Just Another Review Blog

Lego Friends Giveaway

2012-01-25T11:37:00.000-08:00

It is so nice to see that Lego is taking an active initiative to include more products that aren't so "male-centric". Not that little girls aren't into Star Wars or Pirates and Aliens. I mean, I have 6 year old girl who loves all of those Lego sets. But they are definitely geared more towards boys.

The Lego Friends line has several building sets that are actual BUILDING sets and not just token pink pieces here or there. The set themes include home, fashion design, animal care, and an invention studio to name a few(Though I do wish they weren't quite so pink and purple so that the boys won't call playing house a "girl thing")!

Legoland Discovery Center in Schaumburg has offered this Lego Friends Heartlake Vet set for one reader to help announce their new event, Lego Friends Weekend. Here's some information about the event:

Grab your friends and join the fun during LEGO^® Friends Weekend at LEGOLAND^® Discovery Center Chicago Friday, Jan. 27 through Sunday, Jan. 29 from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.!

During LEGO Friends Weekend, guests can hit the town with LEGO Friends Olivia, Emma, Andrea, Stephanie and Mia and explore Heartlake City, the hippest hangout for these five mini-doll pals.

Guests are also invited to:

· Help design and build a large scale model of Heartlake City;

· Join in on a scavenger hunt adventure;

· Belt out a tune in our karaoke sing-off;

· Enjoy free ice cream in the Café (while supplies last); and

· Take home LEGO Friends prizes and giveaways (while supplies last).

Interested in the Giveaway? Enter below to win this awesome set:

Heartlake Vet - Retails at $39.99

The kit includes:

§ 2 mini-doll figures: Mia and Veterinarian Sophie

§ LEGO Animals: Horse Bella, dog Scarlett and hedgehog Oscar

§ Accessories: Thermometer, clipboard, ice pack, stethoscope, spoon, syringe, registration chart and flower accessory pack with 12 flowers, 4 butterflies and 4 ladybugs

*Suitable for children ages 6 to 12.

To enter giveaway (please leave a separate comment for each entry!):

~ Like Legoland Discovery Center on Facebook.
~ Follow me on Twitter.
~ Tweet about this giveaway and link back.

We'll pick the winner on Friday, February 10! Good luck to everyone!

Snow White in Chicago

2012-01-22T02:10:00.000-08:00

A Fairy Tale Valentine's Day for the Whole Family at

Emerald City's
Snow White
as Performed by Professor TJ Barker's Troupe of
Theatricals

Once again, Emerald City will be bringing smiles to families with their new production, Snow White. It's the classic tale with a couple of spins! Running from Jan 21 through May 20 at the Apollo Theatre (2540 N Lincoln Avenue), Snow White is sure to be a show that everyone will enjoy.

If you are planning on attending this February, consider the weekend of February 11-12 when you can use the code SNOW for a Buy-one-Child Get-one-Adult-free discount!

Upcoming Emerald City Holiday Events:

Saturday, March 17 at 10:30am--St. Patrick's Day at Snow White: See the Show in GREEN-D

Sunday, May 13 at 1:00pm--Mother's Day at Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good,
Very Bad Day

Winner of the Disney on Ice Tickets!

2012-01-20T11:25:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to.... Night Owl Mama! I hope you have a great time at the show!

Between Interruptions

2012-01-16T16:55:00.000-08:00

As I read Between Interruptions, a collection of articles edited by Cori Howard, I often found myself nodding in agreement at the frustration women can feel throughout the course of Motherhood. That's not to say that I always agreed with the sentiments behind the words. In fact, many of the stories were written by professional, full-time working mothers, which is a path I have never experienced. Though I did shift from a full-time job to a 4 day work week when my eldest child was born, I never had a "career". And as I found myself having to find a THIRD daycare provider for my son within 15 months of his life, my husband and I decided that we could make the one-paycheck for our family work instead of subjecting him to continually being uprooted. So some of the references were a bit out of my range of understanding, but I was definitely able to empathize with the conflict that a mother would feel when she is torn in so many opposite directions.

Some of the pieces were absolutely heart-wrenching. The agony of a mother who feels so removed from her life and is drowning in PPD just broke my heart. Listening to the detachment she felt for other women who are enveloped in their children simply made me want to reach through the pages and hug her.

Overall, the collection was well-done. I honestly sat down and read the entire book in two sittings. I was that interested.

If you're looking for honest opinions of motherhood, I highly recommend this book. This is no glossed-over, Pollyanna-version of mommies in pearls and lipstick. Between Interruptions is a book that intrigues and inspires and I am very happy to have read it.

Disney on Ice in Chicago Giveaway

2012-01-13T06:49:00.000-08:00

Once again, Chicagoland will be visited by princesses! Beautiful and heroic, funny and kind, your child's favorite princesses will enchant and entertain... all while wearing ice skates!

Come and see the newest Disney on Ice performance at The Allstate Arena or United Center and enjoy their fabulous discount rates (4 tickets on weeknights for $44 or $4 off of weekend shows -Use the code MOM at checkout when purchasing through Ticketmaster ).

OR, you can enter to win a 4 pack of tickets through this giveaway!

2 chances to win –

1. Winner will receive 4 tickets to Opening Night of Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream at Allstate Arena or the United Center!

2. A second winner will receive a $40 gift card to Hair Cuttery...

Disney on Ice and Hair Cuttery have teamed up to bring you an enchanting offer in Chicago. The Disney on Ice Princess Package includes a shampoo, blowdry, updo and special princess finish with a tiara at your local Hair Cuttery salon. Also receive a savings coupon for Disney on Ice merchandise ($5 value). You can add the Princess Package to your order on Ticketmaster when purchasing tickets to Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream in Chicago or Rosemont.

You can also use the $40 gift card to Hair Cuttery to purchase other services at your nearby Hair Cuttery.

Read on to see how to enter:

There are 3 ways to enter the giveaway:

1. Comment and tell me who you'd bring to Disney on Ice in Chicago.

2. Tweet about this giveaway using the hashtag #ChiDisneyOnIce and include the link on your comment. (2 tweets a day).

3. Post about this giveaway on Facebook and link back. (2 posts a day)

We'll pick the winners on Friday, January 20th.

Good luck!

Mixbook.com

2012-01-12T10:27:00.000-08:00

I know that there are many different sites available where you can create photo books and photo projects, but have you ever heard of the custom photo books by Mixbook.com? At Mixbook, you can create a completely unique and personalized photo book with results akin to an old-fashioned scrapbook. Your own style and design. Your own photos and memories captured in just the layout that you have envisioned in your mind's eye.

Sound intriguing? Go check them out! In fact, if you act before January 15, you can get 2 calendars for the price of 1!

*disclaimer: This is a compensated post, but all opinions remain my own.

Tasty Treats from Bien Fait Cakes

2012-01-04T08:07:00.000-08:00

I never considered myself a fruitcake lover (other than my husband), but I was proven wrong this winter.

Wait. That sounded a bit odd.

What I meant to say was, I now like to EAT fruitcake. At least, I like to eat it if it's from Bien Fait, sender of delicious deliciousness from Vermont.

How can you go wrong with breads like this?

You can practically FEEL the moisture on your screen, can't you?

We were sent 4 different varieties to taste test and explore and all of us had individual favorites.

Mine was the Bourbon roll (naturally.)

Though the Maple Pecan* was tasty, too...

I don't normally order baked goods online, but for the quality of what we received, the prices make for a good present or special treat for yourself, without going overboard on your credit card. They use no preservatives and many of their ingredients are local grown, too.

Check out them out at http://www.bienfaitcakes.com/ and see for yourself!

* I say "peh-cahn" because saying "pee-can" just doesn't sound very appetizing, does it?

Disney on Ice Giveaway!

2011-12-23T15:29:00.000-08:00

Special Savings Offer and Activity Card from Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream

If you need a little something extra for the stocking or tree think about tickets to Disney On Ice Dare to Dream! It is a great gift for excitement on Christmas and a lasting memory. The Gift of Memories download tells your little princess she’ll be attending the show and lets her create her own princess crown. The best part is - it’s quick and easy – use the below discount and gift download to print everything you need right now. No additional stores to stop at or lines!!!!!

You’ll get 4 tickets for $44 on Weekday Shows or Save $4 on weekend shows. Simply use code MOM on through this Ticketmaster link: http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/rz25sx

ONE FAMILY WILL WIN 4 FREE TICKETS TO USE FOR ANY PERFORMANCE! LIKE or SHARE THIS POST WITH YOUR FRIENDS TO ENTER.

Comment below to tell me what you have done!

I’ll email the winner Saturday morning/night so you can download the Gift of Memories activity card for an extra special Christmas!

Playing at:

Allstate Arena Jan. 26 – 29 & United Center Feb. 1 – 12

You’ll get tangled up in the newest thrilling show to hit the ice, Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream. Experience Disney’s hilarious hair-raising escapade, Tangled; as Rapunzel, her unlikely companion, Flynn, and Maximus, embark on an uproarious journey that takes adventure to new lengths! Boogie to the beat of the bayou with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen from The Princess and the Frog, in a magical, musical journey that all begins with a fateful kiss. And fanciful dreams become reality as Cinderella meets her Prince Charming, with a glass slipper fit for an unforgettable fantasy come true. All your favorite princesses take to the ice in a spectacular finale at the ultimate Disney Princess event of a lifetime! Experience the beauty, sparkle, and spirit when Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream comes to the Chicagoland Area!

(So sorry to do a cut and paste blog post from the media release, but this is a last minute give away and I am BUSY!)

$250 American Express Gift Card Giveaway

2011-11-20T09:06:00.001-08:00

I have a giveaway for a $250 American Express gift card on my Mommy Blog!! Be sure to check it out!!

Junie B. Jones at the Emerald City Theater

2011-11-17T07:57:00.000-08:00

Exposure to live theater is such a gift to give to a young child. Unfortunately, many theaters are extremely expensive and don't often cater to the young ones. Nor do they appreciate a shouted "Hi!" from your overly excited 3 year old who is IN LOVE with the character that just dashed across the stage.

The Emerald City Theatre in Chicago is a treasure to families with young ones because they DO cater to the youngest of theater-goers! With upcoming shows like Junie B. Jones and If You Give a Cat a Cupcake, you can rest assured that not only will your kids LIKE the performance, but will be welcomed with open arms. (Plus, they have the best snack bar: Fruit Chews! Kid Treats! And not for a ridiculous price!)
We'll be attending the Junie B. Jones show next week and can't wait to see one of our favorite book characters come to life! I hope you check them out for your own family!

Smilegram Review and Discount Code

2011-11-16T05:56:00.000-08:00

Looking for a stocking stuffer for a young writer? Smilegram may just have what you are looking for...Full of fun and beautiful children's stationary, Smilegram Paper's store has something for everyone! I know that Corinne enjoyed her adorable set of "Allie's Ice Cream" stationary. With the smooth surfaces and large, dotted lines, it was perfect for her to help me write out her own birthday party invitations! There are tons of varieties (my favorite being the "Fun Jumpin Froggies") that are sure to make the young writer in your life smile. Check them out and let me know what you think!

Smilegram is offering you a discount of 20% off your purchase if you use the code: HOLIDAY good until December 15, 2011.

No Name Meats Giveaway and Review

2011-11-16T05:32:00.000-08:00

You gotta give credit to a company that is so sure of its products' quality and value that they actually choose the name of "No Name " for its company's NAME!

As they say, "Amazing Taste: No Name needed."

I just love clever but simple advertising phrases.

Especially when they're right.

Their food IS good. My family was sent 2 coupons to try out chicken and/or steak for dinner one night. Sadly, our store didn't have the steak varieties, but we brought home 2 varieties of No Name's chicken and popped them in the oven. An hour later, and the house smelled divine! Everyone, including my picky eater, enjoyed the chicken. Moist but not gooey (Gooey=death for our finicky child), they were absolutely delicious!

No Name has offered up a great giveaway for one reader: Coupons for a free package of steak, a free package of chicken and $5 off of any additional product! No Name is available in most Jewel and Meijer stores, but you can check their local availability on their site.

Mandatory Entry:

~ You must follow No Name Premium Meat and Seafood on Facebook and comment on their site that you are there from Just Another Review Blog's giveaway.

Extra Entries:

~ Follow me on Twitter.
~Subscribe to my blog(s).
~ Tweet about this giveaway.
~ Link back about this giveaway on any social media site and leave a link back, please!

Be sure to leave a separate comment for each entry!!!

Good luck! We'll pick the winner on Monday, November 28.

Comments are closed:

Winner is #11, Vicky! Congrats and thank you to everyone for entering!

2 New Xbox 360 controllers by Power A

2011-11-16T04:18:00.000-08:00

Like most families with school-aged children, we have a video game system. A couple of systems, actually. Our favorite and most used is the Xbox 360. Why is it the favorite? I don't know for sure. The games are the best? The graphics? The set up of the system? All of the above, and more, actually.

One thing that SUCKED about our Xbox was the expensive wireless remote controls we owned. My children loved them, that's for sure. And so did my husband. After all, they could bounce around the room without worries about cords. Of course, that also led to the frustrated cries of "Where is the remote control?!?" and "Do we have any more rechargeable batteries with juice left?!? I'm in the middle of a game and my batteries died!!!" Oh, the agony. Especially for ME, because they always managed to steal MY rechargeable batteries that I keep juiced up for my camera! Needless to say, my camera was often lacking enough energy to actually TAKE the pictures I wanted to take.

Much swearing occurred.

Remote controls were routinely taken away as punishment for Mom's inability to capture the candles being blown out or the first bike being ridden.

That is alllll over, my friends. I was recently sent 2 remote controls by PowerA for our Xbox 360 to review. They have tons of fabulous features, but for me, the best one is that we are CORDED AGAIN. No batteries have been needed and no remotes have been lost.

I imagine this is what Nirvana would be like. Except I would be alone and there wouldn't be any children or video games. Hmmm...

These are PERFECT for Christmas.
The first is the Air Flo Controller for the Xbox 360 which has a built-in 2-speed cooling fan. Yep. You heard me right. It has AIR CONDITIONING FOR YOUR HANDS. No sweaty controllers!! (I think that this feature needs to be installed on exercise equipment at all fitness centers!) It also sports a softer grip and ergonomics but really, for my middle child and husband (who like this new one the best), it's all about the cool hands. It retails for about $39.99.
The second is the Mini Pro EX Controller. It's less expensive at $29.99 and features a smaller, tighter design. It's great for smaller hands (like my 6 year old daughter's) and is just a slightly different shape than the traditional controllers we owned (making this one my 12 year old's favorite controller). Also? It GLOWS if you turn on a special button. A glowing remote = Awesome for the under 18 crowd.

Pump It Up Giveaway!

2011-11-16T03:25:00.000-08:00

My kids all love the movie Happy Feet and are starting to get pumped up over the release of the new movie, Happy Feet 2. So it was with a huge smile that I happily agreed to review the freshly released video game, "Happy Feet Two" for our Wii. The makers of Happy Feet have teamed up with the indoor play areas known as Pump It Up to bring an AWESOME contest to all of you!

Simply by posting a video on their Facebook page (about 30 seconds to 3 minutes) of your rendition of what having "happy feet" means to you, you will be entered to win an entertainment center/flat screen tv/video game console/video games, etc. There will be 8 winners of varying prizes!

Visit Pump It Up Party on Facebook to enter today. Hurry! The Contest ends on December 18!

*Certain rules and restrictions apply. Be sure to read all of the official rules for FULL details.

Eden Loves Bloggers

2011-11-11T05:24:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about the program offered by Eden Fantasys for bloggers? You can work with Eden Fantasys in many ways to earn money and products. Choose to advertise on your sidebar, review products on a monthly basis, or on an affiliate basis.

Their qualifications are simple: update regularly on a blog that is at least 3 months old and they want to talk to you. Very few companies are so open about their requirements.

Hope you check their site out and give it a thought!

Legoland Discovery Center - Holly Jolly Holidays and Advent Giveaway!

2011-11-09T13:14:00.001-08:00

Ever since Justin was old enough to hold a Duplo block in each hand, my family has been building with Legos. We currently contain 95% of them in the boys' room in buckets, on shelves and under dirty laundry, but there isn't a day that goes by that I'm not stepping on a random dot or rescuing a mini figure from underneath the kitchen table. So it stands to reason that my children all truly enjoy the Legoland Discovery Center in Schaumburg, IL.

As Christmas approaches, Legoland is decking their halls with a life-sized Lego Santa, various holiday games and wintry lego creations to build in the Lego Workshops. I can't wait to see how the venue gets decorated!

WHEN: December 9 to January 1

Doors open at 12 p.m. Mon. – Fri. and 10 a.m. Sat. – Sun.

Holiday hours begin Dec. 17 with doors opening at 10 a.m. Mon. – Sun.

WHERE: LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago

Streets of Woodfield

601 N. Martingale Rd.

Schaumburg, Ill.

Legoland Discovery Center has generously offered a Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar set for one lucky reader! Follow the directions below and good luck. We'll pick the winner on Monday, November 21.

Mandatory Entry: Like Legoland Discovery Center on Facebook

Extra entries:

~ Comment! Tell me what your favorite Lego memory is!

~ Follow me on Twitter

~ Subscribe to any of my blogs

~ Tweet about this giveaway and link back (once a day, please)

Good luck!!

Comments are closed:

Winner is #14.... Sabrina! Congrats and thanks to all for entering!

*disclaimer: I was given the Advent product and also tickets to Legoland Discovery Center in exchange for a review but all opinions remain my own.

Tenzi Review and Giveaway

2011-11-09T07:41:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I homeschool my 3 children. During the days, we do varied activities to encourage different thinking skills. One new game we've been playing is a dice game called Tenzi that I received as a review. Tenzi is one of those games that is fun because of its simplicity in instructions and game play. The entire family can play it (even the 6 year old) and the entire family has fun while doing so.

With several ways to play, the basis of the game revolves around each player rolling ten dice to achieve a goal. The goals can be to roll the same number on all of your dice before everyone else or to roll collections of certain numbers. It encourages my kids to think quickly, recognize the numbers in dot form and to manipulate their fingers and hands on something other than a video game remote... We've even gone so far as to design our own games that include quick adding and patterns within the different dice colors.

At $14.95, Tenzi may be that extra present you need for that hard-to-shop-for person in your life.

Want to win your own Tenzi game in time for Christmas? Then follow the directions below and Good luck! We'll draw the lucky winner on Monday, Nov 21!

To Enter:

MANDATORY: Like Tenzi on Facebook.

Extra entries:

~ Follow me on Twitter

~ Subscribe to my blog(s)

~ Tweet about this giveaway and link back (once a day)

Good luck!

*I was given this product in exchange for my honest review.

Lights and Sounds toddler bike review

2011-10-19T05:50:00.000-07:00

The Lights and Sounds Racer by Radio Flyer is an adorable bike for the toddler or preschooler in your life. It's priced at about $40 and offers an easily adjustable seat, comfortable pedals and handlebars and some of the best songs and sounds my daughter's heard. Sadly for her, this little bike is destined to be used by her little cousin as Corinne is almost 6 years old (48 inches tall) and a touch too tall for this bike.* I do hope my nephew loves it as much as she does, though!

One negative for me was the assembly, but I've had similar problems with toddler bikes of this type. I am a word/picture girl and the directions seem to only come in less-than-understandable picture-form. That could be just me, but be sure to allow plenty of assembly time BEFORE you hand this present to a 2 or 3 year old because they are NOT going to want to wait the hour that it takes you to pound those wheel caps on and screw the dozens of screws in. That said, it's pretty darn sturdy, now that it's all put together!

My opinion is that this is a good purchase for the price and totally appropriate for a 2-5 year old. I picture many Radio Flyers under the Christmas trees this year!

Win a romantic weekend in Lincolnshire, IL!

2011-10-13T11:40:00.001-07:00

If you're looking for a unique weekend away, check out the Viper Alley site for information regarding their Ultimate Romantic Weekend contest. There are three different winners for some really exciting packages including tickets to a Sweetest Day concert by Steve Tyrell (modern day love crooner!), overnight stays at upscale hotels in the Lincolnshire area, massages, limo rides, dinner, breakfast, etc. Plus (and you don't want to miss this one), a chance to hang out with me and Patrick (we'll be at the Friday night show)!

To enter, read the official rules and then fill out their form by 9 am, October 17. Don't forget to include why you need a romantic weekend!

Good luck!

Disclaimer: I am receiving complimentary tickets to the Viper Alley venue in compensation for this post. All opinions remain my own.

Chicago Toy and Game Fair Giveaway!!

2011-10-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

I am so pumped up about attending the 2011 Chicago Toy and Game Fair (i.e. CHITAG)! My family had an absolute blast last year. We found tons of games and toys that the kids not only liked but actually LOVED. 2010's Christmas morning found my children opening Catan's Settlers of America, Munchkin, a Razor Rip Rider 360 and Razor spark scooter, Strawberry Shortcake's remote control car, and Top Trumps (to name a FEW), all of which were discovered at CHITAG. So I am definitely attending with a pen and paper and camera (and maybe even a few bags in case we find something we just HAVE to have that day) to keep track of the Must Have items of this year.

CHITAG also hosts a truly unique contest for children, too. It's called the Young Inventor's Challenge. If you have a kid who is into creating new games and toys, or just has a wild imagination, why not enter him/her in the Challenge and see if one of their crazy ideas is the next Big Thing in the Toy and Game world? Did you know that if your child enters to participate in the Young Inventor's Challenge, your entire immediate family can enter the fair for free? It's such a cool way to inspire your children to think outside the box!

Excited to attend? Wish that you could go, and wish that you could go for FREE?

Well, it just so happens that CHITAG has generously extended the offer of Free Family Weekend Passes for my readers! And not just one pass. But one pass for every week leading up to the fair! FIVE WINNERS!

All you need to do is enter below, as many times as you can (please follow the rules) and I will continue to pick from the list every Friday as it grows! This means that you will basically have 5 chances to win a family pass for every single comment you enter below.

Don't know if you're 100% sure about this event? Don't know if playing with toys all day will appeal to your children? (HA!) Check out these pictures and see if you change your tune:

The Toy and Game Fair is being held at Navy Pier in Chicago on Nov 19-20. Sat hours are 10am-6 pm and
Sun hours are 10am-5pm.

To Enter for a chance at 5 different Family Pass Drawings for the Chicago Toy and Game Fair (parking is not included) (please enter one comment for each entry!):

~ Comment below! You can say hi or tell me your shoe size or why you want to go. Surprise me!

~ Follow me on Twitter

~ Follow ChitagFair on Twitter

~ Tweet this giveaway and link back. 2 entries a day!

~ Subscribe to my blog(s).

~ Spread the word about this giveaway on any other social media site that you belong to and link back!

Good luck! We'll start picking the winners this Friday night (Oct 14), so get cracking as fast as you can for the first chance to win a family pass. But if you aren't picked, just remember this: 4 more chances to win!

First winner on Friday, October 14 is Clementine! Congratulations to her! For everyone else, there are still 4 more drawings, so keep on entering!

Second winner on Friday, October 20 is Lceel (Lou)! Congrats, Lou! For everyone else, are still 3 more drawings, so keep on entering!

Third winner on Friday, October 27 is Steph! Congrats! For everyone else, there are still 2 more drawings! Good luck!

Fourth winner on Friday, November 4 is Heather. Congrats, Heather! For everyone else, there is still 1 more drawing. Good luck!

Fifth winner is MeghanW. Congrats, Meghan!

Contest is closed.

*disclaimer: I was given a pass to attend the Chitag with my family in compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.

The Greatest Show on Earth Returns! And a GIVEAWAY too!

2011-10-03T05:49:00.000-07:00

Contest is over and MEP is the winner! Congrats and have a blast!

It's that time of year, again! The circus is coming back to Chicago and my family couldn't be more excited! Every fall, ever since I can remember, The Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus tours through the Chicago area. And every year, we try to attend because their circus is just the Top Bar for circuses, isn't it?

This year we get to experience the all new show, Fully Charged. Of course Fully Charged will exhibit a tiger tamer, flying acrobats and the hilarious Ringling Clowns. But one of the best parts of going to the circus is the excitement of not knowing what other crazy and outrageous acts will follow. I try to hide the special acts from my kids, so that they get the full experience of WOW! But if you really want a little sneak peek into the action...

Planning on attending? The Circus will be in Chicagoland for several weeks. And remember: you can use the code MOM when purchasing through Ticketmaster to receive $4 off of all weekend tickets or to purchase a 4 pack of tickets for $44 on a weekday!

Allstate Arena

November 3-13, 2011

United Center
November 16-27, 2011

UPDATED TO ADD:

I have a 4 pack of tickets for one reader to win! Enter a comment below for a chance to win. You can get extra entries for every tweet, Facebook, blog post, etc. that you do. Just please remember to comment for each entry and link back!

We'll pick the winner on Oct 23.

The shows available are November 3,9,10 (at the Allstate) and November 16 & 17 (At the United Center).

Good Luck!!

*Disclaimer: I was given tickets for my family to attend the show, but all opinions remain my own.

All pictures are copyrighted and used with permission from Feld Entertainment.

Why Buy When You Can Rent for Less?

2011-09-09T12:08:00.001-07:00

I am so interested by this site, CampusBookRentals.com. Knowing exactly how high the cost of college books are and how little resale value they have, the idea of renting a textbook greatly appeals to me. You pay less than half the price of the book to rent it, without any hidden fees for memberships or what-not, and then, once you are done, you return it. End of story. If you want to buy it instead of returning it, you just pay the remaining amount of the original cost past what you paid to rent it for. Kinda like RedBox for College books, eh?

Anyone with college students this semester or next should look into this option for books. Try out a few books and let me know how it works out for you. I am REALLY interested in this. If my own kids' college experiences still utilize paper books (ha. We'll probably have computer chips in our brains by then), then I fully intend on utilizing this service!

Also, I can't help but be intrigued by a company that helps support a charitable organization like Operation Smile. If you've never heard of Operation Smile, it's an organization that offers medical help for people who suffer from cleft lip/palate and other facial deformities. They do amazing work and make a huge difference in many lives.

Disclaimer: I will receive a discount code for half off the cost of a semester of college book rentals for my cousin in exchange for this post. However, all opinions are my own.

Getting Ready for Halloween?

2011-09-05T02:40:00.000-07:00

I am usually the last person in the family to get decked out for Halloween. Not that I don't dress up, because I do. I've been everything from the Cat in the Hat to a pumpkin in recent years. It's just that everyone else's costumes tend to come before my own. They all get store-bought or carefully crafted homemade costumes while I have to do a last-minute rummage through the donation box for a flannel shirt that I can tape some raffia to in an attempt to look like a "festive" scarecrow. Yet another perk of Motherhood...

So it's refreshing when I can find sites like PartyMart.com that have plenty of Women's Costumes for me to browse through. Their site has the spooky and creepy in addition to the hysterical and slightly off the wall. (I like the Sperm. How perfect for the guy who is just a little brain dead...) It's especially nice to see that, though many costumes DO, not all of their costumes have the word "sexy" in the title. I just don't think I can pull off "sexy" at Halloween.

Then again, this Olympic Goddess costume is quite appealing but still appropriate to wear around the family as we trick-or-treat. At $32, it's affordable and I already have the hair to complete the look... Hmmmm...Either that, or I go for the Sally costume from Nightmare Before Christmas. Wouldn't that be awesome? I love any opportunity to paint stitches on my face... Of course, THAT costume looks like it'd be fun to MAKE. Not that I have time to sew, or anything...

What do you think, dear readers? Go for a little sass this Halloween? Spooky or Sultry? Store bought or Home Made? Or put on the good old Cat in the Hat coat, tail and top hat and slouch along behind the kidlets in their kicking costumes?

Do you dress up for October 31? Do you deck the house in cobwebs and screeching ghouls? Do you watch from the windows or carry your own goody bag? Are you normal or are you a fellow freak, like me???

Though I was compensated for this review, all opinions and thoughts are strictly my own.

3 Winners!

2011-08-16T06:26:00.000-07:00

Winners have been chosen but there is an issue with the video that I took and I can't upload it! Aaarggh!!

Since I know that some of you would like to have the information now, I will post the winners' numbers and names that we picked from the hat and update with a video once I figure out why it is stuck in limbo-land.

The winner for the Musselman's Applesauce package is #5 which is Sagessa. (#1 and #2 are in the first entry from Facebook).

The winner for the Personalized Photo Mug is #3 which is Kristine (Wait in the Van)

The winner for the SportBrella umbrella and chair is #5 which is CherylAlanna. Cheryl, I need to have an email contact to reach you and there is only the blank Blogspot page attached to your link. If I don't hear from you in 48 hours (Thursday before 5 CST) I will have to go to the next person in line for the umbrella and chair. Contact me ASAP!

Congratulations to you all! Thanks for entering and please come back for the next giveaways I host!!

If You Are Having Problems Commenting

2011-08-01T07:51:00.000-07:00

It has come to my attention that people may be having issues posting comments on this blog. If you can't comment, please email me at mctrickyb at sbcglobal dot net with the words "JARB comment" I will do my best to figure out what is going on, but I am not a super-tech person and will be leaving for BlogHer on Weds morning.

Sorry for the issues!

Tracey

Sport-Brella Chair and Umbrella Review and Giveaway

2011-07-30T08:50:00.000-07:00

When I did my little review interview on NBC last week, there was one product that didn't quite arrive in time. Thankfully, it appeared on my doorstep on Monday morning. I am THRILLED about this chair!

The Sport-Brella Chair by Sport-Brella

The Sport-Brella Chair is the ultimate chair for any outdoor setting. It is a portable fold-up sport chair, but unlike other fold-out sport chairs, it has an attached 360 degree swivel umbrella which can be moved from one side of the chair to the other and can be swiveled at 3 different points at the push of a button to offer complete coverage from the sun and wind at any conceivable angle. The umbrella opens out to 46 inches wide and has a UPF 50+ lining for maximum sun protection. The Sport-Brella Chair also has a built-in cup holder, bottle opener and item pouch. Folds down instantly and fits into a compact carry bag. $39.99

My husband and I have been going to The Indy 500 for a few years now. I saw this chair on the sidelines last May and thought "Brilliant! I wonder where I can get one of them?" Well, now I know. It's by Sport-Brella, too and is actually way cheaper than I originally thought it would be. I guarantee that we will be using this chair at not only soccer games and camping but at the Indy 500 in 2012!

This next product WAS featured on the interview and is completely awesome as well...
The Sport-Brella XL by Sport-Brella

The Sport-Brella XL gives the whole family instant protection from the sun, rain, and wind with its domed shape, side flaps and 125 SPF. Its umbrella action open mechanism allows it to be set up in just three seconds and fits the family, fully 9 ft. wide. Includes top wind vents, side zippered windows for efficient airflow and additional visibility, internal pockets for gear and valuables, convenient carry bag and tethers/ground stakes for use when necessary for additional stability. $69.99

I am SO STOKED about the Sport-Brella XL!! We love camping, fishing, and going to the beach, but all of those activities can truly stink when it is 95 degrees and sunny. Just last year, my middle son almost had heat stroke at Lake Michigan's beach and he is WAY too big for me to carry across the dunes! I'm thrilled to bring the Sport-Brella XL to the Dunes with us this August and to continue to use it for any outdoor events that occur in the elements. If you purchase this, just be sure to take the directions out of the pouch with the stakes. Mine was a little stiff to manipulate, at first but is a breeze to set up now! In fact, we used it this weekend for a bit of shade during our lunch in Six Flags' parking lot. What a help!

Want your own chair and umbrella? Sport-Brella is generously offering one set (one winner) as a giveaway!

How to Enter:

Each item you do counts as a separate entry. Please do a different comment for each one! We'll pick the winner on August 15!

Ways to enter:

~ comment! Easy as pie.

~ Visit Sport-Brella.com and tell me what you'd like the most.

~ Follow me on Twitter or my blog.

~ Tweet, post, Facebook, or spread the word about this giveaway on any other social media site and link back. (no limit! Have fun spreading the word, but please leave a comment for each entry!)

Good luck!

Musselman review and giveaway

2011-07-30T08:01:00.000-07:00

When we received our basket of delicious goodies from Musselman's, I had GRAND PLANS. Plans, I tell you! Plans for slowly devouring the individual packages of strawberry applesauce myself. Plans for creating the unique salsa recipe they provided for the 4th of July and documenting it all with gorgeous pictures of joyful family members reveling in my awesomeness. Plans! Plans! Plans!

Man makes plans and God laughs, right?

Well, har-dee-har-har.

After some camera issues and other small malfunctions, I had to go with a different choice. Especially since my daughter had eaten most of the applesauce by that time...As usual, her favorites are the applesauce/fruit combinations. Mine involves anything with the Apple Butter. Mmmm... apple butter....

Musselman's has offered an assortment of their delicious sauces and apple butter for one reader. (picnic basket not included).

Follow the directions below for entries. We'll pick the winner on August 15! Each item you do counts as a separate entry. Please leave a different comment for each one!

Ways to enter:

~ comment! Easy as Apple Pie.

~ Visit Musselmans.com and tell me what you'd like the most.

~ Follow me on Twitter or this blog.

~ Tweet, post, Facebook, or spread the word about this giveaway on any other social media site and link back. (no limit! Have fun spreading the word, but please leave a comment for each entry!)

Good luck!

Coffee Mug giveaway

2011-07-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

One of my new "favorite things" is my specialty coffee mug by GoPromos.com. I can't think of a better wayt to start my day than with a hot cup of coffee, served with smiles from my family...

(picture here)

...especially since they're in picture form. Nobody can speak while I'm drinking. Ahhhh....

Want your own cool mug?

Then enter below and I'll pick a winner via our fancy method of Name in A Hat on Monday, August 15. Each item you do counts as a separate entry. Please do a different comment for each one!

Ways to enter:

~ comment! Easy as pie.

~ Visit GoPromos.com and tell me what you'd like the most.

~ Follow me on Twitter or this blog.

~ Tweet, post, Facebook, or spread the word about this giveaway on any other social media site and link back. (no limit! Have fun spreading the word, but please leave a comment for each entry!)

Good luck!

Star of the Sea book review

2011-07-21T08:58:00.000-07:00

Yet another fabulous book by Janet Halfmann! "Star of the Sea" is less of a storybook and more of an educational book about the amazing lives of sea stars. You probably knew that they can regrow a lost limb, but did you also know they could extend their stomachs FROM THEIR BODIES so that they can digest other sea creatures without cracking the shells? I do, now. My kids and I have read this book several times and now know a WHOLE LOT about this particular animal. Ms. Halfmann's words are easy for my 5 year old to digest but interesting enough to keep my 9 year old's attention and even garnered several comments from my pre-teen (from across the room, naturally. He didn't want to be caught being interested in a picture book!).

As a homeschooling family, every book we read can become an educational opportunity. Star of the Sea has definitely fit that bill!

Mess: The Manual of Accidents and Mistakes - a Review

2011-07-06T07:16:00.000-07:00

I received a really cool book to review a while ago. Titled, "Mess: The Manual of Accidents and Mistakes" it's a challenge to the owner to break out of your comfort zone and create MESSES.

I love this concept! One page suggests the idea of dropping blobs of ink on a page and creating a character around it. Another directs you to take a hammer and chalk and pound it into the page until pulverized, just to see the result. Basically, this book is about destroying the pages, simply to realize that art knows no boundaries and creativity exists in everything.

I had thought to have this be a book for Justin whose special situation includes an extreme aversion to any project that isn't clearly outlined. He likes rules and directions with a known outcome and this book was and is the anti-christ of all art projects. He managed to eek out a few pages, but it was honestly painful for the entire family and I needed to give this book a review!!

Evan had been watching the whole process with Justin and The Mess Book. As my frustration with Justin grew, Evan's curiosity became more evident. "Can I do that book if Justin isn't going to?"

I slapped my head when I realized that I had, yet again, forgotten which child I should have targeted!! My little boy who is always making messes but has strayed from spontaneous art would LOVE this book.

And so, we began to Mess it Up:Using WASHABLE markers on the cover was an interesting lesson. From now on, if you hold our Mess book, you will, in fact, become MESSY...

Coffee grounds...
Leftover spaghetti!
Painting without looking...

I totally endorse Mess: The Manual of Accidents and Mistakes for anyone looking to remember how to be spontaneous and enjoy the process of art without focusing so much on the outcome.

Fur and Feathers - a review

2011-06-25T05:10:00.000-07:00

We are personal fans of the author, Janet Halfmann. She writes stories that are sweet and educational without feeling like knowledge is being stuffed down a kid's throat. Her book, Fur and Feathers, does just that, once again.
Little Sophia has a wonderful dream in which she discovers what type of body coverings different animals have. She finds creative methods of recreating their natural fur/feathers/scales in a seemingly bottomless sewing kit. The beautiful illustrations by Laurie Allen Klein capture a feeling of sweet innocence that reinforces a lesson about the creatures of our world.

Once again, I am happy to read one of Ms. Halfmann's books to my kids and I truly recommend checking this story out!

Legoland Discovery Center - Star Wars Weekend!

2011-06-24T11:49:00.000-07:00

If your kids like Lego Star Wars, and you live in the Chicagoland area, then head over to the Legoland Discovery Center site to purchase your tickets to this weekend's Lego Star Wars Weekend! At the media preview last night, my family and I had a blast checking out the Chicago skyline destruction that the droids brought upon us. It was SO COOL. As in, way too cool for a little boy who is a Lego Star Wars freak...I believe that part of the Wrigley Building is on the street, surrounded by droids...
Life sized R2 and Darth Vader alongside life sized Evan.
Tons of actors!
A clone checking out my boys' race cars...
Corinne appears to have issues with Obama's proposal for extended school days...

Seriously, buy your tickets ASAP because they're selling out!

Mr. Popper's Penguins

2011-06-21T16:35:00.000-07:00

My family recently went to see an early screening of Mr. Popper's Penguins starring Jim Carey. Initially, I had thought it would be a silly children's movie and only attended because I knew they wanted to watch it. I had seen the previews and they presented the movie in a ridiculous light, focusing on penguin poop and one-liners. While the movie DID contain plenty of poopy one-liner jokes, it was actually quite good! I enjoyed the storyline and only became annoyed once or twice by the over-the-top humor that Jim Carey tends to bring to a movie. You'll find that the moral to the story is love, love, love; what's better than love?

All in all, I honestly recommend Mr. Popper's Penguins as a movie to go and check out. Your children will love it and you will definitely find it entertaining and sweet.

Did we like the 2011 Chevy Tahoe Hybrid?

2011-06-06T04:47:00.000-07:00

Let us ponder that question...Let's see: its gas mileage to the Indy 500 and back was phenomenal...

There was adequate space in the middle row for 3 full-sized adults...
... but it still had the 3rd row for extra people (aka: little sisters who maybe shouldn't be sitting quite so closely to their older brothers...)

... it had On-Star AND a traditional navigational system so that when I got turned around in Chicago (AGAIN! You'd think I hadn't lived in this area my whole life...), I was able to call and speak to a live person for 15 minutes while we figured out our way around the heavy construction detours...
...and the 3rd row of seats easily popped right out so that we could fit far too many coolers, grills and suitcases.

Yes. We liked the Tahoe. I cried a tear on the day my review ended...

Legoland Discovery Center giveaway

2011-05-17T10:58:00.000-07:00

Edited to announce that the winner (via the "even or odd" game with my son) is Mom24!

Legoland Discovery Center in Schaumburg Illinois* is presenting a new adventure just in time for Memorial Day weekend ( Friday, May 27 – Monday, May 30 *Special Holiday Hours: 10 a.m. – 8 pm)
The press release boasts:

LEGOLAND Discovery Center Chicago is an indoor family entertainment destination with over 2 million LEGO bricks and nine attractions including: Model Builder Workshop; Jungle Expedition; Dragon Ride; Technicycle; LEGO 4D Cinema; Build and Test; LEGO Factory Tour; and MINILAND featuring iconic Chicago landmarks. For Memorial Day weekend, Captain Clutch, LEGOLAND’s swashbuckling sailor, will lead the way as guests hunt for treasure and build their own pirate sword out of LEGO bricks. You can witness the sack of MINILAND as 1,000 pirate minifigures lay siege in a LEGO Pirate Ship model; and if you keep your pirate wits about you, you might just make off with some booty of your own! Guess how many bricks fill the LEGOLAND treasure chest, and you could take home your own treasure chest full of LEGO brick.

Located at the Streets of Woodfield, 601 N. Martingale Rd. in Schaumburg, LEGOLAND Discovery Center is 30 minutes from downtown Chicago by car. Adult Admission is $19. Child Admission is $15. Special annual pass and ticket offers are available at www.LEGOLANDdiscoverycenter.com. Last guest admission is two hours before closing. Extended hours are available on school vacation days and national holidays. Visit www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com for updated daily opening times. LEGOLAND Discovery Center is a part of the Merlin Entertainments Group.

~~~~

I wish I could take my family to Legoland over Memorial Day weekend because my children had such a blast the last time we visited. Alas, I will be drinking wine coolers at the Indy 500 sans children... :)

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

But Legoland has graciously invited one reader from here to experience the fun with their family!

Enter below to win 4 tickets to the Memorial Day celebration. I'll pick the winner on Tuesday, May 24.

Good Luck!

Ways to enter:

~ comment! Easy as pie.

~ Visit Legoland Discovery Center's website and tell me what you'd like to check out the most.

~ Tweet, post, Facebook, or spread the word about this giveaway on any other social media site and link back. (no limit! Have fun spreading the word, but please leave a comment for each entry!)

*This giveaway is only applicable for the Schaumburg Illinois location!

Dream Big, Little Pig review

2011-04-25T06:41:00.001-07:00

Corinne and I recently received a copy of Kristi Yamaguchi's new children's book, Dream Big, Little Pig. Did you know that Kristi Yamaguchi (you know, the world-famous skating champion) started skating as a physical therapy treatment for her medical issue of club foot? When I found that bit of knowledge out, it put a whole new spin on the obstacles that she must have overcome to achieve the dreams that she has, and caused me to understand the storyline with a new perspective. So I settled down with my 5 year old on our comfy couch to read about Poppy the pig and her dreams of doing something FABULOUS...

And what a sweet story it is! Poppy is surrounded by family and friends who support her no matter what she tries. She KNOWS that she is destined for greatness and never gives up. I adored the cheering of her best friend and grandparentsI can imagine that Kristi must have a similar support team in her own life. To achieve all that she has is downright amazing.

Did you know that she founded the Always Dream Foundation in 1992 to support children in their education and recreational activities? Did you know that the trophies and awards she has received in her athletics have to compete with the goodwill she's involved in as well?

I'm happy to endorse this lovely book written by Kristi Yamaguchi and beautifully illustrated by Tom Bowers. A portion of every book purchase will go towards the Always Dream Foundation to support its early childhood literacy initiative.

Winner of the Jumpstart membership!

2011-04-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Jumpstart Giveaway

2011-03-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

I have had a long-standing love affair with Jumpstart.com. My daughter loves their programs on the computer and Wii and so does my niece. For the 3-8 age range, it's a great collection of educational programs that are still really, really fun for children to use.
Jumpstart now provides a new math program called Math Blaster. We've played Math Blaster as a homeschooling family for a few years now on a cd-rom and Nintendo DS. The game basically follows a character through several levels (beginning with addition and subtraction) of math problems to complete the missions. Unfortunately, my computer is quite temperamental this winter and I haven't been able to utilize the Math Blaster on Jumpstart as of yet. We're working on getting the computer happy again. Until then, I stand behind Jumpstart.com and my prior knowledge of Math Blaster. It Rocks!

Playing Jumpstart!

The good people of Jumpstart.com would like to offer a 6 month full-membership which includes their new Math Blaster option for one reader! Simply comment below and we'll pick the winner on Tuesday, April 5.

Good luck!

Extra entries for:

~ following me on Twitter or Google Friend connect above...

~ every Tweet/Facebook link/other social media site you post about this and link back to. Just let me know what you've done with a link, please! One mention per site, per day!

No more new entries! Will post winner tomorrow morning!

Getting in Shape...

2011-03-10T10:00:00.000-08:00

Ugh. I am out of it. Shape, that is. I may be close to the same size I've always been, but the distribution and type of weight that I'm carrying is not. (i.e. I have a soft and squishy butt and belly...)

So when Lindsay Brin contacted me to review her set of exercise dvds for moms, I jumped on that email. (Well, I didn't jump, I kind of sleepily nodded...).

I just did day 1 of the Core Metabolic JumpStart with Corinne. It kicked my ass.
BUT. In a good way. Seriously, I know that if I can keep myself on task and keep alternating these videos, I will be in shape by BlogHer11 in August. I WILL. That is my goal and I am not going to let this opportunity pass me by.

You shouldn't, either! Lindsay has a discount code for anyone who wants to purchase her dvd set. You can receive 30% off of her 60 Day SlimDown System by using the code "60daydvd30".

You can also receive a FREE copy of her Stroller Pump Workout by liking her on Facebook!

She has dvds for any stage of your life, including pregnancy and post-natal. Plus, I found her personality to be friendly and encouraging without being annoying. (That's saying a lot. I am easily annoyed by athletic instructors...) Lindsay also has a personal blog where she's writing about baby #3 and moving and all the joys of motherhood. I always like supporting fellow bloggers. :)

Let me know if you're taking the plunge into getting fit! I could use all the camaraderie I can gather!

Mad City Chicks Giveaway

2011-02-20T17:38:00.000-08:00

Edited to add:

Ok, my apologies. I made a drawing video and picked the winner and haven't uploaded the results because I am unorganized and unprofessional. But that's why you love me. Right?

RIGHT?!?

Without further ado, the winner is Rebecca!! Congratulations! Enjoy getting all beautiful and clean without icky chemicals and maybe, just maybe, I'll get around to posting that video drawing. Oy. My week has been nuts...

A while back a bloggy friend, Julie from Julie's Rants, sent me a box of bath goodies to try out.

(All of this soap reviewing is starting to feel like the universe is implying something...)

Nevertheless, I forged on with MORE BATHS just for you guys. That's how I roll. Anything for my blog readers. (Fist to the chest and OUT). So, for 2 weeks I abandoned my previous new-found soap loves to try out the natural soaps and oils from Mad City Chicks San Marcos.

I received 2 soaps, lip balm, a cleansing facial oil and a handmade wash cloth. After using them all, I will admit that I adore using the facial oil for removing my make up. LOVE it. I still like to use my facial cream for extra moisture (it's winter!) but I can see how it might not be necessary for everyone. You would think that putting "oil" on your face would cause your skin to be, well, OILY. Surprise! It's not. There is something about the combination of the natural oils that are used ("carrier oils" which don't clog pores) that leave your skin moisturized but not slick. Love it!

My kids loved the bar soaps because they are GONE. Gone! I got to use the pink glycerin goat milk soap twice before the little rugrats demolished it! Needless to say, they thought it smelled nice.

Julie has generously offered a lovely gift box of natural soaps and accessories for one lucky reader! Just enter below and we'll pick a winner on March 7.

Good luck!

Ways to Enter:

~ Comment!

~ Visit their Etsy site and tell me what product looks interesting to you.

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ Tweet this giveaway!

~ Subscribe to my blog!

Free Sessions at Pump It Up!

2011-02-20T13:47:00.000-08:00

Hey parents: President's Day is tomorrow! Check out this media release for information on a cool offer!!

"Chicago-area residents now have the opportunity to CHOOSE an energy provider! Spark Energy is a multi-state provider of low-cost electric service offering significant long-term savings to current ComEd customers. Learn more at http://www.sparkenergy.com/ .

To Celebrate, Spark Energy in Chicago Offers a FREE Session of Jumping Fun at Pump It Up!
This President’s Day – Monday, February 21st – many children will be off of school and moms will be searching for kid-friendly activities. Spark Energy in Chicago will be offering a downloadable coupon for a FREE session of jumping fun atdesignated Chicago-area Pump It Up locations.

How to download the coupon – available beginning at 5:00 p.m. CST on 2/19:
· Like Spark Energy in Chicago on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/SparkEnergyChicago

· Click on the Offers tab to download and print the Pump It Up coupon for ONE free session of jumping fun for Monday, February 21st – one coupon per adult – while supplies last!

· Present the original printed coupon to one of the designated Pump It Up locations (see coupon for locations) and receive one free session of jumping fun."

I occasionally receive compensation in the form of gift cards and products for posts. However, the opinions I share are solely my own

HomeAway Smushed Mah Face

2011-02-14T06:53:00.000-08:00

Did you watch the Superbowl? Did you?Did you watch it for the game or for the commercials? Both? Yeah, me too.

Remember the one for Home Away - Ministry of Detourism? I didn't EITHER, until I went to their site and smacked my head because OF COURSE I remembered their commercial! Who could forget this?

Even cooler is that they have options where you can insert your face into the commercial! Check out my version...

You can make your own, too! I think I may go back and smash a couple of pics of my husband. Nothing says "Happy Valentine's Day" like a smushed face on a glass wall...

Disclaimer: I was compensated for this post but all opinions are my own.

Musselman Makes me Happy...

2011-02-08T14:14:00.000-08:00

Aaaahhh... Musselman Applesauce. One of my favorite brands to promote! They've always provided delicious and nutritious products with good morals to boot.

Their latest venture includes supporting breast cancer awareness and prevention by promoting a healthy-lifestyle cook book, "Substitute yourself Skinny." Most of us already know the obvious tricks of substituting low-fat ingredients or using applesauce instead of cooking oil (my fave for muffins and pancakes!) to cut fat and calories of our recipes. But how much are you saving, really? Do you know the breakdown of each substitution?By cutting calories and fat, we reduce our risk of health complications which aid disease and obesity. When our bodies are stronger and healthier, we are in a better position to discourage disease to take hold. If our health should become compromised, a healthy diet and lifestyle enables our body to better fight off said sickness.

This book breaks down the recipes, piece by piece. You KNOW how many calories and fat you are saving by using the substitutions. Just look at the comparison box for the "Not So Fat Tuesday Gumbo":
That's a gumbo that I am happy to feed to my family and myself!

Check out Substitute Yourself Skinny!

Though I was given the applesauce and book, I fully admit that these opinions are my OWN!

Monday Morning

2011-02-07T05:35:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I got WAY off schedule with review postings. I am blaming the blizzard for the last time and moving on.

The winner of the MacBeth drawing is #1 - Mary Kate (posted by Rita - thanks!) Enjoy the show! And don't forget to validate your parking!!

My own family is looking forward to another fun week. We'll drive around in this awesome Chevy Traverse on our way to errands and such and then head to the Monster Jam at the Allstate on Friday night. (Still tickets available! Check out my link for a discount on prices.)Wooot! We'll bring it all to a close with a birthday party for my eldest in his last year as a "child." TWELVE YEARS OLD!! Gah. I am ancient.

Healthy Options of Days Gone By i.e. My Favorite Bath Products in the ENTIRE World.

2011-02-03T06:23:00.000-08:00

My NEW Favorite thing. Seriously, if I were Oprah, you'd be receiving a whole set of these bath products.

And so would you.

And you.

AND YOU, TOO!!!

Bath scrubs and moisturizers for EEeeeeVVVVeerrryyyyOOOooonnneee!!!

Alas, my parents knew how to spell my name which is "Tracey" and not "Oprah" and so I cannot offer unlimited bath products to you all. (You can blame my parents for this obvious injustice to your skin.) I CAN offer a discount which is practically like a freebie because the prices at Healthy Options of Days Gone By are already really low!

Good Lord. I'm halfway down the page and you don't even know the object of my affection!!Aren't they lovely?? The jars, not the wine which I was drinking while bathing with their scrubs and soaps... ahhh....

Well, trust me. Though small jars of seemingly random oils and minerals, they are ACTUALLY little tubs of MAGIC!!
See? I am GLOWING!

(Ok, truth be told: That is actually a picture of me after shoveling in the midst of Tuesday's blizzard when I thought my husband would be able to make it home that night - he didn't - and I was panting and out of breath.)THIS is me after a bath, all rosy faced and shiny. No make up! Long and crazy hair, getting ready to be cut for Locks of Love and a random towel in the background for that special "lived in" effect.

It's true. I slap some citrus sugar scrub on my face, neck and shoulders and I am magically glowing. I then rub the Tiny Hiney on my arms and legs and, um, HINEY, and I am moisturized without being oily for 12 HOURS!! (Yes. I timed it.) Also, I accidentally got a bit of Sugar Scrub on my lip and it went into my mouth and I didn't DIE! Their products are all natural and made up of ingredients that I can pronounce and even UNDERSTAND! (It actually tasted kind of good. So keep this away from any little ones who like sweets or else you'll be cleaning up some interesting diapers the next day.)

Yummy!

I live in Illinois. It is FEBRUARY.

IL + Feb = SKIN LIKE A DESERT HORNED LIZARD.

However...

IL + Feb + Sugar Scrub and Tiny Hiney = LUSTROUS SKIN equal to that of a 20 year old!!*

I have only one gripe with their products: They're too small! How long will this tub of Tiny Hiney last? Yes, a tiny bit goes a realllllly long way, but it's barely halfway through the winter! I'll let you know when I run out.

Or, you can find out yourself! Healthy Options of Days Gone By has offered a discount of 15% off any purchase when you use the code"PRREVIEW15" at checkout.

Happy browsing and shopping!

* Claims may be slightly embellished. But I swear that I feel great and hydrated without being oily. It's like pouring humidity back into my epidermis. I also swear that all I got from this review was the chance to fall in love with their products.i.e. I wasn't paid, yo.

Winner Winner!

2011-02-02T17:27:00.000-08:00

Ok. So, we had a wee bit of snow in the past few days and I have been spending just a tad too much time glued to the weather channel and then shoveling about 4 foot drifts from my driveway. I nearly forgot about the drawings!!!

The winner of the Monster Truck drawing is...

#5 Tiaras and Tantrums! Congrats!

And Garima, MegRyansMom and E... will each receive a packet of Top Trumps card game! Congrats as well!!

Don't forget to enter the drawing for Macbeth, ending on Feb 4!

Solise Review!

2011-01-28T14:45:00.000-08:00

I am not a big fan of handwashing.

Wait. That came out wrong.

To clarify, I feel that the country has gone completely germaphobe and is anti-bacterializing our society into a nation of immunity-deficient citizens. If we don't regularly exercise our white blood cells with a few common germs and bacteria, how can we expect them to be strong enough to fight off the seriously dangerous stuff? Humans have been living in a symbiotic relationship with bacteria since we first crawled from the loamy seas. It feels like we should give them a little credit for our survival instead of eradicating all micro-organisms from every surface in our homes and inch of our bodies.

Nevertheless, we do need to clean ourselves with gentle soaps and water. Our bodies do live longer and healthier when we regularly wash our dead skin and toxins off. So when I received a jar of Solise Hand Wash with sunscreen, I was interested to read up on it and test it out.

The difference between Solise and your traditional liquid hand soap is that it is not anti-bacterial AND it provides an SPF of 15 after rinsing the suds away! It's gentle enough fro your face and after using it, I didn't feel like I was lubed up for the beach.

Check it out and see for yourself!

Excited for Disney on Ice! UPDATED!!

2011-01-26T14:18:00.000-08:00

My kids and I are heading out to see Woody and the Gang on Toy Story 3 on Ice at the Allstate Arena!! One of my all-time favorite animated series, Toy Story 3 on Ice is highly anticipated in my household. I can't wait to see how they do Ham on skates. Heh...

Updated on the 26th to say....

We loved it! Disney did a really great job incorporating all of our favorite characters into this ice show. And watching a gigantic pig skate was an experience everyone should witness. Truly.

The absolute BEST characters, though had to be...

Barbie and Ken.

Holy Lord, I still get the giggles when I remember Ken's ice walk. If you've seen the movie, Toy Story 3, you know how he does a slightly jerky, bent-arm and knee walk. Ken on Ice PERFECTED that! It was the little details like those that made me really enjoy this show.

There are still plenty of tickets available! You can use the code MOM* for a discount (see here) at either the Allstate Arena or United Center. Let me know how much you loved it!!

FYI: I still have tickets for the Monster Jam in Feb and MacBeth (several dates to choose from). There are NO ENTRIES for MacBeth and only 6 for Monster Jam!! They end soon, so enter Today! And don't forget my Top Trumps Card game! As of now, there are 2 entries for FIVE PACKETS!

MacBeth giveaway!

2011-01-22T07:24:00.000-08:00

One of the best parts of having an older child is enjoying more adult activities with him. Justin and I are attending the Chicago Shakespeare Theater's rendition of MacBeth (an abridged version - only 75 minutes!) next Saturday. As it's recommended for ages 10 and up, I think Justin will like it. I hope he finds the flow of words and climb of the storyline as interesting as I always have. (Plus, there are sword fights. CST does awesome sword fights!) Shakespeare is just... cool. He was cool before cool was cool.Cool.

If you'd like to check out this play, you can purchase them online her e. Or enter below to win 4 tickets to see MacBeth for free! They're running the show from January 22 through March 5 and the four pack is available on any number of those performances. (Fine print= Subject to availability. Valid by phone or in person only. Not valid in combination with other promotions or on previously purchased tickets.) Remember to validate your parking ticket at the theater for a big discount on Navy Pier's parking!

To enter:

~ Just comment! Be sure to have an email that I can easily find...

~ Tweet this giveaway and link back! (More than one tweet a day is fine, but be reasonable!)

~ Follow my blog on Twitter.

~ Subscribe to my blog.

~ Post about this giveaway on your own blog, Facebook, or other media site and link back.

1 Entry for each way you enter!

We'll pick the winner on Friday, February 4. Good luck to everyone!

Monster Jam Giveaway!!

2011-01-19T10:11:00.000-08:00

Are you ready?!? Because WE ARE!!!

RAWR!! I had no idea that I would enjoy the noise and craziness that is a Monster Jam Truck Rally! But last year when we attended the Chicago show, it was a BLAST. Noisy as hell, but fabulously fun.
See? Those kids aren't having the time of their lives or anything, are they? :)

We're going again on the February 11th show at the Allstate Arena in Chicago. Want to go, too?!? Because tickets for the Friday show are only $10 for adults and children. OR, you can use this discount code, MOM*, when purchasing tickets through Ticketmaster.com to save 33% on adult tickets for the Saturday or Sunday shows (4 to choose from. Some restrictions apply).

OR!!! You can win 4 tickets for the Friday night show by entering my giveaway today!!

To Enter the giveaway, do any or all of the following but please leave a comment for each entry that you'd like to add:

~ Comment!

~ Tweet this giveaway and link back. No limit, just don't do 20 in a row, m'kay?

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ Subscribe to my blog.

~ Post about this giveaway on your own blog and link back.

~ Post about this giveaway on any other social media site (Facebook, etc.) and let me know what you've done and where, please!

We'll pick the winner using our favorite method of drawing from a hat with a lovely assistant (child labor at its finest) on Tuesday, February 1st.

Top Trump Giveaway #2

2011-01-19T09:20:00.000-08:00

Top Trumps is an easy to learn and fun to play card game that my kids now bring with us, just about everywhere we go! Similar to the traditional game of "War", each player has to "trump" his opponents' stats with the stats on his own card. The difference between War and Top Trumps is that you, as the player, get to choose which stat is the best to battle with. If you happen to have cards on educational topics (there are tons of animal stat cards to choose from), they're learning without effort!Fabulous.

I am happy to announce that I have 5 more sets of cards (either the Horses and Ponies or the Dogs set) to giveaway! Enter below and good luck to everyone! If you don't win this time, come back next month for ANOTHER Top Trumps giveaway!

~ First comment is for free!

Extra comments:

~ Tweet this giveaway and link back. (you can do several, but please be reasonable!)

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ Blog about this giveaway and link back.

~ Subscribe to my blog.

~ Visit the Top Trumps site and let me know what other topics sound the most interesting to you.

We'll pick the FIVE winners on Monday, January 31. (one pack per person) Good luck to you all!!

A Not So Subtle Hint...

2011-01-17T15:32:00.000-08:00

It's COLD. And after the mouse-capades we've had in my house, I need a vacation. Great Wolf Lodge is having a huge deal on rooms right now... (Hint, hint for my husband.) We always have a blast in Wisconsin Dells!

Winner Redraw of Disney on Ice!

2011-01-17T06:01:00.000-08:00

Due to a misunderstanding, Julie (who lives in Texas!) cannot attend the Disney on Ice in Chicago next week. :) She was so sweet, too!

Since my kids are still asleep and I wanted to get the info out ASAP so that I can send the winner information on time, I drew the number myself. Sadly, this means no adorable assistants are on video. It also means that I did a PICTURE drawing instead of video because this is what I look like right now:Yeah. You are NOT getting me on video this morning. The coffee pot took a break and I had to do some high-tech finagling to make it brew my life-giving liquid again (i.e. push that little red button in between the outlets on the wall) so I am not at my best. Also, the irony that I chose THAT particular random piece of paper from the "Eat Pray Love" dvd case has not escaped me.

Hence, the drawing goes as follows....

Drum roll:

DRUM ROLL, dangit!

Congratulations to #5 - Vicky! You have until 9 am Tuesday morning to contact me or else I'm just going to tape the tickets to my forehead for the first person to grab.

The Winner of the Disney on Ice tickets!

2011-01-16T10:02:00.001-08:00

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Toy Story 3 on Ice Giveaway

2011-01-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

The new year begins with lots of new giveaways and reviews! Experiences, products and services all tried and tested by yours truly for my honest opinion. I appreciate the opportunities to go on fun outings with my family and to offer the chance for such outings for all of you!

The first of such outings is the chance to watch Disney On Ice: Toy Story 3 at the Allstate Arena for the 7:00 show. We'll be there, too! My kids can't wait to see another Disney production on ice. We've seen Tinkerbell... Princesses, High School musical, and Disney characters galore. We're becoming quite the ice skating followers! I can fully and honestly declare that all of my family (husband and pre-teen included) like Disney's ice productions.

I am so thrilled to announce that I have 4 free tickets for the opening night show for one reader! Or, if you don't get pulled out of the hat by my lovely assistant, you can use this discount code for anyone who wants to purchase tickets! When ordering tickets through Ticketmaster, enter the coupon code MOM* for a 4 pack of tickets for only $44 to be used on the Monday - Thursday shows and Friday Matinees (excluding holidays). You can also use the MOM* code for $4 off on all weekend shows!

Something for everyone, see?

To enter the giveaway for the 4 tickets to the 7 pm show at Allstate on Jan 26, please put in a separate comment for every entry!

~ Comment below! Easy. Just make sure I have an email to contact you with because if you don't respond in 48 hours, I HAVE to pick someone else.

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ TWEET this giveaway!! 1 entry for every tweet and honestly, I don't care how often you tweet. Isn't that fabulous? Just be sure to link to the tweets, m'kay?

~ Link to this giveaway on Facebook or any other social networking site (please provide your site info!)

~ Subscribe to my blog.

~ Post about this giveaway on your own blog.

We'll pick the winner on Sunday, January 16. Good luck to everyone!

The Mother Company

2010-12-21T11:31:00.000-08:00

Have you heard of The Mother Company?

I recently received a copy of an episode of their pet project; Ruby's Studio: The Feelings Show. It's a tv show geared towards 3-6 year olds. It centers on discussing emotions and creativity without being too instructional. Corinne and I watched it together the other day and I have to say, it's very well done. "Ruby" is sweet and caring without over-doing it and the children on the show don't make me cringe like I did when watching the purple dinosaur show...

While the show is quite lovely, what I am personally enjoying the most is their site! I love when a parenting site is properly laid out. Truly, I have been known to click off of a site within 15 seconds if the layout didn't make sense to me. (Note to self: Call Cynthia and see if she can re-do blogs...)

Hawk Eye Review and Contest Announcement

2010-12-17T07:55:00.000-08:00

I have such a COOL contest to announce!

Want to win $2000 in prizes and a ride in a helicopter?!? Go to the Hawk Eye: Capture Your World Video Contest and upload a video for your chance to win!

My family was given a whole slew of products from Air Hogs to test out and my husband and I have been flying them incognito at night to get the hang of it before Christmas morning. I figured that I would be horrible at it as I am ALWAYS horrible at the flying video games, but I actually kind of figured out how to make the helicopters go up and down without smashing them into anything (now I just need to go side to side. Oy vey...) Patrick, naturally, is a pro at it and recommends them for everyone. He has more patience than I do and can't wait to start video taping with the Air Hog's Hawk Eye, the first indoor helicopter to fly and take videos or photographs at the same time. Pretty cool, eh?

One main feature of the Hawk Eye, the new video-taking helicopter that retails at about $60 (look for great deals online!) that appeals to ME is the docking system that charges the battery while downloading the video. With 3 kids (and a husband) who will all be making movies, I foresee a lot of charging in my future...

To enter the Hawk Eye Capture Your World Contest, either

a) submit a 2 minute max video from your Hawk Eye or

b) if you don’t have a hawk Eye, submit a 2 min max video that imitates the video from a Hawk Eye (they show you how to do this on the contest site)

NO voices/talking (but instrumental music is allowed)and NO showing faces or likeness (to comply with online privacy laws for children)

** Grand prize: a trip for 2 in their very own private helicopter, an awesome flip video camcorder and tons of Air Hogs swag

** Plus runner up prizes worth over $2,000!

If you want to get involved in the contest, visit the Hawk Eye site today for their complete list of rules and recommendations. Enter by Jan 2, 2011 (11:59:59 PST) to be available for your chance to win!

** I am not running this contest and cannot help you enter. I was given a selection of Air Hog product in exchange for posting about their contest. All opinions are my own.

Winners of the Dec 2010 Top Trumps Giveaway

2010-12-16T07:40:00.001-08:00

Don't forget to enter in January's Top Trumps Giveaway!!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A Free iPod!!

2010-12-13T12:49:00.000-08:00

I'll bet that caught your attention, eh?

Yes, it's true! A free iPod shuffle can be yours, thanks to Groupit.com. With a few extra dollars for songs from iTunes, you can make someone very happy this Christmas morning!

Groupit is an online site that helps you organize family and friends who want to contribute to larger gifts or to buy items together. What a great idea! I am totally thinking about this site for Justin's birthday in February as I am D.O.N.E. shopping for Christmas!

If you're interested in an iPod for a lucky loved one, then follow the directions below and Good Luck!

To be entered to win this iPod Shuffle all you need to do is use Groupit www.groupit.com/ to help you organize a group purchase this week. (No purchase necessary) After creating a Groupit, email the link to your Groupit page to - info@groupit.com with the words "Just Another Mommy Blog - Groupit" in the subject line - and you'll be entered to win. Groupit will announce the winners this Saturday 12/18 at 9am PT so be sure to start your Groupit before Saturday! Groupit will ship your iPod Shuffle to you immediately so you receive it in plenty of time in case you want to use it as a Christmas stocking stuffer or gift.

If you have any questions using Groupit, call their friendly customer support team at 1-866-830-5411 and they'll be glad to help! www.groupit.com

Good luck to everyone! This is open to my readers only and is NOT a mass giveaway. Joining Groupit was easy and worth the effort for a chance at an iPod...

Costume Review

2010-12-13T06:18:00.000-08:00

Isn't she sweet?!? Shhh. I think I tell her that too much, sometimes.

Corinne is modeling the Heavenly Angel costume from Costume Express that we received last week. I really WAS surprised at the quality of the costume since it retails at $32.99. It is pretty well-made with comfortable material and tight stitching. The wings, dress, belt and halo are all included and absolutely thrilled my daughter.

This is her rendition of "angelic". I think we landed a little closer to "Home Alone" than "Silent Night" but I after 10 pictures that are EXACTLY like this one, she was done with the photo shoot...

Costume Express is having a 25% off sale from now until December 20 if you want to buy any last minute presents or get something cool for a pageant (they have EVERY Christmas costume you can imagine. I was pushing for the boys to get a Buddy the Elf outfit, but I received only dirty looks from them...). So check them out! I am hoping that this costume still fits by Halloween of next year! It'd be nice to have a costume that actually REFLECTS light for once...

Winner of Goodnight, Little Sea Otter

2010-12-11T14:14:00.000-08:00

I know I promised a fancy hat drawing for the book, but my camera is temperamental lately. I hope it works for Christmas!! Yikes.

In the meantime, thanks to Random.org, the winner of the children's book, Goodnight Little Sea Otter, is.....

#10 - Kelly Massman

Congrats Kelly! I'll contact you by email. Enjoy the book and thanks to everyone for entering!

I still have lots of empty spaces for the cool giveaway on the Top Trumps card game. It's fun for everyone of all ages and makes a great stocking stuffer!! PLUS, I have 5 games to give out!!

Pup Light

2010-12-09T13:04:00.000-08:00

My dad's cell phone showed up on my caller id the other night. That's a pretty rare occurrence, so I frantically snatched up my phone to see what was the matter.

"Hey Trace!"

"Um, Hi, Dad. What's up? Is something wrong?!?"

crackle crackle wind in my ear

"I'm just walking Zoe (dog) and it's so bright out here."

Blink. Blink.

wind in my ear

"Ok."

"Yep. It's really easy to see. Even on this totally dark pathway. No problems seeing at ALL!"

Blink.

Pause.

"Ooookaaaaayyy...."

Expectant pause from him.

Confused pause from me.

More wind in my ear.

And then, suddenly, clarity strikes as I realize what the hell he's alluding to:

"OH! Are you using the Pup Light?!?"

"Yep. No problem seeing! Though it's a bit bouncy because she keeps walking..."

Chuckling, I smile.

"So, Dad. Are you giving the Pup Light a good review? Positive feedback with a recommendation that the manufacturers figure out how to have the light be motion controlled?"

"Yep. Sure do. It's really easy to see out here on this dark pathway at NIGHT."

"Thanks, Dad. Have a good walk. Good night!"

"Night, Tata!"*

I was given a Pup Light to review. I don't have a dog, (much to the sorrow of my children) so my parents stepped up and tried this out. For about $19.95, I'd say it's a pretty cool idea for any pet owner or Christmas present for someone who doesn't want to walk in the dark. ;) Check them out!

*Yes. My nickname is synonymous with a crude slang for breasts. This is what happens when your baby sister is cute and can't say 'Tracey' though how she came up with "TaTa" from those consonants is beyond me...

Top Trumps Giveaway

2010-12-07T06:35:00.000-08:00

Stocking Stuffer issues?

I have the answer for everyone!

Top Trumps is an easy-to-learn and fun-to-play card game that will snugly fit into any boy or girl's (or husband's!) stocking this Christmas. At about $8 a pack, and with over 20 titles of popular themes and educational topics, they will expand your brain without thinning your wallet. My family played the Dog version at the Chicago Toy and Game Fair. Everyone, from Corinne (age 5) to Patrick (age, um, much older than 5...), was able understand and enjoy the game. My kids don't know it, but they're each getting packets in their own stockings this year...

Here's today's best news! 5 lucky readers will each receive their own packet of Top Trumps! (Either the Horses and Ponies set or the Dogs set). Just follow the directions below and enter away so that you can get your packet before Christmas morning. Even better: If you don't get picked this month, don't be too sad, because I will be hosting several more Top Trumps giveaways over the coming months! Be sure to keep entering for more chances to win!!

Good luck and ENJOY!!

Ways to enter:

~ Comment!

~ Visit Top Trumps' website and tell me which set you think you'd most enjoy.

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ Tweet this giveaway (2 tweets a day!) please link back.

~ Subscribe to my blog.

~ Post about this on your own blog and link back. (2 entries)

Good luck to everyone! We'll draw the FIVE WINNERS on Wednesday, December 15.

All I want for Christmas...

2010-12-03T15:10:00.000-08:00

I hope, I hope, I hope...

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Razor Rip Rider 360 for Christmas 2010!

Winner for the Bad Seeds Boutique giveaway!

2010-12-03T14:25:00.000-08:00

And the winner for the Bad Seeds Boutique headband giveaway is....

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

#13! Congratulations to Kelly at Writing the Waves of Motherhood! Hope it looks beautiful on your little girl.

Thanks to everyone for entering and don't forget to enter for the book giveaway that ends on Dec 15!

Organically Grown review

2010-12-01T06:30:00.000-08:00

I can't always make the greenest choices. After all, "going green" can sometimes require spending a ton of it. So I was pleasantly surprised to review this sweet baby romper by Organically Grown and find that it's only $22. Isn't that sweet? It's super soft and my nephew will look absolutely adorable in it!

Comparable to all other name brands in price, Organically Grown can spout the benefit of only using cotton grown without pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. This makes for a healthier environment for ALL of us. Every purchase of organic food or clothing helps to support the farmers who strive to provide us all with a safer Earth.

Organically Grown has items for the WHOLE family, including men, women and home decor! If you're looking for a Christmas present that has a low impact on Mother Earth, check them out!

You can save 15% off of your purchase if you use the code: ORGANIC WINTER.

Enjoy!

Good Night, Little Sea Otter review

2010-11-30T06:16:00.000-08:00

Aren't children's books the best? I love the stories behind the sweet characters that come to life when a great author and talented artist truly collaborate well.

Good Night, Little Sea Otter by Janet Halfmann and illustrated by Wish Williams* is a simple and sweet story of a little Otter who drags out the process of going to bed by saying good night to everyone and everything he can think of. It's not a new idea by any means, but the colors and precious faces of the characters make this bedtime story stand out for me. It's a definite recommendation for anyone with a little one. And at only $ 5.95 from Star Bright Books, I FULLY endorse its value!

Edited to add:

I have a book to give away!! Just enter below and I'll pick the winner on December 11. Good luck to everyone!!

Ways to enter:

~ Comment!

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ Tweet this giveaway (2 tweets a day!) please link back.

~ Subscribe to my blog.

~ Post about this on your own blog and link back. (2 entries)

Good luck to everyone!!

*What a great name! Wouldn't you love to be called "Wish"? I wonder if he ever got called "Wishy-washy" though? Hmm...Naming a kid is HARD.

Legoland Excitement!

2010-11-28T05:38:00.000-08:00

You may remember how much we liked Legoland this fall but in case you forgot...

Legoland Discovery Center in Chicago is having a neat contest! You can nominate a name for their landmark entry-way giraffe and, if you are the chosen winner, you will receive '4' year-long passes to Legoland in Chicago! How cool is that? Just go to their Facebook page, be sure to "Like" them and go to the November 22 post.

Even if you don't want to win, how about heading over and mentioning how much you like my personal name of "Francesca?"

What? You don't think Franny is a good name for a giraffe? Fine.

I'd like to see YOU DO BETTER!!

You can nominate until Dec 1 and voting begins on Dec 2. The winner will be announced at a special ceremony on Dec 31. Following the ceremony will be several fun activities for the whole family:

· The opportunity to participate in a 12-foot nutcracker group build

· Model Workshops that, in addition to ornaments and picture frames, teach guests how to build snowmen and penguins using LEGO bricks

· A scavenger hunt for hidden LEGO gift boxes inside MINILAND. Guests can enter their scavenger hunt card into a raffle for a 4-pack of annual passes

· Winter-themed creative challenges, with winners receiving special holiday prizes

· Commemorative holiday Factory LEGO bricks

· Discounts on food, drinks and photos

Holiday bow giveaway!

2010-11-23T13:07:00.000-08:00

I recently received some lovely hair accessories for Corinne and they are just adorable! Check out her new headbands from Bad Seeds Boutique:

Awwwww.....
The "Grace" is her favorite because she likes flowers on the side of her head. My little flamenco dancer...

You can win a new headband for your little girl just in time for the holidays! You will have your choice of either the "Red",Or this lovely red and black headband:

(I do believe these are exact duplicates of what the Etsy designer, Amilie, will be accessorizing her own daughter with this Christmas!)

You can earn entries to win EITHER of these headbands by doing any or all of the following:

~ Comment with which headband you like the best!

~ Visit Bad Seeds Boutique and purchase ANY item there. You will receive a free gift with any purchase when you mention Just Another Review Blog! Comment back and let me know what you bought!

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ Tweet this giveaway (2 tweets a day!) please link back.

~ Subscribe to my blog.

~ Post about this on your own blog and link back. (2 entries)

~ Follow Bad Seeds Boutique on Facebook (worth 5 entries) and say that you found them through Just Another Review Blog.

We'll pick the winner on Friday, December 3rd. The winner will be notified by email so BE SURE to provide a way to contact you or I'll have to choose a different winner!!

A Taste of Chicago Toy and Game Fair

2010-11-20T16:35:00.000-08:00

First of all, I want to extend a huge, HUGE thank you to all of the sponsors who worked so hard to provide such a great experience for me and my family at Chitag this weekend. My children are begging to go again next year and my husband and I have a renewed interest in board games and family play-time.

Here is just a TASTE of what my family personally loved. I guarantee that you are seeing a majority of what will be beneath our Christmas Tree this year...The Razor Rip Rider 360 is INCREDIBLE. Evan and Corinne kept returning to this booth for more and more turns at spinning wildly on the big wheel/Razor scooter. It was invented by the 13 year old son of the owner of Razor! We just happened to sit at their table at the TAGIE awards on Friday night and they are a really, really nice family. If you're looking for a product to purchase as the "big present" for your kid on Christmas morning, consider this bike.

Dado has really cool building materials! With all of the cubes, planks and squares that interlock and stack in all sorts of interesting combinations, this booth held Corinne's (and MY) interest for quite some time! I recommend any of the building pieces for children with little siblings as they're not as choke-able (not a word, I know) as some of the itty-bitty blocks may be but you can still build really cool constructions!
And this game is one that I have to buy TODAY to make sure we have it under the tree on Christmas morning. Justin fell in love with the Catan Histories: Settlers of America. We were at the fair from 9 till 4 and he and his best friend spent TWO HOURS playing this game. TWO HOURS!! Combine history and a game and you've got my attention; Make it interesting to my kids and you've got my money!
See? TWO HOURS!!!
Did you know that Silly Bandz makes new bracelets that STAND UP?!? They do! They stand up a tiny bit so that you can see the design while it's on!! You have to see it to understand it, but it's awesome and a certain girl in our house is getting a pack for Christmas... Evan wore their sticker on his mouth and for some reason, it's the only picture I have from that booth, but I HAD to mention it for stocking stuffers. Plus, my kid is cute.
Apparently, we are big Star Wars fans...
Really big...
Extremely BIG.

Ahem. I didn't WANT Evan in the picture, but the guys in the suits thought that that was what I was asking for. Once they realized I had wanted a picture of just ME with them, they thought that was pretty damn cool. They kept on raving about how awesome it was that I was the one who was excited about Star Wars. In fact, I do believe a Clone Trooper tried to pick me up...
Patrick worked really hard to get the raffle tickets for the Star Wars drawing and HE WON!!! We are now the proud owners of a collectible light sabre that my kids can't play with.

It's currently on display on top of my entertainment center. Pat has been zapping invisible evil forces all morning and making the sound effects because we don't have the batteries, yet. YET. Once it's juiced up, it will not only light up but also make the zzzzrrr zzzzzrrr noises when he waves it around. The anticipation is palpable.

Sigh...

Maybe I should have discouraged the raffle tickets?
About $20, Munchkin is a card game that Justin has played with his buddies many times. Our library even hosts a monthly Munchkin marathon every month. Needless to say, this is a definite purchase for my eldest this Christmas!
Patrick will NOT be getting this under the Christmas tree... But Daryl Hannah has some really cool games that are out including LIEbrary and Call It.
He WILL, however be getting THIS game! The two of us played Scrabble Flash for about 30 minutes and sufficiently ignored our children in a massive sea of people. It was AWESOME. Even Corinne butted in and got a round with 6 words! Also, any game that I can beat Patrick at is one that I like. Shhhh.... Keep it on the down-low.
Evan so, so wishes this Electrix RC car was going to be under our tree, but it's a bit high for our budget this year (about $120). Maybe a birthday present, though! Or perhaps for my tallest "child" who was also hoping to get a helicopter by the same company...
Cuponk! Ping pong balls and cups. Voila! A game that everyone likes! It's around $10 so it makes a great present for anyone.We already have Citiblocs at home but the exhibit at the fair has THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of Citiblocs to play with! Just look:Don't know what Citiblocs are? Check 'em out!
I have GOT to find this for Corinne. I do believe my dear daughter monopolized this Strawberry Shortcake remote control car on Saturday. But when we walked in and saw that they now have an entire LINE of the itty-bitty Shortcake dolls, including a HOUSE, I couldn't drag her away. LITERALLY.

Also loved but not pictured are Mega Bloks' Dragon Universe, Dig It! Games (I am so excited to try out the Roman Town Archaeology game! Evan will love it and I am going to love the history lesson it provides. Muwaaahaaaaahaaaa!! A Homeschooling mother is never off-duty!), and Top Trumps war games (with themes for every child - Corinne and her friend played the Dog themed game while eating lunch).

I'd also like to extend a thank you to the other sponsors at the Blogger Brunch:

Cold Stone Creamery - they have an 8 layer cake available now! EIGHT LAYERS. I tried the toffee one and it was absolutely divine!

Mary Kay - as always, they sell beautiful make-up while providing profitable careers for women. I am personally interested in trying their pressed mineral make-up.

Restaurant.com - An old-time favorite of my household! We used Restaurant.com for many Christmas presents last year! We used so many ourselves at all of our favorite places. You can usually purchase a certificate for around 50% off the value! Seriously, how could you NOT love that?

Playtex Baby - They've gone and updated the Diaper Genie. A foot release to keep hands on the baby, where they belong (Thankfully, no one's wearing diapers in my house!!)

InZone Brands Beverages - Juice on the go bottles with reusable and fun squirty lids. Very cute and very fun. As an endorsement of how tasty they were, all of my kids downed their juices in the fair after jumping on a big old bouncy thing!

The Fair is open RIGHT NOW!! There's still time to have a great time at Navy Pier's CHITAG 2010....

Human Tribe Project

2010-11-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

Human Tribe Project Makes Caring a Fashion Statement

How many rubber awareness bracelets do you own? Do you inwardly groan when a cause you support comes out with yet another version? Are you tired of trying to make an orange, a blue and a fuchsia band work with the outfit you’re wearing to work that day? Have we reached the point where awareness bracelets are so prevalent they no longer create any awareness?

It all started back in 2004, when Nike teamed up with the Lance Armstrong Foundation for the Wear Yellow Live Strong campaign. Stamped with the cancer survivor’s LIVESTRONG mantra, the bracelets raised funds for research and touched off a craze among charities of all kinds.

With millions of wristbands in a rainbow of colors to match a multitude of causes, Human Tribe Project, an online website dedicated to providing emotional and financial support to friends and family in crisis, decided to create an accessory that shows support in a more stylish fashion. The results are Tribe Tags -- dog tag–style necklaces and key chains – that are a way for Tribe Members to show visible support while raising money for the Tribe’s beneficiary. Available in both stainless steel and sterling silver, the necklaces include the Human Tribe Logo, as well as the initial of the person being supported.

“There’s something important about having a rallying symbol when people want to show their support,” says Human Tribe Project Founder Jaclyn Foutz. “But, when we created our company, we decided to develop something that would make a timeless fashion statement and would appeal to people of all ages.”

Human Tribe Project, a free website, was founded upon the premise that all people belong to a larger Tribe, and that this Tribe can be a powerful resource when one of its members faces a personal or health-related crisis. Each Tribe develops its own Tribe Page, a personalized webpage designed to help a Beneficiary communicate with and receive support from his or her Tribe during a crisis. Tribe Members also can purchase personalized Tribe Tags, dog tag-style necklaces and key chains, as a visible show of support and to raise money for the Beneficiary. Human Tribe Project functions like a non-profit organization, but chose not to have charitable status so that Beneficiaries will not be taxed on the monetary gifts they receive. Headquartered in Phoenix, Human Tribe Project can be found online at humantribeproject.com or on their Facebook page at Human Tribe Project.

Ribbon pins and rubber band bracelets have been around for ages, but Tribe Tags are personal. They carry the initials of the person the Tribe is rallying around to support. Plus, they’re affordable – the steel version sells for $20, with $15 going to the Tribe beneficiary as a tax-free gift. Sterling silver Tribe Tags sell for $100, $75 of which is given directly to the beneficiary.

The founder of the Human Tribe project developed it in memory of her long time friend from Chicago, who died from a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer.

**I did not write this post but fully believe in it. I hope that this website provides some of you with not only a neat Christmas idea, but also a way to feel good about what you're spending your money on.

Musselman strikes again!

2010-11-08T12:38:00.000-08:00

The best part of fall is the delicious food that warms you up when the weather is cooling off. And one of my all-time favorite foods for fall is apple cider. Holy moly, Musselman's apple cider ROCKED our socks off this week! In fact, I am sipping on a hot mug of it right now...
Mmmmm...

Jealous? Well, you can get your own! And you can add some yummy Musselman Apple Butter to your toast while you're at it. You can find coupons for them here.

The Circus is in Town!

2010-11-07T12:05:00.000-08:00

We had such fun at Funundrum this week!! Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus never fails to entertain my family.

There's still time to enjoy the show and save money for tickets. Use the code MOM at Ticketmaster to get a 4 pack for $44 during the week or save $4 on weekend tickets (certain dates apply). They'll be in Chicago until November 28 and there are still tons of great seats available.

Our favorite acts this year:

Me: girls who could literally tie themselves into knots. AMAZING.

Corinne: the miniature horses doing amazing tricks.

Evan: Tiger tamer!

Justin: Though disappointed that they didn't have the man in a rocket this year, he liked the finale with the parade and confetti and music.

Patrick: The motorcycle ball of death! I was literally on the edge of my seat!

The Disney Live Mickey's Magic Show

2010-10-31T07:33:00.000-07:00

Looking for something less spooky to do today?

There's still time to catch the last show of the Disney Live Mickey's Magic Show at the Rosemont Theater! My family attended yesterday and, though parts of the show were geared towards a very young crowd, even my 8 and 11 year olds had a good time. The second half included some really detailed magic tricks including cutting and splicing together 2 different women! Very cool.

I'd definitely recommend this show for anyone with kids under 7 or big Disney fans. Hope you all have a happy and safe Halloween!!

Dragon Art Evolution Review

2010-10-25T12:00:00.000-07:00

Kid books are SO fun to review! First on our list is DragonArt Evolution: How to Draw Everything Dragon.

What Fun! There are over 20 different dragons broken into easy diagrams in addition to countless step-by-step instructions on scales, eyes, wings, etc. The construction of each drawing makes so much more sense when you look at their basic shapes. I so wish I had learned to draw this way. I am a decent sketcher/artist but each drawing for me takes forever to complete as I tend to focus on the overall picture instead of the basic shapes within the object.

When I applied the rules for the drawings, I tried to be fast and just go with the descriptions. It was a piece of CAKE. I totally whipped out a dragon's head in about 2 minutes with a pen (I didn't want to let myself erase and erase and perfect it). It is SO cool. Perfect for a kid of about 9 and up who is interested in drawing or mythological creatures. I'd definitely recommend this one for a Christmas or birthday present!

Check back tomorrow for another kid book review!

2 new winners!

2010-10-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

Musselman's winner is... #6! Louis H.

Chicago Toy and Game Fair ticket winner is... #2! Matt0701

Congratulations to you both and keep watching the site for more giveaways!!!

Picture It review

2010-10-21T12:17:00.000-07:00

These books have been some of Corinne's favorite things that I've received to review. Picture It books are whole stories that the child illustrates for themselves.

We've done the Alphabet book so far and she's now working on a book all about herself and her life. It's pretty adorable, if I do say so... There are plenty of other stories to choose from, with characters and storylines that are engaging and encourage creativity.
I like them as a supplement for our homeschooling days, but they're obviously a fun activity for any child who enjoys drawing. At about $8 a book, you could pair up a couple of books and some nice drawing supplies for a Christmas or birthday present for a child you know.
Picture It books get a huge thumbs up from this mom and her preschooler!

Giveaway linkup...

2010-10-18T07:37:00.000-07:00

Ok, if I loaded this linky correctly, this can be my first giveaway linky! If not, well, I'll keep working on it...

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list...

Winners of Hotter USA shoes!!

2010-10-16T15:56:00.001-07:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I can practically smell the popcorn and cotton candy from here...

2010-10-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

It's that time of the year again...Does anyone else love the circus as much as we do?

I wonder...

I VIVIDLY remember having dreams of that cat tamer guy from the 80's. As a pre-teen, his long blond locks, control over wild animals and strange accent (Russia? Yugoslavia?) made my little heart swoon. In my mind, all Gunther would need would be one glimpse of me in the audience to realize that I was the missing piece of his daring act and that I simply MUST join the circus and be the next star!

I guess the lights were too bright in the arena because he never saw me. That must be the reason I never got to run away to the circus...

Ringling Brothers is coming to Chicago from November 4 - 28 at the Allstate Arena and United Center!

You can purchase a 4 pack of tickets for $44 (valid Monday-Thursday and Friday Matinees, excluding holidays) and save $4 on all weekend shows by logging onto www.ticketmaster.com and entering the coupon code: MOM* (enter code in the MC Productions box on Ticketmaster).

Musselman review and giveaway!

2010-10-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

My ongoing love for Musselman's Applesauces continues with their new flavors;

Totally Fruit Mixed Berry and Healthy Picks Granny Smith.

YUM.

In fact, SO yum, that the applesauce we were sent to review kind of, um, disappeared before I could photograph us enjoying it!

My bad.

But it was really delicious!! Corinne and I adore apple sauce and the Totally Fruit brand is her favorite. I prefer my apple sauce to be more apple-y so I liked the Granny Smith better but she LOVED the Mixed Fruit. Best part: No High Fructose Corn Syrup!! Just fruit juice for sweeteners. Nice...

Even though I slacked off on my camera usage, 1 reader still gets to win the same package that I reviewed. Thanks, Musselman's!

To win:

~ Visit Musselman's website and tell me which flavor sounds delicious.

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ Tweet this giveaway and link back.

~ Subscribe to my blog.

~ Blog about this and link back.

~ Use your imagination and post about this on other social media sites. Let me know where you linked me to!

We'll pick the winner on Friday, October 22nd.

Good luck!

~

Winner of Baby GoGo

2010-10-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Mickey's Magic Show!

2010-10-04T09:06:00.000-07:00

I am SO excited about the next show being presented by Feld Entertainment:

Mickey's Magic Show!

The Rosemont Theater (not to be confused with the Allstate Arena!) will be hosting this unique show for 1 weekend only. Have a fabulous Halloween weekend with a lot of Disney Magic!

SPECIAL OFFERS FOR YOU!

Tickets just $15:
Friday, Oct. 29th at 6:30PM

Save $5 on tickets:
Saturday, Oct. 30th 11:00AM, 2:00PM & 5:00PM and
Sunday Oct. 31st at 12:00PM

Receive $5 savings by logging onto www.ticketmaster.com and entering the coupon code: MOM*
Enter Code in the “Advance or Promotion Ticket” selection on Ticketmaster.

Chicago Toy and Game Fair giveaway

2010-10-02T13:17:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard of the Chicago Toy & Game Fair? I hadn't before, but this event sounds so interesting that I just have to participate.

We'll be going on November 20 to check out the latest toys and games from companies like Hasbro, Out of the Box, Fundex, Top Trumps and more while listening to Radio Disney and munching on a Star Wars breakfast. There will be chess tournaments and the latest Eurogames from the world's largest toy fair in Essen, Germany plus much, much more!

They would love to offer one reader a Family Fun Prize Pack, including admission for two adults and two kids for both days of the fair -- a $60 value!

All you have to do is comment below and we'll pick the winner on Friday, October 22.

Good luck!

First comment - Freebie!

Additionals:

~ Follow me on Twitter

~ Tweet about this and link back. (Twice a day!)

~ Subscribe to my blog.

~ Blog about this and link back.

~ Let me know what other social media sites you post this on and link back.

Winners!

2010-10-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

According to Random.org, the winner for the Jolly Llama's drawing is: #1 Wigget

The winner for the Baby GoGo drawing is: #19 Ashlower

Congratulations to you both and thanks to everyone for entering. Don't forget about the designer shoe giveaway that ends on October 15 and keep coming back for some more giveaways that will be up this week!!

Plea for help: How do I put the Random.org picture on my post to verify the number? If I link back to the site, it just kicks back an empty number generator! This? This is why I like to draw from a hat!

Beautiful words to every woman's ears: FREE SHOES!

2010-09-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, remember the shoes I was talking about? No?

Here.
So cute, right? There are TONS on HotterUSA to choose from and TWO lucky readers will get to spend $110 EACH on any shoes from their website!! People, this is AWESOME! They have shoes for women and men! So if you aren't looking for something for yourself like these or these, then you could still find something cool for a man in your life.

If you are really generous like that.

(Which I, apparently, am not as my choice was all about ME! Don't judge me. They fit me really well and look adorable. Also, my husband is a shoe freak and didn't need a new pair! STOP JUDGING ME!)

Ahem.

If your choices exceed the $110 mark, you can use the prize $ to apply toward a larger purchase. Or, if you aren't one of the lucky 2 winners, you can still shop through HotterUSA and save 10% on your purchase price without ANY shipping and handling charges! Excellent.

Use this code: USABGA when checking out in the box that says "apply offer code" to receive your discounts.

In the meantime, enter below to be one of two people wearing some fancy new shoes this fall:

Enter by doing any or all of the following, just let me know in separate comments, please!

~ stop by HotterUSA and tell me which shoes you like.

~ Subscribe to my blog.

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ Tweet this giveaway and link back (can do it once a day, until giveaway's over)

~Post about this on your own blog and link back (worth 5 entries)

~ Post about this giveaway on any other social media site and link back.

My minions and I will pick the winners on October 15, so get your fingers busy!

Don't forget about the other cool giveaways I have available! Low entries on each with lots of chances to win neat stuff!

Baby GoGo review and Giveaway!

2010-09-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

Baby GoGo is a company dedicated to staying gender neutral so that all children can experience playing parents without the stereotypical pink ruffles or blue collars that signify a toy as "boyish" or "girly." Even at a young age, little kids understand that the pink aisles are "for girls" and the action hero aisles are "for boys." It's nice when a toy isn't specific and allows boys to feel comfortable being just as nurturing as little girls. And an added bonus: it's packaged in recycled materials! Nice...

Corinne instantly loved her new doll and diaper bag that Baby GoGo sent us to review. It's a very sweet, cuddly doll that also closes its eyes (a definite bonus for my preschooler!).

If you'd like your little one to receive a Baby GoGo doll of their own, just enter the giveaway below! We'll pick the winner on October 8! Good luck!

~ Like Baby GoGo on Facebook and let them know you found them through Just Another Review Blog!

~ Subscribe to my blog.

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ Tweet this giveaway and link back (can do it once a day, until giveaway's over)

~Post about this on your own blog and link back (worth 5 entries)

~ Post about this giveaway on any other social media site and link back.

Simply Bags review

2010-09-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

What girl doesn't love pretty bags? I may not be a huge purse connoisseur, but I do love me some bags!
I was sent a personalized Beach Bag from Simply Bags to try out and review. I wasn't so sure about the ropey handles at first. I mean, I carry A LOT of stuff and it can get quite heavy. However, after a few uses going to the pool, carting dripping wet towels and random goggles, I can attest that the bag is not only comfortable, but really sturdy!

As the pool weather has officially passed in Illinois (yay! I love Fall!) this bag is now my Wednesday bag. As a homeschooling mom, I need to transport all manner of educational paraphernalia, several days a week. On Wednesdays Corinne has ballet which means I put all of the boys' schoolwork into the bag for the day and they can pick and choose what they want to do while she's flitting around in class. It works PERFECTLY, especially since it has a zipper up top, just in case it rains...

Check Simply Bags out! They plan on adding laptop bags very soon for anyone who is cooler than I am and owns a laptop...

Jolly Llama review and Giveaway!

2010-09-22T05:58:00.001-07:00

If you're looking for a new and healthy treat for your family, I am happy to say that there is a great option to try!

Jolly Llama Sorbet Squeezeups are a frozen treat that focus on maintaining the healthy properties of the fresh fruit that they incorporate into their recipes. Quite delicious and very smooth, my kids and I truly enjoyed them. We tried the Strawberry and the Acai Berry. While we thought highly of both flavors, my children don't like seeds so their favorite was the Strawberry. I would LOVE to try the Mango, too! I know we'd all devour it! (That's Justin's "Oh my Gosh. I cannot believe these are healthy for me. I am so surprised." Look. Quite convincing, eh?)

Jolly Llama would like to sponsor a giveaway so that one of you can try out this delicious treat!

One winner will receive 3 boxes of any 3 flavors they want to try out! How cool is that?

To enter:

~ Visit Jolly Lllama's site and comment with what flavors you'd like to try. (required entry!)

~ Follow Jolly Lllama on Facebook and comment on their site that you found them through Just Another Review Blog.

~ Subscribe to my blog.

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ Tweet this giveaway and link back (can do it once a day, until giveaway's over)

~Post about this on your own blog and link back (worth 5 entries)

~ Post about this giveaway on any other social media site and link back.

We'll pick the winner on Friday, October 8th!

Good luck and Happy Commenting!!

The Yellow Man is coming to the Windy City!!

2010-09-03T05:29:00.000-07:00

Gustafer Yellowgold is coming back to Chicago!! YAYYYY!!!

Corinne and I have been fans of their sweet and off-the-wall music since we first heard the songs about 2 years ago. After watching them at Schuba's Tavern last year, she and I were THRILLED to accept an invitation to attend another performance on this coming October 3rd! They'll be promoting the new album titled "Gustafer Yellowgold's Infinity Sock." I know, I know. It sounds a little... strange. But trust me. This is children's music that you won't mind listening to. In fact, you will actually LIKE it. It reminds me of The Beatles without all the politics and drugs.

Any Chicagoans want to meet up with us? Please let me know and we'll exchange digits...

For all of you who aren't in the Chicago area on October 3rd (or for those who are but who would like to own your own copy), Gustafer Yellowgold would still like to extend a gift for you. One reader will win a DVD/CD set of Gustafer Yellowgold's Mellow Fever. We have it and it rocks. Listen to Corinne on this clip from last year's show:

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

If you'd like to win, here's the details on a bunch of ways to enter:

~ Follow me on this blog on Google Friend Connect! Not REQUIRED, but man, it's a nice courtesy... (wink, wink)

~ Like Gustafer Yellowgold on Facebook and comment that you found them through Just Another Review Blog.

~ Tweet this giveaway. (Do it as often as you like, but only twice a day and please link me to each tweet.)

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ Post about this on your own blog and link back (worth 5 entries). Please do 5 comments in case we do Random.org instead of picking out of a bowl...

~ Anything else you can think of to promote this giveaway and/or Gustafer Yellowgold? Do it and tell me. You'll get credit on whatever social media site you use.

Have fun! Link away! ENTER ENTER ENTER! It's really awesome music and I loved the comments that "Gustafer" left for me on the last review. They're good people and love to make children happy.

We'll pick a winner on Thursday, September 16.

Good luck!!

HotterUSA!

2010-09-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

I love, love LOVE my new shoes!!

Hotter is a name brand of shoes that has been popular in Great Britain and is now branching into the USA. I have to say, it took me QUITE a while to decide upon just one pair to wear.

I mean, my brain just wouldn't stop; Should I go with a new trend and try a bright color? How about a funky suede boot to fit in with everyone else? Something sporty or something practical?

Anyone that knows me knows I went with....

PRACTICAL.

I can't help it! I am NOT a shoe diva. I find a pair that I like and that is what you will see me in for 90% of that season. And the next year. And the next year, too.

Sigh... Maybe this experience will prompt me into trying new accessories?

Either way, I am totally, completely satisfied with my choice. The Starshine in brown will be seen on my feet throughout the fall of 2010 and well into the winter, as well. They are SO comfortable, and look quite expensive!
Aren't they cute?!? You can look through their huge selection of shoes at www.hotterusa.com.

Cleveland Package giveaway!

2010-08-29T09:50:00.001-07:00

Winner of the Cleveland vacation!

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Kranich's Jewelers

2010-08-25T05:27:00.000-07:00

When Patrick and I got married, I knew exactly what I wanted on my hand. Something simple and easy to wear with an evening gown AND a pair of dirty jeans. I got exactly what I wanted and couldn't be happier with our choice. Still, there are days when I see lovely rings that take my breath away that I wonder if maybe, just maybe, I might have been ok with a fancy schmancy ring....

Kranich's Jewelers has been in business sine 1903 in Pennsylvania has some truly unique pieces. Some of my favorites are within their Verragio Engagement ring collection...

Yeah. I think I could have managed having that on my hand... ;)

Some of their more whimsical jewelry would be their Hershey's Kisses collection. I know Hershey's is pretty big in PA, but this diamond studded necklace astounds me! You chocolate fans are SERIOUS about this stuff!

Disclaimer: I was sent a lovely piece of jewelry to review in return for linking to their site. However, if the jewelry hadn't been so lovely, I would have sent it back and not given a good review. Also, I'd love to show you what I chose but it's a surprise for a certain someone and I can't spoil it! These opinions are MINE and mine alone.

Cleveland Vacation Giveaway!!!

2010-08-14T10:59:00.001-07:00

I am SO excited to bring the biggest giveaway I've ever had together for all of you! After visiting Cleveland for the promotional tour of its best attractions and accommodations, I contacted some of my favorite venues to see if they would like to recreate the vacation for one of your families to enjoy. After a lot of emails and phone calls, it has finally come together! Everything you see below is valid for 1 year so that your family will be able to visit and enjoy Cleveland when the time fits your schedule.

The winner of the giveaway will receive:

4 tickets to:

Rock n Roll Hall of Fame

Cleveland Botanical Garden

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and Rainforest

Great Lakes Science Center

A Christmas Story House

$10 gift certificate for:

Sweetie's Candy Company

$20 gift certificate for:

Grumpy's Cafe

Accommodations for 2 nights for a family of 4 at:

Crowne Plaza Cleveland City Centre

Are you as excited as I am?!?

Here's what you have to do to enter:

Mandatory Entry: Visit one of the above links and tell me something, ANYthing, about it!
Extra entries:

~ Follow me on twitter.

~ Tweet this giveaway and link back. You can do this 5 times! (please use separate comments for each entry)

~ Subscribe to my blog.

~ Post about this giveaway on your blog and link back. This is worth 5 entries! (please use separate comments for each entry)

~ Write about this on Facebook and link back.

~ Stumble or Hoot this giveaway (or whatever social media thingy-bob you use) and link back. Again, 5 times for 5 entries! (please use separate comments for each entry)

I will draw the lucky winner on the morning of Sunday, August 29th, using the same old-school method of drawing from a hat. (If you don't like that method, then don't enter.)

First Disclaimer: I have to have your email available! If I do not hear back from the winner within 48 hours of notification, I will have to choose another person. This is not an exact science, folks so MAKE SURE I can find you on your home page or by putting your email in the comments. By entering below you are signing off any rights to whine or complain that you didn't get my email or that you were out of town or that your internet wasn't working or that a meteor hit your house and you didn't have a chance to check your emails.

Second Disclaimer: Be sure to check all of the venues for schedules and black-out dates. Most will be open year-round, but it sure would stink to arrive and find out that your trip falls on the one week that something is closed for renovations!

Third Disclaimer: (Geesh! Enough with the disclaimers, lady!) Once the package leaves my home (via priority mail), I cannot control it. Should there be a natural disaster of cataclysmic proportions or should the postal service make a boo-boo and the package gets lost, I cannot replace it.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to the giveaway! Your help was wonderful and I couldn't have arranged this without you all!

Good luck to everyone!
Now get commenting!!!

Winner of 4 Cedar Point Tickets!

2010-08-14T07:13:00.001-07:00

Stay tuned for another big Cleveland giveaway....

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Disney on Ice: Princess Classics

2010-08-13T12:05:00.000-07:00

I am so thrilled to be a member of the new Feld Family Activator team! Feld Entertainment organizes many exciting shows in the Chicago area, including Disney on Ice Princess Classics in September!!! Corinne is almost 5 and my little nieces are 4 and 5; Which little girls are going to be loving their Mommy and Auntie this fall?

I can't wait to surprise them all! I'll update with photos after we watch the show on September 8. Hope to see you there!!

Feld Entertainment would like to extend a discount code so that everyone can enjoy the show for a little less money. The details are below:

Purchase a 4-pack of tickets for only $44
(Valid Monday-Thursday and Friday Matinees, excluding holidays)
and save $4 on all weekend shows by logging onto www.ticketmaster.com
and entering the coupon code:
MOM*
Enter Code in the “MC Promotions Box” on Ticketmaster.

United Center in Chicago, IL
September 8 – 12, 2010

Wed. Sept. 8
– 7:00 PM

Thurs. Sept. 9
– 7:00 PM

Fri. Sept. 10
– 7:00 PM

Sat. Sept. 11
– 11:30AM, 3:30PM & 7:00PM

Sun. Sept. 12
– 11:30AM, 3:30PM & 7:00PM+

+Spanish Language Shows.

*Use promotional code MOM when purchasing tickets at the United Center Box Office, www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Enter Code in the “MC Promotions Box” on Ticketmaster. Minimum purchase of 4 tickets required. Not valid on Front Row or VIP seats. No double discounts. Service charges and handling fees may apply.

Winner of the Veggie Tales Sweetpea Beauty!

2010-08-13T11:44:00.001-07:00

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Cedar Point Giveaway!

2010-08-10T06:14:00.000-07:00

If you've been reading my blogs, you know that I recently went to Cleveland and its surrounding area for a fabulous promotional tour. While in Ohio, we spent the day at the Cedar Point Amusement Park and my mind was literally blown by the rides they have available. (Literally. It was quite messy as I have a large brain...)*The Top Thrill Dragster. Psychotically fun and unlike anything you've ever experienced. You'll regret not trying it, believe me!
The scariest ride of them all... the Ferris Wheel!!! FYI, I did NOT go on this. The Ferris Wheel and I have an understanding: I don't ride it and it doesn't kill me. It's a sweet deal.Honestly, I wish I could go back RIGHT NOW, it was that much fun. Dozens and dozens of rides and the layout was just so much easier to navigate. PLUS, the beach is right outside of the park if you want to have a picnic lunch and relax in the waves. Might I also suggest looking into their hotels and other accommodations that are available on-site (with gorgeous views of the lake and beach) to save on driving time and to get a little special treatment!

Cedar Point has generously offered a package of 4 passes for 1 reader to win! I am so excited to be able to offer this to you all!! The tickets are good every day until Labor Day and then on the weekends until October 31. Check their schedule for off days as they close down for decorating the park for the Halloweekends event. (I was assured that the Halloween theme is spooky without being gory so you can still bring the little ones!)

If you'd like to win these tickets, please follow the directions below. We'll pick a winner on Saturday the 14th so that there will still be time to plan your trip.

~ Go to Cedar Point's website and tell me about one ride that looks cool. Mandatory!

After doing the above, you can then get extra entries by:

~ Follow me on Twitter.

~ Tweet this giveaway and link back. (can do 5 times, but please label each one!)

~ Follow my blog.

~ Post about this giveaway on your blog and link back. (worth 5 entries, but please label each one!)

~ Share on Facebook and link back.

Edited to add: BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS! If I can't contact you within 48 hours, I will have to choose a new winner!!

Good luck!!

* Disclaimer: My brain may or may not actually be large. But I do have a big head and have a hard time finding hats to fit, so it's a natural assumption...

Popchips!

2010-08-02T15:04:00.000-07:00

Oh my God. Have you tried these? Have you heard about them?
Popchips are a new way of looking at potatoes. Never fried, never baked, they are cooked with heat and pressure until the potato slice, well, pops! It's a bit like the love child of a potato chip and a rice cake but without the dry and pasty aftertaste. In one bag there are only 3g of fat and NO trans fat. Also, every single ingredient on the packaging is something I can pronounce and picture in my head. That's not something you can say about most potato chips!

For those with children on gluten-free diets, this could be a good choice for their lunches as Popchips are Gluten Free!*

In the huge box that my family received just days ago, only one lonely bag remains. It is hidden in a location that cannot be divulged because 2/3 of my children can read my blog and that bag? That bag is MINE.

*All the dietary and allergen information is from the packaging. Be sure to confirm before serving to your family.

A Sweet Giveaway

2010-07-31T19:17:00.000-07:00

I've always been a fan of Veggie Tales. We may not be any "religion" in our home, but the values in the Veggie Tales' movies are ones that ALL parents endorse. In Sweetpea Beauty (get it? Instead of SLEEPING Beauty? It took me a while, I confess) the principle message is to be beautiful on the inside and see the beauty inside of everyone else. The songs and characters are as engaging and hysterical as always (though I am still a bit unsettled by the whole "no arm" thing. The glass just... floats up to her mouth?!? Wha?) and the storyline engaged all of my kids (though my sons might deny it, they both enjoyed it, too).

Want to win a copy for your own little princess? Enter below and we'll pick the winner on Friday, August 13. (Oooohhhh. Spooky.)

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