Welch's Aqua Juice - Giveaway

I'll be honest. I've always completely passed up those Juice and Water drinks. I thought, why buy those when I can just mix juice and water like always? And I've said this even as my kids fuss everytime I do just that. Once they've had a taste of the really thing, it tastes really different with water added.

That's why I was really excited to try Welch's Aqua Juice, through Mom Select. I was pleasantly surprised that it tasted way different than regular juice mixed with water!

An 8oz. glass of Welch's AquaJuice contains:

· No high fructose corn syrup

· No added sugar

· No artificial sweeteners

· Only 80 calories

· One full serving of fruit

· Excellent source of Vitamin C

I think it would be a great addition to my Apple Mom-tini as well! Here is a video with the kids' reaction:



Do you want top try Welch's Aquajuice? Well, just leave a comment, and I'll choose one to receive a free bottle!

Comments are open through Wednesday, February 4

Need a Vacation? Consider Park City Mountain Resort

I live in the mountains of NC. Well, we call them mountains, but I imagine the people in Park City Utah would call them "hills!" Despite living in a ski resort community, I dream of going out west to the looming peaks and vast views of Utah! When the kids get a little older, we have visions of renting an RV and taking them cross country ala "National Lampoon's Vacation."

No matter what type of skiers or snowboarders you have in your family, Park City Mountain Resort , in Park City Utah, has something for all levels. From the tween who wants to spend all day in the terrain park, to the adults who want to ski Jupiter bowl, to the youngest getting on the lift for the very first time, Park City offers family fun and adventure. Prior to taking a trip, families can even print one of the Family Mountain Tours that make it easy for a group with varying ability levels to navigate the mountain together, taking the guess work out of where to go next.

In addition to its industry-leading Kids Signature 5 Program that guarantees no more than five kids in each class, Park City also offers great off-mountain activities. The Alpine coaster, one of only three in the U.S., is a gravity propelled ride, twisting and turning through the mountains on a mile-long track. At Gorgoza Park enjoy lift-served tubing on seven different lanes or mini snowmobile rides around a designated track for kids ages 5 to 12 years old. Best of all, the historic town of Park City has over 100 restaurants and bars located just 35 miles from the Salt Lake City International airport, making getting to Park City easy. The town also once served as the home of the winter Olympics and still has a fantastic bus system to make it easy to get from place to place.

Park City Mountain Resort also has an Adventure Blog, with helpful articles and tips from moms and dads like us!

Have you ever been skiing out West? What tips do you have?

Kozy Baby Carrier

I am hearing more and more about the benefits of Babywearing all around the media, lately. I did wear my babies just a little, but I could never find one that fit well, and was easy to use.

It figures that now that my girls are way too big for wearing, I would find the Kozy Carrier! Or maybe they're NOT too big!

Why use a baby carrier? Because 'instinct' tells us to hold our babies. They are safe and secure when they are close to us, listening to our heart beating, feeling the warmth of our skin. Not to mention having both hands free while holding your baby.

Why choose the Kozy Carrier? Designed and owned by a work at home mom, the Kozy Carrier is a modern version of the Asian Mei Tai, otherwise known as an Asian Baby Carrier (ABC). With wide padded shoulder straps, a padded curved head support, and sturdy durable fabrics, the Kozy was designed for the comfort of not only you but your child as well.The Kozy is an extremely versatile and comfortable Asian-inspired soft-sided baby carrier (Mei Tai) that can be used from birth to toddlerhood (or beyond) and can easily be worn on your front, side, or back. The Kozy has no buckles or rings. It simply ties on. The Kozy keeps baby's legs up and supports his spine. Made with durable 100% cotton canvas paired with stylish front cotton fabrics, it comes standard, XL, or with a pocket. You can even get a custom Kozy made to order with your own favorite fabric!

The Kozy can be used by many different male and female body types and sizes, even pregnant women. The straps can be worn numerous ways. A child of any size can be placed in several carries with their arms in or out, including infants. The Kozy body can be folded up for a smaller baby or wrapped around a smaller person to make it fit. In short, the Kozy is the best carrying solution for moms and dads who desire to hold their babies close to their hearts!

You can learn more about the Kozy and it's creator here. Click here to see the fabric choices and order!

Holiday CD Giveaway: Steve Sensenig

It's so neat how God orchestrates life. He forges relationships in our lives and He brings acquaintances back into our lives at the appointed time. So it was with some friends I used to attend church with, Steve Sensenig and his lovely wife Christy. After several years, we ran into each other at a local coffee shop where Steve happened to be playing music, then connected online through Blogs and Twitter... or was it the other way around? Well, I can't remember.

Steve is an AMAZING pianist! He sent me all three of his CDs to review, and I was thrilled. I'll tell you a little about each one.

'Tis So Sweet and Ivory Worship

Steve's interperetation of traditional hymns in "Tis So Sweet," and contemporary worship songs in "Ivory Worship" creates the perfect atmosphere for reflection, Bible study, and prayer. The pieces are true to the traditional songs, but as always, Steve adds depth and emotion that make them feel new. Between the worship songs on Ivory Worship, Steve adds improvisational "worship moments" which are perfect for prayer or reflection.

You can sample the songs on each CD here. Each song or the entire CD is available for download as well.

Christmas Solitude

These traditional Christmas pieces bring back all the memories of holidays past, with Steve's unique interpretations of harmony and style. As I listened to this CD in my kitchen, I expected to have some nice background music to listen to. But from the first song, my ear begged me to stop and take in the rich chords, lofty lines and intriguing counter-melodies. I found myself just standing still and feeling the inspiration.

My absolute favorites are the hauntingly hopeful "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" and the jazzy version of "What Child Is This."


You can find out all about Steve and his music at his website, www.worshipkeys.com.

Parents Magazine Toys!

Parents Magazine® has given moms trusted advice and information for many years. Their toy line is no different! I received the Look At Me Camera from Team Mom to try out, and I loved it!

My three year old is always trying to grab my camera, and I'm really not into her handling a $300 piece of equipment. But this toy camera from Parents looks like it could be real! The sounds are great, clicks, voice, and runway music! Ha! My three-year old loved it, and actually danced to the music while I was taking her "picture"!

I think the age range would be most appropriate for 12 months - 3 years. The price is right on this toy, too: $9.99 at Target

Best of all, the entire line of Parents toys are 100% phthalate free, so you know they're safe.

You can get this toy, and other Parents toys at Target!

Baby Einstein Review and Giveaway

I remember when Baby Einstein Videos fist came out 10 years ago. The simple, colorful visual images along with soothing music was (and still is) a refreshing contrast to the "boom boom boom" flashiness of many children's videos.

I received the Baby Mozart DVD, which was perfect for me, since I'm a music teacher! I think it's so important to expose the young mind to the order and structure of music, and the research supports that theory! I loved this video, and so did the kids. Even my three year old was attentive as the unique perspectives of the camera shots on intricate images were accompanied by soothing music.
We also explored the Lullaby Classics CD, with selections by Baroque and Classical Masters, and the Touch and Feel Farm Animals book.The book gives another dimension to the reading experience. And lest you think these books are only for babies, I caught my almost eight year old sneaking a touch of the textures, while trying to look cool!
Of course, you can't just plop your baby down in front of a DVD and have them become an "Einstein," but Baby Einstein videos and products provide a jumping off point to quality interaction and cognitive development of your child. I encourage you to watch the videos and listen to the CDs with your child and learn together. Here are some activities you can do to get the most out of your time together.

From the Video Theme to the Real World Scene Whenever there is an opportunity to link what you have seen on the DVD to other experiences in baby’s life, make that connection. For example, if you watched a DVD about animals, you might say, “Oh, look. There’s a BIG fish on the screen. Do we have another fish in our house?” And off you go to look at your gold fish. This kind of activity shows baby that something we see in one place can be seen in other places too.

Bring it to Life If children or puppets on the DVD are jumping or dancing, you can hold your little one and dance along to show baby how it feels. You can also play infant sized musical instruments to accompany the DVD Orchestra. Or, try using puppets or baby’s favorite stuffed animals to mimic the action in the DVD. You may get giggles from your little one. Babies usually want to do what they see and you can make that happen.

Make it a Family Affair Consider using DVD time as a way to interact with the whole family. If baby has an older sibling(s) around you can invite them watch the DVD with you. Encourage your older child to point out the names of the animals, say the colors, or even make animal sounds. They will probably love playing with baby and will be excited about showing off how much they know!

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And now for the GIVEAWAY! Comments will be open through Thursday, December 18!

I'm giving one reader of Real Life Review a chance to win your choice of the DVD, CD, or book! (pick one)

• Hop over to BabyEinstein.com and choose your favorite developmental product. Leave a comment on this post.
• If you follow me on Twitter, you get an extra chance.
• If you tweet or blog this giveaway, you can get a third chance. be sure to begin your tweet with @sarahsingforhim so Ill know.
  

Fill In The Blankie

I have a close friend who is pregnant, due in February, and I've been searching for the perfect gift! I was excited when Fill In the Blankie, ultra personalized baby blankets, contacted me with a blankie for review!

Here's what they say:

We personalize ‘em out the wha-zoo”
You provide the copy, we’ll embroider your warmest wishes along all 4 satin edges. Much more than a monogram, or a name & a date, you’ll have up to 200 characters to work with. Each blanket truly tells a story.

“Each one is truly one-of-a-kind”
Your own copy combined with your choices of: (32) blanket styles/colors, (27) fonts & (12) thread colors ensure your baby blanket is as original as the little one who is lucky enough to carry one.

“Nothing but the best -- pure luxury”
No fleece, acrylic or flannel here! Every one of our baby blankets is made of 100% woven cotton, trimmed with 2 inches of the silkiest smooth satin you ever did see (or lay your hands on).

“Simple, fast and easy on the wallet”
Fully embroidered blankets start at just $39 and ship within 3-7 business days!

Here's what I say:

The process was so easy. I went on the website, clicked "Pick a Blankie," and they guided me through the process of choosing the type of blanket, colors, text font and color, and message! Then, I got my blankie in the mail!

It was beautiful! It came wrapped up in a satin bow, just perfect for gift giving!

The blanket is well-constructed and soft, and the embroidery was done just as I specified. I put several verses from my favorite "baby" psalm, #139

I laid the blankie on my daughter's toddler bed, to give a reference of how big it is. It would actually be perfect for her now! I see no reason why this blanket has to go to a baby! A toddler, or a kids' carseat blanket woujld be a wonderful idea.

Of course, Little Pea had to try it out, she is a blanket enthusiast! She always has at least three on her bed at all times! Needless to say, she loved it!

I am going to be SO thrilled to give this to my dear friend when her baby is born! I am always honest with my reviews, and I think this would be the greatest gift for a friend, or your own child!!

Visit Fill In The Blankie for all the information and to order one!

Book Review: 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny

A few weeks ago, I got an email from an author named Phil Done. When I checked out his website, I learned that we have several things in common. We are both musicians, and former public school teachers- and we both had to catch up on piano skills we missed as kids! We did not have in common the presitgious awards he has won, and the fact that he has written a book! (It seems so daunting!)

Phillip Done was born in San Jose, California, and grew up in Sunnyvale. Phil earned his Bachelors of Music and Masters in Education from San Jose State University. He has taught elementary school for twenty years, mostly in California public schools. Phil received the Schwab Foundation Distinguished Teacher Award and was nominated for the Disney Teacher of the Year Award. When he is not teaching, Phil enjoys studying languages, going to garage sales, collecting old movie posters, and learning how to play the piano (He never practiced when he was a kid).



His book, 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny: Life Lessons from Teaching, is refreshing, funny, and touching from a parent's perspective as well as a teacher's. Phil says:

I am a teacher... -I take slivers out of fingers and bad sports out of steal the bacon. -I know the magic word. -I plan lessons while shaving, showering, driving, eating and sleeping. -I pray for snow days. -I hope April Fools Day is on Saturday. -I hate glitter...

Phil's tone in this book highlights the joys and challenges of teaching with humor and love. This is the kind of teacher you long for your child to have, and it gives a parent faith that teachers really are after the best for your "little Johnny" (the pet name of teachers for the hypothetical child)

In a chapter called "The Looks" Phil describes the five "looks" every teacher must master. Here are a few.

• The Raised Eyebrow: Raise both eyebrows as high as you can. Do not speak. Keep your head perfectly still. Stare at the child for five to ten seconds.
  
• The Chin Down: Tilt your head down till it touches your chest. Your lips will automatically pucker up a bit as you lower your chin. Raise your eyebrows, and cock your head slightly to the left.
  

I see you practicing! I've given every one of those looks when I was a teacher. This book would be wonderful as a teacher gift, and I guarantee it will end up being passed around the teachers' lounge accompanied by raucous laughter!

I'm giving it 4 presents for Teacher Gift Extraordinaire

Clorox 2 Stain Fighter/ Color Booster Giveaway!

There are two things that are certain in life: Laundry and Dishes.

Well, what did you think I was going to say? Laundry is one of those things that keeps piling up no matter how much you do; it's just a fact of life! And anytime you can get some extra help, it's a good thing!

Honestly, I've never used a stain-fighter on colors before. I love using Clorox Bleach on whites, and I just took for granted that we couldn't use it on colors. So when my three-year-old daughter did THIS, it was the perfect opportunity to test out Clorox 2 for Colors!


Usually, this shirt would never be the same. If it did come out, it would take at least three trips through the wash to do it! So, I threw the offending shirt into the wash with a little bit of Clorox 2, and the result was brilliant! My husband was very surprise since he usually does the laundry (yes, I don't know whether to feel blessed or ashamed!), but I cheerfully explaimed, "I'm testing Clorox 2!"


All clean! And the first time, too. I would definitely recommend using Clorox 2 for stains on colors. They say that Clorox 2 also brightens colors, and you should use it with every wash. That is very important when you have three girls who invariably pass on clothes to one another! However, since I'm such a cheapskate, I'll probably save it for stains and special clothes that we really want to keep new-looking.

You can visit www.daretobecolorful.com for tips and information, to send in your dirtiest pictures, and ask for advice on using Clorox 2. You'll also get slightly annoying flash intros, and a cheesy narrator. Oh- and a money back guarantee, in case you're not happy with the product.

Are you a cheapskate too? I have 4 coupons for a FREE bottle of Clorox 2 to share with you! So leave a comment if you'd like one, and I'll randomly pick 4 winners on Friday December 5!

Ultimate Party Meatballs Recipe

I got a great recipe from Mom Central, featuring Heinz, Ocean Spray, and Meatballs! Sounds good, right? Well, here is my video introduction and demonstration for the Ultimate Party Meatballs. This was so easy to prepare while we were at my moms for Thanksgiving.



Now for the review! The meatballs were SO good! I think my brother ate half of them, but there were plenty for everyone. It's a good sign when you bring home an empty dish, right? Gotta go to a party, but don't have much time to prepare? This recipe is a winner!

Visit www.ultimatepartymeatballs.com to find this recipe as well as lots more great recipes, like Ultimate Baked Brie, Sweet BBQ Chicken Dip, and more!

Ultimate Party Meatballs

• 2 lbs frozen meatballs
• 1 can Ocean Spray jellied cranberries
• 1 bottle Heinz Chili Sauce

Combine sauces in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring until smooth. Add meatballs. Cover and cook for 15 minutes or until meatballs are heated through, stirring occasionally. Makes 30 appetizer servings.

Slow cooker Preparation: Place meatballs in a slow cooker. Combine sauces and pour over meatballs. Cover and cook 4 hours on HIGH.

What's your favorite Holiday Party food?

Norton PC Tune-Up Review & GIVEAWAY

CONTEST CLOSED: winners: Mrs. Mommy, Katie (my SIL!), and Katie (my mom!)

The Norton PC Tune-Up Blog Tour, courtesy of Mom Central, came at just the right time! My computer has been starting extremely slowly, and when it was overloaded (very easily, I might add) it would just freeze. This forced me to pull out the forbidden move of pushing the button... and holding it down... until the thing turned off! I know, I know- you should never do that! Or so they say. It had started to worry me.

I had hired a local guy to come out to my house about 2 years ago, for $100, and tune up the PC, and I saw great results for a while, and the ol' girl clearly needed some attention. So I was thrilled to be able to call the Norton guy and have him walk through some steps to optimize my computer's performance. When I got the recorded message that a technician would be with me shortly(yeah right), I settled in with Shepard Smith on Fox News. But he couldn't even get a paragraph out before Vincent popped on the line.

Now there are clear differences between the Norton Tune-up, and the local guy tune-up:

• The local guy sat in a room in my house with my computer, and I was not in there the whole time. (of course I spied on him, due to a news story about repair men putting cameras in women's houses!) But I did not see what he did to my computer.
• The Norton Tune-Up Guy, Vincent, connected to my PC remotely, which means he couldn't see my messy house! I also watched everything he did right in front of me while we were on the phone.

• Local Guy didn't really show me how to maintain my computer after he worked. While it ran great after he left, I didn't know how to keep up the function.
• Vincent talked me through everything he did, and gave me tips for keeping the PC running smoothly. I did take notes, so I could remember, but there is also a file I can go back to at any time and see a review of the session.

You may need a PC Tune-Up if your computer takes a long time to start up, or runs slowly when you use multiple programs. Norton Tune Up, in my opinion, is a great service! On another note, local guy advised me to switch to Windows One Care for computer maintenence, but I really haven't been very happy with it. Norton 360 was so much more user friendly when I had it, and as a result of my conversation with Victor, I'm going to switch back.

Now that MY computer runs smoothly again, I have three more Tune-Ups ($69.99 Value!) to give away! If you'd like to get your computer running like Carl Lewis, leave a comment and let me know! As always, if you're a Real Life Review Subscriber, you get an extra entry! Leave a separate comment!

This contest will end Sunday, November 30th

Why Just Shop When You Can Shop.com?

I've just recently found www.shop.com, through Mom Central, and it is really amazing! Usually when I shop online, I'll go to individual online stores that I know and search for the items I need. If I can't find it at one, I'll move to the next, and search through several to find the best price or special deals. Of course this takes a long time, and recently starting a business and developing a TV show, I don't have much of that right now!

Shop.com does all that leg work for you! You can shop by category, or special sections, like 50 gifts under $50, Thanksgiving Trimming, Accessories for your phone, etc.

But the best way to use Shop.com, in my opinion, is to decide what items you want to find, and search in the search box. For example, I searched Aquadoodle in the box at the top.

Then, Shop.com brings up listings and prices from all over the web, from Ebay to Target, with the price comparisons. Amazing!


If you're looking for the best value on the net, Shop.com is a great place to start! I will be doing a considerable amount of Christmas shopping online this year, how about you?

Children's Books by The Secret Mountain GIVEAWAY

*CONTEST CLOSED* Winner: Julie!

Are you looking for awesome children's books with cute stories, adorable art, and even a spin-off CD to listen to in the kids' rooms or the car?

Look no further! My Team Mom review this month included three books from The Secret Mountain publishing group.

Dream Songs, Night Songs features lullabies from around the world in a very multicultural collection of bedtime stories.

I liked the story pretty well; it was very abstract and ethereal, as you would expect a book about a dream to be. The art is an interesting representation of the words from different cultures, and I love that the words are written in English Spanish and French.

The music CD accompanying this book blew me away! Of course, with my background as a music teacher, I am bound to love authentic music from other countries, sung in the original language, with traditional instruments. This CD is top notch! It even comes with PDF files of illustrations, lyrics and translations. I honestly don't want to turn this CD off to review the other ones!


Down at the Sea Hotel is another bedtime story, where it's "lights-out time down at the Sea Hotel."

The story is an illustration of a song by Greg Brown, and it couldn't be cuter! The vivid colors, interesting characters, and whimsical tone make this book a real treat for eyes young and old.

The song CD is wonderful as well, with songs written by Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Wailin’ Jennys / Neil Young, Nanci Griffith, Billy Joel, Carole King and more! The perfect bedtime companion for this adorable book.

A Duck in New York City tells the story of a little prairie duck with a big idea – making it on Broadway.


Of course as a musical theater lover, and performer, this book hits me in the heart! It's a classic story encouraging kids to follow their dreams and relish the adventure! With the help of his friends, including a truck driver named Betty, the little duck makes it all the way! The whimsical, mixed media art is a treat for the eyes, as well.

The A Duck in New York City music CD has whimsical, silly songs that perfectly match the tone of the book. My kids had fun dancing around the kitchen to the upbeat tunes as I washed the dishes, then we settled down and read the book before bed.

In my opinion, these Secret Mountain Books are a win-win for parents and kids, and are sure to be favorites for a long time in your family. The artistic and musical quality is top notch, and I am definitely a hard critic to please in these areas. You can sample the music selections at the website. Click Here.

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Since I received three of these books, I want to share the love, and give one away to a reader. Give it to your kids for Christmas, or donate it to your school! I'll be giving away Dream Songs, Night Songs Book and CD

Here's how to enter:

• Leave a comment telling us your kids' (or your) favorite book to read.
• If you are a RL Review Subscriber, you get an extra entry. Leave a separate comment.

The contest will run through Friday, November 21. The winner will be announce on Saturday. Only addresses in the US are eligible, and you must leave an email address or link to your blog, so I can contact you.

Great Ideas for Teacher Gifts!

OK, it's time for a reality check! Your child's teacher has enough Christmas mugs and apple-shaped notepad holders! My husband is a teacher, and I'm a former teacher, so I thought I'd start a post dedicated to great teacher gift ideas. So here they are: If you have any other suggestions, please leave them in the comments!

• Hands of Hope Charity Cards
• Cake-In-a-Cup for Inexpensive Christmas Gifts (just make sure you get a cute, non-Christmas themed mug!
• Easy Sourdough Bread
• Friendship Soup Mix, an Inexpensive Christmas Gift Idea
• Winter Warm-up Gift Basket
• Ghirardelli LUXE MILK
• 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny
  
• Books!

More coming as I review them!

Want to see what NOT to give?

Hands of Hope: Give the Gift of Life This Christmas

Every year, I think about it. I think about all the money I spend on Christmas and think about what else I could be doing with it. Sure, I pack shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, and put dollars in the red kettles, but what else could I do?

Hands of Hope is a program that really inspires me! Hands of Hope, a charity of Women Helping Women A World Away, is offering unique Christmas cards which will help provide food, income and water for impoverished women and children in Zambia , Uganda , and Southern Sudan. They can be purchased on the Hands of Hope website www.handsofhopeonline.org for $15.00, $30.00 and $50.00. Purchasing these cards will provide goats, chickens or wells to help change lives. What could be a more meaningful gift for holiday giving for family, friends, and customer appreciation? 100% of the money raise through the purchase of these cards goes to provide the supplies. No administrative costs are deducted!

A Chicken Card ($15.00) will purchase a gift of twelve chicks and be given to an impoverished family in Africa. As the flock multiplies, a struggling family will be given the hope to survive. Your gift will help those in need for generations to come.

A Goat Card ($30.00) represents an actual goat being purchased for a needy family. Beyond providing much needed milk, a few goats can quickly become a herd, providing sustenance and additional income that can make the difference between whether a child goes to school or not.

A Well Card ($50.00) will go toward funding a well in the Western Province of Zambia. Statistics show that nearly half of all people in developing countries suffer from health related problems caused by unsafe water.

If you'd like to purchase Hands of Hope holiday cards, click here to visit the website.

Bugaloo Baby Shoes Review/ Giveaway

**contest closed** Winner: kamewh

Among the items I wish I'd known about when my children were younger: Bugaloo Soft Sole Leather Baby Shoes! I remember being so frustrated with those baby socks that kept falling off! Then, when they started trying to walk, those same socks would get filthy, while they slid across the wood floor. If we took the socks off, the little tootsies were freezing!

Enter Bugaloo shoes, created by young graphic artist Heidi Wells. These shoes are great quality, adorable, and affordable! I received the "doggie" shoes, called Dash. And they were just as awesome as they look on the website! The elastic ankle band is easy to get into, but stays on well. (unlike those pesky baby socks!) The sole is durable and soft, and the shoes are machine washable. Yay! But the best thing about these shoes is the price! Just $15 a pair!

Here are some more of my favorites:




I'm giving my pair to one of my best friends when her baby arrives in February, what would you do with a pair of Bugaloos?

Why? Because you can win a pair!!! Here's how:

• Visit the Bugaloo Shoes Website and leave a comment here saying which design is your favorite!
  
• Be sure to leave your email address. By entering the contest, you will receive periodic emails from Bugaloo Shoes with sales and specials. (you can unsubscribe at any time)
  
• You'll get an extra entry if you are a Real Life Review subscriber. Leave an extra comment. (Click here to subscribe)

The contest will be open through Thursday, November 13. The winner will be announced Friday.

Guest Review and Giveaway: Wii Fit

I have been really wanting to try the Wii Fit system for our Nintendo Wii! I've heard such great things about it. So far, I have been unable to get one! When Patric Welch, from Noobie told me about a contest, I asked if I could post excerpts from his awesome review of the Wii Fit. Here is Patric's first impression of the Wii Fit:

You know you’re overweight when your video game console tells you so

After several attempts to use technology to nab a high demand Wii Fit, I finally got one. Lucky for me, I just happened to be in front of my computer when I received a text message alert from Amazon.com telling me a select few will be in stock in the next couple of minutes. A few days later I had a Wii Fit sitting on my front porch.

If you are not familiar with the Wii Fit, it is basically a balance board and a disc that plays on the Nintendo Wii game console. I hesitate to call the Wii Fit a game because it's really not. Instead it's designed to help you stay healthy and in shape. It does this by tricking you into thinking you are playing fun little games when in fact you are actually exercising.

Prepare to be shocked

One of the biggest wake-up moments for everyone I've talked to that owns a Wii Fit is the moment when you have to step on the balance board and let it determine your weight and your body mass index (BMI). For most people, the wake-up call isn't in seeing their weight or BMI on the screen—most of us could probably guess where we are with both numbers. No, it's when the little guy that you choose to represent yourself, called a Mii, suddenly transforms himself into an image that more closely resembles what you look like based on your weight and BMI.

The pictures below are my actual results after weighing in: (Click Here to read more...)

And then after a few weeks:

Just over two weeks ago, I wrote about the horror of seeing what the Wii Fit deemed I look like based on my weight and BMI. I vowed to immediately start exercising and eating better.

I am happy to report that as of today, there is 3.1% less of me to go around. That's the percentage of my body weight I have lost since purchasing the Wii Fit.

Of course I can't give all of the credit to the Wii Fit. As much as I really enjoy the wide variety of yoga, strength, aerobic and balance activities on the Wii Fit, it hasn't hurt any that I started watching what I eat and started running three times per week.

Some of you reading this might even think that the Wii Fit had absolutely nothing to do with my weight loss. But you would be wrong. There are days that I worked out 30-40 minutes using the Wii Fit and definitely felt it the next day. If you don't believe me, try doing the push ups and side plank strength exercise a few times.
Motivating and rewarding

But the Wii Fit is much more than just a collection of helpful and fun activities. It actually does a great job of motivating and rewarding you. Just last night my wife used the Wii Fit and it told her that she should congratulate me because my posture has really improved.

The Wii Fit also does a great job of rewarding you with new activities each time you meet a milestone, either by successfully completing an existing activity or by earning enough fit points (minutes) in your Fit Bank. I won't deny the competition in my household right now to see who has the most activities and durations unlocked on the Wii Fit. Or who has the highest score on each activity (currently my 5 year old son reigns the household on the warrior yoga pose).

And if nothing else, the Wii Fit uses peer pressure to get you to weigh in and work out. If you haven't worked out in a while (or at least run a body test) the Mii representation of yourself on the screen starts to drift off to sleep while other family members around you are cheerfully running in place and doing yoga poses. (Click here to read more...)

Noobie is giving away a brand-new Nintendo Wii, valued at $250, this holiday season as part of Noobie's "I want a Wii" contest. All you need to do is fill out the form on the site for your chance to win. Noobie will take care of the rest! (Click Here)

While you're there, check out Noobie's resources to help you effectively choose and use technology.

Chex Mix Basket Winners!

The winners of the Chex Mix Basket of Indulgence are...

Alaina! Jenn! Kim!

Congratulations, Ladies! I'll contact you with more instructions!

Ghirardelli LUXE MILK

Ghirardelli Chocolate Company recently introduced their new LUXE MILK (tm) line made with rich and creamy milk chocolate and all-natural ingredients.

So, I told Mom Central, "Well, I guess if you really need bloggers to review them, I'll take the five new flavors of the finest chocolate, and tell everyone what I think." Do you really believe that? Of course not! I jumped at the chance! In fact, I was waving my hand in the air, while sitting at my computer screen, shouting, "Me! Me! I'll do it!"

My dear friend Pat uses only Ghirardelli chocolate in her famous Mocha Cappuccino, which is totally YUMMO! Their new LUXE MILK(tm) flavors, once again, did not disappoint!

There are five different kinds:

• LUXE MILK Solid
• LUXE MILK Hazelnut
• LUXE MILK Almond
• LUXE MILK Crisp
• LUXE MILK Duet

I loved them all (as did my chocoholic husband, friends and in-laws), but the Duet was my favorite. I adore dark chocolate - the darker the better. I really thought this was the perfect combination of the rich deep dark flavor, and the sweetness of milk chocolate. My hubby's favorite was the hazelnut.

Now, as a former teacher and a current teacher's wife, I'm always lobbying to "stop the Christmas mug madness" for teacher gifts! I'll solve all your teacher gift dilemmas this year: get Ghirardelli chocolate! Of course, if you get it for one teacher, you'll have to get it for all of them, because they will be bragging in the lounge! (Believe me, I know from experience!)

Dear hubby's students: You can get them at Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Borders, and Linens N Things and, soon, Target, Blockbuster, and Cost Plus stores


Have you ever tried the new LUXE Milk Bars? What did you think?

Bella Sara Trading Cards

I don't know about you, but my daughters are infatuated with horses! Despite being deathly afraid the time we took the girls to ride, they love watching them in the fields near our house, an playing with various horse-themed toys. My girls also love playing on the computer, and we carefully monitor the activities they do online. Even my three year old tells me she wants to play "dot com."

So I was very interested to receive Bella Sara horse-themed trading cards from BellaSara.com and Team Mom. I first logged on myself to check it out before showing it to the girls. The trading cards come in sets of seven, each with a code you enter on Bellasara.com. When you enter the code, the horse comes alive in the online world of North of North. Similar to other online games, each horse has it's own stable where you can care for him/her. There are also games and activities while you're there, and you can use your points (horseshoes) to buy items for your horses.

On November 6, Baby Bella foals arrive, and will kick off a 10-day celebration. Kids can qualify for daily prizes, print babies' birth certificates, read stories and find special codes.

My girls had an incredible time on this site with their trading cards- turned virtual horses. HipChick (7) and her 8 year-old cousin played together and loved it, as did my 5 year old and three year old.

Here's what I like about the game:

• Each horse comes with a positive message, like "Do something that makes you proud, others will be proud of you."
• The games are fun for older kids and easy enough for the younger ones.
  
• Parents can set controls, such as how long they can play each day and whether they can connect with friends.
• They feel like they are exploring a vast world, within the confines of BellaSara. They don't need to get out onto the wide (sometimes scary) world of the web.
  
• The cards are relatively inexpensive, retailing at $2.99 a pack. Compare to $15 for other online toys, such as stuffed animals.

I had just a few notes of concern, which aren't really a big deal, but I wanted to share them, in case you think along the same lines.

The theme of the site has a "new age" feel, which made me really want to monitor what messages are being sent. There are references to magic, Native American beliefs, and Norse Mythology, so I would recommend parents going onto the site before you show it to your kids. So far, I don't feel that it is any different than fairies, mermaids, and various other children's fantasies, but you will have to decide for your family.

Overall, I think Bella Sara is a brilliant concept, fun for kids, and reasonably priced. My niece had so much fun, that I will probably purchase some for her for Christmas!


Available at Amazon



Bella Sara Trading Cards earn Real Life's 4-gift rating for Christmas! I'm also entering this in Rocks In My Dryer's WFMW: Toys Worth Buying Edition