Hello

Hello Blog, I miss you. I do have lots to say but I have been very busy as of late. I promise to make time for you very soon. The craziness is winding down and things are falling into place.
I will be back next week. I have some great reviews and giveaways to post and oh so much more.
Please forgive me!

KidsCraft playhouse review/giveaway

My youngest son is obsessed with rockets so when I had the opportunity to review KidsCraft Shuttle Imagination playhouse I jumped at the opportunity!

When it arrived my son screamed out loud "IS THIS FOR ME??" This playhouse is so cool! First it is made from 100% recycled cardboard, made in the USA AND to make it even better, for every one sold, KidsCraft will plant one tree! This get my approval!!! I LOVE everything about this product. We used the shipping box for the bottom of one of our raised garden beds to kill the grass. We did leave it there when we filed the box with soil.

The Shuttle Imagination was super easy to assemble but was much larger then I thought it would be! My son loved the fact that he could decorate himself but he has yet to draw anything on the outside! On the inside he has drawn control panels, very cute I must say. It is still in my living room and is played with/in almost everyday. We even let him sleep in it one night, it must have been uncomfortable because he has not asked since.

Thanks to KidsCraft one of my readers will win either the Shuttle Imagination



OR their Creation Cottage



Here my son is enjoying his new Shuttle..




So back to winning one of these fantastic playhouses...there are rules as always!

THIS IS MANDATORY~


-Visit KidsCraft web site and tell me something you learned about the company. If you do not do this your other optional entries will not count! If you do not have a way for me to contact you through your blog or you do not have a blog PLEASE make sure you leave your email in your comment so if you win I can contact you.

For additional entries which of course are ALWAYS optional

-Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway make sure you use @my2boyz and in tweet leave link in comment (you can do this once a day-leave daily comment!)

-Follow me on Networked Blogs (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Follow my blog (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Comment on another blog post of mine, let me know what one in comment (4 additional entries-leave 4 comments)

-Giveaway ends on 6/7/2010 at 11:59 PM and winners will be chosen by random.org.-Winners will have 48 hours to respond to email or new winner/winners will be chosen.

-Open to residents of the USA only.



I received the Shuttle Imagination for review purposes only. The opinions are 100% mine and everybody might not have the same experience I had.

Worst Blogger award goes to....ME

Oh yes I am the WORST BLOGGER in the world as of late. I have not posted since April 23rd....has it really been that long?

Well I do have good reason you see my husband lost his job giving him free time to spend with me! So I have been hanging out with him, doing yard work, planning our veggie garden, going to Costco, out to lunch and just enjoying the time alone during the day while the kids at at school. Is this a good excuse, no it isn't as I have had time to blog but for some reason I am not into it anymore! Once again I have lost my groove...help! Have you seen it??!!!

I do have a few giveaways and reviews to post and I plan on getting them done tomorrow and this weekend. I will be back as I have inked blogging time into my busy schedule. I am still working but have been a slacker in that area as well, actually I take that back I have been quite busy with buyers and sellers but ZERO prospecting the past month, not good!

I have been down this road before. lack of excitement for blogging. I know what it is...I feel so little and insignificant in the world of blogging, I feel like my voice is not heard, does anyone read my blog?? I often wonder if I stopped the reviews and giveaways would I have a following at all? I use to post about my life and my crazy boys but somewhere I got all swept up in review blogging. I have pledged in the past to do more "personal posts" but I didn't.

So once again I pledge to be a better blogger and to try to post at least 5 times a week, and to my very little following if you even exist I am sorry I have let you down, forgive me please!

Earth Week Celebration Day 2 Review/Giveaway Sprout Eco-Friendly Watches

Welcome to day 2 of my Earth Week event. I know it is a week late but we had some major life changing decisions to make last week and it was super stressful. I won't get into what happened right now however I will share with you when the time is right. Don't worry we are all fine and will be! Now on to today's business!

I was so excited when I had the opportunity to review Sprout Eco-friendly watches, they are so very cute and very economical as well. Sprout Watches are made by the E. Gluck Corporation who have been a major force in the watch industry for over 50 years! I was so excited when my watch arrived! The packaging was so cute! It looked like a box of crackers or cereal with the ingredients on the side! Also in the box was a little grass garden, my 6 year old got a kick out of that and we will be growing it soon.

Here are Sprout watches Eco-Facts from their web site:

-EcoFriendliness
The small size Sprout® watch is 80% Eco-friendly (by weight)
The large size Sprout® watch is 86% Eco-friendly (by weight)

-Compliance
All Sprout® watches are in compliance with the CPSIA and are lead and phthalate free.
The corn resin we use is in full compliance with the American ASTM D6400 as well as the European EN13432 standards for
compostable material.

-Materials
Corn Resin. The shelf life of corn resin is similar to synthetic plastics. It will not break down during regular wear and use. In a composite environment, corn resin is 99% biodegradable to carbon dioxide and water within 365 days. Since it’s made from corn, it comes from a renewable resource. Conventional plastics use an estimated 200,000 barrels of oil a day in the United States alone but because corn resin is bio-based, it therefore uses no oil resources in production

-Organic Cotton
The majority of cotton is grown with toxic chemicals. Conventional cotton requires the use of enormous amounts of pesticides - 25% of all insecticides and 10% of all pesticides - which have a huge environmental impact. It is one of the most environmentally damaging crops to grow, as about 84 million pounds of pesticides are sprayed on US cotton crops alone in one year. Some of these chemicals are considered to be the most toxic chemicals in the world. Organic cotton is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment and is grown without the use of toxic pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

-Bamboo
Bamboo is considered Eco-friendly based on its properties as 1) a natural (nonsynthetic) fiber, 2) a quick-growth plant (it's in the grass family) that sequesters greenhouse gases, and 3) a renewable plant that can grow back after its three to five year harvesting period. It largely doesn't need chemicals, pesticides, or fertilizers to grow.

-Mineral Crystal
Most lenses in the medium price range of watches are made from plexiglass, a type of synthetic plastic. Sprout® lenses are made from Mineral crystal which is a type of glass made from sand. It can technically be recycled.

-Mercury Free Battery
Mercury is actually a neurotoxin, which is harmful to both animals and humans. Exposure to even small amounts of mercury over a long period may cause negative health effects including damage to the brain, kidney, lungs and a developing baby. Sprout® watches use only Mercury Free batteries.

-Recycled Fibers
Sprout® packaging is made from at least 80% post consumer fibers. It is both recycled and recyclable

Sprout Eco-friendly watches come is many colors and in 2 sizes, I was sent the one on the far right in the picture above, like I said I LOVE IT!

Thanks to Sprout Eco-friendly timepieces I have one watch to giveaway to one of you!!!!

Here are those pesky rules I like to make you follow!

-Visit Sprout Watches web site and tell me what color Sprout watch you would like to have! If you do not do this your entries will not count! If you do not have a way for me to contact you through your blog or you do not have a blog PLEASE make sure you leave your email in your comment so if you win I can contact you!

For additional entries which of course are ALWAYS optional:

-Become a fan of Sprout Watches on Facebook

-Follow Sprout Watches on Twitter

-Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway make sure you use @my2boyz and @sproutwatches in tweet leave link in comment (you can do this once a day-leave daily comment!)

-Follow me on Networked Blogs (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Follow my blog (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Comment on another blog post of mine, let me know what one in comment (4 additional entries-leave 4 comments)

-Giveaway ends on 5/11/2010 at 11:59 PM and winners will be chosen by random.org.

-Winners will have 48 hours to respond to email or new winner/winners will be drawn

Thank you an good luck!

Make sure you check out my other giveaways! Just click on the giveaway tab.

I was provided with a Sprout Watch for review purposes. The opinions are my own and you might not feel the same way about the product as I do.

Yoplait Greek “Nourish Your Inner Goddess” Gift Pack Review/Giveaway

We have been HUGE fans of Greek yogurt for quite a while, longer then we have had it available in our area. I was introduced to it by my Aunt from Montana, yes Montana had Greek yogurt before we did here in my area! Anyway I would drive over an hour to a health food store just to get Greek yogurt! I just LOVE it!!! A few weeks ago I was at my local grocery store and stopped DEAD IN MY TRACKS when I saw this....
BLAH!!! I was THRILLED and grab a few and tossed them in my cart with a huge smile on my face! Not only do I love the texture of Greek yogurt, thick and creamy but it is better for you then regular yogurt! With 12 grams of protein -- twice that found in leading yogurts-- new Yoplait Greek nourishes from the inside out. Available in four delicious flavors, Strawberry, Blueberry, Honey Vanilla and Plain, the brand’s newest offering has a unique thick and creamy texture with the unmatched taste expected of Yoplait.

To celebrate its new Greek yogurt and to encourage women to nourish their inner goddess, Yoplait has teamed up with actress Izabella Miko, who plays Greek Goddess Athena in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ film new epic feature film “Clash of the Titans,” which launched in theatres on April 2 in 3D. So to help one of my readers nourish their inner goddess I have one Yoplait Greek “Nourish Your Inner Goddess” gift pack that contains two VIP* coupons for Yoplait Greek Yougurt and some great spa items to help you relax!
*This coupon offer for a free cup of Yoplait Greek yogurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Tennessee.

-Tell me what your favorite thing to do to pamper yourself is. If you do not do this your other optional entries will not count! If you do not have a way for me to contact you through your blog or you do not have a blog PLEASE make sure you leave your email in your comment so if you win I can contact you!

For additional entries which of course are ALWAYS optional:

-Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway make sure you use @my2boyz and in tweet leave link in comment (you can do this once a day-leave daily comment!)

-Follow me on Networked Blogs (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Follow my blog (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Comment on another blog post of mine, let me know what one in comment (4 additional entries-leave 4 comments)

-Giveaway ends on 5/7/2010 at 11:59 PM and winners will be chosen by random.org.

-Winners will have 48 hours to respond to email or new winner/winners will be chosen.

Thank you and good luck!




I received a "Nourish Your Inner Goddess" gift pack from Yoplait through my affiliation with My Blog Spark for review purposes. The opinions are 100% my own.

Simply Go-Gurt Coupon and Prize Pack Giveaway

As a parent with a child who is ADHD it is hard to find kids snack items that are free of HFCS(high fructose corn syrup) HFCS is one of his triggers thus we have eliminated it from his diet. Now thanks to Yoplait I can give him Go-Gurt! New Simply… Go-Gurt is made from simple ingredients moms look for and contains no high fructose corn syrup or artificial colors or flavors and it is made with milk from cows that have NOT been treated with rBST/rBGH! Each convenient portable yogurt tube contains a good source of calcium and vitamin D. Simply stated, Simply… Go-Gurt is a good-for-you, low fat yogurt snack that you can feel good about giving to your kids.

He was very excited when I brought some home from the store. New Simply… Go-Gurt is available in two kid-friendly flavors, Strawberry and Mixed Berry.
I bought the Strawberry and he LOVED it! Like I had any doubt, he has been wanting yogurt in a tube for a while now. He is excited to be able to pack it in his lunch and wants me to freeze it like he saw on TV.



Here is some exciting news! The first 30 people who click on the free coupon link will get a coupon for a FREE pack of New Simply Go-Gurt after the 30 are gone there will be a $1.10 coupon available! *This coupon offer for free Simply… Go-Gurt is not valid in some states, including California, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey, Nevada, North Dakota and Tennessee



Now for some MORE exciting news! I have one New Simply Go-Gurt gift pack to giveaway! This includes a coupon for a FREE box of New Simply Go-Gurt AND a travel Etch a Sketch, Backseat organizer and a Day Planner!

Here are the rules to win your own Simply Go-Gurt prize pack like the one above!

-Tell me what your favorite healthy snack is for your children/grandchildren or even yourself! If you do not do this your other optional entries will not count! If you do not have a way for me to contact you through your blog or you do not have a blog PLEASE make sure you leave your email in your comment so if you win I can contact you!

For additional entries which of course are ALWAYS optional:

-Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway make sure you use @my2boyz and in tweet leave link in comment (you can do this once a day-leave daily comment!)

-Follow me on Networked Blogs (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Follow my blog (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Comment on another blog post of mine, let me know what one in comment (4 additional entries-leave 4 comments)

-Giveaway ends on 5/4/2010 at 11:59 PM and winners will be chosen by random.org.

-Winners will have 48 hours to respond to email or new winner/winners will be chosen.

GOOD LUCK!

I received a Simply Go-Gurt gift pack from Yoplait through my affiliation with My Blog Spark. The opinions are 100% my own.

Boudreaux’s Butt Paste®

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Boudreaux's Butt Paste. All opinions are 100% mine.

Boudreaux's Butt Paste® is a WONDERFUL diaper rash ointment and skin protectant that helps to prevent diaper rash, protects chafed skin, and seals out wetness. Boudreaux's Butt Paste® spreads on easily, cleans off quickly, and has a pleasant scent. Available in convenient foil pack, 1oz, 2oz, 3oz, 4 oz tubes and 16oz jar. Available in drug, discount or grocery store chains nationwide.

We have been HUGE fans of Boudreaux’s Butt Paste ever since we received a free sample from the pediatrician's office when our youngest was born 6 years ago. We loved it so much I told EVERYONE and my cousin SWEARS by this stuff as well! This is the ONLY diaper rash product we used on him. We love the fact that it wipes off super easy. There is nothing worse then a baby with a diaper rash and diaper cream that will not wipe off. Not only does it take care of your little ones diaper rash is also works great on pimples, yes you read that right, pimples! It gets rid of the red and shrinks those little buggers in a flash.

Boudreaux's Butt Paste has been featured on:
• Oprah Show
• Tonight Show
• Today Show
• People Magazine
• ESPN
• While You Were Out on TLC

If you would like a free sample click HERE to see how.

Earth Week Celebration Day 1 Review/Giveaway Seventh Generation Disinfecting Cleaner Starter Kit

Welcome to the first day of my Earth Week Celebration .   I have a bunch of fun stuff coming up this week so check back daily!

I LOVE Seventh Generation, this is no secret.  I have been a fan for YEARS! So when they came out with a new line of disinfecting products I was SO VERY EXCITED! I am a germ phob for sure. When I found out they kill over 99.99% of household germs, specifically: Influenza A, H1N1, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli on hard, nonporous surfaces I was THRILLED! Now what makes them disinfecting and natural at the same time you ask? Here is the explanation from their web site:

When we set out to bring to market EPA registered disinfecting cleaning products made from essential oils, we knew we had our work cut out for us. In the hunt for disinfectants that met our strict standards, CleanWell Company was a natural fit. The CleanWell™ scientific team was the first to discover how to blend thyme oil to kill 99.99% of harmful germs. Just like us, they're dedicated to providing healthy ways to care for our families and homes. And just like us, they won’t compromise to get the job done.

The result of our partnership is our new Seventh Generation Disinfecting Cleaners. They have the tough cleaning power you expect from Seventh Generation, along with CleanWell™ patented disinfecting technology. We are proud to partner on this streak-free formula that quickly and easily cleans and deodorizes your home and other important places with the disinfecting power of thymol, a component of thyme oil, which is obtained from the common garden herb thyme.
The rewards of this approach are clear: A botanical disinfecting household cleaning solution that kills 99.99% of household germs* naturally on hard nonporous surfaces.
Want to learn more? Visit CleanWell Company on the web!

I was sent their new Disinfecting Stater Kit for review which contained Disinfecting Wipes, Disinfecting Multi-Surface Cleaner, Disinfecting Bathroom Cleaner, 100% recycled paper towels and a Seventh Generation grocery tote bag.

The wipes were fantastic! I loved them.  I used them for a quick bathroom clean up.  They also came in handy to wipe the toilet seat as my 6 year old STILL "forgets" to lift the seat up and well....I think you can guess the outcome.  Gross I know, we are working on this trust me!

The Bathroom Cleaner worked great just as I had expected.  I LOVE that it foams so it sticks to the tub and tile surface and takes it's time working it's way down your surface.  I really needed to clean my tub when I received this in the mail and I can tell you it cut through the tub grime with ease.

I used the Multi surface Cleaner in my kitchen and just like the other products it cleaned with out a lot of elbow grease.  I went a little crazy and tried it on all my surfaces including my black stove top, it left it streak free, another added bonus.

Click HERE to view video and learn more about Seventh Generations line of Disinfectant Cleaning products.

Now for the giveaway! Seventh Generation is offering their Disinfecting Starter Kit to one of my lucky readers! As always there are some rules so here they are:

-Visit Seventh Generation's web site and tell me what other product you think you might like to try.  If you do not do this your entries will not count!  If you do not have a way for me to contact you through your blog or you do not have a blog PLEASE make sure you leave your email in your comment so if you win I can contact you!

For additional entries which of course are  ALWAYS optional:

-Become a fan of Seventh Generation on Facebook

-Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway make sure you use @my2boyz and in tweet leave link in comment (you can do this once a day-leave daily comment!)

-Follow me on Networked Blogs (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Follow my blog (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Comment on another blog post of mine, let me know what one in comment (4 additional entries-leave 4 comments)

-Giveaway ends on 5/3/2010 at 11:59 PM and winners will be chosen by random.org.

-Winners will have 48 hours to respond to email or new winner/winners will be drawn

-Limited to US Residents only

Thank you and good luck!!!

I crashed and failed!

UGH! That is all I can say! It has been a super busy 2 weeks and you may have noticed that I have not been paying any attention to my blog At ALL! My poor blog, it has been very lonely! I have been burning the candles at both ends and it is catching up with me! I felt like I ran into a brick wall last week...I crashed and failed at all my tasks for last week, including all the awesomeness I have going on on my blog!
Here is what has been going on....work has gotten OUT OF CONTROL busy and to be honest with you I HATE IT!   I am thinking of changing jobs, careers in fact.  But that is a whole different blog post that I will save for when I actually make up my mind!
My 12 year old had his tonsils and adenoids removed last week and he is in so much pain, my poor baby.  I feel like the worst parent in the world for "doing" this to him but it had to be done, strep throat 5 times in 1 year is a bit much.  His recovery has been slow going and now he has the dreaded bad breath that everyone told me about.  He get with in 1 foot of me I have to step back. He won't take his Vicodin that was prescribed for him, he said it made him feel funny.  Is that a good sign that he will not be into trying drugs in high school? I sure hope so!
Now for super duper exciting news!!!  It is my Green Week! I have some great green product reviews and giveaways starting later today! I am very excited about this!
So there you are in a nutshell as to ahy I have been absent

Winner!!

The winner of my Win and Give with Betty Crocker and One Laptop per Child giveaway was comment #7

mverno said...
we take out grown clothing to the salvation army its a great learning experience for the children

Winner has been contacted and has 48 hours to respond. Thanks to all who entered! Keep you eyes out for my week long Earth Day event coming in April!

Lands' End Harbour Island Twitter Event

Lands End and the Bahamas??? I will be there how about you???

Join Lands' End and representatives from the Islands Of The Bahamas and iexplore.com for a Twitter Event to celebrate the Lands' End's Bahamas Adventure to Harbour Island promotion at The Hub www.landsend.com/thehub. The site features engaging content focusing on travel through the summer as well as the chance to win a trip for four to the pink-sand beaches of Harbour Island.

Be a part of this exciting Twitter Event and tweet with representatives from Lands' End, the Islands Of The Bahamas and iexplore.com. The event will feature more than 25 fun giveaways ranging from Lands' End luggage, beach towels, travel kits, beach bags and gift cards.

Lands' End Harbour Island Twitter
EventDate: Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Time: 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. CSTLocation:
#landsend Join the fun and follow:@LEprMichele, @LEprMolly, @LEprLibby, @VisitTheBahamas, @iexplore and @iexplore_Amanda

See you at 7:00 PM my time!! Oh that is CST!!!

Their almost here.....

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of Alvin and the Chipmunks. All opinions are 100% mine.

Guess what movie is coming out on March 30, 2010 on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital Download? Any guesses? Well...seeing as I hate to play the guessing game AND it is mentioned up above I will tell you...."Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel". It is going to be available on Double DVD Pack that includes "The Squeak Along" Bonus Disc, with more music, mayhem and all-new singalongs! It's TWICE THE FUN for the PRICE OF ONE! I know my youngest will be so excited he thinks he is one of the Chipmunks and at times tries to talk like them, cracks me up. This would make a GREAT Easter Basket item instead of the traditional candy!

I adore Alvin and the Chipmunks, I always have! They were one of my favorite cartoons to watch as a child and I watched them religiously. I have to admit I avoided seeing the first movie a few years back. I have issues with old things being made into new movies HOWEVER when I did break down and watch it with the kids, I laughed so hard... I LOVED IT! I am very much looking forward to seeing this one and know my boys are as well. EVERY TIME the commercial comes on I am told "we need to get that movie mom" I love how my children are able to enjoy the Chipmunks as much as I did as a child and just like the first I know this will be just as awesome!

Guess what?? You can Munk yourself HERE, I did it and my youngest laughed so hard I thought he was going to pass out from not breathing!

You can checkout more fun stuff at More Munk Mayhem , the Chipmunks web site. Interested in purchasing your own copy when it hits the shelves? Visit here to buy it now

Leapfrog helped us celebrate National Math Day!

Did you know this past Sunday, March 14th was National Math Day? No? Don't feel bad either did I, but Leap Frog did and to celebrate they sent us a copy of their newly released DVD Leapfrog: Math Adventure to the Moon. Math is one of if not the most important subject that is taught in schools. I remember saying "Why do I have to take Algebra? I'll never use it" Boy was I wrong, i use it almost everyday in my job. We are huge fans of Leapfrog and have been since our oldest was born. We own many Leapfrog toys and DVD's and this DVD lives up to Leapfrogs reputation as brand parents and educator trust. Were you aware that Leapfrog has over 120 million educational platforms, books and games, something for every child!

My youngest loves anything to do with outer space and math so he was excited when I showed him the DVD, both in one DVD. He enjoyed it but I feel he might be a little advanced for it as he is doing 2nd grade math in Kindergarten! It did capture his attention and he did interact with it, which was funny as he was yelling at the TV. I wanted to video him but batteries were dead in my video camera! Another moment missed because of my lack of planning.

Movie Synopsis:

Join Tad and Lily as they blast off on an exciting educational adventure! Tad and Lily need the perfect collection of things to take to school for their math assignment. When they finally decide on moon rocks, there’s just one problem — how will they get them? With some magical help from their firefly friend, Edison, they board a rocket ship to start their quest. Soon the twins learn that math is everywhere, even in outer space! Watch as they use their skills in counting, sorting, skip counting and recognizing patterns to overcome obstacles, find new friends and make the trip back to Earth!

DVD Special Features

-The Sorting Game-help Tad and Lilly sort crystals into their correct groups

-Four sing along songs

-Alphabet song from Let's go to School

The DVD retails for $14.95 and can be purchased here and you can view the trailer for the movie there as well. I highly recommend adding this one to your Leapfrog collection.

I revived a copy of Leapfrog-Math Adventure to the Moon DVD to help in my review. The opinions are my own and I was not paid for my review.

Winner!

The winner of the Soap Nuts and Coconut Fiber Scrub Pad was comment #39.....

jennem said...
Public follower as jennem.Jennifer,

Winner has been emailed and has 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen!

Thank you all who entered and keep your eyes out for my week long Earth Day event coming in April!

Winners!

I have been so busy at work and life that I totally FORGOT to pick winners for the Rainbow Brite CD ROM giveaway!

Here they are: comment #3, #6 and #14 were the lucky numbers that random.org picked

#3 BUSY BEE said...
I am a google follower #2.

#6 AEKZ2 said...
Google friend follower 2.

#14 Saebbe said...
My son has my Rainbow bright doll that my grandma crocheted for me when I was little. He wants me to go back to the site now so he can look around some more. LOL

All winners have been emailed and have 48 to respond. Thanks to all who entered!

Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey Review/Giveaway

Oh how my 6 year old LOVES Curious George, in fact we call him our little monkey because he is just like him. ALWAYS into mischief but always with good intentions. So when I was offered the opportunity to review a copy of the new Curious George movie Curious George 2-Follow that Monkey I was excited as I knew my so would do his excited dance. Trust me when I say he did not let me down! He cracks me up. As I child I loved all the Curious George stories, we did not have the moves or TV shows WAY BACK THEN so I do enjoy watching them with him.

I popped the movie in for him and I will admit I did not watch the whole thing with him as I took advantage of the TV sitter to get dinner ready. I did hear giggling and belly rolling laughing coming from the living room and at one point I even heard a VERY familiar voice, Matt Lauer. I knew he was "in" the move but did not know what character he voiced until that moment. I busted out laughing as he voiced a TV anchor by the name of Hark Hanson, HILARIOUS I tell you hilarious! I am sure his children got a HUGE kick out of that! This movie did not disappoint, he LOVED it and claims it is his new favorite movie of all time. That is huge in his world.

From the back of the DVD:

The world’s most beloved and inquisitive monkey is back in Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey, the fun-filled sequel to the hit animated movie. Join Curious George and The Man with the Yellow Hat as they set out on a madcap cross-country adventure to reunite Kayla, a homesick elephant, with her family. This unlikely trio faces all types of comic calamities and colorful characters and in the end learn that with family, friends and determination you can achieve anything. Featuring the voices of Tim Curry, Matt Lauer, Jamie Kennedy and Jerry Lewis, Curious George 2: Follow That Monkey, “proves that family, friends—and curiosity—are number one.” (Francine Brokaw, Los Angeles Family Magazine)

Here is the trailer for the movie:



Just watching that little bit makes you want your own copy, doesn't it? Well one lucky reader will win one!

So..here are the pesky rules we make you follow!

YOU MUST DO THIS FOR ALL OTHER ENTRIES TO COUNT!


-Visit Curious George's web site and tell me what other movie your little monkey would love. While you are there check out the cool games and activities for your little ones. If you do not do this your entries will not count! Also if you do not have a way for me to contact you through your blog or you do not have a blog PLEASE make sure you leave your email in your comment so if you win I can contact you!

For additional entries which of course are ALWAYS optional:

-Follow Curious George on Facebook yep he is on there! :)

-Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway make sure you use @my2boyz and in tweet Leave link in comment (you can do this once a day-leave daily comment!)

-Follow me on Networked Blogs (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Follow my blog (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Comment on another blog post of mine, let me know what one in comment (4 additional entries-leave 4 comments)

-Giveaway ends on 3/31/2010 at 11:59 PM and winners will be chosen by random.org.

-Winners will have 48 hours to respond to email or new winner/winners will be drawn

-Limited to US Residents only

Thank you and good luck!!!






I was provided a copy of the DVD for review purposes only, I received no money for the review. My opinion are just that MY opinions.

Try Something New Tuesday...Polish Dill Pickle Soup (Zupa Ogorkowa)

Welcome to this weeks instalment of Try Something New Tuesday.

One of the fondest memories I have as a child is the smell of my Babcia's (Grandmother in Polish) cooking. The smell of Polish food would flow from her kitchen and most of the time I was excited to dig into whatever dish she had prepared. I say most of the time because there is a short list of things I never tried and still at almost 40 refuse to try, that could be a blog post in itself!

One of the things she would make was Dill Pickle Soup, I know it sounds odd but trust me those who had never heard of it and tried it LOVE it! My husband and best friend are included in that bunch. When I would visit my Babcia as I got older she always made sure she had made some for me. I could never make it as good as she could until this past weekend! I had a craving and tried my best once again and this time I was SO CLOSE....I actually impressed myself! This is super easy to make and very inexpensive as well. You can add less or more of the ingredients, it is all in "the taste" as Babcia would say.

Polish Dill Pickle Soup (Zupa Ogorkowa)

6 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock (I use chicken)

4 large refrigerated dill pickles chopped

1 Tablespoon flour
1/2 -3/4 cup pickle juice from the pickle jar
3 cups chopped potatoes
1 small onion chopped (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup sour cream

Fresh Dill

In large pot melt butter add pickles, onions and flour. Saute until pickles are limp (5 minutes or so)

Add stock, pickle juice, potatoes and some fresh dill (about 1-2 Tablespoons-I just use kitchen scissors and clip until it looks like enough)

Simmer until potatoes are done, take about 2-3 cups of soup out of pot(mostly liquid) and let cool a few minutes. Add the sour cream to the soup you removed and whisk, slowly add back to pot. This will prevent the sour cream from curdling.

That's it! If you try this I would love for you to tell me about it!

Me vs Carrot

We have a new favorite show in our house, a show the WHOLE family can watch which is very refreshing, The Middle on ABC. If you have never watched it I HIGHLY recommend you do. It stars Patricia Heaton as the mother of 3 very quirky children a high schooler, middle school er and grade schooler. It is from the mom's point of view, I can relate to so much of what goes on it scares me sometimes. Kudos to ABC for having family friendly comedies.

So...Last week we sat down to watch the episode titled "The Bee". OMG!!! We were laughing so hard we had tears in our eyes. While we were watching I was eating carrots. This turned out to be a VERY bad idea as I was chomping away when I started to laugh...I started to choke on that darn carrot. Got it out but I ended up "cracking" a rib, more like a hairline fracture, cracking sounds so tough! :) Let me tell you if you have never had rib injury you have never felt pain. It hurts to breathe, sit, bend, twist, lift....you get it, it hurts no matter what I do.... IT SUCKS!

But the very kind Dr prescribed me Vicodin. Now I am all doped up on Vicodin and some anti-inflammatory which I think I am allergic to as I start to itch all over about 30 minutes after taking it, drives me crazy but I continue to take it as I want to heal. So for the time being I feel no pain at all and I itch like crazy.

Needless to say I will never eat ANYTHING while watching The Middle, it can be hazardous to your heath. Not only could you choke to death but you could "crack" a rib! But I say DO watch it just don't eat while doing so.

This week on General Hospital

This week, Sonny is already suspected of a murder he did’t commit, but wants his son’s approval. Sonny is driven to tell the truth about Claudia’s real killer. If Dante finds out the truth, what will he do now?

What do I think??? It is hard to say with so many twists and turns to this story line. Sonny is caring man, don't let the tough guy cover fool you! He cares for his family and would do anything to protect his children. So what do you think will be gained by telling Dante that his brother killed Claudia in self defence and not his long lost father the mob boss Sonny.

I am not sure where they are going to go with this...I totally thought I had it figured out but I was so wrong....so tell me what do you think will be gained by telling Dante the truth? Will he try to get to know his father? Will he protect his brother when he finds out the truth??? Can't wait to see how this turns out!

WHAT?? You do not watch General Hospital...well I suggest you do. It is not like your typical daytime soap, it is so much sore then that. I truly think if they tried it prime time it would be a hit!

I am a participant in a Mom Central campaign for ABC Daytime and will receive a tote bag or other General Hospital branded items to facilitate my review.

Win and Give with Betty Crocker and One Laptop per Child

Kids know how much fun it is to win, but they also understand the importance of giving to others and want to help make a difference in the world. Now they have a chance to both win and give with Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Snacks.

With specially marked boxes of kid favorites - including Fruit Roll-Ups, Gushers, Fruit by the Foot, and Stickerz & Shapes - your child could win one laptop to keep and Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Snacks will donate another to a child in Africa.

Each day from now through May 30, 2010, one laptop prize will be awarded to a U.S. winner. For every laptop won, one laptop will be donated to an African child through One Laptop per Child, an organization that creates educational opportunities for the world´s poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. For your chance to win, simply enter the unique online code printed on participating Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Snack packages on www.WinOneGiveOne.com.

Thanks to My Blog Spark we were sent 2 boxes of Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks AND $25 was donated in my name to One Laptop per Child. My boys were just as excited about the fruit snacks as they were about the codes in the box. They were so cute putting in the codes from the specially marked boxes and were truly disappointed they did not win. At first I was taken aback thinking they were upset that THEY did not win, turns out they were up set that they did not win one for someone else! A very proud Mom moment! So....how would you feel if I offered you the same thing, 2 boxes of Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks, specially marked boxes of course and a $25 donation in your name to this WONDERFUL organization? Well today is your lucky day!

I have 2 specially marked boxes of Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks and $25 donated in your name.

Here on the rules for this giveaway....

You must do this in order for all other entries to be valid-

Tell me what have done to encourage your children to give back....I can tell you we have encouraged our children to give 1/4 of their allowance to charity, one of their choice.

For additional entries which of course are ALWAYS optional:

-Follow me on twitter and tweet this giveaway make sure you use @my2boyz and in tweet Leave link in comment (you can do this once a day-leave daily comment!)

-Follow me on Networked Blogs (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Follow my blog (2 additional entries-leave 2 comments)

-Comment on another blog post of mine, let me know what one in comment (4 additional entries-leave 4 comments)

-Giveaway ends on 3/25/2010 at 11:59 PM and winners will be chosen by random.org.

-Winners will have 48 hours to respond to email or new winner/winners will be drawn


Thank you and good luck!







I was sent 2 boxes of Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks for my review thanks to my affiliation with My Blog Spark, I received no money for this review.