Thomas & Friends: The Lion of Sodor - review and giveaway

 ***congrats to lstanziani!!***

Kiel has learned to recognize the large yellow envelopes that arrive with DVD's in them.
"Is it Thomas?" he asks? He's pretty excited by anything we receive to review, but Thomas and Shaun the Sheep are definitely his favorites.

There was something extra exciting about Thomas & Friends: The Lion of Sodor though. Probably the golden lion on the front. "Rrrrrarww" says Kiel!

I like the message in this one that stresses the importance of listening to others. I need to get my older son to sit down and watch it a few or 20 times!

Thomas & Friends: The Lion Of Sodor will be aavailable On DVD, Digital Download and On Demand
December 7, 2010

DVD SYNOPSIS

Join Thomas as he roars down the tracks with the most special delivery yet, The Lion of Sodor. Thomas’ special delivery is not what he thinks it is - a real lion. When the other trains try to tell him that it’s actually a statue, he is too excited to listen. Join Thomas as he learns the importance of listening to others in this lionhearted collection of tales from the tracks.

To enter to win your own DVD all you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post! For fun tell me what lessons your kids learn from Thomas.

 
Don't forget to include your email address in the comment. I know you have to include it to publish the comment, but unless it is actually within the body of the comment or you have email enabled on your Blogger profile I can't see it.

You have until midnight on Sunday, December 5, 2010 to enter. I'll announce the winner that week. Again, don't forget to leave your email address so I can contact you!

US mailing addresses only.

Full disclosure: Andrea Blain Public Relations and Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment provided me with my own copy of this DVD . I am not receiving monetary compensation for hosting this giveaway. The opinions in my review are purely my own. 

FiberOne giveaway - includes a $25 Safeway giftcard! -- ended!

****And the winner is  allthingsnew who said..."I'd like to call the Caramel Delight cereal! Thanks so much for hosting this giveaway!"***

I have another MyBlogSpark giveaway for you guys!

This one is from Fiber One and is for VIP coupons good for one free box of Fiber One cereal and one free box of Fiber One bars, in addition to a $25 Safeway gift card (also valid at Dominick´s, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Vons, and Genuardi´s). 

Fiber One products have you covered with at least 35% of your daily value of fiber in every serving of their cereals and bars. And now they taste even better!

I haven't tried the Fiber One cereal yet, but I have a new box in my cupboard just waiting. I love the FiberOne bars! I learned the hard way not to eat more than one at a time however, if you know what I mean.

Even my little one who barely eats anything likes the bars!

If you would like to win two VIP coupons for Fiber One and a 25$ gift card to Safeway just leave a comment on this post.

Don't forget to include your email address in the comment. I know you have to include it to publish the comment, but unless it is actually within the body of the comment or you have email enabled on your Blogger profile I can't see it.

You have until midnight on Sunday, November 14, 2010 to enter. I'll announce the winner that week. Again, don't forget to leave your email so I can contact you!

US mailing addresses only.

Disclosure: The VIP coupons and a $25 Safeway gift card for me and for one of my readers was provided by Fiber One through MyBlogSpark. Any opinions given are my own.

Family Flick Night gift pack giveaway --ended

***And the winner is shirley who  said..."Here we use dry Trix and Reese Puffs for snacks, too. Thanks"***



I received a box from MyBlogSpark and General Mills today. I opened it up to find a "Family Flick Night" gift pack, which included a box of Lucky Charms cereal and Trix cereal.

Noah saw me open it and declared this was "the best day ever!" Kiel jumped up and down with excitement. I'm seriously going to wrap up boxes of cereal for Christmas since it excites them so much. I think it's obvious we don't buy "sugar" cereal.

The exciting part for me though was that the box also included four Movie Cash certificates! Yeah!

Right now General Mills is running a promotion when you purchase two specially marked packages of Big G cereals including Honey Nut Cheerios® (17 oz.), Cinnamon Toast Crunch® (17 oz.), Lucky Charms® (16 oz.), Trix® (14.8 oz) and Reese´s Puffs® cereal (18 oz.

After purchasing two participating cereals, visit generalmills.com/moviecash to enter the unique code found inside each box of cereal and print your free Movie Cash certificate (good for one admission of up to a $12 value at participating theatres). To find a participating theater in your area, log onto http://emoviecash.com/dis_locator/. 

 

If you would like to win your own "Family Flick Night" gift pack which will include two boxes of the participating Big G cereals and four Movie Cash certificates just leave a comment on this post. 

Don't forget to include your email address in the comment. I know you have to include it to publish the comment, but unless it is actually within the body of the comment or you have email enabled on your Blogger profile I can't see it.

You have until midnight on Sunday, November 14, 2010 to enter. I'll announce the winner that week. Again, don't forget to leave your email so I can contact you!

US mailing addresses only.

Disclosure: A "Family Flick Night" gift pack for me and for one of my readers was provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. Any opinions given are my own.

The Day Leo Said I Hate You

What do you do when you kid tells you for the first time that he hates you?

Unfortunately, with a seven year-old with an attachment disorder I hear that phrase pretty much every time he gets mad at me. I also hear "you are a lier," "you are stupid," and the latest "you wear hideous clothes," which I have to say gave me a good laugh.

My almost three year-old on the other hand hasn't done more than the stomp his feet and cry temper tantrum with a few "I don't yike that mommy" thrown in there, when he is mad. And then you can tell he immediately feels bad if he senses mommy isn't happy with him. It's a wonderful thing!

I do know that the phrase "I hate you" is in our future. Not only does he hear his older brother say it, but I think its a normal feeling for kids to have at some point, as they try and figure out what their feelings mean and appropriate ways to express them..


When I was offered the chance to review the childrens book The Day Leo Said I Hate You! by Robie Harris I was excited. 

 

I'm always happy to add new books to our library, and this one has become a regular in our nighttime story routine.

The story starts out with Leo making some poor behavior choices (rolling tomatoes in the house until they burst, droping string beans into the fish bowl, and squeezing toothpaste all over the toilet) to which his mother repeatedly tells him "no." Leo's frustration at being repeatedly told "no" overwhelms him and eventually he tells his mother that he hates her. His mother, at first horrified, then explains to him that you that words can hurt, but there are things you can hate, like broccoli. 

The illustrations are colorful and engaging, and mirror the intensity and emotions of the story.

I was somewhat nervous reading this with Kiel, because I didn't want to introduce these words to him and then live to regret it. While that would have been the case with his older brother, with my younger, well attached, "typical" child I did not need to worry.

Kiel was fascinated by the illustrations and recognized immediately when Leo was doing something naughty. Watching Kiel shake his finger at the pages of the book and say "naughty" to Leo was adorable. 

Not only did we use the story to talk about "mean words," which honestly I think went over Kiel's head a bit, but we used the illustrations to work on recognizing and talking about feelings. Kiel was drawn to the emotions shown on Leo and his mothers face and was very animated in telling me that Leo was sad, or Leo's mom was mad.

Some of our books we read purely for the enjoyment of the story and just snuggling together. Other books we use in a more dynamic way, with the two of us interacting with the story line. The Day Leo said I hate You! is definitely the kind of book that your child will enjoy the story and the illustrations, but as a parent you can feel like you are teaching your child something too.

The next time my older son gets mad and says mean things to me, after he calms down, I plan on pulling out this book and reading it with him. Although it is meant for younger children I think we can use it as a discussion starter with him.

The Day Leo Said I Hate you is now available in paperback and for Kindle, as well as in hardcover. All versions are on sale at Amazon right now.

I was provided with a review copy of the book by Raab Associates Inc. All opinions are my own.

Betty Crocker Boxed Instant Mashed Potatoes Review and Giveaway - ended

 **And the winner is.... Have A Sweet Day! who said..."we usually make them from scratch but with 6 kids and all the things we have going on this would be great."**


I grew up in a family that thought instant mashed potatoes were the side dish of choice. We also drank Carnation instant milk for several years. The milk was to save money I think. The instant potatoes were to save time. Peeling and mashing potatoes was reserved for holiday meals.

By the time I was in college I hated instant mashed potatoes. Watery, flavorless white mush.

When MyBlogSpark and Betty Crocker offered me the chance to review the new Betty Crocker Boxed Instant Mashed Potatoes I almost turned them down. Then I thought maybe I should try them and see if I was surprised. Either way I was going to be honest about what I thought.

With a just-like-mom´s taste, Betty Crocker Boxed Instant Mashed Potatoes go from stovetop to table in just eight short minutes. Based on a scratch recipe, the Homestyle Creamy Butter variety will have your family thinking you spent hours in the kitchen the next time you serve up a hearty helping. If you prefer an extra kick of flavor, give the Roasted Garlic variety a try. And with two pouches in every box there´s plenty to go around.

I made them tonight and served them with my homemade meatloaf. This was the reaction:

 Noah gave them two thumbs up! He wanted more.

This is Kiel giving his "yuck" face. He didn't care for them. Unfortunately, he didn't actually try them either, so don't take his opinion seriously.

Rich said they were the best instant mashed potatoes he has had. He would eat them again.

Me? Well, I'm a purist. I still prefer the real thing, but I do agree with Rich that for instant they weren't bad. 

If you would like to try them yourselves you can grab a $0.55 coupon here. 

And, if you would like to win the prize pack pictured below leave a comment on this post.

Don't forget to include your email address in the comment. I know you have to include it to publish the comment, but unless it is actually within the body of the comment or you have email enabled on your Blogger profile I can't see it.

You have until midnight on Friday, November 12, 2010 to enter. I'll announce the winner that weekend. Again, don't forget to leave your email so I can contact you!

US mailing addresses only.

Disclosure: The Betty Crocker Boxed Instant Mashed Potatoes, the prize pack, information and the prize package for giveaway were all provided by Betty Crocker through MyBlogSpark. Any opinions given are my own.

Blow it out your nose - a SinuSense review

Ten years ago if you asked me what I wouldn't travel without I probably would have told you my hairdryer and curling iron.

Now, I won't travel without my sinus wash.

I know, I'm sounding old. But I sure do enjoy having clear sinuses!

Recently MomSelect and Waterpik offered me the chance to try out Waterpik's new SinuSense line of products, including their SinuSense Squeeze Bottle and SinuSense Neti Bottle.

I've been using a fairly traditional form of the Neti pot for the last year, but I was open to trying some other options so I said yes.

First, let me tell you that if you aren't doing some form of nasal/sinus rinse and you have sinus issues, you really should try it. It was a little strange the first time but once I got over the fear that it was going to hurt (It doesn't!) or I was going to choke or inhale it (I didn't, just make sure you breathe through your mouth when you use it.) it was really kind of cool.

I know it sounds gross, but I actually get a kick seeing how much crap I can get out of my sinuses some days. I've never been that great at blowing my nose and usually feel like my congestion is further back in my sinuses than I can easily blow out. The sinus rinse gets in further and cleans more out than I could ever blow out on my own.

(I wish I could get my husband to try it. He's chronically congested and of course snores like a rough engine at night because of it.)

Waterpik SinuSense™  Squeeze Bottle- allows you to customize the amount of water flow for a complete cleanse, simply with an easy squeeze. The SoftSeal™ nozzle maximizes comfort and the One-Way FlowControl™ valve prevents backflow to maintain solution purity.

      Waterpik SinuSense™  Neti Bottle- a unique approach to the traditional neti pot; its ergonomic shape, SoftSeal™ nozzle and One-Touch FlowControl™ valve make the Neti Bottle easy to hold, comfortable against your nose and creates a controlled gravity-fed water flow that provides a gentle sinus cleansing.

One of the issues I have with the traditional Neti pot is that they aren't sealed, at least the one I had wasn't. It was very much like a tiny tea pot without a lid. Since you add a packet of saline salts to the water, I typically ended up using my finger to mix it up since the cat was always stealing the little spoon that came with it and I could never find it.


With the SinuSense products you remove the nozzle, fill the bottle, then replace the nozzle, which allows me to shake it to mix in the saline powder. (It's the little things people, I'm lazy, I admit it.)


I used both the Neti bottle and the squeeze bottle for a month and I think I prefer the squeeze bottle over the Neti bottle, but by a small margin. I'd really like to try the Water Pulsator since it sounds like it is a bit more aggressive in how it cleanses, now that I'm an experienced nasal cleaner. *snicker*

You can check out the Waterpik site to read more about their SinuSense line and the health benefits of a sinus wash.

MomSelect and Waterpik provided me with the products. All opinions are my own.

Thomas & Friends - Misty Island Rescue DVD review and giveaway

 **And the winner is 11newmom. Sorry I'm so late at posting this!!  **

There is a new Thomas & Friends DVD available tomorrow! My friends at Andrea Blaine Public Relations sent me an advance copy and the boys and I watched it this weekend. Several times! All Kiel wants to watch is "twain, twain." It's a cute movie, and as always, has some good messages in it. This is the first time a Thomas movie will be available on Blue-ray as well as a standard DVD.

Thomas and his engine friends embark on a thrilling new journey that takes them from the Island of Sodor to the mysterious Misty Island in the all-new, CG animated adventure  Thomas & Friends™ Misty Island Rescue - The Movie available on DVD, Blu-ray Disc+DVD combo pack, Digital Download and On Demand, September 7, 2010 from Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment.

SYNOPSIS

The engines are hard at work to build a new Search and Rescue Center. When Thomas helps a friend in need, he is rewarded with an exciting trip to the mainland.  Along the way, he gets lost at sea and finds himself on the mysterious Misty Island, where he meets new friends Bash, Dash and Ferdinand. Together they discover the secrets of Misty Island and help Thomas find his way home.  Will Sir Topham Hatt's search party ever find Thomas? Find out in this action-packed movie adventure the whole family will enjoy!!          

To enter to win your own DVD all you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post! For fun tell me which engine is your child's favorite.

Don't forget to include your email address in the comment. I know you have to include it to publish the comment, but unless it is actually within the body of the comment or you have email enabled on your Blogger profile I can't see it.

You have until midnight on Sunday September 12, 2010 to enter. I'll announce the winner that week. Again, don't forget to leave your email so I can contact you!

US mailing addresses only.

Full disclosure: Andrea Blain Public Relations and Lionsgate and HIT Entertaiment provided me with my own copy of this DVD . I am not receiving monetary compensation for hosting this giveaway. The opinions in my review are purely my own.