Big Book of Cupcakes

Cupcake Wars on The Food Network is one of my favorite tv shows. I love the way the contestants always seem to come up with original, delicious cupcake flavors at the drop of the hat. It's amazing how much you can dress up such a small, ordinary little cake!

Some time ago I was sent a copy of the Big Book of Cupcakes, presented by Southern Living, featuring recipes by Jan Moon, the owner of Dreamcakes Bakery. The book has all kinds of baking hints, decorating tips, equipment and ingredient listings -- and of course, tons of cupcake recipes with step-by-step directions that will have any baker, from novice to expert, baking cupcakes in no time.

That's certainly what happened with The Pea!  She took this book and ran away with it -- and now, her chocolate cupcakes are legendary among her dad's poker buddies.

Here's what I love best about the book:

* The photos
I don't think I've ever seen such tempting-looking photos of cupcakes. Just looking at them makes me want to buy them or make them and stuff them in my mouth. It's food porn, indeed!

* The original recipes
Aside from traditional favorites like red velvet, chocolate and carrot cake, this book has some amazingly original flavor combinations like Maple Bacon cupcakes and Caramel Sea Salt Mocha cupcakes. When I open this book, I feel like I'm stepping into Cupcake Wars!

* The inspiration I get
Each recipe contains a tip on how bakers can modify the decorating instructions to suit whatever occasion they're baking for; for example, how to decorate their bestselling Over the Moon cupcake for a bridal shower. I love all the different ideas, because even if I don't follow the decorating instructions to the letter, the tips and photos serve as a jumping point for my own cupcake decorating ideas.

* The taste
I haven't tried all these recipes yet, and I'm not sure I'll ever get to trying all of them. But we quickly found and tried some that are already family favorites, like their White Cake (the secret is a hint of almond extract!), Vanilla Bean Frosting, Chocolate Cake (the fluffiest, moistest cake EVER)  and Strawberry Cake.

Here are some photos of the cupcakes we've created with the help of this book:

The Chocolate High Cupcake is always popular at our home: Chocolate Cupcakes filled with Chocolate Ganache and frosted with Chocolate Frosting, topped with a Malteser (malted milk ball).  Can you tell my family loves chocolate?

We frosted chocolate cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache, and added a variety of toppings (chocolate sprinkles, chopped nuts, cocoa powder, crushed Oreos).   Don't they look sophisticated?

When I suggested trying to make these Fresh Apple 'N Cheddar Cupcakes, the kids were a bit doubtful at first -- they had never had cheddar cheese with apple pie before -- but I reminded them that we have never had a bad cupcake from this book.  That was all  it took, and after tasting the cupcakes, all their doubts were gone.

We were invited to a fall potluck, so I made Apple Cupcakes, filled them with Vanilla Bean Frosting, and piped on Old-Fashioned Caramel Frosting in a lattic pattern to make it look like mini apple pies.  They were a hit!

Whether you're an expert or beginner baker, whether you love to bake cupcakes, eat them or just look at them, Southern Living's Big Book of Cupcakes makes a wonderful addition to your cookbook collection!

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

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Logitech Washable Keyboard

This review needs no hype, no lengthy discussion, no list of features or benefits.  Just 3 words:  Washable Computer Keyboard.

Eeeeee!!!!!

It's what every parent wants: to get rid of all the crumbs and gunk that kids deposit on their keyboards Okay, maybe a few of those crumbs were caused by the parents themselves.  And I guess those coffee stains didn't come from the kids.  But whatever! Now we can wash them off!

Introducing the Logitech Washable Keyboard. You can dunk it in water (up to 11 inches) and clean it.  What else do you need to say?

Okay, here are a couple of things:
* It has drainage holes to speed up drying time (they recommend wiping it dry, then waiting 8 hrs)
* The keys are marked with laser printing and UV coating so they won't fade with each wash

Oh, and two more things:
* The keyboard comes with a little brush that snaps onto the bottom, so you can whisk off crumbs and dust.
* The USB port has a little cap to protect the wiring when you're washing the keyboard.

Neat, huh?

Logitech's image gallery shows a very pretty photo of the keyboard being immersed in a sink:

Of course, I had to test the keyboard in my own (i.e. REAL) kitchen.  I asked 3Po to give the keyboard a quick wash and scrub:


8 hours later, I plugged it into my laptop and it's good to go.

Enough said!




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.

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Dinosaur Train Get Ready for Kindergarten giveaway

Now that school is in session, the excitement of new teachers and classmates might be wearing down as everyone settles into a routine.  For new kindergarteners especially, it can be difficult, as the kids realize how tiring a school day can be, and parents realize the number of things their child is expected to learn in kindergarten!

There are many things that can be done to help your kids thrive in kindergarten, including working with your child on basic academic skills, such as writing his/her name and reading letters; teaching critical thinking skills by encouraging them to ask “Why” questions; working on arts-and-crafts projects to get your child more comfortable using scissors, markers and other supplies he/she will be working with in kindergarten; and making shopping for school supplies a fun experience by letting your child make some choices of their own, such as the color of his/her backpack or pencil case.

To help you celebrate and prepare, Quilting Treasures has partnered with The Jim Henson Company and Dinosaur Train to offer you some fabulous fabrics featuring everyone’s favorite character Buddy. The fabrics can be used to practice some of these skills with your children, and create a fun Dinosaur Train themed item that your child can take to their new kindergarten – with the company of Buddy!

For more back to school preparation activities, please visit the immersive and compelling Dinosaur Train website at www.pbskids.org/dinosaurtrain, offering parents (and teachers) a wealth of activities to encourage basic scientific thinking skills for pre-school children.


Win coordinating fabric from Quilting Treasures


One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive the following:

1 yard of the Dinosaur Train themed book panel: 

Plus,

1 yard of either of the below Dinosaur Train themed fabrics (fabric will be randomly selected)

AND, ½ yard of one of the below Dinosaur Train themed coordinates (fabric will be randomly selected)

Required Entry
Follow Quilting Treasures on Facebook and leave a comment on this post.

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).

6) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook Page:
I entered the Dinosaur Train fabric giveaway http://ow.ly/dFncW

7) Tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggafinds: Enter to win Dinosaur Train-themed fabric from Quilting Treasures & Dinosaur Train!  http://ow.ly/dFncW


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 26, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on September 27 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. 

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post.  Product and promo information  are provided by the featured company/product. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.


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Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort starts Sept. 14

The Happiest Place on Earth just got Happier!  Actually, the Happiest Place on Earth just got spookier -- but when Halloween is your favorite holiday, Happier and Spookier are one and the same thing, and that's exactly how it is at the Disneyland Resort.  Their annual Halloween Time celebration begins September 14 and runs through October 31.  That's forty-eight whole days of spooktacular fun!

Halloween Time at Disneyland is soooo much fun, and I can't think of a better time to go, and here's why:

* The weather is perfect -- cool and crisp, yet sunny, with little chance of rain
* It's low season, so the crowds are manageable
* Halloween is my favorite time of the year, and no one does Halloween like Disney!

This year, Disney has some new thrills for guests:

* Disney's Halloween Time Carnival features "The Astounding Cauldron of Magic" at Big Thunder Ranch, where guests can conjure up Disney villains with a magic spell, then pose with the villain for photos.

* Guests can transform themselves in pirates with all-new pirate makeovers at Pirates League in New Orleans Square.  You can choose to be Jake from Jake and the Never Land Pirates or a First Mate.  Even pirate princesses can join in the fun and be transformed into a pirate Empress!

* "The Art of Frankenweenie exhibit lets guests a peek behind the scenes of Tim Burton's new film, featuring some of the actual sets, props and puppets as well as character sketches and designs, and an extended sneak peek of the movie.

That's in addition to all the other great Halloween traditions that guests know and love at the Disneyland Resort:

* Jack Skellington returns to the Haunted Mansion as it transforms into Haunted Mansion Holiday, inspired by the classic animated film "Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas." Don't miss the traditional Halloween/Christmas gingerbread house in the Mansion Ballroom!  Different every year, this year's version is nine feet tall, with special spooky surprises.

* Space Mountain turns into a Ghost Galaxy, launching voyagers into a haunted section of the universe. Ghosts appear out of the starry darkness and swirling galaxies of Space Mountain, reaching out as if to grab guests as they speed through space.

* Big Thunder Ranch hosts the Halloween Jamboree, with ranch animals, pumpkin carvers, Halloween décor, Halloween activities for youngsters, and performances by Billy Hill & The Hillbillies.

* Main Street USA in Disneyland is transformed into a pumpkin paradise, with over 300 pumpkins lining the buildings and lamp posts.  It's a sight to behold!

*  The after-hours Mickey's Halloween Party, which has become an annual highlight of Halloween Time for trick-or-treating families, takes place in Disneyland Park on 11 special Monday, Tuesday and Friday nights. This separate-ticket event lets families into the park 3 hours before the event starts and continues on after the park closes for the day.  Activities include trick-or-treating with candy and healthy treats, Mickey's Costume Party cavalcade, DJ dance parties and the Halloween Screams fireworks spectacular.

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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WonderMind Early Learning System review and giveaway

Smart parents know it's never too early to start your child on the path to learning.  If you start incorporating learning activities in your child's everyday routine from an early age, he or she will grow up with the mindset that learning is something that happens every day and everywhere.  And when learning activities are enjoyable as well as educational, your child will grow up with the mindset that learning is fun.  Who doesn't want that for their kids?

That's the theory behind WonderMind, Japan's #1 multi-sensory early learning system:  young children can learn the basic skills for school readiness by taking the things kids love -- toys, books, music, lovable characters -- and combining them to create an interactive experience that's educational and fun.

Here's more information about WonderMind:

WonderMind is a complete five-piece interactive learning system designed to work together to reinforce a love of learning. Developed by the world-renowned child development experts at Benesse Corporation, a global leader in education and publishing, WonderMind provides parents with the basic tools they need to help their child get the best possible start in life and lay the foundation for academic success.

The kit includes five educational pieces, such as:

An activity book;
Interactive DVD;
Learning toys;
Parenting guide – complete with a multitude of parenting tips, ideas, nutritional advice, educational ways to play with your child and more.


Wondermind offers products for 2 developmental levels, for Toddlers (ages 1-2) and Preschoolers (ages 4-5, but a 3 year-old will enjoy the Preschooler set as well).

WonderMind sent us a Summer Adventure Preschooler Kit to check out.  Here is what came inside the kit and my thoughts on each one:

The Wonder and Discovery Theater DVD is a cartoon that introduces preschoolers to the basic concepts of telling time.  It looks and sounds like a Japanese anime cartoon show that has been translated into English (which I guess is exactly what it is!).

The Wonder and Discovery book is a paperbound book (actually, it's more like a magazine)  that parents can read with their preschooler.  It's divided into three somewhat random topics -- sea life, baking, and telling time.  The first two sections have lots of beautiful color photographs of sea creatures and food that comes from an oven (pizza, bread, etc...).  The third section has a short story featuring Teegy the Tiger and his friends going through a typical preschooler's day.  With each activity they do, the friends take note of the time on the clock, so preschoolers learn to associate times of the day and hand positions on the clock with various point throughout the day.

The Discovery Workbook contains lots of activities that kids love to do, including mazes, coloring, tracing, matching and more.  The main theme of the workbook is telling time, so most of the activities are focused on that, but interspersed throughout the workbook are other activities that develop letter, number and shape recognition.  Kids will love the colorful photos; there is also a page of stickers kids use with some activities, or just to decorate their workbook.

Tick-Tock's Talking Toy Clock reinforces the time-telling concepts learned in the book, workbook and DVD.  This plastic toy clock is equipped with a “quiz button" that asks your child to set the clock to a certain time, and checks for the correct answer.  It's a great way to help younger preschoolers (age 3) learn their numbers, and older preschoolers (ages 4-5) can really begin to learn what each position on the clock means.

The Parents Guide gives parents a run-down on how to use all the components of the system together, to maximize their child's learning experience.  It also contains great tips, not just on learning and skill development, but on other aspects of parents like nutrition and ways to spend quality time together.


Win a WonderMind kit for your child
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a WonderMind kit of their choice (toddler or preschool).


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and share a tip for making learning with toddlers and preschoolers fun.   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)  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 (you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this post -- 1 entry). 

5) Like Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).

6) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the WonderMind giveaway at http://bit.ly/SyIZfu

7) Write this on the Wondermind Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered to win a Wondermind kit on Bonggamom Finds! Enter by 9/25 at http://bit.ly/SyIZfu

9) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this (1 entry per day):

RT @bonggafinds Enter 2 win an activity kit fr @WonderMindKids Japan's #1 multisensory early learning system! Ends 9/25 http://bit.ly/SyIZfu

10) Enter any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for each giveaway you've joined)


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 25, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on Sept. 26 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only.For additional giveaway rules, click here. 


Disclosure: Thanks to WonderMind for providing a review sample and giveaway prize.  Product information is provided by WonderMind and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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$50 American Express Card Giveaway Get More Points with Member Referrals

My daughter, The Pea, is a 6th grader this year, and her entry into Middle School has introduced our family to a whole new world: new school, new schedule, new friends... and new ways to spend money.  Library fees.  Field trip fees.  Student assembly fees.  PE Uniforms.  Band Uniforms.  Locker supplies.  The list goes on!

For American Express cardmembers with kids going Back to School, using Membership Rewards Points can be a real time and money saver -- they can get their kids' must-haves without digging for coupons or codes.  Every time they use their American Express cards, they earn Membership Rewards points that can be redeemed for all kinds of merchandise in the Membership Rewards catalog -- even for as low as 2,500 points for a $25 gift card!  Super easy, and NO advanced algebra necessary :)

American Express asked me to curate a "Back to School" look from their Membership Rewards Catalog  using 50,000 points, and I was happy to comply -- but I realize that Back to School means different things for different ages and stages.  So I decided to create a variety of Back to School looks!  You can see my looks for grade schoolers on this post, and some of my other finds on my Back to School Pinterest board (tagged with #AmexB2S) -- and today, to celebrate The Pea's entry into middle school, I've put together a set of Back to School must-haves for Middle Schoolers:


THREADS: 10,000 POINTS
The days when I could buy school clothes for my daughter have long since passed, and now that she's in middle school, all I can do is exercise my veto power on inappropriate or overly expensive outfits.  So I won't even attempt to curate a middle school "look" for her -- I'll just hand her that $100 Gap gift card (10,000 membership rewards points) and remind her of her school's dress code.

TOTES: 10,000 points
Honestly, does my daughter's school think she and her classmates are pack mules?  That's the only explanation I can come up with for the sheer weight of the school books she hoists on her back.  Thank goodness for bike saddlebags -- and for sturdy (and cool looking) backpacks like this one.

GOOD READS: 18,700 POINTS
Even if she didn't have so many textbooks, my daugher would probably load her backpack with books anyway, because she loves to read.  She can go through several books a week (sometimes several in a DAY), so an e-reader like the Kindle would be the ideal solution.  It can store even more books than she can read, so she can get through her 6th-grade reading list without turning her room into a book warehouse.

THE SOUNDS OF SILENCE: 9,000 POINTS
Like most tweens, The Pea has started listening to music every day, all day.   Now, the last thing I want to be is a stuffy old parent -- and I actually like a good number of "her" songs anyway -- but sometimes all I want are the sounds of silence, especially when I'm working or watching tv.  A good pair of earphones is all I need to spare myself from having to yell those age-old words passed down from parent to child:  TURN THAT CRAP DOWN!



Need more points to complete your Back to School look?  Join my American Express Back to School Giveaway and you could win a $250 American Express gift card!   Of course, only one person is going to win, so if you want a surefire way to get extra Membership Rewards points, check out  the American Express Member Get Member program.  Recommend a friend, and you can earn a bonus reward (5,000 points!) for each approved Card member. Each friend will receive an e-mail with a special offer for the Card. There is no limit to how many friends you can refer so start now.



Win a $50 American Express gift card!
Which friends do you think would love an American Express card and Membership Rewards points? Share your answer and you could win a $50 American Express gift card! 

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this page telling me who you would refer to the Membership Rewards program. This entry must be completed before other entries apply.

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 -- please make sure your pin contains the hashtag #AmexB2S (you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this post -- 1 entry).

5) "Like" any of the pins on my Back to School Pinterest board containing the hashtag #AmexB2S -- there are 12 of them!  (up to 12 extra entries).

6) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook Page:
I entered to win a $50 American Express Member-Get-Member giveawayon Bonggamom Finds! http://bit.ly/OSbvDL

7) Share this giveaway (here's the link: http://bit.ly/OSbvDL   ) on your Facebook page (1 entry -- note, if this entry happens to be the winning entry, I will ask the winner to provide a screenshot of their FB page as proof that they shared)

8) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggafinds Enter to win a $50 @americanexpress gift card! Enter by 9/30 at http://bit.ly/OSbvDL #AmexB2S

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 30, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on October 1 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Membership Rewards members may opt to receive their prize in points (5,000 points instead of a $50 gift card).  Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. 

Disclosure: This is a compensated post.  Thanks to American Express for providing the prize for this giveaway.  I curated the "Back to School" looks on this post, and on my Pinterest page, using options taken from the American Express Membership Rewards Catalog, but the choices were solely my own.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.  Click here for full disclosure.
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Dollar General Every Day Heroes September Giveaway

As we head in to the fall, Dollar General's year-long "Every Day Heroes" campaign continues as strong as ever, and this month, Dollar General® is teaming up with Procter & Gamble® to celebrate schools and honor teachers.

Throughout September, you can honor schools in your community Dollar General's "Write to Win" sweepstakes invites entrants aged 21 and over to visit www.dollargeneral.com and submit a brief essay about why their school deserves to win.  Three essays will be selected and the winning schools mentioned in those essays will win $10,000 each.  What an easy way to help your school win some much-needed money!

Win a Dollar General / P&G Prize Pack
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a special prize package which includes samples of:

Tide PODS
Prilosec OTC
Cascade Action Pacs
Ultra Downy
Scope Outlast mouthwash

Plus a Dollar General cosmetic bag and a Dollar General reusable sandwich container.

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which school in your area deserves a grant from Dollar General.   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) Submit an essay for your school  to enter  the "Write to Win" contest at  www.dollargeneral.com (1 entry)

2)  Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry)

3) Follow bonggamom on Instagram (1 entry)

4) Follow bonggamom on Pinterest (1 entry)

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

6) Like Bonggamom Finds on Facebook (1 entry).

7) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the Dollar General EveryDay Heroes September giveaway! http://bit.ly/TCqSEK

8) Write this on the Dollar General Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered to win prize package from Dollar General and Procter & Gamble on Bonggamom Finds! Enter by 9/30 at http://bit.ly/TCqSEK

9) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggafinds Win an EveryDay Heroes Prize Pack fr @DollarGeneral & @ProcterGamble! Enter by 9/30 at http://bit.ly/TCqSEK #giveaway 

10) Enter any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for each giveaway you've joined)


The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 30, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on October 1 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only.For additional giveaway rules, click here.



Disclosure: Thanks to Procter & Gamble for providing the prize pack for this giveaway, as well as a second prize pack for me.  Promo information was provided by Blue Chip Communications. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

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Almost Naked Animals DVD debuts in September

Recipe for a hit kids' show:

* Be the creator of the hit series Fish Hooks
* Draw more wacky-looking cartoon animals
* Put some underwear on them
* Add the word NAKED to the show title

With all that in place, how could Almost Naked Animals go wrong?  It's one of the top-ranked animated shows for kids 6-11 years old on the Cartoon Network, and Season 3 kicks off this fall so everyone can follow the mishaps of Howie, Octo, Piggy, Duck, Sloth, Narwhal (See? What other show has a Narwhal?) and their friends.

Just seeing the characters in their tighty-whities is enough to crack my kids up, let alone following their wacky adventures running a beachfront hotel.  It's a party that every kid wants to be a part of, and on September 25, everyone can, with the relase of the new Almost Naked Animals DVD: It's My Party!  The DVD includes the first 6 episodes of Season One, as well as a music video and some extras like an intro to the Banana Cabana (the hotel where everything takes place) and Howie's Stunt School.

Can't get enough of Almost Naked Animals?  On September 5, log on to AlmostNakedAnimals.com and check out their new website, with a fan community, games and a kids social network. Fans will be also be able to purchase Almost Naked Animals merchandise -- plush characters, keychains, character bouncy balls and more -- on AlmostNakedAnimals.com.  In addition, a new Almost Naked Animals online store is launching on Cafe Press on September 25, featuring ANA merchandise like bags, tshirts, notebooks, and coasters.

The Pea loves her new ANA t-shirt!

Check out AlmostNakedAnimals.com and get ready to party!



Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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More photos of Caroline Abbott

Caroline Abbott is such a photogenic doll!  All American Girl dolls are beautiful, of course, but there is something about the sum total of Caroline's features that I find really appealing.  She reminds me of Gwyneth Paltrow (especially when I dressed Caroline up in Regency costume, she really looked like Gwyneth Paltrow when she played Emma!).  With her blond hair, I find it really tricky to photograph Caroline without overexposing the photo and making her look washed out -- but the resulting photos are worth it!  My first set of Caroline photos were way too blurred, so here is a set of photographs worthy of Caroline:

All of The Pea's other American Girl dolls have welcomed Caroline with open arms.  They hosted a sleepover for her, and a good time was had by all.

I recently reviewed a line of cute foldable doll rooms, and of course I had to include Caroline in the review photos!

And of course, being a sailor's daughter, Caroline likes to recharge out on the water, with the wind and the waves.  So we lent her my husband's remote-control sailboat!  The fact that it's actually a pirate vessel was no problem for Caroline whatsoever.  This girl is tough, and she can handle anything that the skeleton pirate can dish out!



Disclosure: I received Caroline to review, courtesy of American Girl.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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Back to School Giveaway with American Express

The school year has started, and boy do I feel like we have plunged back into the deep end!  We just had our Back to School night, and my head is swimming with all the event dates, equipment lists and volunteer positions.  To make matters worse, my wallet is considerably lighter, what with all the equipment fees and classroom donations and field trip fees, not to mention everything I had to spend to get all the kids back to school!

Fortunately for American Express members, they've been accumulated Membership Rewards points with all their everyday purchases -- and not only can they redeem their points for great hotel and travel deals, they can also redeem their points for all kinds of Back-to-School merchandise!  Members can redeem MR points in increments as low as 2,500, which gets you a $25 gift card at Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Lands End and other great retailers.  They even have a brand new Back to School catalog (http://bit.ly/AmexMRcatalog) that lets you pick up fall essentials like tablets, e-readers, Tumi carry on luggage and more!

It's great news for cash-strapped parents -- you can basically equip your child with every Back-to-School essential item using Membership Rewards points!  Want to see how easy it can be?  American Express invited me to play around with 50,000 Membership Rewards points and see what kinds of "Back to School" must-haves I could come up with.


CLOTHES: 10,000 POINTS
Every kid knows how important that First Day of School Outfit can be!  For 10,000 Membership Rewards points, you can redeem a $100 gift card to many retailers including Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Lands End and more,

Check out more Back to School looks for $100 on my #AmexB2S Back to School board on Pinterest!


LUNCH: 10,000 POINTS
When it comes to lunch, savvy parents know that presentation is everything.  Redeem 10,000 points for a $100 Pottery Barn Kids gift card and you can get everything you need to make the cutest, coolest lunches in the schoolyard!

WHEELS: 15,333 POINTS
With these cool Razor scooters, your child can ride to school in style -- without adding to traffic or emissions overload!  They're just a tad over 15,000 points.

AFTERSCHOOL LEARNING: 13,940 POINTS
After he does his homework, give your child some downtime to relax, let loose and chill out by playing some fun videogames on the new LeapsterGS from Leapfrog (13,940 points).  But sshhhh... don't tell him he's actually complementing the learning that he does at school, thanks to Leapfrog's award-winning gaming system that combines entertainment and education in one fun package!

And there you have it.... a complete back-to-school package for your elementary school-age child, all for 50,000 points!   The best thing about it is, you can mix and match to suit your needs.  Only have 25,000 points to spare?  Cut out the LeapsterGS and the scooter!  Need more clothes?  Spend your entire points stash on giftcards -- you can even use your Membership Rewards points to pay for stuff on Amazon!

There are so many ways to use MR points for back-to-school, I'm going to save a few more of my finds for a future post.  Stay tuned for my Back to School looks for middle schoolers and moms!  Can you think of a Back to School look you'd love to get on Membership Rewards points?  Share your ideas   on what to do with 25,000 points for a chance to win a $250 Amex gift card...........

Win a $250 American Express gift card!
What would YOU buy with 25,000 Membership Rewards points? Share your answer and you could win big -- one lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a $250 American Express gift card!


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this page telling me which item(s) from the Membership Rewards Catalog you would choose if you had 25,000 Membership Rewards post. This entry must be completed before other entries apply.


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 -- please make sure your pin contains the hashtag #AmexB2S (you can use the "Pin It" button at the bottom of this post -- 1 entry).

5) Repin any of the pins on my Back to School Pinterest board containing the hashtag #AmexB2S -- there are 12 of them!  Please make sure your repin contains the hashtag #AmexB2S in the pin description (up to 12 extra entries).

6) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook Page:
I entered to win a $250 American Express gift card on Bonggamom Finds! http://bit.ly/T8MbNW

7) Share this giveaway (here's the link:  http://bit.ly/T8MbNW   ) on your Facebook page (1 entry -- note, if this entry happens to be the winning entry, I will ask the winner to provide a screenshot of their FB page as proof that they shared)

8) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggafinds Enter to win a $250 @americanexpress GC! To enter, share what u would buy w/ 25k rewards pts @ http://bit.ly/T8MbNW #AmexB2S




Good luck... and stay tuned for an additional $50 Amex gift card giveaway post in 1-2 weeks!



The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on September 17, 2012; I will draw a winner at random on September 18 and post his/her name after she/he confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.


Disclosure: This is a compensated post.  Thanks to American Express for providing the prize for this giveaway.  I curated the "Back to School" looks on this post, and on my Pinterest page, using options taken from the American Express Membership Rewards Catalog, but the choices were solely my own.  The views and opinions expressed here are my own.  Click here for full disclosure.


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