Mabels Labels Limited Edition Camp Combo



Mabel's Labels has a Limited Edition Camp Combo pack of their sturdy, colorful, waterproof labels for sale until the end of June. It has all the labels you need to identify your kids' clothes, toiletries, backpacks, bags, goggles, cleats, shinguards, hats and more (it would take me all summer to list all the ways you can use these labels!). The Camp Combo is a far better value than their Basic Kit: for $5 more, you get all the labels included in the Basic Kit, plus 10 extra Sticky Labels, 8 extra Tag Mates labels, and the 2 free friendship bracelets. If you order in February (that's today!), you get a $2 discount, so you pay $37.95 instead of $39.95 -- but the combo pack itself is only available till June, so make sure you order yours before then.


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

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Join Freschetta's Rally for Real Pizza



Who doesn't love pizza? The problem is, pizza has gotten a bad rap. Everyone considers it junk food -- but that's because most of the pizzas we consume are made with way too much oil, too much cheese, and too many preservatives. If you use high-quality, fresh tomatoes, vegetables and go easy on the cheese, pizza can definitely be part of a balanced diet. My kids love pizza, and I can feel good about serving it to them if I know that the ingredients on the pizza are fresh, natural and healthy! By the way, just because a pizza happens to frozen pizza does not mean it has to taste awful, or use substandard ingredients. Freschetta® feels the same way:
Frozen pizza shouldn't simply taste better. It should be better. Freschetta®frozen pizzas are made with top-quality ingredients and taste-tested recipes, just to make sure your pizza will always deliver Fresch® flavor.
Join Freschetta's Rally for Real Pizza by submitting a photo to the Rally Mosaic on Facebook www.facebook.com/freschettapizza. Each week they will select 100 winners -- to each receive 5 Freschetta® Pizzas. On March 30, they will also select 10 winners - who will each receive Freschetta® Pizza for a year!

Disclosure: I occasionally receive compensation in the form of products for posts. However, the opinions I share are solely my own.

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Disney's Brave opens June 22



What are you doing this summer? My sister is coming to visit from the Philippines with her 3 kids, and I've already got a host of plans for my kids and hers. Top on the list will be watching Disney's animated film Brave. Robin Hood-style archery, men in kilts, funny accents, a fiery, headstrong heroine -- what's not to like?



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

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How to prevent InkJoy Pen Theft


Pens are like hangers and socks, always disappearing when least expect them to, and turning up in the most unlikely places. But unlike hangers and socks, there's a more sinister side to pen loss. You know what I mean. Ever had a favorite pen? Have your kids or husband ever "borrowed" this pen and "forgot" to return it? Do you guard it with your life? Yeah, I thought so.

A couple of weeks ago Papermate sent me some samples with their newest pen, the InkJoy -- accompanied by some very interesting objects like a safe and a Pen Theft Prevention poster. Why? Because the InkJoy writes so effortlessly and smoothly, it's sure to be the target for all those so-called pen "borrowers". In fact, experts predict it's going to be the World's Most Stolen Pen. Here's why:

The technology.... a unique blend of ultra-low viscosity inks and optimized writing tips to give you unparalleled smoothness.

The art... a range of sleek and modern pen designs housing a rich palette of vivid ink colors to dazzle your writing imagination.

After trying out the InkJoy pens, I can certainly see why people would want to steal these pens and risk going to pen jail. It does write smoothly, with no skipping at all. The ink has the smoothness and bold color of a gel pen, not a ball-point pen, but you don't have to wait ages for it to dry and worry that you're going to smudge the ink. The 300 RT series comes in a host of rainbow colors, and they look so good that I could already see the greedy, calculating glint in The Pea's eyes. I knew it was just a matter of time before they "disappeared" and "turned up" in The Pea's pen collection. I had to protect my pens! Luckily, the small fingerprint safe that Papermate sent me has done the trick, but many people won't be able to protect their pens the same way. For all you poor souls whose pens are in danger, I have the following tips to protect your InkJoy pens:




1) Warn.
Let potential pen thieves know that you won't be tolerating any pen-stealing nonsense. Papermate gave me this awesome warning poster; feel free to download and print so you can tell friends, coworkers and family that You. Are. Watching.

2) Hide.
Stash your Papermate InkJoy pens in a place no one would ever look for them. For potential hiding places, think of every place you've ever left your car keys: the refrigerator, the cereal cabinet, and your winter ski jacket are all good.



3) Disguise.
Hide your Papermate InkJoy pen in plain sight -- think flowers, chopsticks, Barbie doll stilts, and with a bit of luck no one will even realize what it is (This works best in a family with a history of nearsightedness).

4) Distract.
Offer potential pen-thieves an inferior pen. They will go away happily, marveling at your generosity, not realizing you've saved the best for yourself. An inferior pen is easy to find, since all pens are inferior to the InkJoy.



5) Protect it.
For maximum security, enlist the services of a professional who is experienced in foiling robberies, stealth attacks, and secret plots. Make sure he or she is an expert pen-guard, as opposed to body-guard. I happen to have my own personal attack ninja but you can choose to employ ex-CIA, MIA or KGB agents as well.


My InkJoy pens are safe... for now. Constant vigilance is key, but remember, these InkJoy pens are worth protecting. 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. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here


Bonggamoms Friday Finds

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!


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Watch Disney on Ice presents Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 3!



Last night I took the kids to the opening performance of Disney On Ice presents Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 3 at San Jose's HP Pavilion. As a Feld Family Ambassador, I've been lucky enough to have had the pleasure of viewing most of the Disney on Ice performances for the past two or three years, so while the kids and I were excited (we are big Disney on Ice fans!) we weren't expecting this performance to be all too different from the past ones.

Boy, were we wrong. Not only was this one completely different from any of the Disney on Ice shows we've seen, we all agreed that it was also the BEST one we've ever seen! Here are 3 reasons why:

1) Plot

Most of the other shows feature snippets from a variety of Disney movies (Peter Pan, the Lion King, all the Disney Princess stories, etc..), but this show was entirely dedicated to Toy Story 3, so it was like watching a Broadway play, but on ice. It doesn't follow Toy Story 3 to the letter (the first act has some flashbacks to Toy Story 1 and 2), but it has all the important plot developments. In fact, if you've never seen Toy Story 3, like me, you'll still be able to follow the story.

2) Music

The music was awesome! Toy Story isn't a musical, so it must have been challenging to incorporate so many musical numbers into an ice show, and they really did a great job. The show was full of popular tunes, like These Boots are Made for Walkin, Friendship, Woody's Roundup Song and the Hoedown Throwdown. My favorite musical numbers were:

The Boys are back in town: The intro number, where Buzz and Woody and Jessie and Hamm and the Potato Heads and Slinky and Rex all come out onto the ice and meet the audience -- but of course, they sang "The TOYS are Back in Town"!)

Star wars cantina song : Where Buzz reminisces about the time he got stuck in the vending machine at the Pizza Planet in Toy Story 1 -- this is one of my favorite numbers, with all the little green aliens skating around!


3) Characters

The Toy Story characters are some of the most beloved in American culture. Boys and girls, old and young, everyone loves them! The Disney on Ice production team did a great job in bringing them to life on the ice. All the toys kept their toy-like, cartoon-like appearance, even Buzz, Woody, Jessie, Barbie and Ken: Buzz's eyebrows were penned in, just like a real toy, Jessie and Barbie had yarn wigs, and Woody and Ken had on headpieces that gave their hair that characteristic plastic look!


The last time I enjoyed a Disney on Ice performance this much was their Nemo production, which we saw at the Cow Palace about 6 or 7 years ago, long before I started blogging. The kids were too young to remember much of it, so they are clear in stating that this Toy Story 3 one is the best one ever. I think it comes down to whether you like Nemo or Buzz and Woody more! In any case, it really was an enjoyable performance, and I can't recommend it highly enough.


Disney on Ice presents Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 3 is only at the HP Pavilion for 3 more days, but you can still watch it at the ORACLE Arena. Here's the info:

Come experience
Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3
HP Pavilion at San Jose – February 22-26
Oracle Arena in Oakland – February 29 – March 4

WEEKDAY SHOWS – Purchase a 4-pack of tickets for only $44
(Not valid for FR/ VIP seating. Only valid on shows Wednesday thru Friday morning)
Redemption Code: MOM

WEEKEND SHOWS – $5 off tickets to all performances
(Not valid for FR/ VIP seating)
Redemption Code: MOM5

Look for the Bay Area shows of Toy Story 6 at http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/m721pg and be sure to enter one of these redemption codes when purchasing your tickets!


Disclosure: I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Tea Collection Sale



It's time to stock up! Tea Collection's Semi-Annual Sale is still going strong, with bargains of up to 50% for their chic and stylish clothing for girls, boys and women.


This cute shirt is only ten bucks!




This adorable summer dress is only $13.50!


Can it get any better? Well, actually, it can -- because for 3 days only, you can get an extra 30% off with the code EXTRA30YAY. Which means the shirt and dress above will cost just..... well, I won't calculate it for you because I want to buy those, and I don't want anyone depleting the stock before I get a chance!


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

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Neosporin Eczema Essentials at Walmart


Don't you just love photos of crying kids? The one above is one of my favorites, but I'm sure 3Po doesn't feel the same way. He's probably crying because his big sister pinched him or something, but with all that eczema on his cheeks, he had a lot to cry about during his first year!

3Po has suffered from eczema since he was 6 months old, and he hasn't outgrown it yet. Even now, at 8 years old, he continues to have outbreaks on his arms and legs, especially during the dry winter months. We keep it under control with regular moisturizing, and 3Po has gotten "used" to it -- but you can never get "used" to the incessant itchiness. We remind him to try not to scratch, because he could break the skin and get an infection, but it's difficult to stop him -- and it breaks my heart to see him so uncomfortable.

Neosporin knows there are many, many families with eczema problems, so they have come out with a line of products that help bring skin relief to kids (and a bit of mental relief to their worried parents!) Neosporin Eczema Essentials (available in your drugstore's first-aid aisle, or online at Walmart.com) is a 3-part system which includes a daily cream, daily body wash and anti-itch cream. It sounds great because it combats dryness and irritation (which, as any eczema parent knows, is eczema's BFF) not only with a cream, but with a body wash. It's also great to have that itch relief when you need it! I'm definitely going to check out Neosporin Eczema Essentials line.


More about Neosporin Eczema Essentials:
Get the full eczema care line from the experts in skin care health for over 50 years. Get visibly healthier skin in 3 days! Here’s how it works:

#1 Daily Body Wash
• Proven gentle and non-irritating, even on eczema-prone skin
• Fragrance-free, soap-free
• Gentle enough for everyday use

#2 Daily Moisturizing Cream
• Deeply moisturizes
• Relieves itch on contact and irritation due to eczema
• Helps strengthen and restore the skin’s natural barrier function
• Fragrance and steroid-free

#3 Anti-Itch Cream
• Clinically shown to improve dryness, flaking and appearance of redness
• Maximum strength of itch relief
• For occasional use


Save $5.00 at Walmart.com!
Visit http://see.walmart.com/neosporin to get a coupon for $5.00 off Neosporin Eczema Essentials at Walmart.com.




Disclosure: This is a compensated post. Product information is provided by Resourceful Mommy Media and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Dollar General Every Day Heroes program (and giveaway)




Since February is Black History Month, the kids have been learning a lot about the leaders of the civil rights movement in the 60's, along with other prominent African-American role models. All month we've been regaled with tidbits about the lives and accomplishments of Martin Luther King, Jr, George Washington Carver and all his inventions, not to mention Colin Powell and Barack Obama.

But I think the person who made the biggest impression on him is Rosa Parks. He just couldn't believe that one ordinary person could make such a huge difference. "But she was just an ordinary woman, mama! Not a scientist or a lawyer or a president". I told him that is exactly what makes Rosa Parks so great -- she showed everyone what a difference she could make and humbled everyone with her courage.

That's the idea behind Dollar General's Every Day Heroes program -- that you don't need to win a Nobel Prize to be considered a hero; there are heroes who demonstrate courage and conviction and passion all around us. They launched this program during Black History month to honor and celebrate the heroes among us who make a difference -- from firefighters and veterans to teachers and caregivers. Their first Every Day Hero, Sterling Wilder, started the Jubilee Family Development Center in Lynchburg, Va, to provide local kids and families with a center for after-school tutoring, cultural activities, access to health screening and other youth and family-development services -- a haven away from drugs and violence. What a great idea! I can't wait to read about more Every Day Heroes!


Win a trip for you and your family to the Essence Music Festival!

In celebration of Black History Month, Coca-Cola® is offering Dollar General customers a chance to win a family trip for up to 10 people to the 2012 Essence Music Festival® presented by Coca-Cola. The Essence Music Festival – which takes place July 6 through 8 – is the country’s largest annual African-American music and empowerment event. You can enter until February 26 at Dollar General.


Win a Dollar General Black History month prize package

One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a special prize package from Dollar General, which includes:

* Olay® Firming Night of Olay Cream
* CoverGirl® LashBlast 24 Hour Mascara
* Febreze® Auto in Linen & Sky scent
* Dollar General calculator
* Dollar General key chain.



Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite nail polish color. This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

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 Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Blog about this giveaway, making sure you include a link to the giveaway in your blog post (1 entry).

3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Dollar General giveaway! http://ow.ly/99wfj


4) Write this on the Dollar General Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered to win a beauty prize package from Dollar General on Bonggamom Finds! http://ow.ly/99wfj


5) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
@bonggafinds is giving away a prize package from @DollarGeneral featuring Olay night cream, CoverGirl mascara and more! Enter by 2/29 at http://ow.ly/99wfj


6) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day until February 26 (1 entry per day until February 26):

RT @bonggafinds Win a trip for you and your family to the Essence Music Festival from @DollarGeneral ! Enter by 2/26 at http://ow.ly/99vGn


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on February 29, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on March 1 and post his/her name after she/he 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. 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.

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Cinnamon Bread from Whole Foods



If you're a sucker for cinnamon buns like I am, head straight to Whole Foods and grab a loaf of their new Cinnamon Bread, made especially for them by Rubicon Bakery. Whole Foods sent me a sample to try, and it is so delicious, I can hardly stop myself from going back and buying more!

The bread is laced with cinnamon sugar throughout (so every bite is good), and it's topped with icing. You can slice it and eat it straight from the pack, but I found it to be mealy and dry that way. The best way to enjoy it is to spread some butter on it and stick it in a toaster oven for a couple of minutes. The butter melts into the bread, and then it is soft and warm and moist and gooey and cinnamon-y and Oh My God Heaven. It's just as good as one of those cinnamon buns you get at the food courts -- except you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars shopping at the mall to justify going there :)

Disclosure: I received a sample loaf of Rubicon Cinnamon Bread from Whole Foods to facilitate my review; any future loaves (and there will be many) will be my own purchase. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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The Secret World of Arrietty



When it comes to animated films, Disney sets the standard -- at least in the Western world. As far as Japanese animation is concerned, Studio Ghibli is legendary. They're the company behind Princess Mononoke, Ponyo, and Spirited Away, which have been global commercial and critical successes (Spirited Away is the only film made outside the English-speaking world to have won an Oscar for Best Animated Feature). So when you hear that Disney has teamed up with Studio Ghibli to release a movie -- The Secret World of Arrietty -- based on a Carnegie medal-winning children's book (The Borrowers), you kind of get the sense that it's going to be good.

So what are Borrowers? They're tiny people who live under the floorboards and "borrow" things like salt and sugar and tissues in order to make a home for themselves and survive. Arrietty is one of them. Here's a short clip from the movie showing Arrietty explaining what Borrowers are:

As you can imagine, Borrowers don't want humans (or Beans, as they call them) knowing they exist. But Arrietty, being a headstrong teenager, manages to make friends with a human boy, Sean -- and inadvertently jeopardizes her family's existence.

The kids really enjoyed this movie! Kids everywhere have been fascinated by the notion of tiny people living in a big world -- think of Thumbelina, Gulliver and the Lilliputs, Tinkerbell and her fairy friends (kids, after all, are little people living in a big grown-up world). They loved the thought of the Borrowers outwitting humans and to survive, using their inventiveness to transform ordinary human objects into useful tools (in the Borrowers' world, pins become swords, spools of thread are used as rope, and old postage stamps become works of art to put up on the walls). It's well suited to small kids because there is no real villain, just a frustrated housekeeper, and it's easy to talk to your kids afterwards about how people can be nasty out of ignorance or thoughtlessness rather than true malice.

As a parent, I have to admit that I found the storyline a bit frustrating, especially when Arrietty's curiosity gets her whole family into trouble (Hey, Arietty, why don't you just DO AS YOU'RE TOLD??). But that's what growing up is, I guess: being allowed to make some mistakes, and learn from them, and that's another reason why the storyline resonated so much with the kids. As long as you leave your fuddy-duddy grownup hat off and go with the flow, you'll enjoy the movie too -- and you won't need to switch any hats to enjoy the beautiful animation. In this world of CGI, it's nice to see the art of animation still flourishing! The scenes of the Borrowers' world are so beautiful, with so much attention to detail, I found myself wanting to rewind again and again, so I could take in the clever details like wallpaper (made from wrapping paper and old letters), Pod's tools (made from paper clips, nails, screws), the fireplace, and more.

The Secret World of Arrietty is showing in theatres now; don't miss it!

Disclosure: I received an invitation to an advanced press screening of the movie. Movie synopsis was provided by Walt Disney Studios publicity and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here


Bonggamoms Friday Finds

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!


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Last-minute tips for making your Valentine's special



Happy Valentine's Day! Whether you're all set for a hot date or just planning to turn on the tv and snuggle on the couch, I hope you're all set and ready to show your partner/wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend/significant other how much you care about them. Here are 3 great ways you can make this holiday special and meaningful:


* Do the unexpected. Everybody and their uncle will be showing up with a bunch of flowers, so instead of going with the herd, arrive with a single, perfect rose -- but hold it between your teeth and do your best impression of a matador. Instead of a box of chocolates, surprise her with a piece of candy that you both enjoyed as children. Even gals can get in on the fun -- why not agree to watch a rerun of his favorite show or catch after-dinner drinks at his favorite sports bar?

* Go homemade. Instead of buying a fancy card, reach into your inner child and make your own card from scratch. Take the time to write something meaningful, from the heart -- like all the reasons she's special to you, or the top ten things you love about her, or your favorite memory together.

* Did you forget to order a Valentine's Day present? No problem, just head on over to EdenFantasys and get a gift card. They come (no pun intended) in denominations of $25, $50, $75 and $100, they don't expire, and best of all, you're sure that she ends up with exactly what she wants (if she's overwhelmed with choices, you can always direct her to the EdenFantasys Gift Guide so she can pick out all the beautiful lingerie or toys that catch her eye). No, actually, the best part of it all is that you can do this 5 minutes before you head out to pick her up for your date!

Happy Valentine's Day to you and all your loved ones!

Disclaimer: EdenFantasys, an online retailer of sex toys, lingerie and other adult products, is providing me with a gift card in exchange for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.



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New Bitty Baby Outfits



Awww... how cute is this Bitty Baby dress? It's the perfect Easter outfit! American Girl is unveiling some new Bitty Baby outfits on Thursday, Feb. 16, and they just released this preview on their Facebook page. I love the bold, black plaid!


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

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Lady and the Tramp, Diamond Edition


Here's a great way to celebrate Valentine's Day with your kids -- watching Lady and the Tramp, Disney's story of two mismatched canines who fall in love, is a family favorite and a love story classic. Lady and the Tramp Diamond Edition is now available on Blu-Ray, and the film is not so much "restored" as it is "transformed". The colors and detail are amazing! And like all re-releases, Disney has packed this one with loads of fun extras, like 3 deleted scenes, a documentary and a never-before released song.

To give you a taste of what the Diamond Edition brings, here's a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Lady and the Tramp, featuring the beyond-sexy Peggy Lee, Disney Animators and production team:


And of course, here's another unforgettable couple from the movie:


I still know the words of that song, and it's so heartwarming to think that my kids do, too. Hopefully their kids will know it someday -- that's how timeless Lady and the Tramp is. This movie has given us some of the most unforgettable love scenes (only Disney could make a plate of spaghetti in an alleyway romantic!), and this Diamond Edition does a great job of showcasing them. It's definitely one for your home collection!

After you're done watching the movie, check out these fun Lady and the Tramp Valentine's Day activities to keep the holiday fun going:




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.
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Disney On Ice presents Disney·Pixar's Toy Story 3



Hurrah, Disney On Ice presents Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 3 is arriving in the Bay Area next week! They'll be at the HP Pavilion from the 22nd till the 26th, then they're moving east to Oakland's ORACLE Arena from Feb 29 till March 4, so more families can join in the fun.

Speaking of families, congratulations to Lisa-Marie W! She has won my Disney on Ice ticket giveaway, so she'll be receiving 4 tickets to the Feb. 22 show of Disny on Ice presents Disney-Pixar's Toy Story 3. Here's a preview of what Lisa Marie and her family will enjoy:



If you want to join in the fun (and you know you do, you know you do! ), here's more information about the show, including some great discounts:

Come experience
Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3
HP Pavilion at San Jose – February 22-26
Oracle Arena in Oakland – February 29 – March 4

WEEKDAY SHOWS – Purchase a 4-pack of tickets for only $44
(Not valid for FR/ VIP seating. Only valid on shows Wednesday thru Friday morning)
Redemption Code: MOM

WEEKEND SHOWS – $5 off tickets to all performances
(Not valid for FR/ VIP seating)
Redemption Code: MOM5

Look for the Bay Area shows of Toy Story 6 at http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/m721pg and be sure to enter one of these redemption codes when purchasing your tickets!


Disclosure: I am a Feld Family Ambassador, and in exchange for my time and efforts in attending shows and reporting my opinion within this blog, as well as keeping you advised of the latest discount offers, Feld Entertainment has provided me with complimentary tickets to Feld shows and opportunities to attend private Feld pre-Show events. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Talenti Gelato contest -- win 52 pints of Talenti!



Ever since I reviewed Talenti gelato's decadently smooth, creamy gelatos and sorbets last fall, I have been hooked. It's getting to the point where I almost cannot shop at Whole Foods anymore, because I invariably wander over to the frozen food section to pick out a pint of Talenti's Double Dark Chocolate, Sea Salt Caramel, or my absolute favorite, the Tahitian Vanilla Bean. I've had to run many miles to justify my indulgence, but believe me it is worth it.

There's only one thing better than a pint of Talenti gelato, and that's 52 pints of Talenti gelato. Oh, wait, how about 52 FREE pints of Talenti gelato? That's what's up for grabs in Talenti's new Talent Search video contest. Just submit a video showcasing your talents with Talenti gelato containers before March 19 for a chance to win. For inspiration, you can check out the Talenti-produced video, “Talenti Gelato Makes Music”, or get creative on your own. Enter on Facebook -- and if you win, don't forget I was the one who told you about the contest, and I'll accept your thanks in the form of Talenti gelato.


Disclosure: I will be receiving coupons for a free pint of Talenti gelato as a thank-you for posting this information. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Popgrrl Nail Charms review and giveaway




The Pea loves painting her nails, and hardly a week goes by that she doesn't have a riot color on them. She paints her nails like she dresses -- with very bright colors and a lot of designs. The Pea loves putting little accents on her nails like silver tips or neon dots, but her works of art last about 2 hours. Once she starts drumming her nails on the table or using them to force open a snap-on lid or pry some Legos apart, the nails start chipping. It's all in a day's work for a 10-year old, so it doesn't bother me -- until she starts clamoring for a fancy nail job at a salon!

Fortunately there are so many cute press-on nails at our local drugstore. Check out these fun new nail charms sets from Popgrrl, which feature "3-D" designs that pop right out of the nail!


About the Popgrrl Nail Charms

Move over Crackle and Metallic nail polish, Popgrrl Nails Charms have just POPPED and are here to stay! Popgrrl, a new line of fashion accessories from The Wish Factory are here to take care of girls’ nail dilemmas. The perfect gift for any little sweet heart, Popgrrl Nail Charms, the first product line in the Popgrrl collection and featuring stick-on nails with 3D nail art effects – the unique designs pop right off the nail! Girls will find no need to worry about their nail polish chipping or having enough time to let their nails dry, they can easily stick on Popgrrl Nail Charms and they’re ready to get their party on! You can see more by watching this video!

Popgrrl Nails Charms come in a variety of basic designs, including the Sweet Tooth collection, Animal Instincts collection and Bow So Cute collection. The line also features licensed candy brands which are the cutest gift for the sweetest girl including fruit scented Blow Pop, chocolate scented Tootsie Roll and Gummy Bears.

The new Popgrrl brand is the perfect combination of fashion and fun for tween girls everywhere. The PG Nail Charms original and candy licensed product line will be sold exclusively at Toys"R"Us stores and online at Toysrus.com beginning in February 2012. Popgrrl Nail Charms are for girls ages 6+ and cost $6-7.


The Sweet Tooth collection contains 10 press-on nails. Five of them look like the nails have been painted pink, sprinkled with multicolored candy sprinkles and topped off with a dollop of whipped cream. They look so cute! There is no way I could have gotten the detail so nicely done had I tried painting The Pea's nails by myself, and it would probably have cost a fortune to get them done in a salon.



The other five nails have teeny-tiny sweet treats like cupcakes, a donut and an ice cream cone, all in "3-D", on a pink background. Again, really adorable -- however, I think putting them all on the same hand actually detracts from each one because there's too much going on. In retrospect, I would place only one of the 3-D nails on each hand, and use the sprinkles design on the other 8 fingers -- but since there are only 5 of the sprinkles design, you could also just paint the other 8 fingers pink.


The nails fit The Pea really well, and they stayed put throughout the afternoon.


The Pea loves them!


Win a set of Popgrrl Nail Charms

One lucky Bonggamom Finds winner will receive 2 sets of Popgrrl nail charms

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite nail polish color. This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

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 Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Blog about this giveaway, making sure you include a link to the giveaway in your blog post (1 entry).

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

I entered the Popgrrl giveaway! http://bit.ly/xmR1Hy

4) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):

@bonggafinds is giving away 2 sets of "3D" nail charms by Popgrrl! Enter by 2/29 at http://bit.ly/xmR1Hy



The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on February 29, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on March 1 and post his/her name after she/he 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 PopGrrrl and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here


Bonggamoms Friday Finds

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!


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Tiny Prints Valentines = Adorable



My kids' Tiny Prints Valentine's Day card came in the mail a couple of days ago, and I wanted to brag to show everyone how adorable they are! I have to admit, I had my doubts. I thought they'd be way too "kiddy" for my sophisticated 2nd and 5th graders. I didn't even think they'd find a design they liked. But I was wrong. Each child found a design they absolutely loved, and they were all so excited to order it. That shows you how much I know about kid-friendly designs.

The photos on the Tiny Prints site are cute, but they don't do justice to the real thing. These valentines are itty-bitty, just a bit larger than a business card, and each one fits comfortably in the palm of my hand. Some designs are folded cards and some are flat cards, and all of them can be personalized with your child's name. Obviously they can't compete in price with drugstore valentines ($17 for 20 versus $3 for 20), but they are a clear winner in the cute factor. And here are some discounts to help lower the price:

20% off everything till Valentine's Day (till 2/14): LOVE20

$9.95 super-rush Valentine's Day delivery (till 2/9): SR995

Free shipping on anything, for a limited time: FREESHIP12

Link
Disclosure: I received free kids' Valentines from Tiny Prints as a thank-you for a previous post. Tiny Prints neither solicited nor required this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Justin Beaver -- the perfect Valentine's Day present! (giveaway)



In the past, I have been known to gift my loved ones with cutesy stuffed toys for Valentine's Day, but the recipients have always been minors, i.e. my kids. I'm not the biggest fan of plush Valentine's Day presents for adults, but I'll make an exception for this adorable plush beaver from Cuddle Toys. Why? Because this isn't just any beaver, it's Justin Beaver!

Okay, his official name is simply Beaver, but you just KNOW his first name is Justin. How hilarious is that? And -- get a load of this!! -- Justin Beaver actually sings Justin Beaver's hit song, "Baby" ! The song is officially licensed, so that's the Beeb's actual voice coming out of the Beev. Check it out:


I can't vouch for the quality of the music that comes out of the actual Justin Beaver; it sounds pretty good on the video above, but I'll reserve judgement until Justin arrives on my front porch. I think I'm going to like him better than his human counterpart!

Here's more information about Justin Beaver:

The sweetest gift to rock Valentine’s Day and win your sweetheart’s affection is the newest star of the Cuddle Barn collection, the (Justin) Beaver plush! Featuring Justin Bieber’s officially licensed hit song, “Baby,” this cuddly, 12-inch plush is simply irresistible! Decked out in a red hoodie and a baseball cap tilted to the side, (Justin) Beaver will steal hearts everywhere with one squeeze of his foot.

(Justin) Beaver is available at http://store.cuddle-barn.com/ and specialty stores nationwide at an average retail price of $29.99.


Win a Beaver plush toy from Cuddle Barn

How would you like to win your very own Justin Beaver? Can you say SQUEEEE?!


Required Entry
Visit Cuddle Barn's online store, then leave a comment on this post with a link to the Cuddle Barn product you would most like to give or receive as a present. This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

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 Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Blog about this giveaway, making sure you include a link to the giveaway in your blog post (1 entry).

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

I entered the Justin Beaver giveaway! http://bit.ly/wcFnS8

4) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):

@bonggafinds is giving away a Justin Beaver plush toy! Enter by 2/20 at http://bit.ly/wcFnS8j

5) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day until Feb. 14 (1 entry per day, up to 7 extra entries):

RT @bonggafinds Best stuffed toy Valentine's Day present ever: plush Justin Beaver that sings Baby! http://bit.ly/s7mVly


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on February 20, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on February 21 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I will be receiving my own Justin Beaver plush toy as a thank-you for posting this information and running the giveaway. Thanks to Cuddle Barn and Freeman PR for providing the sample and the giveaway prize. Product information is provided by Freeman PR and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Try out Playstation's new PS Vita at the Vita Hill Social Club


Gaming fans don't have long to wait before the latest and greatest in portable videogame devices -- Sony's PlayStation Vita -- is available for sale on February 22nd. Already, retailers like GameStop and BestBuy are setting up demo kiosks at select locations so people can try before they buy. This weekend, we got a chance to see the new PS Vita for ourselves when PlayStation invited me, the kids, their friends, and other bloggers and guests for an afternoon at the Vita Hill Social Club.


The Vita Hill Social Club is located in San Francisco's Union Street area. From the outside, it looks like an unassuming little storefront, but when you step inside, you find yourself in a lavishly decorated lounge.


The place is set up to look like the classic gentlemen's club of days gone by, with leather and velvet sofas, chandeliers, gilt-framed wall portraits and gaming tables -- except the games played here are anything but fuddy-duddy. Beside a vintage magazine rack were several flat-screen monitors and PlayStation units designed to showcase the PS Vita's ability to interact with the PS3. Another wall had 3D monitors so people could immerse themselves totally in their videogame world.



PlayStation and the Vita Hill staff got all the bloggers and their guests set up with individual PS Vita consoles that we could hang on to for the duration of the event. I set aside the kids' normal "screen time" limits and let them play Little Deviants, WipEout, ModNation Racers for as long as they wanted. They were in heaven!



We own a PSP (PlayStation Portable), which is great, but it doesn't compare to the Vita. The Vita has a touchscreen, which I love because those X and O and triangle symbols on the controls have always confused me, so I can actually figure out how to play a game without help from my kids. The Vita has a touchscreen on the back and a videocamera, which sounds pretty ordinary, until you realize that some games like Little Deviant actually utilize the videocamera to make it seem like you are playing the game and blasting aliens in your own living room, i.e. (augmented reality). I won't even get to the social gaming capabilities of the PS Vita at this point, but suffice it to say that the PS Vita takes gaming to the next level.


To put it another way: my kids actually ignored these adorable, scrumptious Sibby's cupcakes in favor of playing another round of ModRacers. I had to lie and say they were running out of cupcakes in order to get them to look up.

There was even a fun instant photo booth, where you could pose for a photo and have it printed out onto a postcard-sized Post-It Note. One wall of the lounge was covered in Post-It Notes like these, forming a cute gamers gallery. You could also send your photo to yourself via email, or share it on Facebook and Twitter. It's hard to resist the opportunity to pose at an instant photo booth, particularly one that you don't have to put $5 in first.


Thanks to PlayStation, we had a great afternoon at the Vita Hill Social Club. The best part? Everybody gets to join the party! That's right, I'm not blogging about the event simply to gloat to all my readers about the cool party I was invited to. The Vita Hill Social Club is actually open to the public, so anyone can walk in off the street, sign up for a club membership on the spot, and start playing -- all for free.

Seriously. They'll lend you a PS Vita pre-loaded with game titles, and you can try it out without any sales pitches or membership fees. They have lots of units available, so you won't have to be nice and share or take turns. You can join tournaments and match your skills against other gamers. I can't promise you Sibby's cupcakes, but they do have free snacks, sponsored by Guayaki Yerba Mate, KIND Healthy Snacks, and Vita Coco Coconut Water. You get to play with the photo booth thingy and send out your photo via email, Twitter or Facebook. You can even organize your own private event at the Club! How swanky is that?! You don't even have to be in San Francisco to do it, because PlayStation has set up Vita Hill Social Clubs in LA, Miami, Atlanta, NYC, Boston, Chicago and Austin! Check out the PS Vita Social Club page on Playstation.com for specific addresses and a list of local events -- but don't forget to stop by and get your game on before February is over, because the Vita Hill Social Club will be closing its doors at the end of the month.

Disclosure: I received an invitation to a PS Vita Hill Social Club event as a member of the PlayStation Family. I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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ProFlowers giveaway


Valentine's Day is just 1 week away! Are you prepared? Fortunately for procrastinators everywhere, Proflowers can still deliver for Valentine's Day. They have beautiful floral arrangements and gift items, such as:


Ahh, the classic dozen red roses. Don't waste time chasing after them in every local florist in your town, just order them online at ProFlowers!


Are live blooms more your (or her) style? This Azalea bonsai is a great way to show your sweetie that your love will last long after Feb. 14.

My tastes (pun intended) in V-Day presents tend to run towards the edible sort. I'm drooling over these gourmet dipped Valentine's berries from Shari's Berries. We first discovered Shari's Berries about a decade ago, when a box of Shari's Berries was mistakenly delivered to our home. We didn't really know how to return them, and we couldn't really let them go to waste, could we? Since then we've enjoyed many a delectable Shari's Berry, thanks to that initial fortuitous error.


Get 20% off your order

Enjoy these special Valentine's Deals:

Click on the special link below to get 20% off your order at ProFlowers (good until Feb. 14):
LinkLinkhttp://bit.ly/zo9CCr

Click on the special link below to get 20% off your order over $29 at Shari's Berries (good until Feb. 14):
http://bit.ly/yUHyn9

You can also get some great deals on the ProFlowers Facebook page!


Win a ProFlowers gift card

One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a $50 gift card that can be used at either ProFlowers or Shari's Berries!


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post with a link to the gift item on ProFlowers or Shari's Berries that you would most like to receive for Valentine's Day, your birthday or any occasion! This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

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 Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Blog about this giveaway, making sure you include a link to the giveaway in your blog post (1 entry).

3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the ProFlowers giveaway! http://bit.ly/z3jzlJ

4) Write this on the ProFlowers Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered to win a $50 gift certificate to ProFlowers on Bonggamom Finds! Giveaway ends Feb. 20 at http://bit.ly/z3jzlJ
5) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day): @bonggafinds is giving away a $50 gc to ProFlowers or Shari's Berries! Enter by 2/20 at http://bit.ly/z3jzlJ

6) Tweet this, up to once per day until Feb. 14 (1 entry per day, up to 9 extra entries):
RT @bonggafinds Get 20% off your ProFlowers order: http://bit.ly/zo9CCr good till Feb. 14

7) Tweet this, up to once per day until Feb. 14 (1 entry per day, up to 9 extra entries):
RT @bonggafinds Get 20% off orders over $29 at Shari's Berries http://bit.ly/yUHyn9 good till Feb. 14




The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on February 17, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on February 18 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!



Disclosure: I received a gift card to ProFlowers as a thank-you for administering this giveaway. Thanks to ProFlowers for providing the giveaway prize. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Spring Style with Tea's new Bali Collection



Our samples from Tea Collection's new Bali line have arrived, and I couldn't be more excited! Their boys' clothing is fun-loving and cool enough to appeal to 3Po and Jammy, but it's sophisticated enough for a grownup's sense of style. Even Alfie wishes they made everything in adult sizes! The latest collection is inspired by the jungles and temples of Bali, so everything is colorful and bold -- but it also has a vintage vibe that tones down the cartoon-y feel.

Their Monkey King tee was inspired by the Ramayana Monkey Chant dance. 3Po loves it because it's apple green (green is his favorite color), and I love it because of the monkey mask graphic.

Here are some ways to wear the Monkey King tee: layered over a lemon yellow shirt, or underneath a button-down shirt. The brown ticking stripe shorts are also part of the Bali collection, as is the Roll-Up Safari Shirt.


It didn't take Jammy long to figure out which one was his favorite item in the collection. The vehicle on Katut's Motorbike Tee reminds us of the little 50cc and 100cc motorcycles that putt-putt around the streets in the provinces of the Philippines.


We paired this tee with the Kecak French Terry shorts, also from the Bali collection. You might think the plaid fabric looks stiff and itchy, but these shorts are true to their name: they are made with soft, stretchy French terry (not terrycloth like in towels!) that feels so comfy.


If it gets cold out, ask your son to slip a Desa Stripe Hoodie underneath his tee. The outfit goes really well with the Ikat Ripstop shorts, which might look plain and boring, but if you click on the link and look closely, you'll see the fabric actually has a subtle Indonesian Ikat print.
One of the things I love best about this collection is how Tea has managed to infuse each piece of clothing with a bit of Balinese culture, whether it's the material, the print, the graphic or the name. You can read all about the rich cultures and environments all around the world that serve as Tea's inspiration for their clothing on their blog -- just head to the Behind the Design section and prepare to take a trip around the world!






Win a spring wardrobe from Tea



You've got 6 days to enter Tea's Get Set for Spring giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a $250 gift certificate and a Bali inspired wardrobe set. For more details and to enter, head on over to Tea's Facebook page.



About Tea
Tea, (www.teacollection.com), based in San Francisco, designs distinctive apparel collections inspired by the beauty they discover in their travels around the world -- engaging, modern and consummately wearable women’s and children’s clothing.

Tea offers a full collection of clothing for children aged 0-12 that is made to love, and made to last. Tea’s line of children’s clothing is available online, in catalogs, and at specialty and department stores, including Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, and more than 300 high-end boutiques in the U.S., Europe, and Japan. Their all-new women’s line is available exclusively through Tea catalogs and the website.

Please visit www.teacollection.com to view Tea’s latest globally-inspired collection.

Disclosure: I received product samples from Tea 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.

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