Russ Seapals Giveaway

My kids are suckers for plush sea creatures. So far, we've got a clownfish, seal, orca, walrus, and 3 sea stars. From time to time, I try to stem the tidal wave of plushies that make their way to our house, (by donating some to charity when they aren't looking). However, 3Po, Jammy and Pea love playing with stuffed toys so much that when a good quality stuffed toy comes knocking at our home, I usually let it in.

Our latest stuffed adoptees: SeaPals™, a new line of marine-inspired plush toys by Applause® from Russ. Much like Webkinz or Build-A-Bear, they come with a unique online code that allows kids to log on and play with a virtual version of their SeaPals. Kids can personalize their own virtual aquarium, care for their SeaPals, earn points via games and activities, spend points on "stuff" for their SeaPals and aquariums.

The best thing about the SeaPals world, though, is the additional educational component: while playing with their virtual pets, kids get a chance to learn about marine life as they explore virtual coral reefs, coves, and other marine habitats. In addition, you can feel good knowing that Russ makes donations to local aquariums to support marine preservation.

Now here's your chance to entertain and educate the little Jacques Cousteau in your life: I'm giving away a Russ Seapals toy to one lucky winner! Here's how to enter:

* Visit the SeaPals website and check out all of SeaPal's fishy friends.

* Leave a comment at this post -- tell me which one(s) you like best. Don't forget to include your email address so I can contact you.

* For an extra entry, blog about this giveaway on your own blog and include a link to this post. Leave an extra comment with your name, email address and a link to your blog.

I'll draw a winner at random on November 16, 2008. For the full giveaway rules, click here. And come back on November 8th-- I'm giving away a Playskool Busy Ball-tivity Center!

(PS: The I-Dog Dance giveaway and the I-Dog Clip giveaway are still open; you can still comment here and here for a chance to win!)

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The White Trash Mom Handbook

Could you be a White Trash Mom? Have you ever picked your child up late from school? Do you give them plain ol' PBJ sandwiches on white bread -- but are afraid to admit it in front of the other mothers who brag about serving only trans-fat-free, organic produce? If so, you may be a White Trash Mom -- so embrace it!

Written by mommyblogger Michelle Lamar, The White Trash Mom Handbook summarizes the philosophy of her popular White Trash Mom blog -- that perfection is just a myth that makes moms feel lousy -- and goes on to dish some parenting advice that's irreverent, down-to-earth, and always funny. This book is a great soul-refresher for anyone feeling like they're getting failing grades from the Universe-ity of Motherhood, because it reminds you that perfection is overrated and unachieveable -- and you are not alone. If you like Vicky Iovine's Girlfriends Guide books or anything by Erma Bombeck, you've love this book.

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Cramming a whole lotta learning

Ever since I got my iPod last Christmas, The Pea has been after us to buy her one of her own. Lo and behold, here comes Leapfrog to the rescue with the Crammer, a learning tool for school-aged kids that just so happens to store and play mp3 files. Designed for ages 8-14, the Crammer allows kids to study on the go -- while listening to music! -- in two ways:

1) downloading over than 1,000 quizzes for various subjects, for grades 3 to 8.
2) creating your own flashcards

As with all other latest-generation Leapfrog products, the Crammer can be hooked up to your childs Leapfrog Learning Path so parents can keep track of what their kids are learning.

Although the cool click-screen is fun to navigate with, the cheap-looking, monochrome display belies the $60 price tag. I'd love to see more downloadable Crammer games on the Leapfrog site. And I wish a belt clip came standard (they do sell a carrying case for $10) so it didn't keep pausing or forwarding my music every time the screen bangs against my hip when it's in my jeans pocket.

Despite these flaws I think it's a nifty device for our always-on-the-go-lifestyle, an easy way for us to tie Pea's love of music to developing regular study habits. In fact, I think I may have given the game away with my last complaint -- I've actually been using the Crammer myself. While The Pea is at school, I've been creating flashcards for myself so I can use the Crammer to cram -- er, study -- for my upcoming US citizenship test. Don't tell The Pea!

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I-Dog Clip Giveaway

For my second pre-holiday giveaway, I'm featuring the I-Dog Clip -- the only portable music speaker with waggable ears. How cute is that? One lucky winner gets to find out, with their very own I-Dog Clip. Here's how to enter:

* Visit the I-Dog website and check out the whole menagerie of I-Dog products.

* Leave a comment at this post -- tell me which one(s) you like best. Don't forget to include your email address so I can contact you.

* For an extra entry, blog about this giveaway on your own blog and include a link to this post. Leave an extra comment with your name, email address and a link to your blog.

I'll draw a winner at random on November 18, 2008. For the full giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

(PS: My I-Dog Dance giveaway is still open; you can still comment here for a chance to win! And in 4 days, I'm giving away a Russ Seapals stuffie....)

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Po's Tasty Training

One thing I really like about the Tag Reading System by Leapfrog is that the books compatible with the Tag reader can be enjoyed just like regular storybooks -- and cost about the same as the regular hardcover versions.

Take Po's Tasty Training, Tag's Kung Fu Panda activity storybook. 3Po and Jammy love Kung Fu Panda but are too scared to watch the movie. So they like reading Kung Fu Panda books; they get the story without the scaredy. Po's Tasty Training isn't available on Amazon; it seems to be an exclusive Tag product, so they could enjoy it even if they didn't have a Tag (or if their Tag's batteries were dead, or if it had gotten thrown in the toilet).

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Walter the Farting Dog

As if I don't have enough to do, I'm toying with the idea of joining NaBloPoMo (posting every day in November) for this blog as well as for Finding Bonggamom. After all, it's not as if there aren't tons of kids' and moms' products out there to talk about. Why, the contents of last weekend's LeapFrog Party goody bag alone could keep me going for several days....

So let's start with a Tag book: Walter the Farting Dog Goes on a Cruise. With a name like that, what kid wouldn't enjoy it? The book is available in a non-tag version (along with the rest of the Walter the Farting Dog books) , but if you've already got a Tag, guess what -- the Tag version and regular hardcover version cost about the same (actually, the full-price hardcover costs more than the full-price Tag version). And it's worth buying the Tag version just to point your Tag reader on Walter's butt and hearing him fart.

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Leapfrog discount code

At last Sunday's party, the Silicon Valley Moms bloggers got a preview of Leapfrog's latest and greatest education gaming products. It's pretty amazing how the line has grown since I first heard of the brand in 2000 (when when I received a photo of my niece hugging a stuffed Baby Tad).

Now they've got practically a whole aisle at Target, with products for kids from birth till age 8. There's all the infant toys and toddler toys, and the preschooler series (Clickstart, LeapPad, Little Leaps). They've got Tag and Leapster2 for the pre-K crowd, and Didj and Crammer for school-aged kids. Whew!




We also received an exclusive coupon that I'm sharing with you (I'm allowed -- I checked!). To receive $10 off any order of $50 or more at Leapfrog.com, use promotional code HY8BHPR at checkout (valid till November 15, 2008). Check back here for more of my Leapfrog product reviews, including the Didj and Crammer. And who knows..... I might even be able to arrange a little Leapfrog giveaway!

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I-Dog Dance

Want to win this cute little dog? To find out how to enter, read on.....

I've already blogged about how my kids think the I-Dog Clip is kewwwwl..... Now check out its super-kewwwl big brother, the I-Dog Dance. He's fun to play with on his own: you can make him sit, stand, tap his paw and obey several other commands by touching his face. But plug him into your iPod or MP3 player, listen to music on his speakers, then watch him reeelly git funky witcha.

Here's how my kids play with the I-Dog Dance:

1) as a lava lamp (they are totally mesmerized when the lighted dots on his face blink in various "mood" patterns)

2) as a robotic pet (along with Tumbles the Fur-Real Friend, since Alfie and I won't let them have a real dog)

3) as an excuse to borrow mama's iPod (as if they can't use the cd player... but as they like to whine, this is so much more fuuuun!)


How would you play with the I-Dog Dance? Tell me how, and you could win your very own I-Dog Dance! Here's how to enter:

* Visit the I-Dog website and check out the whole menagerie of I-Dog products.

* Leave a comment at this post -- tell me which one(s) you like best and/or how you would use your I-Dog Dance.

* Don't forget to include your email address so I can contact you.

* For an extra entry, blog about this giveaway on your own blog and include a link to this post. Leave an extra comment with your name, email address and a link to your blog.

I'll draw a winner at random on November 14, 2008. For the full giveaway rules, click here. And come back on November 8th-- I'm giving away an I-Dog Clip!

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Here's the Scoop.... Get out and Vote!!

As if you needed an extra reason to vote..... go to participating Ben & Jerry's shops on voting day -- that's tomorrow, November 4 -- tell them you voted and they'll give you a free ice cream cone.

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Solheim Photography

As the Christmas Card Season draws near, I just wanted to give a little shout out to my friend LindaDLR, who has just started her own photography studio, Solheim Photography. She's such a talented photographer -- as you can see by the photos I shamelessly stole from her site -- who has a way of putting people at ease, even when they're posing (or should I say, NOT posing) in front of a camera. Check out her website, and if you're in the SF Bay Area, book her for a photo session to remember!

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Tis the Season to Win Prizes!

After all the Halloween Hoopla, it's tempting to indulge in the post-holiday blues (namely, gobbling up all the candy because I tell myself there's nothing to do). In order to slap that out of me, I have to find something to keep my mind occupied and my spirits lifted. So I'm participating in NaBloPoMo (via my personal blog, Finding Bonggamom).

And what about on this blog? Well, November is my blogaversary month (I started Finding Bonggamom 2 years ago on November 20), so I've decided to celebrate all month long -- and y'all are getting the presents! Here are some of the things I'll be giving away on Bonggamom Finds this month:

I-Dog Dance
I-Dog Clip
Playskool Busy Ball-tivity Center
Play-Doh Magic Swirl Ice Cream Shoppe
Russ Berrie Sea Pals
Tooth Tunes, Jr
Turbo Tooth Tunes

Yes, people, 'tis already the season for giving. Win something for yourself, your child, or someone on your holiday gift list. Check back here for all kinds of bloggy giveaways all throughout November!

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Parking Pal giveaway winner

... and the lucky winner of the Parking Pal giveaway is.... commenter #11, dolls123! I'll be emailing you for shipping information. Congratulations and Happy Halloween!

... for everyone else, check back here soon for more giveaways. Next week, on election day, I'll be giving away an I-Dog!

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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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