What Goes Up...

Playing out on the swingset at my parents this weekend, my two-year old nephew coerced me into taking him up the slide. A sweet little smile and puppy dog eyes do wonders for that kid.
He had slipped the first time he went up, so the next, he came to me saying "up, up!" We start up the ladder when my (almost) sister-in-law comments that she broke one of the steps last weekend.

No more do the words leave her mouth that the stair we're on breaks, and we go tumbling down. Thankfully, I pulled him away from the ladder and was able to keep him from being hurt at all. I, on the other hand, hit every possible place on the way down. I probably looked a little like a chip sliding down a Plinko board.

A few bumps, bruises, and cuts later, I've vowed to leave the slide to the kids (once it's fixed again). I guess that's what I get for trying to act like I'm 5! Next weekend, I'll stick to the swing.

Hickory Farms: Gift Idea

On the rare occasion I hit the mall at the holidays, I always wonder through the Hickory Farm kiosk. I love seeing all the gift basket ideas, and I love seeing how well they're presented.

Hickory Farms' gifts have been on the forefront of holiday baskets for nearly 60 years. They offer a huge selection of their famous sausages and cheeses in environmentally friendly boxes. They also offer baskets, boxes, and tins full of fruit, nuts, cookies, as well as many other yummy treats.

Tin and gift boxes start at $15. With prices ranging up to $125, there's something for every budget.

And luckily, for us mall-haters, Hickory Farms offers all of their gifts on-line. You can have a gift basket delivered right to your front steps. No crowds, no lines. We received Our Storybook Christmas Gift Box in perfect condition. Not a cookie was broken. The plate was wrapped with care and all the goodies stayed right in their place.For a limited time this holiday season, for each Party Planner Gift Box sold, Hickory Farms will donate $5 to Share Our Strength, a leading national non-profit organization working to end childhood hunger in America. Plus, for every 40 of these gift items sold, Hickory Farms provides free military shipping, allowing our troops across the globe to share in holiday traditions.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Hickory Farms and received a Hickory Farms gift basket to facilitate my review.

Pumpkin Dip: Easiest Ever

My 5 year old requests pumpkin dip at least once a month. The kid is definitely hooked, but the recipe is so easy that I always give in.

Ingredients:
1-16 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1-5 oz. pack instant vanilla pudding mix
1-15 oz can solid pack pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
Stir together all but the Cool Whip until well mixed.
Fold in Cool Whip.
Keep refrigerated until ready to eat.
Serve with ginger snaps or animal crackers & enjoy!

Thanksgiving Crafts: A Thanks Basket

Little Man really wanted to create a craft yesterday for Thanksgiving, and of course, I had nothing planned. Though he wanted a cornucopia, he finally agreed to a "thanks basket."

Materials:
Clean Cool Whip container
Foam craft sheets
Stickers
Construction paper
Googly eyes
Pipe Cleaners
Glue
Tape
To create basket:
Tape foam sheets around container (I used Duct tape to hold in place).
Punch 2 small holes on either side of container top and thread the pipe cleaners through to make handle.
Decorate with stickers.

To create turkey:
Cut out 2 large circles to form body and a small one for the head.
Cut several feathers and fan in between body pieces. Tape or glue in place.
Form legs from pipe cleaners and tape in between body pieces.
Punch hole in one feather and attach turkey to handle with pipe cleaner.

Fill bucket:
Cut strips of paper and put inside bucket.
At Thanksgiving, pass them out and have everyone write what they're thankful for.

Wordless Wednesday: Christmas Village

Happy Holiday WordFriends DVD Review

We love educational TV. It takes up most of the TV time when Little Man is home. And WordWorld on PBS Kids is definitely a favorite.

We recently had the opportunity to watch Happy Holidays WordFriends, a 33 minute DVD containing two holiday episodes of WorldWorld.About the DVD
In "The Christmas Star", Duck attempts to lasso a star for his friend Frog to put on his Christmas tree. While it doesn't work out quite as Duck hopes, in the end Frog gets his S-T-A-R.

In the second episode, "A Christmas Present for Dog", the WordWorld friends excitedly receive their presents on Christmas morning. But poor Dog only has B-A-L. Something is missing! But as always, the WordFriends work together to build a word.Our Thoughts
Happy Holidays WordFriends was a fun DVD, perfect as we prepare for the holidays. With Little Man in kindergarten, he's been working hard on learning to spell new words. The show is a great reinforcement. This is one show I'm happy for him to watch.

Buy It
Happy Holidays WordFriends is available at NCircle Entertainment for $5.99.

Thanks to NCircle Entertainment for providing a copy of the DVD for our review.

Trident Layers Review

I've been hearing buzz about Trident Layers for the last few weeks. And ironically as I started typing this the "Sure, you can pay me in gum" commercial started playing on the TV behind me. After hearing how good it was over and over, I finally had the chance to try it for myself.

Well, let me rephrase that. Hubby tried all but one piece of the Green Apple and Golden Pineapple flavor. Being oh-so-generous, he left me a single piece to try. Luckily, the Wild Strawberry and Tangy Citrus pack had been hidden away in my purse before he knew it existed.

About Trident Layers
The new Trident Layers gum is described as a "gumwich," as it combines two real fruit flavors with a visible middle layer. Trident gum is sugar free, as always, and the packs include 14 pieces each.

Trident Layers can be purchased at convenience, mass merchandise, grocery, and drug stores for about $1.49 per pack.

What did we think?
Obviously, hubby was very fond of the Green Apple and Golden Pineapple. I'm more partial to the Wild Strawberry and Tangy Citrus. The fresh flavors and the combination of tastes work very well together.

I'm also impressed with the new packaging. Ever had a pack of gum dump out in your purse? And every single piece collects the gross crumbs lurking on the bottom? {Okay, I'm hoping I'm not alone there.} Well, the Trident Layers comes in a fold up, resealable pack. Perfect for carrying when you're out and about.

Hubby and I are both now hooked on Trident Layers. I think he may be getting a few packs in his stocking this year. And then maybe he'll leave mine alone!

Thanks to Trident for contacting us and providing samples for this review. While samples were provided, all the opinions are our own.

Random Toots

Momma, can you come up and air out my squishy? {aka his pillow}
What's wrong with it?
I tooted on it.


Just one of the joys of raising boys.
Sometimes I wonder if I'm cut out for this.

Melissa & Doug Magnetic Calendar Review

Since Little Man started school, our schedule has gone from busy to hectic. We have to remember school events, library days, tumbling classes, and all the other outings we schedule in. Our wall calendar is full of penciled-in birthdays, dinners, and anniversaries. And though Little Man checks to see what's going on that day, he can't always read momma's scribbles.

You may remember a few weeks ago we gave away a Melissa & Doug magnetic calendar to one lucky reader. Well, we recently had a chance to try one out in our own home.
The Melissa & Doug magnetic calendar includes 140 magnets, such as numbers for the day and year, month names, and holiday and activity squares with photos. The calendar is also a dry erase board to easily allow for other occasions to be marked.
Little Man is more than thrilled with it. It's a space all of his own, where he can mark the events that are important to him: gym class, trips to grandma's house, holidays. He uses the white magnetic square to track the current day and is excited to move it ahead each morning.

Every week, he gets excited to see what plans he has. He double checks the date with me. Are you sure it isn't Christmas yet?

The calendar is a great tool to teach responsibility and sense of time. Little Man is responsible for keeping track of the day and seeing if he needs to prepare for anything on a given day. For example, if he sees a book on the day's square, he knows his library book must be in his backpack.As the month changes, we sit down together, put the numbers on the correct days, talk about the month, and decide which events to mark. It's been interesting to see which activities are the most important to my 5 year old. Both momma and little one give the calendar 2 thumbs up. It gets daily use and has been educational for us both.

Buy It:
The Melissa & Doug magnetic calendar can be purchased for $15.99 at CSN's All Children Furniture Store.

Thanks to CSN Stores for providing the item for review. While it was provided, all the opinions are our own.

Happy Birthday to Me

Another day
Another year older

I guess I should feel good that I still get carded.
Do I really look under 21?!
I guess maybe that's not a bad thing.The bad thing?
When the bartender doesn't believe the licenses is really mine.
I guess it's because I waited until the last possible moment to get the photo taken last year.
8 hours at work, a fever of 102, and a nice bright flash.

Um. Yikes.

Now 32 Giveaway

***Giveaway Closed: Congrats to Cheryl***

Being music lovers, we own several NOW That's What I Call Music CDs. I love that you can buy one CD and get popular songs from a variety of artists. So much cheaper than buying several CDs for just one song.

NOW That's What I Call Music! Vol. 32 was recently released. The new compilation features 20 recent hits from the pop, hip-hop and crossover charts including Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Jay Sean, Taylor Swift and more. It also includes a "What's Next Music Preview" featuring Katharine McPhee's "Had It All" as a way to showcase a new track by an artist that may be destined for NOW compilations in the future.

NOW That’s What I Call Music! Vol. 32 Track List
1. Black Eyed Peas: I Gotta Feeling
2. Lady Gaga: LoveGame
3. Jay Sean feat. Lil Wayne: Down
4. Drake: Best I Ever Had
5. Mariah Carey: Obsessed
6. Jason DeRulo: Whatcha Say
7. Keri Hilson feat. Kanye West: Knock You Down
8. Fabolous feat. The-Dream: Throw It In The Bag
9. Pitbull: Hotel Room Service
10. Michael Franti & Spearhead: Say Hey (I Love You)
11. Shakira: She Wolf
12. David Guetta feat. Akon: Sexy Chick
13. Jordin Sparks: Battlefield
14. Kelly Clarkson: Already Gone
15. Daughtry: No Surprise
16. Boys Like Girls: Love Drunk
17. Cobra Starship: Good Girls Go Bad
18. Katy Perry: Waking Up In Vegas
19. Taylor Swift: You Belong With Me
20. Keith Urban: Only You Can Love Me This Way

WHAT’S NEXT NEW MUSIC PREVIEW - BONUS TRACK
21. Katharine McPhee: Had It All

Buy It:
Now 32 is available at iTunes or at Now That's What I Call Music!

Win It:
One lucky reader will win a copy of Now That's What I Call Music! 32.

To enter: Tell me what your favorite song is from Now That's What I Call Music! 32.

Want extra entries? (Leave separate comments for each)

• Follow me on Blogger
• Grab my button
• Add me to your blog roll
• Follow me on Twitter (Leave your username)
• Tweet this giveaway (Leave link)
• Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post. (Leave your link)
  

Be sure to leave a way to contact you.
Giveaway ends 11/26 at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be notified via email. Open to US only.

Thanks to Total Assault for providing the giveaway prize.

Wordless Wednesday: My Sister's New Baby

Books, Books, Books

Hubby says I have a problem.

And these are just Little Man's book. Not any of mine.
There are much worse issues I could have, right?
I guess I shouldn't mention to him that I just ordered from the school book order.
Oops.

The Problem with Parents

Hubby and I were sitting in KFC the other day, eating some disgustingly greasy, wannabe chicken, when I overheard the conversation of two men behind me.

One was very vehemently discussing "the problem with parents today." Apparently he thinks that parents are too nice to their kids. That by praising our kids we are setting them up for failure. "Why do you think American Idol's such a hit? All their mommies and daddies told them what great singers they were growing up."

Every word out of this man's mouth was rude and judgmental. It was all I could do to bite my tongue. Though I admit, I did make several, loud comments to my husband about how well our son did at his last tumbling practice, about the new song he had learned in school. I may have even let it slip out that some people just shouldn't reproduce (aka Mr Arrogance behind me.)

Somehow I don't think the "problem with parents" is praising their kids. Nor do I think it's giving your kid lots of love and attention. I think the real issue lies with people not paying attention to their kids, not getting to know who their kids are, not being there to support them.

So, yes, I think my kid is amazing. I brag about him every chance I get. I tell him his songs rock and that his latest drawing (hanging on the fridge) is a work of art. I tell him his dance moves are awesome and that he's adorable. I tell him I love him every chance I get.

So to the jerk at KFC, I certainly hope you never have kids. If you do, I feel sorry for them.

Walmart Gives Back

We constantly see news that this year is getting harder and harder on families. More and more people are reaching out for help, needing a little support to stay on their feet. There are several nonprofits out there offering assistance to those in need, but these organizations often run short as well. Luckily, there are companies offering support to such programs.

As part of the More than Elevenmoms group, I recently learned about the Walmart Gives Back program. This $32 million holiday giving program recently kicked off with deliveries to food banks across the country. Thirty-five refrigerator trucks were loaded with Great Value products and fresh apples and sent out. It's estimated that the products will provide an extra 41 million meals to those in need.
Walmart and the Walmart Foundation will be supporting several nonprofit organizations this season. They include:

• Meals on Wheels: The Walmart Foundation is providing a $2.2 million grant to help fund 140 Meals on Wheels member programs across the nation that serve seniors.
• Feeding America: This holiday season they've donated 35 refrigerator trucks filled with products to Feeding America food banks across the country.
• Campus Kitchens Project: The Walmart Foundation is providing $300,000 in funding to help establish six new kitchens in cities across the U.S. Help college students join the fight to end hunger through support.
• Food Research and Action Center: FRAC works to improve public policies and public-private partnerships to end hunger and under-nutrition in the United States.

The Walmart Gives Back program stands to make a huge impact this holiday season. In their fight against hunger, they will be helping out millions across the country.

(As part of the More than Elevenmoms group, Walmart provides me with news and company information which you will see in this post.)

Gotta Catch Santa Claus Movie Review

Little Man loves holiday movies and would happily watch them year round. But there seem to be only a few that meet his high standards for a "good Christmas movie." Apparently Gotta Catch Santa Claus meets his approval. We've already watched it several times in the past few weeks and he requests it on a weekly basis.

You may remember I posted a few weeks back about the release of Gotta Catch Santa Claus starring William Shatner as the voice of Santa.
About the movie from Lionsgate:
Sure to become a modern-day holiday classic, this funny, contemporary DVD is enjoyable for the entire family and features six jolly jammin’ new holiday songs. When a friend starts to doubt the idea of Santa Claus, 12 year old Trevor sets out on a mission to catch old St. Nick in order to prove his existence and put the skeptics to rest. Gotta Catch Santa Claus, which will be broadcast nationally on ABC Family during their annual "25 Days of Christmas" programming block, features bonus materials on the DVD that include deleted scenes, behind the scenes Santa footage, sing-along songs and more!

Our Thoughts:
We enjoyed the movie as a whole family. The songs were catchy, and Little Man quickly started singing along to them. The animation was both lively and entertaining, and we all were interested to see how the kids' adventure, to prove that Santa was real, would end.

Gotta Catch Santa Claus is a fun DVD that will easily be watched again (and again if Little Man has his way) as the holidays approach.

To Buy:
Gotta Catch Santa Claus retails for $19.98. You can purchase it at Lionsgate or Amazon. Or you can be on the lookout for its arrival on ABC Family.

Thanks to Lionsgate for providing a copy of the DVD for review.

Small Talk Six: It's almost that season...

Today’s topic is “6 stores at which you wish you could register for Christmas presents for yourself.” You can answer this with a list of 6 words, 6 phrases, 6 sentences, 6 paragraphs, 6 photos, 6 videos, etc . . .

I'm not the shopper in the family. At all. I avoid the mall like the plague. I honestly think I've been there once since last Christmas. So this one was actually a tough topic for me.

But here's my six:
1. Circuit City
2. Micheal's
3. Macy's
4. Bed, Bath & Beyond
5. Maurice's
6. Victoria's Secret

Where's your favorite place to shop?

Want to join in? Go here to learn how and to view the weekly list Small Talk Six topics for 2009.

Admiral Road Review & Giveaway

***Giveaway Closed: Congrats to Nicole***

As the weather turns colder and colder, I have to add more layers to the little one's outfits. He's not happy about that at all. He thinks he'll be perfectly fine going to school in a hoodie alone, even when it's only 40 degrees outside.

Needless to say, momma disagrees. Being a mean mom, I force him to wear a sweatshirt, a coat, and {gasp} even a hat some mornings. However, I've found that when the outerwear looks fun, he's more likely to wear it without complaint.

Fortunately for us, we were recently introduced to Admiral Road. Admiral Road offers a variety of products, including blankets, tees, and scarves.

Their fleece blankets for babies and kids (also available for teens, adults, and pets) which can be personalized, all look absolutely adorable. The kids selection offers rocket ships, animals, sports, and flowers in their designs. All the blankets are handmade in Canada from 100% polyester, non-pill fleece, and can be machine washed and dried.
Admiral Road also carries fun, funky Treasure Tees from Aardvark. Each tee features a vinyl toy sewn into the design. They easily look like tees that would become a favorite of any child. Treasure Tees are made in North America and can be machine washed.The scarves at Admiral Road also come in very fun patterns. We had the chance to try out a few of the designs, and my son has been happily wearing them outside on chilly days. I can very honestly say he's in love with the Space Scarf. It's both warm and comfortable.
The scarves retail for $12 and are well worth it in my opinion. Anything that makes getting ready in the mornings easier is a huge bonus in my book. And with designs including animals, cupcakes, crayons, and flowers, there is something for every kid (big or little).
Win It
Admiral Road has generously offered a collection of scarves to one lucky reader.

To enter: Visit Admiral Road tell me your favorite product. (Please leave the specific name)

Want extra entries? (Leave separate comments for each)

• Become a fan of Admiral Road on Facebook
• Follow Admiral Road on Twitter
• Visit the Admiral Road blog and leave them a comment (Tell me what post you commented on)
  
• Follow me on Blogger
• Grab my button
• Add me to your blog roll
• Follow me on Twitter (Leave your username)
• Tweet this giveaway (Leave link)
• Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post. (Leave your link)
  

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Giveaway ends 11/20 at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be notified via email. Open to US & Canada only.

Thanks to Admiral Road for providing the product for the review & giveaway. While the product was provided, the opinions are all ours.

Wordless Wednesday: Partying It Up

The Ultimate Cloth Review

I've mentioned before that we go through a ton of paper towels in our house. I use them for so many little cleaning jobs throughout the house. From the kitchen counter to the bathroom sink to mirrors and windows.

I recently had the chance to try out the Ultimate Cloth. The Ultimate Cloth uses MiraFiber Technology. This means that it has spaces between fibers that pull dust, dirt, oil, and other grime into the cloth. It holds it there until washed away with mild soap or detergent.

Using the cloth is simple, just wet the cloth, wring it out well, and wipe. It's suggested that you fold the cloth in order to get the best results.So, how did the Ultimate Cloth clean up in our house?

First, I tested it out on our bathroom mirror. The same one Little Man had smeared with soap earlier in the day. Since it's not the first time soap has met the mirror, I know it's a pain to remove. Using Windex or just water usually smears it everywhere and makes the mess worse.
The Ultimate Cloth, however, did just what it promised. It left the mirror streak free and clean.

(Please forgive me in my comfy clothes)

Next, I decided to test it on a tougher spot. Hubby had cooked tacos for dinner (and left his usual mess behind). I usually use a bleach spray on it, or a scour pad when it's really tough. But scrubbing the stove top ends in scratches and sore finger tips.
Again, the Ultimate Cloth cleaned up quickly. In the matter of about 20 seconds, the mess was gone without a scratch.
The Ultimate Cloth is designed for use on lots of areas, including glass, blinds, floors, and walls. It can be used in the garage on windshields, leather, even chrome or in the bathroom on tile, porcelain, and fiberglass. You can see the complete list of uses at their site.

The Ultimate Cloth retails for $6 and is guaranteed for 5 years of general use. It can be washed with dish soap or in the washing machine with mild detergent, so that you can use it over and over.

Thanks to The Ultimate Cloth for providing a cloth for our review. While it was provided for free, all opinions are our own.

Coral for Christmas

I asked my niece this weekend what she wanted for Christmas this year. After rambling off a list including Barbies and sparkly shoes, I asked if she had been good this year.

Her response: Well, kinda. I got in a little trouble.

(Me) What do you think Santa will bring you?

Maybe he'll bring me some coral.

(Me) Why would he bring you coral?

Didn't you know? He gives all the bad kids coral.

Balloon Time "Put A Face On Fun" Contest & Giveaway

***Contest Closed: Congrats to Jessie!***

For the past three years, Balloon Time has hosted the “Put A Face On Fun” contest, a search for the perfect boy or girl to appear on the packaging and receive $1,500 towards education. It’s not a pageant contest for the best looking child. They're looking for the face that screams excitement and fun, someone who shows what it is to be the life of the party.
The grand prize winner will participate in a professional photo shoot and will be featured on Balloon Time’s packaging during the next year. Fifty first-prize winners will receive a Balloon Time 30 Helium Balloon Kit.

Last year’s winner, 6-year-old Matthew Gaska of Tampa Fla., wowed judges with his birthday-inspired photo entry. His image was selected out of more than 2,200 photo submissions nationwide.

To enter this year’s contest, parents can upload their child’s photo at the Put A Face On Fun or at Shutterfly.Uploaded photographs must be in GIF (.gif) or JPEG (.jpg) format and may not exceed a file size larger than 200 KB. Professional photographs will be disqualified. Each photograph will be scored by a panel of judges based on the following criteria: smile, age appropriateness, expression of fun and suitability for appearing on packaging. For a list of official rules, visit PutAFaceOnFun.com.

In addition to registering a child, those who enter the contest can also enroll in the Balloon Time Party Club, giving them access to the monthly Celebrations e-newsletter, full of creative party ideas from Balloon Time’s party planning expert, Penny Warner.

Balloon Time offershelium balloon kits that includes an easy-to-use helium-filled tank, latex or foil balloons and ribbon in one convenient, lightweight, portable box. Balloon Time kits can be found at large retail chains, party goods and grocery stores nationwide.
Win It
Balloon Time has offered a free Balloon Time voucher to one lucky reader.

To enter: Visit Balloon Time and tell me which kit you'd love to buy.

Want extra entries? (Leave separate comments for each)

• Follow @BalloonTime on Twitter
• Sign up for the Celerations e-newsletter (on sidebar)
  
• Follow me on Blogger
• Grab my button
• Add me to your blog roll
• Follow me on Twitter (Leave your username)
• Tweet this giveaway (Leave link)
• Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post. (Leave your link)
  

Be sure to leave a way to contact you.
Giveaway ends 11/18 at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be notified via email. Open to US only.

Thanks to Balloon Time for supplying the giveaway prize.

Home Pest Control Giveaway from EcoSMART

***Giveaway Closed: Congrats to Heather***

One thing I absolutely hate is bugs. I can't stand them at all. I can barely stand the thought of them. But living in the middle of nowhere, with woods and a stream nearby, we deal with creepy crawlies all the time. I feel like I'm constantly squashing something with six (or more!) legs.From EcoSMART
EcoSMART Technologies, the world leader in safe pesticide solutions, is a venture-backed company with patented technology and a world-class management team. Our mission is to create the world's safest, most effective pesticides based on natural ingredients. We have 15 years of scientific research and a wealth of patents behind us. We make the only 100% safe insecticide that is proven to work. We offer the only complete line of EPA exempt pesticides sold in the US.

EcoSMART products, such as their popular Home Pest Control Spray, are safe to use around both children and pets. The primary active ingredients in EcoSMART products are approved as Direct Food Additives or classified as GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. The oils used in EcoSMART products are commonly used to add flavor and aroma to many cosmetic, beverages, and food products.
Win It
EcoSMART has offered one lucky reader a bottle of Home Pest Control Spray, which kills and repels over 100 invading pests.

To enter: Visit EcoSMART and tell me another product that would come in handy.

Want extra entries? (Leave separate comments for each)

• Follow me on Blogger
• Grab my button
• Add me to your blog roll
• Follow me on Twitter (Leave your username)
• Tweet this giveaway (Leave link)
• Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post. (Leave your link)
  

Be sure to leave a way to contact you.
Giveaway ends 11/18 at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be notified via email. Open to US only.

Thanks to EcoSMART for supplying the giveaway prize.

My Christmas List

Everyone keeps asking what I want for Christmas. And I hate answering that question. I'm not the kind of person who asks for anything for Christmas. I'm happy to give gifts, but I always have felt uncomfortable opening gifts. It's not that I'm not easy to please. I am. I'm happy with anything. I just feel weird opening gifts in front of people.

But this year I have a very short wish list. (Maybe a little longer than last years list though.)

1. A new pair of jeans. Specifically these Jolt jeans. I have about 2 pairs of jeans that fit and don't have a rip or missing button somewhere on them. And these jeans from Jolt look so comfy.

2. More French Vanilla coffee. This stuff is addictive. Mmm...

3. To print my photos. I haven't printed photos out since March of '07. There's a whole lot of printing and scrapping to be done.

4. A new pair of sneakers. The reason?Mine are a little bit worn.

5. And finally, I want the belly to warrant wearing this tee. If I only get one thing off my list, this would be the want I want the most. And after having this one my list for the last 4 years. My fingers are crossed that it will finally be my time.

What's on your list this year?

Johnny Test DVD Review

Many of the cartoons we watch around here are educational. I figure if we're watching tv, we might as well use it as a tool to our advantage. So we typically watch shows that are interactive or can be used as a teaching tool.

While Johnny Test is designed for entertainment rather than education, I did give my 5 year old the opportunity to watch it with me.

About the DVD
Johnny Test: Johnny X and Super Pooch is a 6-episode DVD, following the adventures of an 11 year old boy and his super talking dog Dukey. Johnny's 13 year old twin sisters are genius scientists who use Johnny as a test subject for their experiments. Throughout the DVD Johnny and Duke are called upon as superheroes to help the people of Porkbelly.
Our Thoughts
Little Man found Johnny Test fun and amusing. Though there were a few points where it seemed like the plot made him a little nervous. However, he liked seeing the twins' ideas as they developed and cheered on Johnny and Duke as they overcame trouble.

I found Johnny Test to be an entertaining cartoon too. Though I think it's geared more towards the 7+ crowd. My five year old just seemed a little young for it, though overall, it is a harmless cartoon.

Buy It
Johnny Test: Johnny X and Super Pooch has a run time of 60 minutes. You can purchase it at NCircle Entertainment, Toys R Us, or Amazon for $6.99.

A DVD was provided for us to review by NCircle Entertainment. But this does not influence our opinions in any way.

VIVA Towels Giveaway

***Contest Ended: Congrats to samsakara!***

I don't know about you, but we go through a ton of paper towels in our house. From wiping faces, to cleaning spills, to cooking, the paper towels are always on hand.

VIVA Towels and Food Network’s Sunny Anderson have partnered up for the Get Closer to Your Food campaign. Sunny's cooking is simple and sophisticated. And very hands-on. Her fork-free recipes offer several fresh ideas where fingers are the only required utensil.

Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients:
(makes 3 cups)

• 2 ears of corn, husked
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• salt
• 1 small red onion, finely diced
• 1 small jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed and finely diced
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 bag tortilla chips

Salsa Preparation: Preheat a grill pan. Brush corn with 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt. Place on grill and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Remove from grill and using a VIVA® paper towel, hold the ear of corn upright in a bowl and cut the kernels from the cob. Add remaining ingredients to the bowl and stir to combine. Serve with tortilla chips.

Recipe Courtesy of Food Network & Sunny Anderson.

Win It:

To celebrate the Get Closer to Your Food campaign 1 lucky reader will win a year's worth of VIVA towels (12-rolls)
To enter: Visit Fork Free Foods and tell me a recipe you'd love to try.

Want extra entries? (Leave separate comments for each)

• Follow me on Blogger
• Grab my button
• Add me to your blog roll
• Follow me on Twitter (Leave your username)
• Tweet this giveaway (Leave link)
• Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post. (Leave your link)
  

Be sure to leave a way to contact you.
Giveaway ends 11/16 at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be notified via email. Open to US only.

Thanks to M80 who contacted me on behalf of Kimberly-Clark for this campaign and is supplying the giveaway prize.

Wordless Wednesday: The Costume That Wasn't

What happens when someone finds momma's Halloween bin:

Wonder how he'll feel about these in 10 years.

Cold Plasma Giveaway

***Contest Ended: Congrats to Susan1215***

Some days I look in the mirror and feel so much older than I am. Maybe it's the fact that I'm so busy, I rarely take time out to take care of myself. Or maybe it's just that I'm too tired by the end of the day to do much.

Cold Plasma from Perricone MD is designed to address 10 signs of aging, including firmness, elasticity, clarity, radiance, smoothness, texture, redness, blotchiness, fine lines and wrinkles, and dryness.
It's designed as a universal skin care product, designed for every skin type. Cold Plasma works through a patented ionic suspension carrier system. This personalized system, called biochemical individuality, allows your skin to extract from Cold Plasma’s formula according to your individual, unique needs.

Cold Plasma contains no parabens, fragrance, sulfates, mineral oil, or artificial colors or fillers.

Buy It

Cold Plasma can be purchased for $150 at Perricone MD

Win It

One lucky reader will win Cold Plasma

To enter: Tell me why you think you'd benefit from using Cold Plasma.

Want extra entries? (Leave separate comments for each)

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Giveaway ends 11/16 at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be notified via email. Open to US only.

Thanks to Perricone MD for providing the product for the giveaway

Name Your Tune Review & Giveaway

Little Man's at the age where he's obsessed with his own name. He loves writing it, he points out letters in his name whenever he spots them, and he uses his personalized cup at just about every meal.

The problem is, he has a unique name. Although I love it (of course), it's tough to find items personalized with it. And paying to personalize products can sometimes cost an arm and a leg it seems.

Name Your Tune offers a fun alternative to the standard personalized items: a complete CD of kids songs with your little ones name throughout it. Each CD contains 14 songs and your child will be able to hear their name over 80 times.I've seen similar items out there, and have worried that they would sound "cut and pasted," that adding in the name would skew the flow of the music. But this was definitely not the case with Name Your Tune. The songs were very fun and easy to listen to.

The first time we listened to the CD, my little one was singing along and suddenly stopped and yelled, "Hey, that's my name! Did you hear it???" It was almost like he couldn't believe his ears for a minute. But, he was ecstatic to hear songs that were just for him.

Name Your Tune personalized CDs are $20 each or $18, if buying 2 or more. There are over 4200 names currently in their database, and they pay special attention to your child's name to ensure it's pronounced correctly on the CD. You can even add a special message to your child on the label.

Discount

Name Your Tune has offered $5 off your CD purchase. Just use the coupon code wall when checking out

Win It

One lucky reader will win a Name Your Tune Personalized CD

To enter: Visit Name Your Tune and tell me what your favorite song on the CD is.

Want extra entries? (Leave separate comments for each)

• Follow me on Blogger
• Grab my button
• Add me to your blog roll
• Follow me on Twitter (Leave your username)
• Tweet this giveaway (Leave link)
• Blog about this giveaway with a link to this post. (Leave your link)
  

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Giveaway ends 11/10 at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be notified via email.

Just so you know...a CD was provided for our review, but the opinions are all ours.