Where’s Walrus Book Review

Description: Bored with life at the zoo, an adventurous walrus escapes to the outside world. With the zoo keeper in hot pursuit, Walrus cleverly tries on all sorts of hats to disguise himself.  Will a yellow hard hat point to a new life as a construction worker? or will a red swimming cap reveal his true talents? Follow this happy-go-lucky runaway as he hides amongst firefighters, businessman and even high step dancers in this wordless picture book.

***** I was kindof discouraged when I received this book, because I thought it was like a where’s Waldo book. My kids all seem to enjoy it though, and after watching them read it I realized that this book really does help with picture recognition. I woold say that this book would be better for ages 1-5. There are no words, and there are very few pictures that it makes it so easy to find Walrus.

Retail:16.99 but you can find on Amazon.com for $11.32

Release date: February 1, 2011

My rating:6

Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post, a product was provided by Scholastic.

Hershey’s Hall Of Fame Contest and GiveawayClosed

Hershey’s Chocolate has kicked-off the Hershey’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Sweepstakes offering football enthusiasts the chance to win a trip to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Sweeter than an overtime victory, fans who visit hersheys.com/halloffame through February 28 can enter the national sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip for four to the 2011 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival Weekend. During the weekend-long festival, the winner and guests will be hosted by Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinee, Emmitt Smith, and have their likeness on display in the form of chocolate busts.

The festival will take place August 5-8, where the winner will attend a Enshrinee dinner, parade, class of 2011 ceremony, and the hall of fame game. In addition to the grand prize there will be additional prizes given out.

20 1st prize winners will receive a hall of fame collectors edition football signed by Smith. 100 second prize winners will receive  a $100 pro hall of fame gift card.

To help promote this contest and get you ready for the superbowl, I am giving away 5 bags of Hershey’s Miniture assortments.

To enter: Tell me if you will be watching the SuperBowl and who your rooting for.

Extra entries:

Enter the contest-8 entries

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Leave a comment on any non-giveaway post-4 entries

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Contest ends 3/1/11

Dinosaur Train Striped Footed Pajamas

Dinosaur Train style never goes extinct. The dinosaur characters and striped pattern on these footed pajamas offer timeless touches.

***This pajamas are so cute and comfy, well according to my son and daughter. They were a little big for my son, so my daughter begged to try them on. The only thing my kids complained about was that they couldn’t breath in them.(not literally) it’s a one piece and kip up, so they get hot really fast when the heat is running or they are under the covers. The only solution is to zip it all the down compared to airing out just your shirt.

Retail: $26.00 at Kohls

Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post, a product was supplied by the company. All thoughts are my own.

Ducan Hines Decadent Mixes and Glazes

I was able to try out new Duncan Hines products a few months ago.

Description:  Includes a pouch with real chocolate chunks and rich fudge so you can bake an over-the-top cake, all with one box. Contains zero trans fats and no hydrogenated oils.

Description:  Amazing Glazes is a lightly decadent dessert topping that you just microwave and pour onto your favorite dessert! Our smooth, silky finish will inspire you to new levels of style and grace. Simply put, they’re amazing.

****These cakes are so good I tried the triple chocolate and the apple caramel. Both were very good, the triple chocolate was maybe a little to chocolatey if there is one such thing.  The glaze frosting is fun, just pop the in the microwave to warm up, then glaze the cake.  The problem was that some spots were really thick while others were super hot.

Retail:$2.99-3.99

Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post, products were received for review.

Celebrate Valentines Day With Your Own Love Bug Or Teddy Giveaway Closed

Build A Bear has Love Bug or a Love Bear to help you celebrate Valentines Day this year.

Love Bug is 18 IN.

Love Bear is 17 IN

both the Love Bug and Love Bear retail for $16.oo ( that is only for the bear, does not include clothes)

*****I received a Love Bear to review. This bear is so cute and cuddely and when all dressed up looks like a little cupid. My kids all started fighting over this when I received it, they all wanted it.  Build A Bear has even changed their boxes to red with cute hearts all over it.

Right now through Feb. 14, you receive a free box of Sweethearts candy with every purchase. You can also choose to donate $1 at checkout to help support thr Children’s Heart Foundation.

I have 1 $25 Build A Bear gift card, for you to make your own Love Bug or Love Bear

To enter tell me who you would pick Love Bug or Bear?

Extra entries:

Grab my button-8 entries

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Follow Build A Bear Facebook-5 entries

Leave a comment on any non-giveaway post-4 entries

Follow me on twitter-3 entries

like this post on Facebook (button underneath post)-2 entries

tweet this-1 entry (can be done daily)

Contest Ends 2/12/11

Disclosure: No Compensation was received, I will be receiving a Love Bear for a review. Opinions are my own.

Get Organized With Smead In Time To File Your Taxes

Now that the holidays are over it is time to turn our attention to one of the most challenging organizing events of the year – no, not those new year’s resolutions, I’m talking about getting it all together for taxes.  Soon you’ll start receiving forms and more in the mail. It can get overwhelming, and if your like me you just throw it in a corner until the last-minute.  Luckily my husband is the opposite, and makes sure everything is very organized. 

Smead Organomics has several different organizing tools to help this tax season. 

The Tax Organizer:  This is so easy and convienant to use. As a blogger we have to pay taxes on everything we get. So I have a long spread sheet I put together every month to keep track. Plus if I go on a trip I have to keep all receipts to count as biz expenses. It can get very messy. I have put all my receipts and excel sheets in the tax organizer by month and I can find everything a lot easier. It is not just like file folders, they have pockets on every folder for extra security. There is also a checklist on the inside cover to help you.

Expanding File:  The expanding file  is great to keep record of your taxes by year or month. I have started using it as a file organizer for all my press releases. I get about 20 a month and they get scattered. So I have them organized by subject in the expanding file.

Need advice? Smead also has tax advice available on their website.

You can find these products at a special price at retailers like Wal-MartOffice Depot, and Amazon

Disclosure: I received tax organization products, and I will be receiving a $20 gift card. all opinions are my own.

Alice In Wonderland 60th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray Review and GiveawayClosed

Film Synopsis:  Alice In Wonderland is a story about a young girl who grows bored listening to her older sister read aloud from a history book about William I of England. While dozing off, she dreams about falling down a rabbit hole that is populated by a peculiar series of misadventures. The always sensible Alice whirls through a world of contradictions, imagination and surprises where she encounters amazing creatures, including the white rabbit, the Queen of Hearts and her playing card army, a Cheshire Cat with a  lingering smile, and the Madhatter, who test her sensibility and courage. In the end it’s all a dream, she is awakened by her sister’s voice.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYR-bZdXUiE]

Bonus Features:

  • Through the keyhole- A Companion’s Guide to Wonderland – View the movie in this special mode and discover references to the original Lewis Carroll classic – introduced by the voice of Alice, Kathryn Beaumont.
  • Disney View – Watch the movie in this expanded viewing experience with new Disney art in the wings of the screen
  •  Painting the Roses Red game – Help paint the roses red in the Queen’s garden. Careful, or someone could lose their head
  • Walt Disney color TV introduction (1959) – A never-before-seen color TV intro by Walt
  •  Reference Footage: Alice and the Doorknob – Kathryn Beaumont provides an introduction to this newly discovered reference footage of Alice talking to the doorknob
  • Pencil Test: Alice Shrinks – Kathryn Beaumont introduces a newly discovered pencil test of Alice shrinking
  • Reflections on Alice
  •  Operation Wonderland (now in hi-def)
  •  “I’m Odd” newly discovered Cheshire Cat song and intro
  •  Thru the Mirror Mickey Mouse animated short (now in hi-def)
  •  One-hour in Wonderland
  •  An Alice Comedy: Alice’s Wonderland
  • Original theatrical trailers (1951 & 1974)
  • Art Gallery (new designs and images)
  • The Fred Waring Show (Excerpt)
  • Deleted Scenes

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiexvW0Bc3U]

**** I haven’t seen this version of Alice in Wonderland in a very long time, in fact my children have never seen this version. My kids are used to Tim Burton’s version, so when I showed them this movie they got really excited and said “Alice in Wonderland when she was a little girl”. Our favorite characters were the White Rabbit and the Madhatter, they are so funny.  We really enjoyed watching this movie and my son now prefers this movie over Time Burton’s version. He said it’s not as scary.  The extras are always fun to watch. We always get a laugh out of the deleted scenes, and the pencil test was very interesting. This is a great classic to watch with the family.

Release Date: February 1, 2011

Running Time: 75 minutes

Retail: $39.99 But you can find on Amazon for $27.99

My rating:9

I have one Blu-ray/DVD Combo pack of Alice in Wonderland to giveaway.

US only

To enter tell me your favorite character?

Extra entries:

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Leave a comment on any non-giveaway post-4 entries

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Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post, Product and Giveaway were provided by Disney.

Bagel Thins Recipes and Tips

Thomas Bagel Thins come in four different variety including plain, everything, cinnamon raisin, and 100% whole wheat.  They are all low in fat and contain 110 calories.

Keri Glassman has shared some tips ans recipes with me to help get your mornings in 2011 of to a right start.

  1. Don’t Skimp On Sleep–  It’s important to get a good night’s sleep to feel well-rested – ready to take on the day! Most adults need about seven to eight hours of sleep each night, and studies have shown that those who get less have impaired memory and physical performance. Not getting enough sleep can also make concentration difficult, and leave you feeling drowsy all day. So aim to get enough sleep each night.  It’ll boost your immune system, help your nervous system work properly, and leave you feeling energized all day!
  2. Have A Healthy Breakfast–  While sleeping each night, your body is in a fasting mode, so within an hour of rising, you need to break that fast by eating a healthy breakfast. It gives your body the fuel it needs to meet your busy schedule and skipping breakfast decreases your metabolism, and increases your cravings throughout the day! Studies have also shown consuming breakfast improves cognition and memory in children and adolescents making them able to concentrate and be more attentive in school.
  3. Eat Empowered–  Every morning when you sit down to breakfast (and every meal!), remember that each meal is an opportunity to get back in the game and stay on course. You should feel empowered by making the right choices. There are always healthier alternatives to the high-fat, high-calorie, nutrient-less options that we all tend to go for.
  4. Start Your Day With A Glass Of Lemon Water–  Drinking enough h2o throughout the day helps with weight loss in several ways. First, there’s an emotional component; it will make you feel empowered and will help spur you to make good choices for the rest of the day. Second, researchers have long known that dieters who replace sweetened drinks with water lose weight more quickly that those who don’t. Finally, many people overeat because they are actually thirsty and just can’t tell the difference between thirst and hunger. Also, when you’re adequately hydrated, your metabolism functions at its best.
  5. Exercise Steady– Aside  from burning calories, exercise is important because it causes your body to release endorphins, making you feel good, and motivating you to eat well, do your job well, and simply be happy! I love exercising in the early am, and eating breakfast when I’m done, and typically, people who work out in the morning are more likely to stick to their routine, than those who squeeze it in later. If you’re averse to starting your day with more rigorous exercises like running, try a lower-impact activity like yoga. Just do something!

Here are some healthy Recipes:

Easy Cheesy Eggwich 

  • 1 Everything Thomas’® Bagel Thins™ bagel
  •  1 hard-boiled omega-3 fortified egg
  • 2 slices reduced fat cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

Directions:

  • Toast the bagel thins bagel
  • peel and slice egg
  • Layer cheese and egg slices then sprinkle with basil.

**** I received the everything bagel. My family ate the whole bag before I was able to get one, I managed to snag two bites from my daughters bagel. My kids weren’t to thrilled about making an egg sandwich, so we stuck to bagels with cream cheese and jelly. They loved it!  I’m happy knowing that its healthy for them. The only thing I wasn’t to thrilled about was the everything bagel has seeds, and they kept getting stuck in little teeth.

Retail: $3.29-$3.69

My rating: 8

Disclosure:  No Compensation was received for this post. A product was provided by the company.

Fight Against Germs and Still have Soft Hands

Description:  Kills 99.9% of germs continuously for up to 4 hours, protecting you instantly and persistently! The formula features SafetyDerm technology, which suspends germ-killing Benzethonium Chloride in airy-light layers of moisturizers to veils your hands like invisible germ-killing gloves for up to 4 hours. This unscented formula moisturizes with Vitamin E, Avocado, Jojoba and Grape Seed Oil, to leave skin feeling silky and smooth.

**** I have excema on my hands so It’s hard to keep my hands clean and soft at the same time. I have to wear rubber gloves when I do dishes or give baths it gets so bad.  When I’m out with my kids I usually take some hand sanitizer, but I can’t use it. It literally burns my skin. I got to try out Clean Anti-Bacterial Moisturizing Cream, and it worked great. My hands are clean and ultra soft at the same time. It has even toned down rough patches on my hands.

The best part about this product is it is hypoallergenic, alcohol free, paraben free, triclosan free, and it’s not tested on animals.

Retail: $10.00 for a 1 oz bottle

Disclosure: No compensation was received for this post, a product was received. All opinions are my own.

Make Pizza With Auntie Ann’s Baking Kit

Description: Available at specialty retailers, regional grocery stores, and a club store, the kit provides an opportunity for consumers to enjoy the fresh baked goodness of Auntie Anne’s products in the comforts of their own kitchens. The easy-to-prepare kit comes with step-by-step instructions and a special Auntie Anne’s versatile dough mix to make a variety of recipes including pretzel products, pizzas, gourmet breads, side dishes, and desserts.

I’ve always loved Auntie Ann’s Pretzels, they are so delicious and a great snack when your walking through the mall.We decided to make pizza with the kit. Now we made Soy Cheese Pizza since my husband is allergic to milk.

Mixing the dough and waiting for it to rise is a long process.

Then stretch the dough on a pizza pan

Then the finished product

****It came out pretty good with the acception of not being able to get the sauce and cheese right.  The crust came out very good, it was very crispy and full, not thin. The whole pizza crust came out a little thick, as seen below. The pizza still came out very good.

Here is a video demonstrating baking with Auntie Ann’s kit

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wL5VfLoKv5Y]

You can find a retailer near you that sells the baking kit at www.auntieanns.com

Disclosure: No compensation was received. A product was provided for my review. All opinions are my own.

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