Disney's Beauty and the Beast is on Tour!

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast I remember watching Disney's Beauty and the Beast on Broadway over a decade ago, and even as an adult I found my eyes, ears and heart couldn't get enough of it. I loved the costumes, scenery, music, special effects, all of it. It was amazing to think that a children's fairytale could be so touching and appealing to an audience of all ages! When the show closed, I felt sad because I had kids by then, and there go my chances of taking my kids to see Beauty and the Beast.

Not anymore.

I'm so happy (for my sake and for all the other families out there) to find out that Beauty and the Beast is back on stage, and this time it's going on tour -- which means that it might be showing in a city near you!! The show is going on a yearlong journey across the US, starting with San Francisco on August 17-29; it then moves on to San Antonio, TX, San Diego, CA, and more (49 in total!) before ending in June 2011. You can find the full tour schedule on the Beauty and The Beast On Tour website.


Here's some information about the show:
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast features the animated film’s Academy Award®-winning score with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by the late Howard Ashman, with additional songs with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. The book is written by Linda Woolverton.

The original creators of the Broadway production are together again for this new touring production! The play is directed by Rob Roth and choreographed by Matt West, with Costume Design by Ann Hould-Ward (Tony Award® winner for her work on Disney’s Beauty and the Beast), Lighting Design by Natasha Katz, Scenic Design by Stanley A. Meyer, Sound Design by John Petrafesa Jr. and Music Supervision by Michael Kosarin.

Last night I was invited to the opening show of Beauty and the Beast at the Golden Gate Theater, and I took The Pea, who was extremely excited at the thought of being in the very first audience for the new touring show. She was worried that the show would be too babyish (it's been ages since she saw the Disney movie, and to her Belle is just another Disney Princess), but she ended up laughing, gasping and crying harder than anyone else in the audience. And even though I've seen the Broadway show (as well as a million and a half showings of the Disney movie), I thought this production was wonderful. The stage seemed smaller, and the cast fewer, than the original show -- but I suppose that's because it's a touring show and they needed to simplify it a bit. Not that there's any shortage of special effects -- I thought their giant wolf puppets were quite ingenious, and their "Be Our Guest" number was glitzy as a Paris revue, with sequins and sparklers and trumpets that shoot out streamers (The Pea and all the little girls in the audience went scrambling for them!). They did a great job of recreating Belle's cartoon world, and I'm sure many children and their parents will be able to mouth the dialogue word for word.



That's not to say that the show is a carbon copy of the movie. There are added scenes and songs, and in fact, the producers have revamped every aspect of the original stage show, from sets to costumes to dialogue to musical numbers (I love, love, love the new mug-clinking dance sequence in "Gaston"!) , so that even after all these years, the show is as fresh as, well, a rose petal. But it's still the story that little princesses everywhere will be spellbound by (including my own 9-year old princess), and the story tugs at my heartstrings just the way it always does. It is, after all, a Tale as Old as Time.

Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to the show, but was not paid to review the show or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Carnival Games iPhone Game Giveaway

Hey, iPhone owners! My loss is your gain -- I was recently invited to review the new Carnival Games® for the iPhone® and iPod touch®, but Boo Hoo, I don't own an iPhone or iPod Touch! But I was allowed to keep the game code, so I'm giving it away here to one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader.


Win a Carnival Games® for the iPhone® and iPod touch®
Carnival Games® made it to the Top10 grossing iPhone apps (i.e. games & software) on the U.S. Appstore. Moreover, the Lite version is currently the #4 most downloaded free game on the U.S. Appstore.

Here's more information about the game:
Carnival Games allows you to fully customize your character – from hair color to wardrobe – and play over 10 games of chance and skill that are sure to thrill, including Clown Bonk, Bumper Boats, Star Shootout, Test of Strength, Spilled Milk, The Great Swami, Shooting Gallery, Frog Leap, Balloon Darts, Wild West Showdown, and Nerves of Steel.

Explore the fairgrounds to discover surprises while doing your best to win amazing prizes –including wacky wearables like a pirate hat, dragon snout, gorilla toes, butterfly wings and even a ninja sword.

Everyone’s a winner with Carnival Games®. You can almost smell the cotton candy!


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me your favorite carnival game. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


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

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

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

3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):

I entered the Carnival Games giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/2bg6c9e

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

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

6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Win Carnival Games for your iPhone or iPod Touch on @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/2bg6c9e #giveaways

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


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on August 27, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on August 28 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. The prize consists of a code good for 1 free download of Carnival Games. The code expires on September 16, 2010. 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 the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Pook-a-Loos Novelty Toys

Disney fans, if you haven't seen Pook-a-Looz before, you're in for a treat. They're a line of toys featuring classic Disney characters like Mickey, Minnie, Buzz, Winnie the Pooh, the Disney princesses and more, but with a clean, modern, stylized look. The best way I can describe their look is part Japanese, part Scandinavian, and all adorable. They've got a big plush toy collection, and now JAKKS' Pacific has come up with a line of Pook-a-Looz novelty toys. I've already reviewed and enjoyed several JAKKS' Pacific products, including Girl Gourmet kits and Disney Fairies dolls, so I eagerly accepted (besides, I'm a big Disney fan and these toys looked too cute to resist). Here's what I thought of them:

The Basics
Here's a description of Pook-a-Looz from JAKKS' Pacific:
Classic Disney characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Winnie the Pooh, and a host of beloved Disney characters get a brand new stylized look in the Pook-a-Looz line created by Disney Consumer Products. The trendy designs will appeal to avid tween collectors, but Pook-a-Looz is still cute enough for kids of all ages! JAKKS’ CDI division launches novelty products based on the stylized look of Pook-a-Looz, including Pook-a-Looz Wobblers, Yip Yappers, Spinners and Walkers – perfect for collecting, displaying and trading! For back-to-school, Pook-a-looz Yappers are on a keychain and feature characters that all school-age kids know and love, from Mickey and Minnie to Buzz Lightyear. They are perfect for collecting and clipping onto your locker, backpacks, wherever! Bring them in for show-and-tell or trade with your friends. Ages 5+, SRP $4.99 Currently available at Walmart and Toys”R”Us stores nationwide, and next month at Target.


The Bongga
Everyone's favorite by far was the Tigger Yip Yapper, which makes an adorable yapping sound when you open its mouth. Jammy is dying to get the Toy Story Green Alien version! By the way, if you're worried about the sound getting too irritating (and honestly, I think it's so cute that it hasn't happened to me yet; in fact, I find myself yapping now and then), don't worry: it's also a keychain so your kid can attach it to his backpack and take it away from home, where it can't possibly annoy you.


Here's our fun Minnie Spinner; pull one of her arms to get her spinning like a top. She has already inspired several competitions between 3Po and Jammy to see who can spin her and keep her upright the longest.


We also received a Pooh Wobbler, and a Mickey walker (a wind-up toy with feet that march up and down), which look every bit as cute as the others.

The Blah
I wish all the Pook-A-Looz were keychains, so that my kids could take them around and show them to their friends without worrying about them getting lost.

The Bottom Line
Pook-a-Looks are a cute novelty and a small, fun back-to-school present for the kids.

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

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Paul Frank Back-to-School Giveaway

Have I got a great giveaway for you today! I've been given a Paul Frank back-to-school prize pack to give away! I'm sure lots of you parents are getting requests from your kids for Paul Frank themed items to take to school with them, so this giveaway comes at just the right time. My kids (and their friends) are all big Paul Frank fans. Check out 3Po's favorite bedclothes:

They've also got Paul Frank clothing, including the cutest Julius and Skurvy underpants from Target! There's just something about that bright, bold Julius monkey (and his Skurvy skeletal friend) that appeals to kids.

This helicopter-print case for the Macbook Pro is so bright and sunny, just looking at it makes me smile.


You can purchase this Julius notebook online or at Office Depot; it's an inexpensive way for a kid to make a fashion statement!


3Po and Jammy would tear their skulls out for a Skurvy boys' hoodie like this one.


You can find these products and more at Paul Frank retail shops and PaulFrank.com.


Win a Paul Frank Back-to-School Prize Pack
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a Paul Frank prize pack consisting of:

Paul Frank bag
Paul Frank folder
Paul Frank notebook
Paul Frank iphone skin

(note: contents of prize pack may be slightly different from the items pictured above).

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me what you are doing to prepare your child for the upcoming schoolyear. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


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

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

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

3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):

I entered the Paul Frank giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/26hjh54

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

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

6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Paul Frank back-t0-school prize pack from @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/26hjh54 #giveaways

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


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 8, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on September 9 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. US addresses 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 the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Life is Good... but Wicked is Better

Everybody likes t-shirts with fun messages; here's a company with a message that's up with the best of them. Wicked is Better sent me one of their Wicked is Better destroyed tees and invited me to check out the rest of their line. Here's what I thought:

The Basics
Wicked is Better is a fun clothing line for men, women and children based on the concept that everyone has a fun side, and it's time to show it.

Here's more information about Wicked is Better:
Move over ‘Life Is Good’, a new t-shirt brand is taking a more 'realistic' approach to fashion slogans and has something for the entire family. We all know life is not perfect and this playful new line of clothes allows you to celebrate your fun and mischievous side. Wicked Is Better are fun tees that turn the imperfect part of life into a lighthearted fashion slogan that the whole family can wear. And let’s face it, sometimes being bad or ‘wicked’ can feel so good!

The fun and youthful designs of ‘Wicked Wilma’ and ‘Wicked Willie’ are the face of Wicked Is Better. The adorable line has something for everyone with hats, tees, tanks, onesies, canvas totes and even doggie attire. Wicked Is Better is sure to bring a little fun for the whole family!

The Bongga
I have to say, I have a soft spot for the Wicked slogan and story -- getting Wicked seems a lot like finding your inner Bongga. The ripped-up hemlines of the the shirt they sent me have nice a bad-ass look, and I love the olive color of the shirt. The message -- Wicked is Better -- is cheeky but not arrogant, naughty without being offensive. The shirt fits nicely, and it looks and feels great (FYI if you're looking for sizing advice, I usually wear a size Large, but decided to order an XL, which turned out to be a good decision since it's a fitted tee, which usually runs small).



The Blah
Wicked is Better's online store is hosted on Zazzle.com, so when you click on any link on their home page, you'll be taken to Zazzle -- which might confuse some would-be buyers.

Regarding the design, I think black or grey text would have gone better with the olive shirt color instead of bright pink, Also, I love the angel-wing scrollwork designs above and below the slogan, but a more distressed screen printing would have (ironically) given the shirt a more finished look. Instead, the bold typeface -- and cartoonish characters on some of their other shirts-- makes the design look like something anyone could print out on a home computer and iron on to any old tee.


The Bottom Line
I love the theme of the Wicked is Better clothing line -- that inside every good girl (or boy) there's a naughty vixen or fox who likes to come out and play now and then. Wearing one of their slogan shirts tells people there's a lot more to you than they realize!

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

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Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's FUNundrum

We had a real treat last Wednesday -- Feld Family Entertainment invited us to the opening night of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show: FUNundrum at Oakland's ORACLE Arena. This weekend the circus is moving down south to the HP Pavilion from August 18 to 22
(and if you're not in the SF Bay Area, check out the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey webpage for their tour schedule!). With a show this spectacular and entertaining, if you've got young kids, there's no better time like the present to see the circus!


This year being the 100th anniversary of P.T. Barnum's birth, FUNundrum pays tribute to the circuses of old, with giant digital screens showing vintage circus posters that might have been displayed during Barnum's time. I really like this use of technology in an otherwise traditional circus show; For the under-the-sea-themed aerial act, the screens helped set the stage by projecting images of fish and seaweed. For the 3-ringed sideshow-themed act, the screens turned into vintage signs announcing the stage names of the people performing. Speaking of 3 rings, I'm happy that they seem to have done away with this 3-ring nonsense (except for the sideshow act and the dog-and-pony act), so people can concentrate on one thing and not miss any of the exciting things going on.

My favorite act has got to be the beautiful, graceful aerial act, with women dressed as mermaids swirling and twirling gracefully up in the air on hoops and ribbons. The Pea fell in love with the little baby elephant that showed up in the finale. The boys (Alfie included) liked the motorcycle act, where 7 bikes roar round and round inside a tiny steel sphere! The circus we watched last year didn't have this act, so we were all really happy to see it this time around. I was pleasantly surprised to see that the kids weren't too old and "sophisticated" to laugh heartily at the clowns' superhero routines. And everyone enjoyed the trapeeze act, even though they failed in their attempt to do a quadruple somersault. I thought FUNundrum was great entertainment and well worthy of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey legacy!


By the way, every time I write about the circus someone leaves a comment or sends an email about how this circus is perpetuating cruelty to animals. People, I am not blind. Yes, there are animals in this show -- there's an elephant act, a tiger act, and a 3 ring horse/pony/horse+dog+llama act. And yes, I continue to take my family to the circus, because in my opinion, they don't look mistreated at all. Feld Entertainment makes a big deal about their involvement in elephant conservation efforts, and before every show they allow circus-goers to view the animals outside the big tent in their Animal Encounter. Yes, the animals are in cages, but my understanding is that when they're not on tour, the animals have more space to roam!

Maybe Feld Entertainment is putting on its own dog and pony show to mislead suckers like me, but I honestly don't see why they would mistreat their animals when the rest of the world is looking at them so closely. I'm sure they're well aware of the controversy -- the hordes of demonstrators outside the arena certainly make themselves heard. And they seem to be de-emphasizing the animal acts in favor of the juggling, tumbling, acrobatic and aerial acts.


If there's anything I would criticize about their treatment of the animals, it would be that the tricks they do seem forced and unnatural, and I don't know how they're trained. At marine shows, for example, the trainers make an effort to educate the audience about how the whales and dolphins and sea lions learn to do these tricks -- how all their jumping and twisting is actually natural behavior, and they've learned to make the association between a trainer's specific hand movement (the signal), the behavior (the trick) and the reward (food). I don't know whether tigers prancing on their hind legs is natural behavior or not, or whether they're whipped or rewarded into doing it -- so really, the problem may lie in this circus being able to communicate and educate the public.



Save on FUNundrum tickets with this special offer
WEEKDAY SHOWS-Purchase a 4-pack of tickets for only $44 (not valid for CC/ FR/ VIP seating); redemption code: MOM

WEEKEND SHOWS-$5 off tickets to all performances (not valid for CC/ FR/ VIP seating); redemption code: MOM

Log on to http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/ih92w2 and enter redemption code: MOM



Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to the show. Event information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Wubbzy Goes to School DVD review and giveaway

My kids' school starts next week and we're deep into preparations -- making sure they have shoes, clothes, backpacks and all that. But I'm making sure they're prepared mentally as well; getting them used to waking up early and getting ready quickly, talking to them about meeting new teachers and making new friends.

I was recently invited to preview the new DVD featuring the popular tv series "Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!": Wubbzy Goes to School, which was released on August 3. I thought it would be a great transition from summertime to schooltime -- some tv entertainment that I know my kids enjoy, with a little bit of school preparation thrown in.

The Basics
Here's some information about Wubbzy's new DVD:

Wubbzy, the cute and quirky bendy-tailed character from the hit Emmy® Award-winning Nick Jr.® preschool TV series, along with his pals Widget, Walden and Daizy, help preschoolers get ready to learn! learn! learn! with the DVD release of “Wubbzy Goes To School.” The newest collection of engaging episodes will ease children’s anxieties about heading off to school and making new friends – while they embark on wonderfully wacky adventures the Wubbzy way!

Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! “Wubbzy Goes To School” makes the grade at retail nationwide on August 3, 2010. “Wubbzy Goes To School” (SRP $16.98) puts the “cool” in “school” with six charming episodes that will have everyone ready to hit the books. In “Who Needs School?,” Wubbzy is nervous about going off to school for the very first time and decides he can learn all he needs to know on his own. When things don’t work out as expected and Wubbzy has no one to play with, he realizes that maybe school isn’t so bad after all. In another episode, “New Kid On The Block,” Wubbzy learns that meeting and accepting new friends can be a big! big! big! job. When Murphy, a larger-than-life new student, joins the class, Wubbzy finds that good friends can come in all shapes and sizes.

Additional episodes include: “Gotta Dance,” “Wubbzy the Star,” “You Gotta Have Art” and “Magic Tricks,” starring Wuzzleburg’s own Moo Moo the Magician! Fans will also be “wowed” with cool bonus features such as the “Meet Wubbzy’s Schoolmates” photo gallery, coloring and activity sheets and more.


The Bongga
As Wubbzy would say, WowWowWow! Even though my kids are no longer preschool-age, they still love watching Wubbzy, and this DVD was no exception. It's great to hear them laughing over Widget's clumsy attempts at ballet (and the out-of-control antics of the clever ballet robot she built).

Even better, each episode features real-life situations that kids face when going to school, so when kids talk to parents about their fears and anxieties, parents can help them out by asking them, "What would Wubbzy do? Remember that episode when....."


The Blah
I'm a big proponent of educational kids' shows, and one could argue that Wubbzy doesn't really teach kids shapes, colors, numbers, science, letters. But the episodes do help kids think about social situations and how they should react. In general, I think Wubbzy is a good role model for kids because he's just like them -- he's impulsive and mischievous, but he has a good heart and he does try to do the right thing.


The Bottom Line
Wow! Wow! Wubbzy gets top marks from me because it's clean, lighthearted entertainment that kids can relate to (and enjoy watching, too!).

Win Wubbzy!
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a Wubbzy prize pack, consisting of the new Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! DVD, Wubbzy goes to School, and a Wow! Wow! Wubbzy book, School Surprise.



Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me what you are doing to prepare your child for the upcoming schoolyear. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


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

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

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

3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):

I entered the Wubbzy DVD giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/2b2bxma

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

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

6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Win a Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! DVD from @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/2b2bxma #giveaways

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on August 29, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on August 30 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. US addresses only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received an advance screener of the new Wubbzy DVD, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Celebrating the success of American Girl's Shine On Now program

Over the past month I've had the incredible honor of being a Parent Partner for American Girl's Shine on Now campaign. I really enjoyed visiting ShineOnNow.com with The Pea from July 13 to 31 to donate stars (which translated to a $1 donation made by American Girl) to some really worthy charities. I'm happy to say that, thanks to girls all over the US, American Girl met their goal of 1 million stars donated -- that's $1 million! Now that's a reason to celebrate! And what better place to celebrate reaching the 1 million stars goal than at the American Girl Cafe?

Last week, I joined four other American Girl Parent Partners for brunch at the American Girl Cafe in New York. Jamie from Blonde Mom Blog, Bridgette from Experimental Mommy, Kristin from Our Ordinary Life, and Amanda from Mommy Mandy and I all hail from different parts of the US -- but we're united in that we're all mom bloggers, we're all parents to our own young American Girls, we all want to give back to their communities, and we're all fans of American Girl.

Brunch was fabulous in every sense of the word (see my American Girl Cafe post over at Finding Bonggamom for photos and details about the dining experience), from the decor to the food to the company. During brunch, each of us gave some feedback about the program and spoke about our experiences participating. Here's what I had to say:

Afterwards, we were given a special tour of the American Girl store by one of their personal shoppers. People must have wondered why a group of women (with no accompanying kids) were being toured around the store. It's simple, really: we're all just little girls at heart.

Next time I'm definitely taking The Pea to brunch here, but on that sunny summer Sunday, I fully enjoyed being a little girl again, dressing up and eating dainty girly food, posing with my new friend Jamie and our (borrowed) American Girl dolls. We had a lovely time; thanks so much, American Girl, for naming me as one of your Parent Partners for the Shine On Now program!


Update: here's a list of the other Parent Partners in American Girl's Shine On Now program:

• 5 Minutes For Mom
• Mom Central
• Mom Generations
• MomFluential
• Momma Findings
• Mommy Mandy
• Mom’s Best Best
• Social Media Mom
• Classy Mommy
• Talking With Tami
• Solutions Sleuth
• Coffee With The Mrs
• Lady and The Blog
• Blissfully Domestic
• Manic Mommies
• Look What Mom Found
• Blonde Mom Blog
• Books on The House
• Child Mode
• Cindy W. Morrison
• Dad of Divas
• Finding Bonggamom
• Keeper of the Cheerios
• Kingdom First Mom
• The Mom Buzz
• Mayhem and Moxie
• Experimental Mommy
• Sprinkles
• Dad Labs

Disclosure: I was invited to brunch as a Shine On Now Parent Partner. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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"Dinosaur Train Under the Sea" Review and Giveaway

Last September I was introduced to Dinosaur Train, a new series about Buddy the T-rex, his adopted Pteranodon family and their friends. It has been airing on PBS for almost a year now, and my kids still enjoy watching the show -- and even better, enjoy the educational component after the show.



My kids and I are happy to hear that Buddy and his friends will soon be diving under the sea on a special one-hour television special -- Dinosaur Train Under the Sea -- airing August 20 on PBS Kids. We received an advance screen copy of the special, which they really liked. After the show, Dr. Scott introduced us to dinosaurs with such unpronounceable names as Michelinoceras and Pliosaurus. And if you think dinos living under the sea is strange, you're probably just as much of a fossil as I am! Apparently recent reports from Australia show discoveries of some strange, prehistoric-looking life forms hundreds of kilometers below the Great Barrier Reef.

Here's more information about the new TV show and DVD:
On Friday, August 20, PBS KIDS® will premiere Dinosaur Train Under the Sea, a new one-hour television special from the hit CGI-animated preschool series DINOSAUR TRAIN™ from The Jim Henson Company. Children of all ages can join Buddy and the entire Pteranodon family aboard the Dinosaur Train as they embark on their first underwater adventure exploring the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic oceans to learn about new aquatic creatures. The new special episode will premiere on the popular PBS KIDS® preschool destination, an educational, hosted two-hour morning television block. (Please check local listings).


Additionally PBS KIDS and Paramount will release the Dinosaurs Under the Sea on DVD on August 24, which includes eight exciting and whimsical adventures, as well as interactive games, coloring pages, a dinosaur reference guide and information for parents.



Win a PBS KIDS DVD
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a DVD copy of Dinosaurs Under the Sea, to be released by PBS KIDS and Paramount on August 24.


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me why you or your child would love to win this DVD. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


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

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

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

3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):

I entered the Dinosaur Train Under the Sea giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/34fpl5h

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

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

6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Win a Dinosaurs Under the Sea DVD from @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/34fpl5h #giveaways


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on August 24, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on August 25 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. US addresses only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received an advance screener of the new show, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- List your giveaways here!

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

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

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Tonic Luster giveaway

Summer is almost gone, but there's still time to get out and enjoy the last of those long, sunny days! Whether you're splashing at the pool or playing in the park, don't forget to moisturize and protect your skin from the hot summer sun. I've got a great giveaway today for Tonic's Luster multipurpose hair conditioner and body moisturizer. One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a bottle of this summer must-have!

Here's some information about the prize that's up for grabs:

Tonic’s Luster, the ultimate multipurpose product of summer, is a deep conditioning mist with powerful UV-inhibitors and natural botanical oils that functions as both a leave-in conditioner and a luxurious body moisturizer.

Tonic Luster is a summer must-have. Perfectly fitting into any beach bag or purse, Tonic Luster ensures that your hair and skin stay moisturized and protected against the harmful elements all summer long.

Price: $14

Benefits for Hair
· Aloe leaf, a source of aloe and juice, acts as an emollient, absorbing damaging ultra-violet light to protect hair from the sun.
· Silk protein gives hair added strength, manageability and shine.
· Wheat protein penetrates hair for a deep, moisturizing condition.

Benefits for Skin
· Aloe leaf-infused formula adds additional sun protection to skin and face.
· Silk protein protects skin against dehydration with a moisturizing effect.
· Grapeseed oil revitalizes dull skin with a subtle scent of remote tropical island.

About Tonic
Tonic hair care provides quality, organic, environmentally friendly products designed to protect hair from nature’s harsh elements. Developed in 2007 by avid surfer Lauren Otonicar, Tonic products cater to the environment and those who love the outdoors. Each product is completely non-toxic, never tested on animals, and free of parabens and sulfate. For more information on Tonic hair products, please visit www.tonicshop.com.



Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me your Must-Have summer beauty item. 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) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

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

3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook wall (1 entry):I entered your Tonic Luster giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/28nu5g6

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

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

6) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this daily (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Enter to win a bottle of Tonic Luster leave-in conditioner/body moisturizer on @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/28nu5g6 #giveaway


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59 PST on September 2, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on September 3 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. 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 the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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10 Money-Saving Tips for Back-to-School Shopping

August is Back to School month and the Yahoo! Motherboard is talking all things educational. For me, this year's Back to School is beginning to feel like Back to the Poorhouse; school is starting in just 2 weeks, and all of a sudden I feel like our bank account is draining away like a leaky boat. It seems like the kids need new lunch boxes, new jackets, new shoes, new everything! If you feel that way too, here are 10 simple things you can do to save some money when planning your Back-to-School Budget:


1) Figure out what you really need. Just because you see all those snazzy ads for cool backpacks doesn't mean you have to buy them. If your child is entering kindergarten or first grade, chances are all he'll really need is a lunchbox. You may even be able to reuse some of his supplies from last year!


2) Organize a neighborhood school swap for bikes, sports equipment, and musical instruments.


3) Buy used. Private school uniforms can cost an arm and a leg, so check to see if your school runs a used-clothing program.


4) Pack your kids' lunches. Not only are homemade lunches more nutritious than school lunches, they're usually cheaper as well.


5) Buy reusable lunch containers. You'll save in the long run on paper supplies, and you'll be doing your part to save the earth.


6) Stick to a budget. Talk to your kids beforehand about their back-to-school outfits, jackets, shoes, and other school clothing. Set a spending limit so that there are no surprises after you get back from the mall.


7) Clip coupons. There are tons of money-saving coupons out there for all kinds of school supplies. All you have to do is check your local newspaper or use Google to find coupons online. Why pay full price when you can hand the cashier a piece of paper and save anywhere from 5% to 20%?


8) Shop sales. Ditto on stores running Back To School specials -- a little research can go a long way.


9) Buy in bulk. You know you'll be needing ten rolls of sticky tape and three dozen glue sticks, so head to your local warehouse club and buy supersize packs of school supplies, lunchbox snacks, and things you'll be using throughout the schoolyear. You'll pay less per item!


10) You get what you pay for. Investing in good-quality backpacks and lunchboxes might take a chunk out of your back-to-school budget, but they'll last longer than the cheapie variety.


Click here for more Back to School posts on the Yahoo! Motherboard!


Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Staples blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

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Baby Bunch Crayon Rompers Review and Giveaway

I've reviewed a number of Baby Bunch products this year, and I they all make wonderful baby shower presents, but I've always had a soft spot for their Crayon Rompers. I had never seen a baby gift like these before! When Baby Bunch invited me to review their Crayon Rompers, I was excited but a bit apprehensive. Would the product be as good in the flesh as it looked online?

The Basics
The Baby Bunch sells baby gifts that are both practical and beautiful: soft, 100% cotton baby clothes arranged to look like a bunch of flowers or cupcakes or crayons or eggs. There are also organic cotton gift packages and gift packages for moms.


The Bongga
Who doesn't love a box of crayons? The smell, the color, the smooth waxy feel, all bring to mind the simple pleasures of childhood. The very image brings a smile to most people's faces, and I can't imagine anyone looking at this box of Crayon Rompers without smiling. It's such an original and whimsical idea!


I'm happy to say that this product is every bit as good as I had imagined. As with all Baby Bunch clothing, the material is nice and soft, and sized to give plenty of room to grow. The crayon colors are so nice and bright, they'll really stand out from all the usual pastel presents. I can totally see this being the centerpiece of a gift basket with some colorful building blocks and bright, bold baby toys. There's certainly no danger of losing any baby wearing a Crayon Romper on the playground -- not only will he/she be the only one wearing such a bright, bold color, he/she will also be surrounded by adoring moms, wondering where on earth they can buy such cute onesies for their own darling babies!

The Blah
Not much to complain about here, although I did not wash the rompers to see how colorfast they are. If anyone out there own some Baby Bunch Crayon Rompers, let me know how the colors stand up to frequent washing!

The Bottom Line
Even among Baby Bunch's already unique line of baby presents, these Crayon Rompers stand out. They're practical with a colorful punch, and they'd make a great gift for a baby boy or girl.



Win a Box of Crayon Rompers
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a Crayon Rompers box (ARV $25) -- a set of 3 multicolored onesies packaged in the delightful crayon box.


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which product from The Baby Bunch you would most like to give or receive as a baby shower present. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.


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

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

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

3) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):

I entered the Baby Bunch Crayon Rompers giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/27loo93

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

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

6) Follow The Baby Bunch on Twitter (1 entry).

7) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):

Win a box of Crayon Rompers from @babybunch and @bonggafinds http://tinyurl.com/27loo93 #giveaways


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 1, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on September 2 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. US and Canada addresses only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

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

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FUNundrum -- The Circus is Coming to Town!

We've just come home from a long vacation where we've enjoyed such sights as the White Cliffs of Devon, the Eiffel Tower, crossing the English Channel in a car, and watching one of the most popular motorcycle racing events in the world. You'd think that coming home after such a vacation would leave everyone flat and dejected, feeling like there's nothing more boring that home, sweet home.

Luckily, the Bay Area is up with the rest of the world when it comes to things to see and do, so we're never short of opportunities to have a fun family time. Our next event is only two days away and we are all so excited! Feld Family Entertainment has given us tickets to see the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey show: FUNundrum, which is coming to the Oakland Arena from August 11 to 15, and the HP Pavilion from August 18 to 22. If it's anything like the previous circus shows we've watched, we're going to be in for a real treat! You can go to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey webpage for their tour schedule to see if the circus is coming your way (don't forget to use the discount codes below!). Stay tuned for a review of the show, which I'll be posting here after August 11!


Save on FUNundrum tickets with this special offer
WEEKDAY SHOWS-Purchase a 4-pack of tickets for only $44 (not valid for CC/ FR/ VIP seating); redemption code: MOM

WEEKEND SHOWS-$5 off tickets to all performances (not valid for CC/ FR/ VIP seating); redemption code: MOM

Log on to http://www.ticketmaster.com/promo/ih92w2 and enter redemption code: MOM

Disclosure: I am receiving complimentary tickets so my family and I can enjoy and review the show. Event information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Yummie Tummie at BlogHer 2010

How time flies! I can't believe it has been a year since I became a Yummie Tummie Brand Ambassador. This time, last year, at BlogHer 2009, I was in the Clever Girls' hotel room for some reason or another, and Stefania from CityMama handed me a white Yummie Tummie Skinny Tank and said something like, "Try this, you'll love it!". I slipped it on and fell in love. One year and three Yummie Tummie tops later, I'm still a loyal fan of their sexy, slimming styles, spreading the Yummie Message to muffin-top-sufferers everywhere.

This year at BlogHer, Yummie Tummie had a big presence at the Social Luxe Lounge party on Thursday night. I got to meet Yummie founder Heather Thomas, who turned out to be bubbly and friendly and full of great advice on what to wear. She gave me a sneak peek at some of Yummie Tummie's latest styles, like their Shaping Yoga Pant, Gwen Racer Back tank, Short Sleeved Crew t-shirt and Chelsea Classic Button Down shirt. I've been coveting the Gwen tank ever since I saw it online, and it looks even nicer in the flesh, and Heather surprised me by telling me Yummie Tummie would be sending it to me to review!

Speaking of reviews, unfortunately the Yummie Chiffon Tier top that I was supposed to wear to BlogHer did not arrive in time, but I wore my Yummie Ruffle top on Day 1 of the conference, so my fashion moxie did not suffer one bit.

Here I am with uber-celebrity Mrs. Potato Head. She confessed to me that she's been a naughty little couch potato, not getting too much exercise, and she's been feeling a bit lumpy and bumpy. I sang the praises of Yummie Tummie to her, and she loved the way my Yummie Tummie ruffle top kept my wobbly bits in (little British expression there, that's what comes from 4 weeks in the UK) without looking like a frumpy, um, potato sack. I wonder if they make Yummie Tummies in Potato Head sizes?

Disclosure: I am a Yummie Tummie Brand Ambassador and occasionally receive product samples to review. At no time have I been paid or required to this product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Ming Wang at BlogHer 2010

Whenever I travel, I like to pack light -- but at BlogHer's annual conference, packing light is almost an impossible feat. Whenever I'm at BlogHer my inner girly-girl comes out, and I find myself obsessing about what to wear. Maybe it's the presence of all those women -- Alfie likes to accuse me of dressing up for my girlfriends more than I do for him -- , but somehow alternating 3 shirts with the same pair of jeans just won't do. I was looking at daytime outfits and evening outfits, accessories included, for 3 days and 3 nights.

The cruel truth is that packing light for BlogHer is more important that ever, because as surely as Alfie likes chocolate, I know I'll be getting lots of swag, and I need lots and lots of space in my suitcase for it! Short of throwing all my clothes away to make room for the swag, what's a girl to do?

Enter Ming Wang. This clothing company offered to send me an outfit of my choice to wear to BlogHer 2010, and I eagerly accepted because a key feature of Ming Wang's line is their wrinkle-free, packable material. I wore a two piece Ming Wang tank and blazer combination to last night's BlogHer cocktail party; here's what I thought:

The Basics
Ming Wang offers a simple solution, a versatile collection of chic, effortless knitwear designed for the modern woman. Machine washable, wrinkle-free, and color-guarded, the line is ideal for travel and practical packing. Its separate pieces pair vibrant colors and bold patterns with fitting timeless neutrals, making it perfect for wardrobe building and transitioning from day to night.


The Bongga
I selected a black tank with crimson-trimmed neckline and paired it with a matching crimson jacked with black trim in a 3/4 sleeve, high-collar design. I was a bit anxious about committing to wearing the outfit because you never know how things will look and fit in the flesh when all you have to go on is a photo of the outfit on a slim, gorgeous model. I certainly didn't want to wear something unflattering to a BlogHer cocktail party, but in spite of my initial reservations, once I put my outfit together I fell in love with it and got lots of compliments from bloggers last night!

Here's what I loved most about the outfit:

* The material is perfect for traveling because it doesn't wrinkle at all. I didn't bother folding the tank or the jacket, I literally threw them into my suitcase, where they were quickly scrunched up into a ball between my shoes and my toiletry kit. But they came out looking as fresh and wrinkle-free as though they had been on a hanger the whole time. For a person who hates ironing as much as I do, this outfit was a gold mine.

* The material is so thin, it barely takes up any space in my suitcase.

* It's machine-washable, so I don't have to worry about dry cleaning or soaking in the sink or any of that nonsense.

* The material feels great!

The Blah
I have to admit, I had a difficult time selecting an outfit because the styles seemed more suitable to a mature businesswoman than a mom temporarily freed from kids and husband, looking to party hard with her girlfriends.

Ming Wang does have some classic, elegant, travel-friendly dresses I would have loved to wear, but they weren't available. Besides, I'm so tired of wearing black when I go out, and I thought that red would make a nice, vibrant change.

In any case, I decided to pair the tank and jacket with a short, flared skirt and high heels, which gave the outfit a fun, flirty flair and banished any worries of looking matronly out of my head. The Ming Wang people even sent me a matching black tote bag which proved to be the perfect accessory! I felt confident and pretty all evening in my Ming Wang outfit -- and it barely took up any space in my suitcase.


The Bottom Line
Ming Wang outfits combine classic styling with wrinkle-free, space-saving fabric. They're perfect for business travel or for anyone who needs to look nice while living out of a suitcase!

Disclosure: I received product samples from Ming Wang, but was not paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Ubisoft at BlogHer 2010

I'm so excited to have been chosen by gaming software maker Ubisoft and the Clever Girls as one of their Ubisoft Champions! I've been working with Ubisoft since last November, trying out their latest and greatest games for the Nintendo DS and sharing my opinions with my readers, and as a Ubisoft Chamption, I'll be doing pretty much the same thing -- reviewing some games and hosting some giveaways -- so I'm delighted to be continuing the relationship.

Today some of the Ubisoft Champion bloggers met up with the Clever Girls and Ubisoft people at the Ubisoft booth at BlogHer 2010 in New York. Ubisoft is a Platinum Sponsor of the event, so they had a massive booth right at the very entrance of the BlogHer Expo.

Even though the first thing I saw at the booth was a demented looking giant bunny dressed as an Egyptian Pharaoh, I felt right at home. Not because I'm demented or Egyptian, but because he's a character from one of the kids' favorite DS games, Rabbids Go Home. I just had to pose for a photo with him, and I have to say, I think I look pretty demented myself (being so close to a celebrity can do that to you).

The Ubisoft booth was full of fun things to see and do. I got a sneak peek at some of Ubisoft's newest games for the Nintendo DS, including Petz Fantasy, where players care for mythical animals that hatch out of eggs and the latest Style Lab game, where players create their own tshirt designs. I got all excited because my kids love Style Lab and Petz, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll get to review these titles sometime soon.

The booth also had several Wii and Xbox stations set up with Ubisoft games for conference attendees to try out. They even had a dance stage where bloggers could strut their stuff and try out the Just Dance game for the Wii. They offered a free Just Dance shirt to anyone who would get up on stage and dance, so I let myself be persuaded to join Cat, Stefania and Sheila from Clever Girls Collective and dance to Madonna's Holiday. I figured I couldn't make too much of a fool of myself dancing to 80's music, and I'd get a free shirt out of it. Heck, who am I kidding, I just wanted to get up and dance! It was good exercise and great fun. Maybe tomorrow I'll get back up on that stage and try my hand at "Walk Like An Egyptian". Heck, maybe I can even get the bunny to dance with me.

Disclosure: I was selected by Ubisoft and Clever Girls Collective to be part of the Ubisoft Champions social media program. I am compensated for my participation in this program, but my reviews are solely my own and represent my honest opinions. Ubisoft and Clever Girls Collective promote Blog With Integrity.

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Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- List your giveaways here!

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

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

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Safeway Home Delivery Service (aka my lifesaver)

Boy, have I had been busy! I wrapped up my last week in the UK with a flurry of day trips, shopping excursions and parties, culminating with a cocktail party my mother-in-law hosted for 25 people for her birthday on Monday night. On Tuesday morning I fly home to Palo Alto. I arrived on Tuesday afternoon and spent the rest of the day unpacking, sorting through 5 weeks' worth of mail and sweeping away 5 weeks worth of dust that had settled throughout the house. On Wednesday morning I flew to New York for the BlogHer 2010 conference.

Alfie and the kids will be flying from Heathrow to San Francisco on Saturday. I won't be getting back till Sunday, so they'll be arriving to a clean, but empty, house. Empty, as in, empty of all food except a bottle of ketchup, some beer, and a jar of pickled onions so old that no one will touch them. The last thing Alfie will want to do is drag the kids to the store to get milk and juice and bread. How can I help them while I'm enjoying myself here in New York will all my fellow bloggers?

Enter Safeway's Home Delivery Service. One of the first things I did when I arrived home was log on to Safeway.com, pick out some basic grocery items and schedule a delivery for late Saturday night. That way, Alfie and the kids will have cereal and milk and fruit to eat the next morning. No hassle, no fuss, all thanks to the miracle of home delivery!

I was thrilled when Safeway sent me two grocery gift cards and invited me to try out their Home Grocery Delivery service, because I'm already a loyal Safeway shopper and frequent user of the service! I've been using it ever since it started, and I'm a big fan. I hate taking the kids grocery shopping and I only get a few hours to myself while they're at school, and the last thing I want to do with my precious free time is do grocery shopping.

Safeway Home Grocery Delivery makes so much sense. Items cost just the same as they do at your local Safeway store, and all Safeway Club Card discounts are automatically applied. I'm always online anyway, so doing online grocery shopping makes sense. I can pick and choose items online faster than I could by pushing a heavy cart up and down the grocery aisles, and I can schedule deliveries in the late evening, when the kids are in bed. I can buy all the heavy cans and bulky toilet paper rolls I want, knowing my friendly Safeway delivery driver will help me carry it all into my kitchen!

Here's more information about Safeway's Home Grocery Delivery:
Safeway’s Home Grocery Delivery is a convenient and time-saving way to shop for groceries from the comfort of your own home. Have you ever dreamed you could get your grocery shopping done while the kids took a quick nap? Want to easily stock up on those everyday essentials without leaving the house? Are you without a car and wish you could get your groceries home without being limited to what you can carry on public transportation? Now you can!

With Safeway Home Delivery, you get great Safeway Club Card savings plus exclusive online offers and easy delivery—all with the click of a mouse. And once you’ve completed your first order, your grocery list is saved in your account making future online shopping even easier and more of a time saver!





Here are the features I like best about the service:

* They deliver to your home.

* You can search for items by typing keywords into a search box, or by browsing through virtual "grocery aisles", just like you would in an actual Safeway store.

* The site saves your order history so you can easily find the items that you shop for the most.

* They deliver to your home.

* The drivers are friendly and helpful. They never leave my order out on my porch; they always carry it all inside to my kitchen, which is great since both my hands are usually already gripping something (basket of toys, vacuum cleaner, naughty boys' hands, etc...). And even though they're providing you with the incredible convenience of delivering to your home, they don't accept tips.

* You can choose from a wide range of delivery times and dates.

* Even after you've checked out and paid for your order, you can change your order until midnight before your scheduled delivery date, so if you forgot anything, you can still add it to your order.

* The groceries are delivered in plastic bags, but you can send empty plastic bags back with the delivery driver to be recycled.

* Delivery charges are very reasonable -- between $7 and $13 -- but they send free delivery coupons via email or regular mail so often, I rarely have to pay delivery fees!

* They prominently display their weekly specials on their main page, so you don't miss out on all the great deals. When they have free shipping offers or other discounts, you'll know about it!

* Their customer service is excellent. One time I realized I had not received several items on my list, even though they were listed on my delivery sheet. I called up customer service and told them the delivery driver must have left one of my bags in his truck. They immediately offered to re-deliver the items or credit my account for the items. My choice, no hassle.

* Did I mention they deliver to your home?


Safeway Home Grocery delivery is a wonderful service for all busy families, and I highly recommend them. Here's a free shipping offer from the Safeway home page to get you started:

Free Delivery with your first Safeway Home Grocery order
Get free delivery for your First Delivery by entering Promotion Code: EASY7 at checkout. Limit 1 per household. $50 minimum order required for delivery. Valid for First Delivery Only.

Great, huh? Here's an even better one that Safeway gave to me to share with my blog readers! Check it out:

Free Delivery plus $7 off your first Safeway Home Grocery order
Get free delivery plus $7 off your First Delivery by entering Promotion Code: BNGMMFDS at checkout. Limit 1 per household. $50 minimum order required for delivery. Valid for First Delivery Only. Expires 9/30/2010.

Disclosure: I received two gift cards as a thank-you for participating and blogging about Safeway Home Grocery Delivery. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Win a $50 Gift Certificate to CSN Stores

CSN has over 200 stores that sell everything under the sun, from wall sconces to frying pans to baby nursery decor to bikes to more. As a CSN Preferred Blogger, I had the opportunity earlier this year to select a couple of items from their stores to review. With so many great products to choose from, it took me ages to decide on something to review, but in the end I chose a cookpot for me and a marble run for the kids. To say that both these items have been good value for money is an understatement -- we love them! Watch out for a more detailed review of the marble run in a couple of weeks -- if you leave a comment on that review, you'll get an extra entry into the giveaway below!




Win a $50 Gift Certificate to CSN Stores
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a $50 Gift Certificate which can be used at any store from CSN.com!


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post with a link to the CSN Store you would most like to shop at. This entry must be completed before extra entries qualify.

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

1) Grab my blog button and post it up on your blog (1 entry).

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

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

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

5) Tweet this up to once per day (1 entry per day):

Win a $50 gift certificate to CSN Stores courtesy of @csnstores on @bonggafinds! Enter now at http://tinyurl.com/23j36re #giveaway



The Rules
US Addresses only. This giveaway ends at midnight PST on September 5, 2010; I will draw a winner at random on September 6 and post the winner's name after the winner confirms acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a CSN Stores gift certificate for my participation in this giveaway. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Win a $2000 Gift Certificate from BabyPhotographers.com

Check out this great contest from BabyPhotographers.com! Just tell them what you do to get your baby to laugh, and you could win a $2,000 certificate from babyphotographers.com. Click here for rules and to enter.

If you haven't heard about BabyPhotographers.com, it's a new site that lets parents search for baby photographers in their area. Here's more information about the site:

There is now a one-stop place to help you capture your baby’s best moments on film! Babyphotographers.com is a comprehensive resource for moms and dads seeking information about baby photography. This highly informational web site helps parents around the world compare and contrast baby photographers to discover the perfect artist for a mom’s style, goal and budget. Busy moms are now able to locate a great photographer quickly. Sophisticated profile pages let you browse photographer bios or overviews about their services, photo galleries and videos as well as links to all of their contact information. Babyphotographers.com also features articles to educate and inform moms about great topics like “How to Have the Perfect Baby Photography Session.”

I love the clean, fresh look and feel of the site (kind of like a baby, huh?) and of course all the cute baby photos. Once the site incorporates more robust features -- including a zip code search, search area functionality (i.e. number of miles parents are willing to drive) and side-by-side photographer comparisons -- I think it's going to be a great resource for proud parents!

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. By posting this, I am eligible to win a gift certificate for a photo session from Team Mom and BabyPhotographers.com. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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