WE LOVE SESAME PLACE!

If you are looking for an AMAZING FAMILY DAY next summer ... head to Langhorn, PA for some SESAME STREET MAGIC!

There is wet fun for the hot days and dry fun for the days that water just isn't on the schedule!

This year is SESAME PLACE's 30th birthday so the daily parade is definitely a must see!

These are my favorite "boys" on the planet... the middle shirtless one was enjoying his 5th birthday with all the friends of Sesame Street. And because of the 30th celebration, I had him convinced that THAT BIG CAKE was for him and ELMO made it! :)

SESAME PLACE is easy to get to. Simple to plan for. And unforgettable even for us OLD people. Just look at that smile... it is well worth the visit!

Hope you will find the time to enjoy, too!

MobiGo - A VTech REVIEW

I love VTech toys...and so do my kids. So when VTech contacts me to do a review, they know they are going to get a "YES!" from this Mommy Blogger.

The MobiGo is our NEW favorite toy! The screen is so clear, like a TV, no pixels here! It slides open like a cell phone to reveal a QWERTY keyboard and the sounds are clear - it is just one of the best toys we have.

The games are inexpensive and now, as of mid-July, Vtech offers downloadable games right from their website.
Take the guided tour here: MOBIGO

My son's best friend was drawn to this game like a magnet...so we let him borrow it for a couple days - he was addicted. Of course, VTech had sent it to me before it was even available in stores so his mom was chomping at the bit for its release date.

We were leaving for a LONG trip in the car and needed the MobiGo back...the hesitant hand-off was like watching a tear-jerker movie live. Shaky hands, painful grimace on one side and a joyous boy reunited with a favorite toy on the other side.

Our young BFF now has his own MobiGo and even bought  my son a NASCAR game for his birthday! Everyone is thrilled. I LOVE VTECH!

I was given a MobiGo by VTech for my review. I was allowed to keep the product, but the opinion I am sharing remains my own.

Googlybands REVIEW and CONTEST

No doubt you have seen them.
You may have even driven a sweaty-handed child to the closest retail establishment to clean out their inventory. They are Googlybands! You can find them at Walmart, Toys 'R' Us, Walgreens, Supervalu, Publix, Rite Aid and Christmas Tree Shops.

The wonderful people at Googlybands asked me to review their instant trend that has taken the country by storm. Of course my kids, all three of them, were thrilled the day the Imperial Toy Compant envelope showed up...we split them up evenly and everyone was giggly for their googly!

As an artist, I think these things are so STINKIN' creative! I love looking at how the peace sign is in one piece and how the recycle symbol actually looks like one! I am even thinking about entering their DESIGN CONTEST! Not for the $50 gift card but b/c I think I would be THE COOLEST MOM EVER if I actually designed some of these HOT new BANDS!
I love the colors, the themes. I love that some are glittery, some glow in the dark. I love that there is no subject matter that is questionable. I love that they encourage fairness and trading. I REALLY, REALLY like that their packaging is recyclable! WOOHOO!Of course the collecting is really fun, too.

I have a pink hippy bus and a purple electric guitar on my wrist and have since we first discovered them!

Find them on Twitter
Find them on Facebook

Now....wanna know what you have to do to win 5 packs of Googlybands?
All you have to do is leave a COMMENT and become a FOLLOWER My Semblance of Sanity.
Yep, that's it!! You don't even have to leave the house, brave the crowds or console a tearful kid.

I will use Random.org on Friday @ 5pm EST to choose the winning comment!
GO!

A BIG REVIEW WEEK...starting with Strawesome!

I have some GREAT reviews and contests running this week! I am so excited to introduce you to all the great products I've been asked to review!! Some of the reviews will include a chance to WIN that product!

Come back! A new review and contest EVERYDAY!

Today I am THRILLED to introduce you to Daedra Surowiec, artist and owner of

During the spring I took a leap and went RAW... meaning everything I put in my body was raw... veggies, fruits, etc. NO meat. I have since added cooked foods but remain mostly vegan. So while I was looking for vegan/raw recipes I came across STRAWESOME and since I had been getting much of my nutrients through some amazing smoothie recipes, I contacted Daedra and asked her if she would like to do a contest on my blog!
She mailed me a straw and I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

Why STRAWESOME glass straws?
GREEN...GREEN...GREEN!
~ reduce toxin exposure from plastic
~ imagine every straw you have ever used laying in a landfill

GIFTS...GIFTS...GIFTS!
~ she even personalizes her functional art!
~ need I say more?

HEALTHY...HEALTHY...HEALTHY!
~ serve a bright colored smoothie with one of these straws and WHAM, your kids will be SOLD!
~ add to your water consumption! It's more fun with glass!
Who is Daedra?

Daedra is a graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy with a bachelor degree in fine arts and architecture and with studies abroad in Italy. Surowiec worked in the corporate world for five years following graduation. It was less fulfilling than she imagined.


Following her first son’s birth and her decision to start a home based business, Surowiec took a class in torch work at the Glass Academy in Dearborn and discovered that she could apply her artistic skills to create functional pieces of art with glass straws and develop a viable business.

Surowiec admits to having a special advantage over other start-up businesses. Her husband Brian Surowiec, owner of Essential IT, is a developer of e-commerce web sites including http://www.strawesome.com/.

I asked Daedra when she finds the time to work her business...
The beauty of this business is that it’s online and whatever is seen in the shop is what I have in stock. I don’t have to hurry up and make straws everyday to complete a order. I usually create straws once a week to keep my stock up. I receive orders throughout the course of the day and then when the kids are in bed I take a few minutes to wrap up all the orders of the day. It’s pretty simple and I enjoy every part of it immensely.



Daedra and I chatted about what our contest would be and we decided on a
KINDNESS CONTEST!
Leave a comment with something KIND you have done recently...Daedra will choose the KINDEST Semblance of Sanity reader and you will win your very own STRAW from STRAWESOME!

So, here's your chance to BRAG! Go!

JUST JEN LOVES CHEERLEADERS! Custom T-shirts for Cheerleaders!

JUST JEN HAS EVERYTHING RHINESTONE YOU COULD EVER WISH FOR!

Well, when I was contacted by JustJen.com to do a product review for them, I thought... hmmmm what in the world could I get on a T-shirt for ME? I never get myself fun, blingy stuff so it's about time!

My daughter had a different idea when she read my email over my shoulder...the words CUSTOM CHEERLEADING SHIRTS jumped right off the page and within moments she was babbling off what she wanted on HER shirt and how HER shirt would be designed!

If you head over to JustJen.com you will see a vast array of choices for women and girls; from baseball caps to lingerie! NO KIDDING! Rhinestone personalized lingerie!

JustJen took our school's logo and my daughter's name and sent us THIS:

Our team logo was PERFECT! Exactly like the one on the team jerseys!

When she went to school the next day donning her new bling and her competition hair scrunchy she was MOWED DOWN by her cheermates, "Where did you get that shirt?" "OMG! I love your shirt!" "You are so lucky! That is the coolest SHIRT!"

JustJen.com offers a 15% group discount so if you know of some cheerleaders (you know, the ones looking over your should right now. LOL!) send the link to JustJen to your coach and let ALL the girls look THIS cute!

Thanks JustJen! She loves it! And I have a brand new baby niece, so I will be shopping with you again soon!

Peace.

Check out JUST JEN....

Hey Moms! I was just contacted by JustJen.com to do a review of one of their products! My daughter is anxiously awaiting her CHEER T! So, coming soon is that review - complete with pics so keep checking back!

And, as luck would have it JustJen was featured on the TODAY SHOW this week!

CLICK HERE to watch the Valentine's Day ideas from JustJen on the TODAY SHOW! Valentine's shipping is still guaranteed so get your orders out there!

Keep checking back (subscribe if you never wanna miss a beat) to see the fun CHEER GEAR from JustJen! The winter cheer season is here and the fall one is coming before you know it!

Peace.

Christmas Day (LeapFrog Leapster 2) GIVEAWAY!

Well, here I am....sneaking into my studio/office while my kids play with their new gadgets to post about my new favorite toy! The NEW Leapster 2! I can't wait for nap time so I can peel my son's grubby little fingers off of it to see what all it does! The buttons are big, the stylus fits in a little hole the back, the screen is clear and there IS A VOLUME! You can turn it down! And...and...and...a headphone jack if Mom wants complete silence! Check it out! How cute is this?

There is a CD and power cord that you can plug right into your PC or laptop for computer play. Also, you can download games STRAIGHT FROM the LeapFrog website. And right now you can save and amazing 25% on games and accessories!

And, yes, I know what you frugal moms are asking..."But will the old LEAPSTER games fit in the new Leapster?" YES!!! Cha-Ching!

I am talking HOURS and HOURS of learning fun! I listened to my pre-schooler identifying letters while my husband cheered him on as he defeated Darth Vader while learning pre-reading skills! SO COOL!

And the best part of this?

LeapFrog has decided to GIVE ONE AWAY right here on my blog!

Tell your kiddo that Santa dropped this gift in a big snow drift at the North Pole and that's why it arrived late. There is no better deal than a FREE toy (especially a $50+ one) AFTER Christmas!

Leave a comment and on Wednesday I will choose a winner using Random.org to choose a winner.

Peace.

Merry Christmas!

The envelope, please! (and a contest!)

Hi all!

I have run a few contests these past couple weeks and wanted to let you know who our winners are!

The MIDDLE SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL BOOK goes to IrishMama!

and

The CURIOUS GEORGE: A VERY MONKEY CHRISTMAS goes to Bobbi-Jo from The High Family (go check out her photo - you'll see why she won! Too cute!)

There is a LEAP FROG LEAPSTER 2 contest coming up by the end of thise week!!!

Come back to check! That would make one AWESOME Christmas gift and it will be FREE!!!

Happy Shopping.

Peace.

Every kid needs a CYBER POCKET!

...and every mom needs her kid to have it! VTech is the leader in age-appropriate learning toys and the creator of the Electronic Learning Product category. Since 1976, VTech has been developing high-quality, innovative, educational products and learning toys that enrich children’s development. From infant to toddler to grade school, kids learn through fun, smart and active play.

Toys with a purpose that encourage learning and keep kids engaged are at the top of my list this year.

The V.Smile Cyber Pocket Learning System is one of these toys! Small enough to be portable but yet large enough for little hands this (I hate to even call it this because it's so much more) toy is one awesome find!

Children ages 4-7 can play games that enrich language, teach not only problem solving but math, spelling, vocabulary, logic, music and more.

I love that the screen is LCD and very clear. You know sometimes those small screens are pixel-y and remind me of the PONG game from way back when. Not this screen! It's sharp and colorful. I would like for it to be a little larger. I worry about the kiddos with less than perfect vision and think this small screen may frustrate them to the point of putting it down.

The stylus is attached with the short string and has a clip to hold it in place when not in use which is BRILLIANT! I wish my big kids had this option for their Nintendo DSs...they may not go to college b/c of all the money I have spent replacing lost styluses.

The buttons on the Cyber Pocket are colorful and small finger-sized but not to small that they hit more than one at a time. The finger activated joystick-style control buttons will increase hand-eye coordination which is a pre-reading skill. Kids with good hand-eye have been known to be better readers.

The writing pad is cool, too.

The mom friendly features are just as exciting!

• a head phone jack so you are not humming a learning game tune all day.
• a slide off cover to the battery compartment...NO SCREWDRIVER NEEDED!
• not-too-hard-to-remove-from-the-box packaging which can make for mumbled bad words on Christmas morning!
• ENTERTAINMENT that parallels no other system for this age group!

I can't wait for my son to open his VTech Cyber Pocket Learning System Christmas morning, but I think I will make it the last gift, so he can sit back and play right away!

MENTAL NOTE: Open box and put batteries in first! This packaging allows for simple cutting off fused edges and then placing protective clear cover back on and sliding it back into the box! LOVE IT!

The angels are singing to this one! Go out and get one of the best kids won't bother me while I am grocery shopping toys on the shelves this year!

More reviews on the way soon.

Peace.

A Very Monkey Christmas THE CONTEST!

When PBS contacted me to see if I would have a Curious George party to announce the release of the FIRST CURIOUS GEORGE CHRISTMAS MOVIE, I agreed. I love kids. It would be fun!

The preview of the movie is on PBS today! To learn more about what's going on with that rascaly monkey...CHECK HIM OUT HERE!

Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas, finds George and The Man with the Yellow Hat having a very merry time counting down the days until Christmas. There’s only one puzzle: neither of them can figure out what to give the other for a present. The Man is having trouble reading George’s wish list and George doesn’t have a clue about what to get for The Man who has everything. Maybe you can help!

We had a blast at our party! My favorite part was the contagious giggling from the other room when George would get himself in those typical Monkey predicaments.

The movie held their attention (until the last short bit) which is AMAZING for a room full of kiddos 5 and under! WOW!

We are headed out of town and taking MY COPY with us in the car to ring in the Holidays as we go...over the hill and through the woods to Grandmother's house!

Post a picture of your cutest Curious George fan on your blog and leave me a link and I will have my impartial judges pick the most creative photo to win the DVD, not yet released. The 2n drunner up will receive the Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas soundtrack!

POST THOSE PICTURES NOW!!

GlassesUSA hooked me up!

UPDATED SALE INFORMATION!! Friday GlassesUSA is having an AMAZING Black Friday sale - 25% off ANY order. It's a one-day only sale followed by an almost as good sale on Cyber Monday (17% off any order).

I remember being a teenager and thinking it was so cool when I got my first prescription for glasses! Wearing eyeglasses was going to be SO cool! A couple years later my frames were huge compared the the latest styles and I never had time to go get new frames...picking them out took a lot of time and I just didn't have that kind of time. I stopped wearing them.

As a mom, I NEED my prescription glasses! The print on medicine bottles gets smaller each time I fill a prescription! So, I take the kids and go browse through the thousands of choices and can NEVER pick what I like. Distractions or no distractions, it's tricky!

I didn't think I would be able to choose eyeglass frames online. I figured I would need to see them on my face to know what I liked. But at GlassesUSA.com I found a lovely pair that I HOPED and PRAYED would look good! I had just had my eyes examined so I have my new prescription (which is Greek to me).

At GlassesUSA.com, your order is processed quickly, using YOUR prescription, and your glasses arrive in no time packed in their own sturdy case! And then prices...HOLY GOODNESS, they are so economical! This was a SUPERB experience!

Thanks GlassesUSA! They are awesome! I feel like a HOT MAMA in my new specs! ;) Whadda ya think?

Peace.

I love tiny*prints!

I now know where I will be shopping for my HOLIDAY GREETINGS!

Here are a couple samples from the tiny*prints website!

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY OF THEIR HOLIDAY SALE! GO! GO! GO!

I just got my Tiny*Prints order and LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

This website is so EASY to navigate and personalize...I'm not always a "quick learner" when it comes to new sites and ordering and personalizing but this site was a breeze.

Their products are so gorgeous, I found myself looking through other styles and cards for events and holidays I wasn't buying for but I just kept wanting to see more!

tiny*prints is FIRST CLASS! This company is definitely worth a bookmark in your FAVORITES file!

Check out their deals for the Holidays! This is ONE STOP SHOPPING at its BEST!

HOLIDAY CARDS

CHRISTMAS CARDS

HANUKKAH CARDS

HOLIDAY PHOTO CARDS

HOLIDAY PARTY INVITATIONS

HOLIDAY RETURN ADDRESS LABELS

HOLIDAY GIFT TAGS

HOLIDAY MINT TINS

HOLIDAY THANK YOU CARDS

NEW YEAR'S CARDS

NEW YEAR'S EVE PARTY INVITATIONS

They are bangin' down my door!

Hey all!

I know it's been awhile, I apologize! I've been feverishly working on a couple books and preparing for a speaking engagement - yeah, ME, SPEAKING! Like a bumbling idiot, probably! I may grace a post with some video of it after it's over - heck, if I can figure it out, maybe I will SKYPE it - we will see!

I love y'all for subscribing and it will pay off in the VERY near future. Listen why.

My inbox has been INUNDATED with companies asking me to review products and some are offering extra items for giveaways! JUST IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS!

PBS, TinyPrints, VTech Toys, Simon&Schuster and MORE!!

Can you say FREE CHRISTMAS SHOPPING? Enter a contest and win a toy or discount that will help to complete your holiday shopping list!

SO...if you haven't already...SUBSCRIBE, SUBSCRIBE, SUBSCRIBE!

Peace.

between us girls...THE CONTEST for moms with daughters!

"The F-word means, pulling hair that's not on your head." "If you hold hands in public you could get pregnant." "Sharing a soda with a boy makes you look like a floozie." These are some of the heart-to-hearts MY mom had with HER mom. Back in the day. Back before cell phones, iPods and the dreaded Wii, mothers and daughters actually had time to sit and chat about life. Although, with chats like my Nanny had with my mom, I am not sure which is worse, having them or NOT having them. If you are a mom, most of your days are spent rushing around like Speedy Gonzales on crack. Bus stops, grocery shopping, work, the gym. Then whipping through the pick-up line at soccer practice only to spend the next 15 minutes tossing chicken nuggets to the back seat as your daughter changes out of cleats and into ballet slippers. Who's got time for good advice?

Sometimes I think to myself, "When does this ride stop? I don't remember being this busy as a kid." Then the panic sets in and I wonder what all I have been leaving out while I am carpooling to cheer and leaving late for guitar? Am I shaping my daughter into the wholesome, self-reliant, beautiful young woman I always dreamed she would be? Am I giving her all the tried and true tips (NOT my Nanny's!) of what is appropriate and what is not? Does she feel comfortable to talk to me when kids at school whisper about things she doesn't "get"?

Have you ever laid in bed at night and thought of all the things you said to your daughter that day and felt like a drill sergeant?

"Put that down."

"Grab your shoes."

"Clean your room."

"Stop looking in the mirror and look at me when I talk to you."

"Are you wearing make-up?"

"Tell me who that was on the phone." "No, you can't call HIM back!"

And, when we have a minute, when life slows down, what DO we talk about? Does your mind go blank? Does an OUT OF ORDER sign blink behind your eyelids? Now what? What do I say? What is she thinking? Should we have THE talk? Does she already know?

Do you feel lost? Wish you had a book?

*insert Hallelujah Chorus here*

Vicki Courtney is a best selling author, mom of teens, blogger and the creator of VirtuousReality.com. Her brand new "magabook" will have you and your girl(s) laughing like old friends, chatting about life and delving into conversations you couldn't have thought of on your own.

Laid out like a typical pre-teen magazine, between us girls is a fun jump into the life your daughter is already living. And you don't want to miss out on that. One of the 5 chapters is on the popularity of cell phones and iPods creatively discusses how having these things will not bring true happiness into her life and guides you in helping her to focus her energies away from material things and toward interests that really make a difference.

Fun surveys and and quizzes are sprinkled throughout, too. Bringing up your own embarrassing moments or how you felt about "cliques" when you were her age will open up the lines of communication and you will start to seem HUMAN to her. We all think our mothers were BORN in their 20s or 30s, when you share the story with your daughter about sneezing snot all over the homework of the boy you liked it will have no ill effect. I promise. Just lots of giggles!

Vicki Courtney was clever enough to also touch on subjects that are not easy ones to bring up like boobs, periods and body image while at the same time including crafts and silly stuff in between to ease the serious tone.

I have it! I love it! This has been a great resource to have floating around my home. A quick thing to pick up in between homework and baths to chat a little, connect and let her know I may be "mom" but I have also "been there, done that!"

Thanks to Vicki Courtney, I have TWO copies of her amazing magabook! You can win between us girls simply by sharing a nugget of advice your mom gave you. Be it funny, bizarre or heart-felt and meaningful. The blogger who refers the WINNING comment (not the most comments) will also receive a copy so PLEASE leave the referring blogger's link as well.

YAY!

Have fun with this! Blog about it! FWD it to friends! It may just change your relationship!