to visit www.SouperYou.com and submit their photo with a brief essay about why they love Progresso soups and why they deserve a makeover, by no later than February 22nd.
Fans can check back on March 12th for the announcement of the top ten finalists, and to vote for their favorite finalist until March 25th. Watch this amazing video of the 2011 winner experience:

In addition, visit http://bit.ly/ProgressoCoup to download a printable coupon for $1.25 off the purchase of four (4) cans of Progresso Soup today

Disclosure: I did not receive any monetary compensation. Information was provided to me by Progresso through MyBlogSpark. Please see disclosure policy below for more information pertaining to this site.

I Am A Frito-Lay Fan! #fritofan

2012-01-05T13:04:00.000-06:00

Everyone in my household and several friends and family members are snackers and big fans of Frito-Lay. Frito-Lay is a proud member of the PepsiCo family and a company that is all about good fun with their snacks, their people, their customers and their chip loving fans. They continue to listen to their fans and innovate to bring new, great tasting snacks to stores near you.

I recently joined the Frito-Lay Fan Program, to get an inside scoop on all the good fun going on at Frito-Lay.

As a welcome, Frito-Lay sent me a reusable shopping bag filled with some of their latest chips for my family, friends and myself to enjoy.

A bag of Lay's® Classic is always a great choice for a snack, an addition to make a complete meal, or a useful and great additional ingredient to recipes. Lay's® Classic Potato Chips are free of gluten, additives, casein, lactose, MSG, onion, soy, and porcine (pig). They are certified Kosher Orthodox Union, a good source of Vitamin C, and contain 0g trans fat.

Tostitos® Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips are incredible. Add a little lime flavor to them and you get Tostitos® Restaurant Style with a Hint of Lime Tortilla Chips. These are awesome to pair with a Mexican dish, make great nachos with, or just plain good right out of the bag! They do not contain any gluten ingredients, MSG, onion or porcine (pig). They are certified Kosher Triangle K and contain 0g trans fat.

If you are looking for a great multigrain snack, SunChips® Garden Salsa Flavored Multigrain Snacks are ideal to enjoy alone or accompanying a dip/salsa or meal. These deliciously flavored snacks are free of MSG, soy and porcine (pig). They contain 0g trans fat and 18g of whole grain. As a member of the Frito-Lay Fan Program, I not only got to discover/rediscover some of their awesome products, I also received some very interesting facts about the Frito-Lay company and their products. Check out these awesome and interesting tidbits:

Many of Frito-Lay's chips are made with three simple ingredients: potatoes or corn, oil and salt.
Frito-Lay uses all-natural oils, such as corn and sunflower oils, so their chips have 0 grams trans fat.
Most of Frito-Lay's chips contain less salt than you think! a 1-oz serving of Lay's® Classic potato chips has about the same amount of sodium as a slice of white bread.
Frito-Lay offers a Lightly Salted line of chips -- available in Lay's® potato chips and Fritos® corn chips, which contain 50 percent less sodium than their regular counterparts.
All Lay’s® Classic potato chips, SunChips® multigrain snacks and Tostitos® tortilla chips are made with all natural ingredients, meaning they don’t contain any artificial flavors, artificial preservatives or MSG.
Many varieties of Tostitos® tortilla chips contain 8 grams of whole grain corn per serving, and SunChips® multigrain snacks have 18 grams of whole grain and 2 grams fiber per serving.
Frito-Lay supports American farmers and buys the potatoes they use to make potato chips from 80+ farms across 27 states.
Frito-Lay uses technologies that create renewable energy, such as solar panels and biomass boilers, in some of their manufacturing plants.
Frito-Lay has the largest private, all-electric fleet of delivery trucks in the U.S.
All Frito-Lay manufacturing plants are taking measures to divert at least 99 percent of waste from landfills. One way they're doing this is by reusing their shipping cartons up to six times before recycling them, helping reduce cardboard waste.

Learn even more about where Frito-Lay snacks come from, how they’re made, where they come up with the flavors, and more by watching these informative videos:

An Inside Look at How Frito-Lay Makes Chips at the Frito-Lay Modesto Plant

An Inside Look at How Frito-Lay Develops New Flavors

An Inside Look at Sensible Snacking with Frito-Lay Registered Dietitian

An Inside Look at Frito-Lay’s Fleet Featuring the New Electric Delivery Trucks

Stay in touch with Frito-Lay and learn more about the good fun they are having:
Frito-Lay websiteSnack Chat blogFollow Frito-Lay on TwitterJoin Frito-Lay on FacebookLearn more about PepsiCo and all its brands

Disclosure: I received a Frito-Lay Fan Pack from Frito-Lay. I did not receive any monetary compensation. All opinions and thoughts expressed in this post are my own, and different people may have different outcomes. Please see disclosure policy below for more information pertaining to this site.

Oransi Ionic Fridge Air Purifier * Review & Giveaway

2012-01-03T14:11:00.000-06:00

When I moved out of my parents house, one of the house warming gifts I received from my parents was a brand new refrigerator. When I opened the fridge, it was stocked with common items such as eggs, milk and butter. Sitting in the back of the fridge was a box of baking soda. When I pulled the box out and looked at it, my mother told me she included it so that the baking soda would absorb odors and moisture and keep the fridge and food smelling nice and fresh. Although I thank Mom for that, there were moments when I dreaded that little box of baking soda. Sometimes it would accidentally get knocked over, especially when my son got old enough to rummage through the fridge. This lead to the need to clean the fridge, clean up the spilled baking soda, and go out and buy another box of baking soda. There was also the problem with forgetting to replace that little box of baking soda. I recently had the pleasure of discovering the company Oransi, based in Austin, Texas that develops green cleaning products such as air purifiers and highly efficient laundry cleaning products. Oransi is operated by an experienced management team with engineers that have designed and manufactured air purifiers for the past 16 years. They are a leader in innovation with their products and business model where their sales and customer service reps are part-time "stay at home moms". They also believe in giving back to the community and donate 5% of their income to promote student interest in science, engineering and math so they can develop even better cleaning products for future generations.

I received the Ionic Fridge Air Purifier to review and I couldn't be happier with it. The Oransi Ionic Fridge Air Purifier isn't just for refrigerators. It can also be used in closets, cabinets, and any other small areas where you desire a silent and effective device that makes the air smell fresh. This little intuitive device does more than just make the air smell fresh. Check out these fabulous functions:

Eliminate food odors in your refrigerator
Kill bacteria
Reduce food spoilage
Prevent mildew
Sterilize fridge every 2 hours
Neutralize stale and foul odors with fresh air inside refrigerator, closets.
And check out these top 10 features:

1. Save money – for starters there are no replacement filters and nothing to clean. The air purifier uses 2 AA batteries that require replacement approximately every 90 days. Built-in micro processor controls the operation of the air purifier so it will cycle on and off to save battery life.

2. Silent – no fans.

3. Intuitive.

4. Effective in the removal of odors and bacteria to keep your refrigerator smelling fresh and your food fresher.

5. Conveniently fits anywhere in your refrigerator.

6. Attractive neutral color and cool contemporary design.

7. Easy operating instructions:
- Turn it on
- Freshen your refrigerator
8. Patented Piezo-electric technology: allows for a high negative ion output to freshen your refrigerator without the harmful side effects of ozone that is found in standard ionizers.

9. Safety: The Ionic Fridge air purifier has received safety certifications from GS and CE as well as the RoHS lead free directive. Made of durable fire-resistant ABS materials. Tested for ozone production by ITI (Industrial Research Technology Institute) and found to be 0.011 ppm which is 78% below FDA limits.

10. Operating costs: Ionic Fridge purifier average battery costs: $1/month.
Since receiving the Oransi Ionic Fridge air purifier, I have replaced that little box of baking soda. My opinion of this air purifier is that it is AWESOME! I love how it's so simple to use. You just have to insert 2 AA batteries, press the power button and set it where you like. The air purifier runs for the first 30 minutes continuously. Then it runs for 5 minutes every 2 hours. It is so quiet that you don't even hear it running. I also like the button illumination. When it is running, the light blinks every 2 to 3 seconds and is off when it is not running. When the light blinks constantly, it is letting you know that the batteries are running low and should be replaced soon. I have had this air purifier in my fridge for about 3 weeks now and I can definitely tell the difference. The air in my fridge smells fresh and clean. The Oransi Ionic Fridge Air Purifier can be purchased for $29 online in the Oransi store, Amazon, and Amor Wares.

One lucky winner will receive an Oransi Ionic Fridge Air Purifier.

To Enter:

Get quick and easy entries using the Rafflecopter form below.

Giveaway ends Wednesday January 18, 2012 at 11:01PM CT. Open to US residents.

Read more »

Sticky Monkey Labels * Review

2012-01-03T11:20:00.000-06:00

I absolutely love personalized labels, especially ones to use for personalizing my son's belongings that travel with him to and from school. By using labels on his things, we eliminate any ownership confusion and lose of those items. If my son does happen to misplace something with a label, we can recover it easily and quickly. I recently discovered a great company that offers creative children's labels. That company is Sticky Monkey Labels. The company was created by sisters that are the two youngest of five girls. After becoming parents, they wanted to create a cost effective way to label their children’s belongings and keep from constantly replacing lost belongings. The labels they offer are durable, waterproof, weather resistant, safe for use in the dishwasher, microwave and laundry, removable, and can be used on just about anything imaginable - water bottles, lunchboxes, school supplies, books, cell phones, travel accessories, clothing, and so much more! The several designs you can choose from are very cute! They are made with not only parents in mind, but children also. The designs are functional and fun. In each label set, there are 3 coordinating designs, so you get variety whether you order individual sheets by size or a value pack. There are several sizes and value packs to choose from. Some of the value packs include infant packs, daycare packs, school packs, camp packs, and sports packs. You can also order goody bag labels which are perfect for parties, in which you can give each party guest a personalized sheet of 9 labels for only $2.50 per sheet.

I received a great variety pack sample in the Football design for my young football fan. It includes several labels in different sizes. If you need several labels of the same size, Sticky Monkey Labels offers individual label sheets by size and there are several sizes to choose from.

The 2" Contact Square Label is perfect for putting on anything you need to put your contact information on to assure it returns home. You can customize them with your name and up to 4 additional lines for your address, phone number, email address, or any other information you need. Sticky Monkey Labels also offers another size label known as the "Customize Me" Label. These labels are a 2.5" square that gives you up to 5 lines and up to 25 characters per line. They are so many uses for these customized labels. They are perfect as book tags, gift tags, belongs to tags and more.

There are currently 5 different sized rectangular label sizes to choose from. These include the standard 3" W x .75" H label, large 4.25" W x 1.25" H label, large contact 4.25" W x 1.25" H label, slim 2" W x .325" H label, and the mini 1.125" W x .35" H label. The mini labels are ideal for personalizing small items such as markers, small toys, and travel accessories. The large and large contact labels are perfect for oversize items such as luggage and storage containers. The slim labels are great to use on items such as pencils, toothbrushes, eating utensils, and more. The standard labels are ideal for just about any item including books, binders, lunchboxes, and toys.

Sticky Monkey Labels also has 4 different round labels to choose from. They offer a 3" large circle, a 1.8" medium circle, a .80" small circle, and a 1.8" photo circle. The photo circle label is the same size as the medium circle label but includes a great way to identify your child's belongings by including their photo in the center. All of the round labels are perfect for using on items such as toys, food containers, bottles and cups, notebooks, and so much more.

The functional fun continues as Sticky Monkey Labels also offers clothing labels and shoe labels. For the clothing labels, you can choose between several fun designs of either iron-on or Peel 'n Stix Semi-Permanent labels. All of the clothing labels are printed on small durable circles and include 3 fun coordinating designs with every order. The shoe labels are available in 3 styles. The infant shoe labels come in a cute duck design that is available in three pastel colors. The Shoe Helper labels are super for helping little ones learn how to put their shoes on. The little foot shaped labels feature left and right markings on the heels and numbers 1 to 5 on the toes to help them identify which is their left and right shoe. For children that already can put their shoes on without this help, Sticky Monkey Labels also offers a regular shoe label in the same little foot shape. I love both the functionality and cuteness of the labels offered by Sticky Monkey Labels. They are also priced very reasonable and are durable so they will last and last! Thank you Sticky Monkey Labels!
Connect with Sticky Monkey Labels by liking them on Facebook, following on Twitter and shopping in the Sticky Monkey Labels store.

Disclosure: I received sample products in exchange for my honest opinions. I did not receive any monetary compensation. All opinions and thoughts expressed in this post are my own, and different people may have different outcomes. Please see disclosure policy below for more information pertaining to this site.