Bonggamom Finds

Jack the Giant Slayer comes out on DVD/Blu-Ray/Ultraviolet on June 18 {Giveaway}

Friday, June 14, 2013

Great news: Warner Bros. is proud to announce the arrival of Jack the Giant Slayer released on DVD & Blu-ray on June 18! I missed the movie in theaters, so I'm happy it's coming to DVD and I get a second chance to watch it.

About Jack the Giant Slayer:
Unleashed on the Earth for the first time in centuries, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing Jack (Nicholas Hoult), into the battle of this life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom and its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend... and gets the chance to become a legend himself! Directed by Brian Singer (X-Men, Superman Returns)

Starring: Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy), Ewan McGregor (Star Wars, Moulin Rouge!), and Stanley Tucci (The Lovely Bones).

To celebrate the release of the DVD & Blu-ray, Warner Bros. has released a fun Jack The Giant Slayer Blog App!

About the Blog App
The question is... are you courageous enough to rescue the princess? Are you brave like Jack? Take the quiz to find out!

You have the power! Control the moving GIFs and power the action in the movie with a swipe of your mouse!
The Giant Soundboard lets you compose your own mashup of sounds from Jack The Giant Slayer, which your kids will enjoy for hours!
Test your bravery and take the How Brave Are You? QUIZ to see if you are as brave as our hero Jack.

Win a Jack the Giant Slayer Combo Pack
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a Jack the Giant Slayer Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD + Ultraviolet)!

Required entry:
Leave a comment on this post with your results from the How Brave Are You quiz.

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 Jack the Giant Slayer giveaway! bit.ly/12vHClT #JackTheGiantSlayer
6) Tweet this once per day (1 entry per day)
RT @bonggafinds Win a Jack the Giant Slayer combo pack! Giveaway ends 7/1 on bit.ly/12vHClT #JackTheGiantSlayer
7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you join)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on July 1, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on July 2 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Canada and US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Thanks to Warner Bros. for providing the giveaway prize. All assets including movie information, photos and Blog App were provided by Warner Bros. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Happy Father's Day from Dinosaur Train

Friday, June 14, 2013

Father's Day is June 16! Here's a cute Father's Day card craft from Dinosaur Train that your little one can make. Just download the printable from pbskids.org, print it out, have your child color it out, and paste a photo of your child with dad in the photo frame. Happy Father's Day!

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

Giveaway: Celebrate National Zoo and Aquarium Month with Dinosaur Train

Friday, June 14, 2013

I received Dinosaur Train promotional items

Did you know that June is National Zoo and Aquarium Month? There's no better time to take a trip to your local zoo and aquarium and explore the animal world! To help make the most of your visit, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums provides a collection of links to their accredited zoos and aquariums.

Before you head out, the very first stop on your journey should be the website of the zoo and aquarium you're planning to visit -- they offer excellent educational resources, including photographs, videos, facts, lesson plans and activities, so you can make the most of your day.

Another great resource for zoo and aquarium-goers is the Dinosaur Train Discovery Tour, a mobile website that relates dinosaur and natural history content from the DINOSAUR TRAIN animated television series (which airs on PBS KIDS), to zoo and aquarium animals. The website teaches kids fun facts about today’s living creatures, and encourages them to learn more about the relationship between modern day ocean life and animals such as sharks, crabs, turtles, elephants, bats, birds, crocodiles and more, and their prehistoric ancestors. You can access the Dinosaur Train Discovery tour on your desktop, laptop or smartphone.

The kids might just find that with the help of the Dinosaur Train Discovery Tour, visiting Zoo’s, Aquarium’s and Natural History Museum’s are among their “favorite trips” ever!

Win a Dinosaur Train Prize Pack
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a prize pack featuring a Dinosaur Train cake decorating kit and a Dinosaur Train sticker book!

The cake decorating kit includes a Dinosaur Train cake topper and three Dinosaur Train cupcake rings.

Here's a description of the sticker book:
Everyone enjoys taking fun trips, including DINOSAUR TRAIN’S Buddy! Buddy fans everywhere are sure to enjoy the new sticker stories from Penguin Young Readers Group, Buddy’s Favorite Trips. With over 75 stickers, this sticker stories book takes fans on a ride on the Dinosaur Train and features… that’s right… Buddy's favorite trips! For ages 3-5; SRP $6.99; available wherever books are sold!

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post telling me which your child's favorite zoo or aquarium animal

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 Dinosaur Train giveaway! bit.ly/18IN1JY

6) Tweet this once per day (1 entry per day)
RT @bonggafinds Win a Dinosaur Train prize pack! Giveaway ends 7/6 on bit.ly/18IN1JY

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you join)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on July 6, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on July 7 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: Thanks to Dinosaur Train for providing a prize pack for giveaway and a second prize pack for me.. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Bonggamom's Friday Finds -- list your giveaways here

Friday, June 14, 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!

Sanus TV Wall Mount Giveaway

Thursday, June 13, 2013

I am receiving a product sample for review

Did you know that just like dresser drawers and bookshelves, flat screen televisions can pose a safety risk to childen? They are thin and tall, so they can easily tip over. To reduce TV tip-over related injuries, SANUS TV wall mounts has partnered with Safe Kids Worldwide to educate parents on the importance of securing their flat panel TVs to the wall. Check out the video and information below (and enter to win a SANUS TV wall mount!):

For many Americans, a flat panel TV is a great way to enjoy family time and entertainment. However, most parents are unaware of the safety risks that flat panel TVs pose for kids. Due to increasing size and new ultra thin designs, today’s flat panel TVs can easily tip over when bumped or pulled, toppling off of furniture and causing injury or even death.

Bringing this risk to the forefront, SANUS, the leading designer and manufacturer of flat panel TV wall mounts, has partnered with Safe Kids Worldwide. By educating consumers on the risk of unsecured flat panel TV’s, SANUS and Safe Kids Worldwide offer safe solutions for families across the nation by reducing TV tip-over related injuries and fatalities.

A 2011 US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) report on flat panel TV safety revealed:

· A child is killed every three weeks from an unsecured TV
· Every 45 minutes a child visits an emergency room due to a TV tip-over related injury
· Between 2000 and 2011, 215 fatalities have resulted from TV tip-over
· An estimated 17,000 people each year, the majority of which are children, are treated for injuries from TV tip-overs
· Reported cases have increased almost 25% from 2006 to 2010, and over the last 10 years, injuries have increased by 31%

Win a flat panel TV Wall Mount
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive a flat panel SANUS TV Vuepoint Mount F180, courtesy of SANUS! The reader can receive a mount that fits their respective TV (note that the prize does not include installation of the equipment)

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post telling me which room you would mount your flat panel tv on.
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 SANUS tv wall mount giveaway! http://ow.ly/m18lD

6) Tweet this once per day (1 entry per day)
RT @bonggafinds Win a SANUS flat panel tv wall mount! Giveaway ends 6/30 on http://ow.ly/m18lD

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you join)

Update 6/28/2013: At the giveaway sponsor's request I have had to move the giveaway end date up a few days. Entries will now be accepted until June 30, 2013. Sorry for the inconvenience!

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on ~~July 3~~ June 30, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on ~~July 4~~ July 1 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: Thanks to Sanus for providing a TV Wall Mount to give away, and a second for my personal use. Product and program information (in italics) have been provided by Sanus. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

How to get a great view at the World of Color show at the Disneyland Resort:

Thursday, June 13, 2013

The World of Color nighttime show is one of the most popular attractions at Disney's California Adventure Park. This 25-minute nighttime show has water fountains, laser lights, fire and projected images of Disney characters; it is so spectacular, it's well worth keeping your kids up past their bedtime to watch it. If you have a choice between the Disneyland park nighttime fireworks show and the World of Color show, I say go for the World of Color!

With such a popular attraction, you'd expect people to be staking out prime viewing spots at DCA's Paradise Bay three to four hours before showtime. Fortunately, the Disneyland Resort has figured out a way to help moms and dads avoid the boredom of sitting on a blanket for hours on end: you now need a FASTPASS ticket to view the show. Sure, you could stake out a spot if you want, but you'll be asked to leave anyway because they close Paradise Park for a couple of hours before the first World of Color show -- and they reserve the best viewing areas for FASTPASS ticket holders.

Disney FASTPASS tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis for same day World of Color showtimes. Tickets are distributed at the Disney FASTPASS Service machines used for Grizzly River Run. Learn more about how to use Disney FASTPASS Service with World of Color. So if you want to get a good spot to watch World of Color, here's how to do it:

1) Enter Disney's California Adventure Park early, and head to the World of Color Disney FASTPASS machine near Grizzly River Run.

2) You can get one World of Color FASTPASS ticket for each park admission ticket you have. Note that you will not be able to choose your showtime or viewing section; early showtimes and better viewing sections are distributed and filled up first. Once all the spots are gone, no more FASTPASS tickets will be issued.

3) Return to your designated viewing section at the time listed on your Disney FASTPASS (you may want to line up a bit earlier so you get your choice of spots within the viewing section!

Another way to get a good spot for the World of Color is to purchase a World of Color dining package. These include a fixed-course meal and access to special Reserved and Preferred viewing areas only for dining package ticket holders. The World of Color dining packages include:

1) Purchase a Prix fixe dinner at Wine Country Trattoria to receive a Reserved Viewing ticket

2) Purchase a Prix fixe lunch at Wine Country Trattoria to receive a Reserved Viewing ticket

3) Purchase a prix fixe dinner at Ariel's Grotto to receive a Reserved Viewing ticket

4) Purchase an appetizer + entree or entree + dessert at the Carthay Circle Restaurant to receive access to a Center Stage Viewing Area.

5) Pre-purchase a picnic meal online and pick up at the Sonoma Terrace at the Golden Vine Winery to receive access to the Viewing Area.

Call (714) 781-DINE for dining reservations.

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

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Built To Amaze

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Summer is here and the circus is in town! Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey presents Built To Amaze will be playing at ORACLE Arena in Oakland, SAP Center (formally HP Pavilion) in San Jose and the Cow Palace in San Francisco! Here's a sampling of the circus acts you'll see:

high wire
balancing act
tumbling
trampoline
jaw aeralists (imagine holding a performer up, 30 feet in the air, using only your jaw!)
a French upside down artist
unicycle basketball tricks featuring the first all-black circus act in the history of Ringling Bros.

If that's not enough to make you want to put your clown nose on, here's a great set of discounts you can enjoy when purchasing your tickets:

SPECIAL OFFER - AVAILABLE NOW!

WEEKDAY SHOWS – Purchase a 4-pack of tickets for only $44

(Not valid for FR/ VIP seating. Only valid on shows Wednesday thru Friday morning)

Redemption Code: MOM

WEEKEND SHOWS – $5 off tickets to all performances

(Not valid for FR/ VIP seating)

Redemption Code: MOM5

Look for the Bay Area shows of Dare To Dream at www.ticketmaster.com and enter redemption code when purchasing your tickets!

If you don't live in the Bay Area, don't worry -- check their website for a complete show schedule.

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: ORACLE Arena

Thu August 15 7:30PM

Fri August 16 7:30PM

Sat August 17 11:30AM, 3:30PM, 7:30PM

Sun August 18 1:00PM, 5:00PM

Mon August 19 7:30PM

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA: SAP Center

Wed August 21 7:30PM

Thu August 22 7:30PM

Fri August 23 7:30PM

Sat August 24 11:00AM, 3:00PM, 7:00PM

Sun August 25 1:00PM, 5:00PM

Mon August 26 7:30PM

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: Cow Palace

Thu August 29 7:30PM

Fri August 30 7:30PM

Sat August 31 11:30AM, 3:30PM, 7:30PM

Sun September 1 1:00PM, 5:00PM

Mon September 2 11:30AM, 3:30PM

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

CafePress #ThrowbackThursday Giveaway

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Don't you just love #ThrowbackThursday? For those of you unfamiliar with the term, it's the day when social media is infiltrated by old photos -- black and white photos, sepia toned photos, old baby photos, photos from the 50s, 60s, 70s or any bygone era..... and photos like the one above. This was taken in 1983, and I'm holding my almost 30 year-old sister. She must be screaming because she can't believe she's surrounded by such horrible looking people. Oh, the hair! The ruffled tops! The glasses! See why #ThrowbackThursday can be so much fun?

Here's another fun way to celebrate #ThrowBackThursday -- dress up your phone with a vintage phone cover from CafePress. Check out these adorable iPhone 5 covers from CafePress:

For those who are too young to have seen these items, much less used them, let this old-timer introduce you to the ways we used to pass our time! From left to right, top to bottom, we have: Vintage Camera, Telephone Booth, Boom Box, Rotary Phone, Casette Tape. All of them are great, but I love the casette tape the most because iPhones are just about the size of a casette tape, so your iPhone really ends up looking like a casette tape! My sister has that cover, and it cracks me up whenever I see it.

Win a CafePress iPhone cover
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win an iPhone 5 cover! The winner gets to choose his or her favorite design from the five cases featured above.

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post telling which design you would choose if you win.

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 CafePress #ThrowbackThursday giveaway! http://ow.ly/lZWv8

6) Tweet this once per day (1 entry per day)

You could win a vintage #ThrowbackThursday iPhone 5 case from @cafepress! Enter on @bonggafinds by 6/27 http://ow.ly/lZWv8

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you join)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on June 27, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on June 28 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: I did not receive a sample or monetary compensation for this post. Thanks to CafePress for providing the giveaway prize. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Shabby Apple vintage style women's clothing

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

I am receiving a Shabby Apple dress as compensation for this post

I love wearing yoga pants and comfy cardigans, but I have to admit, I wish people dressed up more. I don't mean everyone has to wear heels and corsets and suits and ties all the time -- look at Jackie Onassis or Audrey Hepburn. They managed to look put together and elegant even when they were wearing shorts and oxford shirts or a skirt and blouse!

The women of the 40's and 50's did look pretty amazing, wearing dresses for every occasion from supermarket shopping to flying in an airplane. If you want to channel those women and start adding more dresses to your wardrobe, look no further than Shabby Apple -- they make beautiful vintage clothing like dresses, skirts, swimsuits and accessories that make you look and feel like you've stepped out of a fashion magazine. I've long been a fan of Shabby Apple's feminine style. Their dresses aren't just for formal occasions, you can wear them (and look great) every single day. Here are just some of my favorite Shabby Apple dresses and where I would use them:

For traveling and exploring new places: Elizabeth Islands

For strolling along the boardwalk: the Polly Hill

For soaking up some seaside sun: Toe the Line

For a summer wedding: the Mad Hatter (okay, this isn't an everyday occasion but I wanted to throw it into the mix to show you that Shabby Apple makes beautiful special occasion dresses as well!)

For a picnic in the park: the Riptide

For lounging around the house: the Beachcomber

Remember: a Shabby Apple a day keeps the fashion doctors away!

Disclosure: Shabby Apple is sending a sample dress as a thank-you for this post. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Enter Kmart's March of Dimes ImBornTo contest

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

This is a sponsored post.

My kid is the cutest kid ever. There. I said it. It doesn't matter how many other cuties you parade before me, none of them compare to mine!

Seriously, have you ever seen a kid as cute as this?

Or this?

Every parent thinks their child is the cutest kid ever... so give yours a chance to shine! You can enter their photo in Kmart’s March of Dimes® IMBORNTO® Contest for the chance to be featured in a Kmart circular ad. Even better, you'll be helping Kmart donate to the March of Dimes with every entry.

Here's more information about the contest. Hope to see your little cutie in the next Kmart ad!

Think your child is the cutest ever? Now’s your chance to make them a star! Enter Kmart’s March of Dimes® IMBORNTO® Contest and your son or daughter could be featured in a Kmart circular ad!
The winner will receive a trip to Chicago in August, complete with round-trip airfare for four, a hotel stay for three days and two nights and transportation to a photo shoot featuring them as the star of the show.

To enter, submit a recent photo of your child on Kmart’s Shop Your Way social shopping site, and fill in the blank for the following statement: “My child was born to ___.” Easy enough! Entries will be judged on originality, sincerity and how it conveys their unique talent.

And, what’s even better is that Kmart will donate $1 for every entry to March of Dimes to support the organization’s mission of improving the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

The deadline for entries is Saturday, June 22, so hurry and get your entry in soon! All kids up to age 10 are eligible to enter. To view complete rules, click here.

Shop Your Way is a free, members-only program and shopping community that offers rewards, personalized deals, product reviews and services like e-coupons and e-receipts for faster returns and exchanges – join at ShopYourWay.com.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. Product information (in italics) is provided by Kmart/March of Dimes via the Mom Bloggers Club. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Father's Day Gift Idea: Skylanders Giants

Monday, June 10, 2013

If the dad in your live loves to play videogames, the Skylanders Giants set is a fun way to celebrate Father's Day! Skylanders Giants is the sequel videogame to the popular Skylanders. What makes these games unique is how they merge physical toys with the video game world. When you place a Skylanders action figure on the "Portal of Power", it creates a virtual version of the character in your Skylanders game! How cool is that! Players can use those characters to work their way through the game. There are tons of figures to collect, and you can even use the action figures from the original Skylanders game in Skylanders giants, so this is a game that grows with your family. Dad is going to love it!

This Father’s Day, combine two things dad loves- spending time with his kids and gaming! The most popular game that dads play with their kids, Skylanders Giants, offers a starter pack for only $69.99 (available on any console). Now dad can spend quality family time by helping the kids bring toys to life in the world of Skylands!

Already a fan? Surprise dad with a special handmade Skylanders frame and include one of your favorite memories of playing the game with dad! The quick and simple character frame gift idea can be made in 5 easy steps- instructions below.

You can download the instructions by right-clicking on the image with your mouse and selecting the "Save As..." option. Happy Father's Day!

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

Book home services online with ClubLocal

Monday, June 10, 2013

I received a credit to my ClubLocal account

A man's home is his castle, his sanctuary, his place of refuge -- and it takes a lot of work to keep it that way! Homeowners know that their work is never done. If it isn't a major project like redoing a bathroom or a kitchen or adding a second floor (we've done all of that), it's a minor project like painting a room or replacing a door or a window or rewiring the phone or cable system (we've done all of that too!). And don't forget regular home care services like cleaning or plumbing or heater maintenance! Sometimes it seems like such a pain to look for reputable people and book the service, you end up putting it off and delaying, delaying.... until all of a sudden you have a leaky roof and realize your home is crumbling around you.

A couple of weeks ago I was introduced to a great new site that lets you book home repair services online: ClubLocal. ClubLocal contracts with reputable contractors and does all the vetting for you, so you don't have to spend time scouring the internet or polling your friends for recommendations. You pay a fair price, and everything is charged to your ClubLocal account, so you have all your home improvement records together.

ClubLocal gave me the opportunity to try booking a service with them, so I decided to book a sofa cleaning service since our sofas were looking beyond disgusting. Booking a home service with ClubLocal is so easy. I do practically everything online, so why should this be any different? With ClubLocal, you can select the day and time you want your service done. And halleluiah, they offer 2-hour time windows instead of the usual 4-hour windows, so you're not stuck at home waiting for a service pro!

When you book your service, ClubLocal will show you which time slots are open. You can also enter more details about the service you want done, which is really useful when you're not booking a standard service like air duct cleaning or a car wash. For instance, if your toilet is clogged, you can type in your toilet brand and model so the plumber can make sure he arrives with all the proper spare parts.

I love how ClubLocal keeps you informed every step of the way. In my case, within 10 minutes after booking my upholstery cleaning, I received an email saying I had to reschedule because the service pro would not be able to make it during my requested day and time.

On the day of service, I received several emails from ClubLocal:

1) The first reminded me of my appointment (which was great because I had actually forgotten! how perfect for scatterbrains like me!)

2) The second informed me that the service pro was on his way; the email also gave me his name and photo so I would recognize him (a nice safety feature). I also received a phone call from the service pro confirming his arrival.

3) The third and fourth emails were estimates for the upholstery work -- one, for the upholstery cleaning that I had originally requested, and the other, for an optional Scotchguard procedure that the service pro offered to me when he arrived at my house and checked out my sofas.

4) The fifth email was sent after the job had been done, and included the final invoice.

All the documents that had been emailed to me are also stored in my ClubLocal account. That's another great advantage to using ClubLocal: everything is stored online in a single place. No more storing drawers full of old receipts and faded business cards! ClubLocal has all the details of the work done on your home, including estimates, the final job invoice, the name and contact information for your service provider, so if you need to do the same work in two or three years, you'll have everything handy.

ClubLocal also gives you the opportunity to rate your service provider (I gave the sofa cleaning company that did the work an outstanding rating! They arrived on time, gave us a pricing estimate up front, and did a great job. They have been in the upholstery/carpet cleaning business for over 25 years; I guess ClubLocal really does pick the best!). Hopefully more and more people will use ClubLocal and rate the service providers so that other people who use them will have some feedback.

Quite possibly the only place where the information flow is not so transparent is the service pricing. There are sample prices for services on the ClubLocal website, but they are just that: sample prices. Even when you book an appointment, the booking window does not indicate how much the service will cost! I had to call a service rep to pin down actual prices for the services.

I do understand that for certain services, such as plumbing and electrical work, it is impossible to pin down a price until the service pro arrives at your home and does a preliminary inspection -- but it would be nice if ClubLocal could show actual prices for standard services like carpet cleaning, car washes, air duct cleaning and so on. But that minor shortcoming is definitely not a deal breaker -- after all, you can always do what I did and speak to a service rep and ask for prices. I am definitely planning to use ClubLocal again. Next up: air duct cleaning!

ClubLocal started in the Dallas Fort Worth area, and you can book well over a dozen kinds of home improvement services with them -- plumbing, handyman work, electrician, appliance repairman, etc.... They also have a limited presence in the SF Bay Area, with 7 kinds of services, but the list is growing, and hopefully they will expand to other cities soon. Check out ClubLocal ASAP -- right now, for the SF Bay Area, they are offering a $100 credit to your ClubLocal account so you can try booking a home service like cleaning a sofa or 2 hours handyman work or clearing a clogged drain!

Disclosure:I received a credit to my ClubLocal account so I could try booking a service with ClubLocal and share my thoughts on the process. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.

Mike the Knight launches a new DVD, toy line and book series {Giveaway}

Monday, June 10, 2013

When it comes to fantasies and fairy tales, it seems like princesses have all the fun. Not so! If you have a young son, remind him that for every pretty princess, there's always a heroic prince or a wily wizard or a brave knight! Boys get to have lots of adventures as well -- learning archery, riding horses, taming dragons, storming castles, cooking up spells and jousting dastardly villains, to name a few.

That's why it's good to see programs like Mike the Knight™, the CG animated series on Nick Jr.. The series features cute characters like Mike (our hero), his horse Galahad, their friends Squirt and Sparkie the dragons, and Evie, Mike's sister who's training to be a wizard. As kids follow their adventures, they also learn about problem solving and doing the right thing. As Mike says, "Be a Knight. Do it right!".

For young knights-in-training who just can't get enough of Mike and his friends, NCircle Entertainment and HIT Entertainment are launching a DVD of the series, “Mike the Knight: Knight in Training,” available for the first time this month. They have also teamed up with Fisher-Price to launch a collection of Mike the Knight toys, as well as a line of Mike the Knight books from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.

To celebrate the launch of the DVD, NCircle Entertainment, HIT Entertainment, and Fisher-Price are giving away a royal prize package featuring Mike the Knight! One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will receive the following:

• Mike the Knight: Knight in Training DVD

Featuring five fun-and-learning-filled adventures, "Mike the Knight: Knight in Training" finds Mike on missions to serve and protect the Kingdom of Glendragon. Whether it's locating the perfect birthday surprise for his sister Evie, or helping others find their way back home, every day is an adventure with Mike and his friends! The all-new Glendragon Matching Game, as well as Meet Mike’s Friends! Music Videos and a karaoke version of the theme song are also included. The DVD will sell for $12.99 and is approximately 56 minutes in length.

• Mike the Knight Sword & Shield

It’s Time to Be a Knight and Do It Right! Train like Mike the Knight and help him on his mission as you pretend to be a knight and play out your adventures with your very own sword and shield. This role play set includes a child-sized plastic sword and shield for the ultimate knight experience. The shield has a handle on the back for easy grip. Be a knight just like Mike and help protect Glendragon Castle! (MSRP $10)

• “Meet Mike” book from Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing

In this 8x8 storybook, Mike the Knight gives a tour of Glendragon that's worthy of a king. Meet Mike's sister, Evie, and his two best friends, Sparkie and Squirt—who happen to be dragons! Visit Ma and Pa Troll and their son, Trollee, who also wants to be a knight. Then stop by the castle and the arena, where Mike trains for jousting tournaments! Join in this adventure that's perfect for young knights-in-training everywhere.

Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post telling me which character your son would identify with the most -- a knight, wizard or dragon!

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.).

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I entered the Mike the Knight giveaway! http://ow.ly/lGdsI

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RT @bonggafinds Win a royal prize package featuring Mike the Knight DVD, book and toy sword/shield! Giveaway ends 7/3 on http://ow.ly/lGdsI

7) Join any open giveaway on Bonggamom Finds (1 entry for every giveaway you join)

The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on July 3, 2013; I will draw a winner at random on July 4 and post their name after they confirm acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here.

Disclosure: NCircle Entertainment, Fisher-Price and HIT Entertainment provided the prize pack for the giveaway and a second for me as a thank-you for featuring this post. Product information (in italics) is provided by NCircle Entertainment. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.