Mom Central: GameStop

When the folks at GameStop and Mom Central asked if I would like to do a review for them my first thought was “How fun!” and my second thought was, “Heck yeah!”. Once that was out of the way I was ready to do business (or at least pretend I was).

When I received the GameStop gift card I decided that instead of dragging all three children out and listening to them fight, Hubby and I would just go looking for a new game together instead. To be honest, I’m glad I did it that way because it gave me a chance to focus on finding a game that everyone could enjoy.

As we walked into the store the manager greeted us and asked if we needed any help finding anything in particular. I told her “not at the moment but thank you” and we went to browse the shelves. There was a nice selection of games to choose from but I did notice that the prices are somewhat high for used games. Either that or I’m just becoming a major cheapskate in my old age. I do however like the fact that if you buy a used game from GameStop and decide it’s not really what you wanted, you can return it within a week for a refund.

So with my gift card in hand, I decided on Mario vs. Sonic at the Olympic Games because it was something the kids would have to get off their keisters to play. After I chose my game, I went to pay for it and had a nice conversation with the manager as she completed my purchase. I’ve been to this particular GameStop a few times and I will say that each time she tries to be very nice and helpful to people. The store itself is always kept clean and all the games are categorized in a way (by game system, accessory, etc) that makes finding things easy.

Much to my 17 year old’s chagrin, Mario vs. Sonic doesn’t include blowing anything up and my 13 year old doesn’t get to feed or raise animals but there are A LOT of games to choose from. You are sure to get a workout and build up a little muscle in your arms while playing this game so the heathens aren’t complaining too much. The five year old loves Sonic the Hedgehog so you’ll hear nothing negative from him at all.

Thank you GameStop and Mom Central for giving my family the opportunity to have more fun together.

Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion... So Soft.

When the folks at Skin MD Natural asked me if I would like to review their Shielding Lotion, I was truly excited to see what it could do. Living in the desert means dry skin is a major problem for my family at any and all seasons. Regular lotions do not work very well in this climate which leaves my whole family walking around looking like a bunch of lizard people (think of the TV movie "V" from when we were kids).

Since I was expecting just a small sample imagine my surprise to see a big 4 ounce bottle of Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion in my mailbox. From the moment I opened it, my daughter and I fought for possession of the bottle like two Red Sox fans over a box seat! She has a habit of carrying away all the lotion and hoarding it in her room but I felt this one was worth fighting for.

When we first tried the lotion we found that it had a very silky feel to it even before doing anything with it. Once rubbed in it absorbed quickly and left my hands feeling very smooth. I also noticed that it took very little lotion to moisturize my hands which was a nice change because usually you have to put on tons of lotion to get the same effect.

I was happily surprised to find that there was no residue or greasy feeling after putting it on. My husband even got in on the review and used a small amount on his very rough feet. His feet are always so dry that they crack and bleed at times but after three days of using the Shielding Lotion we saw a remarkable difference on both feet. Since my heels had started to dry out as well I put some on the bottoms of both feet and then put cotton socks on while I slept. After even one night my feet felt so smooth and soft. It was an amazing feeling and having your feet feel that good just puts a glow on you.

From items I've read, what makes Skin MD different is that its not a moisturizing lotion but a, shielding lotion. What the lotion does is bond with your skin to create a shield that will protect the skin from the elements while it allows moisturizers to remain inside the skin where they are needed.

If you live in the desert like I do or if you have problem spots that nothing seems to help, I really recommend you try Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion. We are in love with it in this house and at least three times a week I have to go hunt down the bottle because someone else is using the lotion. Is it weird to want to put a bottle of lotion in a lockbox? Just kidding.

Just other great things about this lotion is that it's not tested on animals, is fragrance and colorant free, dermatology tests, non-comedogenic, hypoallergenic, and paraben free. In my opinion, that makes this a shielding lotion for pretty much everyone including those with eczema.

Thank you Skin MD for allowing me the chance to discover this fantastic lotion. I really enjoy doing reviews when the products are simple everyday things that are useful to us in our daily lives. Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion is one of those reviews and I’ve already spread the word to a few friends and neighbors about it.

EduReview- Let's Get Ready For Kindergarten

"Let's Get Ready for Kindergarten" is the first book in Stacey Kannensburg's "Let's Get Ready" series. If you have little ones getting ready for either Kindergarten or First Grade, you will love these two fabulous books by Cedar Valley Publishing - “Let’s Get Ready for Kindergarten” and “Let’s Get Ready for First Grade.

“Let’s Get Ready For Kindergarten!” and “Let’s Get Ready For First Grade!” are both award winning books receiving national acclaim by winning the 2006 Best Educational Book of the Year Award by the AWA, a Silver Addy for illustrations from the American Advertising Awards and by being selected by Orca Communications as one of the top new products for kids in their Fall/Spring Media’s Best Guide. “Let’s Get Ready For First Grade” is the winner of the 2007 Teacher’s Choice Award for the Family.

The books are sturdy and made to use with Dry Erase Markers so your kids can practice in them over and over and you can use them for more than one of your children. (My son loves the dry erase marker feature - it makes completing the exercises more of a game to him and he just loves to use them!) These bright and colorful books will make getting ready for September fun for you and your kids.

I had a chance to speak with Stacey and find out how she came up with the idea for the Let's Get Ready books. Behind Cedar Valley Publishing are two stay-at-home moms - Stacey Kannenberg and Linda Desimowich - who wanted to help get their own kids ready for school. So in 2004, they set out to help parents get involved in the educational process for their kids.

Award winning author Stacey Kannenberg says, “I believe parents are responsible for getting their kids ready for that first day of school! It’s not just knowing your name, address, phone number, and tying your shoes, it’s about taking an active role in learning. These books are helping parents get involved in education at the core!! Never fear, it’s never to late to start. These books are working inside homes and schools across the nation.” And a great bonus - 10% of all profits are donated to literacy programs!

I liked the size, too - I was able to tuck it into my bag easily and tote it along on a few outings where I knew we'd have some time to kill and it was perfect. Each page has a separate activity, so you can touch on things fairly quickly and move onto the next thing.

Not only does each page have a different activity, but at the bottom you have "Mrs. Good", the teacher, who suggests other things you can do on the page - like "Can you name another pair of opposites?" I liked that feature a lot - not only did they have some creative ideas, but sometimes just a word of encouragement like "Magnificent!"

MomCentral Review: Froose

Froose is a new juice beverage that combines organic fruit with whole grains in an attempt to provide a healthier drink for our kids. When MomCentral asked me to be a part of their Froose blog tour, I couldn't wait to see what the kids thought of it. My hope was that all three kids would like the samples and I would finally have something they all liked.
After trying each flavor though, we ended up with mixed reviews. Out of the three flavors available (Cheerful Cherry, Playful Peach, and Perfect Pear), the only thing I did get the kids to agree on was that Cheerful Cherry was the unanimous favorite. Here is what they said...

~My almost 17 year old said the Froose in general was "okay" but that it had a bad aftertaste. Unfortunately, after only one sip of the Playful Peach he wouldn't touch another box of the stuff so I'm pretty sure that means he wasn't too keen on it.

~My 13 year old said the exact same thing about the bad aftertaste but said she would drink the Cheerful Cherry again if I were to buy it. No chance of getting her to drink the other flavors though.

~The last to weigh in was my 5 year old and it was his opinion that I was most interested in. By the time he shared his thoughts, I had realized that Froose was not going to be something I could get all three kids to drink but that's alright. The 5 year old decided his favorite flavor was also Cheerful Cherry but he liked Perfect Pear as well. I asked him about the aftertaste and he said it tasted good to him.

I'm afraid Playful Peach didn't make the cut for any of them though. I eventually had to pawn that flavor off on the little boy across the street. Hey, I refuse to throw away perfectly drinkable juice boxes. *smile* I like knowing that Froose uses whole organic brown rice because it's gluten-free. While my family doesn't have problems with gluten intolerance, I have friends with children who do and know how hard it can make buying things.

To be honest, at this point I almost don't care how Froose tastes because they cover everything that is so important to us as parents when we are looking for portable juice drinks for our kids. Even the box (packaging) is cute and environmentally friendly as well! I also like how Froose explains their reasoning for the 4fl. oz size of their drinks. I quote, "Why 4 fl. oz.? We chose the 4.23 fl. oz., instead of a larger 6.75 or 8 fl. oz., size to help support the healthy growth and development of young children. The larger sizes are just too big – kids will either fill up on too much juice or it will be thrown out". That makes alot of sense and its nice that Froose is thinking about things to that degree.

All in all I would say that if you're just starting a child out on juice, have a younger child, or you usually have organic juices around then your kids will probably like Froose just fine. My kids are use to sugar-free non-organic juice though and noticed the taste of the brown rice water and syrup right off. I'm sorry to say I did too and it kept me from trying more than just a sip or two. I do wish Froose existed when my kids were little though because I have no doubt they would love having it now. Live and learn I guess.

Despite my picky kids, I give Froose the thumbs up and hope to see it become very popular.

Sorry Babe, I've Got A 30 Day Headache.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder but does that also apply to one's sex drive as well? Even a No Libido Jo like me knows the answer to that is more often than not a great big "HELL YES"! What if you took away the boring mechanical sex for 30 days and learned to fill that void with something even better? Something that might change intimacy between you and your partner forever. Would that make you just a big horndog or a better lover because of it?

When I volunteered to review Dr. Ian Kerner's new book, Sex Detox: Recharge Desire. Revitalize Intimacy. Rejuvenate Your Love Life. for Parent Bloggers Network, my hope was that it would help give the hubby and I a little push towards adding more "us" time to our lives. While we definitely love each other, sex and romance are two things that are not in abundance once you take into consideration my constant illnesses, his work schedule, three kids, homeschooling, his classload for his degree, and life in general. I mean, when do we have time for things like conversation much less sex??!! So the thought of a book dedicated to reigniting sparks and renewing interest in each other made me curious and gave me a little bit of hope. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be for us... for now.

While reading Sex Detox I ended up coming down with a sinus infection, bronchitis, and going into adrenal crisis which meant that the only cozy night together the hubby and I got to spend was in the emergency room of our local hospital. *sigh* So I won't be able to give you a review on how well the book may or may not work but I will tell you what interested me about Dr. Kerner's "detox" plan and I do still look forward to putting it to good use in the future.

Sex Detox is based on a 30-day plan outlined by the author to help partners start noticing each other again as something other than just parents. Yes, that means getting you to remember that the person beside you is also an attractive, sexy, and sexual person that has nothing to do with raising babies, spit up, or PTA meetings.

I know, you're probably thinking that sex was something we thought about BEFORE kids and now it's just something you remember having like your pre-baby stomach without stretchmarks... once loved but long gone. This book isn't just about sex though, it's also about digging deeper into yourself and issues surrounding your relationship as well. It's about making it something even more that you crave for a whole new reason.

Sex Detox: Recharge Desire, Revitalize Intimacy, Rejuvenate Your Love Life explores the dynamics of whether or not you are in a positive healthy relationship, how you may feel about your own body and any insecurities you may have lying below the surface about it, gets you thinking about what you put into your body, trusting your partner, and so much more. It seems to me that Dr. Kerner's hope is to not only kickstart a doormant sex life but also get rid of some of the issues that may have led to it in the first place.

Sex Detox is made up of six sections, each with a different focus like; Starting Up, Your Dating Health and Outlook, Influence and Influencers, How You Date, What Do You Want In A Partner? and Ready, Steady, Go! By having each section address a different aspect of our lives, the book also then in turn addresses the factors that can affect how we handle relationships and sex in general. I thought it was cute that Dr. Kerner even has a "diet plan" featuring "menu suggestions" for you each day that include things like quizzes and instructions to get you enjoying yourself again.

To do a sex detox you must first take sex out of the picture for 30 days while you do the things I talked about above. The idea is that by doing this, you will actually start thinking about sex again and then actually even WANTING to HAVE sex again! Can you imagine?! I don't know about you but just thinking the word "sex" tires me out most of the time so to actually get to physically wanting it again... Dr. Kerner has my attention!

As I said, I didn't have a chance to find out if the book actually helps which was kind of a bummer but I still learned alot from it. As to whether or not it will help the hubby and I, well I might have to save the book until there is a time when the thought of no sex for 30 days actually sounds HARD for us to accomplish! At the rate things are going now, we're so damn tired that even a 6 MONTH detox isn't enough to send either of us into a frenzied haze of hormones and worrisome nailbiting!

Now that I think about it, maybe before we try a sex detox we should look into a sex influx right?! *smile*

Parent Bloggers Network: The Ultimate Tea Diet

Like most people, I've known about the benefits of drinking Green Tea and tea in general for several years. There have been studies conducted on its effects in a large number of countries plus, Asian countries have been drinking it for thousands of years so that tells me it's worth at least looking into.

Its no secret that I've been trying to become healthier despite my health problems so when Parent Bloggers Network asked for volunteers to review The Ultimate Tea Diet by Mark "Dr. Tea" Ukra, I jumped at the chance. I like tea and it's not a crash diet so it's something I could at least give a try and hope to succeed at.

When I began reading The Ultimate Tea Diet I was honestly surprised since I expected it to jump right into how this "diet" works and what all you can and can't have to do on it. Instead this book is filled with possibly everything you could ever want to know about tea. There is info like an in depth history of tea, all the various kinds and flavors that are available, sections that tell you what the benefits of tea are, and even 70 pages dedicated to nothing but recipes! Until you read this book you seriously have no idea how many different ways you can use tea in your food. It is just unreal!

As I said, this is no crash diet. Mark "Dr. Tea" Ukra doesn't tell you to drink only tea and immediately lose tons of weight. What he does do is try to help you understand how your body processes certain things and how the chemical compounds in tea can help your body fight their affects. Mr. Ukra knows that along with drinking tea you need to also think positively, exercise, and also eat a healthy well balanced diet. He doesn't offer an overnight miracle cure nor does he send you running to the store to buy the latest fad pill. The advice in this book is some that anyone can understand and follow. Ukra doesn't stop at listing the benefits of tea for weight loss though. He also lists several other health problems that tea can be useful for. That means you can continue to use this book even after you've lost the weight!

One of my favorite things about this book is that Mark Ukra's "tone" reminds me more of talking to a knowledgeable friend than talking to an expert in the field of tea. Any diet book I've ever picked up has read like a medical journal that comes across completely pompous. Dr. Tea on the other hand had me wishing I lived closer so I could come sit in this tea shop and talk to him. Knowing he has had realistic problems in his life too made him easier to warm up to and feel like he really was trying to help you. I like that.

If tea is something you've never really thought much about don't worry, Ukra's book makes it easy for anyone to find a tea they can enjoy. Included in the book is a quiz to help you find the type of tea that suits you best, ideas on how to incorporate tea into your daily life, and even ways to curb cravings for things like chocolate and sweets. The recipes in the back of the book are easy to make and I couldn't even finish reading the book before I had to try a few!

My favorite recipes from the book were the ones for the FrosTEAs and the rubs. You can feel like you're being bad and cheating on your diet while in fact you are helping it right along! Even better, my three children actually begged me to make the FrosTEAs throughout the day and my husband complimented a baked chicken that I used the rub on. AWESOME!

This diet is straightforward, simple, and will actually give you results you can see without worrying about "falling off the diet wagon". There is no set amount of tea you have to drink each day (just drink as much as you can) but the more you drink the better you will feel. It's a win win situation don't you think? The Ultimate Tea Diet is worth reading whether you're trying to lose weight or just want to feel healthier all the way around.

So, has Jo actually lost any weight on this tea diet? Why yes I have. I've lost two pounds in the last week and that is with only adding a few cups of tea in place of a three of my usual glasses of Wild Cherry Pepsi, drinking a few FrosTEAs, and trying a tea rub or two. Considering that doctors told me my chances of losing weight were slim to none because of not having a thyroid or adrenal glands....I'm one excited gal!! Can you imagine what I can do once I've cut down or even cut out soda altogether?

If anyone decides to try The Ultimate Tea Diet please let me know. We can have fun with this together and hold each other accountable. I also plan to put something in my sidebar (right under my Exercise For Comments section) that lists how much weight I've lost on the Tea Diet so keep watching as I hopefully start shrinking. *smile*

Leave a comment telling me what YOUR favorite flavor of tea is. Mine is Moroccan Mint Green Tea. Mmmmmmmm.

MomCentral- Cranium Bloom

I'm always interested in finding new games and activities to use with my 5 year old during homeschooling so there was no way I could pass up MomCentral when they asked if we would like to give Cranium Bloom’s Let's Play Count & Cook Game and Let's Go To The Zoo Seek & Learn Puzzle a try. Both were a huge hit with my youngest son and I'm so glad we said "yes".

The Let's Go To The Zoo Seek & Learn Puzzle has large pieces that are easy to put together and a lot to look at once the puzzle is finished. That isn’t the coolest part though. This puzzle also comes with two sets of cards (Beginner and Advanced) and a dry erase marker that you can use for an awesome learning game. You show your child a card and ask them to find that number or kind of thing on the puzzle and circle them.

My son breezed through the Beginner cards and made short work of the Advanced as well because he was having so much fun! He especially loved the fact that he was allowed to draw on a puzzle without getting in trouble for it. This has become one of his new favorite learning games.

The Let's Play Count & Cook Game was equally as fun to play. This game comes with Little Chef shaped game pieces, a die, a “cookbook” with recipes that you have to make (plus there are great cooking tips and facts on each page), and round pieces that have different ingredients on them such as tomatoes, cheese, and chocolate chips. The object of the game is to choose a recipe, roll the die, and everytime you land on one of the needed ingredients you put that round piece on the recipe book. The person who collects the last ingredient is the Top Chef and gets to check out the “hidden secret” for the recipe. This game teaches kids turn taking, matching, counting, pretend play, how to work with others on things, and how to have a lot of fun.

My son absolutely loved the "cute" Little Chef game pieces as well as racing Mommy to try to get the last needed ingredient. He also liked knowing some of the ingredients in his favorite foods which led to some fun discussions about cooking.

Since I do so many reviews, my son has a lot of games to choose from but Let's Go To The Zoo Seek & Learn and Let's Play Count & Cook are definitely among his favorites. I can’t even count how many times we’ve played both games over the last two weeks and considering that he is learning and having fun, well you won’t hear me complaining.

Cranium has done a very good job with their Bloom series of products and I’m glad we had a chance to play with and review both games. Thank you Cranium and MomCentral.

Review- Perennial Toys

Anyone can make your typical rubber duckie but it takes imagination, thought, and a real want for awareness to make King Eiders and endangered animals. It's also very rare these days that you can find a bathtoy that floats upright instead of falling over on its side in the tub and staying that way. Most companies could honestly care less but Perennial Toys takes that extra care and time.

A few months ago, we were lucky enough to receive a King Eider Arctic Habitat Gift Set to review from Holly at Perennial Toys. With this set for children ages three and above, you receive a king eider and floating iceberg made of phthalate-free plastic with recycled content, a bar of 100% pure soap shaped like a baby duck, the My Arctic 1-2-3 children's book, an education coloring book on the King Eider, and it all comes in a 100% cotton mesh bag with their business card as a magnet attached.

The point of the set being packaged this way is to reduce waste and all that tossable packaging you usually get when you buy something. Perennial Toys really does care about the environment and they try to show that through their products and business practices. I guess you could say that not only do they talk the talk but they walk the walk as well.

I love their "mission statement" which reads "Perennial Toys is dedicated to creating toys and gifts that enhance a child’s understanding of Earth’s habitats. We focus on aquatic habitats and the endangered animals that depend on these sensitive environments. Each Perennial product also reflects our mission to manufacture and promote eco-friendly toys and gifts. A percent of your purchase supports wildlife conservation efforts".

Fun new friends that have recently been added to their line are the Arctic Polar Bear and the Narwhal Whale. Both are adorable and come in gift sets of their own (habitat set, pail set, etc).

Knowing that this company truly cares and also considering the fact that they are local (based out of Albuquerque, NM) means I will definitely be buying from them in the future. What greater gift can we give to our children than the gift of awareness and responsibility?

MomCentral: What To Expect Guide To A Healthy Home

I always enjoy doing reviews with MomCentral because of the things they send me. What can I say? The variety appeals to my A.D.D! haha. This time I got to check out the new booklet "What To Expect Guide To A Healthy Home" by Heidi Murkoff (who also wrote the famous "What To Expect When You're Expecting book").

Inside this new What To Expect guide are many tips to help families battle germs and illness especially during these cold winter months. Ms. Murkoff tries to cover the main germ attracting rooms such as the Kitchen, Bathroom, Playroom, and Bedroom plus tips to help you teach your children how to battle and avoid germs.

There is even a section devoted to "Fighting The Flu" which has tips on ways you can use to avoid getting the flu or worst case passing it on to others. As we all know, every year there is a fresh flu scare that has us all running and ducking for cover. Many people believe in faithfully getting the flu shot for their family and themselves every year without fail. Others like myself though run the other way despite my suppressed immune system.

The paragraph on getting the flu shot was the only one that I differed in opinion from Heidi on which is pretty good when it comes to me and guides. Despite my own feelings though I felt that Ms. Murkoff is just providing information to people about the flu shot and in no way telling you to rush out and get it which I think is cool. So like me, she let's people decide for themselves and that's what everyone should do. She also doesn't just focus on the flu shot but goes on to suggest other helpful ways to try to save your family some misery. Kudos to her!

If you would like to read the guide for yourself then you're in luck because you can download it for FREE from the Clorox website. Yes, I said FREE! So there is no reason why you shouldn't read it right? Right!

Even though I already knew most of the tips in the booklet I still think it's a good thing to have around as a reference. I also think it is a great thing to give new parents because if they are anything like I was with my first child they are having nightmares of huge germs attacking their house and trying to eat their baby! Okay so my nightmares weren't THAT bad but I'm telling you, I sterilized everything that kid was going to touch for an entire year. I can laugh at it now but back then germs were evil I tell you!

So go download the free booklet and read through it to make sure you are up to date on your germ fighting tips.

Parent Bloggers Network: Jumpstart World

As a homeschooling mom I am always on the hunt for new educational ways for my children to learn. So when Parent Bloggers Network offered us a chance at Jumpstart World 1st Grade, I leapt right on it and now we are quite completely hooked!

Brought to you by Knowledge Adventure, Jumpstart World is a series of 12 adventure packs that teach your child critical thinking skills, reading, math, art, music, and much more. Of course, any of that you can read for yourself from their website if you'd like and don't need me to tell you. What you do need me to tell you is what it's really like to try and enjoy the game up close and personal right? For this I asked my 5 year old to help me test out the game and I figured I would see what both of our views on it were. His answer was (and I quote), "Bubby...Sissy... I get to help mommy review this game. I DO. ME. I get to do a review. Not YOU! ME! Okay Mommy let's go start"! No, he's not the least bit competitive at all.

The very first thing MonkeyBoy made mention of was how much he liked being able to pick which character he wanted to be. As soon as he chose his player (he started with the boy robot) he commented on how much he liked the 3d graphics of the game or as he put it, "Wow, this looks just like Bubby's video games"! I took notice of the fact that it had obviously been quite awhile since I had bought a Jumpstart game because the graphics were much cooler than I remembered them being years ago. It's amazing how much these things change!

As MonkeyBoy explored the Jumpstart World he enjoyed finding new areas to "spring" from, new characters to talk to, and earning gems for games he completed made this "the coolest game ever"! He literally had to be peeled away from the computer to eat meals and go use the bathroom! I liked that it was easy for him to navigate his way through each of the arcades and areas without needing to ask one of us a million times to get him through a certain part. This was a game that he could play on his own and that gave him so much pride in what he was doing. I also liked that this program didn't have that head spinning effect that so many games these days give me as a character walks around their little world. This meant I could actually sit with him and watch him play, enjoying the game with him instead of by him for once.

Once MB realized that the gems he earned could be used to purchase rewards, he was an absolute madman! Whereas before the discovery he just wondered around and played a game here or there, he suddenly had to try out ALL of the games and missions giving him a chance for better rewards each time. Now he would try a game a second and even third time trying to beat it instead of just going off and trying something else. I think all little kids this age love the challenge of not only finishing a game but getting a reward for it and Jumpstart World does not disappoint them one bit.

Needless to say, my son begged to play this game everyday for a week and I think we both learned alot from it. I learned that he knew far more than I gave him credit for which helps me to plan future lessons for him and he learned many new subjects and ideas in the form of a fun and interesting game that held his attention for once.

Last but not least, I like how I can get on the Jumpstart website and check his progress reports, search hundreds of parent tips, personalize his game with holidays and events, and even make special rewards for him to earn from me as he accomplishes each goal. Having the website and program work together made things even more enjoyable and easier for me to figure out what we needed more work on and what things he already has aced.

The things I wasn't too crazy about on this game are the fact that not only do you have to have the CD in to play the game (which is normal) but it must also be connected to the internet in order for your child to play. I'm not big on having to have my 5 year old connected to the internet just to play a game that should be mostly on a disc and this means I can't let him play Jumpstart World on trips and that part is very discouraging.

I'm also not crazy about the fact that every few minutes a "Loading" screen will pop up cutting into the game and making you wait while the game uploads information to the website. I like that Jumpstart wants to help you stay updated and keep track your child's progress but it would do better to have it at the end of a set of games or an area instead of during the game like it does now.

All in all I'm very happy with our experience with Jumpstart World 1st Grade and I'm very glad my little guy has had the chance to discover something new that he likes so much. Would I buy the disc myself? I'm honestly not sure. I suppose I would since I know beforehand that it can only be used at home on our internet connected computer but if I were someone that didn't know that and bought this game, I would be very upset and would probably return it. I love the game and what it does for my son but there is just so much more benefit to something I can take with me for long car trips or airplane rides.

I definately recommend the free trial that the website offers people for download though. It's a game that you should try and decide for yourself whether or not to purchase it plus it's fun and learning that I'm glad my 5 year old had a chance to experience.

Parent Bloggers Network: Beauty Confidential

When Parent Bloggers Network said they needed bloggers to review the book Beauty Confidential by Nadine Haobsh, you better believe I jumped at the chance! Usually I join in on book reviews because I’m a total bibliophile but this book I knew I really needed to read.

When it comes to fashion and makeup I’m about as low maintenance as a person could get. I hardly ever wear makeup because to be honest, I’m not very good at choosing colors or putting it on. My sister works in hair and makeup but me? Yeah, so not happening! While I might be low maintenance it’s only because I’ve never been very good at doing my makeup. I even had a makeup artiste try to teach me about 5 years ago and I’m afraid none of that knowledge stuck.

Up until three years ago I was able to pride myself on “natural beauty”. If I didn’t wear makeup it was no big deal but when a sudden hit by cancer came all that went down the drain. After my second surgery I was left with a very big and very ugly U-shaped scar taking up most of my neck and leaving me feeling immensely ugly. So ugly that I felt makeup was no longer needed because even it couldn’t help stop the stares I get and make people focus on my face again.

Recently though I’ve come to terms with my scar and while I can’t hide it I can do something about the rest of me. I’m 32 years old and have no wrinkles or gray hairs so I’m already better off than many of my compadres (even my sister has a few wrinkles and gray hairs at 30. Is it evil that I laugh every time I think about that?). All I have to do is feel better about my appearance and that is all that matters- feeling good for me.

So the offer to review Beauty Confidential came along at a perfect time and the moment I got it I started to read it from cover to cover. I’ll be honest and say that usually I would lose interest in a beauty book before even getting halfway because they are most times pretty boring but not this one Nadine Haobsh has written. Nadine (or “Jolie in NYC" as she is known the internet over) has something the other books don’t and that’s a very witty and funny sense of humor. She jokes throughout the whole book and really tries to let you know that she’s just as human as the rest of us. Heck, she even reveals her own flaws in the book and makes sure you can relate to her as a person first and beauty expert second.

When the book says “The no preaching, no lies, advice-you’ll-actually-use guide to looking your best”, well it’s truly how Nadine tries to come across. She doesn’t pull any punches yet she doesn’t make herself sound better than anyone else like in most beauty books I’ve read. This is a gal I could sit down for lunch with and probably end up laughing hysterically at her stories. She’s one funny chic!

Ms. Haobsh was a beauty editor for Ladie’s Home Journal until they found out that as “Jolie In NYC” she was exposing secrets of the beauty industry to everyday women just like you and me on her blog. The horror of it all right? Well this led to her being “let go” by said magazine as well as having Seventeen rescind an offer they had on the table. Ouch.

While at the time I’m sure it sucked, she can sure thumb her nose now can’t she? With a successful blog and what I see as a successful book as well added to her resume, those same magazines may soon be banging on her door again. Hopefully she’ll tell them to "bite her" though. Why? It’s the sassy thing to do and she hits me as a sassy kinda gal.

In Nadine’s book she talks about beauty blunders we all make, how to fix several of them, step-by-step instructions on many things like home waxing and make-up selection, and even a product price guide at the end of every chapter so you know the price range you’re looking at if YOU want to have the products. While some of the products she lists are expensive to your average stay at home mom (like moi), she does also list several that are more in our price range as well thus proving that you don’t have to be a beauty editor to look good. We ALL can do it.

Reading this book gave me something that all the beauty magazines I’ve tried reading couldn’t- a guide essentially for dummies also known as the "beauty product challenged" like myself. With her straight foreword advice and tips I found it much easier to get the look I want without all the tears and cringing. Who knew beauty was such a pain in the ass! Thanks to Nadine though it’s only a mild irritation in my life now and I’m actually wearing makeup again.

Since my friends are very much like me (stay at home moms, no time for beauty, feeling frumpy), I will definitely recommend this book to them and even tell my sister to read it and see what she thinks. Heck, after seeing some of the orange eyeshadow sister dear has worn maybe it will help even her! So I will recommend it to them but bitches better not even ask to borrow it! It’s mine and Beauty Confidential is staying close to mama for a long while to come!

ESRB Blog Tour

Okay first of all, send the kids out of the room because you do not want them to see this! They will seriously cut off your computer time if they know you are learning things like this.

Are they gone? Well okay, the baby can stay but that's it.

Thanks to the release of game systems such as Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, and PSP3 most of our kids are putting video games at the top of their wish lists this holiday season right? Once upon a time you could pop just about any game into the console and not worry about whether or not your 5 year old should play it or if it was too violent even for your 15 year old son. The only violence you saw back then was Donkey Kong tossing barrels at Mario and Pitfall Harry falling in a pit. Even then though there was none of the realistic graphics, blood, foul language, or violence that video games today have.

How does a parent keep up with it all though? I mean, it’s not like we as parents have all day to sit around reading reviews on games and making sure that only the suitable ones make it into our house and even if we did, there is always that one neighbor who lets all the kids play the harsher games there. So what can we do?

The answer is so easy that if you’re like me you’re going to feel more embarrassed than the time your 5 year old kicked your butt at Finding Nemo. Seriously. All we have to do is know what tools there are out there to help us do a good job.

ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) ratings are those little boxes you see on the front of every game box. You know the ones- EC (Early Childhood 3+), T (Teen), 

and all the way up to AO (Adults Only) as well as RP (Rating Pending). I don’t know 

about you but that last one scares me a little. Just how bad does a game have to be to not be able to be rated? Ugh. Anyway- those little ratings are what tells you what is and isn’t appropriate for your children. Yes, they are right there on the front of the box (and I’ve seen them on the back as well with descriptions of the game content so you get two chances to find the rating and info!). Easy isn’t it?

Another big help is that newer video game consoles (Wii, PSP3, and Xbox 360) are beginning to have Parental Control features that will let us configure the system and decide what our kids can and can’t access on video games based on the ESRB ratings. Personally I like this because we can’t always be right there when our children are playing a video game so these Parental Controls are a little piece of mind when we’re not around. You’ll know your 5 year old isn’t playing Halo3 instead of Spiderman and no more of your teen’s ears being filled with cursing, shooting, and carjacking. Of course, if your kids are anything like mine it wouldn’t take them long to figure out how to change the settings. Haha.

As parents it is first and foremost up to us to actually sit down with our kids and explain what we feel is and isn’t appropriate. It also wouldn’t hurt us to play the games with them sometimes so that we can see for ourselves what they are really like. I know I’m not much into video games but if playing one with my children helps make sure they aren’t exposed to excessive shooting, blood, and gore then I have no problem giving it a go.

Check out ESRB's website which is seriously filled with lots of great ideas, advice, and resources. I thought I was pretty up to date on ratings and descriptions until I checked them out and now I see that I only knew about half of what there is. Okay, you can let the kids back in now but let's keep this just in the "Parent Circle" okay? *wink wink*

*This compensated review brought to you by ESRB ratings*

Game Review: How Tall Am I?

The game "How Tall Am I?" by Jax Games is a great way to teach children both measuring and counting skills. Recommended for ages 3 through 8, the game consists of thirty character parts (HAT, HEAD, ARMS, BODY, and FEET), a special measuring ruler, and one die which has a picture of each part on it. The concept is to collect one of each part to try to build the tallest fun character. A cool twist is that you can choose any character part you want (meaning you can mix Fireman parts with Ballerina parts and so on) in order to achieve your winning character.

To play you mix up all of the character parts and then spread them out in the middle of your playing surface. The player who is the youngest begins the game and rolls the die first. Whatever character part the player rolls (say a BODY or HAT) is the part they get to choose. All other players do the same thing at each turn. If you roll a part that you already have then your turn is over and it moves on to the next player. If you roll "WILD" then you can select any character part you want which can be alot of help if you're missing only a few more parts and trying to get ahead. After each player has collected one head, one hat, one arms, one body, and one feet then it is time to measure your character. The player with the tallest character is then ruled the winner! What if there is a tie? Well then the player who completed their character first is the winner.

It might sound like a long process but the game goes really quickly and will have your kids giggling at some of the characters they make. You also have to watch out for the kiddos because they will catch on quite quickly and learn what parts will make their character the tallest. My youngest son was amazingly quick to figure this out and would grab the neccessary pieces every chance he had. It was alot of fun and laughter for the rest of us as well.

The best part besides playing the game itself? My youngest son now goes around the house announcing to us all, "Two? Two is not very tall. Where is something I can measure to 11?".

How Tall Am I? would make a great gift for the holiday season for the whole family to have fun with. It's a great addition to Family Game Night and gives the younger kids the chance to feel smarter than the grown-ups which once you see their eyes light up with that knowledge is totally worth it!

Mother Talk Blog Tour: The Reincarnationist

Do you believe in reincarnation? Have you ever remembered something from a past life? Is deja vu a regular part of your days? Well those are all a part wound into the mystery in the new book I joined this Mother Talk Blog Tour for.

"The Reincarnationist" by M.J. Rose breaks through the barriers of time, places, and even people taking you from ancient Rome to modern day New York City. In fact, I'm sorry to say that it takes place in so many times, places, and people that it's hard to know whether you're becoming engrossed in the modern day drama of a photographer haunted by memories, the tragic ancient saga of two forbidden lovers, or the early 1800's mystery surrounding a brother and sister parted by evil intentions. While most of the chapters warn you ahead of time whose story you will be following, there are a few times when flashes take you backwards while you're completely embroiled in what's going on in the present day. Just when you're getting into what's happening to one character you are suddenly another one and kind of going "Huh?".

While I love the concept of this book, there is just too much going on for me to enjoy reading it. My thoughts are that the book would have went just as well if it had simply stuck with a more mellow plot line. What plot line you ask? Well The Reincarnationist is a suspense novel meaning there are twists and turns aplenty before you find out the who, the how, and the why.

Let me guess, you figured I was just talking about a book on reincarnation that just was too busy right? Ha, that's what you get for thinking! My thoughts are that M.J. Rose's main point in this book is to fill the reader with suspense wondering what will happen, why everything is happening, who is causing it to happen, and whether or not there will be a happy ending for anyone?

The book just wasn't the right fit for me but I know many of my fellow Mother Talk bloggers really enjoyed it so maybe it's a book more for suspense novel enthusiasts that might have a taste for reincarnation or the "improbable". As I said, I really like the subject of reincarnation and the idea of past lives being used as the premise of this novel. While I personally don't have memories from another era that haunt me, I have known people who do and it's a very fascinating subject. Meeting a child and just knowing that they have an "old soul" is humbling and amazing to say the least.

So it seems I have finally read my first book through Mother Talk that I will have to say I didn't like much at all. It was bound to happen but not because I consider this a bad book. The intricate and classy dustjacket alone is reason enough to pick up the book and I have no doubt that it will do quite well on the seller's lists. I'm sure it's a good book just not MY kind of book was all. I'm still thankful to have had a chance to read it and will still seek out other books from M.J. Rose to try reading.

Let Them Eat Cake!!!...With Veggies!

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m not big on the whole cooking thing. I usually cook for one reason alone...because I have to. I’m the mom and it’s part of the job description but that doesn’t mean I have to like it!

Currently I have around ten cookbooks sitting all neat and new on my kitchen counter collecting dust as we speak. They were either bought for me or by me in hopes of sparking that "Betty Crocker" instinct in me. Nope, never happened but I’m still always willing to give it a try.

So when Mother Talk said they were doing a Blog Tour for the cookbook, Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld and that it's premise is helping you sneak veggies into your family’s food by using purees, I had to see if maybe this was finally the cookbook to get me cooking.

Did it work? Well, it got my five year old to look through the book and actually ask me to make him many of the recipes just because the pictures looked “yummy”.

After I informed him that you put butternut squash, cauliflower, and even carrots in some of the recipes he believe it or not still wanted me to make them! When I told my two teenagers about the recipes they informed me that as long as it didn’t taste or look funny they didn’t care. So with all that in mind I decided it was time for me to try to do some “deliciously deceptive” cooking!

The first recipe we tried were the Rice Balls at my 5 year old’s request. I decided to go with the butternut squash puree since I had just bought a really huge one to try cooking for the first time. I'll be honest and say that much to our surprise, the rice balls tasted really good. My only complaint was that they were a little dry but none of the kids seemed to notice and all three of them ate the whole batch!

Encouraged such a great response to the Rice Balls, I decided to try a Breakfast recipe next. This time I chose the recipe myself and went for the Banana Bread mainly because I have my own personal recipe that I really love and I wanted to see what the difference would be like. The recipe itself was very easy to make and only included a cauliflower puree. The end result was a very nice and moist bread and you could so totally NOT taste the cauliflower in it!! My 16 year old absolutely abhorrs cauliflower and he still ate two more pieces after I told him what was in it!

So I have finally found a cookbook that I can say I will definitely be using more than once and happily too. Every parent wants a child who will eat all their fruits and vegetables. The reality is that most of us are lucky if we can get our kids to eat even one vegetable and a few fruits. With Deceptively Delicious you can make both parents and the kids happy by giving them yummy foods they’ll enjoy and the nutrients we parents know they need.

Make sure you enter the Deceptively Delicious Sweepstakes at Harper Collins for a chance to win your own copy of the cookbook by Jessica Seinfeld. Cool right?! If you know someone with a picky eater then this might be a great Christmas present for them this year. Just think, a present that everyone thanks you for! Talk about a gift giving first!

Now fess up, have you ever tricked your kids into eating something because you knew it was for their own good? If so, what?

Review: Kate's Caring Gifts

This yummy review is thanks to Kate from Kate’s Caring Gifts. Last month she sent us one of the Make Your Own Chocolate kits regularly sold on her website to try out and give our opinion on. Since my daughter's birthday was coming up in a few weeks, I asked Kate if she minded me saving the kit until this month giving me a chance to have several girls do it together. She was very gracious and said "yes".

I will say now that I give the Make Your Own Chocolate kit a very big thumbs up on many different levels. As a homeschooler, I can use this kit to help teach not only a very yummy Science experiment but also culture, history, and the impact of what we buy and where we buy it from has on people’s lives. The instructions and stories that are included with the kit are so thorough that you could easily use this one single kit to form an entire unit study around South American studies and life.

This kit also makes a great consumable gift and party idea. If I were to recommend ages, I would say 11 and over for party use and any age as a family project.

We used the kit when my daughter's friend spent the night to celebrate her 13th birthday. It was easy for the girls to understand, follow, and succeed at with very little parental help at all. I think the only thing I had to do was help them decide when to put in the chocolate crystals and then I just made sure the goofballs didn’t mess up my kitchen too much! Everything else was easily handled by the girls and the results were fantastic.

What the girls ended up with were about 12 rich chocolatey little cups. You know the kind you can only eat a few of at a time? Oh yeah, THOSE ones. Let’s just say my first thought was “PMS’ing woman’s dream come true”. Yummmmy!

The Make Your Own Chocolate kit includes organic cocoa butter, chocolate starter crystals, confectioner’s sugar, paper candy liners, a thermometer indicator, the story of chocolate, and of course instructions. On the back of the instructions are several little cocoa facts and a story about a girl named "Lucia" and her family.

As a fun bonus, the company also includes two actual cocoa beans to try so you can experience what cocoa tastes like in pure form. Most children have never even seen an actual cocoa bean much less tasted one. I thought this was an excellent addition to include in the kit.

Kate’s motto is “People and Earth Friendly Gifts” but what she should also include is that many of the products she sells are educational as well. Besides the Make Your Own Chocolate Kit she also sells a Make Your Own Chewing Gum Kit, Make Your Own Gummy Kit, Adventure kits from ImagiPlay (wooden and hand painted), and much more. Plus, most products are organic so you can feel comfortable knowing what you are actually consuming when you eat, drink, or use these products.

To me, Kate’s Caring Gifts is a kind of one stop shop for the environmentally, economically, and socially aware shopper who is looking for chemical free and consumable gifts or products. With all the recent toy recalls it’s nice to know there is a site like this where you can find lead free and natural gifts for children and grown ups alike.

Thank you to Kate for allowing us to try out and review this kit. It was a lot of fun for the girls and something I will definitely be recommending to other parents who want to give something consumable for the holidays this year. Including myself!

EduToy Review- Noah's Pals

Sona Creidhe Reviews was lucky enough to have a chance to review several of the Noah's Pals line thanks to one of Caboodle's founders, Steve King. I say lucky enough because I was truly impressed with what I saw. We received the kangaroo set (Kevin & Karen), the skunk set (Steve & Shelly), the moose set (Murray & Megan), the deer set (Doug & Dawn), and Noah with the two doves (Derek & Delilah).

Each set (one male one female) comes with its very own species card telling you the kind of animal they are, their names, whether they are limited or unlimited editions, their habitat, where they can be found geographically. There is also a chart that lists their gender, length, height, the weight of the real animal, and the animal's footprint. On the back of each card is also a code that you can enter on their website to track your collection and even work towards earning your own Dylan & Danielle Dodo set.

How do you earn the now extinct pair? Just collect all 40 original Pals and the Dodo set will be shipped to you for free. When I say free I mean shipping is included so it costs you nothing at all. Yes, it's a collectible toy that actually rewards you for completing your collection. What a great concept!

Each Noah's Pal is beautifully sculpted to 1:24 scale and I would recommend them as both a child's toy and an enthusiast's collectible. One thing I noticed immediately about the animals was that they were way more detailed and sturdier than any plastic animals we've ever bought for MonkeyBoy. They are also lightweight (making them easy to carry around), handpainted, high quality, lead free, educational, and realistic (which is a must with little kids). MonkeyBoy liked how everything “matched up right” meaning each animal was to scale with the other animals. No huge skunks or mini-deer.

Price wise these sets are a very good deal. I found them on Amazon.com for anywhere from $2.98 for the skunks we got (Steve King's favorite) to around $20 for other animals. If interested, you can also purchase the wooden Ark for around $40-$50.

The only bad point I can think to share is that the doves and skunks are quite small so I would not recommend them for any child under 4 at the youngest. I definately would not have the smaller animals in the same house as an infant or toddler but all the normal sized animals should be fine.

The homeschooler in me loves the fact that we could use the animals in our studies. The Red Kangaroo set could be used with a unit on Australia or marsupials, the Moose could help with a unit on Canada, Dalmatian dogs could be used with a unit on fire safety/firefighters, seals could be used in a unit on the arctic, and the giraffes could be used for one on Africa. The possibilities are endless!

We plan on getting more Noah's Pals as soon as possible. In fact, I've already let family and friends know that these would make a great gift idea for my little guy for both his upcoming birthday and Christmas.

Mother Talk Review: What Mothers Do by Naomi Stadlen

When I chose to review What Mothers Do: Especially When It Looks Like Nothing by Naomi Stadlen for Mother Talk, I presumed it was a book talking about all the things we mothers do that nobody ever seems to notice. Maybe it talked about all the household things we do or the emotion that we put into our loved ones that they might not notice. I figured it was a book validating us as mothers and letting us know that we are valued.

Well not only did the book do that but much more. So much more that I will tell you now that What Mothers Do is going to be the book I give to expecting and new mothers from here on out. I wish someone had given me this book before or after any of my births!

What I enjoyed about this book is that you can tell Ms. Stadlen honestly believes in what she's written because it's not just a compilation of research that done over just a year or two. This is a book of thoughts, views, and time spent with mothers who are actually living in and have lived in those trying moment. Ms. Stadlen has taken fifteen years worth of working with women through her counseling, psychotherapy practice specializing in parenting, and time spent with her Mothers Talking group then put it into the pages of this book. This subject isn't just an interest for her but a deep part of who she is and what she believes as well.

I love how this book shares excerpts from new mothers talking about how overwelming and hard motherhood is with no sugar coating and no bull. It's real women admitting that sometimes being a mother is pure hell and just plain sucks. That is what soon to be mothers need to read about. They need to know that you're not always going to think your baby is wonderful because sometimes they are a little non-stop crying ball of rage that makes you cry for hours with them.

We prepare women to give birth but we never prepare them for what comes afterwards. Our society has a habit of abandoning the new mother and saying "Have fun doing it alone" while she is wondering just what it is she's suppose to do! Instead of giving support when it truly is needed the most, new mothers are left to fend for themselves and figure things out on their own. Sadly, our society is one of the very few in the world that does this going against nature in so many ways.

In my opinion, What Mothers Do: Especially When It Looks Like Nothing is primarily written for the expecting and new mother but those of us with older children can still enjoy the book as well because it is so very real. It's the kind of book that will make you say, "Oh yeah, I remember feeling that way" or "So it was okay for me to think that!" and no longer feel the need to apologize to ourselves or anyone else for those feelings.

Being a parent is the hardest job in the world and unfortunately it is made harder by the current attitude of our society towards raising children. Preparing people to be good parents doesn't rank as high as financial gain. Having support systems for new parents is considered a waste of time yet getting ahead in the corporate world is the be all end all. We are always ready to tell other parents what they are doing wrong or what we would do yet it's rare that we will compliment what they are doing right and encourage them.

Thankfully there is a book like this that new parents can read and learn from. A book that tells them it's okay to not be perfect because in truth none of us are. A book that shares the stories of other parents who felt and did the same things, made the same mistakes, and learned the same lessons. I feel that What Mothers Do is one of the best kept secrets of our era and now is the time to share that secret with those who need it.

Card Game Review: Bella Sara

When it comes to trading cards my kids have been through most of them. Pokemon? Two boys hooked. Yu-Gi-Oh? All three kids are into those even now. Digimon cards? Yep, we’ve done that too. While my daughter goes with the flow and plays the cards with the boys, I’ve never really found any exciting girl's (or neutral gender yet including the girls more) trading card games. That is until now.

Bella Sara trading cards were created for a girl named Sara by her amazingly talented mother. How great is that? From what I’ve read, Sara, is a horse fanatic and this was her mother’s way of giving her something new and wonderful having to do with horses.

What impressed me almost as much though was this sentence from their About page, "Bella Sara is an imaginative, joyful world of horses, where every girl is special and uniquely beautiful"! WOW, that is so nice to hear in this day and age of BRATZ and ads that aren't exactly healthy for our girls.

Each pack of cards comes with 5 cards and 1 game card. Immediately after opening the card packs sent by Bella Sara they were gone. My daughter is that fast? No, actually it was her and my four year old son who came in and out like tornadoes grabbing the cards! Yes, the youngest boy is immensely hooked on the cards as well.

Bella Sara cards feature horses in all forms- regular horses, magical horses, winged, and even horse hybrids. Not only that but they actually learn about horses as they use the cards. Even better still is the fact that Bella Sara has incorporated their cards into their website in a really neat way!

After buying a pack of the cards (easy to find at Wal-Mart, Target, etc) you can go online to register your horse in your very own virtual stable. Each card has it’s very own authentication code at the bottom that you type in giving you access to the horse and it's fantastic stable. After registering the card you can go to your horse’s stable and do so many things like feed, water, groom, give an apple to, and change the hay for your horse which my kids found to be their favorite parts.

Once you have taken care of your horse it will be ready to play games and explore it’s world. You can play games, read the first chapter of the online Storybook, print Coloring Pages, and tons more! We still haven’t made it through everything on the site and every time we think we’re getting close they add something new!

Since receiving the Bella Sara cards to review I have had to buy four more packs for Sis and MonkeyBoy because they just couldn't wait to have more! Considering that the packs sell here for $1.89 per pack, I'm not complaining.

So if you have a little girl or even a little boy, visit Bella Sara's website and also look for their cards in stores. You won't be sorry and the sparkle these cards put in your child's eye is priceless.

*I have not been paid monetarily by Bella Sara to give this review. My only compensation is being allowed to keep the cards*