You're Invited to a Royal Zhu Wedding

Move over, William and Kate! You aren't the only royals who celebrated a wedding: the handsome Prince Dashington and lovely Princess Snowcup had their own fairytale wedding on the very same day! Dashington and Snowcup are the rulers of the adorable Zhu Zhu Princess line, and although they certainly don't need any help in melting kids' hearts, royal weddings don't magically appear all on their own -- so MomSelect invited me to host a Royal Wedding Playdate to help the happy couple plan their fairy tale wedding.

To help us out, MomSelect sent us a Magical Princess Castle, Magical Crystal Ballroom, Magical Princess Carriage, Enchanted Princess Outfit, Enchanted Dragon Outfit and of course, Prince Dashington and Princess Snowcup. The Pea brought her best friend, her brothers and a gazillion yards of tulle, organza, ribbons and beads. Together, they created a wedding fit for a princess!


The Magical Princess Castle is the perfect backdrop for the Official Royal Wedding Photo. The pink turrets look really adorable (only from the front; alas, on the other side they are hollow, and were clearly meant to be the back, even though the kids will spend most of their time playing on that side) and the Royal Outfits are soooo cute. Only someone as dashing as Prince Dashington could pull off the tricorn hat look in the 21st century!


The Magical Crystal Ballroom snaps onto the Magical Princess Castle (or onto any playset in the Zhu Zhu Pet line). This playset is different from any of the other round Zhu Zhu playsets I've seen, because Zhu Zhu Pets don't just scurry around it, or through it. There's actually a little "merry-go-round" contraption in the middle of it so you can place two Zhu Zhu pets on it and watch them dance! The pink "crystal" doors and pink flags and pink trellis make it even more special. I can't think of any girly-girl who wouldn't want both playsets for her Zhu Zhu pets.



The Royal Carriage is absolutely perfect for Princess Snowcup. Most other Zhu Zhu vehicles move with the Zhu Zhu Pet's own scurrying power, but being a princess, of course Princess Snowcup doesn't have to do anything. She leaves the driving to another Zhu Zhu Pet that you hook up to the front of the carriage (That's actually Prince Dashington, disguised as a dragon, pulling the carriage in the photo. Sigh, he loves her so much, he'll do anything for her....)


As usual, the best part for me was seeing how Zhu Zhu Pets brought out the kids' creative side. They really went to town creating outfits for all the royal guests.

Lady Harlow and Lady Bitsy came in matching iridiscent dresses and beaded earrings.


Countess Roxie didn't need jewelry to draw attention to her face; her shocking pink mohawk took care of that! Her outfit was expertly designed (and glued together) by yours truly, at 3Po's request.



Princess Beatrice, eat your heart out! You're not the only one with a penchant for shocking hats (or is that a fascinator?). The Pea's best friend gave Lady Pipsqueak a headgear so fabulous and so fitting to her color, all I can say is.... bongga.



With everyone dressed and ready to go, The Pea and her friend proceeded to film the entire wedding. I won't post everything all at once (every good fairy tale needs a bit of suspense), but here is the first installment for you. Any similarities to the story of a girl named Cinderella are purely coincidental. Or not.


Part 1: Prince Dashington is reluctant to wed



Part 2: The King and Queen throw a Royal Ball




Prince William found his princess, but will Prince Dashington be so lucky? Stay tuned for further installments of The Pea and her friends' reinterpretation of Cinderella, ZhuZhu Princess style!

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

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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Spring Savings, Summer Attractions at the Disneyland Resort

It's springtime at the Disneyland Resort, and although I'm super-sad that they did not host the California Food & Wine festival this year, they've got a lot of things coming in the summer -- Mickey's Soundsational Parade, the reopening of Star Tours, the new Ariel ride, and the renovated Disneyland Hotel. Even better, they are still offering great off-season hotel rates at the Disneyland Resort if you book by May 28. You can save up to 25% at the Grand Californian, up to 20% at the Disneyland Hotel and up to 15% at Paradise Pier, for stays until June 18. Note, one of the summer's biggest new attractions, Ariel's Undersea Adventure at Disney's California Adventure, is opening June 3. So if you act fast, you can enjoy Disney's summer attractions without having to endure the summer heat, summer prices or summer crowds.

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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Announcing America's Best School Music Mash-Up....

I've done a couple of posts (and giveaways) about Apple & Eve's search for the Best School Music Mash-Up, and I've been following the contest personally, first of all because I'm a big Glee fan (Cory Monteith has been involved with this project from the start) and second because I support music education in schools and I think it's great that one elementary school and one middle school will be receiving some much-needed money for their music programs.

Well, the contest is over, and they've picked a winner! Unfortunately, my favorites (Pearl Rucker Elementary and Crittendedn Middle School) didn't win, but congratulations to the two winners -- Michigan's Traverse City West Middle School and Boston's Warren-Prescott Elementary School! You can check out their winning performances on the Apple & Eve Facebook page. You guys rock!

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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Mickey + Minnie Mouse Hand Wash by Method

Being a big Disney fan, I was thrilled when the Mom Bloggers Club invited to review Method's new Mickey + Minnie Hand Wash. I happen to use Method hand soaps and household cleaners because I'm a big fan of their eco-friendly ingredients and minimalist package design. The hand wash definitely did not disappoint, and whether you're looking to complete your Mickey-themed bathroom or just like nice-smelling soap, this is the one for you.


The Basics
Mickey and Minnie are as iconic as they come. which is one of the many reasons we developed a naturally derived, biodegradable foaming hand wash in the likeness of Disney’s most delightful power couple. The gentle formula leaves hands feeling soft + clean. And in bright, fresh fragrances like lemonade and strawberry fizz, you don’t have to be a kid to recognize the scent of the happiness. Let the foam party begin.


The Bongga
I'm not a fan of foaming soaps, but I'm prepared to make an exception for this one. The smell! Oh, the smell! That sunny, fresh lemonade smell! I'll have to look for the strawberry fizz scent to see if it's as good. The Mickey ears bottle is cute too; if only they had made the text on the bottle smaller, I could totally re-use it.

Here's what my boys had to say about the soap:
Jammy: It feels very comfortable, and smells great!

3Po: It makes me want to drink lemonade.


The Blah
Like I said, it would have been so much cuter, more minimalist, less tacky, if the "method" and other lettering on the bottle had been in smaller, more unobtrusive, print.


The Bottom Line
Eco-friendly. Lemon. Mickey Mouse. What's not to love?

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

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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- List Your Giveaways Here

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

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

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Giveaway: Help Sprite Refresh our Parks and Get Kids Playing

Help Sprite refresh parks, playgrounds and active spaces across the nation! Their Spark Parks Project is teaming up with Habitat for Humanity to build and refurbish homes and active spaces. Now everyone can help out by collecting special green tabs from Sprite cans!

Here's how it works:

1) Look for Sprite or Sprite Zero cans with green tabs during the month of April.

2) Start collecting Sprite green tabs now and help raise money to build and refurbish homes and active spaces. For each green tab from Sprite or Sprite Zero received by 6/30/2011, Sprite will donate 10 cents per tab, up to $500,000 (Sprite has guaranteed a minimum $250k donation), to Habitat for Humanity.

3) Place the green tabs in a regular or padded envelope. If using a regular envelope, please limit the number of tabs to 20 per envelope. Affix the appropriate postage and check with your post office to confirm the postage if necessary. Mail the tabs by 6/30/2011 to:

Sprite Green Tabs
PO Box 52666
Knoxville, TN 37950


Visit the official Spark Park Sprite Hub page for more information.

How simple is that? I can't wait to start my own green tab collection so we can help other kids reap the benefits of outdoor play!

Need a bit more motivation to start collecting those green tabs? How about the thought of an extra $2,000 donation from BlogHer to Habitat for Humanity?! If you upload a photo of your Sprite green tab collection to your blog or Facebook page, then leave a link to your photo in the comments section of this post, BlogHer will donate 10 cents to Habitat for Humanity, up to $2,000!

Still need more convincing? How about the chance to win a $100 Shutterfly.com gift card?


Win a $100 gift card to Shutterfly.com
One lucky Bonggamom Finds winner will receive a $100 Shutterfly.com gift card!

Click here to enter the $100 Shutterfly giveaway

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Help kids build good chore habits with GoalForIt.com

Do your kids do chores? Each of mine has chores they need to do (make their beds, load/unload the dishwasher, take out the trash, etc..), and they're pretty good about doing their chores -- when I remind them. I'm doing all the reminding and tracking, and I'm doing it in my head, which means, more often than not, they forget to do their chores and I end up doing them.

Chore charts are a great tool for helping kids keep track of their own progress, and I recently discovered a useful, easy and fun way to create one at GoalForIt.com. They offer a variety of free tools, such as Chore Charts, Behavior Charts, Goal Charts and To-Do Lists, to help people master the art of getting the right things done and bring more focus & personal success into everyday life.

MomSelect and GoalForIt.com invited me to play around with the online tools on the site, I do think their Chore Chart is great. It's easy to create one, and easy for the kids to use.

Here's the chore chart I created for Jammy:

You can add up to 21 chores for the kids' charts (for Jammy, I added "Make My Bed", "Get Ready for School On Time", "Do Homework", "Practice my Reading", "Practice my Music" and "Help with Dishes"). Tween & Teen charts have more options. You can add specific chores such as "Clean Bedroom" and "Take Out Trash" as well as other open-ended goals that address health, personality, personal finance and balance (for example, "Make Good Food Choices", "Bring My Lunch", "Track Spending", etc..).

You can print out the charts and have your kids put stickers on the appropriate spots when they do their chores, or fill them in online with virtual stickers. Young kids will love the variety of colorful stickers they can choose from, and that would be a real motivating factor. The charts also have a "moolah" feature to help motivate older kids. Parents award a certain number of "moolah" or points for completing a particular task, and GoalForIt's chore chart does all the awarding and tracking of moolah points. When kids reach an agreed-upon number of points, they can trade them in for real cash, privileges or whatever rewards kids and parents agree upon.


Here are some benefits to using a Chore Chart:
Responsibility; A Chore Chart is an ideal way to help your kids feel like they are making a contribution to their family by doing their part around the house.

Understanding right from wrong; Setting behavior goals is an important way to help children strengthen their character and judgment.

Healthy Habits; Teaching good habits involving nutrition and physical activity are the cornerstone of prevent obesity in children and adolescents.

Money Matters; The optional point system teaches children three important lessons for managing money; earning, spending and saving.


The tools on GoalForIt.com are a great resource, and best of all, they're free!

Disclosure: This is a compensated post. 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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Nerf Super Soaker review

Heads up, summer's almost here! We celebrated the arrival of warmer weather with all guns blazing -- water guns, that is! The Pea hosted a pool party for 20 of her friends, and they had so much fun with Nerf's two latest Super Soaker water blasters, the Nerf Super Soaker Point Break and the Nerf Super Soaker Hydro Cannon. Litzky PR and Hasbro sent us one of each model to try out, and they were such a huge hit.

The Basics: Nerf Super Soaker Point Break
Ready, aim, soak! Always be prepared for a water fight with the compact and portable Nerf Super Soaker Point Break water blaster. Using pump to fire action, surprise your friends with a steady stream of soakage. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.



At first, the kids told me it didn't work, it wasn't shooting any water, so I took a look at it. The secret to making it fire out a strong, steady stream is to fill it up completely with water -- hold it under a tap or dunk it in water until all no more bubbles come up -- and pressurize it by moving the pumper back and forth until water starts to squirt out of the nozzle (at least 15 pumps, this is very important!). Then press the trigger and watch it go!

The Bongga: What I love
The screw-in cap for the water tank is attached to the toy with a string, so you can't lose it. Also, at $6.99, the Point Break is one of Nerf's most inexpensive Super Soaker toys -- but this little gun really does pack a powerful punch. Forget those tiny cheap-o water pistols, and get this Point Break instead!

The Blah: What I don't love
Nothing! The Point Break is just my style!


Don't be fooled by the smile on my face. I'm just showing the kids how to do it properly. I'm not having any fun at all. No, sir. HA!


The Basics: Nerf Super Soaker Hydro Cannon
Blast your enemies from up to 35 feet away with the massive power of the Nerf Super Soaker Hydro Cannon water blaster. Simply pump to pressurize then pull the trigger to let loose a massive burst of water. Customize your Hydro Cannon water blaster with the detachable shield accessory, included. Available at most major toy retailers nationwide and on HasbroToyShop.com.



Okay, this is one Major, Big A$$ water gun! Unlike most water guns, which let out streams of water, this one releases a big burst of water all at once. If you're on the receiving end of the Hydro Cannon, it will feel like someone has just dumped a whole bucket of water on you, all at once.

Everyone had a turn with the Hydro Cannon -- even this boy:



The Bongga:
What I love: The blast, definitely the blast. It's such a fun change from the usual!

The blast is so immense, I can't describe it. I wasn't able to videotape it or catch it in a photo, so you'll have to watch this video to get a sense of the amount of water it can release:



The Blah: What I don't love
The "shield accessory" that attaches to the side of the Hydro Cannon is cumbersome, and the kids quickly removed it. Plus, it has target crosshairs on it so I feel like it encourages kids to aim the water blaster at someone's forehead or face, something you should never do.


Once summer vacation starts, I'm sure I'll be able to get more videos of the kids playing with these Super Soaker toys; stay tuned for more Super Soaker posts in June!

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 Litzy Public Relations and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Celebrate each Graduation and every Milestone!

Graduation season is quickly approaching -- our schoolyear ends in mid-June but I know many school districts around the country end in late May or even mid-May -- so the hunt is on for party dresses, graduation presents, flowers, balloons, and graduation announcements. And it's not just college graduation; even preschoolers have graduation ceremonies!

Ten years ago I probably would have laughed at how parents take their little kid's graduations so seriously. If I had been blogging, I would have blogged about how the flower and card companies must be laughing all the way to the bank.

Of course, that was before I had kids. Now that I have three kids, I know it's a BIG DEAL. The last graduation I attended was The Pea's graduation from preschool, five years ago, and even then I realized that her graduation was an occasion that deserved to be cherished and celebrated.

Here's The Pea on her graduation day:

And here's what I wrote about the big day on Silicon Valley Moms Blog:

A Tribute to the (Preschool) Class of '06
I just finished reading Pamela's post on her son moving to junior high school, and was moved to write about a similar experience I had today. My daughter had her Pre-Kinder graduation this morning. Since entering Kindergarten is such a big deal to her, we made a big deal of the ceremony as well. All five of us attended, nicely dressed. Other families came with balloons, flowers, and grandparents. We all poked fun at ourselves, taking this so seriously. After all, it's not like they're graduating from Stanford!

The ceremony was simple and sweet. The children marched into their classroom and sang a couple of songs. One by one, they stood up and said what they wanted to be when they grew up (fairy ballerina seemed to be a popular career choice). Then they walked up to their teacher, who gave them diplomas. Parents "aaawwww"-ed and clapped at all the right moments, and camcorders and cameras were everywhere.

Then the teachers brought out the projector screen and began a slideshow presentation. We saw baby pictures of each of our children followed by pictures of them as five-year-olds. That was when the tears started flowing. I bawled my eyes out! There was something so moving about seeing each of these children as infants, so sweet and helpless, with just a hint of the looks and personality of the future five-year-old child. Then, to see them as five-year-olds, so happy and confident and strong, and to realize how far they have come. And how quickly the time passed. There was hardly a dry eye in the place. Moms or dads, first or third child, that slide show touched us all.

So here's to you, (Preschool) Class of '06. You darling, sweet bunch of boys and girls. Your graduation did turn out to be a big deal for everyone. You did a great job at preschool. Have fun this summer before you begin your elementary adventures.

(Sniff.... this is just the first of many graduations for me -- still to come are elementary, middle, and high school graduations, then college and possibly grad school. And I've got three kids! Sigh... I'd better stock up on Kleenex).


Fast forward to five years later, and The Pea seems almost grown up.

Seeing her in this photo makes me all the more happy that we made such a big deal of her preschool graduation! Next year she'll be in fifth grade, and at next year's graduation she probably won't be holding up her diploma with such eager abandon. She'll be a bit more embarrassed, but (even though she'll try to hide it), she'll be just as pleased. She'll graduate from elementary school and move on into the next stage of her life. And that's something worth celebrating. So bring on the graduation announcements, the flowers and the balloons! Just be sure to add a tissue or two so I can bawl into it.



This post was sponsored by Tiny Prints, in the form of a Tiny Prints gift card. All words, views and opinions contained in the post are my own.

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National Donut Day is June 3

Start the countdown: National Doughnut Day is just one month away! Did you know that National Donut Day was started in 1938 as a fund raiser for the Chicago Salvation Army? Their goal was to help the needy during the Great Depression, and to honor the Salvation Army "Lassies" of World War I, who served doughnuts to soldiers.

Here's how donut maker Entenmann's will be honoring the Salvation Army and celebrating National Donut Day:


Help raise money for the Salvation Army
From May 2nd – June 3rd Entenmann's will donate $1 (up to $10,000) to the Salvation Army for every LIKE they receive on the Entenmann's Facebook page.

Win fun Donut Day prizes
Entenmann’s will be hosting their first-ever Donut Day Sweepstakes. Check out the Entenmann's Facebook page where they will be giving away 10 iPads as well as many other daily prizes.


Stay tuned... Entenmann's will be sending me some Donut Day goodies which I'll be sharing with you via a fun Donut Day giveaway!

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. 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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Make any party a hit with Cahooties

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about how Cahooties make great party favors -- and now I have proof! The Pea hosted a birthday swimming party for 20 of her friends over the weekend and the Cahooties we handed out were a smash hit!



In case you haven't heard of Cahooties, they are like paper fortune tellers, but they're made of sturdy, laminated cardboard so you can use it again and again. Also, Cahooties don't just "tell" fortunes -- players also have to answer fun questions, learn interesting facts and complete silly dares. There are over 17 different kinds of Cahooties, with themes ranging from birthdays to best friends to arctic animals to politics (you can read more about them on my original Cahootie review post).

For The Pea's pool party, I rented out the swimming pool where her brothers take swimming lessons. We had the whole pool to ourselves, and the weekend weather could not have been better for water play. There was a grassy picnic area just beside the pool, and I stacked the Cahooties on one of the tables. I thought they looked gorgeous, so bright and colorful and festive!


Naturally all the girls were curious about the Cahooties, but I managed to steer them away from the Cahooties and into the pool. After over an hour of splashy fun, we herded everyone out of the pool. Then, once everyone was warm and dry and full of pizza and cake, I told the girls they could each pick a Cahootie to play with and take home -- and the grabfest began! Everyone rushed to the table to look at all the different kinds of Cahooties they could pick. The Pea, of course, reserved the Birthday Diva Cahootie for herself, but there was more than enough variety for every girl and every interest.



To be perfectly honest, I was surprised at the lack of conflict, or even swapping, going on. It seemed that everyone got a Cahootie they loved. One girl, who is on a soccer and a baseball team, got the Sporty Girls Cahootie; another one, whose mom heads up The Pea's Girl Scout troop, chose the Camp Rocks Cahootie. The Truth or Dare and My Fab Future versions were quite popular (fortunately there were several duplicates, enough to go around), and one little girl, who is not a girly-girl at all, was absolutely delighted to find the Dogs Rule Cahootie amongst all the pink and purple boxes. Seeing her face light up (and hearing her rave about it to her dad when he came to pick her up) made me so grateful that Cahootie also has an assortment of gender neutral games.

The girls spent the rest of the time putting fortune stickers on their Cahooties and playing games with each other. They had so much fun with Cahooties, and since Cahooties are so sturdy, they'll be able to take them home and play with them for a long time! Thanks, Cahooties, for making my daughter's birthday party such a hoot!!

Disclosure: Thank you to Cahooties for providing an assortment of Cahooties for my daughter and her friends to play with. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Save Second Base Tshirts review and giveaway

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

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

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

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


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

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


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


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




Required Entry
Visit the Save 2nd Base store, then come back here and leave a comment on this post telling me which of their shirts you would proudly wear, and why. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


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

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

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

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

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

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

6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):
I entered to win a Save 2nd Base breast cancer awareness tshirt on @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes #giveaways

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



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

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

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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- List your Giveaways Here

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

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

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PediaCare 24-Hour Allergy Review and Giveaway

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

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


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

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


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


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






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


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and share a tip on how to keep your child comfortable when he or she is suffering from a bad cold. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


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

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

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

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

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

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):
Win a set of PediaCare children's cold & fever products from @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes #giveaways

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




The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on May 15, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on May 16 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!




Disclosure: I received a product sample, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Folgers Wake Up With Black Silk Giveaway

Alfie likes his coffee strong and bold. He's no cafe au lait man, he doesn't like being distracted by milk or sugar; he likes his coffee to taste like coffee! That's why Folgers Black Silk coffee, a dark roast coffee that's bold and smooth, could be the perfect cuppa for him. Here's a brief description of Folgers Black Silk coffee: True to its name, Black Silk coffee brings to life the robust flavors of the morning and leaves behind the smoothest of tastes. Wake up to a bold, yet exceptionally smooth blend with a subtle smoky note. Black Silk coffee is just what fans of dark-roasted coffees are looking for, and it’s the perfect coffee to make true believers out of non-bold drinkers. The Classic Complements line of Folgers® Coffee draws its inspiration from exciting places and special moments. Folgers is sending us some Black Silk to try out, and I can't wait to brew up a cup.... but in the meantime, here's a great giveaway that will one of you readers an extra reason to get up in the morning! Win a Folgers Black Silk Prize Pack One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a "Wake up with Black Silk" prize pack from Folgers, which includes: * A sixth month supply of Black Silk * A luxurious black silk robe * Classic red Folgers mug * Two biscotti Required Entry Leave a comment on this post answering the question Why do you want a bold yet smooth cup of coffee in the morning? This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify. Extra Entries For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.). 1) Subscribe to Bonggamom Finds updates (1 entry). 2) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry). 3) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger(1 entry). 4) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry): I entered the Folgers Wake up with Black Silk giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes 5) Write this on the Folgers Facebook page, filling in the blank with your answer (1 entry): I want a bold yet smooth cup of coffee in the morning because _____________________. Share your answer on Bonggamom Finds and you could win a 6-month supply of Folgers Black Silk! http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes 6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet): Share why you want a bold yet smooth cup of coffee with @bonggafinds and you could win a Folgers coffee prize pack! t http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes #giveaways 7) Join any of the open giveaways on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you've joined). The Rules This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on May 15, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on May 16 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck! Disclosure: I am receiving a product pack similar to the prize packs being given away' both were sent by Folgers via Cohn & Wolfe. Product information comes from the Folgers website and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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The Mother of All Giveaways

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

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

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




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




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




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




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




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




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


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me what you would like to receive (or give to the special mom in your life) for Mother's Day. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


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

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

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

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

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

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):
Enter the Mother of All Giveaways at @bonggafinds ! One lucky winner will receive over $300 worth of product http://tinyurl.com/bonggaprizes #giveaways

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



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

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

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The Woman who taught me to Wrap

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

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

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

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

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





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



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

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

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

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Tiny Prints for Mothers Day

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

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



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

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





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




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





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



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

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


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

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