9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi

T-fal’s Healthy Summer Challenge Tip #

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I am honored to be one of six 2012 T-fal Healthy Summer Challenge bloggers! With summer upon us, it seems that everyone is looking for tips on how to stay healthy, nutritious and fit this summer. So this summer I will be sharing a resolutions, tips or healthy lifestyle changes!

Past tips if you missed them:

TIP #1 for T-fal’s Healthy Summer Challenge, get up and get walking!
Did you know you should walk at least 10,000 steps a day to improve your their health. By adding a few steps a day into your daily work routine you can increase the amount of physical activity you get each day as well as improve your overall health and well-being. I picked up a pedometer recently and was shocked that I was not getting my 10,000 steps in each day.  Now I take my walking shoes with me to work and get out and walk 3 miles every day on my lunch break!  Not only does the increased walking make me feel better, but my pants are all super loose!  A double win!

TIP #2for T-fal’s Healthy Summer Challenge, put away the sweets and pick up some fruit!
Did you know that you should eat at least 2 cups of fruit on a daily basis?  I know with the temperatures rising, sometime we look to ice-cream and popsicles too cool us off on a hot day.  Why not ditch the ice-cream and have some frozen red grapes instead! They are perfect on hot summer days, and are easy to prepare and "make". Simply wash and pat dry the grapes, then place into a freezer bag. Allow them to freeze for a few hours, take out as many as you want to enjoy.  They do not get "rock hard" at all, instead you get a delightful frozen treat that is better for you and helps to meet you daily fruit requirement!
New tip:
TIP #1 for T-fal’s Healthy Summer Challenge:  Drink more water!
Drink water before, with and after every meal; it will help you to prevent overeating and obesity. Eat slowly, drink water and you will get satisfied with less food. Drinking too much water can be toxic, so don't go crazy.   I grab a bottle of water every morning to drink on the way to work!  It will rejuvenate you and you will feel less tired!  The general rule of thumb is drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, but it is always best to consult a doctor!

Enjoy Healthy Eating with ActiFry! www.t-falactifry.comT-fal ActiFry is a revolutionary cooking appliance that helps you cook in a healthy way. It creates lower fat versions of the foods we all love such as French fries. ActiFry can cook a wide array of dishes from meat, chicken, vegetables to even seafood and desserts



Disclosure:  I did not recieve anything in exchange for this post.  At the end of summer I, along with the other 5 bloggers will be entered to win a ActiFry.  Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.  Full Disclosure Policy

Taste Of Home Magazine Subscription $3.99

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American Reunion: "Dance Like Oz" competition.

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In honor of the release of American Reunion to Blu-ray Combo Pack on July 10, the American Pie Facebook page just launched a special "Dance Like Oz" competition.

The grand prize winner will receive an American Reunion prize pack and tweet from Chris Klein!

To enter, simply visit the Dance Like Oz tab on the American Pie Facebook page. Reply with your own 15-second video of your dance moves https://www.facebook.com/AmericanPie/app_156218351098324 to win!

 

The Big Bang Theory: The Complete First and Second Season are on Blu-Ray Combo Pack#TBBT (SP)

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Who loves The Big Bang Theory?  I sure do and am excited to share The Big Bang Theory: The Complete First and Second Season is on Blu-Ray Combo Pack.


A little about the show: 
University physicists Leonard and Sheldon know whether to use an integral or a differential to solve the area under a curve. But they don’t have a clue about girls. Or dating. Or clothes. Or parties. Or having fun. Or, basically, life. So when a pretty blonde named Penny moves in the apartment across the hall, the guys decide to get an education outside of the classroom. Boys, you have a lot to learn. With series creators Chuck Lorre (Two and a Half Men) and Bill Prady (The Gilmore Girls) concocting the right mix of logic and lunacy and stars Johnny Galecki (Roseanne) and Jim Parsons (Judging Amy) turning geekdom into Phi Beta fun, The Big Bang Theory is big on laughs. And life.

Penny and Leonard have a… complicated relationship. Even after going on a date, Penny ends up breaking things off with Leonard fearing she isn’t as smart as the physics genius. Have you ever felt intellectually inadequate? Has a date ever felt that way with you? Did you end up working it out?


I personally never dates someone that made me feel intellectually inadequate. I think if you and the person connect, then you will find a way to make everything work.   When I started dating my husband, I was not into sports, let alone all the movies based on comic books.  A relationship needs give and take, so he would do stuff with me that I loved and I would do the same with him.  Now I watch sports with him and we are hitting the theatre for any of the upcoming movies.  Relationships take work, and I bet in future episodes of the Big Bang Theory, we will see Penny and Leonard morphing into the perfect couple!

You can order The Big Bang Theory: The Complete First and Second Season on Blu-Ray Combo Pack

Big Bang Theory The Complete First Season Blu-ray  Price: $32.95
Big Bang Theory, The: The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray) Blu-ray   Price: $39.95


"I have been hired by Warner Bros WBWord division to raise awareness for 'The Big Bang Theory.'"

Great deal on T-Fal Ultraglide Easycode Nonstick Iron

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Head on over to Amazon and check out   T-fal FV4376111 Ultraglide Easycode Nonstick Scratch Resistant Anti-Scale System, Blue List Price: $59.99
Price: $38.26 &  this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. 

 Plus you can clip the coupon under the Special Offers Area to score an additional $5 off!

How to Redeem the Coupon:
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  3. The coupon discount will be applied to the qualifying item added to your Cart and will be reflected on the final order checkout page.

8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar

Superhero Birthday Party: The Twins turn 4!

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The twins turned 4 this past week, and as most of you know I just love to throw themed celebrations.  As evident from my daughter's cupcake wars birthday party and last year's halloween extravaganza.  The twins 1st birthday was celebrated with an Eebee theme, their 2nd birthday was all about puppies, their 3rd birthday was a pirate theme, and this year they picked Superheroes.


As luck would have it, a superheroes themed party was rather easy to buy for and plan with the recent releases of blockbuster superhero movies like the Avengers.  It was also a theme everyone attending really seemed to get into, most especially the twins.

One of the funnier moments was when their uncle showed up in full "The Joker" gear and Cormac was so convinced he was the real Joker he took of running for his oldest brother.  Another classic moment was when my other brother's dog wandered off and he talked someone else into going to get it for  fear the neighbors might call the police on this grown man running across their yard in full mask and cape.

Decor:
To set the mood I hung an old dark fleece blanket on one wall of the house and affixed a white paper crescent moon.  We then stacked boxes to look like skyscrapers forming our own metropolis background.  I had good intentions of making all the special building boxes (using grey spray paint and sharpies, and some colored paper squares), but a last minute trip to NYC the weekend before they party caused me to shift gears and buy some from Pottery Barn Kids that would work.  As a sidenote the boys have been playing with the building blocks and their new superhereo figures non-stop.


Another fun (and inexpensive) decor element was the addition of cartoon comic style chalk "action verbs" in jagged thought clouds all over our concrete patio.  The older kids helped me pen words like "Bam!", "Splat!", and "Kapow!" all over.  The effect was very cool.

And of course, we added lots of red, white, blue, and light blue balloons along with complimentary streamers around our entire outdoor space.  If I had it to do-over, I might have gone with some colored paper lanterns instead of the balloons.  The balloons were popping like mad in the heat.


Attire:
Declan chose the mighty Thor for his superhero and Cormac went with Captain America.  The party was set to be outside, so they just wore superhero character t-shirts paired with matching shorts.  They each donned toy gear like the Thor's helmet and Captain America's shield to help them get into their characters.  You might also notice they are wearing Marvel themed crocs.  To complete the look and at their request, we added personalized Thor and Captain America capes I ordered on Etsy.  


Attendees all dressed up as superheroes as well.  In attendance was the amazing Super Girl, the one and only Super Mom, The Incredible Hulk, The Green Lantern, Green Lantern's Girlfriend, Iron Man, Hawkeye, Random N, The Joker, Batman, Wonder Woman, Cat Woman, Spider Woman, and Magneto.  I ordered masks, cuffs, and a couple rings from another Etsy merchant to help complete some of those looks.

Food:
I took advantage of the fact the 4th of July is coming up and went with a Captain America style boxed Pillsbury funfetti cupcakes mix with a bit of an added twist. I added a single double stuff oreo to the bottom of each cupcake liner before filling it with the batter.  Pottery Barn Kids is the shopping source for the adorable Marvel heroes cupcake liners and picks we used.  If you are feeling really inspired, they also sell Marvel hero cakelet pans as well as some adorable Marvel cookie cutters.

We also served red and blue striped jello in clear plastic cups.  The cold jello was a hit with how hot it was outside.  The rest of the menu including basics like pasta salad, fresh fruit, veggie platters, garlic bread, and roasted chicken.  Basic picnic fare.

Entertainment:
As part of the events for the day, we fashioned a super hero academy training obstacle course for the kids and adults to demonstrate their various super skills.  We utilized items we had like our swingset and bikes along with this provided balance and flex kit from Lakeshore Learning.

I also downloaded some superhero theme songs from the popular tv shows and movies to serve as our background music.

Kmart Deal Alert on P&G Tide & Bounce 6/24-30th and a #Giveaway

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With 7 people in our household, 5 of them very active kids, we have to do a lot of laundry around here!  The good news is, with summer here, I've been able to get the kids to help me out.  I was also able to get a great deal on Tide laundry detergent and dryer sheets yesterday at Kmart.  
From 6/24/12 to 6/30/12, Procter & Gamble and Kmart are offering a FREE Bounce 40 ct. ( up to $2.99 value) with purchase of Tide 75 oz.  Limit (1) FREE per transaction. While supplies last.
Giveaway:
And to further celebrate this great offer, we are giving away a P&G/Kmart prize pack that includes $10 worth of Kmart gift cards and a Tide Pods 35 ct.
Mandatory Entry:Leave a comment below to be entered.
Optional Additional Entries for:
1 extra entry if you follow this blog or subscribe to this blog's feed.
1 extra entry per day if you tweet about this giveaway and include @andtwinsmake5
1 extra entry if you "like" And twins make 5! on Facebook & share, comment, or like something regarding us.
 1 extra entry per day if you +K my influence in Parenting or another topic on @klout http://klout.com/plusk/andtwinsmake5/1840000?n=tw&v=plusK_ask
1 extra entry if you blog about this contest and link back to it.
1 extra entry if you comment on one of our non contest posts.


Rules:
An email address is required to enter. Please leave it in your comment, or make sure one is visible for me to find in your blogger profile. If you qualify for additional entries please comment separately telling us which options you have used. Please limit your tweets  and +k entries to once daily. A single winner will be chosen via random.org (unless multiple prizes are specified). The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. This contest is open to 18 + USA only. Ends on 07/12/12 @ 11:59PM CST.

Disclosure:Please note Procter & Gamble provided the prize for giveaway as well as a prize pack for myself.  I also point out that I am a member of the Pampers Baby Board and I do receive free products from time to time.  All opinions expressed are my own.



Outdoor Clean-Up before Summer Entertaining #Giveaway

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Last weekend we threw a big superhero themed party for the twins 4th birthday and while I was inside filling balloons and baking cupcakes, hubby was working on all the outdoor clean-up.  After arming him with a collection of P&G products all available at Home Depot; he cleaned the grill, washed all of outdoor furniture, swept the back patio, changed out a couple outdoor light bulbs, as well as emptied and refilled our hot tub.

We are both immediate fans of the Mr. Clean Outdoor Spray paired with Bounty Paper Towels as well as the Mr. Clean Outdoor Pro Magic Eraser.  It really takes off the outdoor grime effectively.  Our outdoor living space has never looked so good.  We'll definitely be pulling it out again before the 4th of July for touch up.
According to a recent Procter & Gamble (P&G) survey, only 25 percent of consumers clean their grills and only 20 percent of consumers clean their outdoor furniture. Yet keeping them cleaned can help them last longer. So, here are a few tips for getting your outdoor area ready for entertaining: 
  • Maintain Your Outdoor Furniture – Keep it looking good all summer
  • Inspect your Deck – Give it good once over -  check for loose nails, bricks, cracked concrete
  • Remove the Clutter – Clean up, power wash, remove unnecessary items/debris.
  • Accessorize – Add in the little touches (i.e., plants, outdoor lighting, lanterns, centerpiece)  
  • Clean your Grill – Give your grill a clean start this season.
Giveaway:The Home Depot is a one-stop-shop for purchasing P&G products, including Mr. Clean Outdoor Spray, Mr. Clean Outdoor Pro Magic Eraser and Bounty.  I have a special prize package to send to one of our lucky readers, which includes:  a full-size bottle of Mr. Clean Outdoor Spray ($3.97 retail value), Mr. Clean Outdoor Pro Magic Eraser ($9.97 retail value), one Bounty Paper Towels Roll ($1.97 retail value) and a custom LeatherCraft 2-pocket natural colored canvas The Home Depot apron (.77 retail value).
Mandatory Entry:Leave a comment below to be entered.
Optional Additional Entries for:
1 extra entry if you follow this blog or subscribe to this blog's feed.
1 extra entry per day if you tweet about this giveaway and include @andtwinsmake5
1 extra entry if you "like" And twins make 5! on Facebook & share, comment, or like something regarding us.
 1 extra entry per day if you +K my influence in Parenting or another topic on @klout http://klout.com/plusk/andtwinsmake5/1840000?n=tw&v=plusK_ask
1 extra entry if you blog about this contest and link back to it.
1 extra entry if you comment on one of our non contest posts.

Rules:
An email address is required to enter. Please leave it in your comment, or make sure one is visible for me to find in your blogger profile. If you qualify for additional entries please comment separately telling us which options you have used. Please limit your tweets  and +k entries to once daily. A single winner will be chosen via random.org (unless multiple prizes are specified). The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. This contest is open to 18 + USA only. Ends on 07/18/12 @ 11:59PM CST.
Disclosure:Please note Procter & Gamble provided the prize for giveaway as well as a prize pack for myself.  I also point out that I am a member of the Pampers Baby Board and I do receive free products from time to time.  All opinions expressed are my own.

I made Jam! with SURE-JELL #Giveaway #YesIJam

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"Would you like to try canning?" Is the abbreviated version of how a recent email from one of my Kraft contacts read and I must admit that my initial thought was "no".  However, I mentioned it to my daughter who was sitting nearby at the time and she changed my mind.  It sounded like fun to her and we do all love jam and jellies.  So "yes, I jam" was the reply.



Not one to do something half way, I decided only the freshest berries would do for our canning experiment so we went berry picking first.  We visited one of those U-Pick orchards and farms and had a great time.  We picked a plethora of delicious strawberries we couldn't wait to wash and eat when we arrived home.  And oh my were they good when we did eat some of them, ok almost all of them.


In fact, the strawberries were so delicious that the kids refused to surrender more than a single pint of the precious juicy strawberries for our original intended purpose of making Jam.  So basically I had to go out to the store and buy more berries.


We ultimately decided to make a triple berry jam from a recipe I found on the Kraft website.  The recipe called for 3 pt. fully ripe strawberries, 1-1/2 pt. fully ripe red raspberries, 1 pt. fully ripe blueberries, 1 box SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin, and cups sugar.  The full recipe and canning instructions can be found on Kraft's site here.

You'll need some equipment basics like a large pot and jars.  Kraft, who makes the essential Sure-Jell Fruit Pectin sent us a nice Granite-Ware 9PC 21.5 Quart Canner Kit and Bormioli Rocco Quattro Stagioni 8-1/2-Ounce 4-Piece Canning Jar Set to properly equip us, but more basic kitchen gear would likely suffice.
The basic process of making Jam turned out to be fairly easy and I can definitely see us doing this again.  You prepare the jars, de-stem and crush the fruit, add SURE-JELL pectin, boil, add in sugar, boil some more, remove from heat, skim off any foam, pour into jars, screw on the lids, place on rack in boiling canner, boil, remove jars, and cool.
Giveaway:Interested in trying your hand at Canning?  We are giving away a Canning Kraft Kit (Valued at $70).o    Granite-Ware 9PC 21.5 Quart Canner Kito    Bormioli Rocco Quattro Stagioni 8-1/2-Ounce 4-Piece Canning Jar Seto    Canning Tips and Tricks from SURE-JELL and Kraft Foods
Mandatory Entry:To enter to win your own Canning Kraft Kit leave a comment below.
Optional Additional Entries:
1 extra entry if you follow this blog or subscribe to this blog's feed.
1 extra entry per day if you tweet about this giveaway and include the hashtag 
#YesIJam as well as @andtwinsmake5 & @KraftFoods.1 extra entry if you "like" Kraft Foods on Facebook.1 extra entry if you "like" And twins make 5! on Facebook & share, comment, or like something regarding us. 1 extra entry if you blog about this contest and link back to it.
1 extra entry if you comment on one of our non contest posts.
1 extra entry if you "repin" this post on Pinterest.

Rules:  An email address is required to enter. Please leave it in your comment, or make sure one is visible for me to find in your blogger profile. If you qualify for additional entries please comment separately telling us which options you have used. Please limit your tweets and +k entries to once daily. A single winner will be chosen via random.org (unless multiple prizes are specified). The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. This contest is open to 18 + USA only. Ends on 07/17/12 @ 11:59PM CST.
Disclosure:Kraft Foods is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me and has provided me with a gift of equal value for review.  This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by AndTwinsMake5.com.



Family Fun at Joliet's Silvercross Field: Bill Manner Bobblehead Night @JolietSlammers

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In typical mommy mode on the way to the game, I was coaching our youngest two of five on the upcoming evening's events.  "It's not every night your uncle is honored with his very own bobblehead at the local baseball stadium.  It's also not a regular occurrence that you know the guy given the prestigious position of tossing in the first pitch."  Truthfully I think the honor of throwing in that first ball registered as significant to my four year old twins, as our entire family of 7 had just two weeks ago flown to NYC to watch Eli Manning take his notable turn on the Mets mound at Citifield.


Our family and a great group of friends arrived at Silvercross Field in downtown Joliet last night to attend Bill Manner Bobblehead Night and watch the Joliet Slammers baseball team at work.  Bill (one of my 2 brothers) is locally know for his heavy involvement with several sports teams in our area.  He works with the Joliet Slammers team in the summer and works with the football and basketball teams at the University of St. Francis when baseball season comes to an end.  He's been heralded for years as a hard worker, in fact there is an award over at the college aptly named for him the "Mr. Hustle".

Photo of the twins credit: JOLIET SLAMMERS/MARK KUHLMANN
The pitch was a good one; I know I was impressed!  Other highlights included Declan helping J.L. Bird lead the Silvercross Field stadium in drumbeat cheers and Cormac playing "catch the tail" with Spikes the dog.  As one might expect, we also nibbled on plenty of ballpark treats and sipped lots of cold beverages in the 100+ degree heat.  Despite the added bit of extra perspiration, everyone I encountered seemed to have a wonderful time.


Looking for a bit of family fun this summer?  Keep your local minor league baseball field in mind.  Ball clubs like the Slammers offer plenty of "during the game" extra entertainment like bounce houses and mascots that really engage the kids.

7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi

Family Fun at Joliet's Silvercross Field: Bill Manner Bobblehead Night @JolietSlammers

To contact us Click HERE
In typical mommy mode on the way to the game, I was coaching our youngest two of five on the upcoming evening's events.  "It's not every night your uncle is honored with his very own bobblehead at the local baseball stadium.  It's also not a regular occurrence that you know the guy given the prestigious position of tossing in the first pitch."  Truthfully I think the honor of throwing in that first ball registered as significant to my four year old twins, as our entire family of 7 had just two weeks ago flown to NYC to watch Eli Manning take his notable turn on the Mets mound at Citifield.


Our family and a great group of friends arrived at Silvercross Field in downtown Joliet last night to attend Bill Manner Bobblehead Night and watch the Joliet Slammers baseball team at work.  Bill (one of my 2 brothers) is locally know for his heavy involvement with several sports teams in our area.  He works with the Joliet Slammers team in the summer and works with the football and basketball teams at the University of St. Francis when baseball season comes to an end.  He's been heralded for years as a hard worker, in fact there is an award over at the college aptly named for him the "Mr. Hustle".

Photo of the twins credit: JOLIET SLAMMERS/MARK KUHLMANN
The pitch was a good one; I know I was impressed!  Other highlights included Declan helping J.L. Bird lead the Silvercross Field stadium in drumbeat cheers and Cormac playing "catch the tail" with Spikes the dog.  As one might expect, we also nibbled on plenty of ballpark treats and sipped lots of cold beverages in the 100+ degree heat.  Despite the added bit of extra perspiration, everyone I encountered seemed to have a wonderful time.


Looking for a bit of family fun this summer?  Keep your local minor league baseball field in mind.  Ball clubs like the Slammers offer plenty of "during the game" extra entertainment like bounce houses and mascots that really engage the kids.

An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars

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Coming to Blu-ray™ Combo Pack, DVD, and Digital Download on July 3, 2012.  

Sold Exclusively at Wal-Mart, American Girl Stores and americangirl.com.  Scheduled to Air on Saturday July 14, 2012 at 8/7c on NBC.

"A modern and heartwarming original story about a young girl whose dream to compete as a world class gymnast is jeopardized when she begins to have trouble in school, An American Girl: McKenna Shoots for the Stars™ helps girls learn to believe not only in their family and friends but also themselves. 
McKenna Brooks is a determined and confident young gymnast, in this all-new modern-day adventure. McKenna™ is on track to make the regional competitive gymnastics team but off-track in school, where she’s suddenly struggling to keep up. When her teacher suggests a tutor, she’s embarrassed and desperate to keep it a secret from her friends. Then a bad fall at the gym sidetracks her from her favorite sport. Will she recover in time to make the team? Can she succeed in school, too? McKenna™ needs to focus on her strengths to overcome her challenges – and, with the help of family and friends, find a way to believe in herself again.  
Inspired by the beloved American Girl® line of dolls and featuring the celebrated 2012 Girl of the Year®, the film stars Oscar® nominee Nia Vardalos (My Life In Ruins, My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Jade Pettyjohn (“The United States of Tara”) as McKenna™, Ian Ziering (“Beverly Hills 90210”), Kerris Dorsey (Moneyball, “Brothers & Sisters”) and former Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby (Broadway’s “Peter Pan”). "

If you are one to believe the proof is in the numbers, you'll agree this movie is a huge hit.  My 11 year old daughter Cordelia has already watched this title sent for our review once with me and several more times with girlfriends over for a sleepover.  Clearly she really relates to this title.  Cordelia is active in the sport of dance and could relate all to well to the ankle injury that sidelines McKenna in the movie.  This title does a great job highlighting the importance of hard work, determination, the love of family, and the support of friends.  And what a great movie to watch with the family as we all await the start of the Summer Olympic Games.
I must warn you that once the movie ends, you should be prepared for the kids to start moving the furniture out of the way as they start practicing hand stands and roundabouts. Here's a Clip:

 

Disclosure:Please note this title was provided for my review by Universal Studios Home Entertainment.

Radio Rebel now on DVD

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Image Entertainment recently released the Disney Channel Original Movie RADIO REBEL on DVD. Based on the book Shrinking Violet by Danielle Joseph, the story follows Tara Adams (Debby Ryan: "Jessie," Sixteen Wishes), an ordinary high school junior with an extraordinary secret—she’s Radio Rebel, the most popular radio DJ in Seattle! Bonus material includes 5 new featurettes including Debby Ryan's hot music video for "We Got the Beat!"

My 11 year old daughter and I really enjoyed this title, in fact so much so she now plans to read the book.  Hopefully this story will really make kids think twice about the shy girl or boy they know from school.  Cordelia and I were reminded as we view the show that just because that shy classmate doesn't say a lot, doesn't mean they don't have a lot to say.  In fact Tara's message to reject the status quo and stand up for who you really are is a powerful one, especially when she takes her own advice.  Clearly shy kids sometimes just need help finding a way to allow others to truly hear their voice.

Here's the trailer:




Disclosure:I was provided with this title for my review by Image Entertainment and Disney.

Cleaning Stainless Steel or Natural Stone? Try Dupont Surface Care Products

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I've learned a lot being a mom for almost 18 years and among those many tidbits is the fact that I'm not a huge fan of cleaning up after other people.  I'm not even a huge fan of cleaning up after myself.  However a mom has to do what a mom has to do, so I arm myself with products that get the job done right the first time.  With that in mind, I have to mention two new Dupont Cleaning Product additions to my housekeeping bucket.


DuPont Stainless Steel Cleaner is my new "go to" stainless cleaner of choice. It does a wonderful job of removing all those sticky fingerprints, smudges of random goo, and water spots from our refrigerator, dishwasher, oven, toaster, microwave, and large stainless farmhouse sink.  It even leaves a nice shine in it's place without lots of scrubbing.

I also have to give a shout out to the DuPont Mold and Mildew Stain Remover for Natural Stone.  Our master bathroom steam shower occasionally gets some mold and mildew stains on the marble from not being properly ventilated after use.  It's always been a bit of a bugger to get off when it happens with the limited products deemed safe for the delicate surface.  However, the Dupont Mold and Mildew Stain Remover has been doing a great job since I first received it from the company for review a month or so back.  It can also be used on grout, ceramic tile and porcelain tile.  I just follow the directions and spray the Mold & Mildew Stain Remover directly on the soiled area, let soak a minute, and clean the surface with a dry cloth or stiff nylon brush.  It works so much better than other safe products I have tried.
Disclosure:  I was provided with both products mentioned in this review by Dupont, however all opinions expressed are my own.

    The Fearless Child and The Careful Child: Our Twins

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    Who says kids can't fly?  In the world of our four year old, Declan, one needs only a relatively deep pool prepared for landing.  Combining his refreshingly wet destination with a bounce in his step or a boost from Dad, Declan has all he needs to soar through the skies over and over like superman. And soar he does, jumping in his grandparent's pool repeatedly until mommy declares it is time to go.  He waits only for his swimmies before leaping, not stopping to even check the temperature.  "Throw me!  Throw me!" is his chant.  He's fearless.

    His twin brother, Cormac, takes forever to get in.  Some days I wonder if he'll make it fully in the pool before we have to go home.  Often Cormac works his way on to a big old raft without even getting his pinkie toe submerged.  He prefers his hair to stay dry and he never ever jumps in.  Instead he takes the ladder, ever so slowly he descends.  "Don't splash me" Don't tip me over" is his chant.  He's careful.

    It's amazing how these two best buddies, twin brothers, can be so very different at times.  One seems to live in the present moment with little fear of consequences, failure, or even injury and the other worries enough for them both.

    4 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba

    OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL

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    OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFULThe fantastical adventure is from the Producer of “Alice in Wonderland” and the Director of the “Spider-Man” Trilogy. 


    Disney’s fantastical adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.


    When small-time magician Oscar Diggs (James Franco) pulls one flimflam too many, he finds himself hurled into the fantastical Land of Oz where he must somehow transform himself into the great and powerful Wizard—and just maybe into a better man as well.


    OFFICIAL BOILERPLATE:

     
    Disney’s fantastical adventure “Oz The Great and Powerful,” directed by Sam Raimi, imagines the origins of L. Frank Baum’s beloved character, the Wizard of Oz. When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot—fame and fortune are his for the taking—that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late. Putting his magical arts to use through illusion, ingenuity—and even a bit of wizardry—Oscar transforms himself not only into the great and powerful Wizard of Oz but into a better man as well.

    “Oz The Great and Powerful” is produced by Joe Roth and written by Mitchell Kapner and David Lindsay-Abaire (credit not final). Grant Curtis, Philip Steuer and Palak Patel are serving as executive producers. “Oz The Great and Powerful” opens in U.S. theaters on March 8, 2013.

     

    27 Haziran 2012 Çarşamba

    Video Game Safety: Tips on Keeping the Kids Safe

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     #DigitalJoneses #TrendMicro


    With the kids all on summer break from school,  I have definitely noticed an increase in their time spent video and online gaming.  I should clarify that I'm not allowing them to be lazy blobs on my couch all day.  The reality is, my kids are extremely active in sports and other activities.  In fact, it's because the kids are coming home so physically exhausted from practices, training sessions, and sports camps that our gaming consoles are getting a large amount of recent use.  It's our older kids "go to" activity when they arrive home physically exhausted.  And with that in mind, June's Digital Joneses challenge on Video Game Safety was a well timed reminder for this Mommy of 5.  


    Here are half a dozen tips I picked up from Trend Micro that I wanted to pass along:

    Take an Interest

    Trend Micro's first tip in keeping the kids safe while gaming is in my opinion the most important one, parents must stay involved.  And I confess that I've also found this piece of advice, while wise, to be quite difficult for me to fully accomplish due to our family's structure and dynamics.

    While one of the easiest ways to stay involved in the kids gaming can be to keep the gaming system in a common area of the home, unfortunately this concept can't be done in our household.  I'd love to have the gaming system centrally located so I can see and hear what the kids are playing and perhaps even jump in and play along.  However, keeping our PS3 full time in the family room would expose our 4 year old twin boys to the games my 17 year old son is playing and that's not an acceptable scenario.  To further complicate staying involved in my oldest son's gaming, is our schedules.  With it being summer our son often has just begun his play as hubby and I are heading off to bed.


    So how do I stay involved in terms of our oldest kids?  I find they do like to talk about what's going on in their games and that desire to share their accomplishments with someone who will listen (coupled with implementing some basic rules and safeguards) works for us.  By simply taking an interest in their favorite games, I've found myself able to keep up fairly well on how long they played and with whom.


    Utilize the Ratings

    Just like movies, video games have their own ratings assigned by The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB.org).  The ratings are "EC" Early Childhood, "E" for Everyone, "E10+" for Everyone 10 +,  "T" for Teen, "M" for Mature, and "AO" for Adults Only.  Trend Micro pointed out to us Digital Joneses that while these ratings are good guidelines, parents should still preview content before allowing their child to play it and I'd agree that is essential.  Guidelines work great in terms of generally weeding games out, but I agree that only I really know what will or won't work for my child.  The rating board has no way of knowing that my child is petrified of spiders or jellyfish, so ultimately I have to decide what game would be best for what child.   With my 4 year old twin boys just starting to game, I found it handy to put my 11 and 13 year old to work helping me preview potential first options.


    Additionally, don't forget to check your favorite parenting and mom blogs for what their thought was on a new game or app released.  While I personally don't have too many video game reviews, I do have posts on many of favorite kid apps.


    Set the Parental Controls

    I polled several of my friends and absolutely none of them knew, including me, that gaming consoles like Playstation 3, Xbox, and etc had parent control settings!  When did that happen?  Did you guys all know this?  Sure enough, I checked my Playstation 3 (after reading the provided tips) and it will allow me to set what game rating levels can be played, what movie rating levels can be played, restrict web browsing, and more.  How did I miss that memo?  In case you need help here is Playstation 3 Parental Control instructions and Xbox360 parent controls, as well as Nintendo Wii Instructions.  And while I'm on the subject, I should mention that portable devices like the Kindle Fire and iPad also offer parent control settings I've found to be helpful.  Additionally, watch for additional software for your gaming consoles that offer even further protection options.

    Never Let Them Reveal Their Secret Identity

    Trend Micro also reminded us how important it is to discuss privacy with your kids.  Perhaps I'm still stuck in superhero mode from my four year twins recent birthday party, but I find it best to tell my kids to look at their online presence as their public superhero name and their real info as their private secret identity.  Clark Kent never revealed he was Superman and vice versa Superman never revealed he was Clark Kent.  There is no telling what the villans would do if they provided too much information.  And whimsical analogy aside, my kids are on strict orders not to reveal details such as their name, gender, school, or home location to anyone online or off without my permission.

    Watch for Bullying via Gaming Consoles

    Cyberbullying and online harassment isn't limited to just the computer.  Interaction between players on many online games can also allow for these same kinds of incidents.  Trend Micro reminds that one should learn what can be done.  Options include blocking players via game settings, contacting game publishers, and even contacting local police depending on the nature of the threat involved.

    Enforce Limits

    I think most parents would agree that setting limits is a recurring theme in almost every aspect of parenthood.  It's my mommy mission to limit everything from snacks to sun exposure.  In terms of gaming, there are two limitations to be set, purchases and allocated game time.

    Our purchase policy is simple, you can't buy anything without asking mom or dad.  This rule is in place universally, whether we are talking about a .99 app or large purchase on their own gift card.  we approve them all.

    In regards to time limits, my job was done for me.  5 kids + 1 video game console = Lots of Sharing.  The kids have worked out their own system on who can play when and what exceptions are made.  I may settle a dispute here or there, but for the most part having only one game console has made it impossible for any one kid to play for too long.

    Disclosure: Please note our family has received products from Trend Micro to help us examine the challenges contained within this year long study known as The Digital Joneses. However all opinions, thoughts and statements expressed here are our own.

    Have a Speedway Gas Station? Sign up for Speedy Rewards

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    I have been using Speedway Gas Station Speedy Rewards for a number of years.  I normally redeem my points for  gift cards!  I pass by multiple Speedway gas stations on my way to work, so when this program first came out (like any other program) the rewards  points accumulated fast, especially with gas fill-ups.  They have re-vamped the points, but it is still a great program!  Plus once a month I get emails with coupons, freebies and exclusive deals!  Check out July's Coupons and deals:



    Speedy Rewards transforms your Speedway convenience store experience. Every time you make a purchase, excluding restricted items, you will immediately start earning points towards free gasoline and/or merchandise, as well as coupons for valuable savings simply by using your Speedy Rewards membership card inside the store or at the pump. You can even instantly review and redeem your points using the Speedy Rewards redemption terminal located inside the store.

    For more information stop by your local Speedway gas station or go here

    Have you heard of Scout by Bungalow?

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    I was recently introduced to a  company who has a fabulous selection of containers and totes, Scout by Bungalow!  They offer  stylish totes, storage bins, laptop bags and more! Some of these amazing totes and insulated totes that are perfect for traveling. With summer vacations coming up pick up a summer patterned bag and get traveling!  Plus  they are  all seem to be are made  to be  wiped clean with a cloth or are water proof! 

    With the kids getting ready to head back to school, there are so many options for dorms, backpacks, sports and more!    Scout by Bungalow really has something for everyone!

    Check out these gorgeous and amazing totes and bins at Scout by Bungalow

    Summer $1 Movies for the kids + Free Popcorn at Regals!

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    Just a reminder!!! Summer $1 Movies for the kids!!!


    The Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse is back for summer 2012! The movies start in June, but you can purchase your tickets in advance and get a pass for 10 movies that costs just $5.00! Movies are 50 cents/ticket with the pass.All the movies are rated G or PG and are a perfect way to get out of the heat this summer. If you don’t want to commit to see every movie, you can get ticket for just $1.00!Check for participating theatres near you, you can also get showtimes and the titles of the movies coming up.
    Moviegoers of all ages can catch a movie for only $1 during the 9 week Summer Movie Express Festival at select Regal Cinemas, United Artists and Edwards Theatres. They will offer selected G or PG rated movies on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:00am for just a buck! See site for participating locations and movie schedule.

    PLUS!!!  FREE MOVIE POPCORN at REGAL

    Regal Entertainment has hit there 1,000,oooth fan and is giving everyone a free popcorn!Just print off the their printable coupon, OR on your smart phone show them the QR code (the funny square)  and bring it into your local Edwards or Regal Movie theater for aFree Small PopcornMake sure you like them on Facebook and then click here to print your popcorn coupon.

    Thanks A Thrifty Mom

    FREE sample of Honey Nut Cheerios for Eat Better America Members

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    Eat Better America members can score a FREE sample of Honey nut Cheerios cereal! Just go here and fill out the form to request your sample. Only available to the first 10,000 members!


    Not an Eat Better America member? Go here and register and sign up so you can get in on next month's offer
    * Free samples are limited so please respond quickly. This promotion is only for pre-selected consumers who were the original recipient of the valued subscriber email. Limit one sample per household. All fields required. You must be 18 years of age or older to receive this sample. Offer limited to the United States and expires 6/30/2012 12:00:00 AM. Please allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.

    Reminder: Possible FREE Oscar Mayer Selects Hot Dogs or Cold Cuts Product + $1 coupon

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    Starting today through July 22nd, head on over to the Oscar Mayer Facebook page, click on the Taste-A-Monial tab, and share a Taste-A-Monial to print a coupon for $1.00 off a pack of Oscar Mayer Selects hot dogs or cold cuts.

    Visit www.Facebook.com/OscarMayer and click the TASTE-A-MONIALS tab under the large Oscar Mayer profile picture.
    • Follow the  instructions to join the program, print your initial coupon, and submit your TASTE-A-MONIAL.
    • Each person can enter one TASTE-A-MONIAL on either Oscar Mayer Selects hot dogs or cold cuts.Make sure to list your info so they know where to send the final coupon after promo is over!!!
    • After submitting a TASTE-A-MONIAL, you’ll have the chance to share the TASTE-A-MONIALS promotion with friends. Each time the program is shared through Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or email, it helps to increase the value of the progressive coupon.
    • If enough people join in and spread the word, the coupon’s value might grow to a FREE PACK of Oscar Mayer Selects hot dogs or cold cuts! 
     Currently at the $2.50 off mark!!!