Angelina Ballerina Book Giveaway

Angelina Ballerina has always been one of our family's favorite cartoons. I love it because Angelina loves to dance ballet. The Pea loves it because Angelina is a true girly-girl and proud of it. 3Po and Jammy love it because they get a kick out of little cousin Henry's antics. Alfie loves it because all the characters have lovely English accents; it's the one cartoon he would let our kids watch all day long in the hopes that they'll pick the accents up!

Last year Angelina Ballerina underwent a transformation, moving to CG animation, introducing new dance steps and incorporating a whole new storyline. It's still based on Katharine Holabird's Angelina Ballerina books, of course, but it's a whole new re-imagined series called Angelina Ballerina The Next Steps. Angelina still dreams of becoming a prima ballerina, but she's at a new school, has a new dance teacher, new friends, and new dances to learn.

What do I think of Angelina Ballerina The Next Steps? I'm usually not a fan of cartoon character makeovers (Dora the Explorer, the Care Bears, and the latest Strawberry Shortcake), and have to admit I miss the classic look (and sound -- I wish they had kept all the English accents!) of the original animated series.

But there's a lot to love about the new Angelina. For one thing, the characters do a lot more dancing, and they've incorporated many different styles of dance like tap, jazz, ethnic and hip-hop. I think they do a great job of introducing young children to all the different ways people can express themselves through dance, and it's a big improvement from the older series. I love that the producers work with consultants from the American Ballet Theater and Alvin Ailey to make sure the dance moves are genuine and age-appropriate. It's like a So You Think You Can Dance for preschoolers! Also, unlike the other cartoon characters I mentioned earlier, Angelina hasn't been hoochie-sized; she's still a little girl and she looks pretty much like the old Angelina. Most importantly, Angelina's optimism, her sweet, caring nature and her irrepressible spirit shines through as ever. So I give Angelina Ballerina The Next Steps a big thumbs up!



Win an Angelina Ballerina Book book
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win an Angelina Ballerina book! Angelina at the Palace is Katharine Holabird's 13th Angelina book and tells the story of the mouse ballerina's adventures when she is invited to dance at the Royal Palace in Mouseland. It's filled with Helen Craig's delightful, whimsical illustrations and a great read for any young ballerina.


(and stay tuned for a second Angelina Ballerina giveaway -- I'll be giving away some cute tshirts in a couple of days!)


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite Angelina Ballerina character. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

2) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

3) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

5) Write this on Bonggamom Finds' Facebook Page wall (1 entry).

I joined the Angelina Ballerina book giveaway on Bonggamom Finds! http://ow.ly/1SM0k

6) Write this on Angelina Ballerina's Facebook Page wall (1 entry):

I entered to win an Angelina Ballerina book on Bonggamom Finds! You can enter too at http://ow.ly/1SM0k


7) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this daily (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

It's ballet recital season! Enter to win an Angelina Ballerina storybook at @bonggafinds http://ow.ly/1SM0k #giveaway

8) Enter the Angelina Ballerina tshirt giveaway (going live on June 3, 1 entry).


The Rules
This giveaway ends at midnight PST on June 20, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on June 21 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Playing Games on Yoursphere

Our third assignment as a MomCentral Yoursphere Test Drive Mom was one that The Pea really loved -- creating an avatar on Yoursphere's virtual OurWorld and playing some games. I never let her make any friends on other sites like Webkinz or Jumpstart, but since Yoursphere is a safety-first social networking site, I figured this was a good place to start letting go.



ourWorld is a private virtual community and a social gaming sphere exclusively for Yoursphere members. You can decorate your condo, dress your avatar, play games, go on quests, and do way more fun things with your Yoursphere friends.

I'm quite impressed at the options users have for customizing avatars on ourWorld. Not only can you do the usual things like change hair color, eye color, nose shape, face shape etc.. you can even change their body shape! That's right, you can make your avatar skinnier or chunkier, taller or shorter, give their longer or shorter legs and arms!

Right now The Pea is just having fun changing her avatar's hair and outfits and decorating her condo. If you're a newcomer to ourWorld, you get a basic starter outfit, hairstyle, shoes and some furniture; if you want more options, you have to buy them. You're given 2,000 coins to start with, so you can get started right away, and you can earn more coins.

If you’re already a Yoursphere member check out Yoursphere's OurWorld section. If you’re not, register now (it's free!) using this referral code – YSMC-0045 . It will show Yoursphere that I’m spreading the word.

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Novica Jewelry Review and Giveaway

Keep reading to find out how you can enter to win a $60 gift certificate from Novica.com!

They say the internet has made us into a global community, and nowhere is that more obvious than with online retailer Novica.com. They bring the works -- and the stories -- of thousands of artisans from third-world countries to people all over the globe! Novica kindly sent me a gift code so I could sample an item of my choice from their website. I think their products and gorgeous and their business model is compelling and I'm so happy to share their story with everyone.

The Basics
Novica, in association with National Geographic, sells products -- home decor, jewelry, apparel, gifts and more -- made by artisans from Asia, Africa and Latin America. Artists post their work on the Novica site for free; Novica allows them to set their own prices. The company makes money when a piece sells, and goods ship directly from the country of origin.


The Bongga
There are so many gorgeous things for sale on Novica that it took me ages to decide what I wanted. I knew I wanted a va-va-voom "statement" necklace that I could wear in the evenings, but I couldn't decide whether I wanted a pearl strand necklace, a lapis lazuli necklace, a warmer-toned citrine and carnelian necklace or a smoky amethyst waterfall necklace.

But I kept coming back to this dramatic, black-and-white multi-strand hematite and onyx necklace. I sent Alfie the links to my top 5 choices, and lo and behold, he chose this one as well! The fates (or rather, two soulmates) had spoken: I put in a request for the "Midnight Empress".


My precious package arrived just one week later, even though it came all the way from India. Isn't the necklace gorgeous? It was a tad shorter than I had expected, and the beads feel like they are strung just a bit too tight, but I'm going to give it some time to stretch out before I pass final judgment. It certainly makes a statement, and I can't wait to wear it on my next date night with Alfie!


The necklace itself was only part of the story. It came nestled in an exquisite embroidered-fabric jewelry box. It came with an artisan storycard, which contained a short description of the piece I had bought and the artist who had made it. It also came with a handwritten thank-you card from the artist, Kalyani Gupta. I got to see her photo and read her story on the Novica website, so this necklace is not just another pretty trinket that I've fallen in love with. I've "met" the person behind the necklace and I think we've both been enriched by this transaction!

This, I think, is what sets Novica apart -- they stress the artists' stories as much as they do the products. They're clearly not all about profits: they give artists from third-world countries the opportunity to display and sell their work to a global market, thereby giving them the chance to improve their situation in life.


The Blah
I love the wide variety of choices (literally thousands!) in their jewelry line, but there is also a wide price range. I'm no expert on jewelry, so I couldn't figure out why some necklaces cost $30 while others looked similar but cost $130. Was it the materials? Did one artist just charge more for their work? Was it the exchange-rate disparity that made one so much cheaper than the other? It took me a while to browse around and find out that artists actually set their own prices, and Novica charges a commission when the pieces sell. I'm always looking for the best bargains, so I would really have loved some kind of online tutorial to help me make sense of it all.


The Bottom Line
To find Novica's gorgeous, unique products, you'd literally have to go to the ends of the earth -- fortunately, they make it easy for you to find and buy them! And when you buy from them, you'll get that nice warm feeling, knowing that you've enriched both Artisan and Buyer.



Win a $60 gift certificate to Novica!
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a $60 gift certificate that can be applied towards any purchase on Novica.com.


Required Entry
Go to the Novica.com website, then come back here and leave a comment with a link to your favorite Novica necklace.


Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

2) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook wall (1 entry):

I entered the giveaway for a $60 Novica gift certificate on Bonggamom Finds! http://ow.ly/1REgm

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

6) Write this on Novica's Facebook Page wall (1 entry):

I entered to win a $60 Novica gift certificate on Bonggamom Finds so I can try one of your gorgeous artisan products! You can enter too at http://ow.ly/1REgm


7) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this daily (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

You could win a $60 @Novica gift certificate good towards any of their artisan products! Enter at @bonggafinds http://ow.ly/1REgm #giveaway

8) Follow Novica on Twitter and tweet this daily (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Enter to win a $60 gift certificate good towards any of the gorgeous artisan products at @Novica! via @bonggafinds at http://ow.ly/1REgm

The Rules
This giveaway ends at midnight PST on June 19, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on June 20 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a gift certificate so I could select the sample of my choice from Novica's website, and a second gift certificate will be provided for the winner of this giveaway. I was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Summer Bridge Activities Workbook Review and Giveaway

Summer vacation is only 3 weeks away, and I'm so excited! After nine months of waking up early, schedules, homework and activities, it will be so nice to sleep in, stay in our pj's, do nothing, laze around, watch tv, be idle......

Hang on, that's not supposed to be how it goes. I'm supposed to be the proactive parent and make sure they're entertained and engaged; even more importantly, I need to make sure their brains don't turn into mush. If you dread that infamous "summer slide" as much as I do, here are a few suggestions to make sure your child's academic skills stay sharp all summer:

1) Read to your child every day.

2) Join a summer reading program (Borders Books has one, and your local library probably does too).

3) Visit museums and cultural centers every now and then.

4) Attend one of the many summer outdoor concerts to expose your child to different styles of music.

5) Buy a summer activity book like the Summer Bridge Activities workbook and have your child work on it for 10-15 minutes every day.


The kids really enjoyed working on the Summer Bridge Activities workbooks that we reviewed last summer, so I was happy to receive new ones to review this year from publisher Carson Dellosa (Bridging Grades 3-4 for The Pea, and Bridging Grades K-1 for Jammy and 3Po).

Here's how it works: each workbook is divided into 3 sections, which are designed to be completed within a 3-month (summer vacation) timeframe. The first 2 review concepts and skills from the previous schoolyear, and the last section is a preview of things they will be learning in the new year. Parents are encouraged to have their kids complete two activity pages each day for maximum results; I personally think it's alright to let your kids do a couple more pages if they're enthusiastic, and skip a day or two if you're doing something else -- as long as not too many days pass without doing the workbook, or they don't do so many pages that they get burned out.

What do I really like about these Summer Bridge Activity workbooks? Let me count the ways:

1) The exercises are doable. They're not so challenging that I need to help them out (hey, it is summer after all, and they're not studying for the SATs!), and the kids are confident in their ability to complete the exercises.

2) It's not just math and reading; each section has bonus activities like science experiments, games, map reading, and more. This makes it much more interesting for the kids.

3) Stickers, stickers, stickers! My kids never seem to get tired of stickers, and these workbooks have tons of reward stickers for each exercise that they complete.

I think this workbook series is a great way to keep kids' academic skills from sliding during the summer, and it's also a great way to keep them entertained on the road and on vacation (it sure beats video games from a parent's perspective)! The kids already want to get started on these workbooks but I'm holding them off until summer vacation actually begins. It's going to be a great summer!

Click here to read more about the Summer Bridge workbook series and see free sampler pages


Win a Summer Bridge Activity workbook
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win up to three Summer Bridge Activity workbooks for their child(ren)!

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which Summer Bridge Activity workbook(s) you would like to receive. If you win, you can select up to 3! This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

2) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

3) Become a fan of Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

6) Write this on the Carson-Dellosa Facebook Page wall (1 entry):

I want my kids to avoid the dreaded Summer Slide -- so I entered to win Bonggamom Finds' Summer Bridge Activity books giveaway! You can enter too at http://ow.ly/1Rt9j


7) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this daily (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Avoid the dreaded Summer Slide, enter 2 win Summer Bridge Activities workbooks fr @CDPub! Enter at @bonggafinds http://ow.ly/1Rt9j #giveaway


The Rules
This giveaway ends at midnight PST on June 10, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on June 11 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a product sample, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- List your giveaways here!

Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

PosePrints

Have you ever wanted to see what you would look like as a cartoon? At PosePrints.com, not only can you create your own cartoon self, you can use your cartoon to create unique notecards and stationery.

PosePrints sent me a few samples of invitations, thank you cards, recipe cards and note cards that they created for other people. Here's what they look like:



The Bongga
Aren't they cute? The samples above came on good, thick cardstock. The print quality is great, with strong colors in a lovely matte finish.

The cartoons themselves are really cute, and creating them couldn't be easier. There are hundreds of options for skin tone, eye shape and color, nose shape and color, lip shape and color, hair color and hairstyle, clothes, accessories and more. Since they have options for women, men and children, I was able to "Strike a Pose" for everyone in our family:

Meet the Bongga family in Pose Prints land!

I love that you can upload your Pose to Facebook!

The Blah
While I had great fun creating our Pose Prints cartoons, I could NOT get Alfie to look anything like his real self! PosePrints had a "thinning hairline" option for hairstyle, but none for more follicly-challenged people. They also don't have any face shape options which I think is a major limitation in getting the cartoon to resemble you.


The Bottom Line
Pose Prints are a fun, whimsical way to express yourself in your personalized stationery.


Disclosure: I received generic product samples to review, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Simply Bags Personalized Totes

I love personalized tote bags, but these days it seems that everyone is already lugging around the same square canvas bag, with colored canvas straps and a monogram or name embroidered in the same color as the straps. So I was delighted to discover the huge selection of personalized styles at online retailer Simply Bags, and even more delighted to be invited to review one of their bags.

The Basics
Simply Bags makes personalized bags in a variety of styles, colors and fabrics. You can find them at www.simply-bags.com.

Here's how Simply Bags describes themselves:
Simply Bags is a specialty monogram shop offering personalized tote bags and monogrammed totes. Beautiful, personal and useful gifts. Colorful and bright combinations. Creative gift ideas ... unique laptop totes for women, couples wine tote, fashionable travel totes, monogrammed boat totes for the beach and so much more. Finished with fine detailing and professional monogramming.

The Bongga
I am simply delighted with Simply Bags! Their bags are anything but simple. They have a great choice of styles, ranging from the ubiquitous canvas tote to travel totes, lunch bags, duffel bags, beach bags, laptop bags, you name it. They come in so many cute colors and fabrics and patterns, and you can personalize any of them.

Simply Bags sent us an adorable Canvas Boat Tote in hot pink. The bag is so unique -- it has rope handles and black-and-white web striping, and I had The Pea's name embroidered on it in a black classic font.

The bag is huge, so The Pea can take it to sleepovers or to the beach or to a friend's house for a playdate (yes, she needs a bag this large for playdates because she has to take all her play paraphernalia!). It is so stylish and we've already received so many compliments on it that I kind of wish I had put my own name on it!

The Blah
The bag's handles are made of twisted rope that has been knotted at the ends so it doesn't slip out of the grommets. I love this detailing, but the ends of the rope have untwisted and frayed, and I'm a bit concerned that the rest of the rope might un-twist itself as well -- so I hot glued the ends. Alfie says you can also burn the edges so they melt into each other. Problem solved!

The Bottom Line
Simply Bags has a great line of personalized bags, with unique styles and high quality details. I've never seen such a great selection of cute personalized bags. What a wonderful gift idea!

Disclosure: I received a product sample, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Exploring the Yoursphere world

I've been a MomCentral Yoursphere Test Drive Mom for a couple of weeks now, and in that time The Pea has been making some tentative steps to expand her social network and online presence. Since Yoursphere is a safety-first social networking site, I feel more secure about letting her go online. Not only can I monitor her online activity, but I also know that other Yoursphere users have parents who are controlling and monitoring their online activity!

Our second assignment as Yoursphere Test Drive Moms was to explore the world of Yoursphere Spheres. A Sphere is basically a group of users who share some common interest, like gaming or photography or sports. Users can join spheres or create their own, and when you join a sphere you can post videos or photos or comments.


Before I let The Pea do anything on her own, I tried signing up to join a sphere on my own, which turned out to be a frustrating experience -- I kept getting told that I needed to be a "verified user" in order to join a sphere, and I got sent to a Help page that told me only verified users can join spheres, but didn't give me any indication or link to actually get myself verified! Then The Pea logged on and I helped her join her first sphere (Fashion). We didn't encounter any problems, so I'm guessing that parent accounts can't join spheres, only kids? I'm hoping someone from Yoursphere can give me an answer!

Whatever the case, I think spheres are a fun place for kids to "hang out". So far The Pea has joined the fashion sphere, travel sphere and American Girl doll sphere. The fashion sphere has lots of discussions about celeb fashions and "who wore it best" where sphere members can weigh in with their own comments. The Pea's favorite sphere is the American Girl and My Twinn doll sphere. It was created by a fellow Yoursphere member and user, and everyone in that sphere shares a love of American Girl and My Twinn dolls, so there are lots of cute photos of AG dolls. Here's a photo that The Pea posted of me in the American Girl store in New York:


The Pea also created her very own Zhu Zhu Pets sphere because she loves these little mechanical hamsters; hopefully lots of other Yoursphere members will join! One thing that Yoursphere could improve would be to add a "sphere search" functionality so that users can search for spheres that they might like to join, or share their favorite spheres with their friends. If these functionalities already exist, I couldn't find them -- which is almost as bad!




If you’re already a Yoursphere member check out The Pea's Zhu Zhu pets sphere. If you’re not, register now (it's free!) using this referral code – YSMC-0045 . It will show Yoursphere that I’m spreading the word.

Disclosure: I wrote this review while participating in the Yoursphere Test Drive program by Mom Central on behalf of Yoursphere. I received a free lifetime Gold membership on Yoursphere.com, Yoursphere t-shirts, and a $50 American Express gift card to facilitate my review. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Aquafina Flavor Splash Lemon Review and Giveaway

This week's Aquafina FlavorSplash sample pack is one of my all-time favorite flavors -- Lemon! Keep reading to see how the kids and I put even more fun and flavor into our Aquafina FlavorSplash drinks:

The Basics
Aquafina FlavorSplash is flavored water that does not contain any calories, sugar or sodium.

The Bongga
We received 6 bottles of Aquafina FlavorSplash in the Lemon flavor -- no surprise here, everyone loves it. The tangy, citrusy flavor makes plain water so refreshing, and the slight hint of sweetness makes us all think of lemonade and summer! So we decided to make some yummy Shaved Ice with it:

Lemon Shaved Ice

1) Pour a bottle of Aquafina FlavorSplash lemon-flavored drink into an ice cube tray and freeze.
2) Put the ice cubes in an ice shaver and grind away. If you don't have an ice shaver, you can blend the ice into fine chunks.

3) Pour a bit of lemon-flavored shaved-ice syrup (available at Target or Walmart or specialty beverage stores like BevMo), mix and enjoy!

Since the ice is frozen FlavorSplash instead of just frozen water, you don't need to use as much syrup to get that sweet taste. It's the perfect summer drink!


The Blah
Unlike last week's Wild Berry flavor, which is delicious whether you drink it up at room temperature or cold, this Lemon flavor tastes MUCH better when it's served cold.

The Bottom Line
Aquafina FlavorSplash flavored water is an easy, delicious way to stay hydrated. It's a great way to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle for you and your family!



Win an Aquafina Prize Pack
One lucky Bonggamom Finds readers will win an Aquafina prize pack consisting of:

* 2 tubes of Aquafina FlavorSplash Hydrating Lip Balm
* 1 coupon good for a Free 6-pack of Aquafina FlavorSplash


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post with your favorite Aquafina FlavorSplash flavor. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

2) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

3) Become a fan of Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

6) Write this on the Aquafina Facebook Fan Page wall (1 entry):

I entered to win a 6-pack of Aquafina FlavorSplash and Aquafina FlavorSplash lip balm on Bonggamom Finds! You can enter too at http://tinyurl.com/23kxhux


7) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this daily (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Win an Aquafina FlavorSplash gift pack from @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/23kxhux
#giveaway


The Rules
This giveaway ends at midnight PST on June 8, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on June 9 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for Aquafina FlavorSplash and have received various FlavorSplash samples to facilitate my participation. Mom Central will send me a gift card at the end of the program. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- List your giveaways here!

Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

Mama to 3 Blessings giveaways

Mama to 3 Blessings is having a baby, and she's sharing the love! Check out her blog between now and November for some great giveaways, tips and more.

Here are some of her current giveaways:

* $40 gift certificate to Label Daddy Click here to enter, giveaway ends May 27.

* Picasso canvas painting kit giveaway, (ends May 25)

Battle of Giants: Mutant Insects review and giveaway

My sons 3Po and Jammy seem to be entering an extremely physical stage in their development. They've always been live wires, running around 24/7, but now that they've entered kindergarten they're on the go with their friends -- and sometimes they end up punching each other. Alfie says it's nothing to worry about, and he's probably right, but we both agree that we want to limit their exposure to violence in the media.

That's why I appreciate fantasy games like Ubisoft's Battle of Giants series for Nintendo DS -- they recognize that boys are very physically oriented and like to act out power struggles in their pretend and fantasy play, but they don't depict humans fighting and killing each other. The characters in these games clearly belong in the fantasy realm, so my boys are clear about pretend and real. If I'm going to let my boys play a videogame, I'd rather have one of dragons fighting rather than real people!

3Po and Jammy already enjoy the Dragons and Dinosaurs games, and now that Ubisoft kindly sent us a copy of the latest Battle of Giants game: Mutant Insects, they have even more avenues for fantasy play. Like the previous two, Mutant Insects allows the boys to create characters -- in this case, mutant insects like scorpions, spiders and praying mantises -- and put them into battle with each other. The more they play, the more they can build their insect's special powers and attributes.

Here's a description of the game from Ubisoft:
In a far distant future, a gigantic asteroid went out of orbit and collided with Earth. This terrible catastrophe left only ruins in its wake, forever changing Earth’s landscape….and its inhabitants. Insects, the most adaptable form of life on Earth, have mutated to transform into massive giants and become the new rulers of the planet.

As one of four mutated insects, travel through the barely recognizable lands while battling gigantic enemies to find the source of the mutation. Your goal? Become the strongest mutant insect on the planet and survive the chaos!

Now that the boys can read, it's less frustrating for them since the game requires players to read simple instructions. They're really been enjoying this game, and I have even seen them take the mutant insects theme into their pretend-play sessions with plastic insect figurines!


Win a Battle of Giants: Mutant Insects game for Nintendo DS
One lucky winner will receive a copy of Battle of Giants: Mutant Insects for Nintendo DS, courtesy of Ubisoft.

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which insects you -- or your bloodthirsty sons :) -- would most like to see in battle. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

2) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

3) Become a fan of Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Win a Battle of Giants: Mutant Insects game for Nintendo DS! Enter by 6/5 on @bonggafinds http://ow.ly/1NcO4 #giveaway

7) Write this on Ubisoft's Facebook Page Wall (1 entry):

I entered to win a Battle of Giants: Mutant Insects game for Nintendo DS! You can enter too on Bonggamom Finds: http://ow.ly/1NcO4


The Rules
This giveaway ends at midnight PST on June 5, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on June 6 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a product sample, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Win a Playtex Bra Makeover

Do slipping straps, riding up backs, or not enough support have you ready to write a Dear John letter to your old bras? Apply for a Bra Makeover from Playtex! Seven out of 10 women are wearing the wrong size bra, which can result in an ill fit for the rest of their outfit, back and shoulder pain, as well as bruising and digging.

We know that busy moms don't always have time to update their bras or even check to make sure they are wearing the correct size. That's why Playtex has launched www.PlaytexBraMakeover.com, a site where women can go to apply for a bra makeover or nominate a friend.

If chosen, the winner will be flown to New York to receive a Bra Makeover with style expert Alison Deyette. Deyette is a fashion and trend lifestyle expert who has been featured on Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker and TLC's Ten Years Younger, as well as in print publications including Good Housekeeping, The Washington Post, and O Magazine. Apply for your chance to win a Playtex Bra Makeover today. The last day to apply is Friday, May 21st, 2010.

The 10 winners selected for a Bra Makeover will also star in their very own webisode wherein a makeover candidate will receive a fitting with Deyette and walk away with the perfect Playtex products. A new webisode will premier on www.PlaytexBraMakeover.com every two weeks.

Disclosure: By posting this information, I am entered into a contest to win a free bra from Playtex. I did not receive any compensation for this post and thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Fun Family Vacation Activities

Where will *you* take your family this summer?

It's cold and rainy today, but that isn't dampening my spring fever and summer in the least. I'm sooo ready for summer, and so are my kids. We've planned a trip to the UK to visit Alfie's parents, but you don't need to travel that far to have a great family vacation! Here are five vacation activities that will ensure that your family will have fun no matter where you go:

1) Learn a new skill. Vacations are all about seeing new places and trying new things, so while we're vacationing at Alfie's parents' home, we're hoping they can teach our kids some new things. Alfie's mum is going to teach The Pea how to knit, and Alfie's dad is going to help 3Po and Jammy with some carpentry projects. It's a win-win situation -- my kids learn something new and fun, they get to spend time with the grandparents, Alfie and I get some time alone :)

2) Keep your minds sharp with activity books. Just because you're on vacation doesn't mean your minds have to go to sleep. There's always some downtime in any vacation, so rather than fill it up with television, I plan to get some activity workbooks for the kids. They really enjoyed last year's Summer Bridge workbooks -- fun and not so academic that they're all burned out -- and I'm going to make it fun by providing an incentive for when they finish. I'm sure The Pea would love an iTunes gift card, and the boys would love a new toy!

3) If you give a kid a camera..... Let your children be in charge of capturing vacation memories! Okay, maybe you don't want to put them in charge of your super-expensive digital SLR, but a digital point-and-shoot or a simple disposable camera would be perfect for young shutterbugs. My kids (Jammy especially) love shooting pictures -- it gets them more involved, and it stalls the "let's go!" whining when we visit scenic places. And they end up with some pretty interesting photos!

Jammy at the Grand Canyon

4) Go camping. Our family campout has turned into an annual activity. Two years ago we camped at a local park, and last year we camped out in Napa Valley. This year we're looking further south. Maybe we'll camp on the beach this time!

Camping in Napa

5) Play with water. It isn't a summer vacation without some wet splashy fun! Target and other retailers sell inexpensive water guns that the kids use to keep cool on those hot, sunny days. We don't even need to leave the back yard (call it a stay-cation, if you will)! And now that the kids are older, we might even treat them to a visit to a water park :)

The first waterfight of 2010

Summer, here we come!

Do you have ideas for family activities this summer? TwitterMoms wants to know about them! Head on over to the TwitterMoms vacation discussion page, and you could win a $50 Target giftcard!

Fun Family Vacation ActivitiesVisit Williamsburg

Disclosure: I wrote this blog post while participating in the Williamsburg Tourism and TwitterMoms blogging program for a chance to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Give your Child a Summer to Remember at Champions Science Adventures Camp

I can't believe summer is almost here! Our trip to England is going to be shorter than we originally planned, so I'm scrambling to plan ways to keep my kids engaged and entertained -- and I'm not talking about planting them in front of the TV! I want their minds and bodies to stay busy. Fortunately it's not too late to enroll them in a few summer camps.

Our summer camp budget is small, so I don't want to choose any old camp. If I'm going to shell out my hard-earned money for it, it has to be a good camp, one that will give my kids an enjoyable learning experience. So I was certainly lucky to be selected by MomSelect to spread the word about the great summer day camps offered by Champions Science Adventures! They're giving The Pea a week of camp so she can try it out and I can report back to everyone what she did. The camps run throughout the summer and we'll enroll in one of the earlier (mid-June) sessions so I can post about her experiences and you'll still have time to enroll your child in a later session.


About Champions Science Adventures day camps
This year, Champions Science Adventures is running weekly science-themed summer day camps with four themes to choose from:

1) At the Mystery of the Pharaoh’s Treasure camp, kids will help to solve an Egyptian mystery by decoding hieroglyphics, digging up mummies from the sand and other fun activities.

2) The Go Wild camp will allow kids to investigate some amazing wildlife and plants. Check out this Go Wild video:

Cool, huh? Of course, they probably won't be getting up close and personal with hippos and crocodiles, but they will get to build binoculars and microscopes so they can go on a Mini-Beast Safari, and they will get to meet some live animals!

3) Gizmo’s Robot Factory lets kids design their own robots.

4) At the Space and Rocketry camp, kids will make their own Hydro-powered rocket, an altimeter to see how high their rocket goes, and more!


It all sounds like so much fun! I have no idea which one we are going to pick for The Pea to attend, but I'm sure any of those four will give her an amazing week of fun and discovery. As Champions says.....

Champions Science Adventures summer day camps focus on FUN and take science education beyond the classroom to spark a child’s interest in the world of science through exploration and discovery. Champions Science Adventures camps are designed to inspire curiosity about how the world works while instilling a love of learning about science through interactive, hands-on experiments and activities.

Visit www.scienceadventures.com for more information including locations and fees and online enrollment. And don't forget to check out their YouTube Channel to see more fun Champions Science Adventures educational videos (like this one, where Andy Allan the Science Whiz blows up a trash can 100 feet in the air!) to whet your child's appetite.


Save on Champions Summer Camp!
Champions has lots of ways to help you save you money on their summer camps. They have multi-camp discounts, sibling discounts and Refer-a-Friend rewards program. Click here to see what special offers are currently running.


Save $50 on a Champions Science Adventure Summer Day Camp
You can still save on a Champions summer camp even though you've missed the early bird deadline. Just use the code SUMMERSCIENCE10 to save $50 off a week of summer camp!

Disclosure: As a thank-you for blogging about this program I will be receiving a free week of summer camp for one of my children. I was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Aquafina Splash Wild Berry Review and Giveaway

The weather has really been heating up around here, so when our first Aquafina FlavorSplash Mom sample pack arrived, it was met by three hot and thirsty kids dying for a drink. Good thing FlavorSplash doesn't have any sugar, so I let them drink up. Keep reading to find out what we thought of this flavor:

The Basics
Aquafina FlavorSplash is flavored water that does not contain any calories, sugar or sodium.

The Bongga
We received 6 bottles of Aquafina FlavorSplash in the Wild Berry flavor. Pardon the pun, but the Wild Berry flavor is berry, berry good, and the kids have gone wild over it. They were more than happy to ham it up for the camera in exchange for a bottle of Aquafina FlavorSplash:
I like that it doesn't have that metallic taste that some flavored waters have; it's a faint hint of sweetness that makes drinking water a pleasure.


The Blah
The only thing I can think of that could be improved are the available sizes of the Aquafina bottles. I'd love a larger value-size or family-size bottle of Aquafina so we can save on packaging and still enjoy the refreshing yumminess at home!

The Bottom Line
Aquafina FlavorSplash flavored water is an easy, delicious way to stay hydrated. It's a great way to jumpstart a healthier lifestyle for you and your family!



Win an Aquafina Prize Pack
Mom Central and Aquafina sent me an awesome sample box with Aquafina water, lip balm and coupons, and I want to share the love! Two lucky Bonggamom Finds readers will win an Aquafina prize pack consisting of:

* 2 tubes of Aquafina FlavorSplash Hydrating Lip Balm
* 1 coupon good for a Free 6-pack of Aquafina FlavorSplash


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post with a tip on how to get more water into your day. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

2) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

3) Become a fan of Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

6) Write this on the Aquafina Facebook Fan Page wall (1 entry):

I entered to win a 6-pack of Aquafina FlavorSplash and Aquafina FlavorSplash lip balm on Bonggamom Finds! You can enter too at www.bonggafinds.com

7) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this daily (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Win an Aquafina FlavorSplash gift pack from @bonggafinds http://www.bonggafinds.com/ #giveaway


The Rules
This giveaway ends at midnight PST on June 1, 2010; I will draw 2 winners at random on June 2 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for Aquafina FlavorSplash and have received various FlavorSplash samples to facilitate my participation. Mom Central will send me a gift card at the end of the program. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

I'm today's $100 Question Host on BlogHer!

BlogHer's $100 Question series is a great way to win an easy $100 and meet some great bloggers along the way. Every day they feature a different blogger asking a different question, and if you leave a comment answering the question, you're entered to win $100. Each giveaway lasts only a couple of days so your chances of winning are excellent.

And guess what -- I'm today's $100 Question Host! I still don't know what to wear to the American Idol finals, so BlogHer is allowing me to "bribe" you with $100 for your suggestion. Just head over to today's $100 Question post, leave a comment with your suggested outfit (I've narrowed it down to 3 choices) and you could win $100. The giveaway closes on Wednesday May 19, so hurry and enter!

Don't forget, I've also got another American Idol giveaway -- leave a comment with your suggested outfit here and you could win an American Idol tshirt from CafePress.




Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post.The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Share your Story and You Could Win a $200 Gift Card from BlogHer and Flip Video!

Have you ever shot a video of your kid and felt like a great parent for capturing those precious memories, only to find out that the video was less than perfect? Check this one out....




Or worse, did you ever miss out on capturing that Once in Lifetime Moment because you forgot your video camera? I've done it, and I'll bet you have, too. And now your frustration could win you $200. I'm giving away a $200 gift card courtesy of BlogHer and Flip Video -- all you have to do is leave a comment sharing your Moment that Got Away!

Click here to go to my Flip Video post and enter to win a $200 gift card.

I'm an Aquafina FlavorSplash Mom!

When it comes to drinking enough water, I need all the help I can get. I'm a big fan of flavored water because it gets me drinking more; pouring out a glass of plain water just doesn't do it for me. That's why I'm so excited to announce that I've been selected by Aquafina and Mom Central to be an Aquafina FlavorSplash Mom! That means I get to try out all the flavors that Aquafina FlavorSplash comes in and share what we like and don't like about the product. I'll also be sharing some great tips to stay hydrated, fun ways to add more flavor to family life, yummy drink recipes -- and share some Aquafina goodies along the way. Over the next 6 weeks I'll be posting about my experiences with Aquafina. Look for posts on the following topics:

* Ways to sneak water into your daily lives
* Tips to keep your kids hydrated
* Foods with high water content
* Drink recipes
* Aquafina FlavorSplash product reviews
* ... and giveaways, of course!

To get you started, here's a link to a coupon good toward $1 off a 6-Pack of Aquafina FlavorSplash. Also check out some blog posts by fellow FlavorSplash Moms:

* Sara from MommaFindings
* Cat from 3KidsAndUs
* Connie from BrainFoggles
* Sky from SeeyusMama
* Brandy from HappilyBlended

Stay tuned for more Aquafina posts, including a giveaway next week!

Disclosure: I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for Aquafina FlavorSplash and have received various FlavorSplash samples to facilitate my participation. Mom Central will send me a gift card at the end of the program. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Baby Bunch Cupcake Onesies Review and Giveaway

Baby Bunch, Baby Bunch, Baby Bunch -- you are killing me! Where were you when my kids were born? I've already reviewed your adorable Baby Bunch Bouquet and Baby Egg Nests, and now you send me a sample of your Cupcake Onesies? I love them all so much that it's making want to have another baby just so I can use your beautiful (yet practical) baby gift items! Alfie might have something to say about that, so for now I'm just going to have to rave and rave about your products -- and, thanks to you, give one away............. so Bonggamom Finds readers, if you want to win a box of Cupcake Onesies, keep reading!




The Basics
The Baby Bunch sells baby gifts that are both practical and beautiful: soft, 100% cotton baby clothes arranged to look like a bunch of flowers or cupcakes or crayons or eggs. There are also organic cotton gift packages and gift packages for moms.

Baby Bunch Cupcake Onesies are sold in packs of two, four or six. The onesies are sized for infants 0-6 months or up to 16 lbs; these gifts range in price from $19.95 to $34.95. Here's more information about the Cupcake Onesies from The Baby Bunch:

The Baby Bunch has cooked up something fun - baby onesies in a variety of colors rolled to look like cupcakes, fresh from the oven. Pink for girls, blue for boys or yellow when you don't know! What could be more adorable than cupcake onesies?


The Bongga
Pardon the pun, but these cupcake onesies are the sweetest things ev-ahh. You can tell these Cupcake Onesies are going to be a standout present from the moment you see them. In fact, they're packaged so beautifully that it would be a crime to hide them under wrapping paper, or in a gift bag. They come in a sturdy keepsake "bakery box" with a cute polka-dot pattern. Each cupcake is balled up, nestled in a paper cupcake liner and topped with a decorative fruit or flower. They look good enough to eat!

Sweets to the sweet!

It's almost a shame to transform these cupcakes back into onesies, but the good news is that they are made of 100% high-quality, unbelievably soft cotton, almost as soft as a baby's skin. And even though you can't eat them, you can put them on a baby and proceed to nibble that baby's toes or fingers, so you do get your cupcakes and eat them too :)


The Blah
The only thing I can think of to gripe about is that they don't make these cupcake onesies in larger sizes (i.e. 6 months to 1 year, or 18 months). Why should expectant moms have all the fun? I'd love to give this as a present to my 8-month old niece!


The Bottom Line
The Baby Bunch has the perfect recipe for a baby shower present -- Cupcake Onesies and other high-quality baby gifts packaged in exquisite, unique ways. It's no surprise they've been featured on the Martha Stewart Show -- as Martha would say, They're a Good Thing!




Win a box of Cupcake Onesies!
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a box of four Cupcake Onesies in the color of their choice (blue, pink or yellow) from The Baby Bunch.



Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which product from The Baby Bunch you would most like to give or receive as a baby shower present. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.





Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

2) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

3) Become a fan of Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

6) Follow The Baby Bunch on Twitter (1 entry).

7) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Here's a Sweet #giveaway! Win a box of 4 Cupcake Onesies from @babybunch and @bonggafinds http://www.bonggafinds.com/


The Rules
This giveaway ends at midnight PST on June 1, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on June 2 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a product sample, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- List your giveaways here!

Welcome to Bonggamom's Friday Finds! I'm glad so many of you are finding this to be a useful way to get more traffic to your giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I have to admit it's a great, easy way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter everyone else's, too!

Help Bonggamom Choose an Outfit to the American Idol Finals (and enter to win an American Idol Cafe Press shirt!)

There's a bigger smile on my face and an extra spring in my step these days, and if you've been reading my blog, you'll know why: I'm going to watch the American Idols finals live on May 25 and 26! Thanks to you, my Bonggamom Finds supporters, I was able to encourage enough people to enter the Cafe Press American Idol Sweepstakes to win a trip of my own. And I would be perfectly happy if not for this one burning question that I have:

What should I wear??

Yes, the age-old question. Fortunately, Cafe Press has come to the rescue by providing me with an American Idol-themed Cafe Press shirt for my very own. I'm having a really hard time choosing which shirt to wear (which is not surprising, considering that Cafe Press has thousands of American Idol-themed gift items and other personalized gifts to suit anyone's taste and style).

Should I go with the more familiar name and logo?


Should I go with the logo but add a unique twist?



Should I trumpet one of the show's most recognizable catch phrases?



Should I declare my support for my favorite Season 9 candidate?



Should I show my love for my favorite American Idol of all time?

Even when I do finally decide which shirt to get (and I'd better decide soon, because we're down to the final 3 and the finals are two weeks away!), the results show at the Nokia theater is likely to be a more formal affair, so I still need to put together a decent outfit that's as hip and bongga as American Idol show itself.

Now here's where you can help me out.....


Win an American Idol tshirt from Cafe Press
Help me figure out what to wear to the American Idol finals and you could win your own American Idol tshirt from Cafe Press!


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me what I should wear to the American Idol finals. Metallic tank top and leather pants? Little black dress? Help me out! (This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify)

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Follow Cafe Press on Twitter (1 entry).

2) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

3) Become a fan of Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).

4) Become a fan of Cafe Press on Facebook (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry).

6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Help @bonggamom decide what to wear to the @AmericanIdol finals and you could win an #AmericanIdol tee from @cafepress http://ow.ly/1KVYe


The Rules
This giveaway ends at midnight PST on May 21, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on May 22 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!



Save 15% on American Idol Tees
Don't want to wait for this giveaway to end? You can get a 15% discount on any American Idol tee from Cafe Press. Just use the coupon code IDOLTEES until May 25.

Disclosure: I will be receiving an American Idol-themed shirt courtesy of Cafe Press, and a second American Idol-themed shirt is being provided as a giveaway prize by Cafe Press. I was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Unless clearly stated, the views and opinions expressed here are my own.