Prima Princessa DVD Review and Giveaway

We have always said that my daughter would be a dancer. She is super flexible and when she would sit, she would point her toes, with her legs out to the side. Or she would stand on her tip toes. It's in her blood, what can I say?

I received the Prima Princessa DVD from the company to do a review, and I thought it was perfect for my daughter. I remember a few months ago I did a basic pirouette and my daughter just laughed and laughed. I don't know why she thought it was so funny, but she liked it. I figured she would like this video too.

We have pulled it out a few times, and she kind of watches it, but not really. She doesn't watch many DVD's however, so I think it's just a little old for her. (She's almost 2) She does like spinning and jumping with the little kids on the movie, however. In fact, I got a video of her doing it.



We had to pull out her pretty princess dress so she could look as pretty as the ballerinas. She had so much fun spinning and jumping around the room.

So what exactly is this DVD?

It is a 40 minute DVD for anyone aspring to be a ballerina or princess and stars a cartoon fairy ballerina princess named Prima Princessa who takes an adorable group of pre-school girls on a magic journey to see a live performance of Swan Lake, performed by the world famous Paris Opera Ballet, complete with kid-friendly narration by Prima Princessa. Between acts they come home and in a fun montage of animals, kids, and young dancers from the New York City Ballet's SAB they learn basic ballet steps. Our DVD gets kids up and dancing and twirling in their livingrooms!

I love how they incorporate a real ballet, but they explain everything that is going on, so kids can understand the story. It's also fun to see other kids actually demonstrating real ballet steps that your kids can immitate at home. I bet my daughter will really like this in a few years when she's a little older and appreciates the pretty ballerinas. For now we'll just continue dancing and spinning around the room.

Want to win a copy of Prima Princessa?

To enter:

• Visit their site and tell me what kids activities they have available on there.

For extra entries: (the entry above must be completed for these to count)

• Add me to your blogroll (1 entry)
• Add my button to your site (1 entry)
• Blog about this and include a link to here and a link to Prima Princessa (5 entries)
• Subscribe to my feed (1 entry)
• Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway (1 entry- leave a link to the tweet)

Contest is open to US residents only and will end May 7th at 11:59pm MT. Winner will be drawn by random.org, and will have 48 hours to contact me or I will have to draw a new winner. Please make sure you leave each entry in a separate comment and leave me a way to contact you.

Prima Princessa is a Playdate Pick!

*Please note that this is just my opinion and someone else might have a different experience with this product*

View lots more contests at the Ultimate Blog Carnival on LiveGiveaways.Com!

My Snaptotes Bag

I finally received my SnapTotes bag, and here's what it looks like:



Adorable, right?!? The nice thing about the Gigi Bag is that it's customizable. You can choose the design of the material on the sides of the bag, with choices including plain black, black and white checks, black and white flowers, or black and pink design. I chose the black and white checks, and I think it goes great with the pictures I chose.

Here's a video I made all about my bag and how much I love it, and all the cool features it has.


Don't forget that if you want to order one for Mother's Day you need to get your order in by tomorrow April 30th!

Oh, and SnapTotes was nice enough to increase the discount they are offering. Instead of 10% off, you can now get 15% off your SnapTotes order by using the code SASSY15.

Wordless Wednesday- "Cookies!"

Find more WW at MomDot

I Feel Like an Idiot.

I consider myself being pretty tech savvy, but apparently not today. I just got a new HD Vado from Creative, and was trying to put it all together. So I put the battery in and tried to turn it on and nothing happened.

OK, the battery must be dead. No problem, let me go plug it in. I plug it in to my computer and it comes up as the battery is full. Um, OK. Why isn't it turning on? I did this a few times. I still couldn't figure it out. I was just about to go to the MomDot forum to see if anyone else had this problem.

Then I decided to check the battery.

I had it in upside down.

LIVE Contest right now! Exergen Thermometer

So I recently ran a contest to win an Exergen Temperal Thermometer. I pulled a winner, and they had won at another blog and are getting it to review, so they passed. So I emailed another winner and as my rules state, they had 48 hours to contact me. Well, it's been over 48 hours, and I haven't heard anything. Since I have to send this info over to the sponsor tonight, I'm holding a live contest for it.

Rules:
For the first entry, tell me why you want this thermometer.
After that, you can comment as much as you want

First one to reach 153 wins.

Go!

Monday's Free Redbox Code 4/27

Today's free Redbox Code is here! It's:

4CW33N

Remember that it expires tonight at midnight, so you have to use it today.

Update on My Daughter

Thank you everyone for your well wishes for my daughter. We took her in and she has a small ear infection. I'd hate to see what a full blown ear infection is like! We've been lucky and this is her first one.

We got her on antibiotics and after one dose she is doing 110% better. She's a completely different kid. I'm just glad she's feeling better and we know what's wrong.

Nominate a Mom

Do you know a mom who needs a thank you for all their hard work? 1-800-Flowers is giving away a vacation for one lucky mom. But, there are daily winners who can win free flowers or a gift basket from the Popcorn factory. Who knows, maybe someone who you nominate will win! I think every mom deserves to be nominated, because we are all awesome with all that we do. Go nominate a mom today!

My Poor Baby is Sick

My daughter has had a fever the past three days. Tuesday it was at 103, then Wed it was 102 and I got it down to 100, but today it's back up to 102. She's not really eating, so I've been trying to give her lots of liquids. She's also been sleeping a TON, and just laying on the floor, which she NEVER does. I've been rotating Tylenol and Motrin, and it seems to help a little, but not a ton.

I finally decided to call the doctor today and we have an appointment later on today to go in. I hate only having one car and having to do things on someone else's schedule! At least we are able to get her in today.

I feel so helpless when she's sick. She can't tell me what she wants, or what hurts, and it's so sad to see her just cry because she feels yucky. Hopefully it won't be anything big, and she will feel better soon.

Wordless Wednesday- "Eww, dirt!"

Find more WW posts at MomDot

Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day, I wanted to share with you some products that have to do with being environmentally friendly.

1. Sid the Science Kid "The Dirt on Dirt"- This is a show we watch quite often in our house, since we don't have cable, and PBS is one of the few channels we get clearly. My daughter doesn't understand everything that goes on, but she thinks it's a fun show. There's enough songs in there to keep her entertained. "The Dirt on Dirt" is all about dirt, and what makes up dirt, and how dirt is helpful. It also talks about pollution and how we can help keep the earth clean. This is a great way to help kids learn about Earth Day and why it's so important. This episode will air on PBS April 22nd, check your TV guides for show times. They also have a fun website for kids that has great Earth Day activities, such as coloring pages, experiments, jokes, and more! Be sure to check it out with your kids!

2. White Cloud Green Earth Products- Walmart sent me some of the new Green Earth products from White Cloud to try out, and I was surprisingly impressed. Their Green Earth products are the first premium-quality bathroom tissue that is made from 100% recycled fiber. They are unscented, hypoallergenic, and sewer and septic tank safe. I was a little wary when I first saw this, because I like super soft toilet paper, and this looked like it was the cheap stuff bought from the dollar store. I was pleasantly surprised! It was actually quite soft, although not as strong as my usual bathroom tissue. I'll have to look at costs and figure some things out, but I might consider using this on a regular basis. You can get a coupon for it as well here.

They also sent me some Green Earth paper towels. We don't use paper towels very much around here, but they do come in handy when all the towels are dirty. I have heard a lot of others who use paper towels regularly say they were very impressed with their absorbancy. They liked them just as much as their Bounty paper towels. I think it's a great alternative for those who like to use paper towels and want to start being more Earth friendly.
3. Glade Soy Candles- Walmart was also kind enough to send me some of Glade's new Soy Candles. One of the McIntosh Apple, one of the Orange Vanilla, and one of the earthly awakening scent. These are all over 90% natural, made up of palm wax and soy. Soy candles burn cleaner than regular candles, and the wicks are lead-free and metal free. I love making my house smell wonderful, but I have drifted away from burning candles, simply because they were turning my walls black, and I was tired of cleaning up the soot. I have burned two of these so far, and I haven't seen any black soot.

They also smell wonderful. You know how some candles smell really good when you take the lid off, but they don't fill the room with smell? These filled the room wonderfully. I loved all the different smells. I was a little worried about the Earthly Awakenings being too earthly smelling for my taste, but to me it smelled more fruity and flowery. It was very good! My husband loves the Orange Vanilla- it smells like a dreamsicle. The McIntosh apple is a perfect summer smell. These will definitely get a lot of use in our house.

4. Belkin Surge Protector- This is a great product to help conserve energy. It is such a cool idea. Basically you have 2 outlets that are always on, and either 6 or 8 that are switchable. You plug in those things that need constant energy, such as clocks, DVRs, etc into the "always on" outlets. Then you plug everything else, such as TVs, DVD players, computers, printers, etc into the switchable ones. Then when you aren't using those components, you use the remote control to turn off those outlets. Then you don't have to worry about standby energy being wasted.

We decided to use this in our family room. We plugged in the VCR that has a clock on it into the always on outlet. Then we plugged the TV, the DVD player, and my husband's video game systems into the switchable outlets. Then every night we turn it off. I haven't been using it for that long, but I am curious to see how much it makes a difference in our utility bills. The remote is wall mountable, which is great because I always know where it is. No more digging through the couch to find a remote! Oh, and they also have sliding safety covers for those outlets you aren't using. This gives me peace of mind with having a toddler around. I highly recommend them for every room you use a surge protector in.

Lionsgate New Releases

We have become big fans of cartoons lately, thanks to having a toddler in the house. I remember one of my favorite cartoons when I was little was Care Bears. I used to watch it everyday on Disney. Granted that this was back in the 80s, but I love that Care Bears are back! Now my daughter can fall in love with these cute bears too.

This March, both preschoolers and mommies will cheer as LIONSGATE® presents the new Care Bears DVD, Care Bears: Cheer, There & Everywhere with eight never-before-released episodes from the all - new TV series! Care Bears: Cheer, There, & Everywhere includes themes of emotional intelligence that help kids develop and are mom-friendly. This title marks the first Lionsgate release of the new Care Bears television show on CBS and features eight springtime stories, focusing on getting along with others.

I love watching wholesome educational cartoons, and I firmly believe that this Care Bear DVD falls in that category. I had the chance to watch this DVD and I loved it. My daughter didn't really sit and watch it, but she rarely does with any movie. The episodes are short, which is nice if you really want your kid to learn a lesson, but they have a short attention span. This DVD is now available in stores if you want to check it out.

Along with Care Bears, Lionsgate has also released Happily N'Ever After 2 Snow White: Another Bite at the Apple. This is a CGI-animated movie, and almost has a Shrek-like feel to it. I never saw the first Happily N'Ever After movie, but I still enjoyed the second one. All the favorite characters from the first movie are in the second one. Here's a brief synopsis of the movie:

Fairy tales collide when Mambo and Munk tip the scales of good and evil once again. This time Princess Snow White is a misguided teenager who’d rather have fun with friends Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and Little Bo Peep than help peasants. When Snow White’s father is matched up with Lady Vain - a scheming witch brewing to rule the kingdom - Snow White becomes a thorn in Lady Vain’s side. Snow White is soon tricked by Lady Vain (with Rumpelstiltskin’s help) into spreading vicious gossip about the townspeople, forcing her to flee. Through rebuilding the three little pigs’ houses with the seven dwarves leading the way, Snow White learns the value of helping others. Only Snow White can foil her dad’s wedding to stop Lady Vain. With Mambo and Munk in tow, Snow White proves she can rule the kingdom, while bringing balance back to the scales of good and evil.

This was a little old for my daughter, but I could see my nieces and nephews really enjoying it. This is also avilable in stores now. In fact, I just saw it at the Redbox yesterday!

Here's some other movies coming out this spring:

Wolverine And The X-Men: Heroes Return Trilogy, April 21, 2009

25th Anniversary Edition of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Season 7 May 12, 2009

Speed Racer The Next Generation: Comet Run The Movie May 12, 2009

LeapFrog Letter Factory and LeapFrog Talking Words Factory May 12, 2009

Be sure to look for them in stores!

Is This Just the Terrible Twos?

My daughter will be turning two in a few weeks, and she is driving us nuts! She has always been a happy, fairly well mannered kid. Lately, however, she has turned into a fussy whining kid.

She screams for no reason, throws temper tantrums, and starts throwing anything in her path. Yesterday was extremely bad. She was climbing down the stairs, then stopped, turned around, and started screaming and throwing a fit. She did things like this about every 10 minutes. She had a decent nap, got plenty of sleep, but was not a happy camper.

When she throws these fits we give her a time out by putting her in her crib until she calms down. This weekend she had over 15 time outs.

I really hope this is just a phase she's going through with the terrible twos. I miss my happy girl. Anyone have any tips to help us stay sane through this time?

Monday's Free Redbox Code 4/20

Hope you had a great weekend! Here's today's free Redbox code:

M6FR97


Make sure you use it today because it expires at midnight tonight!

Joowle: Affordable Jewelry

I love to wear jewelry, but I'm not a big ring or bracelet fan. I feel naked if I go out and I don't have on earrings and a necklace. That and my watch. So when the opportunity to review a necklace and matching earrings from Joowle came up on the Family Review Network, I didn't hesitate to say yes.

My one big thing about jewelry is that I won't buy anything expensive. That way when it gets lost or broken (which it always does) I won't be too upset about it and I can easily replace it. It has to look nice though. I don't want anything that looks plastic and fake instead of sparkly. The sterling silver and cubic zirconium jewelry at Joowle fits my standards perfectly! The necklace is listed at $24.99.

I got to try out these silver stud earrings and a matching silver stud necklace. The mail was a little slow shipping them to me, so I've only had them for a few days, but so far, I love them! On the way home from shopping yesterday I was sitting in the car next to my daughter and she kept turning my head. I could not figure out what she was trying to do, until I remembered that I was wearing the earrings. She'd turn my head one way to look at them, then turn my head to see the other side, and then back again.

I love the classic simplicity of them. I can wear them with anything, and it instantly dresses my look up enough that I don't feel grungy going out in jeans and a t-shirt. I can also wear them with a nice dress and be ready for a night out on the town (not that I remember what that is!)

Right now Joowle is having a Mother's Day sale with 30-60% off some of their jewelry. Also check out their jewelry blog, as well as their Elle Jewelry Collection, an extension of Elle magazine.

Winners Announced

I've got three winners to announce today.

First off is the winner for the DaBib:
sherri419 said... 50 I would choose the DaHugs style in blue! Thanks!

Next up is the Atkins Bar winner:

Heather said... 92

False - only during Pre-Maintenance. Lifetime Maintenance is just that: maintenance. Thanks for the giveaway!

Heather is actually one of the few people who answered the question correctly! For those of you who missed the question, here it is along with the correct answer:

During the Pre-Maintenance and Lifetime Maintenance stages of the Atkins Diet, you can slowly increase the number of good carbs you consume each week as long as you are still losing weight.

FALSE - It is the Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) and Pre-Maintenance phases allow you to increase in regular increments. In OWL, you increase your daily net carbs in increments of 5 grams of net carbs each week until you are 10 pounds from your goal weight. In Pre-Maintenance you can increase your daily net carbs by 10 each week until you are at your goal weight. If you begin to gain weight, the Atkins Diet advises that you drop back 10 grams net carbs.

The third winner today is for the Eco Store Cleaning Package:

Kelly F said... 100

I tweeted this giveaway!

http://twitter.com/wordsmoveme/status/1512227181

Congrats to all the winners! I will be sending you an email and you have 48 hours to contact me or I will draw a new winner!