Yoplait Greek Yogurt

We go through A LOT of yogurt in our house. Tons. I think my kids eat yogurt at least once every single day, sometimes twice. I get a little bored with it though, so I'm always glad to find new varieties to try out. (Nothing against yogurt, I am just really bored with breakfast choices on busy mornings.)

Yoplait has just come out with Greek yogurt. I have seen Greek yogurt in the dairy section and was curious; so of course I said yes to a couple of coupons to give it a try.

Yoplait Greek yogurt comes in plain, blueberry, strawberry, and honey vanilla. I used my coupons to get the honey vanilla and strawberry.

My kids shared the strawberry (only letting me have one bite) and I ate the honey vanilla. The honey vanilla was not too sweet and had a subtle flavor. I thought it was very rich and creamy. Looking at the ingredients, I had to wonder why neither "honey" nor "vanilla" were listed on the label, though they probably fall under the "natural flavors" category. The kids both enjoyed the strawberry and would eat it again (and again). The strawberry and blueberry flavors do contain fruit puree.

If you would live to give Yoplait Greek yogurt a try, print a coupon for 30 cents off. You can also enter to win below!

(From the company:) With 12 grams of protein -- twice that found in leading yogurts -- new Yoplait Greek nourishes from the inside out. Available in four delicious flavors, Strawberry, Blueberry, Honey Vanilla and Plain, the brand´s newest offering has a unique thick and creamy texture with the unmatched taste expected of Yoplait.

To celebrate its new Greek yogurt and to encourage women to nourish their inner goddess, Yoplait has teamed up with actress Izabella Miko, who plays Greek Goddess Athena in the epic adventure new Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ film “Clash of the Titans,” in theatres April 2 in 3D.




WIN IT!
Giveaway Title: GREEK
Prize: Nourish Your Inner Greek Goddess gift pack including 2 coupons for a free cup of Yoplait Greek Yogurt (This coupon offer for a free cup of Yoplait Greek yogurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Tennessee.)
Number of Winners: one
Entry Question: Which flavor of Yoplait Greek yogurt would you most like to try?
Enter By: April 9, 2010
Entry Form: Click here
Winners will be notified by e-mail. Please read the official rules for entering our giveaways.

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more! Her kids are yogurt junkies.

Please read our disclosure statement. Yoplait provided me with free product, a gift pack, and information through MyBlogSpark.

Pediped Organic Socks

You may know Pediped for their shoes, but they have a new line of socks and tights including ones made from Pima cotton or organic cotton.

Organic options include ribbed dress socks, turn cuff socks, and tights. Pediped sent me a pair of organic socks so that I could see them for myself. I felt that they were not only high quality, but also were soft. And they look great with my son's khakis.

The socks are $5 a pair and tights are $13. While that may be a little pricey for socks, when I have visited their website, they were offering a 30% discount when you purchase 3 pairs or more. And the price is relative; they are more expensive than the big box store, but less expensive than some catalogs and children's clothing stores at the mall. And clothes purchased cheaply at a big box store are surely mass produced and don't use the best practices.

I think you just need to consider if organic is important to you and if you want to pay a little more for it (and I often do make the choice to spend a little more for an item that I feel is better for the environment or better for my kids and family). I applaud Pediped for taking steps to include more eco-friendly products in their line-up.

I just wish that my daughter wasn't too big for the Ruffle Pima Cotton Capris because they are totally cute! I would buy them in several colors. Days are warm enough to start wearing skirts and dresses, but we still need a little something to keep legs warm. Not to mention that we like to put on something under skirts so she can freely play on the playground and participate in PE.

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more!

Please read our disclosure statement. Pediped sent me a pair of socks for review.

Charlie's Playhouse: Help Teach Evolution to Your Kids

600 million years of evolution,
67 bizarre ancient creatures,
a bunch of great activities
and tons of fun!

My daughter asked me if her great-grandmother was around at the time of dinosaurs. It was so funny and I wanted to answer yes!

She likes to ask the hard questions. And despite the countless anthropology classes I took in college, I have a hard time explaining evolution in terms a five-year-old can understand.

I'm also often asked when I give talks to kids if dinosaurs and people lived at the same time. (The answer is NO!)

I love when I find a visual teaching aid that can be used in multiple ways and at multiple levels. I have found this in Charlie's Playhouse.

Charlie's Playhouse is a line of products to help teach kids how organisms evolved over time on our planet. They sent us the Giant Timeline Playmat and Ancient Creatures Cards to try out.

We've had a lot of learning fun stretching the playmat across our floor. My daughter likes to run up and down the length stopping on various creatures. She will point to a picture and ask me to name it, tell her how long ago it lived, and describe it.

And the Ancient Creature Cards are just cool! Boys who don't like to "learn" will even like looking at the cards and the playmat.

And because you can make playing with the playmat and cards fun, your kids will learn without realizing it.

Watch this video to get an overview of the timeline:



Or watch this super quick video of the timeline in action:



You can purchase these products from the Charlie's Playhouse website or through Amazon.

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more!

Please read our disclosure statement. Charlie's playhouse sent these products for review purposes.

PlanToys Trimino Bugs Game and Puzzle

Ever since the massive recalls on toys with lead paint and our awareness of the dangers of BPA, I've been turning more and more to wooden toys and games for our children.

Not only are they less toxic in most instances, but many are much more environmentally friends. Not to mention that many wooden toys allow for open-ended play and imagination in my two kids. I also like it when educational toys seem less like learning and more like play.

We recently received the PlanToys Plan Preschool Trimino Bugs Game and Puzzle which consists of 9 pieces of Trimino bugs and 5 pieces of wooden tiles. This game/puzzle is designed to stimulate logical thinking skill.

You can make it easier or more difficult for your child to play by placing the wooden tiles in a loose or tight configuration. Children then place a bug and then find one to match, eventually filling all tiles.

Of course with PlanToys, your child can play with the bugs and tiles in any manner they like. Like I said: open-ended.

We played with the toy in a variety of ways both matching the bugs on the tiles and also putting them together in different configurations.

From the company:

• Under the Green Concept Design PlanToys selects only eco-friendly materials and manufacturers utilizing a minimal waste concept. PlanToys long-term commitment to social programs promotes healthy child development and environmental protection.
  
• All PlanToys are made using chemical free, kiln-dried recycled rubberwood and designed with water based non-toxic colors as accent.
  
• A small wooden playthings can produce big change. Through innovation and commitment to design excellence, PlanToys team of child development experts play a critical role in developing their selection of diverse wooden toys.

Visit PlanToys to see their full line of baby toys, developmental toys, and educational wooden toys for a variety of ages.

Find the PlanToys Plan Preschool Trimino Bugs Game and Puzzle on the PlanToys website, on Amazon, and where great toys are sold.

Read our other reviews of PlanToys toys and games.

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more!

Please read our disclosure statement. PlanToys sent us this game for the purpose of this review.

New Disney Release: The Princess and the Frog

Few titles have come my way lately that have generated as much excitement as Disney's The Princess and the Frog. My own excitement, to be exact. I was very happy to receive a copy from Disney to review as I had heard so many glowing reviews from kids and parents alike who got to see this movie in the theaters. (Editors Note: Movie Theaters? What are those? Who gets to go to those anyway...?)

The Princess and the Frog is Disney’s first princess film since Mulan, which was released in June 1998 and I think Disney has outdone themselves with this latest release.

Set in New Orleans, the legendary Big Easy, Tiana is Disney’s newest princess. She is a beautiful young woman, as princesses usually are, BUT she is also a hardworking young woman determined to fulfil her father’s dream of owning an elegant New Orleans supper club. Bravo Disney!

Of course, what is a fairy tale without romance? So when a handsome prince arrives in town looking for romance, he finds himself turned into a frog. A kiss from Tiana should return him to his true form, but in a hilarious twist on the classic story, she is instead transformed into a frog herself! The pair must travel into the heart of the mysterious Louisiana bayou with friends they make along the way to find the priestess who can reverse the curse in order to find their “happily ever after.” Along the fun filled journey it is Tiana who teaches the Prince a few lessons in making things happen by seeing your dreams and not giving up until you get there.

What's left? Music! Really awesome music! Music plays such an integral part of New Orleans lifestyle that filmmakers felt it important to reflect that diversity in the film. The Princess and the Frog includes an all-new score for the feature in a range of styles, including jazz, blues, gospel and zydeco; and featuring seven new songs. Songs you will like as much as your kids do. Promise!

In doing some research I learned that this film marks Disney's return to hand drawn animation and it really shows. The scenery of this film is absolutely gorgeous and a pleasure to watch. If you can't get enough, you can also tune in for some insightful bonus features including deleted scenes, a music video by Ne-Yo and commentary from co-writers and directors like you can find in the preview below.

The Princess and the Frog is out now and it's available on Disney’s Combo Pack, which includes a Blu-ray disc, DVD and a DisneyFile in a single package. Which means you are guaranteed to enjoy this movie for a good, long time.

This was written by AmyJo who can be read at Binkytowne.
Please read our disclosure statement.

EatSmart Precision Pro Kitchen Scale

We have to count, weigh, and measure the food for one of our family members at each meal. It's a bit tedious, but having an easy to use scale really helps.

I was sent the EatSmart Precision Pro - Multifunction Digital Kitchen Scale w/ Extra Large LCD and 11 Lb. Capacity to test out in my own kitchen. Good timing because the battery in my other scale went out that very week and I don't ever have extra 9-volts on hand. I have to say that I put our other scale in the closet and haven't used it since receiving the EatSmart. The EatSmart scale uses AAA batteries, which I have yet to replace in about 2 months.

The EatSmart Precision Pro Digital Kitchen Scale is a versatile multifunction home appliance. Designed to be highly accurate and aesthetically pleasing, the Precision Pro is manufactured to the highest quality specifications. Weigh items up to 11 lbs quickly and accurately, with results displayed in four different units: grams / ounces / pounds / kilograms.

I really, really like that the scale weighs up to 11 pounds. When I cook from recipes, I am often measuring larger quantities of flour, etc. I found it easy to quickly switch between ounces and grams. And it is very simple to put a bowl on, tare to zero, and add food to get the weight. You can even tare it a second time and add a second food to the bowl.

We received the black and chrome scale and it looks nice on our kitchen counter since we never put it away. It's also lightweight and easy to move from counter to counter.

EatSmart sent me the calorie factor and carb factor books to use, but to be honest I haven't put those to the test. I do know some people who swear by using factors like this. I usually just weigh food and do my own math. If I start using the factors, I'll let you know.

WEIGHT LOSS / DISEASE MANAGEMENT - The Precision Pro is ultra accurate, precise to .05 ounce / 1 gram increments and perfect for calorie or carbohydrate counting. The scale now includes the FREE EatSmart Calorie Factor diet book! Allows you to quickly and easily calculate calories in hundreds of common foods with your scale. Simply multiple the weight of your food by the EatSmart calorie factor of each food and get instant calorie calculations. Stop guessing about portion sizes and start living a healthier lifestyle.

This scale is available from Amazon in a variety of colors. For a basic food scale, this one is really working for us. And I am sure would have even more functionality if I would take the time to learn about carb factors.

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more!

Please read our disclosure statement. Eat Smart sent me this scale for review.

DVD's for Everyone!

Since I have a gazillion movies to tell you about this week, I thought I would let my five-year-old give the commentary and reviews (with the exception of Amelia).

Bob the Builder: Heavy Duty Diggers

"It was funny when Lofty thought there was a monster, but it was just some of the crew."

From the company: See Bob the Builder and the Can-Do Crew like never before through the power of CGI animation! Bob and the team are hard at work in their new location in Harbor Town where Lofty leads the construction of a new ocean pier and transforms an old shack into a surf school. Scratch, the newest addition to the Top Team, is digging his way into all sorts of adventures with Scoop at the museum, and Scrambler attempts to build a tree house at the school by himself. So grab your hard hat and get ready to find out why having fun is getting it done!

Strawberry Shortcake: The Berryfest Princess

"I thought it was great. I loved that she became the best princess. I like her crown. And that Strawberry Shortcake decided to share being the Berryfest Princess with a friend. They did buttons and posters to try to get votes. And her friend voted for Strawberry instead of herself."

My two-year-old son was very enthralled with this DVD too. He watched it as much if not more than my daughter.

From the company: In the latest CGI installment featuring the character’s new look, Berry Bitty City is preparing for the annual Spring festival, and Strawberry Shortcake has just been appointed Berryfest Princess of the joyous celebration. Along with her berry best friends, they must work together to ensur

Scooby Doo: Abracadabra-Doo

"I liked when the girl got caught in the tower. It was cool. And I liked the projector person. She turned out to be a crazy old monster."

From the company: Scooby-Doo and the gang go on a trip to check on Daphne's sister, Melissa. She's been studying magic at the Whirlen Merlin Magic Academy. Apparently there's been trouble at the Academy. Sightings of a giant dragon have been scaring all the students away. The gang smells trouble and decides to investigate.

Scooby's All Star Laff-A-Lympics, Vol. 1

"I like Scooby Doo's team. I liked the part when Scooby won. I liked when Yogi Bear was dressed up as the President, that was funny. I liked when Scooby Doo was in a boat and he saw the Lock Ness Monster and they ran away from it."

My husband is a die-hard Scooby Doo fan and has been since childhood. He was so happy to see these original episodes again and share them with his daughter.

From the company: After Olympic fever swept the nations, especially the United States in 1976 (the nation's bicentennial), the worldwide sporting competitions would be sorely missed until 1980, as well as 1984, when the U.S. would be the host nation for the Summer Games. Fortunately Hanna-Barbera provided a worthy substitute in animated form as up to 45 of their cartoon characters (classic and otherwise) were featured on this show competing for the gold medal. While some events were similar to real-life Olympic events, most were pretty offbeat and quite unusual, and could only be done on cartoons like this. Among these weird events were racing on ostriches, camels, kangaroos, rickshaws and unicycles, as well as scavenging for creatures like the Abominable Snowman, vampires, and the Loch Ness Monster. With events like these, each Laff-A-Lympics was bound to be a major adventure!

Fantastic Mr. Fox
Rated PG

"I liked when they went under ground and when the farmer started to dig them up. I didn't like when his tail got shot off. That could be dangerous. If a kid got shooted, that would be really dangerous."

I watched this with my daughter, but had I watched it first, I probably wouldn't have shown it to her. "PG" doesn't stand for "parental guidance" for no reason. What I didn't like was that they used the word "cuss" to replace actual cuss words. As in "This is going to be a total cluster cuss, for everybody." And "You sacred the cuss out of us." They said "cuss" over and over and over again. When I saw the previews in the theater, I don't remember seeing this or I might have known better. I know they were trying to be cheeky, but I'm trying to teach my kids not to use bad words and I don't want them walking around saying "cuss" all the time. So my opinion is that this movie is more appropriate for older kids and I know a lot of adults have enjoyed the film.

From the company: Academy Award-winning Hollywood heavyweights George Clooney (Up In The Air) and Meryl Streep (It’s Complicated) lend their voices to the hilarious, heartwarming and dazzling stop-motion animated adventure from visionary director Wes Anderson (The Royal Tenebaums) Fantastic Mr. Fox. In the re-imagined classic family tale, Mr. and Mrs. Fox (Clooney and Streep) live a happy home life with their eccentric son Ash (Jason Schwartzman: The Darjeeling Limited) and visiting nephew Kristopherson. That is until Mr. Fox slips into his sneaky, old ways and plots the greatest heist the animal world has ever seen. When mean old farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean join forces to surround Mr. Fox and his family, they don’t realize they are not dealing with any old fox – it’s Fantastic Mr. Fox and he has a fantastic master plan to save the day! Based on the beloved best-selling book by Ronald Dahl (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory), Fantastic Mr. Fox is family fun at its finest.

Amelia
Rated PG

What a visually stunning film! If you enjoy historically-based films, you will love this movie based on aviatrix Amelia Earhart. Hilary Swank gives an Electra-flying performance as Lady Lindy and of course Richard Gere is charming in the role of her husband. Even if you know how the story ends, you'll enjoy the journey.

From the company: Two-time Academy Award® Winner Hilary Swank delivers an unforgettable performance as Amelia Earhart, the legendary American aviatrix who boldly flew into the annals of history. Richard Gere co-stars as her charismatic business partner and adoring husband George Putnam. Bound by ambition and love, their enduring marriage could not be broken by Amelia's determination to fly -- nor her passionate affair with Gene Vidal (Ewan McGregor). Equal parts gripping drama, stirring romance and epic adventure, Amelia will take your breath away and send your spirit soaring!

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more!

Please read our disclosure statement. Screeners or DVD's of these were sent to me for review purposes.

PhotoWorks: Because I Seriously Had to Make His Baby Album Before He Could Read

Okay, here's my bad mom confession: I haven't done a baby book for my second child.

He's about to turn three!

You know how it is. With your first child you take the time to make a beautiful scrapbook documenting every time the baby does something wonderful, like find her toes for the first time.

But with the second child you are so busy and tired, that he is lucky that he gets fed and changed. (Okay, it's not that bad, but subsequent children definitely get less one-on-one time.)

I've been carrying around a huge amount of guilt when the five-year-old wants to see her little brother's album. What album?

So when I was asked if I wanted to try out the PhotoWorks site from American Greetings to create a baby-themed photo book, I said YES!

On a Saturday afternoon I took a couple of hours to upload photos of my handsome little guy and fill the pages of the book. You can add words to the spine of the hardback book, customize the cover and add photos to the front and back. You can even add journaling and titles on each of the pages if you wish.

I chose the book with the water and boat theme that is called "Ahoy!" We actually decorated our son's room with a pirate theme, so this was perfect. The pages have shades of blue and red.

The book starts at $39.95 for 20 pages and additional pages are $0.99 each. When my project was complete, my book was just under $50.

It was very easy to pop in the photos, add pages, and even make changes. Though I did find it limiting that there weren't any page layouts for three photos and there were few for photos with landscape orientation.

I was not able to use the site fully using Firefox on a Mac, rather I had to use Safari.

When I received the book in the mail at the end of the week, it was fun to look through the photos of the little (or not-so-little-now) guy and remember how tiny he once was. The book I made included photos from his first six months and we relived the milestones and the places we went and things we did as a family.

And seeing a photo of putting his foot in his mouth, my son reached down, grabbed his foot, and impressed us by showing us he could still do it! Maybe I need to enroll him in yoga, lol!

The quality of the book was nice. I will say that a few of my full-page photos seemed a little grainy which may be due to the photo file itself since I use a combination of point-and-shoot and DSLR cameras. But I think I am the only one who noticed (I'm VERY particular).

My husband, when asking how much the book cost after seeing it, said that he would prefer that we make photo books for the kids like this one each year. He said that it is less expensive than scrapbooking, the books take up less space on the bookshelf, and maybe we could clear out the boxes and boxes of scrapbooking supplies that I haven't touched in a good four years.

It's true.

And because you can create an account, your books can be works in progress which you can work on here and there adding photos as you take them.

So now when my son gets married and his new wife wants to see his baby book, I actually have one to show them!

Whew, glad I don't have to feel guilty any more for neglecting my second born.

Visit the PhotoWorks site to see the variety of sizes and themes and look for special offers when you visit the site because they often have coupon codes.

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more!

Please read our disclosure statement. I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of American Greetings PhotoWorks and received a free photo book to facilitate my review.

Gimme the Jimmies!

I'll admit that I don't typically like traditional children's music. I'm not a fan of the sappy, sweet stuff. I like a little edge with it! I mean, if it's not a song I wouldn't crank up in the car or jump around in the living room to, why would I cultivate a love of it in my kids.

(Caveat, my daughter did go through a Raffi phase when she was 2, and I did enjoy listening to him with her. Who doesn't like "Five Little Ducks." But I'm more of a Ralph's World fan.)

I'm always looking for new, edgy kids' music and I have found a new group to crank up and have a dance party to: The Jimmies.

Have you heard of them? They've actually been around for a while; their first CD Make Your Own Someday was released in 2007, but they have a new DVD called Trying Funny Stuff.

The Trying Funny Stuff DVD features quirky music videos of many of their songs as well as live performances. When I put it on, I can tell you my kids don't quietly sit on the couch watching. They get up and jump, dance, stomp, and run circles.

They rock it out!

I think my daughter's favorite song is "It's Cool to be Uncool." I only say that because it's the one that she sings for the rest of the day after hearing it.

I asked my husband how he would describe The Jimmies. Was it punk for the preschool set? He said, no, more like No Doubt for kids. We decided if you have to categorize it, it's alternative or Indy.

Whatever you call it, it's good!

Don't take my word for it, see for yourself:



Become a fan of The Jimmies on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, see more videos on YouTube and of course visit The Jimmies website.

Purchase Make Your Own Someday and Trying Funny Stuff on Amazon and from other places that sell CD's and DVD's like Barnes and Noble, or shop directly from The Jimmies website.

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more!

Please read our disclosure statement. The Jimmies sent me the CD and DVD to enjoy with my children.

Nowali Moccasins

As much as I'd like to think that spring has sprung, nights are still pretty chilly in our parts. We're still bundling up after sun goes down and will be for quite a while.

That means we're still wearing socks and slippers and warm PJ's each night.

If you still need a few items to keep your kids warm, check out the new styles of Swedish moccasins from Nowali. The new styles are bright and fun and inspired by spring, yet warm and toasty for chilly nights.

The four new styles, $26.95 each, available this spring have all the features that make Nowali moccasins great: double elastic ankles, non-slip soles, and you can even throw them in the washing machine!

The four new styles are:

• Dots & Stripes- Sizes 6M-2Y (Available in Pink or Red)
• Frogs-Sizes 6M-2Y (Available in Blue or Brown)
• Sailboat-Sizes 6M-2Y
• Spring Flowers-Sizes 6M-4Y

These include styles that are decidedly boyish and definitely girly. And some in between.

Nowali sent my daughter a pair of moccasins so we could get a feel for the quality and fit. I ordered according to her age and they fit nicely, in fact I think they will fit for a while, even into next winter.

We have hard wood floors that are incredibly slippery in socks. The moccasins were not slippery and even kept her from slipping during an impromptu dance party and chasing her little brother.

Two features I particularly appreciate are the standards that make them eco-friendly and that they can be thrown in the washing machine. Oh, and they are stripey and cute! I love stripey things on little girls.

(From the company:) Each traditional Swedish moccasin is hand-stitched, and made with yarn and foxing materials that meet the Öko-Tex Standard 100, an ‘eco’ standard which ensures they contain no harmful dyes or substances. Parents have turned to Nowali for their high-quality moccasins for the past 60 years. All moccasins come with a double elastic ankle, so they actually stay put and can’t be kicked off. Each moccasin also comes with a non-skid sole, which is especially important for little ones learning to walk, or for children walking on wood or slippery surfaces.

WIN IT!
Giveaway Title: Nowali
Prize: One pair of Nowali moccasins, choice of the four new styles
Number of Winners: One (US only)
Entry Question: Visit the Nowali website and tell us what your favorite style is (not including Dots & Stripes, Frogs, Sailboat, or Spring Flowers.)
Enter By: March 25, 2010
Entry Form: Click here
Winners will be notified by e-mail. Please read the official rules for entering our giveaways.

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more!

Please read our disclosure statement. Nowali sent me a pair of moccasins for the purpose of this review.

Tweeting 'Bout the Palm Pre Plus

You've been reading about my experience over the last month with the Verizon Palm Pre Plus phone.

You Oughta Be in Pictures
Social Networking for Us Social Moms
Staying Connected Even at the Coffee Shop
The 3G Smartphone Smart Enough for Mom

Here's your chance to chat it up during a Twitter party tonight with several moms who also have been using this phone.

Head over to Technology for Mommies for the details, the time, and the hashtag.

And if you want to get your hands on one, they are giving one away!

Have fun & good luck!

Super Circles Card Game

I was sent a travel tin containing Super Circles, an easy to learn and fun to play card game. The game consists of 73 cards featuring colorful concentric circles as pictured here.

Super Circles is somewhat reminiscent of Uno, in that cards are piled down, but in this case, players match up colored circles. As you see in the illustration, a card with a pink "3" circle is put on another card with a pink "3" circle, followed by a match-up of blue "2" and then lastly, pink "1." It's a race to see which player can discard her cards first. Watch quick demo game.

It's not rocket science, but it does take a bit of concentration to stay on track. And based on my family's experience, there is a learning curve, as each person develops strategies after a round or two.

The game is suitable for 2-4 players and takes about five to ten minutes per game. It's advertised for ages 8 and up, though if you are wiling to slow down the pace, it can be suitable for younger children.

It's a portable game that is well suited for family travel. Super Circles could help pass time in, say, an airport, or even at the beach.

We noticed that the coating on our cards gave off an unpleasant odor when we first unwrapped the deck. You may need to air the cards out before you being game play.

Super Circles retails for $9.99. You can order Super Circles online or check the Out of the Box Games website to find a retailer.

Written by Kim Moldofsky who muses on parenting, education ad whatever else floats her boat at Hormone-colored Days and writes about marketing with mombloggers at MomImpact.com

Please read our disclosure statement.

Animal Crackers iPhone App

I am amazed that at two and five, my children know how to operate my iPhone. They love flipping through the photos and watching videos of themselves. And they love playing games.

We've had a few times that we've been stuck at the doctor's office or in a long line and I have handed a kid my phone to keep him or her occupied playing games.

Last Legion Games let us try out two of their apps which are games for kids. Both are available from iTunes for your iPhone.

MY NAME
MY NAME is a spelling game. You can enter up to four names and children spell each name by choosing the letters in the right order. When they spell the name correctly, the get a cookie added to their cookie jar as a reward.

Features (from the company):

• Teaches both spelling and letter recognition with colorful letters and animated animal characters.
• Allows parents to enter up to four different names from which kids can choose. Enter a child’s first name, a middle name, and/or a last name. Enter family members’ or caretakers’ names. There are endless possibilities!
• Enter a name in ALL CAPS, all lowercase or both, allowing kids to learn spellings with lowercase and uppercase letters.
• Names can be added, deleted or edited as you please.

Purchase the My Name app on iTunes for $0.99.

HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES & TOES
This game uses the song "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" to engage kids. It includes four mini-games: Song, Tap Along, Puzzle and Tickles.

Features (from the company):

• Features the popular children’s song HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES & TOES.
• HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES & TOES stars an adorable lion who teaches preschoolers parts of the body such as head, eyes, arms, toes, and more.
• Vivid, colorful text helps teach kids word recognition.
• Features an interactive reward screen.

Purchase the Head Shoulders Knees and Toes app on iTunes for $0.99.

My Verdict
For 99 cents apiece, you may think it is worth the money to keep your kids occupied while waiting in lines or for an appointment. I have an entire screen of apps for my kids and my two-year-old often chooses these two games.

The 2yo can't spell the names, but he likes touching and naming the letters. Who knows, maybe this will help teach him to spell our family members' names. My five-year-old can spell our names and is learning to read. We change out the saved names. You could easily add spelling words that your child is working on. For the preschool set, four choices may be enough to keep them occupied, but perhaps the app will be updated to include a larger number of names/words.

The Head Shoulders Knees & Toes game has enough variation with the mini games that both kids can be engaged for quite while. The 2yo is doing a pretty good job of touching each of the body parts when prompted.

I think my 2yo thinks the phone is his! I'll look over and he's taken my phone off the counter and has seated himself at the table, flicked over to the kids' game screen, and begins playing.

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more!

Please read our disclosure statement. The company provided me with codes to download these games at no charge to me.

Easter New Releases! The First Easter Rabbit: Deluxe Edition and Bugs Bunny’s Easter Funnies

There can only be so much chocolate that any child needs in their Easter basket, am I right? Well, they don't think so, I'm sure. But moms and dads will likely agree. An Easter basket would be the perfect place to slip one of these new DVD releases featuring a couple of funny bunnies.

Warner Home Video (WHV) has released classic Easter specials The First Easter Rabbit: Deluxe Edition and Bugs Bunny’s Easter Funnies on DVD for the first time.

The First Easter Rabbit Deluxe Edition is narrated by Academy Award winner Burl Ives. It is a holiday classic that tells the story of the origin of the first Easter Bunny. Stuffy is a plush rabbit given to a young girl. He is brought to life by a fairy and is sent to Easter Valley, where it’s always spring. In Easter Valley, Stuffy hopes to bring the first-ever basket of Easter goodies to its children. Stuffy runs into trouble, but in the end, arrives at a "hoppy"ending.

The First Easter Rabbit: Deluxe Edition is fully re-mastered for a more modern look. Special features include an all-new interactive puzzle game.

On to a rabbit that needs no introduction- Bugs Bunny! Bugs Bunny’s Easter Funnies is the animated Easter special that features a star-studded lineup of all-time favorite Looney Tunes characters including Bugs Bunny, Sylvester, Granny, Pepe Le Pew, Foghorn Leghorn, Yosemite Sam and Daffy Duck.

In Bugs Bunny’s Easter Funnies, Granny tries to recruit a substitute for the Easter Bunny when he falls ill. Someone has to help deliver Easter baskets and so Bugs Bunny and his pals all volunteer and audition for the job. Aside from the special, the DVD will also include a bonus short titled His Hare Raising Tale and three menu-based puzzle games.

I think it's cool to be able to sit with my boys and share a cartoon that was around back in olden days when I was young. Both are available now.

Suggested Retail Price for both DVDs: $14.97. My copies were free. Thanks WHV!

This was written by AmyJo who can be read at Binkytowne.

Please read our disclosure statement.

Verizon Palm Pre Plus: You Oughta Be in Pictures

Last week I told you that making phone calls is only a small percentage of what I've been doing with my Palm Pre Plus that Verizon is letting me test drive.

This week I have two more reasons that this phone makes mommy multi-tasking possible.

Camera
Us moms like to capture memories, but if you are like me you have enough stuff to lug around and the big camera usually stays at home.

The Palm Pre Plus phone comes equipped with a 3 megapixel camera to catch those kids whenever and wherever they do something picture-worthy. (Just being cute is reason enough to snap a photo!)

When you slide the phone open, it reveals a mirror on the upper fourth of the back side of the phone. I have heard other moms say it's great for applying lipstick. Since I don't wear lipstick daily, I'll tell you why I think the mirror is good.

Sometimes when I take photos of my monkey children, they look everywhere but at the camera lens. Or my son wants to come around to my side of the camera so he can see what's on the screen. With my point-and-shoot, I hold up two fingers near the lens and tell them to look at my fingers.

With the Palm Pre Plus, I had the bright idea to tell them to look at themselves in the mirror!

Needless to say not only did they look toward the camera lens more often than not, but seeing themselves produced more smiles and giggles.

A feature of the Palm Pre Plus that some other smart phones do not have is a built-in flash. This is great for lower light situations.

I'm not sure if the photo quality is good enough for printing (I honestly haven't tried), but it is incredibly easy to share photos. I don't print out too many photos anyway, but I do like to share them with the kids' grandparents. The Palm Pre Plus makes it very simple to e-mail photos. You can also download them by connecting the phone to your computer with the included USB cord.

(Have I told you that I like the power cord because it doubles as a USB cord? I so appreciate not having yet another cord to wrangle!)

Video
When I first received the phone I thought the major flaw was that it doesn't have video. Well, they've solved that problem with a software update that became available in February. WebOS 1.4 adds video capture to the phone!

Take videos of the kids (or anything for that matter). You can download them via the USB cable, upload directly to YouTube or Facebook, or even e-mail it to Grandma.

I thought that the colors in the video were vivid and I had no trouble trimming the video down to about 20 seconds to e-mail. The file is an MP4 that can be downloaded by the recipient and I watched my videos using QuickTime.




WIN IT!

Prize: Palm Pre Plus Phone* (one winner)
Entry Question: Check out the Palm Pre Plus on the Verizon website and tell me which feature you think would make being a mom of today easier.
Extra Entries: (Fill out entry form again for each additional entry.)

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Enter By: March 14, 2010
Rules:

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• US mailing addresses only.
  
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This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more!

Please read our disclosure statement. I wrote this review while working on a Verizon Palm Pre Plus campaign by TheMotherhood.com on behalf of Verizon Wireless and have been given a Palm Pre Plus (and prizes for giveaways) to facilitate my review.

1StopBox Storage System

I have a problem in my dining room. It's my table. It's covered in stuff: Art projects, catalogues and junk mail. Reminders, checks, keepsakes, permission slips, photos from school and anything else you can think of. The amount of paper that cycles in and out of my house is astounding.

So here's some good news: “If you can file it you can organize it!”— that's the motto behind the 1StopBox. The 1StopBox is a set that goes beyond the average storage solution, providing a system that functions both as a place to permanently store important items and as a type of “file cabinet” to easily locate something when you need it.

I received a baby 1StopBox from creator Stacy Fenske for a review, which is a 4-piece set made of blue or pink chenille fabrics that has a place for a baby book, (umm. yeah. I still need to work on that but it's nice to know it has a home waiting for it) a baby calendar, baby blankets or clothes. The storage box is big enough to house a first pair of shoes, the outfit your baby wore home from the hospital or any other keepsake item. (I have a soft spot for the little baby hats they wore home.) The baby 1StopBox also comes with a matching photo album because goodness knows you can't ever have too many photo albums for your kids.

If your babies are not babies anymore, the kid’s 1StopBox has a place for immunization records, birth certificates, report cards, school projects, artwork, medals, trophies and mementos. Should you ever need more, additional storage components can be purchased from the website.

For the organizationally-challenged folks out there like me, this is a great product. Instead of dumping all of the kids artwork in a big bin to be sorted out later, now I easily file the ones I want to keep and secretly pitch the rest. I have a spot for immunization records and kindergarten papers. I also no longer have to pull crinkled photos out of my big mom bag and cringe because I forgot they were in there. I have my filing box on the table where my piles used to be and it's a good feeling to not come home to that mess every night. (Ok, sometimes there is a still a mess there, but I can organize it much more efficiently now.)

To learn more about the 1Stop Box Storage System, visit 1stopbox.com. There are storage sets for lots of occasions including a wedding 1StopBox and one for pets that is currently in the works!

The 1StopBox Storage system runs for $59.95 but right now it's MARCH MADNESS at 1StopBox. Use coupon code MM2010 for $10.00 off any set and half price shipping.

This was written by AmyJo who can be read at Binkytowne. Thank you to 1StopBox for sending me a storage set at no charge for review.

Please read our disclosure statement.

Better Baby Bums: for diapers that are better for the environment

I try to be eco-freindly, but let's face it, having babies means we consume so much stuff!

One area where I feel like I have partially succeeded in being good to the planet is diapering.

I use cloth diapers most of the time, but I use disposables for nap and bed time and when we are away from home, including preschool. (My motto is: Do what you can, don't sweat what you can't.)

Traditional disposable diapers freak me out a little because of the absorbent gels. One brand is so heavily perfumed that it triggered my allergies and I had to give away a nearly full package. And another brand gave both of my kids rashes.

I love that there are so many eco-friendly choices in disposable diapers these days!

Better Baby Bums is an online store that offers good choices for diapering, wipes, skin care, sun protection, sippy cups, bottles, feeding accessories, teething, toys, and more.

(Canadian shoppers should enter through this link. All other links will send you to the store for US shoppers.)

Better Baby Bums sent me two different brands that they offer to try out on my son. (Boy I wish this was a post stating that he was finished potty training!) I haven't heard of these brands so I was excited to get my hands on them and put them on my little guy's bum.

(Yes, I get excited about diapers. Is that strange?)

Broody Chick 100% Natural and Fully Compostable Diapers

Broody Chick Diapers are the first fully compostable disposable diaper on the market. You could seriously put them in your compost pile.

Broody Chick Diapers are:

• 100% natural and compostable
  
• Chlorine-free
  
• Plastic-free
  
• Plant-based absorbent gel
  
• Packaged in a 100% recycled cardboard box printed with plant-based dyes

Bambo Nature Eco-Friendly Diapers

Bambo Nature Eco-Friendly diapers are made in Denmark and have the highest standards for environmental and health standards in the US.

Bambo Nature Eco-Friendly Diapers:

• The absorbent core of these diapers has a cornstarch super-absorbent polymer which is 100% biodegradable.
  
• The pulp used in the diapers is also 100% biodegradable and harvested from sustainable Scandinavian forests.
  
• These diapers are totally chlorine free and whitens the diapers using an oxygen delignification process in combination with hydrogen peroxide or ozone.
• Wetness indicator lets you know when it is time to change them.
  
• The only natural preemie diaper on the market.

My Verdict

I love the Broody Chick diapers. They are both soft and fit really well on my child. I didn't have any issues with leakage, including naptime when he usually wets heavily. The Bambo diapers performed as well as the national store brand I often buy. My only issue was that the size I chose was a little big for my guy. But we all know that diapers fit so differently and the size that works for one brand might not fit in another (he's right on the cusp of two sizes right now).

Both diapers performed as well as other more eco-friendly diapers I have purchased.

If you are concerned about the chemicals in traditional disposable diapers or are looking for diapers that are more eco-friendly, I would definitely consider these two brands or the others offered by Better Baby Bums.

DISCOUNT
Readers of The Full Mommy can receive a 20% discount off their order at Better Baby Bums by using code: greenbum

You will also receive free shipping on orders over $49.99 and a free stainless steel water bottle with orders over $10 while supplies last!

WIN IT!
Giveaway Title: BABY BUMS
Prize: $50 gift card from Better Baby Bums
Number of Winners: One (US and Canada)
Entry Question: Besides the two brands of diapers mentioned in this review, what is another diaper brand offered by Better Baby Bums?
Enter By: March 12, 2010
Entry Form: Click here
Extra Entries: (Fill out entry form again for each additional entry.)

1. Tweet about this giveaway: Giveaway $50 Gift Card to Better Baby Bums from @fullmommy http://bit.ly/daIghf (enter by 3/12)
   
2. Tell your friends on Facebook linking to this post.
   
3. Blog about the giveaway linking to this post.
4. Subscribe in a reader.
5. Subscribe by e-mail.
6. RSVP for the #ecowed Twitter Party (March 10)
   

Winners will be notified by e-mail. Please read the official rules for entering our giveaways.

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more!

Please read our disclosure statement. I received these diapers as part of a Mommy Go Green Blog Tour.

Planet Dog Green T's

The Planet Dog Green T was designed with a dog lover in mind, but you don't have to have to have a dog to love this collection of eco-friendly tee shirts. (I'll be you can even be a cat person...)

If you are interested in Green clothing, you should know that each is printed in the U.S.A. with earth-safe, phthalate-free inks after being made in India in a factory that operates with partial wind and solar power. That's all great, but could you sleep in it if you wanted to? Planet Dog states that the 100% certified organic short-sleeved shirts are "As soft as a puppy's ears". I think they may be right.

The Green T collection includes four styles: "reduce your carbon pawprint"; "reduce. reuse. rewoof."; "think globally. act doggedly" and "you had me at woof." Each is offered in both women's and men's cuts except for "you had me at woof." which is only available in women's sizing.



The suggested retail price is $29.95. Mine was free. Thank you Planet Dog!

To order one, you can visit here or here or by calling Planet Dog directly at 800-381-1516.

WIN IT!
Giveaway Title: Planet Dog

Prize: A Planet Dog T-Shirt
Number of Winners: 1
Enter By: 3/9/10

Entry Form: Click here

Winners will be notified by e-mail. Please read the official rules for entering our giveaways.

This was written by AmyJo who can be read at Binkytowne.

Please read our disclosure statement.