To contact us Click HERE
Petplan Pet Insurance has just launched a politically-themed “Wag the Vote” video contest, which will award the winner $5,000 and the winner’s pet charity $5,000 for a total of $10,000 in prizes. In the dog-eat-dog world of politics, Petplan’s “Wag the Vote” video contest offers a fun, tongue-in-cheek take on the election season, and gives pet parents the chance to show off their pet, win cash – and help pets in need.
To enter the race, pet parents nominate their pet by posting a short (three minutes or less) campaign video showcasing their dog’s or cat’s paws-itively presidential personality. Then, they rally friends and family to “Wag the Vote” and help them win. Thousands of votes have already been cast, as pet parents are heating up the campaign trail!
For pet parents who need a little inspiration to get on the campaign trail, Petplan has created a sample video starring Benny the Pug, Petplan’s resident pet-itorial intern. In the video, Benny promotes his plan for solving unemployment, health care and economic woes and promises a brighter, better tomorrow for all. Entries are due by Nov. 8, 2012. For more information about how to enter the race, official contest rules and a peek at who is already in the running, visit www.wagthevote.com.
30 Eylül 2012 Pazar
Sweepstakes: Big Layaway Giveaway
To contact us Click HERE
This is a sponsored post, I am a Kmart Layaway blogger, though all opinions are my own.
It might only be September, but Kmart is already getting ready for early holiday shoppers picking out their holiday gifts and the ability to pick out items and reserve them through the free layaway program. To help celebrate, they're encouraging all shoppers to enter Kmart's Big Layaway Giveaway. I'd love to win the prize - all layaway purchases paid off (especially if I had some really expensive stuff on layaway).
There's going to be one layaway giveaway per store per week - and that's every week through 11/17/12! No purchase is necessary, and you can visit your local Kmart location or the website above for the official rules.
Personally, I go shopping throughout the year. I find it a lot easier to be able to spread the expense out than try to pay for it all right after Christmas. So I've already started to keep my eye out for potential gift ideas - and already bought many of them. Kmart has a wide variety of products at their stores, and a lot of the things on my family's wish list can be bought there and put on layaway, such as an outdoor swingset for my girls, a new memory card for my husband's camera (he's always running out of space on the one he has), or a new digital camera for my sister-in-law so she can take snapshots of her new baby.
Kmart's layaway features are better than some other retailers. For example, there is no service fee (through November 17th), and if prices go up between now and when you pick up the item, you don't have to pay extra - you've locked in the lower price.
Shopping Savings: Printable Toy Coupons
To contact us Click HERE
- $3.00 off SPIDER-MAN HERO FX mask
- $3.00 off FURREAL FRIENDS Toy
- $3.00 off IRON MAN TRI-POWER Repulsor
- $2.00 off PLAYSKOOL HEROES Toy
- $5.00 off TORNADO TOWER Playset
- $5.00 off MY BABY ALIVE Doll
- $3.00 off PLAY-DOH Playsets
- $5.00 off ROCKTIVITY WALK 'N ROLL RIDER Toy
- $5.00 off SESAME STREET playset
- $5.00 off BOUNCY MY HAPPY-TO-SEE-ME Pup
- $5.00 off MY LITTLE PONY Princess
- $5.00 off KOOSH SOLAR RECON Ball Launcher
- $5.00 off SPIDER-MAN STUNT CITY Playset
Time Tidbits: Ringya
To contact us Click HERE
Ringya is a new app for Android or iPhone that is designed to simplify the way you contact groups of people. To use, parents, teachers, club leaders, or anyone who frequently contacts groups can snap a picture of a contact list or email a digital list, which is transformed to a "Ring" (mobile list) on their phone. This allows you to save time entering in relevant people, and also allows you to call, text, or email either individual people or the whole group. It also ads contextual caller ID (adding info to the caller idea, such as VP, PTA or Suzy's Father, Jefferson 3rd Grade) so you know who's calling. The Rings can also be shared among family members or club members so other people can instantly receive the list.
Ringya makes group communications easy, such as letting club or team members know of schedule changes, finding a parent to schedule a playdate, coordinating family events, or setting up team meetings.
To find out more, you can see Ringya in action.
Ringya makes group communications easy, such as letting club or team members know of schedule changes, finding a parent to schedule a playdate, coordinating family events, or setting up team meetings.
To find out more, you can see Ringya in action.
Money Makers: Jingit
To contact us Click HERE
With Jingit, you can earn real cash, instantly for watching ads online; or checking in and shopping for select products at your favorite stores; even for giving your feedback to leading brands by taking brief surveys.
I have signed up. It's easy to use, and it's fun because the ste tells you while you're watching a video what your hourly equivalent wage is. It varies by video. Right now there aren't a ton of videos; I just signed up and spent about 3 minutes and earned $1 If the site gets more use, I'm sure the earnings potential will go way up as more companies sign on for ads. Like any get-paid-to site you won't make a ton of money by itself, but it's really easy.
I have signed up. It's easy to use, and it's fun because the ste tells you while you're watching a video what your hourly equivalent wage is. It varies by video. Right now there aren't a ton of videos; I just signed up and spent about 3 minutes and earned $1 If the site gets more use, I'm sure the earnings potential will go way up as more companies sign on for ads. Like any get-paid-to site you won't make a ton of money by itself, but it's really easy.
29 Eylül 2012 Cumartesi
Giveaway: Dark Shadows Blue-Ray DVD!
To contact us Click HERE
Just in time for Halloween, the Johnny Depp/Tim Burton, Dark Shadows movie is being released on DVD!
AND lucky you BTHM reader, I have a copy for you to WIN!!!!
I haven't seen the movie and can't wait for the dvd: Based on the classic television series!Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) has been trapped for two centuries by an evil witch (Eva Green) who just happens to be an ex lover. Barnabas now has to struggle with the ever changing 1970s and save his families business!With an all star cast that includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jonny Lee Miller and more,Dark Shadows will be sure to whet your appetite for fun!
Ready to win a copy?
Click below, take the quizzes (I'm Creepily Conservative!) and come back and enter to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*******All winners must be in by 10-18-2012!
Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this offer for giveaway purposes on this blog, free of charge, from Partners Hub. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about them.
Just in time for Halloween, the Johnny Depp/Tim Burton, Dark Shadows movie is being released on DVD!
AND lucky you BTHM reader, I have a copy for you to WIN!!!!
I haven't seen the movie and can't wait for the dvd: Based on the classic television series!Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) has been trapped for two centuries by an evil witch (Eva Green) who just happens to be an ex lover. Barnabas now has to struggle with the ever changing 1970s and save his families business!With an all star cast that includes Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Chloe Grace Moretz, Jonny Lee Miller and more,Dark Shadows will be sure to whet your appetite for fun!
Ready to win a copy?
Click below, take the quizzes (I'm Creepily Conservative!) and come back and enter to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
*******All winners must be in by 10-18-2012!
Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this offer for giveaway purposes on this blog, free of charge, from Partners Hub. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about them.
Want some EXTRA Points for Giveaways this Month???
To contact us Click HERE
Well guess what!
I wanted to give ya'll some extra special bonus points,
and sense we LOVE Scavenger Hunts in our house,
I combined the two to give you TEN extra points for EVERY
giveaway during the Welcome to Fall Ya'll Bonanza!
How do you get them?
Find the Magic Welcome to Fall Ya'll button on our home page, or Facebook page
(we're not telling you where it is-that's the fun of a Scavenger Hunt!),
find the Magic word, and enter it the Rafflecopter Forms for all the giveaways
during the bonanza!
That's right- find the magic word and you can use it ALL month long
for ALL the giveaways, for an extra TEN entries per giveaway!!
Happy Hunting!!!!!
Well guess what!
I wanted to give ya'll some extra special bonus points,
and sense we LOVE Scavenger Hunts in our house,
I combined the two to give you TEN extra points for EVERY
giveaway during the Welcome to Fall Ya'll Bonanza!
How do you get them?
Find the Magic Welcome to Fall Ya'll button on our home page, or Facebook page
(we're not telling you where it is-that's the fun of a Scavenger Hunt!),
find the Magic word, and enter it the Rafflecopter Forms for all the giveaways
during the bonanza!
That's right- find the magic word and you can use it ALL month long
for ALL the giveaways, for an extra TEN entries per giveaway!!
Happy Hunting!!!!!
Product Review / Discount Code: Safees Pedestrian Traffic Reflectors
To contact us Click HERE
With the advent of Fall it will gets darker earlier, and less safe for our kids children as they go to and from after-school activities, games and special events, like Halloween. They are at risk simply because visibility decreases as light decreases, and unfortunately, they may 'glow' when they are performing, but they don't when they are walking down a poorly lit street!
Did you know that a pedestrian is killed in a traffic crash every 120 minutes? And that almost two-thirds of pedestrian fatalities occur when the light condition is either dark or dark with street lights? Even worse, a pedestrian is hurt in traffic every 8 minutes, and the main underlying cause is poor visibility. Doesn't make you want to let your kids walk anywhere NEAR a street or road, does it? But we so, and that's where a new reflector can keep our kids SAFE.
Safees is introducing their hard prism reflectors to the USA. Safees are manufactured in Finland, CE/Lloyds certified, and adhere to all relevant ISO standards, and the higher EU standards for environmental consideration (no waste is produced when manufacturing Safees and they are themselves 100% recyclable). So not only do they keep your kids safe, they are better for our environment!
Safees reflectors are attached by a simple pin to your clothes at knee or thigh height. By letting the Safees swing freely, facing traffic, it will reflect oncoming cars’ headlights and increase your child's (or your's) visibility, alerting drivers to your presence on the road, and giving drivers more time to stop, or steer clear and thus avoiding accidents. Watch this video to see the difference:
Simply by attaching a Safees reflector to yourself or your child, you will increase your visibility to oncoming traffic by anywhere between 300 and 1,000 percent (depending on distance, darkness, weather). That can be the difference between being safe or not. When you think about trick or treating on Halloween night, that can be a HUGE difference! We always carry some sort of reflector/light on our wagon, and on Kiddo, on Halloween, and we go through some barely lit areas, so I was very interested to see how the Safees work!
We were sent 2 different Safees to try out:
As you can see, they have a stretchable cord (stretches to about 11 inches), attached to a simple alligator clip, making it easy to pin onto any item of clothing! Kiddo immediately wanted the Happy Face! I was interested to see if the cat Safee, being a darker color would reflect less, than the Happy Face Safee. As you can see, no worry there!
I have to say I was REALLY impressed with HOW bright these reflectors are! It was hard to get a good picture with my camera (the reflection was giving too much light into the lens!), so we did an experiment inside, with a very bright led flashlight, that mimics the light from a car. As you can see, there are no worries about being seen! The room was pitch dark, and look how much light comes off the Safees!
Safees are available in 14 different shapes, for only $4.95! Plus they have a clip on version, that works great on sleeves (helpful for adult joggers!) at the Safees website! You can even buy replacement cords! Discounts are available for schools and nonprofit organizations, and Safees can even custom design one in your colors/design! What a great fundraising idea for teams and schools!
We will definitely be buying some more of the Safees, so we can keep them in our cars, so we always have one handy! Think about if you have to change a tire at night- wearing one of these would keep you super safe!
Check out the Safees and you'll agree with us too!
AND for all you lucky BTHM readers, Safees is giving you 15% off any order, simply by using the code 'Safeesbacktoschool2012' at check out!
So hurry over and get YOUR Safees before Halloween and the early Fall nights start up, and keep YOUR kids safe!
Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received these products for review purposes on this blog, free of charge, from Safees. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about them.
With the advent of Fall it will gets darker earlier, and less safe for our kids children as they go to and from after-school activities, games and special events, like Halloween. They are at risk simply because visibility decreases as light decreases, and unfortunately, they may 'glow' when they are performing, but they don't when they are walking down a poorly lit street!
Did you know that a pedestrian is killed in a traffic crash every 120 minutes? And that almost two-thirds of pedestrian fatalities occur when the light condition is either dark or dark with street lights? Even worse, a pedestrian is hurt in traffic every 8 minutes, and the main underlying cause is poor visibility. Doesn't make you want to let your kids walk anywhere NEAR a street or road, does it? But we so, and that's where a new reflector can keep our kids SAFE.
Safees is introducing their hard prism reflectors to the USA. Safees are manufactured in Finland, CE/Lloyds certified, and adhere to all relevant ISO standards, and the higher EU standards for environmental consideration (no waste is produced when manufacturing Safees and they are themselves 100% recyclable). So not only do they keep your kids safe, they are better for our environment!Safees reflectors are attached by a simple pin to your clothes at knee or thigh height. By letting the Safees swing freely, facing traffic, it will reflect oncoming cars’ headlights and increase your child's (or your's) visibility, alerting drivers to your presence on the road, and giving drivers more time to stop, or steer clear and thus avoiding accidents. Watch this video to see the difference:
Simply by attaching a Safees reflector to yourself or your child, you will increase your visibility to oncoming traffic by anywhere between 300 and 1,000 percent (depending on distance, darkness, weather). That can be the difference between being safe or not. When you think about trick or treating on Halloween night, that can be a HUGE difference! We always carry some sort of reflector/light on our wagon, and on Kiddo, on Halloween, and we go through some barely lit areas, so I was very interested to see how the Safees work!
We were sent 2 different Safees to try out:
As you can see, they have a stretchable cord (stretches to about 11 inches), attached to a simple alligator clip, making it easy to pin onto any item of clothing! Kiddo immediately wanted the Happy Face! I was interested to see if the cat Safee, being a darker color would reflect less, than the Happy Face Safee. As you can see, no worry there!
I have to say I was REALLY impressed with HOW bright these reflectors are! It was hard to get a good picture with my camera (the reflection was giving too much light into the lens!), so we did an experiment inside, with a very bright led flashlight, that mimics the light from a car. As you can see, there are no worries about being seen! The room was pitch dark, and look how much light comes off the Safees!
Safees are available in 14 different shapes, for only $4.95! Plus they have a clip on version, that works great on sleeves (helpful for adult joggers!) at the Safees website! You can even buy replacement cords! Discounts are available for schools and nonprofit organizations, and Safees can even custom design one in your colors/design! What a great fundraising idea for teams and schools!
We will definitely be buying some more of the Safees, so we can keep them in our cars, so we always have one handy! Think about if you have to change a tire at night- wearing one of these would keep you super safe!
Check out the Safees and you'll agree with us too!
AND for all you lucky BTHM readers, Safees is giving you 15% off any order, simply by using the code 'Safeesbacktoschool2012' at check out!
So hurry over and get YOUR Safees before Halloween and the early Fall nights start up, and keep YOUR kids safe!
Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received these products for review purposes on this blog, free of charge, from Safees. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about them.
Wow, Really? This is OK??????
To contact us Click HERE
I was surprised, and happy to hear, that Victoria's Secret had pulled a really tacky, and offensive, 'lingerie' set, after an Bay Area blogger had felt affronted and spoke out, and women were agreeing with her. This was NOT a Halloween costume, but a normal featured line for them. I was thinking, WOW, they listened to an argument that was adult, responsible and thought out, and in turn acted the same.
Having been on the front lines supporting doing away with Native American imagery that is racist and not 'honorific', I felt like we, as a populus, had come a LONG way. And then I saw this :
Is the Victoria's Secret 'Geisha' lingerie racist?
198,597 votes
Wow. Really?
With all the political correctness/racism issues of the current presidential election (and the past 4 years, if we're all honest), almost 200,000 people think this is OK?
Is it because it's Asian?If it had been Native American (with feather headdress and moccasins) or Indian (with head jewel and sandals) would that have been ok?
Had it been an African American line complete with afro wig and platforms, would it have been ok?
Would Victoria's Secret have even produced any of those lines? So WHY is a tacky Asian line ok?
It just confounds the imagination at was is 'ok' and what is not.
How can we teach our kids to treat everyone EQUALLY, when obvious the populus as a whole doesn't buy into that, judging by the poll numbers?
What do you say to YOUR kids, especially your teenage daughters, knowing that the blogger stood up to the corporation, won and then was denounced?
I was surprised, and happy to hear, that Victoria's Secret had pulled a really tacky, and offensive, 'lingerie' set, after an Bay Area blogger had felt affronted and spoke out, and women were agreeing with her. This was NOT a Halloween costume, but a normal featured line for them. I was thinking, WOW, they listened to an argument that was adult, responsible and thought out, and in turn acted the same.
Having been on the front lines supporting doing away with Native American imagery that is racist and not 'honorific', I felt like we, as a populus, had come a LONG way. And then I saw this :
YAHOO POLL
Is the Victoria's Secret 'Geisha' lingerie racist?- Yes, it deserved to be pulled.11%
- No, people are too sensitive.89%
198,597 votes
Wow. Really?
With all the political correctness/racism issues of the current presidential election (and the past 4 years, if we're all honest), almost 200,000 people think this is OK?
Is it because it's Asian?If it had been Native American (with feather headdress and moccasins) or Indian (with head jewel and sandals) would that have been ok?
Had it been an African American line complete with afro wig and platforms, would it have been ok?
Would Victoria's Secret have even produced any of those lines? So WHY is a tacky Asian line ok?
It just confounds the imagination at was is 'ok' and what is not.
How can we teach our kids to treat everyone EQUALLY, when obvious the populus as a whole doesn't buy into that, judging by the poll numbers?
What do you say to YOUR kids, especially your teenage daughters, knowing that the blogger stood up to the corporation, won and then was denounced?
Recipe Weekend: National Rice Month Cheesy Risotto
To contact us Click HERE
Did you know that September is National Rice Month?
We didn't either- we just found out and the month is almost over!
Things about rice I didn't know also include:
Wow, who knew?
The USA Rice Federation even has a college scholarship in honor of National Rice Month (but hurry it ends on Oct 12th!)!
Lately it seems like we've been eating more rice than pasta, which is unusual for us!
Here's a favorite dish of Mom's, it is a great side dish, quick and easy to prepare, and that is perfect for Fall!
Cheesy Risotto
Ingredients:
3 scallions, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cp arborio rice
2 cps water
1/2 tsp bullion granules (we like to use about a third of a Knorr Homestyle Stock packet, Chicken Seasoning flavor instead- more flavor and herbs added in!)
1/2 cp grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmessan Reggianoif your kids like that flavor better)
Instructions:
1. Saute the scallions in the olive oil in pot for 2 minutes.
2. Add rice and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add water and bouillon cube. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Cook for 20 minutes.
4. Remove pan from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in cheese, cover and let set for a minute. Ready to serve!
Want to make it a meal? Double the recipe and add shredded cooked chicken and cooked peas or snowpeas in when you add the cheese! Or add chicken and brocolli. Perfect with a side salad!
Check out all the Knorr recipes for risotto, to give you some more ideas too!
Did you know that September is National Rice Month?
We didn't either- we just found out and the month is almost over!
Things about rice I didn't know also include:
- Rice has been produced in the United States for more than 300 years! It’s one of the United States’ oldest agribusinesses dating back to 1685.
- Over 24 billion pounds of rice is grown in the U.S. each year by over 10,000 farmers in Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Missouri.
- 85 percent of rice consumed in the United States is grown here
- The U.S. is the world’s fourth largest rice exporter
- Rice growing is eco-friendly and has a positive impact on the environment. Rice fields create a wetland habitat for many species of birds, mammals and reptiles. Without rice farming, wetland environments created by flooded rice fields would be vastly reduced
Wow, who knew?
The USA Rice Federation even has a college scholarship in honor of National Rice Month (but hurry it ends on Oct 12th!)!
Lately it seems like we've been eating more rice than pasta, which is unusual for us!
Here's a favorite dish of Mom's, it is a great side dish, quick and easy to prepare, and that is perfect for Fall!
Cheesy Risotto
Ingredients:
3 scallions, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cp arborio rice
2 cps water
1/2 tsp bullion granules (we like to use about a third of a Knorr Homestyle Stock packet, Chicken Seasoning flavor instead- more flavor and herbs added in!)
1/2 cp grated Pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmessan Reggianoif your kids like that flavor better)
Instructions:
1. Saute the scallions in the olive oil in pot for 2 minutes.
2. Add rice and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add water and bouillon cube. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Cook for 20 minutes.
4. Remove pan from heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in cheese, cover and let set for a minute. Ready to serve!
Want to make it a meal? Double the recipe and add shredded cooked chicken and cooked peas or snowpeas in when you add the cheese! Or add chicken and brocolli. Perfect with a side salad!
Check out all the Knorr recipes for risotto, to give you some more ideas too!
28 Eylül 2012 Cuma
Calling All Thomas Fans! Thomas Blue Mountain Mystery Movie #giveaway
To contact us Click HERE
We love Thomas. We have the trains, we watch the shows, we have the DVD's, we own the clothes, we even have our "tradition" of meeting my parents for the Day Out With Thomas each year.So, when I saw that we would be receiving a new Thomas MOVIE.. I was excited...Yes, we love the shows, but movies are great too!With the latest movie, we will also be having toys and other products that come out with the release..
Why not get the movie now.. and then plan on getting the additional new products for Christmas?!
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONThere’s a mystery engine on the Island of Sodor! Travel on an exciting journey with Thomas and his engine friends in this all-new movie adventure, tracking down clues, discovering a lost engine and revealing the power of friendship in the CG animated Thomas & Friends®: Blue Mountain Mystery – The Movie coming to Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack, DVD, Digital Download and On Demand, September 18, 2012 from Lionsgate Home Entertainment and HIT Entertainment. Over 55 Blue Mountain Mystery themed products will launch at retail to support the movie, including toys, books, apparel, an app, a special micro-site and more, making it the biggest Thomas & Friends® event of 2012 for the #1 Preschool Toy and DVD brand, and a must own for Thomas fans everywhere!Thomas & Friends®: Blue Mountain Mystery – The Movie Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and DVD are loaded with special features including karaoke music videos, games and more! The Thomas & Friends®: Blue Mountain Mystery – The Movie DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack will be available for the suggested retail price of $24.98 and $19.99, respectively.
are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Why not get the movie now.. and then plan on getting the additional new products for Christmas?!
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONThere’s a mystery engine on the Island of Sodor! Travel on an exciting journey with Thomas and his engine friends in this all-new movie adventure, tracking down clues, discovering a lost engine and revealing the power of friendship in the CG animated Thomas & Friends®: Blue Mountain Mystery – The Movie coming to Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Pack, DVD, Digital Download and On Demand, September 18, 2012 from Lionsgate Home Entertainment and HIT Entertainment. Over 55 Blue Mountain Mystery themed products will launch at retail to support the movie, including toys, books, apparel, an app, a special micro-site and more, making it the biggest Thomas & Friends® event of 2012 for the #1 Preschool Toy and DVD brand, and a must own for Thomas fans everywhere!Thomas & Friends®: Blue Mountain Mystery – The Movie Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and DVD are loaded with special features including karaoke music videos, games and more! The Thomas & Friends®: Blue Mountain Mystery – The Movie DVD and Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack will be available for the suggested retail price of $24.98 and $19.99, respectively.
SYNOPSISWhen trouble strikes at the Blue Mountain Quarry, Thomas is sent to help his Narrow Gauge engine friends. He catches a glimpse of a small engine trying to hide, yet no one will provide any clues to the engine’s identity. Thomas is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery but discovering the truth is harder than he imagined! Will Thomas be able to save his new friend? Or will the mysterious engine be sent away from Sodor forever? Join Thomas and his friends for their most mysterious adventure yet in a movie the whole family will love!
FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressedare my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Christmas Shopping Yet? Ornaments With Love Early Bird Special
To contact us Click HERE
Are you like me and starting your Christmas shopping now, or are you waiting a bit before jumping in?
I like to start early so that I can be finished early... One, so that I can enjoy it... But two, it makes it easier being finished before the boys get here!
Growing up, I can remember my mom (and grandmother at times) giving me a Christmas Ornament as one of my gifts... I loved it then, but I appreciate it so much more now...
You might wonder WHY give a child an ornament... Let me tell you MY standpoint on it...
For starters, it filled our tree up with memories through the years as to why that particular ornament was given... But more than that... When I moved out on my own, it was a way for my mom to pass my childhood on to me. You see, she gave me the ornaments for me to put on MY first tree. I am now trying to do that for the boys...
That way, whenever they have their own first tree, be it when they move out or get married or whatever life presents them... They will have ornaments to go on their tree to remind them of days in the past...
That was why I was happy to get the "Early Bird" email from Ornaments With Love...
Just head on over to their site and order as many Ornaments as you want/need...
Until September 30th, you will pay the Early Bird Shipping Rate:
$4.95 shipping in the USA
$9.95 shipping in Canada$12.95 shipping in England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand
*** I will posting a review on Ornaments With Love soon. I was not required to post this, I just wanted to share, since I was headed over to order some now for our house!***
I like to start early so that I can be finished early... One, so that I can enjoy it... But two, it makes it easier being finished before the boys get here!
Growing up, I can remember my mom (and grandmother at times) giving me a Christmas Ornament as one of my gifts... I loved it then, but I appreciate it so much more now...
You might wonder WHY give a child an ornament... Let me tell you MY standpoint on it...
For starters, it filled our tree up with memories through the years as to why that particular ornament was given... But more than that... When I moved out on my own, it was a way for my mom to pass my childhood on to me. You see, she gave me the ornaments for me to put on MY first tree. I am now trying to do that for the boys...
That way, whenever they have their own first tree, be it when they move out or get married or whatever life presents them... They will have ornaments to go on their tree to remind them of days in the past...
That was why I was happy to get the "Early Bird" email from Ornaments With Love...
Just head on over to their site and order as many Ornaments as you want/need...
Until September 30th, you will pay the Early Bird Shipping Rate:
$4.95 shipping in the USA
$9.95 shipping in Canada$12.95 shipping in England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand
*** I will posting a review on Ornaments With Love soon. I was not required to post this, I just wanted to share, since I was headed over to order some now for our house!***
Cheesier, Creamier, Yummier - Taste Test Accepted! #Giveaway
To contact us Click HERE
I don't know if "Mac - N - Cheese" has a love or hate relationship at your house, but around here, it is as great as candy! Meaning, as long as I can remember, everyone I know has loved Mac-n-Cheese!!!!I can remember as a child, my Nana would make it for dinner...Now, Broxton orders it from time to time when we go out to eat and of course, ALL the boys (including Marc) enjoy Mac-N-Cheese whenever it is offered up. Come to think of it, I can not think of any family meal get-together (like Christmas or Thanksgiving) where it wasn't a side item! Wow!That being said, I saw that there was an opportunity for us to take a Taste Test Challenge on Mac-N-Cheese and I was so excited to give it a try! When the "taste test" arrived, I was excited, but also a bit disappointed. (Selfish... Just hold on and you will see where this is going) I was looking forward to trying all the different ones out, but I was not looking forward to cooking 4 boxes of Mac-n-Cheese to give this test a go! Now, the reason I was disappointed... They sent 2 boxes of "shell"macaroni and then 2 boxes of the "fun" ones... Broxton loves the fun ones, as it is entertaining to him (I guess, not really sure why he loves them... but he does.) I personally do not like them. It might just be me, but I feel as though my noodles aren't so cheesy when I have the fun designs... It might all be in my head, but that is why I don't by them, unless Broxton sees them and asks for them.So- on to the test...I labeled the boxes A, B, C and D.I then had post it notes going by the pots (A-D) once the noodles were cooked, I then moved the finished product into a bowl and then stuck the post it note on the bowl (moving it from the pot.) That way, I had the boxes in the kitchen labeled and the finished product on the bowl on the table. No lie, I was a bit nervous I was either going to be biased because I remembered what brand was what letter... Or, I was going to mess up my labeling and mix it all up.
After getting everything ready, it was time to chow down. Broxton did not want to share his, as he had to be worried Mac-N-Cheese was never going to be offered again, with the amount we had!
Marc kept going back and forth having to taste them all. I was quick to notice that one had a lighter color than the other and I was nervous as to the "fun shaped" ones... Please let them be good, remember, I am not usually a fan.
So- Who won?I personally enjoyed B the best... Marc was all about C. Leave it to him to like the fun shapes... While I was digging into the shells! Broxton kept trying to inhale whatever he could get his spoon into! At first, Marc was singing praises about B, "It is creamier! It is cheesier" but when he ultimately had to decide the best out of all 4... He kept talking about how he could not make that decision... He kept going back and forth over and over again... Then, he said if he "had to choose" it would be C!
A- Competitor Shells and CheeseB- Back to Nature Shells and CheeseC- Back to Nature Crazy BugsD- Competitor Shaped
Now, who would like to take the Taste Test Challenge?Three Lucky Readers will win a Taste Test Package to try at your house!!!!
Back to Nature is providing the products for this program at no cost to me for review.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
After getting everything ready, it was time to chow down. Broxton did not want to share his, as he had to be worried Mac-N-Cheese was never going to be offered again, with the amount we had!
Marc kept going back and forth having to taste them all. I was quick to notice that one had a lighter color than the other and I was nervous as to the "fun shaped" ones... Please let them be good, remember, I am not usually a fan.
So- Who won?I personally enjoyed B the best... Marc was all about C. Leave it to him to like the fun shapes... While I was digging into the shells! Broxton kept trying to inhale whatever he could get his spoon into! At first, Marc was singing praises about B, "It is creamier! It is cheesier" but when he ultimately had to decide the best out of all 4... He kept talking about how he could not make that decision... He kept going back and forth over and over again... Then, he said if he "had to choose" it would be C!
A- Competitor Shells and CheeseB- Back to Nature Shells and CheeseC- Back to Nature Crazy BugsD- Competitor Shaped
Now, who would like to take the Taste Test Challenge?Three Lucky Readers will win a Taste Test Package to try at your house!!!!
Back to Nature is providing the products for this program at no cost to me for review.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
October Baby - Available Now
To contact us Click HERE
You know how you watch a movie and your heart just breaks for the character?Well, that happened to me this past weekend.
I was lucky enough to be able to watch October Baby and not even 15 minutes into it, my mouth hit the floor. I really loved the chemistry between Hannah and Jason. After looking it up on IMDB, I see that they worked together in the past... Well, it shows and it is great. You feel as though they really are best friends. In the movie, they have been friends since childhood and you really get that while watching!As the movie starts, you see a normal college kid..
Then, she just falls out while on stage for a play. You know it isn't nerves, as she was just using an inhaler, so you get the feeling that something is wrong. Throw in John Schneider and we are off!!!!We learn (back to my not even 15 minutes in and my mouth hit the floor) that she was actually adopted by her parents... after her birth mom tried to abort her. Talk about a punch in the gut. This movie has you following Hannah on a road trip of a lifetime...
I would for sure recommend it...
As a side note, once again, thanks to IMDB you see a somewhat familiar face... The cop in October Baby was actually in Courageous... and then you learn that Provident Films helped with this movie.. Just like Courageous... Side note - 10 % of the profits from October Baby will go to the EVERY LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL FUND.
They distribute funds to help"organizations helping women facing crisis pregnancies, life-affirming adoption agencies and those caring for orphans."
Synopsis:As the curtain rises, Hannah hesitantly steps onto the stage for her theatrical debut in college. Yet before she can utter her first lines, Hannah—unscripted—collapses in front of the stunned audience.
After countless medical tests, all signs point to one underlying factor: Hannah's difficult birth. This revelation is nothing compared to what she then learns from her parents: she was actually adopted … after a failed abortion attempt.
Bewildered, angered, and confused, Hannah turns for support to Jason, her oldest friend. Encouraged by his adventurous spirit, Hannah joins his group of friends on a Spring Break road trip, embarking on a journey to discover her hidden past … and find hope for her unknown future.
In the midst of her incredible journey, Hannah finds that life can be so much more than what you have planned.
FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.
I was lucky enough to be able to watch October Baby and not even 15 minutes into it, my mouth hit the floor. I really loved the chemistry between Hannah and Jason. After looking it up on IMDB, I see that they worked together in the past... Well, it shows and it is great. You feel as though they really are best friends. In the movie, they have been friends since childhood and you really get that while watching!As the movie starts, you see a normal college kid..
Then, she just falls out while on stage for a play. You know it isn't nerves, as she was just using an inhaler, so you get the feeling that something is wrong. Throw in John Schneider and we are off!!!!We learn (back to my not even 15 minutes in and my mouth hit the floor) that she was actually adopted by her parents... after her birth mom tried to abort her. Talk about a punch in the gut. This movie has you following Hannah on a road trip of a lifetime...
I would for sure recommend it...
As a side note, once again, thanks to IMDB you see a somewhat familiar face... The cop in October Baby was actually in Courageous... and then you learn that Provident Films helped with this movie.. Just like Courageous... Side note - 10 % of the profits from October Baby will go to the EVERY LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL FUND.
They distribute funds to help"organizations helping women facing crisis pregnancies, life-affirming adoption agencies and those caring for orphans."
Synopsis:As the curtain rises, Hannah hesitantly steps onto the stage for her theatrical debut in college. Yet before she can utter her first lines, Hannah—unscripted—collapses in front of the stunned audience.
After countless medical tests, all signs point to one underlying factor: Hannah's difficult birth. This revelation is nothing compared to what she then learns from her parents: she was actually adopted … after a failed abortion attempt.
Bewildered, angered, and confused, Hannah turns for support to Jason, her oldest friend. Encouraged by his adventurous spirit, Hannah joins his group of friends on a Spring Break road trip, embarking on a journey to discover her hidden past … and find hope for her unknown future.
In the midst of her incredible journey, Hannah finds that life can be so much more than what you have planned.
FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.
Gogo's Crazybones - A Couple of Gift Idea's
To contact us Click HERE
When I was younger, we played pick up sticks.. At least, I think that was the name of them... I know kids before me played marbles and jacks...
Truth be told, I had a set, I just did not know what to do with them, so I just collected the marbles!Well, kids today have so many different things to choose from, but one that is sort of like the two games I mention, but with its own unique system is GoGo's Crazybones!Have you seen or heard of GoGo's Crazybones?
They are the newest craze....Basically you get them and they can bounce and all sorts of things when you throw them. If you want to learn more about them, just head over to the GoGo's Crazybones site to read up...
We used it to work with Broxton and his numbers... In each package, you get a crazybone and then you get a sticker.
We used the sticker book to locate the sticker that we had and I had Broxton pointing out all of the numbers to me...
To make sure you have an "official" crazybone, you can just look at the back. See the yellow circle on the back of the yellow one? It has an imprint on it, so you know it is real. Also on the imprint is the number of the crazybone... that is to help with the whole "collection" aspect of them all.
HOW DO I PLAY WITH MY GOGO'S?Each Gogo has a favourite game they usually perform best in and three performance stats for playing games:
Broxton is a bit to young for this, but it would be great for older kids...
Besides being a fun game, it would be great to work on a collection...
FROM THEIR SITE:
Gogo's have great play and educational value making them a popular and fun toy for both kids and their parents!
These are actually fabric sticker patches. They come in large designs with the actual "Scabbee" character and as well as others... They also have smaller "scabs" such as patches for ANTI BULLYING or even to alert you for allergies!
(I personally thought both of those were great ideas!)
But, as I said...
If you are addicted to the Crazybones, you can even purchase several of the GoGo Scabs now!
Head on over and take a look!
This would make great stocking stuffer idea's!!!!
FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.
When I was younger, we played pick up sticks.. At least, I think that was the name of them... I know kids before me played marbles and jacks... Truth be told, I had a set, I just did not know what to do with them, so I just collected the marbles!Well, kids today have so many different things to choose from, but one that is sort of like the two games I mention, but with its own unique system is GoGo's Crazybones!Have you seen or heard of GoGo's Crazybones?
They are the newest craze....Basically you get them and they can bounce and all sorts of things when you throw them. If you want to learn more about them, just head over to the GoGo's Crazybones site to read up...
We used it to work with Broxton and his numbers... In each package, you get a crazybone and then you get a sticker. We used the sticker book to locate the sticker that we had and I had Broxton pointing out all of the numbers to me...
To make sure you have an "official" crazybone, you can just look at the back. See the yellow circle on the back of the yellow one? It has an imprint on it, so you know it is real. Also on the imprint is the number of the crazybone... that is to help with the whole "collection" aspect of them all.HOW DO I PLAY WITH MY GOGO'S?Each Gogo has a favourite game they usually perform best in and three performance stats for playing games:
- Speed: This shows you whether the Gogo will gain speed and crash strength
- Bounce: This tells you if it will be easy to predict where the Gogo will land after it's thrown
- Balance: This tells you whether the Gogo will stand up easily after it has been thrown
Broxton is a bit to young for this, but it would be great for older kids...
Besides being a fun game, it would be great to work on a collection...
FROM THEIR SITE:
Gogo's have great play and educational value making them a popular and fun toy for both kids and their parents!
- Math and logic skills are involved in game playing and keeping score
- Reading and comprehension are practiced as you learn about the unique personalities and special powers in the games, sticker album and website
- Storytelling and imaginary play are encouraged as you build and share stories around the characters
These are actually fabric sticker patches. They come in large designs with the actual "Scabbee" character and as well as others... They also have smaller "scabs" such as patches for ANTI BULLYING or even to alert you for allergies! (I personally thought both of those were great ideas!)
But, as I said...
If you are addicted to the Crazybones, you can even purchase several of the GoGo Scabs now!
Head on over and take a look!
This would make great stocking stuffer idea's!!!!
FTC Compliant Review Policy: The product(s) featured in this review were provided free of cost to me by the manufacturer or representing PR agency for the sole purpose of product testing. Opinions expressed are my own and are NOT influenced by monetary compensation.
27 Eylül 2012 Perşembe
California Open Textbook Initiative
To contact us Click HERE
I don't know if other people have heard about this one yet: California is pursuing open textbooks to help cut costs. I've been saying for a long time that the traditional textbook pricing model isn't really scalable, especially not for money-strapped urban school districts. So, it makes good sense that California would be looking to use free alternatives instead of paying premium prices for texts.
The cynic in me obviously worries that government bureaucratic processes will miss the point and ruin the whole exercise. Crowd-sourcing and open culture only work if you let the people in and let them self-govern to a degree. If the state of California tries to impose all sorts of oversights and restrictions and controls on the process, they will spend more money and end up with lower-quality books then if they just stuck with proprietary books.
I would be interested to hear if anybody knows anything about this California textbook project, and if there is anything that the Wikimedia Foundation and Wikibooks can do to get involved. I think we have a great infrastructure set up and a great environment for developing quality books for a great price, and it's that infrastructure that places like California need if they want to succeed in lowering the cost of education.
The cynic in me obviously worries that government bureaucratic processes will miss the point and ruin the whole exercise. Crowd-sourcing and open culture only work if you let the people in and let them self-govern to a degree. If the state of California tries to impose all sorts of oversights and restrictions and controls on the process, they will spend more money and end up with lower-quality books then if they just stuck with proprietary books.
I would be interested to hear if anybody knows anything about this California textbook project, and if there is anything that the Wikimedia Foundation and Wikibooks can do to get involved. I think we have a great infrastructure set up and a great environment for developing quality books for a great price, and it's that infrastructure that places like California need if they want to succeed in lowering the cost of education.
Wikimedia NY Meeting
To contact us Click HERE
Wikimedia is having a meeting at Columbia University on Sunday May 17. Here's the announcement that was sent out on the mailinglist:
Come one, come all!
Our next meeting for Wikimedia NYC is Sunday May 17 at Columbia University.
This is a meeting for volunteers to the projects of the non-profit
Wikimedia Foundation, and everyone else too, who has ever looked at
Wikipedia and wondered what's going on behind it.
One big topic of discussion, out of many, will be preparing for our
'Wiki-Conference New York' at NYU this summer.
Other topics will be recent experiences at the WMF Chapters meeting
and in cooperating with local groups in NYC, photography for Wikinews,
and discussing issues relevant to Wikipedia and the other Wikimedia
projects.
We welcome all guests. If you support open education and free
culture, we are your people. If you have a project you want to work
on with us, this is a great opportunity to get acquainted. If you want
someone to give a talk or teach a class with an inside view of
Wikipedia, meet your volunteers. And if you just have any questions,
we'd be glad to try to answer them.
Remember, the agenda here is up to you! I encourage anyone who is
interested to sign up to give a presentation or suggest a topic for
general discussion at our wikimeetup page (given below).
Wikibooks First!
To contact us Click HERE
I got a great email today from Cbrown1023. He did a Google search and a result from Wikibooks appeared first, even before any results from Wikipedia! What's funny is that it's not on a topic that I would consider to be a particular strength of our collection. Part of me hopes this page is not being heavily linked to as an example of the worst parts of Wikibooks, but when you see the page in question you might have that thought too. Another reminder of how much more work we need in order to make a great library of free books!
My next point of interest is to wonder why Cbrown1023 was searching for information about nuclear war? Do the WP people know something us WB folks don't?
My next point of interest is to wonder why Cbrown1023 was searching for information about nuclear war? Do the WP people know something us WB folks don't?
Licensing Vote Results
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The results of the Wikimedia licensing vote have been made public today. From Robert Rohde on foundation-l:
This is quite a good result, and one that I am happy to see. The WMF board has not made a final decision on the matter, but I sincerely hope that they pursue this license migration.
Update: The board moved pretty quickly on these results, and have already written and approved a resolution:
So it looks like Wikibooks (and all other GFDL WM projects) will be migrating to CC-BY-SA-3.0 dual-licensing by June 15th. Quite a cool thing to happen!
The licensing update poll has been tallied.
"Yes, I am in favor of this change" : 13242 (75.8%)
"No, I am opposed to this change" : 1829 (10.5%)
"I do not have an opinion on this change" : 2391 (13.7%)
Total ballots cast and certified: 17462
This is quite a good result, and one that I am happy to see. The WMF board has not made a final decision on the matter, but I sincerely hope that they pursue this license migration.
Update: The board moved pretty quickly on these results, and have already written and approved a resolution:
Whereas the Wikimedia community, in a project-wide vote, has expressed
very strong support for changing the licensing terms of Wikimedia sites,
and whereas the Board of Trustees has previously adopted a license
update resolution requesting that such a change be made possible, the
Board hereby declares its intent to implement these changes.
Accordingly, the Wikimedia Foundation exercises its option under Version
1.3 of the GNU Free Documentation License to relicense the Wikimedia
sites as Massive Multiauthor Collaborations under the Creative Commons
Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license, effective June 15, 2009. The Board
of Trustees hereby instructs the Executive Director to have all
Wikimedia licensing terms updated and terms of use implemented
consistent with the proposal at
http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Licensing_update
So it looks like Wikibooks (and all other GFDL WM projects) will be migrating to CC-BY-SA-3.0 dual-licensing by June 15th. Quite a cool thing to happen!
Wikibooks: Chicken and the Egg
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I'm at the Wikiconference NYC today and just got out of a very interesting keynote speech, and Q+A session lead by Jimmy Wales. As can be expected in a room full of Wikipedians, lead by the man who founded Wikipedia there wasn't a whole lot of talk about the various sister projects such as Wikibooks. However, mention of Wikibooks was raised at one point during a question about textbooks and instruction.
Jimmy Wales stabbed on a point that I've known for a while but haven't really vocalized before. The problem with Wikibooks, he says, is an issue of K-12 adoption. To be adopted in a classroom a book must comply to a pre-set standard curricula. Without curriculum compliance, there is no hope whatsoever that the book will ever be used in an actual classroom. Without a target audience, it's hard for editors to be motivated to write books, and the cycle continues. This problem is compounded by the fact that many existing curricula are copyrighted and not available to us for free use.
Wikibooks has done pretty well so far in the area of college-level textbooks. Many of our editors are college students or college professors (or graduates who managed to retain some of their knowledge), and there has already been good feedback from college courses that are using our books as part of their programs. So, there's a feedback loop here that reinforces and encourages more development in these books. Our collection of college-level books therefore is of a much higher quality then our collection of K-12 books.
People have said in the past before that Wikibooks has a dearth of quality books for young children. People have also mentioned in the past that books on Wikibooks don't follow standard curricula. It's the interplay between these two items that is something I've never quite put my finger on before, but that Jimmy nailed. This doesn't necessarily explain why Wikijunior is so stagnant (since children younger than school age don't need to follow a curriculum), although Part of Wikijunior's target demographic does include school-aged children as well.
Luckily, I don't think that this problem is a hopeless one. I think that in time we will cross the hurdle and break the feedback cycle of stagnation. A big part of this is the license migration, so now Wikibooks is more compatible with CC-BY-SA content (which is how most other open-content textbooks are licensed). I also think that there are efforts that can be made to conform to existing (although admittedly not often used) free standard curriculums, and also to put pressure on governments to make more existing curriculums freely available.
I would love to hear more ideas on this topic, to try and start brainstorming ways we can improve our K-12 books.
Jimmy Wales stabbed on a point that I've known for a while but haven't really vocalized before. The problem with Wikibooks, he says, is an issue of K-12 adoption. To be adopted in a classroom a book must comply to a pre-set standard curricula. Without curriculum compliance, there is no hope whatsoever that the book will ever be used in an actual classroom. Without a target audience, it's hard for editors to be motivated to write books, and the cycle continues. This problem is compounded by the fact that many existing curricula are copyrighted and not available to us for free use.
Wikibooks has done pretty well so far in the area of college-level textbooks. Many of our editors are college students or college professors (or graduates who managed to retain some of their knowledge), and there has already been good feedback from college courses that are using our books as part of their programs. So, there's a feedback loop here that reinforces and encourages more development in these books. Our collection of college-level books therefore is of a much higher quality then our collection of K-12 books.
People have said in the past before that Wikibooks has a dearth of quality books for young children. People have also mentioned in the past that books on Wikibooks don't follow standard curricula. It's the interplay between these two items that is something I've never quite put my finger on before, but that Jimmy nailed. This doesn't necessarily explain why Wikijunior is so stagnant (since children younger than school age don't need to follow a curriculum), although Part of Wikijunior's target demographic does include school-aged children as well.
Luckily, I don't think that this problem is a hopeless one. I think that in time we will cross the hurdle and break the feedback cycle of stagnation. A big part of this is the license migration, so now Wikibooks is more compatible with CC-BY-SA content (which is how most other open-content textbooks are licensed). I also think that there are efforts that can be made to conform to existing (although admittedly not often used) free standard curriculums, and also to put pressure on governments to make more existing curriculums freely available.
I would love to hear more ideas on this topic, to try and start brainstorming ways we can improve our K-12 books.
26 Eylül 2012 Çarşamba
Product Review - Bitsy's Brainfood
To contact us Click HERE
About the Product
Bitsy’s Brainfood introduces the world’s first smart snack for kids. Designed as delicious treats to nurture kids’ bodies, minds and imaginations, Bitsy’s Brainfood is a tasty and nutritious snack that provides healthy and wholesome ingredients in appealing flavor combinations. Bitsy’s Brainfood encourages children to crave the right foods and makes learning fun with letter shaped cookies and a collectible sticker from Bitsy’s wacky superfood alphabet characters included in each box. Boxes have fun suggestions on how to make snack time learning time by encouraging creative play with the letters and stickers.
Each tasty bite of Bitsy's Brainfood contains a "bitsy" of nutrients to help support kids' growing bodies and brains. Fun combinations of kid favorite flavors include Zucchini Gingerbread Carrot, Orange Chocolate Beet, Lemon Broccoli and Sweet Potato Oatmeal Raisin.
Key Benefits
My Take on the Product
The flavors of these snacks were so unique and I have to say that I did not know what to expect when I was asked to review. In trying both of the above flavors though I have to say that I as well as my kids really enjoyed the snacks. As a parent I have to say that I loved the fact that they were so healthy and provided some great nutrients while still tasting good. I also have to say that I thought that the portion sizes were spot on, and provided me peace of mind that my kids would be getting the right amount of food for the snacks that I was providing them!
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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About the ProductBitsy’s Brainfood introduces the world’s first smart snack for kids. Designed as delicious treats to nurture kids’ bodies, minds and imaginations, Bitsy’s Brainfood is a tasty and nutritious snack that provides healthy and wholesome ingredients in appealing flavor combinations. Bitsy’s Brainfood encourages children to crave the right foods and makes learning fun with letter shaped cookies and a collectible sticker from Bitsy’s wacky superfood alphabet characters included in each box. Boxes have fun suggestions on how to make snack time learning time by encouraging creative play with the letters and stickers.
Each tasty bite of Bitsy's Brainfood contains a "bitsy" of nutrients to help support kids' growing bodies and brains. Fun combinations of kid favorite flavors include Zucchini Gingerbread Carrot, Orange Chocolate Beet, Lemon Broccoli and Sweet Potato Oatmeal Raisin.Key Benefits
- Excellent source of Omega 3 DHA, Vitamins A, B 12, B6, D3 and Folic Acid
- Good source of iron and calcium
- No GMO’s
My Take on the Product
The flavors of these snacks were so unique and I have to say that I did not know what to expect when I was asked to review. In trying both of the above flavors though I have to say that I as well as my kids really enjoyed the snacks. As a parent I have to say that I loved the fact that they were so healthy and provided some great nutrients while still tasting good. I also have to say that I thought that the portion sizes were spot on, and provided me peace of mind that my kids would be getting the right amount of food for the snacks that I was providing them!
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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DVD Review - VR Troopers: Season One, Vol.1
To contact us Click HERE
About the DVD
Prepare to join the action and relive the action adventures of Ryan Steele, Kaitlin Star and J.B. Reese, three young heroes with extraordinary powers enabling them to transform into virtual superheroes – the VR Troopers! On October 2, 2012, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Saban Brands, will unleash Saban’s VR TROOPERS: Season One, Volume One 3-DVD set. Featuring the first 26 action-packed episodes from the first season,this collectible DVD set is a must-have for fans, kids and collectors, and has a suggested retail price of $19.93.
When VR Troopers premiered in 1994, it was the first children’s series to take viewers into a world of virtual reality. In this exciting action-packed live-action series, three seemingly ordinary teens face the challenge of saving the world from total domination by a powerful ruthless industrialist and his evil alter-ego. With the gift of “inter-reality travel” the teens utilize the power to transform into crime-fighting superheroes and enter the high-tech sphere of Virtual Reality. They employ their strengths, explosive martial arts skills and newfound superpowers to prevent the evil Grimlord and his mutantarmies from escaping the virtual plane and entering the real world.
My Take on the DVD
I remember this show from when it first came out and I always remembered how great I felt the martial arts was in the series. Not only that, but there also was some good acting on the part of a number of the actors in the show as well. All these years later it is fun to reminisce about my younger years and see the show again. I see it now through different glasses per se, but the show is still fun and the show was definitely engaging. While I can see why other shows replaced it ultimately, anyone who enjoys shows like power rangers or the like will also love this show as well! There are no special features on this DVD, but you will find a very high quality production on this DVD, and as always a good series to keep you entertained for hours to come!
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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About the DVDPrepare to join the action and relive the action adventures of Ryan Steele, Kaitlin Star and J.B. Reese, three young heroes with extraordinary powers enabling them to transform into virtual superheroes – the VR Troopers! On October 2, 2012, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Saban Brands, will unleash Saban’s VR TROOPERS: Season One, Volume One 3-DVD set. Featuring the first 26 action-packed episodes from the first season,this collectible DVD set is a must-have for fans, kids and collectors, and has a suggested retail price of $19.93.
When VR Troopers premiered in 1994, it was the first children’s series to take viewers into a world of virtual reality. In this exciting action-packed live-action series, three seemingly ordinary teens face the challenge of saving the world from total domination by a powerful ruthless industrialist and his evil alter-ego. With the gift of “inter-reality travel” the teens utilize the power to transform into crime-fighting superheroes and enter the high-tech sphere of Virtual Reality. They employ their strengths, explosive martial arts skills and newfound superpowers to prevent the evil Grimlord and his mutantarmies from escaping the virtual plane and entering the real world.
My Take on the DVD
I remember this show from when it first came out and I always remembered how great I felt the martial arts was in the series. Not only that, but there also was some good acting on the part of a number of the actors in the show as well. All these years later it is fun to reminisce about my younger years and see the show again. I see it now through different glasses per se, but the show is still fun and the show was definitely engaging. While I can see why other shows replaced it ultimately, anyone who enjoys shows like power rangers or the like will also love this show as well! There are no special features on this DVD, but you will find a very high quality production on this DVD, and as always a good series to keep you entertained for hours to come!
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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DVD Review - Family Guy, Volume 10
To contact us Click HERE
About the DVD
Get more Big Bang for your buck when you bring home this hilarious collection of 14 Family Guy episodes, in which Peter needs a new kidney, Lois becomes a boxing champ, Chris finds a new hobby, and Brian and Stewie unravel the space-time continuum in an effort to save the universe. Travel to a new cosmos of comedy with Family Guy!
Bonus Features:
Disc 1:
Disc 2:
Disc 3:
My Take on the DVD
This was another great season yet in my perspective. While the series has its' racier moments, most of the series (and this season) has such great writing within it, that you will spend so much of your time laughing you will not realize how much time has gone by in the end. On top of all of this, the DVD itself has some amazing bonus features that any Family Guy fan will simply love! My favorite thus far has to be the deleted scenes as well as the audio commentary on the Big Bang Theory, but there were so many other great add-ons too.
I will say that there were a couple of the episodes that I felt were not as good as the others, but that is to be expected from an entire season. All-in-all though I enjoyed this DVD and all of the extras that it provides to the viewer and if you are a fan of the show, you will too!
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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About the DVDGet more Big Bang for your buck when you bring home this hilarious collection of 14 Family Guy episodes, in which Peter needs a new kidney, Lois becomes a boxing champ, Chris finds a new hobby, and Brian and Stewie unravel the space-time continuum in an effort to save the universe. Travel to a new cosmos of comedy with Family Guy!
Bonus Features:
Disc 1:
- Deleted Scenes
- Select Scene Animatic for Baby, You Knock Me Out
- Behind the Music for Road to the North Pole
- Audio Commentary on Halloween On Spooner Street
- Audio Commentary on Brian Writes A Bestseller
- Audio Commentary on Road to the North Pole
- Audio Commentary on New Kidney in Town
Disc 2:
- Deleted Scenes
- Select Scene Animatic for Trading Places - Spitball Cow
- Select Scene Animatic for Trading Places - Carter
- Select Scene Animatic for German Guy
- Audio Commentary on Trading Places
- German Guy Fight Sequence
Disc 3:
- Deleted Scenes
- Adam West Star Ceremony
- Audio Commentary on The Big Bang Theory
My Take on the DVD
This was another great season yet in my perspective. While the series has its' racier moments, most of the series (and this season) has such great writing within it, that you will spend so much of your time laughing you will not realize how much time has gone by in the end. On top of all of this, the DVD itself has some amazing bonus features that any Family Guy fan will simply love! My favorite thus far has to be the deleted scenes as well as the audio commentary on the Big Bang Theory, but there were so many other great add-ons too.
I will say that there were a couple of the episodes that I felt were not as good as the others, but that is to be expected from an entire season. All-in-all though I enjoyed this DVD and all of the extras that it provides to the viewer and if you are a fan of the show, you will too!
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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DVD Review - Cinderella Diamond Edition
To contact us Click HERE
About the DVD
At the stroke of midnight, October 2nd, dreams will come true as Disney releases CINDERELLA: DIAMOND EDITION on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital and On-Demand viewing. The timeless and beloved masterpiece is an enchanting classic that comes alive for the very first time on Blu-ray high definition with enhanced picture and sound. Bonus material includes "The Real Fairy Godmother" the incredible true story of Mary Alice O'Conner who was the inspiration for the character of the Fairy Godmother, "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-You" a second screen personalized digital storybook and more!
My Take on the DVD
My family are HUGE Disney fans and thus we were very excited to have this new Diamond Edition release as we are always looking to keep up on the times and have great movies to boot in our collection. In watching this, I have to say that they have come so far since the VHS tape version of this movie that we still have. The digital quality on this Diamond edition was amazing, and the movie itself just explodes from the screen (let alone the sound that you get as well).
On top of this, you also get an amazing array of bonus features on this that allow you to go behind the scenes to see some things that have not been released in the past and some that have, but that were still great to view again. I loved the Tangled short that was included on this as it was definitely one that was worth watching over and over again.
All-in-all this was a definite upgrade for my family in regards to quality and my girls simply adored watching the movie again and even they reacted (at least my oldest did) about how great it sounded.
If you are looking to add a great Disney movie to your collection, this is definitely one to bring home today!
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
----------------------------------------
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About the DVDAt the stroke of midnight, October 2nd, dreams will come true as Disney releases CINDERELLA: DIAMOND EDITION on Blu-ray Combo Pack, Digital and On-Demand viewing. The timeless and beloved masterpiece is an enchanting classic that comes alive for the very first time on Blu-ray high definition with enhanced picture and sound. Bonus material includes "The Real Fairy Godmother" the incredible true story of Mary Alice O'Conner who was the inspiration for the character of the Fairy Godmother, "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-You" a second screen personalized digital storybook and more!
My Take on the DVD
My family are HUGE Disney fans and thus we were very excited to have this new Diamond Edition release as we are always looking to keep up on the times and have great movies to boot in our collection. In watching this, I have to say that they have come so far since the VHS tape version of this movie that we still have. The digital quality on this Diamond edition was amazing, and the movie itself just explodes from the screen (let alone the sound that you get as well).
On top of this, you also get an amazing array of bonus features on this that allow you to go behind the scenes to see some things that have not been released in the past and some that have, but that were still great to view again. I loved the Tangled short that was included on this as it was definitely one that was worth watching over and over again.
All-in-all this was a definite upgrade for my family in regards to quality and my girls simply adored watching the movie again and even they reacted (at least my oldest did) about how great it sounded.
If you are looking to add a great Disney movie to your collection, this is definitely one to bring home today!
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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DVD Review - The Do-Deca Pentathlon
To contact us Click HERE
About the DVD
Two grown men take sibling rivalry to new heights of hilarity in this winning comedy with heart. All bets are off during a family reunion when estranged brothers Mark (Steve Zissis) and Jeremy (Mark Kelly) secretly resurrect a decades-old quest to be the best. Determined to complete 25 outrageous events in order to crown a true champion, the exhausted pair find themselves leg wrestling, ping-ponging, and laser tagging to the finish line...while learning a few life lessons along the way. Written and directed by the comically competitive Duplass Brothers (Cyrus), The Do-Deca-Pentathlon brings home the gold — and the laughs!
Special Features:
My Take on the DVD
Talk about sibling rivalry to the max! This was a funny movie that lets you see that sibling rivalry does not always fade with time and age. Through a series of events, these two brothers battle it out to see who can win. While much of the movie is tongue-in-cheek, you can also see that the brothers do learn a few things along the way as well. While I did not know whether I would like this movie at first, I found the movie to be downright funny and the acting to be of high quality. If you are looking for a fun evening that you will not soon forget, this is definitely the movie for you!
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
----------------------------------------
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About the DVDTwo grown men take sibling rivalry to new heights of hilarity in this winning comedy with heart. All bets are off during a family reunion when estranged brothers Mark (Steve Zissis) and Jeremy (Mark Kelly) secretly resurrect a decades-old quest to be the best. Determined to complete 25 outrageous events in order to crown a true champion, the exhausted pair find themselves leg wrestling, ping-ponging, and laser tagging to the finish line...while learning a few life lessons along the way. Written and directed by the comically competitive Duplass Brothers (Cyrus), The Do-Deca-Pentathlon brings home the gold — and the laughs!
Special Features:
- Meet the Real Brothers
- Rock, Paper, Scissors with the Real Brothers
My Take on the DVD
Talk about sibling rivalry to the max! This was a funny movie that lets you see that sibling rivalry does not always fade with time and age. Through a series of events, these two brothers battle it out to see who can win. While much of the movie is tongue-in-cheek, you can also see that the brothers do learn a few things along the way as well. While I did not know whether I would like this movie at first, I found the movie to be downright funny and the acting to be of high quality. If you are looking for a fun evening that you will not soon forget, this is definitely the movie for you!
All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company. Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Disclaimer for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
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