Pigeon & Pals 2 Disc DVD set ~ Review and Giveaway ~

Well Mo Willems does it again.  Honestly until a week ago, I had no clue who Mo Willems was, much less any interest in buying his latest offering.  However, I received this DVD set in the mail for a review and thought what the heck.  I popped Disc 1 in the DVD player in the living room while my 2 older ones (4.5 and 2.5) where playing just too see what it was about.  We tend to stick to Disney Junior shows, Disney movies, and a few classics like Smurfs and Bugs Bunny when it comes to visual entertainment.  Within about 5 or 10 minutes of this DVD blasting through our TV, both the children where watching with rapt attention.

I honestly can't tell you a lot about what the DVD itself was about.  I try to quickly tune out kids shows when I am dividing my attention.  If I can do that it must be good; I am easily annoyed.  Actually I think I was writing another blog post while watching this one.  What I do know is that my kids watched the entire DVD and interacted with it.  They were yelling and telling Pigeon and his friends what they needed to be doing and why.  When Disc 1 was done, they asked for it again.  Same thing happened when Disc 2 was done.  So in all I can say this set is a hit with my kiddos.  They then requested them again the next day.

I highly recommend this DVD set.

Find Mo Willems' Pigeon & Pals DVD set on the Web and Twitter


You can also follow New Kideo on Facebook for more information on new releases

Buy Mo Willems’ Pigeon and Pals: Complete Cartoon Collection Volumes 1 & 2 here.

Win your Copy of Mo Willem's Pigeon & Pals here!  Enter using the Rafflecopter below.

Rock 'n Learn Sight Words DVD ~ Review and Giveaway ~

I will admit it, my kids watch more TV than they "should".  I was one of those parent's that said "oh, my kids won't watch TV"... but I have long since learned not to make statements such as that.  I do try, however, to ensure that much of what they watch is educational.  I also make sure that what they watch is something I can tolerate.  I have been interested in the Rock 'N Learn series for a while and recently was give the opportunity to review the Sight Words offering.

I am suitably impressed.  It breaks the sight words into small groups of related words and puts each set to music.  The music music is simple and repeative, as educational songs should be, and each is accompanied by demonstrative video that lets the viewer know know only what the word IS, but what it means.  It also reviews each word in context of a story so the view and get an idea that these aren't just random words, but make the necessary connections to reading.

When I told my 4 year old I was putting the DVD in for her to watch her reaction was "I don't like it".  Within about 2 minutes of the DVD playing, she was hooked and now requests it multiple times a day.



Find Rock N Learn Sight Words on the Web, Facebook, and Twitter

Win your own copy of Rock N Learn Sight Words!  Open to the US & Canada

Copy-Kids Eat Fruits and Vegetables DVD ~ Review ~

As a Plus-Sized parent, it is vitally important to me that my kids learn the proper way to eat and grow to appreciate and enjoy fruits and vegetables as a staple in their diet.  These are both areas where I have had to spend significant time playing catch-up, so to speak.  I am all for any tool I can find to help in this endeavor.

Copy-Kids has a DVD that can help your children learn about and become interested in fruits and veggies.  The main focus of this DVD is to see other kids enjoying these fruits and veggies.  There are 12 short (6-8 minute) segments.  Each focusing on a different fruit or vegetable.  The foods include:

• Bell Pepper


• Carrots


• Brocolli


• Tomato


• cucumber


• avocado


• raspberries


• babanas


• strawberries


• oranges


• apples


• blueberries

There aren't words, mostly just music and visual.  Amazingly, the kids were enraptured watching the video and requested their favorite clip.  The DVD also includes outtakes and a short segment on proper nutrition for kids from Dr. Jay Gordon.

Here is a short video clip from the DVD:



 

Find Copy-Kids on the Web, Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube

 

Note: I was sent a copy of this DVD to review.  All opinions are my own.

Pop-Ups Radio Jungle CD ~ Review and Giveaway ~

I tend to listen to the same stuff over and over, but that doesn't mean that I don't love finding new music.  The same holds true for the music I play for my kiddos.  Though usually they listen to whatever I listen to, there are a few CDs that are kid oriented that have made it onto my iPod.

Radio Jungle from the Pop Ups is a fun bouncy CD that had my older 2 dancing from the first notes.  It has a real 80s feel with its mix of educational and purely entertaining tracks.  It has been added to the iPod at the request of my eldest.

 



Find The Pop Ups on the Web, Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube

Quaker® Oatmeal Squares ~ BzzAgent Review ~

Nothing warms the soul quite like a bowl of your favorite cold cereal!  Even at 30-something I still love a good bowl of cereal.  In fact, I had cereal for dinner last night.  Yep, I love breakfast for dinner, even Cereal.  I, however, am rather picky about the cereal I do eat.  I like earthy, slightly sweet cereals.  I like my cereals made with whole grains and natural ingredients and without excessive sugar or artificial colors.  I also love it when a Cereal can serve as both dry snack and hearty breakfast.

I recently was introduced to Quaker^® Oatmeal Squares.  It is a lightly sweetened Whole Grain cereal that contains as much soluble fiber as an equivalent bowl of oatmeal.   It comes in 3 varieties Brown Sugar (my favorite), Golden Maple, and Cinnamon.

I tried the Brown Sugar Variety.  It was a hit with both myself and the kids, with and without milk.  I have since added Quaker^® Oatmeal Squares to my regular Costco shopping list.  I encourage you to check out Quaker^® Oatmeal Squares where ever you buy groceries.

Visit Quaker Oatmeal Squares on Facebook for more information.

Note: This product was received for free as part of the BzzAgent program.  All opinions are my own.

Children's Claritin® Chewables & Syrup ~ Review ~

Of all the things my oldest 2 have inherited from their daddy (and trust me that list is quite long), the most annoying has to be their seasonal allergies.  I usually use Children's Zyrtec (well the Costco generic equivalent), but it does not work as well as I had hoped.  Daddy and I can't take Zyrtec and instead opt for Claritin for my allergies.  So I jumped at the chance to try Children's Claritin.  My 2 year old tried the liquid and the my 4 year old is using the redi-melts.  Both seem to be doing the trick.

From the manufacturer:

With allergies peaking across the country over the next few weeks, here are a few tips to help keep your children doing what they love to do, indoors and out:

• Give your child Children’s Claritin^® on days when seasonal allergy symptoms arise, as it’s the #1 Pediatrician Recommended Non-Drowsy Allergy Brand


• Keep windows closed — because pollen is carried by the wind, it’s in the air everywhere


• Have your child bathe and change clothes after playing outdoors — outside allergens and pollen can collect on the skin, hair and clothing


• Discuss your child’s condition with the school nurse, teachers and coaches

Here is a Coupon if you want to try it yourself

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Note: I received the discussed products for free via BzzAgent.  All opinions are my own.

Scott's Liquid Gold Clean Screen ~ Review ~

I do not want to count the number of screens in my house that need to be cleaned on an almost DAILY basis.  With 3 kids under 5 years old, there are sticky finger prints everywhere.  Including on our beloved electronics and computers.  Heck my kids share a touchscreen computer, want to talk about messy... Investing in a good, safe screen cleaner is a must.  I am sorry, but multipurpose sprays and even glass cleaner, just don't cut it.  Many of them are entirely too harsh for sensitive electronic screens.

So I tested the Scott's Liquid Gold Clean Screen on my toughest screens (namely the TV in the living room and the aforementioned touch screen PC).  I am suitably impressed.  It cleaned the touchscreen to perfection, even getting off stuff that had been left behind by my husband's previous cleaning attempts.  The TV is now streak-free for the first time in I don't know how long, which makes me very happy (not that I watch it all that often, but the streaks still bugged me).

Product Description

Clean Screen ends the confusion about how to safely clean valuable electronic screens.  Kit contains:

 Spray: Formulated with Reverse Osmosis (RO) Solution state-of-the art water treatment technology.  RO removes molecules of mineral deposits and impurities smaller than the water molecules themselves.  RO leaves nothing behind but a crystal clear clean.  6.5 fl. oz.

Cloth: A unique synthetic suede microfiber cloth that is used to apply the RO solution.  Soft & lint-free, highly absorbent and quick drying, the cloth cleans without scratching delicate surfaces.

For more information Like the on Facebook and Follow them on Twitter

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Just Eyewear ~ Review and Giveaway ~

You can buy anything online.  Yep, that saying is true.  Even things like glasses, which I long believed to be staunchly in the brink and mortar world, can be purchased successfully online.  I never thought I would venture into online glasses buying, but an opportunity arose that I couldn't pass up.  I  needed sunglasses.  About 7 months ago (right before baby girl was born literally) by glasses broke.  I had transitions lenses, but due to a need for quick turnaround, I was unable to replace them.  With the Texas summer coming quickly, I needed sunglasses.  I, however, did not want to spend an arm and a leg for them as I will be replacing my glasses in 6 months anyway with a new prescription and will once again have my beloved transitions.

I was given the opportunity to purchase a pair of glasses online from Just Eyewear. I received a $50 voucher from them and set to work.  I was amazed at the selection of frames available.  I searched for my preferred frame shape and style and picked the ones I liked the best.  You need to pay careful attention to the sizes, they give you lens height, width, and earpiece length for each frame.  I suggest comparing those numbers to a pair of well fitting glasses you already own.  As I said before, I chose sunglasses.  They have 2 lens types for sunglasses and I chose the more expensive one.  All in all you can easily get a pair of frames and lenses for less than $50 if you choose carefully.

Ordering was extremely easy.  You need to have an current perscription from your Optometrist or Ophthalmologist.  You also need our Pupulary Distance (PD).  That is the distance between your eyes from the center of one pupal to the other.   If you don't happen to have that on hand, they have a pretty neat online way to find it.  All you need is a webcam and a standard credit/debit type card with a magnetic strip (don't worry it is just for visual/size reference).

 

Just Eyewear has offered one of my readers their very own $50 credit to the site!  Enter Below for your chance to win:

Empire Road EP ~ Review ~

I do not claim to be a music expert.  I am not even a huge fan of popular music.  Yep I am one of those people, I tend to eschew it just on principle... but mostly because a lot of it sucks pretty bad. I rarely, if ever, listen to the radio.  I stick to my iPod and CDs (you know those plastic discs that music used to come one... I still buy them on occasion and shove them in my 6-disk changer in my car).  There is a reason I like the little plastic disks though, I tend to support local, independent, and up and coming artists.  I love it when I know that an artist put their heart and soul into the music and it isn't the product of big business.

I have pretty eclectic tastes when it comes to music and I LOVE to find new jewels.  When I had the opportunity review the new self-titled EP from an up and coming band by the name of Empire Road, I jumped at the chance.

Empire road is a 5-some from New York.  They exhibit smooth vocal, great lyrics, rocking instrumentation, and an obvious passion for their music.  You can feel the energy coming through the speakers.  These 5 tracks flow well together and are great as background music or front and center music.

Listen for Yourself:

1. Cyberstar


2. Hollywood Sober


3. Lost in California


4. Wasted Away


5. No Need to Remember

Find Empire Road on the Web, Facebook, and Twitter.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Scandle ~ Review ~

I will admit, I was not sure about doing a review for the Scandle.   It is not my usual review fodder, but I was intrigued by the description of it, so I decided to go for it.  This is probably the least "family-friendly" post I have made, but don't worry it will still be PG ;)

Scandle is the scented candle that doubles as massage oil.  As they say it "potent scent of a candle with the comfort of a essential oil massage lotion".  The burning of the candle gently warms the oil, but it is not too warm for use, of course.   The massage oil candle starts as a great soy-based aromatherapy candle and melts into a luxurious lotion that is good for skin care or massage.  2 Great products in one.

Because the candle is soy-based, it is healthy to use on the skin and melts at a lower temperature than paraffin based candles.  Soy has many benefits for the skin.  Watch the video below for more information on the health benefits of soy and the Scandle.

I received the Cherry Blossom scent to test.  I was suitably impressed with the scent.  It was fragrant, but not overpowering (which is always an issue for me as I am sensitive to scents).  It melted into a nice lotion that felt good on my hands without being overly greasy.

 



Scandle is a fun way to pamper yourself or someone else!

Find them on the Web, Facebook, Twitter, or You Tube

 

Note: I received the product in this review for free for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.

EcoStore Baby ~ Review ~

I will admit, before I had my first child in 2007, "Eco-friendly" and "Green" were just abstract concepts that had little to do with my day-to-day existence.  It really is amazing how much you say you will never do that just kind of happens once you are holding your child in your arms.  That deep seated need to protect the innocent life entrusted to your care makes you rethink everything you do.

When M was about 4 or 5 months old I really started to take notice of all the things in the world that could harm her without even trying.  Big business is renowned for putting profits above the health of their consumers. This hold true even in the world of Baby personal care products.  Since that time I am always seeking new and better "green" alternatives for many of the products we use daily.

I recently discovered EcoStore USA and their Baby line.  Don't get me wrong EcoStore has many other great eco-friendly product for you, your home, and even your pet, but I focused in on the baby line.  There baby line includes Sleepy Time Bath, Body Wash, Shampoo, Bar Soap, Lotion, and nappy Balm.  I was sent the last 2 to test.  I have been using both on my now 6 month old for the last few weeks and have been suitably impressed with both products.



The Nappy Balm is a light, but effective, cream that protects and heals the diaper area.  It contains zinc oxide (the active ingredient in most of the effective Diaper Rash creams I have ever used) along with 3 different natural oils and beeswax.  However, unlike many commercially available creams, it protects without turning everything it touches (seemingly) permanently white.

The Lotion was equally impressive.  Also made from a mixture of natural ingredients (you know the ones you can pronounce), it is light and effective without being overly greasy.  All of my children have suffered from eczema and this is a lotion I can use on them with confidence

 

Note: I received the products mentioned in this review for free for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.

Myubby Custom Blanket ~ Review ~

I love a good cuddle with baby girl and I know that baby girl loves a good cuddle.  But sometimes I can't be the one to cuddle with her.  I love to know that at those times she is surrounded by soft, fluffy goodness keeping her warm and secure.  As a seamstress, one of my favorite materials for soft and snugly items is commonly referred to as Minky© (though that is a brand name).  It is snugly soft and oh so perfect for your precious little ones.  MyUbby makes some great blankets out of minky, fleece or other snuggly fabrics.  They are double sided, embroidered with name or message, and rimmed with satin (or can be left with a simple blanket stitch edge).



The blanket I chose is crib sized (though not used in the crib, of course).  I choose my 2 favorite colors - Lavender Bubble Minky on one side and Mint smooth minky on the other.  It is rimmed in a simple chocolate satin and embroidered with baby girl's name.  The craftsmanship is superb and well worth the price!



If you want to make your own, the ordering process is simple and painless... unless you have problems making decisions as I do sometimes :)  You simply go to the My Ubby website, select "Build Your Ubby".  You can choose from 3 sizes - Itty Bitty ("Lovey" sized), Original (approximately crib sized), or big (50x60).   Next, Select whether you want a one or 2 sided Ubby.   For each side, there are 5 types of fabrics from which to choose and many color or pattern choices within each.  Finally choose the edging and embroidery options and you are ready to go.



Here is baby girl enjoying her new Ubby:



 

You can Fin MyUbby on Facebook

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Oliver's Labels - Review

It is no secret, to those who know me in real life, that I love organization.  I love to label everything in sight... seriously, I have 2 label makers and countless inkjet labels at my disposal.  As a parent, labeling can take on a whole new meaning.  Anytime your kid goes anywhere, everything they own has to be labeled.  Daycare, camp, grandma's house, the zoo, on a playdate... you get the idea  If the items are properly labeled, you run the real risk of never seeing them again!



There are many label companies out there with a wide variety of options. I recently was chosen to review those labels offered by Oliver's Labels.  They come in a variety of themes and, of course, include custom personalization.   There are also a variety of styles of labels available - regular labels, bag tags, wristbands, iron-on labels, and more.  I received a set of Original and mini labels for review. The labels are well made and durable.

What really makes Oliver's Labels special is their "found-it" code.   It is like a FREE on-line lost and found for your labeled items.  It is an option service, but could certainly come in handy if you kids like to leave things where ever they might be standing, as mine do.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.