I-Dog Clip -- great for cool kids and uncool moms

All of a sudden, The Pea has become quite the Cool Girl among her circle of friends, and I've become something of a Cool Mom. Have we pierced both our navels? Had dinner with Miley Cyrus? Nope.... the reason for our status is the news (which Pea told to her best friend, who spread the news to their other friends) that I've received two brand spanking-new I-Dogs (the I-Dog Clip and I-Dog Dance) from Hasbro.

I had no idea these little doggies -slash- speakers were so popular (which shows how Un-Cool I actually am). The I-Dog Clip, the latest of the line, is shaped just like the regular I-Dog's head, complete with the poseable ears and face that lights up when you plug it into your portable music player and play music. Behind the head is a clip that allows you to attach the I-Dog Clip to your belt, backpack, bag or clothes. It's a fun little fashion accessory that allows kids to share music with their friends wherever they go.

My kids are fighting tooth and nail to claim ownership of the I-Dog Clip, but I'm keeping it for myself. This little dog will be coming along with us the next we travel. The next time we're stuck at an airport security line, I'm whipping out the iPod and I-Dog so all 3 kids can listen to a story or song at the same time. How practical is that? (See, told you I was Un-Cool).

(And what about the I-Dog Dance? Well, that's a subject for another day... it's so cute, it deserves its own post!)

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Boo! Free Shipping from Lands End

To get FREE SHIPPING & HANDLING on any Lands End orders:

1) at checkout, on the Billing Infomation page, go to the section labeled “Promotion Code” (above the credit card payment box) and manually enter the Promotion Code and PIN.

1) Enter the Promotion code NOVEMBER and the PIN 975286164 at checkout

2) Call 1-800-800-5800 and give your "Promotion Code" and PIN to the customer service representative.

Here's something scary: the free shipping offer only lasts for 4 more days, till October 29!

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Parking Pal hits the spot

My sister's two eldest kids are two years apart. I admiring the technique she used to keep her rambunctious 2-year-old son safe while she struggled to unfold the baby stroller in parking lots. She would say, "Keep your hands on the car, kid, hands on the car". And it worked. He put his hands on the car and stayed still.

The Parking Pal magnet builds upon her tried-and-true method. It's a strong, flexible magnet that parents or grandparents or babysitters place on the side of the car. It gives kids a specific spot to "high-five" -- and stay focused on -- while the grownup in charge struggles with groceries, keys, or any of the millions of distractions that can take our attention away from small children when loading or unloading a car.

** Giveaway alert**
Now you can try the Parking Pal for free! I'm giving away 1 Parking Pal magnet on Halloween, Oct. 31. To enter, just leave a comment on this post with your email address so I can contact you. I'll draw a winner at random on October 31. For full contest rules, click here.

** Contest alert**

The folks at Parking Pal are giving away a $100 Toys-R-Us gift card to one lucky entrant. To join the contest, just purchase a Parking Pal magnet from their online store, or for a free entry, send your name and address to by 12/14/08 to: Parking Pal, 317 Nickless, Frankenmuth Mi 48734. Entries must be postmarked by 12/14/08.

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Singing the praises of Tooth Tunes

How do you get your kids to brush their teeth for the right amount of time? My kids can barely stand still for 2 seconds, let alone 2 minutes. Here are some ways we've tried:

* Use an hourglass timer. We had one but keep losing it because the kids take it out of the bathroom to play with it.

* Use an egg timer or a watch. Booooring.

* Use an electric toothbrush with a timer in it, like Philip's Sonicare. Booooring.

* Count to 120 or sing Happy Birthday 10 times. Tedious -- which means I always rush through it, making it inaccurate as well.

Enter ToothTunes, the musical toothbrush that plays fun kids' tunes for the recommended 2 minutes. What a great idea! 3Po and Jammy, my two Tooth Tunes testers (how's that for a tongue twister), really look forward to brushing their teeth and listening to the music the whole time. I don't have to time them or nag them to keep brushing, keep brushing . And I like that they make different ToothTunes brushes with different tunes so kids can choose the ones they like best. They even have ToothTunes Junior for preschoolers and Turbo ToothTunes for older kids.



The only problem is that much as the kids enjoy it, you're essentially getting just another timer for $9.99 -- and a disposable one at that. I do wish Tooth Tunes had made their toothbrush electric -- imagine a Philips Sonicare that plays music and spins its bristles and stops everything after 2 minutes. The combination of timed music and timed electric brush head would be unbeatable!

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Antarctica: The Global Warning

I won Antarctica: The Global Warning at a raffle. I was actually the runner-up for the grand prize: 2 tickets to a charity dinner featuring Matt Damon, Josh Groban and other celebs. I know, first runner-up is very important, if for any reason the winner cannot make it.... blahblahblah. So you can understand my initial disappointment.

This book actually makes a very nice consolation prize. The photographs are stunning. I remember thinking as I leafed through, I wish he hadn't played around with Photoshop so much. A bright blue iceberg amidst a black sea and an orange sky? Come on! The colors look so fake! Later on I read that he hadn't done any color editing at all, that Antarctica's color spectrum really is that rich in saturation. Wow!

I do agree with one reviewer on Amazon, there are so many images of iceberg upon iceberg, with no captions or context, that one tends to skim over the last half of the book. But unlike him, I found the text fascinating and I totally agree that humans are affecting global warming in a huge way. But whatever you think about the "Global Warning" part, you have to be impressed with the "Antarctica" part.

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A Frightfully exciting sweepstakes!

I went to Silicon Valley Moms blog to check up on my latest post, and lo and behold, I saw this little contest just below it. Who doesn't want to win a $10,000 fashion makeover, especially when no purchase is necessary -- and you don't have to sign up for their e-newsletter or special offer emails or whatever?

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Giveaways around the blogosphere

Here is a rundown of the nifty giveaways going on courtesy of some of my favorite blogging friends:

* mod*mom is giving away 2 vacuum cleaners from Dyson;

* Rose is giving away some apple sauce at her lemonade stand;

* BlogHer is giving away a $300 JC Penney giftcard;

* Mummy's Product Reviews is giving away a Once Upon a Potty book.

Hurry on over and join!

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Real Simple, Real Life.

I'm a big fan of the simple, uncluttered lifestyle espoused by Real Simple magazine, so I was happy to get a sneak peek at TLC's new show, Real Simple, Real Life (the first episode airs tonight). For some reason I was expecting a beautifully photographed, visual magazine show like The Martha Stewart Show.

Surprise one: the two couldn't be more different. The Martha Stewart Show is almost like fantasy (this is what a perfect ganache looks like! see the fantastically carved pumpkin!) while Real Simple, Real Life is hard reality. Host Kit Hoover and a team of experts (beauty, fashion, organization, finance, fitness, design, motivation, food) go into busy women's homes and give their chaotic lives a makeover.

Surprise two: The woman in the first episode is ME. Seriously! Okay, her name is Emily and she lives in Pasadena, but otherwise she's me. She's an MBA turned SAHM, former product manager, has an older girl and twin boys 2.5 years apart, a pack rat, loves to shop for bargains, blogs. See? SHE. IS. ME.



So it's no surprise that I loved this first episode. I can totally relate to the feeling of overwhelming helplessness in that horrible (yes, horrible!) first year of the twins' life. Man, I reeelly could have used that Real Simple team of experts four years ago. They cleaned out her garage, organized her home office, streamlined her closet and gave her a makeover. The experts do a great job -- the "Before" and "After" shots were quite dramatic -- and also share useful tips with viewers (I like the idea of keeping only current items in your closet and packing away out-of-season items). Go watch this show!

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A Journey of the Heart

One day at school I ran into the mother of one of The Pea's classmates. She was carrying a children's book -- The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane -- and pressed it into my hands. "Has The Pea read this? No? Here, I'm lending it to you, you simply must read this, it's a wonderful book!"

There is truly nothing like the recommendation of another parent, so I took the book and handed it to The Pea. I had intended to read it with her at bedtime, as her friend's mom suggested, but yesterday she read it all by herself.

When she was done, she came to me with her face all red and blotchy. "What's wrong, honey? Didn't you like it?" The story, and the tears, came pouring out. "I liked the story but there was this girl and she had a toy bunny called Edward Tulane and she lost it and a fisherman found it but it got thrown away in the garbage and this old woman found it and..." -- lots of sobs here -- ".. she NAILED the bunny to a fence!! And then a boy rescued it and gave it to his sister, " -- even more sobs -- "but she dieeeeeed..."

Yikes! I had guessed the story might be a bit sad at times, rather like The Velveteen Rabbit, but this sounded like the Grapes of Wrath! I resolved to read it myself.

When I finished the book, I was in tears as well. Don't worry, it's a happy ending. The Pea neglected to tell me that the little bunny started out as a cold, unfeeling toy, and the real journey was in his heart. About how he meets people who love him unconditionally, and how he learns how to love them back. The Pea and I both love this book. We're just big, soft crybabies with big hearts. Just like Edward Tulane.

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Gymboree Fall Sale

Gymboree is having a fall sale, with items up to 60% off! Just in time, too -- the weather is turning really cold, really quickly. They have the cutest Halloween shirts right now, and I've been waiting for their boys' puffy vests to go on sale. With the in-store tv playing all sorts of kids' programs, I can even take the boys shopping.

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The PlayDoh Ice Magic Swirl Cream Shoppe -- it's sweet

Check out the ice cream confections that my kids made with the new Play-Doh Magic Swirl Ice Cream Shoppe. Aren't they cute? Don't they make you wish they were made of real ice cream instead of salty Play-Doh? (Oh, come on, you know what it tastes like, I know you've tried it at least once in your life).

My kids were overjoyed when we received the new PlayDoh Magic Swirl Ice Cream Shoppe playset to try out. They already have the old version of this toy, and have spent many happy hours squishing out sundaes and soft-serve cones. The new one improves on the old one in so many ways. It's bigger and badder, with a rotating extruder (the "Magic Swirl"), topping maker, and more molds (to make Oreos, gummi bears and pretzels). Best of all, it comes with a can of the coolest Play-Doh ever -- sprinkle Play-Doh. White dough with colored sprinkles in it! What will they think of next!

All this awesomeness comes at a price; the playset is more difficult to clean, bulkier, and doesn't come apart so it's difficult to store (Alfie disagrees with me on this one -- he loves the sturdiness). But hey, that's just my love-hate relationship with Play-Doh talking: I hate cleaning up Play-Doh messes, but can't bring myself to ban it because the kids love it so much and I know it's great for developing imagination and fine motor skills.

Alfie and I have already accepted countless dishes of new and improved Play-Doh ice cream to marvel at and taste. Good thing it's Play-Doh, or I would seriously be in need of a diet.

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Keeping track with the SnackerTracker

The Pea's second-grade class is currently doing a unit on nutrition. They are learning about the different foodgroups and the importance of a varied diet. I thought this would be the perfect time to introduce the SnackerTracker, a nutritional tracking system for kids and their parents.

The SnackerTracker is like a food journal for kids -- only it's a whiteboard fridge magnet that breaks down a child's daily nutritional requirements into blocks. Every time your child eats a serving of some basic foodgroup -- grains, dairy, protein, fruits, vegetables, water -- you simply cross out one of the blocks. The kit also comes with a dry-erase pen and a nutritional guide with tips on serving sizes, snack suggestions and exercise guidelines.

So far the kids have responded with enthusiasm. The Pea and Jammy are constantly fighting over who gets to fill in the blocks (actually they've gone a step further and actually draw what they've eaten instead of just checking the box off). Throughout the day they think about what they need to eat to fill up all the boxes on the chart. Do we always get there? Hell, no. But at least the SnackerTracker making me more aware of our nutritional shortcomings.

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Goodnight Bush

We were at Borders today when I happened to glance down and see this book on a shelf. When 3Po saw the cover, he immediately said, "Goodnight Moon!". That's just what the authors intended; Goodnight Bush is a clever take on Margaret Wise Brown's classic goodnight tale. The text is hilarious ("Goodnight nation great; And goodnight church and state") and the illustrations are just as funny (just look at the oilfields in the painting over the fireplace, and the ballotbox burning in the fire).

It would be really funny if it weren't so sad.

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Discounts from The Children's Place

The Children's Place is one of my shopping mall staples; I can't pass by one of their stores without dropping in for a peek. They have some great styles, and you can't beat their prices, especially when they go on sale (which is all the time). Recently they sent me a couple of those "discount for you and a friend" coupons in the mail. It's good for 15% off your total purchases until November 2. I won't be using them, so in the spirit of holiday giving, I'm sharing them with everyone:

T2866MCGA8
T28V9ATXA8
T29UYWG7A8
T28F9UAVA8

I don't know whether these are one-time use coupon codes or not, so it's first come first served.

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Tumbles is Fur Real!

I never really had a pet as a child; my parents were not animal lovers, and I remember my dad telling my sister when she asked for a rabbit, "I'll buy you a stuffed toy rabbit instead, ok? They're cute, they don't stink and they're not dirty". Alfie's last pet, our dear little Missy, was run over the week before The Pea was born. We've always said we want to have a family pet when the time is right, but that time is not now. Our house is small even for the five of us, and we don't have close family or friends nearby to take care of a pet for us when we travel. It looks like for the time being, I'm going to have to resort to my dad's answer when the kids start clamoring for a pet.

Fortunately, the toy industry has gotten a lot more sophisticated and there are some pretty amazing toys out there that do a great job making lifelike toys. I'm talking about Hasbro's Fur Real Friends, a line of stuffed animals that look and sound and move like the real thing.

The Pea was delighted with the sample toy that Hasbro sent us to play with. Tumbles the My Roll Over Pup is a little plush beagle that makes everyone say "Awwwww". He's so cute -- he squirms around when you pat him or scratch him, and he falls asleep when you put his back long enough. Alfie, who grew up with dogs, says that Tumbles' wriggling and rolling and yapping are remarkably like a real beagle's actions. His fur is delightfuly silky and soft -- but I do wish Tumbles came with a bit more padding on his tummy. Right now when you cuddle him, you clearly feel his hard plastic frame. Also, additional padding might be able to muffle the mechanical whirrring sounds you can hear whenever he moves.

Of course, Tumbles will never replace the real thing (only non-animal lovers like my dad could even think of such a thing). But if you are one of those families whose kids are pining for a pet but you can't have one for one reason or another (lack of space, allergies, etc..), Tumbles can serve as a sweet, entertaining consolation. Even if your child does have a pet of her own, Tumbles is one delightful little playmate.

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TruKid Hero Stick

Here's a product that we could have used when we went camping a couple of weekends ago: the Trukid Hero Stick, a rub-on ointment that soothes kids' "itchies" and "boo-boos" from bug bites, minor burns and scratches. I tried it on a mosquito bite I got last night and it seems to work as well as regular cortisone creams. It's made of mild, all-natural, organic products that are safe for the skin, but I'd still keep this away from babies. The sweet honey smell of it is so wonderful they might think it's a lollipop. I'm tempted myself to bite a chunk out of it to see if it tastes as good as it smells. Yes, its nontoxic, but then I'd have to buy another stick.

The Hero Stick is just one of TruKid's line of organic kids' skincare products. I'll admit I had never come across this brand (it's only available online right now) before they sent us the Hero Stick sample, but I like their all-natural focus. And that honey smell is to die for.

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Tunza cards: Tunza uses, Tunza money saved

Now that the boys are in pre-K, we're starting to work on kindergarten readiness such as writing, phonics and simple math concepts. Their preschool is staunchly play-based (and we have no complaints because we feel it's important for them, especially as twins, to develop social skills), so any academic preparation is going to be coming from us. I'm pretty relaxed about the whole thing; it's not like I hold formal classes or anything. They occasionally work on activity books when they feel like it, and when we read books together I sometimes pick out a two or three letter word and help them read it.

We've recently added another tool to our arsenal: Tunza write-on-rub-off index cards. I've been using them to create flashcards for the kids to help the boys read simple words like "cat" and "hat", and for basic addition problems like 3+1 (The Pea also loves it when I write out more complicated math problems for her). They enjoy writing down the answers and erasing everything so I can write out new problems.

These Tunza cards are not just for flashcards -- kids can draw on them and you can write your shopping list on them and I'm sure there are (forgive the pun) Tunza other uses. And because they're reusable, they're earth friendly. Everytime the kids reach for the cards to draw instead of a sheet of paper, we're saving money and trees.

The cards work best with permanent Sharpie markers (just rub with alcohol to remove). But anal parent that I am, I feel nervous about letting my kids loose around the house with permanent markers. I've found that dry-erarse markers work perfectly well, and markings come off with a simple swipe.

Thanks to the folks at Tunza for our sample! The kids are really enjoying it.

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Sweet bundles and snuggles

I've just received my prize from Goodies For Mom's Blogging for Blood Cancer giveaway: a baby bundle fleece wrap and pacifier/toy clip from StakerSensations (who sells many other beautifully handcrafted things on her Etsy store, including some adorable tutus and chic vinyl stickers). Thank you so much to both of you!


The baby bundle wrap is such a nifty idea; I remember swaddling my kids when they were newborns. Getting a squiggly baby to stay inside the "burrito wrap" is almost impossible; within minutes you have to wrap them up again. This bundle wrap, with its velcro strap and footies, eliminates the problem. And the fleece is so soft and snuggly, your baby will never want to move! Unfortunately my kids are too old for this so I'll be passing this on to one of my lucky mom-to-be friends.

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Tonka Bounce Back Racer

Like any kid, 3Po and Jammy love remote controlled (RC) cars. The problem is that they're really too young for the sleek, hi-tech racecars that tweens and teens send whizzing around obstacles on the street. They don't have the reaction time or fine motor skills to control these sensitive instruments properly, and they are careless with handling and storing it. So fenders break off, wire antennas get snapped off, wheels get torn off. And so another $50 toy bites the dust even before my husband (who has been waiting so patiently, poor dear) gets to play with it.

But they consider themselves too old for the babyish-looking "My First RC Car" -type vehicles out there. Hasbro toys has come up with a great balance of durable and cool in their new RC car, the Tonka Bounce Back Racer.

(Before we get to the racecar, a word about Tonka. I was already predisposed to like this product because of Tonka's great reputation. I have great childhood memories of playing with Tonka trucks. I think of holidays on the beach, playing in the sand with the Tonka dump truck, crane and front loader that my brothers owned. My twins received their own Tonka trucks when they were 2 and have spent many a happy hour in the backyard with them. So when we got the opportunity to try out the Bounce Back Racer, it was a no-brainer)



Unlike other RC vehicles for younger kids, this one looks cool, not cutesy. Its rugged, racecar looks appeal to older toddlers, preschoolers and even kindergarteners. Yet it's incredibly easy for little ones to operate; the remote has just two buttons, forward and reverse. The lack of steering controls (it has free-swiveling front wheels, which make for some pretty unpredictable -- i.e. fun -- turns) haven't stopped the boys from getting the car to pull wheelies, flip over, jump ramps and spin 180 degrees.

One thing that I'm optimistic about with this toy -- thanks to Tonka's great reputation -- is its durability. 3Po and Jammy really subject their RC cars to the third degree, racing them down the stairs and steering them into walls. The Bounce Back Racer has survived so far. The sturdy body doesn't have any delicate parts to snap off. The soft, big wheels not only protect walls and furniture, they also protect the car from the effects of the spectacular crashes the boys like to engineer.

With all that internal wiring just waiting to be bashed around, I'm not expecting this toy to last as long as our Tonka construction vehicles (those I'm keeping for my grandchildren, so that they'll have Tonkas to play with when they visit, just like my kids play with my brothers' Tonka trucks when they visit my parents). But at two weeks, the Bounce Back Racer has already outlasted half of the other RC cars that 3Po and Jammy have owned (one particularly flimsy one only lasted through Christmas Day). It's a great addition to the Tonka line because it's everything I associate with Tonka -- sturdy, tough, the stuff little boys' dreams are made of.

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Melamine and Magic

I recently received a sample of the new Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to try out. Since I'm already a devoted Magic Eraser follower, I didn't really have to try the sample to know how well it works. The thing does its job so well, it's scary. Just dampen the sponge with water and scrub for a bit, and whatever stain you want erased is gone.

Click here to read more... and see the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser at work!

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Test-driving CleanWell

Is it a Filipino thing or does everyone carry tiny bottles of disinfecting gel around? Maybe it's psychological, but whenever a sink isn't handy for washing your hands, I find that a paper napkin and a squirt of disinfectant goes a long way towards feeling (or being?) clean.

I recently discovered Clean Well disinfectant when I received their travel-size spray in one of my BlogHer goody bags. I had never seen disinfectants in spray form before, so I tucked it into my purse when we left for England and used it throughout our vacation. I love that such a tiny spray lasts so long -- it gets way more mileage than wipes (It says 250 sprays per container but I swear the kids have been spraying it on their hands three bajillion times each). It's easier to dispense than gels (my kids love dribbling the goopy stuff all over their hands so inevitably half the bottle is wasted). And it has a nice, pleasant, clean-smelling scent that doesn't make my nose wrinkle when I sniff.


Guess what's in my purse right now?

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Leapster2

I've written at length about how I am against videogames. But as the kids grow up and clamor for videogames, computer games, any electronic games, I'm taking a closer look at what's out there. And the landscape looks very encouraging. There's a whole lot of educational gaming going on --and Leapfrog's products are a great place to start.

Lately we've been playing with the Leapster2, Leapfrog's latest version of the old Leapster educational gaming system. I first heard about the Leapster around 3 years ago when my friend raved about it to me. She thought it was doing a great job helping her then-4-year-old to learn how to read, and was happy at how he never seemed to tire of it. She loved it so much I resolved to get one for my baby boys when they were old enough. Now that we actually own one and have tried it for ourselves, I have to agree with her. I think the Leapster2 strikes a great balance between electronic learning and video gaming. Jammy and 3Po are psyched that they actually have a real videogame system, like it's some badge of boyhood coolness (which it is). They get intensely involved whenever they play their Cars and Dora cartridges, getting educated and entertained at the same time. And after the initial "new toy" obsession, the kids have been very good at respecting the time limits I've set -- which has erased many of my initial anxieties about owning videogames.

The Leapster2 comes with 1 built-in game, and you can also choose from a wide library of additional games to plug into the console. Each game is targeted to a specific skill (math, spelling, vocabulary, Spanish words, etc...) and age range (i.e. K-1, 3rd-5th grade) so that children of a wide age range can play, with each child still being challenged to their appropriate level.



One of the things I like best about the Leapster2 is its backward compatibility: any cartridge from the Leapster series (Leapster2, Leapster, L-Max) works with this Leapster2 console. The Leapster2 games, however, have the most functionality because they take advantage of the Leapster2's internet connectivity. When you connect the Leapster2console to your computer, information from all the Leapster2 games you played is uploaded. Kids can keep track of the prizes (like special printable coloring pages or the printable certificate that 3Po earned in the photo above) and points they have earned (I have no idea what they can use these points for, but points are good, right?). Connecting the console also allows grownups to track their kids' gaming patterns (which games they have played, how long they have played a particular game, etc..) and learning progress via the Leapfrog Learning Path.


Another way to get more out of your Leapster2 is to install an SD card (available at most electronics stores or retail giants like Target for $15-$20). With the additional memory, you'll be able to download additional games (yay! more free games!) from the internet to play. You'll also be able to use the Leapster2 to create and store artwork that you can upload to the web later.


The Leapster2 costs about $50 and each cartridge costs between $15 (on eBay) or $20 (on sale) and $30 --but it's a great investment. A couple of weeks ago I emailed my friend to thank her for recommending the Leapster to me. I said we were building up our Leapster game library and asked if we could borrow or buy some of their Leapster cartridges (the old games are fully compatible with the Leapster2). Sorry, she said, her kids are still using their Leapster and all their Leapster cartridges regularly -- almost 3 years after her kids first fell in love with it. With new kids' electronics products springing up every week, I can't think of any better proof of Leapster's staying power than that.

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Discounts on our favorite toys

Here's a quick run-through of great deals currently available for some of our favorite toys:

Costco is selling Webkinz in some of its stores! $20 for a pack of 2 -- compare that with $16.99 at our local Limited Too store.

Leapfrog is holding a huge clearance sale on Leap Pad products from their online store. They've also got some great deals on some Leapster cartridges.

Toys-R-Us is offering a Buy 1, Get 1/2 Off all Thomas wooden railway toys. It's a great deal but I don't know how long it lasts, so if you have a train-mad child, you'd better check it out.

Playmobil toys hardly ever go on sale (retailers just knock 5% off the ridiculously high suggested retail price), but Kid Surplus has pretty good prices on Playmobil, and they always have one or two items on clearance.

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Free Shipping offer from Lands End

Hooray! Once again, the folks at Lands End are running a Free Shipping promo for the next 5 days! It applies to all products with no minimum. Oh Lands End, how I love thee.....

Here's how to take advantage:

At checkout, on the Billing Information page, go to the section labeled “Promotion Code” (above the credit card payment box) and manually enter the Promotion Code and PIN.
Enter the Promotion Code FALL and the PIN 775852052 in the space provided.

Or if you have a Lands’ End “Personal Shopping Account”...
1) Make your selections
2) On the Order Review page, click “Promotion Code” in the section labeled “Apply another payment method”
3) Enter your "Promotion Code" and PIN (shown above). That’s it!

Or call 1-800-800-5800 and give your "Promotion Code" and PIN to the customer service representative.

This offer ends September 9, so now is the time to stock up and save yourself some gas!

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Leapfrog TAG

It has been almost a week since we received some Leapfrog products to try out, and things are (pardon the pun) just hopping along. By far the easiest to get started with right out of the box is the Leapfrog TAG reading system. The TAG (and by the way, I still have no idea what TAG stands for; any ideas, people??) works much the Leapfrog Leap Pad product that my kids know and love-- children just touch parts of a book to hear stories/phrases/words/sounds read to them, or to play educational games. Except it's much better, because you don't need to lug around the bulky LeapPad and cartridges, just the small TAG reader and the books (which you can shelve in your regular bookshelf since they look just like regular books).

One unique feature of this new generation of Leapfrog products is that they connect to the online Leapfrog Learning Path, which allows you to track your child's progress online. I haven't played around with it too much yet, but once everything is set up (and aye, there's the rub) it looks like a good way to see what your child is actually doing with the Leapfrog produts, short of looking over their shoulder.



For example, I get to see how many times The Pea has actually read each TAG book we own (in the photo above, it's Click-Clack-Moo: Cows That Type, a hilarious tale about some revolutionary farm animals and their soft-hearted farmer). Her Learning Path also tells me how many questions she answered while reading the book, and how many she got right. This is a great feature because The Pea reads through books at lightning speed (like I used to do). I have no idea whether she is just skimming through the story (like I used to do), and this helps me get a sense of her reading comprehension. You just have to remember to connect the TAG to your computer's USB and periodically upload the information stored in the TAG.

At $49.95, the TAG system is not cheap, but you do get a lot of mileage out of it. The books are $13.99 each but I have seen them on sale at Target and the Leapfrog online store for $11.99 -- not bad for a hardbound book. And the Leapfrog online store puts out frequent sales and coupons to encourage parents to try the system out for their kids, for example:

• Buy 3 TAG books, get the 4th free: Enter promo code FL8TGS before Sept. 30
• Get free shipping on TAG gift packs until December 31, no coupon necessary
• $5 shipping on orders $50 and over, until September 15, no coupon necessary
  

The TAG system comes with one storybook -- Ozzie and Mack -- included, and you can buy extra books at Target, Toys-R-Us and Walmart, or online on Amazon or the Leapfrog website. There are over 20 titles, with more to come soon -- and they can't come soon enough, especially for my 7-year-old. All the books go easy on the words, since they are meant to help pre-readers and beginning readers learn to read, so I'm hoping that Leapfrog will someday add more advanced books to the TAG range, with more reading comprehension activities for older kids.

Speaking of ages, the recommended age range is 4 through 8, but I think 4, 5 and 6 year olds will get the most use out of it. The Pea has fun with it, but she already knows how to read. 3Po and Jammy, though, love being able to "read" books by themselves, just like the Pea. I love that they get to play electronic learning games which don't involve staring into a video screen. And yes, I have to admit, I love that "someone else" can read a book to them 10 times straight (I love Click Clack Moo but there's only so much I can take) Don't worry, the TAG doesn't replace reading time with mama or daddy. It's more like training wheels that provide a fun way for kids to gain the confidence to read on their own.

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Boca Burgers giveaway

We're going camping this Friday -- the first time the kids will be pitching a tent and sleeping in the great outdoors! To prepare, we've staged several camping "trips" in our backyard, complete with tent, sleeping bags and portable grill -- so we know what works and what doesn't, what to leave behind and what to pack. One of the things we'll probably be taking wiht us is a pack of Boca burgers -- yummy and nutritious and oh-so-conveniently-individually-packaged. After all, what's a barbecue campout without hotdogs and burgers, right?

Now, here's a chance for you to try (or if you already love them, to stock up on) some Boca burgers yourself! The first three readers to leave a comment on this post will receive a coupon good for 1 free package of any Boca meatless product. Just make sure you leave your email address or blog URL (or some way to contact you) in the comment.

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Let the games begin

It's like Christmas has come to the Bongga household! We recently received a bunch of LeapFrog products to try out: the TAG, Leapster2 and Didj (how convenient, one for each kid so they don't claw and bite each other's eyes out). We're going to play with them, learn with them, and basically rip them apart to let you know what we think of them.

Will they be able to withstand the grabbing, dropping, not to mention dirty fingers and crayons lurking throughout the house? Will they be able to engage my kids (whose attention spans rank somewhere between flea and guinea pig) beyond the 2-week honeymoon phase? And most important, will their educational value be enough to overcome our distate for video games? Stay tuned for the answers!

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Nut Tree Theme Park

Yesterday I took the kids out for one final summer outing to the Nut Tree Theme Park, a charming little theme park in the middle of the Nut Tree Village, a shopping a restaurant complex in Vacaville, CA. The park is small and low-key with no waiting lines to speak of, so we had a great stress-free afternoon. Despite the burning hundred-degree heat, we kept our cool with the help of some sunblock, hats and ice-cold water, not to mention the park's thoughtfully-placed shade canopies and misting sprays (and did I mention no waiting lines, so we didn't have to stand in the sun?).


The rides, geared for kids ages 2 through 8, are small and simple, guaranteed not to whip the kids up into a frenzy. My kids (ages 4, 4 and 7) understandably preferred the "big kid" rides: the bumper cards, the spinning balloon ride and their favorite, the roller coaster, but are still young enough to enjoy "the rides that go round and round": the carousel, plane, car and train rides.




My favorite was the carousel, mainly because I love the brightly-colored animals (And by the way, did you know the difference between a carousel and a merry-go-round? According to one of the park employees, a merry-go-round has only horses on it, while carousels have different types of animals). This particular carousel had some intruiging animals on it that I've never seen before, including a panda, a frog and a crocodile.

All in all, we had a great day, and the kids are already asking me when we can go back. It's quite a small park --with just seven rides, a games area and some outdoor play areas -- so you can see the whole park in an hour or two-- perfect for leaving Alfie there with the kids while I hit the nearby stores :)

Individual ride tickets work out to be quite expensive ($1.40 to $3.40 per ride, and height restrictions for "big kid" rides mean that most 4-year olds still need an adult to ride with them), so if you're planning to spend more than 30 minutes in the park, your best bet is to buy an unlimited ride wristband for $10.

For added savings, here's a coupon code you can use to receive $3 off each wristband when you buy them online! Just go to Nut Tree's online ticket sales and buy online from the Nut Tree Theme Park website, select the number of wristbands (they're called Fun Passports) you want and enter the Promotion Code BLOG08 to receive $3 off each one.

And here's an even better deal: I'm giving away some Fun Passports to the Nut Tree Theme Park so you can take your kids to the park for free! To enter, just leave a comment on this post before September 30 (and be sure to include your email address so I can contact you). On October 1, I'll randomly select ten lucky winners, who will each receive 4 unlimited ride wristbands (Read the full contest rules here). Good luck!

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Great bloggy giveaways

Just a few of the great giveaways floating around the blogosphere....

This Full House is hosting a great week-long Back to School giveaway. There are some seriously great prizes to be won from August 25 through September 1.

ChefDruck is hosting a Handy Manny DVD giveaway. Entries are accepted till September 1.

Mod*mom is hosting a Whole Foods back-to-school giveaway. Entries are accepted till September 1.

Now Entering Momville is hosting a Jack and Lily baby shoes giveaway. Entries are accepted till August 26.

Good luck!

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Blogging for Blood Cancer

There are just three days left to win prizes over at Goodies for Mom during their Blogging for Blood event. It's such a wonderful way to spread awareness of the importance of cancer research via the blogosphere -- and you have a chance to win some fabulous prizes at the same time.

In addition, the Friends of Heroes are giving away more great prizes on their blog until August 18. Drop by every day and comment for a chance to win!

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