A Musical That Rocks

There seems to be a new trend in Broadway musicals: take a themed set of songs, create a storyline around those songs, and poof! a new musical! We've seen it already with Abba (Mama Mia!), the Four Tops (Jersey Boys), Billy Joel (Movin' Out), Peter Allen (Boy from Oz) and now there is a musical that combines some of the best rock songs of the 80's: Rock of Ages.

From the press description:

New Line Records just hammered the in-store release of the Original Broadway Cast Recording of five-time Tony Award nominated "ROCK OF AGES." For those of you not in the know, Rock of Ages is the new Broadway musical starring American Idol finalist Constantine Maroulis. Set in 1987 in a legendary Sunset Strip rock club, a small-town girl meets a big-city dreamer and they fall in love to the greatest metal songs of the 80's. The musical is an arena-rock love story told through the mind-blowing, face-melting hits of Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, Reo Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and more.

I received the CD for review, and based on that description alone, I couldn't wait to listen to it. I love 80's rock music, and still miss some of those classic rock ballads that we don't seem to hear anymore.

So what did I think? Overall, I liked it. The vocalists were strong, especially Constantine Maroulis, who I always thought was destined for musical theatre when I saw him on Idol. From what I could tell about the storyline, the songs fit well into the plot, with some songs actually being mash-ups of two or three different songs to produce the needed effect. Combining I Hate Myself For Loving You and Heat Of The Moment produced a brilliant, moving tune. Most of the songs stayed true to their rock roots, too.

On the downside, I wish I could see the performance in person. Soundtracks to Broadway musicals always lose a lot of the details, leaving you wondering what's going on in the plot in that particular moment. I found myself occasionally wondering what I was missing between songs. And while most songs were reproduced well, some were over-musicalized (yep, I created a word there) for the show. The Final Countdown was a little too showtune-y (as if it wasn't enough before?) and Hit Me With Your Best Shot was nothing better than a tragedy.

The one thing I loved the most about this album is it reminded me of so many 80's rock songs that I had completely forgotten about. Yet once I heard them, the lyrics and the tune came back to me almost instantly.

If you like 80's rock, and you like musicals, I think you'll enjoy Rock of Ages. If either one of those isn't your thing, best avoid this CD. Thankfully, I can't live without my 80's rock or showtunes, and while I'll admit I never saw a marriage of these two styles happening, I'm happy enough with the results to keep this show in my iTunes. Because there's no limit to how many times you can listen to Don't Stop Believin'.

BlogHer 09: The Recap

So I shared a few moments of BlogHer on my personal blog, but there were a lot of items I couldn't fully address due to issues with my advertising. I'm not allowed to discuss anything on that blog that I have been given for free, so specific swag, promotions, or sponsorships are out of the question. Instead, I thought I'd sum it all up right here and let you know what I thought of each sponsor that made an impression with me.

First off: getting to BlogHer 09

We drove to Chicago thanks to the GM Chevy Carpool. My group had the honor of driving the new Chevy Traverse, a crossover vehicle that seats seven.

Pros: It drove smoothly once you got used to the size. (I drive a much smaller car normally.) Visibility was great, the rear camera when backing up was extremely useful, and the front seats were amazingly comfortable and adjustable. Not only were there heated seats, but you could also have cooled seats - I cooled my butt for most of the drive into Chicago.

The XM radio is fun, and the OnStar service is easy to use. (We received a call during the drive, but sadly, there was no Gary with us in the car.) The car also has great acceleration and very sensitive brakes - I always felt safe while driving the Traverse.

Cons: While it seats seven, you'd better hope those seven people pack light. With five of us in the car, finding room for all of the luggage was a struggle. We also had a toddler on the drive, and while the Traverse has LATCH, we could only find one LATCH hook in the entire rear bench, so we had to settle for the seatbelt carseat installation instead.

The middle seats have a lever you pull to move them out of the way when getting people in and out of the back row, but that lever is a little too high-powered. My head was slightly in angle when pulling it once, and I got thwapped in the head so hard by the seat that I saw stars.

Overall: The Chevy Traverse is an easy car to drive, perfect for larger families to use on an everyday basis. For large families who like to travel, I might suggest a rooftop luggage carrier for extra storage. The extra features on this car put it above others I've seen in this class of vehicle.

What To Wear

I felt like a star going to the Oscars thanks to some amazing sponsorships I received for my BlogHer clothing. I was just waiting for Ryan Seacrest to pop out from the crowd and ask, "So, who are you wearing tonight?"

Lane Bryant gave me (along with several other bloggers) a $100 gift card and a $50 coupon to help outfit me for BlogHer this year. They understood that it's often harder to find nice clothing for those of us in the size 14 and up club. I've always considered their clothing to be some of the best "plus-size" fashion out there, and they didn't disappoint me this year. There were so many options, many of which I modeled in the dressing room. I love that their pants always fit like a dream, thanks to an understanding that women have smaller waists than hips. And while I often complain that many of the tops at Lane Bryant are made for bustier women, I still found several that worked for me.

On Friday I wore the Lane Bryant outfit I selected from several options: brown capris, a royal blue top with a ruffle down the center, and a bra that performed a miracle levitation act on my boobs. I felt comfortable and confident all day long in that outfit. Thank you, Lane Bryant, for making it a little eaiser to find something to wear to BlogHer.

(Photo of my LB outfit & Yummie Tummie courtesy of CityMama)

Also, that same day I wore my first Yummie Tummie. (Which I'm flashing in the photo above.) I was selected to be a "brand ambassador" for Yummie Tummie this year, getting the chance to try out their product at BlogHer and tell the world what I thought of it.

Now, I've been I loyal Spanx user for a couple of years. Other shapewear has attempted to lure me away before, but never performed to the level I expected. However, I was pleasantly surprised with Yummie Tummie - first off, this shapewear is like a tank top, not like underwear. There are no worries about how to go to the bathroom in it, and it doesn't flatten your boobs like other products out there.

When I noticed how long it is, I worried that it would roll up and create a big lump around my hips, making them look even larger. But it didn't - it stayed in place all day, with no rolling, no creeping. It doesn't hold me in as tight as Spanx, but instead provides gentle smoothing all around, creating a sleeker line along my midsection. But I could have the wrong size, too - I was between sizes when I measured myself, so maybe I'll pick the smaller of the two sizes next time.

Overall, I'm in love with Yummie Tummie and have already worn my two shapewear tops again since getting home from BlogHer! (Want one for yourself? A little birdie told me that you can get 30% off a Yummie Tummie if you use the code BLOGHER30 between now and 8/7.)

Some of you also remember JCPenney sending me that amazing green dress I drooled over on Twitter. I wore it on Thursday night, and it was a hit - so many people came up to tell me how good I looked in it, and what an amazing dress it was.

I was an idiot, of course, and didn't take any photos of me in the dress. All I can find are photos of just the top half - so if anyone has a pic of me wearing that dress, let me know!

(Photo courtesy of Stimey)

More to come in the weeks ahead, but I wanted to make sure I gave a big thank you to those companies who took the time and effort to reach out to this blogger. While a lot of the weekend was spent arguing about too much swag, sponsored bloggers who were too pushy, and overall bad behavior, I appreciated the relationships I started with these companies and feel that they got it right. I can only hope I got it right for them as well.

JCPenney Has The Right Style for BlogHer!

With BlogHer less than two weeks away, I've been furiously searching for what to wear to the event. Thanks to a nearly 20 pound weight loss, most of my old clothing doesn't fit, including all of my cute dresses that now gap far too much to be decent in public.

I went to the mall a week ago, looking for good mid-summer deals on dresses. There are only a handful of stores that I shop in for clothing, JCPenney being one of them. I saw a dress on their website that I loved, so I wanted to try it on and buy it if it fit. While browsing through the racks, I also found a beautiful green dress by American Living that happened to be in my size, too.


My husband, who was with the kids and I as I shopped, grumbled and asked me to hurry up and try the dresses on. I grabbed both dresses and ran for the fitting room.

The first dress was the one I saw online. It fit perfectly! The second was the green dress, which I worried wouldn't fit, but with a little help getting it zipped up the back proved to be made just for me.

So the dilemma: I wanted both dresses. The first was on sale for $19 - completely do-able on our mostly unemployed budget. The second? Even on sale, it was still $52, which is well worth it for the quality, but outside of my price range for the moment.

I sadly put the green dress back on the rack, even though I wanted it for BlogHer. Once home, I mentioned on Twitter how much I loved that dress:

Like they'd even notice me, right?

So imagine my surprise when a few days later I received an e-mail from Kristen at JCPenney saying they saw my tweet and wanted to send me the dress! How cool is that? Seriously, I should have tweeted about wanting some shoes, too!

I was stunned that JCPenney followed along with Twitter. I've seen other companies directly involved in social media, but did not realize how much JCPenney is listening to us, their customers. I appreciate companies like JCPenney who pay attention to their customers. .

My gain just might be your gain, too, because Kristen also gave me one $50 JCPenney gift card to give away to one lucky reader! This is your chance to buy that dress you couldn't justify, or that jewelry that was just outside of your budget.

To enter: visit the JCPenney website and then leave a comment here telling me what products you would likely buy for yourself with a $50 gift card. Be sure to leave an e-mail address in your comment so I can contact you if you win. One entry per person.

The giveaway will be open until Friday, July 17 at 11:59pm ET. One winner will be chosen at random after that date. Winner must have a valid US mailing address. If winner does not respond via e-mail within 2 days, another winner will be chosen at random.

Good luck! (And if you're at BlogHer, look for me in the green dress!)

Rockin' With Guitar Hero on the Nintendo DS

I know that Guitar Hero has been one of the hottest selling games for some time now. Yet despite our love for video games, we still don't have a large game guitar sitting in our house. One reason is that the guitar takes up a lot of space. The other reason is it's expensive when you add in game, guitar, extra guitar for a friend, etc.

So when Mom Central asked me if I'd like to try out the new Guitar Hero: On Tour for the Nintendo DS, I said sure, why not? It seemed to solve both of my objections to the game: the guitar accessory comes with the game, it is only a small addition to the DS instead of a large guitar, and it costs less. Perfect!

Because we are a family of gamers and have two Nintendo DS systems, we received both Guitar Hero: Decades and Guitar Hero: Modern Hits. (We also have a Nintendo DSi, which is currently not compatible with the Guitar Hero games.)

When I opened the box, my husband - who has been lobbying for Guitar Hero for some time - immediately grabbed one of the games and began learning how to play. Included in the box was the adjustable grip, some stickers and a guitar pic stylus - far cooler than using your regular stylus, right? There were also different "skins" available for the grip, too.

The basics of Guitar Hero on the DS are quite simple. As notes scroll across your screen, you hold down the proper color-coded fret button on the nifty little Guitar Hero grip (which plugs in to the GBA slot of your DS - if you have an older model DS, you'll need to use the provided adapter), and then "strum" on the touch screen with the pick-stylus.

That part sounds simple, and it is. But it quickly becomes more complicated and challenging. Some notes are "hold" notes, where you need to keep the fret button held down after strumming. Sometimes, you need to hit a chord - where more than one fret is held down at the same time. And the transition from one note to another can come at you fast and furious and require a lot of hand-eye coordination to swap frets fast enough.

Then we get into the advanced part of the game. You can earn "star power" for hitting all of the notes in some sequences, and when you have enough star power, you can use that power for multipliers on your score. You also get multipliers for hitting enough notes in a row without missing one. Once you have the basics of the game down, you can go "On Tour", where you work through the playlist of your game, earning money that can be used to upgrade your avatar's appearance and instrument.

There are also options for multi-player play, either cooperative - where one person plays lead guitar and the other plays bass or rhythm - or competitive: from the straight up "Who is playing better?" mode, to "Guitar Duel" where there are complications that get in your way, including outside distractions, and power-ups you can earn to either enhance your own gameplay, or to attack your opponent.

If you and a friend have different Guitar Hero games (like we have Modern Hits and Decades), you can share your song catalog while playing together, giving you twice as many songs to choose from. The host DS is the one who has most of the control, but both DS systems have access to the expanded catalog.

The game is listed for ages 10 and up, and based on my own play, I know my preschooler would not be able to play. However, that doesn't keep her from being a perfect backseat-guitar-player, watching everything we do and shouting Get the red one, mommy! Now push the blue one! She may be playing sooner than I thought.

I'll be honest: I kinda suck at the game. I never claimed to have rhythm. But I'm not giving up, either. Not everyone can be an expert on the first try, so I'm continuing to practice. My husband's only complaint is that it doesn't feel like a real guitar. But that's the reason I like it - it doesn't take up a lot of space, and the guitar pick stylus stores in the grip so it doesn't get lost.

What I really like is that this game is easy to pick up and put down, which is a must for busy parents who sometimes only have 15 minutes to relax with a game before moving on to the next demand from a small person. And I love many of the songs and artists: Red Hot Chili Peppers, Fall Out Boy, Coldplay, Weezer, etc.

I don't know if I'll ever be an expert Guitar Hero player, but I'm having a lot of fun with Guitar Hero: Decades and Guitar Hero: Modern Hits. And if I get better, there might be a chance I'll give in and let my family get the Wii version of the game, complete with full-size guitar. But only if I get to jump around while I play it.

Disclosure: I was provided free review copies of Guitar Hero: Decades and Guitar Hero: Modern Hits by Mom Central and Nintendo. No compensation was recieved and no positive reviews were required. Thank you, Mom Central and Nintendo!

The Beauty of California Flowers

I'll admit that I'm girly when it comes to flowers. I may not seem like the type, but I do appreciate getting flowers as a gift. They just brighten a room, and in doing so, brighten my mood.

So imagine how I felt when, shortly before my birthday, these appeared at my door:


This beautiful bouquet isn't just a bunch of flowers - it's also making a statement. These flowers were all grown and cultivated in the state of California. So what, right? Well, actually, it's quite an important fact.

75% of all US grown flowers come from California, however they account for only approximately 25% of all cut flowers actually sold in the United States. So where do all the other flowers come from? The remainder are imported from South American countries.

California’s cut flower industry generates $10.3 billion in economic impact for the State of California. The cut flower industry overall generates 121,950 California jobs and $3.3 billion in wages for other industries. Considering the recession gripping the entire country, and the economic crisis that California is facing, I see buying domestic flowers as a small-yet-important thing we can do to help us all.

Beyond economics, there's also the freshness factor. Those flowers on my table meet the strictest growing standards in the world. They were raised in a world-class, year-round environment perfect for growing hundreds of varieties. (A climate I am sometimes jealous of in February.) And California flowers are most likely still in the field just 24 hours before you purchase them and therefore are much fresher and will last longer.

The flowers on my table lasted well over a week before I saw any sign of droop. Their fragrance filled the entire house. It made me happy to look at that bouquet every time I walked past the dining room.

The California Cut Flower Commission, who provided my lovely flowers, recently came up with "hint cards" to help us get the message out about our love of flowers. My husband often forgets that something as simple as a single rose or small bouquet "just because" or for a special occasion is often just as good as, or better than, a larger gift. These hint cards provide a humorous way to remind the special person in your life that you like getting flowers, too.

Until now, I had no idea where my flowers came from. I feel more in-the-know about the flower industry now, and I think in the future I'll take the extra step to make sure my flowers are domestic grown - after all, we encourage everyone to "Buy American" for other products, so why should flowers be any different?

Thanks to the CCFC for sending me the floral bouquet and teaching me a little more about the flower industry!

Give Dad A Sweet Treat & Give Back At The Same Time

When I was very little, I remember my mother and grandmother would take me out to Wendy's occasionally. Wendy's started in Columbus, Ohio, and my grandmother has always liked supporting local businesses. All I cared about, though, was my kid's meal and toy, and if I was really good, I'd get a Frosty as well. Yummmmm...I'd do nearly anything for a Frosty.

(Side note: tell me I wasn't the only one who liked to dip fries in my Frosty? Seriously, nothing better than a hot Wendy's fry with a scoop of Frosty on the end.)

Of course, now my kids have their choice of Frosty treats - chocolate, vanilla, swirled, milkshake Frosty, twisted toffee coffee Frosty - the list goes on and on. I get to be the old person and remind them that when I was a kid, there was only one kind of Frosty, and we all loved it. Regardless, a Frosty is still a special treat for my kids, and this weekend I know we'll be making a trip to Wendy's for that cold, chocolatey goodness.

For the past three years, Wendy's has made it a Father's Day Frosty Weekend tradition to donate 50 cents from the sale of each Frosty to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. The money raised goes to the Wendy's Wonderful Kids program, which funds full-time adoption recruiters at local agencies across the U.S., who in turn pair up parents with foster care children needing homes. As you might know, the founder of Wendy's, Dave Thomas, was adopted as a child, and it was his mission to help other children find good families through adoption.

So, you and your family can enjoy a tasty (and affordable!) Frosty together, while knowing you're helping children across the country in finding a family of their own.

You can also involve the kids in this great cause by having them create a fun Father's Day eCard on FrostyCard.com. For every card they send, Wendy's will donate an additional 25 cents to the Dave Thomas Foundation. Kids can attach coupons for "taking out the trash" or "washing the car" onto the cards for Dad.

And who knows? Maybe your kids will actually honor those coupons they give Dad. Add in the deal of buying them another Frosty, and I bet they'll do any chore you ask.

Thanks to Mom Central for alerting me to this special event. I've gone to Wendy's for years and somehow didn't know about the Father's Day Frosty special.

I Double Dare You!

It's no secret that I want my daughters to be tough, accomplished women. I want them to not only embrace their femininity, but also not be afraid to get dirty, be inventive, and have fun doing it.

Which is why when The Daring Book for Girls came out, I had to have it. It was full of how-to advice for all of the things I had forgotten about as a girl, as well as activities I've never had the chance to try. It still sits on my shelf, and I occasionally page through it to see if there's anything new that is now age appropriate for my girls.

So when I heard about a sequel to the book, titled The Double-Daring Book for Girls, I knew it needed a place in our home, too. This book is full of new games, activities and information for the young women in your life. It covers everything from picnic games and how to make a paper lantern to celebrate Chinese New Year, to how to waltz and make your own rope ladder. Great women in history are profiled in short yet informative passages that can easily inspire.

For my girls, we've already made paper lanterns, used some of the advice in the book to tend our "farm" (the backyard vegetable garden), and played several games. Cordy's favorite is the tug-of-war, and honestly she's pretty good at it. She can give the average adult a challenge. But don't try too hard to win, or she'll let go of the rope and send you falling to the ground. (Where's the chapter on not being a sore loser?)

We tried water balloon volleyball, too. Can you guess how many volleys we managed before getting soaked? Try three. Can anyone do better than that?

Overall, this is a fun book that will remind you of your childhood and all of the fun activities we did as kids. With so many ideas, The Double-Daring Book for Girls is the perfect book to battle summertime boredom.

My Night At Yanni Voices

It's such a rare thing that I get to go out to a special event in the evening without the kids, but last night was one of those nights. One2One Network provided me with two passes to see Yanni Voices in concert, along with backstage passes to meet the "Voices" in person.

I've enjoyed the Yanni Voices recorded concert on PBS, and I was expecting a similar show in Columbus. I can tell you that there was no comparison between the two. In person, the show takes on a life of its own! I was stunned at the amazing depth and range of the music, and the incredible talent of the musicians and singers.


While the vocalists were a strong focus of the concert, several of the musicians were given their moments in the limelight. Two violinists battled it out in a "dueling fiddles" type performance that gave me goosebumps. The Brazillian guitarist strummed out a haunting tune. A Hawaiian harp (I didn't even know those existed!) was played masterfully. And the drummer who has been with Yanni since the beginning showed off a percussion set that made me want to pick up my drumsticks again.

But for me, the four vocalists were the best part of the show. These four young, newly-discovered talents have beautiful voices that can bring out waves of emotion from the listener. Even with many songs being in Italian or Spanish, the emotion of the song could still be felt, even if you couldn't understand the words. Nathan made me think he could easily replace Pavarotti in The Three Tenors. Ender's voice was poetic in its strength and ease. Leslie was powerful and pure. And Chloe had a tenderness to her voice that could melt the hardest heart.

After the show, we had the chance to meet three of the four vocalists. We = myself, FireMom and Ellen, along with our guests. We talked at length with Ender and Nathan, and they told us how the stars aligned to get them to where they are now. All four have solo albums they are working on, and they hope to release the albums at some point after the tour. Nathan told me they're planning a new leg of the tour, choosing to restructure the show into more cozy theatres instead of arenas.

And of course, I was thrilled to see Nathan and Ender again, after meeting them at Blissdom. When I asked Ender for a photo, this is how he chose to pose:


He's a hugger. I can tell.

When we mentioned it was Ellen's birthday, she was treated to a rendition of Happy Birthday I could only wish to get:


Yanni Voices is still on tour, and tickets are still available for many locations. If the show is coming near you anytime soon, I highly recommend taking a night for yourself to enjoy some amazing music.

Lee Brings Fashion and Fit To Summer

The one advantage of losing weight is being able to buy smaller clothing. But the one disadvantage of losing weight is having to buy smaller clothing, too. As soon as you change in size, the battle to find clothing that fits starts all over again. Will these be too tight in my hips? Will those be too big at the waist?

My bottom half is notoriously hard to fit. I've got a smaller waist and large hips, plus I like my pants to not be skin tight in the thighs. It makes ordering online practically impossible.

I reviewed a pair of Lee jeans in the fall, and I was impressed with the ability to find a pair of jeans that fit my curves. Of course, that took a lot of back-and-forth questioning with the folks at Lee to make sure I wouldn't have to send them back.

Since then Lee has come out with a new Fit Finder tool on their website. It asks you a series of questions about your body type, your preferences, and then it displays only the Lee pants that are right for your body type. Not a single pair of skinny jeans were present on the screen to taunt me.

From the options given to me, I selected the Natural Fit Belted Desiree Capri pants in Latte. When they arrived, I slipped them on and found they fit me perfectly - not too tight on the hips and thighs, and no big gap at the waist. Perfect! The twill is lightweight enough to not feel heavy, yet still thick enough to prevent anyone from knowing if I wear dark underwear with my capris. They're incredibly comfortable, too - I bought another pair in a denim wash and they have become my go-to pair of capris on warm days.

The only thing wrong was that they ended up being a little big on me, thanks to further weight loss. But hey - I can't fault them for that. I've lost another size in the past month!

The Fit Finder tool was a big help in finding the right pair of capris for me. If I had to give any suggestions, I'd suggest adding a feature to input your measurements so the tool can tell you your ideal size as well. But when it comes to shopping online for clothing, the Fit Finder is a great new tool to make the process easier.

Full disclosure: Lee provided a complimentary pair of capris for this review.

Yanni Voices In Columbus - Go See It!

Back in Feburary, I attended the Blissdom conference, and while there I got a sneak peak at a new show that was being released to PBS and also going on tour. Yanni Voices brings together the amazing music of Yanni and four young voices that he discovered to sing his music. The result is a stunning show of powerful vocals, gentle ballads and Latin beats that make you want to dance.

After our preview, we got to meet two of the singers (and they were smart - they sent the two hot guys to the room full of women) and ask them questions. They explained how the show was a mix of old styles with a new twist. I anxiously awaited the CD, and I now enjoy listening to it when I want something soothing yet not sleep-inducing. My kids love to boogie to the upbeat songs.

I recently found out that the Yanni Voices tour will be coming to Columbus on Sunday, June 7, 2009 at Nationwide Arena. I've been given tickets to go see the show, and I've also been given a pair of tickets to give away to one lucky reader! Not only will the winner get two tickets to the 7pm performance, they'll also get backstage passes to meet the"voices" in person after the show!

To enter, leave a comment below telling me why you'd like to see the show. You don't have to be obsessed with Yanni - even saying you need a night out without the kids is a good reason! One entry per person, please. Be sure to leave an e-mail address so I can contact you if you win. And obviously you must live in or near the Columbus, OH area so you can attend the show.

Entries will be accepted until June 1, 2009 at 11:00pm EDT.

Good luck! I'll be giving a full report after the concert!

Juice With The Added Ingredients You WANT

I have to admit, my kids are big juice drinkers. Cordy has disliked water from the beginning, begging only for juice or milk to drink. (Hey, could be worse, right?) I'd say both girls get about 3 glasses of juice each day.

Now wait - before you remind me that 3 glasses is way too much juice per day, let me add that each glass is about 1/4 juice and 3/4 water. Sometimes even more water. So really they're getting about one serving of juice per day. But don't tell them I water it down. They've never tasted full-strength juice.

Of course, I'm very picky with juice, and only want 100% juice for them - no added ingredients, no high fructose corn syrup. Because of that, we've been big fans of Juicy Juice for years. I've trusted the product more than other brands because I don't feel like I have to check each label closely to make sure that particular flavor is 100% juice and not 10% juice or less.

Recently I was given the chance to try two new Juicy Juice products. Juicy Juice Brain Development and Juicy Juice Immunity are fruit juice beverages containing added nutrients, and are designed to benefit children during different periods of their growth and development.

Juicy Juice Brain Development is the same apple or grape juice you love, but with DHA added. You've seen DHA in other products - it's been added to baby formula, baby food, children's yogurt, etc. Juicy Juice Immunity has added Vitamin C and Zinc to help build your child's natural defenses against illness. It also has prebiotic fiber to help with digestive health. It's available in apple or berry flavors.

These two new products taste no different from the other 100% juice products made by Juicy Juice. My girls love the grape and berry flavors, and knowing that my preschooler doesn't always have the best diet (picky eater), I feel better knowing she's getting a little extra fiber and vitamins from her favorite drink.

Try it free!
I've got two coupons to give away - one for a free Juicy Juice Brain Development, and one for a free Juicy Juice Immunity! To enter, leave a comment below with your child's favorite flavor of juice. Be sure to leave a way for me to contact you should you win.

Entries will be allowed until May 26, 2009 at 11:59pm EDT. Two winners will be chosen at random (random.org) - the first winner will have first pick at which product they want to try.

If you want to save more money on your juice, sign up at Juicy Juice to receive news, coupons and special offers.

Last Minute Mother's Day Gifts That Help Others, Too

Every year, I ask my mother what she wants for Mother's Day, and she always gives me some vague response about not needing anything and how doing something for someone in need would be better.

Well now I can still give her something AND help others.

Some of you know that I am a March of Dimes mom, and as a result I like to look for ways to help raise money for this organization. Right now, there are two excellent opportunities to buy a beautiful Mother's Day gift and support other mothers who may not get to be with their babies this Sunday.

Red Envelope is offering this beautiful necklace for Mother's Day: a mother and child embracing, formed from a single, unending loop of silver. I received one of these from the March of Dimes, and I can't even begin to express how lovely it is. I've already received several compliments on it, and looking at the design reminds me of those nights when each of my daughters were babies and I cradled each of them in my arms as I rocked them to sleep.

The pendant is 3/4" tall and the chain is a very fine silver chain with a lobster clasp. 10% of each necklace goes directly to the March of Dimes.

If the mom in your life is fond of flowers, consider a purchase from ProFlowers. They deliver across the United States, and feature not only pretty floral bouquets, but also cookies and sweets, gift baskets, and potted plants. (My mom is getting a potted plant - she loves to garden, and one more plant to take care of will be a welcome gift.) Many of their floral bouquets start at $19.99.

Any purchase made through this ProFlowers link will give $10 to the March of Dimes. You have to use the specific link for the March of Dimes to get the $10 donation.

This Mother's Day, consider not only the best gift for mom, but also how that gift might serve as a gift to someone else as well.

Imagination Movers & Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Bring Summer Fun & Music To Your Home

Most of the time we use the Tivo to record a few favorite programs for Cordy and Mira, so that if they hit a point of boredom and want to watch a specific show, we can pull it up for them without any problem.

But sometimes those programs get deleted. Or we're at the grandparents and they don't have cable. Or Cordy changes her mind and is suddenly obsessed with a new show and we had no warning. In these cases, DVDs are a must.

Two programs that my daughters would easily rate as favorites had new DVDs released today: Imagination Movers - Warehouse Mouse Edition and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse - Mickey's Big Splash.

We have loved the Imagination Movers ever since they first appeared on Playhouse Disney. Their music is great for kids without being annoying for adults, and the show teaches important lessons about cooperation, working through problems, and finding a different solution when the first (or third) try didn't work.

The four episodes on this DVD all feature the help of Warehouse Mouse, the furry resident of the Idea Warehouse that only Smitty seems to understand. Cordy's favorite part is when Warehouse Mouse dresses up as a bunny so he doesn't scare the TV repairman, who is scared of mice.

Nina and Uncle Knit Knots round out the cast, with her boundless enthusiasm and his insistence on keeping everything boring. But the real stars of the show are the Movers themselves, who are friendly, creative, and well-rounded characters. Mira loves their music and their dancing.

If you like your kids' entertainment even more animated than the Imagination Movers, then Mickey's Big Splash is for you. These four beach and water-themed episodes have Mickey and the gang looking for ways to stay cool, all with the help of Toodles and the mouseketools. One episode features Pluto taking a bubble bath, and now Cordy wants bubbles for her bath each day. She even likes to measure out the soap, just like they do in the episode.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse teaches friendship and problem solving, as well as counting, basic math, patterns, colors and other preschool concepts. Mira is learning to count with the help of Mickey and friends. And I like seeing my daughters enjoy the same characters that I grew up with.

Both of these DVDs are new favorites in our house. We'll all get up and dance with the Imagination Movers, and it's not uncommon for Mira and Cordy to ask for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for their TV time. It's always a challenge to find quality kids' programming, where you feel safe that your kids are getting a good message and maybe even learning something along the way. Mickey's Big Splash and Imagination Movers: Warehouse Mouse Edition meet those goals in my eyes and I think they're a good addition to a DVD library.

Full disclosure: I was given complimentary review copies of each of these DVDs. I was not paid to endorse these products.

Chug-a-long With Thomas & Friends

Last week, my family had the chance to go see Thomas & Friends Live on Stage: A Circus Comes to Town. Both of my daughters love trains, and we have a small collection of Thomas trains that get a lot of attention in our house. I knew there was a strong chance that the girls would love seeing Thomas on stage - my only worry was that they wouldn't have the patience to sit through a full performance.

The queen of short-attention spans

The show started with some of the characters coming out into the audience and greeting the kids. Mira was interested, but Cordy was still fidgety in her seat. However, once the first train came onto the stage, both girls were mesmerized.

The premise of the show is a circus has come to the Island of Sodor, and they needed the engines to help pull the circus cars across the island so they can set up for their show. Thomas makes a big mistake, and it takes all of the engines working together (being really useful, of course) to guarantee a success for the circus. There are lessons in friendship, cooperation, and handling accidents, along with lots of upbeat music and exciting characters.


I remarked to my husband at intermission how amazed I was at the energy in this show. There wasn't a bad performance in the entire ensemble. Mira and Cordy loved the music, dancing and clapping along with each song.

The show ended with the circus performance, and while everyone loved the strong man, the acrobat, and the clown, it was the train engines who were still the stars of the show. Any time they came onto stage, Mira's face would light up and she would shout "woo-woo!" while pointing at Thomas, Percy and Gordon.


After an hour and a half of fun, the show was over, and Cordy's eyes filled with tears as she demanded more Thomas. We had to promise her that she would see Thomas at home to convince her to leave her seat. Half a week later, she's still asking when Thomas will bring the circus to her house.

We had so much fun watching Thomas & Friends Live on Stage: A Circus Comes to Town. Even Aaron and I enjoyed the show - it was funny, it was engaging, and I didn't feel silly dancing along. If Thomas & Friends comes to your town, I highly recommend checking out their show. You'll be chugga-chugga-chugging along for days to come!

Thanks to Mom Select for providing the tickets for our family to see this show!

Who Says Simple Ice Cream Has To Be Bland?

We've moved into an era where simplicity is coming back into style. We want our clothes made out of simple cotton or other natural fabrics. We want to see as few ingredients as possible in our shampoos and body products. And when it comes to food - we want ingredients we can pronounce.

Haagen-Dazs has listened to our desires, and created a new series of ice creams that appeal to our wishes for simplicity called Five. As you might guess from the name, these ice creams have only five ingredients each: milk, cream, sugar, eggs, and an all natural flavor. Surprisingly, you'd think this might be higher in fat or calories than your standard ice cream, but it's not - it's both lower in calories and fat per serving.

Mom Central sent me four pints of Haagen-Dazs Five to taste test: mint, brown sugar, ginger, and passion fruit. No worries about my credentials here, everyone. I can assure you that I'm an ice cream connoisseur, with a long resume of ice cream tasting from all brands. For references, see my bathroom scale.

Looking over the four flavors, I wasn't sure where to start. I've never cared for passion fruit, but I decided it was time to give it another try, since this was probably the only time I've ever had something flavored with real passion fruit. The flavor was intense, and the ice cream was wonderfully smooth and creamy. For only having five ingredients, I wasn't expecting the flavor wallop it gave me.

I still don't like passion fruit, however, so I swapped it for the pint of brown sugar and dug in. WOW. Again, such a simple yet strong flavor. I found the same to be true with ginger and mint as well. I really like that these are so simple - ingredients I can pronounce, real sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup, and no artificial flavors or colors.

The mint wasn't as strong as some of the other flavors, while the ginger was actually too strong for me. But my husband and I put our brains together, and came up with a great recipe: two scoops brown sugar ice cream, and one scoop ginger. Eat it together - the brown sugar mellows out the ginger, and together they taste exactly like a ginger snap cookie. Try it - you'll be amazed.

Overall I love the new Haagen-Dazs Five ice creams. There are seven total flavors: brown sugar, passion fruit, mint, ginger, coffee, vanilla bean, and milk chocolate. You can bet I'll be buying some of the milk chocolate soon for those days when I need a little splurge in my diet.

And you can win a pint for yourself! I've got four coupons for a free Haagen-Dazs ice cream to give to four lucky readers! To enter, leave a comment below sharing your favorite ice cream flavor, and be sure I have a way to contact you if you win.

One entry per household, US addresses only. I'll accept entries until 11:59pm EDT on Wednesday, April 22. Four winners will then be chosen at random using Random.org and contacted after that date.

Good luck!

Learning By Example With Social Skill Builders

As many of you know, Cordy was evaluated for developmental delays when she was three and I was informed that she was likely on the spectrum for autism disorders. Most likely PDD-NOS is what we were told by the school psychologist. She's had a year and a half of special needs preschool now, and thankfully she's made tremendous progress. Her sensory sensitivities are no longer debilitating and she is a little more aware of the social world around her. Instead of looking right through people, she recognizes them and even interacts with them.

But when it comes to knowing the right way to behave in particular situations, she often has trouble understanding the rules of social behavior. Her social skills are still better than they were, but she has a long way to go before the risk of causing a disruption in a new environment is minimized.

Parent Bloggers invited me to try out a social skills software called My Community, made by Social Skill Builders. The software is aimed at children 5-15 years old, and although Cordy isn't five yet, she's only five months away from it. The goal of this software is to teach children about appropriate social behavior, interactions, expectations and safety precautions in several common areas of social interaction, like the doctor's office, the car, and a restaurant.

There are five levels in this software. The very basic level allows children to select an area of town and view videos modeling appropriate and inappropriate behaviors, with an explanation of what was correct and incorrect given at the end of each video. Level 2 asks the player to answer basic multiple choice questions about what they see. Level 3 asks them to look for visual cues to social behaviors. Level 4 involves matching thoughts or feelings to those they see in the photos or video. And Level 5 asks the player to anticpate and predict the correct responses to situations.

I showed the game to Cordy and we went through Level 1 and Level 2 together. She had trouble focusing on Level 1 because she wasn't asked to do anything, but on Level 2 she was willing to make an effort at answering questions. She loved that each correct answer gave her a little lit-up icon below the video player - she especially enjoyed "earning" ice cream cones in the restaurant section! After you answer a certain number of questions, you get to play a mini-game - in our case, Cordy insisted that I play the mini-game while she cheered me on.

Cordy has a very short attention span at this point, but she did focus on the videos for short periods. For her, it's easier to come back to it a few times a day for a few minutes each, which isn't a problem because each user creates their own profile and their progress is saved to that profile.

I played the other levels, and I like how all aspects of social skills are covered, from reading body langauge, understanding feelings, and predicting responses. I'll admit that even I didn't get every question correct.

I see a lot of future use for us with this software. As she gets older, she'll be able to tackle the higher levels and pick up on the finer points of social skills. And I don't think your child needs to have autism to use this video. Many of the scenes showed typical thoughtless kid behavior (taking things from others, bugging mom in the car, refusing to share, etc.) and then modeled proper behavior in each situation. I'd guess many children would learn something from this software. There's a free demo to view on the website if you're curious about if this would be a good product for your child.

Overall I really like My Community by Social Skill Builders. The videos provide excellent social behavior demonstrations without looking over-the-top, and the interactive features of the software keep a child engaged in learning proper social skills.

Stay tuned as I'll be reviewing Preschool Playtime Vol. 2, another product by Social Skill Builders, in a few weeks!

Monkeying Around With Curious George

Cordy watches Curious George on PBS Kids every day. It's on right when she gets home from school, and she's grown to love George's antics.

So when I received the Curious George Hide and Seek Zoo board game, I was hoping she'd be interested. It was out of the box for only a minute before she was pushing the red button on the walkie talkie that came with game.

The game is designed for ages 4-8, and combines a traditional board game with matching skills and a little bit of physical fun, too. Each turn, a player pushes the red button on the walkie talkie to get their instructions from the man in the yellow hat. If he tells them to go to a certain part of the zoo, they draw a card from that area and place it on the board in the spot that matches. Then the player spins a spinner and if there is a match, the player collects the matched card.

But the man in the yellow hat doesn't always give that instruction. Sometimes he says the bus of children are getting closer, and you then move the bus one space towards the zoo entrance.

The real fun, however, lies in a push of the red button and the man's voice saying "Oh, no, George, the animals have escaped!" At that point, all players except the one who pushed the button put on animal masks, run away and hide. The walkie talkie tells the active player when it's time to go look for them, and finds as many as possible before time runs out.

The player with the most task cards and hide and seek cards by the time the bus reaches the zoo is the winner.

Cordy loved playing this game. She loved putting on a mask and hiding from us. Mira loved it too, but she was too young to play along properly and sometimes got in the way. While the game is rated for 4-8, I think some 4 year old might need a little more prompting about the rules throughout the game. (And also walkie talkie supervision - she is notorious for pushing the red button more than once.)

This game is great for working on matching skills, and of course the hide and seek element adds a lot of silly fun to the experience as well. Just be sure to set your boundries for hide and seek at the beginning of the game or you'll be searching out in the garage for the missing panda bear...

Win One!

I've got an extra copy of the Curious George Hide and Seek Zoo board game to give to one lucky reader. To enter, leave a comment below before Friday, April 10 at 11:59 pm EDT. One winner will be selected by random drawing after that date. I can only ship to US addresses. Be sure to leave me a way to contact you in the comments.

Good luck!

Contest is now closed. Congrats to Carolyn!

Taste-Testing Maranatha Organic Peanut Butter

As a child I went to school nearly everyday with a PB&J sandwich. It was an easy lunch for my mom to pack, and I never got tired of peanut butter. I still love it, too - despite the high fat content, peanut butter is a great source of protein.

But Cordy has gone far beyond my love for peanut butter. She practically worships the stuff. At school they serve PB&J sandwiches with graham crackers instead of bread, and she has been known to eat two or more of them. When she gets home for lunch each day, she requests a PB&J 99% of the time. Yes, I worry about last month's peanut scare, and I also don't like many of the trans-fats and additives in peanut butter. But I can't deny her peanut butter - it's one of her few sources of protein!

Parent Bloggers recently asked if I wanted to try some organic peanut butter by Maranatha. I was interested - after all, if my child's diet is going to contain this much of a single food, maybe I should look into finding the most healthy version of this food, right?

Why haven't I bought organic before this? It's mostly due to my laziness. I know, dumb reason, but most organic peanut butters have that layer of oil on the top, requiring stirring. Yes, I refused to buy it because I had to take the extra step of stirring.

However, I was informed that Maranatha has a no-stir peanut butter. Well now you're talking! Once I got my coupon I ran to the grocery to pick up my jar. (I found it at two local groceries in the organic section - no need to visit Whole Foods.)

I opened the jar and peered inside. The peanut butter looked more dense than my popular brand, and more oily as well. (But it didn't require stirring!) Maranatha peanut butters are trans-fat free and made in small, preservative-free batches. They're also low in sugar and salt. I grabbed a spoon and tried a bite. Yum!

It's very creamy and smooth. And while this may sound dumb, it had a strong roasted peanut flavor, as opposed to the sugary taste that I usually find in most peanut butters. The peanut taste wasn't overpowered by sugar and salt. In other words, I think I was tasting real peanut butter for the first time!

But what about Cordy? Would she like it? She's very particular about her peanut butter. When I accidentally used Aaron's reduced fat peanut butter, she turned her nose up at it. When I tried another variety, she again refused to eat. You can imagine how nervous I was as I prepared her sandwich, thinking back to the old Folger's commercials:

We're here at this everyday home where we've secretly replaced their usual peanut butter with Maranatha organic peanut butter. Can they tell the difference? Let's find out.

Cordy ate every bite of her sandwich, declaring it delicious. I don't know if she thought it was the same as or better than her usual peanut butter, but at least she didn't dislike it. Victory!

Maranatha organic peanut butter does need to be refrigerated after opening due to having no preservatives in it. You can also find Maranatha in a crunchy no-stir variety, as well as almond, cashew and macadamia butters.

Want to try Maranatha for free? Leave a comment below telling me your current brand of peanut butter by Friday, April 3 at 11:59pm EDT. I'll choose one winner by random draw to receive a coupon for a free jar of Maranatha. (US residents only.)

Baby Einstein Takes on the World

At my first baby shower, I remember getting several Baby Einstein DVDs as gifts. We already knew the power of them - friends of ours had a son who would remain quiet for an entire Baby Einstein DVD so they could get dinner ready or take a quick shower. It was like a magic off button.

Cordy liked Baby Einstein as a baby, too, and we then reused our DVDs when Mira was born. It's been awhile since we brought out Baby Mozart or Baby Shakespeare, mostly because we thought Mira might be too old for them now.

However, I recently received a copy of Baby Einstein: World Music for review, and as I put in the DVD I wondered how Mira would react. She likes puppets, and she loves music, so I was hoping this would be a big hit.

I was pleasantly surprised by her reaction. She was entranced at first, then crawled onto my lap and began pointing towards everything she saw on the screen. At times she would jump down and spin in a circle - that's her way of dancing. As for the puppets - she couldn't get enough of them, as she pawed the TV trying to get to the monkey puppet who guides viewers around the world.

Baby Einstein: World Music introduces children to the world's distinctive sights and sounds with a cute puppet host, Jane the Monkey, as she travels across the globe to play music with her puppet friends. It features a mix of real-world images of global musical instruments, regional toys and animals, and puppet adventures set to music from every reach of the world.

And for a more customized experience for each family's stage and needs, the World Music DVD provides two settings - Grow with Me and Select-a-Segment. The "grow with me" setting offers a second viewing mode containing spoken words and additional content that grows with babies, while "select-a-segment" gives parents the choice of viewing shorter segments, such as five or ten minutes, as opposed to longer programming.

Mira enjoys this DVD, and I like exposing her to different types of music. I also received the Baby Einstein: World Music audio CD, and while it's a little too soothing for car rides, it makes a great CD to play at bedtime.

Thanks to Mom Central for providing this product!

Because You Know Cuts and Scrapes Are Going To Happen

The weather is finally warming up here, and that means my girls are already back outside playing in the backyard, at the playground or going for walks with us. And if your kids are like mine, you know that the incidence of scrapes, cuts, and general boo-boos will soon be on the rise, too.

I was invited by Mom Central to try out Neosporin and their new Neo To Go! antiseptic/pain relieving spray, and the first thing they asked me to do was take a look in my medicine cabinet at what I already had. Specifically, I was asked to examine the expiration dates. Oops. Turns out my tube of antiseptic cream expired at Christmas - in 2007. Many products lose their effectiveness after the expiration date, leading to thinking you're protected when you're not.

We've used Neosporin in our house before, usually applying it to any open wound to create a protective layer to keep out bacteria and prevent infection. Add a Dora bandaid, a hug and a kiss, and everything is all better again. I've never tried the Neosporin with pain relief, but after a small cut on my finger earlier this week I appreciated the pain relief part of it! The pain disappeared within a minute.

Quite possibly my new favorite product is the Neo To Go! spray. It's a travel-sized hard container of Neosporin antiseptic/pain reliever designed for one-handed use. I love how small it is - it takes up a tiny amount of space in my purse. And it's perfect for trips to the playground.

Cordy scraped her knee on a metal mesh walkway at the playground, and it was easy to whip the Neo To Go! spray out of my purse, spray the scrape, wait a minute for it to dry, and then let her go back to playing. She quickly forgot about it, and I knew the scrape was better protected against infection without having to go home immediately.

The Neo To Go! spray now has a regular place in my purse, right next to the hand sanitizer and tissues.