Almond Fresh Whole Foods $40 giveaway

Keep reading for an awesome $40 Whole Foods gift card giveaway!

I'm not a milk drinker, but Alfie and the kids drink milk every single day of their lives -- in their cereal, in a glass, in Alfie's tea. I also use milk in lots of recipes like mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese and creamy soups. Milk and dairy products are the main reason why we think we'd find it impossible to switch to a vegan lifestyle -- we can do without meat, but we just love milk, eggs and cheese too much!

Recently, however, The Pea, who was previously the most reluctant in the family to give up animal products, has become more health conscious and has begun drinking almond milk. She took it upon herself to ask me to buy some almond milk so she could try it in her cereal. She has really taken to the taste, and now has almond milk instead of our regular 2% cow's milk in her cereal once or twice a week. I'm well aware of the benefits of adding more plant-based foods to one's diet, so I'm only too happy to let her continue.



So the time was definitely right to accept an invitation from Canadian beverage company Earth's Own to try two of their brands, Almond Fresh almond milk and Ryza rice milk. Almond Fresh and Ryza are best sellers in Canada, and they have recently debuted in the US. Here's a bit of information about the two brands:

· Ryza™: The only rice beverage to bear the Whole Grains Council seal, Ryza is also the only rice milk to contain 16 grams of whole grains per one cup serving. Ryza contains no added oils, making it half the fat of the leading competitor.

· Almond Fresh™: Made with nutrient-rich real California almonds, Almond Fresh offers a unique “real nutty taste” that is exclusive to the beverage. In 2011, it received the “Best New Product” award in the Dairy Alternative category as voted by more than 25,000 consumers and featured in Canadian Living magazine.

Earth's Own sent me two coupons for Almond Fresh, so I bought a carton of their unsweetened and chocolate varieties (you can find Almond Fresh and Ryza at Whole Foods). I have to admit, I haven't tasted Almond Fresh by itself -- I told you, I don't drink milk -- so I'm handing this review over to our resident almond milk expert, The Pea. She really likes it. She likes certain brands of almond milk better than others, and Almond Fresh is definitely in the "better" category. She says it's thinner than milk, and not as creamy, but it has a nice nutty taste that goes really well with cereal. She says that the Almond Fresh chocolate variety is practically indistinguishable from low fat chocolate milk when it's served very, very cold.

I may have handed over the product tester badge to The Pea for this review, but I'm still the family cook, and I wanted to see how Almond Fresh compares to milk when used in recipes. I tried the cream of almond and wild mushroom soup from their website:

Almond Fresh Cream of Almond and Wild Mushroom Soup

(recipe from the Almond Fresh website)

3 tbsp olive oil or butter
1 cup shallot, finely diced
1 cup leeks, finely sliced
¼ tsp dried red chili flakes
4 cups sliced mixed mushrooms (brown or white button, crimini, portobello, chanterelle or a mix of your favourites)
4 tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups vegetable stock
2 ½ cups Almond Fresh Unsweetened
sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 tsp fresh thyme
¼ cup cooked black beans
¼ cup diced red potato
salt & ground pepper to taste
2 tsp chopped parsley

1. Heat oil or butter in large pot. Add shallots, leeks and chili flakes, sauté over medium heat until vegetables are translucent.

2. Add mushrooms and cook stirring often until mushrooms have begun to lose their liquid and have started to brown. Stir in flour, coating vegetables.

3. Add the vegetable stock and Almond Fresh stirring constantly to keep lumps from forming. Add rosemary, bay leaf and thyme and bring to a boil.

4. Add the hot Almond Fresh to the roux 1 cup at a time, whisking continuously until very smooth.
5. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with fresh parsley.



This soup is sooooo good. The title says "Wild Mushroom", but I used regular old sliced white mushrooms and it came out fantastic. The soup is creamy and savory, exactly what a good cream of mushroom soup should be. Alfie didn't realize we had used almond milk at all.

So, substituting almond milk for regular milk in recipes has no significant difference in taste or texture -- but it does make a huge difference in nutrition. Just look at the comparison of some key nutrition information for a 1-cup serving of Almond Fresh original versus 2% cow's milk!

Calories: 70 for Almond Fresh original vs. 140 for 2% cow's milk
Fat: 2g for Almond Fresh original vs. 5g for 2% cow's milk
Saturated fat: 0.2g for Almond Fresh original vs. 3g for 2% cow's milk
Calcium: 30% DV* for Almond Fresh original vs. 35% DV for 2% cow's milk
Vitamin D: 45% DV for Almond Fresh original vs. 25% DV for 2% cow's milk

* % DV stands for percent daily value


The 2% cow's milk has slightly more calcium, but in everything else, it's trounced by Almond Fresh. I'm really watching my weight these days, so I eat a lot of soups, but have avoided making creamy, milky soups. Now that I know about Almond Fresh, I no longer have to. I'm giving Almond Fresh my official seal of approval -- what a great alternative to cow's milk!


Win a $40 gift card to Whole Foods
Earth's Own is giving a $40 Whole Foods gift card to one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader!


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which variety of Almond Fresh you would most like to try. This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

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

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

2) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Almond Fresh giveaway! http://ow.ly/6wCGm

3) Write this on the Almond Fresh Facebook page (1 entry):
Bonggamom sent me-- I'd love to win the $40 Whole Foods giveaway on Bonggamom Finds so I can try some Almond Fresh! http://ow.ly/6wCGm

4) Add the Bonggamom Finds blog button to your sidebar (1 entry).

5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger/Google Friend Connect (1 entry).

6) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggafinds Enter to win a $40 Whole Foods gift card from Earth's Own! Enter at http://ow.ly/6wCGm #giveaways




The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on October 7, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on October 8 and post the winner's name after he/she confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received 2 coupons for a free carton of Almond Fresh. 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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Quest For Zhu releases September 27

The kids have known about the new Zhu Zhu Pets movie, Quest for Zhu, for some time now, and they've been eagerly awaiting the release along with everyone else. So you can imagine their delight when I told them that MomSelect had chosen us to host a Quest for Zhu Premiere Party. The DVD will be hitting shelves this September 27th, so this was truly a first, and the kids were so excited that they would be seeing Quest for Zhu ahead of everyone else!


Here's a synopsis of the movie:
Join the feisty and lovable Pipsqueak as she gets swept away to the other side of the Zhuniverse. On her adventure, she befriends Chunk, Num Nums and Mr. Squiggles, and when they arrive at the Palace of Zhu, they realize it is just the beginning of their remarkable journey. A mean-spirited and controlling reptilian creature, Mezhula, tries to stand in the way of making all of their dreams come true but, by working together, our true Zhu heroes save the day! Pipsqueak realizes she already had everything she ever dreamed of and all she really wants is to find a way back home.


My kids and their friends are big Zhu Zhu Pets fans, so everyone we invited was looking forward to watching the movie. In addition to the Quest for Zhu DVD, MomSelect also sent us some Zhu Zhu activity sheets to get everyone in the Zhu Zhu Zhone (I'll share some of the activity sheets with you all in a future post!), as well as some boxes of Twizzlers to munch on while watching.



Of course, no movie is complete without popcorn, so we had bowlfuls of it to accompany the Twizzlers!


In addition to our human guests, we also had quite a few extra-special guests who were just as excited to watch Quest For Zhu, along with their owners. The kids gave their Zhu Zhus front-row seats for the movie, and I must say, the Zhu Zhu pets behaved extremely well throughout the movie --no chattering or scurrying whatsoever! In fact, the only sound other than the movie soundtrack was the occasional laughter and giggles of the kids during the funny parts.


The kids really enjoyed watching Quest For Zhu. It's a fun movie with lots of cute characters and not-so-scary scenes, so I think it would appeal to most children, but for my kids and other Zhunatics, Quest For Zhu really does have a special place in their hearts. They loved seeing the Zhu Zhu pets or Zhu Zhu playsets that they own appear in the movie, and they loved finally getting to hear what Mr. Squiggles and Chunk and Num Nums sounded like. It was like the Zhuniverse of their imaginations had come to life!

MomSelect also included a set of questions to ask the kids after they watched the movie, and I thought it would be fun to share my own kids' answers with everyone, because a couple of answers are hilarious:

What was your favorite part during the Quest for Zhu movie?
3Po: When they saw Bigfoot.
Jammy: It was all good.
The Pea: When Pipsqueak found herself in the land of Zhu.

Who was your favorite character, and why?
3Po: Mr. Squiggles, because he's silly.
Jammy: Chunk, because he's all dude-ish, and I like that.
The Pea: Num Num, because she's cute and shy and she likes carrots.

What was your favorite song during the movie?
3Po: The Celebration song.
Jammy: The Celebration song.
The Pea: The ABC song.

What lesson did Pipsqueak learn during the movie?
3Po: Don't dislike someone if she's disrespectful to you just once.
Jammy: Don't get too angry at people.
The Pea: To forgive.

Would you recommend the Quest for Zhu movie to a friend?
3Po: Yes!
Jammy: Yes!
The Pea: Yes!

If you could change one thing about the Quest for Zhu movie, what would it be?
3Po: The songs should not be Michael Jackson songs.
Jammy: I would put Kung Zhus in the movie.
The Pea: I would change the way Pipsqueak got to the land of Zhu -- I'm imagining a gentle wind and some birds carrying her, instead of sparkles.


What was your favorite setting from the Quest for Zhu movie?
3Po: The jungle.
Jammy: The Palace.
The Pea: The land of Zhu.

If you could see the Quest for Zhu movie again, would you want to?
3Po:
Jammy:
The Pea: Yes!

Fortunately, MomSelect gave us the Quest for Zhu movie DVD to keep, so they can!

Disclosure: I received a Quest for Zhu Premiere Party package courtesy of MomSelect. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Aerobie Skylighter Flying Disk review and giveaway

All summer long, we've had tons of fun tossing around our amazing Sprint flying ring -- but now fall is here, with shorter days and earlier dusk. The twilight hours haven't stopped my kids from playing outside, and now, thanks to Aerobie's new lighted flying disc, the Skylighter, playing outside in the evening is more fun than ever. Aerobie sent us a Skylighter to review and play with, and they're even providing one to give away! Keep reading to find out more...


The Basics

About the Skylighter: Extend the fun of playing with an Aerobie flying disc into the night with the new Skylighter lighted disc. Its bright LEDs illuminate the clear center and the translucent colored rim to make the entire Skylighter appear bright in the night sky. With the patented Aerobie spoiler rim design, the Skylighter is easy for players of all skill levels to throw well. Its narrow profile and large 12 inch (30cm) diameter make the Skylighter fly far and straight.

The Bongga

The Skylighter is a wonderful frisbee! It flies really nicely, even when the boys don't throw it perfectly.



The boys are really having some great, active afterschool fun tossing the Skylighter back and forth! They love the way it "floats" in the air.


But it's when you turn the LED light on that things get really special. The Skylighter has a little switch underneath that turns the LED light on (I like that you can turn it off when you're not using it so you save the battery).


It's so much fun to see the lighted-up Skylighter in the air! It looks great even in the daytime, but at dusk it really looks like a UFO!


The Blah
Compared to the Sprint, the Skylighter is bulkier and heavier, and doesn't fly as fast or far -- which is actually not such a bad thing, because it can't get lost as easily!


The Bottom Line
I can't put it any plainer than this:


Translation: The Aerobie Skylighter will light up playtime and put a smile on your child's face.



Win an Aerobie Skylighter Flying Disk
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win an Aerobie Skylighter Flying Disk!



Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and share a tip for keeping your kids active after school. This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

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

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

2) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Aerobie Skylighter giveaway! http://ow.ly/6tDUr

3) Add the Bonggamom Finds blog button to your sidebar (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger/Google Friend Connect (1 entry).

5) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
Enter to win a Aerobie Skylighter Flying Disk at @bonggafinds! Enter at http://ow.ly/6tDUr #giveaways

6) Join any of the open giveaways on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for each giveaway you've joined)




The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 30, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on October 1 and post the winner's name after he/she 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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Eight O'Clock Back to School Giveaway

School has been in for just 3 weeks, and already my mommy brain is showing signs of cracking. I've already forgotten to pick up the kids at the right dismissal time. This weekend I took 3Po to a class party at his classmate's home -- only to discover that the party was set for next weekend. Yesterday I showed up for library duty two hours early because I thought it was The Pea's library day, not Jammy's.

When my sanity -- or worse, my family's schedule -- is threatened, I could sure use all the help I can get. For parents who need a little help in getting back into the swing of things, Eight O'Clock Coffee has prepared some survival tips to ease your Back To School Routine:

TIP 1: Become Your Own Brewista – Save time, money and gas this back-to-school season by brewing your morning coffee at home. You can even set your coffee maker’s timer the night before to wake up to great-smelling Eight O’Clock Coffee.

TIP 2: Preplan Lunch – A few days before school starts, sit down with your kids and create a grocery list of healthy snacks and lunches they would like for school. Rotate each of their selections throughout the week. Make Tuesday “Turkey Tuesday” or Wednesday “Wrap Wednesday” – adding variety to keep lunch exciting. When possible, pack their lunch the night before to reduce stress in the morning.

TIP 3: Assemble Weekly Wardrobes – Every Sunday check the upcoming weekly weather forecast with your kids. Then, have them pick out five outfits for the upcoming school week. Hang them in daily order in their closet to avoid the inevitable, “Mom, I can’t find my favorite blue shirt!”

TIP 4: Be Prepared for School Projects – Avoid late night rushing around to complete school projects by having art supplies on hand. Create an arts and craft bin that includes more than just crayons and colored paper. Collect items like pipe cleaners, stickers, figurines, beads – even coffee beans – and other creative finds, and put the fun back in school projects.


Stick with it, and I'm sure you'll be breezing through your school day mornings in no time! Let's hope I do as well....


Win an Eight O'Clock Back to School Survival Pack

One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a Back-to-School Parent Survival Pack! Courtesy of Eight O'Clock Coffee, this pack includes a drawstring bag, travel mug and 2 bags of Eight O’Clock Coffee to help start your mornings off right.




Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and share a tip for making your family's school mornings less hectic. This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

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

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

2) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Eight O'Clock giveaway! http://ow.ly/6tBt9

3) Add the Bonggamom Finds blog button to your sidebar (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger/Google Friend Connect (1 entry).

5) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
Enter to win a Back to School Survival Pack from Eight O'Clock coffee and @bonggafinds! Enter at http://ow.ly/6tBt9 #giveaways

6) Join any of the open giveaways on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for each giveaway you've joined)




The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 25, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on September 26 and post the winner's name after he/she confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a Back to School Survival Kit from Eight O'Clock as a thank-you for posting the tips and running the giveaway. Back to School tips were provided by Eight O'Clock and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Disney on Ice presents Treasure Trove

Fall is here, which means apples, pumpkins... and ice? Disney on Ice, that is! Everyone's favorite ice show is coming back to the Bay Area: Disney On Ice presents Treasure Trove will be playing Oracle Arena in Oakland from October 12-16 and HP Pavilion at San Jose from October 19-23, and tickets go on sale starting today. And as a Feld Family Activator, I've got discount codes for everyone!

Dates and Tickets
Oracle Arena in Oakland – October 12-16
HP Pavilion at San Jose – October 19-23

Regular Ticket prices:

$16, $25, $45 (VIP), $75(Front Row)
All kids’ tickets only $10!

*Opening Night Ticket Price:
$15.00 all seats excluding VIP/Front Row
Tickets available
at all Ticketmaster locations, at the Box Office, online, or charge by phone 1-800-745-3000

Save on Tickets to Disney on Ice presents Treasure Trove

SPECIAL OFFERS-BEGINNING September 12, 2011

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

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

Look for the Bay Area shows of Disney on Ice presents Treasure Trove at www.ticketmaster.com and enter redemption code when purchasing your tickets!

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

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Befuddled Moms Guide to Redakai

I've been meaning to blog about Redakai for more than a few weeks now. After all, it's only the coolest card game on the planet. It was only my sons' favorite toy out of all the toys I brought home from BlogHer 2011. Even though all I brought home was a measly sample pack of 11 cards, they loved it so much that they actually decided to spend some of their own hard-earned money to go out and buy themselves a Redakai starter pack.

What held me back? I'm ashamed to admit it, but the truth is that I didn't know how to play the card game! Me, an adult with an advanced degree in engineering and years of experience testing financial trading software, didn't know how to play a game that my 7-year old sons figured out in fifteen minutes. So I procrastinated on raving about Redakai.

Until last week, when I attended an online info session on the basics on Redakai, hosted by my favorite toy gurus, Jim Silver and Chris Byrne from Time To Play. If Jim and Chris say a toy is hot, it's hot -- Chris is The Toy Guy, after all -- and if anyone can show me how to work a toy, they can. I've finally figured out how to play with Redakai cards, and I'm even more ashamed than ever that I didn't take the time (all of 15 minutes) to learn!

If your son's constant chattering about Redakai is making your head hurt so all you can do is smile and nod, just read my primer below. You'll finally be able to make some intelligent comments and impress your son with your coolness and knowledge of Redakai!

Everything Any Mom Needs to Know About Redakai

It turns out that playing Redakai is so simple, even a kindergartener who doesn't know how to read can play the basic game. What makes things so easy is that the cards themselves do all the work for you. Players no longer have to keep track of how many points or powers or upgrades or whatever, because all you have to do in order to play is stack cards on top of your deck, or your opponent's deck, until one of you wins.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me introduce you to the three basic types of Redakai cards:

The Cards

Character cards
These cards represent the characters on the Redakai show. Here are four examples of character cards: Ky, Zane, Rynoh and Koz (Drudgers Domain has an easy-to-read list of Redakai series 1 character cards ). You can tell it's a character card by looking at the symbol on the top left-hand corner of the card; character cards have a funny gold symbol.

Each basic Redakai card pack comes with a character card. You will be playing the card game as one of these characters, so at the beginning of the game, you will select one character card and lay it down in front of you. Your opponent will try to attack you by laying attack cards down over your character card. You can defend yourself by laying monster cards down over your character card.



Attack cards
These cards represent the ways you can attack your opponent. Here are four examples of attack cards (Drudgers Domain has an easy-to-read list of Redakai series 1 character cards ). You can tell it's an attack card by looking at the symbol on the top left-hand corner of the card. Attack cards have either a green, red or blue circle (signifying attack color) with a number inside it. Don't ask me what the number signifies -- hey, this is a basic primer!

Each basic Redakai card pack comes with an assortment of attack cards, which you will shuffle and stack along with your monster cards. When it is your turn, you will draw a card from your deck. If it's an attack card, and if the attack is strong enough, you can place it on top of your opponent's character card to do some damage.




Monster cards
Monsters are a great way to strengthen your character and thwart your opponent's attacks. Here are four examples of monster cards (Drudgers Domain has an easy-to-read list of Redakai series 1 monster cards ). You can tell it's a monster card by looking at the symbol on the top left-hand corner of the card. Monster cards have light blue circle with a number inside it. Again, I have no clue what the number signifies, but you can ignore it for the basic game.

Each basic Redakai card pack comes with an assortment of monster cards, which you will shuffle and stack along with your attack cards. When it is your turn, you will draw a card from your deck. If it's a monster card, you can place the monster card on top of your own character card. This "transforms" your character into a more powerful monster, which gives you more defense power and might even restore some of your health.



Okay, now that you know can tell one card from the other, here's how to play the basic game:

The Basic Game

1) Select a character card to play with and lay him/her down in front of you. By the way, there are a couple of things you need to know about the character card:

• Note the 3 yellow bars on the top right-hand corner of the card. These are your character's damage zones. Currently the card has 3 yellow bars, which is great. If your character's bars turn red, he has sustained some damage and is not feeling so great. 3 red bars mean he's done for, and the game is over, and you've lost.
• Note the numbered boxes on the left side of the card. These are your character's defense zones. Each zone has a different color (red, green or blue) and a number which indicates strength. So for the card above, Ky has 300 blue defense, 100 red defense and zero green defense.
  

2) Shuffle your attack cards and monster cards and stack them up into a deck. You can have anywhere between 10-40 cards in your deck.

3) Toss a coin to see who goes first. You'll be taking turns hereafter.

4) When it's your turn, you draw a card from your own stack. It will either be an attack card or a monster card.

4a) If the card you drew is an attack card, look at your card's Attack Power number and color. Check out the attack card Electric Crush below: the circle on the top left-hand corner is blue, so its attack color is blue, and the number on the bottom right-hand corner is 450, so its attack number is 450.

Now look at your opponent's character card defenses. If your attack card's number is greater than the character's defense number, for the same color, place the attack card over your opponent's character. If it's less, you're out of luck. You discard the attack card and your opponent now takes a turn.

In the example above, we are pretending that it's my opponent's turn, and Electric Crush is my opponent's attack card. Ky has a blue defense of 300, and Electric Crush has a blue attack number of 450 -- since 450 is greater than 300, my opponent can lay his Electric Crush card on top of my Ky character. Note that the semi-transparent Electric Crush card has changed the way my Ky character card looks. It looks like Ky is being struck by some kind of greenish light, and he now only has 1 yellow bar left! That's the magic of Redakai cards at work; the cool, real-time updating graphics are also the mechanism for keeping score.



4b) If the card you drew is a monster card, place the monster card over your own character.

In the example above, I have just been attacked with Electric Crush, and my Ky character was down to 1 yellow bar. It's my turn now, and I've just drawn a monster card. This happens to be the super-rare, super-powerful Metanoid -- boy, am I in luck! I lay the Metanoid card over my opponent's Electric Crush card, which is over my Ky card. By doing this, I've transformed Ky into Metanoid. Now see what has happened. First of all, my health has been restored once more to 3 yellow bars. Second, I've been given greater defenses -- I now have 300 blue defense, 500 green defense and 500 red defense (if you recall, Ky previously had just 300 blue, 100 red and 0 green). I'm now more powerful than ever!

5) Keep drawing cards in turn, following step 4a and 4b to determine what to do with the cards. The game ends when either you or your opponent have 3 red damage bars.


See, easy-peasy! So cool, kids love it -- but so simple, even a mom can do it :)

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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Heidi Klum Shine

Alfie once saw Heidi Klum in the flesh about fifteen years ago, when he was in Australia. He said it's easy to see why she's a supermodel -- she's clearly head and shoulders above the rest of the population in the looks department. Heidi did get lucky with her looks, but she's not just a pretty face. Look at what she has accomplished in just 38 years! She's a supermodel, designer, "Project Runway" host, producer, mother and wife.

Now Heidi has added perfumer to her resume. Her new perfume, Shine, has just launched in stores; Heidi Klum Shine eau de toilette can be found at Rite Aid Stores nationwide. The .5 oz bottle is $17 and the 1oz bottle is $28.

Shine oriental scent made of pink peppercorn, pear and mandarin top notes; a mimosa absolute, sunflower, and lily of the valley heart; and musk cosmone, vanilla and Venezuelan tonka bean drydown. Rite Aid sent me a small bottle of SHINE to try out for myself, and not being a perfumer, I couldn't exactly identify with any of those scents. All I know is that Shine is a really nice fragrance that could be worn during the day or night. This is no light, fruity, girly fragrance -- it's definitely for a woman, but it's not grandmotherly at all. The scent stays on your skin for quite a while, and you smell nice the whole time. In my opinion, the scent merits a more refined, expensive-looking bottle, but it's not a big deal. Alfie has given Shine a thumbs-up, saying any man wouldn't mind dating a woman who smells like that.


Get $5 off Heidi Klum's SHINE from Rite Aid
You can save $5 on your purchase of SHINE through Rite Aid's Video Values program! Just go to Rite Aid's Video Values page and click on the "Great Offers" tab at the bottom of the page. Scroll through the video offers until you find the SHINE video. You'll be asked to watch a video showing a sneak peek of Heidi's SHINE commercial (trust me, it's not torture, who wouldn't want to look at Heidi Klum for a minute!). After the video ends, you'll be asked to type in a series of letters, then you'll be given the $5 off coupon!

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 Rite Aid and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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It's Halloween Time once again at the Disneyland Resort!

Now that fall is here, I'm starting to see the pumpkins come out in craft stores and supermarkets. Halloween catalogs are starting to arrive at our door in droves -- and I just saw a billboard for Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort as I was driving down Highway 101.

Seeing that billboard really immersed me in nostalgia and memories. We got to visit the Disneyland Resort around this time last year, and everything was even more magical than usual, with amazing fall decorations, Halloween-themed rides and costumed characters. This is probably one of the best times, if not the best time to visit -- the crowds are thinner, the lines are shorter, the air is cooler, and all the attractions are just as much fun as they are in the peak season. If you get the chance, you really should go. Don't have kids? Who needs kids? Grownups have just as much fun!


And if you love the energy of parties and crowds, never fear, you can always get tickets to Mickey's Halloween Party! I've never been to this, but I can only imagine how much fun it would be -- trick-or-treating around Disneyland Park, watching the fireworks, getting your photo taken with all the characters, partying with all the aliens in Tomorrowland, all in costume. I already have the whole family's costumes planned in the event that we ever have the opportunity to attend -- we're all going to dress as characters from Alice in Wonderland. Alfie will be the Mad Hatter, The Pea will be Alice, 3Po and Jammy will be Tweedledum and Tweedledee. As for me, I'll be the Red Queen of Hearts, of course!

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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Wubbzy and the Fire Engine giveaway

Sound the alarm! Wubbzy and his pals are coming to DVD in a brand-new DVD on September 13. Their latest DVD is "Wubbzy And the Fire Engine", just in time for National Fire Prevention Week, which starts on October 9. To celebrate the release of "Wubbzy And the Fire Engine", I'm giving away a copy of the DVD to one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader!

About the DVD
Wubbzy and his best buddies, Widget, Walden and Daizy, suit up for six memorable stories in “Wubbzy And The Fire Engine” ($16.98). Each of the new title’s engaging episodes feature gentle lessons about helping out, working together and getting the job done that will resonate with kids everywhere. This latest release whisks preschoolers along as Wubbzy has a fire engine adventure with Widget in “Wubbzy And The Fire Engine”; delivers Daizy’s doodleberry treats – the Wubbzy way – in “What Would Wubbzy Do?” and helps rebuild a neighbor’s house with a little help from a pro in “Ty Ty The Tool Guy,” featuring the voice of Ty Pennington, host of the popular TV series “Extreme Home Makeover.”

About Wubbzy
“Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!” has been a hit with young viewers and their families since its 2006 TV premiere on Nickelodeon®, and the show currently airs daily on Nick Jr. Wubbzy is a fun, lovable, curious little guy who just likes to play, play, play with his friends in the eye-popping town of Wuzzleburg. The top-rated series supports preschool social skills – sharing, listening, compromising, helping and appreciating others, self-awareness and the use of humor as a coping skill.

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite Wow! Wow! Wubzy character. This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

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


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

2) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Wubbzy DVD giveaway! http://ow.ly/6pxMu

3) Add the Bonggamom Finds blog button to your sidebar (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger/Google Friend Connect (1 entry).

5) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
Enter to win a Wubbzy and the Fire Engine DVD on @bonggafinds http://ow.ly/6pxMu

6) Join any of the open giveaways on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for each giveaway you've joined)




The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 20, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on September 21 and post the winner's name after he/she confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. I will be receiving a Wubbzy DVD as a thank-you for posting this information and giveaway. Product information is provided by Grand Communications and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Minus417 nail care kit giveaway

Moms, now that the kids are back in school, we finally have time to start taking care of ourselves -- so take an extra-long power walk, have coffee with a friend, or have your nails done! With today's giveaway from Minus 417, one lucky winner won't even need to leave home to enjoy a bit of hand pampering.

About Minus417
Minus417 is the lowest point on Earth and situated at 1,373 ft (-417 meters) below sea level, where time stands still. -Minus417 specializes in combining ancient knowledge with high technology. Their products are based on an optimal balance between the components’ proportions and their cosmetic effects. These products present a unique cosmetic development, the Vitamin Mineral Complex, a scientific combination of natural active components, like moisture-balancing select minerals from the Dead Sea, energizing anti oxidant vitamins and unique plant extracts from France , designed to assist in regenerating skin cells and preventing aging signs. All –Minus417 products are paraben and mineral oil frhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifee. For the first time ever they are now available to American consumers.

For more information and to see the full product line, visit www.minus417.com.

Win a Minus417 professional nail care kit

One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a professional nail care kit from Minus417, consisting of:



· Nail buffer
· Nail file
· Cuticle oil (30 ml.)
· hand moisturizer (50 ml.)
· foot nourishing cream (50 ml.)

Retail Price: $39.48

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me what you like to do when you need some "me" time and want to pamper yourself! This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

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


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

2) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Minus417 giveaway! http://ow.ly/6pxvw

3) Add the Bonggamom Finds blog button to your sidebar (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger/Google Friend Connect (1 entry).

5) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
Enter to win a Minus417 nail care kit on @bonggafinds http://ow.ly/6pxvw

6) Join any of the open giveaways on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for each giveaway you've joined)




The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 20, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on September 21 and post the winner's name after he/she 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 is provided by KMR Communications and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Introducing Orchard Bars from Liberty Orchards

Do you remember Aplets and Cotlets? These chewy, walnut-studded apple and apricot candies were my grandmother's favorite present, and every time I saw a box of these in her room I could never resist taking a piece. They had such an interesting texture, like Turkish Delight, and I loved the real fruity taste.

Perhaps because of the association with my grandmother, I tend to think of Aplets and Cotlets as a quaint, old-fashioned kind of candy -- but now Liberty Orchards, the makers of Aplets and Cotlets, have moved with the times and come up with a wonderful new treat called Orchard Bars.

About Orchard Bars
NEW from Washington State’s orchard country, all-natural Orchard Bars are loaded with real fruit, heart-healthy nuts, nutritious seeds, and protein-rich soy nuggets. No date paste filler, no peanuts, no strange substances from the lab. Just all-natural energy from fruits, nuts, and seeds.

The all natural, vegan and gluten free Orchard Bars are loaded with fruit and nuts, sunflower and flax seeds. The result is a delicious burst of flavor rich in antioxidants (vitamins A & C), low in sodium, vegan, gluten free high in Omega-3 and a good source of protein. And with no preservatives, no artificial flavors or colors, and no cholesterol or saturated fat, they are a great, healthy snack before soccer practice or on the way to piano lessons.


Liberty Orchards sent me a sample of each of their Orchard Bar varieties -- Blueberry Pomegranate & Almond, Pineapple Coconut & Macadamia, and Strawberry Raspberry & Walnut -- and I have a confession to make. I loved them so much, I ate all three by myself. Shh! Don't tell Alfie and the kids, but I couldn't bring myself to share. These Orchard Bars are fantastic! The "About" section above reads like a health food ad, but Orchard Bars are no mealy, wheat-germy, bland-tasting bars. They are bursting with flavor! Not sugary, syrupy flavor, but real fruity flavor. Just typing this makes me crave more Orchard Bars -- unfortunately, their availability is ultra-limited, mostly in the Northwestern states and on the Liberty Orchards online store. You can check to see where Orchard Bars are sold here.

Here's hoping they get Orchard Bars into more stores soon....


Try Orchard Bars for $2.50
If you can't find Orchard Bars in your local store, don't worry -- you can purchase a sample of Orchard Bars from the Liberty Orchards online store for just $2.50, shipping included! They'll send you their Blueberry Pomegranate & Almond bar and their Strawberry Raspberry & Walnut bar. It's the best $2.50 you'll ever spend! (the fine print: first-time customers only, one sample per customer, US addresses only)

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

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Fashion Playtes

My daughter definitely has her own sense of style, and ever since she attended a Fashion Design camp this summer, she's been itching to sew her own outfits. Her sewing ability is not quite up to the level where she actually wear one of her creations in public, so for now she has to be content with blinging up existing clothing with fabric paint, ribbons, rhinestones and such. To her great delight, there's an online site that lets girls do exactly that -- design their own clothing by starting with an existing item (a shirt, a tank top, a dress, etc...) and adding graphics, ribbons, lace, bows, buttons, you name it! It's called Fashion Playtes, and it's a great way to let your daughter exercise her creative urges.

About Fashion Playtes
FashionPlaytes is an online fashion community for girls who love to design their own clothes and accessories. The best part is that you can actually order your designs online and have your custom clothes and accessories shipped right to you! As a FashionPlaytes designer, you can create your own personal brand and fashion collection. We want to give you everything you need to become the ultimate designer, so we have tons of embellishments and a tool that lets you customize your own label!

I've been following Fashion Playtes for quite some time now, because I knew it was exactly the kind of thing The Pea would love, so I was overjoyed when I saw Fashion Playtes at the MomSelect Swag Suite at BlogHer 2011. They gave everyone who dropped by a gift certificate to Fashion Playtes so we could try it out ourselves!

The Bongga
Creating your own fashions with Fashion Playtes couldn't be easier. Here's how it works:

Step 1: Choose your clothing item
Choose the item you want to design. Fashion Playtes has lots of different styles of tops, bottoms, dresses, outerwear, loungewear, beachwear, and accessories, even doll clothes! Each item has a base cost, and the final cost goes up depending on what you add to it.

Step 2: Choose your size
Fashion Playtes clothing comes in five girls' sizes, from 8 to 14.

Step 3: Choose a color
Each clothing item comes in a variety of bright colors that girls love, like lime green, hot pink and lemon yellow, as well as a tie dyes and prints (the available selection varies with the clothing item).

Step 4: Choose a design
This is the fun part! You can add graphics, embroidered appliques, rhinestones, letters, or numbers to the front of your clothing item. You can add trim -- lace, ribbons, ruffles, rhinestones, you name it -- to the necklines and hems of shirts, to skirt bottoms. You can add a lace collar or a rosette. The possibilities are endless. You can even add a custom label to your item! Each element you select adds to the total cost of the garment; you can keep track of what you're adding via the onscreen garment icon, which changes as you add elements, as well as a running price total.

You can design as many virtual outfits as you like, and if you create a Fashion Playtes account, you can save your creations and model them on an avatar. Best of all, you can purchase the outfits you designed!



Here's one of the outfits The Pea designed for herself: a summer pajama set.



Here's what the outfit looks like on her Fashion Playtes avatar.



And here's what the outfit looks like on her! She loves this PJ set. The material is really nice and soft, and after multiple washings the fabric is just as smooth as ever, no pilling. The graphic is really high quality, and has not cracked or faded from the dryer.



Here's another Fashion Playtes item she ordered, a cute blue tank top with a surfer girl graphic. Love it!

The Blah
The final price for these outfits are definitely higher than what you'd pay to get a printed tank top or pj set, but you're paying for the ability to create an original design, exactly the way you want it, down to the last rhinestone and lace frill. They do hold occasional sales, so if you wait for them you'll be able to get a discount -- just make sure you get on their email list!


The Bottom Line
Fashion Playtes are so much fun for girls because they get to design and wear their very own outfits. Their gift certificates make wonderful presents because girls end up with exactly what they want!

Disclosure:. I received a complimentary gift certificate to Fashion Playtes so my daughter could design her own outfit. Product information is provided by Fashion Playtes and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Zhu Zhu Baby Party

What's cuter than a Zhu Zhu pet? A Zhu Zhu baby, that's what! These tiny versions of Zhu Zhu pets are the most adorable things ever! They aren't motorized like regular Zhu Zhu pets; these babies roll along with the help of a metal ball bearing on their bottoms. They come with a little pram, a blanket and three tiny toys. They have cute names like Buttercheeks and Snicklefritz. And just like the rest of the Zhuniverse, they're not limited to hamsters anymore!


MomSelect and Cepia sent us an assortment of Zhu Zhu Babies so I could invite the kids' friends over for a special Zhu Zhu Baby party. Each child got to choose her very own Zhu Zhu Baby! With so many kinds, from baby penguins to baby squirrels to baby ponies to baby kitties, each child was able to pick the baby she liked best.



As usual, whenever The Pea, Jammy, 3Po and their friends get together for Zhu Zhu playdates, the creative, crafty juices started flowing. Out came the paper, pens, tape and glue to make little paper chairs, hats and cots for the Zhu Zhu Babies. I love how these little pets spark my kids' creativity!

Everyone really enjoyed creating Zhu Zhu Baby birth certificates using the blank birth certificates I made for them. Everyone gave their Zhu Zhu Babies a special name, and they got to choose the baby's sex, weight (we tried weighing them on my kitchen scale, but it's not a very good scale, and they didn't register at all, so they made up the weight!), birthday and location of birth. I added a space for them to draw a picture of their Zhu Zhu Babies, so we ended up with some pretty adorable birth certificates (I'll post a blank template of the birth certificate in a future Zhu Zhu Baby post so you can use it for your own Zhu Zhu Baby parties!).



The kids spent most of the party admiring their Zhu Zhu Babies and rocking them to sleep on the Triplet Bedroom playset that MomSelect included in our party pack (I'll post a separate review of the Triplet Bedroom playset soon!).



And what could be more perfect for our party snack than Mommy and Baby cupcakes? So dainty and sweet -- almost as sweet as the Zhu Zhu Babies!



If your little girl is a Zhu Zhu fan, I'm sure she would love to have Zhu Zhu Baby birthday party. Hosting one is the easiest thing ever, because the Zhu Zhu Babies double as party favors and party activities. Hopefully the photos and party description above have given you some ideas and inspiration for your own Zhu Zhu Baby party!

For more photos of other Zhu Zhu parties we've hosted, check out my Zhu Zhu Pet photo set on Flickr.

Disclosure: I received Zhu Zhu babies outfits and playsets for the party. I 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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Hampton Inn and Suites -- perfect for families, year-round

The last time we stayed at the Hampton Inn Truckee/Tahoe, it was in the midst of a snowstorm. We stumbled into the hotel at 9PM, exhausted after hours of driving and skiing, and although we were certainly grateful for the ultra-comfy beds to rest our weary heads on, as well as the super-yummy breakfast the morning after, we really didn't have much time to fully appreciate the inn's amenities and comforts.

We've just arrived from a Labor Day weekend trip to Reno and Tahoe, and for one of those nights we returned to the Hampton Inn Truckee/Tahoe to enjoy everything their property had to offer. Our trip could not have been more different from the last time we were there -- we wore swimsuits instead of snowsuits and spent our time swimming instead of skiing -- but we experienced the same luxury surroundings, great service, friendly staff and yummy breakfast as we did the first time!

The Basics
About Hampton:
With over 1,700 hotels in the United States, Canada, Ecuador, Mexico and the United Kingdom, you're sure to find a Hampton hotel convenient for you. Whether visiting for business or pleasure, in a single room or suite, you'll enjoy all of the extras our hotels have to offer. They're part of what makes staying at a Hampton a very special value.

About Hampton Inn & Suites at Truckee/Tahoe:
From the majestic mountain peaks at Squaw Valley to the sparkling blue waters of Lake Tahoe, you'll be near it all when you visit the Hampton Inn & Suites® Tahoe/Truckee hotel. Staring at the stars as you breathe in fresh mountain air is a sure-fire way to leave your cares behind. At our comfortable Tahoe area hotel, you'll have easy access to a host of activities from swimming to snow skiing, hiking to horseback riding, and so much more.




The Bongga
Everything that we loved about the Hampton Inn Truckee/Tahoe the first time we visited, we love even more on our second visit. I won't go over them again -- the convenient location, the beautiful property, the helpful staff, the delicious hot breakfast -- since you can read all about it in my first Hampton review.

This time around, we got to spend a lot more time at the inn, so we were really able to appreciate everything they had to offer. We finally got the opportunity to enjoy the pool area, and the kids had the time of their lives splashing in the swimming pool. The pool, umbrellas, chairs and tables were all very clean and well-maintained.


The pool was just a tad too cold for me, so I was more than happy to relax and unwind in the jacuzzi. The water temperature was nice and hot, and the bubble jets gave my aching muscles a nice, soothing massage. It was such a treat to be able to lean back and see the beautiful blue sky.


Swimming always seems to leave the kids with a huge appetite, and they eagerly scarfed down the white chocolate-chip cookies the staff offered us on our way back up to our room. It would have been better if they were warm, but they were delicious all the same.


Everyone took turns rinsing off in the huge bathroom tub; the shower gel and other toiletries were nice little luxurious touches that were the perfect way to pamper my skin after a long day in the sun (and if you ever run out and need more, all you have to do is ask).


Once again, 3Po and Jammy volunteered to sleep on the sofabed. So many sofabeds are lumpy and uncomfortable, so most of the time we have to argue about who gets the sofabed, but not here. It's really comfortable; thank goodness, there's no hard steel bar digging into your back!


We even had time to play some games in the lobby and watch tv in our room. There truly was no better place to relax, and I'm sure the kids would have been happy to spend the whole day chilling out at the Hampton Inn. I guess we'll just have to come back to the Hampton Inn at Truckee/Tahoe and enjoy it all over again.


The Blah
Since we did spend more time on-site during this visit, I also noticed a few things that I didn't notice before: the rather loud air-conditioning unit that kept coming on and waking me up in the night, the ultra-slow elevator (there are only 3 floors, so you're better off taking the stairs!), the lack of towels in the fitness room at 8:00 in the morning. But these are minor inconveniences (if I had asked the front desk, I'm sure they would have gotten me towels in a flash) compared to the great overall experience.


The Bottom Line
Once again, staying at the Hampton Inn Truckee/Tahoe was one of the highlights of our recent Labor Day weekend, and I would highly recommend it to any other travelers (single, couples, families, big groups) looking for a place to stay in the area, year round!


Disclosure: I received a complimentary 2-night stay at the Hampton property of my choice to facilitate my review (we stayed one night in March and the second night over the Labor Day weekend). 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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