Giveaway - Squeeballs Party

Squeeballs Party by Performance Designed Products (PDP) is a fun family-oriented game featuring Squeeball toys that are relentlessly abused. The Wii game features 11 party games including bowling, cannonball, painting by Squeeball and cooking with - you guessed it, Squeeballs.

My kids immediately loved the Squeeball plush toys (available separately).



But in keeping with the spirit of the game, they would much rather throw the Squeeballs at me.



In terms of the game, it does have silly cartoon violence and is rated E10+ (everyone 10 and and older).  Some parents may feel that is is too violent for younger kids (although my kids didn't flinch when grinding and chopping up Squeeballs).  The game play is fair, and much better on the Wii than the Nintendo DS.  Some of the games were too difficult on the Nintendo DS making it more frustrating than fun.  Although the game play is nothing phenomenal, the silly antics were enough to keep my kids laughing.  I would recommend the game for kids who enjoy games such as Rayman Rabbids.

*** If you'd like a copy of Squeeballs Party, leave a comment below with your choice of gaming platform, Nintendo Wii, Nintendo DS/DS Lite/DSi or the Apple iPhone/iPod Touch. ***

For extra entries, promote this contest by tweet, blog post, StumbleUpon or other social media and leave an separate comment for each with the URL or username. Up to five entries per person.

This giveaway ends December 15, 2009 at 11pm EST and is open to residents of US and Canada.

Special thanks to Performance Designed Products for providing the Squeeballs Party games and plush toys for the giveaway and review.

Book Giveaway - Firsts: Origins of Everyday Things That Changed the World

Ever wonder about the first e-mail (1971 at BBN in Cambridge - I interviewed there once) or about the first roller coaster (1600s in Russia)?  Firsts: Origins of Everyday Things That Changed the World provides an amazing collection of the origin of over 500 topics.  This paperback is a light-hearted read into the history of everyday things which is entertaining as well as informative.  It would make an excellent gift for your trivia fan.

*** If you'd like a copy of Firsts: Origins of Everyday Things That Changed the World, leave a comment below. ***

For extra entries, promote this contest by tweet, blog post, StumbleUpon or other social media and leave an separate comment for each with the URL or username. Up to five entries per person.

This giveaway ends December 15, 2009 at 11pm EST and is open to residents of US and Canada.

Special thanks to Alpha Books for providing copies of Firsts for the giveaway and review.

Book Giveaway - No Small Matter: Science on the Nanoscale

Looking for the perfect gift for your technology-loving friends?  No Small Matter: Science on the Nanoscale combines stunning photography by Felice Frankel with fascinating discussions about nanotechnology by chemist George Whitesides.  From nanotubes to ribosomes to Eleanor Rigby, this substantial hardcover book will be sure to captivate.  As an engineer in the biotech field, it was a breath of fresh air to see these advances in nanotechnology beautifully rendered in an easily understandable format.

*** If you'd like a copy of No Small Matter: Science on the Nanoscale, leave a comment below. ***

For extra entries, promote this contest by tweet, blog post, StumbleUpon or other social media and leave an separate comment for each with the URL or username. Up to five entries per person.

This giveaway ends December 15, 2009 at 11pm EST and is open to residents of US and Canada.

Special thanks to Harvard University Press for providing copies of No Small Matter for the giveaway and review.

Review - Lego Rock Band

When my 9-year-old son saw the packaging for Lego Rock Band, his eyes lit up like never before.  Two of his favorite things, Legos and Rock Band, all in one?  You bet.  I thought it would be hard to beat The Beatles Rock Band (still my favorite), but the Lego version has taken the top place on his list.

One of his favorite new bands is Queen.  Look at them all dressed up as Legos.



Check out David Bowie in a Lego concert.



The gameplay is much more intense than previous Rock Bands, where you can knock down buildings and a "Rocktopus" with your awesome playing.



With your earnings, you can buy costumes, figurines and even an entourage and tour bus!  Check out the "Cal C. Fyde" costume.



My son said that his favorite things about Lego Rock Band were that the music bars were Lego pieces, the songs, and that you can "buy cool stuff".  My favorite thing is that the songs are finally family-friendly for the younger rockers, as well as the "super-easy" mode for the real newbies.  I had a hard time trying to explain that the song "Raining Blood" from Guitar Hero III was meant to be metaphorical.  If you have a Rock Band and Lego fan on your shopping list, this game will be sure to please  for this holiday season.

Special thanks to Harmonix for providing a review copy of the game.

Giveaway - $10 iTunes Gift Card from Holiday Inn

When you think of Holiday Inn, do you think, "Oh yeah, there's one in every city." But did you know that Holiday Inn is a global hotel brand? Next time you have Paris on your mind, you can stay at one of several Holiday Inns in Paris:



Or if Bali Hai calls you, enjoy the tropics at a familiar yet exotic Holiday Inn.



One destination on my bucket list is Dubai. Check out the luxurious digs in this most opulent of cities.





Here are some other great, surprisingly affordable destinations:

• Malé, Maldives for about $199/night
• Lisbon, Portugal for about $107/night
• Papau New Guinea for about $224/night
• Christchruch, New Zealand for about $132/night
• Nairobi, Kenya for about $215/night 

Of course none of this destinations may be in anybody's budget, but you can rely on Holiday Inn for a great night's sleep if you're visiting relatives this holiday season, or planning a romantic getaway or a girls' escape weekend.

To help create a holiday music mix for your travels this season, Holiday Inn is offering several iTunes gift cards.

*** If you'd like win one of three $10 iTunes gift cards, visit Holiday Inn and leave a comment below with an exotic or not-so-exotic place you'd like to visit with a Holiday Inn. ***

For extra entries, promote this contest by tweet, blog post, StumbleUpon or other social media and leave an separate comment for each with the URL or username. Up to five entries per person.

This giveaway ends December 2, 2009 at 11pm EST and is open to residents of US and Canada.

Special thanks to Holiday Inn for providing the iTunes gift cards for the giveaway and myself.

Book Giveaway – Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind

Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind: Thoughts on Teacherhood

Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind by Phillip Done is one of those incredibly heartfelt, charming books that make you laugh and cry at the same time. Since my son is in third grade, it also provides me unique insight into his classroom through his teacher's eyes. Phil has 25 years of teaching under his belt and he knows that despite the changes in technology with computers and gadgets, kids are still kids.

Here's a short sample of why Phil Done remembers why he loves being a teacher:

When I asked the class where french fries come from (I was looking for potatoes) and Eric said McDonald's, when Ronny wanted to know if there is such a thing as a left angle, when Evelyn was shocked to find out that I get paid, when I asked the class to give me a synonym for laugh and Greg said LOL, and when Juan looked at my cuff links and said, "My dad wears handcuffs, too" - I remembered.

If you can't get enough of Phillip Done, check out his previous book, 32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny.

32 Third Graders and One Class Bunny: Life Lessons from Teaching

*** If you'd like your own copy of Close Encounters of the Third-Grade Kind, leave a comment below. ***

For extra entries, promote this contest by tweet, blog post, StumbleUpon or other social media and leave an separate comment for each with the URL or username. Up to five entries per person.

This giveaway ends November 21, 2009 at 11pm EDT and is open to residents of US and Canada.

Special thanks to Phillip Done for providing copies of both books for the giveaway and review.

Review - iPlay n' Learn iPhone Application

Parents magazine has just released the iPlay n' Learn application for the iPhone / iPod Touch. It is the perfect distraction, I mean instructional tool, to keep your preschooler occupied.

My daughter is five years old in Kindergarten, and she liked the Tracing section most, especially since she is learning to form letters and numbers correctly in school.



For less dexterous younger children, the Flashcards give a great introduction to letters, numbers, shapes and colors. There are entertaining audio messages and animations to go along with each section.

My daughter also enjoyed the quizzes, where she could "beat the question" by tapping the answer after reading the word instead of waiting for the audio.



Does this application hold the interest of the young set? The proof is in the pudding. On another occasion, my daughter she went back to the iPlay n’ Learn app for more tracing and quizzes. Yay!

The iPlay n’ Learn app may be purchased in the iTunes app store for $0.99. Just click this link to open it in the iTunes Store.


Special thanks to Parents.com for sending an iTunes gift card so I could review the iPlay n' Learn app.

Review - Percy, The Perfectly Imperfect Chicken

Percy, The Perfectly Imperfect Chicken by Rick Rieser is a delightful children's book which teaches tolerance for differences and imperfections. Rick Rieser (RickRieser.com) is a chicken farmer and first-time author, with a 25-year career as a nationally recognized children's advocate. Rick used FastPencil.com to publish his book. Through their marketplace, he found an illustrator for the book.

My daughter enjoyed reading this book and especially looking at the rich color illustrations. The message of the book makes it a perfect holiday gift.

You can preview "Percy, The Perfectly Imperfect Chicken" on RickRieser.com and purchase it from FastPencil.com for $12.95.

Giveaway - Calypso Studios S.H.O.P. tote

Calypso Studios has a new line of Fall and Holiday S.H.O.P totes.





Aren't they beautiful? S.H.O.P totes are strong, lightweight reusable bags that roll up with a snap closure to take with you easily. They are made of polyester and can hold up to 20 pounds I have used a S.H.O.P tote for several months and it is strong and extremely convenient to carry.

Through the end of October, all Holiday S.H.O.P totes are 2 for $10 using promo code HSHOP1031.

*** If you'd like your own Fall or Holiday S.H.O.P tote, leave a comment with your choice of Leaf Toss or Jolly Santa. ***

For extra entries, promote this contest by tweet, blog post, StumbleUpon or other social media and leave an separate comment for each with the URL or username. Up to five entries per person.

This giveaway ends November 14, 2009 at 11pm EDT and is open to residents of US and Canada.

Special thanks to Calypso Studios for providing S.H.O.P. totes for the giveaway and review.

Chocolate with a purpose

Did you know that every purchase of Hershey's has supported the Milton Hershey School for children for the last 100 years? Milton and Kitty Hershey set up a trust to devote their entire fortune to support children from profound need. Find out more about the school and its impact on at www.thehersheylegacy.com.

You can see the Milton Hershey School logo on the specially marked Hershey Legacy chocolate bar.



So when you're considering treats for Halloween, remember that choosing Hershey's also helps to break the cycle of poverty for the kids at the Milton Hershey School.



Special thanks to Hershey for sending the Hershey Legacy chocolate bar for my family to enjoy.

Review – The Beatles Rock Band

The Beatles: Rock Band

The Beatles Rock Band has got to be one of the few video games that simply don’t need promotion. When I first heard that they were going to produce The Beatles Rock Band, I immediately wanted to pre-order it. But thanks to Harmonix, I received a free promotional copy of the game software to review with my existing Rock Band.

The Beatles Rock Band is exactly as awesome as you would imagine. The story mode walks you through The Beatles career from the early days to the rooftop of Apple Corps. The dreamscapes take you right back the to psychedelic 60’s. The music… there is simply no compare. Unlike other Rock Band and Guitar Hero video games, where you may or may not know the songs well, you can be guaranteed to know all The Beatles songs. The song list is pretty comprehensive, but covers more of the later years. In the upcoming months, three additional albums will be available for download, Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Rubber Soul.

To make your Rock Band collection complete, you can also get a replica of Ringo’s drum set as well as John’s Rickenbacker, George’s Gretsch and Paul’s Höfner Violin Bass.

Aren’t those beautiful?? Beatlemania is in full force at our house! We love to sing the songs in harmony and even my non-gamer husband will join in. Highly recommended for any Beatles fan.

Giveaway - Copper-Infused SkinGlow Towel

The SkinGlow line, produced by London Luxury LLC, includes copper-infused towels that have natural deodorizing properties to reduce bacteria, fungus and microbes on your skin as well as mildew on your towels.  The patented Cupron™ copper technology is infused deep in the fibers, ensuring it can never wash out or fade as long as fabric softeners aren’t used.  SkinGlow towels includes wash, hand and bath sizes from $7.99-14.99 at select Bed Bath & Beyond stores and bedbathandbeyond.com.

The SkinGlow towel I tried was luxuriously thick and still smelled fresh after one week without washing.  Less laundry is good for a busy family!  The material is 85% cotton and 15% Cupron™ polyester, so it doesn't feel completely like 100% cotton towels, although it is pretty absorbent.  I was impressed with the quality and the thickness of the towel and even ordered another set from bedbathandbeyond.com!

*** If you'd like a SkinGlow towel sample, visit the SkinGlow towel page at Bed Bath & Beyond and leave a comment with your favorite feature or color. ***

For extra entries, promote this contest by tweet, blog, Stumble or other social media and leave an separate comment for each with the URL or username.  Up to five entries per person.

This giveaway ends September 10, 2009 at 11pm EDT and is open to residents of the US.

Giveaway - $25 Gift Certificate to Threadless

My previous Threadless giveaway was such a hit, it's back!  This time, in honor of the Threadless Kid's line.  Here my daughter is wearing the Animals with Eyepatches! Yes! shirt.  Aren't those piratous animals awesome?



Threadless recently launched  Threadless Loves Childhood, a new partnership with Baby Center. Readers are encouraged to design a tee shirt inspired by the fascinating journey of childhood for a chance to win $2,500 in cash and gift certificates. You can enter before August 20th.

 *** If you'd like a $25 Threadless gift certificate, visit the Threadless Kids page and leave a comment with your favorite design. You can use your gift certificate for any Threadless products of course.***

For extra entries, promote this contest by tweet, blog, Stumble or other social media and leave an separate comment for each with the URL or username.

This giveaway ends August 20, 2009 at 11pm EDT and is open to residents of US and Canada.

Review - Send an (oopdoo)gram

What is an (oopdoo)™gram? An (oopdoo)gram is a greeting card in the shape of a bandage - the international symbol of healing. You can send a variety of healing gifts in an (oopdoo)gram, including "smooshed" apples, chocolate, teas, foam bath, fun bandages, and even a CD with an uplifting song.  The (oopdoo) company also makes fleece hugs in the shape of bandages "because not all boo-boo's bleed".

I sent an (oopdoo)gram to a friend who was recovering from open heart surgery and he posted this message on my facebook wall, "Thanks for the huge band-aid card! I should wear it over my heart area."  It really works!

Giveaway - Chicken Soup for the Soul books

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Like Mother, Like Daughter: Stories about the Special Bond between Mothers and Daughters

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Moms & Sons: Stories by Mothers and Sons, in Appreciation of Each Other

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Twins and More: 101 Stories Celebrating Double Trouble and Multiple Blessings

Chicken Soup for the Soul is great for everyone, but especially for overwhelmed, exhausted parents.  Here are three books that will fit all families.  Chicken Soup for the Soul: Like Mother, Like Daughter and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Moms & Sons are compendiums of 101 of their best stories. And if you're blessed with multiple births, you'll definitely need Chicken Soup for the Soul: Twins and More: 101 Stories Celebrating Double Trouble and Multiple Blessings.

*** If you'd like one of these Chicken Soup for the Soul books, leave a comment with your choice(s) of book. ***

For extra entries, promote this contest by tweet, blog, Stumble or other social media and leave an separate comment for each with the URL or username.

This giveaway ends July 31, 2008 at 11pm EDT and is open to US residents.

Giveaway - Sport-Brella Beach and Sports Umbrella

If you're headed to the beach this summer, check out the SKLZ Sport-Brella umbrella for beach or sporting events. The Sport-Brella gives you instant portable protection from the sun, rain, and wind and UPF 50+ quick shade protection. It sets up in just three seconds and opens to 7' wide for plenty of sun shade for the whole family.

We had the opportunity to try the Sport-Brella and found that it was well made and had excellent design details. The inner tube didn't descend immediately so the latch didn't catch well in the beginning, but as soon as we coaxed the tube down, it worked perfectly. The Sport-Brella can be used in the upright position as well as sideways as shown above.  It works better than a standard beach umbrella because of the ground stakes provided.

You can purchase the Sport-Brella from the SKLZ website for $69.99 with free shipping.

 *** If you'd like your very own SLKZ Sport-Brella, visit the Sport-Brella page and leave a comment with your favorite feature. ***

For extra entries, promote this contest by tweet, blog, Stumble or other social media and leave an separate comment for each with the URL or username.

This giveaway ends July 31, 2008 at 11pm EDT and is open to US residents.

Review - Vroom Solo

What would you think of a device which you could pull out any second and clean up life's little messes? The Vroom Quick-Clean Appliance is installed in a kitchen or bathroom cabinet and is instantly accessible. It has been a lifesaver in our kitchen! Our son Adam routinely spills Cheerios on the floor and instead of hounding him to sweep them up everyday, he simply whips out the Vroom and whoosh, they are gone. We've vacuumed crumbs off the counter and even vacuumed our kitchen drawers for the first time in years. The Vroom is available in a freestanding unit (shown) and also as a central vacuum add-on.

The Vroom is NOT a glorified DustBuster. It is a full-powered vacuum with a collection bag. It is fairly loud during operation, so I wouldn't recommend it for prolonged use without hearing protection. The Vroom hose reaches 24 feet, although it is stretched pretty tight at that length. It comfortably reaches a 10 to 15 foot radius. It also comes with an adjustable wand and a floor/rug tool (a smaller crevice tool would be nice...)

The Vroom Solo is a real appliance that requires installation into your cabinet. Here are some photographs of our adventures installing the Vroom Solo.



Since I'm pretty handy, I got out the drill and performed the mechanical installation.The Vroom Solo comes with a wired plug for power, but we don't have an electrical outlet under the sink. The easiest way for us to connect it was to tap into the power for our dishwasher. I got the expert (my husband) to wire it up.



Afterwards, our cat examined the installation.

The top shelf of the vacuum unit comes with a non-skid pad which is handy for smaller items. It really didn't take up that much space and I was able to fit almost everything back into the cabinet.

Finally, here is my son using the Vroom for his darn Cheerios!

If you register on the Vroom website, you can enter to win your own Vroom. You can also follow them on Twitter @VroomVac.