Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice

I love the taste of white rice, but I always feel a little guilty when I cook it for my family.

So when I was asked if I wanted to try out new Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice, I thought, wow, the best of both worlds.

For a weeknight dinner for the family, I marinated a couple of wild Alaskan salmon fillets in a Hawaiian-style marinade. Yes, I think I have one of the only five-year-olds on the planet who asks for salmon almost every single night!

While my husband took my daughter to dance class, my son and I played in the backyard, losing track of time. Realizing they'd be back from dance in about 15 minutes, the little guy and I came back inside. I looked at the box of rice and was glad it takes less than 15 minutes to cook!

While the rice cooked, I threw the salmon into a skillet. This had to have been one of the easiest weeknight dinners.

My husband at first questioned the large scoop of plain rice, but I said I wanted to give it a try as is before making it again in a recipe. He said that the rice was actually the perfect accompaniment to the salmon.

My daughter said she was going to eat the salmon, but not the rice. I told her she needed to at least try it. Before I knew it, she had finished the entire bowl and said, "I didn't think I'd like it, but it was good."

So I guess I will feel guilty no more about white rice when I cook Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice.

We have taco night about once a week and I can't wait to buy the Taco Style. And as an added bonus, all but one of the new varieties are lacto-vegetarian! I'm so thrilled about that!

This was written by Leighann who can be read at Multi-Minding Mom where she dishes about family, food, foraging, frivolity, and more! Her family is "mostly" vegetarian. They eat a little fish and seafood.

Please read our disclosure statement. I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Uncle Ben’s and received samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Cute potty-training books ahoy!

Don't make me walk the plank, but this is not going to be an honest review. It's more of a gush. Or should I say flush?

Aarrrgh. Anyway, the point is I'm not going to be objective about these two completely adorable books because my sister-in-law, Amy Cartwright, is the one who made them so adorable with her cute and clever artwork. (See a spread from each book.) And gave us a copy of each book to treasure.

Pirate Potty and Princess Potty, written by Samantha Berger and published by Scholastic, both combine a fun, encouraging toilet-learning story with a fun twist on a sticker chart. Each comes with a punch-out hat (a tiara for the princesses, a black pirate's hat for the--you know--pirates) and a page of stickers. So each time little princesses or pirates do their potty thing, they can choose a sticker as a reward and place it on their hat.

The text is adept enough to charm kids without being too cloying for their parents ("The pirate pulls down his pirate undies and sits down on his pirate potty, which is just like a potty, except ... It's black as night, with three Jolly Roger flags, two cannonballs, and one big X marks the spot!"). The stories are identical in structure, with the wording and details changed to make them princessy and piratey.

The books are paperback and inexpensive ($5.99) but the paper inside is very sturdy and glossy (I bet water--or, um, other things--would wipe off easily, although I didn't want to test this theory with my copies). The front cover is tricked out with sparkly glitter letters (Princess) and shiny gold letters (Pirate). Each also has a list of basic toilet-training tips on the back cover. For example: "Remember that accidents can happen to even the most perfect princesses, but in time she will find her rightful place on the throne."

Mayberry Mom's children have, indeed, found their rightful place on the throne, but they still enjoy the pictures in these books and they bet you will too.

Please read our disclosure statement. These books were given as a gift to Mayberry Mom's children by the book's illustrator. If you happen to buy the books via the links above, The Full Mommy earns a very teeny tiny commission.

It's a Win-Win Situation With Reese's

When my husband says he'll get me a treat from the corner drugstore, I almost always ask for a Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Oh my...the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter. I tell you, whoever the first human was that put these two ingredients together should be awarded the Nobel Prize.

If you are on Facebook, maybe you signed the petition which helped make May 18th I Love Reese's Day. To help celebrate, Reese's is giving away cash prizes with specially marked products. As if you needed an excuse to reach for them!

(From the company:) Specially-marked Reese's® Peanut Butter Cups with the Reese's Loves You Back™ promotion. The promotion will give away up to $2 million in cash prizes in $10, $25 and $100 increments. In addition to Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Reese's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups, Reese's Big Cup Peanut Butter Cups, Reese's® Pieces® Candies and Reese's Crispy Crunchy Bars will also feature promotional packaging. The Reese's Loves You Back promotion is available now through December 31, 2010.

And because we love to share the chocolate peanut butter goodness, we are giving away a selection of Reese's to one lucky reader. Yum!

WIN IT!  
Giveaway Title: REESE'S
Prize: A selection of Reese's candies
Number of Winners: One
Entry Question: What is your favorite Reese's candy?
Enter By: May 28, 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. The company compensated me for writing this post by sending a few packages of Reese's. But I am a longtime customer!

New Release: Wonder Pets! The First Rescue

What's going to work? TEAMWORK!

Have you heard this refrain coming from your kids (or yet, yourself?) If so, then you must be fans of the Wonder Pets and this DVD is right up your alley.

While they are classroom pets by day, after school Linny (the Guinea Pig) Tuck (The turtle) and Ming-Ming (The dick) are not just your average pets -- they are Wonder Pets. In this new release you can discover how they met, learn all about their first rescue and how they learn that teamwork is the best kind of work.

These episodes are so well done. They appeal to little kids because of the cute characters and the great skills they show overcoming problems, but I love that these episodes come from far away lands like Bali and Tanzania.

What I think a lot of parents (and kids) may overlook as well is the music on the Wonder Pets episodes. Every one is a mini-opera with music written and developed by aware winning composers and performed by a live orchestra.

The new DVD features 7 new to DVD Wonder Pet adventures including the never before seen episodes for Happy Mothers Day and Save the Sun Bear.

Thanks to Nickelodeon for sending me a free copy to review!

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

Please read our disclosure statement.

Six New Children's Books from Penguin

These aren't your regular children's books. No, some of these new releases cover topics that you wouldn't normally think of when selecting titles to read to your kiddos.

(The suggested ages are taken from the publisher's website, but I think they are a little conservative and older children can read and enjoy them. Descriptions written in italics are from the company.)

Red, Green, Blue: A First Book of Colors
Alison Jay
0-2 years
40 pages

How many books do you have on your shelf that either recount oft read fairy tales or teach little ones their colors? This story combines the two in a fresh way by using the nursery rhymes to highlight each of the colors.

On a gray and rainy day, a boy discovers a rainbow of colors in the magical world of nursery rhymes. Come along as he delights in blue with Little Boy Blue, orange in Old Mother Hubbard’s cupboard, and purple with poor Humpty Dumpty. This gorgeously illustrated, whimsical nursery adventure is just right for children learning their colors.

Brown Rabbit in the City
Natalie Russell - Author
Ages 3-5
40 pages

Brown Rabbit in the City is a companion to Moon Rabbit, which I'll review soon in anticipation of Moon Day.

Brown Rabbit takes the bus into the city to see his friend Little Rabbit. As is often the vacation when we visit with others, Little Rabbit is so busy trying to show Brown Rabbit a good time that they don't really get to spend one-on-one time together. Realizing her mistake, Little Rabbit shows Brown Rabbit a much better time during their second day together. This is a sweetly told story and my daughter selected it from her bookshelf for her bedtime read (yet again) tonight.

Brown Rabbit is excited to make his first-ever trip to the city to visit his best friend, Little Rabbit. But the visit doesn’t go quite as planned. Little Rabbit is so busy making sure that they see all her favorite cafés, shops, and museums that she forgets the real reason for Brown Rabbit’s visit—to see her! It takes a lovely garden and a sweet surprise to show them both that all the hustle and bustle of the city is worth little without a good friend to share it with.

Hattie The Bad
Jane Devlin - Author
Joe Berger - Illustrator
Ages 3-5
32 pages

My daughter has had me read this one over and over.  Most kids are good most of the time, but what kid isn't sometimes bad? The kids just love Hattie when she's bad, but the parents don't. But then when she decides to be good, too good, the parents love her, but the kids do not. Hattie has to find that balance between good and bad. My daughter laughs long and loud each time we read what Hattie says on national TV. (It's pretty innocuous, but my daughter thinks it quite hilarious.) One of our favorite parts is when Hattie is being good and cleans her room.

Hattie was bad—from frogs in the fridge, to paint everywhere, to the occasional sale of her little brother at the yard sale. Yes, Hattie was SO bad, no one was allowed to play with her. And let’s face it: Being bad by yourself is no fun. So Hattie decides to become good. Hattie the Good cleans her room, goes to bed early, and is an angel at school. Now everyone is allowed to play with her—but no one wants to. After all, what fun is a girl SO good that she makes everyone else look bad? Hattie is in a fix. What’s a good, bad little girl to do?

From the talent behind Bridget Fidget and the Most Perfect Pet! comes a hilarious, lovable little imp, who—like most kids—is both bad and good. Who can’t relate?

Doug-Dennis and the Flyaway Fib
Darren Farrell - Author
Ages 5-8
40 pages

This is a cautionary tale about what happens when you tell a little lie...you can literally get carried away. Some of the fibs that Doug-Dennis hears as he is flying away are incredibly funny, including, but not limited to "the dog ate my homework." I get a chuckle every time I read "I invented the inter-web." Doug-Dennis realizes that it's best just to tell the truth to be a good friend.

When best friends Doug-Dennis and Ben-Bobby go to the circus, something terrible happens. Doug- Dennis eats all of his friend’s popcorn, and then tells a fib (It wasn’t me!), which grows and grows (Maybe monsters ate it!), carrying Doug-Dennis away. As the lie gets bigger, Doug-Dennis flies higher, until he’s floating in a land of lies—some of them big, some small, and some just downright weird. Doug-Dennis misses his best friend, and realizes there’s only one way to come back down: by finally telling the truth.

Name That Dog!
Peggy Archer - Author
Stephanie Buscema - Illustrator
Ages 3-5
32 pages

My daughter wants a puppy. She's been hounding me about it (bah, dum, bum!). I made the mistake of saying that maybe when we move we might be able to think about getting a dog. Little did I realize that to a five-year-old "maybe" means "yes." And now that we are actually moving next month, she's in full "let's get a dog" mode.

However, I refuse to potty train her brother AND a dog at the same time. Nope.

As she daydreams about what kind of dog we might get (which by the way if we get one it will be from the Humane Society) she been pondering breeds and names. She sits down with this book perusing the pages saying she likes this dos because it's yellow or doesn't like that one because it's too big. She even takes out paper and draws the dogs she sees in the book that she likes.

Got a new puppy and need to find the perfect name? In twenty-six poems, told from A to Z, meet dogs of every type and personality imaginable. Does the puppy love to nap in the flowers? Name her Daisy! Maybe the puppy slips his collar. He’s Houdini! And don’t forget Melody, a dog who howls and croons to any kind of music.


For pet owners and dog lovers alike, this funny, rhyming collection will be sure to inspire love and laughs for any puppy personality.

Also new from Penguin:
Someone Used My Toothbrush and Other Bathroom Poems
Carol Diggory Shields - Author
Paul Meisel - Illustrator
Ages 5-8
40 pages

What’s soggy, kind of greenish, and has a funny smell? If you answered “my toothbrush,” then this book is for you! This comic, kid-centric poetry collection contains twenty-one humorous poems ranging from brushing to bathing to potty-training your baby brother. Alongside Paul Meisel’s hilarious and wry illustrations, these poems are a sure bet for anyone who’s ever waited in line for the loo, shared a sink with a sibling, or just wanted a good laugh.

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. These books were sent to me by Penguin to read with my children.

A Fantastic Freebie: Palm Pre Mobile Hotspot

Recently both Leighann and I wrote about test-driving the Palm Pre Plus, a smartphone from Verizon Wireless (you can read Leighann's posts here and mine at my personal blog). We agreed that the phone's Mobile HotSpot feature was one of its biggest advantages. It allows you to turn your phone into a wireless router and connect to the Internet from one, or more, nearby devices. So there's no more shelling out $9.95 an hour for wireless at a cafe, hotel, or airport.

The drawback is that this service costs $40 a month. Or rather, it used to. Recently Verizon decided to slash this fee--to $0 a month! I got a text message announcing this and I was thrilled (I actually thought it might be too good to be true, but apparently it isn't). I had planned to give up the Hotspot after my free month of Verizon service ended, but now I get to keep it. And I thought you might want to know, too, if you're considering a new Palm device. Happy surfing!

Catherine blogs at Mayberry Mom and About Family Fitness, and now she can merrily connect to the Internet from just about anywhere.

Please read our disclosure statement.

Whole Foods Podcasts: Premium Body Care

I'm a fan of Whole Foods Market. I shop for food there, supplements and home goods and I also enjoy that they offer podcasts, available to listen to whenever you have the time or the inclination.

Right now Whole Foods Market is running a 3-part podcast series promoting the "Premium Body Care" standard they have created, and the importance of know what is in your Body Care products. The Body Care Podcasts include:
1. Premium Body Care® – A Worthy Challenge- discusses how their standard helps define What "Natural" really means in body care products.

2. In, Holding the Bar High in Natural Body Care - you’ll hear about why these strict natural guidelines are important. You’ll also learn about Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a national coalition of health and environmental groups that are working to eliminate harmful chemicals from personal care products.

3. Positive Changes for the Industry, for Everyone - looks at how these standards raise the bar for the natural body care industry as a whole.

The possibility of chemicals is always scary, but especially on products you use on your kids. I've been a fan of Whole Foods body lotion and body wash for a long time. They are a great alternative to pricey name brand baby care items.

You can find out more or check these podcasts out here.

This was written by Amy Jo who can be read at Binkytowne.

Please read our disclosure statement.

Tooth Fairy on DVD

Tooth Fairy is the latest Dwaye Johnson movie which also stars Ashley Judd. It's a classic tale of a man who didn't quite obtain his goal in life, only thinks of himself, and needs to learn a lesson.
His character is a pro hockey player called the "Tooth Fairy" because he is known for knocking out his opponent's teeth. Ouch.

When his girlfriend's daughter gets a wobbly tooth, he gives her a rude awakening. As punishment, he is forced against his will to be a tooth fairy for a week.

Tooth Fairy also stars Julie Andrews who plays the head of the fairies (who else could possibly play the role of a fairy godmother?) and Billy Crystal who invents the tools of the tooth fairy trade including cat-away.

I think my daughter's favorite part is the Tooth Fairy Training Center, which is a fairy training camp that will get you ready to collect tiny teeth and deliver rewards in no time. The training camp is actually quite long and it really gets her up and moving.

(From the company:) Dwayne Johnson stars as Derek Thompson, one of the toughest hockey players around -- until he's sentenced to one week's hard labor as the world's most unlikely tooth fairy! Even though he must sport frilly wings and learn the magical tricks of the trade from his silver-winged superiors (Julie Andrews and Billy Crystal), Derek's determined to do the job HIS way and prove he's got what it takes!

Tooth Fairy is rated PG and I think the only issue you might have with school aged children is that it opens the question about whether or not the tooth fairy exists. Though I think you'll find that resolves itself. There is also the mild violence that can be seen at any hockey game.

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 this DVD for review purposes.

Simply... Go-Gurt

When I recently visited General Mills Headquarters and cooked in THE Betty Crocker Kitchens, I had a laundry list of changes that I, as a parent trying to put wholesome food on the table, wanted to see them implement. One of my big, big concerns was HFCS and artificial colors in kids yogurt. My kids eat yogurt almost daily and I want to give them the best I can.

I'm not sure if General Mills actually listened to my concerns or if this was already in the works, but they have just come out with Simply... Go-Gurt which has, you guessed it:

• No high fructose corn syrup
• No artificial colors
• No artificial flavors

MyBlogSpark asked if I would like to give this new yogurt a try. Of course I had to say yes.

I took my coupon to the store and I was thrilled that the Simply... Go-Gurt was the same exact price as the regular Go-Gurt. I hope that parents vote with their wallet for taking HFCS and artificial flavors and colors out of kids' foods by reaching for this instead.

I used my coupon for a package of strawberry for us to have at home. And then I bought three boxes of the mixed berry to send to school for snack. We freeze our yogurt tubes and then they are thawed enough to eat by snack or lunch time.

My kids also have a frozen yogurt tube for dessert several nights each week. They think they are getting a bad-for-you treat! (Shhh, don't tell them it's good for them.)

Because my kids' responses when I asked how they liked them was "good," I decided I needed to taste one for myself. It was really good! Why have I been saving the frozen yogurt tubes for the kids and not eating them myself all this time?

From now on I'll be buying the Simply... Go-Gurt (over regular Go-Gurt).

Would you like to try Simply... Go-Gurt, too? I have 30 coupons for a free package! And after those have all been claimed, there are $1.10 coupons for everyone. Also check out their tips. (See below because the coupon is not valid in all states.)



If that wasn't good enough, I also have a Simplify Your Life gift pack to give away to one lucky reader. The gift pack includes a pocket Etch a Sketch, weekly planner and a seat back organizer.

WIN IT!
Giveaway Title: Go-Gurt
Prize: Simplify Your Life gift pack
Number of Winners: One
Entry Question: Share what wholesome snack you give your kids that makes them smile.
Enter By: May 10, 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! High fructose corn syrup is the bane of her existence.

Please read our disclosure statement. Yoplait provided me with the free product, information, and gift pack through MyBlogSpark. Monetary compensation was not received and opinions are my own.

*This coupon offer for free Simply… Go-Gurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and Tennessee.