Our Thoughts on Things

Our Thoughts on Strawberry Shortcake: Bright Lights, Big Dreams

2012-01-04T11:25:00.000-05:00

We are slightly obsessed with Strawberry Shortcake in our house right now. (Well... Ana is... my obsession was about 30+ years ago.) For Christmas all Ana asked Santa for was "Tiny Strawberry Shortcake and all of her friends... and big Strawberry Shortcake and all of her friends." Lets just say there are a few fruity smelling dolls in our house right now.

So, when I was giving the opportunity to receive a copy of the new Strawberry Shortcake: Bright Lights, Big Dreams I was pretty quick with the "yes, please!" response.

Synopsis from Fox:

It's time to dazzle and dream with Strawberry and her friends as they compete for some berry special prizes. Whether it’s spinning and twirling in the annual dance-off, or beating a world record, there is nothing these girls can’t try. But when the road to success seems overwhelming, they soon discover that the real key to being a winner is just having fun with your friends.

Ana was totally thrilled when we got the DVD in the mail. We watched it right away... and then we watched it again when Zoe got home from school... and then we watched it the next day. I lost track of how many times we watched it. I think we memorized it. (I also think it might be partially Orange Blossoms fault that Zoe asked Santa for a Pogo stick.)

Some positives about Strawberry Shortcake: Bright Lights, Big Dreams:
- Great to be able to take along a favorite TV show in the car.
- What's not to like about solving problems, trying your hardest, and being a good friend?
- The idea of bonus material printable coloring pages.

Some negatives about Strawberry Shortcake: Bright Lights, Big Dreams:
- It's not a new "movie". It's episodes we've watched (over and over) on TV.
- In general, Nick has repeatedly told me that Strawberry Shortcake is the girliest girl show he's ever seen. The little girl fights and quarrels. The worrying over what the friends are thinking. The giggling. The pink. Not necessarily a negative for my girly girls... but it can get to be a bit much when you watch it OVER and OVER and OVER.
- The bonus material includes printable coloring pages... but no matter what I tried I just couldn't get them to open on our computer (even though we have the correct hardware and software.) Maybe I'm doing something wrong... or maybe it's not really on our DVD?

I was a fan of Strawberry Shortcake when I was little. My girls are fans now. What do you think of Strawberry Shortcake and her pals?

Disclosure: I was sent a Strawberry Shortcake:Bright Lights, Big Dreams DVD and was asked to do a review. All of the thoughts expressed are my own.

Our Thoughts on HotPants by Zaggora

2011-12-29T22:21:00.000-05:00

After receiving my pair of HotPants in the mail I was pretty interested to see how they actually worked. I read the informational pamphlet that was included and was pretty amazed by how technical a pair of exercise shorts could sound.

From the pamphlet:

What are HOTPANTS(tm)?
HOTPANTS are specially designed sports shorts that contain bio-ceramic technology, which emits far infrared rays and reflects back the heat naturally generated by the body to deliver warming up of tissue deep below the skin's surface.

Um... did I hear you say "what???", because that's what I said when I started reading.

In simple terms... HotPants make you hot. While working out they are supposed to make you sweat more. HotPants work by "increasing your persperation by 80%. So you can get a 60 minute workout in just 30 minutes". I read that as saying that since I normally do a 30 minute walk on the treadmill... I should only have to do a 15 minute walk. (What can I say... I'm a lazy exerciser.)

My HotPants also came to me with a 2 week challenge: Weigh and measure myself. Wear the HotPants every day for 2 weeks. Then weigh and measure myself again. They claim that you can lose up to 2 pants sizes in 2 weeks.

I finished reading up on Zaggora's 2 week challenge and then slipped into my HotPants.

My first impressions?
The shorts had a funny smell. Kind of a rubber/plastic/chemically smell. Sort of. You know... a funny smell. It did wear off, though. The feel of the material reminded me of a scuba diving suit. They have that same type of almost stiff but stretchy feel. I worried they would feel really constricting on, so I was pleasantly surprised to see how comfy they felt. I didn't love the higher waste (probably because I'm chubby in the middle) but figured that would help with my stomach weight loss attempts. Are they comfortable? Yes. Can I wear them to bed like they say I could? No.

During and Post workout impressions?
I went ahead and did my normal treadmill walk, which is usually about 1.5 miles in 30 minutes (while reading). The shorts made a kind of swish-swish-swish noise as I walked. I was glad I tried them at home and not at the Y. I definitely felt the "warming up" mentioned in the pamphlet. I could feel the burn of my walk a lot early than I usually do. I could tell I was sweating more than usual. When I took the shorts off I was kind of shocked. I was DRENCHED. Just in the shorts area. Covered in sweat. You would think I had run a marathon. Or done one of those Zumba classes where the entire class of women walk out dripping with sweat. And I was walking while reading. When they say the HotPants cause you to warm up and to heat up the cellulite and work on the fat and toxins, etc etc etc... they're not kidding.

Did I lose 2 pants sizes in 2 weeks?
Um... no.

In all honesty, did I wear the HotPants every single day for 2 weeks?
Um... yeah, no again. (I did mention I'm a lazy exerciser, right?) I did wear them (almost) every other day for over 3 weeks. Those 3 weeks did include more holiday celebrating than I would like to admit (including school parties, and mom nights out, and um... cookie baking).

How did I actually do while wearing HotPants sporadically over 3 weeks during holiday celebrating?
I stayed EXACTLY the same. Same weight. Same pant size.

Color me impressed and pass me another butter cookie!

If you are interested in buying a pair of HotPants by Zaggora you can order them online. HotPants used to only be available in the UK... now they are available worldwide!

Positives about HotPants:
- Comfortable.
- True sizing. I ordered the size suggested, and it fit perfectly.
- Absolutely positively makes you sweat like they say they will.

Negatives about HotPants:
- Hand wash and line dry. Considering how much they make you sweat... it's especially annoying to have to hand wash and line dry.
- Strong smell when first received.
- Make a "swishing" noise while walking.
- Price is high (unless you are an extremely serious exerciser).

So... all in all... I'm happy to have the pair of HotPants that I have (and you can bet I'll be wearing them on my treadmill!) but I'm not in a rush to add another pair to my wardrobe (and you won't catch me wearing them in the gym!)

Disclosure: I was sent a pair of Zaggora HotPants and was asked to do a review by the Mom Bloggers Club. All of the thoughts expressed are my own.

Our Thoughts on the Volkswagen CC

2011-11-17T19:03:00.001-05:00

Yes... it's a 2nd VW review.

Do you really think Nick was thrilled with the fact that of ALL the cars we could have driven (both Volkswagen and Infiniti) I set us up to test drive a Routan minivan? Yeah... his reaction was something like "Really? A minivan? Don't we do that all the time?"

So, when we finished testing out the Routan Nick asked if we could take a spin in the CC. I figured her could add a little review on this vehicle too.

Nick's thoughts: We didn't spend as much time with this as the Routan. Quick thoughts:
-Killer exterior looks.
-Nice handling, decent acceleration.
-Great interior.
-Not sure about the rear seating- only two bucket seats and miniscule headroom.
-Stick shift only available only for the 2.0 Turbo front wheel drive. I would LOVE a V6 AWD with a stick.

Nick's bottom line: I could own this car. Colleen was afraid I was going to start "doing the math" about buying one. Unfortunately, we can't swing it...

*Colleen's favorite detail about this car? The removable rubber liners to all the cup holders. My cup holders always end up filthy. How awesome to be able to just take the liners in, rinse them and put them back. Such a great little thing.

Our Thoughts on the Volkswagen Routan

2011-11-17T17:09:00.001-05:00

(Mostly Colleen's thoughts... with Nick's added opinion!)

I was contacted on twitter by @Patrick_Nash and asked if I might be interested in test driving an Infiniti or Volkswagon. I have to say my first thought was "Why would I want to do that? We're not getting a new car anytime soon." I mentioned it to Nick though... and his response was "Well... you're going to aren't you?!?!?" (You see... Nick just goes to test drive cars for fun. He loves cars.)

The next thing I knew we were at Douglas Volkswagen in Summit, NJ meeting with Patrick and taking a look at their Volkswagen Routan. I requested to test drive a minivan (or something similar) so I could kind of compare it to my Honda. It ended up the Routan is also a (sort of) version on the Chrysler Town and Country, which my brother has. I've driven that too... so it was interesting to make that close comparison.

So shiny. So clean. So new.

See... it's a minivan. Very very much like Chrysler Town and Country (except for the suspension and the interior).

VERY comfortable front seats.

The steering wheel material? I'm dying to say "like butter". It was so soft. I would be feeling the steering wheel while driving (hmm... maybe that's a negative). The dash looked very much like the dash of my brother's van. They have the fancy screen (we don't).

The rear seats look almost EXACTLY like the front... and are almost as comfortable. No middle seat. Although you can't see them in the photos... this van version has the ceiling monitors. The "rear-seat entertainment system" also has a hard drive and USB port, so you can transfer music and pictures and play movies. Fancy right?

3rd row was not really anything special... although the flip up headrest are cool. The 3rd row also had the sunshades.

Well... the 3rd row wasn't anything special until I was introduced to the power button. Inside over on the left there were buttons. Buttons I don't have in my car. Magic buttons that, first, can tip the rear seat all the way back so that you can use it as "tailgating seating". (I personally would use it to sit at the end of my driveway to watch Zoe ride back and forth and back and forth up and down the street on her bike.) Another push and the seats fold over all the way to stow flat. Yep... magic. I wish I had video of the magic.

So... it's a minivan. And... we got to drive the fancy version. We don't have the fanciest version of the Honda. No built in dash gps/touchscreen for us. No built in ceiling monitors. No magical power rear seats. Our steering wheel isn't like butter. Hmm... maybe I need to go drive the fancy version of our van now to REALLY compare. (Or not... it might make me desperate to trade up... and that's not happening. We'll just go with what we know.)

Positives about the VW Routan SEL:
- Details. The interior of the Routan is all about details and little perks.
- Very smooth drive and breaking.
- Conveniently located front and rear power outlets. (Our Honda rear outlet is WAY in the back behind the 3rd row seats. The VW rear outlet is just rear of the 2nd row passenger.)
- The "power 3rd row bench seat with tailgating position." The push button seat stow is AWESOME. I struggle with stowing my 3rd row. I'm sure it's funny to watch me climb and pull and tug to get my rear seat set. With the VW you push a button (or 3). Magic I tell you.
- Really comfortable front and rear seats.
- The steering wheel felt heavenly.
- The expected minivan space/storage/ and cup holders (I love cup holders.)
- Details and perks. Did I mention the never-ending details and perks?

Negatives about the VW Routan SEL:
- Well... if you're not a minivan person... it's a minivan. There is no denying or pretending it isn't a minivan. VW did not magically make their minivan "sporty".
- It seats 7. Which is great. But our Honda seats 8 (with the removable middle row seat). I can not tell you how many times we've had 8 people in our Honda.

Those are the "mom details"... Nick can add some "car guy" details...

Nick's thoughts: OK, this is basically a Chrysler Town and Country Minivan (which which we are familiar) with a VW interior and suspension, both of which (to me) are big improvements. We have a 2008 Honda Odyssey, which could be the best minivan of all time, and here are some quick comparisons:

-For a minivan, the Routan is pretty great to drive. Great road feel and suspension, great (Chrysler) engine, great breaking (for a minivan). Better than the Honda in this regard.
-The Honda is bigger, particularly in the rear area behind the rear wheels. Our Honda seats 8 (as Colleen outlined above).
-The Chrysler and VW have a larger distance between the bottom of the exterior floor and the interior car floor (due to the Chrysler Stow-and-Go design, which is absent on the VW). This makes the Honda seating position slightly more desirable.
-The VW seats are great, more comfortable than both the Honda and Chrysler.

Nick's bottom line: If one is a VW or other German car driver, the Routan is probably the least painful minivan to which to transition. It drives great (for what it is), and is fairly utilitarian. However, there are other decent vans with more space. While our 2008 Honda isn't quite as tight handling-wise, it's pretty good for a large vehicle (that's why I lobbied for it over the Toyota Sienna we tested), and it is bigger. However, I understand Honda's new Odyssey model has the suspension softened. If this is the case, and if one wants a tighter German road feel, than the Routan is probably the one to get.

Nick's final thought: I bought my first new car (Jetta VR6) at Douglas VW in 1999. The dealer experience was great, and the service department was also a pleasure to deal with.

So, there you have it. My thoughts... Nick's thoughts.

I do want to add that we had a really nice experience with the people at Douglas Volkswagen. They were aware that we were there to test drive for a review and weren't buying... but that said, they were simply personable people. Along with Nick's previous customer experience it just seems to be a great choice for a place to buy a car. Patrick Nash was extremely friendly. He was also familiar with my blog and a little about my family (which was REALLY nice... since that's not always the case with social media people who set up bloggers to do reviews) Tito (who took us for the test drives) was really patient with our never ending questions. It was easy to be straight forward with him and ask blunt questions since he knew we weren't buying... and he gave us some really honest answers. Nick says the dealership was just as nice when he was a buying customer.

(Maybe one day I'll be back at Douglas Volkswagen and finally get that VW bug I dreamed about when I was 17.)

Our Thoughts on Tic Tacs New Summer Flavors

2011-06-28T23:12:00.000-04:00

Tic Tac mints has two new flavors out just in time for summer: Wild Cherry and Peach Fusion. I was sent some of the brand new summer flavors to try out and review.
Honestly... what is there to say about Tic Tacs?

They're Tic Tacs.

Don't get me wrong though. I do love Tic Tacs. I think they're great to carry around in my bag or to keep in the car. Dry mouth or icky taste... pop a Tic Tac (or 3) and I'm good to go. The girls love Tic Tacs too. They think that one box should be eaten in one sitting though. Tic Tacs just don't last long around here I'm afraid.

As for the new flavors... I'm not quite sure how "new" they are. I know there have been cherry and peach Tic Tacs before. I'm sure there are some subtle differences but I didn't go out to find the old flavors to do comparisons. (Although, now, I'm tempted.)

My opinions on the flavors? I LOVE the Wild Cherry. I HATE the Peach Fusion. That was really no surprise to me though. I tend to love all things cherry flavored... and I tend to hate all things peach flavored (although I do like actual peaches). The Wild Cherry was very very cherry and had just a hint of mint. The Peach Fusion was very peachy at first... but the flavor really changed if you chewed on it (which I always do).

The girls seemed to love both flavors equally... since both boxes are empty (thankfully I kept the second 2 boxes hidden so I could at least get a few to take to review!). Zoe did seem to like the peach quite a bit... but Ana was just thrilled to be munching on tiny sweets so I'm not sure which was her favorite.

Some additional info that I can share came to me from the Tic Tac people. They have started their new "Shake it Up" summer campaign and have set up a new @TicTacUSA twitter page. They're having ongoing giveaways there through July 19th where you can win packs of the Wild Cherry and Peach Fusion Tic Tacs. (Hurry... go enter!)

You can also find Tic Tac on Facebook. And they have a nice website. AND they've set up a Pandora online radio station called Tic Tac Shake it Up Summer Radio (which I've been listening too... and from what I've heard it makes a great playlist for my walking and jogging attempts).

Positives about Tic Tac new summer flavors:
- Personally... love the Wild Cherry. It's very cherry with just a touch of mint.
- Quick to pop in your mouth and freshen up.
- The packaging is recyclable.
- They're Tic Tacs! Who doesn't love Tic Tacs!?!?

Negatives about Tic Tac new summer flavors:
- Personally.... Peach Fusion is kinda yucky. It starts out alright... but after chewing it I thought it had a bad aftertaste.
- Like all boxes of Tic Tacs... you can not hide these from your kids. The "shake it up" sounds gives them away every time.
- I KNOW it says 1 tic tac is 1 serving... but does anyone ever have just 1 tic tac?
- I thought it was odd that when you go to the Tic Tac website they don't seem to mention Wild Cherry, Peach Fusion OR the new Shake it Up summer campaign. (They DO show a limited edition Pina Colada though... gotta get my hands on some of those!!!)

Our Thoughts on Playtex First Lil’ Gripper™ Straw Trainer Cup

2011-06-15T13:45:00.000-04:00

I received a First Lil' Gripper Straw Trainer Cup from Platex in order to try it out and review.

All of our cups tend to be Playtex brand at this point... although I have tried just about every brand under the sun in the past 6 years. This cup seemed to have all of the normal things we like about Playtex cups and more. I always like the "Twist 'n Click" closing so you know the top in completely on. A sippy cup is useless if it's not spill-proof (and this one says "Spill-Proof, Leak-Proof, Break-Proof Guarantee"). This cup has a new feature that let's you squeeze to make the drink start up the straw to encourage your child to try drinking.

Ana and Zoe are both WAY beyond the suggested age for this cup (4 months - 1 year) so we enlisted the help of our 1 year old friend Julia.

This is what Julia's mom had to say:

We've used it a few times now. It seems relatively simple to clean - the top part fits easily into the little "cages" I have for cup parts. I washed the straw separately by hand, for fear that it would get lost in the dishwasher. It assembled easily - the straw clicks into the top part, and it didn't require super-human strength to twist to the marked area.

It's advertised that the parent can squeeze the cup and the liquid will go up, teaching the baby that liquid comes from there. I was able to get it to do that a few times, but not consistently. I couldn't figure out if the twist pressure inside needed to be more or less, and it wasn't in the instructions. It was cool when it worked, though!

Julia picked up the "drink from the straw" thing pretty easily, though she is much older than the suggested 4 months. She tried to slam it on her tray numerous times (see photo) and it dripped a little, but it performed much better than her Tommy Tippy cups, which at this point she uses to form lakes during dinner. So that was a big win! :)

Some positives about the First Lil' Gripper Straw Trainer Cup:
- Easy to use and clean.
- Stands up to normal toddler use (including banging!).
- Guarantee - if you're not fully satistied... you can return for full-purchase price or a similar product.
- Lots of places to purchase (Target, Walmart, Babies R Us, and online at the Playtex store).

Some negatives about the First Lil' Gripper Straw Trainer Cup:
- It does have parts... some people don't like having separate pieces to clean.
- Squeezing feature really isn't consistent and no directions on how to get it to work properly.

You can find Playtex Baby on Twitter and on Facebook.

Our Thoughts on Pampers Kandoo

2011-03-09T11:35:00.001-05:00

We have been using Pampers Kandoo flushable wipes since Zoe started potty training (about 3 years ago now). They are a staple in our bathroom (upstairs and downstairs). We all use them now. We love the little Kandoo froggie... and giggle whenever we notice his little picture. (How can you not giggle at a frog wiping his tush with a wipe?) Zoe actually has trouble going to the bathroom is she knows we're out of the wipes (help!). I try very hard to make sure we've got a supply of these at all times.

Right now, kandoo is offering a free printable coloring book on their Facebook page. All you need to do is "like" them and these fun coloring pages are located on the left side bar in a link. I've already downloaded my copies. Both girls will be happily coloring Kandoo all afternoon. Like I said... we really love the Kandoo froggie!

Some positives about Pampers Kandoo:
- the pop-up wipes REALLY pop-up.
- the refillable box is really easy for the girls (even 2 1/2 year old Ana) to open on their own.
- they have a pleasant scent.
- if you go to the website they almost always have a coupon available.
- the packaging makes the girls (and me) giggle. (We love the little froggie wiping his tush)

Some negatives about Pampers Kandoo:
- I have trouble finding the refill packages. Our grocery store seems to have stopped carrying them. I was actually worried they were discontinuing the product... or changing it.
- If we run out of flushable wipes a certain 5 year old in our house just about refuses to poop.

I really don't have any other negatives about them. Pampers products seem to come through for me every time. It is annoying that I have to actually search for them. I came across a couple small cases of them at Target a couple weeks ago and bought 2 boxes. Nick thinks I'm crazy... but we may not need to buy more Kandoo wipes for the rest of the year!

If you haven't tried Kandoo... I absolutely recommend them.

Our Thoughts on GameFly

2010-12-30T14:07:00.000-05:00

We love our Wii. But, the games tend to be pretty pricey. I came across this video game rental service and thought we would give it a try. They seem to have a huge variety of games. (PS2, PS3, PSP, XBox 360, XBox, Wii, GameCube, DS, GameBoy Advance)

I want to say GameFly is very much like Netflix... although it doesn't look like they are connected (as far as I can tell. But, you make a Game Q and you get a game in the mail. You play as long as you like and then mail the game back. Then you get a new game off your Q mailed to you. And... if you love the game there is the option to just click and buy it rather than return it. (Although that may not be available on EVERY game.) They also have a Trade-In feature where you might be able to sell games you own for GameFly credit.

If you want to try it out... use the link below. You can get your first month free (and in the spirit of full disclosure... if you sign up with my link I get a free month too.)

Buy One Month, Get One FREE!

Some positives about GameFly:

- Try out games without buying them. If you hate the game you mail it back. No loss (especially if it was a game that cost you $40 or more!!!)

- The shipping seems really quick. I just signed up Monday evening and our first game arrived today, Thursday.

- It's free to ship the game back in the included return envelope.

Some negatives about GameFly:

- It seems pretty easy to find games by category or genre. I wish they had a way to search by "rating". I would love to bring up a list of all of the games available that are appropriate for Zoe. That would make my life easier.

- There is a category under Wii that says "online enabled" and for the life of me I can't find out what that means. I know our Wii has a wireless connection to our internet. Does that mean that certain games are available "streaming"??? I can't find any instructions on what "online enabled" means.

-There are only 2 membership plans available. Maybe more will come with time?

Our Thoughts on Preschool is Cool: Counting with Elmo (follow up)

2010-12-27T14:36:00.000-05:00

The Preschool is Cool: Counting with Elmo giveaway has ended.

Our winner commenter as picked with Random.org is:

#3 Carly Dunlap!!!!!

Congratulations Carly - I'll be sending you an e-mail (or I guess a DM on twitter!) to get your address so I can drop you DVD in the mail.

The

Our Thoughts on Preschool is Cool: Counting with Elmo (and giveaway)

2010-12-20T20:58:00.000-05:00

I received the Preschool is Cool: Counting with Elmo dvd and was asked to give a review (ages ago).

"As part of Sesame Street’s new Preschool is Cool set, Counting with Elmo finds Professor Grover as a preschool teacher and Elmo as his helper for today’s counting lesson—in a real preschool! When silly Professor Grover starts to have a little bit of trouble remembering what each number is, he needs Elmo and the class to give him a helping hand. Featuring counting themed songs and stories like “Counting Booth,” and “Abby’s Sparkle Speckle Freckles”, kids will have fun learning with Grover and Elmo and all their Sesame Street friends."

Some positives about Preschool is Cool: Counting with Elmo:
- Grover is my favorite... and there was also plenty of Elmo and Abby Cadabby.
- The Count watching "Six Feet Under" (and referencing 3's Company, and 8 is Enough, and 60 Minutes). heehee
- There is a nice mix of main story and clips.
- The bonus clip (Herry and John John count to 20) is one a remember from when I was little. I love John John.

Some negatives about Preschool is Cool: Counting with Elmo:
- The dvd is a little long. 55 minutes.
- Even though I thought it was long I wish their were more clips. A couple of the clips were too long in my opinion (like the clip about Abby Cadabby losing and finding her 6 freckles.). They could cut that one clip and put in 2 or 3 different shorter clips.
- I'd like more music clips personally. We like music clips in our house!

Ana's opinion about the dvd? Well, when it was over her response was "Do anober one. Do anober Grober!" So, I guess it wasn't too long for her. And, I guess she shares my love of Grover just a little bit.

Preschool is Cool: Counting with Elmo is available in stores and online now.

The Giveaway!!!

I received 2 copies of Preschool is Cool: Counting with Elmo so I have 1 to give away.

In order to enter you just need to comment on this post. In your comment tell me your favorite Sesame Street character. Am I the only one with a love of Grover? (Um... you do NOT have to like Grover to get picked!)

Comments saying something like "pick me" will not be considered entries.

If you would like an extra entry you can send out a tweet linking to this post... and leave a 2nd comment letting me know you did it. (include your twitter @)

Giveaway will be open until midnight on Sunday December 26th, 2010.

I will choose the winning comment with Random.org.

Winner will be announced on a follow up post and notified by e-mail (so please make sure you include a valid e-mail when signing in to comment!)

Good luck!

Our Thoughts on Tutor in a Book

2010-10-06T18:52:00.000-04:00

I was recently contacted by Alexandra Mayzler. She asked me if I would be interested in reading and reviewing her new book... Tutor in a Book: Better Grades as Easy as 1-2-3. With Zoe starting kindergarten I figured it was a wonderful time to get a head start on learning the best ways to help her succeed in school. I jumped at the chance to see what ideas the book might have.

The books main focus is on helping students (and their parents) learn strategies to improve organization, time management and study skills. By answering some questions and filling out charts students are assisted in figuring out what their strengths and weaknesses are when it comes to school and learning techniques. It then gives tools and methods to help improve your weaknesses and make the most of your strengths. I loved how the authors used stories about real students to really illustrate how the book and the charts and tools can work.

They also have a site available with more information and links to their facebook and twitter pages.

Some positives about Tutor in a Book:
- The book is written in very easy to understand language.
- The charts seem very easy to use.
- Real life stories about students help with understanding how to use the book.

Some negatives about Tutor in a Book:
- I really couldn't pick out any negatives... but I imagine some students would absolutely refuse to accept that any of the methods would help them. It would totally help a student looking for help... but I'm not sure it would be enough for a student REALLY needing help getting on track. (I can imagine that if my brother was given this book in high school it would have quickly become lost.)

I think this book would be a great addition to school required reading lists!!! I think it would be especially helpful if it was given to students entering high school (or even middle school). It could help them get a great start.

Save $10 on any purchase of $50 or more.

2010-09-15T14:20:00.002-04:00

"I absolutely love Lands' End. I love their clothes for me... and I LOVE LOVE LOVE their clothes for the girls.

I think their quality is amazing... and their prices are awesome. So... a coupon link makes them even better!!!

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I have a Lands’ End offer to share! I love Lands’ End and think you will, too. They have great quality, classic styles, and everything is Guaranteed. Period.®. Save $10 on any $50 purchase at landsend.com when you shop this link by 10/7/10.

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Follow Up - Jumpstart Get Moving: Family Fitness

2010-08-26T11:29:00.000-04:00

My giveaway for Jumpstart Get Moving: Family Fun ended last night at midnight. I had 6 different commenters and 2 tweets. So... 8 entries altogether (one of these days my giveaways will get more comments right?) I entered the numbers into the Random.org number generater and it popped out...

#4 Diana!!!! Yeah Diana! I'm sure your niece and nephew will have a blast playing... and their mom will get a little workout (or break!! lol) too.

Our Thoughts on Jumpstart Get Moving: Family Fitness (and a Giveaway!!!)

2010-08-20T20:59:00.009-04:00

I was sent a copy of the Wii game Jumpstart Get Moving: Family Fitness by the people at Jumpstart so I could try it out and review it. I'm always happy to try out things that I think Zoe will enjoy... and the Jumpstart products and games are usually right up her alley.

The description I received about the game told me that JumpStart has been creating the best learning games for kids, and now they are making fitness fun too!

"Discover the ultimate family sports game with fitness expert and mom of 4, Brooke Burke. With more than 15 sports challenges in 11 exotic arenas, Get Moving is the fun, new way to keep your family active! Some key features in our new Wii game make it all the more exciting! You can design your own character to race and play, build customized routines for extra challenge, compete head to head or play solo, play underwater, on a farm, in Egypt of 8 other exotic locations, and access expert tips for more ways to stay healthy!"

Jumpstart Get Moving did not disappoint. The game was totally fun. It was definitely designed with younger kids in mind. Where Zoe (now 5) has some trouble when first learning how to maneuver some of the Wii sports game, she had very little or no trouble getting the hang of Jumpstart Get Moving. Having Brooke Burke actually on the screen giving a demonstration of how to do the moves was a big plus. (As an example, before you played the game to toss basketballs... she would explain how to toss a basketball at a hoop while showing showing the way you would move with the Wii remotes.)

As usual... Zoe loved creating her character. Being able to give her girl pink hair? Major plus in her book. Being able to pick your location for each game was also fun. I mean... who wouldn't want to play volleyball with the background of a princess castle or while being the size of a bug? Jumpstart Get Moving just added a lot of fun to the regular sports fitness games.

Some positives about Jumpstart Get Moving: Family Fitness:
-The ability to design and dress up your character is always a plus in our house.
-The background were creative and fun... and even better since you could pick your own!
-Being able to actual watch a real person demonstrate how to play before each activity was VERY helpful.
-While the game was easy enough for Zoe... I was still able get a bit of a workout (especially during the racing games!)

Some negatives about Jumpstart Get Moving: Family Fitness:
-Brooke Burke? Really? If you were going to have a "star" I would think there might be someone more familiar to kids you could use.
-We found a few of the challenges to be a little short or quick to finish.
-Sometimes Zoe spent more time deciding "where" to play than she actually spent playing. I didn't think it was necessary to pick a new location for every activity you played.

The Giveaway!!!

Jumpstart was kind enough to offer a copy of Jumpstart Get Moving: Family Fitness to me to give away to a reader. It really is a great game for kids (and families)... so I'm excited to be able to share this with someone.

In order to enter you just need to comment on this post. In your comment tell me something you enjoy doing with your kids (or without kids!!!) that helps you all "get moving"!

Comments saying something like "pick me" will not be considered entries.

If you would like an extra entry you can send out a tweet linking to this post... and leave a 2nd comment letting me know you did it.

Giveaway will be open until midnight on Wednesday August 25th, 2010.

I will choose the winning comment with Random.org.

Winner will be announced on a follow up post and notified by e-mail (so please make sure you include a valid e-mail when signing in to comment!)

Good luck!

Some final game details
- The game was in stores starting June 15th
- It will be sold for $29.99
- It's rated E for Everyone with Comic Mischief by the ESRB

Our Thoughts on Diapers.com and Soap.com (and a coupon code!)

2010-08-14T15:56:00.000-04:00

(BlogHer Expo Hall Booth)

Diapers.com has been around for a while. I'm sure you've seen their online banner ads... or their tv commercials... or their magazine ads. I know I've seen them all over the place. For some reason I never made an order. I have to say I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WAS THINKING!!! Diapers.com is quite awesome.

What do they sell on diapers.com? Absolutely everything baby! Diapers and wipes, obviously. But they also have clothes, carseats, medication, toys and books, potty seats.... you name it... they've probably got it. They offer free 2 day shipping on orders over $49 and after doing some price comparisons it looks like their prices are pretty comparable or win out on most of the places I shop. Another feature on diapers.com is that once you register you can use the "reorder my stuff" link. They keep track of the things you order, so if you become a regular shopper it's very easy 1 click shopping from your list. Awesome feature for me! No need to browse and search!!! I go to my page and find the exact things I've already ordered. That is a huge benefit for me... since my browsing tends to mean higher spending.

Now, to make Diapers.com even better... they've created Soap.com. One of their slogans says "diapers.com for baby, soap.com for you." They're not kidding. It really does look like "diapers.com delivers everything but the baby"... and then soap.com has a little bit of everything else. Their shopping categories include hair care, bath and body, medicine cabinet, vitamins, household, makeup, diet. The list just goes on and on. They carry everything from toilet paper to lipstick to breakfast bars. They also share a "shopping cart" with diapers.com... so the same free shipping deal applies.

As part of their expo booth they type of "drawing". Each person that registered with their site got to pick out a coupon code. I was lucky enough to draw a card that game me "$20 + FREE SHIPPING". WooHoo!!! Free stuff.

As a further reward... not only do I get to enjoy using the coupon code... I get to pass a bit of savings on to you. If you are interest in trying out Soap.com just click on over. If you find anything you're interested in purchasing enter the code BLOGHER2010. You'll receive 15% off your first order with Soap.com!

Some positives about Diapers.com and Soap.com:
-Easy shopping from home.
-Free shipping on orders over $49.
-Over 55,000 products.
-Variety of products and major name brands.
-24/7 help online and by phone.

Some negatives about Diapers.com and Soap.com:
-There are almost too many ways to search for things (if that makes any sense)

Some neutrals:
-I just made my first order... so I'm not sure how fast or slow the shipping is.

Our Thoughts on the BlogHer10 Expo Hall

2010-08-14T15:00:00.000-04:00

I attended the BlogHer Conference in New York City last weekend. (August 5th-7th). As part of the conference I visited a lot of booths at the BlogHer Expo Hall. When I say a lot... what I mean is A LOT! There was every type of sponsor booth you could think of... and they had all types of things to try out. I came home with loads of goodies and samples and coupons.

I also attended a couple of parties that also involved "swag bags"... and some products were also left in our hotel room. Let me just say... by the time I came home I was not only loaded up with new blogging info and inspiration... I was loaded down with bags full of goodies!

I'm hoping that I'll be able to do a few reviews of the goodies and "swag" that I brought home from the conference. I was so very fortunate to be able to attend BlogHer... and part of the reason I could go was that they continue to subsidize the cost by bringing in LOADS of fabulous and generous sponsors.

Hopefully... I'll be able to introduce you to a few new items or websites that you might be interested in!

Our Thoughts on Bella Sara Moonfairies (and a Giveaway!)

2010-07-21T15:40:00.000-04:00

I received an e-mail and was asked to review the new series of trading cards from Bella Sara. I wasn't sure if Zoe was old enough or not... but I was interested in finding out about the kinds of trading cards that are available for girls because Zoe is definitely interested in "collections".

If you don't know about Bella Sara cards and products I can tell you I was only familiar with them from seeing them at the checkout line at Target. (The cards and products are available at Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, several independent retailers and at BellaSara.com.) I logged in to their web site and found out that Bella Sara carries a huge number of products beyond the trading cards. They have books, dvds, games, puzzles, stuffed animals and clothing... just to name SOME of their products. (We also received a nightgown from them for Zoe. It's silky and sparkly and has a Pegasus on it. No surprise she LOVES it.)

We were mailed 1 pack of cards and opened them as soon as they arrived in the mail. I have to say Zoe wasn't all that interested in the cards. She took a few minutes to oohhh and aahhh over them the first day and then never looked at them again. My 8 year old niece, Larisa, on the other hand... she was excited the moment she saw them. She told me she already had some... and was REALLY hoping that when I was done she could have mine too. So maybe 5 is too young?

The card pack I received contained "5 random horse, story, and/or character cards, 1 random sticker card, and 1 secret code for play at BellaSara.com". The cards are nice quality "playing card" type cards. They have pretty fantasy art on the cards depicting different characters in the stories and games. Some of the cards have quotes or sayings on them like "Think positive every day! Feel the bliss of joy and energy that comes with it." Very "girly".

Once I opened the cards and took out the "secret code" I logged in to the web site. It was nice to find out that even if I didn't have a code I could have played the games on the site. Before even entering a code (which you need to purchase something to get) I was able to create my "avatar" (pick a hairstyle, dress her, eye color, etc.) and adopt a pony to take care of (feed, clean, pet). I was also able to enter the Bella Sara Adventures world and had 18 free adventures to complete (things like plant flowers, save a creature from a wolf, deliver a message to Bella). Once I entered my code I recieved 4 additional adventures and 2 horses for my stable (which you also can visit and care for like your pony). There was A LOT to do. Again... 5 year old Zoe seemed a little young because there is a lot of reading. 8 year old Larisa REALLY loved taking care of her pony... and she was able to read the directions for the adventures. She still wanted me to sit and help her though because at times there was a lot of reading. Once the girls were done I sat down by myself to play a little... and I can say I enjoyed it all... and found some of it a little challenging (especially remembering where I needed to go in Bella's world to find what I was supposed to find). Thank goodness there is a journal that you can check in to remind yourself of what you're supposed to be doing!

Some positives about Bella Sara Moonfairies:
- From what I can tell the Bella Sara products are all reasonably priced. A little girl could probably easily save up her own money to get the trading cards or story books.
- The cards and games seem to inspire creativity and fantasy play.
- The messages given by the cards and game seem to be positive and uplifting.
- If you like collecting things... these cards are easily collectible.
- There is a lot to do online. And... if you like ponies it's Heaven!
- Everything is just so PRETTY and GIRLY!

Some negatives about Bella Sara Moonfairies:
- Some of the online games required a lot of reading. Only negative for younger children. Would be no issue for say... 2nd graders. Or kids who have parents with time to sit down and play.
- I'm not sure how much of the gaming site is useful once you've used up your free adventures. Purchases would be required to get secret codes and continue on with adventures.... I think.
- Depending on how you feel about it... Everything is just so PRETTY and GIRLY!

Overall... if this has anything to say about our thoughts... I added BellaSara.com to our bookmarks. We'll be playing again!

The Giveaway!!!

Like I said above... Bella Sara products are available at Target, Wal-Mart, Toys R Us, several independent retailers and at BellaSara.com. The Moonfairies card packs retail for about $2.99 a pack.. but 1 reader can win a pack right here!

All you need to do to be entered to win is visit BellaSara.com... and then come back and leave me a comment telling me something that catches your eye. A product, a game, whatever. (Oh... and if you find yourself adopting a pony and spending all of your free time taking care of it... totally not my fault.)

1 entry per commenter.

Comments saying something like "pick me" will not be considered entries.

Giveaway will be open until midnight on Saturday, July 24, 2010.

I will choose the winning comment with Random.org.

Winner will be announced on a follow up post and notified by e-mail (so please make sure you include a valid e-mail when signing in to comment!)

Good luck!

Follow Up - Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers

2010-06-21T21:34:00.000-04:00

My giveaway for the Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers ended yesterday at midnight. I had 6 different commenters. (I really hoped for more comments... sigh.) I entered the number into the Random.org number generator and it popped out...

#3 Jodifur!!!! Yeah Jodi!!! I'm sure Michael is going to love playing Sandlot Sluggers. (And you and Doug might actually enjoy it too.) I thought I had your address tucked away somewhere... but I can't find it. E-mail me!

I then decided that I would also give away our copy of the game. So... I clicked the little "generate" button again and it gave me...

#1 Mrjab1970!!! Yeah Jeff!!! I imagine Gabe will have a blast playing baseball (and you might enjoy it a little more than Nick did). You know I have your address... but, um... you could just pick it up when you come over this week. (See me cheaping out on postage?)

Everyone stay tuned... I'll be having another Wii game review and giveaway soon. (As soon as we've spent some time playing it!!!)

Our Thoughts on Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers (and a giveaway!!!)

2010-06-13T15:13:00.001-04:00

I was sent a copy of Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers to try out and review. I was really excited because we've been pretty happy with all of the Wii games we've purchased... and this was a game I thought we could enjoy playing with Zoe.

I read the instruction book before we started trying to play and I have to say it had me a little nervous. There are little charts that tell you all of the different possible controls for batting and pitching and fielding. And me? I am so not good at games that require me to multitask. It's definitely going to take me some time to figure out how to bat and steal bases at the same time. That said... once I put down the book and just tried playing it was really fun (not that I actually won a game or anything). For right now I do wish there was a little more on screen direction about how to bat and pitch.

The e-mail I received about the game told me that "Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers offers hours of entertainment with laugh out loud comedic commentary and exaggerated animations for a one-of-a-kind gaming experience. The game is packed with loads of surprises to keep kids coming back for more and stars a neighborhood full of fun and diverse kids – both fan favorite characters and new friends. New features like Power-ups, Mini Games, and Family Co-op allow for a fun-filled experience for the whole family—young and old!"

That description is TOTALLY accurate. The animation is really cute... so it had Zoe interested right away. When we played in story mode she was especially happy to design her main player. (Of course... her team wears everything pink... right down to the pink baseball mitt!) Zoe has no clue about all the rules of baseball. She had a really good time pitching and hitting. I think her little kid attitude was quite helpful since she was a much better hitter than I was right off the bat. She also had fun pitching since she wasn't concerned about the strike zone or figuring out how to throw a curve ball versus a knuckle-ball. That said... once someone hit her pitch she had no idea how to get the fielders to throw the ball to a base. Thankfully... she also had little idea about who was scoring and whether or not she was winning. So... she had fun. She's been asking to play the game again all day.

It really is a game that anyone can play. There are settings to make it easier to play (for beginners like me) or more difficult (which I'm sure is where my brother's skill level would be). You can use the different controls to do a "power swing" or you can just swing. You can steal bases (or not). You can set it so you have to do the fielding or you can have "auto fielding" set on. The "family co-op mode" allows the 2nd player controller to give a "boost" to player 1's running to help out younger players (or players like me). There is also a "mini games" section that you can play to just practice your skills. The game has a lot of different options.

Some positives about Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers:
- Great animation.
- A really diverse group of kid characters. In our house we were especially happy to see the teams run by girls.
- You have the option of playing a mini-game, a single ball game, a whole season. It makes it possible for any attention span to enjoy it.
- Being able to change the skill levels can make it possible for even a game player like Zoe (and me) to win.
- A fun family friendly game.

Some negatives about Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers:
- I think to REALLY play you have to take a lot of time to practice and learn all of the controls.
-There are a lot of control possibilities. It was a little overwhelming.
- My arm is SERIOUSLY hurting from all of the pitching and hitting. (That doesn't really have as much to do with the game as it does with my lack of being in shape.)

The Giveaway!!!

I was sent 1 extra copy of Backyard Sports: Sandlot Sluggers to give away to a reader. I'm going to make this as easy as possible for you... and maybe get some good suggestions in the process! In order to enter all you need to do is comment on this post and tell me your very favorite Wii game. Easy, right?

So... enter a comment and tell me... what's your favorite Wii game? I'll use random.org to choose a winning comment. Make sure you enter your e-mail in the comment form sign in so I'll have a way to contact you if you win.

The giveaway will end at midnight on Sunday, June 20th, 2010 (Father's Day). Random.org will choose the number of the winning comment. I will notify the winner by e-mail on Monday, June 21st.

Play ball!

Our Thoughts on The Best of Elmo 2

2010-05-19T17:54:00.003-04:00

I was sent a copy of The Best of Elmo 2 to watch and review. It arrived while we were away on vacation and if was wonderful to find waiting for us when we came home. After traveling there is really nothing we want to do more than plop in front of the TV with a good DVD.

The first Best of Elmo DVD is one of my favorite Sesame Street DVDs. It really was just full of the very best. I wasn't sure how the second collection would stand up to the first... but, The Best of Elmo 2 did not disappoint. It is just as packed full of "bests".

The music clips are tied together with a really cute story. Elmo is walking down Sesame Street when he runs into a robot who is running very low on power. It turns out the robot is a "Memorybot" who is powered by memories. Elmo happily helps him charge up by sharing all of his memories of special times he's had with friends. In the end, he ends up making some new memories with Memorybot as well.

Some of Zoe and Ana's favorite parts...
- Elmo singing his "Elmo's Riding" song. (We're all about bike riding right now.)
- Destiny's Child singing "New Way to Walk".
- Adam Sandler singing a rhyming song all about Elmo (Only Adam Sandler could get away with rhyming so many "words" with "Elmo"!!!)

Some of MY favorite parts...
- I could listen to Feist sing "1, 2, 3, 4" all day long.
- I'd go "Outdoors" with Jason Mraz any day as long he sang and played his guitar.

Least favorite part...
- David Beckham talking about the meaning of persistent. (Really? That was a BEST?)

Sesame Street has done it again and made a wonderful collection of favorite segments. You just can't go wrong with Sesame Street. I imagine it will end up being a favorite in a lot of children's DVD collections.

The Best of Elmo 2 is available in stores now.

Our Thoughts on Elmo's Rainbow and Other Springtime Stories

2010-03-28T17:22:00.001-04:00

I was recently sent a copy of Elmo's Rainbow and Other Springtime Stories. As soon as Ana saw the DVD cover there was no way we were going to hold off watching it. The girl loves everything about DVDs (the boxes, the disks, opening and closing the DVD player) and when you add in the bright and shiny Elmo picture she was immediately hooked. It just could be the most cheerful Elmo DVD box ever.

The DVD includes 3 short stories. In the first story Elmo and Rosita learn all about rainbows. The second story shows Baby Bear and Chris as they learn all about bees. And, in the third story, Abby changes the seasons with a few swishes of her wand... and everyone on Sesame Street learns a little about how all of the seasons differ. There are also a few springy songs in between the stories.

Ana sat for the whole DVD (except when she got up to do a little dancing). I have to admit my favorite part of the DVD may have been the little bonus clip of Cookie Monster... I mean.... Cookie Bunny. We enjoyed watching Elmo's Rainbow... which didn't surprise me. I have yet to be disappointed by a Sesame Street DVD.

It really is a great spring themed DVD. And, if you're looking for a last minute addition to the Easter basket this could be it! Elmo's Rainbow and Other Springtime Stories was released March 9th and is available in stores now.
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Our Thoughts on Infantino Peek a Boo Animals Puzzles

2010-03-11T16:38:00.002-05:00

I was sent a set of Infantino Peek a Boo Animal Blocks to review by Ebeanstalk. Ebeanstalk is a website dedicated to selecting great toys for 1 year olds and toys for 2 year olds. They have a team of moms and a team of child experts that help them pick out toys by age, so you can be sure your child gets toys that have been specifically matched to his or her age! I've written before about how wonderful I think they are and I'm always excited when they decide to send me something to try out.

The Peek a Boo Animal Puzzles are labeled for "1-3 years" so I focused on seeing how Ana would do with them (since she is 20 months old).

First off... she LOVED the box the puzzles are stored in. It's sturdy and has a string handle and a plastic lid. She was happy to just carry that box around the house.

When we dumped out the 24 pieces the first piece she saw was the mommy gorilla which immediately caused her to start her "oo oo ee ee oo oo" routine. (The girl loves monkeys!) We had fun naming all of the animal mommies (gorilla, elephant, chicken, dog, cat, pig, bunny, turtle, horse, sheep, hippo, giraffe) and making animal sounds.

The 2nd piece of the puzzles was a little more frustrating and confusing for Ana. The piece to match to the mommies has a picture of the animal's home/habitat. It was especially confusing because certain pieces look essentially the same until you open the "magic door". An example - the gorilla, giraffe and elephant all show jungle trees and grass and savannah. I could match the shape of the pieces... but to Ana (and even to 4 1/2 year old Zoe) they all may as well have been the same. In order for Ana to do the matching... we had to open all of the little doors first. For her (and I would think most 1-2 year olds) the puzzles could have skipped the whole "magic door" and just stuck with matching mommy to baby animal. That said... once she figured out how to slide the door open and shut she was obsessed with doing just that. ("peek a boo monkey! bye bye monkey! peek a boo monkey! bye bye monkey!") Forget about matching and puzzles... we gotta play peek a boo with EVERY SINGLE BABY. When we did get the puzzles together... every time we slid the door the puzzle came back apart.

Finally... she LOVED the box the puzzles are stored in. Yeah yeah yeah, I know I already said that... but when it was time to put the puzzles away the whole process became part of the playing. I named an animal and she popped it right into the box. She put away all 24 pieces easy as pie. And when they were all put away... she dumped them out and put them away again. Awesome packaging!

Some positives about the Peek a Boo Animal Puzzles:
- The pieces are thick and sturdy.
- The pictures used on the pieces are adorable and very easy to recognize.
- Because there are a dozen 2 piece puzzles you can take out all 12... or just take out a few to make it easier for a younger child to match.
- The packaging/storage box is fun.

Some negatives about the Peek a Boo Animal Puzzles:
- Some of the "magic doors" are a little snug fitting... making it difficult for a toddler to easily slide it out (especially once the pieces were together).
- The idea of the "magic doors" sounds good... but we found it a little confusing to match a mommy animal to a home or habitat instead of to the actual baby.
- I think the age label might be more appropriate for 2-3 if you really want to have them put the puzzles together. To use it with a 1 year old was a little frustrating... and another product without the doors would have accomplished the same matching/animal identifying/animal sounds activity.

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Our Thoughts on Tommee Tippee Bottles and Sippy Cups

2010-02-19T15:43:00.000-05:00

I signed up as a reviewer for Mom Bloggers Club and was picked to do a review on some Tommee Tippee products. Tommee Tippee baby products are Britain's #1 feeding brand... and they are now available here in the U.S. at Babies R Us.

I received my Tommee Tippee package a little over a week ago and was excited to see I had been given one Closer to Nature 9oz bottle (which comes with a slow flow nipple), a package of 2 medium flow nipples, and 2 Explora Truly Spill Proof trainer cups.

We tried out the Closer to Nature bottle the very first night for Ana's bed time bottle. (Yes... she's 19 months old and still gets a bottle. Go ahead... judge me). I LOVE this bottle. It's just a simple bottle. No extra parts to worry about. Cap, nipple, ring, bottle. As simple as it is it's still pretty high tech. The nipple has what they call an "anti-colic, anti-gas, advanced easi-vent valve". In simple terms... it's a little vent. Usually simple bottlesend up having the nipple suction into the bottle as you drink. With the Tommee Tippee bottle Ana could drink and drink and drink and the nipple stayed perfectly shaped Air was allowed in... but absolutely no leaking or dripping out of the vent. It worked perfectly. If Ana wasn't going to be giving up the bottles VERY soon I would totally replace all of our bottles with these. (A little side note... as Nick gave Ana her bedtime bottle he commented that it was "very boob-shaped" which I believe supports their claim that the bottle allows for easy transition from breast feeding to bottle feeding.)

Some positives about the Closer to Nature bottle:
- Simple bottle... no extra parts.
- Easy to wash... and dishwasher safe.
- Nipple kept it's shape while drinking.

Some negatives about the Closer to Nature bottle:
- I was a bit confused about whether or not the easi-vent valve was supposed to be in a certain position while drinking. Ana put it wherever and it didn't seem to make a difference... but maybe it was supposed to be up? I wasn't clear.

I had mixed feelings about getting the training cups. Generally... I do not like cups with handles. I don't ever buy them. I had a couple for Zoe early on... and almost immediately threw them away. Someone gave me one for Ana a while ago and I dumped it right into our donate collection. I just don't like them. The handles never seem to line up properly with the handles. That annoys me.

I was sent 2 Explora Truly Spill Proof trainer cups... which are sippy cups with handles. (Ugh) The cups are well made and the material for the spout and handles has a nice soft feel. I was almost shocked to find that the sippy spout actually lines up properly with the handles. I unscrewed that cap and replaced it dozens of times and started it in all different positions. It lined up perfectly. EVERY SINGLE TIME.

Ana is a little old to need a training cup but she was still excited to see a new cup with a "froggy ribbit ribbit" on it. As soon as I gave her a cup to try Zoe decided it wasn't fair. Ana had a new cup and she didn't. Thankfully I got a 2 pack. So... the training cups were tested out by my 19 month old AND my 4 1/2 year old.

The claim that the cup is "truly spill proof" is pretty much true. If the cup tips over or gets dropped you don't end up with a big spill... or a spray of liquid... like some other sippy cups allow to escape. BUT... Ana was able to get a decent amount of juice out on her tray with her normal banging. No worse than any other cups though.

Some positives about the Explora trainer cup:
- The handles actually line up with the spout.
- Easy to clean no spill valve system
- Easy to drink from... but difficult to spill.\
- The materials have a nice soft feel.

Some negatives about the Explora trainer cup:
- The handles lined up with the spout... but I'm still not sure which cup was really correct... or if there is a "correct" way.

Absolutely love love love the bottle. Not sold on the trainer cup with handles... but I'm definitely going to try out some of the other Explora cups.

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Our Thoughts on Jumpstart.com 3D Virtual World

2010-02-14T17:23:00.000-05:00

Ages and ages ago I was invited to have Zoe try out Jumpstart.com's 3D Virtual World.

The first thing I should say is that the Virtual World is really HUGE. There are so many things to do. That is part of the reason it has taken me forever to get this review out. I felt like I should really see everything before reviewing. Now I realize I don't think I'm ever going to have the time to see the entire Virtual World.

There truly is that much to do. Plus... I swear every time we log in they've added something new. All of the areas and buildings are places you can go. There is so much I could say about each area... but if you're Zoe you spend all of your time at the Jumpee Creator and in Storyland for 3-5 year olds. There are also areas for 5-8 year olds and 8-10 year olds. Since Zoe is 4 we've tried to stick to the areas for her. Jumpstart really seems to know their age groups. The 3-5 sections are totally appropriate for Zoe... the 5-8 year sections she can try, but REALLY challenge her. The 8-10 sections are completely beyond her and don't do anything but cause her frustration no matter how much she insists she can play them.

Jumpee Creator:
You get to design your character. Everything about your "Jumpee" you pick out... hair, clothes, eyes, shoes... it's all up to you. You can change your look and clothes any time you want and as many times as you want. Zoe will log into the site and sometimes do nothing beyond changing her Jumpee. You can also buy new clothes with coins you earn while you play games.

Storyland:
This area is a whole land in itself. When we first started using Jumpstart.com I would immediately log Zoe into Storyland because the whole area is specifically for 3-5 year olds. Each of the different buildings has different activities... the schoolhouse has learning games, the clothes tent is another changing room, there is a movie house that plays short kids music videos, the library has story books to read. Hours of stuff to do... and no matter which building Zoe goes in the activities are age appropriate.

In addition to the usual virtual areas that are available... they currently have everything decorated and themed for Valentine's Day. They have a candy heart scavenger hunt going on... and a tunnel of love type swan ride. You can also send Valentine's if you have buddies to send them to.

They have recently added a downtown area that has shops where you can spend your coins. (You earn coins when you play games.) They have a pet shop, a clothes shop, a "ride" shop, and a home store (Coming soon you'll be able to decorate your room!). The shops really encouraged Zoe to play the games rather than wander around the World. She wants to buy a pet bunny to follow her around in the worse way. It costs 80 coins... and she now has 54. She went right back to matching numbers and letters so she could earn that bunny.

And finally.... there is a buddy code. Your code is a personal code that allows you to get in touch with your real life friends. You can access your personal code and then share it with your family and friends. Then they can "meet you" in the Jumpstart World and chat and play. Zoe isn't really old enough for this yet.... but I imagine the 8-10 group would enjoy finding their friends for an online chat session. I can't really say how this works since we didn't access our buddy code.

Some positives about Jumpstart.com 3D Virtual World:

- I feel like it's a totally safe online environment for Zoe.
- The games are educational... letter recognition, rhyming, counting.
- It's set up in age appropriate areas.
- You can try it out for free... you just don't get the full access. (Membership is $7.99/month or $74.99/year or $149.99 for a lifetime membership)
- There is a lot of variety. You get tired of Storyland... you head over to the arcade... or Marineland... or just wander around.
- You have the ability to invite your friends to join your play.

Some negatives about Jumpstart.com 3D Virtual World:

- I almost wish they would create a separate 3D Virtual World for each age group. I realize what a task that would be... but it would be nice if Zoe couldn't "wander" into areas with games for 8-10 year olds. She decides she MUST play the games once she sees them... and it just ends in frustration for her and for me.
- I think it's a little pricey. My trial membership is running out. I could see doing $7.99 for a month or so... but I don't think I would do a year membership. Definitely not a "lifetime".
- There is a lot of loading. If you have a slow computer it gets frustrating waiting for each individual land or game to load. Fast computer... no problem.
- I tend to get a little "motion sick" during some games. When I played I was OK. When Zoe played she did a lot of turning

Overall Zoe enjoyed playing on Jumpstart.com. I couldn't sit down to test out the site by myself while she was around. She would immediately want to take over. (Another reason my review took so long!)

If you want to learn more try it out for free. You can also check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

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Our Thoughts on Plan Toys - Activity Bus

2009-08-31T22:10:00.006-04:00

One of my favorite sites for researching and buying toys online is ebeanstalk. It is a great site. The products they sell are all specially chosen and researched. Each toy listing has information on why it is appropriate for each developmental age level. I love searching by age... and they even have the infant toys separated into newborn+, 3+, 6+, and 9+ months. It makes picking out toys really easy. Most importantly... Zoe and Ana think their research is right on target. The things I've gotten after researching on ebeanstalk are their favorites.

Choosing age appropriate toys is not always easy. Ebeanstalk is dedicated to selecting good, safe educational toys and baby gifts that promote growth and learning. One way they decide on which toys they will sell is to ask the opinions of moms and kids. When they asked me to be one of the moms to test out their toys I jumped at the chance!

The toy they sent us to try out is called Activity Bus from Plan Toys. Plan Toys makes eco-friendly wooden toys that are just beautiful.

(photo from Plan Toys)

The box gives a description stating "This school bus open up into a classroom allowing children the opportunity to use their imagination in different ways. The complete set includes figurines, blackboard/map, school chairs, and books. From 3 years."

(photo from Plan Toys)

It's a beautiful toy. Zoe was so thrilled to see this bus when it arrived in the mail. She couldn't wait for it to be opened so she could get her hands on it.

The pieces are all the perfect size for 4 year old hands. After I opened the bus the first time Zoe was easily able to open and close it to use as the vehicle and then the classroom. She really enjoyed the concept of this toy since she's really excited to be getting back to school soon. Playing with the toy brought up conversations about what she would be doing once she was back with her preschool friends again. It was fun... both to play with and to talk about.

Some positives about the Activity Bus:

- It's pretty to look at. Not at all gaudy/neon/plasticky

- 2 toys in one (bus/classroom)

- Age appropriate topic (most 3/4/5 year olds are THRILLED about school).

- Cute little people.

- Really encouraged themed play.

Some negatives about the Activity Bus:

- Zoe was immediately upset that there were 4 seats (3 school chairs/1 bus driver chair) and only 2 people. I wish they had included an adult and 3 children.

- It took some maneuvering to get those little people sitting in those little desks.

- Not all of the parts are well connected (one of the desks wasn't attached when I opened our box/the bus driver chair just seems to set in a post/hole).

- The books (2 SMALL blocks shaped like stacks of books) were quite small. Zoe (4 years) was tempted to put them in her mouth... and I'm sure if Ana (13 months) got her hands on them she would choke on them. DEFINITELY a piece for 3 years and older.

Overall, Zoe enjoyed playing with the Activity Bus. It was a little frustrating for her at times... but she made a few adjustments (added a few classmates) and then she played with it for quite a while. I think it's a toy we'll enjoy having, especially if I order a couple extra people (and maybe glue a couple of the pieces together to make them a little tougher).

Welcome to Our Thoughts!

2009-08-30T12:05:00.006-04:00

Hello!

Welcome to my new little place. A place for my opinions. A place for my praises. A place for my complaints. A place for my suggestions.

A place for all of my thoughts on things.