Summer guide

photo by G Viciano

Looking for some great products to make your summer that much more fun and enjoyable? Looking to pamper yourself while the kids are off at camp? Or maybe you're dealing with summer bumps and bruises. Momfluence has collected some reviews of great products that you need to know about! Check out what our reviewers had to say about these great summer finds. And don't forget to stop by the Momfluence member giveaways listed at the bottom for some summer winning!

Featured Products

FishBites Swimmies - Spending time in the water is one of the most fun and exciting parts of summer. FishBites Swimmies by Swimways is a great solution to give the little ones the extra security they need in the pool, in a fun and exciting way.

Delsey Helium Fusion Carryon - If you are hitting the road or flying the skies this summer for your family vacation, the Delsey Helium Fusion carry-on offers a lightweight solution for packing your travel essentials.

Do Something Daily Calendar - Tired of hearing the kids say they have nothing to do? The DoSomethingDaily Calendar offers fun and exciting suggestions for things to do on each and every day of the year. Make memories with your family, every day!

Perlabella Pearls - Want to combat some of the wrinkles cause by sun damage? Perlabella's Retinol solution helps to fight the signs of aging, that can be caused by excessive sun exposure and other factors.

More Summer Fun

iTurtle Playdoh Spaghetti Factory
Submergency
Nerf NFL Progrip Football
SuperSoaker 50
Boochie Game
Good For The Kids
Talking To Toddlers
Two Belles and A Bead Engraved Necklace
Cardstore
Jumeau Handbags
Staphaseptic

Member Reviews/Giveaways

Bonggamom - $50 Tiny Prints Gift Certificate
IceFairy's Treasure Chest - KiNeSYS, Purex 3-in1, and more
Eccentric, Eclectic Woman - Bra Barrette, Skipping Hippos
Riding With No Hands - 20 Piece Rubbermaid Set
Consumer Queen - FurBuster
PlusSizeMommy - Giant Hershey Bar, Zensoy, and more
MommyNotGuilty - KidBanz Sunglasses
Robyn's Online World - Kodak Digital Frame
Simply Being Mommy - EA Sports Active
Lattes and Life - Oscar Meyer Hot Dogs & http://www.lattesandlife.com/2009/06/parents-choice-infant-formula-savings.html">Parent's Choice Formula Motherhood Moment - Summer Fun
A Simple Kinda Life - Summer Soiree of Giveaways
From Cribs to Car Keys - EcoStore $25 Gift Certificate and more
Miscellaneous Finds 4 U - Tiny Prints and more

All Momfluence guide reviews are product-provided, featured positions were purchased by vendors. Member reviews and giveaways are not associated with Momfluence.

A little retail therapy for the kids always makes the summer fly,
Janine

Cross Post & Giveaway - Where I go for last minute baby gifts

This is a cross-post and giveaway from over at my Twofer Thumbs Up blog but I wanted to highlight it here because it's for my friend and neighbor.
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Everyone say Hi to my neighbor Sharina. (((waving)))
Sharina has got a sewing machine and isn’t afraid to use it.
Sharina, owner of BlankiesBurpsandBibs.com, is where I turn for last-minute baby gifts. And because I’m a last-minute kind of gal, I’m at Sharina’s house...a lot.

BlankiesBurpsandBibs.com has all kids of great things for mom, baby, and little kids including bibs, blankets, clothing, stroller tags, even hair bows!

The matching bibs and burp clothes have been a huge hit with my friends.

These little dresses are so cute!



You can even get matching dresses for your big and little girl!

This Snacker Packer is ingenious.

Tuck a small bowl inside for easy snacking without all the mess. Little hands can reach in and you can tie it up easily. A clip keeps the snacks from flying off the stroller and onto the floor. The bag is reusable, better for the environment than plastic baggies, and washable!

Do you need last minute gifts? The good news is that you don’t have to drive to Sharina's house to shop. You can shop online at www.blankiesburpsandbibs.com .

Enter to Win a Snacker Packer!


I have in my hot little hands THIS Snacker Packer (see above photo) to give away to one lucky reader. Here’s what you need to do:

{Go To Twofer Thumbs Up to enter}

Contest open to US residents in the 48 contiguous states, and ends June 10, 2009 at 11:59pm. Winner will be chosen using Random.org and notified via email or Twitter and will have 3 days to claim the prize.

Good luck!
Janine

Product supplied by
Blankies, Burps & Bibs

Mom's Night Out - who makes dinner?

Baked Pasta Primavera via Unilever

I'm just wondering if my fellow mom's feel the 'need' to arrange dinner plans (either cook or order) when they go out for a night with girlfriends.

Do I plan the meals even when it's my Girls Night Out?

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.
Usually, I do.
It's not a guilt thing...these days it's a save-money thing. I'd rather cook something ahead of time that my husband can serve to himself and the kids because I know in the end it's a lot cheaper than the pizza guy.
First, pizza around here can be expensive.
Second, the Mister can eat like a growing teenager...for that matter, the Twofer often eat like growing teens so Pizza doesn't get us very far from the 'I'm huuuungry' whine.

Unilever and Mom Select to the rescue!

For National Mom's Night Out I was the lucky recipient of a Unilever Making Life Better Family Fun Package that contained all kinds of goodies to make an easy, tasty, and filling meal for my family. This included:

• Family Fun Book with tips for easy and affordable meals
• Package of Lipton Tea (how did they know my husband LOVES homemade iced tea?)
• Lipton Beefy Onion Mix (great for burgers or meat loaf)
• Knorr Cheddar Broccoli Rice
• I Can't Believe it's Not Butter
• Bertoli Frozen Entree (can't get any easier for Chicken Parm)

and a few more things. The only thing I needed to add was a veggie!

My Mom's Night Out

Ironically, I did not go out on National Moms Night Out but I DID go out that Saturday night...a little too late...to celebrate my friend Allison's birthday.
My tweets from the bar and dance floor looked like this:

BTW - the old dude RAWKED

I'm sure there is photographic evidence of my unique dancing skillz (anyone remember the 'running man'?) but none of my friends are savvy enough to get those up on Twitter, etc. Facebook may be another issue.

Working on my moves,
Janine

Product provided by
MomSelect

Guest Post! JP Laqueur on The Verizon Hub for Families

Photo Credit: Techfever on Flickr

I was invited to get a first-look at the Verizon Hub home phone in New York last week but couldn't get up there in time. Thankfully fellow marketer, blogger, and all-around good guy JP Laqueur (full-disclosure, he's my brother!) was able to take my spot and here is what he experienced.
__________________________

So today I had the privilege of seeing the new Verizon Hub firsthand. Verizon Wireless has done a great job with the first generation of this product. The Hub is aptly named as well.

Verizon Hub connects family members

Verizon envisioned this device from the start as something that would tie an entire family together in the one time and place they are likely to meet each day: the kitchen at breakfast. And they built its features and capabilities around that typical family experience.

Mom or Dad can quickly check weather, messages or news while they make coffee. They can we real time traffic updates before staring the commute. The kids can even watch short-form videos of their favorite shows while they eat breakfast.

But the Hub goes beyond breakfast too. It's calender feature allows all family members to keep track of events and it will soon integrate with Outlook and other calender systems. At dinner Mom or Dad can also call up recipes to help whip up a quick dinner.

And the Hub has a messaging interface that integrates neatly with your Verizon Wireless phones. The kids can instant message the Hub remotely to let Mom or Dad know about soccer practice change. And anyone can leave a message on the Hub like "went to Kmart. Back in 30" in lieu of paper notes.

Cost of the Verizon Hub

The Hub costs $200 then $35 a month and it must be accompanied by a new or existing Verizon Wireless account. It can support up to 3 handsets in the house and uses a VoIP connection and the home wireless network rather than a land line - making it convenient, fast and easy. It's also very upgradable. Verizon pushes updates to the device (new videos and recipes) all the time.

The next generation of the device will be even smaller and more integrated into the 7-inch screen. All in all it's a great initial product an likely to get even better. For busy Verizon Wireless families it's definitely worth a try.

JP Laqueur is president of Idea-Ware Inc. and blogs his random thoughts on marketing advocacy, technology and life at The Madvocate Blog.

Haagen-Dazs Five ice cream is cool. Dry ice is too!

It's no secret that some of the perks of being a blogger is getting free product. But sometimes you get a little something extra too.

Last week I received 4 containers of the new Haagen-Dazs Five ice cream from Mom Central to taste and then review. But this freebie came with an BIG extra bonus...a cooler FULL of dry ice!

Ice cream on dry ice is COOL!

The 'coolness' quotient is then doubled by the fact that the package came with a warning.

How exciting...I had to use special gear for this one.

And then the dry ice experiment.

I looked up a few experiments online but only one I was brave enough to try was this:
1. Use safety gear (do NOT touch dry-ice or it will burn you) and put materials in your kitchen sink.

2. Take a piece of dry ice and place it into a cup of water...watch it smoke.

3.Then add dish soap and watch...it was like a volcano of bubbles!

No pictures as I was busy making sure no one knocked over the ice and caused major damage to themselves. But it was fun, and made me feel like I was back in that chemistry lab in high school fiddling with all kinds of things that could explode. Cool.

For the full review head on over to Twofer Thumbs Up (including video of the Twofer tasting exotic flavors like passion fruit and ginger!) AND for a chance to win 3 FREE containers of HDFive ice cream for yourself!

Janine

Seeing a certain Mouse for just $44

The D Word. I think you all know what I'm talking about. It's the word we have been whispering around here because the minute it is said aloud we are barraged with questions.

I am, of course, talking about Disney. And I mean that in a good way.

My girls are aching to see, visit, and participate in ANYTHING Disney.
The minute they hear the word Disney they start asking, "Who's going to Disney? Are we going to Disney? When can we meet Mickey and Minnie, Mommy?"

This is why I am so happy to find out that Feld Entertainment (along with Mom Central) has the same promotion for Disney on Ice as they are offering for the Ringling Bros. Circus! That means that our family can see Disney on Ice this year for the first time ever and for just $44. Finally the girls can see Mickey and Minnie and we don't have to fly to Florida...yet.

And you can too.
Just go to www.ticketmaster.com and use the code "MOM" when you purchase a minimum of 4 tickets.
Offer good on all performances, minimum purchase of 4 tickets required; additional tickets above 4 can be purchased at $11 each. Offer not valid on Gold Circle Seating, Front Row and VIP seating or combinable with other offers. Other restrictions may apply.

If you want to upgrade to Front Row or VIP seats, a select number of these seats have been reserved before they go on sale to the public. Use code "MOM" when purchasing those seats.

Dates and cities where families can use the national "MOM" code are as follows: Houston
Disney On Ice presents Mickey and Minnie's Magical Journey
April 15-April 19

Dallas/Ft Worth
Disney On Ice presents Mickey & Minnie's Magical Journey
March 18-March 29

Sunrise/Miami
Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy
March 26-April 5

Toronto
Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy
March 18-March 22

Kansas City
Disney On Ice presents Mickey & Minnie's Magical Journey
April 1-April 5

Denver
Disney On Ice presents a Disneyland® Adventure
March 12-March 15

Phoenix
Disney On Ice presents a Disneyland® Adventure
April 9-April 12

Chicago/Rosemont
Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic
Sept 8-Sept 13

To learn more about Disney On Ice shows touring the country this year, visit http://disney.go.com/disneyonice.

Picking out my Mouse ears,
Janine

So, remember those Yanni Voices?

Yes, you do. Remember how I 'interviewed' them at Blissdom 09?
Well One2One Network just reminded me (and asked me to remind you) that the Yanni Voices concert will be on PBS starting March 2nd!

Now YOU can see what all of us at Blissdom were madly tweeting about as we got to experience Nathan Pacheco and Ender Thomas live and in person. Now YOU can enjoy Nathan, Ender, Chloe, Leslie, and the entire, amazing group of performers from the Yanni Voices Live from Acapulco show starting March 2nd on your local PBS station!

Full Disclosure: I was never a huge Yanni fan. I had nothing against the guy, but I always thought of his music as something I'd hear waiting to get my teeth cleaned.
Listen up.
I. Was. Wrong.

Take a sneak peek:




The mix of vocal and stage performers and the incredible light effects blends so well with Yanni's music that we were all mesmerized watching on the big screens at Blissdom 09. I hear it had the same effect on those who went to the Mom2.0 Summit. Now I'm going to see what the Twofer think of it. I bet they won't be able to take their eyes away for a minute.

Check your local PBS listing for March 2nd and look for Yanni Voices Live.
In the DC area it's playing Monday, March 2nd at 8:00pm on WETA and I can't wait to see the full show.

Watch and enjoy then tell me what you think!
Were you a Yanni fan before? If not, are you now?

Janine

Johnson's is 50 Years of No More Tears

I can still remember visiting my grandma and having to take a bath at her house. At the age of eight I was way beyond the baby stage, but there was something about that yellow bottle of Johnson's Shampoo that made me smile when she would pull it out from under the sink. I knew I could be a little kid and play in the bath instead of being rushed through a shower.

At my shower for the Twofer I remember I received a baby bathtub filled with goodies including a number of bottles of Johnson's baby wash, shampoo, and lotion. For me Johnson's IS that baby smell, you know, the one you get when you rub their little head under your chin?

Here are some pics of the Twofer in those chubby baby days getting a bath...

M on left L on right, cheeks on both!

Um....excuse me for a minute.

OK, better.

Rarely do I get the urge for another baby but those pictures get me sometimes!

Where was I? Oh, so to celebrate their 50th Anniversary Johnson's has a few new products and thanks to Mom Central we were able to try them out.

I'm not sure I would have bought them otherwise because my twins are now almost six. And yet I found the JOHNSON'S® HEAD-TO-TOE® Foaming Wash great for my girls.

They are at that age where they can shower themselves but the soap keeps slipping out of their hands. The foaming wash comes in a pump which is perfect for them!

The JOHNSON'S® Baby Bubble Bath & Wash comes in a blue bottle and while it's not as great at getting the tangles out, it does give them that baby smell.

Johnson's has a great channel on YouTube where you can watch and submit videos, get special offers, and more.

What's your favorite bath photo? Post a link if you have one online! I'd love to check it out.

Janine

Yoplait Yo-Plus Yogurt Review and Giveaway! {CONTEST CLOSED}

{Congratulations to the WINNERS!}
Random.org picked the following winners:
So congratulations to: 1) quitecontrary1977 2) Spooky and 3) Jenn
_________________________________________________________

Yogurt is the go-to snack in our house. It's good for you, and more importantly, with 2 bottomless pits called L and M, it fills you up.

I've recently started back at the gym after taking a few months off because I was... just too busy - is that the lamest excuse or what? Anyway, along with working out regularly, I'm really trying to watch what I eat because frankly, that twin tummy is starting to creep back into existence.

That's why I was thrilled to find out my first MyBlogSpark review would be the new Yo-Plus Blueberry Acaí yogurt from Yoplait. At only 110 calories, Yo-Plus is the perfect snack to take the edge off that 3:00 hunger. Yo-Plus has only 1.5 grams of fat and is a good source of fiber, calcium,and vitamin A and D.And the taste? I loved it and The Twofer loved it!

Right now Yo-Plus is now offering a $1.50 off downloadable coupon for a
4-pack of yogurt so there's no excuse not to try it.

What's more, Yoplait is giving me 3 Gift Bags to giveaway to my readers that include:

• a sweet cooler tote bag (Great for packing healthy snacks on those long car rides)

• a 36 oz water bottle (to last all day and it's BPA-Free)
  

• and mini journal to track what you eat, and when you exercise (I always do better when I write down what I eat and this little journal is small enough to fit in your purse or back pocket so you really can take it everywhere.)

• a coupon for a FREE 4-pack of Yo-Plus yogurt (Try the Blueberry Acai, I swear you'll love it.)
  

How can you win one of these great Yoplait Gift Bags?
You can enter up to four times leaving a separate comment for each:

1. Leave a comment and share with me one of your tips for staying healthy.
2. Tweet this contest on Twitter and leave a separate comment with the tweet url.
3. NEW! I have a new Twofer button! Grab the code and add it to your own blog then leave yet another comment with a link (I'm happy to return the favor too!)
4. Email your friends a link to this contest and cc me (scarytwins [at] yahoo [dot] com)

Contest ends Sunday, March 1, 2009 at 10pm
Three winners will be chosen by Random.org and announced Monday, March 2nd.

Good luck!
Now, back to my stomach crunches....502, 503, 504...

Janine

A Sassy little shop with a Twofer discount

Welcome to Day 4 of A Little 2 Sassy's Blog Tour!

My bloggy friend MommaDJane just introduced me to a rock star twin mom named Kristina. Not only does Kristina have her own business, A Little 2 Sassy, but she makes much of the merchandise herself!

Kristina gets a Twofer Thumbs Up for finding the balance between being a wife, mom to 3 kids including twins, crafter, and business owner. PLUS - she's giving all Twofer readers a 15% discount when you shop and use code: 0809mamma15

I'm loving these Croc bows

They make Crocs acceptable as party shoes!

And the headbands...



But for me?

This Giraffe print wallet for only $19.99 is a must-have.

My belt collection could benefit from some bling...


Be sure to stop by A Little 2 Sassy and check out all the goodies. Read the Sassy Story and then tell me how you are going to use your 15% discount!

Janine

UPDATE: Pacific Shaving- Twofer Thumbs Up for giving and giving

**12/13/09 UPDATE**
WINNER is...MommaDJane! Congrats and your going to change the way you shave forever!
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If you hate shaving, you will love this post and the giveaway. And this one isn't just for the ladies - GUYS, you are in for a treat too! As I've mentioned before, I am a huge fan of Pacific Shaving Company's all natural shaving oil.It's all natural. It's powerful - just a few drops is all you need. It's packaged in a travel-friendly and eco-friendly little bottle. And, it's works better than any 'skin sensitive' shaving cream I have ever tried.

As the Mr. said recently, "I should be the poster-boy for this company! I haven't shaved in a month and I don't even have a rash!"
As my friend described it, "It's the Tivo of shaving. Once you try it, you wonder how you ever lived without it."

And so I am giving away not one, but two bottles of Pacific Shaving Company All Natural Shaving Oil (1/2 ounce bottle gives you up to 100 shaves) to celebrate the fact that my husband now might shave more frequently!

What's more, this post is also in honor of Bloggers Give, a new website devoted to the mission of collecting extra blog giveaways for the purpose of donating them to needy causes. Pacific Shaving Company has pledged a Twofer - they are giving me two bottles to give away, and 2 bottles to Bloggers Give!

Here's how to enter and note: the more you do, the more entries you have:

1. Leave a comment with your thoughts on shaving...(I hate it, I love it, I've moved on to waxing..) and remember this is mostly a family show.
2. Tweet this contest and leave link in separate comment
3. Follow my blog (in right column just under Kajeet) and mention that in comment
4. Here's a new one, friend me at Wishpot and add Pacific Shaving Company All Natural Shaving Oil to your list (then leave another comment here)

Contest ends Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 11:59pm.
Winner will be chosen by Random.org an announced on Friday, February 13, 2009.

Happy shaving!
(for more great giveaways visit: 5 Minutes for Mom)
Janine

Storytime Week 5- "T is for Twins" by Mary Bond

This week's Storytime with the Twofer is a little different. While I thoroughly enjoy exploiting my daughters and their ability to write and read (Hollywood, are you listening?) I thought I would expand the series to include books you can actually purchase and read to you own children.


Today I bring you T is for Twins by Mary Bond one of our family's favorite children's books that also happens to be great for twins.




Janine

Plant a seed, grow a field of dreams **UPDATE**

**update**

Vote for the Plant a Seed Super Bowl commercial!



Click HERE to vote and look for the image with the green grass and fence.

.....Original post......
I am so proud to be chosen to help Mom Central and Kelloggs spread the word about the Frosted Flakes Plant a Seed campaign that helps communities maintain their playing fields.

Kelloggs Frosted Flakes realizes that important things happen to kids on playing fields. Kids gain self-esteem, make new friends, learn about teamwork, and stay healthy. Through the program, people can nominate a field, show support for fields around the country, and start their own "seed packs".

Visit the Frosted Flakes Plant a Seed site now and get a preview of tonight's Super Bowl commercial before it airs!

And check out Robin's success story too. It will inspire you to nominate a field in your area that needs some work.

And now I'm off to inspect the fields in my town,
Janine

Milkshake- the band that keeps on giving! **WINNER**

***WINNER announced 2/3***
Thanks everyone for entering! Debbie N. has won the Milkshake prize pack.
Enjoy the music Debbie!
Janine

Original Post
_______________________
For parents like me who dislike most kids music, there are a few bands that have pulled me, along with my twins, into their fold.

For this post I'm going to focus exclusively on Milkshake for several reasons:

1. They are a 'local' band based in Baltimore (but travel so check their tour dates) and they passed the "dance test"
2. They 'get' the power of mom blogs and are generous enough to provide a most excellent Prize Package.
3. Vocalist Lisa Mathews has tapped into my inner ballerina with her fabulous selection of tutus. I heart tutus.

So let's begin with the dance test.
If the Twofer are not dancing within the first 3 minutes of hearing a new CD or DVD, the music has not passed the test.
With the Milkshake Screen Play
DVD the girls were up and dancing (curse me for not having the Flip video going at the time) in 1 minute, 43 seconds. They immediately recognized the songs from years of listening to Sirius Kids radio, and were mesmerized by the video of the band. I take for granted that I grew up watching music videos on MTV and well, where have all the videos gone?

Click Here to listen to Milkshake songs and give your kid their own "dance test".

Moving on to the GIVEAWAY:
Milkshake is so hip, so cool, and so supportive that they have given bloggers like me a chance to reward our wonderful readers. Here's the Prize Package:

• 1 copy of the CD "Play!" that has tracks made famous by ToddWorld and DiscoveryKids

• 1 copy of the new DVD "SCREEN PLAY!" that has all kids of music videos, clips of the band backstage, and lots of really fun music

• 1 copy of the Milkshake comic book (which I've discovered is a great way to encourage reading!)

Here's how you enter to win:
Leave a comment with your favorite Milkshake song/video OR tell me who you will be giving this fabulous prize pack to, should you win.

Extra entries:

• Follow this blog (in right column just under Kajeet button click follow then leave me note in comment)
  
• Blog about this contest and link back to this post (leave link in a separate comment)
• Tweet about this contest (leave link to tweet in a separate comment)
• Email your friends and cc me: scarytwins [at] yahoo [dot] com (great for all my non-blogging friends to get an extra entry)

Deadline to enter: Tuesday, February 3 at 12 Noon, ET.
Winner will be chosen by Random.org and announced Tuesday before I go to the fake ABBA concert (more on that later).

Good luck! And Thanks Milkshake!
Janine

Yanni brings back the romance

Do you need inspiration as we get closer to Valentine's Day? Would it help to hear something that brings you back to when you first started dating? Something that is both romantic, and upbeat?


As a member of the One2One Network I was given the chance to preview the new Yanni Voices CD and DVD. I have found the music inspiring as I write, and as I reflect on where my husband and I have come in our 10 years of marriage.

Yanni Voices took 2 years to complete in collaboration with producer Ric Wake (who did J. Lo's "Waiting for Tonight"), and for the first time ever, Yanni re-interprets his compositions and introduces vocalists Nathan Pacheco, Chloe, Ender Thomas and Leslie Mills.

I thought back on the first few Valentine's Days we spent together as a couple. One year I planned an elaborate "treasure hunt" which took my husband to various stores where each shop keeper had a clue to the next destination...the last of which took him to Victoria's Secret and then to a hotel room where I was waiting.

I'm looking forward to the video and watching the PBS Special to see these amazing vocalists at work and what it takes behind-the-scenes. Check HERE to find the dates for your local PBS station.

And who knows? Now that I'm loving Yanni, I just might find my way to the Yanni Voices: Live in Concert tour as a special date night. Right now we don't have the time (or a babysitter) for another treasure hunt, but we do still like spending time together, and romance is not a forgotten word.

What was your best Valentine's gift to someone?

Janine

The last time I went to Park City

Image via Hifispin on Flickr

The last time I went to Park City, Utah....
1. I did not have kids.
2. I was out there for a business conference.
3. It was one of those annual company-wide conferences where everyone drinks too much at night, and then has to get up for a day of sessions that start at 8:00am.
4. It was summer.

I had a friend who was living in Park City at the time and she gave me 1/2 day tour to show me what the Land of Sundance was all about. I was amazed at the number of restaurants and shops packed in to that Main Street. We took a tram up the mountain and hiked around. I was surprised that there were so many cool things to do in the summer, I could just imagine how fun it would be in the winter.

Fast forward to today and Mom Central gives me the opportunity to explore Park City Mountain with a different set of eyes. I just spent an hour on the website and I'm itching to get back there...this time, with my family and my skis.

This place looks like the perfect family vacation with tons of fun for all different ages. Of course there is skiiing with over 3,000 acres of trails that vary from beginner to crazy (I mean expert). The Kids Signature 5 program means there will never be more than 5 kids in each ski and snowboard class.

Adult lessons and clinics are great for newbies and experienced skiiers because there's always room for improvement or to learn something new (like snowboarding or telemark).

Off the mountain choose from lift-served tubing at Gorgoza Park, the incredible Alpine Coaster, plus snowmobiling, and horse-drawn sleigh rides. Of course, that doesn't even begin to cover the quaint (but hopping) historic Main Street that is easy to disover by taking one of two ski runs or the lift service that drops you off in the middle of it all.

Definitely check out the Park City Mountain site and the interactive vacation planner, as well as the Adventure Blog where local moms give you the inside scoop on getting the most of your family vacation.

Then enter to win a 3-night, 4-day family vacation (includes 2 adults and 2 kids) to Park City. Be sure enter before January 30th to be eligible!

Have you 'rediscovered' a vacation place with your kids? Was it better the second time around as a family or did it make you miss the 'old days'?

Janine
this post sponsored by

Play games with your kids and lose weight?

All over Twitter I read about people playing video games like Wii Fit, My Fitness Coach or Dance, Dance Revolution for exercise. It's hard to ignore the groups popping up like this Wii Fit Moms Group. It's also hard to ignore the fact that a lot of these people are getting in shape while they are playing games with their family.


Now GameStop is giving those of us who haven't joined this craze the chance to find the games that that are right for us and our families. While games like Brain Age or Crosswords DS give your brain a workout, the new fitness games really do give you a workout. GameStop stores are now offering a "Sharpen the Mind, Shape the Body" initiative so you can stop by a local store and demo a range of titles that match your interests and skill level.

As a special incentive, all GameStop shoppers who spend $35 or more on designated products will receive a free 12-month trial subscription to their choice of Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Redbook, Good Housekeeping or Esquire.

Plus, the freezing temperatures make the idea of working out in the comfort of my own, cozy living room very appealing.

Janine
this post sponsored by

No More Sticky Notes!

Here is how I stay organized, and I use that term very loosely.

I have all my important numbers, school stuff, and reminders hanging about in a mess in my kitchen.





I have no less than 4 notebooks with various lists including shopping and To-Do lists.

I leave things like grocery lists and important messages to my husband on the place I think he'll see first that day: the fridge door, his computer monitor, the bathroom mirror.

See, I'm very organized.
Really.
The system works....
I'm lying.

But now, thanks to the very organized ladies at Mom Central, I'm testing out a FREE family management tool called Cozi. With Cozi I can track everyone's events in the family calendar (color-coded for easy viewing), and manage customized To-Do and Shopping lists (grocery, Costco, home office, vacation planning, party planning, etc.).

Cozi Family Home Page

Mobile Access
I can now scrap the sticky-notes and text any Cozi list, reminder, or message to my husband so I know he'll get it. If I'm already at the grocery store, I can call the Cozi toll-free number and they'll text any list to me. I'll never have to make 2 trips to the store in one day again!

The Cozi mobile version (for iPhone and Windows Mobile phones) allows account access direct to the phone - add or edit lists and view the family calendar.

Family Journal
Because I blog I didn't think I would use the family journal, however, I don't blog about every little thing my family does. I realize this is a great space to quickly jot down something funny that happened, or something silly the girls said, before I forget or feel the need to come up with an engaging blog post. Plus, my husband and the Twofer can use because, as you can imagine, my blog is off-limits to them.

This space is just for our family to use...and eventually we can make it public. I will probably turn to it during my writing dry spells - who knows?

Win a $5,000 Home Organization makeover!
Sign up for Cozi (it's FREE!) before February 4, 2009 and you'll be entered to win a 2-day home organization makeover with professional organizer, and incoming NAPO President (National Association of Professional Organizers), Laura Leist. In Laura's two-day visit, she will makeover either the kitchen or home office in one lucky winners' home; a service with a retail value of $5,000.

So check out Cozi.com to sign up for free, and visit MomCentral.com for more great ways to get organized. Then let me know what you are doing to stay organized in 2009.

Happily sorting through the paper,
Janine

A natural calorie-free sweetener? My coffee just got better for me!

I just received my sample of Truvia sweetener and I'm in LOVE.
I've gone through the pink stuff, the blue stuff, and thought I'd found bliss with the yellow stuff until I realized what was in it. Eventually I went back to old-fashioned raw sugar.

Now enter Truvia - the green stuff.
Truvia is made with rebiana, the best part of the stevia leaf. The stevia plant, a member of the chrysanthemum family, has been used for hundreds of years as a sweetener for food and beverages.
Truvia is made by taking the leaves of the stevia plant, drying them and steeping them like tea to extract the sweetest part.

Video



Things to know about Truvia

• great for people with diabetes
• kosher certified
• 1 packet = 2 tespoons of sugar
• I'm giving it a Twofer Thumbs Up

The taste?
I loved it in my coffee - not too sweet, and no aftertaste.
I put a little straight on my tongue and while there's a little 'cold' sensation (almost like mint), the granular texture felt like real sugar and I still didn't experience an aftertaste.
Go here to see how people in the Truvia Greenhouse thought about the taste. Or read what others are saying on the community boards.

While my sample came compliments of Truvia and Mom Central, I did look up where to buy and found lots of local grocery stores listed under my locations.

I'm excited to bake with it and serve it to my family, knowing that it's natural and not filled with chemicals.

Have you tried Truvia yet? If so, leave me a comment with your thoughts & tastes.

And now back to my coffee,
Janine

Holidays are the time to be thankful, merry, and Fire Smart

Now I'm not sure if this counts as a neuroses because fire is a legitimate concern.
What makes me neurotic is that I've been known to go through periods where I lose sleep over it. I have weeks where I unplug the toaster, the coffee maker, and anything else I can get my hands on before leaving the house.

After talking with some friends it seems I'm not alone.
I remember in school, a hundred years ago, I had to go home and make a fire plan with my family. But for some reason I was a lot smarter as a kid because I haven't a clue how to do that now.

Good thing Liberty Mutual has created a Be Fire Smart website (www.BeFireSmart.com) with all kinds of cool games, check lists, and fun stuff for kids to remind everyone about fire safety.

I just played the "How fast can you spot trouble game" (look in the right column) and I didn't spot everything. I didn't know you shouldn't leave clothes on a dryer!

I also played the "Dress a fireman" game which is terrific because it explains what each piece of equipment does and reminds kids that if they ever see someone in a suit like that, it's not a monster, just a fireman inside.

I'm going to print out 2 copies of the fire fighter coloring book for the girls to work on as we drive to my mom's this week.

Then I'm going to print out the Hazards Checklist and the Fire Escape Plan and work on that during the 6-hour drive. As with everything, I'm a control freak and having a plan will simply make me feel a whole lot better.

Here's my own quick quiz for you.
Which of these is TRUE?
a) Never leave heavy objects on the bed when an electric blanket is in use
b) You should vacuum your smoke alarms every six months.
c) Exhaust vents covered with snow can cause a fire
d) Don't leave your dryer running while you are not in the house

I'm going to pass along the BeFireSmart.com website to family, friends, teachers, and everyone else I care about, including you dear reader.

Leave me a comment if you decide to do your own plan, or if you blog about this post to your own readers. I'd love to see what others are doing.

Happy planning...
and the ANSWER: all of the above.

Janine
Thank you to Mom Central and Liberty Mutual for making me
Fire Smart!