Month: February 2010

Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta

- brandy3 3 Comments

Ronzoni Smart taste Pasta contains three times the fiberof regular white pasta and the same amount of calcium as a 8 oz glass of milk, is now an excellent source of vitamin D.  It looks and taste like traditional pasta, your kids won’t know the difference.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics only about 30% of boys and 10% of girls between the ages of 12 and 19 meet their daily calcium requirements. Children between the ages of 3-5 get less than 60% get enough calcium. Ages 6-11 40% for boys and 30% for girls.

Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta contains 100 IU of vitamin D per serving. It’s a great source of vitamin D, fiber, and calcium, but it is also lower in calories and fat than traditional white Pasta  and contains no sodium, preservatives, or cholesterol.  For more information and recipes visit www.RonzoniSmartTaste.com

***My kids could not tell the difference in the pasta and they loved it. Spaghetti is one of my childrens favorite foods, so knowing it healthy for them makes it that much better. The spaghetti noodles are thin and it only comes in a 14 oz box.

Ronzoni is available in all grocer retail stores

Sizes:Spaghetti, thin spaghetti, penne rigate, rotini, extra wide noodle, angel hair, and elbows.

retail price:$1.69

Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this review. I did receive a product from the company for my review.

Have Family Time With A Puzzle

- brandy3

January 29 was National Puzzle day, bringing the family together around a good puzzle. Puzzles are a great past time, and have been around for a long time. Here are some great reasons you should choose a puzzle for your next family night.(it’s educational)

  • puzzling is a challenging and thought-provoking activity.
  •  Puzzles are a great way to reinforce concentration and reasoning skills, while also promoting teamwork.
  • (For adults) puzzles might help reduce stress and provide some “exercise” for the brain.
  • (For Kids) educational and enjoyable experience that promotes social interaction.

National Puzzle Day has teamed up with Hasbro to bring you inexpensive family fun. Hasbro has a variety of puzzles for kids and adults, including their Yankee Candle Scented Puzzles. The 300-piece puzzles feature scenes of apple orchards infused with a scent of MacIntosh apples, a children’s tea party accompanied by the alluring fragrance of Clean Cotton and a scenic seaside town with the intriguing smell of Sage & Citrus. These familiar Yankee Candle fragrances are subtly released while solving the puzzles.

For the kids try cannister puzzles. They are larger puzzles pieces with toy figures of Littlest Pet shop and Transformers.  Time For us puzzles have both big pieces and little pieces, so you can do a puzzle with your little one.

***I received a Yankee Candle, President Obama, and Map game puzzle to enjoy with my family.  It’s short-lived fun, because once the puzzle is done you really don’t have much else to do(unless you have more puzzles). It’s a lot of fun though, and great learning for the kids, makes them think.

Please visit www.hasbro.com for more information, puzzles range in price from $2.99-$14.99

Disclosure:I did not receive compensation for this post, I did receive a product from the company for my review.

My top 10 travel tips for distraction free fun

- brandy3 3 Comments

Now when i think of a distraction free vacation, I think of a acyual vacation, not exactly the road trip.

1. Booking your vacation at a family friendly place- it’s hard to be distraction free when you go to a place not kid friendly, or boring to some people.

2. No computers, internet, twitter etc.- your there to spend time with your family not your friends on the internet.

3.Turn the phone off-yes you should bring a phone for emergencys, but turn it off and have fun with the family.

4.bring coloring books/dvd player-this is for the car ride only! there is nothing worse then riding in a car with screaming kids. so bring item to keep them intertained.

5.just have fun don’t plan everything to the minute- you’ll get to distracted with making sure your doing everything on your list, just have fun.

6.No T.V.-if you book a hotel they usually have free cable. Leave the T.V. off, to distracting. Unless you plan a family friendly movie together before bedtime.

7.For bloggers- Do not blog or tweet while your on vacation. if you are absent a couple days your readers will not leave you. blogging/twitter is not more important thsn family. (exception is if your on a paid blogging trip)

8.After a activity ask your family how they liked it, pros, cons. That way you can plan the next days activities based on what they liked.

9.pack a cooler, book a hotel with mini fridge- eating out is great but exspensive and little kids can get antsy, try packing sandwiches, juice boxes etc.

10. Be prepared to stop-Potty training diaper changes, be prepared to stop every couple hours to tend to your childrens needs.

This post was written for Twitter Moms and Alamo, in a contest where I can win a $100 gas card.

Barney’s Egg-cellent Adventure review & giveaway(CLOSED)

- brandy3 66 Comments

Barney’s Eggcelent Adventures 

Product description:Your search for tee-riffic fun with Barney & Friends™ is over! Baskets full of egg-citement abound when Mother Goose, a nest full of eggs, and a mysterious, carrot-eating visitor bring super-Dino adventures to the whole family. Hop along for the super-dee-duper adventures with Barney and his friends!

Episodes:

  • Rabbits
  • Mother Goose
  • Ducks and Fish

Special features:

  • Barney’s Easter Egg Hunt
  • Gumdrops Matching Game

****I never really like Barney growing up, but I was so surprised at how much my kids enjoy his show. This movie is about eggs, and Easter, which made my daughter even more excited since her birthday is on Easter this year. My kids loved learning about Mother Goose, and so much more. Great movie for preschoolers.

 Retail:$14.98

Release date:3/2/10

Running time:42 minutes

I have on copy to giveaway

To enter tell me how you celebrate easter

Extra entries:

Subscribe to my feed-7 entries

Blog about this-6 entries

tweet- 3 entries can be done daily

follow me on twitter-4 entries

contest closes 3/4/10

Disclosure: I received a review copy from the company who is also providing the giveaway.

Wow Wow Wubbzy Go For Gold Review and Giveaway(Closed)

- brandy3 95 Comments

 

Product Description: Get Ready, Get Set, Go! In this athletic-themed collection, Wubbzy and his Friends learn all about teamwork, fair play and good sportsmanship. What happens when Wubbzy joins a hoopty-hoops team? Why is Wubbzy so upset about being small? How do Wubbzy’s friends prove that cheating at games is wrong? Michelle Kwan as Michelle Kwanzleberry and Tiki Barber as Touchdown Tiki star in this collection that takes the Gold.

****This movie is just in time for the winter olympics, and features some of my favorite athletes wuzzleburg style. My kids really enjoyed this movie and loved Michelle Kwanzleberry and the ice skating. It has a great lesson too, Just remember to have fun when your playing your sport. It was also funny how Walden, Wubbzy, and Widget ust science and technology to help them try to win, instead of practicing. We really enjoyed this movie.

Retail:$16.98

Release date: 2/16/10

Running Time:81 minutes

My rating: 9

I have one copy to giveaway

To enter tell me your childs favorite sport.

Extra entries:

Blog about this-6 entries

Subscribe to my feed-7 entries

tweet-3 entries, can be done daily

follow me on twitter-2 entries

contest closes-3/4/10

Disclosure: I received a review copy from the company who is also providing the giveaway.

 

Perfect Gift for mom: Luna B Shirts

- brandy3 1 Comment

Luna B Tees are fabulous fun custom printed logo t-shirts, organized by type and style. Their personalized tees and non personalized tees are printed on high quality 100% ring spun cotton. With so many designs to choose from its perfect for all occasions, Birthdays, back to school, new baby, and so much more.

I received one of their personalized Mom tees. A circle with mom in it, then my children’s names surrounding it.

Here is the design i chose 

****I love mom shirts and think this would be a great gift for mom on any occasion Valentines day, Mothers day etc.  They have different styles to choose from, the girly long sleeve shirt I received is so comfortable and warm. It’s now become one of my favorite shirts, I wear it all the time.
 
Retail:$33.00 at www.lunabtee.com
 
Disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post, I did receive a product from the company for my review.

Home Free: Treats You Can Trust Review

- brandy3

Jill Robbins, founder of home free, realized how important it is for kids with allergies to feel included at social occasions where sweet treats are part of the fun. She created Homefree bakery with a line of delicious, wholesome cookies and cakes, as well as a cook book full of easy to make allergen-free recipes, so that kids with food allergies can enjoy treats along with everyone else.

The site has many allergy free products you can buy, like cookies( lots of variety), cakes, cookbook, baking products, and more.  These treats are Organic, and are made peanut free, tree nut free, egg free, and dairy free.

*****These cookies are very good and you can barely tell they don’t have milk in them. I received mini chocolate chip cookies, and oatmeal cookies.   The chocolate chip cookies were a bit hard, but still tasted very good. The oatmeal cookies were soft and chewy and delicious. you can but these products at www.homefreetreats.com. These cookies are also made with whole grain, which makes them heart healthy.

Retail:$5.00-$30.00

Disclosure:I did not receive compensation i did receive a product for my review.

My Perfect Proposal

- brandy3

I was never proposed to, me and my hubby were living together and We both just said let’s get married and went to a courthouse and married. Nothing fancy, no waiting, no ring. 

It would be nice to have an actual wedding someday. If I could do it all over again, my dream proposal would be….

Go to a movie and nice dinner afterward. Walk me to the door and ask. I’ve never really been a a fancy person, so I just want it simple.

I was reading the Essence Will You Marry Me? Contest proposals, and I would say that Cleveland is the best it’s simple and sweet.

“Dear Maya,
You’re still that girl I wanted to be with in the eighth grade. Who could have imagined we’d reconnect after ten years? But the moment you stepped back into my life I knew I wouldn’t let you get away this time. Throughout this relationship, you’ve listened compassionately whenever I share details about my Army career as an infantry soldier in Iraq. I’ve never opened up to anyone as I have to you, because the love you’ve shown me makes it feel so effortless. You give me a stronger sense of life and purpose, and you’ve made me a better man and soldier. You never cease to amaze me. You’re a devoted single mother of two, a committed seventh-grade teacher and a hardworking grad student, and yet you always make time for your soldier boy. As I prepare for my fourth trip to the desert, I know I can count on your support. You are the real deal, the love of my life. Will you marry me?”

Don’t forget to vote for your favorite couple http://www1.essence.com/packages/willyoumarryme/

“I have been hired by Warner Bros WB Word division to raise awareness for Essence’s Will You Marry Me? contest.”

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