Bonggamom Finds: April 2011

Save Second Base Tshirts review and giveaway

Breast cancer is a horrible disease, and despite all the progress that has been made, far too many people are still suffering and dying from it. I'm certain that raising awareness can help lower the statistics (through early detection, prevention, etc..), and I remain hopeful that finding a cure is just a matter of time, funding and awareness -- so I'm trying to do my part. Last October I walked 60 miles for breast cancer. I wore pink every day of the month (and blogged about it) to help raise awareness for breast cancer research. I wrote posts showcasing companies and brands like food, toys and clothing that donate part of their proceeds to breast cancer research, in the hopes that more people will know about them and buy their products, thereby helping the cause even more.

If only I had known about Save 2nd Base! They contacted me a couple of months ago and I'm only to happy to spread the word about such a great company. Save 2nd Base sells shirts, caps and other apparel that help spread the word about Breast Cancer awareness.

What makes them special is their witty slogan -- a play on the old baseball euphemism -- and their "Pink with a Wink" attitude. The company was founded to honor Kelly Rooney, a woman who succumbed to the disease in 2006 but never let it take away her sense of humor. Proceeds from the sale of these items benefit the Kelly Rooney Foundation.

Save 2nd Base’s goal is to provide exposure for the mission of The Kelly Rooney Foundation. Each shirt has the potential to “spread the word” about a beautiful person and the mark she left on the world. Our shirts have been sold in all 50 US states, distributed to our troops overseas, and sit in a boutique in Australia. Save 2nd Base shirts are a vehicle to put Kelly’s favorite phrase in motion…”PAY IT FORWARD!” Save 2nd Base has donated more than $30,000 to KRF and other Breast Cancer non-profits.

Save 2nd Base sent me some of their signature logo shirts, and I proudly wear mine for the following reasons:

* I love the hot pink color.
* Being flat-chested myself, those two baseballs make it look like there's actually something underneath them!
* People smile when they see the shirt; some people ask what it's about, which gives me the opportunity to tell them about Save 2nd Base and the cause they support.
* I wear it for my grandmother, my aunt, my great-aunt, my best friend in elementary school, and all the other women I know who have had breast cancer.
* The next time I participate in a breast cancer awareness fundraiser like the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure or some other event, I have something to wear.

Why would you wear a Save 2nd Base shirt? Your answer could win you a shirt of your own! I have a couple of extra shirts to give away.......

Win a Save 2nd Base shirt
Two lucky Bonggamom Finds readers will each receive a Kelly fitted tee from Save 2nd Base (both size XL, see sizing chart for measurements).

Required Entry
Visit the Save 2nd Base store, then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me which of their shirts you would proudly wear, and why. 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) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

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

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

4) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Save 2nd Base giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes

5) Write this on the Save 2nd Base Facebook page, filling in the blank with your answer (1 entry):
I would proudly wear a Save 2nd Base tshirt because ________________________. Share your own answer on Bonggamom Finds for a chance to win a Save 2nd Base tshirt of your own! http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes

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):
I entered to win a Save 2nd Base breast cancer awareness tshirt on @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes #giveaways

7) Join any of the open giveaways on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you've joined).

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on May 18, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on May 19 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is indicated in italics. 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!

PediaCare 24-Hour Allergy Review and Giveaway

Spring is definitely in the air. No, I'm not talking about butterflies and sunshine, I'm talking about pollen. The pollen count in our area must be extra-high this year, because allergies have hit my family extra-hard. Usually it's just Alfie who's sniffling, but this year it's all of us. My eyes are constantly itchy, 3Po is getting hives, and The Pea has a constantly runny nose and itchy throat. What a drag!

To combat our allergies, I usually rely on medicines with diphenhydramine, but it makes us so sleepy, it's really only good to use at night. There are so many kinds of allergy medicines and it's difficult to figure out which ones are safe for kids! Fortunately there's new PediaCare 24-Hour Allergy medicine.

Here's more information about PediaCare's new Allergy medicine:

Itchy, runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes and itchy throat – we all know the symptoms that can make our children miserable from allergies. And just in the nick of time as we approach the peak allergy season, PediaCare®, a trusted brand of children’s non-prescription medicines for the past quarter of a century, just introduced new one-dose per day, Children’s PediaCare® 24 Hour Allergy. As common as allergies are, many parents are still confused about which over-the-counter allergy products are safe for their young children. Specially formulated for children, just one dose of new Children’s PediaCare® 24 Hour Allergy with cetirizine hydrochloride, provides all day relief from indoor and outdoor allergy symptoms. No more worrying about redosing during the day, it’s dye free and it’s a flavor that kids love – grape!

New Children’s PediaCare® 24 Hour Allergy is available in a four ounce bottle for $11.99 at drugstores, supermarkets and retailers nationwide.

And don't forget, if you're unsure about which over the counter medicines to purchase, you can go to the PediaCare website to check your child's symptoms and match them with the right PediaCare product. They even have a free iPhone app you can download to help you choose the best product for your child. It's not a diagnostic tool, but it has lots of information to help you with your decision. And once you've bought the product, it's so helpful to have the dosing instructions clearly labeled according to age and weight.

Win a bottle of PediaCare 24 Hour Allergy
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a bottle of new Children’s PediaCare® 24 Hour Allergy.

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and share a tip on how to keep your child comfortable when he or she is suffering from a bad cold. 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) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

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

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

4) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the PediaCare allergy giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes

5) 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 set of PediaCare children's cold & fever products from @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes #giveaways

6) Join any of the other open giveaways on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for each giveaway joined).

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on May 15, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on May 16 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. 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. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Folgers Wake Up With Black Silk Giveaway

Alfie likes his coffee strong and bold. He's no cafe au lait man, he doesn't like being distracted by milk or sugar; he likes his coffee to taste like coffee! That's why Folgers Black Silk coffee, a dark roast coffee that's bold and smooth, could be the perfect cuppa for him. Here's a brief description of Folgers Black Silk coffee: True to its name, Black Silk coffee brings to life the robust flavors of the morning and leaves behind the smoothest of tastes. Wake up to a bold, yet exceptionally smooth blend with a subtle smoky note. Black Silk coffee is just what fans of dark-roasted coffees are looking for, and it’s the perfect coffee to make true believers out of non-bold drinkers. The Classic Complements line of Folgers® Coffee draws its inspiration from exciting places and special moments.

Folgers is sending us some Black Silk to try out, and I can't wait to brew up a cup.... but in the meantime, here's a great giveaway that will one of you readers an extra reason to get up in the morning! Win a Folgers Black Silk Prize Pack One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a "Wake up with Black Silk" prize pack from Folgers, which includes: * A sixth month supply of Black Silk * A luxurious black silk robe * Classic red Folgers mug * Two biscotti

Required Entry Leave a comment on this post answering the question Why do you want a bold yet smooth cup of coffee in the morning? 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) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry). 2) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry). 3) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry). 4) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry): I entered the Folgers Wake up with Black Silk giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes 5) Write this on the Folgers Facebook page, filling in the blank with your answer (1 entry): I want a bold yet smooth cup of coffee in the morning because _____________________. Share your answer on Bonggamom Finds and you could win a 6-month supply of Folgers Black Silk! http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes 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): Share why you want a bold yet smooth cup of coffee with @bonggafinds and you could win a Folgers coffee prize pack! t http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes #giveaways 7) Join any of the open giveaways on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you've joined). The Rules This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on May 15, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on May 16 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck! Disclosure: I am receiving a product pack similar to the prize packs being given away' both were sent by Folgers via Cohn & Wolfe. Product information comes from the Folgers website and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

The Mother of All Giveaways

Mother's Day is May 8, and have I got a Mother's Day giveaway for you! KMR Communications is sponsoring a special Mother's Day giveaway worth over $300. One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive the following prizes:

* Lexli Skincare Starter Kit
* Le Baby Hair Gel
* Envyderm Lash Regrowth Serum
* Beanstalk Express Snack Time Survival Kit
* The Bar Method DVD & Onesie
* The Book “My Beautiful Mommy”
* Dermacyte Eye Complex

Lexli Skincare Starter Kit
Includes Day Moisturizer with SPF 15 for Normal to Dry Skin (0.50 oz.), Aloe-Based Tone and Balance (2 oz), Aloe-Based Night Moisturizer (0.5 oz). Lexli skincare products are available at select spas, physician offices and salons. To purchase products or to find a listing of participating retailers, visit www.lexli.com. Because Lexli is unlike any other over-the-counter skincare brand, it is advised that consumers use the product line under the guidance of a licensed skincare expert.

Le Baby Hair Gel
Le Baby hair gel is a styling gel free of harsh chemicals meant to define wispy curls and tackle unruly after-nap hair. While the concept of baby hairstyling products might seem a little child-beauty-pageant to some, for many moms and dads it’s a must-have diaper bag accessory. From taming those wild fly-aways to smoothing frizzies, Le Baby hair gel works on all hair types and is hypoallergenic for sensitive skin. Whatever your child’s hair type, Le Baby will make combing and styling a cinch. The unique formulas leave hair shiny, healthy looking and more manageable. For more information, please visit www.lebabyinc.com.

Envyderm Lash Regrowth Serum
We all know the wonders of mascara well; in fact, most of us feel naked without it. But breakage, thinning and damaging of the lashes are mascara's little known drawbacks. Fortunately, EnvyDerm, a groundbreaking new nonprescription formula eyelash growth serum is here for our eyebatting rescue. EnvyDerm is formulated with active natural ingredients such as bioavailable lipo-oligopeptides that stimulate keratin genes. One should begin to see the lash line becoming thicker, fuller and healthier looking in as little as 2 weeks! In a clinical study, users saw a 25 percent increase in eyelash length during this period. EnvyDerm will continue to prove results over time if used on a consistent basis. For more information visit www.envyderm.com.

Snacktime Survival Kit from Beanstalk Express
Parents need products that offer a fun and practical approach to teaching their children balanced nutrition -- and we have it! Welcome to Beanstalk Express, the home of the world’s first snacktivity game, The SnackTime survival kit. Food marketers have been making junk food fun for decades. So what if we made healthy choices just as much fun? We decided to try it … and it worked! When you empower children with the ability to make their own choices, amazing things happen! The Snacktime Survival Kit includes 33 Snack Cards and a Wooden Clock Board with one working clock, 3 control clocks with moveable arms, and 3 corresponding hooks to hold snack cards in place. For more information, visit www.beanstalkexpress.com.

The Bar Method’s Pregnancy Workout DVD
Master teacher Lee Potter in her third trimester with twins adds her own special wit and playfulness to the Bar Method’s pre-natal workout, a long-standing and popular class at its flagship studio in San Francisco. Lee leads you through this 45-minute long series of gentle, safe and challenging moves, including free-weight work, thigh exercises, standing seat-work, and abdominal strengthening exercises performed while propped up on pillows. Lee’s fellow performers are Hannah Blue, co-owner of the Downtown San Francisco studio and Lauren Dunning, a teacher at the Downtown San Francisco studio, both appearing in this DVD in their second trimester. As Lee puts it, this DVD “will help you feel strong during your pregnancy. For more information visit www.barmethod.com.

“My Beautiful Mommy”
Dr. Michael Salzhauer, a Miami board-certified plastic surgeon and father of four, has taken the reins on a very hot topic and wrote “My Beautiful Mommy,” the first ever children’s book that addresses plastic surgery. “From television to magazines, we are exposed to plastic surgery,” says Dr. Salzhauer, “it has become an everyday circumstance, especially for children. From their favorite movie star or singer who suddenly looks different to their own parents, plastic surgery is an issue that needs to be explained to kids in an educational way...... Cosmetic surgery can be a difficult topic to understand for adults; and even more so for young children. I wanted to provide my patients and other parents with a tool that speaks to kids in a kid-friendly way.” “My Beautiful Mommy” by Michael Salzhauer, M.D. is available for purchase at Amazon.com and www.mybeautifulmommy.com.

Dermacyte Oxygenating Eye Complex
Dermacyte Oxygenating Eye Complex is a smooth, delicate treatment to refresh, hydrate and restore the appearance of youth to your eye contour area. It is designed to enhance the skin’s hydration, elasticity and smoothness while protecting it against environmental stress. It provides a lightweight solution with its patented technology, a powerful oxygen-carrier developed to infuse oxygen for a fresher appearance and overall improved complexion. It immediately imparts a cool, moisturizing effect while also reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. These effects along with skin brightening and anti-irritating benefits deliver a lighter and healthier feel to your skin. For more information visit www.dermacyteUS.com.

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me what you would like to receive (or give to the special mom in your life) for Mother's 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) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

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

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

4) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Mother's Day giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes

5) 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):
Enter the Mother of All Giveaways at @bonggafinds ! One lucky winner will receive over $300 worth of product http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes #giveaways

7) Join any of the open giveaways on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you've joined).

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on May 8, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on May 9 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Product information and giveaway prize is provided by KMR Communications and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

The Woman who taught me to Wrap

Every time my kids go to a birthday party, I think of my grandmother. Lola (that's grandmother in Filipino) Tining (that's a Filipino nickname for Cristina) taught me how to wrap presents when I was about nine years old. In those days there were no ready-made gift boxes or gift bags; you couldn't just stick a present in a box and stuff some colored tissue paper around it because colored tissue paper was too expensive. All we used were sheets of wrapping paper and sticky tape that didn't lift off beautifully the way invisible tape does today.

Lola Tining did a lot of gift wrapping. She has seven kids, and each of them have 2-5 children. She has a lot of cousins and friends. That's a lot of birthday and holiday presents. Every holiday season she'd buy a whole load of fruitcakes to give out, and when we were old enough she set my sister and I, her oldest female grandchildren, to helping her wrap them all.

My grandmother was a perfectionist when it came to wrapping. She taught us how to measure exactly how much wrapping paper we'd need, so we wouldn't waste any paper. She taught us how to cut the paper neatly and efficiently with a ruler or envelope opener (scissors took too much time, and they left a ripped edges). She taught us to fold the ends of the paper inward so the recipient would only see a smooth edge. She taught us how to fold the sides down perfectly so that all the fold lines matched up. She never let us tape the wrapping paper to the object we were wrapping because she didn't want the tape to mar the present. She taught us to put little pleats on the front side so the wrapping would look prettier.

Once we had mastered wrapping a simple square object, she graduated us to wrapping more complicated objects like cylinders and irregularly shaped things. My sister was (and still is) much better at wrapping; her presents were almost as neat as my grandmothers. My grandmother had to be much more patient with my sloppy, impatient style, but eventually I learned (I'll never be able to tie a bow like she does, though).

To Lola Tining, giving someone a nicely wrapped present was a way of showing the recipient that the effort she made didn't stop at buying the present. She wanted the outside to be as pretty and special as what she was giving on the inside. Three decades and thousands of fruitcakes later, I know that she taught me so much more than how to wrap a present; she taught me how to make an extra effort and go the extra mile to make someone special and loved.

Save 15% on Heart of Haiti for Mother's Day
Here's a discount code good for 15% off Heart of Haiti and Rwanda Path to Peace products! Just use the code CLEVERGIRLS between May 3 and May 8.

About Heart of Haiti
The Heart of Haiti project is helping to rebuild Haiti through "Trade, Not Aid." by creating opportunities for Haitian artisans to earn income with dignity by creating jobs and income for the people of Haiti. Through the sale of Heart of Haiti products, artisans are able to earn life-changing income for themselves, their families, and their communities. The initiative is enabling artisans to repair homes, pay school fees, and feed and clothe their families. The income also allows them to have access to better nutrition, improved education and healthcare.

The Heart of Haiti collection is an array of handmade products for the home -- quilts, metalwork, ceramics, and paintings -- created by Haitian artisans. Each item is designed by a Haitian master artisan and produced by hand in Haiti from recycled materials. The collection includes 40 different home decor items and accessories such as vases, candleholders, serving trays, picture frames, mirrors, coasters, necklaces, clutch purses and more. Most items fall in the $25-$60 range and you can find the Heart of Haiti Collection at Macys.com. Check it out!

Disclosure:
I was selected for this very special “CleverHaiti” opportunity by Clever Girls Collective, which endorses Blog With Integrity. As a thank-you for posting I will be receiving a Heart of Haiti pendant. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Tiny Prints for Mothers Day

Mother's Day is almost here! Make sure you let the mom in your life know special she is with a Mother's Day card. Tiny Prints invited me and a number of Bay Area bloggers to their headquarters in Sunnyvale, where they treated us to a tour, a delicious lunch, and a sneak peek at their 2011 Mother's Day card line. Their new cards capture all the hottest trends in Mother's Day cards:

Personalized cards
My mother could not care less about receiving a card store greeting card, but she turns to mush when a card has photos of her grandchildren in it. Sending a card with photos and personalized text makes it so much more special. You can put photos of you and your mom, or your kids. I love the idea of a card with photos of you through the years:

I made a Tiny Prints card for my mother. It's probably going to be on display in her living room until Mother's Day 2012.

Bold graphics
It's not all about lace and flowers; today's Mothers Day cards can be as sophisticated and modern as today's moms.

Homemade art designs
All mothers have received a handmade Mother's Day card from their children at some time in their lives. I still have the cut-out heart filled with random squiggles made when The Pea was two years old! When it comes from a child, a handmade card is precious. When it's from your thirty-five year old son, not so much (unless he's a graphic designer or artist or scrapbooker!). Tiny Prints has some wonderfully whimsical designs that capture that home-made look and feel:

Coupons
Remember those "free hug" and "one breakfast in bed" coupons you used to make for your mom? Thanks to Tiny Prints, you can send her a personalized "coupon" and not feel like you're still an eight-year old! (although you'll probably always be an eight-year-old to your mom)

Not Just Moms
These days, people don't just send Mother's Day cards to their mothers; after all, your mother isn't the only mother in your life! Grandmothers, aunts, wives, best friends, adoptive mothers, surrogate mothers and granddaughters are also mothers. Even mothers-to-be already have a little life inside them!

The last time my mother-in-law had a photo of all her grandchildren together, 3Po and Jammy were just three months old. She has waited a long time for the next one, so I know she will treasure this card:

You can search for Mother's Day greeting cards on Tiny Prints' special Mother's Day section; they have thousands of beautiful designs. Creating a greeting card couldn't be easier. Just select a design, personalize it with text and/or photos, then order. It took me about 10 minutes to create the card in the photo above; most of that time was spent deciding which design to choose and what message to print inside the card (Tiny Prints provides quite a few nice sayings and messages for Mother's Day and other occasions). Driving to a card store or drugstore to pick out a card takes a whole lot longer! Thanks, Tiny Prints, for showing me how special a Mother's Day card can be!

Disclosure: Tiny Prints treated me to lunch, a set of thank-you cards and a voucher for free Tiny Prints greeting cards. Posting about the event, or about Tiny Prints, was not required, and I did not receive monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Mother's Day Gift Idea: Sony Cybershot camera

My mother loves photos. Her home is plastered with photos of her children and grandchildren and sisters and cousins and aunts and parents, a testament to the love she bears for her extended family. At every family get-together, she's the one with the camera on hand, pleading with people to smile and pose for her camera. Despite all the groans, people do it because they know she's capturing some wonderful memories to share with everyone. My mom is the Go-To-Mom for family photos!

For my mom, making the transition from simple point-and-shoot film camera to a digital one with all the bells and whistles was not easy. She couldn't figure out any of the controls or the modes! If you have a mother like mine, a Sony Cybershot camera is the ideal mother's day present because it takes wonderful photos and is so easy to use!

Here's a description of Sony's Cyber-shot point-and-shoot camera line:
You have one goal when taking pictures: Get the best shot. That's why Cyber-shot® digital cameras combine Sony's legendary optics with the most innovative technologies to let you capture timeless moments with breathtaking results.

And here are some of the Cyber-shot's best features:
Effortless Panoramic Photos: Nothing recreates the mood of a beautiful scene like a panoramic photo.

Intelligent Sweep Panorama mode: goes beyond the norm, capturing up to 281 degrees of landscape. Just press and sweep - the camera does the rest.

Serious HD Video Recording Video quality: this good has never been available on a compact camera. Capture unrivaled AVCHD format video with amazing resolution up to 1920 x 1080 at 60i. To put it simply, it will look gorgeous on your HDTV.

Beautiful low-light shots: For low-light moments, the back-illuminated "Exmor R" CMOS sensor captures the mood and reduces the noise without a flash. 10 photos in one second

Capture tough shots—like the moment the ball hits the bat—with the ability to shoot 10 images in one second at full resolution.

I received a Sony Cybershot DSC-W310 camera to review last December, and I've been using it constantly over the last five months. My phone's camera doesn't take the best photos (no flash and less-than-ideal resolution), and I'm too lazy to drag around our digital SLR camera everywhere I go, so the Cybershot is ideal for tucking into my purse and whipping out whenever I want to take a photo of something. It also takes video, so I don't need to take a separate camera to the kids' soccer matches or dance recitals.

The Cybershot DSC-W310 is super easy to use -- you get great photos just by pointing and shooting -- and with a little bit of research you can fiddle with the setting to take even better photos. There are special settings for food shots, action shots, low light shots, portrait shots, beach shots, even snow shots! I love the face recognition technology that figures out where people are in the frame and focuses on them.

To give you an idea of the quality of photos taken with the Cybershot, here are some photos of a tray of chocolate-covered popcorn that I took with the Cybershot and with my digital SLR:

This is a photo taken with my Canon Digital Digital Rebel XTi (a basic model digital SLR) and a macro lens (aperture setting, F/4).

This photo was taken with my Sony Cybershot on a food setting, no flash. It's darker and the colors are muted, but I could take care of that with any basic photo editor. The important thing to me is that despite the low light, the photo isn't blurred.

Like all point-and-shoot cameras, the built-in flash pointing straight at the subject results in some pretty harsh flash photos, but I've found that in many cases, you can set the camera to shoot without a flash, and the photo still comes out fine, without a hint of blur (thanks to Sony's Steady-Shot technology) -- check out the photo above.

Here's a comparison of flash photos:

This is a photo taken with my digital SLR camera, on auto setting (the flash went off).

This photo was taken with my Sony Cybershot on auto setting (the flash went off).

To my (admittedly untrained) eye, there's hardly a difference. I firmly believe any negative aspects in any of the photos above can be traced back to the lack of talent in the photographer! Anyway, when you have a point-and-shoot camera that can take a photo this gorgeous:

... without any effort or talent whatsoever, why would you look for anything else? The Sony Cybershot is the perfect easy-to-use camera for anyone who loves taking photos but doesn't have the time or the inclination to spend the effort on buying, learning to use and toting around a digital SLR camera. In short, it's perfect for my mom!

Get a discount on your purchase of a Sony T99 Cybershot
Go to The Go-To Mom Blog and watch the video on this post to get a discount code for a Sony T-99 Cybershot! The code is good throughout the month of April so you can get mom a nice camera for Mother's Day :)

Free Shipping on Yummie Tummie

Have you visited the Yummie Tummie online store lately? They have some great new clothing styles, including the Lucie, Mayumi and Roz tops --all of which I would LOVE to try! -- as well as some great new bottom underthings that smooth you out under your new spring dresses but don't add bulk. Yummie Tummie sent me a Cheekie Brief, which unfortunately is not being sold on their site right now, but the Christina Boyshort is a good alternative (the Cheekie Brief looks just like it but rides a bit lower, on the hipbones instead of just under the bellybutton). It's made of a microfiber fabric that feels amazing against your skin and doesn't cause any pantylines, but gives nice gentle support. If you want something a bit lacier and more romantic (with the same yummie holding powers!), try the Camie Pantie, which I reviewed in February.

And here's more great news: Yummie Tummie is offering free shipping on all their products, with no minimum purchase! There's no code to enter, the free shipping will show up at check-out. I searched their website and couldn't find an expiration date for this promotion, so hurry and order your Yummies!

Disclosure:I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- List your Giveaways Here

Ack, today I've got exactly one month until my birthday. I don't get many presents for my birthday so I've got to make up the difference by joining lots of giveaways and hoping I win something for myself! Maybe the giveaway gods will team up with the birthday gods and shower me with presents, hmmm? Well, they certainly won't unless I join some giveaways, so I'd better get cracking!

So help this giveaway addict and feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to enter everyone else's, too!

Bonggamom's Eco-Friendly Product Roundup, 2011

Happy Earth Day! Last year I published my first-ever Eco-Friendly products roundup, and I enjoyed writing it so much I've decided to make it an annual thing. Here are some products I've reviewed over the past year that will make your life easier or more enjoyable -- but have less of an impact on your carbon footprint:

	How cute are these Lucky Puppy Onesies? They come in sophisticated colors that go way beyond pastel pink and blue, and they're made with 100% organic cotton -- Soft on baby, soft on the eye, soft on the earth!
	My daughter loves her new Camelbak Groove reusable water bottle. It has a built-in filter, so she can fill it up at the water fountain at school or at the park, and it doesn't have any nasty tap water taste. It's BPA-free, too, which means no nasty chemicals make their way into her body.
	Green up your child's lunch box with these reusable lunch containers from Bright Bin. It keeps food in separate compartments, bento-box style. It's non-toxic, microwave safe, dishwasher safe and practically kid-proof (The Pea has used this nearly every schoolday for almost five months, and it still looks like new). They even have a little handle, so your child can take it to school without having to put it in a separate bag.
	Green & Black's organic chocolate comes in such wonderfully sophisticated flavors, you'll feel like a chocolate gourmet when indulge in a bar. You'll also feel good knowing that it's fair-trade certified, so no underage kids had to miss school and give up their future so you could enjoy it.
	I use Post-it notes all the time, so it's nice to know that Post-it now has a line of eco-friendly produts: Post-it® Greener Notes, Post-it® Recycled Notes, Post-it® Super Sticky Recycled Notes, and Post-it® Recycled Easel Pads. (check out my Post-It Earth Day giveaway!)
	It has been a while since I sang the praises of the Ionator HOM by ActiveIon, so I'm featuring it on my Earth Day roundup for the second straight year. I cannot say enough about how effectively it cleans with nothing but cold tap water. No chemicals, just water -- and the magic of science! This is one of my favorite finds ever, and we use it every single day.
	I featured Paper Culture in last year's round-up, and I'm featuring it again because of their chic designs and commitment to making environment-consciousness an integral part of their culture. To celebrate Earth Day, they're going one step further: not only do they plant a tree in one of our nation's forests with every Paper Culture order, they will also plant a tree for every new Facebook fan they receive, and for any current fan who makes a free dedication (until April 30).

Disclosure: I have reviewed these products in the past. I received no samples or compensation for including them in this round-up post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Earth Day Giveaway from Post-It Notes

Despite my reliance on computers and the internet, I still find myself writing little notes all the time. I'm so absentminded, it helps to jot down little reminders whenever I need to. And there's hardly a week that passes when Alfie leaves a little Post-it sticky note on our kitchen cabinet, where we're sure to see it, asking me to tape a show or reminding himself to take a chocolate bar to work because he's run out. We do love our Post-it notes! But we love the earth even more, so I was delighted to discover that Post-it has a line of sustainable products that are 100% recyclable, made with 100% recycled paper. Even the adhesive that makes them stick to anything (but not leave a mark) is plant-based. Since today is Earth day, please consider switching to recyclable Post-Its!

	Post-It Greener Notes are 100% recycled, with 30% post-consumer content, and are made with a new plant-based adhesive
	Post-It Recycled Notes are 100% recycled, with 30% post-consumer content, and are made with a new plant-based adhesive.
	Post-It Super-Sticky Recycled Notes are made from 100 percent recycled paper and contains 30 percent postconsumer content.
	Post-It Super-Sticky Recycled Easel Pads feature writing sheets made from a minimum of 30 percent postconsumer content.

In addition, all Post-it® Notes are SFI Chain of Custody Certified: Paper used comes from forests that are well-managed where trees are replanted.

Buy One, Plant Two

Help plant trees with 3M's Buy One Plant One sustainability program! Just purchase specially marked packages of qualifying Post-It or 3M recycled product and enter the promotion code on their Buy One Plant One site. They'll plant one tree for every product you register. Their goal is to plant 100,000 trees, and so far they have planted almost 4,000, so there's still plenty of time to participate. And from April 1 till December 31, 3M will plant two trees for every qualified product!

Win a Prize Pack of Post-It sustainable products
To celebrate Earth Day, Post-It is giving a pack of assorted Post-It sustainable products to one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader!

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me what you do to reduce your carbon footprint. 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) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry).

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

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

4) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Post-It Earth Day giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/bonggafindsprizes

5) Write this on the Post-It Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Post-It Earth Day giveaway on Bonggamom Finds! http://tinyurl.com/bonggafindsprizes

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):
Enter to win an assortment of Post-It sustainable products fr @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/bonggafindsprizes #giveaways

7) Join any of the open giveaways on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you've joined).

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on May 6, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on May 7 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: Post-It is sending me some samples as a thank-you for hosting this giveaway. Thanks to Post-It for providing the giveaway prize! Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Kymaro Cardi-Wrap Review

Out of all the Kymaro products I've reviewed lately, my hands-down favorite is the Cardi-Wrap, a multifunctional garment that's a cardigan, wrap, scarf, shawl, blouse, dress, tunic and whatever else you can dream of, all in one. Kymaro sent me a Cardi-Wrap to try out, and I love it!

The Basics
Here's a brief description of the Cardi-Wrap:

Available in 7 stunning fashion forward colors and two sizes this multifunctional garment will instantly become the centerpiece of your wardrobe.

Accentuate your best features and hide your imperfections… slim your hips, flatten that pooch, look taller, accentuate your bust, or smooth that pesky muffin top. No matter what your figure flaws the Cardi Wrap hides them all!

The Cardi Wrap does what no other article of clothing has ever done before… you can wear the Cardi Wrap one way in the morning then at night either, twist it, wrap it, toss it, or knot it for a completely different style.

Use the included Cardi Wrap Style Book for style tips or to find the perfect fit for any body type!

Dress it up or dress it down, wear it in the winter as an extra layer, wear it with a summer dress… slip it off the shoulders and you have a shawl with sleeves, there aren’t enough hours in the day, days in the week, or weeks in the month to wear all the fabulous looks you can create with the KYMARO® Cardi Wrap.

The Bongga
Cardi-Wrap, where have you been all my life?! This is the perfect cover-up because it's so fashionable and flattering. I've worn it so many times in the month since I received it, and I've come up with several ways to wear it. At home, or when I drop the kids off at school in the mornings, I just wear it like a loose-fitting long cardigan. When I'm out and about during the day, I put a wide belt over it so it's not so voluminous and people can see I actually have some fashion sense. Recently, for my daughter's ballet recital, I wore it with a belt and added a few knots and twists to make it more interesting. Add some leggings, boots and an oxford cap and you can transform from frumpy housewife into boho-chic chick!

Here's what I like best about the Cardi-Wrap:

* The material is thin and silky, so it's ultra comfortable and drapes beautifully, but it's much easier to care for than silk -- you can machine wash it.

* I love the neutral tan color because it goes with so many outfits (the Cardi-Wrap also comes in black, grey, red, purple, pink and blue).

* I feel really comfortable wearing it for two reasons. First, it's literally comfy; when you put it on it feels like you're snuggling into a bathrobe. The second kind of comfort is mental; it hides problem areas, and because you can wear it so many ways, you can adjust it to flatter the parts of your body you like the most.

The Blah
Here's what I'm not too crazy about:

* It only comes in two sizes, Misses and Plus. I chose the Misses size and I think it fits me quite nicely, but I can't imagine my petite, 5' 2" sister will be able to say the same thing! She would probably swim in it.

* The Cardi-Wrap claims to have over fifty different looks -- but the booklet included only contains instructions for about 25 ways to wear it. The other 25 presumably come from using different accessories as well as whatever other ways you can figure out. But seriously, even if you can find three or four ways to wear it, it's worth it.

* Buyer beware: it's not easy to position the wrap to make it look exactly the way it does on the model. Unless you have that model's figure, it will look different on you!

The Bottom Line
The Kymaro Cardi-Wrap is comfortable, flattering and versatile -- in other words, it's a must-have fashion accessory!

It's Lemon Month at Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation!

One of my favorite salad buffet restaurants is Sweet Tomatoes. I used to eat there regularly when I worked near one of their restaurants, but since I stopped working there I haven't gone to Sweet Tomatoes as often as I'd like. So it was such a pleasant surprise when they contacted me and invited me to sample their new April menu featuring the spring-iest of all spring ingredients, lemon. For the whole month of April, Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation restaurants will offer special lemon-infused dishes:

Sweet Tomatoes sent me some coupons so I could sample their menu, so I took the family for a Sweet Tomatoes lunch last weekend, and boy did we have a feast! I took special care to sample all of the lemon menu items (except the lava cake, because it's only served after 4pm), and I was really impressed at how fresh and lemony they were. Here's what I thought of each dish (I've ranked the list below in my order of preference):

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup -- Oh. My. God. This soup was amazing! It tasted like lemony cream of chicken soup with a hint of lemon. There were lots of chicken chunks and orzo grains in the soup, giving it a nice texture. It was hot, filling, and oh-so-good. Definitely my favorite lemon dish.

Summer Lemon w/ Spiced Pecans Tossed Salad -- My runner-up for best lemon dish, it has everything I like in a salad: dark leafy greens, a tangy fruit (cranberries), a creamy cheese (not sure whether it was feta or blue or chevre, but it went really well with everything else), toasted nuts (loved the hint of sweetness in the pecans), and a great dressing (with a lemony flavor). Yum!

Tangy Lemon Muffins -- These tasted like a healthier lemon pound cake! They were so good, I couldn't resist sneaking one (okay, two) into my purse to take home. Fortunately the muffins are nice and small, so it's easy to control my portions.

Lemon Linguini Deli Salad with Toasted Pine Nuts -- Permit me to wax poetic and compare eating this with eating sunshine. It's difficult to explain; it just felt so light and refreshing! Even though it's a cold salad, the linguini didn't feel slimy at all, and it had just enough chopped tomatoes and pine nuts to keep it from getting boring.

Lemon Cream Hot Pasta with Capers -- I loved the mix of lemon juice and capers in the cream sauce, it brought a nice tang that balanced out the heaviness of the cream. I would recommend topping it with some steamed buttered vegetables to add some nutrition and variety to the dish.
Sugar-Free Lemon Cream Mousse -- I love chocolate mousse, but this lemon mousse seemed too bland to have as a dessert by itself, and more like a topping for some other dessert (like lemon-flavored whipped cream).

Make sure you get to a Sweet Tomatoes or Souplantation restaurant before the end of April so you can try all these yummy lemon dishes for yourself! But don't worry, if you don't get to go in April they'll have a new set of special menu items for May (and for each month of the year). You'll have a great experience whenever you go, because the rest of the Sweet Tomatoes/Souplantation menu is just as good. Here are the three things I like best about Sweet Tomatoes food in general:

* They have a wide variety of soups (my family is unanimous in saying Sweet Tomatoes soups are the best of any of the salad buffets we've tried).

* They serve their breads/muffins/pizzas in small portions, and they have the teeniest tiniest little cones for ice cream, which makes it easier to control portions for kids and adults, and results in less waste.

* Their chocolate soft-serve yogurt actually tastes like it has chocolate in it (it's Dreyer's soft-serve dark chocolate yogurt).

The whole family loved eating at Sweet Tomatoes; in fact, the only thing wrong with Sweet Tomatoes is that they don't have a restaurant nearer to where I live!

Disclosure: In order to facilitate my review, I received three vouchers for a free meal at Sweet Tomatoes and a catering-sized lemon salad to take home. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.