Skylanders Halloween Costumes: Review

My oldest has been in love with Skylanders since the original game debuted.  We have collected all the characters for Skylanders and Skylanders Giants, so we were excited about the introduction of the new Swapforce game this month.

With Halloween just around the corner, kids can now "swap" their everyday clothing for a an exciting Skylanders costume.  They can transform into Chop-Chop, Spyro, Gill Grunt, Stealth Elf, or one of their other favorite characters.

My 9 year old is very excited to trick or treat as Jet-Vac this Halloween.  The Jet-Vac costumes includes the jumpsuit, a foam belt, and mask.  I appreciate that the costume is easy to slip on, and he loves the details in the mask.  The shoes covers are attached to the jumpsuit, which saves me from having to put them back on every 5 minutes.

The costume runs fairly true to size.  We received a 10/12, which fits snugly on Little Man, who typically wears a 12.  If you live where it's chilly on Halloween night, I'd suggest ordering a size up, so you can add a layer of clothes underneath.

Buy It: An assortment of Skylanders costumes are available online or in stores

 
We received a sample for review purposes.  All opinions are our own. 

McCain Grocery Goodness {Contest}

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for McCain Foods. I received a promotional item as a thank-you for participating. 
 Fall is a busy time for us, with school and homework, play dates, soccer, and lots of spur of the moment adventures in the beautiful weather.  But, we always find a way to sit down to dinner together, giving us a chance to hear about each others' days.
 
McCain also believes in the importance of family meals, and is currently hosting the Grocery Goodness Facebook Giveaway.  Each week they will select one winner (8 winners total) to receive a $500 grocery store gift card!  Check out the Grocery Goodness Giveaway tab to receive a $1 off coupon off any 1 bag of McCain Potato products.
 

Summertime

Summertime has taken over.  We're checking off things on our Summer List.

Late nights with s'mores.
Bounce house fun.
Hours in the pool.
Friends and family.
Road trip.
Yard sale toys.
Nerf wars from the new playset.
Reading book after book.
Waterfall hikes.
Playground trips with friends.
Exploring town and relaxing at home.
Superhero run.
Visiting animals at the zoo.
Sleepovers.

Less than a month left and we still have so much to do.

Fiber One Protein Bars: Review

My husband has to pack lunch and a snack for work every day, and because he does a lot of manual labor, I try to be sure he has options that will help him keep his energy up all day.  But, we also need to have choices that are easy to pack and easily eaten.

We have been buying Fiber One bars for years, but we recently tried the new Protein Bars and were impressed by the chewy texture and chocolate taste.  In flavors like Caramel Nut and Coconut Almond, they taste more like a treat than a healthy granola bar.  (Which is ideal in my hubby's eyes.)  He loved the Coconut Almond bars and compared the flavors to one of his favorite candy bars.


The Caramel Nut bar contains 7 grams of protein and only 130 calories, while the Coconut Almond has 6 grams of protein and 140 calories.  Each box contains 5 bars and retails for $4.19.

Fiber One Protein Bars make a healthy, filling snack to help my hubby make it through his mid-morning lull and are a great substitute for a vending machine candy bar!  I'm happy that he has a new treat that he can grab on the go and it keeps him feeling full until lunch.

Buy It:
Find Fiber One Protein Bars at your local grocery store.

Samples were provided for review.  All opinions are our own.

3.6.

3.5.

3.4.

3.2.

3.1.

2.23-2.27.

scribbling.

sunshine.

squishy face.

window watcher.

relax.

friends.

chilly lil monkey.

Slugterra: Return of the Shane Gang-DVD Review

It seems like our house has had one bug after another the past month.  We started with two kids with the flu, which they shared with me, than moved on to a stomach bug.  So needless to say, the TV has been our friend lately, entertaining sick children.

I was happy when the Slugterra: Return of the Shane Gang DVD arrived in the midst of all our illnesses.  Little Man was so excited to watch.


Slugterra: Return of the Shane Gang, the first DVD based on the popular TV show, was released by Shout! Factory Kids earlier this week.  The DVD offers five exciting episodes, plus 3 bonus "Slugisodes."

Episodes on Slugterra: Return of the Shane Gang include:
The World Beneath Our Feet, Part 1
The World Beneath Our Feet, Part 2
The Trade
The Slugout
Deadweed

Slugterra is a sci-fi adventure show, appropriate for kids ages 7-12 (and up, though I'm positive my 5 year old nephew will watch and love it too). Set in a deep underground world, the show follows the adventures of Eli Shane, who has taken the responsibility to keep the peace in Slugterra and is determined to be the "greatest slugslinging hero of them all."  Eli must collect an army of slugs, which are then trained and used as ammo during his battles.


Little Man gives Slugterra two thumbs up.  He loves the action packed battles and seeing what type of beasts the slugs will turn in to.  I like that the show has story lines depicting responsibility and treating others with humanity.  Plus, it kept my son's attention so much that he watched the entire DVD in one day.

Buy It:   Slugterra: Return of the Shane Gang is available for $11

A copy was provided for review.  All opinions are my own.

bins.

favorite spot.

bubble wrap.

clap.

cartoons.

monsters.

looks like trouble.

smiles.

to the last drop.

breakfast.

drinks.

in control.

brothers.

caught.

my little love.

Play

Bad Hair Day

In 3D

Blanket Ride

Flu

Stuck

Waiting

Hugging Babies

Give Peas a Chance: Review & Giveaway

It seems like most of our days revolve around eating anymore.  We get up, just in time for breakfast, usually sneak in a mid-morning snack, follow up a nap with lunch, and barely finish that before we start thinking about what's for dinner.  But even with all the emphasis on food, it seems like my toddler barely eats throughout the day.  I was even starting to consider him a picky eater (and dreaded the thought of that.)

I recently read Kate Samela's new book, Give Peas a Chance, which has been described as the "ultimate survival guide for any parent who has ever begged their child to try 'just one bite.'"  The book contains a wealth of information, including what foods can provide your child with the needed nutrients, how much is really enough, and what you can do to make mealtime smoother.


(Giving peas a chance...Babycakes prefers his frozen.)


Give Peas a Chance helped change my perception of my little guy's eating habits.  Samela suggests making a list of foods your child eats, even if it's only a bite. This includes items like butter or oils, as well as variations of foods, such grape and strawberry jelly.  It may surprise you to see that there is quite a number of foods your child likes.

Some "picky-eating" tips I found very helpful from the book:

• Look at what foods your toddler enjoys and expand from there.  For example, if your little one likes sweet and squishy foods (like Babycakes adores waffles), than try sweet breads, muffins, french toast, or freeze-dried fruit.
• Serve the same food to everyone at the table, so your toddler will see everyone eating what is served.
• Allow your child to play with their food.
• Think about balancing your child's diet over the course of the week (or day) versus at every single meal.

Win It:  One lucky reader will win a copy of Give Peas a Chance.

Mandatory entry: To enter, tell me what your child's favorite meal is.

Want extra entries? (Leave separate comments for each)

• Follow me on Blogger 
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• Tweet this giveaway (Leave link/Once a day only) 
• Blog about the giveaway with a link to this post. (Leave your link) 

Be sure to leave a way to contact you. Giveaway ends 1/31 at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be chosen with Random.org and notified via email. Open to US and Canada only. 

I received a copy of the book for review.  All opinions are my own.

Nap