Bonggamom Finds

Sweet Andy's Cookies giveaway

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about my latest food obsession, Sweet Andy's Cookies. Shopping mall cookies, bakery cookies, even my homemade cookies have ceased to tempt me since I tasted Sweet Andy's moist, chewy bites of heaven. These cookies are so good, they earned 3Po's highest level of praise:

Mom, I love these cookies so much, I'm willing to use my own allowance to buy some for myself!

Given that he only earns $3 per month, even a single bag of Sweet Andy's Cookies would be a huge investment for him. Yes, I'm cheap, but I'm not mean. I wasn't planning to make poor 3Po save his hard-earned money to get more Sweet Andy's Cookies, so I bought some myself. Right now, Sweet Andy's is offering free shipping on 6 bags of cookies, so I took advantage and ordered some for the family. 6 bags might sound like a lot, but there always seems to be a teacher or teacher's aide celebrating a birthday, and a bag makes a great present! Also, the cookies freeze really well -- we froze 2 bags, then a week after we took the cookies out of the bag, put them on a plate and warmed them in the microwave. They were just perfect!

The Mint Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Chip varieties were big hits, and Alfie adores the Oatmeal Raisin, so I ordered those, but this time I just had to try their Lemon Cookie. If you like sugar cookies you'll love Sweet Andy's Lemon Cookie -- it has the taste (sweet but not too sweet) and texture (soft and chewy) of their Sugar Cookie, but with a hint of lemon. I kind of wish that hint of lemon had been stronger, but it's still a great cookie, especially paired with a glass of milk :)

I've still got five varieties left that I haven't tasted: Pumpkin, Cinnamon Sugar, Peanut Butter Chip, Chocolate with Peanut Butter, and White Chocolate Macadamia but I think I need to give my waistline some time to recover. I can't wait to order my next box of Sweet Andy's Cookies!

Win a box of Sweet Andy's Cookies
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a box of Sweet Andy's Cookies, featuring 6 bags of cookies with 5 cookies in each bag, in assorted flavors!

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which flavor of Sweet Andy's Cookies you would most like to try.

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) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on any of your Pinterest boards (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Sweet Andy's giveaway! http://ow.ly/hRsjX

6) Write this on the Sweet Andy's Cookies Facebook page (1 entry):

I entered to win a box of Sweet Andy's Cookies on Bonggamom Finds! http://ow.ly/hRsjX

7) Tweet this once per day (1 entry per day)
RT @bonggafinds You could win a box of scrumptious cookies from @SweetAndyCookie ! Enter by March 12 at http://ow.ly/hRsjX

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on March 12, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on March 13 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: I purchased the cookies reviewed on this post with my own money. Thanks to Sweet Andy's cookies for providing the giveaway prize.. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

One Step Ahead Cozy Cub Giveaway

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

These past few weeks have been soooo cold! Blast those icy winds from the North! I've even had to take out my East Coast Woolen Winter Coat, and even though it makes me look like a homeless person I gratefully put it on every morning to shield me from the winter weather. I can't even imagine what it must be like for folks in the midwest and east coast. Actually, I can -- I lived in Boston for 2 years so I sympathize!

It seems like the cold snap has caught everyone off guard, so everyone's rushing to buy winter gear. The problem is, retailers are already starting to hawk their spring fashions -- fortunately, One Step Ahead is still selling lots of winter clothing, gear and accessories online. In fact, now is a great time to buy (even if it's just to stock up for next winter -- just buy a larger size, you know your child is going to grow into it anyway!), because practically everything in their Cozy Cub Collection is on sale. Here are some Cozy Cub must-haves:

Kids 3-in-1 Snow Jacket
I love, love, love 3-in-1 jackets because they're so versatile! Your child can use the lining on its own as a cozy fleece jacket in the fall, he/she can use the water-repellant outer shell as a rain parka in the spring, or he/she can use both layers zipped together in the snow!

Kids Snow Pants/Snow Bibs with Adjustable Hem
Cold plus wet equals one miserable little person, so these water-repellent snow pants are ideal for snowy play. One Step Ahead has put in lots of parent-friendly, kid-friendly touches like foot stirrups so the inner layer doesn't ride up, removable straps to convert from snow pants to snow bibs, even an extra 2 inches at the hem so you can let it out and your child can keep wearing them a bit longer!

Kids Cozy Cub Vest:
Keeping the torso warm is essential, and this puffy vest does it in such a stylish way. I love the way the back is slightly longer than the front so kids' backs are kept covered even when they bend over!

Baby & Kids Stay-Put Reversible Fleece Hat with Earflaps
The designs on these fleece hats are so adorable, I'd put them on my kids even if they didn't help keep their little heads warm! The ear flap not only keeps ears warm, it also velcroes securely under the chin, so the hat stays put no matter how many snow angels your little angel makes. Check out the hat that One Step Ahead sent me to review:

Love those bright colors and snuggly-soft fleece!

Cozy Cub Stroller Snuggly Bunting:
This is the ONE item I really, really wish had been available when I my eldest was 6 months old and we were braving the Boston winter cold! One Step Ahead sent me a sample of this bunting, and it is really well made. The outer layer is quilted and fits nicely over a stroller, and the inner layer is plush and snuggly so your baby is warm and comfy. Stroller blankets slip and slide, but this zip-up bunting keeps babies snuggly and warm in their strollers. Genius, pure genius.

Win a Cozy Cub Winter Prize Pack!
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a Cozy Cub Winter Prize Pack from One Step Ahead, featuring the following 2 products:

One Cozy Cub Stroller Snuggly Bunting
One Stay-Put Reversible Fleece Hat with Earflaps (winner can indicate size and color preference but product will be subject to availability)

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which item in One Step Ahead's Cozy Cub Collection you would love (or would have loved!) for your child to wear this winter.

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) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on any of your Pinterest boards (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the One Step Ahead Cozy Cub giveaway! http://ow.ly/hQYGD

6) Tweet this (1 entry)
You could win a Cozy Cub Collection prize pack fr One Step Ahead! Giveaway ends March 5, enter on @bonggafinds at http://ow.ly/hQYGD

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on March 5, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on March 6 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: I received a product sample of the Stroller Bunting and Reversible Fleece Hat to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Giveaway prize is provided by One Step Ahead. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here

Friday, February 15, 2013

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!

Disney Princess apps on sale till Feb. 15 {Giveaway}

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Happy Valentine's Day! Instead of giving your little princess a box of chocolates or sugary treats, treat her to a Disney Princess app instead! You know she'll love it, and she can enjoy it on Valentine's Day and any day. Best of all, Disney Publishing Worldwide is having a sale on four Disney Princess apps that will set her heart aflutter. Each app is only $1.99 until tomorrow, Feb. 15. Here's the list of the apps that are on sale:

Princess Dress-Up: My Sticker Book for $1.99 (orig. $4.99)
Readers help their favorite Disney Princesses prepare for magical moments in this dress-up sticker book. Updated version includes interactive camera feature, plus new outfits, shoes, stories, and Princess Tiana.

(Bonggamom's note: this app is so much fun! You can take your photo and put it on Ariel's, Cinderella's, Belle's, Tiana's, Jasmine's or Snow White's body, then choose from a variety of dresses, crowns, shoes and accessories. It just like paper dolls, except they don't ever tear or get lost. You can save your creations or email them to friends and family.)

Cinderella: Storybook Deluxe for $1.99 (orig. $4.99)
Disney’s Cinderella has enchanted generations with its spellbinding story, charming music, and endearing characters that live in your heart forever. This app includes a full retelling of the film with fresh illustrations, engaging narration, music and sound effects, as well as whimsical interactivity on every page.

(Bonggamom's note: this app is Disney's deluxe e-book for Cinderella. Like Brave: Storybook Deluxe and other titles, kids can read through the Cinderella story or have it read to them by a narrator or their parent's recorded voice. There are also bonus activities like coloring pages, puzzles and sing-along music videos. The vintage illustrations and songs make me so nostalgic for my own childhood days!)

Beauty and the Beast: Storybook Deluxe for $1.99 (orig. $4.99)
In this unforgettable story of love and adventure in a magical new format, Belle finds herself in a castle with talking furniture, an enchanted rose and a grumpy beast. Despite an awkward beginning, Belle and the Beast gradually become friends, and Belle learns not to judge a book by its cover.

(Bonggamom's note: this app is Disney's deluxe e-book for Beauty and the Beast. Like Brave: Storybook Deluxe and other titles, kids can read through Belle's story or have it read to them by a narrator or their parent's recorded voice. There are also bonus activities like mazes, a scavenger hunt -- my kids love leafing through the story and searching for the hidden roses! )

The Princess and the Frog Read-Along for $1.99 (orig. $4.99)
This fully interactive app includes games, movie clips, coloring pages, and music to sing along! You can even record your own voice reading the story. Tiana, a beautiful Louisiana girl who dreams of owning her own restaurant and Naveen, a spoiled, jazz-loving prince who doesn’t know the meaning of hard work, have nothing in common – until they are magically transformed into frogs.

(Bonggamom's note: this app is Disney's deluxe e-book for Beauty and the Beast. Like Brave: Storybook Deluxe and other titles, kids can read through Belle's story or have it read to them by a narrator or their parent's recorded voice. There are also cool bonus activities like a fortune-telling mini app and a firefly chase game. )

Princess Royal Party for $1.99 (orig. $4.99)
Welcome to the Magical and Enchanting world of Disney’s Royal Party, just in time for Rapunzel’s own celebration! Disney’s Royal Party includes many fun activities and crafts for hours of fun with your favorite Disney Princesses.

(Bonggamom's note: This app is the ultimate e-magazine for young Disney Princess fans. It has everything -- read-along stories, printable princess crown templates, a dress-up mini-app, a recipe for cupcakes, coloring pages and other activities. The star of the app is Rapunzel, but the other Disney Princesses make "guest" appearances).

The apps are totally worth the cost and the space on your iOS device, because each one has unique activities (not just the usual coloring pages) that your little princess will enjoy. And they're even more worth it at $1.99, so hurry and download the apps, because they go back to their regular price after Feb. 15!

Win a set of Disney Princess apps
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive download codes for ALL FIVE of the Disney Princess apps featured above:

Princess Dress-Up: My Sticker Book
Cinderella: Storybook Deluxe
Beauty and the Beast: Storybook Deluxe
The Princess and the Frog Read-Along
Princess Royal Party

That's a $25 value!

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me your child's or your favorite Disney Princess.

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) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on your Pinterest board (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Disney Princess giveaway!

6) Tweet this before midnight PST on Feb. 15 (1 entry)

RT @bonggafinds Get select Disney Princess apps for iOS on sale for $1.99 (reg $4.99) till Feb 15! See list of apps at http://ow.ly/hIUK4

7) Tweet this, up to once per day (1 enty per tweet):

RT @bonggafinds Win a set of Disney Princess iOS apps: Princess Royal Party, Cinderella and more! Ends Feb. 28 http://ow.ly/hIUK4

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on Feb. 28, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on March 1 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: I received review codes for the 4 apps featured above, as well as 4 additional codes to give away. Product information (in italics) is provided by Disney Publishing Worldwide. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

All-natural makeup at Whole Foods

Saturday, February 09, 2013

Even though she's only eleven, The Pea has gotten pretty good at putting makeup on her face. Not only has she been raiding my makeup drawer during dress-up time since she was three, she has also been in numerous ballet and jazz performances. She has been watching teenage ballerinas put their stage makeup on backstage since she was seven, and one or two years ago she and her best friend started trying to do it to each other, then to themselves.

Obviously, a face this young and gorgeous doesn't need any makeup in every day life. Still, a girl can always use a few tips (and I'm sure it won't be long before The Pea starts wanting to wear some kind of makeup to school!), so The Pea was thrilled to accompany me to the Whole Foods Body store in Campbell for a tour of their all-natural makeup section and a complimentary makeover.

Yup, you heard me right, Whole Foods! They're probably not the first place you'd think of when you want to buy makeup, but the whole concept of Whole Foods Body is to keep you healthy inside and out, including what you put on your hair and skin. "Whole Foods" and "natural" go hand in hand, so who better to sell natural makeup? Whole Foods carries great makeup brands like Dr. Hauschka, Juice Beauty, Mineral Fusion, Hemp Organics, Karma Gloss and more. In keeping with their philosophy, the beauty products at Whole Foods are never tested on animals. Most contain a combination of plant-based and naturally-derived ingredients, pure essential oil fragrances, gentle preservatives and non-petroleum ingredients.

That's why I was more than happy to take The Pea along with me for a makeover. I know Whole Foods has high standards for their products, so I was confident that the makeup used would be safe and gentle for her young skin. She's going to have enough worries about clear skin in a couple of years without having cheap makeup clogging her pores!

Lest you think that natural makeup is limited to insipid shades or boring, earthy tones, our makeover artist Monica showed The Pea how to make her eyes really pop with a dramatic fuschia eyeshadow. The Pea learned a lot about the basics of applying eyeshadow: a lighter shade to highlight the browbone, a deeper shade for the eye crease, a colorful highlight for the lid. She's going to look awesome at her next ballet performance!

Even if The Pea's can't really be improved with makeup, my face, of course, is another story. With my 40-year old skin, late night eyebags and ever-present acne, I can use all the help I can get. Monica showed me how to use light-colored concealing mineral powder to brighten my eyes and hide dark circles under my eyes, and a slightly darker shade to camouflage acne spots. Monica used Mineral Fusion makeup, and I was happy to see that they had the exact shade for my skin tone! I also loved how light the makeup felt (the SPF+ factor naturally inherent in mineral makeup is another big bonus). The biggest bonus was when we arrived home after our makeover and Alfie commented on how smooth my skin looked!

Given the high quality of the ingredients in the brands sold at Whole Foods, it's not surprising that the price points for all the makeup is more comparable to department store brands than drugstore brands. Here's a little something that might help: from Feb. 13 till 17, all Whole Foods stores in Northern Cali and Reno will be having a Valentine's makeup sale! All makeup brands will be 30% off, so it's a great time to stock up! They even have a pre-sale period until Feb. 12, so you can check out their makeup counter, choose your makeup and put it aside to pick up on or after Feb. 13. That way, you can make sure the products you really want don't run out. What a great way to prepare for that hot Valentines Day date!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary makeover and makeup goody bags for me and my daughter, courtesy of Whole Foods Body. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here

Friday, February 08, 2013

Say it with Cookies: Sweet Andy's Cookies for your Sweetheart!

Thursday, February 07, 2013

This Valentine's Day, I don't want teddy bears. I don't want roses. I don't even want chocolates. This Valentine's Day, I'm sinking my sweet tooth into Sweet Andy's Cookies. They sent me a sample of their gigantic, moist, tender, chewy, buttery cookies a couple of weeks ago, and the whole family is hooked!

Like so many great products, Sweet Andy's started out as a labor of love. The founder started baking cookies to give as Thank-You presents to everyone who had helped him and his wife out when they were going through some hard times. Everyone loved the cookies and Andy found his calling! It's really true that every cloud has a silver lining -- if it hadn't been for the economic downturn a few years ago, Sweet Andy's Cookies might not be around and we wouldn't be fighting over them.

Trust me, I am not exaggerating. They may be selling their cookies at delicatessens and stores now, but Sweet Andy's Cookies taste anything but commercial. They are as homemade as you can get, without the burned bottoms or underbaked middles or any of the usual baking disasters. They're like your grandmother's best cookies, only better, and you don't need a grandmother (mine can't even boil water) or a secret family recipe.

These cookies are so good, they earned the ultimate compliment from 3Po:

Mom, I love these cookies so much, I'm willing to use my own allowance to buy some for myself!

And trust me, given the pittance of an allowance that I give him, buying his own bag of Sweet Andy's Cookies would be a BIG investment for 3Po. But totally worth it. And if your income is higher than my 9 year-old's allowance, you won't have any problem affording Sweet Andy's Cookies: They're only $5.99 per bag of 5, plus $2 per bag shipping. That's just $1.60 per cookie, cheaper and way more delicious than anything you could get in a bakery!

Here are some photos for you to drool over:

The chocolate chip cookie is my favorite. I love that it's soft in the middle and slightly crisp around the edges, and that it doesn't go overboard on the semi-sweet chocolate chips.

The sugar cookie is anything but boring. It's so wonderfully moist and chewy!

Alfie likes Oatmeal Raisin the best. He was willing to trade all his other Sweet Andy's Cookies in order to get the whole bag of Oatmeal Raisin Cookies for himself, but none of us would agree.

Sweet Andy's bakes 12 varieties of gourmet cookies: Chocolate Chip, Mint Chocolate Chip, Triple Chip (semi-sweet chocolate, white chocolate & peanut butter), Oatmeal Raisin, Sugar, Chocolate, Lemon, Pumpkin, Cinnamon Sugar, Chocolate with peanut butter (actually it's crumbled bits of Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, oh help me Lord!), Peanut Butter Chip, and White Chocolate with Macadamia Nuts -- so no matter what kind of cookie you like, you're covered. I've tried the first 6 on this list and they are all terrific.

Hungry yet? I know, I know, just looking at these photos while writing this post made me want to buy more (the samples they sent us are long gone). So I did! I bought myself a sweet little Valentine's Day present: 6 varieties of Sweet Andy's Cookies, 5 cookies each kind. This time I ordered the Lemon and Chocolate with Peanut Butter, and I can't wait to stuff them in my mouth!

One final note: it must take a lot of butter to make these cookies taste so good, because the calories and fat content are breathtaking. This is not the kind of cookie you can nibble on every day with your mid-morning cup of tea. I'm told they freeze pretty well, so you can hide your stash in the freezer and let yourself have one every Sunday. And if you're going to splurge on calories, these are the cookies to splurge on.

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Relive (or redo) your favorite NFL moments with Madden NFL 13

Monday, February 04, 2013

Superbowl 47 is over, and the Baltimore Ravens snatched victory from the San Francisco 49ers in a thrilling cliffhanger of a game. I'm in mourning for the 49ers, along with the rest of the San Francisco Bay Area. They played a terrible first half, and at one point were losing 28-6, but they clawed their way back to 31-29, With about 4 minutes to go, the 49ers were literally inches away from a touchdown and victory, but the Ravens them held off to win 34-31.

If only 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree had caught that final pass.... if only the pass interference on Crabtree had been called... if only quarterback Colin Kaepernick had been able to find someone open... if only the whole team had played better in the first half! So many "what if's".... Fortunately heartbroken 49ers fans will be able to replay Superbowl 47 the way they want it -- and gleeful Ravens fans will be able to relive their victory again and again -- with the Madden NFL 13 videogame for the PS3 and the PS Vita.

About Madden NFL 13 for PS Vita
Madden NFL 13 debuts on the PlayStation Vita, delivering the ultimate NFL experience on a handheld. Become an NFL Superstar or build the league's next Dynasty utilizing the Vita's touch screens that provide unprecedented control, unlocking new layers of gameplay and feature depth. Experience Sundays like never before with all-new commentary from Jim Nantz and Phil Simms as you battle friends online and climb the leaderboard with each victory, or use the motion sensor function to control direction when kicking field goals. Madden NFL 13 for Vita lets NFL fans dominate at home or while on the road.

As a PlayStation Family blogger, I received a copy of Madden NFL 13 for the PS Vita, and my boys spent all of last week playing with it, pitting teams against each other, getting familiar with how football is played and getting psyched about the Big Game. Even though they're not big football fans, it turns out they really enjoy this videogame! They definitely enjoy playing Madden NFL 13 more than they enjoy watching football on TV, because they get to decide which teams play against each other and they get to control the players' moves on the field. They can even create their own NFL player, get him drafted and help him succeed all the way into the NFL Hall of Fame.

Learning all the movement controls can take a bit of time, but the PS Vita's front and rear touch screens make it a lot easier, and once players get used to it, they can really make those football players go. Sometimes they like to make the players do really goofy moves, like make players run in the wrong direction or aim a field goal at a player's head, just for the fun of it! The sound effects are a lot of fun, from the stadium music to the roar of the crowd to the commentators calling out the plays (they use the voices of the real TV commentators). I'm so impressed at how much detail they can pack into a portable game, from the amazing graphics to the complex moves to the number of features. It's a must-have for NFL fans, especially those who like to play on the go -- and as my kids have proven, it's a lot of fun for any kid who likes to play videogames.

The 49ers may have lost Superbowl 47, but they're always a winner in my book. Thanks to Madden NFL 13, it's still possible to escape from reality and pit the Ravens against the 49ers one more time and come out with a happier ending!

Disclosure: As a PlayStation Family member, I received a review copy of Madden NFL 13. Game information (in italics) was provided by Sony PlayStation. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Giveaway: Cat in the Hat: Safari So Good DVD

Monday, February 04, 2013

Calling everyone who has ever read a Dr. Seuss book to their kids -- which means, calling everyone! Dr. Seuss' birthday is March 2, and what better way to build up to the celebration than by reading lots and lots of Dr. Seuss books?

Answer: Reading lots and lots of Dr. Seuss books while wearing Cat in the Hat top hats!

I'm a big Dr. Seuss fan -- my mom read it to me when I was a toddler, and I read it to myself as a kid. I had the first 6 pages of One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish memorized even before I had kids! I've passed that love on to my kids, and even now that they are 9, 9 and 11, they will occasionally pick up a copy of How The Grinch Stole Christmas or The Lorax for some nostalgic reading. Every year I go through our library to see which books to donate so we can make space for new books, but I just can't bear to part with our Dr. Seuss books. They'll probably stay in that library until my grandchildren come along.

I wish Mr. Geissel (Dr. Seuss' real name) was alive today to see just how many generations of families have learned to love reading through his books! Fortunately his legacy lives on, not just with the books he wrote, but with the new DVDs and books and apps that PBS Kids have created to keep Dr. Seuss' mission going. the Cat in the Hat Learning Library book series and The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That DVD series teaches kids cool science facts in a fun, Dr.Seuss-inspired setting, with everyone's favorite feline, the Cat in the Hat.

Their latest titles will take kids to Africa to explore and discover African wildlife, the jungle, predators vs. prey and more. Here's more information about both:

The Cat in the Hat Knows A Lot About That: Safari, So Good DVD

It's time for safari, so come and explore with the Cat and his friends on adventures galore. We will reach for the treetops and swing through the trees, When we walk like giraffes and swing like monkeys!
SRP: $10.99
Available at NCircleEntertainment.com or a retailer near you, including Target, Wal-Mart, and Toys R Us!

The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library: Safari, So Good! All About African Wildlife book

The Cat takes Sally and Nick to Africa--where they learn how animals are either predators or prey, that elephants tend to favor one tusk over the other, how to tell the difference between a white and black rhino (both of which are gray!), and much, much more!
· SRP: $12.99
· Available at seussville.com, Wal-Mart, and Barnes & Noble

Older Dr. Seuss fans will be able to tell that the book was not written by Dr. Seuss. Even though all the words rhyme, they don't flow like they do in a real Dr. Seuss book -- but then again, Dr. Seuss is a tough act to follow, and no one else has his genius for creating new words and rhyming existing ones. Also, the book was written with the very specific purpose of teaching young kids about African wildlife -- so at least it's good to know that the authors do try to stick to the spirit of the original Dr. Seuss books. With that in mind, the books are really quite good!

Most of the drawings don't quite replicate Dr. Seuss' wacky style, but they are definitely inspired by him, and Horton the Elephant would fit right into the herd of elephants in the page below:

The DVD is like the book come to life, and the young kids will definitely be engaged by the Cat in the Hat (voiced by Martin Short) as he asks viewers to help him find the missing stripes for his hat. You'll see all the creatures from the book, so the two go very nicely together.

Win a Dr. Seuss DVD!
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a copy of the Dr. Seuss DVD, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That: Safari, So Good!

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me how you and your family celebrate diversity in the community.

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) Follow bonggamom on Blogger (1 entry)

2) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

4) Pin this giveaway on your Pinterest board (1 entry -- you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this page!).

5) Like NCircle Entertainment on Facebook (1 entry).

6) "Like Bonggamom Finds" on Facebook and write this on my wall (1 entry):
I entered the Dr. Seuss Birthday DVD giveaway!

7) Tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day until giveaway end date)
RT @bonggafinds Enter to win a Cat in the Hat: Safari So Good DVD! Giveaway ends March 2 at bonggafinds.com

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on March 2, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on March 3 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

..Disclosure: I received a review copy of the book and DVD courtesy of NCircle Entertainment, who also provided the giveaway prize. Product information (in italics) is provided by NCircle Entertainment. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Giveaway: Beat the winter haircare blues with Fantastic Sam's

Sunday, February 03, 2013

It seems like everything in the winter is dry and lifeless: the trees, the fields, your garden... your mood, your skin, your nails, your hair! There's not much we can do about Mother Nature except wait (she's pretty good at taking care of herself anyway), but there are a lot of things we can do to take care of ourselves. Getting exercise, exposure to daylight and a good night's sleep does wonders to beat the winter blues, and treating skin to lots of moisturizers and lots of glasses of water really help keep skin looking and feeling good. As for your hair, I've got a few tips from Fantasic Sams Hair Salons' Pam Kelly, on how you can keep your hair happy and looking great even amidst the cold:

· The cold and dry winter air can dehydrate hair quickly creating moisture starved hair. Give your hair a weekly treatment by using Fantastic Sams Moisturizing Masque. Your hair will love you for it!

· Don’t forget regularly scheduled trims! Cold winter temperatures can dry-out hair, creating split ends and a dull finish. Regular trims can prevent excessive damage, and make styling easier. To add immediate luster, use fantasticfinish™ Spray Shine.

· For all guys wearing their hair in the new longer-style trend, fantasticformen™ Simple Style Matte Wax will control your hair while adding texture without the stiffness that gels usually provide.

· To create perfect waves in your hair, try holding your curling iron horizontally rather than vertically and wrap the hair on the outside of the barrel. This will create mermaid waves that rock! Don’t forget to use fantasticstyle™ thermal guard to protect your hair from the hot curling iron.

You can find more hair and style tips -- along with a coupon for $10 off haircut and color! (expires 2/28/13) -- at Fantastic Sams' Facebook page. Check them out!

Win $25 to spend at Fantastic Sams
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a $25 Fantastic Sams gift card! You can use the gift card towards a hair cut or any other service at a Fantastic Sams near you, or towards any of their Fantastic Hair products.

By the way, Fantastic Sams sent me some of their Fantastic Repair Moisturing Masque and Fantastic Finish Spray Shine, and I think they're great! Now that my hair is short, I can't bundle it up into a ponytail every morning -- I need to actually spend a bit of time making my hair look decent. A weekly Moisturizing Mask treatment in the shower (so much easier than a hot oil treatment!) keeps the dryness and split ends at bay, and just a quick spritz of the Spray Shine every morning gives my hair a finished look. Plus, they smell Fantastic!

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The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on Feb. 20, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on Feb. 21 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Haircare tips (in italics) were provided by Fantastic Sam's Salons. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.