Sarah McLachlan's Laws of Illusion

Laws of Illusion

List Price: $13.98

Audio CD (June 15, 2010) 

Original Release Date: 2010

Number of Discs: 1

Label: Arista

From one2one: Grammy® award winning, multi-platinum singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan's long awaited new album, LAWS OF ILLUSION! The album’s first single is “Loving You Is Easy”. This marks Sarah's first studio album of brand new material in 7 years. In a career spanning more than two decades, Sarah has over 20 million career sales to date and, every one of Sarah McLachlan’s studio and live albums has been certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum by the RIAA.

My take: I own just two Sarah McLachlan CDs:  Surfacing and Mirrorball.  And it's safe to say, I've pretty much worn them out.  From 'Adia', to 'Building a Mystery', to 'I Will Remember You', I am a huge fan of Sarah McLachlan so I was very excited to be able to check out her newest CD (7 years on the making).  "Laws of Illusion" does not disappoint. The classic sound of McLachlan's melodious vocals are better than ever, with lyrics that seem to truly reflect the experiences of her last 7 years (and it sounds like some of those years taught her hard lessons indeed on love and loss).  I'm not a professional music reviewer so I can't speak to you of harmony, or of instruments or the like (like the very good reviews on Amazon.com for this CD) but as a middle-aged mother and professional, and a self-confessed fan of Sarah McLachlan, I have to say this is an amazing CD, well worth the 7 year wait.  The music is calming, uplifting and just beautiful.  I highly recommend you checking this one out.  Not a sour note to be found! ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Links:
Sara’s website: http://bit.ly/SarahStore
Facebook Page: http://bit.ly/O2OSarahFbook
Twitter: http://bit.ly/O2OSarahTwitter
Performing on Jay Leno: http://bit.ly/SarahLenoPerf
Performing on Dancing With The Stars: http://bit.ly/SarahDWTSPerf
Link to buy album Amazon: http://amzn.to/O2OLoI
Link to buy album Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/O2OLoIBN
Link to buy single “Loving You is Easy” Amazon: http://amzn.to/O2OSarahsingle
Link to buy single “Loving You is Easy” iTunes: http://bit.ly/O2OSarahsingleiTunes
Lilith Fair: http://bit.ly/O2OLilithTour

TRACKLISTINGS

1. AWAKENINGS
2. ILLUSIONS OF BLISS
3. LOVING YOU IS EASY
4. CHANGES
5. FORGIVENESS
6. RIVERS OF LOVE
7. LOVE COME
8. OUT OF TUNE
9. HEARTBREAK
10. DON’T GIVE UP ON US
11. U WANT ME 2
12. BRING ON THE WONDER

About Sarah McLachlan: On June 15, 2010, the Grammy Award–winning singer and songwriter Sarah McLachlan will release of Laws of Illusion. This is Sarah’s first studio album of new material in seven years, since the double–platinum Afterglow in 2003, and its twelve songs rank with the most compelling work ever created by this gifted artist. In the years between these two releases, Sarah has married, separated, and is raising two young daughters. These crucial life experiences have enriched her artistry and infused her new songs with the full range and complexity of adult emotions. In listening to Laws of Illusion, we can hear the strength of hard–earned independence; the trials of love won, lost, and found anew; and the infinite joys of living.  Since her signing with Arista Records nearly two decades ago, every one of Sarah McLachlan’s studio and live albums has been certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum by the RIAA. Touch (1988) and Solace (1991) were both gold sellers. Her 1994 breakthrough, the 3X-platinum Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, was followed by the digitally enhanced multimedia version of The Freedom Sessions (1995, gold).

Bonus: The return of the historic all-female Lilith Fair festival this summer! From 1997 through 1999, Lilith Fair was one of the highest grossing touring festivals in the world, with over 2 million fans in attendance and raising over $10 million dollars for national and local women's charities.The 2010 edition commences June 27 in Calgary, Alberta with dates running through August 16 in Dallas, Texas. Beth Orton, Brandi Carlile, Carly Simon, Cat Power, the Go-Gos, Loretta Lynn, Jill Scott, and Mary J. Blige are just some of the artists who will join Sarah McLachlan for Lilith 2010. 

LILITH FAIR TOUR DATES

Jun 27 Calgary, AB McMahon Stadium

Jun 28 Edmonton, AB Northlands Spectrum

Jul 1 Vancouver, BC, Canada Pitt Meadows Airport

Jul 2 Portland, OR Sleep Country Amphitheatre

Jul 3 Seattle/George, WA The Gorge Amphitheatre

Jul 5 San Francisco, CA Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View

Jul 7 San Diego, CA Cricket Wireless Amphitheatre

Jul 8 Phoenix, AZ Cricket Wireless Pavilion

Jul 9 Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay Events Center

Jul 10 Los Angeles, CA Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

Jul 12 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre

Jul 13 Denver, CO Comfort Dental Amphitheatre

Jul 15 Kansas City, MO Capitol Federal Park @ Sandstone

Jul 16 St. Louis, MO Verizon Wireless Amphitheater

Jul 17 Chicago, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre

Jul 18 Minneapolis, MN Canterbury Park

Jul 20 Indianapolis, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center Indianapolis

Jul 21 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre

Jul 23 Montreal, QC Parc Jean Drapaeu

Jul 24 Toronto, ON Molson Canadian Amphitheatre

Jul 27 Cleveland, OH Blossom Music Center

Jul 28 Philadelphia, PA Susquehanna Bank Center

Jul 30 Boston, MA Comcast Center

Jul 31 New York, NY PNC Bank Arts Center

Aug 1 Hartford, CT Comcast Theatre

Aug 3 Washington, DC TBA

Aug 4 Raleigh, NC Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion at Walnut Creek

Aug 6 Charlotte, NC Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Charlotte

Aug 7 Nashville, TN Bridgestone Arena

Aug 8 Atlanta, GA Aarons Amphitheatre at Lakewood

Aug 10 West Palm Beach, FL Cruzan Amphitheatre

Aug 11 Tampa, FL Ford Amphitheatre

Aug 12 Birmingham, AL Verizon Wireless Music Center

Aug 14 Austin, TX TBA

Aug 15 Houston, TX Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Aug 16 Dallas, TX Superpages.com Center

This review was sponsored by the:

This post was written for one2one netowork who provided the CD for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary CD.

Air Bud: World Pup Special Edition

Air Bud: World Pup Special Edition

On DVD June 15, 2010

Suggested retail price: $19.99 SRP

Actors: Kevin Zegers, Dale Midkiff, Brodie Biles

Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC

Language: English

Subtitles: Spanish

Number of discs: 1

Rated: G (General Audience)

Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

DVD Release Date: June 15, 2010

Run Time: 83 minutes

Story: The whole family will get a kick out of the spectacular Special Edition of Disney's timeless canine adventure AIR BUD: WORLD PUP, including the all-new exclusive bonus, The Buddies' Sports Channel: Soccer Edition – and including a free limited edition sports bag to continue the fun after the film is done!


The world's most talented pooch is back in a heartwarming and hilarious sports adventure. When Buddy meets Molly and they have puppies, the hotshot hound is in for an all-new challenge, but the fun is just beginning. This exciting family favorite features Buddy joining his teenage owner Josh on the field in pursuit of the state soccer championship. From the creators of Santa Buddies and Space Buddies, the new AIR BUD: WORLD PUP SPECIAL EDITION will give audiences of all ages something to cheer about!

My take: The timing for the release of this third installment of the Air Bud series couldn't be better, what with the World Cup Soccer excitement everywhere you go. After the success of basketball (Air Bud) and football (Air Bud: Golden Retriever), Buddy now turns his attention to soccer! And to add to the fun, U.S. Soccer Team champions Brandi Chastain, Brianna Scurry, and Tisha Venturini make cameos in the film. In this installment, both Buddy and his owner deal with a romance and in Buddy's case, the romance results in some offspring. What ensues is a not-so-subtle "copy" of the ever famous 101 Dalmatians dog-snatching plot (my 5 year old even pointed it out). Even so, the movie was a big hit for her and my soccer loving 7 year old (he even bought a new world cup soccer ball this weekend - I foresee weekends on the soccer field in my future *sigh*). So if you have kids who love dogs OR soccer, this film is for you. Great fun for the summer. ☼☼☼☼

Film: Puppies


Film: Playing the Game


Film: Buddy Scores a Goal


Film: Joining the Team

Bonus Features:

• All-New: The Buddies Sports Channel: Soccer Edition: Join Rosebud in the broadcasting booth as she and the rest of the Buddies, B-Dawg, Mudbud, Buddha and Budderball, review the instant replay on the amazing soccer career of their dad, Air Bud. Using on-camera footage and voiceover, the Buddies check out highlights from AIR BUD WORLD PUP


• Making Of Air Bud World Pup Production Featurette (from the original release)


• Exclusive In-Pack “Air Bud” Sport Cinch Bag – a cool collectible sports bag, branded with the AIR BUD logo, to carry the fun from the family room to the playing field

Bonus: Ice Cream Shop


Bonus: The Beginning


Studio:©Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Inc.

This post was written for Click Communications who provided the movie for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary DVD.

Backyard Safari Outfitters

From Team Mom:  The sun is shining (for the most part) and school is coming to an end – it’s the perfect time to encourage children to get active, play outside and explore nature. Children can now get up-close and personal with nature right in their own backyard or nearby park. Backyard Safari Outfitters equips young explorers with all the essential field gear they could possibly need for scoping out local “wildlife,” from insects in the grass to birds in the sky to frogs in a pond -- and more! Kids can choose from a broad array of fun gear and tools, including the practical and very snappy looking Cargo Vest, as well as the cool Bug Vacuum, Mega View Periscope – among dozens of other choices.  You can follow Backyard Safari Outfitters on Facebook and Twitter.   You can purchase Backyard Safari Outfitters gear at Toys R Us, Walmart, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, and Target as well as at SummitToy.com.

My take:  We were sent the following three Backyard Safari "essentials" to check out:

Backyard Safari Outfitters Essential Field Gear Cargo Vest

Price: $19.99

Here is my 7 year old, modeling the gear (squinting in the sun):

BACKYARD SAFARI™ OUTFITTERS

THE ESSENTIAL FIELD GEAR CARGO VEST

THE ESSENTIAL CARGO VEST

It’s your most essential piece of field gear. It’s rugged, and tough enough for all your outdoor adventures. Plenty of cargo pockets means lots of space to load up. Six D-Rings and two shoulder epaulets let you clip and hang more essential gear. A large zipper pocket stores your trusty binocs and a clear-view chest pocket stores your Pop-Up Field Guides™. The back of the vest features a one-size-fits-all adjustable strap and two extra mesh pockets for storing extra gear. It’s the must-have for every BACKYARD SAFARI™ kid.

FEATURES:

•RUGGED POLY-TWILL FABRIC WITH REINFORCED DETAIL•4 CARGO POCKETS WITH VELCRO CLOSURES•1 TWO INCH DEEP ZIPPER POCKET WITH MESH-NET OUTER POCKET•6 D-RINGS•CUSTOM ZIPPER PULLS•CARGO SHOULDER EPAULETS WITH SNAP CLOSURES•ADJUSTABLE REAR STRAP•2 OVER-SIZED MESH-NET CARGO POCKETS IN REAR•PLUS CLEAR-VU FRONT POCKET CONTAINING ESSENTIAL FIELD POP-GUIDE

AGE: 5 & UP

 

Backyard Safari Outfitters Land and Water Mega View Periscope

Our Price: $24.99

My 7 year old again, using the periscope on top of our playset (hey, the colors match!):

BACKYARD SAFARI™ OUTFITTERS

LAND AND WATER MEGA VIEW PERISCOPE

A VIEW TO A THRILL!

This full-view periscope allows stealth viewing over boulders, high bushes, backyard fences, and around corners. Three rugged, light-weight sections telescope for a reach over 4 feet high to let you see all those out-of-reach views.

EXCLUSIVE WATER FEATURE! Flip the Mega View Periscope upside down and a full 16 inches is submersible for underwater viewing—on docks, poolside, lakes or beaches. A fish eye view...but without all that water in your ears.

FEATURES:

•THREE NESTED SECTIONS EXTEND OVER 4 FEET•WIDE-VIEW FACE PLATE FOR BINOCULAR VIEWING•ERGONOMICALLY DESIGNED HAND GRIPS FOR STEADY, VERTICAL HOLDING POSITION•16 INCH WATER-TIGHT SUBMERSIBLE SECTION FOR UNDERWATER VIEWING

AGE: 5 & Up

Backyard Safari Outfitters Bug Wrangler's Extreme Suction Bug Vacuum

Our Price: $19.99

Looking at a moth we caught:

BACKYARD SAFARI™ OUTFITTERS

THE BUG WRANGLER'S EXTREME SUCTION BUG VACUUM

SNEAK UP ON BUGS AND SUCK ‘EM UP!

There are THOUSANDS of crawling, flying, buzzing bugs in your backyard – catch them LIVE with your Bug Vac! Look at bugs UP-CLOSE with built-in magnifying Glass! CAPTURE CORE attaches to the Bug Habitat (sold separately) for easy transfer of your insects.

FEATURES:

•2 CATCH & RELEASE CAPTURE CORES WITH BUILT IN MAGNIFYING GLASS•PLUS: EXTRA NOSE CONE FOR THE REALLY BIG BUGS

AGE: 5 & Up

The day we received this package of goodies, my son wanted to "suit up" in the vest and go right outside and catch some bugs; he is wild about bugs.  Unfortunately, it was too hot outside for bugs OR humans.  And it's remained that hot every since.  Not that he hasn't tried.  He takes that Bug Vacuum outside just about every day to try and get something.  We did manage to catch a moth which was cool - the vacuum has a built in magnifying glass to take a closer look at your "specimans."  The periscope is pretty neat too - when he climbed up into our playground deck, he was able to see all the way to a house the street over.  We can't wait until we move into our new house which has a pool so we can explore the underwater features either!  And let's not forget that cool vest - I can definitely see that coming on our next camping trip - all those pockets need to be filled with something...I'm thinking rocks, bugs, leaves, etc...a real treat for an outdoor boy like ours.  With Backyard Safari Outfitters, I can foresee hours of outdoor fun this summer.  Be sure to check them out yourself!

I am proud to be a member of Team Mom, which sponsored this review.



This review was sponsored courtesy of Backyard Safari Outfitters who provided me with the three items above for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary items.

Zillio Mini Mountain and 2D Playground (review and giveaway)

DO THE MATH!

ZILLIO GETS KIDS TO GRASP MATH PRINCIPLES BY SCALING A MOUNTAIN ON A COUNTERTOP

Mini and Mega Mountains Teach All Ages To “Learn Once, Use Many”

From KidStuff: Grownups will recall – with some trepidation – having to memorize multiplication tables in math class. 7 X 8 = 56; 8 X 8 = 64; 9 X 8 = 72. This was long before hand-held calculators! Today’s kids, especially those that are home-schooled, have a whole new option to learn math principles. It’s Zillio Mountain from Zillio®, Inc., makers of a zillion ways to play math.

Kids, learning in a multi-sensory environment, are mastering addition, subtraction, multiplication and division by scaling the Mountain with their fingers. The raves are pouring in from around the country from teachers, parents and especially kids. According to its website, www.zilliogames.com, “what truly sets Zillio apart from all the rest of educational games and math manipulatives is that Zillio provides the missing link necessary to succeed in critical thinking – the playful structure allows children to see, touch and systematically manipulate numbers to reveal the meaning behind math!”

When kids get their hands on the Mini Mountain or its big brother, Mega Mountain, they can easily explore a colorful rotating model of math based on two critical math concepts: times tables and number lines. The twelve rainbow-colored staircases each represent a number and its multiples. All equivalent numbers are at the same height so children can see and feel important math concepts while they play and learn math.

Industry professionals have already bestowed multiple prestigious awards to Zillio for educating a wide range of children: Dr Toy's Best Play and Learn Vacation Award for Summer 2009; Dr. Toy 100 Best Products; Creative Child Magazine’s Education Product of the Year. Informal Education Products' Award of Excellence and AblePlay's 5 stars out of 5 rating (awarded to exceptional toys) for meeting the needs of children with cognitive disabilities.

Investing in a toy that teaches math may make some children and grownups wince. It’s not exactly an action figure, a plush doll or an electronic toy. But according to Kay Emerson, Zillio Founder, conquering basic math skills really matters! “Numerous studies report that over 60% of our youngsters are not proficient in math,” reveals Emerson. “This will limit their career choices, earning potential, and self esteem. It even has a huge impact on whether or not they stay in school.” She adds, “a similarly large number of adults tell us they do not feel comfortable with their own math skills so investing in Zillio can really make a difference -- now and into their child’s future.”

Indeed, Zillio was invented precisely to provide children with a fun and powerful way to see, touch, and understand essential math concepts. Math needn’t be strictly serious – it’s actually fun! With Zillio it can be accessible to all learners as they prepare for a successful math experience in middle school and beyond.

Currently, Zillio’s products are available online at their own website, http://www.zilliogames.com/, and at specialty toy virtual stores such as http://www.museumtour.com/, http://www.toystoreexpress.com/, http://www.glammatoys.com/ or http://www.newhorizontoys.com/. Homeschool families who shop for school supplies at http://www.enasco.com/ will find Zillio products among the listings.

Choose from three best sellers or a combination:

Mini Mountain • $69.95 • Ages 4+

It may be called mini but this mountain measures 18” in diameter and 8” high and is easily portable. It’s ideal for introducing and exploring even the most advanced concepts but it is more limited in developing fluency. The number of players varies by activity, from one to four. Hands-on activities and length of play are suited to beginning levels and skills as well as more advanced ones. An instruction booklet with 20 starter games plus dice and mini tokens are included.

Mega Mountain • $149.95 • Ages 4+

This Mountain measures 27” in diameter and 12” high and is modestly portable. It’s excellent for introducing basic to the most advanced concepts and developing more fluency in multiplication. With its expanded number range and number of steps it is better suited to pattern recognition activities than the Mini. The number of players varies by activity, from one to six. More advanced skills and superior strategies have a bigger payoff when strategic games are played on the Mega Mountain. Children with special needs are very fond of the big mountain.

2D Playground • $24.95

This laminated and colorful 2D version of the Mega Zillion can be used as a game board, a poster, and a worksheet. Perfect for 2- 4 students to practice math facts and or play games to develop problem solving and reasoning skills. Measuring 24" by 24" it showcases the mountain with multiples on one side and without on the other. Each playground comes with instructions, 3 dice, and 1 set of 12 foam cards with tokens.

Bonus:  Since its debut in 2008, the interest in Zillio is so keen that the creators made a separate blog to create alliances with other Zillio users, to share ideas and stories, learn about the latest research in math and educational games, and to just get the most out of the products. Find the latest information at http://www.zillioplayground.com/.

My take: My two kiddos are 5 and 7.   The 5 year old is in Kindergarten and the 7 year old just finished 1st grade.  Lucky for me (an accountant who loves math), both of them have shown an aptitude for and a desire to learn mathematics.  Why lucky?  Because math underlies everything we do in life and in my humble opinion, success in math equates to success in life.  What I love about Zillio is that the products are math manipulatives (which means your child can "manipulate" something concrete to solve the math problem); manipulatives are key to my son's learning needs so Zillio products dovetail perfectly to his learning style.  Not only that, the games are fun and as my children played the games, their confidence level grew.  And let me tell you, if you are worried about your children losing skills over the summer, these are perfect for the summertime learning - your kids will have so much fun playing the games they won't even realize they are learning too!

Now, we kept the 2D Playmat at home but as per Zillio instructions, we donated the Mini-Mountain directly to the school.  The first grade used it first and then the third grade.  The teacher comments:

1st grade:  Great for small group reinforcement of skills; visually engaging; age group - perhaps more appropriate for 3rd grade (multiplication); directions were a bit cumbersome.

3rd grade:  The students absolutely loved Zillio.  The game offered many opportunities for hands on learning.  We played "Homing Pigeons" and "Kudzu Capture."  The storage of pieces was clever.  As a teacher, I loved the excitement, but found the directions overwhelming.   It took me a lot of time to figure out what to do.  It also takes quite a bit of time to set up the games.  If I had more time to investigate the games, I'm sure we would have gotten even more use from Zillio.  Thank you for the opportunity to try a new learning technique.

Bonus: Tutorials are available online as well. The tutorials to explain the vocabulary and general design (Out of the Box - Mini) and another on playing your first game.

The giveaway: One lucky winner will win either the Mini Mountain OR the 2D Playground reviewed above (winner's choice)! [US ADDRESSES ONLY PLEASE]

 

To win: Visit Zillio Games and report back here with a name of one of the games you can play with Zillio.   Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST,  Tuesday, June 29, 2010.  Good Luck!

Bonus entries: Get up to 8 extra entries for a total of 9 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• "Like" (used to be "Fan") Zillio on Facebook and leave a comment on their wall that includes "CPA Mom sent me" (leave a comment here with your FB name-first name only is fine)
• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment here)
• Follow me on Twitter (leave a comment here with your twitter id)
• Twitter, Stumble or Digg this giveaway
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top left sidebar)
• Add my blog to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• On Technorati - click on this link, then on Fan or Fav (or use the green link on the top left sidebar)
• Follow me on Blogger (see top left sidebar)

About Zillio, Inc..: Welcome to the Next Generation of Math. Zillio, Inc. is an innovative designer, developer and marketer of math toys, math games and math educational products to provide fun, engaging, math-rich play and learning experiences for children in Pre-K to 9th Grade, wherever math is used or taught: in homes, classrooms, special need programs, after-school programs, enrichment programs, intervention programs, and tutoring. Zillio helps youngsters develop the thinking upon which more advanced instruction and problem-solving is built.

The Zillio Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) foundation that works in tandem with other non-profit, community and research organizations to develop scalable after-school programs and professional development programs for pre-service and in-service elementary and middle school teachers to deepen mathematical conceptual understanding. The Zillio Foundation is managed by Zillio, Inc. and supports its mission and core initiatives.

This review was sponsored by

KidStuff Public Relations

This post was written for Zillio and KidStuff PR who provided the item for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary product (the 2-D Playground which I was able to keep; I also received a Mini-Mountain with the caveat that it had to be donated to a school so I donated to our private school).

Rayovac Powers Your Summer

Moms and kids just want to have fun and Rayovac has the power to make it happen!

From 5 Minutes for Mom:  Enter for a Chance to Win Fun Summer Prizes and $50 Gift Cards from the Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion!  From June 21st through July 20th, we are empowering families to have fun through the Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion!


First, show us you "like" the brand and products on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rayovac  and together with expert moms at 5MinutesForMom, we will offer up great daily summertime family tips and a chance to win great prizes.


Then access and complete the entry form on Rayovc's website at: www.rayovac.com/PowersYourSummer. Simply tell us how you'll power your fun this summer each day for a chance to win prizes ranging from Cameras and Bikes to Camping Supplies and a Summer Supply of Rayovac Batteries! No trick questions here! There is no correct answer to how you and your family add the Power of Fun to your summer! Must be a US resident and 18 or older at the time of entry to enter this Promotion, the Twitter Event or the Blogger Promotion.

Also:  Rayovac Powers Your Summer Twitter Event: Join Rayovac and 5MinutesForMom for a Twitter Event to support the exciting Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion. The Twitter Event will feature more than 20 fun giveaways from Rayovac ranging from a summer supply of Rayovac Batteries to $50 Target Gift Cards.

Rayovac Powers Your Vacation Summer Promotion Twitter Event
Date: Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Time: 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. CST
Location: #rayovac
Follow: @Rayovac_Battery, @5minutesformom, @CirclePRMary

This post was sponsored by:

Disclosure: The first 99 bloggers to promote the Rayovac Powers Your Summer Promotion won a prize package from Rayovac.

Caress Whipped Soufflé Body Wash

Caress Whipped Soufflé Body Wash

From the PR Firm:   Caress recently launched their NEW Whipped Soufflé Body Washes, which let women indulge in supremely soft, silky skin and offer the highest level of moisturization from the Caress collection. The NEW Caress Whipped Soufflé Body Washes’ ultra-light, yet creamy formula – with silky fragrance infusion – is a blend of indulgent moisturizers and exquisite fragrances that are whipped together with intense pressure at sonic speeds.   Available in two great fragrances, Blackberry Cream (whipped with blackberry and vanilla essence) and White Peach Cream (whipped with white peach and a blend of silk blossom), Caress Whipped Soufflé Body Washes offer the ultimate in everyday indulgence. The bottles even feature a new Silky Fragrance Infusion icon that shows women they can get silky, moisturized skin with amazing fragrance – all from one body wash.

Caress also teamed up with award winning dancer and country singer Julianne Hough, to show women how to flaunt sexy skin on the dance floor, sharing beauty secrets to get gorgeous, as well as dance tips:


Dancing has never been hotter, thanks to beauties like two-time “Dancing with the Stars” champion Julianne Hough, who is known for flaunting sexy skin on the dance floor. Now, women everywhere can see how she gets gorgeous for a “girls’ night out” dancing in a series of web videos for the launch of the new Caress Whipped Soufflé Body Washes. She shares beauty secrets and dance tips for flaunting silky, sexy skin on the dance floor and gives women the chance to win their own girls’ night out in the hottest dance cities.


“When I’m on the dance floor, nothing makes me feel more confident and fabulous than when my skin looks great,” says Hough. Anyone can go out and “flaunt it” on the dance floor – all you need are a few of the right moves and sexy, silky skin that smells amazing to capture the spotlight.”


The videos that break May 24th at www.dancewithcaress.com, starring Hough, give an inside look at her getting ready for a girls’ night out and show women everywhere how to get gorgeous skin they’ll want to flaunt -- on and off the dance floor. Fans can also see the award winning dancer show off some of her favorite dance moves and enter to win a girls’ night out of their own in the hottest dance cities, courtesy of Caress.


“Julianne is an amazing dancer, singer and actress with gorgeous skin who definitely shows that you can have it all without compromising,” said Rob Candelino, Unilever U.S. Marketing Director, Caress. “Now, with the new Caress Whipped Soufflé Body Washes, every woman can have it all in one body wash – great fragrances and ultra-moisturization – for gorgeous skin they’ll want to flaunt too.” See more of Julianne’s beauty tips for flaunt-worthy skin in her new videos at www.dancewithcaress.com.

Bonus:  The new Caress Facebook community page has been launched, so you should definitely check out www.facebook.com/caresskin for the exciting things that are happening!

My take:  Long time readers of this blog know I'm always on the lookout for moisturizing body wash that won't dry out my sensitive skin or leave an itchy residue.  I've always been impressed with Caress products in the past so I was delighted to be able to try out their new Whipped Soufflé Body Wash.  I was sent a full size bottle of the Blackberry cream and let me tell you, this stuff is THICK and creamy.  Better yet, let me show you - this is a picture I found from the product debut - this stuff is like pudding!

I think you'll agree that this Whipped Soufflé Body Wash is definitely appropriately named!  It smells fabulous, leaves my skin as moisturized as if I had used lotion, and doesn't break the bank.  Win - win!  This will definitely be on my shopping list from now on.  ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

About Caress: Caress®, the beauty brand known for products that give women gorgeous skin that they will want to flaunt, offers an exceptional variety of beauty bars and body washes with both supreme moisturization and exquisite fragrances so women can have it all in one. A global Unilever brand and trusted name for more than 30 years, Caress is available in food, drug, mass outlet, club and value stores nationwide. Visit www.caressskin.com for more information.

This post was written for ROCKET XL PR who provided the body wash for review. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary body wash.

AllerMates®

From the company: Think super stylish dog tag necklaces and brightly colored wristbands! Finally kids whose lives depend on making others aware of life-threatening allergies have a new line of allergy accessories to choose from that they’ll love wearing.


Awearables LLC has created AllerMates®, kid-friendly (and cool!) allergy awareness accessories - to make identifying a child with an allergy simple for both children and adults!

Kids will love the wristbands adorned with the "AllerMate®" character that signifies their specific allergy, such as P. Nutty (peanut), Nutso (tree nut), Eggie (egg) and Pint (Dairy). Bold colors and fun characters help kids feel secure and confident about themselves, regardless of their allergy! Made of 100% high-quality soft plastic, the adjustable band comes with two snaps to fit different sized wrists. Available in Lime Green, Bright Orange, Yellow and Sky Blue.   AllerMates Allergy Awareness Wristbands are bright and colorful and designed to be noticed. They come with two adjustable snaps and should fit most kids from the age of 2 and up. As always our products are hypo-allergenic (latex-free) and thoroughly tested for safety and quality. For multiple allergies, try layering these colorful bands.

The AllerMates® necklaces are designed to hold not just one, but two or more dog tags for those with multiple allergies. Hypo-allergenic, nickel-free and made of fashionable silicone, each AllerMates® tag features a quick allergy identification on the back and the AllerMate® character on the front. The tags are available in pink metallic for girls. Hypo allergenic, cool brushed metal with a dimensional rubber character makes the AllerMates tags unique and eye catching.

My take:  My 7 year old has, among other allergies, an allergy to peanuts, so he wears a medic alert bracelet 24/7.  It's not terribly stylish of course, but he is not of the age to care yet.  But these days, with every child I know wild over those silly plastic bracelets (including my two kiddos), I knew he would love these AllerMates® wristbands.  And boy does he ever!  Being latex free, they don't irritate his skin either - they kind of make having allergies "cool" - his sister (who no food allergies) for one, is very jealous of him and tried to convince me to let her wear the egg and dairy bracelets that were sent to us too.  When I pointed out she doesn't have an egg or diary allergy, she said "but I don't like eggs so I can wear that one!"  I wasn't sent one of the dog tag necklaces but those look pretty neat too - imagine, dog tags for allergies!  Such a cool idea, my only regret is I didn't think of it first!  I'm going to pass on the egg and dairy bracelets to our allergist - if your kids have allergies, be sure to check out AllerMates® today! ★★★★★

This post was written for AllerMates®, who provided the items for review (three wristbands). I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary products.

The review was sponsored by An Island Life;
 I am proud to be part of Kailani's review team:

ReUsies™

From the company: Make lunch boxes waste-free! ReUsies is an alternative to plastic sandwich and snack bags. These 100% cotton lined, water-resistant nylon bags are secured with durable Velcro closures that make them easy to open, yet hard for food to fall out of! ReUsies come in two sizes: snack and sandwich. They can be machine washed and dried, washed in the dishwater or simply wiped clean with a soapy sponge. What's more, they come in an array of colors and styles - added a personal touch to a lunch! ReUsies will help to eliminate the estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags that are used and discarded worldwide each year.

Snack: approx. 6” w / 5” h

The snack size holds a half sandwich or whole sandwich with the crust cut off! It is good for smaller quantities of crackers, pretzels, apple slices, etc.

Sandwich: approx. 7.5” w/ 6”h

The sandwich size holds a typical "grown up"- sized sandwich, full bagel, or larger quantity of snacks.

A typical lunch would contain one sandwich and two snack-sized bags or three snack-sized bags.

My take:  I try to live as green as possible but I know I have a long way to go.  One of the places I am the most guilty of harming our environment is in how I pack lunches.  We use about 5-6 plastic bags A DAY for lunches in our house.  That's over 2,000 a year - and plastic bags take over 1,000 years to break down!  I knew there had to be a better way.  There is.  Enter ReUsies™.  After trying these bags, I may never use a plastic bag again (once I get stocked up on ReUsies™ of course).  And with 43 different snack bag designs and 33 sandwich bags, there is a ReUsie design for everyone in your family.  Using them could not be any easier and cleaning is a SNAP.  Check out these two short videos on using ReUsies™ and caring for them: ReUsies™ How-to Videos and you'll see what I mean.  Then head on over to ReUsies™ and stock up on your own.  We can save the environment, one plastic bag at a time, with ReUsies™!
 


Frequently Asked Questions:

Where are ReUsies™ made?
We are proud to say ReUsies are made locally in Seattle, Washington.

How long will it take to receive my ReUsies™?
Most orders will ship within 8-10 business days and will be packaged minimally in keeping with our philosophy of “less waste”!

What are ReUsies™ made of?
They are 100% cotton, lined with water-resistant 100% nylon (BPA, Lead and Phthalate free). They come with Velcro® closures that are kid-friendly and ensure that the food won't fall out.

If I am unhappy with my ReUsies™ can I return them?
If for any reason you are not satisfied with your ReUsies™ please feel free to return them for a full refund minus shipping costs (and let us know why)!

Bonus: Enter code 3ORMORE when you purchase 3 or More ReUsies and receive free shipping!

About ReUsies (in their own words): At the start of the new school year we realized that our families were going through an average of 10 plastic bags per day between school and work lunches. We do our best to reuse and recycle in other areas of our lives, but there didn’t seem to be a solution to the plastic sandwich bags we were using.  We developed ReUsies™ for their waste-free quality, but many customers primary reason for purchasing our product was to eliminate plastic from being in direct contact with their family’s food. Whatever your reason, know you have made a good choice! We are Seattle moms with a passion to do right by our children, and hope that the footprint we leave behind for future generations will be much smaller. We take pride in our product and we hope you enjoy them too!

The giveaway: One lucky winner will win their own ReUsies Snack bag and ReUsies Sandwich bag! [US ADDRESSES ONLY PLEASE]
 

To win: Leave a comment here telling me which design you would pick if you won!   Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST,  Tuesday, June 22, 2010.  Good Luck!

Bonus entries: Get up to 11 extra entries for a total of 12 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• "Like" (used to be "Fan") ReUsies on Facebook and leave a comment on their wall that includes "CPA Mom sent me" (leave a comment here with your FB name-first name only is fine)
• Follow ReUsies on Twitter (leave a comment here with your twitter id)
• Subscribe to the ReUsies Newsletter (leave a comment here with the email address you used)
• Post a comment on (that includes "CPA Mom sent me") on the ReUsies Blog  (and come back here and leave a comment telling me you did so)
• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment here)
• Twitter, Stumble or Digg this giveaway
• Follow me on Twitter (leave a comment here with your twitter id)
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top left sidebar)
• Add my blog to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• On Technorati - click on this link, then on Fan or Fav (or use the green link on the top left sidebar)
• Follow me on Blogger (see top left sidebar)

This review was sponsored by ReUsies™ who provided the bags for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the snack and sandwich bag.

Madeline's Great Adventures (review and giveaway)

Madeline's Great Adventures

List Price: $12.99

Actors: Andrea Libman, David Morse, Stevie Vallance

Directors: John D. Wilson

Language: English
Number of discs: 1

Rated: Unrated

Studio: Shout! Factory

DVD Release Date: June 29, 2010

Run Time: 132 minutes

From the studio: Join little Madeline, her loyal canine companion Genevieve, puckish next-door neighbor Pepito and her 11 delightful classmates from Miss Clavel’s Parisian school when Shout! Factory releases Madeline’s Great Adventures on June 29. Sit back, gasp and laugh as Madeline and her friends encounter royalty in this collectable DVD. A must-have for Madeline fans and DVD collectors!  Watch as Madeline and friends encounter their very own Arabian lamp, a visit from the Prince of Monaco, a band of pirates and even track down 40 charitable thieves in Madeline’s Great Adventures. Inspired by the beloved classic books that introduced us to a dozen delightful girls who live in an old house in Paris covered with vines, Madeline’s Great Adventures is full of spirited fun and sure to win your heart while providing hours of entertainment.

Six Exciting Adventures:
* Madeline And The Magic Carpet
* Madeline On Safari
* Madeline And The Lost Crown
* Madeline And The Gypsies
* Madeline And The Pirates
* Madeline And The Forty Thieves

My take: This is not the first time I've reviewed a Madeline product but for new readers, if you've not heard of the delightful Madeline, she is a character from a children's book series written by Ludwig Bemelmans in 1939 (the series continues into the modern day, written by Bemelmans' grandson John Bemelmans-Marciano).  The DVD adaptations of the books dovetail closely to the written stories, right down to the rhyming so fans of the books will easily relate to the "big screen" version of their favorite Madeline tales.  Madeline's Great Adventures is another winning Madeline DVD from Shout! Factory and a must have for your little Madeline fan.  My daughter and I sat down recently to watch the DVD.  What I liked was the tie-in of Madeline to some classic literature (the tales from the classic Arabian Nights are quite evident throughout); my daughter just liked "spending time" with Madeline, her dog Genevieve and Pepito!  If you or your child likes Madeline, be sure to check out this DVD today!

The giveaway: One lucky winner (US or CANADIAN addresses only please) will win their very own copy of Madeline's Great Adventures!

To win: Leave me a comment telling me why you'd like to win this movie (winner will be picked at random so your actual response will not determine the winner)! Be sure to leave your email address with your comment if you are not a blogger or your email is not easily found on your blog. This giveaway is open until 11:59 p.m., EST, Monday, June 21, 2010. Good Luck!

Bonus entries: Get up to 7 extra entries for a total of 8 entries (please leave a separate comment for each extra entry):

• Blog about this giveaway (don't forget to leave the link in your comment)
• Twitter, Stumble or Digg this giveaway
• Follow me on Twitter (leave a comment here with your twitter id)
• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or Email (see top left sidebar)
• Add my blog to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar (leave your website address for verification)
• On Technorati - click on this link, then on Fan or Fav (or use the green link on the top left sidebar)
• Follow me on Blogger (see top left sidebar)

This review and giveaway was sponsored by:

This post was written for Shout! who provided the DVD for review and giveaway. I was not compensated in any way except for the complimentary DVD.

SMART Love of Learning

From Mom Central: As
a
mom
of
a
school
aged
child,
I
am
routinely
amazed
at
the
technological advancements
that
have
been
made
in
education
since
I
was
in
school.
We
have
come
a
long
way from
the
days
of
overhead
projectors
and
slate
blackboards
and
are
finding
computers
in
many
schools
across
the
country.

In
keeping
with
the
times,
SMART
Technologies
presents
us
with
their
absolutely
amazing
interactive
whiteboards.
You
can
check
out
a
fun
stop‐motion
video
called
“The
Magical
Classroom”
to
get
a
taste
for
what
the
technology
is
all
about.


SMART Technologies is the world's largest provider of these interactive whiteboards - a "touch screen" board that functions like a blackboard does, but with the technical capabilities of a computer screen. Truly amazing and like nothing we've seen before!  The
SMART
Board
interactive
whiteboard
offers
sensational
technology
for
the
learning
environment
and
through
dedicated
teachers
who
share
SMART's
passion
for
learning,
this
technology
becomes
a
powerful
and
meaningful
tool
for
both
teachers
and
students.




My take: Until last year, I had never even heard of a SMART Board.  That all changed when the school my children attend decided to implement the technology and started a fundraising campaign.  They brought a SMART Board to a parent-teacher night to demonstrate just a small fraction of the SMART Board capabilities and I was duly impressed.  Now we have one in just about every classroom I think and from what I've heard, you'd be hard pressed to know for sure who loves them the most - the kids or the teachers (seriously, if you've never seen a SMART Board, check out the YouTube video - it's so cool!)  We've certainly come a long way from my elementary school days of chalk and eraser (seriously, I remember wanting to be the one who got to wipe down the boards after school - I was such a nerd).

And don't forget to check out the SMART Love of Learning contest (see details below) to see how you can enter to win a SMART board for YOUR school (click on the WIN tab of their Facebook page).  While you are there, click on the "Toolkit" tab as well for fundraising ideas and other information on how to obtain these amazing Boards for your school. 

Bonus: SMART
Technologies
is
proud
to
announce
the
launch
of
“SMART
Love
of
Learning.”

It acknowledges
and
celebrates
all
of
the
teachers
who
have
impacted
individuals
around
the
world, and
it
all
comes
down
to
one
simple
question:
“Who
do
you
think
is
the
best
teacher
in the
world?”
There is a great facebook page that has been developed for this campaign and an opportunity for contest winners to win a SMART Interactive White Board for their own child's school or the school of their choice! You can also check out their website to learn more.

This review was sponsored by
Mom Central

(which means: “I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of SMART technologies. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate.” )