Win a Jillian Michaels Wii Fit Package!

Win this awesome Wii Fit package! To find out how, keep reading......

I love Jillian Michaels. She totally kicks my butt every time I do one of her Biggest Loser workout DVDs, and I have several friends who swear by her 30-Day Shred program. I'd love to see her live, in action -- and this Thursday some lucky ducks who live in Southern California will get to do just that!

The Sports Authority is holding a great event at their Torrance, CA store to celebrate the inauguration of their "We Know Fit. We Know Fun" in-store teamup with Nintendo. Jillian Michaels will be there, leading the world's largest Wii Fit Plus demonstration! They'll also be giving out some sweeeeet prizes, including copies of Jillian's latest Wii game, "Fitness Ultimatum 2010", and Wii Fit boards. This is one event you will not want to miss!


Here are all the deets about this great event:


Event Information:
* Thursday, Nov. 19
* Sports Authority store in Torrance(located at 3610 Torrance Blvd.), CA (just outside of Los Angeles, CA)
* Event starts at 9:30 a.m. and runs until mid-day


Event Highlights:
* Jillian Michaels, from “The Biggest Loser,” will be in attendance.
* There will be the “world’s largest Wii Fit Plus” demonstration featuring 102 people. Jillian will be part of the demonstration, doing what she does best – showing folks how to get in shape!
* Lots of items to be given away, including copies of Jillian Michaels’ new Wii game "Fitness Ultimatum 2010"and Wii Fit Plus boards, as well as other prizes from Sports Authority, Nintendo and Nike.


Why: Sports Authority is teaming up with Nintendo to create a new way to experience fitness gaming. The collaboration will allow Sports Authority to sell Wii gaming consoles, Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus, as well as various accessories and games for the Wii, in its stores. To launch the product and to help customers get to know the Wii better, Sports Authority will create a "We know fit. We know fun." experience at 102 of their stores. Stores will feature a dedicated area with a demo unit and knowledgeable trainers to help customers try the Wii Fit Plus before they buy.This will help moms trade static workouts for ones that involve fun and fitness for the whole family.

For more information: Visit http://www.thewiiauthority.com/



If you don't live near Torrance and aren't lucky enough to be able to attend Thursday's event, never fear. Sports Authority is spreading the giveaway love all over the blogosphere: they've given me a Wii Fit Plus and Jillian Michaels Wii game to give away right here!


Win It!
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a Jillian Michaels Wii Fit package, consisting of:

* Jillian Michaels' new Wii game "Fitness Ultimatum 2010"
* A Wii Fit Plus board

To enter, simply leave a comment here and tell me what you like best about the Wii Fit Plus (hint: you can find out more about the Wii Fit Plus at Sports Authority's Wii Fit Plus Experience website).

Extra Entries
This giveaway is a biggie, so I'm going to give you lots of ways to earn extra entries. You can do any and all of the following: (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (leave a comment here with your blog URL).

2) Fave Bonggamom Finds on Technorati (leave a comment with your Technorati id).

3) Fave Finding Bonggamom on Technorati (leave a comment with your Technorati id).

4) Follow Finding Bonggamom on Blogger (leave a comment with your Blogger profile name).

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(leave a comment with your Blogger profile name).

6) Leave a comment on any of my blog posts on Finding Bonggamom (leave a comment here with the link to the post that you commented on).

7) Join my Bonggamom Finds Cardstore.com giveaway -- just put your name on the RSVP list and leave a comment on the post! (leave a comment here telling me your RSVP number).

8) Tweet this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your tweet). Here is a sample tweet you can copy and paste:

Win a Jillian Michaels Wii Fit package from @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/y89k8m8

Maximum of 9 entries per person. This giveaway ends at midnight PST on December 8, 2009.; I will draw a winner at random on December 9 and post the winner's name on the comments section soon after. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

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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Style Lab Jewelry Design for Nintendo DS

All 3 of my kids love making necklaces and bracelets. There's just something so calming and therapeutic about stringing beads and charms onto a string, and when you're done you end up with something pretty and unique and personal to wear. They started out when they were very young, sliding huge plastic beads onto pipe cleaners with their chubby 18-month old fingers, then graduated to plastic pony beads.

The beads have gotten smaller and smaller as they grow up (now they can work with seed beads, elastic cord, wire and crimping tools). And now they're delighted to find that one of their favorite craft activites has gone virtual with the introduction of Ubisoft's Style Lab Jewelry Design game for Nintendo DS! It was just released a couple of days ago and we were lucky to receive an advance copy to play with and review.


The Basics
Style Lab: Jewelry Design lets players create their very own pieces of jewelry, try the jewelry on photos of themselves, and upload the jewelry to the web, and order an actual copy of the jewelry for them to wear. Players can choose from game mode (where they pretend to be the owner of a jewelry shop; the goal of the game is to design the perfect piece of jewelry for the customers who come to their shop and earn money so they can buy more beads and charms to use in future jewelry creations), or they can enter a free play mode and design whatever jewelry they want.


The Bongga
The Pea, of course, loves this game; it's her third favorite Nintendo DS game (next to Imagine Salon Stylist and Style Lab Makeover). Even my two boys, 3Po and Jammy, love playing it! They like stringing real beads so it's not a surprise they like this as well. I'm impressed with how Ubisoft really got it right and created so many games that really appeals to girls' interests! It's so much fun to create jewelry, and so much easier to plan it out virtually than to struggle with the real needlenose pliers and crimp beads and such. And since you can actually order your finished creations, you get all the satisfaction of a finished product.

I really love how this game utilizes the best of the DSi's features. You can use the Nintendo DSi camera to take a photo of yourself, then "try on" the jewelry you made in the game. You can use the wireless feature to share designs with friends who also have the DSi and their own Style Lab: Makeover. Best of all, you can even upload your design to the web and order the actual bracelet that you design! Unfortunately we haven't gotten a chance to upload any of our creations to the Style Lab or order them, but you can bet this is one feature that we'll be trying in the future -- and when The Pea's jewelry creations arrive, you can bet I'll be posting photos on this blog!

The Blah
I have to admit I'm a bit daunted at the thought of getting everything set up to be able to order the kids' jewelry creations off the web. I took the first step -- creating an account at www.stylelabgame.com , but it seemed like just another online site for kids, and I couldn't figure out where I could actually order and pay for the jewelry. I wish Ubisoft would include clearer uploading and ordering instructions!

The Bottom Line
Style Lab: Jewelry Design is the perfect combination of virtual gaming and actual shopping. I would definitely recommend this game as a present for an 8-10 year old girl -- along with a gift certificate to the Style Lab shop, so the girl who receives this game can also get a real copy of the jewelry she designs!

I received a sample in order to review this product, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Makeover fun with Nintendo DS games from Ubisoft

The Pea is at that age when makeup is just beginning to interest her. And I don't just mean trying it on -- she's been painting her nails and smearing on eyeshadow and lipstick since she was two. Recently she's asked me whether she can wear makeup to school and ballet class! Imagine what the teachers would say if a third grader came to class looking like Ivana Trump. It goes without saying that I nipped that idea in the bud.

Don't get me wrong, I'm totally fine with The Pea experimenting with hair and makeup. In fact, she's got her own little kit with lip gloss and nail polish and eyeshadow and a hairbrush and mirror. I just don't want her going out like that! Fortunately Ubisoft recently sent us two games that let The Pea indulge in her current makeover obsession on the Nintendo DS: Imagine: Salon Stylist and Style Lab: Makeover.

The Basics
Imagine: Salon Stylist is a Nintendo DS game that lets players run their own beauty salon. In the game's background story, you are a salon owner; the goal is to get clients to keep coming back and attract new, celebrity clients -- all of whom give you "money". You please clients by giving them the hairstyles and makeovers and treatments they want, greeting and treating them nicely. Successful makeovers earn you money that you can spend on salon decor and use to unlock new hairstyles and accessories that will make you even more successful.

Style Lab: Makeover lets players create avatars of themselves and their friends, and experiment with different makeup and hair styles. You use the Nintendo DS's camera to snap a photo of yourself so that you can match it as closely as possible to the available face shapes, skin tones, hairstyles, and facial features. You can complete makeover challenges to earn points that can be used to unlock more makeup colors, tools and styles. Unlike the Imagine series, Style Lab: Makeover does not have a story game component (there's another game for that: Imagine: Makeup Artist).

The Bongga
These two games are The Pea's current favorite! The story component of Imagine: Salon Stylist is secondary to the enjoyment she gets out of playing with the hair and makeup tools. She loves putting makeup on her virtual face and her friend's virtual face, and she loves experimenting with all the different hairstyles. And she loves styling The funny thing is that 3Po and Jammy also like playing with these games! I think they like using the stylus to do things like cut and straighten hair, or trace the outline of a virtual model's lip in order to apply lip liner.

The Blah
Both games are harmless fun, so I really don't see anything wrong with either of them. If I had a complaint, it would be that Style Lab: Makeover doesn't let girls take a photo of themselves and make over their actual face. They just use the photos to help create an avatar that resembles them.

The Bottom Line
Imagine: Salon Stylist and Style Lab: Makeover are two great games for young girls that let them indulge in all the hair and beauty makeovers they can think of. Parents will like it because there's no mess -- no need to buy gallons of makeup remover, and no need for that quick trip to the hairdressers to fix an unauthorized haircut that has gone tragically wrong!

I received a sample in order to review this product, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Sleepyheads pajamas Review and Giveaway

Want to win your very own set of cute, comfy pj's? Keep reading to find out how!

I'm a sucker for matching outfits. Call me corny, call me tacky, but I think it's cute and it shows family togetherness. Fortunately, I already have the perfect venue to indulge my matching-outfit -- I've got identical twins. So I sometimes get to dress 3Po and Jammy in identical, or at least matching outfits, but I try not to do it too often since they're individuals, after all, not TweedleDum and TweedleDee. Once, I even got to dress the whole family in matching Hawaiian outfits, and we actually went out to lunch dressed that way (it was Father's Day, so Alfie relented).

Looking back, I still think it looks cute, but I'll admit it might not look as cute in public when the kids are twelve and fifteen. But now I've found the perfect solution for me to indulge my taste for matching outfits without coming off as the Von Trapp family or Jon & Kate plus Eight -- wear matching pajamas at home! Online retailer Sleepyheads.com has a great selection of matching family pajamas. They generously sent me their Sleepyhead Lips White Shortsleeve Lounger Pajama to review, and here's what I thought of it:




The Basics

Sleepyheads.com carries pajamas for the entire family in every style and size you can think of. They carry brands like Life is Good, Betsey Johnson, Bedhead and Jose by Natori, as well as their very own line of Sleepyheads brand pajamas. Among the wide variety of styles available are silk and satin nighties, cartoon-themed pajamas, holiday-themed pajamas, and family matching robes and sleepwear. As Sleepyheads puts it, Lounging around with the family has never been so much fun!



The Bongga
What can I say -- the Sleepyhead pajamas are great. The cotton material is soft and doesn't pill in the wash. It's going to last a long time! The lips pattern is cute and fun and flirty, just like all of their other patterns.

I also adore their family matching sets -- I've seen many other sites with family sets for the holidays, but Sleepyheads.com has family matching sets with everyday patterns, so we can have home movie nights or family pillow fights any day of the year! And I really like the fact that the matching sets aren't carbon copies of each other. Rather, they complement each other so that each family member can look like an individual but still match with the rest of the family. Alfie, look out -- we might be taking this year's holiday photo in matching pajamas!


The Blah
There isn't any sizing information -- or if there is any, I couldn't find it, which is just as disappointing. Different brands fit differently, so it would have been nice to have some measurements to go with each size instead of picking a size and hoping for the best.


The Bottom Line
Sleepyheads.com sleepwear is adorable and affordable. It's a great way to show your family spirit during the holidays and any time of the year!

Win It!
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a Sleepyheads Brand pajama set -- any size, any pattern, any style -- for their very own! To enter, simply head over to Sleepyheads.com and check out their Sleepyheads Brand pajamas. Then come back here and leave a comment telling me which style, pattern and size you would choose if you win (you MUST enter this information to enter the giveaway, and this entry must be completed for any extra entries to count).

For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

1) Tell a friend about Sleepyheads.com! Go to Sleepyheads' Friend Referral page:

http://www.sleepyheads.com/Static/Refer.aspx

Enter your email and your friend's email and send. Then come back here and leave a comment telling me that you did (Be nice -- Santa's watching you, and I will check!)

2) Grab my button -- it's on the left hand sidebar, or click here to get it -- and post it on your blog! (leave a comment here with a link to your site).

3) Blog about this giveaway and include a link to the giveaway post (leave a comment here with a link to your post).

4) Tweet this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your tweet). Here is a sample tweet you can copy and paste:

Win a Sleepyheads pajama set from @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/yzbcf6d


Maximum of 5 entries per person. Winner may select their prize from available Sleepyheads Brand pajamas only; other brands available on Sleepyheads.com are not eligible for the prize. This giveaway ends at midnight PST on November 23, 2009.; I will draw a winner at random on November 24 and post the winner's name on the comments section soon after. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

I received a sample in order to review this product, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Steaz Teaz review and giveaway

When Steaz Teaz first contacted me about trying out a new tea beverage, I felt no confident about subjecting it to a rigorous testing, because I have a secret weapon -- my English husband Alfie, who drinks about 10 cups of tea a day. Little did I know that I would fall in love with Steaz Teaz so much that he never got to try any of the teas! I finished them all before he had a chance (okay, I have a couple of cans left, but I'm hiding them for myself). Read my review below and enter for a chance to win some Steaz Teaz for yourself!


The Basics
Steaz Teaz is a new line of organic, fair trade iced tea beverages. They are available at Whole Foods, and now they're available at Target as well! I was sent several samples of their lightly sweetened organic teas -- Green Tea with Peach, White Tea with Lime and Pomegranate, and Green Tea with Blueberry Pomegranate Acai -- which was perfect for me, because I have a sweet tooth, but they have many other kinds of iced teas, including sparkling teas and tea-based energy drinks (see their whole product line at www.steaz.com).

The Bongga
Steaz is tea-rrific! I love, love, love the taste of these teas. They've got a light, delicate taste that's really refreshing. I'm not a fan of the White Tea with Lime and Pomegranate -- it's too tart for my taste -- but hey, to each his own, and fortunately Steaz has lots of other flavors to chose fromTheir sweetened teas are sweet, but not so cloyingly sweet that it overpowers the taste of the tea and fruit. That's great for the taste, and also for my waistline --there are just 10 grams of sugar and 40 calories per serving! And since they're organic, there are no nasty chemicals or pesticides.

By the way, I'm also happy that Steaz is not just a good drink, it's a good company with a triple-bottom line focus. That is, they focus on not just profits -- they also consider people (Steaz is fair trade certified) and the planet (Steaz uses only organic ingredients -- when considering their actions as a company.


The Blah
I don't really have anything bad to say about the Steaz drinks I tried, so I'll reserve my negative comments for the Steaz website, which is pretty and all, but so loaded with images and moving doodads that it takes a long time to get past the pretty stuff and on to the good stuff, i.e. all the information about Steaz and the Steaz products!

The Bottom Line
Iced tea lovers, look no further! Everybody wins with Steaz Teaz: your tastebuds, your health, your pocketbook and the earth.

Win It!
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will be selected to win a Steaz gift pack consisting of 6 cans of yummy Steaz Teaz and a $10 Target giftcard. To enter, simply leave a comment on this post and tell me which Steaz Teaz flavor you'd like to try. Don't forget to leave your email address so we can contact you if you win.



For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (leave a comment here with your blog URL).

2) Follow Steaz on twitter (leave a comment with your twitter id).

3) Subscribe to the Bonggamom Finds feed (leave a comment saying you subscribe).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(leave a comment with your Blogger profile name).

5) Tweet this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your tweet). Here is a sample tweet you can copy and paste:

Win a Steaz giftpack from @bonggafinds and @steaz http://tinyurl.com/ya7ax3d

Maximum of 6 entries per person. This giveaway ends at midnight PST on November 29, 2009.; I will draw a winner at random on November 30 and post the winner's name on the comments section soon after. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

I received a sample in order to review this product, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey game for Nintendo DS

My kids love elephants. One of their favorite stuffed toys is a stuffed elephant named Horton Chouchie (he's named after the elephant in Dr. Seuss's Horton Hears a Who). When we watched the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Zing Zang Zoom circus performance last August, they were immediately drawn to the elephants. The wrinklier and baggier the elephant was, the more they loved it! Honestly, I think they'd love to have an elephant as a pet. Fortunately for my back yard, we have Horton Chouchie the stuffed elephant, and now each of my kids has a virtual elephant to care for and have fun with -- we recently received a copy of the just released Nintendo DS game, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Circus Friends Asian Elephants, to try. Here' what we thought of it:


The Basics
Here's what the makers have to say about this game:
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Circus Friends Asian Elephantsfor Nintendo DS, gives pachyderm enthusiasts the ability to care for their very own Asian elephant. Gamers must ensure their playful pal eats well, stays clean and healthy, and gets daily exercise. Once the proper training program has been implemented, their circus friend can star and show off in The Greatest Show on Earth™! This game was developed by 2K’s Cat Daddy Games studio, the developers of the multi-million seller Carnival Games, and is rated E for everyone by the ESRB. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey: Circus Friends Asian Elephants for Nintendo DS is available for $29.99 at major retailers across North America .

For more information, go to www.Ringlingbrosgame.com.


The Bongga
When we received this game, I knew it would appeal to my kids because they like elephants and they can identify with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus. But I didn't think that caring for a virtual elephant would be so engaging! They love playing the simple games to get points that they can use to buy clothes and home decorations for their elephants. They even like doing gross stuff like picking dirt off the elephant's teeth and trimming its toenails and shoveling out the dirty straw from the elephant's bed. Certainly no one can accuse Natalie, 3Po or Jammy of treating their circus elephants badly!

As a parent with young children, I like the fact that the game is really simple. I like that you can save your game and come back to it later, so I can enforce gaming time limits without feeling guilty that they're losing everything they worked so hard to earn. I like that it appeals to both girls and boys (okay, mostly girls, but could boys like my sons really like it!). And I really love how many of the instructions are spoken in addition to appearing on the screen; that way, 3Po and Jammy don't need someone to help them read the instructions. They can figure out what to do on their own, which increases their independence and confidence.

The Blah
With the circus theme and cartoonish atmosphere, this game is obviously meant to appeal to the younger set, so I wish all the instructions were spoken as well as written.

The Bottom Line
It has just the right mix of challenge and simplicity to suit the youngest Nintendo DS gamers. I'd highly recommend this as a first-DS-game present!

I received a sample in order to review this product, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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You're Invited to a Cardstore.com Holiday Twitter Party!

The holidays are coming, and with all the parties, presents and people comes a lot of work, stress and hassle. We could all use a sympathetic ear and a friendly word of advice on how to get through this holiday season without losing our sanity. Where to start? Well, how about a party? Yup, what would the holidays be without a party?! Next week I'm co-hosting a Twitter Party with Cardstore.com, and you're all invited to join us as we share tips to get you through the season, ways to deal with holiday stress, and ideas for making your holidays memorable.

Cardstore.com combines beautiful artwork, personalized greetings and professional printing to create premium, one-of-a-kind greeting cards, invitations, announcements. Their collection of gorgeous holiday cards -- for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah and the New Year -- are the perfect way for you to greet family and friends in a stylish, memorable way, and they've got some great time-saving services to make sending holiday cards easy and convenient.


What: a Cardstore.com Holiday Twitter Party
Why: To share ideas about making the holidays less stressful and more memorable, and to win great prizes!
When: Wednesday, November 18^th 4-5pm PST
Where: on Twitter (You will need to have a twitter account, it is extremely simple to sign up!)
How: Follow the #CSParty hashtag (You can use services like TweetChat or TweetGrid to follow the conversation)


Here's a list of all the great prizes you can win:

(A) GRAND PRIZE: One lucky winner will receive a $100 Cardstore.com gift certificate! The winner gets to spend it on any of Cardstore.com's beautiful personalized products!




(B) Two lucky winners will each receive a set of 10 Personalized Thank You Cards, valued at $19 each. The card shown here, Pink Lime Mums, is one of my favorites, but the winners get to choose any design (and personalize it!) from Cardstore.com's Thank You Card collection.




(C) Two lucky winners will each receive a Holiday Thank You Card Pack (Set of 10, $19 value). I think this Pale Blue Snow design is adorable, but the winners can select their own designs and customizations from Cardstore.com's Holiday Thank You Card collection.






(D) Two lucky winners will each receive a 12 Card Personalized Stationery Boxed Set (Retail Value: $21). The cards can be customized with your photos and personalized messages. This is a brand-new product and you're going to be one of the first to enjoy it!



(E) Three lucky winners will each receive an All-Occasion Gift Card Pack from Cardstore.com. Each gift pack contains 10 cards with an assortment of occasions, including Birthday, Get Well, Happy Anniversary and Thank You (Retail Value: $24)



That's ten chances to win, and hundreds of dollars in prizes! So be sure to join the party, and be sure to follow me, @bonggamom and @cardstyle throughout the party for contest details, updates, prize information.


Win a Prize from Cardstore.com, Right Here on Bonggamom Finds!
Cardstore.com will be giving away ten fabulous prizes during the Twitter party..... but for now, let's start with a giveaway right here! One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a set of Personalized Thank You Cards (prize B), and one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a set of Personalized Holiday Thank You Cards (prize C) from Cardstore.com.

To enter, all you need to do is RSVP by leaving your Twitter id on the Mr. Linky list below.

For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following (please leave a separate comment on this post for each extra entry that you complete):

1) Become a fan of Cardstyle on Facebook and leave a comment here with your Facebook account name.

2) Follow Cardstyle on Twitter and leave a comment here with your Twitter id.

3) Follow bonggamom on Twitter and leave a comment here with your Twitter id.

4) Visit Cardstore.com, then come back here and leave a comment telling me your favorite card design.

5) Tweet out the details of this party, including the #CSParty hashtag in your tweet, anytime between now until 4:00PM PST on November 18. Then come back and leave a comment here with a link to your tweet. Here is a sample tweet you can copy and paste:

Join @cardstyle @bonggamom for a holiday Twitter party! Nov 18, 4-5PM PST. RSVP http://tinyurl.com/ylk57z4 2 win some great prizes! #CSParty


This giveaway ends at 4PM PST on November 18. I will draw a winner via Random.org and announce the winner at the #CSParty Twitter event. Good luck, and see you at the Twitter party!


RSVP here: (Note: You do not need to RSVP to join the party, but you must RSVP in order to enter the giveaway above, and you must participate in the Twitter party on Nov. 18 in order to be eligible to win the prizes offered during the party)


Disclosure: I did not receive any product samples in association with this event. I am being compensated for this post and future posts associated with the event. The views and opinions expressed here an in any future posts associated with the event are my own.

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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- The Bestest Giveaways Around the Blogosphere

As a giveaway blogger, I've found it's a great way to get more traffic to my giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I've found it's a great way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So I've started a weekly giveaway roundup post that hopefully people will find useful. Feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter all those giveaways!

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Friends Forever Girls discount

Earlier in the year I won a Friends Forever Girls doll in a blog giveaway. We decided to give the doll to my niece Belliboo for her 5th birthday, and I'm so happy we did because she really loves her Natalie! I think they're great dolls because they're well made, they come with lots of accessories, they promote great values like friendship, diversity, community -- and at $59, they're much more affordable than American Girl dolls, making them accessible to many more little girls.

With that said, here's a great coupon code I thought I'd share with you: $3 off any doll outfit! Doll outfits make great holiday presents, and every dollar saved helps. Just enter the code 3outfit, and enjoy savings until 11/20/09.

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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Astroboy Action Figures

Last week the kids and I watched the Astroboy movie, and boy, did we have a blast (read my short movie synopsis and review here). My kids found the emotional scenes a bit too heartwrenching (as in, they were crying their eyes out in the movie theater, bless their soft little hearts) but they adored all of the action scenes, and they can't talk about Astroboy these days without the accompanying arm movements and Zzzzzzooom sounds and blaster sounds that I can't really spell out into a proper word.

This kind of movie was just made for toy licensing, because action figures based on the movie and the perfect way for little boys to reenact what they enjoyed in the movie and keep the memories alive. A couple of days before we saw Astroboy we received a 6" Astroboy figure from Jazwares, which was great timing because now they love playing with it so much!

The Basics
The 6" Astroboy action figure depicts Astroboy as he appears in all the classic manga, complete with spiky hair, bare chest and red boots. Press his belt buckle and his chest lights up with his blue core light! Other Astroboy figures include the Peacekeeper whose chest lights up in search of Astro Boy, the Samurai with light up eyes, and Metro City Astroboy, all dressed up with light-up rocket boots.


The Bongga
I know Astroboy is supposed to be this awesome fighting machine, and my boys certainly treat the action figure that way, but I think he is just so cute! And this action figure captures his cuteness perfectly. The light-up blue core is a nice touch , but what I love best about this figure is its simplicity. It doesn't have any complicated doodads, which is just fine because Astroboy's real power doesn't lie in his blue core, it lies in the imaginations of the little boys who play with him. We can't wait to get the rest of the figures so Astroboy can have someone to play and/or battle with!

The Blah
Astroboy's joints are a little bit stiff, which makes it difficult to move and pose him.

The Bottom Line
Jazwares' 6" Astroboy figures are a fun way for any little boy to recreate all of Astroboy's adventures. They'd make a great present for Astroboy fans!

I received a sample in order to review this product, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Label Daddy pre-Holiday Deals

Here's a great holiday gift idea -- labels make a great present for a busy parent who needs to keep track of her kids' stuff! And through November 18, you can get 20% off plus free shipping on all LabelDaddy orders. Just use the code HOLIDAY to take advantage of this great offer. Who's your daddy? Label Daddy!

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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Winter's Tail game for Nintendo DS giveaway

I have to say, for a marine mammal, Winter sure is getting around quickly. She's got a book deal and essay contest -- and now she's the star of her very own Nintendo DS game! Winter's Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again will be out on Nintendo DS on November 24th.

Here's a little more information about the game from the makers:
Take an exciting journey on your Nintendo DS and learn about the real-life story of Winter, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin who overcame incredible odds. Including fun mini-games and a fully interactive storybook based on the Scholastic Book Winter's Tail, read by the authors Juliana, Isabella and Craig Hatkoff. The release date is set for November 24th. Rated E for Everyone!

And here's a video with some sneak peeks from the game:


We just got a Nintendo DS recently so I can't wait to try this game out!

Win It!
Two lucky Bonggamom Finds readers will receive a copy of the Winter's Tail Nintendo DS game (valued at $29.99 each). To enter, leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite marine mammal. Don't forget to leave your email address so I can contact you if you win.

For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (leave a comment here with your blog URL).

2) Fave Bonggamom Finds on Technorati (leave a comment with your Technorati id).

3) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(leave a comment with your Blogger profile name).

4) Tweet this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your tweet). Here is a sample tweet you can copy and paste:

Win a Winters Tail Nintendo DS game from @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/yf73rt2

Maximum of 5 entries per person. US mailing addresses only. This giveaway ends at midnight PST on November 25, 2009.; I will draw 2 winners at random on November 26 and post the winners' names on the comments section soon after. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

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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Ragu $100 giveaway ends tomorrow!

Just a reminder, my $100 Visa giftcard giveaway (courtesy of Ragu pasta sauce) is ending tomorrow. So if you haven't entered yet, click here to continue reading and to enter....... Good luck!

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Game on!

After the fun afternoon we spent at Ubisoft's San Francisco office a couple of weeks ago, I knew that a Nintendo DS would be at the top -- and possibly the only item -- on my kids' holiday wish lists. Last week the kids received an early Christmas present -- Ubisoft, aka Santa, sent us our very own Nintendo DSi so we could try out all of their great Nintendo DSi games!


Naturally, they are absolutely delighted, and they're off and running with games like Battle of Giants: Dragons, Battle of Giants: Dinosaurs, Petz: Dolphinz Encounter, and Imagine: Boutique Owner. 3Po and Jammy picked up right where they left off, with The Pea not far behind. Since she can read all the instructions that come up on the screen, The Pea she was able to get the hang of the controls even more quickly than 3Po and Jammy did.

I have to say, I'm happy to see The Pea enjoying the DSi as much as her brothers. She has wanted a DSi for the past year or two, but I never really considered getting her one because I thought it was just a peer pressure thing, and she'd quickly get bored with the games. I didn't realize that there was such a wealth of games developed especially with girls in mind, such as Ubisoft's Imagine series of games. And I'm even happier to see that my message of moderation seems to have sunk into my kids' heads. They don't complain (too much) when their 20 minute timer goes off and they have to hand the DS over to their brother or sister. I still make sure they play outside or with their other toys or do some reading or drawing so there's a good balance in their free time. It does mean that they don't get to play as much of the DS games as they'd like, but it also means that the games will retain their interest for a longer period of time!

The views and opinions expressed here are my own. We received a complimentary Nintendo DSi (thanks, Ubisoft!), but no monetary compensation, to aid us in reviewing Ubisoft games. Watch out for more reviews of Ubisoft's holiday lineup of games for the Nintendo DS!

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Free Cookies!

What's better than six yummy cookies? How about six free yummy cookies!? Cheryl and Co. is offering customers a gift box of 6 cookies plus a $10 Reward Card for free (customer pays shipping fee of $6.95), through November 20. If only the cookies were zero calories too.

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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Bella Sara Trading Cards Review and Giveaway

What are little girls made of? Sugar and spice, and everything nice. They should also say starlight trails and unicorns' tails, because judging from the drawings and toys and books that my daughter and her friends love to indulge in, magical, fantasy horses seem to be a standard fixture in every little girl's imagination. We recently received some trading cards from Bella Sara to try out, and here's what we thought of them:

The Basics
Here's what Bella Sara has to say about the Bella Sara world:
Bella Sara is a safe, fun-filled magical world of horses & other characters for kids ages 5-11. Much more than just a toy, Bella Sara inspires pro-social dialogue & inspirational thought with positive messages.

Brand new in time for the holidays are the “Bella Sara Royalty Trading Cards,” each with inspirational messages and a secret code. By entering these secret codes at BellaSara.com, children can enhance their online experiences by redeeming horseshoes to play games and care for their magical horses as they begin to explore the magical land of North of North. The more secret codes, the more adventures you can unlock when playing Bella Sara Adventures.

Just under $5, these cards make for the perfect stocking stuffer this holiday season!


The Bongga
These trading cards are so pretty! And the online world of BellaSara.com is just as picturesque -- it looks like it came straight out of a fairy-tale book. She was able to create an account for free (anyone can), and with the account she got to choose a little foal to care and feed. The trading cards come with codes that can be redeemed online for points that are used to "purchase" clothes and toys and decorations for the foal's home. The Pea loves how she can stroke and feed her little horse with a click and a roll of the mouse!



The Blah
I find the website slow and a bit confusing to navigate, so it can be difficult to get the background story from BellaSara.com. As a result, the Pea was pretty much in the dark about who the main characters are, what the story is, and what kinds of cards she can collect. So I would purchase the DVD or the book before purchasing the trading cards (or along with the trading cards) so your daughter knows the story and the characters.

The Bottom Line
Sara Bella trading cards are a nice, inexpensive stocking stuffer for any little girl who loves horses. They're also a great way to introduce your little girl into the world of trading cards!

Save Now!
Here are three great deals that you can take advantage of when you purchase Bella Sara products:

1) When you shop at bellasara.com, enter Promo Code JIXXQ4KS at checkout to receive 20% off purchase of $5 or more! Expires 12.31.09

2) When you shop at bellasara.com, enter Promo Code FRSHIP4U at checkout to receive free shipping on orders over $25! Limited time only!

3) Print this coupon to save 15% on Bella’s Ball Card Pack, Single Blister, or Double Blister, at all Target stores! Bring printed coupon—one per transaction. Valid beginning November 6, expires December 7.


Win It!
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a Bella’s Ball card pack and one velvety mini horse! To enter, head on over to the Bella Sara holiday gift guide , then come back and leave a comment saying which gift your daughter or niece or granddaughter would love to find in her holiday stocking.

For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (leave a comment here with your blog URL).

2) Fave Bonggamom Finds on Technorati (leave a comment with your Technorati id).

3) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(leave a comment with your Blogger profile name).

4) Tweet this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your tweet). Here is a sample tweet you can copy and paste:

Win a Bella Sara prize pack from @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/y9nc2kh

This giveaway ends at midnight PST on November 20, 2009.; I will draw a winner at random on November 21 and post the winner's name on the comments section soon after. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

I received a sample in order to review this product, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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DJ's Sing-a-Long Keyboard

Now that the holidays are approaching, those of us with young kids (or have young kids on our gift lists) have to start thinking about toys, toys, toys. Electronic toys -- you know, the ones with batteries and lights and sounds -- usually get a bad rap because there are some that you just turn them on and the child just watches the toy like it's a television, but trust me, Virginia, there are toys that beep and light up that can actually educate and engage as well as entertain. Case in point: DJ's Sing-a-Long Keyboard from Baby Genius. Baby Genius sent me one of these keyboards to review; here's what we thought of it:

The Basics
DJ's Sing-a-Long Keyboard is an electronic keyboard for toddlers. It's part of the series of Baby Genius toys that uses music to stimulate a young child's development. The keyboard enhances auditory skills, develops fine motor skills, and cultivates hand-eye coordination.

Here's what the makers of DJ's Sing-a-Long Keyboard have to say about their toy:
The show never stops with DJ's Sing-A-Long Keyboard! Hear 7 different Baby Genius sing-a-long songs or play along to 22 different tunes. Your child will be able to play 4 instruments andhear the different sounds: flute, whistle, guitar or saxophone. Press all the keys and hear DJ's hilarious giggly laugh! Make sure to record your masterpiece so you can play it back and hear it again and again.


The Bongga
This little keyboard is so cute! It doesn't require any instruction; just turn it on and your toddler can start banging away. I love how there are so many ways to play this keyboard -- you can chose which instrument to play, and which beat to play to. You can also play prerecorded songs to play the piano along with, or sing along to. You can even record and play back your own songs. It's difficult to imagine a young child getting bored with this toy!



The biggest surprise for me was how much my kids, at the advanced ages of 5,5 and 8, enjoy this toy! DJ's keyboard is rated for ages 2+, so I thought my kids would press a few keys and be happy to pass the toy on to their new baby cousin. At the very least, I thought they'd say the alligator-shaped keyboard was lame. Not so. They begged me to let them keep this keyboard forever and ever, and they've been having the time of their lives making up tunes with it. Understandably, the prerecorded kids' songs don't really interest them, but they always break out into laughter when they speed up the tempo and listen to the songs sung at full speed, like DJ the Dinosaur is high on helium. Hey, whatever entertains them. If their interest in music ever turns more serious, I suppose eventually they'll clamor for an actual electronic keyboard, but for now, DJ's Sing-a-Long keyboard is a fun, inexpensive introduction.


The Blah
The recording mode only records the keyboard; it can't record a mixture of the keyboard notes and beats. And I know I'm being nitpicky, but I wish it didn't sound so tinny!


The Bottom Line
If you have to buy your toddler an electronic toy, let it be this one. DJ's Sing-a-Long Keyboard isn't just a whole lot of irritating beeps and noise -- it's a great way to introduce your child to tone and rhythm. He'll have lots of fun experimenting and playing and he won't even realize he's learning all about music!

I received a sample in order to review this product, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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See a movie tonight, free!

There's nothing like a family night at the movies, and thanks to General Mills cereal I was able to take the kids to see Astro Boy last night. My kids don't usually do well at the movies because they scare easily, and The Pea is a little soggy cream puff when it comes to sad and emotional scenes, but they were excited at the thought of a night out with hotdogs and popcorn and all the trimmings! There was a lively debate over what to watch -- Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, A Christmas Carol, or Astro Boy -- but in the end, Astro Boy won.

Astro Boy tells the story of a boy robot made in the image of his creator's dead son. He's so lifelike that no one can tell he's a robot, which causes all kinds of conflicts in this futuristic world where robots are basically enslaved by humans. Astro Boy has some cool, but not scary, action scenes that my kids loved. There were some emotional scenes where my kids began crying, and The Pea was sobbing all throughout the end like she usually does at the movies, but they really enjoyed the movie, and they can't wait for our next movie night.

Make your own Movie Moments!
Here's a great deal: starting in November, General Mills' Cereals is going to help you and your family create your own Movie Moments! You can receive a free movie ticket when you purchase two specially marked packages of General Mills’ Cereals. After purchasing two cereals, visit generalmills.com/moviecash to enter the code found inside each box of cereal and print your free movie certificate good for admission to any movie.

Participating brands include select sizes of: Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Trix and Reese’s Peanut Butter Puffs.

To find a participating theater near you, log onto
http://emoviecash.com/dis_locator/.


Win It!
Don't forget, my Movie Moments giveaway ends on November 14! One lucky winner will get a coupon for 4 free tickets and a box of General Mills cereal. Click here to enter, and good luck!

I received a sample in order to review this product, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- The Bestest Giveaways Around the Blogosphere

As a giveaway blogger, I've found it's a great way to get more traffic to my giveaways. And as a person who loves entering giveaways, I've found it's a great way to find out where all the best giveaways are.

So I've started a weekly giveaway roundup post that hopefully people will find useful. Feel free to leave links to your giveaways, everyone. And don't forget to get cracking and enter all those giveaways!

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The Green Year

I'm always looking for ways to "green" up our life, and I'm proud of the fact that we have already made several easy changes to help save the planet: we recycle, do laundry on cold, eat less meat, use cloth grocery bags, buy energy-saving lightbulbs, pack the kids' lunches in recyclable containers, use natural, eco-friendly household products, and so on.

But I know our carbon footprint is still closer to BigFoot's than Cinderella's. I cannot, cannot, will not give up my hot showers, I still drive a Toyota Sienna minivan (which gets an embarrassing 15 miles per gallon), we don't compost, we can't afford to buy organic sheets, and so on. So I need more easy, eco-friendly ideas!

A couple of weeks ago I posted about some of author Jodi Helmer's tips to make your Halloween a greener holiday. I've been reading her book, The Green Year, which has given me a whole new set of ideas for changes we can make.


The Basics
The Green Year (December 2008, $14.95, ISBN: 9781592578290, Alpha Books), provides 365 simple and inexpensive eco-friendly ideas for each day of the year. Organized by date, the green living tips suggest small changes and environmentally friendly ideas that make a big green impact. The Green Year is more than a calendar. It offers practical, affordable and engaging activities that help make going green a blessing rather than a burden.

About the Author
Jodi Helmer is a freelance writer who specializes in writing about eco-friendly topics. Her work has appeared in Plenty, Yoga Journal, Women's Health, Natural Solutions, Backpacker, Woman's Day, Family Circle and American Way. She is the co-author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Green Careers and a professional speaker who offers workshops on green issues. Helmer also maintains a website, www.green-year.com. She lives in Charlotte, NC.

The Bongga
I'm happy to say that this book is giving me a whole new set of ideas on how to make more easy, eco-friendly changes to our lifestyle! For example, I had never thought of filling up empty milk or soda jugs with water and freezing them in order to fill up an empty freezer (a full freezer works more efficiently that an empty one). Jodi's tips are simple and doable, and she never lets the perfect be the enemy of the good. If you don't think a particular tip won't work for you, she has no words of scorn. Each page has space for you to write your own notes down if you have an alternative to her tip that works better for you. Finally, I think it was really nice (and consistent) to note that the book itself is made from recycled paper; it shows that Jodi's commitment to going green goes beyond mere words.


The Bottom Line
If you're green behind the ears when it comes to eco-friendly living, take the first step towards saving the earth by reading The Green Year! And if you've already started down that green road, The Green Year will keep you going with lots of fresh, new ideas.

I received a sample in order to review this product, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Last Day to Enter the Cheer detergent giveaway!

Just a reminder, my Cheer detergent giveaway ends tomorrow, so you've only got a short while left before your chances of winning some Cheer detergent plunges to zero! So Click here to keep reading and enter to win a bottle of Cheer detergent.....

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Norman the Farting Elephant

November is here, and December is just around the corner.... time to start making a holiday gift-giving list! Wondering what to get for the person who has everything? How's this for a funny novelty gift? A farting elephant! We recently received Norman PhartEphant to try out; here's what we thought:

The Basics
Norman PhartEphant is a plush elephant that makes farting noises when you squeeze his tail. Apparently Norman is from Africa and has moved to the US, and the change of diet has caused him to become rather gassy.Here's how the makers of Norman PhartEphant describe him:

Norman PhartEphant™ was designed for the 3-10 year old crowd, but has become a favorite among those of any age that are yound at heart. Norman PhartEphant™ is adorable, cuddly, and hilarious; a combination not seen in other products! Laughter follows him where ever he goes.

Super soft and squeezable, at 10 inches round, Norman PhartEphant™ offers a variety of 8 fart sounds with a squeeze of his tail. Norman PhartEphant™ makes a favorite gift for your difficult to surprise child, co-worker, spouse, friend, and/or spouse.




The Bongga
Only Norman could turn a fart into something adorable. He's soft and cuddly and huggable, with the saddest little doe-eyes that say, Ooops.... sorry, I didn't mean to do that! Don't hate me! Of course we don't hate you, Norman! You're so cute and your farts don't even smell! Men, take note: if you have a tendency to belch and fart, this might make a great "I'm sorry" present for your girlfriend or significant other! On a deeper level, Norman's story offers a great opportunity to talk with kids about friendship and acceptance of other people's anomalies, follies and differences.


The Blah
The fart sounds are electronic recordings; I don't know whether they were recordings of actual farts or synthesized farts, but they sounded pretty genuine. However, for some reason I was expecting the fart mechanism to be mechanical rather than electronic. So I was expecting Norman to sound like a whopee cushion -- instead, his farts sound a bit "tinny", with the faintest hint of static. Also, I love the little back story that comes on Norman's tag but I'd have loved to learn more. The website sells storybooks, coloring books and kids' teeshirts for those who can't get enough of Norman, but I think Norman should come bundled with the storybook so that kids can get read Norman's story, and he can become more than just a farting elephant -- he can become their friend.


The Bottom Line
Norman Phartephant would make a humorous, whimsical present for farters of any age -- but for kids to find a special place in their heart for Norman, they should read the storybook as well.

I received a sample in order to review this product, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Battle of Giants

Last week we were invited by Ubisoft, a gaming software company, to their San Francisco office to check out their lineup of games for Nintendo DS before they are released this holiday season. We tried and enjoyed several games from Ubisoft's Imagine, Petz and StyleLab lines, but 3Po's and Jammy's clear favorites were two games from Ubisoft's Battle of Giants series: Dragons and Dinosaurs.


The Basics
Ubisoft's Battle of Giants series allows your child to control dragons and dinosaurs and send them into battle with other dragons and dinosaurs. In Battle of Giants: Dragons, your dragon roams the land searching for gems and treasures, using combinations of gems to help win battles against other dragons. And in Battle of Giants: Dinosaurs, your dinosaur battles other dinosaurs for eggs and fossils, which you then use to unlock features that will make your dinosaur even faster and stronger.



Here is what Ubisoft has to say about this series:
The Battle of Giants^TM series on Nintendo DS^TM gives young boys the chance to control and battle some of the most magnificent creatures of all time. From dinosaurs to dragons, these games feature turn-based battles with intuitive and easy-to-play Touch Screen controls, multiple maps and levels for hours of exploration, and multi-player tournament mode to play against friends! Plus, players can customize their creature’s colors, patterns, and physical features to really make them unique. Check out the Battle of Giants video games today!


The Bongga
3Po and Jammy really enjoyed playing these games! Just configuring their dragons and dinosaurs (changing their colors, giving them different features, etc...) was fun, and they loved sending their creatures to battle other dragons and dinos. The interface is fairly intuitive and easy to learn; it didn't take 3Po and Jammy long to figure out how to control and maneuver their dragons and dinosaurs, and if your child is already familiar with the Nintendo DS system, he or she will get it in a snap. There are so many levels of play that they would have played for hours if I let them. They'll definitely get to enjoy many, many 20-minute sessions out of these videogames before they get bored!




The Blah
It's difficult for boys in grades K-1 to play these games since they constantly have to read instructions, especially in the beginning. I wish these games had age or level ratings as well as content ratings -- or that Ubisoft's Parents Corner had recommendations based not only on the child's interest, but also on the child's age -- so that we parents could tell which games are appropriate for our kids' skill level!


The Bottom Line
Ubisoft's Battle of Giants: Dragons and Battle of Giants: Dinosaurs are two great "big boy"-style videogames that even little boys can play.

I received a sample in order to review this product, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Win Free Movie Tickets!

I remember the first movie I ever watched at a movie theater. It was The Sound of Music, and I must have been five or six years old. We didn't watch many movies when I was a kid, but once I entered college I must have gone to a movie theater at least once a week. I've got lots and lots of good memories at the movies; not only of the movies themselves, but of people and events that happened there, like sneaking into a second movie after the first movie ended or getting my first French kiss.

Now that I have kids, nights at the movies are few and far between for Alfie and me, which makes them all the more precious. The kids are just starting to enjoy full length movies (complete with the scary parts), so I was really happy when General Mills generously provided me with 4 free tickets and a box of free General Mills cereal -- perfect for our making some new Movie Moments! Stay tuned for my report on which movie we chose to watch and how our movie night went. Thanks General Mills!


Make your own Movie Moments!
Here's a great deal: starting in November, General Mills' Cereals is going to help you and your family create your own Movie Moments! You can receive a free movie ticket when you purchase two specially marked packages of General Mills’ Cereals. After purchasing two cereals, visit generalmills.com/moviecash to enter the code found inside each box of cereal and print your free movie certificate good for admission to any movie.

Participating brands include select sizes of: Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Trix and Reese’s Peanut Butter Puffs.

To find a participating theater near you, log onto
http://emoviecash.com/dis_locator/.



Win It!
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a Movie Moment Prize Pack, courtesy of General Mills and MyBlogSpark, consisting of:

* 4 e-movie cash certificates ($12 each) redeemable at participating theaters (click here for a list of participating theaters).
* 1 coupon for a free box of General Mills cereal

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post and share your favorite movie moment. Was it when you spilled popcorn all over your boss, or the first movie you ever saw, or the first time you kissed at the movies? Don't forget to leave an email address or some other way of contacting you!

For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

1) Grab my button -- it's on the left hand sidebar, or click here to get it -- and post it on your blog! (leave a comment here with a link to your site).

2) Blog about this giveaway and include a link to the giveaway post (leave a comment here with a link to your post).

3) Tweet this giveaway (leave a comment with a link to your tweet). Here is a sample tweet you can copy and paste:

Win a night at the movies from General Mills and @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/yl7qzn4


Maximum of 4 entries per person. Prize good at participating theaters and stores only. This giveaway ends at midnight PST on November 14, 2009.; I will draw a winner at random on November 15 and post the winner's name on the comments section soon after. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!


I received my own Movie Moments Prize Pack -- thanks, General Mills and BlogSpark! -- but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Get Healthy Hands Musical Handwash Timer

We're always trying to get the kids to wash their hands, especially now that the flu season is here. Is it lunchtime? Wash your hands. Finished with that ice cream cone? Wash your hands. Did you pick up that paper napkin from the floor of that public restroom? Ugh, wash your hands! Are you sniffling? Wash your hands! And get that finger out of your nose and wash your hands!

Doctors and medical professionals always tell us that washing hands frequently is one of the simplest and most effective ways of preventing the spread of germs and sickness. The CDC has some guidelines for the right way to wash your hands:

* Wet your hands with clean running water and apply soap. Use warm water if it is available.
* Rub hands together to make a lather and scrub all surfaces.
* Continue rubbing hands for 20 seconds. Need a timer? Imagine singing "Happy Birthday" twice to a friend.
* Rinse hands well under running water.
* Dry your hands using a paper towel or air dryer. If possible, use your paper towel to turn off the faucet.

But even with these guidelines, it's tempting to rush through the hand-washing process, especially if you're a kid and your Lego project is waiting upstairs for you. Unless I'm watching them like a hawk, they end up splashing a teaspoonful of water on their hands, or rubbing just a microdot of soap on their hands. That 20-second rule? You have no idea how quickly my kids can sing "Happy Birthday" when they're in a hurry. I recently reviewed a product that has really helped me and my kids do a much better job of washing our hands the right way: the Disney Musical Handwash Timer from Healthy Hands. Here's what we thought of it:

The Basics
The Disney Musical Handwash Timer is a rubber cap that fits over most standard soap nozzles. When you push down on the pump to dispense your soap, you press down on the timer, which turns the music and lights on. The music and lights go off after 20 seconds, so your child knows exactly how long he needs to be scrubbing his hands. There are two versions of the product -- Disney Little Mermaid and Disney Cars -- and each unit will last through over 1,000 uses. The product costs $3.99.

The Bongga
This is one of those ideas that is so simple and brilliant that you wish you had thought of it yourself. We already use musical toothbrushes to help our kids brush their teeth for the right amount of time, so why not a musical timer for handwashing? It's perfect! Even when I'm not in the bathroom with them, I hear the music playing, so I know they're washing their hands, and washing them properly. The timer really keeps us honest -- I'm often tempted to shortcut my handwashing myself, but (20 seconds is longer than you think!). Even better, the timer has made handwashing fun, so the kids actually wash their hands more often.



The Blah
This product is supposed to fit most kinds of liquid soap dispensers -- but it really only works best for the dispensers with thick, chunky soap pumps. The rubber needs to stretch out tight over the pump, otherwise it slips around from side to side, or slips off entirely. And the space between the timer and the soap pump quickly gets filled up with soap, which quickly turns into a chunky, gunky mess. Also, you need to remind your kids to turn off the faucet while they're scrubbing, because you don't want to be wasting all that water. Finally, parents beware -- that song can get pretty irritating!

The Bottom Line
The Disney Musical Hand Wash Timer is a wonderful way to get kids to wash their hands -- and wash them the right way. Just remember to buy a chunky soap dispenser!

I received a sample in order to review this product, but no monetary compensation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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