Legoland In Schaumburg introduces a Star Wars Exhibit! AND a giveaway!

(Giveaway closed: Winner posted at the bottom!)
My family has been to Legoland in Schaumburg many times over the past few years but it had been several months since our last visit. I was thrilled to see the new addition of the Lego Friends corner and an updated luncheon area. The kids were thrilled to see their newest exhibit:

STAR WARS!!

 Schaumburg is the first of all of the Legoland facilities to host a Star Wars exhibit of this nature.

 Hands-on activities include driving your own pod-racer...

 ...Helping a Naboo Starfighter escape from the hangar...

 And assisting the Gungans defeat the droid army. Pretty cool, right?

There are still the building workshops and the Kingdom Quest Laser Ride in addition to all of the regular activities that are crazy fun for the kids to enjoy. But if you have a Star Wars fan, you simply HAVE to check out this new exhibit at Legoland Discovery Center!

I just so happen to have 4 tickets to give away to one reader!

To Enter:
(must be over 18 years old)

1. Just comment below and tell me who the biggest Star Wars Fan is in your house!
2. Share this giveaway on any social media site (Twitter/Facebook/Google+/etc.) and link back here (on a separate comment, please!)

I will pick the winner via Random.org on Tuesday, March 26. Good luck to all and may the force be with you!

And the winner is.... #18: Mep from "Not to Brag." Congratulations! I hope that you and your kids enjoy the tickets!

Thank you to all who entered! I have other giveaways coming up soon!

JumpStart: New York! A Review and Giveaway

My kids and I have had a long-standing love affair with JumpStart programs. We've played their Wii games, CD roms and the games from JumpStart.com and loved them all. Corinne has always enjoyed having a site that she is able to independently navigate. Look at her first review of the Pet Rescue game for Wii! I can't believe how little she was...

JumpStart.com recently added a new feature to their online children's website called "Greetings from JumpStart, New York" which features the penguins from Madagascar in a cool new page. Here's what Jumpstart has to say:

"As if the arrival of the Central Park Zoo and the animal’s European Habitat were not enough to quench your kids thirst for all things Madagascar. Now, they can help us welcome Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman back to New York. With exciting new areas and games, there are so many more adventures for your kids to enjoy while in the JumpStart World. From the city skyscrapers and iconic yellow cabs to the arrival of Central Park, all the sights and sound of the city are just waiting to be discovered." Read more of the details from Jumpstart's site!

It's adorable. Really. The graphics and navigation have only gotten smoother over the years, making the JumpStart.com site one of the most kid-user-friendly sites I've encountered. There are several different "lands" to enjoy, from ages 3-5 all the way through grade school (my 5th grader still enjoys the MathBlaster games!) so the membership is one that can be enjoyable for all of your children at once. Check out the adorable graphics on this tutorial of Storyland:



My own personal FAVORITE update to the entire site are all of the parent resources available! There are pages and pages and PAGES of downloadable worksheets that encourage the skills your children have learned on the site. Everything from geography and reading skills through fractions and geometry! As a homeschooling mom, this is AWESOME. I have been perusing the pages with ways to implement these pages and plan on bringing a ton of them for our car trip to Florida next month!!

JumpStart has offered one reader a complimentary 3 month membership! Please follow the directions below and good luck! (Giveaway is open to adults over the age of 18 only.)

First entry: just comment below about who will be using the membership!

Second entry: Visit JumpStart's Facebook account and state: "I hope I win a membership on Just Another Review Blog!" (Be sure to link back!)

3rd entry: link back to this giveaway on any other social media site and link back.

BE SURE that each entry is in a separate comment and that you provide a valid email address. Giveaway is open until Midnight, CST, February 14. I will choose the winner via Random.org on February 15 from Florida!

“Disclosure: I was provided with a JumpStart membership at no cost by Knowledge Adventure in order to test the products’ abilities and give my own personal opinions on it. The opinions I have given are mine and may differ from others but were not influenced by the company or the free product provided.”

Sears Gift Card Giveaway

Can you imagine the days when Sears was the ONLY choice for shopping? I love looking at old printings of the Sears catalogs that would be sent across the nation in the early 1900's. The random pharmaceuticals! The corsets that "set you free!"

It's like a history lesson in shopping.

Nowadays, there are endless choices for purchasing the products you are looking for; Online! Local Mom and Pop boutiques! A Superstore on every corner!

I find it reassuring that many of the good ole standbys like Sears still exist.

Where else can you pick up a replacement part for your lawnmower's engine, fancy nighties for your wife and a board game for the kids; all under one roof?

Sears.

Sears has given me one $25 gift code to pass out to a reader! With all of the post-post Holiday Season sales coming to a close, now is the time to make the most of your money and hit the Sears nearest you, armed with $25 to spend!

To Enter: (As always, entries are open to only people age 18 and over. This giveaway is open to US citizens only. You must provide a valid email address in the comments or I cannot choose your name.)

1. Comment Below with what you'd like to buy at Sears with $25. You can use it towards something small or add it onto the price of a more costly item. Your choice!

2. Second Entry: Share the information about this giveaway on any social media site that you choose and provide a link back in the SECOND comment.

I will pick the winner via Random.org. The comments are closed on Midnight, CST on Friday, Feb 1.

Good luck!!

EDITED WITH WINNER INFORMATION:

Congratulations to #28: "debijackson" I hope you enjoy shopping at Sears!

 

"I Love Lucy Live On Stage"

I LOVE LUCY! 

 I do. Always have. Always will. My favorite television episodes are probably the ones where they are traveling through Europe. Something about those teeny hotel rooms and the lack of airplanes and in-room telephones just tickles me inside. In fact, there isn't a week that goes by that I don't watch at least 1 episode on MeTV around 3 am (I have recurring insomnia. Fun Times!).

If you Love Lucy too, AND if you live in the Chicagoland area, I highly recommend checking out the "I Love Lucy, Live on Stage" production at the Broadway Playhouse at the Water Tower Place in Chicago.

The actors were Spot.On. (Lucy and Fred especially made me smile with their perfection of the television characters.)

 The sets felt as though we were actually watching a live television performance and experiencing all the surprises for the first time (even though I already knew the two programs that they performed; I TOLD you I was a Real Fan!).

 And the commercials in between were authentic. My mom leaned over during the Chevrolet commercial and said "I remember that one! They ran it for YEARS!"

I swear to you that by the end of the play, I was almost convinced that these actors were the REAL Lucy and Ricky and Fred and Ethel from the 1950's.

Loved. It.

Tickets are available and the show runs through March 2013! Don't miss your chance to see this award winning show!!!

  *Photos used with permission from the Broadway Playhouse.

Novica Gift Card Review and Giveaway

I am really excited about the next item I am reviewing! I was given a $50 gift card to Novica, an online site that represents dozens of artists and artisans from underprivileged countries. The company has truly changed the lives of these people and their communities by promoting their artwork through the world. (I highly recommend reading through their Mission Statement and the Artist Testimonials. It will touch your heart.)  After searching through the site for a while and admiring the lovely items for sale; there were some beautiful necklaces that would have looked great on ME and some absolutely stunning wall artwork.

But what captured and held my attention were these necklaces made by Ralph Ashong, a carver from West Africa whose life story touched me as much as his artwork did. I carefully chose a necklace for my husband titled "Life's Questions." The artist writes about the meaning:

"Life does not provide all the answers to all the questions we face. Persevere until you get answers to your questions,"

Patrick has always had a "signature" necklace to wear. The most recent necklace was one that I purchased for him about 4 years ago for his birthday. It was a fish hook carved from coconut shell that was just absolutely awesome. When the string finally, FINALLY frayed (after 4 years of CONSTANT use) he said that it must mean that it is time for a new signature necklace. When I saw this necklace, it spoke to me and said "This one. This is for him!"

I hope that he likes this new one enough to make it The One!

I have a $50 gift card to give away to one reader to use towards a purchase through Novica. It can be used for the entire purchase or towards a larger purchase, if you find that your heart is set on something a little more expensive. There are plenty of items from the jewelry sections to choose from but don't forget to look through all of the housewares and decor, too!

To Enter: (be sure to include your email address in a comment or else I will have to choose a different winner. As always, this giveaway is open to only people 18 years or older.)

1. Simply comment and tell me which item or type of item you would choose. It's as easy as that!

2. One extra entry per person if you help to promote the Novica company online in whatever way you feel most comfortable. (i.e. if you like a necklace like I did, link to that necklace on Facebook/Twitter/Google+/etc. and tell your followers about this giveaway so that they can have a chance to win as well). Then come back here and comment again with the link to wherever you shared.

You can enter until midnight CST on January 25. I will pick one winner using Random.org on Saturday, January 26.

Good luck!!

A Wimpy Review and Giveaway

The only way you wouldn't know about the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series is if you are:

A. Living under a rock
B. Living in North Korea
C. Dead

Seeing as how you are reading my blog on the internet which isn't available under rocks, in North Korea, or in the afterlife; you MUST know what I am talking about!

Evan and I had the amazing chance to get one of his own Wimpy Kid books signed by the author, Jeff Kinney, yesterday. Even more spectacular was the opportunity for us to board Jeff's tour bus for an intimate interview with a few other blogger children!

These are the kinds of opportunities that turn me from "Mommy" into ROCK STAR.

Man, I love my job.

 Evan was initially a little bummed that he didn't have the newest of the series: The Third Wheel.

"Mama, can we buy the new one so that Jeff Kinney can sign that one, too?"

Well, that just SPOILED the surprise that there was a review copy of the newest book in the mail!

Read on below to see how you can win one of the Wimpy Kid books, too!

 With Mr. Kinney! How cool!

 In shock after the signing...

 Waiting to board the tour bus with Vanessa's and Emily's kids...

Evan:  "Where did you get the idea for Rodrick?"

Jeff Kinney: "A little bit is modeled after my older brother, but mostly Rodrick is just what I think a lot of teenage boys are like."

True dat, Jeff...

 Even Greg was there!

And really? Despite all of his flaws; who doesn't love Greg Heffley?

Want to win the newest book?

Don't own any of them and want to start your own collection for a cool kid in your life?

Missing one of the series and need to complete the set?

All you have to do is enter a comment below, telling me which of the 7 Diary of a Wimpy Kid books you would choose if your name is chosen! THAT'S IT!

To receive an extra entry, Tweet the following statement and comment again with your twitter handle:

"I would love to win a @wimpykid book from @justanothermom at: ow.ly/fnmTg "

Winner will be chosen via Random.org on Dec 2nd.
Open only to US residents over 18 years of age. (Sorry, Canada...)

Always October - A Fun Review

When my 10 year old son becomes engrossed in a book, ANY book, I take notice. I take notice and read alongside and encourage and silently clap my hands and do the happy dance when he isn’t paying attention.

Harper Collins Publishing sent me a pile of Halloween themed books for the kids to peruse and review. The first book that grabbed Evan’s attention was “Always October” by Bruce Coville. Evan became so entranced with this spooky pre-teen novel that we felt we absolutely MUST share it with you all!

Mom: So Evan, you kinda like Always October, eh?

Evan: Yes. KIND OF?!? (sarcasm)

Mom: You mean a lot?

Evan: Mm hmm.

Mom: Elaborate.

Evan: What does that mean?

Mom: "Elaborate" means to describe using more words.

Evan: Ohhhh. Ok. Best. Book. EVER.

Mom: So it’s the best book ever? Why?

Evan: I like the storyline. It’s really detailed. 

Mom: Gimme more.

Evan: These are not the kinds of questions I thought you’d ask. Ask me different questions.

Mom: Like what? What questions should I ask you?

Evan: Ask me what my favorite characters are.

Mom: Oookay. Who are your favorite characters?

Evan: Mrs. McSweeney! She has cool weapons. She has a glowing sewing needle that shoots beams of energy.

Mom: That is cool.

Evan: I know, RIGHT? Read me what you’ve written so far, Mama.

(I read it all)

Evan: Why did you write it like that? Let me see!! Heeeeyy!!

Mom: Get your hands off of my computer!!

(We calm down)

(He sighs….) I like all of the monsters because they’re cool. 

Mom: Ok. “cool.” Again. 

Evan: Mommy, these are not good questions.

Mom: Don’t touch my computer! Stop it!

Evan: No! Gaarrrrggghh!!!!

(a scuffle ensues)

Mom: Ok. Forget it. This interview is over.

Evan: No! Ask me different questions!

Mom: FINE. Ummmm….. Do you think other kids would like this book?

Evan: YES! It’s a REALLY good book! It’s exciting.

Mom: Do you wish there was another book in the series?

Evan: YES. VERY BADLY! 

Mom: Should we send this interview to the publishers and hope they send your request to Mr. Coville?

Evan: YESSSSS!!!!

Mom: You only have a few chapters left. How do you think it will end?

Evan: I think a couple important characters will die but that they will get the baby back.

Mom: Ah! You’re giving away the story! Spoiler alert!

Evan: You asked me, Mama!!

Mom: Good point... All right. Interview’s over. I love you.

Evan: Love you too.

2012 Chicago Toy and Game Fair - giveaway and discount!

Every year it's the same thing. Well, not really. In fact, every year it's something NEW and exciting when it comes to the Chicago Toy & Game Fair (ChiTag for the uninformed!). 

Never been? IT'S A BLAST. All of the newest and most innovative toys and games of the year (and dozens of classics that you may have missed) are presented in the enormous exhibition hall at Chicago's Navy Pier. My family has attended for 3 years now and it has become a much-looked-forward-to fall tradition.

Patrick and Evan playing Stratego in 2011

“We’re so excited about this year’s Fair,” said Mary Couzin, founder and CEO of the Chicago Toy & Game Group which hosts the Fair as the culmination of an entire week of industry conferences and playful events. “For our 10th anniversary we’re pulling out all of the stops with more toys, giant-sized games, awesome tournaments and contests, specialty programming and much, much more. It’s like a giant interactive and bottomless toy box!”

The Chicago Toy & Game Fair will be held at Navy Pier in Festival Hall A on Saturday, November 17th and Sunday, November 18th. Highlights include:
ALL WEEKEND
- Giant-sized games such as: Bananagrams, Perplexus, Doggie Doo, Word on the Street, Pajaggle, and more
- Settlers of Catan North American Catan Championship
- Meet the Moshi Monsters
- Autographs from renowned toy and game inventors
- Free contests and game tournaments
- Speed Stacks sport stacking demonstrations and tournaments

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17: (10AM-6PM)
Stars Wars Lunch (12 Noon – 1PM): Kids and adults alike can dress up as their favorite characters for an interactive lunch and playtime that features a Star Wars-themed Top Trumps tournament. $30/$36 kids under 12/adults. Tickets will sell out, but are available for purchase now at www.ChiTagFair.com

Official Illinois State Yo-Yo Contest (10AM-4PM): A dynamic performance competition (featuring ladder climbs) that will be judged by former Illinois and World Champions as well as a quarter-finalist from the hit TV shot “America’s Got Talent.” Hands-on tips for all skill levels; online and day-of registration available. Sponsored by Cat ‘n Mouse Toy Store.

Top Trumps Guinness Book of World Records Attempt (3PM): Girl Scouts from all across the Midwest will join together in an attempt to break the world record for the most people playing a single card game at one time.

Young Inventor Challenge (10AM-2PM): Nearly 200 young inventors in two age groups (6-11, 12-18) will display their original inventions of toys and games to be voted on by the public as well as professionals from the United Inventors Association of America. Previous participants have had their inventions licensed by major toy companies. Sponsored by PlaSmart.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 18: (10AM-5PM)
Stage Performances from Radio Disney, Blues Clues LIVE! presented by Naperville’s Center Stage Players, Elan Dance Company, Music from 4 A.M., as seen on Fox-TV’s The X-Factor, Ben’s Bubble Show, Lil’ Buds Theater and more.
Boy Scouts Top Trump Tournament (9AM): Boy Scouts are admitted into the Fair an hour early.

TICKETS & REGISTRATION
FREE ADMISSION FOR: Teachers, librarians, members of the military, Boy/Girl Scouts in uniform, children under 3 years of age. On Sunday, grandparents accompanied by kids admitted free of charge.
$10: ages 14+
$5: ages 3-13


Click here for ticket info and a $2 off coupon

You can win a 4 pack of tickets for your family to attend! In fact, FIVE FAMILIES will win as I have 5 sets to give away! I KNOW, RIGHT? All you have to do is enter a comment below stating who you would like to take with you to the ChiTag and you will have 5 chances to win a set of 4 tickets. (One winner per family, please).

Drawing dates are every Friday from 10/12 to 11/9. I must have an email address to contact you with as that will be my only form of communication with you!!

Good luck and hope to see you at the Fair!

LIST OF WINNERS:
10/12/12 - #1, Newhere 
10/19/12 - #3, Journeytowardelysium 
10/26/12 - #2, Tony G. I DO NOT HAVE YOUR EMAIL.I'm sorry. I  will have to pass your tickets onto someone else. 

NEW winner for week 10/26 is Meg39 Mommy
11/6/12 #5 Stephanie Kush is winner! YAY.

StraightTalk and Make A Wish

My 13 year has been deprived. He has no cell phone.

I KNOW! First world problems run rampant in my household.

So when I was contacted by the Make-a-Wish Foundation to participate in their cell phone collaboration with WalMart and Straight Talk to raise money for Make-A-Wish.

If you don't already know, the Make A Wish Foundation is dedicated to enriching the lives of children with life-threatening conditions. They literally make wishes come true for little ones who have medical issues which severely hinder their ability to live "normal lives".

From now until October 13, Straight Talk will donate $1 for every demonstration completed at select WalMart locations with a minimum of $500,000 to a maximum of $1,000,000 donated to Make a Wish.

ONE MILLION DOLLARS. All it takes to help contribute to that amount is to stop by a participating WalMart's cell phone area and ask for a demo. It takes ONE minute to help contribute one dollar. Think of all of the suffering children that will benefit from this!

I stopped by our WalMart this past week. A short and simple demo from the friendly staff and I was done. I really didn't need much information because we received a Straight Talk phone and 3 months of pre-paid cards for a review. And now my teenaged son? LOVES ME. I have made this phone the "kid phone" so that all 3 of my children can help me review it. There were some problems getting it turned on and getting in touch with customer service, but once we got them on the line, the Straight Talk rep talked me through all of my technology ignorance. The phone came to life and I was instantly in love. It's a GREAT phone. We are reviewing the LG Optimus Zip. For $45 a month (pay as you go), we get unlimited phone/text/data on our Android phone.

So far? So good. No connectivity issues and the battery life seems decent. My 6 year old came to me yesterday, bopping to a song on YouTube that she found on the phone while showing me the new wallpaper she installed on it. So it's obviously child-friendly, too. :)

I will definitely update more once we've had more time to adequately test this phone out, but for now, please go visit your WalMart and share the word about this awesome collaboration so that Make a Wish can receive the $1,000,000!

Help on Twitter by using the hashtag: #straightalkwish

Disney On Ice: Treasure Trove!

Disney on Ice is coming back to the Chicago Allstate Arena! From September 13 through September 16, you can be a part of the magic and fun for an incredible discount! Use the code MOM at the Ticketmaster checkout and receive 20% savings on weekend and 40% savings on weekday shows!!

Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lion King and many other Disney favorites will amaze you on the ice. My children always enjoy the Disney on Ice shows and I am thrilled to bring them to this year's newest! If you have any little ones in your life, this is a fabulous outing for the entire group.

Be sure to check out all of the details on the Ticketmaster site and don't forget to use the code MOM at checkout for some awesome savings!!

*disclaimer: I will receive tickets for my family to see this show in exchange for this post, but all opinions remain my own.

Vegan Indian Cooking - a review

Sometimes, I receive products to review that just don't motivate me. Either the item isn't my style or the product itself is just kind of... meh.

And sometimes I receive products that positively speak to me! Sometimes, they unexpectedly excite and inspire me!

The Vegan Indian Cooking book by Anupy Singla arrived at my house this morning. After cautiously opening the wrapping, my daughter and I just about drooled for 2 hours straight, plotting and planning the recipes we are going to test out.

Chickpea Poppers

I KNOW! Vegan? And Indian, to boot? Can I pull this off? Especially when many of the ingredients are, to be honest, foreign to my shopping list? Well, after watching a documentary on the amounts of meat that our bodies ingest in comparison to the amounts of meat that we actually require to be healthy individuals, I am committed to giving this "Less Meat is More" idea a proper amount of attention and dedication. And with our upcoming date night to Standard Market and Grill on Saturday night (yes, we're going to a "grocery store" for our date night. But you haven't seen a grocery store like THIS before. It is truly a unique experience!), I shall have ample opportunity to purchase ingredients for some of the easier recipes like the Chickpea Poppers, South Indian Stew and Lemon Brown Rice.

My only concern with this cookbook is that not all of the recipes have pictures to show me exactly what it is I'll be concocting. And when one is cooking a totally new recipe, it helps to know if the end product is supposed to be green and lumpy or brown and smooth... :)

The Happiest Veggies in the Fridge...

Aren't you just in love with the colors from my garden? Don't you just wish that you could be partaking in the pasta sauces and salsa and other delectable concoctions I have been whipping up this summer?

And all of my delicious fresh veggies and herbs have been lasting and lasting and LASTING in my new Whirlpool refrigerator. I am totally confident when I put a bowl full of freshly picked produce into my fridge that is armed with the FreshFlow Filter, that they will stay that way until I need them.

I know I've said it before, but I do so adore my lovely new fridge! Have you checked out the Whirlpool site to see if they have any items that may appeal to you?

*Disclaimer: I will be reviewing this Whirlpool refrigerator for the next year. Though these posts will be sponsored, all opinions and words will be my own.

How To Train Your Dragon Live Spectacular hits Chicago!

Edited to add:

We SAW it and it was AWESOME! If you have the chance, you really must go and see this live show. It's unlike anything you've ever seen and the dragons were BEAUTIFUL and thrilling and SO realistic!


Have you seen the commercials for this amazing show? Have you watched the trailers for the live action creation based on the hit movie from Dreamworks?

With 23 different dragons of varying wing spans of up to 46 feet, the massiveness of this production is one that is sure to impress even the most critical of live show-goers. In fact, Toothless (the main dragon character) flies a total of 1.2 miles through the duration of the show. I find that AMAZING. The technology and precision involved in configuring that must be so specific!

It's been a hit in Australia and New Zealand and it's sure to be a hit across the United States. With effects and action like the snippets I've seen, I imagine it will be a fanTAStic experience!

Details on the Chicago show are below, but if you are located elsewhere in the States, be sure to check out their home page for information on your nearest city's shows!

We can't wait! 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ 

DREAMWORKS HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON LIVE SPECTACULAR will appear at the United Center on Wednesday, July 25 at 7:00 PM; Thursday, July 26 at 7:00 PM; Friday, July 27 at 7:00 PM; Saturday, July 28 at 11:00 AM, 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM; and Sunday, July 29 at 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM with free parking at official United Center parking lots for all performances.

Photo credit: Jeff Busby

Across the nation, for all shows on Monday through Thursday, you can save 25% off all tickets by using the code MOM at the checkout through Ticketmaster (see the promotions and special offers box).*

*certain restrictions may apply.  

* disclaimer: I will be receiving complimentary tickets for my family in exchange for reviewing the show and spreading the word but all opinions remain, as always, my own.

Toydozer Review AND GIVEAWAY!

Read through to the end to find out how to win your own ToyDozer!
Find me a woman who has raised small children and I will show you a woman who has stepped on a small, very sharp toy in the middle of the night. No matter how educational and brain-enhancing a set of blocks, Legos or Tinker Toys are, I can guarantee you that many of these mothers have pitched said toys into the trash; most likely in a feverish, one-foot-hopping, swearing rage.

Enter the ToyDozer. A simple solution for a universal problem. If you want your kids to clean up their toys (the toys that you bought them and encourage them to play with), provide them with a tool to make this process less daunting, more enjoyable and more likely that they will follow through. The ToyDozer reminds me of a deeply-sided dust pan with a scraper that pushes the desired mess inside of it. Scoop and dump, scoop and dump; just like a real bull-dozer!Strangely enough, this product arrived at my house on a day that it was ALREADY CLEAN. Let's just step back and enjoy that sentence for a moment, shall we? Already. Clean. Ahhh...

I thought that this meant that we would have to test it out on a different day. Sadly enough, my 6 year old decided that she needed to test the ToyDozer out THAT VERY MINUTE. She proceeded to dump not only the 2 boxes of building blocks onto the clean floor but also a box of Lincoln Logs, just for kicks (cue head exploding).

Being the understanding mother I am, I only yelled for a few minutes and then maturely huffed out of the room. She built and stacked and made a block outline of herself (which I would totally put a picture of right here if I could find the cord that connects my camera to my computer...). After cooling down for 20 minutes, I returned to discover a very respectable disaster area.

Sigh.

We ToyDozed our hearts out. While she wasn't thrilled with the process of cleaning, it did make scooping the toys up a lot easier. My only concern with the product is that the scooper doesn't attach to the bucket area in any way. I forsee losing the scoop at some point in time. If it could have a latch, hook or slot to slide it onto the scoop, that would make this product perfect, in my opinion. Edited to add: I have just been informed that the ToyDozer DOES have a Velcro attachment for the two piece to stick together but the company is having to adjust the strength of the adhesive that holds the Velcro on. If you order or win a ToyDozer, it is my understanding that your product WILL have a way for the two pieces to attach to each other! Perfect!

It retails for $18.99 and is available exclusively on ToyDozer.com. If you would like to purchase one today, you can use the code BLOGGER20 to save 20%! Or, you can enter to win one on a giveaway here, today!

To win a ToyDozer of your own, please follow the directions below and I will pick the winning comment on April 20.

Do as many or as few of the possibilities below that you'd like, but be sure to enter a separate comment for every entry!! (you may tweet, share, etc. more than once in a day, but please try to space them out with a respectable amount of time. Be honest. Muwah.)

~ Follow ToyDozer on Twitter

~ Follow me on Twitter

~ Tweet about this giveaway being sure to use the hashtag #toydozer and connect with @justanothermom

~ Share this giveaway on any other social media site (Facebook, Google+, etc.) and link back!

* This post is part of a Toydozer blogger outreach campaign. Participating bloggers have been provided with a complimentaryToydozer to review and have been compensated for their time.

Consider Grammarly.com

This may be difficult for you to read. Avert your eyes if you are easily shocked...

I am not perfect.

I KNOW! It's crushing to learn that your idols aren't always what they're cracked up to be, but I never asked to be put upon your pedestal. :)

Considering how it's quite obvious that I am anything but perfect (Thank God. Perfection sounds like torture), it's fabulous to find sites designed to aid those of us who may struggle through Life (i.e. EVERYONE). One website that is worth considering is Grammarly.com. Grammarly, an online grammar checker, goes a step further than your basic spell check and grammar check. Grammarly offers help with those steps, and also for more obscure assistance. Check out this page where it suggests alterations within different sentences to improve the flow and structure of the author's thoughts. Your basic grammar checker doesn't cover that!

One unique feature that I intend to employ with my own homeschooled children will be the the help it provides in avoiding plagiarism (either unintended or purposeful). Grammarly can assist in checking for originality and generating citations. My eldest is nearing the high school years and needs to improve his report skills. Writing with the assistance of Grammarly.com sounds like a whole lot easier than typing on an electric typewriter like his mom used to do...


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

Magic Whiteboard Review

As a homeschooling family, we live within our school rooms. The kitchen is the main desk, the backyard's the playground and every wall in our home is where my kids display their school work. It can be a little overwhelming at times to not be able to "get away from school." I try to make sure the school books and supplies are stored in the office so that we can have parties and friends over without having SCHOOL shoved in our faces.

One product we recently reviewed which fits nicely into that plan is the Magic Whiteboard. It's not a traditional whiteboard, with a solid form that eats up precious space. The Magic Whiteboard is a roll of plastic sheets that uses static cling to temporarily adhere to any flat surface.My family has been loving the freedom that this allows!

I stuck a sheet to the family room wall and Corinne and Evan used their dry erase markers to create a birthday poster for Justin's party. When the party was over, they moved it to the hallway for random art creations. The next week, we took it down and brought it to our homeschool co-op where we stuck it to the wall during our 3-legged race so that Justin could create a bracket system to find the ultimate champions.

Versatile and durable? Yes. We've only used 2 of the 10 sheets in 1 month (and that was only because my dear husband didn't know it wasn't trash and threw one away!).

The best feature of the Magic Whiteboard is that it is SO small and lightweight. For presentations which you will need to write as you talk, it's perfect. I haven't had a situation where we needed a project written up in advance and then transported, but we did fold up our bracket sheet and bring it home and the drawing was still in great condition.

Check out their website to find more information on the Magic Whiteboard!

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day at the Emerald City Theater

Emerald City Theater presents yet another lovely children's production!

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day is live on the Apollo stage from now through June 13. Tickets start at $13 for children and $16 for adults OR you can use this code, TERIBL, to save 20% off all full-priced children's tickets.

My family and I have attended several Emerald City productions and have enjoyed them all. They're a great way to introduce your children to live theater without the fear that their youth will disturb other patrons or that the material will be above their comprehension or maturity. Alexander and the... Day is a story about a boy who is just having ONE OF THOSE DAYS. You know the type of day I am talking about. My kids can't wait to see it when we attend in April!




Tickets are subject to availability. Service charges and handling fees will apply. This offer is not valid on previously purchased tickets or in combination with any other offer. Not valid with other promotional offers or gift certificates. Discount applies only to full price child tickets.

Home Run Inn Pizza giveaway

We have a Home Run Inn Pizza place near our home. We LOVE their restaurant pizza. LOVE IT. So, when I was asked to try out the new personal sized frozen pizzas by Home Run Inn, I immediately said YES YES YES!

Oh my gosh, people: This is some TASTY pizza!

I tried the Ultra Thin Sausage and my only complaint is that it was too small! I know that it was meant as a personal pizza or an appetizer, but MAN, I wanted more! Of course, that's really the problem with pizza, isn't it? Overeating! The 6 inch pizzas range from 280-380 calories per pizza. So really, a bigger pizza wouldn't be doing my thighs any good. But it was GOOD.

I LOVE PIZZA.

If you love pizza, you can enter comments below for a chance to win coupons for 5 free 6-inch pizzas from Home Run Inn. We'll pick the winner on Friday, March 2nd.

Ways to Enter (please leave a separate comment for each entry):

~ Tell me how much you love pizza!
~ Tweet about this giveaway and link back.
~ Follow me on Twitter @justanothermom
~ Talk about this giveaway on any social media site and let me know where...

Good luck! It's totally worth the effort. TRUST ME.

"It's a Big World, Little Pig" Book Giveaway

Oh, how my daughter and I love Poppy the Pig!

She's such an adorable little character. So spunky and sweet.Corinne and I have read the new book by Kristi Yamaguchi, "It's a Big World, Little Pig" several times since receiving it a few weeks ago. She likes to find the good luck charm on every page and try to pronounce the lucky greetings that Poppy learns from her new, international friends. "Hoo-roo" from Australia is her favorite, I do believe. You can't blame her. It's fun to say: Hoo Roo. Hoooo Rooooo....

In fact, Corinne liked it so much, that when we were reading about Ms. Yamaguchi on the back cover, she decided that we just had to tweet her. And I quote:
Awwww.... Right?

When a book inspires a child to reach out to the author, that's saying a lot!

You can win your own copy of "It's a Big World, Little Pig" by entering our giveaway!

Ways to entery - Please enter a separate comment for each entry:

~ Comment! Just tell me you'd love to read this with someone you love. :)
~ Tweet about this giveaway using @justanothermom in your tweet.
~ Follow me on Twitter.
~ Follow @kristiyamaguchi on Twitter.

We'll pick the winner on Friday, February 17. Good luck!

Between Interruptions

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.