Wahl Deep-Tissue Massager Review and Info on a Giveaway

I don't know about you, but lately, I seem to have a lot going on in my life and quite frankly, with that has come a lot of stress. When I get stressed, I definitely can feel it in my shoulders and back. I think this is a combination of things - both the physical impact of the stress itself and the side-effect of tossing and turning or sleeping in an awkward position at night (stress either causes me to be constantly moving and awake at night as my mind runs or it causes me to conk out not noticing that I am in a bad position for sleeping).

Sometimes, I can rely on exercise and stretching to help relieve some of this stress, but the deep down tension, sometimes that only remedy for that is a massage. I would love to have the time (and the money) to go for a therapeutic massage at the spa on a regular basis, but there just isn't time (or money) for that. So, sometimes, you have to find other ways.

Recently, I had the chance to try the Wahl Deep-Tissue Percussion Therapeutic Massager through MamaBzz. Wahl makes a whole series of massagers, including Deep-Tissue, Flex Therapy and Heat Therapy. They are currently running a Facebook promotion, where you can nominate a mom to win a mom relief package:

• Moms work hard all day, every day, and to thank them, Wahl - the company that invented the electric massager - is giving 50 massagers to 50 deserving moms this Mother’s Day.
• Through its first-ever Mom Relief Initiative, Wahl is providing the tools to help moms achieve the kind of sought-after relief that causes spas to book out Mother’s Day weekend months in advance, and why the spa is among the top gifts for mom every year.
• Wahl therapeutic massagers are serious pain management tools that offer powerful motors variable intensity control and interchangeable heads, allowing you to customize your massage experience.

Health Benefits of Massage
• Massage is not only an effective method of pain management, but it also contributes greatly to overall well-being.

• Massage can increase blood flow, which effectively reduces pain tension, relieves muscle tension and soothes inflammation.

• In addition to providing effective pain relief, massage can also greatly improve circulation, regulate blood pressure, reduce anxiety, and provide an immense feeling of relaxation, all of which contribute greatly to physical and emotional well-being.


For more on the health benefits of massage and the full line of therapeutic massagers, make sure to visit wahlmassagers.com. This new online resource is the first of its kind and provides consumers with information on chronic pain management methods tailored to fit their specific needs.

The massager features a 9' cord, allowing you to plug it in and settle yourself in some place to enjoy the massage.

The handle is designed so that you can use it to work out tension in your own back.

The massage intensity is controlled by a dial that allows you to adjust it to just the right intensity for you and even adjust it as you work an area if needed.

The massager includes four attachments, further allowing you to customize the massage experience. The first is the Deep Muscle Attachment. This attachment "thumps smoothly, creating a gentle, relaxing massage for all over general body use." The second is the Raised Bump Attachment, which has a "wide surface for an all-over muscle massage". Then, there is the Accupoint Attachment which "targets deep into tissue, great for pinpointing concentrated areas." Fourth, is the Four Finger Flex Attachement with "soft finger-like nodes" which "replicate a human touch massage."

One thing that I thought was really nice is that the directions provide information on massage techniques for everything from your shoulders and neck to your legs to your scalp.

Previously having owned one of those massagers that were designed to attach to the back of your chair, I must say that I really liked that with this Wahl Deep-Tissue Massager I was able to target a specific section of my back to work out the tension in a particular area. I also liked that it was useable to massage my legs and arms as well. I like that the design of the massager allows you to address your own tension, but you could still use the massager on someone else (which might be more relaxing).

Although the directions provide techniques for massaging the face and scalp, I found the percussive nature of the massager to be too intense for me to use on either of those areas, even on the lowest setting.

Would you like to win a "relief package" from Wahl? As I mentioned, they are currently running a giveaway on their Facebook page, here are the details:

• Beginning April 26 and running through May 13, those who like Wahl Home fan page on Facebook can nominate a mom to win a mom relief package from Wahl, whether it’s your mom, grandmother, wife, daughter, a friend or yourself.
• To enter the Mom Relief Initiative, simply post a comment explaining why the mom on your list deserves relief—maybe they’re a single mom who does it all, a working mom who never takes a break, a grandmother who’s always been there…every mom has a story and every story matters.
• Entries will be judged on their uniqueness and sincerity and the winners will be selected once the contest wraps up on May 13. Stories MUST be submitted before then in order to be considered.


No compensation was received for this post. A Wahl Deep-Tissue Massager was provided for the purposes of this review. Information was provided by Wahl, through MamaBzz about the product and giveaway. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Member's Mark 4X Probiotic

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I was given the opportunity to try Member's Mark 4X Probiotic. I have been using it for almost two weeks now and wanted to share my experience to date.

First, the packaging.

For some reason, I was expecting to find two bottles inside the package. Clearly, I hadn't read the packaging, because it very clearly references the blister packs.

I was glad to see that the pills were packaged seven per blister pack AND they were labeled with the days.

How many times I have wondered, did I take this or that...with this, there are no questions. If that day's pill is there, then I didn't take it. The small blister packs work well too for travel. They can easily be tucked into my bathroom bag or my purse to take with me. The biggest drawback is that the packaging is not child proof.

Second, the pill. The size and shape of the pill seems reasonable to me, in that there were no issues with swallowing it. I have taken some items in the past that were too big or oddly shaped, making them difficult to swallow.

I don't know much detail about the benefits of each probiotic or one over another, but here you can see the make-up of the Member's Mark 4X Probiotic in comparison to a competitor.

Third, the experience. The first few days, I would say that there was little change that I noticed. If anything, the indigestion "symptoms" seemed to be worse within those first couple of days. After a few days though, they went away. Now, I've only been taking for just over a week and maybe it was coincidental or maybe it was because I was taking a probiotic, when we went out for Mexican for dinner with family for my daughter's birthday, I didn't have the normal indigestion that comes with a night out. I would want to repeat those results before saying that it was as a result of taking probiotics and not that my body just reacted differently. I plan to continue to take them and see how they work for me.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and MamaBzz. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Member's Mark 4X Probiotic

It seems like I have been hearing more about probiotics, which are supposed to help support a healthy digestive system recently. Some of what I have heard, prompted me to do a little reading on the topic. From what I have read, I believe that I could benefit from them. Turns out we have these good bacteria in our intestines and when they are out of balance, you can have "side effects" - things such as indigestion and fatigue. Consuming probiotics are supposed to help rebalance the bacteria in your intestines.

Ever since I have had kids, my stomach seems to be more sensitive to the foods I eat. I find myself suffering from indigestion more frequently than I used too. As an example, I have to make sure I moderate tomato based products, so as not to be too uncomfortable. I'm not sure that taking probiotics to rebalance the good bacteria will resolve this, but I'm certainly willing to try.

You can find probiotics as part of foods and as supplements. It seems that there are quite a few products that contain probiotics - kefir and yogurts, as example. I have tried to use these products, but the challenge I have faced is consuming it daily. I'm not always hungry for yogurt, as example.

So, when I was given the opportunity to try Member's Mark 4X Probiotics, I was intrigued. Probiotics in a pill that I could take daily. That could work for me. I do remember to take a vitamin daily, certainly I could consistently take this product.

In order to try the product, I headed out to the local Sam's Club to pick it up.

Upon arrival, after checking out their bar stools, I headed over to the pharmacy area to find the Members Mark 4X Probiotic.

It took me a few minutes to find it, I looked first in the vitamin row, but found it one row over with some other supplements and protein shakes.

For only $28.88, I was able to pick up a Twin Pack, that in total contains a 3-month supply. That seems reasonable to me at less than $10/month.

In a couple of weeks, I will check back in and share my experience with the Member's Mark 4X Probiotic Digestive Care Supplement.

This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias and MamaBzz. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

1-2-3! Textured Products Review

Is it just me or has this spring been wetter than most. It feels like everyday, we get a little bit of time outside, but not enough. We always seem to be racing against the weather to get our fun in.

With all of this rain, we have been doing our best to keep busy inside. We have been building forts, coloring, playing with some craft kits we have and more. The PlayDoh has been out more times in the past couple of weeks than it has been in the past couple of months.

Sometimes, you just need something new to do. Fortunately for me, I had received a sample from 1-2-3! Textured Products to review that was a perfect activity to fill time, entertain and allow the kids to explore. I got a butterfly kit, but there are a number of themes of craft kits available. So, yesterday, when my daughter was looking for something to do, I pulled it out.

The Butterfly Kit came with a die cut butterfly (in purple, one of her favorite colors), some foil squares, torn shapes of foil, and small assorted shapes of a colored, textured cellophane-type material. My daughter went and grabbed a glue stick.
We decided before we started where we wanted to put each type of material. We decided that we would use the cellophane for the main body of the butterfly, the small foil squares for the antennae and upper wings and the assorted foil shapes for the lower wings. In an effort to acheive this, we worked one section at a time. With the cellophane section, we made a small pile and tried to place them on the glue to ensure that they stuck and that we covered the glue. It sounded good in theory, but we both wound up with glue on our fingers and sticking to everything. For the next two shapes, we went with more of a sprinkle approach. It seemed to work pretty well. When we shook off the excess, I was really glad that we had set up our workstation with some paper underneath that we could easily pick up and funnel the pieces back into a usable pile.

As soon as we finished with the butterfly, and seeing the amount of decorating materials that we had left, my daughter went in search of something else that she could decorate. She found a picture of a fish, which was cut out and partially colored. She decided that we would decorate all but the fin that was colored and the tail that she was going to finish coloring. By this point, all of our decorations were mixed, so she wound up with a very pretty, mixed style fish. I actually think I like the way it turned out better than if we had had the decorations still separated and could have striped the fish with shapes.

I think it could be nice to keep a few of these on hand. They have kits that come with three activities that are available on their website for about $4.99 each. They also have a monthly subscription service, that provides an activity for each day for any number of children. The cost for the monthly kit is $12 / child, plus flat rate shipping. I think that this might work well for a daycare or for a preschool.

You can find their product selection and ordering information on their website. You can also follow them on Twitter.

No compensation was received for this post. The craft kit was provided for free from 1-2-3! Textured Products through MamaBzz. All opinions expressed are my own.

No-Work Spanish

I recently was introduced to No-Work Spanish AudioBooks. In concept, I really like the idea behind these audio books. Their website speaks to how we learn our first language by listening as people talk and slowly you began to understand what they were saying. The idea with No-Work Spanish is that by listening to the store in English and Spanish, you can connect the two and little by little, you start to become familiar with the words and how they sound. Already learning (or teaching) Spanish? They indicate that listening to the audiobooks will increase the understanding.

"No homework. No language drills. Just listen and learn."

The audio books are available on CD or if you prefer, you can purchase a copy to download (mp3 format). There are currently three titles available for this new program. For each, the book is read in parts. Before beginning the chapters, the reader shares the Spanish word for a few of the new words that you will hear in the next chapter to make the listener more familiar with those words. Each chapter is read, sentence by sentence first in English and then in Spanish. After the chapter is complete, the entire chapter is re-read just in Spanish.

Learn better by seeing and hearing? No problem, if you insert the disc into your computer, you can pull up a document in pdf format that contains the full story, just as it is read to you, including the new vocabulary words presented at the beginning of each chapter.


I listened to Poster Girl in my car. I found myself continuing to listening along to see what happens to Paula. I recognize that the idea is to slowly gain understanding of the language as you listen to the story and link the English and the Spanish, and maybe I am just not a language person (I think I am more of a math and science person - I took Latin in high school, in hopes of doing okay on the Verbal part of my SATs and still managed to score 200 points higher on math than on verbal), but I honestly think I would have to listen to the story several times to really think I was beginning to understand the Spanish. Out of fairness, I have only listened one time, so maybe I would find that the familiarity of the story would have me recognizing and understanding the words the second time around.

Unfortunately, neither of my children really got into it. My son immediately was uninterested in Poster Girl, because it was about a girl. Of course, you probably don't need to listen to every title anyways. He did listen to Yaks March on Washington for a little while. I had hoped that he would listen to more since he has studied some Spanish in school. I think part of the problem is that he only had the laptop to sit at and listen. I think that if he had had a cd player in his room still, that he might have listened to it while building legos or was coloring and probably would have enjoyed it.

I still think that the product has great potential. I think that obviously increasing the number of titles, which they are in the process of doing, would be very helpful. Providing age guidelines for the books might help too. I understand that since the "reader" is listening, that those guidelines vary slightly from actual books, but as an example I was able to find the original book for Poster Girl on Amazon and the age is 9 - 12. That might explain why in part, my daughter was not as interested in the story.

I also think that everyone learns differently. For those that are audio learners and don't have time or access to sign up for a class where they can listen to the teacher, the No-Work Spanish provides a way for them to learn the language in a fashion that works for them. The No-Work Spanish Audiobooks provide an alternative to the traditional ways of learning Spanish. I really like the No Homework, No Language Drills, Just Listen and Learn slogan. Listening to audiobooks certainly allows for a lower effort way to learn. For commuters and others that find themselves with time to listen and not time to study, this could be a great resource to start or enhance their learning of Spanish. Hearing the story spoken, rather than reading it yourself, really allows you to hear the inflections and accent of the Spanish - which I think is an important part of learning a language.

You can find out more about No-Work Spanish and even try the product (they will send you the first three chapters of one of their books for free) on the No-Work Spanish website. You can also find No-Work Spanish on Facebook.

No compensation was received for this post. Through MamaBzz, I received a copy of the first two No-Work Spanish Audiobooks, so that my family could experience the product and share that experience through a review on my blog. All opinions expressed are my own and that of my family.

Snap Fashion Jewelry - Review and Giveaway

When we received in the mail the Snap Fashion Jewelry Studio kit, from Smart Lab Toys, my kids could not wait to check it out. We only had a few minutes after dinner and playing outside before we needed to head upstairs, so we agreed that we would only make a few snaps to start with.

Making the snaps was (dare I say it?) a snap. The kit comes with a number of pre-cut fabric circles that you can quickly make into snaps. In addition, it comes with a guide that you can use to trace a circle, so you can cut out from any fabric to make your own unique snaps. The cutting guide even has a "hole" to let you view what will be on your button, so if you are using a highly patterned fabric, you can position it just so to get the look that you want.

To make a snap, simply place the fabric "pretty side" down in the snap maker and place a snap dome over top of it. Lower the lever, pushing the dome and fabric down into position. Then, place a snap back onto the lever and push your fabric ends into the dome. Slowly lower it into place, so your fabric doesn't escape and then push down firmly. Use the button on the snap maker to release your snap.

Then, attach your snap to your base and voila! The kit includes two ring bases, so your child can wear the snap as a ring. In addition. it includes five other bases that can be used to make any number of things. The snap bases have a slot through them, allowing you to slide it over ribbons, cords, etc to form bracelets and more.

Fortunately, for the creative challenged, the kit comes with an idea book that has a number of different ideas on how to use the snaps for things like rings, bracelets, lockets, hair flair, key chain, cell phone charms, and more.

In addition, it comes with tools to add flair to your snaps. There are 12 birthstone jewels that can be added to your snaps with glue. There are a number of transfers - including letters, soccer balls, Go Team and more, that with the use of acetone and a parent's assistance, can be added to the fabric on the snap to further personalize the snap. We haven't tried any of these yet.

Like I said, we only made a couple of snaps that first evening, but the next morning, as soon as they were both ready to go, I found them in the kitchen making more snaps. My daughter simply had to have a bracelet and ring that coordinated. Before long, we had used up the fabric circles that came with the kit. We need to head to the fabric store to get some quilting squares or other scrap fabrics to make more snaps.

At this time, they don't have refill kits available, but are planning to make them available by fall. In the meantime, additional supplies can be ordered through customer service.

Would you like to try them out for yourselves? Right now, you can save 25% at Smart Lab Toys by entering BLOGBUZZ at checkout! This coupon code is valid through 6/30/11. In addition to purchasing direct from SmartLab Toys, you can also find Snap Fashion Jewelry Studio at Amazon.com and select retailers. The kit retails for $24.99.

Want to learn more? On their website, you can sign up for their newsletter and find free download-able activities for kids! You can also find SmartLab Toys on Facebook, like them for deals and discounts, playtime ideas and free stuff. You can also find SmartLab Toys on Twitter.

Giveaway!
In addition, I have the opportunity to give away ONE (1) SmartLab Toy, of your choice.

To enter: Visit SmartLab Toys website and leave a comment on this post, letting me know what toy you would like to win, should you win the giveaway.

Additional Entries (be sure to leave a comment for each entry):
Like SmartLab Toys on Facebook.

Follow SmartLab Toys on Twitter. Please be sure to include your user name in the comment.

Follow A Busy Mom of Two on Twitter. Please be sure to include your user name in the comment.

Tweet about this giveaway. This can be once daily, please be sure to leave a link to the tweet in your comment.

Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a comment with a link to your post.

Sign up to receive daily updates. Leave a comment letting me know you subscribe (or that you already do).

Add my button to your sidebar or my blog to blog roll. Leave a link letting me know where you added it.

Share this giveaway on a link-up and come back and let me know where you shared it. (This can be done five times)

The Giveaway will run through May 19th at 6pm and is open to residents of the US/Canada only. Winner will be selected using Random.org random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (Please make sure that your email address is either in your comment or clearly visible on your profile or blog) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner may be selected. You may enter as many MamaBzz giveaways for this prize as you would like, but you may only win on one.

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. I received one Snap Fashion Jewelry Studio kit from SmartLab Toys through MamaBzz for my family to check out, for the purposes of sharing my review. In addition, SmartLab Toys is providing one item for the giveaway.

Boysterous Action Figures - Review and Giveaway

When I was younger, I remember my brother's playing with action figures. They had a variety of action figures. Action figures can be a great way for boys to play both with others and independently. They can create scenes and events for them and really use their imagination.

The new line of action figures called Boysterous from Manhattan Toys are no exception. The Boysterous line is a sports-minded series of action figures. There is one that plays football, soccer and hockey and ones that skateboard and snowboard. There is also an Extreme Sports Zone accessory available, that serves not only as a playing field for the various sports, but also is a convenient zipped storage case to allow for easy clean-up and transport of the action figures.

When we received a couple of the Boysterous action figures the other day, my kids were very excited. They could hardly wait for me to remove them from the package so that they could start to play.

It didn't take long for us to discover that magnets were used to allow them to interact with their props. We first realized it with the snowboarder, whose board is metal. Then, we discovered that the soccer player had magnets in his feet and a magnet in the ball too. My son discovered that if he held the soccer player about 1/2" from the ball and just above the playing field, that the magnet would "push" the soccer ball down the field.

Soon, they were playing soccer, my son using the soccer player and my daughter using the snowboarder. They really liked that they had a sports field on which to play soccer with their action figures. The sports zone can either be laid flat to be a soccer field or flipped over then could be zipped up part way to either form a half-pipe or if we inverted that, to become a hill for the snowboarder.

I asked my son what he thought after a few days and he asked if he could type his review, so here are my son's thoughts:

I like the Boysterous action figures because you can make them do really cool tricks that nobody on earth can do. I like how there is a magnet in the feet and the accessories. I like the case because it turns into a course on each side. I like how when you zip it half way it turns into a ramp for your skate boarder and snow boarder.

You can find Boysterous Action Figures at a Specialty Store near you and online at www.manhattantoy.com. You can see the action figures at play on the Manhattan Toy You Tube Channel.

Giveaway!

You have the chance to win one Boysterous Action Figure, courtesy of Manhattan Toy.

To enter: Visit Manhattan Toy and then leave a comment with another toy that you think your child (or nephew, neighbor, grandchild) would like.

Additional Entries (please be sure to leave a comment for each additional entry):
Like Manhattan Toy on Facebook
Follow Manhattan Toy on Twitter.
Follow A Busy Mom of Two on Twitter.
Tweet the following: Enter to win a #Boysterous Action Figure from @manhattantoy, ends 5/3, http://bit.ly/hf8Rgr #mamabzz (can be done once each day)
Share this giveaway on your blog.
Share this giveaway with your friends on Facebook.

Giveaway ends 5/3 at 6 pm and is open to US residents only. Winners will be selected using Random.org random number generator. The winners will be contacted by e-mail (Please make sure that your email address is either in your comment or clearly visible on your profile or blog) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner may be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. We received two Boysterous Action Figures and an Extreme Sports Zone from Manhattan Toys through MamaBzz for the purpose of playing with them and sharing our feedback. Manhattan Toys also is providing the Boysterous Action Figure for the giveaway.

SpellQuizzer Software

My kids think it is strange when I tell them that when I was growing up we didn't have a computer. When I was in junior high, I took a "programming" class on an old Apple computer and in 8th grade math, we used a TRS80 to do some math work. I was a senior in high school when my dad got a used computer from work. I don't remember it having much more than word processing on it and that was what I used to type my senior term paper. I didn't learn to type until I took typing class in high school - we didn't have a typewriter, so there wasn't much need to know before then.

Having access to a computer offers a lot of different learning opportunities for children. There are educational games, software and websites. When they ask questions that we don't know the answer to, we can quickly get some information on line - and we both learn in the process.

Recently, I had the opportunity to download and review a copy of SpellQuizzer spelling software. SpellQuizzer is a spelling program that you can use on your home computer to help your child practice his spelling skills. With SpellQuizzer, you create spelling lists by typing in the list of words that your child is learning. Then, you use a microphone to record the word. Newer laptops comes with a built-in microphone, but the computer that the kids use doesn't have one, so we had to dig up a microphone.
My son's teacher typically sends home six spelling lists at a time, so we were able to create several spelling lists at once. When he wants to quiz himself, my son is able to open up the program and select which list he wants to try. The list can come up in the order you typed or you can check a box to have it randomized. For each word, the program will play your recording and then your child types in the word. Once they are done typing, they select the check spelling button and the program will let them know if it is right or wrong (along with the correct spelling) and then move on. At the end, it gives them a chance to try the words that they missed again.

Overall, I really like the program. I like that I can create my own custom spelling lists. Once you have added a word to a list, it is added to the database and then you can create new lists by selecting any of the words from the database. This is great for those mid-year or end of year cumulative tests and to just keep them practicing on the words that are more challenging.

My son, who is learning to type at 7 (like I said I was 16 or 17 when I took typing in high school), used the program to create his own list of words - a list of words that all can be spelled on the home row. This was actually a very beneficial and creative exercise from my perspective. First, he was using the letters to try to create words - I love Scrabble and other word play games. Plus, he was using the software to learn more than it was designed for, which was very creative on his part. I certainly wouldn't have thought of it.

Some other facts about the program:
- There are several free downloadable spelling lists for SpellQuizzer on their web site at http://www.spellquizzer.com/Spelling-Lists.htm. These lists include pre-made sound recordings.
- There is a page on the site specifically directed toward homeschoolers: http://www.spellquizzer.com/Spelling-Software-For-Homeschoolers.htm.
- SpellQuizzer's built-in spellchecker recognizes both US and UK English spellings. The spellchecker warns the user when creating a spelling list if they enter a word that appears to be spelled incorrectly. Because of this safeguard it's reasonably safe to let children create their own spelling lists guided by the curriculum they are working on.

Blog Tour, Product/Book Name: SpellQuizzer.

Price: $29.95.

Put out by: TedCo Software.

You can check out a video demonstration of the software here.

You can like SpellQuizzer on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. http://www.facebook.com/SpellQuizzer

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own. I did receive a complimentary copy of the software for our use and writing this review, through my relationship with MamaBzz.

The Key to the Kingdom

I have always enjoyed Disney. I have always enjoyed reading (at least I don't recall a time when I didn't like to read). So, when I was given the opportunity to read and review the new book by Jeff Dixon, The Key to the Kingdom, I was intrigued.

The book is essentially a mystery. The main character, Grayson Hawkes meets with a friend late one evening and he shares some information about the history of Walt Disney and Walt Disney World and gives him a gift and his first clue. The story follows Hawk through Walt Disney World as he tries to understand what his friend told him before disappearing and works his way through a series of clues looking for the answer.

I expected there to be some double meaning in the title of the book, as Hawk also does happen to be the pastor at the Celebration Community Church. There are some mentions of discussion of religion and some portions of the story take place within the church, but it certainly is not a focus of the story as I thought it might be. I am okay with that, just surprised.

The book is told through the use of a narrator, who has insight on the thoughts and actions of Hawk, with dialogue driving much of the story. The book jumps right in and starts the story. There is only minimal character development in the book, but it feels okay. The story focuses more on the progression of the solving of the clues, providing some character detail in the process. The pace of the story is quick and is broken down into many short chapters (which for my just one more chapter approach to reading at bedtime, makes it a lot easier to talk myself into one more chapter). The style of the writing is very different from other books that I have been reading lately, it seemed less "deep", probably becuase of the minimal character development and the short chapters breaking it up. Still, with the pace of the book, it works.

As I read (and having read the disclaimer at the start of the book), I found myself wondering how much is real and how much is fiction, in terms of the history, the trivia and the locations within the park. Based on some information on the book's website, there is at least a portion that is real. Reading the book certainly has me looking forward to my trip to Disney, I want to look for some of the sites that are referenced and see for myself what references are real.

Details:


The Key to the Kingdom, Jeff Dixon

Put out by: Bring It On Communications!

You can purchase the book through Deep River Books, Barnes and Noble, and other retailers.

You can Like Key to the Kingdom by Jeff Dixon on Facebook, and http://twitter.com/deepriverbookson Twitter.

No compensation was received for this post. The book was provided to me by Bring It On Communication through my relationship with MamaBzz. All opinions expressed are entirely my own

Meet Einstein

I'm a science kind of girl. In fact, my undergraduate degree is in engineering. I think that I have always loved math and science. I can't say that there was any one thing in my childhood that helped pique my interests in this arena, I just know that I have always liked them.

Since I love science, I do try to expose my kids to concepts of science and math. I love taking them on visits to the science center. I also think I have a tendency to use math and science to explain things to them as well. I don't need for them to follow in my footsteps, but I'd like them to have a good foundation and not see either subject as scary.


The new book Meet Einstein by Mariela Kleiner and illustrated by Viviana Garafoli is a fun way to introduce your kids to science and the idea that science is every where around you. It opens by introducing the kids to Einstein and the word scientist. Then, by way of activities that a scientist might engage in, it explains a bit about what a scientist is. Then it moves on to the subject of light and shows different sources of light and types of light. Next, it talks about gravity, providing a nice simple definition that kids can relate to: "Gravity is the reason why things fall down to the ground". The illustration on this page shows kids at play sliding, falling and dropping things. It goes on to provide more information about gravity, including its relationship to the sun coming up in the morning and down every night. The book closes by connecting the light and gravity back to Einstein and a simple statement about "maybe you will be a scientist too".

The inside of the cover (is there a term for that?) is covered in images of things that you might associate with science and nature. There is the "Erlenmeyer Flask: is great for mixing liquids (or chemicals) without spilling" and "Microscope: to look at ity-bity stuff" and many more. I thought this was a cute little enhancement to the book.

I really like how the book touches on science in an informative, easy to understand way. The illustrations through out the book are well done. My daughter, who is four, really enjoyed the book and was upset when I took it out of her room to bring downstairs to look at while I typed. My son, who is seven, tells me that he "already knew all that stuff". Based on their perspective, I would think that this is a great book for a slightly younger set, evidently by the time you get to second grade, you know it all.

You can learn more by checking out the book website. You can also follow on http://twitter.com/MeetEinstein or Like on Facebook. The book is scheduled for release next Tuesday (March 1) and should be available at your favorite local or online retailer.

Want to enter to win a copy? The MamaBuzz team has a giveaway going on for Meet Einstein. You can find the Meet Einstein giveaway here.

No compensation was received for this post. A copy of Meet Einstein was provided through MamaBzz. All opinions expressed are my own.

God Gave Us the World

God Gave Us the World is a new children's book by Lisa Tawn Bergen and illustrated by Laura J. Bryant. It shares the story from the point of view of an innocent, little polar bear cub. As the story opens, Little Cub and her family are heading to the Bears Around the World Museum. Over the course of the story, Little Cub comes to learn that there are all different types of bears that look different, eat different foods and live in a number of different environments. Seeing the world through Little Cub's eyes, we share in her astonishment that "There are other kinds of places to live?" and that the other bears don't miss the snow, because they are not familiar with the snow. We follow along as she learns that "God is creative" and that He "gave us a great big, wide world" with different bears and different places to live. She wonders aloud why if God was so great, He didn't make all bears Polar Bears. Her mother guides her and she comes to realize that "Every bear has a special place in God's great big world" and that it is important to take care of the wonderful world that God gave us.

The story was very enjoyable and both of my kids liked it. There even have been a few debates on who gets to keep the book in their room. The illustrations in the book are also very well done.

I like that the story helps to explain that God created the diverse world with different varieties of bears. I also thought that the story did a nice job of stating and restating, like when Little Cub followed up her mother's comment about caring for the world with an explanation that she could relate to - that we should take care of the world, so as not to upset God - much like Little Cub gets upset when the twins mess up her stuff. The book provides a great way to share the message of diversity and responsibility of caring for the world with younger children in a format that makes sense to them.

This book is part of a series of books, such as God Gave Us You and God Gave Us Love. I think that we will try to pick some of them up at the library, as I expect that the kids would enjoy them as much as they did this book.

Some details:
Published by: Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Price: $10.99
You can purchase a copy of the God Gave Us the World at RandomHouse.com
You can find Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group on Facebook. The author has her own webpage here.
This book is part of series that includes:
God Gave Us You
God Gave Us Two
God Gave Us Christmas
God Gave Us Heaven
God Gave Us Love
God Gave Us So Much – a limited three book treasury

No compensation was received for this post. I was provided with a copy of the book courtesy of RandomHouse, through MamaBzz, to share with my children and to share a review on my blog. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Dragon and the Turtle Go on Safari

The Dragon and the Turtle Go On Safari is a new book from Donita K. Paul and Evangeline Denmark and illustrated by Vincent Nguyen. The story tells about the adventures of Padraig, the Dragon and Roger, the Turtle, as they go on Safari at the base of Mount Sillymanborrow. As we read, we learn that they are actually spending the night in their own backyard, but are imagining that they are on Safari. As they enjoy their campfire snacks, they hear noises from animals. We see in the first illustration, an ordinary animal like an owl, a squirrel, a raccoon and a kitten, but, as we learn that they imagine the noises to be from howler monkeys, giraffe, elephants and leopards, an illustration of a blended animal that is part ordinary animal and part what they imagined it to be. The story shows how together, these two friends face their worries and fears and manage to successfully spend the night in the backyard.

It is a cute story and my kids enjoyed it. I'm not sure that the first time they read it that they realized that the two pals were spending the night in their backyard, versus actually on a safari.

The main story was followed by "The Story Roger Did Not Get to Tell, The Legend of Mount Sillymanborrow", which is a quirky tale about a man that was making breakfast and finding himself without ingredients, makes several round about trips to his neighbor's house to borrow ingredients. When his neighbor joins him for breakfast, we learn that his house is much closer than the trips the man took would have suggested the house was.

On the final page of the book, is a quote from Deuteronomy and then some dialogue to share with your child. Discussions about being courageous and showing concern for others and about how friends can encourage one another.

Overall, I thought is was a nice story with wonderful illustrations. The Dragon and the Turtle are endearing characters and their adventure, along with the dialogue starters, are a great way to share with your children about the powers of friendship and how friends are there for one another.

I must say though, that there were some things that seemed odd in a book targeted to young children. First, there were portions of the dialogue in the story that seemed strange to me, such as when they were talking about seeing the giraffes and all the other animals in the morning and Padraig said "Cheerio. Right jolly good spot for us" and when Roger replied "A capital idea" when Padraig suggested that they get into their tent for safety. My first thought was that this language seemed slightly out of place in a book meant for preschoolers and young school aged children. My second thought was that the author must be British - turns out that Donita K. Paul was born in Kansas and lives in Colorado and that Evangeline Denmark is her daughter. I also struggled with the Dragon's name. I wasn't sure how to properly pronounce Padraig. I said it as a "Pa - Draag". (Even when I am reading a book to myself, I like to know how to say a name. As example, when I first read the House of Seven Gables in high school, I was uncertain how to pronounce Phoebe (of course, that was before Friends!) and read it as "Phobe". It wasn't until I read it in college that I learned that it was "FeeBe".)

Some details:
Published by: Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Price: $11.99
You can purchase a copy of the The Dragon and Turtle Go On Safari at RandomHouse.com
You can find Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group on Facebook. Donita K. Paul has a website as well.
There is another book by the same authors and featuring the same characters, The Dragon and the Turtle.

No compensation was received for this post. I was provided with a copy of the book courtesy of RandomHouse, through MamaBzz, to share with my children and to share a review on my blog. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Knights of Arrethtrae

I love to read. I hope that my children, as they grow, share this love with me. We have always read with our children. Now that my son is old enough to read, we encourage him to read on his own, but also read aloud together. When we read together, often times, we read books that are more complicated than he might understand reading on his own.

Recently, through MamaBzz, I had the opportunity to receive a copy of each of the last two books in The Knights of Arrethtrae series - Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor, and Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest (Multnomah Books, October 5, 2010).

The Fate of the Kingdom Lies in Their Hands.

In Series’ Final Two Books, Youth are Inspired to Live for More

Colorado Springs, COLO – In a culture where expectations for today’s young people are at an all time low, author and home schooling father Chuck Black challenges kids to live for more. In the magic-free Knights of Arrethtrae series, Black transforms powerful messages of courage and faithfulness into adventurous tales your son or daughter will love. Releasing this October are the final two installments of the six-part series: Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor, and Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest (Multnomah Books, October 5, 2010).

“Many kids today are being let off the hook,” says Black. “They’re abandoning activities that encourage creativity and self-development for forms of escapism like addictions to video games or social media.” He believes stories of everyday heroes who find courage in the face of fear will help youth rise above the norms set for them in today’s world and realize God has a quest for them as well.

Sir Quinlan and the Swords of Valor Two friends are called into duty, but only one has the courage to follow. Will Quinlan choose a life of comfortable apathy or faithful service to the Prince? When things go wrong, will he face his past and overcome distrust to bring the Valor Knights back together?
Sir Rowan and the Camerian Conquest Sir Rowan, Cameria’s most prestigious knight, is attacked and left for dead. Meanwhile, his people suffer as the Dark Knight expands his tyranny. The final battle looms – will Sir Rowan recognize his true purpose as a Knight of the Prince in time to save Cameria?

The Knights of Arrethtrae series is written for ages 9-12, but will be enjoyed by all. Each allegorical book encourages a virtue like compassion or courage and confronts a vice like greed or apathy. With maps, author commentary, illustrations and discussion questions, the series is also useful for homeschooling curriculum, church libraries and Christian schools.

About the author:

Chuck Black, a former F-16 fighter pilot and tactical communications engineer, is the best-selling, award-winning author of the Kingdom series and the Knights of Arrethtrae series. He has received praise from parents across the country for his unique approach to telling biblical truths. His passion in life is to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and to love his wife, Andrea, and their six children. He lives with his family in North Dakota.

I was assured, before receiving the books, that there would not be a problem that we hadn't yet read the first four books in the series. We recently started to read the book, and although it has taken a little bit of time to adapt to the style of the writing, I don't feel that not having read the first four books is an issue. I haven't ready many knight stories in general, in fact, the last (and only time) might have been when I read about King Arthur and the Knights of the Round table back in high school, so the style is different than other books I read.

The author does a nice job providing background and description of the characters. A lot of care is also taken in describing the physical features of the locations in the story and there is even a map at the front of the book to provide geographical relationship between locations. Together, the character and setting development really helps the reader picture the locations and relate with the characters.

The story has many parallels to Christianity. Some of the terminology in the book, feels forced to help you draw those parallels. Once I got past this and adapted to the style of the book, I like how the author is trying to teach lessons through the story. The lessons are based in the story and if you are reading with your kids, can lead to discussions about the actions and outcomes of the characters.

Also at the end of the book, there are a series of Discussion questions, as well as the answers to those questions. I really like this feature. We have read some books before that have discussion questions. When my son reads a book on his own, questions like this allow us to talk about the story and make sure that he is understanding what he is reading - generally, in order to do this, we have to skim the book ourselves. The fact that this one includes answers, would make some of the discussion easier. Many of the answers include references to specific Bible verses that relate to the topic of the discussion/question. It also provides some review questions for the Symbolism in the Knights series, which is a good thing to review if you are new to the series.

You can purchase the books online for $9.99 each from WaterBrook Press. Learn more about the rest of the books in the Knights Series and Chuck Black's other series, the Kingdom series here. You can also follow WaterBrook Press on Twitter or Like Chuck Black on Facebook.

Giveaway
Thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah and MamaBzz, I also have the opportunity to giveaway to one A Busy Mom of Two reader a copy of each of the final two books in The Knights of Arrethtrae.

To enter - Leave a comment sharing your favorite book series.

Additional Entries (leave a comment for each additional entry)

Follow A Busy Mom of Two on Twitter.

Tweet about this giveaway. This can be done once daily, please be sure to leave a link to the tweet in your comment.

Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a comment with a link to your post.

Sign up to receive daily updates. Leave a comment letting me know you subscribe (or that you already do).

Giveaway will remain open until November 9th at 6 pm and is open to residents of US only. Winners will be selected using Random.org random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (Please make sure that your email address is either in your comment or clearly visible on your profile or blog) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner may be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. A copy of each book, as well as a pair for a giveaway were provided by Waterbrook Multnomah through MamaBzz.

Dryel Giveaway

Dryel is a product that has been on the market for a while. I have always wondered about it and how well it worked, but until recently, I had never tried it. I will admit that I always assumed it was meant as a way to more economically clean your dry clean only clothes and was pleasantly surprised, upon receiving the product to review, to discover that it can be used to freshen up and clean any lightly soiled clothing.

How does Dryel work?

The Dryel fabric care system allows you to clean and freshen all your clothes in the dryer in less than 30 minutes. For your dry clean only clothes and hand washable items you can clean them in the convenience of your own home for a fraction of the cost of dry cleaning. For all your other clothes, Dryel offers light cleaning without having to go through a full washer and dryer cycle.

Heat from the dryer activates the moist Dryel cloth to create a gentle steam cleaning environment. For dry clean, delicate and hand-washable clothes, the specially designed fabric bag protects the clothes from shrinking, fading or stretching. Dryel also helps remove wrinkles. Most garments are ready to wear with little or no ironing needed.

The Starter Kit includes a reusable Dryel Fabric Protection Bag, two Dreyel cleaning cloths and a Stain Removal Pen. I found that the directions are pretty simple. If you are cleaning or freshening special care clothes, put a few garments in the Dryel Bag (should not be more than 1/2 full) along with the Dryel cleaning cloth and steam it in your dryer on medium heat for 30 minutes. For lightly soiled clothes (not special care garments) you place the clothes and the Dryel cloth directly in the dryer on medium heat for 15 minutes. After steaming, hang up and let wrinkles fall out.

I found that the Dryel cleaning cloths have a pleasant smell. After steaming, the garments come out of the dryer slightly damp and smelling clean and fresh. I must say that since it is hard to see "lightly soiled", I don't have a strong feel as to whether the garment was cleaned in the process. I will say that I found it convenient to quickly toss some items in the dryer and pull out the "refreshed" clothes. Hanging them, while still damp, minimized the wrinkles. I definitely like the idea that I can freshen up my dry clean only clothes and extend the period between when I need to take them to the cleaners.

The stain removal stick seems to work like many other instant stain remover products. You remove excess residue from the stain and while squeezing the pen, rub it on the stain. As with most, it seems to do an effective job on small stains and even for those that are larger, by treating the stain closer to occurrence, it makes it easier to get the stain out during washing later.

The Dryel 3-in-1 Touch Up Spray is great for smoothing out wrinkles, freshening your garment and preventing static in your garment. I like the anti-static feature myself. That is something that I have a few skirts and a sweater that really have static issues. It's not cold enough here to wear a sweater, so I haven't tested it on that, but for the skirt I wore, it seemed to effectively cut down the amount of static. I also like the idea of using the Dryel 3-in-1 Touch Up Spray while ironing. I haven't tried it yet, but it is supposed to help your iron glide more smoothly and the spray will help freshen the garment as well.

You can follow Dryel on Twitter or like them on Facebook. Right now, there is a try Dryel free rebate available. You can find the details here. I know that I plan to take advantage of the chance to get a free Refill. Hurry though, it says that the purchase must be made by August 31st.

Giveaway!

Courtesy of Dryel and MamaBzz, I have the opportunity to also giveaway to one A Busy Mom of Two reader, a Dryel Starter Kit.

To enter: Leave a comment indicating if you have tried Dryel before (and what you think) or indicating that you would like to try Dryel.

Additional Entries (leave a comment for each additional entry)

Follow A Busy Mom of Two on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. This can be once daily, please be sure to leave a link to the tweet in your comment.

Follow Dryel on Twitter . Leave a comment letting me know you follow and your Twitter id.

Post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a comment with a link to your post.

Sign up to receive daily updates. Leave a comment letting me know you subscribe (or that you already do).

Like Dryel on Facebookand then share this giveaway with your friends on Facebook. Leave a comment letting me know you did.

Giveaway will remain open until September 14th at 6pm and is open to residents of US only. Winner will be selected using Random.org random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (Please make sure that your email address is either in your comment or clearly visible on your profile or blog) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner may be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. I received, for the purposes of reviewing, a Dryel starter kit, a Dryel stain pen and a Dryel 3-in-1 fabric freshener spray courtesy of Dryel through MamaBzz. In addition, a Dryel Starter Kit was provided for a giveaway.

Total Pillow Winner

Congratulations, Debbie Lynne! Debbie is the winner of the Total Pillow giveaway hosted by A Busy Mom of Two.

Thanks everyone for entering and be sure to check out and enter the current giveaways - you can find links on the upper right hand corner of the page.

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random integers, generated with replacement:

1
Timestamp: 2010-08-17 00:49:56 UTC

Lindsay Brin's Shed 5 Fast

As I've mentioned before, I exercise in the morning before I go to work. Most days, this works for me. Some days, either because I was tired or because I need to get to work early, I don't have as much time to work out as is required by many of my DVDs. Most of the P90X videos that I do are normally an hour or more.

I am always on the lookout for new routines that I can fit into my schedule. When I was given the opportunity to try out Shed 5 Fast workout, I was really excited. The DVD is led by Lindsay Brin - a mother of two. She is focused on helping mom's get in shape and lose pregnancy weight. I like that she understands how limited a mom's time can be and she even references it in the cool down about taking a few more minutes - since this might be your only time for you today. She is very encouraging and it's hard not to guess that she has a background in cheerleading.

The Shed 5 Fast workout is a total body workout that combines toning and cardio (kickboxing) in one workout. This "interval training is the most efficient way to burn calories." The DVD comes with two workouts, one that is a weight loss challenge and one that is an interval burn. Within each workout, there are two women in addition to Lindsay Brin. One is doing a beginner level and the other is doing an advanced level of the exercises, while Lindsay Brin leads and shows the intermediate levels. This is nice for those that are at different levels and can see how to approach each exercise at their level. Also, as you progress, you can move from one level to the next by following a different woman through the workout.

When I received the DVD, I was excited to try it and substituted it for my regular workout the next day.

In completing the first day of each workout, I was reminded of why I struggle with aerobics, step aerobics and many other DVDs. I am not very coordinated. I struggle with trying to watch and do the workout at the same time. I am challenged by the transitions required to go from one move to the next. I seem to fall behind and then am trying to watch to catch up. I spent time watching and then trying to do the workout, finding myself a few steps behind and then getting frustrated. The good news is that with these workouts, as with aerobics, step aerobics, and other DVDs, if I continue to do it - I do get the hang of it. I guess I'm memorizing the workout, allowing myself to transition more easily between moves and get better coordinated at completing the moves.

My experience is that the DVDs were providing me with a decent workout. They weren't as strenuous as other DVDs that I have been doing, but they get my heart rate up into the zone and I did some serious sweating during the workout. I didn't feel it much in my muscles the next day, but that could just be because I have been working out daily during the week for almost a full year now and I don't feel every workout from my regular routine as much as I used to.

I like that Lindsay Brin is a real person and she shares based on her own experiences. She has a website at Twitter or reach out to her on FREE meal plan, which can help you shed those last pounds even faster.

She was kind enough to offer a 20% off coupon for my readers:
Moms Into Fitness also just launched a 60 Day Slimdown program for moms that want to commit to 5 days a week, complete with Fitness Tracker, 3-phase Meal Plan and workout calendar. Get your body back with Moms Into Fitness DVDs! Learn how to fire your core from the inside-out to create a flat stomach again.


Title: Lindsay Brin Shed 5 Fast
Price: $15.99
Put out by: Moms Into Fitness

You can watch a trailer here:



No compensation was received for this post. I did receive a complimentary copy of Lindsay Brin's Shed 5 Fast, so that I could try it and share my experience.

Total Pillow

I really don't watch much TV and most of what I do watch is on my DVR, yet somehow, I always seem to catch the infomercials. And, when I do, I watch way too much of them. I am intrigued by many of the products that are offered through infomercials. I find it interesting that no matter the item, it can always be sold in enough units or the payments broken into enough payments to be $9.95, $19.95 or $29.95 (I'm sure there are more options, but you get the idea). It's amazing how great an offer can sound when they tell you it can all be yours for only 4 payments of $29.95 each, until you do the math and realize that really is almost $120.

Of late, you can find many of these great things at your local stores - clearly marked "As Seen on TV". I know I have seen them at CVS and at Bed, Bath and Beyond and probably a few other stores that aren't coming to mind right now. Mostly, of course, these are the items that were only one payment items. My favorite "As Seen on TV" purchase has to be my Perfect Pancake Pan. It was the perfect size pan - I need to replace it and really should just find a small fry/saute pan to replace it - I can't find a Perfect Pancake anymore. Maybe that is why sometimes on TV, they want to "send you not one, but two (insert product name here), if you respond in the next 2 hours, operators are standing by".

Recently, through MamaBzz, I have had the chance to try a few As Seen on TV items - like the Wonder Hangers. This time, I got the chance to try the Total Pillow. Have you seen this thing? You can fold it, twist it or leave it round and use it in so many ways.
Here's what the company says:

VERSATILE TRANSFORMING PILLOW Cradles you with Comfort While Asleep and Awake

Most people spend approximately one-third of their lives asleep on their pillow, however the new Total Pillow has uses for the two-thirds of time spent awake.

There are pillows for all types of issues but no one pillow that bridges all conditions, until now. The Total Pillow™ is for use overnight, on the couch, sitting at your desk, driving, while on a plane or train, in college dorms, or just while watching television. This donut-shaped pillow transforms in just seconds to more than five supportive shapes for customized relief. The patent pending locking technology enables the Total Pillow to support the neck, lower back, ankles and knees.

"Consumers own many different pillows for different applications, identifying the need for a multipurpose pillow solution." said Steve Heroux, CEO of Hampton Direct. "The Total Pillow transforms into five different shapes to answer a wide range of conditions."

The Total Pillow's ergonomic design allows your body to be cradled in support whether you're a side sleeper and like support between your knees and/or ankles or are a frequent traveler. It's also great for the businessperson, who needs lumbar support for the long periods of time spent seated.

When I first received it, I spent awhile following the pictures on the package, trying out different ways to configure and use the pillow. I tried it as a neck pillow, I tried it as a seat, I tried it as a support for my knees and ankles. Initially, it seemed a little awkward to me. My husband shared my sentiment. But, we both kept playing with it and maybe it just needed a little bit of breaking in so that it would move better/easier.

My thoughts:
as a seat cushion - I can myself using the pillow as a seat cushion in to applications - for me when I sit on the floor and fold my laundry and at a soccer/football/baseball game where you are otherwise faced with cold, hard bleachers. It provides great support and since you aren't putting the pressure directly on your tail bone makes it easier to sit longer (plus it would be nice not to sit directly on that cold bleacher on a dreary Saturday morning).

as a neck cushion - I used it as a neck cushion the other night while watching TV. My biggest concern is that it gets hot quickly, which resulted in an on again off again use throughout the show. It worked well, although it wasn't until I took it off the first time when it started to get really warm underneath it that I felt the lack of having it there.

folded as a cushion for lying on the floor - Seems a little awkward, whether on my back or my stomach, it just didn't give me the height/angle that I would have wanted for talking to others in the room or watching a show. Perhaps if my TV were console or otherwise lower to the ground, it might have been better.

as a cushion for knees or ankles - I like putting it under my ankles to get a little elevation when I am lying down. I frequently will use a pillow or a the arm of the sofa to accomplish this, this is another good option and it stays in a place. Again, it can get a little warm, but not as warm as around the neck. I also could see this as a between the knees pillow that I would have used when I was pregnant and had to sleep on my side. I'm not sure about it being too warm, but I know the pillow I used (down) got warm anyways and this would have been more compact and covered less skin than my pillow did.

as a lumbar support - maybe it is just me, but I can't seem to get the same twist that they do and it felt awkward. Maybe if I watch the video here, I can figure it out, because I couldn't from the picture on the package.

Total Pillow
Available for $19.99 plus S&H, The Total Pillow and can be ordered online at www.buytotalpillow.com.

Hampton Direct, Inc. is a leading international importer and distributor of consumer products. The Vermont-based company's offerings include common household problem solving products that includes the As Seen On TV Wonder Hanger®, Twin Draft Guard® and Total Pillow®.

Giveaway

Would you like to try out the Total Pillow for free? One lucky A Busy Mom of Two reader can win their own Total Pillow.

To enter: Where/How do you think you would use Total Pillow? You can see more usage suggestions here.

After completing the main entry, you can also complete these additional entries:

· Follow @ABusyMomofTwo on Twitter. Tweet about this giveaway. Leave a comment with a link to your tweet. (this can be done daily)
· Follow this blog or sign up to receive e-mail updates (upper side bar). Leave a comment letting me know that you follow or subscribe (or if you already have been).
· Include my button on your side bar or a link to A Busy Mom of Two in your blog roll. Leave a comment with a link to your site.
· Share this giveaway with your friends on Facebook.
· Write a post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a comment with a link to your post.

Giveaway will remain open until August 16th at 6pm. Winner will be selected using the Random.org random number generator. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (Please make sure that your email address is either in your comment or clearly visible on your profile or blog) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner may be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. I did receive a complimentary Total Pillow, so that I could try it out with my family and so that I might share my experience. In addition, one Total Pillow is being provided for the giveaway.

Balance Benders

My son loves puzzles and workbooks. We have math workbooks and reading workbooks. We have word searches and mazes. We have workbooks of every variety. He will sit for hours and work through the puzzles and the workbooks. When he was younger, he wanted to do my Sudoku puzzles. We sought long and hard and eventually found a Sudoku puzzle book for kids. He loves it. He is still working towards understanding the predictive nature of solving the puzzles and frequently comes to me for assistance, but I'm happy that he is not deterred by the challenge and continues to work through the puzzles.

When I first learned of Balance Benders from The Critical Thinking Company, I thought this was something he would really enjoy. It pulls on his love of math and his love of problem solving. Balance Benders are "Logic and Algebraic Reasoning Puzzles". It takes a collection of shapes on either side of a balance beam that is either in balance or off to one side. Then, it asks the child to circle the three answers that will always be true. The answers that they are selecting from are a series of greater than, less than and equality statements using the shapes on the scale.

As he started into the Beginning Book (Grades 2 - 6), the first few balances were easy for him to resolve. As we moved back into the book, it presented some new concepts which we talked through. It was great to see him start to learn the concepts and see that light go on in his eyes and hear it in the more involved questions that he asked.

As a mom, I love that he sees these types of puzzle books as fun. I think it is important that a child can learn things through fun. As a puzzle enthusiast, I think it is great to see the love of puzzles starting to blossom in my child.

These workbooks cost only $9.99 per level. You can also check out some other great learning puzzles from the Critical Thinking Company. Click here to print out some free activities for your children (and see a sample of the types of activities in different books available from the Critical Thinking Company):


You can follow the Critical Thinking Company on Twitter or Like them on Facebook.

Want to win some free product from Critical Thinking? You can enter their new Critical Thinking Moments Video Contest for a chance to win a year's supply of educational product (a $500 value). You can learn more about the contest here. You can also nominate the person that inspired your love of thinking and problem solving as part of their Critical Thinking Heroes Award Program. If the person that you nominates wins, they will receive a commemorative award and a $500 gift card to the Critical Thinking Co. You can learn more and get the form to nominate your candidate here.

No compensation was received for this post. This is a Mama Buzz review. The Balance Benders book was provided by the Critical Thinking Company, so that I could experience it with my child and share my thoughts.

SafetyTat Review

A few years ago when we took our son to Cedar Point for the first time, we learned about a program that they offered where you could stop by customer service and get a wrist band for your child that you could write your cell phone number on. The thought was if your child got separated from you, a representative from the park could contact you. As a parent, this seemed like a great idea to me. If he did get separated from us, that would be horrifying - knowing that a park employee could locate us quickly, made me feel better. There were drawbacks to the wristband, but for the benefit, it was well worth it. The wristband was one of those that once it was on, you had to cut it off and as the day got warmer, the wristband did stick to him.

When you are out at the zoo, the mall, the amusement park, or elsewhere, your young children are not likely to know your cell phone number - my daughter who is 3 is just learning her address and phone number. Now clearly, no parent intends to let their child out of sight, but it only takes one moment for a young child to wander off while your distracted. If you could improve the ability for your young child to tell others how to reach you, that would be a great help. That is why, when I was contacted about checking out SafetyTat, I was eager to check out their product.

SafetyTat offers a full line up of products. Their SafetyTat original line is a temporary tattoo that is easily applied with a wet paper towel and will last for one to five days. The SafetyTat can be removed at the end of the day using baby oil or rubbing alcohol. By ordering them preprinted with your contact number, their is no need to worry about the number smudging or getting wet and smearing. If your kids are like mine, they love temporary tattoos, so there is no problem getting them to allow you to apply the tattoo. The tattoos feature a cute little picture - cats, butterflies, robots, along with the message "If LOST, please call:" and then below that are preprinted with your cell number. Another nice feature of these preprinted tattoos that I liked is that they also have version that communicate medical information - Allergic to Peanuts or Bee stings, Child has autism or non-verbal autism, and child is a diabetic. So, in addition to providing your contact information, you can get medical information to someone who doesn't know your child quickly. Have an older child? They also have a Tween series that uses the acronym ICE and has "cooler" pictures.

SafetyTats are also available in a 2-line version, if you want to include more information or a second phone number. They also offer a line that is called TatBuilder - that allows you and your child to customize the temporary tattoo, choosing colors, pictures, and message.

Traveling with a group? Bring along a pack of Quick Stick Write-On Safety Tattoos. These require no water to apply, and include a skin prep wipe and a SafetyTat pen so you can write your own message on the tattoo sticker. These are made of a special material that is durable and water proof.

Another cute product that they have is Tat Kisses. These circle tattoos have a special message and feature either lips or a thumbs up - "Daddy Loves You", "You are So Special", "Kisses from Mommy". These are cute little reminder that they are loved - something to apply on that first day of school, or when you are out of town, or anytime they need a little extra TLC.

Want to learn more about SafetyTat:
The idea for SafetyTat was born on a trip to the amusement park, when a mom found herself writing her phone number on her kids arms (you can read the full story here). SafetyTat.com also offers some wonderful safety tips here.

No compensation was received for this post. Through my participation in MamaBzz, I received a set of Original SafetyTat and one set of Quick Stick Write-On so that I could check them out and share my experiences.